Thanks for stopping bye, I really enjoyed having some good family time with you guys.
7.29.2008
Black Bear Diner
Yesterday, I was very excited to welcome my first guests, Aunt "smoother-than -a-duck's-back" Nancy and Cousin "awesomeness-intensified" Amanda to the Lemoore/Hanford area. They are headed to the wonderful world of Disneyland on their way home to Arizona and stopped in for a late-night bite at the Black Bear Diner. Only one picture remains from our romptuous evening:
Thanks for stopping bye, I really enjoyed having some good family time with you guys.
Thanks for stopping bye, I really enjoyed having some good family time with you guys.
7.26.2008
To the Desert... Grand Canyon and Joshua Tree National Parks
After completing several mountain hikes, Nate (roomate from GE) and I decided to hike in the opposite direction (down) and in a vastly different environment (dry). So on July 18th, we headed out for a 1,600 mile adventure to the Grand Canyon and Joshua Tree National Parks. After a "scenic" drive through the end of the middle of no-where CA and AZ, we reached the forest surrounding the Grand Canyon and were greeted with a midnight coyote howling (which I thought was pretty cool). Next morning, it was off to the canyon. You could hear the howl of it long before you could see it. Considering it is a large hole in the ground, it comes up on you faster than you expect it. So here it is, the first view of the canyon:
Filling our packs with water, we headed down to take a short day hike down the canyon side. The further down you go, the hotter it becomes. Still, great views as you can see from my ledge picture.
Finishing the hike, we went out to Shoshoni where you can head out on a ledge and get nearly a 360 degree view of the canyon. Unfortunately, a thunderstorm was coming in so we essentially ran to the outcropping, got a picture and ran back as the sky opened up on us. Rain at the Grand Canyon? Here's a nervous picture as the ran begins to fall down.
Leaving the GC, we headed back east to the border of the Colorado and Mojave deserts for a stay at the Joshua Tree National Park. I was not sure what to expect from a desert, but the park was surprisingly beautiful with a variety of cactus, rolling hills and mountains. Below is a grove of Ochillo cactus.
Two fellow GE EEDP's in CA for the summer and a sister of one of them met us at Joshua Tree. Group picture: Esther (staying in San Diego), Nate (GE roomate), Me, Becca (staying in San Diego)
The park was perfect for small bouldering detours so we took advantage.
Finally, the Joshua Trees of the Mojave desert:
Overall, an excellent weekend with several nice hikes. The unexpected rain and clouds reduced the temperature and gave us several days of great weather.
Filling our packs with water, we headed down to take a short day hike down the canyon side. The further down you go, the hotter it becomes. Still, great views as you can see from my ledge picture.
Finishing the hike, we went out to Shoshoni where you can head out on a ledge and get nearly a 360 degree view of the canyon. Unfortunately, a thunderstorm was coming in so we essentially ran to the outcropping, got a picture and ran back as the sky opened up on us. Rain at the Grand Canyon? Here's a nervous picture as the ran begins to fall down.
Leaving the GC, we headed back east to the border of the Colorado and Mojave deserts for a stay at the Joshua Tree National Park. I was not sure what to expect from a desert, but the park was surprisingly beautiful with a variety of cactus, rolling hills and mountains. Below is a grove of Ochillo cactus.
Two fellow GE EEDP's in CA for the summer and a sister of one of them met us at Joshua Tree. Group picture: Esther (staying in San Diego), Nate (GE roomate), Me, Becca (staying in San Diego)
The park was perfect for small bouldering detours so we took advantage.
Finally, the Joshua Trees of the Mojave desert:
Overall, an excellent weekend with several nice hikes. The unexpected rain and clouds reduced the temperature and gave us several days of great weather.7.13.2008
Sitting on the Dock of the Bay
Destination for this weekend was another outing to San Jose and a day trip out to San Francisco. Overall, I was surprised by how compact the entire city was (I'm used to the sprawling midwest/southern metropolis) and how particularly charming it was. Attached are a couple pictures from Fisherman's Wharf and Dock 39.
The trio: me, Cousin John (for all purposes, older brother), and John's new-found better half Ellen.
Sitting on the dock of the bay, wasting time... that rock behind me is Alcatraz.
The trio: me, Cousin John (for all purposes, older brother), and John's new-found better half Ellen.
Sitting on the dock of the bay, wasting time... that rock behind me is Alcatraz.
7.07.2008
Hiking the Granite Giants
With my desire for trail dust not yet quenched from my first Sequoia National Park trip, my roomate Nate and I trekked off into the mountains for a 3.5 day, 3 night backpacking trip along the High Sierra Trail over the July 4th weekend. Our goal was a 35 mile round-trip hike to the Keweah Gap at 10,700 ft.
Our first day/night out was a typical wooded trek along with a not so typical 4:00 a.m. wakeup crunch from the local black bear resident 20 feet away. Afterwards, we managed to the morning sunlight on the distant mountain ranges.
Couple hours later and the mountains are looming closer. Our goal is near the peak at the far left.
About 12 miles in is a Sierra High Camp. We took a break on their porch, watched the women make hand-made bread and were barred from use of the flush toilet. Apparently, the hot showers, toilets, food and warm tents are for the $360/night guests that reserve many months ahead. I guess that's the cost of needing mules to transport supplies there. Still, the view is worth the high price. We got it for relatively free...
Trekking forward, we had a daunting view of the steep hike to our evening stopping point. It's the crevice at top right
Mountain streams and rivers were common. Below is a stream we had to ford near a couple-hundred foot waterfall into the valley below. My nearness to the edge elicited an interesting reaction
Campsite #2, Hamilton Lake, the most amazing place I've ever slept. It is surrounded on 3 sides by mountain peaks. At around 8,500 ft, these peaks are 11,000-12,000 ft. Kaweah Gap (10,700 ft) is center dip in the mountains.
Morning of Day 3 was our ascent to the Gap. Essentially, it is a fierce altitude gain followed by a traverse of the mountain sides. Here I'm the green dot along the vertical granite face with a 1,000+ ft gorge. I was somewhat queasy here.
Near the top was a series of picturesque lakes and streams with crystal-clear water... truly breathtaking.
Melting snow and ice formed numerous streams, creaks and lakes. Still, not everything was thawed yet and we had a couple of ice hikes along frozen lakes.
At last, the Kaweah Gap along the Great Western Divide. The quiet bolder-strewn area looked almost alien.
Looking south from the Kaweah Gap into the valley below.
The trail to/from the Gap was bursting with wildflowers fed from mountain springs and thaws.
The next day we turned a bend to see the familiar foothills and cloudy (pollution and CA fire smoke) San Jaoquin Valley.
35 miles later we are sick of granola bars, water and freeze-dried foods, but happy to be finished (and an
Oh, and a nice black-bear and her cub wished us luck on our way out.
Our first day/night out was a typical wooded trek along with a not so typical 4:00 a.m. wakeup crunch from the local black bear resident 20 feet away. Afterwards, we managed to the morning sunlight on the distant mountain ranges.
Couple hours later and the mountains are looming closer. Our goal is near the peak at the far left.
About 12 miles in is a Sierra High Camp. We took a break on their porch, watched the women make hand-made bread and were barred from use of the flush toilet. Apparently, the hot showers, toilets, food and warm tents are for the $360/night guests that reserve many months ahead. I guess that's the cost of needing mules to transport supplies there. Still, the view is worth the high price. We got it for relatively free...
Trekking forward, we had a daunting view of the steep hike to our evening stopping point. It's the crevice at top right
Mountain streams and rivers were common. Below is a stream we had to ford near a couple-hundred foot waterfall into the valley below. My nearness to the edge elicited an interesting reaction
Campsite #2, Hamilton Lake, the most amazing place I've ever slept. It is surrounded on 3 sides by mountain peaks. At around 8,500 ft, these peaks are 11,000-12,000 ft. Kaweah Gap (10,700 ft) is center dip in the mountains.
Morning of Day 3 was our ascent to the Gap. Essentially, it is a fierce altitude gain followed by a traverse of the mountain sides. Here I'm the green dot along the vertical granite face with a 1,000+ ft gorge. I was somewhat queasy here.
Near the top was a series of picturesque lakes and streams with crystal-clear water... truly breathtaking.
Melting snow and ice formed numerous streams, creaks and lakes. Still, not everything was thawed yet and we had a couple of ice hikes along frozen lakes.
At last, the Kaweah Gap along the Great Western Divide. The quiet bolder-strewn area looked almost alien.
Looking south from the Kaweah Gap into the valley below.
The trail to/from the Gap was bursting with wildflowers fed from mountain springs and thaws.
The next day we turned a bend to see the familiar foothills and cloudy (pollution and CA fire smoke) San Jaoquin Valley.
35 miles later we are sick of granola bars, water and freeze-dried foods, but happy to be finished (and an
Oh, and a nice black-bear and her cub wished us luck on our way out.
7.06.2008
Hanford Home
My apartment in Hanford is at Edgewater Isle, a 90ish complex built around a few cement-bottom creeks flowing with blue-dyed water and loquacious ducks. Still, 535D is where I call home for the short-term.
View from the back porch.
View from parking lot. Note the hunting pack of ducks bottom left.
Nice vaulted ceilings over the living room. I room upstairs to the left.
Living room with our rubber-leather rented furniture. One's skin tends to bond to the couch if stationary for over 5 minutes.
Simple room furnishings. When open, the two windows allow a cool night breeze that bathe me in the aroma of surrounding farms.
Note: no bathroom pics as the sulfur-content of the Hanford water makes that an unpleasant place to visit or shower. Shampoo and deoderant have helped... or am I becoming native?
Lastly, my Hertz rental car for the summer. A very nice 2008 Mercury Milan with leather seats, Sirius Radio and plush features. Although, the gas mileage isn't as high as I'd like with $4.60 /gallon gas, I'm living in luxury on the road.
View from the back porch.
View from parking lot. Note the hunting pack of ducks bottom left.
Nice vaulted ceilings over the living room. I room upstairs to the left.
Living room with our rubber-leather rented furniture. One's skin tends to bond to the couch if stationary for over 5 minutes.
Simple room furnishings. When open, the two windows allow a cool night breeze that bathe me in the aroma of surrounding farms.
Note: no bathroom pics as the sulfur-content of the Hanford water makes that an unpleasant place to visit or shower. Shampoo and deoderant have helped... or am I becoming native?
Lastly, my Hertz rental car for the summer. A very nice 2008 Mercury Milan with leather seats, Sirius Radio and plush features. Although, the gas mileage isn't as high as I'd like with $4.60 /gallon gas, I'm living in luxury on the road.
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