Circumnavigating North America Blog 1: California Dreaming

After weeks of meandering around the Central American coast on board HMS WOW, the Intrepids have finally found their land legs and are now about to circumnavigate North America in an EV (Electric Vehicle).

In part in recognition of the adverse and unconscionable planetary impact of a frivolous drive in a petrol driven car and in part to refute the popular belief that electric cars aren’t practical for long distance road trips, we are about to embark on a drive around the continent.  The trip, equivalent in distance to driving right around the earth, will take us from Los Angeles, up the Pacific coast to Alaska, across the frozen wastes of Canada to Newfoundland, then down the East Coast to Florida and back through the deserts and canyons of Texas, Arizona and Utah. We plan to venture well beyond the supercharger network and may have to rely on all types of charging stations as well as an extra long extension cord.

Yosemite National Park

Whilst we wait for our selected conveyance to be saddled up for the journey, and cope with all manner of bureaucratic obstacles designed to prevent non-resident aliens from embracing the American Dream, we have had a few practice runs, exploring the surprising wilds and beauty of California. Like the Mamas and Papas we’ve been California Dreaming, but unfortunately Albert Hammond wasn’t correct as it does rain in southern California, it also snows even in late May. As we have travelled we’ve sung along with America on Ventura Highway, with Sheryl Crow on Santa Monica Boulevard and we’ve got our kicks with almost everyone on Route 66. On the way we’ve met Frank Zappa’s Valley Girls, Jim Morrison’s LA Woman, the Beach Boys California Girls and even the Little Old Lady from Pasadena. But despite checking out of the Hotel California as well as lots of AirBNBs, we still haven’t been able to leave.  Although we won’t mention the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Californication we have explored U2’s Joshua Tree National Park and visited Joni Mitchell’s Ladies of the Canyon.

Arriving in the City of Light

'O Solo Mio, not a gondolier in sight in Venice, LA

Gardens at the Getty

Lamps at the LACMA

But enough of the spotify playlist, after a few days catching up with Alex and Lucy in Venice, visiting a range of museums, gardens and galleries, and the canals (yes there are canals in Venice, CA) we head south to have lunch with Steve and Trish in Oceanside, just north of San Diego. They have recently moved into a very smart new house with lovely garden and outlook. It’s full of Steve’s American and Trish’s Australian artworks, and a most comprehensive library of Dylan books. They are both in fine form and it’s great to see them looking so well and happy.  After a quick return to LA we are back in San Diego for the Cinco de Mayo festivities in the magnificent Balboa Park, home to the San Diego zoo and numerous museums. (Hands up those who knew that Cinco de Mayo celebrates Mexico’s victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla in 1862 - help yourself to another burrito). After watching the mexican dancing and mariachi bands and eating too many tacos, we explore the historic seaside town of Coronado and visit the Zoo’s extensive safari park a little way north of the city, staying in a luxurious AirBnB with extensive views, BBQ and firepit.

At the Getty Centre

Trish, Steve and Jane at their house in Oceanside

Balboa Park, San Diego

Slumming it at an AirBnB, Rancho Santa Fe

Then it’s eastwards through the rugged Anza Borrego desert mountains dropping steeply down to the pop-up Salton Sea, an accidental lake lying almost 100m below sea level. The lake, with an area of 900 sq kms is the largest in California, rivals the Dead Sea in saltiness. It was formed when an irrigation channel taking the Colorado River burst in 1905. It took two years to stem the flow, during which the massive 50km long lake formed and has stayed ever since. History does not relate what happened to the guys who caused the flood, but the lake’s an amazing sight, sparking blue in the clear desert air and is a popular fishing and camping spot.  On the far side lies the Joshua Tree National Park, the first of many fabulous parks and wilderness areas we plan to visit during this trip. The trees are in flower, with outstretched branches looking, according to Joseph Smith and assorted Mormons who may have consumed too much mescal, just like the prophet Joshua, although in fact they may have just have been singing “Hasa Diga Eebowai”.

Joshua Tree at Joshua Tree NP

Joshua Tree in Joshua Tree National Park

An appointment in Sunset Boulevard cuts short our southern Californian wanderings so after making sure none of the palms is missing in the town of 29 Palms, we race back to Hollywood making full use of the state’s impressive freeway network and particularly its HOV lanes. A few days later we are back on the road, westwards this time, for lunch with Brian (ex WOW) and Kat in Santa Barbara, a beautiful little town where all the buildings are in spanish mission style, which in this location doesn’t look out of place. We overnight in Lompoc the flower growing centre of the US with fields full of hollyhocks, tulips and assorted bloom stretch to the horizon, before going on to the Sequoia National Park high in the Sierra Nevada mountains.

Flower fields, Lompoc

La Purisima Mission, Lompoc 

It’s funny how one’s image of California is of golden beaches and sunshine, but at this time of year the coast is predominantly grey and it’s quite cold.  Here in the Sierras it’s freezing, but sunny, with unseasonably late snow falls meaning lots of roads are still closed although the rivers are in full spate.  We stay in a barn overlooking a small lake with views of snow capped mountains all around, just like Switzerland but with bears, bobcats and pikas for company and enjoy a picnic in the snow.

Sequoia grove, Sequoia NP

Gen Sherman Giant Sequoia, the world's largest tree

Moro Rock, Sequoia NP

 


After a couple of days enjoying the mountain air, we’re on the road back to the coast to stay with Kathi (ex Nasdaq-Clipper) and Scott in Ventura, a small seaside city between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara. It’s the jumping off point for the Channel Islands National Park, so we take a ferry over and spend the day hiking along the spectacular coastal cliffs of Santa Cruz Island. The islands, about 30km offshore have been isolated for millions of years and have evolved their own wildlife, including a beautiful grey brown fox and a blue jay.  When Kathi returns from her sailing trip to Catalina Island off LA, we spend the evening reminiscing about Clipper, drinking Panamanian rum and lots of red wine until we have solved all Nasdaq’s problems. Needless to say it took quite a few bottles. Scott and Kathi are great hosts, taking us to their favourite restaurants, showing us the local area, which had been very badly ravaged by bushfires last year, and even arranging for the US equivalent of the Tour de France international cycle race to go past their front door.

Does this look like Scott?

Back behind the wheel, with Kathi at Marina del Rey

2019 Tour of California passing Scott and Kathi's place, Ventura

Santa Cruz Island, Channel Islands NP

Channel Islands Fox

We leave all too soon, to drive back to LA for another appointment, this time with the voting booth at the Australian Consulate, a completely wasted effort.  After dinner with Lucy and Alex, we start on a journey up the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH or Hwy1 to the locals). It’s raining hard all the way to San Simeon, but the following morning is a bright blustery day with fabulous views over the ocean and cliffs from the road which clings to the mountainside up to Monterey.  Along the way there are large colonies of elephant seals to visit and dolphins off shore to distract the driver. We leave the coast at Monterey and travel inland across the flat central valley, full of fruit trees, vines and vegetables, climbing back into the foothills of the Sierras where we stay for a few days at Oakhurst, just outside Yosemite NP.

Pacific Coast, near Big Sur

Elephant Seals, near Big Sur, PCH

The road into Yosemite climbs up to 1800m before dropping down to the main valley.  On the way are spectacular view points and amazing waterfalls, plummeting hundreds of metres in roaring white torrents and clouds of spray. Half Dome flanked by the Cathedral and facing off against El Capitan are far more awesome than Apple’s iOS photos could ever relate. Sheer granite walls soaring more than 1000m from the valley, polished smooth by ice, wind and rain over millennia, with a dusting of snow blowing off the top are far more impressive than even Ansel Adams photos convey. The weather is fantastic, warm sunshine, cool breeze, lots of clouds to create a moving pattern of light and shade. We spend the day pottering through sunlit meadows drinking in the sights and keeping an eye open for bears.  Fortunately it’s early in the season and although it’s busy and there’s a mile long queue of cars at the entrance gate, the park is so large it’s not too crowded, although in summer it would be a nightmare. Nevertheless the 3000m Toiga Pass, which we had hoped to drive over is still closed and with snow falling heavily it’s unlikely to open for several more weeks.

Picnicking beneath El Capitan, Yosemite NP

Returning to LA, we make a detour back through the Giant Sequoia forests to see some more of largest trees on the planet.  These trees, which are a type of redwood pine are thousands of years old and are proving more resilient to the changing climate than many other less well adapted trees around them, although it’s likely that with increasing incidence of drought their habitats may become more constrained, confined to higher and more northerly latitudes. The road winds upwards and we are soon in cloud and it’s starting to snow.  With no phone reception and no chains, we decide to keep going but start to get a little worried when we reach 7200’ in a blizzard.

Isn't it always sunny in California?

A passing forestry worker (probably a lumberjack but he's OK) assures us the road will soon start to drop and we emerge from the cloud into the sunlit Kern valley with its rushing salmon river. We overnight at one of the best motels we have stayed at so far, before driving back through the desert in pouring rain.  We pass near the reputedly hottest place on the planet, Death Valley, with the wipers going full bore and the thermometer reading 5C, and it’s the last week of May. On one side are windmills stretching as far as the eye can see, and on the other what we thought was a vast lake but on closer inspection turns out to be acres and acres of blue solar panels, by far the most productive crop in this region. In between there is an airstrip with hundreds of surplus airliners gathering dust.

Back in LA we are greeted with the news that the car will be ready to pick up on Friday, the insurance and registration are in place and even our AAA membership card has arrived. Looks like we might be able to set off on our road trip after all.

California wandering