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Happy birthday, Mom.

We've had a great hike this summer.  I've met some amazing people, and I've even met people (this impresses and scares me a little) who think I'm amazing.  Partly because of the hike; sometimes because they know I'm bringing a little part of you along.  Not the part that matters--that part I always carry, and so does my brother, and Dad, and everyone else who loves you.

By the time this post goes live, we'll be most of the way through New Hampshire, and may even be in Maine. I don't get many opportunities to get online, so I have to guess a couple weeks in advance when I might be anywhere.  There are several people looking forward to meeting me in Maine, and even crossing the finish line with us.  They take my guesses and make whatever plans they need to make; I know how we'll get there.

I think of you every day. I miss you every day.  I have you with me every day.

And even when the ashes have all been scattered, I will still have you with me every day.  Because raising a kid isn't just about getting them to be their own person; it's about being a great enough person that they want to be a little like you, and keep a part of you with them forever.  At least, that's the way you and Dad did it, and I'm proud to see parts of each of you in myself every day.

Love always,
Ry

Watch your step

Just two pictures of random sidewalk art today, and a reminder to watch where you put your feet--sometimes there are neat things down there.

A koi pond in North Shore, near San Francisco's Chinatown.

Fan art a block or so from the California Academy of Science

Bay Walks

After a six-hour flight to California this spring, we needed to walk.  Between the BART station and our hotel, we stumbled onto our first great find of the trip when we decided to get lunch at Lefty O'Doul's.  Talking with local friends at dinner the next night, we found out that Lefty's is a local institution.  That was nice to know, but we had already convinced ourselves that it was a good place to eat when a trio of SFPD cops sat down at the table next to ours.

We dropped our bags at the hotel and set out on foot, against the advice of the local tourist center lady who warned us, "it's pretty hilly."  She's a marathon runner.  I was eleven days from starting the Appalachian Trail.  She was going to have to try harder to scare us.

I wanted to see Coit Tower, because it was the only thing I had wanted to see on my previous trips to SF that I still hadn't visited.  We walked north until we saw the tower, and adjusted our course accordingly until we arrived at the top of Nob Hill, in front of a sign informing us that the tower was closed, and would be until April.  We still had a pretty commanding view of the city and the bay.

I'm pretty sure this bridge is famous.

I was a little disappointed, but maybe it will be open the next time I'm in town.

Coit Tower, designed to look like the nozzle of a fire hose, is a monument to firefighters.

We worked our way down the hill to Fisherman's Wharf, where we engaged in our usual harborside activity of picking out boats we can't afford and planning a life at sea aboard them.  I think the topside deck should be large enough for basking with a drink and a book.  I also think every ship that has a crow's nest is automatically ten percent cooler.

My camera has a lot of cool features, which I am still learning.

When I toured Alcatraz many years ago, I was disappointed with everything The Rock got wrong about the prison.  I'm still ok with the car chase.

I made a joke about how they had given up and ceded entire docks to the sea lions only moments before we saw a sign telling us that's exactly what happened.  Apparently, the sea lions were happy with the territory they controlled, because we didn't see them anywhere else.

I pocketed the free samples I was offered at Ghiradelli square for later consumption, but we ate the ice cream sundae there.  They don't keep well.  To preserve The Girl's legs for her marathon, we took the 30 bus back to our hotel, where we read in a tourist guide that "the 30 bus through Chinatown is an experience in itself."  To us, it was just another (recommended) adventure we stumbled into without trying.  I think we have a knack for finding great things to do.  Come to think of it... Lefty's and the bus were both her idea.  Maybe I don't have the knack after all?