Coulterville

So here we are, barely over 30 minutes drive from one of the most amazing National Parks in the USA and what do we do? We visit Coulterville, population 200, and we are happy as Larry.

It is actually not quite off the beaten track. This is not only "49ers" country (part of the old mining towns of the 1849 gold rush) but also John Muir territory (naturalist, author and conservationist).

After popping into the visitor centre and the saloon of the old hotel we spent some time at the park waiting for the swimming pool to open. After a quick dip (not much to do: no paddling pool and, like Palo Alto, no toys or flotation devices allowed -  though nice and cool and much appreciated in this heat) we visited the history museum and Whistling Billy, a steam train used by the miners. We also popped in to the local cafe for a coffee and some ice cream, visited some shops and showed our faces at the John Muir Centre. But the real highlight of the day was just talking to the locals, telling them about our adventures and finding out how people really live out here. In most senses this is what tourism is really about, rather than visiting famous landmarks.

Yosemite: the valley

Got up at 5am because I wanted to reach Glacier Point by sunrise. Stopped on the way to get some nice shots of a promising pink sky, but by the time I got back in the car the pink had gone and it looked like a pretty bland sunrise. Sure enough at Glacier Point there was a grey-blue start to the day which was not very photogenic. If there hadn't been some deer walking about I would have been looking for someone to give me my money back. Eventually the sun broke through the clouds but the shots I had come for didn't materialise. If there is no pinks sky most of Yosemite actually looks better in the evening. Some you win, some you loose.

When the rest of the family got up and we finished packing we went on to the highlight: the valley itself. What a disappointment! Not quite unexpected really, but it was absolutely packed. It is a high-season Saturday after all.

Stopped for the classic valley view at Tunnel View before heading for a short walk to Bridalveil Fall. There we had a great time (amongst the crowds) sliding down the slippery rocks. From there things got pretty bad: we were unable to park at Curry Village (all we wanted to really do there was grab some chips and have a picnic) and then we found ourselves in a massive traffic jam. We decided to skip Yosemite Village and the visitor centre completely as it would probably take an hour to park. Finally we got out of the crowds at an unmarked parking place somewhere between Camp 4 and El Capitan where we could walk next to the river for a bit and grab a bite to eat. Yosemite valley is a magical place, but obviously that magic doesn't go unnoticed. I guess if you have to visit it in high season with kids the best thing to do is rent a bike and cycle down the paths laughing at the dumb tourists in the traffic jam.

Had another short walk round El Capitan. Saw a few people climbing it, though we expected more this time of year. If we ever get good at climbing we are definitely coming back here again.

On the way to our cottage we saw a huge section of burnt forest. I remember seeing it on the news last year: fires had decimated parts of Yosemite (and next door's Stanislaus National Forest). In fact they had been stopped just 4 miles from out cottage. The cottage is great, and for the first time in 5 months we have two bedrooms. The area round here is great too, I think tomorrow we will explore round here instead of facing the weekend crowds at Yosemite.

Yosemite: Glacier Point

It took a lot of willpower not to jump out of the car with the camera yesterday, and the trend continued today. Since we were quite close to the road to Glacier Point we resisted the temptation to head straight to Yosemite Valley (which is on the way to our other accommodation tomorrow). Drove nearly to the end of the road before stopping at one of the short walks we had planned: just over a mile to the top of Sentinel Dome.

We got to the foot of Sentinel Dome when Aisha looked up and declared there was no way she was climbing up that. So Lucas and I forged on ahead and made it with no carrying. The views are spectacular: Half Dome to the North, El Capitan to the South, and the valley in between. Yosemite epitomises two of my greatest hobbies: El Capitan is probably the most famous rock climb in the world, and Ansel Adams is probably the most famous landscape photographer in the world. It's great to finally be in this place.

After waiting for Esther to go up and return we headed on to Glacier Point. From here the views are even more impressive, though not as rewarding as you only walk about 200m. It is also pretty packed with tourists, though as you are on the edge of a precipice they can't get in between you and the view.

Another magical moment awaited me back at the lodge. Our neighbour is the caretaker and we have been chatting a bit from porch to porch. Suddenly he drove up asking if we wanted to see a bear. Sadly the kids were in the bath, so as the family's official photographer I hopped into the car and followed him. No sign of bears at first but then I saw one cross the road just in front of us. Hopped back into the car and drove a few metres to get a ringside view of a brown juvenile foraging for food in the forest.

Layer Cake Pinot Noir 2012

Not tasted in a proper wine glass.

Cherry, blackcurrant, vanilla. Smooth, easy to drink, soft tannins, good acidity. 92+/100. 15 USD.

Yosemite via Mono Lake

After 30 days car rental we have to show up at one of the offices to have the car inspected and extend the contract. 30 days into our rental we will be at Sequoya National Park; offices are few and far between and there is nothing near there. In our original plan we would have been here and could have done the paperwork at Reno. So we phoned up the car rental company to see what could be done and in the end there is no problem turning up at Reno a few days early, so that is what we did.

From there we took the Nevada route to Yosemite, via Mono Lake. It's quite a drive and because of the car rental (and lunch at the airport) we couldn't split up the trip, so we had to drive non-stop which was a shame because the desert landscape round Mono Lake was something else. We also had to see the whole Tioga Pass road in Yosemite from the car. Maybe we will come back here one of the next few days, there are some lovely meadows and hikes.

Our lodge is lovely, if a bit dated (which doesn't bother us). We have a sofa bed and another bed that folds up into the wall, and a great little porch with a barbecue where we can spend the evenings.

Tahoe rim trail and Sand Harbour Beach

Felt a bit more active today. There is a trail that goes over the mountains right round the lake. Round the corner from the hotel is a road which crosses the Rim Trail and has a place to park the car. Obviously we weren't going to do the whole trail (probably a few days of solid walking) but we saw on the map there was a viewpoint about a mile and a half uphill so up we went. In the end we didn't quite make it but had a nice ramble through pine trees and dusty trails and enjoyed a picnic on a log, flicking off giant ants every now and then.

Headed back down and drove to a minigolf place we had seen yesterday. There are three "courses" but we did only one. Well, the kids did - at these prices the adults gave it a miss.

Then, as there was still time, we headed to a nice beach we had been recommended. Left California for the first time since we arrived in the USA and crossed the border into Nevada. Sand Harbour Beach is lovely: crystal clear waters, white sand, and a view of snow-capped mountains on the other shore. Had a great time making sandcastles and playfighting on the sand generally making a spectacle of ourselves.

Tahoe Village and Eagle Rock

Tahoe Village is pretty close by, so we drove there to have a look around and visit the information office. Got quite a few good pointers for things to do and then went down to the public beach by the lake. As well as a sandy beach it had a nice grassy area and a playground, great for a picnic lunch. Then we had a walk round town before heading a few miles down the road in search of Eagle Rock, a short walk up a rock face with great views of the lake and surrounding area.

Alamos Malbec 2013

Cherry, earth, balsamic. Good acidity, meaty, good complexity and aftertaste for such a young wine. 91+/100. 11 USD.

Tried an Argentinian wine for a change, and because Californian wines are pretty expensive if you want decent quality. Brought the wine tasting forward a day to celebrate we had decent wine glasses.

Driving to Lake Tahoe

Long day's drive down to Lake Tahoe. Not much to report. Nice scenery, especially through the Tahoe Forest. Our hotel is also nice, probably the best so far (which doesn't mean it's amazing as we tend to pay less than 100 bucks a night): it has a swimming pool, hot pool, nice new rooms, is right by the lake, and most importantly of all, it has decent wine glasses.

Kunde Chardonnay 2013

Not tasted in a proper wine glass.

Apple, pear, vanilla. Fruity in a subtle way, rounded, good acidity. 90/100. 11 USD.

Lake Shasta

Happy father's day (in the US at least)!

Felt a bit lazy and, since we have seen (and walked) a fair bit of the park, decided to go somewhere a bit closer. Went to Lake Shasta, a reservoir and dam about half an hour North. The area is nice, but not a patch on Lassen. There is a free tour of the dam, but we didn't fancy an hour with potentially bored kids. The dam's visitor centre was, ironically, closed due to a power outage so we just walked around for a bit. Got back early for a bit of pool time at the hotel.

Lately we have fallen in the trap of allowing cartoons after dinner as we are always too late to see them before. This makes bedtime a complete nightmare, so today we reinstated the No Cartoons After Dinner rule. Bedtime was still a nightmare (since Esther got back Aisha as been pulling wobblies before bed) but less so. We are sure tomorrow will be nearly back to normal.

Mercados de granjeros

La primera vez premeditada y la segunda por casualidad, ya nos hemos encontrado con dos mercados de granjeros en California de lo más divertido.

El primero fue en San Luis Obispo, una pequeña ciudad al norte de Santa Bárbara. Todos los jueves cierran la calle principal y despliegan lo que parece más una pequeña feria que un mercado al uso, donde además de los puestos de fruta y verdura hay también puestos de comida y de artesania, música en vivo, castillos hinchables, pintacaras y una pared de escalada para los peques. Los bomberos tambié estaban por allí haciendo una doble labor de prevenciónn y educación infantil.

Lucas y Aisha disfrutaron como locos, con su trozo de pizza y sus palomitas. Saltaron en el castillo, Lucas escaló, se pintaron la cara y a los dos les regalaron unos globos al cierre del mercado.

Parecía que toda la ciudad había salido a la calle, y probablemente los vecinos de los pueblos más cercanos también se habían acercado a pasar la tarde.

El segundo fue en Sonoma, al norte de San Francisco. La zona de Sonoma es famosa por sus viñedos y para allá que fuimos a comprar vino y saciar las ganas de parque en la plaza principal. Una plaza llena de zonas verdes, con dos parques, un lago y varias familias de patos, tan empachados de pan que ya no responden al bombardeo de migas y curruscos de los niños y las abuelas que pasean por allí.

A las 17.30 en punto, como cada martes, el "cowboy" se paseó tocando la campana e inaugurando oficialmente el mercado. Fuimos directos al puesto de juegos infantiles a probar suerte en la rueda de la fortuna. Y después de bailar al ritmo de la banda, volvimos al parque donde establecimos campamento base para ir a comprar la cena y cerezas, albaricoques y ciruelas. La fruta en California está de rechupete!

Lassen Volcanic: Manzanita Lake

Driving into the park we passed by a horseshoe-throwing competition at one of the small hamlets. This promised to be a slice of real America so we turned round and parked. As well as the main event there were all sorts of games for the kids, barbecues, and an engine for mixing margaritas. We bought 10 tickets for kiddie events (total cost: 1 dollar) and got a cool face painting and played a few of the games. A big favourite was the water balloon catapult. With the games the kids picked up points which they could later exchange for prizes.

After a while there we got back into the car and headed for the park. We stopped for a picnic at Manzanita Lake, a pretty place with loads of people fishing (today being Saturday). We didn't bother renting a kayak and instead walked around the lake for a bit. Enthusiasm for becoming a Junior Ranger seems to have died down, there is too much important work to do finding sticks and pine cones.

Driving backwards and forwards for nearly an hour each way is a pain. Lake Tahoe, our next stop, has plenty of accommodation next to the lake. But after that we visit Yosemite. Spent quite a lot of time looking for decent places to stay close by. In the end we found an OK lodge in the park (though not in the valley) for two nights and a lovely cottage about half an hour away for another two (our first Airbnb booking).

Lassen Volcanic: Bumpass Hell

Got to Red Bluff with plenty of time. Finding cheap (or any) accommodation in or near a national park at such short notice is impossible, they are normally booked out months in advance. Our options were either here or in Redding, both big towns about 45 mins from the park. In the end we decided Redding as there were more options for stuff to do in the town as well as nearby.

As we had plenty of time we decided to go into the park and take the long route to Redding. We stopped at the visitor centre where Lucas picked up a booklet to become a Junior Ranger. He has 5 missions to complete before he can take the pledge. The first was easy: to watch the 20 mins film about the park.

After a quick picnic we headed off to Sulphur Works, a small geothermal area where they used to mine for sulphur. There wasn't much to do so we continued on to Bumpass Hell, a 2h walk from the carpark to see the largest geothermal area in the park.

The kids did great and managed to walk all the way there on their own. It was a bit cold, there were even patches of snow on the trail (not great in sandals). The trail was lovely, with great views of Lassen Peak and the valley below. And then Bumpass Hell makes a stark contrast to all the greenery around it. We didn't stay long as it was getting cold and the kids were tired so we quickly turned back; for us the focus of the expedition was really  walk. Had to carry both kids a bit of the way.

Got back and sped through the rest of the park to get to Redding. We will be visiting again tomorrow so we didn't feel the urge to stop anywhere as it was pretty late.

Charles & Charles Post #35 Cabernet Sauvignon & Syrah 2012

Not tasted in a proper wine glass.

Red fruits, spices, oak, plum. Fruity with OK acidity, slight bitterness. 92/100. 19 USD.

On the road again

To accommodate these last few days we have replanned our route for the westside experience. It was quite simple really, we have skipped anything North of California, and pencilled in a new spot in the South: San Diego. We also have a few more days in some parks where we felt we needed them. So today was a driving day, to break up the trip North towards Lassen Volcanic National Park. Had a picnic lunch with the Palo Altans to say thank you and goodbye and then drove off into the sunset.

Driving in the US is pretty different to any other place we have been. They have the same rule as in NZ where, after turning, you can skip the red light if nobody is crossing the road. But also you can skip the first red light (before you turn) if turning right (and there is no traffic coming from the left). Traffic lights tend to be on the other side of the crossing. In towns there are stop signs everywhere, in most cases for all 4 directions at a crossing: you are supposed to take turns for right of way. In most freeways there is no such thing as fast and slow lanes, everybody overtakes on either side. That they drive slow is a myth, at least in California. Many freeways have a 65 mph limit, but today we were on a few with a 70 (113 km/h) limit, just 5 mph under the Spanish limit. Plus everybody speeds (not us, we don't have the instinct for seeing the highway patrol and don't know what the speed cameras look like). In some small roads the limit is also 65 mph, which is more than what they would be in Spain. What is really annoying is that there is no generic rules for the speed limits, so you have to look out for the signposts: freeways can be 65 or 70, roads 40 anything between 40 and 65, built up areas between 35 and 55 and towns 25 or 35. Anything in increments of 5 mph. It must cost them a bomb to put up so many signs. And this is just California, there's bound to be all other sorts of rules and speed limits in other states.

Our motel looks a bit scary from the outside, it hasn't changed since the 60s and is full of "Jesus is coming" signs. I home we don't get abducted tonight.