adventure doesn’t have to be far away
in a world of automobiles, subways, trains, and airplanes, places are so much more accessible. unfortunately, i often mistake accessibility with familiarity, and feel the need to go far far away in order to find what’s novel. i’m trying to change up some of those natural associations by exploring the places that are “mundane” and finding destinations in locations not too far from home. cue lassen and redding.


what’s a trip without ice cream? trying gunther’s matcha ice cream and fruit ices in sacramento

i literally have not been here since fourth grade

we’re always up for some lollygagging

we love california

asking the man with a cool uniform guarding the bear statue if we can take a picture with the bear



i had one of those deja vu moments walking by this theater and i realized we watched a video here in fourth grade!

we also went to the famous candy shop of fourth grade fame. i was so disappointed that jawbreakers don’t look as big as they did when i was child, was mind blown that they started making them on sticks (GENIUS!), and was tempted to buy a rock candy for childhood’s sake, but refrained.

so many people going to a baseball game and this pretty yellow bridge

busting out some yoga poses wherever i go



hiking the bumpass hell trail was, as suggested, hellish, but great views and we somehow made it!





sulfur springs are so frighteningly fantastical and yet somehow so ethereally beautiful


that is probably what the devil’s kitchen looks like


taking a boat to see the shasta caverns!




another location straights out of the legends – so much fun being nerdy about rocks and minerals

while heading to the parking lot, i heard a familiar voice. lo and behold, it was my coworker from huawei days! so crazy because i never even really talked to her then, but got to catch up a little and say hi to her and her cute kiddoes



while looking for stepping stones, i fell into the water, and instantaneously blamed my mom for distracting me. oh, silly me, who so easily falls into my old ways of passing responsibilities onto other people’s shoulders and being childish

more hiking and exploring at burnaby falls




sundial bridge was our last stop in sacramento before heading to some outlets and going home!
here’s to more exploring with depth, not breadth.