Pregnancy Part 22

Today we have our growth scan (ultrasound) with our regular OB. I am feeling pretty good about it. Hoping my weight and blood pressure are cooperative and that my urine contains no protein or other stuff that's not supposed to be there. Hoping baby measures "normal" and is in the right position for delivery.

We've been doing pretty good with following the babycentre diet since the holidays are over and we're mostly home all day every day. We have tried a few of the third trimester recipes that have been a big success in terms of tasting good and freezing/reheating well.

Diet

Week 30 - Dec 30-Jan 5 - 54% (three fast food)
Week 31 - Jan 6-12 - 60% (three fast food)
Week 32 - Jan 13-19 - 54% (six fast food)

Symptoms

Week 30 - Dec 30-Jan 5 - ?? didn't record any!
Week 31 - Jan 6-12 - aversions (to bad smells and unfamiliar people), increased thirst, shortness of breath, heartburn, acne, headaches
Week 32 - Jan 13-19 - headache, heartburn, back pain, rib pain, fatigue

I got to return to Fit4Baby class on weeks 31 and 32. While it was harder to do some things like lunges and just balancing on one leg, it felt REALLY good to get into a cardio training zone and dig in to the deep breathing.

I am trying to keep busy with craft projects, in case Albert decides to stay (or overstay) his time in the womb. On the other hand, there's a chance he could come early, so dear husband is kind of nudging me to get these art projects wrapped up.

1) quilt

2) woven scarf

3) tie-dyed onesies

4) painted birth mantras

It's always a task to get all the necessary materials assembled, but I found some old gift cards and have spent the time at JoAnn's and Michael's to get the remaining stuff that I would need. Maybe finishing these projects is like finishing a good book or TV series, I don't want it to be over!

The hospital bag is in the car. The car seat is locked and loaded. The nursery is complete. We visited two consignment stores to find the remaining furniture. We got a rocker from Goodwill for $15. We got a changing table (with pad) from Children's Orchard in Santa Clarita for $36. We got a breastfeeding pillow from Wear it once, Wear it twice in Burbank for $17. For under $70... I feel so much relief!

It was pretty hilarious we decided to slightly disassemble the rocker so that it would be easier to carry and fit through the doorway. Just 4 bolts and 8 washers, but with my big belly and using the adjustable wrench and a ratcheting socket wrench and dear husband and the complicated rocking design, it took a minute and a few drops of sweat, four hands and a bit of giggles to get it put back together. Luckily it did not require a blood sacrifice (as we had with our new Kenmore dryer that we bought at a Sears store closing sale and installed ourselves).

For the MLK 3-day weekend, we started watching some standup comedy on Netflix about becoming parents. We watched Lobby Baby with Seth Meyers and then The New One with Mike Birbiglia. We went to bed at a decent hour. When I woke up on Saturday, I thought having a nice hot chocolate would be good before breakfast... boy was I wrong. I had a severe reaction to it where I started accusing Mike of not helping me enough and feeling all alone and just sobbing. From there he decided to take control of the weekend. We did the consignment shopping on Saturday afternoon. We moved the furniture in on Sunday morning then went for a walk in the Arboretum in the afternoon. Monday morning he helped me cut some quilt pieces, then we went out to the beach and did another long walk, ate a picnic lunch and did some grocery shopping at Winco to restock our pantry. It was a perfect weekend, with the exception of my little meltdown.

So I guess you could say everything is coming together! It is all the more real because a friend delivered her baby 4 weeks early yesterday, so I think it helped dear husband get clear in his mind that it's a possibility and it's best to be as prepared as we can be prior to the baby's arrival. Even though a friend said "you'll never be ready," at least I feel like the major infrastructure is in place and from here on out, we can just fill in the gaps as we go.

Fertility Part 12

Today, Wednesday, we are again in Week 1 of The IVF Diet. I weighed in at 196.5 lbs today. Not as much weight loss as I wanted, but at least I have not gained it all back.

I had a great time with my sister when she visited during the second half of May. I had hoped to do a lot more hiking with her, but we only had one epic day on Santa Cruz Island.

Then my dad came into town and we did a lot of sightseeing. Here is a list of what we did: 

Saturday, May 25th Old house / Glendale / Neon Museum ($10) / Brand Library & Park Sunday, May 26th

Pierce College Flea Market ($4) / Encino Farmer's Market / Convoy Movie Monday, May 27th

La Brea Tar Pits (FREE) / LACMA (FREE) / The Counter / Canters Deli / Original Farmer's Market / The Grove / Mullholland Water Movie Tuesday, May 28th

10 am acupuncture / Skateland ($8, skates included) / BM e-bikes / CSUN campus tour / Japanese Garden ($5) / Water Reclamation Plant / India's frontier trains movie Wednesday, May 29th

Griffith Observatory ($7 for planetarium show) / Autry Museum (FREE) / LA Zoo ($11 with 50% zoo reciprocity discount) / Griffith Park via LADOT DASH bus ($1) / picnic Thursday, May 30th

Metrolink ($32) / Mission San Juan Capistrano ($10)/ Trevor's at the Tracks / OCTA bus (FREE) / Pedego e-bikes ($25 per hour) / Dana Point to San Clemente bike ride Friday, May 31st

Metro Expo Line ($7) / Rose Garden (FREE) / CA Science Center (FREE + $3 to see space shuttle) / Santa Monica Pier / Bubba Gump Saturday, June 1st

Salute to Recreation, Northridge Park / Metro Red Line ($7) Broad museum, MOCA, Disney Concert Hall, Music Center, Grand Park, Grand Central Market, Last Bookstore, LA Cafe, LACBC HQ, Angel's Flight ($1), Riordan Central Library (FREE) Sunday, June 2nd

Citrus Sunday @ Dearborn Park (~1320 pounds of citrus collected)

The Discover & Go passes from the LA County Public Library saved us $42 at the La Bra Tar Pits and $24 at the Autry. I recommend checking that out if you are expecting out-of-town guests and want to do some sightseeing on a budget. Even though the e-bikes were expensive to rent, that was one of my favorite things we did. I also loved the gardens (Japanese and Rose).

It was hard to keep to the diet while playing tour guide, but it was equally awesome to spend time with family. Keeping busy and doing lots of light walking kept my mind from stressing out.

We've ordered the next round of medications: estradiol, delestrogen, methylprednisolone, endometrin, and progesterone. I'm doing my best to stop from googling all those names to read up on the side effects. I'm just waiting for my period to start. This cycle has been long: today is day 33 and it has not started yet.

I have been going to acupuncture. I finally found a practitioner who took my insurance with no issues. I've had 3 visits now. The first visit, he told me that his goal was to increase circulation. I had a wonderful explosive diarrhea when I got home, so I'm guessing that worked. The second visit, he told me his goal was to make me feel safe. He said, "unless the mother feels safe, there can be no baby." The third visit, I found myself meditating on that feeling of safety and love. I was chanting a mantra of: I am ready and I am willing. Also: I am safe and I am loved.

At the Last Bookstore, I found a book called Sacred Woman which has some ideas for altars. I was thinking of putting together an altar anyhow and I have some time now to do some sculpting and painting so I will incorporate her suggestions for altars in those craft projects. I don't know if I can follow the author, Queen Afua, in all of her herbal recommendations and suggestions towards veganism, but I can definitely consider some of her yoga poses and dance moves for tapping into the divine feminine energy.

Second Nebraska Trip Packing List

It's the day before my second visit to Nebraska and I'm packing. Or at least I'm thinking about packing. I was doing some last minute digging in the garage and I found my old sound generator, which can provide soothing ocean waves even without wifi.

Looking at the weather forecast, it's going to be cooler there than it will be here. However there is a chance of rain. So I guess I'll be packing an umbrella.

Burchard, NE

Of the events on the list: hang out with uncle, grandma, grandma, sister, sister, aunt, mom and dad. I definitely have to practice my talk. So I'll need a cable to connect my computer to the hotel TV. I'll also need some clothes to wear to the Pawnee County Fair.

South Bend, IN

The weather in South Bend, IN where the conference is also has a chance of showers. I'm doing a "fun run" on Monday morning and then presenting on Tuesday morning. So I'll need running shoes/workout clothes and business clothes.

Besides my sound generator, I want to bring all my other toys (rollerskates, folding bike, etc.) but there's only so much room in the suitcase that I'm bringing (as soon as I decide which one that is). I'm leaning towards a rolling bag this time since it was a bit of a drag carrying my duffel bag last trip.

I don't need to bring the folding bike because: I've rented a car, Omaha has B-Cycle (docked bikehsare, based near where I'm staying) and South Bend has LimeBike (dockless bikeshare). I don't need to bring rollerskates because: that is not the purpose of the trip, they're heavy, and there won't be time to go skating.

We are going to try to squeeze in a dance party, so maybe I can bring something dance-worthy. My brain is driving me crazy because I thought that through organizing the house, I would find some handwritten notes from my days in grad school, unfortunately they haven't turned up yet.

I'm attending my 20-year high school class reunion, so I should bring something to wear for the tour of the school and the social event that evening. Nothing too fancy. Then I'm off to the conference. It would be nice to have some traveling clothes (read PJs) that are comfy.

BCCE Meeting Schedule

ACS Meetings App is a way to schedule your conference time. It allows selecting concurrent events, so that if there is a cancellation in one session you can jump into another. I found the most fabulous dress at Goodwill, during my shopping extravaganza which will work for both the class reunion and my talk at BCCE.

I'm coming back on the Amtrak. Items that made that part of the trip better included: noise-canceling headphones, a black bandanna that I could use as an eye-mask, a cooler bag to bring my own food (but I might not do that on this trip) and a neck pillow (good for planes and trains).

Amtrak Coach Seat

I had a really great time on Amtrak Empire Builder so I'm really looking forward to the Southwest Chief. We're leaving Chicago in the afternoon, going through a tiny corner of Iowa, reaching Kansas City by evening (Fresh Air Stop #1).

Amtrak Observation Car

My brother-in-law was asking me last night, in all earnestness, why take a train? I tried to explain how you have the freedom to walk throughout the train while it's moving and you can enjoy the scenery from your seat or the observation car.

Amtrak Dining Car

If you want a formal dining experience, you can eat in the dining car. See this blog for some other really helpful tips. Also for humor watch the film Silver Streak. We cross the state of Kansas overnight, waking up on the second day in La Junta, Colorado (Fresh Air Stop #2).

Amtrak Cafe Car

If you don't mind bodega (7-11 a.k.a. truck stop) food then you can visit the cafe car. It's downstairs of the observation car. There's also seating down there, which can be another place to sit. It should be a really beautiful day going through Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona.

Albuquerque and Flagstaff are Fresh Air Stops #3 and #4, respectively. A fresh air stop is where you can get off the train and walk along the platform. I do some calisthenics and plyometrics to get my circulation going and to keep my metabolism running. 

Since I've never booked a sleeper compartment, I can't say whether they're better or worse than coach. I did borrow these pictures from Google Images since I'm always too shy to take photos of people when I'm on the train. You never know who won't want to be photographed.

The second overnight goes through the desert part of California (Needles, Barstow, Victorville, San Bernardino, Riverside) and hopefully I'll be waking up around Fullerton, CA. We arrive in Los Angeles in the morning around 8am.

Nebraska Trip Packing List

Here's what I brought on my plane/train summer trip from Northridge -train to- Burbank -plane to- Portland -train to- Fargo -car to- Omaha -plane to- Burbank -car to- Northridge over a two week period. The items with a star are things I wore or used prior to arriving in Fargo.

Three dresses, sleeveless
*Two yoga pants, knee and ankle length
Two polo shirts
Two jeans, ankle and shoe length, belt
*Flip flops and athletic shoes
*Bra and sports bra
*PJ pants
*USA t-shirt, CicLAvia t-shirt
*Sleeveless graphic t-shirt
5 pairs socks
10 pairs underwear

*Watch and IDY bracelet
*Headband and hair clips
*Sunhat
Burt's bees, Lipstick: red and pink

*Headphones and Phone charger
*Purse and camera case, cross-body
*Stand to prop up phone
*Journals to write in and pens
*ACS chapter reports

*Toothpaste, toothbrush
*Sunscreen, SPF 30 and 50, face and body
Contact lenses and solution
*Glasses and sunglasses
*Shampoo/conditioner (2 in 1)
*Face moisturizer
*Face wash
*Hair comb
Qtips, Kleenex

Gifts: 28 Visit Santa Clarita bags
stainless steel drinking straws and brushes

I ended up doing two loads of laundry in Fargo and wore everything more than once. I definitely could have traveled with fewer pairs of underwear, but that's the one thing I never want to run out of. It's an experience doing a sponge bath in a moving train bathroom, but I even washed my hair in the sink and it was worth it.

We had fun in Fargo finding silverware to go into the 'Visit Santa Clarita' bags, which were originally made for glasses. I was pumped when I got together with my cousin from Denver (who is currently working in London) and my aunt from New York and they were both really excited about stainless steel straws and reducing single-use plastic utensils.

I brought 29 bags and I came home with only 12 so that means that my family members actually grabbed them (as intended). Since we checked our luggage on the flight home, there was no problem with bringing the sharp metal objects home in my carry-on bag.

According to RESET Carbon Ltd. flying in a short-haul aircraft produces 50% more carbon dioxide emissions per passenger kilometer than taking Amtrak. Driving produces about 25% more carbon dioxide emissions per passenger kilometer than taking Amtrak. Altogether, I traveled 7000 km and produced 1.676 metric tons of carbon dioxide. I feel bad about this, any suggestions for offset?

Amtrak Empire Builder (Portland to Fargo)

This summer I am taking two long-distance trips on Amtrak: Empire Builder and Southwest Chief. I took a plane from Los Angeles to Portland and the Amtrak from Portland to Fargo. My sister sold her house there and I spent a week with her, helping her move.

Enjoying this #junegloom @wunderground @Metrolink Thanks for the ride to @fly_BUR just $5.50 from #Northridge station on Ventura County line train 104. Clouds this morning will give way to generally sunny skies for the afternoon. High 83F. 🌤 pic.twitter.com/1CQ8O1Blho

— bikecar101 (@bikecar101) June 19, 2018

It was fantastic to take the Metrolink from Northridge to Burbank Airport. Starting the trip with a train ride put me in a good mood.

Loving how @ridetrimet app includes bicycles

A post shared by bikecar101 (@bikecar101) on Jun 19, 2018 at 1:40pm PDT

When I arrived at Portland airport, I boarded the light rail there to get to the Amtrak station. The light rail (MAX) in Portland was easy to navigate.

Arrived @biketownpdx and ready for @amtrak

A post shared by bikecar101 (@bikecar101) on Jun 19, 2018 at 2:46pm PDT

The Portland Amtrak station is totally cute! There are bikeshare bikes there (and probably in most major cities by now) but the Portland bikeshare bikes are branded with a Nike swoosh.

Onward from #PDX to Washington (state), Idaho and Montana @Amtrak #EmpireBuilder ❤ 🚅 🛤 ⛰ pic.twitter.com/K5sgHZsjDv

— bikecar101 (@bikecar101) June 19, 2018

Empire Builder simultaneously originates in Seattle, WA and Portland, OR in the late afternoon. The individual trains merge in Spokane, WA in the middle of the night. Fresh air stops like this allow you to disembark and stretch your legs. Have a coke, smoke and a joke as my art teacher used to say.

Crossed the Willamette and Columbia rivers 🏞 🚅 🛤 #PacificNorthwest #EmpireBuilder pic.twitter.com/8HuYN3do3S

— bikecar101 (@bikecar101) June 20, 2018

There's a dining car, which is kind of like a restaurant on wheels. There's a cafe car, which is kind of like a coffee shop on wheels. Above the cafe is the observation car, which has floor to ceiling windows. When people gawk at how much time it takes to get somewhere by train, I show them this.

Columbia River Gorge at White Salmon, WA #EmpireBuilder pic.twitter.com/squuM7qiBa

— bikecar101 (@bikecar101) June 20, 2018

The next fresh air stop is Whitefish, MT which is the following morning. From there, expect breathtaking views of Glacier National Park. I saw lots of people white water rafting and I have to say the smells of the people boarding the train here were more fresh & clean than any detergent.

Good morning Montana! #EmpireBuilder pic.twitter.com/Ar8MYkoSQH

— bikecar101 (@bikecar101) June 20, 2018

I met a white water rafting guide who talked me through some of the sights. He pointed out tiny waterfalls and docks where native people fish for salmon using traditional fishing poles made of wood. You get to have great conversations with strangers on Amtrak trips.

#EmpireBuilder pic.twitter.com/cQOwpYRV2O

— bikecar101 (@bikecar101) June 20, 2018

Abruptly, you are in a flat part of Montana. Two fresh air stops, Shelby and Havre, may be cut short if the train is running behind schedule. Havre has an antique steam engine at its station, which is an impressive display, particularly popular with train enthusiasts.

Grab those handrails when moving through the train. We will be traveling at 79 mph along the Highline through eastern Montana and across North Dakota. #EmpireBuilder pic.twitter.com/hnVUzFa8rZ

— bikecar101 (@bikecar101) June 20, 2018

In my experience, the dining car is first-come first-served. If you want to be served a sit-down meal in a formal setting, you need to get there right when the meal begins and let them know you will be 'dining' and they will schedule you a time to come back and be seated.

Goodbye #Montana hello #NorthDakota #MissouriRiver #EmpireBuilder pic.twitter.com/JIng84x40H

— bikecar101 (@bikecar101) June 21, 2018

I would not expect the staff to ask you if you want a seated meal, there were a few unhappy 'sleeper car' passengers that missed out on a seated meal because they thought their porter would assist in making their reservation. Nonetheless, they got a hot meal from the cafe car.

#EmpireBuilder pic.twitter.com/5XfJ3mjHqN

— bikecar101 (@bikecar101) June 21, 2018

As for myself, I brought a variety of items listed below so that I didn't have to partake of the dining car on this particular trip. I highly recommend taking Empire Builder if you get a chance. I saw a couple with loaded touring bikes at the Glacier Park station, and I thought 'I would like to try that.'

This is what I brought in a cooler
*2 bags (florets) broccoli
*1 bag (8oz) mushrooms
*8 C honeydew melon
*1 bag (2C) mixed nuts
*1 bag (30) dried apricots
*1 bag (8) small pancakes
*1 bag (4oz) beef jerky
*1 flat cake (900g) banana bread
*3 medium yellow nectarines
*Empty ziploc for ice
*Cooler bag
*Empty water bottle

This is what I purchased at the station or on the train
*2 cans soda
*1 bag each: combos, gardettos
*2 cups coffee: $2 each
*1 tuna sandwich on wheat
*1 Greek yogurt cup: $2.50

What is Tyvek?

In the summer of 2012 (definitely 6 years ago) we purchased a season pass for the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. The pass came with an envelope made of Tyvek. I have been using that for a wallet ever since.

January 2018

Before this I was using a plastic Ziploc bag, so I felt this Tyvek thingy was an upgrade. People told me that was weird until I went to a stagette party in 2011 and one of the other bridesmaids was also using a Ziploc bag for a wallet. No surprise because she was also a fitness queen.

Yes, the logo is definitely faded and there are holes forming in the corners, but can you tell me another material that would hold up this well and be so lightweight and compact? We were at the movie theater January 2018 to see the movie 'The Post' and in the lobby they were selling wallets made of Tyvek.

January 2018

These wallets cost $15.00 each which kind of seemed like a lot to me, especially considering the one I've been using was given to me. ProTip: Tyvek envelopes can be ordered from USPS.com in packs of 10 for free.

If you want to make your own "Mighty Wallet" out of a Tyvek envelope, the owner of DynoMighty has posted an instructable here: http://www.instructables.com/id/Express-Mail-Envelope-tyvek-Wallet/

I was so curious, as a chemist, about what kind of material would hold up so well and it turns out that it is a form of plastic. Plastic is derived from hydrocarbons (petroleum) and this type of plastic is high-density polyethylene (HDPE). This is a common plastic in the home, one major use is milk jugs.

What makes Tyvek so strong is that the long chains are not branched. The polymer is formed into thin sheets of parallel fibers. More about the manufacturing process can be seen here.

Last year, DuPont celebrated 50 years of Tyvek and it has found many uses. If you are done with the Tyvek product, you can recycle it at any location where you drop off plastic shopping bags.

If you are interested in the Summer Pass for the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, the cost is $80 for Adults and they go on sale May 1st. You get unlimited rides up Mt. San Jacinto until Labor Day.

January 2018

BTW I also bought a neon yellow "trucker hat" in summer 2013 and I still wear it almost every day. I think my mother-in-law was horrified because she offered to buy me ANY hat at the gift shop and I chose this one over all the other cute frilly girly styles. 

Even though "trucker hats" are cheap, they are durable and functional. With a plastic mesh back and a large, nearly vertical foam front, this "trucker hat" keeps me cool and I love wearing it while walking or biking because I feel safer because it's "safety yellow." Look out, I'm walking here!

August 2013

What I love about my Tyvek wallet is that I can put it in my fanny pack and hit the roller rink, I can slide it into my sports bra and go for a run, I can fit it into my seatpost bag on my road bike, I can zip it into the side pocket of my yoga pants. It goes where I go and it's slim and durable.

Also, Tyvek is water-resistant and the plastic driver's license, credit card and insurance card inside together with the emergency $20 bill aren't harmed by a little teeny bit of perspiration. So go ahead and get your sweat on! Tyvek is a durable material that can handle whatever you are into.  

Unless you're into finely dispersed iron oxide or zirconium oxide solid superacid catalysts above 700 degrees Farhenheit, in which case your Tyvek wallet could be melted down to a wax.

Shabtai, Xiao and Zmierczak. "Depolymerization-Liquefaction of Plastics and Rubbers. 1. Polyethylene, Polypropylene, and Polybutadiene." Energy & Fuels 1997, 11, 76-87.

 

Central Coast Trip

We had a wonderful 5-day (4-night) vacation in Grover Beach this New Year's.  My panniers weighed about 26 pounds.  The raingear was not used, but rain was in the forecast so it was good we had it just in case.  The most valuable items were the windbreaker, yoga pants, and a zip-up hoodie.

It was easy to catch the Amtrak from Glendale.  The Holiday Inn Express provided continental breakfast, of which we used to make lunches of peanut butter & jelly sandwiches.  This helped keep the cost of our trip low.  Our walks and bicycle rides were completely free.  We considered seeing a movie, but there wasn't anything we could agree upon.

I am providing our modest itinerary and detailed packing list for our own documentation, but also I would hope it would help you consider what you would bring if you had to carry everything.  There are things I missed, but I used everything I brought.  It felt really good to simplify our lives if only for a week.

It was really fun to be able to take the bus.  The 5-cities transit was awesome!  We bought a $5 all-day pass for the day we went to San Luis Obispo, since we took two different bus lines.  Even though we were early for the bus (which runs only once per hour) we took the opportunity to do some "Bus Stop Calisthenics." Analogous to my favorite passtime, "Train Yoga."  When you consider the urban landscape one big playground for adults, and stop caring what people think, life can be more fun!

Itinerary

Day 1: Fri. Dec. 30

Boarded train at 3:17pm
Arrived at 7:54pm
Biked to hotel
Dinner at Carl's Jr

Day 2: Sat. Dec. 31

Bike ride to Grover Beach beachfront
Viewing of Monarch Grove
Bike tour of Pismo Beach downtown
Walk to 5 Cities Center, Branch Street
Bus ride back to K Mart
Dinner at AJ Spurs

Day 3: Sun. Jan. 1

Bike ride to Avila Beach
Walk to Grand Avenue
Dinner at Round Table Pizza

Day 4: Mon. Jan. 2

Bus ride to San Luis Obispo
Tour of Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa
Shopping at Phoenix Books

Day 5: Tue. Jan. 3

Lunch at Station Grill
Boarded train at 1:55pm
Arrived at 6:50pm
Biked home

Packing List

Outerwear Raingear + Stocking cap Light jacket + Windbreaker Sun hat + Cycling cap Scarf + Headscarf Bicycling gloves	Underwear Undershirts (1 camisole, 3 t-shirts) Long sleeve cycling jersey Boxers or panties (5+ pair) Socks (5+ pair) Bras (1 sports and 2 regular)
Tops Hoodie (zip up) Sunglasses + case + cleaning cloth Bicycle helmet Safety vest	Bottoms Hiking pants (Convertible) Yoga pants Dress pants Cycling shorts
Toiletries Face wash, lotion, eye cream, serum Toothpaste/toothbrush Contact lens case/solution Chapstick, face SPF 50, body SPF 30 Comb, headband, tampons, medication	Electronics Phone + Charger GoPro + Charger Lights + Charger Computer + Charger Music player + Charger
Other Swimsuit Resort Dress	Footwear Cycling & Walking shoes  Flip-flops

Doheny SB ~ Packing List

So, we're doing our first bicycle camping adventure!  It's not a full-on wilderness campsite, being just 1 mile away from the urban center named Dana Point, and less than 4 miles from Laguna Niguel, San Juan Capistrano, and San Clemente.  I wanted to write about what we plan to take in order not to over-pack.

1) tent
2) sleeping bags
3) yoga mat
4) cycling shoes
5) swimsuit?
6) long underwear
7) matches/lighter for starting fire
8) towels
9) camping lantern/headlamps
10) bike tools (pump, tire irons, patch kit, etc.)
11) reading materials (coloring book, colored pencils, journal, yoga poses)
12) hat/sunglasses/sunscreen

It's hard to bring many electronics that would need to be recharged.  Obviously we need to bring our Metrolink Monthly Passes.  Our plan is to take the Ventura County line train 104 (departs 7:37am from Glendale, arrives 7:50am at LA Union Station) and Orange County line train 600 (departs 8:00am from LA Union Station, arrives 9:23am into San Juan Capistrano).  After the train trip, we will ride 3.7 miles from the station down the San Juan Creek Trail to our campground.

Loaded with Christmas Cheer

We did a big Christmas ride loaded down with gifts to practice riding with loaded bikes.  It was a great way to explore the Pacific-Electric trail.

IE Metric Century: total ascent of 2600 ft 

It was also fun to ride Historic Route 66 through Glendora, San Dimas, La Verne, and Claremont.  We picked up the trail at Monte Vista Ave.  It ended at Cactus Ave where we dropped down to Rialto Ave, cruised by the Rialto Metrolink Station, and dropped into Riverside on Riverside Ave.  The journey took us 9 hours and we never stopped to have a sit-down meal.  We did use the restrooms at the Taco Bell (140 W Huntington Dr, Monrovia, CA 91016) which were clean!  That was about 17 miles into our trip (2 hours) and we got a burrito and a Dr. Pepper.

I definitely don't want to bring a camping chair strapped to my back to Doheny, we will have a picnic table for sitting.  There are areas to explore, well described here.  We have all day today to pack and get the house in order so we can come home in the new year to a clean tiny house.

Zion ~ Hiking Report

Our trip to Zion NP was awesome!  Below is a photo of the items that were necessary for the trip.

Camelback Daytrekker Hiking Backback + 2L hydration reservoir

Sunglasses, case and cleaning cloth

Swimsuit

1L drinking bottle

Heavy winter coat, hat, scarf, gloves

Heavy sweater, fleece pullover

Performance (thin) socks, 2 pairs

Ski (thick) socks, 2 pairs

Heat holder socks, 1 pair

Performance (thin) long-sleeved shirt

Long underwear, tops and bottoms

Hiking pants, tights, yoga pants

Tank top with shelf bra

PJs, sweatshirt and sweatpants

Windbreaker jacket

Clif bars, 3

Sunscreen, toothpaste, lotion, facewash, toothbrush, SPF chapstick, comb

Camera, extra battery, battery charger

Cell phone, charger

Things packed that were actually used

Hike #1: Angel's Landing  NPS Description:  (4 hours) 5.4 mi Round Trip, 1488 ft Elevation Change.  Long drop-offs. Not for young children or anyone fearful of heights. Last section is a route along a steep, narrow ridge to the summit.

Angel's Landing

From the picture here, it's difficult to see the people.  Maybe if you zoom in a lot.  This hike was a steep climb.  Someone else posted the hike on MapMyFitness and the grade was 15-20% for a significant portion of the hike.  It is an out-and-back with lots of switchbacks.  There's no way to get lost on this popular trail, in fact we ran into some old friends on our way down.

For this hike, we brought some muffins and grapes to eat at the turnaround point.  We didn't go on the part of the hike that required holding onto a chain.  We instead enjoyed the sunny vista-cum-picnic area just before the chain part started.  It was great to relax and rest our knees before heading back to the FREE park shuttle.

Hike #2: Lower Emerald Pool Trail - Kayenta Trail - The Grotto Trail  NPS Description: (Lower Emerald Pool) Minor drop-offs. Paved trail leads to the Lower Emerald Pool and waterfalls. Connects to the Kayenta and Upper Emerald Pool Trails.  (Kayenta) Moderate drop-offs. An unpaved climb to the Emerald Pools. Connects The Grotto to the Emerald Pools Trails.  (The Grotto) The trail connects the Zion Lodge to The Grotto. Can be combined with the Lower Emerald Pool and Kayenta Trails to create a 2.5-mile loop.

Emerald Pools

I have no idea which parts of these trails we hiked, but we spent the afternoon out there.  I think we started and ended at the Zion Lodge because we got a To-Go coffee there between Hike #1 and Hike #2.  As you can imagine, we were pooped after two big hikes in one day.  Also, someone slipped on the ice near the waterfalls and that was difficult to watch.

Zion NP is not a great place for those who have a fear of heights.  Although, there are some trails with less elevation change than others.  We stopped at the Emerald Pools to take some photos, which are some of my favorites from the whole trip.  The juxtaposition of desert and running water was so stunning.  There were also some areas along that hike that opened up into green meadows.  I loved the "weeping rocks" where water flowed through the porous sandstone, supporting ferns and other plants you wouldn't normally find in a desert environment.

Hike #3: The Narrows via Riverside Walk  NPS Description: (8 hours) 9.4 mi Round Trip, 334 ft Elevation Change.  Read page 5 of the park newspaper and check conditions at the visitor center before attempting. High water levels can prevent access to The Narrows.

The Narrows

I don't think we hiked the entire length of the Narrows but we may have reached "Wall Street."  We rented drysuits from Zion Adventure Company. This $53 package includes a short orientation video, drysuit, canyoneering shoes, neoprene socks, and a walking stick.  I was scared before we actually got into the water: scared of the cold, scared of the rocks, scared of the current.  But none of these fears were ever realized.  From the moment I started walking in the water, I realized the neoprene socks were very insulating and the suit was completely water-tight.  The only downside was that it was difficult to disrobe to relieve oneself.  We also ate some grapes on this hike and some powerbars.

We stayed at the Cliffrose Lodge.  We used the pool and jacuzzi every night.  They have a fantastic continental breakfast.  The lodge is within walking distance to the park entrance.  There's a movie theater and Zion Canyon Brew Pub (where we ate after Hikes #1 and 2).  We ate at Wildcat Willie's after Hike #3.  Overall, it was a magical trip!

The elevation of Springdale, UT is 3,900 feet so a bit of low oxygen training would be useful.  Glendale, CA where we live is 522 ft.  The most useful thing we bought at Canyon Market was bottled water.  We reused the 1 Liter bottles continuously to stay hydrated on and off the trails.  Our souvenirs of this trip were a couple of postcards and EO Handsoap in French Lavender, which was in our rooms at Cliffrose Lodge.  The handsoap is available for purchase at the Lodge's giftshop.

Mission Tours

1) Mission Santa Barbara

Could take Amtrak Pacific Surfliner for $29 (bike reservation required at no extra cost)
http://www.amtrak.com/ccurl/382/939/Pacific-Surfliner-Schedule-071315,0.pdf
It's a 2.5 mile bike ride to the mission from the station.

2) Mission San Buenaventura

Could take Amtrak Pacific Surfliner for $23 (bike reservation required at no extra cost)
http://www.amtrak.com/ccurl/382/939/Pacific-Surfliner-Schedule-071315,0.pdf
It's a 0.3 mile walk to the mission from the station.

3)  Mission San Fernando Rey de España

We could meet at Glendale Metrolink, ride to Van Nuys, bike ~5 miles North to the Mission.  Although it would have to be on a weekday since the Ventura County line doesn't run on weekends.  It would be $10 each way to take Amtrak to Van Nuys, but it is possible, on Pacific Surfliner also.  We could bike it for free (18.5 miles each way with 738 ft of climbing) but it would not be a ride for beginners.  It's easy to find though, up Glenoaks to Hansen Dam, Left on Montague, Right on San Fernando Rd, Left on "Brand" in San Fernando and you'll arrive at the mission (on right) at Brand Park (in Mission Hills).

4) Mission San Gabriel

This is about 11 miles (entirely by bicycle) from the Glendale Metrolink station via York Blvd, South Pasadena and Alhambra. It's only 4 miles from the Metro Gold Line - South Pasadena station.  We could get to the Gold line by taking the Antelope Valley Metrolink to LA Union Station.

5) Mission San Juan Capistrano

From the San Juan Capistrano Metrolink Station it's only a 0.1 mile walk to the Mission.  From Glendale, we would take the Antelope Valley line into LA Union Station and then the Orange County line down to San Juan Capistrano. If we brought bikes, it's only 3.7 miles to Doheny State Beach via the San Juan Creek Trail

6) Mission San Luis Rey

This landmark is in Oceanside, 5-6 miles from the Oceanside Metrolink Station. From the station Turn left onto S Cleveland St, Keep left to stay on San Luis Rey River Trail, Turn right onto Fireside St, Turn left onto Mission Ave and you should see it from there but if not Turn left onto San Luis Rey Ave.  From Glendale, we would take the Antelope Valley line into LA Union Station and then the Orange County line down to Oceanside.  The Metrolink weekend pass ($10 all day) is a better deal than the Amtrak fare, plus you don't need bicycle reservations.

7) Mission San Diego

From the Glendale Metrolink Station, take the Antelope Valley line into LA Union Station and then the Orange County line down to Oceanside. Transfer to a Coaster train and ride south to San Diego - Old Town stop. Take Taylor Street NorthEast around Presidio Park. Taylor turns into Hotel Cir S. After passing Bachman, follow Hotel Cir under the I-8 and then take a right on Camino De La Reina. Travel 2 miles East. Three quick zig-zag: Turn left onto Qualcomm Way, Turn right onto Rio San Diego Dr, Turn left onto Rio Bonito Way, then Slight right onto Friars Rd for 1.1 mile. Take the Mission Village Dr ramp, Turn right onto Mission Village Dr, Turn left onto San Diego Mission Rd and follow that for less than 1 mile. The mission will be on the left at Booth Hill Rd. The COASTER train is $11.00 round trip for 3 zones (Oceanside --> Old Town).

http://www.gonctd.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/OTC-COASTER-Platform-Station-Sign-April-2015-1.pdf

Go Metro

Metro operates four light rail lines (Blue, Green, Gold and Expo). Light rail is similar to a tram, it may operate on or parallel to surface streets, but with a right-of-way.  Metrolink/Amtrak trains are: larger, travel longer distances, have a lower frequency of service, and connect suburbs with urban centers.  Metro light rail trains cover the more urban areas, operate more frequently, have a greater number of stops, and if you are traveling with a bicycle you must stand with it.

My previous post was mainly centered around commuter rail lines (Amtrak/Metrolink/COASTER).  A map of the activities I listed there is shown below, and linked here.

State/National Park Destinations via Commuter Rail

I absolutely love the guide Metro has put together of things to do at (or near) its stations http://media.metro.net/docs/metro_destinations_guide.pdf 

The only thing is that many of the destinations marked on there are for shopping or have high cost of admission.

Ideas for Bicycle/Pedestrian Tourism

(1) Lake Balboa (6300 Balboa Bl) is off the Balboa stop on the Orange Line, which is actually a bus.  Riding a bike all the way there is possible, but the subway (red line) to the NoHo station and bus (orange line) to Balboa is also possible.  Maybe we could ride public transportation one way and ride bikes back.

(2) LA County Arboretum (301 North Baldwin Ave, Arcadia, CA 91007) is off the Gold line at Sierra Madre Villa.  A 2 mile walk East on Foothill Blvd. then South on Baldwin Ave will get you there.  Adults are $9, students with ID are $6.

(3) Norton Simon Museum (411 W Colorado Bl) is off the Gold line at Memorial Park. Less than 1 mile West on Colorado Blvd and $12 will get you in. Admission is free for all visitors the first Friday of every month from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m.

There is a cool exhibit at the museum right now that echoes the theme of "National Chemistry Week"
it's called "A Revolution of the Palette" and shows how chemists created colors for artists
The exhibit is on display through January 4th, 2016

(4) Old LA Farmer's Market (every Tuesday from 3PM to 7PM) is off the Gold line at Highland Park. Barbeque pits are available at Sycamore Grove Park (6150 Piedmont Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90042).

(5) Historic Downtown Farmer's Market (every Sunday from 9am-2pm) 2 blocks from the Pershing Square station on the Red or Purple line.

(6) Grand Park Farmer's Market (Tuesday from 10am - 2pm) off the Civic Center station of the Red or Purple line.

(7) Hollywood Farmer's Market (Sunday from 8am-1pm) off the Red Line station at Hollywood/Vine.

(8) Central Avenue Farmer's Market (Thursday from 10am-3pm) off the Blue line at Vernon.  Walk West on Vernon to North 2 blocks on Central.

The "National Chemisty Week" theme also deals with the chemistry of natural pigments in foods

(9) Barnsdall Farmer's Market (Monday from 11am-4pm) off the Red line at Vermont/Sunset.  Walk NorthWest to the Barnsdall Art Park.

(10) Watts Healthy Farmer's Market (Saturday from 10am-2pm) is West from the 103rd Street/Watts Towers station of the Blue line.

(11) Mar Vista Farmer's Market (Sundays from 9am-2pm) Grand View at Venice Blvd.  Take the Expo line to Culver City, ride toward the beach (downhill) on Venice Blvd. Market will be on your left. Culver West Alexander Park (4162 Wade St, Los Angeles, CA 90066) has 3 barbeque grills.

(12) The Grove Farmer's Market (6333 W.3rd St. Los Angeles, CA 90036) has Pan Pacific Park nearby, which has BBQ pits. Taking the Purple line to Wilshire/Western and biking North on Western, West on 4th St, North on S Cochran Ave, and West on 3rd St will get you there.  The Grove is open 7 days a week.

Destinations via Bus, Bike & Light Rail

(13) Glassell Park Farmer's Market (3150 North San Fernando Road, Los Angeles, CA 90065) is on Saturdays from 10am-3pm at the Goodwill Community Enrichment Center. There is a pretty big park called Ernest E. Debs Regional Park (4235 Monterey Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90032) that has barbeque pits.  From the Glendale Metrolink, you would go down San Fernando Rd and take Eagle Rock Blvd to York Blvd.  Then Ave 50/52 South towards the park entrance.

(14) Burbank Farmer's Market (N 3rd St & E Orange Grove Ave, Burbank, CA 91502) is Saturdays from 8am-12:30pm.

(15) Toluca Lake Farmer's Market (4500 Sancola Ave, Toluca Lake, CA 91602) is open Sunday from 9:30am-2:30pm.

(16) Echo Park Farmer's Market (1125 Logan St, Los Angeles, CA 90026) is Fridays from 3pm-7pm.

(17) Glendale Farmer's Market (Chess Park, 227 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale, CA 91203) Thursdays from 2-7pm.

(18) South Pasadena Farmer's Market (Meridian Ave & El Centro St, Pasadena, CA 91101) off the Gold line at South Pasadena Station. Open Summer Hours Thursday 4-8pm.

Burbank Farmer's Market

(19) Old Pasadena Farmer's Market (E Holly St at Fair Oaks Ave, Pasadena, CA 91103) on Sundays from 9am-2pm. Accessible from the Gold line Memorial Park Station.

(20) Montrose Harvest (2300 Honolulu Avenue at Ocean View Boulevard) Sunday from 9am-2pm.

One of our crazy ideas is to take people to a farmer's market to buy produce.  Then we could find a park and set up a camping stove or use publicly available outdoor BBQ grills.  We would have a picnic/cookout with the items purchased at the Farmer's Market.  All of this could be accomplished using public transportation together with bicycles!

A map of these locations is here: https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=z6UqgDHbmMJY.kzQ7uL5jQXps&usp=sharing

More Farmer's Markets HERE http://projects.latimes.com/farmers-markets/

National Chemistry Week (NCW) is celebrated the week of Mole Day (10/23/15)