Matthew watching and waiting. He isn't that into trains, but was having fun hanging out here anyway.

Sidewalk picnic. Not our truck. There was a picnic table on the other side of the parking lot, but this was easy enough. The creek was behind me, so it wasn't as ugly in that direction.

Jeep club was passing through the area. They stopped at the bridge to check out the river. We did the same. Lots of tiny frogs.

On Sunday, August 25, 2019, we had no air conditioning but we had a great time of praise and worship to our God and King. And Pastor Don Beachy brought us a sermon on Matthew 6.

Chaos. Beach Party.

Lots of funky exercise equipment in Memorial Park, and plenty of homeless in the background (but they weren't being a problem or anything). Our free yogurt loot is visible. I think they were giving it away to the homeless and had lots leftover, so corralled us into taking 3 boxes worth as we walked past. Take one for each children and one for yourself.

White Mountain Rd.

The back side of the fake tunnel. Sides are shipping containers. I think they are popular in movie-making. They were filming a scene that involved a fake colosseum near us and it was all shipping containers on the back sides.

Run away.

Not sure if those lights would count as hidden Mickeys. Main Street Cinema.

Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

34Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Matthew6

Not an engine anymore, but it was still making noise, probably from its air brakes.

Return to Leo Carrillo. Jeremy had asked if we could go back, so we figured we would go when my dad was out visiting, and when there was a decent low tide again for exploring tide pools. Not exactly a warm day for the beach, but nice enough in the sun. I have lots more photos, but am trying to upload a cross-section of family related shots from the Christmas break first.

Rainy walk back to the car. Actually, they took the paved road and I took the puddle path to get the car and pick them up.

Didn't know this trail existed, along the cliffs north of the elephant seals. A few still scattered in coves below.

No train. One of the Surfliners should have been here by now, but it showed up as never making it out of the LA area. Might have broken down. Matthew wanted to check out the station anyway, to make sure that train day really was over and they were no longer giving out free stuff.

Settling in for some good shoveling time. From a 2010 sunset flickr meet-up at Leo Carrillo State Beach.

Matthew asking for more noodles to be put in his cooling off bowl. He pretty much ate it all. Hiking reward. Pho lunch. There was a banh mi on that empty plate, too. All excellent.

Walked around the little hill just in time to catch the last rays.

I knew from the Surfliner schedule that this train was due in at the station, so we went and checked it out. Didn't realize that they were also having a little National Train Day event. I knew about the big one in LA.

Eventually found a sushi place. The one we wanted to go to in Palmdale was closed that day. We tried to find another nearby, but the whole place was crawling with police like there was a manhunt going on, which was freaking us out a little.

No way I was going to line this one up that well. Too much bouncing and swinging.

A few minutes of playtime on the beach, but we had to meet a friend further north. Not exactly warm, but plenty of sun and there were people in bathing suits. (It was warmer down low on the sand.)

The kids will know what they are called.

First time I had ever been to the gaslamp quarter in San Diego, and I somehow felt too old for it.

How did he not drop all of that?

Petra took some photos, too. I brought an older point and shoot for taking movies and she forgot her camera, so she used it.

Make your own pizza at Storyteller's cafe.

Lunch by the south fork of the Kern.

No alien autopsies, that I could see.

Lunch spot by the south fork of the Kern near Kennedy Meadows. Went up there to do a little hiking and exploring. Were thinking about camping, but decided against it due to the winds.

They liked the way the pelton wheel squeaked. McWay Creek and falls area. We had lunch at the nearby picnic area before checking out the falls.

Posing in the teacup. Didn't realize how popular this was. People were waiting behind us.

Nevermind the view, there are sticks!

Found a spot to eat our lunch where we thought we could watch the steam excursion leave. Problem was, it went the other way. I knew there was a diesel excursion out in the direction behind me, but figured they had a passing siding that would allow both to be in that direction. No.

Playing in the sand. This is where I probably should have shot in raw, if I wasn't so lazy about it. The breaking clouds and redness of everything threw the auto white balance for a loop, I think. I guess I could have manually set the white balance, too. Didn't notice it at the time. Colors came out on the orange-side when the sun was more shaded. I corrected this one by comparing it with a sunnier shot and it is about right now. Either way, the colors were insane. Awesome wildflowers in this area, too, near arch rock. We wandered around for a little while. A sign said there was hiking, but mostly we found sandy washes to walk in and not much in the way of a trail.

Headed home after playing frisbee at the park last weekend. Not many clouds in the west. I might finally ramp up the uploads now that I'm done with holding software training at work, at least until the next one, which is in a week and a half.

Exploring a trail that we didn't know existed, north of the main elephant seal coves.

Secret spot behind the tree, at least until the train tracks were put there.

Walking around looking for dinner. The Mountain Crossing Cafe that we usually go to had closed. We didn't eat at Petra's restaurant. She usually steers clear of food that she grew up with.

Christmas traditional breakfast in Petra's family, although I don't remember doing it before. Cream of wheat, which I had never had before (it is ok, I guess), and other dessert like items. Matthew getting some chocolate syrup in his cream of wheat, but he still didn't like it much. Vanilla ice cream went in it, too.

I must have told him to stand still. On top of the old steam locomotive tender. We hadn't gone up there before. There are railings, but it isn't exactly up to code.

They seemed to never get full.

Had lunch at the Beanery at the Kelso Depot. It was ok, given that we wanted a change from the food in our cooler.

Essay: “Giving Up Self for God’s Glory” at wp.me/p4scHf-aV.

Jesus warns his disciples against making public displays of giving, prayer, and fasting in order to obtain glory for ourselves. Rather, we should seek to bring God glory. When we do, he will reward us.

Spiritual fasting (privately) stands in stark contrast to fame, which wants instant gratification. Fame wants to be recognized, admired, esteemed. Fasting, on the other hand, is slow and does not gratify the flesh.

As my pastor, John, says, “Fasting is not about fame. It is about faith. It leads to breakthrough.”

When we fast, we should seek God for something bigger than ourselves. Fasting is God-oriented, not self-oriented. In doing so, we give up our self for the glory of God.

Taking in the rainy view from the Reagan Library. It was cold and rainy, but not as windy on this side. We could see snow in the hills from the other side.

Either had enough of the camera or of Matthew.