It’s zip day!! I had to get up super early. Again, 2nd day in a row at 530. Quickly put the dogs out and fed them. Latte was not interested in eating anything. Stupid Poodle.
Straight upstairs and a quick shower. Emily woke up so she got out of bed early too.
Made breakfast for Emily and coffee for two. And I am ready to go. I am off to Santa Rosa by 7, right on time as planned. Turns out it’s really a good thing I left early. The usual just over an hour trip took 2 hours and 15 minutes. Traffic sucked or is that obvious?
While on my drive Emily called. Latte was vomiting blood. I will have to take her to the vet as soon as I get home. Emily has testing today and can’t take her now. Latte was fine last night so I am not sure what can come on this quickly. I hope to find out soon at vets.
I arrived at Marika’s at 915. I had a bunch of stuff to unload, mostly groceries. Emily loves to send food, it’s one way to show your love and support. Emily is way better at that than I am. Marika had gone to Starbucks and picked up coffee for me and her and a snack too. I had forgotten my food, diet bars, so I had to improvise. No big.
We drove off to Occidental. Quick trip, lots of fire trucks
but not much traffic. Got there in 30 mins. The zip line guys had just called to find out where we were. I would have called them back from their parking lot but there is zero service out there.
We signed in right there in the lot. A pickup truck arrived to take us up to the zip course. We got a private tour today because no one else signed up. We even got an extra guide. Our lead zipper, Ben, tall guy with long arms (like a spider monkey) was a rather boring and conservative guy. Not fun really. Romina and Jessica were the other two. They were having fun. Sort of the good cop bad cop of zip guides. I tried to break Bens will with my usual fine humor and well timed jokes but I think he had no sense of humor. They dissed my shoes – huaraches, because they are open toed. I am still at a complete loss as to why you would need close toed shoes to zip line. I wore huaraches in Belize to zip and no grievous toe injuries occurred. They had no loaner shoes, having given all to fire relief. One of the guys lent me the shoes off his feet, quite literally. Yay Chad!!
The zip course is thru the trees, literally. There are platforms over 200 feet up in the redwood trees. Which feels crazy when u are up there because Redwoods flex like hell in the wind. It’s a little unnerving. Be that as it may. 7 zips to go. Plus two swinging bridges and a rope rappel to the ground at the end. 
6F73D882-8796-482B-92D0-C6054499C7B4Marika really did well, I had been before so no issues. This course has no speed limit. You have no brakes till the end of each line when you hit the e brake at lines end. So it’s fast and fun, and you can screw around a bit on the way. Took about an hour through the course, nice morning. Started to drizzle a little at the end, well timed. We came to the bridge and Marika tensed up visibly. The path is a foot wide and about 50 feet above the earth. 
And they swing like crazy. In other words, fun. Like the swinging bridge in Skowhegan.
The rappel was no big deal. 
There is an automatic device on the rope so it controls descent. It’s 50 feet straight down and u do have to step off into space. Maybe that could worry some, like my sister. She is afraid of zip lines. And dogs. Our guide Jessica was 4’9” and fearless.
After the zip course they drive us back to the parking area which now had 25 fire trucks parked in it. They get up late. We headed out and decided to get lunch. When you zip at Treetops they give you a coupon to the Union Hotel for free bruschetta. We drive right by it on the way back. Marika said no thank you so we drove another five miles and tried out the Fork Roadhouse. Well thought of on Yelp. Breakfast and brunch available. I ordered hash 
which I quite liked. Marika had a buffalo chicken sandwich so spicy she complained and drank several glasses of water. The place had a diner feel, booths and a counter 
and no real table serice. Not worth a special trip but if I was close I would go there.
After lunch we returned to Marikas house and I had a quick visit and off. I had to get back to town to take Latte to the vet. Well, I thought the morning was a slow drive. But, now? I left at 1, got back at 4. Jesus Christ. Lotta car for one day.
When I got back, Latte was cured. She was fine. Better than fine. So no trip to he vet. I win. I sent out pics to Emily and Marika to let them know. That dog just wants attention.
Emily came home soon after I got here. She was impressed at Lattes full recovery. Stupid Poodle. Em went to yoga at 530. I went to the grocery store for vittles. Some veg, some fruit, some meat, the staples. But no staples.
I fried up some spicy chicken sausage. I made a Greek salad. I put the sausage on top of the salad. Et voila, dinner. And btw I fed the dogs and Latte ate double, so much for the dog not eating.
Well, it has reached the bewitching hour. That’s when we go to bed. Tonight that is 815. Hey, no jokes, I was up at 530 this am and drove all over hell and gone. Slowly, because of traffic. Remember? Anyhow, long day. Not sure why Emily is tired but she has already gone up to bed. My turn for lights out.