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Yosemite & PCH in Sept. searching for pointers.
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LandSailor
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PostPosted: Tue Aug 27, 2013 9:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Vinzanto wrote:
Definentely check out the Julia Pfeiffer State Park waterfall. It is located south of Big Sur!


Absolutely. One of the easiest jewels on the coast!

We just did this a few weeks ago and they were filming a movie there on the trail. I got some great video of the actors and even filmed the shot from a few feet back. One of the Production Asses asked "Are you filming the movie?"

"Oh no! Just the waterfall!"

Yeah, like you have any right to ask me what I am filming on a public walkway in a public park. If you are requiring me to stand there while you film your likely straight to video movie, I'm going to film whatever the heck I want.

(Of course, it's the People's Republic of Kalifornia, so they might.)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2962876/[i]

Someone had arranged rocks on the beach to spell "HELP". I hope it wasn't for that movie because it kind of spoiled the scene.

Whatever you do, be sure you have plenty of gas when going through Big Sur unless you like paying $5.99 a gallon. The price is listed on the pump in a P-Touch label, so I doubt it ever changes.

Cambria (just south) also has inflated gas prices. They return to normal in the next town south. Nit Witt Ridge is interesting, but if you're pressed for time, don't fret over skipping it.

If you're planning on Hearst Castle, reserve your tickets now to ensure you have a spot. Our trip was very much a spur of the moment thing since we didn't even have a Westy until a week before we left, so we couldn't go. It did give us a great excuse to go back, though.

Do not miss Elephant Seal Beach, just north of San Simeon!

http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=666 is supposed to be cool. We didn't have time.

If you travel I-5 near Visalia, bring nose plugs. It was dark when we came through, but the smell of cattle manure is almost overwhelming.

Of course, if you're a fan of The Lost Boys, it's required that you stop by the Santa Cruz Boardwalk. We happened to land there on a 1910 Night when all rides, sodas, hot dogs, popcorn, and cotton candy cost $1.

One very cool thing there: If you've ever had a fantasy about being a burglar navigating a laser maze to get to a billion dollar diamond, give The Vault a try. It's like $10 for five giant bruises to your ego...I mean "plays".

Also, I haven't checked it out, but the current issue of Sunsets magazine has a cover story about Highway 1. The covershot is the waterfall at Julia Pfeiffer. It might be worth checking out.
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j_dirge
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PostPosted: Tue Aug 27, 2013 9:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

LandSailor wrote:

If you travel I-5 near Visalia, bring nose plugs. It was dark when we came through, but the smell of cattle manure is almost overwhelming.

"ALMOST!?"
Laughing

IS!!!

Kettelmen City.

As a kid.. we'd drive by there on our way to SoCal.. twice a yr.
A mile before we'd see the pens.. my Dad would yell "Roll up the windows!"
And we'd bury our heads in pillows or jackets.... Anything to stop that smell.
Laughing

Those pens are even bigger today than 40 yrs ago.. And it smells just as bad as EVER!
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danfromsyr wrote:
those are straight line runs with light weight race cars for only 1/4mile at a time..
not pushing a loaded brick up a mountain pass with a family of 4+ inside expecting to have an event free vacation..
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LandSailor
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PostPosted: Tue Aug 27, 2013 9:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

j_dirge wrote:


"ALMOST!?"
Laughing

IS!!!

Kettelmen City.


I won't argue with that! I grew up around stockyards and cattle, but geez, that smell was truly epic. The fact that we couldn't see what was causing it made it even worse. Man, it was the only time on the trip that I wished we were in our XTerra with that fancy modern recirculating air conditioning. After almost 2K miles in the Westy, I feel claustrophobic in the XTerra now! It seems like the cockpit of a Formula One car.

I definitely had to re-learn where Reverse is!

OOTR:

One other thing, if you're spending a couple days in San Francisco/Monterey, grab a CityPass. You get admission to several great things, unlimited MUNI transportation, and save quite a bit of money in the process. The three biggies are Monterey Bay Aquarium, Exploratorium, and Cal Academy of Sciences. Schedule ahead of time and you can get an Alcatraz Tour instead of the kind of lame Bay Cruise.

http://www.citypass.com/san-francisco

They had to drag me out of the Exploratorium.

We also had a great time kayaking at the Elkhorn Slough with Monterey Bay Kayaks. We had so much fun doing it in Monterey that we changed our plans to spend the next day doing it in the wild.

I'm from the Ozarks and spent plenty of time floatin' on the Buffalo National River. It's a whole other world when you see jellyfish floating by you! (Maybe not a big deal to you if you live by the coast, but it was a slew of lifetime memories for us!)
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jackbombay
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PostPosted: Tue Aug 27, 2013 10:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

rsxsr wrote:
We have found most dog owners to be responsible, do have control over their dogs, do not let them run unleashed, and pickup after them. Back east, state parks are much more dog friendly.


It sounds like the dog owners on the east coast step up to the responsibility of dog ownership while the dog owners where I live in the land of wide open spaces/national parks, don't.

I can see where the dog owners here assume that all the open space means that they should be able to let their dog roam, that attitude carries to the trails, and just about anywhere else. Very few people pick up after their dog around here either, a hike up teton pass (popular backcountry skiing location) in the spring is revolting, literally hundreds upon hundreds of piles of dog crap on either side of the trail.

Out here, almost everybody hikes with their dog *not on a leash*, and virtually nobody has consistent repeatable voice control of their dog either. Unfortunately the people who own dogs and live around national parks are what the parks realistically have to base their dog policy on and responsible owners like you end up suffering because of that.
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PostPosted: Tue Aug 27, 2013 2:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

LandSailor wrote:

If you travel I-5 near Visalia, bring nose plugs. It was dark when we came through, but the smell of cattle manure is almost overwhelming.


Harris Ranch. The best steak restaurant you'll find out on I-5 or perhaps in most towns. There's a reason they have their own private plane airstrip next to the restaurant --- people fly in from all over the valley to go there for dinner.
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Steelhead
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PostPosted: Tue Aug 27, 2013 2:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Harris Ranch, aka "Cowschwitz"?

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Whoever came up with that nickname deserves a prize.
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PostPosted: Tue Aug 27, 2013 3:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Steelhead wrote:
Harris Ranch, aka "Cowschwitz"?

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Whoever came up with that nickname deserves a prize.



It's like "Woodstock 69" for cows, a lil' bit of mud...
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 28, 2013 9:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the recommendations. Makes it easier to pinpoint certain areas and sites rather than wasting time on certain things; though, have found cool things by accident.

Last time, years ago, I drove down PCH in pitch blackness and missed everything. Started that day in S.F. but spotted whales off the coast and spent most of the day pulling over and whale watching. Finally realizing what time it was I had to split and bomb south to Santa Barbara.

It's crazy how many huge rocks are on the highway at night Shocked
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stubble88
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 28, 2013 11:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Avila Beach is very dog freindly, and during the week you should not have any issues camping there. Eat at Fat Cat. all within walking distance of each other.
although you will miss the sunset seeing that the beach is tucked in a cove.
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LandSailor
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 28, 2013 11:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Fernwood Resort in Big Sur has some incredibly good ice cream. I can't remember the brand name, but that Blueberry Cheesecake was the best ice cream I've ever eaten.
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j_dirge
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 28, 2013 11:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just a heads up on the fire.

CALFIRE expects that this fire may well burn until the winter rains/snow extinguish it "naturally"

The park remains open from the south. The valley floor is not impacted.
However Tioga Pass is closed currently. And no word is available on what long term plans are for HWY 120 and Tioga Pass.

Many resources are being applied to the HWY 108 corridor to the north to prevent fire from reaching the communities along that reach.. from Sonora to Pinecrest. The fire is mostly USFS land between the two mountain passes of Tioga HWY 120 to the south and Sonora HWY 108 to the north.

Fire is burning IN Yosemite NP.. But it is the area to the north of Tioga HWY 120.

I'll link the USDA FS site when I get a chance. includes a map and evacuation notices.

Bummer. City of Berkeley Summer Camp (Camp Tuolumne ) burned to the ground.. and LOTS of Bay Area families have built years of memories at that place.
Very sad.
Camp Mather is saved.. for the time being.
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danfromsyr wrote:
those are straight line runs with light weight race cars for only 1/4mile at a time..
not pushing a loaded brick up a mountain pass with a family of 4+ inside expecting to have an event free vacation..
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j_dirge
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 28, 2013 1:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Here's that link.

http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/stanislaus/home/?cid=stelprdb5433438

Click on the link there for a map, as well.

Major media outlets, like LA Times and SF Chronicle (sfgate.com), also have "interactive maps" and ongoing status reports.
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-89 GL Westy, SVX.. finally.

-57 pan f/g buggy with a 67 pancake Type 3 "S"
"Jimi Hendrix owned one. Richard Nixon did not"
-Grand Tour, Season 1, episodes 4 and 5

danfromsyr wrote:
those are straight line runs with light weight race cars for only 1/4mile at a time..
not pushing a loaded brick up a mountain pass with a family of 4+ inside expecting to have an event free vacation..
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 28, 2013 2:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://wildfiretoday.com/2013/08/21/california-rim-fire-west-of-yosemite-np/

you can also check the website for the NFIC
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 28, 2013 2:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://wildfiretoday.com/2013/08/21/california-rim-fire-west-of-yosemite-np/

you can also check the website for the NFIC
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 29, 2013 6:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

30% contained! Hells yeah!
Making headway...
Cheers for these firefighters !!!

Had plans to visit our place nearby (about 8 miles from the burn, to north) next weekend.
Won't be going there anytime soon as air quality isn't fit for chain smokers, even.

Tioga Pass remains closed thru Labor Day weekend to be used for routing equipment to fight the eastern end of this beast.

Largest fire in the Sierra, on record. I think a couple historic structures may have been lost. Bourland Trestle and Fahey Cabin.. checking on it. No word.

Our Vanny sitting atop the north abutment to the Bourland trestle a couple summers back
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

The southern reach is in the background. (The lil dirgette readying a camera shot).
That was the longest, tallest wooden trestle in CA until a storm took out the middle section in early 90s.. The fire may have finished the rest of it off. Sad
Creosote likes to burn.
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-89 GL Westy, SVX.. finally.

-57 pan f/g buggy with a 67 pancake Type 3 "S"
"Jimi Hendrix owned one. Richard Nixon did not"
-Grand Tour, Season 1, episodes 4 and 5

danfromsyr wrote:
those are straight line runs with light weight race cars for only 1/4mile at a time..
not pushing a loaded brick up a mountain pass with a family of 4+ inside expecting to have an event free vacation..


Last edited by j_dirge on Thu Aug 29, 2013 8:33 am; edited 1 time in total
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j_dirge
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 29, 2013 6:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Aerial view of fire.. a couple days back


Link

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-89 GL Westy, SVX.. finally.

-57 pan f/g buggy with a 67 pancake Type 3 "S"
"Jimi Hendrix owned one. Richard Nixon did not"
-Grand Tour, Season 1, episodes 4 and 5

danfromsyr wrote:
those are straight line runs with light weight race cars for only 1/4mile at a time..
not pushing a loaded brick up a mountain pass with a family of 4+ inside expecting to have an event free vacation..
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guggenheim
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 29, 2013 7:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

thanks for the links and updates j_dirge.


I really hope the firefighters are safe and fires get under control.

My trip doesnt begin until mid Sept. I know this is a hit and miss time of year; campgrounds close, hwy's close, businesses close, very seasonal. This is also my favorite time of the year to visit NP's. Kids and families stop taking vacation because of school, which really helps lower crowds and lines Very Happy . Easier to run and hike trails and climb!
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 01, 2013 7:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Fire is 40% contained and big sighs of relief for communities along the 108 corridor.

Unfortunately for the park... Winds shifted.
Yosemite Valley is smoked in.
These condition may continue thru September.. and as long as the fire burns.
(winds clock from eat to west, and west to east... night to day)
Keep checking the links.. and call the park for more information as your trip nears.

September is a great time to travel this area.
Still warm, but cools off at night.

Places like Kings Canyon? You'll have it to yourself.
Sequoia will have camp sites open.
Yosemite is still packed, but not so bad as before Labor Day.
East side of Sierra will be empty. (except Mt Whitney Portal.. still high season for climbing the peak)
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-89 GL Westy, SVX.. finally.

-57 pan f/g buggy with a 67 pancake Type 3 "S"
"Jimi Hendrix owned one. Richard Nixon did not"
-Grand Tour, Season 1, episodes 4 and 5

danfromsyr wrote:
those are straight line runs with light weight race cars for only 1/4mile at a time..
not pushing a loaded brick up a mountain pass with a family of 4+ inside expecting to have an event free vacation..
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 01, 2013 3:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://inciweb.org/incident/3660/

my son just left the American fire after 14 days straight, back in Bishop for 3 days and thinks they are headed to the Rim fire Monday or Tuesday.
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 02, 2013 12:18 am    Post subject: just got back today Reply with quote

heavy, heavy smoke... I just got back today. Tioga Pass was closed yesterday and smoky from Lake Tahoe down to (Oh what the hell is the name of the town just north of Bodie Ghost Town with two gas stations...????). My bus was covered in ash driving thru there two days ago... I do not like Yosemite as much as the surrounding area. I mean, of course it is absolutely beautiful, but it is a parking lot and over crowded. There are many more areas down the east side on 395 that I prefer... Here is the sunset from near Mount Whitney last night... safe travels... and may the smoke in your bus be the good kind!

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