Becalmed

This weekend I am off to San Diego for the first time ever. My parents are down there and I am going to spend the weekend with them.

This afternoon after work I tried some more windsurfing. I am moving down to a smaller board, which is a little tricker, but not too much. The wind today was almost non-existent. I moved up to a 4.5 square meter sail and was just getting enough wind to move a bit. As it got later the wind got calmer, so I started to learn how to tack. I was able to do it a few times. It will be pretty cool to be able to tack at greater speed and in higher wind. As I get that down I also plan to attempt the jibe, which is much more difficult.

Wild and Crazy Weather

It was an exciting weekend in Yosemite. Breathtaking, beautiful, rainy, cold, snowy. Yea. We got to our campsite on Friday evening and cooked up some english muffin pizzas over the fire. I thought I had come prepared for cold, but it was a little bit colder then I had imagined. I was wearing my warmest clothing all weekend.

Saturday morning the women attended a photography class/walk around the valley, and the guys headed up to mirror lake. That is where I got the photos with the mountain reflections. After lunch everyone took a short nap. We then took a hike over to Yosemite falls and caught the shuttle back to camp as the rain started. We had dinner under a camp gazebo as the rain poured down. After falling asleep to the rain splashing on the tent I woke up to an odd noise of something wet and heavy sliding down the sides of the tent. I heard Nathan moving around outside and asked what he was doing. He said, "You do know that it is snowing." Packing up camp with just one pair of gloves shared between Nathan and I was no picnic. We were not interested in doing anything in the valley today.

So, after the five hour trip back I headed to my apartment to relax a little. But the day was not over yet, so I headed out to Foster City Lagoon and got there about 4:00. I still had time for two hours of windsurfing before heading home. It was still light out by the time I got back. I love daylight savings time.

I finally uploaded pictures from my two trips during March.

I love Yosemite in the springtime

I am psyched to hit Yosemite tomorrow and spend the weekend camping. We are leaving early afternoon and driving east. It will be my third time visiting the valley, and the waterfalls should be gushing. In the past I have stayed in a house, so it will be a little different in a tent. Now that winter is pretty much over outdoor activities are in full swing here in Northern California.

We are going to listen either to A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Solider or On the Road on the drive to and from the valley. I haven't been listening to many books recently, so I gotta catch up and use my Audible credits.

Talk to you after the weekend.

You Get What You Need

This morning I listened to the morning service from Altadena using skype. I was going to listen to the afternoon service, however when I tried to call back both lines were busy. So instead I read Mark 13, which is for April 15 on the bible reading plan my parents and I are doing. I was struck by verse 11: "But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost." I found it encouraging that in times of trial the Holy Ghost will be there to give us words to speak and help us.

This afternoon I hit the Foster City Lagoon once more and had a real blast windsurfing. Once I actually sailed across, turned around by tacking, and sailed back across the lagoon without falling. Today I was able to go much faster for longer periods. My turning is getting better while sailing, but doing a 180 degree turn is still fairly difficult.

Next weekend the California Schrenks are heading off to Yosemite for some camping and hiking. It should be a relaxing time.

Oh, Joy. I get to spend a lot of time today working on my taxes, *sigh*.

High Wind

This afternoon I went out windsurfing for about half an hour before I conceded defeat to the wind. I am pleased with my costco wetsuit and life vest purchases.

I will try again tomorrow after church services.

Pain

I am pretty much recovered from the weekend (my hip is still a little twingy). However, for about a week and a half now my shoulder has been hurting. I think it might have been exasperated from holding the sail, but it started before that. This morning I moved it around, and thought that riding my bike would be no problem. I found out that it hurts the most in the position I old it when riding my bike, hmmm.

Awwwwwwwww

Cannot resist the cuteness. I really like that I get to see Arthur everyday, but I only get to see these girls a couple times a year.

I am hooked.

Kathy got some pictures of me today. Here is one that represents the light wind in the lagoon. I am hooked, and plan to get out there next Saturday for some more.

Totally Beat

It is a little difficult to even stand up right now after windsurfing today. My upper body just aches, and I know that in the morning I will really feel this. It is a very good workout all over the body. Hopefully in the future my knees won't be so bruised up as I get better and don't need to hop on the board so many times.

Happy Easter everyone!

Surfing the wind

Peter and I set up a windsurfing lessen when we were on Maui, but on the day of the lesson we called in and found out that the wind was not cooperating, so we weren't able to go. I was pretty stoked about it, so yesterday I called into California Windsurfing, which is real close to me at the Foster City Lagoon. They set me up with some lessons this weekend, and I started today at noon.

I had been windsurfing once before with just a short one day lesson with Nathan and Kathy a number of years ago, but I don't remember too much from that lesson. So it was pretty much all new for me. During the lesson today I was able to stand up on the board, and get the sail up. I even was able to sail for about a minute 3 or so times. I really enjoyed it, and plan to keep going out.

I am not quite doing what the guy in the picture is doing just yet :)

Aloha

I am back from Hawai'i and sitting in my apartment after a very full week. I plan on doing some real posting after I settle in some. Judging by other blogs, many people seem to have enjoyed their Spring time trip.

Why do I always have to recover from vacation?