09/04/19- Roadtrip time as we begin our travel around Western USA. I have no idea how long we will be gone as this trip will be played by ear (quite different than what we’ve done before). We will start our journey in Southern Utah, which we’ve never been to before.
We didn’t leave our house until around 2pm. The drive should take about 7 hours but we had to make a stop at Best Buy first. Recently I got a dashcam and waited until today to set it up, and of course I realize I didn’t bring a memory card. At Best Buy (which was on the way) I buy a 128 GB mini card and try it out while in the parking lot. Unfortunately it didn’t work. Looking up the instructions on my phone I found that I had to get the 64 GB mini card for it to work. Done the exchange ($24 refunded back to my card) and tried it out again. I had to format the card but it soon fired up and we were ready to go.
About four hours into the drive we check the outside temperature to find it to be 113 degrees. Luckily the air conditioning in our Prius was perfect for us. We saw some dark clouds scattered around stretching to the top of the mountains, and then suddenly was hit with a bout of rain and wind as it was tough keeping our car straight. Large tumbleweeds flew across the highway and funny enough we didn’t even need to use our wipers as the wind blew the rain off our windshield. Five minutes later the weather cleared up again leaving magnificent views of the clouds and a rainbow.
The rest of the drive was pretty smooth. Our route took us into Arizona then Utah back to Arizona and again to Utah to our hotel in Kanab. This is weird because there’s an hour time difference between the two states so our phones were going haywire for a bit with that. We finally make it to our hotel at 11pm, just as they were locking up for the night. We called ahead so they knew we were coming anyhow so we didn’t worry too much about not being able to check-in.
09/05/19- Only got around five hours of sleep; due to the time change and also I had to be at the lottery by 8:30am. What’s the lottery you ask? It’s to be selected to go on a six mile hike in the desert to see some really cool mountains called “The Wave”. Only twenty people a day are selected to go. Ten of them are selected through an online lottery three months in advance while the remaining ten are selected the day before.
This morning there were 85 people waiting for those 10 slots, however, it doesn’t work the way you think. The percentage of getting picked is actually less due to each application submitted is for groups not just individuals. That means if the first number called has a group of six people then six slots are filled and only four remain. This morning there were forty-two applications and only four were drawn as they filled the ten person quota. So in reality the chance of getting picked was around 8%. Even though I didn’t get picked today I can still show up tomorrow to try again. Not sure if there will be more or less people but I expect a similar turnout.
But enough of that as when I got back to the hotel we started our day off with an hour drive to Zion National Park. The route was beautiful as the blue skies were beaming and the weather was awesome. Once at the park entrance we were asked to pay $35 for our vehicle, which covers both of us to come back as many times as we want for up to a week. Unfortunately there were no parking spots available inside the park anymore so we had to pay $20 in the nearby town of Springdale.
As soon as we started our walk to the Visitor Center we started feeling the brunt of the heat. Instantly we put on sun block and head inside for air conditioning. There wasn’t much for souvenirs but we asked a worker for information about where to start and was given a nice itinerary to follow.
We find the free shuttle and take it all the way to the end of the line, which took about forty minutes. It was informative to a degree and was hard to hear most of it, but we did get to see the layout of the park. At the last stop we switched shuttles and took it back down. We wanted to get off at the 7th stop but there was a rock slide in that area recently so they closed it down. Instead, we got off at the 5th stop to start our hike.
The total length was around 1.2 miles and the heat definitely made it hard at times, but we trekked through finding as much shade as possible. When we got to the end we were greeted with mist from a small waterfall and a nice breeze. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much water at this point but it was an okay hike none-the-less.
After another stop to see some views we decided to give the museum a try. We asked the worker there about the hike of “The Narrows” and found it not as impressive, considering the timeframe of a half day hike to get there. We did stumble upon a small mountain with waves and grooves cut into it. After studying the terrain for a few moments I decided to try my hand at climbing it. Of course I didn’t have any gear so this would be a complete free climb but I was curious. Each step I had to watch very carefully and secure my footing and my hands otherwise I would fall straight down, and that wouldn’t have been very fun. I didn’t get to the top as that would have taken quite a bit of time and frankly I was concerned on how I would eventually get back down, but the journey up the mountain was a great experience regardless.
With the day done, the heat hitting us hard and the fact that rain clouds were now coming over making a sunset virtually impossible to really view, we decided to find our car and drive back to our hotel for the night.
09/06/19- Another day, another chance at the lottery. Ended up being Ping Pong Ball #6 again with fewer people this time (72 people and 35 applications). They drew six numbers with the closest to mine was #7; if only I had let the person behind me put in their application first. Oh well, I’ll try again.
Soon after we are on our way to the Grand Canyon. We’ve been to the South Rim before but this time we wanted to check out the North Rim. The drive did take about an hour and forty minutes to get there and of course we were both still pretty tired from yesterday, but we were ready to press on.
At the entrance, the total was supposed to be $35 for the car, however, since we paid for the Zion ticket yesterday the worker upgraded us to the annual pass that covers all of the federal parks for only $10 more. Not bad as we may end up using that pass on this trip again.
Our first destination was to the Visitor Center. Here is where we found the old lodge dated from 1919 as well as the Bright Angel Point Trail. The hike was a simple one mile around but the views of the canyon were quite awesome. At one point I was able to climb around some rocks and sit on the ledge facing the Grand Canyon. It was a steep drop down to the bottom which was enough to make me feel a bit uneasy and the wind kept nudging like it was trying to help me to jump off. After awhile though it felt pretty normal and was able to get a very nice picture of me. I will have to say it was pretty intense as there was nothing below to catch my fall if anything should happen.
Completing the trail, we opted to get back into our car and drive the scenic route towards Cape Royal. The route was about thirty-five to forty minutes driving, not counting the several vista stops we took along the way. Luckily, the sun was on the West side now leaving this part of the canyon full of color with the red rock and blue skies.
At Cape Royal View Point we were able to hike further to get to the highest elevated view of the Grand Canyon. We were completely awestruck at the size of the canyon and the panoramic view. So, so, soooo glad we were able to make it here today while the weather was perfect. Oh, did I mention the temperature was only around 85 degrees? Still got burnt a bit though.
Finished with the day, we drive the now two hours back to our hotel in Kanab. We stopped at a local Mexican restaurant which was pretty packed and opted for take-a-way delivery. The food was great and a nice way to end the day.
Before bed, we researched our plans for tomorrow. I was originally hoping to have won the lottery for “The Wave” by now so left it open but I think we will take it easy and spend it around Kanab. I’m also taking tomorrow off from doing the lottery as we have plans for Sunday.
09/07/19- Restful morning as we slept in until about 11am. My hip was hurting all night, however, as I must have nailed it somehow. Couldn’t have been the rock climbing or the hikes. Doubt it was the ledge or the long drives. Guess it’s just one of those mysteries I will never know.
Shortly after 1pm we head off to our first destination of the Heritage House Museum. Once we arrive, which was literally down the road, we find out that there are tours and the next one didn’t start until 2pm. Having some time to kill we hit up the local market for a few items and upon returning we were able to start our tour on time. Lucky for us we were the only two so we got a personal walk inside the home.
The guide was very informative and personable, which made the hour go by pretty fast. Being the very first modern, two-story home built in the mid 1800s it was purchased by the state and preserved to show living back in the expansion era of the United States. We also got a brief history lesson on the Mormons that came over to Utah and how they settled the area before it officially was purchased from Spain. The house is not on the main strip so it can easily be missed but it’s well worth the time to visit. Did I mention it’s free? Just a donation is all they ask.
Next, we traveled down the road to Little Hollywood Land. This was a small area with old Western sets used in films. The sun was baking us so we kept cover in shade when we could but overall it was a nice experience. The sets don’t look like much, and if you’re from Los Angeles like we are then it will be underwhelming, but a nice thirty minutes of checking it out. They also have a gift shop which was full of cowboy gear.
Taking a break we get some food and head to our hotel for a few hours to enjoy air conditioning. We wanted to wait until the sun was coming down before tackling the next adventure and didn’t leave until around 6pm. We stop over at this family owned place called Moqui Cave but apparently they closed down early today because they are short staffed. I don’t think we missed much as it’s mainly a cave converted into a store but luckily we were able to talk with the lady as she directed us to the Sand Caves down the road.
These Sand Caves are not on the beaten path, either. There aren’t any signs or organized tour for this place as it’s just a bunch of open caves embedded into a plateau. The tricky thing is that we have to scale the plateau to get to the cave openings.
After parking our car on the side of the road, we ran across the highway and had to bushwhack through a makeshift trail to get to the base. Once there, we then walked around to find a good spot to start climbing. It didn’t take long before we began our ascent up the plateau. The rock had some nice grooves in it to keep us steady but there were some slippery spots we had to watch out for. The sun was also still shinning but not nearly as hot as it was earlier. Needless to say, I was very proud of Sharece making the climb.
Once inside the cave we were astounded on how large it was. There were several openings that let the light in with the sun giving it a nice golden glow. Inside we saw markings from tourists etched into the rock wall as well as cave designs. Definitely a neat experience for anyone that wants to do something a little bit different.
Climbing back down was pretty easy and once back in our car we noticed the sun about to set. Hoping to catch it at the horizon we dart down the road and through town to get around the mountains. Unfortunately, the area was too vast and we missed the official sunset, but we were able to get a nice view regardless.
09/08/19- Lottery again. Got there at the usual time and heard the usual spill, but this time there were 99 people there (45 applications). I was #9 today and they called out #7 and #8 but not mine. Almost! May try one more time tomorrow morning, we’ll see.
Got back to the hotel and rested for another hour and a half before driving out to Page, AZ for our tour of Antelope Canyon. The drive took over an hour but we also wanted to check out a place called Horseshoe Bend first. Upon arriving we find that there’s a $10 fee to park and after paying with card I asked how close the site is and was promptly told it’s a twenty minute hike both ways. Um, we only have thirty minutes before we needed to check in for our tour (with is still another ten minutes away). Dejected, we got a refund and drove back to Page.
Our tour didn’t start until 1:30pm, however, we were told we needed to check in ninety minutes before (so around noon). Once we did we were quickly told that we could venture out and come back at 1:15pm, which incidentally gives up the time we needed to explore Horseshoe Bend. Without delay, we drove the ten minutes to the site again, paid the parking fee and off we went.
The hike to the bend started out with a small uphill but then the remaining part of the twenty minutes was all downhill to the bend. We knew that was going to be trouble on our way back as the heat was baking us and there was no shade in sight. Good thing we brought our Gatorade. The strong wind also helped to cool us off at times, too.
Finally at the base of the bend and the view was gorgeous. We wanted to hit this at this time of day to avoid ugly shadows that would be there later on so I’m very glad we were able to make this happen. We only stayed about ten minutes or so taking photos before trotting uphill back to our car. This is where it got hot and tiresome, unfortunately.
We rested half way for a few minutes but made it back to our car with time to cool off in the air conditioning. Ten minutes later we are at our tour pick up point in Page waiting in line for the bathroom. They only had one available so it took about ten minutes for us to get through the line. Once 1:30pm came around we were packed in their 14 person jeep and whisked away to Antelope Canyon.
Dust flew every which way as we had to shield our eyes as much as possible, but the journey was only about fifteen minutes before we were at the entrance of the canyon. Excited to get started I was at the front of the group, and once we started walking in I immediately got out my camera. The orange and yellow beams from the sun reflected off of the canyon walls so vividly that it was surreal. Of course there were other tour groups there; however, since the pathway was so narrow the guides took their group through one at a time.
Our guide showed up where to place our cameras to get the best looking shot of different waves and forms. She was very hands on and caused the groups behind us to be backed up a bit, but I was happy with the amount of attention she gave to each person. It also made the tour interesting and not monotonous as you would think spending about an hour in a canyon would be.
After getting dropped off at our car we drive back to our hotel to rest. Sharece called in an order for the taco place we went to the other day and was able to pick it up once we arrived in Kanab. Around 8:30pm we noticed how dark it was outside and wanted to do some star gazing as the sky was fairly clear of clouds. We drove away from town for about ten minutes, found an open spot secluded from the road and enjoyed mapping the stars with my camera and tripod setup. What a great way to end the night.
09/09/19- Last day to try the lottery and just like the previous three, I didn’t get picked. 105 people this time and it wasn’t even close. Hey, sometimes it’s just meant to be a certain way. No matter, I had a tremendous last four days with Sharece and wouldn’t change any of that.
We check out of our hotel at 11:00am and start our drive towards Salt Lake City, but along the way we take a detour to see Bryce Canyon. Our annual park pass lets us get in for free so why not and glad we did. We took the scenic route by car all the way to the end (which was around 19 miles) and was amazed at the views of the canyon. Every mile there was a different view that made the journey back out of the park that much longer.
We did some small hiking to get better angles and I hustled my way up a red rock mountain to get close up views against the blue sky in the backdrop. Overall, we spent about two hours parking our car and taking photos.
After Bryce, we drove straight to our next hotel near Salt Lake City. The journey took about three hours (Over four and a half from our last hotel). We were initially concerned about the Days Inn we booked due to some bad reviews but after checking in we felt it was decent enough to get a good night’s sleep in. We did have to change our room number as they gave us an upper floor without them having an elevator. Normally I wouldn’t mind much, but we had quite a bit of luggage to bring from the car and those stairs would have killed us.
Still having some time left, we throw our things in the room and head to Best Buy to return an item before hitting up the Olive Garden for dinner. Sharece was craving their soup and breadsticks so why not. On our way out we were greeted with one of the best sunsets I’ve seen, with the mountains in the background and a nice red mist around them. Wow!
We finished off the night trying to plan our route for the remainder of the trip and I think we have a solid plan ahead of us. Stay tuned!
09/10/19- Checked out at 11am to start our day around Temple Square in Salt Lake City. The manager of the Days Inn actually knocked on our door five minutes beforehand asking if we were leaving soon, which we’ve never experienced before.
The forecast called for a 20% chance of rain so not sure how this day is going to go as of yet, but the weather was a nice 70 degrees which was a nice change from the past week. We parked downtown and walked around the Salt Lake Church for some pictures. They don’t allow you to go inside but the architecture had a European feel which was to our liking.
Not far away Sharece noticed a group of people entering a building and as we followed we found it to be an orchestra stage. We didn’t stay for the actual show but the view of the stage was quite interesting. Walking from the church we head towards the Capital Building only to find it uphill and away from our car. Deciding that driving there would be better we start to head back; however, on our way we stumble upon the Beehive House. This was the office of Brigham Young who was basically the founder of the Mormon occupation of Salt Lake City (as well as many other settlements) in the mid-1800s.
The tour lasted over an hour as we viewed several rooms and studies set up to look like from centuries ago. In the middle of the tour we heard the rain pounding the side of the building as the thunder roared. By the end the rain started letting up allowing us to run down the street to our car. After we found parking near the Capital the rain had already stopped, but now the cold wind was blowing. We grab our coats and head inside.
Since Congress was not in session we had free reign to walk around the building to virtually any place that wasn’t locked. The rain also slowed the traffic of people so only a handful were around at any given time. The dome was quite awesome to view as well as viewing inside the House of Representatives room. There was so much intricate detail that we enjoyed walking the several different floors.
The last spot of the day was spent at the County Courthouse. This looked like a converted church from the outside with several offices inside. There wasn’t much to those offices, however, so we just walked around the building. With the rain starting again, and more expected tomorrow, we decide to leave Utah and head for Twin Falls, Idaho. Looking online, we found a great deal for a Motel 6 and quickly booked for two nights. I say quickly because we initially hesitated for a few minutes as we were deciding and the price already jumped up $4.
The drive took us about three and a half hours, but it was all highway. We were even able to see the sun setting over the mountains along the way, and after arriving around 9pm we settle in for the night. Tomorrow should be a clear and sunny day in Idaho, which is perfect for our first time to this state.
09/11/19- What a great day to be in Idaho. The weather is sunny and perfect with few clouds in the distance and a gentle breeze to cool off any heat that may try to sneak in.
First up is Shoshone Falls. It took about fifteen minutes to drive and paid $5 to park, but the view of the falls and canyon was breathtaking. We were lucky too as they sometimes shut down the flow of water to allocate it for other uses. Normally springtime is best to view the falls at his highest capacity, but it was flowing well today. The wind also started picking up quite a bit which blew my hair everywhere.
Next we went back into town to view the Perrine Canyon Bridge. We drove across it, parked and took some shots before realizing the sun was not in the best position to capture the blue sky. Immediately we drove back to the other side and had a much better view.
After checking out the Visitor Center we grab some fast food before heading around the way to see Perrine Coulee Falls. This was only one stream that flowed to the canyon but it was pretty massive. As we were viewing it from above we realize that there’s a trail to go under the falls. Following the path with our eyes we quickly jump in our car and find our way down the windy road.
From there we had to hike through brush and water covered rocks to get to the base, and once we did we were blown away from the view. WOW! We had fun ducking behind the waterfall as the mist sprayed us every which way. Best part is we had the place to ourselves until just as we were about to leave.
Tired from the day we headed to Target to get a few items (including new wiper blades for our Prius as ours wasn’t working very well) before resting at the hotel. Around 8pm we ventured out once again to capture the sunset and grab some dinner. Overall, a pleasant time in Twin Falls so far and couldn’t have asked for more perfect weather. Hopefully the weather continues to hold up for the rest of the trip.
*Side note- we’ve had two souvenir shops the past two days try to overcharge us. One tried to charge tax at 14% when it was only 7% and the other tried to sell us a souvenir for double the price listed. Strange.
09/12/19- Spent the morning resting up as we didn’t have any plans that early. We wanted to check out Craters of the Moon Monument which consisted of lava pits and caves. The drive took us ninety minutes to get there, which we did just before 4pm. It’s advised to view the black rocks either early in the morning or late afternoon to get the full effect.
Our first scenic point we were able to walk through the lava rocks. The shapes and colors were unique as well as the sharp, crumbling edges. We didn’t walk too much at the first place as we were anxious to get to the trails.
The next stopping point was to Inferno Cone. This was a hike up the black rock hill and gave a very nice overlook view of the area around us. The hill reminded us of a sand dune that we’ve seen in Egypt and the rocks were sparkling in the sunlight. It was a bit tiring (especially after the long drive) but well worth the effort.
At Spatter Cones the walk was much easier and allowed us to view inside a mini-volcano. The cone shaped mountain looked awesome as the pathway wound its way around it to the top. There was a longer hike to the side extending around 2 miles but that was not going to happen. Honestly, once you spend some time around these rocks they all start looking the same. This is what brings us to our last spot, the Indian Tunnel Cave.
Sharece wasn’t feeling the mile hike to get there so I ventured out myself. There was a paved path the entire way to the cave as I was surrounded by black rock on all sides, and the weather was perfect with just a little bit of heat from the sun and some wind to cool it off. Once at the entrance there were stairs to go down into it and all I saw was a rocky mess. The holes on top allowed plenty of light to shine through so no need to use a flashlight but there really wasn’t much to it. The further I went in the more rocks I had to climb over before finally just turning back.
Overall, we had a great experience at Craters of the Moon and would definitely recommend as it’s different than anything we’ve done before. Once we got back to the hotel we watched a movie and was ready to crash.
09/13/19- Decided to take a break and do some wine tasting today. We came across a brochure with different vineyards in the area and set off around 11:30am. Our first stop was to Y Not Winery. When we arrived they were just starting a wedding so the place was a little hectic, but the wines we tasted were pretty good (especially since they were only $7 a tasting). We left with two bottles including a sweet Riesling. I enjoyed the atmosphere but it did take about an hour to get to from Twin Falls.
We tried to contact another winery nearby; however, nobody answered the phone. We ended up driving another hour before our next stop at Snyder. This was a small vineyard and wasn’t 100% sold on the wines they had, but the area was nice.
Our last winery was at Holesinsky a few miles down the road in Buhl, Idaho. We had a personal experience with the pourer as nobody else was there and got a nice tour of the place. Two of the wines we loved from the start and we were able to help her with marketing a Sherry wine that she had stored and didn’t know what to do with it. I told her to sell it as a sweet Pecan finish and she’d be gold. We ended up buying two bottles and she threw in two of the Sherry bottles as well. An awesome vineyard with plenty to see. She did ask if I could send you some of my photos of their winery when I had a chance.
Ending the night we got dinner at Olive Garden again. When you’re in the mood for soup and breadsticks where else are you going to go? Ten days in and we’ve now come to the furthest point of our trip. Starting tomorrow we will be heading back towards Los Angeles through Nevada. It will be a long drive and have no place to stay as of yet, but everything should work out.
09/14/19- Checked out of our hotel and started our drive to Reno. We took two hour shifts and at one point almost ran out of gas. There is literally nothing along the six and a half hour drive and many of the towns are off the main road. Luckily we made it without having to call a tow truck.
I was hoping to make it to Reno in time to see the National Car Museum as it closes at 5:30pm. When I called, however, it appears that they recommend at least ninety minutes and close the doors at 5pm. There also aren’t any discounts for showing up for just the last thirty minutes anyhow so the $12 per ticket would not have been worth it.
Instead we go immediately to the strip (Virginia Street) to catch the Reno sign and see what this was all about. We were attempting to parallel park off the side of the road when the car behind didn’t give us room to back up into it. So we just sat there and waited until the idiot finally moved over to the next lane and around us. Funny that he gave us the finger as he drove past, what a tool.
Walking around was quite crazy. It looked like everyone was strung out on drugs or whatnot and the sleaze that was around was filthy. I actually put my camera into my satchel while walking around several times as not to draw flashy attention. We’ve been to many places around the world and this was the first place I actually felt like I needed to watch my back in the bathroom.
We were able to check out some of the casinos; not to gamble but just see how it was. Sure enough most were dirty as well. There was police tape on the front of Harrah’s and barricades blocking parking structures that did not give us a good feeling. The only bright spot was the souvenir shop we went into (cleanest place there) as well as the river walk area. We only stayed twenty minutes before we started back to our car. On the way Sharece and I shared a laugh as I literally got shit on… by a bird. Fitting! No offense to people from Reno but WTF is this place all about!?
Back at our car, we looked for other things to do and found a planetarium at the nearby college. With the football game being played at their stadium we weren’t sure about parking, but luckily we found one close by. We did get turned around a bit but eventually found the planetarium. The cost to enter was $2 per person to view the exhibits, which was only one room, or $9 per person to also see the thirty minute presentation. We opted for the $9 ticket and even though it was a bit boring it did help waste about an hour or so.
After taking a few more night shots of Reno (this time only from the car) we drove the hour to South Lake Tahoe. Sharece had been feeling a bit off the past few days so she was feeling sick from the curves of the drive, but somehow she pulled through. Once in Tahoe we found a McDonalds to refresh and then a hotel parking lot to sleep for the night. When we checked for rates there were very little choices for a Saturday night and all were well over $100, so we decided to just sleep in our car this time. A bit risky but we had black pillow cases to close off the front windows so we felt pretty safe.
09/15/19- The night turned out good as nobody bothered us in the parking spot. It did get cold as the temp dropped to around 45 degrees causing us to keep the car on. Thankfully we have a Prius which is pretty quiet and doesn’t draw attention.
Around 7:30am we finally got ourselves ready, cleaned up at the McDonalds restroom and started our drive around Lake Tahoe. It’s a 72 mile drive around the lake with several viewpoints along the way, and our first place of interest is Emerald Bay.
The view from above was quit striking as the sun was hidden behind the clouds giving off an eerie look. I’m not sure how the photos will ultimately turn out today but I’m hoping for clearer weather at some point. For now, it works just fine.
Continuing on, we stop at the North Lake Visitor Center and get some good information on places to see along the drive. Sharece is still feeling sick to her stomach so the fresh air helped as we walked down to the lake for a bit. We didn’t attempt any real hikes though as our bodies are still tired from the past week.
The Lake Tahoe overlook on the north side gave a very nice panoramic view of the lake as well but not exactly to my liking for photos as the sun was still hidden. Ready to get off the road we head back towards the south area to check out the shops. The entire road journey took around four hours; however, our hotel most likely won’t allow us to check in until at least 2pm. It took some time but we found parking at Applebees and made our way towards town.
The first gift shop we went into was having a “going-out-of-business” sale and that’s where we found a souvenir that worked perfect for our trip wall (cabinet). Then, across the street we noticed an antique car show out on the parking lot and hit that up for a moment. The cars were cool and obviously from people that lived around the area. This is when Sharece started feeling nauseous again and we realized that it most likely is altitude sickness. We were warned about this when we hit Peru last year and didn’t realize that some of the elevations we’ve been at have been close to the same. With all of the hiking we’ve done it makes perfect sense.
We looked around the supermarket for cocoa tea (which seems to help) but found none. We also checked a Peruvian store but still no. Finally we realized that the best solution was fluids and rest so we decided it was time to finally check into our hotel, Americas Best Value Inn.
Checking in we were given an upgrade to a king size room, but upon entering we saw that it was quite small and dirty. Not complaining as we were sleeping in the car last night, and this is the lake area. What else can you expect for $60?
Once settled, Sharece did ask if I would go out and get some soup for her from Applebees. I did just that and found that their soup was a very small container for $7. It appeared their plastic spoon was bigger than the bowl itself. The rest of the night was spent resting up, planning the next day or so and catching up on a series we’ve been watching. Tomorrow it’s supposed to rain quite heavily in Tahoe so we have no plans to stick around.
09/16/19- Bed bugs! We actually had to change our room last night due to bed bugs. We just got into the sheets when I felt crumbs of a sort. I looked with the flashlight on my phone and found several small black bugs on the sheets. Continued to look under the fitted sheet and there were several more. I immediately started taking a few off with tweezers and placing them into a plastic cup then called the manager. Keep in mind this is past 11pm.
The manager arrived, inspected everything and felt bad but never confirmed it to be bugs. Of course she wouldn’t because she’s not an expert and doesn’t want to say anything herself, but you can tell 100%. I then contacted hotels.com who will now investigate this. Meanwhile, Sharece and I left the hotel and booked another one a mile down the road at Motel 6.
We should get a full refund but I expect to have compensation as well. Not sure how this will play out but we definitely will need to get rid of some of our clothing now. We took pictures and videos to document everything. I even found one on my arm just lying there. Hell to the Fn no!
After a nice shower we were finally able to get a good night’s sleep. We left the hotel around 11am, filled up with gas and walked around Wal-Mart to get new pillows. We expected rain today so not much planned but to hit the next hotel, but we didn’t expect the wind to blow at an alarming rate.
As we were leaving Wal-Mart we were hit with 60 mph winds and rain. Sharece was trying to hold onto her bag when her hat flew off. As she turned around to get her hat the bag in her hand ripped open and fell to the ground. She looked up at me with a lost look and it was hilarious.
The rain continued for the next forty minutes or so as we saw power line poles bent sideways. That was a bit scary to see. At one point we got ahead of the storm as we had grey clouds to our right and clear, blue skies to our left. Very eerie.
The hotel looks very nice, West Walker Hotel. It’s in the middle of nowhere with only a few flea markets and one restaurant nearby but the room was decorated in a classic rock theme which was a nice touch. This will most likely be our last hotel night on the trip as we plan to go home after our excursion tomorrow.
We did check out the flea market and found a whole shop of large outdoor lawn ornaments made out of metal. Across the street we hit up Walker Burgers which was decent before retreating back to our room. Thankfully, the wind and rain had died down leaving a mass of puffy white clouds behind. Tomorrow should be a much better day.
09/17/19- Our last day of the trip. The sky has brightened up beautifully which means we are a definite go for Yosemite National Park. It took us over an hour of driving to get there but we stopped at a few scenic places along the way with the first being Mono Lake. Weird that it’s named after an illness.
Other scenic points gave us a nice overview of the Park from the East side before we finally got to the entrance. Our annual park pass covered the $35 entry fee and we were soon on our way. Unfortunately, it will take another two hours until we are near Yosemite Valley, which is where the Visitor Center and other points of interest are.
It actually took longer than those two hours as we were stuck behind an RV going 10 miles under the speed limit. With all of the turns we were not able to pass until about half way through, either way we finally got to the tunnel entrance of the valley and it was awesome. The sun was perfect as it allowed the blue sky to show vividly around 3:30pm.
Further down the road we saw Bridalveil Falls. After parking our car we found that we could hike to get to the base of it, which was over a mile round trip. The road was pretty easy but a little steep for Sharece at times but she made her way there. I, of course, didn’t stop at that point as I climbed slippery rocks (in my sketcher Go-Walk shoes by the way) to get more underneath the falls. It took a bit of maneuvering and skill but I was able to manage my way there for a clean shot.
Finally we make it to Yosemite Village. We checked out the Visitor Center and store for a bit before getting hot dogs with sauerkraut to fill our stomachs. We were so excited this morning that all we had was a banana to start us off. I threw away our trash in the bin and didn’t realize until we got to our car that the souvenir I bought was also thrown away. Ugh! I mean, I could’ve gone back for it but at that point it wasn’t worth it.
Feeling like we’ve accomplished enough we start our journey home with only a five and a half hour drive left. After two weeks, five states and over 3100 miles driven (which is equivalent to driving from San Diego to Boston) we make it back around 11pm. What an adventure this was as we had no main plan, only knowing where we wanted to start. There were so many parks and interesting things that opened our eyes to how beautiful the world really is. Yes, we could have ventured out further but we are happy to be home where we can finally get some much needed sleep.
END OF BLOG
