Summer 2018: Day 52; Vacation Day 2
Today is what a family vacation is supposed to be all about.
I slept a blessed eight hours last night, then woke up to sit on the patio of our Airbnb and do a math puzzle (which, for the record, I've been struggling with lately, from Kakuros to logic puzzles). Lori made everyone breakfast, and we got out the door around 10 for some adventuring.
Michael had found online a shipwreck somewhat nearby he wanted to take pictures of. We got to the location in Rancho Palos Verde , but the area, known as Rocky Point, was pretty much a cliff overlooking a cove. There as a mildly treacherous path down, and a local out for a walk told us the shipwreck was cleaned up and was no longer there (it wasn't visible from the top; we would have needed to walk beyond the cove). The drive through Long Beach to the area was scenic, and though Michael was disappointed, we plotted our next adventure.
We didn't need to go far to find it: Abalone Cove Shoreline Trail, just back down the seaside toward Long Beach. We hiked down to the shore, and though we didn't explore the entire beach (turns out we missed a cave), the boys and Lori got to see and hear the ocean. Michael took pictures, and Ben tried skipping rocks (and not succeeding; he doesn't get the concept that you must throw parallel to the water and not right into it). After a good hour, we hiked back to the car.
On the way to out to the ocean, we saw a sign of the USS Iowa battleship, which is retired and moored in Long Beach. Michael has been on a big World War II kick lately, so I took him and Ben on the self-guided tour while Lori found a coffee shop to read. The boat was something else. The guns on it are incredible, and though the ship was retrofitted in the '80s, it still had a definite 1940s feel. We spent a good two hours exploring the ship, and both boys were fascinated (I was too).
Lori retrieved us and we made our way back to the house. After a little rest, we walked over to Seal Beach so that the boys could play in the waves. I wasn't in the mood to go in the water, even to my ankles (FYI, I really don't like sand, plus it was a bit cloudy and the ocean was cold) but enjoyed watching Michael and Ben have fun. And perhaps the best part: The first time Ben swims in the ocean, a pod of dolphins shows up about 100-200 yards offshore. A few of them were even jumping out of the water. Ben said the wave crashing was the most fun he's ever had, period (and that was even after a stray boogie board slammed into the top of his foot and scraped it).
We originally were going to buy some steaks to grill, but walking back, we saw a New York-style pizza joint and picked up two pies for dinner. We ate on the patio, and then Ben and I played three games of Ticket to Ride: The Card Game (he won twice). And I'm wrapping it up with blogging in the cool night. This wraps up a day I know I'll never forget -- and I hope the boys won't, either.
I slept a blessed eight hours last night, then woke up to sit on the patio of our Airbnb and do a math puzzle (which, for the record, I've been struggling with lately, from Kakuros to logic puzzles). Lori made everyone breakfast, and we got out the door around 10 for some adventuring.
Michael had found online a shipwreck somewhat nearby he wanted to take pictures of. We got to the location in Rancho Palos Verde , but the area, known as Rocky Point, was pretty much a cliff overlooking a cove. There as a mildly treacherous path down, and a local out for a walk told us the shipwreck was cleaned up and was no longer there (it wasn't visible from the top; we would have needed to walk beyond the cove). The drive through Long Beach to the area was scenic, and though Michael was disappointed, we plotted our next adventure.
We didn't need to go far to find it: Abalone Cove Shoreline Trail, just back down the seaside toward Long Beach. We hiked down to the shore, and though we didn't explore the entire beach (turns out we missed a cave), the boys and Lori got to see and hear the ocean. Michael took pictures, and Ben tried skipping rocks (and not succeeding; he doesn't get the concept that you must throw parallel to the water and not right into it). After a good hour, we hiked back to the car.
On the way to out to the ocean, we saw a sign of the USS Iowa battleship, which is retired and moored in Long Beach. Michael has been on a big World War II kick lately, so I took him and Ben on the self-guided tour while Lori found a coffee shop to read. The boat was something else. The guns on it are incredible, and though the ship was retrofitted in the '80s, it still had a definite 1940s feel. We spent a good two hours exploring the ship, and both boys were fascinated (I was too).
Lori retrieved us and we made our way back to the house. After a little rest, we walked over to Seal Beach so that the boys could play in the waves. I wasn't in the mood to go in the water, even to my ankles (FYI, I really don't like sand, plus it was a bit cloudy and the ocean was cold) but enjoyed watching Michael and Ben have fun. And perhaps the best part: The first time Ben swims in the ocean, a pod of dolphins shows up about 100-200 yards offshore. A few of them were even jumping out of the water. Ben said the wave crashing was the most fun he's ever had, period (and that was even after a stray boogie board slammed into the top of his foot and scraped it).
We originally were going to buy some steaks to grill, but walking back, we saw a New York-style pizza joint and picked up two pies for dinner. We ate on the patio, and then Ben and I played three games of Ticket to Ride: The Card Game (he won twice). And I'm wrapping it up with blogging in the cool night. This wraps up a day I know I'll never forget -- and I hope the boys won't, either.
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