San Francisco Bay Area

So it's not necessarily the biggest tourist-magnet, but I was visiting friends, and I had a blast! Here are some photos with my notes/what we did!

Pier 39 sea lions--definitely worth a stop by! Pier 39 and Fisherman's Wharf were cutesy and fun, especially if you like shopping. I bought a charm for my charm bracelet at a shop dedicated to them--though you won't find any in any other shops. This part was very touristy.

A shot of the city from the top floor of our hotel.

Valella valella. These creatures (purple sails) have been showing up on California's shores all summer. They are related to the jelly fish, and probably won't hurt you if you pick them up, though some people have shown a kind of allergic reaction to them so be sure!

Lava rocks!

The third day we were in SF, the weather was very nice, so we rented bikes and rode all the way across the Golden Gate Bridge! It was absolutely beautiful, and a really fun way to spend the afternoon. There are tons of places for tourists to rent bikes around town, and I would highly recommend it! If you have time, it might be worth it to bike all the way to Tiburon and take the ferry back, as many people do.

There are plenty of places to stop and take photos of the bridge, and generally plenty of people to take your photo!

It gets really windy and really cold across the bridge, so be aware!

A view of the city from a pier (not 39).

One night we ate at Boudin Bakery, where bread wonders abound! While you're waiting for your meal, explore the sourdough museum. It's actually really interesting to watch the bread being made, and of course there are bread samples as well! 

A couple more photos of the water and of Pier 39.

One of my favorite things about San Francisco was the houses. They're all so colorful and squished together, how could I not love them?

Our last day was spent exploring Golden Gate Park and the Japanese Tea Garden within. The garden was beautiful, and worth the $7 to get in. It's full of lots of neat bridges and pretty ponds, plus one that's impossible to climb over without your hands. 

There is a place to try out some tasty teas and treats. The only tea that comes iced was delicious! (I can't remember what it was called).

Reason #6: Tourists with Umbrellas

Although today is an unseasonably sunny day in October, that doesn't mean we haven't seen our fair share of rain this fall. As a native to Western Washington, it's almost a relief to see the end of all the sunny weather. During the summer, there is a kind of pressure to get things done and to be outside and not waste a single second of that beautiful, elusive sunshine.

So now, I just want to sit inside with hot tea and a blanket, and watch a funny movie or read a cute book. Is that too much to ask for?

Another fun fact about us native Washingtonians...we can spot tourists from a mile away. Why? Because they're the ones with umbrellas.

The rest of us know that most of the time, it rains sort of sideways and up into your umbrella, so they're a somewhat useless device.

Unless your car breaks down and you wind up taking the bus in a downpour...

Maybe I should have used that umbrella I
own somewhere...shoved in my trunk? Closet?
I really don't know...

Reason #5: Those Giant Marshmallow Thingies

Everyone knows what I'm talking about, whether they're from a farming town or not. When you're driving through expansive fields and suddenly you see what appear to be poops from the Stay Puffed Marshmallow Man in Ghostbusters, those are the giant marshmallow thingies I'm talking about.

Giant Marshmallows in a field!!!

Of course, that's not what they actually are. I only believed that when I was little. The beauty of living where I do is that I get to watch the process. This is what they look like under that fluffy spun-sugar (aka plastic) exterior:

Don't look quite as tasty now, do they?

To farm animals, I'm sure it looks delightful! According to this website, storing hay in marshmallow form allows it to keep its nutritional value for longer periods of time. If farmers were to leave these lovely rolls as-is, the hay, exposed to the elements (around her, namely rain, but wind too), not only is stripped of its nutrients, it also can result in too much bacteria, fungus, or mold. It is especially important in Washington, where the weather is so unpredictable, to cover hay you plan to leave outdoors.

And it's a good thing I don't really like marshmallows, or I might start craving them every time I see the giant ones.

9/11 We Remember

Time flies. It's strange to think that eleven years ago today, I woke up ready for another regular day in the sixth grade. I'm sure I had some homework assignment or other that I hadn't done, or a big project coming up that I was worried about--as you know, sixth graders have much on their plates. All of that flew out the window as soon as my mom turned on the TV.

Being on the west coast, it wasn't in real time for us, but that didn't make it just as real. Being only 10, I can't say I really understood the full impact of what had happened. All I knew was that some people I'd never heard of killed a lot of people, and it was the first act of true violence and hatred I'd ever witnessed.  The fact that it was over television and thousands of miles away did little to lessen the blow to my innocent heart.

I knew there were kids without fathers or mothers, parents without their children, and families that had been whole that morning were now torn apart. Even though I didn't understand much, I knew all that, and it was enough to make me cry my eyes out.

Now, it's odd that life goes on. A normal day at work, plans for the future, talking with friends. The world keeps turning and it's as if nothing has changed.

So I'm taking a moment out of my day to remember the naive sadness I felt merely by the loss of so many people who all had hopes and dreams for the future even as I do, and I hope that others will do the same. We can't do much for those who were lost, but we can remember, and keep them in our hearts so that their dreams don't die with them.

As a final thought, I'd like to quote Love, Actually, although I know it's cheesy. I think it's good to remember that "when the planes hit the Twin Towers, as far as I know, none of the phone calls from the people on board were messages of hate or revenge - they were all messages of love."

Reason #4: Unexpected Cool Things

Last weekend, my brother and his girlfriend Ariel were over. Ariel and I were chopping veggies in the kitchen and my dad and brother were out in the garden, gathering said veggies and moving tarps and such. All of a sudden, my dad comes in carrying a big stick with something green at the end. Ariel freaked out a bit when she saw him. Here he is!

Talk about a very hungry caterpillar! Look at the size! He was at least as long as my thumb, and much fatter!

Of course, I moved him around a bit to "pose" him for pictures. I was testing out my macro setting on my camera.

I did a little research, and he's a luna moth caterpillar! If you've ever seen a luna moth, you'll understand why this fat boy becomes one of those. Know what a luna moth's sole purpose in life is? To mate! Imagine that! They don't eat, because they don't have mouths. When this guy pupates and then emerges from his coccoon, he won't even be able to fly (not yet). He'll climb a tree and hang upside down so his wings will fill with blood, making them strong enough to bear his weight.

Does the caterpillar eat? Yes it does. It must fill up enough so that when it's a moth it's not so hungry.

I love discovering new tidbits such as this. Another great reason to live in the Pacific Northwest!

If you're interested, I found my information here.

Reason #3: Poop Shooters!

This is exactly what you think it is

Here's the deal with poop shooters: I don't actually know what they are.

What I do know is that they are large impact sprinklers with high-pressure poop/water running through it being blasted across fields to fertilize them. That's about it. I don't know if there is a specific name for the sprinkler or if there's even a name for the technique. Perhaps we made it up? I would love to know more, and I've been trying to learn more all summer, but the internet is very lacking on this subject.

Why would it be a reason I love where I live? Well, where else do you find something so hilarious? I honestly don't know anybody else who has heard of these. Besides, it's fun to say. Try it: poop shooter! Or you may try crap cannon, and a few other creative names as you think about the various words for poop (though it is my favorite).

The disadvantage: it's the only time I actually smell the cow poop--when the poop shooters are going and the lovely fertilizer has a chance to ripen in the sun and waft toward my yard. About 8 or 9 days out of the year, so most of the time I'm safe.

But still.

Yellowstone National Park

August 13, 2012 through August 18, 2012

My sister goes to school in Montana, so it was only reasonable that we would travel through Yellowstone while looping through to drop her off (right? I thought so). At first, I wasn't all that excited. What was so special about the place? Sure, they've got Old Faithful, but it's probably just an over-marketed, over-crowded tourist attraction, and I'm not really a fan of those.

Well, in reality, it was a lot, lot more than that.

Yes, there were geysers. Yes, I did find Old Faithful to be over-crowded and over-marketed. But believe me, the trip is worth it (even the hoards of people).

Artesia Geyser

Classic Old Faithful--truly not as impressive as some of the other spectacular sights to see

White Dome Geyser, or as we liked to call it, Little Unfaithful (also my favorite geyser)

Clepsydra Geyser. I may have spelled that wrong.

So in short, Geysers cool. Hot springs and pools much cooler. My personal favorite was the Grand Prismatic Spring. At first, we only viewed it from the boardwalk, which, while still cool, was not the view I was looking for. I did do some research so I could snag a quick earthcache while I was there.

Excelsior Geyser Crater--what's left after the explosive geyser eruptions of Excelsior, a highly powerful and unpredictable geyser. No one knows when it will erupt next.

The Grand Prismatic Spring from the boardwalk. The orange around the pool  is a bacterial mat, where thermophiles thrive in the high temperature and mineral environment.

Opal Pool, a small pool seen from the boardwalk on the way to Grand Prismatic

Terraces built by mineral deposits and thermophiles

We went all the way to Old Faithful before we decided to come back and take the short hike to the viewing point. The viewing point is on a gravel path that goes to Fairy Falls (which we did not have time for). At some point along the trail, there is a log with a small bit of carved writing that tells you to start climbing for the view (we almost missed it, as we were on bikes). The hike was short but steep, and so worth it.

I took the picture with a different camera so I could zoom in farther, but that's pretty much what the colors looked like. At least, the blue part. You can see the boardwalk we were confined to in the earlier pictures. Beyond the GP Spring you can see steam from the Excelsior Geyser Crater.

Of course, hot, rainbow pools weren't the only awesome things in Yellowstone. There were burbling mud pots that made a schlop, schlop, schlopschlop noise, beautiful geyser basins with scenic views of geysers and pools alike, waterfalls and rivers, the "grand canyon" of the Yellowstone, and of course Yellowstone lake itself. We crossed the continental divide twice, and spotted dozens of animals and colorful critters.

Can you imagine the sound it makes? Artist's Paint Pot

Crackling Lake--yes, it actually crackles

Oh give me a home where the buffalo roam!

Firehole Falls

Keplar Cascades

Lake Yellowstone

Oh give me a home where the buffalo...poop?

Inspiration Point--aren't you inspired?

Of course, this entire trip you are guided through the "thermal features" via boardwalk and carefully marked paths. It is dangerous to step off the path--most notably because if you break thin crust, you may just find yourself standing in a nice, boiling bath.

Warning: step off the path and the earth will swallow you whole.

You will also ruin the fragile environment. So don't do it.

Speaking of boiling...another attraction of Yellowstone is the Boiling River. It is located as you leave toward the northern entrance, just past the Entering Montana sign. You will probably see people swimming in the river that runs by the road. The Boiling River is actually too hot to touch--with "boiling" in the name, were you really surprised?--but it empties into the Gardiner river, which is a normal temperature. All along the river edge you can see where the water is the warmest, because that is where people will congregate. You can stand with one foot in hot water and one in cold water--or when you're sitting down it's rather like sitting in a hot tub and having cold water periodically swish over you.

Swimming with my sister

Having an underwater camera is just as cool as it sounds

A warning about the Boiling River: first, the water is VERY hot. Second, there is sulfur in the water. I discovered the hard way that I am apparently allergic to sulfur--with a very itchy rash on my arm (the one closest to the hot water, incidentally). Though I still think it was worth it (such a cool and not well-known place, as it is unmarked), if you're planning to sit and soak for a bit, use caution.

All-in-all, Yellowstone was a very cool place to visit. If you are thinking about planning a trip, keep in mind the cost. In order to see the park, you will need to drive around (it's a pretty big park...), and in the end you spend the most on gas. Camping in Montana is more expensive than Washington (I don't know about other states), but their parks are well-maintained. If you are used to spacious campgrounds with lots of space between sites, be prepared to get cozy, as the lots are usually pretty cramped. Dogs (especially young or active ones) are probably best left at home, especially if you are traveling in a car. You can't take them more than 100 feet from the roads, there aren't many places to play with them. We brought our two labs and they did not enjoy the constant driving and being stuck in our motorhome. Another thing to keep in mind is the smell--seriously. In places (such as the mountain mud pots) it is so horrible I was wishing I'd brought something to tie over my face (I wound up using my sweatshirt). It is bearable at most features, however. Additionally, there are lots of tourists, so be prepared for crowds.

I give yellowstone a 4-star (taking one away for the crowds).