We have been on the road for 5 weeks in the US:
• travelled 4905 miles, (7894 km)
• been in 3 US states – California, Arizona, Nevada
• explored 4 National Parks - Joshua Tree, Grand Canyon,
Death Valley, Yosemite
• visited 6 State Parks - Big Sur, Salton Sea, San Jacinto
Mountain, Hearst Castle, Red Rock, Red Rock Canyon
• National Forests; 2
Sequoia, Sierra
• slept in 11 beds; 3 hotels, 4 motels and 4 timeshare units (make it 17 with
Bahamas)
• ate Ben & Jerry ice-cream, 3, Cherry Garcia, Chunky
Monkey, Triple Caramel Chunk
• added 33 birds to my US bird list which is now 197 and my
world list is 1480, top bird Roadrunner
• popped into 1 museum
• farmers markets; Oakhurst
• decaprio 3 movie
catch-up, Aviator, Gatsby and Departed
• Oscar 3 movie
catch-up, Dallas Buyers Club, Nebraska, August: Osage County
• relished organic extra virgin olive oil, 2 farms
• walked 104 miles; beach, mountain trails, coastal meadow,
high altitude lake, golf courses, climbing red rocks, canyon rim, valley trail,
desert paths, Las Vegas Strip, mountain hikes
• walking 6 miles ahead
of schedule, (for each 50 miles driven we want to walk 1 mile)
• longest hike 10 miles
on Four Mile Trail with 3200’ climb
on steep switchbacks
• watched 7 episodes of Game of Thrones, season 4
• lowest driving elevation, 214’
below sea-level at Furnace Creek Golf Course, Death Valley
• highest driving elevation, 9945’
Tioga Pass, Tioga Road, Yosemite
• got cold at the lowest temperature below 40 degrees F in
Tehachapi (3 degrees C)
• was hot at the highest temperature of 115 degrees F while
walking in Death Valley (46 degrees C). Car registered 125 degrees F at one
point – over 50 degrees C
• wine tasting, 2 at Tablas Winery, Paso Robles and Souza
Family Vineyard
• 1 new mode of transport, helicopter over the Grand Canyon
• show, 1 in Las Vegas,
O Cirque du Soleil
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| Half Dome sunset from Glacier Point |
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| Farewell to the breathtaking Yosemite Valley |
