In the spirit of some of my blogger friends, I will call this Five Things Tuesday, the road trip version! Since I had an extra day off, I drove down to Sequoia National Park for a little bit of backpacking. Here are five things from the long weekend that were interesting or fun!
Backpacking in Sequoia NP: I had a great time hiking around Sequoia National Park, although once again, I was foiled by snow, downed trees and high river (read: impassable) crossings. However, I never let that bother me too much and I had a fun time exploring, even if I could not do the loop that I had intended. This year has been difficult for hiking plans, as the normal entry to Yosemite is closed due to road damage, the road to Kings Canyon is closed due to road damage and many of the roads in Sequoia are still closed due to snow and/or road damage! It was a rough winter in the Sierra, let me tell you.
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| View of Valhalla and Hamilton Falls |
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| Hamilton Lake |
Trip to Aldi: Since I was driving down through Fresno, I decided to stop at Aldi (this is the closest one to my house, and is about 200 miles away from me) for a little wander through the aisles. Since I was going to be in the car for a while and I couldn't have food in my car at the park, I did not buy much, but I had a lot of fun checking things out. The weird thing though is that when I arrived, there were only about 6 cars in the parking lot and I feared they were closed but they were open but it was nearly empty! Maybe the Fresnans have not gotten the memo that you can get good things at Aldi on the cheap? It probably did not help that the following stores were all on the same street within about a two mile stretch: Smart and Final, Grocery Outlet, Costco, Albertsons, WinCo.
Tesla Semi Truck: I saw this on highway 99! I did not know that Tesla made a semi and it was a very strange site; it looks like a toy. I checked later and apparently the Modesto Frito Lay factory is testing them out so that is why I happened upon one.
Road Trip Snacks: Although I normally try to eat healthy, when I go on a road trip, I give myself a pass to eat what I want! This included corn nuts (guilty pleasure), peanuts (the dry roasted ones with the yummy MSG) and lots of jerky! Actually I also bought some cheese and carrot sticks from Aldi on my way home, so I guess this time the snacks were not really that indulgent!
Pilot: My Favorite Gas Station: Every time I go on a long road trip on a major highway, my stop of choice is Pilot/Flying J. When I go to Oregon in the summer, they are perfectly spaced out and my routine consists of the same thing every time - get gas (even if I am half full), get ice tea/lemonade combo (Arnold Palmer) refill with lots of ice and use the bathroom. Every. Single. Time. I have had disappointment when stopping at other truck stops and they do not have unsweetened iced team from the fountain drink section (not a bottled one from the cooler) so I just stick to the one that has what I want!
What did you do this weekend? What are your favorite road trip snacks and/or break stops?
Oh man it's been forever since I've had corn nuts! Remind me to do something about that on my next trip....
ReplyDeleteI know! They are so good! My brother and I used to really like the Chili Picante ones, which I think are from Frito Lay actually. We would pour them in our hand and then eat them and then lick our hands to get the salty spicy seasoning off of them! I have since found them at Sprouts in the bulk bin and their plain flavor are pretty good too! However, I have to curb myself from eating the entire bag in one sitting!
DeleteAll that snow is nuts! But the views are beautiful!! I would not have thought that Tesla had semis. Wow, that is nuts.
ReplyDeleteI wish our Aldi was quiet. It never is and they often only have 1-2 registers open. Phil does our shopping but i will go there mid-week for something they were out of. This past weekend, I went on Sunday to get a watermelon since they were out of stock on Saturday. And then I grabbed some cherries and some blueberries - and then stood in line awkwardly holding all of these things as I didn't get a cart since I only planned to buy a watermelon. We buy so much stuff at Aldi! Bummer that they don't have any close to you!
We don't take many road trips since our kids are not great in the car. If I buy a snack, it's usually gummy bears as that is something Phil and I both like that is not messy to eat in the car! I like trail mix, too.
I guess it was quiet because it was a weekday and not everyone had the day off on Monday? Or maybe they did have the day off but they were out doing something fun and not grocery shopping. I am not sure, but I know that here in the Bay Area the grocery stores are never empty or half empty or anything. In fact, no matter what time I go, if I can find parking right away it is a monumental day. I once got so fed up with Costco being busy that I went right when they opened and it was STILL BUSY!
DeleteI actually usually have a good mix of items for car trips, like nuts, fruit, dried fruit etc. as it really is too easy to just eat an entire bag of whatever, but I do like a little treat from time to time! I think when I am with other people I pretend I am not a glutton, but when alone, don't be surprised to see me eating peanut butter right out of the jar with a spoon with one hand while driving the car with the other (I also had apples as my excuse for why I had the jar open...I was putting it on the apples! I swear!)
I don't want to see snow!! Brrr. But looks like a great trip.
ReplyDeleteI wish we had Aldi. Grocery prices are insane these days; I grimace at the register, but I can't imagine the people who are making hard choices (eat, or internet; food or rent, etc) because the cost of food is draining their bank account faster than they're able to earn a living.
I don't feel like I have a favourite car snack? We mostly just bring things from home, so this tends to involve trailmix or crackers. My husband doesn't like candy, so never candy...and chocolate tends to melt in the car!
I agree, food prices have gone up a lot. I have not really felt it too hard (except for the time with the eggs!) because I am still working on doing a pantry and freezer clean out and right now am only buying things (1) that are on sale (I found pork chops for 0.99/lb last time I went), (2) using things I already have (I STILL have a LOT of beans!) and (3) buying a few produce items (my Aldi trip only cost me about $20). So I have effectively bought futures in groceries, thank goodness. I am looking forward to doing my quarterly finance check, because despite a trip to Costco to stock up on a few things, this quarter may be my lowest in terms of grocery spend in a long time.
DeleteI also bring items like trail mix and crackers and if it is a trip alone will eat crackers and cheese while driving, but if we are more than one, we usually stop at a rest stop and cut some salami too and have a nice break in the shade if we can. I am team savory more than sweet, so you are not going to see me eating chocolate in the car (maybe peanut butter though, but I buy the no sugar kind so it is not as exciting as you may think).
Of all the things in your post, the thing that jumped out at me is corn nuts!!! I love them too. I don't think we have Pilot in our part of the country- but I'm going to keep it in mind and look out for them on my road trips this summer (up to Tallahassee and then over to Texas in August) because I also want unsweetened iced tea from the fountain- very hard to find! I usually end up stopping at Dunkin Donuts or in a pinch, McDonalds (ew) because they have it. But it would be nice to get gas AND my drink at the same time.
ReplyDeleteNow on to the important stuff- that looks like an amazing trip. Is that a tent? Were you camping? Brr! I'm sure you have all the right equipment though.
To answer your question, my weekend was uneventful. I worked my usual days, including Monday because we're open on most holidays.
Corn nuts! I actually used to eat them all the time as a kid and then I went on a health kick and skipped them for a while and now I am back on team corn nut (well I never left team corn nut, but you get the point). You DO have Pilot (or it may be called Flying J) but I think it is only on highway 95, so I am not sure how often you use that. Also I just checked and it looks like Hwy 10 also has them. Pro tip: keep your cup or bring your own and you get a discount on your refills. Also a lot of them have a food shop too so you can get a quick sandwich (and some corn nuts) while you are there!
DeleteIt is a tent and I was camping and it was actually not too cold. The Sierra is weird; I drove through the central valley, which is basically at sea level, and it was about 95 degrees. I started hiking at around 3,000 feet, and it was still probably about 95 degrees. Where I camped in those photos was probably around 7,000 feet, but it only got down to about 36 at night, not below freezing, and was still probably in the 80s or 90s during the day. If I was higher, it could have been below freezing, but it was actually not too bad!
A good, low-key weekend: Father's day. The pictures from your trip are amazing! Favorite snacks... Hmmm. Classic Lays potato chips, lightly salted pistachios, Twix, Snickers. A Coke. Road trips are one of my favorite things to do.
ReplyDeleteMy brother loves the Lays classic; I am a Mission tortilla chip woman. But I am on your side re pistachios. I don't know if you have tried the Wonderful brand ones from Costco, but they have a salt and pepper one that is SO GOOD. I could eat an entire Costco sized bag, which is not always the best idea, but I love them!
DeleteOooh I love peanuts. I just bought a canister of "bar mix" for our dinner party on Saturday, and I'm excited to eat it. It has all sorts of things including honey roasted peanuts. CANNOT WAIT.
ReplyDeleteThat is what I got, the honey roasted! I also love a good dry roasted nut. Pretty much as long as it is salted, you can count me in. My parents used to get the bar mix and it was one of my favorites! I am curious about your dinner party; I assume since you have nuts that you are having appetizers and/or cocktails? If so, I am there! :) I could eat appetizers for dinner any day!
DeleteThere's a popcorn place on the Illinois tollway (this place has three locations, but the one on the tollway is the only one I've ever been to in person) and if I'm on a road trip, I will stop and spend $20 on popcorn for the rest of my trip. I feel less guilty about mindlessly snacking on popcorn than I do other snack foods. I like a mix of their sweet butter, jalapeno, and caramel popcorn. It's just the right salty/sweet combo for me.
ReplyDeleteI love popcorn! My special treat is kettle corn, as I love the texture of it as well as the flavor. My Dad used to get one of those bins of popcorn every Christmas with the caramel, cheese and butter and he always takes out the divider and lets them all mix. As a kid I thought that was gross (I liked my food separate) but later, I realized that it is actually really good!
DeleteOh man, all the "good, affordable stores" on one block LOL (I want an Aldi, damnit.).
ReplyDeleteWell if you are ever in Fresno, just go to Shaw Ave. and you will be all set!! I don't know if you ever go to Grocery Outlet -- they do not always carry the same thing, as they often have overflow from other stores, but you can find some really good deals. I found a creamer that costs like $6 at Whole Foods for $0.99 each there, and it was not even close to expiration! I found a huge salami that was close to expiration for $1.99 but I used it for hiking and it was fine! You can sometimes find protein bars for $0.25 or $0.50 each... It does help to go every week as the stock does change but they have some gems sometimes!
DeleteThey make the Semis up here in Nevada. Had the chance to ride in one. They have incredible acceleration and turning ability, just like a regular car!
ReplyDeleteThat is interesting to hear! They seem like they would be smooth, based on how they look (I know that is nor correlated, but that is how it appears)!
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