Once in a Lifetime~Once a Year: Farkle

Found a new favorite game and word all rolled into one. Farkle. Jared and Ryann have been friends for ten years now but teaching us this new game might just be their greatest offering to our relationship yet. They learned of the game (played with six dice) on their recent outing to High Sierra Music fest and passed it onto Katie, Ashlin and I like an infection. We spent our nights in San Francisco locked in the apartment feverishly rolling dice and eating fried chicken (a gorgeous thing). Last night ended with a battle for the Holy Grail - the last known Uno glass in existence (we picked up a pair at a yard sale here last year and Nicky broke the one we took back to Georgia, Jared and Ryann kept the other). The battle reached Homeric proportions as it came to a slug-fest between Jared and Ashlin that had us all waking up neighbors with our roars. Ashiln proved a worthy adversary but fell to the determined, home advantaged Jared on the last roll. Farkle. So for now, the Uno cup stays with the Thompson's. Rematch in one year. Denver?

So to backtrack a bit . . . After we left Arcata, we headed east into the Trinity Alps Wilderness and found a great little spot on Lake Mary Smith. This was one of those places just made for a hammock -which thanks to Andy, we have! We chilled by the water and decided to read rather than hike. The next morning we turned back west and drove back into the redwoods. We stayed for the night in the Humbolt Redwoods right underneath the always surprisingly large and majestic trees. These groves of trees are breath taking and humbling each and every time we visit. Each old-growth grove feels like a cathedral. There is a silence that commands respect and forces one to breath deeply and slowly. The day changes little since the canopy, some 300 feet over head, allows only traces of sunlight through to the forest floor. Some of these trees took root before the Roman empire and it is an honor to walk among them, especially since the audacity of last century's advancement has left us with relatively few of these wonders. We hiked around for awhile and moved on south, taking the coast highway instead of 101. Ashlin played on the beach for a while but then hit the tent early because she was SOOOO excited about seeing Jared and Ryann's two cats. We finished the drive down the coast and came across the Golden Gate to play Farkle.

We head off today for a week in Yosemite!!! Brian, Rachel and Sadie will join us tomorrow and there shall be much rejoicing, hiking and fun!!! After Yosemite we head into the John Muir Wilderness for a backpacking trip so this might be the last update for a while. We'll do our best to get the next one up after a week or so. Family, we'll be in touch even if we can't get service.

More pics!