So far, it felt like we were on the road for months, but it just was a week, and every day was better than the previous one. I was happy because therapy was working well, I was enjoying this trip, and this could be a great way to set the kind of life I wanted to live from now.

Read: USA Road Trip 21 – part 1 here

Sunscreen and water for the Summer.

Canyonlands National Park had several trails; we felt confident and had a good pace, so we chose the longest path there; it was 11 km, including a 1km vertical down just 20, 25 minutes away from the start point.

We made a mistake because of our excessive confidence. We thought it was long but not too challenging, so we forgot snacks and extra water in Summer, I know. I also forgot to put some sunscreen on my legs; It was the first time I got burned on my calves.

When we got down and looked back, how high we started was impressive. That place looked like old western movies, incredible. We started feeling tired, but there were no places with shadows to take a quick pause. Then my friend and I realized that if we went down 1 km, at some point, we had to go up again. If my knee could talk would say, “I don’t feel I’m going up, man.”

The only way to reach your goals is to keep walking, so we did that. As the road started tilting up, trees and green stuff gradually arose. Suddenly a Bighorn Sheep appeared in front of us, showing up himself, making clear he was superior to us in every possible way. We stood there looking him into his eyes for a few seconds, just before this big fella ran in front of us, climbed an enormous rock like it was nothing to him, and posed for us, majestic and stunning. This canyon gave us this cheering-up message; we were still far from the end of this trail, and it felt like a prize just to watch this scene.

Looking ahead, we could see some tiny points in a rocky wall in front of us; there were people. That meant we were on the correct path up to the top of the canyon. Thanks to the lack of water and snacks, that part of the road felt endless, but the sight was superb. From that point, it took us almost 2 hours to finish the trail, I was so tired, and my head ached because I was dehydrated, but it felt great to accomplish such a challenging trail. I needed a Gatorade, water, and a pint of an American Pale Ale with something tasty to fill my stomach.

Getting lost is part of the path.

A new day, a fresh start. We felt tired and wanted to take it easy because days are longer in Summer, so we thought we had all the time in the world. We went to Arches National Park after a power brunch; this time, we packed enough snacks and water, and obviously, I put enough sunscreen everywhere.

As usual, we took one of the longest trails in the park because we wanted to see most of the natural arches there. Everything went well until it didn’t. To be fair, the park didn’t have proper signs on its trails, it was difficult to know if you were going on the right way or you were lost, and my lack of experience as a hiker didn’t help either. 

I saw a lot of stone-made pyramids on our way, but I thought they were some hippie-balance shit some people do; what a moron. We lost track and tried to climb some rocks to reach a higher point and see where the path was, but it didn’t work. We found another couple of lost guys, but they didn’t join us and preferred to go aside; in the end, they could seek the way, they yelled, trying to lead us, but they were far away, so it was difficult to catch them up.

It turned out that those human-made pyramids were a non-written law of the hikers to let people know that they were on the right way, so it is like a game where you just need to find the next pyramid until you reach the end of the road. We were lost for almost 4 hours but felt grateful because we had enough water, snacks, and a few hours of sunlight ahead.

I liked that moment because we never lost our temper. We kept smiling and making jokes because we knew it was part of the road; in every route you take in your life, there are always chances to get lost, and it is ok; you will always find a way out. Everything is about enjoying the path. (After all, the “hippie-balances shit” was inside us.)

At the farther point of the park, we found the Dark Angel; it seemed to be a genuine entity looking at the horizon with melancholy, attending to his date with the sunset. Thanks to the universe, we got lost and could reach this point when sunlight showered the land perfectly set for my picture. What a breathtaking scene.

I was speechless, inspired, and living the present as it should be. This trip showed me how I wanted to live, not just traveling but being open to taking risks, silencing my fears, and enjoying second by second. I felt like a kid. I was surprised by the small details, and I smiled more than ever in those days. I didn’t care about my job or anything else.

You would get lost several times, and it’s ok. It means that you are living and trying your best, that’s what it is supposed to be, you may get lost to find yourself, cheers for that. How lucky I am to realize that in my early 30s.

You can paint California.

We were heading the last days there on our way to San Francisco. If everything was going better than expected, now this. My friend got a phone call from his job; he got a promotion! I felt like I got it too. It was a sweet moment, but sadly, it was too early to have a drink, and he was the driver also, so he couldn’t drink anyways.

With great news in our backpacks, we kept moving forward, Vegas was not part of the route, but my friend persuaded me to pass through, it would be a quick stop, so I agreed to go there. I am a lucky guy; what could go wrong?

We went to Las Vegas’ famous casinos and played Blackjack in Ney York New York, I won 100 bucks after spending 20, another checked line from my bucket list: To win in Las Vegas.

Leaving Las Vegas behind, we had to go through Death Valley on our way to Three Rivers in California. I finally had the chance to fly my drone there, considering it’s forbidden almost everywhere.

The scenic view spot at Death Valley was beautiful but deadly. A ranger told us to avoid walking too far because in Summer is almost sure you would get dehydrated pretty fast and could kill you. Again 47 degrees Celsius, it was difficult to breathe there because the air was so hot it was like taking air direct from a hair dryer.

It was a great day; my friend got a promotion, I won $100, I could fly my drone, and we could enjoy such a beautiful sunset in the desert. Just one day ahead from one of my most wanted places to go; Sequoia.

Giants, giants everywhere…

Pictures are unfair to the greatness of sequoias, immense beings who seems to own not just the land but the time. Those giants standing there, proving they rule the wildlife around them, filling the air with this unique calm and beauty.

I was mesmerized by how tiny we are and how much impact we have on nature. Those trees live for centuries, and we just stay here for decades. At that point, it was a reminder that no matter how big you think your problems are, life is too short to waste worrying when there are infinite wonders you can appreciate and enjoy.

Anyway, that were the vibes I felt from Sequoia. We walked where the famous’ trees were, and then we took a walk around the camping zone that made me think about coming back later in life; camping in the wild and looking at the stars at night would be nice. It’s now on my bucket list.

Mariposa, Ca. Far away from hell.

When we were at the store buying some beers and snacks for our nightly routine, I realized that I didn’t need to see anything else. I was done, so pleased, so happy with this experience, but the major park we wanted to go to was still left, Yosemite.

I looked back at the previous days there, and I found a lovely metaphor for my process; we started at Phoenix and ended in Mariposa: 2 creatures that could fly although they had to pass through a laborious process; they must die to transform themselves before they could fly and shine again, and that was exactly was I feeling.

That night was special for me.

Read: “Mariposa, CA. Far from Hell” here.

Back on the track, we tried to go to Yosemite, but we couldn’t because, due to Covid, you had to book before you go, and we didn’t know. It sucked, but we couldn’t complain; we visited too many places in a few days. This was an invitation to come back someday.

End of the road

When we arrived in San Francisco, we had to deal with some issues with Airbnb, but after a couple of hours, support got our back. 

Being set, we took the subway and went to Market Street. I was surprised it was uncrowded; it looked like most people in California were avoiding public places.

Anyway, it was cold and windy, so we had to pause in warmer sites; who could imagine that bars and drinks could serve as excellent shelters for pedestrians hiding this cold wind?

Later that night, we went to Ryoko’s Sushi Bar near Union Square. They had the best sushi I’ve ever tried. If you don’t book a table, you may have to wait, but there is a pub right up the corner. If you plan to go to San Francisco someday, this is a must; you won’t get disappointed.

Dude, what the fog?

The next day we had breakfast at a Central American dinner place. The guy we thought was the owner gave us a warm welcome; he was nice to us and seemed that he wanted to talk until he asked where we were from; when we told him that we were from Colombia, he laughed nervously and then left to the kitchen to never come back. That was weird. I know some Colombian people have done wrong things everywhere, but are you serious? A porcelain kitten is more dangerous than my friend and me.

Anyhow, breakfast was delicious, and we were on our way to walk around Pier 69, where we could meet the city’s special guest, the fog. It appeared suddenly, unexpectedly from nowhere, blocking the views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz. Still, we were lucky to see the bay clear just a moment before the fog made its entrance.

We didn’t know where to go next, so I told my friend, “Let my stomach lead us,” and that’s how we found the San Francisco Brewing Co. I loved their Fog City Hazy IPA; it was the best beer I had had in the entire trip.

This place was the perfect spot to spend a Saturday afternoon; they had a remarkable musical show by 3 middle-aged/old guys; a woman on the drums, a guy with a double bass, and a singer with his electric guitar playing some old tracks, it was a fantastic way to slow down and close an unforgettable road trip through the west of The United States.

Thanks Gringo, I love you man.

I want to thank my dear friend, a.k.a El Gringo, because he’s not just one of my best’s friends ever; he’s a fantastic travel partner. He’s always smiling and shining, up to get in trouble anytime, and a guy whose curiosity is always on. He lives in a way that could inspire you to live your best and enjoy every little detail, no matter how unpleasant or difficult a situation is.