U.S. Roadtrip: NV is for Nevada

Alex got back from L.A and it was time to leave California. We all went back to our camper to take off for Nevada. The owner of the Bed and Breakfast where we had parked gave us some fun looking cucumbers before we left. We then headed out and had to make a stop when Alex started to suspect trouble with our trailer. Several people stopped and offered their help. Some more knowledgeable than others... but all very kind to stop and care. He did not find anything but we would later....

Round cucumber :-)

Checking tires and axle...

We arrived to Lake Tahoe very very late and everyone but Alex were sleeping. Alex parked on the side of the road by a view point. That's (of course) where we all woke up in the morning. Great place to stay for the night. Especially since we did not have any time at all to spend in this park. Sad, but I was happy to at least get to see it. We had breakfast and spent about ten minutes looking out over the lake before we had to leave. A beautiful place but I did not see much.

Bye California, Hello Nevada! Our next stop was supposed to be Challis, Idaho, but out trailer had other plans. Another flat tire made it impossible to reach Challis when we wanted to and we had to spend the night in a small town in Nevada called Elko. We were so lucky though. A tire shop could help us first thing in the morning and a restaurant across the street from it let us plug in the camper so we could have AC during the night. We also got an earlier night than we would have otherwise, which was probably a good thing.Also, we got to spend a night in Nevada, which we otherwise would not have done.

Replacing yet another tire...

Camping across the street from the tire shop in Elko, NV

Sleepy angels :-)

U.S. Roadtrip: San Fransisco, CA (again)

Day two in San Fransisco. Unfortunately without Alex, who flew to L.A. early in the morning. We drove into a foggy San Fran and jumped on a boat after finding a less expensive parking. There is parking garage down town that costs $2/minute. We did not park there... 

We jumped on the boat. The weather was pretty chili so we sat inside most of the time.

 Watching the sea lions from the ocean.

Watching the Golden Gate Bridge from the water

Alcatraz - one day I will visit the island and see the prison up close

Back to the city...

We had a great day and were all quite exhausted when driven back "home". Pizza here we come!

U.S. Roadtrip: San Fransisco, CA

My first visit to San Fransisco and we went there by train. Leaving our trailer behind because we were staying in Alex's uncle's house :-) Unfortunately, he would not be there, but it was nice to have a house for a few days!

On the way to San Fransisco!!

Driving a Tesla!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And these are the cars next to us :-)

Clouds over the city

And over the Golden Gate Bridge

Driving over the Golden Gate Bridge

View from the other side

It was freeeeeezing!

We had time for a quick visit to Fisherman's Wharf /Pier 39 and the Sea lions. The were so fun and made a lot of noise!! I had several videos of them but I seem to have lost them. So sad!!! One of them seemed to be trying to make friends and kept swimming around and get up on the dock in several different places, but he was always pushed away.

The Sea lions

U.S. Roadtrip: Columbia, CA

A fun visit to the small town Columbia. An old gold rush town kept as it was back then. Unfortunately, Alex had a radio interview part of the time we were there and he missed the horse carriage ride but luckily we had lots of fun with our friends.

Inside the carriage

U.S. Roadtrip: Calaveras Big Trees State Park, CA

A day with friends again!! One of our favorite things :-)

We were so excited to meet up with one of the families that we know from Ormond Beach, here in California! They moved here earlier this year and we miss them! We all went to see the giant sequoias in Calaveras Big Trees state park. It was a better place to experience these giants than in Yosemite even if the one with a tunnel in it is quite fun to see, too.

The story of the big trunk in the North Grove...
In 1853 it took five men 22 days to drill all the holes to bring the tree down, but the perfectly symmetrical tree did not fall for several days. The stump was planed smooth to serve as a dance floor, and a two lane bowling alley and bar were built on the fallen trunk.

Part of a fallen tree to the right of the path

Marlee walking inside a fallen tree

 
The Siamese Twins started life so close together that the first 50 feet (15 m) of their 8 trunks have merged and now appear to be one tree.

Tunnel through a fallen tree

Gabriel inside a fallen tree

Great day that we ended with pizza, swimming pool and doing laundry :-)