Road Hazard

NEW BLOG

2009-01-27T18:14:00.001-05:00

Check out the newest blog:
http://roadhazard.blogspot.com/
the continuation of Road Hazard I

Back to the Beginning

2008-10-29T10:43:00.002-04:00

The last few days have been a struggle to accept the fact that we are back to the beginning and the trip is over. The other struggle is that since we have ended, this blog will also come to an end.

I've enjoyed writing our daily blogs and have also enjoyed reading your comments along the way. We made new friends along the way like my friend in Dallas who still claims to have heard "The Shot Heard Around the World". Then, there is my friend in Nebraska that followed us closely along our journey. Sorry we never did take you up on the "Home Cooked Meal" offer. There are others that we met in campgrounds, restaurants, bars and parks that have kept in contact with us. The journey took us over 12,000 miles around this great country. We saw places that we had only seen on television or read in books. We ate different foods that we were only told about. We experienced the "dry" heat of the southwest and were witness to the few sunny days of the northwest corner. We dove 60' below the clear blue waters of the Keys and climbed to 8,000' and saw for miles around Mt. Rainer. We saw the mighty Mississippi up close and tasted the powerful Colorado River as we rafted down her rapids. We were in awe of the clear waters in Rainbow River that felt like we were swimming in an aquarium. We experienced moments of fear (when the Pick Up truck we were towing cut loose) to moments that took your breath away (our first glimpes into the Grand Canyon) to moments of happiness (see our friends along the way) to feelings of accomplishments (reaching the top of Angles Landing in Zion National Park). During our trip we saw a variety bands playing Rock N' Roll in Austin, Texas, and Bluegrass in BB Kings Memphis restaurant. We even sat in for a show at the Grand Ol Opry in Nashville and found ourselves clapping and 'he hawing' along. Through out the trip we had a first hand seat of the economy as we paid $3.29 a gallon of diesel all the way up to $4.95 to thankfully see it come back down to $3.39.

Now we sit here in our friends backyard that it all started from last December. What started with us being stuck in the mud turned into a beautiful experience. They say that all good things must come to an end but I'll tell you what, we're going to try and keep this trip alive. If not with more trips it will be through pictures and memories collected along the way.

So, as a last toast to this journey please raise your beverage:

We have seen many beautiful places,

We have experienced wonderful things,

But nothing is better than to see

Your friends smiling faces and warm embrace.

Thanks for the memories.

Almost Back

2008-10-21T20:07:00.003-04:00

Sorry for not posting anything in the last few days. We are just outside of Knoxville near Gatlinburg and the campground we are in does not offer Internet. I am typing this post on my phone so it will be short.

It's hard to believe but we are almost back to our starting point. We have almost completed a circle around the country. In the next couple of days we will be ending our journey and the time will come for us to sit down and think about our next move.

Our next post will be in a few days since we will be in transit.

Change of Colors

2008-10-17T21:19:00.003-04:00

We arrived in Knoxville and were greeted by the changing colors of all the trees lining the slopes of the Smoky Mountains. We hope to go out and take some pictures to post.

Downtown

2008-10-16T18:53:00.002-04:00

The weather finally caught up to us and we awoke with the sound of rain splatting against the roof. With today being our last day in Nashville we decided to still go out and explore the city.

The first stop we hit was the Parthenon. It was built back in 1897 for Tennessee's Centennial Exposition. It is the only building that survived from the Expo because the people at the time felt it was a structure worth saving. Today is houses an art gallery and is home to a 42 foot statue of Athena.

The original building was built in Greece and dates back to 428 BC. The only thing left there are the columns in front. This is the only replica of what the Parthenon would have looked like. This building stands as the centerpiece of Centennial Park which is Nashville's premier urban park.

A stroll down 2nd Street lined with busy shops and restaurants reveals the home of Hooters. They were getting into the spirit of the Breast Cancer Awareness that happened here this weekend. I think it is fitting.

After dodging the raindrops most of the afternoon we ended our journey inside of Tootsies. This bar was a hangout for the many famous singers that would perform around the corner in the Grand Ole Opry. They would come in after their performance to hang out and relax. Of course they would get up on this tiny stage and perform for their close friends. Today, as we sat here and listened to this band play they would pull their friends, that would walk in off the street, to come up and perform a song or two with them. Even a lady that was visiting from Florida made it up on stage to get down with the band.

Friday is moving day again. Still heading east and looking for sunny skies.

Bless His Heart!

2008-10-15T18:02:00.002-04:00

With the weather being unusually warm for this time of year we headed out to explore downtown Nashville. Someone at another campground had recommended that we take at tour with Tommy Tours to see the entire area. We're glad we did because Tommy was entertainment from the moment we got on his bus until we left. Nothing better than getting a tour of the city and laughing hard while doing it.

The tour took us into downtown Nashville. Into the business district with the State Capital Building and Court Houses. Into the entertainment district with the many bars and restaurants with live music.

Tommy took us to a building that used to be the train station but has since been converted to a fancy hotel. Filled with stained glass windows and intricate wood finishes throughout.

We next toured the many large mansions of the stars in and around Nashville. This one in the picture above belongs to Dolly Parton. We also saw the homes of Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Garth Brooks, Martina McBride, Alan Jackson, Brooks & Dunn and Trisha Yearwood. All small homes of 15,000 to 20,000 sq/ft on many acres of property.

Tommy taught us some southern slang. We learned that in the south you can talk bad about anybody as long as you start or end the sentence with "Bless his/her heart". Here is a for instance...That boy, bless his heart, doesn't seem to have all the chairs pushed in under the table.

We decided to stay an extra day because there is still so much to see.

Pickles and Music

2008-10-15T08:35:00.002-04:00

Part of the reason that we took this trip around the country was to learn about the people and their cultures. So, tonight is really just a study lab. As we sat down to dinner and enjoyed the local favorite Fried Pickles we asked ourselves, why do people like country music?

On the way into The Grand Ole Opry we met a famous celebrity, Mini Pearl. With her high pitched "Howdy!" and her dangling price tag hat she welcomed us to the show.

It's a beautiful performance hall that has had countless country singers have their voices echo between these walls. I'm sure all the names and pictures along the hallways indicate that their famous. The show was being taped and will air this Saturday on your local country cable channel. Just like old time TV the show would stop for a few minutes while the MC would read off a couple of commercials. "This hour is sponsored by Trane AC units."

There was one singer that when I heard her name I thought it was someone who invented the fried pickles we had at dinner but once we saw her I knew the name, Kellie Pickler. Good thing I watched American Idol a few times.

So the question remains, why do people like country music so much? The lyrics are usually about something sad. Wife cheated on me, crashed the pickup truck, dog got run over, boyfriend is no good, cook'in chili. I just don't get it. Well, I learned tonight that most country music songs are really just stories. Maybe grownups still enjoy having a good story told to them. It must have worked on the gentleman next to me because he was sound asleep by the time the last act got on stage. I guess there really is not an answer to the question but I can tell you that Nashville has a big concentration of people who happen to like twangy, washboard, accordion, violin, guitar playing music. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

Music City

2008-10-13T19:53:00.004-04:00

Arriving in Nashville this afternoon we had to look at each other and ask why. Its not like we even like country music. But get this, we even bought tickets to go to the Grand Ole Opry tomorrow evening.

Here is a run down of who will be playing:
Bill Anderson
Jean Shepard
Riders In The Sky
Jim Ed Brown
Montgomery Gentry
Kellie Pickler
Zac Brown Band
Lady Antebellum
True, that we have never heard of any of them but it should be fun! Right?
I'll let you know how it turns out.

My thoughts at turning the big Four Oh Today!

2008-10-12T10:29:00.009-04:00

Forty...what does this number signify. Four bundles of 10. Two, twenty dollar bills. Half your life!? The National Center for Health Statistics says that one can expect to live to about 80. So is 40 the new "midlife" number? Could I really have a midlife crisis on my hand? How much more radical could my life become? I already quit my job! I already sold our home! I already bought myself a large flat screen TV! The thought of it can really scare me if there really is such a thing as Midlife Crisis. I googled Midlife Crisis and this is what Dr. Carl Jung, a psychologist, said:

"It is a normal part of the maturing process. Most people will experience some form of emotional transition during that time of life. A transition that might cause you to take stock in where you are in life and make some needed adjustments to the way you live your life."

Maybe the Romans knew of a bigger, maybe even, Divine significance of the number forty. They wrote the number "XL". Today if one sees XL they don't think of a number but of something Extra Large. Maybe the Romans knew that once you hit forty it was an Extra Large moment or event in ones life.

I woke up this morning and didn't feel any different than most days. Same aches and pains. Same stiffness in the bones. At this point in my life, my heart has already beat a staggering 1.5 billion times and it still feels fine. So I'm beginning to see that this "midlife crisis" really only happens between your ears. Who cares that today I have less hair on my head but more scattered throughout my body. Who cares that there are white hairs sprouting up like weeds. So I put on a little extra weight. Who cares that I may have to check the survey box that says: 40 and above. I can live with that because today, I still feel like I'm only 21. Young and full of energy. The more I think of it the Romans are right. Life at Forty is Extra Large and I intend to live it up LARGE!!!

What better place than to start right here on Beale Street in Memphis, Tennessee.

I'll end today's blog with a thought from Bernard Baruch, American Economist:

"To me, old age is always fifteen years older than I am"

Down on Lonely Street

2008-10-11T16:06:00.001-04:00

Memphis is known for it's Blues music and for being home to one of the most famous people to get on stage and entertain us. Today, Graceland is filled with lines of people waiting patiently to get their glimpse of how and where Elvis called home.

The home today is how you would have found it when Elvis was still living. With deep lush carpets and mirrors everywhere. Modern comforts, that in those days were for the rich. He built a room with 3 tv's side by side so that he could watch more than one program.

Then, there is the famous "Jungle Room". With its very own waterfall on the far wall. The animal prints are everywhere and carvings of animals in the wood furniture.

There are countless hallways and rooms with awards that he received. The costumes that he wore to his many concerts are displayed with videos of the performance.

Once outside you can see his backyard where many cookouts were held, the carport that housed his many cars. Off to one corner he had built an "Inspiration Corner". This, in later years, would become his final resting place. Even today people leave momentous and get emotional when they arrive in this corner.

The day he passed will forever be remembered by all of us. It is one of those events that you can still remember where you were when you heard the news.

Thank you, thank you very much!

Steel Arch

2008-10-08T20:10:00.002-04:00

It was worth waiting because it was blue skies with no clouds for us to visit the city of St. Louis. Our first stop was to visit Jefferson National Expansion Memorial or most commonly known as The Arch.

The experience to go to the top was one of a kind. Remember that this was built in the early 60's so things were a little different back than. You'll have to see the pictures in the slideshow to see how small the car is to take you up. It felt like climbing into a cocoon with four other people. A gentle rocking motion would sway as this small circular tomb would take you up. After 4 minutes you reached the top and the tuna cans doors opened to reveal the view from 640 feet. In one direction is the city of St. Louis and the other is Illinois with the mighty Mississippi separating them.

As you walk about town the Arch is visible as the sun reflects off its stainless steel structure. The Old Courthouse is framed with a backdrop of the Arch.
Our next stop was to visit the King. That would be of beers.

Ok, so the horses wouldn't turn around but we got the dog to lift his head up from his nap. These Clydesdale horses are huge. There feet are like the size of tennis rackets!

We were shown every step of the brewing process and bottling.

The only thing left was to sample the product.

Thursday morning we are on the road again. We decided to head a little further south before heading into Maryland. Stay tuned!

Rain On Our Day

2008-10-07T21:37:00.003-04:00

With the Arch of St. Louis in sight from our campground we decided to sit the day out and relax. Let it rain today because we enjoyed the day to catch up on reading, sleeping, and eating.

Wednesday, they are calling for nice weather so we have a full day of exploring on the books.

KC's - Cause There're Two of 'em

2008-10-05T08:27:00.004-04:00

Our drive, yesterday, took us further south to Kansas City, Missouri. From here we will be able to explore both Kansas City's. Interesting that two cities would be named the same thing and be right across the river from each other.

This morning we hope to take care of a few chores that have been waiting to get done and this afternoon the plan is to cross the river into Kansas and explore Kansas City. Nothing like real BBQ and some football!

Omaha Steaks

2008-10-03T20:21:00.002-04:00

The first state we crossed into this morning was Iowa. A totally different landscape than what we have been seeing for the past several days. Lush green hills with rivers crossing. We'll be back in Iowa another day but we had to cross into...

Nebraska! Our destination for the evening is Omaha.

Since we are only staying the night we decided to check out two things in Omaha. The first is the historic district. Many of the buildings are from the early 1900's. Bright red bricks, tall ceilings and that distinct smell of old. We would later have dinner in the district and enjoy an amazing piece of Omaha Steak. The best I've ever had. Reta had the Ribeye while I tackled the Fillet Mignon. Melts in your mouth it was so tender.

The other place we checked out was the old train station called Union Station. In its heyday, 100 trains would go through the station per day. With old trains on display it was amazing to walk through these rolling museums. As you walked through you got a good sense of what travel used to be like.

There are definitely more things to see and do in this city but we feel we got a good taste of it, literally. Tomorrow we are on the road again.

Stopping Place

2008-10-02T22:20:00.002-04:00

Sioux Falls is our last stopping point in South Dakota. We are just here for the night and will hit the road early again tomorrow morning. The landscape across South Dakota changes very little. Rolling hills of dry grass in all directions. Roads that are straight for miles with an occasional curve just to make sure you stay awake. Cows and horses out in the fields. Set the cruise control and enjoy the scenery.

Not So Bad in Badlands

2008-10-01T21:52:00.001-04:00

With lunch packed, water bottles filled, hiking boots laced up we were ready to see this land they call, Badlands. During our journey we have seen similar type formations but there was something different about this soil. It was mostly clay and would break apart easily. We haven't seen anything like this before. The rain has eroded much of it already. The results are rings of clay around this formations that slope away forming a smooth clay skirt.

The hike we chose was not an easy one. Given our lack of exercise in quite awhile, these hills were going to test us and early. Aside from scrambling over loose footing we had to climb this stairway to Badlands.

With signs warning of rattlesnakes along the trail the tall grass that would bend over and hide the trial at some points made it a bit more interesting. At one point Reta came to a sudden stop on the trail. There, soaking up the afternoon sun was a small snake. Before we could dare to inspect it for markings it slithered off into the tall grass. It could have been a rattlesnake but we'll never know.

The trail took us through the different eco-systems. First through the tall grasslands than we descended into the Badlands. We walked until our feet started hurting. Our legs had given out long before. With the sun starting to hide behind some of these tall clay mountains we were close to finishing. After eight miles of hiking we had made it back. Alive, tired, hungry, dirty and sore.

Another great day!

Wednesday morning we are on the road once again. Compass is still pointing East.

Up Against a Wall

2008-09-30T20:11:00.002-04:00

Today you can find us in Badlands, South Dakota. When you think "Badlands" you normally think of an area that isn't a good place. A high crime area maybe. Or, someplace that no one would want to live because its "Badlands". Maybe the water is no good. The thought could be that there is too much sun and no water therefore nothing grows here. For 818 people they have chosen to live close by in a small town called WALL.

Main street should really be called, Only Street because it really is the only street in this small community. It has a few shops and restaurants but the big store is called Wall Drug. It is the Pre Wal Mart store. Maybe that's where "Wal" Mart came up with the idea! The store consists of a whole city block. It has 3 restaurants that can feed 500 people in one sitting. The store sells every Nick knack you could ever think of. A small grocery store. An arcade. It even has a small chapel in case you forgot to talk to the big guy upstairs.

Once you get out of this small town the landscape opens up to nothing but open land. As far as you can see hills that look like Ruffle's Potato Chip ridges. During the cold war there was always talk of silo's that contained nukes at the ready. After many years a treaty was signed to reduce these civilization ending bombs. They have since turned this hidden silo into a National Park. Here is one that is only 1/2 mile from a busy Interstate Highway.

In the middle of a huge empty and plain field you can see this gravel area fenced off. Only a few metal poles sticking out of the ground to show that there might be something here.

Once the large metal door opens it would reveal this missile that was capable of flying over the North Pole and striking USSR at that time. There were close to 500 of these scattered around the country with most of them in this northern area. Today that number has been cut down but that number is not told.

Now for the reason this area is called Badlands. The farmers couldn't find any use for the land that lies a few miles south of Wall and the Interstate Highway. With its jagged peaks and soft volcanic soil nothing can be done in this area that encompasses several hundred miles in all directions.

Tomorrow we will hike and explore this area but today we just took time to meet the locals. The buffalo roam free with tons of Prairie Dogs busily digging more holes.

Keep your fingers crossed that the weather continues to stay like it has...warm.

Sound of Thunder

2008-09-29T20:21:00.003-04:00

Believe it our not we got out of bed and on the road before 7 a.m. this morning. You're probably asking, Why? It was Buffalo Roundup today! Custer State Park rounds up their herd of buffalo every year at this time. We had to be at the Park before the round up started because they close the roads leading in. Some of us just couldn't handle the sitting around waiting for the herd to appear.

I guess the excitement wasn't enough to keep her up and the warm sun felt good in the early morning chill.

Soon, we saw a cloud of dust in the distance and slowly they started to make their way over the hills toward us. As they got closer the excitement in the crowd became audible. Once they were closer you could hear thousands of buffalo pounding the tundra. The musky smell soon followed as they passed by the fence several feet from us. An amazing sight to be witness to.

Once all the buffalo were in their pens the show was over and we decided to go over to the city of Custer and have lunch. A small town of less than 2,000 people call it home. After a good lunch that consisted of BBQ Buffalo Ribs, which was very good, we headed off to explore.

We drove Needles Highway that takes you through the Pine Forest and through tight tunnels that even in the Pick Up it felt as if you would get stuck.

A walk around Sylvan Lake revealed hidden waterfalls embedded in the rock.

Tuesday morning we are on the road again as we continue our journey east. Lets hope the weather continues to stay warm.

Nature Up Close

2008-09-28T18:55:00.004-04:00

Today the day was spent watching the locals roam about. There is a place down the road called Bear Country. You drive your car through different sections of the park and have close up looks of these amazing animals. You don't realize how big they are and the different smells that come with each animal.

The scariest part was driving through the Elk, Buffalo and Deer section. It's rutting season and the males can get aggressive if they feel someone is trying to take their women.

The wolf's looked like they were not even paying attention to us. They were more interested in the "feed" truck. It was dinner time.

Some animals, the rams, just wanted to lay around and see who all passed by.

The bears were the highlight of the trip. There were so many of them. Some playing, some sleeping and others eating.

This one was pretty close!

Kicking Back

2008-09-28T10:33:00.005-04:00

The day started overcast and windy. The motor home would rock and sway with a strong gust of wind. The sun was warming but the cool wind canceled out any heating effect from it. We woke up and lazily flopped from chair to couch to lazyboy. With plans in place to explore other areas around us they quickly evaporated with the naps that ensued. OK, so we didn't do anything on Saturday but we did have plans in Sturgis Saturday night that we had to attend. While we were visiting Sturgis on Friday, we saw an ad for a comedian/hypnotist. He would be playing in Loud American Roadhouse. We got there 1/2 hour before the show started thinking we would find good seats. The place was packed with big hair, tattoos, cigarettes and bandannas. Finding a space to sit was like watching a three legged dog trying to bury a bone on a frozen lake. Impossible. Back in the corner, we found a place next to the bar and settled in. We discovered that the Comedian was having a drink right next to me. I started a casual conversation with him and at one point said "We have come a long way to see your show!" He inquired as to where we had come from. Maryland, was my response. His reaction has been seen and replicated a few times now. A quick shake of the head as if to clear cob webs that have suddenly clouded the mind. The squinting of the eyes and finally the puzzled look. He finally said, What's the catch. Maryland what? No, I replied, the state. You couldn't hear it but you could see him mouth the word to himself...WHY?

The show was great. He had people on stage doing things that if they only knew what they were doing would be so embarrassed. All around us we could hear people saying "Oh no, he'll never live that one down." I guess living in a small community where mostly everyone knows each other, you don't want to be seen doing unmanly things or unlady like actions. Click on the link below to watch part of his show.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPlKnfxpAT8

If you want to watch more just go to Youtube and type "Sailesh" in the search box. You'll find yourself laughing hard.

We made it back to Road Hazard close to 1 this morning. The cool air made our steps quicken as we gathered our stuff and retreated into RH.

Today, I am sitting here in the lazyboy watching a coulple of bunnies round around outside. It is a beautiful sunny day with no breeze. Still, so much to see.

Sturgis and Deadwood

2008-09-26T23:58:00.002-04:00

Today's history lesson took us to visit two cities. The history of one city dates back to the early 1900's while the other is a much more recent history taking us back to the early 1930's.

We began our journey back in time to the 1930's. The backdrop is Sturgis, South Dakota. Several guys got together who enjoyed riding their Indian Motorcycles and decided to invite people from the surrounding cities to come out one weekend to compete in some drag racing and hill climbing. They had so much fun that every year since then they continued to have these gatherings and well, the event grew. This past August they had close to 600,000 people come out to celebrate riding their motorcycles around town. Today, we walked down Main Street and tried to imagine what the sights and sounds would be like during the rally. The pictures below show what it looked like today while the other shows what it looks like during the rally. (The rally picture was taken off the Internet.)

Today, the streets are quiet with very little traffic. Most stores are closed with signs hanging on them that they will only open next year for the rally. It almost becomes a ghost town.

Not too far down the road, however, is another town who's history dates back to the early 1900's. You may have heard of it and the famous people that once walked these streets.

Deadwood, South Dakota.

The recent HBO series was about the everyday life in this city. Gold prospecting was the big commodity and the law of the land was strapped to your waist securely tucked in your holster. Wild Bill Hickok walked the streets and would often be found in the gambling houses playing poker. Calamity Jane was another character that was notorious in the area. Ahead of her time for being a women that could handle a gun with the best of them. Today, the tomb site of both of these characters sits high up on a mountain overlooking the city that they once roamed. Buried right next to each other as if still sharing stories to one another.

The city is still vibrant with activity as the Main Street is lined with gambling houses and saloons. The cobblestone streets don't echo with the sound of hoofs but of people running across and cars passing by. Having been rebuilt several times because of fires and floods the city still seems to hold the old town charm of yesterday.

The big draw seems to be the slot machines that you can find everywhere. With no shortage of Senior Citizens pulling on the levers for their shot at the jackpot. Tucked away in each gambling hall there seems to be a little piece of history. A brief conversation with the bartender will draw out the history of that building. In this room we have the spot where Wild Bill was shot. In this room we have where the shooter of Wild Bill was captured. This gambling house is owned by Kevin Costner and has behind the scene photos of when he filmed "Dancing with Wolf's" displayed throughout. In this saloon we have the area where the "Ladies" would work over the supervision of their Madam. So much history. The stories are straight out of the wild west movies that we grew up watching.

This area has so much to offer that we extended our stay to make sure that we had an opportunity to see it all and I am sure that we won't see everything.

Rock History

2008-09-25T20:06:00.005-04:00

As we ascended the black hills of South Dakota we made a sharp turn and were exposed to Mt. Rushmore Memorial. Nestled in the jagged peaks of the Black Hills sits Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt and Lincoln. Each with his own contributions that helped shape the country to what it is today.

You walk down the Avenue of Flags towards the monument with the sound of 56 flags slapping in the stiff breeze. As you walk, you look for your home state flag among all the states, District of Colombia and the Territories represented here.

A trail leads you through the tall Ponderosa Pine trees with glimpses of the granite faces. The sound of the wind cutting through the pine needles gives you a sense of peace. As you make your way to the base of the cliff, huge boulders that were thrown about when they were blasted or chiseled, tumbled down the mountain. Scars in these boulders show the amount of energy required to dislodge these rocks to reveal the faces beneath them. You look up at these huge portraits with a sense of pride knowing that you are walking through a part of history.

Once in the gift shop we met Nick Clifford. Many years ago he worked on the monument. He chiseled the chin of Abraham Lincoln and other features of Roosevelt. Today, his still strong hands greets you with a firm handshake as his soft voice retells stories of working on the monument and getting instructions from the designer and sculptor Gutzon Borglum.

The small town of Keystone, South Dakota is only a few miles down the hill from the National Park. With a population of only 311 those numbers swell when the bike rally in Sturgis goes into full bloom in August. The area gets over 600,000 people on their bikes. For now, the city is a quite oasis for a cold beverage and sitting on the porch watching the traffic crawl by. Imagining how it used to be a hundred years ago when the gold rush ruled the land.

Big Number

2008-09-24T19:19:00.002-04:00

We have reached a milestone in our journey. This stop makes the 50th place that we have stopped since we started our journey 289 days ago from the deep mud in Solomons Island, Maryland.

After having rolled 9,938 miles through 22 states and endured 179 hours behind the wheel the 50th stop seems like a small number. In our journey we have had a few mishaps. The most memorable one being the Pick Up truck we tow cutting loose and trying to pass us on the on ramp to the highway. I could literally see it in the side mirror. I was expecting to see the blinker come on the Pick Up truck as it tried to pass me on the left. One tire blow out that caused some damage but we have another good story to tell from that. Countless discoveries in and around the RV of how things work.

Our 50th stop brings us here to Rapid City, South Dakota. The weather should be nice the next few days and we expect to go out and see Mt. Rushmore, Sturgis, Deadwood and a few other places around here. Oh, if you think we are "experienced" RV'ers because the number of miles we have logged, think again. The latest blunder I did was to forget to turn off the defroster fan in the Pick Up truck when we were towing it. Result was that the battery was completely dead when we arrived. Had to jump it!

Thanks Road Hazard for bringing us this far but we still have a ways to go.

Over the Hills

2008-09-23T20:24:00.004-04:00

We left Yellowstone early this morning and as luck would have it the day was sunny and warm. The snow on the side of the road was melting with the rising sun. Elk, bison and we think we saw bear, were coming out to feed and enjoy the bright day.

As we entered Montana on I-90 to head east we encountered Yellowstone River a couple of times. Each time with a different backdrop. The road will eventually take us back into Wyoming as I-90 curves back around to head due east.

I always imagined Montana to be flat with the horizon visible all around you. Today was a surprise as I discovered the it is in fact very hilly. The rolling hills with their autumn colors of dried field grass and the backdrop of mountains already displaying their snow caps for winter.

We drove for a little over 6 hours today and stopped for the night in a small town in Wyoming called Sheridan. From here it is only a 4 hour drive to the Badlands of South Dakota. Home to Mt. Rushmore. Not too far is Sturgis, the mecca for Harley Davidson riders.

At an altitude of 3,500 feet the weather here should be a little nicer. We are sitting in Road Hazard right now with the windows open and listening to a train blow its whistle in the distance. Nothing but rolling hills around us.

Last day in Yellowstone

2008-09-22T21:50:00.003-04:00

With a warning of snow falling tonight we decided to explore as much as we could and leave early Tuesday morning. Our exploration took us to the northern section of the park. On our way to the northwest corner of the park we passed some beautiful water falls that have been carved deep into the cliffs.

The park seems to be divided into different sections. Each section has its own characteristic. The Southwest corner is home to Old Faithful and its many geysers. The northwest corner of the park is home to a large number of hydrothermal areas. They form stair steps from sulfur deposits and have shallow pools of light blue water. While standing along these pools the steam washes over you. The smell of Hydrogen Sulphide at times can be very strong until the wind pushes the vapors in another direction.

The northeast corner of the park is filled with deep gouges in the rock carved by Yellowstone River. The deep blue color of the water is a sharp contrast to the light colored cliffs and evergreen trees. With the cold weather approaching the trees have begun to change into their winter colors.

Along the journey of Yellowstone River it dumps over majestic waterfalls. The sound of roaring water echo's throughout the canyon.

While at Yellowstone we have experienced the four forms of precipitation. Rain, Hail, Sleet and tonight, snow. I think we have reached our limit and tomorrow morning we are packing up and moving on. Yellowstone is definitely a place that has nature on full display. Wildlife here seems to thrive knowing that they are protected. Here, nature determines the outcome and man is only a spectator.

The Greatest Show on Earth!

2008-09-21T19:59:00.005-04:00

We awoke this morning with much anticipation. Being on the doorstep of Yellowstone National Park and knowing what is behind the gates is enough to perk you up without the morning coffee. After we entered the park we must have driven 10 minutes and we saw a bunch of cars pulled off to the side of the road. That usually indicates that someone has seen an animal. Sure enough a herd of elk were grazing not to far from the road. Here in Yellowstone nature is on full display along with mankind on "who has the biggest telephoto lens". Where you find wildlife you are also going to spot a person carrying what looks like a small cannon mounted on a tripod.

Why do they need closeups? What are they trying to see? Are they checking the dental records of these animals? I just stood shoulder to shoulder with them and pulled out my Sony Digital camera that makes a cute sound when I take a picture. Sure I turned heads but I think I got some beautiful pictures and when I was done I put my camera in my pocket and walked away.

The day was cold and the wind coming down the mountain cut right through the multiple layers of clothing we had on. What kept us going was the views and the heat coming off the thermal pools.

We stood around for 45 minutes to watch one of natures events that is predictable. It started as small gushes of water and tons of vapor. As the excitement in the throngs of people out to see the event grew so did the height of steam. All of a sudden as if someone had turned a switch on a geyser of water shot up a hundred feet into the air. The sound of escaping water being pushed through the earths crust could be heard. In the 1 1/2 minutes this geyser pushed out close to 3,700 gallons of water. What an incredible sight to witness.

All around the park are pools of bubbling water and steam. The different colors framing the pools are created by different algae that thrive on these scolding hot waters.

In our first day in Yellowstone we saw Elk, Bison, Mule Deer, and a Wolf with her pup. We saw countless hot springs and stood in the steams from these pools as the wind shifted around. In Yellowstone you tend to forget the crowds of people around you and become absorbed in the breathtaking views all around.

Three out of Four

2008-09-20T20:04:00.002-04:00

We left Twin Falls, Idaho, early this morning because we knew a storm was brewing on the horizon. When we hit the road the clouds were already forming to create a massive storm. Checking in with the national weather forecast was our only indication that we were going to miss the heavy stuff, at least until we got there. We still were accompanied by rain most of the drive to Yellowstone and I think God must have been walking on his shag carpet and creating sparks because lighting bolts were exploding in the distance followed by the deep rumble of thunder.

Its amazing to see all around you when you have so much sky to observe. No buildings, no tall trees, nothing in your way to see the horizon all around you. On the one side the gray clouds getting together to form a massive storm cloud. On the other side blue skies and a few clouds.

We finally arrived in Montana, the 19th state of our travels.

After a quick bite to eat and a walk around town we decided to head back to Road Hazard and enjoy the beautiful sunny skies while they lasted. To the southeast the storm clouds were building and this storm looked worse than the one that followed us most of the trip. We were able to sit outside in our lounge chairs for an hour and enjoy the hot sun before the thick black clouds covered up the hot ball in the sky.

Hold on tight because the storm that hit us brought with it hail the size of peas. The ground looked like it was covered in a light dusting of snow. The hail came down sideways and bounced off Road Hazard creating a symphony of percussion sounds inside with every hit. In the span of only a few hours we experienced Rain then Sun Shine and then Hail. The only thing missing is Snow. Tonight they are expecting the temps to drop to 25 degrees. All I can think of is, why are we here?

Twin Falls

2008-09-19T22:09:00.002-04:00

On our way to an Ice Cave up the road we noticed that we were passing mile after mile of what appeared to be lava fields. It can't be. We're out here in Idaho. There aren't any volcano's around here! Our 45 minute drive took us to the entrance to an Ice Cave. "What is an Ice Cave?" I asked Reta when she discovered it on the Internet. An old lava tube that has water in it and because of the air flow through this tube the air is chilled to 30 degrees. The guide that was going to lead us into this cold chamber greeted us by introducing herself and listing the rules of our excursion. Imagine, if you will, a very heavy version of Brittney Spears. Big round sunglasses, a tight white tank top that reveled her many curves, along with a pair of short shorts that had the writing across her butt: Just Do It! Did I mention the open mouth gum chewing? Ok, this is going to be interesting.

She began by explaining that this area used to be inhabited by cave people. Not like the one you see on the Geico commercials but a much smaller version. They lived to be a ripe old age of 17 and stood about 5 feet tall.

We walked along this lava field that has countless lava tubes that have since crumbled under their own weight. It was at this point that "Brittney" told us that 1/3 of Idaho is covered in Lava. Some is only a few feet thick and other sections can be several hundred. We descended the patchwork of lava rocks assembled to work as steps. Down and through a narrow doorway the cold air hit us like a cold January morning.

We walked along a shaky bridge that followed this narrow lava tube to the back of the cave. All around us drops of water falling from the cracks in the ceiling and turning into ice on any surface that it lands on. The ice below our feet was several feet thick and remains like this all year. Once back on the surface the sun greeted us with its warmth and we followed "Brittney" around the twisting path until we returned to the shack that is the Gift Shop.
Having tasted a slice of small town America we decided to head back into Twin Falls to see why they named the city that.

Only about 10 minutes from downtown Twin Falls sits this oasis. The green water is a sharp contrast to the black volcanic rock cliffs that line Snake River. This name may ring a bell for some of you that remember Evil Knievel. He once tried to jump this river on a rocket bike. He wasn't successful and his parachute failed him also. Leaving him stranded along the cliff face until they could rescue him. Another treasure in this city is Perrine Bridge. It is 475' off the water and at the time of construction it was the highest bridge in the world. Today, base jumpers use this as their platform to get their fix of adrenaline. If anyone is interested after a short "crash" course you to can take the leap.

Twin Falls, Idaho is a small town. The sign into the city states that there are 34,469 people that will admit to calling this home. I say this because at the local grocery store the young girl asked us where we were from. Maryland, I responded. Her head swiveled from side to side as if she was trying to understand what I had just told her. Maryland, she said, what are you doin' here? Just passing through, I responded. Good, was her reply, there ain't nothin' here! Sort of reminds me of Holbrook, Arizona, when the young clerk there responded by saying "Welcome to nothing."

We leave Saturday morning for Yellowstone. They have informed us to dress warmly because it is already very cold there. Maybe Portland, Oregon doesn't sound too bad after all.

Self Service

2008-09-18T23:37:00.002-04:00

As much as we love our friends in Oregon I have to admit that it feels good to have finally left the state. There must be something they put in the water here that I haven't quite figured out what makes this place weird. You may think that weird is a harsh word to use but the state promotes itself with bumper stickers that say, "Keep Oregon Weird!". Hey, it's not just me. Let me give you a few personal thoughts that have given me these feelings.
If you ever get the chance to meet an Oregonian try mispronouncing the state to see their reaction. Say Or-e-gone. It's like you have just insulted their child. I was corrected on more than one occasion by several people on the state pronunciation as well as certain cities. I think they purposely pronounce their state and cities different because they have to be different than the other side of the country. The early settlers all came from a town on the east coast and they wanted to make this place home and would name it their home town. Lets call it the same but pronounce it different. They won't figure it out. Imagine if you will that Oregone is like our own little Canada. We know its up there but don't really know a lot about it. Here is another way to think of it, you know you have an attic but you really never visit it unless you have to. When you get there you go, wow I didn't know all this space was here.

In the wanting to be different category they are only one of TWO states that don't allow you to pump your own gas. New Jersey being the other and we could spend hours talking about them. It's second nature for most people to pump your own gas. It's something you do without thinking about. Case in point. Our last fuel stop in Oregone for Road Hazard was in a small town. As I have done so many times I jumped out and started to pump. The young attendant, that probably couldn't have a beer but is old enough to pump gas, came up to me and asked what I was doing. I replied that I needed some Diesel for my rig. Uh, he said sheepishly, you can't do that here!" OH JUST PUMP SOME GAS IN THERE SO I CAN GET OUT OF THIS CRAZY RECYCLING, NO PUMPING GAS STATE. I looked it up and found out that you can't pump your own gas BUT it is a self serve assisted suicide state. Can someone please explain the logic there?
Now don't get me wrong, Oregone is beautiful and if it means anything the state has been successful in keeping it weird.

Oh, to see the bright blue sign...

We made it! On our way east.

Nothing now but spuds and mountains.

Tomorrow morning I'm getting up early to pump my own gas. Feel the hose surging with every gallon of liquid fuel that squirts out the nozzle. It feels good to be on the road again.

Saying Goodbye

2008-09-17T22:56:00.003-04:00

We have been putting off the inevitable as long as we could. It was time to leave our friends behind and start our journey back east before the white fluffy cotton starts falling from the sky and causes Road Hazard to become a real danger. Spending time with Hossein, Maureen and the girls has been terrific. The evening singing and dance shows that the girls would put on for us will be missed as well as to hear their laughter and see their smiles. I never did like saying goodbyes.

While in Portland I have to admit that I have learned a few things. In a previous blog I mentioned the recycling practices performed here. There is a reason that their football team wears the color green. It's the way everyone thinks here. Green is in. Green is Oregon. I expect to see Al Gore jump out from behind a tree if I mistakenly put an item into the wrong bin. Thanks Maureen for educating me on recycling and now making me feel guilty when I don't.

Wednesday morning, as we packed up and prepared Road Hazard for the asphalt trail, we said our goodbyes to our latest friend we made along the way. Pete and his wife Sarah were staying next to us in the campground. We would sit and talk some evenings and exchanged stories of being full timers. I shared the blog with him and he shared something very valuable to anyone who enjoys camping and RVing. He created a web site that locates and reviews campgrounds around the country. I invite my friends that have "Hazards" of their own to explore his website and contribute. It's a free site so check it out!

http://www.askerv.com

The road out of Portland took us along I-84 which runs along the Columbia River. The calm water twisting and reflecting the tall mountains that frame the river.

At one point in our journey the sky started to turn a funny color. It almost looked like it was gray clouds but there was something different. When I looked at the sun through this cloud it surprised me. An eerie red ball in the sky took the place of what should have been the sun. Then Reta reminded me that there is a forest fire burning out of control in the Southeast corner of the state. This must be the smoke from the burning timbers. Sure enough, when we stopped at a rest stop an hour later I noticed the front of the RV was covered in ash as if someone had taken the ashes from a fire place and thrown it against RH.

A loud rumble and shaking of the RV would indicate that a truck loaded with trees would pass us on the way to the lumber mills. Tree farms line the highway for miles. Cedar is still a big dollar industry as it was hundreds of years ago when these cities were first started in this corner of the country.

Finally, arriving at our home for the night I took a second to relax with these wooden coins the campground gave us. Our journey will continue early in the morning as we continue to push east.

Reaching New Heights

2008-09-09T21:35:00.003-04:00

Still in Washington State we decided that we needed to explore one of the two famous mountains near Seattle. We decided to go explore Mt. Rainer since we had done Mt. St. Helens a few years ago. Mt. Rainer is only 50 miles from downtown Seattle, as the crow flies, so when you are in the city you can see this huge presence of rock looming in the background as you walk about town. The closer we got to Mt. Rainer the more impressive this huge rock became. We were very fortunate that the day was better than can ever be expected in this part of the country, where clouds are the norm. We entered the Park and started our slow gradual accent to the highest point that you can drive by car called Paradise.

Along the road were tall pine trees that covered any view of the valley below. Once in awhile the trees would open up to reveal an incredible sight. In the picture above we stopped to take our first look at the mountain from within the park. This little creek is running low today but in early spring when the snows begin to melt on the mountain this creek turns into a big nasty river. You can see how wide it becomes. The mountain is rich in iron and the red rocks are tinted from the iron in the water.

We spotted another run off that was running pretty fast and full. Here the water ran a milky white from all the ash washing down the mountain. Hundreds of years ago this mountain was an active volcano and it spewed lava and ash for hundreds of miles. Today the ash is still being eroded away by the snow melts. How do you like the bridge? It was only 12 inches wide and when you stood in the middle it would sway and bounce. The spray of the river would lick your feet as you bounced across.

When we were walking back to the truck we both commented on how many places this little truck has been since we started this trip. What was once used for mulch around the house has become a world traveler. I'll even forgive it for cutting loose in the beginning of our trip!

Once we arrived in Paradise we were so enchanted with the area that we decided to check into the lodge and spend an evening high up in the mountain. Sitting at 5,600' with views all around. We checked in and decided to go for a short hike to take advantage of the beautiful day. Who knows what the weather would be like tomorrow.

Along this trek we encountered more wildlife than we have seen anywhere else. We saw Wombats (like gophers but bigger), Deer, Chipmunks and even Black Bear.

Here we are in the beginning of September and we were still walking on snow! Some of the trail was covered by snow and at one point we had to walk up a hill that was slanted sideways. One slip and you would find yourself about a hundred feet downhill.

What was a short hike turned into a long 5 mile trek with over 1,500' of vertical climb. We were so excited about the sights we were seeing that we just kept going until we climbed to the highest point allowed. Anything higher required a permit for back country camping. In the picture above we are at 6,400' and at the base of a huge gorge that the snow melt has created. Waterfalls seemed to be all around us as the snow continues to melt. We sat in this spot close to an hour just taking in the sight. Watching the waterfalls cascade over the tall cliffs and quickly disappear under the blanket of snow below the falls, only to emerge downstream somewhere. While sitting here we could here rocks being cut loose off the cliffs and crashing below. The ice is shifting with the water and melting happening all around these glaciers and you could hear the cracking and popping of these huge chunks of ice colliding and pressing against each other.

Take a look at the slide show to see the incredible journey we took. Mt. Rainer is a spectacular place to be. Days can be spent hiking and enjoying the sights along with the local residents that graze the hillsides. One of the highlights of our trip!

Northern Exposure

2008-09-08T00:12:00.002-04:00

With Road Hazard still siting in the shop we decided that we should take a short trip up to Washington. The reason Road Hazard is still there is really a benefit to us. We put it in the shop to have a leaky jack fixed. We knew that it would take some time for them to locate the leak and that they would want the RV for several days. You might be asking why? Free Storage! It's in a safe place and looked after. It will get fixed and in the mean time we can stay at our friends house and visit other places.

The first place we stopped to explore was Olympia, the State Capital. Here we found a Capital building that looks like the one in DC. This one is sitting atop a big hill it overlooks the blue waters of Capital Lake unlike the one in DC that overlooks just buildings.

We were fortunate that the Farmers Market was going on when we arrived by the waterfront and we walked around smelling the different foods, fresh fruit, fresh vegetables and flowers. It would be terrific to live near a place like this and be able to pick up all these fresh items.

We continued north on I5 and came to Seattle. Fortunately for us the sun has followed us for the past couple of days. We first went to visit another, more famous, Market. Pike Place Market. Sitting along Elliot Bay and nestled in the downtown district with only a short walk to both the Baseball and Football stadiums.

Your sense's are overwhelmed by the sights, sounds and smells you encounter as you zig zag through the crowds. You need something to eat? Most likely you'll find it here and it will be the freshest you've ever had. Need a good cup of coffee? You can go to the coffee shop that has started all the buzz around the country. That's right...Starbucks.

You'll notice that the original store had a slightly different logo. When they went national they had to "tame" the mermaid and hide the, how should we say, the puppies. The store is packed and it's standing room only. Not big enough to hold the comfortable seats and couch's you'll find at the one in your neighborhood.

On our trip around the city we found Pioneer Square. This square was the birthplace of Seattle. It all started right here. The first stores, the first fire that wiped out the city and the first rebuilt buildings to start up the city again. With the water being so close, this area was prone to flooding from the tides everyday. After many years they finally decided to build the city up to prevent water from washing out the streets. When they did this it also created an "underground". What was the first floor or main entrance to a business was now the basement or underground. With all these tunnels it became a breeding ground for the vices of booze, gambling and women. We took a tour that took us underground to see these tunnels and were told of the rough beginnings the city went through to become this emerald it is today.

With the sun starting to hide for the evening, behind the islands in the sound, we had dinner in Des Moines. It is about 1/2 hour south of downtown Seattle. Quiet and small it felt to get away from the hustle and bustle of a big city, kick back and have a cold one. Good way to relax before the busy work weeks starts.

Across the Bridge

2008-09-04T23:58:00.004-04:00

Today we ventured over the bridge into Vancouver, Washington. A big green steel bridge connected the two river banks. Its tall green structure looked like a pile of Pick Up Sticks with so many beams crossing over each other.

At around this time we had to find somewhere to eat so we decided to try this place we had both heard of, Burgerville. I have to say this is the best burger I have ever had. I tried the Tillamook Cheeseburger. If you have never had Tillamook Cheese before than you haven't had cheese. This is sent down directly from the gods. This is "Fast Food" but the exit strategy...not so much. Let me explain. Here, tucked in the northwest corner of this mighty country sits these people that live among big lush green forests. They don't see much sun because of the almost daily dose of clouds mixed in with rain in many months of the year. They take to other indoor activities one of which is called recycling. Now, don't get me wrong, everyone recycles but they have taken it to the next level.

They have the usual bins in the restaurant for Plastic bottles but I had to take a picture of this! Once the line of people left, who waited patiently in line to discard there leftover "Fast Food" meal, I managed to take this picture with out too much attention. Now listen carefully, the Blue Bin is for your plastic and paper, Black Bin is for waste and the Green Bin is for leftover food only. Amazing to see people patiently picking their bundles of waste apart to put into the appropriate bins. The Bin Nazi was hovering nearby to ensure that one didn't throw a french fry into the wrong color bin. Like children we were rewarded with a "Good Job" upon exit. It's a good thing that they are doing here, don't get me wrong, but where is this going to end?

After a big meal like that, one usually has to, how should I put this, make room! Hey where's my privacy around here!

No, stop it. We visited Fort Vancouver which was a prominent Fort along the river and was a major hub in the fur business and of Oregon. The Hudson Bay Company was headquartered here around the 1830's. I was checking out their restroom facilities of their time. Not very good. A bucket of ash to "flush" the waste into the hole. The bad thing, I didn't see a toilet paper holder in there. I don't want to know what was used, if anything.

Today the buildings have been rebuilt to replicate the busy center and give us an insight into the way life used to be. A trading post stands filled with furs, blankets, baskets, gun powder and so many other items that would be used in everyday life. Indians and trappers would trade their hunted furs for necessary supplies. The furs were bundled up and shipped back to England for the growing interest in fur. In the picture above I am holding a wolf. If it had fur it was trapped and sold.

After a great experience at the Fort we headed into town to find a Sports Bar. It is after all the first game of the new NFL season. The best part the game started here at 4 in the afternoon. In time for Happy Hour specials. To make it better, my team, The Washington Redskins were playing.

With a huge screen surrounded by 8 smaller ones around it we sat and watched the Skins lose their opener. It's a long season so I'm not too worried about it.

Day of Falls

2008-09-03T21:00:00.000-04:00

Oregon is filled with many natural wonders that seem to be around every corner. Along Interstate 84, which follows the mighty Columbia River, there are tall cliffs that end at the river's edge. Called the Columbia River Gorge it is home to numerous water falls. The tallest and most famous in this area is Multnomah Falls. The water cascades 620' and this makes it the second tallest in the nation, only to follow Niagara Falls.

The trail takes you over two bridges that lead you around a twisty path that snakes up the along the cliff to reach the top of the falls. Being the most famous it is packed with people trying to take their snap shop of memories to take home. The views from the top are breath taking as you look out over the river below.

The small circular platform sits at the waters edge for you to watch the water disappear over the edge.

We decided to go explore a few more waterfalls since this area has a least 6 more within a few miles. We drove on Route 30, which used to be the old highway before I-84 was built. Here the two lane road winds around the mountains and tucked back away from the road are beautiful homes that must have incredible views.

Latourell Falls was our next stop (picture above) and it was less crowded. The sound of water hitting the rocks below along with the cool mist in your face took you to a calm oasis where you could just feel your body relax. Even with the sun hiding behind the clouds the colors around the falls seemed intense.

The next falls we stopped at is called Bridal Veil Falls. After a short hike down the dense forest trail we came to the base of this two combo falls. Another place of nirvana and to think that they are less than an hour from the busy city. To be able to escape the hectic schedule of everyday life and drive a couple hours to the coast or an hour to the mountains is something that I am not used to. They tell me that on a clear day you can see 5 mountains; Mt St Helens, Mt Rainier, Mt Adams, Mt Hood and Mt Jefferson. If only the weather were nicer in this area it would be a great place to live. If only...

Coast of Oregon

2008-09-02T18:07:00.004-04:00

With summer quickly winding down we decided to check out the Oregon coast while the weather was still cooperating. Our friends, Hossein and Maureen, joined us for a quick trip to Cannon Beach. It's a little less than 2 hours from Portland. Amazingly the fog was still following us on the coast but it did break a few times to revel the sun. As we strolled along the beach with our feet in the gentle surf we were amazed by the views along the coast. Tall cliffs dumping into the blue water. The water is ice cold and any minute you expect to see penguins come floating by on an iceberg but the locals don't seem to mind. I guess not knowing that true beach water is around the mid 70's like, you would find in Florida, they seem happy to be splashing around in this cold water. The blue lips just make it part of the experience.

This big mound of rock sitting in the surf is called Haystack and seems like it was dropped while someone was sculpting the coastline. Standing 237 feet above the water it is home to many birds, including tufted puffins, gulls, and cormorants. On our visit the hazy fog gave it a mystical appearance.

We have known our friends from when they lived in Maryland and have remained close despite the distance. We are catching up and also reminiscing on past days with much laughter and cheer. If only Oregon were warmer this would be the place to be.

The town of Cannon Beach is cute small town America. With its one main street lined with colorful flowers that fills the air with its sweet nectar, small shops and restaurants. The busy street is filled with people out with their families enjoying the last few days of warmth before the cold settles in.

The evening was spent around a fire sharing stories until our sides were hurting from laughter. Our first guests to spend the night in Road Hazard! I think they enjoyed the experience and to make sure they had an understanding of how our lives have been the last 9 months we insisted that Hossein drive us back to Portland the next day.

I could tell he was a bit nervous in the beginning but as he tackled the winding road through the mountains he became a little more relaxed as the miles clicked on. By the time we reached Portland the color had returned to his fingers from squeezing the steering wheel so hard.

Road Hazard is in the shop today and we should have it back in a couple of days as they figure out why the jacks are still not working correctly. There's always something.

Dark Side of Portland

2008-09-01T12:05:00.001-04:00

For the last week we've been touring the different area's of Portland with our friends. I haven't been able to update the blog as I normally do because we are always on the go. In the evening, after their kids go off to bed, we have time to sit down to talk and laugh. We are staying here with them as Road Hazard is in the shop getting its routine maintenance done.

Reta and I did sneak off to downtown Portland one day last week. We went into the Northwest part of town called Chinatown and Pearl District.

Along this part of the city the river separates Portland in half. Several bridges connect the two sides. Each bridge is different from the other in appearance and the way it is constructed.

We took a tour that explored the underground of Portland. Underground with both meanings. Literally, underground in the tunnels that connect the different buildings and figuratively with the underground world that was once so prominent years ago in this area.

The tunnels, most of which have been blocked off, used to dissect the city and was used to transport people and other illegal activities between buildings. "Shanghai" is a term used for some of the activities that took place. People would be sitting in a bar and the next thing a trap door would open and they would end up through the tunnels and onto a ship to work for extremely low wages. Some considered it slavery because of the conditions. They wouldn't return for many years, if they were lucky.

We also toured the Chinese Garden that sits in the middle of this busy metropolis. The calm of the water and the beauty of the flowers transports you to another world of serenity.

We enjoyed a nice cup of tea while we took in the relaxing atmosphere and reflected back on our days activities.

Oregone

2008-08-22T11:57:00.002-04:00

Our four hour journey snaked us through the valleys as we headed north. Huge mountain sides filled with evergreen trees towered over the road and made the cars and trucks seem like toys as they rolled past these giants.

We had one stop to make and we knew it was going to be a painful one, in our wallet. When we drove through California we didn't stop once to fill up with Diesel since the prices are so high there. We managed to make it the entire state but entered Oregon on fumes. We had to drive about 60 miles to the nearest Truck Stop and with every big hill we had to climb the needle would disappear on the gauge, empty. Come on Road Hazard don't fail us now!

We made it to the pump but now had to shell out over $500 to fill the empty belly of the beast. The price of freedom isn't cheap sometimes.

Reta and I are excited to be arriving in Portland because our good friends have moved out here several years ago and we only get to see each other maybe once a year. After we set up Road Hazard we took off to go visit. With a warm reception, complete with sidewalk art, we visited into the late evening. Already planning the next days events.

One thing of note that we discovered...you pronounce it OREGEN. Never say OREGONE. The locals don't seem to like it.

Table Rock

2008-08-20T23:55:00.003-04:00

Our last day in Grants Pass was a game of Hide & Seek with the sun as the rain clouds would cover it up and expose it throughout the day. Our plans of driving a couple of hours to see Crater Lake was washed away with the morning rain. After sitting around Road Hazard for most of the day we decided to go for a hike up to Table Rock that sits about 2000' above the valley floor.

It felt good to be outside getting some fresh air and stretching our legs. It seemed we had a little extra bounce in our feet as we started up the trail. The reason we chose this trail is because there has been some BIGFOOT activity recorded in this area. I am determined to spot the elusive beast. With my camera fully charged and at the ready we took off.

There sits the flat volcanic rock now named Table Rock. It would take us about an hour to hike up to the overlook. The trail started off through a wooded area. Home, of course, to Sasquatch. Around every bend in the trail I was at the ready to snap the award winning photograph.

We finally made it to the top of the table and was greeted by heavy rainclouds descending through the valley. The wind was constant and kept the clouds away from the plateau that we were traversing. As we got closer to the edge a few drops of rain made an appearance but was short lived.

As we stood with our toes at the edge overlooking the valley below another rain cloud had pushed through Grants Pass and was building to come south where we were. Enjoy the view and lets go before we get hit with a wall of water. It was hard to leave this spot because the view was great. Large vultures floating effortlessly in the updrafts, coming off the rock face, that only seemed feet away from us. The activity on the valley floor looked as if we were watching ants scurry about. Come on, let's go!

We made it back with only a few showers keeping everything cool and moist on us. No sign of Bigfoot but there will be other opportunities to spot him.

Thursday we are on the road again and still heading north. Next stop...

Vortex Center

2008-08-19T22:22:00.002-04:00

So, after much research Reta wanted to check out the "House of Mystery" also known as the Vortex House. It's a Must See to Believe! Here is a statement from their website explaining the house.

"The Oregon Vortex is a spherical field of force, half above the ground and half below the ground. The word "vortex" simply means a Whirlpool of force, like a whirling mass of water, especially one in which a force of suction operates, such as a whirlpool or a whirling mass of air, especially one in the form of a visible column or spiral, such as a tornado."

We entered the "force field" and are were given Divining Rods to find the cross sections of the vortex. Here is Reta watching the rods move in her hands to form an X as she gets closer to an intersection.

There are platforms that intersect the vortex's and if one were to stand on the north side of the cross section with another person standing on the south side, it would appear that the person on the south is taller. We did several experiences to make test the theory and every time it would appear the taller / shorter thing would always happen.

There is an old miner's house still left on the property from the Gold Rush time. It has seen better days and has collapsed on one corner. Today it is a plethora for experiments of testing the force field. What seems to be slanted one way is actually going the other. Where a bottle is rolled, on its own, uphill. Golf balls roll along uphill on a board. Broom handles stand erect leaning toward north by a few degree's.

It was an interesting day that really blew our minds and our perception was tested.

We headed over to Central Point for lunch and discovered small town America. One street that is Main Street. It had mostly Beauty Parlors. I think we counted 5 in a two block area. With so many around you would think that all the women would be incredibly beautiful. I managed to snap a picture of one coming out of the Parlor...

There's something about her eye's that just pull you in.

The Pass

2008-08-18T22:51:00.003-04:00

Today we drove up through the mountains of Northern California and Oregon. The road was challenging and required the driver to be on top of their game. Narrow bridges, construction, steep grades were a few of the obstacles that had to be faced. Finally we arrived in Oregon.

Our first destination in Oregon is Grants Pass. Here we hope to enjoy some better weather. We left California under a light mist of rain. Something we haven't seen in 3 months. Here in Grants Pass the sun greeted us and warmed our faces as we sat outside enjoying a cold beverage after a grueling drive through the mountains.

Downtown Grants Pass is your typical small town. A small Historic District filled with shops and restaurants that all close at exactly 5 everyday.

We did find a local watering hole and went inside for some local liquid. People here are very friendly and willing to help you with local attractions. Most of the people in the bar are born and raised in the area.

We did experience a first here...Fried Asparagus. Oh so good. We are definitely going back again for some more. Armed with a map and dozens of notes we headed back to Road Hazard ready to go out and explore this area.

First Time...

2008-08-17T13:17:00.005-04:00

Earthquake shakes Humboldt
The Times-Standard
Article Launched: 08/16/2008 11:07:32 PM PDT

A small earthquake, measuring a preliminary 4.6, shook northern Humboldt County Saturday night, just before 11 p.m.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, a light earthquake occurred at 10:56 p.m. The magnitude 4.6 event occurred 14 km (9 miles) north/northwest of Trinidad, at a depth of 11 miles. The extent of damage, if any, is as yet unknown.

I was settled in getting ready to watch Michael Phelps break the Olympic record when all of a sudden the entire RV started to shake. It felt like the entire thing was moving about 6 inches each way. Reta was sound asleep and came running out of the bedroom to see what I was doing. She thought that I was jumping up and down. It lasted for only 10 seconds but it left me... stunned.

Not really knowing what happened I grabbed a flashlight to go outside and inspect the jacks and RV. Slowly others started coming out as well and walking around their rigs. Then you heard one person ask another "Did you feel that?"

I'll confess to you that I couldn't go to bed until well into the wee hours of the morning. The whole experience, albeit short, left me traumatized. What would happen if a bigger one came along?

We felt our first earthquake but I don't like it. This isn't for me. Get me out of here!

Touching the Sky

2008-08-16T20:54:00.003-04:00

No surprise that we awoke in the midst of a think blanket of fog. We decided to make the best of it and went out to explore. Our first stop was Fern Canyon north of Orick. The way to the park was a dirt road off the main highway. A dirt road that painted the vegetation a dirty tan color from all the vehicles passing by. The road resembles a slithering snake as it winds around the big redwood trees. After 8 miles of bouncing along we finally arrived at the base of the canyon.

As you start to walk up the canyon it seems to come to life with the wind blowing through the ferns. It's almost like they are reaching out to you as you pass by. The sound of the rolling creek is the only sound heard as you walk along the wet rocky canyon. The ferns thrive in the shadows of the giant trees and the moist fog that lingers around.
On our way back to the car the local inhabitants came out for lunch. These huge Elks look very intimidating with their pointy rack displayed proudly. That's close enough for me!

Climbing back out of the dirt road we found our way over to the Northern Redwood Park. This is home to one of the few virgin Redwood Forests. Here the trees have been standing for over 1,000 years and show their scars of ancient forest fires. The unpaved path leads you around this 2 miles of Redwood skyscrapers.

It's amazing to look at the base of these giant wood structures. How can a tree be that big around? Then, as you wrench your neck to look skyward for the top, you realize that the base is needed to support such a tall tree.

When you find a fallen giant you can begin to appreciate the size of these trees.

Hopefully in the next few pictures you will have a better idea of just how big these trees are.

Eureka I Found It!

2008-08-16T00:12:00.002-04:00

Our new home for the next several days is Eureka, California. It sits between both National Redwood Parks. Getting up here was an interesting drive. One of the most challenging drives we've had since we started. The word that comes to mind is "tight". We took Route 101 to follow the coast but it also takes you up steep mountains and through the Redwood Forest. The driving through the forest was the challenge as it takes you within inches of tall trees that sit along the side of the road. The turns are sharp. You can look in the side mirror and see the car we are towing in the turns.

It was worth the white knuckles because we went to Agate Beach today and were met by this great view. It is called Agate Beach because there are very old lava tubes off shore that are filled with Agate that was formed when the tubes cooled off. Today, the surf breaks apart the tubes and washes the semi-precious stones onto the beach.

There really is no sand on the beach but stones of varying sizes. Small as the point of a pencil to potato size rocks. People are all over searching for their nugget of stone in the multi-colored expanse.

The fog, which has been following us since LA, lingers just above the surf adding the effect of mystic to the beach.

Walking along the shore and getting our toes wet was a new experience. To say the water was cold is an understatement. When the wave rolls up along the shore tossing the little stones in its surge it causes a sound I've never heard before. Tumbling rocks knocking together with each one making a musical sound, added with the sound of the surf pounding the ground sending that thumping sensation in your chest.

When we left the beach it seemed our cloths were dragging on the ground from the weight of stones we were carrying in any pocket we had on our garment.

Goodbye SF

2008-08-14T11:50:00.003-04:00

With our last day in San Francisco we headed off close to sunset to get a glimpse of the city at night. What we got was a nice view of fog at sunset.

Cavallo Point is a beautiful area that looks at the Golden Gate Bridge and the city of San Francisco. As we sat at and enjoyed dinner we watched the bridge slowly disappear as the fog swallowed everything in its path.

With the sun shinning behind the mountains covered in fog we said goodbye to this area and prepare for our next destination further north.

Can You See Anything?

2008-08-13T00:07:00.003-04:00

What we discovered today is that August is the time of year that this area gets fog. It lasts all day along the coast. Because of the fog it keeps the temperature way down as well. It forms an umbrella over everything and blocks the sun from heating up the ground. Fog is vital to this area because it supplies water to many plants and animals. We visited Muir Woods that is home to giant Redwood trees. Sitting near the coast these thirsty trees soak up the fog and will consume between 300 to 600 gallons of water a day during the summer months.

You can understand their thirst when you see how big they are. The base of these trees can be 22' across and the branches can reach up to 375'. The bark is thick to protect the tree from fire, insects and fungi. It can be as thick as 6 to 12 inches.

When walking among these giants it is an awe inspiring moment. Just think, these trees have been around for 600 years!

By the time we left the giants the sun was shinning and we figured it was time to head to the beach.

The beach, of course, is on the coast so there is fog.

I'm sure the views from this cliff would be incredible when there isn't any fog. We were about 400' up and the only thing we could see was the surf breaking down below.

We drove up Route 1 and by the time we reached our destination we were shaken up, bounced around and twisted about from the road. Beautiful views if you dare take your eyes off the twisty road.

2008-08-12T00:31:00.002-04:00

If you have ever put a glass of wine to your lips then you must visit Napa Valley. This is the mecca of vineyards in North America. The valley here is prime real estate for growing these vines that produces world famous nectar of the Gods.

We took a tour of a vineyard to see the behind the scenes of how the process works. It started at the very beginning. In the vineyard. Walking the countless rows of vines and learning about soil, sun and sugar levels. To stand on a hill and look out over acres and acres of vineyards is a sight to see.

Once the grapes are squeezed the juice makes its way into these oak barrels and will remain here for 6 months to 2 years. The cellar felt nice and cool compared to the hot sun out in the valley. The air was filled with the mixed smells of oak, grapes and an ancient cellar. The process still remains very labor intensive. By this point we had seen the process, learned about the process and now it was time to taste the results of the process. Oh, it was very good. We each tried 6 different types of wine. Some were sweet with a clean taste while others were filled with fruity tastes and hints of oak.

When we were leaving the valley we saw a sign on the side of the road advertising a Geyser. A geyser? I thought that was only in Yellowstone. We figured why not. We're here so we might as well do the tourist thing and pay the $7 each to see what this is. My fear was that there would be a hose squirting water. To our surprise we found that this geyser is one of 6 in the world. It blows about every 40 minutes and reaches heights of around 60 feet.

Right on que it started as a small bubbling fountain and soon stretched up to 60 feet of 350 degree water being stretched up into the clear California sky. What a great find and a way to end our experience in the valley of Wine.

Downtown SF

2008-08-11T14:21:00.004-04:00

The morning fog seemed to have burned away this morning but for dramatic effects the fog remained around the Golden Gate Bridge. The path leading down towards the base of the massive expanse lends itself to vistas of the bay. The water is a blue green color and looks almost inviting to get in until you look out further and see the strong currents pushing anything that gets into its path out to sea.

As you look south from the orange structure you can see a little spit of land sitting between San Francisco and Oakland. Here sits Alcatraz, haunted by stories of criminals that called this home for years. Today it serves as home for numerous birds that are slowly painting the buildings with their own mixture of white paint.

Across the water sits downtown San Francisco. Filled with streets that dissect the hills that makes your lungs burn upon reaching the summits. Down by the water is the Famous Fisherman's Wharf. The piers around this area are filled with shops and restaurants. Crowds are as thick as the fog that still looms around the orange structure.

Pier 39 is filled with the locals that at one time only stopped by on their migration. Today there is a small group of seals that call these wooden floating structures home year round. As you get closer you are greeted by the loud barking as they jockey for position atop these floating homes.

We spent sometime watching these animals in their natural habitat as they played, pushed and fought each other for dominance position.

If you go to San Fran then you have to walk up to the most crookedest street. You've seen this street in countless movies. The streets to get here are very steep and once you arrive and look up it seems that it is almost straight up. The road winds down between beautiful gardens and tourists lined along the sides taking pictures and taking it all in.

As we headed back towards the car, which was parked near the Golden Gate Bridge, the fog was still there but illuminated by the setting sun giving it a Hollywood type of closure to the day. From all the cities that we have had a privilege of visiting while on our journey, San Francisco is by far one of the prettiest cities. With the balance of nature and concrete structures always on display the whole scene puts you in a relaxed state of mind, even with all the chaos of people are cars always around you.

Balance of Land and Water

2008-08-09T00:38:00.005-04:00

With our first glimpse of the San Francisco area we were left with a sense of peace and balance. We arrived at a city called Sausalito. One of the first images we saw was of this guy sitting along the water. He was balancing rocks that were as small as a golf ball up to rocks so big he was straining to lift into position. There is no glue to keep these stones in place but just patience and skill. When you start to look around you begin to understand the symbolism here.

You notice that the homes are built on the cliffs of these mountains that tumble into the water. Like the stones, these homes are balanced just perfectly on the cliffs. Almost like a deck of cards, one on top of the other. Each, it seems, fighting for a glimpse of the amazing views below.

When you look on the water you have what seems to be a chaos of boats and masts everywhere you look but on closer inspection you realize that these boats are alined perfectly in their slips and seem to be waiting for their turn to sail on these prestine waters.

As the sun starts to dip lower in the sky the clouds start to form on the horizon. Almost like a giant wave the gray fog starts to roll in slowly. It tumbles over the mountains swallowing up the peaks, buildings and finally the boats drifting on the water. The majestic Golden Gate Bridge sitting proudly in the distance as an anchor of balance in the midst of the choas surrounding it.

What a great introduction to the city of San Francisco and the area surrounding it.

San Francisco Treat

2008-08-08T11:35:00.002-04:00

Our trip up north would last about 4 1/2 hours. It started like most trips do, quite and with both of us trying to fully wake up. Eventually I fell asleep with the rocking of the RV and music playing on the radio. Oh, don't worry, Reta was driving at this point. Soon the two hours passed and it was my turn to drive and her turn to sleep.

We decided to take Route 101 because it is the most scenic. It tries to hug the coast but on this stretch between Pismo Beach and San Francisco it goes through the heart of the valley. It was amazing to see all the fields of vegetables on both sides of the road. Rows and rows of neatly planted vegetables. Some partially covered with plastic while others were tall and being harvested by dozens of workers. These workers must spend hours bend over at the waist picking. Ouch! Most of the produce on our tables today comes from this valley.

We finally arrived in Oakland and knew we were getting close when we had to cross the Richmond Bridge. It's one of the three in the area with the Golden Gate Bridge being the most famous. The city is built around these mountains that drop into the water. Fog is not uncommon around here. With the cold air coming off the ocean and meeting the warm air trapped in the valley you get constant shifting of fog. The water is a deep blue color and seems to always have white caps from the relentless wind that is always pushing on it.

We are excited to be here and explore the so many different area's. We have been warned by many to dress warm at all times while out exploring. Temperatures will be around the 70's but that is only between 1 and 4. All the other times the sun is hidden by fog or setting and the cold wind just cuts right through you. It's hard to believe that it is August. Our neighbors warned us that when we go off to explore, take plenty of warm cloths. They had to buy jackets while out one day because they didn't think it would get that cold. One of the locals told me that he can easily spot the tourist. It's the ones only wearing a t-shirt.

What's with the Cold!

2008-08-07T00:04:00.004-04:00

We awoke this morning to find that it was 51 degree's outside. Wait, where are we? I thought this was California. Where's the hot weather? Today's high only got up to 72 degrees, around 3 this afternoon, while Reta and I sat on Pismo Beach wrapped up in our towels and with our jackets on.

I did manage to fall asleep while the sun warmed us up and the sound of the waves crashed against the shore. Another tough day in the office.

When we got back to Road Hazard we decided to walk over to the sand dunes behind the campground. Only after we got there did I realize why Reta wanted to go. I got buried up to my head in the deep sand! Are you going to help me out?

The walk to the water is almost a mile and walking through the deep and steep sand was quite a workout. We were intrigued by what the wind created on the dunes and patterns on the sand.

Today, Thursday, we are on the road again to our next destination. You'll have to check back to see where we landed.

Fog & Sand

2008-08-05T23:51:00.001-04:00

The trip started off under a blanket of fog as we skirted the coast up to our next destination. The further we went it seemed the sun was getting hotter to burn off the fog. The views that we were presented with were incredible. If you ever have the chance to drive along 1 on the California coast you should do it. The road twist and turns, takes you through small cities and the speeds are not fast but the view makes up for it.

We arrived in Pismo Beach. It's the midway point between LA and San Fransisco. We hope to take a day to relax on the beach and make plans for Frisco. It felt good to get away from LA, the traffic and the mobs of people.

The campground in Pismo Beach sits on these huge sand dunes that stretch for 1/2 mile to the beach. It felt great to run around on this white soft sand.

It made me want to stand up and Jump...

Jump everybody, Jump!

Life's a Beach

2008-08-05T00:33:00.001-04:00

I know it's a tough job but we had to do it. We had to visit the many Beach's that are along the coast of LA. Pacific Coast Highway leads you along the coast as you pass the many Beach's. Twist and turns reveal the different Beach's along with their own unique beach towns. The furthest beach we visited was Rodondo Beach. Heading back north we passed Hermosa Beach but we had to stop at Manhattan Beach.

This is the birthplace of Beach Volleyball. We had to stop and give homage to this sacred stretch of sand. There were probably close to 50 courts set up along this beach. By the time we left this afternoon people were starting to show up to play.

We had to make it back to the Santa Monica Pier to meet with Willie for dinner. The picture above was taken looking off the pier.

This is a shot of Santa Monica. We walked up the street a couple of blocks to walk the famous 3rd Street Promenade. It is closed off to vehicle traffic and it's about 5 blocks of shops and restaurants. There are many street performers hoping to get discovered by someone.

Tuesday we are on the road heading north. Destination to be determined en route.

Go Blue!

2008-08-04T11:34:00.002-04:00

What better to do on a Sunday than to go out and see a Dodgers Baseball game! We were invited to attend the game with Angelo and his finance Jessica, ex-coworker of Reta, that live here in LA. They gave us these great seats behind home plate where you could see all the action up close. The stadium is an old ball park. It's celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Being old is not a bad thing. It holds all the charm and history in these walls. It's the way baseball should be watched. Not with all those huge Club Levels. Not all those multitude of vendors. You're there to see a baseball game.

The crowd was buzzing with excitement as number 99 came up to the plate. Manny Ramirez has been the Dodgers latest acquisition. He was worth every penny. He went 3 for 4 with one Home Run that I managed to capture in the photo above.

Towards the end of the game (because we knew the Dodgers were going to win) we walked around the stadium to get some other shots. This is looking down from the highest point. The stadium sits in a canyon so you can see the California mountains in the background.

We were having such a great time at the game that once it finished Angelo and Jessica invited us to go into LA and experience a little slice of the Spanish district.

There was some Aztec Indians performing when we arrived in this section of town. The streets were lined with Spanish vendors selling all their merchandise. They even had Mexican Jumping Beans! We had a great Mexican dinner and I even tried their way of drinking beer. You put half a glass of lemonade, fill the glass with ice and pour your Tecate into it. Rim the mug with salt and add a lime. There you have it!

The more we stay around here, the more we are liking the west coast!

Day of Discovery

2008-08-03T11:00:00.001-04:00

Normally if I were to walk out and see the Pick Up truck covered in bird crap it wouldn't upset me too bad. Sure, its an annoyance but water will clean it up. But not today! You see, today is the day we are going to drive into Hollywood, Beverly Hills and Rodeo Drive. It's also the day that I am going to be discovered by someone and become famous. You've heard those stories of people becoming famous that way? I wanted everything to look just right. I shaved and took an extra minute in front of the mirror to make sure everything was just right. Then I see the Pick Up.

Oh well, it will have to be. Call it "character" for now because I don't have time to wash it off. It's time to be DISCOVERED!

Our drive into town took us through the neighborhood of Beverly Hills. You know you were close to famous people because all along the way there were people selling the maps for the "Stars Homes". Huge homes line the street. There were tall walls that hide the homes from people passing by but once in awhile you see a mansion through the gates or walls.

We finally arrived in Hollywood and found a parking spot, which is just as difficult to spot than a famous person. We met up with a friend that I used to work with, Willie. We were both in sales back east and he decided to move out to LA and give it a shot.

We strolled along Hollywood Blvd, where all the big Theaters are. Here is the Kodak Theatre where, as you know, the finals of "American Idol" are held each year. We went in but they don't let you into the theater itself. Very nice, very rich.

We continued down along the sidewalk and you are looking down to see which star you are walking on. The Hollywood Walk of Fame is along this street and you are continuously shouting out the famous people on the stars. That and dodging the hundreds of people that are all out here to be discovered as well. What do they think? We arrived at Grauman's Chinese Theater where all the famous people sign their name in wet concrete. The area is a lot smaller than I had imagined but filled with people all getting down to compare their hands to someone famous.

We said goodbye to my friend Willie and got away from the madness of Hollywood. We headed out to La Brea Tar Pits. The interesting thing here is that this pit filled with bubbling tar and water sits in the middle of the city. Minutes from Hollywood Blvd. Once you get close to this pit it smells like someone is taring their roof. That strong tar smell just lingers in the air. These pits occasionally produce large bones from animals that have fallen in years and years ago. The bubbles push these bones to the surface and reveal the dinosaurs that once got trapped by these sticky shores.

The next stop took us to the famous Rodeo Drive. This is where the Pick Up and its current condition really didn't work for us. We got out and strolled along the street looking into the windows of merchandise too expensive to even think about buying. If you have to ask "How much" than you shouldn't buy it. You had your Cartier, Dolce & Gabana, Versace, Rolex, Jimmy Choo...you get the idea. On the street were Lamborghini's, Ferrari's, Benz's, Limo's of every size rolling slowly by.

Well, after our stroll I insisted on taking my Bird Crapped Pick Up truck down this famous Avenue. My luck, as I turned down Rodeo Drive a Lamborghini pulled out from a space in front of me and proceeded down Rodeo Drive ahead of me. What a site. People stopping in their tracks to take pictures of this beautiful car...and there we were, right smack behind him. I tried to stay close so that my truck would get into the pictures people were taking. There it is. My discovery. Ok, maybe for the wrong reason but none the less. As people gawked at this beautiful high performance car they would also point to this beautiful 1999 Ford Ranger Pick Up truck with the beautiful bird pattern on the hood. I was never so proud.

Enjoy the slideshow of our Day of Discovery!

Sitting Cliff Side

2008-08-01T23:34:00.002-04:00

We left the beautiful San Diego area and started our journey north along the coast of North America. Our fears, for a few weeks now, has been the traffic in the Los Angles area. We would be driving along I-5 for about 2 1/2 hours and skirting the downtown area of LA. We planned our trip to miss rush hour but like the DC area it seems their rush hour really never stops.

The traffic was slow and we inched along for awhile just taking in the sites and all the while amazed at the smog hoovering over the city. Trucks and RV's are restricted to the two far right lanes and have to drive 10 mph slower than the regular traffic.
We finally turned off on Route 1, which hugs the coast, and made our way up to Malibu beach. Our campground sits perched along a steep cliff overlooking the ocean.

After we set up I snapped this picture to show you the view we have out our front window. One word...AMAZING!

We later took a short stroll on the beach to get our feet wet and relax us from the drive. As I sit here and write this blog tonight I can hear the surf beating against the shore. One can get used to living like this.

San Diego Sunset

2008-08-01T00:58:00.003-04:00

The entire day was spent the way we enjoy it the most. With our feet in the sand, the sun in our face and the sound of Waves crashing on the shore. San Diego is a great place to experience it. We drove just a little north of downtown to a place called La Jolla.

It's your typical beach community but this area seemed to be a little more upscale. The homes are built up on the cliffs over looking the ocean. Surfers dominate the waves here. Now, I did learn a very important lesson when it comes to "surfer dude talk". When you are referring to a "Boogie Board" it means the flat little board that the kids play in the waves with. The pros use a very smiliar board but they are called a "Body Board". Please don't insult someone by using the wrong term.

We made it back to Road Hazard in time to fire up the grill and throw some steaks on while we strolled down to the water to watch our first California Sunset.

Friday morning we pack it up and move north.

Balboa and Padre's

2008-07-31T10:43:00.003-04:00

San Diego is said to have the best weather in the United States and I can see why. With only 5 inches of rain per year it leaves plenty of time for sunshine. The temperature is always a nice comfortable 75 with low humidity.

We drove back towards the San Diego Zoo to explore the area around it. It lies in a park called Balboa. (no relation to Rocky) Within this park are many buildings that consist of Museums, United Nations buildings, Restaurants, home to the largest outdoor pipe organ and a gymnasium in which the famous one on one basketball game between Bird and Johnson was played. The park is huge and has free trolly's to shuttle you around if you get tired. With green parks laid out between each building and views of the San Diego skyline down below it is a beautiful area to spend the day.

Here is a picture of the Arboretum with the roof made entirely of wood. There are plants from all over the globe. Each with its own colors and smells.

Walking under archways you find hidden gardens filled with colorful flowers that open up into their own oasis among the many buildings surrounding them.

After spending the entire morning walking Balboa Park we headed off to the coast line to see the oldest hotel on the west coast.

It has been standing since 1888 and is the world famous Hotel Del Coronado. Its history is filled with famous visitors and Head's of State meetings. President Reagan enjoyed coming here and did so many times while in office. The hotel still retains its old look and feel but has been completely renovated with all the modern luxuries. The back opens into big porches that overlook the Pacific ocean. The beach is very wide and when you get down towards the water it almost seems as if the sand is glittering with small pieces of gold but is actually silica. Surprisingly enough the water was not that cold. After the afternoon spent with our feet in the sand and ideas of how we could move out here being bounced around, we decided to head back across the Coronado bridge and check out the downtown area.

Hey, there's a ball game on tonight! We bought the cheapest tickets and went inside of PETCO Field to watch the Padre's and Diamondbacks play. The stadium is fairly new and opens up in the outfield to reveal the cityscape. For a Wednesday evening the stadium was pretty full. It also helped that they had a special tonight. Hotdogs = 1$ Softdrinks = $1 and 1$ off any beer. Needless to say, we saw plenty of "big" fellows walking away with half a dozen dogs for themselves. You can't beat the price! By the time we made it to our seats (which you can see by the picture - way up there) the game was already in the 5th inning. It's a nice place to walk around and see the game from different areas. Honestly, we aren't big baseball fans so we only lasted until the 7th inning in our seats. Time to move on and check out the nightlife in the city.

Old and Fur

2008-07-30T00:04:00.001-04:00

The morning fog was still hanging around until the sun got hot enough, around noon, to burn it off. We set off to explore downtown San Diego and were happy to see the sun join us. Our first stop was to visit the Historic Downtown area. This place was where the first settlers started the city. Many of the buildings are restored structures that still have the smells and looks of many years ago.

After walking around and taking in the ancient sites we decided to head over to the world famous San Diego Zoo.

The zoo is huge and looking at the map we had to sit down and plan a route so that we didn't walk around in circles and retracing our steps. There is an Air Tram that connects the two ends of the zoo together and gives you a nice birds eye view of the park.

During the summer hours the zoo stays open until nine and it gives you an opportunity to see the nocturnal animals wake up and forage for food.

We spent some time watching the big apes and orangutans as they were very close to the glass and were just as intrigued by us as we were of them.

As we are sitting here this evening watching the news we are surprised to hear that an earthquake hit LA today around noon. It was a 5.4 size shiver. We didn't feel a thing. Too bad.

As night fell the temperature also started to dip down. By the time we go to bed the air will be cool enough to sleep with the windows open. The one thing you've always heard about San Diego is true. The weather here is great.

Can't Drive West Anymore

2008-07-29T00:59:00.003-04:00

We've done it! We have made it to the WEST COAST!

To get there we had to drive through a desert landscape of tall sand dunes.

Wait in long lines on the highway for Border Police to inspect cars for illegal immigrants being stowed away.

When we finally saw the bay in San Diego it was a long awaited site that we couldn't believe we were actually looking at it.

It only took us eight months to get here but looking back at all the great places we've seen, great people that we've met and great memories has all been worth it.

The best part is that we are only half way! We still have so much more to see and do.

In the Desert...

2008-07-27T11:33:00.001-04:00

For some reason when we arrived in Yuma, Arizona, only two thoughts came to mind. First: I kept looking to spot a lone horse out among the tall cactus with a cowboy perched on top. Both looking haggard and in search of water. Second: I can't get that song out of my head from the group America -A Horse With No Name. The lyrics fit this area perfect.

On the first part of the journey I was looking at all the life

There were plants and birds and rocks and things

There was sand and hills and rings

The first thing I met was a fly with a buzz And the sky with no clouds

The heat was hot and the ground was dry But the air was full of sound

I've been through the desert on a horse with no name

It felt good to be out of the rain

In the desert you can remember your name 'Cause there ain't no one for to give you no pain

La, la ...

After two days in the desert sun My skin began to turn red

After three days in the desert fun I was looking at a river bed

And the story it told of a river that flowed Made me sad to think it was dead

After nine days I let the horse run free 'Cause the desert had turned to sea

There were plants and birds and rocks and things there was sand and hills and rings

The ocean is a desert with it's life underground And a perfect disguise above

Under the cities lies a heart made of ground But the humans will give no love

You see I've been through the desert on a horse with no name

It felt good to be out of the rain

In the desert you can remember your name 'Cause there ain't no one for to give you no pain

La, la ...

That's about all there is in Yuma, Arizona.

Which Way Do I Turn for COLD Water?

2008-07-27T07:00:00.004-04:00

This is what we both imagined the desert would look like. Tall cactus with multiple arms reaching up to the sky and small shrubs that barely cover the sandy desert floor. And, of course, HOT!

As I said in the previous post, Phoenix, this time of year isn't hot...it's unbearable.
When we checked into our campground the escort that took us to our site explained to me that in Phoenix you don't need to turn your hot water heater on in the summer. The water will come out of the ground hot already. He wasn't kidding. The water was so hot that you would turn the knob hoping to get some cold reprieve. Something to relieve you of the heat. The water was almost hot enough to steam the mirrors in the bathroom!

We met up with our friend that moved to Phoenix from the burbs of Gaithersburg several years ago. I asked Shari some questions that had me curious about this area and the people. Here is how the interview panned out:

Road Hazard: Why would you move here?

Shari: When I visited the area it was during the typically cold months, in the rest of the country, and the weather here was gorgeous. How could you not like it when your friends are shoveling snow you are putting on sunscreen!

Road Hazard: Do people go outside and do stuff or do they hide away from the sun during the hot summer months?

Shari: Oh no, people go out all the time but it is usually during the very early morning or very late evening. All before or after the sun has scorched the earth. My softball game starts at 10 tonight!

Road Hazard: Is it true that the city doesn't have cold water during the summer months?

Shari: When I first moved here and experienced the hot/cold water thing, I called my Mom, who lives in Tuscon, to ask her. I also couldn't understand why the water was coming out hot. To answer your question, there is no cold water.

Road Hazard: Even the pool at the campground we stayed at was so hot that we couldn't tell the difference between the hot tub and the swimming pool!

(thanks Shari for the interview and being a good sport about it.)

This conversation was held at a restaurant that sits in the shadows of the new Phoenix Stadium that was built a few years ago. The last Superbowl with the Giants beating out the Pats was held here. The whole area is developed into a great atmosphere for coming to any sporting event. Bars and restaurants all have their "misters" hissing away at the scorching air and trying to cut into the suppressing heat.

With the heat and the sand, that gets kicked up by the "Monsoon" winds, you can bet that every evening you will have a great sunset. Clouds piling up on top of each other and the heat lighting exploding deep within, illuminating the huge formations like a candle in a pumpkin.

I will say this...Phoenix is a very large city. With so many smaller cities all around it you don't know where one ends and the other starts. The roads were well thought out and easy to navigate around the cities. If you love the outdoors there is a lot to do with hiking, biking or off roding. As for the weather? I'll have to come back when my friends are shoveling their sidewalks back east and experience the desert sun again. Maybe by then they'll have cold water.

Definition of "HOT"

2008-07-24T21:38:00.002-04:00

The true definition of the word "HOT" is:
used of physical heat; having a high or higher than desirable temperature or giving off heat or feeling or causing a sensation of heat or burning.
My definition of "HOT" is:
Phoenix, Arizona.
The story that you always hear "But it's dry heat!" is false. Today we spent the entire day outside and around Road Hazard. Getting estimates, washing and waxing and doing small repairs. IT WAS HOT. Not a dry hot either. If you are unfortunate and have to be in direct sunlight than it's like you're some fries at a local McDonalds sitting under the heat lamps. I have asked Reta numerous times today: Why would anyone want to live in this heat? Our friend, Shari, lives here and hopefully we'll see her soon but I will ask her the same thing. WHY?
We decided to postpone getting Road Hazard's cosmetic repairs done here. Two reasons. Price and length of time to perform repairs. We will address this at some other time in the future.
Tomorrow will be our day to explore this area which encompasses Phoenix, Mesa and Scottsdale. I'll have pictures of us melting like a cheap candle in our travels.

Two Wheeling

2008-07-22T22:14:00.002-04:00

So what would a trip to Sedona be without a trip on the Mountain Bikes?

We took off this morning for what we thought would be a nice easy ride through the red rocks. The trail maps that they give you are just an approximation. It looks something like the map if you turn it around and tilt your head one way and close one eye.

The trails were quite nice. It took us around the base of these huge rock formations that all have a name. This one on the right, below, was called the Castle Rock.

We completed the first loop and we thought that maybe we should continue because that one wasn't so bad. Hey, look at this on the map! This next loop doesn't seem like it is that bad or too long! We set off what turned out to be a steady one mile climb that took us about 900 feet up. Once we arrived at the top we continued down the other side looking for this next trail that would form the loop. Pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal...you starting to get the idea? There, lets try that trail. Under the highway and pedal up hill some. Under the highway again and pedal up hill some more. At this point we were both quite tired and very hungry. Between breaths I managed to snap this picture of Reta that pretty much summed up how we both felt about this time in our ride.

We finally made it back to the top of the one mile hill and all the Gods were helping us as we descended the 900 feet down to the parking lot. It totaled close to 9 miles that we rode and ascending a total of 1400 feet in all. It was quite a workout and the only thing we wanted to do at this point was to get back to Road Hazard and fire up the grill.
Oh yes, remember that we are riding around these huge RED rocks? The bikes kick up some dirt while you're riding.

This isn't a tan line but it shows how much red dirt my legs had attracted.

Wednesday we are on the road again and are headed for Phoenix, Arizona.

Sedona Red Rock

2008-07-22T10:30:00.002-04:00

Since our arrival in Sedona on Saturday there has been much to tell but we have been unable to. After getting set up in this beautiful campground which sits near Oak Creek and buried deep within the lush forest, a huge storm started to build. This time of year in Arizona is called the “Monsoon” season. You would think that with a name like that it rains all the time but here in the desert it just means that there is a little bit of humidity and once in awhile you get a light sprinkle. Well, this storm looked like it wanted to drop more than a few sprinkles. Dark, billowing clouds loomed overhead with streaks of lighting setting off the loud claps of thunder that echoed off the canyon walls. True to its history only a few sprinkles fell and with that the power went off. It was off until Monday morning. I don’t know how or what caused it but 19 power poles were collapsed. Because everything in this campground runs on electricity we had no water also. Luckily we had about ½ tank of fresh water, enough to take quick showers and use the bathroom. No electricity meant that we had to sleep with the windows open and a little fan blowing on us at night to stay cool. The people here at Lo Lo Mai Campground were very nice to us. When we asked to extend our stay an extra day they said it was on the house because of the inconvenience. There are also local residences that come to your campsite to make sure everything is up to par.

The only thing is sometimes it is hard to get rid of these loud honking guests. Did I mention they like to bite?

The city of Sedona sits at the base of several of these huge red cliffs.

When you are walking around town the beautiful red mountains all around you mesmerize you.
We set off to hike up one formation called the Cathedral. We missed the turn and ended up at this beautiful little church built up in the rock face.

After getting blessed we left and found the right trial. It’s hard to believe but this place is very different than the other places we have been. It seems they all have their own personality and style.

This area seems to be more upscale and is filled with vortexes. What is a vortex? It is, they believe, a location where electric energy is expelled from the earth in a concentrated form and that if you stand in that exact location you will feel the benefits of this current. We found one such vortex and stood in the middle of a circle of rocks that someone had left. The only thing I felt was the sun beating down on my bald spot on the back of my head.

On our drive home a coyote that crossed the road in front of us stopped momentarily to observe us. We managed to snap a picture before he took off.

Last night my pyro wife was in heaven because she built us a little fire and we sat outside for a few hours just mesmerized by the flames and the crackle of the logs. With a full sky of stars overhead it made for the perfect ending for the day.

Fields of Destruction

2008-07-19T08:50:00.001-04:00

The day began with the sun flirting with the clouds above the mountain peaks. We set off to explore a volcano that exploded about a 100 years ago. Most of these mountain peaks, at one time, were active volcano's. As we arrived at the Sunset Volcano National Park the clouds had won over the sun and it started to lightly sprinkle. You could stand there and watch as the clouds drifted by and see the area's that were getting rain.

Our first stop was to climb this very steep trail that would lead us to this view of the San Fransisco Mountains. That's Humphrey's Peak in the picture above, being the tallest in the state of Arizona. It stands a little over 12,000'. While we were here taking in the scenery and posing for a picture together a lighting bolt came out of the sky and exploded, what seemed to be, at the base of the mountain we were on. That's it! Too close for me! Get back to the car as quickly as possible. We are standing on this almost bare mountain top. If you look at the slide show you will see us in the picture after we saw the huge bolt. We are trying to smile as we realized where it struck.

By the time we made it back to the car the sun had taken over the sky and was shinning brightly once again. The next stop took us to the lava fields. As we walked this trail of sharp rocks we followed the contour of the flow. Its amazing that after 100 years there still isn't much growing around us.

What remains of the peak of the mountain now is only a black bald dome of pumice. For miles around you can see the blast zone.

Getting back into the car and driving only a 1/2 hour away we came across this Indian dwelling that they believe was constructed about the time of the volcano's eruption.

This was the biggest dwelling for 50 miles around and the Indians would build their homes around here so that they were never further away than a days walk. This was the center for the inhabitants of the area. A very interesting find was a natural blow hole. Its a crack in the earth where air blows out, deep from within. You'll see in the slide show our pictures of standing on top of the hole. The sun was finally out and it was another hot day but standing on the blow hole it felt like an AC vent.

Today, Saturday, we are headed to our next destination a little further south. Sedona. Many people said that we had to stop there because it is incredible. By the looks of it on the Internet it seems like a beautiful place. We will stay there until Tuesday when we have an appointment with a body shop in Phoenix to get Road Hazard's fender repaired properly. We can't be driving around with duct tape on it.

Big Hole

2008-07-17T22:34:00.001-04:00

The day turned into a beautiful one after the last two days of running around and patching things up. If felt good to get on the road and just let your mind wonder while your eyes took in the different scenery. We headed off this morning to the Grand Canyon which was about 80 miles northwest. We took a scenic route which involved climbing over a mountain. The views were great. Tall mountains with evergreen trees reaching towards the peaks. The backdrop of white clouds against a blue background completed the picture. We felt our ears popping as we climbed up to about 8000'.

Surprisingly when we arrived at the Grand Canyon we were still pretty high up. I think it was about 7,000' above sea level.

How else to describe your first glimpse into the massive hole but overwhelming. You really have to stand there for a minute and just take it all in before you can say anything because the size is so big. It's one thing to hear about it or see it on TV but to actually approach the edge of this massive canyon is incredible. You're looking down a vertical mile while the canyon stretches to 11 miles across and even in some area's close to 18.

When we arrived the sun was still pretty high in the sky so everything looked washed out. The colors were not very bright.

As the sun started to set in the western sky behind us the shadows started to emerge and you began to see the different shapes and depth. The shadows of the clouds cast their presence across the landscape in front of you as it glided quietly across the cratered landscape.

We found ourselves sitting along the Rim Trail and just hanging our feet over the edge while we took it all in. I can understand why the Indians felt this place was special because you can't help but sit quietly and stare for miles around you and feel something special. Each person feels connected to this place in their own way. The sun cast different shadows and the colors started to become brighter and you were able to watch this magical postcard change right before your eyes. They say that this Grand Canyon took millions of years to create but everyday the canyon changes from the light dancing across the peaks and valley's right before your eyes. Merriam-Webster describe the word "Grand" as: large and striking in size. They must have thought of the Grand Canyon when they defined the word.

Change of Plans...Again.

2008-07-17T09:22:00.002-04:00

Road Hazard is all patched up and ready to roll. Yesterday we spent the day running after certain items to patch up the hole in the basement compartment and reattaching the fender.
I replaced the wood in the compartment and added a wrap of galvanized steel around the outside of the box to protect it from the elements and road debris. I had to fix the mud flap because it was all twisted up but that only required taking it apart and banging it out with a hammer to get it sitting properly again. The last part was reattaching the fender. With the violent force, put on that entire area, the screws that hold the fender in place were just stripped right off. Just a matter of drilling in new holes and attaching new screws. As for the rip in the fender there is nothing like duct tape. It even matches the gray on the RV already. The important thing is it should all hold until we make it down to Phoenix and get it repaired properly.
As for us? We decided to stay put in Flagstaff and drive to the Grand Canyon in the Pick Up. After talking to a few people in the campground we discovered that the campgrounds near the park are really not that good. It's not that far but the comfort of this campground is well worth the drive. We will head off today to check out the big hole in the ground.

Detour - Road Hazard

2008-07-15T21:05:00.008-04:00

Oh, so much to tell...where should we begin?

What would a trip around the US be without some Road Hazard adventure? Let me just start by saying the Reta and I are fine but as for Road Hazard, there are a few pieces missing. I managed to salvage a few larger ones but there were to many small pieces laying about. Let me back up and give you the play by play of our journey from Moab to the Grand Canyon.

It started as usual, packing everything in the RV, stowing everything into the basement and hooking up the pickup truck. I was excited because we got out early and would avoid the mid-day heat. Moab is a beautiful city and one that I would definitely go back to visit again. Make sure you bring all your toys: bikes, kayaks, hiking shoes, and 4WD vehicle.

The entire drive from Moab to the Grand Canyon would be on 2 lane roads. My atlas has these roads marked as "Scenic Roads" and that they were. Once we reached the Navajo Territory the landscape changed into deep canyons and huge red rocks towering above. We switched off driving to stay fresh behind the wheel and when I resumed my second shift we had just crossed into Arizona. A little after that we turned onto route 64 that follows the South Rim of the Grand Canyon all the way into the park. It was turning into another beautiful drive. Once again we crossed into Navajo country and passed a roadside stand for the "Big Chief". All the nick-naks you could possible want was sold in this place, according to the sign by the freeway. Just as I finished reading the big red sign that said "You Passed the Chief" we heard this loud rattling sound. Were the Indians shooting at us because we hadn't stopped? My first reaction was to make sure the Pick -Up truck was not trying to pass us again. Nope, still there. It sounded like when you were a kid and would put a playing card in your bike's spokes to get that neat sound...rat tat tat tat tat tat tat tat tat tat. Only this sound was much louder as if it were amplified from a boom box.

Our previous experiences have taught us to remain calm as I gently steered the Road Hazard off the highway. Reta and I looked at each other as if asking what had just happened. I had seen previous signs in the road indicating "Soft Shoulder" and once the right wheels of RH hit it, I quickly understood its meaning. The whole thing leaned quickly to the right as if it were going to flip over. I gently steered the rig back onto the highway so that the left side was encroaching the highway driving lane but not leaning so badly.

We jumped out to inspect what had happened but by this point we had a feeling that we had blown a tire. When we do something we like to make sure we do it all the way. When the rear right outer tire blew it created a tongue of rubber and steel that ripped apart the rear basement and in the process tore the fender off the side of Road Hazard.

(note the basement door is fine it's open here so that you could see the hole in the floor)

As Reta proceeded to call our Road Side Assistance I tried to salvage the couple of flares that survived the pounding from the rubber tongue in that compartment. I called the police to come out to lay some more flares because the rig was sitting partially in the road and was leaning at a severe angle. About 25 minutes later an Arizona Highway officer showed up. I asked if he had any additional flares that we could lay out and he said that cones are used in this area because of the risk of starting a fire. Uh oh! I scanned the flares that I had laid out and the landscape around us to make sure I didn't start any wildfires. I don't want to be on CNN.

(Officer Brian and Reta enjoying the afternoon)

The police officer turned out to be a great guy. He laid out many cones and hung out with us until we were back on the road. We pulled some lawn chairs out, popped a few soda's open and sat in the shade of the RV. Brian, the officer, had some great stories to share with us. He also talked about some weapons that he had on his utility belt. Tazer, pepper spray, etc. About an hour and half went by before Floyd, the tire guy, showed up to change our flat. Now remember, this RV is heavy and you need the right tools to attempt to change a tire. We had a spare but it needed to be mounted on the rim. Floyd was a good ol' fellow. "Be'in changing tires for years." His deep raspy voice could be heard above the roar of the air compressor on the back of his truck. He pulled out this little jack that I thought was only big enough to lift a motorcycle. He assured me that size didn't matter. Remember the sign about "Soft Shoulder"? As Floyd began to lift the RV with this little jack it also started to bury itself into the soft shoulder. I asked if he wanted a piece of wood to prevent any sinking. NO, it'll be fine! I've heard that before...right before something bad usually happens.

Floyd showed his experience by quickly getting the flat shredded tire off and mounting the spare on the rim. He then put the new tire on and was under the RV securing some loose pieces so that we could drive without anything rubbing and causing another flat. WHAM! In a split second the RV had fallen off the jack. Officer Brian and I were standing close by and all we saw of Floyd was his two legs sticking out from under the RV! My first reaction was to put my hands up like I was going to stop the RV from leaning any further. Officer Brian was quick to see if Floyd was still alive. "Floyd? Do you want us to pull you out? Are you OK?" The only sound that came out from under the RV was the hissing sound escaping from the air bag suspension. After, what seemed like a lifetime, we heard Floyd reply that he was fine. We pulled him out and his eyes were wide as the gaping holes in his mouth where teeth used to be years ago. He brushed it off like it was nothing but I suspect that once he left us he had to put on some clean underwear. Can you imagine?

After our day of sitting by the highway for 3.5 hours with Officer Brian we decided to bypass the Grand Canyon and instead head south to Flagstaff for some much needed repairs. Tomorrow we'll find out more details about repairs. As for the tire? After Floyd inspected the tattered doughnut he concludes that we must have driven over something that caused the tire to explode and rip the huge tongue that licked the bottom of the RV until only pieces were left.

Chalk it up to another - ROAD HAZARD.

Heading Down

2008-07-15T06:00:00.000-04:00

Today we will be on the road for most of the day. Road Hazard will roll for 373 miles. It shouldn't be bad since we will stitch off every couple of hours. Enough time to catch up on my reading. Our next destination is the south rim of the Grand Canyon. The campground is about 30 miles from the rim. There isn't a whole lot out in that area. The campground we are staying in only has water and electricity. There is a dump station close by but that means we have to shower in the bath house. Not our favorite thing to do. The other thing is that being out there we probably will not have Internet connection or phone. So, if you don't hear from us in a couple of days you'll know why.

Slick Rock Mecca

2008-07-14T13:54:00.001-04:00

The Gods were smiling down at us this morning when we arrived at Slick Rock to go mountain biking. There were huge banks of clouds covering the hot burning sun from beating down on us. To get ready we read many reviews of this trail and learned about the high risk that this trail poses. NOT INTENDED FOR BEGINNERS. MAKE SURE YOUR BIKE IS TUNED UP. VERY STEEP AND DANGEROUS. TAKE PLENTY OF WATER. YOU CAN GET SERIOUSLY INJURED.

Sounds fun huh? We decided to take a trail called Practice loop because it is a 2 mile trail that sticks pretty close to the parking lot. In case you get hurt or your bike brakes you don't have to walk very far or be carried out very far.

The trail was marked by white marks on the rock. Occasionally there was bright yellow XXXX across the trail to warn you off a large drop off and to stay away.

I have written about several of our hikes that were very strenuous and that we felt like our lungs were burning for more oxygen. How our legs were dead weight. Well, it was all either a good training for today or a good measuring stick for how much we got our butts kicked. This is by far the hardest thing I have ever done. The hills were so steep that it took everything you had to climb them. When you got to the top it just felt like you wanted to throw up. In the picture below, I didn't fall but I did collapse after one of these huge hills. I just needed to catch my breath. Please don't laugh. I just wanted to lie there until the vultures started to circle overhead.

I know that Steve DeSatnick and Kenny Bumgardner would appreciate these trails. It is nothing like the trails back east. To start with you're riding on sandstone which is really like sand paper. Your tires stick to it like stink on poop. It was amazing to ride steep inclines and not have any fear of sliding or your rear wheel slipping. It made climbing the steep inclines a little easier because you could stand up to peddle and your rear tire would never slip. If we had more time here we would venture off to try some other trails. They have one trail that has a 900' accent over 3 miles. The reward is that you have a 2,800' descent that takes you to the Colorado River. At that point you better have a car down there to take you out because there is no way you would turnaround and ride back up.

I am very proud to say that Reta was the only women on the trail and she kicked butt. I am also proud of the fact that we did it and survived with no injures. Just very tired, heavy legs. We had such a good time that when we got to the end, we turned around and did the loop going in the other direction. Ok, now my legs are like jello.

Fiery Furnace

2008-07-14T13:51:00.003-04:00

After talking to a local at a local watering hole, she told us of a place about 9 miles north of the city that is not known to many people. It is some hills that are exposed, showing layers of green clay that the water has slowly been eroding. It's exposing many types of rocks that have been buried many years ago. We found a few geodes that when you break them open reveals beautiful crystals inside. There are also pieces of bone that are from the dinosaur period. We found a few pieces that looking at closely does look like bone but not being an expert it is hard to tell.

In the afternoon we headed back into Arches National Park for a guided tour of the Fiery Furnace, an area in the park that you can only hike with a guided tour. The reason you can't wonder off alone is because there are really no trails in the huge spears of rock and it is very easy to get lost.

The tour was very informative . The guide would stop and show us certain rock formations and explain how they believe it was formed. She also told us what to look for to determine the different layers of rock.

Of course, we found many more arches that few people ever see because of its remote locations. The park has over 2,000 arches.

The downside to taking the tour was that it seemed that we stopped every 10 minutes to look at something or wait for the entire group scramble over rocks.

After walking this 3 mile hike we were both ready to head back to Road Hazard and relax. Tomorrow we are heading to the mecca of Mountain Bike riding.

Golden Arches

2008-07-12T23:56:00.004-04:00

Have you ever been somewhere and stood staring at what someone had produced hundreds of years in the past? We spent our early afternoon standing and touching the past. On these rocks covered in "desert varnish" the early Indians would draw the important happenings of the day. At this particular "news rock" they drew an image of a women giving birth. It's interesting to point out that the birth was feet first. According to the locals there are only six such petrogylphs of this type of image in the world. They are proud that they have one here in their backyard.

After visiting with the past we headed over to Arches National Park to see what years of water running through sandstone can do. This park has the most arches than any other park in the country. This is caused by the water slowly eroding away rock and sand to produce these magnificent structures. Its amazing to look at them and marvel how they don't just crumble under their own weight.

This one has two arches together. If you look closely at the picture below, you will see some people climbing up to get in the arch shadow. This will give you an idea of the size of these structures.

We decided to go for an afternoon hike to look at some other arches. We climbed up dirt paths, scrambled across steep rocks and finally made it to the end of the trail. At this point we were faced with a decision. Should we go back on the same trail we came on or take this other trail marked "Primitive Trail". Aside from being another mile longer it was a little less marked but promised spectacular views.

About a 1/4 of the way into this primitive trail, I have to confess that, I become a little worried. This trial clearly had very little traffic. In fact we didn't pass another person while we were on it for 1 1/2 hours. Since you are scrambling over mostly rocks there really are big trees to mark a trail with paint. So, the trail is marked with a pile of rocks like below.

I became concerned when we were walking and all of a sudden I realized that we hadn't see any piles of rocks for awhile. I looked back and luckily I saw where the trail had turned. Can you imagine if we hadn't noticed? Everything looks the same out there. We could have been wandering around, while the sun was setting, looking for piles of rocks. I became very quite while we continued, afraid that we would miss a turn. When we finally got close enough that we could see the main trail did I open up to Reta and tell her my concern. Oh, by the way, the trail had some beautiful views.

It has been interesting to compare the three parks that we have been to so far: Zion, Bryce and Arches. They are all completely different from each other and each with its own unique vistas.

Dirt in your tread

2008-07-11T10:42:00.003-04:00

Our journey out of Zion put us on the road relatively early so that the heat would hit us when we would be close to our destination. Our 310-mile trip would take us through the tall cliffs of Zion, through the flat lands of Utah and into the bright red colored hills of Moab.

Our trip was not complete without our stop at the filling station to maintain Road Hazard’s belly full at all times. We only had to fill it up with a ¼ tank to get the tank full again. But at $4.69 a gallon and having to put in 30 gallons we have both become numb with the whole experience. It’s better to not really worry and think too much about it because there is really nothing that we can do.

Our first impression of Moab is that it is a town of people that love the outdoors. Here is a place that is the “Mecca” for mountain biking, ATV’s, off roading, white water rafting and hiking. In this town if you don’t have a 4WD truck than you must be a tourist.

Yesterday evening we strolled down Main Street that is lined with small shops selling the usual wears for tourists. There are also many “Adventure” stores that offer many types of tours and, of course, your restaurants and bars. The interesting thing about Utah is that you can’t walk into a bar and just have a drink. You must order some food as well. If it is a Private Bar than you could just have a drink but you need to become a member. The drinking laws in this state are weird. We sat at the bar, which in Utah is called a counter because bars are not legal, and had this great “counter-tender” to be "Utah'anly" correct. She drew out a map of places we should see that we wouldn’t find on the tourist maps. Can’t wait to check them out over this weekend.

Chain bound

2008-07-09T23:12:00.001-04:00

This morning our legs needed some much need rest so we kicked back and read a book until noon. It felt good to veg the morning away since the last few days we have been on the move and spending quite a bit of energy while we explored. We would need the rest because today the trail we planned on walking was going to take us 1,500 vertical feet.
After a good energy filled lunch, burgers and fries, we felt that we had enough “energy” to tackle any mountain.
Arriving at the trail head we looked up at the looming impressive cliff that we were going to conquer. At the peak was the destination called “Angels Landing”. Couldn’t this angel have flown a little lower so that we wouldn’t have to climb so high?

The trail started pretty innocently. Relatively flat with some slight inclines. As we got further up the trail it started to slowly increase in angle until we hit a section of the mountain that was straight up. The only way up was to traverse switchbacks that just seemed to snake up the side of this cliff forever.
We finally hit the first landing or gash in the mountain named “Refrigerator alley”. Even though we started our trek in the mid afternoon to get away from the smothering heat it felt good to get into this cut in the mountain. It almost seemed as though someone had an AC running somewhere. The coolness and nice ambiance was short lived. Soon we hit another set of switchbacks that made you feel as though you were on a Stairmaster at the local gym set to suicide.

Finally we hit the second landing and it felt so good to have accomplished this trail. We sat down and enjoyed the view while sucking down water. Only then did we realize that some people were coming down this other section that we thought was a dead end. Reta set off to explore while I quietly talked to my legs to encourage them and poke at them to see if I could still feel anything. Reta returned with excitement in her voice to report that we weren’t at the top yet. There was still another section to go! Oh joy…

This section was one that tested your courage and balance for it was literally walking the crest of the mountain. They had some chains anchored along the way to hold onto but other than that you had 800 feet on your right and 1500 feet on your left. As we twisted up the rock face holding on for dear life and clutching the chains with a death grip we ascended to the peak and finally reached Angels Landing. You might be wondering, “Was it worth it?” Hopefully the pictures will speak volumes because to find the words to explain the view would be useless. The thrill of being up so high and the views all around you have definitely been one of the highlights of our journey so far.
After the excitement started to wear off we realized that we had to descend but at this point gravity is on our side.

Our legs will definitely be feeling it tomorrow but we have a story and pictures to soothe the pain.
Our day today, Thursday, will be spent driving to our next destination. We have already decided that Friday will be a day of relaxing by the pool to re-energize these tired old legs.

Bryce Canyon

2008-07-08T22:32:00.001-04:00

After talking to several locals we decided that we needed to check out Bryce Canyon. It is about a 2-hour drive northeast from Zion but we heard that it is well worth it. We were apprehensive at first. We couldn’t imagine anything in this area better than Zion for its massive size and beauty.

The drive took us through a tunnel that was blasted into the huge cliffs of Zion and stretches for a mile long. We started our journey at around 4,500’ and quickly started climbing to get out of this canyon. The road looked like a giant string of spaghetti as it twisted through the tall cliffs. We finally reached the top and it was as if we had arrived in a different region all together. Lush forests on both sides of the road that eventually leveled out to wide-open fields. Framed by tall mountains in the background.

Since we left Zion and were now arriving in Bryce it seemed that we never stopped climbing. When I looked at my altimeter it was reading 9,000’. In just a couple of hours we had climbed 4,500’ all the while our ears kept popping with the altitude change.
We entered the park and it looked like any ordinary National Forest that we have been to. Tall mountains with pine trees covering the slopes. It wasn’t until we reached the edge of this huge plateau that we realized what we were into this day.
Bright stripped colors of red, orange and white painting the different vertical formations. Created by thousands of years of water slowing carving the landscape.

As we walked along the rim trail your senses were over whelmed with the fragrance of the pine trees, the dust from the red dirt. Your eyes were bombarded with these bright colors and the formations played games with your mind as how something that big could stand vertical with such a little foundation.
Where Zion National Park is all about huge rocky cliff faces, Bryce Canyon is about subtle and delicate formations that seem will fall at any time.
We decided to walk a trail that would take us almost to the bottom of the canyon so that we could see how these formations looked from that perspective. In this case the saying goes “What goes down must come up!” We started to descend into the canyon and were immediately surprised at the size of these vertical structures. You can’t appreciate its size when you are just looking down. The path continued to descend and I just kept looking at my altimeter. 200 feet, 300 feet … finally hit bottom at 500 vertical feet. That would be like having to climb up steps of a 50-story building! As we looked around at the views it looked as if someone had taken and shaped these things by hand and added fine lines in the still fresh mud. Other formations looked like a small child had made mud pies while at the beach but only these soared to hundreds of feet high. As we slowly started our accent we were distracted by the fact that our legs were still soar from fighting the waters currents yesterday because we were walking among the giants. Afraid to talk to loudly for fear that at any moment these vertical giants would come tumbling down.

The trail twisted its way around these giant totem poles. The last bend of the trail reveled stairs. Stairs that twisted and snaked around the cliff face so as not to reveal how many stairs we would have to climb. With every breath you took you had to lift these now dead appendages, at one point called legs, and heave them up onto the next step. Now you wish you would have packed the Backpack better and gotten rid of some heavy non-essential items. Stay focused and remember to breath. Finally, reaching the pinnacle we embraced and looked back down into the canyon to see where we had been.

Exhausted but still excited with the views we had just burned into our memories to never forget, we walked back to the truck and decided that we had seen enough. We have to get back to Road Hazard to rest up because tomorrow is another full day of activities.

Wall Street

2008-07-07T21:15:00.004-04:00

This morning we awoke and went to a local outfitters to rent some gear for our next adventure. Canyoning. There is an area of the park that is called "The Narrows" and it involves walking up river for several miles. After getting fitted with the appropriate gear we set off up the dirt trail until it ended at Virgin River. We put on our special aqua socks and shoes and set off.

We started off in ankle deep water walking up the river. There are no trails or sidewalks where we were headed. You had to pick your way up the river, jumping from rock to rock or wading through the cold water. The shock of the 65 degree water hitting your lower extremities certainly got my attention. We tried to stick to the shore line where the water was shallow instead of charging down the middle of the river in chest deep water.

As you start up the river the only noise you hear is your feet breaking the surface of the water and the sound of rushing water over rocks. The sounds echo off the cliff walls. We set off early in the morning so the sun wasn't high enough in the sky to shine down on the canyon floor. The width of the river at this point is about 50 to 75' across. The cliff walls soar up to a dizzying 800 to 1400' above your head. Here the biggest killer is Flash Flooding. If it were to start raining miles up stream we would be hit with a wall of water that would sweep us downstream while we bounced off the cliffs and rocks.

At some point during our trek the water would get up around our waist and the cold would quickly shot through our body. We were thankful as the sun rose higher in the sky so that it started to shine down on the river where we were. The heat felt so good. We finally reached our destination after 3 hours of walking, hoping and jumping up river. Wall Street is a section of the river where the walls smother you so that the width is only 20' across. There is no where to hide from the cold water because the water has to squeeze between the towering cliffs and this goes on for a 1/4 mile stretch of the canyon. As you look up for the warming suns rays you realize that this part of the river has never seen direct sunlight because of the cliffs shapes and how narrow the river is in this part.

The sounds are so intense in Wall Street. The rock face is smooth from years of water shaping this area. You find little circular depressions in the rock walls where the water is pushing against the cliffs. As you turn a corner you are greeted by waterfalls that measure close to 150' to 200' tall and showers you with spectacular views. The one thing that we had to keep reminding ourselves about was to stop looking down so much. True, you had to pick where you planted your feet so that you wouldn't fall but all the beauty is hundreds of feet above your head. We would have to stop to just take it all in.

We sat down for a much deserved lunch. Of all the fine restaurants that we have been to around this globe, the view that we had for lunch today was the best. Where else could a peanut butter and jelly sandwich taste so good and have such incredible ambiance?

The walk back down the river was much faster. I don't know if it was because we were both anxious to get back and take off these big shoes or because we were both so tired of fighting the strong currents of the river that we just wanted it over. Tonight, we found a sports bar that has Internet connection and we are enjoying looking at the pictures while having a cold beverage.

Take a look at the pictures because it will give you a better idea of our day.

Zion National Park

2008-07-06T21:14:00.002-04:00

The last week or so we have had such a great time seeing everyone and talking to a lot of people. We were away from an internet connection so that made it difficult but we managed to find other activities to occupy our day. You can say that it was a good "vacation" to just get away.

We are back into the swing of things and Road Hazard has brought us to Utah. It feels good to get away from the heat that just smothers you with the dry air. I don't care who you are, that dry heat will kill anyone. The temperature here in the canyon is great. There is some humidity so that you don't dry out from the inside out.

Our campsite sits at the base of these huge beautiful cliffs that reach up to the sky. Every hour it seems the views change because the way the light plays across the rock face. The Virgin River that cuts through the Park also winds around behind our campground. People jump into inner tubes and float for a couple of miles downstream in the lazy current.

The excitement to start our circle of the National Parks has been hard to contain. We were rewarded with our first park of our circle in Utah. Zion was named because it comes from the word "Zen" and it brings peace to those that enter the park. The views were amazing at every turn we took around the many trails that we hiked.

At curtain times during our hike it seemed that my heart was going to jump out of my chest. The altitude is around 4,500 feet and the trails are vertical climbs of 150' in both directions. The only thing that kept pushing me along... correct that, two things that pushed me along was the views that reward you when you reach your destination. As you are sucking wind hard with your hands on your knees trying to look out. The second is Reta, of course.

We were hit by a rain storm at the end of the day and it just made the park come alive. The sound of loud thunder bouncing off the walls seemed like a monster was waking up in the canyon. With the tall cliffs reaching up on both sides it gave you limited views of the sky so at times all you would see were dark gray storm clouds. The light show of lighting made it more intense.

Our first day here has been such an incredible experience that we decided to extend our stay so that we could explore some more.

Being that we are in the middle of large cliffs we have no Wi-Fi at the campsite. We found a library up the road and tonight you could find me sitting on their front lawn plugged into a sidewalk light post. I will try and keep the blog up to date as best as we can in these primitive conditions.

Man is it HOT!

2008-07-01T14:28:00.003-04:00

Still enjoying our travels and hope to be back up with some updates shortly. We've been busy exploring the area. There was talk of my Father-in-law, Dan, coming out to see us but it is still in the planning stages. It would be great!
Once we leave this campground we should be back up with regular blog updates. Please be patient.

Under Construction

2008-06-23T23:55:00.002-04:00

The Wi-Fi will be down here for a few days so I will try and update whenever I can. For the time being we will be hanging around and enjoying the sites.

Dam!

2008-06-22T13:07:00.003-04:00

On our second attempt to visit Hoover Dam we finally made it. With the thermometer spiking at 110 we set off to explore this building marvel. The size of this Dam can't be captured on film. It truly is something that has to been seen first hand to appreciate the size.

The road to reach the Dam is like a snake twisting and turning along the barren red rocks until you get your first glimpse of the Dam. The first thing that caught my attention was all the cables running over my head. Some for support and most of them electrical wires surging with electricity.

We decided to take a tour and see the inner workings of this place. Our first stop took us down an elevator ride into the "belly" of the Dam. Here we saw the tubes that carry water to the generators. These tubes were 30' across and came from the water intake towers on the Lake Mead side.

The intake towers supply water to the 17 generators that produce 4 billion kilowatts of power a year. That is enough to supply energy to 1.3 million people. The best part it is green energy. Can't get any cleaner. This photo below shows the generators on the Arizona side of the Dam. There is another identical room on the Nevada side of the river.

The base of the Dam is about 2 football fields end to end and it tapers up to a final width of 45' across. An interesting fact about all the concrete poured into the Dam, it is enough to pave a 5' wide sidewalk around the world. It took 2 years and 24 hours a day 7 days a week to complete pouring all the concrete in this structure. What an amazing sight to walk along the top and look out over a small portion of Lake Mead and then walk back on the other side of the street while looking down 726' to the power plant below.

I pieced together some pictures to try and give you an idea of the size of this Dam. What caught me by surprise about all of this is the fact the Hoover Dam was not built for the electrical generators but in fact was built to control the Colorado River. All the farming that takes place down river and where 1/3 of all our produce comes from in the US, is irrigated from the water of the Colorado River. In years before the Dam, that area was prone to flooding or draughts. With the Dam in place the farmers know that there will be the correct amount of water for their crops every year. The Dam holds back so much water that it took 6 years to fill up completely with water after they completed it.

This is a place that you could spend hours looking at and reading about the history of this Dam. The technology they used for their time is amazing in itself.

With the sun cooking us alive we decided to head back and sit by the pool to cool off.

It is an amazing construction!

Sin City

2008-06-22T12:21:00.003-04:00

It seems that both vehicles decided to breakdown at the same time. After my ordeal getting the Pick Up fixed I returned to find that Road Hazard's jacks were leaking bad. It was causing the RV to become un-level. After a quick phone call to the local Camping World they agreed to see us but we only had 45 minutes to get there. We quickly packed everything, put the awing away, and disconnected everything to get there within the time frame. After discovering that a solenoid had gotten loose they checked out the rest of the system and we were back home. Our reward was to sit in the pool and try and cool off in the 90 degree water temperature. The air temperature was 109 so it felt a little better in the water.

In the evening we decided it was time to have a little fun in Las Vegas. We got all dressed up and headed of to explore the night life. The drive in was great to see all the lights and all the people walking around.

Our first stop was the Venetian Casio. It is modeled after Venice, Italy. They even have the canals with the gondolas and the guys singing. It was interesting to compare this to the real thing having been to Italy only a couple of years ago.

We went to the bar and tried our luck at Video Poker. The nice thing is if you sit and play any game you get your drinks for free. After we lost our money and decided to walk around and see the sights.

With all the lights and colors inside and outside competing for your attention it can get a little overwhelming. It is easy to find a comfortable place to sit and just watch all the activity. I'm always amazed at those people that put a pile of chips down on the table. After they lose it all quickly move on like it was nothing. I can't help but think about how many gallons of Diesel I could have bought with it. After months of not wearing dress shoes both Reta and I were ready to take our shoes off. Our feet were killing us. Next time we promised to wear sandals out.

Vegas. You got'a love it!

Mulch Truck

2008-06-20T11:36:00.002-04:00

Yesterday we set off to go explore the Hoover Dam but our Pick Up truck had another idea. As we headed off I noticed that the "ABS" light was on. OK, lets look in the manual and see what would cause that light to come on. While looking up the information I noticed that the Speedometer wasn't working! What's going on? Is there anything else?

At this point I felt that it wasn't enough to stop us from going out to explore...until the "Check Engine" light came on. OK. There is something going on here and it probably is serious. We turned around and crossed our fingers to make it back to Road Hazard safely.

After limping back I started looking around the Internet to find someone who could fix it. I decided to take it to a Ford Dealer. I know it will probably cost a little more but I know that I am getting certified mechanics to work on it. Being this far from familiar territory I don't want to play around.

So, here I sit in the waiting room waiting. Reta is probably still sleeping or getting ready to go to the pool. Got to work on the tan!

Hopefully I won't be here for too long and will be able to enjoy some of the day outside. I might have to hit the tables tonight to win back some of this money that I'm spending today.

High Roller

2008-06-18T21:53:00.001-04:00

I settled into my lazy boy to watch a little TV last night and got to watch the Moon Rise. I'll have to admit that I haven't seen too many of those.

After a good nights rest we packed everything up and started up Road Hazard for our next destination. This would be a long drive today and would cover over 300 miles and take us through California to arrive in Las Vegas, Nevada. Up until this point my favorite state to drive through was New Mexico but after today I am switching to Arizona. You start with desert plains as far as you can see. Then the further west you go the landscape starts to change. Today, I drove Road Hazard up over the mountains getting to 7,000'. On the drive down the western side of the mountain the landscape had changed to tall pine trees and green everywhere. I have to admit going down a 10% grade at 65 mph is not fun. It's a concert of keeping the RPM's in check while you down shift, watching the air for the brakes and trying not to go too fast. I was happy when we left the mountain in the rear view mirror.

After we crossed over the Colorado River we entered into California. The drive through CA was for about 60 miles . Right through the desert. This was a two lane road with nothing but desert on both sides as far as you could see. Reta did a great job driving the bumpy road.

We finally hit the Nevada boarder to more cheers coming from Road Hazard. It's hard to believe that we are this are. As we got closer to Las Vegas it was interesting to see the suburbs. Houses packed so close together that if someone opened their window to spit it would hit their neighbors house. With so much land around here it's interesting that they just pack them in tight.

There it is in the distance. You can make out certain casino's. The Strip. Only a couple of miles from where we are parked. Time to look at the odds for the Redskins to win it all!

I have been told already to not spend our gas money. Who knows, we might hit it big here!

Big BANG!

2008-06-17T19:30:00.004-04:00

So why would two "young" adults want to go look at a big hole in the ground? What makes this hole so special? Haven't we seen enough big holes or canyons in the last month?

We decided to go explore this hole because this one was created by something from out of this world. Literally. Lets back up and start at the very beginning of this story.

50,000 years ago this stretch of land before us was no different than the many miles around it. Relatively flat with a few hills to break up the landscape. Deep in outer space a collision occurred that broke off several pieces of an asteroid. One of these huge pieces weighing in around several hundred thousand tons and about 150 feet across came hurtling towards a young planet. It reached a speed of 40,000 mph. At that speed the earths atmosphere could do very little to slow it down. It hit this calm barren landscape with the force of 20 million tons of TNT. The force was so big that pieces of this meteorite vaporized on impact. Small pieces were later found.

What was left behind to tell what happened was a huge hole. It measures a little under a mile across and 500 ft deep. To give you an idea of the size of the hole you could put 20 football fields in the base of the hole and surround the fields with over 2 million fans on the sloping walls. If you were to stand the Washington Monument in the center of the hole you would be at eye level to the top of it by standing on the rim. Today, looking around you can see the evidence of the force created by this impact seeing huge chunks of sandstone rock that have been thrown up onto the rim. Some the size of houses. Looking at the cliff walls you can see the sandstone has turned into a smooth brown rock. Some of the sandstone that received less heat turned into a popcorn texture.

(click on this picture to see the entire crater)

The fascinating point was that not until 1960 did scientist finally declare that this was an impact area. They were still unsure of the possibility of a rock falling from the sky do so much damage. Since then, this area has been used by NASA to train their early astronauts for conditions of the moon when they got there. They were also taught what to look for on the moon by studying the rocks in the creator. Hollywood wasn't too far behind by using this as a backdrop for several movies. The biggest being "Space Man" with Jeff Bridges.

Standing on the rim of the creator it gave you a birds eye view of the surrounding area. In the distance we could see Humphreys Peak at 12,633 ft. and about 60 miles away. It being the highest peak in Arizona.

We were talking on our drive back to Road Hazard that on this trip we have learned so much. It has given us a first hand look at how nature really shapes this ball we call home. From the water creating giant holes in the ground and forming beautiful formations hundreds of feet below the surface. To the earths crust pushing together and falling apart to create canyons. To objects from millions of miles away falling into our gravitational pull and creating a huge hole in the ground and with it sending up tons of debris and dust into the air.

I have to say that it was pretty cool to look at a big hole in the ground.

On our way back we stopped at a local grocery store to pick up a few things. We have often wondered what people in such a small town think about living in isolated communities. It was answered when the young clerk asked us what we were doing here, so far from Maryland. After we told him of the places around here that we went to, his only response was, "Welcome to Nothing"! What a great phrase. I see maybe making T-shirts and selling it to all the tourists that come here. A big hole in the shirt with the words "Welcome to Nothing" splayed across it.

What do you think?

Brush Strokes

2008-06-16T20:23:00.004-04:00

Our second day in Holbrook took us to another National Park nearby. Our ride out to the park was spectacular with the views along the way. It was like someone had shot the bright blue sky with white paint balls. The sky was peppered with these while puffy clouds and it just made the entire site incredible. Imagine looking all around you and seeing these flat fields accompanied with these clouds. It's amazing when you don't have any buildings or trees around and you look out and it seems that you can see forever.

We arrived at the Painted Desert to find views that took our breath away. The colors of the cliffs were so intense. While we were admiring the canyon below a Raven didn't appreciate the fact that we chose his spot to stop and look. This raven was flying overhead and would swoop down to try and persuade us to leave. I managed to catch him in flight and it made for one of my favorite pictures.

Back in 1906 when this park was first opened they built an Inn for people to come stay in the park. This Inn is no longer operating but you can still walk around inside and admire the building. This structure was built all by hand. All the logs were cut and shaped by hand. All the planks of wood for the floors were cut by hand. They didn't have the means to get the necessary tools up here so they made due with what they had. In the slide show you will see more pictures of the Inn. One of the famous people that stayed here, Albert Einstein, with his crazy hair and all.

The Painted Desert isn't too far from the Petrified Forest. You can see some similarities in the soil. There are no petrified trees in this area but they have found several dinosaur bones buried within the layers. Over time these hills are being washed away and reveling more hidden treasures below. Also, the cliffs themselves are slowly disappearing with the erosion. The colors in the soil are from different types of minerals that saturated this area. Iron, Silicon Dioxide, Manganese to name a few.

When this park first opened one of the ways people could visit it was to arrive by train, via the Santa Fe Railroad, or by car, via Route 66. As I have said before, much of 66 is buried and forgotten.

Here is the road that once was the main artery from Chicago to California. Today all that remains here is telephone poles. The road has been reclaimed by nature. You can still see the bump in the landscape from the road and in the background is Route 40 that has claimed much it.

We couldn't help but wonder after looking at the Painted Desert what will the Grand Canyon be like. These views are incredible already and we just can't imagine more. Enjoy the Painted Desert.

Got Wood?

2008-06-15T21:06:00.004-04:00

Let me ask you a question. Have you ever walked into something thinking you knew what to expect but only to realize when you get there that it is nothing like you imagined but only better? That is the way I felt when we arrived at the Petrified Forest today.

I expected to find some petrified trees. What I didn't expect was to find the place littered with trees. As far as you could see around you were huge logs that were 30' long down to little pieces that has been broken down over time. It was if someone had collected all these trees and just thrown them in one big pile. This pile extends for miles though.

The colors were so bright. Red, black, brown and white's. It almost looked like someone had polished some of these pieces.

We spent the day hiking different trails to only find more of these petrified trees. The way they all ended up here is quite interesting. They believe that over 250 million years ago this whole area was a thick forest. With a huge volcanic eruption it uprooted these trees and sent them down this river which eventually became log jammed with so many trees. Over the millions of years the sediment from the volcano and dirt covered up these logs. Slowly the minerals started to be soaked into this wood and it created crystals. Fast forward many many years and the area dries up and becomes this desert. With rains it slowly starts to wash these layers off these trees until they become exposed.

I thought about how I would try and describe what we saw today but the words seem difficult to put together. I hope the pictures that we took will help and give you an idea of the quantity and size of these trees. What an incredible day. I spoke to one person that had just come from the Grand Canyon. He said that this place is just as Grand but on a completely different scale.

Continental Divide

2008-06-14T21:51:00.002-04:00

Road Hazard has made us proud because we have just logged a little over 100 hours driving. It covers 5,236 miles of road through 13 states and 32 stops. The last city for us to settle in is Holbrook Arizona. We are here because this is the closest city to the Petrified Forest National Park.

Let me back up a little and just say that the two states that I have enjoyed driving through so far has been Florida (the Keys) and New Mexico. Florida is obvious because of the clear blue water on both sides of the road. New Mexico because of the beautiful mountains that are stripped with red and white colors. In the evening before the sun sets the mountains take on a different color like nothing I have ever seen before. Albuquerque turned a pink hue with the city lights at the base.

The drive into Arizona has also been exciting. The mountains seem to be getting taller as we move west. At one point I looked down at the computer and we were 7,000 above sea level. No wonder I am getting so winded. I thought it was because I'm out of shape! Now I have a better reason.

Along the side of the highway we kept noticing what looked like lava fields. This whole section between New Mexico and Arizona looks like was once a huge lava flow. These black jagged rocks were everywhere.

As we approached Arizona another big marker for Road Hazard to cross was the Continental Divide. This is the point in the US where water will either run to the Pacific or Atlantic Ocean. This mountain range determines where the water will shed. We crossed this line with the horns blaring and fists pumping in the air. We are almost to the Pacific Ocean!

Finally we crossed into Arizona. Another exciting moment for us. Anytime we cross into another state we both get excited. This is new territory for both of us.

We are excited about exploring the Petrified Forest. At the KOA Campground that we are in there are pieces of petrified wood laying around like scrapes. I would load up the RV but these things weigh a ton. You tap on them and they sound like rock. Amazing. We are planning on hitting the National Park tomorrow.

Let me be the first to say to all the Dad's, HAPPY FATHERS DAY!

Dad, hope you have a great day and don't eat too much.

Nothing but Hot Air.

2008-06-12T20:24:00.004-04:00

Waking up at the crack of dawn really hasn't fit into our schedule since we started on this journey. So when the alarm went off this morning it brought with it a rush of bad memories of having to get up early to get ready for work. Once we realized the reason for the annoying buzzing sound next to our head we slowly crawled out of bed. I looked at the clock as the bright red lights seemed to burn my eyes, 4:30 a.m. Oh, this better be good or there will be two people tired and quite upset. After getting a shower to wake up and getting some food in us we headed out the door. One last glance at the clock that now seemed to be mocking us - 5:15 a.m.

We arrived at the launch site at 5:45 to find a big empty dirt lot. First to arrive. Slowly more cars pulled in and finally a van pulling a trailer stirred up the dust as he slowed to a stop. Three men jumped out and like a well oiled machine each started to set off and accomplish his own task.

Large tarps were laid out along side of the basket. The envelope that holds the hot air was unrolled and stretched out as the spaghetti of lines were untangled and attached to its proper clasp.

Finally with two large fans blowing cold air into the balloon this huge ball of fabric started to take shape. Once the balloon looked full the three large burners were ignited and with a loud crack, flames licked the inside of the balloon. Within minutes this colorful ball started to right itself. At last, we had ourselves what looked like a giant pinata. This beautiful colorful ball standing tall with a basket hanging from the bottom.

At the pilots command we quickly climbed into this woven basket and after a few vital instructions we were ready for takeoff. With the sun breaking the horizon and sending with it its warm rays of light we slowly lifted off.

What an incredible sensation to slowly be lifted off the ground as to defy gravity. With only the sound of the burners burning every so often the flight was quite with the sounds of distant life down below.

Eric, our pilot, took us over trees with only inches to spare below our feet. Soon we were over top of the Rio Grande river and slowly started to descend until we were hovering above the rushing water. It felt like we were puppets just hanging there with strings attached above us.

After climbing to 1,500 feet and watching the objects on the ground become smaller and smaller we drifted over the city of Albuquerque. Soon we were drifting over downtown with the Historic district passing by. The zoo, that we had visited just a couple of days before, came into view. Not long after we spotted the airport getting closer. The planes landing seemed so close but were really a couple of miles away from us. After about an hour of drifting and letting the currents take us where it pleased the pilot started to communicate with his chase crew on the ground. The next 45 minutes were filled with 4 failed attempts at landing because as soon as we would find a big empty field to land the winds decided to push us into another direction. Imagine being a couple hundred feet in the air and looking at a city filled up buildings, powerlines, trees and sky scrapers below. Looking for a big enough space to land. We tried a field behind a school first. Once the children inside realized what was about to happen they swarmed out of the building to wave and watch. Not to be as we were soon pushed off course. Next a parking lot behind a warehouse. The forklifts were busy loading trucks as we descended. Not to be. The manager on duty would not allow it. Two more failed attempts and we finally drifted over the highway with only 50 ft separating us and the rush hour traffic below, we touched down on this empty dirt field. After a hard bounce we had landed.

After arriving back at the launch site the tables were put together as the champagne bottles were opened. With a toast to celebrate our safe flight we downed the cold bubbly liquid. Enjoy the slide show as it has many more pictures of our adventure today.

Up Up and Away!

2008-06-12T00:10:00.003-04:00

Most likely when you read this we will be just lifting off the ground. Today we are scheduled to rise 2,100 above the landscape and experience what early flight was like.

Since we have to be at the site by 5:45 am I am writing this on Wednesday night. Once we arrive at the site we are going to help them assemble the balloon and inflate it as well. We will be flying for about an hour to an hour and a half. It all depends on the weather. Once we land, safely we hope, the fun task of rolling up this ball of hot air to fit back into the chase vehicles. It will be followed by a champagne breakfast to celebrate our safe journey.

I hope to have tons of pictures and some good stories to share.

Downtown Albuquerque

2008-06-11T10:13:00.001-04:00

While we were having breakfast in the lobby of the campground I was able to enjoy reading the newspaper. They had someone making fresh waffles and pancakes. They also had cold cereals, bagels, sweet pastry's and juices. In the metro section I found that the Albuquerque Zoo was going to have a special twilight tour this evening. What a better way to see the zoo than to have a guide and run around at night to see the animals. Before that, we had plenty of time to check out the historic part of Albuquerque.

We started our trip into town following the Historic Route 66. There are only small sections of the original route today. Most of it has been destroyed or covered up by big highways such as I-40 that dissects the lower part of the country.

Historic downtown consisted of 4 city blocks in both directions, centered with a tree shaded plaza. Old buildings leaning in one direction as to show that it is old and just needs to rest a little by leaning on something. The style is of the Pueblo buildings. Flat roofs with the red mud sides. It pretty much is a tourist trap with all the souvenir shops lining both sides of the streets.

There is one church along the main plaza. San Felipe de Neri Church. It has been here since 1793.

The inside is very simple but has some interesting paintings that show Jesus and the cross along the entire journey he made with it up until his Resurrection.

We enjoyed a great lunch at a Mexican style restaurant. I could eat this type of food everyday it is so good. With still a few hours to go before our excursion this evening I decided to get the oil changed in the pickup and get that task out of the way.

Finally, the hour had approached and we headed off to watch these animals come alive at night.

We were divided up into small groups of 10 people and headed off to explore. Each group going off in a different direction so that you felt like you had the entire zoo to yourself. As soon as we entered the zoo we were greeted by these beautiful Peacocks. Their cries almost sounded like a cat but much louder.

They were running around loose and every once in awhile one would come swooping down over you. They are not known for their flying. I think because of too many feathers.

Our first stop was to see the Lions but they were inside of their den and didn't show their face. Instead, directly across from them was the Imus's and they were very curious and wanted to see what was happening.

The Kangaroo's didn't want any part of the activity happening at night. They just wanted to go back to sleep and showed us that by stretching out and covering their faces.

Good life!

With the light fading fast it was getting more difficult to take pictures. I managed to take several more and I have added the remainder of the pictures in the slide show. Be sure to click on the box to see the rest of the animals that came out to see us. It's a small zoo but very well taken care of and with a nice layout to get around. Now its my turn to stretch out and relax a little.

Can you spell it?

2008-06-09T23:56:00.003-04:00

ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico.

Have you ever seen so many "qu" in one word? I don't think I could live in this city just for the fact that I would have to spell it every time I fill out my address. They really should think about an abbreviation of the word. Here is a little trivia that I found about this word.

1)"Albuquerque" is the last song (track 12) of "Weird Al" Yankovic's Running With Scissors album. It is not only the longest song in the album, clocking in at 11 minutes and 25 seconds, but also the longest song Yankovic has ever released on any of his official studio albums.

2) If you were to translate the word to Korean it would look like this:

알부쾌크, 미국 뉴멕시코에 있는 도시

Not any better in Korean either, huh?

3) Albuquerque was named for Spain's 10th Duke of Alburquerque. (The first "r" was dropped, by one account, because a station master had trouble with the spelling.) HELLO, is anyone listening?

4) It was the city from which the "runaway bride," Jennifer Wilbanks, called police and ended a search that titillated the nation in 2005. She couldn't spell the city she was in so the search ended.

As many people rushed off to start their new work week, Monday morning, we packed up Road Hazard and headed south for an hour. Our next destination took us to the city that I can't spell.

The views were very similar to Santa Fe only we are 2,000' lower. The city of Albuquerque is surrounded by huge mountains. The homes don't have that "pueblo" look to them, with the red walls and flat roofs, but the more conventional style. Pitched roofs and regular siding. Still, the good homes are perched on the cliffs.

We will be here for the next few days and will take some time to chill out. Believe it or not it takes a toll on you when you are always on the go and consistently moving around. We decided to take a day off to do nothing. Please, keep your sympathy emails to yourself.

The campground we are staying serves breakfast every morning so we will check it out and sit down afterwards to figure out everything we want to see and do while in Albuquerque. I have already scheduled a balloon ride for Thursday morning and am really excited about the thought of soaring 2,000' above the ground, floating with the wind currents. Enjoy your day!

Indiana Cerda

2008-06-08T22:58:00.002-04:00

As we drove north past Santa Fe, past the Indian casino's and past the last small town of White Rock we entered into a canyon that holds the spirits of the past. I dusted off my Indiana Jones hat and substituted my camera for the whip to capture moments in time. We are headed off to explore the past.

As you drive over a couple of mountain ranges to arrive at Bandelier National Park you start to see the past speaking to you.

Back before anyone roamed this area there was a huge volcanic eruption that was 600 times bigger than Mt. St. Helen in 1980. The volcano discharged so much volcanic pumice that in certain parts of this area the ash was over 1000' deep. Over time, the ash became compressed and formed these tall cliffs that are made up of this porous rock that today is called "Tuff".

As we began our hike one of the oldest questions in time was answered right before our eyes. At one point you may have heard the expression or even used it yourself "Does a bear sh*# in the woods?" Today we were witness to "If a Dear sh*#'s in the woods, will someone hear it?". The answer, yes, because we not only heard it but saw it.

After taking a moment to discuss what we just witnessed we continued down the path to explore the past. The Indians that would migrate in and out of this area to follow the movements of big game animals. Over time they began to build more permanent shelter. The soft rock, tuff, was easy to carve holes into and could be used as shelter. Slowly the Indians made this area more permanent and built homes against the cliffs. Today, we can visit these old dwellings. To touch the past, one has to climb several ladders to reach these dwellings perched high above the canyon floor.

I remember growing up in DC and being dragged to the Smithsonian Museum to learn about American History. I would have my nose pressed against the glass to look at the displays of the American Indians that created there home in the cliffs.

These dwellings have been dated back to 10,000 years and today we find ourselves walking in the same places and touching the same walls that have been witness to so much change.

This soft rock has become almost like a huge block of swiss cheese from the erosion caused by wind and rain.

This National Park is littered with cliff dwellings and stories of the past. Evidence can be seen all around you.

The footprint of their homes are still visible today.

The markings that they left behind still tell a story of a people that had to work hard just to survive. Walking around we found pieces of pottery that they would been used to carry water or used in cooking. We also found volcanic rock, that looks like glass and is very sharpe, that they would have used to make spears for hunting game.

Bandelier National Park is a time capsule of the past. It allows any visitor who enters to be transported back to the past. History is all around you. Here the rocks speak to you through symbols carved by someone hundreds of years ago or by the footprint of buildings. The cliffs and canyon floor are still filled with historic litter of the past.

This is a place that one looks back in order to look forward.

Paddle Hard!

2008-06-07T23:59:00.003-04:00

With so much recent talk about "Global Warming" and the effects it has already caused this planet it really is important to go out and experience nature up close while we still have it. Today, we decided to tango with what the Mexicans have named, "Rio Bravo del Norte" which loosely translates to "The Angry River of the North". This whole area that Rio Grande runs through, from Colorado down to Texas, was formed from "Rifts". What is a rift? It is where two tectonic plates have collided pushing the earth up into these tall mountains and then separated leaving behind this huge crack in the ground. These walls are still moving apart from each other today but at a very slow rate. There are several hot springs in the area that prove the process is still continuing. Water always follows the path of least resistance and naturally it started to flow down this crack eroding the walls of these canyons in the process. Much of the river is not navigable except for those brave enough to face the power of the angry river. In the early 70's children in New Mexico were told that the Rio Grande was a Pandora's box. The river was taking too many young lives. This myth was brought into the classrooms in hope of keeping children away from the river. They were told that if they went near the river, Pandora was going to take them and they would never be seen again. Pandora, it was thought, was a spirit in the river. Armed with this information we headed off to join others on an adventure of White Water Rafting!

The day starts off with everyone moving very sluggish and still trying to wake up. Papers have to be signed, next of kin posted and fitting into the necessary gear. Booties, helmet and life vest. We boarded a school bus that has seen much better days and set off towards Taos to where the rapids begin. Along the way different mountain ranges were pointed out, historical markers, history of the Navajo Casino's and of course the Rio Grande.

We arrived at our launching point and piled out of the bus, thankful that we had survived the drive out. You could see the excitement level had started to raise as voices became more excited and louder. The unknown was still lurking as we stood by the river bank watching this immense volume of water rush past us carrying pieces of wood downstream. The snow fall in Colorado was at record levels this past winter and now that snow is starting to melt and sending its volume down stream.

After a brief lecture of do's and don'ts of rafting we hugged our loved ones and jumped into our rafts. Our guides name was Billy and fortunately he was also the most experienced guide of the group. First thing he asked when we sat in the boat was if we wanted an exciting ride or calm ride. The vote was cast and we had all agreed that we wanted the hardest, wettest and scariest ride possible.

The first few rapids are small and easy to navigate but the shock of the 54 degree water hitting you in the face will quickly clear any cob webs that might be lingering around. The reality hits you that you are sitting in the front of this raft, across from your companion, floating down a river that doesn't hear any screams or feel any fear. There is no OFF button to hit.

As we drift further down stream the rapids become larger and faster. By the time we reached the last rapid called "South Hole" the crew on our boat had learned to work together. It would be needed because this was the biggest and meanest rapid in this section. We dropped into this avalanche of water with Billy still screaming directions from the rear of the boat. The front of the boat, where we were sitting, went down into this hole of water and all I could see was this wall of water quickly approaching. It must have been 6 feet tall of white brown angry water churning and ready to swallow us whole. I saw Pandora as she smiled down on us ready to claim a few more souls. The shock of the mountain of cold water slamming against your face and hitting your chest like you had just been kicked by one of my ancestors mules was real. I found myself sitting in the middle of the boat on top of Reta. We struggled to get to our positions because Billy was still screaming to paddle hard because we were getting ready to hit another rapid. The boat was completely filled with water. It looked like the seven of us were sitting in a small swimming pool. As we slowly started to realize that we had survived this intense moment of shear panic and exhilaration we all started to scream with excitement and slap each other on the backs as to say we had made it. We had looked Pandora in the face and paddled away with an experience like non other.

I took my camera along and managed to get a few shots. Keep in mind that I couldn't take any while we were going down the big rapids because I can still hear Billy screaming directions to paddle.

After another pleasant drive back we arrived at the rafting outfitters with an angry appetite. We were invited to join two guys that were on our boat for lunch at a local Mexican restaurant. This place is known for their Margarita's and we quickly discovered why. We were pleasantly surprised when Mike picked up the check and told us to enjoy New Mexico because this was on him. Ron had picked up the first round of drinks at the bar, which was another surprise. If Ron and Mike are any representation of New Mexicans than this place is truly one of warm and friendly people that love to learn about where you came from and share their hospitality.

Check out the slideshow and look for the sequence of our dive into the South Hole.

New Mexico Capital

2008-06-07T06:33:00.001-04:00

We stayed up most of the night looking up into the sky but never saw anything that can be classified as a UFO. Must not be the right time of year for the visitors from other distant planets to make their visit. Maybe the high fuel prices have effected them as well.

The morning greeted us with perfect driving weather. Sunny with very little wind. We packed up and headed north to spend the weekend in the state capital of New Mexico. Santa Fe is positioned at the foot hills of the Rocky Mountains and along a chain of mountains called "Sangre de Cristo". The city claims to be the oldest capital city in the US.

The drive north was a changing landscape every mile. It started off as a flat dessert littered with scrub bush's. It seemed that every mile that would tick by on the odometer the elevation would increase. Finally we reached the peak on a smaller mountain and saw the white caps high above the dessert floor. The air is also getting cooler. We are no longer sitting in an oven.

Our campground is surrounded by these beautiful mountains and we are sitting at an altitude of about 7,000 feet above sea level. The high today was only 76. It really is amazing that only after 3 1/2 hours on the road you can be in a climate so different. After we unpacked and took an afternoon nap we decided to explore downtown. I was very excited to find what my ancestors have called "transportation" for many years.

Reta has planned out Saturday. We are going to get up early and head out with a group of people to jump into a very cold river and try some White Water Rafting. Not sure what river it is but I will have some pictures and hopefully some good stories to share with you tomorrow.

Close Encounter

2008-06-06T06:33:00.005-04:00

As the strong winds came cascading down the mountains early this morning we rolled out of Carlsbad and headed north for an hour and three-quarter drive. We felt it only appropriate to head to this city after our day of exploring another world in the caverns. Thursday we would have another encounter but this one being from a different planet. Roswell, New Mexico has become famous for being the UFO Capital of the World! Once we arrived we quickly set up so that we could keep our meeting downtown. Not really sure of the exact location we decided to head out and see if we could find it on our own. We knew we were getting close when Reta spotted these distinct footsteps still fresh on the sidewalk.

We took off quickly following these odd marks but the track went cold and we had to stop and ask someone for directions. There, that guy up on the building. He's telling us to go in that direction.

We're getting close now because almost like a divine intervention I looked up and saw the heavenly sign shinning down on me and washing me in this white, clean light.

We have arrived at the UFO Museum and Research Center in downtown Roswell.

It was here that we were to have our encounter. After signing in with the front office and showing him our identification, which consisted of two bills with a picture of Abraham Lincoln, we proceeded into the Research Center. There we learned that Roswell became famous for the incident that occurred on July 4th, 1947 at 11:50 p.m. It was when Mac Brazel, a rancher, heard a loud noise outside that left him startled because it was like nothing he had heard before. The next day while inspecting his fields he discovered what looked like a crash site. It went on for 3/4 of a mile and 300 yards wide. Not knowing what it was he collected as much as he could into old sacks. The following day he took his find into town and shared his findings with the sheriff in Roswell. The next few days events have been tried to be covered up by the US government. The Research Center has filled in the missing timeline and events. At the site were discovered several alien bodies and a spaceship. In the slideshow pictures I have taken, it will show the evidence that the government has tried to cover it all up and pretend that it never happened. We all know the truth now.

After extensive research I was ready for my meeting. I have to admit that I was quite nervous but I knew that this encounter would be out of this world. First Squadron Leader Budra was already seated and had ordered us a couple of soda's.

How insightful Mr. Budra was. He made me feel at ease with his gentle demeanor and soft voice. It was another moment in this trip that I will never forget.