***I started writing this post in San Francisco. After leaving the coffee shop that day, I don't think I took my laptop back out until I got home.... so, here we go!
Fast news: ML joins me in Vegas and departs in San Fran, Red Rocks is hot, Death Valley is way cool, LAKE TAHOE FTW, and the Pacific coast is the real deal.
I left Brice Canyon on Thursday morning and made my way back to Vegas. This would start the particular part of my adventure with a copilot. Before ML arrived, I had time to get an oil change, upgrade my drinks/food cooler situation, check into a hotel FAR from the strip, take advantage of a comped hotel happy hour, lay by the pool to finish reading a book, and even caught a 3 hour nap. No matter the location, that's a solid Thursday in my opinion.
*before I left Bryce, I caught a sunrise over the canyon. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves:
After picking her up the night prior, ML and I took to the scenic road of Red Rock Canyon, just west of Las Vegas. It's pretty amazing to see that there is an ecosystem out there, surviving in relentless heat and little moisture. I did not get burnt that day, but my time was coming.
We made our way to Death Valley after Red Rock. Our destination was Paramint Springs Resort; a charming outpost in the middle of nowhere, ran completely on one diesel generator. They had A/C - we said yes. On the way, we stopped off at the Mesquite Sand Dunes right off Highway 190. My car thermometer read an outside temperature of 115, and I think it was shy a few degrees when I actually felt what it was like outside. The air in the desert felt like 6 wool blankets in a sauna.
In a previous trip taken by ML, she encountered a ghost town and suggested we make our way to it after we checked in. The abandoned town of Ballarat is about 3 miles off a main road in Death Valley, and we arrived at that road entrance around dusk. Providing to the creep factor, one of the main buildings that was still standing, had 6 or 7 low-lit lights on the porch, which made it seem more like a squatter's paradise than a deserted town filled with supernatural activity. Regardless, we was spooked and we didn't spend much more time there after that.
The real treat was the lack of light pollution and clouds. This opened our view to the vast, visual awe of the Milky Way Galaxy. I pulled into a closed road, turned out all the lights, and looked up. From there, we were both silenced by the engulfing scene of hundreds of stars littered around a long patch of white over a black canvas. One of my goals was to see the Milky Way with my own eyes - consider it done. Everyone needs to see this in their lifetime, if only to be reminded that life in this little corner of space is insignificant, yet priceless.
We drove. A lot. The Sierra Nevadas were a real treat to drive through, however. I was freaking out a bit about finding fuel, but the peaks that pierced the sky outside my driver-side window were providing some uncommon relaxation. We made our way to Carson City, which had the feel of a once vibrant, now declining vacation city. We did find a GREAT restaurant called The Union - great flights of beer, stellar food, open air seating, and dog-friendly! I'm not a dog owner, but I'm a dog supporter.
Lake Tahoe was big, touristy, and well worth it. ML and I took a tandem kayak into some marshes and small inlets around the lake, then took to the sand for a portion of the afternoon.
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| This was a paddle position I got used to seeing in front of me, even after I put my camera down. |
Lake Tahoe, great place to vacation. Do it.
That evening, we made it to San Francisco. Our AirBnB was exactly as described - a quaint, private room/cottage in the small backyard of a San Francisco neighborhood. We didn't waste time with the new digs, as we were barely on time to watch the last moments of July 16, 2017 fade into the Pacific Ocean. We raced to Pacifica Pier, arriving before the sun fell beyond the horizon, and were rewarded with every evening color imaginable after a committed ride from lake to shore.
I dropped ML off at the airport the next day. That sucked. I was very sad.
But! I was fortunate to see another dear friend on the west coast that day, a friend I hadn't seen in a couple years.
BB and I met up over bubble tea and sweet potato fries, and traded stories and opinions of past and recent. It felt incredibly good to find a great friend on the other side of the country. I don't think I had met a friend being so far from home, so I think the experience helped to root some confidence back into the trip.
Thus began the ride north to Crater Lake! I wanted to hit Mendocino by sundown, and... nearly made it. My intention was to follow the coast north from San Francisco, and just assumed that the fastest route would be such. Not one hour after I left SF, I realized I was not by the coast and I was instead placed on a real cool scenic byway more inland. In addition to testing the turning/speed capabilities of my Ford Focus on this particular byway, I got to see the Redwoods! Or some version of them, as they were the biggest trees I'd ever seen. I didn't get a photo, but trust me on this one.
I didn't have a place lined up to stay that night, I figured that I would just find a place upon arrival. I did, sorta - and thus turned into the only night that I slept in my car. I passed a pull off with about 20 cars, 5 tents set up, and a few campers. On sight of it, I knew it was exactly what I needed.
I woke up to the sound of waves - apparently, I was really close to the shoreline.
Next up, Oregon/Crater Lake!
JC
