http://whatatripblog.com/blog/ An online journal of Lisa and Tommy Hooten’s travels of America via RV en-us Nucleus CMS v3.32 � Weblog http://backend.userland.com/rss http://whatatripblog.com/blog//nucleus/nucleus2.gif http://whatatripblog.com/blog/ http://whatatripblog.com/blog/index.php?itemid=241
I’m back to tell you about Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. They are separate parks, but are contiguous and co-managed, so it’s kind of like they (along with Sequoia National Forest) combine to form one mega-park. The two national parks, not counting the national forest, cover over 865,000 acres and measure 66 miles north to south and 36 miles east to west. They encompass land from the foothills of the San Joaquin valley, at less than 1,000 feet elevation, to the eastern crest of the Sierra Nevada, which includes Mount Whitney’s peak of 14,494. Access by road includes only a tiny portion of this large parcel of land. The rest is managed as wilderness, but a large part of this area is accessible by foot or horse on over 800 miles of trails.

If you are planning a trip to Sequoia & Kings Canyon in the next couple of years, let me warn you about the road construction. There is a huge multi-year project going on that effects entry into the park. Check the website to see where they are on this project and what accommodations you will need to make. That being said, you can see what the park has to offer on the main roads in a couple of days. Driving is very slow because the roads are steep, winding and narrow, but the views are magnificent! The parks contain several campgrounds and hotels, along with shops and markets for provisions.

The sequoia, the centerpiece of these parks, is earth’s largest tree. It is neither the longest-living nor the tallest tree in the world, but with its club-shaped trunk it grows to be the most massive. In all of the world, sequoias grow naturally only on the west slope of the Sierra Nevada between 5,000 and 7,000 feet of elevation. There are 75 groves in all. Sequoias are related to redwoods, but they are not one in the same (something I wasn’t clear on until we arrived here).

The highlight of Sequoia NP is the Giant Forest. Named by conservationist John Muir, the forest contains beautiful meadows and the largest living tree in the world, The General Sherman tree. Neither the tallest nor the widest tree, it is the largest because of its volume. The General Sherman Tree weighs approximately 2.7 million pounds and is believed to be about 2,100 years old. The tree is 274.9 feet tall, with a circumference of 102.6 feet. The diameter of its largest branch is 6.8 feet, and every year it adds enough wood to make a 60-foot-tall tree measuring one foot in diameter!

There are multiple trails throughout Giant Forest, both paved and unpaved, where you can walk among and marvel at the “Big Trees”. They are deceptive in their size, even when you are near them. It isn’t until you stand right up next to them that their mass becomes real, and almost overwhelming. The trunks of the trees glow a beautiful cinnamon color in the sunlight. Visitors tend to walk quietly and speak in hushed tones when walking in the Giant Forest, almost like they were in a house of worship. It is truly a place that makes you feel very small.

At the opposite end of the park, and technically in Kings Canyon NP, lies Grant Grove, home of the General Grant Tree. The Grant Tree, the second-largest tree, is 267.4 feet tall and 107.6 feet around. It is the Nation’s Christmas Tree and is the centerpiece of a wreath-laying celebration each Christmas Day. Several other sequoia groves lie within the boundaries of the park, including one that was completely logged out, save one tree. In this grove, The Converse Basin Grove, only the massive stumps remain to remind us of what human greed can yield.

Within Kings Canyon NP lies “a rival to the Yosemite”, in the words of John Muir. A glacial canyon through which runs the south fork of the Kings River is the centerpiece of the park. A masterpiece of road construction allows visitors to drive through a large portion of the canyon, where steep granite walls tower over 3,500 feet overhead. The Kings River, a beautiful whitewater river with many cascades and small falls, runs alongside the road. We haven’t seen Yosemite yet, but this park definitely reminded us of Glacier NP.

Tomorrow we are off for Yosemite, so I can let you know how these two places compare. We will again be staying, if not off the grid, then teetering on the edge. I don’t know for sure if we will have internet access, so postings may again be late. I do know that the website is up to date now, with lots of beautiful photos from Tommy Jack. Be sure to check them out. Talk to you again soon.

Love,
Lisa
]]> California http://whatatripblog.com/blog/index.php?itemid=241 Sat, 19 May 2012 12:50:13 -0700 http://whatatripblog.com/blog/index.php?itemid=240
While on a visit to a wildlife refuge in Kahuku, we found out that the Laysan Albatross was nesting on a remote part of Oahu at that time. I was unable to make the hike, but Tommy Jack went and brought back amazing pics of the birds, plus the beautiful scenery. A little bit of trivia about the area: it is called Ka'ena Point, which means "the heat" in Hawaiian. Located on the northwestern-most point of Oahu, it is composed mostly of lava rock and lies at the foot of cliffs of the Waianae Mountain Range. From both sides of the point, it is at least a mile and a half hike over sand and uneven lava rock in direct sun. Yet this place has a very important place in Hawaiian tradition. It is known as "The Jumping Off Point", the place where, at death, souls go to enter the afterlife. For some reason, that has always touched my heart. If I could convince myself to be cremated, that is where I would want my ashes scattered.

Back to the present. We are currently at Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Park. Be back soon to tell you about it.

love,
Lisa]]> General http://whatatripblog.com/blog/index.php?itemid=240 Tue, 15 May 2012 10:51:51 -0700 http://whatatripblog.com/blog/index.php?itemid=239
Back to fill you in on Death Valley. If you’re planning to visit, please do so in winter. As I was told by a park ranger, “It’s not hot yet and it’s not windy yet.” I’d hate to see it hot and windy! As I write this entry, it is 106 degrees with what I’d estimate are 30 mph wind gusts that are full of sand. But this place has value as a destination. We have seen some beautiful mountains, hiked through a canyon made of marble and stood at the lowest point in North America (282 feet below sea level).

Some facts and figures: Death Valley National Park, the largest national park in the lower 48 states (3.4 million acres) was established in 1933. Its highest point is 11,049 feet and its lowest is -282 feet. Summer temperatures frequently exceed 120 degrees, with a record high of 134 recorded in 1913. Ground temperatures are frequently 40% higher than the air temp. Snow falls at higher elevations during the winter months, but the valley averages two inches of rain a year, with no rain falling in some years. Despite all this, there are a few areas where water flows year-round. It is hyper-saline from all the ground salts, but supports a population of pupfish that have thrived since the end of the last ice age. Amazing!

The topography of the valley contributes to the lack of rain and oppressive temperatures. Four mountain ranges lie between the Pacific coast and the valley. Each mountain range coaxes rain out of the clouds and, by the time they reach Death Valley, most of the moisture has been precipitated out. The depth and shape of the valley—long, narrow, deep with steep walls--contribute to the hot temperatures. Superheated air can’t escape the depths and is continuously circulated and reheated.
Human habitation of Death Valley can be traced back 10,000 years. It is the ancestral, and current, home of the Timbisha Shoshone tribe. Gold Rush pioneers first entered the valley in 1849 on their way to California, with miners and tourists soon to follow. Although gold, silver and other mineral were mined here, the most profitable operations centered on talc and borate (borax). The famous 20 mule team wagons hauled borax from Death Valley across 165 miles of desert to the railroad at Mojave.

The first tourist facility built in the valley was a tent-house camp located at Stovepipe Wells (the area where we are staying). It opened in the early 1920’s, and was soon followed by a hotel. In 1927, as borax operations were winding down, one entrepreneur turned his crew quarters, located at Furnace Creek, into a tourist court. He then constructed the Furnace Creek Inn, a resort hotel that boasted a spring-fed swimming pool and palm grove. Still open and rated four diamond, the Inn offers luxury accommodations and fine dining.

If you’re planning a trip to Death Valley, there are several choices for accommodations. There are villages at both Stovepipe Wells and Furnace Creek that offer stores, gas stations, food and lodging. Stovepipe Wells has a motel, RV park with full hook-ups, and campground. Furnace Creek lodging includes motel, cabins and the Inn, plus several campgrounds. Cell phone signals are very spotty, but there are pay phones. We can’t pick up any TV channels, but there is satellite TV at the lodging, along with slow Internet access. Terrestrial radio doesn’t work either, but satellite radio does.

Be sure to check out Tommy Jack’s photos. I think you will be surprised, as we were, at what this place really looks like. Be back soon from a much greener place.

Love,
Lisa
]]> California http://whatatripblog.com/blog/index.php?itemid=239 Sun, 13 May 2012 09:51:18 -0700 http://whatatripblog.com/blog/index.php?itemid=238
Hi, everyone,

There is internet at the hotel, but it is the kind that doesn’t work too well on their desktops and doesn’t work at all on my laptop. So these postings will get dropped on you en masse in about a week. Sorry. After our first foray out this morning, I can tell you that it is very hot, windy and dry here. There are some very pretty views involving the mountains, and some very interesting salt and mineral formations. After I get all caught up with household things, I’ll write a good entry about the park. Be back in a day or two.

Love,
Lisa
]]> California http://whatatripblog.com/blog/index.php?itemid=238 Sun, 13 May 2012 09:46:14 -0700 http://whatatripblog.com/blog/index.php?itemid=237
California: land of contrasts. We awoke beside our mountain lake to a temperature of 48 degrees. We left our beautiful mountains and drove past ocean, farm fields and through a mountain pass, bringing us back into the Mojave. After driving through a whole lot of Mojave—and not the pretty Mojave of our past visit—and over yet another mountain range, we ended our day in Death Valley. Nineteen feet below sea level and 102 degrees.

Internet is across the road at the hotel and I’m too tired to walk over there. Maybe tomorrow. I think it may be a long five days.

Love,
Lisa
]]> California http://whatatripblog.com/blog/index.php?itemid=237 Sun, 13 May 2012 09:45:19 -0700 http://whatatripblog.com/blog/index.php?itemid=236
(Written May 5th)

We have had a great few days in Santa Barbara, beginning with our trip up from LA. After we got out of West Hollywood, we drove through the Santa Monica Mountains, the ones that make up the Hollywood Hills and extend northward through Malibu. Beautiful! North of Malibu, the mountain range suddenly ends and the road drops down into a huge expanse of farmland. We soon were travelling within sight of the ocean again, and continued to do so all the way into Santa Barbara.

The city is backed by another mountain range, the Santa Ynez Mountains. Covered by live oaks and lush grass, they are over 2,000 feet tall, and contain one peak that is over 3,000 feet. We headed up and over San Marcos Pass to Cachuma Lake, the site of our campground. About 20 miles north of Santa Barbara, Cachuma Lake is an impoundment on the Santa Ynez River that supplies drinking water to the area. It is over eight miles in length and over 100 feet deep at its deepest point. The lake and surrounding park, managed by Santa Barbara County, provide camping, boating, fishing, hiking and nature study in an isolated and breathtakingly beautiful setting.

We found Santa Barbara to be a beautiful city with a dominating Spanish influence. It was also much larger than I thought it was going to be. Most of the buildings in the downtown area are whitewashed stucco with red tile roofs. Courtyards, fountains and flowers abound. Set about a mile back from the ocean is the original town site, where we saw remnants of Presidio Santa Barbara and Mission Santa Barbara.
On the waterfront, Santa Barbara has a large marina with many pleasure boats and a small fishing fleet. Just south of the marina lies Stearns Wharf, the oldest wharf in the US still in use. Beaches flank these sites on either side. We enjoyed walking around the marina and wharf, watching the birds and boats.

Today we travelled west to see a little more of the Santa Ynez Valley. This valley has been home to the Chumash Indians since pre-history, the Spanish since 1804, and white settlers and cattle ranches for well over 100 years. The village of Santa Ynez, which is adjacent to the Chumash Reservation, preserves the “cowboy” history of the area. It is also home to Old Mission Santa Ines, which was founded in 1804 by Spanish Franciscans. The 19th mission founded on the El Camino Real, Santa Ines is one of the most intact and best-preserved of the California missions, and being in such a rural setting, is truly a “hidden gem”.

Just down the road lies Solvang. Solvang, meaning sunny meadow, is a Danish community whose downtown looks like it was plucked from Europe and transplanted to California. The community was founded by a group of Danes who travelled west looking to establish a Danish colony far from Midwestern winters. The Santa Ynez valley seemed like heaven to them, so they purchased 9,000 acres and established their folk school. Businesses and churches soon followed, as did more settlers.

The storefronts have what I think of as a Bavarian look, with casement windows and half-timbered whitewashed walls, faux thatched roofs (and a few copper ones), and decorative stonework. Shops and restaurants offer items from Denmark, Holland, Belgium, Finland, Norway and Germany. We sampled Danish specialties from a smorgasbord, chocolate shop and bakery, all run by Danish emigrant families. Wonderful! There are four windmills in town, as well as a museum dedicated to Hans Christian Anderson, a replica of “The Little Mermaid” statue that graces Copenhagen Harbor and a 1:3 scale model of Copenhagen’s Rundetarn (round tower).

It seems that each area of California we visit is prettier than the last. My preconceived notions of what California would be like continue to be shattered day by day. This may all come to a screeching halt, since we are going to Death Valley tomorrow. But I can certainly say that California is so much more than LA, and there are places that aren’t teeming with people. Nature and beauty abound, and we are having a great time discovering them. Be back in a few days to let you know what Death Valley is like.

Love,
Lisa
]]> California http://whatatripblog.com/blog/index.php?itemid=236 Sun, 13 May 2012 09:44:33 -0700 http://whatatripblog.com/blog/index.php?itemid=235
Since last we spoke, we finished up at Disneyland and I have been laid low by a virulent cold virus. Fortunately, I am now on the mend and was even able to leave the trailer today for what turned out to be one of our best days of this stay.

I’ll go back and finish up Disney first. We spent our second full day at California Adventure, the second amusement park in the Disney Complex. The entrance is just across a large open courtyard from Disneyland’s, to facilitate park-hopping. When reading articles on line to learn what to expect from California Adventure, I soon saw that the reviews weren’t too good. Locals pretty much hated it when it first opened in 2001. Among the criticisms I saw were: “built on the cheap” and “lacks Disney quality”. The park, meant to celebrate and pay tribute to California, seemed redundant to people who actually lived in the state. After several years of lackluster attendance figures, the powers that be embarked on a $1.1 million multi-year renovation and expansion project. The project is almost completed and the final areas will be opened in June.

Knowing all this and not expecting a lot, we were blown away by California Adventure! I know I enjoyed it as much as Disneyland, if not more. Is this due to the renovation? Or because I’m not a Californian? I have no idea. But I do know that we had a great day there. It was less crowded, less kid-centric and beautifully themed. The park is arranged in sections, like Disneyland. Some sections recreate various areas of the state, some recreate an era, and some are cartoon-based.
The Paradise Pier section of the park, evocative of Santa Monica or Santa Cruz, contains one of the best roller coasters I have ever ridden—“California Screamin’”. It also contains a replica of “The Wonder Wheel” Ferris wheel we rode at Coney Island (the one with the cars that move on a track as the wheel turns). One of the most popular rides in the park, “Toy Story Midway Mania”, is also here. Using 3-D technology and God-only-knows-what-else, riders play midway shooting games as they ride along. Kind of like “Buzz Lightyear” from Orlando, only much better.

We found new (to us, at least) technology all over California Adventure. The “Soarin’ Over California” ride simulates a hang-gliding trip over the state. Rows of seats are suspended in the air and pushed forward into an IMAX-sized concave screen. The movement of the seats, along with the sweeping panoramic video, truly give the illusion of flight. As an extra added bonus, scents are added to the air over orange groves, evergreen forests and the ocean.

Aside from the new and great rides we found at California Adventure, the theming of the various sections is to be commended. “Grizzly Peak Recreation Area” almost makes you feel that you are hiking through an evergreen forest, complete with whitewater stream flowing beside the path. And “Pacific Wharf” is a great representation of old Monterrey, right out of John Steinbeck’s “Cannery Row”. We even had a great bowl of clam chowder there, complete with sourdough bread!

So, from us at least, California Adventure earns a rousing two thumbs up! Our third day, split between the parks, was a short one, since that was the day I was stricken by the cold from hell. We spent the morning walking through, looking at the small details that had skipped our attention. Tommy Jack took his camera and captured a few images for you to enjoy. Be sure to check them out.

I was feeling human again today, so we ventured out to explore the area in which we have been staying. I think I told you we were in Seal Beach, which is adjacent to Long Beach. We are staying in a military campground aboard Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach. It’s a small post with a very important mission: to supply munitions to the Pacific Fleet. About 1/5th of the land inside the reservation boundaries is salt marsh and is separated out into the Seal Beach NWR. Out the windows of our trailer we have been observing a Great Blue Herron watching over her nest, as well as a Canada Goose nesting in the marsh grass. It’s pretty special to get to camp in the middle of a wildlife refuge!

We ended up driving about 20 miles northward up the coast today, and saw many beautiful sights. There are areas of beach here, but they give way to bluffs just a few miles up the road. After Long Beach, we passed through San Pedro and Palos Verdes. All are beautiful communities, with charming Spanish and beach cottages, and profusions of flowers everywhere you look. We visited several lighthouses and “happened upon” a place called The Wayfarer’s Chapel.

If you have never heard of The Wayfarer’s Chapel, like me, I encourage you to Google it up and read its background. This amazing chapel, perched on a bluff overlooking Portuguese Bend, was designed and built in 1951 by Lloyd Wright, son of Frank Lloyd Wright. Reminiscent of Thorncrown Chapel in Eureka Springs, AR, Wayfarer’s is constructed almost entirely of glass cut in 30/60 degree angles. Reason: these angles occur naturally in snowflakes, crystals and tree branches. Supporting the glass is a framework of redwood planks, and growing just outside the glass walls are coastal redwood trees. The trunks blend with the planks and the branches arch over the ceiling, turning the “glass chapel” into a “tree chapel”. The effect of all this, combined with stone, water and gardens both inside and outside the glass walls is truly breathtaking! What a place to let your heart sing to God! Having had the opportunity to visit Fallingwater when we were in Pennsylvania, I believe the son may have outdone the father in respect to this project. It is so organic and has such a sense of place. The Wayfarer’s Chapel deserves a visit if you are anywhere near the Long Beach area.

After our drive, we ended back up at the waterfront in Long Beach. It is a very pretty festival area with lots of shops, restaurants and boats. The Aquarium of the Pacific is there, but we didn’t have time for a visit. Commanding attention in the harbor is the Queen Mary. Permanently docked in Long Beach since 1967, the Queen Mary is a floating hotel that also offers a variety of tours and restaurants. The former home of Howard Hughes’ Spruce Goose, adjacent to the Queen Mary, now houses the Carnival Cruise Lines terminal.

Much like San Diego, this part of the greater Los Angeles area seems very livable. If one could work in the area and stay off the freeways, I don’t think it would be too bad at all. Of course, it’s still crowded, and the cost of living is high. But it’s really pretty, the weather’s pretty great and there’s beach.

In a couple of days we’ll be moving on up the coast to Santa Barbara. We will be staying out of the city in a state park, so it may be a while before I have internet access again. But I will definitely be back to fill you in on our last coastal destination before we head inland for a while. Take care, everyone!

Love,
Lisa
]]> California http://whatatripblog.com/blog/index.php?itemid=235 Mon, 30 Apr 2012 21:37:43 -0700 http://whatatripblog.com/blog/index.php?itemid=234
Actually, a few miles south of LA, in Seal Beach. We have just completed our first week in the Los Angeles area, and have another one to go. What a hectic, huge place! Areas of the whole are very pretty, but traffic is horrible and it is a chore to get anywhere. The air quality is surprisingly good, but we have been plagued by an almost-constant heavy fog. I understand it to be a seasonal thing, but we typically don’t see the sun until we get several miles inland. Makes it hard to know what to put on in the morning.

We began our visit with a real treat. We drove up to Glendale to visit an old Army buddy of Tommy Jack’s at his place of work. Tim Norman works at Dreamworks Animation. Yes, that Dreamworks. And the place is truly a dream. I guess Mr’s. Spielberg, Katzenberg and Geffen believed that a happy employee is a productive employee, because the entire campus is fitting of a four-star hotel. Tim treated us to lunch, gave us a walking tour of the campus and answered our many questions on just how the monumental project of creating an animated film comes to pass. We enjoyed it immensely, and no, we didn’t see Stephen Spielberg. He doesn’t work there. Jeffery Katzenberg runs the Animation section. We didn’t see him, either, but we did see his Nissan Leaf plugged in curbside in the courtyard.

Our other big project of the week was to play tourist and see LA, Hollywood, Beverly Hills and the surrounding areas. We did this as we have done before—by taking a hop on-hop off bus. Neither Old Town nor Gray Line does this type of tour in LA, so we went with the only game in town. Sadly, I can’t give them as hearty a recommendation as I could the other providers. But they got us to where we wanted to go.
We did a two day tour that took us to see such sights as Santa Monica beach and pier, Brentwood, Hollywood, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and all the teeming masses on Hollywood Boulevard. Santa Monica looks like it would be a lovely place to live. Besides having a beautiful beach, it has a lot of very well-preserved midcentury modern buildings, along with Spanish and bungalow style homes that give it a laid-back and beachy feel. And, of course, the areas of Brentwood and Beverly Hills are beyond beautiful!

We saw lots of interesting sights in the Hollywood areas, including many places you see mentioned if you read gossip mags or blogs. Skybar, The Standard, The Viper Room and Chateau Marmont to name a few. Since no trip to Hollywood is complete without seeing Hollywood Boulevard, we saw it, too. Who made that rule? They need their head examined! We got off the bus to walk so that we could see some of the stars that are inlaid on the sidewalk and were constantly (and I do mean constantly) assaulted by people wanting us to take their tour or buy their CD or be photographed with them for money. It was so hot and crowded and noisy that you really couldn’t enjoy looking at the stars and, by the time we made the six blocks to the Kodak Theater (home of the Academy Awards), I was ready to hit the next person that looked at me!

We went inside (there is a large mall there, as well as the theater), rested and ate lunch at the Hard Rock, walked next door to give a cursory look at Grauman’s Chinese Theater, and hopped on the next bus out. Actually, it was a little better at Grauman’s. The stars’ hand and footprints are in a semi-enclosed courtyard and there was no one shilling in there. So, if you ever venture to LA and feel that you must do the touristy things, just be prepared. And don’t make eye contact.

Probably the funnest thing we did on the tour was our stop at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the La Brea Tar Pits. The two entities, although sounding very dissimilar, are located together in a beautiful parklike setting. Although we didn’t have time to tour the galleries of the LACMA, we did stroll through the outdoor Rodin gallery and see their newest installation, “Urban Light”. The tar pits were very interesting, as well.

And yesterday we began our three-day visit to the Happiest Place on Earth! Today is a rain day, but the forecast is favorable for us to finish up tomorrow and Friday. We visited Disneyland yesterday and had a GREAT time!! The crowds were so small that our longest wait for a ride was 15 minutes! What more can you ask for?! Disneyland is the same, but different, than the Magic Kingdom in Orlando. We found Disneyland to be smaller and arranged differently. Of the rides that both parks have in common, we think the Disneyland ones are superior. The Disney Magic abounds, just like in Orlando. Tomorrow we will have a brand new experience visiting California Adventure. Can’t wait!

Be back later to fill you in on the rest of the trip. Hope all is well with everyone.

Love,
Lisa
]]> California http://whatatripblog.com/blog/index.php?itemid=234 Wed, 25 Apr 2012 16:50:49 -0700 http://whatatripblog.com/blog/index.php?itemid=233
We have had a wonderful week in San Diego. What a beautiful city! There is a profusion of flowers, both wild and landscaping, and blooming trees everywhere you look. And despite the rain we had one day, the weather is glorious. The city is built on a series of mesas that are separated by steep-walled gorges. Since everything is green and blooming and covered with palm trees, the landscape looks remarkably like Honolulu.

The funny thing about the whole landscape thing is this: San Diego County is considered a beachside desert. None of the flora that are present today, beside cottonwoods, live oaks and some wild flowers, are native. All have been transplanted here. The majority of trees and flowers that I see (and can identify) are tropical in origin, and they thrive in the Mediterranean climate. It’s a beautiful place to be out and about.

While we were here, we took a 59 mile driving tour, as well as the Old Town Trolley tour. Between the two, we have been up the coast as far as La Jolla, out to Point Loma, over to Coronado, and all over the downtown and Old Town areas. We have seen the old and new Point Loma lighthouses, the first mission in California, some original adobes in Old Town, the beautiful structures of Balboa Park (built for the World’s Fair in 1915), the Hotel del Coronado, the USS Ronald Reagan, and the world-famous San Diego Zoo. Nothing has disappointed.
If you enjoy zoos at all, the San Diego Zoo is a must. Plan on a full day to do it justice. The admission price seems a bit high, but you get a lot for your money. Included in the price is a 45 minute narrated bus tour that covers about 70% of the zoo. You learn a lot of inside info and get the lay of the land to help you plan your day. Also included is a shuttle bus that has five stops throughout the zoo, in case your feet get tired. And, as an extra added bonus, the sky ride is also included. It runs from just inside the front gate to the very back of the zoo. The terrain I mentioned earlier is evident at the zoo. You walk up and down a lot of hills. Wear comfortable shoes.

I would recommend everything we did to anyone coming here. There are also boat tours of the bay, a duck boat tour (they call it “Seal” here, because of the Navy), tours of all types of boats and ships (including the aircraft carrier USS Midway), and a ton of museums in Balboa Park. Plenty to fill a vacation.

Tomorrow we are off to LA. Kinda apprehensive about this leg of the trip, to tell you the truth. We are staying south of the city in Seal Beach, so hopefully it will be a little more laid back there. We plan to tour the city by bus and to spend three days at Disneyland and California Adventure, among other things. Be back in a few days to let you know how it’s going.

Love,
Lisa
]]> California http://whatatripblog.com/blog/index.php?itemid=233 Tue, 17 Apr 2012 16:48:45 -0700 http://whatatripblog.com/blog/index.php?itemid=232
We had an unexpectedly beautiful trip from the Salton Sea to San Diego. Unexpected because we had no internet access to plan or study our route. We just plugged the address into the GPS and went with it. And, boy, was it amazing! After circling around the northern end of the Sea, we headed west through the desert, where we travelled through the middle of the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. The largest state park in California at 600,000 acres, this great bowl of desert treated us with a beautiful wildflower display and views of canyons that were reminiscent of the Dakota Badlands.

Leaving the park, we experienced what was probably the sharpest line of demarcation between regions I have ever seen. There was literally a line where green grass began to grow. Next came trees, more wildflowers and a stream running in the bottom of a canyon. We were gradually climbing. That soon gave way to hills, then curving mountain roads. Before we quite realized, we were over 2,000 feet in elevation and the temperature was dropping.

We were on Highway 78, and passed through the towns of Julian and Ramona, as well as Cuyamaca Rancho State Park. We ended up climbing to just over 5,000 feet. The area looked like it was plucked out of Colorado, with green hills, pines and oak groves. The towns were filled with blooming apple trees, and we saw signs advertising cider and pies. It was almost surreal, having just left a desert and totally not expecting a mountain paradise.

I wanted to mention this drive so if you’re ever in San Diego, and it's really hot or if you get tired of tropical scenery, you’ll know that in less than an hour you can be in a cool, green mountain town.

Be back soon to tell you about San Diego.

Love,
Lisa
]]> California http://whatatripblog.com/blog/index.php?itemid=232 Sat, 14 Apr 2012 19:06:01 -0700