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California 2024
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California 2024

A 17-day adventure by Hen Tours Read more
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  • Trip start
    September 27, 2024
    Hen ToursCalifornia 2024Traveler
    11

    San Francisco

    September 27, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    We used the MPC app and entered the US quickly and caught the shuffle to the Westin. We checked in and made it to our room to get ready for tomorrow.

    We caught the shuttle back to the airport and then the BART to San Bruno where we had some lunch and realised the card wasn’t working. This meant a walk to the nearest ATM in a country not walking friendly. Once we found the bank and activated the card we walked back to the mall a did a bit of shopping in Target before getting an Uber back to the hotel.

    After a shower we went for dinner and bed.    Read more

  • Hen ToursCalifornia 2024Traveler

    SFO to Curry Village, Yosemite

    September 28, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    After not a lot of sleep, we got up and made our breakfast before showering and packing up the bags. We went to leave a suitcase with the hotel only for them to tell us we couldn’t. Never mind, stuck with an extra suitcase for 2 weeks!

    We made our way to the car rental centre and joined the inevitable line. After about a 30 minute wait we got the car - a mini of all things - and headed towards Dublin , CA. Why Dublin? The only REI between San Francisco and Yosemite 😂. We spent a few hours around REI and, conveniently, the Safeway next door getting some supplies for the next week. Once we had everything we thought we needed we set off again and stopped for some lunch at Priest Station.

    We then drove the rest of the way to Curry Village and checked in to our tent for the week. We sorted all our stuff so that food and scented items were in the bear box (and we had a lot of things) and just had our clothes in the tent.

    As we settled in we made some couscous salad for dinner and got ready for a big day tomorrow.    Read more

  • Hen ToursCalifornia 2024Traveler

    Panorama Trail

    September 29, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    Our first super early start, had a shower (which are disgustingly filthy), made some porridge and sandwiches for the walk and filled up the water pouches.

    We then drove around to Yosemite Lodge and parked the car before collecting our bus tickets for the one way trip to Glacier Point.

    We then went in the dining room for breakfast and at 8.30am the bus departed. We arrived at Glacier Point and 9.45am and after a quick toilet stop and applying sunscreen we started down the Panorama Trail.

    Our first break was at Illouette Falls and then we started the ascent. We took another break overlooking Vernal and Nevada falls before slowly continuing down the John Muir Trail to the valley. 16km walked. We caught a bus back to the car and drove back to the camp for showers.

    Our post hike meal was pizza!🍕    Read more

  • Hen ToursCalifornia 2024Traveler

    Yosemite Valley

    September 30, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    After a poor night’s sleep, we got up and had coffee and porridge before heading to the shops. We looked around the curry village shops and then walked to Yosemite store. The walk was slow due to Yosemite legs 🦵 and we stopped for second breakfast at Degan’s deli.

    After refueling we walked around the shops a bit more and bought a few treasures before coming back to the tent for some lunch.

    In the afternoon we caught the bus back to Yosemite Lodge and did the Lower Falls loop and then headed to the meadow before returning to the tent.

    In the evening we had pizza again and an early night.    Read more

  • Hen ToursCalifornia 2024Traveler

    Tuolumne Meadows

    October 1, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    Suffering from even sorer Yosemite legs 🦵 we decided to drive up to Tuolumne Meadows. When we reached the trail head we saw a sign saying you couldn’t leave food in the car, but no bear boxes to leave the food in so we couldn’t do that walk. We drove around a bit and found the trail head for pothole dome, which Simon went up while I made sure the bears didn’t eat our food!

    When Simon got back we drove down to Tenaya Lake and took our food to the lake shore where we sat for a while enjoying the scenery.

    We then drove slowly back to the valley, stopping at view points along the way.

    After showers we walked out to the meadow and watched some deer and looked at climbers on half dome. As the sun went down we had pizza and bed.    Read more

  • Hen ToursCalifornia 2024Traveler

    Mirror Lake and Tanaya Canyon

    October 2, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    We got up and had porridge for breakfast before heading through Curry Village towards Happy Isles. At Happy Isles we broke away from the hoards and continued towards Mirror Lake. We followed the trail and continued all the way along the canyon.

    About 2/3 of the way out we heard massive rock fall but couldn’t see anything so we continued on our way. We stopped at the bridge for something to eat and then walked back to the bus stop.

    We sat down to wait for the bus and then realised there were no buses today so set off walking back.

    When we got back we went to the store and bought lunch which we ate at the tent. In the afternoon we drove around the valley stopping at various places along the way.

    In the evening, guess what, shower and pizza before bed.    Read more

  • Hen ToursCalifornia 2024Traveler

    Glacier Point and Taft Point

    October 3, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    Woke up with a migraine and did not get the early start we wanted. Instead we got ready and went to Yosemite Lodge for breakfast. We then headed uphill to the trail head for Taft Point and walked out and back. Going was slow but we made it.

    Once back at the car, we drove to Glacier point and spent some time walking around and looking at the view.

    We then made our way back to the valley and went to the village for lunch. The burgers were really tasty. After looking around the shops we went back to the tent and started to sort things out ready for leaving tomorrow.

    In the evening we decided to branch out and looked in the cafeteria for dinner options. The ONLY choice was a chicken dinner. So guess what? Pizza it was!    Read more

  • Hen ToursCalifornia 2024Traveler

    Yosemite Valley to The Village at Chils’

    October 4, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    We got up early and packed everything up and went for breakfast in the pavilion.

    We then drove out of the valley and up to Crane Flat where we filled up with petrol. We continued our drive north and stopped at a Walmart for the toilet before continuing driving.

    We stopped at King’s Beach on Lake Tahoe for lunch, a delicious deli sandwich, and then continued driving north.

    We filled up with petrol again at Quinsy and at 4.45pm reached our accommodation. We checked in and then started to clean everything to try to get rid of the Yosemite dust.

    In the evening we relaxed outside and cooked pasta on the stove.    Read more

  • Hen ToursCalifornia 2024Traveler

    Child’s Meadow to Mount Shasta

    October 5, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    We had breakfast at the hotel, a delicious breakfast burrito and then headed into Mount Lassen National Park.

    After calling in to the visitors centre we stopped at Sulphur Works for a look at the volcanic scenery and then drove to the trail head for Bumpass Hell.

    We followed the 5km trail around the volcanic landscape before returning to the car and stopping at Emerald Lake.

    We then drove through the park and stopped for lunch at a picnic area. From here we followed the Cold Boiling Lake trail, out and back.

    Once back at the car we drove to the Devastated Area and walked around the short trail there.

    After this we continued north and left the park, heading for Mount Shasta. Our accommodation was the Shasta Inn. In the evening we went across the road to a Mexican restaurant and had an enormous dinner before bed.    Read more

  • Hen ToursCalifornia 2024Traveler

    Mount Shasta to Roosevelt Basecamp, Orie

    October 6, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    Up early and porridge for breakfast before starting the long drive up to Oregon, around to the west and back into California, joining the Redwood Highway.

    Once on the Redwood Highway we slowly traveled south, through the giant redwood trees. 🌲

    We stopped at the Trees of Mystery but they don’t allow backpacks so we didn’t go in.

    Instead we continued south and came to our accommodation, where we dropped off our suitcases. We then went into the forest and followed the Lady Bird Johnson Trail before going to the visitors centre. On the way there car announced that the tyres needed inflating but we were in the middle of nowhere so that would have to wait.

    We made dinner in the room as there were no restaurants anywhere.    Read more

  • Hen ToursCalifornia 2024Traveler

    Fern Canyon and Redwood National Park

    October 7, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    We had a slow start as we had a tour booked at 10am. We drove the 5 minutes to check in for our tour and found we were the only ones on the trip.

    Once we had our wellies, we hopped in the van and the guide drove us down to Fern Canyon. Once there we did a circular walk, first through the river in the canyon and back along the cliff tops. The guide talked to us about the different plants and wildlife in the area.

    Once we were back at the car we drove to the scenic Durey parkway and had a picnic lunch before doing a 5km walk through the biggest trees.

    In the evening we popped into the ‘local’ shop and got food to make dinner before an early night.    Read more

  • Hen ToursCalifornia 2024Traveler

    Oriek to Miranda

    October 8, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    We got up early to fog and headed south along the Redwood Highway. We had a few crucial stops to make this morning.

    First we had to inflate the tyres, which was harder than it needed to be because the pressure gauge wasn’t attached to the air hose. Still, we succeeded. Next we had to fill up with petrol. Also harder than it needed to be, not because all USA gas stations are impossible, but because I pulled up with the car facing the wrong way. After some repositioning, we succeeded.

    Next was breakfast, but we’d lost the Google Maps connection and no wifi,! Luckily we found a cafe just down the street and had breakfast, and got wifi to guide us to our next task.

    We drove to Eureka, where we called at Englund Marine Supplies and I bought some XrraTuffs!

    Tasks complete we continued south. We pulled of the road and visited a bird reserve for a while and then continued south. Next we saw signs to a historic Victorian town and took a detour to walk around. The town was quaint and decorated for Halloween.

    We continued to Miranda, travelling through lots of giant tree groves. We turned off the freeway onto The Avenue of the Giants and called at the visitor centre to get information about what to do tomorrow.

    We reached Miranda in time for lunch and then checked in at 2.30pm. We had a lazy afternoon and sat out on the lawn in the evening.    Read more

  • Hen ToursCalifornia 2024Traveler

    Avenue of the Giants

    October 9, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    We got up early and had porridge (no choice again) before driving north on the avenue of the Giants. We stopped at the recommended trail head . Tall Trees- and walked for a couple of hours among the enormous trees.

    Back at the car we continued north, following the road to its northern most point before turning around and making our way back. We stopped at various places and did short walks amongst huge trees.

    We made it back to Miranda for a late lunch and spent the afternoon making sure our outdoor gear was clean.

    In the evening we had take away pizza sitting in the garden area.    Read more

  • Hen ToursCalifornia 2024Traveler

    Miranda to Corte Medina

    October 10, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

    We had a big drive today so up early and finished off the porridge. Our first stop was a drive through tree. I managed to sneak a second drive through as no one was around 😂.

    We then headed down a very windy road towards the coast and followed the coastal road all the way to Bodega Bay.

    At this point we needed to make our way in land and headed through the hills until we reached the freeway. Once on the freeway, we were back in the madness that is US driving all the way to our hotel in Corte Medina, just north of San Francisco.

    We checked in and then headed across the road to the REI. We spent quite a bit of time and money there before returning to the hotel for dinner in.    Read more

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