USA Reloaded - Vegas, Hiking, NYC - QF/SQ (F & Suite)

[NoName]

Yosemite – Day 1


We got up about 8, checked out and wandered around the corner to grab some breakfast. With a name like Nicely’s there was really no other choice. We had noticed the precious evening right next to our dinner venue so we decided to check it out. Just your basic diner and nothing at all out of the ordinary about it. I grabbed a stack of blueberry pancakes which came out pretty quickly and were promptly smothered in maple syrup. BroName had some kind of fry up which I can’t entirely remember as well as a bottomless coffee. Food was good, coffee was average but hey, you can’t win them all.


Jumped back in the car and made our way back up to Tioga Pass and into Yosemite. Soon enough we were driving past our stop the previous day and another half mile or so down the road was the Tuolomne Meadows Visitor Center. We stopped and had a look through it. It is very similar to the visitor center in the valley with more of a focus on the high country where is sits. An obvious stop if you are up in this area (which I would definitely recommend).









We continued on down the road towards the first hike of the day. Tenaya Lake is a large alpine lake about 10km west of the Visitor Center and maybe an hour from Yosemite Valley. Its beautiful, set below stunning mountains. In the summer people will fish, swim, kayak etc on it as well as visit the beach at the eastern end. It also has a nice easy hiking trail around its circumference and with the aim of having an easy day but still wanting to stretch the legs, we had decided that this would be perfect. The trail is very flat so pretty much anyone can do it provided they can walk the 4km. We set off and about 45min later we were back at the car.

 

[NoName]

Yosemite - Day 1 Continued......



Another 3km down the road was Olmstead Point. We stopped and walked down to take a look at the views of Clouds Rest & Half Dome.





In the car again and it was next stop Yosemite Valley! It always seems to take longer than you think but eventually we reached crane flat, turned left and began the decent into the valley. You could still see areas smouldering from where the fire had been in the preceding weeks and the air was still visibly filled with smoke. Not enough to pose a health risk but enough to effect visibility and slightly diminish the beauty. Nevertheless, we continued on and before too long we were pulling up for a quick shot of El Capitan.

Photos never do this justice:



Continuing on down to the far end of the value we soon reached Half Dome Village which was home for the next 4 nights. I have reviewed this place from my previous visit so won’t get into too many details. In summary: you stay in tent cabins. Basically A-Frame cabin with canvas over the top. Very basic. I call it camping for people who don’t want to camp. Total cost for a cabin that sleeps up to 4 people, for the 4 nights was approx A$850. Very expensive for what it is but so is everything around here!

After checking in and dumping all our luggage in the cabin we were hungry so we zipped off up the road to the Yosemite village grill for a quick burger. Basically the same as last time which wasn’t a bad thing: burger, chips and bottomless soda for about US$12 from memory. Burger was pretty decent as were the chips and the bottomless soda was a big winner in the heat. Also a big winner was that this is one of the only parts of the valley to have reliable mobile reception. Took the time to send a few photos to MrsNoName & MrsBroName who were both happy to hear from us.

BroName had been keen to take a look at El Capitan up close so we drove down to one of the small parking lots closest to it and went for a walk through the trees. I had been to Yosemite twice previously but had not gotten any closer to El Capitan than from the side of the road on the way in. I was also interested to walk right up to the base and take a look. A short walk along a well worn path and we were there. Right where the rock climbers began their adventures. Wow! This was imposing! Very impressive to see!











Some may be aware that El Capitan is one of the most iconic rock climbing walls in the world. This post is timely in that there has recently been a Nat Geo document - Free Solo - released chronicling Alex Honnold’s attempt to climb it without ropes or harnesses. It’s a brilliant film and I’d highly recommend seeing it if you can. It’s available on ITunes but if you can find it in a cinema it is even better on the big screen.

Here’s the trailer:

Back to the cabin and being early evening it was now time to hit the Pizza Deck! This is in my opinion easily the best food option at Half Dome Village and would be our go to dinner all four nights. They have a list of toppings you choose as well as a few different sizes. Prices are based on size and number of toppings and are reasonable. They also have a menu with a few different specific pizzas and we made our way down the list during our stay. The pizza deck is extremely popular and the line to order at times stretched maybe 20 metres or so back. We ordered pretty quick and about 20 minutes later we were digging in!



After feeding our faces (hey we had to carb load!) it was off to bed. We were off on a day hike the next day so needed all the rest we could get.

 

[NoName]

Yosemite – Day 2


Day 2 in Yosemite and we were off to hike to the top of El Capitan. There are multiple ways to get to the top – among others along a trail beginning just off Tioga Rd, you can rock climb up if you’re really keen, or you can do what we did and go via the Yosemite Falls trail. We were out of the cabin about 7:30, BroName grabbed a coffee from the store to get him going and then we were off. Parked at the Camp 4 parking lot and walked across to the trailhead and got going.

The first section of our hike to the top of Yosemite Falls was steep. Very very steep! Around 5km in distance with 900m of elevation gain. Tough going indeed!










We made it to the top of the falls in just under 2hrs before immediately finding a spot to rest for a while. Definitely needed a break. About 15 minutes later we continued on. The next couple of K’s were a nice relief as we went through a reasonably flat forest section of the trail before heading uphill again for about another 1km. We reached a junction, stopped for a rest before heading up to the left and towards Eagle Peak. About 800m and we were at the top looking out upon stunning views of the valley below. As with all the views on this trip, they were a little obscured due to the smoke still in the air but were still fantastic.





The valley way down below:





Back down to the junction and then continued on towards the ultimate goal. This final 4.5km was pretty tough. Not in the Yosemite Falls league but the rough terrain up and down through the forest before a final walk along some bare granite in the hot sun was tiring. Eventually we got there though and settled down for a decent lunch break at the top of El Capitan! It was satisfying to reach the top for sure. As I said, previously I had only seen it from the road in the valley so to be able to see if from two more different vantage points was interesting. Time taken for the approx. 15.5km to the top was around 5hrs including breaks.

Windswept trees at the top of El Cap:





Of course we still needed to get back down to the car park and that meant repeating the hike in reverse. And so we headed back down the way we came. Back off El Capitan, through the rough up and down of the forest, past the junction to Eagle Peak, a relaxing couple of Km back to the top of Yosemite Falls and then the final slog down the Fall trail. This last 5km down from the falls was hard going. Knees did not appreciate it at all. However, about 90min later we had made it and were back in the car.

We got back to our cabin, grabbed a change of clothes and made a beeline for the swimming pool. Free entry for village guests. We jumped in and pretty much just stood there in the cool water for a while. Very refreshing. Hopped out and crashed at one of the spare table/chairs setup before eventually deciding it would be a good time to seek out some food. By seek out I mean go directly to the pizza deck. Same deal as the previous night only a different flavour. BBQ Chuckwagon this time from memory. Basically your typical BBQ meatlovers setup. Smashed it nice and quick along with a beer or two before retiring for the evening.

 

[I love to travel]

I am not really into hiking but your photos are inspiring.

 

[NoName]

I am not really into hiking but your photos are inspiring.

Thank you very much, you’re too kind. I’m glad even non-hikers can enjoy the photos.

 

[NoName]

Yosemite Day 3


Today was going to be a pretty cruisy day, mostly in the car. We needed to rest our legs a bit after yesterday’s efforts in prep for the next day hike tomorrow. First up was a visit to one of the giant sequoia groves. We had wanted to see the Mariposa Grove which is by far the biggest in the park but the fire situation meant that Wawona Rd was still closed and made the grove inaccessible to us. Although I had been there before, it also meant that we couldn’t visit Glacier Point by car either. Both on the next time list.

That left two other groves – the Merced Grove & the Tuololmne Grove. I had been to the Tuolomne Grove last time and so we took off up Big oak Flat Rd towards the Merced Grove. About half an hour later we got to the trailhead to see it full of emergency services vehicles. It seemed that this grove too was closed. Bummer! Back down towards the valley and shortly we were at the third and final option, the Tuolomne Grove of Giant Sequoias! Ok, I’ve been here before, doesn’t matter I’m happy to check them out again.

Managed to squeeze the car into a park, hopped out and wandered on down. The grove is about a mile down the trail from the parking lot. Its an easy walk downhill but a somewhat more strenuous (nothing too bad though) walk back up when you’re done. We were down at the grove pretty quickly and had a walk around for maybe half an hour or so before heading back up to the carpark.








Next we went back down to the valley and turned up Wawona Rd. Thankfully the road was only closed beyond Tunnel View so we were able to visit this famous spot. Tunnel View is simply a vista on the side of the road immediately after a long tunnel. Yes, not very original naming. The image from this point is of three of Yosemite’s iconic features – El Capitan to the right, Half Dome in the centre background & Bridalveil Falls to the right – and is seen in many promotions & ads for the park.



Back down to the valley again and almost immediately we were pulling in to the parking lot at the trailhead for Bridalveil Falls. Bridalveil Falls is a well known waterfall and one of the first features you see as you come into the valley. It gets its name because of the long, thin flow of water which (surprise surprise) looks like a bride’s veil. It gets pretty decent crowds and can be accessed both from a short trail along southside drive or via another trail from a dedicated parking lot. We grabbed a park and made our way down the short path to the falls.





Ventured back to the grill at Yosemite Village for another burger and then ducked into the store to grab a few souvenirs. Picked up a desk calendar for 2019 and a jigsaw puzzle while BroName just got a few of the local beers to take home.

Completed puzzle several weeks later:


Now it was pool time. Back to our cabin to drop the car off and get the swimming gear and then we were in. Freezing cold. I was in and out in probably 5 minutes. Refreshed of course but could probably have got the same result from a shower. Sat around the pool for a bit again before we decided to go for a walk to Happy Isles and back. We wanted to have a look in the nature centre there but unfortunately it had closed for the say. Oh well! It was a pleasant 800m walk up followed by a similar distance back via an alternate route through the woods.








By the time we got back it was just about dinner time. We went and relaxed in the guest lounge they have at Half Dome Village and tried to make use of the virtually non-functioning wifi (no luck) before waking over to the pizza deck again. Not quite the smooth process of the previous two nights. We jumped in line and about 5 minutes later had ordered. That’s when the entire process seemed to fall down. They were very very slow and combined with people’s pizzas seeming to come out in a totally random order it was a shemozzle. Many people began to get restless and expressed their displeasure to the staff. Finally, after well over an hour, BroName & I received our 1 medium sized pizza. On the plus size it tasted great.

We smashed the pizza and headed off. Grabbed a few items of food in the store for our hike the next day and then off to bed. Tomorrow was the one we were really looking forward to – Half Dome. I had hiked it last time but was still very excited to do it again.

 

[NoName]

Yosemite Day 4


Two years ago I had returned to Yosemite with what had become an obsessive goal of hiking to the top of Half Dome. It had been a fantastic experience. An extremely tough hike but one that was filled with satisfaction when I was successful in reaching the summit (and making it back down). I reviewed my experience in my previous trip report HERE. Returning once again and with BroName visiting for the first time, it was of course at the top of our list of hikes to do.

For those who don’t know Half Dome is a huge granite dome that features prominently rising above the east end of Yosemite Valley. It is probably the park’s most famous feature and is used in basically every piece of promotional material for Yosemite and indeed for many tourism ads for California and the US in general. It gets its name as when viewed from the front it looks like the dome has been sliced in half, hence “half dome”.

The hike to the top is the most iconic day hike in the path and as a result extremely popular. In my previous report I mentioned that in 2011 they instituted a permit system with a strict quota on the number of people allowed up the dome – approx. 350 per day. Anyone can hike to the base of the sub-dome about a half mile from summit but without one of the precious permits, a ranger will likely turn you away at this point. Want to get to the summit anyway without a permit? I’m sure you could hike around the check point if you wanted to but the financial penalty for hiking without a permit is around US$5,000. A potentially expensive day out.

Permits are issued in an online lottery with entries taken in March and results given in April. Both BroName and I entered so as to double our chances. BroName struck out while I was lucky enough to be given my 1st choice of dates. 2 from 2 in the Half Dome lottery, what are the chances? The date we got was 23rd August which coincidently was the same date I had hiked it in 2016.

We got to the trailhead pretty much right on 6:30am and began the 8.2 mile trek to the top. We went at a pretty quick pace which was a little surprising given how worn out we had been a from the hike two days prior. Made it to the Vernal Footbridge in no time where we filled up our water bottles at the tap. I learned from last time not to bother with water right from the start as the tap a mile into the hike made it unnecessary extra weight.

The start of the slog:




Vernal Falls from the foot bridge:



We kept going on past the junction to the John Muir Trail, up the steep steps towards and eventually to the top of Vernal Falls.






On we went and soon we were crossing the Merced River and climbing the switchbacks carved into the granite up to the top of Nevada Falls.



Nevada Falls:


Here we had a quick break to have a bite to eat and use the facilities. There were a few people making the day hike stopped here as well and we had a brief chat. Spoke to a guy who was hiking with his girlfriend and have to say it didn’t sound like they were entirely prepared for what they were in for. We passed them a few hundred metres up the trail and given that we never saw them again I’d say its unlikely they made it to the top.

We powered on through the flat section near Little Yosemite Valley and began the long hike upwards. It makes its way around towards the back of Half Dome slowly getting steeper as it goes. After a while we reached the turnoff and stopped for a quick rest at the sign marking 2 miles to go.



Left Half Dome - Right Little Yosemite Camp Ground:





We had a chat to another group who were also there. They were surprised we had only taken just over 2hrs to get to this point. I guess we were going fast as they had been going more than 3hrs. We took a few photos with them at the sign before getting on with it.

 

[VPS]

No video this time? Enjoying the TR - thanks

 

[NoName]

No video this time? Enjoying the TR - thanks

Haha no, didn’t bring a go-pro this time. The one from last time is still up on YouTube though if you want to relive the ride up!


EDIT: I lied! I used my phone to take a short video of the first 20-30 seconds of BroName’s ascent up the cables. Embedded in the next post below. Enjoy!

 

[NoName]

Yosemite - Day 4 Continued......


Up and up we went and before too long we began to see the tip of Half Dome peeking out from above the tree line. That of course meant we were close. It also meant that we were nearly at probably the hardest part of the climb (IMO) – the sub-dome!









We got to the permit check point and unlike last time it was manned by a ranger. Pulled out the printed permits, she scanned them and yes NoNames you may proceed!

Up the sub dome we went. In my previous trip report I described this as a stairmaster that wouldn’t quit and it really is like that. It is relentless. Straight up a steep set of stairs carved into the granite. Its painful, not fun at all. But the reward is that you’re nearly done.



With a few short rests along the way, we managed to get to the top and when we got there were met with the last final stretch – the cables!








Last time I had been quite nervous about puling myself up the cables. I had taken quite a rest to psych myself up for it. This time we pretty much just went for it. BroName was keen to get right into it so after a 5 minute water break we put on our gloves and dived right in. He headed up first and a couple of minutes later I joined him. Like the rest of the hike we seemed to go at a pretty quick pace. The arms and legs were aching but about 15 min or so later we were at the summit of Half Dome!

BroName on his way up:

Don’t look down!:

 

[NoName]

Yosemite - Day 4 Continued........


We walked around the top for a while taking it all in. There are fantastic views in every direction. Took a few photos on the edge for memories and about an hour later we were refreshed and ready to make our way back down.





Don’t look down - part II:


Living on the edge:



The trip back down was pretty uneventful. We navigated the sea of people coming up as we made our way down the cables. Going down the sub dome was hard on the knees but obviously much easier than the strenuous climb up.

Views from the sub dome:







Going back down the trail towards Little Yosemite Valley seemed never-ending but easy enough. The flat section back to the top of Nevada Falls was also easy. At that point we made a slight detour. I had not actually been to the top of the falls last time so we took the side trail a few hundred metres to have a look. Fantastic views and also a lovely place to swim if that was on the cards.

Top of Nevada Fall:



Back to the Mist Trail and down towards Vernal Falls. On past the falls and back to the footbridge. Past the foot bridge and down the last mile back to the trail head at Happy Isles. We had done it and quite comfortably too. Definitely easier the second time around. Maybe it was because I knew what to expect and knew that I could do it? Who knows. For those watching the clock we also made the round trip significantly faster than I had in 2016. Up in 4hrs, 1hr at the summit, 3hr45min down for a total of 8hrs45min including probably 30 minutes on the side trip to the top of Nevada Falls. All up an hour faster than my previous effort. Very satisfying again and would definitely return for attempt #3 if I get the chance but I would probably hike a different route to the top.

Vernal Falls in the afternoon light:


We jumped on the free shuttle bus and rode the few stops back to the cabin. Hopped off, put everything inside and hightailed it to the pool. Similar story to the previous couple of days – quick dip to freshen up and then just relaxed by the side for a while. Hopped out and got changed before grabbing a couple of ciders (cheaper to buy 2 plus a souvenir bottle opener at the store than to buy 1 at the bar 5 metres away) and crashing in the lounge for an hour or so. Just about fell asleep.

From the car park:


At about 5:30 we made our customary walk over to the pizza deck for one final Yosemite pig out. Service was much better than yesterday and we were eating about 15 minutes later. Absolutely devoured it. Back to the cabin and in to bed. Yosemite was over for another trip, tomorrow we were off to San Francisco where BroName would be returning to Sydney while I would be continuing on to NYC.

 

[VPS]

Haha no, didn’t bring a go-pro this time. The one from last time is still up on YouTube though if you want to relive the ride up!


EDIT: I lied! I used my phone to take a short video of the first 20-30 seconds of BroName’s ascent up the cables. Embedded in the next post below. Enjoy!

Ha - I still remember needing another glass of wine watching you go up.

Great photos - would love to go to Yosemite but won't be doing any climbing

 

[NoName]

Yosemite – San Francisco



We ended up leaving much later that I had wanted as I think BroName had had enough of the early starts even though they weren’t really that early. Checked out and were on the road at 7:30am. As we drove towards the valley exit I was a little sad. The visit had gone too quick (as it always does) and I had wished it wasn’t ending. Still, it isn’t going anywhere so I’m sure I’ll be back again some day.

The drive towards San Francisco was pretty uneventful. Nothing exciting happening on this trip. We drove through various small towns before eventually hitting the bigger highway and following the signs towards our destination. Other than a brief stop in a small town McDonalds it was non-stop and by late morning we were pulling up at the Pacific Pinball Museum in Oakland. We found a park and headed in.



This place was made up of several rooms filled with pinball machines and US$20 got you an all day pass for as much play as you wanted. They even let you leave and come back if you wanted. The machines were in better condition than we had encountered at the Hall Of Fame in Vegas so we enjoyed the hour and a half we spent there. Under normal circumstances I would have been happy to spend the whole day here but we were time constrained so had to settle for the short visit.






Back on the road, across the Bay Bridge and we were approaching SFO. Filled up the gas tank around the corner and then made our way up to the car return. Got directed to the customer help desk to request a refund for the non-functioning GPS and then all of a sudden an evacuation alarm went off. Ummm ok. Guess we better leave the building. Wasn’t going to waste any more time with the refund so decided to sort it out back in Australia. Alarm stopped blasting a few minutes later and we jumped in the train to the terminals. Dropped our bags then back to the train and off on the BART to Embarcadero.



We didn’t have much time so we just walked along the road towards Fisherman’s Wharf. Checked out the Sea Lions at Pier 39, grabbed a clam chowder bread bowl.





Alcatraz:


Coit Tower:

 

[NoName]

San Francisco - Continued.......









Then we popped in to Musee Mecanique to have a look at their old amusement games. This is filled with antique amusement games as well as a few more modern offerings. We played a couple that we recalled from our childhood, another pinball machine and generally walked around having a look. Its an interesting place and quite popular (located in Fisherman’s Wharf just on Pier 45).











We jumped in an Uber and made our way to meet MrsNoName’s cousin. I had caught up with him last time as well and it seemed rude not to again. He directed us to Burma Love in the Mission District. This is a Burmese restaurant and part of a popular small group of restaurants in San Francisco. Mrs NoName’s cousin had recently joined the group and manages one of the other venues.



We sat down and allowed the staff to choose a few dishes for us. Food was fantastic (as was the company) and it was easy to see why it is so popular. No reservations are taken. We had arrived about 6 and walked right in to the table reserved for us. Within about 20 minutes almost every table was taken and by the time we left a bit over an hour later there was a line to get in. We had a chicken noodle dish, a pork curry dish and the highlight – tea leaf salad. This was fantastic and a must order if you ever visit.




As always seems to happen MrsNoName’s cousin insisted on paying despite my best efforts. I manage to pay for the tip so I will take that as a win. More than satisfied we jumped in his car as he had also kindly offered to drive us to the airport. Arrived about 20 or so min later, bid him farewell and made our way inside.

BroName collected his bags from the storage place, checked in with QF and we said goodbye. It had been a great week together and we are already planning the next hiking holiday. Probably something more extensive in the same area.

I walked around to terminal 2 and joined the security line. Got through eventually and made a beeline for the Admirals Club. Being quite tired I was not inclined to take any photos but I didn’t mind this lounge. There were enough couches etc to sit and relax on as well as a nice enough sit down bar. Perhaps it was the time of night but it was not crowded and made for a good space to relax for an hour before the flight. Grabbed a couple of bourbon and cokes and could have easily settled in for a long stint. Not to be though and almost before I knew it, it was time to go to the gate.

 

[UP4014]

good report, the photos make it.

 

[NoName]

SFO-JFK


AA276 Seat 6A

The masses were pilled up around the boarding gate when I arrived even though boarding had not quite been called yet. I guess these thigs cross cultures. A few minutes later the announcement was made and being in J I was in one of the first couple of groups called. Down the bridge and on board, stuffed the carry on into the overhead and settled into my seat. Thought this seat was decent for the transcon redeye – flat bed in a 2-2 config with plenty of leg room. With departure being at close to 11pm, this was exactly what I wanted. I had booked this on a QF points redemption and at the time had the option of F as well but after careful consideration decided that I would likely just want to sleep so didn’t spend the extra points.

Up and away and off to NYC we went. There was an ok looking meal service offered (sorry no photos) but being pretty tired I skipped straight to dessert. I had been hoping for one of the famous AA ice cream Sundays but all I got was a small tub and a plastic spoon. Oh well!

About half an hour after takeoff and I was ready to crash. Set the seat to bed mode and was out like a light. Unusual for me but I ended up sleeping until maybe 45min before landing which was a great result. Sat back up, went to the bathroom to freshen up and before I knew it we were on our final approach to JFK. Down we went, taxied to the gate and off into the terminal.

Didn’t notice at the time but Coney Island down below. I was headed there a few hours later:





Overall I was pretty happy with the fight. It was a redeye and all I wanted was to be able to get some sleep which I did. In a similar situation I would have no hesitation in redeeming points on this service again.

 

[NoName]

NYC - Day 1



On previous visits to NYC I had always got either a taxi or shuttle bus to my hotel, mainly due to Mrs NoName being a little adverse to walking (I know, not a good affliction in NYC!). Being by myself this time however I was happy to use the subway.

Jumped on the airtrain to Jamaica station, paid my $5 and then grabbed the 7-day unlimited ride subway ticket which I was going to get anyway. Hopped on the E train and maybe half an hour later I was off at 53rd & 5th.

The Wellington Hotel - Mrs NoName & I stayed there on our first visit several years ago. A long way from today’s venue!



Walked the 7 blocks pretty quickly to my home for the next 3 nights – The Ritz Carlton Central Park. I had used a Marriott points transferred form AMEX MR, total cost was 210,000 points plus 2 upgrade vouchers per night for the 6thAvenue View room plus about US$10. As a comparison this room was going for approxUS$1,200 per night at the time I booked maybe 2 months out. The hotel is located on the corner of Central Park Sth (59th St) & 6th Avenue.

It was still very early so no surprise that there was no room yet and certainly didn’t expect one. Completed the usual paperwork, left my bag and headed straight out and back to the subway. On to the D train for about 45 min or so until I reached the end of the line – Coney Island in Brooklyn. Most attractions open at 11am and I was about half an hour early so I took a walk around to have a look at the place. The beach looked great and as it was a hot day I would have loved to have relaxed for a while if I had have had more time. I can see why it is so popular with locals in the summer time.

Coney Island Station:


Site of the annual 4th July hotdog eating contest.




The Thunderbolt:

 

[kermatu]

Very fortunate to have done much of this myself (but not all). So thanks for the great report.

 

[rock86]

Those pictures are fantastic, Yosemite is definitely on the list for me in the future!

 

[NoName]

Those pictures are fantastic, Yosemite is definitely on the list for me in the future!

Great to hear! It is a wonderful place! Fills me with joy every time I visit. Can’t wait to get back again.