Fri, August 10, 2007

MEM-LAS
Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico
August 3-12

• Departed camp at Kaibab National Forest around 8:30, dumped trash and got water at some RV park. We thought they might chase us, but we got out alive.
• Stopped in Fredonia for gas, beer, and breakfast. We then headed out to one of the most remote places either of us had been...Toroweap-Tuweep (be sure to click the link for information) is nearly 3 hours from any type of civilization. This is an area of the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, accessible only by a 2.5 hour drive on a very primitive dirt road. This place, managed by the BLM, is not for everyone. We passed the first 25 miles or so fairly easily. And then...when we arrived at the year-round ranger station, the ranger asked if we needed anything. As in, "what are you doing here?" And we told him that we were going to camp at Toroweap. His only reply was to chuckle and ask how we would get there, pointed at the car, and asked if that was what we came in. We said yes, and he said we wouldn't make it back out. To which we replied that it was a rental. Apparently that matters little. He essentially gave us the standard warning about recommending a SUV or 4WD (not something the little Mazda had). We decided to try it anyway - we had already taken the effort to get this far.
• Park brochure (.pdf)
• Then comes the hard part. More than an hour of bouncing on, over, and between a rocky "path" of a road. The car at some points would be leaning at such an angle it felt like it would tip over. We finally made it to the camping/overlook area and after the most stressful drive of our lives, we were pleased to have made it.
• The wind was incredible. The sustained winds were strong enough to blow anything away, including the tent. With stuff in it. Staked. The air being blown was so hot that we felt like we were in hell (temps were in the 115-120 F range). But the view and the idea of being in the middle of nowhere on the edge of the Grand Canyon was enough to make us not care. Draping clothing over any exposed skin, we went for a hike up to the actual rim of the canyon. It was breathtaking and dizzying at the same time (not the greatest combination of sensations when you're close to 4,000 feet [about 2/3 mile] up a sheer cliff). We took several pictures, climbed on rocks, found different vistas and watched rafters maneuver the Colorado River below...from up here they appeared to be just specks on the water.
• After hiking back to the camp, we hung out in the shade of a scrub tree and watched jackrabbits and other small animals run around. We had a few beers and built a fire (not too successfully due to the winds).
• In the end, we were glad we braved the geology and remoteness of the place. It was getting back out in the morning that had us concerned.

Thur, August 9, 2007

MEM-LAS
Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico
August 3-12

• Happy birthday, Nick's mom!
• We had gone to bed fairly early (~10) but still managed to sleep till about 9 am. We packed up and drove back to Jacob Lake Inn/Diner for breakfast. Interesting little place - nice, cute waitresses running all over the place. And although it is the middle of summer, there seemed to be a bit of a Christmas celebration going on. We knew this because of all the Christmas decorations - stockings, lights, the works. When we asked about it, the employees said that they celebrate Christmas in August because the place closes down for the winter and no one would be there.
  
• We had gained an hour (AZ does not observe DST). Drove to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon via AZ 67 - about 40 miles. Went to the visitor's center, then to the general store for ice (and a jacket). It has been really cold at night - upper 40s last night.
  
• We hiked the Ken Patrick Trail of the Canyon (click link and zoom in for a map), which takes you from the trailhead, 10 miles one way (...we did not follow the trail all 10 miles) along the Bright Angel Canyon drainages. The trail was very primitive and took some route finding abilities. We found out later that our difficulties were not through a lack of trying on our part - the trail is notorious for simply disappearing then continuing farther up ahead, up and down, in and out of drainages. It follows the rim for part, then through forest, then back on the rim...excellent views. We hiked for close to 3 hours along the Ken Patrick trail.
  
• After the hike, we drove farther into the park, to the end of the road at Cape Royal, where there were several incredible overlooks. The scenery is really amazing and the scale of the place just cannot be described or done justice in photos. This is truly one of the places that people have to see at least once in their lives.
• When we left the park, we went back north into the national forest, a bit south of where we had camped the night before. Found a really nice site in the forest that was flat and had lots of wood around. It was COLD!!! In the lower 40s.
• Beer of the day: Trippel Belgian Ale (7.8%), Nimbus Pale Ale
• Dinner: corn on the cob, potatoes/onions, BBQ chicken
• Mileage 1350
• More North Rim info: http://www.bobspixels.com/kaibab.org/misc/gc_visit.htm#nr
  

Wed, August 8, 2007

MEM-LAS
Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico
August 3-12

• We slept late at the hotel in Durango (till about 11...it was a rough night). Left the city around 12 or so. Among the souvenirs we picked up were 3 parking tickets.
  
• Ate lunch at Arby's in Farmington, NM, a town full of strip malls and shopping centers.
  
• Made our way to the Four Corners Monument, where the states of Utah, Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico meet. This is a very remote area of the country, not surprisingly. No electricity, no water, no phones. It costs $3 to enter the monument area, which is managed by the Navajo Nation. Lots of Navajo selling jewelry at booths set up near the actual four corners. Took the typical tourist pictures then left. It is scorching hot here in the desert.
• Drove, then drove some more. A bit more driving, then we ended up in Page, AZ (a boating town on Lake Powell) and got some supplies. We decided to drive to Jacob Lake, but the campground there was closed. Ended up driving to Kaibab National Forest, which is about 25 miles north of the Grand Canyon's North Rim. We drove into the forest using a logging access road and went about a few miles in, where there was no one around - no campsites, no people - we just stopped driving and walked into the forest with a tent. It was eerily quiet. A recent fire had charred most of the trees in the forest, so we were very careful with our fire once we set up camp.
• Mileage 1227
  

Tues, August 7, 2007

MEM-LAS
Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico
August 3-12

• After a very windy night, Brad is awake at 8 or so, while Nick takes in more rest. Deer still lurk in and around the campsite.
• We left Dalton Creek camp around 10 AM and drove into Colorado. Arrived at Mesa Verde National Park and checked out the cliff dwellings of the Anasazi people that lived in this area around 1200 A.D. Some of the dwellings have over 100 rooms. The rest of the park was also pretty cool - nice scenery, winding roads. Elevation in the park ranges from 6,000 - 8,500 feet.
• Continued on to Durango, CO. We had reserved a room at a very nice little boutique hotel called Nobody's Inn. It was a really cool place, above a store on a main street downtown. There were about 5 rooms, each with a clever name. The room we rented was called Anybody's Room. Cool antique items all over the place.
• The town of Durango reminds us of Missoula, MT (see 7/8/05) - cool bars, shops, a university. We ate at a place called Lady Falconburgh's (gross). The did have a great beer selection (38 on tap!). Walked around downtown then went to a bar/restaurant called The Quiet Lady. The bartender there (Aaron) was a bit of a know-it-all, but informative. Next we headed to a couple more alcohol-serving establishments, a few breweries (Caver's, then Steamhouse). All the beer was tasty. We ended up at a basement bar downtown near the hotel and drank some more. We met a couple from Austin named Joel and Margaret, who were very nice and liked to drink as well. Finally we ended up back at the room, where we made our way to the roof and hung out for a while before calling it a night. It was nice to sleep in a bed!
• Mileage 850

Mon, August 6, 2007

MEM-LAS
Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico
August 3-12

• Departed camp around 8:30 (so early...) and drove to Arches National Park. Drove to Devil's Garden at the end of the road and took a 1.5 mile hike to Landscape Arch, which is the longest natural arch in the world at 290 feet. We saw a lot of other arch formations, but nowhere near the 2,000 that the park claims to have. It's possible that it's all a big hoax. We will get to the bottom of it, for sure.
• Drove to Moab, Utah and ate at a Mexican place (Nick had a burrito verde, Brad had a super burrito). Walked around Moab for a while - it's pretty touristy, but it's a nice place...and full of Native American crap for sale.
• We had a few pints at the Moab Brewery, then headed south 0n UT-191 to Monticello. Stopped at the visitor center there and talked to an old guy who told us to head to Dalton Creek Campground inside Manti-La Sal National Forest. So we did. And we were pleased. We got there around 3 PM and were the only campers there - the camping area had about 15 sites. It was really quiet, and there were a lot of deer...they felt the need to intrude on our campsite on more than one occasion, coming up to us within about 6 feet. Nick kept a table between himself and the deer but Brad was a hero and didn't run. Also lots of cows roaming the countryside.
• Elevation ~8,500 feet
• Dinner - BBQ chicken, sauteed zucchini/onions
• Beer of the day: assortment of the last 2 days, and PBR, Natty Light
• Mileage: 690
  

Sun, August 5, 2007

MEM-LAS
Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico
August 3-12

• Departed Hollow Flats around 10 AM. Went to Bryce Canyon National Park - more rocks! Lots of foreigners, checking out our natural landmarks and formations. Good to see people learning and enjoying our land. Short hike to Sunset/Sunrise points proved to be quite a cool experience - the views were amazing. Rock formations called Hoodoos covered the canyon - hoodoos are massive rock spires pop up from the ground like totem poles. Click on the link for more information.
• After leaving the park, we took US-89N to Richfield. Ate at a Pizza Hut because we wanted a salad bar. But read the rules if you do this - you do not want the waitress scolding you for visiting the salad bar twice. This is apparently against the rules.
  
• We took I70 east and after getting on the interstate, noticed a sign informing motorists of the lack of services for the next 100 miles or so. It was our belief that this sign should have been placed before the interstate. Because we ran out of gas. In the middle of the desert. Ended up pulling off the interstate and contacting UT highway patrol, who put us in contact with a service station (in Green River) east of where we were (Ghost Rock Lookout). Within 25 minutes or so, a truck from the station pulled up and provided us with our gasoline...for a steal at $200 (plus the cost of gas, of course).
  
• Getting back on the highway, we continued on I70, east to UT-191S, toward Arches National Park. Arriving near the park, we learn that the camp was full, which was not a big deal since we don't really care for NP camping anyway. We continued up the highway a bit farther to Oak Grove - a small patch of BLM land along the banks of the Colorado River. There was a burn ban, so we weren't allowed to have fires, but it wouldn't have mattered anyway - storms began rolling in, pouring rain and shooting lightning everywhere. We were in bed by 10 pm and it ended up raining all night.
• Beer of the Day: Golden Spike Hef, Bitch Creek Pale
• Dinner: sandwiches and chips
• Mileage: 560 total
  

Sat, August 4, 2007

MEM-LAS
Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico
August 3-12

• Departed hotel around 9 and hit a Wal-Mart for supplies ($102). Drove from Nellis to Hollow Flats (somewhere between Cedar Breaks and Long Valley Jct). On the way, we drove through Zion National Park. Very cool place - incredible sandstone formations and lots of wildlife - and it is easy to want to stay. Unfortunately, there were no fires allowed and campgrounds at the park were pretty full (of screaming children), and this was not a place we really wanted to be. So after touring the park for a while, we continued driving.
• Stopping at a house advertising firewood for sale, we met a retired gentleman who had quite a collection of animals - chickens, peacocks, billygoats...large ones. Large, smelly billgoats. (we know they smelled because he insisted we pet them.) He was quite a character, and full of information, which of course helped us - not that we needed to know how the irrigation laws in southern Utah worked, but he did give us some good camping location tips. He mentioned Dixie National Forest, accessible by taking US-89 to UT-14. We stopped at a visitor center and they directed us to a fairly secluded area (except for ATVs). It was a nice site - cooler here; elevation was about 6,000 feet.
  
• High temperature today was 107 degrees. Here in the forest it ended up around 75 degrees...nice to be out of the desert!
• Beer of the Day: Moab Brewery Scorpion Pale, Wasatch Apricot Hefeweissen, Wasatch Evolution Amber Ale
• Dinner: Turkey brats and corn
• Mileage: 230
  

Friday, August 3, 2007

MEM-LAS
Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico
August 3-12

• Memphis to Las Vegas flight. Arrived at 9 PM and got the rental car. Drove to Super 8 Motel in Nellis, about 16 miles north of the city. Ate at the hotel restaurant - Blueberry Hill (the name alone should have been a clue) - a shitty, 24 hour family diner style eatery that served greasy chunks of food...but also beer (shitty beer). No redemption for that.

2006 - Sat Aug 5

MEM-SEA

July 29-August 6

Washington, Oregon

• Left and drove along the north side of Olympic NP via 101 to get to the ferries. We had lunch and then took a ferry to Seattle. Got to Krista and Larry's and then showered (!).
  
• Celeste came over and we all had a few beers, then went out with Angie. We met up with Brian at his work, had a few more.
• The next day, (Sun, Aug 6) we refueled and went to the airport.
  
• Final mileage: 1100

2006 - Friday, Aug 4

MEM-SEA

July 29-August 6

Washington, Oregon

• We left around 9:30 to look for a canoe outfitter. Headed to Forks, WA (after Brad backed the car into a trash can), which seemed to be the only town around within 100 miles or so of Olympic. We ended up finding a place, but they only did kayaks and expensive raft trips - the water was too low for canoes.
• We headed to the Hoh Rain Forest and went on 2 short hikes. Very pretty - lots of MASSIVE trees and lots of ferns/moss everywhere. (Just for the sake of mentioning it, there is a section in our notes that states "paid $15 to go 4 miles - government nazis!" yet I do not think that either of us will ever remember quite what that means).
• Went to Ruby Beach at low tide hoping to see some star fish...but ended up seeing only sea anemones. The beach was very pretty, with huge rock outcrops, fog, and lots of logs on the shore.
• Went back to the campsite (and had some ice cream on the way), which was fuller (meaning, more kids), but it was still pretty peaceful.
• Beer of the Day was the remainder of the week's stash. We were feeling the pressure to drink the rest of it before heading back.
• Dinner: BBQ chicken and corn on the cob.
• Mileage 919
  

2006 - Thur Aug 3

MEM-SEA

July 29-August 6

Washington, Oregon

• Departed camp at 9:30 am and drove north along the coast on Highway 101. The drive was very scenic - 101 runs up the coastline. We passed through several small towns and over the 4 mile long Astoria Bridge.
• Arriving in Olympic National Park, we stopped at Kalaloch Campground on the coast, but it was packed with RVs and children (the 2 things we try to avoid at any cost). We drove a bit farther northeast to Hoh Oxbo and got a great FREE site (#1). It was very private, right on the river. There was an area at the end of the campground with access to the river, where there were small falls, currents and pools - the water was a very blue-green color. We met a nice lady from Seattle who told us about a kayak/canoe outfitter that we decided to check out the next day.
• Some German bike riders (who we named Klaus and his brothers) came to our campsite with a small metal bowl, asking to borrow some coals to start a fire. They did not speak English well at all. Nick ended up going to help them build a fire. Turns out they were bicycling from Vancouver to southern California. Meanwhile, we are sitting in a campsite worrying about what kind of beer is next. Priorities.
• Beer of the Day: Drop Top Amber (Portland), Kena Fir Rock Pale Ale (Hawaii), and a wide assortment of leftovers. Dinner was chicken brats and potatoes.
• Mileage 825 total/239 today, temperature 63-75º

2006 - Wed, Aug 2

MEM-SEA

July 29-August 6

Washington, Oregon

• Left the hotel in Portland around 10 am via I-26W and drove to Tillamook. There, we toured the Tillamook Dairy - cheese being made right in front of our eyes! We saw lots of large patrons in line for free cheese samples. We decided on a bag of cheese curds. So tasty.
• Stopped at Fred Meyer for supplies ($51).
• Ate lunch at the Sea Shack in Wheeler, OR. Nick had grilled Tillamook provolone cheese and Brad had grilled halibut sandwich. Waitress told us about nearby camping. So we drove to Mohler Road and then took a dirt road to Cook Creek. Very private campsite on the creek. Mountain views and no one around for miles - perfect. We heard only 2 cars drive down the dirt road in 5 hours. Free camping. We picked a ton of blackberries - there were LOTS of bushes around. We built 2 dams on the creek (which we later learn is an illegal act).
• Dinner was wild salmon, veggie burgers, zucchini and onions. Beer of the Day: Fire Station #5, Brush Fire Summer Ale, Henry Weinhard's Hefeweizen
• Mileage 586 total/121 today
• Temperature today 75º

2006 - Tues, Aug 1

MEM-SEA
July 29-August 5
Washington, Oregon

• Left camp and went to Eagle Creek area to hike. Hiked about 2 miles in and saw 3 waterfalls (Metlako, Lower/Upper Punch Bowl). Trail was pretty treacherous , with a 100-foot fall directly to the side of the trail, and no rails/ropes - but we're men.
• Ate breakfast at a restaurant that had Indian artifacts everywhere. Brad had marionberry pancakes (recipe). Went to Bonneville Dam and fish hatchery where we saw a 450 pound sturgeon! Very cool - a must-see.

• Drove to Portland and checked into the Days Inn downtown. Had a beer at the Marketplace Pub and then took the streetcar to the Pearl District. PD is an eclectic neighborhood in the city that prides itself on trying to hard, it appears to us. Cool area though. Had a beer at a restaurant called Paragon, then walked around and checked out some shops.
• Hit up the Bridgeport Brewery and had beers/pizza along with bad service (see, we don't forget these things). Went to Rogue Brewery and had (lots of) beers. Took the streetcar back downtown and had a beer at Marketplace
• Temperature today was about 75º.
• Mileage 465 total/63 today.

2006 - Mon, July 31

MEM-SEA
July 29-August 5
Washington, Oregon

• We departed our campsite around 9 AM. Drove to Ape Cave (links to Wikipedia - interesting article), which was part of a massive lava field in Gifford Pinchot National Forest. There was no one around, which is pretty rare for such a seemingly touristy place. We decided to explore a bit, threw on some layers to keep warm, hiking shoes, and grabbed the lantern. It's wilderness, people...there are no lights. You enter down a passageway which is about in the center of this giant 'worm' underground. You can go to the left, travel .75 miles and come back, or go to the right, about .5 miles to another exit. We're men. We went the long way. It was an experience, just being in a place where you couldn't see a thing, it was so dark. Brad was not a fan of turning off the lantern and taking it all in with the remaining senses. We got to the end of the tube, and the ceiling of the cave got lower and lower and lower until it was only about 6-8 inches. Brad stayed behind while Nick did the belly-battle-crawl as far as he could...and had to back out the same way after about 40-50 feet. Scary. Claustrophobic.
• Went to the Lahar Lookout to view Mount St. Helen's but it was pretty cloudy around the top. There was a better view when we were a few more miles away. Spent a few hours exploring the area, checking out rock flows, different views of the volcano, etc.
• Drove south to Stevenson, WA on the Columbia River, where we had lunch at the River Cafe. Nick had egg salad and Brad had fish & chips. Good food, we agreed.
• Crossed the Bridge of the Gods (Col. River) and went to Multnomah Falls, which is the 2nd highest year-round falls in the US. An old lady recommended Eagle Creek to camp, but there were only a few sites and all overlooked the interstate (84). Rode east to Wyeth Campground - more secluded. Campsite #10 ($10). Went for ~3 mile hike on trail 411, which was pretty steep, but had excellent views of the Columbia River Gorge and huge rock cliffs.
• Much warmer today - (78-82º)
• Beer of the day is Full Sail American IPA and Twilight Amber
• Dinner - BBQ chicken (seeing a theme here?), coal-cooked potatoes and beans.
• Mileage 402 total/123 today.

2006 - Sun July 30

MEM-SEA
July 29-August 5
Washington, Oregon

• Brad was up early - around 7 AM and went into Fremont for coffee and scones. Krista gave us maps and some chairs and a cooler to use. We left Seattle around 11 AM heading south on I-5
• Lunch was some expensive Mexican food where Brad claimed to have the best chimichanga in years.
  
• Took Hwy 504 toward Mt St. Helen's, but decided to go farther south to Hwy 503, which was the southern route. Stopped at a Fred Meyer and got supplies ($87). Got to Cougar, and found camping area. Most on-water sites were taken but found one on the side that was quiet (#34). Camping was $15.
• Dinner was BBQ chicken and corn on the cob. Beer of the Day: Scuttlebutt (Everett, WA); Moose Drool dark ale; Fire Station #5 (Portland).
• Mileage: 279 total/202 today
• Dark at 9:30
  

2006 - Sat July 29

MEM-SEA
July 29-August 5
Washington, Oregon

• Flight from Memphis to Seattle. Arriving in Seattle, we learn Nick's bag ended up in Minneapolis instead. Airline promises to deliver the bag to Krista and Larry's house, where we will be staying that night.
  

• We picked up the rental car (a pimpin silver Hyundai Sonata) and drove to Angie and David's in Covington. We ended up driving into the city and had lunch and beers (Mac & Jack) in Fremont Brian, Brad, Angie, David
  
• After lunch we made our way to Krista and Larry's, had a beer, then went to Hale's for a few. That evening we went to Capital Hill and played pool and had drinks. After getting back to K & L's place that night, the bag was delivered. We were drunk and tired, and ended up in bed by about 1:30.

with Brian, Angie, and David.

• Mileage 77

Charleston, South Carolina

late April/early May 2006
Brad's 30th birthday

• Rented a house in Folly Beach, just south of Charleston. The house is really nice - very close to the beach, plenty of room. Stacie (with her camera in a sock) and Kara come from Charlotte, Colleen took the train from DC, and Carrie came in from Jacksonville. Brad and Ellan took a flight from Memphis to Charleston, and Nick drove from Memphis to Charleston. Laura flew in from Lexington.
• Over the 3 days that we were there, we visited the beach a few times, flew kites, went to a great tapas bar (Meritage), did some shopping downtown, and visited a few bars. Bars with shopping carts.

• After rolling around in shopping carts, we went to a couple different bars. One happened to be a honky-tonk, local biker bar. Quite frightening. At one point, there was a person "singing" onstage. Ellan, ever the curious one, inquired to no one in particular "who's the retard onstage?" The man behind her, ever the informative one, responded "it's my son". At that point, it was clear we probably were not all that welcome...not that we were before...
• We left the bar and ended up getting a ride in a truck from a young local couple. They took some of us back to the house...with the exception of Carrie. Who called. And was curious about "where the fuck everyone is" and why she was left there. Oops. When ya got this many kids, it's hard to keep track of everyone, ya know? Carrie ended up back safely at the house, where the couple who gave us a ride were hanging out. It became clear that the female half of the couple looked like Jessica Simpson. She found this flattering (we think), probably until minute number 43 of everyone commenting about how much she looked like Jessica Simpson.
• One afternoon, the girls went to lunch and after a not-so-pleasant dining experience, came back to the house with a great story and an even greater photo of an unfortunate-looking troll they named Scary Mary. Here is Kara, going all Vanna White on Scary Mary's ass:
• And a day or so later we were all preparing to go our separate ways, so we all had lunch on a rooftop patio restaurant downtown. Brad flew back to Memphis, and Nick drove on to North Carolina to see Tony and Jill in Sylva.