Crater Lake, Mon Dieu!

Some girls offered to take a photo for me. Here it is.

If you squint, you can see me on the left. Rolled my ankle trying to climb up there, so you better appreciate this photo!

I don't make it rain, I make it snow.
Took a while to time this one properly. Lots of judgy faces from confused people.

Watching the sunset and thinking long and hard about the origin of Pringles.

The lake at dusk.  

Rise and shine Crater Lake. The lack of wind made the lake mirror-like.

Decided to head north to Bend for the 4th of July. Realized last minute that Crater Lake was on the way there. I've been wanting to visit this splendid feat of geo-activity for years. The views did not disappoint! Unfortunately the East Rim Road was closed, so a lot of the hikes I wanted to do were not easily accessible.

I arrived at 5:15 and the headquarters, which gave out backcountry camping permits, was closed. Similar to Redwoods I just found a pullout and camped in my car. Unfortunately this time, a park ranger woke me up nice and early to tell me I was breaking the rules. Fortunately no ticket was issued, but it put a real damper on the mood for the rest of the day. After reflecting by the lake one last time, I boot scootin' boogied my way to Bend. First impressions: this town is wonderful!

Redwoods Part Deux: Emerald Creek Camping

The Banana Slug. I vital part of the Redwood ecosystem.

Came so scarily close to stepping right on this guy. Pretty sure it's a Western Diamondback. No thanks.

The Dolason Barn in Dolason Prairie. A nice opening to see the redwoods from a different perspective. And zero people.

Dispersed backcountry camping along Emerald Creek, complete with the ability to collect up to 50 pounds of dead wood.

Silhouettes of the imposing giants in all directions.

Midnight Milkyway.

The West Coast basically puts the East Coast to shame when it comes to vistas.

If you're looking for solitude in the Redwood National Park, then backcountry camping along the Emerald Creek is a safe bet. Had a great time hiking around, swimming, exploring and burning wood (legally!!).

I then was forced to go into Crescent City to have my car repaired. $350 later and I've got a new water pump and serpentine belt. Against all logic to just buy a new car, I'm determined to squeeze every last mile out of my old faithful friend.

Redwoods Part 1: The Tallest Trees On Earth

Lots of great spots to sleep.

My neck was sore after this hike...

The fog was starting to roll in.

Big tree. Human for perspective.

Eerie hike at dusk.

Been looking forward to visiting the Redwood National Park for years and I've finally made it. What a magical place! The sheer size of these trees fills you with so many thoughts and emotions. I arrived too late to request a backcountry camping permit, so I ended up hiking the Lady Bird Grove Trail and then sleeping in my car. This place has already been worth the trip!

Pacific Ocean Or Bust!

Disc golf in the desert, with Reno in the background.

What happens in Reno... is almost always hilarious.

Disc Golf in Truckee. Although the wooded landscape is much more challenging than the desert, the shade was warmly welcomed.

Been growing out my hair while on the road (credit: Matt Siok).

Hey tough guy, nice sunset.

Cities and stars.

A little behind on the updates! Been hanging with Greg and Matt, soaking up all that California sun. Greg and I almost didn't leave Truckee to get Matt. If I got stranded there, I don't think I'd be too upset. We played a bunch of disc golf and explored Reno. That city sure has some characters. 

We then grabbed Matt in Roseville and headed to the coast. Muir beach was breathtaking. Camping consisted of parking in a turnout and running into the brush before anyone could see us. Thankfully no issues from the authority. The next night we stayed in a hotel in Sacramento, a far more legal approach. Albeit a brief time together, it was great to see some familiar east coast faces again.

I've made my way through the Redwoods and I'm very excited to share those photos with you soon. What a magical place! I'm currently in Crescent City. The coolant leak has gotten so bad that the entire coolant reservoir empties out within 20 minutes of driving. With the heat and hills out here, my car is going to spontaneously combust if I don't get this fixed... to quote the guy at the shop: "You drove all the way across the country with a coolant leak?!?".

Greg Gone Wild

Greg working his way up a very stout 5.8 in Donner.

Exploring the snow formations at the summit.

Picked up Greg from the Sacramento airport. He'll be hanging out for a week, living the dirtbag dream with me. Spent yesterday climbing in Donner and then checked out Truckee Thursdays again. Today we'll be checking out Reno before heading back West to meet up with Matt in Sacramento.