Jet Propulsion Laboratory
We had many reasons for packing up our truck and heading back onto the road this summer. But one particular event lured us south to wait in lines under a blistering sun: the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Open House.
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Self Portrait
Lebec, California, United States
Pasadena Sucks
We are meticulously law abiding. When we come to communities that have banned overnight parking in Walmarts such as Galveston, TX or Glen Springs, CO, we don't throw up our hands and attempt to stealth camp. As tired as we may be, we accept that this community does not want our business and we move on. So when we got a ticket for overnight parking in Pasadena, CA, we thought it must be a mistake.
The Museum of Jurassic Technology
It is a maze of twilight truths. Darkened, mysterious rooms hold strange oddities that might have been picked out of the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford or have been designed by an artist inspired by history and the occult. Rooms delve into ancient medical traditions, a tragic actress, trailer parks, early space travel, and a monk's studies into magnetism to explain the divine's intangible but powerful influence in the world.
The Long Haul
We have always had greater ambitions for Dodgy than just a bed under a truck shell. You don't need a 3500 Dodge Ram truck to go camping in the redwoods. It's impressive. Maybe it might make some guys with the chromed out 1500s feel a little inadequate but that is their business, not ours.
Elk Crossing
After a delightful night in the Redwood Forest, we figured the rest of our return journey would be rather rote. It was time to dig in and get to our friend's house outside of Sacramento where we could take a break from traveling and get some work done. But little did we know what a truly beautiful remainder of a trip we had left. Well, we did rather know. I made a point to route us along the coast for a while before heading inland for a mountain pass. So I knew there would be beaches and sea side views. What I didn't expect was an elk crossing.
Jedediah Smith Campground
In keeping with our tradition of shoehorning additional stops into an already busy schedule, we extended our trip by a day to camp in Redwood National and State Parks. Parts of it are national. Parts of it are state. As far as we can determine, there aren't any drive in camping spots in the National park, so we found an ideal spot at the State Park. The site is flanked by massive redwood trees, within hearing distance of a sonorous river, and a hop skip an a jump from bathrooms that don't stink. To me, the perfect spot.
Oregon Caves National Monument
Oregon Caves National Monument preserves stalagmites, stalactites, and rock formations such as Joaquin Miller's Chapel, The Ghost Room, and Paradise Lost.
The Sunken Forest of Clear Lake
Deep in the woods of South West Oregon is Clear Lake. Deep in the depths of Clear Lake is an ancient forest. Trees that had grown on a prehistoric valley floor were flooded 3,000 years ago when a lava flow blocked up a river and flooded the valley to create Clear Lake.
Willamette Valley
I'm not sure if Willamette Valley pinot just appeals to a different taste than mine or if the people of Oregon are getting ripped off. We've spent the last few days touring vineyards and tasting rooms across the Willamette Valley and expected more than what we experienced.