After leaving Idaho, we stopped half-way in Reno to spend the night. It was 106 degrees when we pulled into the hotel, so we let the kids swim in the pool while Jonathon was doing a Zoom presentation for the City Council. The next morning we left bright and early for Salinas to see my grandparents. The drive was uneventful, and our new car did awesome over the Sierras. It was fun to watch the regenerative breaking as we were descending. We hardly used any gas as we were leaving the Sierras.
We have been to Salinas with the kids several times in the last few years, but because of COVID, it had been over a year and a half since the last time we were there. We arrived in the afternoon and spent an enjoyable evening playing games and chatting with Grandpa and Grandma. We made sure to play Grandma's favorite game, Qwirkle. Jonathon felt pretty proud of himself to actually win a game against her.
The next morning Hyrum and Grandpa made us bran muffins for breakfast. I love that my kids get to spend time cooking with Grandpa and hope that will be a lasting memory. After breakfast we packed up and headed for Monterey. Grandpa and Grandma have a hard to getting around much any more, so they stayed home.
Grandpa and Grandma no longer have aquarium passes, so we had to skip that this time, but we have been so lucky to go many times already. We parked at Fisherman's Wharf and then walked along the bay up to cannery row. The sea breeze was lovely, and it was the first time in months that I was actually a bit chilly. When we made it to the end, we stopped in at a little shop and bought a delectable cinnamon roll to enjoy. From there, we caught a trolley back to the wharf. The trolleys were new and super fun and convenient to ride because they made stops all along the area.
On the way back to Salinas, we stopped at Seaside Beach to play in the ocean. The wind was really blowing by that time, and I was freezing! After only 5 minutes of huddling under a towel, I headed back to the car to get warmed up. The kids, however, were fearless and ran and played in the ocean for another 15 minutes.
That night Christian fixed dinner for everyone. He made his famous chicken cordon bleu that he learned during cooking class with Grandma Hill. He did a great job, and it was quite a treat. The next morning we headed to Roaring Camp up in the redwoods. We took the train up through the redwoods a couple of years ago, so this time we decided to do the Santa Cruz beach train. None of us had ever done it, so it was a new experience. The train ride was beautiful, and we learned a lot about the area from the conductor.
When we arrived at the boardwalk, we decided to let the kids do one ride and buy a funnel cake. We bought the tickets and then realized that the rides didn't actually open until noon when our train was supposed to depart. We were so annoyed and frustrated because the tickets were expensive, and the kids were sad because they had gotten their hopes up. We bought the funnel cake and ate it, and just when it seemed like all hope was lost, the bumper car ride that they had wanted to go on opened up 10 minutes early and allowed them on. They got to do a race all by themselves, which was awesome. They had a great time, and it definitely felt like a tender mercy. The funniest part of the whole thing was watching Hyrum drive the bumper car. He had his tongue out and was concentrating so hard. As soon as their ride was over, we bought Hyrum a cotton candy that he had been wanting all trip and then ran over to the train and made it just in time. Everything worked out perfectly in the end!
When we arrived back at Roaring Camp, we hiked through the redwoods for a while and then went back to Salinas. That night we made stir fry for dinner, and Teresa's and Jacquelyn's families joined us for dinner. It was nice to see everyone.
Saturday was our last day in Salinas, so we got up early and the boys walked around the corner to the bakery and got donuts for breakfast. It is tradition! We then spent a few hours going to Costco, cleaning up, and doing some chores for Grandpa and Grandma. We didn't want to cause them any stress, so we tried to be as helpful as possible. We got ready to leave for camping in the Sierras just after lunch. After buying groceries, our car was so packed that we had no space left. The boys were holding things on their laps, and for a while we weren't sure we would be able to fit everything. After a little Tetris, we squeezed everything in and headed off. It was a great visit with Grandpa and Grandma Ogborn, and I am so glad that we were able to do it.
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