The journey through the desert

Our last full day of the trip included the journey back to Las Vegas where we started this road trip. After several days back in civilization, we had to make one more stop in a national park - after all, it is the centennial celebration of America's national parks!  We left behind the hustle and bustle of LA for some driving and hiking in Joshua Tree National Park.

Following our visit to Joshua Tree, we made the long ride through the desert back to Las Vegas. We met up with Tina and Tommy (sister and father of Tara) for dinner and then some sites along the Vegas strip. After a long day, we settled down for a short night of sleep before our early morning flight back home to PA.

Day 13 was our flight home. All told, we spent 12 days on the road driving 2054 miles around California and Nevada.

We had the pleasure of seeing some amazing sites in our national parks as well as along the California coast. We also had the good fortune to spend time with our friends Tara, Tyler, Tina, and Tommy (apparently people who live on the west coast have names that start with "T").  As they say... a good time was had by all.

BTW... there were no "Angry Sal" sightings on this trip!

For more photos, go to: https://goo.gl/photos/Js2dAkco575hmowe8

Hollywood!

Our second day in LA started with typical tourist activities as we walked around Hollywood. We checked out the various stars of celebrities and musicians, took in the view of the Hollywood sign, and checked out the famed Chinese theater.

After lunch, we took a ride along Sunset Boulevard passing thru West Hollywood and Belair and ending at the campus of UCLA for another college campus tour.

The tourist activities came to end and we joined Tara and Tyler for a second night of dinner, feasting on sushi in the Manhattan Beach area. After dinner, Tara provided some home-baked goodies (and a few bakery-purchased treats as well), ensuring that we would not have a repeat of ordering strawberries for dessert. The night ended with fun conversation and a fascinating view into the life of Shorty the Mouse (#shortythemouse). For the curious, check out Shorty's Instagram and Facebook page.

For more photos, go to: https://goo.gl/photos/Js2dAkco575hmowe8

Strawberries for dessert?

Our journey down the coast continued as we left San Simeon for Santa Monica. June gloom was in full effect on this day as the clouds never let up. That didn't stop us from grabbing a bite to eat on the Santa Monica pier and then spending some time on the beach!

After our short beach day, we met up with friends Tara and Tyler for a dinner out at Killer Shrimp (delish!) and a tour around several beach towns as we searched for dessert. Everyone enjoyed some calorie-laden cakes and lattes except Sal, who ordered strawberries for dessert and received a complimentary scowl from Tara for doing so. Nonetheless, our gracious tour guides and hosts did return us back to the hotel for our first night of two in the LA area.

For more photos, go to: https://goo.gl/photos/Js2dAkco575hmowe8

Getting wild on the coast

After San Fran, we took the Pacific Coast Highway south to San Simeon. The June gloom lifted early as we drove through Carmel-by-the-Sea.

We stopped at the Point Lobos Reserve for hiking along the seaside trails and views of seal lions, harbor seals, and many varieties of birds. The views were spectacular! The seals sunned themselves on the rocks and barked. Meanwhile, hundreds of birds nested on the rocks.

After Point Lobos, we continued south toward our evening destination. Just outside of San Simeon, we stopped off for a view of elephant seals who lie on the beaches. View a short video of the elephant seals here.

We finally reached the hotel where Kelly and Cece took some time for a relaxing dip in the spa pool before dinner. After a fine meal at the Manta Rey restaurant, we relaxed by the firepits perched along the bluffs above the sea. What a relaxing way to end the day!

For more photos, go to: https://goo.gl/photos/Js2dAkco575hmowe8

Out on good behavior

We had another great day in the SF bay area. The day started out dreary and misty from the fog but started to clear up as we inched closer to the Fisherman's Wharf area amidst the morning rush hour. At the wharf, we waited for our to take us to Alcatraz. The tour of the island and prison did not disappoint. Cece posed for some pics behind bars but Kelly was kind enough to let her out for good behavior. We happened to be visiting on the same day that a former guard, George DiVincenze, was on the island. He was there to greet visitors and autograph a copy of a book he wrote called Murders on Alcatraz.

Following Alcatraz, we had some lunch on the wharf. Then we embarked for a hop on/hop off bus tour of the city where Marquis, our tour guide, regaled us with stories as well as song.  Our decision to ride top-side on the double decker bus was not so wise when it came time to cross the Golden Gate Bridge. However, the views and photo ops were worth braving the cool temps and high winds of San Fran.

We ended our bus tour by hopping off in Chinatown for a scrumptious meal at House of Nanking where - and this is no exaggeration - we had the best Chinese food ever! Shout out to Sandra LeFluer for the food recommendation. And shout out to Kelly O'Malley (just for the hell of it).

Tomorrow we take the coastal highway south to San Mateo!

For more photos, go to: https://goo.gl/photos/Js2dAkco575hmowe8

The coastal portion of the trip begins

Today we continued our journey west, stopping for campus tour of Stanford University. It's still a bit early for Cece and college but since we were in the area... why not? Stanford has quite an impressive campus and we learned a lot about the university. After the tour, we had a nice lunch outside of the Stanford art museum and then hit the road toward San Francisco.

We arrived in San Fran to cross the Golden Gate Bridge stopping for some photos of the bay area. Then it was on to the John Muir Woods for a cool and peaceful walk through the magnificent redwoods.

We worked up quite an appetite from our walking so off to Sausalito we went for dinner. We had a fine meal in a restaurant with a great view of the water and the city in the background. From the window, we spotted a seal who decided to entertain the patrons, making appearances from time to time. 

The day culminated in a stay in Pacifica, just south of San Fran. Tonight we rest in our ocean-view room... windows open... the sound of the waves... a cool breeze.

For more photos, go to: https://goo.gl/photos/Js2dAkco575hmowe8

Hetch-Hetchy... that's catchy!

Days four and five consisted of more experiences throughout Yosemite National Park.

We started day 4 day at Glacier Point where there is still snow on the ground despite temps in the 90s. Views from the trailhead offered another viewing angle of Half Dome and more waterfalls.

After Glacier Point, we headed back to the Yosemite Valley for lunch at Cathedral Beach. Then we headed out for another hike to Mirror Lake where Cece and Kelly enjoyed a cool stroll in the lake shallows.

We left the park for a short swim at the hotel followed by dinner. We made our way back to the park during the late evening to secure a good spot along a scenic overlook where we watched darkness descend upon  Half Dome and waited for the stars to take up residence in the blue-black sky.  Star-gazing at 6000 feet in total darkness was an experience we'll all remember for years to come.

Day 5 was our venture to Hetch-Hetchy for a hike around the O'Shaughnessy Dam and Reservoir, which supplies water to San Francisco. We enjoyed some more breathtaking views along the reservoir, including the Wapama Falls and Tueeulala Falls – both among the tallest waterfalls in North America.

After another hot day of hiking, it was on the road again, leaving Yosemite behind as we make our way closer to the coast with a stop in Oakdale - the Cowboy Capital of the World (so they say).

For more photos, go to: https://goo.gl/photos/Js2dAkco575hmowe8

The wilderness experience... no wi-fi (gasp!)

Our third day was the first of three days in Yosemite National Park. While it was not quite the wilderness experience, we spent the day traveling about in the Yosemite Valley and taking in a few hikes along various waterfall trails. It was a hot day along the valley floor but the cool mist and tree-covered trails made for some nice hiking. Some falls included the Bridalveil Falls as well as the Upper and Lower Falls.

Along with hiking the falls, we took in the various views of El Capitan and the Half Dome from various points within the park. The day ended with dinner at the Iron Door Saloon - the oldest saloon in California and an overnight stay just outside the west entrance in the town of Buck Meadows.

On a separate note... Much to Cecilia's chagrin, there was little cellphone reception in the park. Her attempt at outside communication failed miserably as she was unable to google "How to use a pay phone." Like the park, the hotel had no cell reception and offered no apologies for its lack of Wi-Fi, instead encouraging its guests to enjoy the splendor of the outdoors.

For more photos, go to: https://goo.gl/photos/Js2dAkco575hmowe8

Elvis is everywhere

We're not in Memphis... and we're not listening to a Mojo Nixon song... it's Vegas! And yes, we saw Elvis playing his guitar on the strip. We arrived late in the day with not much time for exploring but we'll end our trip here and have some additional time for more sights and sounds of Vegas.

Our first full day started with crossing the Mojave desert to California. Despite the traffic, it was a pretty cool ride - well... 108 but it's a dry heat! Once in California, it was a long slog thru some more arid conditions. The surroundings started to green-up a bit as we found ourselves driving thru orange groves. We eventually reached our destination - Sequoia National Park.

In this land of the giants, we hiked along an easy trail to view more sequoias and eventually came to the grand-daddy of them all - General Sherman. The General Sherman is the largest (not tallest) tree, measuring 36 feet in diameter.

After the drive around the park and taking in a view vistas, it was back to the heat of Cali. We dined in Vasalia... had some amazing onion rings and cold drinks at Brewbaker's Brewing Company & Restaurant... and settled down for a night's rest before the road to Yosemite on Sunday.

More photos at: https://goo.gl/photos/Js2dAkco575hmowe8

2016 Road Trip... California Dreamin'

This year's Great American Road Trip is a tour around California, including outdoor adventures in Yosemite, cityscapes in San Fran and LA, a couple of college campus tours, some beach time and food... lots of food. Here's a map of the planned route showing some of the major stops. Photos will be available at: https://goo.gl/photos/Js2dAkco575hmowe8.

The more detailed route is about 2000 miles and includes:

• Day 1: From home, we fly to Vegas for an overnight stay.
• Day 2: We make the drive to California stopping at Sequoia National Park.
• Day 3: More hiking and outdoor adventures in Yosemite National Park. 
• Day 4: Scenic drives and hikes throughout Yosemite and star-gazing at night.
• Day 5: More Yosemite including Hetch-Hetchy.
• Day 6: A stop at Stanford for a campus visit then up north, across the Golden Gate Bridge to Muir Woods. A stop in Sausalito for dinner.
• Day 7: Tourist day - Alcatraz, bus tour of San Fran, cable car ride, and dinner in Chinatown.
• Day 8: Taking the scenic Pacific Coast highway thru Monterey, Big Sur, and down to San Simeon with stops along the way for some wildlife adventures, including an elephant seal rookery. Some beach time in San Simeon.
• Day 9: More coastal driving thru Malibu and ending up in Santa Monica for more beach time. Then it's off to dinner with some friends in the Hermosa Beach area.
• Day 10: A visit to the UCLA campus and then off for more tourist activities, including a drive along Sunset Boulevard, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and more.
• Day 11: We leave the city life behind for one more day of outdoor hiking in Joshua Tree National Park. Then back to Vegas for a final night with some sites on the strip and dinner.
• Day 12: Back home to Pennsylvania!

Day 11: Dead rat and a cracker

Today was the last day of the trip - the journey home - arriving at Dead Rat and a Cracker (don't ask - more obscure teenage humor). Here's the trip... by the numbers:

• 3,379 miles
  
• 55 hours of driving
  
• 13 States (including those passed thru: Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Maryland, Delaware, & Pennsylvania)
  
• 52 Bob Dylan songs
  
• 4 One Direction albums
  
• One too many Shinedown songs

• 0 roadkills (although there's an opposum in South Carolina who just narrowly escaped due to some expert maneuvering)

Photos at https://goo.gl/photos/Vkyk3chJfQj5n2mU8

Day 10: Lobster boy returns

Today was the last full day of the trip before heading home on Saturday. We spent the day relaxing on the beach along the Chesapeake Bay. The sun was shining and the water was cool. Unfortunately,Vinny did get a little sunburn and looked a little red. Fortunately, we got top dollar for our over-sized lobster.

After driving, walking, hiking, and enduring "your mom" jokes for 9 days, a beach day was the perfect way to unwind. 

Photos at https://goo.gl/photos/Vkyk3chJfQj5n2mU8

Day 9: Wild horses couldn't drag me away

Today's adventure included a jeep tour on the beaches of Corolla NC in search of wild horses that inhabit the islands along the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Our guide Wiley was certainly an interesting character - he even commented that Tim Tebow has been given a raw deal and should be the starter for the Philadelphia Eagles... at least he knew his way around the dunes and beaches. Wiley's knowledge of the horses did not disappoint - within minutes of arriving on the beach, we spotted the first of many wild horses along the water's edge where they cool themselves.

Behind the dunes, many more horses could be found feeding and frolicking about. We also encountered two stallions fighting as one tried to encroach upon the other's mares. Wiley provided some local history about the horses as well as the barrier islands which he calls home. Our day ended with a wonderful Mexican dinner at El Azteca in Norfolk, VA. Despite three years of high school Spanish, Vinny was unable to pronounce most of the items on the menu. However, that didn't stop him from getting his meal on! Tomorrow, we stay in Norfolk and enjoy the beach along the Chesapeake Bay.

Photos at https://goo.gl/photos/Vkyk3chJfQj5n2mU8

Day 8: Stormin' the beaches... of Morris Island

After a stay in the lovely town of Beaufort, SC, we drove up the road a piece to Charleston, SC. We joined Captain Howie for a 3 hour tour to Morris Island - an uninhabited island near Fort Sumter. On the island, we walked the beaches for treasure, including several shark's teeth (some of which are pre-historic), sand dollars, and an actual brick from Fort Sumter.



We encountered a few odd things including tunicate, also known as sea pork because it resembles a pork chop. It's actualy a single-cell organism found in the sea. Local wildlife included some crabs, birds, and dolphins swimming along the shore line. Captain Howie and mate Alex provided lots of expertise regarding the local ecology as well as interesting historical tidbits about Charleston, Fort Sumter, and the Civil War. It was a hot day on the beach but our found treasures made the trip even more exciting.

Photos at https://goo.gl/photos/Vkyk3chJfQj5n2mU8

Day 7: Keeping it one hundred

Today we made the journey to Savannah, GA. From the time we left the hotel until we arrived, the day time temps hovered in the high 90s to over 100. In Savannah, we were greeted by the humidity and the gnats but that didn't stop us from catching some of the sites in the city before dinner. Even dinner was an adventurous outing as we tried gator for the first time... and no, it does not taste like chicken.

After dinner, we went on an evening ghost tour. We didn't see any ghosts but had a chance to catch even more of the city and get some history as well as spooky stories.

Photos at https://goo.gl/photos/Vkyk3chJfQj5n2mU8

Day 6: That's sleeping late?

We slept in a little later this morning... until 8:30 am, prompting Cecilia to remark, "Since when is 8:30 considered sleeping late?" Such is a road trip with teenagers.  Nevertheless, we continued our visit to the Great Smoky Mountains. We did some driving to see waterfalls viewable by the roadside and took in some of the vistas along the way. We parked at various trailheads within the park to hike to various waterfalls.

Our first hike led us to Laurel Falls.They were not very high but nice to see along with lovely views of the moutains along the trail. Next, we headed to Mingo Falls, located within the Cherokee Indian Reservation. Along the way we passed through villages where the Cherokee still live. After a steep climb, the Mingo Falls offered a wonderful view, being among the highest falls in the area. Located in an obscure portion of the park, our final hike took some getting to - but we made it to the Juney Whank loop, leading to the Juney Whank falls. Given the location, only a few other folks were on the trail and we had the falls to ourselves for a while. So while we never did get to see any bears, there was plenty to see and do in the Great Smoky Mountains.

The day long hiking concluded with our drive to Seneca, SC - home of the Clemson Tigers. We hoped to get some all-you-can-eat sushi for dinner but the wait was quite long - not much to do in Seneca on a Monday night we suppose. We headed off to a local diner which was "eh" at best, but appeased Sal's frugal wallet. We arrived at the hotel for plenty of time to swim and relax.

Day 5: The Great Smoky Mountains

Today we finished our journey through Alabama after an uneventful and uninteresting stay in Florence, AL.  We crossed back into Tennessee and into Pigeon Forge, TN - just outside of the Great Smoky Mountains. Even though it was late in the day, we made it out to Clingman's Dome in the park. After a brief but steep walk up to the lookout tower, we took in some spectacular views of the mountain tops. The temperature in Pigeon Forge was 92 degrees... at the top of the mountain... 66 degrees! Not much in the way of wildlife... although we did see a wild turkey (and we're not talking about Vinny).

Tomorrow, we'll do some hiking along various waterfall trails in the Great Smoky Mountains. Cece and Vinny are hoping to see a bear... I'm sure the feeling is not mutual from the bear's point of view.








Photos at https://goo.gl/photos/Vkyk3chJfQj5n2mU8

Day 4: Oui... Oui... Arkansas?

Today we headed from KY to Memphis, TN. We took a small side trip to Paris to see the Eiffel Tower... Paris, TN that is. At least Kelly can't say that her husband never took her to Paris. Having been on the road for quite some time, our first stop in Memphis was Marlowe's for some BBQ. We actually stopped at the Cozy Corner which was featured on Diners, Drive-ins & Dives but they relocated to a temporary spot across the road and shared space with a little cafe. It did not look good at all so we bailed and headed to Marlowe's (also featured on DDD)... and glad we did. It was located on Elvis Presley Blvd so the decor was all Elvis - everywhere! The BBQ was delish and did not disappoint. On the way out, we caught a quick but free glimpse of Graceland from the road! That's about as much Elvis as we cared to see.

The Memphis adventures continued with a walk along Beale Street as we waited for our riverboat departure. We didn't have enough time to catch the Civil Rights Museum so we walked along Beale for a bit and then headed to the landing for our cruise. The American Queen riverboat was in town and loading passengers for their journey to New Orleans. Our riverboat was much smaller but we had a pleasant ride on the river along with some local history (and most likely some folklore) provided by our tour guide. As we cruised the river, we officially crossed over into the Arkansas state line. So while not planned, we get to add Arkansas to the list of states visited/crossed on this trip. The skies grew dark over the river and the rains came. The day concluded with even more driving (400 miles in total) as we went slightly south into Mississippi and then west into Alabama. Photos at https://goo.gl/photos/Vkyk3chJfQj5n2mU8

Day 3: I'm not gonna lie... that was a lot of One Direction music!

Today was a full day. We started off in the northeastern part of Kentucky with a ride to the Red River Gorge. We spent some time hiking and had some good photo ops along the trails. We crossed a natural stone bridge and then on a return trail below, had a chance to see the arched stone bridge from the bottom. We also hiked out to the Chimney Tops for a nearly 360-degree view of the gorge. All in all, despite the heat, it was a nice day for a hike.

Following the hike, we basically traversed the entire state of Kentucky, ending in the southwestern part of the state. The drive was so long that we had an opportunity to listen to more than 65 One Direction songs in a row. (The playlist police must have been handsomely bribed!) We arrived in Hopkinsville, KY where the Cherokee Trail of Tears crosses the town. We were fortunate to catch the Remember the Removal riders who stopped at the memorial site in Hopkinsville. Each year, a group of bicyclists of Cherokee descent ride the 1000 mile trail from Georgia to Oklahoma to commemorate the forced march and dsiplacement of the Cherokee people by the US government. It is a somber story but glad we had a chance to experience another aspect of our country's history.

The total mileage in 3 days is 1050 miles - about 1/3 of the estimated 3000 mile total. Tomorrow... we're off to Memphis, TN - maybe Justin Timberlake will be waiting to greet us there.

Photos at https://goo.gl/photos/Vkyk3chJfQj5n2mU8

Day 2: All I want is... mac and cheese

Those words were not made famous by Thomas Jefferson. More to come on that quote. Today's journey started with a tour of Monticello - the estate of Thomas Jefferson. It turns out TJ was a gadget guy and brought back some innovative ideas from his stay in France and Europe. Jefferson had a number of "inventions" (err... borrowed ideas) found throughout the estate, including double-paned windows, an automatic door, and a gravity & weight driven clock that kept the time of day as well as indicated the day itself. Saturday is in the basement - you  just have to trust us on that one. Along with buildings, there was an extensive span of crops which once included tobacco and wheat. Today, various vegetables are still grown, including the guinea bean or snake gourd - known to our family as cucuzza. The tours were educational and rather lively. Even Vinny and Cece seemed to enjoy it.

Following Monticello, we had a long drive ahead of us through Virginia and West Virginia and eventually to Kentucky. Along the way, we spotted a pink and green giraffe... probably the world's tallest one. The day ended with a drive thru Huntington, WV (home of said giraffe) as well as home to the Huntington Ale House which features an entire page on their menu devoted to mac and cheese dishes - an apparent homage to Kurt Cobain who was known to have said, "All I want is... mac and cheese." Our teen travellers honored Kurt by selecting the chicken parm mac & cheese. And like Kurt, there was nothing left.

Photos at https://goo.gl/photos/Vkyk3chJfQj5n2mU8