Sunday, 8 June 2014

Our trip in numbers...

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

Half Dome sunset from Glacier Point

Farewell to the breathtaking Yosemite Valley



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