San Diego
Our introduction to California did not disappoint. In fact, it far exceeded my expectations. Skyler's Uncle Bill and his wife Molly are two of the most warm-hearted and hospitable people I have come across in my life thus far. They immediately welcomed us in and made us feel right at home. We spent our first day taking a beautiful bike ride through SD's Pacific Beach. Afterwards, we tossed the frisbee until I got so sweaty that I just couldn't restrain myself from jumping into the Pacific Ocean. It was supposedly "June Gloom" weather in the area yet the water was 68 degrees....I could get used to that.
That night we went to see Bill "Touch of Silk" Mueller play in his recreational basketball league playoff game. It was the semi-finals and Bill's team was a 10 point underdog. Let me tell you folks, this game was the epitome of a barnburner. Bill's team got off to a hot start knocking down a few quick J's and playing good D. But it was a close game all the way through. Perhaps what impressed me most was the resilience of these dudes. Bill's team fell down 36-26 shortly after the start of the 2nd half. How did they respond? They stormed back guns a blazin'. They proceeded to go on a 10-0 run to tie the game, eventually sending it into overtime. After a few crucial plays and somewhat questionable calls, Bill's team had one final shot to send the game into double OT. Their big man, lovingly referred to as "Grizzly Bear," took a shot that just missed and sadly they were eliminated from the playoffs. It was a real heartbreaker, but a great game of basketball. Let me put this in perspective for you: that night we watched Game 3 of the NBA finals played between the two best basketball teams on the planet...and I can honestly say that Bill's rec league game was the better game of the two. Those guys may be 50+ but their fierce determination and love of the game defines competitive excellence...take notes Lebron.
Back to biz. The following day Bill, Skyler and I got a great lunch at a local cafe overlooking La Jolla Shores Beach. Engaging and challenging conversation ensued--I found that this was a recurring theme anytime I talked to Bill. We tossed the frisbee some more and then took another long swim in the Pacific. Bill told me that a three foot wave in the Pacific is significantly stronger than a wave of the same size in the Atlantic. All I know is that they were some of the best body surfing waves I've ever come across. It was a blast.
We ended our final night with a very nice dinner in downtown San Diego, a thoughtful treat from Skyler's dad. We walked through the Gaslamp District of San Diego and got a real feel for the downtown area of the city which was very cool, hip and happening. The next morning Molly treated us to yet another wonderful meal. We took our time packing up our things, said our good-byes and headed up Route 5 for San Francisco.
I should say before I move on that Bill Mueller was such a cool guy. I spent a good chunk of one of our mornings picking his brain on American literature. I am filled to the brim with reading suggestions after just a few days with him. Perhaps what I admire most about him is his ability to define his own success. He made the bold decision to leave college at the age of 20 and start a new life in San Diego--a decision that I am not even remotely courageous enough to make. Additionally, his extensive expertise on literature and his passion for writing challenged my most basic conceptions about success. Bill has made a fulfilling and engaging career for himself without a college degree, and (like I said in my last post) he may be the most well read person I've ever met in my entire life. Not to mention, he's a total renaissance man: he's kept himself in good enough shape to play rec league bball, surf, toss a mean frisbee, he's an avid sports fan, loves and seeks out great music and cinema, and of course he's a voracious reader.
Above all else, Bill and Molly are simply warm and generous folks. I loved the stay in SD and couldn't imagine making it through the rest of the trip without that relaxing respite.
San Francisco/Marin
After a long drive through LA (ah, it still brings back vivid, nightmarish, traffic-filled visions) we stopped at the University of California at Santa Barbara to see my good friend Jack Betz. He was just finishing up his last few days there and was able to show us the campus and the surrounding area. The school is in a beautiful location, right on the Pacific Ocean. It's almost too good to be true. We had one somber experience, however, while walking past the memorial in front of the Isla Vista Deli, the site of one of the most recent (but sadly not the most recent) mass shooting. Jack explained to us that the campus was still grieving from the tragedy and we could sense that the event was hanging over the community. I'm glad I saw the memorial first hand and I hope the experience will inform some of the work that I do with Ceasefire PA during the rest of the summer.
After UCSB, we trucked on up to San Francisco, where we arrived at the house of Ethan Goldstein--my good friend from Tufts. We briefly caught up in the kitchen before crashing from driving-induced exhaustion. The next morning we set off to explore the city. Ethan took us from his house (in Ingleside, a neighborhood in the city) through some of the more interesting areas of the city. We climbed to the top of one of the major hills in the city and had a great view of the Bay, downtown, the Golden Gate Bridge, Candlestick Park etc. We then took the Muni public transportation line down into the Mission District where we got Mexican food for lunch. We were treated to some live Mexican folk singing at the restaurant (a rare occurrence according to Ethan). The Mission District was a very cool area. Historically, it has attracted a large immigrant population. It continues to do so, but it is easy to recognize the inevitable force of gentrification slowly altering the neighborhood.
After the Mission, we walked through the city until we hit Dolores Park. We got a good feel for the city population while sitting on top of the hill in the north end of the park. I think the dude on the Bongo drums smoking a joint gave it away, although very San Franciscoans that we encountered fit such an extreme stereotype. We left Dolores and headed through the Castro where we hit Harvey Milk plaza--a small memorial dedicated to his life and work. Conveniently, that's where we boarded the Muni to get back to Ethan's house.
We packed up our things, got some flowers for the Goldstein's and then headed out. We we're waiting on Jack to get home from college because his home in the suburbs of SF was our next stop. But he wouldn't be back until later in the evening so we had some time to kill. Fortunately, we discovered an absolute gem. Every Friday, the city of SF sponsors a local event called Off The Grid. Essentially, every food truck in the city parks in a lot beneath Golden Gate Park, a beautiful, open green space that overlooks the Bay and the Bridge. The trucks, which offer an almost-overwhelming amount of options, line up in a grid and in the middle there is a beer garden and live music. It's a pretty fantastic idea I gotta say. I wish Philly or Boston would put on something like it. There were older folks, parents, yuppies, hipsters teenagers and toddlers. The demographics were totally diverse and the atmosphere was really cool. Not to mention, the food was freaking phenomenal! Skyler had a Naan burrito: a Naan bread wrap stuffed to the brim with chicken curry and other goodies. I had a dish of Nepalese food which was also great.
After our unexpectedly delicious meals, Skyler and I went back into Golden Gate Park to read our books and toss the frisbee around. We worked up a sweat, had some fun and then decided that we'd earned dessert: for me, a homemade chocolate taco and for Skyler, a frozen banana dipped in chocolate. We ended the night with a nice long chat, reflecting upon our past few days as we looked over the Bay from a pier that jutted out from the park. Here was the view we had at sunset:
We left Off The Grid and drove over the Golden Gate Bridge towards Marin County, home of Jack Betz. And what a home it is. Not unlike Bill and Molly, Jack's parents Rick and Judy are two incredibly kind people. They opened up their home to us without hesitation and engaged us throughout our stay. They also treated us like princes: crepes for breakfast on Father's Day? Cooked by Jack's dad himself? I almost felt guilty eating those things.
Anyway, to keep it short, Marin was a very cool place. The urban side of SF is awesome, but it's suburbs are not too shabby either. The landscape is beautiful--hiking, biking, ocean, mountains--what more could you ask for? The people we encountered were also very friendly. We spent a lot of time with Jack's old high school gang, spending most of our day at the beach with Jack and his buddy Liam. Later that night, we threw a big surprise birthday party for Liam who had just turned 19 the day before. It was an awesome day, very relaxed and silly at times (such as makeshift beach volleyball), but we got to hangout with some really cool people. The night ended with this big group of old high school friends sitting around a fire chatting and hanging out. Once again, I was amazed at the general hospitality of these people on the West Coast. We we're total strangers to most of these kids yet they made us feel completely welcome and comfortable. I was also envious of Jack's ability to hold a core group of friends together even after a year at college--that's something that I've certainly struggled to do.
The next morning, Father's Day, we got a late start, packed up our stuff and headed east (yea that's right east) for Yosemite National Park.
The Mighty Yosemite
Too much to describe, way way way too little time. Yosemite is quite simply a sight that must be seen to be believed. To paraphrase a good friend of my older brother's, the world should revolve around Yosemite. At the very least, every American should have its existence at the center of their national consciousness. I know I certainly did not consider it an essential part of my national identity, primarily because I'd never had the opportunity to bask in its glory first hand.
We had two full days in Yosemite and we shared them with Jack Betz and his friend Jasper. They both knew the park well and were helpful resources. Jack's parents also generously gave us their Lower Pines campsite (amazing location) for the duration of the trip. We spent our first day climbing through a series of boulder-formed caves which were off the trail near our campsite. We ended up on top of a humongous rock structure, looking up at Half Dome and Glacier Point. It was a great introduction to the park.
Next up, we hiked to Lower Yosemite Falls. We climbed up a rock face until we were being sprayed with mist from the blast of the waterfall. We eventually nestled into the side of a rock where we had a great view of the Upper and Lower Yosemite Falls. Here's our crappy photo (don't worry, Jasper had a great camera and he captured some amazing shots of us in the park which I will try to get my hands on ASAP):
That night we set out on a journey that I had been looking forward to for months. We took a two and a half hour drive out to Tom's Place, a tiny town in which Where There Be Dragons was hosting their instructor orientation. Dragons, is an organization that runs educational, cultural immersion trips in about 25 countries around the world. When I was 17, I went on a Dragons trip to Cambodia where I met Jack as well as Caleb Brooks, my instructor. The trip remains one of the more profound experiences of my life and it created many lasting relationships.
Until this leg of the trip, I hadn't seen Jack or Caleb in exactly two years. The last time I saw either of them was in the LA airport, and although I've kept in touch with both of them, seeing Jack and Caleb again was something else. When we finally arrived at Tom's Place (it was a longer drive than we expected) Caleb's big bear hug immediately reminded me that the trek was worth it.
Seeing Caleb in his element was such a cool experience. I spent the night meeting other instructors from around the world, catching up with CBrooks and watching the opening fireside ceremony for Dragons' orientation. Each instructor announced in a concise word or phrase what they would bring to the table for their students. It was a sentimental reminder of the impact that that organization, and Caleb specifically, have had on my life. I definitely want to reflect more on the experience because it was pretty special and I hope to write more extensively about it in the next few weeks. But in the meantime, I should say that my trip to Cambodia prepared me for this XC road trip better than any other experience in my life. It taught me how to travel, how to seek out adventure, how to ask good questions, how to absorb and appreciate culture, and many more things. I don't think I would have any clue how to approach this road trip if I hadn't taken that journey through Cambodia and met those folks. I'm so grateful that many of them are still a part of my life:
I really hope to see these fellas again sometime soon. We drove back in the dark after an agonizingly short visit. Fortunately, a great view of the stars at Tuolumne Meadows made the trek even more worth it (Jasper snagged one hell of a photo there). We arrived back in camp at 1 AM, crashed, and woke up the next morning at 6:30 AM for our 18 mile hike to Half Dome.
That hike was quite possibly one of the most tiring endeavors of my life. It was 9 miles almost entirely uphill. The final quarter mile is up a sheer cliff face on the south side of Half Dome. It's so steep that there is a cable system set up that you have to climb in oder to reach the top. I'd say I was genuinely terrified while climbing up and down the cables, but it was absolutely worth it. Here are some of the photos from the summit:
Approaching the summit. That little black line going up the rock face is the cable line. It's filled with about 50 people.
We made it! Only nearly died a few times along the way.
Jack and Jasper stand on the edge of the "Diving Board" at the top of Half Dome.
That's me saving Skyler's life on the Diving Board. No big deal.
After recovering, we pause to celebrate.
Similar to the Dragons Orientation experience, I need to reflect more thoroughly on my Half Dome hike. It was one of the most physically intensive yet rewarding experiences of my life. Here was one of the more striking moments of the day: I fell asleep on the western half of the summit, began to dream, and then suddenly woke up on a cliff face overlooking one of the most beautiful sites I'd ever encountered. Sharp granite slabs covered in Redwood and Pine trees plunged deep into the Yosemite Valley and all of that glory was there for me to soak in. It was dead silent except for the breeze and the occasional bird overhead. When I woke up from my nap, it took me more than five minutes to convince myself that I wasn't dreaming. Never before in my life had I actually blurred the line between fantasy and reality, but Yosemite did it for me right there. Simply put, it was otherworldly. So beautiful and unbelievable that it belongs in a dream. But by some miracle we are allowed to enjoy it in the flesh if we invest enough energy to reach the summit.
After the nine mile hike back to camp, we collapsed in chairs and rested our tired limbs. My legs felt like jello and my arms are still sore even as I write this at the moment. We proceeded to cook up one of the tastiest dishes I've ever had. I'm proud to say that I led the cooking effort (Jack referred to me as Chef Wofford) and here was the final product:
Mac n' cheese, beef chili, grilled peppers and roasted hot links sausages all stewed together into one big ol' pot. What a meal. Yes that's a pat on my own back. First time I've cooked for a family of four! We ended the night lying down in a meadow underneath the mighty peaks of the valley, looking up at the stars. Chalk it up as yet another indescribable encounter with nature. It was a flooring night sky. We watched shooting star after shooting star pass by until we couldn't keep our eyes open any longer.
The next morning Skyler and I woke up at 6:30 once again for a long trek up to Portland, OR. We packed up our camp, woke up Jasper and Jack, and said our farewells. It was a good stay, certainly not without our regrets, but I'm so grateful that I had the chance to finally see it (I've been obsessing over Ansel Adams' photos of Yosemite for years, but you can't beat the real thing).
Skyler and I had a difficult, productive and necessary conversation about our respective criticisms of the trip so far and what we want out of the trip moving forward (only two weeks left, hard to believe). It took place at an "In n' Out Burger" of all places, but it was a very helpful and effective talk nonetheless.
We got into Portland late last night and immediately crashed. Today we saw the city and spent a lot of time with Skyler's good friend Millie from Virginia Tech. She was such a cool girl and I will absolutely write more about our experience with her soon (she is volunteering on a farm this summer just outside of Portland). Great conversation and great laughs. Not too much more you can ask for. Also Portland is a funky and very cool town. I definitely dig it. I'd say Portland and SF--along with Asheville and Austin--are two more cities where I'd love to spend some portion of my adult life. Those four in particular have wooed me on this trip.
Unfortunately, it's way too late for me to be up and we have a 7 AM drive to Glacier National Park tomorrow morning. We're getting spoiled with National Park after National Park, and we hear that Glacier might be on Yosemite's level. We'll shall see and I shall report back soon enough.
Until Bozeman, Montana....
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