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John Bickerstaff
John Bickerstaff

John Bickerstaff

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  • John BickerstaffUSA eclipse 2017John Bickerstaff

    What on earth are Jo Jos?

    13 agosto 2017, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    At the first opportunity a beach was located. Time to clean. Feet & shoes were dunked in the icy cold & yes that meant the sandals were soaked but it was better than the muddiness that preceded it. And yes, on the way back to the car feet are going to get sandy but it will brush off. Anyway onwards to Pacific City - sounds a big place but anything is a city in the US so we weren't going in with huge expectations of facilities. As it happened, where the facilities were proved to be a curse as well as a blessing. Stopped at the first sign of food - we were hungry. And there was easy access to the beach, parking however looked a problem. No matter get food sorted & worry about that afterwards. Went in to find a sarnie counter as well as a fudge counter. Had to be done. He looked utterly confused though when asked to cut it up. Do people just bite from a bar of fudge - how uncivilised. The sandwiches were equally confusing for us - what's a hogie? We had to circle all the options we wanted on the sandwich & it automatically came with chips. I've managed to go this far without chips - I'm not blowing it when buying a sarnie. There was an alternative - Jo Jos - eh? They were explained to be potato wedges. Then why not call them what they are and then people will understand! Chips avoided bags of food in hand off to find the beach. The car park was full, as it seemed this stretch of beach was. Turned round to escape & got stuck behind the slowest pick-up ever. Turned off eventually & we headed towards a coastal state park. No facilities other than toilet, bin & car park. It was deserted. Nice. Sat up in the dunes in the sun & scoffed. Walked along the beach & thankfully it wasn't hot enough for me to agonise about whether I should be going in for a swim. By now the sandals were pretty much dry - ended up using mine to guide a washed up jelly fish back seawards - not sure relief or gratitude exist for them.Leggi altro

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  • John BickerstaffUSA eclipse 2017John Bickerstaff

    Muddy feet

    13 agosto 2017, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    A rather more laid back start to the day - due to rain - was rewarded with a fine sighting of an eagle of some sort. Virtually no-one about - just me on my run & an eagle scoffing. Seemed pretty relaxed about my presence & was there on my way back. Not sure if it was a fairly young bird & wasn't prepared to leave food behind. Post breakie we headed out towards Pacific City - first stop was Cape Lookout with some good hikes. At the trailhead the map detailed the three options - long but easy; short & steep & the instantly discounted long & challenging. A number of people were at the map debating the same thing which was the easier option. Went for easy long. In our infinite wisdom we'd forgotten it had been raining through the night. The paths were a little damp. Sandals were not the best option. Battled on & managed to make it to a couple of lookouts but by then feet & sandals were looking a little worse for wear. Headed back when it became clear, much as it was sunny, views were only likely to be of the sea & little else. Warned a family on the way down when asked about the views. Back to the car to find feet were in a right muddy state - need to find a beach to clean up at...Leggi altro

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  • John BickerstaffUSA eclipse 2017John Bickerstaff

    Good-day sunshine.

    12 agosto 2017, Stati Uniti ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    Surprisingly it looked as though it was going to be a sunny day. Sat outside cooling off after my cycle & the cloud was steadily thinning. While in the hot tub the sun's rays really started to make their presence felt. Happy days. Spent a little while longer relaxing on the veranda then headed down to beach. Liz nosied at some wedding type stuff going on on the beach. I mulled over whether to brave the rather chilly Pacific waters. Doesn't sound right - Pacific is tropical. Anyway it was likely that this was the solitary sunny day so after a gentle stroll up and down the beach swimmies were called for. The plan was a quick dash but stones and the odd crab claw put paid to that. Going to have to use the waves - managed a quick bit of body surfing but the cottage guide was right when they recommended wetsuits. Didn't dry quite as quickly as at Las Vegas or Boulder but the view was far more pleasant. Back upto the cottage for lunch, a bit of reading and squirrel watching. Lunch of cheese sarnies meant we were short for the evenings tacos so off on the bike again. Nice enough cycle to Netarts apart from the now usual idiotic pick-up drivers. By the time I'd got back the sea mist was beginning it's inevitable return. Oh well at least we had a glimpse of sunshine on the Oregon coast.Leggi altro

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  • John BickerstaffUSA eclipse 2017John Bickerstaff

    Morning Cycle.

    12 agosto 2017, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    Got upto the grim news that Liverpool had conceded a sloppy equaliser. Not happy. Nice cycle should help. Had one planned that might just do the trick. 23 miles along the Tillamook Bay and estuary and using forestry roads to cut back to Netarts. Started out and refreshing is probably the polite way of describing the temperature. Still a good chunk was uphill so it worked. Initially I was on the Cape Meares stretch - some nice views and some dodgy roads. At the other end, just by the road block duty was done - informing a big group of cyclists that the road hadn't entirely been swallowed up by the sea. Nice easy cycle along the river & so many cyclists going the other way - maybe drivers in Oregon are courteous towards cyclists...
    A short spell on the main road to Netarts suggested otherwise - plenty of inappropriate overtaking by pick-ups & 4WDs. Thankfully most of the way back was forestry roads - very quiet. At Netarts there was no avoiding the main road - back to the bad old ways. Pulled to the side of the road to take a photo - was given grief by a pick up for being in the way. If your car barely fits on the carriageway & you find it difficult negotiating obstacles because of this, don't blame me - get a smaller car. To soften the annoyance there were tentative signs that this may end up being a sunny day.    Leggi altro

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  • John BickerstaffUSA eclipse 2017John Bickerstaff

    Holy cow, that was some pig race.

    11 agosto 2017, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    The County Show had been recommended as something quintessentially American so it would have been rude not to attend while in Tillamook. The concern was that there wouldn't be sufficient to entertain us until the essential viewing that was the pig and ford race at 5.30. We had an amble around town to try and pass a little time but eventually concluded that there wasn't much else in town. Parked up - our little car (a focus) hidden amongst massive pick-ups & 4WDs. Something of a metaphor. Wandered in - sampling the popcorn and we were in another world. Cow parades with a running commentary on the size & shape of their teets. All manner of bizarre foods - elephant ears, deep fried oreos & funnel cakes were on offer. Animals of all sizes & varieties were on show - some less harmoniously than others - a pair of pigs were having a barny. Explored the show & the carnival & then settled down to a couple of the horse races - atmospheric - though nothing was riding on it. There was an ice-cream tasting competition, hypnotists & lots of kids doing dodgy dances. There were gun & hunting exhibitions next to the Republican party's area proudly displaying pictures of the Orange one. It was all very random. But this was just the appetiser. The main course of weirdness was yet to come. Took our seats in the stands for the 'world famous' pig and ford race. Guy grabs a pig, puts it under his arm, cranks his Model T started & then proceeds to race round the track, swaps pig & repeat. The winners go through to the world championship - the fact that no-where outside of this bit of Oregon competes is irrelevant. The compere claimed this to be classic redneck fare. It was in fact hilarious - not sure the pigs agreed - a fair bit of squealing. The 2 races came & went - nothing could follow that so we didn't try & better it & went to the shops for fruit. A good proportion could do with taking our lead - yet more fatness.Leggi altro

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  • John BickerstaffUSA eclipse 2017John Bickerstaff

    Ice cream for lunch.

    11 agosto 2017, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Really misty morning - could barely see the sea on my morning run. The 3 arch rocks looked as if they were floating on clouds. Had an extended soak in the hot tub. Then on to the main event - taking in all that Tillamook has to offer & first stop was the Tillamook Cheese Factory. The visitor centre was supposedly good for free cheese samples, fine ice cream & fudge. Not a bad combination though they'll do well to compete on any front with Cornwall. The factory visit was unavailable due to the visitor centre being refurbished so we were left with an exhibition about cows & then a queue for the cheese. 6 samples - 2 mild, 2 more mature & 2 messed around with. Was all a little rushed. Had to move on to the next because the person behind would be waiting. The cheese was fine apart from the messed up stuff - why put pepper & jalapenos in? Wandered through the shop to the ice cream area - 1 scoop $4 - 3 scoops $5. Financially it was a no brainer. And as for the size of the scoops - could see why there were so many fat arses around here. My blueberry, stawberry & vanilla combination worked well but boy was it filling. And Liz battled gamely with the huge chunks of chocolate in her mint choc & raspberry white choc mixture. No other lunch arrangements were required. Tellingly at the cash registers there was a range of indigestion medication available.Leggi altro

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  • John BickerstaffUSA eclipse 2017John Bickerstaff

    Mooching

    10 agosto 2017, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    Post stodge fest required one of 2 approaches - relax or work it off. Both were tried. Liz spent time working on her writing & enjoying the view. I went off to get supplies for tea - initially it was supposed to be at the end of a 25 miler but half way up the hill out of town plans changed - opted to go straight to Netarts, explore & pick up supplies. Not really much of a flatter option but definitely shorter. Bit of up & down between Oceanside & Netarts - mist was getting thicker. Got there to find that beyond the 2 grocery stores, there was little more of note - estate agent & hippy tat stores don't count. Took in the harbour - no boats - maybe they were all out... The bigger looking grocery store got the vote but offered little choice & was pretty pricey but I guess did the job. Headed back as the mist started to turn to drizzle. Right decision.Leggi altro

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  • John BickerstaffUSA eclipse 2017John Bickerstaff

    All manner of bizarre treeness.

    10 agosto 2017, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Laid back start to the day - run along the beach & back for brekkie. Heading up to Cape Meares Lighthouse & wildlife reserve - going to be a misty one again so waterproofs to hand. A world away from walks in the South West but bizarrely we had more rain there than in Oregon. Parked up at the lighthouse area first and ambled down - plenty of info about the local wildlife - most of which had passed through prior to August. Still a few gobby birds could be heard. For once bins had been remembered so Liz was scouring the surroundings for anything of interest. The lighthouse is, apparently, the shortest in Oregon but is one of only 2 to have an 8 faced mirror crafted in France. It's a special little lighthouse in a nutshell. Back up the hill to the Octopus tree - a tree shaped like an octopus & it kind of was but no-one knows quite why it turned out that way. Drove back to the main trailhead and walked down to the big spruce - no explanation needed. Quietness would have been nice though - 2 overly loud families were dominating the surroundings - singing songs for gods sake - how dare they!
    It was indeed a big spruce - apparently 750 - 800 years old.
    Decided to try & make it down to Cape Meares beach - a 2 mile hike should thin out the noisy masses. It did but with the thick mists & forest, views were limited and it was pretty moist under foot. Made it to where the forest thinned and offered some measure of views. Headed back for lunch at The Blue Agate cafe back at base camp. Epic crab & shrimp sarnie with seafood chowder, Liz had an equally monstrous fish and chips. Light tea tonight me thinks.    Leggi altro

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  • John BickerstaffUSA eclipse 2017John Bickerstaff

    Out staring a squirrel.

    9 agosto 2017, Stati Uniti ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Back from my cycle in time for lunch. Had a quick dip in the hot tub to sooth. Remnants from yesterday's tea served a purpose and the veranda outside helped relax - enjoying the view and the mild temperatures. Eventually itchy feet got the better of me so we had a little wander up the beach - got about as far as Netarts - the next village. The sky was brightening & it was pleasantly warm. The sea was pretty high & Liz wasn't for getting wet feet at the streams so a few piggy backs were called for - could I be trusted... Came back through town and I use the term loosely. Nosied at a couple of the houses for sale - not just us - a passing guy was similarly shocked by the cost of a 4 bedroomed beachside house - $1.6m - not going to happen. Back the veranda and Liz got out-stared by a squirrel - she was always going to blink first. These yankee squirrels are tough.Leggi altro

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  • John BickerstaffUSA eclipse 2017John Bickerstaff

    Deer & I - equally scared.

    9 agosto 2017, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Had phoned up the bike guy last night & though he'd completely forgotten about it he assured me he'd be out at 8.30 with a bike. Was a little skeptical but nonetheless waited in anticipation. 8.30 came and went, bike routes were prepared & I was all set. I was all for getting on phone when up rolls a big 4WD. Happy days. Sorted out the paperwork - laid back round here - no helmet, lock or repair kit. Not needed - we'll see. He proceeded to give me all sorts of tips for routes & places to go. Liz was taking advantage of the facilities - washing hair & clothes so free to go. While the bike would win no awards for modern gadgetry it would do & having a mountain bike on these roads was definitely for the best. First turn off our road - dirt track. Sign of things to come. Steady climb upto Cape Meares & then a road block. Pondered whether that meant bikes. My thoughts were interrupted - a lady checked I knew where I was going & confirmed bikes were ok. Pushed on through the misty forest towards Bay Ocean City spit - an off road track on the site of a resort washed into the sea by erosion. Unfortunately no remains but a fine cycle ride along the bay to a secluded beach. Saw a steam train and scared the shit out of a deer - some blue thing hurtling towards it - it bolted scaring the shit out of me. On the way I bumped into the lady again - her name was Sydney and she gave us some local tips on eats. Also recommended the Tillamook County Fair & in particular the Pig & Ford race. One to figure out there...Leggi altro

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  • John BickerstaffUSA eclipse 2017John Bickerstaff

    Just a bit more stress - yeah!

    8 agosto 2017, Stati Uniti ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    Landed in Portland relatively calm & relaxed - was able to stream a movie and had a decent amount of leg room. Portland airport claims to have won the best airport in USA for the fifth year running - any airport that sets aside an area for bike assembly is alright by me. That unfortunately is where the positivity stopped. Found the car rental and the guy seemed accommodating enough - no problem picking up the car early - omitted to tell us it was going to cost us. Then tried to, underhandedly land us with all sorts of insurance and rescue stuff. All rejected - apparently I was freaking out (man)
    Eventually the paperwork was negotiated & we were told to pick any car from lot 3. This we did - a Focus. Much to the disappointment of the couple following. What did we do next? How did they know which car we were taking? Found a guy & he explained that the contract was sorted on exit. OK - on exit suggested that there were issues I wanted recording. She wasn't happy. Eventually established that anything under the size of a quarter was OK. Out into the wilds of Portland. Phone at the ready & for the most part it did a good job - just one missed turn. What was bad was the traffic & at 1.30 it suggests Portland was a busy old place. Worst driving experience since LA. Exiting from the motorway on the left or the right with little warning isn't great. Still we made it safely out but dread going back as surely we must. The cottage was about 90 miles away & there was a supermarket in Tillamook the nearest main town. Stopped to stock up. As we got close to the coast the mist thickened and the temperature fell. The cottage was found easy enough - perched precariously on the hillside looking out over the beach. Liz unpacked & I had a wander along the beach. Very quiet - nice.    Leggi altro

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  • John BickerstaffUSA eclipse 2017John Bickerstaff

    Stress, stress, stress.

    8 agosto 2017, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☀️ 34 °C

    Always likely to be a stressful morning but this really took it to the extreme. Breakfast a little later than I would have liked put me on edge. All loaded and on way by 7.40 for a 10.30 flight seemed ok but the small matter of handing over a damaged car made that equation far more uncertain. Also had to fill up. Phone was giving good instructions & all was going smootly enough until traffic. Noooo! On exiting from the freeway, decided to get petrol asap. That didn't go well. First time I had been asked for a zip code. Had to go inside & she wanted to know how much was needed. Not a clue so she took for $30. Thankfully it only ended up being $15 - though getting a receipt proved a battle, both in understanding her & getting her attention in the first place. Onwards - the rentacar was easy enough to locate. Our section not so much. Then the inspection - all of 5 secs to notice the windscreen - not remotely interested by the hubcap. Maintained we were insured but wouldn't commit to what that meant - understandably. Gave me all the paperwork he said I'd need - we'll see. In the hands of the insurance now - not a nice sentence that. Bus to the terminal calmed me down a little and the tiny queue to drop bags more so. Bizarrely check in was road side. By boarding all was rosy - looking forward to milder conditions in Oregon.Leggi altro

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  • John BickerstaffUSA eclipse 2017John Bickerstaff

    God Dammit Hoover.

    7 agosto 2017, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☀️ 40 °C

    Had a super early run to Yavapai Point to watch the sun rise. Back for brekkiie. Then off to say a final farewell to the Canyon from the appropriately named Grand View Point. Probably the best view of the Colorado we've seen. Enjoyed the peace & solitude until a noisy Japanese family appeared. Time to make a sharp exit. The small matter of 250 odd miles to Boulder City & the Hoover Dam. Decided to fill up (the car & us) at Williams - should be cheaper. The freeway junction was before town so we had to make something of a detour. By chance that meant we drove a little of Route 66. Williams was the last town to be bypassed. It was full of Americana looking shops & a Safeway. Stocked up for the journey ahead. Unfortunately the phone satnav wasn't playing ball so distances & arrival times were the old fashioned guestimate. What didn't help was the appalling standard of the motorway surface - pot holes on a motorway is just not safe. This is what you get in a low tax, small state, low investment society. Cruised along, searching for cacti and listening to a popular beat combo from Liverpool. Bizarre world. Made it to the Dam, allbeit with a couple of detours - one scenic outlook and one to try to approach over the dam - don't let you. Did as we were told & faced security, queues for parking & then more security to get in the visitor centre. And the heat!!! Some respite in the centre & jumped the queue with having booked online. Watched a video preaching how heroic it all was & then queued for a lift down to the powerplant. The scale was massive & all the while the subtle vibration of flowing water being channelled beneath. Battled the heat to get some photos outside - both on the dam and from the nearby bridge. The cooling stations dotted around the area helped ensure Liz didn't pass out. Once done - onwards to Boulder City. Hotel had a pool which was good. Did a little washing & it was dry in next to no time. Tea was at a diner that served drinks in the biggest jam jars that existed. Superb food as well.Leggi altro

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  • John BickerstaffUSA eclipse 2017John Bickerstaff

    On the rim

    6 agosto 2017, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    Laid back start to the day - morning run aside. Brekkie was somewhat disrupted by the fact that the fridge had been set to vicious cold and all the fruit had been frozen. Headed to the general store with the expectation of something similar to the North Rim version. It was more akin to Asda with souvenirs. That said we picked up what we needed for breakfast and lunch - picnic with a view today. Today's joy was somethiing that the North couldn't really offer - an extended walk along the rim with ever changing views. What it would probably also offer was ever changing crowds. The first stretch to the village we knew & it was at the village we first encountered an element of busy but to be fair once beyond the trailhead down into the canyon it subsided and all was quiet as we like it. Ambled on watching the hikers descending and the condors gliding. You could practically see the trail virtually to the Colorado. A great challenge - one for the future maybe. Along the way encountered numerous chipmunks and squirrels as well as a lazy rabbit and a very showy bluejay. Opted for lunch at Maticopa Point. It was here we fully realised what a great invention ice machines are - 2 water bottles stuffed with ice provided cold water 3 hours into our hike - heaven. Decided now to head back on the bus - break from the sun or escape from the impending downpour - black clouds were looming. Found bus stop but there didn't appear to be a stop back to town. Turns out that was because there wasn't - had to go to the next stop. Bus arrived busy & we only just made it on. Phew. Driver was very chatty - giving instructions and details of stops in her distinctive southern drawl. Decided since we had a seat to push onto the visitor centre. Took in an Imax movie about the canyon - impressive. Came out expecting rain. It wasn't. Walked back but clearly this was where the crowds were. A bit of a chore and we'd probably had a bit too much sun. So back to the lodge for a cool down.Leggi altro

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  • John BickerstaffUSA eclipse 2017John Bickerstaff

    More dodgy roads.

    5 agosto 2017, Stati Uniti ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    Just the small matter of 170 miles to get to the South Rim of the Canyon. First stop was Kayenta - nearest town to Monument Valley - fill up & get essentials. Missed turn for shops - slight detour, major speed bumps - car not happy. Pushed on retracing steps for a little while more. Signs warning of rough road surface caused concern - could the car cope with anything more. As it happens it was nothing more than uneven & bumpy. By now the roads were straight & the surroundings dull & monotonous. Last resort to relieve boredom - American radio - miraculously something was found - a live concert. That helped. A scenic viewpoint came & went confusing signage dictated a huffy retreat - so unlike me. Tried the next one & unsurprisingly the roads down were abysmal. Just parked up & the rain began. Stubbornly insisted on seeing this gorge & it was quite impressive. In pretty much any other country it would celebrated as a wonder. It is however next door to the Grand Canyon. Eventually made it to the park gate & on entering cars were being ushered to the first sight of the Canyon. Needless to say most did. Very busy. Seems drier on this side. Nice clear view of the river. Quick look & headed to the lodge. It became clear that it wasn't just the canyon that was big on this side. Our lodge was split into 2 wings, each with 6 buildings. Massive. A world away from the North Rim. Unpacked & headed down to the rim & there was a really nice walk along the edge of the canyon for a mile or so. Had geological pointers, some great viewpoints & best of all was pretty quiet. A New York family were about the same pace as us - the dad offered to take our photo - appreciated. Handed the phone to his son to sort out - great delegation. Made it to the Village centre but it seems really to be just a collection of hotels with access to some stunning views. Back for tea - order was taken by a machine - no tipping issues.Leggi altro

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  • John BickerstaffUSA eclipse 2017John Bickerstaff

    Dodgy roads

    5 agosto 2017, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    Be great to be able to tell the time - chopping & changing between Arizona & Utah was the problem I maintain. The hotel is situated in Arizona but uses Utah time - 1 hour difference. All sounds simple but phones often use geographic & service details for time. Sometimes it changes all by itself. Unfortunately this meant when I thought I was getting up at 6.20 it was in fact 5.20. No wonder no-one was about. Should have twigged. Worse case when I looked out the window & saw pitch black something should've registered. At 5.30 it dawned on me, unlike the sun I was expecting to see. Went to bed for an hour. After all this it was cloudy. Went off for a run in a huff. Probably the most dramatic route for a while. Got back, packed & had prime time seats for brekkiee. Before heading off I wanted to take the valley road - admittedly it was a dirt road but the receptionist said the first section was do-able in a regular car. What she classed as the first section is anybody's guess - first 100m, first hairpin... The first couple of photo opps were achieved relatively easily but getting to John Ford's spec was tricky to put it mildly - deep ridges, big rocks & the remains of flash floods from yesterday. Managed to hit a couple of rocks - fingers crossed no more damage. The final view was pretty special - some opportunist was charging $5 for the John Wayne Experience - sit on a horse - no mention of milk though. Tentatively headed back - crawling along to a few people's irritation. Made it back to safety & had a final look in the visitor centre. Came out to torrential rain - is this Manchester in disguise?Leggi altro

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  • John BickerstaffUSA eclipse 2017John Bickerstaff

    Big Buttes

    4 agosto 2017, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    For the majority of the journey, in the distance we could see, if awake, dark looming clouds. These eventually formed the almost predictable thunderstorms. Fortunately they always seemed to be just ahead - cars coming the other way had lights on & we were often driving on wet surfaces. In some ways it added interest to the drive - the roads were dead straight with limited interest - a silo of some sort that looked like a giant slide was the most exciting talking point. By the time we got to Kayenta - about 30 miles from Monument Valley, the storm had hit, was getting pretty vicious & the rain was torrential. There'd been a few signs refering to flooding along the way. Went over a couple of raging torrents that almost certainly were dried river beds yesterday. Our first glimpse of the buttes were shrouded in cloud, rain and with shards of lightning threatening them periodically. The rain let up a little as we approached & checked in but the usual sunshine drenched views of the valley weren't going to happen. Torrential rain in the desert - couldn't make it up. Checked in & we had one of only 6 out of the 96 not to have a view. Wonder why? Eventually things cleared a little - had an explore. Saw John Wayne's favourite view - supposedly. Had some traditional Navajo stew - what on earth is hominy?Leggi altro

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  • John BickerstaffUSA eclipse 2017John Bickerstaff

    Photo Dictator.

    4 agosto 2017, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    Before heading off to Monument Valley we had the small matter of a trip down Antelope Canyon - a slot canyon that when flash floods occur can be lethal. Good job we're in a desert - nice and dry ... Oh wait. The company that had the dubious honour of my business was supposedly quieter - fewer numbers, which was also the selling point of the lower canyon tours as opposed to the higher end. The car park appeared and it seemed such a claim was a little suspect. 1 hour later and still queuing to get down into the canyon & the rival companies clients flying down & all was not hp. Eventually we made it down and it was truly an alien looking landscape. You could well imagine how lethal flooding could be down here. The guide clearly fancied herself as something of David Bailey - wittering on about white balances and ordering us into various poses along the way. Despite all the hoardes, it was a magical place - not sure it was ideal for the wedding photos that were being taken down there. Free bottle of water, no mention of tips, the sun was out - all was well. Off to Monument Valley - what could go wrong.Leggi altro

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  • John BickerstaffUSA eclipse 2017John Bickerstaff

    Colorado - a closer inspection.

    3 agosto 2017, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☀️ 35 °C

    Today was really a stopover on the way to Monument Valley. No sense though in ignoring interesting things along the way, most of which revolved around the Colorado river. Laid back start - usual run & walk combo finishing with breakfast at the campsite shop. A sharp shower while eating was a foretaste of what was to come. Took a last look at the view and headed off to replenish our cookie supply. Heading out of the park we were faced with yet another thunderstorm. Some superb lightning. Cleared as we headed down of the Kaibab Plateau & as we descended the temp rose 14° to 30° in the space of 10 mins. The next 50 miles of driving was your archetypal mid-west desert road - long, straight and surrounded by scrub bush & ochre sand. Impressive & boring at the same time. Made it to Lee's ferry without falling asleep at the wheel. This was the historic crossing of the Colorado river. Expected this to be the closest we'd get to it. Probably was but you wouldn't know it - massive cliffs & the dinghies below were tiny. Frighteningly some visitors have to have a sign to warn you not to jump off. Just a couple of miles from Page was Horseshoe Bend - a view of the Colorado looping around an outcrop. Seemed a good stop off before checking in. Shouldn't be too busy - an offbeat sight. 5 coaches in the car park suggested otherwise. Numerous warnings about hiking in the desert made this seem far more risky than expected. The heat didn't help - though what can you expect in the desert? Thunder clouds unsurpringly were looming. Took our time & drank lots of water. Considering some of the bloaters coming back it seemed unthinkable that we'd struggle. What was a struggle was the masses of people & the stupid things they insisted on doing. Pictures taken, view admired - exit stage left. Found the hotel, checked in, found the pool & cooled off. That only lasted until the phone call to the hire company. 30 mins of language based confusion typified by him thinking the wind screen had been damaged by a horse & cart - how can the phrase 'a lorry / wagon' be mis-understood. Brief excursion into Page consisted of a quick visit to the Glen Canyon Dam & a steak meal served by possibly the squeakiest waitress on earth.Leggi altro

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  • John BickerstaffUSA eclipse 2017John Bickerstaff

    Was that thunder or a fart?

    2 agosto 2017, Stati Uniti ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    After a messy lunch we adjourned to our room - hanging fire with going out to tie up with sunset at the Angel's Window - supposedly the best bet on the Northern Rim. Go too early & we'd be hanging round. We set off with the best of intentions & was happily heading North when a lorry passed in the opposite direction kicking up a stone. It hit the windscreen & made a small chip - hopefully the hire agency wouldn't notice. Pulled into have a look & all of a sudden the chip extended to a 20cm crack. Think they'll notice that. Decided to head to the local garage to see what he thought. He seemed very relaxed - no way was it a problem - the car hire people will sort it. Glad he was so confident - sure they'll sort but it'll cost. Decided to press on and fortunately there were a number of stops and short walks along the way to keep us occupied. Roosevelt point & Wahalla Point showed increasingly impressive views of the canyon. Also some archeological remains proved an interesting aside. The best, however, was saved to last - Angel's Window and Cape Royal. Standing on top of the Angel's Window felt like you were surrounded by the Canyon and for once you could actually see the Colorado river - 1 mile down. Tried to hang around for sunset along with a couple of characters - a farting Japanese guy and 2 singing Mexicans. Looming clouds & the rumbles of thunder in the distance persuaded us to call it a day.Leggi altro

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  • John BickerstaffUSA eclipse 2017John Bickerstaff

    Hail storms in Arizona

    2 agosto 2017, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    The plan was to go and get brekkie from the saloon & eat on the veranda overlooking the canyon. At 8am they had sold out. So change of plan. But not before Liz had her cup of tea. There was only one option - head to the general store - they can't sell out. Added bonus - it's the sole source of wifi so postings can be updated. Headed down the bridleway I'd just run on a couple of hours earlier. So for breakfast we spent $10 instead of $34 at the lodge. Lucky break. Then to the main event - a short hike down below the rim on the mule track. The first thing that struck us was the smell - it was a bit ripe - certainly had to watch your step. As we headed down black clouds were certainly looming but this is Arizona & though not as typically arid as you'd imagine surely unlikely to see rain. About 5 mins down the first drops of rain were felt. A quick look didn't bode well so we headed back for shelter - just in case. Just as well - an epic thunderstorm followed - torrential rain & hailstones. A few lucky souls made it to the shelter & then followed a steady stream of soaked hikers. Chatted to a father & son from 'Philly' who had hiked down from the south rim and upto the North rim. It was 50°down at the river crossing so when the rain came they were quite happy ... initially. By the time it stopped they weren't keen. Dropped them off at their bus stop and headed for lunch. A pulled pork sarnie that needed to be eaten quickly or it fell apart. Liz went off to sort her cup of tea - no prizes for guessing who ended up messiest.Leggi altro

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  • John BickerstaffUSA eclipse 2017John Bickerstaff

    Well it's not Maghull Square

    1 agosto 2017, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    The journey to the rim was not without its issues. Something of a queue at the park entrance was largely caused by a laid back ranger - taking his time with the maps. Not sure how maintained the roads are - caught a pretty hefty one - didn't sound good & on later inspection the hub cap agreed. Whether the car hire people will notice is anybody's guess - at least we are insured. Minds were suitably focussed elsewhere when the road approached the canyon rim - glimpses of the spectacle to come between the trees. Parked up & couldn't resist walking down the Bright Angel trail. It was amazing - too big really to comprehend & words don't do it justice. Headed back to check in and discovered that we'd have to wait till 4 - not too bad under 2 hours. Except we'd forgotten that Arizona was in a different time zone - around 3 hours felt a bit different. Took in the visitor centre & decided to drive out to one of the further viewpoints - Imperial Point. If anything the views were more varied & we pretty much had them to ourselves. At no point have we been able to see the Colorado river - shows how deep it is. Headed back & checked in. Nice relax & then to the stressful experience of ... choosing what to eat. The main dining room with spectacular canyon views was fully booked & ludicrously expensive. The deli had pizzas & sarnies, then there was the Chuckwagon buffet 'eat as much as you can' - dangerous. That was the option. Very nice. Needed an epic walk afterwards. Decided to go to the general store at the camp ground - about a mile away. About the same as the walk to the square back home - slightly better views though - that's here not Maghull - just in case there's confusion.Leggi altro

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  • John BickerstaffUSA eclipse 2017John Bickerstaff

    Cookie Monster

    1 agosto 2017, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Savoured the cool morning temperatures - almost a hint of chill. Before the big trip we headed to Panguitch - the local town - 'famous' for its wild west architecture. Or at least the picture we saw in a leaflet suggested so. This it did have, but not much else - well a tenuous link to Butch Cassidy & petrol. Now to the small matter of heading to the Grand Canyon & due to routing / attraction choices made we'd be doubling back on ourselves for a good chunk. The lush high altitude meadows made a pleasant change last time & still were an improvement on arid scrub. And if nothing else 100 miles in we had a cookie stop at Jacob's Lake to look forward to. In between plenty of grand views & villages with spectacular backdrops. A sign claiming a 'scenic view point' appeared. Something of a big claim in the current surroundings - a lot to live upto. We were offered a clear overview of the Grand Staircase National Monument - a series of plateau erroded by the forces that created the Grand Canyon. Impressive. Onto the cookies.
    Supposedly 'world famous' & other than a visitor centre & garage there's little else at Jacob's Lake. But they were certainly worth the visit. There'll certainly be a stop on the return trip to Page.    Leggi altro

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  • John BickerstaffUSA eclipse 2017John Bickerstaff

    A big Wow.

    31 luglio 2017, Stati Uniti ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    Sailed through the Park gate - loving the annual pass. The visitor centre was a little more challenging - parking was looking to be a problem, but we got lucky. Stocked up on water & genned up on hikes & views. Opted to try the shuttle again - worked pretty well at Zion. Except we missed the bus & since it wasn't compulsory the car got the nod. Headed to furthest main viewing area - Bryce lookout. On arrival the car park was packed - should've got the bus. Eventually we got another break & parked up. Headed to the gorge rim & jaws promptly dropped. Words don't do justice to the sight - just epic in size & grandeur. Nice walk along the rim to get away from the crowds. Onwards to Inspiration Point & hopefully a more extended rim walk. On arrival rumbles of thunder suggested otherwise. Ignored the ominous signs but drops of rain forced a rethink & a dash back to the car. Things didn't improve. Decided to drive to the furthest point & hope things might ease off. They didn't. Hail & fork lightning. Decided to retire to the hotel & head back if things improved - they didn't...Leggi altro

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  • John BickerstaffUSA eclipse 2017John Bickerstaff

    Hike cheating

    31 luglio 2017, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    One of the most iconic views of Zion is from Angel's Landing - a strenuous 6 hour hike. With 30° or higher that was never an option. However, on the way out to Bryce the road climbed up the valley wall & at the top was a hike claiming canyon views & only to be moderately challenging. The only catch was the lack of parking. An early start should do the trick. Run & brekkie done. Just the small matter of fuel - is the hire car petrol or diesel? Nowhere in the documentation was there an indication. Had to rely on the sound of the engine... Thankfully at the car park, there was 1 space but had to turn round to get it - facing the wrong direction - could be a problem. Start of the path was a hefty flight of steps - Liz looked none too pleased. A fair bit of shade & fairly flat for the remainder helped. The view at the end sealed the deal. Very impressive. Bad selfies aside - you couldn't fail to take a bad photo of this. The limited parking ensured limited numbers - the family messing around with the echoes didn't ensure quietness - and they never stopped singing on the way down. Got back to the car & as Liz predicted there was a queue to get through the tunnel to Zion & no-one wanted to let me in so I could turn around. Ho hum - eventually a slow bus meant a gap - quick 3 point & off to Bryce.Leggi altro

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  • John BickerstaffUSA eclipse 2017John Bickerstaff

    Canyon climbing.

    30 luglio 2017, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    Woke up to find outside was cool(ish) so strike while the iron is hot. Out for a quick run, brekkie & upto the park. No need for photo id unsurprisingly, rather more surprising was the limited queue for the shuttle bus into Zion. Got on the 2nd bus. The plan was to do the moderately challenging stuff before the heat took over & by then we'd be coming downhill. So upto the Emerald pools via the Kayenta Trail. Lots of dramatic outlooks over the valley & a fair few stumbles & trips. Got to look where I'm going. The middle pool was relatively easy to get to. The decision was whether to push onto the upper pool. The clue is in the name - quite a bit of uphill & not do much shade. Liz wasn't happy but we made it. Unfortunately you couldn't swim there but lots of shade when we finally made it. Lots of down to the lower pool which had waterfalls spraying the unwary - nice. At the bus stop the warning that made the impression was of the possibility of hours of queuing for return buses (not the tales of flooding, wildlife etc) so the decision was made to head back as the heat got to its worst & hopefully as people were still active. Plan worked - no queue. As for the visitor centre - the queue going into the park - epic... madness.Leggi altro

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