I Dream of Californication–Enjoying the last of the November Sun

I’m gonna have to start this blog be saying DAM YOU GOOGLE ADSENSE. I got an email yesterday (Sunday) saying they were deleting my account for advertising due to “misconduct” !?!? I aint even been on the internet for over a week now! So no more money for me to make on my blog, in fact none at all, they’re taking everything that I’d earned so far.

So anyway, me and Mark are currently heading back to Duvall after a pretty awesome weekend in San Diego. We left (later than planned) yesterday, so we’re currently making up for lost time, but it’s still sunny. I’m pretty sure my battery’s about to die but I’ll get down what I can now.

I haven’t really taken too many photos from the weekend…well, I mean, I don’t wanna look like a tourist! But I’ll add what I got. It was pretty much a weekend of chilling with Mark’s friends and family…and a slightly premature ‘welcome home’ party for Mark, which was a great laugh. And if I learnt nothing else from this weekend, if you ever jokingly tell a drunk Paul (Mark’s brother) to burn a garden tree when the firewood’s nearly gone…well…the joke kinda becomes a reality!

San Diego Beach - And my first view of the Pacific Ocean

Making the most of the sunshine, the whole weekend’s been well nice down here. Aint seen a cloud for a while now. Watched the Sun-set over a hectic LA freeway last night, before we crashed out at some random rest-stop, after searching for miles for one. Back on the road again today, and the Sun’s still out.

…And my battery died about here…So from here…I’m back in Duvall.

The sun setting over Los Angeles

The drive was sunny the whole way up until (literally) the California – Oregon state line, as soon as we crossed that boarder, it was cloudy and foggy, and crap. Carrying on up the I-5 I noticed that Oregon was boring this time around, maybe it was more fun on the way down cause I slept half my way through the State. And the weather was a bit overcast and slightly damp until we (literally) crossed over the bridge, crossing over the Oregon – Washington boarder where it started chucking down!!! Great!

Mount Shasta - We could see it about an hour before we actually drove passed it

"The Blue Sky" over California Vs "The Grey Cloud" over Oregon

It was pretty strange reaching Portland today, which is about 3 hours from Duvall and filling like “I’m nearly home”, but I suppose on an American scale we were. It was also weird cause seeing signs for Seattle felt like when I used to look out for Southampton signs, and Duvall signs felt like Hedge End signs, and cause I’m starting to know the area, driving through Belleview felt like the equivalent of driving through them cliff things as you pass Winchester down the M27.

But a new winning sign “Pizza – 500 miles away” – That’s crazy early advertising if you ask me.

Big thank yous to Dylan for the awesome road trip down, everyone who hosted me and Mark over the last week, everyone else down in San Diego and surrounding areas for an awesome week, and Mark for letting me tag along for the adventure, and getting me down to California on a last minute tag along.

But always remember (and I only learnt this today), California may have Weed, but Oregon has Talent! (And Merlin, and Wolf Creek).

And thank you Joe Nichols for this!:

Worst thing is, I don't mind it

I Dream of Californication–Day 1

It might not look like much, but that is

Jupiter...I wish my camera could pick up all

the stars. 

Apparently Uranus is right next to it too.

WOW…I think that’s the best and only way to start this entree. After leaving at 4 o’clock this morning, driving for 18 hours, and covering about 1,000 miles, we have stopped just outside a small town called Brookridge in California, the middle of nowhere. It’s pitch black here and I can honestly say that I have never seen this many stars in the night sky, amongst all of them is several extremely clear shooting stars and Jupiter. You can even see the Milky Way.

I’m writing this blog whilst being sat in Mark’s truck, my bed for the night in the passenger’s seat, I wish I could publish this now, but I have no internet. But I still wanted to get it all written down.

So after getting to sleep last night (this morning) at about 1:15, I did actually wake up to my alarm going off at 3:15…so me, Mark, and Dylan even headed out 5 minutes earlier than planned, leaving at 3:55. I did pretty much sleep the whole drive through Washington, but woke up in time to cross the state-boarder into Oregon, and I even got to see Portland…Twice.

Sunrise, near Portland

The pictures on this post are all in order to show you how much the weather has been changing through our day

Crossing the Washington / Oregon state boarder

Passing out several times through Oregon (I wasn’t tired, but trust me, the back seats in Mark’s truck are pretty tight to say the least, and sleeping just seemed the best way to get through it), though on each occasion of waking up I did see Oregon’s awesome scenery. We had a McDonald's is the most scenic venue that I’ve ever been to. The McDonald’s being there kinda made me laugh, kinda shows that you can’t except them arches.

After not too long, and after climbing higher, we past the state boarder into a not so typical stereotype of California…I’m pretty sure that it’s not meant to snow here. But to be fair I have seen extreme sun, some extreme rain, some extreme winds, and some extreme snow today, all on several different occasions (we’ve been travelling up and down several hills all day). And if I’m being honest, the north of California is VERY similar to the south of Oregon. We even got to stop off in a small town called Weed, which seemed to be taken advantage of it’s name for all the tourist gimmicks on sale…also thank you to the two girls in Weed’s Petrol (Gas) station for having such an entertaining conversation!

My last view of Oregon...

...And my first impression of California

Several hours driving, (and after another kip in the back) we crossed another state boarder into Nevada to the city of Reno and headed for an ‘In N Out’ which is pretty much what we did in Nevada, we were in and out within a few hours (and sorry to Ryan and Katie, we were still a good 5 hours away from you guys in Vegas). It was good grub…simple menu…awesome food. And my tip for any fast food, if you ever buy a chocolate milkshake, once finished, don’t rinse out your cup, just fill it up with root beer for a throffie and surprisingly tasty delight.

In N Out's menu...simple

It aint as big as Vegas

After driving for about another 3 hours (and crossing into California again) we arrived at our present destination. It’s pitch black here, so I’m pretty excited to wake up and see what’s around me…all I know is that I’m in a dessert…..(but by the time I get round to posting this, I’ll have already seen the answer.

All I know of my current surroundings

So here we are...currently halfway down the very east of California

This now means that (including DC and stop over flights (which I’ve been told I’m not allowed to count…but I’m gonna)) I’ve now been in 15 US States in my life time. And including my trip to Tampa, Florida (back in March and April of this year), by the time I arrive in San Diego, I will have covered the four corners of the USA in this year alone (including Seattle and Boston). Not bad, considering I was never originally planning on coming to the Sates and considering that I aint even covered the four corners of England (well…I’ve never had a need/reason to head up to the Northeast.

On this trip (to date (since leaving England two months ago – to the day)) I’ve covered:

• Towns/Cities: Already countless (but all firsts on this trip)
  
• States/Provinces: 7 (6 of which are firsts on this trip)
  
• Countries: 1

I’m gonna leave the car door open now until it gets too cold, it’s pretty impressive up there tonight, and it’s gonna be a long time before I see this many stars again…I hope it doesn’t cloud over tonight.

…And Dylan, if you ever read this, sort me out with them enhanced pictures of the night's sky so I can put them on here. Cheers mate.