Driving up US 101 the landscape changes back from the warm fields of southern California and one dominated by tall, shady evergreens, a prelude to the drops in temperature and increased precipitation we can expect the further we head up the Pacific coast. It's a welcome sight to be sure, certainly one familiar to a Northwest native, but also a clear indication that our trip is quickly coming to a close. There's just enough left for a last hurrah before we turn the engine key one last time and gun it towards our final destination. On Friday we stopped in Leggett, [View Full Entry]

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There is a reason I've been schlepping a pair of strappy black heels and an impractical sundress over mountains and deserts, through forests and fields, allowing them to take up precious space in our very limited cargo hold, and that reason is Napa Valley. The very thought spins visions of elegance -- sunkissed vineyards, romantic B&Bs, limosines and vintage bottles of wine being sipped on the terrace. And though we'll be admiring all of it from a tent, we are not stopped for one second from trying to look the part. This was the only campground I'd made reservations for all [View Full Entry]

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The warm land air mixed with the cooler sea climate caused a heavy fog to roll in overnight and it occasionally obstructs our vision as we drive north into San Francisco. We only have a day here before meeting my mom at the airport tomorrow when we'll take a sojourn down to Yosemite, so we don't want to see too much and risk ruining her sightseeing experience which leaves us with some decisions to make. Add a pinch of indecisiveness, a dash of uncertainty and a sprinkling of bad road maps for good measure and you have a recipe for frustration. [View Full Entry]

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Like pioneers traveling westward on wagon train, we too are thrilled to finally see the Pacific Ocean. It's been a long time coming. The salty sea-breeze, the familiar wail of sea-gulls, the methodical crashing of waves up against the rocky shores below. In many ways the trip seems somehow complete even though we remain hundreds of miles away from our destination. It's almost too familiar. Where are the white sandy beaches, the sun-bronzed Californians hitting the surf? Outside the wind is whipping and it is cold. After pulling off the road at a public beach, we pull out our fle [View Full Entry]

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We snuck into California the back way, so we first realize we’re over the state line when the traffic starts to get worse. It’s not the sheer volume of cars on the road that make this drive so frustrating, it’s the fact that even though we’re driving a good five miles over the speed limit, we’re still getting passed and dodged around like we’re standing still. It doesn’t help that with trucks in the right lane and road-warriors in the left, our loaded down car doesn’t really belong to either. I don’t know who teaches drivers-ed around he [View Full Entry]

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You know that feeling when you wake up and for the briefest of moments you don't quite know where you are and have to retrace your steps to remember? That is not the Grand Canyon. First, there's the continuous presence of heat radiating from every angle, from the ground below and the sky above and even the rock escarpments surrounding you. Then, there's the aching feeling radiating throughout your entire body that reminds that yes, you did actually get down here by the power of your own two legs. It is painfully obvious where you are, and how you got there. [View Full Entry]

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We have officially hit rock bottom and couldn’t be happier. After weeks of planning and a summers worth of training, we hiked down to the base of the Grand Canyon in four and a half hours. More importantly, we eventually hiked out. Over a month ago when we started this trip, our minds kept tricking us, leading us to believe that Yellowstone marked the half-way point, and though it did geographically we'd hardly been on the road long at all. In reality, our "half-way done" moment was celebrated by our arrival into Grand Canyon. On Friday we picked up my father [View Full Entry]

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High temperatures have prompted authorities to issue warnings stating that activity anytime other than the early morning hours could be dangerous. You know, I thought we were really going to enjoy this break from the open road, lounging around in a temperature controlled environment but claustrophobia is quickly setting it. Temperatures here reached up to 116F (47C) yesterday and have reached record highs throughout the southwest. Not quite hot enough to fry an egg (yes, we tried) but pretty darn close. What a perfect summer for a cross-country road trip—record gasoline prices and re [View Full Entry]

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The sun glints off the the bumper of the vehicle in front of us and I flip the visor down to shield my eyes. Andras has the windows rolled partially down trying to find the perfect compromise between the heat and the fumes of exhaust. I would not have guessed that this park would be so popular but there it is, the long line of cars inching closer to the entrance station. Nor would I have guessed that it was so easy to escape the crowds and actually find the relative solitude needed to appreciate where we were, but then again [View Full Entry]

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If you think you need to travel to the far reaches of Africa to experience sand dunes, you would be mistaken, but certainly not alone. If anything, our travels thus far have firmly cemented the notion that adventure and discovery can indeed take place in your own backyard. After a fantastic evening with our friend Joseph and his girlfriend, exploring bookstores downtown Denver and trying out new "hip" vegetarian dishes (seitan buffalo wings anyone?) we continued south towards Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, a relatively unknown area of geographic interest that only recently achi [View Full Entry]

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