Friday 30 May, Page AZ

Boat Trip to Rainbow Bridge (Navajo Lands, UT)

Today we took a 100 mile round trip by boat to the famous Rainbow Bridge - the greatest of the world's known natural bridges. Our captain (Richard) was very informative and was well impressed with our itinerary, especially the fact that we were going to Moab – his favourite place!

Rainbow Bridge
Rainbow Bridge was known for centuries by the Native Americans who lived in the area. Native Americans living in the region have long held the bridge sacred. Ancestral Pueblo residents were followed much later by Paiute and Navajo groups. Several Paiute and Navajo families, in fact, still reside nearby.

By the 1800s, Rainbow Bridge was also surely seen by wandering trappers, prospectors, and cowboys. Not until 1909, though, was its existence publicized to the outside world. Two separate exploration parties-one headed by University of Utah dean, Byron Cummings, and another by government surveyor, W.B. Douglass-began searching for the legendary span.
Eventually, they combined efforts. Paiute guides Nasja Begay and Jim Mike led the way, along with trader and explorer, John Wetherill.
Late in the afternoon of August 14, coming down what is now Bridge Canyon, the party saw Rainbow Bridge for the first time.

The next year, on May 30, 1910, President William Howard Taft created Rainbow Bridge National Monument to preserve this "... extraordinary natural bridge, having an arch which is in form and appearance much like a rainbow, and which is of great scientific interest as an example of eccentric stream erosion."

Even Mr President had something to say about this wondrous formation:
"Next morning early we started our toilsome return trip. The pony trail led under the arch. Along this the Ute drove our pack-mules, and as I followed him I noticed that the Navajo rode around outside. His creed bade him never pass under an arch. "

Theodore Roosevelt, after 1913

Geology

The rock formations which comprise Rainbow Bridge are hundreds of millions of years old, deposited in a time when the climate and terrain were very different from what they are today. The base of Rainbow Bridge is composed of Kayenta Sandstone, reddish-brown sands and muds laid down by inland seas and shifting winds over 200 million years ago.

The bridge itself is composed of Navajo Sandstone - this slightly younger formation (about 200 million years old) was created as wave after wave of sand dunes were deposited over an extremely dry period which lasted millions of years.

These dunes were deposited to depths of up to 1000 feet (305 meters).

Over the next 100 million years, both of these formations were buried by an additional 5000 feet (1,524 meters) of other strata.

The pressures exerted by the weight of all these materials consolidated and hardened the rock of these and other formations in this region.

Other Facts
From its base to the top of the arch, Rainbow Bridge is 290 feet tall (nearly the height of the Statue of Liberty!)
It spans 275 feet across the river.
The top of the arch is 42 feet thick and 33 feet wide.
Temperature: 86F
Duration: 7 Hrs 25 Mins

Thursday 29 May, Page, AZ

Grand Canyon1
(via Navajo Bridge (Marble Canyon), Pipe Springs, Grand Canyon North Rim

Left Page travelling south on the AZ-89, taking a right at Biter Springs, some 22 miles down the road, to travel west along the Alt-89 (an alternative AZ-89!?)
From there we crossed the Colorado River over the recent (2005) Marble Canyon bridge, to, oddly enough, walk across the original Navajo Bridge, to take photos of this newcomer.
The original Bridge was built in 1927 and cost $325,000. The new bridge cost over $30.5 million.
It was pleasing to know that similar techniques, principles and a sympathetic matching style linked these two bridges.

At the Pipe Springs Ranger Station, we were advised that the last 10-15 miles of the 62 which lead from the Alt-89 to Toroweap (a most fantastic unspoilt and relatively undiscovered overlook across the north side of the 7000 ft cliffs which form the Colorado River valley-face at this point), were unsuitable for all except proper 4x4 or commercial off-road vehicles.
Our Cobalt was not up to the task.
Taking this news badly, we instead travelled to the Grand Canyon North Rim, which, at over 75 miles each way, was more than enough distraction to our disappointment.
The rim road (AZ 67), did not go right to the cliff edge a lá Toroweap but did give way to some magnificent views across the Grand Canyon and environs.

Rejoined AZ-89 to return to Page to snap sights noted this morning. Should have taken them this morning because by this time, the Sun was in the wrong aspect (for photographing, that is). I’m sure it was exactly where it was supposed to be!)

Journey Notes and Details
Mostly given above, but in summary:
Distance: 382 miles
Duration: 9 hours 35 mins
Temperature: 86F
Average speed: 44mph

Wednesday, 28 May, Page, AZ

Lake Powell Resort
(via Escalante NP, Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, & the Glen Canyon Dam)

Having found out that tomorrow’s planned trip up Escalante to Hole-in-the-Rock Road would be impossible in anything but a proper 4x4 (Land Rover or equivalent, not some ‘soft-roader’!), we decided to do the top road to the town of Escalante (the UT-12 - one of the ‘top 10’ scenic byways in the US!)Many mammalian and uplifted/faulted sandstone rock formations and very few cars!

Grand Staircase – Escalante National Park
The Grand Staircase – Escalante NP, is not double/translatedly-named. There are two distinct yet related parts to this name.
Escalante comes from the Dominguez-Escalante Expedition of 1776. Two Spanish priests, Fathers. Dominguez and Escalante, traversed much of the southwest in a gruelling expedition in an attempt to reach California from Santa Fe, New Mexico. A.H. Thompson, a member of the Powell Survey team, knew the history of the area and thought it would be a good way to honor one of the first known explorers of the Southwest.
The ‘Staircase’ part comes from the distinctly coloured layers or steps found in all the exposed stratified rock.
In the 1870s, geologist Clarence Dutton first conceptualized this region as a huge stairway ascending out of the bottom of the Grand Canyon northward with the cliff edge of each layer forming giant steps. Dutton divided this layer cake of Earth history into five steps that he colourfully named Pink Cliffs, Grey Cliffs, White Cliffs, Vermilion Cliffs, and Chocolate Cliffs. Since then, modern geologists have further divided Dutton's steps into individual rock formations.
However, such layering is evident in all the sandstone from Arches to Zion, but was ‘claimed’ for this park because of the closeness to the name of Father Escalante.
The Park exposes over 4 billion years’ of the Earth’s geological history.
Hoodoos are one such geological oddity. Pronounced Ho-Do, the name originates and includes definitions from West African voodoo culture, a column of rock and something which brings bad luck, nonsense!
These pinnacles are caused by a variety of geological events, uplifting, deposition, faulting and erosion.

Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park
This caught my eye, in my endless search for real dunes to walk and photograph. It was a mere 15 off our journey, and not traversing Escalante meant we had the spare time, to see them.
Quite cute and well defined but a little disappointing in scale.
Still, at $6 for the two of us, who can complain?
Tried to capture some angles giving the impression of a mini Saharan desert-scape, but… no, not quite.

Glen Canyon Dam
It was only when the last of the 8 dams which uphold the natural force of the Colorado River (the Glen Canyon Dam), that Lake Powell was created. It is a valuable power generating resource, stores water for, amongst other places, Las Vegas and Los Angeles, and provides us all with a fantastic water playground and recreational area.
The staff were very helpful at the Carl Hayden Visitor's Centre, and were far more relaxed about who can visit the dam and what you could take with you. The Hoover Dam was a far more officious and restricting affair, with only a briefcase-sized bag allowed and no photographs inside. The Glen Canyon Dam crew were very accommodating, metal detectors notwithstanding - my granola bar set the alarms off because of the plastic 'foil wrapper! National emergency avoided - I used their 'trash can' forthwith!

Glen Canyon NRA/Lake Powell
John Wesley Powell (the famous explorer after whom this lake is named), once described this place as:
“… a curious ensemble of wonderful features … carved walls, royal arches, glens, alcove gulches, mounds and monuments”.
The name Glen Canyon was thus born.
The lake is almost 200 miles in length and its shoreline (of over 1960 miles), is equal to the combined coastal shoreline of the Pacific west (Washington, Oregon and California combined!
Fishing, boating, skiing and pleasure trips (more later) are amongst the chief activities pursued here.

Journey Notes and Details
Distance: 322 miles
Duration: 9 hrs 25 mins
Temperature: 96F

Tuesday 27 May, Bryce Canyon, UT

Ruby's Inn(via Zion NP and Bryce Canyon NP)

Pre-Zion
Ever the explorer and noticing a steep-gradient road to the west of Zion, I had already added this short 60 mile detour to our itinerary:

Kolob Terrace Road
A wonderful barren hilly and primitive rote to the west f Zion which gave up sheer cliffs, fractured strata, a dry canyon, wonderful eroded rock features, some thousands of feet high, and many tortured trees.
Back in the town of Virgin (whose river we crossed several times during today), I saw a young boy walking his lamb (on a rope) to school!
Bizarre!

Zion National Park
This was an unexpected marvel of a national park – a real stunner in terms of small size yet immense features contained within. Despite lack of any information as to where to park and catch the shuttle bus (mandatory from May to October to reduce the impact f visitors on the park’s environs), we found one of the helpful ‘park & ride places.
The shuttle bus service was great, with drivers giving commentary and information about the park and its wildlife. Our first driver (Bent) was Danish, and not a great conversationalist. Our second driver (Matt), was much more lively and informative!
The buses were articulated two carriage units and ran on propane. I think that many parks could benefit from this service. We were able to get off and on at about 9 stops along the route, with an interval of about 10-12 minutes between buses.
The journey from the visitor centre to the Temple of Sinawava (top of the park) took about 30 minutes. With stops and walks our return journey took just over 90 minutes.
What a find!

Bryce Canyon
Arrived around 5pm and had an hour and a half photographing one skyline arch (unimaginatively called ‘Natural Bridge). A shuttle service exists, and like Zion, these are a good idea, but this service ceases at 5 so we missed it and thus increased our carbon footprint!
The park itself contains numerous highly coloured (from the different ages of sandstone), and picturesque pinnacles and spires, many of which stand in amphitheatre arrays to the east of the park road.
Various native American peoples lived in the region where Bryce Canyon now sits, for over 2000 years. Writings and food storage evidence is visible in the cliffs along the length of the park..

Journey Notes and Details
From Las Vegas, northeast on the I-15, past St George.
Right (east) onto UT-9 towards and through Hurricane.
Continue north towards La Verkin, then right (east) towards Zion NP.
After this, continue east to Mt Carmel Junction, then left (north) onto UT89, towards Panguitch.
Right and junction with UT-12 to Bryce Canyon.
Right (south) down UT-63 (park road), and back to Ruby’s Inn
Distance: 331
Duration: 12hrs

Monday 26 May, Las Vegas

Helicopter Flight1
Flew over Bolder City, the Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, to land at the base of the Grand Canyon (at the Hualapai Indian Reservation),
At the Grand canyon landing we had a picnic meal which included 2 glasses of ‘Champagne’ (In fact it was quite adequate sparkling wine made in the Méthode Champagnoise – not quite ‘Bolly’ though!)
On the return journey, we flew over a familiar sight – unsold and or incomplete residential developments. This time it was ‘Lakeview Properties’, a scam by developers in the 50’s promising superb lakeview properties. Buyers failed to be convinced once they visited the site as the land was at best over 8 miles from Lake Mead and on top of a northwest sloping mesa, without any sight of the formidable water feature over yonder dam!
The credit crunch has taken its toll on people, businesses and entire towns with many such unfinished sites and dispossessed families, some of whom were living in at least 3 of our ‘premier’ hotels!


The Strip
When you see the Sphinx at 9am, and you’re in Mountain Time, you have to think twice about how much alcohol you had the night before! However. That’s the sight which greets you as you walk past the Luxor, our first option hotel (we wanted to be further up ‘the strip’ and away from the airport), which is why we chose the pantomime hotel (formerly (formally?) the Aladdin), the Planet Hollywood Hotel.
I won’t bore you with the details here, suffice to say I walked the entire strip in two hits and was not convinced! It seems that all manner of excess, falsehood and fancy are shipped in, paraded or purloined and spat out the next day, in time for the fresh recruits to this alternative reality TV town. In fact, it is what Hollywood could have been (with more money). For instance, the hotel opposite us was being built for approximately $7.5Bn – that’s BILLIONS!!
Tried to work out which was the tackiest. Jury still out on that one. However, the cleanest water was in the treasure island ‘sea’ (complete with pirate ship!). The ‘sky ride’ at stratosphere was closed for seasonal (pre-?) servicing, and the gaudiest was probably the Bellagio or the Trump tower (complete with ‘gold’ windows!). Circus-Circus runs it a close second though!

Memorial Day Lunch (More Champagne) (this time the real deal!)
Our Hotel held a Memorial Day lunch/dinner special - $3.50 gave us a free glass of Champagne, and unlimited refills!). We only got round to lunch at 3pm and the lunch ran until 5pm and we had another helicopter flight booked for 6pm so we had to be quick!
7 glasses (each, well, 7 for me and 5 for my co-pilot!), we stumbled towards McCarron Executive Terminal for our evening trip over the ‘Strip’! Thankfully neither of us was going to be driving, but we did sit up front with the pilot (who had passed his flight certificate, after 3 attempts, only 2 days earlier!
The champagne dulled our sense of danger and foreboding.

Helicopter Flight 2
Flew over the strip during a potted history of Las Vegas.
The flight commenced with yet more champagne (of the M-C variety), land-side, of course, and canapés (all as a result of our booking the Grand Celebration Tour AND the ‘Strip’ trip!).


City Facts
Established in 1905, Las Vegas officially became a city in 1911.
At the close of the 21st century, Las Vegas was the most populous American city founded in the 20th century.
As the 28th most populous city in the United States, Las Vegas is one of the most populous cities in the American West.
Las Vegas means "The Meadows", and was named by Spaniards in the Antonio Armijo party.
Gambling was legalized on March 19, 1931.
on December 26, 1946, Bugsy Siegel's Flamingo Hotel opened on what would soon morph from the Las Vegas Boulevard to ‘The Strip’
Champagne consumed: 13 glasses, hic!

Sunday, 25 May, Las Vegas, NV

Hoover Dam, Lake Mead NRA, Valley of Fire State Park
Given that today followed two very long and arduous drives (well, around 15 to be accurate!), we decided to visit the above attractions and do 'the Strip'!

Hoover Dam
Spent almost 2 hours walking and photographing the dam, finding ‘the shot’ from the Arizona side.
Note: Parking is $7 on the Nevada side from Las Vegas. After paying and parking we walked up to the viewpoints on the other side to find that 3 tiers of car parking space (for around 200 cars), was free! I’m not endorsing one state’s policy over another but you do the math!
The day was Memorial Sunday and over 300 bikers arrived and congregated on tier 2 Arizona side, much to the consternation of the local police who immediately dispatched 3 patrol cars to oversee this gathering.
They were still there when we left – happy holiday guys!
Facts:Hoover Dam, was formerly called Boulder Dam.
Hoover Dam is a concrete arch gravity dam in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River, marking the border between Arizona and Nevada.
In 1935, it was both the world's largest electric power producing facility and the world's largest concrete structure.
It is currently the world's 34th largest hydroelectric generating station

Lake Mead National Recreation Area (NRA)
Lake Mead NRA is a startling contrast of desert and water, mountains and canyons, primitive backcountry, and modern technology – nature and human activity shaping this fantastic region, which is one of the hottest, driest regions on Earth.
After following the western road, taking in several viewpoints across Lake Mead, towards Overton and the Lost City Museum featuring adobe homes.
From there we back-tracked 8 miles to take in the fantastic Valley of Fire State Park – only$6 and worth every penny (yes, they even have those over here!) The payment process is built entirely on trust with visitors filling out a form, tearing off a strip and posting the main part and their $6 into an unmanned ‘postbox’. We opted to visit the information station and pay in person. How can it be soo cheap we often ask ourselves? I mean, $6, £3, its worth it just to drive past the entrance!

Valley of Fire State Park
The Valley of Fire contained some of the most amazing red rock landscape I have ever seen. The red sandstone formations were formed from great shifting sand dunes during the dinosaur age (150 million years ago), and shaped by complex uplifting and faulting of the region, followed by extensive erosion.
Highlight – The red sandstone ‘Beehives’, so-called because of their stratified and ovoid shapes – like beehives themselves!
Facts:
It is the oldest of Nevada’s state parks, dedicated in 1935.
Size: 34,840 acres
50 miles northeast of Las Vegas, between I-15 and Lake Mead (6 miles east)

Journey Notes and Details
Distance: 213 miles
Duration: 9 hours
Temperature: 77-89F
Weather: Sunny with some cloud

Saturday 24 May, Death Valley, NV/CA

Plan B
Today was going to be a helicopter flight over Lake Powell, over the Hoover Dam and touching down on the Grand Canyon floor within Hualapai Tribal lands, right next to the Colorado River.
We had notice of poor weather, with thunderstorms due by midday and chose to reconfirm early this am.
06:30 I rand Papillon Helicopters (with whom we had booked our flights) and were told that it didn’t look good for our 8am flight. I chose to bump our booking to 7am Monday, hence today is Death Valley Day!!

Journey
Drove south and west toward Parhump (Pr. P-Rump), then onto Death Valley Junction (which has its own Opera House (The Armagosa, run by the kooky octogenarian New Yorker, Marta Beckett). There were no performances until season start – late May :-(
From there we head for the rather ominously named …
… Death Valley.

Death Valley
Is a large desert surrounded by high mountains and contains the lowest point in the western hemisphere – Badwater, named after the minerals and salts which deposit around this region after evaporation of what little water there is around here.
From Dante’s View (5478 ft) overlook you can see almost 75% of the entire Death Valley National Park, including the almost white ‘beach-like’ flat which makes up the Badwater Basin.
In fact, much of Death Valley has been shaped (notwithstanding geological forces, still at work), by man’s mining activities, chiefly gold (go figure!), and Borax.
On the way up to Dante’s View, we drove past a former company mining town of Ryan, which has been mothballed (no doubt awaiting the day when Borax will be more economical to extract). There is no public access to Ryan, and therefore, the entire site is still in impeccable condition. The train engines are parked in old mine tunnels, and are as shiny as they day they were put out of service. The school still has its bell, rope swing, and merry go round. The company dining room still has its piano and everything is original!
After this we headed to Stovepipe Wells to buy fuel at the extortionate $4.91 – absolute piracy and I would strongly advise all potential visitors to avoid being mugged by these bandits. But at Parhump or earlier, towards Vegas.
However, before Stovepipe Wells we stopped off at Zabriskie Point – what a breathtaking view!!
This vista was surrounded by a maze of wildly eroded and vibrantly coloured (muted in today’s overcast daylight), sandstone formations.

[Pic to be inserted – interweb & portable technology permitting!]

Prior to Stovepipe Wells we attempted to photograph and walk on real sand dunes. Unfortunately these were over 1 mile away and somewhat small in stature – I want real dunes!!
It was here that we saw a French family throwing sand at a horned lizard in order to take a picture of it outside the bush in which it was basking. After a few international words, I did what readers would expect and drove to the nearest Ranger station. There ensued a brief road chase and a head-off whereby the female ranger swung her 4x4 across the road and headed off the miscreants – job done methinks!
After the fuel debacle, and my playing at ‘Junior Ranger’ for the day, we drove to the Ubehebe Crater, which I was reluctant to visit having learnt that it was not a meteoric crater but a blown cinder cone from a volcano. How glad I was that I did! The massive crater rim was over a mile and-a-half round and the wind which came from its throat was so strong you could lean over the edge and it would support you! It was almost as if the Earth itself was breathing out of this metamorphic amphitheatre.
Again, breathtaking!
After this we passed Scotty’s Castle (a folly built in the north east sector of the park)

Facts:
It is neither a castle, nor was it Scotty’s!

Scotty
Was in fact Walter Scott, known as “Death Valley Scotty”. He convinced Chicago millionaire Albert Johnson to invest in his (fraudulent) gold mine in the Death Valley area. By 1937, Johnson had acquired more than 1,500 acres in Grapevine Canyon, where the Death Valley Ranch (the ‘Castle’), is located. After Johnson and his wife made several trips to the region, he began to build what is the Spanish-style villa which became their winter home.
Folklore makes out that the difficult friendship involved the bequest of the villa by Johnson to Scotty, hence the common mis-nomer.
From here we drove back to Las Vegas via Scotty’s Junction (again, not his, but it was a junction!), Beatty and Indian Springs.

Human History
Prospectors’ Mining companies and the national government’s activity in Death Valley seriously and permanently impacted the native Timbisha Shoshone tribespeople. much of these struggles echoes throughout much of America’s history.
After becoming a national monument in 1933, the Timbisha Shoshone people viewed the national park service as an additional and newer wave of intruders. The tribe was uprooted for the last time in 1936, they were relocated to adobe homes at the current Timbisha Indian Village at Furness Creek. A less progressive administration in the 1960’s ordered that these homes be washed away by high-powered water hoses.
The Timbisha Homeland Act, passed in 2000, established a 7000 acre land base for the tribe, including their former tribal homelands, the current village and 300 acres of Death Valley National Park. The NPS aims to value the beliefs and needs of both the Timbisha Shoshone Indians and the American public! That such a distinction is enounced is another shameful example of man’s inhumanity to man.

Journey Notes and Details
Distance: 424 Miles
Duration: 10hrs, 42mins
Average May temps: Max: 99F; Min: 71F
Our temp today: 51-57F – a new record daytime low for Death Valley – joy!!
Death Valley size: 3,372, 410 acres

Friday 23 May, Las Vegas

Las Vegas
(pronounced Los Vegas!)(via San Bernadino, storms, Palm Springs, Joshua Tree NP, and the Mojave Desert)

Joshua Tree NP
At the entrance to the park, we crossed an eastern remnant of the San Andrea’s Fault, a geological weakness in the Earth’s upper layers which has and will still, lay devastating waste to San Francisco.

Correction Note:
The Joshua Tree album cover (U2, ) was not in fact shot in the Joshua Tree National Park but in a less accessible area within Death Valley (where we are now headed tomorrow!)
The tree which leans at an acute angle on the album cover died a few years ago - and just fell over!

Mojave Desert
Much better value than Joshua Tree – not in terms of entrance fee (we have an annual NPS pass giving us access to all US National Parks), but in terms of what it had to offer including my first encounter with a live and venomous rattlesnake called colloquially ‘a sidewinder’ (after its mode of movement, switch-backing on itself whilst moving sideways.
I nearly stepped on this sleeping deadly coil, until, realising what it was, withdrew carefully and took a couple of snaps, as it hissed (rattling – it is one of the rattlesnake family), and recoiled at my untimely approach. Thing is, after a long winter hibernation, these creatures are still quite dopey and often sleep above round whilst the temperatures are still quite mild. This leaves them somewhat prone – not least to errant hikers! However, following their winter sojourn, they are extremely venomous – having built up their reserves, and they are equally irritable!

Journey Notes and Details
SW on US-101 to I-10
Continue past San Bernadino Valley, Palm Springs and 184 miles later, take the Cottonwood Springs Rd exit to Joshua Tree NP.
NW across the park to Joshua Tree, then E onto CA-62 to Twentynine Palms.
17 miles later, turn left (N) onto Godwin Rd, then right (E) onto Amboy Rd, then l (N) onto Kelbaker Rd, continuing north past Kelso on the now Kelso Cima Rd.
Head NE along the Morning Star Mine Rd to Ivanpah, then a 4 mile west turn, joining the I-15 towards Las Vegas

Joshua Tree NP was first established as a national monument in 1936 and comprises 792,726 acres, of which almost 600,000 is classed as 'wilderness'. Elevations rage between 536-5814 feet. The park is criss-crossed by hundreds of geological fault-lines, most famously, the San Andreas fault as mentioned above.
Mojave Desert has more and better arrays of Joshua trees, hugely impressive cinder cones and lava flows, and even has sand dunes - the third tallest in the US - the Kelso Dunes! When the sand rolls down the leeward side, the dunes gradually move in that direction and actually make a low booming noise - eerie or what??!!


Distance: 414 Miles
Duration: 10 hrs
Weather: Storms early (Burbank), Overcast, brightening later

Thursday 22 May, Hollywood, CA

Hollywood
Tasked with capturing the famous Hollywood sign, we set off Northwards.
A convoluted route which took us from N Highland Ave, under the 101 Hollywood freeway, up Holly Drive, up Deep Dell Place, along Rinconia Drive, up Creston Drive, up again Durand Drive (catching a glimpse but not near enough!, along Ledgewood Drive, skirting Mulholland Highway (not ‘Drive’ of the puzzling David Lynch film starring Naomi Watts, Laura Harring, and Ann Miller, wherein, following a car accident on Mulholland Drive which renders a woman amnesic, she and a perky Hollywood-hopeful search for clues and answers across LA in a twisting venture beyond dreams and reality – or so it says somewhere on IMDB! Next onto Rockcliff Drive where a closer view was snatched, we ascended to our epitome – Deronda Drive. Perfect. Banged off several shots for family and friends, then an initial winding, then straight descent down Beachwood Drive, back to the relative falsity of Hollywood/LA.

That Sign
In 1887, Mrs. Wilcox, wife of town founder Harvey Wilcox, met a woman on a train trip who referred to her Florida summer home, “Hollywood.” She was so struck by the name that she suggested it to her husband
The sign originally read "HOLLYWOODLAND", and its purpose was to advertise a new housing development in the hills above the Hollywood district of Los Angeles. H.J. Whitley had already used a sign to advertise his development Whitley Heights.
The rest, as they say in ‘the business’ … is history.

Afterwards
The second part of the day yielded nothing of interest or value. We walked south across Hollywood, and Sunset, down to Santa Monica blvd and along the entire length from N Bronson Ave to N La Cienega Blvd, entirely missing our turnoff at N Highland Ave in this mind-numbing tract of industrial units, garages (both lock-up and fuel), convenience-food outlets and studio lots. Most interesting part of the afternoon was travelling through the ‘Russian Quarter’ of LA where small grocery stores almost entirely abandoned any English signage, and for that matter, any readable signage, resorting to numerous hand-written bills, advertising their wares and services. Apart from the weather (humid and overcast but warm), and the number and size of the pickups, this could have been Park Ostankino in Moscow!

Facts
Much of the ‘Hollywood’ movie industry has relocated to Burbank to enjoy greater space and lower rent.
‘Hollywood’ is often used as a metonym for the US movie industry
‘Hollywood’ is the only district in metropolitan LA to have distinct boundaries as if independent from the greater metropolis.
Er,
That’s it [Ed.]

Wednesday, 21 May, Hollywood, CA

Today's trip from Fresno to Los Angeles took in Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks and terminated in Hollywood.

Before we got stuck into the journey we decided to have the rental car checked (fluids, oil and tyres - yes that's T Y R E S, not TIRES!). It was a good thing we did this because the engineer at Alamo at Fresno Yosemite International Airport confirmed that our oil change was over 2000 miles overdue!!! This was amazing, especially considering that everyone, and I mean everyone drives everywhere, and the fact that we had a 31day rental agreement, that no one at Alamo Denver thought to refresh the car before we took it! What did they expect us to do, park it and walk 10,000 miles in a month???!!!
[Rant over! - Ed.]

Travelling south/southeast from Fresno, we join the CA-180E also known as King's Canyon Road. For the most part, this road travels across prairie land scattered with vineyards and smallholdings to large scale industrial agriculture.

Kings Canyon NP
At the approach to Kings Canyon the road becomes more sinuous and challenging, rising and falling over 3000ft whilst performing a number of 1180 degree twists and turns.
Weather was sunny, warm and fine early on but became cloudy and cold as we rose through the park roads, rising through the clouds in places. Because of this, and the consequent lack of good visibility, the views were few and far between. A good shot down the Canyon itself lasted only a few minutes, and repeated at a far lower level, almost an hour later, but less dramatically.
Stopped off to photograph the General Grant tree, the third largest living tree in the world, (after the Sherman and Washington trees, both in the park), and one which makes enough wood in a year to grow a 60 ft tree with a 1 ft diameter! That's some wood!!
The second tree of note the 'Sherman Tree' was less inviting in that there was over a mile hike (with 24kg of camera gear - I don't thin so!). We'd seen what we considered was 'the Daddy of Sequoias!

Facts
The General Grant tree stands 276 ft,
Its diameter is the second-largest of all Giant Sequoias at 29ft.
Its circumference at the base including broad root buttresses, is 108 ft.
Thought to be between 1650 - 2,000 years old.

Sequoia NP
Again through no fault of the park itself, but more to do with the inclement weather conditions, this park was a disappointment for us. Many of the more interesting and unusual trees were un-signed and difficult to approach (not in a personal sense, but there were no clear tracks nor parking places from which to explore these wonders). So in a way it was down to the park as much as the poor weather!
Anyway, took pictures of trees, trees, more trees, some trees, a tree another tree and more trees - mostly the same apart from the individual ones mentioned above.

Hollywood, CA
We anticipated that Hollywood would contain the convenience culture, drinking dens and beautiful people which San Fran promised but failed to deliver - we were partly right. Within two hours of 'landing' we saw three Johnny Depps, one Marilyn and something which can only be described as a work in progress from Labyrinth, as well as numerous wannabees hanging around the various locations being filmed along Hollywood Boulevard an its environs - sad really.
Apparently over half of Hollywood suffered a power outage last night after pylons were blown down after high winds. Winds which we suffered as e approached LA but without realising their damaging potential!

Route and Notes
CA-180 SE to KINGS CANYON
Through KC taking detour via KC Lodge to CEDAR GROVE
Back via TENMILE to the General's Highway and onto SEQUOIA NP.
Continue on this road through LODGEPOLE and the Giant Forest, past BUCKEYE FLAT.
Road becomes the CA198, heading W, signed VISALIA.
Take CA-99 S signed BAKERSFIELD
Refuel at Bakersfield then head on down CA-99, signed LOS ANGELES.
CA-99 becomes i-5 still S.
Take a right onto CA-170, then, after 6 miles CA-170 becomes USA-101 S - confused? We were!
Navigate Hollywood rush-hour traffic, resorting to man-made maps after MapQuest failed (only for the second time), to correctly place our hotel> (It sent bus down CAHUENGA Blvd for some unknown reason!)

Data
Distance: 370 miles
Time: 10h 15m
Temp: 13c - 28c
Weather: Sunny, cloudy, calm, dusty, humid and windy in turn

Tuesday 20 May 2008, Fresno, CA

Drove to Yosemite, a park so iconic it seems to embody the whole of the American National Park Service, with such greats as 'Half Dome', perhaps the most recognised symbol of America's parklands; 'El Capitan', the largest granite monolith in the World, 'Cathedral Rocks and Spires' - exactly that; 'Sentinel Rock', overlooking Yosemite Valley, from, and not forgetting Yosemite Falls, the highest waterfalls in America, and the 5th highest in the world at 2425 ft! (The tallest are the Angel Falls in Venezuela, at 3,212ft, which along with the twinned park of Torres del Paine National Park, in Chile, are already forming the framework of my next big trip!!

Yosemite NP
Anyway, driving north along CA-41 into the park, we took a detour right towards Glacier Point. Nothing prepared us for the breathtaking vista presented to us as we rose to over 6000ft. Before us and to the right was a view of almost one-quarter of the entire Yosemite expanse, including 'Half Dome', 'North Dome', 'Clouds Rest', 'Echo Peaks' 'Vernal' and 'Nevada Falls', but not 'El Capitan'.
Continuing along this twisty 10-15mph track, we arrived at Glacier Point proper - what a view, one which will live with me for a very long time indeed.
We returned to the main CA-41 highway to descend into Yosemite Valley to travel along both sides of the Merced River, capturing 'El Capitan, 'Sentinel Dome' Half Dome' Yosemite Falls and Brideveil Falls from underneath.
I felt that if all I could see on this day's trip was from the first stop-off point - I would have been content, but to have seen all of this and more, was simply astounding - I'm coming back, but next time' I'll stay in or nearer the park and spend dawn and dusk there, capturing the play of light on these natural marvels.

Road Trip & Notes
North from FRESNO along CA-41 to YOSEMITE, pretty much all the way,a d of course, returning!
237Mi
10Hrs

Monday 19 May 2008, Fresno, CA

Leaving SF
As we leave the heady and hedonistic San Fran we struggle again with poor maps which do not show all relevant roads, roads with no indication of direction or prevention, and no real directions (unless yuo consider a green plate at the point of a junction towards which you could be travelling at 65mph, a direction - it seems more like a wicked afterthought!).
Anyway, we found a highly recommended ARCO gas station.
Comments
Dirty
No customer service
No credit cards - ATM (debit cards) only but these needed a ZIP code!

That said we had a helpful chap who cleaned our screen and asked us if we saw yesterday's race (which we had, see yesterday's entry!), which leads me to:

'Bay to Beakers' race Stats:
Total Finishers: 22,439
10,921 Males
11,518 Females
2008 Winners
Men John Korir 34m:24s
Women Lineth Chepkurui 39m:22s
(Our positions hadn't been confirmed at time of posting!!)

Back to our day-
Driving notes
From 13th St, S onto CA-101
Right at J54 onto CA280 signposted DALY CITY
Off at J47 onto Highway 1 - signposted PACIFICA and SANTA CRUZ
Follow this sinuous ribbon of alternating tarmac, concrete and holes past SANTA CRUZ, WATSONVILLE and MONTEREY (one 'R'!) to the JULIA PFEIFFER BURNS STATE PARK near BIG SUR NP.

It was foggy when we left SF, foggy as we drove down highway 1o1 and still foggy as we arrived at BIG SUR. What an absolute disappointment.
The view, landscape and weather put us in mind of the Dawlish Coastline - and not necessarily in summertime, either!!

From there we drove back up the 101 thus:
N up CA101 approx 15 miles, turning W onto CA156, signposted HOLLISTER
After another 15 miles road becomes CA-152, as only American roads do, either because they are dually named, or there is a sign just at/after the turnoff!
Continue past Los Banos, over I-5 signposted MADERA
Road merges with I-99 heading S signposted FRESNO and LOS ANGELES
Take right ASHLAN AVE exit and enter FRESNO.

Fresno – an alternative overview
Last Thursday (15 May), Fresno debuted and demonstrated the world’s first operational compressed natural gas-powered plug-in hybrid refuse truck.
The truck is unique in that it is the first in the world to combine a natural gas engine with a rechargeable electric hybrid drive system, and boasts several economic and environmental benefits - an estimated 40% improvement in fuel economy (using the hybrid-electric drive); the capability of operating in all-electric mode for over 10 miles; and, a 90% reduction in smog-forming emissions.
Fresno's location, (Almost at the geographical centre of California), places it a comfortable distance from several of the major recreation areas and suits our purposes exactly, by being just 67 miles south of Yosemite NP, and 60 – 75 northwest of Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks respectively.
It is the largest wine-growing region in California, but often gets overlooked in favour of the far more picturesque NAPA VALLEY.
Fresno County was formed in 1856 and named after the abundant mountain ash trees lining the San Joaquin River (Fresno is Spanish for White Ash trees).
Its main focus in terms of universities are agriculture and criminology, feeding the two main industries for this area – food and prisons.
Er, that’s about it [Ed.]!

Hotel Pool
Hotel has a 25m outdoor which, considering the temperature was in the low 100's when we arrived at 3:15 pm, it was a magnet to my aquatic tendancies (having been pool-starved since Keystone). Swam 150 lengths and went for dinner, after buying supplies for the next two national park treks.

Sunday, 18 May 2008 San Francisco, CA

Our last proper day in SF and I've yet to learn/try to load pics onto this blog. I'll notify you when I have mastered this so you can go back and see what I saw!!!!

'Bay to Breakers' 12k Run
Knowing that the 97th Annual 'Bay to Breakers' run was scheduled for today, we set off to the start point at the Embarcadero to savour the experience in what could only be encapsulated by the famous phrase (was it Wm. Hogarth, Shakespeare or TP Barnum or Johnstone? - answers on a postcard, please!) 'All of human life is here'!
Despite missing the initial start (of three), we watched almost 65,000 runners run, then walk past the start-line. There were pleas from the authorities for participants to keep their clothes on - a plea which fell on a number of defiant individuals' ears, which were, in some cases more prominent than the cool temperatures allowed their extroversion to become.
Participants are encouraged to dress in costumes/as character from their favourite movies. For instance a group of Cal band students ran the race in uniform and then performed for
the crowd (don't ask - it was musical though!). Other costumed runners were dressed as Clinton, Obama, and McCain, not to mention pirates (of the Caribbean), angels, skiers, Supermen (and -women), smurfs ancient Greeks, WWF and sumo wrestlers, Mexican Wrestlers (a la Nacho Libre), cheerleaders (a personal favourite), the cast of Baywatch (another personal favourite!), fish, a giraffe, numerous doctors and nurses, drag kings and queens, boats, cereal boxes, oh yes, and some went as athletes, too!
After witnessing this spectacle we headed for the Embarcadero perimeter road, past the even-numbered piers to photograph the Bay Bridge from various angles.
Having done this, we walked to Mission Bay, sneaked across the CalTrain tracks to Berry and 4th (look at me!).
Whereat we rejoined the mass of naked/un-naked and costumed strollers - roughly mid-field. I'm sure we got placed, despite taking a far longer route and neither running, nor breaking sweat whilst doing so! Keep a look out for photos on the official website: http://www.ingbaytobreakers.com/race_information/results.html - we're there somewhere but at the time of posting, no photos were available.

Packed our bags in readiness for the next leg of our journey.

Saturday 17 May 2008, San Francisco, CA

Having walked the two-and-a-half mile route north along Powell Street to Pier 39 (all piers with odd numbers run north from the Ferry Building opposite the Justine Herman Plaza; all piers with even numbers run south from this point), we again become 'tourists' and wig out, this time on a city tour.

City Tour
The tour, by motorised ('z'ed?) trolley bus, took in the FISHERMAN'S WHARF area, positively awash with restaurants (predominantly seafood, surprisingly!), and other tourist-oriented mercantilia.
After that we went via COW HOLLOW, with the driver recounting tales and facts about the history of these fascinating places.
From there we went to the PALACE OF FINE ARTS and the EXPLORATORIUM for our first stop-off. Quaint and individual houses form the 'urbia' of this parkland region.
From there we went to FORT POINT, just underneath the GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE - this time the heat from the interior valley mixed with the chill air from the Pacific to create San Fran's (see, I'm almost a local!), movable air con - the bridge was around 80% shrouded in this vaporous 'fog'. We stopped off for about 15 minutes in the bracing chill breeze to take photos of the evanescent monolith above us.
Our next stop-off was VISA POINT adjacent to the on-ramp of the bridge itself. Again another 15 minutes to capture this shy but revealing beauty.
Onwards from here through PRESIDIO, the army camp, down CALIFORNIA ST and through PACIFIC HEIGHTS - the most select neighbourhood in the city with average property prices starting at 2-3 million and rising despite the credit crunch.
From here we travelled towards the JAPAN CENTER which, due to a cultural event which closed a number of proximal roads, we had to skirt around.
From here to CHINATOWN, we travelled past what are colloquially known as the 'VICTORIANS'

Victorians
Victorian architecture is composed of a number of different styles classified on the basis of their different application of form, technique and material. Each style is unique though often combined. Some of the major styles are:
Italianate - built during the 1840's and 1850's, these houses have features such as a flat roof, overhanging eves, decorative paired brackets and cornices, square cupola and a wood frame and arcade porch topped with balustrated balconies.
Gothic Revival - built between 1840 and 1880. Inspired by the cathedrals of medieval Europe they have steeply pitched roofs. Exterior window moldings are arched, forming a point at the top. Other features include grouped chimneys, pinnacles, shaped parapets, asymmetrical floor plan, veranda, one story porch and leaded glass. These were supposed to be built from stone but the American habit of buildings out of wood led to 'Carpenter Gothics'.
Queen Anne - regal and fancy, these houses are famous for their flashy embellishments and colours, very popular during the 1880's and 1890's. Queen Anne's have a steep roof, shingled insets and slanted bay windows. They often have a turret or tower. Flourishes include lots of gingerbread, spindles, ornate cornices, brackets, and lead or stained glass windows.
Stick - includes square bay windows, flat roof lines and free-style decorations, turned, square, or round columns and false-fronts to make them look taller.

From here we travelled along the street that saved San Francisco (VAN NESS AVENUE), of which, both sides - houses and businesses lining VAN NESS - were dynamited to act as a fire break to overcome the great fire which broke out after the 1906 earthquake.
We then travel past UNION SQUARE where our hotel is, and up through the CHINATOWN GATE and onto the FINANCIAL DISTRICT.
Through CHINATOWN we hit NORTH BEACH district, run around TELEGRAPH HILL and under the COIT TOWER to rejoin the EMBARCADERO which skirts this promontory, and returning to PIER 39.

Data
Journey: 25miles (+ walking)
Time: 160mins
Temp: 76

After this we visited the COIT TOWER, WASHINGTON SQUARE (a bit like Hyde Park with artists' wares under the trees), onto the FINANCIAL DISTRICT for some shots of 'The PYRAMID' onto SUTTER STREET (that name again!) and finally to UNION SQUARE for a Taiwanese-American cultural twinning event with live music, ethno-diverse foods and the usual array of gifts and trinkets.

Evening
Lost to the repeatedly diminishing-return of not finding any bars, liquor, fresh fruit juice or smoked almonds!

Friday 16 May 2008, San Francisco, CA

Playing tourists today with a trip to Alcatraz and a visit to the shopping district(s?)

Alcatraz
The Alcatraz Island trip offers a close-up look at the site of the first ever lighthouse and US fort on the West Coast, the infamous federal penitentiary long off-limits to the public, which also has a natural side to ‘the Rock’ - gardens, tide pools and numerous protected bird colonies.
The tour includes an audio tour and an exhibition space both of which feature extensive collections from the island. Collections include objects made by notorious inmates, historic photographs and documents, escape materials and inmate artwork
In the 1800s American Indians prisoners were often held at the military prison on Alcatraz. In 1964, a year after the penitentiary closed, and again in 1969, Alcatraz was "liberated" by Indians of All Tribes, changing the course of U.S. history by helping to establish tribal rights of self determination. Their 18 month occupation would bring an end to the federal termination policy, saving the tribes.

Market Street
Market Street is a major thoroughfare in San Francisco, California, beginning at Embarcadero in front of the Ferry Building at the north-eastern edge of the city and running south-west through downtown, passing the Civic Center (Centre!), to the intersection with Corbett Avenue in the 'Twin Peaks' neighborhood.
Market Street is a key transit artery for the city, and has carried in turn horse-drawn streetcars, cable cars, electric streetcars, electric trolleybuses and diesel buses. Today buses, trolleybuses and heritage streetcars share the street, cable cars no longer operate on Market Street, but terminate to the side of the street at the intersections with California Street and Powell.
Long described as San Francisco's Fifth Avenue, Market Street was originally laid out in 1843 by Jasper O'Farrell, a 26-year old trained civil engineer from County Wexford, Ireland. It was described at the time as an arrow aimed straight at "Los Pechos de la Choca" (the Breasts of the Maiden), now called ‘Twin Peaks’ – almost as freaky as the Lynch movie from our experience of traversing its entire length last evening!

Data
Temperature: 91f - 102f
Miles walked: 14
Boar trip: 3miles/30mins
Time taken: 10 hours

Thursday, 15 May 2008 San Francisco

Sacramento to San Francisco
(via Napa Valley, the Muir Wood NM and the Golden Gate NRA)

Temperature rose from a humid 78f to an Extremadura-like 102+!

14 May 2008, Sacramento, CA

Winnemucca - Sacramento
(via Reno beltway, Carson City (what? Where?), Lake Tahoe (Hi Jo! - saw the 2 squaws!)
Arrived after a serious misdirection by the until-now, flawless MapQuest.com directions - we ended up going south (right-ish direction, guessed only by my trigonometric evaluation of the time and position of the Sun), down Del Pasa Blvd but about 11 blocks west, merging onto the 160, then J Street (west), then 29th Street (south), then N Street (west), and there!

Tuesday 12 May 2008, Winnemucca, NV

Salt Lake City to Winnemucca
(via Bonneville Speedway/Salt Flats)

Bonneville Speedway/Salt Flats
Managed as an area of 'Critical Environmental Concern' the Bonneville Salt Flats are a 30,000 acre expanse of barren land in which not even the simplest of life forms can exist.
The salt crust is an estimated 147 million tons, equivalent of 99 million cubic yards! 90% of it is made up of common table salt - sodium chloride. The remainder comprising potassium, magnesium, and lithium.
Humans lived in the Great Basin in which both the Salt Lake and the Salt Flats sit as early as 10,300 years ago.
The area was named after French-born army officer Capt. Benjamin L E Bonneville. In 1833, a trapper working for Benjamin Bonneville's fur trading company, explored, mapped and named the area after his boss, as was the custom in order to gain favour or better wages.
There is no historical record that Benjamin Bonneville ever saw this famous and eponymous area.
The area's first use as a raceway was conceived by the publisher Randolph Hearst (think 'Rosebud', and hostage-lover). As a publicity stunt (well, he was a publisher!), Hearst hired William Rishel of Cheyenne, Wyoming to attempt a crossing on bicycle. Rishel did so in 22 hours!
The Salt Flats gained international interest when Utah driver Ab Jenkins lured Sir Malcolm Campbell to compete for land speed records across its table-flat surface.
More recently another Brit, Andy Green, recorded over 350mph in a diesel 'JCB'!
No mention of the Utah Salt Flats can go without mention of 'The Metaphor' or 'Tree of Utah', which sits on the edge of the I-80 highway. Unfortunately, there are no rest stops nearby from which to marvel at this abstract sculpture, built by Swedish artist Karl Momen between 1982-1986. The 'Tree' contains over 225 tons of cement, 2000 ceramic tiles, 5 tons of iron rods and tons of rocks and minerals native to this barren place.

Road Trip Notes
Head WEST onto I-80 and continue past WENDOVER (for the Raceway)
Onto ELKO, WELLS and CARLIN
Finally arriving at WINNEMUCCA some 390 miles and 5h 24mins later, gaining an hour due to entering Pacific Time!

Monday 11 May 2008, Salt Lake City

Cody to Salt Lake City
(via Yellowstone National Park and Idaho Falls)
Awoke to a frosting of about 2 inches of snow
Asked a local coach driver and the concierge about conditions – saltshakers would be out and about by the time we arrived – they said!
They weren’t!

Yellowstone National Park
Drove 52miles west to Yellowstone through driving sleet, snow and hail only to arrive at the east entrance in a caravan of 7 vehicles to be told that snow ploughs had only just started the 120-mile clearance, after that, rangers would assess the roads for safe passage. We could be waiting until noon, perhaps all day!
I explained our plans to Jovine, one of the rangers and proposed my alternative route which she agreed was the best plan, considering SLC was over 7 hours away, so:
Plan B for today was: Cody to Yellowstone National Park, back to Cody, south to Thermopolis (home to the World’s largest mineral spas!), Riverton, Lander, Rock Springs then onto Salt Lake City!
Data
Proclaimed the World’s first National Park in 1872
Acreage: 2.2million
Trails: 1000mi
Greatest collection of natural geothermal features including geysers (most notable, ‘Old Faithful’), and vents
‘Old Faithful’ erupts on average every 90 minutes and reaches approximately 130ft. Each eruption lasts between 90 seconds to 5 mins and produces 3700 to 8400 gallons of almost boiling hot water and steam
Today’s mileage: 586 miles
Time: 9h 42mins

Driving Notes and Tips
Take USA-130 SOUTHEAST from CODY signed to THERMOPOLIS (96mi)
Take USA-30 SOUTH signed SHOSHONE (37mi)
Take USA-26 SOUTHWEST signed RIVERTON (16mi)
Onwards on USA-26/WY789 signed LANDER (28mi)
South onto USA-28 signed ROCK SPRINGS (125mi)
Take counter-logical left turn to go right onto I-80 (They’ve not built the right lane yet!)
Head WEST to SALT LAKE CITY (86mi)
Enjoy”

BB
Received your texts today – the first time we have had a signal since Cheyenne, just after Denver.

SLC
Failed to get a T-Mobile SIM today - still looking - despite the .com website saying the T-Mob shop was ‘opening early 08’ and the store layout plan at the mall in SLC showing the location of the shop, and despite the helpful girl at Footlocker phoning the number listed in the mall directory, the shop is not yet open! Apart from that, all OK here – will try to get a SIM in San Fran.
Email me!

Sunday, 11 May Keystone to Cody

Departed in ice to visit Mount Rushmore, then onto Cody, WY via Newcastle, SD and Buffalo, WY.
Richard, Debbie, yes, we were there for 07:15 in the morning to catch the early light on the presidential rockfaces, and thought of you both warming to the delights of keystone!

Route
From KEYSTONE join SD-40/Holy Terror Trail, then join US-16/Ion Mountain Rd toward CUSTER.
Keep going WEST on ALT-16 past Jewel Cave NP, head toward NEWCASTLE.
Keep heading NW through UPTON toward MOORCROFT/I-90
Join I-90, heading W past GILETTE to BUFFALO.
At BUFFALO, head W onto I-90/I-25 which becomes USA-16 to
Road becomes US-14/US-16 in parts, but locally known as the GREYBULL HIGHWAY!
Head N toward GREYBULL but take US-30 at BASIN and head for CODY vis BURLINGTON.
CODY is about 30mi west.
366 Mi
6h 52min
72f

Saturday, 10 May Badlands, SD

Not like the film at all!
Nor as it sounds

The rain abated around 3am but roads still heavily drenched. Low cloud brightening with the passing Sun. Not inquisitive enough to show his face anywhere near SD. Meanwhile, Sacramento basks in 86c... Made use of the coffee and hot blueberry muffin to set me up for the journey. Original plan was to go from Keystone to Badlands via Scenic, onto Wind Cave, then return. Total mileage: around 255, but duration was around 8h 44m - tooo long.
Roads being as wet as they are, and the early roads on this route being unpaved (= unsuitable when wet), meant that I have worked a new route - all within 20 mins up getting up!
Plan B is: Keystone to Badlands via I-state 90 to Wall, then Interior to Hot Springs (for Wind Cave), Custer and return to Keystone. Similar mileage but only 4h 44m! Result!

Temp: 32f, Rain, Wind speed: 45mph
Having left Keystone at 07:12, by the time we got to Rapid City (16mi), the temperature dropped rapidly and we became embroiled in a snow storm which threatened to close the I-90.
Despite this horrendous weather, we ploughed on (almost quite literally!), for we were made of sterner stuff, true grit (not the stuff they put on the roads in England two weeks after the motorways are clogged with ice-trapped abandoned vehicles), but true grit!

Wall, SD
Popped into the cornucopia which is the ingeniously promoting Wall Drug. As seen in places as far afield as the Great Wall of China and Ircilik, Turkey! For our part, West Wittering also gets a name check in this eclectic SD mall!

Badlands
Established as a National Monument in 1939 and re-designated in 1978
244,000 acres
Comprises flat table-top plains, prairies, needle buttes and spectacular stratified rock formations.
Due to the high quantity of unexploded ordnance in the southern region, we were advised not to travel this route 'for our own safety'!...
...
...Survived!!

Hot Springs
Don't get me started!
[Censors again!!]

Keystone
Evening spent again in our new adopted 'local' the Red Garter Saloon and Casino!
[Censors prevent further detail here]
Met a charming couple, Debbie and Richard from Dallas, TX.
Debbie and Richard are from Dallas.
Debbie and Richard have come to South Dakota in May for a short break.
Debbie and Richard could have chosen to go anywhere within a similar throw - Cancun, Bermuda, Key West/Largo, West Indies!
Debbie and Richard chose South Dakota!
In May!
They won a free night's stay in a hotel in Keystone and so booked flights to Rapid City, hired a car and, just to make the trip worthwhile, added an extra five days to the itinerary!
Story: They didn't exactly win a free night's stay in the hotel - it was a raffle prize!
We posited that they could have probably got the sixth night free, simply by buying five in the first place!

Oil
Richard is a former petroleum engineer and told a story to make most Americans boil with envy. All chief employees in the oil industry across America (but chiefly in the 'Lone Start State' - engineers, chemists, economists and chief executives - are able to purchase domestic gas (that's petrol for all my English viewers!), for 10c per gallon. It used to be 5c but the 'credit crunch' has brought about some economies across the industry! Richard simply enters a code at the pump in place of his credit card number and the gas is his!
Sad to say that after numerous drinks that evening, we are still no closer to that 'secret code'! Still at $3.44 per gallon its still around £4.50 cheaper than we are used to!
Debbie, Richard, it was good to meet you - enjoy what South Dakota has to offer!

Friday 09 May. Denver to Keystone SD

Denver
Unlike much of the States, the water here is highly drinkable. The hotel is blessed with having filtered Rocky Mountain water pumped straight to its plumbing. Ice cold, it hurts your teeth to drink it. Soft, almost soapily so.

Leaving Denver
Despite its impressive altitude, it still seems to sit below us, in some Colorado dessert bowl depression.

Keyline, WY

The sign said:

Elevation 5160 ft
Population 1

... Had to mention that!

Crazy Horse Monument

Stopped off at the Chief Crazy Horse memorial - the World's largest sculpture, (started by Korczak Ziolkowski at the request of Lakota Chief Henry Standing Bear).

Unfortunately, it's too dark to photograph today - will save that for tomorrow or Sunday.

Black Hills, SD

Mount Rushmore
Also stopped at Mount Rushmore, made famous by the Hitchcock film North by Northwest, where Madison Avenue advertising executive, Roger Thornhill (played by Cary Grant), is mistaken for a government agent named George Kaplan.

The site comprises four president's faces carved by Gutzon Borglum: Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Roosevelt, each dedicated in 1930, 33, 36 & 39 respectively), although the sculpture places them as Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt and Lincoln!
Gutzon Borglum was born in Idaho in 1867 of Danish Mormon parents. He studied much of his craft in Paris and is noted as providing America with another significant sculptural offering - a remodelled torch for the Statue of Liberty!

Keystone
424 miles later we arrive in Keystone, former gold-rush town of the 1870's-80's.
Raining heavily an hour after we arrive, we are horrified to hear of tomorrow's forecast - SNOW!
Caves in the area, of which there are three notable examples: Wind Cave, Jewel Cave and Rushmore Cave, are fairly constant in their temperature - 58f (15c in new money!), despite the ravages of what this region usually suffers above ground.

- Perhaps that's our alternative!?

08 May 2008 London, England to Denver CO.

Flying
I have always loved flying.
You get a real sense of the size and scale of our dilemmas and our dreams.
You get this (or at least I do), from being able to clearly see the curvature of this planet, this rock, our Earth.
Plus, its always sunny up in the jet-stream.
Saw an ice-shelf. I wonder how many more times this will be possible from this flightpath?

Low cloud.
We're flying (intermittently) at about 10,000 feet and I see tracks, indentations and almost physical shapes in this vapouric meringue of condensed air. Greenland's western mountains pierce this gossamer blanket.
Then, almost imperceptibly, these low clouds give way to snow, snow which becomes ice made from the sea.

Later:
Head wind: 5 mph; Outside temperature: -68c: Ground speed 556mph, crystals form on my window like mitochondria on a single cell, framed by the aircraft porthole.

Pre-Denver
Surprising in the rectilinear patchwork which makes up most of the geography visible to the eye from this height (more of which, next) - Crop circles!
Not those humorous geometric patterns made by beardies and cider drinkers in the summer months in parochial Olde Englande, but circles of crops! In each impeccably exact square of tenure, there grew a circle of some cereal crop or other.
Why?
Is it because of some subsidy to not turn the whole of the mid-west into a repeat dustbowl disaster, or is it for some other and so far (to me) confounding peccadillo?
Answers on a postcard please!
Denver, the mile-high city. We cheat, the plane doesn't really need to land so much as slow down in mid-air.

And yes, you do really feel like you're nearer to the sky!

Wednesday 07 May 2008 - London, England

Having just set up this blog I thought I'd commit some initial thought to paper (well, screen!), and get the blogball rolling....

Still thinking...

Still thinking...

I'm a thinker, me!


Ah! - Sitting at my workstation awaiting the home bell to release me unto this coming adventure....

ctd...>>>