Tip Toe Through the Poppies. . . of Antelope Valley

I can't say enough about the Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve . . . stunning, breath-taking and beautiful come to mind, but you will have to see for yourself. I should start with a disclaimer, that my first attempt to visit the poppy reserve was in 2009. It was a pleasant drive and I was able to explore something new, however, it definitely did not compare to spring 2010!

Everywhere I looked. . . POPPIES! It was stunning. It was breath-taking. It was a beautiful view of bright orange painted throughout the valley.



The poppies are the main attraction, however, there are also other wildflowers scattered among the poppies. I've included some of the wildflower pictures I took at my first poppy attempt in 2009.



My apologies, as I don't know the names of the wildflowers. If you do, please comment and share your knowledge.

Here are a few helpful tips if you're going to visit the Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve.

First tip, do your research ahead of time. Call or search the internet to find the peak blossom dates. No matter when you do, you'll see poppies, but if you want to experience the WOW, then know the peak dates. The window may be short, and the drive may be long, but it is definitely worth it!

Second tip, get there early, as there is a maximum number of parking spots and the lot can get filled pretty quickly. Or, if you're not an early riser, then know that you will need to be patient and may have to wait to enter the reserve, just to park (there is a fee to park). The downside to getting there too early is that the poppies will be closed, as they open as the sun peaks and the day warms. Make a day of it, or expect to be there a few hours if you truly want to explore. **If you don't want to go as far as the reserve, there are poppies in the surrounding area. Please be careful, however, as snakes and critters do not know boundaries, and try not to step on the blossoms/plants.**

Third tip, check the weather as it can sometimes be a little chilly. As they always say, dress in layers, or at least bring a jacket that you can later remove. That being said, unless you're planning to stay close to the parking lot or on the concrete paved walkway, dust off your sneakers, pack some water and SUNSCREEN, as there are a few trails to explore.

And, finally, the fourth tip, listen to the park rangers and stay on the trail. There are snakes (and I did see a rattler or two). I know it's tempting NOT to tromp in the middle of the field to take your picture, but doing so harms the poppies and blossoms for the years to come.

Joshua Tree, when will we meet again?

Unfortunately, I cannot write as much as I would like about Joshua Tree National Park, as my visit was just a few hours. What I can say is, it is a peaceful and beautiful place. I am a U2 fan, and Joshua Tree came out when I was in high school (did I really just date myself. . . ha ha), so it's always been on my list of "must" see/visit/do. 

What I do know (from many friends) is that Joshua Tree is great for hiking, camping and rock climbing. During my brief visit we did a short hike and scrambled up some of the rocks. There are also some funny rock formations, but I'm keeping my pics PG-13. Ha!

Joshua Tree will stay on my must re-visit list to fully explore. In the meantime, I wanted to share some pictures of my visit on that windy, crisp spring day. Stay tuned for a Joshua Tree update!

UPDATE: As promised I returned to Joshua Tree this past spring. This time to go climbing with some friends. What an amazing day! The anticipation of the climb. The fear of the unknown. The triumphant feeling of accomplishment, finally making it to the top! And, of course, a great day of encouraging words, guidance and laughter among friends. Maybe next time I'll be back to camp.

Butterflies, Butterflies, Everywhere Butterflies in Pismo Beach

When I originally looked in to taking a road trip to Pismo Beach, I thought, beach town and clam digging. What else could there be? Of course I indulged into a delicious bowl of clam chowder and fried clams at Spash Cafe. As I did more reseach, I found out that Pismo Beach is also the winter home to monarch butterflies.

I'd heard about the monarch butterfly migration, but didn't know the details. Have always thought butterflies were pretty cool. Why not check it out? Oh my! As I walked to this little grove, I was absolutely breathless at the number of monarch butterflies that fluttered about. This little grove is their home from November to January.

I should forewarn you that the weather is a major indicator as to how many butterflies you will see. I've been a few times, and when there is a cold snap, the butterflies tend to hover and hang in the trees. My guess is to help keep each other warm. I'm really not sure. However, I've also been when it was sunny and the temperature moderate and the butterflies were everywhere. Either way, the Monarch Grove in Pismo Beach is a MUST see! 

Football in Fresno

September is . . . end of summer, start of the school year and FOOTBALL!!! Woot! Woot! Okay, I'm not the biggest football fan. I won't lie, but I've had the football itch the last couple of years. Ever since I've moved to California, I've wanted to see my alma mater, The University of Hawaii (UH) compete in some sort of athletic competition. 

You know I love a good road trip, so I put the bug in a friend's ear and headed to Fresno to see UH play the Fresno State Bulldogs. The Warriors were NOT supposed to beat the Bulldogs, but THEY DID! Final score, Warriors 49, Bulldogs 27.

Many may think that Fresno is a town to pass through, but we had a great time! We stopped at the Bravo Farms Cheese Factory. It's a great place for a pit stop. There are all sorts of curios and edibles to purchase and sample. I sampled and purchased some cheddar cheese curds. . . yum! 

Another great find in Fresno is the Rue and Gwen Gibson Farm Market. It's a cute little store, but the wonderful thing is that all of the items are made by the students of Fresno State University's agriculture department. The list of items are endless. . . product, plants, ice cream (I've never seen so many ice cream flavors), wine, meats, sausages, jams, etc. Unfortunately, I found out that the items are seasonal, so I wasn't able to buy everything I had intended. Oh well, just another excuse for a trip back. What I was able to get was a nice syrah, peach ice cream, dark chocolate covered cabernet soaked raisins, toffee chocolate almonds and smoked sausage.

How could I do a road trip that doesn't include wine tasting?! There were a few wineries to try, but as football was the highlight of this particular road trip we only had time for one tasting at Birdstone Winery. Birdstone had a pleasant selection of whites and reds. Besides the wine, they also had pickled items and olives for sale. The one that intrigued me most was the jar "Frog's Balls" aka pickled brussel sprouts. I know what some of you are thinking, YUCK! But if you like pickled items and brussel sprouts, then this is something you cannot miss. YUM!

An overnighter in Fresno may not be high on your road trip list, but I'm just saying that you should consider at least stopping by to enjoy a bit of its charm.

Time for Apple Picking in Julian, CA

The months of September and October in Southern California make me think of apple picking. I've always heard wonderful things about Julian and yummy apple pies. This year I called some friends and decided to head south to Julian. The weather was a bit cold and gray, but the company was enjoyable and Julian was as charming as I had imagined.



As we drove in to town, I rolled down the car windows and we were welcomed with the scent of something baking. . . APPLE PIE!!! I did some research online (gotta love Yelp) as I wanted to know what others had to say about the best apple pie in Julian. Decided to give the Julian Pie Company a try and I'm sure glad we did! They have a wonderful assortment of pies. One friend ordered the strawberry rhubarb. . . yum! Another had the mixed berry. . . also yum! I went traditional and had dutch apple with cinnamon icecream . . . YUM! I decided to share some of this yum-ness and bought some Cider Spiced Donut Holes and Apple Nut Loafs to share with co-workers and family.

As I said, we went to Julian to pick apples. Apple picking we did. Many of the orchards were already closed for the season, but we got lucky at the Raven Hill Orchard. For $10 I was able to walk through the orchards and pick my very own apples. Across from the orchard, was the J. Jenkins Winery, for $5 we were able to taste some local wine, including an apple wine and an apple port.  

And, my true travel fashion, I must save something that will entice me to return. I will return to Julian to try the apple delectables at Mom's Pie House. I decided to take a picture of the baked apple to remind me of my return visit. Next trip will be in the spring to see the daffodils.

Feet go to the Beach. . . Waimea Bay

As this is my first post for the Traveling Feet, I thought I'd start with the picture that started my feet's photographic debut. This picture was taken at Waimea Bay, which is on the North Shore of O'ahu. . . one of my favorite beaches.

In the winter, Waimea is known for surf and The Quiksilver Big Wave Invitational in Memory of Eddie Aikau. For those not familiar, the surf must be at least 20' high at Waimea, because of this, the tournament has only been held about seven times (thanks Wikipedia). It's amazing to just sit on the beach and watch the surfers paddle out and attempt to catch waves.



In the summer, this beach is popular not just for it's crystal clear waters, but for the rock or for those back home, "da rock." I have many childhood memories jumping off this rock. I can still remember all of the emotions from my first jump. ANXIOUS ANTICIPATION waiting for the jump, FEAR of the unknown, RELIEF once I splashed and hit the sandy bottom and, of course, the THRILL of swimming back to shore only to climb back up the rock and jump again.

What's always amazed me about the rock is in the summer the rock appears rather large and protrudes out of the ocean. In the winter, you're lucky to see the very top of the rock because the waves are so big. If you've never been, you must go. Just remember to always be safe when swimming as Waimea is known for an undertow. Respect the beach.