Safari

As I mentioned last post, my plans for a final Summer Adventure did not quite come to pass - one of these days, I'm going to learn a lesson called "Stop Wasting Time Making Sure This is the Best Option and Just Book it Already".  So we had to wait a week for Brennan's big birthday surprise:

a visit to Safari West!

For months, he's been asking to go camping, AND he repeatedly tells us the story of how his friend William got to go on safari in Africa.  Having little experience and no equipment, camping seemed fairly out of reach, although not as out of reach as having the time and funds to go to Africa.  And then, a friend at work told me about a end-of-summer trip she was taking with her son to a place in Sonoma with tent cabins and lots of animals...

Here's the kind of camping Daddy & I can handle:

Our "tent" was pitched up on hill, the path marked by what we dubbed "Hyena Rock".

We were a little disappointed to find there was a minimum height for riding on top of the truck - and Lucie didn't quite make it.  We were almost assigned to a guide who felt it was more of a guideline than a rule - but then his group was too big, and we were put in the next batch.

Our "safari" started on foot, touring the aviary and other animal enclosures. I don't know if it was a busy day, the glacial pace of the other family in our group, or general disorganization regarding group assignment & spacing, but a good hour elapsed before we got anywhere near the truck.

Which is a little long for a 3 year old to wander around a small zoo and wait in a dusty outdoor cafe.  Also perhaps a little long for other members of our party.

Daaaa-dy, put down your phone and watch me jump OFF. THIS. ROCK!!!

Lucie did really like the cheetahs, however.

Finally, it was time to go!  Bren was super excited to ride up top with Daddy.  

Oh wait, we've gotta load the other family.  I do admire their bravery, soldiering on despite being afflicted with anvils for feet.

OK, now we're really going, off to the wilds of the Sonoman Serengeti.  With a beer.

At the half-way point, it was time to switch seats & give Anvil Feet Family their turn up top.  But it's OK, because you can see plenty inside the truck, too - including Bren's wiggly front tooth.

I'm not sure which was their favorite part - riding over the big bumps, or this little baby zebra -

Nearly 2 dusty hours later, our safari was over.  Time to relax on the veranda, enjoy the sunset, listen to the animals, and wait for Denys Finch Hatton to whisk me away in his biplane.

Or, go out to dinner in Santa Rosa with the kids.  You know, whichever comes first.

We even had a bonus antelope sighting on the way to the car!

In case anyone was worried about us going without the comforts of home, we made sure to have plenty of:

1. S'mores ingredients

2. Fuel for Daddy's new German creme brulee torch (how else to safely roast marshmallows on the veranda

3. Wine

4. iPads

Eventually, we all drifted off to sleep, and slept so deeply we missed the biggest earthquake in the area in 25 years.  In our defense, the epicenter was in Napa, and we were in neighboring Sonoma; also see above re: big day on Safari, wine, etc.  My first clue that something was wrong was my phone pinging with a bunch of texts and voicemails at 6:50 am when some atmospheric shift suddenly allowed it to connect with the world outside Safari West.

Overall, it was interesting - certainly not the usual weekend.  Also, we've been using the top seat height requirement as an incentive to get Lucie to walk, by telling her that's what will make her grow.  She regularly announces she's going to walk to a destination so she will be big enough to ride up top at "the safari place".  I feel a little bit bad that she's convinced the only way she will grow is to walk to and from school, playground, etc;  on the other hand, she's getting rather heavy to carry or piggy-back up the San Francisco hills.  

And, bonus, Safari West is pretty close to Healdsburg.  So why not enjoy a bit more summer, and restock on important supplies?  (The usual suspects below - Jimtown Store, Preston, Michel Schlumberger)

After spending a fair amount of time & money - and scaring friends & family by being off the grid in a natural disaster - to view wildlife, it would be about right that a few days later, this happened: 

(coyote, mid-day, on Presidio Blvd shoulder, driving home from the gym, no kids in the car)