Redwood National Forest

Two firsts in one day! After landing in SF today I drove five hours north on Hwy 101 to Eureka, CA where I will visit several CVS/Longs projects. The drive north took me through the Redwood National Forest where nearly half of the remaining old growth redwoods are in this park system, including giants five stories taller than the Statue of Liberty. They can live to be 2000 years old and grow to over 360 feet tall. Walking through this redwood grove this afternoon was an unforgettable experience.

For more visit: http://gorp.away.com/gorp/resource/us_national_park/ca_redwo.htm

The Golden Gate Bridge

Today marked my first crossing of the Golden Gate Bridge and I must say it is as beautiful as the many pictures and movies I've seen of it over the years.
The Golden Gate Bridge, completed after more than four years of construction at a cost of $35 million, opened to vehicular traffic on May 28, 1937 at twelve o'clock noon when President Franklin D. Roosevelt pressed a telegraph key in the White House announcing the event. The GGB opening was ahead of schedule and under budget. That has to be a first also, lol!
The Golden Gate Bridge design echoes an Art Deco Theme. Wide, vertical ribbing on the horizontal tower bracing accents the sun's light on the bridge which was a bit hard to see in the fog today. Oh well it was a thrill to finally cross it!

For more visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Gate_Bridge

Grand Canyon

Unfortunately I was on the left side of first class so I was only able to see this sliver of the Grand Canyon on my flight back to Atlanta.

Although first afforded Federal protection in 1893 as a Forest Reserve and later as a National Monument, Grand Canyon did not achieve National Park status until 1919, three years after the creation of the National Park Service. Today Grand Canyon National Park receives close to five million visitors each year - a far cry from the annual visitation of 44,173 which the park received in 1919.

The oldest human artifacts found are nearly 12,000 years old and date to the Paleo-Indian period. There has been continuous use and occupation of the park since that time.

Click thre picture to enlarge.

Lake Mead

Here's an ariel shot of Lake Mead during my return flight to Atlanta. You can clearly see how low the lake has become.

Lake Mead National Recreation Area offers a wealth of things to do and places to go year-round. Its huge lakes cater to boaters, swimmers, sunbathers, and fishermen while its desert rewards hikers, wildlife photographers, and roadside sightseers. It is also home to thousands of desert plants and animals, adapted to survive in an extreme place where rain is scarce and temperatures soar.

For more visit: http://www.nps.gov/lame/naturescience/lowwater.htm

Bye Bye Las Vegas!

See you next trip!

The Stratosphere

It is virtually impossible to be anywhere in Las Vegas and miss the Stratosphere. It towers 1,149 feet above Las Vegas and is the tallest observation tower in the United States. The casino itself is 55,784 square feet and contains 1,450 slot machines, 120 game tables and 2,444 hotel rooms. The Stratosphere is well known for its rides at the top of the tower, The Big Shot is located at the 113 floor and torpedoes riders up 160 feet using compressed air. X-Scream is a roller coaster perched at the top of the observation deck, if that wasn't scary enough, the coaster arm flings the riders out 27 feet over the edge of the tower.

For more visit: http://www.stratospherehotel.com/?gclid=CMO3mJWyqJsCFRLoxgodTBBnyg

Las Vegas Hilton

Okay another terrible dump but this time in Las Vegas, lol!

My visit to Las Vegas to convert two Longs Pharmacies into CVS's was like the six visits before that, fantastic! I love Las Vegas!

Los Coyotes Indian Reservation

With nearly 25,000 acres of federally-recognized tribal land, the Los Coyotes Indian Reservation is the largest Native American reservation in San Diego County, and it rests in some of the most remote and inaccessible high mountain wilderness areas of Southern California.

Los Coyotes Cahuilla Indian territory includes San Diego County's highest lookout point, Hot Springs Mountain. At 6,533 feet, Hot Springs Mountain peak is 11 feet higher than the more famous Cuyamaca Peak.
On a clear day one can see the Pacific Ocean from the spectacular Hot Springs Mountain peak view point on the Los Coyotes mountain. The Salton Sea can also be seen from the reservation.

Weird Clouds!

Just west of Tehachapi Pass I ran into a very unusual cloud formation that produced heavy rain and hail in the valley below!

Tehachapi Pass Windmill Farm

The Tehachapi Pass is one of the world's largest producer of wind-generated electricity. The more than 5,000 wind turbines in the Tehachapi-Mojave wind resource area of Kern County generate approximately 1.3 Terawatt-hours (1,300,000,000 kWh) per year. This is enough electricity to meet the residential needs of more than 500,000 Southern Californians or nearly one million Europeans.

High Mountain Desert

Between San Diego and Palm Desert I passed over the high mountain desert on the Hwy 74 and the Santa Rosa Indian Reservation.

The Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains rise abruptly from the desert floor, reaching an elevation of 10,834 feet at the summit of Mount San Jacinto. Providing a picturesque backdrop to local communities, the National Monument significantly contributes to the Coachella Valley's lure as a popular resort and retirement community. It is also a desirable backcountry destination that can be accessed via trails from both the valley floor and the alpine village of Idyllwild.

This picture is looking southwest at the Santa Rosa Mountain.

Life is Good!

What can I say, lol!

Crown Plaza San Diego CA.

Again I had to suffer in another dump hotel while visiting San Diego, lol!

Sunday Morning Cruisers!

On my way to a CVS/Longs store in San Diego a week ago Sunday I stopped at a light and had these two Sunday morning cruisers pull along side of me!!!!

Evidently they had been to the beach as their lady friend was concerned with the sand they brought into the car, lol!