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Day
1: The End is the Beginning is the End...
From San Francisco to Fallon, Nevada. There's gold in them thar hills! |
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Day
2: The 600 Mile Long Drive By.
Fallon Nevada to Green River Utah. Giant sand dunes, lonely phones,
snow above the desert, and this curious fellow... |
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Day
3: Maybe It *IS* Better on Top
How Alex began to conquer his fear of heights. From Green River to
SLC via Moab. |
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Day
4: Can I Get in on the Pool?
And you'd thought I would've given up by now? Silly people. SLCUT
to Jackson Hole, WY. |
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Days
5 and 6: Why T. Roosevelt Was a Genius
Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. You haven't lived until
you've been here. |
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Day
7: Montana is More Than Just Big Sky
Yellowstone to Glacier MT 500 miles of open road and nothing to slow
me down. And at the end... |
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Day
8: Has He Lost His Head?
I AM the Iron Man. 759 miles. Glacier to Gilette, WY via Bear Paw
and Little Big Horn NP's. |
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Day
9: Expect the Unexpected
The aliens have left the tower. Seth Bullock rules The Wind Cave wasn't.
And MORE bison! |
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Day
10: First the Tax Cuts, then Iraq, Now My Vacation?
How the long arm of Mr. Placeholder reached all the way into my vacation. |
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Day
11: Why Frat Boys Should Never Become President.
Or... If you don't know you're history, you're doomed to repeat it. |
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Day
12: They Built It, and I Came, But...
I couldn't get in! Scary how quickly things change once you cross
the mighty Mississippi... |
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Day
13: Dante Would Be Proud.
Or... Why driving through Northern Indiana is a mind numbing, soul
sucking experience. |
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Peru
2002
Why Pisco Sours, Incan ruins, postcards, and a man named Carlos make
for one unforgettable adventure. |
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13 days. 15 National
Parks. 5418 miles. All in one unforgetable trip.
When I move house, I move house!
So...
For those of you familiar with my travelogues, welcome back. It's
been awhile, hasn't it? For you, no warnings or instructions; you
know what to expect.
For those of you new to the group, welcome! Here's how this works.
Get up, grab a coffee, sit back down, and prepare yourself for the
first chapter in a book. I promise, it won't hurt too much...
Oh, and just to be clear - I do this for myself as much as for everyone
else, so don't feel guilty if you don't read the whole thing.
My life is interesting, but its not THAT interesting.
Day One:
The End Is The Beginning Is the End Is The Beginning... (A Memo
Or A Mission Statement? You Decide.)
Distance:
257 Miles
Itinerary:
S.F., CA --> Sacto, CA --> South Lake Tahoe, CA -->
South Lake Tahoe, NV --> Carson City, NV --> Virginia City,
NV --> Fallon, NV
Kramer Quotient (KQ)
2 Venti Iced Caramel Machiattos
My last morning in SF was spent recovering from the events of the
previous evening. For those of you who were there (and remember
it), I have you all to thank for both an amazing "last nite
out" AND a not so amazing morning after effect. For those of
you who weren't there, you missed a good one. How many more
chances in life will you have to see Kramer in a fez?
Hangover notwithstanding, the morning began at the last of the spots
I had chosen for my farewell tour: Boogaloos at 22nd and Valencia.
Almost two years ago to the day, Christian and I rolled into SF,
and this was the place we had one of our first meals in the city.
Seemed only fitting to make it my last meal as I headed out of town.
Eggs, bacon, hashbrowns, coffee, more coffee, and yes, please, one
more cup of coffee, thank you. Christian, Fred and I got our eat
on quick, with Kramer showing up 15 minutes late (would we expect
anything less?), minus the fez.
With breakfast complete, Fred headed off to the airport (see ya
on the other side Toof!), and Kramer dropped Christian and I off
at our apartment one last time. Weird, but I think only then did
it really hit me what I was about to do. A quick run of the apartment,
a reorganization of the car, and one last goodbye were all that
stood between me and the open road. By Noon, I was out and headed
across the bridge one last time.
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And then it REALLY
hit me. I was leaving. SF was in the rear view mirror. The place
I had called home for two years was home no longer. An end and a beginning.
Amazing. And since the drive from SF to Sacto is so boring,
I had plenty of time to think. Two years. TWO YEARS. Where did it
all go? How did it all happen so quick? And what exactly is next for
me, and for all of us? It's hard trying to compress two years of life
into two hours of thinking into a couple of paragraphs of text, but
I'll do my best.
Where did the time go? Life happens so quickly sometimes. Good friends,
good times, great memories. And yet, driving thru Cali with nothing
but myself, my ipod, and my thoughts to keep me company, I couldn't
help but think... Don't we all take everything just a bit too much
for granted? Each day goes by so fast, with each of us running from
one task or event to the next. Together, apart, together, apart, our
lives intersecting and separating minute by minute, day by day. Big-ASS
nights out, beers in bars, weekends in Yosemite, and weeks at WMC,
we shared em all, and they were amazing. But still... why is it that
only now, as I'm leaving everything and everyone I know, why is it
only then that I feel like I truly appreciate what I have?
Maybe its just me, maybe its some of us, or maybe its all of us, I
don't know. For me at least, I know this. I need to slow down
more often. I need to take time to appreciate my life, my friends,
and my experiences. I need to stop working so hard, stop being
in such a damn hurry all the time. And I need to get out of the city
more often.
And then, Sacto, and a choice. I-80 vs. Route 50. Two years
in SF, and the only time I made it to Tahoe was on the way into town.
Might as well stay consistent and hit it on the way out too. Route
50 it is. Through the valley, up the foothills, and into the
Sierras. Through the pass, and BAM! Tahoe. Two years? Why didn't we
ever make it up here? What were we thinking? And who wants to plan
the trip for my winter break? :)
Stopped and took some AMAZING photos of the sun hitting the lake,
then drove across the border into Nevada. Amazing how one arbitrary
line can change so much. You got nature every direction you look,
and some people choose a casino. I know we all have our thing, but
c'mon people. Good thing it was downhill out of the Sierras from there,
cause I couldn't put that mess behind me fast enough.
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More foothills, then
Carson City. This is the state capitol? Too funny. Then again,
its big for Nevada, isn't it. And finally my first destination - Virginia
City, NV. Just 7 miles off Route 50, it was the site of the "Eureka!"
heard round the world - The Comstock Load. A bit touristy, yeah, but
still... its a part of our history we just don't see very often.
Today's bit of trivia:
During the 1860's and 70's, over $1 billion in gold and silver were
taken from the hills surrounding this town. That's $1 billion in 1860's
money! The place is everything you'd expect and more - saloons, jailhouses,
churches, and brothels, all side by side. And on the way in and out,
the curious fellow you see at the top of the page.
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An hour or two, plenty of pictures,
a beer in the Bucket of Blood Saloon (since 1876), and back
in the car.
More time to think...
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Day One: The Liner
Notes
I have some really amazing friends, and I don't tell you that nearly
enough. Since I don't have all night to write, I'll limit these shout
outs to those of you who showed up for one of my going away parties.
I'll get the rest of you next time. So... Christian - two years and
one apartment later and we're still friends - amazing. Only one word
for that: family. Kramer - for the East Coast attitude combined with
the West Coast hair (nevermind the flyers), you rock. Now if we had
only spent that time in the studio instead of Blowfish, we'd have
an album full of tracks. One day. One day. Fred - 8 trips in two years?
The whole thing wouldn't have been the same without you. Can you match
that in Boston? Here's to those who wanna be... Baker - you made it
two parts progressive house to one part tribal - nice one! If you
need help with K's moodswings, gimmie a holler. You do have a phone,
don't you? James - brotha, its STILL all happening. Here's to a future
full of trouble. Amy - guess you can have K back now. Thanks for sharing.
Tracey - what would ASS be without you? And how exactly do you get
Baker to return your calls? Inquiring minds want to know. Jim - watchya
gonna do when we launch Arrival Boston? Hehe... Jay - Sunday nite's
are officially yours now, take care of em. Erin - for nearly keeping
up with Fred you get mad props. Misha - SF really does look better
in a buggy. You have my eternal thanks kid. Gandalf - I'm headed your
way now. Wasn't as short as you hoped or as long as you feared, but
regardless, its time. Tell the Avalon kids to get ready. G -
were there a way to shrink the distance between SF and LA. Then again,
if that'd be like pushing matter and anti-matter closer to each other,
wouldn't it? Guess you'll have to make another trip East for a birthday
bash for us to hang. And to all the rest of you, a big, huge, massive
THANK YOU. Keep on keepin on and one day we'll get there, you'll see...
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Think think think.
There I am, thinking about how we need to appreciate our lives, our
days, our moments more, when, WHAM! Universe hits me over the head.
Seems my camera decides to have an issue and I lose all of my
photos from the day. 10 minutes into stewing over it and I realize
- isn't this exactly what I've been telling myself all day? Appreciate
the moment WHILE its happening. Sure, pictures would be nice, but
they're not the point, are they? Thanks universe, I can always count
on you to drive a point home.
And finally, Fallon NV, home to one of the Navy's Top Gun schools,
a mediocre Taco Bell, and too many motels to count. Which brings me
to the end of this Chapter and to sleep. C'mon, cut me some
slack. I'm rusty! This will get better, you'll see....
To summarize: hangover bad. coffee good. friends better. knowing you'll
see them all again some day soon priceless.
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