West coast road trip - Updated

Day 3, 1/3/09: We left early in the morning and drove on Redwood Highway 101 along the Pacific coast enjoying the views of the mountains and the Pacific ocean. Occasionally, we stopped to take longer views. About 2 hours later, we drove through the Redwood National Park. It was dark inside the park as the giant trees act like a huge wall blocking the sun from reaching us. I rolled down the windows to breath the fresh air as our tiny car made through. There is a small community of people living in Redwood. We made frequent stops to take pictures including at the famous drive-through tree.



Thereafter, we continued on Highway 101 all the way to San Francisco. We arrived in San Francisco around 9pm. I almost had an accident as I was about to change the lane at the Golden Bridge. The other car was on the blind spot which luckily the driver slowed down for my car and I pulled back to my lane when I saw that on second look. That was close. We stayed in downtown and checked out the city for a couple of hours. One thing to notice, San Francisco downtown is hilly with some really steep streets. Luckily, our rental car was a V6.

Day 4, 1/4/09: We checked out early and left for the Golden Bridge. We stopped at a nice Park which has the view of the Golden Bridge and Alcatraz island. After taking pictures and walking along the Park, we walked across the Golden Bridge. Time was short. We only walked half way on the bridge and back. We had lunch at Chinatown and then got back on the wheels to the next destination. We decided to stay for the night at Ridgecrest city, near Death Valley National Park.



Day 5, 1/5/09: Death Valley was fascinating in a different way. It is a desert with sand dunes, rocks and bald mountains. No greens or water to be found. The annual rainfalls are 2 inches or below or some years none. This complete change of scenery captured my perspective, especially the sand dune where I made a long stop. I guess I could make it a substitute for the Sahara for the moment. I hiked up to the tallest sand dune and just sat there for about 15 minutes. The valley was in complete silence and serene. The only noise I could hear was my breathing.

Then, we drove to see the castle on the other side of the mountain and the volcanic crater. The sun was setting as we departed Death Valley. The dusk beautifully painted the peaks of the mountains with variation of golden color...I've still got sands in my shoes.



About 5 hours later, we reached Las Vegas. We stayed at 4 Queens Casino/Hotel on 15th floor for 20 bucks/night, a nice bargain. Soon after checking in, we went sightseeing Sin City. It's another different atmosphere where the night is full of neon lights luring people into gambling and various entertainments. And they got me. I couldn't resist the temptation. I lost 4 bucks to slot machine :(



Day 6, 1/6/09: Our last but not least destination is the Grand Canyon, Arizona. On our way there, we stopped by the famous Hoover Dam that lies on the border of Arizona and Nevada. It's more exciting to see in person, a fascinating mega structure built during the 1930's.



At about 8pm, we arrived at Williams, AZ and decided to lodge there for the night. It was pretty chilly and there's still snow on the side of the roads. Given its remote location, I was a bit surprised when I found out that our Motel owner was an Indian (from India).

Day 7, 1/7/09: After wasting a couple of hours following our incorrect GPS navigation, we finally made it to the Grand Canyon. At about 7,000 ft elevation, it's still cold on a sunny day. Some parts of the canyon were still covered with snow. The canyon is vast and deep, about ten miles wide and one mile deep. I gazed in awe of such creation by mother nature: the layers of rocks formed millions years ago, their color variation and each chunk was beautifully carved. It looks as if the canyon was a result of the earth's crust being ripped by gigantic hands.



We stayed there until sunset. It marked the end of our sightseeing journey. For the next two days, we spent our times driving during the days and resting at nights as we made our way back to Seattle. I've brought with me many good memories and of course a lot of pictures.