Day 16: Utah Kid and The Hole in the Wall Gang

Called Park Avenue by the Park Services, but it's Desert Solitaire to me.
Called Delicate Arch but it's Bellbottom Reds to me. ("I don't want to fade away.")
The Utah Kid in a Hole in the Wall (quickest draw in Japan no doubt).
Another hole in a rock.
This western is in glorious technicolor!

Day 15: Utah Ah!

Utah! Thank the Mormon's God. I'll take 3.2 beer any day over what's going on in that Sodium and Nevada (I think they tried to poison me).
Things are beginning to look a little more interesting. And colorful.
And brighter.
And way more expansive.
Into the Moab Fault rode the six hundred. And my Civic.

Day 14: Crossing Nevada

The road.
Begins with salt flats.
Then basin and range and basin and range and desert and desert and desert.
In Eureka, nicest building on this road (amidst run-down casinos and saloons) a bed and breakfast. Closed. But for sale. For anyone who might be interested.
Sage and range and sage and range and sage and sage and sage.
Finally, my motel!

Day 13: On the Eastern Slope of the Sierras

Yet one more view of Half Dome; this time from the north.
From 10,000 foot Tioga Pass: those Sierras are still nevada!
Big Round Lake: Mono Lake on the eastern side of the Sierras.
Bigger Lake: Lake Tahoe from Emerald Bay on California side. Exactly at the state line begins the country of casinos.
Nevada is anything but snow white. Tomorrow will tell.

Day 12: Pictures in Yosemite Valley

Yosemite Falls
by Ansel Perry
Upper Yosemite Falls Etched in Stone
Lower Yosemite Falls: X Marks the Spot
by Ansel Perry
Half Dome in Half Frame
by Ansel Perry
Mercy: The Spirit Ghost of Half Dome Over the Merced River

Day 11: Yosemite; Variations on Half Dome

Half Dome Amidst the High Sierra
Half Dome with Views of Nevada and Vernal Falls
Half Dome Over Yosemite Valley
Half Dome as Great Granite Shaman
Half Dome Driving Seen Through a Civic Open Window

Day 10: Sequoia: How Big Was It?

It was big enough to drive a car through a sequoia log.
It was big enough to contemplate the universe, while sitting on the bump of a tree.
It was big enough to see the biggest tree on earth. They call it General Sherman. You can call it sir.
It was big enough to climp Morro Rock and its four hundred stairs (admittedly no Yamadera though).
"Hey, you talking to me? Yeah, that's right. Big as a bear!"


And watch the movie if you dare (it includes the little bear as well).

Day 9: A Boy and his Car Went Out Looking for the Rainbow

Soundtrack and lyrics by Van the Man

Goodbye LA from top of Topanga Canyon (former home to Van Morrison and many other musician types), and my way of avoidiing the dreaded 405.
The foothills of the Sierras are literally gold, as those Days of 49 would attest.
Named after Chief Sequoia, a Cherokee.
Strange, almost desert-like look in the upper foothills.
This is actually a baby Sequoia. Smile Miles!
There's gold in them thar hills (Morro Rock) at the end of that rainbow! And it smells like rain, maybe even thunder. Good omen.

Day 8: Beverly...

Hills That Is: Rodeo Drive and Palm Trees (somewhere there are swimmin pools and movie stars). Does that say SALE?!

Set a spell, Take your shoes off. Shop for new ones.

Happy Shiny People! (I think they recognized us despite our being incognito.)

Not Thoreau's Cabin, and Definitely Not your Run-of-the-Mill Beverly Hills Mansion: The Witch's House.

Not in Beverly Hills: J-Town for Ramen, and a last meal with Roy and Emmy (not shown here [except half Em in reflection], but I think they liked it).

Day 7: This is LA!

This ain't no disco. It ain't no country club either!
This is one house on Malibu
This is another house on Malibu.
The Getty Villa! The classical meets the beach.
And yet another house: Manhattan Beach