Day 16-18
Location: Los Angeles up to Big Sur, CA
Miles Driven: Still haven’t checked – Promise tomorrow!
Gas Price: $2.99-3.21 paid, we saw $3.79!! It was in a small town in CA.
Ok, so rewind … We spent Sunday in Los Angeles also before heading up the coast. On Saturday, we went to see the La Brea Tarpits and the Automobile Museum before shopping on Rodeo Drive. The tarpits were very interesting with skeletons of saber tooth cats and camels from the tarpits under downtown Los Angeles. There was a large park area dedicated to finding more fossils. The Automobile Museum was Megan’s favorite; we saw lots of old cars as well as new Ferrari’s!
We got in our first fight on Saturday but all is well now. On Saturday, we ate at a sandwich shop called Sandbags – very good. We also had gelato after walking Rodeo Drive.
On Monday, we got up and drove to Laguna Beach for breakfast. Megan picked the most expensive place to eat breakfast spending 32 dollars for two on breakfast but it was delicious! Then we wandered around Laguna before heading up to Venice and Santa Monica beaches.
At Venice beach, we walked up and down the boardwalk seeing many interesting people! One man was selling pieces of driftwood for 30 dollars or more, he had not carved it or anything, just plain ol’ washed up driftwood!! Santa Monica was fun too with more vendors and a fair on the pier! After Santa Monica, we drove up to Santa Barbara and had the BEST burritos at a place called Freebirds. Santa Barbara is the prettiest town we have seen so far, I think. We saw an old courthouse, a mission, and some old adobe houses before driving about 20 miles north to camp.
This morning we woke up to drive up the Pacific Highway more. The highway is beautiful and overlooks the Pacific on the LEFT the whole way. We saw San Louis Obispo, Morro Bay, and many other small coastal towns on the way. We stopped in Morro Bay to have a cup of Clam Chowder for a late lunch at a local seafood restaurant, great food – horrible service.
After our late lunch, we continued up the coast to the Hearst Castle. AMAZING. See our pictures, but this man collected all kinds of antiques from rugs to sculptures to books to paintings. He also had mantles, fireplaces, choir chairs, and ceilings from old buildings in Europe. It was beautiful.
After the castle, we headed up to Big Sur to camp under the REDWOODS. We will explore the rest of the coast tomorrow before heading up to San Francisco.
Alison
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Saturday, July 7, 2007
Day 15
Day 15:
Gas Price: $3.05-3.19
Miles Driven: Didn’t check before coming inside-I’ll check tomorrow!
Today we drove around LA.
We went to Hollywood, saw the Chinese Theatre, went shopping, drove down towards Beverely hills, saw the Hollywood sign, and shopped some more! We also went to The Grove shopping area and to this great Farmer’s Market.
Megs and I both got some new clothes and I actually found 2 pairs of teacher shoes that FIT me!
For dinner, we went to an In ‘n’ Out Burger – fast food chain out west. Our friends at USC had told us it was a must because it was ‘better’ fast food and it was. But before making it there Megan got us lost in Compton before settling for a restaurant in Inglewood. Quite the adventure – I was freaking out.
More exploring LA tomorrow.
Alison
Gas Price: $3.05-3.19
Miles Driven: Didn’t check before coming inside-I’ll check tomorrow!
Today we drove around LA.
We went to Hollywood, saw the Chinese Theatre, went shopping, drove down towards Beverely hills, saw the Hollywood sign, and shopped some more! We also went to The Grove shopping area and to this great Farmer’s Market.
Megs and I both got some new clothes and I actually found 2 pairs of teacher shoes that FIT me!
For dinner, we went to an In ‘n’ Out Burger – fast food chain out west. Our friends at USC had told us it was a must because it was ‘better’ fast food and it was. But before making it there Megan got us lost in Compton before settling for a restaurant in Inglewood. Quite the adventure – I was freaking out.
More exploring LA tomorrow.
Alison
Day 14
Location: Los Angelas
Gas Price: $2.99-$3.03
Miles Driven: Forgot to check
This morning we slept in a little bit before going to find the Wilmington, NC 2,554 miles away sign!!! This is the sign that started this whole adventure and the reason I have been talking about driving cross country for years and years!
So we found it and took some pictures before driving to San Diego .. very exciting!
We drove to San Diego and went to the Zoo. It was amazing, tons and tons of animals, some I had never seen or heard of before. We got to see the pandas too!
Then we went to Belmont Park, Megan rode an old wooden rollercoaster, we walked along a boardwalk by the PACIFIC ocean, and then ate at a corner taco shop. The tacos were amazing – Meg had a fish one that I tried and it was really good.
After that we drove the hour and a half to Los Angeles to stay with a friend from Charleston. Tomorrow we will explore LA.
Alison
Location: Los Angelas
Gas Price: $2.99-$3.03
Miles Driven: Forgot to check
This morning we slept in a little bit before going to find the Wilmington, NC 2,554 miles away sign!!! This is the sign that started this whole adventure and the reason I have been talking about driving cross country for years and years!
So we found it and took some pictures before driving to San Diego .. very exciting!
We drove to San Diego and went to the Zoo. It was amazing, tons and tons of animals, some I had never seen or heard of before. We got to see the pandas too!
Then we went to Belmont Park, Megan rode an old wooden rollercoaster, we walked along a boardwalk by the PACIFIC ocean, and then ate at a corner taco shop. The tacos were amazing – Meg had a fish one that I tried and it was really good.
After that we drove the hour and a half to Los Angeles to stay with a friend from Charleston. Tomorrow we will explore LA.
Alison
Friday, July 6, 2007
Day 13
Day 13
Location: Barstow, CALIFORNIA
Gas Price: $3.03
Miles Driven: 4325 miles
We made it to California today!!
This morning, I got up to get the oil changed, tires rotated, and a screw out of one of our tires! Then we ate breakfast, Megs went up in the Stratasphere (I went last year and it was expensive and I’m a fraidy cat), we shopped in Ceaser’s Palace, and then we went to the Liberace museum.
The museum was very interesting with lots of his costumes, pianos, and cars!
After that, we headed down to the Hoover Dam. Then we were off to California. We made it to Barstow and will go find the Wilmington sign in the morning before heading to San Diego!
Alison
More pictures are up – Not too many for Day 11 and 12 b/c of the cloud on my camera which is now fixed!
Location: Barstow, CALIFORNIA
Gas Price: $3.03
Miles Driven: 4325 miles
We made it to California today!!
This morning, I got up to get the oil changed, tires rotated, and a screw out of one of our tires! Then we ate breakfast, Megs went up in the Stratasphere (I went last year and it was expensive and I’m a fraidy cat), we shopped in Ceaser’s Palace, and then we went to the Liberace museum.
The museum was very interesting with lots of his costumes, pianos, and cars!
After that, we headed down to the Hoover Dam. Then we were off to California. We made it to Barstow and will go find the Wilmington sign in the morning before heading to San Diego!
Alison
More pictures are up – Not too many for Day 11 and 12 b/c of the cloud on my camera which is now fixed!
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Day 12
Day 12
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Miles Driven: 4140
Gas Price: 2.95
We drove down from the North Rim to Las Vegas today. We spend the early afternoon doing a few errands and checking into our hotel and showering! Then we met up with KAT and the Hanes family for dinner, walking the strip, and fireworks. We saw no fireworks tho! Most were cancelled here due to the dry weather conditions. It reached 114 degrees today here!! Tomorrow we will do some more things in Las Vegas and maybe head to the Hoover dam!
Alison
ps More pics are up!
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Miles Driven: 4140
Gas Price: 2.95
We drove down from the North Rim to Las Vegas today. We spend the early afternoon doing a few errands and checking into our hotel and showering! Then we met up with KAT and the Hanes family for dinner, walking the strip, and fireworks. We saw no fireworks tho! Most were cancelled here due to the dry weather conditions. It reached 114 degrees today here!! Tomorrow we will do some more things in Las Vegas and maybe head to the Hoover dam!
Alison
ps More pics are up!
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
Day 9 and 10
Day 9
Location: Sedona, AZ
Miles Driven: 3201
Today we drove from Canyon de Chelly to Sedona, AZ. We decided to take a detour through the painted forest and petrified forest while driving. It was beautiful! The petrified wood was really interesting. The Arizona countryside was nice but I still like New Mexico the best! Before getting to Sedona, we drove through Oak Creek Canyon. We wondered around Sedona for a while looking in shops before going to set up our tent. Our campsite had a watering hole right beside it! Then we headed to another shopping area to wonder some more. After that we ate dinner at the Red Stone Cabin where I had some of the local Oak Creek Canyon beer!
Day 10
Location: Williams, AZ
Miles Driven: 3436
Gas (Since Day 7): 2.96-3.29
Tonight, we are camping about an hour south of the south rim of the Grand Canyon.
This morning, we got up early and went to Slide Rock State Park. There is a natural water slide which is a part of Oak Creek that is about 80 feet long. Here, we played in the creek even though the water was freezing cold. Megan was very adventurous and jumped off cliffs, swam around, and went down the slide but Alison was too afraid of the cold water and would not particularly participate. She went down the slide 1 ½ times. This was a lot of fun but then it started to get crowded as we left. We went and took hot showers (yay!) and then we drove around Red Rock State Park to look at all the cliffs. Next, we drove down to Jerome which is a former ghost town after the end of the copper mining there. There were lots of little antique shops, art galleries, and curio shops. It was fun to explore. Next, we drove down to Montezuma’s Castle, which is another site of pueblo ruins. The castle is misnamed obviously but it was probably our favorite ruins yet. It is way up high in a cliff and was a magnificent sight to see. After that we went to see the Chapel of the Holy Cross. It is a small Catholic church which is up on a cliff in Red Rock State Park. The architecture is very unique which you can see in the pictures. This was also probably our best viewpoint for the cliffs. Tonight, we drove north to camp.
-Megan
Location: Sedona, AZ
Miles Driven: 3201
Today we drove from Canyon de Chelly to Sedona, AZ. We decided to take a detour through the painted forest and petrified forest while driving. It was beautiful! The petrified wood was really interesting. The Arizona countryside was nice but I still like New Mexico the best! Before getting to Sedona, we drove through Oak Creek Canyon. We wondered around Sedona for a while looking in shops before going to set up our tent. Our campsite had a watering hole right beside it! Then we headed to another shopping area to wonder some more. After that we ate dinner at the Red Stone Cabin where I had some of the local Oak Creek Canyon beer!
Day 10
Location: Williams, AZ
Miles Driven: 3436
Gas (Since Day 7): 2.96-3.29
Tonight, we are camping about an hour south of the south rim of the Grand Canyon.
This morning, we got up early and went to Slide Rock State Park. There is a natural water slide which is a part of Oak Creek that is about 80 feet long. Here, we played in the creek even though the water was freezing cold. Megan was very adventurous and jumped off cliffs, swam around, and went down the slide but Alison was too afraid of the cold water and would not particularly participate. She went down the slide 1 ½ times. This was a lot of fun but then it started to get crowded as we left. We went and took hot showers (yay!) and then we drove around Red Rock State Park to look at all the cliffs. Next, we drove down to Jerome which is a former ghost town after the end of the copper mining there. There were lots of little antique shops, art galleries, and curio shops. It was fun to explore. Next, we drove down to Montezuma’s Castle, which is another site of pueblo ruins. The castle is misnamed obviously but it was probably our favorite ruins yet. It is way up high in a cliff and was a magnificent sight to see. After that we went to see the Chapel of the Holy Cross. It is a small Catholic church which is up on a cliff in Red Rock State Park. The architecture is very unique which you can see in the pictures. This was also probably our best viewpoint for the cliffs. Tonight, we drove north to camp.
-Megan
Day 8
Day 8
Location: Canyon de Chelly, AZ
This morning, we saw Four Corners Monument. This is the point where the corners of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Arizona meet. It was neat and we got to take pictures. We will never be able to say again that we were in four places at once. This area is surrounded on all sides by the reservations of the Navajo and Ute. So, there was a lot of nice jewelry and such to look at while we were there. Next, we drove to Canyon de Chelly. This drive was through the Navajo reservation where we saw the hogans that most Navajos still live in today. They are hexagonal homes which are very short. At Canyon de Chelly, we drve around the north and south rims and stopped at the overlooks. Alison was a wuss as usual and was afraid of heights and was being silly and wouldn’t look over the edge. This was a very beautiful area. However, because the land is Navajo land, you are not allowed to go down into the Canyon unless accompanied by a Navajo guide. It as fine though because we got to see plenty from the overlooks. There were ruins everywhere in the Valley and up in the Canyon walls. There is a free campground here that we will be staying at tonight.
-Megan
Location: Canyon de Chelly, AZ
This morning, we saw Four Corners Monument. This is the point where the corners of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Arizona meet. It was neat and we got to take pictures. We will never be able to say again that we were in four places at once. This area is surrounded on all sides by the reservations of the Navajo and Ute. So, there was a lot of nice jewelry and such to look at while we were there. Next, we drove to Canyon de Chelly. This drive was through the Navajo reservation where we saw the hogans that most Navajos still live in today. They are hexagonal homes which are very short. At Canyon de Chelly, we drve around the north and south rims and stopped at the overlooks. Alison was a wuss as usual and was afraid of heights and was being silly and wouldn’t look over the edge. This was a very beautiful area. However, because the land is Navajo land, you are not allowed to go down into the Canyon unless accompanied by a Navajo guide. It as fine though because we got to see plenty from the overlooks. There were ruins everywhere in the Valley and up in the Canyon walls. There is a free campground here that we will be staying at tonight.
-Megan
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