Death Valley Continued and Vegas

7/31

Zabriski”s Point was on the way to Las Vegas along with Twenty Mule canyon.  We planned to stop at both and Zabriski”s Point was a scenic overlook high above the rocky floor of Death Valley.  It was impressive but once again we were chased back to the car early due to the heat.  I had been driving since we left the campsite and took us on a 2.7 mile loop in Twenty Mule Canyon where mules had carried loads of Borax years ago.  The landscape was very much akin to the Badlands and the ground seemed as though it belonged on a different planet.  It was rugged and mountainous and I was very excited at the prospect of seeing a dessert Iguana but had no luck finding one.  After that it was straight on to Vegas.  Driving into the city was a great experience and was very different from anywhere else I had driven, ever.  The city was filled with cars and after making a harrowing pass to get onto an exit at high speeds I was sweating profusely and not just due to the heat.  I survived and got the whole family safely to an In-n-Out burger.  Paul and I really liked our burgers despite the opinion of the rest of our family and after leaving I mused over the fact that the east coast had no iconic fast food chains like the West.  Walking into the MGM Grand was a scene I had seen many times but only in airports.  The place was massive and colorful; it had the appearance of being new.  I was able to compare it to the New York replica hotel complete with a huge rollercoaster and the luxurious, all gold Mandalay Bay.  I had grown up watching commercials for the MGM Grand and it was incredible to stay in one.  The hotel had five pools and the rest of the day was spent enjoying the weather poolside.  I swam in everyone except two and enjoyed the lazy river that meandered its way through the large pool area.  The weather was a comfortable low 90’s and the pools weren’t cold but still refreshing.  Dinner was at a grand buffet where I was in my element.  After eating three plates of dinner and two of desert I was satisfied and left with a full stomach.  We then walked out of the comfort of our resort and into the overwhelming atmosphere of the Vegas nightlife.  Colorful characters and talented street performers lined the sidewalks as we took in the sights and sounds  as much as we could and made our way to the Bellagio, where a large fountain show took place.  The fountains were dazzling and drew many spectators, the show was to the tune of a song that I can’t recall but the whole mood was festive as the water danced before our eyes.  We were also able to stand probably 500 feet from the Caesar’s Palace Resort where the movie the Hangover had taken place.  Once we got back to the hotel it was time to blog and watch T.V.  There was a lot of Eagles news on Sports center, some good and some bad, and we finally ended the amazing night with an old movie called “Dirty Dancing” which none of the kids had seen and as Finn just said “or liked”.  It was sad to end the day but knew we would be able to enjoy it more tomorrow. 

Death Valley (self explanatory)

Death Valley Landscape

Death Valley Cont.

Load hauled by the 20 mule train

Paul wilting in the heat

In line for check in at MGM

One of the pools

Silas and Finn soaking it in

The New York Casino

Bellagio Fountain Show

Venturing into Death Valley

7/31

                Breakfast was served at the campground, a small selection of muffins and brownies but still I ate until I was full.  Paul wanted to swim a little more and hopped into the hot tub, he couldn’t even wait until he finished eating as he brought his food into the hot tub.  The morning was already scorching as we were outside Death Valley, and we impatiently waited for Paul to finish swimming so we could leave for Las Vegas.  It took some encouragement and prodding to finally pry him away from the comfort of the steaming water but when he did our departure took place shortly thereafter.  We had about two hours until Death Valley and then about two and a half more until Las Vegas.   We saw an interagency visitor center and we stopped to see if it was the one specific for Death Valley.  It wasn’t, but we got valuable information about the park and how hot it would be as the interagency center provided general information about the parks in the area.  Paul, Finn and I also split ten dollars for a cooling headband for sports, it is a funky piece of work decorated with colored fish and I am very excited to show it off back at home.  The ranger told us where the other visitor centers were and we headed to Furnace creek where the hottest temperature in the world had been recorded at 134 degrees.  We got our Death Valley pass and headed deeper into the park.  We made three stops in Death Valley on our way to Las Vegas.  The temperature had been climbing steadily since we drove into Death Valley and when we got out of our car at an old Borax mine, you could really feel the heat.  The Borax mine, which had run from 1883 to 1888, mined the popular that paid well and was in abundance in Death Valley.  The business for Borax in the valley eventually petered out due to the high cost of driving the borax via a 20 mule train the 600 miles to the nearest train station.  The stone mine was crumbling but still an impressive sight, a mule led wagon train used at the mine was on display as well.  The wagon train included two carts that held borax and a water tank that held 1200 gallons of water for the trip, a heavy load, all pulled by mules.  The oppressive heat caused problems for the fairer skinned members of my family (mom, Finn and Paul).  My mom kept her complaints quiet until we made it back to the car but Finn’s moans and groans made it very clear how he felt about the temperature even wondering at one point why we would ever leave the car.  Even I headed back before my dad and we got into our air conditioned car and got back on the road.  The temperature reached 111 degrees. 

Editor’s Note:

The landscape was not what I expected; it was more mountainous than I had anticipated.  It definitely was hot, but the convenience of air conditioned cars made the trip fairly easy.  I could not imagine making this trip under any other conditions.  The advice that was given to us by the ranger at the visitor center was succinct, “don’t die”.  Fortunately, this was one piece of advice we and the kids were able to follow.  Our trip then continued onto Vegas.  More to come. 

Yosemite

7/30



El Capitan, Yosemite



Finn illegally interacting with the local wildlife

Dad and Silas getting a glimpse of Half Dome

Silas and Finn relaxing in the creek

Silas and Paul enjoying the Vernal Falls

Where's Waldo?

Paul giving a thumbs up to Half Dome

Silas at his GQ shoot

                After waking up at Crane Flats campground in Yosemite and having an uneventful morning we reached the Yosemite visitor center without much trouble.   We parked in a satellite parking area and took a shuttle to the Visitor’s Center.  It was a new process, maneuvering our way through the unfamiliar shuttle system in a National Park.  It was different but much easier traveling than in San Francisco.  Leaving the visitor’s center for our first hike is when all hell broke loose.  My mom, Paul and I strode off for the trail because my mom assumed dad, who had gone to grab Finn, knew where we were going.  My group made it to the Yosemite Lower Falls trail and decided to sit and wait as we expected my dad and Finn to already have caught up.  Time started passing and my mom and I began to wonder and discuss possible scenarios of what was keeping them.  I had made the suggestion earlier that we stop and wait for them and now I was debating sending one of us back to check on them when 45 minutes later we caught sight of my dad’s familiar bright orange T-Shirt.  Almost instantly my parents were accusing the other of being in the wrong.  We had wasted almost an hour at Yosemite and no one was in a good mood.  My dad and Finn apparently had been confused as to where the rest of us had gone because, although the original plan was to hike to the Lower Falls, my dad did not know if the plan had changed.  The whole time we were sitting by the falls, they were sitting at the Visitor Center.  The next fifteen minutes were tense, to say the least, but both parents ceded eventually and bygones soon became bygones.  The hike was pleasant but the falls, the tallest in North America had dwindled to a slow trickle.  The middle of June to the middle of July is the best time to view the falls, or so we were told but just missed it.  We would make up for it with our next hike.  It was a steep, long hike to the Vernal Falls that led us through woods and along cliff faces.  The sights were beautiful but the falls were slightly disappointing to me.  I enjoyed the challenge of the climb though and the terrain and the views it provided.  Lunch was held at the base of the hike along a creek in a quiet out of the way spot rare for the bustling park.  After finishing our bread and eating large amounts of leftover cheese and crackers it was time to lounge in the hot sun.  Finn, Paul and I loved climbing and walking through the creek soaking up the sun.  After our lunch and the Vernal Falls hike, we headed out of the park but had one more stop.  At an astounding 9000 feet elevation we got our beach stuff and walked off the turnout down a short walk to Lake Tanaya.  Boldly Paul, my dad and I ventured into the water.  It was actually warmer than the air, at least it felt that way.  I could never resist swimming in the national parks we had visited and I wasn’t about to stop now.  I was the first to take the plunge and the others followed suit.   After playing some football and trying to stay moving, I headed to the beach shortly after Paul and Finn, who had attempted to swim but was deterred by the water temperature, and tried to warm up.  Shortly after leaving the water my ears and head started to throb and hurt.  My dad began to feel the same sensation and we came to the conclusion it must have been how cold the water was.  We had a long drive ahead of us and no reservations for the night, but we made a short stop at mono lake, the second oldest lake in North America.  It had cool calcium deposits that rose from the surprisingly putrid looking and smelling water.  It was a very cool experience though and I had a very different opinion than my cousins, who had visited the lake earlier and not particularly enjoyed it.  Dinner was KFC and Taco bell, much to my brothers and my delight.  We had been waiting for this moment for a long time and both restaurants had been requested long in advance.  Sadly, I only wanted taco bell for the dollar loaded grillers which were apparently only served from 2 to 5pm.  Though I was disappointed, I still enjoyed dinner and the campground we eventually stayed at.  We arrived at the Boulder Creek RV Park jsut west of the door to Death Valley at approximately 9pm.  My dad very generously let the kids swim in the not particularly well kept pool and hot tub while he set up the tents.  The rest of the night went by quickly and I was looking forward to Las Vegas tomorrow.

Yosemite

San Francisco Continued

Dad

7/29

Waking up in San Francisco was a slow process for everyone but Finn and I.  This was Finn’s big day.  Most are aware that Finn broke his hand just prior to the start of our trek, requiring surgery and the insertion of two pins to fix the bone in place.  There has been no (virtually) swimming for Finn.  But, this morning Finn has an appointment with local Dr. Gary Solomon to (hopefully) remove the cast and pins and replace with a removable splint and this is just what he does.  Finn and I returned to the hotel after the appointment to begin exploring the parts of San Fran that we didn’t enjoy yesterday.  We started by visiting the original and legendary Boudin Bakery next to Fisherman’s Wharf for breakfast.  We proceeded to the pier to take in the sea lions lounging around on the floating docks.  The rest of the morning consisted of a hike up Telegraph Hill to Coit Tower and a stroll through China Town, the highlight of which were $4 t-shirts souvenirs, pre-release pokemon cards and exotic fruit such as dragon fruit.  We had extended our check out time to 1pm and hurried back to the hotel for checkout.  Once checked out, we drove down the Embarcadero to the Ferry Building Market Place.  Parking was a hassle but we found a spot next to what turned out to be a great place to enjoy a picnic lunch.  The food we had purchased at the market hit the spot, a seared salmon sandwich, an assortment of cheese from Cowgirl Creamery and bread from the Acme Bread Company.  Once sated, we began our drive out of the city to Yosemite National Park.  The 3.5 hour drive had us at our campsite within the park around 6:30pm.  The drive into Yosemite was spectacular, with many cliffs and valleys that gave hint to the rest of the marvels within the park.  This is the first national park that is new to Carol and I and though I balked initially at including this destination on our trip, it seems that perhaps it may be worthwhile.  We had enough time to set up camp and then head out for our first hike, a trek down into the valley to lay eyes on several giant Sequoias.  As was the case with the redwoods, their epic size made them appear unreal, more a set piece than an actual living tree.  We returned to the campsite after our walk and turned in for the evening. 

Silas

Boudin Bakery was exquisite, I had always wanted to eat food out of a Bread bowl and I finally managed to check that off my bucket list with a delicious bacon and pepper egg scramble.  I had been very persistent the whole morning about returning to Pier 39, much to my mother’s distress, for the bakery.  I didn’t realize it was Boudin as well and it was more crowded than the flagship restaurant.  My other favorite part of this San Fransisco trip was the Sea Lions.  The large marine mammals were very interesting and I would have had no qualms about watching them for hours.  We could easily identify a bully in the pack, herd, flock?  This bully would growl and fight with many of the others.  It seemed they would play king of the dock and it was very amusing to bet on and watch who would fall off the dock first and have to relocate.  I also enjoyed the shopping in china town where the merchandise was very inexpensive but I am still unsure of the quality.  Still, two T-shirts for $8 are too good of a deal to pass up. 

Watching the Sea Lions at Fisherman's Wharf

Sea Lions at Fisherman's Wharf

A sampling of the baked goods at Boudin Bakery

Buying cheese for lunch from the Cowgirl Creamery in the market

Hiking to the giant Sequoias

Arriving at the giant sequioas

Crane Flat Campground in Yosemite

San Francisco, CA

7/28

                Our stay at Sonoma Coast Beach had been tainted by the winding roads, chronic car sickness, late arrival and disappointing beach.  Things had gone much more smoothly than expected up until that point so this slight blip on the trip was of no concern and we accepted our situation graciously.  All the same it was not a very difficult departure.  After a breakfast of egg sandwiches again (go with what works) we were out in a flash around 8:00 A.M.  It was a hotel day! No matter what the plans for the day were, the anticipation of a hotel stay brightened the outlook of even the biggest complainers (Paul).  The drive to San Francisco was about 3 hours and thirty minutes including two stops along the way.  Today, much like yesterday, we were greeted by our friends “the coast following California roads”.  Maybe to some, it is a bright spot on the drive with fantastic views of fog shrouded cliff sides and jagged rocks peeking out from the Pacific but to our family its effect was much groaning, closed eyes and waves of nausea.  You think we would have learned our lesson the day before.   Muir Woods, the most famous of all California Redwoods Forests, named after environmentalist, nature lover and preserver John Muir  is where we were headed.  We had seen many Redwoods now and I would like to say I could now identify one and give someone some facts but we decided it would be a shame to pass by Muir Woods when we had a National Parks pass that got us in for free.  Our first clue as to how famous this place actually was would be the sight of cars lined up for at least a mile along the side road leading into the park.  It was a small parking area but it seemed it had filled up almost as soon as the park opened.  The place was full of energy and people scurried around like ants, we got some advice on which trails to take and entered the bee hive.  A large boardwalk offered a variety of views and branching off it were various trailheads.  The beauty was undeniable it but it seemed more like a zoo than Wilderness.  The trees were massive as expected but the throngs of people in the park deterred us from our original plans and after walking along the boardwalk for about thirty minutes we decided to head back and get on our way.   Before that we had made a similarly short stop at Point Reyes National Sea Shore.  We visited the visitor Center and did a small trail to Stinson Beach but didn’t do much more.  Lunch would have to be eaten at the game.   We were on somewhat of a tight schedule and bypassed some discussed stops in order to take showers, check in to the hotel and head to the Giants Vs. Cubs game at 1pm.  We made it to our hotel around 12pm and struggled to have a quick turnaround.  Our only hope of making it to the game on time was hinging on our parents understanding of the Bay area’s Train Car system.  I’ll just say they didn’t have a good grasp of the situation.  After getting on a cable car a short walk from our hotel and managing to get off at the right stop it was all confusion from there.  We needed to get on the N line apparently, and my mother desperately ran around asking strangers, following directions until we were lost again, panicked and finally realizing the inevitable; we would have to walk the mile distance to the stadium.  Considering how the past 24 hours had gone it was a minor inconvenience.  The game was packed and our original seats were at the highest row in the whole stadium.  It began to get very cold at the top as the seats were under the canopy and it was a windy section of the park.  The family searched for sun bathed seats closer to the action around the fourth inning.  This is when we got lunch.  Finn, Paul and I got a chili dog, pizza and mini corn dogs, respectively.  The food would not be my only purchase of the game though as I bought a very nice, (even my parents agreed) Negro League Baseball cap from the former San Francisco Seals.  It is a good souvenir from the city.  The game was a pitcher’s duel and it was an awesome feeling to be watching a game in San Francisco.  The stadium had a great view of the bay and it was cool to see the Kayakers and boaters in McCovey Cove beyond right field.  I had been rooting for the Cubs as they were the underdog and closer to home and they won a closely contested game 2-1.  We walked two blocks after the game to a small restaurant called 21st Amendment, which was a brewpub that brewed its own beer and focused on the repeal of prohibition in their menu and their coasters.  Dinner was wonderful but it seemed as though many Giants fans had the same idea as us and the place was jam packed.  After heading back to the hotel and getting cleaned up we had a uneventful though rushed trip to the ferry port for our departure to the night tour of Alcatraz prison.   It began with a boat ride across the bay over grey waters and under greyer skies.  The wind picked up about halfway across and the boat driver assured us that all of us tourists who thought we would be in typical, sunny California were in for a big surprise.  The island was in sight the whole trip but it was a surreal moment, one of many from this trip, when we pulled alongside the storied fort and prison.  It had a history, a long, famous yet pained history filled with everything a good movie should include and in fact many movies have been made about the place.  The one word that sticks in my mind after our visit is dreary.  It is a dreary place and I could not imagine what young prisoners were thinking as they arrived at their new home for the first time.  At first we had a brief history of the island and then had a very interesting self guided audio tour through the island focused mainly on the prison and its history.  After the audio tour, we took in a presentation on one of our audio narrators, a former inmate.  I wish that I could describe the whole visit in detail but I have written far too much already, I promise the day is almost over, thank you to all who have read up until this point.  We headed back on the 8: 40 ferry and one event, the battle for Alcatraz remained stuck in my mind.  It was a time when 6 prisoners staged a revolt, overpowering guards and holding hostages.  In the end, grenades were dropped on the prison, 6 guards were killed, five shot in cold blood and five of the prisoners executed.  I was filled with a morbid interest in the story and promised myself I would do more research at a later date.  Once we got back, we entered a boardwalk type wooden walkway on Pier 39 (Fisherman’s Wharf) filled with stores and restaurants and the sounds of music, chatter and laughter.  The place was alive at this time of night and we watched various street performers and bought some ice cream for the trip back to the hotel.  It reminded me of my time in Louisiana and I wish I could have stayed all night.  I loved the area and could not impress enough on my mom how much I wished we had an outside downtown/ mall type area in South Portland.  With the whole family in good moods but exhausted from the busy day we headed home to go to sleep in our comfortable hotel and think about everything we had done that day. 

The Golden Gate Bridge

AT&T Park

Preparing for the night cruise to Alcatraz Island

Sign augmented by Indian graffiti left during 1971 Indian protest occupation of Island

Typical cell in Alcatraz

Robert Stroud, aka "the birdman" spent most of his time in this hospital cell

Taking in the sights of Fisherman's Wharf

Still Along the Coast

7/27

Brotherly love along the coast

The family at the Pacific Ocean in California

As if the freezing temperature wasn't enough to dissuade us from swimming

                We were able to sleep in this morning, and breakfast was hash browns and egg mcmuffin or egg, cheese and Canadian bacon breakfast sandwiches on English muffins, much to everyone’s delight.  It was made even better by the fact that we didn’t crawl out of our tents until 9am.  The first sight that greeted our eyes in the morning light was the massive redwoods towering over us as we lay down; with sunlight glittering down through the branches it is hard to not feel tiny.   Once the tents were taken down, teeth were brushed and suitcases were organized, we left probably one of my favorite campsites just due to the space to play, wonderful redwoods and memorable meals.  We had already been impressed by the size of the redwoods but since we had missed the location of the fallen, tallest tree in the world we headed for a grove holding close seconds.  All in a small loop in Humboldt State Park were three massive Redwoods, giant tree standing at 363 feet tall, which had been recognized by a Redwood organization for its height and size, Tall tree, another seemingly cloud touching tree at 355 feet tall, and a fallen behemoth named Iron tree whose base of the trunk was taller than three of me.  Then we were off to our final stop in the Redwoods at Hidden Creek campsite.  We took a small trail to a swimming area in the creek.  It was chillier than the river the other day and shallower but still provided a very cool experience and a beautiful place to refresh you.  We only stayed there for about an hour though mostly due to Finn not feeling well lately and his frustration at still not being able to swim and have fun in the water.  It felt great to be across the country and to see the Californian coast but so far nothing I had seen had proved the stereotypical about California, slightly self centered, shaggy blondes who loved the beach and to surf.  They seemed like my kind of people and my kind of weather but we had been dealt winding roads making everyone sitting in the back seasick, cold temperatures and no beaches with water we felt brave enough to swim in.  Still, the foggy, rocky coastline reminded my parents of Ireland or Scotland and had an eerie beauty that could not be denied.  We ate lunch at a state park along the coast and the break from the car settled my stomach somewhat and I enjoyed a great deal of apples and crackers and cheese.  Very soon after leaving, I felt the old discomfort returning and knew the seemingly never ending tight turns and twists would not ease my stomach any time soon.  We got to our campsite in Sonoma Coast State Beach much later than planned but just in time as it seemed

I would vomit if we drove anymore.  After taking time to recover we took a short drive to the beach and much to Finn and I’s delight found a dead jellyfish washed up on shore.  The trip there,  our stay and the return trip took up all of maybe twenty minutes but it was worth it to be back on a beach again which was making me slightly homesick as the scent of the sea wafted everywhere following us back to our campsite.  Dinner was again fantastic, it consisted of chicken fajitas and black beans and after roasting marshmallows for the second straight night I caught up on my blogging then headed to bed, content with my day and looking forward to tomorrow. 

California Coast and Redwood Forest

7/26

                The wake up in Elk Creek was not a hurried affair and we were allowed to sleep in until 8.  We had a pancake breakfast but did not tarry for long in the Oregon Sand Dunes.  We had a long drive that day but it would be worth it as we were about to get our first glimpse of nature’s giants, the California Redwoods.  We made it into the Jedediah Smith State Park, part of the California Redwoods National Park and planned two hikes amongst the famous woods.  The first was spectacular and led us over a small footbridge into seemingly a different universe.  Though it was a sunny day, underneath the canopy of the trees the air was cool, the area was darker and the fallen trees brought down from their much higher viewpoints had been lowered to our level.  Lichen and moss, strange bird calls and of course the trees themselves, gave the family the opinion that it should be in a movie scene or a world described in a book.  This surreal environment was everything I had hoped for in my early expectations of the woods and I was not to be disappointed as it seemed as soon as you thought you had seen the largest tree another one even bigger would be waiting around the bend.  The trail took us through the woods but also onto a rocky river crossed by a long footbridge.  My dad and I entered the river with reckless abandon and though it was very cold the sight from the river made up for it as I counted my blessings again.  I have been able to swim in some extraordinary places this trip.  With the towering trees surrounding us, we played football and swam, enjoying the water and the chance to relax.  After drying off, without a towel I might add, we finished our loop trail into Stout Memorial Grove.  It was a beautiful area filled with Redwoods and was a very enjoyable end to the hike.   Our next hike brought more of the same, but no matter how much you saw of the Redwoods I doubt anyone would get tired of them (although it is possible that you could get a cramp in your neck from craning it for so long).   The Coastal Redwoods, which we were seeing, had an average height of 300 feet and can grow up to 22 feet in diameter.  They are distinguished by grey bark and are taller than but not as thick as their close cousin’s, the Giant Sequoya’s.   After leaving the park I had learned much about the fight between lumber and mill companies and those who wanted to save the Redwoods.  After listening to horrible stories about pepper spray applied directly into protestor’s eyes and a bomb placed in a protestor’s car I gained even more respect for the trees I had been walking through and the sacrifices others made that have allowed me to do this.  We were completely done with the Jedediah State Park and our next campsite was in the storied “Avenue of The Giants”, a 31mile winding road with harrowingly sharp turns and massive trees literally two feet away from your car.  We made it into Humboldt Redwood State Park at around 7pm.    We had our best campsite meal of the trip, in my opinion, and I am sure it was shared by my whole family, penne pasta with tuna and peas with bread on the side.  It was delicious and I helped myself to three servings.  Roasting marshmallows occurred almost right after and my mom was very grateful in having the first fire she could enjoy on the trip.  Everyone was tired; it had been a busy day so after finishing this blog, I headed to bed, following the rest of my family. 

Editor's Note:
The Oregon and California coast in this area was rugged, beautiful and cold.  Our idea of swimming in the Pacific Ocean did not last long.  Also, as Silas alludes to, the drive along the coast was exhilerating and nauseating at the same time.  It was long, winding, narrow, long and long.  But, the coast is the coast and it should not be missed. 

Pacific Ocean off Oregon coast

More of the same

Rock known as the "face" looking towards the sky

Comfy in the car

Silas, Finn and Paul stretching around a Redwood

Paul knocking the redwood down to size

More of the same