Wrap-up time has come and gone, but we have an excuse. We've been moving into our new place in St. Petersburg, and just haven't found the time to fart around writing things on these here interwebs. Today is the day we knuckle down and do this thing. In no particular order (well, maybe it is. We'll see) here are our top things and places;
Chrissie's
Top 3 Cities:
1) Austin, TX
2) Lake Tahoe, NV/CA
3) New Orleans, LA
Top 3 Restaurants
1) Hama Sushi - Venice, CA
2) Bobo's - Topeka, KS
3) P. Terry's - Austin, TX
Top 3 Museums
1) National Civil Rights Museum - Memphis, TN
2) La Brea Tar Pits - Los Angeles, CA
3) Graceland - Memphis, TN
Mike's
Top 3 Cities
1) New Orleans, LA
2) Austin, TX
3) Monterey, CA
Top 3 Beers
1) Hop Stoopid - Lagunitas Brewing Company - Petaluma, CA
2) LA-31 - Bayou Teche Brewery - Amaudville, LA
3) Bigfoot Brown IPA* - Blind Tiger Brewery - Topeka, KS
*There's no link for this, because it somehow hasn't had a website created yet. I liked it so much I got a growler full for my birthday!
Top 3 roadside stops
1) White Sands National Monument - White Sands, NM
2) Pescadero State Beach - Pescadero, CA
3) Zephyr Cove Beach - Zephyr Cove, NV
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Sunday, August 1, 2010
31st and final day!
Robert F. Cat stood on our heads, licked our hair, and snuggled right in between us all morning while we tried to keep sleeping. It was rainy and dark outside, so I just kept rolling over and awaiting his next attempt to rouse us. When I finally woke up (for real) it was 12:30pm. Not so hard to imagine, since I don't think we fell asleep until after 4am.
We cleaned up our living areas and bid farewell to Robert and Erika, and Chrissie zoomed us over to the UF bookstore to grab some garb for her and her mom. Then we went to Tijuana Flats and fueled ourselves up for the final leg of our adventure. The rain had let up just long enough for us to get in and out of the restaurant. By the time we found our way onto I-75 though, the onslaught of liquidy missiles was almost opaque, limiting our speed to well below the speed limit in some places. Somewhere around Orlando we found clear skies just as the sun set, and the weather was perfect all the way into Chrissie's driveway in Tavernier. After unloading, we said hi to her parents and Bailey and Sparky, and got upstairs to catch up with our blog-writing (I think I'm the only one that's broken the fourth wall in this whole endeavor) and pass right out. Wrap-up blog within the next week!
We cleaned up our living areas and bid farewell to Robert and Erika, and Chrissie zoomed us over to the UF bookstore to grab some garb for her and her mom. Then we went to Tijuana Flats and fueled ourselves up for the final leg of our adventure. The rain had let up just long enough for us to get in and out of the restaurant. By the time we found our way onto I-75 though, the onslaught of liquidy missiles was almost opaque, limiting our speed to well below the speed limit in some places. Somewhere around Orlando we found clear skies just as the sun set, and the weather was perfect all the way into Chrissie's driveway in Tavernier. After unloading, we said hi to her parents and Bailey and Sparky, and got upstairs to catch up with our blog-writing (I think I'm the only one that's broken the fourth wall in this whole endeavor) and pass right out. Wrap-up blog within the next week!
Day 30
Chrissie reporting-
We awoke to the smell of a yummy breakfast being prepared for us. Mike's grandmother made us scrambled eggs, biscuits & gravy, and sausage. It was very, very good. After we were done eating, we wasted no time getting back on the road. We still needed to stop in Auburn to visit the rest of Mike's family. We took Max (Mike's little brother) in the car too, since he needed a ride back to his parents' house. Max was entertained for most of the trip .... until we turned the Ipod to This American Life. Talk about boring for a little kid! He did pretty good though, and listened to the whole hour-long talk show. It was about Cryogenic Freezing, which may have grossed him out (us too).
We got to Auburn, Alabama at around 1pm. Mike's dad had to leave at 3:30pm with some of his brothers. They were going to be taking part in a go-kart race. So, we didn't have much time with them. Deb fixed some burgers, and we all had a really good lunch. Myles had baked a cake for Mike's birthday, which had only been a few days prior, so they found one candle ... and Mike got to make a wish! Ha ... he was embarrassed. He thought our Happy Birthday song sounded a bit sad (apparently only a room FULL of people can do it justice).
After a few hours at their house, we had to keep going. We needed to make it all the way to Gainesville today.
We got to Gainesville at 10pm. Erika decided to give us a place to stay for the night, which was great! It was strange going back to Gainesville after having been gone for a year and one month. I kind of missed it! We drove down University Avenue, and I noticed some changes had been made. There's a new Dunkin' Donuts and a building had been constructed where there was an empty lot before. Not big changes, but I noticed. When we got to Erika's place, we had some Hamburger Helper that she had made (it was good, don't care what you say Erika!). Then the three of us decided to go out for a drink at Stubbie's.
Unfortunately, Stubbie's was packed (they were up to capacity) so we walked over to The Top instead. It was fun! I tried to contact some other friends, but most were out of town and the rest ... well, I should've given everyone earlier notice that I'd be in town. Oh well, next time! We went out so late that by the time we got back to Erika's, it was already 2am. We watched a couple of Nip/Tuck episodes, then called it a night.
Oh, on another note, Erika has the coolest cat! His name's Bob (or as Mike likes to call him Robert F. Cat). His tail is missing, and he looks a lot like a Bobcat, hence the name. He's like a dog ...except in a cat's body. I love him!
We awoke to the smell of a yummy breakfast being prepared for us. Mike's grandmother made us scrambled eggs, biscuits & gravy, and sausage. It was very, very good. After we were done eating, we wasted no time getting back on the road. We still needed to stop in Auburn to visit the rest of Mike's family. We took Max (Mike's little brother) in the car too, since he needed a ride back to his parents' house. Max was entertained for most of the trip .... until we turned the Ipod to This American Life. Talk about boring for a little kid! He did pretty good though, and listened to the whole hour-long talk show. It was about Cryogenic Freezing, which may have grossed him out (us too).
We got to Auburn, Alabama at around 1pm. Mike's dad had to leave at 3:30pm with some of his brothers. They were going to be taking part in a go-kart race. So, we didn't have much time with them. Deb fixed some burgers, and we all had a really good lunch. Myles had baked a cake for Mike's birthday, which had only been a few days prior, so they found one candle ... and Mike got to make a wish! Ha ... he was embarrassed. He thought our Happy Birthday song sounded a bit sad (apparently only a room FULL of people can do it justice).
After a few hours at their house, we had to keep going. We needed to make it all the way to Gainesville today.
We got to Gainesville at 10pm. Erika decided to give us a place to stay for the night, which was great! It was strange going back to Gainesville after having been gone for a year and one month. I kind of missed it! We drove down University Avenue, and I noticed some changes had been made. There's a new Dunkin' Donuts and a building had been constructed where there was an empty lot before. Not big changes, but I noticed. When we got to Erika's place, we had some Hamburger Helper that she had made (it was good, don't care what you say Erika!). Then the three of us decided to go out for a drink at Stubbie's.
Unfortunately, Stubbie's was packed (they were up to capacity) so we walked over to The Top instead. It was fun! I tried to contact some other friends, but most were out of town and the rest ... well, I should've given everyone earlier notice that I'd be in town. Oh well, next time! We went out so late that by the time we got back to Erika's, it was already 2am. We watched a couple of Nip/Tuck episodes, then called it a night.
Oh, on another note, Erika has the coolest cat! His name's Bob (or as Mike likes to call him Robert F. Cat). His tail is missing, and he looks a lot like a Bobcat, hence the name. He's like a dog ...except in a cat's body. I love him!
Day 29
Chrissie here-
We knew we had to wake up early because we only had about 6 hours in Memphis, and then we had to drive to Eva, Alabama to stay with Mike's grandparents. We didn't really want to wake up early (what's new), but once the alarm rang we got up.
I had planned for us to visit two museums today: The National Civil Rights Museum ... and Graceland! It was going to be tough seeing both of these places in such a short time, but it was well worth it.
The National Civil Rights Museum is located at the site of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s assassination. The Lorraine Hotel. I thought it was a really great museum, and it was very moving to see the actual balcony that MLK stood on when he was killed. The exterior of the hotel has been renovated, but looks exactly as it did in the 1960s. The entire street is permanently closed down right in front of the hotel, so as to allow visitors to walk around the front. A wreath hangs to commemorate his death in front of the room he stayed at.
The inside of the motel has been turned into the National Civil Rights Museum. Every visitor there starts their museum experience sitting in an auditorium watching a fairly recent documentary (2009) called The Witness. It is told by the last man who was with MLK the afternoon of his death. It was very moving; most people were crying by the end. After the documentary, we walked around various exhibits detailing the extent of racism in the U.S., how the Civil Rights Movement came to be, and various court decisions that changed the rights of African Americans. It still really struck me how different things were just about 50 years ago. That's not too long ago if you really think about it; our parents and grandparents were alive. And the racism in the South (and everywhere, really) was awful ... there were so many videos in that museum. One of the videos had a black man sitting at a diner that was for "whites only." There was a crowd gathered around him, the men were smoking cigarettes and putting them out on his head. They were laughing at him, and finally one of them threw him off the stool and onto the ground, then they started kicking him. That would be assault in this day and age! But back then, it didn't even seem like a big deal. Anyway, we kept walking and they even had a viewing area of the room that MLK was in before he went outside and was killed; it was really, really interesting.
Then we walked across the street to another part of this museum that was located inside the building that the alleged gunman had supposedly shot MLK from. There are a lot of conspiracy theories, and no one really knows who actually shot MLK, but we read a lot about the evidence and it gave the museum spectators a chance to draw their own conclusions. They also had a viewing area of the bathroom that the gunman may have shot from. It was spooky.
Mike's here!-
By the time we got through it all, it was 12 noon. We had planned to leave Memphis by 2 in order to make dinner time in Eva. We raced towards Graceland, paid for parking, and stood in line to get a ticket. Neither of us had really looked into visiting Elvis's home, so we were completely unprepared for the next couple of hours. After purchasing our tickets, we were directed to a shuttle-loading driveway, where we waited for almost an hour before they called our tour.... which meant we could finally step into the giant line. We then waited some more before we were united with our shuttle. It literally drove us across the street. We could have made the walk in under a minute. We were outfitted with some groovy eighties headphones and a very current digital audio player that would guide us through the estate. Elvis was awesome. The house has been kept exactly as it was when he passed, and I want it- green shag carpet ceiling and all.
Elvis bought the house at the age of 22, and moved his parents in right away. There was a stable and grounds for their many horses, a dozen go-karts, the sweetest basement ever, a racquetball court, and a couple of trophy rooms. The most surreal part of the tour was being led (by the audio guide) out of the last trophy room- "Now, head to your left into the Presley's meditation garden and burial site." They're all buried there. Elvis, both his parents, and his grandmother. Within view of the front driveway. They had a fountain, and one of those eternal flame get-ups right at the head of the semi-circular plot. We hopped back on the shuttle and found our way back to the car.
The drive took way less time than we had planned for, so although we left at 4 pm, we were still only an hour late. Dinner had already been made and eaten, but there were plenty of leftovers for us. My grandmother told us that she had graduated with Charlie Hodge, one of Elvis's right-hand men. Upon further investigation, I found that he was actually the guitarist in Elvis's band for seventeen years! We watched the Braves pull one out in extra innings, and then retired for the night. We flipped the TV on as we lay in bed, and a documentary of Elvis's touring was on, so we watched that. Thank you! Thank you very much!
We knew we had to wake up early because we only had about 6 hours in Memphis, and then we had to drive to Eva, Alabama to stay with Mike's grandparents. We didn't really want to wake up early (what's new), but once the alarm rang we got up.
I had planned for us to visit two museums today: The National Civil Rights Museum ... and Graceland! It was going to be tough seeing both of these places in such a short time, but it was well worth it.
The National Civil Rights Museum is located at the site of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s assassination. The Lorraine Hotel. I thought it was a really great museum, and it was very moving to see the actual balcony that MLK stood on when he was killed. The exterior of the hotel has been renovated, but looks exactly as it did in the 1960s. The entire street is permanently closed down right in front of the hotel, so as to allow visitors to walk around the front. A wreath hangs to commemorate his death in front of the room he stayed at.
The inside of the motel has been turned into the National Civil Rights Museum. Every visitor there starts their museum experience sitting in an auditorium watching a fairly recent documentary (2009) called The Witness. It is told by the last man who was with MLK the afternoon of his death. It was very moving; most people were crying by the end. After the documentary, we walked around various exhibits detailing the extent of racism in the U.S., how the Civil Rights Movement came to be, and various court decisions that changed the rights of African Americans. It still really struck me how different things were just about 50 years ago. That's not too long ago if you really think about it; our parents and grandparents were alive. And the racism in the South (and everywhere, really) was awful ... there were so many videos in that museum. One of the videos had a black man sitting at a diner that was for "whites only." There was a crowd gathered around him, the men were smoking cigarettes and putting them out on his head. They were laughing at him, and finally one of them threw him off the stool and onto the ground, then they started kicking him. That would be assault in this day and age! But back then, it didn't even seem like a big deal. Anyway, we kept walking and they even had a viewing area of the room that MLK was in before he went outside and was killed; it was really, really interesting.
Then we walked across the street to another part of this museum that was located inside the building that the alleged gunman had supposedly shot MLK from. There are a lot of conspiracy theories, and no one really knows who actually shot MLK, but we read a lot about the evidence and it gave the museum spectators a chance to draw their own conclusions. They also had a viewing area of the bathroom that the gunman may have shot from. It was spooky.
Mike's here!-
By the time we got through it all, it was 12 noon. We had planned to leave Memphis by 2 in order to make dinner time in Eva. We raced towards Graceland, paid for parking, and stood in line to get a ticket. Neither of us had really looked into visiting Elvis's home, so we were completely unprepared for the next couple of hours. After purchasing our tickets, we were directed to a shuttle-loading driveway, where we waited for almost an hour before they called our tour.... which meant we could finally step into the giant line. We then waited some more before we were united with our shuttle. It literally drove us across the street. We could have made the walk in under a minute. We were outfitted with some groovy eighties headphones and a very current digital audio player that would guide us through the estate. Elvis was awesome. The house has been kept exactly as it was when he passed, and I want it- green shag carpet ceiling and all.
Elvis bought the house at the age of 22, and moved his parents in right away. There was a stable and grounds for their many horses, a dozen go-karts, the sweetest basement ever, a racquetball court, and a couple of trophy rooms. The most surreal part of the tour was being led (by the audio guide) out of the last trophy room- "Now, head to your left into the Presley's meditation garden and burial site." They're all buried there. Elvis, both his parents, and his grandmother. Within view of the front driveway. They had a fountain, and one of those eternal flame get-ups right at the head of the semi-circular plot. We hopped back on the shuttle and found our way back to the car.
The drive took way less time than we had planned for, so although we left at 4 pm, we were still only an hour late. Dinner had already been made and eaten, but there were plenty of leftovers for us. My grandmother told us that she had graduated with Charlie Hodge, one of Elvis's right-hand men. Upon further investigation, I found that he was actually the guitarist in Elvis's band for seventeen years! We watched the Braves pull one out in extra innings, and then retired for the night. We flipped the TV on as we lay in bed, and a documentary of Elvis's touring was on, so we watched that. Thank you! Thank you very much!
Day 28
Chrissie reporting-
Today we left Topeka and headed to Memphis!
The drive was pretty long, we spent most of the time listening to This American Life and listening to music.
Finally, we arrived in Memphis. We drove to Beale Street, an area I'd read about online earlier today. We tried to find a hotel; we came across a Holiday Inn, so I went inside to make a reservation. The line took forever, and when I reached the front desk, I was told that the rate would be very expensive. So, we decided to find the closest La Quinta. All the experiences we've had with La Quinta have been really good, so we figured that was the closest we'd come to a comfortable, clean night's stay. We found one 11 miles away, so we booked it.
Instead of going straight to the motel, we figured we'd better walk down Beale Street and get a bite to eat. We walked for a bit, then finally found a restaurant. We had a great meal: pulled pork, cole slaw, baked beans, and texas toast. It was really, really good ... especially the baked beans. They were good! Beale Street in Memphis is much like New Orleans, except (while we were there) even busier, and crazier. There were street vendors selling beer by the glass, and the entire street was closed down. There were a bunch of local stores open too, selling trinkets and things.
We walked around for a bit, but decided to call it a night because we were tired. We drove to La Quinta and passed out.
Today we left Topeka and headed to Memphis!
The drive was pretty long, we spent most of the time listening to This American Life and listening to music.
Finally, we arrived in Memphis. We drove to Beale Street, an area I'd read about online earlier today. We tried to find a hotel; we came across a Holiday Inn, so I went inside to make a reservation. The line took forever, and when I reached the front desk, I was told that the rate would be very expensive. So, we decided to find the closest La Quinta. All the experiences we've had with La Quinta have been really good, so we figured that was the closest we'd come to a comfortable, clean night's stay. We found one 11 miles away, so we booked it.
Instead of going straight to the motel, we figured we'd better walk down Beale Street and get a bite to eat. We walked for a bit, then finally found a restaurant. We had a great meal: pulled pork, cole slaw, baked beans, and texas toast. It was really, really good ... especially the baked beans. They were good! Beale Street in Memphis is much like New Orleans, except (while we were there) even busier, and crazier. There were street vendors selling beer by the glass, and the entire street was closed down. There were a bunch of local stores open too, selling trinkets and things.
We walked around for a bit, but decided to call it a night because we were tired. We drove to La Quinta and passed out.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Day 27
Chrissie reporting-
Today was Michael's birthday! He is now officially 24, and I told him today he's almost in his mid-20s, which depressed him. So I took it back.
Janet cooked us a "fry-up" this morning in honor of Mike's birthday. It consisted of scrambled eggs, sausage, fried potatoes, and pecan cinnamon bread. It was very, very good! I know Mike liked it, he had seconds.
After breakfast, Janet recommended we go to the Kansas State Capitol and Monroe Elementary School, a Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site. We decided to visit the latter one first.
I thought this museum was one of the best we've visited thus far. It was set in one of the first four schools in the country to be desegregated during the Civil Rights Movement. Brown v. Board of Education was a huge Supreme Court ruling that disbanded "separate but equal" schools in the U.S. What I found really, really great about the museum was that the school has actually been turned into a museum, so you can walk the halls and really get a feel for what went on here during the 1950s and 1960s.
When we were done visiting the museum, we drove over to the capitol. There is some renovation going on inside the building, so it took us a few minutes to find the visitor's entrance. The place was really beautiful, but unfortunately, we didn't see too much because a lot of the building is closed.
Mike's turn!-
We drove back to the house (after filling Alf's tank for less than $1.50/gal!) and caught up on our blogging while Janet ordered some pizzas. Don came home and met Chrissie for the first time. Don is great, he wasted no time ribbing us about anything and everything at all. We sat down for pizza and caught Don up on everything he'd missed while at work. Then Janet surprised me with a "baby" cake and ice cream, and a couple of Kansas U hats! Rock Chalk, Jayhawk!
We got our marching orders for the morning (since Don and Janet are going to be up and out to Grand Lake for six weeks by the time we leave) and bid them goodnight before we headed out to The Blind Tiger for a birthday drink or two. Turns out I had two. The Sasquatch IPA, which is as yet without a website, and their flagship Tiger Bite IPA. Chrissie had their County Seat Wheat, but wasn't as impressed as I was with it. We left with my birthday present, a growler full of the Sasquatch, and are now lying in bed about to catch the latest episode of True Blood. Enjoy the pics!
Today was Michael's birthday! He is now officially 24, and I told him today he's almost in his mid-20s, which depressed him. So I took it back.
Janet cooked us a "fry-up" this morning in honor of Mike's birthday. It consisted of scrambled eggs, sausage, fried potatoes, and pecan cinnamon bread. It was very, very good! I know Mike liked it, he had seconds.
After breakfast, Janet recommended we go to the Kansas State Capitol and Monroe Elementary School, a Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site. We decided to visit the latter one first.
I thought this museum was one of the best we've visited thus far. It was set in one of the first four schools in the country to be desegregated during the Civil Rights Movement. Brown v. Board of Education was a huge Supreme Court ruling that disbanded "separate but equal" schools in the U.S. What I found really, really great about the museum was that the school has actually been turned into a museum, so you can walk the halls and really get a feel for what went on here during the 1950s and 1960s.
When we were done visiting the museum, we drove over to the capitol. There is some renovation going on inside the building, so it took us a few minutes to find the visitor's entrance. The place was really beautiful, but unfortunately, we didn't see too much because a lot of the building is closed.
Mike's turn!-
We drove back to the house (after filling Alf's tank for less than $1.50/gal!) and caught up on our blogging while Janet ordered some pizzas. Don came home and met Chrissie for the first time. Don is great, he wasted no time ribbing us about anything and everything at all. We sat down for pizza and caught Don up on everything he'd missed while at work. Then Janet surprised me with a "baby" cake and ice cream, and a couple of Kansas U hats! Rock Chalk, Jayhawk!
We got our marching orders for the morning (since Don and Janet are going to be up and out to Grand Lake for six weeks by the time we leave) and bid them goodnight before we headed out to The Blind Tiger for a birthday drink or two. Turns out I had two. The Sasquatch IPA, which is as yet without a website, and their flagship Tiger Bite IPA. Chrissie had their County Seat Wheat, but wasn't as impressed as I was with it. We left with my birthday present, a growler full of the Sasquatch, and are now lying in bed about to catch the latest episode of True Blood. Enjoy the pics!
Day 26
It's Chrissie!
We drove a LOT today. Actually, Mike drove way more than I did. I get antsy and uncomfortable after I drive for too long.
We left Denver at about noon, tired from staying up late the night before. We drove and drove and drove ... the scenery was pretty, but very much the same! I listened to This American Life while Mike dozed off. I was also fighting a sore throat that I woke up with, but luckily it didn't get too bad and is already gone.
Mike and I arrived in Topeka at 9pm. We are staying with his aunt, Janet, and her husband, Don. Janet met us at the door, and we sat and chatted with her for a bit; Mike hadn't seen her in a few years, so you can imagine that there was a lot of catching up to do! Don was already asleep, so we didn't get to see him today. Let me also mention, their house is beautiful! There is a huge backyard, and the house itself is also huge. Mike spent some time showing me around the house, we even signed their guest book; Mike also found two signatures he'd written as far back as 1996.
So far, Topeka seems like a city that feels like a small town. I like it.
We drove a LOT today. Actually, Mike drove way more than I did. I get antsy and uncomfortable after I drive for too long.
We left Denver at about noon, tired from staying up late the night before. We drove and drove and drove ... the scenery was pretty, but very much the same! I listened to This American Life while Mike dozed off. I was also fighting a sore throat that I woke up with, but luckily it didn't get too bad and is already gone.
Mike and I arrived in Topeka at 9pm. We are staying with his aunt, Janet, and her husband, Don. Janet met us at the door, and we sat and chatted with her for a bit; Mike hadn't seen her in a few years, so you can imagine that there was a lot of catching up to do! Don was already asleep, so we didn't get to see him today. Let me also mention, their house is beautiful! There is a huge backyard, and the house itself is also huge. Mike spent some time showing me around the house, we even signed their guest book; Mike also found two signatures he'd written as far back as 1996.
So far, Topeka seems like a city that feels like a small town. I like it.
Day 25
Chrissie here-
So, I know we haven't been updating the blog these past few days, and we're sorry :( We've been traveling a lot and trying to get internet access.
SO, let's try this again.
Mike here-
Dan was up and at work by the time we awoke, so we got dressed and headed out to find a VW service depot to get Alf's oil changed again. The place wasn't too far away, and they had a free shuttle service. We utilized the driver and made our way to Chipotle to grab some burritos. When we got back, not only had they changed Alf's oil, but they also replaced a dimming brake light (and the matching bulb on the other side, of course) and gave him a good washing. We drove our newly clean buddy out to Red Rocks to celebrate.
When we arrived, we walked up the twenty-odd steps to the top of the seating area, and gazed down the gigantic slope to the tiny stage. There were maybe a hundred people milling around the area, taking pictures and gazing up at the parachutist that was making his way to the ground in no hurry at all. We decided to walk down to the stage, no mean feat. Going down was a lot of fun, and we jumped up on the stage to get our bodies under the shade. The sun in Denver is absolutely brutal. There was a guy with an Irish flag draped across his shoulders being photographed by a couple of ladies he had arrived with, and we were amused by his over-the-top poses. He was being very "rock god." Then we noticed that he had a microphone in his hand, and was pretending to be singing on the stage in his photographs... then he actually started singing. He belted out a few lines of U2's hit song "Sunday Bloody Sunday," and we realized that he was actually trying to be Bono, the lead singer of the biggest band ever from Ireland, and possibly the biggest current rock band in the world. Nobody but us seemed to notice him, and when I heard his Irish accent, and Chrissie heard one of his friends call him "Bono," we started thinking we may be in the presence of a real star. You don't see Bono too often without his sunglasses, and we weren't entirely sure that our mental picture of Bono was precise enough to make a comparison, so we let it go and headed towards the museum and visitor's center.
In order to do so, we had to climb back up the stairs, which was dizzying and almost nap-inducing. The museum was really just a hallway that had memorabilia and a giant list of every show that had ever been played there, dating back to the '40s. They had interactive TV screens with video clips from the most famous of these, and a large room in the back was filled with a small theater showing a documentary about the venue, and many oil and canvas paintings made by a hippie with his register by the door. Bono had somehow beat us into the museum, and we noticed U2 merchandise by the entrance. Evidence was building that this really was the Irish singer, but nobody in the museum seemed to know or care. At one point, he was in the small hallway at the same time we were, and standing next to pictures of the real Bono performing on the stage just above our heads. We spent a good ten minutes trying to sneakily compare the two. To be fair, the pictures on the wall were from almost thirty years ago. We remained unconvinced. Then he rushed by us in the hall saying "I can't believe they'd have a bloody grille here and not open it, it's focking stupid!" I had decided this really was Bono. And left him the hell alone.
After Chrissie called her friends and told the story, we headed to the mall on 16th St. We didn't really look at any of the stores, but we were entertained anyway by the countless street people and runaways that inhabit the few blocks of the mall. We decided to head home in time to meet Dan coming home from work. We checked online to find U2's schedule, and discovered that supposedly the whole band had arrived in Italy a day before, so our story may have been completely untrue. It turns out there are countless Bono impersonators, and we had possibly just seen one taking promo pictures at the site of one of U2's most famous performances. Great!
Dan made us some of the best enchiladas we've had on our trip (which went through the southwest, if you don't remember) and the drinks were poured for the second night in a row. We stayed in watching TV and telling more stories, although it's hard to believe there were any left after Sunday night. We finally crashed around 1:30am.
So, I know we haven't been updating the blog these past few days, and we're sorry :( We've been traveling a lot and trying to get internet access.
SO, let's try this again.
Mike here-
Dan was up and at work by the time we awoke, so we got dressed and headed out to find a VW service depot to get Alf's oil changed again. The place wasn't too far away, and they had a free shuttle service. We utilized the driver and made our way to Chipotle to grab some burritos. When we got back, not only had they changed Alf's oil, but they also replaced a dimming brake light (and the matching bulb on the other side, of course) and gave him a good washing. We drove our newly clean buddy out to Red Rocks to celebrate.
When we arrived, we walked up the twenty-odd steps to the top of the seating area, and gazed down the gigantic slope to the tiny stage. There were maybe a hundred people milling around the area, taking pictures and gazing up at the parachutist that was making his way to the ground in no hurry at all. We decided to walk down to the stage, no mean feat. Going down was a lot of fun, and we jumped up on the stage to get our bodies under the shade. The sun in Denver is absolutely brutal. There was a guy with an Irish flag draped across his shoulders being photographed by a couple of ladies he had arrived with, and we were amused by his over-the-top poses. He was being very "rock god." Then we noticed that he had a microphone in his hand, and was pretending to be singing on the stage in his photographs... then he actually started singing. He belted out a few lines of U2's hit song "Sunday Bloody Sunday," and we realized that he was actually trying to be Bono, the lead singer of the biggest band ever from Ireland, and possibly the biggest current rock band in the world. Nobody but us seemed to notice him, and when I heard his Irish accent, and Chrissie heard one of his friends call him "Bono," we started thinking we may be in the presence of a real star. You don't see Bono too often without his sunglasses, and we weren't entirely sure that our mental picture of Bono was precise enough to make a comparison, so we let it go and headed towards the museum and visitor's center.
In order to do so, we had to climb back up the stairs, which was dizzying and almost nap-inducing. The museum was really just a hallway that had memorabilia and a giant list of every show that had ever been played there, dating back to the '40s. They had interactive TV screens with video clips from the most famous of these, and a large room in the back was filled with a small theater showing a documentary about the venue, and many oil and canvas paintings made by a hippie with his register by the door. Bono had somehow beat us into the museum, and we noticed U2 merchandise by the entrance. Evidence was building that this really was the Irish singer, but nobody in the museum seemed to know or care. At one point, he was in the small hallway at the same time we were, and standing next to pictures of the real Bono performing on the stage just above our heads. We spent a good ten minutes trying to sneakily compare the two. To be fair, the pictures on the wall were from almost thirty years ago. We remained unconvinced. Then he rushed by us in the hall saying "I can't believe they'd have a bloody grille here and not open it, it's focking stupid!" I had decided this really was Bono. And left him the hell alone.
After Chrissie called her friends and told the story, we headed to the mall on 16th St. We didn't really look at any of the stores, but we were entertained anyway by the countless street people and runaways that inhabit the few blocks of the mall. We decided to head home in time to meet Dan coming home from work. We checked online to find U2's schedule, and discovered that supposedly the whole band had arrived in Italy a day before, so our story may have been completely untrue. It turns out there are countless Bono impersonators, and we had possibly just seen one taking promo pictures at the site of one of U2's most famous performances. Great!
Dan made us some of the best enchiladas we've had on our trip (which went through the southwest, if you don't remember) and the drinks were poured for the second night in a row. We stayed in watching TV and telling more stories, although it's hard to believe there were any left after Sunday night. We finally crashed around 1:30am.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Day 24
Today we woke up, and didn't realize that the check-out time at our current hotel was 10am, which is really early! We were thinking it would be either 11am or 12pm, but we were wrong. So we quickly packed, and were out the door by 10:45. Luckily, we weren't charged extra for our late check-out.
We decided to take a stroll around downtown Park City. It was so hot outside! We were hungry, so we stopped at a brewery/restaurant. We didn't have much time, since we still had an 8 hour drive to Denver, Colorado. After lunch, we stopped in a few galleries (Park City has a lot of great ones) and boutiques, then headed out.
The drive was pretty uneventful. We drove up through Wyoming, then down into Colorado. About the most interesting thing we saw were these strange wooden fences that weren't connected, just sitting out in the middle of hills. We could NOT figure out what they were for. After googling it, and talking to Dan, we figured out these fences are meant to keep the snow from building up on the roads. The area is so windy, that without these fences, the snow would blow over the roadway. The fences create snow drifts; hard to explain, but makes sense once you see them.
We got to Denver at around 9pm. We made plans to stay with Molly, Mike's cousin, and her husband, Dan. Unfortunately, Molly had to leave town on business. Fortunately, Dan was home so he met us at the door (with his awesome dog, Jelly Bean), poured us a drink, made popcorn, and we spent the rest of the evening chatting and telling good stories. We were really tired from the long drive, so we went to bed in the hopes of getting an early start.
No pictures this time, but we will try to upload them when we get a chance.
We decided to take a stroll around downtown Park City. It was so hot outside! We were hungry, so we stopped at a brewery/restaurant. We didn't have much time, since we still had an 8 hour drive to Denver, Colorado. After lunch, we stopped in a few galleries (Park City has a lot of great ones) and boutiques, then headed out.
The drive was pretty uneventful. We drove up through Wyoming, then down into Colorado. About the most interesting thing we saw were these strange wooden fences that weren't connected, just sitting out in the middle of hills. We could NOT figure out what they were for. After googling it, and talking to Dan, we figured out these fences are meant to keep the snow from building up on the roads. The area is so windy, that without these fences, the snow would blow over the roadway. The fences create snow drifts; hard to explain, but makes sense once you see them.
We got to Denver at around 9pm. We made plans to stay with Molly, Mike's cousin, and her husband, Dan. Unfortunately, Molly had to leave town on business. Fortunately, Dan was home so he met us at the door (with his awesome dog, Jelly Bean), poured us a drink, made popcorn, and we spent the rest of the evening chatting and telling good stories. We were really tired from the long drive, so we went to bed in the hopes of getting an early start.
No pictures this time, but we will try to upload them when we get a chance.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Day 23
Mike here- Long drive today! Woke up late, because hey.... why not? We had some cereal and visited with Tori before she had to leave to go rafting at 11. After packing up and saying goodbye to her dad (He's a Mike, too. Very cool guy), we headed north to follow I-80 across the high desert and salt flats on the way to Park City, Utah, about 40 minutes east and just south of Salt Lake City.
The ride took almost 9 hours, and we stopped in Lovelock, NV for lunch. Weirdest. Town. Ever. There was only one fast food joint, and it was full to the brim with people. We passed a couple of mildly palsied religiosos arguing about what Jesus really looked like on our way in, and that sort of set the tone for the whole meal. We got the heck out of Dodge (err, Lovelock) and turned on Craig Ferguson's book on tape "American on Purpose." I had listened to it on the drive to and from my brother's graduation, but Chrissie had only heard a few of my fractured re-tellings, so we let it play and made it through the whole thing just shy of our destination.
Speaking of, this destination is awesome! Tori's mom has a timeshare here in Park City, and was able to get us in the place for a ridiculously low price. The least we have spent on a room (that wasn't free, anyway) this whole trip. Living room, full kitchen, two TVs, awesome bathtub, gigantic comfy bed, ROBES! Big thank you to Tori's mom for the hookup. And now to bed! Long drive to Denver tomorrow to see my cousin Dan and hopefully catch Molly, too!
No pictures today, pretty uneventful. Unless you count the freaks in Lovelock, but taking a picture of them might have cued a "Hills Have Eyes" moment.
The ride took almost 9 hours, and we stopped in Lovelock, NV for lunch. Weirdest. Town. Ever. There was only one fast food joint, and it was full to the brim with people. We passed a couple of mildly palsied religiosos arguing about what Jesus really looked like on our way in, and that sort of set the tone for the whole meal. We got the heck out of Dodge (err, Lovelock) and turned on Craig Ferguson's book on tape "American on Purpose." I had listened to it on the drive to and from my brother's graduation, but Chrissie had only heard a few of my fractured re-tellings, so we let it play and made it through the whole thing just shy of our destination.
Speaking of, this destination is awesome! Tori's mom has a timeshare here in Park City, and was able to get us in the place for a ridiculously low price. The least we have spent on a room (that wasn't free, anyway) this whole trip. Living room, full kitchen, two TVs, awesome bathtub, gigantic comfy bed, ROBES! Big thank you to Tori's mom for the hookup. And now to bed! Long drive to Denver tomorrow to see my cousin Dan and hopefully catch Molly, too!
No pictures today, pretty uneventful. Unless you count the freaks in Lovelock, but taking a picture of them might have cued a "Hills Have Eyes" moment.
Day 22
Chrissie here-
After we awoke (and NOT early, because we wanted to sleep in), we asked Tori's dad about Lake Tahoe, and the best way to experience it for the day. Tori couldn't join us, because she was working until 5. Her dad suggested we drive around the lake and make a day of it.
The ride would take about two hours, and it was supposed to be beautiful. It didn't disappoint! First, we went to a scenic overlook area, where we walked right up to the water and stood on these really smooth rocks. Mike decided to test the waters, so to speak. He stepped off a rock and into shallow water, and it was cold! He didn't stay standing there for long. Lake Tahoe is huge. I didn't expect it to be that big, or that deep. The lake is about 6,000 feet deep!
After the scenic overlook, we kept driving until we saw a lot of cars parked on the side of the road next to a clearing. We took one of the paths down to the water's edge, which led to a really cute beach. It wasn't as crowded as the others we had seen, and it was free too. I finally built up the courage to get in the water and once again .... it was cold! I got up to my waist, but Mike decided to completely dunk himself in it. There were actually quite a few people in the water, but most were still on land staying warm. The water in Lake Tahoe is so clear, and fresh. And there's no sharks or gators to worry about, which is a plus for me. We got to talking to a man on the beach who was really friendly, and may have been drunk. He kept telling us that this was the life, that he lived not too far from here and always came to this beach because it was dog friendly. Oh, and he had this beautiful Australian Shepherd that spent the whole time chasing the toy that was thrown into the water every few minutes. He was a dog on a mission.
We were getting hungry, so we kept on driving until we came across a Subway. We split one of those new Turkey Bacon Avocado subs that Mike had been wanting to try. We took it to go and ate at a park right next to the lake.
Then we kept on driving. By far the most spectacular view of the lake is at Emerald Bay. There is a small island that you can see from this scenic point, and it is just so picturesque with all the mountains and water in the background. We took pictures there as well, then decided it was time to head back to Tori's since she was already off work.
After arriving at the house, we showered, and Tori and her dad treated us to one of the BEST meals we've had on this trip thus far. Her dad cooked some king crab on the grill, along with hallibut. Tori cooked an artichoke, and some kale with balsamic vinegar. I had never had whole crab legs before (I know, kind of embarassing seeing as I live in the Keys), so Tori's dad had to show me how to properly eat them (crack, dip in butter/lemon, eat) and they were soooooooooo good. Also, I'd never eaten whole artichoke before, so I didn't know what to do. Fortunately, Mike showed me.
We were so stuffed from our dinner, we knew we couldn't just go to sleep right after, so we did the next best thing: casinos! Tori's house is about 20 minutes from Reno, so we got dressed and drove to one. Most clubs/bars in Reno are in casinos, so it's kind of inevitable to find yourself in one if you want to experience the nightlife there. We went to a sports bar in a casino that Tori's friend was bartending at, hung out there for a bit, then decided to try another place that Tori liked. Before we left the first casino, though, I had to try my hand at one of the machines.
Me: "Ok guys, I'm only gonna spend a dollar."
Mike: "Right ...."
Me: (after losing my dollar's worth) "Ok, one more dollar."
Mike: "Uh huh ..."
Me: "One more?"
Ok, ok so I spent more than a dollar. But only five! I actually won $1.25, but put it right back into the machine. Nowadays slot machines don't even give you quarters anymore when you win, you just get a lousy ticket saying how much you've won. And who's gonna go cash in a buck twenty five? So, that was that. Tori and I pulled ourselves away from the machines and we all continued on our way.
After we awoke (and NOT early, because we wanted to sleep in), we asked Tori's dad about Lake Tahoe, and the best way to experience it for the day. Tori couldn't join us, because she was working until 5. Her dad suggested we drive around the lake and make a day of it.
The ride would take about two hours, and it was supposed to be beautiful. It didn't disappoint! First, we went to a scenic overlook area, where we walked right up to the water and stood on these really smooth rocks. Mike decided to test the waters, so to speak. He stepped off a rock and into shallow water, and it was cold! He didn't stay standing there for long. Lake Tahoe is huge. I didn't expect it to be that big, or that deep. The lake is about 6,000 feet deep!
After the scenic overlook, we kept driving until we saw a lot of cars parked on the side of the road next to a clearing. We took one of the paths down to the water's edge, which led to a really cute beach. It wasn't as crowded as the others we had seen, and it was free too. I finally built up the courage to get in the water and once again .... it was cold! I got up to my waist, but Mike decided to completely dunk himself in it. There were actually quite a few people in the water, but most were still on land staying warm. The water in Lake Tahoe is so clear, and fresh. And there's no sharks or gators to worry about, which is a plus for me. We got to talking to a man on the beach who was really friendly, and may have been drunk. He kept telling us that this was the life, that he lived not too far from here and always came to this beach because it was dog friendly. Oh, and he had this beautiful Australian Shepherd that spent the whole time chasing the toy that was thrown into the water every few minutes. He was a dog on a mission.
We were getting hungry, so we kept on driving until we came across a Subway. We split one of those new Turkey Bacon Avocado subs that Mike had been wanting to try. We took it to go and ate at a park right next to the lake.
Then we kept on driving. By far the most spectacular view of the lake is at Emerald Bay. There is a small island that you can see from this scenic point, and it is just so picturesque with all the mountains and water in the background. We took pictures there as well, then decided it was time to head back to Tori's since she was already off work.
After arriving at the house, we showered, and Tori and her dad treated us to one of the BEST meals we've had on this trip thus far. Her dad cooked some king crab on the grill, along with hallibut. Tori cooked an artichoke, and some kale with balsamic vinegar. I had never had whole crab legs before (I know, kind of embarassing seeing as I live in the Keys), so Tori's dad had to show me how to properly eat them (crack, dip in butter/lemon, eat) and they were soooooooooo good. Also, I'd never eaten whole artichoke before, so I didn't know what to do. Fortunately, Mike showed me.
We were so stuffed from our dinner, we knew we couldn't just go to sleep right after, so we did the next best thing: casinos! Tori's house is about 20 minutes from Reno, so we got dressed and drove to one. Most clubs/bars in Reno are in casinos, so it's kind of inevitable to find yourself in one if you want to experience the nightlife there. We went to a sports bar in a casino that Tori's friend was bartending at, hung out there for a bit, then decided to try another place that Tori liked. Before we left the first casino, though, I had to try my hand at one of the machines.
Me: "Ok guys, I'm only gonna spend a dollar."
Mike: "Right ...."
Me: (after losing my dollar's worth) "Ok, one more dollar."
Mike: "Uh huh ..."
Me: "One more?"
Ok, ok so I spent more than a dollar. But only five! I actually won $1.25, but put it right back into the machine. Nowadays slot machines don't even give you quarters anymore when you win, you just get a lousy ticket saying how much you've won. And who's gonna go cash in a buck twenty five? So, that was that. Tori and I pulled ourselves away from the machines and we all continued on our way.
The next bar/casino we went to was also fun! We just hung out for a while, but it was 2 in the morning at this point, so we decided it was time to get some sleep. Tori was going rafting in the morning, and Mike and I were going to attempt an early start. Tomorrow we drive to Park City!
Day 21 (as told by Mike)
We woke up in the hostel in San Francisco and walked down the hall to grab some free breakfast. Bagels were aplenty, so we grabbed one and popped it in the toaster. We wanted to split it and save room for lunch in the biggest little China outside of Asia. By the time it shot out of the top (ok, unenthusiastically reared it's mildly burnt head) of the toaster, the cream cheese was finished, kaput, outta here. So we slathered our halves in peanut butter, and I hoped the free coffee would make up for it.
We had parked about two blocks away, so Chrissie waited in the lobby with our luggage while I ran over and picked up the car. It was only two walking blocks, but due to the alternating one-way streets in downtown San Fran, it translated to 6 driving blocks. After one block, I noticed the cop trailing me. After two blocks, I had been pulled over. I had just executed a perfectly legal maneuver, in which my car travels into the center of an intersection with the intention of making a left turn on green. There were pedestrians in the walkway, though, so I politely waited my turn. By the time the foot-traffic cleared, my light had barely turned yellow. I nervously shot to the side of the road and rolled my window down. The officer asked for my license, registration, and proof of insurance. I handed over my license, and told him I would have the others as soon as I could find them, as this was my girlfriend's car.
Me: "She's at the hostel waiting for me right now."
Him: (looking at license and, eventually, registration and yada yada (thanks Chrissie for keeping them easy to find)) "What happened to her?"
Me: "Umm, nothing. She's just waiting with the luggage while I get the car from the parking garage. It's only two blocks away."
Him: "What happened to her that put her in the hospital?"
Me: "Oooohhh, no sir. The HOSTEL."
I then asked him what I had done wrong and apologized in advance. He told me that he thought he had seen me looking at a cell phone, that in the state of California a front tag was required as well as the rear one, and that in this state a yellow light means "prepare to stop," not "zoom on through." I told him that I didn't have my phone available, that I was obviously from Florida (as he should have known from my tag), and that I would be more careful with the lights. After realizing that every straw he grasped at was actually nothing, he told me not to worry about it and let me go. Rightly. What a jerk.
After we loaded the car up, we dropped it back off at the garage and walked to Chinatown, only 6 or 7 blocks (uphill) from our hostel. Not that I would know, but I can only say that it felt like I was stepping into the real China. I could see over everyone, and it was LOUD. Everyone was yelling and laughing and buying and selling. We went by a bunch of souvenir shops and faux-name brand good stores before we hit the jackpot; the markets. Fresh produce and seafood were right there on the sidewalk, with customers touching and smelling and haggling and proprietors smoking and watching cameras and haggling in their own right. Then we got to the dead animal strip. Ducks and other fowl cooked with their heads still on, fish flopping on ice, and a turtle that was trying to escape before being unceremoniously knocked back over into the Tupperware bin in which he would live the rest of his life (short as it may be). We opted not to eat in one of those cafeteria-esque places, as it made me a little bit un-hungry and Chrissie perfectly queasy. We instead marched down to a basement restaurant that delivered amazing green tea and wonderful sweet and sour pork. All for way less than the Great Wall in Islamorada. Sated, we found our way back to good old Alf.
We drove to Crissy Field (America's Best Idea) to sight-see the Golden Gate Bridge, and on our way drove down Lombard St., the "world's crookedest street." The crookedness would have been much cooler if the SUV-driving dude in front of us hadn't been going 5 miles an hour and filming out of his window while driving. We parked and got some great views of the bridge, and then spent 30 minutes trying to figure out how to actually traverse it. The surrounding neighborhood was apparently under construction, so all of the obvious entrances were closed. We found a way onto the road about two miles south of the actual bridge, and drove over. Then turned around and drove back. There was no toll to exit San Francisco, but there was one to get back. Six dollars. So we ran it. I think you all will understand the decision.
We then drove to Haight-Ashbury. Aside from the jerk driver behind me, it was pretty fun. Got a coffee, shopped for some clothes, and witnessed the requisite paraphernalia and inconspicuous- as well as conspicuous- drug use. Chrissie wanted and got an ice cream and we proceeded to MY reason for being in San Francisco, City Beer. They serve and sell (by the bottle) Pliny the Elder, one of the highest-rated beers in the world. After going into the building and falling head over heels in love, I took control of myself and purchased two pints of the hoppy brew and walked away, possibly never to return. We jumped on I-80 towards Sacramento and joined the rush-hour traffic that was waiting for us. California knows a thing or two about traffic, let me tell you. We jumped onto 50 near Sacramento, and took that all the way into the Lake Tahoe region, where we would spend two nights with our friend Tori. We arrived late at night, and cracked one of the Pliny's to celebrate. Pretty over-rated if you ask me, but at least Chrissie liked it. While Tori's dad is out of town, she is dogsitting an Akita named Rooney and her dad's Chocolate Lab named Mousse. I rolled on the floor with them for a good bit, and will miss them maybe more than any human I've met on this trip.
We had parked about two blocks away, so Chrissie waited in the lobby with our luggage while I ran over and picked up the car. It was only two walking blocks, but due to the alternating one-way streets in downtown San Fran, it translated to 6 driving blocks. After one block, I noticed the cop trailing me. After two blocks, I had been pulled over. I had just executed a perfectly legal maneuver, in which my car travels into the center of an intersection with the intention of making a left turn on green. There were pedestrians in the walkway, though, so I politely waited my turn. By the time the foot-traffic cleared, my light had barely turned yellow. I nervously shot to the side of the road and rolled my window down. The officer asked for my license, registration, and proof of insurance. I handed over my license, and told him I would have the others as soon as I could find them, as this was my girlfriend's car.
Me: "She's at the hostel waiting for me right now."
Him: (looking at license and, eventually, registration and yada yada (thanks Chrissie for keeping them easy to find)) "What happened to her?"
Me: "Umm, nothing. She's just waiting with the luggage while I get the car from the parking garage. It's only two blocks away."
Him: "What happened to her that put her in the hospital?"
Me: "Oooohhh, no sir. The HOSTEL."
I then asked him what I had done wrong and apologized in advance. He told me that he thought he had seen me looking at a cell phone, that in the state of California a front tag was required as well as the rear one, and that in this state a yellow light means "prepare to stop," not "zoom on through." I told him that I didn't have my phone available, that I was obviously from Florida (as he should have known from my tag), and that I would be more careful with the lights. After realizing that every straw he grasped at was actually nothing, he told me not to worry about it and let me go. Rightly. What a jerk.
After we loaded the car up, we dropped it back off at the garage and walked to Chinatown, only 6 or 7 blocks (uphill) from our hostel. Not that I would know, but I can only say that it felt like I was stepping into the real China. I could see over everyone, and it was LOUD. Everyone was yelling and laughing and buying and selling. We went by a bunch of souvenir shops and faux-name brand good stores before we hit the jackpot; the markets. Fresh produce and seafood were right there on the sidewalk, with customers touching and smelling and haggling and proprietors smoking and watching cameras and haggling in their own right. Then we got to the dead animal strip. Ducks and other fowl cooked with their heads still on, fish flopping on ice, and a turtle that was trying to escape before being unceremoniously knocked back over into the Tupperware bin in which he would live the rest of his life (short as it may be). We opted not to eat in one of those cafeteria-esque places, as it made me a little bit un-hungry and Chrissie perfectly queasy. We instead marched down to a basement restaurant that delivered amazing green tea and wonderful sweet and sour pork. All for way less than the Great Wall in Islamorada. Sated, we found our way back to good old Alf.
We drove to Crissy Field (America's Best Idea) to sight-see the Golden Gate Bridge, and on our way drove down Lombard St., the "world's crookedest street." The crookedness would have been much cooler if the SUV-driving dude in front of us hadn't been going 5 miles an hour and filming out of his window while driving. We parked and got some great views of the bridge, and then spent 30 minutes trying to figure out how to actually traverse it. The surrounding neighborhood was apparently under construction, so all of the obvious entrances were closed. We found a way onto the road about two miles south of the actual bridge, and drove over. Then turned around and drove back. There was no toll to exit San Francisco, but there was one to get back. Six dollars. So we ran it. I think you all will understand the decision.
We then drove to Haight-Ashbury. Aside from the jerk driver behind me, it was pretty fun. Got a coffee, shopped for some clothes, and witnessed the requisite paraphernalia and inconspicuous- as well as conspicuous- drug use. Chrissie wanted and got an ice cream and we proceeded to MY reason for being in San Francisco, City Beer. They serve and sell (by the bottle) Pliny the Elder, one of the highest-rated beers in the world. After going into the building and falling head over heels in love, I took control of myself and purchased two pints of the hoppy brew and walked away, possibly never to return. We jumped on I-80 towards Sacramento and joined the rush-hour traffic that was waiting for us. California knows a thing or two about traffic, let me tell you. We jumped onto 50 near Sacramento, and took that all the way into the Lake Tahoe region, where we would spend two nights with our friend Tori. We arrived late at night, and cracked one of the Pliny's to celebrate. Pretty over-rated if you ask me, but at least Chrissie liked it. While Tori's dad is out of town, she is dogsitting an Akita named Rooney and her dad's Chocolate Lab named Mousse. I rolled on the floor with them for a good bit, and will miss them maybe more than any human I've met on this trip.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Day 20
Chrissie-
After awakening today, we decided to explore the park right next door to the hostel we were staying at. As Mike mentioned before, our hostel sits right next to Pigeon Point Lighthouse that was once in use. In 2001, the lighthouse suffered some structural damage, and it is basically sitting there waiting to collapse because the park system has not repaired it. The costs to repair it are very expensive and time consuming. It's a beautiful lighthouse though, as you can see from the pictures, and it would be a shame to let it deteriorate any more.
We walked down the stairs to the beach, and took in the beautiful ocean and cliffs. Then we decided to drive to another beach called Bean Hollow State Beach. I had read some reviews that it had some good tidepools to walk through, and it did! We spent about an hour walking around the tidepools and taking pictures. By this point, we were hungry, so we drove into town (and by town, I mean about 10 buildings) and found a really cute country store. We bought some deli sandwiches, and drove to another beach, Pescadero State Beach. We brought my sleeping bag out to the beach, ate our lunch, and I fed a bunch of seagulls. Mike tried, but kept scaring them away (he's too tall ... or, maybe, I'm too short, which is why they weren't scared of me). I haven't mentioned this before, but it is cold! Once we left Los Angeles, the weather got down into the 50s, and since the sun never came out today, it's only gone up to the 60s today.
After another hour on the beach, we thought it best to head to San Francisco. The drive wasn't very long, we were in SanFran in about 1 1/2 hours. We checked into our hostel (I found this hostel from a flyer we saw at the previous hostel in Pescadero), and turns out, it's awesome. Our room is really big, and we have our own bathroom. We also get free breakfast in the morning. Once again, there are tons of foreigners here, and it is interesting to hear all the different languages and accents spoken.
If anyone is wondering, a hostel and a motel/hotel are a little different. The hostels we've stayed at have been very community and environmentally conscious. There are plenty of recycling bins, and even compost buckets that they use for fertilizer. Everything is shared (kitchen, living room, etc.), and the guests have to do some cleaning. We have to strip the bed, and usually put new sheets so that the hostel doesn't spend as much money on housekeeping. There are perks, most times the kitchen is fully equipped with a stove, fridge, microwave; there are bulletin boards in the lobby with useful information about the area, things to do, etc.; and people have been friendly.
We went to dinner at an Indian restaurant called Little Dehli. So, this is about the second or third time I've ever eaten Indian food, and I have enjoyed it each time. But, Mike and I learned a very difficult lesson today. If a server ever asks you, "Mild, medium, or spicy?" in an Indian restaurant ... don't say spicy. OH MY GOD. I couldn't feel my tongue by the end of the meal. I broke out into hives on my neck and face because the food was so spicy. Next time, we'll say mild. I mean, we usually like spicy food, but even Mike was gulping down his water like a madman. It was so good though, that we just kept eating and crying (literally). I decided I definitely needed dessert, opened up the menu, saw ice cream, and was so happy. It was very, very delicious.
The weather here is crazy. This is the coldest weather we've been in the entire trip! Apparently I missed the memo, because in San Francisco it's NORMAL to see weather in the 50s all summer long. I thought it would be hot here! But, Mike and I both didn't expect it to be this cold. People are walking around with jackets and beanies. After looking through some websites, I learned the warmest weather month is September. So strange!
After, we walked around Union Square, went to a bar called Owl Tree, and came home. Now we're here, exhausted from another long day.
Until next time!
After awakening today, we decided to explore the park right next door to the hostel we were staying at. As Mike mentioned before, our hostel sits right next to Pigeon Point Lighthouse that was once in use. In 2001, the lighthouse suffered some structural damage, and it is basically sitting there waiting to collapse because the park system has not repaired it. The costs to repair it are very expensive and time consuming. It's a beautiful lighthouse though, as you can see from the pictures, and it would be a shame to let it deteriorate any more.
We walked down the stairs to the beach, and took in the beautiful ocean and cliffs. Then we decided to drive to another beach called Bean Hollow State Beach. I had read some reviews that it had some good tidepools to walk through, and it did! We spent about an hour walking around the tidepools and taking pictures. By this point, we were hungry, so we drove into town (and by town, I mean about 10 buildings) and found a really cute country store. We bought some deli sandwiches, and drove to another beach, Pescadero State Beach. We brought my sleeping bag out to the beach, ate our lunch, and I fed a bunch of seagulls. Mike tried, but kept scaring them away (he's too tall ... or, maybe, I'm too short, which is why they weren't scared of me). I haven't mentioned this before, but it is cold! Once we left Los Angeles, the weather got down into the 50s, and since the sun never came out today, it's only gone up to the 60s today.
After another hour on the beach, we thought it best to head to San Francisco. The drive wasn't very long, we were in SanFran in about 1 1/2 hours. We checked into our hostel (I found this hostel from a flyer we saw at the previous hostel in Pescadero), and turns out, it's awesome. Our room is really big, and we have our own bathroom. We also get free breakfast in the morning. Once again, there are tons of foreigners here, and it is interesting to hear all the different languages and accents spoken.
If anyone is wondering, a hostel and a motel/hotel are a little different. The hostels we've stayed at have been very community and environmentally conscious. There are plenty of recycling bins, and even compost buckets that they use for fertilizer. Everything is shared (kitchen, living room, etc.), and the guests have to do some cleaning. We have to strip the bed, and usually put new sheets so that the hostel doesn't spend as much money on housekeeping. There are perks, most times the kitchen is fully equipped with a stove, fridge, microwave; there are bulletin boards in the lobby with useful information about the area, things to do, etc.; and people have been friendly.
We went to dinner at an Indian restaurant called Little Dehli. So, this is about the second or third time I've ever eaten Indian food, and I have enjoyed it each time. But, Mike and I learned a very difficult lesson today. If a server ever asks you, "Mild, medium, or spicy?" in an Indian restaurant ... don't say spicy. OH MY GOD. I couldn't feel my tongue by the end of the meal. I broke out into hives on my neck and face because the food was so spicy. Next time, we'll say mild. I mean, we usually like spicy food, but even Mike was gulping down his water like a madman. It was so good though, that we just kept eating and crying (literally). I decided I definitely needed dessert, opened up the menu, saw ice cream, and was so happy. It was very, very delicious.
The weather here is crazy. This is the coldest weather we've been in the entire trip! Apparently I missed the memo, because in San Francisco it's NORMAL to see weather in the 50s all summer long. I thought it would be hot here! But, Mike and I both didn't expect it to be this cold. People are walking around with jackets and beanies. After looking through some websites, I learned the warmest weather month is September. So strange!
After, we walked around Union Square, went to a bar called Owl Tree, and came home. Now we're here, exhausted from another long day.
Until next time!
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