I uploaded some of the photos here on Vox. I couldn't get my bulk-uploader to work for Vox anymore so the rest are on Picasa. Check them out in my Steamboat Springs gallery
It's beautiful here and there are NO crowds. Angela and I skied mostly Storm Peak Express and Pony Express today. The process feels like it's reduced the lateral stiffness of my tibia and femur... I'm very wobbly after a day of bump skiing. Dad is holding up well in his advanced years, though his equipment is disintegrating (because of its advanced years). He had black foam from his "still working" goggles all over his face today. I suggested upgrading some of his gear and he told us about his seven-foot hickory skis that he still has. Awesome.
Two more days of skiing left. Angela doesn't seem tired at all. Wish me luck.
We took the family out to see elephant seals at Ana Neuvo park this holiday weekend. It's mating and birthing season so there's a lot of action on the beach. We didn't get to see any R-rated action, but we did see some males fighting and a few yearlings suckling.
Fun facts about elephant seals:
- The males weigh 5,000 lbs
- During mating/birthing season, both the males and females fast for about three months
- The females lose about 600 lbs between giving birth to a 100 lbs baby and then producing milk to get the baby up to 250 (or so) lbs.
- The females get pregnant around this time, but the zygote doesn't implant and start developing for several months
- The skull of an elephant seal is very similar to a bear skull
- They hunt for food at 5,000 feet!
- They can hold their breath for over two hours
- Researchers think that they actually sleep on the trip down to their fishing depth. Wild.
We visited the California Academy of Science this holiday weekend. Way too crowded! The best part was this conversation between a five-year old boy and his dad in the men's restroom...
Boy: Are these automatic toilets?
Dad: Nope!
Boy: Wait. Yes they are! I don't have to go.
Dad: You came in here for a reason. You must have to go. Don't worry they won't make a loud noise.
Boy: I don't like the loud noise! It's scary! I don't want to go...
Dad [coaxing]: Here just come up close to the urinal...
Boy: Why so close?
Dad [nudging boy closer]: A little closer you have to get close enough to pee
Boy: [sniffling sounds, then peeing sounds]
Boy: How does it know I'm here?
Dad: There's a sensor on the top. See?
[I finish, the boy finishes, then I step back and mine flushes... it's quite loud. The boy covers his ears and kind of ducks when my toilet flushes and I say...]
Me: See? That wasn't so bad.
Boy [puffing out chest]: Actually, I'm five! I LIKE loud noises!
That was my favorite part of the trip :-) The museum itself is an incredible building with amazing wildlife inside, but the gripes were pretty significant. They let way too many people in. There were lines for everything. We didn't even get to the indoor rain-forest because there was a crazy line for it. Bah.
My other grip is the exhibits didn't have enough information. I was staring at a tank full of alligator gars (really big fish!) for a few minutes and the placard had just one sentence about the fish "A large fresh-water fish that feeds on other fish". You don't say?
Here's a picture of us on the living roof:
And here's a picture of a HUGE sea bass. Did you know they can live to 100 years old?!
