Early season in the Sierras

Finally something worth posting about. Because I work 60hrs a week, I have not have the time or the energy to do a lot worth posting about, but with the extended weekend to remember our veterans, I thought that this may be post worthy. We went up to the Sierras on HWY 168 (outside of Fresno) to an area where we had not been to before. Sat. morning we left early and met Myron and Andrea loaded up and headed out. The weather the first day was spitting rain and overcast (not awesome for camping). After a long search and many of the areas that I had looked at on the map being closed off because of snow at the high elevations, we finally found a cool spot off of a Forest Service road that would fit our needs. To access it we needed to remove a tree crossing our path so we hooked it up to the truck and dragged it out of the way(The only sensible thing to do). This was awesome man time and just the stuff we needed to kick off a weekend in the mountains.

A truck doing what it is supposed to do...Man stuff. I asked the rig if it could haul the tree and it asked me" tree...what tree???"
Myron is blowing on the fire and eventually got it roaring. Hot springs never felt so nice. These are great, and best of all they are free unlike just about everything else in California.
This is just a taste of what we saw at the lower elevations and the depth of the snow increased directly with the change in elevation.

The next day we went over to Mono Hot Springs and on the way crossed over Kaiser Pass. There was snow up there from the winter months, and some fresh from the night before. A few cars got stuck, but with 4wheel drive and a little know how you can do great things. While in the hot springs it started to snow and sleet so we decided we should get going. The precipitation did not stop for about 16 hours. When we got back to camp we had a heck of a time building a fire(Myron did a bang up job at getting the thing going) and keeping dry but managed a great dinner of stuffed peppers and fresh hot apple pie in the Dutch Oven. All night it poured, but we were able to stay dry in the tent and the rain had severely slowed (not stopped) by morning.

The hot springs were exactly that...hot. More importantly it was free which is always good.

I would encourage anyone going to the mountains, to travel the crazy forest service roads, because you never know what you are going to find and you always will get to use your truck for its intended purpose :impress and frighten beautiful women, and get dirty(insert manly grunt and loud engine noise here).

The ladies are preparing a dinner to warm up their men so we would return the favor later in the night. We also found that hanging a towel in the rain does not really dry it out very well...go figure.

Notice on the left of the fire ring the berm that we built so the river going directly through the fire ring would be diverted.

I know it may be very hard for some of you to believe this, but I am going to be installed as an elder in San Jose CRC this next Sunday (pause here to collect your jaws off of the floor). I know you that may have thought I am to wild and crazy to be an elder, but that is just what the Church needs sometimes. I am going to try my best and with God all things are possible so sit down, hold on, and….see what happens.

I have a few more pictures, but am having some disagreements with the server or whatever the heck runs this dumb site and will attempt to post them later.

ER and Money

So yet I have been very hard at work (and play) and have not had the time to update you faithful readers, but a lot has happened. After a visit to the doctor, emergency room, and doctor (in that order) apparently Brenda has type 2 diabetes. This is a big blow to both of us and it has taken a lot of adjustment but Brenda has taken the news and new lifestyle change very good and, like always, has a positive outlook on life. She is currently taking medication and regulating her blood sugar with that and diet and is doing well. She is very grateful for all of the prayers and calls of concern we have received.

Two Sundays ago instead of church services, we went out as a church to serve the community. I was in charge of the river cleanup project and we had a great time.
This past Saturday I had a sailing race and it was very windy and fun sailing at +11kn. This Saturday I am going to race in front of the golden gate on a larger 35’ boat and I am sure it is going to be a good time.
Notice Al holding Minnie mouse.
I cannot show pictures of the worst stuff we found....one word...latrine.

Thank you US government. Although they are telling us to do idiotic things with our money like spend it on crap we don’t need, it sure is nice that they sent us a stimulus check. I choose to put it toward rent for this month…yes I said toward rent and not for rent seeing as our rent is too high for this stimulating check. I get stimulated for a lot less, but more is almost always better. I encourage all of you save the check or put it all towards debt(if you have any). Stuff is overrated and cash is always good.

Revenge of the central valley.

What a week at work it has been. I will not get into that yet. Saturday I came home for the school benefit auction and had a great time. The wine bar and hors d'oeuvres were great, and so was the auction. We got a few handmade scarves that are great, but I think we have missed the three days a year they can be used out here and we will have to wait till next year to use them.

Good times

So this is what California looks like now. After one week of hot temperatures the grass has turned golden brown and will stay that way for about the next 9 months. This is a big drawback of CA. I like looking at the green hills, but when you only get about 12" of rain a year I guess something has to suffer.

Last week I 76.5 hrs in 7days and let me tell you it was not all fun and games. I was working most of the time down in Merced which..well..is unable to be described in words here. The words I would use to describe the system down there are banned from the internet and have only been uttered in the most extreme situations. I guess if you can't read the hazard label...there is no hazard?.?. FYI, Don't put your bare hand into this tank because a day later your skill will get very dry and start to fall off (don't ask me how I know that).

When pumps break you have to transfer acid in 5gal buckets...which is not fun but if you have the proper PPE it can be done. Notice the corrosive nature of the acid eating away at the floor. Good times. FYI don't get this on you boots because in the not so distant future the leather will fall apart rather quickly...don't ask me how I know that either.

I guess I should stop knocking the central valley because what comes around...goes around.

Another FYI. If you are ever in Merced you should look up the bar Carolyn's. It serves no food, no mixed drinks... just beer. You can order pizza and have it delivered just say Carolyn's, and everyone will know where it is. It is the best dive bar in the city and it is a now on my must see list of Central Valley tourist destinations.

Kevin...high school was great even if I didn't club baby seals or ride polar bears like you did...dumb canadians.

Boat Show

So yesterday Brenda agreed to visit the strictly sail pacific coast boat show in Oakland. This is a great show where all the major boat makers are there and with a paid admission you get to go on any and all of the boats in the whole place. It was paradise for a guy like me and... Brenda actally had a great time as well. We went on a lot of boats checking out headroom and sleeping berths so we can make an informed decision on purchasing a new boat. No not really. We are not going to get a boat. I fear if I did I would have to also look for a new wife. Brenda was a great sport and let me buy a new lifejacket for sailing and that will have to do for now.
We really like the Hunter line of sailboats.
Wow look at the lines on that one...mmmm.
Brenda liked to make herself comfortable and I thought she looked great in this one. It is a bit out of our price range, but it is beautiful and life is to short to sail an ugly boat.
I must now be refered to as Captain...Captain John.
The galley on one of these awesome yachts is just big enough...actually it is bigger than our kitchen in our first apartment so it looked big enough for us..

Eventually we decided on the Hunter 31 as the boat we would most likely be able to afford and would fit into our lifestyle. I know it is a pipe dream, but the DeJongs are not just dreamers, but we are doers.

I know that I have not written lately, but my rents and sister were out here last week and I worked out of town all week so boo hoo you didn't get a post last week. I was working in Merced yet again, but I am working on installing piping for an injection system we have planned out there. It is getting warm there, but I was glad it was not summer. Installing piping is very labor and time consuming and I have over 60hrs of work in five days to prove it( and some scrapes and bruises).



My cousin got married last weekend and we went out there (Handford CA) and had a great time. Weddings are always fun and receptions are even better.



The wife and I.
This is my cousins little boy Dameon. He was very cool and I think he enjoyed us strangers (this was the first time we met him).
Reanna (De Haan) Bergman also recently had a child and since this is her neck of the woods she was at the wedding and it was cool to see her little boy Hudson.



So the other day I happened upon a rattlesnake and decided to kill it. After cutting the head off I waited a while (~2hrs) to butcher it. When I went to skin it the body was still moving all over the place and after I gutted it and skinned it the flesh was still moving around and it was very weird. So now I have this sweet snake skin that Is drying and waiting for the perfect place in our house...or the garage more likely.
I hope to find a bigger snake in the future. I sure you am wondering what I did with the flesh..I did not eat it yet. I have given it to a woman I work with and she is going to make some snake chili when she gets a few more.