America - Part 3 (San Francisco - Tillamook)

America – Part 3: (San Francisco – Tillamook)    


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Point Reyes: Many people we’ve spoken to along the way raved about the scenery of Northern California and the Oregon coast, so needless to say we were very excited and eager to get going. We said our good byes to Simon and Colette in San Francisco and snaked our way north next to the coast along highway --. Point Reyes is a windswept peninsula jutting out into the sea and also our first stop along the way. The southern tip of the peninsula has some amazing views: rugged coastline with sheer cliffs dropping into the sea, pounded by crashing waves, a long sandy beach stretching out as far as the eye could see and the haunting siren coming from the lighthouse further down the hill. Also noisy (and smelly) were the many sea lion colonies speckling the beaches far below. Our detour via Point Reyes was definitely worth the visit and would be a good spot to do whale watching in season.      

Sonoma: While touring through Central America we learnt about a website called Couch Surfing. We decided to give it a go especially as accommodation is so expensive in Sonoma. First we had to set up an online profile and then throw the bait out to see if we could hook a big one. We quickly had a nibble and soon we shared a house with a very interesting/eccentric family along with their pets: two dogs, one cat and two horses. Sonoma is the less snobbish alternative to the hyped-up Napa Valley and it still retains a small town charm. We hired two bicycles for the day and set off wine tasting, taking in 4 wineries in total. We couldn’t have asked for a better day as the sun shone and there was a crisp breeze blowing making it a perfect day for cycling. 

There are few things nicer than spending a day wine tasting while cycling and having a picnic of cheeses, bread and pickles. None of the wineries really blew us away although the Gewurtstrumeiner and the Muscato (Ravens Wood) were really good and worth a purchase. After completing our wine tour we ended up in Sonoma town centre and were ready for some more free sampling in the forms of cheese, chocolate and fudge. All the free goodies were great and we went back “home” feeling slightly drunk and very sweet from our last tastings. The next morning we said our good byes and headed north along the Highway 101 to Ukiah to meet up with an old friend.

Ukiah: Back in the summer of 2006 I met a guy named Matt on my flight back from Alaska. He was hunting for bears while I did a two week kayaking trip in the wilderness fishing, crabbing and catching prawns. At the time I had one of the biggest hangovers of my life due to drinking with the locals at Ryan’s Bar in Ketchikan as they kept buying me shots of Jagermeister. Matt was sitting next to me and we shared stories about our adventures and inevitably a friendship was formed. I found him to be a very warm and down to earth person and we clicked straight away. I remembered his invitation to come and say hello if ever in the USA so I contacted him via Facebook. Soon I stood facing his door, slightly nervous and not sure what to expect after so many years. There was nothing to worry about though as Matt and his wife Laure are some of the warmest and most welcoming people I’ve ever met in my life - they made us feel right at home.

They prepared a room for us which I dubbed “The Bunker” as Matt had enough ammo and heavy artillery in there to stage his own personal war. I was like a little boy in a sweet shop looking at all the ammo and books. On our first night they took us to an all-you-can- eat Indian Casino Restaurant. We were amazed that for $16 we could eat as much Dungeness Crab as we wanted and as well as other seafood dishes like fresh grilled salmon, prawns and shrimps. As if that wasn’t enough, they also served normal food like stews, roasts, salads, veggies and much more. That was all followed by desserts like chocolate covered strawberries and a sugarless cheesecake which was to die for - I felt like a stuffed sausage by the end of the night! What made our night even better was that they gave us $10 free gambling money which, although it didn’t last that long, made for a good night out. 

The next day was Matt’s dad’s 80^th birthday party and he was determined to give his old man a memorable party. He invited around 200 people to the party and organized to have a wild boar roasted Fijian style: placed in the ground on hot rocks and covered in banana leaves, sacks and earth. The Kiwi’s make the same sort of thing and call it a Hangi and as I’d never had it before, I was excited to give it a go! Together with the pig they also placed a turkey, carp, corned beef with spinach and a type of native potato on top.   

As the cooks had too much work to do preparing the pig they only had it in the ground for 2.5 hours which was not really long enough. Even so most of the meat was cooked and tasted really good. For entertainment Matt organized for 3 different bands to play with my favorite being the Railroad Boys. They were an energetic duo and played Hillbilly music with a guitar, various flutes, a didgeridoo and a harmonica. The old boy sported a handlebar moustache with cowboy boots, hat and jeans. As there was so much food on offer everyone ate their own bodyweights while sitting outside in the sun sipping drinks – good times! The party started fairly early, around 12:00 which meant that we still had the evening free. Matt and Laura took us to the Speedway to see the races which woke us up from our food slumber. I couldn’t believe it when they told us that some of the kids racing were as young as 8 and aptly called “The Mighty Midgets”. The big boys also raced that night and drove souped up V8s – their roars were almost as load as that of the crowd! By the end of the show our adrenaline was pumping as a few spectacular crashes happened right in front of us amidst sparks and flying parts – brilliant!

The next day Matt took us shooting on his dad’s ranch stopping en-route at the Anderson Brewing Company for some beer tasting. I was hoping to get either a wild turkey or pig although they cleverly had no intention of getting struck by a spray of propelled lead and stayed hidden. As they didn’t come out to play we took the opportunity to blow up anything that even faintly resembled a metal can or plastic bottle. We were armed to the teeth with a pump action shotgun, 22.250, 270 and two .38 revolvers and enough ammo to stage a small war! There was not much left of the bottles or cans in the end especially as Matt and I shot two revolvers at the same time, as seen on TV the night before. On our way back a few mountain quail made the mistake of running out in front of us. I greeted them with a shotgun and they didn’t feel particularly well after getting hit by a spray of pellets. It is not every day that I get 3 quail with one shot and as I shot another earlier we were looking forward to a nice quail BBQ for dinner. Incidentally that same day Osama Bin Laden was killed by US fire so it seems like it was a good day’s shooting all round!

After our explosive visit to the ranch it was time for a more placid drive along the coast. We drove past the picturesque town of Mendocino where we took a few pictures and from there we headed onwards to have clam chowder in the harbor of Port Orford. Our time with Matt and Laura came to an end way too quickly and it was sad saying good bye to them after all the fun we’d had. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the friendliness of the people we’ve come across on our travels, especially in America. In general, people can either make or break a trip although for us they’ve definitely made it.

Confusion Hill: We never planned to stop at Confusion Hill but as we got confused with directions to the drive-through Tree we ended up visiting the place. They have an interesting display of various curiosities including a leaning house and water that seems to run upwards. There was also a viewing platform where another person would look either shorter or taller depending on which side of the hill they’re standing. All were illusions of course but even so we were still baffled at times and could only say “huh?” while scratching our heads – very interesting.

Chandelier Drive-through Tree: Take two. On our second attempt we finally reached our original intended stop which is an absurdly big tree - so big in fact that we could actually drive our Jeep Grand Cherokee straight through it! We didn’t dub the jeep “The Tank” for nothing as it is a fairly large vehicle but even so it was able to fit through the gap in the tree. I could only laugh at the absurdity of it all, snapping away on my camera while Gillian sat wide eyed and a bottom going like a rabbit’s nose steering the Jeep through a 315 tall and 21ft diameter tree – brilliant!    

Humboldt Redwoods State Park:  The Redwood trees require a very specific climate to grow, therefore they are only found in Northern California. They are some of the largest trees in the world and no words or pictures can truly do justice to them. We felt very small as we drove through the “Avenue of the Giants” and stopped off for a few mini hikes along the way. Some of the trees were as tall as 379ft with diameters of up to 20ft! 

Many fell down due to old age or strong winds with roots sticking out like an angry octopus’ tentacles, while others had holes in their bases big enough for a few people to stand upright in! There was even a tree in Founders Grove called Corkscrew Tree for obvious reasons which was worth a visit. We couldn’t help but take many pictures but then again who wouldn’t? One thing we came to learn while driving through the tall forests was that redwood trees and satellite radio simply just don’t go together.

Samoa Cookhouse: To finish a good day of tree hugging and spotting we ironically went for dinner at the last remaining loggers cookhouse still in existence. They had on display memorabilia and photos from an era of hard work and logging. In a way it was sad seeing all the felled trees displayed in the photos which were hundreds, if not thousands, of years old. The food however was good and very generous as it was made for “hungry loggers” - we waddled away like ducks feeling so stuffed after eating the 3 courses of soup and bread, chicken with rice and potatoes and chocolate cake! 

Clam Beach: From the Samoa Cookhouse we drove further north where we found a campsite on the beach just south of Trinidad. As we’d already had dinner there was no need for cooking which gave us time for a few pints at the local pub to warm us up as it was fairly cold on the beach. We’ve met a fair few people along the way especially in pubs when we started chatting to the locals. That night was nothing new as pretty soon a decorator sitting next to us bought me a beer. I could see that he was in a mood for consuming copious amounts of alcohol so we had to sneak away to our campsite in the end. Travelling is all about meeting new people and making new friends. It is also a very good way of getting tips of what to do along the way.

Trinidad: We made our way further north along Highway 101 through more redwood trees and reached the ocean and finally the radio started working again. Trinidad is a cozy little fishing village with nice views over a bay when standing next to its iconic lighthouse. Large rocks and boulders occupy one beach while the other in contrast was completely sandy making for potentially good photography opportunities. It would have been a great place to overnight although we decided to push on further north. All along our drive we saw many bears and beavers in all shapes and sizes, although none of them alive. Luckily they weren't road kill but rather carved ones made from mostly Western Red Cedar trees with a chainsaw. Many of the chainsaw carvers are very talented and produce cute animals (and humans) in all shapes and sizes. Gillian couldn't help herself and bought a small black bear which she had to send back home by mail due to too much baggage – an exercise which proved very expensive after customs got hold of it…

We did however see many live animals including elk, deer and various birds like the Stellar Jay with its funky blue Mohican hairdo, which perched itself on our car mirror while eyeing up our sandwiches. Our next stop was at a place dubbed “a shameless tourist trap” by the Lonely Planet. I can see why people stop there though as it has a massive statue of Paul Bunyan and his equally big blue ox and it offers a ride up the mountain in a gondola over the tree canopy. I took a picture of Gillian standing on Paul Bunyan’s foot and I could hardly see her on the photo! We politely declined their overpriced tickets for the gondola ride and chose instead to prepare our lunch of tuna/mayo pasta on their camping tables. From there we drove to Gold Beach where we set up camp for the night in a wooded campsite next to a small stream.

Gold Beach: Even though we cooked with camping gear, dinner that night was great. Out came the abalone and mountain quail I shot at Matt’s place and out came the mallet (borrowed from our landlady) for tenderizing the abalone. Gillian has never tasted abalone before so I put a lot of effort in to slicing it thinly and tenderizing it properly. I then dipped the abalone in flour, egg and breadcrumbs and fried it in hot oil. The quail went on the BBQ and I have to say that we both felt very decadent while sitting there in a campsite eating melt-in-the-mouth abalone, sautéed potatoes, garlic courgettes and BBQ’d mountain quail while sipping cheap box wine out of equally cheap camping cups! Our posh bubble was shattered though the next morning when we discovered that our promised hot showers were in fact icy cold. The cold water invoked a colorful vocabulary from me not suitable for my blog especially since it was pre-coffee - not a good way to start the day.     

  

Gold beach is a nice village known for salmon fishing and Jerry’s Rogue River jet boating. As we didn’t have enough time I left the salmon in peace although we did book a trip on Jerry’s boat. The trip up the Rogue River is a total of 108 miles travelling through white water and canyons. With 3 Chevy’s in the back, the jet boat was loaded with a lot of energetic horses pushing from behind! During our trip we never had a dull moment as either we were doing 360s on the water or zipping along missing boulders by what felt like millimeters! It was a brilliant day as both the sun and wildlife came out to play and we were very fortunate to see sea lions, harbor seals, eagles, ospreys, a river otter, a mama deer with her 2 fawns and a mama bear with her 2 cubs grazing close to us. 

In total we saw 4 bears that day which was very fortunate according to our guide as usually they only see maybe one every 3^rd day! On the way back we stopped for a hot buffet lunch prepared by a lodge next to the river. All in all we had a very memorable and adrenaline filled which I can highly recommend it to anyone visiting Gold Beach. From Gold beach we drove onwards to find our intended campsite closed for the season. We found a private RV campsite that had Wi-Fi and more importantly, hot showers – a necessity after our cold showers that morning. We struck gold with our spot as it was only 5m from the beach with a thick layer of shrub protecting us from the wind. It was yet again very cold as we prepared the last of the abalone which we had with flavored rice for dinner. That night we fell asleep to the sound of crashing waves coming from the ocean while I dreamt of clam digging and crabbing to come in the morrow…

Coos Bay: The next morning we were up early and drove to Coos Bay where I bought a shellfish license and hired a spade for digging. We were in luck as the tide was out, the riverbed exposed and there were a few locals already clamming. Needless to say, they were thoroughly interviewed and very soon I was digging like a dog, all covered in black mud with my arms deep in the holes and carefully easing them out. The ones I dug were called Empire or Horse-neck clams and looked very weird with long retracting necks. As they were filled with sand we had to keep them in a bucket of water so they could expel it all avoiding a potentially teeth grinding dinner. Next up was crabbing in the harbor where we set crab traps which weren’t as successful. The ones we had were the small types with loops for catching their feet. Fortunately another couple crabbing next to us lend us their spare trap (big ring with net) and fairly soon we were pulling up to 8 crabs in one go. However, we had to let most go as either the male crabs were too small or they were females which we couldn’t keep. It was good fun though trying to catch them especially the feeling of anticipation every time we pulled up the net.

From Coos Bay the 2 of us, 12 clams in a bucket and two crabs drove onwards where we found a campsite in a wooded area at the Joaquin Miller State Park. By that time the clams were all swaying their fully extended necks in the water which earned them the title of “our pets”. As they still had sand in them we drove to Florence for our clam chowder at the much raved about Mo’s. The chowders came with freshly baked bread and real butter – nice! As it was cold outside and they had free Wi-Fi, I voted Gillian as designated driver while I sampled a few more of their local ales. Back in camp we were lying in our tent reading our books when we heard something trying to get into the clam bucket. Whatever it was that tried to capture our fond pets, quickly scrabbled away as I unzipped the tent. As it was dark I didn't spot the lone clam lying a few meters away from the bucket where the raccoon left it as it ran away. I was very surprised when I found it still alive in the morning! Back in the bucket it went for a family reunion and time for us to have breakfast, a shower and travel onwards.  

By that morning we had funnily enough became quite fond of our pets especially after they survived a very traumatic raccoon experience. I must be getting soft in my older age as I didn’t have it in my heart to kill them for dinner. Instead, I found another muddy river where I dug holes, only that time carefully putting them back. It was an emotionally strenuous task and I was sad to say good bye to my pets although I’m sure they were equally sad, or maybe I’m just talking nonsense as usual… Our next stop was at “the most photographed lighthouse in the USA”. Annoyingly many of the parking spots were metered so we had to pay $5 for our quick detour. We found many more similar meters while travelling through America (and even Canada). From there we drove up to a viewpoint for a quick hike and a lunch of peanut butter and jam sandwiches before driving to Garibaldi.  

Garibaldi: Camping was ruled out as it was raining hard and the wind was blowing strongly by the time we reached the town. Even so I was determined to try and catch a few crabs since we’d bought our own crab ring and had lots of bait to use. I tried my luck for about an hour standing there shivering in the rain and wind and only manage to pull up 2 undersized crabs - needless to say I was not a happy camper. Apparently as it had rained so much there was a lot of fresh water draining into the sea from the rivers decreasing the salinity of the bay, which had caused the crabs to move deeper into the ocean – no wonder I wasn't getting any. I returned to our motel empty handed, an unsuccessful hunter-gatherer on that occasion. Fortunately, when we checked into our hotel that afternoon, we were given a voucher for a free clam chowder at a local restaurant. As we weren’t able to have crab that evening, the pub restaurant was our best bet. I opted for the ribs while Gillian went for a pulled pork sandwich – both meals were very tasty. It was accompanied by a few beers of course which helped to warm us up. We sneaked out though after they set up the stage for karaoke and eyed us up as potential singers.

Tillamook: Tillamook is a bad place to be if you’re on a diet as they produce some of the best cheese and ice creams in America! We stopped in at the Tillamook Creamery which is a massive factory where we could indulge in some samples.  As we made our way along the self guided tour we were able to see how they make the cheese as well as their production line where workers were packing and sorting the cheese. Also on show were many posters showing the history and operation of the factory which was very interesting.  Next up we were able to sample their cheese and spotlight stealing ice creams. Due to the high fat content (32%), their ice creams tasted really good and came with funky names like Udderly Peanutbutterly, Grandma’s Cake Batter and Mountain Huckleberry.  There were around 38 various flavors to choose from and we managed to sample around 30 after annoying the waiters with requests (the tips did help however).

We left the Tillamook Creamery pretty stuffed, with a block of sharp cheddar for later. From there we made our way to the Blue Heron which is a French cheese company to get eat even more. They had a massive array of goods varying from cheese, chutneys, sauces, marinades, dips, wine, jams and lots more. None of the wines blew us away although their smoked brie and especially blue cheese salad dressing were to die for. We bought both, together with a French stick and were looking forward to a dinner of salad doused in blue cheese dressing. What we didn’t look forward to was ending our trip along the sea. The Oregon Coast was beautiful and I was sad to leave it behind, especially as we didn’t have enough time to really explore it all. I guess there will always be another time…

America Part 4 to follow…

America - Part 2 (Bryce to San Francisco)

 America – Part 2: (Bryce Canyon National Park – San Francisco)

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Tuba City: Even though it is called a city it was far from it and reminded me more of a derelict cowboy town. We stayed in a motel called The Dine Inn which was just like the ones you see on the movies where you can park your car outside the room. Tuba City was only a one night stop for us on our way north. We went out for a burger at one of the local restaurants and learnt that it was a dry community which meant no beer for me – doh! Although I couldn’t quench my thirst, I did at least stave off my hunger with a nice burger and fries. We found the people very friendly, especially our waiter who was very polite and couldn’t have been more helpful (except for getting me a beer of course).

The next day we set off north and took the scenic route 89A which runs parallel with the north rim of the Grand Canyon, although a little further up. The drive was indeed scenic and caused us to stop many times to take pictures of the ever changing arid landscape. The Navajo Bridge which crosses the Colorado River was especially nice and also a spot where the Navaho Indian women sold handmade jewelry and other souvenirs. I felt bad not supporting them but as I’ve already got too much luggage to haul around the world, I could only look and appreciate. Apparently there were a few condors flying around although they went into stealth mode when we turned up with our large camera and zoom lens.

Bryce Canyon National Park: We were excited to try rattlesnake and rabbit sausages at the Buffalo Bistro in a small town called Glendale, but they were unfortunately closed so we had to push on to Bryce. Along the way we passed the Red Canyon which had large red hoodoos and gave us our first sample of what Bryce Canyon is all about.  Camping was yet again ruled out when we discovered that the temperature was forecast to plummet to -10C at night. Our cheapest option was a few miles away from the park at a place called The Pines, also known for their award winning pies. We of course had to sample one of each type (cream and fruit) and have to admit that they were worthy of their status.

One of the highlights at Bryce is seeing the sunrise over the amphitheatre, which was at 7am according to one of the rangers. We made an effort to get up early to see it but we’d been told the wrong time as the sun was already up!  As we were up anyway, we drove over to see the Amphitheatre but as it was overcast and bitterly cold we wouldn’t have got the red glow from the rising sun had we been there in time. Our view over the “hoodoos” was however breathtaking and very much worth the trip. Bryce is all about the hoodoos which are spires of eroded red rock jutting out from the canyon floor. The hoodoos stood like armies of terracotta warriors dressed in layers of candy coloured clothing - a sprinkle of snow made them all the prettier for the photos! 

To warm our bones we decided to do a hike but we could only do certain sections due to the risk of falling rocks caused by the melting snow. We opted to hike the Queens Garden where we said hello to Queen Victoria, as well as the Navajo loop where we saw the iconic hoodoos silhouetted against the sky - very impressive. The cheeky squirrels and chipmunks also made for a memorable visit although the prairie dogs never came out to play. They must have been all snuggled up inside their dens waiting for the weather to warm up. I really liked Bryce National Park as although it is smaller than the Grand Canyon, it was much more detailed, colorful and delicate. I can highly recommend a visit to the park for anyone travelling through the USA.  

On our 2^nd morning, we awoke to find our jeep covered in snow as it had snowed overnight and was in fact still snowing a bit!  As travelling through America is such an expensive business we tried to save money by cooking our own meals a lot of the time. Due to it being freezing outside, we decided to toast our bagels inside our room on our small gas stoves and in doing so managed to set off the smoke alarm! We quickly had to open the door and franticly wave a cloth to quiet it down. Luckily no one noticed although we had to finish off the bagels standing outside in the cold.

Zion National Park: The drive from Bryce to Zion was a relatively short one so we decided to take a detour via the Dixie Forest as a scenic alternative. We drove past a recommended campsite which we couldn’t actually see as it was complete covered in snow and the lake was frozen – I’m glad we hadn’t decide to camp there! Along the way we saw many signs of landslides and there was a construction vehicle busy clearing up debris. Our drive through the forest was really cool (literally) and yet again we stopped to take a few pictures of the frozen landscape. Once through the forest we headed due south down highway 15 where we stretched our legs by doing a short hike to a view point overlooking Kolob Canyon. Everything had a red tinge including the tar on the road which was bright red! It was also a nice place for a picnic stop and we enjoyed our food with a beautiful view.

Zion National Park has two campsites and we were lucky to find a space in the Watchman one as it was the school holidays and a free entry week for the National Parks and the place was heaving with people. Watchman only allows visitors to stay for one night which meant we had to get up early the next morning to try our luck at the other campsite, South. Our Watchman campsite was lovely as it had a great view of the towering mountains right next to us.

We shared a site with three other groups: a bunch of friendly Koreans, a friendly American couple and a large friendly Mormon family. I tasted my very first “smores” which was toasted over the fire by the young boy from the family next to us – nice! The Americans have definitely got one up on us as they roast their marshmallows and squash them between two biscuits with a piece of chocolate – delicious! Our other neighbors, the Koreans, gave us some fire water to try which is a clear alcoholic concoction made from rice which packs a big punch – it helped to ward off the cold weather.

During the night one of the kids kept crying and we woke to see an empty spot where the family had been camping. We quickly broke camp and were lucky to find a place in the other campsite next to some new neighbors, Bruce and Vivian from Seattle. Bruce became my early morning coffee buddy and invited us over to visit them in Seattle which we intended to do.  Zion has massive mountains with strenuous hikes – we hiked up the scary Angel’s Landing trail and the high Observation Point one. I really liked Angel’s Landing as it had some very steep places and a spot known as “chicken-out point” where the whole mountain narrows into a precipitous ridge with sheer drops on either side. We saw many people along the way who had either turned back or who should have turned back as they were really struggling with the heights. When we reached to summit though we were rewarded with a breathtaking view over the valley which made for a nice picnic spot.  Observation Point was next on our list and although it is higher than Angel’s Landing, it didn’t have the dangerous steep edges. 

Our legs were burning by the time we finally reached the top having hiked along the seemingly endless switchbacks, but looking down on Angel’s Landing and the valley below was a view to remember! Yet again we shared a memorable picnic spot with cheeky chipmunks and other tired but content hikers.  To add to a memorable hike, the sun was shining and the weather was nice and warm. On our journey back to camp on the shuttle bus we met a friendly Mormon couple with their 6 children. We saw many large families which is the norm in the Mormon religion. Many couples start having children at an early age and families of up to 12 are not uncommon! Earlier that morning we invited a young couple to share our campsite as they couldn’t find a spot due to it being so busy. We met up with them again after our hike and it was nice to have a chat with them around our campfire. We left the next day for Las Vegas but couldn’t resist doing the tourist thing and stopping at a rock shop and in a small town called Virgin which had a replica Wild West village, complete with small houses and a saloon called “Ragged Ass Saloon”.

Las Vegas: I don’t even know where to begin with Las Vegas other than WOW! It was exactly what I expected and more, being so OTT it was actually very cool! The gambling hordes were drawn like moths to the ever hungry flashing machines and I was dumbstruck looking at all the themed casinos, neon flashing lights - Vegas is the ultimate "f**k you" to anyone trying to be green!  We found a deal online and booked into the Flamingo which is right in the middle of the “strip”. Outside, they had a water garden with flamingos, koi carp, ducks, geese and swans while the outside pool was teeming with people sunbathing, all having a good time and some very drunk! During the night time the whole of Las Vegas lit up and we couldn’t resist a drive down the strip with Gillian doing drive-by photography, trying to get all the large funky neon signs in. We saw many impressive things but our favorites included the view from the Eiffel Tower, Ceasar’s Palace, the Bellagio fountains and all the noisy flashing casino floors.

I’ve never been a gambling man although I did set aside $100 dollars to experience Vegas by playing roulette, black jack and the slots – my favorite slot machine was called Reel ‘Em In!  Every time I won a hillbilly fisherman would go fishing while dueling banjo music played in the background. It was lots of fun and very entertaining and I literally had to drag myself away to stop myself from losing any more money! I can see why so many people get hooked on gambling. We didn’t do well on the black jack tables either as the minimum bet was $10 and our money was quickly gone. Another must do thing was to see a show and we went to see a show called X Burlesque which comprised of a lot of girls with very little clothing on. It was a very energetic show with hot girls dancing to hard rock music – they sure had my attention! Outside, sad but also entertaining, were the homeless beggars displaying signs like “Why lie, I need a whore” and “Too dumb to work and too ugly to prostitute”.    

With so many things to do we unfortunately missed out on seeing the Mirage volcano and the Treasure Island boat show. We had a really good time in Vegas and loved all of the OTT themed casinos although after a two days I just felt like getting out. Even while driving out of Vegas I could still hear the clinging, pinging and beeping slot machines echoing in my head! It was definitely time to move on for some peace and quiet. The flashing lights made way for funny yellow egg-yolk bushes and open desert where I glimpsed a road runner.  Meep-meep!

Death Valley: Death Valley is a very dry and barren area sunken between mountains with mysterious moving rocks found in an area called the Racetrack. However, seeing the moving rocks requires a 4x4 with lots of spare tires which we didn’t have unfortunately. Our first stop in Death Valley was at Bad Water Basin which reminded me of the Bolivian salt flats although on a much smaller scale - it is America’s lowest point at 292ft below sea level!  Further along we drove through a scenic section called the Artist’s Palette. The whole side of the mountain looked like a patchwork blanket with many hues caused by the different minerals in the area. I love the way that all the National Parks in America are so different. As it was late we had to rush to find a campsite, but luckily we found one called Sunset near a very small town of Furnace Creek. The campsite didn’t have any showers although it did have toilets so we settled in there for the night. 

The next morning we drove north and our first stop was at a sight called - Zabriskie Point which was again multi-coloured mountains with deep valleys. Old miners used to mine for borax and used a 12 wagon mule team to haul the ore out from the valley - it took them weeks to complete the trip! Next up was Dantes View overlooking Death Valley from above. From where we stood we could see the salt flats, snow covered mountains and the whole valley displayed in front of us – beautiful! Driving back down our next stop was at Ubehebe Crater (it means big basket in the rock) which was created when lava and water collided underneath the earth’s crust and exploded creating a 237m deep crater.

For lunch we stopped off at Scotty’s Castle which had a funny story attached to it. Scotty was a renowned storyteller and he somehow managed to convince a wealthy banker that he had gold on his property. The banker funded the building of his castle in Death Valley and even though he suspected Scotty might be lying, they became good friends. We had our picnic on a well kept lawn while looking out for coyotes which we had been warned about. Fortunately they didn’t bother us and we enjoyed the warm sunshine while tucking into our food.

Next up was short hike up Mosaic Canyon, but we skipped the sand dunes as they would have been dwarfed by the ones we saw in Huacachina, Peru. We headed on and found a free campsite where we set up camp for night. All of a sudden, it was almost like someone flicked on a switch as the wind started and intensified until it was howling over the open unsheltered terrain. We just sat down for dinner when the wind blew Gillian’s glass of wine all over her. Needless to say she wasn’t very happy especially as our tent shook all night long which resulted in a bad night’s rest as well. I needed a strong coffee the next morning to wake me and clear the cobwebs which we had with our favorite maple syrup oats for breakfast. That was the end of our time in stay in Death Valley and from there we headed off to Yosemite National Park.

Yosemite: Getting to the park was a big pain in the ass because instead of being able to take a direct route 70 miles over the mountains, we had to cover an additional 200 miles around the top of the Sierra Nevada Mountains due to heavy snow. We had not realized that winter in the USA sometimes extend until July in some parts! The range in temperatures that day was massive as one moment we were standing in Death Valley dressed in shorts and t-shirts and the next we were shivering in a ski resort just an hour away! Spending the whole day driving, we reached the small town of Sonora where we found a room for the night. Because we had originally planned on camping we had bought fresh food for dinner that evening. As I went to do the laundry, Gillian was in charge of dinner which she made while sitting on the carpet in our motel room.

After setting off the smoke alarm in Bryce we were slightly nervous about doing the same in Sonora although luckily nothing happened and we managed to have a quiet dinner of pesto pasta. From there we finally made our way over to Yosemite the next morning. We expected it to be busy as it is the USA’s most popular park but what we didn’t know was that it was also Easter Weekend. Needless to say there were many people and we feared not getting a camping spot in the park. We were however, very lucky and managed to find a spot due to heavy rains during the week which caused a few people to leave early. For once camping in the rain was a good thing!

We stayed in camp 4 which was right in the middle of the valley and also home to many hardcore rock climbers. National Geographic actually ran an article about the rock climbers in Yosemite that same month. Many of them walked around with white hands and large mats strapped to their backs – some were practicing on a large granite boulder in the campsite which was fun to watch. We were looking forward to doing lots of hiking but due to the heavy rains our plans were slightly thwarted. Yosemite is a truly beautiful park with sheer granite cliffs and it is home to the iconic Half Dome which we wanted to take many photos of but couldn’t because of the damn rain. We did however brave the rain and cold and hiked two trails: Yosemite Falls and the Vernal & Nevada Falls Loops. The first didn’t take us too long as we didn’t hike the entire trail but went as far as a good view point so we could see the falls. Doing the 2^nd hike took us much longer and resulted in some amazing views over the falls and the valley.

I was amazed by the size of the squirrels in the park as some were as round as they were long. Feeding them is prohibited although most people fall victim to their hypnotic squirrel stares resulting in very obese fur balls. They tried their luck with us but to no avail as we enjoyed our picnic with a gorgeous view over the park. Back in camp we found that we had new neighbors – a Hispanic family with three energetic young boys. It was really funny watching them trying to roast their marshmallows in the campfire as they mostly ended up with charcoal cubes. As it was so cold we decided to go for a drink in the lodge to try and defrost our feet. The bar was cozy and warm but that came at a price as two drinks cost us around $17! Needless to say we only had the one while playing cards. A cool thing about the bar was the fire in the middle where people roasted their marshmallows and made smores. Very few things beat a nice drink in a warm pub on a cold day after a long hike.

Yosemite is bear country and we had to store all of our food in large metal bear lockers. Storing food in the car is prohibited as bears can easily rip a car apart to get inside. The park rangers displayed a few photos of bears breaking into cars and one was especially funny as the bear was sitting in the driver’s seat making it look like he was driving! I couldn’t help but laugh. Our time in Yosemite was nice although somewhat spoilt by the rain and the hords of people - I can only imagine what it must look like in summer! It was time to pack up and make our way back to San Francisco for warmer weather.  

San Francisco: Back in San Francisco it was time to say good bye to our trusty black Jeep Liberty and we were lucky to have it upgraded to a very flash new Jeep Grand Cherokee! To make the swap was a bit of a pain as we had to drop all our gear at the hostel late in the afternoon, store it overnight and then load it all back up again the next morning. As the Jeep Grand Cherokee was so big we dubbed it the “tank” and felt very posh driving it. Simon, a friend of Gillian’s, very kindly invited us to stay with them and we gladly accepted their offer. They have a really nice house in a quiet area on the outskirts of San Francisco, in La Fayette. We even saw a deer grazing on their front lawn and heard wild turkeys gobbling in the background – what a great place!

Simon and his wife Colette were great hosts and it was nice being able to stay with them. We still had a few boxes to tick doing the touristy stuff in San Francisco – no rest for the wicked! From La Fayette we boarded a train into the city in order to pick up some rental bicycles. Before doing so we couldn’t resist stopping by the local farmers market. There was lots of fresh produce to pick from and we opted for falafels and a tub of aubergine garlic dip for later. Cycling over the Golden Gate bridge is one of the must do things and with good reason. Not only was it nice to get some exercise after lots of driving, seeing the bridge from many angles and finally cycling over it was a brilliant experience and one I can highly recommend! We couldn’t have asked for better weather either while we sat down for a picnic of falafels and dip overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge from a viewpoint on the opposite side of the bay. Unfortunately we didn’t get to see the Golden Gate Park as we ran out of time having struggled to find parking in La Fayette and our Alcatraz tour started 15:30.

The Alcatraz tour involved a ferry to and from the island as well as an audio tour. We found it very interesting learning about life in the prison as well as all the escape attempts. A few people DID manage to escape although nobody knows if they survived the cold water and strong currents of the sea - most were either recaptured or died. Although the prisoners kept a pretty garden, Alcatraz (aka The Rock) was definitely not a place I would like to spend any time at as it was very cold and windy. Because of the close proximity to the mainland the prisoners could hear the sound of free people having fun, especially on New Year’s Eve when the fireworks went off, which added to their misery. Alcatraz was the last activity we did while in San Francisco and also marked the end of the San Fran driving loop. Both Gillian and I were eager to get on with the next leg of our trip which was touring up the Oregon Coast and working our way north to Seattle.

Part 3 to follow...