Summary
Just a numbers summary of our 2 month adventure. Travel 8,500 miles 8 states $1,130 of petrol Animals 9 Bears 5 Snakes 1 Coyote + 1 pack howling Parks 13 National parks 30+ State/Other Parks Accomodation 20 Motels/Inns 9 Campsites 3 Hotels 3 Air BnB equivalent 2 Cabins Food 7 Denny's 6 McDonalds (br...
Day 62 - Oakland
Quick drive around a foggy San Francisco and down twisty Lombard Street again. Dropped Steph and luggage at hostel and then a slow journey back to airport. Got through check in with three bags all on the limit and Zoe's walking pole from Grand Teton. A good flight except for the people in front insi...
Day 61 - San Francisco
Left Yosemite under cloudy skies but saw several deer and headed out the West entrance through Merced. River was in full flow beside us for most of the way. Stopped for Zoe's 17th birthday lunch in IHOP and then headed into San Francisco. Steph, Zoe and Boz rode the trolley bus to Union Square where...
Day 60 - Yosemite
A day of Waterfalls which were all full of water. Started off with a short walk to Lower Yosemite Falls - with views of the upper falls as well. Then off to Mirror Lake which had a lot of water due to the snow melt. Thirdly, a steep mile long climb up to the bridge next to Vernal Falls. A brief res...
Day 59 - Mill Valley to Yosemite
Started off by going to a Memorial Day Parade in Mill Valley near San Francisco. We're hoping for some military parade but it was mainly businesses, Trump-bashing political groups and guides. Then a long drive to Yosemite. Stopped at a couple of waterfalls (cascade creek and bridalveil falls) which...
Day 58 - Highway 1
Drove down a lot of Highway 1 today, hugging the Pacific coast of California. Stopped at two old lighthouses - Point Carrillo and Point Arena. A few sea lions but cloudy and windy. Further down the coast it became sunny and we stopped at a small pebble beach which we had to ourselves. Cooked some lu...
Day 57 - Redwoods
A day driving through California's majestic Redwoods. Started off with a stop at the beach/headland near Kamath to watch seals playing/feeding in the sea near a river mouth. Also pelicans and cormorants in what was obviously a good feeding ground. Then a drive through Prarie Creek Redwoods stopping...
Day 56 - Crater Lake to Redwoods
A cold night in the tent but a nice sunny morning. Then a scenic drive through the lower Cascades and tree lined valleys took us to California again. We stopped at Jedediah Smith Redwood forest and did a 5.5 mile hike to Boy Scout Tree which is one of the biggest redwoods in that area. Lots of tree...
Day 55 - Crater Lake
Drove the 2.5 hours to our campsite at Fort Kamath in Western Oregon. Set up tent and then drove up to Crater Lake. The sky was almost cloudless and the lake very blue. Whilst the roads were clear of snow, the banks of snow next to the road were about 20 feet in places! They get over 45 feet of s...
Day 54 - Across Oregon to Bend
A long drive across the centre of Oregon to Bend. Most of the journey was through undeveloped wilderness with signs like "99 miles to next Petrol". Had a nice 3 mile walk in Bend up the main river with a sunbathe on rocks halfway. Bend is a lovely town on the edge of the mountains with 300 days su...
Day 53 - Stanley to Oregon
Started out from sunny, picturesque Stanley and stopped randomly on the way at Lake Stanley which was like a mirror reflecting the snowy mountains. Also saw some deer, pronghorn antelope and a pair of Golden Eagles soaring over the road. Then stopped on route 21 at Kirkham Hot Springs. Thermal wat...
Day 52 - Idaho Falls to Stanley
After watching cowboys heard cattle near our cabin, we set out at about 10:00. Stopped in the small town of FIRTH. Took pictures of the town sign, Firth High School, Firth Station and Firth Church (hey, how many times can you visit a town with your name?). Then on to Craters of The Moon Monument (v...
Day 51 - Yellowstone to Idaho Falls
Left the house and went through the Park one last time, stopping at Grand Prismatic Spring and a waterfall on the way. Also saw the mother and yearling grizzly one more time - they were being shoes away from the road and a campsite by rangers using blanks. Sad to see them both fleeing across the r...
Day 50 - Yellowstone
A day of geysers. Started off at Norris Basin with a 2.5 mile walk around a bunch of small geysers, mud pools and springs. Interesting points about how different colours arise in the springs and also how acidic some of the pools are. Then onto the main geyser basin around Old Faithful. We were lu...
Day 49 - Yellowstone
Yellowstone is BIG. We spent 11 hours in the park today and covered 250 miles (partly because one of the roads was closed). Started off at Artists Paint Pots (many different colours and types of pools) and then Biscuit Basin with some very blue pools. Between the two, we were privileged to see a m...
Day 48 - Yellowstone
A leisurely start to the day after the drive yesterday. Left the house about midday. Visited Mammoth Springs first and walked around a number of terraces and pools. In the main intersection area there were loads of Bison and calves lying on the grass - tough to stay at least 50 yards from them! Th...
Day 47 - Teton to Yellowstone
An eventful day. On leaving the hotel, we were told that the road through to Yellowstone from Grand Teton was closed because of snow, so we had to do a 100+ mile detour back into Idaho and into the West Entrance of Yellowstone. Drove across some very snowy high plains with almost whiteout condition...
Day 46 - Grand Teton National Park
Spent the day in Grand Teton National Park. Hoped to see loads of animals and did, but not in huge quantities. Just before the entrance station, two large moose crossed the road in front of us. Started with a nice 3 mile walk to Lake Taggart. Involved crossing bridges and also quite a bit of walk...
Day 45 - Salt Lake CIty to Jackson
A long drive today but thought lovely scenery. On the way up to Jackson we passed ver a coupls of summits, past very ful moutain rivers and up past the Snake river. Stopped in Logan for some supplies. Once checked into our motel (with real log fire in rooms) we did a hour and a half loop south of...
Day 44 - Salt Lake City
Started off by going to see the Tabernacle Choir sing at Temple Square. 360 choristers and a full orchestra - very impressive. Then had a short guided tour of the square from two very earnest "sisters" of church of LDS. Got a free copy of the Book Of Mormon. Also looked at Brigham Young's house....
Day 43 - Zion to Salt Lake City
A long drive to Salt Lake City today. Stopped at Kolob Canyon after an hour. It's the northern part of Zion Park and has alpine like valleys amidst towering cliffs. Went for a mile walk in the pine forest despite the warning signs about mountain lions. Called in at Denny's for lunch - think this h...
Day 42 - Zion National Park
Drove the Kolob Passage Road in the morning but it was nothing special, so we came back to the campsite and swam/sunbathed by the pool for three hours. The temperature was up to 32 degrees this afternoon. Popped in to Grafton Ghost Town on the way to Zion. They are rebuilding a town from the 1870s....
Day 41 - Zion National Park
Spent the day in Zion Canyon. Got to the canyon about 10:30 but there had been a rock slide so the shuttle buses were delayed and we didn't start walking until gone midday. Walked from "Big Bend" to "Weeping Rock" along the river which was beautiful. Great views of all the cliffs and devoid of oth...
Day 40 - Zion National Park
Left Bryce and drove the 80 miles to Zion. The route involves a mile long tunnel built in the 1920s which is too small for vans, so they have to stop traffic in one direction and escort them through. Put up our tent and then caught the shuttle bus back to the Park. Because it is so narrow, they do...
Day 39 - Bryce Canyon
Felt tired this morning so only a couple of small hikes, each of around 3/4 mile. It was also cloudy - not good enough America! First went to Red Canyon and did the Arches Trail - quite narrow paths. Popped into Bryce Visitors Centre to watch a video on Bryce and then did the other short hike to a...
Day 38 - Bryce Canyon
Spent the Day in Bryce Canyon. Started off with a 3 mile walk on the Navajo Loop and Queens Garden Trails. Lots of steep slopes, red hoodoos and ground squirrels. Beautiful sunshine - warm at the bottom of the canyon and breezy at the top. The top section of the trail is like being in Tokyo - I g...
Day 37 - Escalante, Kodachrome & Red Canyon
Not a long drive today but lots to see. Started off with a 1.5 mile hike up to the top of a Mesa in Escalante Petrified Forest to see some fossilised tree trunks. Not as many as the Petrified Forest in Arizona but worth the walk anyway. Then on to Kodachrome State Park which has a selection of roc...
Day 36 - Highway 21 and Escalante River
Woke to cloudy skies for the first time in ages, but it soon cleared up. Left our campsite and after giving the car a well deserved wash after 5 weeks and 4,000 miles, we drove to Boulder over a 9,600 feet pass. There was snow on the side of the road and we saw a couple of mule deer. We stopped at...
Day 35 - Capitol Reef National Park
A good nights sleep in the tent despite it getting down to 4 degrees. Drove the short distance to Capitol Reef Park and after doing the Scenic Drive, we hiked the 1 mile each way down Capitol Gorge Trail. It's a desert wash between high canyon walls that was used by pioneers to get through the moun...
Day 34 - Goblin Valley and Torrey
No 4X4 wake up call - Hallelujah! Left the campsite for a 3 hour drive to Torrey near Capitol Reef National Park. On the way we stopped at Goblin Valley State Park which consists of a large valley filled with partially eroded pillars - some of which look like Goblins. Had a lovely wander around th...
Day 33 - Arches National Park
Got woken again by the rednecks revving their 4X4 in preparation for another day of ripping up the desert. Ah, the peace and quiet of camping. Did Arches Park today. Hiked to Balanced Rock, North and South Windows Arches, Double Arch, Sand Dune Arch and Broken Arch. Also looked at the Fiery Furna...
Day 32 - Canyonlands & Dead Horse Point
For some reason we all felt really tired today - Zoe slept in until almost midday. Drove to Dead Horse Point Park to look at the overlook of the Colorado River and surrounding cliffs. Very impressive. Then onto Canyonlands Park and a short walk to the Mesa Arch - smaller than those in Natural Bridg...
Day 31 - Natural Bridges Monument
Had a nice breakfast in the boutique hotel and then headed off North East to Natural Bridges National Monument. Decided against going via an unsaved 3 mile road with 10% inclines and switchbacks. Natural bridges has 3 rock arches, one of which is the second largest in the world. We hiked a mile do...
Day 30 - Monument Valley
Left the lovely campsite at Lake Powell after coping with the childish temperatures. The stars were spectacular last night. Drove a couple of hours to National Monument Park to look at all the Mesas and Buttes. It's a very bumpy 17 mile circuit - it seems that all the parks/roads administered by t...
Day 29 - Lake Powell
Left our Desert View Hotel (slightly confused by Utah being 1 hour ahead of Arizona) and drove to Lower Antelope Canyon. Took a tour underground to see some amazing rock formations in one of the best slot canyons. It was a bit of a tourist trap with people being rushed through, but it couldn't det...
Day 28 - Grand Canyon to Page
Left our hotel by 9:30 so we could do our final hike in the Canyon in the cooler morning temperatures. Decided to hike the Bright Angel Trail to the 1.5 mile point and back. The trail drops over 1,000 feet in that distance. Parts of the hike are on paths with precipitous drops and it involves 2 tunn...
Day 27 - Grand Canyon
After microwaved eggs and bagels for breakfast (can't afford a hotel and it's breakfast) we went to pick up our tandem and cycle. We cycled a 20 mile round trip to the West of the centre of the canyon, to a place called Hermit's Rest. No car's on the road (just Shuttle Buses) and saw deer and chi...
Day 26 - Grand Canyon
Got up and drove to the only place in Winslow to have your photo taken - the corner made famous by the Eagles in 'Take It Easy'. Then drove via Flagstaff and a scenic drive through pine trees at 8,000 feet, to the Grand Canyon. The photos do it more justice than words, but safe to say it is spectac...
Day 25 - Meteor Crater and Petrified Forest
Left Sedona early as we had a long way to drive. Stopped off at Meteor Crater to see the crater left when a meteorite hit the plain 50,000 years ago. Fascinating place with a very informative guide who told the story of how it was believed to be a volcano until 1961. The original owner went bankr...
Day 24 - Sedona
Woke to sunshine but an increased wind. The campsite is very dusty and everything quickly obtains a red covering. Drove out to Boynton Trail which is associated with an energy vortex and hiked for a mile or so through cacti, bushes and rocks. Sat a while at the top of the trail. Then headed to C...
Day 23 - Sedona
Stopped off at Walmart for some supplies and then drove 89A down to Sedona - a beautiful road which drops through pine forests and then into desert foliage. Sedona is surrounded by red rock (Schnebly sandstone) and is also associated with powerful energy vortex regions. We visited the Chapel Of Th...
Day 22 - Flagstaff
Had a quick walk around Seligman with its souvenir shops and 1950s cars (most very rusty). You feel you should go into each shop and buy something to keep them going, but you can't. Drove a nice road to Flagstaff which is a very pretty town with a laid-back, 'green' feel. Wandered around old down...
Day 21 - Las Vegas to Route 66
Woke to another sunny day on Vegas but had to leave. For all its tackiness, we loved it. Stopped off at a couple of stores in Vegas and then had an IHOP lunch to fuel us for the rest of the day - so good. Called in again at Hoover Dam; this time to walk onto the bridge which looks over at the dam...
Day 20 - Las Vegas
Took another long walk this morning, but this time to the South part of the Strip. The Bellagio is beautiful with loads of real flowers in a Japanese style garden in their Conservatory. They also have the world's biggest chocolate fountain! The Cosmpolitan is a bit too up-market and austere. New...
Day 19 - Las Vegas
Started our day with a 3 hour walk around the North half of the Strip. Venice/Palazzo Hotel was stunning with singing gondoliers in boats, canals, replicas of Venice buildings and endless shops. Wynn hotel had great floral displays, musical fountains and big waterfalls. Didn't think much of Treas...
Day 18 - Lake Havasu to Las Vegas
Had breakfast by the lake on the campsite before leaving then headed out via Walmart to replace a deflating air-bed. Drove part of Route 66, stopping at Oatman. This is an ex-mining town where they have let the burros (donkeys) roam the street. Fed the burros and then drove on over very twisting...
Day 17 - Lake Havasu
Had a fairly restless night with the sound of helicopters, birds and boats on the lake at 8am. Had breakfast next to the lake and relaxed in a slightly cloudy morning which was good as the temperature was still in the 30s. Walked around the cactus garden near our campsite and saw a 1.5 metre snake...
Day 16 - Needles to Lake Havasu
Turned out that there was a Catholic Church within one block of our hotel so we managed to go to Easter Sunday mass. The priest seemed to enjoy testing the congregation's knowledge of all things Catholic so it dragged on a bit. Then a short drive to Lake Havasu where we drove over London Bridge and...
Day 15 - Joshua Tree to Needles
Spent as long as possible in the campsite enjoying the weather, surroundings and peace - a great place to camp. Then did a 1.5 mile hike up a nearby hill with lookouts. Saw a snake crossing the path - don't think it was a rattlesnake but gave it a wide birth nonetheless. Then drove towards Needle...
Day 14 - LA to Joshua Tree
Headed to Joshua Tree today along some very straight, deserted roads. The campsite in Joshua tree was brilliant - loads of space and we put the tent up without fly sheet so we could hopefully see stars later. Drove into the park and stopped at a viewpoint at 4500ft which looks over Palm Springs and...
Day 13 - LA to Barstow
Called in at a Walmart in Pasadena on the way out of LA and then bought some great donuts at Donut Man which makes fresh donuts. Then headed for Calico, topping on Route 66 on the way to look at Bottle Ranch - a strange place where loads of bottles have been used to make trees. Got to Calico Ghost...
Day 12 - Los Angeles
Another glorious sunny day in LA. We went to see Griffiths Observatory (as seen in many films like Yes Man) which has great views over LA. The drove to the Tar Pits which is where they continue to investigate fossils of Ice Age animals that got trapped in the tar. Weird to see tar bubbling up in...
Day 11 - Los Angeles
Managed to get some laundry and grocery shopping done this morning, so we have fresh fruit to eat and clean clothes to wear. Walked down Hollywood Boulevard along the stars and also the hand/feet prints outside the Chinese Theatre. Drove down Roedo Drive (very nice Bugatti Veyron parked there) and...
Day 10 - Malibu and LA
We found our first IHOP this morning so had a massive pancake and cooked breakfast - way too much food. Then we drove along the coast and stopped at Malibu beach for a couple of hours so Zoe could dig in the sand and get her feet wet in the cold Pacific Ocean. Drove on to UCLA to buy some hoodies...
Day 9 - Morro Bay to Santa Barbara
We found a Catholic Church 4 miles away in Cambria, so went to Palm Sunday service. Not the most stimulating of services but Zoe got to make a palm cross. Then we went to have one last look at the Elephant Seals. Drove to Morro Bay which is a fishing harbour where Sea Otters were catching shellfi...
Day 8 - San Simeon and Big Sur
Drove past more vineyards and oil pumps to San Simone area of the Big Sur today. Meant to stay at a campsite but there were no toilets or showers, strong winds and the campers next to us were playing loud music continually - ended up in a Motel 6. Drove the Big Sur coast seeing loads of Elephant s...
Day 7 - 17 Mile Drive and Big Sur
Left San Francisco and drove to 17 Mile Drive near Carmel. A headland with big houses, 4 golf courses (including Pebble Beach) and some white sand beaches. Large seagull flew down and stole a sandwich from Stuart's hand. Saw lots of birds and some seals in the distance. Drove down Big Sur as far...
Day 6 - Muir Woods and Sausalito
First day with rain but we dodged the showers and drove up to Muir Woods which is a preserved valley of Redwoods. Nice 2 mile walk. Drove to Richmond to collect our remaining Walmart items - really depressing Mall with about a third of the shops closed down and a feeling of poverty. Drove past Sa...
Day 5 - San Francisco & Alcatraz
Wandered around downtown Sausalito this morning - similar to a posh suburb in Sydney - a lovely place to live if you had money. Drove to Golden ate Park which has Bison and lots of lakes and park areas. Briefly stopped at Ocean Beach to see the Pacific and then drove back to SF for Clam Chowder lu...
Day 4 - San Francisco
Stuart's 54th birthday and it would be nice to think that all the I ❤️ SF slogans were for him! Another sunny day so we spent some time exploring both headlands at the ends of the Golden Gate Bridge. Drove past Mrs Doubtfire's House and then caught the Cable Car over the hills to China Town. Go...
Day 3 - Modesto to San Francisco
Left our hotel after another American sized breakfast. Stopped at Boot Barn to try on some Cowboy boots but can't justify $200. Drove on to San Francisco and explored the area around Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39. They have 200+ sea lions next to the pier who have been there since an earthquake i...
Day 2 - La Grange Rodeo
Had a good hotel breakfast of American sausages, waffles and loads of coffee - we're gonna get fatter. Stopped off in a Walmart but they didn't have a lot of the stuff we needed for camping so will have to click-and-collect later. Then drove through loads of Almond and Walnut groves to La Grange f...
Day 1 - Swindon to Modesto
Left home about 6am and despite the M4 bring closed at Newbury, made it to Gatwick in time. Had a good flight and got to Oakland on time. Small airport so really quick with customs, baggage and car rental. 23 degrees and sunny. Picked up the Dodge Mini Van (Zoe chose silver) and drove to Modesto...