First off, I realize that day 19 was also in the previous post. However, day 19 consisted of not only the second breakfast at the Bellagio but also the Hoover Dam and Grand Canyon so I decided to split them up.

So, after we completed the second successful tackling of the Bellagio Breakfast Buffet, my dad and I said goodbye to my uncle and started the drive to Hoover Dam. Being only about an hour away it was a quick drive. We were both speechless. This was a different sort of speechless though. At least for me anyway. On this trip I’ve seen tremendous feats of nature. Giant Redwoods and massive Sequoias and faithful geysers. The Hoover Dam was different though. Don’t get me wrong it was still absolutely unbelievably huge, but to me and actually to my dad too we were more impressed with the whole process of building it. As we walked over it and as I looked over the edges (because dad was barely able to walk on the sidewalk nevermind come even close to the edge because of how terrified of heights he is) we both had a hard time comprehending the thought  and planning that went into building it. For both of us, we don’t have minds that work that way so to witness such an amazing feat of engineering was truly awesome for us. Not to mention, it really is freaking huge. I’m not often nervous or scared of heights, but as I peaked over the side of the dam I have to admit I was a little freaked because of how high it is. I held onto my camera extra tight and made sure my had was firmly in my hand and not on my head for fear of losing anything over the side. Then across the street, seeing the Colorado River that the dam was holding back was equally impressive. Again, trying to comprehend how the dam was built was beyond both my dad and I.

After we had taken in the sights of the dam we headed off to the Grand Canyon. Dad was amazed by the landscape changes as we drove. The sheer amount of open space really blew his mind. Because we got a late start from Vegas and obviously factoring in the time we spent seeing Hoover Dam, by the time we got to Grand Canyon it was probably about 7pm. We got a few quick pictures in front of the Grand Canyon National Park sign and then headed over to the canyon. In terms of size, this was the most impressive site I’ve seen so far. Dad was absolutely at a loss for words. He was completely taken back with how massive and impressive the canyon was as was I. We took some pictures, even though getting him to get near the edge of the walls was like pulling teeth, but we got pictures nonetheless. Honestly, I didn’t take as many pictures as I had at other sites because no picture could do the Grand Canyon justice. It is something you truly have to see to believe. As we looked out over it and as the sun began to set we decided to come back tomorrow morning so we could have more time to see it the light of day instead of having to rush because the sun was setting.

So we headed off to the hotel in Flagstaff. We checked in and got some sleep. Luckily I didn’t have anything huge planned for Arizona. Initially we planned to stay in the Wigwam Motel in Holbrook Arizona but unfortunately it was sold out when I went to book it so Flagstaff was plan B. We got up the next morning and made a B line for the Grand Canyon. As impressive as it was at about dusk last night, it was even better in the light. We could see even farther and really take in how massive it was. As we walked down one of the trails a bit we looked across the canyon at another trail that people were walking down. Lines of people walked down the zig-zagging trail and they looked like ants in an ant farm. That is the most accurate description I could give to try to give you guys a visual of how absolutely ridiculously expansive this thing is. After talking to one of the cashiers in the gift shop we headed over the Mohave Point on the west rim to get a view from there.

While there was more foot traffic over on the South Rim where we just were, Mohave Point was church like. Dad and I were both taken aback at how serene and quiet it was. When we got off the shuttle bus we could see people in camping chairs sitting out by the edge. We couldn’t figure out what they were doing but as we walked up to the railing we realized they were drawing and painting. In retrospect it couldn’t have been a more perfect spot to do it. We walked around the edge a bit and took in the different views. From this spot of the canyon we could see the Colorado river below. From here it looked like nothing but a stream. I know I must sound like I’m repeating myself but I just cannot properly put into words how amazing and breathtaking the Grand Canyon was. Truthfully though I was really excited with how amazed my dad was. I know this is something he’s wanted to see his whole life so for him to be out here with me seeing it together was pretty damn special.

We took a few more pictures and just took in the site and then decided to head off to New Mexico.

On the way there we decided to stop at In-N-Out Burger to get a taste of what everyone out west raves about. I must say it was delicious. We both got the classic double doubles and I got a strawberry shake. Everything was so fresh from the tomatoes to the onions to the lettuce and of course the hamburg. Compared to something like McDonald’s or White Castle there was no competition. Even though In-N-Out is considered fast food it most certainly was good food fast. Also, the strawberry shake was friggen amazing! By far best shake I’ve ever had.

So we finished off our first, and probably only, tastes of In-N-Out and continued onto New Mexico.

I was coming off a huge high in LA. Hollywood was everything I could have wanted it to be. I got to experience amazing history and see some legendary landmarks. It was onto Vegas though.

When I booked the room for Vegas I booked it with the thought process being that this would probably be the only time I’d ever be in Vegas so I’m going all out. I Googled top hotels in Vegas and came up with the Aria Resort. It was a AAA 5 diamond hotel. I promptly booked a 920 square foot corner suite for 2 nights. Let me tell you right now, it was worth it. I got to Vegas and checked in and hauled my bags up to the suite. I walked in and found a 2 rooms, a huge master bathroom, another half bathroom, a fully stocked mini bar. This was pure luxury. Floor to ceiling windows provided me with a fantastic view of the surrounding hotels. I had two Ipads that controlled everything in the room from the drapes to the TV to the thermostat to the lights. I was in heaven. I checked out the mini bar, I was allowed to pick up each item to look at ingredients but if I picked them up for more than 60 seconds they would automatically be charged to my room. This was truly how the other half lived. Before I got too ahead of myself I decided to catch up on some blogging so I could enjoy the room.

I caught up on some destinations and then caught up with my uncle who had come in from LA. We met up and strolled around the strip for a bit. We stopped in for some food at Bobby’s Burger Palace. I got the Crunchburger. A simple burger topped with American cheese and potato chips. It was probably the second best burger I’ve had on the trip so far ranking just behind the Piggy Butter & Jelly I got in Pittsburgh. After getting some food in us we walked around the strip a bit more. We got a few drinks at a place that was having Happy Hour. I couldn’t get over the whole atmosphere. We Walked into the New York New York resort and I was awestruck. It was remarkable. It looked like the streets of New York. From store fronts to manhole covers. It felt authentically New York. We walked upstairs and caught sight of Coyote Ugly. Their Happy Hour was from 6pm – 9pm so we thought “why not?” and went in for a few drinks. It was an absolute blast. Bartenders up dancing up on the bar and getting the whole bar to dance and sing to the music playing. My uncle and I had a fantastic time. As the night drew on we decided to head back to our rooms so we could rest a bit before we had to go get my dad at the airport. On our way to our hotel room we came across a street hustler playing 3 card monte with a few other people. We stopped and watched for a bit. After watching I started getting confident. I threw down $300 and lost it immediately. I had been in Vegas a total of maybe 9 hours and had been hustled. Initially I felt sick to my stomach but then accepted it and moved on. A few hours later we got my dad from the airport and then all headed to bed.

The next morning we started things off right. We went and got breakfast the the Bellagio buffet. Before we got to the buffet though we explored thew Bellagio. It was huge first of all, but it was also gorgeous. For anyone who’s been there, my best description is that it was a lot like the Gran Floridian Resort in Florida. Very fancy and very upscale. Gucci and Coach store fronts lined the hallways leading to the buffet. When we finally got to the buffet we were amazed. It was extraordinary. They had everything you could imagine or want. Omelettes, biscuits and gravy, bacon, french toast, eggs Benedict, pancakes, fruit, yogurt and on and on and on. We fueled up on a few rounds of the buffet then took off for the strip.

We saw walked over to the Venetian. Once again I was in awe. The ceiling was decorated with beautiful paintings and a faux sky. There were gondolas and beautiful shops. The attention to detail was tremendous. Walking past each store you felt like you really could be in Italy. We continued onto Paris. The model Eiffel Tower outside was a fantastic photo opportunity. I got some pictures and we headed inside. Once again it was as if we were transported to the streets of France. The store names were French, there were pastry shops and you could get tickets to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower. For my dad and I who had never been here this was unreal. It was sensory overload. Between the sights and sounds and smells it was hard to process it all. We walked into a pastry shop and I got a chocolate eclair because I felt it was a must given that we were walking through Paris.

We took a brief respite halfway through the day to get out of the heat and just chill a bit. We watched a bit of the basketball game and just enjoyed getting off our feet for a few hours. After we had recharged we headed over to New York New York because dad hadn’t seen that yet. We walked in and just as I was yesterday, he was stunned. The giant betting board that greets you upon entrance was fully lit displaying the scores of all of the baseball games that were going on. The New York streets were much busier now on Thursday night than they had been on Wednesday. We walked the streets again so dad could fully take in the detail of everything. We again headed upstairs to Coyote Ugly to partake in their Happy Hour. We spent probably 3 hours there. My dad and uncle each had a few beers and I had a lot of vodka sodas. We left at about 10ish and headed out to the Bellagio so we could see the fountain display. As we walked over to the Bellagio we were finally able to truly appreciate the lights of the strip. Everything was neon. The MGM was lit up New York New York flashed brightly as did the Eiffel Tower. It was freaking amazing. When we finally made our way to the fountain and watched the display, it was just as you see in the movies. It wasn’t necessarily the most impressive show ever, but like so many things I’ve seen on this trip so far it was historic. I’m now able to say that I’ve seen the Bellagio fountain display in person. The same one from movies like Ocean’s Eleven. We enjoyed the show and after that my uncle decided to head back to his room for some sleep and my dad and I headed back to my new favorite spot Coyote Ugly for a few more drinks. Well I should say I had a few more drinks and he had 1 more beer. After I had done all the singing along I could handle for a day we walked back to the suite. Although I should have just went to bed, I was staying in a room with a tub that had jets. I of course had to use it. So dad went to bed and I drew myself a fancy bath.

The next morning the three of us decided that the Bellagio breakfast buffet was such a success that we would go for round two before dad and I shoved off.

Spending time with my uncle who I don’t get to see a whole lot was an absolute blast and having my dad with me now was fantastic. The trip is definitely starting to have a different feel. I’m getting to have fun and share these experiences with people with me right away instead of just through social media. With the Hoover Dam and Grand Canyon coming up I just hope they are everything my dad expects them to be because I know they are what he’s looking forward to most.

On my way to LA I took a detour to see General Sherman in the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park. It’s the largest tree by volume on Earth so I had to see it. Boy let me tell you it was worth the detour. I had camped out and hiked among the Redwoods and these sequoias absolutely dwarfed them. These trees were completely indescribable. They were unbelievably huge. Not only that, but the drive into the park was something else. The hairpin turns and the steep drops only feet away from the side of the road were white knuckle inducing. It was breathtaking regardless though. To be able to stand in front of General Sherman and have pictures taken was a once in a lifetime experience. I looked at the pictures afterwards and I looked like an ant next to this behemoth.  I headed out of the park and made my way to LA.

Talk about going from one extreme to the other. The juxtaposition of some of the nights I’ve spent in places is a part of this trip that I have really enjoyed so far. One night I am camping out with no cell service in a national park and the next night I’m amongst the hustle and bustle of a city like LA.

I got settled in the Motel 6 and headed straight for the Hollywood Boulevard. I had been told by one of my friends before this trip that she was disappointed by LA because it wasn’t as glitzy or glamoury as she hoped it would be. Walking down Hollywood Boulevard I could absolutely see what she meant. There were knock off shops everywhere, people constantly coming up to you trying to sell you stuff, homeless people all over. It was a side of LA that no one is going to advertise. However, when I got to the Walk of Fame and walked up and down reading name after name and when I got to Robin Williams’ star it was still surreal. Despite everything going on around me I was focused on this history beneath my feet and I had trouble believing I was really here. Especially seeing Robin Williams’ star because he is one of my biggest idols. It didn’t matter who was trying to sell me stuff or that there was a knockoff Spiderman walking around in a crappy costume trying to scam people for pictures. I was on the Hollywood Walk of Fame reading the names of legends like Robin Williams, Don Rickles, Al Pacino and the lest just goes on and on. It was dreamlike. I continued on to the Chinese Theater and the surrealism hit again. I looked down at the hundreds of hand prints and foot prints in front of the theater. Shirley Temple, Jack Nicholson, Meryl Streep. Superstars of the entertainment industry and here I was walking around the marks that they had left. I snapped myself out of my amazement and decided it was time to go grab some food.

I walked over to Pink’s, an LA mainstay, for a chili dog. As I stood in line with all of the other people two guys got in line behind me. The older one asked if I knew whether or not if the hot dogs had pork. I said I had no idea as I was just visiting and hadn’t been here before. They asked where I was visiting from and I said Boston. They were from Philly, Elijah and Andrew. I explained the entire trip to them and they were amazed. They were so excited to hear about all the places I’ve bee and all the places I still had to get to. They thought it was so cool I was doing something like this and wanted to hear all about it. We talked and talked the entire way through the line. I ordered my chili dogs and moved through the line. As the gentleman in front of me paid for himself and his family he told the cashier he’d like to pay for my meal as well. He had heard me telling Elijah and Andrew about the trip and thought it was awesome. I was stunned. I thanked him 2 or 3 times and told him I really appreciated it. I grabbed a table for myself and Elijah and Andrew. We sat and ate and I told them more about the places I’d seen so far. Elijah was so excited about it. He told me he wanted to follow the rest of the trip. I gave him my Instagram and Snahpchat info and he told me to make sure I hit him up when I was in Philly. I told him to count on it. I thanked them for having dinner with me and told them I had to be heading out though because I had a comedy show to get to at The Comedy Store.

I grabbed my car and headed toward The Comedy Store. I walked in and got seated. I looked around the room at the stage and all the signs hanging up. Again the surrealism set in. I was sitting in a place where greats like Richard Pryor and Robin Williams honed their craft. The show was pretty good. I didn’t know any of the performers until we were told there was a special guest dropping in. Onto the stage walked Andrew Dice Clay. He performed for about a half hour and it was fantastic. He was raunchy as can be and chain-smoked like a chimney. It was the perfect ending to my first day in Hollywood. I had seen the Walk of Fame, the Chinese Theater, and now I was seeing a giant of the comedy world perform. I headed back to my room after the show and could not have been happier.

I got up the next day and headed out to get some pictures of the Hollywood sign. I walked past the Dolby Theater and was able to get a few good shots of the sign. I walked around Hollywood Boulevard a bit more then checked out both the Hollywood Wax Museum and Madame Tussauds. Both of them were amazing. Madame Tussauds was far better than the Hollywood Wax Museum but still they were both so much fun. I posed in different scenes with Hugh Hefner and Ryan Gosling and Marlon Brando and Al Pacino. I took pictures with George Lopez and Robin Williams. I was like a kid in a candy shop. I worked my way through each museum and took what must have been hundreds of pictures. Charlie Chaplin, Taylor Swift, Bruce Willis. You name them and I’m sure I got a picture with or of them. It was an absolute blast.

After the museums I walked over to get a haircut that I was in desperate need of. Feeling much better I went back to my room to get cleaned up as I had plans to go to dinner with my uncle and aunt. We went to the Pig ‘N Whistle, another LA landmark that was established in 1827. The theme of trying new things continued as I got my first taste of fried calamari. It was pretty good, definitely something I’d try again. I followed it up with a house specialty entree of Rustic Shepherd’s Pie. It was delicious, as has everything been so far on this trip. I ate and caught up with my aunt and uncle and then we left and walked around the boulevard a bit longer.  The time came for us to part and I told them it was great to see them. I walked back to my motel room satisfied. I was satisfied with dinner, with the day, with the entire stay in LA. I couldn’t have asked for anything more. I thought back to what my friend had told me about being disappointed. I was surely not disappointed. I understood what she meant but I was too engrossed in the history of where I was that nothing else mattered to me.

I went to bed hoping this high of good times would continue on into Vegas.

I’ve been to a lot of places and seen a lot of things on this trip so far and this was the first time I was really conflicted in how I felt about a place. First let me say that Yosemite National Park is absolutely beautiful and I wish I had a week there to see it all. Let me follow that up by saying that I wish I had a week there to explore it all because the traffic and sheer crowd size was absolutely maddening at times and it genuinely caused me to say out loud that I couldn’t wait to leave. It’s unfortunate but it’s true. There were a couple factors that played into this though. Number one, it was Memorial Day weekend which I believe is the summer opening weekend for the park so naturally that increased crowd size. Secondly, they are doing a boat load of construction so there were numerous road closures which made the traffic some of the worst I’ve ever been in. With all of that said though, outside of the car, Yosemite is still one of the prettiest places I’ve ever seen. It is also the place of one of the dumbest, most dangerous things I’ve done on the trip so far.

Let me first start by saying pulling into my cabin area was a site like I’ve never seen before. A nice sunny day as I drove through the park to the campground, the minute I pulled into the parking area near my cabin it immediately looked like it was about to rain. I looked up to see, not clouds, the side of a mountain that was actually blocking the sun. The Half Dome Village area was nearly surrounded by granite making it a site unlike any other I had seen so far. The size of these granite walls was absolutely astounding. Now, onto my stupidity.

I got caught in a lot of traffic getting there the first day and after getting settled in my cabin and eating lunch I was determined to get something done so I had something to show for the day. So the closest thing to my campground was the Yosemite Falls. So I strolled over and checked them out. They were magnificent. As I got closer to them I started seeing people walk by me with wet clothes and wet hair. Again it was a nice sunny day so I knew it had to have been from the falls. There were two paths to take, Lower Falls trail and Upper Falls trail. The Lower Falls trail was first so I followed it to the base of the waterfalls. It was remarkable. The wind whipping the mist around, the sound of the falls crashing down, it was an amazing site. People stood in front of the falls embracing the mist and wind and took pictures while others tried to take pictures from a safe distance and avoid getting wet at all. I stepped up into the mist and got some pictures. I took selfies but also tried to get some pictures of the mighty falls. After getting all the pictures I wanted I continued on following the signs for the Upper Falls trail. I reached the entrance of the hiking trail at about 7:30pm. The sun still shining brightly I decided that I could do the 7 mile round trip hike before it got dark. Again determined to not let the day be a wash because of the stupid traffic I excitedly started up the trail. As I hiked up I passed group after group, person after person coming down. Still with blue skies I pressed on. Not being what you would really call a “hiker” I had a hard time gauging how far I had actually gone. By the time I reached the area to take pictures of the falls it was about dusk. I took pictures and caught my breath. I was at least smart enough to bring my back pack with water and almonds if need be. Looking up I realized that the trail continued. I looked up at the sky and decided I wanted to make it to the top. So I kept going. I followed the path as it wound and twisted higher and higher. I looked at my watch, which I had started to keep track of how long I’d been hiking. It was at about 1 hour and 15 minutes. With the sun now gone, the sky barely retaining any of the residual light, and not knowing exactly how much farther I had to hike to get to the top I decided to turn around. About 5 minutes into hiking back down it was pitch dark. Not pitch dark with street lights. Not pitch black but with cars going by. Not pitch dark with city lights. This was forest dark. No cell phone service dark. Pitch. Black. Dark. Barely being able to see a foot in front of my face I switched on the flashlight on my phone. I followed the path down the whole time thinking about everything that could go wrong. I had broken the 2 cardinal rules of hiking. I was hiking alone and I was hiking after dark. No one knew I was on this trail. If I slipped and rolled my ankle or smashed up my phone I was stuck. If I turned the corner into a bear then I was done for. The reality of the situation quickly set in and for the first time, probably in my life, I was genuinely scared. I hiked down as fast as I could while still trying to be safe. When I finally saw the sign for the beginning of the trail the weight that came off my shoulders was indescribable. I caught the shuttle back to my cabin and as I sat on the bus, my shirt and my hat absolutely dripping with sweat, my legs trembled. I couldn’t tell if it was because I just hiked for about 2 and a half hours or if it was because my nerves were on overdrive. Either way I got back to my cabin and showered and passed out knowing that this was one of the dumbest things I’ve done in my life.

After completing the stupidest hike ever the day before, I decided to lay low the next day. I drove up to Glacier Point early and explored a bit. It was absolutely beautiful. The snow covered caps of the mountain reflecting against the blue sky were stunning. I took some pictures and just took in the views before heading back down to my cabin area. It took me 3 hours to find parking and by the time I was out of the car I didn’t want to do anything else. I laid low and walked around the area and got some pictures of some deer and the mountains. I would have liked to check out a few other notable points of interest but unfortunately it just didn’t happen because of the ridiculous traffic.

So I wouldn’t call Yosemite a waste because what I was able to see was truly remarkable. However I know there was just so much more to see and I wasn’t able to because of the circumstances. But I couldn’t dwell too long. I was off to La La Land in the morning and I was absolutely pumped for it.

For the first time this trip my compulsive planning prior to leaving came in handy. I got to San Francisco at about 4 or 5 and was still able to see and do everything I had planned.

Because of my compulsive planning I knew what cable car I needed to take, what restaurant I wanted to eat at, where the Mrs. Doubtifre house was and where I was going to eat breakfast the next morning. Sometimes over planning can be a hindrance but in this case, where I only had so many hours because I was only there for one day it benefited me marvelously.

Driving to the hotel was a great experience all on it’s own for two reasons. First passing over the Golden Gate Bridge was pretty damn cool. You see it on TV and in movies and here I was actually getting to see it in person. I also passed through the Robin Williams Tunnel on the way to the bridge. That was special for me because he is such an idol of mine so to see those rainbow stripes and read Robin Williams Tunnel was a special thing for me. So I check into the W Hotel and it was by far the nicest room I’ve stayed in so far. Portland is still the coolest, but this was definitely the nicest. I had 3 bottles of water set around the room for me. Only one of which was complimentary so only one of which I drank. They had a complete mini bar and snack pantry with everything from headphones to beef jerky.

So I explored the room real quick then walked over to the cable car ticket booth and got my ticket down to Fisherman’s Wharf. Riding on the side of the cable car was a fun time. I will have more moments this trip that are awe inspiring and remarkable, but getting to stay that I rode on the outside of the cable car, hung on as we went up and down the insane streets of San Francisco is just fun.

By the way, just a quick side note, a word about those streets? Those streets are why people are pretty in San Francisco. If you’re walking anywhere on those damn streets you’re getting an intense workout. Never had I had to walk up a hill with my body tilted downward at a 45 degree angle so I wouldn’t fall backward. San Fran…the hell is that all about!? Anyway, I digress.

So I took the cable car down to the wharf and the first stop I make is at the Buena Vista Cafe for my first meal of the day and some famous Irish Coffee. Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey, coffee, sugar, and heavy cream. Again, much like my experience with the Spanish Coffee in Portland, this was good. Someone who actually drinks coffee would have enjoyed it more, but I liked it nonetheless. I also the Cable Car Meatloaf which was delicious after not eating all day.

After having a few Irish Coffees and finishing my food I decided to take a walk over to the Mrs. Doubtifre house. On my way there I stopped at the top of the famed Lombard Street and tried to get some pictures of that ludicrous road. Seriously San Francisco what the hell is going on with your roads? Some are are 45 degree angles and others have 45 degree turns. Figure your shit out. So after gawking at Lombard with some other tourists I continued on to Steiner street. To look at it you’d never know it was a house from a movie or anything. Save for a stone by a tree in front of the house that read “Thanks for the laughs RIP Robin” this looked like a typical San Francisco house. So I got some pictures and I started the trek back to the Wharf. The walk was probably about 35 minutes and by the time I got back down to the water the sun was starting to set. I sat out by the ocean for a little bit and just took in the site. People walked by and looked out over the ocean as the sun reflected off the water. I got up and explored the wharf a bit. Checked out the Ghirardelli store. Fun fact, when you’re gone for 5 weeks that gets you out of buying souvenirs from a place like the Ghirardelli store because they’d probably melt by the time you got home. Deciding there wasn’t much left to do, I got back in line for the Cable Car and headed back to my hotel room. I got back to my room and showered. I sat on the bed in the hotel robe, because of course I wore the robe they gave me and of course I hung it back up EXACTLY how it was so they wouldn’t charge me for it, and thought about the day. I was happy with everything I had seen and had enjoyed my time in San Francisco. It was the first time though that I really thought that I’d come back and visit again. Don’t get me wrong I’ve loved every place on this trip, but San Fran is the first place where I thought “I’d like come back and spend more time here”. It was a very fun place. Now it was back into the wilderness in the morning. Off to Yosemite I go.

Hello hello everyone! I’m still alive! I know I haven’t posted a whole lot recently but between camping, expensive wifi, and crappy wifi I haven’t had too many chances. Fear not though! I’ll bring you up to speed on all the adventures I’ve been having.

Last I left you I had just enjoyed a fantastic day in Portland and was off to Redwood National Forest and my first experience of California.

Redwood National Forest was a whole lot of fun. I camped out there for 2 nights just like I did at Yellowstone. However, the two experiences could not have been more different. Yellowstone was very much like going to an amusement park. You don’t go to the park to walk around and enjoy the scenery of the park. You go to the park to enjoy the attractions. At Yellowstone you have Old Faithful and Grand Prismatic spring etc. etc. Redwood National Forest though was exactly what you picture when you envision camping. Sure there were trails and hikes, but the camping experience was more about enjoying the nature around you. Setting up your tent next to these unbelievably giant trees. Taking pictures in front of them and realizing in the grand scheme of things how small you really are. There was no hustle to get up in the morning and get in the car and go see something. That I think was my favorite part of Redwood. It was a chance to relax and a chance to slow down a bit and enjoy my surroundings.

Speaking of my surroundings. Those redwood trees truly are giants. That is not hyperbole either. They make any tree I’ve seen in my life before them look like god damn tooth picks. I explored a little bit before setting up camp and walking among them really made me stop and just go “damn.” You look around and you look up at them and your neck is at a 90 degree angle looking up because that’s how tall they are. Then you stand in front of them and realize that not only is this skyscraper tall it’s also about 4 or 5 of me wide. They are honestly like nothing I have ever seen before. Walking in the forest and then coming out from the trees was literally like night and day. They were so tall it was almost dark while I was walking around them even though it was the middle of the afternoon. Like I said I had two of them right in my campsite too so to be sitting at a fire and to have that massiveness towering over you was pretty cool.

In terms of meals, honestly I haven’t been eating very consistently, which probably isn’t a good thing. But while I was there I hit a nice local diner for breakfast and had a delicious chicken fried steak with hash browns and scrambled eggs. I also added in one of the house special huckleberry pancakes because you guys know my rule if it says anything along the lines of “house special” “World famous” Official” I gotta try it. For dinner I drove out of the forest and went to a seafood place that was by the ocean. If I am thinking of this correctly this, I believe, was the first ocean I had seen since I left Saugus. I think. Don’t quote me on that though. Anywho! I went to this place right by the ocean and decided to push the envelope on trying new things. I ordered the fish and chips, but where as fish and chips is traditionally a white fish this was salmon. I must say it was pretty good. Something I could definitely eat again. I will say I’m still curious to try fish on it’s own though. So far the two fishes I had were breaded and fried so that was most of the taste. Baby steps in trying new things I guess.

So after dinner I headed back to camp and built up my fire and just sat back and enjoyed it. I enjoyed the serenity of the night as the fire crackled away. I smiled a bit at the thought of how different my next night was going to be. I was going from peace, quiet, a nice fire, and sleeping among the trees to the hustle and bustle of San Francisco.

Heading out of Spokane barely 12 hours after I arrived I was now on my way to Portland.

Portland was a different stop on the trip. Up until this point each stop had a fairly significant purpose. The zoo in Cincinnati, the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Yellowstone, Mount Rushmore etc. etc. Portland didn’t have one of those. I was going to Portland, simply because I wanted to go to Portland. Sure I had a few restaurants in mind that I wanted to hit. A dish to try here or a drink to get there, but that was all. No big site to see or place to visit.

I arrived in Portland at around 2pm. I checked into my hotel and headed to my room. My hotel I should add had no power because of an underground fire that happened yesterday. The front desk said they should have power back between 5:30 and 9pm. It didn’t bother me all that much because I hadn’t planned on spending a whole lot of time in the room. So I headed up to drop my stuff off.

The hotel was 100% everything you would think of if you were told to imagine a hotel based on every Portland stereotype you know. There were sitting areas with couches where you’d almost expect to see people sitting drinking organically grown coffee. The stair case was wooden and creaky, the furnishing was very trendy and chic. I won’t lie I dug it. So I get to my room and I open the door, with the actual key they gave me I might add, and I walk into far and away the best room I’ve stayed in on the trip so far and possibly the best room I’ve ever stayed in period.

The bathroom had a sliding wooden plank door, the shower was separate with clear glass from ceiling to floor, the bed lay low to the ground in the middle of the room behind a half wall, the desk was a long narrow piece of wood almost similar to a bar top with two old chairs that looked like they were recycled from an old school, the white walls were decorated with a black painting of a bird, and the one window looked out over the street. As I sit here trying to describe it I decided I needed to actually get up and take pictures of it so you all can see how cool this room was.

Anyway, after dropping my stuff off I walked over to a place called Brix Tavern. My cousin who had gone on her own cross country excursion a few years ago recommended it so I checked it out. It was worth it. I sat outside at a table right off the sidewalk in the shade of some trees and enjoyed the 80 degree day. I went at Happy Hour and I got the smoked bacon Mac and Cheese, 2 turkey sliders and 2 drinks. Everything was wonderful. However, the best part of the meal came when a gentleman came up to my table and asked if he could join me. He too wanted to enjoy the gorgeous weather and I had the only table with open seats outside. I gladly welcomed him. His name was Oliver and soon we were joined by one of his friends whose name I did not catch. We sat there and talked about sports. I told them I was from right outside Boston and they groaned and lamented over the success that our teams have. I told them about the trip and we discussed different places we’ve been. Oliver said he was originally from Dallas and has been in Portland for 8 years. It was small talk, but it was fun. The time came for me to get going and I thanked Oliver and his friend for joining me. They thanked me for sharing my table and told me to have a safe rest of my trip. It was a great lunch. Not just for the food and drink but because I really appreciated being able to sit and talk and get to know those guys. I probably won’t ever see either of them again, but it was a fantastic change of pace from talking to bartenders and eating by myself.

I walked back to my car and decided to go check out the International Rose Garden in Washington Park. It was exactly what the name implies. It was a garden of all different types of roses. Rows and rows of rose bushes. It was great. I sauntered along and looked at all the different colors and types. In no rush to go anywhere or do anything. Just enjoying the warm breeze and finally relaxing. After the whirlwind of a day that Spokane was I was graciously accepting of this downtime. After I got a few pictures of the roses I decided to go back to my room and get cleaned up for dinner.

I walked over to a cafe I had read about called Huber’s. They were established in 1879 and are famous for their Spanish Coffee. I walked in an got a table and placed my order. A hot Spanish Coffee and a turkey club. In short order a waiter came over with all the ingredients for the drink. Bacardi 151, Bols Triple Sec, Kahlua, and coffee. He poured the Bacardi and triple sec into a glass and lit them on fire. He swirled the flame around as he added in the Kahlua then the coffee and finished it with fresh whipped cream and nutmeg. The table side show was entertaining and the drink was good. Even for someone who never drinks coffee I enjoyed it. I could easily see how it could get someone into trouble though because I was having a difficult time tasting any alcohol at all in it. So I sipped my coffee and ate my club. I gazed around the room, feeling almost like I was in The Godfather. The waiters all wore long floor length aprons and black armbands on each arm. The entire place looked very much out of the 50s. I finished up my meal knowing I had one more stop to hit before heading back to the hotel for the night.

I walked up the street to Voodoo Donuts. I’d seen it a number of times on Food Network and knew I had to scope it out. I scanned the menu as I stood in line. With so many choices and knowing I was somewhat limited to getting a max of probably 2 donuts the decision was difficult. There were cereal covered donuts, donuts with crude nicknames, donuts covered in candy, donuts shaped like tiaras, the choices were seemingly endless. I decided on the Portland Cream and the Mango Tango. The Portland Cream was labeled as the Official Donut of Portland so I had to have it if I was going to obey my own rule of eating anything with official in the name. And the Mango Tango was dusted with Tang. Do I need any more reason than that?

Knowing I would probably regret it later, I ate both of them. They were both absolutely delicious. The Portland Cream was seemingly nothing more than a regular Boston Creme, but the Mango Tango was outta this world. It was a cake donut filled with mango jam and covered in white frosting and dusted with Tang. I thoroughly enjoyed my decadent desserts. Before sitting down to write this I say back and reflected on the day as I typically do. This day wasn’t one that was well planned. I had a general idea of what I wanted to see but no strict time guidelines or anything like that. I sat longer than I would have at Brix and enjoy conversation with Oliver. I walked the Rose Garden and took pictures. It was the most relaxing day I’ve had so far and I can safely say I needed it. Having a plan is great. It has allowed me to stay on track and see a ridiculous amount in 10 days. But sometimes just relaxing and taking things as they come can be just as good.

Onto Redwood National Park for the next 2 days. I doubt I’ll have much service so I’ll catch up with you guys in San Francisco!

It didn’t take me very long to find out just how amazing my stay in Yellowstone was going to be. Now real quick just to remind everyone, I am from a suburban town. The only animals outside of house pets that I’ve ever seen were in a zoo. So believe me when I say, when I pulled around the corner and was no more than 15 feet away from a bison standing on the side of the road my jaw nearly hit the floor. I was in immediate awe. Never in my life had I seen anything like this before. Not only was I seeing a bison in person, not in a zoo, but I was also so close to him I could almost tell you what his breath smelled like. It was amazing. I grabbed my camera immediately and took pictures. Over the next two days I saw so many bison that I legitimately lost count. At one point I passed a meadow that had at the very least 75 bison grazing or relaxing. A Number of times I was able to get within the allowed 25 yards and take some fantastic pictures. Along with the bison I also got some fantastic pictures of elk congregating on the side of the road. Again at one point I passed a group of at least 5 or 6 of them together and it was one of the cooler things I saw. I tried not to become accustomed to seeing the bison or elk. There were so many of them that seeing them became fairly commonplace but I tried to keep reminding myself of how cool it actually was that I was able to see them and get as close to them as I did. As impressive as the elk and bison were though, it was the pictures I got of an animal about 100 yards away that might be my favorite.

As I was driving back from Old Faithful Geyser I stumbled upon a huge pack of cars pulled off to the side of the road near a meadow. Everyone was getting out of their cars and staring out into the meadow. Naturally I pulled over and grabbed my camera and walked over to the group expecting to see an elk or bison right up close. Nay nay. About 100 yards away was a grizzly bear. I zoomed my camera in as far as it could go and started snapping pictures. I would snap pictures and then watch her for a while. Her you ask? How did I know it was a her? Because after watching for about 10 minutes 2 cubs appeared in the picture walking behind their mamma. I got as many pictures as I could and I tried to get the cubs in focus as best as I could from the distance I was at. Eventually a park ranger came and cleared away what had become a pretty sizeable crowd. All of us wanting to get a look and get a picture of what will probably, for me anyway, be the only grizzly bear we will ever see in person.

Although the wildlife might have been my highlight, Yellowstone offered far more than great animal photo ops. The beautiful landscape and unique geothermal features were impressive as well. I made sure I visited as much as I could. I visited Grand Prismatic Spring and marveled at the gorgeous orange color of the bacteria and the beautiful turquoise of the spring itself. The colors so vibrant they looked like they could have come from a painter’s palette. I visited a number of sulfur caldrons and watched as plumes of steam and sulfur came gushing out of the ground like some movie special effect. I walked a few trails that lead to gorgeous views of rushing rapids or cascading waterfalls. I captured as much as I could on camera, however I was hard to really put into perspective how deep some of the drops were. I approached many a railing with caution as I looked over the edge and saw how high of a drop it really was. It was simply amazing to see such extremes in nature.

One of the last stops I made was to Old Faithful Geyser. I got there and like many other people I came across, had absolutely no idea when it was supposed to erupt. I walked around the area a bit. I was going to wait. Not sure how long I was going to wait, but I was here in Yellowstone and I was going to witness Old Faithful erupt. This was going to be a once in a lifetime opportunity. Soon the crowd started to grow. I readied my camera. I was prepared to try and catch as much of it on camera as I could. The geyser sputtered. It teased the crowd with small, quick eruptions. Then, the steam began to really pour out and it happened. I watched as Old Faithful finally truly erupting. Blasting water and steam high into the air. I got pictures on my camera but then reached for my phone only to find it dead. Excited to have the pictures, I was also somewhat upset that I wasn’t able to get anything on my phone. I looked at my watched and realized it was only 11:30. I went back to my car and plugged in my phone. I went off exploring for a bit and returned to the Old Faithful area about 2 hours later. I grabbed lunch at the Lodge. A BLT wrap and a teriyaki bowl with rice, vegetables, and chicken hit the spot. I finished eating and meandered out to the geyser where the crowd had once again formed. Old Faithful did its thing again. Almost like a showman working the crown and increasing anticipation. Small gusts of steam here, a little expulsion of water there. Everyone was on edge never knowing when exactly it would happen. Then it did. This time, phone in hand I got pictures and videos. And I got wet. This time the wind was blowing just right and covered me, and everyone around me in mist. It was fantastic. I thought that I’d only get to see something like this once in my life and here I was seeing it for the second time in one day and it was just as amazing as the first time. I wiped off my camera and my phone and walked back into the lodge . I grabbed an ice cream and sat down and relaxed in the lobby. I had been going nonstop for two days trying to see as much of Yellowstone as I could. It felt good to sit and relax. I finished my ice cream and headed back to camp. I sat by the fire and reflected on the past two days. The things that I had seen were unbelievable to me. This was again one of those times where I had to tell myself it was really happening. I was actually here. I was actually in Yellowstone National Park. I had been up close with elk and bison. I had seen a grizzly bear and her two cubs. I had seen Old Faithful erupt. I had smelled the sulfur from the numerous caldrons. I had truthfully seen some of the greatest natural wonders that I will probably ever see in my life. I lay down and I was tired, but I was happy. I knew this was going to be a whirlwind trip. I knew I was going to have to cram things, but I was enjoying it and I was seeing things I’ll never see again.

Up early again the next morning I packed up my campsite and hit the road for Spokane. Originally it was going to take about 9 and a half hours, but unfortunately for me a road closure added another 2 hours onto that travel time. 11.5 hours. So I made up my mind. I would stop for gas. That was it. So I nibbled on the almonds, beef jerky, and edamame mix that I had. And with two hours left I cracked open my first Rockstar energy drink of the trip to help me power through. So stopping only twice for gas I busted out the 11.5 hour drive and arrived in Spokane at about 7:10pm. It was easily the hardest drive I’ve had to do so far and I won’t lie I don’t want to do it again anytime soon. Having gained another hour though I was now officially on the west coast. I laid out my sleeping bag and air mattress in the hotel room as they had been damp when I put them away that morning so I wanted to let them air out. I also put in a load of laundry so my car and clothes wouldn’t stink of campfire the rest of the trip. Finally, after all the laundry was done, the sleeping bag repacked, and the air mattress refolded, I showered for the first time in 2 days and then went to get my first meal of the day at approximately 9pm pacific. I ate at 24taps Burgers and Brews. I ordered the Roadhouse Burger. A burger topped with homemade garlic mayo, fresh cut cheddar, smoked pulled pork, fresh applewood smoked bacon, sautéed jalapenos, red onions, and BBQ sauce. It hit the spot. Granted anything after going that long without a real meal probably would have worked but this burger was just awesome. It was quite messy but I didn’t care at all. To accompany the burger, for the first time since day one of the trip, I ordered a drink. I got a Long Island Iced Tea and it was refreshing and just what I needed. So I walked the streets back to my hotel. Spokane seemed like a nice city. Less industrial than what I had experienced in Chicago or Cincy. It had a nice downtown area with an old school theater. I was a bit bummed I didn’t get to experience it more. But hey, sometimes that happens. No time to dwell. I’m on to Portland, Oregon tomorrow. Hopefully well rested and rejuvenated. I wonder what the west coast will have in store for me.