Saturday, May 27, 2017

Seattle -> StL - Day 12 (3/11/2017) - To StL

Considering that this entry is about 2.5 months late, this won't be my best travelogue.  I did a decent job of writing during the first 3 days of the trip, but then I completely neglected the travelogue (except for some notes) until now.  So this nonsense is all you get...

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Christine was feeling too sick to meet up this morning, so after leaving the hotel at 9:15 I headed downtown to the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum, which I took in despite the rain.  I will mention that I became emotional while going through the museum (specifically, the portion about the kids in the daycare) and had to high-tail it out of there in order to keep it together.  The museum is very well done, but can elicit an unpleasant reaction because of the subject matter.

After leaving there I took I-44 toward St. Louis, stopping for lunch at Pei Wei in Tulsa and gas in Springfield, MO.  I made it home at 7:50pm, having put 3,969 miles on my car during the entire trip.

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Pictures: https://goo.gl/photos/zLKCNQoHytDDxSUB6

Seattle -> StL - Day 11 (3/10/2017) - Hanging with Christine in OKC

Considering that this entry is about 2.5 months late, this won't be my best travelogue.  I did a decent job of writing during the first 3 days of the trip, but then I completely neglected the travelogue (except for some notes) until now.  So this nonsense is all you get...

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Christine picked me up at the hotel at 10:15.  Our first stop was breakfast at Jimmy's Egg.  After that we went to the fascinating Museum of Osteology for a look around.  Next we headed to the University of Oklahoma library, where Eric (who works there) showed us around for a bit.  After a little exploring and a little resting we met up with the same crew as the night before for an early dinner at Pepe Delgado's.  Christine started to feel very tired (did I mention that she was on her last round of chemotherapy?) around 6:30 so we said our goodbyes and Stacy drove me back to the hotel.

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Pictures: https://goo.gl/photos/zLKCNQoHytDDxSUB6

Seattle -> StL - Day 10 (3/9/2017) - To OKC

Considering that this entry is about 2.5 months late, this won't be my best travelogue.  I did a decent job of writing during the first 3 days of the trip, but then I completely neglected the travelogue (except for some notes) until now.  So this nonsense is all you get...

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I left the hotel at 9:20am.  I stopped for gas and lunch (Silver Moon Cafe) in Santa Rosa, NM.  I made it to Norman, OK sometime around 7pm, stopping briefly to check in at the Best Western Plus before meeting up with Christine, Eric, Stacy, Barry, and Sarah at HeyDay for trivia and dinner.

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Pictures: https://goo.gl/photos/zLKCNQoHytDDxSUB6

Seattle -> StL - Day 9 (3/8/2017) - To Albuquerque

Considering that this entry is about 2.5 months late, this won't be my best travelogue.  I did a decent job of writing during the first 3 days of the trip, but then I completely neglected the travelogue (except for some notes) until now.  So this nonsense is all you get...

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Before grabbing breakfast in the hotel restaurant I went out back to scope out the view of Lake Mead.  After breakfast I departed around 9:45 on US-93 South to I-40 East.

I made an impromptu stop at Meteor Crater, and then another impromptu swing by the Painted Desert Visitor Center of Petrified Forest National Park - I forgot that both of these two things were along the route.  I didn't have time to check out Petrified Forest, though, especially after "losing" an hour by crossing time zones.

I made my way to Albuquerque, where I stopped at An Hy Quan Vegetarian Restaurant for dinner before finding the Ramada Albuquerque East.

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Pictures: https://goo.gl/photos/zLKCNQoHytDDxSUB6

Seattle -> StL - Day 8 (3/7/2017) - Death Valley

Considering that this entry is about 2.5 months late, this won't be my best travelogue.  I did a decent job of writing during the first 3 days of the trip, but then I completely neglected the travelogue (except for some notes) until now.  So this nonsense is all you get...

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I had a quick breakfast at the inn restaurant and then left around 10am for Death Valley National Park.  My first intended destination was Dante's View, which is supposedly better earlier in the day than later, but I was somewhat low on gas so (not wanting to chance it) I stopped in Furnace Creek (which was surprisingly lush for the desert surroundings) to fill up.  I then headed to Dante's View, which I found to be quite spectacular.  Next I backtracked a bit to Zabriskie Point before heading to the Devil's Golf Course (which involved about a mile each way on a gravel road).

The next stop was Badwater Basin, where I walked about 1.5 miles (just a guess) out into the soggy salt flats.  From there I hit up the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, and then drove up another gravel road (inclined this time) to Mosaic Canyon, where I quit early on the trail due to fear of waning daylight.

After leaving the park via the northeast exit, I stopped in Beatty, NV for gas and dinner at KC's Outpost Eatery & Saloon.  I then took US-95 through Las Vegas, switching to US-93 to find my way to the Hoover Dam Lodge.

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Pictures: https://goo.gl/photos/zLKCNQoHytDDxSUB6

Seattle -> StL - Day 7 (3/6/2017) - Joshua Trees

Considering that this entry is about 2.5 months late, this won't be my best travelogue.  I did a decent job of writing during the first 3 days of the trip, but then I completely neglected the travelogue (except for some notes) until now.  So this nonsense is all you get...

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I checked out of the Best Western at 8:30am and headed to Palm Springs.  There I took the 11am ride up the Palm Springs Arial Tramway after a thankfully very short wait.  After that I filled up the gas tank and grabbed lunch at Del Taco before heading into Joshua Tree National Park.

My first two stops in the park were Cholla Cactus Garden and Arch Rock.  As I began running short on time, I made quick stops at Skull Rock and the Hall of Horrors before heading to Keys View to take in the spectacular view.

Due to poor planning, I then had a night drive to Longstreet Inn & Casino on the Nevada side of Death Valley.  I was surprised to find a few patches of T-Mobile LTE coverage along the way.  I had an unfortunate incident where I ran over what looked like a rabbit, which briefly shook me up.  I arrived at the establishment just before the restaurant kitchen closed at 10pm, and was able to grab a quick takeaway order to eat in my room.

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Pictures: https://goo.gl/photos/zLKCNQoHytDDxSUB6

Seattle -> StL - Day 6 (3/5/2017) - Exploring LA

Considering that this entry is about 2.5 months late, this won't be my best travelogue.  I did a decent job of writing during the first 3 days of the trip, but then I completely neglected the travelogue (except for some notes) until now.  So this nonsense is all you get...

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I departed the hotel at 10:45am, with Watts Towers as my first destination.  After that I headed downtown to check out Walt Disney Concert Hall.  Unfortunately, there were no remaining tours that day due to an afternoon performance.  I considered going to The Broad next door, but the general admission line (which is free) was way too long.

I headed up to the Griffith Observatory as a light rain began to fall.  By the time I dealt with the insane parking situation and made my way up to the observatory the rain had picked up.  I took shelter inside along with all the other visitors, and then explored a bit outside after the bulk of the rain had passed.

Afterward I had a very late lunch at Thai Vegan in Santa Monica, then went for a walk along Venice Beach.  When I returned to my car I found that I had received a parking ticket for expired license plate registration - something I had completely forgotten about while I was in Seattle (it later turned out that the state had never sent me a renewal notice).


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Pictures: https://goo.gl/photos/zLKCNQoHytDDxSUB6

Seattle -> StL - Day 5 (3/4/2017) - Oakland to LA

Considering that this entry is about 2.5 months late, this won't be my best travelogue.  I did a decent job of writing during the first 3 days of the trip, but then I completely neglected the travelogue (except for some notes) until now.  So this nonsense is all you get...

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I said my goodbyes to Nate & Solana and left Oakland at 9:45am.  I took I-5 down to LA, where I headed to Mulholland Drive to see if it was as scenic a drive as I had read; it was slightly disappointing and confusing, so I quit early.  Next I headed to The Getty Center, which had free entry but paid parking.  The buildings and grounds were nice; the art mostly didn't do much for me.  I had dinner at a Veggie Grill and then found my way to the Best Western Plus Avita Suites.  One interesting thing of note about the hotel: they have a Nexus 7 tablet in each room loaded with some Best Western configuration.

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Pictures: https://goo.gl/photos/zLKCNQoHytDDxSUB6

Seattle -> StL - Day 4 (3/3/2017) - To Oakland

Considering that this entry is about 2.5 months late, this won't be my best travelogue.  I did a decent job of writing during the first 3 days of the trip, but then I completely neglected the travelogue (except for some notes) until now.  So this nonsense is all you get...

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I left the hotel at 10am.  On the way south I took Avenue of the Giants through Humboldt Redwoods State Park.  I stopped for gas and lunch at 1:30pm in Laytonville, CA.  Lunch was at Wheels Cafe & Pub.

I took 101 all the way down to the Bay Area, then cut east on I-580 across the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge and down to Oakland.  I made it to Nate and Solana's house around 5:40.  The three of us went to dinner at FuseBOX, then they took me on a scenic car ride around Lake Merritt and up Grizzly Peak.

Back at their house, they set me up for the night in their cottage in the backyard.

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Pictures: https://goo.gl/photos/zLKCNQoHytDDxSUB6

Seattle -> StL - Day 3 (3/2/2017) - Redwoods

Considering that this entry is about 2.5 months late, this won't be my best travelogue.  I did a decent job of writing during the first 3 days of the trip, but then I completely neglected the travelogue (except for some notes) until now.  So this nonsense is all you get...

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Today was reserved for exploring the Redwood National and State Parks.  After breakfast at the hotel, I headed up to the park headquarters in Crescent City - which I found to be closed for the season.  Heading back south, I stopped for a quick picture at Trees of Mystery before continuing on to the Klamath River Overlook.

While refueling back in Klamath (I had become a bit more paranoid after the day before), an elderly local warned me against hiking the Lady Bird Johnson Grove, and instead recommended the trails in the Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park - I'm glad for the recommendation.  Continuing south, I found the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway to be closed, as the gentleman had alluded (I later found out this was due to downed trees), but was able to access the Prairie Creek Visitor Center from the south end of the parkway just as he had said.

A ranger recommended a 2.5 mile loop starting on the Prairie Creek Trail and continuing back south on the Foothill Trail after the Big Tree, so I went off to do that.  Unfortunately, I took the wrong turn *north* on the Foothill trail after passing the Big Tree display area.  I had the feeling that I was continuing to head in the wrong direction, but instead trusted that I would end up in the right spot - despite having a map with me, I didn't even realize at the time that the Foothill Trail continued north past the Big Tree.  I was also perplexed that the trail had become a bit steeper than I expected (I thought I was still in the ADA accessible section), and that I came across three points blocked by downed trees or limbs.  I realized my error after hitting the Parkway again, crossing back over it, and seeing a sign for the Prairie Creek Trail which indicated that the visitor center was 2.4 miles away.  So I headed back south on the Prairie Creek Trail, cut across to the Big Tree again, and then headed in the correct direction (south) on the Foothill Trail.  I ended up doing kind of a skinny ~5 mile figure 8 instead of a loop half that length.  Luckily, the weather was pretty nice (about 55 °F with a bit of sun through the clouds, though most of the route was shaded) and the trail was mostly flat (except for some sections of the non-ADA Foothill Trail).  I also had carried along my backpack which contained snacks and a drink, but I never really considered consuming any of that.  The only problems I had were that my hands became cold and a bit stiff (poor circulation strikes again), and that a small blister began to form on one of my big toes - neither of which were overwhelming concerns.

After returning to my car, I drove down to the Lady Bird Johnson Grove anyway, and quickly did that 1.5 mile loop.  From there I drove further south in search of an early dinner, settling on the Trinidad Bay Eatery & Gallery before heading back north to the hotel.

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Pictures: https://goo.gl/photos/zLKCNQoHytDDxSUB6

Seattle -> StL - Day 2 (3/1/2017) - More of the Oregon Coast

Considering that this entry is about 2.5 months late, this won't be my best travelogue.  I did a decent job of writing during the first 3 days of the trip, but then I completely neglected the travelogue (except for some notes) until now.  So this nonsense is all you get...

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I checked out of the Shilo Inn around 9:15, and drove over to Pig 'N Pancake for a quick (and slightly underwhelming) breakfast before continuing back south.  The first stop was an impromptu one at Cook's Chasm in the Cape Perpetua Scenic Area.  After a brief period of concern due to a low fuel warning and no gas stations for miles (and no cell service to find where the next one would be), I filled up the tank in Florence.  Next was the Oregon Dunes, which I took in from the Oregon Dunes Overlook day use area; this was a highlight among highlights.

I continued on to Coos Bay, where I grabbed a late lunch at a family restaurant called Outdoor-In.  Continuing on, I turned off in Bandon, where I took the scenic Beach Loop Road with stops at the Coquille South Jetty beach and the Face Rock Wayside.

From there it was on to California without any more stops.  I arrived at the Holiday Inn Express in Klamath, within the Redwoods National and State Parks area, around 6:45p.  Around 8p I grabbed an order of fries from the on-site restaurant at the Redwood Hotel & Casino across the way - their menu was not very veg-friendly.

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Pictures: https://goo.gl/photos/zLKCNQoHytDDxSUB6

Seattle -> StL - Day 1 (2/28/2017) - From Seattle to the Oregon Coast

Considering that this entry is about 2.5 months late, this won't be my best travelogue.  I did a decent job of writing during the first 3 days of the trip, but then I completely neglected the travelogue (except for some notes) until now.  So this nonsense is all you get...

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Before I begin, I should give a shout-out to the road-trip planning website Furkot (https://www.furkot.com), which was very helpful in planning this trip.

I spent my last night in Seattle (2/27) at the La Quinta Inn in SeaTac, having turned in the keys to my apartment (after the moving company packed up my stuff and loaded it onto the truck) that day.  On this morning, I loaded up on the complementary breakfast before hitting the road around 9:15.  My first destination was Astoria, a city near the northwest tip of Oregon.  I took I-5 south then cut west around Longview, WA to cross over the Columbia River and catch US-30 on the Oregon side.  The primary point of interest there was the Astoria Column, a concrete tower on top of a hill that provided nice panoramic views of the area.  After catching that view, I headed back downtown to find lunch, which I did at a vegetarian place called Blue Scorcher Bakery & Cafe.

After lunch, I headed down the Oregon coast on US-101 with a tentative list of a few stopping points.  The first was Ecola Park.  There, I found that the $5 entry fee was waived due to multiple current closures within the park.  One of these closures turned out to be the road to Indian Beach, where I had intended to go.  I instead went to Ecola viewpoint, where I was able to get some good views in despite some closures there.

The next stop was Cape Lookout State Park.  After that was the Cape Kiwanda State Natural Area.  The final stop before hitting Newport was Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area, where I arrived 5 minutes before the 6pm closing.  The lady (ranger?) at the window let me in for a quick loop without charging me the normal $7.  From there it was a 10 minute jaunt to the Shilo Inn in Newport, where I would spend the night.  Interestingly, my booking was not in their hotel system (which apparently is a common occurrence for them for guests that use Hotels.com or Booking.com).  After attempting to look it up in their hotel e-mails, the clerk simply accepted the information and price from my Hotels.com confirmation e-mail, and even "upgraded" my room to a king bed (from 2 queens).

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Pictures: https://goo.gl/photos/zLKCNQoHytDDxSUB6