From Coast...

The short list of things I am thankful for (big breath)...

God, family, friends, songs, church, snow, ice cream, car, Fall, Spring, Winter, Summer, cross country skies, Bible, love, sisters, warm bed, lawn mowers, sneakers, watch, mountains, job, baritone, trombone, music, waterfalls, travel, Special K, ham, cheese, mustard, salad, muenster and monterry jack cheese, role models, good genes, windpants, long sleeved T's, pillow, caring people, (take another breath) airplanes, aircraft carriers, USA, cranberry stuffing, sweet potato fries, books, cologne, deodorant, young people, ministry, Popular Mechanics, God's Revivalist, computer, Sportscenters Not Top 10, GPS, MP3 player, news, greeting cards, morning, sunrise, sunset, clear nights, full moon, wooden bridges, new places, soccer, sports, neighbors, change, Curious George, book club, board games, ice skating, roller blading, (take another breath) engineering feats, windows, corduroy's, sweatshirts, shoveling, Walmart, hospitals, teeth, warm socks, gym bags, racquetball, parks, Kleenex, trail mix, tent, camp stove, sleeping bag, sleep, screens, dishwasher, Google, Internet, laughter, ties, sewing machine, breakfast, pictures, adventures, cities, pranks, weekends, parades, ...just to name a few (exhale)!

Now how do I transition back to pictures? I need a gateway of some sort.
And could it be 'golden' please?
Somehow, we made driving across the Golden Gate Bridge part of our journey home.
Unfortunately, it was still shrouded in fog.
And after saying farewell to Fritz at the airport, we made one last scenic stop at...
...the Muir Woods National Monument...
...a remnant of ancient coast redwood forests as denoted by over 1,000 rings on this cross section!
Most mature trees are 500 to 800 years old, with some over 1,000 years old!
The sun light begins to shine through the dense forest, turning it from black and white...
...to sepia...
...and finally full color right before our eyes! Amazing.
That's a lot of green!

If it just looks like a clump of trees, you better click on the picture. Then, click on it again and scroll to the bottom where you'll find a path and wooden fence. That will help provide you with an appreciation for the tallest trees in this grove at over 250 feet! (And I thought I was tall.) Coast redwoods are the tallest living thing topping out at 379 feet in Redwood National Park!
As you could guess from all the moss, redwoods require moist environments.
A scenic view along a downed redwood...
...and more green groves.
On our way out of Muir Woods there were some scenic views of San Fransisco Bay. After that, we were on our way home, one of the longest 14 hour road trips. Sadly, Fritz made it across the country hours before we were back in Idaho. Along the way, I requested this picture...
...without the passenger realizing what was in the picture (while keeping the identity of the passenger anonymous... sort of). Don't think too hard. But pranks were mentioned earlier and I am reminded that I forgot to share a small detail from the previous post at Alcatraz. Try calling your relatives at work while you are strolling through a prison, exclaiming the unfortunate predicament you find yourself in and how some misunderstanding must be taking place. I am thankful for the little smiles along the way.

After working a few days (aka recouping), I'd be off to the airport and heading for the East Coast. So hang on tight as we go from coast to coast for another round of adventures in new places...

Shackled in San Fransisco

If I were to mention prison, what's the first thing that comes to mind? Probably not the song "He Touched Me" by William Gaither. Unless you were thinking of Elvis Presley's rendition. Not that either? Well follow along as we find ourselves locked up on an island.

Que the music:

"Shackled by a heavy burden (ever been there?),

'Neath a load of guilt & shame (are you still there?),

Then the hand of Jesus touched me (this is the important part for sure)
And now I am no longer the same" (it's tough to argue with the results)

We'll get back to the song, but first a few pictures.

Que the pictures:

Nothing like starting the day off right as the fog rolled through our campground...
...engulfing the horses...

...the pier...

...and downtown San Fransisco. Many of you might recognize San Fransisco by the Bay Bridge engulfed in fog, but what about...
...these fancy port-a-potty's on the sidewalk? If you click on the picture and look close, everything self-cleans after each use so be sure to close the door when you're done or the next person will find themselves in a shower! (Don't you wish your bathroom was self-cleaning? Well it is... think about it.)
The San Fransisco Belle steamboat...
...and all your Christmas toys.
Although we didn't ride them, the old trolley cars are continually running.
New York colors.
There's the island...
...there's the warning...
...welcome to Alcatraz!
The Indians welcome you too.
The island comes complete with cell blocks, homes and the first lighthouse on the Pacific Coast.
In case you ever desired the free comforts of prison (minus the freedom), it's not a roof over our heads or a pillow to lay our heads on that makes life real. How often we take those we are with every day for granted and forget the reality they add to our lives.

Imagine looking out your window, watching the families of those who run the prison come and go while the guy in the tower watches you.
Alcatraz was notorious for its humbling experience.

That's all you would get.
Fritz had warned me...
...and eight inmates were murdered by other inmates, but this wasnt' one of them.
As if spending all those hours couped up in a car wasn't enough!
Still trying to become famous? You could try being a famous inmate, but you've got your work cut out for you if you're going to compete with the likes of Al "Scarface" Capone and George "Machine Gun" Kelly.
Views of the Bay Bridge...
...downtown San Fransisco...
...and the Golden Gate Bridge from the island.
The island started as a military fortification to guard against a Confederate attack. Next, it became a military prison for POWs taken during the Spanish-American War and then a federal maximum security prison in 1934. The prison closed in 1963, but was reoccupied by protesting native American Indians who added and modified some of the signs.

An artistic look...

...through a broken prison window.
The ticket out.

Today, the island serves as a bird sanctuary...
...with many gardens.
Sailing in the fog...
...and sunning on the dock.
How could so many ugly and ornery sea lions keep so many people mesmerized for so long?
You might wish you didn't ask as they flop around on each other...
...for a morning nap.
They'd get all dried out when a new one would hop up and crawl across looking for a parking spot.
Each dock had a clear dominate sea lion...
...leading to some interesting quarrels. But alas...
...someone would lose and get tossed off the island.

Lombard Street - the world's crookedest street...
...complete with a Crooked Street Task Force to minimize traffic jams.
The view at the bottom looking out into San Fransisco Bay.

We never did get to see the top of the Golden Gate Bridge due to fog, but here's a cross-section of a cable.

We deemed it strong enough and walked out on it...

...alongside all the traffic.

Sadly, a suicide hotline is needed. Remember the song we started with?

More scenic views of the bridge...

...and the fog.
After spending a day in the city, we headed back to watch the sun set across the Pacific.
When you take a ton of pictures...
...choosing one can be challenging.
Waiting for the sun to set, amusing myself trying to send a log back out to sea...
...without getting wet.
Who would have thought black gum was a good idea?
Ever hold jelly from a jelly fish?
A collection of sea creatures.
Meanwhile the lighthouse was still going...

...as we watch the sun drop over the horizon...
...illuminating the wind blown grass behind us...
...putting on a show in front of us.
It probably took you longer to read the captions then it took the sun to set...
...but don't miss the bird flying across the sky...
Or his buddies.
Nearing the end of another day...
We finally made it. Is the music still going? Can you hear the words of the second verse...

"Since I met this blessed saviour (remember when He touched you?)
And since he cleansed and made me whole (are you Whole? or still shackled?)
Oh I never cease to praise him (He is worthy)
I'll shout it while eternity rolls (like the endless ocean waves)

He touched me, oh He touched me
And oh the joy that floods my soul
Something happened and now I know
He Touched and made me whole."

I hope you can sing that song with confidence that He has touched you, He has made you whole and you can be with Him for eternity. No sunset can match that!