tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84081177146649499942024-03-13T15:27:11.949-04:00StArt TrekSteve Zhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00172997341502094474noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8408117714664949994.post-49388868832798254932009-07-14T18:30:00.005-04:002009-07-14T20:21:33.291-04:00Firts Officers Log: Day 19, Back in Brooklyn!Day 19, Back in Brooklyn!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCchfpu4MOqacaYM011Pa1iDn4Ttwi_HAvDLZkRhGfS8_8QyEFQx1E89bLu9Zn-lk7JJkA651sHkxnrbY5b-3iyC2C-Wl9YbGxeplEUp83lCwUu64BK3aYxW4LLP4uYP4D7Zqm70EkP60q/s1600-h/IMG_2373ROADTRIP.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCchfpu4MOqacaYM011Pa1iDn4Ttwi_HAvDLZkRhGfS8_8QyEFQx1E89bLu9Zn-lk7JJkA651sHkxnrbY5b-3iyC2C-Wl9YbGxeplEUp83lCwUu64BK3aYxW4LLP4uYP4D7Zqm70EkP60q/s400/IMG_2373ROADTRIP.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358447284261893634" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The sun woke me up in the bright room this morning (thats one of the spare bedrooms in the house which Memom nicknamed the bright room, cause duh its bright in the mornings.) I was up early but didn't mind today cause we were going on our final drive back to Brooklyn.<br /><br />We went up the road for a quick breakfast with my sister & brother-in-law. We don't hang out nearly enough so it was really great to spent some time there. Breakfast was delicious! After we ate it was back on the road.<br /><br />Pappy drove so fast this, I think he finally lost it after all these days on the road. Bobbing and weaving trough NJ traffic we quickly made our way to Coney Island for some Nathans hot dogs. We park in front of a fire hydrant across the street cause there is so much traffic and no parking. I run over to buy us lunch and there I see the most beautiful sight so far on this trip, my lovely lady walking towards me. Thats what Ive been missing!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVmz4IFrFOFle4N1_B-msQZIQWdpMsWIkJXXJrw3MX3tU1ahDLBm93LJUfwaHdN1c3eWTkd-Uh8c3Q77Nh20tFGkK81n7cptcjvyot29NjgfynHNVrzGkuIQ6rsVReW7ev3Is6Iqs2ZJxC/s1600-h/IMG_2386ROADTRIP.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVmz4IFrFOFle4N1_B-msQZIQWdpMsWIkJXXJrw3MX3tU1ahDLBm93LJUfwaHdN1c3eWTkd-Uh8c3Q77Nh20tFGkK81n7cptcjvyot29NjgfynHNVrzGkuIQ6rsVReW7ev3Is6Iqs2ZJxC/s400/IMG_2386ROADTRIP.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358451281866833170" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhijGGvoh51qaqp_czTTh8I-eX6F-EbVUS0vY9ZzWkEzNrKYLolE4TtvU7DZOkDCZTnPjBZ7mImortFgWU7L4-m_GReYkMDvZ7kfGT55h_4Mt8rvvbyqKkDdEO1-xpUZCTqzBTXh9CbxZWY/s1600-h/IMG_2383ROADTRIP.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhijGGvoh51qaqp_czTTh8I-eX6F-EbVUS0vY9ZzWkEzNrKYLolE4TtvU7DZOkDCZTnPjBZ7mImortFgWU7L4-m_GReYkMDvZ7kfGT55h_4Mt8rvvbyqKkDdEO1-xpUZCTqzBTXh9CbxZWY/s400/IMG_2383ROADTRIP.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358451270650769330" border="0" /></a><br /><br />We grab some hot dogs and then all go to my apartment to eat. The dogs were just what ive been craving for weeks, god its great to be back. We had some great adventures the last 19 day's, bonded as father and son, and saw some amazing sights in this great country of ours. I throughly enjoyed it all.<br /><br />I hope y'all have enjoyed our journey as much as we have.<br /><br />"On the road again. Goin' places that I've never been. Seein' things that I may never see again,<br />And I can't wait to get on the road again." Willie Nelson<br /><br /><br />What happened to Yoda? Find out by clicking the image below!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/25021465@N07/3721486095/in/set-72157620282174541/"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 209px; height: 279px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8x5XJpsHlRx226BD7nXQm2ODyM-hvU5rZqLFxdiOzDO1hl1OCUAR1Pp4eHfnn_dGbwwpbB05FrKi9Lla1kBkOucVV8tKvEwLrRR0VZjV8uZwv8jnm4gUX3XIP0owg7iEhO0iG3wMmQhGE/s400/IMG_2377ROADTRIP.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358451284186277666" border="0" /></a>Steve Zhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00172997341502094474noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8408117714664949994.post-12982962652090350642009-07-11T21:50:00.008-04:002009-07-14T18:30:46.463-04:00First Officers Log: Day 18, Almost Home!Day 18, Almost Home<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBwHwdj7dWUQQ95Qw-R6e1gwYb8HQsMFdNUxyCP6H6BYOUTVLSmViHSAT8xY7E_mIgL64igla0D3FfYg7qTDWXkhogPHdm6aeHqlmyMTWIlv35kV0X2TSYnGaWTflP3dL57WxYUIyMZj_x/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-2334.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBwHwdj7dWUQQ95Qw-R6e1gwYb8HQsMFdNUxyCP6H6BYOUTVLSmViHSAT8xY7E_mIgL64igla0D3FfYg7qTDWXkhogPHdm6aeHqlmyMTWIlv35kV0X2TSYnGaWTflP3dL57WxYUIyMZj_x/s400/ROADTRIP-2334.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358446032987168210" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Woke up in Ohio this morning just 9 hours away from West Chester. We had our last continental breakfast and all I know is that I am so over motel waffles! After we packed off the car it was off to PA for our stop, Falling Water.<br /><br />When we got to the house I was surprise at what a big setup they had, there's a cafe, gift shop, and gallery. I grabbed my final post cards from the gift shop and then we waited for our tour.<br /><br />The house was amazing, my favorite on this trip. The whole thing is built over this water fall in Western PA. In the center of the house in front of a fireplace there was a huge boulder sticking up out of the floor that they built the house around. Every room just led you visually strait out into the woods. There were huge concrete terraces the jutted out over the falls, 4 fireplaces, like 6 balconies, a spring fed pool, three maids/ personal assistants. If I could live anywhere I would live here!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDNmy0gOzZTTT4qDboC6KYDSnUTBD1wtRqpCFH-9xGoMECcxzYvjGYrOLTQUylwGMuvV8NaIZkD2pnAxrP4W-piW9XDpJgJTk0ssqU2UmAL8GVx8uRdjYkJXsl0v9bKOqe3vsfWcaDcnpE/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-2344.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDNmy0gOzZTTT4qDboC6KYDSnUTBD1wtRqpCFH-9xGoMECcxzYvjGYrOLTQUylwGMuvV8NaIZkD2pnAxrP4W-piW9XDpJgJTk0ssqU2UmAL8GVx8uRdjYkJXsl0v9bKOqe3vsfWcaDcnpE/s400/ROADTRIP-2344.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358446037260176066" border="0" /></a><br /><br />We leave Falling Water and head east. The closer I get to WC the more I start to finally recognize my surroundings. We finally pull off the PA Turnpike down Route 100 and into the driveway. Its exciting to finally be somewhere familiar but somethings missing.........Steve Zhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00172997341502094474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8408117714664949994.post-14783914292229377642009-07-11T21:49:00.004-04:002009-07-14T23:00:39.345-04:00First Officers Log: Day 17, Land Of LincolnDay 17: Land of Lincoln<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIsIn6GWpXxfsbXRu5VnnbV_vo6RpGtKXJRiO-LPHN6o7flSyAQDTAAmYxgDc_fSVTtmaKWn7jmt971O3JgBuJkYUNMQmNY3ilFn7oPw62yjwe7j4Q4mC4RXHkB33vYxfgVmwE67bXinxS/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-2295.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 398px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIsIn6GWpXxfsbXRu5VnnbV_vo6RpGtKXJRiO-LPHN6o7flSyAQDTAAmYxgDc_fSVTtmaKWn7jmt971O3JgBuJkYUNMQmNY3ilFn7oPw62yjwe7j4Q4mC4RXHkB33vYxfgVmwE67bXinxS/s400/ROADTRIP-2295.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357540455569971490" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Our trip is quickly drawing to a close. Left Wisconsin this morning at 8:20am still headed east. Our destination for the day is Chicago to see the birthplace of my siblings and of course to have Chicago pizza with the lovely Amy <>. I haven’t seen Amy in almost 4 years so it was about time we caught up.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRaa97MRQ3FW8COjGlCXDmSgwDnijFOoCZpsSx98H-6kavy67MbwwfkIFD-Odazl2IOg_3kZlGi3CLkNZ2bgKQbhlZp1ASoaFIi8rKkfeHuPgmB3sRpacUY-tFN0grenobfsYPmvfuSqRH/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-2311.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 378px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRaa97MRQ3FW8COjGlCXDmSgwDnijFOoCZpsSx98H-6kavy67MbwwfkIFD-Odazl2IOg_3kZlGi3CLkNZ2bgKQbhlZp1ASoaFIi8rKkfeHuPgmB3sRpacUY-tFN0grenobfsYPmvfuSqRH/s400/ROADTRIP-2311.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357540457385230754" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdYNOWWqeUiZnJc4ej4p45jLxWYZT23xD6GtMiiroynogbQIktqhjcx6y4c2lPk5nCexEMiIKoSJZ0dsUYbLsCL3rMPaKT_AAWCz2kPcaJfR4DjcSL5cfJS7rqKHayYz-BK8PjTmG6Utom/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-2306.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdYNOWWqeUiZnJc4ej4p45jLxWYZT23xD6GtMiiroynogbQIktqhjcx6y4c2lPk5nCexEMiIKoSJZ0dsUYbLsCL3rMPaKT_AAWCz2kPcaJfR4DjcSL5cfJS7rqKHayYz-BK8PjTmG6Utom/s400/ROADTRIP-2306.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357540454597790578" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The weather was really the worst we've had since we left Pa 17 days ago. We pulled onto the city and stopped at Pizzanos for pizza. I had a beer and chatted with Amy about life and school for a while. After we had lunch and bid Amy goodbye we headed to Dalton IL, where my family spent their first few years before the dark times, before me! It was nice to see where they had lived and hear stores about the old days from the old man.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyUZ4-As3nm5Wm8M4GUkKTqZd0ItLvCenJ6pKFjf3M9m8ORWTJCe3720J-P-48cItMGwax_vaY1acnmr0oucGSE5edMPWRw6fF8iHWxOTbdLEIzsTVKlhQvsk-Droz4qLwFGvO2wsGB6-c/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-2319.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 215px; height: 286px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyUZ4-As3nm5Wm8M4GUkKTqZd0ItLvCenJ6pKFjf3M9m8ORWTJCe3720J-P-48cItMGwax_vaY1acnmr0oucGSE5edMPWRw6fF8iHWxOTbdLEIzsTVKlhQvsk-Droz4qLwFGvO2wsGB6-c/s400/ROADTRIP-2319.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357540463717856802" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3_WkqBQRUMXPSM_z_Cr9oEqhnyfBqNcyhXtVlWgal1B6UMVQLtLRbuARI4svpUHHO3N4wa-SCHDMypTexE6euUjquMLgwpWlmODybAMHEQk8ApcSlW28cY8F5rI83gSG5YzZBHYD_LObI/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-2320.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3_WkqBQRUMXPSM_z_Cr9oEqhnyfBqNcyhXtVlWgal1B6UMVQLtLRbuARI4svpUHHO3N4wa-SCHDMypTexE6euUjquMLgwpWlmODybAMHEQk8ApcSlW28cY8F5rI83gSG5YzZBHYD_LObI/s400/ROADTRIP-2320.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357540469775181378" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Another day on the road, and another day closer to home. I can almost taste that Nathans hotdog and it's deliciousSteve Zhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00172997341502094474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8408117714664949994.post-87013910078669263592009-07-11T21:48:00.003-04:002009-07-12T07:50:15.186-04:00First Officers Log: Day 16, Mall of AmericaDay 16: Mall of America<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsvEm8uS4_cLaai90ujUwSuquzkF5-HgUimDvQ0f3F6JW7RYJxrjp7NxmBOiumvpD4wj8kku4OExQovhKNnXUMPZX-oHltO8LnirtmE0WFSLr9NDvoaQxQ3GehxXO4UdTEj0pVOJyo39bc/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-2266.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsvEm8uS4_cLaai90ujUwSuquzkF5-HgUimDvQ0f3F6JW7RYJxrjp7NxmBOiumvpD4wj8kku4OExQovhKNnXUMPZX-oHltO8LnirtmE0WFSLr9NDvoaQxQ3GehxXO4UdTEj0pVOJyo39bc/s400/ROADTRIP-2266.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357539329331079314" border="0" /></a><br /><br />We did a whole lot of driving today but only made one stop, The Mall of America. The only thing I wanted to do there was ride the rollercoaster, which we did. Pappy was making fun of me cause we went to the lego store and I wanted to buy some Star Wars toys. He said “I am at the biggest mall in America with the biggest kid in America.”<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYiPMphuizW-KHcw4g3XvOr-KpBvk79zezQbj7z_Gns-du25O57PqrvflVJXasQJvU6Sm5zklET8liw8uQOa2qIU6AE2jhUk8wSBkg2-Gd_3PsTgSO0EcNSRKT8fxeLQU0g1_Rd-C1PEzt/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-2270.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYiPMphuizW-KHcw4g3XvOr-KpBvk79zezQbj7z_Gns-du25O57PqrvflVJXasQJvU6Sm5zklET8liw8uQOa2qIU6AE2jhUk8wSBkg2-Gd_3PsTgSO0EcNSRKT8fxeLQU0g1_Rd-C1PEzt/s400/ROADTRIP-2270.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357539329689101986" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8uv988sRnlHjp9E3FtqoAz4uZ0We6_LQWEp3S04GZZgHczGm7xj6xnwjrdmLRiI_h2gaDw73x3MseLMwMJMTHF6J9oTh94uktzWIfTi1w7rKkNsge4RvWI29TBusGxcw4h0ieSwOrXey_/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-2272.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 186px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8uv988sRnlHjp9E3FtqoAz4uZ0We6_LQWEp3S04GZZgHczGm7xj6xnwjrdmLRiI_h2gaDw73x3MseLMwMJMTHF6J9oTh94uktzWIfTi1w7rKkNsge4RvWI29TBusGxcw4h0ieSwOrXey_/s400/ROADTRIP-2272.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357539334092939442" border="0" /></a>Steve Zhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00172997341502094474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8408117714664949994.post-15484186501101946662009-07-11T21:07:00.003-04:002009-07-11T21:12:59.738-04:00First Officers Log: Day 15 South DakotaDay 15: South Dakota, A whole lot of nothing in a big ass state.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6yhcbuUWB39_wmbXw9yVgueq5Z24H5SQ1VdloEenFh2nPPUuY-xVGFfaebYX5Cm0jtfH-jQ3gfKYS79A3lIDqwGL0hkQ59Orn5PxBBtI3s4OLz0EcCATLoCijXDHZ3HvjEihZFotYqfN3/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-2226.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 297px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6yhcbuUWB39_wmbXw9yVgueq5Z24H5SQ1VdloEenFh2nPPUuY-xVGFfaebYX5Cm0jtfH-jQ3gfKYS79A3lIDqwGL0hkQ59Orn5PxBBtI3s4OLz0EcCATLoCijXDHZ3HvjEihZFotYqfN3/s400/ROADTRIP-2226.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357374620062265362" border="0" /></a><br /><br />What I don’t understand about South Dakota is that for a state where I can see nothing but grass and cows why is there so much construction? Well its on the roads so I guess it makes sense, people want to be able to get in and get the fuck out. Today was mostly just another day on the road. We went to Mount Rushmore, our last state park and our one stop for the day. They had some great ice cream at the park, oh and the mountain was cool too. On the way there we went past the largest coal mine in America. The train on the way out was crazy it was a mile long chain of coal. I’ve never seen a man so excited about coal, oh Pappy.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPthgDq0ySo9zXFzMLY6gZVKB4x2JlWKX8YowZogsLYCz0BSOrFoMgSzYIvh6atslw-9mg_Z57gDxdFCordJzCcRiurr2V7udW431gKqMIc2td2AiS4CDNwcHOmyuSycPYtPhQQGfn-hB8/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-2220.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPthgDq0ySo9zXFzMLY6gZVKB4x2JlWKX8YowZogsLYCz0BSOrFoMgSzYIvh6atslw-9mg_Z57gDxdFCordJzCcRiurr2V7udW431gKqMIc2td2AiS4CDNwcHOmyuSycPYtPhQQGfn-hB8/s400/ROADTRIP-2220.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357374618425948818" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj59ieNvmN-tRRmWfx23SWz74loaMDvWiSOXgndi4M2ZIKkqkjo4P7Ye9Xg1iUw6nCk6PB5QECW6sGWi4xJ0VsyoyRqikwEBg0dwnDff6W7Lhd-RAlp5Sdo2QWpcApLQGBA1NLMYFfuGGIe/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-2213.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj59ieNvmN-tRRmWfx23SWz74loaMDvWiSOXgndi4M2ZIKkqkjo4P7Ye9Xg1iUw6nCk6PB5QECW6sGWi4xJ0VsyoyRqikwEBg0dwnDff6W7Lhd-RAlp5Sdo2QWpcApLQGBA1NLMYFfuGGIe/s400/ROADTRIP-2213.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357374607414748834" border="0" /></a>Steve Zhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00172997341502094474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8408117714664949994.post-21169765271381360652009-07-11T20:30:00.006-04:002009-07-11T21:12:38.691-04:00First Officers Log: Day 14, Yippie-Kai-YayDay 14: Yippie-Kai-Yay<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjysd2WJkoShUyX9Csexmk81kl9BXuYQoGv80qLsQZMOsckQ6Z69mZwpNInHI4ovJcdIjjlrBf7vhp6XUBHoyBZFSNYRSnlJQ9DBq5yEUqs1ejGbsiKwJUvq8NFBml__dmHrWmJv2NMd2re/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-2048.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjysd2WJkoShUyX9Csexmk81kl9BXuYQoGv80qLsQZMOsckQ6Z69mZwpNInHI4ovJcdIjjlrBf7vhp6XUBHoyBZFSNYRSnlJQ9DBq5yEUqs1ejGbsiKwJUvq8NFBml__dmHrWmJv2NMd2re/s400/ROADTRIP-2048.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357366099611431202" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Ever spent a lot of time in the middle of nowhere doing nothing? Well welcome to Casper Wyoming. Woke up late today 9:30 to be exact, and oh how sweet it was. Most of the day I sat in the room watching the Michael Jackson Memorial. I so want a casket like his when my day comes!<br /><br />Spent a little time in the afternoon at the town fair, but the real excitement for the day and our reason for being in Casper was for the Rodeo. I’ve never been to one, and wow I feel like my life just started today.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcWDGJZebmBmbRPjEtgry_ZUlHZToxuvtLRX_mf6_Sc0DQkE6i01sfzRmierLZe_uHKw4Hefz46ffjz5AKouIDkIb2sDnyPvRfvV90g9iC7jfAHRmc2iLM3YApJVDkGgmlaAw0xjGDufZS/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-2094.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcWDGJZebmBmbRPjEtgry_ZUlHZToxuvtLRX_mf6_Sc0DQkE6i01sfzRmierLZe_uHKw4Hefz46ffjz5AKouIDkIb2sDnyPvRfvV90g9iC7jfAHRmc2iLM3YApJVDkGgmlaAw0xjGDufZS/s400/ROADTRIP-2094.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357366096257600770" border="0" /></a><br /><br />We had seats right behind the cattle chutes, which was the equivalent of seats behind home plate at a baseball game.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx1l4yPCbrDoxxwaMbv1FNQ9XdLENOimjON2Zg8BIH6-voWVqX-G5pgBG57mK2qpQ1MfR-MagLYhXeRGSjWGEEyM7qojDO9L6wZ3H29fzVV4J-7eu7UUog4c5jlpMhjUTAlc5NIs5JwYiq/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-2099.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx1l4yPCbrDoxxwaMbv1FNQ9XdLENOimjON2Zg8BIH6-voWVqX-G5pgBG57mK2qpQ1MfR-MagLYhXeRGSjWGEEyM7qojDO9L6wZ3H29fzVV4J-7eu7UUog4c5jlpMhjUTAlc5NIs5JwYiq/s400/ROADTRIP-2099.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357366103663917506" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The place smelled something awful but once I got a beer and got over that it was sweet. Highlights for the evening were; The Sheep Ride, and the bull ride. The Sheep ride is where little kids grab on to a sheep with their arms around the neck and legs around the waist and hold on while the sheep tries (and very quickly succeeds) to buck them off. The bull ride is self-explanatory but a couple of things I feel are worth mention are the rodeo clowns (aka bull fighters) who get right up in the bull’s face are bad ass. They actually get right in the bulls way and push them back with their hand! Second thing, the bull tends to crap everywhere while stuck in that little stall which was friggin gross. Sorry but I feel that since I had to live through it you should too.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzEYuYoXx2nTkwvuzhDYyJQrDLikEhpMb3ItkpdHHDT0Rrx9KOxsq6wYbnYpDU27bF5JplTUMKnpHnfySwm7HqHY5YYCA6Kf4QH8fADCgLZ00Un47iYcgChEQYW9eIAChqI1-z2JzZ95CM/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-2147.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 311px; height: 234px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzEYuYoXx2nTkwvuzhDYyJQrDLikEhpMb3ItkpdHHDT0Rrx9KOxsq6wYbnYpDU27bF5JplTUMKnpHnfySwm7HqHY5YYCA6Kf4QH8fADCgLZ00Un47iYcgChEQYW9eIAChqI1-z2JzZ95CM/s400/ROADTRIP-2147.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357366108118592578" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMOVj-0j9e0-UtN-74Ic6aI7AWKY5xdiGn0jd_OPwjks_r6gkm2EDnyM_s-_ppAzlM_6rSxUpvmUhyFxbEQLTyYfmTitr8TB_sOGKGh-QJ_Z1Qix_9czdz9GcNBNT9HDaRrt8E-tkOiaoC/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-2192.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 309px; height: 231px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMOVj-0j9e0-UtN-74Ic6aI7AWKY5xdiGn0jd_OPwjks_r6gkm2EDnyM_s-_ppAzlM_6rSxUpvmUhyFxbEQLTyYfmTitr8TB_sOGKGh-QJ_Z1Qix_9czdz9GcNBNT9HDaRrt8E-tkOiaoC/s400/ROADTRIP-2192.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357366111951426290" border="0" /></a><br /><br />That about wraps up Wyoming. The rest of our trip is mostly driving and only one stop a day so I feel that our stories are coming to a close quickly.Steve Zhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00172997341502094474noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8408117714664949994.post-69606109900698593622009-07-10T21:33:00.011-04:002009-07-10T22:36:45.069-04:00First Officers Log: Day 13, The Sky is Falling<span style="font-family:times new roman;">Day 13: The Sky is Falling</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2zSMnHnV7nhES3YT2MBOajw_PUYe7aNrwjOX1vAxp6GFavf9fYQqIdzgrxJAb5LBNCMKEt71jPfkyfElLgzM3X9TGoI1JqrIP3kVJCQubwoTewLX3reUz7EhHku8TWtEwpZfGOSEeSl1d/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-1980.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2zSMnHnV7nhES3YT2MBOajw_PUYe7aNrwjOX1vAxp6GFavf9fYQqIdzgrxJAb5LBNCMKEt71jPfkyfElLgzM3X9TGoI1JqrIP3kVJCQubwoTewLX3reUz7EhHku8TWtEwpZfGOSEeSl1d/s400/ROADTRIP-1980.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357019201161043810" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Woke up at 7:30 am mdt, got out of bed, showered and then back on the road. We stopped for breakfast at this little coffee shop in town. I ordered a bacon egg and cheese on a croissant. I don’t know why I did this, I mean I miss Brooklyn and my weekly BEC sandwiches but this place was nothing compared to the ones I get back home. Regardless I ate it and then we headed to Rocky Mountain National Park, our second to last National Park. We found out from a park ranger this morning that the traffic we were stuck in yesterday was the worst on record (just our luck!)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">The drive through the park was a endless road climbing up the mountains with no guard rail and 500-1000 foot drops of the side. A little freaky but the views rocked! It was much colder than it’s been this whole trip. We rode with the top down and I almost froze to my seat.</span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBePdJ5Or_JkAEPwJIEwleH34nmmAS1zYc82XGtfiC-bTx8ydAneAOrZZhkbgMnbInK93hsETX91aynxiGiab0KGJFyrH766v4ISs51Wo70H3zt_ARfHnlhN_l6M4Se56af087irnuMxcO/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-1880.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 219px; height: 292px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBePdJ5Or_JkAEPwJIEwleH34nmmAS1zYc82XGtfiC-bTx8ydAneAOrZZhkbgMnbInK93hsETX91aynxiGiab0KGJFyrH766v4ISs51Wo70H3zt_ARfHnlhN_l6M4Se56af087irnuMxcO/s400/ROADTRIP-1880.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357019182326436914" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDi9jfOwy_AwUPxfcLh2-tFaTJDzVsQ2iAZxHWBgMVAoT2yGIP3zC5HffuEi9YbGhJWNAbsMhrSbiEXT8xf5x1rBwwLjGpTGBWNSg-CPXiTEg8SLPs5_i8zXAdaw6EwVI9kPLIuPq2W1ew/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-1900.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDi9jfOwy_AwUPxfcLh2-tFaTJDzVsQ2iAZxHWBgMVAoT2yGIP3zC5HffuEi9YbGhJWNAbsMhrSbiEXT8xf5x1rBwwLjGpTGBWNSg-CPXiTEg8SLPs5_i8zXAdaw6EwVI9kPLIuPq2W1ew/s400/ROADTRIP-1900.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357019187184668434" border="0" /></a> Adams Falls<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghMV8GZPiO8PMMrcwIT3yUCR3uZzgwQK2BRjO3p9o5wfwxO8tVz6S1sb-XxIPZnjdQ_WDXbd8EmvAKU2T-hPOFyMJJwcXI5f78LS8PcYsoKpjJQ4nY7qHcuM9wvHEcM-jNWjdPYoRQXB-c/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-1964.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghMV8GZPiO8PMMrcwIT3yUCR3uZzgwQK2BRjO3p9o5wfwxO8tVz6S1sb-XxIPZnjdQ_WDXbd8EmvAKU2T-hPOFyMJJwcXI5f78LS8PcYsoKpjJQ4nY7qHcuM9wvHEcM-jNWjdPYoRQXB-c/s400/ROADTRIP-1964.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357019197603378290" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFW-ZVd9hfOxw2OlUc2SHtEpBf9hTOjEMXD7CgjA3RbNjpPfkkOVrpNYZuE_1IoS6QFYTZGeDIIkIfP5-TGaMsXWTjh_eOJHGB2SOxm4r-YUuI29Z0HqUcyiqC6Hg7SnpGe_T4KheFyFoW/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-1950.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFW-ZVd9hfOxw2OlUc2SHtEpBf9hTOjEMXD7CgjA3RbNjpPfkkOVrpNYZuE_1IoS6QFYTZGeDIIkIfP5-TGaMsXWTjh_eOJHGB2SOxm4r-YUuI29Z0HqUcyiqC6Hg7SnpGe_T4KheFyFoW/s400/ROADTRIP-1950.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357019190523309170" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">After we left the park we headed north to Wyoming. The weather was crazy, all around I saw storm clouds and the rain was coming and going the whole way on one side and sunny sky's the other. A few miles in it started hailing really hard. I thought we had driven into an asteroid field. Newton came out without a scratch so don’t you worry.<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXrMxBxKlbbs7YinIIyEQoBQGyYe2DN0EvFap4zQPQs0H19Pt1EoNs-1FuCdy6nfypml-jm_iyFDFcLPVko8DJCdLgRmzftLFaCziWXdSXoqrttqGIAZkqanjUaXApPBcLt_vi-oazgCLY/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-1984.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXrMxBxKlbbs7YinIIyEQoBQGyYe2DN0EvFap4zQPQs0H19Pt1EoNs-1FuCdy6nfypml-jm_iyFDFcLPVko8DJCdLgRmzftLFaCziWXdSXoqrttqGIAZkqanjUaXApPBcLt_vi-oazgCLY/s400/ROADTRIP-1984.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357020345699306594" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br />The weather when we pull into Wyoming.</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: times new roman;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh5FANSJ_bobfkAqtmOyAsLO73ANfvfudyoe963g6eJfRRavhTx2u0tcKXqALP664RnRS48w5O-Rt9Fr3otp9HKw61U-UsgWNfAcQPdh0b2bra36OA0JA_mPhKmoyYCsrqdooyzd0b1oSf/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-1995.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh5FANSJ_bobfkAqtmOyAsLO73ANfvfudyoe963g6eJfRRavhTx2u0tcKXqALP664RnRS48w5O-Rt9Fr3otp9HKw61U-UsgWNfAcQPdh0b2bra36OA0JA_mPhKmoyYCsrqdooyzd0b1oSf/s400/ROADTRIP-1995.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357020350181779234" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br />Check out the clouds from the hail storm we rode through.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: times new roman;font-family:times new roman;" >We stopped at Ayres Natural Bridge, (finally the Old Man got to see a Natural Bridge.) The bridge was the local hangout for the town so we just took some pictures and headed back on the road.</span><br /><a style="font-family: times new roman;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhds8nWhFqlSq3LbExa7Fc5dsxI-loUz8hNQY9W0Bz-apUdzo5pObd3S66f4vDPJDv0qn_hRUloc5ha-60lVMPq21kTQdO9PpbPc1yXM4oddFms9aVzqMjkuGbSFzxpJnecb2E-k2lfyEzZ/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-2004.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhds8nWhFqlSq3LbExa7Fc5dsxI-loUz8hNQY9W0Bz-apUdzo5pObd3S66f4vDPJDv0qn_hRUloc5ha-60lVMPq21kTQdO9PpbPc1yXM4oddFms9aVzqMjkuGbSFzxpJnecb2E-k2lfyEzZ/s400/ROADTRIP-2004.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357020359752244978" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">That's me at the top!<br /><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Our final destination is Casper, WY at the Super 8. Best room I think we’ve had this whole trip. Tomorrow is a lax day so I am looking forward to getting some rest!</span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;">Rodeo tomorrow night, gonna wrasle us some steer!</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9cOuiq9JjN129zuclMBYu_sjPXQYZRZw2gEauI5jf0Msa4qwoc4TbmGF9_vCizrVnwDWew1HHkfSSVCzhdBUTgaxRQJgv1uF65JXrQWeJeo0ST19dF8y6B-xPNk2ZBfLazwAJs7R-ZEdf/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-2020.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 337px; height: 253px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9cOuiq9JjN129zuclMBYu_sjPXQYZRZw2gEauI5jf0Msa4qwoc4TbmGF9_vCizrVnwDWew1HHkfSSVCzhdBUTgaxRQJgv1uF65JXrQWeJeo0ST19dF8y6B-xPNk2ZBfLazwAJs7R-ZEdf/s400/ROADTRIP-2020.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357020366260406178" border="0" /></a>Steve Zhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00172997341502094474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8408117714664949994.post-69938991079585812282009-07-07T18:58:00.009-04:002009-07-09T22:59:24.681-04:00First Officers Log: Day 12: 99 Luftballoons<span style="font-family:times new roman;">Day 12: 99 Luftballoons</span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVWqg6zK21hE29Gs_WrgP_5a-8aHYjk1b8y7mzrvQXQ_nDrxTfAQ27MxKJh_AGVqb1RNqHkeqVjeeGJpdGiIS2k9jKckoTGFCK63pcATNYw-QNLhn_vFOInDN4E1VMTjxzR9XRA_dbzWgu/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-4187.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVWqg6zK21hE29Gs_WrgP_5a-8aHYjk1b8y7mzrvQXQ_nDrxTfAQ27MxKJh_AGVqb1RNqHkeqVjeeGJpdGiIS2k9jKckoTGFCK63pcATNYw-QNLhn_vFOInDN4E1VMTjxzR9XRA_dbzWgu/s400/ROADTRIP-4187.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356622643981247442" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Awoke at 7:00 am mdt, after getting the most sleep this week. Breakfast this morning was at the Jailhouse Cafe. I have to say best breakfast so far, and the bacon oh god in my top three ever!</span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;">After breakfast it was off to our 1 millionth National Park, Arches. Definitely one of my favorites. There was a German family we kept seeing singing at the different stops along the park. One of the song's was one my Momma sang to me as a kid, though I can't remember the words or the name of the song. It was nice to bond with some of my fellow German's for a moment.</span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;">Here is a few pictures from the park.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkfHIwtZvmDahi2q5asCCiogXwLtF-mGdQOClwVPhjWTYCAUH-EYS5YY6rJgoZbbYeovltiHlT1Y4BoRo8OMjEQbd2jExFUOm6SyT9Wbjm6KSiTsm4S8e_BNqaxOqj0xifLP9ciaVb_dLQ/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-4196.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkfHIwtZvmDahi2q5asCCiogXwLtF-mGdQOClwVPhjWTYCAUH-EYS5YY6rJgoZbbYeovltiHlT1Y4BoRo8OMjEQbd2jExFUOm6SyT9Wbjm6KSiTsm4S8e_BNqaxOqj0xifLP9ciaVb_dLQ/s400/ROADTRIP-4196.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356622651895066450" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4lfc94TH68LwJSYhtf6WmAY_MUcPlnW12-CR6RtxRhHRtJBjOdPSJpVqrO-XlfLJM4vjcCfxNrscbs5IQRu_HDFtwivF9OqB45hBhtvOlu-LOWE65h60vWDgijX3VR026U9io5UG1H8O6/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-4181.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4lfc94TH68LwJSYhtf6WmAY_MUcPlnW12-CR6RtxRhHRtJBjOdPSJpVqrO-XlfLJM4vjcCfxNrscbs5IQRu_HDFtwivF9OqB45hBhtvOlu-LOWE65h60vWDgijX3VR026U9io5UG1H8O6/s400/ROADTRIP-4181.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356622642277883474" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3FPkqzAy4nyhMw7JFvR5tqD7dKXJK2HiyviB_Gur3O3JLGsesnYIIFlpxeyv62lMeYXIlmfnTS0YQUFPMSGogLCLRWb1sd3nh6uGJd56m40U9WU4OIxZbrvtXWEYHIIlPHbv8WdcDsoRO/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-4200.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3FPkqzAy4nyhMw7JFvR5tqD7dKXJK2HiyviB_Gur3O3JLGsesnYIIFlpxeyv62lMeYXIlmfnTS0YQUFPMSGogLCLRWb1sd3nh6uGJd56m40U9WU4OIxZbrvtXWEYHIIlPHbv8WdcDsoRO/s400/ROADTRIP-4200.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356655921357573810" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">After the park it was up along the river to Colorado.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheP03ncBmWoJkVB-4dd8TeD0hbLy4isyOcwwzUfqcMx2G0MrbkF2W_SVyDhX14kqitSSuewc-kk_ZXUhCVKaPmgll-l7_wV1I7RTzhH00FM3HgnmF75tGHP3jRkc91jp8AGbLm1xhLRjJy/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-1841.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheP03ncBmWoJkVB-4dd8TeD0hbLy4isyOcwwzUfqcMx2G0MrbkF2W_SVyDhX14kqitSSuewc-kk_ZXUhCVKaPmgll-l7_wV1I7RTzhH00FM3HgnmF75tGHP3jRkc91jp8AGbLm1xhLRjJy/s400/ROADTRIP-1841.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356655909940430034" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">The rest of the day was just on the road to our hotel for the night. It was nice to drive through some mountains and which really cooled the weather down, which was a nice break after the last few days.</span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;">It so cold up here there is SNOW! I never thought I would see snow in July. </span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNitWGgPr_WS2NP3_J9T04cnyaCaVU73zlgyxB09oRKDnI4ACuVbwhfFgFSA0Ac-lX_oXGiTlgAY1cBNdGxICW8nvUiv9KYuX_SoAlSCkc6g1_hyphenhyphenLBmPrM9PhFwUH7eGNUBk6o16OXTKh3/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-1846.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNitWGgPr_WS2NP3_J9T04cnyaCaVU73zlgyxB09oRKDnI4ACuVbwhfFgFSA0Ac-lX_oXGiTlgAY1cBNdGxICW8nvUiv9KYuX_SoAlSCkc6g1_hyphenhyphenLBmPrM9PhFwUH7eGNUBk6o16OXTKh3/s400/ROADTRIP-1846.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356655915205480082" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;"> </span><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Traffic got really bad on I-70 to Denver. I have no friggin idea why, my guess is that people are morons and can't drive. Anyway if I ever get out of this </span>and to the hotel I will be a much happier person.</span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;">One more week left, an though I am having a blast I am looking forward to a hot dog at Coney Island and a few days with my lady. Miss you babe!!!<br /><br />More of Yoda's adventures. Click the image below to see.<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/25021465@N07/3705402973/in/set-72157620282174541/"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 215px; height: 161px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRfmxBQSHU2hA4r24vSlTyW6i0tY4vyVVO8aLPEMdvBcJkRYPlnZQTvAh_zUvYd0sW1o-WqplsScm1YZqjykjn7w8PjeEQSibFdHcRMW7u65_JgMPZc6nJQGKuZFDXXiZgqlwM5hugGIHI/s400/ROADTRIP-1814.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356622654017727874" border="0" /></a>Steve Zhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00172997341502094474noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8408117714664949994.post-45266642496571974342009-07-07T13:21:00.007-04:002009-07-08T20:39:07.194-04:00First Officers Log: Day 11 White Water In Moab<span style="font-family:times new roman;">Day 11: White Water in Moab</span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif6lgUPY-5UCs0tvgmI7hmT5Ew_7F06YIupvAibuss4idR2yPztI00Jy3fMLH_2inVjnWuChhqat7LjO_KiQne-R6QCHi8v8G9Jp4TpNXRpRX9r0K5ja1fHmy-lP1RxUp4gmO8D4ozCp-g/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-1680.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 216px; height: 288px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif6lgUPY-5UCs0tvgmI7hmT5Ew_7F06YIupvAibuss4idR2yPztI00Jy3fMLH_2inVjnWuChhqat7LjO_KiQne-R6QCHi8v8G9Jp4TpNXRpRX9r0K5ja1fHmy-lP1RxUp4gmO8D4ozCp-g/s400/ROADTRIP-1680.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355855731775514386" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Today started like any other, up at 7:30 am mdt, and had the continental breakfast (if you can really call what they had breakfast.) They had coffee, tea, nuitrigrain bars, and some packaged Danishes. I scarfed down a Danish and a nutrigrain bar, had some tea and it was off to the Colorado River for some white water rafting.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Besides the fact that I had to lived without any technology for 5 hrs (including my camera) the trip down the river was fun. We rode with two other families and two guides. The river was way more mellow than I would have liked, but we all talked and had a few water fights with the other boats, and generally had a good time. I jumped out of the boat for a little bit and swam along side taking pictures with a disposable camera I bought. (I'll have to get those processed and post em later.)</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiykdiFQVLoFZ7VioiBiQ_iD4S0W_71aSB_wiDet8-YUI3FoysRarQlRUIQzlkgSvj4mqEGgl9sfiNJQ85Ug4oOz9i24KKZgb3oH6cDFs2aAq_1Ohg-E0QCi2eOXY7pErd3K0tEq66JDL8k/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-1682.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiykdiFQVLoFZ7VioiBiQ_iD4S0W_71aSB_wiDet8-YUI3FoysRarQlRUIQzlkgSvj4mqEGgl9sfiNJQ85Ug4oOz9i24KKZgb3oH6cDFs2aAq_1Ohg-E0QCi2eOXY7pErd3K0tEq66JDL8k/s400/ROADTRIP-1682.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355855736189968546" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">After the rafting trip we rode the bus back to Moab. Newton got a bath to wash off the dirt from the ride through Monument Valley. He was very happy to be clean again, at least for a little while. After Newton’s bath I took one myself then had a nice Mexican lunch before heading to Canyonlands National Park. The canyons were amazing as usual, but again I will let the pictures speak for themselves.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaXpWcGjinSuEri77udqshUWfx3v4f0ptfsLwC986gI5nOOkLjEn5m5I2AGcK2yCH1amw97FoBaO51wzpwh-s6fKcFtBVBvZDL0mIgyU0JJAr105Pdm1S1jzR9ns8ScgZWFzn0bJjqqSUu/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-1742.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaXpWcGjinSuEri77udqshUWfx3v4f0ptfsLwC986gI5nOOkLjEn5m5I2AGcK2yCH1amw97FoBaO51wzpwh-s6fKcFtBVBvZDL0mIgyU0JJAr105Pdm1S1jzR9ns8ScgZWFzn0bJjqqSUu/s400/ROADTRIP-1742.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355855749061292242" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIpKYQYtrjItX0Y9ckONd-DUiWugCmYtk8PkgoiX7EtvJM5pACH4qLAA3ECt_LxpYLPm2s5rmZ4rp7Q73xgV-cSbzW2TcnklasOBbwI6X7cOeTwP8JzS_EnlSOqJNGNnUvemD-CiEP5s1y/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-1712.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIpKYQYtrjItX0Y9ckONd-DUiWugCmYtk8PkgoiX7EtvJM5pACH4qLAA3ECt_LxpYLPm2s5rmZ4rp7Q73xgV-cSbzW2TcnklasOBbwI6X7cOeTwP8JzS_EnlSOqJNGNnUvemD-CiEP5s1y/s400/ROADTRIP-1712.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355855746434794610" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">For dinner we went to our favorite place so far on the trip, The Moab Brewery. They had about 14 local brewed beers on tap. I had a Moab Burger, which was delicious and tried a few of the beers. We decided to get a growler of the Pilsner and take it back to the room to drink and watch some fireworks.</span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;">Another more laid back day on the road enjoying some of what this country has to offer on her birthday.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Happy 4th of July! (Sorry I know this is a few days late.)<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnx2GEwmjo7ViATawnIFp1O51nPA8ST0gb_bQpmhQUvQ06DxKCSQALDKz8N69W9hJmHg7VkMKGjfPbPnoD0pwhMkUn4_MirGbmTAY03DH8XFpx7XRLi3sAPuBcpabajhcOfEf4bJeIIRvL/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-1769.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 268px; height: 201px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnx2GEwmjo7ViATawnIFp1O51nPA8ST0gb_bQpmhQUvQ06DxKCSQALDKz8N69W9hJmHg7VkMKGjfPbPnoD0pwhMkUn4_MirGbmTAY03DH8XFpx7XRLi3sAPuBcpabajhcOfEf4bJeIIRvL/s400/ROADTRIP-1769.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355855751797268082" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Yoda a Jedi Master who loves beer! Click below to see more.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/25021465@N07/3702100337/in/set-72157620282174541/"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 217px; height: 289px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIhNyDeKbj07KiRYqHDRQYFFdLjBkuwHpsq4W5zz4WKyQOmFUgFjaVew7PDV6o_FM7logXMcz7RJngpZULkYiYT_9OzY7EId5W7kPFqR48DTzd04VFiqgBrOBOocOeyz1JXa0adsKZl_lp/s400/ROADTRIP-1759.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356251857515937522" border="0" /></a>Steve Zhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00172997341502094474noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8408117714664949994.post-88953486651455768502009-07-05T00:20:00.012-04:002009-07-07T18:27:49.627-04:00First Officers Log: Day 9 & 10, Halfway Home<span style="font-family:times new roman;">Day 9: Halfway Home</span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9G-gRWIDzK4MPt3DwBf3Yiv_gqkSaergyIrqP4rAvPlNQY_aqbh5Jl63P0aU0jI4ASV9ptYEOKDArh_zdNc09C2q5LXUn1hyphenhyphenanyJd39j662iT6hde10reSGNFgG5j2112Y0wljXr2Z8XC/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-1435.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9G-gRWIDzK4MPt3DwBf3Yiv_gqkSaergyIrqP4rAvPlNQY_aqbh5Jl63P0aU0jI4ASV9ptYEOKDArh_zdNc09C2q5LXUn1hyphenhyphenanyJd39j662iT6hde10reSGNFgG5j2112Y0wljXr2Z8XC/s400/ROADTRIP-1435.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355839642008184834" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">We have reached our furthest point, this little crack in the ground they call the Grand Canyon. It looks pretty small to me! Had a relaxing day, read about Deaths at the Grand Canyon (thanks to a book recommendation by my beautiful lady, Christine), went for a hike, and took some sweet pictures.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:times new roman;">There is only one bed in the cabin were staying at. I am so sleeping on the floor! Anyway that’s really all for today, enjoy the pictures.</span> <br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhViNgmdnZSB_xnztq6C-5tLMV9n8qg9r9n13YING7X4C7nUOefME1XeTKPE1jm3R9YaxemS0pxrzFxEGYU_hrl3UaihbaLQAL6FVWtcqtY4G4EazjxTSL91miFj48AYwzI1vKmvOnnh2Om/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-1385.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhViNgmdnZSB_xnztq6C-5tLMV9n8qg9r9n13YING7X4C7nUOefME1XeTKPE1jm3R9YaxemS0pxrzFxEGYU_hrl3UaihbaLQAL6FVWtcqtY4G4EazjxTSL91miFj48AYwzI1vKmvOnnh2Om/s400/ROADTRIP-1385.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355839646692612530" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitB1y3Tw-FUkPv2mWLYn1OVi-Tbu2TSAljZcSgY-C0T58VCIn4QCQlv8zsToOjIvGOe_PuwB0B0MNPpiBi7NsErJtI8mu34sYuCeD7rL3zu5YrKvxA7p_8KuUN8mgdcaytMWky8A2sRYAL/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-1382.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitB1y3Tw-FUkPv2mWLYn1OVi-Tbu2TSAljZcSgY-C0T58VCIn4QCQlv8zsToOjIvGOe_PuwB0B0MNPpiBi7NsErJtI8mu34sYuCeD7rL3zu5YrKvxA7p_8KuUN8mgdcaytMWky8A2sRYAL/s400/ROADTRIP-1382.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355839644059815746" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZb5OpoidZuwXB3G6Hgq4ylBRAqe6Wy80CLXwd5e5fGBJKAXv2_KHl1CAj_ORKqqtTNc4FSLn3YFqyB_WewJM85WVEJyWUogiyD9jg4kjy-47p4zvqyEHiIOnvVUrLp8WSyP76enttkf0V/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-1459.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZb5OpoidZuwXB3G6Hgq4ylBRAqe6Wy80CLXwd5e5fGBJKAXv2_KHl1CAj_ORKqqtTNc4FSLn3YFqyB_WewJM85WVEJyWUogiyD9jg4kjy-47p4zvqyEHiIOnvVUrLp8WSyP76enttkf0V/s400/ROADTRIP-1459.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355844061014934002" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO-sjRgZN8jsRLouvbiLU1lkRdoMwAKeu9FK9stSqVSoszXgX9YYKoMyih6E5cGcoY_NRDa1uw0g4RbdC0AutJKWXCjbDlZhPOANJZU0wu66h6x4mv9a2jJdLuTABw-DPm7Xm5YNw5YNko/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-1465.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO-sjRgZN8jsRLouvbiLU1lkRdoMwAKeu9FK9stSqVSoszXgX9YYKoMyih6E5cGcoY_NRDa1uw0g4RbdC0AutJKWXCjbDlZhPOANJZU0wu66h6x4mv9a2jJdLuTABw-DPm7Xm5YNw5YNko/s400/ROADTRIP-1465.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355847289196002482" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7cuLS5hFPbfB4IRA7h1_AqqgBFM4wEKLysTPtj9YHCfS3YLXStF0o5ZFuCHuKZ5QhP5NMdJAMt34FHJvAtCNiQxjECo4VJkW2yWV2avRpXh2Ydvr727xJWt-ZtV07zYUnta2h9ucKT6iG/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-1407.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7cuLS5hFPbfB4IRA7h1_AqqgBFM4wEKLysTPtj9YHCfS3YLXStF0o5ZFuCHuKZ5QhP5NMdJAMt34FHJvAtCNiQxjECo4VJkW2yWV2avRpXh2Ydvr727xJWt-ZtV07zYUnta2h9ucKT6iG/s400/ROADTRIP-1407.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355847282668909042" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZSZXrxRpaAqEjEm-2mjZIYMJkVS0CCj7AlF8zu2-pCbBnduwqTqYbRgaTs2j3BlEaQRLxny9o4vCFGlO9pj3628qj8dgyrzkZ1Hw5q_WqAAhWscU6-TFurIHEcFLP8AVN2-5ZevOq4wi0/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-1370.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZSZXrxRpaAqEjEm-2mjZIYMJkVS0CCj7AlF8zu2-pCbBnduwqTqYbRgaTs2j3BlEaQRLxny9o4vCFGlO9pj3628qj8dgyrzkZ1Hw5q_WqAAhWscU6-TFurIHEcFLP8AVN2-5ZevOq4wi0/s400/ROADTRIP-1370.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355847275398344338" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9vvYdHADC4TCK2kjNBf9X2SWU5bZbQn94onmQbu11VGHQpe53skQ5nXzGgUv2daRBISauGC6CT4QvKueePJCYo6IYuM5BIXQyqUdHZJxK6MDmPFjqmKrdNvRp5KPgA66vmZsZzfDJHQ3A/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-1500.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9vvYdHADC4TCK2kjNBf9X2SWU5bZbQn94onmQbu11VGHQpe53skQ5nXzGgUv2daRBISauGC6CT4QvKueePJCYo6IYuM5BIXQyqUdHZJxK6MDmPFjqmKrdNvRp5KPgA66vmZsZzfDJHQ3A/s400/ROADTRIP-1500.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355847298545912786" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: times new roman;">The red ridge in the middle of the image is Cedar Ridge where we hiked out to.</span><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br />Day 10<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyKRCcWWAfY0vrs0IqSyAKQgsOTvW6-46pXKlcTbuA0_wKkuCC9Wyd3YOOMQgVeV7sioVyjxy_OR0ndcvzk3lwBY1OzkG3u68pSQUnrmtEzlbSuQLcpvsricN50NnjjcPwMGMedu_mG-vY/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-3946.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyKRCcWWAfY0vrs0IqSyAKQgsOTvW6-46pXKlcTbuA0_wKkuCC9Wyd3YOOMQgVeV7sioVyjxy_OR0ndcvzk3lwBY1OzkG3u68pSQUnrmtEzlbSuQLcpvsricN50NnjjcPwMGMedu_mG-vY/s400/ROADTRIP-3946.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355840216809877858" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Woke up at 5:45 am mst, and watched the sunrise over the canyon. I was dazed after sleeping on the floor last night but it was pretty sweet. Went for a little hike after that but The Old Man couldn't keep up and it was becoming blazing hot so we didn't go too far. After the hike I hit the showers and then it was back in the car after a relaxing couple of days.</span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVqZkMN4DAQ5OPRp2-gSOeumiw_ERhJXDCjRxTZdzd7-k4zGNgw-G2wbMiKqD0J8_atuhvXdZv50LqziaiFZlhRJgpSZA7tfR0rQTb_FG4YIODmapDoc2nEIWNAlo3FdLegMc1SkjTdUhy/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-1461.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVqZkMN4DAQ5OPRp2-gSOeumiw_ERhJXDCjRxTZdzd7-k4zGNgw-G2wbMiKqD0J8_atuhvXdZv50LqziaiFZlhRJgpSZA7tfR0rQTb_FG4YIODmapDoc2nEIWNAlo3FdLegMc1SkjTdUhy/s400/ROADTRIP-1461.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355839650125827250" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br />Next stop was Monument valley, my favorite stop so far. We drove around the park, so not equipped with the right car! Newton got so dusty I think the old man had a heart attack!</span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;">Stopped at the ranch cookhouse for dinner</span><span style="font-family:times new roman;"> where we met Bonnie and the gang. The cook, Dave had some sweet tats, way more than me, which was unusual for the last week.</span><span style="font-family:times new roman;"> </span><span style="font-family:times new roman;"> I had country fried steak (ummmm) and </span><span style="font-family:times new roman;">It was one of the best meals yet. </span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;">Finally arrived at the Apache hotel in Moab, Utah. We’re going rafting tomorrow which should be bitchin.<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYcM-EexBfDCKVKKwS_QYmc1FZ1Vo54GvcQKqxeZ_Ga1yzk1WTyPNDZbMhuk03s0W_M1DftM_FwJ19e5gY-VhTMzLAxFNCGj-RyFg64d8fY-NXaIwpdXKNRS0_UrMI_XkCSZoPcGKmpD5T/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-4077.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYcM-EexBfDCKVKKwS_QYmc1FZ1Vo54GvcQKqxeZ_Ga1yzk1WTyPNDZbMhuk03s0W_M1DftM_FwJ19e5gY-VhTMzLAxFNCGj-RyFg64d8fY-NXaIwpdXKNRS0_UrMI_XkCSZoPcGKmpD5T/s400/ROADTRIP-4077.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355840229615212162" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPBYm9L1bnp2aaKf8BKRWsFY4TPifxvp25m6hyaJi-VjBKKbLZb6OgNvMQbhCzQtY2CPje5Q2FxnHUFeJjsqclkoKKKoGcbRv9rkJkokd8XhgBC5V4u47oJE7IGo8YO2opG0-mxcHXIRwk/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-3950.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPBYm9L1bnp2aaKf8BKRWsFY4TPifxvp25m6hyaJi-VjBKKbLZb6OgNvMQbhCzQtY2CPje5Q2FxnHUFeJjsqclkoKKKoGcbRv9rkJkokd8XhgBC5V4u47oJE7IGo8YO2opG0-mxcHXIRwk/s400/ROADTRIP-3950.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355840223651952434" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiSTZcVBtaP4tX68my2HIJza6zKwCMgZCaZhw2OU72PPv3IgtZDqi6svC3hIIhayRINf2WF3XIhhUq7XMU5dNy6avVW9rMCJX7gOPydz54iYV7HnVsAzpg87oAlTHHiWdWJAcGyUNzsvZe/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-4100.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiSTZcVBtaP4tX68my2HIJza6zKwCMgZCaZhw2OU72PPv3IgtZDqi6svC3hIIhayRINf2WF3XIhhUq7XMU5dNy6avVW9rMCJX7gOPydz54iYV7HnVsAzpg87oAlTHHiWdWJAcGyUNzsvZe/s400/ROADTRIP-4100.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355840236305186530" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">I’m gonna go relax and watch Jeff Dunham. Thinking of you Krista and Cliff (cause they love that guy.)</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Yoda is just making friends all over. Click the image below to check in on his adventures.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/25021465@N07/3699366556/in/set-72157620282174541/"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 170px; height: 227px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA2SRQ0pK2O8pYRG1elk1_mYJ5t2wnWj60N6Qz0xDVnX502BbXXrG0gZQhQGgYWv9mWanmXEQTNXx7PYveFZ4dncmuBeVcFYPiMP-nLUxFVg7UhiYI2JDrdpYNpDs-xoYWdlhLd6KZrknn/s400/ROADTRIP-1393.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355840970765495154" border="0" /></a>Steve Zhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00172997341502094474noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8408117714664949994.post-5494539921082857292009-07-04T00:49:00.018-04:002009-07-05T00:20:00.332-04:00First Officers Log: Day 8, Standing on the Corner in Winslow Arizona<span style="font-family: times new roman;font-family:times new roman;" >Day 8: Standing on the Corner in Winslow Arizona</span><span style="font-family:times new roman;"> </span><span style="font-family: times new roman;font-family:times new roman;" ><br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpuqDTCSp5iJcMqT3_o89Pqcd6FIk6_vOaNPPlYjksEnAnzoHiTsAO6bWfMe03lOPphTqqhKxBOhRlfZsNO8MqCfWO1Oti6x72SjTA52YUlZxleWPh6DFACTJlVuffFryD_56nQA0dGB5H/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-1262.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 276px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpuqDTCSp5iJcMqT3_o89Pqcd6FIk6_vOaNPPlYjksEnAnzoHiTsAO6bWfMe03lOPphTqqhKxBOhRlfZsNO8MqCfWO1Oti6x72SjTA52YUlZxleWPh6DFACTJlVuffFryD_56nQA0dGB5H/s400/ROADTRIP-1262.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354777757591336210" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family: times new roman;font-family:times new roman;" >The Old Man tried to wake me up yet again for sunrise this morning. If you know me and have ever tried to wake me up at the crack of dawn then you will know this is not an easy task. When I am trying to sleep I have this uncanny ability to muster up all the dark forces of the universe and use them to put a Vader style force choke on your ass. If it is not apparent to you at this point I did not wake up. </span> <span style="font-family: times new roman;font-family:times new roman;" >By about 6:15 am mdt I gathered the strength to get up and take a shower. We packed up the car after and headed away from Grant, NM down the road to find us some grub.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: times new roman;font-family:times new roman;" >Breakfast was at one of about a million Indian roadside stops. After we ate and I was well caffeinated we move down the road towards Arizona. As we drive the sky in the distance looks kind of foggy and we loose perspective not being able to tell if that’s clouds or just the top of a mountain. </span> <span style="font-family: times new roman;font-family:times new roman;" >The day is an endless stream of National Parks. It reminds me of when I was just a youngling and the family flew to England to visit Pappy during spring break. We went to one after the other day after day till none of us could walk, and then we saw a few more. Same deal here but replace museums with National Parks. I won’t go into too much detail about the parks themselves because I feel the pictures speak more than I could ever say.</span><span style="font-family: times new roman;font-family:times new roman;" > Though I will say that The Painted Desert was my favorite so far. The landscape changes every few miles, and you see every color Crayola has ever made out there in the rock formations.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZJmxtcfmJotGOY0qHbHVDRAlv3E1VazRhpRxiXiwOJMNFpNoZ59qm88XskAC8Sp-utDkmeMuws1yvGPUx4Bc90UF9iCQKr6JFd8xSJ6fq-QSEp-pVLg4SpOZjxrhc8FvBCEDieuQCYuMK/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-1199.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZJmxtcfmJotGOY0qHbHVDRAlv3E1VazRhpRxiXiwOJMNFpNoZ59qm88XskAC8Sp-utDkmeMuws1yvGPUx4Bc90UF9iCQKr6JFd8xSJ6fq-QSEp-pVLg4SpOZjxrhc8FvBCEDieuQCYuMK/s400/ROADTRIP-1199.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354778732354235186" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkjPcTzabVA9PJDLIfZPKhpT-B91lEHlXCI32TGZkuVKqNGDRVjghmLICeEwByoSh9AYbE_tKwOuJ6dQQpOrle0cgV_R3IQjYxISRByNwzRSPWIL7b6QdIi8Zy-kSewvozCes1ZWOUw8MJ/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-1223.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkjPcTzabVA9PJDLIfZPKhpT-B91lEHlXCI32TGZkuVKqNGDRVjghmLICeEwByoSh9AYbE_tKwOuJ6dQQpOrle0cgV_R3IQjYxISRByNwzRSPWIL7b6QdIi8Zy-kSewvozCes1ZWOUw8MJ/s400/ROADTRIP-1223.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354779605383379970" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif8oPZnGWU-4Sow3VZ2TA3d4PCtonSzi6dHYU7UW6XvgqU9T941rSiTziC4Lq5S9y054w5fcC1KXnW-H1qJm1FoxMB0T2h9B3djIfYlYmuRW0BwNATqn2HaUJBkgOnhwPCh5kadYR0ASAC/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-1214.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif8oPZnGWU-4Sow3VZ2TA3d4PCtonSzi6dHYU7UW6XvgqU9T941rSiTziC4Lq5S9y054w5fcC1KXnW-H1qJm1FoxMB0T2h9B3djIfYlYmuRW0BwNATqn2HaUJBkgOnhwPCh5kadYR0ASAC/s400/ROADTRIP-1214.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354779610679239794" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1RbekV-pVfoGhYb0En2KNj18kEqh34Xr8Miei_-0BaqqhdSYjbTB_LH-G1nhAR3-Kh4k23Ie7AXU9HH4vnww-bWCHy1ZPyLicaZ-T9NSwJNmQVKUgr-JcZjBWMYqjhkA5ATtIcTByBoCu/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-1243.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1RbekV-pVfoGhYb0En2KNj18kEqh34Xr8Miei_-0BaqqhdSYjbTB_LH-G1nhAR3-Kh4k23Ie7AXU9HH4vnww-bWCHy1ZPyLicaZ-T9NSwJNmQVKUgr-JcZjBWMYqjhkA5ATtIcTByBoCu/s400/ROADTRIP-1243.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354779603341563474" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">That's a piece of petrified wood in the foreground.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Saw our 3rd world largest, the largest piece of petrified wood. Its buried 6ft underground, and the pieces around it were all part of the same tree.</span> <span style="font-family: times new roman;font-family:times new roman;" ><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj-9NoIIeZu2AdPGCvEeXi3emfF5_4QLxP3uE_NUNdaNlYQ3IocE03FVXIkQTLq5xpp8nMFE7hRjFAGagbL5pRp4U5V1mX7_rghQ5ndRuLEjXb6VdvBWUQmfkm_lESBZ-isiXJZdJm9Chl/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-1255.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj-9NoIIeZu2AdPGCvEeXi3emfF5_4QLxP3uE_NUNdaNlYQ3IocE03FVXIkQTLq5xpp8nMFE7hRjFAGagbL5pRp4U5V1mX7_rghQ5ndRuLEjXb6VdvBWUQmfkm_lESBZ-isiXJZdJm9Chl/s400/ROADTRIP-1255.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354780288482025538" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family: times new roman;font-family:times new roman;" >For lunch we stopped in Winslow Arizona, which is famous for nothing but the being mentioned in the Eagles song, “Take It Easy.” Its fascinating how these little towns really cash in on that sort of thing, and of course suckers like us eat that shit up. </span> <span style="font-family: times new roman;font-family:times new roman;" >After Lunch we went to Sunset Crater. It was created by a volcanic eruption around 800 A.D. It was mostly a lot of black rocks.</span><span style="font-family:times new roman;"> </span><span style="font-family: times new roman;font-family:times new roman;" ><br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkaZ65mRrGaajUUKAoOoiQczs79nK53sgMCZypZO6Wz925Ig7Bcbq9vwmrmtM3QYyASTlhe6wHPevQBj6eVFAHNYhIcSobq57sekjau7ImQaNGlGZJZYldphh2IH87PJk4VB1S3Fg4h5Ht/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-1298.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkaZ65mRrGaajUUKAoOoiQczs79nK53sgMCZypZO6Wz925Ig7Bcbq9vwmrmtM3QYyASTlhe6wHPevQBj6eVFAHNYhIcSobq57sekjau7ImQaNGlGZJZYldphh2IH87PJk4VB1S3Fg4h5Ht/s400/ROADTRIP-1298.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354781178698657634" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family: times new roman;font-family:times new roman;" >Through our endless stretch of highway I see yet another sign for “Girls Ranch.” I am curious at to what the raise on “Girls Ranch.” I hope to God this is where they raise hot farm girls to send out to the big cities of the world, cause if so I am moving to Arizona! </span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /><br />Final destination is The </span><span style="font-family: times new roman;font-family:times new roman;" >Grand Canyon, where we finally get to spend a few days outside of the car. The sight as we walk out to the edge is amazing. </span><span style="font-family: times new roman;font-family:times new roman;" >Thank the heavens, I've been dying in this heat </span><span style="font-family: times new roman;font-family:times new roman;" >and I think I’ve used about a gallon of sunscreen in this desert sun!</span><span style="font-family: times new roman;font-family:times new roman;" > There were a ton of people there all taking pictures next top this rickety old railing. I'm surprised more people don't die here!</span><span style="font-family: times new roman;font-family:times new roman;" ><br /><br />Time for a beer at the edge of the canyon!!! I hope I don't fall in! </span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjsCx4Qp8ObgDLF9flix43Tmb2jY4J0wg3Zyt4z2HyN8nfJzB9TBamRam4uBigl9aCA0dH7QjW7_pz6t16Nmx5yKdAc8i3W3UXYW4ZmkB9RLgd0GqSL3erP9Z97zS_FiVlzT6YiHj7UAju/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-1330.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 344px; height: 258px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjsCx4Qp8ObgDLF9flix43Tmb2jY4J0wg3Zyt4z2HyN8nfJzB9TBamRam4uBigl9aCA0dH7QjW7_pz6t16Nmx5yKdAc8i3W3UXYW4ZmkB9RLgd0GqSL3erP9Z97zS_FiVlzT6YiHj7UAju/s400/ROADTRIP-1330.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354779619698969490" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">PS This is where we are staying.<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBNrB_iv3FVBDs9tdsFy1665m8b4eRsVCc99TYcmvojkWcoMbnggtUM4CYAjOrjkAEEOCQXA0L7TwZjutvV25sIhbEiG-fB6nZ0_TBGaeEBrk_7MyN6va4M3dDp3zLb4SsKquiF1H7eAHb/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-1336.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 252px; height: 189px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBNrB_iv3FVBDs9tdsFy1665m8b4eRsVCc99TYcmvojkWcoMbnggtUM4CYAjOrjkAEEOCQXA0L7TwZjutvV25sIhbEiG-fB6nZ0_TBGaeEBrk_7MyN6va4M3dDp3zLb4SsKquiF1H7eAHb/s400/ROADTRIP-1336.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354780294875871202" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Whats Yoda been up to you ask? Well click the image below to see.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/25021465@N07/3688483667/in/set-72157620282174541/"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 226px; height: 169px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx6G0FE4FSW0qilrwq5my1S8PNpEg81I6R-WKspYUdBmMqD6VzjtmddOaA_AVnQ7r02M-dqOuc6SASyJ6FKPU6Y2yE37KUrM-HwM_g3RBtALlGSz3g-zLbMV-hMMEcQqUqo2bv9akP1A9O/s400/ROADTRIP-1139.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354825254633441890" border="0" /></a>Steve Zhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00172997341502094474noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8408117714664949994.post-45308760889072308252009-07-02T20:15:00.006-04:002009-07-04T00:46:54.973-04:00First Officers Log: Day 7, The Atomic CityDay 7: The Atomic City<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaK5awLIf-_i9F86a9lq3LwJr2uCIbJYAj9G0dJTzvm5awiA8Nbm0vAzTcaxLfg3KF0AyETsV4ABakyr1-ndlFSu08INRuUiIJ2rhl9hS19rLeb-q9Qaesmzb9t1wjbLbdK6_ogS7oKiSW/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-3887.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 186px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaK5awLIf-_i9F86a9lq3LwJr2uCIbJYAj9G0dJTzvm5awiA8Nbm0vAzTcaxLfg3KF0AyETsV4ABakyr1-ndlFSu08INRuUiIJ2rhl9hS19rLeb-q9Qaesmzb9t1wjbLbdK6_ogS7oKiSW/s400/ROADTRIP-3887.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354021576242671202" border="0" /></a><br /><br />There was this crazy lightning storm late last night. You could see these bitchin bolts shooting down from behind the mountains in the distance. The Old Man got up at 5:45 AM MDT, to try and watch the sunrise. I of course slept in a bit and didn’t get up till 7:45, which was nice for a change seeing that I normally don’t get up before 8:00 am when I’m back home. The day is started with another continental breakfast, and as far continental breakfasts go this was the worst. We leave the Econo Lodge in Tucumari, NM and head west to Los Alamos to see the birthplace of the Atomic Bomb!<br /><br />We drive through an endless sea of mesa’s and rock formations. Little red spurts of colored rock shine out amongst a see of green and white. The plains stretch out for what seems like hundreds of miles till a mesa stops them. The further we go the harder it is to judge how far off in the distance the rocks are. We have turned this into a game, guess how far away that rock is. I suck at this game but I’ve actually guessed right a couple of times.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBV8d-gJ9oz_1nDVMDTQKruinvZhkHBYEdWivA8QHGZJ7-aZprHG9Yt2tvQzuMaMJVihHNVv0vc21aPdmpQBXwB-iK2dfuhTK9rwN6DllKhdhB-yBQjix58cnAM27GIBTikfVmNlJJN9M-/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-1114.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 277px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBV8d-gJ9oz_1nDVMDTQKruinvZhkHBYEdWivA8QHGZJ7-aZprHG9Yt2tvQzuMaMJVihHNVv0vc21aPdmpQBXwB-iK2dfuhTK9rwN6DllKhdhB-yBQjix58cnAM27GIBTikfVmNlJJN9M-/s400/ROADTRIP-1114.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354023952769786610" border="0" /></a><br /><br />On one of our last stretches of Rt 66 we stop at the Route 66 auto museum, not much to tell here except, I love cars and they had some bitchin ones. Pappy was excited because the had a whole slew of Mustangs. I felt bad Newton (that's our ride if I havent mentioned before) had to sit in the parking lot.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg2i7zND32IK9lF-ZeHNSFQwWzHfqIJ1fsNVwP5_ve1BwAcWGENoqzrgs6hFKls6bV8uDIGXnb68Htr8XP-crO5skDo17U51pe9_AH_b7K_iNE98a1lLOvFLR-_C_g4_KBRV8COF3GJXx8/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-1081.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 345px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg2i7zND32IK9lF-ZeHNSFQwWzHfqIJ1fsNVwP5_ve1BwAcWGENoqzrgs6hFKls6bV8uDIGXnb68Htr8XP-crO5skDo17U51pe9_AH_b7K_iNE98a1lLOvFLR-_C_g4_KBRV8COF3GJXx8/s400/ROADTRIP-1081.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354023949324828786" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMHR-O4xJ6hnnIbUO4z3BPPWy5eo9wBLRgD1SGnDWWYtk3kXsx5eaBH1mW0prf0kKvGFk4dpqmBmSDvAkFrF9tdZHDpI_aFxUnqF7qKytF4L1uwUHF61nKP1qu9nj8vl2olqsmdyXUnuil/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-1062.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 222px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMHR-O4xJ6hnnIbUO4z3BPPWy5eo9wBLRgD1SGnDWWYtk3kXsx5eaBH1mW0prf0kKvGFk4dpqmBmSDvAkFrF9tdZHDpI_aFxUnqF7qKytF4L1uwUHF61nKP1qu9nj8vl2olqsmdyXUnuil/s400/ROADTRIP-1062.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354023947090206786" border="0" /></a><br /><br />On the way into Santa Fe, we slowly merge with civilization again. The buildings blend almost seamlessly with the landscape at first then slowly it becomes more urban. We pass through Santa Fe and eventually arrive at Los Alamos. Our first destination is this junkyard I found called the Black Hole. They sell mostly discarded stuff from the old Los Alamos Labs. There is cryogenic freezing vessels, huge capacitors, various switches and control boards, all sorts of test tubes and containers, file cabinets, and even a few bomb shells. Most random thing I think I saw was a huge stack of bowling balls (which just seemed out of place here.) Pappy bought a couple of capacitors, and I got some old cans of D-76 and Acufine developed, an old darkroom timer, and a brownie video camera!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkCwjKP3-IDhIS76H0cgB0NZPgZP9XaNHStPcJVo_QZ7zn4sH0zvH9Na129nMZwRAZTPPYhxupqzAPjh-TdVFpdRCyhgVrTBEx71_6utpR0JR_vroIp7BQJidyAz8xXFCaYimve7Vrbkrp/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-1134.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkCwjKP3-IDhIS76H0cgB0NZPgZP9XaNHStPcJVo_QZ7zn4sH0zvH9Na129nMZwRAZTPPYhxupqzAPjh-TdVFpdRCyhgVrTBEx71_6utpR0JR_vroIp7BQJidyAz8xXFCaYimve7Vrbkrp/s400/ROADTRIP-1134.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354023957373274450" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The Los Alamos museum was cool, we saw reproductions of the Fat Man and Little Boy that were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. There was a lot of info on the creation of the bombs, dark matter and the solar system. Being a science dork Pappy was really getting in to it all which is good for me cause he explains it all to me.<br /><br />After that it was a quick loop through, Bandelier National Park and off to the hotel in Grant, NM.<br /><br />Random coolness we saw on the road, they were transporting a wind turbine blade on the back of a semi. Pretty cool if you ask me, those things are way bigger than they seem on the windmills.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy3RCLMjro3WZ5Wq4aJk5kyayKekg7hZ8Kj5DPBaA7AFXBRfQMZAIi-vpxaJD8fDhP9OIH9y01w81aSum7egCR7BVnrQcci9lpcdVJzbHYbYuBrxZYv5a1HNonUCtgqin4vAD9rLsJMqhK/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-1149.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy3RCLMjro3WZ5Wq4aJk5kyayKekg7hZ8Kj5DPBaA7AFXBRfQMZAIi-vpxaJD8fDhP9OIH9y01w81aSum7egCR7BVnrQcci9lpcdVJzbHYbYuBrxZYv5a1HNonUCtgqin4vAD9rLsJMqhK/s400/ROADTRIP-1149.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354023962031064610" border="0" /></a><br /><br />That’s all for today folks. Tomorrow it’s off to the Painted Desert and overnight in the Grand Canyon so there should be lots of cool pictures there.<br /><br />Vaya Con Dios!Steve Zhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00172997341502094474noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8408117714664949994.post-61043991504341741812009-06-30T23:43:00.009-04:002009-07-01T00:02:24.695-04:00First Officers Log: Day 6, Where is Route 66?<span style="font-family:times new roman;">Day 6: Where is Route 66?</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRkYE_JwVKAsXkmCd2Zuni166CpAXKJldgyNs4DctyibDAR3k8A-KbnrtWu8k1Y6j4hF6LAWD9Q-zjm3Fho5m30DyKhNTsE-rDGZt_oDtS9oMCejzrSWEGbwV0nVFI7IRTw2JDokju9BvS/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-0919.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRkYE_JwVKAsXkmCd2Zuni166CpAXKJldgyNs4DctyibDAR3k8A-KbnrtWu8k1Y6j4hF6LAWD9Q-zjm3Fho5m30DyKhNTsE-rDGZt_oDtS9oMCejzrSWEGbwV0nVFI7IRTw2JDokju9BvS/s400/ROADTRIP-0919.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353333043196976610" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">It seems like the earlier I try to get to sleep the later I actually do. We are at state of perpetual motion. Now I know how Memom must fee! Woke up at 7:15 am cst for another continental breakfast. No waffles today, what a bummer. The name of today’s game was lets find Route 66. It wasn’t something we really did on purpose. We rode along I-40 for a good chunk of the day, which parallels Rt 66 for the most part. The thing was that every time we pulled of the Interstate to find Rt 66 again we ended up going 10 miles out of the way, and never found 66.</span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;">Despite a few minor troubles we did stick to 66 for a while hitting various road museums and small towns. I stopped a lot more today to take pictures of the towns we passed through. There were two Route 66 History Museums, which gave a good telling of how the road came to be and how it came to pass. I never realized that the road was decommissioned in the 70’s when the interstates became more abundant.<br /><br /></span> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUCfCOV3u-achj8HH07dLX_JMg6ZRmCZ97YQzoK4nXq3y7asuTFU10-IELJ3jT1xmcRYGwm8_06h3U_SiIdhUImkRmes7sg8K7bTqTwZ5grG-HJ4KFAtDfBRR2_1CopiyqNg5AxZ9FsjTD/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-0855.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 247px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUCfCOV3u-achj8HH07dLX_JMg6ZRmCZ97YQzoK4nXq3y7asuTFU10-IELJ3jT1xmcRYGwm8_06h3U_SiIdhUImkRmes7sg8K7bTqTwZ5grG-HJ4KFAtDfBRR2_1CopiyqNg5AxZ9FsjTD/s400/ROADTRIP-0855.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353333030486094642" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br />We hit a few Indian trading posts where I picked up a few things. My personal favorite was the rattlesnake eggs. I hope they don’t get too hot in the car and hatch!!!</span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;">When we hit Texas we stopped at the Devil’s Rope Museum, which was a museum devoted to the history of barbed wire. Sound’s boring right, but it was not! I picked up a few pieces of vintage barbed wire and we went on down the road. After lunch it was more Route 66 and beautiful views. We tried to go to the midway café for a soda in the late afternoon but it was closed. I was bummed about that but it was nice to at least stop there. We did get to stop at Cadillac Ranch, which I though would be bigger, but still really cool. They have a row of old Cadillac’s buried in the ground and they are all spray-painted by people who stop there. Our last stop was at our second world biggest attraction. The largest cross in the western hemisphere. It was huge, and surrounded by the Stations of the Cross.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPq9F0NM_TcoGJO_90ee8btHuwFYSrN9ErjM5St65NnP-zD7TZoLbtAOetWzBlFEFrDFW1D1eSbOOcuVHIcnRFX5WztN-_Hie4I0K-Qj70ogBjpDzgZl9psdVIMoM7ov6LEvjB7OlyQiPA/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-0934.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPq9F0NM_TcoGJO_90ee8btHuwFYSrN9ErjM5St65NnP-zD7TZoLbtAOetWzBlFEFrDFW1D1eSbOOcuVHIcnRFX5WztN-_Hie4I0K-Qj70ogBjpDzgZl9psdVIMoM7ov6LEvjB7OlyQiPA/s400/ROADTRIP-0934.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353333048191368818" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGHk7C7Xoygqs7C2SgYBUZRcmCwyeM-TGITkXcyrWtUmSvWgVN8GgsjeHM8ifAO36LAUlUav9yIbvpGOBGWJ4SaBRvDnFO2EphiuMXSmGU69Cz28fAopAgpq_dg6LKrmHL08R2MH89oX68/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-3732.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 132px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGHk7C7Xoygqs7C2SgYBUZRcmCwyeM-TGITkXcyrWtUmSvWgVN8GgsjeHM8ifAO36LAUlUav9yIbvpGOBGWJ4SaBRvDnFO2EphiuMXSmGU69Cz28fAopAgpq_dg6LKrmHL08R2MH89oX68/s400/ROADTRIP-3732.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353334950400460898" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAhFeykHlD5kvpnDwWlakbX8VamS2cnPuBklBR1orgczqaWNrbi7x11kGmBIrBHh5SsYndmLgJstrL19WMoUtOe0RHbJ52u4_NJZUfXTd4jhyMHDGoA67gZwlymBa18G8KsJ7kqdLPElUG/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-0983.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 221px; height: 295px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAhFeykHlD5kvpnDwWlakbX8VamS2cnPuBklBR1orgczqaWNrbi7x11kGmBIrBHh5SsYndmLgJstrL19WMoUtOe0RHbJ52u4_NJZUfXTd4jhyMHDGoA67gZwlymBa18G8KsJ7kqdLPElUG/s400/ROADTRIP-0983.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353335806722784130" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Now one thing I’ve been seeing is an abundance of wind farms. They are kind of cool despite what people say about the view I kind of like them. The one thing Pappy said people complain about the most is the noise they make. When we pulled off at a rest stop I walked up to one and I was able to hear the whooshing sound it made. Now even if you put 50 of those things 5 feet from my head it would still be quieter than the bar across the street from my apartment in Brooklyn, so WTF people shut up already!<br /><br /></span> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXuUdtNXCfGLumMp0OOl1ZJhSeAg62EbMdUZLqIGcFhUo_l0B7cU3RsW_mI8PX5lx_KrGdzET9MCGQVqdNvTm-mvcn8fkv17ygYklwRYWkHCg2FTTH1NfJFCmoYUukGGqw5Sh5y4-ARTrZ/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-0859.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 286px; height: 311px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXuUdtNXCfGLumMp0OOl1ZJhSeAg62EbMdUZLqIGcFhUo_l0B7cU3RsW_mI8PX5lx_KrGdzET9MCGQVqdNvTm-mvcn8fkv17ygYklwRYWkHCg2FTTH1NfJFCmoYUukGGqw5Sh5y4-ARTrZ/s400/ROADTRIP-0859.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353333036805156450" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /><br />That’s it for today, its an overnight in New Mexico at the Econo Lodge and then up at sunrise for some great views in the morning.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkykJRDxQcvbtXlR_IFpJyYPJIE2Ju8QoaPD5SkvJUamZhCqypsPsypehCep6hOOq_4w4F86VKCMlHtylkSGbnnmeMJxTJmeZI6250U7VjQ-v0sZDV79USPCTOiA4sdhJt-0T34g1Vg-zj/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-3789.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 314px; height: 229px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkykJRDxQcvbtXlR_IFpJyYPJIE2Ju8QoaPD5SkvJUamZhCqypsPsypehCep6hOOq_4w4F86VKCMlHtylkSGbnnmeMJxTJmeZI6250U7VjQ-v0sZDV79USPCTOiA4sdhJt-0T34g1Vg-zj/s400/ROADTRIP-3789.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353334946389012338" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">PS It just rained here and there is this awesome double rainbow in the sky. That's number one Ally! (Technically its two but whatever.)<br /><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Don't forget to stop by and see what Yoda has been up to. Click the image below.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/25021465@N07/sets/72157620282174541/"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 275px; height: 206px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWF-cevONwB4S4-1K7hfWYsCFTtnI6lxtZ_zoyjdvLhOhxy39UbYag3t6goFtmGhe414vRggoE2ZuuHh39Z6ddOP19r7Y-f4nwtL38DQ8MpSLTCsfkEyExzhO0avMetv8L1nh-BvJwFg3_/s400/ROADTRIP-0996.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353333029571736018" border="0" /></a>Steve Zhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00172997341502094474noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8408117714664949994.post-11602724923468854702009-06-28T23:40:00.010-04:002009-06-29T00:48:47.370-04:00First Officers Log: Day 4&5<span style="font-family:times new roman;">Day 4: It’s Too Hot for This Early in the Morning</span><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDXFAt-xcW0vagLNmN8uqF3r2ECH5hP3yh2r4dy3KAWtcU2OmGc9X5fKNIeZpS5EuPcqKtLjzzpH5azbqDDP_riGwdHSLMNhi5A9k3OAWVI1vX9i4F8wciw8E4hlXEovs2FUBmA9M-UEpk/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-0629.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDXFAt-xcW0vagLNmN8uqF3r2ECH5hP3yh2r4dy3KAWtcU2OmGc9X5fKNIeZpS5EuPcqKtLjzzpH5azbqDDP_riGwdHSLMNhi5A9k3OAWVI1vX9i4F8wciw8E4hlXEovs2FUBmA9M-UEpk/s400/ROADTRIP-0629.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352591945539393506" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Woke up at 6:30 am cst, and I was so not having it today. Bringing this blog to y’all is taking away from my sleep because this computer takes two hours to do anything. Regardless it must be done so I will press on. Took my usual am shower while trying to figure out what day it was. Once again had the continental breakfast waffle! I really enjoy waffles, both the food and the person!<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Once we’re done eating it was time to hit the road again. As we walk outside from the air-conditioned hotel the heat and humidity hits us like a wave crashing on top of you when you’re not ready for it. It’s too hot this morning so we ride to St. Louis with the top up. The ride through Missouri was nothing but straight roads and Farmland. Oh did I mention there were more hay bails!!!!</span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /><br />When we arrive into St. Louis you can see the Gateway Arch gleaming in the sun. We park the car and head out into the sunny streets of St Louis. It is unbearably hot out, around 102 degrees, 115 with the humidity. It’s about 9:00 pm now and its still 95 degrees out, just for a comparison. We stop for a quick picture outside the Capital building with the Arch in the background, and then It’s down the road to Busch Stadium for a Cardinals game. They played the Twins, and though I am a devote Yankee fan I say when in Rome root for the home team! Our seats were great, second tier (so we were out of the sun) behind home plate looking down the first base line. The game moved a little slow the first couple of inning’s but Pujols hit two home runs and brought in 4 runs. We sat next to this man in id say his 70’s (once again didn’t catch his name so well call him Bill) and his granddaughter Missy (I am just naming her based on well, its my story so ill call her what I want.). Bill was a big baseball fan so he and the Old Man got along well. They talked most of the game about sports knowledge (well Bill did mostly) I’ve just never been able to pick up myself. Missy sat there and said nothing.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">The Cardinals won 5-3! </span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /><br />After the game it was off to the Gateway Arch again for more pictures and a trip up to the top. The line to get onto the tram to the top seemed to take forever and I became rather aggravated with the whole situation. You’d think since we were assigned a specific time that it would have been more efficient but alas it was not. The line took about 45 min and then we finally got on the tram. The ride up takes about 4 min and was a little freaky in my opinion. (I hate heights!) We get off at the top and walk up some stairs to look out the observation windows. The view was spectacular. The light came across the city making it look like it was engulfed by the light itself. (Sorry I am bad at describing an image, the view is posted below.) </span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigkQ-KsV0KG_ShxZbypFyMhAsziM3DXerjlluWs4ZFumeuWgwRoku_NjFAC9x_ISDfTYJvEMjFiSJWy_rW9xYn0gjkD0GvgJUwOL2-G-msxEm3HIDPZUpJB2vFHYqp7JqTAzYjQzZUAO1b/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-0647.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigkQ-KsV0KG_ShxZbypFyMhAsziM3DXerjlluWs4ZFumeuWgwRoku_NjFAC9x_ISDfTYJvEMjFiSJWy_rW9xYn0gjkD0GvgJUwOL2-G-msxEm3HIDPZUpJB2vFHYqp7JqTAzYjQzZUAO1b/s400/ROADTRIP-0647.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352593806056885794" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOYgNSAZ9O-TkpF-G43DCqoeDd90KIOnGtSSRWC_1tsJGT30521jLvXJz9H9J1TcXabmVUED_c4JSCyArAj_8OVZVtUMqL2kmLsYN1DDLkj-UzNJCMYWLJrYk4DvhPBf6dJ2e5TSC3JqTy/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-0653.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOYgNSAZ9O-TkpF-G43DCqoeDd90KIOnGtSSRWC_1tsJGT30521jLvXJz9H9J1TcXabmVUED_c4JSCyArAj_8OVZVtUMqL2kmLsYN1DDLkj-UzNJCMYWLJrYk4DvhPBf6dJ2e5TSC3JqTy/s400/ROADTRIP-0653.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352593810400738354" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">For dinner we stop at “Skippy’s: Good Food For Good People.” We sit down in a room laid out with several kitchen tables, NASCAR car hood’s on the walls and of course a lot of RT. 66 art. There was also a vinyl Budweiser banner running the length of the wall. The crowd is something out of an episode of Dukes of Hazzard. We chat with Sally our waitress for a bit about the heat today and our trip thus far. She tells us about a guy who fell over the railing at Busch stadium yesterday due to heat exhaustion! I order the Walli fried fish and a Bud Light. The food was good but the entertainment for the evening was something far more befitting of this place. Its country karaoke night at Skippy’s and the whole town is there (all 30 of them.) It was one after the other of horrid country singing and gap tooth cowboys. I thoroughly enjoyed it!</span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /><br />So that’s about it for today. From here we ride down RT 66 from St Louis to the Munger Moss Motel!<br /><br />I really hope I down get killed at this place.<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKpGNBtL7DM0Cfs_eEmtXTrgnDbmMn9uQn_GrmNYq2Rhq-Bc5QrpQbK_ql43AKf0ZGQRW_38NDVvoTwpUJ7rL6qIp7CDlYrFhFhrrIETXleXs7R6-3xO5j4E-0AcTP_Br5EGMrFlHUyInt/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-3649.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 339px; height: 339px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKpGNBtL7DM0Cfs_eEmtXTrgnDbmMn9uQn_GrmNYq2Rhq-Bc5QrpQbK_ql43AKf0ZGQRW_38NDVvoTwpUJ7rL6qIp7CDlYrFhFhrrIETXleXs7R6-3xO5j4E-0AcTP_Br5EGMrFlHUyInt/s400/ROADTRIP-3649.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352591940428838194" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Day 5: The Blue Whale<br /></span><br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcsJeYG3Y8LCXExTJel23-W9xx7tj0qA1r8E5OKEF5sLZZsByUO8W8lirtdFnl0nYEyDX3hJv0sTU6Gb_kWUuUjTEZ56DFgp47HRkl2RRxhoM_Vmk6ZlIRk7LOmA69V9hA2PinB5Blf1DQ/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-0833.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcsJeYG3Y8LCXExTJel23-W9xx7tj0qA1r8E5OKEF5sLZZsByUO8W8lirtdFnl0nYEyDX3hJv0sTU6Gb_kWUuUjTEZ56DFgp47HRkl2RRxhoM_Vmk6ZlIRk7LOmA69V9hA2PinB5Blf1DQ/s400/ROADTRIP-0833.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352591933259320786" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;">It was so hot last night, must have been in the 90’s with the humidity. Work up at 7:00 am cst today, after the longest nights sleep I've had thus far. On the way out I stop and talk to Ramona the owner of Munger Moss Motel along with her husband. The main office where she was perched up behind the desk was several decades of Rt 66 memorabilia including a bunch of old tin toy trucks. The place looks like it was plucked out of the late 50s and dropped right here in Missouri. Ramona tells me about the calls she has received from people and even newspapers since she bought the Motel several years back. “People call and say I heard you have remodeled the hotel." "No” Is what Ramona replies every time. “ We have fixed her up here and there to make it nice, but it’s the same as its always been.” The people usually loose interest at this point and kindly hang up, she tells me. I cant believe anyone would want to tear apart this piece of history. The Old Man and I loved it there, it was great stopping in a motel that is just how it was when Rt 66 opened up. It was a reminder of day passed. If you want new and remodeled say at a Super 8 people. This world is too preoccupied with destroying its past with cookie cutter crap from pottery barn! If you’re ever Lebanon, MO and want to have a real experience I recommend the Munger Moss Motel. There is a great old neon sign with a flashing arrow, and its across from a bowling alley right on Old Route 66.<br /><br />Tell Ramona I say hi!</span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /></span></span><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;">After we buy a few things from the gift shop its back on the road down towards Tulsa, OK. We have breakfast at Stake and Shake about an hour from the Motel. The food was good, though I felt like lunch there would have been better. From there is was down to Joplin, MO and then Galena, KS both old towns with a lot of old shops and rundown streets. I of course loved this and stopped to take a few pictures. The old painted signs still on the walls, and rusted trucks gave the whole place a certain charm.</span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;">From there it was on to Commerce, OK to see the birthplace of Mickey Mantle. Pappy being the avid Yankee fan he is mad me photograph everything I saw. Surprisingly there wasn’t really anything around having anything to do with the famed Yankee, so we quickly moved on. Next it was the world’s largest Totem poll (our first world's biggest attraction) and a big blue whale made of wood and steel in the middle of a lake in Catoosa. The Whale was hard to find. The directions Pappy printed out didn’t say specifically where in Catoosa it was. I tried to Google it with no luck. We stopped at a gas station and asked a guy in his car outside if he knew where to find the whale. He did after an awkward hesitation to talk to us. Of course Pappy and I heard it differently and argued about it the whole way. I was right, which in our history never happens so I gloated a bit on that one. </span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /><br />After the whale we stopped to see The Will Rogers Museum. Which though not my cup of tea was pretty cool. Today was more laid back with less ground to cover, but this didn’t stop the Old Man from rushing me every chance he got. For the most part Oklahoma is a lot of road and hot sun, and has the most hay bails I’ve seen so far! Also I think I’m slowly dying of sun poisoning, due to the fact that this is the most I’ve been outside in 6 years. Its off to bed so im rested up for Texas tomorrow.<br /></span></span><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br />“I’ve never met a man I didn’t like.” Will Rogers<br /><br /><br />Click the image below to see more of Yoda's Travels in the USA.<br /><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/25021465@N07/sets/72157620282174541/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 362px; height: 271px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGiCLouI5JfHtl8kQ44lGJr24YDgTtg7R-4IFgPcZGSEY87_t3OrKlisNhIQIcWciO3Bdot6XATr2Q1Xd3BPl3VSASm9R9gDIVxNk4Zf3WtnKlZMBnIi39TApBGCkXBDIH0zuy7xUI-Nv6/s400/ROADTRIP-0748.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352591933721384930" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span></span>Steve Zhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00172997341502094474noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8408117714664949994.post-39536708801635734262009-06-26T22:58:00.005-04:002009-06-26T23:53:43.088-04:00First Officers Log: Day 3, TCB!<span style="font-family:times new roman;">Day 3: Taking Care of Business</span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_l0e2CUnXnle1YAGPS198HJSezzWDV_R4C_hZCnXET-CaV4-94qImCUqJkSDMcYw8WC-CL_xZh7RMdUg51NEpHA07ChbYxK8u6RO4F9wrqhCrqku_MTuDvLiFGpf92VcAvcvbMyd2-eS/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-0523.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_l0e2CUnXnle1YAGPS198HJSezzWDV_R4C_hZCnXET-CaV4-94qImCUqJkSDMcYw8WC-CL_xZh7RMdUg51NEpHA07ChbYxK8u6RO4F9wrqhCrqku_MTuDvLiFGpf92VcAvcvbMyd2-eS/s400/ROADTRIP-0523.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351847210483483122" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Last night was the first night I really slept since I left. It may have been because I stayed up till 2 or because I was actually in a comfortable bed with ac. Woke up 6:00 am est to a continental breakfast at the Best Western. I had a waffle and it was just like the ones we had in the dorms freshman year (slightly rubbery but hit the spot.) It was down I-40 for a good 6 hours toward Memphis this morning. I slept most of the way while the Old Man drove. When I finally woke up it was because Pappy was yelling, “Dammit he got me!” He had passed a Statie going 84 mph in a 70. Oh well that’s that's happens when your driving cross-country and you have a lead foot. The cop was intense; he looked like he was in full military uniform. Guns, straps, and cop accessories all over with an olive drab jumpsuit underneath. </span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /><br />Regardless of the morning today was going to be a good day. Why is that you ask, well its cause my favorite Sister-in-Law (Kathy) was able to score us free passes to all that Graceland has to offer!!! (Thanks Kathy) We got in about noontime and saw all aspects of the King’s Life, from his Jungle room, to the peacock sta9ined glass windows, to his collection of cars. I especially Liked the Cadillac's. It was a blast, and best of all it was free! Both Pappy and I had on of the Kings favorite meals for lunch, Meatloaf! It was pretty good.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3kp65nLjrfx7qd0R_-QiBNvyoeYvcKWHJT854t51bZDLYTD5hRmRUGjsOoxX-ioK9qd3s7VJo35-p6qQm38bsnyMEgDPOYstMYxpqqunVnbOO0ZUkd9pVxbDIVkHFND0N2XsqsJGFWf5p/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-0520.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 251px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3kp65nLjrfx7qd0R_-QiBNvyoeYvcKWHJT854t51bZDLYTD5hRmRUGjsOoxX-ioK9qd3s7VJo35-p6qQm38bsnyMEgDPOYstMYxpqqunVnbOO0ZUkd9pVxbDIVkHFND0N2XsqsJGFWf5p/s400/ROADTRIP-0520.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351847214521145666" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">After soaking up the King for a good chunk of the day we moved on down to Memphis to go tour the Gibson guitar factory. The best part of this was that I haven’t seen Lucille (my Gibson Les Paul) in days and I missed her. I spent a good half hour playing with all the guitars in the show room and wanted them all for my own. The tour itself was ok but both Pappy and I wished there was more technical information, and no one was working in the factory when we got there so we really didn’t get the full experience..</span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /><br />After the factory we stopped on Beale St in down town Memphis to have a Beale Big Ass Beer and listen to some blues. The singer was a vivacious southern black woman and I think she hit on the Old Man a bit. I couldn’t stop laughing! Her name was Ms. Zeno “The Louisiana Mojo Queen” and I have an autographed and freshly kissed picture of her.</span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;">After we finished our beers it was of to BB Kings for some more music and dinner. </span><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Dinner was good and so was the music. I had some pulled pork and it was so much better that anything I’ve had outside of Little Richard’s in Winston-Salem, NC. </span><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br />Now I have a little trivia question for y’all. (Uncle Alex this is epically for you from the Old Man.) What does the BB stand for in BB King? Now we are on the honor system here so no Internet searching it, but the first one to comment with the correct answer will get a special prize from yours truly!<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Its off on the road again across the might Mississippi to Arkansas and the Blytheville Super 8 for the evening! I hope the hotel is half as good as last night. Also the Mississippi smells like catfish! </span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /><br /></span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;">"No bacon for breakfast makes Frank an unhappy man.</span>"<span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:times new roman;">An addition to yesterdays post: Farrah I miss you already!</span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3hWIYlAT5vuY759OMN5owhiYHbh0Z8doRv8L07ojr_xblkVJO8MzpDCe_zYfOMTpKU945iTcEatlzu3xXH4ouoYugAaVEuNPrTqnhiujIUVYDFZwO-7Wwo973oIhIABLtpInXwKVqAl_c/s1600-h/image001.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 287px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3hWIYlAT5vuY759OMN5owhiYHbh0Z8doRv8L07ojr_xblkVJO8MzpDCe_zYfOMTpKU945iTcEatlzu3xXH4ouoYugAaVEuNPrTqnhiujIUVYDFZwO-7Wwo973oIhIABLtpInXwKVqAl_c/s400/image001.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351847523259773522" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /><br />PS I apologize for all spelling and grammar mistakes (both past, present and future.) I went to school for photography not writing people, so get over it.</span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /><br /><br />Don’t forget to stop in and see what the Mighty Jedi Master Yoda has been up to.<br />Click the image below to see more.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/25021465@N07/sets/72157620282174541/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 210px; height: 157px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKfVHwvEVaX-S2kAfYZMyWiXFX2YSkuivebZP4OnJ_knI2KBRlA8FK4OIJ7jigXA5sft5NlKswilNQbB9GYwiBF67a1wfvspggeB64P-_AdnziQTDdjwEeBZZMgSHETlsv4_Y97KdFAKPZ/s400/ROADTRIP-0547.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351847057151723362" border="0" /></a>Steve Zhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00172997341502094474noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8408117714664949994.post-46034160325612002009-06-26T00:23:00.016-04:002009-06-26T01:49:32.625-04:00First Officers Log: Day 1 and 2<span style="font-family:times new roman;">Day 1: Peanut Soup</span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTAVIGpbZhHqKZafUb5dv-2zLlZqRm_X_S9MF-X90k1UW3KGapHPnfevw2uF_KU-yvNYtjA2C5N_CszYZ1YP8XQQUBmXbPsf-7FAIBL0-WE-dAbfkhmey4D3oikP4bU-Ol_b4iQi7H0g6E/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-0295.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTAVIGpbZhHqKZafUb5dv-2zLlZqRm_X_S9MF-X90k1UW3KGapHPnfevw2uF_KU-yvNYtjA2C5N_CszYZ1YP8XQQUBmXbPsf-7FAIBL0-WE-dAbfkhmey4D3oikP4bU-Ol_b4iQi7H0g6E/s400/ROADTRIP-0295.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351504989013632994" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:times new roman;">I couldn't sleep last night. It was a combination of excitement and the stupid dog barking down the street. I woke up at 5:30 am est, showered and we got in the car and waved Memom good bye for the next 18 days. We drive west through PA, and all I have to say is, one Lancaster sells like Cow Shit, and two Pumpkin Pancakes are delicious!</span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /><br />We stop at Dinosaur Land, which as its name would leave you to believe is awesome. For most of the day we drive down Skyline drive in Virginia. The weather is nice its quiet and the scenery was very beautiful. For lunch we pull off west to go the Southern Kitchen as recommended to me by Gina, my lovely lady’s momma. I have the peanut soup also as recommended. I was a bit hesitant, seeing it looked like melted peanut butter, but general consensus…Delicious! The rest of the food was great too, and if your ever in New Market, VA you should go. I also enjoyed eating next to a stuffed dear head! </span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /><br />After lunch its back to Skyline Drive and down to some Natural Bridge (its supposed to be one of the 7 natural wonders of the world). Turns out its also expensive so we decide to skip it. What I saw next made my day! Professor Clein’s Haunted Monster Museum nearby had “Dragula” (Grandpa Munsters car from The Munsters.) How cool is that? I convinced Pappy to go an bought us two tickets. You go in through a cell door surrounded by a skull! We meet Professor Clein himself, who is quite the character. </span><span style="font-family:times new roman;">He take us and two of his friends on the the tour. The place is all creepy inside and though a little hokey I love it. I took his portrait after the tour with this Dead Elvis Mannequin which had formed a beehive on its crotch. </span><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4vZ2JLR1-aNX6ftRikOVgDm-OJVRbv2r_cQnbVfPdonlvWzQe49a119VigekTUJk42mt0vDhdjtxe6D9zWK6MTLfvh5KiXgBezPLMal2q1zuF-IhyphenhyphenOCy2t9V2Y_eZPz5e5I4garjPXypj/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-0325.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 235px; height: 314px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4vZ2JLR1-aNX6ftRikOVgDm-OJVRbv2r_cQnbVfPdonlvWzQe49a119VigekTUJk42mt0vDhdjtxe6D9zWK6MTLfvh5KiXgBezPLMal2q1zuF-IhyphenhyphenOCy2t9V2Y_eZPz5e5I4garjPXypj/s400/ROADTRIP-0325.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351506227591682066" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br />Finally we arrive in Tuggles Gap, VA our final destination for the day. Were staying at the Tuggles Gap Restaurant/ Motel/ Gas Station. First we drive past a what seems like a never-ending view of cows and hay bails. We pull up to the only Motel I’ve seen for over 100 miles, and pappy thinks this is not it. Regardless it was seeing there were clearly no other hotels named Tuggles Gap Hotel anywhere in site. This fine establishment looks like something out of a bad horror movie.</span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;">We go into the restaurant/ check in office, to meet lets call her Tara (cause I didn’t catch her name.) We sit down to order our food and I get a fine Pennsylvanian Lager (Yueling for those who don’t know.) I go out to call my lovely lady and find out theirs no signal. I smoke a cig and see Tara doing the same. We chat about cell service in the area for a bit and I find out there is none! After this Tara asks if she can look at my tattoos. We get to talking some more and I find out she does tattoos out of her kitchen at home. This just seems to right for this place, but I continue to listen. She talk more about her awful tattoos and then I go inside to eat. The food was meh, but I was starving so of course I ate it. </span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;">After dinner we check into our room. A fine room it is, no TV (what a shocker!) my bed has stains and cigarette burns on the blanket, but the bathroom is surprisingly nicer than mine in Brooklyn. I am at a loss with out the internet and TV, but I do have beer and my computer so its not all bad.</span><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-3Nr_UhvF3C57J7ccWoHozP7paWklH-Yin-FMAMT3W2C429ly9xj5euJ75rAU9PrJTdtnmk8FpAyYZlBHhfBSmQgUiP7BEA9CdSfxpSN6ZTLJZKbGOcdbRqpFrQUzwjIz1BDNTr8Kvddk/s1600-h/ROADTRIP-0335.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-3Nr_UhvF3C57J7ccWoHozP7paWklH-Yin-FMAMT3W2C429ly9xj5euJ75rAU9PrJTdtnmk8FpAyYZlBHhfBSmQgUiP7BEA9CdSfxpSN6ZTLJZKbGOcdbRqpFrQUzwjIz1BDNTr8Kvddk/s400/ROADTRIP-0335.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351506232232099090" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Day 2: Two Cars Does Not Constitute Traffic!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Again I had a hard time sleeping last night. The lack of technology burned my brain and their was several bugs the size of my hand in the room fluttering around all night. I eventually just put it in my head that we were camping outside and somehow that made it seem better.</span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;">We awoke at 6:30 am est, I showered and we had breakfast at this quaint little place in a town nearby Tuggles Gap. I had the French Toast which was a bit to soggy for my taste, and Pappy had an omelet. Afterwards we continued down the Blue Ridge Parkway. I couldn’t help but fall a sleep for a bit due to the beauty and peace the road had to offer (unlike the motel the previous night.)<br /><br />Most of the day was spent there on the road, we stopped at a trading post and picked up some delicious fudge, and stopped down the way at the Blue Ridge Viaduct. It was a beautiful drive and we saw basically no one on the road till the last hour or so. Pappy was getting very angry because there was a lot of “traffic” but I had to inform him that two cars in front of us did not constitute traffic! </span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;">Our destination for the afternoon was the Biltmore Estate in Ashville, NC. It’s the largest home in North America. The place had something like 350 rooms, over 300 acres of farm and countryside. There was a billiards room, bowling alley, smoking lounge, gun room, 3 kitchens, indoor heated pool, indoor garden with these amazing wood trusses and mechanical windows. It was all built in 1889 and opened it in 1895. There was just so much detailing and craftsmanship everywhere you looked. They had old prints, tapestries, paintings, and my favorite…Napoleons personal chess set. We walked through the house and then across the grounds for a few hours and then got back on the road. </span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;">I drove the last leg from Ashville. It was about 200 miles and smooth sailing most of the way.<br /><br />When we got into Tennessee I saw a sign for Pigeon Radio! OMG it was ridiculous. The guy on there was talking about his sheep or some farm animal for like 10 min and then there was some comedy I couldn’t make out due to the road noise and his thick southern accent. I also got into a little race with this girl who looked like someone I knew in college. She was around 18 or 19, a pixie haircut with purple bangs and she was driving a Mazda. We went back and forth passing each other for a bit, but if anyone asks I totally beat her.</span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">Our final destination for the day is the Best Western in Harriman, TN. I was so excited to learn upon our arrival that they have WIFI and cable!! The only place to eat was a multitude of chain restaurants, so despite my best efforts we went to Ruby Tuesdays. After working there for 2 years the food just doesn’t look that appetizing anymore. Our hostess looked like my friend Kat in Brooklyn. </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;">I can't wait to sleep air conditioning tonight! </span><span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /><br />Instead of ending today with a quote I want to say something about the news events of today. I recently found our about MJ kicking the bucket. Though I was a fan back in the day and thriller will always rock I feel this tragedy is receiving too much news distracting us from the real tragedy of the day. That is the loss of former hottie and Charlie's Angel, Farrah Fawcett. If your up there somewhere Farrah, your poster helped me through some tough times as a teen, and I thank you for it!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">-Vaya Con Dios!</span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br /><br /><br />Click the picture below to follow Yoda as he makes his own trip across the country.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/25021465@N07/sets/72157620282174541/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0elXowxATIVHTgLTbc1tPfWGKhwujkdbzyx5aZZBy0IxtKxzqkPNHzl1inPIxT-qwNGA-L6he0LxNNlcxYD0tOaslx465z94ihhvxQEZfq9gS82LQglPNfZY-4qLRWq4f1Eo_p_6VZOvM/s200/ROADTRIP-0271.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351504115954554786" border="0" /></a>Steve Zhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00172997341502094474noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8408117714664949994.post-20328397138500276062009-06-23T19:54:00.018-04:002009-06-23T21:32:47.535-04:00First Officers Log: The Old Homestead<div style="text-align: right;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;"> I have arrived at 1229 Gail Rd, the place I spent the first 19 years of my life. God, I have so much crap here. Sorry Memom :( </span><span style="font-family:times new roman;">When looking for something in the basement </span><span style="font-family:times new roman;">I found an old Jar Jar Binks mask. I forgot I had this!</span><br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9gI1eg57d8Tv6ZFTvdgGMwL9lUXtCJutPc8oqxfaa4V4CIP7tcudbJGKAVFZk8WlIxNxnlZcqOE0JIJH-HSwN3f_Ijgtq5UAu-wLZdPVxsI1TONL08a-JpVMUFwYDZFNwidOcOg9iLrv_/s1600-h/photo.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9gI1eg57d8Tv6ZFTvdgGMwL9lUXtCJutPc8oqxfaa4V4CIP7tcudbJGKAVFZk8WlIxNxnlZcqOE0JIJH-HSwN3f_Ijgtq5UAu-wLZdPVxsI1TONL08a-JpVMUFwYDZFNwidOcOg9iLrv_/s320/photo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350694580380620002" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;"> The car is all packed up and I am just relaxing with Pappy aka "The Old Man" and Memom watching some movie about a little girl in the depression (its weird). I went to hang out with my little brother Chuckles but SURPRISE he is sleeping. Pappy wants to leave at 6:00 am tomorrow, so that should be fun! The road ahead will be long but I am looking forward to it. I hope I have everything!</span><br /></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" >"The further one goes the less one knows." Lao-tzu (sixth century BC) </span><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">P.S. Just When you thought how can Steve make this blog about Star Wars... I bring you, "</span><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Where's Yoda?" </span><span style="font-family:times new roman;"> a visual journey. Click on the image below to follow Yoda, a small Jedi in a big country. </span><br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/25021465@N07/sets/72157620282174541/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja-t5nkD4ypDm-UUmTdaV_X3E3FE9tWJ2ZiQqXKpKBCAbepU85HpxOt82la3KWsT5TR7t596u6lhuZUeJgdTAHgE2g2Bh5jwIonjUl-FcRLM0Hzn7fVaKyTGVzHpdvylRdwM5E5mshwyps/s200/ROADTRIP-0187.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350695373472994370" border="0" /></a><br /></div>Steve Zhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00172997341502094474noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8408117714664949994.post-61644067836713438492009-06-20T20:08:00.001-04:002009-06-20T20:14:58.246-04:00First Officers Log: Supplemental<span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-family:arial;">The Old Man just mapped out the whole trip including our glorious trip to Nathans in Brooklyn on the last day! They're all <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/user?uid=111848609999742856540&hl=en&gl=us&ie=UTF8&num=5&ptab=2&sa=N&start=10">here</a>, I apologise that their not in order. They are listed with the day's. </span><br /></span>Steve Zhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00172997341502094474noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8408117714664949994.post-76638267803924109802009-06-18T01:01:00.000-04:002009-06-17T22:16:29.835-04:00First Officers Log: Predepature preperations<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS57nIuZUfIyP6VNeeCZPR2O7sA7CW5XAtSiLIHFyCCJ_AyBUcReST8kFNXhE1_TJnpwMCJqAuLhqcI4T72sblFX-hMKtUlcXSwiDh1A2tAdS5FC6bVb8zY4uty902ce7dwYYUylcH7Ooc/s1600-h/uss_enterprise+copy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 205px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS57nIuZUfIyP6VNeeCZPR2O7sA7CW5XAtSiLIHFyCCJ_AyBUcReST8kFNXhE1_TJnpwMCJqAuLhqcI4T72sblFX-hMKtUlcXSwiDh1A2tAdS5FC6bVb8zY4uty902ce7dwYYUylcH7Ooc/s320/uss_enterprise+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348480505054130866" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">These are the voyages of a father and son. Our mission, to seek out great beer in new places. To boldly go where many have gone before...........</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">It is a week from the day till the old man and I begin our 19 day journey. The route is mapped, the mustang is purring like a kitten, and I have plenty of chex mix! I find my self thinking of the trips we took when I was a child. My sister and I would sleep in the car the night before so we could wake up already on the road. I do not have the luxury of such things this time seeing that I have to drive and quite frankly who wants to sleep in a mustang. I have decided to share our journey with you all here. Check back for pictures and random musings along the road. Click <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?vps=58&jsv=159e&doflg=ptm&ie=UTF8&hl=en&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=113845705877443779719.00046a7543be8ac1f9497">here</a> to see a map of the first leg of our trip.</span><br /><br /><br /><br /></span>"Seize the time, Meribor. Live now; make <i>now</i> always the most precious time. Now will never come again" -- Jean Luke Picard<br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;"> </span>Steve Zhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00172997341502094474noreply@blogger.com1