tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24246249530918943792024-03-05T05:32:37.423-05:00San Francisco Road TripLauren and Donald Across Americal a u r e nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03066876947372514636noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2424624953091894379.post-7967008147436151912007-06-25T02:16:00.000-04:002008-12-13T00:24:00.243-05:00apartment ho!so after we blew into town late sunday night and crashed at <a href="http://www.whitewhale.net/content/small.php">jason</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/PJ-Harveys-Rid-Me-Stories/dp/0826427782">kate's</a> (thanks again!and hooray for their recent engagement), we gathered our craigslist scribbles and pile of maps and headed over to the great city itself monday morning.<br /><br />ok that was a few weeks ago so my memory is kinda shotty, but the bottom line is, wow, how the heck did we luck out like we did? we went to one place that was an instant NO, but shortly after went to two amazing open houses. the first, (which is the one i am writing this from now) was a beautiful little place near the top of the hill, next to the magnificent mission dolores park, with a great view, charming back patio and the cutest dog next door. if only it had a vest.<br /><br />we spoke with jean (the landlord) for a while, telling her about ourselves (squirming in our pants that we were people she'd be interested in) and her telling us that she didn't even really want to have the open house that night because she had one that weekend and already had a lot of candidates. eek! but we took the applications (which she instructed us to fill out with as much personal info as possible) and crossed our fingers, as we skipped out of the apartment and on to our next open house.<br /><br />man, we didn't think we'd ever see a place as nice, but whoa whoa did our eyes bug out when we saw this next one. it was one of i think four units that the landlord had completely gutted and refinished with new hardwood floors, granite countertops, claw foot bath tub and other period details. and yes, it even had a little back yard. so we rolled up our faces, schmoozed with the guy and his wife,asked for an application and ran to find a place to collect our amazements and quietly cry because we knew we didn't stand a chance at getting any of these apartments.<br /><br />so we barted it back to oakland where we carefully crafted our applications. after we finished the one's for the second place, we faxed them off, and then continued to add cartoon doodles and essays about how we wanted to live in that first apartment more than we wanted a lifetime supply of soy delicious <a href="http://www.sodeliciousdairyfree.com/products/purely_decadent_coconut_craze.html">coconut craze</a>. we packaged them up with a copy of donald's poetry book and tried to sleep even though it was harder than the night before my 9th christmas.<br /><br />i get up. its 8.03am and i'm getting a phone call. its the landlord from the second place, saying that he's offering us the apartment and that we can move in right then! ACK! i freak out because um like yeah! even though its a super fantastic place... we really wanted to live in the other super oober doober place but we haven't even dropped off the application yet! so i ask him if we could let him know later that night and we fly over to the city to drop off the application to jean. we get there around noon and i leave her a voice mail explaining our situation and say, like, i know you think we're nuts but is there any way you think you'd be able to make a decision by oh lets say TONIGHT? so yeah now we're thinking our chances are really shot, and after like 6 more hours of nauseous anticipation, i give her a call to see if she's gotten my message. she says she has, and boy what a hard thing it is to try and make a decision, especially when she hasn't even called anyone's contacts or even read over everything yet but you know what? she's gonna let us know one way or the other by 8pm. what a doll. i didn't even care what she was going to call back saying -- i just hoped that she would be my new best friend because she is the awesomest lady i've ever met.<br /><br />drumline... she calls back, fakes me out with her depressing voice but then says, "oh what the heck, im just gonna give the place to you guys. im going with my gut and you guys seem like nice people." hooray for jean's gut!<br /><br />and now the much anticipated photos of our place! enjoy! (and thanks for being so patient, families)<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxlpN3GT1Bqcqm8Av-vpC9fO9QoYwlRjwZ2xBqvD_u5T2v5xKKvrySMsuEs7wALOKNthWOpxVeFWOiOZqnumviX1nNUi5j1T2wh1COhrJzmCTUL0Y6W_7E-E8M1UDuVT6bjYLkTPsovqY/s1600-h/DSC_30041.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxlpN3GT1Bqcqm8Av-vpC9fO9QoYwlRjwZ2xBqvD_u5T2v5xKKvrySMsuEs7wALOKNthWOpxVeFWOiOZqnumviX1nNUi5j1T2wh1COhrJzmCTUL0Y6W_7E-E8M1UDuVT6bjYLkTPsovqY/s400/DSC_30041.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5079898405751367970" border="0" /></a><div style="font-size: 0.8em; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">this is the park near our place (during the few seconds when it's not overflowing with folks)<br /></div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZmfNSSLflIr3bDUDQWWtfx2sTa3EQXXS1jLe9xuEv4VnYSvf7kK8FcTP2WlJtKw8n6tQERx0TMrHjqpzfzirMmZPmWiqZ9xvczJRX3qElBp7qggIKzhGK9yRDMNAotL_puytnYrmy_fg/s1600-h/DSC_0134.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZmfNSSLflIr3bDUDQWWtfx2sTa3EQXXS1jLe9xuEv4VnYSvf7kK8FcTP2WlJtKw8n6tQERx0TMrHjqpzfzirMmZPmWiqZ9xvczJRX3qElBp7qggIKzhGK9yRDMNAotL_puytnYrmy_fg/s400/DSC_0134.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5079896460131182866" border="0" /></a><div style="font-size: 0.8em; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">view from outside our apartment</div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNR1nzn40NiPLOGexyJOSNE5JCzp7dhd1eyxbfk-puniLkxCl6C0ji6U8vFuid9tzXm8rLqqqCSYI6KPyor-NIOLnpajZ2llFjk6Z-OgR4zILJZLT4yxEPkPI1c44mJexBHUgFkCD31YU/s1600-h/DSC_0058.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNR1nzn40NiPLOGexyJOSNE5JCzp7dhd1eyxbfk-puniLkxCl6C0ji6U8vFuid9tzXm8rLqqqCSYI6KPyor-NIOLnpajZ2llFjk6Z-OgR4zILJZLT4yxEPkPI1c44mJexBHUgFkCD31YU/s400/DSC_0058.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5079896000569682018" border="0" /></a><div style="font-size: 0.8em; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">the front of our apartment (middle right windows with the red curtain). thats my new harley btw</div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJcq66TzbS7UuE9stFLESlkFSQO9PP2Gu_ZszAuJhtf3ineuijXtr53IXDWGnYBeqRoC7JU_8tDe9f_18vOu1KGXEsfvRhkYoisBKT7VvZJKNjq4GvM3nu3xqV1StQwDYZk8_Dj8_lMwc/s1600-h/DSC_0069.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJcq66TzbS7UuE9stFLESlkFSQO9PP2Gu_ZszAuJhtf3ineuijXtr53IXDWGnYBeqRoC7JU_8tDe9f_18vOu1KGXEsfvRhkYoisBKT7VvZJKNjq4GvM3nu3xqV1StQwDYZk8_Dj8_lMwc/s400/DSC_0069.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5079896301217392818" border="0" /></a><div style="font-size: 0.8em; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">thats the front door and this is the uh sitting room (?)</div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSptR3lyMSkycpFKAqV9QIhM2O_y24Uzvag0qdxgKuTj6E2kaRL_TpblQr-hXXYUL-YV2QWvoPMYAt_AIj5CUws5qU-SVwhOkepIOhIV1rW3nMSu8JO4fUd-uWKHXl0lIsog0i_OnIY9Q/s1600-h/DSC_0064.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSptR3lyMSkycpFKAqV9QIhM2O_y24Uzvag0qdxgKuTj6E2kaRL_TpblQr-hXXYUL-YV2QWvoPMYAt_AIj5CUws5qU-SVwhOkepIOhIV1rW3nMSu8JO4fUd-uWKHXl0lIsog0i_OnIY9Q/s400/DSC_0064.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5079896009159616658" border="0" /></a><div style="font-size: 0.8em; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">another angle of that room</div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwC0sbE6ekq43xl-_NIY26yGdWKrh6fXk2-1l1IwrxJGgPaLNk5veenLwkwLXi-u5h8YdLazf8gIffga2l8RYKNGQWh8q_OQY_5JM34BI-pzvmsBxxJ2h2PAVMl98kFrSl1NxLC6FNzPk/s1600-h/DSC_0060.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwC0sbE6ekq43xl-_NIY26yGdWKrh6fXk2-1l1IwrxJGgPaLNk5veenLwkwLXi-u5h8YdLazf8gIffga2l8RYKNGQWh8q_OQY_5JM34BI-pzvmsBxxJ2h2PAVMl98kFrSl1NxLC6FNzPk/s400/DSC_0060.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5079896004864649330" border="0" /></a><div style="font-size: 0.8em; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">bedroom</div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjovQ6amXaLTI-i6mny36lzm5csfw1Mj5sUMp0W_SPVtsQ2nMj7cIYWcjFAC8zKB6CvCoAZy499t6GMV7L3EcjWxe40m3ir8AlMk6Zi5ImEKfFZIwZKK1-X-BHOe8XsmTeNJt0RQseN01w/s1600-h/DSC_0063.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjovQ6amXaLTI-i6mny36lzm5csfw1Mj5sUMp0W_SPVtsQ2nMj7cIYWcjFAC8zKB6CvCoAZy499t6GMV7L3EcjWxe40m3ir8AlMk6Zi5ImEKfFZIwZKK1-X-BHOe8XsmTeNJt0RQseN01w/s400/DSC_0063.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5079896004864649346" border="0" /></a><div style="font-size: 0.8em; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">check out that dresser (and dont be deceived by how big these rooms look. wide angle lens)</div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6eJpHzbO1B7voHYrLOMUQrNNUDKUEbIu8GY2KKd12HB_ypVXwRH1mJQDpvDOp9Mx39chzehXynHhfdsQUWFCb4jMv34CamDxU73gqh4iv6FpoGn85oOZirPb8qLLLZqjMkQdaa6ITA4s/s1600-h/DSC_0066.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6eJpHzbO1B7voHYrLOMUQrNNUDKUEbIu8GY2KKd12HB_ypVXwRH1mJQDpvDOp9Mx39chzehXynHhfdsQUWFCb4jMv34CamDxU73gqh4iv6FpoGn85oOZirPb8qLLLZqjMkQdaa6ITA4s/s400/DSC_0066.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5079896009159616674" border="0" /></a><div style="font-size: 0.8em; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">hallway that goes past the bathroom</div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihrwNbXMmyEUpjUHGIKXBd-x-L3HJDj4KqPebVpf1NgitJMFYX0kXfQlkxvIHWl0rValzfKcsWcH9t4UQvHuXYIZGN_sJI6tTxHJOC6JDQLSQolmWzHghGNi0aLSEdyALGoLu250o2nbU/s1600-h/DSC_0076.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihrwNbXMmyEUpjUHGIKXBd-x-L3HJDj4KqPebVpf1NgitJMFYX0kXfQlkxvIHWl0rValzfKcsWcH9t4UQvHuXYIZGN_sJI6tTxHJOC6JDQLSQolmWzHghGNi0aLSEdyALGoLu250o2nbU/s400/DSC_0076.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5079896305512360146" border="0" /></a><div style="font-size: 0.8em; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">computer room looking back towards front door</div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIqKSHxwXsPGoc6In-4TPwSp9PzKYvZXMCctjn0yndlQ0mC6edqr1r7HTuX0WhJY0G1mdrlMkubcpWIxLePSRgOo48jDQNohJkCw714wS7wBTPcWzmYDlGFezeAxSgXwbq0qXKgP8sLWQ/s1600-h/DSC_0072.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIqKSHxwXsPGoc6In-4TPwSp9PzKYvZXMCctjn0yndlQ0mC6edqr1r7HTuX0WhJY0G1mdrlMkubcpWIxLePSRgOo48jDQNohJkCw714wS7wBTPcWzmYDlGFezeAxSgXwbq0qXKgP8sLWQ/s400/DSC_0072.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5079896305512360130" border="0" /></a><div style="font-size: 0.8em; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">same room looking towards kitchen</div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlnmaLldf_5MUnO-T0-kNqtLWPkIwtNTeXufpeyuIjRSlmJdPS0HEIylAuUymMspNnqmLpPsGpu1BAdoBHzyQJq7DCLYlIipYk1X_wBI4HDhwwVqDIfd45nF8R_6AXTDwYFYdULBIGWLc/s1600-h/DSC_0081.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlnmaLldf_5MUnO-T0-kNqtLWPkIwtNTeXufpeyuIjRSlmJdPS0HEIylAuUymMspNnqmLpPsGpu1BAdoBHzyQJq7DCLYlIipYk1X_wBI4HDhwwVqDIfd45nF8R_6AXTDwYFYdULBIGWLc/s400/DSC_0081.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5079896305512360162" border="0" /></a><div style="font-size: 0.8em; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">kitchen pt. 1</div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfY7Pf2wrpRcxtBtPx5BdX77DQc-jNzldTcc-JYHXUkXvI7lwKerC2YBwcB82cZ9-VPPYNZPppqTsBsqaXEZ1A696RifdecPG109HTaV-cQpaG1n547m-e4hN7Jg-7zJY9CmGx-_ksITI/s1600-h/DSC_0093.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfY7Pf2wrpRcxtBtPx5BdX77DQc-jNzldTcc-JYHXUkXvI7lwKerC2YBwcB82cZ9-VPPYNZPppqTsBsqaXEZ1A696RifdecPG109HTaV-cQpaG1n547m-e4hN7Jg-7zJY9CmGx-_ksITI/s400/DSC_0093.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5079896460131182850" border="0" /></a><div style="font-size: 0.8em; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">kitchen pt. 2</div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtCAeRR1vG_56B3vbtRHK30v2DidWv-tPydwiUTW-eqwz91Z390WdbtKcKra9hLyDenkgIg_EWYnxLb1H-5PTs2LML5ucszQhTlgErvldXMyEXtd5d6P_xVh9vpoQXSUiUcqUhtjUMhDc/s1600-h/DSC_0091.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtCAeRR1vG_56B3vbtRHK30v2DidWv-tPydwiUTW-eqwz91Z390WdbtKcKra9hLyDenkgIg_EWYnxLb1H-5PTs2LML5ucszQhTlgErvldXMyEXtd5d6P_xVh9vpoQXSUiUcqUhtjUMhDc/s400/DSC_0091.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5079896309807327474" border="0" /></a><div style="font-size: 0.8em; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">little backyard patio cutesy face</div>l a u r e nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03066876947372514636noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2424624953091894379.post-16289779778835730342007-06-25T00:52:00.000-04:002008-12-13T00:24:01.702-05:00Utah and lands westI guess it's been almost two weeks since we finished our road trip and a bit longer since we made a post. Well. It's been busy.<br /><br />After the storm in Wyoming we stopped in the first lodging we came across, a chain motel somewhere between Casper and Salt Lake City. Because of the extra time we'd gained, we looked up directions online and decided to make the trip to see <a href="http://www.spiraljetty.org/">Spiral Jetty</a> before stopping in Salt Lake City proper.<br /><br />The drive really takes you to the middle of nowhere, and then 15 miles further on unpaved roads. 13 miles in, as the directions put it, "the Class D road designation ends and the quality of the road deteriorates markedly." The jetty itself is awesome, but those last two miles are the real adventure.<br /><br />We stayed only briefly in Salt Lake City. We saw the Temple and ate at a great vegan place, and then — it was maybe 10 or 11 — were at a weird place time-wise. We didn't want to stay <em>in</em> the city, but didn't feel up to driving much further, so we decided to hit the road and stay at the first lodging we saw.<br /><br />Thus began the one truly late night drive. East and north of Salt Lake City, along the lake, was an expanse of suburbs and small cities. West of the city was nothing. According to the car's GPS, we drove along the lake for some time; but this was the sort of buildingless, streetlightless expanse that we couldn't see more than 20 feet off the road in either direction. There was nothing but a succession of signs: "Drowsy driving kills," "Sleepy? Rest area ahead," "If you have to, just pull over," etc.<br /><br />The first lodging was in Wendover, over 120 miles from SLC. There was a concert in town and the woman at the first hotel we stopped at doubted we'd find vacancy. There was a motel next door, but she thought we "might not like it." She made a face. "Kind of skeevy?" "No, no. It's clean. Just: you ask for a key, and look at a room." She also offered to let us sleep in the lot but we figured we would travel another 60 miles to Wells.<br /><br />We stayed at a small hotel there and woke up on Sunday determined to hit Oakland. Late afternoon we entered California (new home state!) through the gorgeous Sierras.<br /><br />At Sacramento, the traffic was unbelievable.<br /><br />And finally, Oakland, at about 3400 miles.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/Rn9faKkBd8I/AAAAAAAAAD8/0zUcwmxvwBw/s1600-h/DSC_0007.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/Rn9faKkBd8I/AAAAAAAAAD8/0zUcwmxvwBw/s400/DSC_0007.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5079883807813892034" border="0" /></a><div style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-size: 0.8em;">Somewhere in Utah.</div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/Rn9faakBd-I/AAAAAAAAAEM/QxSXsF9Pdnk/s1600-h/DSC_0012.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/Rn9faakBd-I/AAAAAAAAAEM/QxSXsF9Pdnk/s400/DSC_0012.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5079883812108859362" border="0" /></a><div style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-size: 0.8em;">The poorly marked way to the jetty.</div><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/Rn9foKkBeDI/AAAAAAAAAE0/2TB__jSias4/s1600-h/DSC_0098.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/Rn9foKkBeDI/AAAAAAAAAE0/2TB__jSias4/s400/DSC_0098.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5079884048332060722" border="0" /></a><div style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-size: 0.8em;">One of many such "Did we make a wrong turn somewhere?" gates.</div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/Rn9foakBeEI/AAAAAAAAAE8/wBJ3ZVbgVLU/s1600-h/DSC_0101.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/Rn9foakBeEI/AAAAAAAAAE8/wBJ3ZVbgVLU/s400/DSC_0101.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5079884052627028034" border="0" /></a><div style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-size: 0.8em;">I guess this is still the Class D road.</div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/Rn9foKkBeCI/AAAAAAAAAEs/7N4ZeiVq2x4/s1600-h/DSC_0082.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/Rn9foKkBeCI/AAAAAAAAAEs/7N4ZeiVq2x4/s400/DSC_0082.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5079884048332060706" border="0" /></a><div style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-size: 0.8em;">A quarter mile after we should have turned back. It's a good thing we're keeping the car because you could feel the resale value lowering with every KTHUNK.</div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/Rn9faqkBd_I/AAAAAAAAAEU/sBdONwAY_-c/s1600-h/DSC_0041.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/Rn9faqkBd_I/AAAAAAAAAEU/sBdONwAY_-c/s400/DSC_0041.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5079883816403826674" border="0" /></a><div style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-size: 0.8em;">The Great Salt Lake. You wouldn't believe the stench.</div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/Rn9fn6kBeBI/AAAAAAAAAEk/jJjcVGYqjmk/s1600-h/DSC_0073.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/Rn9fn6kBeBI/AAAAAAAAAEk/jJjcVGYqjmk/s400/DSC_0073.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5079884044037093394" border="0" /></a><div style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-size: 0.8em;">Spiral Jetty! (Yes, we walked out there.)</div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/Rn9foakBeFI/AAAAAAAAAFE/TRFWtp7Ra4o/s1600-h/DSC_0127.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/Rn9foakBeFI/AAAAAAAAAFE/TRFWtp7Ra4o/s400/DSC_0127.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5079884052627028050" border="0" /></a><div style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-size: 0.8em;">This place shared a parking lot with our hotel in Wells.</div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/Rn9ftKkBeGI/AAAAAAAAAFM/TCOSnJ43GYE/s1600-h/DSC_0130.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/Rn9ftKkBeGI/AAAAAAAAAFM/TCOSnJ43GYE/s400/DSC_0130.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5079884134231406690" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-size: 0.8em;">Welcome to California!</div>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2424624953091894379.post-76500671915236765772007-06-09T10:42:00.000-04:002008-12-13T00:24:01.746-05:00raise your hand if you love wyomingwe decided to see if we could get into devils tower even though it was after 9pm, and indeed we could! even though the west has its creepy ghost towns and deadly speed limits, they do have a great honor system. we were able to deposit the park fee and a camp site fee and set up amongst the few other campers. we decided to sleep in (8am!) and then got a start on hiking through the park.<br /><br />i guess the lack of topography in these parks doesn't allow them endless trails, so we were able to hit all of them by 3pm. and what trails they were! not only did you get brilliant views of the tower all along them, but you got to experience all different landscapes and the wildlife that went along with them! like the PRARIE DOG TOWN in the meadows and the ANTELOPE through the fields. im gonna have to let the prarie dog pictures speak for themselves because i can't begin to describe how cute and snuggly and sometimes chubby they were. and they really bark! like dogs!<br /><br />since we were able to see all the beauties of the park sooner than we expected, we decided to press on and see how much of the 9 hour trip to salt lake city we could get under our belts. we stopped in casper, wyoming to grab some eats at this authentic little mexicano joint and wow what goodness we got all for 13 bucks!<br /><br />now we are on our way again -- we just went through a huge lightening storm and we saw a <a href="http://www.worth1000.com/entries/86500/86653XDgc_w.jpg">cow</a> get sucked up in a tornado!!! ok no but thats what i thought was gonna happen. donald was being all storm chaser and i was being all like you is crazy ive seen the movie twister i know what im talking about when i say this is no good. well anyway it wasn't a big deal of a storm i guess but now we are driving through the darkest of dark. there hasn't been an exit in over an hour now -- if it wasn't as dark as jackrabbit scat i'd so be using my <a href="http://www.travelmateinfo.com/page002.html">travelmate</a>, but i'm afraid that will have to wait until tomorrow.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAQm70pHdbYkJenC2YKhybnHdi_J6aEzmAeU4hYnBO-f36yMw3ocCQpR58LbkAuT-limCViI8J6btmUPLIkFQ3CWTroK_AASU6TCmtFMYe4gGbdP9dJWaEPwWPn2ATp4F0Rz4DCNBXG1g/s1600-h/DSC_0042+%28Medium%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAQm70pHdbYkJenC2YKhybnHdi_J6aEzmAeU4hYnBO-f36yMw3ocCQpR58LbkAuT-limCViI8J6btmUPLIkFQ3CWTroK_AASU6TCmtFMYe4gGbdP9dJWaEPwWPn2ATp4F0Rz4DCNBXG1g/s400/DSC_0042+%28Medium%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5074076719315560370" border="0" /></a><div style="font-size: 0.8em; color:#666;">devil's tower from a distance</div><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbU0sHlzxH4lsB9Q8VJ3mvjfPJ1o0Nl0fjaf1IAeb-0XGd92jjCDCl5rzYXtFHxZSTLuk-LHjIfGI9VDD0Pd7szA-Mr8KvWweB8POD6d3JUZ8eh4ST-xZG_iz2CB8ZM7b1tag_VBV-puQ/s1600-h/DSC_0166+%28Medium%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbU0sHlzxH4lsB9Q8VJ3mvjfPJ1o0Nl0fjaf1IAeb-0XGd92jjCDCl5rzYXtFHxZSTLuk-LHjIfGI9VDD0Pd7szA-Mr8KvWweB8POD6d3JUZ8eh4ST-xZG_iz2CB8ZM7b1tag_VBV-puQ/s400/DSC_0166+%28Medium%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5074079734382602306" border="0" /></a><div style="font-size: 0.8em; color:#666;">a bit closer. it was crazy how it was surrounded on one side was trees and on the other by fallen boulders.</div><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Gz7xo_kiQZVx1WjpLJmjW4U15MPg348NwZ1EVVyEAW0g9zmI-z6dNFNTxJSeXbYQZa9yC4CWo3puKleZIAZJoNpeHRPl7PFGe7pH6ZC4klwLjIhsYPgDvd09PEXlvam6Qm4J7gDgP6g/s1600-h/DSC_0068+%28Medium%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Gz7xo_kiQZVx1WjpLJmjW4U15MPg348NwZ1EVVyEAW0g9zmI-z6dNFNTxJSeXbYQZa9yC4CWo3puKleZIAZJoNpeHRPl7PFGe7pH6ZC4klwLjIhsYPgDvd09PEXlvam6Qm4J7gDgP6g/s400/DSC_0068+%28Medium%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5074077354970720226" border="0" /></a><div style="font-size: 0.8em; color:#666;">some views of the surrounding areas from the trails</div><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFrBVdHhQR4G73YC22plxbKZfZqLRkv3IylVg9GJBFOliaeK-zvod0CIJ7xlsOhSXBVJOMVCB4gWJO9kBqEqfWpBQEF9r90e9iVFeD7mOcbPO3yGtdcChEa-8T1pGW35hpxm8AAGZMQZI/s1600-h/DSC_0110+%28Medium%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFrBVdHhQR4G73YC22plxbKZfZqLRkv3IylVg9GJBFOliaeK-zvod0CIJ7xlsOhSXBVJOMVCB4gWJO9kBqEqfWpBQEF9r90e9iVFeD7mOcbPO3yGtdcChEa-8T1pGW35hpxm8AAGZMQZI/s400/DSC_0110+%28Medium%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5074077354970720258" border="0" /></a><div style="font-size: 0.8em; color:#666;">makes you wanna cry red white and blue tears</div><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk9KKc81VYmWZaigCFIECNCiyOo4rZ207SYSkioaU7WDrdlHR169MflB5KZ_HR3G5g-I3b03FK34DBQIiglaBcTJxwGDBTgM4PX1M45EG3Rjs6P8byrc03yAoA_DccSeTeV_XVRECkvQU/s1600-h/DSC_0033+%28Medium%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk9KKc81VYmWZaigCFIECNCiyOo4rZ207SYSkioaU7WDrdlHR169MflB5KZ_HR3G5g-I3b03FK34DBQIiglaBcTJxwGDBTgM4PX1M45EG3Rjs6P8byrc03yAoA_DccSeTeV_XVRECkvQU/s400/DSC_0033+%28Medium%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5074076719315560354" border="0" /></a><div style="font-size: 0.8em; color:#666;">some of the mountains were so red. we painted donald's entire body in the dust. can you spot him in this picture?</div><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioGh_lcLg4EIODYZJ2q2vFvy8ylGn4ZTGxZgKOwP16COPI3xxSkMK9iFsX05t7qovRBLGS141gDOINOjKoXfh-wfd3vTPdGrhT_IVFXvbE4Cs1PMLjD50oDGhbDEGSyLY9o0fbUtaPgFc/s1600-h/DSC_0043+%28Medium%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioGh_lcLg4EIODYZJ2q2vFvy8ylGn4ZTGxZgKOwP16COPI3xxSkMK9iFsX05t7qovRBLGS141gDOINOjKoXfh-wfd3vTPdGrhT_IVFXvbE4Cs1PMLjD50oDGhbDEGSyLY9o0fbUtaPgFc/s400/DSC_0043+%28Medium%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5074076719315560386" border="0" /></a><div style="font-size: 0.8em; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">another view from one of the trails</div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi9OeARnmgP9Xthg_27B2oc-T6jvWtWliU5yCSI8VXdJj50h4kn2tijaDbl6PoDOOZWnrreo3SzwWPX1wdViNiI1XuwUkOgHgrZ1dDEmlvsyesILiHDTNqMfJoCNpsa6VZ_j3Y4ShFd_U/s1600-h/DSC_0091+%28Medium%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi9OeARnmgP9Xthg_27B2oc-T6jvWtWliU5yCSI8VXdJj50h4kn2tijaDbl6PoDOOZWnrreo3SzwWPX1wdViNiI1XuwUkOgHgrZ1dDEmlvsyesILiHDTNqMfJoCNpsa6VZ_j3Y4ShFd_U/s400/DSC_0091+%28Medium%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5074077354970720242" border="0" /></a><div style="font-size: 0.8em; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">like OMG so cute. their little holes covered the plains - you couldn't walk anywhere with out one of them reaching up and gnawing and grabbing on to your shoes.</div><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7jrVQyIMrNDclRgSoyusN5kidEGXo2KqCFcYAHofL1jAgR4QrCp4KodNz9N1QaZBU8vK01nvSqw4Dxph-jAQeIn0VSTyRsDpAfSK8dluNRrvpvIZ3lGfbmaGRk_GqubbxSAQmRzcmsjs/s1600-h/DSC_0094+%28Medium%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7jrVQyIMrNDclRgSoyusN5kidEGXo2KqCFcYAHofL1jAgR4QrCp4KodNz9N1QaZBU8vK01nvSqw4Dxph-jAQeIn0VSTyRsDpAfSK8dluNRrvpvIZ3lGfbmaGRk_GqubbxSAQmRzcmsjs/s400/DSC_0094+%28Medium%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5074085279185381458" border="0" /></a><div style="font-size: 0.8em; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">so gosh darn adorable don't ya know</div><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCgyYWrJlUYeRP2xbSn6aQpwmXztu1Zlcxdpa9Ze-DDqh28dyZXh40i4tbow8W1AFDJw1ADrEoQt2a0nm5_naO2zmULUT7FDle84pygiK-v34nT_wnujKVUJvNiwqzU-EGeCPz-_MvN1Y/s1600-h/DSC_0046+%28Medium%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCgyYWrJlUYeRP2xbSn6aQpwmXztu1Zlcxdpa9Ze-DDqh28dyZXh40i4tbow8W1AFDJw1ADrEoQt2a0nm5_naO2zmULUT7FDle84pygiK-v34nT_wnujKVUJvNiwqzU-EGeCPz-_MvN1Y/s400/DSC_0046+%28Medium%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5074076723610527698" border="0" /></a><div style="font-size: 0.8em; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">we hiked up to this one ledge where we stopped for lunch. can you see how tiny i am?</div><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAADQGXRhPYr-OvOS5lK2a6lHSqjdiYzmVGvgDp7jpK6QGZTPpoe6Az-XruMw8jiNG8dG9KkXcdMi1xR47nd5fwyk-WfXq3y1YIiVQt-O3oJgo952J66-hZVsQ-8BdNO5B9sAGxP8rj1w/s1600-h/DSC_0129+%28Medium%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAADQGXRhPYr-OvOS5lK2a6lHSqjdiYzmVGvgDp7jpK6QGZTPpoe6Az-XruMw8jiNG8dG9KkXcdMi1xR47nd5fwyk-WfXq3y1YIiVQt-O3oJgo952J66-hZVsQ-8BdNO5B9sAGxP8rj1w/s400/DSC_0129+%28Medium%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5074077359265687586" border="0" /></a><div style="font-size: 0.8em; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">this was the town of casper. someone complained to us about the town because of how much the cops SUCK - but um like cmon if you have those mountains in your backyard...just shut up.</div><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyjh0kaojs4CcpPe_90HhgMvwTyBqdppO3Dt07illiIAUTQIXniABpUMPdNor-ZO6RlQhSAKIr7q7WklFJvm85Qeu-3iqY_ldq_PuJlZ2BsVhfgNjUQufBNv9g65pBc3vgIvmGuBIzPSE/s1600-h/DSC_0119+%28Medium%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyjh0kaojs4CcpPe_90HhgMvwTyBqdppO3Dt07illiIAUTQIXniABpUMPdNor-ZO6RlQhSAKIr7q7WklFJvm85Qeu-3iqY_ldq_PuJlZ2BsVhfgNjUQufBNv9g65pBc3vgIvmGuBIzPSE/s400/DSC_0119+%28Medium%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5074077359265687570" border="0" /></a><div style="font-size: 0.8em; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">wyoming is FILLED with awesomely named things. i also liked the dead horse creek.</div><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8-MZq-3IZJb_4siH1-TTeYS9ChshUtx5UMWBX-dffPTP1FbjEWh-tl06b2E8FvMcnkDUyJzVKCAu_N_DypZjd3ATnyXBjMrYuJZLjrxYr3R5d8WVO95sghgSvhPKTO1SbCM33SxME-e0/s1600-h/DSC_0146+%28Medium%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8-MZq-3IZJb_4siH1-TTeYS9ChshUtx5UMWBX-dffPTP1FbjEWh-tl06b2E8FvMcnkDUyJzVKCAu_N_DypZjd3ATnyXBjMrYuJZLjrxYr3R5d8WVO95sghgSvhPKTO1SbCM33SxME-e0/s400/DSC_0146+%28Medium%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5074079730087634994" border="0" /></a><div style="font-size: 0.8em; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">kind of blurry picture, but just wanted to show the rain in the distance -- this was the storm that we survived.</div><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxDN3GLW8kNplJhAI50kax_71yXAhVyykEuyI6u6HiGDy3bFR8o-LzGzqBi3hZ1dhm3ZC75kbaCJhp50O0HSrvSZGAIP-C9RaG7mrtHQRkghNmykubSim8amopZM6kv_1OSihlwUdMwM8/s1600-h/DSC_0026+%28Medium%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxDN3GLW8kNplJhAI50kax_71yXAhVyykEuyI6u6HiGDy3bFR8o-LzGzqBi3hZ1dhm3ZC75kbaCJhp50O0HSrvSZGAIP-C9RaG7mrtHQRkghNmykubSim8amopZM6kv_1OSihlwUdMwM8/s400/DSC_0026+%28Medium%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5074076715020593042" border="0" /></a><div style="font-size: 0.8em; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">and here was another one back from the badlands. i just loved how you were driving along through the plains and then bam these formations came out of nowhere</div><br /><br />distance traveled: appx 1,996 miles<br /><br />ps. sorry for all those who have been trying to call or have been expecting one - we haven't had signal for like a day and then our phones died! we should be recharging tonight.<br /><br />pps. donald is a lamer explaner. mt rushmore was cool -- not only did you get a great shot up jefferson's nose, but we broke the law to get that hush hush shot of roosevelt smooching lincoln.l a u r e nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03066876947372514636noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2424624953091894379.post-42529466544536390042007-06-09T03:21:00.000-04:002008-12-13T00:24:01.799-05:00Writing you from the futureWe were running several hours behind for most of the trip but for the first time Thursday we broke schedule — and jumped ahead several hours.<br /><br />When we got to Badlands, it was chilly, raining, and the winds had not let up. June high: 86; yesterday: 48. We decided to grab lunch in the nearby town of Interior and see if the weather changed.<br /><br />Thus, Interior: population 67. <a href="http://www.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8&ll=43.725274,-101.983359&spn=0.006311,0.014591&t=k&amp;amp;z=16&om=1">Mind-blowingly small</a>. We stopped at the general store — about the size of a 7-11 and, from what we could tell, the only commercial space in town — and scraped together what sandwich-makings we could.<br /><br />The rest of Badlands was awesome — from the car. We wanted to give the weather a fair go so we changed out of our shorts and t-shirts in the visitor center bathroom (it'd been the high seventies when we left our hotel that morning) and tested the waters with a half-mile, boardwalked trail. But even that was too much — besides the cold, the rain came in bursts, and then — again — the wind. This was wind that, when we opened one of the car doors, sucked things out as if into a vacuum (we even lost our park map over a cliff on one such occasion).<br /><br />So we drove the park loop and exited in Wall, SD, home of Wall Drug, which is advertised for over 400 miles along 80 as well as on billboards in Kenya and buses in London (it's sort of their schtick) and was tourist-trap hell-on-earth (take this from two people who liked <em>the Corn Palace</em>). We were in and out in less than two minutes, and were on the road again to Rushmore.<br /><br />Rushmore was Rushmore. What can I say.<br /><br />Rapid City, SD (pop. 60,000) was a change of pace. There was a big hill near the center of it — with Dinosaur Park on top — and looking at the stretch of suburbs was really eerie after the last 30-odd hours. (The couple that ran the Dinosaur Park gift shop had been to San Francisco once. "It's a... <em>weird</em> city," they said, and you could totally tell what they meant.)<br /><br />We made Devil's Tower shortly after sunset.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/Rmpeh6kBdxI/AAAAAAAAACk/os_41p_McOk/s1600-h/DSC_0021+%28Medium%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/Rmpeh6kBdxI/AAAAAAAAACk/os_41p_McOk/s400/DSC_0021+%28Medium%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5073971866935326482" border="0" /></a><div style="font-size: 0.8em; color:#666;">Interior.</div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/RmpeiKkBdyI/AAAAAAAAACs/3kj-8Kwmq-U/s1600-h/DSC_0034+%28Medium%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/RmpeiKkBdyI/AAAAAAAAACs/3kj-8Kwmq-U/s400/DSC_0034+%28Medium%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5073971871230293794" border="0" /></a><div style="font-size: 0.8em; color:#666;">Faking these smiles.</div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/RmpeiKkBdzI/AAAAAAAAAC0/ScxSh12f9GA/s1600-h/DSC_0063+%28Medium%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/RmpeiKkBdzI/AAAAAAAAAC0/ScxSh12f9GA/s400/DSC_0063+%28Medium%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5073971871230293810" border="0" /></a><div style="font-size: 0.8em; color:#666;">It was still awesome.</div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/RmpeiKkBd0I/AAAAAAAAAC8/Tko2jAN0jVw/s1600-h/DSC_0080+%28Medium%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/RmpeiKkBd0I/AAAAAAAAAC8/Tko2jAN0jVw/s400/DSC_0080+%28Medium%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5073971871230293826" border="0" /></a><div style="font-size: 0.8em; color:#666;">Everything the light touches is our Kingdom.</div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/RmpeiakBd1I/AAAAAAAAADE/VZCizYcLZJo/s1600-h/DSC_0094+%28Medium%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/RmpeiakBd1I/AAAAAAAAADE/VZCizYcLZJo/s400/DSC_0094+%28Medium%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5073971875525261138" border="0" /></a><div style="font-size: 0.8em; color:#666;">Get that big honkin' butt out of the way!</div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/Rmpe4akBd2I/AAAAAAAAADM/flGAXaI2epY/s1600-h/DSC_0101+%28Medium%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/Rmpe4akBd2I/AAAAAAAAADM/flGAXaI2epY/s400/DSC_0101+%28Medium%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5073972253482383202" border="0" /></a><div style="font-size: 0.8em; color:#666;">From the Jefferson's Nostril Viewing Platform.</div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/Rmpe4qkBd3I/AAAAAAAAADU/T3TGx2w_Pv8/s1600-h/DSC_0105+%28Medium%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/Rmpe4qkBd3I/AAAAAAAAADU/T3TGx2w_Pv8/s400/DSC_0105+%28Medium%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5073972257777350514" border="0" /></a><div style="font-size: 0.8em; color:#666;">C'mere, big boy, and gimme a kiss.</div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/RmpiF6kBd4I/AAAAAAAAADc/zu5PGyMAxlI/s1600-h/DSC_0114+%28Medium%29.JPG"> <img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/RmpiF6kBd4I/AAAAAAAAADc/zu5PGyMAxlI/s400/DSC_0114+%28Medium%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5073975783945500546" border="0" /></a><div style="font-size: 0.8em; color:#666;">Dreams can come true!</div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/RmpiF6kBd5I/AAAAAAAAADk/AkjLQsALEXg/s1600-h/DSC_0122+%28Medium%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/RmpiF6kBd5I/AAAAAAAAADk/AkjLQsALEXg/s400/DSC_0122+%28Medium%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5073975783945500562" border="0" /></a><div style="font-size: 0.8em; color:#666;">It's <em>not a purse</em>, <strong>IT'S A CAMERA BAG!!!</strong></div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/RmpiGKkBd6I/AAAAAAAAADs/PXtFIBj2HGg/s1600-h/DSC_0124+%28Medium%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/RmpiGKkBd6I/AAAAAAAAADs/PXtFIBj2HGg/s400/DSC_0124+%28Medium%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5073975788240467874" border="0" /></a><div style="font-size: 0.8em; color:#666;">She said yes.</div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/RmpiGKkBd7I/AAAAAAAAAD0/wosayR0g7PY/s1600-h/DSC_0144+%28Medium%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/RmpiGKkBd7I/AAAAAAAAAD0/wosayR0g7PY/s400/DSC_0144+%28Medium%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5073975788240467890" border="0" /></a><div style="font-size: 0.8em; color:#666;">It's billboard country out here.</div>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2424624953091894379.post-23474176588243998992007-06-09T01:30:00.000-04:002008-12-13T00:24:01.853-05:00Chapter V, In Which Donald and Lauren Visit the Corn PalaceIt was pretty stunning how immediately hilly it was after crossing from southern Minnesota into South Dakota. Not that it wasn't still pretty level, but within just 5 or 10 miles of the lost-at-sea flatness fell away.<br /><br />We made our first roadside style stop at the Porter Sculpture Park, home of the world's biggest BULL HEAD. The sculptor was there — actually, he was the only person there (there was mention of a dog but none in sight) — and he seemed a little (how to put this?) off. It was just a sort of funny quirkiness at first but at times (for instance, as soon as we've stepped out of the car: "Do you know that song from the Wizard of Oz?" "Huh?" "The theme song from the Wizard of Oz." "We're Off to See the Wizard?" "Yeah, that one. <em>There's a storm coming.</em>" Or: "You <em>have to</em> go inside the Bull Head.") he gave you a FEELING.<br /><br />In Mitchell (still in SD), we stopped at the Corn Palace, which is just what it sounds like. Oh, and it's also where they have the high school basketball games.<br /><br />We ate at a diner a few blocks from our hotel in Chamberlain, where the waitress gave us the most shocked look and laughed — laughed! — when taking our orders: "No meat?!"<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/RmpPPKkBdmI/AAAAAAAAABM/EsQxxQbQbM8/s1600-h/DSC_0078+%28Medium%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/RmpPPKkBdmI/AAAAAAAAABM/EsQxxQbQbM8/s400/DSC_0078+%28Medium%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5073955052138362466" border="0" /></a><div style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-size: 0.8em;">300 miles of this.</div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/RmpapqkBdvI/AAAAAAAAACU/aCNOc2Jbpig/s1600-h/DSC_0001+%28Medium%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/RmpapqkBdvI/AAAAAAAAACU/aCNOc2Jbpig/s400/DSC_0001+%28Medium%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5073967602032801522" border="0" /></a><div style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-size: 0.8em;">And then, suddenly, this.</div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/RmpPPKkBdnI/AAAAAAAAABU/Ei8I14rFvDU/s1600-h/DSC_0091+%28Medium%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/RmpPPKkBdnI/AAAAAAAAABU/Ei8I14rFvDU/s400/DSC_0091+%28Medium%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5073955052138362482" border="0" /></a><div style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-size: 0.8em;">Get out of the road!</div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/RmpPPKkBdoI/AAAAAAAAABc/IXnVZ3lrvBA/s1600-h/DSC_0101+%28Medium%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/RmpPPKkBdoI/AAAAAAAAABc/IXnVZ3lrvBA/s400/DSC_0101+%28Medium%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5073955052138362498" border="0" /></a><div style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-size: 0.8em;">These vultures represent politicians. Guy had a political science degree. No joke.<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/RmpPPakBdpI/AAAAAAAAABk/JwpdEomyK94/s1600-h/DSC_0105+%28Medium%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/RmpPPakBdpI/AAAAAAAAABk/JwpdEomyK94/s400/DSC_0105+%28Medium%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5073955056433329810" border="0" /></a><div style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-size: 0.8em;">Toto, I've got a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore.</div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/RmpPPakBdqI/AAAAAAAAABs/LkOf5yYvXQw/s1600-h/DSC_0115+%28Medium%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/RmpPPakBdqI/AAAAAAAAABs/LkOf5yYvXQw/s400/DSC_0115+%28Medium%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5073955056433329826" border="0" /></a><div style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-size: 0.8em;">Yes, go in there and climb the narrow staircase. I promise not to close the GIANT METAL GATE behind you.</div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/RmpPhqkBdrI/AAAAAAAAAB0/QTDMGFa6j44/s1600-h/DSC_0116+%28Medium%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/RmpPhqkBdrI/AAAAAAAAAB0/QTDMGFa6j44/s400/DSC_0116+%28Medium%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5073955369965942450" border="0" /></a><div style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-size: 0.8em;">Not in the shot, but there were several of these guys wielding giant weapons. Lots of unsettling gory and violent imagery here, actually.</div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/RmpPhqkBdsI/AAAAAAAAAB8/LM4EzRESZ8Y/s1600-h/DSC_0119+%28Medium%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/RmpPhqkBdsI/AAAAAAAAAB8/LM4EzRESZ8Y/s400/DSC_0119+%28Medium%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5073955369965942466" border="0" /></a><div style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-size: 0.8em;">But then pieces like this made it all worth it.</div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/RmpPhqkBdtI/AAAAAAAAACE/RlJXeCY8GhY/s1600-h/DSC_0134+%28Medium%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/RmpPhqkBdtI/AAAAAAAAACE/RlJXeCY8GhY/s400/DSC_0134+%28Medium%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5073955369965942482" border="0" /></a><div style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-size: 0.8em;">Local high school girl into cell phone: "Yeah, I'm at <em>the CP</em>."</div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/RmpPh6kBduI/AAAAAAAAACM/GVtXlajL0vY/s1600-h/DSC_0139+%28Medium%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/RmpPh6kBduI/AAAAAAAAACM/GVtXlajL0vY/s400/DSC_0139+%28Medium%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5073955374260909794" border="0" /></a><div style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-size: 0.8em;">I do have to confess that I was very much in love with the Main Street, Anytown, USA feeling in these little towns. Of course, everything but the Corn Palace was closed.</div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/RmpapqkBdwI/AAAAAAAAACc/kzV3f_dj2bc/s1600-h/DSC_0161+%28Medium%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/RmpapqkBdwI/AAAAAAAAACc/kzV3f_dj2bc/s400/DSC_0161+%28Medium%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5073967602032801538" border="0" /></a><div style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-size: 0.8em;">A (tiny) rest stop church.<br /></div>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2424624953091894379.post-61953798363361425842007-06-06T23:39:00.000-04:002008-12-13T00:24:04.365-05:00C'mon feel the Illinoisahoy all ye creatures from ye lands of the hills. im writing now from the car (wednesday) in the middle of Minnesota and "whoa and go" is it flat. before i get into that let's fill ya'll in since our last post.<br /><br />so we had planned on spending at least a few hours in Chicago but by the time we got there and started walking around we realized we still had to tend to our errands, the more major chore being finding an HSBC and depositing wads of cash so we can have something to put down as a deposit by the time we get to SF. little did we know there was only one office in the entire city and it had already closed. So we decided aw what the heck let's just open new bank accounts now, instead of when we get to California. our bank of choice was WaMu, and almost TWO HOURS later, after Angel, our extremely personable and long winded customer helper finished setting up our accounts, we were finally able to get out and see some sites.<br /><br />we gorged ourselves at the <a href="http://www.earwaxcafe.com/v1.0/index.htm?scrollbars=true">earwax cafe</a> with a delicious vegan reuben and seitan rancheros and soy shakes and spicy fries and and and...then we went back across town and walked around <a href="http://www.millenniumpark.org/artandarchitecture/jay_pritzker_pavilion.html">millennium park</a> which had the (surprisingly not ridiculous) Gehry outdoor auditorium and the awesomely shiny bean of infinity.<br /><br />then we powerhoused it to our campsite right outside Madison, WI, setting up our tent at 2am and passing out like thanksgiving porkers. but we still managed to get up early (mom camping voice?) and spent a few hours in Madison, eating at the cutest little independent <a href="http://sunroomcafe.com/default.aspx">cafe</a> with tofu scrambler and whole potatoes and serve yourself homemade jam.<br /><br />that's when our 8? 10? hour journey began across the flattest, greenest, least populated john deere country. the road is so level and straight you'd think that we'd be able to drive while sleeping, or at least with our feet, but there's been 40 mph winds keeping us struggling to walk the line. one time we blew into the a little town called bangor,wi where we filled up for gas and got a free slice of pizza cause it cost more than 15 dollars! no just kidding it was sausage pizza, so we left it to rotate on the counter for some other big spender.<br /><br />crossing the Mississippi was fun! of course it started to rain as soon as we got out of the car to hug huck finn but we could still smell its mightiness. we thought Bangor was small, but then we pulled into Granada, MN to fill up again and were met with one of the 317 people that lived there. Donald has never been happier. he is ready to retire. other than that we've just been yawning at the corn and waving to the wind turbines.<br /><br />hopefully soon we'll be coming up to Mitchell, SD, where the jackpot of all roadside america lies. we've been pretty much sucking at stopping for all the other ones, like bessie the huge cow or the jolly green giant, so we are ready to cash in on south dakota.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9AoMf_WQGCBPl9D6qMOheQHbkSndWqi736iQ5yFpMVNn-J_MH14LtT3eUH7lcTOHUXXg8RxRP_z4Bl96FcaiNQ8nCio_jRtvigo4GhcUAPMyWtM1wTNaS6uaqszaemN_W-oRzw92X0pM/s1600-h/DSC_0018.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9AoMf_WQGCBPl9D6qMOheQHbkSndWqi736iQ5yFpMVNn-J_MH14LtT3eUH7lcTOHUXXg8RxRP_z4Bl96FcaiNQ8nCio_jRtvigo4GhcUAPMyWtM1wTNaS6uaqszaemN_W-oRzw92X0pM/s400/DSC_0018.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5073188825021425538" border="0" /></a><div style="font-size: 0.8em; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">chicago!</div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIHAH6tWHsFY3LJ_c2BFiGSTOHJfX0YJDclnKmNJVHxMnw31l5lAeu1mm1EM4A-MoSTsnlUY66z-zaE89g9MlFVDAVwVyzUwHAVWQdQV2PvNpZVj4N1jHrLOwTqRBNM_FbycMT5pVu1RA/s1600-h/DSC_0145.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIHAH6tWHsFY3LJ_c2BFiGSTOHJfX0YJDclnKmNJVHxMnw31l5lAeu1mm1EM4A-MoSTsnlUY66z-zaE89g9MlFVDAVwVyzUwHAVWQdQV2PvNpZVj4N1jHrLOwTqRBNM_FbycMT5pVu1RA/s400/DSC_0145.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5073186282400786274" border="0" /></a><div style="font-size: 0.8em; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">the bean. it was awesome, you could travel to any dimension</div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhepT8I3nJNTTd1Q_s2PXdnxFVHQKfsHy7hErlv2UUH1d-9QHijHjmCBFvgazEqPuXmRTheTvP0FIRLaFlMRed3uVsE1eij3XLNX002L2iocm-d8TDyH6cmX7OF61ZOd2O73N72P6Zovng/s1600-h/DSC_0176.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhepT8I3nJNTTd1Q_s2PXdnxFVHQKfsHy7hErlv2UUH1d-9QHijHjmCBFvgazEqPuXmRTheTvP0FIRLaFlMRed3uVsE1eij3XLNX002L2iocm-d8TDyH6cmX7OF61ZOd2O73N72P6Zovng/s400/DSC_0176.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5073187360437577586" border="0" /></a><div style="font-size: 0.8em; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">a view from slightly under it</div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqJLTcem5Iv_Wh04b2ELcCLY4CBQphjdv5_Nc9sVmEr5LQM-S7aTyBfiri-orLfBohSVy7X2avMtLz0gOtjuEVwuAnium27hsn0pi-QGxpBrx8FJ4S9JvCE9UYCvb7zwKA2zkAXMPShmg/s1600-h/DSC_0131.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqJLTcem5Iv_Wh04b2ELcCLY4CBQphjdv5_Nc9sVmEr5LQM-S7aTyBfiri-orLfBohSVy7X2avMtLz0gOtjuEVwuAnium27hsn0pi-QGxpBrx8FJ4S9JvCE9UYCvb7zwKA2zkAXMPShmg/s400/DSC_0131.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5073185161414322002" border="0" /></a><div style="font-size: 0.8em; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">the gehry park thing. we just missed yo yo ma too!</div><br /><br />distance traveled: 1482 miles<br /><br />ps. the speed limit is 75 in south dakota! don't tell george bush.<br /><br />pps. wow <a href="http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1626519,00.html">this</a> is incredible to look at. the differences between some families is jaw dropping.l a u r e nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03066876947372514636noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2424624953091894379.post-13452123809404490422007-06-06T00:24:00.000-04:002007-06-06T00:28:28.551-04:00Wireless woesHey team,<br /><br />Just wanted to let you know that the last posts have been updated with BONUS PHOTOS and BONUS SPELLING CORRECTIONS.<br /><br />We were chastised in Barnes and Noble for plugging in (the power cord) after paying $4.00 for two hours of wireless access. It was a race against time to throw up the posts before Lauren's laptop bit the dust and so they went up un-vetted.<br /><br />As we were writing this in the restroom hallway of a rest stop the janitor approached us and we thought it would be the same story again, but he was actually directing us to outlets that conveniently were located not in the restroom hallway. Belvidere Oasis, HIGHLY recommended.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2424624953091894379.post-42207365765039733002007-06-05T15:39:00.001-04:002008-12-13T00:24:05.275-05:00Our tent is AWESOMEThere were two raccoons fighting (we think), what sounded like a few feet from our tent through much of the night. <a href="http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/parks/parks/eastharbor.htm">The park</a> was pretty packed with wildlife, actually -- just driving the campground loop we saw some raccoons, narrowly missed a skunk, and a MYSTERY BEAST climbing a tree. And of course the giant, roughly spherical raccoon at our site. MYSTERY BEAST aside, nothing unfamiliar to the East. Looking forward to those prairie dogs in Wyoming.<br /><br />It poured overnight but the rain abated long enough for us to set up and break down the tent. Nothing much today -- on 80/90 through western Ohio, Indiana (our first time zone change!), and into Illinois (we'll post this from Chicago).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyhm1g6f6MBzDliJSI5pCoWMRbPSXbH8DciCZKj8DGL9j8UiGyG2O8Cl6evzuzT7L6WSGP77ze4Yb_SnX82ShFhzT1JrHVUGyHWNDkMZOJ4NSnzoKaHpCeVYS0Of5GE4o8FpVVtYJ3ZZk/s1600-h/DSC_0031.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyhm1g6f6MBzDliJSI5pCoWMRbPSXbH8DciCZKj8DGL9j8UiGyG2O8Cl6evzuzT7L6WSGP77ze4Yb_SnX82ShFhzT1JrHVUGyHWNDkMZOJ4NSnzoKaHpCeVYS0Of5GE4o8FpVVtYJ3ZZk/s400/DSC_0031.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5072669103913838274" border="0" /></a><div style="font-size: 0.8em; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Lauren biting a giant apple at a cute roadside stand. Which sold California-grown fruit. (The locally-grown strawberries were pretty good, though.)</div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh23ICpzuqhGDODQt2-e1FdrF6QyElPSoSTmeCQHbsr-wbP65r5f1-y3gYms0loL_r81PDscONTKJeH-wCv2Y88X62F7BU0PCbZF9G9-Jopvidm_NE8Pinfz99oHt32RRwvAWP1m-pYN84/s1600-h/DSC_0054.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh23ICpzuqhGDODQt2-e1FdrF6QyElPSoSTmeCQHbsr-wbP65r5f1-y3gYms0loL_r81PDscONTKJeH-wCv2Y88X62F7BU0PCbZF9G9-Jopvidm_NE8Pinfz99oHt32RRwvAWP1m-pYN84/s400/DSC_0054.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5072669121093707490" border="0" /></a><div style="font-size: 0.8em; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Indiana!</div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDaPs3LUtolukhseoqMKML4mLHAONOf9HUWJ4qabfQnFTeUYxO23Opb6CHa-hfILJId9UJ0vaJUXKjRSzRRQSf58gLydasOj55LioL-NIVt90bIh43rPMQNRLqzTm5Uw1lrpE1CytLiEQ/s1600-h/DSC_0036.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDaPs3LUtolukhseoqMKML4mLHAONOf9HUWJ4qabfQnFTeUYxO23Opb6CHa-hfILJId9UJ0vaJUXKjRSzRRQSf58gLydasOj55LioL-NIVt90bIh43rPMQNRLqzTm5Uw1lrpE1CytLiEQ/s400/DSC_0036.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5072797836968601394" border="0" /></a><div style="font-size: 0.8em; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Lauren loved these irrigators. I took this picture just after she got yelled at for climbing on one and steering it around the circle.</div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGidpeFqFjTyI7fRPmspOGwhk8gZ22gvF8qbPCjJhX3q88ZTiSeJrMBA9_Sh-P-QHamnDHoq_UA6us1ZxxfgeS6YDxIsQWL6tieKvuXZA8Hoet7ZdHuYaD0LfNGwglFXh3CEVPavO1Ukc/s1600-h/DSC_0048.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGidpeFqFjTyI7fRPmspOGwhk8gZ22gvF8qbPCjJhX3q88ZTiSeJrMBA9_Sh-P-QHamnDHoq_UA6us1ZxxfgeS6YDxIsQWL6tieKvuXZA8Hoet7ZdHuYaD0LfNGwglFXh3CEVPavO1Ukc/s400/DSC_0048.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5072796630082791170" border="0" /></a><div style="font-size: 0.8em; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">We pulled off 80 onto a genuine dirt road.</div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiphSNYfdfvCW5dbHdpgUAT04198k_DxePZ498yD1L10obGgI4Am_hImynPTm52FC1bq3pOTpEyAFXnA-ZdW6cz5W0LsvpGuwx66So_C9Kr4PnhKtW9A4fF2rZiYXqn6TPuKrdrnjUfbp4/s1600-h/DSC_0078.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiphSNYfdfvCW5dbHdpgUAT04198k_DxePZ498yD1L10obGgI4Am_hImynPTm52FC1bq3pOTpEyAFXnA-ZdW6cz5W0LsvpGuwx66So_C9Kr4PnhKtW9A4fF2rZiYXqn6TPuKrdrnjUfbp4/s400/DSC_0078.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5072796664442529570" border="0" /></a><div style="font-size: 0.8em; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">I'm wearing a San Francisco t-shirt. Yee-haw!</div><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0J2b3qwMBv52-tZRO8zjW_TUC-_6i6q5FLA5vYfiQc0f1l9SZKmmGgDL_ZyJnOxr5SDyTgGQqnnr8usZkt08aXGR3kod9iumfBs8PYaZsanQbIgLO-2obhDf-doLxYYOK5ayzHIUoziU/s1600-h/DSC_0090.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0J2b3qwMBv52-tZRO8zjW_TUC-_6i6q5FLA5vYfiQc0f1l9SZKmmGgDL_ZyJnOxr5SDyTgGQqnnr8usZkt08aXGR3kod9iumfBs8PYaZsanQbIgLO-2obhDf-doLxYYOK5ayzHIUoziU/s400/DSC_0090.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5072796651557627666" border="0" /></a><div style="font-size: 0.8em; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">By the way, this is how stuffed the car is.</div><br /><br />(Oh and Lauren didn't really climb on anything, Katie.)<br /><br />-- Donald<br /><br />Miles traveled: 773 (is that all?)l a u r e nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03066876947372514636noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2424624953091894379.post-83438818861859055882007-06-05T15:34:00.000-04:002008-12-13T00:24:05.575-05:00pennsylvania is my friendwell it took a while, but we were finally on our way by um mid morning snack time we'll say. we made pretty good time on Rt.80 through PA, despite the construction every 5 miles or the countless storms we swam through. after my butt formed into the shape of pennsylvania we finally stopped in ohio to grab some eats. we were a little disappointed that we forgot to stop along Rt 80 to see the worlds largest hamburger, but no tears, because we had just sat down to eat the worlds smallest pizza. six slices for 8 dollars? surely that will feed us both. when it finally came out and the slices were smaller than our hands we knew we were witnessing a miracle. im not sure our still vegan stomachs will be able to hold in the joy.<br /><br />other fabulous discoveries from today include the "be a flirt, lift up your skirt" sign on the back of an 18-wheeler, a dangling set of handcuffs from the back of another truck, and the loch ness monster!! ohio is lame street. im excited for chicago.<br /><br />distance traveled: 482 miles.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl8YUYSSeJ6AGQ9etyzBfsRerQaWK0bZ30FZ5oNvmDrJX1TH7kczYMAPbOH9W1Ytz8v4m5NbmesKoJi5QKiJ1ZGkc4VDC5uH119-sVwoTAfaNzCB72mtBlThhwgz9YAc5FML_obkqv9As/s1600-h/DSC_0002.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl8YUYSSeJ6AGQ9etyzBfsRerQaWK0bZ30FZ5oNvmDrJX1TH7kczYMAPbOH9W1Ytz8v4m5NbmesKoJi5QKiJ1ZGkc4VDC5uH119-sVwoTAfaNzCB72mtBlThhwgz9YAc5FML_obkqv9As/s400/DSC_0002.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5072800044581791554" border="0" /></a><div style="font-size: 0.8em; color: #666;">i wrestled this storm to the ground</div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrMj1EQNmbNRNhTH6EM2rZO8loWWqDSw9DzBATb4MKpDf8f2z6x8RDOCr0fU0GtUreue_DhIv6hyphenhyphenDYWewkd-QAxVV372iBL1LQcyvEnvn9-YHI2OAfYOK5nbn-0CXbr1gkr0Q98lrDM8M/s1600-h/DSC_0018.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrMj1EQNmbNRNhTH6EM2rZO8loWWqDSw9DzBATb4MKpDf8f2z6x8RDOCr0fU0GtUreue_DhIv6hyphenhyphenDYWewkd-QAxVV372iBL1LQcyvEnvn9-YHI2OAfYOK5nbn-0CXbr1gkr0Q98lrDM8M/s400/DSC_0018.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5072666595652937394" border="0" /></a><div style="font-size: 0.8em; color:#666">the tiniest pizza in all the land. with pie crust.</div>l a u r e nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03066876947372514636noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2424624953091894379.post-28098171257103269402007-06-04T02:20:00.000-04:002008-12-13T00:24:06.478-05:00Introducing your cast of characters<span style="font-weight: bold;">Lauren</span><br /><a href="http://www.laurenschneider.net/">Aspiring architect</a>, environmentalist, loves dancing to 80's music.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Donald</span><br /><a href="http://www.whitewhale.net/">Web developer</a>, <a href="http://photos.tetto.org/">photographer</a>, likes thinking about the electoral college.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Car</span><br />A 2006 Prius (in magnetic gray!).<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Budd Lake</span><br />The largest natural lake in NJ! Also our hometown and the starting point of our journey.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/RmOw0oSsCEI/AAAAAAAAAAs/qUWSMcCnlX4/s1600-h/carandlake.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/RmOw0oSsCEI/AAAAAAAAAAs/qUWSMcCnlX4/s400/carandlake.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5072092023564798018" border="0" /></a><div size="0.8em" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">So we put these photos off until the last minute and it wasn't the most beautiful day.</div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/RmOwtISsCCI/AAAAAAAAAAc/yzhFoZXOejU/s1600-h/goodbyekiss.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/RmOwtISsCCI/AAAAAAAAAAc/yzhFoZXOejU/s400/goodbyekiss.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5072091894715779106" border="0" /></a><div size="0.8em" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">Lauren gives Carly a goodbye kiss.</div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/RmOwtYSsCDI/AAAAAAAAAAk/yn91JbwNvbs/s1600-h/wickedrighthook.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/RmOwtYSsCDI/AAAAAAAAAAk/yn91JbwNvbs/s400/wickedrighthook.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5072091899010746418" border="0" /></a><div style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-size: 0.8em;">Donald gives Giancarlo a goodbye right hook.</div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/RmOx0oSsCFI/AAAAAAAAAA0/3_yU6HNOA_8/s1600-h/huzzah.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3pQMpiBnFXQ/RmOx0oSsCFI/AAAAAAAAAA0/3_yU6HNOA_8/s400/huzzah.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5072093123076425810" border="0" /></a><div style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-size: 0.8em;">That's right, San Francisco, baby!</div><br />(These pictures were taken by the generous and talented Giancarlo and Carly. And, yes, they were taken with the <a href="http://stunningnikon.com/d80/" title="Look for the pictures of Lauren!">D80</a>.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2424624953091894379.post-64826123055741253942007-05-27T10:24:00.000-04:002008-12-13T00:24:06.709-05:00road maphere's a map of our intended journey. of course this doesn't include all the <a href="http://roadsideamerica.com/">roadside america</a> stops. for all you rand mcnalley's here is a more detailed <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&saddr=Budd+Lake,+NJ+07828&daddr=East+Harbor+State+Park+to%3AChicago,+IL+to%3AMadison,+WI+to%3ABadlands+National+Park+to%3ADevils+Tower,+WY+82714+to%3ASalt+Lake+City,+UT+to%3ARye+Patch+State+Recreation+Area,+NV+to%3AOakland,+CA&mrcr=0&sll=41.17882,-98.51387&sspn=44.000288,82.265625&ie=UTF8&amp;amp;z=4&om=1">route</a>.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_NfAt3JHf3Now5f0qsqqHKzrj6FRvPHaFnuwxiZIZ_XQXlYXn8iGSP87VujW5du4JP1Uiz1Kw80ZEU_Lseq2MKqVSErtusMziX960WTABnMl7QpD47y3bb9ykSz7kpAFeq7mKewsVenM/s1600-h/usmap.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_NfAt3JHf3Now5f0qsqqHKzrj6FRvPHaFnuwxiZIZ_XQXlYXn8iGSP87VujW5du4JP1Uiz1Kw80ZEU_Lseq2MKqVSErtusMziX960WTABnMl7QpD47y3bb9ykSz7kpAFeq7mKewsVenM/s400/usmap.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5069249237432104418" border="0" /></a>l a u r e nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03066876947372514636noreply@blogger.com5