Light at the end of the tunnel

Even though we are in purple tier with more restrictions, with the availability of vaccine and more knowledge of the virus, we feel a bit safer actually about outdoor activities. We still don't gather in large crowds but super small outdoor only gathering is something we can plan.

We went with another family to a park nearby and hiked for a few hours.

This is another weekend when we meet up with two other families who we have been going to ski with every year. The kids had a great time seeing each other and catching up.

Whenever we get a family time, we would also hike around the neighborhood.

Renee and Max helped up setting up the new troop storage.

Max went with his troop on a hike at the black dimond mine.

Renee and Max went together on a hiking event from Renee's troop.

Renee also joined a music rehearsal in a packing lot.

2021 cannot come fast enough

We are hunkering down during the holiday season and going as many outing as we can. This is still different from our tradition of ski/snowboarding in Lake Tahoe, visiting theme parks. But this will do until things are stable again.

With Max joining Troop 805, I got a chance to see how a performing troop opererates. I am copying their outing agenda and use it for Renee's troop.

We went to Brushy Peak in Livermore, a park that we learned about through another family in Renee's troop.

Max actually wanted to go to Lake Chabot. I heard it wrong nad took everyone to Lake Del Valle! In a hindsight, this is much better place due to its awesome view and much smaller crowd in the park.

I came to this exact site during the summer a couple of times, eating my food, listening to the podcast, and trying to make sense of what is happenning.

Christmas day feels a bit different without all the friends and fan fare around opening gifts. But Renee and Max still got a kick out of the gift opening.

We visited our very old stomping ground, Castle Rock.

Here is another old trail that we used to visit, from South Gate of Mount Diablo to the Rock City. Max had a picture with his buddy, Ben, who was "taking it all in".

It took them a while to get a hange of climbing up. Renee's persistence pervailed in the end.

We reachout out to the family ground with whom we go on the Christmas trip almost every year. We visited a park and hiked together for three hours.

Waiting for 2021

November, especially after the presidential election, feels that we are just holding our breath and waiting for 2021. With better understanding of the COVID-19, we are venturing out more while keepnig the necessary precautions. It is great that hand sanitizer is not out of stock anymore. We use it on regularly during the day. The mask is widely available too and we were able to get the ones that are with good quality.

Renee organized a troop hiking where each scout hikes on her own with the family but check in at specific points where we set up. The weather was really cool, switching between sunny and foggy.

Max' troop did food collection event as part of the annual scouting for food drive.

Renee lost her very last baby tooth! This is the moment when we treasurish every day with Renee and Max before they decide to go out on their own and take on the world.

We discovered this cool park where kids can ride around and do jumps on the bike. Max is still getting a hang of it.

We have continued our family hiking and picture taking.

We are kicking off backpacking training. This is the first time for the troop to get together. Everyone was nervous and stay with the family. On day 2 and day 3, however, the scouts are more comfortable talking to each other. We let them walk ahead. They are pretty good at keeping the mast on and stay enough distance from each other.

The scouts learned how to use JetBoil and cook the backpack food.