Homeward bound

As you will all know, the full title of the excellent Homeward Bound 2, is lost in San Francisco. Well we weren't lost, but we were homeward bound. The hotel check out time was noon so we could have a good lie in in preparation for the eleven hour flight. I'm praying Suicide squad is available on the plane, ian wants Forrest Gump. 

I've got a few observations from our hol, so with a scattergun approach, here goes

1. Ladies toilets have big saloon doors that don't fit properly so everyone can see you, unless you use the disabled

2. Drivers on the freeways, especially LA and San Fran, are mad. They have no lane discipline and come at you from all sides. 

3. San Francisco is cold, the rest of California is baking hot.

4. Most Americans in California are really friendly.

5. Ian hates valet parking.

6. The portions are far too big.

7. They have weird things for breakfast.

8. There are no bears in Yosemite, or anywhere else in California, but you have to be sure to leave no food in your vehicle or these imaginary creatures will break in and steal it.

9. There are no fat people in California. (Shocker I know)

10. There are loads of interesting birds, but we don't know the names of any of them, except the wonderful pelican.

11. No-one knows where Sheffield is, everyone knows Manchester.

12. California is very expensive.

13. There are no famous people in LA at all.

14. Yosemite is busy.

15. San Francisco is hilly.

16. The cocktails are very alcoholic. 

17. Ian hates tipping.

18. The drivers are nuts everywhere else, but at a four way stop sign it's not unusual to get a politeoff.

19. There is some spectacularly spectacular scenery in California.

20. Ian hates the bellboy.

Our plane arrives back in the U.K. at noon on Saturday 24th June 2017, see you soon

Jackiexx

A little vino in Napa Valley

A good nights sleep was had by all, despite the noisy air com and possible gunshots coming from outside (according to vicky). I was sent to the lobby to check out while the other two sheltered in the beast, and manage to pick up some raisin snails and apples. Breakfast sorted. Our planned first stop was the Sutter Fort. A reconstruction of a fort founded by Captain Sutter, a pioneer, a Swiss person, and an all round unpleasant person it seems. He fled from switzerland due to debt, leaving his wife and five kids behind. Then fled again from Oregon due to debt, and ended up founding Sacramento and starting the gold rush. We arrived at 9.30 to find it didn't open till 10, but managed to find a Starbucks to kill the time.

Next we were off to the Napa Valley. Vicky and I were very excited. Ian was ambivalent. We drove through the vineyards on either side of the road, stopping for lunch at a little deli. We sat outside in the shade but it was roasting, 42 said the car. 

We were passed by the Napa Valley wine train.

We had chosen the Castillo di Amoroso winery, set in a mock castle. We had a look round then went for our tasting with Juan, a very nice young man from Chile. I had some reds, vicky some whites and a rose, and Ian some grape juice. ( although Juan did give him a taste of a special reserve $98 a bottle wine). He also let vicky and I try six wines when we should only have had five, and gave ian a chocolate. Vicky and I very much enjoyed it. Ian was ambivalent. There was some very loud singing on the way back to San Francisco.

We arrived back at the Golden Gate Bridge from the north side to see the bay shrouded in fog, it's a scientific phenomenon that only vicky can explain, and were dismayed to see coats. The car said 63. It was 104 in Napa Valley. We were not amused. 

Our last hotel was the Sheraton by fishermans wharf so we got booked in, carrying our own bags (no bell boy, a disgrace) had some coffee, then put on our cardis (it's California) then walked over to pier 39 for some tea at Bubba Gumps shrimp factory. It was freezing. Cardis are no good for San Francisco. Even Ian's fleece couldn't keep the cold out. The whole bay was still shrouded in fog too, it was eerie. We did enjoy the meal, and vicky enjoyed her two cocktails. 

We ran back (I always go fast when I'm cold) and put the air con on warm to thaw out. The holiday, and probably our summer, is over.

Hotel watch

Very expensive (but it is San Fran), no robes or breakfast. No bellboy or  valet parking. Small beds (normal sized). It was quiet though with a proper coffee machine. 6/10

Song for the day

Seasons in the sun - Terry Jacks

A Giant breakfast and a humongous tea

We had decided to have a lazy day and all slept in till about 8am. We pottered about and utilised the balcony till 10 when we checked out and headed for Heidi's across the car park for breakfast 

Absolutely stuffed on pancakes and French toast we drove around the west side of Lake Tahoe hoping to park and walk down to emerald bay. Due to the heat it was rammed so the best we could do was take a few minutes to gaze upon its beauty from a viewpoint above

Sacramento was only a couple of hours drive through the El Dorado forest and at placerville we came across a little goldmine, literally. Called the goldbug, it cost us $7 each for a tour of the mine in the wonderful coolth and $2 to pan for gold in a trough outside. 

We then headed for Sacramento and  at 42 at 5pm it was hot! We found the hotel which was in a gated community, but not like Kathys! It was more to keep out the riffraff being in a very seedy area. The room was nice though. We booked in and headed for a nearby (but not too near) mall and the comfort of air conditioning for tea. The Cheesecake Factory seems to be a chain a bit like TGI and the portions were huge. Ian couldn't even manage any cheesecake. We then had a run through the centre of 'Sac' to see the capitol building. Sac isn't the most inspiring city in the world,think Barnsley. 

Then it was back to the room, which had thankfully cooled as we'd left the air con on, and off to bed. 

Hotel watch

Minuses are the area, no robes, no breakfast, the heat and a noisy air com. Pluses, a nice big comfy bed, and some danishes and apples that I pilfered from the reception. Also a nice coffee maker. Also pleasant staff. 7/10

Song for the day

Clementine - Anon

Yosemite 2, the sequel

You probably think that sequels are never as good as the original. That's not true here, the sequel was as good, if not better, than the original. Vickys buboils had swelled overnight to historic proportions, so we lathered her with savlon.  We ate our meagre breakfasts then headed back into the park. This lodge was only a couple of miles from the gate, and our previously bought pass meant

 we were waved on through the gateway. 

With Cam beside us we headed for his 'must not be missed' location, glacier point. Along the way he regaled us with tales of the park and tips, until we pulled up at the parking lot. No sign of a pustule pop yet as we headed for the viewpoint. My word cam was so right. We had climbed to the top of one of the peaks and could see the whole of Yosemite valley spread out before us. 

You can just see mirror lake in the trees. 

Nevada and vernal falls

We spent ages looking at the view before going back down into the valley to call at bridalveil falls. Another one that soaks you through, although at 100+ that's nice. 

Our original plan had been to take the Tioga pass across the Sierra Nevada and come at Lake Tahoe from that side, around three hours. But in keeping with our hols the pass is still closed due to snow!! I was so not looking forward to the five hour drive that meant we would have. But in keeping with our hols, it was fantastic! The road took us out of Yosemite to a switchback down a hill like something from James Bond. With very few other cars on the road Ian loved it. We then crossed some banjo country before hitting CA 49, the gold route. We passed through Angel Camp where Mark Twain wrote his first novel, The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County. No change in the blister yet. 

Next we hit the Sierra Nevada, and the road took us up and through a high (8000ft) pass in the north of the range. The views up there were spectacular, with loads of snow still around. 

We also saw a yellow bellied Marmot run across the road in front of us and down its burrow. 

Not actual blog footage

Eventually we descended to South Lake Tahoe, site of the first ever Winter Olympics, because all the mountains surrounding it make it a ski resort. We pulled into the hotel car park and the heavy car door swung shut on Vickys arm. You can guess what happened next. Several wipes were required to wipe up the pus that had run all down the inside of the car door. In Vickys words, it was grim. 

The hotel didn't look much from the outside, but when Ian opened the door to the room he said 'wow'. We had a balcony overlooking the lake and the sun was setting. 

There was no restaurant at the hotel so we walked along to a Greek place by the dock. It was cheap (for California) and Vicky and I had cocktails. (Not so cheap!)

The hotel had no air con so we left the balcony door open and drifted off to the sounds of tiny lake waves lapping the shore

Hotel watch

The balcony and view can't be beaten. Great big room but small bathroom. No robes. No breakfast. No air con. But the balcony and view can't be beaten! 8/10

Song for the day

California sunset - Neil Young

Yosemite

Breakfast turned out to be included at the Yosemite gateway so we took full advantage. It had one of those make your own pancake machines but fear of looking an idiot and a queue made us lothe to use it, so we stuck to the usual bacon and muffins, then checked out. The crystal cave mozzies had done their job, especially on Vicky who was sporting a bubonic plague like appearance with huge pustules all over. 

It was a thirty minute drive to the Yosemite gate and by the time we arrived at 10am the queues were building, although we only had a 10min wait. Our plan was to go straight to the valley and park up today, as parking is apparently a nightmare, then use the shuttle buses, and to stop at the viewpoints tomorrow. We had brought an old friend with us to guide us round, remember Cam, the driving tourist App from Canada? Sadly, I had forgotten to download him on my phone and he didn't know where he was on my iPad so we couldn't get the full experience. He did tell us a couple of things though, such as to park at the falls car park. We decided to ignore him though, and spent half an hour trying to park in the village, then driving round shouting at each other because we didn't know where we were, before finally popping out at the falls car park. Good old Cam! So, being there, we went to the falls first. Yosemite falls are, as you know, the highest falls in North America, and they are spectacular. Photos don't do them justice, but here you go

We walked over a bridge right at the bottom and got soaked with the spray,  it was great in the heat. Then we walked across the meadow at the bottom of the valley which had a great view of the surrounding mountains. 

After buying a sandwich for lunch we caught the shuttle up to the mirror lake trailhead. A short hike up an exciting riverside path bought us to the lake itself, and guess what, it was like a mirror! We also saw a snake gliding across the water. That was fun. I decided not to paddle after that. 

Edit

Back at the shuttle stop wasn't so much fun as we had to wait 40mins in the baking heat! We eventually got back to the car and drove the short distance to the Yosemite view lodge. Similar name, different location. We were now at the west gate, not the south as before. This hotel was a big thing with loads of blocks, think Butlins. The room was nice and big though with a small kitchen and a balcony. The bad thing about it was that nothing was included. We had to pay for Internet and breakfast, the latter being $18 each! So we settled for pizza and beer for tea sat on the balcony (there was a pizza parlour on site) and bought some cereal pots for breakfast at the site shop. 

Talking of beer. Ian bought three nice looking cans, only to open one and find it was tomato juice with lime and salt and some kind of alcohol! It was disgusting, so he took them back and they gave him hismoney back. I wouldn't have had the cheek.    And so to bed, with me dozing off to the sounds of American Antiques roadshow. 

Hotel watch

Nice big room, plus balcony, but no conditioner and really noisy air con. Also no internet or breakfast.  5/10

Song for the day

River deep mountain high - Ike and Tina Turner