Early March 2012 and it was time to ditch the LA Foothills and head to Sequoia National Park for a long weekend.  We brought along our xc ski gear hoping to find enough snow to ski the trails.  Normally this wouldn't be a concern, but this year there has been very little snow in the Sierra Nevada range.

What we found was  enough snow to ski one day in the fog, then two bluebird days to hike the trails on patchy snow (at elevation) and dry trails at lower elevation. The lower elevation hikes beginning at Hospital Rock trailhead were new to us, but were most enjoyable. Instead of tall Lodgepole and Sequoia trees, the area is dense with old growth oaks, open grasslands, views of snowy peaks as well as sprawling chaparral.

Got 6 minutes and 30 seconds?  Check out our video:

We've not only discovered the beauty and calm of the Santa Barbara area, but the convenience it offers for a quick weekend get away. On a foggy Friday night we headed up the coast along the Pacific Coast Highway. At night, PCH offers views you never see during the day and with patchy fog, it was certainly mystical in the least.  An hour and 40 minutes later, we were pulling in to our B&B in Montecito. We had a very relaxing weekend on the bikes, seeing some great sights up close.

I never like to stuff lots of sub- titles into the videos I create and post on "A Doug's Life". It's nice to have some explanation of what you're watching, but always ends up looking clunky and awkward. Instead, I'm including some links about what's featured in the video:

• Our B&B: http://creeksidemontecito.com/
• Casa del Herrero: http://www.casadelherrero.com/ (House of the Blacksmith)
• UCSB: http://www.ucsb.edu/
• Devereaux Slough: http://www.calliebowdish.com/DevereuxStory.htm
• Miramar Beach

Music provided by General Fuzz:

 So, you've never heard of General Fuzz? Seriously??  Well I'm here to brighten your day.  General Fuzz is a music project headed by James Kirsch (see image above). He creates really cool electronica tunes that are available for absolutly free. Seriously. Of course, I highly encourage you to make a donation if you like what you hear. Go there now: http://generalfuzz.net and start your download!

The extended families got to gether to camp at Pt Mugu State Park this September.  Check out the 4 minute video: