http://www.soe.ucsc.edu/people/jkubby

Arthur, Ash and I boarded a green canoe and circled a few times in the creek section next to our campground. The creek is a series of locks, barricaded by river rocks and fallen trees. After a few circles and feeling adventurous we paddled to the upstream barricade and like pirates we disembarked our craft and lifted it over the lock. We crossed about three locks this way, carrying our canoe over obstacles each time we encountered one, until there were more rocks than navigable water. We tied-up the canoe and planted a paddle like a flag in the sandy bank and left them behind. We waded through water and scrambled over rocks until we reached a slippery group of boulders, and just past the boulders was a large-ish waterfall (about 10 feet high). After a bit of trial and error the boys climbed up a section of glacially polished granite next to the waterfall and took turns riding down a series of rapids before plummeting into a deep swimming hole at the base of the falls. The water was cold and we swam until the sun got low in the sky. We climbed back over rocks and waded through locks, and got back to camp just in time for dinner.

8/13/11
Duck Creek, CA
A few miles Southeast of Bear Valley

My bags are packed, the creatures are fed and the gardens are watered. I'm reasonably confident that nothing will die in my absence. This bus ride is the first few still minutes I've had to myself today.

Pandora is my California Mountain Kingsnake (Lampropeltis zonata). She really doesn't like me watching her while she eats.