Tristan

was the beginning of this month; it was amazing! We saw ALL the sights and had a great time, even though we were all tired from our three-week trek around Europe.

I’m not sure why, but I just love Disneyland. Must be all the fantasy and just the fact that everyone there really wants to be happy and have fun, so it spreads.

It really is the happiest place on earth.

One of my least favorite cities in the world. I know there are great places in it, and lots of things to do, and etc. etc. but I just HATE the atmosphere (figuratively and literally) and I can’t stand going there whenever I have to.

Emeryville for me is a whole bunch of stores and a good movie theater. That’s about it. The bay street mall is kind of nice if you’re looking for that Southern-California-esque glitzy strip mall feel and lots of expensive stuff, and there’s good electronics stores everywhere…. but really, nothing else. Oh, there’s Pixar, but it’s not like you can go there on friday night and catch the latest in-dev movie. Well, maybe since my friend works there…

So it’s worth visiting if you want chain stores, chain restaurants, and chain movie theathers. It’s all prepackaged goodness.

It’s not that it’s particularly bad, it’s just bleh. You find weird and dirty things everywhere, and there’s literally nothing to do. Never visit Fresno just to visit fresno. Hopefully you’re just stopping for a big mac on the way to somewhere else…

I love the whole park. The valley is a must-see and has lots of great hikes and shops and beautiful sights, but once you’ve seen it, get out. Head up 120 to Tuolumne Meadows and stay there instead. It’s higher country; the air smells fresher, it’s not as hot, fewer bugs, more natural, and most importantly, fewer people. It’s got at least twice as many great hikes in the vicinity as the valley, and lots of open space where you’re sure to find something new.

Also don’t forget that the park’s borders don’t have any significance to the natural world—the areas just outside (and indeed, all the way up and down the sierra) can be equally beautiful and worth visiting. In particular, don’t miss Saddlebag Lake and that area just outside the eastern border, and Mono Lake down the road from there.

This whole stretch of 395 is one of my favorite areas in the world. There’s always mountains on one side or the other, everything has a rustic and real feel to it, all the people are nice and intelligent; I just like it.

If you’re passing through, definitely check out Galen Rowell’s “Mountain Light” gallery. He took some amazing pictures of this area (and others) that can’t be missed.

The lake itself is amazing, very unique and beautiful, and such an interesting ecosystem. It’s near Yosemite as well, if you can brave Tioga pass, so the whole area is definitely worth a visit.

It’s not the best place to visit, but if you’re passing through, definitely check it out! I live a few miles away in scenic Ojai, so Ventura is where we have to go for anything remotely fun. There’s everything to do, great restaurants, good live music and nightlife if you know where to go, and generally nice sunny so-cal feel.

I love driving through this little town on the way to anywhere in the high sierra. It’s got a wonderful feel to it, very small and mountainy and natural. Fits the landscape.