My eyes popped open at 7:30am. I wanted so badly to sleep, but my internal clock was saying "haha! sucks for you!" I moved in slow motion, in a haze, stuck somewhere between sleep and a daydream. Cori was still asleep. I was full of jealousy. I can't remember the last time I slept through a night. I stumbled out of our musty motel room, and greeted by the cold morning air. It was 31 degrees in the high desert, blindingly bright and breathtakingly beautiful.
Showing posts with label Road Trip. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Road Trip. Show all posts
Sunday, April 19, 2015
Saturday, April 18, 2015
Zion National Park
Angel's Landing
Miles: 5.4 (round trip - out and back)
Are we there yet? Breathe. Oh my God don't look down. Breathe. Sweet Jesus it's hot. Just breathe. Kids hike this?!? No Fing way. Just freaking breathe. Move forward; one step at a time. Oh thank God a traffic jam, we can stop for a minute. Breathe. Look at all those happy people coming back down; so relieved that the rock scramble is almost over. We're moving again. Breathe. Are we there yet?...
Miles: 5.4 (round trip - out and back)
Are we there yet? Breathe. Oh my God don't look down. Breathe. Sweet Jesus it's hot. Just breathe. Kids hike this?!? No Fing way. Just freaking breathe. Move forward; one step at a time. Oh thank God a traffic jam, we can stop for a minute. Breathe. Look at all those happy people coming back down; so relieved that the rock scramble is almost over. We're moving again. Breathe. Are we there yet?...
Friday, April 17, 2015
Death Valley National Park
After leaving Mono Lake we headed toward Death Valley National Park to camp for the night. We were somewhat on a time table that allowed us solely to enjoy the park by car. I was okay with this since (#1) it was getting late and (#2) the temperature outside was somewhere in the 80's and the thermostat got higher and higher the closer we got toward the park.
Thursday, April 16, 2015
Mono Lake
We left Shasta Trinity National Forest and headed back south. Under the advice of both friends and friendly strangers, we stopped by Mono Lake on our way to Utah. We weren't really sure what to expect but it kept being mentioned so we figured why not stop through.
The lake is located just to the east of Yosemite National Park, and serves as a major stop for migratory birds. Following our trend, we had gotten the there a few weeks before the huge influx of birds but there were still a few lingering out on the dry landscape.
The lake is located just to the east of Yosemite National Park, and serves as a major stop for migratory birds. Following our trend, we had gotten the there a few weeks before the huge influx of birds but there were still a few lingering out on the dry landscape.
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
Whiskeytown-Trinity-Shasta
I woke up this morning wanting to rip someone's face off. I needed to exercise. This sitting in a car thing is killing me, and unless I'm hiking 15 miles a day I'm not gonna keep the crazy away. Luckily, the hotel Siena Spa and Casino (Reno, NV) where we stayed last night had a gym, which had a treadmill. I jogged out the demons for about 30 minutes before heading to breakfast. I should be good for a few hours.
We've spent a lot of time focusing on logistics the past two days, but we finally have a new plan in place. We're heading back down South to National Park hop our way through Utah and across southern Colorado. But before we left the evergreen trees of beautiful Northern California we spent the night in Trinity-Shasta National Forest with the hope of getting some better views of Mt. Shasta. I say hope because a storm was rolling in, smothering Mt. Shasta in a swirl of grey and white.
We've spent a lot of time focusing on logistics the past two days, but we finally have a new plan in place. We're heading back down South to National Park hop our way through Utah and across southern Colorado. But before we left the evergreen trees of beautiful Northern California we spent the night in Trinity-Shasta National Forest with the hope of getting some better views of Mt. Shasta. I say hope because a storm was rolling in, smothering Mt. Shasta in a swirl of grey and white.
Monday, April 13, 2015
Redding, CA
There is no National Park in Redding, CA, I know. We took a slight detour. We were actually on our way to Lassen Volcanic NP only to realize 1.5 hrs before our arrival that the main road through the park was closed and so were all the campgrounds. We've grown so accustomed to summer weather (by Boone standards) that we didn't really consider that winter, unfortunately, is still upon Northern California and the Pacific Northwest. Unfortunately this means no Crater Lake, Yellowstone, or Grand Tetons which is a little disappointing, however, it just means we need to stick to the southerly route on the way back to North Carolina.
Friday, April 10, 2015
Yosemite!
After taking refuge in Madera, CA to wait out a passing snowstorm we headed North to Yosemite National Park. The recent snow event caused some roads closure including Glacier Point where had planned to spend the afternoon so we headed into Yosemite Valley instead.
I'm overwhelmed by the amount of people here in Yosemite Valley. I can't even begin to imagine what it's like in the summer time. Even in early April, traffic is bumper to bumper. Short trails leading to popular attractions are nearly shoulder to shoulder. There are lines for a deli. There is a grocery store. Lodges. I understand these things exist in a National Park, but to experience the reality of it is a bit of a shocker. I feel like I'm in an amusement park.
I'm overwhelmed by the amount of people here in Yosemite Valley. I can't even begin to imagine what it's like in the summer time. Even in early April, traffic is bumper to bumper. Short trails leading to popular attractions are nearly shoulder to shoulder. There are lines for a deli. There is a grocery store. Lodges. I understand these things exist in a National Park, but to experience the reality of it is a bit of a shocker. I feel like I'm in an amusement park.
Tuesday, April 7, 2015
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park
After rounding up some packages in the desert Cori and I headed North, but not without stopping in the Mojave one last time to get my picture with a Joshua Tree. I'm not exactly sure what my fascination is with these odd looking trees, but I've always been intrigued by them. To me they look like alien palm trees, but in fact are the largest species in the Yucca family. They exist mostly in the Mojave Desert, the hottest desert in North America, and their pollination is solely reliant on the female pronuba moth that lays her eggs on the yucca seeds which then hatch and provide food for the larvae.
Our drive into Sequoia meandered through the western foothills of the Sierra Mountain range. Here, elevations below 5,000 feet are too dry to support much vegetation beyond grasses and shrubs. I was surprised by this, thinking that we were far enough north to be out of the desert. I guess I'm spoiled by the lush green vegetation of the Southern Appalachians. Still the tall grass rolling hills were a welcomed change of scenery.
It's so hard to believe that these grassy hills lead the way to some of the largest organisms in the world. Mind boggling really. This past year I read The Wild Trees_by Richard Preston, a novelistic style non-fiction book about the Redwood and Sequoia's of Northern California. An excellent read for anyone interested in the adventure and science of these trees. My mind kept regressing back to the books passages about the discovery of the groves, their magestic nature, and the thrill of discovering such a magnificent organism! And here I was, wiggling around in my seat like a two year who has to pee. I was just giddy with excitement. "Redwoods! We're going to see Redwoods!" I exclaimed. "No we're not", Cori replied, with a thin lined smirk rising across her face. "We're going to see Sequoias. Not the same thing. " Leave it to the plant physiologist to bring me back down to earth. She's correct though, although easily confused and often described interchangeably, they are in fact different species. One of the most notable differences is where they are found. Sequoia's are found on the western slopes of the Sierras between 4,000 - 8,000 feet. The Redwoods, on the other hand, are located along the Pacific Coast. There are also many other physical/biological differences that distinguish each species. You can read more about their differences on the National Park Service website if you're interested.
It was the end of Easter weekend as we pulled up to the park entrance. I was hoping to get a campsite in the Lodgepole campground to sleep near the trees, but the welcome sign noted that the site was full. Bummer. We quickly snagged a campsite at Buckeye instead which is in the foothills. More desert. Yay!!! (Please note the sarcasm). Honestly though, this worked to our advantage since the night temps would drop below freezing up at Lodgepole and we would be much warmer camping at 2,900 feet than at 6,500 feet. Thank you fate.
After securing a spot to camp we headed North along the Generals Highway, stopping to get a glimpse of Moro Rock and it's neighboring peaks.
The drive up to the Giant Forest was slam-on -the-breaks spectacular. Thank goodness for pull-offs.
Sequoia National Park is the nation's second oldest National Park, and the first National park created to protect a single living organism. So it seemed fitting to make our first hike to see General Sherman, the largest (by volume) and one of the oldest trees on earth. General Sherman stands nearly 275 feet tall and is 106.5 feet across at its widest point. The tree is estimated to be between 2,300 - 2,700 years old.
The tree itself is fenced off for protection which was understandable but still slightly disappointing. Luckily there were plenty of other trees to admire up close and personal.
The second largest tree, General Grant is in Sequoia's neighboring park, Kings Canyon. The Grant Tree is the largest tree within the Grant Tree grove and is currently the second largest tree in the world. It stands 267.4 feet tall and measures 107.6 around its base.
A snow storm is moving into the region so we drove out of the park a day early and took refuge at a Quality Inn (Thank you Christine for the hook up!). Next stop, Yosemite!
Our drive into Sequoia meandered through the western foothills of the Sierra Mountain range. Here, elevations below 5,000 feet are too dry to support much vegetation beyond grasses and shrubs. I was surprised by this, thinking that we were far enough north to be out of the desert. I guess I'm spoiled by the lush green vegetation of the Southern Appalachians. Still the tall grass rolling hills were a welcomed change of scenery.
It's so hard to believe that these grassy hills lead the way to some of the largest organisms in the world. Mind boggling really. This past year I read The Wild Trees_by Richard Preston, a novelistic style non-fiction book about the Redwood and Sequoia's of Northern California. An excellent read for anyone interested in the adventure and science of these trees. My mind kept regressing back to the books passages about the discovery of the groves, their magestic nature, and the thrill of discovering such a magnificent organism! And here I was, wiggling around in my seat like a two year who has to pee. I was just giddy with excitement. "Redwoods! We're going to see Redwoods!" I exclaimed. "No we're not", Cori replied, with a thin lined smirk rising across her face. "We're going to see Sequoias. Not the same thing. " Leave it to the plant physiologist to bring me back down to earth. She's correct though, although easily confused and often described interchangeably, they are in fact different species. One of the most notable differences is where they are found. Sequoia's are found on the western slopes of the Sierras between 4,000 - 8,000 feet. The Redwoods, on the other hand, are located along the Pacific Coast. There are also many other physical/biological differences that distinguish each species. You can read more about their differences on the National Park Service website if you're interested.
It was the end of Easter weekend as we pulled up to the park entrance. I was hoping to get a campsite in the Lodgepole campground to sleep near the trees, but the welcome sign noted that the site was full. Bummer. We quickly snagged a campsite at Buckeye instead which is in the foothills. More desert. Yay!!! (Please note the sarcasm). Honestly though, this worked to our advantage since the night temps would drop below freezing up at Lodgepole and we would be much warmer camping at 2,900 feet than at 6,500 feet. Thank you fate.
After securing a spot to camp we headed North along the Generals Highway, stopping to get a glimpse of Moro Rock and it's neighboring peaks.
The drive up to the Giant Forest was slam-on -the-breaks spectacular. Thank goodness for pull-offs.
Sequoia National Park is the nation's second oldest National Park, and the first National park created to protect a single living organism. So it seemed fitting to make our first hike to see General Sherman, the largest (by volume) and one of the oldest trees on earth. General Sherman stands nearly 275 feet tall and is 106.5 feet across at its widest point. The tree is estimated to be between 2,300 - 2,700 years old.
The tree itself is fenced off for protection which was understandable but still slightly disappointing. Luckily there were plenty of other trees to admire up close and personal.
The second largest tree, General Grant is in Sequoia's neighboring park, Kings Canyon. The Grant Tree is the largest tree within the Grant Tree grove and is currently the second largest tree in the world. It stands 267.4 feet tall and measures 107.6 around its base.
A snow storm is moving into the region so we drove out of the park a day early and took refuge at a Quality Inn (Thank you Christine for the hook up!). Next stop, Yosemite!
Plan B: Western National Park Tour 2015
How do you grieve the death of a vision? I could dwell on what I "should" be doing (literally walking my ass off from Mexico to Canada). I could spend the next several days sobbing and being full of resentment as I make my way back to North Carolina. Or, I can look at my new found situation as an opportunity to see places that are on my bucket list. Why not? We paid to come all the way out here, and we're in no great hurry to go home. Bills are paid for the next five months and the dogs are being well taken care of. There seems to be no better time then the present.
I can't really take credit for this fantastic idea. I was pretty ready to be a sorrowful individual, but Cori came to me with the suggestion that we take this crappy situation of not hiking the PCT and try to take advantage of being out West to see some the world's most beautiful and historic places. It took awhile for the new plan to settle in, but when I could let go of my ego momentarily I had to admit that this new "Plan B" (as we've come to call it) actually sounded pretty awesome.
We came up with a short list of National Parks; Sequoia and Kings Canyon, Yosemite, Yellowstone, the Grand Tetons, and Rocky Mountains. Cori would rent a car and we would travel to each park spending a day or two in each one, and camp each night. If we wanted to stay somewhere longer or add places to the list we could always extend the rental car reservation. I know this means we just get to dabble in each of these places, but it still gives us the chance to see areas that we've never been to, and we get to experience them together.
Usually I use this blog to talk about my trail adventures, and driving across country doesn't really fit in with this theme. Still, I'd really love to share these places with our friends and family (the four of you that will read this) and I see no other valid reason to share it somewhere other then here.
So, over the next few weeks I'll share our adventures at each National Park as we make our way back East. Our first stop, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park.
I can't really take credit for this fantastic idea. I was pretty ready to be a sorrowful individual, but Cori came to me with the suggestion that we take this crappy situation of not hiking the PCT and try to take advantage of being out West to see some the world's most beautiful and historic places. It took awhile for the new plan to settle in, but when I could let go of my ego momentarily I had to admit that this new "Plan B" (as we've come to call it) actually sounded pretty awesome.
We came up with a short list of National Parks; Sequoia and Kings Canyon, Yosemite, Yellowstone, the Grand Tetons, and Rocky Mountains. Cori would rent a car and we would travel to each park spending a day or two in each one, and camp each night. If we wanted to stay somewhere longer or add places to the list we could always extend the rental car reservation. I know this means we just get to dabble in each of these places, but it still gives us the chance to see areas that we've never been to, and we get to experience them together.
Usually I use this blog to talk about my trail adventures, and driving across country doesn't really fit in with this theme. Still, I'd really love to share these places with our friends and family (the four of you that will read this) and I see no other valid reason to share it somewhere other then here.
So, over the next few weeks I'll share our adventures at each National Park as we make our way back East. Our first stop, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park.
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