On the Road Again...

Day 6

Today was a driving day. Which means it's also a random notes day. I mean who feels like writing after 8 hours in the car?! 

Please read the next sentence in the style of The Californians from SNL.

"We took the 180 to the 99 to the 15."

Started the day taking turns singing every road trip/ California song we knew.

Huge huge huge farms. Orchards, corn of all heights, cattle ranches, no white people or signs in English. Lots of farm stands where Stewart bought tangerines. ( see above)

Land starts to dry and we go back into the desert. Yellowed grass. Low scrub covered hills, houses all boarded up, covered in graffiti. Dreams and lakes and everything dried up.

Edwards Airforce Base. All the firsts. Chuck Yeager. 

Early Man Leakey site, only place in US where Louis Leakey had site. All tools, no human remains?

Lunch at the The Mad Greek. Incredible over the top everything, decor, food, etc...found out later was on an episode of Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. 

(Lunch at The Mad Greek)

Huge fields of Windmills and solar panels

Wildlife refuges? What kind of wildlife finds sanctuary here? Migratory birds. Seasonal wetlands. 

Traffic through Vegas made me want to crawl under the seat. 

Could not stay in hotel we had booked in Mt Charleston because of huge forest fire burning for a week already blocking the road, hotel evacuated on July 4. Could see smoke on the mountain from the fire. Were told to stay at Sante Fe Casino Hotel just outside Vegas. Arrangement with original hotel for rate.

( View of the forest fire from the Sante Fe Hotel)

Sante Fe took us in with lots of extras...

Rest of the night was drinking, gambling, laughing, showering, snoring.

Back to wilderness tomorrow. 

Kings Canyon

Day 5

I fell asleep so quickly last night that a) I forgot to pee before curling up, and b) did not clearly orient myself as to which way the toilets were. This made for a great adventure when I woke up in the pitch black desperate to go! I grabbed my flashlight (thanks Maura) and crawled out of the tent in search of relief. I walked the direction I thought it was and after a few unsure steps realized I was coming up quick on an RV. "No this isn't right." I walked a little to the right, took a few more steps and ended up in the trees. I pointed the flashlight around and realized I had come far enough that I didn't know where I had come from and still had no idea which way I needed to go. I went back towards the camper and quietly as I could I found the road in front of their RV. I just started walking. I knew if I stayed on the paved road through the little campground I would come to it. After a long scary hike up the road, making as much noise with my feet as I could to ward off any bears, raccoons, squirels, chipmunks, or serial killers...I found a bathroom! After the longest pee of my life I started back to our site on the road. I was amazingly close to the tent of course. On the upside...the sky was amazing! A million billion stars framed by the branches of the trees. 

We had a slow morning, grabbed some breakfast at the little visitor center village, and made it to Grant Grove just in time to meet the park ranger for a walk through one of the King's Canyon sequoia groves.  Our ranger was a tiny lady with a thick NC drawl. She was a science teacher most of the year so had wonderful information for us along the way. And again, I could attempt to describe what we were seeing, feeling, smelling...but it would not come through. The important thing to know here is that as awed as we were by the Mariposa Grove in Yosemite, the Grant Grove in King's Canyon was even better. Let me clarify. There were a lot less people there. The way the pathways were designed, you felt closer to the trees. The grove was thicker and the trees were bigger. I don't know why more people don't know about King's Canyon. I confess, I really didn't. Now I know, and I'm hooked. 

(Inside a tree looking into the Grant Grove)

After Grant Grove, we wanted to see more of the actual canyon section of the park, so we headed to Road's End through Kings Canyon. They call it Road's End because the road (highway 180) actually stops there. A wilderness permit station and a parking lot are all that await you, but we wanted to see the canyon so away we went, picnic in the car, water on ice, go go go! 

The first little side trip pull-off we stopped at was Hume Lake. "I want to see the lake," Mom said as she turned the wheel to the left and drove us down the path. What we found at the end of the road was a crystal clear lake surrounded by huge boulders and dark green evergreens pointing to the sky. All I wanted to do was swim, so I rolled up my pants and waded into the water. It was actually very warm. I could hear and see a few people but mostly felt secluded in the little sandy spot where I was. Mom sat under a tree while I waded in and neon blue dragon flies circled my head while tiny fish nibbled on my feet. Soon, begrudgingly, we hit the road again. 

 A little further down the road we saw a large sign shaped like an icecream cone and warning "DANGER! Ice cream ahead!" We came to Kings Canyon Lodge and stopped for some dangerous frozen dairy. Outside were "America's oldest double gravity gas pumps" with the name of the lodge hand painted on the side. We walked through the screen door and the word "dangerous" came clearly into focus as I began to register the massive amount of taxidermy in this very small room. Every surface had something dead on it; a head, a horn, skins, and whole animals. My favorite being the whole doe laying leisurely on top of the upright piano. (I promise I will add a picture here once I get home so you can share in this awesome vision.) After a couple of scoops and a rousing conversation about etiquette with the owner, we were back in the car. 

As we drove deeper into the canyon the views became increasingly spectacular as the gray granite walls rose around us and Kings River opened up to our right. 

Our next side trip was Roaring River Falls where after a short but steep hike we came to a low wide falls poring into a bright green pool surrounded by rocks of every size and shape. I just stood staring. We sat there until the silence was broken by others on the path. We enjoyed a picnic lunch, despite the 95 degree afternoon and drove the last few miles to Road's End. Having enjoyed a full day in the canyon, we drove back towards our campsite.

We made one last side trip driving dirt back roads to an area where the sequoias were logged just before the park became protected land. It was like driving through a graveyard or a battlefield. But even as blackened stumps the size was unimaginable. A monument to conservation.

Back at the village, we discovered a pizza place and while we waited much too long for it, the food tasted delicious with a cold beer at the picnic table back at our campsite. 

(Because what else am I going to drink...)

Before I end this day, I just want to say how truly amazed I am by Kings Canyon National Park. A place I had never really heard of, turned into one of my favorite destinations. It has the beautiful High Sierra, the deep glacial canyon, the green clear river, falls, and lake, and the sequoia trees. The campground was clean and quiet with big sites. The village had a grocery, two restaurants, post office, and free wifi in addition to the regular NP visitor center. It was great. I will be back.

Yosemite...and Beyond!

Day 4

Waking on day 4 of the trip we were both really excited to be heading to the Mariposa Grove of giant sequoias in Yosemite NP. This was to be one of the highlights of our trip. When mom had first suggested the trip, she had mentioned Vegas and Utah, and I looked at the map and insisted that if we were going to be so close I wanted to go to Yosemite. Specifically, I wanted to see the trees. As soon as she did a little investigating, she was as excited as I was. We couldn't wait! 

We had decided to take an open air tram ride through the Mariposa Grove. We wanted more info than we thought we could learn just riding around asking each other questions like we had been doing the last few days. We pulled into the parking lot and were immediately blown away. In front of our parking space was the largest tree either of us had ever seen. Wow! We just kept our necks craned back and kept saying, "Wow!" 

We hopped aboard, put on the earphones they gave us, and sat back to listen, look and learn. It was about 9:30, so the morning sun lit every tree. We were the last to hop on the ride so our seats were at the front of the car but facing backward so we saw everyone on the ride. A little nerve racking, but what did I care?! I was amongst the trees. 

Now would be a great time for me to say something important about sequoia trees. Though I have tried, there are absolutely no words, no pictures, videos, no numbers, no comparisons to anything that can make someone understand the size, smell, feel, and even the sound of these trees. I can say a tree I saw was 290 feet tall and 40 feet wide at the base with branches at the top that have a diameter of 6 feet, but it means nothing. I can say the second you step out of your car the thick smell of the incense cedar that grows in the shadow of the sequoia fills your nose and throat, but you will never understand. I can tell you that even when it is the middle of the night, you hear a noise like rushing water and realize it is the trees moving and living and breathing, but until you have stood next to the tree, leaned back and breathed in the tree, tried from 50 angles and perspectives to capture the tree on a camera in some way that will communicate what you have seen...you just cannot know. Sequoias are not the tallest trees; redwoods are a little taller. Sequoias are not the oldest trees; scrub pines are older. But sequoias win when it comes to sheer volume. Largest living thing on earth. But seriously... You had to be there. 

To finish the up I would probably tell you about the big branch that fell off one of the trees and hit a couple of people on the tram ride, but I wouldn't want you to worry. 

I am truly tired and so I am just going to leave you the rest of my cryptic notes on todays events. I know what they mean, and if you are lucky I may explain them later...or not. Enjoy...

My turn to drive...Wheeee!

Back towards our hotel in Oakhurst. 

Lunch at Kountry Kitchen; not country, kitchen closed.

Took the 41 to the 180 to Fresno (to be read in my best Californians accent) alternating between 8 lane highway and 2 lane roads.

Yellowed dry grass for miles, low hills or flat then low round trees and boulders, some grass burned.

Movie star?William Shatner?house.

Fruit trees oranges, peaches, apples, grapes guessing. 

Entering Kings Canyon, Grant Grove Visitor Center. Climbing 5000 feet to camp above 6000 feet. LONG SLEEVES! 

Princess. Lucky to get a stump. Set up camp, fall asleep in two min.

Yosemite? Yes! Yes! Yes! July 7, 2013

Day 3

After a yummy breakfast of eggs and potatoes fried in cumin (which I hope my awesome husband can figure out how to make at home) we got a couple of gallons of $6.00 a gallon gas and headed out for the day. We had gotten some tips on places to stop on our way to Yosemite and were excited about heading that way.

After 20 miles of flat scrubby desert, we saw out first power lines and hollered! "Civilization!" 

The first reccomendation for a point of interest Manzanar which was a Japanses Internment. I am very glad that we stopped and had the experience of learning much more about this chapter in the history of our country, but that's about all I want to write about it. It was hard to be there. (http://www.nps.gov/manz/index.htm) 

As we left Death Valley literally in the dust behind us the land slowly giving way to greener higher landscape. We began to see low jagged Joshua trees, sage green grass, small rivers cutting through the dry ground and jet black cattle huddling under tiny groves of scrub trees. Then the Sierras began to rise up in front of us. Wile we drove through valleys in the 90's we were looking at snow on the sharp granite mountain tops. I have seen the Rockies, the Smokies, the Blue Ridge, the Appalachias...but the Sierra has a magic all its own. 

We stopped for lunch, and more importantly cold cold drinks, in a little town called Bishop, CA. The sign at Raymond's Deli said we should eat there, and it was one of the few places open on Sunday so we stopped. Though the walls were covered with rude signs guaranteeing rude service, the sandwiches were amazing and we picked up a very tasty loaf of day-old rye from their bakery in anticipation of lunches or dinners at camp the next couple of days. 

Less than 2 hours later, we were at the entrance to Yosemite National Park. It was beautiful and greener than anything we had seen in so long, but I was also instantly struck by how incredibly busy it was. There were cars parked on both sides of the road and a long line to get into the park. Of course we were there on the tail end of the 4th of July weekend so we knew it would be busy, but wow. 

Once inside the park, it would be a slow drive so I just sat back and enjoyed the ride. Just cruising along we came around a corner and exclaimed as El Capitan appeared there shining in the sun above us. We drove a bit further to the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center and got a handful of maps and headed out for a hike to see the the upper and lower waterfalls there in the valley. Though we were not in the Sequoia area yet we were still so impressed by the size of the trees looming overhead. The trails were busy also, and the rocks at the base of the falls were covered with kids and parents climbing around and swimming in the pool downriver from the falls. As we walked back towards the visitor center, I started seeing lots of milkweed plants and since I am now an educated lady when it comes to Monarchs, I got excited and started taking pictures to send to my fellow monarch cohorts. Just as I was snapping my picture, two Monarchs came and flew around my head just in front of me. 

And as if cheering when I saw milkweed wasn't nerdy enough, I was about to solidfy my nerdiness for all to see. Throughout the day in Yosemite, I had been seeing signs about a particular park ranger doing a ranger talk at 7:00. I knew I could not go to the event because we would be long out of the park by then. The ranger, Shelton Johnson. For those who don't know, Ranger Shelton Johnson was prominently featured in the Ken Burns documentary series about the National Park System, and is brilliant. I have read his writing and watched everything he has been in. Every word he says feels inspirational to me, and I was terribly disappointed I was going to be there, in Yosemite, and not see Shelton Johnson. We were walking into the visitor center, and I heard a voice. No. It couldn't be. I turned around. It was...Ranger Shelton Johnson! I started gushing..."I'm such a fan! Could I Just get a picture?" But he was amazingly kind and interesting and stood talking to me for the better part of 10 minutes. WOW!!! The universe must have known that I couldn't stay for his ranger show, but still wanted me to meet him! So cool! I was all teary eyed, yes, after meeting a park ranger. But Shelton Johnson. Look him up.

By then it was time to head to the Yosemite Southgate Inn, eat some Mexican food way too late at night, and crash into our beds. An amazing day...El Capitan, milkweed, and Shelton Johnson. 

Into the Desert: July 6, 2013

Started the day with the breakfast buffet at the Excalibur, because who doesn't want sushi, macaroni and cheese, crab legs, meatloaf, and hot chicken wings for breakfast. We did find some actual, ordinary breakfast-type food in this menagerie...and more importantly we found coffee which allowed us to properly start our day. After eating, we wandered around the Excalibur and the adjacent Luxor dropping a dollar here or there on penny slots we thought looked cool. Kitty Glitter being my favorite and the Four Deadly Chinese Beasts being Mom's favorite. She also loved the CSI slot machine because you could pick whether you wanted to play Miami, NY, or Las Vegas. Of course she bet on Gary Sinise. 

After zipping up our suitcases and taking about 10 wrong turns dragging our luggage behind us, trying to get from our room to the correct parking lot, we were on our way to the desert. Just on the edge of town driving through largely unfinished neighborhoods of luxury homes the same color as the dirt around them,we pit-stopped for giant icy drinks and extra water. "We might need some extra water," we said. We had no idea......

A few hours later we were at the entrance to Death Valley National Park, one of the most barren and beautiful places I have ever been. People kept saying to me before I left on this trip, "Why would you want to go there?" Mom answered as we drove through the rainbow pallet of rocks above, below and all around us, "Look at this! Why WOULDN'T you want to come here!?" 

I became obsessed with watching the temperature readings from outside our car rise, degree by degree. 105, 108, 112...We agreed we wouldn't really get stressed unless it got up to 115...115, 119, 120, 121, 122, and topping out at 123. We did get out and hike up a hill when it was around 120. We had to see the view. Zabriskie Point. I have never felt anything like it. As soon as I stepped out of the car it felt like my skin was burning. We walked up to the point with water, and hats, and white shirts...and determination. We walked back down thirsty, flaking, and humbled, all in about 15 minutes. 

We continued to drive most of the day through Death Valley. There is really no way to describe what we were seeing and feeling, physically, mentally...in every way. Rocks of red, white, black, grey, green, yellow, orange; the bluest sky and whitest clouds; dust, salt and sand blowing and spinning and rising and falling; high mountains striped and spotted with layers of color; rain falling from clouds and not hitting the ground below. Of note also are the things we did not see. No animals of any kind; not a bird, or a lizard, or a beetle...nothing. No plant over about a foot tall, and those were rare. Nothing living. 

Our last Death Valley NP stop was Badwater Basin, the lowest place on the continent at almost 300 feet below sea level. From there we headed to the "resort" where we would stay the night, Panamint Springs. (Sidenote: This vacation has made me reexamine the word "resort.") The only way I can describe it is as the most nowhere that was somewhere I have now been. No phones or Internet. All electricity from generators. Gas for $6 a gallon. But...150 different kinds of beer, incredible fried potatoes cooked by a man I am pretty much convinced was hiding from the law, and the greatest night sky I have ever seen. 

Later I will add a long list of the constellations, planets, etc that we saw. But for now just know, it was truly a blanket of stars that I slept under this night. 

(My best photos are on my camera and I will add them in here when I get home. I have been taking some with my phone and uploading them to Facebook. )

Queens in the Castle

Yes the Queens of Metzshire are finally in their beds under layers of the finest satin and cotton. The dragons of flight delays, turbulence, and baggage claim have been slain. Our long quest through the Forest of Traffic was successful despite misdirection by an omnipotent voice. We fought bravely and were ultimately victors in the tournament of skill and cunning as we led our armored horse into the kingdom of the castle. And now this day's journey has come to an end. We have been welcomed into the kingdom of Vegas with food and drink and much revelry, and are now content in our princess beds atop Tower Two of the Castle Excalibur. 

In short...it was a crazy long day. Flying in right over the Rockies seeing the snow capped mountains reaching towards the plane, and seeing turquoise water like a blindingly bright jewel in the middle of the red spines and canyons of the Nevada desert were some of the highlights of the flight here. Driving into Las Vegas, and even walking through the casinos feels like being on a movie set. I guess it's just the only reference I have for this place. After being in the airport, on the plane, in traffic, fighting for parking, on the sidewalk, in the casino and finally in the elevator...in close quarters with a million strangers every step of the way, I am definitely experiencing sensory overload. I am too tired to think. 

Tomorrow I will be rested and laying under a billion stars.  Until tomorrow....

T-Minus 16 Hours Until Takeoff

Just wanted to start a little spot where I could journal each day about my upcoming trips. I am super lucky to be going on some great trips over the next few months. Tomorrow my mom and I are leaving for the Metz Girl Wild West Adventure Volume 3. Volume 1 involved mom and me along with Grandma Jo and my brother, Aaron, in about 1988 driving in a minivan from Greensboro, NC to the Grand Canyon (about 2weeks). Volume 2 was just mom and me in about 2003 on a 3week trip flying into Kanas City and basically following the Lewis and Clark Trail (Wyoming, Idaho, Nebraska, Dakotas, Montana, Utah) Volume 3 finds us headed to Nevada, California, and Utah for 10 days of adventure. Our itinerary looks something like this...

July 5(Fri)  -Fly to Las Vegas. Stay in LV

July 6(Sat) - Drive to Death Valley.  Stay at Pentiment Springs Lodge

July 7(Sun)- Drive to Yosemite.  Half day + in Yosemite.  Stay in Mariposa Springs hotel. Or camp.

July 8 (Mon)  - Hike and explore Yosemite.  Drive to Kings Canyon/Sequoia campground.  Camp.

July 9 (Tues) - Explore Sequoias/ big trees etc.  Camp there.

July 10( Wed.) - Long drive back towards LV, camp outside Bryce Canyon

July 11(Thurs) - Drive to Bryce and Zion - camp

July 12 (Fri) - Drive to Jim's - stay  Hunt for fossils along the way

July 13(Sat.) - Go to Delta fossil hunting  Stay at Jims

July 14 (Sun) - Drive back to LV stay  Return car.

July 15 (Mon)  -Fly home

Well I am off to finish my last bit of packing and to try to get some sleep before heading to the airport in the morning. This time tomorrow I will be under the bright lights and oppressive heat of Las Vegas. 

"Half the fun of travel is the esthetic of lostness. " Ray Bradbury

Looking forward to getting lost the next few days...