Potpourri




		This is our grab bag page. Here you will find pictures and other items of interest. We will generally keep this page updated with current items. Check back often!

High Sierra Backpack Trip

	Tom’s long-awaited backpacking trip in the Sierras finally took place the week of 7/21 through 7/26. He went with his friend Mike Devereux and Mike’s two oldest sons, Andrew and Jacob. The trip was planned for seven days, but they came back after five because of rainy weather that they weren’t expecting. The trip started at North Lake, went over Piute Pass, down Piute Canyon, up French Canyon, over Pine Creek Pass, and ended at the Pine Creek pack station. (Click picture to see a larger version.)

Tom poses at the Piute Pass trailhead at North Lake.

Final preparation and distribution of food.

Sunday morning and we’re ready to hit the trail. From left Jacob, Mike, Andrew, Tom

This is our campsite at Piute Lake (11,000’) Sunday night.

Tom takes his first crack at fishing at Piute Lake. He caught a 9” Rainbow, but threw it back.

Marmots are common above 10,000’. We saw several on the trip. They’re quite aggressive at stealing food.

Piute Pass on Monday, with Humphrey’s Basin (and Summit Lake) behind us (west).

Monday night at Desolation Lake (11,375’). Not a tree in site, thus aptly named. Fishing there was terrible - didn’t get a nibble.

Location of Tuesday night’s camping spot on Piute Creek. Tom caught several Golden trout and we ate two. Just enough for a small snack.

Intersection of Piute Canyon Trail with French Canyon Trail at Hutchinson Meadow (Wednesday). We turned north up French Canyon at this point.

Panoramic shot of French Creek meandering through French Canyon.

While hiking in French Canyon on Wednesday, a storm started so we stopped and donned our ponchos to wait it out. After three hours of rain, hail, and lightning we decided to continue hiking and find a spot to stop. The trail at Tom’s feet was 4” deep in water when we left.

Wednesday evening in French Canyon. Finally drying out from the wet weather.

We made it to Pine Creek Pass on Thursday. The day was beautiful to this point.

Just beyond Pine Creek Pass on Thursday it started raining again, so we put on our ponchos and continued hiking.

The rain never let up so we decided to hike down the mountain to our car. This is a waterfall on Pine Creek.

The conclusion of a long hike on Thursday. This is the trailhead for Pine Creek Pass after a 12-mile hike and 3000’ elevation drop.

Madeleine’s First Communion

On Sunday July 1, Madeleine had her First Communion at our church, St. Matthew’s. Lots of family and friends were at the service and the party at our house that followed.

Here are a few pictures from the day.
(Click picture to see a larger version.)

Presentation of certificates to the First Communicants at the end of mass.

Madeleine poses at church with the banner she made.

Madeleine and Father Neil

Grandpa and Grandma Reichert pose with Madeleine and the gift they got her.

Uncle Dan and Laura with Madeleine.

Stone Creek

We went on a family camping trip to Stone Creek the weekend of June 15-17. Madeleine’s friend Megan went with us. It was a nice relaxing weekend. Kyle and Tom went on a small hike to Suicide Rock.

Here are a few pictures from the weekend.
(Click picture to see a larger version.)

Heidi tends to the fire.

Madeleine tends to Sebastian.

Christina and Heidi tend to the dishes.

Kyle and Tom at Suicide Rock with Lily Rock and Tahquitz Peak in the background.

Wide shot of Lily Rock, Tahquitz peak, and the valley below.


	San Gorgonio

Kyle and Tom went on a backpacking trip to Mount San Gorgonio the weekend of June 8-10. It was an 8-mile hike to the peak ( and 5,400 foot elevation gain) and they camped at the 5-mile point. The plan was to get to the campground Friday night, hike to the peak and back on Saturday, and hike back down Sunday. However, Tom’s stove didn’t work and they only had enough non-cooking food to get them through Saturday lunch. So they hiked back down Saturday afternoon. It was more difficult than they wanted, but they had a great time.

Here are a few pictures from the weekend.
(Click picture to see a larger version.)

This is a wide view of their camp area. Their tents are barely visible in the middle right area of the picture.

This is about halfway from their camp to the peak. The stream bed off in the distance is at the elevation of the trail head.

At the peak. The camera is looking west, towards Corona.

Another shot from the peak. This is looking north, and Big Bear Lake is partially covered by Tom’s head.

This is looking south from the peak at Mt. San Jacinto. We’ll be in that vicinity next week.


	Silverwood Lake

We went on a family campout to Silverwood Lake the weekend of May 18-20. Heidi’s boyfriend, Kyle, joined us on this trip. Tom was flying in from a business trip late Friday night so Christina and the kids set up camp and Tom got there at around 11:00. Tom, Tiffany, and Madeleine did some fishing, but didn’t even get a single bite. Christina and Tom went on a couple mile walk that included about a mile of the Pacific Crest Trail and ran across a couple of men who were in the midst of walking the entire 2,650 mile trail that runs from Mexico to Canada.

Here are a few pictures from the weekend.
(Click picture to see a larger version.)

Madeleine prefers wading to fishing.

Tom tries to untangle a knot. The fish are not nervous.

Tiffany casts her line with Oscar waiting for the catch.

Christina poses on the Pacific Crest Trail

Tom strikes a pose too.


	Prom 2007

Our three teenagers went to Prom on May 12. Kyle went with a large group of 16 people. They rented a large SUV limousine and had dinner at a nice restaurant in Newport Beach. Heidi was with a group of seven. They rented a classic limousine and they all met after dinner. TIffany and her best friend Virginia decided not to get dates and went together, having dinner with us at home. Mom and Dad were their drivers.

Here are a few pictures from each of the groups.
(Click picture to see a larger version.)

Kyle and Sarena

Kyle’s entire group

Kyle’s limousine

Looking down the back of Kyle’s limo with everyone piled in

Heidi and Kyle

Heidi’s group. Her boyfriend Kyle’s twin brother is far left.

Heidi’s limousine

Heidi’s limo driver. He looked and played the role so well - he was a lot of fun.

Tiffany and Virginia


	Icehouse Canyon

		Tom and Dan went on a backpacking trip with friend Mike Devereux and his boys Andrew and Jacob the weekend of April14. The trip was in the local mountains of LA in the vicinity of Mt. Baldy on the Icehouse Canyon trail. Their camp was at 7,800’ elevation and they took a side-trip to Ontario peak at 8,700’. The view was outstanding. Overnight it got quite cold and snowed a bit, but everyone stayed warm. (Click picture to see a larger version.)

Dan scampers up the trail, eager to get to the top.

Dan and Tom pause for a photo op at the Icehouse saddle.

The group encountered a large snow patch that covered most of the trail.

Dan sits atop Ontario peak with the Inland Empire as a backdrop. Corona is way off in the distance.

Tom shows that the peak has nothing on him.

Here is our camp on Saturday afternoon.

Here’s what it looked like Sunday morning.


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