Get update alerts
Locations
- .All Trips
- Art
- Car Culture
- Central America/Caribbean
- Food
- Food Tour
- Pic of the Week
- Sl;ovenia
.All Trips / Food / Nevada / North America / Southwestern USA
Red’s Old 395 Grill, Carson City
If you’re in Carson City and looking for a fun place to get a good steak or some decent BBQ, then I’d recommend going to Red’s.
Red’s Old 395 Grill is a Carson City landmark. The place is popular and it’s usually busy and crowded, but with a pleasant fun vibe. It’s in the heart of the city and has great décor — so much stuff on the walls and ceilings it’s hard to take it all in.
Service was good and the food tasty when we visited. The menu is extensive and while there are lots of meat dishes, there’s also plenty of salads and vegetarian options, pizza or pasta if you’d prefer these. The place is known for its extensive selection …
Tagged Carson City
“Pic of the Week”, August 28, 2020: Dogwood, Yosemite National Park
When I make plans to visit California’s Yosemite National Park I target my trip for mid-to-late May. Mostly this is because the snow melt in the Sierra Nevada Mountains is at its peak and the park’s waterfalls are overflowing and amazing.
A second reason for a late spring arrival is to see the dogwoods bloom. There are two types of dogwoods: 1) a small ground plant (not the one I’m talking about) and, 2) trees that grow up to 30 feet tall having flowers about 3 inches wide.
Yosemite has many mountain dogwoods which are beautiful in bloom, as you can see. Dogwoods are especially plentiful around the Merced River in Yosemite Valley, but are quite common along most of the park …
Aug 27, 2020
Comments Off on “Pic of the Week”, August 28, 2020: Dogwood, Yosemite National Park
“Pic of the Week”, August 14, 2019: Interesting bike rack, Reno
Situated on the banks of the Truckee River in downtown Reno is this rather cool bike rack, the likes of which I’ve never seen before. The rack is designed to look like a fish’s skeleton, with the ribs providing the framing on which to park or chain your bicycle.
A nice piece of street-art and, for me, yet another confirmation of the limitless ability of human imagination.
(Click on thumbnails to enlarge, right arrow to advance …
Aug 13, 2020
Comments Off on “Pic of the Week”, August 14, 2019: Interesting bike rack, Reno
.All Trips / California / North America / Southwestern USA
Magnificent Mt. Shasta, California
One of the most memorable drives I’ve done in recent years is the road that stretches between Klamath Falls, Oregon, and Mount Shasta in Northern California. Route 97 heads southwest towards the ever looming presence of majestic Mount Shasta, one of the prettiest mountains anywhere.
We did this drive last month and the views of that beautiful peak were one of the highlights of our trip. It was a clear day and Mt Shasta was visible for more than an hour. We stopped frequently for photos because we were worried the peak might disappear the closer we got because of hills obstructing our view, but that was not the case; some of these images are interspersed with this narrative, each subsequent …
Tagged California, Cascades, glacier, Mount Shasta, volcanoe
.All Trips / California / North America / Southwestern USA
A Day at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park
The San Diego Zoo Safari Park is found near Escondido, California, about a half hour’s drive northeast of San Diego and its world famous San Diego Zoo.
I’ve visited the San Diego Zoo Safari Park about a half dozen times in the past 35 years and really enjoyed every visit. When we first came to the park decades ago the place was known as San Diego Wild Animal Park, but in 2010 the name was changed because some people were apparently getting it and the zoo confused. This is not the zoo — it’s where you can go on a (sort-of) safari. But at either place you’ll have the chance to see a large quantity and variety of …
Tagged animals, birds, Escondido, Park, Safari Park, San Diego, San Diego Zoo, San Diego Zoo Safari Park, wildlife
“Pic of the Week”, July 3, 2020: Snow Plant, California
The only place I’ve ever seen snow plant is on the western (wetter) slopes of California’s Sierra Nevada mountains, especially in Yosemite National Park. It’s hard to miss seeing snow plant if its there, as it’s bright red and stands out against the melting snow and tree litter in which it grows.
Some interesting facts about snow plant:
1) It’s a bright fleshy red plant (herb) of the Indian-pipe family, usually 15-30 cm (under a foot) tall
2) It grows in high-altitude conifer forests of California, Nevada and Oregon (generally between 1000 – 3000 m altitude)
3) It derives its nourishment from soil fungi attached to the roots of pine trees, and does not need sunlight to survive
4) It usually pops out in late …
Jul 2, 2020
Comments Off on “Pic of the Week”, July 3, 2020: Snow Plant, California
“Pic of the Week”, June 7,2019: Conservation Carousel, San Diego Zoo Safari Park
My wife and I share an affection for carousels. She’s in love with carousel horses (we have one standing in our entryway). I have a greater interest in a larger variety of carousel animals.
So you can see from these images that the lovely carousel in San Diego’s Zoo Safari Park really appealed to me. It’s themed “conservation carousel” and contains 60 mostly rare and endangered animals that can take you for a ride. An appropriate menagerie of critters for this terrific family travel-friendly destination.
(Click on thumbnails to enlarge, right arrow to advance)
Jun 7, 2019
Comments Off on “Pic of the Week”, June 7,2019: Conservation Carousel, San Diego Zoo Safari Park
.All Trips / California / North America / Southwestern USA
Remarkable Sequoia National Park
Going back through my travel records, I was surprised to find that it’s been almost 20 years since I last visited Sequoia National Park — my, how time flies. I’m glad I spent a lot of time exploring this park during the 1980s and 1990s because it’s a special place.
Sequoia NP was about a 4 hour drive from our home in Southern California (under ideal traffic conditions– often more like 5 or 6 hours) and was one of the easiest to reach natural destinations near us, so we visited it almost every year. The park spans over 400,000 acres so it’s impossible to see it all. It’s part of the UNESCO Sequoia-Kings Canyon Biosphere Reserve (1976).
What’s so special about the park? Lots, to be sure …
