Parks Get Political

The amazing Frisico hosted us well, and with our stomachs full and our dancing shoes heavily worn, it was time for the next great adventure--the Sierras. Well, kind of. After driving three hours from San Francisco over to Yosemite, we were informed of the government shutdown, which resulted in closures of the national parks. Thus, we had to do what any outraged citizens and park enthusiasts would--break in! It was quite eerie driving through a park, which sees almost 4 million annual visitors, in such desolation. Nevertheless, we got our photos before everyone got evacuated in strange Armageddon-like fashion. 

Since Yosemite, Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks were supposed to be a two-week backpacking excursion, we had to come up with a backup plan. And somehow hippie hot springs in the wilderness made it to the list, which we later found out did not favor modesty (a euphemism for fully nude).

But back to the coast we went. First, a weekend in Santa Cruz. We lucked with some budget friendly events in town, including gallery hopping with complimentary wine and a fall harvest festival with a ton of free food samples. Yum! But the most memorable Santa Cruz treasure, aside from the majestic beaches and radical roller coaster, the Tacos Moreno burrito--an overstuffed mammoth full of crispy succulent carnitas, all the fixins', warmed up on the griddle. Incredible. And absolutely in the top 3 bites of Roadtrip USA!

As we cruised further south, a trip to the Salinas Valley and the home of John Steinbeck was an absolute must. And it turns out Steinbeck took a very similar route in his Travels with Charlie!

The posh Monterey was just a quick drive through, where again the reverberations of Steinbeck remain. Then, the only toll road we've had to pay for through the ultra swanky 17-miles of Pebble Beach. Beautiful? Definitely. A $10 toll? C'mon, Pebble Beach residents--you're already rich!

However, just miles south, lies one of America's most beautiful landscapes and Kerouac's inspiration. I mean the Big Sur of course, where the winding road guides you along the coast to admire marine wildlife and eroded rock formations protruding from the endless Pacific. 

We were lucky enough to do a 50-mile backpacking trek in the Ventana Wilderness, regardless of the park closures. The solitude and ridge line nature-scapes were indescribable. But running out of water, hiking 14 miles in the dessert sun while gaining 3,600ft of elevation and the destination (which we thought was a town) being a shut down campsite with no water, CAN be described--ahhhhhh! Nevertheless, survival instincts kicked in and we survived! But that's a whole other story.

Coming up next? The West Coast conclusion!

Cruisin' Down the Coast (Kind Of)

After an impressive stint in Washington state, we were off to neighboring Oregon, where the "dream of the 90's" prevails. The first stop (well and pretty much our home base with an awesome friend for a week) was Mt. Hood. We got a chance to check out the massive snow-capped mountain via a quick six-mile hike with this precious pup!

Once we finally made it out to the city of Portland--a place where tattoos, vegans, strip clubs, hobos, and amazing food are ubiquitous--we had to see what the fuss was all about with Voodoo Doughnut. Waiting in line for an hour, for a doughnut? Ridiculous. But I suppose it was unique enough having a maple glazed bacon doughnut.

As per usual, we continued having great eats at the famous food trucks, Lardo, Tasty n' Adler--all incredibly delicious and suggestions from a former BK resident and pal.The Pacific Northwest definitely does not disappoint in the food department but beautiful landscapes and lush greenery are just as magical.

Making our way around Oregon we checked out Multanoma Falls, Crater Lake NP and drove along the incredible coast line where we (I) managed to get the car stuck in a sand dune on the beach. Apparently, when a sign says only rugged vehicles allowed...pay attention! It took over two hours of digging until an ATV with the kindest couple came to our rescue.

The next day we finally made it to California--Redwood National Park to be exact and home to the world's tallest, oldest and largest trees. Spending a night along a river bank among these giants really did put into perspective how small we really are!

We continued down the coast on the famous California Highway 1 but of course not without a quick detour to wine country in Sonoma and Napa Valley.

After a quick overnight at Point Reyes NP we finally made it to San Francisco, where  my phenomenal friend showed us the best time. We drove over the Golden Gate Bridge followed by incredibly steep streets, saw the Tanner house, went to ambient Dolores Park and had an insanely delicious authentic burrito near by in the Mission District.

And just when it couldn't get any better, whelp, my 22nd birthday happened to roll around our last day in Frisco (a term not liked by the locals but loved by me!) The day could not have been more spectacular. I had the best burger of the trip thus far, which is a really big deal for a ground beef patty accompanied by the perfect toppings and bun aficionado.

Then, the topper--a silent disco, on the beach, watching the sunset over the Pacific with the people I Iove lots. Thanks for making it all happen!

Coming up in the next edition, the Sierras!