Day 5 & 6 in California

Day 5

Today Amy and Mark visited wineries in the Carmel Valley.  I stayed home at the cabin and vegged.  I read a lovely book I found in the cabin but was disappointed with the ending.  I started another book, read several magazines, tried to organize my life, ate junk food and contemplated the universe.  Amy and Mark returned with 6 bottles of wine and then went to Rocky Point for another cocktail and to enjoy the sunset.  I stayed in my pajamas.  It was a very relaxing day.  Tomorrow we plan on hiking to Mount Carmel from the end of our road.

 

Day 6

Well the hike to Mount Carmel was postponed.  It is a least an 8 hour hike and we were going to get up early but we didn’t wake up until after 9.  By the time we make breakfast, get ready and hit the road, it was too late for Mount Carmel.  Plan B – Garrapta and the Rocky Ridge trail.  This time I am happy to report that we were successful.  We took the right path, only got off trail once, hiked up the easier side and we made it to the top after 3 hours.  While we celebrating our summit, two men ran up and one said to the other what’s our time?  The other responded 40 minutes.  I asked if they ran the trail and he replied “in areas where they can”.  WTF!!!!!! It took us 3 hours walking and they ran it in 40 minutes.  I wonder if they are on meth or steroids.  I was so proud that I made it to the top without pain or gasping for air.  I need to exercise more.  Next time I am running up the trail.  Who am I kidding?  I will hire a sherpa to run me up on his back.  We made it back to the trail head and did a non-moving victory dance.  Back at the cabin we relaxed eating pasta and meat.  It is only 6:15 pm and I am ready for bed.  I don’t think we will be hiking to Mount Carmel tomorrow.  I am willing but is my body?  Decided to take some pictures of the stars.  After a few attempts and reading my camera book I figured it out.  Tomorrow is our last full day in California.  We are heading to the beach to relax.

 

Trying to Catch Up

It is fabulous on a vacation not to have Internet access or cell phone reception.  We actually have to relax and talk to one another.  So, we finally made it to our favorite Safeway where I am will quickly catch you up to date.

Day 1 & 2

We made it Monterey late on Saturday night.  Flights were delayed but in the end we arrived safely and with our luggage.  Win Win.  Kathryn’s daughter Lindsay kindly picked us up from the airport because the car rental agencies close at 8 pm and we arrived at midnight local time.  Quick ride home to the cabin and off to bed.  Fast forward 10 hours, we wake up and head to the airport to pick up our ride for the week.  We have a lovely Ford Fusion (hybrid).  We head off to our favorite Safeway to pick up provisions for the week but first a stop at Starbucks.  They built a new Starbucks at Cross Points and we stopped in for breakfast.  It was interesting shopping with Mark, he wanted meat.  What the? Meat, we never buy no stinking meat.  The highlight of the shopping expedition was the fact that they sell fresh gluten-free cheese ravioli which I had for dinner with a lovely creamy vodka pasta sauce.   Back at the cabin we unload and then head out for our first hike. 

We scrambled down cliffs, over rocks enjoying the scenery and looking always for the elusive sea otter.  No otters today but a quick sea lion sighting.  We head back to the cabin for dinner (ravioli for me) meat for Amy and Mark.  Again, what is with the meat?  There is so much I don’t understand in this world and a craving for meat is one of them.  Fleshy goodness according to Mark.   With our evening meal, we enjoyed a lovely selection of Angry Orchard cider and Blue Moon Harvest beers.  I am currently enjoying the Cinnful Apple Cider a bit too much.  It is damn good.  And when I say damn good, I mean I am ready for bed and it was only 6:45 pm.  It’s like those little cinnamon candies with a lovely kick.  Of course with drunkenness, comes witty repartee.  We are so witty right now. 

The weather is fabulous, the cabin peaceful, and the company priceless.  Later Gators.

 

Day 3

I awoke with a headache courtesy of Angry Orchard.  Now I understand the name.  The apples are angry and are taking their revenge on any that partakes of the cider.  Today we visited Monterey.  First stop was the fabulous aquarium.  They had a lovely jellyfish exhibit but we were unable to find the peanut butterfish exhibit. 

I know, don’t give up my day job to write jokes.  The bay was quite active with otters, seals, sea lions and even humpback whales.  Yes, I saw my beloved humpbacks.  They stopped in the bay for a quick snack before heading south to Hawaii or Mexico.  We had lunch at a lovely restaurant on the water.  It was quite enjoyable to eat your lunch and enjoy sea otters swimming by and whales feeding.  We walked over to pier to view the sea lions and then continued our walk to the wharf.  It is now 7:22 and we are ready for bed.  Vacation can be so tiring.  Tomorrow we once again return to nature and hiking with a visit to Point Lobos and Andrew Molera.  We are saving Garrapata’s hike for Friday. 

Day 4

We awoke early and headed to Point Lobos.  The sea lions were barking and the otters were cavorting but we missed our seals.  Not sure where they hiding but we only saw one.  The surf was huge and we took several hundred pictures of the waves and the spray as the water hits the rocks.   We then traveled to Andrew Molera where we dined had a lovely picnic and were joined by a local squirrel who would only eat Amy’s cheetahs.  It was quite windy and when we got to beach we were sand blasted.  Showers for everyone tonight.  We also ran across our first rattlesnake.  He was teeny tiny, only about 9 inches long with two tiny rattles on the end of his tail.  We were discussing on Sunday morning all the ways we could die in California.  We now have another to add to the list.  The list so far is:

Rattlesnake

Mountain Lion

Driving off a cliff

Falling off a cliff

Rogue wave

Fire

Redwood tree falling on cabin

Hit by a tourist

Flood/Mudslide

Earthquake

Choking a piece of See’s candy

 

Interesting conversations we have when we don't have cable or Internet. 

Day 5 - Hiking

The snow was still on the ground when we left this morning.  The plan was to visit Jewel Cave and to do some hiking.  When we got to the cave, the wait for the next tour was 2 hours.  So we went for a quick hike and must have missed the turn off because it turned into a 90 minute hike that ended with a series of switch backs that took us up a very steep mountain side.  Dave went on the cave tour and I decided to do some more hiking.  I took the canyon trail as far as I could go and had to turn back so that Dave would not send out the National Park Service if I wasn't at the jeep when his tour was done. There is a lot of damage from a fire last year.

We then returned to Custer and checked out the downtown.  Not much open yet.  We then had a late lunch at the restaurant just across the street.  Tired and extremely full, we returned to our hotel rooms to relax.  Sleeping in, hiking in National Forests, eating chocolate, and then reading until all hours of the night - this is a vacation.

Tomorrow the plan is to drive the scenic Needles road that takes us past Mount Rushmore.  There is also a hiking trail around a lake we would like to try, or should I say I would like to try.  Dave's knee may not be able to handle another hike. I also found out they estimate the park is home to about 130 mountain lions.  How am I going to find one in 2 days?  I still want to see a badger, elk (found lots of tracks), ferrets, big horn sheep and now a mountain lion.  Perhaps if I put some bacon in Dave's backpack.  That should attract a few animals.  I also want to see the burros close up.  Every time we see them they are off in the distance.

Day 4 - Tuesday

We started the day looking for a local gun range so that Dave and his friend Maggie could do some shooting.    We found the road and for the next 90 minutes I read a book on Crazy Horse as Dave and Maggie fired off a few rounds.  We then went to Rapid City for lunch and a visit to the Museum of Geology. I did buy a geode and I plan to crack it open when I get home.  On our drive back to Custer it started to snow.  Nice little flakes, not so bad.  We decided to relax in our hotel rooms and plan our activities for Wednesday.  Around 8 I looked out the window and noticed it was still snowing.  Happy Spring!
There is a scenic byway that you can drive in Custer State Park that takes you through tunnels and you can view Mount Rushmore and it is closed during the winter due to the snow and treacherous driving conditions. It was scheduled to open May 1 and we planned on driving it and doing some hiking around Sylvan lake.  With the temperature currently 24 degrees, that plan will have to wait for Thursday or Friday.  Not sure what we are going to do today but hopefully the snow kills the ticks.

Day 3 - Caves, wild life and ticks

Today we planned to hike Custer State Park and the weather was perfect.  A bit breezy but once in the trees, it was comfortable.  Our first trail had a difficulty rating of moderate, 1.5 miles and took us about 90 minutes.  It felt good to be outdoors, in the trees, in the sun and hiking up a mountain.  Not sure if Dave felt the same.  He has this thing about hiking up.  That trail finished we head off to another we had seen on Sunday and it looked level.  It was level until the first switch back. 

Marvelous views of a valley and the mountains in the distance.   We didn't hike all the way to the valley floor.  Back in the jeep we head to Wind Cave which is south of Custer State Park.  On the way we passed the prairie dog town.  They are so cute and I took about a 100 pictures.  I have them barking, running, stretching, standing up, lying down and eating.  travel trailer.  

 

We continued to Wind Cave and we went on the guided tour given by a nice young ranger named Lucas.  The original opening is 16 inches in diameter.  In the late 1800’s, people climbed in to the cave through that small hole and went on candle light tours.  We fortunately were able to enter through a much larger entrance.  The cave received its name because of the wind that blows either out or in through the original opening depending on the barometric pressure.  The cave was awesome, cool, dark and it has some features not found in many other caves.  We were about 200 feet underground.  Fortunately, they have a lovely elevator that whisks us quickly to the surface. 

We return to Custer State Park on our way back and it was later in the day and it was fabulous.  The buffaloes were next to the road, we saw mule deer, lots of white tail deer, more turkeys and antelope.  We were almost out of the park when we came across a huge buffalo herd, near the road with lots of calves.  150 pictures later we continue on our way back to the hotel.  We were both very hungry and planned another trip to Subway.  However, the buffalo were everywhere.  We saw them at the campgrounds, in front of the lodge and in a picnic area.  If you plan on camping in Custer State Park I recommend a cabin or a travel trailer.

At one of the stops to take even more pictures, the back of my neck hurt and I found a tick.  This after talking to rangers and hearing about Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and that ticks in the area are known to carry it.  All the way home and in Subway I can’t stop itching and feeling my scalp. 

A long hot shower made me feel much better and I didn’t find any more ticks.  The spot on my neck looks like a mosquito bite.  I call Affinity Health, describe my dilemma and they contacted the doctor on call.  He calls me back and after a discussion that included information I found on the CDC website, he promises to call in a prescription for antibiotics to a drug store in Custer.  Dilemma solved, potential crisis averted.  If I do start to develop symptoms I can start the drugs right away. 

Tomorrow we are going to meet Dave’s friend Maggie and after they do some target shooting, we are going to visit a geological museum in Rapid City.  

Custer State Park

After checking in we were going to walk around Custer, checking out the shops and restaurants but it began to sprinkle.   We decided to visit Custer State Park and get a weekly permit, information on the trails and drive around a bit to familiarize ourselves with the park.  Well, as soon as we entered, we met up with a herd of white tail deer.  As we drove deeper into the park, the road winds up and down, through forest areas, rocky cliffs and open prairie areas.  As we come upon the prairie area I noticed a great deal of buffalo dung.  Piles and piles and piles. 

 

However, not one buffalo in sight.  We continued driving, through the park and we encountered more buffalo dung, yet not one buffalo.  We then saw turkeys, prong horn antelopes, even a herd of wild burros, still not one buffalo.  Given the amount of buffalo dung, there had to be a huge herd somewhere.  Dave mentioned that the dung could be old.  I asked him to check out a few to see if they were fresh.  Dave said no – really, he has no sense of adventure.  I took pictures of the dung thinking it would be my only evidence of buffalo existence in Custer State Park.  See Exhibit A.

Finally, after miles of driving, we see two male buffaloes in the distance.  We stayed in the car and took several pictures.  See Exhibit B. 

 

We continued to follow the loop through the park.  There are several dirt roads that are open to the public and on our next visit we are taking Frankie to the back country.  Need to see what this jeep can do.  We encounter more deer, more antelope and some mountain goats.  Then at the top of a hill we come upon a large buffalo herd.  Finally an explanation for the plethora of buffalo dung. 

 

Hundreds of pictures later, we continued our tour of the park and returned to Custer where we stopped at the local Subway.  FYI – the chopped salads are huge.  Back at the Rocket Motel, we are planning for the rest of the week.  I should have taken two weeks off.  One week of hiking is not enough. 

Custer

We made it to Wall South Dakota last night.  I found a $53 room at the Super 8 and it was much more comfortable than spending a night sleeping in the jeep at a wayside.  We visited Wall Drug and I now have more lovely magnets for my collection.  I will need to purchase another refrigerator if I continue to travel.  I also purchased some chocolate caramel fudge which was fabulous.  We also picked up a bumper sticker for Frankie.  That is what we call Dave’s Toyota FJ jeep.

He called it Frank James (FJ – get it) but the jeep seems more like a Frankie to me.  They give away the bumper stickers which is why you see so many on vehicles.  We were soon back on I90 which has a speed limit of 75 and on our way to Custer.  It was windy and just outside of Wall we saw a semi-truck flipped upside down.  Hopefully no one was seriously injured but a lot of emergency vehicles were racing down I90 to the accident scene.   At Rapid City, we left the Interstate and the terrain change from flat to curvy, hilly and lots of trees.   I can’t wait to get out on the trails.  Didn’t see any buffalo, just some goats but we should see some in Custer State Park. 

We are staying at the Rocket Motel and it has a lovely retro theme and the owners are extremely nice.  We are heading out to check out downtown Custer.  It is a little cloudy and the temps are dropping which will make it perfect hiking weather.  Did I mention I can’t wait to get out onto the trails?  Not sure what we are doing tomorrow.  Hopefully Custer State Park and the elusive buffalo. 

Countdown Begins

I can't believe that it has been over a year since my last vacation.  That must never happen again!  In less than 24 hours I will be on the road heading to Custer, South Dakota.  I have spent the last week trying to pack but given the schizophrenic weather patterns that we have been subjected to of late, I have everything from a down parka and snow pants to shorts in my suitcase.  I am ready for anything.  I also have the necessary road trip snacks purchased and I have yet to open them.  They do call to me in the night.  Damn M&M's!  I am looking forward to a week of communing with nature, stalking the elusive bison and elk and avoiding rattlesnakes and mountain lions.  The hotel has WiFi so I plan on blogging all week.  Later Gators.