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Ducono

GlobetrotterLyon · 2,268 posts

2025-02-05

After our first trip discovering the American West with our teens, Cécile asked me to go back for a romantic getaway to this wonderful destination. Whatever my wife wants, so here we are on a plane in September 2022, heading to San Francisco. Since we’d already visited the main parks two years earlier, this time we took the scenic route:

We arrived late in the evening, spent a short night at the hotel, and picked up our rental car to hit Highway 1 and the Pacific coast. The sky was gray, foggy, and a bit disappointing for now.

As Brittany lovers, we know coastal weather can change quickly... but no! Bixby Bridge was just a quick view from the car, and it was only 11°C outside.

We had a quick picnic on the spot, quickly bothered by the local wildlife.

And then—miracle! This charming animal made the wind shift and brought us sunshine. So this coast is absolutely worth the trip—it’s just stunning.

Only the sound of the wind and the seals’ calls disturbed the tranquility of the moment.

But even the best things come to an end, and we turned inland toward the sequoias. We drove through a long plain with fruit trees, vineyards, and endless straight roads.

First night at the hotel, tired but happy! !

Ducono Globetrotter ·2025-02-05

The road to Sequoia isn’t exactly thrilling, but we finally make it there!

And honestly, we weren’t expecting this! We crawl up the winding road in single file, stopping for photos whenever we can find a parking spot—which isn’t often, since there are so many tourists on this narrow road.

In the end, the quietest spot for a picnic turns out to be the gas station!!! We’re not big fans of huge mountain forests, and this kind of visit doesn’t really excite us, so we head back south toward Bakersfield.

Ducono Globetrotter ·2025-02-05

Jet lag is hitting hard this morning—sleeping in and a late start toward Barstow. We’ve realized the town itself isn’t all that interesting, except for a famous diner where we’re stopping for lunch. The drive is long, lined with desert vegetation, and the only things lighting up the landscape are hundreds of wind turbines.

When the first signs announce our upcoming stop.

Finally, starving, we arrive!!!

Peggy Sue’s Diner is one of those "museum" places that preserves the 1960s vibe—the golden era when the U.S. launched rock ‘n’ roll. Buddy Holly is obviously celebrated here.

With our bellies full from the Buddy Holly Burger and a nice cold beer, we hit the road again! !

Ducono Globetrotter ·2025-02-05

We’re driving due south, still deep in the desert, before reaching Elmer’s Bottle Tree Ranch. We’re alone; the wind makes the bottles go *bling bloing*—just a moment from another world, calm and magical.

With our spirits at peace, we head back north toward Ridgecrest, but I’d noted a stop in Randsburg—a still-inhabited old mining town along the way.

We spend the night in a motel for £50, surrounded by disabled veterans and other Americans rejected by the system—everyone thrilled to chat with French tourists!!!

Our town!!!!

Ducono Globetrotter ·2025-02-05

Ridgecrest, the southwest entrance to Death Valley. First mission? Fill up on gas! So we stopped at a big gas station and a Starbucks that sells...

A mug with the logo of our favorite city!!! Big emotion, but we hit the road again, even more desert-like. I’d spotted on Roadtrippin’ an unusual site: the Trona Pinnacles, and it was definitely worth the detour. We felt like we were at the beginning of the first Star Wars or on Mars!

Over 40°C, so we stayed in the car and continued through DV. We crossed the awful Searles Valley to reach the Mesquite Dunes—45°C!

We left some American tourists running around in the dunes and kept going to the Artists Palette blue-stone road.

The spring floods left their mark—there’s water in DV but less white salt residue.

Being good tourists, we stopped at the Badwater sign.

49°C... less than last time but still... Cécile found it all "disappointing and not very interesting," so we headed to Beatty for a cold beer and an air-conditioned room!!

Ducono Globetrotter ·2025-02-05

Beatty and its ghost town, Rhyolite, with its statues by Belgian artist Albert Szukalski

Right next door, the Tom Kelly Bottle House, one of the rare examples of a house built with bottles to replace bricks. With 8,000 inhabitants and 50 saloons, the raw material was readily available!

After this really disorienting visit, we headed to Las Vegas, making a little detour to see another artistic creation: the Seven Magic Mountains.

A guilty pleasure stop—burgers made to order, real fries, and salted peanuts!

Ducono Globetrotter ·2025-02-05

We’re entering Sin City from the south with a first stop that’s off the radar for the younger crowd: the Pinball Museum!

dozens of vintage machines from every era

Cécile is in her element

A fun and nostalgic break before heading to my whim—the Harrison pawn shop I follow on TV

and then we’re off to Fremont, which we already know. The Strip? No thanks, really not our thing.

The next day, we hit the road again through Valley of Fire, but bad luck—it’s closed! No getting out of the car or visiting the little wonders. The heatwave’s too dangerous for tourists, so we just drive through while the rangers keep an eye on us—the only visitors on-site.

A limited visit, but it makes us want to come back!

Ducono Globetrotter ·2025-02-05

Here we are on the extraterrestrial highway!

First stop: the shop to bring back all sorts of "otherworldly junk" for the family.

If aliens landed here, they’d be left in peace—the road is empty, not a soul in sight. We still manage to find the black box along the road where some leave mail for the little green men.

Still alone on the road, we stop in Rachel where there’s a bit of life at the Little Ale Inn (read: Alien).

The Atomic Duck, nice and chilly, welcomes tourists—and maybe one day, extraterrestrials! Only 10 vehicles crossed in 300 km—you’ve gotta love the solitude of the road. One last stop at Ward Charcoal Ovens Park, where old charcoal kilns still stand.

We’ve definitely earned the right to blow a few dollars at the old hotel-casino in Ely, where we’re spending the night.

Ducono Globetrotter ·2025-02-05

Still long, empty roads ahead before reaching the Bonneville Salt Flats, a vast expanse of dried-up salt lake, perfectly flat—ideal for breaking speed records.

An endless straight road takes us toward Salt Lake City, which we skip to head to Antelope Island and our first bison.

Cécile is amazed by how calm these big animals are—they’re really just cows with thick fur adapted to the local winters! !

Ducono Globetrotter ·2025-02-05

The road climbs, and we leave the flat, desert landscapes behind for the mountains and their way of life.

We follow the magnificent Snake River valley.

To reach the dreadful town of Jackson Hole. It’s so touristy that some French tourists explain to us that the bus only stops there for 5 minutes—just enough time to snap a photo of the two wooden deer arches.

We end up staying a little longer to check out a well-stocked toy store

and a fun spot to try the local specialty!

Then we head back down to Alpine, an hour’s drive away, where, on this weekend, hotels are much better priced.

CA Caussat Globetrotter ·2025-02-05

Thanks for your travel journal. I took some notes for the part up to Las Vegas that we’ll do this summer!

Ducono Globetrotter ·2025-02-06

Las Vegas... in summer... 40°C... it's gonna be hot.... We don’t like the Strip—we find it totally tacky, noisy, and hellish. We prefer Freemont Container Park, and this year it’ll be the Arts District:

https://www.lostintheusa.fr/planifier/poi/26705/18b-arts-district-las-vegas/

Ducono Globetrotter ·2025-02-06

Heading to LA. You’ve got Goodsprings, an old mining town: https://www.roadtrippin.fr/nevada/goodsprings/goodsprings.php

Ducono Globetrotter ·2025-02-06

So here we are, back on the road along the stunning Snake River valley.

As soon as we arrive in Jackson, we head toward the Grand Teton and quickly reach the plateau.

A long, straight road through the mountains. We turn off toward the old farms of the Mormon Row Historic District, remnants of the Mormon settlement around 1890.

There’s even a cabin at the back of the garden!

I remember a large lake from my first visit in 2013—it’s now reduced to a fifth of its size. The drought has really taken its toll. For us, mountains are nice... but from a distance! We prefer trout-filled rivers!

And we’re nearing the day’s destination, surrounded by dried-out and burned forests.

Ducono Globetrotter ·2025-02-06

Yellowstone. Two centuries ago, the park’s discoverers were dismissed as storytellers when they described what they’d seen... and you can see why!

The air is purer there, and the stunning landscape calls for quiet pauses by the water.

Ducono Globetrotter ·2025-02-06

so we pause by the water, crystal-clear, surrounded by greenery and woods

we’re all alone, which makes us hope the park isn’t too crowded!!! mistake! we arrive via Old Faithful, which erupts as soon as we get there

we head toward West Yellowstone with a few stops along the way

Ducono Globetrotter ·2025-02-06

the next morning, the road is jammed! Cars are stopping anywhere, anyhow... so we do the same thing.

Sure enough, you don’t see this kind of wildlife living peacefully in France! We wander through the park with our eyes wide open at such oddities.

On the third day, we set off on a long drive, quickly interrupted by unexpected stops.

We also run into some Chinese tourists who act like they own the place, getting in everyone’s way—just like the nouveau riche they are! The bison, being smarter than them, keeps things drama-free despite their rude and out-of-place behavior.

We arrive calmly at the top of Mammoth Hot Springs, with its white and brown rocks and melting ice flowing—just magical!

Ducono Globetrotter ·2025-02-06

I’ve got the sinking feeling that Liberty Cap has lost some of its whiteness

we make our way back to the parking lot and discover other beauties along the way

Heading to West Thumb with a stop at Mud Volcano

Watch out for the vents—it smells like rotten eggs!!!!

We finally arrive at West Thumb and the surprise isn’t a good one: it’s closed!!! The police are on guard, huge disappointment—I loved it here......

Ducono Globetrotter ·2025-02-06

In the morning, we hit the road again heading southeast. A very long drive broken up by grocery runs and the pastry aisles of supermarkets.

As for the cheeses, you really gotta be hungry.

It’s autumn, and the first pumpkins are starting to appear.

Here’s Blackfoot and its famous museum.

Then there’s Pocatello’s museum—yes, the Cleanliness Museum!

Ducono Globetrotter ·2025-02-06

We arrived late at Twin Falls, so we set out for a walk in the morning and headed to the Perrine Bridge.

Then, south of the city, we visited Shoshone Falls, a vast complex of waterfalls.

Due to the post-drought period, they’re a bit dry...

Ducono Globetrotter ·2025-02-06

After a night in Battle Mountain, here we are in the heart of the Far West, in Virginia City.

It’s in a dusty atmosphere that we head to Reno as evening falls.

Ducono Globetrotter ·2025-02-06

Last day on the road, we stopped in Old Sacramento—huge disappointment. During my first visit, the streets were clear of cars and the old wooden sidewalks were open. Now it’s a fairground, the old shops are barely accessible, and only the docks are manageable.

We hit the road again for a long traffic jam all the way to San Francisco, which we approach from the north and Sausalito, where we make a gloomy stop in the town center. Frisco is on the other side of the bay.

We step into a boutique in the town center, a specialist in... Tintin!

And an old toy from our childhood: the TV screen!

We get back on the road and cross the Golden Gate in the rain....

Ducono Globetrotter ·2025-02-06

Sunday morning in SF, the cold and rain push us to take the car

to reach Castro, its theater.

its gay neighborhood

and to have a thought for Harvey Milk, the well-known LGBT rights activist

before heading to downtown, a must-stop at 3841 18th Street, the blue house that cradled my adolescence

We park for free downtown and head to Pier 39, the worst of San Francisco

Ducono Globetrotter ·2025-02-06

The advantage of this weather is being able to enjoy the scenery without burning your eyes from the sun! Alcatraz emerges from the fog

As everywhere,

lovers leave padlocks

The elephant seals, drawn to the bay’s warmer waters compared to the ocean, seem unfazed by the herds of tourists snapping photos of them

Pier 39 is a huge shopping center with not much interest, but it offers a view of SF’s towers

The triangular Transamerica Pyramid and Coit Tower on Telegraph Hill, shaped like a fire hose nozzle donated by a billionaire in honor of firefighters in 1933

We grab a pretty ordinary beer for $12!!!!

Ducono Globetrotter ·2025-02-06

This morning, big blue skies! We’re spending a few hours in Chinatown. It’s nothing like the one in New York—here, color is everywhere!

Couldn’t grab a drink at the French Café, right across from the Dragon Gate—it’s closed! 😕

Ducono Globetrotter ·2025-02-06

we're back on the docks

Time for lunch and a coffee

and we're stepping back in time, to the Summer of Love in 1967

A flashy neighborhood, certainly more so than back in the day!!!!

We leave the neighborhood via the ladies

and cross the whole city to reach the Golden Gate

Ducono Globetrotter ·2025-02-06

Cable car ride watching the turnaround maneuver at the terminus

Before heading to the Golden Gate by bus

Ducono Globetrotter ·2025-02-06

Last morning in SF—our flight’s not till later, so we’ve got time for one final stroll. Since the hotel’s on Lombard Street, we walk down it.

Let’s go say hi to Master Yoda.

Then we head up to northern Sausalito and its houseboat village, a throwback to the hippie era.

One last look at the bay.

And off we go… with just one question on our minds: when are we coming back??? Mazatlán 2025…

OU Oudon ·2025-02-07

Hi there! I started your trip backwards—seems like Sausalito is really cool!!!! Especially with that blue sky. I’m heading to SF without a car—how do I get there? Thanks

CA Caussat Globetrotter ·2025-02-07

Question about Death Valley, please.

Last time I visited, I didn’t have the best memory of Rhyolite. Is it really worth it now with the Goldwell Open Air Museum?

I was planning to visit Scotty's Castle, but since it’s closed...

OU Oudon ·2025-02-07

It’s a matter of taste... we really liked those statues in the middle of nowhere. A man came to open the access gate to the bottle house this year—we’ll spend less time there. I saw on Roadtrippin’ that some of the buildings were still not too run-down. Since we’re doing LV - Beatty, we’ll head up for a quick detour to Goldfield to see the mining town and the cars stuck in the ground—then full west to Bishop.

69Eric Veteran ·2025-02-07

Hi there I started your trip from the end Sausalito looks really cool!!!! Especially with that blue sky I’m going to SF without a car How do I get there? Thanks

Hey Rent bikes Sausalito is just past the Golden Gate. And biking across the bridge is a great chance to take some cool pics safely

JeffPrX Regular ·2025-02-26

Thanks Christian for this travel journal!

"Il faut toujours viser la lune, car même en cas d’échec, on atterrit dans les étoiles" Oscar Wilde USA 2014 / ECOSSE 2015 / ESPAGNE 2017 / USA 2018 / Bientôt Madère2021&Lanzarote2025

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Cécile, from Big Sur to Sausalito

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Cécile, from Big Sur to Sausalito

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