"The Beibs" getting slimed...at last!

Digismilus Cyclopsicus

Thank you...thank you...and you.  Yes, thank you!  I humbly accept this Blimp award for Best Talent Producer...ever.

From Ben:  Albuquerque--Breakfast at The Frontier and dinner at Kelly's.  Does anything in-between really matter?

 






(Cue heart attack.)




From Sara:  Los Angeles--The stage is taking shape!

Just another day in the office with Sara...  the stage.

Today's picture of the day comes to you from Albuquerque, NM.

Pocket contents.

"Whoa!  Double rainbow!  All the way!  Ohhhhh!  What does this mean?? It's soooo beautiful!  It's too much...I don't know what it means!?"

Yeah, so I'm not that crazy...but this guy is.   "Double Rainbow Guy"

Mark this day!  Today is the first day in the life of Lucas Mitchell Huntley.  Our nephew!

Today is goodbye day for the Bodenhausens.  We're sad.

We're praying today that you have a safe trip, that the wind is at your back, and the road is smooth.  We hope you'll find another great group of friends and enjoy being close to your families.  Visit us often!

"Make new friends, but keep the old; one is silver, and other gold."

Today's welcoming committee.

Sunset run.

Just another day in the office with Sara... this time it really is just an office.

That's the real Hollywood, folks.

Have you ever wanted to do something you know you shouldn't?

Where men fear to tread...

St. Patrick's Day

Why don't we just be honest and call it St. Party's Day?

Megan.

 Josh.

 Katie. (What? No Nathan?)

Beer.  Fire. Brownies.

Shamrocks. (Edible?)

Aftermath.

Kwaay Paay and Black #2

Is the hike you have planned too short and mundane?  Then you should try it in the middle of a storm!  Mark and I checked off two peaks in style today.  We got our clothes soaked, Eli got wet and dirty beyond description, and we triumphed over the elements!

We tackled Kwaay Paay first.  It's kinda the "middle peak" in Mission Trails Regional Park.  It seems so odd that the San Diego River flows right through this little mountain range.  Couldn't it have found a better way around?  Anyway, the trail is steep and short.  I would imagine the views of East County would be pretty nice if the storm wasn't in the way.

Peak #2 was Black Mtn #2.  Yes, there are two Black Mountains in san Diego.  And the one you see from the I-15 every day is #2.  Hiking to the peak was made challenging for two reasons:  1.) We could only see about 100 feet ahead of us at times.  2.) The most obvious trails to the peak are block with inexplicable fences that offer little or no direction on where you should actually go.

I believe the caption for this photo is, "Arrrgh!  This be quite a squall!  Reef the mains'l!  Drop the sea anchor!  Arrr!"
And this video gives you an idea of what the weather was like.  Check out the dog's ears!

Our route up the mountain started at the parking area accessible from Carmel Valley Road.  This little hiccup in the middle of the route is where we got a little sidetracked by one of the mystery fences.  Also, we couldn't see where we were going in the fog...

Total mileage for the day was about 5.6 miles with ~1,600 feet of climbing.  What did we learn today?  Steamy men and a wet dog make a small car smell bad.  Very bad.

Getting my rad tan.

Sara's job for the next couple weeks.

Zap.

Prelude to a dinner.

Dolce Vita Moscato... heartily approved and recommended.

Just another day at the office for Sara... with Tom Morrello, formerly of Rage Against the Machine.

Secret iPhone spy shot on set.  Nice.

Coconut Mojito.  Scientifically proven to be beneficial after a long day of yard work.  (Bonus points for using homegrown mint.)

Cuyamaca and Japacha Peaks

Mark and I spent the afternoon tromping around the Cuyamaca Peak area.  It turned out to be a great day for a hike.  We checked two more peaks off our list and saw some cool stuff.  The summit register on Japacha Peak looks like it's been there since 1979.  That means that not a lot of people visit that peak--and that somehow, it managed to survive the fires.

Getting to Japacha is pretty easy, except for the last 200 yards or so.  There's no trail to follow and the growth since the last fire is chaotic and dense.  Mark and I came home very dirty and scratched.  Good times!

 The views from Cuyamaca were pretty impressive despite the bit of haze that was hanging around.  We could easily see down into Mexico, out to San Jacinto, and if we squinted just right, maybe a Channel Island or two.  We got a great view of Stonewall as the sun was setting on the way down.

We were treated to a little bit of wildlife, too.  We got buzzed by a buzzard on the peak, and got to see some deer impressively leaping over the trail on the way down.  A non-sighting turned out to be more interesting... mountain lion tracks.

We found just a little snow along the way, too.

As usual, here's the details for anyone who's interested.  We left from Paso Picacho campground, and after all was said and done, I think we hiked a little short of 9 miles.  I accidentally left my GPS on for the first 1/4 mile or so as we drove away.  Oops.  Click on the pics for bigger versions.

A little girl trying to be a big girl.

Have you visited your local fletcher?  Sara has.

Bringin' home the gold!  (Well, not gold...but it is pretty shiny.)

Sara explains the latest script change to her harshest critic.  I don't think he's impressed.

After Gandalf had finished his work in Middle Earth and sailed west, he got involved in some rather poor real estate deals and lost his socks (see above).  He currently lives in a house with an upside-down mortgage in Vista, CA.  His latest plan for remaining solvent involves breaking into the professional Santa circuit, although his wizardly metabolism seems to make it difficult for him to develop the necessary physique.  If you see him, wish him the best (just don't mention the Shire).

Scarlett visits the blog today to remind us that Spring has indeed sprung, and it's time to start shopping for your Easter Sunday attire. Though, it looks like she's all set!

Today's picture credit goes, in part, to Kristina Vladic...