"The Big Country"

Up early, got ready to move out by 08:00, it was a little chilly when we loaded the cases, 2 C, just a little nippy. All loaded, let's move on out... Not long before we are into Nevada, straight up into the mountains, car starts flashing warnings of frost, I also find that the car has electronic compass, very handy.
On the other side of the mountains the views just open out, WOW.

A hour in I spot my first Cowboy on horseback, tick, stop for fuel and coffee and head South along 395 towards Independence, the scenery is stunning, this is cattle country the wide open spaces far as the eye can see.

Stop mid morning for brunch

Ali again in charge of the camera

Mammoth Lakes, we have good look around this Ski resort.

Who is that handsome chap....

We make very good progress to Independence so drive on to Ridgecrest, somewhere in the Mojave desert near Death Valley and it's only 24 C, pleasant.

We have driven well over 320 miles today, stopped a number of times, and still made very good time. We check out a few motels and go for a $48 place with WiFi, a good choice. We end up eating at a Steak & BBQ place called Casey's, and the BBQ is dry rubbed, hmmm...

Now listening to Radio 2 through the Internet, Alex Lester, I'm enjoying the shoe.... Night, night.

"Hit the Road Jack"

Today is the day we start the trip proper, we get up and pack and pop out for some breakfast to fortify us for the first leg. The less said about breakfast the better, it wasn't Pergamino's, it was OK, once I got the right order and the coffee was adequate.
We checked out and was on the road by 10:00 (only 200 + miles today), using the iPad for navigation. We were using a App which has a lot of potential (Road Tripper, works with Google maps), but like most things needs getting used too, only a couple of unscheduled diversion but nothing that caused any problems. Most of the time we were looking for names on directional signs (one's which were for a fair few miles off).
The weather was warm and sunny again, and we settled into one of the US's finest driving machines.

A Chevy Traverse LT, our transport for the next 15 days till Washington DC, not the Mustang soft top we should being doing the trip with but need to be practical, that's why I have a Ali, though she was tempted...

Our route today, 210 miles to Lake Tahoe, a gentle easing in....

We left the and headed for Hyde street

At the junction of Hyde and Lombard, we take a right (left would take you down the famous crooked street) which joins Route 101 and across that bridge (Ali's in charge of the camera today).

The roads are busy and landscape brown due to lack of water, we head for the Napa Valley, and then on to the national protected water ways. See hundreds of birds, but only one I know, the White Heron, the others are wading birds of one species or another.
Lots of interstate driving, most of time it's six lanes across.

Ali likes this sign, one of her favourite tipples

The roads are wide till we get past Sacramento, where we start to see a little more green and before we know it we are on single lane road with long sweeping bends surrounded by pine forest.

The temp is falling from 22 C to 16 C, we have the windows down and smell of the pine is great. We are in Gold mining country, we pass through Placerville where prospectors once blew fortunes living it up, what we see now is lots of cabin's for weekend use. The traffic is busy going the other way, its Sunday so end of weekend and people are heading back to the city. We make a stop at Fresh Ponds Deli & Dinner for coffee and to pick a freshly made sandwich (safe it for later).

Another 50 mile we spot Lake Tahoe, we are at 7,000 ft (that what the sign says), if you look close at the picture you can see the lake in the distance just under the far ridge of mountains.

Lake Tahoe, we sit and breath in the view and tuck into that beef, cheese and pepper sandwich, first leg ticked off. Though the sun is warm on the face it's pretty nippy when out of it, in a few weeks this place will have snow and be full of skiers and snowboarders. We start to look for a place to stay, best done on foot here, and as we walk we come across a guy in his 50's sat on the beach playing his guitar and singing, and I must say it was very good.
We try a few places out near the beach, Best Western $78, a family run place again $78 but there was a women complaining (didn't catch what it was about). The one we went for is a newish place, 3 Peaks Resort & Beach club, $47 for a King, it has a communal hot tub.... We decide to do some laundry instead in the onside facility, all done for $3 (soap, washing & drying), first time I sit down and read a few chapters of the book I brought with me.
We also have a little chat with our son,Tim, on the iPad message App, the wonders of technology and free WiFi, it's just gone midnight in Hull and he is after recipes as he and his friends are doing a come dine with me.

The 3 Peaks resort

We nip out to get tea and find a Mexican dinner, can't tell what I had as I went for a taste of everything and good it was. Back to the resort and sleep. Tomorrow another easy trip Tahoe to Indepenence, 200+ mile trip through a number of National Parks.

"Left my heart in San Francisco"

Wow... What a city, our time was brief here but lot done today, we drive out here tomorrow and start the road trip proper.
Again breakfast at Pergamino's, something different with eggs in, an omelette. A Denver for me and a Hickory smoked Turkey for Ali.

Our moto for the next three weeks....

Another wall, a few satisfied customers..

Our first mission of the day is get on a sight seeing tour, best way to get a lot seen in a short space of time. There are dozens to pick from. We go for one which just hits the main part of down town part of SF.

Not a good picture of China town, the most densely packed part of SF, and it was.... I didn't see as many Chinese when I was in Shanghai, it was more like London at rush hour.

Little Italy visited, very European with all the cafe's and people sat out watching us go by. SF also as a little Japan and little Mexico....

After the tour we still had a couple of things to do which meant going in to down town SF (well only just). We decide to walk, it was only a couple of miles !!! but up an down hill, they are killers on the knees. Needed to check out trying to pick out a mobile data package for the iPad, tried Verizon first but no joy so off to AT&T. "Oh sure", name up on the display but it only took 10 min's at most, I had visions of being there for hours, very efficient. They explained what I needed to do, the micro sim was free, just plug in and follow the instruction they gave. They said that I most probably need a US postal address, but I had already come that conclusion when initially looking into it, lucky I work for a American company and who I had their address.
The next task was to pick up the hire car, but first a little retail therapy, lets have look at the Levi's store, straight in straight out, $78 for a pair of 501's, down on the Wharf they were only $55... Pop into good old Macey's, less than $43, equates to around £28. Wander around a few more shops looking for a small bag for Ali, bags and shoes go together like bread & butter. What a selection in the shops, Ali picks up a small bag only, knows what she wants.

We pick up the hire car, very nice, this shall do us, we head back to the Hotel (only take a few min's) to drop off and head out for a late lunch.

We share a Chicken & Pesto sandwich (remember portion size) and a local beer, goes down well.

The local boy's & girls sunbathing

Watch "As The boat comes in"

We spend the rest of the afternoon doing tourist things, looking around, picking up a few things before evening falls. The day has been long, so a pick me up is needed, back to Boudin's and hit the cocktail bar, "It's Five O'clock Somewhere"

With $60 worth of booze inside us, the munchies hit, so we hit Alioto's....another must when here.

The starter, Clam chowder in a bread bowl, the best, and the main, Dungeness crab in a bay sauce, I've got to say the best Crab I've every eaten WOW...WOW.

We end the night having hot spiced Pumpkin Coca at Ghirardelli's, what an end to our stay in SF, we will be back, so much more to see and experience.

"On the Dock of the Bay"

The editor and chief thinks the last submission was a little wordy (that's because I forgot the camera !!!), so as someone said a picture is like a 1,000 words, so I'm going to try less is more.

We slept well but still fully awake around by 06:00, so an initial coffee before getting ready and hitting the streets. On another of Steve's recommendation for breakfast, on street map it is only 300 metres down the street from the Hotel.

On Columbus Avenue, it does as it says on the Tin

"The Pig Out" the sausage had a taste of sweet aniseed (strangely, not unpleasant)

The wall of Coffee - the neighbourhood dark and Italian blend was very good, though Ali liked the Hazelnut, everyone to their own....

Lady Stone

Nick's so got a photo this time...

Art Deco Heaven

A novel way to conduct a tour, but this is San Francisco, no more than you would expect...

One of many of these classic trams

From pier 33 we climbed the 200 odd steps to get to Coit's tower, built to celebrate SF Firemen.

A long walk along Lombard street to see this bit of road

Hyde street classic

"The man from Del Monte, he say Yes"
SF Home of Del Monte

Every time I see these streets, one thing comes to mind, Steve McQueen in that Green '68 car

The evening brings on a must when you visit SF, always book long before you arrive, we booked way back in June

What a way to end a day

This inspired another classic film with Clint Eastwood

What can one say.... Good Night