Early Jan

Early January - Planning!

I did some research on ParkStamps.Org to find the latest stamp locations. They have a Google Map of the locations in California.

Michael and I are looking at the following trips covering 9 days with 3 nights on the road to complete the adventure:

Trip	Stamps	Days	Miles	Description
D1	1	1	300	San Diego
D2	2	1	500	High Desert
L1	2	1	110	Lunch / Oxnard
W1	6	2	950	Sierras
W2	9	2	850	San Francisco
W3	4	2	1650	Northern California
	24	9	4360

The trips would cover the following sites:

Park Name	Stamp Location	Planned Trip	Notes
Cabrillo National Monument	Visitors Center	D1

Joshua Tree National Park	Visitors Center	D2	3 different VC's in park, plus a stamp at west entrance
Mojave National Preserve	Kelso Depot	D2	Also in Barstow and at Hole-In-The-Wall

Channel Islands National Park	Visitors Center	L1
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area	Visitors Center	L1

Death Valley National Park	Stovepipe Wells	W1	Other stamp locations available
Devils Postpile National Monument	Ranger Station	W1	Shuttle
King's Canyon National Park	Visitors Center	W1	Grants Grove
Manzanar National Historic Site	Visitors Center	W1
Sequoia National Park	3 Locations	W1	Giant Forest, Lodgepole, or Foothills (S entrance)
Yosemite National Park	Tuolumne Meadows VC	W1	Also in Valley and Wawona

Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site	Visitors Center	W2	Wed-Sun, Shuttle, 10:00 and 2:30, Reservation Needed
Fort Point National Historic Site	Book Store	W2	Alt: Crissy Field Warming Hut, both FP and GG
Golden Gate National Recreation Area	Presido VC	W2	About 12 different GGNRA Stamps in SF or Marin area
John Muir National Historic Site	Visitors Center	W2	Wed-Sun
Muir Woods National Monument	Visitors Center	W2
Pinnacles National Monument	New VC (East Side)	W2	Also on West Side, up a 1.5 lane road
Point Reyes National Seashore	Bear Valley VC	W2	Also at Lighthouse VC at tip of point (Thu-Mon)
Rosie the Riveter / World War II Home Front National Historical Park	Red Oak Victory Ship	W2	$5 Donation Req'd - Tue, Thu, Sat, some Sun Stamp also Mon-Fri at City Hall / Info Center
San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park	Visitors Center	W2	Tough to park. Near Fisherman's Wharf.

Lassen Volcanic National Park	Loomis Museum	W3	Also at SW Entrance (Sat&Sun only)
Lava Beds National Monument	Visitors Center	W3
Redwood National & State Parks	Hiouchi Info Center	W3	Also at IC in Crescent City and VC near Orick
Whiskeytown National Recreation Area	Whiskeytown VC	W3

Depending on the season (before mid-june Tioga Pass is closed), weekend trip 1 can be performed as 2 day trips, although the eastern Sierra trip would be a long day.

The northern California trip would be 2 long days, but Michael & I have done several SaddleSore rides, so the length would not be too bad.

Here is a brief description of the trips:

D1 - A ride to San Diego and back. Maybe do some beach cruising or stop by Palomar on the way back. Fairly boring.

D2 - High Desert. Some nice, fast, desolate roads through the desert with lots of scenery. Should be a blast.

L1 - An extended lunch ride. Stop at The Owl in Camarillo for fried quesadillas.

W1 - First day would see us going up the east side of the Sierras, ending up in Lee Vining for the night. Then over Tioga Pass for the westerns Sierras.

W2 - A trip up to San Francisco and surroundings. Day one would see us picking up Pinnacles, then up to San Francisco for 3 stamps, then Muir Woods, and finally Point Reyes. Perhaps stay in Petaluma for the night. Then the 3 stamps on the east side of the bay before returning home.

W3 - A trip up to the far north of California. First Lassen and Lava Beds, then over to Grant's Pass Oregon for the night. The second day would be Redwoods and Whiskeytown, then 500 miles home. I am trying to save vacation days, so while this could be a more leisurely 3 days, I think we can make it in 2. We have done a 1500 mile in 36 hours before with similar roads, so 1650 miles in 40 hours is possible (leave at 4am Saturday, home by 8pm Sunday).