• Dog walk along the tracks with lizards, squirrels and snakes
• Awesome family hike up Cowles Mt.
• Wine tasting at Solterra
• Family movie night

Troop and Crew 774 (including Jaya) had its January event at Joshua Tree National Park.  We had done the climbing merit badge in December at Solid Rock so we wanted to get out for the real thing!
The drive up is long but all highway.  There was some rain along the 10 that made me nervous but we had blue skies the entire time.
Our camp sites at Indian Cove were right up against the rocks.  We had some climbing instructors along that brought the equipment.  They put up the ropes in the morning so the kids could get going right away.
After climbing, the instructors took everyone to a cave.  I did not go but everyone loved it and it was the highlight of the trip.  The few of us who stayed went on a hike along a nature trail.
This was the first trip for our new Alps Mountaineering family tent.  It was a breeze to setup and worked great.
We are definitely going to Joshua Tree again!

I haven't posted my reading list lately, but not for lack of reading...
* The Settlers of Catan by Rebecca Gable - an intriguing fiction based on the game; it took me a while to figure out the robbers
* Wisdom of History by J. Rufus Fears - interesting to see how history repeats itself, even todays
* The Golden Shore: California's Love Affair with the Sea  by David Helvarg - although one-sided at times, still a good read about California's best asset, its coast
* Emeril at the G'rill: A Cookbook for All Seasons by Emeril Lagasse - some good recipes but most call Emeril's spices
* Sunday Soup: A Year's Worth of Mouth-Watering, Easy-to-Make Recipes by Betty Rosbottom - some very nice soups
* Ready, Fire, Aim: Zero to 00 Million in No Time Flat (Agora Series) (audio) - by Michael Masterson - similar to the lean startup movement but a bit broader in scope
* Two Years Before The Mast by Richard Henry Dana - timeless classic of California two hundred years ago
* U.S. Military History For Dummies by John C. McManus - quick summary of our long military history
* Inferno by Dan Brown - Dan's Brown latest is not as good as Da Vinci Code but much better than Lost Symbol
* State of Change, A: Forgotten Landscapes of California by Laura Cunningham - compelling book comparing the natural history of ancient California with today; fabulous artwork
* History Decoded: The 10 Greatest Conspiracies of All Time by Brad Meltzer - more of a transcript of a TV show rather a standalone volume; some interesting stuff especially on the JFK assassination
* A Storm in Flanders: The Ypres Salient, 1914-1918: Tragedy and Triumph on the Western Front by Winston Groom - interesting book on the Flanders Front from the author of Forrest Gump; hopefully I can get out to Ypres during my travels to Belgium
* The Italians Before Italy by Kenneth R. Bartlett - great history of Italy prior to unification
* The Emperor's Tomb (with bonus short story The Balkan Escape): A Novel by Steve Berry - somewhat incredulious adventure tail
* Native American History For Dummies by Dorothy Lippert and Stephen J. Spignesi - a bit too much commentary and not enough history
* The I Love Trader Joe's Party Cookbook: Delicious Recipes and Entertaining Ideas Using Only Foods and Drinks from the World’s Greatest Grocery Store by Cherie Mercer Twohy - some great recipes for our holiday parties
* Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth by Reza Aslan - interesting history of Jesus and his time; Ehrlman is somewhat easier to follow though

PC Mag has a great trip down computer memory lane.

Got back in town from the reunion cruise and had a nice San Diego weekend.

• Moonlight beach time
• Dog walk to Swami's and J Street - saw some whales
• Wandered Old Town for Jaya's school project
• Hiked Torrey Pines to Razor Point and Yucca Point

Over New Year's we joined the Chaudari clan for a Caribbean cruise.  We left from Miami on the Carnival Victory on a 5 day voyage to Jamaica and the Caymans.
The first two days were sea days.  I spent a lot of time laying out on the main deck reading and people watching.
The second day we stopped in Ocho Rios Jamaica.   Most of us went to a beach just off the dock.  The water was warm and calm.  All the small children had a great time swimming and playing together.  Guru got coconuts and sugar cane for everyone.  A few us then walked around a bit.  We noticed many of shops were closed and one mall was nearly empty except of a Margaritaville Bar.  I guess the economy is not doing so great in Jamaica.  After some great jerk chicken and a Red Stripe from a street vendor, we boarded the ship.
The next day was a stop in Grand Cayman.  Cayman was the opposite of Jamaica in terms of wealth and prosperity.  We took a bus to an excursion and the driver kept telling us where all the rich and famous lived (mainly business people like Bill Gates).  Our first excursion was snorkeling at Stingray City.  It was very cool to swim with the rays on a sandbar in the middle of the bay.  The next stop was a turtle farm.  This was a real farm in that they were raising the turtles for food.  Yummy!  Turtles are always cool even when they are on the menu.
Back to the ship and a sea day getting back to Miami.  One evening happened to be New Year's Eve.  The main deck was pretty crazy going into midnight.  Jaya was with her friends while Bengt was styling in his reed hat and tie.
We decided to spend an extra day when we got back to Miami.  I used some points to stay at a hotel on Miami Beach.  The kids were pretty tired so we didn't do whole lot.  We walked on the boardwalk to dinner and back then go some much needed sleep.
The next morning we headed to airport and home!

I did my first hike with the local Sierra Club chapter up to Villager Peak.  After reading about the Villager and Rabbit Peaks in Schad, I have wanted to hit these peaks. However, the trip seems pretty daunting due to the lack of an established trail.  Having a guided trip was the perfect solution.
The nine members of the group met at Kendall's Cafe in Borrego Springs at 6:00a.  After breakfast (just coffee and chocolate milk for me), we headed out to the trailhead along S22.
The first part of the trail is quite flat as you cross a plain to get the "trail".  The trail is started up the ramp via a series of switchbacks.  It then leveled a bit for the next 5000' of elevation.  There was a faint use trail and ducks for most of the way, but portions, especially along the knife edges were mostly cross-country.
After several false peaks, we finally got to the summit in 4.5 hours.  All but one of us made it (the other stopped due to injury).  After a lunch break, we headed down.  Going down the step and rocky trail was at times more difficult than going up.  My carpool partner and I made it down in 3 hours.  The others came in over the next hour.
Overall, this is one of the most difficult day hikes I have been on.  It is essentially 7 miles and 5000' feet straight up.  One of the highlights was seeing a pair of bighorn sheep.  Although it was a from a good distance, they were unmistakable as they cross a canyon wall.  I enjoyed the hike to Villager, but don't intend on going back anytime soon.
See my track and pix here.

• Plenty of beach time - water is still warm
• Safari Park - loved the new Lemur Walk exhibit
• Hike with the kids and Sophie in the La Costa Preserve - dusty but nice views
• Dart practice after a long layoff