We headed West over labor-day weekend and returned this past Saturday late. Being tourist is the best way to describe our first 2 days as we toured the city by the bay seeing the sights and trying to stay warm. The weather was about 55 degrees and windy most of the time making me question exactly why it's located in the Golden State.(seehttp://www.50states.com/) Isn't this place warm and known for Sunshine? Well not if you're on the hilly streets of San Fran. We saw Alcatraz from the water on the same boat ride as the above picture and almost fell down the hills of the rest of the city.
Honestly I felt like I was going to fall down the whole time. You really can't find a flat part.....
After San Fran we headed southwest to hang out on Stanford's campus and drink an esspress with Palo Alto millionaires. That was fun. I found Matt Barkley's bike shop. He's my friend with floppy blond hair who moved out there last year. Some Juntonian's might remember him. Good guy, but in true Palo Alto fashion, he wasn't working in his bike shop on Labor Day.
From there we drove to Pacific Grove and went on a bike ride around Pebble Beach. I kept on looking for Donald, b/c that is his kind of place!! Only the best play Golf at Pebble Beach where a green fee is rummored to run you around $600. Like I said, a place for Donald not Stu Al.
Later after sheding a tear for the untimely death of Steve Irvin of Australia, we drove to Yosemite National Park. Now that is one amazing place.
Just the drive looked like this, which is pretty nice.But as soon as you enter the park you know it b/c the view changes to this:
We quickly checked out the Ahwahnee hotel, a National Historic Landmark( http://www.yosemitefun.com/ahwahnee.htm)that rents one of its 123 rooms for a mere "shoulder season" rate of $455 a night. Nevertheless, it is one impressive place and would be worthwhile trip for the Junto.
After that it was off to a 3 night backpacking trip into the heart of bear country. In Yosemite, as one local or more local than us East coasters said, "we have educated bears here" which means you simply can't hang your food. You need to carry a plastic bear box that is one of the most ackward things that ever conviently fit into Stu's backpack. I don't have a good picture of it, see http://www.nps.gov/archive/yose/wilderness/bfoodstorage.htm for the best desciption, but take my word for it, it was a pain in the ass to carry.
A bunch of the scenary pic's speak for themselves, but pay special attention to Half-dome. Hiking up that was the first time I've really been scared about what i was doing in the outdoors. I don't kid, when I say we had to climb a 45degree angle with 2000 feet on either side below us and no support harness. Incredible.......
Half-dome from the Valley
Getting closer...
Oh shit....this is the steep part everyone was talking about
We mean steep....
But worth it from the top...
Stu rock..........
On the way out, we stopped to see the Tulomune grove of 'uge trees of called Gaint Seqoia's. They're over 3000 year's old see (http://library.thinkquest.org/J002415/)
This was really cool for me b/c I've wanted to see them forever, and no pictures do these trees justice. Just imagine the biggest tree you've ever seen, then triple the size and you might have a Giant Sequoia.
This guy was killed before the auto hole was cut, but it's large enough to drive a small car through. ( the red raindeer might be a strech..)
After that is was a mad dash to the airport to return the humid East coast. A fun adventure that makes us excited to head West again. I think I could get used to living out there....
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