Saturday, June 6, 2009
Today was a relaxing day around the house...mostly because it was raining outside. Before the rain started we headed out to see my father's name on the Veteran's Memorial here in Charles City. We drove around town seeing how things had changed since last years flood. It seems to me that the midwest gets hit with a flood every couple of years, which is quite unfortunate! For lunch, we finally got Alan some of his favorite pizza...Godfather's Pizza. (yuck!) He was happy though. The rest of the day was spent lounging around the house and taking part in the various movies that are typically broadcasted on Saturdays. We made dinner and once my uncle arrived, we began another "friendly" game of Rummy. In our games of rummy there are always harsh words thrown across the table when our opponents do something that is damaging to our own hands. It is all in good fun and the most important thing afterwards is that we all still love each other! Before going to bed, we popped in a DVD of "Taken". After watching that movie, it took me a little bit of time to get tired again!
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Day Twenty Two
Friday, June 5, 2009
Since we went to a late movie last night, we ended up sleeping in and getting a late start this morning. Since we were back in the land of Cracker Barrels (and we slept through breakfast), we stopped for breakfast/lunch and to return a book on tape. We then hit the road to my father's house. We arrived about 4pm and sat around the kitchen table visiting with everyone. We were invited to dinner with my great uncle and his family. You never realize how many people you are related to in this world until you start meeting extended family. Following dinner, we continued with a common tradition...we wasted the night away with several games of "friendly" Rummy!! It was a pretty relaxing day!
Miles Traveled: 7124.5 miles
Since we went to a late movie last night, we ended up sleeping in and getting a late start this morning. Since we were back in the land of Cracker Barrels (and we slept through breakfast), we stopped for breakfast/lunch and to return a book on tape. We then hit the road to my father's house. We arrived about 4pm and sat around the kitchen table visiting with everyone. We were invited to dinner with my great uncle and his family. You never realize how many people you are related to in this world until you start meeting extended family. Following dinner, we continued with a common tradition...we wasted the night away with several games of "friendly" Rummy!! It was a pretty relaxing day!
Miles Traveled: 7124.5 miles
Day Twenty One
Thursday, June 4, 2009
We started off the morning at Wal-Mart getting our second o
il change of the trip. While we were waiting on the car, we went to get some lunch. When we finally got the car back, we headed to Mount Rushmore. I had seen the memorial when I was younger so I was excited to see how much it had changed. When we arrived, my first thought was: it is smaller than I remember. They had also built a lot of new buildings since the last time I was there. There is a trail that you can take that travels closer to the 
memorial and there are other things to do than just sit there looking at the 4 dead presidents. Alan was impressed by the carving and he thought that George Washington's carving was better than the others. We walked the trail, took a few pictures, and headed on our way. We started heading to my father's house in Iowa. It was a pretty long drive, so we stopped before we could make it. When we checked into the hotel, we noticed that there was a movie theater behind it. We decided to catch the late show of "Night of the Museum 2". It was the perfect ending to a long day of driving.
il change of the trip. While we were waiting on the car, we went to get some lunch. When we finally got the car back, we headed to Mount Rushmore. I had seen the memorial when I was younger so I was excited to see how much it had changed. When we arrived, my first thought was: it is smaller than I remember. They had also built a lot of new buildings since the last time I was there. There is a trail that you can take that travels closer to the 
memorial and there are other things to do than just sit there looking at the 4 dead presidents. Alan was impressed by the carving and he thought that George Washington's carving was better than the others. We walked the trail, took a few pictures, and headed on our way. We started heading to my father's house in Iowa. It was a pretty long drive, so we stopped before we could make it. When we checked into the hotel, we noticed that there was a movie theater behind it. We decided to catch the late show of "Night of the Museum 2". It was the perfect ending to a long day of driving. Day Twenty
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
We woke up this morning to the cool, brisk temperature of 47 degrees!!! Not only wa
s it cold, it was raining. Alan was feeling much better this morning and his fever was gone. We both felt that we should not go camping just in case Alan was not back at 100%. Instead, we decided to explore the major sites of Yellowstone National Park then head on our way. From the west entrance gate, it was about a 35 minute drive to Old Faithful. Along the way, we had a coyote cross the road right in front of the car then we had several families of Bison eating on the side of the road. We f
inally reached Old Faithful and arrived just in time. I was reading in the park paper that the geyser usually erupts about every 90 minutes, but depends on the day and year. We walked up to the geyser and two minutes later it started erupting. It was the warmest I was all day long. It was hard to see where the steam stopped and the sky began due to how grey the sky was. We continued down the road to the waterfall areas. We were apparently on the wrong side because all we could see were the rapids of the river (making Alan think it would be a good idea to come back one day and go white water rafting). We left the park via the east entrance...meaning we had to travel through the sno
wy Rocky Mountains! We were planning on stopping for the night near Mount Rushmore. As a result, we had to take the scenic route (though more mountains) to get to the interstate. While in the mountains, we were able to get close looks at deer, antelope, and moose! It was really neat to see all of the animals in their natural habitat and not in pictures or zoos. I was mostly disappointed that we didn't see any bears. Needless to say, Alan was not upset or disappointed. Going though the mountains we were surprised that the speed limit was 65 mph when Alan and I couldn't go any faster than 40 mph (25 mph around most of the turns). There must be some confident and crazy drivers in Wyoming. We finally reached the interstate and before we knew it we were in Rapid City, where we stopped for the night.
s it cold, it was raining. Alan was feeling much better this morning and his fever was gone. We both felt that we should not go camping just in case Alan was not back at 100%. Instead, we decided to explore the major sites of Yellowstone National Park then head on our way. From the west entrance gate, it was about a 35 minute drive to Old Faithful. Along the way, we had a coyote cross the road right in front of the car then we had several families of Bison eating on the side of the road. We f
inally reached Old Faithful and arrived just in time. I was reading in the park paper that the geyser usually erupts about every 90 minutes, but depends on the day and year. We walked up to the geyser and two minutes later it started erupting. It was the warmest I was all day long. It was hard to see where the steam stopped and the sky began due to how grey the sky was. We continued down the road to the waterfall areas. We were apparently on the wrong side because all we could see were the rapids of the river (making Alan think it would be a good idea to come back one day and go white water rafting). We left the park via the east entrance...meaning we had to travel through the sno
wy Rocky Mountains! We were planning on stopping for the night near Mount Rushmore. As a result, we had to take the scenic route (though more mountains) to get to the interstate. While in the mountains, we were able to get close looks at deer, antelope, and moose! It was really neat to see all of the animals in their natural habitat and not in pictures or zoos. I was mostly disappointed that we didn't see any bears. Needless to say, Alan was not upset or disappointed. Going though the mountains we were surprised that the speed limit was 65 mph when Alan and I couldn't go any faster than 40 mph (25 mph around most of the turns). There must be some confident and crazy drivers in Wyoming. We finally reached the interstate and before we knew it we were in Rapid City, where we stopped for the night. Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Day Nineteen
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Well...today was a pretty boring day. We woke up and did some laundry. Our worst motel ever advertised a continental breakfast, but when we arrived there was only coffee and commercially wrapped danishes. We left and headed to Cracker Barrel for breakfast and to exchange some books on tape. It was 4.5 hours until we got to Yellowstone National Park, so we hopped in the car and headed out. We had intentions of exploring the park when we arrived, but Alan's "allergy attack" from the day before progressed to a low grade fever and he was not feeling well. At that point, we don't think that he had an allergy attack but the beginnings of a cold. We finally stopped and I put Alan to bed. Hopefully he will be feeling better tomorrow and we will explore the park.
Well...today was a pretty boring day. We woke up and did some laundry. Our worst motel ever advertised a continental breakfast, but when we arrived there was only coffee and commercially wrapped danishes. We left and headed to Cracker Barrel for breakfast and to exchange some books on tape. It was 4.5 hours until we got to Yellowstone National Park, so we hopped in the car and headed out. We had intentions of exploring the park when we arrived, but Alan's "allergy attack" from the day before progressed to a low grade fever and he was not feeling well. At that point, we don't think that he had an allergy attack but the beginnings of a cold. We finally stopped and I put Alan to bed. Hopefully he will be feeling better tomorrow and we will explore the park.
Day Eighteen
Monday, June 1, 2009
We woke up in Seattle this morning. After checking out of the hotel
, we headed to the Seattle Center where the Space Needle was located. We had called the night before to see if there were any reservations available at the restaurant, but there weren't any. 
We went to the top of the needle and were able to see the top of the Seattle skyline. On our way back down, we found out that the restaurant served lunch and had reservations available...so we snagged one. The restaurant at the top of the needle spins (very slowly) so that over the course of your meal, you have seen the entire city. The meal was very delicious. It was the most expensive meal we have had thus far. We left with overstuffed stomachs and headed downtown. We went to the famous Pike Place Market and got to see the people throwing the fish!! It was really cool. We went to the first Starbucks store but since we were so full from lunch, we did not get anything. After finishing the tourist attractions in Seattle, we started heading east. Alan started to get tired, so I was able to drive. By the end of the night, added 6 hours to my driving time. Thus far on the trip...I have driven 8.5 hours. I can't say that I'm complaining. We stopped for the night, which happened to be the worst motel yet!! 
, we headed to the Seattle Center where the Space Needle was located. We had called the night before to see if there were any reservations available at the restaurant, but there weren't any. 
We went to the top of the needle and were able to see the top of the Seattle skyline. On our way back down, we found out that the restaurant served lunch and had reservations available...so we snagged one. The restaurant at the top of the needle spins (very slowly) so that over the course of your meal, you have seen the entire city. The meal was very delicious. It was the most expensive meal we have had thus far. We left with overstuffed stomachs and headed downtown. We went to the famous Pike Place Market and got to see the people throwing the fish!! It was really cool. We went to the first Starbucks store but since we were so full from lunch, we did not get anything. After finishing the tourist attractions in Seattle, we started heading east. Alan started to get tired, so I was able to drive. By the end of the night, added 6 hours to my driving time. Thus far on the trip...I have driven 8.5 hours. I can't say that I'm complaining. We stopped for the night, which happened to be the worst motel yet!! 
Day Seventeen
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Sunday started off with a long c
ar ride through the mountains to Crater Lake, OR. When we left the hotel, it was cold...a constant theme on the west coast thus far. As we got closer to Crater Lake, we stopped for some groceries at a general store so that we could have a picnic lunch at the lake. I stepped out of the car and it was about 80 degrees. You should have seen my face...I was in heaven. For those of you who don't know me very well...I have become to detest cold weather. It was so nice to be able to wear a sleeveless shirt again. We packed in our groceries and continued to the lake. When we entered the National Park, my warm weather enjoyment turned to puzzlement when we spotted SNOW on the ground!! We got out of the car (yes, it was still warm outside...about 75 degrees) to investigate. Alan commented that I looked like some
one who had never seen snow before. I told him that I had never seen snow in 75 degree weather!! We had a pretty steep climb and the snow became more abundant which was accompanied with a lower temperature. We finally reached the top of the mountain, parked the car and unloaded our picnic lunch. We made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on the top of a snow-capped mountain, surrounded by a crystal blue lake...life is good. Most of the park was still shut down due to the snow, but signs of melting were evident. We then set the GPS for Seattle and drove for the rest of the day. When we were driving through Portland, OR, we could see (what we think is) Mount Saint Helen's in the distance...also snow capped. All of the snow made me realize that mountain living is not for me.
ar ride through the mountains to Crater Lake, OR. When we left the hotel, it was cold...a constant theme on the west coast thus far. As we got closer to Crater Lake, we stopped for some groceries at a general store so that we could have a picnic lunch at the lake. I stepped out of the car and it was about 80 degrees. You should have seen my face...I was in heaven. For those of you who don't know me very well...I have become to detest cold weather. It was so nice to be able to wear a sleeveless shirt again. We packed in our groceries and continued to the lake. When we entered the National Park, my warm weather enjoyment turned to puzzlement when we spotted SNOW on the ground!! We got out of the car (yes, it was still warm outside...about 75 degrees) to investigate. Alan commented that I looked like some
one who had never seen snow before. I told him that I had never seen snow in 75 degree weather!! We had a pretty steep climb and the snow became more abundant which was accompanied with a lower temperature. We finally reached the top of the mountain, parked the car and unloaded our picnic lunch. We made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on the top of a snow-capped mountain, surrounded by a crystal blue lake...life is good. Most of the park was still shut down due to the snow, but signs of melting were evident. We then set the GPS for Seattle and drove for the rest of the day. When we were driving through Portland, OR, we could see (what we think is) Mount Saint Helen's in the distance...also snow capped. All of the snow made me realize that mountain living is not for me. Monday, June 1, 2009
Day Sixteen
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Today we left San Francisco via the Golden Gate Bridge. We decided
that we would hit the wine country of Sonoma and Napa Valley. We stopped at our first winery at about 11:00am and started our day of wine tasting. Most of the wineries had a small tasting fee, which was waved if you purchased a bottle of wine. We decided at that point that our souvenir from wine country would be a bottle of wine from each winery we stopped at. In tota
l, we stopped at 5 wineries, got 3 bottles of white wine and 2 bottles of red wine. Yes, I have now started drinking some red wines...some would be so proud!! It was a beautiful part of the country and fun to go from place to place and try various types of wi
ne. We left wine country and entered into more mountains. We finally realized that we were in the Redwood forest. We stopped at a drive-thru tree. Alan was worried that the car wouldn't fit, but we were successful. Alan kept pointing out that the tree we drove through was older the Jesus, literally!! The tree was not only huge in diameter, but gigantic in height. Alan was pleased because we were finally in an a "Alan-sized" forest. We finally stopped for the night late in the evening.
that we would hit the wine country of Sonoma and Napa Valley. We stopped at our first winery at about 11:00am and started our day of wine tasting. Most of the wineries had a small tasting fee, which was waved if you purchased a bottle of wine. We decided at that point that our souvenir from wine country would be a bottle of wine from each winery we stopped at. In tota
l, we stopped at 5 wineries, got 3 bottles of white wine and 2 bottles of red wine. Yes, I have now started drinking some red wines...some would be so proud!! It was a beautiful part of the country and fun to go from place to place and try various types of wi
ne. We left wine country and entered into more mountains. We finally realized that we were in the Redwood forest. We stopped at a drive-thru tree. Alan was worried that the car wouldn't fit, but we were successful. Alan kept pointing out that the tree we drove through was older the Jesus, literally!! The tree was not only huge in diameter, but gigantic in height. Alan was pleased because we were finally in an a "Alan-sized" forest. We finally stopped for the night late in the evening.Miles traveled: 4576.6 miles
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Day Fifteen
Friday, May 29, 2009
After waking up, eating breakfast, and catching up on internet st
uff, Alan and I hit San Francisco! We started our tour by visiting the Fisherman's Wharf. When we arrived, we were inundated with street vendors, street performers, and lots of tourists. We found the infamous Boudin Sourdough Bakery. We to
ok a tour of the bakery to see how the sourdough bread is made on a large scale. FYI...sourdough bread is my favorite, so I was in heaven!! We then walked across the street to some of the vending carts to get lunch. We did as the locals were doing and ordered clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl. It was delicious. We walked into what we thought was a museum. It was a hands-on museum of old-time arcade machines. Alan cashed in a $5 bill for quarters and began to have fun. It was really neat to see arcade 
games that dated back to the early 1900's! We then meandered to Pier 39 where the sea lions were basting in the sun. I must say...not as smelly as the elephant seals!! We walked along the pier looking at all of the shops. I was presented with an opportunity to be part of market research by taste-testing pastries with a monetary compensation. Alan was bummed that the "research" was for women only. So, I helped keep us on budget by working on our vacation! We took a trolly 
ride to the Ghirardelli factory/store and had a chocolate fudge sundae. We then drove to the Golden Gate state park to get a good view of the bridge. After leaving the park, we had the GPS lead us out of the city. It took us through the city...down authentic San Fran streets. Straight up then straight down. We were a little worried that the car was not going to make it. We ate dinner at Marie Callender's. Alan and I were surprised that her empire stretched further than just frozen dinners. It was a good meal and a good end to the evening.
uff, Alan and I hit San Francisco! We started our tour by visiting the Fisherman's Wharf. When we arrived, we were inundated with street vendors, street performers, and lots of tourists. We found the infamous Boudin Sourdough Bakery. We to
ok a tour of the bakery to see how the sourdough bread is made on a large scale. FYI...sourdough bread is my favorite, so I was in heaven!! We then walked across the street to some of the vending carts to get lunch. We did as the locals were doing and ordered clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl. It was delicious. We walked into what we thought was a museum. It was a hands-on museum of old-time arcade machines. Alan cashed in a $5 bill for quarters and began to have fun. It was really neat to see arcade 
games that dated back to the early 1900's! We then meandered to Pier 39 where the sea lions were basting in the sun. I must say...not as smelly as the elephant seals!! We walked along the pier looking at all of the shops. I was presented with an opportunity to be part of market research by taste-testing pastries with a monetary compensation. Alan was bummed that the "research" was for women only. So, I helped keep us on budget by working on our vacation! We took a trolly 
ride to the Ghirardelli factory/store and had a chocolate fudge sundae. We then drove to the Golden Gate state park to get a good view of the bridge. After leaving the park, we had the GPS lead us out of the city. It took us through the city...down authentic San Fran streets. Straight up then straight down. We were a little worried that the car was not going to make it. We ate dinner at Marie Callender's. Alan and I were surprised that her empire stretched further than just frozen dinners. It was a good meal and a good end to the evening. Friday, May 29, 2009
Day Fourteen
Thursday, May 28, 2009
We started the morni
ng by continuing on the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) along the pacific coast. On one side of us is the was the pacific ocean and on the other side of us was the mountains. The major difference I noticed between the east and west coast beaches is that the west coast beaches do not have any dunes. Our first stop was the Hearst Castle. On the way there, we traveled through one of the many wine countries of California. We could see rows and rows of grapes! Then we saw many strawberry fields with strawberry pickers hard at work. We arrived at the Hearst Castle and had no idea what to expect. We were given advice by the tour guides to go on the experience tour. We watched a movie about W.R. Hearst and the building of the castle (which he called "the ranch". We took 
a bus to the top of the mountain and were in awe of what we saw. It was truly a castle, modeled after many European castles. The gardens and grounds were gorgeous. There is no way I can describe with words how beautiful this place was. If you have ever been to the Biltmore Estates in Ashville, NC...think 10x better and grander!! The tour took us around the gardens, the outdoor pool, one of the three guest houses, the ground floor of the castle (cocktail room/living room, dining room, music room, billiards room, movie theater) and the indoor pool. After finishing our tour, we headed a couple miles down the road to the elephant seal viewing area. When we got there, we saw some very fat ground squirrels who were not afraid of people. I had three of 
then walk right up to me, stand on their hind feet, and beg for food. I did not notice the sign that stated "DO NOT FEED THE ANIMALS" until after the deed had been done. Oops! Then we saw 100's of seals beached on the sand. It was molting season, so they were shedding their fur. At the same time, we could not tell by the noises if they were burping, passing gas, or breathing in a funny way. With the stench as a clue, we were thinking of burping or passing gas!! 
Alan and I thought it would be fun to continue up the PCH. Boy were we wrong. This road is very winding along the mountain cliffs just above the water. About half way down the road we both started to feel car sick from all of the back and forth, up and down motions. The worst part...there was no other road out of the area. We had to get to the end of the road. When we finally got to the end, Alan and I had to get out of the car for a while. We were finally able to get back on the road and finally got to San Francisco.
ng by continuing on the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) along the pacific coast. On one side of us is the was the pacific ocean and on the other side of us was the mountains. The major difference I noticed between the east and west coast beaches is that the west coast beaches do not have any dunes. Our first stop was the Hearst Castle. On the way there, we traveled through one of the many wine countries of California. We could see rows and rows of grapes! Then we saw many strawberry fields with strawberry pickers hard at work. We arrived at the Hearst Castle and had no idea what to expect. We were given advice by the tour guides to go on the experience tour. We watched a movie about W.R. Hearst and the building of the castle (which he called "the ranch". We took 
a bus to the top of the mountain and were in awe of what we saw. It was truly a castle, modeled after many European castles. The gardens and grounds were gorgeous. There is no way I can describe with words how beautiful this place was. If you have ever been to the Biltmore Estates in Ashville, NC...think 10x better and grander!! The tour took us around the gardens, the outdoor pool, one of the three guest houses, the ground floor of the castle (cocktail room/living room, dining room, music room, billiards room, movie theater) and the indoor pool. After finishing our tour, we headed a couple miles down the road to the elephant seal viewing area. When we got there, we saw some very fat ground squirrels who were not afraid of people. I had three of 
then walk right up to me, stand on their hind feet, and beg for food. I did not notice the sign that stated "DO NOT FEED THE ANIMALS" until after the deed had been done. Oops! Then we saw 100's of seals beached on the sand. It was molting season, so they were shedding their fur. At the same time, we could not tell by the noises if they were burping, passing gas, or breathing in a funny way. With the stench as a clue, we were thinking of burping or passing gas!! 
Alan and I thought it would be fun to continue up the PCH. Boy were we wrong. This road is very winding along the mountain cliffs just above the water. About half way down the road we both started to feel car sick from all of the back and forth, up and down motions. The worst part...there was no other road out of the area. We had to get to the end of the road. When we finally got to the end, Alan and I had to get out of the car for a while. We were finally able to get back on the road and finally got to San Francisco.Miles Traveled: 4011.9 miles
Day Thirteen
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
It was an early start this morning. Alan didn't go to sleep and I woke up
at 3am. Alan was unable to get the shirts done since Kinko's did not have an ink jet printer. The laser printer melted the iron-on transfer sheets. We headed to "The Price is Right" location and got in line at 4am. The line stretched around the corner. At 6am, the crew started handing out Order of Arrival passes. This pass determined if you were going to get on the show or not. If we had gotten in like 45 minutes later than we did, we would not have made it on the show!! We had 2 hours to kill so we went to get breakfast. When we returned, the rodeo began. We were called to get into numerical order according to our Order of Arrival pass. We were given our name tag, along with our contestant number, and lots of paperwork. We had to fill out a card that told a story why we were there. After all of that was done...we waited. W
e had to wait f
or our interview with the producer. By watching the interviews of other possible contestants, Alan and I had our hunches as to who was going to get picked. When we had our interview, we knew that we were not going to get picked...oh well. We were then herded through security and another holding area. Around 12:30pm we were escorted into the studio. We were both amazed at how small the studio was. Due to security, we were not able to take any pictures once we entered the CBS lot. The taping was awesome! We were seated front and center. The hunches we had were correct. If you want to see what happened in the episode and to see us in the audience, you should tune into the Price is Right on CBS on June 15, 2009!! After the taping, Alan wanted to take a nap. We went to dinner with Whitney and Mark at Rush Street where I had the most amazing meal EVER!! It was delicious. After dinner, we said our goodbyes and hit the road toward San Francisco.
at 3am. Alan was unable to get the shirts done since Kinko's did not have an ink jet printer. The laser printer melted the iron-on transfer sheets. We headed to "The Price is Right" location and got in line at 4am. The line stretched around the corner. At 6am, the crew started handing out Order of Arrival passes. This pass determined if you were going to get on the show or not. If we had gotten in like 45 minutes later than we did, we would not have made it on the show!! We had 2 hours to kill so we went to get breakfast. When we returned, the rodeo began. We were called to get into numerical order according to our Order of Arrival pass. We were given our name tag, along with our contestant number, and lots of paperwork. We had to fill out a card that told a story why we were there. After all of that was done...we waited. W
e had to wait f
or our interview with the producer. By watching the interviews of other possible contestants, Alan and I had our hunches as to who was going to get picked. When we had our interview, we knew that we were not going to get picked...oh well. We were then herded through security and another holding area. Around 12:30pm we were escorted into the studio. We were both amazed at how small the studio was. Due to security, we were not able to take any pictures once we entered the CBS lot. The taping was awesome! We were seated front and center. The hunches we had were correct. If you want to see what happened in the episode and to see us in the audience, you should tune into the Price is Right on CBS on June 15, 2009!! After the taping, Alan wanted to take a nap. We went to dinner with Whitney and Mark at Rush Street where I had the most amazing meal EVER!! It was delicious. After dinner, we said our goodbyes and hit the road toward San Francisco. Day Twelve
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Today was a late start. Whitney had thin
gs to do today, so we were on our own. Around noon we finally got moving. We headed to Venice Beach to check out the scene. And what a scene it was. We both felt like we traveled back in time...back to the 70's/80's. 80's music was playing, bodybuilders were w
alking the beach, and we even caught a glimpse of neon clothes and funky hair! In addition to that, there were street vendors and "medical offices". There were RV's parked in the parking lot that looked like they have not been moved since the late 60's. It was definitely an experience. We then traveled to Wal-Mart to get supplies to make t-shirts for "The Price is Right" taping. That night, we decided to cook dinner with Whitney and Mark. Alan created a design for our shirts and headed to Kinko's to have it printed onto iron-on transfers while I went to bed. We were going to have to wake up at 3am to get in line, so I went to bed early.
gs to do today, so we were on our own. Around noon we finally got moving. We headed to Venice Beach to check out the scene. And what a scene it was. We both felt like we traveled back in time...back to the 70's/80's. 80's music was playing, bodybuilders were w
alking the beach, and we even caught a glimpse of neon clothes and funky hair! In addition to that, there were street vendors and "medical offices". There were RV's parked in the parking lot that looked like they have not been moved since the late 60's. It was definitely an experience. We then traveled to Wal-Mart to get supplies to make t-shirts for "The Price is Right" taping. That night, we decided to cook dinner with Whitney and Mark. Alan created a design for our shirts and headed to Kinko's to have it printed onto iron-on transfers while I went to bed. We were going to have to wake up at 3am to get in line, so I went to bed early. Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Day Eleven
Monday, May 25, 2009
With an early start this morning, Alan, Whitney and I loaded int
o the car and headed to the San Diego Zoo. It took us 2.5 hours to get there. We started with the sea lion show. It was so cute to see the sea lions do tricks. One of the sea lions was a rescue that they tried to re-release in the wild...the only problem...he kept coming back. As a result, he became part of the show. We walked around the rest of the zoo to see the multitude of animals. The best par
t of all...the Tiger enclosure. There were 4 tigers in the enclosure that were playing with each other. The four of them put on a show for the audience. The zoo was definitely large. On the way home, Whitney and I were pooped and decided to take a nap. That night we went to dinner and a traditional sushi restaurant where the chef make the sushi and puts it on a conveyor belt for you to pick up at will. Not only was it fun and exciting, it was delicious.
o the car and headed to the San Diego Zoo. It took us 2.5 hours to get there. We started with the sea lion show. It was so cute to see the sea lions do tricks. One of the sea lions was a rescue that they tried to re-release in the wild...the only problem...he kept coming back. As a result, he became part of the show. We walked around the rest of the zoo to see the multitude of animals. The best par
t of all...the Tiger enclosure. There were 4 tigers in the enclosure that were playing with each other. The four of them put on a show for the audience. The zoo was definitely large. On the way home, Whitney and I were pooped and decided to take a nap. That night we went to dinner and a traditional sushi restaurant where the chef make the sushi and puts it on a conveyor belt for you to pick up at will. Not only was it fun and exciting, it was delicious. Day 10
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Today we decided to go to the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum Ro
w. The tar pits is a place where Ice Age animals became trapped and now the bones are the best preserved of any skeleton living during that time. When we walked into the park, I could smell the asphault! The museum was smaller than I thought, but there was an area to watch the archeologists work on all of the foun
d fossils. From the tar pits we went to LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art). This was more Alan's cup of tea rather than mine. Alan could sit and look at a painting and come up with a bunch of intellectual "stuff" to say about it. With me, I look at it and determine if it is pretty or not and then move on. Alan seemed to enjoy himself! Following the museums, we went with Whitney and Mark to a BBQ for dinner. All in all...a pretty good and relaxing day!
w. The tar pits is a place where Ice Age animals became trapped and now the bones are the best preserved of any skeleton living during that time. When we walked into the park, I could smell the asphault! The museum was smaller than I thought, but there was an area to watch the archeologists work on all of the foun
d fossils. From the tar pits we went to LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art). This was more Alan's cup of tea rather than mine. Alan could sit and look at a painting and come up with a bunch of intellectual "stuff" to say about it. With me, I look at it and determine if it is pretty or not and then move on. Alan seemed to enjoy himself! Following the museums, we went with Whitney and Mark to a BBQ for dinner. All in all...a pretty good and relaxing day!Saturday, May 23, 2009
Day Nine
Saturday, May 23, 2009
This morning we started with breakfast at a wonderful little place Whit
ney suggested. We were able to meet Mark, Whitney's boyfriend. From breakfast, we headed to Hollywood to do the tourist thing. On the way there, we drove through the infamous Beverly Hills. We started with the Grauman's Chinese Theater with the forecourt (where all of the foot and handprints are). It was interesting to see how the foot/handprints from the 1930's were much smaller than the foot/handprints are presently. Alan compared his feet and hand to Arnold Schwarzenegger...the hands were the same size...but Alan still has bigger feet. Outside of the theater, there were many people dressed in costumes. 
We saw Batman, the Joker, Spiderman, Catwoman, Marilyn Monroe, The Little Mermaid, Darth Vader, a Stormtrooper, and Bumblebee. The only costume Alan wanted a picture with was Bumblebee. So, with a small tip, Alan and Whitney had their picture taken with the Transformer. We walked the Hollywood Walk of Fame only to realize that it goes on FOREVER (and we only walked one side of the street). We were able to see the "Hollywood" sign as well; however it still looks small in the pictures. To finish off the afternoon, we stopped b
y Pink's for one of their famous chili dogs. After putting enough change in the parking meter for about an hour, we got in line for a chili dog. The line for Pink's wrapped around the building!! After an hour passed (and only moving halfway through the line), I walked back to the car and added an hour to the parking meter. When it was finally our time to order, Alan got a chili-cheesedog, Whitney got a chili dog, and me, being the weird one who doesn't like chili dogs, ordered a guacamole dog. The food was great and well worth the 
1.5 hour wait for the experience. With Whitney and Mark off to a Dodgers game, Alan and I explored Santa Monica by foot. We walked toward the beach and ended up finding the Santa Monica Pier. The most amusing part was the first place we saw was a Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Even though we have traveled as far away from the southeast as we could, we still cannot get away from the South. We walked the pier looking at all of the performers and watching all of the people on the rides. We took a stroll on the beach, which Alan and I think is much nicer than Tybee Island, GA.
ney suggested. We were able to meet Mark, Whitney's boyfriend. From breakfast, we headed to Hollywood to do the tourist thing. On the way there, we drove through the infamous Beverly Hills. We started with the Grauman's Chinese Theater with the forecourt (where all of the foot and handprints are). It was interesting to see how the foot/handprints from the 1930's were much smaller than the foot/handprints are presently. Alan compared his feet and hand to Arnold Schwarzenegger...the hands were the same size...but Alan still has bigger feet. Outside of the theater, there were many people dressed in costumes. 
We saw Batman, the Joker, Spiderman, Catwoman, Marilyn Monroe, The Little Mermaid, Darth Vader, a Stormtrooper, and Bumblebee. The only costume Alan wanted a picture with was Bumblebee. So, with a small tip, Alan and Whitney had their picture taken with the Transformer. We walked the Hollywood Walk of Fame only to realize that it goes on FOREVER (and we only walked one side of the street). We were able to see the "Hollywood" sign as well; however it still looks small in the pictures. To finish off the afternoon, we stopped b
y Pink's for one of their famous chili dogs. After putting enough change in the parking meter for about an hour, we got in line for a chili dog. The line for Pink's wrapped around the building!! After an hour passed (and only moving halfway through the line), I walked back to the car and added an hour to the parking meter. When it was finally our time to order, Alan got a chili-cheesedog, Whitney got a chili dog, and me, being the weird one who doesn't like chili dogs, ordered a guacamole dog. The food was great and well worth the 
1.5 hour wait for the experience. With Whitney and Mark off to a Dodgers game, Alan and I explored Santa Monica by foot. We walked toward the beach and ended up finding the Santa Monica Pier. The most amusing part was the first place we saw was a Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Even though we have traveled as far away from the southeast as we could, we still cannot get away from the South. We walked the pier looking at all of the performers and watching all of the people on the rides. We took a stroll on the beach, which Alan and I think is much nicer than Tybee Island, GA. Day Eight
Friday, May 22, 2009
Today I was able to sleep in...finally!! We spent the mornin
g packing up and getting ready to check out of the hotel. We decided to only stay one night because we know we will be back to visit in the future. We checked out of the hotel, grabbed a bite to eat, and finished exploring the city. We started by going up into the Eiffel tower at the hotel Paris. From there we were able to see the whole strip and had a great view of the Bellagio fountains. We figured it would have been a better view at night when the strip is all lit up (FYI for our next visit). We went to see the lion exhibit at t
he MGM Grand. When we arrived, the lion was playing/chewing on a toy and his two handlers were hanging out in the enclosure with him. He was beautiful. There is a glass walkway through the enclosure so that people can get a better look. He was laying on top of the walkway when we went though. The most interesting thing to me was when he licked the glass...his tongue looked just like a house cat tongue (with the spines) just 10x larger. We continued to explore the strip until we had seen all of the major hotels/casinos. We then loaded up in the car, filled up with gas, and headed through more desert to Los Angeles! By the time we reached LA, I was so sick of the desert...definitely not a place for me to live!! One of the
main goals we had for visiting LA was to see Whitney, my best friend from high school. And being the wonderful person that she is, she let us stay with her! When we got to her home in Santa Monica, I was surprised at how much of a temperature change there was. We left Las Vegas when it was about 90 degrees and Santa Monica was about 65 degrees. We went to dinner at Wahoo's (known for their fish tacos) where I had my first fish taco! It was really good. We then made our way to the Third Street promenade where there were street performers and many shops to go into. We stopped and had some gelato and visited/caught up for a while.
g packing up and getting ready to check out of the hotel. We decided to only stay one night because we know we will be back to visit in the future. We checked out of the hotel, grabbed a bite to eat, and finished exploring the city. We started by going up into the Eiffel tower at the hotel Paris. From there we were able to see the whole strip and had a great view of the Bellagio fountains. We figured it would have been a better view at night when the strip is all lit up (FYI for our next visit). We went to see the lion exhibit at t
he MGM Grand. When we arrived, the lion was playing/chewing on a toy and his two handlers were hanging out in the enclosure with him. He was beautiful. There is a glass walkway through the enclosure so that people can get a better look. He was laying on top of the walkway when we went though. The most interesting thing to me was when he licked the glass...his tongue looked just like a house cat tongue (with the spines) just 10x larger. We continued to explore the strip until we had seen all of the major hotels/casinos. We then loaded up in the car, filled up with gas, and headed through more desert to Los Angeles! By the time we reached LA, I was so sick of the desert...definitely not a place for me to live!! One of the
main goals we had for visiting LA was to see Whitney, my best friend from high school. And being the wonderful person that she is, she let us stay with her! When we got to her home in Santa Monica, I was surprised at how much of a temperature change there was. We left Las Vegas when it was about 90 degrees and Santa Monica was about 65 degrees. We went to dinner at Wahoo's (known for their fish tacos) where I had my first fish taco! It was really good. We then made our way to the Third Street promenade where there were street performers and many shops to go into. We stopped and had some gelato and visited/caught up for a while.Miles traveled: 3548.2 miles
Day Seven
Thursday, May 21, 2009
We awoke early this morning (early being about 4:45 am) when the sun cam up to
break down our camp site and start heading to Las Vegas. As we left the Grand Canyon National Park, we passed by several white-tailed deer and numerous elk. According to the GPS, it was only 4.5 hours to Las Vegas. Since we woke up so early, we knew we would have to kill some time before we would be able to check into our hotel. We stopped at Wal-m
art for our first oil change of the trip and it took forever. We killed some time by eating breakfast, exchanging books on tape at Cracker Barrel, and then strolled/meandered around Wal-mart. We did make one big discovery...the Wal-mart in Kingman, AZ sells liquor at half the price of regular liquor stores. After getting our car back, we continued on our way and crossed the Hoover Dam. They are in the process of building a huge bridge over the dam to divert traffic. (And just for you, Andrew, I took lots of pictures of the bridge construction!) We got to Las Vegas, checked into our hotel at the Bally's Casino and began exploring Las Vegas. We started with dinner 
at Le Village Buffet. They had a wide array of foods including Prime Rib, leg of lamb, roasted duck, snow crabs, and tons of desserts. All of the food was amazing. We then made our way to the strip to explore the city. We made sure the catch all of the free hotel shows (the fountains at the Bellagio, the volcano at the Mirage, and the pirate show at Treasure Island). We walked through all of the major hotels/casinos on the strip and Alan tried his luck at gambling in all of them. Needless to say, we are not rich yet. We tried to get chips as souvenirs for family and friends, but we quickly learned that you MUST cash in your chips before leaving the table. I, being the party pooper, needed sleep, so we headed back to the hotel. Alan continued to explore the night life of the city.
break down our camp site and start heading to Las Vegas. As we left the Grand Canyon National Park, we passed by several white-tailed deer and numerous elk. According to the GPS, it was only 4.5 hours to Las Vegas. Since we woke up so early, we knew we would have to kill some time before we would be able to check into our hotel. We stopped at Wal-m
art for our first oil change of the trip and it took forever. We killed some time by eating breakfast, exchanging books on tape at Cracker Barrel, and then strolled/meandered around Wal-mart. We did make one big discovery...the Wal-mart in Kingman, AZ sells liquor at half the price of regular liquor stores. After getting our car back, we continued on our way and crossed the Hoover Dam. They are in the process of building a huge bridge over the dam to divert traffic. (And just for you, Andrew, I took lots of pictures of the bridge construction!) We got to Las Vegas, checked into our hotel at the Bally's Casino and began exploring Las Vegas. We started with dinner 
at Le Village Buffet. They had a wide array of foods including Prime Rib, leg of lamb, roasted duck, snow crabs, and tons of desserts. All of the food was amazing. We then made our way to the strip to explore the city. We made sure the catch all of the free hotel shows (the fountains at the Bellagio, the volcano at the Mirage, and the pirate show at Treasure Island). We walked through all of the major hotels/casinos on the strip and Alan tried his luck at gambling in all of them. Needless to say, we are not rich yet. We tried to get chips as souvenirs for family and friends, but we quickly learned that you MUST cash in your chips before leaving the table. I, being the party pooper, needed sleep, so we headed back to the hotel. Alan continued to explore the night life of the city.Miles Traveled: 3035.1 miles
Day Six
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Today was just a relaxing day around camp and the Grand Canyon National Pa
rk. We woke up at day break...thinking it was about 7:00am or so. Alan wanted to see the sunrise over the Canyon, so we hopped in the car and headed toward the rim. On the way, we saw a small heard of elk eating the trees in our campground. Alan's interest was peaked and headed off for a close picture. He was able to get with
in 5 feet of one of them and got a great close-up shot. Surprisingly enough, none of them were afraid of people. We needed to get some more firewood and ice for the day, so we headed into the small town just outside the park. While waiting for the store to open at 8am, we realized that this part of Arizona does not observe Daylight savings time and it was in fact 6:00 am!! The rest of the day was spent 
exploring the rest of the national park and listening to some of the various presentations by the park rangers. In the evening, we sat by the fire enjoying the sunset and the sounds of the many insects and animals. We went to bed early with the intention of waking up early to break down camp and head to the Hoover dam and Las Vegas.
rk. We woke up at day break...thinking it was about 7:00am or so. Alan wanted to see the sunrise over the Canyon, so we hopped in the car and headed toward the rim. On the way, we saw a small heard of elk eating the trees in our campground. Alan's interest was peaked and headed off for a close picture. He was able to get with
in 5 feet of one of them and got a great close-up shot. Surprisingly enough, none of them were afraid of people. We needed to get some more firewood and ice for the day, so we headed into the small town just outside the park. While waiting for the store to open at 8am, we realized that this part of Arizona does not observe Daylight savings time and it was in fact 6:00 am!! The rest of the day was spent 
exploring the rest of the national park and listening to some of the various presentations by the park rangers. In the evening, we sat by the fire enjoying the sunset and the sounds of the many insects and animals. We went to bed early with the intention of waking up early to break down camp and head to the Hoover dam and Las Vegas. Miles traveled: 2,890.3 miles
Day Five
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
We spent a good amount of time on the road today in pursuit of the Grand Canyon. We arrived, set up our camp site and headed to the Canyon. It was breathtaking! You see the Canyon in pictures all the time, but it barely does any kind of justice to the magnitude and grandeur. We walked along the rim taking many pictu
res and noticing how the Canyon changed with different angles of view. We could see glimpses of the Colorado River and the campground housed within the Canyon. We headed back to the camp site, started a fire, cooked dinner, made s'mores, and popped a bottle of champagne to celebrate our two-year anniversary.
res and noticing how the Canyon changed with different angles of view. We could see glimpses of the Colorado River and the campground housed within the Canyon. We headed back to the camp site, started a fire, cooked dinner, made s'mores, and popped a bottle of champagne to celebrate our two-year anniversary.Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Day Four
Monday, May 18, 2009:
Today wasn't extremely exciting considering we drove most of the day. We left San
Antonio with the goal of leaving Texas today. When we entered Texas there were 880 miles before we left the state. The rolling hills of Texas turned into more distinct mountains and the abundant vegitation became sparce and a lot less green. We were entering the desert. There was a point at which Alan realized that we needed to get gas. We saw a sign, pulled off the interstate only to find out that the gas station was closed and abandoned. At that very moment...the gas light came on. My thoughts: we are out in the middle of nowhere and are out of gas!! (Freak-out mode began to rev up!!) The GPS found gas only 15 miles away (but 15
miles off of the interstate) and we were able to fill up without any problems. Thanks to the GPS, the potential crisis was everted!! As we got closer to El Paso, we were able to see the Rio Grande and the mountian range in Mexico. Alan wanted to take a closer look, but with me not having a valid passport, I had fears of accidentilly crossing the border and getting stuck in Mexico...not really my cup of tea! When we got to El Paso, we were within one mile of the Mexican border and could see the Mexican flag proudly flapping in the wind. Alan's two main goals for Texas was to have authentic TexMex and Texas BBQ. Since 
the TexMex request was fulfilled in San Antonio, we stopped for dinner at The State Line BBQ. It was delicious and well worth the cost! We continued into New Mexico where we were stopped by the Border Patrolwho asked a couple of questions about if we were US citizens and how many people we had in the car. They did not ask for any identification or search the car. Alan and I were worried that we made a wrong turn and ended up at the Mexican border. They assured us we were indeed in New Mexico and heading in the right direction. We stopped for the night in Albuquweque, NM. We will be heading for the Grand Canyon in the morning.
Antonio with the goal of leaving Texas today. When we entered Texas there were 880 miles before we left the state. The rolling hills of Texas turned into more distinct mountains and the abundant vegitation became sparce and a lot less green. We were entering the desert. There was a point at which Alan realized that we needed to get gas. We saw a sign, pulled off the interstate only to find out that the gas station was closed and abandoned. At that very moment...the gas light came on. My thoughts: we are out in the middle of nowhere and are out of gas!! (Freak-out mode began to rev up!!) The GPS found gas only 15 miles away (but 15
miles off of the interstate) and we were able to fill up without any problems. Thanks to the GPS, the potential crisis was everted!! As we got closer to El Paso, we were able to see the Rio Grande and the mountian range in Mexico. Alan wanted to take a closer look, but with me not having a valid passport, I had fears of accidentilly crossing the border and getting stuck in Mexico...not really my cup of tea! When we got to El Paso, we were within one mile of the Mexican border and could see the Mexican flag proudly flapping in the wind. Alan's two main goals for Texas was to have authentic TexMex and Texas BBQ. Since 
the TexMex request was fulfilled in San Antonio, we stopped for dinner at The State Line BBQ. It was delicious and well worth the cost! We continued into New Mexico where we were stopped by the Border Patrolwho asked a couple of questions about if we were US citizens and how many people we had in the car. They did not ask for any identification or search the car. Alan and I were worried that we made a wrong turn and ended up at the Mexican border. They assured us we were indeed in New Mexico and heading in the right direction. We stopped for the night in Albuquweque, NM. We will be heading for the Grand Canyon in the morning.Miles Traveled: 2238.6 miles
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Day Three
Day Three: Sunday, May 17, 2009 
After leaving the beach in Galveston, Alan decided not to stop for the night. He wanted to keep driving. So that is what he did...he drove and I slept. He would pull over into a rest stop every couple of hours to take a nap. I woke up and we were in San Antonio, TX. At least n
ot having a hotel room for the night kept us within our budget! We were quite impressed with the touristy, downtown areas of San Antonio! Must say, much better than Savannah's tourist district. The first stop was visiting the Alamo. We were refreshed on our early American history as we explored the grounds. We then walked to the San Fernando cathedral. We did not stay long considering it was Sunday and they were between masses at the time. We continued walking to the Market Plaza which is very similar to Savannah's City Market. For lunch, we stopped at a booth where several ladies were making t
ortilla shells and gordita shells by hand. It was the best and most authentic taco and gordita that I have ever had. It was pretty amazing!! Next was a boat tour through the River Walk area. This area of San Antonio was beautiful, relaxing, and peaceful. It is a different world compared to the bustling city above. To end our time in this city, we took a driving tour of the 4 old Spanish Missions. The most amazing part is that the Mission chapels are still being used on a weekly basis for Mass. We didn't get too far outside of the city before the nice flat plains turned to rolling hills.
After leaving the beach in Galveston, Alan decided not to stop for the night. He wanted to keep driving. So that is what he did...he drove and I slept. He would pull over into a rest stop every couple of hours to take a nap. I woke up and we were in San Antonio, TX. At least n
ot having a hotel room for the night kept us within our budget! We were quite impressed with the touristy, downtown areas of San Antonio! Must say, much better than Savannah's tourist district. The first stop was visiting the Alamo. We were refreshed on our early American history as we explored the grounds. We then walked to the San Fernando cathedral. We did not stay long considering it was Sunday and they were between masses at the time. We continued walking to the Market Plaza which is very similar to Savannah's City Market. For lunch, we stopped at a booth where several ladies were making t
ortilla shells and gordita shells by hand. It was the best and most authentic taco and gordita that I have ever had. It was pretty amazing!! Next was a boat tour through the River Walk area. This area of San Antonio was beautiful, relaxing, and peaceful. It is a different world compared to the bustling city above. To end our time in this city, we took a driving tour of the 4 old Spanish Missions. The most amazing part is that the Mission chapels are still being used on a weekly basis for Mass. We didn't get too far outside of the city before the nice flat plains turned to rolling hills.
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