Much ADU about nothing

Hello! Wow, time flies! So, sorry to all who thought we just stayed in the redwoods all that time...that would have been great. But we did continue on our trip and safely made it to Oregon. We found a place to live and moved in a few weeks ago. It's an ADU--Accessory Dwelling Unit, well, kind of. Not TECHNICALLY but essentially it is. We're no longer in a South Tucson Food-City only grocery radius...now we are definitely in the opposite of a food desert--we can walk to about 3 different grocery stores or farmers market within a few minute walk, easily hop on the MAX lightrail, or stroll to my parents house--wow what a change from being in AZ! So, after starting jobs and hunting for furniture, we're slowly settling in. Here's some photos for you.

 I was the one driving when we reached the state line. I had to get out and rejoice!!

 We made it to the City of Roses!

 Our new pad/ADU/granny flat

It has a gas fireplace so that we can stay cozy!!

 Our first hike in the Gorge after arriving to OR--Cape Horn. Awesome winter hike!

 Chris gave himself a self-tour of the Widmer brewery...glad he's getting oriented. 

 Wahkeena falls. SO awesome. Another incredible winter hike with lots of snow and blasts of water.

Angel's Rest hike.

So, we're happy and still having adventures, we'll keep you posted on those!!

Redwoods Part II

Hi again! So, sorry for the delay in our update...A week ago, we had our second day in the redwoods. This time, it was in the state/nat'l park system called Redwood National Park, just outside of Arcata/Crescent City. We found a AAA approved hotel that cost pretty much the SAME as camping, so we highly enjoyed having some extra accommodations, and it made us realize how $$$ (up to around $40) it has been to be camping within the CA state parks. 

Anyway, we woke up, had waffles and coco puffs (called "Easy Street" or something, a generic brand) at the hotel lobby, then went on a longer hike in Fern Canyon---where Jurassic Park II was filmed!! It was so cool! The trail went through a legit fern canyon---packed with lady ferns and running water. Then the hike ascended into various old growth redwood groves, then shot us down walking along the coast for a few miles. Just wonderful. No velociraptors popped out, though. 

Another funny/interesting thing: the park ranger told us that the trees here are "complicated" compared to the ones further inland and south (such as in Humboldt/Redwood State Park). We tried to take that in. Seemed like due to the wild elements, lots of tops of trees are blown over, making room for multiple tree trunks to start growing within one large base...very amazing. It felt like the tip of the iceberg hiking there for only one day....we'll be back.

Mouth of Klamath River and the Pacific

"Trees of Mystery" Theme Park

Klamath River/Ocean

Cool shrooms in Fern Canyon

 YES!!! We have definitely arrived to the West/NW to find this wonderful wall of ferns!!!!!

Lots of benches dedicated to nice rich folks who paid to save the redwoods. 

Lots of wild elk!

 Some of the park reminded us of our previous travels on lonely beaches in Chile.

Mt. Diablo and the Redwoods Part I

Yesterday we spent an awesome day with Robin and Marina. They took us to Concord, a town in the bay area where they live. We hung out in their awesome garden, had yummy sandwiches, then drove to Mt. Diablo State Park. On the top we attempted to watch the sunset. But a park ranger came over to us and started yelling that we had to leave...we commented that we were watching the sunset...his comeback was that the park closes at the "calendar" sunset...not the real sunset..what?? So we got out of there. But it was a really great view of the entire bay area, ocean, Mt. Tam, etc. 

Then, today Chris and I drove North on the 101 from Oakland up to Crescent City in el Norte County where Redwood National Park is. On the way, we stopped at a drive thru-tree!!! Wow. Then we had lunch in Humboldt Redwood State Park. Then we hiked around in old growth redwoods in the State-National Park system that is Redwood Nat'l Park. We stopped and spoke with a lonely park ranger..it is definitely the off season here, which is great for us...more one on one time with the trees.

Drive Thru Tree!

Humboldt State Park

South End of Redwoods National Park north of Arcata 

The CITY!

So, after an awesome new years, Chris and I set off to explore the City for a few days. On day #1, we stopped in the Mission District and had AWESOME pupusas at a Salvadoran restaurant, hung out in Dolores Park, met up with our friend Robin (who is graciously hosting us) to go to the MOMA--Museum of Modern Art, walked to Telegraph Hill and saw sights of the whole bay from Coit Tower, and stopped in North Beach for Sushi. The Second day, we stopped in the Mission, this time for burritos (not as good as Tucson's, sorry!), walked to Golden Gate Park (passing through the Castro and Haight/Ashbury) and checked out the Conservatory of Flowers, took a nap in the grass, saw the Japanese Tea Garden and sampled tea, then went back to Oakland for some Thai food. It was GREAT!! We love the bay area in general and especially being tourists in the CITY! Hopefully we can come back more often now that we'll be a little closer. 

                                                        Dolores Park in the Mission

                                                 BART Station on 16th/Mission

                                                                     Market/Civic Center

                                                          MOMA exhibit---coffee maker from the 70s!

                                             Robin/Chris at the end of our MOMA tour

                                                    Walking from MOMA to Telegraph Hill

                                                              View from Telegraph Hill

                                                               

Corner of Haight/Ashbury---my grunge alternative roots really enjoyed this

--wish I could have been here as a teen!

                                                  Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park

                                                        The exhibit was "Playland" ??!!

                                                             Japanese Tea Garden