Any advice for my US trip?
Hello guys. September came at last! It's only 10 more days to go before my trip in US. I had already reserved a rental car and Motel6 to travel around Nevada and California. I will drive a long distance more than 1000 miles. I really can't wait for it now♥
This is the route map of my trip. http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=218395057432535790968.0004abc9ed77cc2c0ee7b&msa=0
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Yes! Here comes the Reno Air Races 2011. It'll be the fourth consecutive year joining for me.
Here is the video archive I have taken there so far. http://www.vimeo.com/album/1661043
Voodoo-chan. Miki Matsuda, the Japanese Manga Artist, had drawn it for the air racing team in 2010.
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http://www.mojaveairport.com/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mojave_Air_and_Space_Port
Want to see the space industry development and the storage location for commercial airliners.
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Planes of Fame http://www.planesoffame.org/
Do want to see some Japanese aircraft. Especially, J2M Raiden! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubishi_J2M
Here is the model of J2M Raiden that I spotted at Wonder Festival 2011 Winter.
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California State Route 1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_State_Route_1
I heard that there are glorious views. I intend to go along the west coast from LA to SFO while enjoy viewing the Pacific Ocean.
Lucky Star Drivin' in 2008^^ http://www.vimeo.com/27370762
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I've drove up and down Cali about 2 years ago and that lone was just fun. Then again i made it from SanFran to LA in 2 hours, i guess that what made it fun, but when in LA stop by Little Tokyo for the food at least, it's near down town.
From SanFran to LA in 2 hours? What were you driving, a Koenigsegg CXX or a DeLorean?
Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V
First I thought you rode a Shinkansen.
If only we had those here...
yea, that time frame sounds extremely unlikely....
Well okay sry i did it 2 and 1/2 since LA traffic is bad...
"Then again i made it from SanFran to LA in 2 hours [2 and a1/2]"
That is still impossible. Under regular conditions, from San Francisco to LA takes roughly eight to ten hours
still did it, oh yea did i mention i was doing about 130mph most of the way...
It takes 9-10 hours to drive from Utah to LA not SanFran to LA... And that's doing just alittle above the speed limit
are you serious... You must have been driving at the dead of night... And I am sorta surprised no police saw you going that fast (or your are still here)
I'm just very lucky that i wasn't pulled over racing up the mountain pass and down at the very least lol. And i was doing it in the morningish time.
Muir woods is a little bit north of San Francisco if you want to take a slight detour. They have redwoods if you have never seen them, pretty cool. It is a peaceful area down in a valley.
Yes! I love the Muir woods. I had stopped by there on the way back from Reno to SFO in 2009. I enjoyed walking around the trails and viewed really impressive sea of clouds from top of the mountain. And I also love Sausalito near the Muir woods. Thanks for your recommendation^^
Dunno if you're interested in this sort of thing, but something that is a lot easier to do in the US than most places is shoot. Ranges here are pretty common, and many ranges have guns you can rent while at the range.
That aside, your planecentric trip sounds very cool. I love aviation museums too. I've visited many of the east coast/midwest ones, I hope I can see some on the west coast sometime.
Thanks. I have experienced shooting at Chamorro Shooting Range in Guam, 2005. I tried AK-47 http://ameblo.jp/kujira/image-10002575880-10001100779.html and Jericho 941 http://ameblo.jp/kujira/image-10002575893-10001100994.html ...Yes, that's the one Spike Spiegel owns^^ I want this if I can have.
It looks like you enter near beautiful Lake Tahoe.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Tahoe
Then you drive through the large parks.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yosemite
It's all beautiful lush country back there and you'll enjoy it whether driving through or exploring a bit. If you find yourself awake more at nights, you should be able to find some areas with very low light pollution for star gazing, on your first leg.
http://www.apeconmyth.com/2011/04/when-the-lights-go-down-in-the-city/
Before coming into LA from the east, you could swing a bit east into beautiful, desolate landscape, Antelope Valley/ Mojave Desert.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antelope_Valley
You can find Edwards Air Force Base and Mojave Air and Space Port there.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwards_Air_Force_Base
http://www.edwards.af.mil/questions/topic.asp?id=812
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mojave_Air_%26_Space_Port
http://www.mojaveairport.com/
In Pasadena, you might visit JPL and CalTech.
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/events/tours/views/index.cfm
http://www.caltech.edu/
Even if you can't join a tour, you can think about these for the next time. :)
You can drive through industrial El Segundo and see if you can spot the sites owned by Raytheon, Boeing Satellite Dev Center, and Northrop Grumman.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Segundo,_California
Or not. :p
LA is Hollywood.
http://www.hollywoodsign.org/see.html
Westwood's UCLA is one of the most beautiful campuses in the nation.
http://www.ucla.edu/
It has the Disney Hall.
http://www.laphil.com/
Griffith Observatory is gorgeous.
http://www.griffithobs.org/
The Hollyhock House and Charles Ennis House in LA by Frank Lloyd Wright. I don't think you can visit the second, though.
http://hollyhockhouse.net/?page_id=28
http://www.ennishouse.org/index.htm
Here are some info on other interesting architecture in LA...
http://www.roseandchang.com/hot-cool.php?c=5
The Huntington Library has a gorgeous Botanical Garden.
http://www.huntington.org/
Visit Little Tokyo, too.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Tokyo,_Los_Angeles
http://www.visitlittletokyo.com/
There are many meseums. One is the J. Paul Getty. It has two sites: Getty Villa and Getty Center.
http://www.getty.edu/museum/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Paul_Getty_Museum
http://golosangeles.about.com/od/losangelesmuseums/ss/GettyVilla.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Getty_Villa
http://architecture.about.com/od/greatbuildings/p/gettycenter.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Getty_Center
The PCH will make you cry; it's gorgeous, a photographer's heaven. It's too bad you can't go south.
In Monterey, you can visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
http://www.seemonterey.com/
http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/
You'll drive past Big Sur.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Sur
But don't forget Hearst Castle.
http://www.hearstcastle.org/
There's a "Dutch" village of Solvang.
http://www.solvangusa.com/explore-solvang/what-to-do/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solvang,_California
The Spaniards built a string of beautiful missions along the Californian coast.
http://www.missionscalifornia.com/missions_map.html
http://parks.ca.gov/?page_id=22722
The Bay Area has many places to visit. Golden Gate just happens to be the most famous.
http://www.goldengatebridge.org/
You're in Silicon Valley. But most campuses are not open to public. Still, you might try
the Letterman Digital Arts Center.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Letterman_Digital_Arts_Center
http://www.onelettermandrive.com/welcome.html
Alcatraz?
http://www.alcatrazcruises.com/
The Fisherman's Wharf?
http://www.fishermanswharf.org/
The SF Symphony plays at the Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louise_M._Davies_Symphony_Hall
http://www.sfsymphony.org/
Walk along Telegraph Ave near the UC Berkeley campus.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telegraph_Avenue
Palo Alto's Stanford is beautiful.
http://www.stanford.edu/
If you cross to the north side, you can enter Wine Country.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wine_Country_%28California%29
Stop by the capitol on your way out.
http://capitolmuseum.ca.gov/
Other resource:
http://www.visitcalifornia.com/
http://www.dannychoo.com/post/en/26188/Good+Smile+Company+America.html
I almost forgot. Goodsmile is opening up an office in LA. Try to sneak inside. If someone tries to stop you, tell them that Danny Choo sent you because he thinks that he may have left his Haruhi arm badge there... >__>
Ah, that's why @dannychoo doesn't put on the Haruhi arm badge while his storm trooper cosplay these days...?
Also, be advised that although CA doesn't have a lot of different dangerous species of animals, it does have rattlesnakes, scorpions, bears, coyotes, and mountain lions. If you go hiking into lonely areas alone, take precaution.
It was only squirrels that I have met when I walked around the forest of Sierra Nevada so far.
The likelihood of being attacked by a wild animal in CA is extremely low. I'm just mentioning what is there. It's a pretty safe place as far as animals are concerned. And, alas, there is no Horo. :(
Another bit of nature to watch out for is flash flooding. If you are away from the urban areas and you know rain is nearby, turn on your radio. Other than that, it's a pretty tame place even when you account for earthquakes. :)
One more thing. I want pictures!!! :D
Awesome. Just simply awesome! Thanks for the plenty of your recommendations. I'll check all of the links later because I'm on duty now^^;;;
Don't get pulled over by the California cops for speeding.
I bear it uppermost in mind. Thanks.
Got to Spain instead.
Haha, yeah. I have a plan to go there by train that departs from Paris. The final destination is Cape Roca in Portugal. Wanna do the trip in the near future.
Remember to buy a gun as soon as you land at the airport. There are several stores at the airport but look for the ones with machine guns in the windows. LOL.
Then, I'll be arrested when I get through Japanese immigration^^;;;;
In Utah you can get a gun here very easy, pass a 5 min back ground check and pay for it... you have a gun... lol
Now worries, you just resell it to the same place when you go back home. Think of it like a Suica card. LOL
Can I get machine guns on my Suica?:}
Probably just a picture of one. LOL
Wow, hope you have an amazing trip! Back when I first moved to California, I would take road trips like this all the time, exploring the desert in my Nissan 4x4. Those were some fun FUN times. The high desert around Mojave is incredible, like driving on Mars or something. I love it up there. It really is like another world. The only advice I can offer, is that as far as I've been able to determine, you can't go to the plane grave-yard. The planes are all behind chain-link fence. You can see them, but you can't get to them. Very disappointing!
One thing you might be interested in is the 'Trona Pinnacles'. It's the crazy rock formations where they filmed Planet of the Apes (the Marky Mark version) - It's about an hour off your route, so maybe too far away, but it is kind of interesting.
I'll post more later if I can think of anything (Las Vegas is 1000x times more fun than Reno, too bad you don't have time to spend a day there!)
Oh, there's the Ronald Reagan library near Thousand Oaks, which you are driving by. The only reason I mention it is that you like planes, and they have Air Force one as part of the pavilion. You can get on board and walk around, it is kind of cool (also they have the old Marine One helicopter).
Air Force one in the Ronald Reagan library... Yeah, Boeing 707 looks very nice more than 747:)
http://www.reaganfoundation.org/details_f.aspx?p=LM2023EAF1&h1=3&h2=7&lm=libraryandmuseum&args_a=cms&args_b=34&argsb=N&tx=18&sw=18
Food! How could I forget! Some time during your trip you have to stop at an In & Out Burger:
http://www.in-n-out.com/locations.asp
Order the double-double burger, animal-style fries (it's not on the menu), and a chocolate shake. You will be in 'American food' heaven. (also Del Taco is pretty tasty: http://www.deltaco.com/)
I searched for "animal-style fries" on google images... http://www.google.com/search?q=animal-style+fries&hl=en&biw=1280&bih=681&prmd=ivns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=CuFkTuOCGPHnmAW2-uyJCg&ved=0CDAQsAQ Wow, looks so powerful. OK, I'll try it and Del Taco:)
Good Good! You will not regret it! Your Japanese friends will no doubt be horrified, but only you will know the true epic taste!
One last one, while you're driving around the desert, keep your eye out for Joshua trees:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yucca_brevifolia
The Mojave desert is the only place in the world that they grow. They can live for hundreds of years. I love 'em!
"They can live for hundreds of years." Awesome. I must check it out carefully if I come across it. Anyway, sometimes I saw little birds that are running fast on the ground when I drove around the Nevada desert. I have never seen their flight before. Do you know what kind of birds they are?
Hmmm, probably those were road runners?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geococcyx
"exploring the desert in my Nissan 4x4"...sounds exciting. I came to love American 4x4 pick-up track since I go to Mainland US. "It really is like another world." Wow, really looking forward to drive around the desert of Mojave. "Trona Pinnacles" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trona_Pinnacles looks very interesting. Want to go and see it if I can go near there by compact car^^;;;
track --> truck
Mwhahah, yes it was very exciting!
http://www.rustyangel.com/Nissan_Desert.jpg
Don't worry about the Trona Pinnacles if you want to see them. They are right beside the highway (all the pictures you see make them look like they are in the middle of nowhere, but they are right next to the town). You can drive to them easily. It is a dirt road, but a normal car can drive on it no problem, you do not need a 4x4!
Hey, Paulzo! I went to Trona Pinnacles and had a great experience there on my last trip in US. http://tsubuyaku.fm/post/ja/6939/Trona+Pinnacles.html So impressive place. Thanks for your recommendation!
wow awesome photo
And a Ford =D
Yes, that is Ford indeed. Twas the best car that I have ever driven rental cars in US.
Focker Wulf FW190 (; ゜ Д ゜) /
YES! Here is the video I took it there. http://www.vimeo.com/28187507
~America is the 2nd place i'd like to visit ( ´ﾟωﾟ)
The 1st place is?
Japan Of Course ^o^ !!!
9 more days to go before the beginning of my Reno Air Races 2011.
http://www.eaavideo.org/video.aspx?v=1127367449001
Thank you all very much for plenty of useful advice/recommendations. You Guys Rule!
Raiden- Such an awesome plane :)