HAERR TRIPPIN'

Rafting and a Coincidence!

Since our last rafting adventure was a such a huge success, another raft trip sounded ideal.

Steve wasn't interested in floating down a river so he gave us a ride, enjoyed coffee on the patio of the darling Dam Café, and then left for his own explore.

I was so pleased with the Truckee River Rafting outfit last month that we returned to them today.

There really isn't a great deal of commentary needed. The photos do it justice.

I envied this gentleman's property the last time we floated by. What a spot.

We parked here for lunch. It was just after the first set of fun rapids. It was quite the show watching people maneuver over the exposed rocks. A truly perfect picnic spot.

This was the calm before our exciting conclusion.

The sign behind me reads, "CAUTION: Rapids ahead. Life vests required!" It was here that many parents with young children pulled out of the river. Cindy and I found it exhilarating, albeit a little frightening (in a good way).

After a delicious meal on the front porch, prepared by Cindy, Steve chose our movie. Piece by Piece is a 2024 animated biographical documentary film which follows the life and career of American musician Pharrell Williams (most well known to the masses for his Happy from the "Despicable Me 2" movie. Pharrell stars in the film, through the lens of Lego animation, or brickfilm. The film also stars the voices of Gwen Stefani, Kendrick Lamar, Timbaland, Justin Timberlake, Busta Rhymes, Jay-Z, Oprah, and Snoop Dogg as Lego versions of themselves. Steve and I watched this mesmerizing film while on a cruise and we were excited to share it with Cindy.

What made us quickly hit pause was when Pharrell was receiving an award. His hat reads Truckee River Rafting. The SAME company whose rafts we had just floated in. What?!

Turns out, when Pharrell was changing his style in the early 2000s, the rafting company's hat became a piece of his wardrobe. He even wore the Truckee River Rafting hat to the PlayStation 2 Diddy Record Release Party on September 5, 2001, in New York City.

"Live your life with an appreciation of coincidences

and you connect with the field of infinite possibilities."

— Deepak Chopra

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Next Guest: Cindy!

Several years ago, Cindy began a summer tradition of joining us in Lake Tahoe. Today, I gathered her up from the Sacramento Airport and we headed to our California State Capitol for a tour- a first for us both.

We began with a nature stroll. Located in the heart of downtown Sacramento, California State Capitol Park is a 40-acre urban oasis surrounding the state’s Capitol building. It is known for its extensive collection of trees, diverse fauna and flora, and numerous historical monuments.

This amazing urban forest contains over 864 trees from around the globe, representing 210 distinct species, making it a "collection of diversified flora" in a city landscape. If only we had more time. So much tree hugging would have occurred. Cindy showed this 105 year old Sequoia Sempervirens some love.

I wasn't expecting to get emotional on this day. But finding the California Firefighters Memorial made us pause in gratitude.

This unique and stunning monument is a tribute to the more than 1500 firefighters who have died in the line of duty since California became a state in 1850. Since 2002, it has been a lasting tribute to the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect their fellow Californians.

I searched for only one name- Andy Valenta. He was our fun, wonderful neighbor in Temecula. I wrote all about him here. So sad.

“Hard times don’t create heroes.

It is during the hard times

when the ‘hero’ within us is revealed.”

– Bob Riley

Okay, on to our original purpose... The California State Capitol. What a building!

The structure was completed between 1860 and 1874, designed by architect Reuben S. Clark of Clark & Kenitzer, one of San Francisco's oldest architectural firms, founded in 1854. Although not generally considered earthquake country, Sacramento was hit by two earthquakes within days of each other in 1892 which damaged the Capitol. The Capitol was remodeled, adding seventy rooms and elevators, between 1906 and 1908.

Our tour included a visit to the California State Assembly, the lower house of the California State Legislature (the upper house being the California State Senate). Neither house has been expanded since the ratification of the 1879 Constitution, and each of the 80 members represent at least 490,000 people, more than any other state lower house.

Next stop The Portrait Gallery. The tradition of commissioning California’s gubernatorial portraits began in 1879, when artist William Cogswell was selected to paint portraits of several former governors. In 1931, a section was added to the Government Code to allocate funds towards the production of gubernatorial portraits.

Each governor may commission an artist of their choosing to paint their portrait after they have retired from office. While it is customary that the portrait reflects its governor’s individual personality, there are basic standards that artists must adhere to. In addition to being oil-based, framed, and hung in appropriate spaces within the building, the appearance of the portrait should be in harmony with the demeanor of the Capitol. Furthermore, the style of the frame, as well as the size of the portrait, should be in keeping with its predecessors.