California Hiker's
Travels with Tini
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Tini and the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco
Vacation July/August 2006
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Tini spent 4 weeks with us, her base was Atwater, California.
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SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Our first outing together led us to the Southern California town of Corona, our base was the house of my friend Annette. Our outings included a day trip to the San Diego Zoo. Of special interest to us were the Pandas, Koalas, and Polar Bears. However, we did enjoy all the animals.
Another day trip found us wandering the sidewalks of Hollywood. The
Walk of Fame had us admire many stars' stars in the side walks, as well as their foot and hand prints in front of Grauman's Chinese Theatre. After a nice lunch at the 50's Cafe
we hit the Santa Monica Pier and
Beach.
A fun afternoon was spent at Disney's California Adventures.
Roller coasters, swings, restaurants and sights are replicas of actual California places, such as the Golden Gate Bridge, Monterey Cannery Row, Palace of the Fine Arts, etc. The most fun part was a ride/movie called "Soaring over California".
Our final So-Cal stop on our way home was Ventura.
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SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA
Tini's second week was spent in the SF Bay Area.
Our first SF stop led us to the famous Cliff House. Lunch at the Cliff House is a feast for the senses!
Next on the agenda was a walk across the Golden Gate Bridge. (If you click on the link, you can take a virtual tour). It was so cold on the bridge we only walked to the South Tower and then turned around.
(This is fairly typical California coast weather during the summer, the hotter it is inland- and inland was sweltering in 105-114 degree temperatures- the colder the weather in the coastal areas.) It was also cold during our next stop: Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39.
Tini also spent another day in SF with her cousing Cliff. They visited Union Square and China Town.
We spent our final day picnicking and swimming in Del Valle Regional Park, near Livermore, Tini's SF Bay Area base.
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CENTRAL CALIFORNIA
One day was spent in Yosemite National Park. We visited Yosemite Falls and had lunch at the Ahwahnee. A visit to Glacier Point -punctuated by thunder and lightening- and a hike to Sentinel Dome completed our Yosemite outing.
A week or so later we traversed Yosemite Park starting out at Tioga Pass and leaving through the route 120 west exit/entrance (Oak Flat). Road 120 through Yosemite is a windy High Sierras
road in elevations of nearly 10,000 feet. One beautiful stop was Tuolumne Meadows.
Another day was spent in Old Sacramento, and having lunch on the Missisippi boat Delta King.
We also enjoyed lunch at the wharf in Monterey, before visiting the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
An adventure of the bizarre -not to be missed- was a visit to the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, the 160 room Victorian mansion Sarah Winchester had constructed and rebuilt 24 hours 7 days a week for 38 years.
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NEVADA
While on our way to Virginia City, after stopping in Sacramento, we visited somber Donner Memorial Park on Donner Summit, highway 80. The park memorializes the loss of lives and brutal conditions endured by the Donner Party in the winter of 1846-47.
After spending the night in Reno at the Silver Legacy we drove on to Virginia City, a beautiful old Western town, where we spent several hours. Those of you who stop in Reno or Tahoe once in a while, take this tip from us and see Virginia City, its truly gorgeous... the drive from Reno to V.C. alone would be worth the trip!
Our way home took us along the Eastern side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, via scenic highway 395. A hike along Mono Lake
and a drive over Yosemite's Tioga Pass brought us back home.
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SOME OF TINI'S FAVORITES
(Some things not mentioned above)
Kohl's
Mark Twain Bookstore
Mervyn's
Old Navy
Ahwahnee Hotel Dining Room
Golden Spoon (Frozen Yogurt)
Mimi's Cafe
Starbucks
Taco Bell
TCBY (Frozen Yogurt)
and gift shops too numerous to mention! :)
Pirates of the Carribean
Pirates of the Carribean (IMB)
The Da Vinci Code
Seabiscuit (Movie)
Seabiscuit's Life
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Tini returned to Germany on a flight to Hamburg on Lufthansa Airlines.
Our own photos of the places mentioned above are here
VACATION 2006 PHOTOS
Tini's Photos
California Hiker's Photos
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