08/30/09 -
Driving all day from Montana and into Wyoming.
08/31/09 -
Today was a packed day! We drove into South Dakota and shortly after pulled off the highway to head south and drive through Deadwood. We didn’t stop and walk around, but driving down Main Street was neat, looking at the old saloon and hotel storefronts, etc. I really like the entire Black Hills area. There is something about the type of forest maybe, or the type of trees...I don’t know. We drove past Mount Rushmore but decided not to pay the $10 to walk up to the monument. I’ve been there before and Nothai wasn’t too excited about it. He thought the heads would be a lot bigger. Unfortunately the pictures we took were pretty bad too, with the sun directly behind the mountain. We wanted to get to Badlands too so we decided not to go look at the unfinished Crazy Horse monument. Honestly, I think we are both losing some patience for the roadtrip. We stopped more frequently in the beginning for dumb stuff and now we are sort of flying by some of the good stuff. I don’t mind this really because there are things I’d have liked to stop and do but since I didn’t, that means that I still need to take the South Dakota road trip with my sister!
Lastly, my check engine light came on while in Badlands so I called Neil to tell him what the car’s been doing. He said it could be the fuel injector and to try a bottle of cleaner next tank of gas, but likely it is spark plug or wire issues. The good news is that the car shouldn’t just die on me. When I stopped at a gas station I noticed that I have a headlight out now too!
On another note, I saw a turtle in the road today and didn't stop to move him to safety. This is important in some way to mention.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Yellowstone NP
08/28/09 -
Today was driving all day through Nevada, Utah, Idaho and into Yellowstone (Wyoming). We selected a campsite for the night that was about 25 miles into the park so that we could have the full day tomorrow in the park.
08/29/09 -
We drove along the west road that stops at all the geysers, Old Faithful, Mud Volcano, Sulphur Caldron, and the upper west area of Mammoth Hot Springs. We didn’t actually hike much other than getting out of the car and walking the half mile loop that takes you to whatever it is you are stopping for. So, we were able to see the highlights all in one day! I know we missed stuff, but it was a great trip. I’d love to spend more time here in the future an do more hiking. We headed out of the park going north and into Montana. Oh, and we saw a decent amount of wildlife. Although, we didn’t see any grizzlies or big horn sheep (sigh!).
Today was driving all day through Nevada, Utah, Idaho and into Yellowstone (Wyoming). We selected a campsite for the night that was about 25 miles into the park so that we could have the full day tomorrow in the park.
08/29/09 -
We drove along the west road that stops at all the geysers, Old Faithful, Mud Volcano, Sulphur Caldron, and the upper west area of Mammoth Hot Springs. We didn’t actually hike much other than getting out of the car and walking the half mile loop that takes you to whatever it is you are stopping for. So, we were able to see the highlights all in one day! I know we missed stuff, but it was a great trip. I’d love to spend more time here in the future an do more hiking. We headed out of the park going north and into Montana. Oh, and we saw a decent amount of wildlife. Although, we didn’t see any grizzlies or big horn sheep (sigh!).
Thursday, August 27, 2009
San Francisco!
While in SF, Nothai and I basically walked everywhere and did everything that was worth doing. Okay, that is an exaggeration, but I feel like we had a great experience of getting to know the city and area. We took the bus once to the ocean and stopped at Golden Gate park, otherwise we walked everywhere, which I think is the best way to get to know the area if you can. We walked the pier areas, including Fisherman's Warf, the financial district, Castro Street the park there, had lots of suggested yummy local food and beer. I wish I'd had longer to stay and was able to spend more time with senior Joseph, but the city grew on me and I could see myself returning soon, possibly on a more somewhat permanent level.
08/27/09 -
Went to breakfast with Joe to say goodbye (bagels & coffee), went to re-park my car and found that I had a parking ticket! We walked to the pier and took the ferry to Alcatraz. It was very good, and I recommend it. Included in the admission price is the ferry ride and an audio tour that tells the history and a few stories of attempted escapes. We walked back to the car and headed out, stopping at the Golden Gate bridge for some pictures, and hunkering down for the long night drive. I also noted that my car has started sort of shuddering when accelerating on a hill. I’m hoping this is a SF thing because of the crazy hills and will knock it off.
08/27/09 -
Went to breakfast with Joe to say goodbye (bagels & coffee), went to re-park my car and found that I had a parking ticket! We walked to the pier and took the ferry to Alcatraz. It was very good, and I recommend it. Included in the admission price is the ferry ride and an audio tour that tells the history and a few stories of attempted escapes. We walked back to the car and headed out, stopping at the Golden Gate bridge for some pictures, and hunkering down for the long night drive. I also noted that my car has started sort of shuddering when accelerating on a hill. I’m hoping this is a SF thing because of the crazy hills and will knock it off.
Monday, August 24, 2009
SF Arrival
We woke up at the rest area we stopped at outside of Yosemite (it was surprisingly COLD last night!) And headed into a nearby town, Lee Vining to do laundry and have an actual breakfast. After an omelet (yeah, old habits die hard!), hash browns and toast we hung out at a coffee shop for a few hours that had wireless and had some coffee. After the last week of gas station coffee, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, granola bars and fruit snacks, a real meal was too tempting and we caved within the confines of town. We checked e-mail real quick, updated what we could and got directions to Joe’s in San Francisco. We will drive through Yosemite one more time on the way to the west coast. I’m really excited to see Joe and hopefully fall in love with the city! I haven’t been with reception on my phone for more or less the last week, so my apologies!
We got to San Francisco around 6PM and it only took an hour of getting lost and finding parking to finally arrive at Joe's. I'm horrible at parallel parking, so that was another fun challenge of the evening that ended uneventfully. After celebratory greetings we headed around the corner to a delicious burrito place (I don't even care for Mexican much, but this was good!) and hung out chatting with another of his roommates. I'm so looking forward to a bed; again, its the little things.
Pictures are up - videos soon, precious!
We got to San Francisco around 6PM and it only took an hour of getting lost and finding parking to finally arrive at Joe's. I'm horrible at parallel parking, so that was another fun challenge of the evening that ended uneventfully. After celebratory greetings we headed around the corner to a delicious burrito place (I don't even care for Mexican much, but this was good!) and hung out chatting with another of his roommates. I'm so looking forward to a bed; again, its the little things.
Pictures are up - videos soon, precious!
Yosemite NP
08/21/09 -
We drove into Yosemite from the east and drove down Tioga Road to Tuolumne Meadows. We first hiked up Lembert Dome, which was a little difficult but entirely rewarding. The view was great. From there we hiked to Elizabeth Lake. At one point we deviated from the actual trail and found ourselves along a river and I took advantage of a pool of water along the way. Nothai didn’t, but we found another a bit down the path that he jumped in, along with a bunch of others. Elizabeth Lake was also beautiful. I got pretty sunburned today, although I put sun block on my face I thought I wouldn’t burn because I am already so tanned. Bad theory, clearly!
08/22/09 -
We started today driving into the north Hetch Hetchy area that is supposed to have several waterfalls. This is were we learned that the waterfalls that Yosemite is so known for generally only flow in the spring when snow is still melting and by June have usually run dry. On our visit, everything was dry. The falls were a bust, so we headed down to the Glacier Point area and hiked Taft point and Sentinal Dome. It started raining along the way, but the views here were amazing as well. This was a great way to see down into the Valley.
08/23/09 -
We headed to Mariposa Grove where we saw the giant sequoias. This was incredible - trees bigger than some houses! We were able to get a ranger lead tour so we got a lot of information about these interesting trees. We hiked further into the grove and got lots of great pictures. We decided to drive through the valley even though we were certain it would be bad. The main attraction of the valley is that is where all the waterfalls come down and join the river. The river was even almost all dried up. We headed out of Yosemite to the east again so we could do errands in the morning.
We drove into Yosemite from the east and drove down Tioga Road to Tuolumne Meadows. We first hiked up Lembert Dome, which was a little difficult but entirely rewarding. The view was great. From there we hiked to Elizabeth Lake. At one point we deviated from the actual trail and found ourselves along a river and I took advantage of a pool of water along the way. Nothai didn’t, but we found another a bit down the path that he jumped in, along with a bunch of others. Elizabeth Lake was also beautiful. I got pretty sunburned today, although I put sun block on my face I thought I wouldn’t burn because I am already so tanned. Bad theory, clearly!
08/22/09 -
We started today driving into the north Hetch Hetchy area that is supposed to have several waterfalls. This is were we learned that the waterfalls that Yosemite is so known for generally only flow in the spring when snow is still melting and by June have usually run dry. On our visit, everything was dry. The falls were a bust, so we headed down to the Glacier Point area and hiked Taft point and Sentinal Dome. It started raining along the way, but the views here were amazing as well. This was a great way to see down into the Valley.
08/23/09 -
We headed to Mariposa Grove where we saw the giant sequoias. This was incredible - trees bigger than some houses! We were able to get a ranger lead tour so we got a lot of information about these interesting trees. We hiked further into the grove and got lots of great pictures. We decided to drive through the valley even though we were certain it would be bad. The main attraction of the valley is that is where all the waterfalls come down and join the river. The river was even almost all dried up. We headed out of Yosemite to the east again so we could do errands in the morning.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Grand Canyon NP & Vegas Again!
9 PM Is there something about Las Vegas that keeps calling you back? I just washed off the dirt from my grubby body in my 4 Queens hotel room and am waiting for Nothai to finish his washing ritual so we can head down where I can see the Freemont Experience street lights through my window as I type. This wasn’t a part of the plan! Sure, maybe a drive through to show him the strip, but then there I was actually getting a bit excited to be back in a city I thought once would be enough.
1AM We don’t appreciate the small things nearly enough, like a comfy bed and a hot shower, or crappy Chinese food takeout at 11:30 PM when in our home town everything would be closed! I was in Vegas last a few months ago and so was my step father, Neil. I later found out that my friend Jeff had also been in town too. I sent Jeff a text message as Nothai and I headed for dinner and guess what! Jeff was here and we met for a drink - what a small funny great world!
Earlier -
We went and explored the north rim of the Grand Canyon. We went to all the viewpoints and went hiking a bit too. It was great weather and a beautiful day, although pretty hot and dry of course. A wildfire had started with lightening late July that was still burning a bit and the smoke is visible. There were a lot of elderly folks running around the easy views that got me thinking about the time and money I’m spending right now. Maybe I’m financing a lot with credit cards and putting myself back a bit, but I’m so glad I am. I don’t want to wait to see the world until I’m older and then can’t fully experience it the way I want. An couple in their late 50's or early 60's maybe asked us as we were returning from an outlook how far it was and how difficult. After explaining it was maybe a quarter mile and not too bad they opted to skip it because we were out of breath. Yeah, it is nearly 10,000 feet up! On the other hand, I want to look forward to physical vacations when I’m that age too! We were finished running around a lot earlier than expected. Honestly, that is one of the great parts about traveling with Nothai-we both waste little time and go for the heart of the experience.
We debated driving to the south rim as well just to be sure we didn’t miss anything good, but after talking to a local she said that the north was not only better, but the south is a bit disappointing after starting on the north not only with the views but also the south is so heavily visited you have to fight against the crowd too. The south rim would put us out several hundred miles, no thank you - we got it! We saw an advertisement on the way for a hotel right over the Nevada border for $24.99! After stopping at the information center I found a phone number for a hotel service that found a room at the 4 Queens for $25-DONE! Lastly, driving through the Arizona mountains was surprisingly beautiful! Nothai jokingly asked if we were back in Zion because the mountains were so huge!
1AM We don’t appreciate the small things nearly enough, like a comfy bed and a hot shower, or crappy Chinese food takeout at 11:30 PM when in our home town everything would be closed! I was in Vegas last a few months ago and so was my step father, Neil. I later found out that my friend Jeff had also been in town too. I sent Jeff a text message as Nothai and I headed for dinner and guess what! Jeff was here and we met for a drink - what a small funny great world!
Earlier -
We went and explored the north rim of the Grand Canyon. We went to all the viewpoints and went hiking a bit too. It was great weather and a beautiful day, although pretty hot and dry of course. A wildfire had started with lightening late July that was still burning a bit and the smoke is visible. There were a lot of elderly folks running around the easy views that got me thinking about the time and money I’m spending right now. Maybe I’m financing a lot with credit cards and putting myself back a bit, but I’m so glad I am. I don’t want to wait to see the world until I’m older and then can’t fully experience it the way I want. An couple in their late 50's or early 60's maybe asked us as we were returning from an outlook how far it was and how difficult. After explaining it was maybe a quarter mile and not too bad they opted to skip it because we were out of breath. Yeah, it is nearly 10,000 feet up! On the other hand, I want to look forward to physical vacations when I’m that age too! We were finished running around a lot earlier than expected. Honestly, that is one of the great parts about traveling with Nothai-we both waste little time and go for the heart of the experience.
We debated driving to the south rim as well just to be sure we didn’t miss anything good, but after talking to a local she said that the north was not only better, but the south is a bit disappointing after starting on the north not only with the views but also the south is so heavily visited you have to fight against the crowd too. The south rim would put us out several hundred miles, no thank you - we got it! We saw an advertisement on the way for a hotel right over the Nevada border for $24.99! After stopping at the information center I found a phone number for a hotel service that found a room at the 4 Queens for $25-DONE! Lastly, driving through the Arizona mountains was surprisingly beautiful! Nothai jokingly asked if we were back in Zion because the mountains were so huge!
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Bryce Canyon & Zion NP
Happy Birthday Brett!
Bryce Canyon & Zion - hiking in Bryce was much better than Zion, but understandable because going down into the canyon of giant rocks there isn’t much to see in the way of gorgeous landscapes. I have more to write about this, but later when I can update properly in a few days....
Bryce Canyon & Zion - hiking in Bryce was much better than Zion, but understandable because going down into the canyon of giant rocks there isn’t much to see in the way of gorgeous landscapes. I have more to write about this, but later when I can update properly in a few days....
Monday, August 17, 2009
Leaving CO-Arches NP
We packed up and said goodbye to my Dad, Michelle and Madison and got back on the road before noon. The drive through Colorado was incredible. The mountains change colors, shape and feel several times. I couldn’t stop taking pictures and video to capture what I was seeing. Pictures never do the real thing justice though. And the other thing I can’t capture was oh man was it hot! When we started going south boy was it hot and dry. The temperature of course dropped at night so much that we were actually chilly in the car and had to cover up. We decided not to stop at Canyonland national park. From the pictures online and in the brochures it didn’t look like anything we weren’t already seeing or would see on a much larger scale. We have a lot of national parks to hit, so this one didn’t make the final cut. We instead went to it’s neighbor, Arches national park. This was great. Again, I have a weakness for red rocks and sand. We were there for the sunset which made the colors that much more outstanding.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Denver & Rocky Mtn NP
Yesterday we went down to Denver and again did the Banjo Billy’s bus tour. I have to say that again, I really like the whole concept of this. The tour guide reminded me of Louis, but with lighter hair. He told us a little about a lot. Nothai and I also went to the state capitol building and poked around in there, including a trip up to the top of the gold dome. We walked down 16th street, as I imagine every tourist feels compelled to do. I was shocked that the buses run up and down the street over such a short distance. Why can’t we expected to walk just a little? Walking around I was hit with deja vu, but this had really happened years ago! I was walking here with my friends Jeremie and Shannon. It was night time and we probably shouldn’t have been running around in the parks, but we were. On 16th street there was a big black guy who was yelling for the cops because he’d been stabbed and robbed. I had forgotten all about that. No, crime isn’t the norm in Denver, but at night the homeless are active like in any big city.
Today we drove to Rocky Mountain National Park and bought our America the Beautiful Pass which for $80 gives you entrance too all national parks. Most are $20 per vehicle admission, so after 5 parks the pass will pay for itself. We expect to go to well over this. Anyway, we head straight to Bear Lake. I was here once before when I was younger and had just flown to visit my dad from Chicago and wasn’t used to the altitude. I made it as far as the parking lot and felt sick so my dad had to take me back down. Bear Lake is just under 10,000 feet. I never even made it to the lake the fist time.
This time Nothai and I were at the lake when it started to hail. We could see dark clouds above rolling toward us. It turned to rain and kept raining for about 15 minutes until we saw blue sky coming. The rain hadn’t stopped completely, but we headed up in our rain gear. It was maybe 15 minutes later we already had stripped back down and the sun was back out. Welcome to mountain weather! There was only one moment that my mouth started salivating and my jaw clenched like I might be sick, but I pushed on and it passed. Nothai reported a similar story at one of our stops up the mountain. I stopped a lot to catch my breath. The hardest part for me was breathing most of the way. Nothai was having energy depletion issues too. On the way up more dark stormy clouds passed us on the right and left at one point (we thought we were gonna luck out), but then got a full face of hail about an hour later. It wasn’t that bad, but we did put our rain gear back on and get shelter under a rock for a moment while it passed. I was mostly concerned with lightening, which we could see in other storm areas passing us. Up at the top we were both dragging, but we made it. The view was fantastic atop Flatrock Mountain. It is supposed to be one of the most challenging but rewarding hikes in the park. My only disappointment was that when we were at the top looking over the continental divide there was still a lot of clouds (at 12,324 feet you might expect that)! We saw a lot of critters (marmots and pikas) running around the mountains, but no bighorn sheep, deer or bears. It was a long and satisfying day. The family returned from their trip tonight. Nothai and I will be heading out early Monday morning toward the Grand Canyon and other surrounding national parks. I likely won’t be able to update until we stop in San Francisco! In the meantime, all pictures and video's are uploaded - Enjoy!
Today we drove to Rocky Mountain National Park and bought our America the Beautiful Pass which for $80 gives you entrance too all national parks. Most are $20 per vehicle admission, so after 5 parks the pass will pay for itself. We expect to go to well over this. Anyway, we head straight to Bear Lake. I was here once before when I was younger and had just flown to visit my dad from Chicago and wasn’t used to the altitude. I made it as far as the parking lot and felt sick so my dad had to take me back down. Bear Lake is just under 10,000 feet. I never even made it to the lake the fist time.
This time Nothai and I were at the lake when it started to hail. We could see dark clouds above rolling toward us. It turned to rain and kept raining for about 15 minutes until we saw blue sky coming. The rain hadn’t stopped completely, but we headed up in our rain gear. It was maybe 15 minutes later we already had stripped back down and the sun was back out. Welcome to mountain weather! There was only one moment that my mouth started salivating and my jaw clenched like I might be sick, but I pushed on and it passed. Nothai reported a similar story at one of our stops up the mountain. I stopped a lot to catch my breath. The hardest part for me was breathing most of the way. Nothai was having energy depletion issues too. On the way up more dark stormy clouds passed us on the right and left at one point (we thought we were gonna luck out), but then got a full face of hail about an hour later. It wasn’t that bad, but we did put our rain gear back on and get shelter under a rock for a moment while it passed. I was mostly concerned with lightening, which we could see in other storm areas passing us. Up at the top we were both dragging, but we made it. The view was fantastic atop Flatrock Mountain. It is supposed to be one of the most challenging but rewarding hikes in the park. My only disappointment was that when we were at the top looking over the continental divide there was still a lot of clouds (at 12,324 feet you might expect that)! We saw a lot of critters (marmots and pikas) running around the mountains, but no bighorn sheep, deer or bears. It was a long and satisfying day. The family returned from their trip tonight. Nothai and I will be heading out early Monday morning toward the Grand Canyon and other surrounding national parks. I likely won’t be able to update until we stop in San Francisco! In the meantime, all pictures and video's are uploaded - Enjoy!
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Littleton & Boulder
Yesterday we did a walking tour around downtown historic Littleton. Most of the buildings were constructed late 1800's and very early 1900's. I'm not a big architecture person, but some of it was interesting. Some of it was silly as they explain in the brochure all the changes and refurbishing that the buildings have had (most are now restaurants or little shops of some kind). This left me thinking "here is the framework of a very old building that looks nothing like it did, but it used to be a jailhouse back in the day if you can imagine it."
And then today we drove up to Boulder and rode on Banjo Billy's bus that gives a historical tour including ghost stories and crime. How can you not love that! The inside of the bus is comfy with upholstered furniture instead of bus seats and draped fabric in wild colors hanging from the ceiling. The tour was good and we scored $5 off tickets our tour tomorrow of Denver. We walked down the famed Pearl street and then headed off into the mountains to drive around a bit, to Nederland. We again speculated on if we would enjoy living up there. We both agreed that we could, if we were independently wealthy and didn't need to work. I would do crafting things all day, like sewing, candle making, jewelry making, and even take up new arts like painting and stained glass making. Who wants to finance my creative exploration?! :) Yeah, one day!
And then today we drove up to Boulder and rode on Banjo Billy's bus that gives a historical tour including ghost stories and crime. How can you not love that! The inside of the bus is comfy with upholstered furniture instead of bus seats and draped fabric in wild colors hanging from the ceiling. The tour was good and we scored $5 off tickets our tour tomorrow of Denver. We walked down the famed Pearl street and then headed off into the mountains to drive around a bit, to Nederland. We again speculated on if we would enjoy living up there. We both agreed that we could, if we were independently wealthy and didn't need to work. I would do crafting things all day, like sewing, candle making, jewelry making, and even take up new arts like painting and stained glass making. Who wants to finance my creative exploration?! :) Yeah, one day!
Sunday, August 9, 2009
The Lariat Loop, CO
Yesterday was a day of relaxation, laundry, charging electronics and updating photos and blog for Nothai and I. Other than that, there was some dinner and the watching fo Valkerie (I liked it very much).
Today was a bit more exciting. We decided to drive the Lariet scenic loop drive. We started by stopping at Dinosour Ridge and I was disappointed to find out that you can't drive the ridge anymore. You have to either walk the 2 mile loop or pay to ride in a tour bus around and they tell you stuff that I'm sure is interesting. We planned already to hike through Red Rocks so we decided to skip the ridge. I've done it before and Nothai wasn't that excited about it. Red Rocks is what it is every time I go - AMAZINGLY WONDERFUL!!! We got there right on time before they closed the amplitheatre for the concert that night. We hiked the one mile-ish loop that is the perfect challenge and length for a nice walk leaving you a bit sweaty, thirsty and ready to get back in the car! We continued on the loop through Morrison and Evergreen, little mountain towns and talked about how it might be to live there.
We stopped to view a herd a buffalo then continued on to Buffalo Bill's grave and a beautiful lookout of both the city, including Denver in the distance, and the mountains next to it. This was a great spot that I don't remember having ever been to before. It was a good day of spectacular views. I enjoyed showing off 'My Colorado'!
Today was a bit more exciting. We decided to drive the Lariet scenic loop drive. We started by stopping at Dinosour Ridge and I was disappointed to find out that you can't drive the ridge anymore. You have to either walk the 2 mile loop or pay to ride in a tour bus around and they tell you stuff that I'm sure is interesting. We planned already to hike through Red Rocks so we decided to skip the ridge. I've done it before and Nothai wasn't that excited about it. Red Rocks is what it is every time I go - AMAZINGLY WONDERFUL!!! We got there right on time before they closed the amplitheatre for the concert that night. We hiked the one mile-ish loop that is the perfect challenge and length for a nice walk leaving you a bit sweaty, thirsty and ready to get back in the car! We continued on the loop through Morrison and Evergreen, little mountain towns and talked about how it might be to live there.
We stopped to view a herd a buffalo then continued on to Buffalo Bill's grave and a beautiful lookout of both the city, including Denver in the distance, and the mountains next to it. This was a great spot that I don't remember having ever been to before. It was a good day of spectacular views. I enjoyed showing off 'My Colorado'!
Friday, August 7, 2009
Route 66
My computer got infected with something really nasty that changed my wallpaper and wouldn't let me open any applications until I went to the 'Windows website' to register and remove the virus. So, instead I helped JGIB clean his room and he fixed my computer. I headed to Michigan Sunday and stayed at Anne's house when I arrived around 3 AM. After some sleep I stopped over at John and Alison's to pick up the 4 Roadtrip books I'd ordered from Ebay. Three had arrived and the forth got there as we were chatting in the day's mail - how perfect! Again, I have that 'rightness' feeling, like everything is working out in the way it should. I headed over to Dana's to pick up Nothai and begin the next adventure of driving Route 66 to my Dad's house in Colorado. Well, to Santa Fe and then north to Littleton.
August 3rd - Happy Birthday Alison and Jack Borchert!
Nothai and I head out from Michigan. We decided to skip the actual beginning of Route 66, which starts in Chicago since we'd just been there. We start our journey in Joliet, a little southwest of Chicago. We got there about 5 PM and drive by the prison, then take our first and only 'Route 66 sign' picture. We also stopped at the first Dairy Queen which was the first of many disappointments. For some reason, they decided to add plastic Blues Brothers to the top of the dairy queen, which doesn't clearly indicate that it is the first Dairy Queen. I'm not sure why anyone thought that this would be appropriate, but it began the first of many cheesy tourist stops. Also, it is a bit difficult to plan things out well because business attractions have operating hours to consider, or more so limit you on stopping or not. For instance, if there are many things to do in a certain area but you arrive at 5PM your choice is to pass them up or call it a day. We were on a little bit of a time line, needing to get to my dad's by a certain day, so we didn't stop until at least 10 PM usually, even if that meant skipping some neat things. In retrospect, they probably weren't that neat anyway. Yeah, I really decided Route 66 is a bust!
August 4th -
We stopped at a rest area just before Springfield for the night (thought about it, but too late to call Windmill!). This was our worst rest area experience; the car area was in front instead of the rear of the building so the noise from semi's passing was terrible. Also, it was very muggy and buggy outside. Windows had to be rolled down and the mosquitoes were happy about our unfortunate situation. It was so hot and sticky my everything was sweating just laying in the car not moving. After calling off the sleep attempt around 6 AM we drove into Springfield. We had to wait a few hours though until the Lincoln house opened, so we went to Walmart to get food supplies for the cooler. We got trapped in Walmart for about 30 minutes because of an enormously powerful storm outside. I thought we might be in for a tornado treat. I'm not joking or exaggerating.
We went to President Abraham Lincoln's home, grave, giant statue, and Cozy Dogs for corn dogs on the way out of town. We stopped in Collinsville, IL to see the world's largest ketchup bottle (these things actually made the trip worth it!) We stopped just short of St. Louis Missouri for the night and got a little better night's sleep.
August 5th -
We headed into St. Louis to find Samuel Cupples House, located on University grounds. St. Louis University is one of the most beautiful campuses I've seen. We were intrigues with the Masonic Temple for a bit and exchanged ideas about the probability of them being for good or evil before heading out of town to see a rock painted like a frog in I forget what small town. We drove on what the author of my guidebook described as his favorite stretch of Route 66 because of the ghost towns it passed, including Albatross, Phelps, and Carthage. Ghost towns? No, it is just out in the sticks and there are just a few businesses and people living there. Different ideas of ghost town I guess. I told Nothai I'll show him better ghost towns with better ghost town history in Colorado when we get there. We made it into Oklahoma and learned strange interstate history. First, their tolls are pretty confusing, paying an amount ahead of time which is good until a certain point. This makes getting pulling off for gas frustrating if you don't know ahead of time how the system works. Also, there is/was a problem with truckers stopping at rest areas for the night and attracting solicitors, increasing crime...and so sleeping isn't allowed anymore. This was news to us and I finally stopped and got the story from a lady working overnight at a gas station. Seeing my desperation, she said we could pull around the side of the building and get some rest there. This was a great night with no noise and great rest.
August 6th -
Disgusted with everything Oklahoma, we fled into Texas and stopped at the visitor center just past the border. This was one of the nicest visitor's centers I've seen, although it didn't have any tourist information available. The view was great, although I could feel the furnace heat starting to melt my flesh while driving. We stopped to see the Bug Ranch and the Cadillac Ranch; I preferred the Cadillac in Amarillo. We decided to take a side road, 104 west to Las Vegas, NM from Tucamcari, NM instead of continuing along the interstate. This was a great decision and brought us to my favorite part of the trip - red rocks! I love red rocks and sand - it really gets me. I wasn't expecting to see any yet and was taken by the beauty of this stretch at sunset. We stopped through Las Vegas, New Mexico and tried to find a cheap motel for the night. No luck so we kept on and stopped at the next rest area we found for the night.
August 7th -
We started heading north to Colorado today after getting decent sleep. As the landscape got less and less flat today I could feel the anticipation rising in me to see the mountains. We stopped to visit Capulin volcano, a dormant volcano. We chatted with some motorcyclist that was returning from Stergis and said it was starting to get crazy and stinky there so they (three of them) decided to start wandering around. I could dig that lifestyle if it weren't so dangerous I think. We dodged isolated thunderstorms on the way north to my dad's house and arrived 3 minutes late for dinner at 6:33 PM. It is great to see the family, eat good food, shower and sleep in a bed!
August 8th -
My little sister Madison took Nothai and I to Waterton Canyon where she had summer workshops on survival, mud mucking, and scrap booking. It was a nice relaxing day for us to gently trod around and spend some time with my sister before they head out to California on vacation. Nothai and I are looking forward to doing laundry, relaxing and coming up with a game plan for the rest of the week and for when we head out of the state when Dad returns.
Just wanted to mention real quick also that I sorted my pictures into separate albums in Picasa and all pictures are updated!
August 3rd - Happy Birthday Alison and Jack Borchert!
Nothai and I head out from Michigan. We decided to skip the actual beginning of Route 66, which starts in Chicago since we'd just been there. We start our journey in Joliet, a little southwest of Chicago. We got there about 5 PM and drive by the prison, then take our first and only 'Route 66 sign' picture. We also stopped at the first Dairy Queen which was the first of many disappointments. For some reason, they decided to add plastic Blues Brothers to the top of the dairy queen, which doesn't clearly indicate that it is the first Dairy Queen. I'm not sure why anyone thought that this would be appropriate, but it began the first of many cheesy tourist stops. Also, it is a bit difficult to plan things out well because business attractions have operating hours to consider, or more so limit you on stopping or not. For instance, if there are many things to do in a certain area but you arrive at 5PM your choice is to pass them up or call it a day. We were on a little bit of a time line, needing to get to my dad's by a certain day, so we didn't stop until at least 10 PM usually, even if that meant skipping some neat things. In retrospect, they probably weren't that neat anyway. Yeah, I really decided Route 66 is a bust!
August 4th -
We stopped at a rest area just before Springfield for the night (thought about it, but too late to call Windmill!). This was our worst rest area experience; the car area was in front instead of the rear of the building so the noise from semi's passing was terrible. Also, it was very muggy and buggy outside. Windows had to be rolled down and the mosquitoes were happy about our unfortunate situation. It was so hot and sticky my everything was sweating just laying in the car not moving. After calling off the sleep attempt around 6 AM we drove into Springfield. We had to wait a few hours though until the Lincoln house opened, so we went to Walmart to get food supplies for the cooler. We got trapped in Walmart for about 30 minutes because of an enormously powerful storm outside. I thought we might be in for a tornado treat. I'm not joking or exaggerating.
We went to President Abraham Lincoln's home, grave, giant statue, and Cozy Dogs for corn dogs on the way out of town. We stopped in Collinsville, IL to see the world's largest ketchup bottle (these things actually made the trip worth it!) We stopped just short of St. Louis Missouri for the night and got a little better night's sleep.
August 5th -
We headed into St. Louis to find Samuel Cupples House, located on University grounds. St. Louis University is one of the most beautiful campuses I've seen. We were intrigues with the Masonic Temple for a bit and exchanged ideas about the probability of them being for good or evil before heading out of town to see a rock painted like a frog in I forget what small town. We drove on what the author of my guidebook described as his favorite stretch of Route 66 because of the ghost towns it passed, including Albatross, Phelps, and Carthage. Ghost towns? No, it is just out in the sticks and there are just a few businesses and people living there. Different ideas of ghost town I guess. I told Nothai I'll show him better ghost towns with better ghost town history in Colorado when we get there. We made it into Oklahoma and learned strange interstate history. First, their tolls are pretty confusing, paying an amount ahead of time which is good until a certain point. This makes getting pulling off for gas frustrating if you don't know ahead of time how the system works. Also, there is/was a problem with truckers stopping at rest areas for the night and attracting solicitors, increasing crime...and so sleeping isn't allowed anymore. This was news to us and I finally stopped and got the story from a lady working overnight at a gas station. Seeing my desperation, she said we could pull around the side of the building and get some rest there. This was a great night with no noise and great rest.
August 6th -
Disgusted with everything Oklahoma, we fled into Texas and stopped at the visitor center just past the border. This was one of the nicest visitor's centers I've seen, although it didn't have any tourist information available. The view was great, although I could feel the furnace heat starting to melt my flesh while driving. We stopped to see the Bug Ranch and the Cadillac Ranch; I preferred the Cadillac in Amarillo. We decided to take a side road, 104 west to Las Vegas, NM from Tucamcari, NM instead of continuing along the interstate. This was a great decision and brought us to my favorite part of the trip - red rocks! I love red rocks and sand - it really gets me. I wasn't expecting to see any yet and was taken by the beauty of this stretch at sunset. We stopped through Las Vegas, New Mexico and tried to find a cheap motel for the night. No luck so we kept on and stopped at the next rest area we found for the night.
August 7th -
We started heading north to Colorado today after getting decent sleep. As the landscape got less and less flat today I could feel the anticipation rising in me to see the mountains. We stopped to visit Capulin volcano, a dormant volcano. We chatted with some motorcyclist that was returning from Stergis and said it was starting to get crazy and stinky there so they (three of them) decided to start wandering around. I could dig that lifestyle if it weren't so dangerous I think. We dodged isolated thunderstorms on the way north to my dad's house and arrived 3 minutes late for dinner at 6:33 PM. It is great to see the family, eat good food, shower and sleep in a bed!
August 8th -
My little sister Madison took Nothai and I to Waterton Canyon where she had summer workshops on survival, mud mucking, and scrap booking. It was a nice relaxing day for us to gently trod around and spend some time with my sister before they head out to California on vacation. Nothai and I are looking forward to doing laundry, relaxing and coming up with a game plan for the rest of the week and for when we head out of the state when Dad returns.
Just wanted to mention real quick also that I sorted my pictures into separate albums in Picasa and all pictures are updated!
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Isle Royale
I just got back to Chicago to drop JGIB off at his house and will recount the wonderful trip that was Isle Royale. First let me start by saying that the trip was 100% worth the ferry ride, the biggest reason some folks don't end up going. Pricey, maybe ($60 each way), but it is an ISLAND man! An island with wolves and moose to boot!
July 24th -
As you saw with my last entry, Jeff and I left his house around 1AM and made it to the ferry at 8:15 AM - precisely the time we needed to be there. If any road hazards had been fallen upon we would have missed it! I had to stop at one point and get a 5 hour energy shot - man those things work! I slept for maybe 2 hours on the ferry, and we had some coffee and a donut while making an itinerary from the map Jeff purchased at the information center. Jeff made bold plans of walking high mileage days, including a 7 something mile day to the first camp when we got off the ferry. I nodded and knew that the plan would change quickly once the feet were walking the actual miles! The ferry was six hours and we both struggled to play Scrabble with our sleep deprived minds. When we got to Rock Harbor and got our packs we headed out after only 45 minutes of futzing around. We went a total of 3 miles to the first camp before deciding it would take too long to get the second camp before dark. We checked out a neat cave along the way, Suzie's Cave, where we also found Jeff a wood walking stick. Not too long after returning back to the path did Jeff announce he'd forgotten the stick and I went back for it. It takes a bit to get your balance and walking feet. Jeff had never backpacked a day in his life yet and was slow going, watching his steps carefully but clumsily going along. Sometimes you don't see how far you've come until it is in comparison to the beginning. Before hiking and in the beginning, I was very clumsy, sort of bumbling along and tripping over the smallest rocks and roots. I didn't realize I'd become a lot more nimble and graceful. Now I'm not bragging at all here - I said I've become MORE nimble and graceful, but that doesn't mean that I am those at all. I'm still quite clumsy, I just found a little balance along the way maybe!
July 25th -
Slept great after being so tired and got a pretty late start. The new lightweight sleeping bag is working great. It rained at night but I stayed warm and dry. It took a really long time to get packed and ready in the morning. That is another thing - a system. I have my system of unpacking, setting up, cleaning, cooking, packing, etc. I didn't realize that with time these systems become more efficient. Jeff doesn't yet have a system and is still learning how his gear even works, so everything takes forever. Luckily I enjoy lazy backpacking and this just afforded me more R&R time while Jeff was messing with his stuff and making his own routine. I forgot about that awkward phase. We found old mining pits and while we were investigating them I got stung by a bee. I'd never been stung before, so Jeff and I watched as my hand started swelling and hoped I wasn't deadly allergic. After a moment contemplating the possibility of the bee being Africanized, we continued on to Daisy Farm and had lunch. We settled later at Moskey Basin (we kept saying Monkey Basin) for the night. It was a great day filled with beautiful flowers and perfect hiking weather.
July 26th -
It rained all night and morning but we got up and ready in nice warm sunshine. It was a hot sweaty day, leaving me wanting to jump in the water. Oh, and it is my birthday! As we walked, I thought there were crickets jumping away, but upon closer inspection - baby frogs! It reminded me of a time driving in Missouri where there were frogs everywhere on the road and there was nothing that could be done but forge along. The mosquitoes also were out in force and out for blood (pun intended). There were crickets too and slugs on everything. This is a great way to hike; relaxing but still challenging. At camp I got water and bathed a little, using a bandanna for my face and body. I was sitting making diner and went to wipe a stick or something off my ankle - and it wouldn't come off! I got LEACHED! One match later it was removed and revenge exacted. Jeff's sunscreen exploded in his pants pocket, a squirrel tried to steal our everything bagel, and a jackrabbit ran up and smacked Jeff's tent for invading his space. My hand was incredibly swollen from either the bee sting or the 10 mosquito bites. I took a Benedryl and hoped for the best. Looking back, we should have stopped at amazing Lake Riche for a break and swim. Jeff didn't drink enough water today and was a bit dehydrated at the end of the day, leaving him quite tired, hungry and a bit lackluster. Instead we kept going to West Chickenbone (5.7 miles total for the day) and stopped for the night. The sky was crystal clear and we both slept with the rain fly off. It was great to look up at the stars in the middle of the night. It is great to hike this way. I'm relaxed and going at a slow pace that is letting me observe and appreciate nature around me in a different way. This was the best night.
July 27th -
Today was a very long day. We got up early, but it still takes on average 2 hours to cook, pack and be ready to go. It was an easy 2 miles to McCargoe Bay where we changed into swim clothes, got water and attempted to swim. Lake Superior is so cold (later we found out about 50 degrees), that wasn't possible. I got to my knees and then squatted down into the water. Jeff lost his flip flop in a panicked attempt to not fall into the icy water. We were invited by some other hikers to their bonfire and fish cooking they were planning on later that night, but explained we were only there for lunch. Jeff left a trace at this camp site when his Ramen package flew away from the table as we had lunch. We headed past East Chickenbone and around that time it started to pour! We didn't put rain gear on and got soaked. This became the most challenging and most beautiful day. The views along the ridge line were amazing and the terrain was more like the AT, with mountain ascents and difficult climbs. The mosquitoes were especially brutal after the rain, especially where we were walking in chest high foliage. We got to Daisy Farm about 8 PM and had the most perfect chicken noodle soup ending to our day. Jeff developed an interesting assortment of blisters during the day.
July 28th -
Jeff hit his head twice this morning before even leaving the shelter we stayed in. It was great to get into a building and hang our everything up to dry. Of course, not everything dried and I put on damp socks and pants. As we were eating breakfast we heard yelling and then a call for help. We starting running toward the voice (you never know what kind of help is needed or if you can, but try you must!) and found a women yelling that a man had fallen out of his boat. Sure enough, there was a man in a life vest in the middle of the lake splashing around in the freezing water about ten feet behind his motor boat. This was about 200 feet from shore and although I'm a strong swimmer, I knew jumping in that water would only further add to the emergency. Another hiker and his daughter ran up at the same time and he continued running down the dock past me and jumped into the ranger's boat. I had been running with him and untied the boat for him as he started the motor. Right as he was pulling away two rangers ran up and jumped in last minute. What a response time! Well, two other boats made it out there also and he was rescued so we headed back to finish packing up. We had a wonderful lunch at a beautiful spot at 3 mile camp site and then made it back to Rock Harbor right before it started raining. I bought some Isle Royale clothes and ice cream at the gift shop, then we headed to the lodge cafe for some veggie burgers and fries. This was a nice surprise. We took showers and talked all night about ghosts and other odd occurrences.
July 29th -
We woke up and headed to the ferry, Ranger III. We talked to other backpackers that we'd met on the ferry ride arriving and along the way and recounted our experiences for each other. Most other people had sighted moose! That is the one thing missing from our trip - oh well, next time. Mike, a big guy from Michigan told us the story of how he fell out of his rented boat the day before! We were like, "That was YOU!?" We got his story about how wind hit the front of the boat on a wave and flipped him out. We played Yahtzee and Monopoly on the way home, but I was having trouble concentrating because the waves were pretty high and I was getting queasy looking down. We drove to my grandma and grandpa's cabin a few hours south to stay for a few days to rest and I thoroughly cleaned all my equipment.
Isle Royale was a great time and I'd like to go again. I want to go kayaking next time and start at the other end of the island. Pictures are posted on Picasa, so enjoy!
July 24th -
As you saw with my last entry, Jeff and I left his house around 1AM and made it to the ferry at 8:15 AM - precisely the time we needed to be there. If any road hazards had been fallen upon we would have missed it! I had to stop at one point and get a 5 hour energy shot - man those things work! I slept for maybe 2 hours on the ferry, and we had some coffee and a donut while making an itinerary from the map Jeff purchased at the information center. Jeff made bold plans of walking high mileage days, including a 7 something mile day to the first camp when we got off the ferry. I nodded and knew that the plan would change quickly once the feet were walking the actual miles! The ferry was six hours and we both struggled to play Scrabble with our sleep deprived minds. When we got to Rock Harbor and got our packs we headed out after only 45 minutes of futzing around. We went a total of 3 miles to the first camp before deciding it would take too long to get the second camp before dark. We checked out a neat cave along the way, Suzie's Cave, where we also found Jeff a wood walking stick. Not too long after returning back to the path did Jeff announce he'd forgotten the stick and I went back for it. It takes a bit to get your balance and walking feet. Jeff had never backpacked a day in his life yet and was slow going, watching his steps carefully but clumsily going along. Sometimes you don't see how far you've come until it is in comparison to the beginning. Before hiking and in the beginning, I was very clumsy, sort of bumbling along and tripping over the smallest rocks and roots. I didn't realize I'd become a lot more nimble and graceful. Now I'm not bragging at all here - I said I've become MORE nimble and graceful, but that doesn't mean that I am those at all. I'm still quite clumsy, I just found a little balance along the way maybe!
July 25th -
Slept great after being so tired and got a pretty late start. The new lightweight sleeping bag is working great. It rained at night but I stayed warm and dry. It took a really long time to get packed and ready in the morning. That is another thing - a system. I have my system of unpacking, setting up, cleaning, cooking, packing, etc. I didn't realize that with time these systems become more efficient. Jeff doesn't yet have a system and is still learning how his gear even works, so everything takes forever. Luckily I enjoy lazy backpacking and this just afforded me more R&R time while Jeff was messing with his stuff and making his own routine. I forgot about that awkward phase. We found old mining pits and while we were investigating them I got stung by a bee. I'd never been stung before, so Jeff and I watched as my hand started swelling and hoped I wasn't deadly allergic. After a moment contemplating the possibility of the bee being Africanized, we continued on to Daisy Farm and had lunch. We settled later at Moskey Basin (we kept saying Monkey Basin) for the night. It was a great day filled with beautiful flowers and perfect hiking weather.
July 26th -
It rained all night and morning but we got up and ready in nice warm sunshine. It was a hot sweaty day, leaving me wanting to jump in the water. Oh, and it is my birthday! As we walked, I thought there were crickets jumping away, but upon closer inspection - baby frogs! It reminded me of a time driving in Missouri where there were frogs everywhere on the road and there was nothing that could be done but forge along. The mosquitoes also were out in force and out for blood (pun intended). There were crickets too and slugs on everything. This is a great way to hike; relaxing but still challenging. At camp I got water and bathed a little, using a bandanna for my face and body. I was sitting making diner and went to wipe a stick or something off my ankle - and it wouldn't come off! I got LEACHED! One match later it was removed and revenge exacted. Jeff's sunscreen exploded in his pants pocket, a squirrel tried to steal our everything bagel, and a jackrabbit ran up and smacked Jeff's tent for invading his space. My hand was incredibly swollen from either the bee sting or the 10 mosquito bites. I took a Benedryl and hoped for the best. Looking back, we should have stopped at amazing Lake Riche for a break and swim. Jeff didn't drink enough water today and was a bit dehydrated at the end of the day, leaving him quite tired, hungry and a bit lackluster. Instead we kept going to West Chickenbone (5.7 miles total for the day) and stopped for the night. The sky was crystal clear and we both slept with the rain fly off. It was great to look up at the stars in the middle of the night. It is great to hike this way. I'm relaxed and going at a slow pace that is letting me observe and appreciate nature around me in a different way. This was the best night.
July 27th -
Today was a very long day. We got up early, but it still takes on average 2 hours to cook, pack and be ready to go. It was an easy 2 miles to McCargoe Bay where we changed into swim clothes, got water and attempted to swim. Lake Superior is so cold (later we found out about 50 degrees), that wasn't possible. I got to my knees and then squatted down into the water. Jeff lost his flip flop in a panicked attempt to not fall into the icy water. We were invited by some other hikers to their bonfire and fish cooking they were planning on later that night, but explained we were only there for lunch. Jeff left a trace at this camp site when his Ramen package flew away from the table as we had lunch. We headed past East Chickenbone and around that time it started to pour! We didn't put rain gear on and got soaked. This became the most challenging and most beautiful day. The views along the ridge line were amazing and the terrain was more like the AT, with mountain ascents and difficult climbs. The mosquitoes were especially brutal after the rain, especially where we were walking in chest high foliage. We got to Daisy Farm about 8 PM and had the most perfect chicken noodle soup ending to our day. Jeff developed an interesting assortment of blisters during the day.
July 28th -
Jeff hit his head twice this morning before even leaving the shelter we stayed in. It was great to get into a building and hang our everything up to dry. Of course, not everything dried and I put on damp socks and pants. As we were eating breakfast we heard yelling and then a call for help. We starting running toward the voice (you never know what kind of help is needed or if you can, but try you must!) and found a women yelling that a man had fallen out of his boat. Sure enough, there was a man in a life vest in the middle of the lake splashing around in the freezing water about ten feet behind his motor boat. This was about 200 feet from shore and although I'm a strong swimmer, I knew jumping in that water would only further add to the emergency. Another hiker and his daughter ran up at the same time and he continued running down the dock past me and jumped into the ranger's boat. I had been running with him and untied the boat for him as he started the motor. Right as he was pulling away two rangers ran up and jumped in last minute. What a response time! Well, two other boats made it out there also and he was rescued so we headed back to finish packing up. We had a wonderful lunch at a beautiful spot at 3 mile camp site and then made it back to Rock Harbor right before it started raining. I bought some Isle Royale clothes and ice cream at the gift shop, then we headed to the lodge cafe for some veggie burgers and fries. This was a nice surprise. We took showers and talked all night about ghosts and other odd occurrences.
July 29th -
We woke up and headed to the ferry, Ranger III. We talked to other backpackers that we'd met on the ferry ride arriving and along the way and recounted our experiences for each other. Most other people had sighted moose! That is the one thing missing from our trip - oh well, next time. Mike, a big guy from Michigan told us the story of how he fell out of his rented boat the day before! We were like, "That was YOU!?" We got his story about how wind hit the front of the boat on a wave and flipped him out. We played Yahtzee and Monopoly on the way home, but I was having trouble concentrating because the waves were pretty high and I was getting queasy looking down. We drove to my grandma and grandpa's cabin a few hours south to stay for a few days to rest and I thoroughly cleaned all my equipment.
Isle Royale was a great time and I'd like to go again. I want to go kayaking next time and start at the other end of the island. Pictures are posted on Picasa, so enjoy!
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