Four: I have a good half an hour before my connecting flight back to Philadelphia leaves Denver. DIA offers free internet, FYI.
Saturday we left Vegas and zoomed along the Mojave Desert and into California. Wow, California was the most boring state entrance I saw the entire trip. The road we took was slow and packed with large tractor trailers. We stopped in Four Corners, CA for a quick break and continued onward out of the flat land and into the mountains. Those mountains were completely different than any mountains I have ever seen. Covered in a yellow-ish grass and big. In a way they reminded me of the Scottish countryside but in a grander fashion. The road eventually opened up and we weaved high speed through the hills. I was happy Eins was driving because once the mountains stopped (abruptly) the farmland started and it was really uneventful.
The first few times we saw trucks filled with veggies was cool. Seeing lots of grapes was cool the first twenty times as well. It was the asshole drivers on the Pennsylvania-like quality highways that made it such a chore and not fun. It was stopping in a rest area and immediately being surrounded by California "city-folk" that made me realize how wonderful and magnificent the rest of the trip had been away from that life.
Luckily California is large and after many hours of driving we hit the coast. I don't remember much about any farms in particular but I will never forget passing north Santa Cruz and seeing the cliffs and the Pacific Ocean come together. I yelled "STOP!!!" at one point and Eins pulled over so we could explore the seaside. I have no words to tell you what I saw. Think of raging waves smashing into cliffs and holes in cliffs. Think of sand being thrown around by the force of waves being funneled into crevices in the rock and earth. It was amazing. Have you been to Acadia National Park to see Thunder Hole? It's like that but on the side of the road, down a ravine, with no one around and no sign to point it out. I collected a few stones and shells to bring home with me. Oh, and a piece of green glass that has been worn smooth. Cool.
We stayed at the Pigeon Point Lighthouse Hostel and I highly recommend it. There are nice rooms with nice people and seals outside. SEALS! It was a near full moon so Eins and I explored the darkness until I was so tired I passed out in my bunk bed.
We found a nice place to eat called Gazzos Grill and it was not far from a trail we were told to hike. What's up the trail worth seeing? How about a very large Redwood? VERY large Redwood. It looked like four trees growing from one tree. Humbling.
I really like the weather we had in California. It was such a nice relief from the heat of the desert. It wasn't sunny but it also was not humid. I like.
(a small interjection to mention that i overheard a guy talking about heading into las vegas today for vacation... *i'm making a puke face*)
Let's see.... after our hike we just drove up to San Francisco, stopping once at a small beach for some fresh air and ocean sounds. Once in San Francisco we went to Pier 39 and I got to see AT&T Park, home of the Giants and mighty Tim Lincecum. Pretty cool but I didn't really feel like stopping. I'm telling you the drivers in California make the drivers in Philly seem courteous. We got to see Alcatraz and some big sea lions. They are so cute but smell so bad. We ate at a place there that I cannot recall the name of. They validated our very pricey parking so we only had to fork over $7. Traffic was bad getting to the hotel but the room was large. Sadly they live in the 20th century with their ethernet internet connection.
I didn't sleep well at all and had to catch the airport shuttle at 4:20am. I am stuck in the position of wanting very much to see my pets and my friends again, but not wanting to be in Philly nor at my job. What's a girl to do?
I miss being on the road already. I miss the super nice people we met along the way. I miss what it felt like to see Kentucky and Oklahoma for the first time. I really miss the Grand Canyon a LOT. I guess that's why I earn vacation time...
I hope you have enjoyed reading as much as I have enjoyed writing. See you soon!
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