We spent Thanksgiving in Northern California with Dave’s family. It was beautiful. He grew up in a home that has a lot of undeveloped land around it and there are oak trees, rocks, streams, and trails to explore for miles in their backyard.
There was plenty of good food, visiting with family and friends, movies, and pie this Thanksgiving, but my favorite part of the break was tromping around behind their house.
One morning was particularly nice. I left the kids with grandparents and went on a run by myself down one of the single track trails through the trees. It winds down into a ravine that has a small stream at the bottom. When I reached the water, there was mist rising and dew dripping from the trees. Sun rays glistened on the stream and wet leaves. It was so quiet, and peaceful, and beautiful. I don’t get very much time to myself, so it was especially wonderful.
That same day I took my son Ben exploring in the same area. I got to listen to him jabber about his freight cars getting lost behind him (he thinks he’s a train), his wheels falling off on the trail (I fixed them with an imaginary wrench), and his funnel running out of steam (I poured imaginary water on his head before he’d resume chugging). We got muddy and wet (he peed his pants) and found snails. It’s so fun to have a three-year-old to hang out with.
Dave’s parents live close to Placerville, California and it’s really a beautiful area to visit. What I love about it is the valleys and foothills are green with moderate temperatures in the winter, so you can hike, run, and bike even during Thanksgiving or Christmas. But then you can drive an hour up into the Sierra Nevada mountains and find snow too. Some fun things to do in the fall and winter include:
Mountain biking and hiking in Coloma
Eating in historic downtown Placerville or Auburn
If you ever plan a trip to the Placerville area and are stumped on what to do, send me an email and I’ll get back to you with more specifics. I think you’ll enjoy it!
Did you travel or stay home for Thanksgiving? What was your favorite part about the holiday?
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