Hog back Trail and Church Rock Trail

We had two back to back beautiful 60 degree/sunny days that meant two back to back hikes. Saturday we decided to hike to the Rehoboth Peak from campus going up past the cemetery and to the southeast up the hog back. The hike was three hours long from start to finish from southeast to northwest along the hog back to the peak and back down.

 Jack in front of some of the sandstone formations along the trail.

The view of the peak from the trail below.

Looking southeast at rows of hogsbacks

The layers of white sandstone at the top against the blue sky is breathtaking!

Looking back after coming down from the peak...seeing the redrock cliffs (if you know where to look you can see Church Rock) across the valley.

Another view of the "V" and the peak as we are coming down.

Sunday, Mike and Gail asked to hike with us and we agreed that the Church Rock Trail would be a good choice for our hike. The weather was perfect for the 2 hour hike. Neither of us remembers doing this trail recently. We did not get all the way up to Church Rock but the loop we did gave us some great views of both Church Rock and Pyramid. This is another one we want to do again soon.

Starting from the Church Rock post office parking lot with Church Rock in the distance ahead of us.

First Cairn along the trail...it's a nicely marked trail.

Sandstone cliff view 

Jack and Cindy in front of Church Rock view along the trail.

View of Pyramid from Church Rock Trail.

Visalia Weekend

We took advantage of the President's Day holiday to make the trip to Visalia. We had a great time with the Housewards and In'tHouts.  It's great being "close" enough to spend  a weekend with our CA kids/grandkids. We were also able to participate in Adrian's baptism this morning. Wonderful service.

Weekend in Redlands/Noelle birthday celebration

 We were able to have a little excursion over the weekend to be with Julie and the girls while Nick was taking a class at the Sundance Festival. Since we had missed Noelle's January birthday we were able to celebrate her opening our gift to her while we were together. It was fun to share in her excitement in opening her new scooter.

California Kids for Thanksgiving

We'll start with pictures from the week before Thanksgiving when we spent time in Visalia with Ben and Jodi and Adrian. Lots of projects got done including Jack finishing a table for Adrian (and future siblings) to enjoy. Mostly we enjoyed just spending time with Adrian (and Ben and Jodi).

Adrian "sitting" on his new chair

Adrian gives away smiles very freely now.

After our time in Visalia, Jodi and Adrian drove back with us to Rehoboth to spend the whole Thanksgiving week with us in Rehoboth (Ben joined us on Wednesday). Nick and Julie and girls arrived in Rehoboth about an hour before we did. We had a great time doing some of our favorite hikes and just hanging out.

Wednesday we did the Pyramid Trail Hike with the In't Hout's

Sofia even found some snow

Eva posing in front of one of the cairns that marked the trail.

 In't Hout family in front of Pyramid.

We made it to the top just before sunset.

Fia and Eva on the Rehoboth playground

Julie and Adrian

On Thanksgiving night we went over to the Ippels up the street to share pie and do our tradition of singing Christmas carols together. Everyone has a great time participating.

Noelle 

Julie, Nick Ben and Jodi

Jack is always at the piano, sometimes with some help (from Julie and Noelle here).

The piano playing and singing woke Adrian up. He didn't want to miss out on the fun.

Eva dancing along in husky costume.

Sofia accompanying Jack and Julie

Go Tell it on The Mountain with motions done by Eva and Sofia. 

Noelle accompanying the singing with one of the many instruments you can find at Bob and Mary's 

On Friday we went to Huizinga's and hiked with all of us to Milk Ranch Canyon. This has also become a tradition ( two years in a row).

The kids all hid in this crevice to scare the parents as we hiked the trail.

Fia and Eddie with their "snowball marshmallow" on a stick

Fia and Eddie in the canyon

Ben and Jodi and Adrian at the cliff of the canyon. (Adrian's first hike)

Everyone playing on and in (Huizinga's dog Hutch fell in) the pools in the canyon

Nick and Noelle on ledge above Eva

Everybody playing in the canyon

On Saturday the Housewards and In't Houts left but not before we got a few more picture of Adrian.
Adrian pre smile...wait for it...

almost there...

There it is!

What a fun week it was. These are traditions that we would welcome to continue.