I drove the final miles across PA back to Justin's house. It was strange realizing that everything was coming to an end. I was pretty tired and feeling drowsy and everyone was quiet for the most part. Had a nice Fourth of July meal at Justin's house with his family and watched some of the Phillies game. It was so strange being home. Justin took us back to my house to get my stuff and see my Mom. I missed my family a lot so it was nice to see her. Said goodbye to Justin and figured I would never see him again...until a few days later back in Newark, where we would resume our hijinx and shenanigans. Drove back to Newark with Joe and hit the Circle. Some friends were over at my house and they welcomed back Joe and I and it was great to see them. Ended up going to some party instead of sleeping, and wound up in an inground pool at a college house. Weird.
It has been a little over a week since I have gotten home and I am just now starting to get back to normal. It was difficult adjusting back to being home at first but now I am ready for a fun summer before finishing up college in the fall. I have never had so much fun in my life and being able to share so many memories with two close friends is something that I know I am lucky to have. I saw so many parts of the country and have a much greater appreciation for the USA and how vast it is. Very grateful to Justin for planning this whole thing out and inviting me along. Also it wouldn't have been the same without Joey Boy, who was a never-ending source of amusement, laughs, and fun. Whether it was eating jambalaya and wandering all over Bourbon Street in New Orleans, being scared of mutants in the middle of nowhere in Utah, climbing mountains and canyons, being covered with mosquitoes and blisters in Wyoming, or dancing the night away at bars in Anytown, USA, I will take all the good times we had with me into the future and wherever this life leads me.
I hope everyone enjoyed keeping up with my blog and I thank you for reading. One of these days I will get around to posting the pictures. Final thought I will end with: this trip was filled with a lot of crazy experiences and fun times, but through all of the major happenings there were smaller moments that can only be described as surreal. I will never forget filtering and drinking water from springs atop canyons and mountains. After exerting yourself for hours to reach the top and then cooling off with spring water may be the best feeling in the world. I advise anyone who has the opportunity to take a trip and discover moments of your own.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Cleveland and Pittsburgh
First thing we did was head to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which was great. They do a very nice job over there. There was a really good exhibit about The Doors on the top floor. Seeing the Ramones' memorabilia and clothing was definitely the best part for me personally. After this we went to grab some food at a restaurant that charged 6 bucks for 5 onion rings which is always a ball. Then went to our friendly neighborhood Travelodge in a suburb near Cleveland. Then it was out on the town which was pretty dead but we managed to have a good time still.
Next morning left for Pittsburgh to Morgan's place. Last time I saw her she was a college kid at Grotto's and now she is a real person with a real place and a real job. I guess that will be me too in six months...geez. She has a really nice apartment and we drank wine until Joe was yacking hours later. Pittsburgh was a blur so read Justin's blog for a more detailed account. All I wanted to do was jump in a river but luckily cooler heads prevailed and I didn't. Next morning Joe entertained us with his wake-up rituals and then we got the tour of Morgan's Red Bull warehouse...which was sweet. Said goodbye and hit the PA Turnpike to go home...weird.
Next morning left for Pittsburgh to Morgan's place. Last time I saw her she was a college kid at Grotto's and now she is a real person with a real place and a real job. I guess that will be me too in six months...geez. She has a really nice apartment and we drank wine until Joe was yacking hours later. Pittsburgh was a blur so read Justin's blog for a more detailed account. All I wanted to do was jump in a river but luckily cooler heads prevailed and I didn't. Next morning Joe entertained us with his wake-up rituals and then we got the tour of Morgan's Red Bull warehouse...which was sweet. Said goodbye and hit the PA Turnpike to go home...weird.
Chi City
The drive from Milwaukee to Chicago was supposed to be a short one, but we were wrong about that. Lots of traffic and road work made it pretty clear that the East coast was becoming closer and closer. The middle of the country is vast and empty and it was a shock to get back to all the congestion. After tormenting and being tormented by an angry parking lot attendant, Justin and I were both in DHM mode. We stayed at a hostel that was more like a hotel, very nice and clean. Checked out the Tastes of Chicago Festival on Lake Michigan which seemed OK but we were craving beer and pizza so we split pretty quickly. Funny thing about Chicago was that NO ONE knew where to find a pizza place, and Chicago is supposed to be famous for that. We asked around and everyone seemed to be either a moron or disinterested in pizza. Walked around and got frustrated and eventually settled for Chipotle, which was awesome, but not what we had in mind.
Took a quick nap at the hostel to digest and woke up feeling much better. Fun night out on the town with the fellas. Joe met up with a babe he met at Summerfest and was sad when it was time to say goodbye. We met up at a place who's name I can't recall and it was Funk Night. The DJ didn't have any records by Tower of Power which led me to doubt his funk credibility. A James Brown song came on and I jumped into a circle of babes singing and actin' a fool. The only person who was impressed was Justin. Took a cab back near the hostel and hit up a gas station where I got a microwavable burger. Sitting on the curb at 3am in downtown Chicago devouring a convenience store burger, I had hit heaven. Or so Justin said. Next morning ate breakfast with Jmo while Joe slept longer, and then it was off to Cleveland.
Took a quick nap at the hostel to digest and woke up feeling much better. Fun night out on the town with the fellas. Joe met up with a babe he met at Summerfest and was sad when it was time to say goodbye. We met up at a place who's name I can't recall and it was Funk Night. The DJ didn't have any records by Tower of Power which led me to doubt his funk credibility. A James Brown song came on and I jumped into a circle of babes singing and actin' a fool. The only person who was impressed was Justin. Took a cab back near the hostel and hit up a gas station where I got a microwavable burger. Sitting on the curb at 3am in downtown Chicago devouring a convenience store burger, I had hit heaven. Or so Justin said. Next morning ate breakfast with Jmo while Joe slept longer, and then it was off to Cleveland.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Milwaukee's Best
We spent two nights in Milwaukee because we were a day ahead of schedule on the way home. Checked into our beautiful Days Inn room and headed out to Summerfest, which is a ten-day music festival in the city. Saw Jack's Mannequin play, but couldn't actually see them. Joe and Justin had a wild night and fell asleep really early. Next morning we planned on going to a brewery tour early, but Justin decided to relax all day in his bed until four. Missing the opportunity of a lifetime, Joe and I instead opted to walk to a local Irish pub called Mo's (no relation to Jmo) and had lunch. Salads and beers, how manly. Hit the Miller brewery tour at 4:45 and ended up getting a few free beers. Then we ate at mediocre restaurant and headed back to Summerfest to see Matisyahu. This was a disappointing, as his first two songs were rockin' but after that he slowed it down and didn't play the hits. We left before the set was over and went downtown to check the bars out. Being midweek, not much was going on but we enjoyed watching Joe kick it to babes. Always a good source of entertainment that guy is. Milwaukee was a fun place but was also a blur.
Highlight of Milwaukee: Guy in van pulls up alongside Joe and I to ask for directions. At the time, Joe was in need of a bathroom very badly, and could only respond with "Sorry, I gotta pee!" and sprinted away.
Highlight of Milwaukee: Guy in van pulls up alongside Joe and I to ask for directions. At the time, Joe was in need of a bathroom very badly, and could only respond with "Sorry, I gotta pee!" and sprinted away.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Water skiing in Wisconsin (and more, less important things)
One of the many highlights of the trip. Stayed with some family friends of Jmo's and they had a nice house on Lake Bear Trap and Larry and Marcia (our hosts) had a ski boat. Got to get out on the water for the first time in years and I immediately was brought back to my teenage years. Justin told me that I looked like I had switched into a different mode (and him being a man of many modes, he would know). I was in heaven. Joe was up first to try his hand at water skiing, and my man was able to get up pretty easily, which is the hardest part. Once riding on the water though, he gave us some laughs by wiping out. Justin was able to get up with no problem, but being a semi-professional downhill skiier, he suffered from snow-to-water confusion. I couldn't believe that both of them got up so quickly though, because back when we had a boat, my Dad and I saw many a friend get dragged on their faces dozens of times before suceeding. I was feeling pretty sore when I was done but it was a soreness I have missed. Nothing beats an aching back, groin, and biceps after a good run on the H20. Dudes, we will go water skiing again, that is a promise.
Side note - the life jacket I was using was made for children, very tight, and didn't even reach my belly button, so the beer gut I have developed was pushing out the bottom and sides and made me look like the dough boy. Justin was kind enough to edit the the pictures in photoshop though so I can still look cool!!
Afterwards we played some extreme bocce ball, ate a tasty meal, and played some poker. I scored my first and only gambling victory of the trip, winning ten bucks, and brought my net loss down to only $9,990 (just kidding, Mom).
Joe fell asleep first of course, and Justin had been running on a half hour of sleep in the last 36 hours, so I watched a movie while my boys snored the night away. Justin never made it to the bed. Next morning Larry showed us a nearby state park that was once a glacial river and now has some very interesting geological features, including a 200-ft deep river, rock formations, and bore holls from ancient gravel swirls.
Great stop, and we are all very grateful for the good time we had there. Thank you to Larry and Marcia for entertaining us and taking care of us!
Side note - the life jacket I was using was made for children, very tight, and didn't even reach my belly button, so the beer gut I have developed was pushing out the bottom and sides and made me look like the dough boy. Justin was kind enough to edit the the pictures in photoshop though so I can still look cool!!
Afterwards we played some extreme bocce ball, ate a tasty meal, and played some poker. I scored my first and only gambling victory of the trip, winning ten bucks, and brought my net loss down to only $9,990 (just kidding, Mom).
Joe fell asleep first of course, and Justin had been running on a half hour of sleep in the last 36 hours, so I watched a movie while my boys snored the night away. Justin never made it to the bed. Next morning Larry showed us a nearby state park that was once a glacial river and now has some very interesting geological features, including a 200-ft deep river, rock formations, and bore holls from ancient gravel swirls.
Great stop, and we are all very grateful for the good time we had there. Thank you to Larry and Marcia for entertaining us and taking care of us!
Sunday, July 6, 2008
...And so began the longest day of my life
The next "day" was a blur, as we drove over 800 miles, from Sheridan, Wyoming to Minneapolis. We made several stops along the way:
- Devil's Tower: This was awesome. A wild sight rising from the ground where everything else is flat. Pictures can do it more justice than my words. Even better was the prairie dog town at the base of it. Hundreds of them were just chilling on top of their holes, barking like crazy and looking at us. We were able to get close to some of them. Also saw a black widow spider in the field. I was wearing flip-flops, who knows how many more of them were out there ready to chomp me?
- Mount Rushmore: It was cool seeing it, but not as impressive as I had thought it would be. The faces were kind of small compared to the rest of the mountain. It is still nuts that they were able to make the faces look so detailed, and so long ago.
- Badlands Nat'l Park: Driving through the nothingness that is South Dakota, and then seeing this place is mind-boggling. It's name describes it perfectly, this area was bad. Cliffs, canyons, boulders, rocks, and towers everywhere. We were there for sunset and it was perfect.
Wyoming
Drove through Yellowstone and checked out the sights. We needed to make good time so we didn't get out too much, but got an idea of how cool a place it is. Justin once again got into DHM mode when RV's were driving obnoxiously slow all over the place. Saw some buffalo and got out to get some pictures with them...awesome. From there our plan was to drive as long as we could and then find a hotel.
Ended up in the greatest city on Earth....Sheridan, Wyoming. This place had nowhere to eat after dinnertime except a Wendy's, which we devoured. There was a bar filled with dudes in camo softball jerseys. I felt right at home.
Back at the hotel, Joe passed out like always, and we decided to put ice all over him. Of course, my man didn't wake up because he sleeps like a log.
Ended up in the greatest city on Earth....Sheridan, Wyoming. This place had nowhere to eat after dinnertime except a Wendy's, which we devoured. There was a bar filled with dudes in camo softball jerseys. I felt right at home.
Back at the hotel, Joe passed out like always, and we decided to put ice all over him. Of course, my man didn't wake up because he sleeps like a log.
Grand Teton NP
Next up was Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. This was the park I was looking forward to most because I have heard glowing reviews of it from my grandparents. Drove along some crazy, winding roads on the way there, after driving through Delaware's larger, mirror-image cousin (Idaho). Upon entering the park, a prairie dog greeted us, perched atop a rock and barking (more of a chirp) in our direction. I am being completely honest when I say that this one one of the high points of my trip. Love the prairie dogs, more on that later. We arrived at this visitor center and received some bad (OK, maybe good) news. We had planned on a three-day hike spanning 30+ miles and climbing to elevations above 12,000 ... basically the major hike of the trip. However, there had been a large amount of snow at the higher elevations and we didn't have the equipment or desire to attempt 16 inches of snow. So the new hike became an overnight, 14ish mile trek. Although it was scaled down, at least we still camped in the backcountry and retained our 'hardcore backpacker" status, and weren't reduced to an Andy style day hike.
The place is beautiful. There was a cool overlook of a lake, which we descended toward and into the Valley of Death (By Mosquitoes). Imagine Pigpen from Charlie Brown, this is what we all looked like due to literally thousands of mosquitoes covering us. It was insane.
My blisters were starting to act up by the time we got to the campsite, as this was the first time since North Carolina in which I wore my hiking boots. The place we camped was perfect. Loud, raging creek to drown out the bear sounds, huge rock formation which afforded a wonderful view (and a climbing playground for Justin), and a late-night thunderstorm which was an awesome spectacle. Laying in the tent, hearing thunder crashing above your head and then echoing throughout the canyons was awesome.
Next morning we set out back through the mosquitoes, which had subsided slightly, and hiked back up to the lake overlook. This would be our last ascent and my blisters were getting bad again. So I decided to count the number of steps it took to reach the top to keep my mind off it. 1,453 steps from top to bottom. Doesn't sound like a lot, but next time you are walking anywhere, start counting and you will be amazed how many steps that is.
Ate our final dehydrated meals of the trip, and with the Tetons in our rear view, we set out for a quick stop to Yellowstone before heading back East.
The place is beautiful. There was a cool overlook of a lake, which we descended toward and into the Valley of Death (By Mosquitoes). Imagine Pigpen from Charlie Brown, this is what we all looked like due to literally thousands of mosquitoes covering us. It was insane.
My blisters were starting to act up by the time we got to the campsite, as this was the first time since North Carolina in which I wore my hiking boots. The place we camped was perfect. Loud, raging creek to drown out the bear sounds, huge rock formation which afforded a wonderful view (and a climbing playground for Justin), and a late-night thunderstorm which was an awesome spectacle. Laying in the tent, hearing thunder crashing above your head and then echoing throughout the canyons was awesome.
Next morning we set out back through the mosquitoes, which had subsided slightly, and hiked back up to the lake overlook. This would be our last ascent and my blisters were getting bad again. So I decided to count the number of steps it took to reach the top to keep my mind off it. 1,453 steps from top to bottom. Doesn't sound like a lot, but next time you are walking anywhere, start counting and you will be amazed how many steps that is.
Ate our final dehydrated meals of the trip, and with the Tetons in our rear view, we set out for a quick stop to Yellowstone before heading back East.
Monday, June 30, 2008
SLC Punk
Drove forever to get to Salt Lake City. Got there just in time to hit up an REI for cold gear for the Tetons. Found energy bars called Hammer Bars, which made me very happy. It was great seeing Justin (an Eastern Mountain Sports whipping boy) deep inside enemy territory. He helped Joe and I get outfitted for trips and he tried to learn all he could about all outdoor sports. This is Justin's shit, if you don't believe me, check out my man's facebook employment status.
We then proceeded to our hostel, which was a dump. But the guy running the place was the Man. Loved Sherman, or as I fondly refer to him, "The Shermanator". Our reservations were all screwed up and had the crew separated, so The Shermesiter set us up in his room and then directed us toward a place he excitedly referred to as "Restuarant Row"... pretty sure he came up with that himself. My man loved to laugh out loud, loudly. Had a hard time sleeping because it was very hot, I was thirsty, and people kept waking me up. A few dudes were outside the window drinking at 3 am, and they would have fit nicely into the Newark Not-So-Goods crew back home.
Got up early and split. Would have been nice to see more of SLC, but we were ready for the long drive to Grand Teton NP in Wyoming.
We then proceeded to our hostel, which was a dump. But the guy running the place was the Man. Loved Sherman, or as I fondly refer to him, "The Shermanator". Our reservations were all screwed up and had the crew separated, so The Shermesiter set us up in his room and then directed us toward a place he excitedly referred to as "Restuarant Row"... pretty sure he came up with that himself. My man loved to laugh out loud, loudly. Had a hard time sleeping because it was very hot, I was thirsty, and people kept waking me up. A few dudes were outside the window drinking at 3 am, and they would have fit nicely into the Newark Not-So-Goods crew back home.
Got up early and split. Would have been nice to see more of SLC, but we were ready for the long drive to Grand Teton NP in Wyoming.
Reno 911
Man, this place was exactly like the TV show. I don't think we saw more than 5 people our age the two days we were there. This was an unplanned stop, as we left Yosemite early due to not having any warm clothes. Got in and set up shop in a 4-star hotel called Siena and grabbed some food at Harrah's. Not before I got my first shower since San Diego (4 days) and chilled in a robe sipping wine with my boys. Then we were off and I was set to win all the money back I lost in Vegas. Ended up breaking even again and swore off Roulette forever, after another night of massive highs and crushing lows.
Next morning Joe and I pondered whether or not to get another massage, and decided against it. Hit the pool for a while and just relaxed, Reno-style. Later in the day went to check out the city more and became a little more impressed when we found a nice area. Then I decided to attempt suicide by eating nachos, onion rings, a huge sandwich and French fries, along with some dark beer. Felt the worst I have ever felt in my entire life and went to the bathroom to try and puke some of it out, but couldn't (no gag reflex). So I went back to the room, put the robe on, and digested for an hour. Back to the wonderful casino in Siena, and played 50 cent Roulette, vowing to play with my brain and not my heart (AKA trying not to lose $100+). Must have worked, because when all was said and done, I only lost 80 bucks. Woke up in the morning ready to get to Salt Lake City and will never be going to Reno again!
Next morning Joe and I pondered whether or not to get another massage, and decided against it. Hit the pool for a while and just relaxed, Reno-style. Later in the day went to check out the city more and became a little more impressed when we found a nice area. Then I decided to attempt suicide by eating nachos, onion rings, a huge sandwich and French fries, along with some dark beer. Felt the worst I have ever felt in my entire life and went to the bathroom to try and puke some of it out, but couldn't (no gag reflex). So I went back to the room, put the robe on, and digested for an hour. Back to the wonderful casino in Siena, and played 50 cent Roulette, vowing to play with my brain and not my heart (AKA trying not to lose $100+). Must have worked, because when all was said and done, I only lost 80 bucks. Woke up in the morning ready to get to Salt Lake City and will never be going to Reno again!
Monday, June 23, 2008
Yosemite National Park
Not much to say about this because we didn't stay as long as planned. We arrived around dusk and it was getting really cold. All of us were unprepared for cold weather so we decided to nix the two-day, 28-mile hike and instead do a quick 7-mile day hike up to
West Side Y'all (California)
In San Diego we stayed with Justin’s family in a nice place. Had a BBQ which hit the spot and then went to see the Pacific. Justin and Joe went in but I has holding out for a more magical time to do so. Proceeded to downtown San Diego and checked out the Gaslamp Quarter. This place was a good time, especially for a Tuesday night. Came back, hit the sack, and in the morning went to breakfast on the beach at a really good restaurant. Played some Wii Mario Kart while our laundry dried and then hit the road for L.A.
Got to Los Angeles around dinnertime and met up with Justin’s friend Meggie. Ate dinner and hung out at a place called Busby’s. Don’t really know where it was in relation to anything cool but it was a good time. Felt like a short night, and waking up on the futon with Justin at 7 am was painful. Good time in L.A. though and wish we could have spent more time there.
Drove around 8 hours up the Pacific Coast Highway which was beautiful. Stopped by Pebble Beach to check out the golf course which was also beautiful. I bet the waiting list and the price to play there is insane. Got to Santa Cruz and ate and met up with Joe’s friend Janet. After deliberating whether to camp on the beach or in a state forest, we decided instead to have no plan and wandered around town. Santa Cruz is an interesting place. By interesting, I mean it is a town full of characters. Around 2 in the morning I decided the timing was right to take a dip in the Pacific, and found it to be freezing but after a few minutes I was numb and having a ball. Scouted out crappy, rundown motels and decided to go with the National 9 Motel which was hilarious in every regard. No mirror, caddy-corner beds, and a TV held to the ceiling with bungie-cords and belts. It was awesome.
Stopped at Janet’s uncle’s near San Jose to drop off some stuff and then made the drive to San Francisco. This was my second trip to SF and just like last time, I was sad when it was time to leave. The hostel was nice and it was great to finally get a shower again. Justin, like always, led us on an adventure that led us through the shopping district(?), Chinatown, and eventually to Fisherman’s Wharf. Some of those climbs up the steep streets were reminiscent of the Smokies and Zion. Hit up some touristy establishments, and eventually Justin and I got separated from Joe and Janet. Ended up at a real cool place in North Beach called the Bus Stop and then somehow Justin was gone too. I eventually took a cab back to the hostel and called it a night. But not before reuniting with everyone, spilling stuff everywhere, and eating Justin’s food. Great night!
Next day we checked out some sights in SF, and the highlight was a still-hungover Janet throwing up on the Golden Gate Bridge. Classy, and classic. Walked back to get the car through a very bad area where we saw some sights of an entirely different nature! Got to the car and made our way to Yosemite.
Got to Los Angeles around dinnertime and met up with Justin’s friend Meggie. Ate dinner and hung out at a place called Busby’s. Don’t really know where it was in relation to anything cool but it was a good time. Felt like a short night, and waking up on the futon with Justin at 7 am was painful. Good time in L.A. though and wish we could have spent more time there.
Drove around 8 hours up the Pacific Coast Highway which was beautiful. Stopped by Pebble Beach to check out the golf course which was also beautiful. I bet the waiting list and the price to play there is insane. Got to Santa Cruz and ate and met up with Joe’s friend Janet. After deliberating whether to camp on the beach or in a state forest, we decided instead to have no plan and wandered around town. Santa Cruz is an interesting place. By interesting, I mean it is a town full of characters. Around 2 in the morning I decided the timing was right to take a dip in the Pacific, and found it to be freezing but after a few minutes I was numb and having a ball. Scouted out crappy, rundown motels and decided to go with the National 9 Motel which was hilarious in every regard. No mirror, caddy-corner beds, and a TV held to the ceiling with bungie-cords and belts. It was awesome.
Stopped at Janet’s uncle’s near San Jose to drop off some stuff and then made the drive to San Francisco. This was my second trip to SF and just like last time, I was sad when it was time to leave. The hostel was nice and it was great to finally get a shower again. Justin, like always, led us on an adventure that led us through the shopping district(?), Chinatown, and eventually to Fisherman’s Wharf. Some of those climbs up the steep streets were reminiscent of the Smokies and Zion. Hit up some touristy establishments, and eventually Justin and I got separated from Joe and Janet. Ended up at a real cool place in North Beach called the Bus Stop and then somehow Justin was gone too. I eventually took a cab back to the hostel and called it a night. But not before reuniting with everyone, spilling stuff everywhere, and eating Justin’s food. Great night!
Next day we checked out some sights in SF, and the highlight was a still-hungover Janet throwing up on the Golden Gate Bridge. Classy, and classic. Walked back to get the car through a very bad area where we saw some sights of an entirely different nature! Got to the car and made our way to Yosemite.
Vegas - An Emotional Rollercoaster
This place was nuts. To make a long story short, we waited in line for an hour to check in, lost a lot of money on roulette, won it all back, hit the strip, lost a ridiculous amount of money on roulette, won it all back, then won a ridiculous amount of money on roulette. You get the picture. By the end of night 1, Justin and Joe were up, and I had just about broken even.
Day 2 was similar. Except I lost some money and got a massage. Had a goofy dance party in the hotel room and then went to get some dinner, where Justin was not impressed with the service (and he let them know it). More ups and downs with roulette. Let’s just say I came out of Vegas with a lighter wallet then I arrived with. And the worst part is, I don’t think I learned any lessons from it! I had a blast here despite struggling in the casino and it was definitely a lot of fun losing!
Zion Nat'l Park
After Buckskin Gulch we drove a few hours to Zion National Park Utah
I thought the hike at the Smokies in NC was the hardest thing I have ever done. The hike at
This was mountain lion country but I wasn’t too worried because
a) I am good with cats
b) Apparently, mountain lions run away if you throw rocks at them and fight them back
Needless to saw, I was very excited to encounter a mountain lion so I could whoop its ass and use the story to make myself look cool. However, I was not lucky enough and will have to just pretend I did.
The next morning we woke up early and hiked back down. This time it was almost entirely downhill, as we just were coming back the way we came. Hiked at a much brisker pace, despite Justin suffering severely from mucus/cold problems, and got back to the bottom in a around 3.5 hours. Stuffed our faces with burgers, pizza, and hot dogs, and then loaded up the car and departed for
Zion National Park
After Buckskin Gulch we drove a few hours to
This was mountain lion country but I wasn’t too worried because
a) I am good with cats
b) Apparently, mountain lions run away if you throw rocks at them and fight them back
Needless to saw, I was very excited to encounter a mountain lion so I could whoop its ass and use the story to make myself look cool. However, I was not lucky enough and will have to just pretend I did.
The next morning we woke up early and hiked back down. This time it was almost entirely downhill, as we just were coming back the way we came. Hiked at a much brisker pace, despite Justin suffering severely from mucus/cold problems, and got back to the bottom in a around 3.5 hours. Stuffed our faces with burgers, pizza, and hot dogs, and then loaded up the car and departed for
Friday, June 20, 2008
Utah: Buckskin Gulch
Let me start off by saying this place was in the middle of NOWHERE in Utah. There was a small, unmarked road off the highway which led to the campsite. 14 miles on that took about 35 minutes because it was so rough. The area looked straight out of the movie The Hills Have Eyes, which I had just watched the day before on my iPod, so naturally I was freaked. As I put it at the time, in terms of being scared, I was at about a 4 out of 10 on the scared meter. We finally got to the campsite, which was devoid of life. Once the sun started going down, the temperature dropped rapidly and I also decided to be a man and stop being nervous. Made some food and a fire and went to bed pretty early. That night was FREEZING. The morning was even colder. Justin and I woke up right before sunrise to watch the sun come up over the hills. It was so cold that we ended up watching it from inside his car. Not going to lie, I think the two of us had a moment. Until Joe came out of the tent with his asscrack hanging out (100th time of the trip we saw this) and ruined it.
There were a bunch of wild cows walking around the campsite and every time they would MOO we would all crack up. Headed over to the Wire Pass trail which would lead us to Buckskin Gulch, which is a slot canyon. There was some French guy who barely spoke English trying to "help" us but he really just confused us about the need for permits, the right way to go, etc. I guess I should add that the only map we had was the one that Justin claimed was "inside his head". So we ended up going the wrong way and after about 15 minutes, the crazy French guy shows up again and tells us "WRONG WAY"... and we turned around. Finally found the right way and got to Buckskin Gulch. This was the most ridiculous thing I will probably ever see in my life. There were points where the sun wasn't visible and other points where the canyon walls were barely wide enough to fit your shoulders through. I can't possibly describe what we saw in words, so check out the pictures on Justin's blog (link on the side) for that.
Coolest place I think I have ever been to.
There were a bunch of wild cows walking around the campsite and every time they would MOO we would all crack up. Headed over to the Wire Pass trail which would lead us to Buckskin Gulch, which is a slot canyon. There was some French guy who barely spoke English trying to "help" us but he really just confused us about the need for permits, the right way to go, etc. I guess I should add that the only map we had was the one that Justin claimed was "inside his head". So we ended up going the wrong way and after about 15 minutes, the crazy French guy shows up again and tells us "WRONG WAY"... and we turned around. Finally found the right way and got to Buckskin Gulch. This was the most ridiculous thing I will probably ever see in my life. There were points where the sun wasn't visible and other points where the canyon walls were barely wide enough to fit your shoulders through. I can't possibly describe what we saw in words, so check out the pictures on Justin's blog (link on the side) for that.
Coolest place I think I have ever been to.
Grand Canyon
Next stop for us was the Grand Canyon. We checked out the North Rim which Justin said was the better side and not as visited. Got there and walked along the edge and was amazed. I couldn't even comprehend some of the things I saw...everything just looked like a painted backdrop. We were also surprised that the lodge had a saloon (haha). Set up camp and made a fire and just hung out. The next day the fellas went on a hike down into the canyon and I stayed behind because the blisters still were not fully healed. I hung out at the lodge all day and just checked out the views some more and flip-flopped around. From the way the guys looked when they got back from the hike, it may have been a good thing that I skipped it. Joe apparently was close to death, and we have a hilarious picture to prove it. Maybe if I ever upload more pictures it will be on here (probably not). Fun stop, and got a good chance to let my blisters heal a little more before Buckskin Gulch.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Albuquerque, NM and Flagstaff, AZ
Wow, it has been a while. A lot has happened and I haven't had much time to get on here. I am writing this from Las Vegas, which will be a blog in itself eventually, but now I only have time for one post.
After Texas we had a long drive to Albuquerque. Nice place and nice views, but not much going on in the summer. We hung out near UNM but it was pretty dead, had a nice meal at a local estab. and then walked around campus and the city a little. Ended up having a "party" in the hotel room that involved one beer each and all falling asleep by 11pm. And that's all I have to say about 'Querque.
Next stop was Flagstaff, AZ which was AWESOME. We had a three-bed room at the hostel, which was a big deal to us. Walked around town, which at the elevation was very chilly (good thing) and ended up at some bar and proceeded to have a blowout. Ordered some girly drinks, then some more girly drinks. Also had some manly brew called Moose Drool. Some guy outside was harassing me which was funny. He gave a great quote which was directed at me... "A dog has more class than you, mang". So we laughed at him because he was trying real hard to be a gang bangin' thug, and moved on to do some karaoke to Brick House by The Commodores and then a Killers song. Both were disasters, but I am used to being on stage so I had some pretty sw33t moves and put my boys to shame. Just a side note, by this time, Brick House had officially become the anthem of our trip, and we have listened to it an average of 34 times a day. I like ladies stacked, and that's a fact, ain't holdin' nothin' back!
Whenever I get a chance I will update again for Grand Canyon, Buckskin Gulch, Zion National Park, and Vegas. All good times.
After Texas we had a long drive to Albuquerque. Nice place and nice views, but not much going on in the summer. We hung out near UNM but it was pretty dead, had a nice meal at a local estab. and then walked around campus and the city a little. Ended up having a "party" in the hotel room that involved one beer each and all falling asleep by 11pm. And that's all I have to say about 'Querque.
Next stop was Flagstaff, AZ which was AWESOME. We had a three-bed room at the hostel, which was a big deal to us. Walked around town, which at the elevation was very chilly (good thing) and ended up at some bar and proceeded to have a blowout. Ordered some girly drinks, then some more girly drinks. Also had some manly brew called Moose Drool. Some guy outside was harassing me which was funny. He gave a great quote which was directed at me... "A dog has more class than you, mang". So we laughed at him because he was trying real hard to be a gang bangin' thug, and moved on to do some karaoke to Brick House by The Commodores and then a Killers song. Both were disasters, but I am used to being on stage so I had some pretty sw33t moves and put my boys to shame. Just a side note, by this time, Brick House had officially become the anthem of our trip, and we have listened to it an average of 34 times a day. I like ladies stacked, and that's a fact, ain't holdin' nothin' back!
Whenever I get a chance I will update again for Grand Canyon, Buckskin Gulch, Zion National Park, and Vegas. All good times.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Lone Star State
This trip is getting so nuts so quick. I didn't think anything could match the amount of fun we had in Louisiana. Then we got to Texas.
First stop was overnight in Dallas. We were all beat from the New Orleans the night before, and after a long, long drive we got into Dallas. Let me just say our EconoLodge room was nothing short of amazing. Busted AC, malfunctioning locks and sinks, broken TV...it got 1.5 stars on Hotels.com! Went to a rooftop patio at a place called Gator's in the West End and just relaxed for a bit. Pretty cool band was playing and we all got a turn on the cowbells. Then we just headed back to our fantastic room and I finally somehow got my first decent night of sleep.
Next day was awesome. Long drive to Lubbock, TX to meet up with Justin's friend Caitlin. Hours and hours of absolutely nothing except wind farms. But it was beautiful. Finally got to Lubbock, which for all of you back home is pretty much like the Dover/Salisbury of Texas. Except instead of being boring, we had a crazy time. Hung out and saw the sights with Caitlin and her friend Rachel. Quickly turned into a backseat dance party in the car which then became a full-blown five-person dance party back at the apt. Joe and I had a very special moment together sharing the always smooth taste of Keystone Light, except instead of back home, it was out of BOTTLES. BRILLIANT! Also, Lubbock is a dry town so right outside of it there is a place called "The Strip" which is basically a row of liquor stores which a bunch of florescent lights and it was ridiculous. The whole night was so much fun between the dancing, eating, staying up until the sun came up with Rachel, Joe apparently wandering into a girl's room, more dancing, and oh yeah, forgetting to eat dinner somewhere along the way. So the next morning after a refreshing one-hour sleep on the floor, I realized I my stomach was eating itself from the inside. A trip to a place that served Mexican food for breakfast (and charged me for my water) solved that, and then we hit the road to get to New Mexico. It was my turn to drive, but I only lasted an hour and Justin had to take over.
First stop was overnight in Dallas. We were all beat from the New Orleans the night before, and after a long, long drive we got into Dallas. Let me just say our EconoLodge room was nothing short of amazing. Busted AC, malfunctioning locks and sinks, broken TV...it got 1.5 stars on Hotels.com! Went to a rooftop patio at a place called Gator's in the West End and just relaxed for a bit. Pretty cool band was playing and we all got a turn on the cowbells. Then we just headed back to our fantastic room and I finally somehow got my first decent night of sleep.
Next day was awesome. Long drive to Lubbock, TX to meet up with Justin's friend Caitlin. Hours and hours of absolutely nothing except wind farms. But it was beautiful. Finally got to Lubbock, which for all of you back home is pretty much like the Dover/Salisbury of Texas. Except instead of being boring, we had a crazy time. Hung out and saw the sights with Caitlin and her friend Rachel. Quickly turned into a backseat dance party in the car which then became a full-blown five-person dance party back at the apt. Joe and I had a very special moment together sharing the always smooth taste of Keystone Light, except instead of back home, it was out of BOTTLES. BRILLIANT! Also, Lubbock is a dry town so right outside of it there is a place called "The Strip" which is basically a row of liquor stores which a bunch of florescent lights and it was ridiculous. The whole night was so much fun between the dancing, eating, staying up until the sun came up with Rachel, Joe apparently wandering into a girl's room, more dancing, and oh yeah, forgetting to eat dinner somewhere along the way. So the next morning after a refreshing one-hour sleep on the floor, I realized I my stomach was eating itself from the inside. A trip to a place that served Mexican food for breakfast (and charged me for my water) solved that, and then we hit the road to get to New Mexico. It was my turn to drive, but I only lasted an hour and Justin had to take over.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Saturday, June 7, 2008
New Orleans
Man, this place was a blow out.
*Joe disappearing from the bar, while in possession of a girl’s cell phone. Looked for him for hours and finally caught a cab back to the hostel, only to find him passed out in his bed. The phone is still M.I.A.
*Huge Ass Beers To Go
*Bars packed, no lines, taking drinks from one bar into another is normal, open containers are normal.
*Coming back to the hostel with unauthorized guests at
* “You have gotten me into party mode now. You have no idea what you’ve gotten yourself into” - Justin
Atlanta
Took the subway to the Underground Atlanta, which is just a crappy mall. Then got on a shuttle and went to Turner Field to see the Braves play the Marlins. Obviously, I hate both teams but it was more beneficial to the Phils to have the Braves win. So for one night, I “rooted” for
Back at the hostel, I was trying to plug my cell charger in and knocked a glass of water all over some guy’s iPod, headphones, papers, and other stuff. I wiped it up best I could while Joe guarded the door. To complete the cover-up, we refilled the glass to make it appear as if nothing had happened, even though everything was all messed up now. I did not sleep well that night because I was thinking the guy was going to interrogate everyone in the room upon discovering the tragedy. Funny thing is at
Random Thoughts From the Smokies
*Water purified and drank immediately from the source in the woods just seems to taste better than any other kind of water (except maybe Vitamin Water).
*Bear Anxiety is the worst type of anxiety
*Blisters on your heels that are 2+ inches wide are not fun. Especially when they are open.
*I think it is about as difficult to hike downhill as it is to go uphill.
GSMNP Cpntinued...
We were originally going to hike 13 miles to a backcountry campsite and finish the next day with another 8 miles. We ended up deciding to add 6 extra miles on the first day in order to reach the top of
I have to take the time here to clear up some rumors that may be flying around. On Justin’s blog, he is claiming that your pal Papa Stevsie was afraid of bear attacks. It may be true that we spent the night in the backcountry and Joe and I heard a bunch of loud noises. It may be true that these noises alarmed us. It may even be true that we woke up Justin Moses, Licensed Bear Expert, to convey our concerns. But to claim that I was afraid of bears is absoulutly ridicu—OK you got me, I barely slept a wink that night due to bear attack anxiety. (The next morning, Joe actually did spot a black bear running through the woods).
Richmond, Asheville, Great Smoky Mountains
We hung out with my family down in
Up very early for the long drive to the
By the evening we had arrived at the Smokies and Joe and I built a miserable little fire that didn’t last too long. I wasn’t able to sleep very well because I was excited to hike the next day. For some reason or another, I have not gotten a good night’s sleep since.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
It's close
Heading out in two days. I am in the process of packing right now, and it is going slow. It's difficult to wrap my brain around how much I need to take with me for a month. A lot of things will be forgotten I am sure. Monday can't come fast enough!
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Itinerary
June 2 Richmond, VA
June 3-4 Great Smokey Mountains National Park, NC
June 5 Atlanta
June 6 New Orleans
June 7 Dallas
June 8 Lubbock, TX
June 9 Albuquerque, NM
June 10 Flagstaff, AZ
June 11 Grand Canyon / North Rim, AZ
June 12 Wire Pass Trailhead / Buckskin Gulch, UT
June 13 Zion National Park, UT
June 14 Grand Canyon / West Rim, AZ
June 15-16 Las Vegas
June 17 San Diego
June 18-19 Los Angeles
June 20 San Francisco
June 21-22 Yosemite
June 23 Night drive/camp through Nevada
June 24 Salt Lake City, UT
June 25-26 Grand Teton National Park , WY
June 27 Flagg Ranch, WY
June 28 Badlands National Park, SD
June 29 Night drive Route 90 East
June 30 Milwaukee, WI
July 1 Chicago, IL
July 2 Cleveland, OH
July 3 Pittsburgh, PA
July 4 Home for Independence Day BEER-B-Q
LINKS
twitter.com/papastevsie
I will be updating often through my cell phone on this site, especially when camping
flickr.com/photos/papastevsie
Index for all the pictures from the trip
June 3-4 Great Smokey Mountains National Park, NC
June 5 Atlanta
June 6 New Orleans
June 7 Dallas
June 8 Lubbock, TX
June 9 Albuquerque, NM
June 10 Flagstaff, AZ
June 11 Grand Canyon / North Rim, AZ
June 12 Wire Pass Trailhead / Buckskin Gulch, UT
June 13 Zion National Park, UT
June 14 Grand Canyon / West Rim, AZ
June 15-16 Las Vegas
June 17 San Diego
June 18-19 Los Angeles
June 20 San Francisco
June 21-22 Yosemite
June 23 Night drive/camp through Nevada
June 24 Salt Lake City, UT
June 25-26 Grand Teton National Park , WY
June 27 Flagg Ranch, WY
June 28 Badlands National Park, SD
June 29 Night drive Route 90 East
June 30 Milwaukee, WI
July 1 Chicago, IL
July 2 Cleveland, OH
July 3 Pittsburgh, PA
July 4 Home for Independence Day BEER-B-Q
LINKS
twitter.com/papastevsie
I will be updating often through my cell phone on this site, especially when camping
flickr.com/photos/papastevsie
Index for all the pictures from the trip
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Road Trip
Departing June 2nd. I will post anything interesting that happens on here. I will have a flickr account set up as well for pictures, and I will be updating my twitter as much as possible (twitter.com/papastevsie).
More details to come.
More details to come.
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