Our trip in numbers...

Great Red Paintbrush

 We have been on the road in the USA for 7 weeks:

•   travelled 5519 miles, (8882 km)

•   been in 3 US states – California, Arizona, Nevada

•   explored 5 National Parks - Joshua Tree, Grand Canyon, Death Valley, Yosemite, Golden Gate Alcatraz

•   visited 6 State Parks - Big Sur, Salton Sea, San Jacinto Mountain, Hearst Castle, Red Rock, Red Rock Canyon

•   National Forests; 3 Sequoia, Sierra, Tahoe

•   slept in 13 beds; 3 hotels, 4 motels and 5 timeshare units, 1 private home (make it 19 with Bahamas)

•   ate Ben & Jerry ice-cream, 6, Cherry Garcia, Chunky Monkey, Triple Caramel Chunk, New York Super Fudge Chunk, Americone Dream, Cheesecake Brownie

•   added 35 birds to my US bird list which is now 199 and my world list is 1482, top bird Roadrunner

•   popped into 4 museums, Palm Springs Art, Cable Car (SF), De Young (SF), Maritime Museum (Lake Tahoe)

•   farmers markets, 2; Oakhurst, Ferry Building (SF)

•   decaprio 3 movie catch-up, Aviator, Gatsby and Departed

•   Oscar 5 movie catch-up, Dallas Buyers Club, Nebraska, August: Osage County, Zero Dark Thirty, Charlie Wilson’s War

•   relished organic extra virgin olive oil, 3 farms 

•   walked 147 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, many city blocks

•   walking well ahead of schedule, 37 miles credit, (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

•   took a bike, cycled along the Truckee River for 16 miles, (26 km)

•   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

•   modes of transport, 8, helicopter over the Grand Canyon, ferry to Alcatraz, cable car, bus, metro, streetcar, bicycle, paddle boat on Tahoe

•   shows/events, 4, in Las Vegas, O Cirque du Soleil; in San Francisco, Beach Blanket Babylon, SF Giants baseball in San Francisco; in Reno Extreme Bull Riding

California Snow Flower

Lake Tahoe: Five Lakes Trail

Feel as though I got my hiking mojo back today!

I read this quote about the trail we chose for our last hike here in Lake Tahoe, nice rhythm up the granite canyon before getting to the forest, spring flower meadows and the series of lakes:

'It's called the Five Lakes Trail, and it's one of the best short day hikes in California.'

It is a great walk and we got to do a couple of miles along the Pacific Crest Trail too (PCT for those in the know), the legendary trail that is 2650 miles of exceptional hiking. They say you have lived life if you have hiked along the PCT. Do my 2 miles count? So now I have lived life?

A special experience was hearing the low booming vibration of a Sooty Grouse calling from the forest. Could not find the bird though even though we really tried.

Steep initial section before the granite canyon

Would love to understand the geology!

Hiking up the granite canyon

Taking in the canyon

Flowers on the PCT

Today, the first day of summer, still seeing the delicate beauty of spring with the fragile Mariposa Lily

The destination, one of the lovely lakes along the trail