Sky to (below) Sea

Here's a shocking and unexpected statement: California is incredible.

I know, I know... it's an unpopular sentiment. It's such an underappreciated state that people avoid at all costs, but bear with me here.

In the course of a few hundred miles, I went from Tioga Pass in Yosemite at 9,943 feet (which is occasionally still closed at this point of the year due to snow), down to 200 feet below sea level in Death Valley. While I didn't go to the lowest point in Badwater Basin (282 feet below sea level), I did get deep enough in to enjoy a refreshing 123 degree summer solstice. Now that is summer.


Got to 123, but image capture gave way to driving.

What does 123 degrees feel like? Let me give you the best anecdote I can. I decided to top up the tank, to avoid any 'stranded in death valley' scenarios. I hang my shades on my shirt so I can see the display. Now, I expected to burn my hand a bit given the dispensers at Stovepipe Wells are not covered. What I did not expect was to put my sunglasses back on after pumping the gas (2 minutes or so) and have them burn my nose. Ouch.

I forgot to buy an egg at the Stovepipe store and cook in on the asphalt. Next time.

More pics, you say? Here you go.

A map of the route thus far, you say? Here you go.

Connecting the Dots

My goal is to keep this trip loose and see what strikes me on any given day. However, I've been asked a number of times about where I'm going, so I thought I'd share a rough 'could-be' path.

The map has a number of points that I will definitely hit, and many others that will depend on mood, weather, etc.  There is so much to see in the southwest that my path is, well... meandering... and still the route above does not get me to everything I'd like to see.

If all goes well, Tuesday is the day!

A Work In Progress

Many people have pointed out to me that it's a little strange to tell people you're reviving your travel blog without actually having a post on it more recently than 2007. Fair enough.

It feels a little weird to come back to a blog 5 years later. Since I was last here we've elected a new president and are about to do it again, the Giants won a world series (while the Blue Jays provided some consistency, placing fourth in their division every single year - go Jays!), The Wire ended, Game of Thrones began, Zynga was founded, and there were probably a few other things, but we're getting off-track.

As you can see I've spared no expense in redesigning the blog for 2012. White. Modern. Okay, off-track again. I admit I'm rusty.

I'm working on an extended roadtrip that will commence in a week or two. Has a loose agenda and a loose end date, but I am laying down some ideas largely informed by many helpful friends. It takes a community.

Here's the work in progress:


View Road Trip USA - Potential Stops in a larger map

... and in more visual pinny form...

So, tell me, what am I missing?

Gelato

Amorino. It's official - this is the best Gelato in Paris. In fact, it may be the best frozen thing to touch my tongue in my young life. Don't tell Italy... they'll hate me.

While I'm here, since I skipped a bit of posting while touring the UK - a couple random questions.. please weigh in:

1) Why is there such an unbelievable shortage of garbage cans in London? I almost had to take my trash with me back to Paris.
2) Is there a reason people seem to feel free to break wind at any time, in any place in Ireland?

Today is officially my last day in Europe, but my travels continue to Toronto - so if anything fascinating happens, the posts will continue.

Au revoir!

Alps Revisited

You may recall my somewhat angry post from the valley of Chamonix earlier this month. I thought I would give a visual to help explain. In the pic below, the red circle is about where I was, the red arrow is pointing generally where I needed to get to... and I should mention that my right knee had opted to administer shooting pains with every downward step. 4000 or so feet down, lightning storm most of the way, ran out of drinkable water at the top. No one to blame but myself, but as you'd imagine... in that moment, it's more fulfilling to blame everyone else. Took about 5 hours to hobble down.

The second picture is the visual equivelant of my frame of mind when I made that post. I may look happy, but look again.

There Once Was a Man from Nantucket...

Oh, admit it - when you hear the word "Limerick", that's the first thing you think of, too.

And strangely, a dirty joke seems entirely appropriate for the town of Limerick, Ireland - which seems to be a small industrial town utterly devoid of character. To be fair, I've only spent one cold, overcast day here.. but usually walking around the core gives you a pretty good sense for the place, and the sense I got was "dirty" and "uninspired". When hearing I was coming here, my cab driver in Cork said "Ah, going to Stab city are ye"... a nickname Limerick apparently received because it is home to a lot of gang violence. Amusing how Dubliners look down on Cork, and Corkies (I made that up) look down on Limerick.

I actually found Cork somewhat charming in a dirty way, and the core around St. Patrick

St. has been renovated nicely over the last few years to give it a modern cosmopolitan feel in-line with being Ireland's second biggest city. Didn't hurt that I had a fantastic room in a brand new hotel with a giant picture window overlooking the River Lee. Also makes a convenient home base for tours of Blarney Castle (yes, I kissed the stone... I expect to break out in cold sores or some sort of rash at any time) and the Ring of Kerry, including Dingle Bay. Both were fantastic, though as the blood flow to my feet was cut off from the pressure on my knees from the seat in front, I remembered why I tend not to take coach buses. Pics up on Flickr - see the badge to the right for a few highlights.

Since I've been remiss in posting, I should also mention one of the highlights of my time in Dublin - the obligatory visit to the Guinness Storehouse. The building used to be the home of the fermentation process, but was converted to a very modern tourist facility that smoothly takes you through 7 floors starting with the brewing process and proceeding through the company history, transporation/distribution innovations, and a slew of advertising memorabilia. It's all well presented, but the clincher is the "free" (read: built into the entrance price) pint of Guinness at the top of the building in the Gravity Bar. With 360 degree views out over Dublin, it's a nice place to top off the experience, but really the brilliance is in getting you mildly tipsy before you leave. Just try and walk out with a negative impression at that point... "Arthur Guinness... I love you, man!". Also, I don't want to brag - but I was made an honorary apprentice, so I've got that going for me.

As for Limerick, I'm opting to leave a day early and head over to Galway. No offense, but I prefer the dirty poem.

Thanks a Million

Grabbed an Aer Lingus flight from Paris to Dublin earlier today. I saved the english-speaking leg of my trip until the end, knowing I'd be in dire need of some familiar language by the time I was 2 months in. It was a hot and humid day in Paris today - not my favorite kind, so I was overheated and miserable by the time I got to the airport. Then, I stepped on to the plane and was greeted by a smiling flight attendant who looked at my boarding pass, and said in that fantastic Irish accent "Thanks a million!". A smile suddenly crossed my face, and has pretty much been there ever since.

Leaving the airport, I grabbed a cab and totally confounded the driver by letting myself into the right hand side while he was looking off to the left wondering where I went. Note to self: In Ireland, driver's side is on the right. We eventually sorted it out, and continued on our way. Now, I'm a pretty laid back person (that may be an understatement), but the only way I can describe myself on the way to the hotel is 'giddy'. I was so excited to be somewhere with people defaulting to english, that I kept the cab driver talking the entire way there. Didn't hurt that he was friendly and sarcastic in typical Irish fashion.

Was dreading my search for dinner tonight, but kudos to Dublin for having a great selection of vegetarian restaurants - 2 of which happen to be a very short walk from my hotel in Temple Bar. I chose Cornucopia, and ventured out into the downpour that had formed. I know what you're thinking; "Rain.... in Ireland??" ("A tiger.... in Africa?" 2 points for placing that nerd quote). My stomach is now full of moroccan puy lentil tagine, brilliant side salads and a cheddar cheese scone and my smile...? Still wide. Ah, Ireland.

P.S. Has anyone ever been to a Haagen Dazs where they ask you to wait to be seated? That was a new one for me.