Spring Break Adventures

Over spring break, we decided to take full advantage of the outdoors, which means we went snow to beach within the span of 24 hours. 

First up were the snowy hills of Flagstaff. 

We were excited to see the hot air balloons on our way - a fun feature of Arizona skies.

After a little less than 2 1/2 hours, we found our snow among the beautiful Flagstaff vista.

30 more minutes of driving, and we arrived at the Nordic Center to try cross country skiing. Now, Ed's done it a handful of time, but I'd only done it once. Neither of us had gone for at least 16 years. With my balance issues, I was understandably a bit nervous. 

The verdict? I'm not horrible. It was pretty hard, and I didn't really hit my stride until the end, but it was beautiful and very, very fun. 

We stuck with the easy trails, per my insistence. Today was really the last day of cross country skiing, which made since considering our 60 degree skiing day. Snow was melting like crazy! That did make things more challenging, with lots of ice on the trail and a few dry patches. 

We were out there for about an hour and had a blast. 

Next year we'll have to go back right after a snowfall to enjoy skiing in perfect trail conditions!

The next morning, we were off again, this time to California! We decided to combine visiting my family with a little camping, so we booked ourselves an oceanfront San Clemente site. 

The downside was that the fog hung around pretty much the whole time we were there, making it pretty freezing, but we still had such a great time. 

My parents came down to join us for dinner, and we sat around the fire together, enjoying sausages, goat cheese beans, and salad. It was so much fun to share this with them. They left around 8, and Ed and I continued to enjoy the fire ourselves, along with a s'more or two. It did get pretty cold, but it was still wonderful.

The next morning, Ed got up early while I lazed about. I may have chosen a sleeping bag not quite warm enough for the conditions, so after Ed got up, I got in his and then put it in my sleeping bag. This let me get a bit more sleep :). 

Breakfast was our classic oatmeal and hot cocoa, along with enjoying just a bit of sunshine. Afterwards, Ed went out for a run, while I hung at camp and read (I was feeling a little off from the lack of sleep and just wanted to relax). 

Once he came back, we explored the beach below our campsite, which was very fun. 

It definitely felt more like a central or northern CA coast beach with the fog. 

Looking up, we could see where we'd camped the night before. 

So glad I have a husband who also enjoys being outdoors. 

Walking around we spotted our newfound friends - the agaves - and had to snap a picture. 

Finally, we headed into town for lunch, and went to Avilas, a restaurant that we really like (though at a different location). We were thrilled to be sitting by the fire, enjoying the day. 

Drinks and chips really made this feel like spring break. 

It was the perfect way to spend spring break!