Sugar overload in the American West

After a first trip with her teens to the West during Easter 2019 and then to New York at All Saints' Day that same year, Cécile has only one idea in 2022: to go back!!!! So, we’re planning a loop from SF to SF, passing through the sequoias, LV, Death Valley, and Yellowstone.



Off we go, full of joy and good spirits, heading to San Francisco. To make the flight more comfortable, I’d booked a seat with extra legroom.



Really nice!



Anyway, everything went smoothly until we arrived—1h30 of waiting at customs!!!

But no matter, around 11 PM, we took the shuttle to a hotel, tired but happy

First stop in SF: the sequoias After a 1.5-hour wait to pick up the car at the airport, we’re off, happy and heading south on the H1. Since the leg is pretty long, we skip Monterey—which for me is the symbol of pop music, with its first festival that launched Woodstock and the rest.

We set off in the fog, which makes the landscape even more eerie.



Picnic stop at Bixby Bridge... 12°C, we’re freezing!



A long-tailed rat comes begging for food, but nope—it’s way too cold to roll down the window.



We hit the road again, a little surprised by the weather, but a few miles later—boom! The sun comes out in full force, big blue skies over the big blue ocean.



The landscapes are stunning, one after another—it’s epic.

Just epic.



But the sequoias are waiting for us. We take a left turn, crossing miles of vineyards and fruit trees.



Then desert roads, just the way we like them, to reach our first hotel.

Day 2 in the morning, leaving with excitement—we're going to see the giant sequoias.

and the troubles begin. Once we arrive at the visitor center parking lot, suddenly I feel cold, I’m shivering... I rush back to the car: "Cécile, I caught COVID, we’ve gotta hide or they’ll kick us out!" We drive for what feels like forever through those winding roads, all the way to the gas station. Stop in the parking lot, take a 1000mg paracetamol, and nap for 2 hours... Two hours later, we head back down slowly, endlessly, with a few stops to remember the places.







The road is just as winding on the way down as it was going up... If I’d known... So much time wasted on mountain trees, when honestly, mountains, trees, and hiking really aren’t our thing... And we’re off, heading full south toward Bakersfield

J3 the next morning, feeling better, heading due east past hundreds, even thousands of wind turbines.



We’re getting close to our midday destination.









Back in the 50s-60s, such a super cool decor for those nostalgic for that glorious era.





The decor was better than the food, but the beer was cold and good. We hit the road again in 104°F (40°C) heat for the next stop, right in the middle of the desert.... The Elmer Bottle Tree Ranch... you really have to want to go there, but we found it! A little breeze made the mobiles tinkle... Hot but super fun to visit.





Heading due north toward Ridgecrest, but not without stopping in the little town of Randsburg, a ghost town that’s still kinda alive but not too much.

Day 4, terrible night—I got up 4 times, drank a lot, peed 5 times during the night... but we’re pushing through anyway, heading toward Death Valley. At home, on a screen, the Trona Pinnacles looked great, but in real life, it’s like we’re on Mars! The southwest entrance to DV is really worth the detour.

Except I’m thirsty, it’s 45°C, stepping out of the car is agony, but it’s truly stunning.





There’s a *Star Wars* vibe... We cross Searles Valley, a mining center, misery worse than Lorraine, and head toward the Mesquite Dunes because—since it’s a touristy spot—there are toilets. I don’t visit the USA anymore, just their restrooms.



Cécile didn’t find much interest in DV, but wait till you see. Though we don’t see much—the floods ruined Devil’s Golf Course—but luckily, despite past bad weather, Artist’s Palette keeps its colors.



We finish the loop at Badwater, 49°C—I’ve experienced worse.



And miracle—there’s water!



Health-wise, I’m exhausted and decide to head straight to Beatty.

A beauty, but there’s not much to do in the evening—perfect, since I’m hitting the sack at 8 PM. In the morning, it’s Rhyolite! I love weird stuff, and we’re in for a treat: statues in the middle of nowhere and a house made of bottles. Only 30°C at 9 AM—pure luxury. One-hour stop.









The second excellent surprise after Trona! Heading to Las Vegas with a stop at Seven Mountains.



And then we head up to an exceptional museum: the pinball one! Elton John the Pinball Wizard isn’t there, but there are old-school machines everywhere. Cécile is going wild like back in the days when she preferred bars over high school.



After a good break—pinball and bathroom stops—we enter LV with one of the long-planned stops.



The Harrison family’s pawn shop, which brightens up my early retiree evenings while I wait for my wife to get home from work. No Rick or Chomlee in sight.





6:30 PM at the hotel... I collapse for a night interrupted by frequent bathroom trips. I don’t hurt anywhere, but I’m worried about this fatigue. The heat? The miles???

Day 6 in the morning, a stroll in Fremont. On my first visit, I thought the strip was lame, but on the second trip with Cécile and her teens, my opinion was widely shared. So, no strip this time...



.



Stop at a well-known toy store



where we hesitate to buy this little car



Lunch at Denny's with plastic in the plate, which royally saves us the cost of 2 coffees

The clock’s ticking... a quick stop at the Container Park

Then off to Valley of Fire. At the entrance, a big sign: due to the temperature of 45°C, the park is closed! No getting out of the cars... We take a bathroom break anyway, then hit the road. We don’t see a soul except the rangers.... A quick snapshot through the windshield.



Then we head north toward Alamo and the extraterrestrials...

J7—a road long-awaited for months: the Extraterrestrial Highway, which all UFO fans take.



Stop at the gift shop!



Then an endless straight stretch through the desert. No aliens, but a few skeletal cows. Stop at the Black Mailbox, where believers leave welcome letters and money for passing aliens. There’s even an old radio to contact their planet!



We reach the small town of Rachel and its Little Ale Inn—"Little Alien" with the local accent!







A nice cold beer.



A bathroom break, and we hit the road north again—still hardly any cars.

One last stop at Ward Charcoal Ovens State Park and its old charcoal kilns.



And we arrive in Ely, its old casino hotel where Cécile can finally indulge her vice.



The heat makes the fatigue worse, and I’m starting to feel swamped in my clothes. The upside of these desert roads? Plenty of space for bathroom breaks.

Day 8 still heading due north! Towards the Bonneville Salt Flats. We're following the Pony Express route, which for a few years ensured rapid long-distance mail delivery before the arrival of the "singing wire," the telegraph.



We reach the Bonneville salt lakes in the early afternoon—a hotspot for speed records on two or four wheels. It's vast, flat, and white.





And some folks aren’t afraid for their car’s bodywork...

We continue our long journey north, skip Salt Lake City, and head out in search of the iconic animal—the bison on Antelope Island.



No way we’re leaving without spotting this American cow, peacefully grazing in the fields. We stop in the middle of the road to let the majestic beast pass... which doesn’t even pay us any attention.



It’s the same emotion that runs through me every time. Some people love horses—I’m all about bovines! We head to Ogden for the night.

Day 9 The north is still the north landscapes change, the road climbs, even the restaurants look different—no more fast food, just good local meat



the vegetation gets greener, we’re entering cowboy and hunter country



A bike rally sees the brave climbing up to Jackson. We pass scattered riders



We’ve passed Alpine and are heading to Jackson via the Snake River valley. Simply stunning



Jackson—a touristy town with nothing going for it except its location. We run into French tourists on a coach who get 15 minutes to visit the town, which basically means taking a photo in front of the antler arches





There’s still a huge toy store with games we don’t have back home



The beer safari continues



even if my kidneys are working overtime

Day 10: We're leaving Alpine and heading back into the Snake River valley





We leave Jackson behind and head toward Grand Teton, with its old farms









I remember a large lake at the end of the park... but drought has taken its toll. It's shrunk by at least three-quarters, though there's still some water left in the rivers



and even a grocery store where we're allowed to buy local products



Nature has suffered



As we reach our destination

Heading to West Yellowstone... nature can still be welcoming for a mountain picnic.







We reach the center of the park, with its tourists, its strange and natural beauties that make the park famous.



This blue is just magical.





The Grand Prismatic—physically impossible to climb, I’m too exhausted. Tonight, I’m starting my onion ring diet.



Even with good company,



I’m struggling to eat more.

Day 11, traffic jam on the road... dozens of cars stopped? I did the same and don’t regret it. Sweet sight of nature in its raw beauty!





Yellowstone... when the first visitors returned to civilization, they weren’t believed and were called liars... what we’re seeing couldn’t possibly exist... but here it is.





Lunch near Old Faithful, then a 1.5-hour nap in the car—exhausted...



Luckily, a few visitors liven up the visit.



During my first visit, I asked a woman why she dressed like that. Her husband replied, "We’re Christians and read the byble." "Okay, I’ve read the Bible too—it doesn’t say women have to dress like it’s two centuries ago while husbands wear modern clothes." I turned around; no response except their disdain for my "blasphemous" thoughts. We kept driving calmly, but traffic jams follow one after another as soon as a big animal appears on the roadside.



Or worse, when they walk along the road... 2 hours to cover 10 km. Damn tourists!!!

Day 12 Heading to Mammoth Hot Springs... of course, the road is jammed with tourists.



Invasive Chinese tourists—redundant, I know—take up all the space in front of the beast. It turns its head... the birds are fleeing the aviary!!!









Last time I was here, Liberty Cap was white—now...



Due to spring damage, the north road is closed.





We head to West Thumb via Mud Volcano.



Then Dragon’s Mouth Spring.



Damn, West Thumb is closed... it was my favorite spot on my first visit. Back to the hotel—good timing, I need to pee and sleep.

Day 13 heading west and back to civilization—at Walmart!



And these fine products, heroes of American food hygiene







Halloween’s in 2 months—getting ready early!



Picnic in front of a major American cultural landmark in Blackfoot, Idaho





Then off to the Cleanliness Museum in Pocatello





Before spending the night in Twin Falls at an old jackalope hunter’s hideout

Day 14 visiting Twin Falls, the "City of Water". Its iron bridge, the Perrine Memorial Bridge





Then we head to Shoshone Falls





Meh... the videos in winter and during snowmelt are way more impressive. We go back to town to have lunch at Scooters, a nice local restaurant



A burger with sweet potato fries—super caloric!



With its two-seater restrooms!

Before heading to Elko for the night via a lively road

Day 15: stepping back in time in Virginia City









We grab a hot dog and its buddy at an old local bar





just a few more touristy shop windows





then we head to Reno, the biggest of the small towns, drowning in dust



even 100 meters from downtown



I’m wiped out, can’t go on, too tired. Cécile’s starting to worry "Do you want us to head straight back to Lyon? No, no, just tired from the heat and driving—I don’t hurt anywhere..." Pain isn’t the only thing in life...

Day 16 heading to San Francisco I had fond memories of Old Sacramento, but this time, what a letdown! It's packed everywhere—some unplanned festival, and the old shops and sidewalks are completely inaccessible.



Only the river offers some peace and quiet.



After 1 hour and 2 bathroom stops, we leave feeling really disappointed! And then there’s a near-total traffic jam between Sacramento and SF. By late afternoon, we arrive in Sausalito—a town once hippie, now turned hipster. The proof? A store selling retro TVs from our childhood and Tintin comics in French!!!





Despite the gloom, SF emerges from the depths of the bay.



Night falls with the rain, and we’re ready to cross the Golden Gate.



Heading to the hotel with surprisingly affordable parking at the top of Lombard Street

Day 17, first day in SF—packed schedule! Rainy Sunday morning in the car, we spot a weird vehicle—oh right, a tram!

Heading to Castro, the gay district and a key site in the LGBT fight, especially during the AIDS crisis.







Then we zip over to 3841 11th St, a hotspot for French-speaking tourists in SF.



Originally green, the house was repainted blue, and a plaque explaining the song was added with the owner’s permission at the time. We head downtown.



The rain and cold are killing my bladder—this is turning into a nightmare... We rush to Pier 39, where I find relief and also some sweet animals lounging on the docks.



And overpriced beer at $12 a pop.



In the distance, the historic towers peek through the gray skies.



You really don’t wanna head straight back to Lyon? Nope, two more days to go...

Day 18 Chinatown—I’m wiped after 10 meters, but hey, we’re heading back soon. I booked a doctor’s appointment on Doctolib for our return on Thursday, no slots before the following Tuesday.









Headed to Haight-Ashbury, the old hippie neighborhood—total tourist trap.









Visited the Painted Ladies in the rain—we’ll have to come back on a sunny day.





4 PM and I’m exhausted—back to the hotel for some shut-eye.

Day 19: Struggling to get out for a walk—Cécile insists on taking the first flight, but no, I’m not in pain anywhere. We go for a walk anyway in the gray weather to see the cable cars.





Then we head to the Golden Gate.



We stay there for a while, amused by some teens who spend nearly an hour taking selfies.





Meanwhile, us old folks take normal photos.



The sky’s getting bluer and bluer—the bay is gorgeous.



We head back early to the hotel for our last night, to pack our bags. Still feeling pretty rough.

Day 20, last day—gotta return the car by 6 PM at the airport. So we make the most of it: we follow the street from our hotel to its famous turns.





Then we pay a visit to a local master.



Before crossing the bridge back to Sausalito under blue skies, we visit the hamlet of houseboats, a relic of a hippie and alternative world.











One last American meal: burger and onion rings.

And off we go.

The return trip was hellish for me—I couldn’t sleep. In Paris, I dragged myself to catch the TGV to Lyon. Cécile drove us home, where I spent 4 days in bed. Tuesday morning, doctor. Straight to the ER. Diabetes crisis following the removal of the tail of my pancreas in January after some nasty cysts appeared... Lost 18 kg in 3 weeks... feels good!! BUT on top of that, a pulmonary embolism plus an 18 cm piece of rotten meat next to the pancreas. 2 weeks in the hospital, then 2 months of various injections and sessions to watch the infection disappear. Final check-up a year later! We’ll remember that September 2022 road trip. Cécile made her list: the Fremont Street zipline in LV—didn’t do it because I was bedridden at dawn; SF barely seen given my condition... We’ll have to go back... May 2025???