Fun Goals (Update) - Just finished hike no. 21

Life has been hectic lately for the this Frugal Family, but the journey is so rewarding when you can find just the right balance between work and fun. I'm not sure what all of you do for fun but our family loves to hike every chance we get. In fact, we are planning an 8-day road trip this summer to hike Nevada, Arizona, and Utah!   

Below are some photos of our recent hikes:

Hellman Wilderness Park - Whittier CA

These photos were from a recent hike I did before work one morning.  I took a few hours off in the morning to enjoy this short but challenging hike.  If you go to both water towers, the trail is roughly 5.5 miles long. Believe it or not, I jogged this trail.  Jogging served two purposes: 1) It made it more challenging; 2) I ended up getting to work only 2-hours later than normal (costing me only 2 hours of my vacation bank).    

View from the top of trail

About half-way up

Buddhist Pagoda in nearby Rose Hills Cemetery

One of destination H2O towers on the trail

Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park - Laguna CA

Last weekend, my wife and I enjoyed a local hike (without kids). My in-laws were in town for my son's birthday so we took advantage of the free baby-sitting to enjoy a nice morning hike. My wife doesn't hike as often as I do so she though this one was pretty challenging.  There are trails ranging from .75 miles to 11.7 miles. My wife and I ended up doing roughly 6 miles. 

Ocean views from "Top of the World"

One of several tree canopies

One of several natural caves

Car Wreck destination

Narrow path

Including these two hikes, I just completed my 21st hike.  I am now only just 5 hikes away from completing my 2016 fun goal of 26 hikes!  Since I think I'm going to blow right past the 26 hikes goal, I've decided to take the 52-week hike challenge.  Although I'm not posting them here, I log in each hike to see how many different hikes, total distance, and elevation climb I will end up with at the end of the year.  Can't wait to reflect back on the many adventures of our journey...making memories to last a life time! 

Thanks for following along on your journey. Once again, I hope everyone is enjoying the added personal touch to our blog. :)

Best wishes, AFFJ

Fun Goals (Update) - Easter Weekend Adventures

I know I'm a little late with this post but I truly hope that everyone had a great Easter weekend.  I can tell you that our family sure did!  First, since I work a 9-80 schedule and have every other Friday off, started off my holiday weekend with a solo hike up Mt. Rubidoux in Riverside, CA. Saturday was a continuation of the fun with a trail run with a few buddies around the Claremont Loop in Claremont, CA.  On Easter Sunday, we all went to a sunrise service and then decided to do a family hike at El Dorado Nature Center in Long Beach, CA. In all, I logged in a total of 11 miles this past weekend and I'm now up to hike no. 15! 

MT. RUBIDOUX

Since last Friday was Good Friday, I decided to hike up Mt. Rubidoux becuase of the iconic cross at the top (approximately 805 feet from the base)! It was such a scenic hike that, unlike most hikes that I have come across, was entirely paved from start to finished.  It was very family, pet, and stroller friendly. It would consider Mt. Rubidoux a beginners hike as it was just under 3 miles. Enjoy the photos!

Sign at the Entrance to the hike

Freedom bridge and tower

View of the cross from a distance

Cross with rock stairs leading up to the base

Close up of cross and gorgeous backdrop

View of the city and mountainside from the top

CLAREMONT LOOP

On Saturday, I ran a 5.5 mile loop in Claremont. Because of the distance and incline (approximately 1,300 foot climb from the base).  I'm actually training for a 10K trail run later this month so this was a nice test to gauge where I am at with my training thus far.  I did not run the entire way up but ran 99% of the way down. I finished the 5.5 mile loop in 1 hour and 10 minutes.  I'm hoping to be close to an hour for my upcoming 10K so have a bit more training to do. Enjoy the photos!

Probably the only tree canopy on the entire trail

Approximately 1/3 of the way up

Approximately 2/3 of the way up

At the top

EL DORADO NATURE CENTER

Then on Sunday, after going to sunrise service at our church, the entire family went on a really nice trail we found in Long Beach. It is safe to say that my son can now consistently handle 2+ mile hikes. On Sunday, we did a paved 1/4 mile hike as well as a 2 mile unpaved loop. Slowly but surely, we plan to increase the miles and elevation so that we can one day join me on the bigger hikes.  Took lots of pictures so enjoy the photos! 

Nice bridge near the entrance to the Nature Center

Just in case you weren't sure

Nice tree canopy that hung over part of the trail

One of several bridges throughout the trail

The wife and kids

Nice bridge/water/shadow photo

Our state flower in bloom

More flowers on the trail

After completing 3 hikes this past weekend, I just completed my 13th, 14th, and 15th hike.  With 3/4 of the year left, I am just 11 hikes away from completing my 2016 fun goal of 26 hikes!! 

Thanks for following along on your journey. Once again, I hope everyone is enjoying the added personal touch to our blog. :)

Best wishes, AFFJ