I'm still almost 6 weeks out from this one but it's something to look forward to for sure.
Which airport?
It could be Reno, Sacramento, San Francisco, Oakland or even Fresno. Reno is probably the best fit logistically as the trip will start and end near Lake Tahoe.
Day 1- Land in Reno, hopefully in late afternoon to early evening. I can connect in either Dallas or Denver and it probably doesn't really matter. I will definitely fly out of Birmingham. The first night will be spent in either Truckee or South Tahoe. Both are less than one hour from Reno. Getting there before dark would be nice but I'm not sure if it's possible.
Day 2- Hopefully an early start because I gain 2 hours. Full loop around Tahoe with a couple hiking stops. I've been here before but it's been a while. I must be done by late afternoon. From there, it's slightly more than 3 hours to Oakland, which is where I will spend the night. If I'm late getting there, it's okay.
Day 3- Oakland hotel will be downtown and I'm pretty sure it will be in a safe area. The big advantage is that it's within walking distance of the BART station. I can leave the car there and take the subway to San Francisco. I got a 24 hour sample 2 years ago and liked what I saw. This time, a Giants game is the top priority. Other must sees include Coit Tower, Lombard Street, Alamo Square and Painted Ladies. I can take a cable car to Fisherman's Wharf and walk to the Golden Gate bridge but will not cross it that day. Dolores Park in the dark could be cool as well. I'm not too worried about safety issues. I know what areas to avoid. I'll take BART back to Oakland for the night.
Day 4- The initial plan was to go to Yosemite but this would be Labor Day and it would require reservations. Instead, I'll take an extra day in the Bay area. I'm a little apprehensive about driving in San Francisco but it seems easy enough. I-80 to US-101 will take me across the Golden Gate bridge. Given that it's a holiday, early morning traffic should not be too bad. From there, it should be easy enough. I'll play it by ear but the current plan is Stinson Beach for at least a couple hours. Current water temperature is 62 degrees. Certainly not warm but that's tolerable with a wetsuit. I may not even need it if it hits 65. There's also Sausalito and a nice state park on the other side of the bridge. When I'm done there, I will play it by ear again. Do I stick to the main roads and get back to Oakland for the night or do I stay in San Francisco? I could check out Golden Gate Park, Twin Peaks and Ocean Beach. I may be able to sample this and still make it to Oakland for the night.
Day 5- Drive to Yosemite and spend most of the day there. I believe it's roughly 3 hours from Oakland so I need to get an early start. Mammoth Lakes will be my night stop. I'll do a couple short hikes.
Day 6- Tioga Pass up to Tahoe. I can catch parts that I may have missed earlier but I will be back in Reno for the night. Trip home next morning.
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