skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Day: 23
Miles Travelled: 4,720
Miles Hiked: 73.7
Current Location: Los Angeles, CA
To start LA Day 3 we went to breakfast in Glen Cove with Jerry and Terry. In a pretty interesting coincidence we went to a place called the Beachcomber which happens to be the name of our favorite bar in St. Augustine.
JB ordered pumpkin pancakes for the table to share which turned out to be the best food call of the trip so far. They were out of this world. I ordered Filet Mignion Chilaquiles which were also great. Since we were headed to Beverly Hills later in the day I also had a few bloody mary's in the spirit of living the high life.
From there we headed into Beverly Hills. Not sure if it was only in my head but I felt we stuck out like sore thumbs. We started by looking around at a few shops on Rodeo Drive.
At the first store we went into, I am quite certain the clerk did not expect me to purchase the $2,000 windbreaker jacket I was pretending to look at. The whole area is amazing. It is one high-end designer store after another. The way the buildings, streets and landscaping are laid out make it look like the set of a movie.
There are insane cars and homes everywhere you look so I will only include the details for the most out of control, over the top thing that we witnessed. while in Beverly Hills we saw a Bugatti. A subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group makes a handful of these cars each year. Their limited availability starts U.S prices at $1.4 million before you add any extras. However, Richard noted that since so few are available in this country, they actually trade in the secondary market for between $2 and $2.5 million dollars. So this is what $2 million of automobile looks like.
My Aunt Susan has been avidly following this blog so she was excited about making an appearance while her brother Bill has not so here she is with my Uncle Gerry.
We met up with them and my second cousin Brianna at the Pelican Hill restaurant and they treated us to an incredible dinner. Not only was the food fantastic, the view was breath taking. It was the nicest dinner Laura and I have had together. We had plenty of time to catch up, especially since we kept ordering desserts and passing them around the table to share.
After dinner it was back to the hotel to pack up for the next part of the trip, Las Vegas. We had a great time in LA and got to see a lot of the sights as well as catch up with family. JB went out of his way to take us around and squeeze in as much as possible.
Click here for the full Los Angeles, CA - Day 2 photo album
Day: 22
Miles Travelled: 4,720
Miles Hiked: 73.7
Current Location: Los Angeles, CA
Jerry hooked us up with access to his gym so we started LA Day 2 with a workout. The gym was totally out of control. 5 stories, basketball, tennis, squash and raquetball courts, pools, spas, saunas, tracks, weights, machines, stores, sushi bar, etc. I have travelled a lot and been in a lot of gyms but this one was by far the most impressive. Even though we have been hiking a fair amount, it was nice to get a real workout in.
After the gym we went down to Newport Beach and walked along the coast to see some of the homes there. Even the smallest, tiny homes there start at around $5,000,000 due to the location. The neighborhood was beautiful and immaculately clean. Unfortunately we did not have the camera with us since we came from the gym.
Then we went down to Laguana Beach which was almost as nice. We had lunch on a roof top deck overlooking the beach and ocean. Again, no camera.
We went back to the hotel to clean up and for dinner we met up with Jerry's partner Richard, better known as Big Steele. Richard was kind enough to have us join him for dinner and to watch the Lakers game at Pelican Hill Golf Club. We had a great time and even got to see the Lakers lose. Richard is in the middle of this picture. His girlfriend Lauren is on his left and my cousin Jerry is on the end.
This is me and Laura soaking up the good life after a long three weeks on the road.
Day: 21
Miles Travelled: 4,720
Miles Hiked: 73.7
Current Location: Los Angeles, CA
We left Big Sur around 10:30 am and headed south along the Pacific Coast Highway. We stopped at several scenic overlooks which provided some amazing views of the Pacific Ocean. The two main differences between here and the east coast are (1) the color of the water and (2) the straightness of the coast. The high elevation, combined with less curves on the shoreline allow you to see for miles in each direction.
A couple hours into the trip LD spotted a few seals on the beach. As we drove past we noticed a lot of cars and campers parked by the road. We figured it was worth a shot and pulled over to park. We were glad we did because we got to see our best animal encounter yet. This particular beach is a mating ground for elephant seals. Unfortunately, this is not the time of the year for the males (up to 5,000 pounds each) to be battling on the beach but we did get to see the beach full of females (up to 1,800 pounds each) and juveniles.
There was a built in boardwalk along the beach that protected the animals but also gave you some up close access.
At one point we were lucky enough to see two seals sparring with each other. It was very interesting and would definitely make a return trip worth it to see the full grown males go at it.
Click here for the full Big Sur to Los Angeles photo album
After we left the elephant seals we switched off of the PCH and onto the highway to make better time into LA. We ended up catching the end of rush hour traffic. It was bad but not a total nightmare. When we got to LA we met up with my cousin Jerry and Aunt Susan and Uncle Gerry. We hung out for a while and then checked into our hotel in Newport Beach.
Day: 20
Miles Travelled: Written down but in the car
Miles Hiked: 73.7
Current Location: Big Sur State Park, CA
In the morning we drove down the coast from San Francisco to Big Sur State Park. Dan found a great campsite which is located in the middle of a redwood forest. Here is where we set up camp for the night.
Once we got set up we went for a short hike to a small waterfall called Peiffer Falls. It was a cool place but it was kind of hard to get excited over it having just come from Yosemite. Here is LD and I by a redwood tree on our way to the falls.
After the falls we set out to find Peiffer Beach. It was hard to find because the road down is somewhat hidden. We drove up and down the coast a few times to find it which gave us an opportunity to see some beautiful coastal scenery.
During our search for the beach we stopped to have a beer. While we were there I took this picture of the sunlight reflecting off of my beer. You can see the word Guiness reflected in the foam on the beer.
It was worth the search for the beach. The beach features a couple of different rock formations in the water and the waves are quite powerful. Several people have drowned at the beach (just from wading or going in up to their knees). It was freezing so we did not stay long but we did have time to take some pretty good pictures.
After the beach we went back to the campsite and Dan and LD prepared a 5 star dinner with steak, mushrooms, onions and asparagus. We spent the rest of the night relaxing in front of the campfire and making some s'mores.
Click here for the full Big Sur photo album
Day: 19
Miles Travelled: Written down but in the car
Miles Hiked: 71.2
Current Location: San Francisco, CA
Our next stop was San Francisco to visit my friend Dan. We got into town around noon and immediately headed for Oakland where we took in an A's game. It was an inter-league game vs. the San Francisco Giants (cross town rivals) so there was a really good crowd and our seats were great. The A's won 1-0 in a very fast game.
After the game we picked up some Mexican food and went back to Dan's place to hang out. That night we went out for the best dinner of the trip so far. We had sushi in a local neighborhood place and tried two things we had never had before at a sushi place. The first was scallop and the second was toro which is the primest part of the belly of a tuna fish. It was a great dinner but unfortunately we did not get any other pictures.
Day: 18
Miles Travelled: 4,034
Miles Hiked: 71.2
Current Location: Merced, CA
I would not say we have been totally roughing it on this trip. After all we stayed with friends and family two nights, stayed at two different nice hotels and I think 4 or 5 nights in hotels off the highway. However, we have driven more than 4,000 miles and hiked more than 70 so I was not surprised at what we looked like when we woke up this morning. We are still in great spirits but we are worn down and probably on the edge of getting sick so we opted to spend another day at this hotel to get some rest.
Tomorrow we will head out early to go to San Francisco, CA. We are going to an Oakland A's game in the afternoon and probably a nice dinner after that (well deserved since we have eaten trail mix, cold cuts and canned corn for the last four days).
Those who have been out west will understand the greatness of this update. We just went out and picked up some In and Out Burger for dinner. Might be the best burger ever.
At 1:46 AM EST on May 21st we hit the 4,000 mile mark for the trip.
Day: 17
Miles Travelled: 4,029
Miles Hiked: 71.2
Current Location: Merced, CA
We were hurting this morning after yesterday's hike but we still got up at 5:30 am, made tea and oatmeal on the Coleman stove and went to the park. After seeing Yosemite and Bridalveil Falls yesterday we decided to visit the park's other two main waterfalls, Vernal and Nevada Falls, today. They are on the same trail which is longer than the one we did yesterday but the general opinion from the people we spoke to was that it was easier overall. However after a somewhat tough first mile we hit a nearly two mile section of stairs like these that brought us around the base of Vernal Falls. You can see LD in the mist about 50 steps up.
At one point I tried to count consecutive steps up but I lost track at 344. I can't give a great estimate of the steps but I would say that it is in the 1000's. As we neared the top of the falls LD snapped this picture looking down.
Here is the view from the top of the falls.
From there we continued on to Nevada Falls. It was really impressive but hard to get good pictures of. We took this one about half way up the trail to the top.
As I have noted a couple of times we have had great luck when it comes to being in the right place at the right time. Such was the case as we left the park on Day 3. After doing 7.2 miles yesterday, today's hike added another 8.5 giving us 15.7 in 2 days so we were spent and just wanted to get back to the campsite to relax. As we were leaving we noticed some people pulled over taking pictures and surprisingly there was a bear in the meadow by the road.
Day: 16
Miles Travelled: 3,853
Miles Hiked: 56.9
Current Location: Yosemite National Park
Yosemite has a countless number of attractions but in general the four things people mention when discussing the park are bears, waterfalls, El Capitan and Half Dome. With two full days in the park we mapped out a plan that would allow us to see as much as possible. Half Dome is roughly a 14 mile hike to the top of an 8,800 foot peak. Unfortunately the later half of the trail is still closed due to snow so we only got to do the first half of the trail on Day 2. Half Dome is the peak slightly to the left of center.
The most famous peak in the park is El Capitan which is pictured below. One night after dark we drove by and from a distance it looked like there were stars reflecting off of the peak. It turned out to be the headlamps on people who were in the middle of climbing the face. It was an amazing sight to see but we could not capture it with a picture so here is a daytime shot.
El Capitan is more famous for rock climbing than for hiking so we decided to focus on seeing the major waterfalls in the park. On the first day we hiked to the top of Upper Yosemite Falls.
The trail involves a 2,700 foot elevation change over 7.2 total miles which translated into 2.5 hours of this on the way up
Up until this point in the trip LD and I were debating what the single most impressive thing we saw was. After this hike there was absolutely no question. The Upper Falls is one of the greatest things I have ever witnessed in my life. The hike up takes you past several outlooks at the bottom of the falls. In addition to the beauty, the hike is extremely strenuous so the views from the top are even more rewarding due to the sense of accomplishment. I would say that after the NYC Marathon, this hike was the hardest single thing I have ever done. Here are some views from the top.
All in all the hike was the best thing on the trip so far. Everything went just about perect. As much as I would like think I am getting good with the camera, these two pictures that I took on the way down are more a product of being in the right place and the right time.
On our way out of the park we stopped at Bridalveil Falls, another of the park's well known attractions. Here is the falls from a distance.
From the parking lot it was a short hike along this stream
to get to the viewing platform which is right at the base of the falls. The noise at the base of the falls is incredible. It sounds like a plane take-off, train crossing and thunder all rolled into one. It also generates a strong breeze that sprays mist in every direction. I took this picture from the viewing platform.
Click here for the full Yosemite National Park - Day 2 photo album
Day: 15
Miles Travelled: 3,803
Miles Hiked: 49.7
Current Location: Wawona, CA
We had a long drive ahead of us today so we packed up the campsite early and headed to Yosemite National Park in California. The drive was pretty uneventful until we got through Bakersfield, CA. From there we drove through some interesting farm country until we got to the park. Overall it was about 10 hours of driving. There was some pretty good scenery along the way like this
and there was this guy driving through the dessert
We are staying at the Wawona Campground in Yosemite Park. It is a primitive campsite meaning no hot water or showers. We did however get a great spot right along the river. Here is the view from inside our tent.
One of the more striking features of the camp is the seriousness with which they address potential bear encounters. There are special dumpsters all over and al food must be stored in bear proof lockers. When you enter the site you have to sign a waiver acknowleding that you are subject to a $5,000 fine if you do not store food correctly. Hopefully we will get to see a bear while we are here, although not too close to our tent.
Day: 14
Miles Travelled: 3,191
Miles Hiked: 49.7
Current Location: Virgin, UT
After a great night at the campsite we got up early and headed back to Zion National Park. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately if you ask LD) the most popular hike at Zion, called The Narrows, is closed due to the level of the river. On this hike you actually descend through a narrow canyon and are forced to hike in the river which is normally in the 50's this time of year. Since that was not an option we chose to take on Angel's landing, a difficult 5.4 mile hike with some very interesting scrambles. Here is the view from the base.
You start off with a walk along the river with some great views like this one...
You then begin ascending a series of switchbacks. They are so steep it was difficult to get a good photo but this will give you an idea of what they are like.
After the switchbacks you reach an area known as Walter's Wiggles, so named because the trail folds back on itself almost 20 times in succession. You then reach Scout's Landing which is where most people stop and go back. Laura and I pushed on to the actual landing by following a very difficult trail with sheer drop-offs on both sides. No picture could do the trail justice so on the photo below I drew a red line to illustrate the trail we took to the top.
I know it looks impossible from the picture but we did it. The trails were insane. Here is an example of one tricky section out of dozens. Remember that there is a sheer cliff on either side of the trail.
Once we got to the top it was well worth it. There are several pictures in the album link below that we took at the top but none of them capture how cool it was up there. Also in the album you will see a picture of a chipmunk attacking LD. Apparently, idiot tourists feeding the chipmunks has caused them to become aggressive and in some cases they even bite people who are eating snacks. Here is one picture from the top.
After Angel's Landing we ate lunch in the park and mapped out our next hike. We decided on another difficult trail called Hidden Canyon. The trail itself is somewhat short, 1.2 miles in and the same back out. However, it ascends almost 900 feet in the course of that mile. I don't care how good you are on the stair master or treadmill, this hike will wear you out. Here is LD checking out the downwards view on the way up.
There are some great views as you climb the trail and once you reach the top. The real fun of this hike begins when you reach the end of the trail. At that point it is no longer maintained by the park and you are on your own. So we decided to see how far down the canyon we could get. It was filled with tough climbs like this one.
The adventure of exploring the canyon was better than the views and the trail itself. Although, it did provide a great look at some different sandstone formations like this one.
Once we descended from the canyon we took a shuttle back to our car. We were both so exhausted I think we both nodded off on the way back. We got back to the campgrounds, hit the hot tub and then made a great pork chop and potato dinner. We are pretty much packed up and we will head out early in the morning for the 10 hour drive to Yosemite National Park.
Click here for the full Zion National Park - Day 2 photo album
