Seven years of waiting. Seven years...and I finally was on my way to California. More specifically, I was finally going out to a Bethel conference in Redding, CA, by way of San Francisco. Along with my friend Miranda, we were ready for our short four-day adventure October 3-6.
I couldn't believe that I could get to Guatemala faster then I could California. Seriously, what is up with that? (At least the way home was a 1/2 hour shorter than the US-Guate flight.) We arrived at San Francisco airport, got our rental car (a much fancier one than either of us owns ourselves), and set the GPS for La Quinta Inn and Suites, Redding, and started driving.
The landscape along the highway fascinated me. Such dry, golden-brown hills with dark green trees that stood out like little black dots from a distance and looked out of place up close. When we got to a stretch of very flat land for a good hundred miles at least, varying between dusty dry grass and some sort of tree farms (were they almonds, figs, or olives? I may never know for sure), I knew I could never live in an area that was flat, or drive through much more of it! I need at least some hills, though mountains are preferred.
The most fascinating thing about such flat land was watching the storms from a distance and seeing where it was raining even while the sun was shining on us. Until, that is, we drove into the storm and had a quick torrential downpour with much larger, heavier raindrops then we ever get in Pennsylvania. Considering that it had been raining practically since mid-July in Pennsylvania, we were disappointed to see rain upon our arrival in California - when we heard from a native that "it never rains this early in California!" we were sure we must've simply brought it with us.
Thankfully, the sun did peek out in the next couple days and was out full force on our tourist day.
When we reached our hotel and Miranda showed her ID, the man at the desk asked, "Did you guys drive here from Pennsylvania?" No way - the drive from San Fran to Redding was long enough! I will say, though, that the beds and pillows were arguably the best I've ever encountered in a hotel room.
After a quick freshening up, we headed for the Civic Center, merely a couple miles down the highway. We had to go in and get registered and into the conference we went! (Note: our "ticket in" was the wristband we were given at registration, which was a bummer for me since they're too big for me and I was afraid it would fall off my wrist and I'd lose it - replacements were $10 each - so every time we got in, I'd put it in my purse for safekeeping.)
From that first evening to the last session on Friday night, the conference was awesome and totally work waiting for. Worship was done by favorites like Kristene DiMarco, Brian and Jenn Johnson, and Steffany Gretzinger. Speakers included Bill Johnson, Shawn Bolz, Beni Johnson, Leslie Crandall, and Erwin McManus (whom I had never heard of before but was definitely my favorite!). We met people from all over the world (literally).
Come Saturday morning, it was time to make our way back to San Francisco. But first, a coffee stop at Dutch Bros, where we ended up getting free coffee because it was our first time there and we're from Pennsylvania. Amazing coffee for free?! Great way to start a long day!
Though we weren't planning on it, the GPS obviously was, so our first encounter with San Fran tourism was driving over the Golden Gate Bridge. (I still wonder why "golden" when it is clearly a dark rusty-orange.) Once on the other side, we found our way to some parking and walked around the high end of the bay edge to get some pictures of the bridge - and ourselves, of course, to prove we were there! It was a perfectly clear, sunny, gorgeous day!
From there we let the GPS take us through the streets of San Fran to our destination of and In-and-Out fast food restaurant...which ended up being in the middle of Fisherman's Wharf. Oh well, saved us having to find a spot for touristy shopping afterwards!
The In-and-Out was PACKED (I would not work there even for their advertised $15-and-hour pay), but the food was good. Of course, we were starving since it was mid-afternoon and we hadn't eaten since about 7 am. Then a little walking around Fisherman's Wharf and buying a few less-expensive things.
Since our rental car had to be dropped off by 5:30, we left in what we thought was plenty of time to get there, especially according to the GPS. However, as visitors from waaayyyy out of town, we did not know there was a special "Fleet Week" thing going on.
To make a long story short, after not even going a full block in half an hour, we called and extended our rental car time by an hour.......we still got there five minutes late. And as we crawled our way through the heart of San Francisco, I decided that San Fran drivers make New Jersey drivers look like wonderful drivers (which is saying a lot for someone who lives in PA!).
But, we reminded ourselves, we started the day out with free coffee. Praise Jesus!
Yes, we finally found the rental car drop-off location. And made our way into the airport. And finally, we were on our way home again....
...and we would've made it home to our own beds even sooner if we hadn't made a complete rookie mistake and forgot to take note of where we parked our car at the Philly airport....
Ah, the joys of travel! But seriously, California was great and I'd love to spend a longer period of time there someday.
I couldn't believe that I could get to Guatemala faster then I could California. Seriously, what is up with that? (At least the way home was a 1/2 hour shorter than the US-Guate flight.) We arrived at San Francisco airport, got our rental car (a much fancier one than either of us owns ourselves), and set the GPS for La Quinta Inn and Suites, Redding, and started driving.
The landscape along the highway fascinated me. Such dry, golden-brown hills with dark green trees that stood out like little black dots from a distance and looked out of place up close. When we got to a stretch of very flat land for a good hundred miles at least, varying between dusty dry grass and some sort of tree farms (were they almonds, figs, or olives? I may never know for sure), I knew I could never live in an area that was flat, or drive through much more of it! I need at least some hills, though mountains are preferred.
The most fascinating thing about such flat land was watching the storms from a distance and seeing where it was raining even while the sun was shining on us. Until, that is, we drove into the storm and had a quick torrential downpour with much larger, heavier raindrops then we ever get in Pennsylvania. Considering that it had been raining practically since mid-July in Pennsylvania, we were disappointed to see rain upon our arrival in California - when we heard from a native that "it never rains this early in California!" we were sure we must've simply brought it with us.
Can it get any more "California" than this?
Watching the storm as we close in on it
Thankfully, the sun did peek out in the next couple days and was out full force on our tourist day.
When we reached our hotel and Miranda showed her ID, the man at the desk asked, "Did you guys drive here from Pennsylvania?" No way - the drive from San Fran to Redding was long enough! I will say, though, that the beds and pillows were arguably the best I've ever encountered in a hotel room.
After a quick freshening up, we headed for the Civic Center, merely a couple miles down the highway. We had to go in and get registered and into the conference we went! (Note: our "ticket in" was the wristband we were given at registration, which was a bummer for me since they're too big for me and I was afraid it would fall off my wrist and I'd lose it - replacements were $10 each - so every time we got in, I'd put it in my purse for safekeeping.)
At the conference the first night
Sundial Bridge
From that first evening to the last session on Friday night, the conference was awesome and totally work waiting for. Worship was done by favorites like Kristene DiMarco, Brian and Jenn Johnson, and Steffany Gretzinger. Speakers included Bill Johnson, Shawn Bolz, Beni Johnson, Leslie Crandall, and Erwin McManus (whom I had never heard of before but was definitely my favorite!). We met people from all over the world (literally).
Come Saturday morning, it was time to make our way back to San Francisco. But first, a coffee stop at Dutch Bros, where we ended up getting free coffee because it was our first time there and we're from Pennsylvania. Amazing coffee for free?! Great way to start a long day!
Free, amazing coffee!
Driving back down to San Francisco
Though we weren't planning on it, the GPS obviously was, so our first encounter with San Fran tourism was driving over the Golden Gate Bridge. (I still wonder why "golden" when it is clearly a dark rusty-orange.) Once on the other side, we found our way to some parking and walked around the high end of the bay edge to get some pictures of the bridge - and ourselves, of course, to prove we were there! It was a perfectly clear, sunny, gorgeous day!
Driving on the Golden Gate Bridge
Picture Perfect!
From there we let the GPS take us through the streets of San Fran to our destination of and In-and-Out fast food restaurant...which ended up being in the middle of Fisherman's Wharf. Oh well, saved us having to find a spot for touristy shopping afterwards!
Driving down a classic San Fran street
The In-and-Out was PACKED (I would not work there even for their advertised $15-and-hour pay), but the food was good. Of course, we were starving since it was mid-afternoon and we hadn't eaten since about 7 am. Then a little walking around Fisherman's Wharf and buying a few less-expensive things.
Yum!!
Look, we found Miranda a husband!
Since our rental car had to be dropped off by 5:30, we left in what we thought was plenty of time to get there, especially according to the GPS. However, as visitors from waaayyyy out of town, we did not know there was a special "Fleet Week" thing going on.
To make a long story short, after not even going a full block in half an hour, we called and extended our rental car time by an hour.......we still got there five minutes late. And as we crawled our way through the heart of San Francisco, I decided that San Fran drivers make New Jersey drivers look like wonderful drivers (which is saying a lot for someone who lives in PA!).
Literally in a jungle. Just a concrete one.
But, we reminded ourselves, we started the day out with free coffee. Praise Jesus!
Yes, we finally found the rental car drop-off location. And made our way into the airport. And finally, we were on our way home again....
...and we would've made it home to our own beds even sooner if we hadn't made a complete rookie mistake and forgot to take note of where we parked our car at the Philly airport....
Ah, the joys of travel! But seriously, California was great and I'd love to spend a longer period of time there someday.
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