2 Week Journey Through California Part 1

[Moogle Pepper]

Index of threads made for the Journey.
The Beginning (http://dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=98019)
Disney land! (http://dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=98291)
San Diego Zoo! (http://dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=98600)
Balboa park and Mojave Desert (http://dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=99037)
Fear and Loathing Las Vegas (http://dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=99178)
The Ending part (http://dgrin.com/showthread.php?p=856294#post856294)

I recently came back from a 2 week journey through California. At first I wanted to go to Seattle to check it out there, because I am planning to eventually move there. :D Back in March, my brother Eric AIM'd me if I wanted to go with him, his wife Ann, and son Vincent to California. To "Show" me a proper family vacation. I figure, more time with family and nephew would be much better than spending time alone traveling thru Seattle, at this moment. I plan on heading towards Seattle in September. :wink

We hit Little Saigon near LA, Disneyland for Vincent, San Diego Zoo, to the Mojave Desert, to Las Vegas, to Yosemite, to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National park, and then back to LA within that time frame. I really wished that we spent more time at Yosemite and the Sequoia National Parks. I know we could have spent months hiking the trails and only scratching the surface!

Some things I learned over the trip was that, I should have packed much better. Not so much as my clothing, I did pretty well for a 2 week excursion and one bag of clothes. But as in camera gear. There were plenty of times at those two national parks where I needed my 70-200 and tripod. But I just couldn't fit it on! I was afraid of making my check in back even heavier that would create the "heavy" bag fee onto the airline! And the space in our rental wasn't very big as we loaded it to the brim with all our stuff!! My 70-200 wouldn't have fit securely, or even remotely safely, in my camera bag. Stashing my 24-70L in my top compartment, as my camera body with 50MM attached, 12-24, and 580EX took all the available bay area of the camera section! That didn't include my extra CF cards, batteries, lens cleaning fluids, rocketblower, journal, and pen. :huh

I knew if I packed the 70-200 in .... it would have been very uncomfortable for me and the lenses. I also learned, constant changing of lenses isnt very nice at the end. I found lots of dust specs smiling at me... And I left my wide angle on when taking some portraits.... >.> Not so good! As they were in the corners and ..got.. distorted. :rofl

I also participated in the Canon at the National Parks, and met some really nice folks from the booth. I met Otto Pohl and Anne Sherwood. And got to use the 5D and 28-300 (?) L lens. It was a blast to have that along with my 30D with the 12-24 attached! I felt... special. :D :rofl

I am gonna post the last portion of the trip, as I brought home the last 3 days with me when I got back. I just only recently got the rest of my pictures from Eric during the weekend. It's gonna be a busy couple weeks going through the amount of photos I have taken over the two weeks.

http://tednghiem.smugmug.com/photos/317925245_3aVW2-L.jpg

A black and white of the falls that is viewable from Glacial Point at Yosemite.

http://tednghiem.smugmug.com/photos/317925328_gKKsa-L.jpg

A color portrait of it. I tried to do a series to do a panaramic, but... without a tripod.. it would be all wavy and crooked. :cry

http://tednghiem.smugmug.com/photos/317925440_iHMJT-L.jpg

This giant granite stone that I later climbed!

http://tednghiem.smugmug.com/photos/317925595_4wuPM-L.jpg

I view of half dome with two pieces of wood!

http://tednghiem.smugmug.com/photos/317925722_RNaqE-L.jpg
A crashing river by my camp in the Sequoia National Park. I wanted to walk into it to wade, but the warning signs said NO.

http://tednghiem.smugmug.com/photos/317925804_Kjv92-L.jpg

My sister in law by the waterfalls! Glamour shot!!

http://tednghiem.smugmug.com/photos/317925677_gzggz-L.jpg

A guard rail less curve going to Glacial point at Yosemite! It was... spooky and fun! :roflGood thing I wasn't driving.
http://tednghiem.smugmug.com/photos/317925983_c6PAi-L.jpg

My brother Eric and nephew Vincent. He is growing up to be a tram driver, rock climber, ambulance driver, police man, fire fighter truck driver, train driver, etc!

http://tednghiem.smugmug.com/photos/318036691_6HmyT-L.jpg

An area in Sequoia Park that they recently had a control burn.

http://tednghiem.smugmug.com/photos/318036772_6WH9Y-L.jpg

I tried to get the S shape of the river/stream.
http://tednghiem.smugmug.com/photos/318036855_eLCow-L.jpg

I really like this shot, and the one following it. But the truck and RV was in the shot no matter what angle I took. I could have went the other direction, but I would have lost the light rays and Muench star!

http://tednghiem.smugmug.com/photos/318036813_9yqEM-L.jpg

A lighter version of the one above that is zoomed in just a bit.

http://tednghiem.smugmug.com/photos/318036890_BEgKE-L.jpg

My Nephew vincent! He is a trooper! He hiked 5 miles in Sequoia National park with us! At the end of the day I treated him to a popsicle for being a good hiker! He is 4 years old, soon to be 5. The time flies waaaaay too fast!

http://tednghiem.smugmug.com/photos/317933435_uf78E-L.jpg

Eric, Ann, and vincent on a stop on the way to Glacial point. It was so fun to climb up it!

http://tednghiem.smugmug.com/photos/317933489_oT7Rn-L.jpg

http://tednghiem.smugmug.com/photos/317933659_ggdDm-L.jpg

http://tednghiem.smugmug.com/photos/317933865_DnFyJ-L.jpg

We loaded 2600 miles onto that car in 2 weeks. By the end of the trip the brakes were seriously worn down..

http://tednghiem.smugmug.com/photos/317934095_58Yyj-L.jpg

http://tednghiem.smugmug.com/photos/317934479_8CQkb-L.jpg

It would have been nice to have a tripod. But, as I went to Crystal Caves, I couldn't bring too much. Well if I brought one with me on the trip.. :rofl

http://tednghiem.smugmug.com/photos/317934564_ZD76r-L.jpg

http://tednghiem.smugmug.com/photos/317934851_CHm3j-L.jpg

Those Sequoia's are huuge!

http://tednghiem.smugmug.com/photos/317935260_AYq5v-L.jpg

Here is where shooting a portraiture of the family and trying to get the sheer size of the trees gone awkward! The family is distorted.

http://tednghiem.smugmug.com/photos/317936488_vKDet-L.jpg

http://tednghiem.smugmug.com/photos/318038705_AHmPD-L.jpg

http://tednghiem.smugmug.com/photos/318038954_ZMTcd-L.jpg

we caught a ray of light beaming through the forest, it was soo cool!

http://tednghiem.smugmug.com/photos/318038991_jkQ6j-L.jpg

Trying to get a better look and settings of the ray!

http://tednghiem.smugmug.com/photos/318039702_rk3WM-L.jpg

Hi there! It was cold in the mornings at Sequoia!

http://tednghiem.smugmug.com/photos/318040516_keJHT-L.jpg

His RC car broke, cause the remote got melted in the sun when we were driving to Yosemite from Las Vegas. So we made Potato head men!

http://tednghiem.smugmug.com/photos/318040895_rhTa8-L.jpg

Moro Rock!

http://tednghiem.smugmug.com/photos/318041239_swJ2U-L.jpg

Those corners and pathways were soo tight!

http://tednghiem.smugmug.com/photos/317940909_fnPgS-L.jpg

A calcium formation from Marble at the Crystal Caves.

http://tednghiem.smugmug.com/photos/317941464_QV4ML-L.jpg
Poison Oak, Ivy, and Sumac! MY ARCH NEMESIS!! What the heck are their usage? To annoy us??:scratch

http://tednghiem.smugmug.com/photos/318045602_7qiej-L.jpg

A present of rocks!

http://tednghiem.smugmug.com/photos/318046192_MdwnB-L.jpg

On the top of Moro Rock. I walked very firmly in the middle.

http://tednghiem.smugmug.com/photos/318046298_knbZm-L.jpg

http://tednghiem.smugmug.com/photos/318046403_wh6MG-L.jpg

http://tednghiem.smugmug.com/photos/318037647_Jf5ga-L.jpg

At One World restaurant in LA, eating some vegan dinner. I loved the banana split!

http://tednghiem.smugmug.com/photos/317971575_KEWtN-L.jpg

Haha bathroom shot!
http://tednghiem.smugmug.com/photos/317971877_GGvTn-L.jpg

:rofl

http://tednghiem.smugmug.com/photos/317971530_Mp5vs-L.jpg

http://tednghiem.smugmug.com/photos/317971831_3ixK6-L.jpg

It's weird to post the last part of the trip first, but .... well.. stay tuned for the rest of the trip!! Thanks for going with me!

The Gallery to see the rest! (http://tednghiem.smugmug.com/Travel%20log/540753)

[ian408]

That's cool that you made Sequoia & Kings Canyon. Under visited for sure and
every bit as grand as it's neighbor to the North.

The view from Morro Rock is pretty amazing. You can see something like 7 different ranges from up there.

Cool trip and thanks for sharing!

[Moogle Pepper]

Thanks!!

When we got to Sequoia and Kings Canyon we were amazed that it was less populated as Yosemite, but we weren't complaining!

As for Moro rock.. I really should have brought a tripod to attempt a pana! But the posts said, if we sense static or omnious clouds to head on down! Cause a lightning storm can kill you! I wouldn't doubt it at that elevation!

[DJ-S1]

Looks like a great trip and I am looking forward to seeing more! :thumb

[Andy]

:lol3 "Bathroom shot" :D

Great journey!

[ian408]

:lol3 "Bathroom shot" :D

Don't encourage him :lol3

I mean, there's dropped trow in that shot :twitch

[Moogle Pepper]

hehehe! :rofl

Thanks for the kind words!! That's my brother in that stall! I wonder if I got the other bathroom picture....:D That is in my las vegas set, now I remember!!

[ian408]

Thanks for the kind words!! That's my brother in that stall! I wonder if I got the other bathroom picture....
You didn't hear this from me....but rumor has it that the Madonna Inn down in
San Luis Obispo has some throne rooms that rival even those found in Vegas :lol3