ZR-1 Corvette Road Trip to the Southwest and San Diego

[QB93Z]

Originally Posted by QB93Z

We will be in Phoenix on Wednesday, 31 May. We would like to meet with the ZR-1 group if it works for you guys. Dinner and a beer (or 2)? We will be staying at the America's Best Value Inn at 424 W Van Buren St.

Jim

We have had to change our plans. In order to arrange a visit with my brother in Santa Fe, I have to skip the stop in Phoenix.


Thank you to the Phoenix ZR-1 Group for offering your hospitality. We will have to take you up on the offer on the next trip.


Sorry,


Jim

[PhillipsLT5]

Thanks for the update, always look forward to seeing you & your great pics on the forum

[QB93Z]

We continued or westward journey and on the east side of the Sierra-Nevada Mountains, we drove past a portion of the Los Angles Dust Mitigation Program facilities:











to be continued.....

[QB93Z]

We continued south then west to Bakersfield on CA-58. We stopped in Tehachapi to see the Tehachapi Loop. It is a very special railroad track alignment that the engineers used to allow trains to make an elevation change at Tehachapi mountain without having to make a long incline along the canyon sides. The track was configured to a loop that crosses over itself to change elevation in a small run of track.
















My Dad was a railroad fan and Tehachapi Loop was one of his favorite places. In 1992 when my Dad and I built a O-scale model railroad layout, one of the features I created was a scale version of the Tehachapi Loop. My son made a video of a train climbing the Loop, and then entering a vertical transfer table I designed years later:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_8Hm7wakkY


Jim

[QB93Z]

We arrived at Sequoia National Park and entered at the Foothill Visitor Center:







We drove up the Generals Highway 23 miles and 6000 feet of elevation change to the viewing area for the General Sherman Sequoia, one of the oldest and largest trees in the world:











to be continued.....

[QB93Z]

We walked along the Congress Trail to look at the amazing grove of sequoias:













We drove another 2 miles to the Wuksachi Lodge:





In the lobby of the Lodge, Lyndi found a new friend:






Jim

[QB93Z]

On Day 20, we left the lodge very early to try to get a head start on the large number of park visitors. We drove north and entered Kings Canyon National Park. On the way there, we stopped at a turn out and parked near some "young" sequoias:








Our first destination was the General Grant giant sequoia, another one of the largest trees in the world:







The General Grant tree is estimated to be about 2,300 years old. The back side of the General Grant tree shows the scar of a forest fire. All of the old sequoias have evidence of fire. It is an important part of the live and success of the giant trees.








Here is a picture of the Purple Z at the base of a double sequoia showing the scale of these giants:





to be continued....

[QB93Z]

After checking out the Grant Tree we drove deep into the Kings Canyon on CA-180. It was about 30 miles of narrow mountain road along the King River to the region called Cedar Grove and the End of The Road:







We saw many waterfalls and small streams on the sides of the canyons:












In the early morning there were few cars on the road:







Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon National Park as a unit was a wonderful place to visit. The high elevation and remote locations make the park unique. The facilities are well made and well staffed. At times the parks are crowded so we recommend visiting the popular areas early in the morning.


Jim

[GOLDCYLON]

Originally Posted by QB93Z

We have had to change our plans. In order to arrange a visit with my brother in Santa Fe, I have to skip the stop in Phoenix.


Thank you to the Phoenix ZR-1 Group for offering your hospitality. We will have to take you up on the offer on the next trip.


Sorry,


Jim

OK Jim we were looking forward to seeing you tomorrow however understand when plans change. Maybe next time. GC

[QB93Z]

Originally Posted by tnova

Jim and Lyndi you must be close to or in San Diego today. It would be great to meet you. PM if you have time while in the area. Tony Nufer - tnova - '91 ZR1

Hi Tony, We arrived in San Diego last night. We are staying downtown at the Best Western Bayside Inn, near The Star of India Museum. Today (Tuesday) we plan to visit the San Diego Zoo, Pt Loma, the Soviet Submarine and the USS Dolphin. Also we will be looking for a car wash.


We leave to head east on Wednesday morning early.


My cell is 443-244-1347. If you contact me, we would like to arrange a meeting.


Jim