Rain...what else?

When I left Redding, CA this morning, I knew there would be rain in my future.  As I drove I-5 through the mountains north of Mt. Shasta...also known as the Cascade Wonderland Highway...it WAS a winter wonderland, even though it was the first day of Spring.  Thankfully, there was no snow on the road, just the surrounding hills.  By the time I reached Portland, OR in the mid-afternoon it was just starting to rain a little.

I had just enough time in my day to visit the Oregon History Museum.  Although not a very large museum, it had some pretty cool exhibits.  The highlight was their award-winning permanent exhibit entitled Oregon My Oregon, which provides an overview of the history of the state of Oregon through the people who made the state what it is today.  Also of note, their special Treasures Of The Vault, which displays artifacts from important moments in Oregon's history...many which have never been seen.  Here's an old dentist's chair and x-ray machine...nice!

When I left the museum, the rain was really coming down.  It slowed the drive to my hotel, along with early rush hour traffic.  And, so, ends the last full day of my road trip.  Tomorrow, I'll make the half day drive home, to my own bed, to my cat...how I miss her...and going back to work the following day.  Not really embracing the latter, but at least I'll have great road trip stories to tell everyone! 

Take me home, country road

It was a bit chilly this morning when I left Three Rivers, CA.  After partaking of the free hot breakfast the hotel provided, I headed north on Hwy 99, which pretty much runs parallel to Interstate 5 from Los Angeles to northern California.  The highway is a little less boring than the interstate, since it runs through so many towns.  I had taken this road between L.A. and Sacramento in the past, but not north of that.  My activities today took me on that uncharted path.

Most of the day was devoted to driving...California is one LONG state!  After stopping for lunch in Manteca...last chance to eat at Ono Hawaiian BBQ...I continued on to Sacramento to check out the Sierra Sacramento Valley Medical History Museum.  The small museum turned out to be a bit on the boring side, but it DID have a few interesting things.  Exhibits included stuff like old surgical instruments, examples of early drugs and medications, and the diseases of note.  Of course, no museum of medicine would be complete without some examples of quackery like this instrument.  I wonder if this was used primarily on women?

I only spent about 15 minutes at the museum before heading north once again on Hwy 99.  There was a reason I took this route instead of Interstate 5.  Just east of Chico, CA is the Honey Run Covered Bridge.  This bridge is the only tri-span bridge left in the United States, and is also one of the few covered bridges left in California.  It was originally built in 1894, but wasn't covered till the early 1900s.

 

Tomorrow is my last full road trip day.  A long drive to Portland, OR in what looks like will be a windy, rainy day.  Welcome back to the Pacific Northwest!

Foiled by mother nature

When I left Los Angeles early this morning, traffic was light and the rain was gone.  It took me all morning to reach my only sightseeing destination of the day... Sequoia National Park.  Now, I knew there was a slight risk visiting this park at the tail end of winter.  The park is at a higher elevation, and there is always the chance of snow.  Sure enough, it snowed the night before, making the main park road hazardous...but not in the way I thought.

At the park entrance, I was told the road was closed due to downed trees.  They were in the process of removing trees that had fallen down due to heavy wet snow on their branches.  I was told to inquire at the visitor center for more information.  Since I was still using my annual park pass, it didn't cost me anything to enter the park, so I decided to play it by ear.  At the visitor center, I found out they were hoping to open the road sometime in the afternoon.  In the meantime, I decided to kill time by doing a couple of short hikes down to the Kaweah River.  Although I wasn't looking at sequoias, I still got some nice photos of the surrounding hills and the river canyon.

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After three hours of waiting, the road was still closed, so I decided the call it a day.  Before leaving I bought a couple of items from the park's gift shop.  I noticed they had some Sequoia National Park sew-on patches.  It brought memories of my childhood when we used to visit national parks and buy such patches.  My mom would then sew them on jackets for me and my sister.  Of course, the two of us would try not to get the same patch.  It's amazing how much more detailed the patches are nowadays...and more expensive.  No, I didn't buy a patch...I don't wear such stuff anymore.  On the other hand, if there should ever be a Five For Fighting patch...

All things must pass

The rain finally came today...really heavy at times!  Of course, being a Pacific Northwesterner, I'm used to it.  Before picking up my brunch chili dog from Pink's, I made a little side trip to a rather infamous house...that is, if you're a fan of the Fox-TV series American Horror Story.  I can't remember how I came across the information, but I found out this particular house was located in Los Angeles, just a few minutes away from my hotel.  I decided to check it out, and get a few photos of it...I DID like the show.  As you can see by the photos below, the house as it actually looks differs a bit from the one depicted on screen.  Ahh, the wonders of computer effects!

With all the rain, outdoor activities were out of the question.  So, I decided to take in some music culture and what better place than The Grammy Museum, located at L.A. Live. This museum is devoted to the history and current events related to the Grammy Awards, and music in general.  There are always new and special exhibits, and I particularly enjoyed a terrific one on the life and music of George Harrison. Tomorrow, I leave Los Angeles and start the slow drive north and back home.  It's been fun, but all good things must come to an end, and I'm looking forward to hugging my cat and sleeping in my own bed again. 

Opportunity lost, inspiration gained

This morning, my friend Johnny and I visited Paramount Studios for a tour of the lot.  Now, in the past, I had done TWO VIP tours of Warner Brothers Studios.  I had been hoping to do a similar tour of Paramount, but their VIP tour was not yet available.  So, we just did the standard 2-hour tour.  Two of us and four others were assigned a tour guide, Chris, who was very personable and friendly.  He took us around the lot in a oversized motorized cart, which we often disembarked to walk around.

There was a lot of filming and construction going on this particular day.  One of my favorite shows CBS-TV's NCIS: Los Angeles films at Paramount, and I was excited to see they were working on the studio grounds.  I would have been awesome to see the actors from the show, but all I saw were their assigned trailers.  In particular, I saw a couple labeled "Sam" and "Callen," which belonged to LL Cool J and Chris O'Donnell respectively.  Alas, that was all I saw, even when the guide was kind enough to make a return trip to the area at the end of the tour.  Also active today, was the production of the TV series Glee...no sightings of those actors either.  I really enjoyed the tour, and wouldn't mind doing Paramount's VIP tour in the future.

After the end of the tour, we were ready for lunch.  I drove to the Original Farmer's Market, where I decided to have the special corned beef plate from Magee's Kitchen to celebrate St. Patrick's Day.  When lunch was finished, we walked over to The Grove, where we saw the TV show Extra was doing some filming again.  This time, I saw host Maria Menounos and her Dancing With The Stars partner, Derek Hough.  By this time, I was ready to check into my new hotel.  I wanted to be closer to JW Marriott Hotel, site of the Mardi Gras Bash For Augie's Quest.

Johnny and I arrived at the Marriott later in the evening wearing our obligatory colorful beads to celebrate the Mardi Gras theme.  I was hoping John Ondrasik would be there to help support his friend Augie Nieto, who has ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease) and is the founder of Augie's Quest.  The Bash is a charity event to raise money for ALS research.  As we waited for the festivities to begin, we saw host of the Bash, Entertainment Tonight's Nancy O'Dell arrive.  In addition, we spotted actor Lou Ferrigno, who is competing in the current season of Celebrity Apprentice...he's playing to raise money for Augie's Quest.

The platinum ballroom then opened for dinner, and we filed in with the other people.  Host Nancy O'Dell got things started, followed by a talk by Lynne and Augie Nieto, and finally, a comedy routine by Tom Papa.  Dinner was nice: salad, beef pot roast with grilled shrimp, mashed potatos and asparagus.  In the end, $1.425 million was raised. to find a cure for ALS.  Yeah, it would have been nice if John had been there, but Johnny and I still had a good time.  I can't wait for next year's Bash!

Hooray for Hollywood

A beautiful day in Hollywood...sunny and 60s!  My friend Johnny was in town for the Mardi Gras Bash for Augie's Quest, which we will both be attending tomorrow night.  In the meantime, we decided to take in a little sightseeing by way of the touristy Hollywood tour.  This consisted of a tour transport driven by a guide, who took us to see the Hollywood sign, star homes, and points of interest in Hollywood and Beverly Hills.  Yeah, it was pretty cheesy, but we decided it was something we had to do at least once.

After lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe in Hollywood, we proceeded to CBS Studio City in Studio City, CA for a live TV taping of the TV Land sitcom, Hot In Cleveland.  This popular show stars Valerie Bertinelli, Wendie Malick, Jane Leeves and Betty White.  Johnny and I were both excited to see Betty White...I mean, who DOESN'T like her?  We got to the studio nice and early, and about an hour later, everyone proceeded to the sound stage.  As we were waiting to enter the building, Valerie Bertinelli suddenly pulled up in a motorized cart, which got everyone excited.  It seems they were filming a documentary on the making of Hot In Cleveland, which will be shown in the future on TV Land. 

The episode being taped this evening was entitled "Bye George, I Think He's Got It!"  It was cool that everyone was given a little program which included bios of all the actors, and the list of crew involved with the shoot.  Even better, we found out we would also be treated to the acting talents of guest stars Joan Rivers and Kevin Nealon.  In addition, Jon Lovitz was included in the episode, but his parts were pre-taped, as he was not available to film today.  The audience warm-up comedian was Michael Burger...VERY funny guy.  CBS seems to employ the best comics to entertain the audiences during live tapings.  About a half hour into the process, we were treated to a snack...sandwiches and bottled water.  Two hours later, everyone got a second snack...a cookie!  Yeah, they want everyone to be happy!  Between the action on the stage and in the stands, the documentary crew was doing their thing.  Which means, I may get a second opportunity to be on camera...the first was The Price Is Right yesterday.

Like Tuesday's Last Man Standing taping, Hot In Cleveland was also a lot of fun and so interesting to watch.   Tomorrow will be my last day visiting a film studio, but in a completely different way.  Then, the Augie's Quest Bash.  Will John Ondrasik be there?  Stay tuned...

The Price Is Right: Must Have Fun TV

I'd like to say that after three days, I'm getting used to the Los Angeles traffic headaches.  Nope!  It's one thing I certainly WON'T miss when I leave.  I only had one activity for the day...my appearance on The Price Is Right.  Or, rather, I was going to be one of about 300 contestants competing for a spot on the show.  I had gotten a Priority Ticket online, so I was guaranteed entry in the afternoon group.  Before heading over to CBS Television City, I dropped by the Original Farmer's Market to pick up a snack for later.  I also walked over to the adjacent The Grove shopping center, where I noticed they were doing their usual daily filming of the entertainment show, Extra.  I easily recognized co-host Mario Lopez and his equally attractive partner, Maria Menounos.  I snapped some photos of the action...I must admit, Mario is kinda cute!

When I joined the line waiting to get into the CBS studio, I struck up a conversation with three ladies standing with me.  Two were friends...one from Palm Desert, CA and the other visiting her from Bellevue, WA.  The third was on vacation from Nebraska, and like me, was there solo.  Kati, the Nebraska gal said she attended The Price Is Right a couple years ago, but wasn't chosen.  We got some valuable information from her on the registration process.

First, we were let in the gates in small groups to wait on long benches.  After filling out a couple of forms, we waited some more.  Then, our first of two photos...this one was a fun photo to purchase later as a souvenir...and more waiting.  At that time, a page came by and took our second photos of the day.  This one was for the show staff, as part of the selection process.  The most important task remained ahead...the all-important interview with the show's producer.  This would determine whether or not you would make a good Price Is Right contestant.  People went up in groups of about a dozen, and were asked a few questions.  Then, it was my turn, and the producer asked what I did for a living.  I told him...an agriculture specialist for Customs and Border Protection.  He seemed to find it somewhat interesting, but didn't ask me anything else.  At that point, I pretty much resigned myself to the fact I wasn't Price Is Right material.  Oh, well...I would still have fun watching and being a part of the excitement. 

After the mandatory bag check, we headed upstairs to the Price Is Right studio.  Myself and the other ladies decided we would go in as a group so we could sit together.  Little did I know that would make things even more interesting for me.  It didn't take too long for everyone to get seated, and for things to get warmed up by the show's announcer, George Gray.  He gave us instructions on how the show worked and what we as the audience were encouraged to do.  This was the first time I have ever found myself in front of a camera, so the whole experience was pretty thrilling for me.

Soon, it was showtime!  The lights became brighter, and when host Drew Carey took the stage, the atmosphere was electric.  The audience went wild and I found myself caught up in the group enthusiasm.  Then, right off the bat, the first contestant to "Come On Down" was my row mate Robin from Palm Desert!  At that point, I knew the camera was on her...and on me, too!  She ran down to the front of the stage, soon to be joined by three other contestants. Robin didn't win on the first round of One Bid, but she got on stage on the second.  I don't want to give anything away, since today's show won't air till April 17th, but let's just say Robin took it all the way to the end!

Even though I wasn't picked to participate on The Price Is Right, I had a lot of fun, and it was nice meeting new people.  I would love to do it again in the future.  But, I didn't go away entirely empty handed.  I ended up buying that photo that they took of me...I picked the Cliffhanger pricing game as a backdrop.  Tomorrow, me and my friend Johnny...who flew into town this evening...will attend a live TV show taping of Hot In Cleveland.  We are both looking forward to seeing Betty White...a true living legend! 

Uneasy rider in the Hollywood Hills

When I woke up this morning, I was looking forward to an exciting day.  After braving some morning rush hour traffic, I drove up a winding road to Sunset Ranch, nestled in the Hollywood Hills. Now, I haven't ridden a horse since I was a teenager, but I wanted to give it a try...and hopefully, have a little fun doing it.  Initially, I was thinking of doing the 2-hour ride, but due to my novice horse riding skills, I was talked into the shorter 1-hour ride.  Later, I would realize that was a good idea.  I was required to fill out a liability release form before getting on a horse.  There was stuff about falling from a height, horses possibly getting spooked, etc...it certainly made  a little nervous.

After putting on my protective helmet, I met my horse.  His name was Scrappy, as in Scrappy the Appy...he was a spotted Appaloosa.

After climbing on board, I felt confident things would be all right.  That evaporated pretty quick once we got going.  The ride was a lot bumpier than I remembered way back when. Plus, Scrappy sensed he had a newbie and tried several times to turn around to go back. Eventually, the nice guide used the rope attached to my horse to keep him going in the right direction. Once we turned around for the return trip, I was on my own again. I was quite relieved to make it back without being thrown off, although Scrappy was really a gentle horse.  I wasn't sore after my ride, but we'll see how I feel tomorrow.

Before leaving the area, I walked up a short trail to a viewpoint to take a few photos of the Hollywood sign.  I'm not sure if you can get any closer, but I think this was pretty good.

Next on the day's agenda, I drove north to Sylmar to visit the Nethercutt Museum.  This museum has a lot of old cars on display.  I love auto museums, especially those with older vehicles, such as the unusually modern-looking 1937 Cord 812 Supercharged Convertible.

After grabbing a quick dinner, I headed over to CBS Studio Center in Studio City for the live taping of the hit CBS-TV comedy, Last Man Standing. I've attending such live tapings in the past, and they are a lot of fun. Audience members are encouraged to help provide the laugh track for the show.  Last Man Standing stars Tim Allen, Nancy Travis and Hector Elizondo...three actors I'm familiar with.  The audience was kept entertained by a very funny comedian during breaks in the action on stage.  Filming started at 6:00 pm, and around 7:30, we were all provided a little snack...a slice of pizza and a bottle of water.  Things wrapped up much quicker than my previous experiences...a little over 2 hours, as compared to about 4 hours.  The show is really funny, and I'll be watching it on the tube in the future.  You can't go wrong with Tim Allen...he's ALWAYS a laugh riot! 

Some things are meant to be

I was all excited to reprise my Richard Petty Driving Experience ride along in a real NASCAR race car this morning.  I made sure to arrive before the 9:00 am opening, and I noted they were not really set up yet.  Hmm.  I talked to a lady working the merchandise/registration booth and found out why.  It seems they open two hours later on the day after race day.  Rats!  It sure would have been helpful noting this at their website.  Chances are good I may not have even planned a trip to Las Vegas should I have known that.  Needless to say, I didn't have the time to wait till 11:00 am for my ride along.  I had a long drive ahead of me to Los Angeles.

So, reluctantly, I left Vegas and headed west.  With my schedule changed, I decided to take a lunch break in Barstow... In N Out Burger!  As I pulled into the parking lot, I couldn't help but notice all the guys dressed in crimson and gray.  COUGARS!  I attended Washington State University and consider myself a diehard Cougar.  I even have a lifetime membership to the alumni association!  I asked one of the guys walking by what kind of team they were, and he replied baseball.  I proclaimed myself a Cougar, and he yelled "GO COUGS!"  I felt great happiness in my heart!  I walked into the restaurant and there were Cougs inside, too.  I had a chat with one player waiting to get his food.  The team was visiting California to play some games.  It's amazing that even while I'm so far from home, the Cougar baseball team brought a little bit of home with them. 

Feeling chipper after my Cougar encounter, I continued on to the town of Littlerock and Charlie Brown Farms.  This tourist mecca is THE go-to store for snacks and local food delicacies.  I had visited before, and I was just amazed by the variety of goodies.  I picked up a few things for myself...candy, beef jerky (made in their own smokehouse), honey and garlic pumpkin seeds.  I also got some stuff for the guy watching after my cat..

Satisfied with my purchases, I hit the road once again and soon arrived in Los Angeles.  When I checked into my hotel, I was pleasantly surprised to get a free upgrade to a suite!  Now, my hotel is by no means a fancy one, but having the extra space is nice.  So, even though my day started out on a down note, I still had a pretty good day.  Tomorrow, I have fun stuff on the agenda...I'll be blogging late.

All aboard: My first train ride

After getting an hour less sleep than usual...thanks to daylight savings time...I still got up bright and early to drive to Boulder City, location of the Nevada State Railroad Museum.  I was looking forward to the highlight of weekend visitors...a ride on their excursion train! Now, I've never ridden on a train before, not counting modern mass transit.  Well, that's not entirely true.  When I told my mom about riding a train, she said I did when I was 2 years old.  Of course, I don't remember that, so I'm sticking to my statement.

The excursion train I rode today was powered by a 1963 Union Pacific GP30 locomotive. There were a couple of open-air cars, but I opted to ride one of the Pullman cars.  It was pretty cool to be a 1911 Pullman...it was 100 years old!

The train went on a 3.5 mile trip to the historic Railroad Pass and back again...about a 45-minute ride.  The Pullman car was comfortable, and I didn't even hear the engine, save for the horn at railroad crossings. After that experience, I certainly wouldn't mind riding more trains in the future!

Afterward, I drove back to Las Vegas and had a very nice lunch at Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak and Stone Crab at Caesar's Palace.  I'm not one to normally go to pricey restaurants, but I decided to treat myself when I found out about their lunch special. Joe's Classic: five stone crab legs, hashed browns, cole slaw and key lime pie.  I had never had stone crab OR key lime pie before, so this was perfect.  The food was great, but I ended up taking most of the hashed browns with me...it was a pretty massive amount of potatoes.

As I was walking through the Caesar's Palace Forum Shops, I noticed a small commotion in front of a sports memorabilia store.  I peeked inside, and recognized a man sitting at a table signing autographs.  It was the legendary Chicago Bears football player, Dick Butkus.  I snapped a couple of photos, just so people would know I really saw him.

While visiting Las Vegas, I was hoping to try out something a little different.  There's a place called The Gun Store, where you can fire all kinds of guns...handguns, shotguns, semi-automatic rifles and fully automatic machine guns.  Unfortunately, when I got there, I found out there was an hour and a half wait before I could try my hand at shooting.  I didn't want to hang around, so I left.  Maybe on my next visit to Vegas.  Tomorrow, I reprise my exhilarating experience at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway! 

Panorama over Palm Springs

Another BEAUTIFUL morning in southern California!  I know I've been saying that a lot on this road trip, but I guess I appreciate it after experiencing so much rain and overcast skies in Washington this past winter.  I left Redlands, CA and drove to Palm Springs.  I only had one activity scheduled for the day...to ride the famous Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, and hike in Mt San Jacinto State Park.  I drove up the steep curved road to the visitor's center, and bought a ticket for the 9:30 am trip.  The tram goes up...and down...every 30 minutes.  It's the world's largest rotating tramcar...that's right, it slowly turns as it goes up and down the mountain.

As we ascended, it took about 11 minutes to reach the top...8400 feet up!  The view was spectacular as the floor of the car slowly spun around.  After disembarking, I breathed in the fresh mountain air.  The sun was shining brightly, and temperatures were pleasantly cool.  I went down the paved walkway to access the 1.5 mile Desert View Trail.  I was surprised to find much of the trail covered with snow and ice.  In fact, a few people actually brought plastic sleds with them to slide down snow covered slopes.

The trail traveled along the edge of the mountain, which gave awesome panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and the desert floor below.  The view provided a lot of really nice photo opportunities...and a relaxing backdrop for my lunch break!

I spent about two hours walking the trail and taking photos before heading back down in the tram.  The tram was a lot less crowded for the descent.  At that time of the day, it seemed like everyone was going up.  When I reached the bottom, I tried getting a pic of the next tram ascending...I was only partially successful. 

I left Palm Springs and drove all afternoon to reach my pit stop for the night...Las Vegas.  Actually, the term pit stop is fitting for this weekend in that city.  There is a big NASCAR event going on, and I saw a LOT of people walking the Strip.  There will be more racing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway tomorrow, but that's not where I'm heading...at least not yet.  I'm planning to take another sort of ride...something quite a bit slower and older. 

Slice revisited

It was chilly when I left King City, CA this morning, but I knew things would warm up later. It was mostly a driving day, but I tried to make it enjoyable. Lunch was a double double burger at In N Out. Sadly, I don't have In N Out where I live in the Pacific Northwest.  There IS Five Guys, but I tried it once and I prefer In N Out. And, it's just something I have to have at least once...or maybe twice...on my road trips.

As I traveled south, I made a side trip...call it a pilgrimage...to a place all Five For Fighting fans should recognize. The location is just outside the city of Lancaster, CA, at a place called Club Ed.  I had been there in the past, but since it was on the way, I decided to revisit it.  John Ondrasik used this location for promotional photos, and you can see it on his Slice album. On the cover of his CD, John is standing on the road in front of the property.  Here's a photo of the CD, and a pic I took today...yes, it's the same place!

And, here's a photo of the old gas station also seen above that was used to promote the Chances single, and my snapshot. 

I would have loved to explore the buildings, but it's private property...they use it for movie and television productions, too.  And, I DO remember seeing this place in other things.  I had some time before checking into my hotel, so I took my Blazer for a well needed car wash.  I did the deluxe hand wash thing...looks great now!  Hopefully, it will stay that way for the rest of my road trip.  Tomorrow...Las Vegas!

The pinnacle of my day

When I left San Francisco this morning, I got caught up in a little rush hour traffic.  Most of it was traveling into the city, but it was slowing down my day.  Luckily, my GPS is equipped with live traffic updates, and suggested an alternative route...I took it.  I arrived at Pinnacles National Monument a little behind schedule, but all was good.

After getting some information at the visitor's center, I started out on my day hike.  I decided to be ambitious and take the Condor Gulch-High Peaks Loop, listed as a Strenuous route.  Normally, I don't like to challenge myself TOO much...I'm not really in shape for that...but, it was the only way to get the best view of the park's pinnacles.  So, I set off up the Condor Gulch Trail.  And, I do mean up.  The trail was all uphill, made slightly easier by the switchbacks.  I stopped frequently, not only to take a breather, but to snap photos along the way.

When I reached the end of the Condor Gulch trail, it merged with the High Peaks Trail.  As I was getting my second wind, a couple of guys came down the trail I was getting ready to ascend.  I asked them if I was anywhere near the top, and they replied it was not much farther.  I don't know if I looked tired out, but one of the guys offered me water.  I told him that I was okay...I had water.  He then offered me a pear.  I politely declined...said I had food, too.  It was nice of him to offer, though.  I continued walking, and got great shots of the pinnacles and other rock formations.

The biggest challenge turned out to be just before the summit.  There was a section of trail that traveled up and down a set of rocks.  Steps were carved into the stone, and there were railings also installed to make things a bit safer.  It was a little scary, but I took things slow and got through that section without a problem.

As with many other parks I've visited in the past, I found myself always on the lookout for wildlife.  The vultures and ravens circled overhead, probably waiting for me to keel over so they could eat my corpse.  There were little lizards skittering along the sides of the trail.  I particularly liked this large ground squirrel which was nibbling on grass...so cute!

After walking uphill 1200 feet, it was quite a relief to hike back down the same distance.  In all, it took me about 4 1/2 hours to hike the 5.3 mile loop.  It would have been quicker had I not taken so many photos and had a brief lunch break.  When I reached the parking lot, I could feel a small blister on the bottom of one foot.  A minor thing after conquering the Pinnacles. 

Walt Disney: Man behind the magic

Another beautiful sunny day, and the low 60s temps were just perfect for me!  I started things out by driving to the western border of The Presidio at Baker Beach.  I took photos of the Golden Gate Bridge from there, and some shots of Battery Chamberlin, built in early 1900s to house coastal defense artillery.  Next...and the highpoint of my day...a visit to the Walt Disney Family Museum.

Located on The Presidio grounds, this museum is devoted to the life and work of the Walt Disney, the father of Disney Studios and of course, Disneyland.  From his early life growing up with family, his budding career in the film business, and creating first short animated films before advancing to animated feature films, this museum had it all.  There were detailed exhibits on his most famous animated star, Mickey Mouse, along with some of his well-known movies...Snow White And The Seven Dwarves, Dumbo, Bambi and Pinocchio. Not to leave out the live action stuff, there were displays on Mary Poppins, and TV heroes such as Davy Crockett and Zorro.  Ever the visionary, Walt created the greatest theme park in the world...Disneyland...and a large part of the museum was all about that.  The Walt Disney Family Museum is a must see for any Disney fan...and those like me who love great museums!

I went to one other small museum in the afternoon...the GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender) History Museum in the Castro District.  The only museum of its type in the United States, I found it to be quite informative.  I've always believed in the idea that knowledge is power, and I'm always looking for new ways to expand my horizons.  Museums are a perfect way to do just that.  Tomorrow, I say goodbye to San Francisco and continue on my road trip...hiking! 

Suddenly...parrots!

I didn't get up so early this morning because my first destination of the day wouldn't be open till 10:00 am. The downside to getting a later start...the free continental breakfast was basically picked through.  At least there was one last cheese danish...just what I wanted! 

I walked a mile to the cable car station, then rode the cable car to the Cable Car Museum.  The museum building also contains the powerhouse...the heart and soul of San Francisco's cable car system.  The cable cars are literally pulled around not by electricity but underground steel cables, constantly spinning around. Nowhere else in the world has such cable cars, which is the reason people from other countries come to San Francisco to ride them.

Afterward, I hopped on the cable car again, and rode it to Lombard Street.  I wanted to take some photos of the famous crooked road.  I had driven the road on a previous road trip, but didn't get any photos.  I watched cars negotiate the curves, and snapped some pics.

Back on the cable car, I took it down to it's final stop at Fisherman's Wharf.  Lunch time!  I went to a tried and true lunch spot... Alioto's Waterside Cafe.  I had the scallop basket with clam chowder...delicious!  I didn't eat all my fries because I preferred to finish off the awesome sourdough bread which came with the meal.  You just can't visit San Francisco without eating sourdough!

With some extra time on my schedule, I decided to check out the World War II era submarine, USS Pampanito, docked at Fisherman's Wharf.  It was cool walking through a piece of history...I love World War II stuff!

Next on the agenda...a little walk up to Coit Tower. I took the light rail trolley...on rails like a cable car, but electric...to the stop nearest to the Filbert Steps.  This very steep staircase goes all the way up from the waterfront to Coit Tower.  When I reached the top, I elected not to pay to go to the top of the tower.  Instead, I took some distant scenery photos from around the base, then looked for my descending route via the Greenwich Steps.  But, I couldn't find the staircase.  I ended up asking a friendly postman who pointed me in the right direction.

After traveling a short distance down the stairs, I suddenly heard a loud cacophony coming from the trees above.  I couldn't believe my good fortune...the wild parrots of Telegraph Hill!  I had been wanting to see the famous parrots, but I heard they could be elusive.  There were about a dozen chattering in the branches overhead...green with a bit of red on their heads.  And, they were pretty big, too.  As I walked down the staircase, the birds flew away to row of trees.  There, I was finally able to snap a few pics.

I took the trolley up Market Street and after grabbing an early dinner from the Westfield Centre food court, I walked to my final destination...the Defenestration Building.  I know what you're thinking...what?  Well, you have to see it to believe it, but here's a pic.  Let's just say it's a large art piece.

Tomorrow, I do a little driving around the city...to hard to take mass transit or walk to reach the sights I have planned.  Like today, a mish mash of sightseeing...it keeps things interesting! 

A road tripper's greatest fear

Well, the free hot breakfast buffet I had this morning was only so-so.  At least it was free.  I didn't have anything on the agenda today except driving...lots of driving.  Things were uneventful as I left Crescent City, CA on my way to San Francisco on U.S. Hwy 101...otherwise known as the Redwood Highway.  That would change pretty quick.  As I was passing a slow moving car, my burst of acceleration brought an unexpected reaction from my Blazer.  The "Service Engine Soon" light started blinking yellow...then stayed on!  Oh, no!  It's what road trippers fear most...car trouble. 

I kept driving while thoughts started swirling in my brain.  What to do!  If I stop, and shut the engine off, what if it didn't start again?  As I drove on, nothing SEEMED amiss, except for that light staring me in the face.  The first thing I could think to do was find a Chevy or GM dealer and have them check it.  But, I was on Hwy 101, where good sized towns are few and far between.  Yeah, I COULD have returned to Crescent City, but I wanted to go south, not the opposite direction.  After about a 100 miles of driving, I stopped for lunch in Eureka, and checked my vehicle's owners manual.  It explained the "Service Engine Soon" light indicated an emissions system problem.  Okay, that didn't seem so bad.  Basically, it appeared my engine wouldn't just conk out on me. I had some time to deal with the situation.  The manual didn't have a whole lot of answers, but did mention something about the gas cap.  I checked it...taking it off and putting it back on...but, the light stayed on. 

At that point, I thought about calling my auto shop back in Bellingham for advice.  But, I decided to try one last thing.  I got back on the road and drove another 100 miles...yes, the light stayed on...then, stopped to fill up gas.  When I was done, I started the Blazer...and the light didn't come on!  Talk about relieved.  For the rest of the afternoon till I reached San Francisco, the light never came back on, and that was after doing some normal accelerations.  So, I'm not sure what happened.  When I checked into my hotel for the night, I Googled for an explanation of why the light came on.  I got some possibilities, but only a mechanic can tell me for sure.  I might call my auto shop tomorrow anyway to see what they say.  In the meantime, I'll just cross my fingers and pray I don't see any strange lights for the rest of my road trip.  My day wasn't all bad...I had a nice takeout dinner.  Check out my Greek lamb kabobs.

Here there be lions

It was a bit foggy when I left Wilsonville, OR, but by the time I reached the Oregon coast, the sun was out and it was pleasantly warm...at least to me.  After dealing with day after day of 40s temps all winter, 60 degrees felt downright balmy.  I reached West Coast Game Park in Bandon, OR just after noon.  All my previous visits to this unique wildlife petting zoo were so rewarding.  I mean, who wouldn't be thrilled interacting with baby wild cats...tiger, leopard, cougar.  The one thing missing on my list...lion cubs...and I was pretty sure that would change today. 

Just a few minutes after arriving at the zoo, there was an announcement that a black leopard cub would be available for petting.  I had played with one of those on my last visit, but there was no way I was going to turn down another chance to meet one.  Seven-week-old Onyx was one playful little dude, and it was wonderful getting to know him.

The zoo handler said that there would also be two lion cubs available for petting...YESSSS!  I can't remember their names, but the 12-week-old brother and sister cubs were quite bigger than the panther baby.  One thing I noticed while interacting with the lions, they tended to climb and grab without their claws extended.  It was so awesome to be so close to the two beautiful cats.

Another awesome time at West Coast Game Park, and I'll definitely be back for another opportunity to intermingle with the baby cats.  Before heading for my nightly pitstop, I did a little hike at a place just north of the California border.  The U.S. Forest Service Redwood Nature Trail in Brookings, OR features the northernmost grove of redwood trees on the coast.  The mile long trail snakes it way through the redwoods, crossing over a water-filled ravine a few times.  It was pretty peaceful...I only encountered one guy and his little dog going in the opposite direction.

Tomorrow, I make the long drive to San Francisco.  It will be nice to relax in that great city a couple of days and not do a whole lot of driving.  I'm also looking forward to getting some good eats...lots of that in San Francisco!

On the road again

Today was Day 1 of yet another road trip adventure...my first vacation of the year.  My ultimate destination will be the Mardi Gras Bash for Augie's Quest in Los Angeles on March 16.  But, along the way, I'll be having fun experiencing new things...and old.  When I left home, my ride was clean, having taken my Blazer to the car wash yesterday.  But, misty road conditions took care of that...it's not quite so clean now.  Oh, well.  I may take it to another car wash somewhere along the way.

I didn't have a whole lot planned for the day.  I was thinking of maybe a museum in Portland, OR, but decided to check out the Portland Saturday Market instead.  It's touted as the longest running outdoor arts and crafts market in the country.  Today was the market's opening day of the year, and the weather was pretty nice...high 50s and overcast, but no rain.  I perused the market's wares, but I didn't see anything I liked.  On the other hand, I DID end up buying something for my cat.  Like she doesn't have enough toys already!  Still, she doesn't have a catnip filled cat body pillow!  There were quite a few street performers at the market, including this guy...at least I THINK it was a guy!

Before leaving, I decided to grab some takeout dinner from the numerous food booths at the market.  Wanting something a little different, I went with an African combo plate.  It was still a bit early when I checked into my hotel for the night, but I was ready for what awaited me in my room.  When I booked my hotel accommodations, I opted for a room with a jacuzzi tub.  It may seem strange, but I've never been in a jacuzzi tub, or even a hot tub for that matter.  Maybe it's because I just don't like baths...I'm a shower person.  The idea of wasting time lounging in a tub and getting all shriveled up just doesn't appeal to me.  I find a nice hot shower very refreshing.

After filling the jacuzzi tub, I turned on the jets.  I won't get into great detail here, but needless to say, but my curiosity was satisfied pretty quick.  A bigger tub and water jets made no difference to me...a bathtub is a bathtub, and it still shrivels you up.  I think I can say with complete certainty that I will never do a jacuzzi tub again, and it will be a LONG time before I set foot in ANY bathtub any time soon!