Hey, Record here.
As you've probably guessed, our road trip is [long] over by now.
However, we still have a ton of pictures and some videos to put up here for you all to enjoy. I am working to put together the remaining footage and I'll be posting some new videos up here in the upcoming week or two.
Thanks for the patience! You all rock!*
Record, out.
*This is not an attempt at flattery. I truly believe anyone who is reading this blog is a pretty awesome person, somewhere deep inside. ;P
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Friday, August 12, 2011
Ferocious Underground Rainbow Death Trout
Yesterday we went to see the Lost Sea, located near Sweetwater, Tennessee. It's the largest underground lake in the United States. The lake was discovered by a young boy in 1905 during a drought. The drought had caused pools in the already well-known system of caves to dry up, revealing a small passageway that led to the lake. By the time the boy was able to show others the lake, it had rained and the passageway was again below water. No one believed the poor kid until decades later when it was rediscovered.
The tour of the caves is a little over an hour long, a culminates in a boat ride across the lake. The lake is lit by underwater lights, so the water is a bright, light blue while the cave ceiling above is mostly dark. They've populated the lake with rainbow trout, which they feed during the tour. It's a little creepy to see a hundred or so trout surround your boat and then go into a feeding frenzy.
Right now, we're in Virginia staying with a friend of Record's. We'll be home around midnight or one tonight, which is hard to believe. Don't stop reading the blog, though, because I'll be posting some more pictures on Saturday.
The tour of the caves is a little over an hour long, a culminates in a boat ride across the lake. The lake is lit by underwater lights, so the water is a bright, light blue while the cave ceiling above is mostly dark. They've populated the lake with rainbow trout, which they feed during the tour. It's a little creepy to see a hundred or so trout surround your boat and then go into a feeding frenzy.
Right now, we're in Virginia staying with a friend of Record's. We'll be home around midnight or one tonight, which is hard to believe. Don't stop reading the blog, though, because I'll be posting some more pictures on Saturday.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Behind The Times
Yes, yes, I'm a little behind, but we've had a busy weekend and a difficult time finding wifi... here's a brief recap/highlight of all the fun stuff we've done recently.
So, after we left Ventura, we drove down to Valley Center, spent the night with my awesome uncle and aunt, Chris and Amy, and then went to lunch with Chris down by the beach at one heck of a restaurant at the end of a *very* long pier. Probably had the best milkshake of my life there. We intended to camp one more night in California, but we ended up driving a little further to see Las Vegas at night. It was kinda cool, but definitely not near as impressive as I thought it'd be for all the hype it gets. It definitely wasn't worth sleeping in the car at a Wal-Mart. The next day we got up and saw the Hoover Dam (which is pretty crazy big, in case you were wondering) and drove to the Grand Canyon, where we camped early. Originally, we'd intended to hike down, camp, and hike back out, but because of technical difficulties and government red tape, we were unable to obtain camping permits for inside the canyon. We then decided to hike the canyon anyways, so we got to bed early and got up even earlier... comparatively. Pictures will follow, but in a nutshell, we did one of the toughest things any of us have ever done. If you've never hiked the Grand Canyon, understand that it's steep, it's very very very hot, and it's a very long hike. I drank the least of all of us, and I had somewhere between 5 and 6 liters. 16 miles round trip, and a mile in elevation change from the rim to the Colorado River... there's a reason they post signs warning people to *not* hike the whole canyon in a day. It was pretty grueling, but I'm glad we did it. After we made it back out, we went to a steakhouse and each ate a ton of steak and fries and potatoes and beans and other manly stuff (we felt pretty ruffy-tuffy.) We ended up copping out and going to another KOA to camp for the showers... unfortunately, it was the second worst night sleep-wise I've had on the trip, because the tent campground location was all gravel. Seriously, who sells a tent lot on gravel? Needless to say, I was not impressed. Their wifi didn't work very well, either.
We headed up to Mesa Verde the next day. We passed a site that claimed, "Dinosaur tracks!" Sure enough, it had recognizable dino tracks... of course, *when* they were made and by *whom* was questionable. It was sort of cool, I guess. We drove past Four Corners, which is a monument that marks the joint corner of Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. We meant to stop, but it was gonna cost more money, so we skipped it... we'd already been in all of those states anyways. :D
Mesa Verde was really cool, but by the time we got there the park was about to close. We managed a few pictures, and that was about it. :( Once again, proper planning for time (or lack thereof) kind of ruined a cool stop. Trouble is, it's too late to fix these now.
All in all, it was a pretty cool weekend... I mean, as far as weekends go. Weekends with two friends. Weekends with two friends on a road trip across America. *shrug* I guess it was ok.
So, after we left Ventura, we drove down to Valley Center, spent the night with my awesome uncle and aunt, Chris and Amy, and then went to lunch with Chris down by the beach at one heck of a restaurant at the end of a *very* long pier. Probably had the best milkshake of my life there. We intended to camp one more night in California, but we ended up driving a little further to see Las Vegas at night. It was kinda cool, but definitely not near as impressive as I thought it'd be for all the hype it gets. It definitely wasn't worth sleeping in the car at a Wal-Mart. The next day we got up and saw the Hoover Dam (which is pretty crazy big, in case you were wondering) and drove to the Grand Canyon, where we camped early. Originally, we'd intended to hike down, camp, and hike back out, but because of technical difficulties and government red tape, we were unable to obtain camping permits for inside the canyon. We then decided to hike the canyon anyways, so we got to bed early and got up even earlier... comparatively. Pictures will follow, but in a nutshell, we did one of the toughest things any of us have ever done. If you've never hiked the Grand Canyon, understand that it's steep, it's very very very hot, and it's a very long hike. I drank the least of all of us, and I had somewhere between 5 and 6 liters. 16 miles round trip, and a mile in elevation change from the rim to the Colorado River... there's a reason they post signs warning people to *not* hike the whole canyon in a day. It was pretty grueling, but I'm glad we did it. After we made it back out, we went to a steakhouse and each ate a ton of steak and fries and potatoes and beans and other manly stuff (we felt pretty ruffy-tuffy.) We ended up copping out and going to another KOA to camp for the showers... unfortunately, it was the second worst night sleep-wise I've had on the trip, because the tent campground location was all gravel. Seriously, who sells a tent lot on gravel? Needless to say, I was not impressed. Their wifi didn't work very well, either.
We headed up to Mesa Verde the next day. We passed a site that claimed, "Dinosaur tracks!" Sure enough, it had recognizable dino tracks... of course, *when* they were made and by *whom* was questionable. It was sort of cool, I guess. We drove past Four Corners, which is a monument that marks the joint corner of Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. We meant to stop, but it was gonna cost more money, so we skipped it... we'd already been in all of those states anyways. :D
Mesa Verde was really cool, but by the time we got there the park was about to close. We managed a few pictures, and that was about it. :( Once again, proper planning for time (or lack thereof) kind of ruined a cool stop. Trouble is, it's too late to fix these now.
All in all, it was a pretty cool weekend... I mean, as far as weekends go. Weekends with two friends. Weekends with two friends on a road trip across America. *shrug* I guess it was ok.
Tulsa
Here we are in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Kind of an odd city. They put a lot of money and effort into the arts and such, but the streets are falling apart. We tried to go to Starbucks for wifi and coffee. We got coffee... the wifi was locked, however, because the only Starbucks in town is on the second floor of a hotel. Now we're sitting in the public library, where it appears they've blocked almost all uploading, so... no pics or videos to share just yet. I'm feeling we're gonna try to find another coffee shop here soon... a whole city without complimentary wifi is a little ridiculous.
Texas was hot, and the whole drive through smelled like oil. There was no getting rid of it, either... windows up, windows down, a/c on... none of it. And nothing was bigger in Texas, either... in fact, half the roads were SMALLER. It was a little odd. We finally found a place to camp around 2 am last night, and we enjoyed every hour of sleep. We've got at least one more all-nighter of driving before this trip is through.
We topped 6000 miles today! And we're still a time zone and almost half a dozen states from home. It's been a lot of driving. I'll never complain about a 2 hour drive to church again.
Let's see... the biggest honking cave I've ever seen is where we went next. Really really huge, and there's no way to describe it. It's seriously ginormous. and was pretty cool in there. (The outside temperature was near 100, the inside temp was mid-high 50's.) It was really damp as well... such a nice change from the heat we've had most of the trip. Although, we've only seen a couple rainstorms, and only one of them actually hit us. This is probably the only time in my life that I've seen rainstorms and watched them miss me by miles... it's incredible how much space there is out here. Really makes me feel like I live in a bubble. There are cities here and there, but you can literally drive for hundreds and hundreds of miles and only see a handful of houses. The concept of just driving a couple minutes for a coffee, gas, food, clothing stores, hardware stores, and ALL OF THEM HAVING BATHROOMS seems foreign out here. I'm gonna miss the wide open spaces. :(
Anyways, we're in Tulsa to see a good friend of ours, and when she gets out of work we're going to grab dinner and have a blast. After that, we only have one more tour stop - the Lost Lake, which to me sounds like something from Jules Verne's Journey to the Center of the Earth. It's an underground cave... with a huge lake in it. But for now, it's off to find a better wifi site so we can upload videos. My name is Hollywood, and I am not making an "I approve this message" joke.
Texas was hot, and the whole drive through smelled like oil. There was no getting rid of it, either... windows up, windows down, a/c on... none of it. And nothing was bigger in Texas, either... in fact, half the roads were SMALLER. It was a little odd. We finally found a place to camp around 2 am last night, and we enjoyed every hour of sleep. We've got at least one more all-nighter of driving before this trip is through.
We topped 6000 miles today! And we're still a time zone and almost half a dozen states from home. It's been a lot of driving. I'll never complain about a 2 hour drive to church again.
Let's see... the biggest honking cave I've ever seen is where we went next. Really really huge, and there's no way to describe it. It's seriously ginormous. and was pretty cool in there. (The outside temperature was near 100, the inside temp was mid-high 50's.) It was really damp as well... such a nice change from the heat we've had most of the trip. Although, we've only seen a couple rainstorms, and only one of them actually hit us. This is probably the only time in my life that I've seen rainstorms and watched them miss me by miles... it's incredible how much space there is out here. Really makes me feel like I live in a bubble. There are cities here and there, but you can literally drive for hundreds and hundreds of miles and only see a handful of houses. The concept of just driving a couple minutes for a coffee, gas, food, clothing stores, hardware stores, and ALL OF THEM HAVING BATHROOMS seems foreign out here. I'm gonna miss the wide open spaces. :(
Anyways, we're in Tulsa to see a good friend of ours, and when she gets out of work we're going to grab dinner and have a blast. After that, we only have one more tour stop - the Lost Lake, which to me sounds like something from Jules Verne's Journey to the Center of the Earth. It's an underground cave... with a huge lake in it. But for now, it's off to find a better wifi site so we can upload videos. My name is Hollywood, and I am not making an "I approve this message" joke.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Photo Recap I
Here's just a tiny sampling of what we've been doing so far. If you really want to get a feel for what this trip has been like, look at each picture and then go for a 10 hour car ride before you look at the next one.
This is Hollywood and I getting ready to surf in Ventura, California.
Hey look, it's a couple of pictures of the Grand Canyon!
These are the cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado.
Here's the entrance to Carlsbad Caverns. Pictures can't do this justice. Think hugely amazing underground cathedral at 56 degrees Fahrenheit and 90% humidity and you might get the idea.
After I get home I'll post a lot more pictures. Metric out.
The Grand Canyon and Other Adventures
The day before yesterday we hiked down and up the entire Grand Canyon, and our legs are still a little sore. It was well worth a little bit of pain though, both for the experience of hiking a trail with such breathtaking views, and just to say we did it. I will definitely hike it again if I get a chance.
We also stopped to see Mesa Verde National Park. Mesa Verde is notable for cliff dwellings, homes that Native Americans built into the side of a cliff centuries ago. Unfortunately, we arrived too late to take a tour, so we just got to look at them from a distance.
We're currently on our way through New Mexico to Carlsbad Caverns, which I'm especially looking forward to. Hopefully it won't be too long before I can post about that. Metric out.
Friday, August 5, 2011
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Surfin' in the USA/Homeward Bound
Yesterday I tried surfing for the first time. It's slightly easier than I imagined it would be, although I wasn't able to stand up all the way on the board. At least I got the feeling of starting to catch a wave. I spent just $25 to rent a board and a wetsuit, which was well worth it.
Hollywood wrote earlier that wetsuits are surprisingly effective. They are, which is great because the Pacific Ocean is much colder than it looks. I'm pretty sure the wetsuit that I rented fit more tightly than my actual skin, but I can safely say there is no way I would have willingly submerged myself in water that cold without it.
The beach marks the midpoint of our journey. From now on, we'll be headed eastward. I'm beginning to miss the rolling hills of Pennsylvania, so it's good to know we're on our way home. Next up, we'll visit Hollywood's uncle and aunt, then the Hoover Dam, and then the Grand Canyon. Metric out.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Road Trip 101: Lessons Learned
We've arrived safely in Ventura, CA. It's cooler than I expected. Much cooler than, say, the Badlands in South Dakota. Which, by the way, were absolutely incredible. If it weren't so hot, it'd be a great place to live. If it weren't so hot, I guess it wouldn't be the Badlands.
In the course of life, learning never ceases if you're open to it. We've already learned a lot, and we're not even halfway through the trip. For instance, find out everything you can about a place before you go. The Badlands was incredible. Mount Rushmore, on the other hand, was really just kind of ok. The Crazy Horse monument is going to be amazing, but it's NOWHERE near done yet, and the National Parks Pass didn't mean anything there, so we spent 30 bucks to walk through a little Native American museum. Probably the worst 30 bucks I've ever spent. All that's currently near done is the face, and it isn't even chiseled to the point of being recognizable as a Native American face, much less a specific person's face.
Yesterday we went to Yosemite and climbed a mountain. Just one. Climbed it, then ran around on top of it for probably an hour. It was like a rock, but there were probably 10 plus acres on top of this one rock... it was pretty awesome. The views were absolutely incredible. If I ever have a month of free time and extra cash to blow, I'm DEFINITELY gonna go camp at/hike/explore/climb Yosemite. 5 million acres of land, and we only planned part of one afternoon for it. THAT was poor planning. But I guess it was a learning experience.
Ventura is nice. We didn't really hit traffic until today going to the surf shop, and that was partly because the California State Fair started today. Also, they have parking on the medians here... which is different, but not a bad idea for saving space. Of course, if you've ever seen skid marks across medians, you know why more states don't park people there... I guess they figure, if you live in CA, you have enough money to afford a new car every couple months. *shrug*
Surfing. In California. In freezing cold water. We wore wetsuits, though, and I *totally* underestimated how well those work. In addition to buying a surf board, I'm gonna have to pick up a wetsuit. That water was probably around 40 degrees, and there wasn't even an initial shock to getting in the water. Totally awesome.
What else have we learned? Oh. Gas can vary as much as 30 cents from block to block. It's worth driving around. Also, just because it *looks* hot outside doesn't mean it *is* hot outside. Sometimes it's even cooler than it is in the air-conditioned vehicle. Of course, there are also times when it *is* as hot as it looks outside. Water is a good way to plan ahead. Keeping your water *cold* is an even better way to plan ahead. Walking through the desert for an hour and a half and coming back to hot water is probably one of the worst feelings. Ever.
The other thing we learned... or rather, validated... was that we wouldn't have time to do everything we wanted. On that note, I'm signing off, so that we can... do... more of the things... we wanted. -Hollywood
In the course of life, learning never ceases if you're open to it. We've already learned a lot, and we're not even halfway through the trip. For instance, find out everything you can about a place before you go. The Badlands was incredible. Mount Rushmore, on the other hand, was really just kind of ok. The Crazy Horse monument is going to be amazing, but it's NOWHERE near done yet, and the National Parks Pass didn't mean anything there, so we spent 30 bucks to walk through a little Native American museum. Probably the worst 30 bucks I've ever spent. All that's currently near done is the face, and it isn't even chiseled to the point of being recognizable as a Native American face, much less a specific person's face.
Yesterday we went to Yosemite and climbed a mountain. Just one. Climbed it, then ran around on top of it for probably an hour. It was like a rock, but there were probably 10 plus acres on top of this one rock... it was pretty awesome. The views were absolutely incredible. If I ever have a month of free time and extra cash to blow, I'm DEFINITELY gonna go camp at/hike/explore/climb Yosemite. 5 million acres of land, and we only planned part of one afternoon for it. THAT was poor planning. But I guess it was a learning experience.
Ventura is nice. We didn't really hit traffic until today going to the surf shop, and that was partly because the California State Fair started today. Also, they have parking on the medians here... which is different, but not a bad idea for saving space. Of course, if you've ever seen skid marks across medians, you know why more states don't park people there... I guess they figure, if you live in CA, you have enough money to afford a new car every couple months. *shrug*
Surfing. In California. In freezing cold water. We wore wetsuits, though, and I *totally* underestimated how well those work. In addition to buying a surf board, I'm gonna have to pick up a wetsuit. That water was probably around 40 degrees, and there wasn't even an initial shock to getting in the water. Totally awesome.
What else have we learned? Oh. Gas can vary as much as 30 cents from block to block. It's worth driving around. Also, just because it *looks* hot outside doesn't mean it *is* hot outside. Sometimes it's even cooler than it is in the air-conditioned vehicle. Of course, there are also times when it *is* as hot as it looks outside. Water is a good way to plan ahead. Keeping your water *cold* is an even better way to plan ahead. Walking through the desert for an hour and a half and coming back to hot water is probably one of the worst feelings. Ever.
The other thing we learned... or rather, validated... was that we wouldn't have time to do everything we wanted. On that note, I'm signing off, so that we can... do... more of the things... we wanted. -Hollywood
California
I've been to this state three or four times, and it never fails. I am always blown away by the sheer awesomeness of the landscape. Utah and Nevada had some really cool, even beautiful deserts, but there is simply no way to compete with California. Deserts? Got it. Beaches? Yup. Mountains made of solid rock rising over pine forests? Yosemite is all over that. (Or should I say that the mountains are all over Yosemite?) We climbed one of those mountains, and the view from the top was incredible. I don't think I've ever seen a better 360 degrees. I'm guessing we were close to 10,000 feet above sea level, and a quick climb up a steep hill makes it apparent that there's less oxygen up there than I'm used to.
I'm fortunate enough to have a very hospitable aunt and uncle that live in Ventura, which is about an hour long drive away from Los Angeles. We're staying at their house for two nights. We get to sleep in beds, take showers, and drink lattes. (Well, I got to drink a latte. Hollywood and Record have some sort of disorder that involves not being addicted to coffee.) After sleeping in the car and the tent and drinking gas station coffee, this feels like paradise.
Don't forget to check out our videos. Metric out.
I'm fortunate enough to have a very hospitable aunt and uncle that live in Ventura, which is about an hour long drive away from Los Angeles. We're staying at their house for two nights. We get to sleep in beds, take showers, and drink lattes. (Well, I got to drink a latte. Hollywood and Record have some sort of disorder that involves not being addicted to coffee.) After sleeping in the car and the tent and drinking gas station coffee, this feels like paradise.
Don't forget to check out our videos. Metric out.
Vlog! - Day 02
Sorry we're behind in posting on here. We've had some trouble charging computers and finding wi-fi. We'll try to catch up today!
Monday, August 1, 2011
Dynamite and Mountain Majesty
Metric here. As I write, we are stopped on Route 34 in Wyoming, waiting for a construction crew to blow stuff up. With dynamite. Apparently that’s what they do here.
They’re going to make the road wider, although I’m not sure why they need to. It’s only two lanes wide, but we’ve been here for half an hour and only eight cars are lined up behind us. It’s actually a peaceful experience. There are just enough clouds in the sky to make sure the sun is warm instead of hot, and there’s a light breeze blowing through the car. We’re making conversation with the flag person, and we found out that he plays drums in a Mexican band.
Another construction worker has just given a go ahead, so we’re on our way again. We only had to wait forty-five minutes, which is lucky. The flag person said he was at one blast that stopped traffic for nearly two hours.
The landscape has been consistently awesome since we passed through the badlands in South Dakota. The mountains here are mountains. They assert themselves over the rest of the landscape, and allow only a few trees and some grasses to grow over them. Rock ledges jut from the mountains in some places, almost giving the impression that they are actively pushing themselves out of the earth. The authoritative, unforgiving majesty hasn’t stopped for a few hundred miles, and it doesn’t show any signs of letting up soon.
That’s all for now. It’s time to drive past some more mountains!
They’re going to make the road wider, although I’m not sure why they need to. It’s only two lanes wide, but we’ve been here for half an hour and only eight cars are lined up behind us. It’s actually a peaceful experience. There are just enough clouds in the sky to make sure the sun is warm instead of hot, and there’s a light breeze blowing through the car. We’re making conversation with the flag person, and we found out that he plays drums in a Mexican band.
Another construction worker has just given a go ahead, so we’re on our way again. We only had to wait forty-five minutes, which is lucky. The flag person said he was at one blast that stopped traffic for nearly two hours.
The landscape has been consistently awesome since we passed through the badlands in South Dakota. The mountains here are mountains. They assert themselves over the rest of the landscape, and allow only a few trees and some grasses to grow over them. Rock ledges jut from the mountains in some places, almost giving the impression that they are actively pushing themselves out of the earth. The authoritative, unforgiving majesty hasn’t stopped for a few hundred miles, and it doesn’t show any signs of letting up soon.
That’s all for now. It’s time to drive past some more mountains!
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Day One: It still doesn't feel like we've left yet... somehow.
Greetings from Iowa! Technically, I'm writing from Illinois, which is better than Indiana. Sorry guys, but after getting very lost and losing an hour in travel time because your highway system falls apart as soon as there's any construction, not to mention the smell of sewage that permeates half the state... well, let's just say it wasn't a fun drive. I'm sure Indiana has some redeeming qualities... like Nascar fans. It was really funny to see the Amish postcards in the stores... like, what, you think your Amish really compare to Pennsylvania's? We invented the Amish. You can't compete with us. Not gonna happen.
Anyways, we're OUT of Indiana and into Illinois, which so far has been full of construction warning signs, but absolutely zero actual roadwork going on. Typically that wouldn't bother me, but the roads are so rough, a cobblestone company offered to smooth them out. Maybe I'm just grumpy from driving all night. I"m sorry, Illinois. You have some very nice trees. And some nice farmland. And one very nice lady at a rest stop who wished me a good romance because I'm a nice young man. I don't think anyone's ever told me they hoped I found a nice girl and had some good romance before...
We're on our way to meet up with Moriah near Des Moines for breakfast... or lunch, at this rate. After that, it'll be back on the road towards South Dakota. We're all pretty excited to get out and camp for a full night's rest rather than driving all night again... of course, we're just kind of assuming we can find a good boondocking location that won't get us in trouble with the state. You shouldn't need a permit to sleep on the ground. In theory, state land should be fair game... but it's just a theory.
Fun story about Indiana - it currently tops my charts of CREEPY AT NIGHT. If you ever want a horror movie set, just drive anywhere (and I mean ANYWHERE) off the freeway in Indiana. It's even creepier at, say, 4 in the morning. As soon as you're off the freeway, you're IMMEDIATELY as vulnerable as you can be. According to Metric, "It's like an unholy union of a place where aliens would land and axe murderers would strike." And to be completely honest... I agree. I'm sorry, Indiana, but you have a bad combo of scary movie sets for towns and bad odor on your expensive highways. But don't worry - if you're good enough to be American, you're still good enough to be my neighbor. Just keep on your side of the fence, eh?
We also managed a stop in NY on the way to surprise the prettiest girl in the state with a visit before we left... *totally* started the trip on the right foot. :D
We're about an hour away from Moriah, and it's almost lunchtime, so we anticipate spending money on some good real food before shopping for our first night of camping in the Badlands. It's still hard to believe we're finally on our road trip, but so far it ROCKS.
Anyways, we're OUT of Indiana and into Illinois, which so far has been full of construction warning signs, but absolutely zero actual roadwork going on. Typically that wouldn't bother me, but the roads are so rough, a cobblestone company offered to smooth them out. Maybe I'm just grumpy from driving all night. I"m sorry, Illinois. You have some very nice trees. And some nice farmland. And one very nice lady at a rest stop who wished me a good romance because I'm a nice young man. I don't think anyone's ever told me they hoped I found a nice girl and had some good romance before...
We're on our way to meet up with Moriah near Des Moines for breakfast... or lunch, at this rate. After that, it'll be back on the road towards South Dakota. We're all pretty excited to get out and camp for a full night's rest rather than driving all night again... of course, we're just kind of assuming we can find a good boondocking location that won't get us in trouble with the state. You shouldn't need a permit to sleep on the ground. In theory, state land should be fair game... but it's just a theory.
Fun story about Indiana - it currently tops my charts of CREEPY AT NIGHT. If you ever want a horror movie set, just drive anywhere (and I mean ANYWHERE) off the freeway in Indiana. It's even creepier at, say, 4 in the morning. As soon as you're off the freeway, you're IMMEDIATELY as vulnerable as you can be. According to Metric, "It's like an unholy union of a place where aliens would land and axe murderers would strike." And to be completely honest... I agree. I'm sorry, Indiana, but you have a bad combo of scary movie sets for towns and bad odor on your expensive highways. But don't worry - if you're good enough to be American, you're still good enough to be my neighbor. Just keep on your side of the fence, eh?
We also managed a stop in NY on the way to surprise the prettiest girl in the state with a visit before we left... *totally* started the trip on the right foot. :D
We're about an hour away from Moriah, and it's almost lunchtime, so we anticipate spending money on some good real food before shopping for our first night of camping in the Badlands. It's still hard to believe we're finally on our road trip, but so far it ROCKS.
And so it begins...
Day one. It has begun.
The trip started off a bit slow, mainly because I forgot my longboard (much to the frustration of Hollywood and Metric). But eventually everything came together and we headed out.
After traveling for a couple hours, Hollywood discovered our route would take us close to a camp where a close friend of his was working, so we made a quick stop to see her, had a couple slices of pizza, and resumed our driving.
I have to say, I’m really looking forward to the rest of this trip. I almost forgot just how much fun I have had with Metric and Hollywood in the past. I grew up with these guys, and they’re just incredible people. The funny quips, the engaging conversations, the inside jokes – passing time in the car is as good as it gets.
To top off this post, I just want to throw out a “thank-you” to Metric’s mom for the delicious muffins and chocolate chip cookies!
…and the odyssey continues.
This is Record, signing off.
The trip started off a bit slow, mainly because I forgot my longboard (much to the frustration of Hollywood and Metric). But eventually everything came together and we headed out.
After traveling for a couple hours, Hollywood discovered our route would take us close to a camp where a close friend of his was working, so we made a quick stop to see her, had a couple slices of pizza, and resumed our driving.
I have to say, I’m really looking forward to the rest of this trip. I almost forgot just how much fun I have had with Metric and Hollywood in the past. I grew up with these guys, and they’re just incredible people. The funny quips, the engaging conversations, the inside jokes – passing time in the car is as good as it gets.
To top off this post, I just want to throw out a “thank-you” to Metric’s mom for the delicious muffins and chocolate chip cookies!
…and the odyssey continues.
This is Record, signing off.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Blast Off!
This is it! All of the final preparations have been made, all of our supplies have been packed, and all of our psyches have been psyched. By the time anyone reads this, I will be on my way to meet up with Hollywood and Record to take this show on the road. It will be glorious. We will drive with steadfast purpose, the Muppet Movie soundtrack issuing forth from our speakers, never straying from the road that lies before us (except, you know, to use the bathroom). We will leave a sense of wonder in our wake, those we pass will pause for a brief moment to wonder where that black, box-shaped chariot is taking its passengers.
Let me tell you about this box-shaped chariot. It is the mother of all box-shaped vehicles, the very one that first made it cool to drive wheeled boxes in an age when cars are becoming more sleek and streamlined. But appearance is only a fraction of its appeal.
To step into this car is to enter C. S. Lewis’ wardrobe. No other vehicle has ever given me the impression that it is bigger on the inside than on the outside, and the illusion doesn’t fade as I fill it with stuff. We could take a small piano with us and still travel comfortably. Other subtleties of convenience abound throughout its spacious interior—it is the poetry of practical design. Even its name speaks its virtues: no matter where our journey takes us, we will be in our Element.
Let me tell you about this box-shaped chariot. It is the mother of all box-shaped vehicles, the very one that first made it cool to drive wheeled boxes in an age when cars are becoming more sleek and streamlined. But appearance is only a fraction of its appeal.
To step into this car is to enter C. S. Lewis’ wardrobe. No other vehicle has ever given me the impression that it is bigger on the inside than on the outside, and the illusion doesn’t fade as I fill it with stuff. We could take a small piano with us and still travel comfortably. Other subtleties of convenience abound throughout its spacious interior—it is the poetry of practical design. Even its name speaks its virtues: no matter where our journey takes us, we will be in our Element.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Practice Makes...Things Potentially Easier Later On?
Another update coming at you from Record:
Last night, Hollywood, Metric and I got together just about everything we'll be taking on the trip to practice packing it into the vehicle: Metric's Honda Element.
This is basically our packing list:
Oh yeah, and special thanks for Metric's parents for giving us an updated atlas of the USA!
Last night, Hollywood, Metric and I got together just about everything we'll be taking on the trip to practice packing it into the vehicle: Metric's Honda Element.
This is basically our packing list:
- PERSONAL ITEMS
- 1 duffel bag of clothes, toiletries, towel
- 1 sleeping bag
- 1 mug
- 1 water bottle
- THINGS TO BRING ONE OF
- 1 tent
- 1 small drink cooler
- 1 water purifier
- 1 camp stove
- UTENSILS:
- Pan
- Pot
- 3 Fork, spoon, knife sets
- Spatula
- Big spoon
- MUSIC:
- 1 Guitar
- 1 Mandolin
- 1 Violin
- 1 Ukulele
- 2 Ocarinas
- RECREATION:
- 1 Frisbee
- 1 Hacky-Sack
- EMERGENCY:
- Trauma Kit
- Flares
- Fix-A-Flat
- Bottled Water
Oh yeah, and special thanks for Metric's parents for giving us an updated atlas of the USA!
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Let's do it!
Metric here. Welcome to the blog. This is where the three of us will document our progress as we travel across the country. I hope that anyone who reads this will experience at least a small taste of the thrill and excitement of what we're doing.
In many ways this trip is emblematic of a larger theme. My two traveling companions and I are entering the prime of life, and we have a small window of time available to us in which the practical responsibilities of adulthood have not yet overtaken our adult freedoms. For us, a road trip is perhaps the ultimate single expression of that stage in life.
It's also something of a reunion. Hollywood and Record and I have been good friends for well over a decade, but as childhood friends often do, we went our separate ways for college and saw each other less and less frequently. When we realized what was happening, we agreed to take a road trip before the forces of life brought us even further apart. The trip is not a last hurrah of friendship, but it will mark the close of one chapter in our lives, and perhaps the beginning of another.
Of course, we weren't that sentimental when we came up with this idea. It began with a conversation that probably went something like this:
“I've got a crazy idea.”
“What?”
“Let's go on a road trip.”
“To California?”
“Yeah!”
“Let's do it!”
And so we are going on a road trip. I can't wait to see what happens.
In many ways this trip is emblematic of a larger theme. My two traveling companions and I are entering the prime of life, and we have a small window of time available to us in which the practical responsibilities of adulthood have not yet overtaken our adult freedoms. For us, a road trip is perhaps the ultimate single expression of that stage in life.
It's also something of a reunion. Hollywood and Record and I have been good friends for well over a decade, but as childhood friends often do, we went our separate ways for college and saw each other less and less frequently. When we realized what was happening, we agreed to take a road trip before the forces of life brought us even further apart. The trip is not a last hurrah of friendship, but it will mark the close of one chapter in our lives, and perhaps the beginning of another.
Of course, we weren't that sentimental when we came up with this idea. It began with a conversation that probably went something like this:
“I've got a crazy idea.”
“What?”
“Let's go on a road trip.”
“To California?”
“Yeah!”
“Let's do it!”
And so we are going on a road trip. I can't wait to see what happens.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Road Trip 101: The Prep
A good road trip doesn't just happen. You'll never hear awesome stories around the water cooler from the guy that just "got up and went," mostly because he got fired and isn't at the water cooler every 10 minutes to share his stories over and over again with the same 3 other employees that go to the water cooler every 10 minutes. But seriously, planning is important. Who are you gonna bring? What are you gonna drive? Where are you gonna go? If you don't plan some basics, you'll end up taking someone lame, like, your dog, or your uncle, or that friend of yours you don't really hang out with for any reason other than that he's so-and-so's friend. (Coincidentally, so-and-so probably feels the same way about that guy.) For instance, living near the East Coast, if I set out driving east, I'll only have a one-day road trip, and that's *definitely* not worth taking vacation time for. Especially when I'm gonna have to face that guy at the water cooler who used to work for my boss (whose lame road trip was *obviously* better than mine. Mr. Water Cooler is also Mr. Topper, in most workplaces.)
On the other hand, a good road trip can't be over-planned. If it's not spontaneous, it's really not a vacation at all. If your road trip is planned down to the minute start to finish, you won't actually have any time for the stories that make road trips awesome to happen. That brings me to point number one about road trips:
Road trips are not about the things you plan on doing.
Nobody wants to hear your stories about driving through the Midwest and being bored out of your mind. Nobody wants to see your pictures of the Grand Canyon, Mount Rushmore, or those 300 pictures of desert sunsets. Anyone can Google those pictures, and Google's pictures are always better than yours. Road trips are about the unexpected. Like when you had to push the car 3 miles to find a gas station, or when you found the skunk asleep in your wheel well that one morning after you packed up your tent and were ready to head down the road. Maybe you left one of your party at a rest stop because you forgot him. (More likely because he was annoying as all get out.) (Even MORE likely: You guys were playing Oregon Trail: LIVE and he was unlucky enough to die of Dysentery.) There are thousands of places to stop along the way on your trip, and every one of them is SUPER BORING unless something goes horribly wrong or terribly right. So, plan extra hours into the day, and extra days into the trip, because you never know what's going to happen, and in all of your road tripping, you have to be ready for when the road trip actually happens.
Number 2 point: NOTHING is essential. "Well, what about a car?" A car is a good idea, but a bus can be just as awesome. If you have no friends that want to put up with you long enough to go on a proper road trip, meeting strangers on the road to Tipperary is a great way to go. Food is another item that seems pretty important, but you can do without as long as you know what sort of plants are edible (or if you're a really good mooch.) Extreme examples, but what am I getting at? Don't be so set on taking/bringing/using/doing that you ruin the road trip before you start. Honestly, do you really want to bring that garbage bag filled with Aunt Linda's special caramel popcorn for snacking, if it means leaving your surfboard at home? Hurt Aunt Linda's feelings and SAY NO. (Unless you're one of those guys that prefers popcorn to surfing. If this is the case, we'll all be hoping you're the one that gets killed in the indian raid. Or dies in a buffalo stampede. Or contracts terminal cholera. Long story short, you're road tripping on your own, buddy.) And if you get almost to Yellowstone and see there's a 9 hour queue line just to get in, and you saw some crazy awesome waterfalls you could swim under for free, weigh your options. It's worth it to be flexible; it just might make or break the trip.
OUR TRIP
Myself and two comrades will be driving west after work on July 29th. We'll be touring the country, with several planned stops, including an overnight hike into the Grand Canyon. We're either taking a 1990 Camaro or a Honda Element. We'll each be contributing to this blog as often as possible, along with adding video blogs as we collect them. Our route takes us as far north as South Dakota and all the way down into Texas. KEEP CHECKING BACK FOR UPDATES! Or, subscribe to updates by email by following the link on the right.
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