Planning

I could spend hours scrolling around through Google maps. I am reminded of lonely highways I've driven down before. Oddly named tiny little towns where I stopped to fill up my gas tank or visit the bathroom. Vast metropolises viewed from the highway at 75 miles an hour, skyscrapers blurred.

We are still undecided on what route to take to get to the Hoover Dam. Drive through Sequoia National Forest, Mojave Desert, or Death Valley? All seem about a horse apiece as far as distance goes. We could blow past all of them and stick to the freeway, but that seems like such a waste. They're all beautiful and it's not everyday that we're in that area of California.

I don't think we'll be able to get to the Hoover Dam within a day's drive of San Francisco. We're going to have to stop and sleep somewhere. I would rather it be a national park than some generic road side motel. Ha ha...I'm sure by the end of the road trip I'll want the creature comforts of a hotel over a campground. I will never forget how luxurious that campground coin operated shower felt the last time I spent several weeks camping in various desert locales. Best 50 cents ever spent.

Last night I sitting on my couch browsing around the National Park Service sites. First I checked out Sequoia. They have campgrounds and several choices of lodging including a lodge, cabins, and tent cabins. At first I was thinking - camping! Of course, I love camping! I mentioned it to Mike and immediately he said "BEARS." Ugh. No. Bears. I am afraid of bears, but I am curious about them. For all the gazillions of times I've camped I have yet to see a bear. Maybe we won't camp in Sequoia, maybe we will.  We're definitely camping in Grand Canyon and Joshua Tree. I don't think bears like the desert.