Sunday, June 21, 2015

Father's Day weekend trip report

I just got back from a three-day trip to Roseville and Tahoe with my parents. It was very exciting as we went to several new places. There's no better way to spend the Father's Day weekend!

Day 1

The plan was to visit Bodega Bay as we hadn't been there in years. However, Dad had gotten word that Eileen's poetry club was meeting at Lake Chabot on the 19th. The event was moved from Lake Merritt in Oakland due to traffic following the Golden State Warriors game. Because my parents are philosophers at heart and have each recently written a poem, they opted to go to Lake Chabot and save Bodega Bay for another trip.

We arrived at Lake Chabot Regional Park just as lunch was about to begin. It was a potluck with all the fixings. Everyone then recited their poems before going for a walk along the lake. It was a wonderful feeling - the only reason we didn't stay the whole time is that we had to drive another 110 miles to Roseville.

The good news is that it didn't take too long to get to Roseville despite the traffic. Seeing that it was hot outside, the only stop in the evening was a Japanese restaurant for dinner. The noodle soup was among the best I've ever had.

Day 2

The breakfast at Hyatt Place was also really good. Reno wasn't too far, but the drive took several hours due to congestion. Because the temperatures were still high when we got there, the afternoon was uneventful except for a late lunch at a stylish café. Though we only ordered two sandwiches as it was well past noon, they were both delicious.

After the weather cooled down, my family went to a pizza joint for dinner before going to Circus Circus Reno. The slots were fun even though luck wasn't on our side this time. ^_^

Day 3

Happy Father's Day and summer solstice!

The day began with another nice breakfast at the hotel. Dad then took us to some nearby trails he had found, starting with the Tahoe Meadows Interpretive Loop Trail - which is part of the Tahoe Rim Trail. This was our first time hiking in Tahoe and an exciting experience. The scenery in the area was incredible. The hike was easily the best part of the trip.

Further down south was the Diamond Peak trail, located next to the ski area of the same name. The three of us ate lunch in the car before heading out as it was already past 1 p.m. But because this hike was more strenuous - and the views weren't as great - we turned back shortly afterwards.

This was followed by a short stop at Eagle Falls for pictures. One notable feature was the swimming hole near the waterfall. Some people were wading in the water to cool off - which definitely looked fun. I wouldn't have minded staying a bit longer.

Dad then took us to Fallen Leaf Lake on the recommendation of a poetry club member. The place was quiet and peaceful. I even enjoyed a frozen treat while relaxing in the shade. Despite its merits, Fallen Leaf Lake probably isn't worth another visit due to its remote location.

We had planned to look for more hiking trails but decided to head back after my mother started getting tired. Mom had hoped to stop at Costco for gas and groceries on the way home, but my father missed the exit due to the GPS acting up. Though we took the next exit and eventually found our way to Costco, the main store closed just as we finished refueling our car. That meant we couldn't get groceries as we had hoped. Shit happens.

Not too far away was a WinCo Foods store. As much as we love WinCo, all of us were tired and decided to skip it this time. The traffic wasn't too severe and allowed us to get home earlier than expected. It was nice to get some rest after an exhausting trip.

Conclusions

Tahoe never gets old no matter how often we go there. But what made this trip so exciting was visiting new places. Hiking the Tahoe Rim Trail was my favorite part of the trip, although Fallen Leaf Lake wasn't too bad either. I definitely hope to check out the other trails soon. Until then, feel free to enjoy the pictures from our vacation.

Currently listening to: "I'm Yours" by Jason Mraz

Monday, June 15, 2015

Hospital visits are no fun...

...especially in the middle of the night at 4 a.m.

So the family across the street is moving and has generously put stuff up for free. I was helping my parents carry some furniture last night when I started getting an itch. At first we thought it was caused by dry skin or bug bites, but the itching became worse and bumps began appearing everywhere. It eventually got so bad that I couldn't sleep. I figured it was just hives, but Dad insisted on taking me to the hospital just to be on the safe side.

The doctor confirmed it was hives after one look while a nurse gave me medicine to suppress the reaction. That must have been some pretty powerful stuff as the symptoms went away within an hour. From what the doctor and the nurse told me, the hives were likely caused by food allergies. This was exhausting as I had very little sleep after getting home. I just hope this doesn't happen again. *shrugs*

One thing for sure is that I'm not looking forward to the bill. From what I've heard, emergency room visits are expensive as hell. :\

Currently playing: Final Doom