California road trip

The time has come to taste US,

buy Kerouack's novel "On the road"

and fly from Norway into Golden State of California.

The first day, discovering western parts of Frisco on the bikes. Surprisingly nice experience, and tolerant drivers. It was fun way to get familiar with some specific US traffic rules.

After 30km bike ride, some great food was needed, so this monster roasted crab with garlic noodles was eaten in Thanh Long restaurant on Judah Street (http://thanhlongsf.com/).

After two days in Frisco, it was time to pick up rented van and hit the road. The plan was to go around Sierra Nevada, visiting national parks along the way, hike and fish and come back to Frisco after 14 days.

The first day, on the way north-east to lake Tahoe, it was snowing and the area around the lake looked still like in the winter, so lets continue driving on the eastern side of Sierra, heading south. Next day - Mono Lake and ghost town Bodie

and fishing at Convict lake.

Luckily, the weather was becoming better and better.

Driving south along Road 395, following the fishing tips map, which lead to several amazing places in the mountains. Classical scenario - turn right from Rd 395, follow some creek along narrow, steep and windy road into the end, camp there and hike up till there was too much snow, discover some beautiful lakes and get a trout. Bishop creek, Long Pine creek, Onion valley, Inyo National forest, Whitney Mountain and some more...great places and as it was early in the season, almost nobody was there.

Sierra Nevada from Rd 395.

One of the hikes up there.

Mirror Lake, fantastic place with huge numbers of golden trout.

Week in estern Sierras was amazing, let's see what the western part could bring...

Taking half-day detour to taste Dead Valley

and drove through Bakersfield, which is a fascinating world of vast areas of oil mining fields, orange trees

and farming.

Finally arrived in Sequoia National Park, in Buckeye Flat Campground, right next to beautiful Middle Fork Kaweah River. The trees in the park are BIG, it is not possible to capture that on a photo. You expect big trees, but in reality, they are even more gigantic and impressive. Best thing - 99% of tourists stay within 500m from car-park, but there are 40 km of paths to discover the forest without people, meeting just one big bear in beautiful meadow.

Fishing was amazing everywhere, in creeks, rivers, lakes or dams. There are several types of trout - rainbow, brown, golden etc. Keeping only 3 trout for the dinner during the whole trip, the rest was released.

Lovely hike in Sequoia NP, following Middle Fork Kaweah River to Panther creek. Met a rattle snake on the path.

After 3 days between Sequoias,  Kings Canyon National Park was the next destination. Just one day hike to Misty Falls here and continue to Yosemite.

Short stop at Shaver Lake to relax and watch local fishermen fishing almost from their cars.

Arriving to Yosemite was little bit exhausting, as it was packed with people. Again, once you escape from the most easily accessible places, crowds disappear. This is the picture of the Valley from the hiking path along Four Mile track.

As all the camps within the Valley were full, Diamond camp next to Middle Tuolumne River close to Hetch Hetchy Reservoir (including lovely Tueeulala Falls and Wapama Falls) was the nearest option. Except waterfalls, there is also a short but super steep hike to Poopenaut Valley where Tuolumne River flows and it was great and wild there.

It was one-hour drive to Yosemite valley from the camp...but it was worthy. This is Half Dome from the path to Glacier Point.

And other view from Panoramatic Trail, with Vernal Falls and Nevada Falls.

Going back to civilization... following Merced River along Rd140 to Briceburg, stopping at obvious fishing pools and getting many big trout. It was a fantastic day, which ended in Railroad Flat Campground, one of the best .

"The must" place to eat in California...

First place visited back in San Francisco was laundromat,

and second was a bar with live NBA play-off game on.

After two more days discovering eastern parts of Frisco, it was time to leave US, with feelings of desire to come back again.