Two Room Schoolhouse

We finally pulled off a long planned trip to the coast to meet some friends from Berkeley. We wanted them to meet Spike so we opted for a picnic in a place that was roughly half way between us. Finding a place that would accommodate seniors, a dog and a man recovering from a broken ankle took some doing and decided on the Pt Reyes National Seashore. in Marin County...a place where we have all spent many happy times, especially when our kids were all small. There are three beaches there that allow dogs, but there were roadworks on the way to one and no picnic tables at the another. We decided walking in the sand wouldn't be so good for John's ankle anyway so we wound up at the park headquarters where there are also several trailheads for beautiful coastal walks. There were picnic tables and very few people around, so there was room for Spike to chase his Kong. 

Introductions were made with Spike and we all settled in to catch up.  Our kids were all in school together, so we have known each other a long time, during which we have traveled, to many places in the West and Southwestern U.S., backpacked in the Sierra and one very memorable trip to Edinburgh and the Scottish highlands and islands. Norman even bailed son Tim out of jail once when he was feckless, stupid teenager, but that is not only a sign of true friendship but another story....

Although the sun was shining there was a chilly wind  which kept us all in our jackets and me wishing I had brought a hat. It held off long enough for us to have a good catch up but eventually drove us to wind things up and plan to do it again soon...

It was a beautiful drive home through the bucolic dairy farmlands of West Marin which remind us of Scotland. Apparently they have reminded others of Scotland too because there is a town within the park called Inverness. We took a road neither of us remembered being on before where I caught the picture of the little schoolhouse, which is still in use, and meandered home. I put a couple of shots of the countryside, the lowering Nicasio Reservoir and the little town of Olema in extras.