Oh, the pain, the pain...

Today was awesome.

I met with 12 other people at the Point Reyes Bear Valley visitors center, and we hiked 4 miles out to the ocean at Arch Rock.

The twelve: Nick, Mike, Maura, Andy, Karthika, Vibhav, Matt, Aileen, Brittany, Christy, Jamie, and her friend.

The hike was pretty boring with no great plants or animals, but we all had some good conversation, and it was cool how the dynamic shifted as people got more tired and fell back or moved up.

We had lunch on Arch Rock and were at least 50 feet up from the water, Nick though closer to 75. The weather was perfect, and I really didn't want it to end when we had to walk back. So we didn't let it.

There is a small trail that leads down to where the creek flows into the ocean and through the arch. So we worked our way down there, and played in the alluvium.

We being: Nick, Mike, Christy,and myself, later to be joined by Matt, Aileen, and Brittany.

Then I had to know what was on the other side of this ridge, and we climbed over it and found a beach we could see from above. Mike went into each little sea cave, and Nick hunted for the biggest sand flea. I found turbidites, showed the to Nick and Mike. Mike and I oohed and aahed as good geologists should while Nick the CAD-guy and engineer in schooling called us nerds. Then I had to know what was over the next ridge, and with Mike following close behind found tide pools with double-fist sized sea anemones, and tiny pinky-nail-sized anemones, and tadpoles (I think), and chitons, and little crabs, and hermit crabs, and snails. I took lots of pictures, but have yet to download them.

Finally Mike and I decided we should not hold up the rest of the crew, and we worked our way back to the main trail. Then we slogged our way back to the visitor's center. Nick kept saying we were almost back, and I'd say, "But we haven't gotten to the picnic area yet." "We're almost back." "Nick, we're not to the meadow yet." "We're almost back..."

Then he started on guessing distance remaining. The last restroom on the way out is 1.6 miles from the trail head. As we're returning, we see a bridge that branches off on another trail, and Nick says that that means we're almost back. We see a sign that says 0.8 miles to the trail head. Later we see another one. Nick says we're almost back, and it says we have 0.4 miles to go. Later, we We see a sign that says 0.8 miles to the trail head. Later we see yet another one. Nick says we're almost back, and it says we have 0.2 miles to go. I tell him that apparently he's hiking through Xeno's paradox and to shut up.

Finally we're back, and the drive home is another hour and a half. But Jennifer was working today, and on her way home she got my comics for me. Now I have to decide if I want to read this week's books, or finish re-reading Planetary.

I'm sore, but Golden Tiger will keep me going through the night and help me be able to go to the Woodland Scottish Games tomorrow with Steve, Lisa, Gemma, and Paul. And Jennifer of course.

And finally, tonight, I moved on in Portal from where I was stuck in Level 18. I not only beat the timing puzzle jumping from the angled pop-out wall, but got the cube, got back through the wall, and then did the extreme falling/jumping puzzle. Then I was on to Level 19. I still don't know how I go the plasma sphere into the receptacle, but I did. I got past the puzzles on the conveyor, and then I see the incinerator. I died a couple times, but got past that as well. Now I just have to get across the way. And higher.