Western United States – 16 Days

JWise Travels

On the road through the Redwoods National Park in California

After giving Jutta a week to recuperate from jet lag, we packed my mother-in-law into the rental car and pointed the car west for a 16-day road trip, her fourth trip to America. Our visit to Death Valley was a high point for Jutta, as it was a dream destination she’d wished to see for many years. From there, we drove north over the coast, pausing to visit the elephant seals near San Simeon, and a little further north, we watched two of the rare California Condors that have been released back into the wild. Slowly, we went north, stopping at Fisherman’s Wharf in Monterey, taking photos of the Golden Gate Bridge, taking a walk in the Muir Woods National Monument, visiting Point Reyes, and then the Redwoods National Park.

Sunset over the Three Capes near Tillamook, Oregon

In Oregon, we camped for two nights in Yurts at the Sunset Bay and Cape Lookout State Parks. After years of trying, we finally were able to visit the Sea Lion Caves. We visited lighthouses, the Blue Heron Cheese Company, and stopped for ice cream at the Tillamook Cheese Factory. Our next stop was Washington.

The most reflective beach we have ever visited at Pacific Beach in Washington

After going to Mount St. Helens Volcanic National Monument, we cut west to the coast, stopping at Pacific Beach and then continued north for a visit to the rainforest of the Olympic National Park. Northeast, we stop in on the scenic North Cascades National Park before slicing across Idaho to Glacier National Park.

Descending out of Glacier National Park from the east of the park you enter the Great Plains in Northern Montana

This was Caroline and my second visit to Glacier, and this time, we were greeted with sunny skies. It is our intention to one day continue north up the Rocky Mountains to Banff, Yoho, and Jasper National Parks in Canada. Leaving Glacier from the east side of the park, we head out onto the Great Plains, where a few Bison can still be seen.

Monument dedicated to the Blackfeet Nation in Montana

The Great Plains never fail to amaze me. They have their own unique beauty that lends contrast to the coastal anchors on their east and western sides. We drive along the eastern front of the Rockies on our way south to Wyoming for a return visit to our favorite national park in the United States, the mighty Yellowstone.

A Bsion also known as the American Buffalo walking through Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming

Only a day and a half have been planned for Jutta’s second visit to Yellowstone, but a pleasant reminder it was. Soon, we would be going south through the Tetons National Park on our way to Dinosaur National Monument before driving into Colorado for a ride on the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Steam Train.

Steam rising from grasses in a barren forest at Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming

Up the Mokee Dugway from Mexican Hat, we drove around Lake Powell to Capitol Reef National Park, then Bryce National Park, and finally, an overnight at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Sixteen days on the road with your mother-in-law is not the easiest thing in the world to do, but we did it.

Dragon Kite & Drive Home

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Near downtown Santa Barbara, California on the beach

Following breakfast and a long goodbye, we are once again on the road. Tata gave us a kite this visit and as we passed the beach near downtown Santa Barbara, I pulled over for a picture, and Caroline suggested we try out our new toy. It takes her about 5 minutes to assemble it while I walk along the water’s edge, wishing we were so fortunate to live here in this incredible coastal community.

Caroine Wise flying her kite on a beach in Santa Barbara California

Tata and Woody gave Caroline and me a large dragon kite this weekend. From a prior visit, they knew we were looking for a nice kite but came up empty. Tata, on one of her many shopping trips, found this one and was certain it would be one we liked; she was right. On our way home, we stopped near Stearn’s Wharf, walked out to the beach, and Caroline assembled the dragon and put it aloft.

Our new kite aloft at the beach in Santa Barbara, California

With Caroline at the helm, her smile is as big as the kite’s high. It’s not a stunt kite, but Caroline is having fun all the same as she lets the string out allowing the kite to tug at her grip: A perfect day next to the Pacific Ocean in Santa Barbara. Eventually, she reigns the kite in, and we continue our journey.

Caroline Wise exploring the shore at low tide on the Pacific Ocean in California

Of course, driving home through California is never all that straightforward, and it’s not long before we stop at another beach near Sea Cliff. This time, we cannot pass up the telltale sign of low tide – exposed rocks and grasses next to the surf. We walk along for a half-hour, spotting anemones, starfish, coastal birds, and the occasional crab. Finally, Caroline puts her shoes back on, and this time, we definitely must push on to home if we are to get there at a reasonable time.

San Jacinto Peak near Palm Springs, California

We make good on the commitment and, after a couple of hours, are about to reenter the desert near Palm Springs. This snow-capped peak is a great reminder of how fortunate we are: Other places around the country are just leaving winter, while we get to walk barefoot along the ocean after visiting the Botanic Garden and watching butterflies flutter about.

Sunset paints the early evening sky blue, purple, orange and red in the California desert

Daylight gives way to a stunning sunset of blues, purple, orange, and red, while another great brief weekend away from Phoenix comes to a close. For everyone who wonders how we can handle so much driving, we ask them back, how can you handle watching so much TV?

Santa Barbara

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Woody Burns and Caroline Wise in Goleta, California

This weekend, our trek is 507 miles long each way, which is how far my Aunt and Uncle in Santa Barbara live away from us. California had an exceptionally wet winter. One particular time we had considered visiting but decided against it because all roads in and out of Santa Barbara had been closed due to them being washed out or covered in mud due to landslides. After too much delay due to wet weather, we arrive on a beautiful weekend.

Aunt Ann also known as Tata washing dishes at home in Goleta, California

Visiting Santa Barbara, California, to visit Uncle Woody and Tata; some dishes are getting cleaned before we go for lunch. This was our first visit since Christmas and was long overdue. Just after the weekend, we learned that Tata’s brother Mike isn’t doing well. Caroline and I visited with Uncle Mike in Buffalo, New York, back in 2000, and later, as Mike and Penny made their last trip to California.

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, California

Following the rains, the mountains, gardens, and yards are vibrantly green and lush, which leads us to the decision that we have to go to the Santa Barbara Botanic Gardens. Nestled into Mission Canyon and only a mile and a half from the historic Santa Barbara Mission, the Garden, a state historic site, has been welcoming visitors for more than 75 years.

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden in California

This weekend and for the coming two years, Toad Hall, pictured to the right, will be on display. Created by artist Patrick Dougherty, this environmental sculpture is a two-story willow tower with a maze of pathways and chambers. The inspiration for Mr. Dougherty’s work was taken from the book The Wind in the Willows. If you would like to see how Toad Hall was built, visit these pages on the Garden’s website.

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, California

Coming from Phoenix, Arizona, where we have what appears to be a mere handful of native species, mostly consisting of cactus and more cactus, the seemingly infinite number of plant species here in Santa Barbara strikes a stark contrast. It was this diversity that first drew us to the Garden on a previous visit. Short of walking Santa Barbara’s hilly streets and stopping to gaze at individual private gardens, a visit to the Botanic Garden really is the best way to acquaint yourself with the plants of California.

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, California

Continuing into the Garden, deeper in the canyon, a path leads you through a small grove of coastal redwoods and clusters of fern. Conveniently located throughout the park are comfortable benches for taking a moment or two to relax, listen, and feel your surroundings. On any given day outside of California’s notorious torrential downpours, you can expect a wonderfully pleasant day here at the Garden.

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, California

A small creek running through the Garden is momentarily stopped at the Mission Dam. Water spilling over the enclosure adds to the ambiance of sound and vision as we meander under the heavy canopy of trees towering overhead. Further down the canyon, visitors have the opportunity to cross the creek, hopping from stone to stone – if they so wish.

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, California

With so much moisture and heavy tree cover, a redwood’s favorite lays a carpet of clover over the ground, offering a magic blend of shadowy greens and giving rise to thoughts of emerald islands and elfin mysteries. Not only is the Garden busy with plant life, but there is also an abundance of wildlife to be enjoyed here too. The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden is visited by 123 species of birds, some year-round.

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, California

Other animal life includes turtles, who occasionally perch themselves on nearby rocks to catch some of those famous California rays. On a previous visit, we watched a harmless garter snake slither over the trail. Butterflies and honeybees also make the Garden their home. I’m sure that if Caroline and I had more time here at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden we would continue to discover new inhabitants here in this little slice of paradise.

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, California

We enjoy these walks through the trees, stopping to smell the flowers, look at the birds, and listen to the water bubbling by, but our visit to Santa Barbara is also about visiting family, and so after what seems to be the shortest of visits we depart and almost immediately talk of plans to come back as soon as possible. After dinner later in the day, we stay up late talking with Uncle Woody and Tata (Aunt Anne) before heading to sleep so we catch 40 winks and are well rested for our long drive home on Sunday.

Paving the Desert

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Caroline Wise and John Wise on the way to California

In the car, leaving Phoenix, Arizona.

65 miles west of Phoenix, Arizona a road crew is out repaving the 10 freeway

A road crew out repaving the 10 freeway about 65 miles west of Phoenix, Arizona, causes us a 45-minute delay on our way to Santa Barbara, California to visit Uncle Woody and Aunt Ann.

Harquahala Mountains with a peak elevation of 5,681 feet as seen from Interstate 10 traveling west in Arizona

North of Interstate 10, about 50 miles east of California, is the Harquahala Mountains, one of about eight ranges we drive by on leaving Phoenix, Arizona. Caroline and I have passed these mountains at all times of the year and at all times of the day. No less than 60 times west and 60 times east have we crept down this interstate to begin and finish a weekend. After ten years of following the more than 350 miles of road between Phoenix and Los Angeles, we still love the views this stretch of desert offers.

Mix Bowl Cafe in Pomona, California

We seem to stop at Mix Bowl in Pomona a lot; that’s because they are great!

A Day in Little India

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Leaving Arizona looking east at the rising sun behind a cloudy sky

Sonal, a friend and owner of Indo Euro Foods, and I visited Little India yesterday. We left at 6:30 a.m. for the 370-mile drive west to Artesia, California, where the ethnic shopping area of Little India is situated. While Arizona is expecting rain, we drive away from the sun rising behind a light cloud cover. The overcast sky does not let up and we enter California a couple of hours after our departure. Like Arizona, California is awash in wildflowers. Purples, yellows, reds, whites, and oranges stretch toward the horizon.

The Welcome to California sign next to the freeway near the Arizona border

The eastern desert of Southern California has blossomed thousands of poppies, the state flower. My intention to stop on the freeway to grab a photo is sidelined since I wait and wait for the perfect photo until there are no more poppies on the side of the road. We are now fast approaching Los Angeles, and I am afraid we will soon be on the outskirts of the metropolis, where I will no longer find wildflowers. I take the opportunity to photograph a yellow hillside with snowy mountain peaks off in the far distance.

A yellow flowered hillside next to the 10 freeway with a snow-covered mountain peak in the distance in California

Typically, the 10 freeway into Los Angeles is a well-worn, somewhat barren brown strip of land with an occasional prison or rising mountain well away from the highway, but on this day, unlike no other I have seen out here, this road is a striking visual symphony of color. After nearly 6 hours of driving, we arrived in Artesia. Little India is found off the 91 freeway by exiting the Pioneer Blvd off-ramp and turning south.

The snack display case at RasRaj Indian fast food shop in Artesia, California

Before getting on to serious business, we find ourselves hungry and looking forward to some of the best Indian food short of home cooking. Our first stop is RasRaj, a fast-food Indian restaurant serving awesome Gujarati dishes as well as mouth-watering Indo-Chinese dishes. Everything here is vegetarian. Looking at the snacks counter, it is hard to take ordering from the menu seriously.

A sizzling plate of Indo-Chinese veggies, rice, and noodles called Manchurian Sizzler at RasRaj in Artesia, California

Well, choosing is not so hard. Of course, I will have to choose between a Thali (a variety of typical Gujarati dishes), a Somosa Chaat, or Bhel Puri, or do I go for the Manchurian Sizzler? I go for the latter, a lava-hot plate of splattering veggies, rice, and noodles. Initially, Sonal and I wanted to split an appetizer, which is actually a meal in itself – the stuffed chili. RasRaj wouldn’t have them until Saturday. Thank God, as this saved us from ourselves. After finishing our lunch, we are both too stuffed to eat a peanut.

Ziba Music and Gift Center selling Indian music, Bollywood DVD's, and musical instruments in Artesia, California

Now it is time to get busy as our day is short in Little India. The next stop is Ziba Music & Gift Center at 11808 186th Street selling Indian music from Bhangra and Lounge to Bollywood soundtracks and devotional recordings. Ziba also carries the newest DVD releases coming out of India, along with all the classics. Additionally, on offer are a few book titles chronicling favorite actors such as Shahrukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan. If you need musical instruments from India, this would be a good stop. Sonal is here to pick up music and movies to bring to her shop in Phoenix and also some items that have been specially ordered by customers.

Earring selection at Bangle Bazaar in Little India - Artesia, California

While Sonal browses the shelves, I walk around the corner to Bangle Bazaar to find a gift for Caroline. My wife can never have enough jewelry and has taken a liking to the costume jewelry worn by Indians so I pick up a couple of earrings to appease her for not being able to come along today. Afterward, we have to leave Pioneer Blvd for a short drive to the distributor of Haldiram products. Haldiram makes sweets and snacks.

Warehouse for Haldiram products, sweets and snacks from India in Artesia, California

Sonal orders 20 different products, which end up coming in some rather large boxes. We begin to wonder if they will all fit in the van. They do, but it is apparent that we will be curtailing the shopping for lack of space. The next stop is scratched off the list, and the products we were to pick up will have to be shipped to Phoenix at a later date.

Sonal with a full shopping cart at Little India Market on Pioneer Blvd in Artesia, California

We have a product return that needs to be delivered to Ajay from Nirav, another Indian food distributor. Ajay also has a grocery store on Pioneer Blvd, the Little India Market, which is where we will drop the return. At Ajay’s, Sonal grabs a cart and quickly forgets that her van is nearing capacity. Piling stuff into the cart for her store, she throws in 12 of this and 6 of that, followed by handfuls of whatever falls into her hands – Sonal is a pro shopper. I try to put on the restraints and continuously remind her that we have so very little room left but to no avail – Sonal is gonna get what she needs for the store, and there ain’t no stoppin’ her.

Shana delivering Paneer cheese to us at Little India Market in Artesia, California

Following this frenzy, we are scheduled to meet with Shana, who has the distributorship in Southern California for the Nanak brand of Paneer cheese. She is bringing 10 cases of cheese, 5 cases of Ghee, 3 cases of Paneer Poppers, and a couple of other things that promise to lower Sonal’s van to within a couple of inches of the ground. The boxes are somehow made to fit between, up, over, on top of, and next to the other 1124 pounds of food; we will be driving back to Phoenix today. Through Shana we learn of one more stop we have to make before getting back on the freeway heading east. She knows someone who specializes in South Indian products. Following her out of the parking lot, Sonal’s van scrapes the bottom; it is literally just an inch or two off the ground.

Attempting to leave Los Angeles in bumper to bumper traffic and in the rain - we barely move.

The guy we visit sells us some Telugu and Tamil DVDs and now Sonal has a contact to make her South Indian customers in Phoenix a little happier. The van couldn’t carry even a feather’s worth of volume more. From the roof to the floor, window to window, empty corners, and the floor between our seats, everywhere in the van is a package, box, or container. On the freeway, at 6:00 p.m., we get stuck in a bumper-to-bumper crawling parking lot. It will be 2 hours before we move 35 miles and are finally on our way at a reasonable speed. It takes until shortly before 2:00 in the morning before we reach Sonal’s house and put away what needs to go in the freezer; then, I speed home and fall into bed.

Santa Barbara, California – Going Home

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288 Placer Drive in Goleta, California

I thought nothing would ever change in this house Tata and Woody have lived in since they left Buffalo, New York, back in the late 1960s, but they redid the floor and had the walls painted.

288 Placer Drive in Goleta, California

Nothing else changed, not the stove, not the dishwasher, the countertops, or these old chairs my family played pinochle in while smoking up a storm. I think they all smoked back then.

288 Placer Drive in Goleta, California

In the 1970s, it was pretty frequent that family would all come up to Santa Barbara for weekends with the Burns. Tata and Woody would buy up a bunch of Tri-tips before anyone else really knew what that was, marinate it, and then grill it out back across from the jacuzzi. Back then, a jacuzzi was a luxury and seriously uncommon.

288 Placer Drive in Goleta, California

We, kids, could take their bikes out or head down to the nearby school that had public tennis courts or sit in the living room and watch their fancy TV that had a remote control.

Woody Burns and Sophie at 288 Placer Drive in Goleta, California

Time for us to say goodbye as we pulled away with a car full of toilet paper, juice, soda, paper towels, dish soap, pens, and other stuff Tata pilfered from her job, and probably some cash she threw at us to cover gas. This was our first time spending Christmas with them, but it won’t be our last.

Beach at Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area in California

It’s been foggy/cloudy all day, so we didn’t spend too much time here at the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.

North Woods Inn in Covina, California

We did spend a good amount of time in Covina, stopping for dinner at my old favorite, Clearman’s North Woods Inn; I’ll never tire of their amazing salads. It was late before we ever pulled into our parking spot at home, but it was a great weekend and well worth the effort.