Grandkids and San Jacinto Mountain Tramway

The pool was a big hit with Avery and Maya, as it was with Mike and Aimee too. The hot tub was also pretty popular, usually in the evening.

Maya tended to stay in the shallow area of the steps

and was very interested in her own wet footprints.

Michael found a Jujitsu club to train at every day while Aimee ran the neighbourhood most days and then relaxed in the pool.

Avery getting ready to jump in and splash her.

He jumped and splashed and kicked

and generally threw himself wholeheartedly into the pool as often as possible.

 We decided to take the cable car (called a tramway here) up the nearby mountain. Aimee expected the kids to be a bit unnerved by the experience but they both loved it.

Fascinated by the views

of the mountainside

and the Coachella Valley, as the cable car rotated 360 degrees in the 10 minute ride to the top.

We opted to hike the Desert View Trail with Avery constantly on the lookout for Rattlesnakes. He was disappointed.

The huge pine trees offered another form of entertainment

Moving their huge pine cones onto rocks and logs.

Mike and Maya. The Desert View Trail took us to 5 look outs, or "noches", where there were magnificent views.

Avery and I were in the lead when we spotted a doe.

Then Mike and Maya pointed out the buck. They posed for us and then bounced across the trail, ahead of us, and disappeared.

It was only supposed to be 1.5 miles but felt like more.

Probably because of the rocky parts.

It was cooler up there, so we all had jackets on.

I managed to get Avery to pose without his weird "grimace" smile.

Maya is always happy to pose so sometimes its fun to catch her unawares.

The kids were slowing down on the way back

Maya was getting slower and slower. She needed a nap.

The last rays of sunlight were hitting the trees as we reached the tramway terminal

turning the dessert views a rusty red.