#311: Death Valley (pg 573, 2nd Ed pg 715)

 

July 11, 2022

Welcome to Death Valley National Park!

First stop: Zabriskie Point

Great views from Zabriskie Point!

Next stop: Furnace Creek Visitor's Center to get some tips on where to visit while in the Park.

We were greeted by a sign documenting the temperature..... it was HOT!! 🔥

Little did we know, it would get 7 degrees hotter later that day.... more on that later!

The guy at the Visitor's Center suggested we visit the Mesquite Flat Dunes.  This is where the scene from Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope was filmed where R2D2 and C-3PO land in their escape pod in the Tatooine Dunes after fleeing Darth Vader.

There were signs warning people not to walk out on the dunes and to keep your car in sight.  There were warnings that "Sand temperatures can be hot enough to melt candles" right off your feet.  In fact, two people died at Death Valley just last month.  One died after he ran out of gas and he overheated/dehydrated before help arrived and another died for the same reason after getting a flat tire.  The heat is no joke!  We took the warnings seriously.  We stayed close to our car.  We made sure we had a full tank of gas.  We brought plenty of water and we only stayed on paved roads, which our routinely checked by park rangers and other visitors. 

Next, my brother did a round of golf at Devil's Golf Course 🏌

And then a visit to Badwater Basin - the reason why Death Valley is a National Park.  It is 282 feet below sea level.

The salt flats are pretty cool - for something so hot anyway 😜

Left to right, this is my son Tanner, my brother Ryan, my nephew Eli and my niece Sophie.

Then we drove the 9 mile scenic loop around Artists Drive.

Star Wars: Episode IV- A New Hope shot a couple scenes here as well including the scene with Jawas' Sandcrawler and where R2D2 does the solo trek up the desert canyon.  

And it was also here that the temperature got up to 121 degrees!  

We got out of the car and ran around to celebrate and make a memory of being the very hottest any of us had ever been.  How did it feel?  Well, I felt my eyes drying up every second they were open and I felt my mouth drying up with every breath.  It was HOT!

Cost:  $30 vehicle entrance fee (although we had a 4th grader with us with a 4th grade pass which made it free for us - yeah!).  Although make sure you arrive with a full tank of gas!  There is only one gas station (located by the Visitor's Center) within a 70+ mile radius, so they charge $9.22/gallon!

Verdict: So, I'm not really sure what to say on this one.  The five of us talked about this on our way home.  I called my husband and was telling him about how hot it was, all the warnings, how you couldn't stray far from your car, how the sand could melt your shoes, etc.  And his response was, "So why do people want to go there??"  Well, I think that's exactly it!  It's such a totally unique place.  I've never been anywhere quite like it.  And that's what makes me want to give it a "yes!"  Having said that, if you can't handle the heat, this place is definitely not for you!  In that case, best to visit another valley that's not quite so deathly 😉

#245: The San Diego Zoo (2nd Ed, pg 725)

I went to the San Diego Zoo in March of 2002.... pre-digital camera.  I only have three pictures from the entire time I spent there.  And here are two of them.

Famous for it's pandas!

Verdict: No.  Explanation:  The San Diego Zoo is pretty amazing.  It's one of the greatest zoos in the country and arguably one of the greatest zoos in the world.  BUT..... that's just it.... I think there are several other zoos throughout the world (even the country) that rival this one, so I guess I don't necessarily agree with singling out this one as a must do before you die.  In fact, it wasn't in the first addition, but it was added to the 2nd edition in 2011.  It's famous for it's pandas and I guess I could see it if it was the only zoo with pandas, but that's not the case either.  In fact, as of 2018, there are 26 zoos in 18 countries that have pandas.  There are several in the United States, including the DC Smithsonian zoo, Memphis zoo and Atlanta Zoo.  

Even though I don't think it's a "must do before you die", I do think it's a great way to spend an afternoon in San Diego and, as I mentioned, a pretty amazing zoo.  But bring your wallet!  Admission prices are $56/person for ages 12 and over and $46 for kids ages 3-11.

#121: Chez Panisse (Page 582)

October 29, 2011: My sister, Maret lives in Menlo Park, CA which is just an hour or so from Berkeley. So, when I flew out there a couple weeks ago to run a half-marathon with her, I made reservations at the famed Chez Panisse.

Here is a copy of the menu, which changes on a weekly basis.

Chez Panisse was started by Alice Waters who is known for her simplicity in preparation using the freshest ingredients and making very flavorful food with beautiful presentation.

Verdict: Was the food delicious? Yes. Is it something you have to do before you die? No. I didn't love Berkeley and the atmosphere of the restaurant was fine, but forgettable. We were there right when the sun was setting and the sun was right in my eyes and very distracting/uncomfortable. I didn't say anything, but the waiter must have observed me trying in vain to dodge the sun because he came up and asked me if I would like him to close the blinds. "That would be fabulous," I responded. Just as I was starting to enjoy the fact that I could see, another employee came over, pulled up the blinds and said something about Alice Waters calling and wanting the blind up. What? I was so confused and slightly annoyed. I'm paying how much for this meal? And it matters more to Ms. Waters about the position of her blinds for a period of 15 minutes than her patron being able to see the menu or her food?

#120 Monterey Peninsula (Page 577)

October 27, 2011: I flew to San Francisco from Maryland - my 3rd time in three years. And yet, I had never made it to the Monterey Peninsula! So this time I made it a priority and I'm glad I did! I met my friend Mindy in San Francisco, then we rented a car and headed for the coast. Our first stop was in Carmel. After having a delicious lunch, we walked down Ocean Drive and walked right on to this gorgeous beach with Pebble Beach Golf course in the background.

Next, we paid $9.50 to do the 17-mile drive where we saw houses like this......

And Pebble Beach

From there, we drove to Monterey, which is right next to Carmel and met up with our friend, Tiffany. This is where the world-famous Monterey Bay Aquarium is located.

We got cookies at the Nestle Cookie shop and appetizers at the El Torito that sits on the water where you can eat and enjoy views like this.

Verdict: Yup, I think it's a must. The United States has several charming towns, scenic spots and ocean views. But the Monterey Peninsula combines it all together and it's spectacular!

#51: Yosemite National Park (Page 584; 2nd Ed pg 733)

April 23-25, 2004: While living in Southern California, a friend and I decided to take a 3-day weekend and head up to Yosemite. This is where we stayed, the Wawona Hotel.
We walked to the bottom of beautiful Bridal Veil Falls.

And we visited the beautiful and famous Ahwahnee Hotel.

We spent the entire next day hiking. First, we hiked to the top of Vernal Falls and then continued on to the top of Nevada Falls.

You have to look really closely to notice that I am standing inside the middle of this tree. That gives you some perspective on how massive these treese are in the Mariposa Grove.

Bridal Veil Falls

Stopping for a pic in the middle of our hike.

We made it to the top!

And what trip to Yosemite is complete without experiencing Half Dome? We didn't hike Half Dome (but I will next time I visit and there WILL be a next time!) But we did see Half dome at sunset and from many different angles during the day. Breathtaking.

Verdict: Absolutely, a must do, must see, must experience before you die!

#50: California's Wine Country (Page 583; 2nd Ed pg 713)

April 25, 2003: I was living in Southern California and a friend and I flew to Sacramento where we rented a car and ventured out on a 3-day road-trip of Northern California. Our first stop was Napa Valley.
We visited several of the wineries. Here I am in front of Niebaum-Coppola Winery.
Verdict: I don't even drink and I loved this! The vineyards are beautiful, the towns are charming and the wineries are interesting and fun to tour. You could easily do this for a day or two and couple it with some of the other great things to do in Northern California (which is what we did).

#49: San Francisco's Cable Cars (Page 581; Listed as San Francisco in the 2nd Ed, pg 727)

July 20-22, 2001: My friend Beverly and I flew to San Fran from Vegas, where we were living. We had lots of things on our agenda to do while visiting this fabulous city, but chief among them was getting on a famed San Francisco Cable Car!

Verdict: This is another thing that I think you can very well die without having experienced. I wouldn't travel to San Francisco solely to experience this. But.... if you happen to go to San Francisco to see the other sights (that are a must before you die, such as the Golden Gate Bridge), well, then you might as well ride a Cable Car! They are fun, quaint, charming and quite enjoyable!

Note:  The 2nd Edition simply lists "San Francisco" and San Francisco, with the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, Coit Tower, Fisherman's Wharf, etc is absolutely a must do before you die!

#48: Hotel Del Coronado (page 580)

March, 2002
I love the Hotel del Coronado because it's beautiful, classy, historical (open since 1888, has hosted nearly every US President, countless celebreties including Marilyn Monroe as Some Like it Hot was filmed here, etc) and most importantly because my parents spent their honeymoon here.
Verdict: Okay, so of all the things you need to do before you die, I don't necessarily think this has to be one of them. But if you have the time (and the money)....... well, then, I wouldn't miss it!

#47: Pacific Coast Highway (Page 578; 2nd Ed pg 724)

April, 2003: Check out this view. It looks like some lush foreign land, but it's the good ole' USA.... from the viewpoint of the PCH!
An undiscovered coast. Or at least it felt like it. One of our stops along the PCH - one of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen and yet NOBODY was there. Literally not one single person.

Another view from the PCH in Northern California (between San Francisco and Oregon border)

Hearst Castle

My Hearst Castle (located in San Simeon, not too far off the PCH) was actually on a separate trip, but like Hollywood, due to the fact that I lived just minutes from the PCH in Huntington Beach, I couldn't just pick one time I'd been there since I have driven on the PCH hundreds of times. However, two times that stand out are my purposeful PCH drive where a friend and I flew to Sacramento, rented a car, headed for the coast and drove up North. Truly some of the most breathtakingly beautiful sights I have ever seen. And the second time is when I drove to Hearst Castle with some friends. Hearst Castle sits atop "Enchanted Hill", the name the owner, Mr. William Randolph Hearst, called the hill where he built this magnificicent 115-room mansion. We took a day-time tour (fabulous) and a night-time tour (even more fabulous). The night-time tour had people dressed in clothes of the time and acting as if they were guests. So you saw people lounging by the pool, playing billiards, in their room reading the newspaper, etc. It was fun to have that "feel" of the home.

Verdict: Absolutely gotta do it! But, while the PCH runs along almost the entire coast of California, my personal preference is up North. More scenery and less traffic!

#46: Hollywood (Page 575; Listed as Los Angeles in 2nd Ed, pg 716)

October 12, 2002: Admittedly not a very good picture of me in front of the Kodak Theatre. But here's the thing. I lived in Orange County for 2 1/2 years, so I've been to Hollywood so many times that it just never really occurred to me to take pictures of it. But I found one. Not a good one, but at least some proof!

Verdict: If you find yourself on the West Coast to go to Disneyland, drive the PCH or go to the beach, why not come visit one of the most famous "towns" on Earth? But, honestly, I wouldn't go out of your way. It's over-rated, run amok with tourists.

Note:  The 2nd Edition does not have this listed separately; rather it has it listed under "Los Angeles."  And LA and it's environs including Hollywood, Disneyland, the Getty Center, Beverly Hills, Downtown LA, etc is absolutely something you must see before you die!

#45: The Getty Center (Page 574)

March 20, 2004: The Mission Statement of the Getty Center, in part, is as follows: "The J. Paul Getty Museum seeks to further knowledge of the visual arts and to nurture critical seeing by collecting, preserving, exhibiting and interpreting works of the highest quality."
Verdict: This really is a beautiful place to walk around with an extremely impressive collection of art in all forms. And to top it off, it's FREE! So, if you're in California (I was living there at the time I went), why wouldn't you go? But, do I really think this HAS to be something you do/see before you die? Well.... No.