Another day gone by, and another week on the road. Today I would be departing from Pacific Grove, California and my home for the last two weeks. I am happy to have Pearl back, and to get moving again on our trip; but I am also saddened by the fact that I have come to enjoy my time in California, spending it with family and friends. With a quick jaunt along 17-mile drive, I made my way along the coast till I found the Lone Cypress perched on its throne standing sentinel in the wake of a harsh Pacific environment. Making my way back home, I packed up before having breakfast. Saying goodbyes, I made sure to not take 20 years to come back. California has really made an impact on me in more way than one. There was something familiar that made me feel welcome; the people (that I met) were certainly different than what I might have expected and I am thankful for the connections I made. The scenery truly is breathtaking and only got better the further north I went.

Leaving the Monterey Bay Area, I headed north on California 1, heading for the San Francisco Bay Area. I passed by much more beautiful coastal scenery and even detoured by The Olympic Club, where Webb Simpson (a native of Raleigh, North Carolina) won the 2012 US Open. Traversing the Golden Gate Bridge, Pearl and I drove into the Marin Headlands to the Black Sands Beach, where you could look back to the city for a perspective including Alcatraz Island from high up on the lookout.

Before touring around the bay to Berkley where I would stay the night, I drove through Sausalito and into the. town of Tiburon. It’s not often that I’m not thinking about oysters around the coast, so I stopped into Sam’s Anchor Cafe for a beer and a half dozen fresh Pacific oysters. Having my fill of my favorite briny yet satisfying bivalve, I left another coastal town to make it to another for the evening. Berkeley Marina, is filled with boats, big and small, motorized and sail powered; it is a beautiful site to have the sun set on that setting.

Today started like any other; fully rested, I grab a cup of coffee and hit the road. Although today is no different than, something has changed. My concentration has been broken for the last few days. Maybe it is the time on the road, or the increase in traffic (and crazy drivers); either way something has changed. Having a few places to stop along the way, I put Berkeley in the rear view and set the gps for the capital city of Sacramento. First would be more coffee and a pastry at Temple Coffee Roasters. I managed to knock out a little writing and then headed uptown to Fly Fishing Specialties. Knowing I would be making my way back through California in another month, I wanted to gain a little local knowledge. Much to my surprise the staff was more than helpful and even keyed me in on a few places I would be visiting later in the summer. After lunch I hopped back on I-80 East, for Truckee, California. Even the town sounds like a cool place just from the name. 1000ft elevation signs let me know that we were climbing into the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. What I didn’t expect, was that the drive would be so beautiful. Cutting through the mountains, the highway was dream to drive and Pearl handled it like a champ. Coming over a rise, the evergreens parted and we were welcomed with a sprawling vista. Climbing higher, we summited the Donner Gap (7227ft). Our last stop for the day before making camp was the Mountain Hardware store, where I picked up my second western fishing license. Not far away, our camp was off the main road that led to Lake Tahoe. Finding our site, I was welcomed by the ranger; we spoke for a few minutes about Pearl and the campsite and what kind of wildlife activity there was. A sow black bear and cubs have frequented the area recently, including the camp up the road the week before. Bear boxes are provided to keep food safe, but I kept mine locked in the truck. Finding the perfect spot, I pitched camp and then took a walk down along the Truckee River that bordered the campground.

Waking with the birds this morning; I wasted no time to catch the sun light up the canyon, I took my coffee to the river to enjoy a bit of the tranquillity that the flowing river could offer. Taking in what is around me, the sounds of nature have calmed me. I say a quick thank you and praise the Lord for such a beautiful place.

Packing camp, I set forth for the town of Tahoe City. I had no plan for what I was going to do today, so I grabbed another cup of coffee and a lox bagel to contemplate what the day would hold. Taking advantage of the early hours, I knocked out the rest of the writing I had left and developed a loose plan for the remaining time I had around Lake Tahoe. After taking a short walk around the lake and along the river, I decided it was close enough to lunch to perch on a barstool near the river and have a lite bite and some beers to wash it down at the Bridgetender Tavern. Famous for incredible skiing and summer water sports, the local area and more specifically, the town of Tahoe Pines holds a secret now hidden by stately homes. The Kaiser Estate, most famously used as the Lake Tahoe home of Michael Corleone and family in The Godfather II sits easily visible from the road along the lake. Today it serves as the private communities boat house. Now we were refueled and ready to head to Reno, Nevada. Heading north, I passed a scout, and obviously I turned around. It hasn’t been as frequent as I would have thought, seeing them in the west. Fifty Fifty Brewing was on the way, so I took the opportunity to rest and let Pearl cool down for a bit. Temps were still pushing high into the 90’s and we were about to head to Nevada. I called my friends Jason and Catherine Elmore to catch up. I have plans to travel to British Columbia in November, and the news is out that restrictions may be lessened by that time. They were quick to find out about my adventures, but they would be entering into their own, becoming parents later in July. Feeling refreshed, I got back on the road and set the gps for the Nugget Casino & Hotel. No Gambling for me tonight. I took the time to edit some photos, and fell asleep early. Tomorrow I would make it half way to Salt Lake City and camp in one of my most anticipated sites yet.

Sleeping is a luxury which I took full advantage of this morning. Needing, or more importantly, I wanted to stop by Scheels in Sparks, Nevada. Needing a Nevada fishing license, I also was able to find a divider for my yeti cooler; which is harder than one would imagine. If you have a chance to visit a Scheels store, take my word for it and go, especially if you have kids. Having no other planned stops till camp, I hit the road. Driving east on I-80 in northern Nevada, while hot, was much more enjoyable than I had thought. But it wasn’t until I closed in on my destination, that the Ruby Mountains really shined for the Silver State. Driving up NF-660, the remnants of a glacier have certainly imprinted on me that there is more to gambling in Nevada. After pitching camp, I took a walk around the campground, and with temps still in the 90’s I decided to cool off in the creek. No one is never too old to play in a creek. The campground is full and more than a couple other campers have commented or stopped to talk about Pearl; one even owns a ’76. Another couple stopped after they recognized the front license plate being a North Carolina flag. They are originally from Charlotte, but are also taking a journey visiting parks this summer and were headed for Montana in the morning. We chatted about where we each had gone, and what was next on the agenda; noting specific places to stop and visit. As the light faded into the horizon, the adjacent mountains surrounding the campground were lit up as on fire by the setting sun with hues of amber. It was truly a magnificent site. I enjoyed another fine camp meal from Heathers Choice.

Waking around 5am, I had planned to hike the Thomas Creek Trail from the campground, on the recommendation of a few other campers. I quickly sorted a few things out while my coffee was brewing, and then headed for the trail. The morning air was cool and crisp, but the quick gain in elevation was chasing me out of my jacket. Lauren and Hunter (fellow campers that were from Charlotte, NC) mentioned the beaver ponds and seeing one the day before. The map listed the trail as 1 mile, totaling 2 out-and-back; easily nothing to worry about. One mile in, I had at least eclipsed most of the elevation, but still not had seen any sight of a beaver. Knowing that alpine lakes typically support a family of beavers, I kept pushing up the trail. Finally, 2 miles in, I break through a cluster of trees to see a high mountain meadow with beaver pond bordering one side. Although I didn’t see any beavers, there were plenty of waterfalls and wildflowers.

Turning back, I made the descent back to camp, passing a few other hikers heading up. Packing up, I thought twice about taking another dip in the creek, but it was quite cold with lower temps in the morning. Heading out, I turned right to drive to the end of the road on the Lamoille Canyon Scenic Drive. Leaving there for Salt Lake City, there wasn’t much to see, but the Bonneville Salt Flats and the Great Salt Lake. Checking into the hotel, I would wait for Liz (my sister) to arrive and join me for a little more than a week along my journey.

With Liz joining the crew, a week of adventure is ahead of us, starting with Moab, Utah. What else would I start my day with then coffee; today was no different. We started our trek south from Salt Lake City, for Provo and Rugged Grounds Coffee. Field with a hot americano, we made a stop at the local Wally World (Neighborhood Market). Heading out of town we drove by BYU, where the city was setting up for what looked like a 4th of July parade. Continuing our trek south, we cut through the Wasatch Range, SpanishFork Canyon on Highway 6. This drive is right up there with California 1 through Big Sur. We even ran into a little rain storm, which has been the first time I’d seen rain since week 1 in Arkansas.

Making our way to Green River, we grabbed a bite to eat at Ray’s Tavern, before stopping in to the John Wesley Powell Museum. After rafting down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon in 2018, it was an excellent chance to learn more about all the river runners, past and present. For only the second time, I managed to lock my keys in the truck. Luckily this time, I parked in the shade and had the necessary tools to get in stored on the roof rack. Leaving Green River, we made our way to Moab. Our home for the next two nights would be the Moab Valley RV Resort. Before checking in, we drove into Canyonlands National park for some info on night sky viewing opportunities. For dinner tonight, we headed down the street to meet up with some old friends from Raleigh, Collin and Liz Felmet and their two kids, Lucy and Brack. It was so great to see them and spend time hanging out and just catching up on life. They have also been on the road, traveling this summer since April, with an rv in tow to different national parks (as the @frolicking_felmets on instagram). Liz and I returned to camp after a fun evening with the Felmet’s, and turned in for the night.

Todays plan consisted of; coffee, adventure, lunch, and a sunset view respectively. We started with coffee and donuts (chocolate cronut, apple fritter, and cookie dough) from Doughbird’s in downtown Moab. The apple fritter donut was the best. Heading off for and adventure and what I though would be a hike, became a trail ride; it turned out to be a blast and Pearl’s first trail. High temperature aside, she handled it well. We got wet, a little dirty, and a little banged up; but all is well. Fishers tower was just downtime road so we continued on for a better view and to snap a quick pic.

For lunch we had planned to stop in at the Red Cliffs Lodge. Sitting next to the Colorado River, we both had a flashback to our time floating down through the Grand Canyon, sharing a lunch with a river rat family. Wanting to stay cool this afternoon, we took a ride into town for a beer at the Moab Brewery. Fruit is normally not my thing, but the citrus notes were quite refreshing. Heading back to camp, we hooked up with the Frolicking Felmets for a ride through Arches National Park. The kids were a blast to watch run around. I hope that these memories, camping this summer, impart the adventurous lifestyle on their young minds. Lucy, the eldest is a “Junior Ranger.” We saw balancing rock, or as Brack calls it, “The Egg,” Turret Arch and The Windows, and with a final stop. at Devils Garden, the fins. Getting back to camp, Liz and I rushed up towards Dead Horse Point State Park to try and catch the sunset, but were too late. We came back to camp to enjoy our dinner, African Peanut Stew and Mom’s Spaghetti and Meatballs from Heather’ Choice. Then it was off to bed, for some rest before our time in Telluride, Colorado celebrating the 4th of July.

Week 6 Mileage – 1519.9