Great Trip to the West: Mammoth Lakes, California

I've decided to change up the format of the Great Trip series.  I wasn't able to post regularly on the trip so I fell behind.  Also, there were several days where we didn't do a whole bunch so it would make for a boring read.

After our time in Las Vegas, Zion and Bryce, my cousins returned to San Francisco and the wife and I headed to the Eastern Sierras of California.  The main reason for this leg of the trip was to visit my uncle who lives up in those parts.  We arrived in mid-afternoon and just hung out until my uncle and cousin got home.

We spent the next three days talking, eating and just hanging around the Mammoth area of California.

Mammoth is a resort town.  Prices are high and the town is small.  When my uncle lived there back in the 80s it was mostly a winter resort, but now they are trying to bring in tourists for the summer as well.  It's alright place, but it's pretty expensive (I saw gas prices near five bucks a gallon while there).

One of the main draws to the area is the Devil's Postpile National Monument.  I'm not sure what it's like because it was closed when we went there.  We tried to sneak a peak but the rangers weren't having it.

Another main attraction to the area is Mono Lake located near Lee Vining, California.  It's a highly saline lake.  You put your hand in it and it feels slimy.  We canoed around the area and viewed some nice tufa (mineral deposit formations).  The lakes an awesome spot to do some paddling or swimming if you're in the mood for more natural recreation.

If you're in the area and are looking for some aquatic transportation/tours try out Caldera Kayaks.  I met the operators in passing and they seemed like really cool people.

Overall the Mammoth Lakes area is pretty nice.  It's worth a visit and is in a prime location to get to Yosemite and other National Parks in the East Sierra Mountains.

Great Trip to the West Day 7: Bryce National Park

After a leisurely breakfast at Ruby's Inn.  We headed into Bryce Canyon National Park.  It was certainly more impressive than Zion, but again we couldn't explore much.  We stopped at most of the scenic viewing spots and took pictures and such.  We wanted to do hiking, but the wife being pregnant kept us car bound.

The sights were amazing.  The hoodoos were spectacular and the canyon in general deserves more exploring.  I thought this place was a lot better than Zion.

There's not much else to say about Bryce.  It's a pretty place, has lots of hiking and is definitely worth the drive out.  I didn't do much else in Bryce than take pictures and drive around.  Sorry this post is so short.

Great Trip to the West Day 6: Zion

The two days of rest came to and end on Saturday.  We woke early again in order to get ready and prepare for our trip to Utah and Zion National Park.

We headed back into the desert and soon the glamorous surroundings of Las Vegas disappeared into the hazy sand.  The drive was mundane, a characteristic of traveling through the Southwest part of the United States.  The only interesting part was when we went through some steep craggy mountains.

This was the first time for me to be in Utah.  It was just like most other Southwestern states.  I was expecting more picturesque views.

Zion was pretty.  The radio was saying that there wasn't going to be any parking in the park.  It took me about 2 minutes to find a spot.  We did our standard walk about the visitor center and then boarded a bus to the actual scenic spots.  I'm not going to lie, I thought the park was a little anti-climatic.  It was pretty, but not what I was expecting.  People were telling me how gorgeous it was and how wonderful it was.  Yeah it was nice, but nothing too exciting.  It was probably because we didn't spend much time there that I thought it was just so-so.  I want to go back when my wife isn't pregnant so we can actually explore and get the whole experience.  Don't let this entry deter you from seeing the park.  It's definitely worth seeing, but dedicate a whole day or two to it.

After the park we began our trek to Bryce Canyon National park.  We were on small state highways so there was some winding around and slow speeds.  It took us about an hour or so to get to the park area.

 We bedded down for the night at Bryce Canyon resort.  It's a small place near the park and wasn't too bad.  My biggest complaint was that the people in the room above us seemed to pace about all evening.

We were up early to begin our day at Bryce.

Great Trip to the West Day 5: Cirque du Soleil

This day began much more leisurely than the previous days of our trip.  We were able to sleep in past 5am and go about our morning routine at a much slower pace.

We breakfasted at the Mirage's buffet.  It was pretty great with just about any breakfast item you wanted.  I stuffed myself in anticipation of our day ahead.

After lunch, we again wandered up and back down the strip.  We returned to our rooms to prepare for the main event:  Cirque du Soleil "O".

I was pretty excited about O as I had never seen a show like that.  I knew that Cirque could be a bit avant garde, but it was amazing.  The skill of the performers and the way they performed throughout the show was astounding.  The way they moved and maintained control over their bodies was something that I can never hope to be able to do.  These people are dedicated professionals.  I would definitely like to see the show again.

Another reason I liked O was that it's based around water and I love the water.  Always have.  The actors were frequently in the water or doing something with water.  The acrobatics was amazing as well.  I could not imagine doing some of the stunts they did, others I would have loved to try.  All of the stunts revolved around the vague plot of a crazy European circus.  The entire show was shrouded in mystery and wonder.  There were many tricks and surprises to be had and the dancing and tricks were not too over the top like I feared, but was useful to the action and story.  Overall it was a great time.