August 10

I got up later than usual this morning and when I meandered into the family room, I found my peeps taking in the women's soccer gold medal game at the Paris Olympics. After we watched the US take the top prize, we headed up Highway 4 to begin today's adventure.

Stop number one was for lunch at the Sky High Pizza and Pub in Bear Valley. It was decidedly un-crowded and it took a while to get service, but I fully enjoyed my caprese sandwich, so I departed feeling ready to do some walking.

And walking we did, as stop number two was the very peopled Lake Alpine. Our plan was to circumnavigate the trail that goes around the lake, but that didn't happen because at some point, we lost track of the path. (Which I'm 99 percent sure is what happened the last time we tried to take this particular loop.) We inadvertently traipsed onto private property (according to the signs, anyway) and then spent 30 minutes meandering through brush and up huge slabs of granite in our quest to re-discover the path. Which, eventually, we did, which meant that Abby's fear that we'd be eaten by bears did not come true. (Phew.) "Scaling granite slabs" wasn't on my bingo card for today, and although it annoys me when a certain husband leads us astray in nature (because it happens with fair frequency), it wound up being an experience to remember.

After an afternoon back at the cabin watching the USA men win basketball gold (and, for some, sleeping), we went down the hill --with Isaac behind the wheel-- for dinner at the Snowshoe Brewery. I thoroughly enjoyed a glass of the only beer I really like --their apricot wheat-- and a burger with beer cheese and jalapenos. 

And then it was back to the cabin again for the evening. It was, all in all, a fun family day. There were some bumps along the way, but the bumps make life more interesting, so I am grateful.