On the Road Home

We leave on Saturday morning to beat the Sunday traffic through LA.

The San Fernando Valley on a very clear day

Fields outside of Camarillo

Chef Holly treats us to buttermilk pancakes for Sunday breakfast.
We're off fairly early to get a head start on the crowds leaving LA going back north.

North of Santa Barbara

Entering Gaviota Pass The Rest Area was so crowded we didn't stop

Entering the Gaviota tunnel

Yup - I'm a sucker for the Fall colors in the vineyards and fields.
Some of the sights along the way traveling north on 101

Santa Maria river

Goodyear blimp on its way home

Barn and vineyard

Which is the real windmill?

Working windmill

Not! Disguised cell tower @ Bradley rest stop

Getting close to home we drive up the Salinas Valley (America's salad bowl) and over to Monterey Bay.

Salinas river

Power plant @ Moss Landing

Quiet evening on Elkhorn Slough

Ahhh - home again! Peter is pooped after all the driving.

We better rest up as much as we can. We leave for Tennessee in a few days. Christine is having a baby soon.

Hanging out with the Simons

While in Leucadia, we again park the RV at the Simon's house. They also have family dinners planned for Thanksgiving.  Suzy is an amazing chef and does a bang up job cooking up a feast.
To work off all the great food and to give the hounds a good run, we all head off for the dog beach in Del Mar.

Hounds crowd into the back of Simon's Suburu

Beautiful afternoon on the Dog Beach

Cono is quite the character and loves to play games with his large red ball

Retrieving from the water

Rolling the ball down the sand dune

All the dogs (and people) have a great time romping together in the late afternoon sunshine.

Checkers makes a friend

Toby checks out the rocks

Mary is happy to be alive and on the beach

and a good time is had by all.

Peter, Mary, Toby, Cono, Checkers

Golden hour

The next day we hike up Quail Canyon.

Are we there yet?

Puppies play in morning mist

The guys prove you're never too old to enjoy a swing

old tire swing beckons

Jamie takes the plunge

View from the top of the hill

Yup - my lens is starting to show its age
Maybe Santa will bring me a new camera {hint}

Hazardous Thanksgiving and Birthday Dinners

Thanksgiving Day arrives with all the usual festivities.

Peter and Hap watch football

Holly prepares the turkey

Holly & Doug hard at work

Yeah! Dinner is served!

Holly, Doug, Patti, Hap, and Karen

The next afternoon, the elves (aka Holly and Nadine) decorate the house for a hopping holiday.

Holiday frogs are everywhere

Santa makes it

Frogs on the tree

That evening, neighbors Joy and Pete Doherty come over to share tuna Pete has caught on a very successful fishing trip to Mexico.

Biggest fish was caught by the guide

Pete catches several over 100 lbs

A good catch was made by all.

We are fortunate to share in Pete's bounty.  Ahi tuna - 3 ways for dinner.

Yummm!

Joy brings a fancy cake

For Pete's birthday (decorated with trick candles that can't be blown out)

After dinner, Holly costumes us all in tacky Christmas sweaters.

Pete and Joy model theirs

Doug gets a vest

and Hap poses as Santa

Happy Holidays from the Hazardous clan and friends.

Joy, Pete, Holly, Doug, Hap, Peter Nadine, manikin head, Marti

May your holiday season bring you much happiness.