Saturday, September 26, 2009
I'm home...
I haven't been able to get back to my narrative, but I will. It's amazing just how tired I was once I got here. So if you are following this, please don't give up on me.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Oregon again...
As I drove through Idaho, I didn't even feel like taking many photos. That was a sign that my desire to travel is waning. There were certainly places worthy of stopping, but I just wanted to keep moving. One month on the road is enough. We left Salem for Indiana on August 21st. But boy what a trip this has been!
After leaving Cody, Wyoming, I entered Yellowstone from the east side and made a stop at the Buffalo Bill Dam. It was quite an impressive structure, and had a nice little visitors center too. I did find the practice of charging $3.00 for the use of their bathroom a little unfriendly, but I guess the economy is hurting everyone these days. Seriously, they were as surprised as I was when I pointed it out and quickly moved the sign. But I still had to pay to pee. (Not really. I just wanted to say that.)
After leaving Cody, Wyoming, I entered Yellowstone from the east side and made a stop at the Buffalo Bill Dam. It was quite an impressive structure, and had a nice little visitors center too. I did find the practice of charging $3.00 for the use of their bathroom a little unfriendly, but I guess the economy is hurting everyone these days. Seriously, they were as surprised as I was when I pointed it out and quickly moved the sign. But I still had to pay to pee. (Not really. I just wanted to say that.)
This was my second visit to Yellowstone. The first one was when our kids were young and we just drove through. I wanted to spend some quality time here this time. The first animal I experienced was a large marmot with a mouthful of grass or something trying to hurry across the road. It almost became a marmot pancake as I hit the brakes almost too late. I really wanted to see a bear this time so I stopped at a beautiful meadow that was prime grizzly territory, according to the sign. No bear appeared unfortunately, but I did spot a beautiful bull elk in the distance. He managed to stick around long enough for me to get a few shots - photos, not guns. I'd be in big trouble if I did that.
One of the things I soon discovered was that there were going to be lots of places to stop. I think it took three hours just to travel about 25 miles. When I visited here before, the big burn of 1988 was pretty fresh. The scars are still here, but Momma Nature is doing what she does best - repairing and replenishing. I did meet a woman who was complaining about all the burned trees. She couldn't understand why "they" didn't come in and cut them all down. I tried to explain that fire is a natural event and what we were seeing was exactly what we should be seeing at this stage. The whole purpose of the park is to showcase nature and natural events. I suspect she missed the point of the what I was saying. Oh well.
I finally worked my way around the park to find a campground that still had spaces. I was able to walk down to the shore of Yellowstone Lake to enjoy the setting sun and take some more photos. Here are a couple.
In the process of the day, I met and talked to many wonderful folks from all over the world. And that night, I went to sleep with the sound of bugling elk echoing through the forest. On that note, I will end my tale for the night, so I can go to sleep to the sound of the creaking ceiling of my motel room as my neighbors move around. Somehow, it's just not the same though.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Current Map of My Trip
The latest map:
Random thoughts for the day:
I passed through the town of Emblem, Wyoming today. Population 10, plus 2 dogs. I couldn't find their emblem though.
In my running game of White Horse, I now have 37 white horses - and lots of cemeteries. Now if we could count antelope, I'd have over 100. Are you keeping track Jean?
Camp ground life. Most folks I've met have been wonderful. But tonight, I'm next to a couple who sit outside their trailer smoking the foulest cigars that I've ever smelled. I tried talking to them earlier, but all they did was grunt.
I got gas in Gillette, Wyoming today. The town was fully equipped with the latest traffic control devices - stop signs, stop lights, cross walks, warning signs, etc. It seemed to me that most of the driving population didn't have a clue what any of those things were for. Very scary. Maybe they are from the Chicago area?
Cody, Wyoming
After seeing many sights yesterday and the day before, today was a driving day. Pretty much all the way across Wyoming. But I really packed in the activities yesterday. Here's a brief rundown:
Badlands National Park
I purchased an annual pass when I arrived (This was a gift from my dear friend Liza. Thank you so much!) because I knew that I would be going in and out of parks for the rest of my trip. Feeling like I now own at least part of the world, I drove into something that looks straight out of a Hollywood special effects department.
Another short jaunt down Hwy 16 brought me to the Jewel Caves National Monument. This is the second largest network of caves in the US. I managed to get the last ticket for the last tour of the day. We descended 230 feet below the surface (in an elevator - I'd never make that many stairs) to a very large room. The ranger was talking about the history and exploration of the cave as three dirty figures emerged from a lower tunnel. They were part of a crew who is mapping the cave. Eerie.
Badlands National Park
I purchased an annual pass when I arrived (This was a gift from my dear friend Liza. Thank you so much!) because I knew that I would be going in and out of parks for the rest of my trip. Feeling like I now own at least part of the world, I drove into something that looks straight out of a Hollywood special effects department.
There were lots of critters - rabbits, prairie dogs, Rocky Mountain sheep, mule deer - as well as incredible scenery.
I tried to get to Wall Drug before they closed, but arrived just as they were closing the door. So I came back in the morning. Basically, it's an interesting place in some ways but mostly just a giant tourist trap. If you have little kids, they would certainly have fun there. But I managed to get through there without buying anything. Not even a t-shirt. I then drove to Mt. Rushmore.
My reaction to my first view as I came around a corner was a little disappointing. I guess I was expecting it to dominate the landscape. Well, once I entered the park proper, I wasn't disappointed at all. It is truly am impressive carving. The park was crawling with people. That surprised me a bit. But it's a big enough facility that I never felt crowded. At one point, I heard someone call my name. Now I don't know anyone around here, or so I thought. The day before at the Badlands, I met a young lady, Jessica, who had just graduated from Colorado State University, Ft. Collins in occupational therapy. Since that is what my daughter wants to do, and since she is considering CSU, we struck up quite a conversation. The name-calling person turned out to be Jessica. What a surprise!
We had another nice chat, and off I went to see the "guys." The scale of the effort required for this task in monumental. There were lots of photos and tools from the days of construction. Again, if you haven't been there, you should put it on your list of things to see.
Next, I drove about 20 miles to see the Crazy Horse Monument. This is a work in progress, started by one man about 40 years ago. The face of the Chief is nearly finished, and they are beginning to work on the horse head. This will probably take another 40 years to complete I'm guessing. If you go to Mt. Rushmore, you've got come here too.
Another short jaunt down Hwy 16 brought me to the Jewel Caves National Monument. This is the second largest network of caves in the US. I managed to get the last ticket for the last tour of the day. We descended 230 feet below the surface (in an elevator - I'd never make that many stairs) to a very large room. The ranger was talking about the history and exploration of the cave as three dirty figures emerged from a lower tunnel. They were part of a crew who is mapping the cave. Eerie.
The ranger ended the talk a bit early because one of the group decided to start chewing gum - a big no-no. He had warned us that no food or gum was allowed, as well as no touching the walls. The cave is extremely sensitive to these things. Oh well, it was interesting anyway.
As if my day was not full enough all ready, I decided to head for the Devil's Tower just across the border in Wyoming. Not really expecting to get into the park when I got there, I was pleasantly surprised that it was open 24 hours. The sun was low in the sky to the west as I drove up to the upper parking lot. This ancient volcano core just glowed in the evening sun. In case you've seen the movie "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," this is the mountain that was featured in it. I kept trying to find the spot where Richard Dreyfus crawled out to look at the space craft. Instead of alien spacecraft, I was treated to soaring eagles (at least that's what I think they were.) There were 10 or 12 of them nesting on the face just below the top. They would simply launch themselves off the rocks and soar in the rising air currents. This is a sacred place to the Native American people of this area. I can certainly understand why. I just sat on my rock watching the light fade gently away. What a peaceful way to end my day.
After all that, I found a motel with an pool and hot tub so I could soak a while. As I said at the beginning of this post, today I drove. Wyoming is quite an interesting state. Beautiful forests and mountains on both sides, dry plains in the middle. It made for a long day. I didn't take many photos since there wasn't anything that really caught my eye. But I suspect that I'll make up for that in the next few days as I go through Yellowstone. It will be a few days before I'm able to post here again. So have a great weekend! I'm planning to have one as well.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Westward Ho!
Tomorrow I start moving west again. I've enjoyed exploring this area, but I'm ready to be going home.
As I drove through Independence, Missouri, I saw a sign about the Truman Presidential Library. Since I've never been to one, I decided to go. And it was worth every minute I spent there. The time period that Harry Truman was president was one that had the greatest impact on how our country survived WWII and moved into the "boomer" age. It shaped my life in so many ways. To see the actual documents that led to the decisions he was faced with, and to read his comments about those decisions was quite thought-provoking. Some of the materials there were books and pamphlets that were published during the Cold War. I remembered seeing some of those when I was growing up. That brought back the memories of possible nuclear attacks and what to do if we saw an explosion. Not very pleasant memories either. Because of those turbulent times, I don't think Truman was not judged fairly back then. Looking at what he was faced with, I believe that he did an amazing job and that history will show him to be a man of honor and great stature.
I have been experiencing lots of road construction on this trip. While that is frustrating to drive through, I believe that it also shows that in some ways our economy is getting stronger. It's nice to see a commitment to rebuilding our infrastructure. Many of the highways I've been driving on are in terrible shape.
Another thing I've noticed in many areas of the country is how many cars and trucks are parked out by the road with for sale signs. In many of the farming areas, nearly every one has a vehicle or two for sale. Some are old beaters, but many of them are quite new. This isn't a good sign of economic well-being. At the same time, I have seen many home businesses being advertised as well. Antiques and home-made pie or candy seem to be a popular combination. Of course the usual fruit and vegetable stands are apparent too. So I would give the central core of our country a mixed rating as far as the economy is concerned. Things are down, but they're not giving up. Good for them!
While driving across Missouri, I saw several billboards for a college (don't remember which one) advertising free books and laptop as part of their tuition. Now that is a creative solution to low enrollment. But I think that is an excellent thing for both colleges and students. Having had to spent a considerable sum for a computer for my son, and hearing that he spent about $600 for books this term, I'd like to see that trend extend to his college as well.
I'm making a list of the things I still want to see on my way home: the Wall Drug store, Mt. Rushmore and the Chief Crazy Horse monuments, Devil's Tower, Little Big Horn, and as many national parks as I can squeeze in too. Hmmm, that's a lot of stuff. I guess I'd better get some sleep so I can get an early start tomorrow.
Here are a few trip photos. More at my Flickr page
As I drove through Independence, Missouri, I saw a sign about the Truman Presidential Library. Since I've never been to one, I decided to go. And it was worth every minute I spent there. The time period that Harry Truman was president was one that had the greatest impact on how our country survived WWII and moved into the "boomer" age. It shaped my life in so many ways. To see the actual documents that led to the decisions he was faced with, and to read his comments about those decisions was quite thought-provoking. Some of the materials there were books and pamphlets that were published during the Cold War. I remembered seeing some of those when I was growing up. That brought back the memories of possible nuclear attacks and what to do if we saw an explosion. Not very pleasant memories either. Because of those turbulent times, I don't think Truman was not judged fairly back then. Looking at what he was faced with, I believe that he did an amazing job and that history will show him to be a man of honor and great stature.
I have been experiencing lots of road construction on this trip. While that is frustrating to drive through, I believe that it also shows that in some ways our economy is getting stronger. It's nice to see a commitment to rebuilding our infrastructure. Many of the highways I've been driving on are in terrible shape.
Another thing I've noticed in many areas of the country is how many cars and trucks are parked out by the road with for sale signs. In many of the farming areas, nearly every one has a vehicle or two for sale. Some are old beaters, but many of them are quite new. This isn't a good sign of economic well-being. At the same time, I have seen many home businesses being advertised as well. Antiques and home-made pie or candy seem to be a popular combination. Of course the usual fruit and vegetable stands are apparent too. So I would give the central core of our country a mixed rating as far as the economy is concerned. Things are down, but they're not giving up. Good for them!
While driving across Missouri, I saw several billboards for a college (don't remember which one) advertising free books and laptop as part of their tuition. Now that is a creative solution to low enrollment. But I think that is an excellent thing for both colleges and students. Having had to spent a considerable sum for a computer for my son, and hearing that he spent about $600 for books this term, I'd like to see that trend extend to his college as well.
I'm making a list of the things I still want to see on my way home: the Wall Drug store, Mt. Rushmore and the Chief Crazy Horse monuments, Devil's Tower, Little Big Horn, and as many national parks as I can squeeze in too. Hmmm, that's a lot of stuff. I guess I'd better get some sleep so I can get an early start tomorrow.
Here are a few trip photos. More at my Flickr page
Monday, September 14, 2009
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Heading South and West
Today I'm in Fulton, MO. There isn't any significance other than I was too tired to drive any farther tonight and I found a cheap motel room. Since I haven't posted in a few days, here is a brief synopsis of my travels.
After leaving the Lake Superior area, I headed down to the west side of Lake Michigan and ended up in Greenbay, Wisconsin for the night. It was much bigger than I expected, but overall a nice city. Along the way, I've noticed that the leaves are really started to turn in the north, but not so much as you move to the south. But everything seems very dry. Since I had visited the town of Two Harbors, I just had to visit Two Rivers as well. It is located right on Lake Michigan, and has an old downtown area and nice waterfront park. I waded in the lake for a while, then moved on.
Just below Two Rivers and the town of Manitowoc. The is a great maritime museum there, dedicated to the history of building WWII submarines. I was not able to go to the museum, but did get to see the sub tied up in back. Very impressive. They built a total of 28 subs. I took lots of photos, but haven't had a chance to go through them yet.
Next, I went down through Cheyboygan, Port Washington, and hit Milwaukee right at rush hour. With a few choice moves and some helpful advice from Gwen, I made it through unscathed. By this time, it was time to start looking for a campground. I ended up at one called Yogi Bear. It's designed for families with small kids I guess, but it was anything but kid friendly. The campsites are packed together with little care. My pad was at such an angle that I kept rolling into the wall of the camper when I slept. On top of that, the park was filled with golf carts buzzing around like bees. That appears to be the main mode of transport. The problem is that there were kids driving them, families driving around with little ones hanging off the back, and using the driving manners that I have been experiencing on the road. This was definitely not my favorite place to camp.
I wasn't really looking forward to driving anywhere near Chicago again. According to the radio, the traffic was backing up all over town - and this was a Saturday morning. So I thought I would go around it to the west. I wanted to swing back through Indianapolis and Terre Haute one more time before heading home. Looking at the map, listening to Gwen, and trusting my instincts I headed south. Everything went fine until I hit the Illinois state line and the beginning of the dreaded toll booths. (We don't have them in Oregon, so this take some getting used to I guess.) Traffic was building up rapidly, and it seemed like no matter what road I chose I was being pushed toward Chicago. In a fit of desperation, I exited the freeway and drove south according to the compass. That put me into the suburbs - suburb after suburb after suburb. I felt like I'd never get out of there. Finally, the strip malls began to get farther apart and corn fields began to appear again. Somehow or other, I made it to I-74. I knew that would take me to Indianapolis. Light at the end of the tunnel so to speak.
I was greeted in Indy by my friend Liza and her husband Bob. I've known Liza since she was 9 years old. We had a wonderful, but short visit as they had tickets to the Colts game. It is always nice to see them, and know that in a pinch they are only an hour away from Patrick if he needs them. After leaving their house this morning, I headed for Costco to stock up on hungry college kid food. Granola bars, juice, apple sauce, the things needed to fill the gaps between meals. I also bought some little cheese rounds, but left them in the fridge in my camper. Sorry Patrick.
It was great to see Patrick again! He seems to have grown a bit more since I saw him on 8/29. His confidence and sense of being at home there is what impressed me the most. We chatted for a while about school, travel, friends, and family. I did offer to take him out to dinner or go somewhere if he wanted, but he had a bunch of homework to catch up on. So we said our goodbyes, again. Not quite as sad as the last one, but I was feeling pretty lonely again as I headed off down I-70. I'm better tonight, but Christmas seems like such a long way away.
I stopped in St. Louis to see the arch and find the nonexistent Starbucks that Gwen sent me to, only to find that there was very limited parking downtown. I managed to find another Starbucks on my own, but this one seemed to have no doors. There were people inside, but no way to get in or out. It was kind of like a coffee fishbowl. In the 5 minutes it took me to determine this, I was accosted by 3 homeless men looking for money. Since I don't like to carry change anyway, I managed to keep them happy. Then I noticed that another guy was looking over my camper, perhaps trying to figure a way inside. That was it for me. I made one quick circuit of the arch park, shooting photos through the window as I went by, and hit the freeway. I think I covered around 450 miles today. I am definitely looking forward to small towns and empty roads.
Editorial opinion:
Perhaps it was my directional frustration, but the drivers around the Chicago area were some of the worst I've ever seen. Changing lanes without signaling, changing lanes with a inch or two to spare, tailgating so close that I had no idea there was anyone behind my camper - these practices seemed to be the normal way of moving around there. This was on the freeways and on city streets. I just wonder why they are all in such a hurry. Try leaving a little earlier. You'll enjoy your trip a whole lot more. This is why I'm ready for some empty space.
After leaving the Lake Superior area, I headed down to the west side of Lake Michigan and ended up in Greenbay, Wisconsin for the night. It was much bigger than I expected, but overall a nice city. Along the way, I've noticed that the leaves are really started to turn in the north, but not so much as you move to the south. But everything seems very dry. Since I had visited the town of Two Harbors, I just had to visit Two Rivers as well. It is located right on Lake Michigan, and has an old downtown area and nice waterfront park. I waded in the lake for a while, then moved on.
Just below Two Rivers and the town of Manitowoc. The is a great maritime museum there, dedicated to the history of building WWII submarines. I was not able to go to the museum, but did get to see the sub tied up in back. Very impressive. They built a total of 28 subs. I took lots of photos, but haven't had a chance to go through them yet.
Next, I went down through Cheyboygan, Port Washington, and hit Milwaukee right at rush hour. With a few choice moves and some helpful advice from Gwen, I made it through unscathed. By this time, it was time to start looking for a campground. I ended up at one called Yogi Bear. It's designed for families with small kids I guess, but it was anything but kid friendly. The campsites are packed together with little care. My pad was at such an angle that I kept rolling into the wall of the camper when I slept. On top of that, the park was filled with golf carts buzzing around like bees. That appears to be the main mode of transport. The problem is that there were kids driving them, families driving around with little ones hanging off the back, and using the driving manners that I have been experiencing on the road. This was definitely not my favorite place to camp.
I wasn't really looking forward to driving anywhere near Chicago again. According to the radio, the traffic was backing up all over town - and this was a Saturday morning. So I thought I would go around it to the west. I wanted to swing back through Indianapolis and Terre Haute one more time before heading home. Looking at the map, listening to Gwen, and trusting my instincts I headed south. Everything went fine until I hit the Illinois state line and the beginning of the dreaded toll booths. (We don't have them in Oregon, so this take some getting used to I guess.) Traffic was building up rapidly, and it seemed like no matter what road I chose I was being pushed toward Chicago. In a fit of desperation, I exited the freeway and drove south according to the compass. That put me into the suburbs - suburb after suburb after suburb. I felt like I'd never get out of there. Finally, the strip malls began to get farther apart and corn fields began to appear again. Somehow or other, I made it to I-74. I knew that would take me to Indianapolis. Light at the end of the tunnel so to speak.
I was greeted in Indy by my friend Liza and her husband Bob. I've known Liza since she was 9 years old. We had a wonderful, but short visit as they had tickets to the Colts game. It is always nice to see them, and know that in a pinch they are only an hour away from Patrick if he needs them. After leaving their house this morning, I headed for Costco to stock up on hungry college kid food. Granola bars, juice, apple sauce, the things needed to fill the gaps between meals. I also bought some little cheese rounds, but left them in the fridge in my camper. Sorry Patrick.
It was great to see Patrick again! He seems to have grown a bit more since I saw him on 8/29. His confidence and sense of being at home there is what impressed me the most. We chatted for a while about school, travel, friends, and family. I did offer to take him out to dinner or go somewhere if he wanted, but he had a bunch of homework to catch up on. So we said our goodbyes, again. Not quite as sad as the last one, but I was feeling pretty lonely again as I headed off down I-70. I'm better tonight, but Christmas seems like such a long way away.
I stopped in St. Louis to see the arch and find the nonexistent Starbucks that Gwen sent me to, only to find that there was very limited parking downtown. I managed to find another Starbucks on my own, but this one seemed to have no doors. There were people inside, but no way to get in or out. It was kind of like a coffee fishbowl. In the 5 minutes it took me to determine this, I was accosted by 3 homeless men looking for money. Since I don't like to carry change anyway, I managed to keep them happy. Then I noticed that another guy was looking over my camper, perhaps trying to figure a way inside. That was it for me. I made one quick circuit of the arch park, shooting photos through the window as I went by, and hit the freeway. I think I covered around 450 miles today. I am definitely looking forward to small towns and empty roads.
Editorial opinion:
Perhaps it was my directional frustration, but the drivers around the Chicago area were some of the worst I've ever seen. Changing lanes without signaling, changing lanes with a inch or two to spare, tailgating so close that I had no idea there was anyone behind my camper - these practices seemed to be the normal way of moving around there. This was on the freeways and on city streets. I just wonder why they are all in such a hurry. Try leaving a little earlier. You'll enjoy your trip a whole lot more. This is why I'm ready for some empty space.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Great Lakes and Random Thoughts About Gwen
I've moved on to Greenbay, Wisconsin tonight. I spent most of the day going back and forth between Wisconsin and Michigan on a two lane highway. It was very scenic, and the traffic was not very heavy either. But I didn't feel real spunky, so I just drove and didn't stop to shoot much. In fact, I opted to splurge on a motel room for the night just so I can rest a bit more. Tomorrow, I have to decide if I want to brave Chicago traffic and plow right through the city or give it a wide berth. Choices, choices.
One of the things that I've noticed on this trip is the number of blank billboards around this area. Perhaps they are blank in other areas of the country too, but I haven't noticed them as much. What does this mean? The state of the economy is the first thing that comes to mind. Maybe companies just can't afford to use that medium any more. Although according to one of the signs, I could have it for a whole year for $3000. That doesn't seem like too much, but that is for a very limited sight - available to only those who happen to be driving on that highway. I suspect that a deeper reason is the changes in technology.
I'm using a Garmin GPS (Gwen) on this trip. Despite being directed to a non-existent Starbucks in the parking lot of a church or being told to turn onto a one way street going the wrong way, I am truly amazing at the depth of information available at the touch of a button. I've found campgrounds, actual Starbucks stores, gas, and food information that would have been almost impossible to gather on my own. I also have an iPhone that provides additional resources such as weather information and the ability to call the numbers of the businesses who show up on my GPS - all while I'm moving down the road. So, getting back to the billboards, perhaps this new wealth of electronic information is making the art and style of the billboard a thing of the past. I have admit that I don't pay much attention to them now that I have these gadgets.
My GPS has been named Gwen because the voice sounds like that of a friend of my daughter's. (I don't mean this in a disrespectful way real Gwen, it just sounds like you.) Now Gwen reminds me when to turn and where, how far I have to go before I turn, what direction I have to turn, and kindly reminds me to try new options when I miss a turn - "Recalculating." And sometimes, in frustration, I yell at her when I mess up. No guilt blaming! What better way to avoid taking responsibility for my actions than to blame an inanimate object. Of course Gwen can't defend herself and yell back, or deliberately give me the wrong directions. But what if she could?
I think that a snotty, sarcastic voice should be an option in upcoming versions of the software. When you miss a turn, instead of saying "Recalculating," this new voice would say things like:
"Weren't you listening? I told you to turn!"
"Now look what you've done. I have to stop doing my nails (or circuits) so I can straighten you out."
Perhaps more extreme:
"You idiot! What are you thinking?!"
"Did you get your license in a cereal box?"
"Please stop and set me on the side of the road. I'm too new to die."
For the actual voice, think of the most annoying person you've known, and ask them to record a voice sample for you. I'm sure they'd just love to do that for you. So on those long, lonely roads when you are trying to stay awake, just give Hazel or Herman a poke.
I drove through Spread Eagle, Wisconsin today. No joke. That is the name of the town. There are lots of interesting and hard to pronounce names around here, but Spread Eagle? That one I don't understand. I kept looking for some poor soul strapped to a board all stretched out. Didn't see one though.
In the campground this morning I saw a sign that said there were slow children playing there. And I've seen this before in other places. But I've never seen any slow children before. I wonder why that is.
When I was growing up, our family played a game called "White Horse" whenever we were traveling. It was always girls against the boys. If you saw a white horse, you yelled out "White horse!" (duh) before anyone else. The object was to get more than the other team. Spotting a cemetery would wipe out the opposing team's horses. Seeing an old man with a long white beard was worth 25 points. As my kids were growing up and we were traveling, we played it as well. When Jean left for home, I believe she was ahead by one horse. I counted only one white horse today, but saw 8 cemeteries. I guess that makes me the winner for the day.
One of the things that I've noticed on this trip is the number of blank billboards around this area. Perhaps they are blank in other areas of the country too, but I haven't noticed them as much. What does this mean? The state of the economy is the first thing that comes to mind. Maybe companies just can't afford to use that medium any more. Although according to one of the signs, I could have it for a whole year for $3000. That doesn't seem like too much, but that is for a very limited sight - available to only those who happen to be driving on that highway. I suspect that a deeper reason is the changes in technology.
I'm using a Garmin GPS (Gwen) on this trip. Despite being directed to a non-existent Starbucks in the parking lot of a church or being told to turn onto a one way street going the wrong way, I am truly amazing at the depth of information available at the touch of a button. I've found campgrounds, actual Starbucks stores, gas, and food information that would have been almost impossible to gather on my own. I also have an iPhone that provides additional resources such as weather information and the ability to call the numbers of the businesses who show up on my GPS - all while I'm moving down the road. So, getting back to the billboards, perhaps this new wealth of electronic information is making the art and style of the billboard a thing of the past. I have admit that I don't pay much attention to them now that I have these gadgets.
My GPS has been named Gwen because the voice sounds like that of a friend of my daughter's. (I don't mean this in a disrespectful way real Gwen, it just sounds like you.) Now Gwen reminds me when to turn and where, how far I have to go before I turn, what direction I have to turn, and kindly reminds me to try new options when I miss a turn - "Recalculating." And sometimes, in frustration, I yell at her when I mess up. No guilt blaming! What better way to avoid taking responsibility for my actions than to blame an inanimate object. Of course Gwen can't defend herself and yell back, or deliberately give me the wrong directions. But what if she could?
I think that a snotty, sarcastic voice should be an option in upcoming versions of the software. When you miss a turn, instead of saying "Recalculating," this new voice would say things like:
"Weren't you listening? I told you to turn!"
"Now look what you've done. I have to stop doing my nails (or circuits) so I can straighten you out."
Perhaps more extreme:
"You idiot! What are you thinking?!"
"Did you get your license in a cereal box?"
"Please stop and set me on the side of the road. I'm too new to die."
For the actual voice, think of the most annoying person you've known, and ask them to record a voice sample for you. I'm sure they'd just love to do that for you. So on those long, lonely roads when you are trying to stay awake, just give Hazel or Herman a poke.
I drove through Spread Eagle, Wisconsin today. No joke. That is the name of the town. There are lots of interesting and hard to pronounce names around here, but Spread Eagle? That one I don't understand. I kept looking for some poor soul strapped to a board all stretched out. Didn't see one though.
In the campground this morning I saw a sign that said there were slow children playing there. And I've seen this before in other places. But I've never seen any slow children before. I wonder why that is.
When I was growing up, our family played a game called "White Horse" whenever we were traveling. It was always girls against the boys. If you saw a white horse, you yelled out "White horse!" (duh) before anyone else. The object was to get more than the other team. Spotting a cemetery would wipe out the opposing team's horses. Seeing an old man with a long white beard was worth 25 points. As my kids were growing up and we were traveling, we played it as well. When Jean left for home, I believe she was ahead by one horse. I counted only one white horse today, but saw 8 cemeteries. I guess that makes me the winner for the day.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Alone
I haven't been able to post for a while, so I've got a lot to cover tonight. I'm sitting in my camper on the north shore of Lake Superior, above Duluth, MN. I drove up here after getting Jean to the airport in Minneapolis. And now I'm alone.
We had a wonderful trip up through Wisconsin after leaving Lake Geneva. After being there for 2 days, we were certainly ready to leave the snooty tourists behind. I was continually amazing at how rude those visiting that beautiful spot could be. They brought their big city manners and driving habits... let's just say that I'm glad to be gone from there.
The terrain and geography of upper Wisconsin is similar to the Willamette valley in some ways. There are rolling hills and lots of forested areas. And lots of corn! That has been the most dominant crop that we've seen throughout the entire trip. Miles and miles of it. The second most common was soy beans. Apparently they grow well together. We made our way up to Eau Claire, Wisconsin for the night and found a nearly new motel that was just begging for us to stay there. There aren't a lot of RV campgrounds here it seems, or at least none that were near us. Jean negotiated a great deal since it was nearly empty, and we forced ourselves to enjoy a king-sized bed, big screen TV, pool and whirlpool, etc. It's a tough life sometimes.
From the lap of luxury, we drove on to Minneapolis/St. Paul yesterday. I had no idea just how big that metropolitan area is. It took almost an hour to get from one side to the other. Aside from having a big airport to fly out of, our purpose there was to visit some Salem kids who are going to college in the outskirts. We went south to St. Olaf's College where Maren W. and Phillip B. are attending. We had been in contact with Maren, but as we were waiting for her Phillip happened to be walking by. He was quite surprised. He and Patrick are good friends so it was nice to catch up with him too. Maren is a sophomore there, and on the cross country team. Her older brother Nelson graduated from there last year, and was an outstanding swimmer while he was there. He achieved a total of 6 (I hope I have that number correct) national Division 3 championships during his career. Maren has always had a special place in my heart because she tried swimming in high school her freshman year. I had the pleasure of coaching her. Even though her first love was and is running, she was one of the most coach-able kids I've ever had. She always put in her best effort and never gave up. Seeing her in this college environment made me very pleased and proud of how she has grown into beautiful young woman. Maren is on the St. Olaf cross country team and seems to be doing very well. I look forward to following her season again this year.
From St. Olaf's, we drove back toward Minn/St. Paul and the east to Crown College where another Salem girl is attending. Summer P. was on the water polo team at West Salem High School for two years. During that time, I had the pleasure to get to know her during practices and games as the team photographer. We also worked on her swimming skills a bit. Seeing Summer was quite special to me as well. She is one of the most positive and enthusiastic kids I've ever known. She is also doing cross country, and had just returned from a trip to Colorado with her team. We had dinner with her and were able to catch up on her plans and activities there. (You may have noticed that I get attached to a lot of kids. I've always been this way, and try to maintain these connections as we grow older. It is one of my greatest joys.) I believe that Summer will make quite an impact in her college as she did in high school.
Jean and I then headed back toward Minn/St. Paul proper to find another motel for the night. Since it was now the end of the Labor Day weekend, we happened on another great place with a great price for our final night on the road together. One of the benefits of being in a hotel is that they have internet access and printers. I was able to take care of Jean's travel documents quite easily. We loafed around a bit this morning since she didn't have to be at the airport for a while. I was hoping to be able to go into the airport to see her off, but found that with my tall truck and camper, there wasn't any place to park. So, much to my sadness, we had a hurried goodbye in the drop-off lane in front of the terminal. This was not the way I wanted to say goodbye to my wonderful wife and traveling companion. I'm still feeling a bit distressed about it, even though I know that she is home safe and sound.
So, I'm on my own now. It will take some time to get used to that. Even with the magic of cell phone and computer communication, not having her next to me navigating, conversing, laughing, counting white horses and cemeteries (I'll have to explain that in a future post) has been had to deal with today. Seeing the beauty of Lake Superior would be so much more enjoyable if she was here to share it with me. Perhaps tomorrow, I will begin to find my own rhythms and solo traveling style. That was my original purpose. I guess thinking about something is often different from actually doing it.
A note about photos: I'm still posting them on my Flick page if you are interesting in seeing them. It's just too slow to put them here. Here is the web address: http://www.flickr.com/photos/johndej/
We had a wonderful trip up through Wisconsin after leaving Lake Geneva. After being there for 2 days, we were certainly ready to leave the snooty tourists behind. I was continually amazing at how rude those visiting that beautiful spot could be. They brought their big city manners and driving habits... let's just say that I'm glad to be gone from there.
The terrain and geography of upper Wisconsin is similar to the Willamette valley in some ways. There are rolling hills and lots of forested areas. And lots of corn! That has been the most dominant crop that we've seen throughout the entire trip. Miles and miles of it. The second most common was soy beans. Apparently they grow well together. We made our way up to Eau Claire, Wisconsin for the night and found a nearly new motel that was just begging for us to stay there. There aren't a lot of RV campgrounds here it seems, or at least none that were near us. Jean negotiated a great deal since it was nearly empty, and we forced ourselves to enjoy a king-sized bed, big screen TV, pool and whirlpool, etc. It's a tough life sometimes.
From the lap of luxury, we drove on to Minneapolis/St. Paul yesterday. I had no idea just how big that metropolitan area is. It took almost an hour to get from one side to the other. Aside from having a big airport to fly out of, our purpose there was to visit some Salem kids who are going to college in the outskirts. We went south to St. Olaf's College where Maren W. and Phillip B. are attending. We had been in contact with Maren, but as we were waiting for her Phillip happened to be walking by. He was quite surprised. He and Patrick are good friends so it was nice to catch up with him too. Maren is a sophomore there, and on the cross country team. Her older brother Nelson graduated from there last year, and was an outstanding swimmer while he was there. He achieved a total of 6 (I hope I have that number correct) national Division 3 championships during his career. Maren has always had a special place in my heart because she tried swimming in high school her freshman year. I had the pleasure of coaching her. Even though her first love was and is running, she was one of the most coach-able kids I've ever had. She always put in her best effort and never gave up. Seeing her in this college environment made me very pleased and proud of how she has grown into beautiful young woman. Maren is on the St. Olaf cross country team and seems to be doing very well. I look forward to following her season again this year.
From St. Olaf's, we drove back toward Minn/St. Paul and the east to Crown College where another Salem girl is attending. Summer P. was on the water polo team at West Salem High School for two years. During that time, I had the pleasure to get to know her during practices and games as the team photographer. We also worked on her swimming skills a bit. Seeing Summer was quite special to me as well. She is one of the most positive and enthusiastic kids I've ever known. She is also doing cross country, and had just returned from a trip to Colorado with her team. We had dinner with her and were able to catch up on her plans and activities there. (You may have noticed that I get attached to a lot of kids. I've always been this way, and try to maintain these connections as we grow older. It is one of my greatest joys.) I believe that Summer will make quite an impact in her college as she did in high school.
Jean and I then headed back toward Minn/St. Paul proper to find another motel for the night. Since it was now the end of the Labor Day weekend, we happened on another great place with a great price for our final night on the road together. One of the benefits of being in a hotel is that they have internet access and printers. I was able to take care of Jean's travel documents quite easily. We loafed around a bit this morning since she didn't have to be at the airport for a while. I was hoping to be able to go into the airport to see her off, but found that with my tall truck and camper, there wasn't any place to park. So, much to my sadness, we had a hurried goodbye in the drop-off lane in front of the terminal. This was not the way I wanted to say goodbye to my wonderful wife and traveling companion. I'm still feeling a bit distressed about it, even though I know that she is home safe and sound.
So, I'm on my own now. It will take some time to get used to that. Even with the magic of cell phone and computer communication, not having her next to me navigating, conversing, laughing, counting white horses and cemeteries (I'll have to explain that in a future post) has been had to deal with today. Seeing the beauty of Lake Superior would be so much more enjoyable if she was here to share it with me. Perhaps tomorrow, I will begin to find my own rhythms and solo traveling style. That was my original purpose. I guess thinking about something is often different from actually doing it.
A note about photos: I'm still posting them on my Flick page if you are interesting in seeing them. It's just too slow to put them here. Here is the web address: http://www.flickr.com/photos/johndej/
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Lake Geneva, WI
One of my goals on this trip was to meet some of my Flickr contacts. We went to Chicago - Arlington Heights to be exact - to do just that. There we met one of the most amazing young ladies I've ever had the pleasure to get to know. Her name is Felicia, and she has had quite an amazing life. Rather than trying to repeat that story, I would encourage you to read how she describes herself. (http://www.flickr.com/people/feesfotography/, http://feliciareneephotography.com/, http://www.littlestheroesproject.org/Littlest_Heroes_Project/Home.html) She is only 18, but has overcome and accomplished some many things in her life. It is an honor to call her a friend. When I get home, I'm going to help her with this project in the Oregon area.
After visiting with my Flickr contact Felicia in the Chicago area, we journeyed through the road construction and traffic of northern Illinois for as long as we could stand it. RV parks are few and far between here. We found one in Volo, IL for the night. It was quite a place - there were probably a few hundred permanent residents and lots of paid activities if we wished to participate. We didn't.
Yesterday, we traveled a whole 50 miles! We intended to go through Lake Geneva, WI, but ended up staying. We found a beautiful campsite at a state park, and are going to stay for 2 nights. When we got there, they only had 3 sites left so we figured we'd better stay put. The lake is very nice, clear water with lots of fish. The town is a resort area and the vacation spot of many folks from the Chicago area. One local resident told me that he appreciates the money, but not the manners and driving habits. I would have to agree. The town has its way of extracting funds from the visitors though. I got my first parking ticket in over 30 years for being about 1minute over the meter. $12.00 on a well spent lesson I guess.
The town is very crowded today. I'm sitting in the local library overlooking the lake as I write this. They have free WIFI access which I haven't had in a few days. Jean went off shopping. There are lots of great - and probably spendy - shops here. The local beach swimming area looks inviting, but it costs $6 to use it. We went in the lake last night at the state park, for free. The water is about 72 or so, and quite clear. There were lots of bluegill and a few perch swimming there with me.
Once we are done here, I think we will head on up through Madison, WI and on towards Minneapolis/St. Paul. I have posted some more photos on my Flickr site (http://www.flickr.com/photos/johndej/), but I'm only as far as Terre Haute I think. One of these days, I'll get caught up - maybe.
After visiting with my Flickr contact Felicia in the Chicago area, we journeyed through the road construction and traffic of northern Illinois for as long as we could stand it. RV parks are few and far between here. We found one in Volo, IL for the night. It was quite a place - there were probably a few hundred permanent residents and lots of paid activities if we wished to participate. We didn't.
Yesterday, we traveled a whole 50 miles! We intended to go through Lake Geneva, WI, but ended up staying. We found a beautiful campsite at a state park, and are going to stay for 2 nights. When we got there, they only had 3 sites left so we figured we'd better stay put. The lake is very nice, clear water with lots of fish. The town is a resort area and the vacation spot of many folks from the Chicago area. One local resident told me that he appreciates the money, but not the manners and driving habits. I would have to agree. The town has its way of extracting funds from the visitors though. I got my first parking ticket in over 30 years for being about 1minute over the meter. $12.00 on a well spent lesson I guess.
The town is very crowded today. I'm sitting in the local library overlooking the lake as I write this. They have free WIFI access which I haven't had in a few days. Jean went off shopping. There are lots of great - and probably spendy - shops here. The local beach swimming area looks inviting, but it costs $6 to use it. We went in the lake last night at the state park, for free. The water is about 72 or so, and quite clear. There were lots of bluegill and a few perch swimming there with me.
Once we are done here, I think we will head on up through Madison, WI and on towards Minneapolis/St. Paul. I have posted some more photos on my Flickr site (http://www.flickr.com/photos/johndej/), but I'm only as far as Terre Haute I think. One of these days, I'll get caught up - maybe.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Chicago
We left Indianapolis today after a brief but wonderful stay with Liza and Bob. Patrick seems to be doing well. He got his schedule set up, and starts classes tomorrow. I guess that makes it official. Let the adventure begin...
Driving to Chicago was quite an adventure. After leaving Liza's house, we decided to find a Starbucks for some additional fortification. According to our GPS, there was one in a place that turned to be a rental car parking lot. The next one, after getting rerouted several times due to road construction, has been closed for some time. So we gave up and started North, or West, or... somewhere pointed at Chicago. Once we cleared Indy, they (Starbucks) began popping up all over the place. Amazing.
Now the traffic started out a little thicker than I expected, and proceeded to get "fatter" and "fatter" the closer we got to Chicago. Most of the vehicles on the road were big trucks. Lots of them. The nice thing about them is that they know how to drive. The bad thing about them is not being able to see around them. So I had develop a sense of trust that they could see ahead as I tucked in behind them. That worked until we began to hit toll roads. They all have passes that let them go right through. I didn't. And once in a while I found myself caught out in a lane that I shouldn't have been in. I had to make a scary multi-lane change to get to the money lane in time. Fortunately, this seems to be a regular occurrence since there were at least 4 or 5 cars doing the same thing. We don't have toll roads in Oregon, so this took some getting used to.
Originally, we intended to go into Chicago proper. As the trucks and cars got thicker and scarier, we decided to just head north toward Arlington Heights. The other discovery we made at this point is that the nearest RV campground is at least an hour or two away - an hour or two of heavy traffic. So we opted to stay in a hotel instead. Nice place, but technical issues with the internet have made this an adventure as well. I spent about 30 minutes on the phone with tech support before they decided that is was a major equipment issue. So I'm on a wireless hookup with spotty strength. All in all, it has been an interesting day.
Tomorrow, we are going to meet my Flickr friend Felicia. She is an amazing person, and I am very excited about meeting her. Check out her website: http://www.feliciareneephotography.com/ It's well worth the visit. And we're meeting at a Starbucks. I hope it's a real one this time.
Driving to Chicago was quite an adventure. After leaving Liza's house, we decided to find a Starbucks for some additional fortification. According to our GPS, there was one in a place that turned to be a rental car parking lot. The next one, after getting rerouted several times due to road construction, has been closed for some time. So we gave up and started North, or West, or... somewhere pointed at Chicago. Once we cleared Indy, they (Starbucks) began popping up all over the place. Amazing.
Now the traffic started out a little thicker than I expected, and proceeded to get "fatter" and "fatter" the closer we got to Chicago. Most of the vehicles on the road were big trucks. Lots of them. The nice thing about them is that they know how to drive. The bad thing about them is not being able to see around them. So I had develop a sense of trust that they could see ahead as I tucked in behind them. That worked until we began to hit toll roads. They all have passes that let them go right through. I didn't. And once in a while I found myself caught out in a lane that I shouldn't have been in. I had to make a scary multi-lane change to get to the money lane in time. Fortunately, this seems to be a regular occurrence since there were at least 4 or 5 cars doing the same thing. We don't have toll roads in Oregon, so this took some getting used to.
Originally, we intended to go into Chicago proper. As the trucks and cars got thicker and scarier, we decided to just head north toward Arlington Heights. The other discovery we made at this point is that the nearest RV campground is at least an hour or two away - an hour or two of heavy traffic. So we opted to stay in a hotel instead. Nice place, but technical issues with the internet have made this an adventure as well. I spent about 30 minutes on the phone with tech support before they decided that is was a major equipment issue. So I'm on a wireless hookup with spotty strength. All in all, it has been an interesting day.
Tomorrow, we are going to meet my Flickr friend Felicia. She is an amazing person, and I am very excited about meeting her. Check out her website: http://www.feliciareneephotography.com/ It's well worth the visit. And we're meeting at a Starbucks. I hope it's a real one this time.
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