Adventure #3 -- Pinnacles Park

Adventure - Marty

Description: Go rock climbing in the park of Pinnacles and not die.

Photos by Marty (Lichen shot by Heather)

(Marty's Report):

This was my outing idea, going down to Pinnacles National Monument and climbing. It entailed getting up early. That means sacrifice for my wife. Which means coffee.

So after my morning sitting, I was off to Javaholics for Heather's "I'll get up early if and only if I am greeted by a single shot mocha with whipped cream", and true to her word, she did not grump when greeted with said mocha. I got the gear together while she abluted, and then by 7:30 am, we were off. (It was to be 7am, but I kinda figured that might be impractical.)

Basically, to get to Pinnacles, you get on 101 south, and stay there till your reach a dumpy, prison-supported town called Soledad, and take a left. Then you drive through the cow pastures and fields, down a 1 or 1 1/2 lane road, till you reach the gate. And there's Pinnacles.

But before that, we were driving. And what that generally means with Heather, is music. In this case (not all cases), her music.

Now, to say that music is meaningful to Heather is to vastly understate the issue. And to say that me mocking one of the poppy songs was skillful was to vastly overestimate my intelligence. Which is to say that we had a spirited (ahem) discussion about the relative vs. absolute value of music, and came to a roughly amiable conclusion that we were both sorta right. Which allowed us to finish our adventure without scars.

So, back to Pinnacles. It's a really beautiful place, though modest in comparison with California's wonders. Apparently it was an old volcano, long worn away, leaving jagged rock faces, and low but steep hills separating the park into its West and East sides.





We were planning to do some light top-roped climbing, and geared up in the parking lot, something I haven't done in years. Clanging with carabeeners and water bottles, we identified the route to our first rock and headed off. And walked along and along and up, trying to identify where our target was hiding, baffled by the map from the ranger station and the climbing book. We went up and up, almost (it turns out) to the dividing ridge that would have taken us over to the East side of the park, before realizing that we'd almost surely missed the rock. And by that point, Heather was wiped out. I've been doing a lot of gym time, so my stamina's pretty good, but Heather was in forced-march mode. But a good trooper, not bitching too much.

I shot some pictures, and then we decided to head back down, creating a scenario in our heads based on the television show and game, Firefly. We didn't get that far: there's an old dude who tells Mal and crew that he knows where a fabled lost Alliance ship went down, and needs information that Mal doesn't know he has to find the ship. Thence commences adventures, at which time they find the treasure laden ship, which was also carrying a neuro-toxin, which old dude wants to use to poison an entire Alliance planet (he was one of the rebels who lost the war of independence with the Alliance). Thence commences a Moral Quandary for Mal, who presumably chases down the old dude and stops him.

So. After that, we got down to the parking lot, and realized that where we had intended to go (it's not so hard to do a good map!) was just a short walk down the other direction of the same path. So we scrambled around there, me looking for a good top rope spot, but by that time motivation and energy had drained off, so we headed off home.

One thing that sticks with me, though, is how still and quiet it was out there, unlike in the city where there's always a buzz. I'm not sure I'll need to go back soon, but it was a good jaunt.


(Heather's Report):

Marty's right. I don't wake up well. But usually, if my husband will go through the trouble of bringing me a coffee, I can go through effort of not being grumpy. So I was able to hold my tongue, allow the coffee to kick start my veins and shower, which also helps in the wake up process.

The drive down was pleasant, pretty in its own way, of driving through continuously decreasing in size and financial level towns and argued somewhat about music. Marty was driving but I had usurped the radio with the iPod plug-in and was DJing. Marty's also correct about me and my music. Don't be hatin'. So we "discussed" this vigorously, in which, ending said conversation, it did seem that we reached the same point. Maybe. I was probably right, whatever it was we were discussing.

Pinnacles is quite pretty, large jagged mountains rising up from the level ground, almost like those jagged, rippled waves of mountains on the Hawaiian coastlines. We got our maps and such and after staring at the one given to us by the Ranger and the one in the climbing book, were pretty sure where to go and off we went. Well, we walked. And then we started really walking and then hiking as the trail started going up and up, even starting into switchbacks. I think the only photos I took were of the lichen here, so wonderfully red. The rest of the park was beautiful, yes, but the light was shit.

I'm not in good shape, I'll admit that right off the bat. I'm carrying about an extra 30 pounds that I really don't need, I eat crappy and I don't exercise. So, I really wasn't ready or up for this sudden trek. I had my doubts about even being able to climb at all once reaching our destination. Not due to the trekking (although that did end up being the case for me), but due to the fact that I haven't rock-climbed in years, nor have I ever done it outdoors. Marty taught me in the local indoor climbing gym years ago. This will actually be the second time we've gone out into the wilds to climb and the second time that, having gone out into the wilds to climb, that we didn't actually do any rock-climbing.

But it was indeed beautiful. I love mountains. These weren't my good old (read, very, very old chronologically) mountains of the Appalachian chain, rounded by the years, covered with luscious forests and all deep green, but rocky, jagged peaks, rugged with scrubby plant life. It had such a different quality from those mountains I used to be used to. And I could tell these were younger mountains, there wasn't that "weight" that you get on the East Coast with those velvety mountains.

We saw a coyote on our way out of the park, which Marty got a shot of out the car window. He didn't notice us at first but then realized that vehicle normally buzzing by had slowed down and those strange creatures inside were staring at him. He stayed still for a few moments, both creatures, canine and sapien, regarding each other with curiosity until he (or she, actually, since I couldn't tell you) had enough and took off into the brush. And we took off towards our urban brush.

Need more nature, yes indeedy.

And all in all, Marty and I seem to be getting better at this whole "Travel Together" thingie. Or at least these little "mini" adventures are helping.

Adventure #2 -- We Got Woo'd At the Zoo

Adventure - Planned by Heather

Description: Celebrating Valentine's Day at the wacky SF Zoo Annual "Sex Tour."


(Heather's Report):

For Valentine's Day, we went to the zoo, natch. I mean, where else would you go in San Francisco for Valentine's Day other than a sex tour at the local zoo?!? This description is from the registration website about the event:

"Be you Penguin, Primate or Possum…you are cordially invited to celebrate a San Francisco Zoo original 20th Annual Sex Tour/Woo at the Zoo with Jane Tollini. Come join us for new animals, new positions, new kinky information, ins & out, ups & downs of animal sex, all animals A to Z including U.

Heads & tails above flowers & candles; no better way to impress your Valentine; and if that is not enough…get up-close with an animal encounter! "Woo at the Zoo" also features a romantic brunch including; mimosas, French toast station, scrambled eggs, pastries, chocolate covered strawberries, fresh fruit and a delicious surprise. The special evening events will include; beef tenderloin, herbed couscous, sautéed spinach w/ pine nuts & golden raisins, salad and chocolate dipped strawberries. Reservations are required as this “sense”ational event sells out each year."

This was basically as advertised although I thought at first that we were going to wander the zoo and see animals mating! Although I guess in February, that would be rather... chilly. And a little raunchy for other zoo visitors. So we ended up in a large conference room where Jane Tollini, the very funny zoo-keeper presenting the "tour" presided over a slide show. When we arrived, having chosen to attend the brunch time rather than dinner time, other keepers had animals out for our up and close examinations, such as a large white rabbit, a baby alligator, a porcupine, a tortoise, we think we remember a sloth that had brain damage, and a very large raptor (type I'm blanking on). We got to touch most of them, excepting the raptor, of course, since it wasn't hooded and would likely take your hand off. I'm a very touchy-feeling type person and I just wanted to smear my hands all over bird and feathers but of course, stayed back per his keeper's instructions. We (or at least, I) ate French Toast and various offered by buffet bits, and had a mimosa.

The presenter, Jane Tollini, a large woman who spoke in a raspy, possible smoker's voice, was a keeper at the SF Zoo for a very long time and previously worked with the penguin enclosure, and had one of those personalities that is pretty much suited to present a tour about sex, funny, confident, with that sort of "fake" tipsy quality and obviously had done this presentation a lot of times. She encouraged the room in a booming voice to partake freely (and frequently) of the free champagne offered, "Drink up! Get more! This is good stuff!" I found her immensely fun right off the bat. That sort of "fun" type of presenting tends to put folks at ease, or at least me. Especially in a room full of adults with a topic that can cause even adults to "titter nervously".

After being wined and dined, so to speak, she launched her slide show, which previously had just a picture of a sexy silhouette and the phrase "I got woo'd at the zoo!" which of course, I pointed out to Marty the obvious joke there... I got WOOD at the zoo. Heh. She did indeed start out at A and go to Z, although even before A, went through special terms that we might need to know about reproduction in the animal world. I learned more about penises and the various types wandering around this good Earth than I ever thought I'd ever know in my lifetime. Huge, small, spiky (yes, barbed!, which I have no idea of why Nature would be so cruel!), able to retract, extend, etc. By context of the topic, of course, I learned more about animal sex than I'd ever thought I'd know as well. As well as specific animal sex. Okay.

We had some good laughs, taking a break for, gosh, more booze (I forwent this time and Marty doesn't drink), before launching into the last half of the alphabet. I'm unfortunately writing this about a month later (Marty and I have made commitment to write our adventure posts right after our adventures), so I don't remember the specifics of the various animals presented and their specific sexual adventures, like pigs being able to have extended orgasms or some such. Sorry, folks, disappointing, I know!

After the presentation was over, we got cool mugs and wandered around the zoo for a little bit but it was grey and overcast, threatening to rain so we didn't stay out long. All in all, it was a fun Valentine's Day adventure!!

(Marty's Report):

A fun morning at the zoo. Lots of simple carbs and sugar, and I treated myself to a decaf, in a life now more or less coffee free. As with Heather's post, the woman was one of those larger-than-life presenters, tailor-made to put a bunch of upper-middle class San Franciscans at ease with talk of vaginas and penises.

My favorite--though the presentation was fun--was definitely the live animals. The bald eagle was an amazing and frightening bird, especially with a beak that I've seen destroy rabbit bones, about a few inches from its handler's face. We got to touch an alligator, and a porcupine, and a rabbit. I love them!

Then we went off and wandered around the zoo, including to the place where the young man had been killed by a tiger. That's always a little eerie, especially after seeing the cute-as-sin otters.