Day 25: 10/10/2010

Green Valley

Grandpa made breakfast again, but this time I managed to get up in time to help a bit. Better than before! After that Grandpa and I went to work out, him on the treadmill and me in the pool. It was really fun to swim a bit, though I didn't get many laps in because I was constantly stopping to talk with this fabulous lady Sophie who was in the pool.

She was tons of fun, she's been in Green Valley for 21 years now! Originally, and up until about five years ago, she was a volunteer and club member of... Just about everything. Literally :p But she slowly "retired" from each one, near the last was the hiking club! I said she was allowed to at that point and she said thought she'd earned :p So true! I think she said she's 82, or as Grandpa would say, "just a young one."

They wanted to take me out to lunch, so we went to a nearby diner after Grandma and Grandpa showed me where the Ford dealership was so I could make it for my appointment the next morning. The diner had great sunday speials, very tasty. Grandpa got lamb and Grandma and I got roast turkey. It was just like thanksgiving! Very, very good.

I did a bit more weeding outside, and watched a bit of sports in the TV room with them, and then went for another walk once it got darkish outside. It goes from darkish to dark pretty quick here! I took a few more photos outside with the tripod, it's very pretty at night :-) And bearable temperatures, lol. When I got back inside, all three of us headed for bed.

Day 24: 10/9/2010

Green Valley, AZ

When I woke up, Grandpa was already getting breakfast on the table... Time to start setting an alarm so I can help :p I panicked and got sad when I realized that, after almost 100 days, I forgot to take a photo on the 8th for my 365 Project... After much thought and a bit of crying, I realized it's -my- project, and I can do what I want :p So I'm putting up two photos for the 9th and turning it into an ongoing project for as long as I can keep it going! After the first year is up I hope to be more specific: a potrait a day, a landscape a day, etc. We'll see!

As it was a saturday, it was time for football! On TV of course. Grandpa cheered and groaned along with the fans of Michigan as they slowly lost to their rival Michigan State. Grandma joined in, because they both went to school at Michigan. I went outside to do some more weeding out front, and talked a bit with one of the landscapers/gardeners at the next house over. Whenever she had something to say she'd go, "ok, I have to ask... Are you a relative? Is this your car?" Or whatever other question she had. Very funny. Later on she yelled at me "You're turning red, get inside!!" I laughed and went inside a bit later, and astonishingly I was not sunburned! Just hot :p

We had leftovers from the Mexican restaurant and the enchilada's for lunch, and later on had a pot roast Grandma made, salad by Grandpa, and spaghetti squash by me for dinner. I have a newfound favorite food, spaghetti squash is easy and yummy! And fun to prepare, lol. Grandpa served very good ice cream for desert and then I went out for a short walk. When I first got out, I saw the moon behind my car and it looked awesome! Just a sliver left, and you could just see the whole outline. It almost looked like an eclipse. I dashed inside, got the tripod, realized I didn't have to tripod head on the camera, and by the time I got it ready, the moon had set. Oh well, to save for tomorrow night! I locked up the doors for them, and then said goodnight!

Day 23: 10/8/2010

Green Valley, AZ

I had planned to be up and help Mom with baking, but she never woke me up! Lol, I woke up in time to help a bit with the rest of breakfast though. We had Grandma and Grandpa's usual of bacon and eggs (I managed to avoid the bacon this time) but also had fruit and the baked goods Mom made. Blueberry coffeecake and fabulous banana carrot muffins. Amazing!

After Mom finished packing up we all headed out to bring Grandma to dialyses and then go to the airport. But first, Target to get more warm weather clothing for me, and Trader Joe's for a few things for Mom and some roadtrip supplies for me. We arrived at the airport with plenty of time for Mom to fly back up to Fairbanks, and I managed not to cry while saying goodbye again. At least I got to see her sooner than expected when I left Fairbanks, Mom time is the best time.

Grandpa let me drive as we headed back for home, with a quick stop at Safeway on the way. While on the road, Grandpa told me the story of Janlee and the Three Bears. They used to live in Logan, Utah for five years, and they'd spend summers in Yellowstone National Park. When Mom was three years old or so, she saw three bears in the backyard and wandered out to see them. Grandpa said she got right in between the mother and her two cubs, but the mother bear just seemed caring for my mom, and even licked her! A neighbor finally ran out to scare the bears away, luckily. I asked Mom's memory of this later on and she said she just remembers being frozen solid, even when Grandma came to carry her home. Crazy!

After some time at home, Grandpa and I went to pick up Grandma, and then we had the enchilada's later for dinner. And then, still wiped after that drive, sleep!

Day 22: 10/7/2010

Green Valley, AZ

I woke up a bit after everybody else, but earlier than I expected to! Grandpa and Mom had already eaten, but I ate breakfast with Grandma. I was just going to eat at the counter like I always used to with Mom, but when Grandma came in I sat at the table with her.

After that Mom and I went out to do a bit of weeding in front of the house. At first it felt horrid to be pulling up these poor tough plants when they'd had to work so hard in the dry conditions, but I guess it did look much better after we were done. Sigh.

Mom showed me some of the things around the hose to help out with and then helped me rearrange and repack the car. After my fun getting the tent and such down before, I decided the roof bin would be for "not needed until D.C." and the trunk for camping stuff. Much less dangerous. We even got one of the back seats folded back up! Success. Now it looks a bit less like I am moving across the country...

Mom was telling me about a nearby town, Tubac, where Karan and family stay when they visit. She suggested I go visit while I'm in Green Valley, and then we decided to go for a little while together. We made sure Grandma was ok since Grandpa was out playing a poker game (he nearly won $7 but ended up coming out even :p). Grandma said we should go, so we headed off in my car.

I really enjoyed the place, and it was wonderful to have some time with just Mom. We went through a few shops and galleries, and Mom showed me this awesome sculpture garden with all different sculptures and really amazing wind whirlygig things. I was excited about one of the shops because it sold some of the same things as we used to get in Nogales. There was a market just across the border there in Mexico that we went to, but no longer... No so safe anymore there. This was much nicer anyway, nobody yelling and bartering at you. I'm not good at bartering, I give in too easily, so this was much cheaper :p

When we got home we all got ready to go out for dinner at a nearby Mexican restaurant... Thankfully not dressy. Dinner was wonderful, and it's close to Grandma and Grandpa's house. Grandpa ordered a delicious appetizer so then we all had leftovers.

Once home Mom and I prepared enchiladas to cook another night and then went for a short walk around the neighborhood, and I did not freak out or see any bugs. And then sleep!

Day 21: 10/6/2010

Bakersfield to Green Valley, AZ, 638 miles

Driving. And driving. And driving. That was pretty much the day :p I made it out of Bakersville at 7:45am and arrived in Green Valley at almost 9pm. Near the beginning of the day I saw a spider in the road. Large enough to see in my rearview mirror!!!! GAH!! And that concluded any thoughts of getting out of the car in the south. Hell no. I will remain in the car, thank you very much.

Luckily, this attitude made it possible to drive 638 miles without going crazy. Lol, yeah. Just ask the people I talked to that day. I mean the ones in the car with me, not Mom and Mathew on the phone. :p j/k, mostly. I spent most of the day listening to comedy I'd already heard and singing with and without other music on. Good times. I think I stopped once for gas and once on an off ramp and other than that just drove. The two stops were also when I talked to the real people on the phone :D

I was still pretty upset about the thing in the road when I made it to Green Valley just before 9pm, because now I had to abandon the car and make a dash for the house :p Grandpa and Mom were still up and I said a quick hello to Grandma in bed. We sat in the living room for a little while together, and I hope I came off as slap happy and not... insane... Lol. Mom got me to go for a short walk outside, and I was too tired to be paranoid about creatures of the night in southern Arizona. And then... Bedtime.

Day 20: 10/5/2010

Groveland to Bakersfield, CA, 302 miles

When I was packing up the campsite in the morning, I saw deer in the next campsite! Which was really nice, because I was feeling kind of down... Going to Yosemite today, and it's the second day of -rain- this entire trip!!! Apparently Mathew was the good luck charm after all :p I got everything in the car and then headed for Yosemite. Foggy! The rain let up really quick, but I could see approximately 25 yards ahead of me. I stopped at the Welcome to Yosemite sign to take some photos, crossed my fingers for some views, and thought about all the photographers and artists who have found inspiration and peace in Yosemite. Fog or no, I'm lucky to visit this place.

After the entrance area where I paid the admission fee, the road went through a couple of tunnels, very pretty. After one of them I saw some people pulled off at a pullout just in time to pull over for a waterfall! I think the fog hid a good portion of it, because I could just see more sections going up and up and up. But the bit closest that I could really see was gorgeous :-) Mathew and I saw so many waterfalls together, but someday we'll come see this one together!

Soon after was the Big Meadow Overlook. Where I got some fun photographs of trees... disappearing into fog :p Very interesting and mystic effect for the trees, but still hoping it will clear up! The road crossed over the Merced River and then there was a small pullout at Fern Spring. It was an important resource for the Native Americans, but when the park got popular it was nearly ruined. Now it's a restoration area, and it's so simple and pretty. And reminded me of Fern Canyon with Mathew :-) It was still foggy as I left there, though now it was closer to 30 yards visibility.

And then, luck at last! I didn't think I'd see much, but figured I could follow the trail close enough to at least see a bit... But when I pulled into the parking lot for Bridal Veil Falls, the whole thing was clear and visible! It was incredible. Honestly, I almost like the view from the parking lot best because the falls are framed by trees, but it was really fun up closer where you could just feel some of the spray. But too crowded!

A little bit beyond that, back on the road, more luck! I found car after car pulled over and couldn't figure out why, and then, a curve in the road and... This is why I photographers, artists, writers, people have always found something at Yosemite. El Capitan, one of the more well known landmarks of Yosemite, was just appearing out of the fog. A huge, vertical wall of rock, varied in color and made almost more dramatic when You could only see the middle of it. About 1,500 feet up. A floating wall of rock! Lol, the whole thing is just under 4,000 feet tall. Along with Half Dome, it was considered unclimbable for years... Not so!

After this, the fog started disappearing rapidly, just enough now to add some character to the scenery that kept appearing around ever bend in the road. I stopped at Swinging Bridge (which doesn't swing...) And caught my first view of Half Dome. The fog up there was still fairly thick, and I just caught a glimpse of it. I wasn't sure what it was, and when I crossed the road and saw the sign explaining it, I was lucky enough to look up again and see the whole thing in person for the first time. That's a moment I will never forget, and one I hope to remember every tme I pick up my camera. A perfect moment... Where the camera stays down, an image that will never be changed in memory because I'll never see it on a computer screen, or in a darkroom. Sigh... Ok, backing away from dreamy ridiculousness.

Yosemite Falls. Haha! You told me I wouldn't see them! This is what I was thinking as I jumped around for joy when I first saw them. Yosemite Falls are dry in the fall. Almost always. Luck continues! The highest waterfall in North America was anything but dry. I first saw it from across the valley at Swinging Bridge and couldn't quite believe what it was. Everybody told me that Bridal Veil was the only waterfall I'd be seeing in action. I won't bore whoever is reading this (me, several years from now, lol), but by now I'm pretty sure some of the old photographers are back to play tricks, refusing to accept my doubting Yosemite as the amazing place it is. So they have to prove it :p

Soon after that, with a few more brief stops for photos, I arrived at Yosemite Valley and walked to the visitor's center. Which is nice. Another visitor center along a long line I've seen in the past few months. Lol, j/k (sort of) they really did an excellent job with the center and museum, I just wasn't in a fact finding mood. My favorite part though was a display of the old photography store at Yosemite Valley... I want days like that to return, please. Before the visitor's center, and probably the reason it was less exciting, I went to the Ansel Adams Gallery.

The gallery was opened up by Ansel Adams and others, so it's been around for a while now :-) There were some of Ansel's original prints, but it also has many many other artists' work and is the only place I found post cards of Ansel Adams photos! Lol, those who know me realize that is how I currently collect art. Oh to be rich with wall space one day. I did get one larger print though. A poster actually... Ted Orland's "One and a Half Domes." Look it up, it's one of my favorites. A play on Ansel Adams's "Half Dome."

Ok, so the original scheme of maybe three hours or so in Yosemite... Is complete nonsense. Lol. It's now been almost five and I am sooo not leaving yet. I was going to be good and head for Green Valley and skip Glacier Point Road and... Ha ha ha. Lol, I can rest up any time, Yosemite is rare.

On the way though, I have to be cliche and stop for Tunnel View, the overlook almost anybody would recognize as Yosemite, photographer or no. The fog was quite fun up there, clearing for seconds to get a shot or two then rolling back in in waves. I even took some videos of it, because it has character I tell ya! I soon lost interest because as much as I love waiting for the perfect scene to open up... I abhor breathing cigarette smoke more. Thank you ******* for making your presence known, next time, get your ass downwind. On the bright side, that was the only time I found myself next to anybody that inconsiderate the whole day :-) Then, through the tunnel! (For which Tunnel View is named...) And to Glacier Point!

I very nearly missed Glacier Point Road. You're all nodding your heads going, "yes, it must be well hidden." Nope. Not so. It's pretty much blatantly obvious. This is the girl heading for a -city-? The oblivious one? Lol, but I did make the turn. You know, the second time, after I made a talented three-point turn on the Wowona road... Glacier Point Road is... Crazy? It;s curvy, and scenic, and people drive fast. Did I mention curvy and scenic? This implies there is something great to look at over there... And the road happens to curve at that same moment to the -other- over there. Fun :D I was entirely disappointed to miss one overlook on the opposite side of a blind corner, but when I made it to Washburn Point I forgot all about it.

Washburn Point is not the goal of Glacier Point Road (one guess what is), but it was probably my favorite of the two. And yes, that is partially because of who it's named for :p Washburn, to me, is sort of like a more modern Ansel Adams. Incredible black and white landscapes, mainly mountains... And almost all of them aerial photographs. He shot 8x10 film strips (picture 35mm film but 10 inches wide) from the open doorway of a plane! I first saw his work just after Washburn passed away, at the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman. We went as a class my first semester down there, when I was working digitally (though still shooting mainly film to scan in) and missing the darkroom. The prints we viewed were some of the last that Washburn printed himself (and yes, they were scanned and digitally printed). I returned later and sat on the floor in front of one of the images for almost an hour on my own... Perfect museum moment!

The next time I saw Washburn's work was the exact same images. Even the photograph of him with the camera in the plane. Only this time, I was touching the negatives. It was one of my first assignments in the photo lab at UAF, and something I'll always treasure. It was so amazing! I even found some images of him at work developing his film. But one thing I love most about Washburn... He was shooting for science, and art just happened. A completely different focus, and yet he managed the same effect as many other art photographers. I love photography :-) Ok, back to the actual trip... Rambling done. Not.

Washburn Point. I arrived in time to snap a quick shot of Half Dome framed by tree branches and then... Away it went. The fog is back. There were other things to shoot though, the hillside next to the viewpoint has really interesting trees... Lol. There was a woman there I talked to a bit who told me to wait at Glacier Point because the fog was coming in and then rolling out just as quickly and I'd probably get a view. We talked for a while and she took one of the only photos I got of me in Yosemite... One with my camera and one with hers :p I feel like a tour guide again, love it!

I was about to leave when suddenly Washburn point agreed with the lady and cleared up! There was just a bit of fog hovering around the base of Half Dome. An amazing vista point. And then, a raven landed! Ok, so by now, the squirrels and ravens have got to be following me. They're the continuing themes of this whole crazy trip :p This raven was such a poser though. "Here let me just stand here so I'm silhouetted against this fog with Half Dome behind me... Oh wait, silly me, I need to turn around, my left side is the more photogenic." I love ravens :p I felt really lucky to share that spot with the raven, and everybody else around was shooting the raven from the front... with nothing in the background!

Then to Glacier Point. It was amazing, but still Washburn Point... :p There was a photographer there with a 4x5 camera and I was entirely jealous. But one day I will be able to resume shooting 4x5 :-) The fog was clear, but the lighting wasn't perfect. The sun was setting down and Half Dome was still in shadow. But not forever... It took almost 15 minutes of waiting, but finally Half Dome was highlighted and you could see every crevice and formation along it. Yay! There was a really interesting hut there as well, built long ago, and through the window (open wall) on one side, it was a great frame for the view. A man there when I arrived mentioned he'd gotten a couple silhouetted in the opening looking out, and I got him to take one of me :-) One day I'll drag Mathew there maybe! I also got one of the man with his wife, taken on an iPhone... Oh technology.

Back to Washburn Point in time for more views with the last light. I was taking some photos of rock barrier with scenes behind it when somebody got in my way... The nerve... Oh wait, yay! The person had an SLR camera and managed to aim perfectly to for a photographer silhouette for me. Lol, and then I dashed off before they noticed me. Back down Glacier Point Road, a few last stops for photos, one more with pine trees weaving out of the fog, and then... Goodbye Yosemite :-(

On down the road! It was an absolutely incredible day. I drove a few hours more, my voice mostly gone from singing to stay awake, and then arrived in Bakersville. I saw a billboard on the way in for Econolodge (never again) that I thought said $25.99 for a room. Lol, after I managed to barter the front desk down to that from $35.99 I remembered it actually said $29.99... Oops... It wasn't a nice room, but I did get some sleep!

Day 19: 10/4/2010

San Francisco to Groveland, CA, 208.2 miles

On the road again! I managed to evade my alarm in the morning and got a later start than planned, but Weronika and I still got to go to breakfast before I left. And this time it was breakfast, no question about it being lunch :p Back to Crepevine, yum! Then I dropped Weronika off at work at UCSF and headed for REI to return the camping pad we got for Mathew. It was a great pad, but didn't quite work with another pad in the tent Mathew had. And since it wouldn't get used at least until I made it to DC, we decided to get the $80 back and buy a different pad later on.

Next stop, Old Navy! The jeans did not happily survive getting soaking wet at Fern Canyon, and without guaranteed laundry I wanted enough jeans to feel clean :p Then to Looking Glass Photo. I got two different filters for my camera to play with. (I may be admitting digital is kind of fun... lol). And then, joy, the Ethiopian restaurant for the lunch buffet. I was very excited to head out of town after that, toward Yosemite!

Which is pretty much east. Not north. Take note of the brilliant journey north on the map... This is about when I was singing loudly and assumed straight kept me on the same highway... Nope, that way goes north. Hello, GPS, you're back! With the returning, shopping, and detouring, it was already getting dark and I was nearing Yosemite. I wanted to experience Yosemite in a way that would not involve 100% tripod use (teachers and mentors would be winning a glare contest at me if they were reading this...) So I decided to camp in Groveland before entering the park. It was a bit of a search, but I finally found Pine Lakes Campground and settled in for my first night camping alone. Sob. Before reaching Groveland, the road is reeeeally curvy, and very pretty views of the looping road behind and ahead of you.

Most of the camping went well... Just not the beginning. So the tent has been stored in a big backpack with Mathew's sleeping back the whole time in the roof rack. Mathew is tall. I am not. Average maybe, or short, your pick. My car picks short! I was standing very gracefully on the frame of the front door, trying the get the backpack out... The backpack started falling on me, so I grabbed to door, which swung closed on me. Followed by it swing back open with the backpack between me and the door I was clinging to. My scream brought the campers in the next site over, but all was well. I'm glad that tent is easy to set up! Night night!

Day 18: 10/03/2010

San Francisco

A late start to the day, but early for Weronika than yesterday :p We decided on breakfast/lunch at another crepery, this one fancier and French. Very stylish and yummy food. They had an awesome cartoon hanging on the wall of a chef coming out of the kitchen with a frying pan and the contents was on fire. The waitress was trying to put it out with a fire extinguisher... Unfortunately, she forgot to aim for the base of the flames and just hit the chef's face through the fire. Very funny.

After that, home to begin laundry, despite my last minute laundry at Mathew's dad's place to avoid this. Something about getting a pair of jeans, socks, and shoes soaking wet in Fern Canyon nixed that idea... Lol. A bit later on we went out to go to an ice cream place and on the way a street fair. The Castro Street Fair!! So awesome!

We didn't spend a whole lot of time at the street fair, but we got the stickers saying "Get Your Freak On, Castro Street Fair" for paying the admission. Earlier in the day the street fair had rerouted our bus rides, so it was nice to see why :p There were lots of different kinds of booths and artists and food and... You guessed it: people. It was a really fun group and attitude, and I finally saw a real sailor... Lucky he was facing away from me! The sailor hat gave away the sailor thing... There wasn't much else he was wearing to identify it! Weronika found a lightswitch cover and I found some great earings with the Golden Gate Bridge painted on them.

But the whole time... Ice cream called. So, time to hike past two lovely bus stops not in use because of the fair so we could catch a ride to Mitchell's Ice Cream... Did I mention that hike was uphill? But YAY ice cream! When we arrived Weronika got us numbers and then we waited. And waited. And waited. And... Ok, it wasn't really that long, and we got to scheme over flavors to taste. Sweet coconut and Mexican chocolate... Heaven. The back to the house by bus... Almost! We were on the bus heading for home when I caught sight of a chocolate cyanotype store Weronika had told me about and gotten me a gift from before. Off the bus!

This store is so awesome. I can't wait to search for shops like this is D.C. Cyanotype is a photographic process (go figure) which involves sunlight usually and turns out pink. Wait a second... If you know your colors, I'm lying and they actually turn out blue, or cyan. Lol. This store hand prints cyanotypes on boxes of different sizes, most of the images are of different signs. Street signs and school signs and some photographs from around San Francisco. And recently they started having a local printmaker create cards as well! I found quite a few fabulous things for gifts, and a couple of boxes for me (I have schemes for them) and then... The chocolate. Lol, I was good this time. I got a bit for Mom and one tiny piece for me. Weronika got chocolate, too, of course, and then called the whole thing my birthday present, awww! She rocks.

Then home to finish up the laundry and figure out where to go the next few days to make it to Green Valley. We decided to drive to dinner, and in a fabulous tradition whenever I visit, sushi time! Sushi, Indian, and Ethiopian food and then I can leave the city happy :p The first sushi place was too busy but the one across the street turned out to have the same owners, and was very very tasty. Home to pack a bit and then sleep...

Day 17: 10/02/2010

Bonnie: In San Francisco
Mathew: San Francisco to Washington, D.C. :-(

We woke up on the couches in Weronika's living room, though on mine the cushions seemed to like to migrate -off- the couch... Lol, still comfy. Mathew finished packing up and sorting out what stayed and what went. We were planning to get breakfast together on the way to the airport, but since we haven't used San Francisco's airport we got there early instead. Mathew moved a few things from the suitcase to a carry on bag and then breakfast!

We got breakfast in the international food court because it's outside security, and then wandered around the terminal looking at some of the exhibits. They have one series of exhibits of new skyscrapers being but up in Shanghai. Very pretty, some of them twist around so the wind effects them better, and I really like those. Maybe we'll go see them for real someday! We also looked at some of the aviation museum, just the bits in the hall as the museum itself was closed. Some amazing uniforms for Pan American Air that the crew used to wear! And the food that used to be served... Those tables must have added sooo much leg room, too. Oh, progress.

We were early enough to have time to sit together for a while and then... Goodbye :-( Mathew showed me how to get to the parking garage, and thankfully left the GPS... If I couldn't get back to the car I hate to think how driving would have gone in San Francisco! And then he went through security (despite my claims that all planes were grounded for the day), and I headed for Weronika's.

Weronika and I went to get more breakfast, though by that time it was after 1pm so... We went to Crepevine, yummy!!! We used the GPS to get us there and discovered something called via points. I later realized they can be useful, but when used by accident, the GPS triumphantly announces "arriving at via point!" and you find yourself... In a residential area nowhere near the restaurant for which you were aiming. But eventually we made it, and soooo amazingly good.

We'd parked in a 1 hour spot, and when we came out there was a paper on my windshield... My thoughts went through these basic phases "I know we paid enough, how can they say we haven't paid enough? Or maybe that truck hit my car pulling out! That... Or maybe I have an oil leak and that's against San Francisco law... Noooo... Oh wait a second..." And the note actually read "Fellow Alaskans, come over to the Fireside Bar and I'll buy us a drink. Ask for Fred."

Hilarious. Weronika mentioned she'd been the bar (right across the street) and we decided to go over there. The woman waving frantically at us from the door once we looked up also encouraged us to go in. We found Fred, an old Alaskan who was from all over Alaska, and his friend who'd been up there a few times. I got to have a drink and Weronika just sipped it so she could be the responsible driver :D Fred was born and raised in Alaska and talked about alot of places I still know! He left the state during pipeline construction. Soooo awesome!

We went back to the house for a bit and then out to get Weronika new backpack strap thingies. And I found flipflops on sale (you have to sing "sale" to really understand how I feel about that). My favorite brand!! Then to the Rayko Photography Gallery, my obsession in San Francisco. There's an awesome exhibit there "1,000 Cameras." Last time I was there it was a various artist exhibit of work from plastic or toy cameras (brownie, Diana, Lomography cameras...)

That time I found and did not buy (idiot) a photography book called "The Invented Camera" by Jo Babcock, which is amazing! Babcock makes pinhole cameras... out of anything. A bandaid tin, a VW Bug... This time the book was still there for sale -and- he'd put together an exhibition!!! A few photographs, including a few from the van (amazing) but also the cameras! And 1,000 is not an exaggeration. So incredible. Also, last time the black and white photo booth wasn't working, but this time it was!!! Lalala, happy dance. It's an old time photography booth that still uses real photo prosessing to create your strip of four photos. Mom's response was "well yeah, that's what was around when I was growing up." As if it was commonplace... But now it is not commonplace, it is rare, so YAY! So psyched.

Ok, Weronika finally got to leave when I stopped being excited long enough to realize hunger, so we headed for an Italian restaurant my parents have taken Weronika to when dad has a conference. But... neither of us were interested in a 45 minute wait, so time to explore and find Indian food! Very tasty. The GPS lead us home to Weronika's driveway of insanity and then... sleep. I miss Mathew.

Day 16: 10/01/2010

Fortuna, CA-San Francisco, CA, 264.4 miles

It's my birthday! I'm 23! (23 is where women stop again, right?) Just kidding, I'm 24 :p One year for a quarter of a century! I checked my e-mail before breakfast and there were 42facebook messages! I thought it would all be junk mail, but every single one was a birthday wish. Awww, I felt very loved.

Mathew and I ate the continental breakfast provided at the hotel and then loaded up the car for San Francisco, and our last full day traveling together. For now!

We continued down Highway 101 and then branched off to what remains of the original Redwood Highway, now known as the Avenue of Giants. Right at the beginning we saw a little dog in the road. It had a collar, so I got out to try and see if I could see it, but it finally ran away after dodging me for a few minutes :-( Hope it ended up ok, and didn't go back toward the interstate. The Avenue of Giants is

a really wonderful road, not so much traffic and a slower speed limit. Mathew drove mostly and he'd pull off to let cars pass so we could really enjoy it at our own speed. One of the best birthday experiences ever. And along the way, we didn't do anything touristy. Ish.

One of the first stops was the Eternal Tree House. It's an old stump that was hollowed out and then a door and paned windows were added along with some carved furniture. Other trees have grown up around it. At this point the place is pretty run down, but it was interesting that it was probably originally used by Native Americans for shelter (before it was carved out more by hand).

Somewhere near the beginning of the Avenue of Giants we pulled off at this gorgeous, really huge tree that was in the sunlight! Most of the trees of course provide too much shade, but this one was next to a river, so it was clear for the sun to reach it. Yay!! We also found a tree that had burned at one point and had a big area we could stand inside of. We got some fun photos, and I got a bit sooty because I'm a klutz :p

One of my favorite stops was at Founders Grove, where we walked along a short trail through the trees. We saw the Founders Tree, dedicated to some of the first men to ensure the redwoods were kept safe. We managed to pull in right after a motor coach full of Asian tourists... It felt alot like being back home during the winter :-) (In a good way, our Taiwanese and Japanese are my favorites because they're almost always so enthusiastic!) We waited for them to move past the Founders Tree and then took very fun tree hugger pictures with the tripod. Lol, good times. I really liked this tree because from farther away it looks completely straight, but once you get close to it, the tree twists as it goes up. It's gorgeous.

Next stop, the Shrine Drive-thru Tree. We paid to get into another when I saw these awesometree houses over the fence. As in, houses carved from single trees :-) First, the drive-thru tree. This one was awesome!!! I got out to take pictures while Mathew drove through it, because he rocks. Yay! Then we walked through it, and Mathew pointed out that it was open at the top! This tree wasn't alive, though the sign said it was 3000 years old when struck by lightening. The fire did more of the hollowing out, and it was widened a bit later on by hand. It's gorgeous! You could look up and see other tree branches and leaves and blue sky... perfect.

At the same area, there was the "Walk Thru Stump," the "Drive on Log" and several other little attractions. Very funny :p I love being a tourist sometimes, lol. And of course, the tree houses. They were very fairy tale ish, adorable! We had fun taking pictures inside one of them, but the other had a guy sitting in it... Slightly creepy, lol, but probably just watching to make sure nobody came in the exit without paying. The weird part... He was wearing an Alaska Railroad shirt!! One of the ones from when Mathew and I worked there... Ooooohh...

Then on to Confusion Hill, another place Mathew remembered from when he was there with his family. Outside is a shoe... You guessed it, a tree shoe! It's fabulous. Inside there's bunches of random things based on the idea that the gravity is off at Confusion Hill. I almost managed to look taller than Mathew... Ha...ha...ha. Lol, it was a fun place. I completely missed the point taking pictures in the gravity house, but after Mathew snagged the camera I figured it out :p Pictures up soon.

After that, San Francisco! We stuck to Highway 101 most of the way down, and figured out it would work best to go meet Weronika at her work. Only 20 minutes away... Silly GPS, we're not moving... Lol, the traffic leading up to the Golden Gate Bridge wasn't standing still... Inching forward is a better description. Mathew took a few photos of the city skyscape as we approached. He made me so proud... Lol, a few, to be exact, is 245 pictures. I loved it! The people behind kept giving me looks, probably because I kept grinning at them in the mirror, so Mathew oh-so-subtly took a few photos of them as well. Hilarious :D

I wanted to have Ethiopian food for my birthday dinner, and because Mathew was flying out the next day and that's my favorite food. We parked at the UCSF where Weronika works and met her downstairs, then back to the car to repack... and fit three people into the currently two-seater car. Mathew managed to clear off enough of the seat to put half of it upright so Weronika could sit down, but driving to Berkley any time I made a turn I'd hear something tumble toward her. Along the way Mathew managed to take 95 more pictures, it's very fun watching him play with exposure values.

Dinner was awesome at my favorite Ethiopian restaurant. It's family style there, but Weronika is vegetarian so she got hers served separately. And then we shared anyway :p And Mathew bought us desert! During the day I found a redwood pin, a letter B, and Mathew bought it as my birthday present. Combine that with all the things we saw and the great dinner, and he topped most other presents I've gotten :-)

Then home to Weronika's house! In the add when she found it, it was apparently described as a treehouse, which is pretty apt. It's not in a tree, but the driveway almost feels like you're driving up one! We used the GPS to get us home because Weronika always walks or takes public transportation. But good thing we had her to point out the driveway. The insanely steep curvy narrow driveway. Woah! Sleeping bags set up on the couches, some packing for Mathew, and sleep time!

Day 15: 9/30/2010

Orman Guest Ranch-Fortuna, CA, 145 miles

Good Morning! Said the cows, horses, roosters, fog horns, and I'm pretty sure other animals were involved as well. Showers again! Oatmeal for breakfast and then off we go. We headed south on Highway 101 looking for redwoods! Oh wait... You don't really have to look around there. It's amazingly beautiful, everywhere you look. We were told by the campground host to look for the Newton Drury Scenic Parkway as a little detour.

Near the beginning of the day we found a drive through tree!! (And by found I mean pointed ecstatically at the various billboards announcing it). I didn't think we'd actually be able to drive through it, just see it, but we could take the car! It was really fun, but I had mixed feelings... It's a living tree... But as the hole was cut in the 1960's and the tree is still going strong and gorgeous, my guilt was minimal. Something about not being alive when the damage was done will take away any personal sense of guilt :p

Soon after, we turned onto the "coastal drive" pointed out on one of the official brown signs of the road. Yeah... coastal... By the time we made it back to 101, Mathew realized we'd somewhere connected to the Newton Parkway without knowing it, and we'd enjoyed approximately three short glimpses of the coast. Lol, still worth it!

Next... Trees of Mystery! I wasn't expecting Mathew to actually agree to this, but YAY! He rocks, as did this completely amusing tourist trap. First you're greeted by a massive stature of Paul Bunyan... That talks!! Along the trail there, the trees are named various things like "Elephant Tree," "Cathedral Trees," and "Upside Down Tree." Along the way you can stop and listen to the lectures... Now that is a brilliant way for parents to not have to take their kids there! "Honey do you want to go hear the lectures at Trees of Mystery? They're very educational..."

It was really a lovely walk and there's some pretty incredible history there. (In the forest I mean... not so much the business :p). A main attraction there is the Sky Trail, this huge tram that takes you up to a viewpoint in these big gondola thingies. Very cool, so long as I forgot to look down. And then on the trail back we learned about Paul Bunyan and his friends with these awesome sculptures and stories. One of the sculptures was a huge squirrel dashing down the tree. We took an arms length shot with it, classic. But wait, sculpture? RUN!!!!! Lol.

We stopped a few times for awe inspiring redwoods, some with gorgeous flowers and moss, as well as the famed "Big Tree." (The others are just dinky really... lol). We also say Roosevelt Elk, in the only place they're found in California! We turned in at Elk Meadows... To see Fern Canyon! Mathew had already been telling me about it. He used to stay at a camp around there with his family and they went there. It's gorgeous! I was lucky to have Mathew along or I would have missed it... It used to have a great trail going through it. That trail is now simply called a stream. Wet feet, five fingered ferns, and lovely trickling waterfalls. I kept my feet wet for a long time, but finally gave up the ballancing acts on logs and just walked through the creek so I could enjoy it with Mathew instead of far behind him. And on the way, Pretty Car made it through some streams!

We stopped in Trinidad to see a lighthouse with a lantern blown out by storm waves in 1912... Or rather, a model of said lighthouse :p Still quite photogenic though, and it was a night place to sit together for a bit on the beach.

Eureka! It's time for dinner! Lol, we stopped in the town of Eureka and wandered around a bit though some of the shops. We saw the Carson Mansion, which was built and ownded by a logging company owner and is crazy gorgeous. I was happy to wander through a used bookstore for a few minutes, and Mathew got a book on the history of the Carson Mansion. Then to the Grill for dinner. We went to one more shop on our way out, it had some really interesting historical photos we looked through, many of San Francisco after the 1906 Earthquake. Since it was near the end of the trip we'd have together, we wanted to rest and have fun the next day, so we decided on the Super 8 in Fortuna a bit further south. Night night!

Day 14: 9/29/2010
Honeyman State Park, OR-Crescent City ish, 212.9 miles
http://goo.gl/maps/vxSN

In the morning we used one of the most awesome parts of Honeyman State Park... Showers! Though apparently this is more common down here than in Alaska. When we left Alaska and Canada I told Mathew we could go faster because I wouldn't have the Milepost to tell me what fabulous things we had to stop and see... Enter Oregon Coast Mile by Mile Magazine :p It's not as good as the Milepost though, so it didn't slow us down nearly as much. It did tell us about lighthouses and bridges though!

On both days we've travelled Highway 101, Mathew and I have both loved the bridges! They're gorgeous, most of them have amazing arches and great columns on either end. Those ones were all designed by a man named Conde McCullough in the 1930's. I think only one of them was ever replaced, the rest are still up!

We saw many more great coastal views, and this time we got to tour through two lighthouses! Only one is still working, the other doesn't have a lamp anymore. First was the Umpqua Bay Lighthouse. The tour guides are all volunteers, and it started in an old Coast Guard building turned museum. They told the history of the lighthouse, it used to be run my the Lighthouse Agency... or something :p And then all the lighthouses were taken over by the Coast Guard. Even though this is a working lighthouse we were allowed to go all the way upstairs in it, and even stand inside the lamp! There was a step on the ladder painted red, and that was as high as we were allowed to go. The lamp is really pretty, all different reds and whites. It has to turn 24/7 or it will flatten the wheels it turns on! A really interesting fact we learned is that they used better and brighter lights as time went on not to be seen further at sea, but to compensate for more and more background light from towns and cities.

The other lighthouse we got to tour through was real, but the lamp is gone. It wasn't so much a tour, just a little museum set up downstairs and then you could go up the stairs... and ladder... to see where the lamp used to be. If the glass windows were still there it would have been nice views, but instead it's been replaced with plexiglass. Still kind of neat views though, it almost just looked foggy. Almost. Remind me sometime that going up a ladder means going down it as well! Outside there was a great beach area we stayed in for a bit. At one point Mathew walked inland while I walked toward the ocean, and a few seconds later I was making a run for him when the waves came closer than expected. Very fun!

For lunch we went to Seafood Restaurant 2 in one of the towns... apparently Seafood Restaurant was already named when this one opened up :p Next door was a gallery I just wanted to glance in before lunch... Ha. There was a really interesting man in there who saw a visitor with a camera and so we talked for a bit until I made an escape because Mathew was waiting. The man has a 4x5 SLR camera I wish I could have seen though!

Cape Blanco is another place with a lighthouse and an old manor house, but we arrived too late for tours. We saw the house from outside and the highlight was near the lighthouse (we couldn't drive close to it). In the parking area I got out to take some photos and nearly got blown over! So fun. Mathew was staying in the car, and when I started down a little trail from the bluff, he had to come out because I didn't realize how much it looked like I was going down a cliff! Oops... Very nice walk, and not nearly as windy down the bluff as on top.

Before finding a camping place, we crossed the Thomas Creek Bridge, which is the highest bridge Oregon, and stopped south of it to walk to a viewpoint... which turned out to be a terrible viewpoint :p You could just see the bridge through the trees. But It was a fairly nice trail to walk throhgh the trees, and you could just see the beach sometimes. Mathew rescued me on the way back with "don't look down, just take a big step." Finally... somebody who will save me from the s word and not tease me about it... at least until later. Yay :-)

We planned to camp at Tolowa Dunes State Park north of Crescent City... Don't ever try to find that place :p Apparently there is no camping, and the "coastal" route to get to it was backroads followed by dirt roads followed by hugely rutted dirt roads (this coming from an Alaskan). Really funny and amusing, but about a 40 minute detour followed by a lack of camping sites. We headed south of Crescent City for Del Norte Park instead... before realizing the tent symbol on the map was north of Del Norte... Eventually we found the Orman Guest Ranch and camping area! We got there just in time before the host went to bed, met a cat who did not win a possum fight but was still very sweet, and then followed the directions of "follow that road around until it ends and then keep driving to the trees" to find our campsite! It was a pretty nice place... Once you ignored the fog horn, tree frogs, and farm animals! Luckily, the farm animals were pretty quiet. At night anyway.

Day 13: 9/28/2010
Portland, OR-Honeyman State Park, OR, 295.4 miles
http://goo.gl/maps/3JPy


And we're off! I feel like we've headed south from Portland before... We headed the other way this time and took Highway 224 southeast to go through the Cascade Mountain Range... In daylight this time! It was completely gorgeous. We made it quite a ways before stop number one at the Clackamas River, which the road follows for a long time. We pulled off after a bridge and walked around a little bit. There were some really pretty rapids, some bit enough to be like small waterfalls, and under the bridge where we walked there were big boulders that were covered in moss! Really pretty.

A little bit further on where the road goes higher above the river, I just saw a gorgeous canyon part of the river and we pulled off at a pullout and followed a trail we probably wouldn't have spotted otherwise down to the canyon. It was so amazing! There was a little tram there that would get you across the river, it would have been fun to hang above the water :-) It was private and padlocked though, lol. But the canyon itself was incredible, aside of Tormented Valley near Skagway, this is now my favorite rock area! Mathew said it was volcanic rock. I loved the way you could see more bits of rock just below the water surface, and some was almost covered in moss so it looked really amazing. Pictures to come!

At that point we were probably already in the Cascades, but we started getting higher up in them and seeing lava fields! So cool. The black and dark grey rock looked amazing with the green and red fall colors. Yay! The prettiest areas were where there were no pullouts, go figure. But we drove off the road a little to Clear Lake Resort and saw a lovely lake with lava rocks around it, and it had a sign pointing toward waterfalls further down the road! We stopped at both waterfalls, and walked down short trails to view each one. I'm so lucky and glad I got to share all of these places with somebody I love!

We also stopped at the Leaburg Fish Hatchery, and to get there we drove across a dam!!! So cool. We went to this viewing pond at the hatchery, and they had fish food! A little dispenser you could put quarters in to feed the fish. Mathew managed to get rid of some more Canadian change there :p It was so incredible the way the fish would all come over and splash around for the food. There were also these three ducks in the pond, and they were really funny as well. I think they were trying to be subtle about wanting the fish food... Mathew said the fish were all brown trout probably and then pointed out a really big one at the bottom... But not a trout! Catfish! They were -so- big, the largest probably 5-6 feet long, and you could just barely make them out when they moved. Crazy.

We passed through Eugene, Oregon on Highway 126 headed for the coast, and that took us back to Florence, OR on Highway 101 yay! Around Eugene we called the Florence Chamber of Commerce to ask about camping, because through the Cascades every campsite we saw was closed for the season... The lady suggested Honeyman State Park, though I definitely heard "Hinnemin" instead... It's just south of Florence and she said it was the best in the entire state. Lol, we doubted her word and planned to go further south anyway, but in the end we went there.

First we got fuel in Florence and I was hugely disappointed that the girl inside was just closing down the coffee stand, so we stopped somewhere else to get hot chocolate, yay! Then south to camp!

Honeyman State Park is awesome! It's right at the beginning of the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. We got there early enough to set up camp and then went for a walk in the dunes. Rather hard to walk in, but it was really fun. Mathew was really fun to watch running down the dunes, and then we made sand angels and stared at the stars. I was slightly horrified to realize how dark it was walked back through the trees, but Mathew lead me along the trail very gallantly and didn't let any bugs get me. Near the end I remembered my camera makes an ok flashlight and felt pretty stupid, but havin' the guy you love lead you through a scary forest trail is totally worth it!

Back at the campsite Mathew made tea and we played some more Ziggity, which I think Mathew won mostly, and then to bed... On our brand new camping gear! Comfy!

Day 12: 9/27/2010
Alturas, CA-Portland, OR: 385 miles
http://goo.gl/maps/dRhF

Richard and Elona had an appointment in the morning in Sacramento so Mathew and I got up to say goodbye at 2:30am... Oh no wait, we woke up about six hours after they were gone, having said goodbye the night before :p We did a bit of last minute laundry and Mathew made a fabulous breakfast, yay! I love him :-) Then I called the dealership in Portland to get an estimate of when it would be done (12-2pm ish), and then Mathew pointed out how long the drive would be... oops. We made a dash for the door after quick goodbyes to Bungie and Sylvester because by then we'd just be able to make it before the dealership closed... Note to self: just because Alaska is bigger, doesn't mean everywhere else is close together!

We made it about 30 yards down the road before looping back for the forgotten leftovers, our lunch, and then on the road again! We stopped to get gas in Rescue Car and then north to Eugene to take I5 to Portland. We saw one of my favorite signs of all time on I5: "You are halfway between the equator and the north pole." Lol, love it! We made one stop on the way for restrooms and otherwise just drove... and drove... and drove... and made it with 15 whole minutes to spare! It was quite fun trying to call the dealership while driving through the Cascade Mountains, too... great continuous service up there.

Mathew dropped me off to do the paperwork and then went to fuel Rescue Car. Then we somehow managed the get everything back into Pretty Car and off to dinner! At first we decided to just drive and find a local place... But the row of uh... dance halls... we were passing, did not cry "quality establishments." Lol. So we put Applebees in the GPS and off we went! We managed to stop eating soon enough to have decent leftovers -and- try out the dessert shots! Non alcoholic, but something about a shot glass with chocolate in it... sigh.

After that, it was time to find REI to replace the missing items from before... Some navigation fun going through extra parking lots finally got us there about 14 1/2 minutes before closing time, and I dashed in saying I needed a sleeping bag and pad. The associate who helped me out was quite fun, he used to work in fisheries management or some such in DC and commented he loved dealing with one of my favorite ex senators... sarcasm on both counts :p He found me an awesome sleeping bag, still down and rated to 15 degrees, but I can move around in it more -and- the pad goes inside it! Awesome!! The pad I got is similar to the Thermarest ones, but it's shaped like a mummy bag instead of straight, and veeery comfy :D We also got a Thermarest pad for Mathew, as we'd been swapping the pad and the yoga mat before. On the way out of the store, several minutes after closing time, I heard the cashier announce the amount I spent, which I thought was hilarious.

Then to the camping site Mathew looked up that morning that was 45 minutes south... Or not. We both agreed that the long drive and stressful REI finding mission meant we were allowed to hotel it again. Priceline returns, followed by the same Ramada Inn as before, yay! We played a few games of Ziggity, a card game. Mathew one two out of three, but I went out with a BAM the time I one... no really, I spelled the word BAM to go out... Night all!

I'll continue updating this in order, but the next plan of action (today is October 4th) is to be in Arizona by the 6th, traveling through Yosemite and Joshua Tree National Park on the way.

Day 11: 9/26/2010
Alturas, CA

The day began with waffles! Amazingly sourdough yummy waffles, made by Richard. Fantastic! Mathew started making the ice cream, and I bounced around excitedly because really, ice cream maker! Then we relaxed for a while and Mathew and I sat on the porch and had some computer time, during which I accomplished very little :p

Then we piled in the car after Elona made a picnic lunch! I have no idea how long the drive was... I was asleep mostly, lol. But eventually we arrived at Mill Creek Falls and did a little hike, probably no more than 25 minutes up and less time back. But it was to a water fall! Very very pretty. Also, at the trailhead there are some longer trails, and there was a sign in sheet so the parks service would know how many were out on the trails! Seemed like a nice idea.

Then a bit further to Soup Springs, where Richard and Elona had camped before. It was nice and peaceful there, only one other person up at the campsite, and we stopped and had our lunch there at one of the picnic tables. Trixie spent the whole time bouncing around and exploring... and begging for food, lol, she's very cute.

Back at home I managed to con Mathew into letting me taste the ice cream, yum!! Then a tour of Richard's RV trailer thing. Very nice! I wouldn't want quite that much for camping, but it would make traveling much simpler :-) And one really nice thing about it, the house doesn't have AC, so on really hot days they can just go use the AC in the trailer! Then Mathew showed me the pop-up trailer they'd used for years, which was way more awesome than I expected. That thing is awesome!

More relaxing on the back porch with Bungie and Trixie, and these cute little birds using the bird pool! This was followed by an awesome dinner of barbecued chicken by Richard and amazing German potato salad by Elona. Yummy! And then of course... the ice cream! Mathew went all out and served us all the ice cream, complete with whip cream. It was raspberry, my favorite berry!! Yay! Then we said our goodbyes and goodnights, as Elona and Richard would be leaving at 3am the next morning for an appointment in Sacramento (eek...). Mathew and I started to watch a movie on the computer and... Sleep!

Day 10: 9/25/2010
Alturas, CA

I woke up later than everybody else, so I got to meet everybody at once when I finally made it out of the room. I'd already met Bungie the black lab and Trixie the Chihuahua in the darkness, but now I got a name for Mathew's dad's wife Elona (since I had subtly not asked at 3am...), and of course, finally got to meet Mathew's dad Richard. Yay! They all seemed very nice at first impression.

I figured everybody had already eaten and such, but I was in luck! Elona made us all homemade hash browns and eggs for breakfast, which was fabulous. Then we all walked down to Rainbow Lake, where Bungie went for a short swim and Trixie did her best to avoid all water. It was great watching her get across the rocky stream of water from the springs that fed the pond. Each of the ponds are stocked with a different fish, in this case rainbow trout.

When we got back, we all hung out in the yard for a while, and I met Sylvester the cat while he was lounging in the shade. Generally Sylvester has to come to you the first few times, but he didn't leave the shade when I snuck over. Yay! He also loves attention while he's eating, which is the easiest place to pet him. Very fun. And he has the most adorable meow ever, even my mom would like it because it's sooo quiet.

Laundry time at last! Some amazing leftover German Lasagna for lunch followed by more relaxing on the back porch and then Mathew took me on an ATV ride! I definitely like it over snow machines and 3 wheelers :p It was really pretty and fun and we stopped at a nice stream and wandered around. There was a cow up there! Richard's house is waaaay up in the hills above Alturas and the ranches, but the ranchers let their cows wander up in the hills most of the time I guess. I really enjoyed the ATV ride, but not detouring a fallen tree. And it was dusty! Not really enough enough to notice out there, just when we got back :p

The back to the house to get ready to head for dinner! First to town to fuel Richard and Elona's car, then to the grocery store for ice cream making supplies!!! We also picked up a movie to watch later.

After that, to "The Lodge." It's actually called the California Pines Lodge. When we arrived and searched out a table, the waitress Cindy laughed at Richard for not making reservations, but we did get a table. Lucky we didn't arrive later! Cindy knew everybody's names, but her response to me was "I don't remember -this- one!" Very funny :p

Everybody else got prime rib and I got the mixed grill, which had chicken, ribs, and steak. And the salad bar! Amazing. And then ice cream for dessert... with sprinkles!! When we got home we watched "Up in the Air," but few of us made it all the way to the end... Night night!