Climbing at Castle Rock

After watching the Petzl climbing video, Benoit wanted to climb outside so we went to Castle Rock which is a great place for bouldering.



The crew is ready.













Lucas chalking his hands.

















Lucas climbing the nice sandstone boulders.














Benoit climbing with style.















Benoit climbing down.












Benoit is trying to make some fire with wood sticks. It did not work out so well.












La fourmiliere. Ant's house is fun to watch. Just poke it with a stick and you see a thousand of ants moving around.

Aptos Creek Vineyard vendange

Saturday was the "vendange" day (harvest). Andrea and Brian own in Aptos creek a nice vineyard which produces one of the best Santa Cruz Pinot Noir. http://www.aptoscreekvineyard.com/

The harvest, this year, has not been great since the grapes have been eaten by the birds or damaged by the mildeu. Nevertheless, we were there for the vendange.



I arrived a bit too early.

















Wild vine.
















Andrea and Brian with Zoe and zara.














Nice vineyard.












Beautiful grape.















I always tought that you make white wine with white grapes and red wine with black grapes.
















Andrea "la Déesse de la vigne"





















Jeff helping out.















Nice color. Fall is my favorite season.














Brian "l'esclave de la vigne".















Part of the harvest.














Zoe nice little dog.

















Rouchy's family.










The crew, from left to right: Brian, Andrea, Jeff, Paul and Christophe.

The wharf with Benoit and Lucas

On Sunday evening, we all went to the wharf to check out the seal lions.
The summer is slowly fading so we had to wear our jackets.




The white spots are not snow.
Lucas has spotted the seagulls.








That was too tempting for him.













Benoit does not want to wear anything but that crappy pant.











The seagulls are probably waiting for Lucas. Life would be too boring otherwise.










There is something i like about that photo.

Felton park

On our way to Santa Cruz from Ben Lomond, we stopped at the Felton park.





Lucas is Scooby doo since he had some kind of accident and wet his pant. We did not carry any change, so he had to put his Scooby doo costume.














Benoit is into climbing.


















That was too easy.



















Nice old barn like France.

Scotts Valley Fair

Saturday after Lucas and Benoit's art class, we stopped at the booths of the Scotts Valley fair.




Benoit and Lucas waiting for their pizzas.











Benoit and Lucas eating pizzas.












Pumpkin time. Benoit is focused while painting.












Good work.















Lucas turn. See he chose the biggest. Good guy.















Et Voila. Lucas is definitively skilled like his dad.

Barbara is cutting Lucas'hair

Barbara cut the hair from all the Rouchy's familly (Claire, Benoit, Lucas and Christophe).
















Lucas is fooling around.

Benoit at the 2006 Tim Brauch contest

Benoit participated at his first skateboard competition in September. He had 2 runs of 1 minutes each.
I did great with a big drop-in from the large bowl and some other tricks like rock to fakie.





Claire, Benoit and Lucas going to the skatepark.











Benoit dropping in the big bow (8 and 1/2 feet deep or 2m50).











Benoit's gap.










IJ and Benoit getting warmed up.










Benoit's fan club from his school with Dylan in foreground.









Benoit's rock to fakie























You win, you lose, you skateboard, you ride a scooter, it does not matter as long as you get an ice-cream.

Visiting Diane at Palo Alto

Last week, Diane invited us for a dinner at her place in Palo Alto.
We started by paying a visit to the Palo Alto Junior museum. The kids loved it.
We went for little bit of skateboarding near her place.


Nice place to bring the kids and it's free.









I guess Lucas did not understand too well how the maching works. You are supposed to put some money, not take it.











Pinbal is fun.














Even more fun when you can play with your dad (photo Diane).













Lucas and Diane watching the bats.












The skatepark looks like Marseille skatepark but smaller.
It was fund until Benoit collides with another skater. Benoit was fine and not hurt but the big guy fell badly and was knocked out. He did recover after few minutes. I am so glad that Benoit is always wearing his paddings and helmet. May be we should do golfing instead.


Benoit dropping in.