Archives for posts with tag: single female travel

Roads leaving Redwoods

June 27, 2016 //

The road we took coming from Auburn, CA to cross the state was Hwy. 299 which was gorgeous but had some road construction delays which were 45 minutes to an hour in 97 degree heat. However, the pay off before and after the wait was well worth it as you can see for yourself in my blog from last week.

Leaving started out well…but…

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And please note that after this point, there are no pictures of us on Hwy. 36 because it was a hundred times more challenging than how I started this trip on The Tail of the Dragon, for those of you who have followed me from the beginning. This wonderful, beautiful road turned into a double-fisted, gut wrenching, switchback road from hell with all the familiar names of rivers, etc. on Hwy. 299 but n0ne of the views! There was a house or two, a ranch or two and nothing else for 138 miles but curve after curve to the point we were ALL sick! No joke! Even Montana!

When we reached Auburn, we were most happy to be with a loving friend who took us in, made jokes, gave us great lodgings and helped us recover our humor before going to bed. It was rough and I’ve driven many a back road but this one ain’t driving that one again!

Today was another nine hour driving day. It was hot and tough but we made it back to 113 degrees outside and 96 inside! Jenni’s A/C kicked the bucket while we were gone! Ain’t that just the way it is!

I’ll keep washing and packing; she’ll keep doing all her stuff; Montana will still be Montana; Boo will still be Boo; and there promises to be a Southern Comfort Cabin in my near future and A/C in hers!

HAPPY TAILS!

Tags Baby Boomer, back roads, California, Crescent City, healing heart, Jedediah Smith Redwoods, Las Vegas, midlife reinvention, redwood forest, redwoods, self-exploration, single female travel, traveling with dog, woman traveling alone

Categories Baby Boomer, life adventures, travel, United States

Redwood Forest – Last Hoorah

June 25, 2016 //

Today we said our formal goodbyes to this amazing part of our country. Through it’s majesty, we experienced its magic. In its presence we felt peace. With its life we relived our own and we emerge renewed and reborn in our own ways. These redwoods…here…truly IS where God lives.

We hiked about 2-3 miles today in a grove I’d never before visited. I have been blessed to not only have the best travel buddy (and my daughter’s dearest friend), Jenni, with me to hike trails I’d not gone before in not only in my redwood adventure but where I’d not been able to go in my healing process by speaking openly about Ava. The whole week has been cathartic on many levels.

Here are photos from today’s adventure.

We decided to start our day at The Chart Room after reading their menu online last night. We’d enjoyed our seafood dinner there a few nights ago and it had a view of the bay. This morning, it was action packed with boats, seals, seagulls and great views.

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We hiked the Leiffer Grove trail and the Ellsworth Grove trail that branched off from Leiffer. It was , for me, at least, challenging because a great deal of it was some tricky up hill hiking with exposed roots, twists, turns low limbs coupled with great views you didn’t want to miss.

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What do you see in the burl? I see a lion’s head.

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A troll…

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What do you see?

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A Fraggle?

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This gives you perspective…Jenni with her trusty companion, Boo. He and Montana are best friends!

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Montana was just over the whole hiking thing at this point and glad for the rest. She was ready to be in the car with the comforts of her bed, water and a chew bone.

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Tomorrow, we head back toward the desert and 111 degrees.

HAPPY TAILS!

Tags Baby Boomer, back roads, California, Crescent City, Ellsworth Grove, healing heart, hiking, Leiffer Grove, midlife reinvention, redwood forest, redwoods, self-exploration, single female travel, traveling with dog, woman traveling alone

Categories Baby Boomer, life adventures, travel, United States

Oregon Coast

June 23, 2016 //

It was one of those spontaneous ideas which happened when we missed the turn in the road. It was then that I realized we were just minutes from the Oregon Coast which Jenni had never seen and I hadn’t seen in twenty years! It was an indicator of how this whole trip has been for us…we’re true compatible travel buddies!

When I asked, “Have you ever seen the Oregon Coast?” and her reply was that she hadn’t, I knew then we needed to just do it so we did! It’s only a few minutes north on Hwy. 101 to get to Harris Beach where Jenni climbed rocks with her pup and Montana and I walked the beach.

If you know me, you know I love the beach, ocean, trees, rocks and art…especially Mother Nature’s! Here it is! One stop shopping at Harris Beach, Oregon.

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Where’s Montana?

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The best art is Mother Nature’s! I couldn’t make a 3-D picture of this but wish I could have. If you go to this beach, look for this work showing the redwood rising out of the sand like a Sperm Whale and the huge blocks, intricately balanced, which reminds me of the break in the water as the whale surfaces for air!

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And, although these next pictures aren’t from Oregon, they are from a deep forest off road drive we took not far from there. Here again, it was tough getting a good shot of this moss covered mystical tree.

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HAPPY TAILS!

Tags Baby Boomer, back roads, California, Crescent City, Harris Beach, healing heart, hiking, midlife reinvention, Oregon, redwood forest, redwoods, self-exploration, single female travel, traveling with dog, woman traveling alone

Categories Baby Boomer, life adventures, travel, United States

Redwood Forest NW CA

June 23, 2016 //

We explored a new section of the Jedediah Smith Redwood Forest today. It’s a one lane dirt road, and at times, barely wide enough for your car to fit between the redwoods! It’s a magnificent old growth area which has obviously withstood fire, pestilence and people for at least a thousand years. Let’s just pray it’ll be around another thousand if we don’t screw it all up with pollution, politics and people!

One of my favorite pictures from today is of course a burl piece resembling an orangutan! Maybe it looks like something else to you! Take a gander!

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Jenni will post the video from today’s drive on FB as WP seems to always give me heartburn when I try to upload it through here…probably because I haven’t upgraded from the “free” version as yet!

Our adventure began at the “Trees of Mystery” shop where we found Sasquatch and an authentic Indigenous Peoples (you may refer to them as Native Americans) museum. It was quite an impressive collection for such a small town!

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Check out this Apache Fiddle! 2016-6-22Red9 2016-6-22Red10 2016-6-22Red11 2016-6-22Red12

So, here are the still shots of the redwoods from today!

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Where’s Montana? She’s in the redwood forest!

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Conjoined triplets at the base with a twisted sistah in the middle! LOL

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Rare sighting of the Banana Slug! This one is a baby compared to the one I saw in this forest 20 years ago!

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Looks like an eagle with its wings spread. What does it look like to you?

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Nothing goes unused in the forest! Note that this young redwood germinated and is growing from a fallen one along with all the ferns in the next photo!

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Same fallen tree as the one immediately above!

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HAPPY TAILS!

Tags Baby Boomer, back roads, Burl, California, Crescent City, healing heart, hiking, Indigenous Peoples, Jedediah Smith Redwoods, journaling, midlife reinvention, Native Americans, redwood forest, redwoods, self-exploration, single female travel, traveling with dog, Trees of Mystery, woman traveling alone

Categories Baby Boomer, life adventures, travel, United States

Redwood Forest where God lives

June 22, 2016 //

I’m still speechless from being in the midst in the midst of majestic, mystical, magical wonderment of this Redwood Forest where God lives. I stumbled upon it twenty plus years ago and always wanted to come back with every visit west as I do Flaming Gorge but circumstances always kept me in the Vegas region. Ava was often times too sick for me to have time to wonder too much either before or after so my Vegas destinations became the focus and anything outside of that was pure ice cream with the main entree.

In 2012, Ava was supposed to go camping with Montana and I to this place but she decided to take another trip leaving me to go alone with just a small vial of her ashes. That was the first time I’d been able to get back here since my first visit and it was appropriate for me to take her here. Now, I’m here with her best friend. That’s amazing! We are in equal awe of this place!

Words leave my mouth in a choked throat and tears well in my eyes at this whole journey I’m on…sad, healing, loving, adventuring and a hundred other things all connected.

Here are some of the pictures from yesterday.

SMITH RIVER

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Where’s Montana? Montana is sitting in front of the Smith River in the redwoods!

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Shoals in the Smith River. Wish I could record this sound for my white noise!

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There is a great deal of redwoods with burled wood, caused by a fungus growing in/on the tree. The effect is gorgeous in a piece of furniture or an objet d’art. I’ll have some pictures from today’s post (this is really yesterday’s)!

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Gnarly burl!

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Took a break from the forest to have a late lunch at a tasty seafood restaurant on the bay called Chart Room. I’d remembered being told that seals will come lay on a floating dock waiting for the fishermen to come in early evenings and dump the fish refuse. The seals have gotten lazy and sleep on the dock waiting for their dinner to be delivered! Below is what you’re looking at! There’s a HUGE bull seal toward the front. I hope you can click on the photo and enlarge it to get the real view. To say I’m having internet and download issues is an understatement! LOL

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And….back to the redwoods!

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HAPPY TAILS!

Tags Baby Boomer, back roads, Burl, California, camping cross-country, Chart Room, Crescent City, healing heart, hiking, midlife reinvention, redwood forest, redwoods, self-exploration, single female travel, woman traveling alone

Categories Baby Boomer, life adventures, travel, United States

Auburn, CA to Crescent City, Redwood Country

June 21, 2016 //

So much fun seeing my friend in Auburn and getting caught up with her and her animals! But, we were on a quest to get to Crescent City by early evening and we did! We drove along roads I’ve not been on before and it was magnificent, as always, exploring the back roads of this wonderful country of ours!

As I had some serious two-fisted driving to do over Hwy. 299 most of the afternoon, I can’t remember the names of most of what we saw! LOL I do remember something about Trinity and Shasta, but the best part was just the drive. If you’re a “friend” on FB, you will see a video Jenni posted of a part of the drive. I really wasn’t driving as fast as the video shows! We would have died if I’d been going that fast. Heck, people were passing me!

Enjoy the ride below with us!

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Tomorrow, we get to live the dream of seeing Jedediah Smith Redwood Forest! YAY!

HAPPY TAILS for sure tonight!

Tags Auburn, Baby Boomer, back roads, California, Crescent City, healing heart, Highway 299, Jedediah Smith Redwoods, midlife reinvention, redwoods, self-exploration, Shasta, single female travel, Trinity, woman traveling alone

Categories Baby Boomer, life adventures, travel, United States

Partying with Pawn Stars & drive to Auburn, CA

June 21, 2016 //

It was quite an exciting Saturday night! Murray Sawchuck (the Vegas Magician) invited me and two others to see Gordie Brown (impersonator) at the Golden Nugget. It was one of the funniest comedy impersonator shows I’ve ever seen! To say it was irreverent is an understatement because I guffawed so hard through his whole show that he told me he loved hearing my laugh…and that ain’t a bad thang to be known by!

If you love to laugh, you just gotta go see him!

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After the show Murray took us all over the bar across the parking lot from the Rick Harrison’s Gold and Silver Pawn (of Pawn Stars fame) to have drinks with Rick! Going to the Rollin’ Smoke BBQ and Tavern is a MUST if you like to feel like family and have a great time with good people and great music and some of the BEST RIBS I’ve ever tasted! Wow! What a night! Oh…and this time it ain’t a cut out of Rick!

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We partied until 1:00 AM (or later) and still headed for Auburn, CA (east of Sacramento) as planned…just a tad bit later than expected! I chose to drive through Nevada all the way on the back roads through Tonopah, NV and up to Reno, NV and west toward Auburn as the drive has some spectacular surprises!

Jenni Lee (my photo journalist on this trip of Electra Brass fame) took some great pictures with her phone! I hope to be able to download some exciting video footage from today’s wild ride!

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Joshua Trees! Know why they’re called that? Because it reminded the settlers of Joshua raising his hands up toward the Lord! Cool, huh? I love word/saying origins!

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Goldfield, NV Courthouse

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And the contrasting architecture in Goldfield is stunning!

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And, as we got closer to Tonapah, the desert mountain ranges changed into a painted desert landscape. Colors changing with every blink of the eye to add or subtract green foliage, iron deposits, limestone with the brightest, clearest blue blue sky for a backdrop. Magnificent!

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Then BOOM Mother nature throws in some snow peaks seemingly suspended in mid-air over this desert land!

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Drive more in the desert, turn a corner and BAM a HUGE blue lake in the middle of the driest, rockiest desolate area you’ve ever seen! Walker Lake.

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Sleeping babies! So darn cute!

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Then we are past Reno and into California just an hour outside of Auburn!

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It’s a wonderful nine hour drive that really didn’t feel like that long because of all of the wonderful views and surprises along the way on the back roads of this great country of ours!

HAPPY TAILS!

Tags Auburn, Baby Boomer, back roads, California, Electra Brass, Golden Nugget, Goldfield, Gordie Brown, Joshua Trees, Las Vegas, midlife reinvention, Murray SawChuck, Nevada, Pawn Stars, Rich Harrison, self-exploration, single female travel, Tonopah, woman traveling alone

Categories Baby Boomer, life adventures, travel, United States

Lon Bronson All-Star Band and Electra Brass

June 18, 2016 //

My nights and days are running together with all the excitement of the last days in Vegas Baby, witnessing incredible entertainment and so glad that we have such great venues for all these super talented musicians, singers, dancers, magicians, etc. to do what they love to do. Thanks Las Vegas!

Thursday night, I witnessed some of the finest performers I’ve had the pleasure of seeing. Lon Bronson’s All-Star Band is an outstanding combo of talent. Their musicality is impeccable, their love of the music undeniable and ability to infect the whole audience with their magic from the stage!

If you’re in Vegas, make sure you’re here when they are performing! Check out their website: http://lonbronsonband.com

Lon Bronson’s All-Star Band, featuring the finest musicians and vocalists around was performing last night and he gave up the stage to help introduce Electra Brass!

I was BLOWN AWAY! Usually when I hear a song performed so well the first time, I tend to be a bit irritated to hear a different version of that song unless there’s a spin, twist, sound which transports me. I had that experience last night with Tony. You just gotta check out this man’s website and listen to his audios but ESPECIALLY “Tobacco Road!” http://www.tonydavich.com/

It was then that I “met” a performer by the name of Tony Davich who took swagger, Joe Cocker, collard greens and southern fried chicken to sing his version of “Tobacco Road!”

Jenni Lee is my hostess with the mostest while I’m in Vegas Baby. She is/was a very close friend with my daughter, Ava, and it’s been through that common denominator that we’ve bonded. I’m as proud of her newest endeavors as any Mom would be!

And, last night, her group called ELECTRA BRASS had its debut performance at the Sunset Station Hotel & Casino in Henderson, NV (next door to Vegas Baby). And, although their website isn’t up and running yet, doesn’t mean they aren’t stage ready because…believe you me…I saw them KILL it on stage last night! Watch for these talented women to take you to a whole new level of excitement with their brass!

HAPPY TAILS!

Tags Baby Boomer, back roads, Electra Brass, healing heart, Henderson, Las Vegas, Lon Bronson, Lon Bronson All-Star Band, midlife reinvention, self-exploration, single female travel, Sunset Station, Tobacco Road, Tony Davich, woman traveling alone

Categories Baby Boomer, life adventures, United States

Human Nature…the group…Las Vegas

June 18, 2016 //

If you can stand the heat and the desert, Vegas Baby is where you want to be for some of the most diverse, incredible talent anywhere! The Rat Pack should be proud because they set the standard and it’s only gotten better…if possible!
Last night, thanks to Murray SawChuck (Murray the Magician), I was entertained, again, like a rock star by a group called “Human Nature” who performs at the Venetian. Check them out!

They were the No. 1 Boy Bank in Australia! They’re still number one to me after witnessing how they rocked it out last night! Whoa! Complicated choreography coupled with great Jukebox singing and awesome audience participation like I’ve not seen before! They’re energetic, dynamic and a bunch of really nice guys!

Check them out on their website! http://www.humannaturelive.com

Thanks Human Nature for doing what you love and doing it so well! It made a memory I’ll keep enjoying for years to come!

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Tags Australian Boy Band, Baby Boomer, Boy Band, healing heart, Human Nature, Jukebox, Las Vegas, midlife reinvention, Nevada, Oldies but goodies, self-exploration, single female travel, Venetian, woman traveling alone

Categories Baby Boomer, life adventures, United States

Pawn Stars and Freemont Street in Vegas Baby!

June 16, 2016 //

If it weren’t for my Georgia BFF who LOVES Pawn Stars, I wouldn’t have driven the entire Strip (Las Vegas Blvd) all the way into town to go there. Not that I can’t or don’t appreciate their niche, I don’t have cable TV so never watch any traditional shows…intentionally…to diminish my exposure to things that trigger my PTSD. Granted, Pawn Stars probably wouldn’t but I don’t watch Antique Roadshow either! She loves that one too. So, this one’s for you, Jackie, thanks to Murray SawChuck The Magician who got me past the line and directly into the store!

Sorry, Rick, but I’m busy tonight. Maybe Saturday?

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Got a Pawn Stars shirt with a picture of Jackie’s favorite Pawn Star!

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Next, we went to Freemont Street. To hose of you who aren’t familiar with Vegas Baby, this is OLD Vegas now under a dome. Old signs (which I love), old casinos (they’re cool too) and some strange entertainers! Just saying. If you go down there, be prepared to see just about anything…and not all of it is entertainment! Some of it is just plain shock factor!

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