Our big American adventure – a road trip across Nevada, Arizona & California / Part 3

Finally, after crossing the deserts, hiking in the canyons and in the mountains, walking among the mighty sequoias, we arrived at the coast. The first thing we did after unpacking was, of course, heading to see the ocean. It was magnificent! Even though we are used to the vast expanse of water – we live by the sea – the ocean still felt different. The waves! So long, loud, and mighty! The mist hanging over the water and the beach…Magical.

Santa Cruz, California

For the last part of our US trip, we chose Santa Cruz as our base. I am reluctant to admit that it was one of the very few disappointments we had during this unforgettable journey. I can only call it the wrong vibe. Santa Cruz just wasn’t my kind of place. My husband and my son liked it better. Still, they didn’t mind when, after the first day spent exploring the town, I suggested that we spend the rest of our time on the coast driving to other places.

When looking for where to stay on the coast of California, I chose Santa Cruz because it looked like the place that would suit all our needs. Thus far in our trip, we stayed in the small places ‘attached’ to the main attractions –  Grand Canyon National Park, Antelope Canyon, Sequoia National Park. The only ‘real’ town we stayed in was Flagstaff in Arizona, and we didn’t choose it – our friends invited us to stay with them there for a couple of nights. So, while there, we didn’t do much exploring but spent time catching up with our friends.

I thought it would be nice to have wider options of supermarkets, restaurants, activities, etc. Besides, I wasn’t sure how enthusiastic my husband would be about more driving by that point. So, it seemed a good idea to stay in the place that had a lot to offer itself.

Well, to stay on the fair side, I must say that Santa Cruz wasn’t that bad. The house we rented and our hosts were amazing; more than we could wish for. Even though the town’s main attraction – Boardwalk – isn’t our thing (even my son isn’t a fan of rollercoasters and such), we still enjoyed watching people having fun there.

We had an excellent lunch in Kianti’s Pizza, but the thing that left the biggest impression on all three of us was the surfers. To be honest, we didn’t get to Natural Bridges State Park because we stopped to watch the surfers. The scene was so engrossing that the walk along the West Cliff Drive ended for us somewhere around the surfing museum. Another reason was the rain that started rather unexpectedly.

So, all in all, describing the Santa Cruz mishap, the lame line from rom-coms “It’s not you, it’s me…”  comes to mind. The town definitely has a lot of attractions and advantages for visitors. Yet, they aren’t what some people are looking for.

The things which spoilt the impression for us.

First, homeless people. There are too many of them downtown not to feel uncomfortable.

It’s not about me being uppity or unaware of the fact that poverty exists. Rather, it’s the opposite. I am too familiar with the ugly side of life to stay unaffected when I see it. I won’t go into details here. Those of you who’ve read my book ‘The Accidental Cop’ know what I mean. Our friends, both Americans and those who travel often to the US, warned us to avoid visiting big cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles, for it has become unsafe there, and we were travelling with our son. We listened to their advice and did not include these places, no matter how iconic, into our itinerary. In Santa Cruz, the homeless were too – forgive me if I appear judgmental; in no way my intention was such – comfortable with their situation and oblivious to the impression they were making on the passersby.

Second, short beaches. I had known before we came that beaches in California differ greatly from our beach in Jurmala. So, I hadn’t expected the same picture. Still, I was a little disappointed that the beaches in Santa Cruz were small and suitable for beach games and relaxing by the water rather than walking. And they get closed for visitors for the night.

Maybe there are beaches that would have suited us better, but as tourists, we couldn’t explore each one.

Third, we attempted to walk the popular West Cliff Drive (despite the title, it is indeed a walkway, running parallel to the road) since it looked like a good way to enjoy the ocean views. Sadly, parts of it were under reconstruction after the landslide that happened earlier.

I think one full day in Santa Cruz was enough for us. I only regret not visiting Natural Bridges State Park.

The thing that we absolutely loved about Santa Cruz was its incredible surfers’ community. It was something we’ve never seen before, save for in movies. Walking along the West Cliff Drive, we stopped frequently to watch the surfers conquering the waves. Because of these stops, we didn’t make it too far, but the impressions we got made up for it. The most memorable moment was when a huge wave came and washed away the queue of waiting surfers.

I was surprised by how organised the whole process is. People get into the water and wait for their turn to ride the wave. Then they take their ride, swim to the shore, climb the stairs, then go down again and return to the queue. I can imagine how disappointing it must feel to be scattered by the waves like tiny particles after waiting for quite a while to feel the thrill of riding the wave.

Another vivid memory is of a guy who disregarded the stairs, jumped down from the rock and swam right to the wave. I even took a photo of this audacious surfer.

Surfing is a whole movement, a unique culture. We saw surfers well in their fifties, grey-haired but fit and enthusiastic about riding that wave. We saw the cars transformed into ‘homes on wheels’ with blankets spread in the boot and cooking facilities installed. For surfers, a car isn’t just a means of transportation. It’s an integral part of their surfing journey.

Even though I’m totally indifferent to adrenaline-rising activities, be it surfing, mountain skiing or anything similar, it was a special experience watching the surfers in their environment. Absolutely mesmerising.

In Santa Cruz, there is even a monument dedicated to surfers.

Carmel-by-the-Sea & Monterey, California

I’ve lived close to the sea all my life. Since I was little, the beach has been an integral part of every stage of my existence. My first memories are of walking on the seaside with my aunt and finding a sleeping hornet in the sand. One of the first pictures taken of me is the one where I hold on to my stroller, still unsteady on my feet, and the backdrop is the crowd of seagulls above the expanse of the Baltic Sea. Even when I moved for a few years abroad, I ended up on the coast of the English Channel, in a flat overlooking the water.

And still, ocean waves swept me off my feet – fortunately, not literally. I could sit and watch the majestic waves rise and break into white froth for hours.

Finally, in the quaint town of Carmel-by-the-Sea, we found the landscape of California as we had imagined it. We spent a few hours strolling along its cute beach with almost white sand and its pretty streets with every house with its own charm.

Our next stop after Carmel-by-the-Sea was Monterey. Our destination there was the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Had we known that we’d have to stop on the way there countless times, we’d have come straight to Monterey and left Carmel for later.

Cannery Row is such an exciting place with so many quirky details you can’t help but stop to look at them closer. At some point, I thought that we’d arrive at the aquarium after its closing time.

I was trying to take a picture of two flags – American and Californian – against the backdrop of palm trees when my husband exclaimed, “What are you photographing? Look, it’s Steinbeck here!” His incredible memory pulled out of its depths the American classic’s face and connected it with a sculpture we stood next to.

After I messaged my dear friend Kelly Miller, with whom we were planning to meet the next day after visiting Monterey, and sent her a picture of me with Steinbeck, she told me that there was a Steinbeck museum in Salinas. As you’ve probably guessed, we immediately added it to our list of must-see places. Running ahead of the story, I’ll only say that my son claims it’s his favourite place we visited on the coast of California and insists we visit again. As for me, I sensed a special connection with the town of Salinas and definitely want to go back to explore it more.

Monterey Bay Aquarium is an exciting place both for kids and adults. We could have spent there more than a few hours. Alas, we arrived too late, but we’ll be wiser next time we are in California.

Meeting friends

The best thing about our trip to America was meeting people who, over the time of our interactions on social media, have become my friends. I met my best friend on a women’s forum, where women from all over the world ‘met’ to discuss their concerns about relationships, marriage, age, etc. We decided to meet after a few months of intense correspondence, during which we discovered that we share a ton of things in common. It was back in 2011. We are still close friends, visiting each other at least once a year, usually more. She lives in Norway, and it’s very handy that we have regular and cheap flights between Riga and Oslo.

So, this long prelude is to tell you about meeting an incredible person and a super-talented writer, Donna Scuvotti. We met in San Jose and talked for hours as if we had known each other for ages. Donna is full of energy, life, and wit. She charmed my son and my husband as well. My son started reading the books Donna gave him right there, in Santa Cruz, where we stayed in California. And after we returned home to Latvia and he read ‘A Wrinkle in Time’ by Madeleine L’Engle, he asked me to order the rest of the Time Quintet series.

I’m so grateful to Donna for taking pains to drive to San Jose that day to meet us. Ploughing through traffic is not for the faint-hearted, and others would have avoided going through such trouble for the sake of meeting unfamiliar people. We too got stuck in the traffic on the road between Santa Cruz and San Jose – but for us it was more like an adventure, our first traffic jam in the US.

Donna’s wonderful personality shines through her books. I’ve read all three of them and will read anything she writes next. Her first two published books are thrillers, but they aren’t soulless action sequences as one might expect. Her stories delve deeply into people’s inner world, highlighting how, through vulnerabilities, it’s possible to become a better person. And the main character of her last book, ‘Black Sheep,’ holds a special place in my heart.

“Black Sheep” by Donna Scuvotti

Later that same day, we met with one more special person. Kelly Miller was one of the first authors with whom I connected after joining then-Twitter at the very beginning of my writing/publishing journey four years ago. And by ‘connected’ I don’t mean simply following each other and chatting under tweets. It was much more than that. Even though we live on different continents and our backgrounds are vastly different too, I felt that in Kelly, I have found a kindred spirit.

I remember how shy I was to approach Kelly. I said to my husband, “Look, she has published four books, has so many followers, why would she want to get to know me?” But he insisted that we had so much in common that I simply must try to connect with her. He said, “You both love horses and Jane Austen. How many people do you know who share your passion for these things?” I had to admit that very few – none, actually. So, I gathered all my courage and hit the ‘follow’ button. I was ecstatic that Kelly didn’t just follow back but was enthusiastic about getting to know each other better.

So, when we started planning our trip to the US, even though my husband wanted to go to San Diego, I was adamant. “Kelly lives in the Bay Area, so we must go there!” Meeting Kelly and her family is one of the memories that all my family treasures. Kelly gracefully allowed my son to play her piano, and he tells everyone whom we tell about our US trip that he played in Kelly’s home. To him, it meant a lot.

Kelly writes delightful Jane Austen variations. Elegantly worded, with attention to the Regency period details and twists and turns to satisfy modern readers, each of her books is a journey worth taking for all legendary British writer fans. Thanks to Kelly, I discovered the joy of reading Austenesque variations. A friend once gifted me a ‘Sense and Sensibility’ variation by a popular author, and I was sorely disappointed. It was the opposite with Kelly’s books. Each one has charmed me and made me look forward to the next.

Interview with multi-award-winning author Kelly Miller

National Steinbeck Centre in Salinas, California

It turned out to be one of the most exciting places we’ve visited in California, so we are very grateful to Kelly for her advice. My son, when asked what he liked the most in California, always replies, “Steinbeck’s Museum.”

John Steinbeck was born in Salinas, California on February 27, 1902. It was gratifying to wander around the place dedicated to his talent and success in the town where he wasn’t always appreciated and suffered from prejudice.

National Steinbeck Centre isn’t a huge, intimidating museum where you get somewhat disheartened right upon entering it, because you realise that you would never manage to walk through all its rooms and halls. The Steinbeck Centre in Salinas is compact and with a homely vibe that makes you feel warmly welcome.

The lady who sells tickets directed us to begin our tour in a small cinema, where a short movie about the writer is shown. I admit that I was deeply touched by the concise, about 20-minute story of Steinbeck’s life and might have shed a tear or two. There is something indescribably inspiring about a creative life fulfilled to the extent it is the case with John Steinbeck.

After watching the movie, we went to the main exhibition hall, which is indeed a chamber of wonders. Children are allowed to climb into a Ford Model T (adults too), on a horse, to colour the portrait of Steinbeck (we keep it among our memorable souvenirs from the US trip), to play with word puzzles and generally enjoy themselves. My son couldn’t believe his luck. He said it was the best museum he’d ever visited, and only here, you are allowed to have fun rather than stroll with a sombre face, reading long information plaques (which he adores doing, don’t tell him that I said that – but it’s my husband and I who usually stand fighting boredom while he reads every word of every text).

In the picture, that very Ford Model T. I did climb inside, in case you were wondering.

My son typed away on this old-fashioned typewriter with such enthusiasm and zeal, so excited about doing something ‘you mom did when you were my age’ that I seriously considered unearthing my old typewriter from the depths of the basement where it’s been gathering dust for I don’t know how long. It remained only a fleeting thought, but it planted an idea in my brain to use that typewriter as an interior design element in the future.

In general, visiting the Steinbeck National Centre was a very emotional experience. And it wasn’t solely because I am a big fan of his books. My son, for example, is too young to read Steinbeck’s works, and it didn’t prevent him from being impressed.

Somehow, the people who created the writer’s centre in Salinas managed to charge its exhibitions with something intangible that carries Steinbeck’s spirit. We had to walk the centre’s hall twice. For the first time, our curiosity drove us forward; we couldn’t wait to find out what else was there, around another corner. But the second time we moved more slowly, reading everything and paying more attention to the displays.

John Steinbeck wasn’t always seen as a hero. President Hoover criticised him for the ‘wrong representation of America’ in “The Grapes of Wrath.” The townsfolk of Salinas burned his books. Yet, he didn’t give up. He remained true to his vision and kept his voice. It doesn’t always happen, but in his case, the higher justice has won. Decades after his death, John Steinbeck lives through his books and keeps touching readers’ hearts.

Point Lobos State Natural Reserve, California

Often called “the crown jewel of the California State Park System.” Point Lobos State Natural Reserve was the last place we visited in California before flying back to Las Vegas.

Landscape Painter Francis McComas called Point Lobos “the greatest meeting of land and water in the world.” World-class photographers Edward Weston and Ansel Adams spent years of their lives patrolling the woods and shores of Point Lobos for the perfect photograph. Originally known to indigenous people as “Isxhenta,” Point Lobos was considered a sacred place to be cherished and nourished.

Point Lobos is a must-see place for nature lovers. It has so much to offer that in the few hours we spent there, we hadn’t managed to see even half.

The offshore area, part of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, forms one of the richest underwater habitats in the world, popular with divers. On land, there are rare plant communities, unique geological formations and incredibly rich flora and fauna. What is perhaps most remarkable is the ecological recovery of Point Lobos, once the site of countless industrial activities, from whaling operations and gravel quarries to the largest abalone cannery on the West Coast. Point Lobos is now classified as a State Natural Reserve, allowing visitors to witness its incredible ecological recovery after years of heavy resource extraction.

“…the most outstanding example on the coast of California of picturesque rock and surf scenery in combination with unique vegetation, including typical Monterey cypress.” Such was the verdict the internationally known landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted gave to the Save the Redwoods League in his report about Point Lobos. His task was to find the areas worthy of preservation.

People were drawn to Point Lobos probably from the day it was discovered. The Ohlone people had inhabited the area for over two thousand years before the Spanish arrived. Since that day, the life of the natives changed forever. As did the tranquillity of Point Lobos.

After the Mexican-American War ended in 1848, the turbulent time for the beautiful natural spot began. The Chinese arrived here and became commercial fishermen. A granite quarry and coal mines were in operation. A Portuguese whaler from the Azores came to catch whales.

The coal mine wasn’t performing well, so a professional was hired to evaluate it. Alexander MacMillan Allan, a successful engineer from Pennsylvania, announced that profit was impossible. He then purchased the land in Point Lobos, and, in partnership with a Japanese fisherman, built the Point Lobos Canning Company, adding to it a sand and gravel mining operation. At that time, a narrow-gauge railroad ran nearby San Jose Beach to Coal Chute Point to transport sand for shipment by sea to glass manufacturers.

Point Lobos had been turned into an industrial site.

Since in the 1920s the scientists reported to the US government that the Carmel area, including Point Lobos, was the “most picturesque spot on the Pacific Coast,” Point Lobos was listed for inclusion in the new state park system. Alexander MacMillan Allan, the land’s owner, was against selling his property to turn it into a public park. But after his death in 1933, the family sold the land to the state.

A new life for Point Lobos then began! Or, it’s probably better to say – resumed.

Some practical information if you happen to plan a visit.

First, learn from our mistakes. If you are a true hiking lover like we are, plan more than a few hours here. A year has passed since our return from the US, and I’m still thinking about what we didn’t manage to see in Point Lobos. Next time, I’ll plan at least a few visits here, and even that won’t let us cover everything there is to see.

Location: 3 miles south of Carmel-by-the-Sea, 125 miles south of San Francisco, 325 miles north of Los Angeles, at the north end of the Big Sur coast of the Pacific Ocean.

Entrance: on iconic Highway 1.

Opening hours: 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Entrance fee: for passenger cars USD 10.

Parking: At different points of interest. Important! Spots are very limited considering the popularity of the park. Only 150 vehicles can be parked inside the reserve at the same time. It is advised to arrive either early, before 9:30 (what we plan to do the next time we visit), or after 3:00 (what we happened to do, not on purpose, and yes, there were parking spots available in some places).

With visiting Point Lobos, ended our stay in California. The next day, we drove to the San Jose airport from where we were to fly to Las Vegas. I decided that we wouldn’t want to drive almost 1000 km / 600 miles across the deserts. We had only a trip home to wait for, so driving such a distance would feel sad rather than exciting as it was on our way from Arizona to California. Besides, not wasting time on driving allowed us to spend two nights in Sin City, where we were to meet a very special person.

Las Vegas, Nevada

Pure evil? It depends. Las Vegas is a controversial place. It isn’t called Sin City for nothing. It is indeed full of temptations, mainly of an addictive nature. Does it mean that everyone must avoid it at all costs? I personally don’t think so. To illustrate my position, here is a story.

Our itinerary didn’t include big cities save for Las Vegas. We planned our journey this way on purpose, wary of visiting places like Los Angeles and San Francisco. Still, we didn’t avoid seeing the sad side of American life. It isn’t that we aren’t aware that the USA isn’t all about white fences and sprawling mansions with a garage for two cars. We just wanted to concentrate on the natural wonders we cannot see in Europe.

Once, while waiting at the traffic lights somewhere around Monterey (an affluent area on the California coast), we noticed a man with a piece of cardboard, on which one word was scribbled: “Hungry.” At another time, we saw a man with a laconic “Anything.”

In Las Vegas, we walked past endless slot and gaming machines of all possible varieties all the time. It is simply impossible to avoid them. My son watched people playing with interest. He knows about the dangers of gambling. We explained to him how addictions can ruin people’s lives. But, as they say, it is one thing to know something, while it is something completely different to see it with your own eyes.

So, when we were strolling along the Strip, our son said, “Well, first you ‘feed the kitten (an invitation to play on one of the machines), and then you stand on the crossroads with a sign ‘Hungry’ in your hands…”

I think this is what can be called a lesson well learnt.

Having lunch in a diner with booths and everything was on our list, along with staying in a real motel “like in the movies.” A bit childish maybe, but we enjoyed both experiences while travelling in the US last summer. We chose the places where to eat in a somewhat haphazard manner, and while staying in Three Rivers, we cooked ourselves, having bought everything beforehand in nearby Visalia. Our heads were full of sequoias and we didn’t want to waste precious time on such trivial things as looking for where to grab a bite.

So, back in Las Vegas, one day left before the flight home, and we realised that we still hadn’t been to a real American diner with proper booths. Stumbling upon Denny’s on the Strip, we did not think twice. Well, while burgers were tastier in “In-N-Out Burger”, portions in Denny’s were huge, especially milkshakes with a second helping included in the price.

And now, confession time… we were in California and not once ate in Taco Bell. Next time maybe?

Meeting people who have become my friends, having shared our love for writing, lamented the hardships we stumbled upon on our writer’s journey, and often spent more time together – true, online – than we do with our real-life friends, was the best part of our last year’s USA trip. And meeting R.P. Lauer was extraordinary special. He was one of the first people whom I met when I joined the Writing Community on then-Twitter back in 2021. Along with P.L. Stuart and Rebecca Mickely he was the one who made me feel welcome in a new-to-me environment. Even though, as we all are well aware, life has a consistent trend to happen, we don’t communicate as much as we used to. Still, the bond we share is strong, at least to me.

Before our trip to the US last year, I was so thrilled to learn that R.P. was moving back to Las Vegas. I could hardly believe this incredible coincidence. We made plans to meet, and we realised them, having met in the vestibule of the Bellagio Hotel on the Strip in Las Vegas.

It was hot, crowded, loud, chaotic – this is Las Vegas for you at any season – but despite all, it was amazing. R.P. was just the person I’d come to know, even warmer, more familiar in person, one of ‘my own tribe’ for the lack of a better word.

R.P. wrote one of my favourite books I’ve read by our writing community’s authors – “The Scars of Gaia”. Please check my review. I know that now you can download it for free from his author website – rplauer.com.

“The Scars of Gaia” by R. P. Lauer

To wrap up this three-part blog post about our last year’s trip across Nevada, Arizona and California in the US, here are some facts about it.

Duration: 3 weeks in June 2024

1 night Las Vegas, Nevada

2 nights Grand Canyon Village, Arizona

2 nights Page, Arizona

2 nights Flagstaff, Arizona

1 night San Bernardino, California

4 nights Three Rivers, California

5 nights Santa Cruz, California

Flight from San Jose to Las Vegas

2 nights Las Vegas, Nevada

States visited: Nevada, Arizona, California

Distance driven: 3 700 km / 2 300 miles

Places of interest explored:

–          Hoover Dam,

–          Grand Canyon National Park,

–          Sequoia National Park,

–          Antelope Canyon,

–          Glen Canyon Dam,

–          Horseshoe Bend,

–          Monterey Bay Aquarium,

–          National Steinbeck Center,

–          Point Lobos State Natural Reserve

Towns and cities visited:

– Las Vegas,

– Kingman,

– Williams,

– Grand Canyon Village,

– Page,

– Flagstaff,

– San Bernardino,

– Visalia,

– Three Rivers,

– Santa Cruz,

– Carmel-by-the-Sea,

– Monterey, Salinas,

– San Jose.

If you missed the first two parts, you can read them here:

Our big American adventure – a road trip across Nevada, Arizona & California / Part 1

Our big American adventure – a road trip across Nevada, Arizona & California / Part 2