Stinson Beach: Where the Mountain Meets the Sea

11 years ago I started going camping with my Aunt, Uncle, and cousins to Steep Ravine in Stinson Beach and I've been back every year since then.  Now my mom and sisters come camping and we all get to stay in these beautiful wooden cabins on the cliffside right next to the ocean.  Each summer I really look forward to our annual trip there. With no electricity or running water inside the cabin it is a great escape from all of the everyday things that we take for granted and a great way for us to all enjoy the simply things such as card games, s'mores, and stories and laughter around the dinner table and fire.

This is just one of the many benches scattered around the hills near the cabins.  With the perfect ocean view I could sit for hours and just watch the waves.

 The highlight of our trip this year was stopping by the small fire department in town and getting to know some of the fire fighters.  They were very friendly and let us sit in the fire engine and take pictures.  We found out that they only have 1 firefighter working at a time because its such a small town.  There are only about 100 full-time locals.

After exploring the beach in the morning we headed over to the Matt Davis trailhead and started the 4 mile trek up the hills which led to a 3 mile trip back down to the town.  It was a great hike that started through the forest, went out into some open fields, and ended with an ocean view.  One of the first things we saw on the trail was a severed rat tail.. gross!

I love that Stinson has become a family tradition that brings us all together and away from our busy schedules.  Can't wait for next year!  I may even need to take a trip back before, I just can't stay away from this wonderful place for too long.

Roadtrip

With a few days off from work I decided to hit the road along with my sister and her friend up to Arcata to see my best friend. What a great trip we all had.

The coast was beautiful and not too crowded. We even took a nap on the beach

My friend has been living on a beautiful farm up in the hills near Arcata. We got to explore the woods in the area along with being introduced to all the farm animals. There were many goats and geese both with newborns that were adorable.  Also, there were two watch dogs Pearl and Opal who were as friendly as can be.  Lastly, there was Stella, a big beautiful white horse.  At dusk we all went out and fed and brushed some of the animals which was quite the adventure. I even got to hold a baby gosling that ended up pooping on me and had us all laughing.

On the way home we took the long, scenic route through highway one and made a few stops. We decided to stop nearby Mendocino at a small beach called Glass Beach which had beautiful pieces of glass scattered all over.

Even though the trip was only 2 days it was the perfect little vacation.  Summer is off to a great start so far.

Summer Sunset Adventures

A perfect start to the summer is relaxation and a simply beautiful sunset.  Last night my sister, her boyfriend, gabe, and I headed up the hill to watch the sun set and we saw a great sunset and had fun playing in the grass.

Now that school is out its so nice to have some more free time. Can't wait for the many more adventures to come this summer!