All creatures great and small

When I left my hotel in Crescent City, CA this morning, I decided I couldn't leave town without doing something about my filthy ride. I found a self-serve car wash and spent $2 to wash off all the mud on my beloved groupie mobile. Feeling better afterward, I traveled north to Bandon, OR and the West Coast Game Park. If you've read my previous blogs, you will know this is my favorite zoo. This facility is devoted to breeding endangered animals to perpetuate species should they become extinct in the wild.

When I got to the zoo, the parking lot was pretty full...something I had not encountered in the past. I think part of the reason is because Oregon schools have their spring break this week. Thus, the presence of many families at the zoo today. It made it a little harder to enjoy the close encounters with the animals with so many people there. Still, I was able to pet Cadence, the caracal or African wild cat, and hold their old opossum and a ferret. There was a 10-month-old tiger cub named Sheriff, but because he was too big, we were only able to take photos of him...no petting! With West Coast Game Park, the animals available for petting or holding are all a matter of timing. I had some great experiences in my past visits...not a whole lot this time. But, that will not discourage me from future visits because it's such a cool place. And, I got a lot of nice photos of the other zoo animals, including the young ring-tailed lemur that you see above.

After a quick Thai lunch in Bandon, my only other destination of the day was Siuslaw Pioneer Museum in Florence. This small museum presents the history of the area in the form of photos and personal items donated by local families. Many objects reminded me of things I had seen in antique stores, but these told stories of the generations of people who settled in Florence and made their lives there. So, tomorrow I make the day long drive home. My road trip has been tiring, but fun. I'll be posting a wrap-up blog or two when I get settled back in my old routine and take a breather. I can't wait to see my cat!

Wapiti and wet boots

As I left Santa Rosa, CA this morning, I was expecting a nice day. I spent the entire morning driving north on US Hwy 101 in northern California...better known as The Redwood Highway. There are a lot of opportunities to see the redwood trees along this route, but that wasn't on my agenda. I only had time for one thing...visit Fern Canyon in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. When I turned into the road leading to the canyon, I was immediately presented with an obstacle...one of many on this afternoon. Just off the highway, the road was flooded. As I debated driving through the water, I noted a couple of other vehicles parked on the opposite side. The people were observing and taking photos of a small herd of Roosevelt elk...also known as wapiti.

Just then, a small car drove toward me through the standing water. Well, if a car can do it, my Blazer certainly can, too! I slowly crossed the flooded road and made it to the other side. I joined the others admiring the elk, and took a few pics myself. I then continued on my way to Fern Canyon. The paved road soon turned to compacted dirt...then, compacted mud. My Blazer's tires are supposed to be mud and snow tires. They had seen snow, but never mud, so this was a good test. After about four miles of winding through the trees, I was suddenly presented with another challenge...driving through a stream! Now, there were no signs warning that it was not passable, so I held my breath and drove forward. My Blazer rolled down into the water, and I slowly accelerated to the opposite bank...I made it! My euphoria was short-lived because soon after celebrating my first successful stream fording...I came to ANOTHER stream! This one was almost identical to the previous one. With new found confidence, I negotiated the second stream without any problem. The remaining road to the Fern Canyon parking lot was filled with water-filled potholes, which I did my best to avoid.

When I got to the parking lot, there were a few cars there...and a California Department of Corrections vehicle. As I started walking the trail to Fern Canyon, I encountered a number of what I assumed was low risk inmates dressed in orange jumpsuits. They didn't seem to be closely supervised as they worked on trail repair. I found them to be rather pleasant and friendly, talking to them as I passed by. I soon found out my biggest challenge of the day was yet to come. It turned out the normally graveled and fairly dry Fern Canyon trail was currently a wide, gentle flowing stream! I took another trail to the opposite end of Fern Canyon, but discovered in order to see it...I had to walk in the water. I told myself, I wasn't about to drive through the mud, streams and potholes only to be defeated by a little water! I scanned the stream to pick out the best route...then, got my feet wet! My leather hiking boots immediately filled with water, and stayed that way for the length of my hike.

The Fern Canyon trail is about a half mile long, traveling through a canyon with fern-covered walls. It has a prehistoric feel to it, which is the reason it was used as a location for The Lost World: Jurassic Park. But, I'm pretty sure the canyon floor wasn't covered with water for the film like it was now. As I walked through the canyon, the trail would appear here and there. I would alternate slogging through the stream, and climbing over logs and branches. At one point, I miscalculated a branch and tripped over it. I banged my shin good on another branch as I fell down. I was lucky I didn't smash my face on something. With my leg smarting, I continued my ordeal until I reached the end of the trail...if you want to call it that. The canyon was a bit disappointing, not only because of the water, but because the ferns weren't at their peak yet. Still, I got some nice photos. Maybe someday I'll return when things are not quite so wet.

As I walked back to the parking lot, I encountered other people going the other way. At one point, I asked a family if they were planning to see Fern Canyon. They said they were, and I warned them about the water, which like me, they weren't expecting. When I got back to my Blazer, I removed my boots...pouring out the water...and my soaking wet socks. Thankfully, being on a road trip, I had spare dry socks AND more than one pair of extra shoes to wear. After I put my shoes on, I noticed a group of five Japanese girls exiting a mini-van, and looking ready to take a hike. I went up to them, and asked if they were going to Fern Canyon. Like the family I spoke to earlier, the girls were also unaware of the water-filled canyon. After talking among themselves, they asked if one person with rubber boots could walk in the water. When I inquired about the height of the boots...barely mid-calf...I told them that it wasn't high enough for the water. I think they decided just to walk to the nearby beach.

The journey back to the highway was uneventful, but still an adventure. I drove around the potholes, through the two streams, and on the muddy curves. Before going through the final flooded road, I took a few more pics of the elk, which were all leisurely sitting in a field. The bull elk were magnificent with their full racks of antlers. Tomorrow is my last full day of sightseeing. After 18 days on the road, I'm ready to head on home.

Happiness is...

After yesterday's disappointing day, I was looking for a ray of sunshine. And, I got it, literally and figuratively. I started things off with a sit-down breakfast...something I hadn't done so far on my road trip. For some strange reason, I got my times all screwed up and I went to bed earlier than usual. I think it was the TV station I was watching...they were broadcasting the Mountain time zone. So, when I got up this morning, instead of 7:00 am...it was 6:00 am! I didn't figure it out until I put on my watch and glanced at the time. But, it actually worked out better for me...it gave me more time for breakfast. I drove north for about an hour, and stopped at a diner in Jackson, CA. This eatery was pretty typical...it was full of men! Truck drivers and working guys. I ordered the chicken fried steak, but only ate half and got the rest to go for tomorrow's breakfast.

I only had two attractions on the day's agenda. The first was a short drive up the road in Sutter Creek...the Sutter Creek Gold Mine tour. This modern mine is currently not being worked, but is open for public tours. I went on the first tour of the day with a family of four, and the tour guide drove us down below the surface in a motorized mine car. The guide went over the history of the mine, and explained the gold mining process. It was pretty interesting, and really cool to be underground in the dark tunnels.

The day may have started out cloudy, but as I left Sutter Creek and traveled west, the sun came out. When I reached Sacramento, I saw the result of the several days of heavy rain in the region. Brown water as far as the eye can see on both sides of the interstate from overflowing waterways. Even San Pablo Bay near Vallejo was the color of chocolate milk. The bad thing is...more rain is on the way tomorrow! For now, though, it was pleasant and sunny.

My other destination of the day was the Charles M. Schulz Museum in Santa Rosa. The creator of the world's most beloved comic strip, Peanuts, Schulz has left a lasting legacy for generations to come. This museum is a celebration of his life and his life's work. It was a thrill to see the actual original drawings that made their way into newspapers and books. Watching a video of Schulz drawing the Peanuts characters, I was mesmerized by his talent. There will never be another illustrator like him.

The weather looks favorable tomorrow for a bit of hiking. Only three more days of road trip left...

Rained out? More like SNOWED out!

When I left San Francisco this morning, the skies were clearing...a big change from last night. The winds were just howling, and with rain, rain and more rain. Little did I know, I was just following the storm that passed over. My plan for the day was to spend the afternoon at Yosemite National Park to see some winter scenery. As I traveled east, the rain started picking up. I stopped in Oakdale for a lunch and gas pit stop. I also checked out a Hi-Tec shoe outlet, hoping to get a new pair of boots for work. I found something that I liked, but the price wasn't right...so I passed.

As I continued on my way and after traveling through the town of Groveland, the rain turned to snow. The snow was soon accumulating on the road, and turned from slush to packed snow. I passed by some cars that appeared to be putting on chains, but with my 4WD, I was doing okay. The photo above is a capture from a video I took, so you know what I was up against. But, after driving about 7-8 miles, no end in sight for the snow, and another 45 miles to Yosemite, I started getting concerned. I would only be traveling higher to Tioga Pass, which would probably mean more snow. And, even if I made it over, the last thing I wanted to do was risk getting stuck on the other side should they decide to close the highway. Reluctantly, I turned around, and headed back the way I came. I think I made the right decision. I can always see Yosemite again on a future road trip.

With no alternate plan, my only recourse was to check into my hotel early. This wasn't exactly a bad thing. I had cable TV and free wi-fi. In addition, I could probably use the extra rest. Road tripping is tiring, especially when you're trying to fit in as many activities as possible everyday. Besides, tomorrow is a new day, which means more sightseeing adventures! Only four more days on the road. Oh, by the way, when I checked the Yosemite website, it said the highway to the west entrance...the route I had been traveling...was closed due to snow conditions. So, I WAS right to turn around when I did!

Cable cars, not trolleys

On this road trip, I couldn't leave San Francisco without riding the famous cable cars. The last time I had been on a cable car, I was about 14 years old. I remember being with the family and having a hard time getting on one in Chinatown. It was the height of rush hour...and tourist season...and every cable car was full. It would have been a long walk back to Fisherman's Wharf, especially with my 5-year-old sister in tow. Thankfully, we were able to find one with enough room for the five of us.

This morning, I met my friend Johnny at the Market and Powell cable car turnaround. Unfortunately, he had to catch a flight back to DC in the afternoon, so we said our goodbyes before I hopped on a cable car to Fisherman's Wharf. The San Francisco cable cars are the last manually operated cable cars in the world. Which is the reason why they are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and are much loved by tourists visiting the city. And, it is wonderful to ride the old cars, traveling up and down the steep San Francisco streets. When I got down to the Wharf, I was ready for lunch. Since it was so rainy and chilly, I elected to eat at one of the restaurants on waterfront to get out from the weather. Turns out I selected one of the oldest eateries in San Francisco... Alioto's. I ordered the fried scallop basket...my favorite...which came with a cup of clam chowder. The soup was great, and I also enjoyed the accompanying sourdough bread...of course, you can't mention San Francisco without thinking sourdough, too!

After lunch, I walked to the nearby Musee Mecanique. This museum is also an arcade of sorts, filled with antique coin operated machines. Games, music makers, fortune tellers, and other entertainment devices...this place had it all. As I looked over the unusual machines, I noticed most of the patrons were adults...many of them older...and, they were having a lot of fun! I tried out a couple of the machines, choosing ones that had just had stuff moving around. Having enjoyed the sourdough bread I ate for lunch, I next went to Boudin Bakery. A San Francisco institution, this bakery has been making sourdough since 1849! Believe it or not, their bread contains the original mother dough (sourdough starter) in every loaf! Since I still had another 5 days of my road trip to go, unfortunately I couldn't buy very much bread. I decided to just get a small loaf for dinner, and a couple of fresh baked cookies.

After a brief visit to the San Francisco Maritime Historical Park visitor's center...it was too rainy to check out the ships...I took a cable car back the Market Street. The first time around, I rode inside the cable car. This time, I decided to stand on the back deck...it would allow me to take photos and video of our trip. I also discovered it gave me a great view of the brakeman operating the brake to help control the speed of the car as it traversed the steep streets. When the cable car reached its terminus, after buying some takeout dinner, I rode one of the old trolleys on my way back to the hotel. There is a difference between the cable cars and trolleys in San Francisco. Where the cable cars are actually propelled by underground cables, the trolleys or street cars are electric powered and travel routes with overhead power lines. But, they both share 19th century origins.

As I compose this blog post, it's very windy and rainy outside. And, it's supposed to be that way tomorrow. In fact, it might rain from now till the end of my road trip. That's a rather depressing thought. But, as I have up until now, I'll make the best of it. Oh, and by the way...the sourdough bread from Boudin Bakery was excellent!

A Bash for the record books

When I got back from my damp sightseeing day, I stopped by my hotel's office to inquire about calling for a taxi to take me to the Marriott hotel, location of the Bash for Augie's Quest. When I stepped in the door, I saw a familiar face. The guy behind the counter was the same guy I talked to a couple years ago when I was in town for a Five For Fighting show! Not only that, Brandon...that was his name...remembered me, but couldn't remember the singer of his favorite song, All I Know! He said that taxis normally don't make appointments on Friday evenings, but he would try for me. About an hour later, I got a phone call in my room...success! A cab would be coming to pick me up. Later, when I went back down to the office to wait for my ride, I tipped Brandon for helping me out. We then talked for about a half hour while I waited. Such a nice guy!

My friend Johnny was waiting for me when I arrived at the downtown Marriott Marquis. It wasn't hard to tell which people were there for the charity event...most everyone was dressed in the requested red and black cocktail. Yes, including me! We went to the registration table and got our table assignment, then proceeded to the silent auction area. Neither myself or Johnny saw anything worth bidding on, so we just talked and waited for the ballroom to open and for the Bash to begin. I was hoping John Ondrasik would be there, since he is a HUGE supporter of Augie Nieto and Augie's Quest. But, his recent Twitter post mentioned poison oak, so I was pretty sure he would be a no-show.

When we entered the ballroom, the dinner salads were already waiting for us. That was soon followed by the entree...baked fish, steak, roasted potatoes and vegetables. The Today Show's Natalie Morales was host for the evening, and she introduced Augie and his wife Lynne. They got a long standing ovation, which brought tears to their eyes. There was a lot of love and support present in that ballroom! Then, the current U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Regina M. Benjamin presented Augie with the Surgeon General's Medallion. The medallion is the third highest award of the Public Health Service, and is given for exceptional achievement in the arena of public health and medicine. In this case, the incredible research work being done by Augie's charity organization, Augie's Quest. A tremendous honor for such an inspiring man!

As we were served dessert...chocolate cherry mousse...the live auction started, soon to be followed by an energetic performance by the band Sugar Ray. Then, the check presentation. Total contributions for the night...a record $1, 323,721! It's a great feeling knowing that the money donated will be going directly to ALS research. Afterwards, I bid Johnny good night, and grabbed a taxi at the Marriott taxi stand. Tomorrow, it looks like it's going to be a little less wet...I hope! One last day to see the sights of San Francisco, then the slow road back north...and home!

The calm before the Bash

Today was a pretty lousy weather day. Wind and rain put a damper on sightseeing. Things did not start out very well as I left my hotel on my way to catch a bus for the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. For some reason, I got my bearings screwed up and walked...in the wrong direction! After walking a number of blocks, I figured something was wrong. I asked someone for directions and sure enough...I was a dozen blocks from where I wanted to be! I took my new route and found I was still not taking the road most taken. Finally, after nearly an hour of walking in circles, I managed to get on the bus and on my way to the museum. But, my ordeal was still not over. Not only did I fail to get off at the right stop...I missed the next one, too! I ended up spending an extra ten minutes backtracking. Fortunately, when I got to the art museum, my friends Johnny and Rick...who has arrived from Washington, DC the night before...were saving a place for me in the ticket line. Moral of the story: plan things better...and take a map with me!

The rest of the morning was a lot better as I got reacquainted with my friends and we enjoyed the museum's exhibits. I hadn't seen Johnny for a couple of years when he visited Seattle and we both went to a charity event together. Actually, Johnny is in San Francisco to attend the Bash for Augie's Quest with me. I'll be posting another blog after the Bash so you'll know what went on. I'm looking forward to a fun night! Stay tuned...

Redwoods and bridge views

Had a FANTASTIC day...and I wasn't even in San Francisco! I made the short drive north across the Golden Gate Bridge to Marin County. After picking up a sandwich at a deli in Sausalito, I spent the morning at Muir Woods National Monument. Once again, I used my park pass...what a great deal at $80 a year...and took the paved main trail through the redwood forest. I wasn't the only one with the same idea. There were a couple of tour buses that had already disgorged their passengers, and a number of visitors who arrived via car. There were almost TOO many people there for my taste. It did help that the main trail split into two...I selected the one less traveled. In addition, about halfway down the trail, the Hillside Trail branched off from that. I decided to further distance myself from the crowd by taking that dirt trail. In 1908, President Theodore Roosevelt designated the Muir Woods as the nation's 7th national monument. The residents of the Bay Area are lucky to have such an awesome redwood park so close to home.

After spending about two hours walking through Muir Woods, I drove back south to Sausalito to do some more sightseeing in the Golden Gate Recreation Area. I took a LOT of photos of the Golden Gate Bridge, the bay and coastlines from the many Marin Headlands view points. The sun was shining, and it was just beautiful. Such a perfect day! Besides the scenery, there were a couple of places of note that I visited in the vicinity. The SF-88 Nike Missile Site is a remnant of the Cold War, when the U.S. operated such missile sites around the country to guard against Soviet attack. I also checked out The Marine Mammal Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to rescuing and rehabilitating injured and sick marine mammals, mostly seals and sea lions. You often hear about people who do that type of work, but it was nice to see their efforts first hand.

Well, the wait is almost over. The Bash for Augie's Quest is TOMORROW! Good eats, great music and a lot of inspiration. I'll be posting a blog when I get back from the Bash to tell you all about it! It's supposed to be rainy and windy tomorrow, but I won't let the weather put a damper on things!

Double double, road trouble

When I left Los Angeles this morning, the sun was shining. But, by the time I got to my lunch pit stop in Kettleman City, it started raining. I had a reason for stopping at this oasis off I-5... In N Out Burger! I had mentally prepared myself for the delectable double double burger the night before, so I was ready for it...really ready! After placing my order, I was standing in the near empty restaurant, sipping my soda when a guy sitting nearby made friendly talk. He was admiring my Nike basketball shoes and we soon got into a conversation on our Nike collections. The guy was really nice and we progressed our dialogue to our prospective college teams. I enjoyed the brief exchange with a total stranger.

I was in a good mood as I continued north on the interstate. The rain dissipated and the Pet Shop Boys was rockin' my Blazer. Just as one of my favorite songs of theirs started playing and I was just passing the town of Patterson, I almost got into an accident. Several cars were merging onto the freeway so I moved into the left lane. I watched as the cars moved into the right lane, including an old Mercedes pulling the rear. It was a good thing I kept my eye on it because...it kept moving to the left. Directly toward my me! I almost traded paint with the Mercedes as I laid on the horn, braked hard and moved slightly to the left to avoid the car. I was steamed! It was an old, balding man who realized belatedly that I was even there! Hey stupid, ever heard of head check? He looked in his rear mirror after hearing my horn, and sheepishly waved his hand. What an idiot! I had to follow the dummy until he passed the other cars and SLOWLY pulled back into the right lane. It was only my defensive driving skills that prevented me from damaging my beloved groupie mobile.

It took about 5 minutes for the adrenaline rush from my near catastrophe to disappear. By the time I got to my only sightseeing destination of the day, I had calmed down. At the Oakland Museum of California, I enjoyed a very impressive exhibit on The Story of California. I had seen bits and pieces of California history in a number of museums, but this one seemed to have everything...and then some! It took about two hours for me to see and read everything in the exhibit, it was that fascinating!

Tomorrow, it should be a nice day, albeit a bit cooler than Los Angeles. In other words, my kind of weather! I'll be doing some walking and historic sites. I'll try to make the best of my outdoor day because it's supposed to rain for the next two. That will put a damper on my plans, but I think I can find other things to do in San Francisco!

It's all happening at the zoo

Got back late from my evening activity so I'll make this quick. I started out my day at the zoo...the Los Angeles Zoo. I had never been to this one before, so I wasn't sure what to expect. What I found was a lot of nice animals...I took a lot of nice pictures! Now, this zoo may not be the biggest, but it isn't that small either. From the whimsical meerkats to the magnificent gorillas, this zoo is great.

I had lunch with my friend Lynne. I had gone to a few Five For Fighting shows with her in the past, and it was a treat to touch bases with her again while I was in Los Angeles. Afterward, I rushed over to check out the Grammy Museum. As a music fan, I found it fascinating, especially the John Lennon exhibit, which included many handwritten song lyrics. I wished I had more time to spend at this museum, but I needed to get over to Sony Television Studios to attend a live taping of the CBS-TV situation comedy, Rules Of Engagement. I was concerned about getting caught in rush hour traffic, but I got lucky and it was smooth sailing to the studios.

This was not the first time I had gone to a live TV show taping. A couple years ago, I contributed to the laugh track for the series, Accidentally On Purpose (since canceled). I admit I'm not a fan of sitcoms, but it's a lot of fun participating in such live tapings. I joined a couple hundred other people as we sat in seats set up in the sound stage. As the actors were filmed performing their lines, we as the audience were expected to laugh when appropriate. It was cool watching the cast...Patrick Warburton, David Spade, Megyn Price, Adhir Kalyan, Oliver Hudson and Bianca Kajlich...doing their thing. By the way...Oliver Hudson is cute! Taping started at 6:00 pm, and after about 1 3/4 hours, they fed us! Like the Accidentally On Purpose setup, we were each given a slice of pizza and a bottle of water. Awesome! It took about 3 1/4 hours to tape what will be about 20 minutes on television. I'll be looking forward to watching the episode on TV and see if I can hear myself laughing...probably not!

Tomorrow, I leave L.A. for San Francisco and the main purpose of my road trip...attending the Bash For Augie's Quest on March 18. Looking forward to a night of fun and inspiration!