May 7, 2009

This will be our longest road trip ever. Our plan is to drive to Bend, OR via I-5 to Salem, over the pass and into town for our first night. Kaz and Mich are joining us and will be a huge help with driving and any hills we might encounter. We will meet Mich’s sister Kim and husband Glenn in Bend and drive to Crater Lake, Mt. Shasta then Redding and over to Carson City where more of their family will meet us to continue to South Lake Tahoe, where I hope to see my old friend Janice before continuing to Yosemite. After a few days there we will drive to San Francisco and North through wine country, CA coast, OR coast and back home.

We’ll put some serious miles on the vehicle but will both see areas we’ve never seen before and have a ball surely. The big question mark as usual will be the weather. Our first day out is a wet one until we cross over to the East side of OR. We even get a dusting of snow as we stop at the summit for a picnic lunch in the van. Bend has grown up considerably and it’s a little chilly. We secure a reasonably priced room at a Day’s Inn and catch a happy hour burger together at McMennimen’s. With an early departure we will hit the sack early.

May 8

After a complimentary breakfast we hit the road south and only get slightly turned around and have to backtrack to get to the north entrance to Crater Lake only to discover that it is closed due to snow. The west entrance is open and clear all the way along the road and it’s quite beautiful but once at the crater we learn that the road around the rim is still snowed in and I can only glimpse the lake from the top floor of the lodge. We all enjoy a picnic indoors and they hike to a viewpoint. Since we can’t drive around the rim we decide to continue on and we are way ahead of schedule as a result.

We drive towards majestic Mt Shasta and it is a stupendous sight on a beautiful, clear day. Even though it’s not late and we might’ve gone another hundred miles we decide to stay the night in Shasta City. We settle into a nice motel just outside of town and have a Mexican dinner with the most expensive margaritas ever. Later, I show Anne and Kaz some finer points of pool on the lodge’s table. Anne later beats me at cribbage while we watch Happy Feet.

May 9

It’s chilly upon waking but the clear skies hold promise. Anne had noticed a sign describing Shasta Caves, a geological cavern tour that includes a boat excursion. Naturally, it isn’t accessible but I’m pleased to sit in the sun and read my paperback, Elmore Leonard’s 40 Lashes Less One. Blue jays are flitting about as are darkly colored butterflies and I engage some Vietnamese exchange students while waiting the 2 hours for my traveling buddies. We enjoy another picnic before continuing on our way.

Beautiful scenery is our happy companion and we stop briefly for potty breaks, an iced latte and stretching of legs. We might’ve made it to Reno but there’s really no need to rush and we decide to stay at a super 8 motel in Susanville. After a Chinese dinner we all repair to our room for a wide-ranging conversation on religion, politics and family history. Anne then skunks me at cribbage.

May 10

After a less than mediocre offering for complimentary breakfast at the hotel we stop for a breakfast taco and are ready for the road. There is a stark beauty to the high desert and Anne handles the road magnificently. With all the dead bugs splattered on the van it feels completely broken in. I’m glad to be able to sit up front and enjoy the scenery immensely. We will be meeting the rest of our party in Carson City and aside from Reno, where nobody really wants to visit but it probably would have been a better side trip than the one we did. Virginia City is historic and features plenty of interesting shops and we are there early enough to avoid the heavy tourist crowds. To create a historic ambiance the town features wooden boardwalks and is perched on a steep hillside so it is more than a little challenging for my chair. I’m having zero luck finding any silver Indian spoons for my collection and nearly succumb to the temptation of buying some reasonably priced fossils or meteorites in one shop. We have lunch in a local saloon and my buffalo burger is terrific.

We’ve connected with the others and will rendezvous at the Carson City Plaza Inn. Carson City, the capitol, has suffered considerably from the economic recession and many stores are closed and even the casinos have a faded brilliance about them. There is really only one main street and we explore half-heartedly before checking in. Anne will stay in the room and call the kids and mom to wish happy mother’s day greetings. I find a quiet corner of the rear parking lot, in the sun and out of the wind to read my book and get a little exercise. I come in before long and meet the rest of our party; Sam and Nancy, Gerald and Terri and their older friend Sam who lives here and has gotten us special rates on the hotel. We visit briefly and then drive over to King’s Table for dinner of sushi even though we’re not very hungry. Anne and I split from the others to see if there are any movies worth watching at the local multiplex. The new Disney film, Earth, is a spectacular and sobering look at life on our planet and the lengths that different species go through to survive amid a warming planet. We retire to our fairly small bed and sleep soundly.

May 11

Today we will be completely on our own. Our plan is to visit my dear friend Janice and her husband Mark in South Lake Tahoe and then continue a tour around Lake Tahoe. The others will caravan around the lake and return early enough to hit the casino. Since Mark works a swing shift, they aren’t up for company until 12:30 so we take our time and get out in SLT for a stroll along the waterfront. Anne stashes one of my pins in the boards at the most southerly end of the lake.

We stop briefly for flowers and thanks to our GPS we drive right to their home where Mark is hard at work mowing the lawn. It’s great to see Janice and her MS doesn’t seem to have gotten much worse but still needs a steadying arm to get around. We visit in the house for awhile and meet their pet parakeets and then enjoy the warmth of the patio and see some of the metal contraptions Mark is working on for the Burning Man expos and a bicycle-chair hybrid to take Janice out on the road. Our visit is too brief but we’re up for lunch and not too sure how long it will take us to circumnavigate the lake so bid farewell and promise to stay in touch.

The drive around is sensational with the famed blue water of the lake and outstanding views. It’s a winding road and Anne is on her toes to keep up. We stop for some samozas at a health food store and locate a terrific lakeside park to eat. There is road construction happening and we’re obliged to take a long detour but the scenery is so fantastic that neither one of mind too much. We get back in time for a short nap for Anne and I read some more outside. We both enjoy Pho at a nearby restaurant and then back to the room so Anne can watch the semi-finals of Dancing with the Stars.

May 12

I did not sleep well. The minor sore throat that I have been dealing with throughout the trip has developed into a painful irritation and I fear that the altitude in Carson City is also aggravating the condition. Upon waking, it is difficult to speak, eat or swallow. We are all packed and Anne has been up for quite awhile with preparations and exercise before she attends to my needs. Thankfully, she keeps mum about my condition to the others though I suspect from my coughing and the hoarseness of my voice that they are aware that I’m slightly under the weather. We are glad that no one expects us to all stay together while we drive to Yosemite and we are first off. It’s a bright and warm day and we’re excited knowing that we will be seeing some exquisite scenery.

It doesn’t take long to get thrown off our itinerary. At the agriculture station on the CA border we learn that the Eastern gate to the park is closed and we will be required to drive over Ebbett’s Pass and enter from the West side. No one is overly disappointed as the road over the pass promises majestic vistas and it’s early enough so that we are virtually the only vehicle on the road. We’re unable to warn the others though as our cell phones are inoperative among the mountains. Anne handles the tight, twisting, and steep grade with her usual dexterity but I am still fairly white-knuckled over most of the way over. The snow is piled high on all sides and no guardrails or signs to aid our ascent are apparent. The constant pressure on my ears is an annoying distraction and I’m pleased to finally come off the mountain as we head into Angel Camp where we locate a small park for a picnic lunch. This is Calaveras County and the Mark Twain story of the jumping frog is the cottage industry and frog images abound, even on the official town register. We have missed the frog jumping competition by a mere week but preparations are evident by the banners and improvements to the fairgrounds.

Our way eases somewhat and before long we are at the west portal to Yosemite. The first ten miles or so are pretty but not inspiring but in a few more minutes we are confronted on all sides with majesty. Would that I could wax rhapsodic in the manner of John Muir about the sights we witness but suffice that I will be eternally grateful to his memory for his efforts in establishing this Eden for posterity. I’m certain that there is not an inferior time to be here but this must be about the best. The spring runoff is at its peak, the abundant wild flowers are in full bloom and the crowds are light since it’s mid-week and school is still in session. We stop for every photo op and even though I stay in the van until we reach the Village I am completely satisfied with my shotgun view and fairly experience whiplash craning my neck to take in the view. El Capitan, Half Dome and Bridal Veil Falls are only the most familiar of the breathtaking attractions that assail our senses and all the trouble, expense and petty hassles melt from our consciousness.

We park and enter the village store for souvenirs and make our way towards the visitor center while the cataracts pour forth all around us and the roar of the waters echo throughout the valley. We take in the displays and watch a brief film on the subject of the underlying spirit of this marvelous place and renew our appreciation. Since we will be returning tomorrow we feel free to depart earlier than we might otherwise and Mich takes the wheel and manages beautifully even though the setting sun creates a glare on the bug strewn windshield. The lengthening shadows cast impressive chiaroscuro patterns on the cliff faces and Anne manages to snap a few shots while en route. It takes exactly an hour and a half from the visitor center to our Best Western Hotel room in Oakhurst where we meet up with the others. They have all been lost on their way and none were able to see Yosemite. They will have to be satisfied with one full day tomorrow. We all join together for dinner at a Japanese restaurant nearby and I make a mistake by ordering fried rice that is equaled in its greasiness by 2 appetizers. I hope to feel much tomorrow.

May 13

My throat is much better upon waking. It will be just the 2 of us today. Partly because my morning program will require us to start later and also to give Kaz and Mich more time with their families. We have breakfast in the hotel restaurant and then have the van washed. I’m not exactly sure why since it will be just as dirty in 2 or 3 days. We have decided to view Mariposa Grove, just inside the south entrance. This is where magnificent sequoia trees tower over the surrounding area and was instrumental in having the entire park established. We are unable to climb aboard the tram for the hour and a half tour but are allowed to follow behind at no charge. Anne takes terrific pictures until the camera’s battery goes dead. Thankfully, we have a backup and she will take many more incredible shots before the day is done. Besides the enormous sequoias there are diminutive fungi called winter flowers that are bright red and shoot up out of the ground like flames. We take a 16-mile detour that deposits us at the most spectacular vista that Yosemite can offer.

Glacier Point road has just opened and we are blown away by the 180-degree view that is dominated by Half Dome and the falls coming off slightly to the East. The day is beautiful and we enjoy a light lunch while marveling at the Creator’s handiwork that is truly sublime. There is an accessible trail leading to another viewpoint overlooking the river valley but it is steep in parts and I am perfectly satisfied with the view I have. Anne is kind enough to climb to the vantage point and finds a perfect spot under some rocks to deposit one of my pins. We drive back and into the valley where Anne hikes to Bridal Veil Falls and gets rather soaked for her trouble from the heavy spray. We both get further dampened by the mist from Yosemite Falls after parking near the lodge and hiking to the base. We tour the lodge and have a snack and beer in the food court.

We pick up a couple hitch-hikers on our way out of the park and drop them at the Glacier Point turnoff and Anne stops a couple times to pick some wild flowers for a stunning bouquet. She goes non-stop when we get back. Washing and redressing me, getting a salad for dinner in our room and hassling over washing and drying our clothes. I finish my book and try to stay out of her way.

May 14

I have vivid dreams but cannot remember details. My snoring has kept us both awake periodically throughout the night but we’re reasonably rested and ready for the long drive into San Francisco. It’s another beautiful day with a warm and clear road ahead of us. Anne and I are satisfied with a muffin and coffee on the road and we make excellent time past Merced, Modesto and farm and fields. Thank goodness for our GPS since we get across the Bay Bridge, spy Alcatraz and get into the heart of S.F. and drive right to the Westin, room 1012 that is right up the street from the Modern Art Museum. I stay in the van while Anne checks in and Kaz and Mich meet up with the others. Anne and I immediately set the GPS for Golden Gate Park and the new de Young Museum of Art.

We pass on the special exhibit of Warhol celebrity portraits in favor of the permanent collection. The copper cladding on the museum’s exterior has turned from the original bright color to a dark brown and hints of the future bluish green patina is evident at the seams and those spots that have been bombarded by birds. It’s past lunchtime and we’re pleased to have a bite in their café that looks out over the sculpture garden. We first ascend the tower and marvel at the extraordinary view over the S.F. hills with a fog bank rolling in from the bay. The museum layout is a vast improvement over the old de Young and the comprehensive displays show the holdings in a much more natural progression. Dale Chihuly is prominently displayed in the decorative art section and the Central American and Oceanic material’s depth is astounding. I remember a few of the paintings from my previous visits, notably Harnett’s After the Hunt and the fine portraits by Dewing, Eakins and Sargent. The other tromp l’oiel works are probably my favorites and it’s great to see so many Deibenkorns in one place too. The biggest surprise is the comprehensive oceanic and other tribal material.

We’ve filled our aesthetic appetites and decide to play the tourist along the waterfront. We drive to Ghirardelli Square and immediately find a parking spot in front of a gallery featuring work by Leroy Neiman, Dali, Chagall and etchings by Rembrandt. We stroll along with fat tourists, fit locals and scruffy street people looking for a handout. Dinner will be shared risotto and salad at Ciopinno’s, a local establishment near Fisherman’s Wharf. We drive back and enjoy the gloaming from our well-appointed room and Anne gets to watch the season finale of Grey’s Anatomy on the room’s plasma screen.

May 15

My morning routine is labored and long but we’re soon up, packed and ready to catch a bite nearby at Mel’s Diner (of American Graffiti fame). We get 2 of their specialty t-shirts for gifts to Chris, his birthday’s today and Henry for his later. I had hoped to visit the Modern Art Museum but it’s been decided to hit the road and stop at a few wineries in Napa Valley then see how far North we can get. We split from the others and I’m happy to give pins to the ladies. We’ve one stop before heading out of town and locate a Harley Davidson shop and get Patty a gift. We have no trouble getting on to the Golden Gate Bridge but it’s barely visible through the fog. We stop briefly on the other side for the lookout and hide one of my pins under the rock wall on the East side of the viewpoint.

Continuing past Sausalito and San Rafael, we enter Napa Valley and stop at Roche Winery. Some of our party is just getting ready to leave and we visit briefly and take some group photos. Inside the tasting room we try several varieties but forgo any purchases. Next stop is Jacuzzi Winery where I choose a bottle of Barbera and Kaz gets some special olive oil. We have a picnic lunch on their Italianesque patio and the reload for a long, winding tour of the region. It’s a pleasant enough drive that Anne handles beautifully but by the time we connect with I-5 we are not nearly as far as we had hoped. Mich and Anne exchange driving and we make up for lost time. The view of Mt. Shasta from the highway is spectacular and Anne stops along the road for a quick picture. We push beyond Redding and call ahead to Yreka and book a couple rooms at the Klamath Motor Lodge. Mich guesses our arrival time to the minute.

Our rooms are modest and slightly funky smelling but the price is right and we get a 15% coupon off our Mexican dinner down the road. By the time we’ve finished dinner the outside temperature has cooled to a balmy 75 degrees and we barely make it into a nearby market for breakfast makings. A short drive back we start watching The Anderson Tapes but I’ll order it later from Netflix to watch the conclusion.

May 16

We are out the door just past 8am after munching our scones and hop back on I-5 North. The day has already warmed up nicely and we make good time past some beautiful scenery. A short stop for gas at the same Costco as coming down and Anne makes calls to Florence and learns of a rhododendron festival that has all motels booked. We debate for a while and when I suggest that we might visit Mt. St. Helens if we make it all the way to Portland, the others agree it would be a nice alternative. Not only will we save a few bucks in cutting the trip short but also Anne can have more time to get ready for her next trip. The weather should be ideal too.

We stop at a couple rest stops and follow our GPS around the back of Portland towards Beaverton and arrive at the Japanese Garden. We make a picnic lunch on the bench outside the entrance and then enter the serene confines. The plants are in full bloom and the colors and textures are balanced exquisitely. There is enough accessible to my chair to satisfy me even though Anne offers to push me on some steep areas. Kaz and Mich go on the full tour and hike the entire grounds. I look forward to painting from the beautiful photos Anne takes.

From there we drive downtown and stop at the art museum to see what’s on and learn that it’s the last day of a special exhibition devoted to French connoisseur and royal mistress Pompadour. Fragonards, Bouchers and an incredible Greuze depicting Indolence as a plump daydreaming maiden evoke the essence of Rococo. The price is spendy since there’s barely 50 minutes left of open hours so Anne and the others roam the neighborhood while I take in the exhibit on my own and have enough time to skim through the Northwest rooms. There’s a fantastic Callahan and a nice assortment of Graves and Bunce to enjoy. We rendezvous and reload for our short drive to Jantzen Beach and our well-appointed rooms at the Red Lion Inn, room #330. We get together for dinner overlooking the Columbia River and I have jumbo shrimp and Anne and Kaz get crab cakes, Mich steak. The evening is this writing and TV of Dan Brown’s story of Angels & Demons and the new movie about it.

May 17

We get up nice and early, check out, grab a quick breakfast burrito from Burger King and hit the road. It’s a beautiful day and before long we’re at the Castlerock turn-off to Mt. St. Helens. We have a brief scare as the signs stating that Johnston Ridge is closed haven’t been taken down yet but all is well and we continue to the awesome viewpoint. There aren’t many people there yet and we can stroll the exhibits and shop and enjoy the outstanding view of the volcano that is mostly covered in snow. Anne and Kaz get books on wild flowers and I get my customary souvenirs. After watching the interpretive film and listening to the ranger’s talk, they hike up to the lookout site adjacent to the visitor’s center. On their way I ask Anne to stash another of my pins under a rock just to the side of the path up.

We stop at a lower resort for lunch and Mich shares the driving North to Tacoma. We listen to the Mariner game that ends up victorious for the home team against Boston. A quick stop at Costco for a full tank and a car wash and then we are blissfully home. Not too much mail or messages to answer and the garden looks sensational. We’re glad to be home, thankful that we were safe the entire time and happy to have shared a marvelous time with terrific friends.