Tour de America

2011-07-20T18:32:00.001-07:00

The night in Portland Maine was a change of scenery as we spent it at a Whole Foods parking lot. Waking up was the usual routine switching our gear from the front to the back. We stopped at a bakery for some coffee and breakfast. The gingerbread here was amazing. It was probably the best ginger bread either of us had, moist, smooth with a hint of lemon frosting. With this great discovery we walked the street as early morning risers were out and about going into local shops and stores. At one point we walked down a pier right out into the middle of the harbor and bay.

The main highlight of Maine was to get some lobster and try some blueberries, but it was so early we either weren’t hungry yet, or the places we wanted to go to weren’t serving. We did stop in however at a souvenir shop where I had some blueberry mash on crackers and bread. Unfortunately Michael missed out as he was flirting with the girl at the register. Deciding to try and catch up with our internet duties and post cards there was a local cafe that we spent a few hours in. Feeling hungry once again there was a seafood place right on the waters edge recommended. Sitting outside I was excited to get my lobster roll with fries, about ten dollars cheaper here than on the west coast. Mike had a good looking chicken sandwich, and tried some loose lobster bits.

Portland was beautiful. There was a very nice small hometown feel, with friendly people with funny accents, and great nature views. But after half a day we had to make our way to Buffalo New York. It was going to be crazy shot across the base of Maine, through New Hampshire, Vermont and then upstate New York towards the great lakes. The route would have been faster if we had gone south towards Boston and then taken the the main highway, but we had to go through Vermont, so it was a bunch of switches this way and that zig zagging across on small town highways. There was a slight slip up as we got our first ticket of the trip, wooh! 82 in a 65, yeah our bad, sorry Maine. Let's say our driving was a bit tempered after that.

We'd get into Buffalo pretty late, but real hungry. Looking for some authentic Buffalo food there was actually a restaurant that we wanted to try still open. It had an odd chinese restaurant, hotel lobby feel but the food was amazing. Deciding to split it all we had some extra hot buffalo wings of course, beef on weck, and one big ass packed to the brim stromboli. Jeez was that good. The stromboli would only get half eaten so the rest was saved for breakfast the next morning.

Here's where it get's a bit crazy. We found out that the Giants, yes our very own San Francisco Giants, were playing the Detroit Tigers the next day at 1 o clock. It would be the last game of the series before they flew back home to face the Pads. We still had to visit Niagra falls closer north but we said yeah let's make the trip. It would only be a 6 hour drive from Niagra to Detroit to get there in time for the start of the game. Do-able? On this trip, hell yeah. So that same night we drove 30 minutes to Niagra falls and found a walmart parking lot with a bunch of RV's in it. It had been a while since we had friends in the parking lot. Excited for tomorrow we hit the sack fast.

Just as I said this next day would take some hustle. We woke up at 6, I know, that sucks, and walked towards Niagra Falls. Unfortunately we didn't have valid passports at the time we left so there was no point in trying to hop the border...unless.... never mind. The area was beautiful as we walked around taking pictures of the falls from different view points. We spent a half hour, maybe a little more, just enjoying the view. Even though the maids of the mist didn't operate until 9 we were ok with passing it up as the falls still drenches you from most areas around.

Hustling back to the car we were off for Detroit, trying to make it within our specified and allotted time. However it wouldn't matter if we got there late, it was the freaking Giants! So the trip took us down around Lake Eerie, back into Pennsylvania, over the top of Ohio, through Cleveland which we decided was forgettable, and then up to Detroit. Well what do you think happened making this huge trek 6 hours away? We freaking made it that's what happened with 15 minutes to spare! Hell Yeah!!! Looking for tickets we were almost scammed by a scalper before just opting for some normal stadium upper deck seats. We were both jacked on adrenaline that we had made the journey, and were one of the proud few to cheer on the opposing team! In my Posey jersey, (Please get better!) and with handfuls of seeds ( The bucket is half empty guys!) we got to relax and enjoy our last baseball game of the trip supporting our very own team. The stadium itself though was probably the lamest of the 4 we visited. Fenway is a historical icon, Ted Turner had a lot of careless gimmicks, and Citibank was hardcore Philly, but Comerica park was unbelievably cheesy reflecting a carnival-esque style. It was kind of a joke.

As all you Giants fans will know this was the one game of the series they lost. The first was a comeback late inning win, the second was a huge blowout, and then the one we went to was a slight loss. We saw the Braves beat the Jays, woooh! We saw the A's beat the Philles, nice! But the one game that truly mattered, the Giants would lose. Of course we were disappointed, but we still had a great time, it was an awesome game. Maybe you can tell i'm still jacked just thinking about it.

There was game traffic trying to get out of the area so it took a while to leave, but we had already planned our next move in Detroit. Now I know most of you will groan at the thought of this, but it was something that had to be done (Kim don't give me that look) yeah, we got White Castle. It was the most disgusting thing we had encountered, but at the same time incredibly glorious. At first we thought to just get a few burgers each and some fries, we changed our minds however as soon as the cashier opened her mouth. She roped us in, and we instead purchased 10 cheeseburger sliders, a bag of fries, 2 large drinks, and 20 chicken rings for 15 dollars or so. Ho boy. I don't think I need to clarify what a chicken ring is, just use your imagination and I'm sure you have a great idea of what it is. We saw her take em out of the freezer and plop them into the fryer. I still can't decide if we knew or didn't know what we were getting ourselves into.

5 burgers down a piece, most of the fries gone, and a couple chicken ring stragglers left over we sat there disgusted, and satisfied. It took a while to get moving, but before we did, there was another one of those crazy great moments. During this whole escapade there had been a mad creeper outside the window, some bum trying to get in on some loose change. After we had finished he came in smelling to high heaven and with a grungy look asked for any change or smokes in a deep low rumble of a growl. We politely said sorry that we didn't have anything on us and he left. The funny part of this whole ordeal was the big black guy who had silently been sitting across from us the whole meal. He got up to leave and said, “I just knew something was up when I seen him come in. I just said lord please don't make me have to fuck someone up, I just came from church. You fellas have a nice day.” And with that he left, and we laughed.

What we'd soon come to understand was that Detroit was a hardcore rough city, with not a whole lot to offer to two white boys driving around in a white station wagon with California all over it. Driving around a bit looking for a good time, we only grew more disheartened at the poverty, disarray, and decrepitness of this city. Everything looked destroyed, abandoned or falling apart with some of the scariest people we had seen all trip. Detroit was a city we had to remain alert and cautious with. There wasn’t a whole lot we wanted to do here, but we did decide to check out this artistic neighborhood known as the Heidelberg Project. As we drove on through worse neighborhoods our ideas of this art project soon fell apart the closer we got. Upon arrival we were shocked to see that it was a block of mostly shacks or projects that had plastered with cardboard cutouts, religious icons, stuffed animals and babies burned, crucified, nailed, or hung. Some things were painted bright colors, others were just piled together. It was one of the creepiest places the both of us had ever seen. Think of a mix between a crazed carnies nightmare, and the shit you saw in the backyard of the Sandlot. There were also electrical wires and power lines strewn across the floor making zapping noises. When Mike said he wanted to go into one of the buildings to look around a bit more, I told him, “Sure, i'll wait outside for ya.” Michael eventually opted out.

Detroit, no offense, was a horrible place that was only depressing the further we drove around. We looked for a ray of hope or fun, but only found a tragic city of crime and poverty. The idea had been to stay here for the night before making our way to Chicago but that plan quickly changed. Unable to stay any longer the drive through was relatively quick before we got out. With a sigh of relief we looked ahead for our next move. A call to my cousin Rachel in South Bend Indiana proved to be our savior. Along the way there were loads of fireworks being set off, and vast amounts of firefly's. We pulled over at one point to snap some photos and mess around in this field lit up by this crazy bugs. About an hour south of Chicago we'd find our way to my cousin's house and get in to say hi to not just my cousin, but also my Aunt Maureen. It had been a while since I had seen my cousin so there was a lot of time spent on catching up. We'd all eventually get to bed close to 3 o clock in the morn.

The morning of July Fourth was a late one, and just what we needed to catch up on sleep, and wash away yesterday's bad experience. ( I say bad, but I also mean great, 'cause c'mon that's what this trip is about, seeing America!) Midday rolled around and we were treated to a nice breakfast with Rachel and Maureen. After breakfast we'd take a drive to Notre Dame. The walk around the stadium and college was great. We took pictures here and there of the duomo, church, stadium, and of course TOUCHDOWN JESUS. Take a look at the pictures if you can, he's right behind one of the end zones.

Driving back to Rachel's house in South Bend we decided to move on and get to Chicago for some 4th of July fireworks. Leaving proved to be a bit hard as we ended sitting around and talking more. Maybe an hour passed before we finally got up and headed out. The drive to Chicago had us excited as the two of us started belting out Florence and The Machine, or Taking Back Sunday, songs. Go ahead and judge, it's ok. We'd drive straight to Millennium Park and use the gigantic garage under the whole park as our starting point. I'd make a quick call to our connections in Chicago to see if we had a place to say before emerging up and out into the park.

Our experience with Chicago matched the excitement we felt. Millennium Park was a lot of fun. We'd walk around exploring the area, viewing the art and water fountains, and stretching our legs a bit more. There was an amphitheater with sections of chairs and lawn seating that had live music. This was all part of their music mondays, making the scene all the more magical. We'd soon discover this great piece of art known as The Bean. (OK bloggers what do you think? Are beans a magical or musical fruit?) This art structure was a lot of fun. Look at the pictures we have provided if you want. It is this giant curved sphere, not exactly bean shaped, that is one giant reflective mirror where you can look back yourself from the farthest corners, to the closest nooks of this bean.

Following Millennium park south, we entered Grant Park. There were little gardens full of flowers, and nice grassy green lawns to stretch out on. Fountains littered the area misting and spraying the frozen statues. There was in fact right in the middle of grant park a huge fountain structure, with dozens of animals spurting water back towards the waterfall center. With a stretch of fields in front of us, we opted to walk back along the waterfront of Lake Michigan. Here people were already setting up early to try and nab a seat for the firework show that would take place over the water. With the museums behind us in the distance we made our way to Navy Pier, a Boardwalk-like place of fun. It was certainly crowded though with throngs of tourists and city goers alike all trying to enjoy the weather, the rides, and 4th of July weekend. We walked to one end of the pier and back on the opposite side trying to push and move through the crowds.

We'd walk a bit in the city before going back to Lakeshore drive. Here along the water we now would look for our own grassy knoll to sit and watch the firework show that began at 9. Easy enough we chose a location and waited. Texts began coming in and going out as we wished, and others wished us, a happy fourth. Right at the stroke of 9 there they were, one after the other, huge explosions in the sky. Our seats proved to be prime location as the show was directly in front of us. The colors were beautiful and the sound that reverberated off the city buildings behind us made for a space battle with lasers and explosions.

The show would last 15-20 minutes, then everyone made their way home. Not ready to leave the area we decided to walk around some more and see what the Chicago night life had to offer. This would be the first and only time, surprising enough that we'd get some slurpee's. With slurpee's in hand and a candy bar or two we walked along the L. The night wore on, and we'd end up making our way to the parking structure. It took us a while to locate our car, then it took even longer to find a pay station, but after that it was smooth sailing. The drive to Wilmette, north of Chicago was not long, and easy enough. We'd get to our Chicago connection, the Kelehers, a little late, hoping someone would still be awake. Knocking at the door I panicked a bit, not entirely sure the memories I had of them were in fact correct. I didn't want to knock on the wrong door and find the wrong family inside. Everything came together though as Madeline, the oldest daughter, answered the door. We'd say hi to Brendan and talk a bit about our trip before getting set up and ready for bed. It was great to get some sleep, but for the time being the wonders of Chicago and Wilmette would have to wait unfortunately. Just a forewarning, the next few days were amazing!!!!!

-I ...dropped the screw... in the tuna!!!!

2011-07-12T21:15:00.000-07:00

Well we did in fact get into Boston close to noon. Bursting on to the downtown scene we were in the right place immediately. The faneuil marketplace was having some kind of fair or festival celebrating, I dont know, something. They had built a cake replica of the buildings in the area which we happened to get to just as the last few hunks of cake were being passed out. Score, yum! Munchin on our cake we headed into the actual marketplace filled with shops selling their specialty food. We bought some pizza bagels and a drink and people watched in the area as tourists and others rushed in and out of the plaza, restaurants, lines, and shops.

This marketplace was always busy, filled with tourists. After a while we would look for the Freedom Trail. There is a relatively short walk you can take through Boston that stops at all the old revolutionary sights and historic monuments. We would go to the Old sate house/ boston massacre sight, to ask the volunteers to ask some questions about the trail. We picked up a map and were told the hour long walk from one end to the next was only a couple miles. We would try and use the map to figure out where things were orientated but soon gave up and let our eyes do the walking, whatever we thought was old, cool, or interesting was our next stop.

We would end up visiting the Irish famine memorial, the original state hall, the gravitate of sam adams, other signers of the declaration of independence, fighters in the revolutionary war, mother goose, paul revere, and of course john hancock. It's kind of funny to see how john hannock's name is associated with his signature. Just like his big and bold name on the declaration so to are other things named after him very big and bold. Shrek might say he is overcompensating for something. For example out of all these small, thin, and worn graves, there was john hancock a huge mast of stone stemming from the ground shaped almost like a penis, with his face at the top looking down at everyone. We can go further and sight the John Hancock building in Chicago, which may not be the biggest, but is certainly just as loud and tall.

Other than john hancock it was also somewhat funny to see Franklin's' gravesite. Now I don't mean benjamin Franklin, for his resides in Philly, Instead his parents who were bostonians had a ginormous, tower with their name emblazoned on the front of it so there was no mistaking that this was in fact a Franklin! It was deemed very important and had a plaque in front of it to explain who these people were Now i'm not saying they don't deserve a grave stone or a little recognition, but as you learn history in school I don't think you ever hear anything about his parents. They’re grave was treated like a celebrity, as if to congratulate them on such a wonderful job. Congratulations, you gave birth to a founding father! It was a little over the top for two people who yes may have had the famous Benjamin Franklin but in reality you hear little to nothing of.

After the graveyard we walked to the actual capitol building, the one with the gold dome on it. We were told that if the gold leaf of the dome was scraped off it would only accumulate to the size of a grapefruit. I think I may call bullshit on that one. There were even a few protestors waiting around outside, taken up against the massachusetts law over immigrants, similar to the arizona one. Just wandering around we would bump into the old kings church and walk inside to listen in on a tour. We exited and made our way back the market place, failing somewhat on our freedom trail walk.

Unsure what to do, and with most things closing around us we decided to call up an old friend, Miss Lindsay Taylor. Telling us she just go off work she would make her way down to us from her college town Fitchburg. For the half hour or so wait mike and I found a nice grassy area and would throw some disc to pass the time. Remembering how fun Ultimate was, we both found that we still had a little disc magic left. This certainly wouldn’t be the last time we threw around.

When Lindsay caught up to us we hugged and exchanged stories while making way through the market again. Now we had an insiders point of view and were able to hear a new side of Boston. We just so happened upon a a street performer who had just begun a show. This poor, sad, awkward, little man led us on for 15 minutes as it seemed most everyone hoped he would get better. Leaving everyone else a bit disappointed and uncomfortable we walked on towards the stadium of the Boston Bruins. It was a nice walk full of great stories provided by Lindsay. Crossing into a different part of the city we were now in Little Italy, where street after street was lined with another italian restaurant. Everyone was hungry so we stopped in and got a few slices of pizza and a drink. We would take our spoils and look for a park bench where we could relax and enjoy. What we found instead, and i'm still not sure how we heard of this place was Andy's bakery. Grabbing a table and setting up shop we chowed down and also ordered a couple cannoli's. These were some big cannoli's, that lefts us all pretty full.

Not a whole lot planed for our evening Lindsay invited us back to her place in Fitchburg for the night. Thank you so much Lindsay!!! Following her car about 45 minutes north we'd park out front of her apartment, two cars side by side, both repping Nor-Cal stickers on the back. We were showed around the place, which was pretty empty, with all her roommates out or gone. Introduced to Lindsay's kitten Jack-Jack (think Incredibles Jack Jack in little devil mode) we played around a bit with this friendly and fun, spastic kitty. The idea was to go hit the bars, and “go boozin” as Lindsay would say, but after a long day, it turned out to be just a nice evening chatting and drinking in doors. A plan was made for tomorrow, and we went to bed both picking our own room to crash in.

The next morning was beautiful as we slept in late for the first time in a while. I would actually wake up to Michael talking with one of Lindsay's friends in the living room. The plan we had made the night before was to head with Lindsay, and her friends to a beach. Ashton who we were introduced to would in fact be the only other person to accompany us. Leaving closer to 11 we drove pretty far to get to this beach. At one point we wondered out loud, “Lindsay where the f&ck are you taking us!?” It took nearly an hour to get to the beach in question, and we actually had gone into New Hampshire. This was no ordinary beach, but a beach town, that thrived with summer tourists, vacationers, and locals all hitting up the long sand line filled with vendors, rides, and shops.

Choosing our location among the many beach goers we would put down the cooler and blankets. The frisbee almost immediately came out as the four of us tossed some disc in a near by area with a smaller concentration of people. Round and round it was good throwing, with only a few bumps as a disc or two may have crashed near a family or two. When frisbee got old we headed towards the waters edge. Cautiously making our way in we only ever made it to the thigh line. For all of you out there who may not know there are waterlines you must cross on your body when slowly entering cold water. There's foot, knee, thigh (right under the balls), then the balls themselves, belly button, chest/nipps, neck and head. This water was much colder than when we had swam in North Carolina, so the danger region was not too pleased at the idea of plunging into some icy water.

Back to the towels we would soak up some sun, munch on snacks and drinks, and of course read some cosmo. The four of us would sit there and enjoy each other's company until it was decided we had to leave and continue our exploration of Boston. Lindsay and Ashton stayed at the beach after we said our goodbyes and thank you's. Closer to 3 we took off down the coast in search of Boston. When we arrived it was Freedom Trail round 2! We had learned that there was actually a red brick path that led anyone who followed it across the city, stopping at the various points of interests. A little embarrassed we didn’t realize this earlier we set off to follow the red brick road! No munchkins though.

Along this trail we would make stops at Paul Revere's house, a park dedicated to paul Revere, the old church tower where the lantern was hung, another special graveyard etc. It was only a few miles long but with the amount of stops here and there it took a couple of hours to complete it. We'd cross a bridge and walk int the old navy base where the USS Constitution sat. We would also find the Korean war memorial of boston. Along this whole journey there were little sights, and stops showing Bostons rich history.

For dinner we sat down at the old stomping ground for revolutionary spies and meetings. This pub/restaurant which was a favorite of Paul revere himself was called the green dragon tavern. It was a bit odd to see a bunch of old red coats sitting around going over stories and talking with tourists. We were wondering if these were just actors off the streets here to enjoy the food, or if they were part of some group for hire to entertain. Mike would have a good sized burger, and I would have the Irish sampler with bacon(Irish bacon), guiness steak tips, and sausage, with boston baked beans, and a salad. It had gotten to the point again where we both desperately missed vegetables. Being in Boston I just had to order the boston crème pie too. (Dad, it was great, you would have loved it.)

Done with dinner we'd walk back again through the market place. Mostly filled with tourists there were only souvenir shops and restaurants open now. We checked out the girls in the area but didn't see much of anything so we called it a night and headed to Michael's family friend Wendy for the night. We'd stay up going over what we had seen, and what was to come, also allowing Michael to catch up a bit with her.

It'd be another late morning as we slowly got up and tried to work on photos and blogs. Leaving before ten it was back to Boston for our last day in the city; and it would be a full one. Our first stop of the day was Trinity Church. (Disclaimer: The church we visited in New York was not Trinity as we said, but actually St. Patrick's Cathedral.) Trinity was also under a bit of repair, and was actually the one and only church on this whole trip that asked for an entrance fee. The next place we visited was back to the capitol building where we'd get a free tour of the building filled with interesting and historical facts by our young volunteer guide. It was a very extensive tour that took us into the executive office lobby, and even a viewing section for both the Senate, and House while in session. It said no pictures everywhere, but don't worry we got some. This tour also further destroyed my hope for a better government as we were told of stupid superstitions that would hold up and delay even the simplest of processes for the massachusetts government to work properly. The tour guide told us with such serious and respectful conviction, but I could only think of what idiots. For example they can't begin until all the chairs in the room have been adjusted so that everyone sits at the same level. Nor can they begin if their sacred wooden carving good luck fish isn't present. WTF!?

With the tour over our last adventure in Boston, and perhaps my favorite part was Fenway park. Unfortunately as we got closer to Boston we looked at schedules and found that the Red Sox would not be in town, but that didn't limit us to personally going and viewing the nations most historic and proud baseball park. Signing up for an extensive tour we roamed all over the park, stoping at various sties and sitting with amazing views while listening to great stories of tragedy, hope, and victory, about the Red Sox, their management, and the ball park itself. Our tour guide, a true bostonian, was great and made the tour unforgettable. At the end of the day we walked all over trying to find a Fenway frank that had been advertised but found no such luck. Maybe this was for the best as the baseball gods were telling us we would have to return for the real thing at a real game.

Boston was fun, but before we left there was one last thing we had to do, and of course that was Chowdah! (Emerald, I can hear you know) One last Boston treat, this bowl of chowder was nothing special, but necessary. (And yes of course it was a bread bowl Katie, only way to go.) After that it was back to the open road, making our way to Maine. Originally we were going to Vassalboro Maine for the topless coffee bar we had heard about, but that we would read later was closed by angry and prude towns people. So the idea was then stay at the capital, Augusta, but most everyone, including our handy dandy book told us there is almost nothing there so why go. So our destination would turn out to be Portland Maine, the next up and coming hip place to be on the waterfront, developing a culinary and artsy name for itself. (Let's not forget it's till Maine though people) We'd make one little stop in Portsmouth New Hampshire for some coffee and internet access. Surprising to us though this town was bumping on a saturday night. We had both kind of hoped to stay longer with many beautiful women running around, but we knew we had to get to Maine so off we went.

Here's a good chunk of our trip. I know I know we are doing a terrible job of up-dating and editing. The goal is to get all this out before we hit Pacifica again. Wish us luck. The trip is slowly coming to an end. Missing you all lots, those back home, and those we have met along the way.

-Whose Line Is It Anyways!?

2011-07-07T09:49:00.000-07:00

The next morning proved to be great. In fact the whole day was great. I can't stop thinking about what an awesome day we both had. It started off early as Michael and I both walked a few blocks to a an authentic bakery and deli where we bought bagels and lox with cream cheese, to bring back for everyone. I can't wait to get back home and find more of this for breakfast.

A thoroughly satisfying breakfast led us to our first stop of the day. We put our best foot forward on the John F Kennedy, a ferry that harbored passengers back and forth from Manhattan to Staten Island. Free of charge we were able to view the Statue of Liberty from afar. As lady Liberty passed us we took the occasional photo before docking, and then getting back on the ferry. Back in Manhattan after viewing the other side of the ferry's journey it was on to the subway again. We would get off and walk along Wall Street, those fat cat bastards, then walk by the Trinity Church. Eventually we would end up at the sight of the WTC. With tons of excavation and construction they are was very busy, but we clicked off a few shots at the new towers being built, and just waited for a moment. In this moment of contemplation we remembered 9/11 ever so briefly at such a historic and tragic site. We even had to pay former Major Rudi Giuliani ten cents in order to say 9/11.

On the way out we even caught a glimpse of some film shooting for the show White Collar on USA. (Hailey you know what's up.) Keeping up with tradition I stopped into a Jos. A bank and bought some nice dress shirts and ties before leaving for our next sight. From here we would head to the Brooklyn Bridge. Among the other hoards of tourists we'd walk across taking photo after photo of the bridge and surrounding beauty, and occasionally get yelled at by bikers. Our sole purpose to make it to the other side was for Grimauldi's famous pizza. This classic coal brick oven roasted pizza place had people lined out the door waiting to get inside. A traditional New York thin crust sausage and pepperoni pizza waited inside. Standing in line for 15 minutes or so we passed the time by staring at girls, until it was our chance to take a table. Oh yeah it was great. We savored the flavors unsure whether we should gobble it up, or try and slow down such a momentous lunch.

Not wanting to walk all the way back across the bridge through the crowds in the hot sun, we decided to find a subway station. From there we would ride it to Times Square. What a place. I thought LA was plastered with billboards; this place had every spare inch advertising or flashing some game, movie, show etc. Wandering aimlessly we took pictures and popped into stores. At a certain point, and I still can't tell you what led us into this store, we happened to go into a Billabong Surf store.

Looking around not really interested in anything particular I was approached by a beautiful employee. A little dumbstruck at first I didn't realize she was asking if she could help me with anything in the store. Snapping out of my trance, the first thing I thought to say was, “No thank you”. Because who ever wants or needs someone following them around the store. But something was different. She seemed less interested in helping me buy something but more so just generously interested in what I had to say. She was so friendly it caught me off guard. Her cute Irish accent and pretty green eyes had captured me.

I learned her name was Zita as we exchanged pleasantry's. Later I would learn that she finds herself shy when approaching people in the store, so i'd hate to imagine what would have happened if she let that get the best of her. Not a care in the world where Michael was at, Zita and I continued to talk. She let me look around the store some more, but I kept coming back to her. She asked what I was doing in New York, and what I had seen. I asked her the same. Rushing through an array of topics at one point we stumbled upon Irish dancing. I told her how my family has traveled to Dublin Ireland for Jake's World Champion Irish dancing competition. (Jake I think I may owe you one for this conversation starter) We discussed Irish dancing a bit, and the lack of clarity I have when viewing it. It got to the point where Zita had me practice my 1-2-3 steps in the store, and when a gorgeous girl like that asks you practice your 1-2-3's you don't say no. I hadn't noticed but after I would learn that Michael and most everyone else in the store was chuckling to themselves at the sight of me. Oh well, no worries.

Time and time again we would approach one another continuing our conversation learning about one another. By this time Zita's manager's began keeping a close eye on us. It was a bit obvious what I was up to, distracting her from work. Not wanting to get her in trouble Zita directed me over to a part of the store where I could get socks or a belt for cheap. This actually worked out beautifully later in the trip as I ran out of socks and had these to use, plus I had forgotten to bring a belt, so kudos. With Michael no where I sight, I wanted to spend more time with Zita, hear more from her, and maybe get a different view of the city. Approaching 3:45 and after spending nearly 2 hours in Billabong I finally mustered up enough courage to ask Zita what she was doing later. I had hoped I wasn't coming off as too forward or creepy, she simply smiled and told me to come back at 4:15 after she gets off work. I was walking in the clouds, ecstatic and excited for the time to pass.

I stepped outside and wandered around a bit, before calling Mike to see where he had gone to. He too was just looking around Times Square looking into a few shops and stores. We met up at the base of Times Square and people watched for a bit on the red-bleachers. After a few moments we walked into the giant M&M's store, and a couple more tourist shops to pick up some items. Around 4:15 I stopped back in and waited for Zita. Mike got the heads up that he could leave, (sorry man) as Zita walked up in a change of clothes. I wasn't too sure what to do in such a big city, I was going to let her lead.

So then what was the first thing we did, head into a Forever 21 of course. It wasn't really my scene, but we were on the look out for a specific kind of shoe, and possibly a dress. Searching down the aisles we were unable to find what was needed and decided to head back out to Times Square. From here Zita would take me into Flanagan's, an Irish Pub. Not being exactly 21 until September this could have been a bit of a bump in the road. The great friend that Mike was, he had lent me his expired id back in New Orleans. Zita and I made a quick game plan going over if something were to happen. Explaining to me that a disheveled and stressed Irish woman can damn near get anyhting she please there wasn;t a problem at all. Up at the bar we ordered a pint each, and they checked our I.d.'s The bar man glanced at her passport but stared a bit more intently at my I.d, before finally settling. With a beer in hand we walked over to table and enjoyed each other's company.

We talked for two hours or so sipping our beers and sharing an order of fries. The conversation ranged from our lives, family's, experiences, thoughts, etc. Deciding to leave and walk around a bit we tried to search for the toy store FAO Schwartz. That was kind of a fail, (Zita unfortunately I was just told that is a big toys r us now in its place, sorry). Instead we stopped in at Trinity church. Here we would quietly wander the aisles looking at all the holy artifacts and stained glass. Zita touched a lot of them as we walked out. It's one of those quarky habits. For the most part we just walked the streets of NY and talked. We stopped in at Central Park and journeyed around some more taking in the sights and sounds, stopping at the pond at a nearby grassy knoll. We'd sit and lay down, listening to one anther and the noise around us.

After nearly six hours Zita had to take the train home. Down one block after the next we made our way to Grand Central Station. It was truly a spectacular day, relaxing in New York, making a new friend, but unfortunately it had to come to an end. We said our goodbyes and Zita hopped on a train. With a sigh I walked back into the main hall and looked up at the starry ceiling. Slowly I made my way out and walked towards Times Square. Here I would snap of a couple more shots, seeing a whole new side of this area. I grabbed a subway train and made my way back to the apartment.

Michael was outside waiting to let me in and hear about my day. I would go and hit the sack, but not before explaining my day, and hearing the rest of his. In comparison he had a pretty good day too. After Billabong, Mike took the Times Square subway home and spent quality time with the family. They would grill veggies and skirt steak on the bbq located on the fire escape. After some family time, and a nice meal, Michael contacted an old coworker and friend from Chico named Jackie. Living in New York Jackie would subway over to Mike who was waiting outside. The two of them would go hit up the town, catch up, and have a few drinks. I think it's safe for the both of us to say that it was in fact an amazing day.

Once again Zita, thanks for a great New York adventure. I'm glad I met you. Hope your dream to become a fashion designer comes true.

As you blogsters out there can see, these days in the big city are pretty extensive, filled with a lot. I can assure you though that after Boston things begin to settle down and not so much happens in a day. Hoping to pump out a few more of these for ya, thanks for following.

I <3 NY (SF you're still #1)

2011-07-05T22:28:00.000-07:00

We woke up a bit later than normal after such a long night. Michael introduced me to Bobby's wife Patty, and their daughter Anna. Bobby had gone out while walking the dog Betty, and picked up a nice array of croissants and a baguette. We feasted with jams and coffee getting ready for our late New York morning. I forgot to tell you that Michael's family lives up 5 or 6 flights of stairs. We were living the high life! After descending down the stairs and opening up onto the streets of New York, it was like a breath of fresh air (figuratively speaking of course) There was hustle and bustle, movement and stagnation, and noise, oh the noise. It was perfect.

The subway was our first stop. Michael had been to New York a few times, but this was my inaugural trip. Everything was new to me, and I was ready to take it all in. The subway system, one of the most well known public transportations, and we were about to get on it. Never mind the fact that we got tickets, waited, and then realized that we were on the wrong side and had to get back in on the other side with a new ticket.Yes there were bums, performers, and people who you didn't want to mess with It's all part of the experience.

Getting off the subway we emerged into Central park. This was a gorgeous park with so much going on. We were trying to compare it to golden gate park in how they are similar and different. Swallowed by giant skyscrapers and the noises of a city this park was a relief from the strain and stress of city life. Golden Gate park on the other hand has a much more open feel to it. Maybe for those reasons Central Park was so magical, because it felt like, just for a moment, you were in a whole new world, an escape. Here kids were running around, women suntanning, family's picnicking, old geezers playing softball hardcore softball I might add!) carnivals, ponds, statues, vendors, wildlife, sooo much! After a quick walkthrough checking all these goings ons we left the park for a quick bite

We had a big day ahead of us and weren't too keen on stopping in at a sit down place. Why not try a hot dog vendor off the streets huh!? I got two hot dogs and a drink, and Mike got a sausage dog. Somehow this equated to 17 dollars? Pretty sure I got ripped here, but hey once again I was happy. I got a shitty dog off the street and was ripped off, too cool.

MOMA here we come. Utilizing Bobby's passes we got in for fairly cheap. This would be one of the mother of all museums. This is another one of those instances where i'll tell you to try faceboook if you want to see some of the highlights of the exhibits. Im not really a fan of surreal art, because I feel like a lot of it is hit or miss. Even some of the abstract work was a bit odd. But coming from Santa Cruz and going to art shows there I can safely say MOMA was pretty tame compared to some of the weird and screwy shit we produce. What else did we see? Hmm there were sculptures, architecture,and inventions. I would have to say the upper floors were the greatest in terms of priceless works of art. We saw Pollacks, Warhol, Picasso, Monet, Matisse, Van Gogh, Frieda, Boccioni, Dali, and so many more. It was amazing!

I did forget to mention some of the special exhibits set up on the top floor. The german modernism was ok; very dark, intense, but the South American fellow was just odd. Besides us it didn’t seem as if anyone else really cared what he did. There was thought behind his works of art, videos, sculptures, and drawings but not much point. It became rather boring. In the museum till closing we were through, tried, and enthralled. Back on the streets we looked over the Rockefeller center, and went into a couple shops, including a huge LEGO store

At home for dinner at 7, we were treated with dishes of salmon, roasted tomatoes, chilled cucumbers, and asparagus risotto. Such a delicious meal, relaxing after would have to wait as we rushed out the door with Bobby headed towards the subway. We were going to BAM, a film show, where some of the best independent films made in New York were being shown. Bobby had been invited because one of the films used his house as a set. We tagged along to this Indie event and viewed something like 8 or 9 shorts. We had our favorites and least favorites all for good reason as we discussed the night while walking back to the subway. Arriving home we stayed up and talked a bit before going to bed. This couch was heavenly compared to the car. We had some deep and sound sleep while in New York.
-A Rac-Ra-Rice

2011-07-05T22:14:00.000-07:00

On our way to Portland Maine we are going to try and relive Philadelphia for you, (even though we are posting this in Chicago!) It's been a while so bare with us, but we are retracing our photos to get things in order. It's hard to think we only spent one full day in Philadelphia because we did so much. The day began parking right in the middle of the historic hub area. Michael got his annual morning black coffee and we walked to Independence Hall. It was early enough that we didn't have to wait in line to get free tickets to the first guided tour of the Hall. The visitor center proved to be a bit funky as there were old colonials pretending to be important figures. Fun but always weird when they take it too far; “I'm Thomas Paine by the way, if you didn't know!” Yeah ok sure you are, just tell me how much the British sucked.

Independence hall was great, as our tour guide was very loud and lively. She definitely felt very passionate about the history she was sharing with us. We toured the various rooms seeing where the first Congress met, where meetings, editing, and signings took place, and where they held court. Unfortunately the outside of the building was under renovation, typical, but the park in the back was gorgeous. The heat and humidity was beginning to die down and with a breeze the benches covered in shade welcomed us with open arms. We sat for a few minutes just enjoying the surrounding area, before heading into the Hall of Congress. Here is where they held an expanded congress as the city and sate of Pennsylvania grew after the revolution. We became honorary senators and representatives, repping it big Cali-way. The guide led us through the various rooms where congress met, and showed us important artifacts, like the ink well they signed the declaration with. One of the tour guides was actually from California, (even if it was LA) and we were able to talk with her about our trip and she gave us a few tips on what to see and do while in town.

Leaving independence Hall we would walk to the adjacent building and get in line for the Liberty Bell. This line was filled with many tourists from all over the world, all excited to see this bell. I hadn't realized that this bell was a symbol of hope not just for Americans but other cultures too. We took our snapshots and left the area, walking towards Washington Park. This open place of leisure has a statue dedicated to General Washington. It stands over an unmarked grave of the few lost and unidentified men of the Revolutionary War.

From here we would drive deeper into Philly to a restaurant recommended by a tour guide. The place in question was Bobby Flay's Burger Palace. Now I personally don't like Bobby Flay, can't stand him on Food Network, but I was open to trying a high class restaurant that served burgers. Before I get any further let's just say we were both highly disappointed in just about everything; service, décor, and most of all the food. Ver lame. (Yeah I meant to use the word “ver”)

Afterwards we headed to the outskirts of the inner city to the only remaining Philadelphia home of Edgar Allen Poe. The adjoining area was a bad part of Philadelphia surrounded by projects and people hooting and hollering out on their porches. This small national monument stood out with statues, information, and pictures depicting this strangely misunderstood man. We were given a tour of the house, exploring deeply into the life of Poe, and even watched a video of the man.

With time to kill before the 7 o'clock baseball game we headed to Reading Terminal Market. This semi-underground market place, was bustling! Tons of people moving left and right, selling produce, meals, meats, candy, ice cream, and tourist things. This crowded market was a lot of fun as we made rounds a few times taking a look at all things we wanted to try.

The day was cooling off when we arrived at Citizens Bank Park, located right in front of Lincoln Park where the Eagles play. Quick to park, we made our way to the ticket booth and asked for best available extra cheap seat. For 20 bucks we got the front row of the top deck. MLB was still in the process of inter-league games so we got see the Philadelphia Phillies play the Oakland Athletics. Go Giants, but hey close enough, I can root for the A's. Actually interesting tid-bit, before the A's moved to Oakland they were the Philadelphia Athletics. So this may not have been a rivalry but it had some history to it. We got their early enough to see batting practice by the A's. The feel of this park was much different than Ted Turner Field in Atlanta. This was classier, more well respected. You could tell this was America's pastime, as everyone was a die hard fan involved with the game, and not the cheap gimmicks.

It was a much better game all-around compared to the Braves game we saw. Both Trevor Cahill of the A's and Cole Hamels of the Phillies are great pitchers, but even then offensively and defensively there was enough to keep it exciting pitch after pitch. The A's would win it even when Philadelphia staged a late comeback. Phuck the Phillies! Exiting the park there weer some familiar and comforting names on shirts, like Burrell, and Rowand. Before leaving Philly though there was one last thing we had to do...Philly Cheesesteaks!!! Down the block a ways there was the two original cheese steak kings. Pats, and Geno's. Geno's line was a bit longer so we went to Pat's. Parking was crazy and i'm not sure how or where Michael got a spot but it worked out. We got 2 cheesesteaks “wit” onions, and “wit” peppers. They were great, and I think I can still feel myself digesting it. I wouldn't say it was life changing, but it was sure something I had to authentically try. And if any of you are asking about the other place, don't worry, the big secret out there is that both places serve almost identical cheesesteaks, so no worries.

Next stop New York, New York! Catching a little traffic while trying to get out of Philly we flew into the dead of night. What we thought would take only an hour two would end up taking closer to 4. Not only was traffic bad heading out, but also getting in. It really is the city that never sleeps, because at 2 in the morning there was still gridlock. What made matters worse was the highway leading into New York was under repair, so there were various detours set up that the gps could not handle, and the signs were not good at explaining.

The Holland tunnel was a great experience as we waited to pay toll. There was something like 15 toll booths but only 3 of them were cash. Expectantly everyone piled up trying to fit into these 3 lanes spread out. This was great classic new york driving as everyone was honking and yelling. No one was willing to let anyone in. It was something I had never seen before. These people were cutthroat, i'm talking about inches away from hitting the next car, simply so you don't let the next guy in. It's one of those moments that if you just cooperated the whole thing would sort itself out. But sadly no, this was a dog eat dog kinda place where you had to be aggressive and fend for yourself. Oh I loved it, such a great experience.

Well we popped out the other side of the Holland Tunnel and headed for Soho where we would be staying with Michae;'s family for the next few nights. We are so sorry for getting in so late, thanks for staying awake for us Uncle Bobby. We chatted a bit before bed, and finally got down around 3 o'clock. New York would be waiting for us in the morning. We were excited, but for now we had to sleep.
-Pearl the Landlord.

2011-07-01T17:20:00.000-07:00

Hey y'all, we'll see when this one get's posted but I know its been a while and we have left you dry. New York was amazing. We were constantly out and about running around the Big Apple, so we had very little time to settle down and get any writing done. Sorry to leave you hanging, let me fill you in on the last couple of days. It's unsettling to think that you guys are left in D.C. when we are on our way to Provincetown right now. So much has happened in between, I'm going to start condensing what we write so I don't go crazy and drag it on. Like I have said before if you have access please check out facebook if you want photos of the trip to give you greater description of where we have been. Without further ado, here is Day 2, a full day, of D.C.

The day began early, like most days so far, as we contacted our friend Shayna to get directions to the place she is staying at. Driving to a nice town in Maryland, north of D.C. we parked the car and met some of Shayna's family members. From here we drove to a public transportation station and took the D.C. equivalent of BART into the city. It was astonishing to see how similar the two systems were. Not having to worry about parking we got into the city pretty early and hit up the Smithsonian quick. If you don't know already, the great thing about the Smithsonian is that admission is free. At the History of National Sciences Museums we walked through every exhibit, and I mean EVERY exhibit, taking loads of pictures between the two of us. Dinosaurs, whales, minerals, cavemen accompanied us down the halls. This place was loaded with creatively displayed dioramas, informational stories, and knowledgeable docents. There was so much to see around every corner with giant squid, insects, planets, and skeletons coming as us. Our little noggins were full to the brim and so were our memory cards as we exited the building four hours later. It was time well spent, but at the same time very draining.

Our feet were tired but still capable as we walked down the street in search of lunch. What we would get for food was much more than anything we expected. This may have been the highlight of D.C., thanks you soooo much Shayna for this great experience. The restaurant in question is Oyamel. If you have heard of it, good for you, you should be jealous. If you haven't, look that up and then you can start being jealous. With Shayna's hookups this would be one of the best places we have eaten at on the whole trip. During lunch hour there was a crazy rush of business men and women in suits as the three of us California bums looking all scraggly walked in.We were introduced and said our hi's to all the workers before sitting down. Menu's were presented, but never needed as Shayna had a great idea of what we had to try . The food just kept coming one after the next, with each dish better than the last. It doesn't sound possible, but this heavenly treat was an amazing experience. Just to list what was given we couldn't believe the flavors that were produced, from the homemade chips and salsa, table made guacamole, chorizo and pepper queso, tuna ceviche, steak tar tar, beef tongue taco, carnitas taco, veal and lamb taco, a weird corn and rice fungus specialty, mole and cheese fries, a rum infused cake with dulce de lechee and whipped cream with pineapple, and last a coffee ice cream with lime chunks on top of a mexican fudge with buttery thin cinnamon cookie crumbles. Yeah all that, and it was damn good.

This was one of those few instances where you don't eat because you're hungry, but you eat because it tastes good. It was glorious as we sat there in contemplation for long periods of time just savoring the flavors that sprung up through each dish. Afterwards we even were given a tour of the kitchen area. It was such a great experience. We were certainly full, but unbelievably content as we stepped back outside. Almost on a food high we made our way to the American History Museum. Stepping in, the walls were lined with iconic inventions, props, and signs. There were automobiles, trains, planes, and boats documenting their history and evolution. There were specific exhibits that focused on various points of history for the United States; Revolutionary War, Civil War, Civil Rights, Vietnam, etc. There were rooms dedicated to presidents, first ladies, pop culture, and art. With so much to see we still ended up on every floor in every room, with pictures of it all.

Next Shayna wanted to show us Georgetown. Jumping on a bus we got off with small little shops all lining the streets. Walking to and fro we stopped to look into a couple. It was decided we would go to the famous DC cupcakes, but before we did so I had to stop and get some milk. It had been quite a while since I had any, and if you know anything about me you know I need my milk fix. Stopping in at a cornerstone I grabbed a quart of milk unsure if I would share at all. We waited in line for a while before stepping in and witnessing a large display with platters of many types of cupcakes. With a cupcake box in one hand, now half a quart of milk in the other we all made our way town to the river's edge. Here we sat on a park bench looking out over the river as the sunset with a view of Virginia and it's cityscape before us. Emptying the boxes and cartons out it all soon disappeared. Walking around Georgetown a bit more we ended up getting back on a bus and made our way to our subway station.

We would drive back to Shayna's family's house where they were gracious enough to let us shower after a nice sweaty day. With a little down time we talked and then said our goodbyes, back to our Walmart. It was then we became fed up with such humid and sweaty nights that we devised a plan. We went into Walmart where we both bought two small battery powered personal fans. We had been driving with the air conditioning on full blast to keep the car nice and cold. We were shivering at first but it soon evened out. The fans were a nice touch that really helped cool things off. Ever since, the A/c and fans have come in handy making nights much more tolerable. So tolerable in fact a simple blanket does the trick at night in the back seat.

Another night in the books getting out of the car we still had some unfinished business in D.C. We drove to a closer subway station where we had a few items on our list. Getting out a bit early we walked around the city streets around all the monuments. We just happened to come across the White House as we made our way back to the museums. We then checked out the farmers market sponsored by the house of agriculture where we got icees that helped cool us off. Next we would check out the Air and Space Museum. Hallways filled with different aircrafts of each field throughout time, once again we would see all that it had to offer. NASA, the Wright Brothers, Airliners, and pilots decorated the various exhibits. We spent a lot of time in this museum and were real hungry when we got out. Looking for something quick and easy we stopped in a Gordon Bierchs for some fries and burgers. Afterwards we headed to the Capitol Building and Washington Monument. Form there we would get in line at the National Archives. This was something I had missed out on my 8th grade trip so I was ecstatic to see the Constitution, Declaration of Independence and, Bill of Rights. There were other old documents of importance that bordered the display case as we waited in line again and then shuffled a long to get a view. Unfortunately the Magna Carta was being restored elsewhere, oh well. The last exhibit we visited in the archives documented our governments history and involvement with food.

Leaving the archives our last stop in D.C. was the Korean War Memorial. From here we would take a long walk back to our station, and then a long train ride to our car. Getting to our car the next stop was Philadelphia. We drove through Baltimore without stopping. It had been a long couple of days and we just wanted to get to Philly so we could sleep, before getting up again the next morning to see the sights. As you can guess we stayed again in a Walmart parking lot that night with a cold car and fans directly over us. Nights were getting easier without any trouble from security guards and now a system to keep us cool during the night.

Next you'll get our long and adventurous day in Philadelphia. Still having fun, and hoping you all are too.

-The Delegates from California

2011-07-01T17:14:00.000-07:00

I know we are running a bit behind, but the last few days have been crazy. We've seen so much there has been little no down time to try and write. So let me try and get y'all up to speed.

As cool as Atlanta was to us, we can't say the same about the night spent there. After the game and Varsity's, Walmart was our next destination. So far this has been our worst night spent in the car by far. We tried to get to bed by 11:30, but we probably didn't fall asleep until 2-2:30. Throughout the blog we have said how humid it is, just to try and convey the stickiness and heat felt along the way, but do not underestimate how bad this night was. Neither one of us could get to sleep as we tossed and turned the night away perpetually nagged and tormented by the humidity. At one point it was considered whether or not we should sleep outside, but not even that would help us escape. We even turned on the car and air conditioner full blast for a few minutes. Like frosty on the 4th of July we were dripping profusely with no end in sight. Streaming sweat and out of our sleeping bags, at some point we must have dozed off. We would end up waking very early, ready to get out of the sweltering oven-like car.

The Atlanta Aquarium was pretty much the only thing on are list, and we expected it to take up most of the day. With visions of grandeur, referencing the Monterrey Bay Aquarium this one was touted as the biggest in the world. We expected it to be extravagant and out of this world. Well to put it bluntly, it wasn't. We may have misinterpreted the word “big”. When we thought of the aquarium as “big” we expected it to be like 5 times the size of Monterrey Bay Aquarium, instead the word “big” most accurately meant they just had the worlds biggest tanks. Don't get me wrong though, it was still way cool. They had whale sharks, beluga whales, tons of different species and environments, it was just that they were all mashed together. The whole museum only really took us 2 hours or so. Please go and check the photos on facebook if you can if you want to get an idea of the place and what we saw.

The surrounding area of Atlanta was real nice. We walked around the World of Coca Cola Center. Ryan, you'll have to go and take the tour, free samples and all! Downtown Atlanta was nice as everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. The park that was built for the 1996 Olympics was a great sight with hundreds of kids running around playing in the ground fountains. There is even a 15 minute show that plays to music accompanied by the “oohs” and “ahhs” of the kids watching the jets of water jump into the air.

We hadn't exactly eaten today but we were certainly presented with a nice option. All we had in the morning was a cup of coffee and a pastry. But at the park they were handing out free peanut butter moose tracks ice cream. For every scoop you ate they would give a dollar to the Salvation Army. Lunch was served. Michael musty have jumped into the wrong line because he got a skimpy amount compared to my 2 and a half scooper. After we finished our first serving, we said what the hay, and went back for more. This time the sizes were relatively the same. All in all we must have helped donate 6 dollars, go us! We were also given this weird new snack at a kiosk called Combos. As Michael put it they were stale pretzels hollowed out and filled with that shitty cheese from school you dip mini breadsticks in.

The underground mall and financial district with it's many parks was also a great experience as we walked deeper into the heart of Atlanta. With part of the day well spent we walked back to the car and drove towards the coast. Kure Beach, North Carolina was our next destination. Michael has family here, his Uncle Michael, and his Aunt Gladys, who are both great people. Up through South Carolina we would make it to Kure Beach around 8 o'clock . We both agreed that after growing up and living in a California beach town such as Pacifica, seeing the other coast like this caught us off guard a bit. It was essentially a normal beach town, with less surfing and more fishing, there wasn't really a different feel. The few things that you could distinguish as different were the houses and people. Even though they spoke in a southern accent and dearly loved their confederacy, they still held some sort of a stereotypical California beach vibe.

Getting to Michael and Gladys' home we were greeted with a beautifully cooked, and much appreciated hot meal. Driving through the south when veggies are offered as candied yams, fried okra, and canned peaches, you will take what you can get. This healthy meal was such a welcomed change. A quick drive along the coast we were given a tour of the local beach area. With stories of spirits, sharks, gators, and locals, it was interesting to hear about the small vacation town. We even stopped off at the pier, the local hangout spot for kids and fisherman alike; it was even used as a spot for dates. Walking up and back we looked to see if anyone had gotten lucky and hooked one or two fish. The cool night air, and small wind felt great across our faces walking along the pier. You could already tell the heat and humidity next to the coast was beginning to settle down.

With a good nights rest the following day was open to the books. A hearty breakfast, something we haven’t had at all on this trip, got us up and going. Excited that we were on the other side of the country the first thing we wanted to do was go to the beach and check the water out. How would it compare!? It was amazing!!! We approached it as if it were the Pacific, ready to dab a toe in and test the water. I don't think we were ready for how warm it was. Like a luke warm bathtub we plunged in and spent nearly 2 hours messing around and just bobbing with the ocean. Unfortunately there weren’t any beach babes, but the experience was great all the same.

The sun never really showed its face, but that didn't matter. With a little time on the beach drying off we would eventually make it back for a shower. Cleaning out and prepping the car we would leave Michael and Gladys at 1'o clock. Thank you so much for your warm hospitality. The Carolina BBQ was great too, thanks for the heads up. After eating some vinegar based Carolina BBQ our next stop would be 6 hours away. D.C. Here we come!

The sun was just beginning to set as we entered D.C. Parking close to the Jefferson memorial we were excited to get out, stretch our legs, and explore the area. Darkness would settle in but that didn't stop us from walking all over and finding one memorial after the next. On this particular warm night we would visit the Jefferson, Lincoln, Vietnam, and FDR memorial, with shots of the adjacent monuments. Midnight came fast and we left for our Walmart 20 minutes out. The next day would hold a lot in store for us as we would meet up with our friend Shayna. At this point in time our trip has reached 4,500 hundred miles, right around half way in terms of distance. We'll get this post up as quick as possible, and follow it with our tales of DC. Hope everyone is having a great summer, have fun errrybody!

-Step Up (to) the Streets!

2011-06-24T17:40:00.000-07:00

(Ok this was written a while back, we haven't been online in a while. Currently we are in Baltimore, but this was what was written a few days ago. Sorry, it's getting a bit hectic, and I am sure there are errors in this without carefully proofreading. Hope you enjoy.)

On the road again! Coming to you from Interstate 65 East to your computer screens. Currently we are on our way to Montgomery, Alabama where we will stop off for a bit before continuing on to Atlanta. We already drove through Mobile and took a few snapshots of the local area. In between New Orleans and Atlanta we aren't going to spend much time in Alabama, but so far its been a bit hectic, as we have only been in the state for an hour or so and the driving has been pretty bad. Nothing to worry about, but many questionable choices by some drivers who like to play it close.

Let me fill you in on the rest of New Orleans. We last left you in the beginning of our second day in NOLA. With the sun blazing against our bodies, an escape from such harsh weather was improbable. The trolley provided some wind, but not enough to chase the humidity. Arriving back on Bourbon it looked like the aftermath of a battle. There were still weary souls, or early travelers walking around, but the amount of debris on the streets showed how good of a time people had the night before.

Walking towards the cafe we had seen the night earlier with beignets, we were disappointed to find a giant line already forming at 8:30. Simply agreeing we would try again later tonight, we headed towards the French Market. Wandering through this open farmers market, the food we sampled was amazing. The variety of Pralines, mini pecan and sweet potato pies, and shoe soul pastries was enough sugar to start that morning jumping. Through the stalls we walked looking here and there at all the nefarious tourist trinkets, junk, and souvenirs. Nothing really caught our eye but to see the many items sold or offered was a great experience.

At the head of the market we saw a building that advertised the Louisiana Historical State Museum. Naturally willing to learn all we could about the state and it's history we decided to pay the charge. It was cool to think that the museum was located within the old Louisiana Mint, what we were not told however was that this museum was not exactly what we had hoped for. It was specifically devoted to the the Mint, a branch of the larger state history museums. Now I won't say it was a waste of time and money, but after looking from one coin to another it wasn't exactly enthralling. The mini skin color exhibit wasn't even that big of a deal. We should have known after the receptionist looked like we were crazy for a pair of kids wanting to see the museum of money.

Exiting the museum we decided to head towards the downtown business district. With the French Quarter behind us we popped into the JAX brewery shopping center. The A/c was welcomed, but there wasn't a whole lot there for us, or at least we didn't care to look. Built as a tourist mall, we ended up sitting down and making plans for the rest of the day. Close to the river, the idea was to take the ferry across the river and check out Algiers. The ferry was fun enough, but as soon as we got to the other side we realized there wasn't a whole lot to do. More of a local area, there weren't really any attractions or things that caught our attention. We just bummed around a bit, and took a seat on the sidewalk. Nearly 15 minutes later we got back on the ferry and headed back to NO.

From the port we walked along more streets to catch a view of them during the day. Jackson Square was beautiful, with a large statue of Andrew Jackson in the middle to meet you. Behind this was St. Louis Cathedral. To think such an amazing church lie in the wake of this party-crazed city was a bit funny. We ventured in side, looked at the stained glass, portraits, and artifacts. For a few minutes we sat down and just rested. With the holy singing of deep tones ringing through the halls it was a beautiful moment. I might add for our parents sake we were very respectful, which is more than we can say for most of the loud an obnoxious tourists who burst in.

Right next to the church was another Louisiana historical Museum. This turned out to be the one we had wanted earlier. The Cabildo was a lot of fun giving us the full and very long lesson about Louisiana's past. This was a long museum trip, and after venturing up and down 3 stories filled with artifacts and stories we were getting hungry. It was approaching mid afternoon, close to 4 that we looked for an early dinner, late lunch. This was the opportune time to try Acme's Oyster House. The line outside was short enough that we were in and ordering only after ten minutes or so. In the way back, where it was cool and dark we enjoyed our jambalaya and have shrimp, half oyster po' boy sandwich respectively. The sports updates that flashed across the screen was just enough to keep in touch with the Giants. Fully satisfied, relaxation set in. it was still very hot and humid outside, and not iwhsing to see or spend more money on possible museums it was the perfect time for a little break.

Back on the trolley we made our way to the hostel. Cooling off with the air conditioned hallways we set up camp in the wi-fi lobby. We monitored laundry, re-filled water bottles, cooperated with the internet, and chatted with passer-by's. Energy restored and a change of clothes, it was back to the trolley. We got into the French quarter at 9 and made our way to Cafe Du Monde. Following the powdered sugar trail we plopped down outside at a table where not even the cover of night negated the heat. It was Sunday night but the New Orleans life was still booming. Here we people watched while munching on our orders of beignets. Coffee, and frozen cafe au laits. It was just delightful. Such a wondrous place to be able to enjoy the sights and sounds around while casually eating a great treat.

The night wold lead us away from hustle and bustle of a tourists life, towards the same crazed local area's. Closer to the outskirts of the French Quarter there were many bars and restaurants all busting out loud soul and blues music. Here we stepped in a few and enjoyed the sounds wailing throughout the night. Near 11 now we took off back t Bourbon St. Kim's friend from home, Brianna, just so happened to be in New Orleans that very same week for a Sports medicine conference. (Sorry we missed you Aimee!) Located on Canal St we walked to the hotel and met up. Here we just talked and laughed getting to know one another, having a good time looking out on the beautiful night lights. As it was getting late, by 2'o’clock things had died down and we departed. The streets were still roaring with parties, but more and more people stumbled on home. Back to our familiar trolley we did the same, exhausted by our full day.

The next morning we woke up early. The number of roommates we had doubled at 4 in the morning as we were woken up by a full house. They apologized and everyone fell back to sleep. It was now our turn to wake them up. The alarm clock would do the trick, notifying us to shower, pack and get ready for the road. Giving our thanks, and getting our deposit we left the proprietor and his wife, and drove off. While leaving New Orleans we decided to stop off near the 9th ward district and look for ourselves at the lasting affects of hurricane Katrina. It has been years, but the devastation is still quite visible. Just about every other house is boarded up, with water marks circling the outside. We even went down an abandoned road to a deserted 6 flags theme park. The park itself was gated pretty well, but as we drove around it was eerie to see something so empty, joyless, and destroyed.

This somber stop wouldn't be our last as we drove towards Atlanta. A quick drive through the small city of Mobile Alabama was nice. Later we would actually park and walk around Montgomery Alabama. Here we tried to find something to do, but nothing proved to be all that interesting. The visitor center had little to offer except for a rousing game of Auburn university themed checkers. We must have looked pretty ridiculous sitting there in rocking chairs or children stool, playing checkers off in the corner. We did however go to the post office and get the much needed stamps for postcards. (They're on their way! And if you want one, just drop us a line with the right info.) Montgomery proved to be a bit of a disappointment. Even though it is full of rich history during the civil rights movement, the Rosa parks museum and library was anything but special, and we just couldn't get ourselves to go into the Hank Williams museum, not our time period. Leaving montgomery was a bit scary as we accidentally went through some bad neighborhoods, that gave you that off feeling like something wasn't right. Pulling the ole Griswald family click of the doors and “roll em up” we left quite fast for Atlanta.

It may have proven best that we did not dawdle our time away on the road to Atlanta. Communicating with one of Michael's friends we didn't have too many options as we rolled into town. 7:00 was late enough that most things were closed only permitting our own self guided tours. But what we did find out was the Braves were playing t 7:10 against the Blue Jays. Speeding into Atlanta we found parking instantly and got arrived at the stadium entrance at 7:15. Purchasing their 10 dollar student section seats we were excited for this new experience.

Our seats were the 13th row of the upper deck, directly behind home plate. It was good enough for the both of us. Of course baseball concession prices are outrageous so we brought our packs of seeds to munch on. The game itself was kind of boring. By the 8th inning there had only been a total of 5 hits, and neither team seemed to really care. Tim Hudson the pitcher for the Braves did an outstanding job, but it just didn't feel right rooting him on. Michael did not want to have to perform the Braves Tomahawk chant. Stay strong. The game itself didn't matter as were constantly looking all around trying to soak up this unfamiliar place. Maybe I am biased but stadium felt more flashy, showy, and in your face. Like an annoying radio broadcaster with sound bytes there was a lack of class or style that was picked up by the theme park feel. Fireworks and special effects were going off left and right. The braves would end up winning 2-0 off the pitcher Hudson's 2-run jack which would be his second career homer ever. He even reached a milestone in strike outs by making it to 1600.

Exiting the stadium, the car was right where we left it. Stomach's grumbling from a lack of ballpark food we drove to a very cool, local hangout called Varsity's. It seemed like every local from the ballpark had made it to this hip spot. At the window they ask, “What'll ya have?” We replied with an order consisting of a couple of their famous chili dogs, (real chili, none of that southwestern bean crap) some onion rings and fries. Boy was it goooood. From here we would once again go find a familiar parking lot somewhere in Atlanta. A big difference from other cities is that Atlanta has no major waterway right next to it. It has this great rural feel surrounding it, as you venture outside of the great skyscrapers and there you are smack dab in a suburban community with the city in the background. It was actually very pretty, and cool to see how close one can live to a city without that urban in between.

Off to bed, later y'all!

-The Ghost of Ted Turner

P.S. Damn. The girls here were amazing! Sooo hot.

2011-06-21T05:54:00.000-07:00

With a bit of free time as we try to escape the heat and humidity, here is the next installation of the blog.

Let's just say Memphis was a bit funky at night. The Walmart we camped at wasn't bad but it was the first time we were unsure if we could stay there. What we thought was a security truck would rive ever so slowly up and down the aisles of cars. It had lights flashing and would check in, stop, keep going back up, etc. The only reason we were unsure if it was security was because it didn't say that anywhere. On the side of the door all that was written in red, white, and blue was USA! So instead of getting kicked out we were proactive and decided to drive one aisle over to a new parking lot he didn't patrol. Problem solved!

At this point we have given up the sleeping bags. In favor of using the bags and pads as a semi-soft bedding the humidity stays the whole night. The heat dies down, but the humidity is what gets ya. It was another early rise for Mike, now onto his second book. When I woke we packed up per usual and drove off to our last Memphis stop. Arriving at the International Civil Rights Museum we were a bit early and just chilled for a few minutes in the car. When it opened up we were right there at the front of the line ready to go in, understanding the hardship we would see, but not fully coming to terms with how gripping it would all be.

The museum takes place at the Lorraine Hotel, surrounding building built around it. This is the motel Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, baring a lot of weight and pain just to witness it The entrance of the museum was rather small and there wasn't much to see. We were ushered towards a side that went over the history and upkeep of the building and motel but it didn't seem to offer a whole lot. We were rather disappointed that there wasn't more to this museum, but after a few paces this impression would soon wear off. We came to a viewing room where a video called “The Witness” was shown every 30 minutes.

In this theater, the video everyone would watch had us crumble to pieces. The documentary focused on the work and last few days of Dr. King. It was mainly narrated by one of his close friends, and the man who stood beside him as he was shot, “the witness”, Reverend Samuel “Billy” Kyles. This monumental tribute and explanation of Dr. King and his work as a Civil Rights Activist was heart-wrenching. Just as I couldn't explain the view of the Grand Canyon at sunset, neither can I convey the sorrow and emotion that filled that room. This amazing, yet mournful tale from Rev. Kyles let us in, if only for a second, to that chilling and depressing day. As “The Witness” and the only Reverend left of the original 3 tried to instill the audience with a shared experience you could hear and feel the room fill with sadness and tears. All around, including us, people were shifting to wipe tears away, or cover their faces. Whether it was a steady stream or a teary twinkle, the heavy emotion was felt by all.

After the film ended the stunned audience took a while to get up and leave. As we departed and turned the corner there it was, the exhibit we had expected to encounter. From the beginning of slavery all the way to present day, there wasn't a rally, protest, march, uprising, revolt, case of segregation or integration, missed. This museum had it all. Most exhibits were attributed to American civil rights, but there were a few that went over other world demonstrations. The long walk through lead all the way to the actual room, and spot of Dr. Kings last few moments. We would then leave the museum and head across the street to the house where it is suspected the shooter hid. Here there was a whole 'nother long exhibit talking about every little detail known, or supposed about the day, and shooter.

Leaving with a very somber feeling we exited this side of the museum we headed to the car. It was planned to go try and make it to a free viewing of the Dixon Gardens, (Thanks for the heads up Aunt Patti) but when we looked at the clock we had been at the museum for nearly 4 hours. After opening at 9, it was now almost 1. Deciding to skip the gardens, (sorry!) we wanted to grab some grub and hit the open road. We stopped off at The BBQ Shop Restaurant. Boy did this place blow Topps out the water. Sitting down to a nice rack of ribs and a pulled pork shoulder sandwich with various sides, this was Memphis hospitality right here. It was heaven, and it tasted goooooood. Bellies full once again , completely satisfied, we made for New Orleans!

The drive down was uneventful, with the only major city we drove through being Jackson, Mississippi. However, maybe 100 miles outside of New Orleans the road became elevated. When you looked over we were on top of a bayou. A far as the eye could see was swamp, with the highway suspended above these wetlands. Working our way towards New Orleans we came to our hostel... oh yeah by the way, no Walmart for us here, we got a ressie at a hostel, yeah that's what's up! The place looked a bit sketchy, but so far its been pretty nice. From the website we had hoped this would be a crazy fun place with co-eds and good people all around. Well let's just say its one big sausage hostel. Not really what we had hoped for, not even what I was expecting after hearing Katie's time spent at a hostel. Most of the guys were a bit stand offish, not too willing to extend a hand. Everyone is pretty timid here, and not very open at all. Oh well, to each's own.

The Walk to the Trolley from Our Hostel.

Unpacking the car a bit, and checking our situation for the next two nights we felt pooped. But instead we decided to go hit up the New Orleans night life!!! Walking 10 blocks or so we made it to the trolley which for a dollar twenty-five will take you all the way down to the corner of Canal and Bourbon St. before turning around. Here we hopped off and proceeded down this tourist attraction. From 8 to about 11:30 we walked all over!!! Everywhere! As Michael put it, “its a poor man's Vegas” Crazy people running rampant, some are naked, others are falling down drunk. Guys and girls alike, everyone is screaming and having a good time dancing, drinking, chatting, walking. It's a great atmosphere, only ruined by the bar rot smell that accompanies it.

We pretty much did walk up, down, through, behind, around, every street in the area, checking out various music, shop, bar, food, and tourist scenes. The humidity sure didn't stop, and neither did we as we made eye contact with various strangers, bumped into funny stories, and took pictures of the insane night life. We stopped in at a restaurant more so to get out of the humidity, and latch on to some water. Here we had some good New Orleans food, but stuck mostly to the water. Unfortunately it seemed like we were always running out of water but never any ice cubes. Relaxed a bit we sauntered back out onto the town, like two alley cats, ready for a happnin' time.

Around 11:30 we decided to head back to the hostel. Jumping back on the trolley we would roll into the neighborhood near midnight or so. After a few online sessions, with some of the slowest internet iv'e experienced in a while (spoiled) we hit the sack. It may not have been the best bed but hey, we'd take it. A mattress and pillow with sheets was good enough, especially with a slow stream of A/C blasting the room. We have 3 roommates at the moment, all British, but all separate. We were pretty much out when the light was flicked off.

Waking up early morning there was two of our roommates still sleeping, but it was curious but although not unexpected that the third never made it home that night. We would later see him passed out in the afternoon, apparently re-cooperating from a wild night. I'll fill you in later to our full day of New Orleans, but now we are about to get back on the trolley and head towards a cafe for some beignets and cafe au lait's. We'll get more done on the car ride to Atlanta tomorrow! Hope everyone is doing well. You're all in our thoughts, thanks for reading.

2011-06-18T22:17:00.003-07:00

The journey so far.

Little Rock and Memphis

2011-06-17T21:19:00.000-07:00

Phew, man is it muggy out here. It was somewhat of a rough night for Michael as it wasn't the heat that became a problem, but the humidity. As i slept soundly, dreaming of She-bam and other Santa Cruz adventures, Mike was up 'round 6, unable to sleep any longer. With a book in his hand he managed to read through the next few hours waiting for me to get up.

Up and at 'em bright and early in Little Rock we packed up the car around 8 and left closer to 8:30 for downtown Little Rock. Goodbye Walmart hello City slickers!The first stop was found with some primo parking outside of the old state capitol house of Little Rock. It took a while to adjust from the air conditioned car to the humid heat of Arkansas but we managed. Sliding into the building was much appreciated as we were blasted with cold air to cool us off. With free admission came free roam of the building to soak up all we could about the capital.

There were many rooms all filled with different, important, time periods of history. There was acceptance and statehood; the building itself through the years; periods of civil war, and veterans; restoration; and officials. One of the more fun rooms was dedicated to Clinton, what a goof. There was also a lot of hillbilly and red-neck stuff to show their rich, yet admittedly embarrassing roots. After a good hour or two wandering the halls, and we had seen everything, we left to walk the streets of downtown.

Plopping a few more coins into the parking meter, we sauntered down the street, peering in buildings and looking for important landmarks. We visited the farmers market, but it was very underwhelming and lame. We are so spoiled to have the Santa Cruz farmers market's, let alone the greatness of the S.F. market. (which i miss dearly!) At one point we stopped at a small plaza dedicated to a funny tae kwon do master. Apparently he fell in love with Little Rock so they dedicated a small area for him that was out of place and stereotypical for what a martial arts plaza would have in red-neck America.

We decided to skip the President Clinton museum, with a full scale oval office to try and make it out to the famous Central Little Rock High. Boy were we in for a surprise. Reaching the visitor and historical center we were greeted with a shocking tip; Dr. Minnijean Brown, one of the Little Rock Nine was making a special guest appearance. Without even getting to explore the center there she was. Before we knew it we were rushing in alongside the other tourists to a special seating and lecture area. Here for the next hour and a half we heard unbelievable stories of hardship, justice, persistence, and tragedy. Michael and i both had actually met and heard from Dr. Brown 5 years before in high school, so this was an unexpected but welcome visit. She is so strong, powerful, wise, funny and passionate, but at the same time, very sad and realistically depressing. She has been through so much, you can't help but take in every word she gives, while at the same time realizing not only the truth with which she speaks but the haunting view of society from which it stems forth.

After she respectfully answered the questions presented by the audience she was given a standing ovation before the meet and greet. Michael and I took this opportunity to go back to the museum portion and explore a bit. All around us we found more disturbing reminders of the past that this nation has built itself upon. All too easily do we turn a blind eye and wish to forget the atrocities of our own society. This exhibit served as a great example to what we must always remember and use to grow stronger. Only when we can begin to build not out of guilt, but out of love and cooperation with one another, can we move forward.

As we left the visitor center the large group of us walked across the street, and stared dead center with the high school where it all happened. It was a very somber and humbling experience as everyone around took pictures in silence. As shock and awe filled us all we began to reach out to one another. One by one everyone began to go over the history of the Little Rock 9 and the Central High School. Many pictures were taken, and for a few minutes many friends were made. Everyone shared this experience with one another and took what Dr. Brown had said to heart. Oddly enough this group that Michael and i had been swept in with were all part of the same bus tour group. Starting in Atlanta and venturing on a civil rights trip ending in Chicago we had become a part of this group if only for a moment. How lucky were we to unknowingly have the good fortunes of this group shared with us. As they boarded and left the bus we walked back to the car, amazed by our good luck.

With our superb experience of Little Rock it was off to Memphis only an hour and a half away. Deciding to take a late lunch we wanted to get on the road and find some good bbq when we got into town. Well, bbq is exactly what we found as we stopped at the famous Topps smokehouse. It was a bit uneasy at this local place where we were definitely outsiders. None the less, it didn't matter as the food was great and certainly filling. No wonder America is so fat. Not only has the food become more fattening, but so have the people, ever since we left LA. Talk about culture shock.

Bellies full, we headed to the famous Beale Street, the center for blues, soul, rock, and other varying music genres. Here we immediately hopped out and headed towards the Museum of Rock and Soul Smithsonian. However, there was a good 5 minutes where we accidentally went into a closed parking garage. No worries, we got out ok after driving around for a while, without ever finding another parked car. We almost rammed a toll gate before finding a ticket taker who stared at us incredulously. Laughing us off he let us out with a grin and shook his head. When we finally made it to the museum we almost got away without having to pay for tickets. No one was around when we entered so we headed straight on in to the first exhibit before being called back eventually asking to see our tickets. We paid the man and finally entered first watching a video, then receiving some audio guided tours devices, and walking around discovering the music life of Memphis. Here we were exposed to a culture spawning all the way back to slavery in the fields, learning of the development of various artists and the music they transformed with them. Soul, blues rock, country, bluegrass, funk, jazz, rock a billy, blues and rhythm, just about everything had its fair share of history, fame, artifacts, and music throughout the tour.

Leaving the museum it was still hot and humid as hell outside with no end in sight. Beale Street proved to be a lot of fun, with various characters and tourists roaming the streets. Unfortunately the actual street had been demolished years ago, but after realizing what they had done this re-built one now stood in its place. It still held some soul as just about every block there was another performer belting out some powerful blues tunes. Most of the buildings were bars and tourist shops but we did happen to stumble upon a small free museum that had great photography of the Civil Rights Movement in Memphis. There were shots of negro league baseball players and games (Willie Mays was in one, Go Giants!) ; marches, sit-ins, and protests; many pictures documenting Dr. martin Luther King Jr. and his work within Memphis accompanied by his assassination; and also the garbage worker strike. After a quick chat with the docents we hopped back onto the streets and stopped at a nearby center where a blues band had set-up. Everyone around was having a good time thumping to the beat and shaking along with rhythm.

Leaving Beale Street we wanted to see more of Memphis. Just like Europe sophomore year we let our feet do the directing. We walked down the financial district, along the Mississippi River front, next to the minor league baseball stadium as a game went on, and through a more traditional downtown. Even as the sun set the humidity was still a killer.

Heading to the car with cameras full of pictures we started off around 8 for another Walmart. Hey it may not be the best, but it's working so far. These 24-hour centers have been much appreciated. As of now we have been sitting in a starbucks, like always, catching up online, downloading pictures, and rooting the Giants on. Be sure to check out the photos we have been posting on facebook. Thanks once again for keeping up with us. Tomorrow we will head to the National Museum of Civil Rights, before setting off to New Orleans.

Today has been a full day of interesting meet and greets with many people, all of which have left a lasting impression, or in this case a hilarious quote, here are a few of those quotes:

Dr. Brown- "They tried to discourage me and tell me i was ugly. Are you kidding? I was gorgeous!"

Vendor on Beale St.- "I may be drinking a bit, but did i just see a clown walk by!?"

Docent at Civil Rights Photography Museum- Yeah i really want to move out to California. I want to be a nurse, i was thinking about living in Yellowstone."

Cashier at Topps BBQ- (Try and understand the tone. This wasn't rude, just how they asked for an order)- "What-chu want?"

Michael entered a bathroom, many of which surprisingly don't have locks, to a guy yelling out- "Woah, Woah, WOAH!"

Love you all, and hope to see you soon!

-Just keep chasing pavements

Albuquerque and Amarillo

2011-06-16T22:09:00.000-07:00

Following our amazing adventure through traffic we arrived several hours later in Albuquerque. Upon our arrival we immediately fueled up with some much needed Sonic SLUSHEEES!!! Hydrated and sugared up we ventured off to the Petroglyph National Monument. Here we spent the next several hours or so hiking through various trails taking pictures and enjoying the wonders of these petroglyphs.

After spending the last several hours in the sun chasing rabits, snakes, and lizards we headed to old town. Here we found the usual touristy shops containing your Route 66 and various New Mexico paraphernalia. We enjoyed a little live music and walk around the central plaza. Satisfied we journeyed to the main downtown area. After a little parking adventure and meeting our new fiend John. We were guided to a restaurant just next to the University called the Frontier. Here we had some traditional New Mexican grub smothered in an excellent green chili stew. After our meal we took a walk around the University of New Mexico campus before heading back out on the road.

As we drove on towards Amarillo we found that it was getting dark but it was only 7:30pm. We had not realized that in a day we had passed through 2 time zones. It was actually 9:30pm. We had planned on getting in at around 11 only to find that it was actually 1am the next morning. We dozed off cracking the windows before bed at another great stop along the way. This place was called walmart, surprise surprise!

We awoke the next morning to a light rain coming through the windows from the sprinklers. It was actually quite enjoyable as it was already 85 degrees at 7:30am. We headed to starbucks for a bit of time online, some morning coffee, and then ventured off to Oklahoma City.

As our drive wore on we found that although the temperature was not rising rapidly the humidity added to the heat. En route we ran into a car from Nevada. We seemed to stay together for the entire 4 hour drive from Amarillo to Oklahoma City even after stopping at different rest stops. We stopped at a Cherokee Indian Gift Shop to have a look around and check our tire pressure. In this gift shop we found a new friend who will join us on our journey. He is a 3" tall cactus named George. We headed back onto the highway only to find Nevada close behind. Our states neighboring location and their ability to mooch off our radar detector kept us within a quarter mile of each other the entire time.

Hungry from the four hour drive we stopped at Ann's Fried Chicken House. Paden had Chicken Steak and Michael had Chicken Friend Steak. Both were very good and served as expected, with gravy, "vegetables", either mashed potatoes or french fries, and a side salad. Following this delicious meal and a sweet request to "Hurry on back now" we headed off to the Cowboy Museum!!!

The museum was awesome, the map was awful. The map designated which exhibits we were allowed to photograph and which ones we were not. Being such an awful map we ended up taking photos and getting caught on 2 separate occasions and missed out on opportunities to take pictures in other places. We also got to see what Paden called, "Cowboy Disneyland" It was a full-scale replica of an old western town. We were promised by the sweet old docent that EVERYTHING was authentic and original. This thing was no joke it was probably the size of a 8 house neighborhood. It had a bank, a school, a saloon, blacksmith shop, church, dentist, rail road station, post office, and more. The museum had so much more. There was an awesome hollywood section devoted to all the actors and actresses and well as the history of western movies and television through out the development. It also had a huge collection of paintings, drawings, and sculptures, depicting both western and native lifestyles. If that wasn't enough their was an extensive collection of knives and guns that we barely made a dent in. The cowboy museum closed at 5 so we squeezed in every last minute that we could and then hit the road.

On the drive to Little Rock we saw mysterious "red" lightning, fireflies on the side of the road and a disney-like, light up bridge. The weather here is muggy but tolerable at night. We will have to see what the day is like tomorrow. We plan to hit a few museums and historical landmarks before heading off to memphis for some awesome music history.

Listening to some bluegrass on the way down, we will leave you with:
-"Rock me mama like a wagon wheel!"

Flagstaff to Amarillo

2011-06-16T07:27:00.001-07:00

Hey everybody, Michael and Paden reporting in en route to Oklahoma City. This is the blog we failed to post the previous day! As of now we are in a starucks using internet in Amarillo. During the car ride to Oklahoma City and Little Rock i'll write the next one explaining the second half of Albuquerque and alter part of the day.

Ok Claire, you were right, the burger place was pretty good. Unfortunately I left mine in Kim's fridge after eating only half. Enjoy! The second night in LA was great as we hung out with old and new friends alike. Just a shutout to Kim, Emerald, Claire, Brianna, Josh, Emily and Nick for a fun night of games, massages, and shenanigans. Late to bed after the party, and early to rise. Yes we got up at 7, I know, ugh! We packed the car, checked we had everything in order, and made for the open road. (Quick thanks to Lisa, Chad, and Kim, for letting us crash at there place, it was great as always.)

Before we entirely made it out of LA we made a special stop for a special person. After 3 months of studying and exploring in Costa Rica it was in fact true, Katie Finch had returned! Not too far out of the way we stopped at Dish for breakfast, and tried to cram as much time in together as possible. Breakfast was lovely, and much appreciated. We had a nice visit and chat from a Mr. Keivin Finch. (Acme in New Orleans we'll find it!) Breakfast ended all too early, as we had to say our goodbyes too soon, although we did get to hear little tidbits of her wonderful trip. The time we spent with Katie would have to suffice as we moved towards the Grand Canyon with an extra piece of luggage (Costa Rican machete!).

The trip from LA to the Grand Canyon was beautiful. Not a whole lot out there, but in terms of natural beauty we saw 5 or 6 kinds of different deserts. There was a little accident at one point where somehow a pressurized can of coffee exploded in the car rendering both front seats, dashboard, and passengers sticky and brown. Oops, it was loads of fun, a bit messy, but great all the same.

We made it to the Grand Canyon in good time, just under 7 hours after leaving Dish at 11:30. Mike had never seen the grand canyon, and I had seen it years ago, so it was exciting as we rolled up. Hopping out of the car fueled by excitement and anticipation we made our way to the south rim. Our breath was taken away by the astounding, vast canyon of sheer drops, amazing colors, and various levels of rock and mineral layering. I wish I could convey the magnitude of this landmark, the pictures hopefully will do it justice. To stand there and take it all in, you feel like you could just be swallowed up by this wondrous canyon.

After exploring a bit and walking to different view points we headed to the gift shop. The learning center had closed at 6, but the gift shop was open till 9. Better to buy than to learn. Walking around the shop we picked up and looked at the many cheesy, yet appropriate items to buy. At one point we were looking at post cards when we accidentally knocked down a whole stock of them, scattering the floor with images of the Grand Canyon. Not entirely embarrassed we laughed it off and picked them up, realizing that this trip would be full of goofs like this, and the coffee explosion.

Heading back to the car we decided to drive around and check out different parts of the south rim. We ended up going to the geology center. Score! It was here that we stayed around for sunset. With a handful of carrots and a box of goldfish we set up shop near a cliffs edge with other tourists and waited. As time passed a real show was put on for us. The lighting and colors that developed and continued to evolve were magnificent. Once again I wish I could explain or show this changing landscape.

With the end of the sun set, and the rise of an almost full moon we set off for Flagstaff. This drive was pretty uneventful. Although, the night ride through the desert pine forrest was refreshing. The moon was bright and helped lead the way. At one point we almost hit a jack rabbit. The machete would have come in handy there. Oh! One of the crazier things that happened were the elk that continued to pop up on the side of the road. It was funny to see elk signs, since living in California we are so used to just deer, but these elk were no joke. Huge beastly creatures, the elk were gigantic, like 6x the size of a deer. After an hour southeast we made it into Flagstaff.

Not much happened in Flagstaff. We toured around a bit to get a feel for the city, but it wasn't too exciting. We parked the car and decided to walk downtown. Not much here except for some bars. But what we did get to do is watch the last of the 9^th as Brian Wilson nabbed his latest save. The Giants won 6-5 against Arizona. Black and Orange!!! From here we went to a starbucks for free wifi to get what little internet use we needed for pictures, updates, chat, and business. After starbucks we came to our luxurious hotel for the night, Walmart! We parked , flipped down the seats, moved the stuff to the front, and laid out the sleeping bags. Getting to bed around 11 we had stayed up to figure out the next day, talk a bit about what else is going on, and of curse to eat marshmallows as big as your fist!!!

The night wasn't too bad. Aside from the walmart parking lot lights, it wasn't too uncomfortable; we'll see how it gets later in the trip though. Up bright and early we were surprisingly refreshed and ready to go. Leaving Flagstaff by 8:30 it was on to Albuquerque. On the road for only an hour we had to stop at Meteor Crater!!!! The history was a bit lost on us and somewhat conflicting in areas, but the crater itself was really cool. “Over 2 miles in length,” Michael adds “and over 500 feet deep!” We spent a lot of time walking around exploring the crater and taking it all in. An hour passed, and we soldiered on towards Albuquerque. Along the way there were tons of “Indian” stores selling a the little chotchky's (sp?) nick-nak’s, and tourist trinkets. It was a little sad to se every mile another one pop up offering the same cheesy tourist crap. We did stop in one just to check it out, but it never felt right. There was so much cowboy and indian paraphernalia, it was one giant exploit.

Well we just passed into New Mexico, and I have caught up to present time. Looking forward to Albuquerque we have a few places to check out. We'll see if we stay there or move on to Amarillo. Yay!

Wow quick side note we just ran into dead traffic. After a car flipped a bitch right in front of us everything came to a screeching halt. Currently under the hot desert sun we now await for things to pick up again.

If you keep up with us we'll keep up with you. Good lookin' out!

-Goulet!

Flagstaff

2011-06-14T22:28:00.001-07:00

In flagstaff. More about today tomorrow.

2011-06-13T18:23:00.000-07:00

Dowtown L.A.

This is Dudely.

View From Bench From 500 Days of Summer.

Hey Y'all. So we are off! Yup it finally happened. After 3 years, the trip of a lifetime is underway. Michael showed up in Santa Cruz bright and early to get me out of bed. But as i'm sure you all know i was still sleeping, and not exactly ready, so it took a while to get going. As soon as i was ready we began to pack the car with what little baggage we had. We will be riding in style in our white 1998 Volvo soccer mom wagon. Woot! It's pretty much everything we wanted. If we give it enough love, hopefully it will get us across the country and back in one piece. Also, it turns out we have sort of a mascot, or good luck charm if you will, following us every step up the way. Our buddy Harvey has turned out to be great fun, and a very lively rabbit that brings a lot to the table. His road trippin' expertise will be much appreciated.
Around 11:00 AM we set off down the coast on 101 before hopping on 46, and heading out on "the" 5 (That was hard to do) Not too many problems on the road as it was pretty much smooth sailing. There was some traffic here and there but what else is new when you're going to LA. We did stop off a bit at a Safeway and dollar store just to get a few essentials; gummy worms, saltine crackers, bags and bags of cereal etc. We almost bought some foam swords but thought against it. We got into LA around 6 and hit up Kim at her beach house. Claire and Kim joined us on the beach to watch the sunset, but before it actually set, Claire was more intent on getting back for some food. After saying hi's and going through introductions we sat down, to chow down. It was a loud and raucous night filled with good food and friends. BBq chicken, corn, potatoes, and greens filled the table as we laughed the night away with full bellies.
After dinner we headed back to Kim's house. Here we met up with Emerald and ended up going out late to go get Yogurt Land. Claire decided to stay back and catch a few zzzz's, but it was probably more so because she is lactose intolerant. LAME! My second trip to yogurt land proved to be much better as i knew what to do and bought less ice cream. With froyo a succes it was back to Kim's for a good nights rest. We stayed up and planned a bit more, just getting things ready for the days ahead. It will be a while before we get another good nights rest and a home-cooked meal.
The next day everyone partied it up in the kitchen and made breakfast. I of course slept in, ignoring any noises or sounds that were out to wake me. Around 10 i stumbled and we all sat down to the table for a good breakfast, compliments to Claire. We cleaned up a bit, showered, dressed and made it out the door around noon to explore LA. It took us a while to get downtown because of the crazy traffic construction, and the poorly relayed directions, but whatever! Downtown LA was great as we explored the area walking to the Disney Concert Hall, Angels Hill, and the many parking lots! Deciding to leave before rush hour we headed to the Santa Monica boardwalk and walked around a bunch. Time well spent at the boardwalk taking in the sights, sea air, and booty it was time to head home to Kim's. With a quick gas stop, (gas is really going to kill us) we made it back and relaxed a bit before we have to get up again. Tonight Claire is taking us to a burger place that she swears is the best, but we all have our reservations. We we'll see where the night takes us, but it sounds as if there may be a small shin dig later.
Ok that's it for now. More to come later. I don't know if ill be able to keep up this pace in terms of writing. And yeah yeah i know grammatically it's not the best, but i'm not going back through and adding misplaced commas or apostrophes, so deal with it. Ok loyal followers, until another day, Michael and Paden here hopping off.

-Who Flares.

On the road

2011-06-12T15:52:00.001-07:00

Set out this morning around 11. Currently in the L.A. area. We'll be heading to grand canyon/flagstaff next.