tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38162569536184473142024-02-07T05:41:58.131-08:00My Time Well WastedA Three Part Vacation Triathlon... Bus, Bike and JetBlueDanielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09187925001038074618noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816256953618447314.post-38465185880327761192009-10-01T15:10:00.000-07:002009-10-02T15:27:57.088-07:00Trans America Trail... Part Three<div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">Utah brought on some great riding, and beautiful scenery, its a very unique State to say the least. Its known as having some of the best dirt bike riding in the nation, and it didn't disappoint.<br /><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicVCiOJRlcG6djpY2OJC9SA6tt1f8zU8oJcoV9RkYdap9MFywuR2uVlbwAY7bvcyPB5AvNTROtvUIT4n6BfAKP6L5QhCPsZ1r3vHgsUzw1g68uNPCvoET4TefKr8PlPt-Npwr8g3FrQAw/s1600-h/Pictures+290.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388056261109728674" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicVCiOJRlcG6djpY2OJC9SA6tt1f8zU8oJcoV9RkYdap9MFywuR2uVlbwAY7bvcyPB5AvNTROtvUIT4n6BfAKP6L5QhCPsZ1r3vHgsUzw1g68uNPCvoET4TefKr8PlPt-Npwr8g3FrQAw/s320/Pictures+290.jpg" border="0" /></a> We came across this old abandon mine shaft, after plundering around inside we found a sign saying "NOTICE: Mine shafts may contain radon, radioactive material or abandoned explosives. DO NOT ENTER". Now you tell us...<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388051488447188114" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNyeOcjaWlV2GfIGJiCNHvFE0z_OcuV1kwcA2N13DgUgWZZmbRLjOiSu51bJFeO-kd_fUY8-jetf4KJcPPHaj-zq9jWb8RYOZRMGv61ScsUzjxUUhoekYil7l5BUeo6MOcep6-91TIeck/s320/Pictures+297.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div align="center">This is a great example of what Utah had to offer, this is Black Dragon Canyon, and probably my favorite stretch of the whole TAT. I had been to Zion National Park just a month before and this place looked just like a miniature version. And we rode through the whole canyon and never seen another person, try that in Zion.<br /><br /></div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388051479875271122" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0XzQC2nQLqTNRZwcpRSzTseY3Od0NUpjz4pwrj7TTXHEEqekDgjwpYeNWP12JeYSHVZd3_K5sHXQS3pxjOL0anRqZ_hbFpIkLZ2rz9AR6RjeZ0OrIEM1v9IOFUsxXO8nRifTF1e5y0rI/s320/Pictures+296.jpg" border="0" />Luckily the trail wasn't this nice through the whole canyon, it quickly turned into pretty much just a single track dirt bike trail that followed a dried up creek bed. It was tough and very technical but offered the best riding of the whole trail, in my opinion. Would love to have this kind of riding in Florida.<br /><br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388051979382145474" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJHPirNLQOOX2-mEqS4krZuWIwzoJNsVzCjZ4XPu7QfIYG9akvduv379poBUwOXBVukSvF-FRw7MMAXu633EhAL5MJiLvZx4z5Ym5genJPjfbpQsA39dloU6Rx8_XePxgO0QcC8qT1YQw/s320/Pictures+302.jpg" border="0" /><br />A little more technical part of the Trail, and it got a lot worse!<br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388065330329873874" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGIjbyYCcloAZpem3PxaWMbHeYqCCEFhwjR32bw9O4LEBKxsOPMsw5kBb-V8yzAczW0nzGaxSAHTe0YL7HNCfJiMWojvmAE6v4myoqCQUiVDK5vtjwYIP6eeC92D9_wIYHweBuMDKikh8/s320/Pictures+300.jpg" border="0" />This was a pretty tough section, but fun to ride, it always helps when you have the kind of view that Utah offers.<br /><br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388052909893704530" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaQSs08SCEfjl-9X_QO5qTjPErNILt9pe6gaNpBoGAgcfnD5yrrVSM5uznf1P4gkRjDLpbw2hd99NmsY7maxl_RC_hCprdKV693jtHvSU3SVs1TK6QFZmxICe62Yp0wb04ewlIqg9jy2Q/s320/Pictures+307.jpg" border="0" /><br /></div><div align="center">This is the morning and picture that almost pushed Dave over the edge. After riding with Brian for 3 or 4 days Dave had all he could stand, he was done. Brian had been working on his bike just as you see him, in speedos and medical gloves, but that wasn't enough, after he finished working on his bike he decided to take it for a test ride around the campground, dressed just as you see him here. Dave about flipped out. Turns out this would be the last day we rode with him anyway. I actually enjoyed having Brian around, most of the time. Mainly because his riding style was like mine and the fact that he loved when the trail got tough or fast, just like myself. Dave being the older and least skilled rider tended to ride a little slower and more conservative, he rode keeping in mind that it was a long trail and you could have a trip ending crash or injury at any moment. Brian and Myself on the other hand tended to ride in the moment, living for every hill we could jump, corner we could slide around or anytime you were riding with the front wheel off the ground. But anytime you ride like that, especially for day in and day out you take many chances and eventually one of those chances catches up to you.</div><div align="center"><br /><br /></div><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388057056478966178" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOvLdxzjxW6xQvpS_tl3CNti3fRP1PV5CjpDlALlczgBk7tWYBTqCpb54VpxK45Xqb9Ta5eZeVFHziGgoKybzZhyC1QCPIqOjI-Kw5Rr7ZDkEM3dUddBQdVOHOMaqkPDFIW0viSzl4cuA/s320/wreck.jpg" border="0" /> This moment is exactly what I was talking about, the chances I was taking came back to bite me. We had just turned onto the trail in Nevada, it was just a long straight road heading right out into the desert, I was feeling good and hit the throttle while trying to look down at my roll chart and reset my odometer at the same time. When I looked up I saw a berm about 20 feet in front of me, now for some reason there is all kinds of small berms across the road in the desert but this particular one not only caught me off guard but it also had a ditch just on the other side of it. Usually you can just stand up on the pegs pull back on the bars while hitting the gas and just glide right over pretty much anything, but as my rear tire launched off the berm my front tire was down in the ditch which sent me heading across the desert just riding on the front tire, not a good thing when your going 40mph. I thought for a while that I was going to save it, and I did manage for a bit but once I ran off the road and into the scrub brush it was all over, I wiped out! Bigtime! </div><div align="center"><br /><br /></div><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388057064038460434" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpYGh8_Q8kqmTrchI-qjAO2AYVjbQHwNT2XRvGJE24aZpuxx_oLP0YYy9JFbNOvkShiDi7VYt2QaiuNFFhGXDlb6P9XykvLrKbFu0k2Y1KzTvMSgXqebckw_Han-uIwfeC9Lj6X20eBUw/s320/wreck2.jpg" border="0" /> I was fine, I rolled about 3 times then landed back on my feet, Roy on the other hand didn't come out of it so well, you can see if the picture he is pretty banged up. But we picked up all the pieces, got my gear strapped back down and Roy fired right up! Only major damage was a broke windshield and some bent handle bars, which took my a couple days to just adjusted to riding with. Dave got to relish in a big fat "I told you so" being he had been warning me the whole trip, but I was having a blast! </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">I pretty much led the group for about 90% of the trail, mainly because it just worked better that way, I like to ride faster than Dave does so it just worked better for me to be out front and riding at my own pace. But when your leading you are exposed to a lot more danger, and on to many occasions to count when something almost took me I out would make some kind of hand motion to warn whoever was coming behind me, or just stop and take out my camera and film Dave taking a spill. When you ride for hours on end off road you just kind of get into this zone, crank up Bon Jovi on the Ipod and its just you, the bike and whatever may come around the next corner, nothing else matters and its a great feeling. Every mile you travel makes you more confident with your riding ability, the feeling that you get when power sliding around some corner and just for a split second you are completely out of control is very addictive, its an instant rush of adrenaline, your mind is completely focused and then when you regain control your completely stoked! But no one can keep that up for 4700 miles without a major crash. Its just sometimes you have to throw caution to the wind and live in the moment. And riding the TAT is one of those times.<br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388052914009389282" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3XiXPGr2jM1dZnt78CYDfLw6Id2Cl1_JZN2xU3WfNPvBIFvA0MnrWY9Qdn-r6-EaNiwmLygBl-i1wTDIeSFS1ZdaWEnbcDzZUqBWxCZPaksZWKCZkJYRv_OZnq2J5Gl7W3ehPPEOaDZI/s320/Pictures+317.jpg" border="0" /></div><div align="center">This turned out to be the worse day of the whole trip, but arguably the best. After picking up pieces of my bike spread out over about 25 yards of desert we ran into some mud that was just horrendous! But somewhere amongst all the bad things we managed to loose Brian! He got separated from us and we haven't seen him since. So at least some good came out of this! I had finally got my fill of him the night before when he decided to change his clothes while standing on the picnic table in our campsite! And I mean all of his clothes! But I do hope he finished the trail.<br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-TU_x0KnGesq6Lj9Vpi3mhRVOpO2jSgMxPgLxbNDLc6sRP2yLjJ425TavzygfJhjm8HmUeolE1q6S49uAxvRNwMTP9moccAYJ3udnHAOsxSRB_9Hg1c0kRCEuakutKtdUhFk9WdeteM0/s1600-h/Pictures+319.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388052924467058018" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-TU_x0KnGesq6Lj9Vpi3mhRVOpO2jSgMxPgLxbNDLc6sRP2yLjJ425TavzygfJhjm8HmUeolE1q6S49uAxvRNwMTP9moccAYJ3udnHAOsxSRB_9Hg1c0kRCEuakutKtdUhFk9WdeteM0/s320/Pictures+319.jpg" border="0" /></a> This mud got caked around my rear wheel so bad that when I let out on the clutch it would just stall my engine, I would have to keep digging it out of the swing arm. Plus it was as slick as ice so there was no way to control where you were heading, you just went wherever the bike went. Must have taken an hour to go one mile!<br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388101191080835762" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLphHNPj8nIsuaPE5qk5dWgs81cdQuzcnYjq2_IyLisWzS2L_QxLTFAnI8uCu-BKAexAj0INayfUQeskjEPT4TE1f2gEXgAbakZGLgo02ZUWvM0IbS3MpXnSwXbdAWwjhuy2vDUpzRcUk/s320/Pictures+323.jpg" border="0" /> After we finally managed our way through the mud we hit miles upon miles of sand, in my opinion Nevada was be far the hardest section of the trail. But it depends a lot on the weather, if its really rainy I hear that Oklahoma can be worse.</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388119370843859218" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh38yAYghAnQBNMUsDuOXdrzrbFnx7n0uTCWso4qeV-dTZuFFn6hxi-Flas547d7rEng5i7GNUsAElKwc01k2KdMK47wWprZV2-LujjXx4pWqXXhaU7kPSDgzHpRcp6wUvIcehwY53JFbA/s320/crrek.jpg" border="0" />After 20 days on the TAT we finally made it to Oregon, and I think we both got a well needed moral boost after riding across Nevada. This is just one of what seemed like hundreds of crystal clear streams that we would cross.</div><div align="center"><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388118238383349378" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcateT0qVLsMH9eBF4f8ycmAr9R0zUPsJ2cE7GKCbTBmS4tVPYpBTX_RCgmc9Aikvuvcee-XblZg2DmcLV9wrXigB0Jr5rhimdoQX8KvviIHPPod2EvGggaO2FyNO0G6MUXd7yJg1RtxU/s320/Crater+Lake.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center">Being the TAT goes within 10 or so miles of Crater Lake we decided to stop in and camp for the night. What an amazing place! We met a guy name Al who was just out on a long weekend ride, he was on a 650 BMW and we took a 32 mile ride around the perimeter of Crater Lake right at sunset. It was beautiful but the mosquitoes were out in full force and I about froze my butt off on the way back.</p><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388121858106515650" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjha0C36dQW3RenZ0ZVS8RyHdRtEXGBaUtPjU0auLfjJwTvkD7f5QsMEnpKSeyWeLpxEhncmMAzxIW7dPkT2UFI9CNHW_QS2dTkrW7XoZ05o_Fd-vYZyeLOXoLkGeno3ZEa5UvrdG_CbLs/s320/sunset.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center">Crater Lake at sunset....<br /><br /></p><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388119381068968482" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilWVzjQTKfIr6j9HVZMIBuD4erYIXcItx6xe1U5YljDr99R_LHFRiV-qMqgVtZj89qWHiL-GvV64PJdBDuvjpCALE4REUBRy8Z_IbRLGMi9wkSYOeHPVNX9bpzOGlA15zMU-HLaOQl6PU/s320/beach.jpg" border="0" /> Well as you can tell from this picture we made it! 5,300 or so miles of which probably 4,200 or so would be considered off-road. It took us 22 days of riding to complete, we took one day off in Telluride ( by one day off I mean we only rode for 3 hours ) while looking for Dave, I put 160 hours of actual engine run time on my bike. So that works out to riding a dirt bike 8 hours a day for three weeks straight! That's hardcore! I think the TAT was tougher than me or Dave had expected, but that's exactly what you want, if it was easy everyone would be doing it. When we got to the Pacific we stayed the night in a hotel and celebrated with some beer. The next morning Dave headed south to head home ( which turned into a whole different adventure, check out his blog ), and I headed north to Portland where I had left the VW Bus exactly a month before. <br />The main question I get asked is "Would you do it again?", absolutely! Not only would I do it again, I plan on doing it again, would love do it in a jeep or some other kind of off road capable vehicle, which could probably make about 90% or so of the trail. If not in a jeep it will be on an actual dirt bike, something that you don't have to carry all your own gear, and having a motorhome as a support vehicle would be ideal. Its crazy to think that in 2009 you can still drive across the country using pretty much only dirt roads, but its possible! I don't think people realize how large the United States actually is, when I hear people talk about over population... I just laugh.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><div><div> </div></div></div>Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09187925001038074618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816256953618447314.post-600101181342171902009-10-01T11:21:00.000-07:002009-10-01T15:51:13.378-07:00Trans America Trail... Part Two<div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">After riding across Oklahoma which included a 31 mile stretch without a single turn, a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">miniature</span> Sahara Desert and temps in excess of 107 degrees, we were finally in what is considered the western half of the TAT. The eastern half of the trail and the western half are both very popular for people just looking to do a section, but between the two is Oklahoma which is just a vast nothing with grass, and sometimes it doesn't even have grass. But I did manage to find pleasure in the fact that the Gators put a beating on the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Sooners</span></span></span> just six short months ago, and it made my day when I saw an <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">OU</span></span></span> sticker on someones car, which <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">of course</span> was promptly followed by a Gator Chomp!<br /></div><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387701832853454018" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxDpZGc0MVNKhwQ2u0x2EiAMPe1GxiMzzYCwpR0exo5ELIe23v7ED2nkPPn5QE0Z9FzNTmI6OMjRLeyxyYGiqsgRroWnstvr0GElGL2PNYWPjf9fTvvzBRzAeqLH2hdKagayMZZGS8ahM/s320/Pictures+177.jpg" border="0" /></div><div align="center">Its always been amazing to me how the terrain changes so dramatically as soon as you cross state lines, guess it was planned that way. </div><div align="center"><br /><br /></div><div align="center"></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387757780544120738" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs1b5Pp0wLwJYs82CnM6nccmfqCjH3EDTMlRwnJlw1uAtpF1yoXJWmqx04O7ACvdExdLf3mYxq-HeCPF1M8271RzPzyRReHUrW1YKQX4I0n7LGBINeHCjzXWWy1IGTKR3Vc7cDPVxl-6s/s320/Pictures+193.jpg" border="0" /><br />If I had to pick a favorite section of the trail it would have to be Colorado, this place has everything as far as a dirt biker is concerned. And the scenery just gets better the farther you go from civilization.<br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387701846051740498" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtg-26ETCfGymbKMssC-9Zxy9xMVdGvHxsueCFt_rgQUOpFXPiW8xZ5to46ntXiVAVKJmB7IHAX5jBYvHatnz6yeJohr5Tn_BMj3j-TURR3xL-RoOt5leUAmYcpWYXja2ZqmKFlXTORqo/s320/Pictures+199.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><div align="center">At a fuel stop about half way across Colorado we ran into Brian, he was from New Hampshire and was riding the trail also. he was the first person we met who was actually riding the TAT. We knew there were other riders a couple of days ahead of us because we had found some <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">strategically</span> placed notes along the trail, with the date, times and ADV Rider screen names. Brian was riding a Honda <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">XR</span></span> 650R, I looked at this bike before I bought Roy but had decided against it because you can only go 90 miles on a tank of fuel, compared to 250 on a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">KLR</span></span>. In this picture he is filling up the <span style="color:#ffff00;">bags</span> that hold wine when it comes in a box, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">that's</span> what he was using to carry extra petrol. Brian was intent on letting everyone we met know that he was riding a Honda 650 "R "not an "L", R is for racing, and as he put it, "L stands for Lady". Being he was riding it solo we offered to let Brian ride with us for a while, something we would both soon regret.</div><div align="center"><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387701854516628754" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnriDQmO1R3t6cdKCssNb1xYlydFZLAeBau6OIQjoZGL8p5Zsvz1oJ36AvCx-rDGJqR3Ycx5P8Br3M4jYYYo_F12SXH1j4_jiMXLx2VxwQZ8LHW5fvXeRKtVnf81U9QJjpabQosxRH7H0/s320/Pictures+203.jpg" border="0" /><br /><p align="center">This picture was taken as we started our <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">ascent</span> of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Cinnamon</span> Pass, the highest point on the TAT, almost 13 thousand feet!<br /></p><br /><br /><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387702753099368450" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3zlMTksvXJaRQzqyhvtyWiXeu6VeiIpiA818fW1hWGGx2mZnQKJvKBAule9v0pESo7TmtXNrVjx3ixIIT0WYYofrDGsE2pDHqWA4E_byme6n1MzGdNr3c6f5zJOmHr8f9Beh0vq2aXMA/s320/Pictures+223.jpg" border="0" />Proof that we made it.</div><br /><br /><p align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387702759890181490" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlBdbmL_uvuyfyaZ-_VUdQK-uEeQN8rCvXU4W1TncEaYONxpu66IKTF6mu3TwGTtSNBdDAqwNMK2LQzFGIqD_88H_53h72L85VGbHlU99iHdmXr1mN8Ap12WkrZEwEu-15ApOjB0Jk6xQ/s320/Pictures+232.jpg" border="0" /><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Cinnamon</span> Pass being the highest point along the trail is also the last to shed its snow from the winter, because of this riding the TAT completely isn't possible until usually around mid July. As you can see we were right in time.<br /></p><br /><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387702762858548130" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp2UcuYC0Kg9uWReCDRnqRccQ1GA4FDrr2asLRtl4fX14Qu-UOvxGSl3B3K1Kssusy2ft1GJLkFCH1U7XN1wXfj-yx3Y21Y0w2mIYr4mLR3WZ91LUbO7pE0V0avQMvd0MKZmtr__riHFA/s320/Pictures+234.jpg" border="0" />View from the top...</div><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387702771198358082" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2bXQBGiX4PeSgg_A_-68qz6bLcKV60wTsi5YXuuMz5dZ8WlPYntD_X1CMYOz9WxN71GbGGIa8aHqL9jBpnpL0OFvv6suOHlXQ4WSIeMyRlPm9KpUVMwWOkmjv5tFcsFRgUFovWM3VbsA/s320/Pictures+244.jpg" border="0" /><br /><p align="center">Dave was exceptionally happy when we finally made it back to a stretch of asphalt! This is the Million Dollar highway in Colorado, and also the last time we would see Dave for a couple of days. It was just about dark when we turned onto the Million Dollar highway trying to make it to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Telluride</span></span>, Brian and I got separated from Dave and ended up spending the night near <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Silverton</span></span>, Dave went on over <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Ophir</span></span> pass, in the dark!<br /></p><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387704016142600722" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1zTcorwnywv-f3QF6XrU5Qm2svu2S3jUDuNNnoVCbEhu1uZplhVtnBNdQAa5tlrQSTLo4jy3C2NNWtB7ZWcY2WMPjOKJpiYEyW2jUzMJq8PErB9LSAg7ZoGD-VhJ_BBVfgicRFSJrgrU/s320/Pictures+245.jpg" border="0" />The campsite where we spent the night. Beautiful place.<br /></div><br /><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387704024305087554" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2xQihKafZQRTRvAZAJGPEh3EEeIwivJ6eMkFjXdCqRrmutr7GFpD4s0ot7kFpDGU2ENguJIYzCuH61Ub5kT__VSRU4bvmH_3sHYYkrwnQzlNnZWjSY5AXcTkGn1OIZyEZpWknlEIiJ4I/s320/Pictures+247.jpg" border="0" />This is <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Ophir</span></span> Pass, Dave went over this in the Dark, after already riding all day. But it actually worked out great being he couldn't see what was over the edge, he had dropped his bike about 4 times on <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Cinnamon</span> Pass but made it over <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Ophir</span></span> ( Which I found tougher than <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Cinnamon</span> ) without a hitch! He had no idea how dangerous it actually was until I showed him some pictures! This picture doesn't do <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Ophir</span></span> justice, this part was super steep, and very difficult, its a jeep trail and you have your choice of riding in one of two ruts. If you ride in the rut closes to the edge you risk going over it if you were to drop the bike, which would be <span style="color:#ffff00;">game over</span>. But if you ride in the opposite rut you are constantly dealing with big rocks because it catches everything that comes rolling down the mountain, it sucks no matter where you ride.<br /></div><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387704025553966018" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGTfqwIiZmERp1oPPYBw6Cdpoe3M1_YkcREOsk9NiRCaMHGz9Rk2G0qkoYQ1IMeRA_Nj2H3ednpO55ZVL1BLre3gSfcOsIkZW-kbI2krsz6xbnvSZojdXSxin6fIzsSc_NlGGcjTDR7jk/s320/Pictures+251.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><p align="center">When we made it to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Telluride</span></span> we expected to find Dave, but he was nowhere to be found. So we just waited around <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Telluride</span></span> for him to find us, being I have a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">Satellite</span> tracker and he could find me. But we found out later that evening via email that he had decided to ride on to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Moab</span></span> and wait for us there. This picture was taken in front of what <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Telluride</span></span> calls the "Free Box", its just some shelves where people drop off stuff they don't want, but I hear some really cool stuff passes through it. I was sitting at a hostel in Bogota, Colombia two days ago showing my pictures of the TAT to this guy from Colorado that I had met, when I got to this photo he said "hey <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">that's</span> the Free Box, I got this shirt from there!". Small world.<br /></p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387704035841182978" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlwCVbbLkdkx-nfLjOuR6ZEmSR8zzm2y4OdsygRqdMovT-_05-r0QpOnwEgEfq3Ms8F3DXNhqpc5lD0Un-IWmLzC1QgPlFzBBybe5sH0b_hWnJPkzx0v04mMg8s_Ee-U9qSoMKXSPjVbA/s320/Pictures+257.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><p align="center">I left <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Telluride</span></span> with Brian the next day, Dave was waiting on us in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Moab</span></span>, so we drove like we were competing in the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Baja</span></span> 1000 to make the 200 miles by a decent hour. All was going well until Brian decided to take the lead for the last 50 or so miles, when he came around me I noticed a pair of jeans come flying out of his bag, then a t-shirt. So I flagged him down to survey what was missing, a bunch of unimportant clothes and his whole map bag! He wasn't worried about the clothes but the map system is intricate and takes countless hours to prepare ( thanks Dave ) and he was not willing to go on without them. I was not happy to say the least. We had stopped for a break about 32 miles back and he had left his bag open at that time, now 32 miles doesn't sound like much but when it takes you all day to go 200 miles, you do the math, 32 miles can take hours, then you still have to drive back! So we decided that we would ride back until we found the maps and forget about whatever might have fallen out before that, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">that's</span> when it actually became somewhat comical, because every mile or so we would find another piece of clothing, underwear here, a sock over there, I couldn't help but laugh. Just my luck the maps had fallen out about 100 yards from where we had stopped for the break, so we had backtracked over 31 miles! I arrived at the maps before Brian ( because he had to stop and pick up a pair of pants ) and I couldn't help but have some fun with him being that they were so important to him. I hid the maps in my jacket and told him someone must have stopped and picked them up along the roadside, but if I had found them he would have probably been happy enough to buy my beer that night, he obliged and I showed him the maps.<br /></p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387705310181130194" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLbZoqEcYzU9fzGg9gos7rraL_x6Mbc7YKm7rrFDc9PBpGuSVmWqCormOnHqs_td_ghCc9d-SsIB-oPHlZbaoSiF4eHpuQTVPwwApa31a7FoREuwlgdqBEA5tAYWn9vrtzAqn7_OqVOTw/s320/Pictures+260.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><p align="center">Just outside of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Moab</span></span>...<br /></p><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387705315331969170" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGt6DXCm6ALp2XErTJfWuwr-EVVdw3GCIV-jlAwad08mlE9Ay5bErNb1TZTPDvsmaODiHAEYF3M-bpWZn19O9qPuTJSxP5vK5pn_MBUjR_O9h7g5BHkk0SWSZ8hkODijM5Zva4jxYZwag/s320/Pictures+271.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><p align="center">In <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Moab</span></span> we met back up with Dave, at a hostel that reminded me of the bar from Star Wars, I've spent the night at tons of hostels throughout Central America but the Green Iguana in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Moab</span></span> takes the prize when it comes to strange people. We coined them with the term "lifers" because there are those who will pull themselves out of a pathetic life and those who never will, and these people were some of the latter. Also in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Moab</span> I was met by some long-time friends of the family, Bonita and Bill drive a Semi out west and just happened to be in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">Moab</span> the one night that we were. They took us out for a great Mexican dinner that was well needed and much appreciated. It was funny because they were in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">Moab</span> waiting for us to arrive that evening when they saw Dave ride by ( he was already there ), they <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">didnt</span> know Dave or had never seen his bike but knew he had to be the guy riding the TAT with me just by the way his bike looked. Which was looking pretty rough at this point.</p><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387705321807503890" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKyELNIxOt5gjWiFfA3F0gdW1aJlkJohzIw-5HIsmTbV68JHKPuhALMK7Xlyp3TpjAonhGJPTwR6lfOtykp-czPu82qVKQh-Zps7A7oxCteTDbyb3pcnyZTYb9az-C5ODvaVkqOak6YfQ/s320/Pictures+271.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><p align="center">This was one of the toughest hill climbs of the whole TAT, and I think Dave will agree. For some reason pictures just <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">dont</span> show how steep these hills are, but this one was steep, sandy and had a bunch a large rocks.<br /></p><br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizsiLUooNimhoH2OI0NdJio69LEHQG0w53RUJh7xVAAtGtk-beQXcro033d3dzoXr6iZsg8Ms7AehR0fJRVS2DKw8wrx3sGUPYQj1_aZP2L1lFjC5oZZQunX1aPhUtRNy2-mDalvc6cr0/s1600-h/Pictures+284.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387705329912827794" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizsiLUooNimhoH2OI0NdJio69LEHQG0w53RUJh7xVAAtGtk-beQXcro033d3dzoXr6iZsg8Ms7AehR0fJRVS2DKw8wrx3sGUPYQj1_aZP2L1lFjC5oZZQunX1aPhUtRNy2-mDalvc6cr0/s320/Pictures+284.jpg" border="0" /></a> An open stretch of trail outside of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">Moab</span>, this place looked like you were riding on the moon. Crazy!<br /><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div></div><div>I had planned on just writing one blog entry about the TAT and then just posting a link to Daves blog, but it hasn't worked out that way, just to much to write about. </div><div></div><div>More to come...</div><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br /></div>Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09187925001038074618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816256953618447314.post-72368493512836024532009-09-30T14:02:00.000-07:002009-09-30T14:03:02.578-07:00Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09187925001038074618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816256953618447314.post-49712793798844103092009-09-30T12:46:00.000-07:002009-09-30T15:47:41.018-07:00Trans America Trail... Part One<div align="center"><br /> </div><div align="left"> The fact that its been over two months since the last time I posted a Blog I thought I'd finally take the time out of my busy schedule to somewhat catch everyone up on whats been going on. I'm going to make it the short version, a lot has happened since the VW Bus trip ended and I could probably fill up a novel with stories. That's part of the problem I've found with writing a blog, what do you actually include? You can't possibly write about everything that happens so the hardest part for me is trying to decide what to include and what to leave out. It actually takes me longer to decide on what to write then it does to write it.</div><div align="left"><br /> So way back on June 27th when Tina and Myself finally made it to Portland we left "Charlie" in a storage yard and jumped on a plane back to Florida so Dave and I could get started on riding the Trans America Trail. The TAT is a dirt bike trail that runs 4700 miles across the U.S., of which 4300 or so miles are dirt, gravel, sand, mud, lime rock, snow and just about any other type of terrain that you can imagine. You can read all about it here <a href="http://www.transamtrail.com/">http://www.transamtrail.com/</a>. The TAT starts in Eastern Tennessee and ends on the Pacific Coast in southern Oregon, it normally takes 3 to 4 weeks to complete, we did it in 22 days, which is on the faster end of the scale. I didn't carry a laptop and by the time the trip was over there was so much to write about I dare not even attempt it. But Dave on the other hand did keep up a blog and you can read about his side of the adventure here <a href="http://www.iwouldturnbackifiwereyou.blogspot.com/">http://www.iwouldturnbackifiwereyou.blogspot.com/</a>. </div><div align="center"><br /><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387377905050002386" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 204px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOJL85KE-ZVckW2WuYlV7v2FNJoFomEJurKmRsyxYtgv8Rc8NuXvYt7aeWhU6By0JXh4cQEw9p4CvnXaJIEeqLgBGcXWZT8I3KOMRC_xNJSlh8e3BhSfa7lNN1fl6cNmeY95rPwz66V0c/s320/Map.gif" border="0" /><br /><br /> The TAT turned into 22 days of nonstop adventure, it was tougher than either I or Dave expected and sometimes making the daily 200 mile average took 12 hours or more. There were days we made 350 miles, and others where we barely hit 100. Riding a motorcycle takes a lot out of you to begin with, but when riding off-road it demands a huge amount from you not only physically but mentally also. I would love to know how many decision your mind makes in a minutes time while riding high speed on a dirt bike. Your just constantly watching the terrain in front of you and making a decision on how to handle it, it will wear you out. We battled fatigue, flat tires, crashes, rivers, rain, mud, mountains, bears, snakes, at some points each other and what I thought to be a wolf stalking me in the middle of the night, turned out to be a big white dog. But we made it, we rode the TAT! Quite an accomplishment in the dirt biker world.<br /><br />Together we took hundreds of pictures so here are some of the honorable mentions...<br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387373542105299394" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcXSPeipJlJ3SX_P4xrJUkET46mqQddw4c-DXVoayslKEx3H_4SasmYV3lPhOpMMZsDFDSjgBvHD6CHBrjgO-PRxLTFR9oOdiuNcO47HUm0Hl8F6VrKOdXhkaNSOLjSn4bUKJDw6Eaq-k/s320/Pictures+054.jpg" border="0" />Leaving Jellico, Tennessee on a rainy morning. It was a great feeling to finally pull onto the trail after months of planning and years of dreaming. Because we had to ride 600 miles on I-75 to get to Jellico we carried a fresh set of knobbie tires to put on when we finally hit dirt, but I decided to ride my tires for a few more days being my knobbies held up on the highway better than I had expected them too.<br /><br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387369630870253458" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixi1aS_KVEbZ2qouUxbiyHctHIhl1wYa_bPnO72U23aCCu_fhzaZcp_A5wyDlkLMhb9aaVpfj1uWxTQbu4l_dnh3B7cnktVVUBnWVSz8gZv4rcqqEGQWkxWXdBU6xN36Eg4zOSzOE9Yag/s320/Pictures+060.jpg" border="0" /> In case we lost our way we would always know how to get to Oregon, just follow the front fender.<br /><br /></p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387370611767318018" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL7dOLHifZyGXa83Uw5PtEX4-ZAhQjuUYHQ4ONxy4TT7bR7se8nTftQb3f8O600EvG9EQLKXr_uL4TC0Dkoa3046RxkdMuypuyzO0otcqkv7MEIo3SiZVeuzGMdfNyASABIeiA3eaS4Ew/s320/Pictures+077.jpg" border="0" /> I know this is hard to believe but at some point the State of Tennessee must have got smart and compared the cost of maintaining a dirt road monthly to just paving them and forgetting about it for the next ten years. So about 75 percent of the back roads are paved, usually just small, one lane roads with no yellow line. It was actually quite nice and a gives ample time to get adjusted to the physical challenge before hitting the tough stuff.<br /><br /></p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387371002975974802" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8-kv6I2q3NUAhRdhBZGifTYE1hYb-UIO9Ew9ByQPPzxgPN13K1_ppIubZjd_e2dkFWeeR_wTNSB2eS_DN0LyGWYj82FK0u0zyqdN81R_bs98n2I0V6nE9zKT6jM54pu8gn3IoPOUDbMo/s320/Pictures+097.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center">The first real spill that Dave took, we had been warned about how slick the bottoms of the rivers in Tennessee can get, but Dave had underestimated it and hit this one going about 20 mph. It looked like him and "Matilda" were sliding into home plate. We almost never got it back upright, I had to drag both my feet on the bottom to keep my bike from falling when I crossed.<br /></p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387371465044819826" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGbRorQpZUBw7nfkrAPMtvuilnz6IUdRYNaE1D7qGmIeMnyOElLm9QQcGIHAo7v90Fu1BtcLCpNAMXMB7i2fBzoQSOk5xA8FZz5dBhK_yYsyrSTzXO1hPnSGp8Bm5bQQawuRwIaxbu1b8/s320/Pictures+107.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center">This turned into a common sight for us, must have been 5 or 6 bridges that were out along the trail. Some we had to detour around and some we just made a makeshift bridge and rode the bikes across.<br /></p><p align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387372017605727186" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUqYK2U-E75tMI56BcGW3xsViBtlYPARBR6nihlfuwOF9pbxanlH2eD0INRrOUef7zdPomZLV1QpJJ4OaDFtsQVvcuAv675Fdymhj5iHRH4zE9u2whPI-Le93xpmx1GPXzX8tcZPxPp-U/s320/Pictures+120.jpg" border="0" /> Another one of Daves spills, this one was fun to watch and I even got it on video, if Dave will ever post it online for the world to see. He hit it going about 20mph also and wiped out doing a complete 180, it was great! This was in Mississippi were a rice patty field had overflowed onto the trail.<br /></p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387372454464446322" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3LgmRgfEDBscPVTI0wBN_Royb8MPbkCaETyetDbJM3H3b_oRNlS5DrcFWq4LpcgWkTJQBSRQPQU9k8j-Pllid_Wg1aR_kA82ccm4FJW0V9qbORHjae6YTJzPTVgRD3gYT06cEE8NQLGE/s320/Pictures+126.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"> A picture of "Roy", my trusty companion for many adventures. Never has left me stranded.<br /></p><p></p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387386321737927650" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsRUM_eUN8Eg8s0Bgc3mA1PBkZTuNQKu5lP864Z0QXHhcrLnWhTHAfKLuYAwUUUOpdxkaCrOwoPl6FDTvFqw4DJS4ktdNbwVp9aqEzONYsHRnoL2SeQ33n65WhVS8IYieE32mAz_a1b4Y/s320/Pictures+161.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"> Welcome to Oklahoma! This is pretty much it for the next 700 miles or so.<br /></p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387389389986556210" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0lRXrwRrIyAVnOlF9Y1j2gyLJTEYXVUPx9h7jrqzwSd8GngXpmgidNfBKPJZ33vlZSD1JsPHA0BWgFoKTX2fHtIcpY_fEtBNWokgEdvsQNKN1FWRwbjY9jrPZeORxmE9XSerkT0JNXZk/s320/tumble+weed.jpg" border="0" /> </p><p align="center">When your riding a bike for 10 hours a day across Oklahoma you have to find ways to entertain yourself.<br /></p><br /><p></p><br /><p align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387389388282175570" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhatdl-fPBzPU55R0GMpk2jV6M6N-Zyd2hYv4ANRQXiNRa4FCcaQBhcJQ98w7c_6maaQ1plnD33c_LThKWgPOWMzY4Z4IHFL8T9S1Vz7gZ42bJvVluc4Hkzia6ZtA4xMLR6gqVrtfXY-6Y/s320/oil+rig.jpg" border="0" /> Took a break from riding the dirt bike to give this Oil Rig a try.<br /></p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387390116396660690" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtRgZ9byX5LuGQRpOHjnfIEq8db6lyygojTiFSp2_yCQiaOwcg38cyN995Ivb47Peq7-Gh08FAi228lzgOeRSmqu8Un0ouuKvHoLqZJOoGKq1gEykumx4cLEN1-VXF99-varqmXV3G19A/s320/Pictures+173.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center">Not sure how this happened, but I suspect it was a Tornado. Didn't think about it the time but we probably should have checked to make sure there wasn't still a dog in it. Hope the little guy was alright!</p><p align="center"> </p><p align="center">To be continued...<br /><br /><br /></p><p align="center"><br /><br /><br /></p>Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09187925001038074618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816256953618447314.post-25860126608157939902009-07-13T14:03:00.001-07:002009-07-13T15:09:37.633-07:00350 miles to Portland....<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_9p7CZXGuFokRXbCKckSvsmjLRzj8Qdbg6KJJuwvI01uqQhJ63FJepVBEq_zyZTKUSRAte86nKK4LKs_lcmqknqHQti9pvaesMK8r1VF_2xoMHLxnABWQh7-VcLsnGRkkTT4FYHippJ8/s1600-h/IMG_0491.jpg"></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6nizyFjsCUdCmNu826zliZNckFeKVWJaJaAHo2flRM_ZlGn6SdJfSamxc9Pu9rjT-HMfqfhjsn5ClOIiRBot6EEb8fv7FOR5gX5TRcwPPu-ixsE_ZX59eEiJkFBLmQgrOzOAmlozIgQw/s1600-h/IMG_0489.jpg"></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYNeHTIF51m8X8Bb_DTtB6znvMSRHjTVMD9XA2XTK5jfBSLo2mMG653lJG8YMhkc4WipiJhImYx4kfNmasOJP4CYlcfKoNaDDbzbQ9yblmY8kOTPPCZ02wf6H4f8x-tD38C2hbi8EaDaQ/s1600-h/IMG_0488.jpg"></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVKl2_9oYriku2AkFRw56_V0jXHdNrKqDujkCwoVScsGjyQSIoADq649pTzBoaccgwajfdFh9ygQB9LEBcWybQxeps8Tpo6Opmu7dYGuaKqb0WS9xaHwo-phsqy8ZKoEkSVSM7W0yopQU/s1600-h/IMG_0486.jpg"></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwd2gPnwyT4mtkW4N7QP3evq87S_E_yu7ACgQWZjcrehTg4iSZghNahUQiELErQKa7N4jCKQN-LHSCivBinjmM2mt1ITRgNeu0Vx1iutXeKDtEqzNrgor0fMAbEzSUqPyqvsSKWEMEhNU/s1600-h/IMG_0482.jpg"></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWneg0Dz_OSpvYtR00Fjzk1eMXdokJt5x6nQQ8nqiAGrFvCGbSkrJbyyTTq5AO7JBkaXedCsPh3nascc8YxQSuVOxygtzUYDi3_MIx3xpEhDGEDutPp4qILx5fb3jqR45J6OhEZYGCHeU/s1600-h/IMG_0478.jpg"></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg93W2CXVsIfBK1Lrfz2gbA_JjxUcDRaodEayS07ZIj6twMHLH1EQbiQcH3-X0rGA14IIb7cWWSj5LmsRd3rrhBn0jK_OLNnWxHGpPTz3AwQV2X-SMvbDVbQgj8pUTALX_eY107Kj5h90w/s1600-h/IMG_0474.jpg"></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0AnCobD-qgR6ku0cYa1x0g8u5EJGjSwNzFOlB__bZFzoFZC7-AZPKQfn0nQdMrKdJJLb6UrbD1wHSaZ_WBztu7vJ0Of8vxKZfiunQZRIxS8760ZMBoJb0XuOqWknX6SBZHnIl4229ChE/s1600-h/IMG_0473.jpg"></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7RFywT0Pea6tI1pqlOB2VRgResf7UDKEa89z1RBvlw-FT0I6Gw3QN3FsKdmwmmfQL8N6iiARzbpDVN5Wd1IasN7A1Yv6Z1JtF9qd_IU8bnLGtVocRLA54EnyczA8m5bUCeMz9IbrEv08/s1600-h/IMG_0467.jpg"></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixiNrXEjO3_YF9ZvRSlha9icFAR9MLZ8nZNU5o7LuAx4xzcPXWg7gIgkIwxKA0LbUJQrC1wCNTVM54nm0O5I3VFR2lwqX_QgUIwYhTHgno8LXPL6K27huW6kWkE0j4oce34QYe60PMobo/s1600-h/IMG_0466.jpg"></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLBRXrUjwzTjp3Sjlq9ZzzAfvFDBItmVfWDU1B97fibB8wTvBZzKnN1kqxKQXYeIUYoqbokQjQx7uZCE1iCkTZO8fRBylZTEporHXMqQ6XHXZGfFbeiq8wYvMQhhpA4IDEa-XBy6gxZE0/s1600-h/IMG_0459.jpg"></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYcKf0CnDOd9zupUW1uBSlTMb8XeQMR_Y9m0m5dDgY-nefia4l1x_yBQ8Rg-mLyJce0zNHCpBM2GJMcRfPpxkB81KZa9OhryXBB6c9QH8qqD14YXYJH06PTS3Rtcpbznno1XxpWsLkYzg/s1600-h/IMG_0457.jpg"></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ovCKoHAzCAN3EDO7kZ0CNX9DG8sfv42Ed9LAvUMVWz4H-8bUT7CY4jWTCuBMpuuuIXe0iCcy9nGKkZi2E4ErUD7BrjEhquU-sNs9I_e8BUzvs_lnEijjqb6N2CkRzafPAYYiFmIAPIo/s1600-h/IMG_0456.jpg"></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfxQo8irECVKJvu_Tey6z-PYcBWgKEjipKyKTZUXGNEn1xWuYDQXu3eu0zgyyE2WSkZq-INmCrGI04E3YPidM171wAQ9TqCsBivmGF5zRx4d9rfm338CHLrOMYtz2MKZ7Fb_5UX5fGPF8/s1600-h/IMG_0454.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfxQo8irECVKJvu_Tey6z-PYcBWgKEjipKyKTZUXGNEn1xWuYDQXu3eu0zgyyE2WSkZq-INmCrGI04E3YPidM171wAQ9TqCsBivmGF5zRx4d9rfm338CHLrOMYtz2MKZ7Fb_5UX5fGPF8/s320/IMG_0454.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358056170262579138" /></a><br />We've made it! Farther than anyone could have imagined I suspect. Charlie has done for us what we could not have anticipated. Over 4,000 miles with no major setbacks. I am more than impressed with him. We stopped right inside the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">oregon</span> border in the town of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Brookings</span>. We found a nice, quiet campsite right near the beach, Harris State Park. The weather is slightly warmer, but the view just keeps getting better!<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYcKf0CnDOd9zupUW1uBSlTMb8XeQMR_Y9m0m5dDgY-nefia4l1x_yBQ8Rg-mLyJce0zNHCpBM2GJMcRfPpxkB81KZa9OhryXBB6c9QH8qqD14YXYJH06PTS3Rtcpbznno1XxpWsLkYzg/s320/IMG_0457.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358056527505867170" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ovCKoHAzCAN3EDO7kZ0CNX9DG8sfv42Ed9LAvUMVWz4H-8bUT7CY4jWTCuBMpuuuIXe0iCcy9nGKkZi2E4ErUD7BrjEhquU-sNs9I_e8BUzvs_lnEijjqb6N2CkRzafPAYYiFmIAPIo/s320/IMG_0456.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358056527334889586" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">We now have the option of taking our time and enjoying the coast. We stopped many times along the way, there were just so many beautiful views to take in right off the road.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLBRXrUjwzTjp3Sjlq9ZzzAfvFDBItmVfWDU1B97fibB8wTvBZzKnN1kqxKQXYeIUYoqbokQjQx7uZCE1iCkTZO8fRBylZTEporHXMqQ6XHXZGfFbeiq8wYvMQhhpA4IDEa-XBy6gxZE0/s320/IMG_0459.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358062500725567266" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> We decided to stop in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Bandon</span>. It came highly recommended by a co-worker. We ate lunch at the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Bandon</span> Fish Market, deciding to get what everyone else was getting... fish & chips. They were great! While waiting on our order, Daniel met a man, Tom, who was inquiring about the bus and Daniel's Florida jacket. Turns out he went to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">UF</span>. We spent an hour talking to Tom & his wife Nancy about many things. They invited us to stay in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Bandon</span> and go clamming with them the next morning, as well as a nice home cooked meal that evening. How could two lonely wanderers say no? Nancy's cooking was by far the best meal of the trip! <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Matza</span> ball soup and a yummy berry cobbler. We enjoyed the evening with good food, wine, and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">conversation</span>. Both Daniel and I were happy to have made some new friends. A late night and then early morning of clamming. We apparently hit <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Bandon</span> at just the right time. The tide was the lowest it had been in about 7 years, so the clamming was supposed to be good (and easy). <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Unfortunately</span>, it was not so easy, or we were just not that good. No clams for us! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixiNrXEjO3_YF9ZvRSlha9icFAR9MLZ8nZNU5o7LuAx4xzcPXWg7gIgkIwxKA0LbUJQrC1wCNTVM54nm0O5I3VFR2lwqX_QgUIwYhTHgno8LXPL6K27huW6kWkE0j4oce34QYe60PMobo/s320/IMG_0466.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358062502053392578" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">Daniel & Nancy looking for clams</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7RFywT0Pea6tI1pqlOB2VRgResf7UDKEa89z1RBvlw-FT0I6Gw3QN3FsKdmwmmfQL8N6iiARzbpDVN5Wd1IasN7A1Yv6Z1JtF9qd_IU8bnLGtVocRLA54EnyczA8m5bUCeMz9IbrEv08/s320/IMG_0467.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358062506904766338" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">locals showing us how it's done</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Tom & Nancy wanted to take us to a beach they had visited and since the tide was so low we could walk farther out onto the beach than normal. So many amazing things. Closer to the water the beach was nothing but rocks. Worn so smooth by the water. We were able to see the biggest starfish I've ever seen. And crazy colors! We could walk between the rocks and get close to some seals sunning themselves on the rocks. Check out these pics....</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0AnCobD-qgR6ku0cYa1x0g8u5EJGjSwNzFOlB__bZFzoFZC7-AZPKQfn0nQdMrKdJJLb6UrbD1wHSaZ_WBztu7vJ0Of8vxKZfiunQZRIxS8760ZMBoJb0XuOqWknX6SBZHnIl4229ChE/s320/IMG_0473.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358065367675687602" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">low tide at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Bandon</span> Beach</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg93W2CXVsIfBK1Lrfz2gbA_JjxUcDRaodEayS07ZIj6twMHLH1EQbiQcH3-X0rGA14IIb7cWWSj5LmsRd3rrhBn0jK_OLNnWxHGpPTz3AwQV2X-SMvbDVbQgj8pUTALX_eY107Kj5h90w/s320/IMG_0474.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358065373640521746" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">No sand, just rocks</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWneg0Dz_OSpvYtR00Fjzk1eMXdokJt5x6nQQ8nqiAGrFvCGbSkrJbyyTTq5AO7JBkaXedCsPh3nascc8YxQSuVOxygtzUYDi3_MIx3xpEhDGEDutPp4qILx5fb3jqR45J6OhEZYGCHeU/s320/IMG_0478.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358065376828736290" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwd2gPnwyT4mtkW4N7QP3evq87S_E_yu7ACgQWZjcrehTg4iSZghNahUQiELErQKa7N4jCKQN-LHSCivBinjmM2mt1ITRgNeu0Vx1iutXeKDtEqzNrgor0fMAbEzSUqPyqvsSKWEMEhNU/s320/IMG_0482.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358065378585805010" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">they blend in so well</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVKl2_9oYriku2AkFRw56_V0jXHdNrKqDujkCwoVScsGjyQSIoADq649pTzBoaccgwajfdFh9ygQB9LEBcWybQxeps8Tpo6Opmu7dYGuaKqb0WS9xaHwo-phsqy8ZKoEkSVSM7W0yopQU/s320/IMG_0486.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358065380981787922" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">We were sad to leave Tom and Nancy... I'm not sure they realized how thankful we were to have met them. But Portland is in our sights! Back in the bus and north we go. Here are some pics of some of the things we stopped to look at.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYNeHTIF51m8X8Bb_DTtB6znvMSRHjTVMD9XA2XTK5jfBSLo2mMG653lJG8YMhkc4WipiJhImYx4kfNmasOJP4CYlcfKoNaDDbzbQ9yblmY8kOTPPCZ02wf6H4f8x-tD38C2hbi8EaDaQ/s320/IMG_0488.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358067234008000114" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6nizyFjsCUdCmNu826zliZNckFeKVWJaJaAHo2flRM_ZlGn6SdJfSamxc9Pu9rjT-HMfqfhjsn5ClOIiRBot6EEb8fv7FOR5gX5TRcwPPu-ixsE_ZX59eEiJkFBLmQgrOzOAmlozIgQw/s320/IMG_0489.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358067234027231474" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Heceta</span> Head Lighthouse</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_9p7CZXGuFokRXbCKckSvsmjLRzj8Qdbg6KJJuwvI01uqQhJ63FJepVBEq_zyZTKUSRAte86nKK4LKs_lcmqknqHQti9pvaesMK8r1VF_2xoMHLxnABWQh7-VcLsnGRkkTT4FYHippJ8/s320/IMG_0491.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358067236936547362" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">We stopped close to Newport at Beverly Beach state park... tomorrow we reach Astoria. The inner goonie in me can't wait!</div>Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09187925001038074618noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816256953618447314.post-63960288263686489682009-07-10T13:03:00.000-07:002009-07-10T14:01:47.201-07:00Oregon or bust...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJmA2pv8xpQpKpjl1wwaWD92DF8AKAbMG0A0qsWs1D-7HELd64H7-qPfqEOEDEce2Z1Q2_hkAWGZ5q5Z0RcBiF9Pf4Fvt7AAlH0xYIxxsZJKOamA1BepuK3EX3FNCiWi9fHN6yktCP4S0/s1600-h/IMG_0445.jpg"></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgALI6eaRVw0xZUEEvFZuXBNPAipihVkaKaXTmRMrZjMytTHWzpfCidSS5KGuY-Gr9ndFsdfFWQk5aXatXCyN2N05iAb8608p-7n8phUjej54uFvmb2KwC0cIG6mvD-bSZmxvb8oupCS4A/s1600-h/IMG_0435.jpg"></a><br />We were sad to leave <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Monterey</span> but we've got somewhere to be. We left Lindsey's and headed towards San Francisco. Daniel decided to steer away from the northern coast of California because he heard the roads may be a little hard on a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">VW</span> bus. Charlie has gotten us this far, let's not push our luck! So across the bridge and into <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Sausalito</span> we went. <div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgufwnIeSb6E17nKRtBmsr5wC2Melwyzc3J78a0DVRzUmHN1-_cP7_ra27uBIAhxOi8kG3kJdgo26kVQ9q-LpmPb0k9jW65MA7K1L2IXGmPhwM4Nuco9_qorWb-8XN3RjjXd-h6Xrebmgg/s320/IMG_0434.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356927740070812642" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglaXkcaNh6UUmqamgNPHC42G2biIgp1FMhIv-hjkO999_UBPKiWDqwQrHib5cBTfAnhLegZPgxBhALtdKQvasl7U3uGbQHT7IWzG0A5eNK4e_FhS2rf-YZWqWJTF3z11Q9GmdWPvPVa0c/s320/IMG_0435.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356934082173516322" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>After leaving San Fran we made our way back towards the coast, wanting to get as close to the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">oregon</span> border as we could. Most of the state park campsites were full, but we were able to camp in a parking lot right on the beach across from a state park. It was freezing cold but there were a couple of local guys in the water that were diving for abalone. They took some time to talk to us about abalone (since neither one of us really knew anything about these creatures), and even let us take a peek at one. They have to be at least 7 inches to harvest, which I read can take as long a 19 years. And the meat cost more than $70 a pound. Needless to say they didn't offer to share....</div><div>We also had some free <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">entertainment</span> from a local guy feeding the seagulls. Now I must tell you that before this evening of fun began, he showed us his medical marijuana license for his "aches and pains" and offered us some of his best remedy. We declined and proceeded to watch him have a good time with a sandwich and a big freaking seagull. Guess you had to be there... or be stoned!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT7EsCoGHDSXKAnCRBb7lD0l-NNmOo2vfMZp3OBlwzoIcyoSFZbW2DE47uYrHXuG9dqs0Ox8DS8nk3vsmWHjuZly2cyZekyNAyy6m3wDbzSDZi78cCapeJ59uGkohQA5BbPub3zqw0t3g/s320/IMG_0438.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356933669991766322" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">our beach view</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We made a short stop so Daniel could see if he could get Charlie through one of the redwoods. It cost us $10 to find out we were a little to big on top. Daniel did try to gather up a tour group of senior citizens to load up into the bus to try and weigh it down, but no one was interested. Maybe next time....</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqHoxQyip_G0wxm7IS7YjPSbsdy7h11-LAfhrgQlfeaF5BxrWhjYyGOqUuOkm0H50cz7I4On8DOQGQIAdPpbMFynxm5zIxVBmF-QVoqYuc-_DmQ-E5iMYOVXNyOTDX8Hbx1C2-lUCFldY/s320/IMG_0441.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356937185023282450" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">The weather was looking like rain, but I wanted to take a break to walk on the beach. We stopped at beach with signs that read "Beware Sneaker Waves" Not sure exactly what a sneaker wave is but it doesn't sound like something fun. I was in awe of how dangerous this beach actually looked. With the gray sky and the never ending pounding of the waves onto the beach. It was beautiful. Nothing like this in Florida.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF5FTUaoJldsYUAiMcYt4PQIH8WbINj3IkuTZl4zD0jNfBVZGyqs467wgoWmEdflmR8bqy-HrbHYc_CQTzzHvTcsTsIzXusMLE_TaMa9k0VLMBWsYyptZ2YDbJKJoeK2G9mBpCzY7EQtA/s320/IMG_0444.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356938466924240290" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">Back in the bus! A quick ride through the redwood forest and Oregon is in our sights!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj7sA5uHGkRQxM9TZbOXuyc5hYKmwkQ50qJnvlZLGsAkzCu2QD8EqauneLkihW5kMnaYnLxKDGcCJdhw9Zx9tLQGLrvBl3E1m8SaJ1bihSLH0jnd9mhKwTTaOiIOCOQXNTyCMgWLuq2j8/s320/IMG_0446.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356938963825283986" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJmA2pv8xpQpKpjl1wwaWD92DF8AKAbMG0A0qsWs1D-7HELd64H7-qPfqEOEDEce2Z1Q2_hkAWGZ5q5Z0RcBiF9Pf4Fvt7AAlH0xYIxxsZJKOamA1BepuK3EX3FNCiWi9fHN6yktCP4S0/s320/IMG_0445.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356939169031900610" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div></div>Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09187925001038074618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816256953618447314.post-54368117017724114792009-07-05T16:59:00.000-07:002009-07-05T17:47:26.311-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1IUdCtEZAFQ6knh9bvUnVwvkEXumwvulorofTsbXFGZiVKghYgN2db12f7Cz6JZyRdSY03XBgqUhNUi5OB_hng0j2Q3l5chFNkdnjoyNt6H7dqD8k6JDX5ftIcOhrawhWBfaujsneL9I/s1600-h/IMG_0421.jpg"></a><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN5eFneKvsKng7VlHDpesgXtxlAACUrCCNObuQHtL3pOh4F8236L0TJBr1y6xCW-W4l649aVLaM_JS6mrCqIRtFRAY_QQtLkwrLPIGQztqNDk9GWCb8MAWH1wTIjAwl3PTIGURxXLBPUw/s1600-h/IMG_0369.jpg"></a><br />Nothing like a view....<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>So we made our way out of Yosemite heading for the California coast as well as some warmer weather. We stopped outside of a little town called Gilroy for some fresh picked roadside cherries. If you've been to or through Gilroy then you know about the distinct smell that is Gilroy... garlic! The entire town smells of garlic, seriously the entire town. We saw many signs boasting of the best "garlic ice cream" but Daniel and I were too nervous to give it a try. Back in the bus and on to Monterey. The excitement was building as the mountains were behind us and the road started to flatten out. Here's a pic of our first view of the Pacific...</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN5eFneKvsKng7VlHDpesgXtxlAACUrCCNObuQHtL3pOh4F8236L0TJBr1y6xCW-W4l649aVLaM_JS6mrCqIRtFRAY_QQtLkwrLPIGQztqNDk9GWCb8MAWH1wTIjAwl3PTIGURxXLBPUw/s320/IMG_0369.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355131434198480706" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Daniel was right when he said you haven't seen a coast until you see the pacific coast. For me it was love at first sight. We made it to my dear friend Lindsey's house and she took us for a drive down the coast towards Carmel and Big Sur. We took the highway all the way to Big Sur and stopped at a great little burrito bar for a picnic. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpVubPdxtAr_arjo2bYncjA8PikhfzgvIdVETcopwf9RMERdpkL2k8f9iOHtOyefF7NFJ18sZPPSu7qGjDYqTHKaBRWAboGPh2_e9NDXNJUWxjajbNHOcBt5j4roQPKB-VOAvFFvYE77M/s320/IMG_0374.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355132570007180642" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJbJTvlGRvT3eKUVtJWpJq9pr0tYPLSRqXEyQ0lVZbgRNEwa7xba0b4Eo2Y3kU25LNqbls4jKfJbrWZUVEiEN2QrXJNDTzDpkiliZriQQIxiUJieI1K_NDLXz6XEWmF0aKvj0rNEjQGzw/s320/IMG_0378.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355132913008794082" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHX1h1aLXf5csHJ4MeFzeMJOHsmXBc-qVwMTwTxsXGxJh7Pq4vNmYUcvE2R4rA3j7ZoSBhHUvmMj5CjAZ5B0q70lxTsrECvwg41s8PaqzWJp_VMOQxv6F3I9b4M4Tk3GXhf10QXg_1sdQ/s320/IMG_0375.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355132911311739234" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">Me and Linz</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">After leaving with our belly's full of burritos, Lindsey took us down a narrow road to Pfeiffer Beach. It was amazing. The wind was blowing so hard that my fedora (as previously seen in the pic) had its last moment atop my head before taking a dip into the pacific. If you're going to loose an accessory then I can think of no better way. Here's some pics of Pfeiffer Beach.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWit7yre6XYVQ_P9xJQrxEJltxDb3CVpVIS5lU85gacFpwwSpOwjRD1LriYpoCeTL13J4nmSb3s-2luu76GhQZaJc4wy-WL2GQQq2VclVdaNvNrC2P_nSlzBk_at8jO20HGaLCrzq_kIU/s320/IMG_0381.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355134963890564818" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVfZ0d-s-lEbWt1WnUP1aVdWFZqMRRZPHq_jiUuZ3lyQdxeUrQD3E-oJjqac4Bd1fj_UDf05vm-dENC3vYKgPBCdYZTBmcS-kseR_pMVcjviWQRLwHcX6lXZ2ljVViPCG4kzSTBpMujbk/s320/IMG_0379.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355135583024915618" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWit7yre6XYVQ_P9xJQrxEJltxDb3CVpVIS5lU85gacFpwwSpOwjRD1LriYpoCeTL13J4nmSb3s-2luu76GhQZaJc4wy-WL2GQQq2VclVdaNvNrC2P_nSlzBk_at8jO20HGaLCrzq_kIU/s1600-h/IMG_0381.jpg"></a></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">We got up the next morning to terrific weather and a drive down the 17 mile loop which follows the coast down through Pebble Beach and Carmel By the Sea. By far one of the more beautiful drives for me. We enjoyed the drive as well as managing to get a little bit of shopping down in Carmel. Well... the shopping was more for my benefit but don't worry about Daniel. Before I was done he had managed to make friends with two gentlemen waiting outside a shop for their wives. He meets no strangers. We went back to Monterey and luckily were able to spend some time with Lindsey's beau, Dennis. We decided to head down to the beach for some vino, surfing, and a bonfire. Dennis has taken up surfing while out in Cali... can you blame him? The wine was delightful, thanks to Lindsey, who by the way has a sweet part time job at a winery. We spent the evening watching the surf as well as the surfers and of course... a beautiful sunset.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3kR9-B6XKTXW8OmGEq703-d5q_DXLwSqv44uAn1m___YpDamSHtsTCLd8GnRKi5la2hkMlbjFjsdjk4_PusDIh4L82_wE_XL5KmlpyYXmrMTxg75WBIm0Khi3G8OmqQL0LFCMD4BCtGo/s320/IMG_0397.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355138926043295154" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">Pebble Beach golf course</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-hBaZGYeGsIO2i2nNNAls_yhjp2Mq9QLGtSlEKkXmTrMt__3wSUjad-DpjER-G1Ptq3r7mkVptGrccGTFZRZ8UvXCf9ebosjKzOD6Ej-EIdDf5kqm4CN74tbwx4n5rHqjSxNaLi-LdxU/s320/IMG_0396.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355138922092656482" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">The Lone Tree</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtGYKnoyya8CLs6IUm6mGiJX49OqSScs-uD74cWV_HEtMxFkLyWR-pdG44F0PseeVvHgaYFLig2xy1uisqodCr5VT59qB04iROBnOWNUfBwpPRf_QqaUHXaW9LFZrYQZHCPA5NNwre5yw/s320/IMG_0389.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355138921482270194" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="">coastal residents</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtCVt3XhZfNaLpDbJJgXx0OA2ZGDSbmO9q4sE4x_6eZYd1FxtsS1rMuCj2s5zCTAvyuHo-ZmfSdlIgNX0lgHJsYkYqw44WzmVHB2vW3VVRXWClo-8uG9hyWRdpIeGs3xJ8rf89wO8aN5A/s320/IMG_0411.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355139941204244914" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="">enjoying our vino</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1IUdCtEZAFQ6knh9bvUnVwvkEXumwvulorofTsbXFGZiVKghYgN2db12f7Cz6JZyRdSY03XBgqUhNUi5OB_hng0j2Q3l5chFNkdnjoyNt6H7dqD8k6JDX5ftIcOhrawhWBfaujsneL9I/s320/IMG_0421.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355139947450702258" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">so nice</div></div>Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09187925001038074618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816256953618447314.post-58715528229941879722009-06-26T10:41:00.000-07:002009-06-26T11:03:13.428-07:00YosemiteAfter Zion we were faced with a couple hundred miles of the Nevada desert before reaching Yosemite, there is nothing that will make you question the mechanical dependability of the vehicle your driving than facing a sign in Nevada that says “Next Services 150 Miles”. We decided to take the “Extraterrestrial Highway” across the desert (being that it not only sounded cool but also made the most logistical sense), I recommended that we stop and make some aluminum foil hats to protect us from the aliens but Tina deemed foil hats both unnecessary and unfashionable, luckily we had no “encounters”. The E.T. Highway is just miles and miles of nothing but cows, sand, and a closed hotel called the Alie-INN, that’s pretty much it.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu0bra5axkO37PdAFfjsYy23lvxgKAAkv7QVfutHMBQYD9SwKTK1GqXrnsFt0BRHgdHYu5L-VFe6LOifPwhjsFSmheWA3xeCv9UZqWX1m9_048EQxQqmpwptX0XM9iFBOE11YsZuvZpjg/s1600-h/IMG_0290.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu0bra5axkO37PdAFfjsYy23lvxgKAAkv7QVfutHMBQYD9SwKTK1GqXrnsFt0BRHgdHYu5L-VFe6LOifPwhjsFSmheWA3xeCv9UZqWX1m9_048EQxQqmpwptX0XM9iFBOE11YsZuvZpjg/s320/IMG_0290.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351693150642949362" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">The "E.T. Highway"...</span> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIAX_-0dzU2PMH-wrloy1V5m9JMydFaXJs-hrfu7794G5XOUM3RsclBNrxzSJIlwtZEevOYI-c7n2e11paEwVGllSSMPPwhhRyWB8tjeeCc_e5ASTpk81J5bhgVVz57kGaQDK3jYzZhXg/s1600-h/IMG_0300.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIAX_-0dzU2PMH-wrloy1V5m9JMydFaXJs-hrfu7794G5XOUM3RsclBNrxzSJIlwtZEevOYI-c7n2e11paEwVGllSSMPPwhhRyWB8tjeeCc_e5ASTpk81J5bhgVVz57kGaQDK3jYzZhXg/s320/IMG_0300.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351693252227028706" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tina trying to catch a ride...</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilqXyNnOutay0wSdrJ7C_dok7EvJ_ZByBY17zXR_JLA62qP6Xl_lQ2KpnyvHSp60cZhDNbvyDNNsW2-5LZzjhQHuG3yNcPyjY2AzH3Aoql2_Jasqaaka75dH8DweIFubeqMn__2P_kDxY/s1600-h/IMG_0296.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilqXyNnOutay0wSdrJ7C_dok7EvJ_ZByBY17zXR_JLA62qP6Xl_lQ2KpnyvHSp60cZhDNbvyDNNsW2-5LZzjhQHuG3yNcPyjY2AzH3Aoql2_Jasqaaka75dH8DweIFubeqMn__2P_kDxY/s320/IMG_0296.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351693512422997890" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">150 miles of nothing... probably the longest stretch yet.</span><br /></div><br />Yosemite was pretty exciting and brought on a new high and a new slow for the trip, we hit just under 10,000 feet elevation crossing <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Tioga</span> Pass, and getting there took several miles driving in second gear. I was complaining about having to downshift to third going up hills in the past, well that was before <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Tioga</span> Pass, second gear and contemplating first on several occasions. I’m not sure what the incline percentage of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Tioga</span> is but coupled with 10,000 feet elevations it gave Charlie all he could handle, I got tired of pulling into turn outs every ¼ of a mile because they made us lose our momentum (which is crucial in a Bus), so by the time we reached the top Charlie was looking like the pace car at the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Daytona</span> 500, but we did make it! Eventually…<br />Yosemite was amazing, Tina thinks it’s the most beautiful place so far, so I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBU5KPT7iAVQlF7RT2L3NwGYEhge48Lt730nQtqXJAztsGn4_gIovhkmsxGrdqUwz7yRkhVaLfUbhdQRRJUNEjW4YOQVJLFZEBPs-jY_KN1CQBodbJqpitKtrvR4SohojHF5lnox3zaBM/s1600-h/IMG_0313.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBU5KPT7iAVQlF7RT2L3NwGYEhge48Lt730nQtqXJAztsGn4_gIovhkmsxGrdqUwz7yRkhVaLfUbhdQRRJUNEjW4YOQVJLFZEBPs-jY_KN1CQBodbJqpitKtrvR4SohojHF5lnox3zaBM/s320/IMG_0313.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351694071615998018" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Entering Yosemite from the East Entrance</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC3gthPhEsLMqoZmoPyluM2QVTc4F_sEIT4-SRbAnivZCipkN31v_y4sk_12pK_OF2iOk0n-ftllLpNj-QL7pzvI0Mus7O_xGAgINymAG66GZFZ7DZbTM9NFchs6GQTMcq64z6xMQzTU0/s1600-h/IMG_0320.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC3gthPhEsLMqoZmoPyluM2QVTc4F_sEIT4-SRbAnivZCipkN31v_y4sk_12pK_OF2iOk0n-ftllLpNj-QL7pzvI0Mus7O_xGAgINymAG66GZFZ7DZbTM9NFchs6GQTMcq64z6xMQzTU0/s320/IMG_0320.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351694260647126130" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Freezing at almost 10,000 feet elevation</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWCgFxmQ-LxzZ9mB3hJu_4h_DQLFkxwMnwIi8GcxvQwda0aJCk4nblUgs1BO9krldb9RCArB21AZOIyYYmRV3-oqa-_HHQu3l2zOE9ETciQ9dz7Fe03XbN6H12jBSD5nDeYwg8FR-hapo/s1600-h/IMG_0321.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWCgFxmQ-LxzZ9mB3hJu_4h_DQLFkxwMnwIi8GcxvQwda0aJCk4nblUgs1BO9krldb9RCArB21AZOIyYYmRV3-oqa-_HHQu3l2zOE9ETciQ9dz7Fe03XbN6H12jBSD5nDeYwg8FR-hapo/s320/IMG_0321.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351694428369845298" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Almost to the top...</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH7FkAaHDzg1VbPQLI6g0KrE1E9HUomQPVUePXxcS2bN7PbNZg97rzFfX4LTxrqCSUaUW5zicIkIeUpvyE1VHHrsg8akJHYpNSWyY-9hQ9Xfb3tUKZOVG9DrxDnk2AASCYIpoL7rsQjtE/s1600-h/IMG_0331.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH7FkAaHDzg1VbPQLI6g0KrE1E9HUomQPVUePXxcS2bN7PbNZg97rzFfX4LTxrqCSUaUW5zicIkIeUpvyE1VHHrsg8akJHYpNSWyY-9hQ9Xfb3tUKZOVG9DrxDnk2AASCYIpoL7rsQjtE/s320/IMG_0331.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351694574295426098" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">What a view</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBcL8nSbw7Ji2T6Jh5rInUwKJ_ielUJZWZGYfKCCF1b4mNr4ikxlqNSxE2uWQzyJd-StZJWGr7iGVPqag-u_TodjDmbcNKttpGZfOp2iD62FacoWxLq3X5V8fX04k7u1SFM2KLkPDC_tQ/s1600-h/IMG_0322.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBcL8nSbw7Ji2T6Jh5rInUwKJ_ielUJZWZGYfKCCF1b4mNr4ikxlqNSxE2uWQzyJd-StZJWGr7iGVPqag-u_TodjDmbcNKttpGZfOp2iD62FacoWxLq3X5V8fX04k7u1SFM2KLkPDC_tQ/s320/IMG_0322.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351694701906476946" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">More Yosemite beauty</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtF82f8in8KUSXLGjXk86Bz5eyfqb21DT-VjByrLObGBpctTvgZSfzd5T54AmxGz9ZMhtcyCDjPSYhyphenhyphenO9nhaO_MaC-5FmL3fbr6Ttb9aNdQx63ZBUlq1tDmvIEqChveF-81jt_uzLQAIw/s1600-h/IMG_0351.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtF82f8in8KUSXLGjXk86Bz5eyfqb21DT-VjByrLObGBpctTvgZSfzd5T54AmxGz9ZMhtcyCDjPSYhyphenhyphenO9nhaO_MaC-5FmL3fbr6Ttb9aNdQx63ZBUlq1tDmvIEqChveF-81jt_uzLQAIw/s320/IMG_0351.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351694847333653170" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">A waterfall in Yosemite Valley</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrg5TPwrEgte5awplpukLwFp3ltZEEOe2h2GzcACa34IQCkKMCpPPRKnI8BCsY7n4qtsK4v4D0xkJzeWDmK8Z_tXyviN-QNUYbE2jGvcLrWuhcKi6nGg-H50QmLYE1qxDQuLTEyGPjDec/s1600-h/IMG_0344.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrg5TPwrEgte5awplpukLwFp3ltZEEOe2h2GzcACa34IQCkKMCpPPRKnI8BCsY7n4qtsK4v4D0xkJzeWDmK8Z_tXyviN-QNUYbE2jGvcLrWuhcKi6nGg-H50QmLYE1qxDQuLTEyGPjDec/s320/IMG_0344.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351694775389356514" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tina and Yosemite Valley<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Bv5V1de1zLEdx0fWwYB_lAbb8Ud66xCogJbkmXM-c90eczDJDw5HKNcOUewIqX8v_q1p0rcNl3I6iCwz6q8LMkT7C3zhsXQp9KyiSLukwzeCMpbPivbXLOnFtxWH2E3hPyqO1y0GRrQ/s1600-h/IMG_0355.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Bv5V1de1zLEdx0fWwYB_lAbb8Ud66xCogJbkmXM-c90eczDJDw5HKNcOUewIqX8v_q1p0rcNl3I6iCwz6q8LMkT7C3zhsXQp9KyiSLukwzeCMpbPivbXLOnFtxWH2E3hPyqO1y0GRrQ/s320/IMG_0355.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351695073248182626" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">A bear that Tina was so happy to get a picture of...</span><br /></div><br />We <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">didn</span>’t get to stay the night in Yosemite because they had over half the campgrounds closed due to a late snow, but on the way out we stopped and saw some of the Giant Sequoias. And theses are some amazing trees, they are immune to fire, bugs and disease, grow 30 feet in diameter and have been known to live over 3000 years. The only reason a sequoia dies is because the mountain wears out around its roots and the tree falls over, otherwise they would pretty much live forever. Here is a couple of our Favorites…<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheD7aU7cxZLidB_HhwdeEXql6gJSVf77X0p6fg8mFvddypWKCly15v9BON5e0QnrRrl5lvI77tP8nYostYxl76Qdq7x2_xm9HH4O7-7x2R25hdVzwVBAmiGUQu4HyQ8eAiNr3BAKAtA48/s1600-h/IMG_0358.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheD7aU7cxZLidB_HhwdeEXql6gJSVf77X0p6fg8mFvddypWKCly15v9BON5e0QnrRrl5lvI77tP8nYostYxl76Qdq7x2_xm9HH4O7-7x2R25hdVzwVBAmiGUQu4HyQ8eAiNr3BAKAtA48/s320/IMG_0358.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351696292918629682" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">They get up to 30 feet in diameter</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyhBoVzZTRty_AIgFnIR_bupyitAN88yyO5u9stCkUfAbqBWSucBgLjDrMmUNCVXdm4zQJDG9ibS3v3N65yhNo9y0u_SYtOhwfcokWQ4bqS2Ph141aRE4Izd1pcvuTmXeIhZ42aNCXNxM/s1600-h/IMG_0360.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyhBoVzZTRty_AIgFnIR_bupyitAN88yyO5u9stCkUfAbqBWSucBgLjDrMmUNCVXdm4zQJDG9ibS3v3N65yhNo9y0u_SYtOhwfcokWQ4bqS2Ph141aRE4Izd1pcvuTmXeIhZ42aNCXNxM/s320/IMG_0360.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351696356158369506" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">These things are huge<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8kZUUmz0l3r087KJ2j0CNpuIpsmt4W9K3x2URUAYt8GN9awFcf-H0ARairY_sTkxW5gYqIN8d1DtF0YvZRqBPBqxxN0irP0c_lIH_NbxnCXzIWVvUPFhLtHu7BjTZDc0aCyeHVvH3EjY/s1600-h/IMG_0366.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8kZUUmz0l3r087KJ2j0CNpuIpsmt4W9K3x2URUAYt8GN9awFcf-H0ARairY_sTkxW5gYqIN8d1DtF0YvZRqBPBqxxN0irP0c_lIH_NbxnCXzIWVvUPFhLtHu7BjTZDc0aCyeHVvH3EjY/s320/IMG_0366.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351696982830496306" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">This is called the "Grizzly Giant"</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvLGDXNolEsFPE5i1g6uZR65Yl4QwvG47H2ymg6moa1WeaAfQ4n79bkhRxhi6SQB1z1NJIoJZ5fBunrNNSpei73Pm2Cl0IT22EInZSukjYzyu6NVLiqW6iWqFCEIY9Nj3rfRssdAqF5CQ/s1600-h/IMG_0367.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvLGDXNolEsFPE5i1g6uZR65Yl4QwvG47H2ymg6moa1WeaAfQ4n79bkhRxhi6SQB1z1NJIoJZ5fBunrNNSpei73Pm2Cl0IT22EInZSukjYzyu6NVLiqW6iWqFCEIY9Nj3rfRssdAqF5CQ/s320/IMG_0367.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351696642148423250" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">In the fifties you could drive through this one</span><br /></div>Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09187925001038074618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816256953618447314.post-3105754739783435952009-06-24T15:44:00.000-07:002009-06-25T17:42:43.937-07:00We had changed our plan of driving through Las Vegas in order to see Zion National Park on recommendation of some bikers we had meet at a McDonalds in New Mexico. Neither one of us really cared to see Vegas but I wouldn’t have minded trying my luck at the roulette table for a spell and I wanted to valet park Charlie at the MGM, but other than that Las Vegas has a time and place and this trip really wasn’t it. And we couldn’t be happier with our choice.<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoBlockText" style="margin-left: 1.25in; text-indent: -9pt;"> </p><div style="text-align: left;"> <br /></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in -1in 0.0001pt 1.25in; text-align: left; text-indent: -9pt;"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in -1in 0.0001pt 1.25in; text-align: center; text-indent: -9pt;"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJHNAYFCRxk-rc6VnIS8Mad5qiQcI_tlCGfqVQOmkw_kVL8ORtX0Dm0O7_YMGfm0LUSZQvRXYW3E1BRElLJ0lYHipj_0mOEPOddAkjT3mybW-aqddWHQBvOj0dujNUrUWJvE1gjDQjQzE/s320/IMG_0263.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351029802493408642" border="0" /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Zion Canyon</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in -1in 0.0001pt 1.25in; text-align: center; text-indent: -9pt;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in -1in 0.0001pt 1.25in; text-align: left; text-indent: -9pt;"> Zion is a canyon that is cut into the limestone mountains of southern Utah, it was first settled by the Mormons, it’s a beautiful place and all the mountains and peaks have Biblical names still to this day. Its hard to compare the Grand Canyon to Zion because its two totally different experiences. The Grand Canon is just awe inspiring and mind boggling, but you just kind of stand on the rim and look down, but in Zion they have one of the most amazing roads that I have ever driven on in my life, and that’s saying a lot. Its cut right through the bottom of the canyon, well in most places, but it does zig zag, have a two mile long tunnel and some of the most amazing cliffs I’ve seen. Tina and I both agree we like Zion more than the Grand Canyon based solely on the fact that you are in the Canyon looking up, which is a whole different feeling. Zion to me was like going back in time, well some places in Texas was like going back in time also but Zion was like going way back in time, like prehistoric times. Standing there looking down the valley with 3000 foot sheer cliffs on either side, a crystal clear river flowing nearby and lush green almost tropical type plants growing everywhere I couldn’t help but imagine a T-Rex or some other prehistoric creature roaming in Zion. Its really a very “Jurassic Park” looking type of place. At least that’s what I thought, but you decide for yourself.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in -1in 0.0001pt 1.25in; text-align: left; text-indent: -9pt;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihu1PkgC2eXn2paglE6vCHdSY590LDeiy5IQ7hdGOlnDyXbutmcdWnYQJP-Lq-mKwg6voAo87IJJ2tdS0LnAdsKvdRzTezY3VAtQTKB0n0Jtd5gCILRpFtRg9-4-e0BmYIhqEM1X9oTUE/s1600-h/IMG_0268.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihu1PkgC2eXn2paglE6vCHdSY590LDeiy5IQ7hdGOlnDyXbutmcdWnYQJP-Lq-mKwg6voAo87IJJ2tdS0LnAdsKvdRzTezY3VAtQTKB0n0Jtd5gCILRpFtRg9-4-e0BmYIhqEM1X9oTUE/s320/IMG_0268.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351426145009801986" border="0" /></a> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in -1in 0.0001pt 1.25in; text-align: left; text-indent: -9pt;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in -1in 0.0001pt 1.25in; text-align: left; text-indent: -9pt;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiifAdmc3b4slLvVv3ShTI_ENzNaA9m6-_h3NgbKKCtFOBaIkNvAFYsJKXNAaND8WUsNYI6djRNg99KHk6X74s6M2UExMOT8sfpqCuaWpj6JD_gDO7bYTdWBfS63rvuRGifihO5ZZc-wDM/s1600-h/IMG_0269.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiifAdmc3b4slLvVv3ShTI_ENzNaA9m6-_h3NgbKKCtFOBaIkNvAFYsJKXNAaND8WUsNYI6djRNg99KHk6X74s6M2UExMOT8sfpqCuaWpj6JD_gDO7bYTdWBfS63rvuRGifihO5ZZc-wDM/s320/IMG_0269.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351426462367316018" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in -1in 0.0001pt 1.25in; text-align: left; text-indent: -9pt;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in -1in 0.0001pt 1.25in; text-align: left; text-indent: -9pt;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHHWkNYhgC9Ca-I_ihQqaOojmgTY0NqbIju5j9UjhhlGd4U-ntAWyYTNQdatpN297abERGSi-0FBgK8pfjw3ClSYUcu5bI2R1IvkxwEyF5FaUzamszchS0hKKPqQQB_cO-4PxwkslhxnY/s1600-h/IMG_0277.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHHWkNYhgC9Ca-I_ihQqaOojmgTY0NqbIju5j9UjhhlGd4U-ntAWyYTNQdatpN297abERGSi-0FBgK8pfjw3ClSYUcu5bI2R1IvkxwEyF5FaUzamszchS0hKKPqQQB_cO-4PxwkslhxnY/s320/IMG_0277.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351426642459834418" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in -1in 0.0001pt 1.25in; text-align: left; text-indent: -9pt;"> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVPThwaab-fCHV1FDiB7jkfm6jToEyVzEQJDAwLgzIf44mj0ySe6z9ODY8ZgymgtuKWr1PudH0EkHeGddHiAzz5XH0K4t7lAvUWaEs4nwnH1Zyotz6VKv0eMrcVsDhWG1OD0a-JKhv71M/s1600-h/IMG_0281.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVPThwaab-fCHV1FDiB7jkfm6jToEyVzEQJDAwLgzIf44mj0ySe6z9ODY8ZgymgtuKWr1PudH0EkHeGddHiAzz5XH0K4t7lAvUWaEs4nwnH1Zyotz6VKv0eMrcVsDhWG1OD0a-JKhv71M/s320/IMG_0281.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351426847202569906" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in -1in 0.0001pt 1.25in; text-align: left; text-indent: -9pt;"> Traveling cross country is kind of tough due to the fact that you never know where you will be staying the next night, well at least we can’t really make any set plans driving around in a 32 year old VW. I pretty much just drive until I get worn out,<span style=""> </span>which could be 475 miles or as low as 200 dependly on the terrain, and then there is the “we could break down at any moment and be making a campsite on side of the road” thought that is always with me. So not being able to plan ahead causes us to just kind of wonder into campgrounds about 4 or 5 hoping they have a spot for us, which thus far we have been lucky. But in Zion the only spot available for us was in the group section, and in the group section you never know who or what you will be stuck spending the night next too. Well fortunately we got lucky this time and ended up parked next to a young couple from Switzerland that turned out to be quite enjoyable. They had been living in a tiny apartment in Manhatten for two years and for their last 4 months in North America they decided to buy an old car off of craigslist and drive it around the U.S. and Mexico, which they have been doing since March. And not just any car, they picked an ’88 plum colored Chevrolet Station Wagon that had a huge dent down the drivers side. Turns out they had been in two wrecks since leaving New York, the first one in Memphis which caused one of the doors to stop working, then another in Mexico that somehow fixed the broken door and now it works just fine. They had two weeks left in the states and were heading to Vegas,<span style=""> </span>said they hadn’t been there since getting married at a drive-thru wedding chapel two years ago, so they were pretty excited. Heres a pic of that ’88 plum colored beauty, and this wasn’t the first one they had bought, a few years back they toured Australia in one that was older and in worst shape than this one! I think I’ll stick to my VW’s…<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in -1in 0.0001pt 1.25in; text-align: left; text-indent: -9pt;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiacC7W3r3dBS-jsi-l7Act7hoxCygUIPWnCWyTrPqbOirIsKKdJQws24NHKNEaDEEJ_pfvS3O58CO1IXyyfPu_fnU_WaHWhkkoHijAa5tL-jcDpytAmx_ahkwOsRJxlExMNGZpxSiR4Q/s1600-h/IMG_0284.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiacC7W3r3dBS-jsi-l7Act7hoxCygUIPWnCWyTrPqbOirIsKKdJQws24NHKNEaDEEJ_pfvS3O58CO1IXyyfPu_fnU_WaHWhkkoHijAa5tL-jcDpytAmx_ahkwOsRJxlExMNGZpxSiR4Q/s320/IMG_0284.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351427019988266210" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in -1in 0.0001pt 1.25in; text-align: center; text-indent: -9pt;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Here is a pic of that plum colored beauty</span><br /></p> <!--EndFragment-->Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09187925001038074618noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816256953618447314.post-66136284536943124202009-06-18T15:34:00.000-07:002009-06-18T16:50:58.440-07:00The Grand CanyonAfter leaving Flagstaff it's about an 80 mile drive up to the Grand Canyon, and let me tell you the anticipation was building the whole ride up. Everyone has seen countless photos and documentaries showing how big and wonderful the Grand Canyon is, and we heard from everyone we talked to that you can't understand how big this thing is until you've seen it. Well let me tell that they are right, photos, videos, I-max, none of these do this great canyon justice, and Tina doesn't think the Grand Canyon is even a good enough name for it, of course she couldn't come up with anything better even though she tried for two days. It actually makes you dizzy trying to take it all in, just standing there looking at something a mile deep and 3 miles wide is hard to grasp, and in most places you can't even see the river at the bottom. I'm not going to try and explain it anymore because its just a waste of time, I'll just post a few pictures and tell you that you need to go see it, its worth it.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb134pqCCG1WLG-3IbB6hUTW3vuQAl0SFE7xDPTXjNfwNQlNR1N_38DiRalRuiEjATITL-bV2wokzlSqicItQACBTEtFYt5A6ZdjGLvj3r19EGgJAAYq5WeZXuLdEVeh5PtsBRW0AzEmg/s1600-h/IMG_0196.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb134pqCCG1WLG-3IbB6hUTW3vuQAl0SFE7xDPTXjNfwNQlNR1N_38DiRalRuiEjATITL-bV2wokzlSqicItQACBTEtFYt5A6ZdjGLvj3r19EGgJAAYq5WeZXuLdEVeh5PtsBRW0AzEmg/s320/IMG_0196.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348808198464641490" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Our first peek at the canyon</span><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5JjsZhVFwS-VCku2dCUnI7oIXtEKOwPODOYQf_7bYRilR-2fjPeDFgYXh5RaSI0Yqo1gRva7cnnvZkFXFlfTHfDfGlp1YtdWkGUNUX1sjtZLHMKprkfmefF-1gOWEwFUGgDAKtPGx8RI/s1600-h/IMG_0164.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5JjsZhVFwS-VCku2dCUnI7oIXtEKOwPODOYQf_7bYRilR-2fjPeDFgYXh5RaSI0Yqo1gRva7cnnvZkFXFlfTHfDfGlp1YtdWkGUNUX1sjtZLHMKprkfmefF-1gOWEwFUGgDAKtPGx8RI/s320/IMG_0164.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348808838746031458" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKFhpiWj9d2EmHxkNW8r1Ij4uzRUhOkBYU3oewN9CwLQBKbJTjr6WGeW6sIzMcVy1ClwwJoeCzGo9s-ylVDcrVRTGvY7Kfp93eINkJpvLGVDwLg-3SZk9ZArdI9vjTUwSwkMaQCDORuwk/s1600-h/IMG_0160.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKFhpiWj9d2EmHxkNW8r1Ij4uzRUhOkBYU3oewN9CwLQBKbJTjr6WGeW6sIzMcVy1ClwwJoeCzGo9s-ylVDcrVRTGvY7Kfp93eINkJpvLGVDwLg-3SZk9ZArdI9vjTUwSwkMaQCDORuwk/s320/IMG_0160.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348808482966447026" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Proof that we made it</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixOuXLYCQBBgQFm9MnU-qR4NwnbkDD1jK3-jqYbUBFG_ZbyEbjMUieHVg9PqicmsdiM_1QR10yyJ_XPAQPRvxZXZ0FBJYRrsyrltYk1C2ary6ANqdn7IkCMOLNO7CEBiLYlLug4HpJZXk/s1600-h/IMG_0162.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixOuXLYCQBBgQFm9MnU-qR4NwnbkDD1jK3-jqYbUBFG_ZbyEbjMUieHVg9PqicmsdiM_1QR10yyJ_XPAQPRvxZXZ0FBJYRrsyrltYk1C2ary6ANqdn7IkCMOLNO7CEBiLYlLug4HpJZXk/s320/IMG_0162.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348808641713429890" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">A really good picture that Tina took</span> </div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">We did manage to find a campsite in the park without a reservation, which is a miracle in itself, we just decided to ride through a campground that had "Full" signs posted everywhere and sure enough there was still a vacant site. Even though the sites in the park have no electricity or water hookups I convinced Tina that waking up 100 yards from the south rim of the Grand Canyon would be well worth the trade, so that's where we stayed for the next two nights. The way Grand Canyon National Park is set up it doesn't really take more than a day or so to see the whole park, unless you want to hike down into the canyon, but we weren't really set up for that so we opted not to hike it this trip. So we just toured pretty much every view point that is available on the south rim, well Tina toured the south rim from about twenty feet from the edge being she has a problem with heights.<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgopP18GJg1XFjU7OyoFVVUo2bARwBrC3daBHCuWLzlwU1og68rUWey3iBg2NLPmtSqyPLna9PmI7BbjUZKi7jVje3fpiZRgtO1XZd0bIW9NujEjqVjDBsTAo8lofbG3ctQvMxTKBehhNQ/s1600-h/IMG_0214.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgopP18GJg1XFjU7OyoFVVUo2bARwBrC3daBHCuWLzlwU1og68rUWey3iBg2NLPmtSqyPLna9PmI7BbjUZKi7jVje3fpiZRgtO1XZd0bIW9NujEjqVjDBsTAo8lofbG3ctQvMxTKBehhNQ/s320/IMG_0214.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348814407529574370" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">an honorable mention</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf8ivfDVgIpuEWKC827TZw4bP5yTxIvWB814LAh6ZoCkSBUt9QqJg_PVZf33_ZIQjRPqnOnkQ8uqa-bi50tFHDfD0JAQilBlj5Aox8fc3jIBFn_3hyCjYyO9xcUJvhtVcH327LLJ6J93E/s1600-h/IMG_0215.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf8ivfDVgIpuEWKC827TZw4bP5yTxIvWB814LAh6ZoCkSBUt9QqJg_PVZf33_ZIQjRPqnOnkQ8uqa-bi50tFHDfD0JAQilBlj5Aox8fc3jIBFn_3hyCjYyO9xcUJvhtVcH327LLJ6J93E/s320/IMG_0215.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348814658309763426" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">If you look close you can see two rafts</span><br /><br /></div>Another thing we noticed at the Grand Canyon were all the foreign tourists, they are everywhere! Not sure if this is normal or just maybe they are taking advantage of the low value of the dollar at this time, but either way I would estimate 70% or so were speaking some other language. And it seemed to lean heavy towards the Asians for some reason, so much so that I coined a new word, "Vacasians", you heard it first here!<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ZrbZltpwcJdSWTvBQ4OFilT4AS8XVzOnFEZ8XPL7T7-NCuRtt-avkJDt26YHWkYUulqg3zLkExr56DXT-hWiEu2fD5SiF6rZJlFCarfq5PvlYUwcqZJOtyINAoW-bP4Zh2vDr0QdyIc/s1600-h/IMG_0238.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ZrbZltpwcJdSWTvBQ4OFilT4AS8XVzOnFEZ8XPL7T7-NCuRtt-avkJDt26YHWkYUulqg3zLkExr56DXT-hWiEu2fD5SiF6rZJlFCarfq5PvlYUwcqZJOtyINAoW-bP4Zh2vDr0QdyIc/s320/IMG_0238.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348815339149084258" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Colorado River just up from the Grand Canyon</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik8gzC9AFZanr6LgfcC2pzIZXMwoEZaXrxqWURxPKL_z7MUPOAdo82mLPORwVgkLqTjiU9pT4ULBHkG6azueKt5zDPIuCxnvG0V-coPopuZz8bF8x6Nb50H7TpioFJ74ivzmyW1LD2HNs/s1600-h/IMG_0231.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik8gzC9AFZanr6LgfcC2pzIZXMwoEZaXrxqWURxPKL_z7MUPOAdo82mLPORwVgkLqTjiU9pT4ULBHkG6azueKt5zDPIuCxnvG0V-coPopuZz8bF8x6Nb50H7TpioFJ74ivzmyW1LD2HNs/s320/IMG_0231.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348815174086712866" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">A cool picture of Charlie</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">We have decided to pass up Las Vegas so that we can go visit Zion National Park instead, its a few hours north of the Grand Canyon and just inside of Utah, we heard its absolutely beautiful and can't be missed.<br /></div><br /></div>Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09187925001038074618noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816256953618447314.post-49788356187170666932009-06-16T05:57:00.000-07:002009-06-16T06:56:58.916-07:00Arizona... part oneReaching Arizona immediately put us in tourist mode, we were not 30 miles in before we made our first stop at the Petrified Forest National Park, turned out we were more into the "painted desert" part of the park than the whole petrified forest section. The petrified forest was pretty amazing but the painted desert and blue mesas were beautiful! Enjoy these pics...<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNUAdDR3sOKKoLa3Tg5KGS_44Fg64Mwzp885WTxClIjEpVxR285Z2r-rs7IPBtflrBSvFRWwYSiLuADl3mxDkEhtQ1UdmGHcaOc1kaodEL9HlwcSDBjRbesM-xHZZ27bVRHtqkEMtSfp0/s1600-h/IMG_0110.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNUAdDR3sOKKoLa3Tg5KGS_44Fg64Mwzp885WTxClIjEpVxR285Z2r-rs7IPBtflrBSvFRWwYSiLuADl3mxDkEhtQ1UdmGHcaOc1kaodEL9HlwcSDBjRbesM-xHZZ27bVRHtqkEMtSfp0/s320/IMG_0110.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347914140748506242" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Painted Desert</span> </div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgehvGjuhyyxGfMT4QLpRLOQOmvVEuu5iA1tNV9zoi9mCblfQf20VBvkuRd6Nd0tAAvqIHxFh5thWtrtMrnhaYNUSOBIt-QFCzZbhvm9ci3Thy_-z7KEAXM7VgzEnrzGwMomyDXjgIPPxA/s1600-h/IMG_0113.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgehvGjuhyyxGfMT4QLpRLOQOmvVEuu5iA1tNV9zoi9mCblfQf20VBvkuRd6Nd0tAAvqIHxFh5thWtrtMrnhaYNUSOBIt-QFCzZbhvm9ci3Thy_-z7KEAXM7VgzEnrzGwMomyDXjgIPPxA/s320/IMG_0113.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347914550335251794" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tina at the Painted Desert</span> </div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsXlh1X-vc9W-PDoBVSq4jyP29Aq0RdhabOd0EGFxThdIRZ5ghYlMu-7hQH4I3SgnKznrtoZ9SuKRJBeVQx8Japvu5QaHdkBdipQ19NUIw6HmdTqVvfuVq06OL5qlJKn0OAmbsZ9_fGk8/s1600-h/IMG_0133.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsXlh1X-vc9W-PDoBVSq4jyP29Aq0RdhabOd0EGFxThdIRZ5ghYlMu-7hQH4I3SgnKznrtoZ9SuKRJBeVQx8Japvu5QaHdkBdipQ19NUIw6HmdTqVvfuVq06OL5qlJKn0OAmbsZ9_fGk8/s320/IMG_0133.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347914881078043362" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Blue Mesas</span> </div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYUQsQ3yM-S5xI5sPe1XDPXuSXma8YZngMTMu7YTxSL6HLLNN-szwbXM8ApjNbT02PD5SHop4vYMzht9nP4C7cEc0lPrXR_Zi-kMd9qap7Ube-UBo2apldWjC33Jhpq0H_5vxYK16o_fI/s1600-h/IMG_0129.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYUQsQ3yM-S5xI5sPe1XDPXuSXma8YZngMTMu7YTxSL6HLLNN-szwbXM8ApjNbT02PD5SHop4vYMzht9nP4C7cEc0lPrXR_Zi-kMd9qap7Ube-UBo2apldWjC33Jhpq0H_5vxYK16o_fI/s320/IMG_0129.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347915089074137730" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Tepees</span><br /></div><br />After leaving the forest our next stop was Winslow, Arizona so I could get my picture taken "Standing on the corner". Just in case someone still lives in a cave that is a line in the song "take it easy" by the Eagles, actually it was their first hit in 1970, and it has been Winslows claim to fame ever since. They have dedicated a corner to the Eagles and they call "Standing on a Corner Park", imagine that. Its consist of a statue of a "70's guy", two gift shops and outdoor speaker that perpetually play songs by the Eagles, sounds cheesy but we couldn't pass it up. Even Tina who made fun of me about the idea at first ended up wanting her picture taken on the "corner" after she saw how cool I looked.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgofb393lkXgWPT-BVi9XhZzHbbYiWJkDxhJY2mMDJca-xbxisRLEN1yM3P4Whv6FA6yFnOws_PGyjDy4HgRFZNnIBryyCEdIVMOlHFnNhH-Jgppk8btxjHeFvR7zNDWx3bl3nEcLFqm-A/s1600-h/IMG_0142.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgofb393lkXgWPT-BVi9XhZzHbbYiWJkDxhJY2mMDJca-xbxisRLEN1yM3P4Whv6FA6yFnOws_PGyjDy4HgRFZNnIBryyCEdIVMOlHFnNhH-Jgppk8btxjHeFvR7zNDWx3bl3nEcLFqm-A/s320/IMG_0142.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347915343001522930" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">"Standing on a Corner"</span><br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIGfynkC-8yaAqw8qZZw5_oOFYGGzygbMUzf7TFJOVCRcdRYwyR63dCZNurtXBV3psxHeTPOG9dlqx4w8lbczYSASp67WBXHW51VALgzAlk9lcU6mtakx_UdnUlplqR9-NFP9TaTBbuKw/s1600-h/IMG_0145.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIGfynkC-8yaAqw8qZZw5_oOFYGGzygbMUzf7TFJOVCRcdRYwyR63dCZNurtXBV3psxHeTPOG9dlqx4w8lbczYSASp67WBXHW51VALgzAlk9lcU6mtakx_UdnUlplqR9-NFP9TaTBbuKw/s320/IMG_0145.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347915505385101522" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tina "Standing on a Corner"</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">We made a little stop in Flagstaff to stock up on some food before heading up to the Grand Canyon, Flagstaff and northern Arizona wasn't what either of us were expecting, for some reason I always pictured Arizona as a desert, but thats not the case for the northern part of the state. Flagstaff was an awesome town engulfed by a forest of ponderosa pines, very mountainous and plenty of trees always makes for a beautiful place. Flagstaff was the 2100 mile mark of the trip and left us about 70 miles from the Grand Canyon. Its a beautiful drive up to the Canyon and it consist of some really high summits, the highest we have seen so far is 8046 feet, but we hit a 8000 footer and a lot of summits in the 7000s, old Charlie just poked along up every single one of them. Good for us some states out here took the notion to put a sign at the summit of most of the highest points letting you know the elevation and that you have reached the summit, its actually become a very pleasant sight to round the corner on some steep climb and see that beautiful green sign sitting there letting you know that its going to be downhill for awhile. I'm sure Charlie and the traffic behind us are just as glad that we've finally reached the top. I've decided to make two post out of Arizona, so that way the Grand Canyon will have its own post, because its going to take a whole post, Tina went a little crazy with the camera.<br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkzbDx4TSqePxUyQx2IkbYVJ7Y6LrigoMZ0srD33eD8wEkg3r1CdwtNYo8dxcREOgPz5Gk80UID5ra5b0cFScBW9-Tzi4OV21PoDeYJRMZMf0Is10rjT_6ibLEm5s3t5JY3fghB5gvNDg/s1600-h/IMG_0147.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkzbDx4TSqePxUyQx2IkbYVJ7Y6LrigoMZ0srD33eD8wEkg3r1CdwtNYo8dxcREOgPz5Gk80UID5ra5b0cFScBW9-Tzi4OV21PoDeYJRMZMf0Is10rjT_6ibLEm5s3t5JY3fghB5gvNDg/s320/IMG_0147.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347921061955852322" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Just north of Flagstaff</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRR6YKWMs2dnSOauGI7Ea4daQcbS-CYtZV4TYJDTDw0fqiPINHTImmi2rU8n5D3wlYsrX8Y4NyT48QDGqOizWkrU_054afE3pFAmRbHdWVPf7RBhAA9QzTyyyAxkouHqE0wO2tocMeyMs/s1600-h/IMG_0148.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRR6YKWMs2dnSOauGI7Ea4daQcbS-CYtZV4TYJDTDw0fqiPINHTImmi2rU8n5D3wlYsrX8Y4NyT48QDGqOizWkrU_054afE3pFAmRbHdWVPf7RBhAA9QzTyyyAxkouHqE0wO2tocMeyMs/s320/IMG_0148.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347921223704123618" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tina</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXCr5H4E96I9raeOKHHN4nfJUvvG4XNCydORh5zlCcUopda-0yqsoTJKu-8EHqHHqXO7xyvzYQMm7jpPx6aD-3LionUlDOJ6VnF8BXzjITatza-fKy7FN9sdbd0oZT9G_SlikfPE6ANjA/s1600-h/IMG_0150.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXCr5H4E96I9raeOKHHN4nfJUvvG4XNCydORh5zlCcUopda-0yqsoTJKu-8EHqHHqXO7xyvzYQMm7jpPx6aD-3LionUlDOJ6VnF8BXzjITatza-fKy7FN9sdbd0oZT9G_SlikfPE6ANjA/s320/IMG_0150.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347921394221292834" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Charlie</span><br /></div>Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09187925001038074618noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816256953618447314.post-4014089638628333782009-06-15T18:24:00.000-07:002009-06-15T21:31:33.333-07:00Albuquerque or Albu-quirky?Well I will be the first to say neither one of us minded leaving Texas behind, endless farm land, cows, skunks and dry counties is not what this road trip is about. But finally we made it to New Mexico, spent our first night at Lake Sumner State Park, we decided to go to Fort Sumner to visit the grave of none other than the infamous "Billy the Kid". Come to find out Fort Sumner and some place in Texas called Hico are in a dispute of who really holds the bones of "Billy the Kid", it seems if you believe the story where Pat Garrett let Billy escape and that he died peaceful as an old man, then you need to visit Hico to see the grave, but us being believers that Garrett killed Billy that dreadful night felt satisfied that we had saw the "real" grave. Here's a couple pics...<br /><div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjecJR-fMRLEDOMcD-JHkru5QS1rsEOE7jlCzq3bdiRzR5xGbh59AEpIYKDMN71zSFt37hW6zPjZUlFfJtd6qP2ggmb4k6lMe1xAO_se1aq6cczIxYC4_Bj5Pc7ogfkEumqPib7s-Q-Sx8/s1600-h/IMG_0063.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjecJR-fMRLEDOMcD-JHkru5QS1rsEOE7jlCzq3bdiRzR5xGbh59AEpIYKDMN71zSFt37hW6zPjZUlFfJtd6qP2ggmb4k6lMe1xAO_se1aq6cczIxYC4_Bj5Pc7ogfkEumqPib7s-Q-Sx8/s320/IMG_0063.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347774061374410818" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Billies tombstone has been stolen several times, but they finally locked it up</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBQ4oj4e8WcfQfFk0t79z3WXDDo7izLwPuEbkWtOTXDAiolZ0LCyiZa98ZIfIr_b2-nM70Nj2SHbEQoyNpp3hyphenhyphenj1cAG9axDh_oEQAvc9RG3EciRglEQR9vxoR74pGbI90xEb1hsbQMyIs/s1600-h/IMG_0070.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBQ4oj4e8WcfQfFk0t79z3WXDDo7izLwPuEbkWtOTXDAiolZ0LCyiZa98ZIfIr_b2-nM70Nj2SHbEQoyNpp3hyphenhyphenj1cAG9axDh_oEQAvc9RG3EciRglEQR9vxoR74pGbI90xEb1hsbQMyIs/s320/IMG_0070.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347774697200044018" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">A river in New Mexico</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVHegoeivR5ACMAI4bi2UGhUhl4mYzMJqwy4DSNPURqzoA0vXEpWbc5y2NcsfpL0tFQLkl-t3c62zClL4J9Sve-v4cvbuBk2HV8tLyAgfItLZvGuVm41-5EcO2WtsOILvbkMaFVAefTF8/s1600-h/IMG_0065.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVHegoeivR5ACMAI4bi2UGhUhl4mYzMJqwy4DSNPURqzoA0vXEpWbc5y2NcsfpL0tFQLkl-t3c62zClL4J9Sve-v4cvbuBk2HV8tLyAgfItLZvGuVm41-5EcO2WtsOILvbkMaFVAefTF8/s320/IMG_0065.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347775062617620418" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tinas view of New Mexico</span> </div><br />Made a stop in Albuquerque on the way through, actually did a little detour down Central Avenue, which is the heart of Historic Route 66, and even had lunch at the "Route 66" diner. Maybe its just the people that hang out on Central Avenue but didn't take us long to realize we didn't fit in real well in Albuquerque, not enough piercings in our face and we don't even have a single tattoo between the two of us(which would have been easily solved on Central Avenue), but we are driving a VW Bus so maybe they thought we're the strange ones.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtINBiBZqFGhTDXV7SZZC89NUm2WZ2m0wL496yoXh3ke5MDKoDvROx9DdIDvkKb0JLowheoG_7ampcUxQsQMPYpAbSZ19OYpuCCRmse6dw1vcW4kPD55v2AxdOMYU1CIR9X5Jax19WdDs/s1600-h/IMG_0100.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtINBiBZqFGhTDXV7SZZC89NUm2WZ2m0wL496yoXh3ke5MDKoDvROx9DdIDvkKb0JLowheoG_7ampcUxQsQMPYpAbSZ19OYpuCCRmse6dw1vcW4kPD55v2AxdOMYU1CIR9X5Jax19WdDs/s320/IMG_0100.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347776205254009250" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Route 66</span><br /></div>New Mexico had some very beautiful places, and some very high elevations that we had to cross, its the first real test that "Charlie" has had to face, being from Florida (aka "Flatistan", as its known in the motorcycle world), I was wondering how he would do on the mountains that we would be facing being I had no way of testing him on hills. As everyone who drives a VW Bus knows they are no speed machine and are notorious for going especially slow up hills, well no difference for Charlie, if you want to find us just look in the slow lane going about 40 mph in 3rd gear, cause thats where we seem to spend most of our time on inclines, and as the elevation goes up, our speed goes down even more. But a little help from some octane booster ( 91 octane is the highest they have out here) Charlie pushed along just fine, hes like the little Westi that could, slow but steady.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEWzqMYdkFVYofiER6UqwCgSniwrGXMTOjdi5hwrM-aHYVevml9pq5vXxTHHNIuGgwNTIs8dhSG1ykIyS68VdUQnP1rVOaFLJesOYpIMIg5XSLxFYMNwMG0EXLlsB-9PGz9xTaiCCULYQ/s1600-h/IMG_0096.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEWzqMYdkFVYofiER6UqwCgSniwrGXMTOjdi5hwrM-aHYVevml9pq5vXxTHHNIuGgwNTIs8dhSG1ykIyS68VdUQnP1rVOaFLJesOYpIMIg5XSLxFYMNwMG0EXLlsB-9PGz9xTaiCCULYQ/s320/IMG_0096.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347776573244962210" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tina and Charlie after climbing a huge hill </span> </div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">Spent our second and last night in Gallup, N.M., which is on the border of Arizona. Its a very "Native American" city, everything is aimed towards visitors spending their money on Native American "goods". You even get bombarded by solicitors trying to sell you junk why your sitting in a restuarant eating your dinner. After over 1800 miles and 5 days we are excited to get to Arizona, mainly because we can slow down and take it easy, there is not alot that we want to see before we get to the Grand Canyon so we have just been driving like mad to get there as quickly as possible, and we are both ready for a day off. Driving a bus in the kind of wind that kicks up out west is pretty exhausting in itself, I got as much play out of the steering as I could before we left but in a 32 year old vehicle its nearly impossible to make the steering tight, there is only about two inches of play in the wheel but when your constantly turning from the left to the right with every wind gust that two inches adds up fast. Next up... Arizona.<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUN2_7WM0uWYF6mAcJD9demUsHql3AQ0wqHerQxakMUhWKElnHjYDpv9ns1bzxaTmyOsGUtcKBcKl9JVSBdrHVZmdD0DhEMrlcQbh8fv_LIvKMAuzE0obq55lF00jL7pGkwaTdPEx4xLw/s1600-h/IMG_0101.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUN2_7WM0uWYF6mAcJD9demUsHql3AQ0wqHerQxakMUhWKElnHjYDpv9ns1bzxaTmyOsGUtcKBcKl9JVSBdrHVZmdD0DhEMrlcQbh8fv_LIvKMAuzE0obq55lF00jL7pGkwaTdPEx4xLw/s320/IMG_0101.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347777002131377122" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">A beautiful picture of N.M.</span><br /></div>Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09187925001038074618noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816256953618447314.post-7177643342084857372009-06-10T20:04:00.000-07:002009-06-11T06:43:25.730-07:00Happiness is Lubbock Texas in the review mirror...<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">*Sputter Update*</span><br /></div> So after reaching out to the volkswagen community (which means spending four hours reading through forums trying to find someone having the same "sputtering" problem that I had been dealing with), and swapping out pretty much every spare part that I had brought along, and thats alot being I pretty much put together three different motors to get the one I got, I finally solved the sputter problem! A 50 cent hose clamp and two minutes of work fixed a vacuum leak and Charlie has been running like a champ ever since! Thanks to everyone who offered help.<br /><br /><br /> After fixing the infamous "sputter" we found ourselves just inside the Texas line, as anyone who has ever driven across Texas knows this state can be quite a task. But we got off to a really good start in Texas, not 25 miles in we pulled off I-20 onto some small backroad so I could fiddle with the engine a bit, wasn't there maybe 5 minutes before some lady stopped and offered a ride. Then this fellow came riding up on his four-wheeler, he was a retired Marine from Seattle who makes his living these days planting and running a Maize Maze, no joke. He even had a shirt on that said "CORN COP" on the back, which got a good laugh from Tina and myself, I guess hes also head of security at this corn maze. Moral of the story is we weren't parked on the side of the road for 15 minutes and had three people stop to offer help (this includes "toothless Jackie", whose plan B in life is to "catch me a trucker"on I-20), not a bad way to start off in Texas.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuiKwKV3FAyTR_eeyAoD07HmgWhSbKW0Zy33KQC4X8gRPb4FSYtRA43D1pzrHLVCDiymjvvBpBraL2LXgCqWkRvTiP17f7nScqiEb5RMZe6uh_CKuGfSf3izN47cFO1vCk4ce4RspqRss/s1600-h/IMG_0052.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuiKwKV3FAyTR_eeyAoD07HmgWhSbKW0Zy33KQC4X8gRPb4FSYtRA43D1pzrHLVCDiymjvvBpBraL2LXgCqWkRvTiP17f7nScqiEb5RMZe6uh_CKuGfSf3izN47cFO1vCk4ce4RspqRss/s320/IMG_0052.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346064309877169778" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">a pic from somewhere along the way across Texas</span><br /></div><br /> Being we were coming in on I-20, there really wasn't any other way to go then right through the middle of Dallas. Which we did pretty much uneventful if you ask me, ofcourse Tina on the other hand might have a different opinion on the matter as she seemed to be on the edge of her seat the whole time while I was swerving through traffic. But it was a relief to finally be through the DFW area because it just seemed like it would never end. Heading west out of Fort Worth on highway 114 I couldn't believe how much it reminded me of Mexico, everything from the buildings to the cars, the only thing missing was the smell of sewage flowing freely along the side of the road. And we also passed our 1000 mile mark while in Dallas.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNLDoYuzuYRUDF5n-CAfiezjLJvGRQYNkn37vfDwiPYshw7BJ5XC5S_8y487xvLRsPxIEFK4B44HH5SRCneMv9GJ2L8elXbxLY0lypZP-6sFA91BJiZVQCBNqh8NXe0MRA2Tl_t5W7nwM/s1600-h/IMG_0034.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNLDoYuzuYRUDF5n-CAfiezjLJvGRQYNkn37vfDwiPYshw7BJ5XC5S_8y487xvLRsPxIEFK4B44HH5SRCneMv9GJ2L8elXbxLY0lypZP-6sFA91BJiZVQCBNqh8NXe0MRA2Tl_t5W7nwM/s320/IMG_0034.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346063031549054034" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Dallas</span><br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="file:///Users/tinarnlang/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/moz-screenshot-1.jpg" alt="" /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUIlnnJguzdBuSjbjPHCvM-MI8PqOeh8Hu5QWd73AWdOnZmRu3LTJ4MK3Xx5ETCCIoV4LXav2d-WPPhwL5431miYSgYbyTsv0bAxealB_kBF6hrfygPfYti8IMXJ0ribsj7omdAgb9fSc/s1600-h/IMG_0045.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUIlnnJguzdBuSjbjPHCvM-MI8PqOeh8Hu5QWd73AWdOnZmRu3LTJ4MK3Xx5ETCCIoV4LXav2d-WPPhwL5431miYSgYbyTsv0bAxealB_kBF6hrfygPfYti8IMXJ0ribsj7omdAgb9fSc/s320/IMG_0045.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346062524471785522" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> This is what my arm looked like after two days of hanging it out the window</span> </div><br /><br /> Stayed our only night in Texas at a State Park in this little town called Jacksboro. Its about halfway between Dallas and Lubbock, and it is home to the largest Elvis Presley collectibles shop in Texas, so ofcourse I had to check that out! All the way across Texas we had been taking about wanting to try some Bar-B-Q, and we where hoping Jacksboro would be our chance, turns out both the restaurants in the town are closed on Tuesday, go figure. But we did get to see a dog riding a motorcycle down mainstreet, some guy had his blue heeler riding on his bike with him, and I'm talking a full grown dog. Other than wide open plains, horses and cows the only excitement that Texas had to offer were all the skunks! Dead skunks that is, they were everywhere, must have smelled at least twenty of the nasty little critters. On to New Mexico!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpSWV0HahR3ksELUs_ZIE9Qg0tAdb7_YrLv6JR-f3sQkP_qXKQbYShf8GXgO5f6OCr8SFBsY0gBACirw1RfVDn2gbHtgTDMZFSHlpW6WxgccNa-3JuUkabnvHsCuC-KlMc_5e7JaT8KRw/s1600-h/IMG_0039.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpSWV0HahR3ksELUs_ZIE9Qg0tAdb7_YrLv6JR-f3sQkP_qXKQbYShf8GXgO5f6OCr8SFBsY0gBACirw1RfVDn2gbHtgTDMZFSHlpW6WxgccNa-3JuUkabnvHsCuC-KlMc_5e7JaT8KRw/s320/IMG_0039.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346063541049774402" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-weight: bold;"> Pic of our campsite in Jacksboro</span><br /></div>Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09187925001038074618noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816256953618447314.post-58056172537835959862009-06-09T04:48:00.000-07:002009-06-09T05:39:48.930-07:00On the way...Well as most of you already know we left Florida early Sunday morning, had a pretty uneventful first day, which is a god thing when your driving a vehicle that was made in 1976. We had talked about how long it would be before we saw another Westi on the road, I was betting it wouldn't be until we got to the Grand Canyon, well little do you know we pulled over to chill out for a bit just east of Pensacola and up pulls a '70 VW Westy! I have to say I was pretty impressed with Tina, she knew it was a VW Bus just by the sound it made when it pulled in, she didnt even have to look! Turned out to be this cool couple who where heading back from camping in Alabama and live in Pensacola. Check out this Bus!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEN_Rg7u0O59welPrz84-Wapeu8yNeZRoHu0MPpe3SEgVxZ_fOJ0TMd-LmupnuyNJqK7cCG_H0fw3wC0HXyZcXrZgqZxLsxCjRVTIkKAI3euz_pAmTDRMPJaq4v1f_frvnrQP8CIeE-bw/s1600-h/IMG_0012.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 242px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEN_Rg7u0O59welPrz84-Wapeu8yNeZRoHu0MPpe3SEgVxZ_fOJ0TMd-LmupnuyNJqK7cCG_H0fw3wC0HXyZcXrZgqZxLsxCjRVTIkKAI3euz_pAmTDRMPJaq4v1f_frvnrQP8CIeE-bw/s320/IMG_0012.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345298093564167906" border="0" /></a> So on we went, I was hoping to make it 300 or so miles the first day, but turns out we did 475! Which is huge in a westy, at least I think it is, and if you were driving this beast you would think so to. We ended up camping just south of Hattiesburg, Ms. at some campground we stumbled upon while looking for a completely different campground, it was nice and only had two other campers staying! Heres a few pics of our first night...<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg26Bdum0iWiQvzosPS_3pMdg3rzLTegjZfYoQZhMdSuQBCvQ2lA7J0FEFib9Tjm4Uj5bn-v8nPN_-lK_GfdSVgLP1a7D28p5L48M5qOehH0CUBndsyajuIBYknLqOGjqOeFke9iAmzt1g/s1600-h/IMG_0016.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg26Bdum0iWiQvzosPS_3pMdg3rzLTegjZfYoQZhMdSuQBCvQ2lA7J0FEFib9Tjm4Uj5bn-v8nPN_-lK_GfdSVgLP1a7D28p5L48M5qOehH0CUBndsyajuIBYknLqOGjqOeFke9iAmzt1g/s320/IMG_0016.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345299847541222770" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYScEfz8ClenakdLvyZGtX77NSpoZaxHRVoP-I9ZN_R97cLqUOrRD18Jwyw0zxHRq8jjnrz6zm0VmrpiOCITHohckm14FC96QznKSzO7xIo-z6MmxdI0qwyjO6oPeByh6k64OjaMx35pw/s1600-h/IMG_0017.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYScEfz8ClenakdLvyZGtX77NSpoZaxHRVoP-I9ZN_R97cLqUOrRD18Jwyw0zxHRq8jjnrz6zm0VmrpiOCITHohckm14FC96QznKSzO7xIo-z6MmxdI0qwyjO6oPeByh6k64OjaMx35pw/s320/IMG_0017.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345300227884687154" border="0" /> </a><br /> This is my "Into The Wild" pic.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaH5hq4XODWzQHstuGKM6hMVNqXYYFYfrSioCJBxJTMN12SdZ8gMN9hF6dDcU9BAKn2LF12HIcGYXmmAWrnucUns1rTTcRJRPadM9E_xiWELxIMKEGT5eZw_Wn6nIHPFLzoLWons_Sbd4/s1600-h/IMG_0022.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaH5hq4XODWzQHstuGKM6hMVNqXYYFYfrSioCJBxJTMN12SdZ8gMN9hF6dDcU9BAKn2LF12HIcGYXmmAWrnucUns1rTTcRJRPadM9E_xiWELxIMKEGT5eZw_Wn6nIHPFLzoLWons_Sbd4/s320/IMG_0022.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345300445097563250" border="0" /></a><br /> On Monday as driving across this nothing that is known as northern Louisiana "Charlie" developed a slight sputter, so our day has went pretty much like this, Charlie sputters, we pull over and I work on it, we take off again and go just far enough as to think it must be fixed(maybe 10 or 15 miles) then it starts sputtering again, so we repeat the whole process. But I've reached out to the VW community for help so I think we should be getting this fixed shortly, but even with the sputter we managed to make it to within 10 miles of Texas, which was our goal for the day! And we crossed the Mississippi river today! Which is one of the landmarks that divide this trip in my mind, its goes like this, Ms. River, Dallas, Grand Canyon then Pacific Ocean, thats the four landmark goals that i have set in my mind. Well anyway heres a few pics of the day...<br /> <br /> The Mississippi River, or at least a bridge over the Mississippi River<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWf8BHhr775rMfmZdbXNYrboA_3PEMquatS8cNKgTPAqjV6h9DHrfoq215FtRXBB9Ql6UG1vh3y9KHuaoTcB_VHRtu4dA0pGI5BUMApU6Tr_rrB7GSSCea7mXCNGxD8kUANEvFTaALUW8/s1600-h/IMG_0026.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWf8BHhr775rMfmZdbXNYrboA_3PEMquatS8cNKgTPAqjV6h9DHrfoq215FtRXBB9Ql6UG1vh3y9KHuaoTcB_VHRtu4dA0pGI5BUMApU6Tr_rrB7GSSCea7mXCNGxD8kUANEvFTaALUW8/s320/IMG_0026.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345304342981416482" border="0" /></a> This is the view driving across Louisiana...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPSZKxrya4KrlU3CeRtB0B_H66p8XmtGD5xyIFRv8hzI7NtrLma5Ia7glgRRCnrCjlGvu8mnAkpZFP98EtVOcy7DW-GOmv_AjyMo6CfQNVh-QUG1ylVV8c18zCMRTw8lAaCRWd6L7_nNk/s1600-h/IMG_0029.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPSZKxrya4KrlU3CeRtB0B_H66p8XmtGD5xyIFRv8hzI7NtrLma5Ia7glgRRCnrCjlGvu8mnAkpZFP98EtVOcy7DW-GOmv_AjyMo6CfQNVh-QUG1ylVV8c18zCMRTw8lAaCRWd6L7_nNk/s320/IMG_0029.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345304849109018354" border="0" /></a> So as of now we are in a hotel in Shreveport, but hope to get the westy fixed today, I've got some parts from the local parts store and I'm loaded with knowledge from spending three hours last night reading VW forums, so I feel pretty confident.Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09187925001038074618noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816256953618447314.post-45341910428960540882009-05-27T17:39:00.000-07:002009-05-27T18:33:19.041-07:00Projected Route...<div> So this is what we have so far, its still just a rough guide as it seems to change daily. As of now it includes Route 66, the Grand Canyon, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Las</span> Vegas, Death Valley, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Sequoia</span> N. P., Yosemite N.P., the Redwood Forest and pretty much the whole coast of Oregon. Ultimately will be coast to coast, as I plan on driving to St. Augustine on S<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">aturday</span> so we can claim this. Or it will be as far as we can make it in '76 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">VW</span> Bus, that is not exactly known for reliability, and will probably be spending more time at the parts store than at the state parks. But hey "its just part of the adventure", which I'm <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">positive</span> Tina will get tired of hearing real quick. Being I've already used it once when an "ice cream run" at 8pm turned into a 2hour, 60 mile, change a fuel pump on the side of a four lane highway, "adventure". But I'm fully prepared to once again pull off a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">Mcgyver</span> situation on the curb of some busy road. As I will be using the fool proof Duct Tape and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">WD</span>-40 plan, if it moves and isn't suppose to...use Duct Tape, if it doesn't move and is suppose to...use <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">WD</span>-40. Plus I'll be carrying a ton of miscellaneous parts and tools, which I will go into detail in a later Post. We are open to suggestions if you know of any cool places somewhere along this route. </div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 217px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340680394337418082" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV2hgbn29HFxvCNWoBGojInwqPLdcMwqXz4_FoAdjMZsXYf-YjGqzdT99L03Vwt2X3fmczbtLz9qNDtDxib8XnyUQdrLkQTyKECGZIgk5kMJ9A5fJ4OBEsKh935q0lCbFDpGy9s2yYWhk/s320/highway-map(EDIT).GIF" /><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09187925001038074618noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3816256953618447314.post-61366736831704724992009-05-25T07:27:00.001-07:002009-05-25T07:58:47.161-07:00Before and After...Before "Charlie" went on extreme makeover..<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRGHlpwLINU8mANKsbtMxjaJ9INJ1nu4h2h5CM9JPhDTW0myM2SAfJ7qflyL-HW_B6CBDs50VmqoJ4FnZ6jVjGnSXRoYUyXiFcUK2DRNtg4KQN7GMWyyqwuoya3hYqDobrA7-olx__BVo/s1600-h/SDC10051.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339771403426102738" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 310px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRGHlpwLINU8mANKsbtMxjaJ9INJ1nu4h2h5CM9JPhDTW0myM2SAfJ7qflyL-HW_B6CBDs50VmqoJ4FnZ6jVjGnSXRoYUyXiFcUK2DRNtg4KQN7GMWyyqwuoya3hYqDobrA7-olx__BVo/s320/SDC10051.JPG" border="0" /></a> After...<br /><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339770851968073714" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiX2O4ivOgYMnVBDqf_RzBgj2na3DyJhpi8nzVUEMaccGKjiO-CXVMsCPEfbeX188HQG3_KFJ8jWIrLiVJbANA-CHhvPoR6X1IhbMhN1r68J4CHGr3PvJ0VoPz0EZnnxCRz3Eu4Ww8AWM/s320/DSCF8061.JPG" border="0" />Before...<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis2gRnng15WnBAdjWQrYm7QBPK9GDoEJTbgtLwLW2mucyt1dqNxY9fV0rfpRA7zT8Za9CfAAGnLDEl4waCULrdMo09xo8Vmyl24odauQZZJsZXVtOr86cxPqPkj8dgG5tjrQ4ONZsSHbo/s1600-h/SDC10055.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339770460418362626" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis2gRnng15WnBAdjWQrYm7QBPK9GDoEJTbgtLwLW2mucyt1dqNxY9fV0rfpRA7zT8Za9CfAAGnLDEl4waCULrdMo09xo8Vmyl24odauQZZJsZXVtOr86cxPqPkj8dgG5tjrQ4ONZsSHbo/s320/SDC10055.JPG" border="0" /></a>And after...<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAjF2gfPiW5BcECezhv2exFGwuaIzIB9HPmPbi6ylD_AFgo3znj1g6l1WNrv68BWDDGaN78S69RDIUDlF-UUTB7NR8WZMXhdlV22NOF3tvfjoY9-ga0zluGkge2XMRSd5JWiu4mmgbs_o/s1600-h/DSCF8066.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339769995900520578" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAjF2gfPiW5BcECezhv2exFGwuaIzIB9HPmPbi6ylD_AFgo3znj1g6l1WNrv68BWDDGaN78S69RDIUDlF-UUTB7NR8WZMXhdlV22NOF3tvfjoY9-ga0zluGkge2XMRSd5JWiu4mmgbs_o/s320/DSCF8066.JPG" border="0" /></a> The interior before...<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGEXoeJGPJ3_MIyBQX8XnLPyfA0pTQV9fSTDrZdvomgpmQcPK39kxshJongKGzccxbShW8FDC5damGdN4d9KKiu58O13DQ8o3bh6Mo-ASkqrAwKfS5H53p2i7iI_eLzNGOEUcA8LjVD5Q/s1600-h/SDC10054.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339769651097606834" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGEXoeJGPJ3_MIyBQX8XnLPyfA0pTQV9fSTDrZdvomgpmQcPK39kxshJongKGzccxbShW8FDC5damGdN4d9KKiu58O13DQ8o3bh6Mo-ASkqrAwKfS5H53p2i7iI_eLzNGOEUcA8LjVD5Q/s320/SDC10054.JPG" border="0" /></a> The new interior with bamboo floor and teak cabinets.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid-kIW7NYVhR4UVC414h8faK-Hejna1nZeBO173SUG9xvOEghY3vuCBOYHwKZyd9-SF2sf-yTKqRIzjwM82bZtCUe81EM-z1nO0dnlS7fzI-yUbnCw5QZJ6pMXZqcMRmYhRzaHYb0tpig/s1600-h/DSCF8063.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339768544847401122" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid-kIW7NYVhR4UVC414h8faK-Hejna1nZeBO173SUG9xvOEghY3vuCBOYHwKZyd9-SF2sf-yTKqRIzjwM82bZtCUe81EM-z1nO0dnlS7fzI-yUbnCw5QZJ6pMXZqcMRmYhRzaHYb0tpig/s320/DSCF8063.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09187925001038074618noreply@blogger.com3