Some highlights from my California vacation:

* Suntanned and frolicked by the resort pool for hours and hours. Had smoothies.

* Visited Trader Joe's (first time we'd been in one) to buy some cheap bottled water.

* Visited Target to buy Jonas some shorts and aloe gel/lotion.

* Late lunch at Blue Coyote Bar & Grill.

* Back to the hotel to assess sunburns and apply aloe.

* Rode up the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway -- cool and SCARY! It's a difference in elevation of over 8,000 feet from bottom to top, and the trip through different climate zones is likened to traveling from Sonora, Mexico, to the Canadian tundra. This is also the only way to get to Mount San Jacinto State Park.

* Hiked a short nature trail in Mount San Jacinto State Park. It was a mere 50°F up there, where it had been close to 90° in Palm Springs. Chillier than we'd expected.

* Stopped in at the Del Marcos Hotel (our lodging the next two nights) and said hi to Micah, who was getting married to my friend Elizabeth in just 2 days!

* Ice cream nightcap at Ben & Jerry's.

Day 8 photos begin here