Got back last night - very tired but also with a ton of great memories.

I didn't bring my nice camera on this trip and looking back, I'm glad. A lot of things were first time experiences, and I was able to use my iPhone to capture a few, without feeling obligated to lug the bigger camera around and seeing too much through the camera lens rather than in person.

We made a late start of Friday but it helped avoid traffic so - meh. We ate in Sacramento before heading down and got into San Francisco about 9:30, going over the new Bay Bridge. The east span is a beautiful piece of architecture, but the best part of the bridge was actually when we got to our hotel. We stayed in the Harbor Court Hotel, and I didn't know that Jack spent extra to get a bridge view room. If you don't know, last year (in honor of the 75th anniversary), an artist installed what's called the Bay Lights. It's a light show on the bridge and we just stood in our window and watched for about 10 minutes when we first got in. There were geometric patterns as well as it looking at one point like clouds were traveling across the lights. Our hotel was right on the Embarcadero, with nothing between us and the bay (nor between us and the bridge). After unpacking a little, we headed out to walk along the Embarcadero. It was a little chilly but still a great walk, looking at the Ferry building, reading various historical plaques and just people watching. There were a couple of piers open to the public, and we walked all the way to the end, just looking into the bay and seeing all of the various lights from Berkeley, Treasure Island and the like.

Headed back to the hotel and zonked out fast. We were only staying the one night there so packed up and got checked out. I grabbed a cup of coffee while Jack checked out, and saw that in addition, the hotel had a wonderful hot chocolate setup - a big pump carafe of cocoa, but also a lot of things to add like chili powder, marshmellows, chocolate and caramel syrup, and cinnamon sticks. I ended up making my coffee a mocha :-)

We had planned on doing a Red and White fleet cruise under the Golden Gate then come back and do the Exploratorium - I had won two tickets to each at a fundraiser at the kids' school. We moved the truck to be near the Exploratorium and used the historic F line street car to get to Pier 43 for the cruise. After we moved the truck, we saw a diner, the Pier 23 cafe, so we stopped for food before heading to the cruise. OMG - the food was great and the view of the bay, with all of the various traffic, was just such a pleasant way to start the day. There were huge cargo ships heading to and from the Port of Oakland, various size sailing ships and even a windsurfer or two.

So after getting a late start and lingering over breakfast, by the time we got to the cruise area we had just missed the 11:45 ship and had to wait for the 1:10. Not too bad - we exchanged the fundraiser voucher for two tickets and explored while we waited. Next to the Red and White office is Pier 45, home to the Musee Mecanique, a submarine and the SS Jeremiah O'Brien. The Musee has a ton of old mechanical dioramas and other machines - usually takes a quarter (though the bigger ones require $1 to run) and admission to the place is free. I love going and showing it to people - I remember when it all used to be housed at the Cliff House. Jack loved seeing all of the old machines.

He also wanted to go out and explore the ships. Each cost $12 admission and I was feeling a little tired and said for him to go on without me. But then I started thinking about the Jeremiah O'Brien and asked him to get me a few souvenirs. Since I had no idea what their on-ship store would have, the more I thought about it, I just gave in, paid the admission and went up on the ship with him. The ship is one of the Liberty ships - merchant ships made quickly in World War 2 for supply and other shipping needs. When the US fully geared up, the shipyards took just 60 days to produce a Liberty ship and we ended up producing over 2,700 of them. One thing I didn't know, was that the Jeremiah O'Brien was one of only two still fully functioning Liberty ships. It even went back for the 50th anniversary of D-Day, since it was also one of the ships that was originally AT D-Day.

I had a personal connection to the ship though (which is why I wanted some souvenir), and that is that my dad was the Administrative Officer at the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet. This was a civilian position (after he retired from the military in 1967). Growing up, I went on the liberty ships and others in the reserve fleet - which is where they keep some ships and constantly maintain them, so if they are needed in an emergency, they are ready to go. I remember him constantly talking about the O'Brien as they got the ship ready to go to an overhaul place, prior to becoming a museum ship at Pier 45. The ship stays functioning, and goes for cruises of the bay as well. I got a few things such as a nice white hoody but more importantly, I learned so much just wandering around the ship and looking at the plaques and other information.

It was about time for the bay cruise, so we headed to the gate and boarded. SUCH a great experience. I've been on the bay before, but I didn't realize that the cruise would have a running commentary. When you've boarded, you're given a small audio device with headset and can turn it to your language of choice. As we went out to the Golden Gate bridge, the commentary let us know about tons of things that we were passing, their history, things to look out for - I loved this. After passing out and then back under the bridge, we passed by the north side of Alcatraz island then back to the pier. We had gotten the short one-hour cruise and I look forward to trying one of their longer cruises next time.

I figured by the time got to the Exploratorium it would be about 3pm and we would have only two hours, so instead we headed into the Castro to look around and have a late lunch. Found a great Japanese restaurant (with a waiter with incredible blue eyes) and then wandered around, picking up a few items such as some cool coffee mugs and magnets (Jack collects fridge magnets).

We didn't want to leave, but didn't want to get to our camping cabin too late so we headed out. The truck was still by Pier 23 so took the Muni train from the Castro back to the Embarcadero. We could have then gotten on the F line streetcar again (and for free as once you use your Clipper fare card, other transfers within 90 minutes are included). But it was a nice night, and there were some street vendors so we just walked back along the Embarcadero. Then - about 3 blocks before we got to the car...

Well, to "set the scene" - I've had a lot of problems with my right leg. Some of it isn't new, but part of my back issues dating back to 1985 when I first ruptured a vertebrae. When I developed neuropathy for the first time last year due to Velcade, it was primarily in my right foot and leg. And with the new round of neuropathy and other issues, I've stumbled and shuffled a bit due to weakness in my right leg. So, we're walking down the Embarcadero and I have a bag in my left hand containing three new coffee mugs and some other things. Then out of the blue, my right leg gave way a bit but for the first time, rather than just stumbling and putting more weight on my left and staying standing, oh - I went down... Luckily the mugs just clinked on the sidewalk a little and there was no damage there. I ended up falling backwards (which was good as there was no scrape or other marks that could have happened. The major damage, apart from my ankle, was my ego as a few bystanders saw and came over to see if they could help.

Jack grabbed the bag and let me just rest for a minute, then I slowly saw up, tightened the laces on my shoes to give more support and we slowly got back to the car. He checked out the ankle and it wasn't swollen or broken so we took off for Santa Cruz/Watsonville and our campground. We left San Francisco about 7:30 and got to the KOA campground about 9pm. The cabin was simple but just such a great choice. We didn't expect much, but there were not only two electrical outlets in the cabin, but there was also a small portable space heater so we walked into a nice WARM cabin! When I booked, I had thought we'd get just a campsite, but those were $40 and the small one room cabin was $55 so got the cabin for two nights instead. Inside is just a full bed (thick foam mattress but no linens) and a bunk bed with two twin mattresses (that we used to store our stuff). Spread the sleeping bags out and the bed was really comfortable. The bathroom was just three cabins away and we were set.

Again, the plan was to use Sunday to check out Santa Cruz, hike around in the redwoods there as well as see the Pacific Garden Mall and then on Monday, check out Monterey, both the Aquarium, Cannery Row and the beaches nearby. And - ya, it didn't happen that way. Woke up Sunday morning to a VERY steady rain overhead. Jack is a heavy sleeper but I tend to wake up between 7 and 7:30, just because the dogs have trained me to do so (if Mila doesn't get fed by 8am, she'll waste away to nothing). So I woke up and just enjoyed the sound of the rain on the roof, while checking on email, Facebook and other news. I had looked at the weather in advance (on Tuesday) and Sunday/Monday were supposed to be clear, but I should have checked later in the week I guess. Jack finally woke up about 9am.

It worked out in the end as we just flipped our days and did Monterey on Sunday. After checking my ankle again and wrapping it really well, we headed down and on the way found a great place to eat in Moss Landing, and then continued into Monterey. I'd been to the Aquarium once before but it had been a few years. We both had a great time, looking at all of the exhibits and talking to the various volunteers throughout who helped give additional information about the place. After the aquarium closed, we wandered the rest of Cannery Row before heading back. We were stuffed still from the brunch we had earlier so didn't end up getting hungry until about 8. The KOA brochure had a number of ads, so we ended up going to the local Straw Hat pizza in Watsonville.

We cleaned up and checked out of the cabin Monday morning and then headed to Santa Cruz. Lunch this time was an italian deli on Pacific Garden Mall where we both got the soup and half sandwich combo. I went to UC Santa Cruz in 83'-85' but had only been back once since Loma Prieta and at that time, there was still some rebuilding going on. Now there is nary a sign of the earthquake damage although there seem to be a lot more "corporate" stores than when I went there. Still there are a ton of unique local-owned shops too. We wandered up and down the Mall, spending a lot of time in Logo's (a great bookstore with a huge used section) and just having a great time.

We drove up to the UCSC campus at that point, and I showed him some of the places around campus but mainly just soaked in the atmosphere. If you ever have a chance, go visit the campus as it is only about 1/3 developed, and the various buildings are placed to coexist with the magnificent trees and wildlife. We came across two does eating grass at one point, just about 15 feet from the road. It was getting late, so we drove off for home, taking a scenic route through the Henry Cowell State Redwood park and passing through Felton before heading back over the hill. Once in Los Gatos, stopped for a quick bite and then on to Sacramento.

Really fun trip - both of us SO needed to just get out of town for a bit. Now it's off to do laundry, figure out beginning of the month bills and spoil the dogs ;-) My ankle is doing pretty well - looks like I just bruised it a bit so it's a little tender, but overall I can walk and use it without problems. Now if this next round of Revlimid deals with the lymphoma while leaving me alone as far as side-effects, I will be very happy. We'll see :-)