The Hound

We got a dog. Luna lived chained up in a backyard, then at the pound for her first year. We don't know exactly what she did at those places, but at our place she has pretty much chewed up everything in the back yard that she can get her mouth around.

Lots of energy and no manners, but she is a nice and gentle animal. We are civilizing her.










The boys and Luna at the dog park

Tuolumne Meadows '08

We went to Tuolumne Meadows in the first week of August. This is becoming an annual tradition and we meet a bunch of friends up there. This year the weather was perfect and the company was outstanding.
























We did all the usual things - hiking, climbing, playing in the river and visiting with friends.

Kitty and I did climbed a nice 5.7 400' route called "Holdless Horror".

Kitty leading the first pitch and following the second





We climbed at the DAFF south flank area. Steve led one of the Guide Cracks, I did Alimony Crack (5.8+) for the first time in about 25 years and Kitty followed (maybe her hardest outdoor climb to date).


Steve leading guide crack and Kitty following





We checked out a new area called the "Bunny Slopes". We did something there called "Ride a Wild Streak" -- the kids got in the act and had fun.



John and Shaun





We messed around at Puppy Dome









Drove home via 140 and got that beautiful view of the Valley

Going Hogwild at Lover's Leap

John did the annual Loon Lake kayak trip with Bluewater Ventures the second week of July and I was doing the pickup Sunday afternoon. So, Kitty and I headed out Saturday morning for Lover's Leap. It was pretty warm, even up at 6000' and the air was smokey from wild fires. Surprisingly, the campground was only 1/2 full. We grabbed a site, set up the tent, walked down to stick our feet in the stream and waited for it to cool off a bit. Decided to go climb Pop Bottle -- a two pitch 5.7 at the far end of the East Wall. There was a tricky move over a bulge, then another tricky move up a crack in a golden wall. We wimped out on the boulder start for the last pitch and walked off instead as it was getting dark.

At the belay on Pop Bottle



Got up the next morning, packed up and made a short hike to a great-looking little wall with a route called Hogwild.


Hogwild goes up along the arrows






Its one 110' pitch that starts with a little dihedral, then goes up a steep face, then follows a nice hand-sized crack to a belay. Kitty decided to give it a go on lead, but in the first 30' there were few spots for placing protection and she decided to turn over the lead to me. Up we went.




Excellent climb although the crux moves past the first bolt seemed harder than the 5.7 rating. Rappeled off and headed out.







Got to Loon Lake in time to see the crew paddling back from the camp. Everyone seemed to have had a great time. Helped load up the kayaks and drove home with a carfull of kids from the trip.

San Juan Island: John and Marian's 60th

The Bolte clan got together the week of June 22, 2008 to celebrate my folk's 60th wedding anniversary. We rented two waterfront homes on the southwest side of San Juan Island and everyone except Zach (away in Austin, Texas) was there! To cover all bases, we brought the bikes and kayaks from Santa Cruz. The two houses were great. Both were on the water with great views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the Olympic Mountains and Victoria B.C. One house was architecturally interesting (called the Water House) the other had a pool table, hot tub and great beach for launching kayaks.

The weather was classic Pacific Northwest. Sometimes overcast, windy and cold, sometimes warm and sunny. We had a couple of days when the water was calm and like a mirror for as far as you could see (a pretty long way). There were deer, eagles, sea/shore birds and at the Water House a family of foxes.


There was lots to do.

Kayaked every day with flat water most of the time, biked, played chess and Scrabble, shot pool, soaked in the hot tub, went fishing, sat on the decks looking for whales and did alot of visiting and catching up.

We enjoyed a very nice anniversary dinner one night at a great place called the DuckSoup Inn and then champagne and carrot cake back at the Water House.






The whales were there 3 out of 6 days. Saw a minke briefly on Tuesday, and orcas Tuesday,

Wednesday and Thursday. They were feeding and went through pretty quickly. Had a couple of encounters from the kayaks.

All in all a wonderful week. Great weather, really great to get together and a terrific event to have the privilege to be able to celebrate.