Day 15 - Sequoia National Park

“In every walk with Nature one receives far more than he seeks”

John Muir

Another day down, another park added to the list. I did not expect much beyond seeing the giant Sequoia trees, but was surprised to see how mountainous this park was.  It did not have same knock your socks off scenery as Zion, but I did lose my underwear so still pretty memorable (more on that later). 

 We arrived at Sequoia Friday night as the sun was setting.  This added a challenge to our drive in the park, because our campsite was in the center of the park at an elevation of 6000 ft.  This meant going up winding narrow roads that had 180 degree turns with nothing more than a 1 foot tall stone wall to “prevent” us from plummeting down the mountain.  When we reached the higher elevation we got a few glimpses of the mighty sequoias, as the headlights illuminated the ones along the road.  These suckers are big.  After an hour and going only 20 miles into the park we arrived at the Lodgepole Campground which we nicknamed the New York City of campgrounds.  It seemed no one ever slept and it was ridiculously crowded with sites on top of sites.  We set up camp in the dark and cooked up some sausage and asparagus for dinner before heading to bed to the sounds of RVs and kids. 

The next morning we woke early and headed to the visitor center.  We had some hikes in mind and asked a ranger about them.  He told us they were all lame choices and instead suggested an 11 mile round trip hike that ended at a mountain lake.  Knowing rangers rarely get this wrong we took his advice.  However, first we had to make the obligatory stop at General Sherman, the parks most famous resident.  This tree is huge, at 275 feet tall and a base of 103 feet in diameter.  It is currently 2200 years old.  Though not the tallest trees in the world (that would be the redwoods) they are the most massive weighing up to 2.7 million pounds.  We did the short 1 mile loop around the grove and headed to the next trailhead.

We packed up some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and began the strenuous hike to the lake.  The trail started at 7000 ft with a steep 2000 ft climb to the highest point of the trail.  My legs fortunately are getting use to these types of hikes so we were able to walk at a 4 mile an hour pace.  The hike had a mix of nice views, mountains meadows with colorful wild flowers, streams (which we drank from using my Steripen and the water tasted awesome).  The first view point was at Watchtower a lookout overlooking the 11,000+ peak of Mt Silliman and its cliff like drop of 5000 feet to the river and valley below.  There was an area of the mountain our side that had a narrow jut out into the opening with cliffs on both sides.  Having rid myself of acrophobia, I was determined to get out on that.  That would stay for later.  We continued along the hike and eventually made it to the first of 3 lakes along the hike.  There were some loud kids there so we decided to skip that and push towards the last lake.  After 5.5 miles of hiking we arrived to Emerald Lake.

The lake sat at 9000 ft and we were the only ones there.  We had our sandwiches and then it was swim time.  Now we did not prepare very well and did not have bathing suits.  Walking back in wet shorts would be a bad idea and going in nude would risk getting a sunburn on a place that would make sitting in car for 5000 more miles extremely unpleasant.  So I figured, go in in my boxer briefs (that’s your answer to boxer’s or brief’s if anyone was wondering) and then go commando for the hike back. The water felt great, a perfect way to cool off after a strenuous climb.  When we were ready I hung my underwear on my backpack and continued back to the Watchtower.

 

Taking a dip in Emerald Lake

Still filled with energy I decided to make a go at the area that jutted out into the valley.  Shriver stayed behind with my stuff.  After successfully completing my extra credit for the hike I found an easier way down and told Shriver just to meet me about 300 feet below.  When we met up he gave me backpack back but the underwear was gone, with impending rain and our legs and feet feeling the mileage we decided not to go back.  So I finished the day without underwear and must say I may have found a better way to hike.  Exhausted from the hike we headed north in the park to find another campsite, because I had screwed up and did not book a second night.  Fortunately we found another one in the National Forest.  We snagged the last site, secluded, giant and right along side a mountain creek.  It was the perfect reward to a tough hike.

 

Running up the Watchtower commando style

Overall, this was another great day.  We woke this morning (Day 16) and continued our venture north.  I’m posting from a Starbucks in Frensno and again will not know when I'll have internet again.  We have 110 more miles to go until we reach Yosemite where we will stay until the 24^th. 

Stats:

Miles Driven: 4452

Highest Elevation: 9400 feet

Number of Miles Hiked So Far: 25

Number of Marmots Seen: 3

Pairs of underwear lost on a trail: 1

Number of days without a shower: 2

Day 14 - Death Valley National Park

“Death is nothing, but to live defeated and 

inglorious is to die daily.”

 Napoleon Bonaparte

Today marked the beginning of the California leg of the trip.  We woke early from our night out on the town with everyone alive, though some feeling the sting of Vegas.  Dad left for the airport to leave his life on the road, Coop headed back to Scottsdale, Arizona and Shriver and I hit the road to head west to the infamous Death Valley.  We headed north from Vegas into an area where the billboards advertise for Burger Kings 2.5 hours away.  That’s the definition of desolate.  We did pass an Air Force Base that had drones flying around it.  There was also a truck stop with a brothel that offered hot sauce for sale, because the best way to remember your stay at a brothel is a commemorative bottle of hot sauce.

Death Valley

Eventually we had to turn off the highway and head into the desert.  Earlier in the trip we had seen some deserts but nothing like this.  This is the desert that has mirages.  Now they are not the cartoon palm trees around a pool or lemonade stand mirages, but at multiple times it appeared as if we were seeing a train in the distance or cars that were not actually there.  Every once in a while we’d stumble upon a trailer or two, indicating that there are actually people who live here.

The Mesquite Sand Dunes

Around 11:00 we arrived to Death Valley National Park.  This was one part of the trip I was not sure about doing.  Death Valley is the hottest place on earth, holding the highest recorded temperature at 134 degrees.  Not to one up all my friends out East, but by the time we got to the visitor center, it was 114 degrees, it was 125 around 1 PM.  The park is also very dry, with less than 2 inches of rain a year.  The instant you get out of the car you become very thirsty.  It’s also the lowest point in the US at 280 ft below sea level.  In summary, it is one extreme place.  Yet like every park we’ve been too it had is unique characteristics that made it fascinating.  The land is a bright brown with a mix of grey/silver rocks and yellow shrubs.  Occasionally blue/green rock formations add a mix of color.  The valley is massive, surrounded by mountains that sore as high as 11,000 feet.  In all we drove over 80 miles through this tough terrain.

We checked out a few of the views along the way including sand dunes and an old borax mine, and then took a break at the Badwater Saloon in the middle of the park.  The saloon is literally in the middle of no where.  Our waitress was another Pennsylvanian who had moved here from Pittsburgh 8 months ago.  I’d like you all to think about this.  Someone thought a barren desert that reaches daily temps in the summer of 120 degrees was a better place to live than Pittsburgh.  Take what you want from that.  After our meal we headed back into the heat and through the rest of the park.  This last section pushed my Element to its limits.  There are signs that suggest turning off the A/C to prevent overheating as you climb out of the valley.  In just a few miles we reached an elevation of 5,000 feet.  The Element held strong though not without having to turn the heat on to prevent overheating.

After leaving the park we travelled south, then west and then north towards our resting point at the Lodgepole Campground in Sequoia National Park.  There will be no post tomorrow, as we will be staying in the park for two nights, and I doubt I'll have access to wifi.  

Stats:

Miles Driven: 4452

States: PA, MD, WV, VA, TN, NC, AL, MS, LA, TX, NM, AZ, UT, NV, CA

Hottest Recorded Temp: 125

Lowest Elevation: 190 feet below sea level

Number of Pennsylvanians encountered on the trip: 5

Day 13 - Las Vegas?

“We find after years of struggle that we do not take a trip, a trip takes us.”

John Steinbeck – Travels with Charley 

And I’m back in Vegas.  I was here earlier this year for the ACOFP conference and a portion of my boards.  I had fun, but would certainly not put this anywhere near the top of my favorite places in the world.  In fact there are not many places I could rank lower, maybe Trenton, NJ or Los Angeles.  The lights are pretty at night, but overpriced food, crowds and gambling are not my thing (no judgments if that’s your kind of thing).  Though I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have fun.  In addition to Shriver coming out here, John Cooper (another Sig Rho brother) came out from his new location in Arizona to hang out.  Great time, but no stories to share because what happens here stays here. 

So instead of telling you all about the wonders of Las Vegas, I’ll use this time for a little reflection on the past two legs of the trip.  I’m now 1/3 of the way through the trip.  So much has already been seen and it’s hard to believe there are 27 days left.  I started reading the John Steinbeck book Travels with Charley, the quintessential road trip novel.  Written in 1960, the book follows John’s travels across the US along side his trusty Poodle, Charley.  There has not been much time to read, so I have only read the first few chapters, but the very beginning discusses his preparation and ultimate day of departure.  There was a moment a few days before going that the excitement turned to a feeling of dread, realizing it’d be months before he’d be in the comforts of his own home.  He wished for an excuse not to go, and I must admit I had the same feelings.  However, 2 weeks in that is all gone, I’m still going strong.

It’s been great so far.  Dad and I were very surprised by what the South had to offer.  The Smokies were mystical.  At one point they were the tallest mountains in the world, reaching peaks as high as Everest.  They’re like the wise elderly mountains, smoking their pipes on the front porch, content with where they’ve been.  The cities had so much culture from the country twang of Nashville to the jazzy swagger of New Orleans.  Though as much as I liked the cities, my heart lies in wilderness.  The National Parks of the Southwest have been unbelievable from the horror movie backdrop of Carlsbad Caverns to the colorful plateaus and canyons of the Grand Canyon and Zion.  And while I only seem to talk about the waypoints, I must say the scenery along the roads and highways are quite memorable themselves.  The average temperature for these two legs has been well into the 90s, but when you’re seeing such amazing things, its hardly noticeable.  Of course the people along the way have been wonderful too.  Listening to stories and figuring what brought two strangers to the same place and time is always fascinating. Andy and Dad both fly out of Vegas from here, and I must say I’ll miss them both.

The next two legs of the trip will be spent alongside my best friend, Nick.  I must give him credit for igniting my love for travel, especially for the “fly by the seat of your pants” kind of travel.  Our first trip was back in Med School, we randomly chose to go down to West Virginia for a couple of days to explore the New River Gorge area.  We had no reservations, no plans, just camping gear and two mountain bikes.  It was a great trip.  No plans seemed to work out better which remained true for visits to Olympic National Park and Glacier National Park.  I even have to give him credit for heading to Belize, which was a life-changing experience.  So I enthusiastically welcome him aboard. 

The next leg of this trip will take us to California to see Death Valley, Sequoia and Kings Canyon, Yosemite and Red Woods National Parks.  We’ll stop in Stockton to see Jake McDowell, a former co-resident in Williamsport and then check out San Francisco. Thanks for sticking with the blog, the feedback has been awesome and I didn’t realize so many people would be following.  With just 10 entries I’ve had 2000 views.   For those without Facebook, I’ve uploaded about 200 pictures to my Google Picasa site.  There are a lot more parks coming up which means inconsistent access to Internet.   I’ll try my best to continue posting, but instead of it being daily, you may get chunks of posts. 

Stats:

Miles Driven: 3880

States: PA, MD, WV, VA, TN, NC, AL, MS, LA, TX, NM, AZ, UT, NV

Money Lost Gambling: 0

Number of times Chris Angel came off as a douche during his show: 28

Favorite Park: Zion National Park (so far)

Best Food: Char-broiled Oysters in New Orleans

Days 11 and 12 - Zion National Park

View from Angels Landing

“Conquer the mountain way down by the riverside”

To Zion Goes I – OAR

After leaving behind the monsoon at Grand Canyon we headed north then west towards Zion National Park.  The drive was not without its excitement.  The storms continued to stalk us in the desolate region of Northern Arizona.  Then we hit Utah and suddenly everything became great again.  We were still half an hour from the park and with no guarantee that there would be a place to stay we decided to stop in a town called Kanab.  We checked Trip Advisor (my best friend since Belize) and found the best rated motel in town.  We lucked out and got the last room at the Canyon Lodge, at a very discounted rate after I told him about the road trip.  We slept like babies in the most comfortable beds yet.  The next morning we continued the trek and arrived at Zion.

One might think "how can you be impressed after just seeing the Grand Canyon?", but there was something instantly special about this park.  Where this canyon may pale in comparison to the grandeur of the last park, it makes up in the details.  The color contrast is remarkable between the red and white rim peaks, the blue sky and the green valley below.  The drive into the park would have been enough.  We zigzagged down into the canyon and ended at the mouth (I think that’s the term) at the visitor center.  Our campsite was not far so we got to setting up our rain soaked gear in the dry, sun soaked valley.  It was all instantly dried.  It was already too late in the day to start the hike I have been dreaming about since the day I added Zion to my itinerary. 

Instead we took the shuttle to the a small hike, that dad was able to do the first portion.  The exercise felt great after being cooped up in a car for so long, but the hike overall was nothing spectacular.  As has become routine, some nasty looking clouds made there way over the canyon.  This particular park has great reception so we obsessively checked the weather reports and indeed a storm was coming.  We got back to our site and since there is a fire ban in the park, we went into the town of Springdale, a stones throw out of the park and got some pizza and local Utah beer.  The clouds continued to position themselves overhead.  Then something changed.  The setting sun bursts through the clouds and gave us a light show as it lit up various parts of the canyon rim and peaks.  Every color imaginable was on display.  We went to bed under the stars knowing our luck had finally changed.  Though when it doesn't go below 80 degrees at night, you don't really sleep.

Sunset in Zion

The next morning, Andy and I woke up nice and early with the sun, and made our way to the trailhead for the famous Angels’ Landing trail.  Many people have recommended this hike and could not wait to get started.  Initially I was worried that it be crowded because at 7:30 the shuttle was already packed.  Fortunately, the Grotto stop was not the destination for most and we got off and headed toward the trail.  At first, it was only Andy, myself and three guys (Matt, Caleb, and Spencer) from Kentucky.  They too were on a road trip to celebrate graduating high school.  This is a strenuous climb to nearly 1500 feet over 2.5 miles.  They were clearly in better shape and powered upward.  Andy and I did pretty well ourselves, passing the majority of hikers who had started earlier.  During a water break we met Liz, single mom from Chicago whose kids were back at camp, she stuck with us for the rest of the hike.  Meeting new people is my favorite part of traveling.  We continued upward and finally reached the point that make this hike so famous.  The last portion follows a narrow ridge to the top, at moments you can see straight down over a 1000 feet on either side.  If you look down too much your legs get weak.  Many do not continue, but we did and it was absolutely worth it.  After about an hour and half we were at the top with a view that can not be explained (so check out the picture).

The last part of the Angels Landing hike

At the top we met up again with our Kentucky friends who did a couple acrobatic tricks for us, including a handstand closer to the edge than I would have done.  Not that I can do a handstand.  We had a snack, took turns taking pictures of each other and all walked down together.   I was satisfied, the hike was everything a hike should be, hard work with a great pay off.  This pay off will be burned in my memory forever.  We made our way back to the campsite and found dad.  He was ready to move on to the next step of the trip, so we packed up and headed west to Las Vegas.  But first we treated ourselves to a much-deserved Double-Double cheeseburger from In-and-Out Burger. 

 

Spencer on top of Angels Landing

Stats:

Miles Driven: 3734

States: PA, MD, WV, VA, TN, NC, AL, MS, LA, TX, NM, AZ, UT

Hours Driven: no idea, lost track a while ago

National Parks: 6

State License Plates: 43 (still need Rhode Island, Montana, Hawaii, Alaska, North and South Dakota and Iowa)