One Giant Trip : Part 3

I recently returned from a ten day and much needed vacation to California with Mom and Dad.  It was filled with giant views, a giant city, and my giant family.  I'll be chronicling the trip in three parts over the next few weeks.  

Day 8 : Cousins Galore

A drawn out breakfast with lots of coffee and chatting was a wonderful slow down from all the touristing.  Facebook allows us to keep up with the general goings on but you can't beat the face to face. Passing around the little ones is never a bad thing either.

Lady killer in the making!

I took a hike with my uncle, cousin, cousin's wife, and their little one.  By hike I mean a stroll along the rocky beaches that line the Pacific.  There was a great trail in place that was smooth enough for the walking stroller.  The great part about family reunions is the different combinations of people you spend time with throughout.  Catching up with a cousin who is in an older generation and just returned from living abroad was a treat.

Lunch was once again a drawn out meal {pretty normal for this side of my family} and no one was really in any hurry to be anywhere.  Until the kiddos were ready to move on, the adults (and pretend adults) were content.  The afternoon was filled with Skip Bo, a new game for me, and puzzles.  Puzzles are such a wonderful thing to gather around because they require just enough concentration that small talk falls by the wayside.  I am of the opinion that some of the best conversations come out of the craziest puzzles.

Gotta love a place cool enough for summer bonfires.

Dinner was followed by s'mores, wine, and fun on the hammock and beach volleyball court.    

Day 9 : Seals and Matching Shirts

The second full reunion day everyone headed in different directions are breakfast.  Some headed into town to the aquarium, others to the pool, and others down to Pebble Beach.  I spent the morning attempting to swim in the Pacific.  Let me tell you - it's cold.  I specifically packed a one piece bathing suit and was still frigid.  My cousin and I couldn't convince any of the under 6 age group to try past their tippy toes but some of the over 50 had already taken the plunge.

Mr. Seal! (He's the black bump in the middle of the photo.)

After lunch, three of us headed to kayak Monterey Bay.  We rented kayaks from Adventures by the Sea and had a beautiful ride.  The giant kelp forests were crazy cool but we wanted to get past them because paddling in them was tough.  Apparently, they don't like that.  The wonderfully nice owner of Adventures by the Sea came out and told us it was much easier to paddle on the shore side of the kelp forest.  I'm very glad he told us because when we were headed back we ended up within about 15 feet of seals.  One very happy Florida girl!

7 of the 14 Granny V grandkids.

Slurpees {because National 7/11 Day, duh} and we made it back just in time for family photos.  Thanks to two very efficient cousins with beautiful photography skills, we got all the necessary combinations of family done pretty quickly.  Four generations were represented at this reunion!  The evening was wrapped up with the younger generation finishing off the beer and wine.  

Day 10 : The Last Hurrah

Breakfast was followed by the first round of goodbyes as many people started their treks back home or on the way to the next stop of vacation.  Gathering and packing into my cousin's car (the one who lives in the Bay Area) before three of us headed back to the City.  We wound up a mountain to a fantastic bar for a beer before dropping one cousin off at the airport.  A quick sushi dinner before I headed to the airport rounded out a fantastic trip out to the west coast.  I know I'll be back soon!

One Giant Trip : Part 2

I recently returned from a ten day and much needed vacation to California with Mom and Dad.  It was filled with giant views, a giant city, and my giant family.  I'll be chronicling the trip in three parts over the next few weeks.  

Day 5 : Yosemite to AT&T Park
One last breakfast in the Wawona dining room and a stroll around the Wawona Pioneer Village wrapped up our time at Yosemite.  The Pioneer Village is a self guided tour of example buildings gathered from various parts of the park with most having been built in the first half of the 19th century. Beautifully preserved carriages had us marveling at the fact that people and, even more so, furniture were able to make it across the country relatively unscathed.  

Covered bridge at Pioneer Village (someone missed the Northeast).

We decided to head back to San Francisco via a different route than we'd come so headed south out of the park.  Coming out of the mountains always knocks me out - guess it's my body's way of adjusting to the pressure.  Along the way, we saw the crazy effects of the current California drought. Mostly brown trees with the occasional spots of bright green agricultural fields (majority of which are almonds!).  

We crossed the Bay Bridge which to date is the largest I've ever been on.  This bridge has been retrofitted since the 1989 earthquake and also provides fantastic views of the city.  Mom and Dad dropped me off at the hostel I would be staying at and headed to their hotel.  I chose to stay in a hostel here to meet people and mostly to save a little money.  So glad I did!  The Hostelling International San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf location is breathtaking.  Located at Fort Mason and in old army barracks, my room had a view of Alcatraz and was super quiet. The base now houses National Park Service offices and great green spaces.    

The hostel was long and skinny.

After settling and getting ready, I headed out to meet Mom and Dad so we could make our way to AT&T Park.  The concierge at their hotel suggested walking there (mostly downhill) and taking an Uber home.  What a great walk it was.  We walked through North Beach (essentially Little Italy), caught glimpses of Chinatown, and experienced the rush hour walking that you tend to find in a big city.    

View from our seats!

After meeting my dad's older brother and his youngest son, we grabbed a bite to eat at Pedro's and headed into the park.  Anytime my family is in a new city we try to go to whatever baseball game we can. This game just worked out perfectly because it was Mom's birthday and if she can't be at the beach, a baseball game is the next best option!  The stadium sits right on the bay, as in if they hit it out of the park, fish are getting knocked out.  It was a beautiful night with wonderful people. 

Day 6 : Across a Bridge and Into Jail

After a filling breakfast at the hostel, I wandered around near Fisherman's Wharf and eventually met up with Mom and Dad.  We decided to go ahead and rent our bikes for the day so we could get the most use out of them.  Blazing Saddles set us up with all we needed. {Got a great discount via my hostel, always ask wherever you're staying if they have any city partnerships!}  We popped into the Maritime Museum  which has beautiful art deco paintings and would be an ideal reception or celebration venue.  Later in the evening we did notice an event happening on the rooftop.  

And the ride to the Bridge began. 

A pause for taking in the view!

 The first part is this ridiculous hill that only the Europeans (and Dad!) seemed to be making it up without stopping.  The top of the hill crested at my hostel (on the base) and looks over the bay and old docks.  From there it's an easy ride through Crissy Field and by some beautiful yachts.  The trail takes you to Fort Point for the first fantastic photo op of the ride.  It was a foggy/rainy morning which could have been a bummer but we got to see some surfers right at the point! 

The surfers were all in full body wet suits!

After another few hills, we finally hit the Bridge entrance.  Aside from a few close calls with "real" bicyclists, the ride was awesome.  We stopped a few times for pictures before beginning the downhill into Saulsalito.  Mom and Dad loved the downhill and flew quickly into town.  My bike skills are historically not so graceful so I took it a bit slower.  The homes in this city are gorgeous but the weather is what I fell in love with that day.  Perfectly sunny and apparently always like that.  We grabbed a quick lunch of fish and chips before hopping on the ferry.

Saulsalito's beautiful homes.

We made it back to city side just in time for our Alcatraz ferry and were on our way out to the infamous island.  It's hard to describe the experience of being at this island prison.  Definitely surreal and made me never want to be in any jail ever.  The guided tour is very well done with voices of former guards and inmates describing daily life as well as the more well known prison events.  A former inmate was on the island that day doing a book signing - again just a very odd feeling seeing someone who committed so much fraud (he forged and counterfeit checks for many years) almost being treated as a celebrity. 

I had no idea about the Indian Occupation of the Island in the 1970s. 

Upon returning from the island, we wandered back to Blazing Saddles through Fisherman's Wharf to return our bikes.  Following advice from friends, we found a restaurant not directly on Pier 39 for a less crowded dinner.  Pompei's Grotto was delicious and the service was great.  Definitely doesn't beat Gulf Coast seafood but when in Rome!  After dinner treats at Ghirardelli Square and I was ready to pop.  We were all worn out after a full and fantastic day of being tourists.  

Day 7 : San Francisco to Asilomar Beach

We wrapped up our last morning in San Francisco with a ride through the city to find the Painted Sisters and the Full House house.  Wandering through neighborhoods is such an easy way to get a feel for a city.  A drive down Lombard Street was necessary and as cool as I had expected.

We had most of the day to make it down to the family reunion so decided to take the Pacific Coast Highway south to our destination.  Such a beautiful drive - cliffs, occasional farms, and so many wildflowers.  We stopped to take in the views and stretch our legs.  There were a good amount of people taking advantage of the state park system and gorgeous weather.  

The rocks were so neat and different from what we have in the Southeast.

Santa Cruz was our goal for lunch.  Hula's was recommended on Zomato as a local favorite.  We all had delicious sandwiches and then took a stroll down the main drag.  Very laid back and what you would expect from a place known for its surfing crowd.    

We made it to Asilomar mid-afternoon to check in for the family reunion.  The grounds at Asilomar are beautiful and great for large events. This reunion was the original reason for this grand California tour.  It is organized by my dad's generation of cousins from his mom's side.  It's become a much anticipated event as so many of us are spread across the States (and world every so often).  After checking in, I wandered down to the beach with Mom, aunts, and a few cousins.  Dinner was followed by lots of catching up in the common area before we headed to bed.  

One Giant Trip : Part 1

I recently returned from a ten day and much needed vacation to California with Mom and Dad.  It was filled with giant views, a giant city, and my giant family.  I'll be chronicling the trip in three parts over the next few weeks.  

Day One - San Francisco to Yosemite Lakes

An uneventful, early morning flight to San Francisco meant we had the whole day to make our way towards Yosemite.  [Perks of travelling with Mom and Dad mean it's way easier to rent a car, I can pay for health insurance, vote for the president, and jump out of a plane but renting a car is still out of my responsibility reach!]  A pit stop for all of our first In-N-Out experience which met all my expectations but definitely doesn't beat Whataburger.

This meal gave us our first taste of the beautiful weather to come!

We made it out to Groveland which is the last town before the Yosemite gates.  Lots of stores and restaurants for those passing through as well as plenty of accommodations.  We spent a while in California's oldest saloon, Iron Door Saloon.  There were a ton of dollar bills stuck to the ceiling, beautiful chandeliers that held true to the original style, and a window into the ice cream store in case you were hungry on the way to pee.

We soaked our feet in the stream at Yosemite Lakes for a long time!

A slight hiccup with the original reservations led us to the Yosemite Lakes campground.  The hiccup was such a blessing in disguise.  We snagged the last available cabin for the night, stretched our legs in the creek, and had a picnic dinner on the cabin porch.  Under a beautiful pole barn, we listened to a country cover band that played everything from the 1950s on.  It was a picturesque Fourth of July evening sans fireworks.  Families gathered together, s'mores roasting, and a smattering of languages being spoken.  It was a scene that made me proud to say "yes, this is my country".

Day Two - Yosemite Lakes to Wawona and Mariposa Grove

We began the drive into Yosemite after a makeshift breakfast of granola bars and fruit on the cabin porch.  Winding roads and plunging valleys brought us to our first view of El Capitan through the trees.  First breathtaking moment of the trip.

Tunnel View with Dad.

We wound through the park and stopped at Tunnel View.  Fun fact of the day - back in the 1850s, the first white people who stumbled across this view said hey, let's build a tunnel here because it's a bomb view.  Food for thought on the access we have to the wonders of America that came at a price to the Native Americans and their way of life.

I digress though.  Tunnel View led to more valley views and winding roads to get to the Wawona Hotel.  Straight out of Dirty Dancing y'all.  European style boarding - individual rooms with communal restrooms.  Perk of this is the super comfy bathrobes they provide for bathroom trips!

The rest of the afternoon was spent in the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias.  It just so happened this was the last day the Grove will be open for two years as they conduct restoration efforts to save the existing trees and insure new trees are able to grow.  I don't like to plan too much for trips but was very glad I saw the closure notice on the NPS website or else we may have missed these beauties.

Wawona Fallen Tree after quite the hike.

The trees took my breath too many times to count.  I have made the comment before that it's insane how some houses Europeans live in are older than my country but those castle have nothing on these trees.  Big Foot is about 1900 years old and two trees survived having a tunnel cut through them (sensing a theme yet?).  All in all the Grove was a phenomenal hike.  If you ever visit, take the trail all the way to the Fallen Tree!

Wawona Swim Tank

A cool down swim in the 1918 swim tank followed by a delicious dinner in the Wawona Victorian dining room topped up this fantastic first Yosemite Day.

Day Three - Yosemite Valley and Glacier Point

I'm a fan of big breakfasts and the Pioneer Breakfast hit the spot for our full day ahead.  Once down in the Valley, we parked for the day and used the shuttle or our handy dandy feet to get around the Valley.

Whoever said "don't go chasing waterfalls" was sorely mistaken and has never been to Yosemite.  Lower Yosemite Falls was low enough that we could scramble over the rocks and get up close with the falls.  This is one perk of coming the time of summer we did, it's the tail end of snow melt feeding the falls and word is by the late teens of July they'll be done flowing until spring.

These two are always up for an adventure.

Vernal Falls was our next destination.  A casual 2 mile hike in Florida is fine, 2 miles with an 1000 foot elevation game kicked our Floridian butts.  A butt kicking I'd be happy to take again and thank goodness for whoever hauled and cut the granite for the last 600 steps.  It would have been near impossible without them.

Vernal Falls behind me...

...Vernal Falls below me.

On the pit stop to Vernal Falls (the viewing bridge for those who aren't able to make it to the top), we stopped to eat lunch and met a wonderful couple from Colorado.  They live right near where my sister used to live, the husband is an elementary school teacher, and they were just super chill people.  Meeting people like this and chatting for the 30 minutes is why I travel.  So next time you're out on a trail or in a hotel bar, introduce yourself to the person next to you!

I didn't dare let go of this railing.

We left Vernal Falls, grabbed soft serve ice cream, and headed up to Glacier Point to get the view looking down into the Valley.  An easy hike took us out to Tate's Point, at the point you can look directly down into the Valley.  And by directly down I mean you stand at the top of a cliff face and a small guard rail separates you.  Mom loved it up there, I got somewhat used to it, and Dad was not a fan.  The view was incredibly terrifying.

A small dinner of salads and brie wrapped up this epic day at Yosemite.