Browse Category: go beak go

Our First Sailing Adventure

Jes was supposed to go racing again yesterday but the guy that owned the boat decided to drop out of the race on Friday.  So, for our Sunday, we rented at 22-footer and sailed around the bay by ourselves for the day.

I stopped at Whole Foods for our lunch, which included sushi rolls and lots of pickled ginger.  I snacked on the ginger all day and didn’t get seasick.  Seriously.  I didn’t take my usual dosage of Dramamine and felt just fine.  It was amazing.

There was light but steady wind today.  The tide wasn’t very strong but when the tide was going out of the bay in the afternoon, it made it a little more challenging to get back to the harbor.  The day went rather smoothly but not without a few  “uh oh” moments.

1) We had gone out as far as we were allowed to and had to turn around.  By the time we finished the U-turn, we saw a container ship out in the distance.  It looked like it was headed in our direction but we weren’t really sure.  Luckily we caught a good wind and made it past the path of the giant ship in time.  That could have been disastrous.

2) There was a strong gust and the main sail got a little loose.  As we were trying to make some adjustments, the boom came flying across the boat and nearly knocked Jes overboard.  Lucky for him, I was close enough to grab onto him.  He could have easily fallen into the water today.  Phew, that was close.

3) We had finally made it back under the Bay Bridge toward the harbor but then got caught in the wind shadow of the bridge itself.  We lost our speed and were quickly drifting back towards one of the bridge towers (the water was flowing against us).  That was when we powered up the motor and got the heck out of there.  We only needed to motor for about a minute before we were able to get some wind back in the sails and turn off the motor.

Here’s a little video clip of us out on the water:

Overall, it was a good first solo sail for the two of us. We learned a few unexpected lessons and I experienced sailing without the help of medicine. We also got some sun and had a great time out on the water.

Here are more photos from our adventure.

Family Tahoe Trip: Day Three

On Monday morning, we got up early to pack up the car and had our free breakfast at the Best Western. It was a full-service breakfast complete with banana pancakes, eggs, or whatever else that was on the menu. This hotel was a pretty good deal considering it was close to the casinos, was super clean, and had free breakfast every morning.

We then drove to Sierra-at-Tahoe but also made a quick stop by the lake for a group photo. Unfortunately, it was a little icy and it took a couple takes for us to get the timing of the camera right. I managed to slip on one of the takes and this is what we got. It makes for a pretty funny photo. Love how Brother was totally laughing at me.

Once we got to Sierra, we were one of the first ones there and I don’t think I’ve ever parked so far up in the lot before.  The mountain was nice and empty and Brother and I got a few fast runs in on the blues in West Bowl before heading back to SF.

On the way home, we stopped at the Jelly Belly factory for a tour, tastings, and to pick up a big bag of “Belly Flops”, which are unlabeled, irregular Jelly Bellies that didn’t make it into the packages.

We did all this and still managed to get home by 5pm.  Amazing!  So for dinner, we picked Jes up from work and had the salt and pepper crab at R&G.  Soooo tasty.

Here are photos from Day Three.

Family Tahoe Trip: Day Two

On Sunday, we got up bright and early to drive down to Kirkwood.  The roads were kinda icy but we got there in one piece and didn’t need to bother with chains.  Yay!  The mountain was pretty empty and the sun was shining brightly on our heads.

For old time’s sake, we took Jes’ favorite run called “Whiskey Slide”.  It’s too bad he didn’t come along for a ride down memory lane.  We even rode the lift that goes over the run that he fell on that fateful December morning in 2001.

Joy got pretty good at carving by the end of the day and we got a good five hours of skiing/boarding in without a lunch break.  Now that’s hardcore!

Once we got back to the hotel, we all showered and rested and then headed out for Happy Hour and some gambling.  We had drinks and apps at Kalani’s, played penny slots and $1 roulette, and then finished the evening with some Fatburger.  It was a good day.

Here are photos from Day Two.

Nice guys finish last…

Jes went on his first sailing race today and had a fun time out on the water.

Yesterday we stopped at the sailing suppy store (yes, it does exist) to buy him a pair of pants and a personal flotation device (life jacket).  We decided on the less-expensive items this time around since he’s just a nublet (a cute word for newbie).  Jes completed his certification in Basic Coastal Cruising a few weeks ago and got on a “crew list” that allows an owner of a sailboat to email you for help on his boat.  Basically, if you’re a guy that has a boat and wants to race, you need a crew of guys to help you race it.  A guy contacted Jes the other day and they went out today for a little race against 6 other teams in the Bay off the Berkeley Marina.

There was nice wind and Jes worked the jib sheets and sat on the rail all day and in the end came in last…actually, he’s not sure but it was close.  I guess it doesn’t really matter because the had a great time.

Christmas Vacation: Part 4

On Christmas morning, we woke up to find that Jes’ mom had brought home breakfast. It was an assortment of dim sum items that really hit the spot. After a few hours of being lazy and plotting out my course, I went for a run to Knott’s Berry Farm in hopes of buying some boysenberry jam and cookies for my co-workers. Unfortunately, Knott’s was CLOSED! Disneyland doesn’t close on Christmas…  Well luckily they have a “resort hotel” next door that had a gift shop selling the stuff I was looking for…sorta.  I didn’t find boysenberry jam but got the cute mini jars I was looking for.

After getting picked up and stopping for coffee at Starbucks, Jes started on dinner and I went to Cerritos to hangout with the dog and walk him while the parents went to Pala for their super buffet lunch.  This is Koa with his new friend, Mr. Lobster.  My mommy gave it to him.

Dinner was with Jes’ family and the roast was tasty as usual.  Jes and Jason received another set of matching outfits…cute sweaters, guys!  I got a nice coat and the cousins liked their gifts.  It was another merry Christmas.

All-in-one Running Around

One of the best things about being on vacation is that I have time in the middle of the day to run.  It also allows me to explore places on foot.  This morning the dog came with me to Regional Park and we ran around the park once and down Shoemaker.  I love Cerritos.  It’s so clean, quiet, safe, and has lots of paths to take on foot.

Yesterday, I ran around the Cerritos Towne Center.  I have so many other places to explore!

I’ve also been using the iMapMyRun application on my iPhone. I used to run with a GPS device on my wrist, an iPod on my arm, and a phone in my pocket for emergencies. Now I have it all in one device!! I just turn on the application, stick it in my pocket, and go. It tracks my route and then immediately sends the workout to my account. It also doubles as my phone for emergencies and I can listen to music from it too. I loved my Blackberry but it wasn’t nearly as useful as my iPhone. I am a true fan now.