The 395: California’s (Second) Best Stretch of Road

by Neil Woodburn on

There is a long stretch of highway running north/south in California which few out-of-state tourists bother navigating. And yet, the 395 captures so much of what the Golden State has to offer in the natural beauty department.

Highway 1, which winds its way up the coast is perhaps more beautiful, but the 395 embraces a different type of nature than golden sand beaches and crashing waves. The 395 cuts across the desert landscape of California on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevadas. It is a stunning route, with desert landscape stretching out before you and the enormous, snow-capped Sierras looming above.

One or twice a year I drive this route to either go backpacking in the Sierras, or nowboarding at Mammoth Mountain. For most people like myself, the 395 is usually blown through at 80 miles an hour on a Friday night in the dark. Those who take a more leisurely drive, however, will discover that this desert road is rich with a bounty of nature, history, and tourist sites.

The Los Angeles Times recently spotlighted this long stretch of road and the highlights one can expect. Did you know, for example, that the 395 slices right between the lowest elevation and the highest elevation in the continental United States? Yep, Badwater (-282 feet) and Mt. Whitney (14,495 feet) are within spitting distance of each other. In fact, there is an annual, grueling race in which elite runners start in Badwater and run 135 miles to the Whitney portal. Yikes. Count me out.

The LA Times mentions so many cool stops along the drive that it would take a week to visit all the ghost towns, hot springs, fishing holes, Hollywood western locations (400+), lakes, one-horse towns, day hikes, mines, flora and fauna, historic hotels, fish hatcheries, bakeries, and even a couple of museums.

So, next time I undertake the grueling drive, I’ll be sure to stop along the way and truly enjoy it.

Mountain Film Festival in Telluride

by Neil Woodburn on

Now that the Banff Film Festival has passed through my home town, it’s time to turn my expectations towards the Mountain Film Festival in Telluride, Colorado. Why? Because any event whose tagline is, Celebrating Indomitable Spirit will most certainly be worth my time.

This year, the festival will be held May 25-28 and will embrace two themes: Energy and The Eiger. I’m sure the energy theme will tackle Global Warming while the Eiger will wow with a handful of films and symposiums about this landmark peak.

2007 will be the 29th year that MountainFilm will be entertaining and educating us. In fact, the mission statement makes this very clear; Mountainfilm is dedicated to educating and inspiring audiences about issues that matter, cultures worth exploring, environments worth preserving and conversations worth sustaining.

Very cool! And for those of you who can’t make it all the way to Telluride, the festival can come to you. Click here for a schedule of their traveling road show.

Climbing Redwoods

by Neil Woodburn on

If you’ve never traveled to California to view the coastal redwoods, you’ve never properly lived.

Coastal redwoods are the granddaddy of all trees; they are the tallest (up to 350 feet) the widest (20+ feet) and some of the oldest (up to 2,000 years old). And, they are simply remarkable. I’ve been fortunate enough to have stood at the base of these monsters, as well as some of their mountain cousins.

Something I haven’t done, however, is to actually climb one.

Climbing a redwood, as you might imagine, is no easy task. A great article in The New Yorker a few months ago (only partially online here) detailed a small group of hardcore enthusiasts scaling redwoods in search of the world’s tallest. Climbing one involved all sorts of ropes and pulleys and harnesses; this ain’t the backyard apple tree after all! Most fascinating, was the thriving canopy at the highest levels of the trees that are teeming with life and their own miniature ecosystem.

The Wild Trees by Richard Preston focuses on a similar group of tree-lovers who have bid farewell to the concrete world and ensconced themselves in the redwood groves of California.

A recent review of the book by Thomas Curwen paints a alluring vision of the redwoods in an almost lusty manner: “Once you’ve trunk-walked, branch-walked and sky-walked your way some 35 stories above the ground like Spider-Man gone grunge, you can wrap your arms completely around the trunk, interlock fingertips, drink in the moist, spongy, lemony-fragrant wood and secretly consummate your desire.”

Wow. Don’t go looking for some local company to start hoisting tourists up to these upper branches, however. The upper canopies and the treasures they hide 35 stories above ground are only for the serious environmentalist or adventurer who knows his way around the fickle branches and soft furry bark of a 2,000 year old tree.

Lost Bags. Lost Souls.

by Willy Volk on

Subtitled “Kang Yatse: A Skiing Misadventure,” Lost Bags. Lost Souls. is a mysterious, innovative, creepy, esoteric, snarling, thoughtful, electronic-moleskine webumentary. I know that doesn’t make much sense, but after you check it out, you’ll know what I mean.

Nominated for a Webby for “Reality Animation,” this travelogue relates the story of two American adventurers and their attempt to climb up and ski down the 21,000-foot-high Kang Yatse in the Indian Himalaya. Nothing goes smoothly, as their perfectly-planned vacation rapidly devloves into misadventure involving lost luggage, strandings, rolling blackouts, negotiation with cabbies, and surprises at the “global village.”

Is this the future of travel journals? I certainly wouldn’t mind if it were.

GADLING’S TAKE FIVE: Week of April 8

by Adrienne Wilson on

It was an interesting week here at Gadling with two very notable moments here. First we reached our 10,000th post! (Come one everyone – Golf claps, por favor!) Then there was our “Official Honoree” award in the 2007 Webby Awards, but most importantly it was a week filled with fun, informative and interesting travel related posts. Let’s look back at a few you may have missed.

5. Pocketed Security Sock:
Anyone who has ever endured the discomfort of stashing their cash and values away in the very same shoe they’re using to tour the city has probably placed an order of at least a couple pairs of these Pocketed Security socks. Designed to protect your small valuables and provide peace of mind and a happier sole who wouldn’t want to own some of these? Sometimes that nifty money belt isn’t enough.

4. Whogoslavia Means Traveling With Kids:
While I don’t have children I found this plug particularly inspiring. For those who think kids will bring a complete halt to travel and a social life all together this is one to check out. Have the best of both worlds and take your children to as many places as you can afford or have the time and make them apart of your social life. It might be a small world at Disney World, but it is a big world outside of those theme parks. Tackle it together!

3. The Extreme List:
I’d like to think I’m a bit of an “Extremist,” but after looking at this list of extreme things to do on your vacation far off and away the truth is I’m more of a wimp. If you are ready to not only follow the off-the-beaten track trails and wish to speckle it with a bit of danger and daring feats try climbing, swimming, diving, biking, or hiking some of these spots.

2. A Canadian in Beijing: Walls and their Greatness:
Anyone following Ember Swift’s time spent in Beijing is probably green with envy. This week she has left us with a slew of dispatches from the Asian city on the changing of the leaves to bathroom squatting instructions to pics of her standing at the Great Wall and even her landing her first gig! All I can say to that is two words: Rock On!

1. “Naked Sushi” Arrives on the Shores of America:
Ever dream of picking your spicy tuna or hamachi off a beautiful naked woman’s body? Well you don’t have to go to Japan or join a gang for this one. Instead you can take a trip right over to Sunset Blvd in Hollywood and feast away. Like Neil, I think I’ll pass