The kids have been interested in getting some summer PLAY action going in NorCal, and we made a plan to do a weekend trip east to Redding, mainly to go back to the Water Works water park which wowed them (well, mostly Iver) at the end of last summer. Humboldt kids rarely see temperatures above 65 degrees, while it was shaping up to be fifty degrees hotter three hours inland!
We took a Friday off work and left early to beat the heat to hike Whiskeytown Falls, a nice waterfall near Redding, which Kelvin and I last did with Pep but no kids back in 2012. 95-degree (and rising) hiking is not for the faint of heart, but we are not a faint of heart family (at least I'm not!). Thankfully, the 3.4-mile round-trip trail was mostly in the shade.
Iver was intent on finding and counting the lizards (~30) along the way.
A nice creek where it was cool!
Niall was mostly carried (he doesn't like hiking on a cool day!), but he did cooperate and smile for some photos.
He was grumpy for these photos at the falls, where we ate a packed lunch.
Check out us in 2012!
Then he was back to smiley-Nially.
We got to Redding mid-afternoon and, what else is there to do when you can't quite check in yet and it's ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTEEN degrees out?!
La Michoacana Plus (a Mexican ice cream parlor) came highly recommended to Iver by some teachers at his school, so we checked it out.
Iver had the biggest banana split I've ever seen, and I had a tasty sorbet-type sundae "Mangonada," full of chili and tamarind, which was really good!
We checked into our hotel and some friends (who recently moved to Redding for work, but who were really good friends of the boys) visited us and swam.
Niall-Dylan towel "horse"
Dinner at Red Robin was a hit!
Us with Lacinda
Iver & Dom
Niall and bestie, Dylan
The hotel was really cool and comfortable, but didn't serve breakfast until 7 a.m. on weekends, so Iver and I hit the gym in the early morning.
He was a huge fan of the make-your-own belgian waffles!
We spent a full Saturday and Water Works Park, which is a really nice water park (not too big and not that crowded as Redding's not a huge city).
Iver and Dominic were off doing their own thing quite a bit.
Getting on the Cyclone!
(Iver told me he almost balked at the top but made it down!)
Only Dominic was brave enough to do the "Avalanche" with me!
It is intense!
Chute Slides were a big hit!
Dylan was pretty adventurous, going down various chutes and even the Raging River ride, but Niall (while a bit more interested than last year) spent a lot of time in the shade (and taking pictures) in the cabana!
Splash area!
We spent a lot of time at the Cowabunga Beach/Wave pool.
On Sunday, we stopped at Trader Joe's (the closest one to us! I LOVE Trader Joe's) and made our way back to Humboldt along the Trinity River and Hwy 299.
We checked out a somewhat secret swimming hole off of East Fork Road near Helena, where there is a rope swing into the river (if you're brave enough!).
I waded in but still found the water cold!
We also tried to do a Redwood Edventure Quest at Gray Falls, but the trail just seemed to disappear amidst blackberry brambles, so we didn't make it the whole way. It had pretty river views, though!
While we do love us some summer, 113 degrees is HOT! We had a wonderful weekend splashing around, but it was really nice to return to 69-degree (but sunny) weather at home.
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