So we had a fairly active weekend, interspersed with lots of good naps. On Saturday we took a nice bike ride along the Santa Ana River before going car shopping later in the day.
This morning we got up late and headed out to Cleveland National Forest and the Holy Jim Trail. According to internet sources, "Nature was profaned here by the swear words flooding from the mouth of "Cussin' Jim" Smith or "Holy Jim" as he was renamed by tightlaced government surveyors who mapped the canyon in the early 1900s. Another bit of history marks the place: the last wild California Grizzly -- an old bear named "the honey thief" -- was killed at the mouth of Trabuco Canyon after robbing beehives here in 1907."
This is one of my favorite hikes here in Orange County because it's in a shaded valley with a nice stream running down the middle. We've had lots of rain lately so the stream was especially high.
Water dog.
This morning we got up late and headed out to Cleveland National Forest and the Holy Jim Trail. According to internet sources, "Nature was profaned here by the swear words flooding from the mouth of "Cussin' Jim" Smith or "Holy Jim" as he was renamed by tightlaced government surveyors who mapped the canyon in the early 1900s. Another bit of history marks the place: the last wild California Grizzly -- an old bear named "the honey thief" -- was killed at the mouth of Trabuco Canyon after robbing beehives here in 1907."
This is one of my favorite hikes here in Orange County because it's in a shaded valley with a nice stream running down the middle. We've had lots of rain lately so the stream was especially high.
Water dog.
A hiking picture where I don't look completely hot, tired, and frizzy-haired!
I love the agave plants that we have down here. I'm 90% certain that they're agaves and I think they look crazy fabulous in gardens. 
Looking windblown.
As you know, we've been car shopping. We haven't yet found the perfect car (for us) and after a disappointing test drive of the new prius the other day, I was a bit bummed out. And, as we discovered today, it's hard to go car shopping when we have a perfectly good subaru that can off-road with the best of 'em. There were probably 25 vehicles at the trailhead and our little sube was THE ONLY CAR in the entire lot. The rest were giant SUVs and trucks. Rock on Sube! There were lots of tricky river crossings, water holes, and giant (car-sized) pot holes and the sube did amazingly well. And she put all those giant truck drivers to shame. :)
On the way home we passed the famous Cook's Corner, the Sturgis of California. Unfortunately, someone had a bit of an accident right in front of the restaurant (not pictured). He looked to be ok (maybe a broken arm) but a fire truck was there. Chris and I, once we saw that he was ok, were musing that is must be rather embarrassing to crash your bike right in front of hundreds of your buddies!
