Miles on the car: 6200
Miles on our boots: 110.5 hiking
Miles wading in a river: 8
Miles rafting: 34
Miles biking: Jamie 10, Mike 15 (yep, here we go again)... Biked into another state!
Driving Time: 124 hours (ridiculous)
States Visited: 16 (UT, WY, ID, MT, WA, OR, CA, NV, AZ, NM, CO, KS, MO, IL, IN, OH)
Foreign Nations Visited: 3 (Hualapai, Ute, and Navajo lands)
Lowest Gas Price: $3.17/ gallon
Highest Temperature: 110 degrees (and over 100 for the last week!)
Days I've spent not leaving the bed: 1 (so far)
Times we've nearly killed each other (or REALLY wanted to): 3
Times made up: 3 (so far, so good!)
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Day 30: Stupid Tourists
We decided to play tourist today and went to the Jefferson National Expansion Monument in St. Louis. We rented bikes and rode along the "river trail" ... more an industrial center than a ride along the river. But hey, we rode across the McKinley Bridge and rode our bikes into Illinois!
From there we went to the Gateway Arch and rode a tram (small, squashed, egg-like structure) to the top of the arch. More requisite tourist pics, then back down. Yummy sushi rolls at Drunken Fish, and back to the road!
From there we went to the Gateway Arch and rode a tram (small, squashed, egg-like structure) to the top of the arch. More requisite tourist pics, then back down. Yummy sushi rolls at Drunken Fish, and back to the road!
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Day 29: Homeless Ambitions
Today we really just tried to reconfigure our route. Colorado is out, no plans until the weekend, KS is 110 degrees, flat, full of fields, and not our idea of a good time (sorry Katie & Mark).
Another long day of driving (on the road at 11 am, just after 9 pm and still on the road). Headed to St Louis tonight, and some new plans for tomorrow in the city.
Yesterday seemed long, today not so much. One "silver lining" (Mike's favorite expression) to these long driving stretches is just uninterrupted time to talk to each other. We stopped at a yummy restaurant for lunch today, and got talking to the guy who took our order. We were explaining the road trip to him, and he bluntly asked, "so, how are you guys doing with each other?" We both laughed, and I made some joke about no one dying yet, but the truth is we've never been better.
"Who would've known I had dreams of being homeless?" -Mike
Another long day of driving (on the road at 11 am, just after 9 pm and still on the road). Headed to St Louis tonight, and some new plans for tomorrow in the city.
Yesterday seemed long, today not so much. One "silver lining" (Mike's favorite expression) to these long driving stretches is just uninterrupted time to talk to each other. We stopped at a yummy restaurant for lunch today, and got talking to the guy who took our order. We were explaining the road trip to him, and he bluntly asked, "so, how are you guys doing with each other?" We both laughed, and I made some joke about no one dying yet, but the truth is we've never been better.
"Who would've known I had dreams of being homeless?" -Mike
Day 28: Wildfires!
We got up early today and planned to hit Four Corners and camp near Denver. We reached 4 corners by noon and took the requisite tourist pic, and then headed to find a place to camp.
Our goal was Rocky Mountain National Park, but we'd decided that was too far to go in a day and decided to break it up with a stop in Mesa Verde. Oh, wildfires there. Cancel that.
Hmmm... push on to RM? Nope, fires all over there. Talked to Katie, who said the city was covered in smoke. No thanks. Back up plan... Colorado Springs?
As we neared there, another fire kicked up and spread quickly over the mountain. The hotel we'd planned to stay at when we realized camping was unsafe became an evacuation site. Again, we took off.
We tried to grab a hotel another hour or so out, but everything was full. Back on the freeway. We finally got a Motel 6 in Goodland, KS around 12:30 pm.
So today...
We were in 5 states
Drove about 800 miles
Changed time zones twice
Started in the car at 8 am, ended at 1230 pm.
Crazy day!
Our goal was Rocky Mountain National Park, but we'd decided that was too far to go in a day and decided to break it up with a stop in Mesa Verde. Oh, wildfires there. Cancel that.
Hmmm... push on to RM? Nope, fires all over there. Talked to Katie, who said the city was covered in smoke. No thanks. Back up plan... Colorado Springs?
As we neared there, another fire kicked up and spread quickly over the mountain. The hotel we'd planned to stay at when we realized camping was unsafe became an evacuation site. Again, we took off.
We tried to grab a hotel another hour or so out, but everything was full. Back on the freeway. We finally got a Motel 6 in Goodland, KS around 12:30 pm.
So today...
We were in 5 states
Drove about 800 miles
Changed time zones twice
Started in the car at 8 am, ended at 1230 pm.
Crazy day!
Day 27: Wild Goose Chase Squared
We spent the majority of today chasing butane and a random dirt road & camping spot that Mike believes he went to on another trip. I know most people would call that multiplied, not squared, but trust me, based on the time I was stuck in the car, it's squared.
We decided to spend one more night here and camp in GC South, just to see another view of the canyon and to enter the national park. There were only spots left at Desert View campground, so we headed to set up camp. At this point, we started searching for this camp site... about 3 hours of searching. I really don't even want to talk about it, it was that crazy!
We caught sunset at the Watchtower near Desert View and camped. Fire danger, so no campfires. Luckily, however, we were camped near two children who spent most of the afternoon slaying dragons, so at least we were safe on that front!
We decided to spend one more night here and camp in GC South, just to see another view of the canyon and to enter the national park. There were only spots left at Desert View campground, so we headed to set up camp. At this point, we started searching for this camp site... about 3 hours of searching. I really don't even want to talk about it, it was that crazy!
We caught sunset at the Watchtower near Desert View and camped. Fire danger, so no campfires. Luckily, however, we were camped near two children who spent most of the afternoon slaying dragons, so at least we were safe on that front!
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Day 26: That Commercial
$150 for 3 nights in a Kingman hotel
$760 for 2 passes for white water rafting on the Colorado River and a helicopter flight out of the Grand Canyon
$10 for breakfast at the Hualapai Lodge
$100 for 2 Skywalk passes
$107 for Skywalk pictures (including some candid shots)
$50 for river rafting pictures
Memories from today (and having the man you love be as happy as he was)... Priceless!
Really amazing day, we took a bus from the Hualapai Lodge to the Colorado River in Grand Canyon West. We spent about 5 hours on the river, a couple hours through some crazy rapids, a hike up to Travertine Falls, lunch, and another couple hours through calm water. The boat docked below a helicopter pad, and we had a helicopter lift us out of the canyon (with more amazing views). From there, we went to the Skywalk, then back to the lodge. Long, full day!
I've attached some pics that we took, the ones we bought are better, but I mailed them back to HI so they wouldn't get destroyed in this messy car! I'll upload them later.
$760 for 2 passes for white water rafting on the Colorado River and a helicopter flight out of the Grand Canyon
$10 for breakfast at the Hualapai Lodge
$100 for 2 Skywalk passes
$107 for Skywalk pictures (including some candid shots)
$50 for river rafting pictures
Memories from today (and having the man you love be as happy as he was)... Priceless!
Really amazing day, we took a bus from the Hualapai Lodge to the Colorado River in Grand Canyon West. We spent about 5 hours on the river, a couple hours through some crazy rapids, a hike up to Travertine Falls, lunch, and another couple hours through calm water. The boat docked below a helicopter pad, and we had a helicopter lift us out of the canyon (with more amazing views). From there, we went to the Skywalk, then back to the lodge. Long, full day!
I've attached some pics that we took, the ones we bought are better, but I mailed them back to HI so they wouldn't get destroyed in this messy car! I'll upload them later.
Day 25: ...
Quote of the day:
Mike: "All I had to do to get you to relax was drag you around the country, hiking like 100 miles or something. I can always lay around all day!"
...and that was today.
Mike: "All I had to do to get you to relax was drag you around the country, hiking like 100 miles or something. I can always lay around all day!"
...and that was today.
Friday, June 22, 2012
Day 24: Hitchhikers
You may have noticed a picture yesterday of Mike's boots and some ground squirrels. Well, apparently Mike made friends with these squirrels. He's made quite a few friends on this trip, some helpful, some not so much. These ground squirrels, not so helpful. We had a bag of trash sitting out this morning, and a few squirrels took interest in it while we were taking down camp. Mike repeatedly shooed them away, so after he left for the bathroom, one found a new place to play... our car. His friends thought it looked interesting as well, so we had a couple squirrels running around in it. Now, we basically have our entire lives packed in this SUV, so they had a lot of places to hide. Quite an interesting game of Find the Squirrel!
Anyway, we're on the road now, (hopefully) rodent free, headed to AZ. We're spending a couple days at a motel in Kingsman and headed into Grand Canyon West for some white water rafting on Sunday! Tonight, we plan not to leave the motel, we're both in need of some "veg" time.
Anyway, we're on the road now, (hopefully) rodent free, headed to AZ. We're spending a couple days at a motel in Kingsman and headed into Grand Canyon West for some white water rafting on Sunday! Tonight, we plan not to leave the motel, we're both in need of some "veg" time.
Day 23: Canyons & Hoodoos
We left Zion today and headed to Bryce Canyon (which we are constantly being told is an amphitheater, not a canyon, not sure why they don't change the name.
We hiked down the Peekaboo Loop trail and connected with the Navajo Loop, then hiked from Sunset to Sunrise point along the rim (about 4 miles total). I must still be exhausted from yesterday, because this hike felt brutal! I'm really looking forward to a shower and a real bed at some point soon.
Here's some pics from today, the views were pretty spectacular.
We hiked down the Peekaboo Loop trail and connected with the Navajo Loop, then hiked from Sunset to Sunrise point along the rim (about 4 miles total). I must still be exhausted from yesterday, because this hike felt brutal! I'm really looking forward to a shower and a real bed at some point soon.
Here's some pics from today, the views were pretty spectacular.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Day 22: The Narrows
Well, it's hard to figure out mileage when you spend the day zigzagging back and forth across, through, in, and around a riverbed, but I'm pretty sure we got a workout in.
We moved to South Campground this morning, very shady and much more accessible, and hopped the shuttle to the Temple of Sinawava. About 10 am we headed out into The Narrows, basically a hike up the Virgin River where in cuts the canyon. The hike was amazing, beautiful, exhausting, impressive, excruciating at times, but quite an experience. We spent a good 8 hours plus in the trail, a full crazy day, and finished the hike about 6:30 pm. I seriously cannot wait for real food!
Mike decided that the hike was trying to teach us to "take it to the limit" and "take it easy." I got the lesson early, but apparently he doesn't know when to stop teaching, cause the lesson just kept going!
I know the pictures will not do it justice, but I'm attaching them anyway! Enjoy!
We moved to South Campground this morning, very shady and much more accessible, and hopped the shuttle to the Temple of Sinawava. About 10 am we headed out into The Narrows, basically a hike up the Virgin River where in cuts the canyon. The hike was amazing, beautiful, exhausting, impressive, excruciating at times, but quite an experience. We spent a good 8 hours plus in the trail, a full crazy day, and finished the hike about 6:30 pm. I seriously cannot wait for real food!
Mike decided that the hike was trying to teach us to "take it to the limit" and "take it easy." I got the lesson early, but apparently he doesn't know when to stop teaching, cause the lesson just kept going!
I know the pictures will not do it justice, but I'm attaching them anyway! Enjoy!
Day 21: Huh, the Desert is Hot!
Really long drive from Santa Barbara to Zion Canyon today, but we finally found the sun! We drove through Las Vegas and I now have even less of a desire to visit there than ever before. 110 degrees and commercialism all the way. We hit a Costco there, I think I'm good.
Mike started getting really excited about the time we passed through Arizona, when the scenery started to change. Beautiful red rocks totally trumped desert brush. A couple hours later we made it to the park (about 6) and found a camping spot in he Watchmen campground for the night.
Finally we got a hike in (still plenty of heat for that) to the top of the Watchmen mountain. Pretty views of the canyon (look at pics below).
We finished the night under some amazing stars.
Oh, did I mention that Mike's favorite pic from this trip is in this post? Bonus points to anyone who can figure out which pic and why :).
Mike started getting really excited about the time we passed through Arizona, when the scenery started to change. Beautiful red rocks totally trumped desert brush. A couple hours later we made it to the park (about 6) and found a camping spot in he Watchmen campground for the night.
Finally we got a hike in (still plenty of heat for that) to the top of the Watchmen mountain. Pretty views of the canyon (look at pics below).
We finished the night under some amazing stars.
Oh, did I mention that Mike's favorite pic from this trip is in this post? Bonus points to anyone who can figure out which pic and why :).
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| Eastern CA & NV was a flat, boring drive. When we finally entered AZ, we finally started to see the landscape change. SO exciting! |
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| Hiking the Watchmen trail in Zion Canyon |
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| Views of Zion Canyon from along the Watchmen trail at dusk |
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| Cheesy picture along the trail |
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| View from the top of the Watchmen trail |
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| Apparently he's hungry? I guess it didn't try to eat him first. |
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| Two teams, one picture. In case you hadn't figured it out... |
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