Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks

When I first decided to come out to California to work for a few months (that extended to an over 10 month stay!) I made a list of places that I wanted to see before I left.  Near the top of my list were both the Channel Islands National Park and Sequoia National Park.  I went to the Channel Islands very quickly after getting here and as my time is winding down, I knew I had to get to Sequoia as well.  When I learned that Sequoia became a national park on September 25th, which happens to be my birthday, I knew that a great way to celebrate turning another year older would be at the park with my birthday buddy.

Sequoia National Park is a little hike from Sacramento, about a 3.5 hour drive to the closest city to the park, so immediately after work the destination was set for Visalia.  Saturday morning the drive to the park was a bit over an hour and as we got closer the trees started to get bigger.  There are always the really big trees that are named but what amazes me the most are the ones that you can walk right up to and feel how tiny we are in comparison.  I love that the trees can burn from the inside out so that they are hollow but still have this massive presence.  It is amazing to think of how many people have passed by and admired those trees simply by how long they have survived.  I walked through tree trunks, wandered through huge groves of trees and walked up to amazing view points.

On Sunday, I headed into Kings Canyon National Park.  It is adjacent to Sequoia and is also home to some of the massive trees but is also home to a great canyon that splits through the park and is awe inspiring on its own.  Unfortunately, time was a bit limited on Sunday as I still had to make the drive home and be ready for work on Monday.  After waiting to see this park and building it up in my mind, it did not disappoint. There was something spiritual and majestic about the parks.  I kept whispering while I was there and I couldn't figure out why.  It just seemed like such a peaceful place and talking at normal volume would disturb the peace some how. Sometimes it is good to feel small and peaceful and this park definitely did that for me.

Whitefish, Montana

I had been so excited about this trip since I first found out that my best friend since preschool was getting married in Whitefish.  I had wanted go up to visit her and see the area but never quite found the right time for us both so her wedding was not to be missed!  The trip turned out to be a bit different than I had originally planned after an unforeseen life change a few days before I left, but I wouldn't trade the amazing experience that I had.

I got off the plane when I arrived Saturday afternoon and headed straight for the sports bar.  My Gators were playing and I still had time to catch the 4th quarter.  You know...priorities. After cheering for a win, I checked into my hotel and later met Jen for dinner in Kalispell.  We ate at a restaurant called 406 Bar and Grill which had delicious small bite plates we could share including truffle mac and cheese, cheese stuffed dates, and really good oysters.  Catching up with a life long friend over a delicious dinner and a glass of wine after 5 years of not seeing each other was a perfect way to start the trip.

The trip was during the first week of October so whether the Going to the Sun Road in Glacier National Park would be open was already a bit iffy but after forest fires ravaged part of the park in the weeks before I got there, the road had already been closed from the west entrance.  I went to the west side of the park to check out Lake McDonald.  The water is crystal clear with colorful rocks lining the bottoms and I have seen many photos of it in the past so was excited to see it for my own eyes.  After walking and taking a lot of my own photos, it began to drizzle.  I drove a bit more around the east side of the park, as the drizzle started to become full blown rain, then I decided to go ahead and head into Whitefish for a beer and some Sunday football.  I ended up at the Craggy Range for some local beer and some delicious bison meatballs.  So good, in fact, that I ended up back there again for another round of meatballs later in the week.  They also have one of those ice strips around the bar to sit your beer on so that it doesn't get warm.  Really good cold beer and bison meatballs made for a great second day in town.

Lake McDonald

Whitefish is a quaint little town with a friendly cast of locals and those who have migrated there for the charm and welcoming feeling of the town.  Downtown has 3 or 4 blocks of shops, restaurants and bars with the kind of kitshy stuff you expect in any tourist town including anything huckleberry flavored that your heart desires. I stayed in the Firebrand hotel downtown.  A nice boutique hotel with a hot tub and deck on the top floor overlooking downtown and a bar downstairs that kept a lively vibe but still imposed a quiet time after 10 pm so you can get your sleep.

View of downtown Whitefish from the top of the Firebrand hotel

I spent a few days getting to do wedding stuff with Jen and spending time with her family, which I think I probably spent as much time with her family as I did my own growing up.  There is something about spending time with people who, even though you haven't seen them in years, it is like no time has passed.

I drove back to the west side of Glacier to spend more time and see Lake McDonald in the sunshine as well.  The drive over to the east side of the park should have taken about 2 hours but the drive itself was incredibly beautiful and I kept pulling off to take pictures and driving slowly because I was just simply in awe of the view.  The first time the snow capped peaks of the mountains came into full view I literally gasped it was so beautiful.  The fact that the trees were beginning to change colors and were vibrant yellows with occasional punches of red just added to the beauty.  On the east side of the park I stopped at a waterfall and did a short hike to get there before driving on to Two Medicine Lake.  It was a great time of year to be there because it was not crowded at all and it was easy to find peace and quiet and feel like I was alone and had this magnificent park to myself.  I did a couple of other 1 mile hikes and never saw a soul on them.  Just me and the chipmunks :)  And probably the bears but I never saw one.

Some of the beautiful scenery on the drive to the east side of the park

Two Medicine Lake

The view from my hike

Big sky country

The crowning jewel of the trip was definitely getting to see Jen marry her love and the happiness that they share.  They got married at the Whitefish Bike Retreat and the wedding was true to who they are.  I cannot imagine a more perfect wedding for them and was happy I got to witness it and spend some time with them in their new life.

The beautiful bride and me

Monterey Peninsula and Big Sur

I have been in California for 6 months now and have been to Monterey three times. So I guess I'm saying I like it here.  It is an incredibly picturesque place with each new turn another awe-inspiring view and yet it still has lots of things to do around the area.  My first trip to the area was driving up the Pacific Coast Highway to start my new contract. Unfortunately, one of the bridges had already been damaged and I couldn't make the full drive up the coast so after a 2 hour detour, I finally made it!

Pebble Beach:
To golf aficionados Pebble Beach needs no introduction.  The site of a famous golf course amidst the beautiful California coastal scenery and home to many famous people including, I am told, Clint Eastwood.  I, however, did not see any famous people that I was aware of but I did see two Ferraris in a very short period of time. There is a fee to enter the community and make the famous 17 mile drive.  I asked if there was anywhere to eat lunch when I got to the gate and the guy laughed at me (friendly) and said yes. If you spend more that $35 then they will take the price of admission off of your tab and then he said "and you will spend more than $35." He wasn't kidding. My iced tea was $4.50. But it was worth the experience and even if you don't stop to eat along the way (and there are many options from more of the sandwich variety, which is still not cheap, to much more expensive) it was worth the $10 fee to make the trip. The iconic Lone Cypress Tree is definitely worth a stop but there are so many beautiful sites along the way that I would suggest taking your time and enjoying the views.  You could pack your own picnic lunch if you wanted to.

The Lone Cypress Tree

Big Sur:
You cannot come to this area without driving down to the legendary Big Sur along the coastal highway with steep cliffs that disappear into the water and beautiful bridges spanning gaps to allow for easier access to the views.  It's hard to keep your eyes on the endlessly winding roads with all the great sweeping ocean views along the way.  Thankfully there are lots of areas to pull off on the side of the road to safely view the scenery around you. A stop near the Bixby Bridge is a must.  It is one of the most recognizable bridges of the area and is a stunning piece of architecture. A good portion of the road was closed on my trip so I did not make it down to the state park but I read it is scheduled to reopen in a few months so it's just another reason to make another trip to this beautiful area!

Bixby Bridge

Point Lobos State Park:
I think I would come here every weekend if I could.  I went there on my first two trips to the area and would have again on the third except that I have an all day boat excursion and have to be back to work on Sunday so I don't have the time this trip.  My biggest tip is to get there early.  Once the park reaches capacity it closes traffic to cars.  You can park outside the park if you want to avoid the $10 entrance fee but it is still quite a walk to get to the ocean plus I always think of a park entrance fee as a donation to keep it running and completely worth the price for what you get:  Pathways along the coast that let you observe the giant crashing waves as they pound into the rocks below.  A deer grazing along the side of the road.  Watching Harbor Seals that had just given birth to their pups and are teaching them to swim and survive. Brandt's Cormorants with their bright blue necks nesting on the rocks.  Humpback whales playing just off the coast.  A Peregrine Falcon observing those below before swooping overhead and flying off to its next perch. All were amazing sights, each time was a new and different experience and all were completely worth the price of admission.

Crashing waves

Peregrine Falcon

Another Peregrine Falcon

Mama teaching baby Harbor Seal

Cormorants

Monterey:
Cannery Row and the Monterey Bay Aquarium are two of the highlights.  Cannery Row is named because of the sardine cannery that originally took up the area and there is a nice exhibit about it in the Aquarium.  Now it exists full of little kitschy tourist shops and restaurants but is still fun to walk around.  The Monterey Aquarium is known for the research that it does to help promote and protect oceanic wildlife. It was fun to walk around the exhibits and see the sea otters swimming and playing or standing and looking up at the leopard sharks swimming around the giant tanks of fish. One entire exhibit was jellyfish.  I never knew there were so many types of jellyfish.  There are lots of kid friendly exhibits including touch tanks and play areas.  It must be an amazing place if you are a kid and great for parents as the child will be entertained for hours.

Shark in the giant fish tank

Jelly fish

Large whale models hanging from the ceiling

I ate lunch at the Fish Hopper along Cannery Row. Yes, it will be a bit pricier if you eat along Cannery Row but that view is totally worth it in my opinion.  There is nothing better than sitting and watching a sea otter dive down into the kelp beds to get their lunch while sailboats float by and you get to watch it all while eating some of the yummiest Clam Chowder (New England style) I've ever had. 

Just walking along the ocean you will see sea otters, seals, and a big variety of birds.  You don't have to spend a penny to enjoy the view and you could easily sit there most of the day if you are an ocean lover like myself.

Whale Watching:
One of the great things to do off the coast of Monterey is whale watching.  It is known as a whale "hot spot" because of the large numbers of whales that congregate in the area especially humpbacks but it is also along the migratory route for both grey and blue whales.  There are even orcas occasionally spotted in the area.  I signed up for the 8 hour all day tour with Monterey Bay Whale Watch.  They have several shorter tours as well but I was feeling ambitious and armed with some Dramamine and I was excited for the day.  Unfortunately, the waters were rough that day.  They warned us ahead of time and even after we already paid re-warned us and offered that we could change our minds right then if we wanted but no one took them up on their offer.  They weren't kidding...it was rough!  I actually almost fell out of my seat twice but thankfully the Dramamine did its job and I didn't get sick however there were a few others who were less lucky. 

We saw three humpback whales and the beauty of the 8 hour tour was that we got to stay with them for a good 40+ minutes and watch them surface over and over again.  They became comfortable with the boat and came right up to it and surfaced within just a few feet.  It was breathtaking to come that close to such a giant and majestic animal and to get to really feel just how large these creatures are by seeing them so close was amazing.  We also saw a couple other lone humpbacks including one performing some tail slaps as we approached but stopped when we got closer.  We headed back a little early due to adverse changes in weather conditions (which the whale watching company was very nice to compensate us with vouchers to come back for a 3-4 hour tour at a later time) but it was still a successful day out on the water.  We also saw sea otters and sea lions as we got closer back to shore.

Humpback whale surfacing near the boat

Two humpbacks swimming together

Whale tails that flip up when they go down for a deep dive

Humpback whale in the distance doing some tail slapping.

You can also see how rough the water was in this picture.

Sea otter

Sea lions

Point Pinos Lighthouse:
Located in Pacific Grove, it is a small, charming lighthouse that is still set up the way it would have been when it was still occupied.  It is the oldest existing lighthouse on the West Coast.  You can climb partially to the top and onto the second floor to see the sweeping view out to the ocean.  It is definitely worth a quick stop if you are in the area.

View from second floor window