We landed in San Francisco after an all night flight from Kona, Hawaii. We picked up our rental car and drove toward the East Bay. As per tradition we stopped for a visit at the cemetery up in the hills of El Cerrito. It is important for me to visit my Mother’s grave for remembrance. Our Airbnb in Alamo was not ready for check so we took our time heading over.

We took a short hike at the “Lafayette Ridge Staging Area” across Pleasant Hill Road from Acalanes High School. They were sports rivals of ours in High School. I remember running from Pleasant Hill High School wearing our Cross Country jerseys. We ran up a number of steep hills before arriving at Acalanes. It was a little show of strength and very fun.

We shared our great 2 bedroom casita with Lea. She was a Delta Gamma sorority sister of Marla’s at the Univ. of the Pacific and a friend since junior high.

We had lunch at Scoma’s in the City with my nephew, Mika. It took us literally hours to get there as this was the “Bay To Breakers” race day and most streets were blocked off.

We all love going on little hikes in the area. This was at the “Sugarloaf Open Space.” We’re checking out old farm equipment.

Mar and Lea drove to Palo Alto to visit a friend. I enjoyed a day reminiscing in places where I grew up. This is my old dirt track at Pleasant Hill High School. It is now a middle school. Running track catapulted me toward a track scholarship in college. I feel very blessed thinking about it!

A great memory of running track in high school.

Gorgeous morning hike on the Briones to Mount Diablo trail from Shell Ridge.

It was great connecting with our longtime friend, Alex, for dinner in Walnut Creek. We met her family in 1986 in Cannes and developed a strong friendship. She lived and worked with us for a year. Marla introduced her to Chris, our son-in-law Ray’s best friend. Alex and Chris eventually married and now live in Walnut Creek.

We had lots to talk about as we missed seeing her and the family last year.

This is Alex’s own brand of Champagne and it is simply fabulous! It is sourced from her family’s 18th century Champagne house in Bouzy, France, “Andre Clouet.”

Chris joined us after finishing a sailboat race in the San Francisco Bay.

Alex made a special dish of zucchini lasagna which was sensational!

Charlton just finished his freshman year in college.

We dined at REVE Bistro in Lafayette, one of our favorites! They have Alex’s Champagne on the menu and of course we ordered it!

Danville has a number of nice hiking trails.

Lea turned us on to Alpine Bakery in Concord years ago. It became a favorite of my Mom as she lived close by. We purchased a desert for a dinner with Leslie and her husband in Danville. She was a Delta Gamma sorority sister of Marla and Lea.

We simply LOVE their “Princess Cake.”

Nothing better than visiting old friends. After a few glasses of superb wine I found out Leslie’s husband was a track & field nut like me!

They have a wonderful backyard!

Marla and Lea looking relaxed and happy!

We worked out one day at a club in Danville.

Mar and I haven’t visited “Rock City” on Mt. Diablo State Park for many years.

We visited this exact spot with our daughters Lisa and Stacy…50 years ago!!!

There is nothing better than seeing wildflowers on a walk! The yellow flower is a Mariposa Lily and the blue is a Triteleia laxa plant.

So many memories in Rock City!

Celebrating the completion of a steep hike.

The views from the 3,849′ summit were beautiful.

This is the park’s Visitor Center and museum at the summit. It was constructed in the late 1930’s by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) using fossilized rock blocks quarried from the park. It is interesting to see all the fossils exposed on the stone walls. I used to hunt for fossils in the area when I was in middle school.

This was our first visit to the summit and we really loved it!

We stopped at Lake Temescal in Oakland on the way to the airport in San Francisco. I used to play here as a very small boy as we lived just down the valley. So many memories of my Mom & Dad, sister, brother, and my grandparents here.

Photos: Dick Gentry. Not to be used without permission.