Point Bonita Lighthouse

Point Bonita. Photo by Chris.

Point Bonita is located in the Marin Headlands at the southern most point near Rodeo Lagoon & the Nike Missile Site. Built in 1855, the lighthouse is still active and maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard. It is reached by a half mile trail that is steep in parts. The National Park Service opens the tunnel entrance to visitors on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. It’s a narrow window, but this hidden gem is well worth the trip.

My Palindrome Birthday

26! Photo by Allison.

On March 13, 2013 I turned 26. It was especially exciting because the date was a palindrome – 3 13 13 = 31 31 3. After enjoying Emily’s extravagant birthdays for so many years, I wanted to do something memorable for mine as well. At first I toyed with the idea of going to Tahoe, then roller skating or laser tag, but what I ended on was perfect & very me.

Emily’s Desert Paradise

Happy Birthday Emily! Photo by Allison.

For Emily’s 32nd birthday eleganza the coterie flew to Palm Springs! It was the first time we flew as a group and it was a blast. We stayed in an amazing house, lounged pool side, ate delicious meals, hiked brutal desert trails, and rode from sand to snow on a high-flying gondola. Emily – thank you so much for such a fantastic weekend! I hope your birthday was everything you hoped for & more.

The JFK Challenge

The JFK 50 Mile Challenge

The JFK Challenge is to complete 50 miles in less than 24 hours. In 1962, President John F. Kennedy was concerned about the fitness of the nation. He coyly remarked that he didn’t believe the average citizen could complete President Theodore’s 1908 Executive Order – a U.S. Marine officers fitness test consisting of marching 50 miles. His brother, Attorney General Robert F. “Bobby” Kennedy, completed the 50 miles in 17 hours and 50 minutes through snow and slush without any preparation at all. News coverage of his oddly heroic feat immediately elevated the publicity about the walking challenge.

Many saw JFK’s order as a personal request and challenge, although it was not meant to be. Within weeks, thousands around the country laced up whatever they could and participated in these walks. When Kennedy was assassinated in November of 1963, most of these events were never held again.

The Coastal Trail to Alamere Falls

Coastal Trail

Last Sunday Chris and I went on a belated Valentine’s Day date hike to Alamere Falls. Jessica, Sabah, Brian, and Matt were the first to hike the trail a few weekends ago. Their Instragram pictures were stunning! A weekend after they went Alex and Laura tested it out and raved about their journey. Alex made a good point that the end of the trail, the scramble down to the beach, might be closed off sooner rather than later due to deteriorating conditions. Hike now or hike never – who can resist a provocation like that?

Sunrise in the Headlands

Sunrise over Angel Island

Waking up early enough to watch the sunrise is a unusual experience no matter where you are – especially for us 10-6ers. There are the unfortunate times we all know too well – when you’ve been working all night and the sun’s glorious light burns your eyes or when you’re catching the first plane and your head aches as you shove your face in your neck pillow. Far more elusive are the magnificent times when you’re thrilled just to witness the beauty of this cyclical event. This is one of those times.

The Skyrs The Limit

For all you food adventurers out there considering going to Iceland, I highly recommend it!

Enjoying a BBP hotdog

The flight is only 7 hours from the west coast and relatively cheap. The people are friendly and the sites are amazing, as Linzi has covered in an earlier blog post.

I think the one thing that we didn’t quite have a grasp of before traveling to Iceland was the food situation. After doing some research I got the idea that whale, puffin and lamb were the staples of the Icelandic diet; and after visiting, I don’t think that much is true. All of the major cities in Iceland are on the coast and therefore they have all been traditionally fishing villages. The cold waters off the coast of Iceland provide for some delicious fish options, such as cod, haddock, salmon, herring and halibut. Although they do eat a lot of lamb (not many cows in Iceland) seafood is their main staple.

Fitbit Leaderboard: February 2-8th

The Fitbit Leaderboard for the past 7 days, as told by GIFs:

1: Linzi

The Health and Beauty Brigade

Hello dear readers. I’ve had a special request to share some DIY beauty tips, so I wanted to take that opportunity to share my journey of mind, hair, and skin.

“Hello, Findlay! You always look so adorable. You must tell us WHO does your hair??”

Sixty Thousand Steps

Batteries to Bluffs Trail

As you might have read, it was one of my new year’s resolutions to walk 60,000 steps in one day. In December 2012 Chris and I had managed to walk 45,000 somewhat unintentionally. At the end of the night our feet hurt, we were whiney, and didn’t want to want anymore, but if we could make it 45,000 – why not 50? why not buck-up and attempt 60? I had a taste of glory and I wanted it all.