Old Friends, Hiking & Wedding Rehearsal, CA

Elks Lodge
Gilroy, CA

The days before the wedding were a whirlwind of visiting old friends and some hiking to clear our heads.

First off I met up with an old high school friend, Kathy, that I had only seen maybe once in 30 years.  We were Maid of Honor in each others weddings.  It was great to see her again.  Even though it's been so many years, we can always pick up right where we left off.  We have some crazy stories back then!!

Me, Steve, Kathy and John

We had such a great time having lunch we met back up for dinner with our husbands after they got off work.  Again, we talked and talked.  Sure hope we get together sooner than another 30 years!

This is the Elks Lodge in Morgan Hill, CA.  One of the best we've stayed at.  It sits on a golf course, far away from any noisy highways and just a few miles from Mt. Madonna County Park.

We settled in and then went into the lodge to have a drink and say Hello.

The next day we took a hike up the Sprig Lake Trail that leads through the county park.

We started out on a warm day but at least we were mostly shaded by oaks at the lower elevation and then Redwoods higher up.

Big, big trees!

X marks the spot.

 

We took the connector trail that led to Ridge Trail and took that down the other side.  It was about 7 miles total.  It was great to get on the trail again before the wedding.

 These Redwoods are the tallest trees in the world growing 300 - 350 feet tall.  They only grown in the cool, coastal mountains of California.

Lots of mossy green rocks as the canopy doesn't let much sunlight through.

Back down we go.

We met another school friend of mine, Debbie and her husband Rooty for drinks at Uproar Brewery in downtown San Jose.  Debbie and I grew up around the corner from each other and I have known her since I was 2 years old!

 Another day I met my other high school friend and Cross Country teammate, Christie for breakfast but forgot to get a picture.

After a few days in Gilroy, we moved about 20 miles to the Elks Lodge in San Jose as it would only be a few miles to the wedding venue.  Certainly not as nice as the lodge in Gilroy.  The sites are super close to each other, parking lot style.  That wall you see behind the rigs in the picture below is Hwy 87.  So there is noise from that as well as airplanes from the nearby airport.  Since there are almost no places to camp in or near San Jose, it was still a great fit for us.

They do have a really nice pool and gym here.

Inside the large lodge though, it's still very 1950s looking.

 We did attend one of their great dinners that they are known for.

 Then it was time for the wedding rehearsal.  Ryan (our oldest) and Diana would be married outside atop the beautiful Boulder Ridge Golf Club with a view of the Bay Area below.

 Diana and Ryan

 The girls.  Our daughter, Kaylee, is second from the left.

 The boys, with our sons, Shane and Brennan, 2nd and 3rd from the left.

 Rose and I.  Her husband, Mike, will be officiating.

 Shane and Steve.

 Brennan and his fiancée, Alex, who will be getting married in May 2020.

On the way home Brennan found a car he'd like to have.

We practiced and then had a great dinner.  We're all ready for the wedding tomorrow.