Author: jon

Saturday July 20th, I competed in a 10k run in the Oakland Redwood Regional Park. The race was put on by Urban Coyote, the same organizers I ran with in January’s Pacifica 10k as part of my 2018 goal list.

At the moment I’m not in great running shape, but have been going out once or twice a week at lunch with a coworker named Scott. We usually run on the bay trails for 2-4 miles which is good training during the week. I’ve also been weight training twice a week and biking to work still, so I felt resonably prepared in terms of fitness.

Saturday morning, Megan, Jane and I made the hour drive up to Oakland on a warm but clear morning. Continue reading “10k, Oakland Redwood Regional Park, CA”

Jane’s first camping trip!

The three of us went on a two night trip to nearby [Big Basin Redwoods State Park](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Basin_Redwoods_State_Park) in the Santa Cruz mountains for Jane’s introduction to sleeping outdoors. Overall it went great and Megan and I think Jane really was amazed by all the lush vibrant greenery we saw walking around the park over the course of our three day trip.

I selected Big Basin specifically because the park has tent cabins which I thought would be a good first hybrid between actual camping and a hotel. The [cabins](https://www.bigbasintentcabins.com/tent-cabins/) are a hybrid in the sense that they have the traditional cabin layout with a woodstove and sleeping platforms inside, but with the addition of a canvas roof and upper wall sections similar to wall tents. This would give us more room to move around and explode our baby gear without the constant struggle of keeping a small tent orgainzed. We also read that mosquitos can be a problem in the area so having a screened in cabin meant we could hang out inside without Jane exposed to the bugs if they got too bad.

Booking any campground in the area can be challenging due to the high demand and relative low supply. The tent cabins are no different. Luickly most of the poor working shmucks in the area (myself included) are limited to weekends and holidays so we were able to find a two night Wednesday / Thursday avaliablilty despite only booking a few months ahead of time. I took a few days of vacation to make the mid week slot work out and Megan was still on maternity leave. A few days ahead of time she got everything organized and packed including our food, supplies for Jane, and 12 carefully allocated diapers.

On Wednesday, we drove over the hill, leaving just after noon, and enjoyed the scenic and windy road from Saratoga. We timed our arrival for the 2pm check-in and more importantly, Jane’s second nap during the drive.

[](http://www.jonmcosgrove.name/camping-big-basin-redwoods-state-park-ca/big-basin-driving-map/)
[](http://www.jonmcosgrove.name/camping-big-basin-redwoods-state-park-ca/cabin-interior/)
[](http://www.jonmcosgrove.name/camping-big-basin-redwoods-state-park-ca/camp-overview/)
[](http://www.jonmcosgrove.name/camping-big-basin-redwoods-state-park-ca/img_1879/)
[](http://www.jonmcosgrove.name/camping-big-basin-redwoods-state-park-ca/img_1888/)
[](http://www.jonmcosgrove.name/nap-1/)

The cabins were great and our site had some fallen Redwoods which made a great divider providing a feeling of privacy and a nice environment to hang out. The cabin interior was dark with little natrual light making its way inside but overall it was comfortable. We set Jane’s bassinet on one of the sleeping platforms and Megan and I had the other.

Wednesday afternoon we spent hanging around the camp with the exception of a short walk on a nearby trail. Luckily I had purchased a bug net made for cribs because the mosquitos were out in force. When not being held, Jane sat around in her car seat with the bug net over it which worked out great. That night Megan had planned Chili Mac for dinner as a throwback to our memorable Potato Harbor meal in the Channel Islands.

[IMG_1904_720](http://www.jonmcosgrove.name/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/IMG_1904_720-1.mov)

The weather was mild Wednesday evening so I didn’t make a fire in the woodstove for the first night. Jane went to bed at her ususal 8pm bedtime. We used the bug net over her bassinet as well. She has been a really great sleeper for the past few months and she fell right asleep despite the new environment. She woke up once, as is her normal routine and Megan added a blanket as the night had gotten a bit cooler.

On Thursday morning we went for a long meandering hike after taking a wrong turn on the road exiting the campground. Jane rode along in the front carrier with me and stayed awake almost the whole time despite being carried during her normal nap time. Normally even outside her nap time she would have fallen asleep when carried. She was wide eyed and looking around the whole time and we think she was just too enthrawled by all the trees and greenery to think about sleeping. After returning to the cabin for lunch and a nap, we went walking again and this time made it to the park headquarters (our original morning destination) for a coffee.

[](http://www.jonmcosgrove.name/img_1909/)
[](http://www.jonmcosgrove.name/img_1918/)
[](http://www.jonmcosgrove.name/img_1912/)
[](http://www.jonmcosgrove.name/nap-2/)
[](http://www.jonmcosgrove.name/img_1946/)
[](http://www.jonmcosgrove.name/img_1941/)
[](http://www.jonmcosgrove.name/nap-1/)
[](http://www.jonmcosgrove.name/camping-big-basin-redwoods-state-park-ca/img_1885/)

Thursday night we had fun hanging out in camp again. We had hotdogs and pudgy pie pizzas on our little grill. Jane had milk. The evening was cooler than Wednesday, so after [batoning](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batoning) some firewood with Megan’s favorite green kitchen knife, I made a fire in the woodstove around 7pm. I soon remembered that heat regulation with a woodstove in a small cabin is no easy task. Jane went to sleep in an 80 degree smoke chamber that night.

The stove troubles continued when I woke up around 1am and checked on Jane. The fire had burned out and her hands and arms were cold. I set out to make another fire and was finally successful after about thirty minutes and three trips out in the dark in my boxers for kindling. Thinking back on the whole thing, I’m not sure the smoke exposure was worth it but I was determined to warm it up in there.

Friday morning we woke up and didn’t linger too long. Megan’s precise allocation of 12 diapers had been quickly consumed, and we were running on spares which were luckily stashed away in the car and our backpacks. We hit the road shortly after breakfast and a stop at the camp store for a second coffee. Jane camped like a natural and I’m glad we took the chance to take her out for a few nights this early in her life. I know she won’t remember the specifics of the trip, but hopefully the exposure to the woods and enjoyment of nature will be imprinted in her brain for the long run.

6/19/19-6/21/19

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– https://i0.wp.com/www.jonmcosgrove.name/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Big-Basin-Driving-Map.png
– https://i0.wp.com/www.jonmcosgrove.name/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Cabin-interior.jpeg
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… Lost to the sands of time… –> recovered 20260907

It has been a while since I’ve published on the blog. Today I updated the [CA Tick List](http://www.jonmcosgrove.name/ca-tick-list/) and thought I’d post some brief comments for each new mark.

SF Symphony

Sea to sky hike

Napa wine drinking

Anchor overnight at Angel Island

### SF Symphony

This past July we attended the SF Ballet at Stern Grove for the second year in a row. The Symphony accompanied the dancers and did a great job. There were 4-5 dances, one of which was sleep inducing, another was really engaging though. The dance was with a single pair and the music for it was excellent.

Megan’s parents were visiting so they got to see the show as well, and afterward, we spent the afternoon in SF eating and walking around in the Sutro Baths area.

In the week following the performance I actually tracked down the symphony director’s contact information and emailed him (Tracy Davis <tdavis@sfballet.org>) in order to find a copy of the music. Unfortunately I found out that there isn’t a recording. The ballet I had liked and accompanying songs were premiered in April of this year and apparently they don’t make recordings very often.

Maybe one day I’ll track it down.

– Composer: Oliver Davis

– Accompanying: Pas de Deux The Infinite Ocean

[](https://i2.wp.com/www.jonmcosgrove.name/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/IMG_0047.jpg)

### Sea to sky hike

In October, Dan and Ashley came out to visit us in California. Megan and I both took 2 days off of work so we had 4 days together. In past times, we may have gone to Joshua Tree to climb, or done a long backpacking trip in the mountains, both options we did consider. However, with Megan scheduled to be 20 weeks into pregnancy, we opted for a shorter local backpacking option.

The [Skyline to Sea trail](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skyline-to-the-Sea_Trail), as its properly called (not Sea to sky, that would be uphill) had been on our list since moving to California, and considering it has nearby road access for much of the trail, it was a good option for a pregnant person.

The weekend prior to our hike Megan and I left the Camry in Santa Cruz after surfing in order to serve as a car shuttle, so Thursday morning we drove to the Castle Rock State Park trailhead off of Skyline boulevard and started our hike.

The plan was to camp for 2 nights, first at Waterman Gap followed by Jay Camp near the Big Basin headquarters. This is the standard route for Skyline to Sea and includes about 10 miles a day of hiking.

[](https://www.jonmcosgrove.name/img_0015-2/)
[](https://www.jonmcosgrove.name/img_0025/)
[](https://www.jonmcosgrove.name/img_0012-2/)
[](https://www.jonmcosgrove.name/img_0005/)
[](https://www.jonmcosgrove.name/img_0007/)
[](https://www.jonmcosgrove.name/img_0018/)

The first day and night went great. We had fun catching up with Dan and Ashley, whom we miss very much, and all felt good. Day two started off fine, and had some great scenery, but got unusually hot in the afternoon. Despite the strong day one showing by the pregnant member of our group, by mile 6 or 7 Megan had slowed down. I think it was a combination of the surprising heat and some steep climbs, plus the baby, that wore her out. I was pretty hot as well and getting a bit dehydrated since I had stopped drinking much water in case Megan needed it.

Megan kept hiking though and with about a mile to go to Jay Camp and Big Basin refreshments, we felt we were getting close. Myself and Dan had been walking a bit ahead of the girls and we stopped in order to let the catch up. After a while we didn’t see them and slowly started backtracking. When they came into view, Ashley looking a bit worried and Megan was clearly upset with her shirt lifted up and her entire belly exposed. She had been stung by a bee, and right on the belly no less!

She was really upset and not knowing anything about the potential impacts I got pretty worried too. She took some Benadryl and we finished the day’s hike. With some reassurance from the Leighton’s and a check of Megan’s Up to date medical app we were feeling better and we got some chips and beers from Big Basin’s camp store before spending a nice night in the Redwoods.

In the morning Megan made the wise decision to take a cab to town, which was a bit difficult to organize but once arranged, Dan, Ashley, and myself left to complete the hike to Waddell Beach. Thinking back on it, Megan and I were both still pretty shaken up by the bee sting, but after the trip we learned from her OB that we had nothing to worry about.

The rest of the hike was nice, but the day was surprisingly hot again. I sent my pack down to town with Megan so I was hiking light and didn’t even think to offer to take weight from Dan and Ashley until we were almost at the beach! Once at the end, we found Megan on the sand watching a large group of kite surfers tearing it up on a windy and wavy day.

[](https://www.jonmcosgrove.name/img_0023/)
[](https://www.jonmcosgrove.name/img_0014-2/)
[](https://www.jonmcosgrove.name/img_0024/)

### Napa wine drinking

This year, Apple’s SPG Holiday Party was scheduled in Calistoga at [Castello di Amorosa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castello_di_Amorosa). We had acted fast when the location and hotel discounts were announced and so we also got a room at the pricy and in demand [Calistoga Ranch](https://aubergeresorts.com/calistogaranch/) for the night of the party.

Saturday morning we left early and got to Napa in time for lunch at Genova Delicatessen which is delicious and which I had eaten at a few times during some work trips to the area for NREL. After lunch we went to the resort and luckily got to check in a few hours early. The room(s) were awesome and we had a great afternoon relaxing, napping, and reading.

[](https://i0.wp.com/www.jonmcosgrove.name/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/IMG_9879.jpg)

For the party, the company rented out the whole place and setup tents in open areas due to the cold for dining and drinking. We had the run of the place and after dinner walked around the whole castle. Some highlights were the long narrow corridors throughout and the lower level wine storage area which also had a bar and dance floor setup for the party.

[](https://www.jonmcosgrove.name/img_9853/)
[](https://www.jonmcosgrove.name/img_9874/)
[](https://www.jonmcosgrove.name/img_9863/)
[](https://www.jonmcosgrove.name/img_9869/)
[](https://www.jonmcosgrove.name/img_9896/)
[](https://www.jonmcosgrove.name/img_0091/)

### Anchor overnight at Angel Island

This trip was covered in my previous post called [Sailing Trip, San Francisco Bay, CA](http://www.jonmcosgrove.name/sailing-trip-san-francisco-bay-ca/).

Since then I completed a movie about the trip. This was a low effort edit, and as such, it’s a bit long, but I think it turned out okay. There are some significant audio and video focus issues. I didn’t realize until the trip was over but we had some microphone connection issues and the camera’s autofocus struggled in the low light of the boat cabin.

[YouTube embed](https://www.youtube.com/embed/WJGRhSA3PrU)

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## Media URLs recovered

– https://i2.wp.com/www.jonmcosgrove.name/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/IMG_0047.jpg
– https://i1.wp.com/www.jonmcosgrove.name/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/IMG_0015.jpg
– https://i0.wp.com/www.jonmcosgrove.name/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/IMG_0025.jpg
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– https://i2.wp.com/www.jonmcosgrove.name/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/IMG_0018.jpeg
– https://i0.wp.com/www.jonmcosgrove.name/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/IMG_0023.jpg
– https://i2.wp.com/www.jonmcosgrove.name/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/IMG_0014.jpeg
– https://i2.wp.com/www.jonmcosgrove.name/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/IMG_0024.jpg
– https://i0.wp.com/www.jonmcosgrove.name/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/IMG_9879.jpg
– https://i1.wp.com/www.jonmcosgrove.name/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/IMG_9853.jpeg
– https://i1.wp.com/www.jonmcosgrove.name/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/IMG_9874.jpg
– https://i0.wp.com/www.jonmcosgrove.name/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/IMG_9863.jpg
– https://i0.wp.com/www.jonmcosgrove.name/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/IMG_9869.jpg
– https://i2.wp.com/www.jonmcosgrove.name/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/IMG_9896.jpg
– https://i2.wp.com/www.jonmcosgrove.name/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/IMG_0091.jpg
– https://www.youtube.com/embed/WJGRhSA3PrU

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It has been a while since I’ve published on the blog. Today I updated the CA Tick List and thought I’d post some brief comments for each new mark. SF Symphony Sea to sky hike Napa wine drinking Anchor overnight at Angel Island SF Symphony This past July we attended the SF Ballet at Stern Continue reading “Catchup!”