On 4/2/2014 5:56 PM, Willie Wonka wrote:
> Boys and Girls,
>
> I need some help with planning a trip.
>
> My son graduates from high school in June and has requested
> that as a graduation gift, he wants to visit California; specifically San
> Francisco, including a wide berth around it (including Yosemite).
> Below is a rough itinerary that we would like to finalize as
> soon as possible.
>
> We need help with the following:
>
> * Places to visit or avoid in the areas listed. With small
> exceptions, we do not want to do “the tourist thing”.
> *Accommodations, this is probably the most important one as
> we would of course like to spend as little as possible unless something is
> really worth it.
> *Accommodations around Yosemite-Bode area. Originally, we
> were going to camp, but since this is not a weekend trip, but our vacation, we
> did not want to ruin the trip if the weather were not cooperating, so we
> thought that the best idea would be renting something like a cabin for these
> days. Please, suggest.
Yosemite Valley is a 'tourist thing'. It's also something not to miss. There
are few places as spectacular in the world.
The nice thing is that it's fairly large, and the visitors tend to clump in a
few hot spots. We have, for example,
driven a couple of miles or less down the valley for a picnic on the Merced
River, with El Capitan behind us and a
distant, but beautiful, view up the river to Yosemite Falls - and seen only one
other person.
You misunderstand the weather. It is completely different than East or Mid
West. The chance of measurable rain in June
is almost nil. There is the occasional brief thunderstorm in the high country,
but that's mostly later in the summer.
I'm not advocating camping - or not, only saying that this one concern is
unfounded.
If you can snag a campsite, tent cabin or a room in Yosemite Lodge this late,
it's really worth it.
Another thing in the area that's unlike anything else in the world is the Giant
Sequoias. They are mind blowing. There
are excellent groves in the south part of Yosemite and north of Yosemite in
Calaveras Big Trees State Park, another
excellent place to camp, if you can get a place.
> *Alex wants to explore abandoned towns. Besides Bode, what
> else would you suggest in the area? He’s looking for abandoned buildings and
> such and although Bode fits the abandoned bill, it a little sterile since you
> can’t go inside most buildings. We still
> intend on seeing it, but are looking for others. I understand there are old
> mining towns in
> the area and would like suggestions on which to visit.
Bodie is a State Park, so a tourist thing, be warned. Another preserved gold
rush town downtown which is a state park is
Columbia. Hornitos has a bit of old stuff that one could poke around at. If he
really wants stuff that's abandoned, not
controlled or on fenced, posted, private land, and that one might poke around
in, I think some more research is needed.
Maybe out in deeper Nevada?
Remember, there are a gazillion people in Calif., and a gazillion more visit,
so finding something not already
controlled or used up likely isn't easy.
> *Originally, we had planned on visiting some places north of
> SF. We changed this because Alex has no
> interest in Point Reyes National Seashore. Are we missing anything else in
> that area?
I love Point Reyes, and there are many wonderful things around there. BUT,
probably not that interesting to a teenager,
and the beaches are not what it sounds like he is looking for, some long and
nice to look at, but rough water. You
really should visit a redwood grove. The famous Muir Woods just north of SF are
a tourist infested mess to avoid.
There's much better both north and south.
> *Not so important, but if you have any suggestions for
> places to eat along the way, feel free to suggest.
I have to give that a bit more thought. I do know that a day in SF may end most
enjoyably at the Beach Chalet right
along The Great Highway, across from Ocean Beach. Too not unreasonably priced
restaurants at the end of Golden Gate
Park, one looking down on the beach, the other back at the park. The downstairs
in front has very nice WPA murals from
the 30s and Carol's sisters and a 25 year old niece loved the view upstairs.
> A little bit about Alex and what he enjoys:
>
> * Old stuff, especially if abandoned.
We don't have near as old or near as much old stuff as the East. We do have
geography and flora that make the East look
tame. :-)
> *Old cars
We don't salt out here. When Carol moved out from Maine, she thought she'd
moved into a car museum. :-)
Ya wanna see old cars in museums, check out the Seal Cove Auto Museum on MT.
Desert, Owl's Head Transportation Museum,
just south of Rockland, the Larz Anderson Auto Museum in Brookline. I'm sure
there are old car places here, but I don't
know them. :-)
Bill Harrah's car museum in Reno was amazing, but long gone. The cars aren't,
though, I've seen some in other places,
including Maine.
> *Outdoor activities such as hiking in woods.
Endless opportunities. Great trails, spectacular scenery.
> *He wants to spend a few hours at a beach, but I know he has
> in mind more of a So Cal beach atmosphere. San Fran may not have this, but a
> little further south? Santa Cruz?
That's the closest.
A word of caution for there and all the coastal stuff. The west coast, from LA,
even south, up into Washington, is
subject to summer fogs. Worst in July and August, but you are coming late
enough that they are possible when you are
there. They change the entire atmosphere of things right along the coast. They
run in cycle, coming and going on a
several day, but varying, pattern. It's possible, and common, to be able to
stand on the coast, able to see your hand,
but not the water, in a strong wind, and temp under 50F. Standing in the same
place between storms in January is warmer
and more enjoyable.
For us locals, it's possible to avoid them, especially for those with flexible
schedules. You are just taking pot luck.
> Now here is the initial itinerary in its entire glory.
> Please, remember that this is still a rough draft. Your suggestions about
> improvements are more than welcome.
>
> Weds, June 25 - Fly in, SF
> Thursday - SF
> Friday - SF or head down coast (need to get a rental car at this
> point)
There are endless things to see and do in and around SF, and no shortage of
guides.
IF we are in town, which we won't know until closer to the time, we could
provide a night or two of accommodations in
our guest room. We are across the bay, but it's very little time/distance to SF
and there are things to see and do on
this side, too.
> Sat
> Down coast to Carmel, maybe Big Sur area (probably too far).
> This is the day we’d like beach time somewhere. Drive inland a bit in the
> evening to stay at hotel and save a little driving time the next day towards
> Yosemite or stay on coast.
If you can work this to two days, you can get in a bit of all of this part of
Calif. There are two great redwood parks
on the way to Santa Cruz. Henry Cowell Redwoods SP has an excellent grove with
an easy trail that really gives a feel
for the redwoods. For more time and more serious hiking, there's Big Basin
Redwoods SP.
Then comes Santa Cruz, at the top of Monterey Bay, then Monterey at the south
end, with it's fabulous, and expensive,
aquarium. Immediately adjacent is Carmel, with the nicest beach of fine white
sand along that coast.
Big Sur is likely too much for a quick visit. I highly recommend Point Lobos
State Preserve, just south of Carmel, past
a couple of decent beaches. It provides much of the more scenic and spectacular
aspects of the coast in a reasonable
space, and even a decent chance to see sea otters in the wild. A fabulous place
that can easily eat up a few hours.
IF the tide is out, you can see and photographic much that's been shot by the
Westons and visit Weston cove. Covering
this in a day is really pushing it.
> Sun - Drive to western Yosemite (around 3 or 3.5 hrs.), explore
> park, need place to stay
As above, if you can swing the valley, it's really worth it.
> Mon - Explore most of day in Yosemite
You mean Yosemite Valley, I think, not the whole park. A decent look at the
valley may be taken in a full day.
> then drive towards Mono Lake (maybe) (2 hrs.), sleep somewhere.
It may be less than two hours. It's a low snow year, so the passes should be
open. If the campgrounds at Tuolumne
Meadows are open, that's a lovely place to stay, a huge, beautiful alpine
meadow. Then it's just a quick drop down the
east side to the lake.
> Main road in Yosemite should be open by now.
> Tue -
> Go to Bodie Historical Site (45 mins) then head back to Mono
> Lake area again and explore the eastern side of Yosemite. Does the eastern
> side have much to offer or should we head back to Yosemite valley?
The East side of the Sierras is very abrupt/steep, compared to the gradual
west. There's a lot of great country, but it
requires some serious hiking in, and UP, and the best places are further south.
You could drive up 395, left on 89, then 4, and back down to stay in Calaveras
Big Trees SP. That's a fair drive,
through mountain and forest. It does bring you down into gold country without
backtracking and on to highway 49, named
for the 49ers and the main route through the old gold country. Did I mention
how amazing the giant sequoias are? ;-)
There's caves near Murphy's, the cabin where Mark Twain wrote 'Jumping Frog'
south of Angel's camp, where the contest is
still held, and so on.
Unfortunately, the old car show in Arnold isn't until the 19th.
> W
> This day is open. Good time for exploring abandoned gold mining towns. Or
> maybe stay in
> Yosemite another day. Was going to go through Napa and eventually on to Point
> Reyes National Seashore but found out Alex is not that interested in it.
> Th
> This day is open. Good time for exploring abandoned gold mining towns or on
> to something
> else.
> F--July 4
> Explore area a little then drive to a hotel closer to the
> airport, maybe with access to fireworks.
> Sa
> Fly home
>
> OM content.
> 1. There are possibilities to meet with list members (but I was warned that
> this will not be a photography trip.
I'd love to meet if we are home when you are in town. We travel, and one of the
perks of having the Turtle and being
retired is flexibility. I could even come to SF, or meet at a destination near
there.
> 2. I am bringing my OM1 which was recently in the hands of our trustworthy
> John H.
> Thanks in advance
Hope I'm some help. More may follow.
Golden State Moose
--
What if the Hokey Pokey *IS* what it's all about?
--
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