2026 Dry lake and Dollar lake

last minute idea to hit the trails, which involves realizing no one else might want this adventure and pulling a permit and packing and going. The first day as I put my car in the parking lot with no other cars brought me to my aloneness. I knew the trail would be strenuous because I would be going up 2000 feet in elevation. It was also a very hot day with the sun scorching the trail. I hacked alone each mile. The verse psalms 121:5 became my mantra. The Lord watches over you, the Lord is your shade at your right hand. When I arrived under a tree to rest, I immediately felt the cooler air and took deep breaths. arriving at the lake and choosing a spot to set up my Camp Isaiah 41:10 became words of comfort ...so do not be afraid I am with you do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you and I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. hiking about a quarter mile up to a little stream to gather my water while reciting Psalms 23 the Lord is my Shepherd. I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures and leads me beside quiet waters. There was no way I was going to grab water from the very beautiful lake, because it was very murky and swampy. As I lay out under the stars and the light faded, and I knew that I was in God's landscape and in God's presence. so grateful for the beautiful earth and to the Maker!

 2025 Highlights

Family vacation and dress up time

Caribbean warm beaches

Airboats and alligators

Thanksgiving's celebration

Silas and Gramps

Biking

New roof 

Upgrade electrical

Backpacking

Family reunion for dads 95 birthday

Camping with Charis and family in Colorado

Cousin camping Morro Bay

Silas with Aunt Lorna and dad

4 generations: Tim's mom, Charis and Brinley in Washington

cruise cruise adventure

Here is my 2025 backpack trip with my hiking friend Tanette! We had the best campsite overlooking the lake and amazing views along the trail.

2025 Etiwanda Peak

 Best hike this year! It took us 14 miles to go from an elevation of 4000 feet to go up to 8600. Tanette, my hiking buddy and I went up and down the mountains to reach the top of the world.

2024 highlights

Ready or not here comes 2025

 Where have we been? It will be obvious that we travel to hang out with our family. Our favorite memories? Camping in Santa Cruz and Joshua tree national Park. Tim’s favorite memory is the Grandchildren chasing fireflies, and putting Silas to sleep. And of course, we are both happy to discover pre-check TSA to make our airplane experiences a little bit easier.

We have been a hospitality House for several couples traveling through and enjoyed the blessing of meeting new people.

We also survived a disruption of having our home repiped, recarpeted and painted. We concluded that moving would’ve been a lot easier.

Camping Joshua Trees and spotting a UFO.

Marriage of 46 years

Enjoying Butchart Gardens in Canada. So very beautiful. Required a plane, a car and a ferry to get to this magical garden.

Charis, Dace, Aidan, Nolan, and Brinley live in Colorado Springs

Jerrol, Lauren, Sianna, Ellison, and Marianne live in Knoxville Tennessee

Just a few memories of grandpa with grandchildren

Bryant, Rachel, Annabelle, Ollie and Silas live in Southern California a mile from us

Hiking, biking, backpacking out of Yosemite balances out my work at UCI Health. (New name for our hospital but same work)

We are so blessed to have our parents. here is Tim’s mom.

Here is Char‘s mom

Here is Char’s dad and Marilyn with Sianna and Ellison

And below just a few of the beautiful things, God has made for us to enjoy.

Wilderness Hike 2024

 Truly I feel a bit fearful when I journey into the wilderness and begin the 6 hour all alone drive. I desire to have a friend to share the experience but if I can't find anyone, then my soul needs the time on the trail and the quiet.

What I gain is greater then the discomforts of backpacking. The elevation does make me feel weak when my backpack and I must go uphill. The miles and hours slow the chaos in my mind and the weariness of life burdens. The beauty of the night stars, the darkness, the comets shooting or bright moon become my focus in the long, long night of not sleeping well on the ground or need for frequent full bladder release. Life slows and the changing light of sunrise and sunset fill my vision.

Several encounters with other hikers put a grin on my face as we discussed any topics and had great conversation. The beauty draws us to this wildness.

Most of the trail is easy to follow with signs to direct at intersections. My hiking sticks give me confidence on the uneven terrain and keep me from stumbling. I'm relaxed with my GPS maps assuring me of water sources and camp spot destinations.

When I set up 3 different location camp spots, I am truly blessed with lake views and granite mountains that turn pink as the sun dips below the horizon. A few spots on the trail do leave memory markers. The first one is between the second and third lake. The trail becomes crazy steep along a small waterfall that requires some negotiations with feet and backpack and places to hang on. Of course I make it and decide not to think about the reverse down when I come down. 

A decision to day hike Conness Peak only 3 miles from my campsite has me going up and up and up. The trail has some places that left me feeling that I was maybe lost. One difficult section of scrambling up a very steep and scary incline had me grabbing rocks and carefully placing each step with slipping on shale. I kept questioning myself if I should turn around and get off this mountain. After another mile and not sure of the trail, ran into the first 4 hikers of the day coming down. My first logical thought was to turn around now and join them on the return trip. However they told me to look at the snowfield and see the saddle and assure me that it was worth it. With that encouragement I continued and put on my jacket to protect me from the crazy wind blasts. I arrived to the final ascent and noticed my elevation of 12,300 and checked out the view. I observed the rocks that would be need to traverse to arrive at the tippy top and decided my aloneness and no one around, this would be the time stop and not complete the ascent. So hard but so right. Now to get back down. This is where a few moments of not sure about the trail and descending that one crazy, crazy place of sliding and slipping and asking God for a few extra angels left a forever memory. I proceeded so slow and told myself, soon I would be off the mountain and safe.

Not every trail is easy and not every trail leaves so many memories. this one was full of moonscapes and vastness. I was in survival mode so I don't have enough photos to show it.

As in most hikes, the 23 Psalm is recited often and becomes the experience living in the landscape of Gods creation void of man made distractions. Yes God's Goodness follows me and I fear no evil. Now to bring those thought patterns home.