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Wings & Shakes

September - November 2016
A 82-day adventure by Mash and Malice Read more
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  • TravelerWings & Shakes
    1
    Day 7

    Day 7 - Strikes and Hippies

    September 14, 2016 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    There was a change of accomodation for tonight which was more downtown and we got there early as Alice read that parking was at a premium. Luckily we were able to drop off the car before we checked in and that gave us plenty of time to get to the 'ball' game.

    This time baseball. America's sporting pastime has lost its mantle as the nation's favourite sport, being supplanted by football. I wouldn't say it out loud whilst here though as it appeared sold out. Considering the game started at 12:45pm and it was a Wednesday, who goes to these games? Well clearly tourists for one and Alice and I weren't the only ones. The AT&T Stadium is the home of the San Francisco Giants and is central making it a lot easier to get to than the football. It actually faces out to the Bay and when we got to our seats it was a spectacular vista. The sun was really strong and we both realised we didn't have any sun cream. After a few innings, and an uncontroversial national anthem, Alice and I headed to get some food, suncream and myself a hat. Being baseball I had to get a baseball cap! I can see why everyone has one at these games when the weather is this good.

    It was also food time. Alice went for the nachos and I went for another frank. A pretty special 'Johnsonville Sheboygan Bratwurst' no less. Fully loaded with onions and sauerkraut we found out afterwards that it is one of the best meals available there. I concurred.

    Back in our seats Alice went through the rules with me as I had no idea. Even though I'd seen it enough times on TV (shout out to JSTV!) I never really gave it enough attention. Sitting there watching the teams rattle through the innings it was a lot quicker than I realised and a lot more fun. At certain innings songs would be played. For example a scene from the Blues Brothers movie was shown on the big screen with nearly everyone joining in and singing along with the words that were also lit up 'shake it shake it shake it baby!'. At the seventh inning a song is played and everyone, and I mean everyone, joined in, 'take me out to the ball game'. And my favourite was towards the end and with the home team losing 3-1 the song that played, which I'm guessing is due to them losing, was 'don't stop believing' with the camera zooming in on various people singing their hearts out. Very funny.

    We walked back to our motel and then had a think about what to do next. We were near to Haight-Ashbury which is an area that is synonymous with the counter-culture of San Francisco. It was here in the 60s that the Hippy movement flourished and in the Golden Gate Park there is Hippie Hill. The archive footage of the Summer of Love mainly comes from here and I had to see it. It was a nice hill with a few alternatives and homeless people milling about. I read that the park is safe but there had been infamous issues between park visitors and the homeless people here in the past. As the sun was setting we made our way out. There was a quick visit to Ameoba which is a huge independent record shop that also has historic ties to the area.

    It was now dinnertime and we just happened to be next to a restaurant called Cha Cha Cha and the menu said it served Caribbean tapas. Intrigued, we wondered in and ordered various tapas such as cajan prawns and chicken wings. The food was fantastic and the queue outside just got longer and longer as the evening progressed. A nice surprise and final meal here in San Francisco before leaving in the morning. On the way back to the motel there was one last photo op as we passed the intersection at Haight-Ashbury which was a 'happening' place back in the 60s. We dug it.

    Song of the Day:
    Take Me Out To The Ball Game    Read more

  • TravelerWings & Shakes
    Day 8

    Day 8 - Two Nights in the Valley

    September 15, 2016 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    It feels like we have been in San Francisco for ages, and I mean that in a good way. I find with most cities that the more you are prepared to explore the more they reveal themselves. All the districts we visited had their own particular feel and each had something different to offer. The city also has some obvious issues, with homelessness being a major one. Homelessness is an aspect of most major cities but here they are everywhere and on quite a few streets there are rows of tents in makeshift camps hugging the sidewalks. Why there are so many may be due to the pull of the city and what it stands for. It is a liberal and free thinking city where the American dream is attainable. The city has vibrant immigrant communities, is welcoming to the LGBT community and has an ability to reinvent itself, whether it's after a devastating earthquake or as the vanguard of the internet revolution. Unfortunately, the dream is just that for many others too. As this is the first major city we have visited in the US I can't compare it with others but I get the feeling that there won't be many places like this.

    With San Francisco in our rear view mirror we were leaving the big city for the great outdoors. Yosemite National Park was next and it was a four hour drive away. We swapped driving duties halfway and the terrain gradually changed from endless turnoffs for suburbs to twisting mountains and endless trees. On reaching our lodge in the pleasant Yosemite Valley it was starting to get dark and so we decided to have dinner and turn in for an early night. We had two tours booked for tomorrow and so we took it easy with an evening of reality TV.

    Song of the Day:
    The Mamas and The Papas - California Dreamin'    Read more

  • TravelerWings & Shakes
    Day 9

    Day 9 - The Land of the Giants

    September 16, 2016 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 15 °C

    How to describe Yosemite? I'll leave it to the Rough Guide:

    'Put simply, Yosemite Valley, nestled in Yosemite National Park, and created by glaciers gouging through the canyon of the Merced River, is one of the world's most dramatic geological spectacles.'

    That's about right. Alice and I went on the day tour to Glacier Point which was a good hour away in the coach. It was worth it for the view of the main spectacle that is the Half Dome. We had plenty of time here to take in the scenery and then it was back in the coach. The coach journey was narrated the whole time by the driver which was quite a feat considering the size and bends in the road they also had to content with. The history and geology of the area was described in great detail with lots of humour thrown in. Once we got back we relaxed for a couple of hours, had dinner and then it was off for the night tour.

    It was neither as long or as detailed as the first tour and that was the whole point. The first tour in the day was a feast for the eyes whilst the night tour, which happily coincided with the Harvest Full Moon, was a chance to exercise the other senses. The noises and temperature drops felt in different parts of the valley were another way to understand how the animals and environment of the park interacted, this time at night. There were memorable moments involving sight too, particularly when the tour guide flashed her light up at different monuments at climbers hundreds of feet up who would flash their flashlights back at us. We also howled at them like wolves and all this did was rile up a bunch of campers nearby who started jumping up and down and manically howling. It was pretty funny. The moonlight due to it being a full moon also shone off the monuments in a powerful way. The tour guide said at one point 'the biggest mountain you will ever climb is the mountain inside yourself.' It was getting deep! After a hot chocolate for everyone we headed back and it was late enough to go straight to bed.

    Song of the Day:
    Creedance Clearwater Revival - Bad Moon Rising    Read more

  • TravelerWings & Shakes
    Day 10

    Day 10 - Lake Saplenty

    September 17, 2016 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 14 °C

    Today we headed for Lake Tahoe. We drove up and over numerous mountains, passing a few incredibly beautiful lakes to get there. We even crossed the stateline back into Nevada enroute. Just a few miles before our destination we also hit the 1000 mile mark. Woo hoo!

    Lake Tahoe itself serves as a resort in the summer and as a skiing destination in the winter. It's one of the highest, deepest, cleanest and coldest lakes in the world and is longer than the English Channel is wide. True facts. On arrival we had dinner in a traditional 1950s diner that we both enjoyed. Alice had a strawberry milkshake and as part of the 'Wings and Shakes' ethos of this blog, Alice says it was excellent. She particularly enjoyed the strawberry syrup that was mixed through the shake and although not a fan of too much whipped cream in shakes, the right amount was provided. Also, the glace cherry did have to be removed. Just to stress, it was excellent.

    After a quick look around and walk by the beach we went back to our hotel for a quiet night in.

    Song of the Day:
    Counting Crows - Big Yellow Taxi (heard it on the road and felt apt whilst looking at the natural world)    Read more

  • TravelerWings & Shakes
    Day 11

    Day 11 - Back to the Coast

    September 18, 2016 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C

    We stayed at Howard Johnson's in Lake Tahoe. That's a chain and not a friend of ours by the way. It was located right next to Heidi's which is a typically American breakfast diner (and not another friend) and it was so busy we had to wait twenty minutes to be seated. Once seated, the attentive staff ensured I had a cup of coffee before I even perused the menu. The breakfast itself was delicious and filling, perfect for the afternoon ahead as Alice and I were to embark on a six hour drive.

    On the way we went to an American staple, Walmart. Now it was a big store with plenty of choice and yet I somehow felt disappointed. I don't know why but I was expecting a staggeringly huge emporium of goods. The one thing that did surprise me was the rows of gun ammunition. I did not realise you could pick up a box of ammo with your loaf of bread and assumed you would have to go to a gun store for all your gun needs. Back to the chain itself, and Walmart still has time to wow me as we plan to go to the biggest store in the US later on in the trip.

    On the last stretch of the journey before reaching Fort Bragg on Highway 20 there was a pleasant surprise that followed us for most of the road. Clear Lake is exactly what it sounds like and it had a serene quality that I felt was lacking from Lake Tahoe. Granted, we only saw a fraction of Lake Tahoe which feels like a rough judgement. However, Clear Lake just popped out of nowhere creating one of those fantastically unplanned moments whilst on the road. The early evening sunshine was slowly seeping away, although at the same time it's quiet power glimmered off the surface making it difficult to see the multiple jetties and surrounding mountains. This was all the more impressive to behold as there were no crowds, motels or burger chains sucking all the joy and wonder from the experience. Maybe it was being on the road for five hours by this point but this lake had an impact on me. Clearly! A nice memory to add to the many already piling up.

    We reached Fort Bragg just before dusk and quickly headed out for dinner. We had pizzas from a small local joint where the owner was friendly and also well travelled, having stayed in the UK and New Zealand for long periods of time. The pizzas were top notch too. Then it was back to the motel and an early night as tomorrow's drive was to be even longer than today's.

    Song of the Day:
    Hall & Oates - You Make My Dreams Come True (heard it on the road and reflected our general mood)    Read more

  • TravelerWings & Shakes
    Day 12

    Day 12 - Bye California, Hello Oregon

    September 19, 2016 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    We left our Super 8 motel early as it was a long drive today. Nearly 8 hours, or a whole page and a bit of the USA A-Z!

    The first stretch included the final miles of the Highway 1 North, a road we became acquainted with all the way back on Day 3. Even for this last section Alice and I thought there was enough scenic beauty to warrant it a favourite on this Highway. This might also have something to do with the weather as it has been all sunshine since San Francisco.

    Highway 101 was next and it took us straight into bendy interior roads with tight hairpin corners. This then led into two options, a continuation of the Highway 101 on open straight roads or the 'Avenue of the Giants' which was the old bendy road with huge redwood trees. We took the scenic route and we're glad we did as the trees lining the road are ridiculously large. This area has one of the biggest trees in the world but that would require a short hike. Our aim for today was still a long way off and so we continued on. We are on Day 12 of 90 and we have only really seen California and some of Nevada so far. We better get a move on if we're going to do this loop!

    After the trees we saw the wood... of the log cabin infused theme of Applebee's, an all American dining experience. It also reminded me of the 'Harvester' chain in the UK, minus the free salad, and it reminded Alice of the 'Cobb'n'Co' chain in New Zealand. I had the 'streetlife chicken and cajun shrimp sizzler' and Alice had the 'won ton shrimp stirfry'. The food was very good and well priced but it was our server who capped off our lunch. When I asked for a glass of water I got his finger pointed at me in a non-threatening gun gesture followed by a wink and a 'you got it!'. I also got my coffee 'on the house' for some reason. It's been twelve days of good to excellent service so far and today we hit exceptional. He definitely deserved a recommended 18% tip. I pushed it to 20%.

    Leaving with smiles and full bellies it was not long before we hit the Oregon state line. California has been a blast and we would love to come back and discover the state further in the future. Crossing into Oregan there were still lots of trees, lakes and so forth and I thought it would take a little while for Oregon to reveal itself. On arrival at our destination, Coos Bay, a change was soon becoming apparent. Primarily the increased presence of the logging and fishery industries. However, it is still early in this picturesque state and tomorrow, more driving and revelation awaits.

    Song of the Day:
    KC and the Sunshine Band - Give It Up (heard it on the road and summed up how we felt about not getting to see everything we want to)    Read more

  • TravelerWings & Shakes
    Day 13

    Day 13 - Let's. Go. Shopping!!!

    September 20, 2016 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 13 °C

    Today involved driving, shopping and finger licking buffalo winging. A good day.

    At our motel in Coos Bay we missed the breakfast that finished unusually early and so we decided to get a cheeky McDonald's breakfast and bring it back to the motel to eat in bed. The drive thru was a comedy routine in mis-communication and 'lost in accents' but the important thing here is we returned with bags full of our daily allowances for sugar, salt and fat and boy did we enjoy it.

    Today's trip was 'just' four hours. It's amazing how quickly you get used to driving long hours. Now we are further inland we are becoming a bit more inventive with our listening habits as the roads are no longer bendy and fun. Podcasts such as 'Football Weekly' and 'My Dad Wrote A Porno' are seamlessly blending in with the usual music. We're enjoying listening to compilations and having a number of NOW! albums from throughout the years are reminding us of past classics and atrocious one-hit wonders whilst we're also discovering unknown gems. It's been noticed that Disc 2 from the late 90s onwards is where all those techno-euro-dance songs are collated. Maybe with the hope that people would give up by the end of Disc 1 or hopefully lose Disc 2 under the car seat. Or those with a liking for DJ Sammy, Vengaboys and Aqua had a disc for all their needs. Either or.

    About thirty minutes outside of Portland there is a large outlet mall called Woodburn. Oregan is also a no sales tax state. You see where this is going? Alice and I wondered around various branded stores and the prices were cheaper than the UK with most things but not amazingly so, even when compared with pre-Brexit rates. That said, we still left the mall with bags containing tops, shoes and a hoodie.

    With just a touch of traffic on the way in, we had reached Portland. It's been a few days since we've been in a city and it's nice to have a break from driving for a few days and a chance to use our legs. It was already dusk when we arrived at our motel and so after a quick bit of googling Alice found a Buffalo Wing diner just 10 minutes walk away.

    What a find! We ordered twenty-four wings and were able to have up to four sauces. With local IPA's ordered, I & IPA, we tucked into the wings and sweet potato fries. We rated the wings as thus:

    Alice:
    1. Peanut (soon to be famous) (those first brackets added by them)
    2. Buffalo
    3. Lime & Coriander
    4. Bourbon and Chipotle

    Ashley:
    1. Lime & Coriander
    2. Buffalo
    3. Peanut (soon to be famous)
    4. Bourbon and Chipotle

    We actually thought the bourbon wings would be a dark horse before we tried the first one but wow were they hot. And we like hot food. Lip tingling, tongue numbing hot. The ranch sauce and celery helped here. It was a great dining experience all round. A good start to our brief time here in Portland.

    Song of the Day:
    Jimi Hendrix - Little Wing (a painting of Jimi worshipping a buffalo wing in the diner)    Read more

  • TravelerWings & Shakes
    Day 14

    Day 14 - Summer Better Than Others

    September 21, 2016 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 12 °C

    Alice and I took it easy today. A good fit for this city. The weather was still great, mid 20s, and after a lazy morning we strolled leisurely into Downtown. On the way we went to one of the highly regarded breweries of Portland, Burnside. Whilst looking at the list of beers and ales in front of us we couldn't decide on which one to have. So we ordered them all. No honestly, with a tasting flight. We went for the full twenty. Let's just say we worked our way through each glass with lots of chin scratching and debating. In brief, the Deadfinger, with a malty sweet aroma, was a fabulous ale and deserved winner whilst the Sakura Gost, with salt cured cherry blossoms, was a bad idea that should not have been barreled.

    We then wandered into Downtown to a book store, Powell's. This is a wonderfully large and eclectic book store that I thought had a clever way of blending new and second hand books together so that if they had two of the same book that you wanted you could pick between the two and their varying costs. I couldn't resist and left with a book in hand.

    Dinner time was soon upon us and we went to a place called Tilt. Alice had a huge chicken burger with bacon and I had the beef brisket sandwich that was bursting with meat and other fillings. A tasty meal that left us both stuffed and then we got the tram back to the motel.

    Song of the Day:
    Bill Withers - Lean On Me (heard it at lunch)    Read more

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