San Francisco loop.

[Southwest Dave]

Thanks Scott. If we are lucky enough to return one day, hiking the narrows is on my wish list. It's a great place along with Yosemite, they are 2 places I would love to have more time to explore, and yes it is the Virgin river, we were camped up right alongside it.
We went up the Mount Carmel highway and through the tunnel but we had to pay extra $15, as they have to stop the on coming traffic entering the tunnel to enable us to drive down the middle because of height restrictions. It still felt tight though and it's dark in there!

Sorry for delay, I was in Ireland for a few days.

Day 13-26th October

Following another good nights kip [the advantage of busy days] we decide to head straight off for Vegas. We felt yesterdays helicopter flight was a fitting tribute to the canyon and left a memory that will last forever, so we resisted going back to the rim for one last look.
We left the Grand canyon and stopped at Tusayan to grab a Macca D's[McDonalds] for breakfast. We had been told how much better they were in the US compared to home but tbh I didn't think they were much different. So a quick bite a wander around the trading post and back on the road. After a drive around Williams we headed towards Vegas on I-40 and then turned off onto a section of route '66. We stopped at Seligman and had a look around the shops, there was some fascinating stores with route 66 memorabilia on display.

Williams AZ.


Seligman AZ.




I decided to do a quick service on the back up motor ! Haha.


Sorry no prizes but who can tell me what this critter is ?


We get back on the road and head for the Hoover dam, going through a couple more small towns on the way, which seem to be clinging on to business due to the fame of the "Mother road", I hope they can continue to survive. This stretch seemed to be very popular with bikers on there Harley D's etc and seeing the longest trains I have ever seen close to the roadside of '66, [one had 6 engines and seemed to go on for miles] all added to the '66 experience.
We come to the end of our route '66 adventure and head towards the Hoover dam on US93. Being a main road we thought there would be plenty of services, but there wasn't and being down to a qtr of a tank[lowest all holiday] it made it seem a longer journey than it was. I was aware that RV's could cross the dam but even I had doubts due to the signs along the way, they really are misleading and confusing. For anyone that hadn't checked in advance, it must of been a big worry. On approach we get stopped at the Dam check point and a large sheriff who would make Arnold Schw ...er, you know the one, look like a puppy. He has an ice cold stare as he picks various cupboards and storage lockers for you to open. Gulp. Why am I worried? I have nothing to hide, this fella just has a knack of making you feel guilty, will I get 10 years hard labour if he picks the wood store with the axe in it? He finishes his search and bids us a good day, I must say he was polite and curtious the whole time.

So on to the dam




Construction of the new bypass bridge was underway. It was busy so we just had a bite to eat and took a few pictures and got back on our way.


It is an engineering marvel and worth seeing, but I have noticed quite a few people put this down as an over night stop in there itinerary, I personally wouldn't, a couple of hours should do. Just the other side of the dam a casino sign welcomes you, and thankfully a gas station. We filled up and got back on the road, we were surprised at how many run down trailer parks with car wrecks all around there were so close to the glamour of Vegas, a city of wealth.

Our first sight of the Strip.


We missed our turn off towards the RV park and had to re-route [I was'nt lost, men don't get lost ! Haha]. As we came to a set of lights we were next to a Walmart, [the one I had decided not to try and find on the way as it may be complicated] so we called in and the girls started selecting some Christmas goodies for the folks back home, while I tried to convince them finding the place was all part of the plan! [It din't work].

We arrived at the Oasis RV park which was very convenient for the strip, and I have to say it's the poshest Campsite I've been to.


We got settled in and headed for the strip to see what all the fuss was about. It's quite overwhelming, after days of peace and tranquillity it was like being thrown in the lions den. You're getting hustled along trying to take it all in, you see Luxor, Venice, New York and Paris all in a few crazy moments. I had been told about the size of the hotel lobby's and the rows of shops within them but nothing can prepare you for it. Canals running through the Venitian with street after street of shops indoors that make you believe you're outside, with blue sky's above you and a cool breeze, it's hard to believe you're not.





And Paris


We have had an exciting but exhausting night so time to get a cab back to the RV park for some sleep.

Day 14-27th October

This morning we go to a nearby shopping centre and get some more bargains and return to the RV by lunch time to offload the bags before heading back to the strip for some more entertainment. We decide to head to the far end and get a taxi to drop us off outside the Stratosphere. With time against us and the fact this isn't the nicest end of town, we don't go up it and start walking back down the road past the little wedding chapels, which in all honesty looked a bit tacky. We spent the rest of the day in and out of the hotels, each and everyone quite spectacular. We had a nice buffet in the Luxor which was fantastic.

The Stratosphere


As night fell the place came alive again, it was packed solid so we headed for the main area of the Strip to take in some of the street shows, which as you probably gathered were no ordinary shows.

You had the giant volcano going of


The Bellagio water fountains dancing to "Viva Las Vegas"


And a full scale battle involving 2 pirate ships.


Time to get out of this crazy 'virtual world' place, it is absolutely mental [in a good way, I think]. I mean I have just seen so many parts of the world in a couple of miles, there's roller coasters and mono rails running around your head and to top it all, I have just seen Elvis!!!!!
I'm out of here,aaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh!!!!!!!

Next we drive across Death valley and head for Lake Isabella.

[UKCraig]

Can't wait to hear about your trip through Death Valley - I loved that place!

The descriptive and the photos continue to be top notch. Can I ask what camera you used? I can only wish I could take photos like you have there - excellent!

[Mark Sedenquist]

I second UKCraig's kudos thus far of the tale! Great photos!

The Oasis is the first of many RV destination resorts. We stayed a few times ourselves when we were on the road.

Mark

[Southwest Dave]

Thanks for the encouragement guys.

Hi Craig, the camera is a fuji s9600 which I bought just before the trip, it's easy to use on auto when taking quick snaps, but also has many features to get the best out of a shot. I'm still learning with it really, but it is a good bit of kit. The main advantage for me, was that it has a fixed lens with a 28-300mm zoom so you can get a good range of shots but don't get the risk of sand etc entering the camera whilst changing lenses, not to mention the extra expense of lenses. It also offers high quality video.

I have also seen some of your pics and was mighty impressed.

[Southwest Dave]

day 15-28th October

We awoke weary this morning, Vegas really took it out of us, it seemed tougher than any drive or hike [even combined] we had done. Vegas is so wild, everything seems a bit hazy this morning, as said before I am not a city person and I feel confused as to whether I love it or hate it? After the total calm and peace of our trip, it was like an invasion of our privacy. My thoughts were : It feels like the morning after one of those really good nights out, where maybe you had one to many and our memories are a bit blurry, you know you had a good time but there's a bit of regret in what you had done. Part of me enjoyed it, part of me wishes I had skipped Vegas, as I felt robbed of more time to explore the wilderness.

Prior to leaving the UK, most people had said "You'll love Vegas", after mentioning the places we were planning to visit. My conclusion is that I really enjoyed my time there, and everybody should experience it at least once as it's a fantastic experience, but unlike most people I know who go back time after time, once feels like enough for me. That is not to say I'll never stop there again, I just have no yearning desire to return there, unlike the natural wonders.

Anyway my thoughts are a bit clearer (as mud) so on with the task at hand, a drive across Death valley. We fill up the RV with gas and head out of Vegas, the temps already around 80, a far cry from the freezing temps at Bryce canyon.

We approach Death valley junction and pass the Armagosa opera house and once again we are amazed by the scenery, a baron and almost undescribable land for us Brits, fascinating landscape!

Our first stop was Zabriske point



There are people walking in the middle of the picture, just to give an idea of scale.



We then continued towards Furnace creek ranch for lunch, an aptly named place in this hot spot ! On the way we saw the sign to Badwater basin, the lowest point in the USA [Also in the Western hemisphere I believe] but no time to visit. Maybe one day !



Furnace Creek.







Not only did they serve food and iced water in their (most welcomed) air conditioned restaurant, there was a golf course, post office and museum along with lodgings available.

After a good feed and a look around we head towards the Mesquite sand dunes on Highway 190. As we park up and open the doors... Phew! From the cool air conditioned RV it was like stepping into an oven, it's much hotter than earlier and almost touching 100 degrees... in October! You can understand why RV rental company's do not like there motors coming through here in the summer.

The sand dunes are a wonderful site, and huge !! With the extreme heat we decided not to walk up them.



You don't really need any reminders of how hostile this place could be, but as you drive up the long steady climb to higher ground there are signs telling you to turn your air con of to help prevent the engine over heating and there are rusty water containers at regular intervals along the road for topping up the radiator if it's needed. If you breakdown here you must stay with the vehicle, someone will be along soon!

We then continue through Stovepipe Wells on 190 and turn off just before Panamint springs towards Ridgecrest on route to Lake Isabella, our stop for the night. As we turned off we unexpectedly came to a junction, one with no signpost and it was not on our map we had available. Common sense told us it must be a right turn, so we turned right. We then drove and drove with the uncertainty of where we were heading, making it seem much longer than it was, the fact it seemed to be getting more and more remote didn't help. We passed a small ghost town but decided not to stop[a real shame]due to the uncertainty of exactly where we were going. After what seemed to be a lifetime the road climbed and carved it's way through the rock that looked just like the entrance into the valley when we first arrived here some 5 hours ago, Eek! We carried on with fingers crossed and after a while longer we hit a town called Trona. We reluctantly looked at the map to see if we could find the location and there it was...............GERONIMO! We were exactly where we wanted to be and almost instantly the regret sets in that we didn't stop at that ghost town, but at least were on track. (It turned out to be Ballarat Ghost town.)

We continued our journey to Lake Isabella and find our campground for the night across from the lake shore. We take a stroll to watch the sunset and once again I enjoy the peace and tranquillity of this beautiful land.



A nice evening meal and a welcome catch up on some sleep before we head up the beautiful kearn River valley.

[UKCraig]

You and I have very similar views when it comes to Vegas. Glad I went, glad I saw but, when it came to it, I couldn't wait to leave and head on to the next natural wonder - Zion NP in my case.

Thanks for the tip on the camera - I'll definately look into that myself. I'm not absolutely certain if I like the fixed lense yet - very practical for what I want it to do but will I lose out somehow? I need to ponder I think.

[Mark Sedenquist]

You and I have very similar views when it comes to Vegas. Glad I went, glad I saw but, when it came to it, I couldn't wait to leave and head on

It's funny -- I used to have that point of view, but I drove here in December, 1999 for an assignment... and I am still here. This is an incredible place to live and work....

Mark

[Southwest Dave]

It's funny -- I used to have that point of view, but I drove here in December, 1999 for an assignment... and I am still here. This is an incredible place to live and work....

Mark

I would imagine from a working/living point of view it is a great place to be, and I have only seen a small part of it. Not to mention all those natural wonders a short drive whenever you need to get away from everyday pressures, I'm not jealous! wink wink! lol.
Although I wouldn't want to live in Death valley etc, from a personal point of view as a visitor, I enjoy exploring natures creativity much more than mans. [natures just so much better at it, lol]

[UKCraig]

Living somewhere and visitng are two entirely different things, of course. I have no doubt at all that it's a great place to live but, as a visitor, I was completely moved by the same scenery to be found in this very report. As a European it is just so different to what we are used to.

[Southwest Dave]

Day 16-29th October

I'd say the RTA motto at the top of the page > 'Lifes a journey so take the scenic route' < sums me up perfectly and why I chose this route for the next leg of the journey. Instead of the easy option and taking the main highway to Bakersfield and Fresno we decided a trip up the Kern valley was in order. I feel more awake and relaxed this morning after the excitement and exhaustion of Vegas but during breakfast the little gremlins in my head started nagging me, we are starting to head back towards San Francisco and thoughts of "this adventure is nearing it's end" creep in. I have to stop myself and look forward to the day ahead.
So we are all ready and head to the town of Lake Isabella for a look around and to fill up with gas, just down the road was Bodfish and the Silver city ghost town, so we have a quick look before leaving





We then drive up the west side of the lake through Wofford heights and stop at Kernville, a quaint, peaceful little town known as the 'Gateway to the Sierras'. Another warm sunny day brightens the fall colours in this lovely spot, so we have a coffee and pancake in Cheryl's Diner and have a look around the shops.

The lake


Kernville




It's time to leave town and head up the kern valley, for the first few miles the road runs alongside the Kern river, a popular location for white water rafting and all year fishing. It's a lovely setting made more pretty with the Fall colors.





We continue through Johnsondale on the mountain road before heading north on the Great Western divide Highway towards Quaking aspen, but first our next stop, the much quieter grove of sequoias the Trial of 100 giants"







This was our first glimpse of these "giant trees" and even when standing here, it was hard to judge just how huge they actually are, with photos there is no chance. We had a lovely walk around the well laid out trial that zig zagged back and forth around the trees. It's hard to believe that some have been around for over 2000 years and have "learnt" to survive anything that nature throws at them, including fire. I read how they basically have three skins, the first will burn, but slow and start to consume the fire, the second a softer and wetter layer that will douse the fire and the third a very hard wood that when revealed will stop any rot or disease setting in, clever them there trees! It was eerily quiet, we had been walking for an hour without seeing a sole and then on the way back we came across a couple of rangers with a small group of people [about 5] on a tour. After chatting, one of the rangers inquired as to where we were from, [which was a change from the constant question "are you Australian"] and after replying "The UK" he said "How'd the hell you find your way out here, most Americans don't". I took that as a compliment and we headed on our way. It was back on the road as we had a few miles to cover to get to our destination for the night, Three rivers. As we continued the road climbed, narrowed and got very twisty for quite a long section between Quaker meadow and Camp Nelson, it was a good work out but boy was it pretty
The scenery was stunning !





We carried on east to Springville and onto Strathmore before heading north through Exeter, passing miles and miles of orange and lemon groves, the main industry for Tulare county. I have since read that a lady planted the first orange seed in 1860 and it all started from there, now there are thousands upon thousands of acres producing them.

We turn off onto the 198, the Generals highway through Lemon cove and arrive in Three rivers after dark. Within an hour there was an electrical storm over the mountains, one like I'd never seen before, it was breath taking. It slowly moved towards us, lighting up the sky on it's way, and then there was torrential rain that turned to hailstones and the road that had led us to our campsite had turned into a flowing river. Within an hour it had passed and calm was restored. Food and bed for tomorrow we get to meet "the General".