Yosemite

June 15, 2016
Bill and I flew from Honolulu to LA, where my parents were visiting relatives.  Mom and Dad picked us up at the airport and we took a 6 hour road trip to Mono Lake.  We arrived at our motel late and went to sleep almost immediately.

June 16, 2016
We woke up early to watch the sunrise over the tufas in Mono Lake on the South Tufa Trail.  Tufas are limestone towers that form underwater when calcium-enriched springs react with lake water.

Tufas surrounding and within Mono Lake

Then we drove into Yosemite and hiked Cloud's Rest, which was challenging due to the distance (14.5 miles roundtrip), high altitude (9,926 feet at the top), abundance of stream crossings (including one where we had to wade to our knees through really cold water), and a section where we became lost because the trail was covered in snow.  It was worth it for the spectacular 360 degree panoramic view at the end.

Dad & Mom wading through really coooold water

Me jumping across a stream

Me and Bill sitting on a fallen tree

Bill taking a picture of Mom & Dad making it to the top

Bill making it to the top

View of Half Dome from the top (spoiler alert - this was our hike the following day)

We slept overnight in a canvas-tent cabin in Tuolumne Meadows.  We had to place all our toiletries and food in a bear locker.  Although we had 4 small cots, each couple shared a cot to huddle together for warmth.  It dropped to the high-20s overnight.

June 17, 2016
It was a little bit painful to wake up at 4am in freezing cold weather to drive over 90 minutes to our next destination, but we wanted to beat the crowds and heat at Yosemite's most famous hike: The Half Dome.

All four of us had entered the 2-day lottery for access to the Half Dome, and my Dad was the only one to win a permit.  Bill, Kelly (a girl we met on the trail), and I used Dad's permit to hike the Half Dome.  It was about 15 miles roundtrip, a 4,800 foot elevation gain, and took us 9.5 hours.  The highlights were multiple views of two incredible waterfalls (Vernal Falls and Nevada Falls) and the well-known harrowing cable ascent to the top of the Half Dome.

Vernal Falls - the trail goes so close to the waterfall that you get wet from the mist

Me & Bill & our new friend Kelly at Nevada Falls

The cables are the vertical line to the left of Bill & Me that look like ants on a rock

Bill & Me going up the cables

Bill coming down the cables

Bill on the top of Half Dome (the guy standing)

Me on the top of Half Dome

Meanwhile, Mom and Dad hiked up the Mist Trail (the first portion of the Half Dome trail which has the beautiful waterfalls), descended down the John Muir Trail for even more views of the waterfalls, and then visited Yosemite Falls.

Dad & Mom in front of Nevada Falls on the John Muir Trail

Lower Yosemite Falls and Upper Yosemite Falls

It was a 2.5 hour drive to Mom's friend's condo in Mammoth Lakes, where we stayed overnight.  After a long few days, it felt amazing to eat a meal, take a shower, and get a full night's sleep in a bed.

June 18, 2016
Today was our relaxing day; we slept in, had moderate climate, didn't take any long drives, and didn't go on any long hikes.  We took a shuttle to an easy 5 mile hike in Mammoth Lakes that featured Devil's Postpile (a cliff of hexagonal and pentagonal basalt columns created by lava flow), Rainbow Falls, and Lower Falls.

At the bottom of Devil's Postpile - you can see the columns from this view

Bill & Mom & Dad at the top of Devil's Postpile - you can see the hexagons and pentagons from this view

Top view of Rainbow Falls

Me & Bill at the bottom of Rainbow Falls

Bill & Mom & Dad at the top of Lower Falls

Dad at the bottom of Lower Falls

After our hike, we had an incredible Mexican lunch at a hole-in-a-wall restaurant, relaxed in a Jacuzzi, and drank Dr Pepper floats while watching The Princess Bride.

June 19, 2016
Today was Father's Day.  Our original plan was to hike in the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, but we couldn't get past one of the roads that was covered in water.  Instead, we drove through the Red Rock Canyon State Park and hiked the Hagen Trail, which was full of unique desert rock formations.  It would have been a really easy hike if it hadn't been 105 degrees, and we were all anxious to get back to our air-conditioned car by the end.

Mom & Dad & Bill on Camel Rock

Bill & Me at Window Rock

Bill

Me

It was another long day of driving, and it took us about 6 hours to arrive at my uncle's home in Claremont.  Bill, Mom, and I went out for a hot stones massage.

June 20, 2016
Bill and I took a short easy hike nearby called Thompson Creek Trail, but it was a struggle due to the >100 degree weather.  That afternoon, all four of us took a shuttle to the airport and ate lunch together there.  Then Mom & Dad flew home to Virginia while Bill & I flew home to Honolulu.

Thompson Creek Trail

West Coast

May 28, 2016: Honolulu --> Malibu
In 10 days, Bill and I took 5 plane rides, visited 3 states, slept in 6 locations, went on 7 hikes, saw both of our families, and visited 8 friends.

Our whirlwind trip of the west coat started with us taking an overnight flight to attend Haley's (Bill's cousin) extravagant wedding in Malibu.  Bill and I always come up with superlatives for the weddings we attend, and the ones we came up for this one were: most sexy wedding dress, most beautiful bridesmaids dresses, most joyful dancing (they had that cool Jewish chair dancing), and best live music.

Bill & Me

Haley & Bubba

Dancing with Pep-Pep

May 29, 2016: LA --> Seattle

We mingled with the family at Haley and Bubba's post-wedding brunch and spent the afternoon in LA.  In the evening, we flew to Seattle and stayed with Abby (my pen pal of 14 years) and her boyfriend Tad.

Me, Abby, and Tad

May 30, 2016: North Bend --> Edmonds --> Seattle

Bill and I arose early to hike in North Bend.  Bill favored Mount Si, which had a scramble at the end, a 3,900 foot rocky summit, and a 360 degree view that included Mount Rainier.  I preferred Rattlesnake Ledge, which ended on a 2,000 foot sheer cliff overlooking a clear bright turquoise lake. 

Bill scrambling on the top of Mount Si

Me on Mount Si, with a view of Mount Rainier

Rattlesnake Ledge - love that water color!

Bill and I took a quick detour to Edmonds to visit my extended family: Aunt Mary, Uncle Dave, Uncle Steve, Aunt Myla, cousin Maddie, and Grandma & Grandpa.  It was Bill's first time meeting the aunts and uncles.  Then we headed back to West Seattle to spend another evening with Abby and Tad.

Uncle Dave, Aunt Mary, Grandpa, and Bill

May 31, 2016: Seattle --> Portland

Abby and Tad took us to Pike Place Market in the morning, and then all four of us went on a road trip to Portland.

Pike Place.  They still have the monkfish prank, which made me scream when I was a kid.

We spent the day walking through Portland, a city surrounded by hiking trails and full of parks, roses, dogs, living libraries, arts, and bicycles.  I immediately fell in love with it.

Abby, Tad, and Bill at Laurelhurst Park.  The stairs say "It pays to have perspective."

June 1st, 2016: Columbia River Gorge --> Portland

My favorite part of the entire trip was hiking Eagle Creek Trail in the Columbia River Gorge, which included a gorge (of course), 5 waterfalls, lots of snakes, and the 120 foot tall High Bridge. 

The hiking trail

Tish Creek Bridge, which was destroyed by a fallen tree.

Loowit Falls

Me at Lower Punchbowl Falls

Skoonichuck Falls.  Can you spot Bill, Abby, and Tad?

Following the hike, we visited Portland's magnificent rose garden.

La vie en rose

A rose is a rose is a rose

Everything is rosie

June (my friend from residency) and Abby's friend Mylas joined us for Ethiopian food, followed by ice cream where we tried some exciting flavors including blue cheese pear, strawberry balsamic, and vinegar honey milk.

Bill, June, me, Tad, Mylas, and Abby

Let's get a close up on that food!

June 2, 2016 San Francisco --> Mill Valley
Bill and I flew to San Francisco and met up with Chun (a friend from residency) and Eric (a friend from Hawaii) for some incredible dim sum.

Eric, me, Bill, and Chun

Bill and I spent a little more time in San Francisco hiking Land's End and visiting the Golden Gate Park, before we drove over the Golden Gate Bridge to Mill Valley.  

Me in the Labyrinth at Land's End

Golden Gate Park.  Two rose gardens in two days!

We met up with Logan (my neighbor during medical school) and slept overnight in her super cool Westfalia.

Logan's son Huddy, Logan, Logan's stepdaughter Dahlia, and me

Bill with our fantastic sleeping accommodations

June 3, 2016 Mill Valley --> Oakland
Yet again, Bill and I woke up way too early so we could go hiking.  We did the Dipsea Hike, which had several terrain changes that alternated between magnificent redwood forests and ridges with an ocean view.

Me with redwood trees

Logan joined us in the afternoon, and we drove to the top of Mount Tam to take in more views.

Logan and Bill on Mount Tam

The three of us hiked through more beautiful redwoods on the Steep Ravine trail, and picnicked by a small waterfall for lunch.

More redwoods!

Picnic with Bill and Logan

Then Bill and I drove to Oakland to visit Vanessa and Dain (my friends during residency).

Bill, Dain, and Vanessa

June 4, 2016 Oakland --> Point Reyes --> San Francisco
Bill and I got a kick out of feeding Vanessa's and Dain's chickens in the morning. 

Bill feeding chickens

The four of us stopped at a creamery for some fresh cheese, and made our way to Point Reyes.  We hiked and picnicked at Tomales Point, and we saw lots of birds, elk, and seals along the way.

Bill, me, Vanessa, and Dain hiking Tomales Point

We returned to San Francisco, where we spent the night at Vanessa's parent's second house.  We visited Erik (my friend from Hawaii who joined us for dim sum earlier in the week) and his wife Lillian.  Lillian was 35 weeks pregnant and we enjoyed feeling the baby kicking.

Baby kicks!

June 5, 2016 San Francisco --> Oakland

Vanessa, Dain, Bill, and I met up with my college theater friend Lisa Sun for some delicious croissants, followed by a day of walking through San Francisco.

Dolores Park: Lisa-Sun and me

Pier 7: Lisa-Sun, Bill, Dain, and Vanessa

Bill and I met up with Jamie (my friend from residency) for tea, and I had a terrific tamarind latte.

Jamie's wearing the same dress she wore as my bridesmaid.

We considered staying in San Francisco for dinner, but Bill and I were exhausted and instead opted to head back to Oakland to relax, eat Indian food, and watch Zootopia.

Bill excited about our fancy TV dinner

June 6, 2016 Oakland --> Honolulu

Back in Oakland, Bill and I both had a chance to each collect (and eat) a fresh chicken egg before we headed home to Honolulu.

Me excited about collecting an egg

My egg

After a fun-filled and exhausting 10 days, it felt good to ditch the suitcases and snuggle up with our pets.

No place like home