It started with a San Francisco treat!

When we started this journey, we started it with the first 100 days of history to include the Civil War, American Revolution, Underground Railroad, and War of 1812.  Along the way, we obviously visited many battlefields and forts.  In all of that history, we never remember learning about a Civil War fort on the west coast!  Well, I left you last post with a question...what does the Golden Gate Bridge have to do with the Civil War? Nothing really, it's just that under one of the legs of the bridge sits the only fort from the Civil War on the west coast.  The builder of the bridge even decided to redo his plans to leave Fort Point untouched.  This fort has a marvelous history and one of the most interesting points is that the Commanding officer left the fort to fight for the Confederacy and died at the Battle of Shiloh.  Fort Point, where he was originally posted, never saw a day of battle though.  It is the only four level fort built and had multitudes of men and cannons stationed there but never fired a shot.  There was a ship on the way to fire upon the fort but the war ended before it ever got there.  Over the years, the fort has been used for many different things after the Civil War to include the HQ for building the Golden Gate Bridge and it was also used during WW II.  It proved to be a very interesting stop!  Read more here. 

Entering Fort Point right under the Golden Gate Bridge.

Talking to the Ranger.  This was just a really cool site. 

This thing was massive and made so much differently than everything else that we had seen for the Civil War. 

We stayed at Travis Air Force Base so that we could go to Marin Headlands National Park.  We got a spot the next day and settled in.  Caleb saw an opportunity to help someone out as they dropped a few things on their way to the trash, and this is how we were introduced to a certain family.  They were another full time/homeschooled family so our kids had some other kids to hang out for bit.  We visited the library but the wi-fi about killed us...but...we were very thankful for the chance to be able to search things and hang out.  We also did some trick-or-treating on base and ended up with some full cabinets from the commissary.  We made a trip to the Emergency Room to get some medicine for Caleb because he ended up with so much poison oak from a previous stop that he had a systemic reaction.  I was going to load a picture of the poor boy but decided not too.  Just believe me when I say that he was covered from forehead to knees.  I am so thankful for my medical background and thank God that He led me on the path that he did throughout my military career.


Neat story...when we were in Tucson earlier this year, we were going to the church on base.  The Pastor there had mentioned to us about a Hospitality House (a Christian mission that serves military members.  Read more at Cadence.org) located outside of Travis AFB.  So moving forward now to current day...Kelly and I went to the gym and dropped Kamryn off in the playcare.  When we came back to pick her up, we started talking to one of the young ladies about our journey and how we have seen God work.  That led back to the Pastor and his wife from Tucson and the Hospitality House; it was amazing!  She quickly invited us over for dinner to the house and we went over to see what it was all about.  It was great to meet new folks and share our story and to be able to piece together a few things from people that we have met along the way. 


While near San Francisco, we of course took a million pictures of the Golden Gate bridge and took an amazing drive to see an uncompleted artillery battery, an original Army post and chapel, and also got to see the only preserved Nike nuclear Cold War-era site, SF-88, that still looks war ready.  We also saw a few other WW I and WW II sites that included Battery Alexander that operated from 1906 until 1943.  We also saw two areas for War that were built in the mid 1940's and when the 16 in diameter guns that weighed nearly 1,000,000 lbs (yes, 1 million lbs each) were delivered, they decided that they were obsolete, so they were never installed.  We never knew of all of the war history that still existed and never thought that we would get to see so much of it! 

SF-88...Nike nuclear missile site.

Battery Alexander.  this place had quite a history also.  It was such a shame to see that see that people came and just demolished it with graffiti and chipping stuff away. 

We were playing tourists and meeting people from Russia!

Another battery that was near the Golden Gate.  We had no clue!

This is where one of the 1,000,000 lb "guns" was going to sit and ended up being obsolete.  It was massive!

This was right across the street from one of the batteries. 

Driving across the Golden Gate.  We also never knew that the name "Golden Gate" existed long before the bridge ever did...wow, we ever educated!

To round one of our days off we visited the oldest lighthouse on the west coast, took a few shots of Alcatraz, and passed by San Quentin Prison on the way home.   On a different day, we made it down to to famous Pier 39, Fisherman's Wharf, and visited a cool National Park visitor center for another Jr Ranger badge.  We took a couple of tours of some old sailing ships and played tourist a bit.  We also played for a bit in an arcade that had games from the previous 100+ years.  We also met a family from Russia that day  and they wanted to hear all about our journey.  We saw a true one-man-band that blew my mind.  He played a full set of drums with only his feet, a bass guitar, an acoustic guitar, a keyboard, and sang or played harmonica...all at the same time!  We visited Ghiardelli Square to see where Ghiardelli first made their chocolate and we munched on a few samples.  Then, we drove down Lombard Street, the windiest (most curves) road in the world...that was pretty interesting to do in the truck but we made it with no new scratches and we didn't hit any tourists (see it here).  We also stopped to have lunch in the place where sourdough bread found it's way into America and chowed on some chowder and yummy bread.   As you can see, our time near San Francisco was pretty full and we met some really great people to share a Great story with. 

These doughnuts were recommended and they were good!

A shot of Alcatraz.  I was going to go on a tour but ended up deciding against it.  No worries...

Yes...18% grade...right along the water and it was quite long.  We went down it in the truck with a loud "WEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

More than just an old lighthouse.

San Quentin

Marin Headlands visitor's center rocked!

Inside the visitor's center.

Tacking on another badge.

Anyone remember this?

I used to play this where we used to camp when I was a kid.  Caleb wanted to try it. 

All the kids wanted to try this one.  I used to play this also. 

Zachary was all over this one. 

He was cool. 

Caleb had a blast in this place!  There was some memorabilia in there also.  Cool place.

Enjoying the original sourdough bread.

The boys are munchin'.

It cost too much to go in but he sure wanted to have a photo op!

Yup...it's curvy!

Mmmmm...the original.

Watching how they made it.

After we left Travis AFB, we headed to Pinnacles National Park.  We arrived and found a spot in a National Park campground that had a pool!  What?!?!  This was to be our 63rd National Park and we hadn't seen a pool yet...but it was closed.   Oh well, it was cold at night anyway.  Kamryn quickly invaded someone's campsite and made us some new friends.  We met a great group of guys, and one gal, and had some great conversations during our entire stay.  We spent many days and evenings sharing stories and gaining wisdom from these folks.  They had great words to say and enjoyed spending time with the kids...well, they never asked us to leave their campsite, so I assume they enjoyed our company!  Really, they had very encouraging words to say about our journey and our family and we are thankful that we had the privilege to had met them and spend time with them.  We also did some hiking and got to visit a cool cave.  I almost got hit in the face by bats a few times and we really had a great time going through on our own.  We also did another hike, soaked up some hot sun, and earned another Jr Ranger badge.  Caleb also met another neighbor who loved hearing about our adventure and also had great things to say.  Caleb and I also visited a homestead that was on the property from the 1880's and he fell in love with it.  He kept telling me that was what kind of home and land that he wanted.  Then we could start a small farm and live there.  Last thing that happened at Pinnacles that is worth mentioning...we have officially filled up our first Jr Ranger vest that holds the badges and we had to purchase a new one.  The kids all were sharing the one vest but we have graduated to two vests now.  It may not seem like a big deal to the average Joe, but they have worked hard on these books and not have about 75 different badges that they display proudly. 

Horse rides in costumes. 

Doing some laundry!

Jr Ranger time

Hiking at Pinnacles.

Entering the cave.

Dinner by the fire at Yosemite. 

They say that this is one of the most photographed places on Earth.  It is in Yosemite and it El Capitain and Half Dome.

Listening to a Ranger talk about trees. 

Taking a break while hiking to a waterfall.

Having a special treat with new friends early in the morning.

On a hike.

We left Pinnacles and headed to Yosemite; one of the mac-daddy parks of all National Parks.   We DON'T do reservations 99.9% of the time because it allows us to be more open to coming and going at each place and we change our plans often.  We were hoping to camp in the Park and were able to get a spot so we dry camped for three nights.  It got cold there at night but we were right on the water and the skies were clear.  It made for some great dinners outside by the fire that Zachary started and bundled nights in bed.   We did some great hiking, exploring, Jr Ranger stuff, picture taking, and we really spent a lot of time outside playing around.  We were sad that we didn't get to see the tarantulas that were roaming around but we quickly got over that.  We met a couple at the campground...I stand corrected...Kamryn first met a couple next to us and then the rest of us met them.  We all made a fire together and they had a great story.  They were from Australia and were on a 2.5 month trip after seeing a documentary about Yellowstone and the movie Unbranded.   We got to know Val, from the movie Unbranded, while we were serving in Mateetsee, Wyoming.  When the couple said the movie helped spawn this trip for them, we all thought that was a neat addition to our stories as we talked that we had met him.  Anyway, we talked for quite a while and shared our story and talked about an array of things; they were great.  The kids were invited over the next morning to try some Vegemite and so they took her up on it.  The kids reported early for their sample and Erin made them some butter and Vegemite bread.  They boys liked it but Kamryn politely declined.  I was pleased with the way Kamryn held her composure...but really...she hated it so I finished it off for her.  So first thing that morning after sharing some more stories, we said our byes and we packed up to where we are now.

So, until next time...