Did Someone say Coastal Redwoods? Yes, Please!
How lucky am I that I have the opportunity to explore so much of God’s great creation that I’ve never experienced before? Well, maybe not lucky. But blessed. Losing the love of my life was hard, y’all. Hard. No matter that it was a long, slow decline. One can never really be totally prepared. These RV trips were going to be OUR trips. Michael loved the outdoors. And though he is in a totally different type of paradise right now, I am doing my best to experience the outdoors the way he would if he were still here. Our own little paradise on earth. I don’t think God wants me to spend too much time in the depths of mourning; he wants me to continue living my life, bringing Michael with me in my heart and seeing everything through his eyes.
I do get lonely. I mean, Maisie is great company—and I honestly don’t think I could do this without her. Another warm body to talk to (kindof), take care of, and explore together. If you’re reading this and feel like reaching out to say hello, please do. Text, email, WhatsApp, or Messenger any time. I’m often in places without much cell reception, but I’d love to hear from you and what’s going on in your life.
Well, after salivating over the majestic Giant Sequoias in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks last month, I was thrilled to be back in an area where massive redwood trees thrive. I did not know at the time that there are actually three types of redwoods:
• Giant Sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum): The most massive trees by volume. They are found only in higher elevations (4,000–8,000 feet) on the western slopes of California's Sierra Nevada mountain range.
• Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens): The tallest trees on Earth. They thrive exclusively in the moist, temperate fog belts of the Pacific Coast, stretching from central California to the very southwestern corner of Oregon.
• Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides): The only deciduous redwood. They thrive in fertile, moist river valleys and are native exclusively to Lichuan County in central China.
When they say that the Coast Redwoods are the tallest trees on Earth, they are not kidding! After leaving San Francisco, I spent four glorious days exploring the Redwood National and State Parks in Northern California. Only here are the conditions right for growing the world’s tallest—and some of its oldest—living things. I’m going to need my neck worked on as I spent most of the time looking up to try to see the tops of the trees!
As the National Park Service notes, Redwood’ NPs landscapes span from open prairies and oak woodlands to pristine rivers and untamed coastline. This ancient home has supported people for thousands of years. Redwood National Park is jointly managed with three California state parks—Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park, and Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. Together, the National Park Service and the California Department of Parks and Recreation cooperatively operate all four as a single entity known as Redwood National and State Parks. They work together to safeguard and rejuvenate these lands for everyone’s enjoyment, learning, and inspiration.
Enjoy, learn and be inspired indeed! Before embarking on this year’s RV trip to the west coast, I decided I wanted to focus a little more on hiking. This area of California surely provided an abundance of opportunities, with trails through prairies and redwood forests and along the Northern California coast. Here are some glimpses of the majesty of the forests we explored, as well as Elk Prairie, where I did actually see a few young elk:
We also had to opportunity to hike along the coastline near Crescent City – sometimes down steep switchback paths to the ocean, and at times along the rocky beaches:
Best sign of the day? “Dismount Horse Before Bridge”!
The City by the Bay
15.47 miles.
35,664 steps.
62 flights climbed.
That’s San Francisco in a nutshell—all in one day, all on foot! And to think I only covered a portion of “The Golden City.” I don’t necessarily always ascribe to the “Go big or go home” theory, but if I’m only going to have a short time to explore something new, I’m going to see as much as possible! And for all the effort it took to just get to this city by the bay, I thought it best to maximize our time there.
Staying in an RV Park in Petaluma (about 40 miles north), it seemed our best option for traveling to and from the city was via train and ferry. Maisie was a champ! While she had been on a ferry a few times before, the train was a new experience. She’s not the biggest fan of being on what is to her a moving floor, she nonetheless held it together and was loved on by other passengers (of course). Cool and foggy that morning (shocker, I know!), the ferry ride offered fantastic views of the two main bridges, Alcatraz and Angel Islands, and the San Francisco skyline. I ended up deep in conversation with an older woman from the area, so didn’t see as much as I might otherwise! Typical me.
Our first goal was to explore the wharf, traveling along The Embarcadero down the eastern waterfront of the Port of San Francisco from the ferry terminal all the way to the Golden Gate Bridge. There were quite a few interesting statues and art installations along the way. Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39 were also … hmmm … interesting. Told by many that it is a must-see stop in San Fran, I have to admit it’s not really my cup of tea. A little too commercial for me, but lively and a little busy even for a cool Tuesday early afternoon in the spring. I imagine it to be streaming with tourists in the summer, so counted my blessings once again that I’m here at a slower time. I had to take in some local fare, stopping by Boudin’s for clam chowder in their famous sourdough bowl. Boudin’s still bakes their sourdough fresh every day using the same mother dough cultivated from a gold miner’s sourdough starter, and are San Francisco’s oldest continuously operating business. It was scrumptious!
Before heading out from Pier 39, we had to check out the sea lions. It was such a bizarre scene—hundreds of sea lions, just hanging out on some floating docks. I wondered, were they living their best life? Apparently, these famous sea lions moved in shortly after a devastating earthquake in 1989. Drawn by the newly refurbished, empty boat docks, abundant herring, and safe haven from predators, their population swelled. To some, they serve as a symbol of recovery. So while they aren’t basking on giant boulders along the bay or ocean shoreline, I suppose they are living their own version of the best life. Maybe?
Setting our sights on the beach near the Golden Gate Bridge (still a couple of miles down the edge of the bay), I decided to take a little detour to investigate some of the interior of the city. Not only was Ghiradelli Square calling, but so was Lombard Street! We headed up—and up, and up, and up—Hyde Street, with the destination of the famous Lombard Street in mind. Y’all. Have you ever walked the hilly streets of San Francisco? Oh, my goodness! I’m glad I had recently gone on some arduous hikes in a few national forests and parks, to get my legs ready. The rise in elevation from the bay to Russian Hill is about 350 feet, and just over a few blocks. It felt like it was straight up! Seriously, the street had to be at least a 45 degree angle. We stumbled on a dog park and hung out for a bit to catch our breath with a whole bunch of four-legged friends, one of whom was Maisie’s twin. Then once we got to Lombard, we got to walk down one of the most well-known one-block streets in the country, famous for its steep descent with eight hairpin turns. Walking down the steps alongside it was a little more direct than driving it, but still super steep!
We then went back down to the bay and explored a lovely park called Marina Green, along with the St. Francis Yacht Club, The Marina District Lighthouse, and Crissy Field Beach. The lighthouse was built in 1931 using cobblestones salvaged from the city streets. Crissy Field is one of the closest beach areas to the Golden Gate Bridge, and even though I would have loved to walk across the bridge, dogs were not allowed, and I had more I wanted to see anyway. But we did stop long enough to admire the parasailors; what a sight, with the sandy beach in the foreground, the rough waters of the bay, and the Golden Gate Bridge in the background. Quintessential San Francisco.
Although I was starting to get a little tired, I knew I still had a couple of hours before the last ferry left for the day, and it was what I thought was a three-mile walk back to the ferry terminal. (Just discovered when writing this that it was actually 4.6 miles, and that was if I walked directly back. Which, of course, I didn’t.) We looked over and saw a beautiful dome-like structure, and just HAD to go check it out. Man, am I glad we did! It was the Palace of Fine Arts, and was just so mesmerizing. It turns out it is the only remainder of the most opulent world’s fair ever held in the United States (1915). Conceived to evoke a decaying ruin of ancient Rome, the Palace of Fine Arts became one of San Francisco's most recognizable landmarks. The most prominent building of the complex—a 162-foot-high open rotunda—is enclosed by a lagoon on one side and adjoins a large, curved exhibition center on the other side, separated from the lagoon by colonnades. As of 2019, the exhibition center (one of San Francisco's largest single-story buildings) was in use as a venue for events such as weddings or trade fairs. There actually was a couple there taking professional wedding photos; I cannot imagine a more scenic venue for that! It’s just too hard for me to describe it all in words, so here are some photos I took instead.
Realizing now that we needed to start heading back to the ferry terminal, I decided I didn’t want to take the same path, and figured what could it hurt to walk through the city instead? Clearly—and I’m assuming you already surmised this yourself—I did not have the opportunity to do much research before this particular tour. I had been here a couple of times before, but not in more than 20 years. San Francisco is one of the steepest and most densely populated hilly cities in the country, claiming around 53 named hills. I could see Coit Memorial Tower from where we were, and thought, “Why not?” Afterall, it is a famous, 210-foot tower in Telegraph Hill, so there’s that. And just another 300 feet in elevation change over the course of just a few blocks! As we struggled up Telegraph Hill Blvd with burning quads, we pushed on until we reached the base. Well, ALMOST the base. I checked my watch and we only had a little more than an hour until the FINAL ferry left for the day. Did I want to take a chance on missing it just to go the rest of the way to the tower? Well, yes. But, no. Refueling with a granola bar and downing more water, we headed down more than 500 steps back toward the terminal.
What a day! We finally made it to the ferry terminal, with 30 minutes or so to spare. I really had not intended on walking more than 15 miles but was so glad to have done it. We were rewarded with a beautiful sunset on the ferry ride across the San Francisco Bay.
Bay Area, Day 2
A rest day. That is all. Haha.
Bay Area, Day 3
As I’ve mentioned probably a million times, one thing I love to do when traveling is to visit colleges and universities. Though I’ve been to probably a hundred—I’m not really prone to exaggeration, am I?—I had never been to Cal Berkeley. Maisie and I enjoyed walking all over their beautiful campus just two days before graduation, of course taking in the football stadium but also the main part of the academic campus, including an elevator ride to the top of the Campanile—at 307 feet tall, it is the second-tallest freestanding clock and bell tower in the world.
There were a few things I had wanted to see on my walkabout in the city the other day, but just didn’t have the time, so I thought I’d drive through it after leaving Cal. The Painted Ladies were our first stop; how lovely it was to see lots of folks out picnicking in the park across the street on this glorious Thursday afternoon. According to sources, the term "Painted Ladies" refers to the row of iconic, candy-colored Victorian and Edwardian homes, widely known as "Postcard Row". They are special for their dramatic juxtaposition of ornate 19th-century architecture against the modern downtown skyline, and their starring role in pop culture. The trees in front of the famous houses have grown enough now to obstruct some of the view, but this iconic San Fran location was too awesome to miss. Bonus? I found a parking spot on the street a block away (a LEGAL spot), and didn’t even get my truck broken into! (Apparently, that’s a major problem in San Fran.)
Of course I HAD to drive down Lombard Street next! Tackling that narrow road and all its tight hairpin turns in a giant Toyota Tundra was hilarious. So iconic and something I’m not likely to forget. No pictures, though. After all, I was driving!! After a quick drive through China Town (disappointing, to be honest; I suppose it’s best experienced on foot), we headed for a trek over the fantastic Golden Gate Bridge. Not so fantastic? The $10 it cost to drive across. Oh, well, it is California where everything is expensive! We stopped at an overlook on the other end of the bridge and hung out for a while just admiring the view of the bridge and the skyline from the other side of the bay.
Maisie and I then ventured into Sausalito. What a treasure! Sausalito is a super picturesque coastal enclave, noted for its Mediterranean-style hillside homes, sweeping bay views, and relaxed artsy culture. There seemed to be a somewhat unique blend of small-town charm, rich maritime history, and iconic scenery—along with luxe accommodations, acclaimed chefs at farm-to-table restaurants, and art galleries. According to the Sausalito Chamber of Commerce (consider the source), visitors and residents agree with Coastal Living’s ranking of Sausalito as the third-happiest seaside town in the country. Again, I’m grateful to have gone in the off-season as it seemed to be mostly locals who were out and about, enjoying the bay-side parks, walking their dogs, and exercising. Best sign of the day (from a shop selling cheese and wine): The more you weigh, the harder you are to kidnap… Stay safe… EAT CHEESE.
That about wrapped up our three days on the City by the Bay. We sure did a lot in a short amount of time. I have to say, though, that it was quite shocking to the system to go from the alpine forests, stunning lakes and gorgeous landscapes we experienced over the previous two weeks to a bustling, progressive, urban environment. I had sensory overload of a whole different sort. Well, welcome to my life these days, I guess!
Until next time …
Lake Tahoe – “The Jewel of the Sierra”
Just when I think I’ve seen the most intense beauty that God has ever created, he surprises me yet again. In Yosemite, I felt like I had experienced heaven on earth, and perhaps I did. But Lake Tahoe? Seriously, I know I am a bit of a Pollyanna (NOUN. A person who is constantly or excessively optimistic.) But I am being authentically me when I say I look at the things of this world with a glass not even half-full, but overflowing. So how could I not fall absolutely in love with Lake Tahoe? It has all of my favorite things—alpine forests, a giant, vibrant blue lake, boulders and waterfalls and ski slopes, oh, my!!
But even I can admit that not everything is roses and butterflies all the time. In this case, it’s that everything here—and in California in general—is so dang expensive. Especially gas. Yes, this is a period of time where gas prices are inflated everywhere. But $6.79 a gallon? Oy. Anyway, after settling in to our campsite in South Tahoe on Day 1, we spent a day hiking around the south end of the lake and just marveling at the alpine beauty.
We hiked down to Vikingsholm Castle – just a mile, but with a 500-foot elevation change and 8% grade, at an elevation of 6,232, to boot, the trip back up was taxing, to say the least. My heart was pounding with each step, going up and up and up! It’s admittedly sometimes hard for my ego to let me stop and rest on a hike like this. But I’m getting better at it, I promise!
Vikingsholm is located at the head of Emerald Bay, reportedly one of the most photographed spots in the United States. This magnificent castle—a national and California landmark built in 1929 by Lora J.M. Knight because Emerald Bay reminded her of a fjord in Norway—is considered one of the finest examples of Scandinavian architecture outside of the Nordic countries. The property on which Vikingsholm is built includes 232 acres of Tahoe’s most beautiful vistas, the only island in Lake Tahoe, and the only waterfall that flows directly into the lake.
We next headed to Eagles Falls and hiked UP to the waterall. I think Maisie is part mountain goat, the way she bounds up rocky slopes, over boulders and through streams. She really is the best travel buddy. Best sign of the day? “Avalanche Area Next 1 Mile”
There are quite a few beaches around the lake, many of which are public and some of which allow dogs. So we went down to Lakeside Beach at the southern end of the lake, and admired a soon-to-be setting sun as it moved lower in the sky. I guess I’m not really one to sit around and wait for the sun to set – literally and figuratively?! – so we headed back to rest up for another epic day in the mountains and around the lake.
I may have mentioned this before, but I’ll be darned if I forget this all the time. But it sure seems that the best stops on our little trip around the country are the ones that aren’t planned. When looking at the map before heading to bed, I noticed a town called “Olympic Valley.” In case you didn’t know, not just anyone can use the word “Olympic” in their name because it is trademarked and highly valued. On our drive up to the north end of the lake the next day, I realized that this “Olympic Valley” is just 6 miles off of our planned route. So I said, “Why not?”
And OH MY GOSH. Y’all. It is actually the area that houses what used to be called Squaw Valley. You know, like, one of the most well-known ski resorts in the West? They hosted the Winter Olympics here in 1960. Okay, that was a minute ago, but still … what a treat! I LOVE all things Olympics :D.
So, YES, Maisie and I walked all over the alpine ski resort village. My favorite type of place on earth! And of course we took the gondola to the top; it’s not even Maisie’s first gondola ride as we rode a couple in Vermont and New Hampshire last fall! I even missed some of the views from the ride up since I found myself deep in conversation with strangers over dogs (not the first time, and not the last, as Maisie is most definitely a people-magnet).
Nonetheless, when we arrived at the top of what is now called “Palisades Tahoe” (they changed the name from Squaw Valley in 2021), we were delighted to find snow at the top and even glimpsed some Spring skiers. Reminder: it is MAY. What?!! With Lake Tahoe in the distance over the snow-covered mountains, I found myself holding my breath. Just. Epic. Beauty. This ski resort actually has a massive 3,600 skiable acres across six peaks, and reaches a top elevation of 9,010 feet. It has 30 chairlifts, y’all. 30!
There is a small museum there dedicated to the 1960 Winter Olympics. TBH (to be honest), it didn’t really compare to the Olympic Museum we toured last summer in Park City, Utah, but it was actually quite cute and informative. Those 1960 Games were the first-ever live-televised Winter Olympics, and its airing helped to fuel an enormous nation-wide interest in winter sports that didn’t exist prior to then. It also was the first (and probably last) Olympics where ALL the athletes competing lived and ate under the same roof.
We headed to the North Shore of Lake Tahoe next, to a town called Tahoe City, with shops, restaurants and hotels, and a beautiful public park that spans the whole shoreline. It’s smaller than I anticipated and had a real home-town feel. The people there were so friendly, and everyone seemed healthy and engaged in life. We fell in love with a shop called Heather and Pine, “nature-inspired home decor in the heart of Tahoe City,” where I truly could see myself someday working (mostly for fun) and living, at least for a while. Had a nice long chat with the owner (Heather), and when I asked what the winters were like, she told me how they had 30 feet of snow at their west shore home a couple of years ago. 30 FEET! I said, “sign me up!” I mean, why not, right? Now … does anyone have a home they need someone like me to house sit?!!
@heatherandpine_tahoecity
Heather suggested we check out one of the trails along the western edge of the lake, so we headed over to Tunnel Creek Trail after strolling along various beaches, marinas, and turnouts along the way. I mean, the views!!! Sailboats, paddle-boarders, picnics on the beach … all with snow-capped mountains in the background. Just fabulous.
The trail was just perfect; it followed the coastline for a few miles; Maisie and I did a little over a mile before stopping at a place called Hidden Beach. If you know me, you know I spent my career at UT Athletics, and am still a massive follower of all our sports programs. I particularly enjoy following our softball team along with my sister Sarah and BIL Tony, who are huge fans. On this day, they were playing in the SEC Tournament, so I was hoping I could find a spot to sit and maybe watch it for a bit. What were the chances of having a signal strong enough to stream it live at Hidden Beach? Not great. But lo-and-behold, it worked! Winner, winner, chicken dinner! There was even another dog there that Maisie finally warmed up to and played with in the surf. Ahhhh … life is good :D.
I had one more full day in Tahoe and decided to head back to the east shore, most of which is in Nevada. More beautiful beaches and amazing scenic views were waiting for us. The drive down the edge of the lake is full of amazing views of the lake and snow-capped mountains on the other side. Then we heard about “Billionaire’s Row”—not an official name, of course, so figured, “Why not?” There’s a wonderful hike and bike trail through an area of Incline Village where spectacular homes face the lake. Most were behind 8-foot stone walls or iron fences, of course, these lavish estates not to be viewed by mere commoners. This one estate, called “The Bear’s Lair”, had enormous statues of bison, moose and horses on manicured lawns with beautiful landscaping outside their secured gates. What a hoot.
Before heading out to our next destination, I thought I’d share some fun facts about Lake Tahoe:
1. There are over 39 trillion gallons of water in Lake Tahoe. This volume of water could cover an area the size of California with 14 inches of water.
2. Tahoe is so clear that in some places objects can be seen clearly 67 feet below the surface.
3. 63 streams flow into Lake Tahoe. Only one, the Truckee River, flows out into Pyramid Lake. Unlike most bodies of water in North America, the lake’s water never reaches the ocean.
4. The third deepest lake in North America, Lake Tahoe is approximately 1,600 feet deep. The bottom of the lake is actually 95 feet below the elevation of nearby Carson City, Nevada.
All in all, Lake Tahoe is a place I hope to return to time and time again. I can’t wait to see it in the winter!
A Living Postcard
I can hardly breathe. And it’s not from hiking 20 miles over the course of a few days, either! It’s the unimaginable beauty that is Yosemite National Park. Last year, I was blown away by the sheer majesty of the Grand Canyon. And then again by the breathtaking scenery that was Yellowstone. This is the 20th National Park I’ve had the privilege to visit over the last 10 months, and I must say that in terms of astonishing beauty, I’ve either died and gone to heaven, or am merely steeped in a living, breathing painting.
Each of the parks have their own unique beauty, to be sure. But the mix of giant granite with alpine forests; the high-altitude runoff of the Sierra Snowpack into the most amazing, powerful waterfalls; the green meadows and clear rivers, makes Yosemite just so raw and beautiful.
The size and amount of the exposed sheets of granite are not like any other place on the planet. The glacial pools of water are pure and clear and each one you discover seems like it may be the prettiest you have ever seen. The feeling of standing beneath El Capitán or Half Dome and looking up are just unmatched. Anywhere. Photos cannot accurately represent how enormous everything is at all; you may just have to use your imagination.
It's just so darn awe-inspiring. I felt so connected to God and to nature, more than ever before, I think. I invite you to open each picture below, and just pause. Take in the scene. I’m no professional, and the photos were taken with just my iPhone, but if you can imagine actually being there, I’m quite sure this magical place might make it to the top of your bucket list.
Let’s start off with Tunnel View. It’s the first real glimpse of the majesty of the place, and it comes at the end of a long tunnel, cut through the mountain. Within this most iconic view you can see El Capitán, Horsetail Fall, Clouds Rest, Half Dome, Sentinel Rock, Cathedral Rocks, and Bridalveil Fall. I’ve left a picture of the sign so you can see what’s where. The pics below are from two separate days; the second time I went was super cold and foggy. The clouds were so very dramatic!
The first waterfall we came upon was Bridalveil Fall. The Ahwahneechee tribe called it Pohono, meaning “spirit of the puffing wind.” Makes sense to me! Plunging from 620 feet above, it lives up to its name with delicate mist that often forms rainbows. Pictures were a bit of a challenge due to the spraying mist, but I like how funky some of them are. :D
So Yosemite Valley is a glacial valley carved out of granite, which means the landscape is quite unique. With granite being such a hard rock, glaciers are one of the things powerful enough to carve a valley out of it. This glacial valley plus the elevation of the mountains surrounding it—some of the highest in the Sierra Nevada, with several above 10,000 ft—plus the picturesque rivers, lakes and meadows combine to create the most spectacular landscape. Aesthetically speaking, Yosemite Valley provides us with some of the most picturesque and unique views in the world.
And then there’s the trails. Yosemite has more than 800 miles of trails. Unfortunately, and like most national parks, dogs are not allowed on most of the trails. However, I was VERY impressed with number and design of the many paved accessible trails for bicycles, pedestrians and dogs—finally! We actually hiked over 10 miles our first day at Yosemite. 10 miles! I’m running out of adjectives to describe this magical area, so I’m going to have to rely on the pictures telling the story!
The pine forests in the western side of the park are considered by arborists as the finest on earth. Jeffery pine, sugar pine, lodgepole pine, ponderosa pine in addition to California red fir reach their greatest expression of height and size in the park. And add the Giant Sequoia groves? Lord, have mercy! The smell of the pines was intoxicating. The silly photo is me happily holding up the remote control to my new selfie stick among the pines—it made things so much easier since as much as I ask Maisie to help me take pictures, she just refuses ;-). How long after this did I lose said remote? Like two hours. Ugg!
Yosemite National Park is also home to some of the most breathtaking waterfalls in the world. With dramatic plunges, powerful cascades, and serene alpine settings, these waterfalls are more than just scenic—they’re unforgettable experiences. Yosemite Falls, dropping 4,425 feet, is the tallest waterfall in all of North America. Maisie and I hiked the Lower Falls Trail both days we were there. The Upper Falls Trail? Well, it ascends over 2,600 feet and is a steep, full-day, 6-10 hour strenuous 7.6-mile round-trip hike, and dogs aren’t allowed. Would I have tried it otherwise? I doubt it! Maybe next year?
Half Dome is an iconic granite monolith—8,800+ ft!!—and is renowned for its unique, sheared-in-half shape and the thrilling, steep cable hike to its summit (or so I hear). I read that it offers a 360-degree view at the apex, challenging hikers with a 16-mile, 4,800-foot ascent, including a near-vertical, 400-foot, 45-degree granite climb using steel cables. (No, I did not try to climb it!) It is considered Yosemite's most popular rock formation.
El Capitán, the largest granite monolith in the world, is known as a mecca for rock climbing. Climbers from all over the world come to train on the 3,000-foot walls of El Capitán, and was once considered the hardest climb in the entire world. (Again, no, I did not try to climb it!) ;D If you haven’t seen the film Free Solo, I’d encourage you to check it out. Can you imagine scaling this behemoth? I mean, this picture is tiny, but the rock is GIGANTIC!
Unfortunately, two of the top attractions Yosemite is known for were not yet open—the only downside to coming during the shoulder season in late April. So Tuolumne Meadows and Glacier Point will have to wait until next time. Something to look forward to x 10,000!!!
Overall, Yosemite was even more beautiful than I imagined. It has soared to the top of my list of all my lower-48 travels so far! But next week, I’ll be heading to Lake Tahoe, so …
si-kwoi-uh
NOUN. Either of two giant Californian coniferous trees, Sequoia sempervirens (redwood) or Sequoiadendron giganteum (formerly Sequoia gigantea) (big tree or giant sequoia): family Taxodiaceae
This week, we are headed to not one, but two national parks—Sequoia and Kings Canyon, also known as the “Land of Giants”—that are actually managed by the National Park Service as one unit. I’m so very happy to be in the mountains again! Rising from 1,300 feet to 14,494 feet (the highest elevation in the lower 48) these two parks protect a spectacular range of elevations. They encompass steep roads, trails that climb mountains, and cold rivers that plunge down from epic heights. There are dramatic shifts from warm foothills to cool forests to the cold High Sierra. And I experienced them all.
I mean, y’all. I just can’t. Have you ever been to the Sierra Nevada Mountains? Or ever seen one of the world’s most majestic trees up close and personal? I’m not sure what took me 62 years, but man am I glad I finally got here! What a treat! Our first day at Sequoia NP was the perfect introduction to these glorious mountains with their giant trees. Though it was rainy and foggy on our 29-mile, 2-1/2 hour, one-hairpin-after-another drive up to our starting point—which took us past some waterfalls as well as Tunnel Rock (see pic)—I was super excited to see some of the most beautiful giant trees God ever made. And once we got above 6,000 feet? That rain turned to sleet and snow. AWESOME.
I was delighted to discover that one of the many picturesque roads in the park—Crescent Meadows Road—was closed due to snow and ice. “Why is she so excited?” you might ask? Because that means that Maisie and I could walk the entire road and not worry about getting run over! Dogs aren’t allowed on any of the trails here, so this was a nice opportunity to really stretch our legs. Was I going to let snow, ice, and temps in the 30s slow us down? Heck no! It honestly made it all the more magical. I’m really glad I wore my hiking boots this time, though, as we trudged through miles of partly melted snow and sludge. I even had to break out my ski jacket. Squuueeeee!
Our destination was Moro Rock (elev 6,726), 1.9 miles from our starting point at Giant Forest Museum. There were a few other brave souls traversing the snow and ice on that cold but beautiful day, but nothing like the immense crowds I’m sure are here during the summer months! When we finally got to Moro Rock (a granite dome) we discovered that to get to the top, you have to climb over 350 steps. These were originally built in 1917! And now were covered with melted snow. But, hey, if you’re only here once, you might as well try, right?
Well, we got about 139 steps up (because, yes, I counted) and, despite my propensity to just push through and not overthink what I’m doing, I took a pause.
Were my legs dead?
They were getting there.
Were we only halfway through the entire hike?
Yep.
Was it so foggy that we couldn’t see anyway?
Yeah.
So you can see how I talked myself out of us going all the way to the top, even though it’s renowned for offering breathtakingly broad views of the park and lands beyond—glacially carved peaks, the tops of giant trees, chaparral-covered hillsides, and the great Central Valley to the west. We wouldn’t be able to see them through the fog anyway, I’m sure. And Maisie wasn’t really supposed to be on those steps (oops!) So we enjoyed the rest of our snow-trodden trip back to the museum, even taking a bit of a wrong turn LOL.
There’s still so much more to see and do. Next, we headed on over to the Giant Forest, the largest of the unlogged giant sequoia groves which contains more exceptionally large sequoias than any other grove. The General Serman Tree is the star of the show; it’s 2,100-years old(!!) and is considered the world’s largest living tree. It’s 275 feet tall, with a 36-foot base diameter—and it is still growing! According to the National Park Service, the trunk of General Sherman alone weighs nearly 1,400 tons. That is roughly equivalent to 15 adult blue whales, 10 diesel-electric train locomotives, or 25 military battle tanks! In just one year, an average mature giant sequoia tree adds enough wood to make a sixty-foot tall, three-foot diameter oak tree!
Wow, our day sure was complete. Even though I ‘only’ walked 16,000 steps, I’m gonna say it counts for more since most was through snow and ice. Right?!
Day Two: Kings Canyon NP
Today presented us with another great opportunity to explore the Sequoia National Forest. As our RV park was on the southern end of Sequoia NP, we had to drive quite a ways to get to Kings Canyon on the north end. As a crow flies, it’s probably only 30 miles, but when you take a narrow, 2-lane (at most), windy road that seemed to have NO straight parts (seriously!), it takes more than an hour-and-a half. The route I chose was hardly traveled at all (it was not in the park), and I tried not to let my mind wander into the territory of ‘what happens if you blow a tire’ or breakdown some other way? I mean, not really a soul around. I guess sometimes you just gotto do what you gotta do, so I soldiered on. And was rewarded by another glorious giant sequoia grove, where there were humongous pinecones, too (biggest I’d ever seen; see pic). Next I came upon a fallen sequoia—and walked through it. So cool!
I had to leave Maisie in the car for the 0.5-mile hike to the General Grant Tree. In Kings Canyon, this tree is 267 feet tall and a whopping 103 feet around. Its massive trunk makes it the third largest tree in the world, by volume. And at 40 feet in diameter at ground level, it is the world’s widest known sequoia. Think about that for a minute—40 feet wide at the base of its trunk!! And it is not nearly the oldest—it is 1,500 years younger than the oldest-known sequoia.
Fun Facts: The General Grant Tree is so wide it would take about 20 people holding hands to make a complete circle around the base. President Calvin Coolidge proclaimed this tree to be the Nation’s Christmas Tree in 1926. In 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower designated it as a National Shrine a living memorial to those who have given their lives for their country.
Again with limited opportunities to hike some amazing mountain trails in Kings Canyon because of the no-pets rule (which I totally understand, BTW!), we got great advice from a ranger and headed over to Hume Lake, just a six-mile detour off the main road on the way down to Cedar Grove on the canyon floor. She told us of a wonderful trail all the way around the lake, and I fell instantly in love! I mentioned in my blog during last year’s trip about how much I LOVE LOVE LOVE mountain lakes, having terrific childhood memories visiting our friend’s summer home on Indian Lake in Pennsylvania. The Hume Lake area was so beautiful! I discovered a Christian Camp that calls Hume Lake home—it’s called Hume Christian Camps—they host summer camps for youth and younger kids, women’s retreats, men’s retreats, family camps, etc. What an ideal location! In another lifetime I could see myself living in a place like this and volunteering at the camps and conferences. (My happy place :D.) I’ll have to tell the rest of the Hume Lake story in photos:
The far reaches of Kings Canyon NP were still calling, so after a few hours at the lake, we drove down to the canyon floor to an area called Cedar Grove. Y’all, I thought the Grand Canyon was amazing. But this drive down Kings Canyon? Oh my goodness. Driving between North Mountain (8658 ft) on our left with views of Sentinel Dome (9108 ft) and Avalanche Peak (10,056 ft) on our right, it’s a miracle I didn’t drive right off the road. So much to gawk at! We stumbled on Grizzly Falls – an 80-foot waterfall. Just stupendous!
Day 3: Keeping it Local
Not gonna lie, we were beat. After two long but amazing days in the national parks, and driving more than our fair share of mountain roads, it was time for a little down time. Our RV park was in a little town called Three Rivers. There were several horse farms in the area, one of which bordered the dog park, and we enjoyed walking around. But then I saw the MOST unexpected wildlife: turkeys! I’m serious, we saw a number of wild turkeys in several different areas around there. Go figure!
With still-tired legs, I decided to drive to Lake Kaweah Recreation Area for a look around. We ended up hiking around much of the lake (of course)—it was very relaxing—then walked the length of the town to check out the local culture.
Day 4: Back to Sequoia NP
I just couldn’t help heading back to the park one more time! While this wasn’t necessarily going to be an epic NP day, we sure enjoyed a slower pace, a less-ambitious itinerary and the freedom of just winging it. We discovered another closed road not too far from the closest entrance to us. Our path took us along the Middle Fork Kaweah River, with beautiful cliffs on one side and cold blue water flowing over boulders on the other. What a treasure! We stopped by Hospital Rock, a large quartzite rock that is a sacred site for local California Indian tribes whose ancestors lived and died there. Archaeological evidence shows settlement as early as 1350, and bedrock mortar sites and pictographs remain. Hospital Rock is on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.
All in all, I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity to explore these amazing parks. As I’ve said numerous times, I wouldn’t have chosen the path that led me here—the loss of my husband who was my best friend, becoming an empty nester, and fully retiring, all within 6 months. But I count my blessings every day and do my best to see the world through Michael’s eyes. Thanks for coming on this journey with me.
La-La Land
What a crazy week. I had only planned to stay four days in the LA area, so of course managed to squeeze a lot in. LA is so dang big! I had to be strategic about my day trips because their well-known traffic problems are no joke. It rained all morning my first day there, so I had to delay my plans several hours. That was honestly the first rain I had seen in over a month, so no complaints here. I had some fun stops planned for the day!
Fun Stop #1: The Rose Bowl!
It was so gratifying to return to the site of the BEST COLLEGE FOOTBALL GAME EVER PLAYED (go ahead, argue with me)! And though I have been privy to quite a few truly spectacular college sports events, this one surely tops them all. That iconic game, played on Jan. 4, 2006, is intertwined with fabulous memories from that entire weekend. Michael and I flew out with Maddy, almost 8, and McKamey, who just turned 4 on Jan. 3, along with besties Rick, Susana and their 6-year-old son Travis. We had four tickets to the game. But oops! What to do with the kids? My dear sweet Michael—one of the kindest, most generous people in the world—volunteered to stay back at the hotel with the littles while the rest of us went to the game. But wait—did he volunteer? Or draw the short straw? I honestly don’t remember ;-). We all wanted to go to the Rose Bowl Parade, of course, but the tickets were quite expensive. But you know how much ONE game ticket to the National Championship Game at the Rose Bowl was worth back then? About SIX tickets to the expensive parade. So yes, we traded with someone.
What a day. Watching the Rose Bowl Parade every New Year’s Day was a tradition for us that went pretty far back. We couldn’t wait to watch those iconic, flower and seed-coated floats go by, the marching bands, the dancers, the horses. Unfortunately, though, Mother Nature had something else in mind. Do you know the last time it had rained at the Rose Bowl Parade prior to 2006? 1955. Y’all, it had been 51 years since a drop fell on the parade! I mean, I like to set records, but that was not one I would’ve asked to be a part of. It was cold and raining hard the whole time. The poor kids were freezing. We cut out of there a little early to just watch the rest on the hotel tv. Not gonna lie, that was a bummer.
But then … The Game. Wow. To not only be in such a legendary stadium, but to be connected to a team playing in the national championship, and then “unexpectedly” winning it? Absolutely epic. Being a member of the UT Athletics staff definitely came with perks. But also a lot of hard work. Back then, we produced Media Guides for each sport at UT. You do know that everything is bigger in Texas, right? Well, the guide I produced with Media Relations Director and friend John Bianco the next fall was more than 500 pages! Not only to highlight the big win, but Coach Mack Brown wanted to be sure to honor every piece of our history—ever record, every honor, every letterwinner. I won’t even tell you how many tens of thousands of dollars it took just to mail those out to media, Longhorn Foundation members and recruits. I mean, it weighed like 6 pounds! I still have one, weighing down a storage tub somewhere :D.
Back to 2026 … It was great just to walk around the outside of this iconic venue, tripping down memory lane. There were more than 100,000 fewer people around this time, giving us lots of space to soak it in.
Fun Stop #2: Hollywood Hills
How could I be in LA and not go to the famous HOLLYWOOD sign? All the times I’d been in the area before, which is probably less than a dozen, I was never able to wander about and go wherever I wanted. Whether I was with teammates on a volleyball trip, or chasing my awesome daughters around, we could only do so much. So Maisie and I went to Lake Hollywood Park to get the best views of the iconic sign. It was originally erected in 1923 as a temporary ad for a local real estate development (and read “HOLLYWOODLAND” back then). “LAND” was removed in 1949, and the sign was entirely replaced in 1978 with all-steel 45-foot-tall letters.
Next, I wanted to be sure to drive segments of Mulholland Drive. The 21-mile long mostly two-lane road loosely follows the ridgeline of the eastern Santa Monica Mountains and the Hollywood Hills. The portion we took included narrow roads with tight hairpin turns and houses very close to the road. With the rain pushing us to start later in the day, we didn’t get the chance to traverse the entire length of Mulholland, but what we did drive was stupendous! We stopped at a few famous scenic overlooks, some of which offered views of the Los Angeles Basin, the San Fernando Valley, Universal City, and Downtown Los Angeles. We even took a 2.5-mile hike along one of the ridges on the Drive.
Fun Stop #3: There’s the story of a lovely lady …
Y’ALL. Maybe I should be embarrassed but, if you know me, I’m NOT. This next stop was the geekiest geekout of the trip so far. I found the address for the actual Brady Bunch House. SQUEEEEEE. Seriously! Yes, I know it was just used for opening scenes, but still. Talk about iconic. They even had a 1970s era station wagon parked out front. I.CON.IC. If you’re anywhere near my age, I’m sure you get it. Right?
Feeling like Maisie could stand to stretch her legs after all that driving around Hollywood Hills—ok, I needed to stretch mine, too :D—I asked Siri to find a dog park within walking distance of the Brady House. So we were directed to St. Barks Dog Park—what a cute name, right?—just 1.9 miles away. Perfect. We hiked through the neighborhood for a bit. It was further away than I expected (why does 1.9 miles always sound so close?). But that’s okay; like I said, we needed the steps. And I figured I could sit on a nice park bench while Maisie ran around off leash once we got there. We finally approached the entrance, only to see a locked gate. WHAT? Taking a closer look at the sign, it said “St. Bark’s Private Bark Park.” Private. Ugg. Oh, well, lesson learned! And the hike back to the truck wasn’t too bad. Except for the sketchy person who was talking to himself about half way back. No worries—we crossed the street and headed on our way through a very walkable neighborhood that the Brady House resided in.
Fun Stop #4: Burbank
By now, it was approaching time for the sun to set, but I really didn’t want to head back to our beachfront campsite in Ventura while driving straight west into the sun, nor did I want to get on a crowded freeway, so why not just go to Burbank? Afterall, it was just a couple of miles away. Perfect.
I’ve heard about Burbank though the years—most notably, perhaps, that it’s where the Johnny Carson show was filmed. A number of media and entertainment companies are headquartered or have significant production facilities there—often called the "Media Capital of the World" and only six miles northeast of Hollywood—including Warner Bros., The Walt Disney Company, Nickelodeon Animation Studio, The Burbank Studios, and Cartoon Network Studios. I suppose if I had a few extra days and a dog-sitter, I might have hung out there a little longer, but I guess it is what it is! Still making lemonade …
We found a legal place to park :D, and walked down to the main entertainment area. It was charming, quite walkable, and full of shops and restaurants, as you might expect. I decided to stop for a slice and a soda to refuel for a little more walking around. It’s just such a beautiful area! I happened to spot a Ben & Jerry’s on the corner so just HAD to stop. I mean, how could I not? Lol.
DAY TWO.
Fun Stop #5: MPSF Beach Volleyball Championships
In 2022, UT added women’s Beach Volleyball as its 21st intercollegiate sport. Now in just its third full sanctioned season, they are ranked #2 in the nation and are, at this moment, headed toward the national championship tournament. So was I thrilled to discover they would be playing in Huntington Beach while I was in the LA area? Absolutely! I’ve even done some banners and other graphics for them this season, but hadn’t seen them play in person. They were here playing for the MPSF (Mountain Pacific Sports Federation) championship. Why, you ask? Because the SEC doesn’t sponsor beach volleyball (yet), so Texas joined other elite teams like Stanford, UCLA, USC, Cal, etc., for this conference championship. I could only attend the first day of the 3-day affair (after all, Ventura is not only 90 miles from Huntington Beach, but in LA, that means a 2+-hour drive), but it was way cool watching them play and meeting some of the family members.
Fun Stop(s) #6: SoCal Beaches
After hanging out for a bit and having Maisie loved on by everyone, we headed up Hwy 1 to take in some of the better known Southern California Beaches. After cruising through Seal Beach, I decided to stop at Redondo Beach and walk around. It’s just so very pretty! We then drove through Manhattan Beach, which also was beautiful but the houses sure were stacked close together down toward the water! We mostly did a drive-by as there are only so many hours in the day, you know?
Fun Stop #7: SoFi Stadium
Oh my gosh, y’all—it may be a little weird (?), but I just LOVE football stadiums! Especially college ones, but if given the chance, I love to see pro stadiums as well. Particularly when they are considered an architectural wonder and only 5 years old! Have you heard of SoFi Stadium, or maybe even been there yourself? Home to the LA Rams AND Chargers, and site of the 2027 Super Bowl, it truly was stupendous. They put a lot of thought into the area surrounding it by utilizing beautiful native landscaping, including a lake complete with ducks, making you forget there are a ton of parking lots outside the gates. Of course we walked ALL the way around the stadium. And of course, the gates were all locked. I didn’t get lucky and find a partially-open lock this time, darn. But I did finally find an entrance where a few staffers were milling about, so naturally I had to ask the security guards if we could come in and just “sneak a peek”. He said that unfortunately, no, because they were pretty much in lock-down mode due to hosting some of the upcoming World Cup Games. Understandable.
Fun Stop #8: UCLA
Though starting to get a bit late in the day (like when did that ever stop me from continuing to explore?), it was time to head over to UCLA. (I actually had Venice Beach and Sunset Blvd on my to-visit list after SoFi, but started running out of time, so chose one of my favorite things to do—touring college campuses—and axe’d the others). We made it to the edge of campus and miraculously found a parking spot on a busy street next door. Suddenly starving, we swooped into an In-and-Out that was FULL of students and medical center staff. And I mean FULL. It was such a zoo! But also a hoot. Maisie and I needed to sit down for a minute anyway, to fuel up for our campus walkabout. We put in a couple of miles seeing a portion of the campus – the main building, some of the athletic facilities (of course), and some lecture halls. Coming upon Pauley Pavilion, I had a flashback. My team at Tennessee competed in a huge tournament involving collegiate teams from around the country before conference play started. I remember walking around campus with all my teammates between matches—the California sunshine was something to behold! Palm trees, blue skies, moderate temps, beautiful beaches … not gonna lie, but that was a little foreign to me at the time. You know what else I remember about being at Pauley Pavilion? Well, after three days of pool play, all of the teams that had competed were starting to fill the stands to watch the championship match. (And no, we were definitely not in it.) Elite players from elite teams like UCLA, Hawaii, Long Beach State, Stanford, Pepperdine, Texas. So we’re walking down the STEEP steps in the aisles of the arena, and who trips and falls? Me, of course! Was I mortified? Probably. But you know what I did? I stood up and took a bow, laughing along with everyone else.
Back to modern history … I just loved walking around campus again! The sun was beginning to set, students were all out milling about, getting excited about upcoming graduations, I’m sure. A long line of students was forming outside the gates of what looked like a big soccer field. Because I’m just so shy (NOT), I went up to the front to see what was going on … and it was a film screening, of course! I mean, we are in LA, right?
Fun Stop #9: Rodeo Drive
Will the fun ever stop? Nope, not til I’m asleep! It’s dark now, but it’s never too late to cruise Rodeo Drive, right? It almost was better that it wasn’t still daytime; the streets were mostly empty, but it was so elegantly lit and was still a sight to behold. The tall, orderly palm trees lining the boulevard were all wrapped with white lights (think off-white Christmas lights). Prada, Gucci, Valentino, Armani, Dior and Cartier looked beautiful at night. I do wish there were a few more hours in the day, so that we could have explored Two Rodeo Drive, with cobblestone walkways leading to Versace, Lanvin, Jimmy Choo and Tiffany & Co. A little out of my league, but fun to observe nonetheless!
Another long day, another 20,000 steps. Tomorrow is a day of some hard-earned rest and relaxation!
DAYS THREE & FOUR.
Fun Stop #10: Channel Islands National Park Visitor Center
We are tired. Good tired. But tired. Both of us—Maisie was just fine chillin’ all day at the campsite, as was I! Getting caught up on photos, blogging, a little work here and there, and we started feeling good. There were just two things we needed to leave the campground to do that day. The first was visiting Channel Islands National Park. Well, truth be told, the actual park is—as the name implies—a chain of islands. About a 90-minute boat ride out of Ventura, they are known for being ecologically rich islands off the Southern California coast. Anacapa Island has trails to a 1932 lighthouse and clifftop Inspiration Point. Santa Cruz Island’s many sea caves include the vast Painted Cave. Santa Rosa Island features rare Torrey pines. Thousands of seals gather at San Miguel Island’s Point Bennett. Southernmost Santa Barbara Island draws nesting seabirds. I was happy that the visitor center was on the mainland, because I was able to explore the islands through their excellent exhibits. Because taking a whole day to venture out to them, after having to find doggy day care for Maisie, just wasn’t going to be in the cards this time.
Next to the visitor center in Ventura—just a few miles from my campsite—was Ventura West Marina, filled with sailboats. So lovely. There was also a beautiful beach with volleyball nets set up, and an outrigger canoe area. Good stuff! The only other activity scheduled was a trip to Wal-Mart. When someone travels with a dog, and that someone doesn’t like leaving said dog behind, they have to find creative ways to shop. For me, and for now, that means Wal-Mart for most things, and farmer’s markets for produce!
Fun Stop #11: Ojai
It seems we may have saved the best day for last. I had no idea that the two long epic days scooting around LA would not be considered the best day; they were epic, you know? But have you ever been to Ojai? Y’ALL—during last year’s first RV road trip, I absolutely fell in love with Park City, Utah, declaring it my favorite. But now? I think it’s a tie. Ojai was just incredible, in its own small town/quant village, artsy, picturesque, super-walkable, wonderful way. Set in a valley in the Topa Topa Mountains, the city has a village-like center dotted with art galleries and New Age shops. Bordering the north, Los Padres National Forest is crisscrossed with meandering trails. We parked on one end of Ojai Avenue, then walked the length of the downtown (less than a mile), wandering through shops and gardens. After perusing the Ojai Valley Museum (they were nice enough to let Maisie in with me—a rare feat when it comes to museums!), we decided to walk two miles to Soule Park, nestled amongst the majestic Topa Topa mountain range, it is a 223-acre park offering open grasslands and mature shade trees throughout. We walked through orchards of tangerines and even passed an Arabian horse farm. So unique! We spent a good hour at the dog park, Maisie completely focused on the numerous California ground squirrels around the area. Fun fact: These little squirrels have speckled fur, shorter/not-fluffy tails, and live in underground colonies. They are highly active during the day, foraging for seeds, nuts, and fruit. Maisie stuck her nose in more than a few of those holes in the ground!
At one point, we looked over toward the entrance, and a young woman literally walked up on a horse. Wait, what? Are we still in Texas? Come to find out, Ojai is also a major horse-lover area :D. After a good laugh and a nice chat with the rider, we headed back through Soule Park Golf Course, which apparently is one of America's most highly-regarded municipal golf courses. Simply gorgeous, with lush green fairways and mountains overlooking them. Another two miles conquered, and we simply had to stop for some fish tacos! (When in Rome … ) Gaining a second wind, we decided to take on a three+-mile hike along Shelf Road Trail. Words cannot do it any justice, so I’ll have to describe it with photos.
And now it’s time to say goodbye to Southern California, and say hello to some National Parks! Stay tuned …
Sunny San Diego
I really was thrilled to be able to experience a desert environment the first week of this trip—something pretty foreign to me TBH. But y’all. Driving down “The 15” (IH-15 in California) toward San Diego, the hills became much more green, the trees more abundant and varied—it was a true oasis. I was highly anticipating visiting my college teammate/roommate/BFF/and later one of my bridesmaids, Kris “Ledbutt” (short for Ledbetter)! Fortunate to have been able to reconnect in person for a “Champions Weekend” volleyball team reunion at the Univ. of Tennessee just a little over a year ago, this coming week was sure to be full of quality time together. Her husband and son are a delight, too! While it was weird to be back in a “sticks & bricks” house again—I think Maisie has whiplash—I do think it helped with my transition to a more mobile lifestyle by letting me breathe just a bit after a week of driving halfway across the country.
Kris and Eric have a truly lovely home in the Torrey Pines area of San Diego. Talk about gorgeous! I reminded them often to count their blessings for living in near-Paradise. Highs in the low 70s, lows in the 50s, sunny skies, beautiful sunsets, palm trees for miles, and unbelievable lush landscapes. Ahhhhhh. The view from their back yard alone was something I could stare at all day. A 3.5-mile hike around her neighborhood the first morning there—with three pups in tow, up and down numerous big hills and through parkland—was spectacular. Throw in a 90-year-old tortoise (“Mr. Turtle”), that has been a part of Kris’ life since she was four (that’s a long time, y’all), and what could be more fun? We rounded out the day with burritos on the beach for a spectacular sunset.
The next few days were spent hiking Torrey Pines State Beach—where, get this, we came across a group of people who had really big camera lenses, sitting around in beach chairs like they were waiting for something to happen. So of course I had to stop and ask what they were doing! And guess what? There was a group of Peregrine falcons nesting in the cliffs! Did you know that Peregrine falcons are renowned as the fastest animals on earth, capable of reaching speeds over 200 mph during their signature hunting dive, or "stoop"? These raptors are famous for their aerial hunting prowess, taking down birds in mid-air, and for their remarkable recovery from near extinction due to DDT pesticides. With just my iPhone, I couldn’t get a decent picture, but one of the guys with the giant lens showed us some closeups he got and they were magnificent!
We also walked around some of the beautiful Torrey Pines Golf Course, home to an annual PGA tournament in Jan/Feb each year. As it turns out, it is a public course run by the city of San Diego, but getting tee times is quite the challenge, as you can imagine. I know Michael would have killed to play on this course! After a several-mile hike we decided to meet Eric and his tennis buddy at a funky little café in Del Mar, called “Board & Brew.” Del Mar is considered a highly affluent, exclusive beach town and is one of the wealthiest areas in San Diego County. It features a median household income nearing $200,000 and average home values ranging from 3.6-4.5 million. Known for its coastal luxury, it features high-end real estate, upscale dining, and the famous Del Mar Racetrack, which I did not get to see, unfortunately. We did stumble on a Farmer’s Market and, of course, had to get a taste of some local ice cream. :D
Our last day in San Diego took us to Balboa Park—“San Diego’s ever-changing, always amazing, 1,200-acre backyard.” Balboa Park is a historic urban cultural park near downtown San Diego. Placed in reserve in 1835, the park's site is one of the oldest in the United States dedicated to public recreational use. The park hosts various museums, theaters, restaurants, and the San Diego Zoo. Kris and I walked what felt like every inch of it! With Maisie in tow, we couldn’t go to the zoo or into any of the museums, but have been to them before and highly recommend them! Especially the zoo. Known as one of the best in the world (and the most visited zoo in the United States), Michael and I had taken Maddy there a couple of times when she was just a toddler. I still have fond memories of those trips!
As beautiful as all areas of the park are, we actually saw a few different girls in their over-the-top Quinceañera dresses for photo shoots. Loved it! One other cool thing we came upon was the Spreckels Organ, the largest outdoor organ in the world! And someone was rehearsing on it while we were there. See the pic below for more info on the organ, if interested.
All in all, the best part of the amazing weekend spent in San Diego was hanging out with Kris and her family (and dogs! and tortoise!). I’m so grateful we kept in touch and treasure the time we got to spend together.
And now it’s time to head up the coast of California!
Westward ho!
Tucson was a great little stop and an unexpected gem. But now it’s time to head west for the real meat of my trip. But first … as fate would have it, my daughter Maddy and her husband Zane—who moved from Austin to Boise 18 months ago—happened to be in Phoenix for two days for a Bruno Mars concert (IYKYK). And what two days did that happen to be? The very ones that had me driving from Tucson to San Diego! So YES, I went a little out of my way to spend just a couple of hours with them. That was the best surprise of the week, for sure! I do love hanging out with my young-adult kids. And catching up with one of her childhood friends and her family while there was icing on the cake.
Of course I ended up staying way too long, and when I realized we wouldn’t reach our reserved camping spot at Salton Sea SRA until way after sunset, I decided to make a gametime call and find a closer place to stop. I don’t like having to eat a reservation, but it really was the safest thing to do. Some state parks are difficult enough to navigate during the day, but at night in potentially total darkness? No, thank you. So, thanks to Google, we found a lovely little pull-through, full hookups RV park just over the Arizona/California border off of I-10. Easy, peasey!
My next destination was the home of my college roommate/teammate/BFF in the Torrey Pines area of San Diego. One thing last year’s drive around the country taught me, though, was to stop at interesting places along the way, rather than race directly from Point A to Point B. You know?
As soon as I realized that one of my route options was just 6 miles from the south entrance of Joshua Tree National Park, I said, Heck Yeah! Let’ go! I had not originally had Joshua Tree on my list of NPs to get to this time around, so I was really happy to at least check out part of it. I couldn’t really take the two hours it would have required to get up high enough to see those famous trees, but we did get to see some more beautiful mountain desert landscapes, as well as the best sign of the day: “Don’t Die Today.” I mean, how effective is that?!
Next along our path was going to be Palm Springs, California. What an adorable, beautiful, quaint(ish), very California little town! Maisie and I walked up and down the main drag, past interesting art installations, groovy café’s, wonderful statues, funky shops and a fair number of other tourists. The part we hiked around was a little more touristy than I expected, but I still would highly recommend it! The most memorable part? A 26-foot tall sculpture of Marilyn Monroe. Twenty-six feet tall! Apparently, Marilyn Monroe was “discovered” in Palm Springs in 1949, at the age of 22. She and her second husband, the famous baseball player Joe DiMaggio, were regular visitors in the 1950s. We came across a statue of Sonny Bono as well; you may recall that he served as the mayor of Palm Springs (1988 to 1992), then became a U.S. Representative in 1995 before his unexpected death from a skiing accident in 1998. I have to ask, though, does anyone else remember those iconic Sonny and Cher variety shows from the 1970s? Tell me you’re not singing “I Got You Babe” right now. In case you were wondering, The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour premiered in August 1971 and ran for three seasons before being cancelled due to their divorce. They had guest stars from Muhammad Ali to Paul Anka, Carol Burnett and George Burns to Truman Capote, Dick Clark and Farrah Fawcett. The list goes on and on. What a hoot!
My youngest daughter, McKamey, thought it was super cool that her mom was in Coachella the week between weekend shows! Fortunately, I passed through there on a Thursday morning, so there weren’t any traffic issues (I was a little worried). Timing is everything!
Next we took off for our weekend destination, my friend Kris’s house. I can’t wait to catch up with my ole’ college bud!
Desert Mountain
Have any of you been to Tucson before? I find it really … unique. And quite beautiful in a way that is so very different from anything I’ve seen before. It sits right in the heart of the Sonoran Desert, which I’ve been told is one of the most biologically rich deserts in the world. Think towering saguaro cacti, wide-open skies, and mountain ranges in every direction.
The light here is something special—it turns everything golden at sunrise and sunset. It seems “quieter” than most cities, and the pace feels intentionally unhurried. It doesn’t appear polished or flashy—and that’s part of its charm IMHO. Even though I was here for just three full days, I was able to take in a little of everything that Tucson is known for.
It didn’t take long for Maisie and me to get back into the swing of things with the RV lifestyle; after three long days of driving, we could finally settle in, unpack a little, and then go explore! Day 1 started out with a short drive to Saguaro National Park – Rincon Mountain District (East). A curving drive up desert mountain roads brought unbelievable vistas overlooking the expansive footprint of Tucson. Jaw-dropping views. I didn’t get many photos because I had to concentrate so much on the narrow road with hairpin turns! Good thing I had unhooked my truck from the camper :D.
But wait – did I say, “desert mountain”? Hold on for a sec for a little back story as to why those two words don’t go together in my brain. I grew up in the Washington, D.C. area. Big city, big suburbs. The closest desert is 1,500 miles away. The closest mountain? 75 miles. In my mind, those were two very distinct landscapes. I mean, maybe this is pure silliness, but I just haven’t ever seen them merge into one before. (Am I the only one? Admit it - you didn’t know they could join together to form the most interesting landscape you might imagine!) I’m not sure why I find this so astounding, but there it is. Full-on dry desert land with lots of sand and dirt, small bushes, and then there’s those giant saguaros. But all along the sides of a mountain! And those saguaros? Let me just say that they are very cool – so much so that Saguaro National Park was actually created to protect the vast forests of giant saguaro cacti here in the Sonoran Desert. Did you know the saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea) can live 150–200 years and reach 40–60 feet tall? The park protects more than 25 cactus species along with creosote bush, mesquite, and desert wildflowers. Wildlife ranges from roadrunners, Gila monsters, and javelinas to coyotes, bobcats, and—at higher elevations—black bears and white-tailed deer. Fortunately, we haven’t seen any bears (yet), but we spotted some rabbits and lots of lizards out on the trails that morning. There’s a really pretty paved loop around part of the park—Cactus Forest Loop—just 8 miles long but with lots of scenic pull-outs and trails to hike; I’d highly recommend it!
After a 3.5-mile hike down a couple of trails in the park, as well as a climb up a place called Javelina Rocks, we decided to head to the campus of the University of Arizona. If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a million times, but I just LOVE exploring college campuses! My own college experiences at the University of Tennessee were mostly incredible. While walking around the Arizona campus, I remembered that I actually had been here once before. My volleyball team at UT played the Wildcats here my junior year. In the week leading up to the match, I remember attending a mid-week post-match concert at Tennessee’s Alumni Gym; I’m pretty sure it was actually the Stray Cats! I always had my camera with me, documenting all the amazing trips we were able to take as collegiate athletes. So of course I wanted to take pics of the concert! I decided I needed a little better vantage point, so I stood on top of a folding chair (yes, one of those old metal folding chairs), and somehow managed to lean back too far and fall, bruising the hell out of my hamstring. What a dunce. But the next few days saw the whole back of my leg turn all shades of black, brown and purple. I’m only reliving this now with you because the main reason I even remember it is the match we had at Arizona that next weekend—a group of frat boys at the match decided to call me “Hematoma Woman” and were so loud. I’m serious, y’all, I had my own fan club! How embarrassing. But truly hilarious.
So, yeah, I remember the University of Arizona. :D
And you know I can’t resist exploring the athletic facilities; Maisie and I walked completely around the football stadium—and yes, we might even have snuck in to get a peak of the field. (I mean, there was a padlock on the gate, but it wasn’t engaged, so, well, we did what we had to do.) The whole campus was quite beautiful, with gorgeous palm trees surrounding lush green lawns and typical college lecture halls, dorms and student centers.
We’re still not done with our Day One exploring! Craving local ice cream (a favorite during my travels), we headed to the entertainment district in downtown Tucson, which was quite similar to Austin TBH. Parts of it were super funky, and I was impressed with the quality of art found on many of the buildings in the form of giant murals. Tucson is actually a UNESCO Food City (yes, really!)—being named the first U.S. UNESCO Creative Cities Network City of Gastronomy. Who knew? Unfortunately, by this time, we were too pooped to experience some of the cuisine they are known for (plus, with a dog, it can be a bit of a challenge). 17,328 steps later, and we were ready to call it a day.
What will tomorrow bring?
I-10 Forever
Even if you’ve never been to Texas. or perhaps live there but don’t venture out to other states much, you know that Texas is BIG. Someone once told me if you flip the state up, it would touch Canada. To the right? The Atlantic Ocean. Left? Pacific Ocean. Like, BIG, y’all. And while I normally don’t like to drive more than 4 hours in any given day, at this particular juncture, I just wanted to get to the West Coast more quickly, so I decided a few long driving days wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. Now wrapping up my third day on the road, I feel like I’ve spent all of the last 3 days on I-10. And that’s because I have essentially spent all of the last 3 days on I-10! Podcasts have become my new best friend :D. Two of those days was just getting out of Texas. Seriously, y’all—have I said that Texas is a BIG state?
We stayed at a funky little RV park in Fort Stockton, which actually was a little gem in the middle of a giant desert of … nothingness. Have you been to West Texas? Endless horizons of desert land dotted with brush, cactus and tumbleweed. I-10 stretched out in front of your forever. Some mountain vistas and canyons far in the distance—like the Glass Mountains, Davis Mountains, and the Sierra Diablo Mountains—with jagged edges and huge rock formations. It really is its own kind of pretty.
This first blog will probably be a little boring, because like I said, it was mostly spent driving lonely highways. Day 2 found us traversing the rest of West Texas, all the way through El Paso. It’s a LOOOOONG way. We stayed at a lovely state park outside of Las Cruces, New Mexico. Best sign of the day? “Watch for snakes. They’re watching you.” Welcome to New Mexico, amIright?!! Second best sign? “We like big nuts and we cannot lie! – Pistachio Land, New Mexico” billboard. ;D
Day 3 took us through the rest of New Mexico over to Tucson, Arizona, which greeted us with another great sign: Poisonous snakes and insects inhabit the area. What am I getting myself into?!! Have I mentioned that I am a city girl?
Anyway, we arrived at our next desert oasis RV park early enough to take a wonderful, much-needed shower and nap before heading out on a 3-mile hike to take in a magnificent sunset at Lincoln Regional Park. Even though I’m anxious to get to California, I decided to stay in the Tucson area for four whole nights so we can explore Saguaro National Park and the surrounding area. Can’t wait!
Until then …
On the Road Again …
Well, friends, here I am again. Who knew when I set off on my first RV adventure 10 months ago that I’d be super excited to do it all over again? I wasn’t sure I was even going to like it, you know? But I guess I had an inkling. I mean, not too many people would sell their house, buy an RV and plan a 14,000+, 5-month, 31-state adventure and expect not to like it, right?
I am definitely hooked. At least for this season of life. If you’re not totally familiar with the impetus for these adventures, let me fill you in. Back in June of 2024, I lost my beloved husband of almost 33 years after a long illness. Then I lost my post-retirement job (and a third of my income), and became in empty nester, all within 6 months. It was a rough time, a lonely time. But I didn’t want the adversity to define me, or to spend my days feeling sorry for myself, or wondering Why me? Why Michael?
That’s just life. My faith in God and my family got me through those times. Now it was time to make some lemonade after processing those sour lemons. So make lemonade, I did! My friends encouraged me to keep a blog of that trip, so they could ‘live vicariously through me’ … no pressure, right? And I’m so glad I did! I faced so many new adventures each and every week that there was no way I could remember everything. I ended up turning it into a book, and called it Driving Miss Maisie, because my beloved Goldendoodle Maisie made all the difference in the world on that trip. She’s so special, and I’m so excited to have her by my side when we explore a whole other part of the country this year! (If you’re interested, the book is available on Amazon here).
I’m so blessed to have loving family members by my side as well. Although both my parents have passed, my three sibs have helped me process those lemons, along with my two daughters. I am especially grateful that my sister Sarah and her husband Tony allowed me to bunk with them after my traveling adventures last year. The quality time we were able to spend together these past 5 months has been truly incredible. I will definitely miss her daily presence in my life but at the same time am looking forward to exploring the Pacific coast!
So, let’s go!