Joe's Cross-Country Journal

5 Years Later...

2010-05-04T20:36:00.003-04:00

I'm off to do it again - and this time bigger and better. Roadtrip 2010. Check it out at Joesroadtrip.com

See you on the road.

joe

Info on using the site

2005-09-18T23:18:00.000-04:00

Welcome visitors!

Thanks for checking my site out - I had a wonderful experience on the road this past July and am glad to share it with anyone who is interested.

As you can tell, the journal entries are in reverse-chronological order. If you're like me and prefer to view things in a natural order, just click on the links under the "Archives" (on the right, in blue, just a little down the page). This way, you can go back to Day 1 and move forward, if you would prefer. There might be more than one post on a particular page, as some I've written on the same day (for example - Day 2 and 3). If that is the case, scroll down to the bottom of the page to read the earlier post first. Sorry for the confusion.

Thanks again for stopping by. Don't forget to sign the guestbook, or send me an email with your comments at josephcurtin@stny.rr.com. I'd love to hear about your experiences on the road, as well.

Joe

2005-08-02T00:18:00.000-04:00

The full journey

Day 29

2005-08-01T23:21:00.000-04:00

Location: Endwell, NY

Total miles traveled: 11,526

As you can tell, I came back home just a bit early. I left South Bend around 10AM on the 29th - by late afternoon I was near Erie, PA. Unfortunately, I was unable to get a hold of my friend Tom in Buffalo, so I decided I would just continue East towards home (only about 600 miles total for the day).

I got back home shortly after 9PM, despite all the bathroom stops and stretching stops. Its odd...on the latter part of this trip I noticed that the right side of my butt gets all crampy, but I don't have a wallet in my back pocket or anything.

Anyhow, got to see my family before I retired for the night at my parents (I was too tired to go any further). Talked a little about the trip, showed off some mementos, and then went to bed.

It was a great feeling to be back home after 29 days on the road. I don't know if I have mentioned this, but prior to my leaving on the 1st of July I was never away from home for more than 5 days (and most of those times they were family trips).

It's not like I've "found myself" on this trip or any other mushy stuff. However, I did learn a few things on the road that I probably wouldn't have found out otherwise:

For one, I can tolerate being by myself for long periods of time. A lot of people (including my students) thought I was crazy (or would become crazy) going on such a long trip solo. I have vacationed by myself before, but never for so long. Granted, I did make stops to see friends and family, but for the most part I was on my own. I was afraid I'd drive someone crazy if anyone came along. This way, I was my own boss...if there was something I wanted to see, I would go drive and see it...didn't have to ask anyone else.

But now, having seen so much, I know what I'd like others to see. It's an incredible country, and I've learned that even in a short amount of time a lot can be seen. Someday, hopefully, I can bring someone out on a cross-country trip to see some of these amazing places.

Another thing is that I've gained an appreciation for the unique area in which I live. Sure, we don't have tall mountains here, huge rivers, or deep canyons, but my home of hills and valleys has its own unique charm. I feel bad in that I went on this trip to hike in all these different places, yet I have never hiked here. I look forward to spending some time learning more about this area before the summer ends. This way, I hope to have a little more to say when people ask me about where I'm from (and I can say more than "3 hours from NYC").

I never would have thought that so many people would be interested in following one person's drive around the country. Maybe it's because you don't see it happen to often? I thought people would get sick of my writing after Day 2. I'm so grateful for all the positive comments and well-wishes as I went along, and I'm glad so many people liked the photos I took (I already blew up a couple and they've come out great)...if there's any one that you particularly liked, let me know, and I'll get you one printed.

My trip turned out to be more enjoyable and eye-opening than I ever thought it could be. I have said for years I wanted to see the U.S. first before I saw any foreign countries, but after taking this trip, I realized how little of the U.S. I've actually seen. Yes, I did drive almost 12,000 miles in a month, and have been in a lot of states, but believe it or not I have seen so very very little of this great country. And it's encouraging to know that I can take 10 more cross-country trips and I would still have so much left to see.

But as fun as it was being on the road, it's so nice to be back home. My time on this trip flew by, and I could've done another month, easy, if I didn't need to get back.

I'd recommend to anyone to go on a drive and see a little bit more of the U.S. than what they are familiar with. Of course, not everyone can take a month to do it, but even if it means driving to Iowa on a long weekend, or flying out to Texas and renting a car for a week to drive around...do it. There's so much more out there than what a lot of us have seen and are used to, and it's well worth seeing. You can't put a dollar value on it.

Thanks again for following me along on this trip.

Joe

Back home with the housemates

2005-07-29T02:05:00.000-04:00

The journey nears its end...

Days 27-28

2005-07-29T01:00:00.000-04:00

Location: South Bend, Indiana

Total miles traveled: 10,921

I woke up freezing shortly after 4AM on the 27th...my blanket did nothing in the cold Minnesotan weather. So I got back on the Interstate and headed South into Iowa.

It didn't take long to get into Iowa, but I was exhausted so I stopped for a nap. Pulling into the rest stop I heard some unsettling noises - my brakes were grinding. I knew I couldn't continue on the trip in this fashion, so I decided I'd try to find a garage when I reached a sizable city in Iowa that could take a look and find the problem.

My road atlas indicates the size of a city with the size font it uses for the name of the city; i.e. the smallest towns are written in the smallest fonts. So when I found a city with a medium sized font - Independence - I knew that would be a worthwhile place to stop.

I drove through the main road in the city but found no Midas, Meineke, or Firestone garages. I called my brother Brendan on my cell, and through a Google search for "Brake Shops" he found a Firestone just a few blocks from my location.

I drove to the Firestone, explained the situation, and the pleasant mechanic Ryan put my car right up on the lift and took a look. He said I would need new front rotors and brakes, costing (with labor) approximately $150. That sounded reasonable to me, so I told him as soon as he could get it done would be great. He actually said he'd start on it right then and told me it shouldn't take more than an hour.

Within 45 minutes I had walked back to the main road in Independence, grabbed a sandwich, and walked back - my car was already parked in the lot. I paid the clerk, thanked Ryan, and was on my way once again. I realized I should have had them do an oil change while it was up, but that didn't occur to me at the time; however, there was a Quaker State just down the block with no cars lined up. I pulled in, asked for an oil change and a tire rotation, and they got right on it. As you can probably tell, the various workers I had met in Independence were incredibly friendly. Before they drove my car into the bay, I grabbed a book in order to pass the time. Catalina and Jon had previously given me a copy of the book "1776" but I hadn't yet had an opportunity to start reading it. I didn't even get through the second chapter and the work was done (the book is definitely a good read so far). I was back on the road by 3PM.

I definitely cannot complain about the front brakes needing to be replaced - with the age of my car, and its high mileage, I couldn't be more thrilled of how its handled almost a year's worth of driving in a period of less than a month. If this is the only major car "issue" this whole trip (knock on wood), I couldn't be more pleased.

I've always said I've wanted to visit Iowa, knowing how flat it is, and I heard you can see for miles in any given direction. I'm certainly not used to anything like that, growing up in the valleys and hills of Broome County, NY. And I have seen a lot of flat land in the South like Texas and Arizona, but it was different here with all the developed farmland. I especially found it interesting how many clouds you could see, but not by looking "up," but my looking "out."

I drove in the direction of Eastern Iowa, where, near the border, I would take HWY 61 South to I80 into Illinois. Before I reached 61, however, I drove into the town of Dyersville. Dyersville is famous because of a movie that was filmed there in the 80's. Here's a picture, see if you can figure out what it is (it shouldn't be too tough):

In case you haven't figured it out, the movie is Field of Dreams that starred Kevin Costner. It was interesting seeing a baseball field in the middle of a cornfield, and reading a little bit of how the county worked to get Universal Studios to film the movie there. I certainly wouldn't have missed much had I chose not to visit the site, but I'm glad I did as it's a location that not too many cross-country travelers get to see.

I had originally read about the city of Dyersville in my book "Road Trip America," which highlights the less frequently visited, but still unique locations in the U.S. I highly recommend the book to anyone planning a trip. Unfortunately for me, I ran out of time visiting national parks so I didn't get to see barely any of the destinations mentioned in the book. I hope to take another cross-country trip in the future where that book will be my sole guide.

Within 15 minutes I was back on the road and decided I'd head towards South Bend in Indiana. Although I would have to cross the state of Illinois and drive past Chicago, I realized it would be only 250-300 more miles until I reached South Bend, where my brother Mike's friend, Tim, lives. I had spoken with Tim days before, and he said he'd be glad to have me come by and spend as much time as I want there.

I arrived at Tim's around 10:30 that night. Tim was also being visited by another mutual friend of his and Mike's - Brent. Brent goes to school in Chicago and was on a break himself so he made the drive over.

Me, Brent, Tim (and Belle)

We spent a couple hours just lounging around, playing video games outside, and talking about my trip. Brent headed back to Chicago that night, and I went to bed a little while later.

Got to sleep in on the 28th, and Tim and eventually went out and grabbed some pancakes for breakfast (I eat like a pig when I stop and see family and friends). We spent the afternoon playing more video games and we later spent time with his girlfriend, Marsa, and her son at her house. I had a great time just getting to relax and talk with these guys who are incredibly hospitable.

I'm back at Tim's now, and I'll head out of here early tomorrow. I might drive up towards the Buffalo area to see my friend Tom, and then I'll drive the four hours back home the following day. It would be pretty simple to get back home tomorrow, but since I'll be on the road it'll be a good opportunity to visit an old friend.

As this trip winds down, I want to say thank you to everyone who has been following along...I didn't know how interesting this would be to the people back home, but everyone I've talked to said they have enjoyed reading this site and looking at the pictures. Your nice emails and comments made the trip even more fun, and I am very grateful for them.

Joe

Day 26

2005-07-27T18:38:00.000-04:00

Location: 40 miles west of Albert Lea, Minnesota

Total miles traveled: 10,273

I woke up in my hotel room, almost forgetting where I was. Sometimes I worry that sleeping in a bed will be too comfortable and I'll have a hard time sleeping, as I've gotten quite used to reclining in my car and putting my feet up on the dash.

It was rainy and cloudy outside, so I decided I would not make the drive back South and try to see Mount Rushmore. Hopefully, I'll have the opportunity to see it in the future. I feel really fortunate I was able to see the Crazy Horse Memorial before the weather turned sour. By the way...I forgot to mention this in my previous post - if I can give you a sense of the immensity of this Crazy Horse Memorial project...look to the immediate left of Crazy Horse's face - in that area (the brownish rock - which will eventually become his hair) you would be able to fit all four heads of Mount Rushmore. That's how big this thing is going to be.

Before I left Rapid City I began a search for a Native American art store that I saw a billboard for miles away. I remembered the address and got there shortly after it opened. The place was enormous...much bigger than I anticipated, and it had all kinds of artwork for sale...paintings, jewelry, beads, etc. Even items that were handmade by non-Native Americans.

I spent some time on the 2nd floor which was the art gallery. There were beautiful paintings for sale (some $5000+) and prints, as well. I found a display of an artist, Don Montileaux, whose work was also on display at the Crazy Horse Memorial store. At Crazy Horse I was drawn to a particular print of his on the wall called "Chief's Blanket." Unfortunately, no more prints were in stock and the one on the wall wasn't for sale. Dejected, I left, not thinking I'd see it elsewhere.

By a strike of luck, the exact print was available in this store in Rapid City. I also was able to meet the artist since his studio was in the same building. Don is a very nice guy who was willing to spend time talking with me even though I know nothing about art. He explained to me that he is Oglala Lakota - the same tribe as Crazy Horse. I had been hoping to bring something Lakota-related home, but hadn't found anything until that print. I thanked Don, he gave me his card, and I went downstairs to purchase the print. When I get back home I'll have it mounted at the Garland Gallery (Colleen - check my mail for a 10% off coupon).

I left Rapid City and headed East across I90 which runs across the entire state of South Dakota. Along the way was the famous "Corn Palace" in the city of Mitchell. I guess it's a place made entirely of corn. Inside there was a museum of all different South Dakotan things. I wasn't exactly enthralled by the place, but I figured since I was out here I should see it.

Yeah, I don't get it, either.

Anyhow, I continued East into Minnesota and found a rest stop to spend the night. Tomorrow I'll head into Iowa, and I should be able to reach Illinois before evening. As the end of July draws near, I'm getting more and more anxious to return home. Yes, I've become quite comfortable sleeping in my car, and it's fun being out on the road, but I look forward to getting back in my own bed, and not having to drive so much on a daily basis. But all the driving has certainly been worth it.

Joe

2005-07-26T10:26:00.000-04:00

The journey continued (approximately)

Day 25

2005-07-26T09:26:00.000-04:00

Location: Rapid City, South Dakota

Total miles traveled: 9,757

Was on the road shortly after 8AM and I headed North on I25 into Wyoming. By early afternoon I was on hwy 18 which would take me into South Dakota. I didn't think of it beforehand, but I noticed on the map I would be driving through Wind Cave National Park on the way to Mount Rushmore, and since I still had plenty of daylight left, I decided I'd see what the park was like before continuing further north.

From what I understand, Wind Cave is similar to places like Mammoth or Carlsbad - a large network of caves underground. However, it is also made up of several miles of prairie and forest where bison, prarie dogs, and elk roam. It was originally set up as a preserve for bison and elk in the early 1900's as hunting by white settlers brought these animals to the verge of extinction.

Not being much of a spelunker, I decided I'd stay above ground, maybe do a little walking, and see what animals were around. I didn't get to see any bison at any of the other parks I've visitied, so I was treated to a nice view of a herd of them shortly after I entered the park...they were right on top of a hill next to the road. One of them almost bumped into my car as it wanted to cross the road.

As you can see, bison are pretty big and visitors are told to keep their distance as they can be dangerous. On a side note, these aren't buffalo. I learned at the visitor's center that these animals were incorrectly named buffalo by European settlers after the animals from Asia, which are an entirely different species.

I continued on the roads through the park, stopping to enjoy the nice scenery. It was odd...this place didn't have mountains, any big canyons, or huge rivers flowing through it, but I found it to be one the best places I've visited this whole trip. Maybe it was the simplicity of the place that I enjoyed so much...I don't know. I would have been able to just sit on the grass for hours, enjoying the nice breeze sweeping over the prarie.

I also had the fortune of getting to see prairie dogs which I have never seen before. They are really little guys who make these high pitched barking noises to communicate, and they scurry back in their holes whenever someone approaches.

I spent some time walking part of the Centennial Trail which goes on for several miles. It was probably one of the more enjoyable trails I've hiked on, as it cuts through hills and meadows; whereas, most of the trails I've been on have been in forests, which I don't enjoy that much.

I headed back when I saw storm clouds approaching...fortunately, I only got rained on a little bit until I made it back to my car.

I headed further North and left Wind Cave National Park and headed towards the Crazy Horse Monument. I had only heard a little bit about this before and I wasn't quite sure what it was, and I was worried I wasted $10 gaining entrance to this place. But I couldn't be more glad that I spent that money.

Just a little background info...Crazy Horse was one of the main strategists who led the Lakota to victory at the Battle of Little Big Horn (Custer's Last Stand). In the 1940's, the Lakota decided they wanted to honor him with a memorial in the Black Hills, considered sacred by the Lakota - in the words of Chief Standing Bear, they wanted to show white people that "red men had heroes, too."

The Lakota hired a sculptor named Korczak from Boston to create the memorial. The memorial would be partially based on a saying attributed to Crazy Horse after he was asked the derisive question "Where are your lands now?" He responded, "My lands are where my dead lie buried." Therefore, the memorial would show him pointing straight out, sitting on his horse - here is what it will look like:

Picture this sculpted into the side of a huge granite mountain. As you can imagine, it would take a long time...right now, the only fully complete part is the face.

When completed (no one knows when...it is all privately funded), the Crazy Horse memorial will be the biggest sculpture in the world, taller than the Washington Monument and bigger than the largest pyramids in Egypt. Korczak died, but the work is continued on by his large family.

At the site is also the North American Indian Museum - it was enjoyable walking through there admiring the art and reading the stories of Native American heroes.

I had to keep moving as I wanted to see Mount Rushmore before dark, but I hope to return some day and spend more time. The $10 was definitely well spent, and I got more than my money's worth. I believe the process being undertaken here is incredibly important and I hope it is completed within my lifetime.

It was cold in the Black Hills...it had to be in the low 40's, and the cold wind didn't help. Fog was rolling in, and rain began to come down, so I debated heading towards Rushmore. It was only 10 miles from the main route I was on, so I decided I'd check it out. But by the time I arrived at the entrance, it was so cloudy and foggy I doubted I would be able to see anything of interest. I left and headed further North to Rapid City.

I got a hotel room to spoil myself for the last time on this trip...I'll be home in a few days, and I'll have a place to stay in Indiana, and, most importantly, I've been under-budget on this trip, so I figured one last hotel stay would be fun.

I woke up to rain and clouds, so I don't think I'll head back South to see Mount Rushmore. I'll head East across the state of South Dakota and then eventually SE into Iowa.

South Dakota is an incredible state, and I've only been near the Western border.

Joe

Day 24

2005-07-25T09:00:00.000-04:00

Location: Longmont, Colorado

Got to sleep in for the first time in a while, and then Melissa and I headed out for Rocky Mountain National Park (only 60 miles away). Melissa was anxious to see some Colorado outdoors as she has been busy with work and not had much opportunity to visit many places. I also wanted to see the place, as it came highly recommended by Thad.

We spent a good four hours at the park - it was great having someone to enjoy a park with, after all the hiking I've done alone.

As you can see, it was an absolutely beautiful park. It was busy...a lot of people were out on the trails, but we still had time to relax on our own and enjoy the views.

After the park, Melissa and went out for dinner, saw the movie "Wedding Crashers," (which was hilarious...I haven't laughed out loud so hard in a long time), and then, of course, we went to a Cold Stone (#3 for this trip...I'm making it a crusade to visit as many as possible).

I'll head out early tomorrow...the plan is to make it to South Dakota. I don't have many specific plans, other than to eventually see Mount Rushmore and the Badlands. We'll see what comes up along the way.

I had an excellent stay at Melissa's. It was great to see an old friend.

Joe

2005-07-24T11:41:00.000-04:00

Aspen...where the beer flows like wine and beautiful women instinctively flock like the salmon of Capistrano

Day 23

2005-07-24T11:07:00.000-04:00

Location: Longmont, Colorado

Total miles traveled: 9,300

I woke up early to avoid anyone bugging me for sleeping in the car, so I was on the road by 5:45. I was planning to drive to Eastern Utah to see Canyonlands National Park and Arches NP.
I was on Utah route 12, which is incredibly desolate, but also scenic. I had a good view of the Henry Mountains from a distance:

Route 12 passed through a national park - Capitol Reef, which was very nice to see while the sun was coming up.
I had a few more hours of driving before I would reach the parks on the eastern side of Utah. I decided while driving I would just visit Arches National Park, and then I would drive into Colorado, aiming for Boulder where my friend Melissa just moved from NY.

I arrived at Arches at midday. Although it was near 100 degrees, I did some walking around and had a great time.

Arches is known for its naturally formed arches in the sandstone. It is most well-known for Delicate Arch, which to get close to you had to hike 1.5 miles. It doesn't sound bad, but it's all uphill; however, it was nothing compared to the hike yesterday at Zion.

I'm very glad I made the hike to Delicate Arch...it was a nice place to sit and relax, and you just have to wonder how long it took nature to create something so incredible.

I left Arches and drove into Moab to stop for some gas and buy some water. By 3pm I was back on the road, aiming to be in Boulder by 9.

The drive to Boulder was nice, despite some rain driving through the Rockies. It was the first time I saw significant rain since I was in North Carolina, so I definitely can't complain.

The rain and an accident delayed me, so I didn't arrive at Melissa's hotel until 10pm. Melissa works for Lockheed Martin and there wasn't an apartment ready for her when she moved out, so Lockheed put her up in a nice Residence Inn. Melissa bought some great tasting sushi for dinner and I stuffed myself, not getting to eat so nicely since Sacramento. She is an excellent host.

Melissa's hotel is just a short drive from Rocky Mountain National Park, so together we'll go see that tomorrow. And then we'll relax for the evening, and then I'll head out of here Monday morning.

Joe

Pictures from Day 22

2005-07-24T03:25:00.000-04:00

I had some trouble last night posting pictures, but now the site seems to be working better, so here are a bunch from the 22nd:
(Be sure to read the entry from the 22nd below)

Zion National Park - Utah

Angels Landing Trail - Zion

Bryce Canyon National Park - Utah:

2005-07-23T01:28:00.000-04:00

nearing the top of Angels Landing trail - Zion National park

2005-07-23T00:40:00.000-04:00

view from Angels Landing trail - Zion National Park

Day 22

2005-07-22T23:49:00.001-04:00

Location: Escalante Outfitters - Escalante, Utah

Total miles traveled: 8,614

I'm sitting in a nice little coffee shop in the middle-of-nowhere town of Escalante, Utah. It's a very nice place with a little shop and attached bar. And they also offer wireless Internet, so I decided to stop.

Despite an unpleasant dream about a Tyrannosaurus in Endwell, I slept pretty well last night in my car...it's nice not having to use my fleecy blanket in this warm Utahanian air - I get little red fuzzies all over my clothes when I use the blanket.

Anyhow, Zion National Park is only about 80 miles from the Grand Canyon so it didn't take me long to get there. I arrived in the early morning so I was one of few people driving through and got to enjoy the scenery, which I found much more impressive than the Grand Canyon.

At the recommendation of my friend Thaddeus, I took the park shuttle to the trailhead of the Angels Landing trail, which is just a little over 4 miles, round trip; however, it's an ascent of 1500 feet. The climb was definitely worthwhile, even though at some points on the trail there's only 3 1/2 feet of rock for you to manuever on, and then just sheer cliff. Needless to say, the trail isn't recommended for those with a fear of heights...I thought I might have some trouble getting near the top, where there are chains you can use to help you climb near the edge, but I actually was surprisingly fine at that height.

3 or so hours later after I got back to the trailhead, I stopped for lunch at the Zion Lodge, and then eventually took the shuttle back to my car. My next stop would be Bryce Canyon National Park, only about 50 miles away.

There's one major road that goes into Bryce Canyon that offers pull-offs for scenic views and trails. Tired from my earlier hike, I didn't do much walking, but I enjoyed the scenery from the pull-offs. I actually found this place more impressive than the Grand Canyon, as well. Thad put it well earlier when he described places like the Grand Canyon as "pre-packaged." It was much quieter and less congested at Bryce Canyon and it just had this feeling of being more "undisturbed" than the Grand Canyon.

Gotta get outta here...the place is closing. I'll post some pictures soon. Next stop...Canyonlands National Park and Arches National Park, then I'll be just a short drive from the Utah/Colorado border.

I'm having some issues with the picture-posting feature on this web site...hopefully I'll be able to get at least one up, then I'll add some more later when it's working better.

Joe

Day 21

2005-07-21T23:16:00.000-04:00

Location: Kanab, Utah

Total miles traveled: 8,397

I got on the road shortly after 9 this morning and headed southwest towards the Grand Canyon. I would only be able to see the Northern Rim...even though the more popular Southern Rim is only separated from the Northern Rim by 11 miles (as the crow flies), driving the way around is about 215.

Although it was a little hazy at the Grand Canyon, I was still able to get some great views from the Northern Rim:

I hiked a little ways down inside the canyon...I didn't do it for too long as I was becoming more and more nauseous on the way down. You see, mules share the same trails into the canyon as hikers, so the trails are full of messy mule poop and the smell is awful.

Despite the smell, I was able to get some good looks at the inside of the canyon from walking down a bit:

I got back on the road shortly before sunset, heading back the way I came into Utah. My next stop will be Zion National Park which is near the SW corner of Utah...from there, I'll probably head towards Bryce Canyon.

I learned this evening that I'll have to be back home by the 1st, so I don't have a lot of time, but I should still be able to see all the destinations I had originally planned on visiting.

Gotta find a place to sleep now. Goodnight, everyone.

Joe

2005-07-21T11:02:00.000-04:00

The journey continued (approximately)

Day 20

2005-07-21T09:51:00.000-04:00

Location: near Nephi, Utah

Total miles traveled: 8,000 (exactly)

I woke up early and was able to catch sunrise on the Grand Teton mountain range. Though I had seen mountains earlier in the trip, the size of the Tetons, along with their location near water (Jackson Lake and the Snake River) made them quite enjoyable to view, especially as the sun was coming up.

And here was a sign in the park you don't see back home in JC:

Unfortunately, I did not see any moose.

Anyhow, I continued in a southeast direction into Idaho. I previously did drive through Northern Idaho when I was heading towards Glacier National Park, but now I was planning to spend a little time there.

I headed in the direction of a little city near the border of Idaho and Utah called Preston. On the way to Preston, I drove through Soda Springs, Idaho. You might remember this was a famous stop on the Oregon Trail (I only remember that because of the computer game - I still remember the graphic the game would show when you arrived there). And then I drove through the town of Grace, and I noticed the marquee at the high school:

I had no idea steer wrestling was a high school sport.

I continued on towards Preston. Some of you may be familiar with this city...first I'll show you a picture and then maybe you'll know what place it is...

Recognize this place? Notice the tetherball poll on the left.

Any idea?

It's Napoleon Dynamite country. Preston is where the movie was filmed and it's where the director and star grew up. I'm a big fan of the movie, and since I knew I'd be in the area I planned on stopping and seeing what this place was like. I like small towns, too, and that's the impression I had of this place when I saw the movie.

It not as small as I thought, but certainly not a big place by any means. Maybe something comparable to Norwich, NY. I stopped at a "Big J's" ice cream shop (not the one from the film where Kip and Uncle Rico hang out) and I purchased a "Sweet Map of Napoleon's Preston." The map told you where film locations were (about 12 in total), so I thought I'd go see the playground (above). The map also listed the homes that were used in the film, but I chose not to see those as the people who live there are probably annoyed enough with visitors gawking at their houses. I decided I'd rather walk down the main road in Preston (State St) and see some of the businesses that were in one way or another a part of the film.

Before I get into detail here I apologize to those who never saw the film or don't care for it. But I promise not to get into too many specifics here.

So on State St. I walked by King's (the all-purpose store where Uncle Rico scolds Napoleon for wanting to purchase a variety pack of something). I also walked by the "Cuttin Corral," - a barber shop not featured in the film, but mentioned by the main character.

Naturally, these businesses, and others along State St. are still using the film as a promotional tool even though it's over a year old. They're all selling T-shirts, posters, etc...and it works, as the town gets a number of visitors solely because of the film.

The last stop I made was at this thrift store called Deseret Industries. In the film, the main character shops here for the horrendous suit he wears to a school dance, and he also purchases a a VHS tape called "D-Kwon's Dance Grooves" here, as well. In the movie you can see the random junk that is on the shelves of this store, and I got to witness it first hand...I doubt the movie had to adjust the store in any way to make it appear strange. I'll describe just the "electronics" section for you to illustrate - on one shelf you would see a remote control, an old alarm clock, a transistor radio, two old Nokia cell phones, an original Nintendo (without wires or controllers), and one of those spotlights you can use for looking inside your car hood at night (without a bulb, of course).

The store also sold used clothes cheaply...do you remember those shirts you'd have to wear in scouts that showed your patches, name, and troop number? I noticed one of these shirts was on sale.

Most of the items in the store were priced between $1 - $3. So naturally, I purchased a lot of crap...bought some books, some records, some hats, and some electronic stuff - I ended up getting $35 worth of merchandise, some of which wasn't total junk.. The biggest expense was an 8-CD collection of classical music, which was surprisingly still wrapped in plastic.

Needless to say, I am no longer concerned with finding gifts to bring back home to the family...haha. I almost bought Brendan an old trophy that was for sale - "Dance Extravaganza - 1995."

Anyhow, I had a good time in Preston...not so much because Napoleon Dynamite was filmed there, but because it was a quaint little town. It actually seems like a pretty nice place to live.

I got back on the road eventually and headed South into Utah. I arrived at Salt Lake City around 9pm and I thought I'd relax for a bit, so if I could find a movie theatre, I'd stop and see a recent release. Fortunately, there was a "Cinemark" right off of the Interstate, so I parked there and bought a ticket for "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" as it was the only movie I wouldn't have to wait a long time to see.

The movie was pretty good...a lot funnier than I expected, and it was nice to sit in the AC and relax in a near-empty theatre.

After the movie I got back on the road, but didn't make it too far as it was late and I was pretty tired. I stopped at a "Flying J's" travel plaza for the night. Tomorrow (the 21st) I'll continue south through Utah into Arizona to see the Grand Canyon (which is in the NW portion of the state). After that, the rest of my traveling for the duration of the trip will never be any further south, as I'll head in a NE direction as I visit some national parks in Utah and Colorado, visit a friend in Boulder, and then drive up to South Dakota.

I'm aiming to be back home by the 5th...I have a lot to see in a small amount of time, but I think it'll be doable. It's unfortunate I don't get to spend a lot of time in any one place, but I think this way I'll certainly know what places will be worth visiting again, and for longer durations, in the future.

Joe

Day 19

2005-07-20T18:11:00.000-04:00

Location: Grand Teton National Park - Wyoming

Total miles traveled: 7,530

I slept in a bit this morning and woke up around 8:30. I had planned for somewhat of a lazy day so I took my time getting my stuff together in my room. I also turned on the TV as I have forgotten at times on this trip that there's other stuff going on than what I'm doing. However, CNN could only hold my interest for so long, so I changed the channel to HBO which was showing the horrendous film from the 90's, Empire Records. Please do not ever watch it...it was one of those movies that is so bad that you can't stop watching it, and before I knew it I lost an hour. It's one of those films that would appeal to some Gen-Xers since it takes all the cliches and stereotypes from that demographic and gives us characters representing each one.
(For those of you curious about the film, two of the characters are played by Liv Tyler and a young Ethan Embry).

I'm usually pretty easy-going when it comes to movie-watching, and I'll watch just about anything. But Empire Records was unbearable. Maybe it's unfair of me to badmout the movie without discussing the plot or anything like that...but I'll do it anyway.

Anyhow, I didn't check out of the hotel until 11AM, which was fine since I wasn't planning anything big for the day. I took my car to a Jiffy Lube just a block down the road, and while I waited for the oil to be changed, I brought my dirty clothes to a laundromat just 2 blocks down the opposite way.

Eventually I got the car back (she's doing incredibly well...I can't be happier about how she's handled all this driving in such a short amount of time), got my clothes dried, and then around 1 I got on the road and headed East on Interstate 90 towards Livingston, Montana. Once I arrived there, I'd only have to head south on HWY 89 for just 50 miles or so, then I'd be at Yellowstone National Park.

This is a Montanian sign, interestingly enough

It didn't take long at all to get there...I was inside the Northern park gates by 6. I wasn't sure what to expect of Yellowstone, but after a half hour or so I had a feeling this place wouldn't be on of the major highlights of my trip. I got out at Mammoth Springs to see some small hot springs (most of which had dried up), and it was crazy...lots of people running around, RVs and campers all over the place, and kids screaming. That, coupled with the strong smell of sulfur in the air, forced me to get back in the car and continue further inside Yellowstone.

The place is incredibly touristy, and I was finding it less and less enjoyable the more I drove through it. It's cool that you can see elk near the road, and many visitors get to see bison (though I didn't), but the whole time you're surrounded by others snapping photos of these animals. I was spoiled at other parks like Big Bend in Texas where, during the time I was there, I'd see maybe 1 other car every half hour.

That's another thing...I've seen some pretty spectacular landscapes on this trip - most recently at Glacier National Park. I imagine it would be difficult for me to be impressed by most parks immediately after a visit to Glacier.

Anyhow, Old Faithful was on my route so I decided I'd stop by and see what that was all about. Around half of this huge geyser was a boardwalk that had benches for people to sit on and wait for the geyser to erupt...there were hundreds there. I arrived at the end of an eruption, which was interesting since I've never seen a geyser, but overall the feeling I had was more like "eh." I could have waited about another hour and a half to see another eruption, but I felt catching the end of one was sufficient.

Incidentally, Old Faithful is named not for eruptions that go off in regular intervals - the time between eruptions can be anywhere between an hour and a half to three hours, though 90 minutes is the average; however, Old Faithful is so named simply because it erupts on a regular basis.

I continued South through Yellowstone and decided I would exit the park and drive towards Grand Teton National park, the entrance of which was only 30 miles south of Yellowstone. I arrived at Grand Teton around 10PM and soon found a spot in a campground near the entrance.

I'm looking forward to seeing this park in daylight. As I drove by a lake an hour ago, I could see the silhouettes of the big mountains across it (thanks to a near full moon). Hopefully, I'll wake up around sunrise, as my phone alarm won't work since there is no service out here.

By the way, I don't mean to badmouth Yellowstone and discourage people from coming here...it's a beautiful park and the animals are fascinating, and I'm sure you can get away from the crowds with a little bit of hiking, but to me it just wasn't a lot of fun. Again, my perspective is skewed just coming from Glacier, but I think even if Yellowstone was my first stop on this trip, I wouldn't be all the enthused about it.

And I don't want to sound like this was in any way a bad day...it was actually an excellent one. I got to relax in Missoula this morning, I've already visited the world's first national park, and I'm looking forward to a good time at the Tetons. I'm excited that my car has held up so well this far along. Additionally, I've had some great weather on this trip...I really have nothing at all to complain about this whole trip...and for 19 days on the road (with a few stops in between), I think that's pretty good.

Happy belated birthday to my brother Mike who turned 26 (I think) on the 18th. And despite what the guestbook may say, Mike and Heather were incredibly generous to me during my stay in Sacramento. Happy early birthday to my mom - it's the 21st.

Joe

Day 18

2005-07-19T10:52:00.000-04:00

Location: Missoula, Montana

Total miles traveled: 7,126

I managed to find a place to sleep out of the way (the blanket I bought at Wal-Mart earlier turned out to be a great idea), and I woke up around 5:30. I then headed out for the Going to the Sun road, which runs across the length of the park (I was on the western side). As I mentioned, it has been written that this road is one of the most scenic drives in the U.S., and I was anxious to see why. Going to the Sun road was definitely memorable, but the park itself as a whole was even more impressive.

I got on the road right before sunrise and was already treated to some nice views:
I continued on the road, as the sun was coming up...the road was getting higher and higher, snaking through the hills and mountains. I was one of just a handful of cars on the road that early, which meant whenever there was a scenic pull-off I had room for my car.
As you can see, Glacier National Park is absoluteley gorgeous. But like the other places, it's hard to express the feeling of actually being in a place like this. I had such a sense of humility before nature...these mountains and valleys that were carved by glaciers and erosion over thousands of years...seeing this place puts things in perspective, and all of a sudden your individual concerns aren't nearly as important as they once were.

I don't know what else to write about this place for now...let me just show you some pictures:

So those were all views from the Going to the Sun Road. After arriving at the Eastern side of the park, I headed North towards Many Glacier. There, I got out of my car to do some hiking, I headed towards a waterfall...and after doing a little bit of climbing, I was out on my own enjoying the view.

I eventually headed back West on the Going to the Sun road, thinking I'd do some more hiking along the nearby trails. However, it was discouraging as it was later in the day and the park was filled with people. Traffic was slow along the road was slow, which was fine considering the views, but all the pull-offs were crowded and the trails were packed.

Spoiled, as I had this place almost to myself earlier in the morning, I decided I'd head South and aim to get to Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming by tomorrow. I was tired, too, and I decided I'd treat myself again as it's been a while since I slept in a bed...in other words, I'd find someplace to stay other than my car. I got to Missoula, about 150 miles away, and got a room at the "Ponderosa Lodge." This seems like a nice town...it's the home of the University of Montana...and next to this hotel is a Jiffy Lube and a laundromat. So I'll take it easy tomorrow (the 19th), get some stuff done, and then eventually head to Wyoming.

Joe

Day 17

2005-07-18T23:36:00.000-04:00

Location: Glacier National Park - Montana

Total miles traveled: 6,811

As you can see, I drove over 600 miles today...I had one ultimate destination - Glacier National Park which is located in Northwest Montana. I got on the road early and other than a Wal-Mart stop, the only other stops were for gas or a nap. The Wal-Mart stop was crucial, though, as I had an employee cut a blanket for me out of fleece in their crafts department. Now I should be able to stay a bit warmer when sleeping in the car.

I drove through Oregon, parts of Washington (actually drove by Gonzaga University in Spokane), Northern Idaho, and finally arrived in Montana in the evening. Drove by a bunch of lakes...one that is pictured here:

I made my way towards Kalispell, which is a little south of the park. There, I found a large strip with casino/bars all over the place. Even the gas station mini-marts had attached mini-casinoes...can't say I've ever seen anything like it.

Out of curiosity I stopped at one place...I think it was called "Finish Line" or "Checkered Flag"...something like that. Inside were some locals playing pool, watching the "Speed" channel (racing stuff), and there was an awful band singing bad covers of Allman Brother's Band songs. It was a lot of fun being in there.

I left there after hanging out for al ittle bit, then headed towards the park. I arrived at the park around 10:30...so the issue now is finding a place to sleep for the night, even if it's in my car for a few hours. I'll wake up early and have the whole day to explore the park. The first thing I'll do it drive on Glacier's "Going to the Sun Road" - which has been described as one of the most scenic drives in the entire country...we'll find out tomorrow.

Joe

Day 16

2005-07-17T21:17:00.000-04:00

Location: near Madras, Oregon

Total miles traveled: 6,181

Woke up early this morning at my campsite...freezing. I feel I've planned well for this trip, except for cold weather. Anyhow, I packed up everything, and then was able to use the KOA facilities to have a quick shave before I get on the road (who am I kidding...anytime I shave it takes a long time).

I started the drive towards Crater Lake National Park which was in Oregon, NE of my location. It took a few hours longer than I had planned to get there (I ended up having to stop for a nap on the way), but it was well worth the drive.

Crater Lake is the remants of a former volcano, Mt. Mazama. Centuries ago, the volcano erupted, collapsed on itself, and water filled the crater. It is the deepest lake in the U.S. The Blackfeet Native American Tribe consider it a sacred site and white settlers had to discover it on their own, as the Blackfeet chose not to tell them about it. After visiting, you can see why it was considered sacred.

I have never seen water so blue. I thought the Pacific was blue, but nothing compared to Crater Lake. In fact, Native American legend says the bluebird was gray before it dipped into Crater Lake.

I spent several hours at the lake...I actually found an area near the Northern Rim where I could hike and, hopefully, discover my own view of the lake away from the crowds. Though the hike was only about a mile uphill, you could feel the effects of the low air pressure. Just the road outside of the lake, Rim Drive, is pretty high in elevation itself. And then you climb higher, and you can certainly feel it as your lungs work harder.

But it was worth the hike...I found a great view of the lake and had it all to myself. There was this narrow ledge of rock that extended almost over the lake, so I climbed down there to check out the view. I'm a little squeamish when it comes to heights, but I certainly had more than enough room to walk down. Once I got there, I threw a little rock to see how long it would take before it reached below...it took a good five seconds before it hit the rocks on the shore. Needless to say, it was a little creepy looking down, but overall, it was very enjoyable being up there. Crater Lake, despite the crowds, was such a quiet and beautiful place.

I hiked down much later and had to get on the road...it was after 3 at this point. I got a bite to eat at a nearby restaurant, and then began to head up route 97 with the ultimate aim of reaching Interstate 84, which runs along the Oregon/Washington border. I'll take that route for a while, then veer off on highway 2 into Idaho. But I wasn't able to make it to the Interstate, as the trip to Crater Lake wore me out...so I stopped at a rest stop near Madras.

I'll be in Idaho tomorrow, and should be able to get to Montana by nightfall. And then, it will be a quick drive to much-anticipated Glacier National Park.

Joe

2005-07-16T02:34:00.000-04:00

The journey continued (approximately)

Day 15

2005-07-16T01:28:00.000-04:00

Location: near Fort Dick, California

Total miles traveled: approx. 5,800

Greetings from the Pacific Ocean! Though it took about a 4 hour drive, I made it out to the most northern extension of Highway 1 that runs along the coast of California. As soon as I made it out of the woods and got near the ocean you could feel the cooler air and I could drive with my windows up, even though the sun was out and it was just about noon.

It took a while to actually see the Pacific, though, as there was a lot of fog. But it didn't take long before I was able to pull over and get a great look and bright blue, clear ocean water:

As I was getting back into my car, another one pulled up next to mine and the driver noticed the NY plate. Turns out his name was Chris, he was from Buffalo, and was on his own cross-country trip. He is a teacher, as well, and we were able to swap stories about our trips for a little while.

I got back on Highway 1, heading North, and that eventually ended but I continued North on route 101, which also runs near the coast. I was able to drive through Redwood National Forest (where I did see some very, very tall trees - but sequoias are much bigger across) which was enjoyable. According to my KOA (Kampgrounds of America) map, there was going to be a campground coming up somewhere after Crescent City...and sure enough I found it, right off of Hwy 101. I was able to use my KOA discount card for the first time (a moment I have hoped for day after day), and I got my tent set up, so here I am now using the wireless Internet access here to update the journal.

Though it's a bit chilly, I should be able to keep pretty warm in my sleeping bag tonight. I'll wake up early and I should be able to arrive at Crater Lake National Park in Oregon by the afternoon. Depending on location, I might also be able to visit someone I used to go to school with, too.

Two guys actually just sat down at this table I'm typing who happen to be from Western Pennsylvania. We've been sharing some stories and I've gotten some tips about things to look out for later on my trip. This is part of what I've looked forward to about this trip, talking to others about their experiences, and here I've gotten to have some great discussions twice today already.

Joe

The rest of Day 13 and Day 14

2005-07-15T21:03:00.000-04:00

Location: Sacramento, California

Total miles traveled: 5,340

I arrived in Sacramento shortly after 5 PM on the 13th, just showing up shortly after my brother Mike returned from work at Beale Air Force Base. I only recently learned he is a sergeant in the Air Force Reserves. It was nice to be inside, and I got a shower and cleaned up, and then we headed out to eat...got some Mexican with Mike's girlfriend, Heather, and some other friends.

It was a relaxing night, and I got to sleep in a bed for the first time in several days. Today (the 14th) since Mike had to work, I had the morning and afternoon to get some stuff done on my own. I went to Sacramento State University, Mike's alma mater and future grad school, and was able to use the Internet there. I also found a place where I could get a quick haircut as I've gotten pretty shaggy in the weeks I've been on the road.

When Mike returned he, Heather, and I went out for pizza and got some ice cream at a "Cold Stone" (just as nice as the one in Texas). It was a time to eat up, since I will probably be back on the dry food until at least I arrive in Colorado, which will probably be near the last week of July. We came back and I was able to wash my very dirty clothers and I got to wash my car, as well. The car has held up remarkably well, but she was really really dirty after driving over 5,000 miles.

Tomorrow I'll head out early, kicking off the second half of this trip - I'll head West towards the coast and drive north along highways 1 and 101, up into Oregon, and then I'll head NE towards Crater Lake National Park. From there, I'll head into Idaho and then Northern Montanta towards Glacier National park. I had debated heading up to Washington near the Seattle area, but it would take too much time away from other areas I want to see more. After Glacier, the route turns South for a while, with some zig-zagging along the way.

I'm glad I came this way to see Mike...I'm the last Curtin to see California. And it was also nice to finally meet Heather (there are more pictures of her in my parents' house than of me). I'll see them both in just under a month again as they will be in NY for Brendan's wedding.

Joe

Day 12 (and part of 13)

2005-07-14T15:31:00.000-04:00

Location: Fish Camp, California

Total miles traveled: 5,130

It's July 13, about 12:30 Pacific time, and I'm sitting in a restaurant near the southern entrance to Yosemite National park, which happens to have wireless Internet access (albeit very slow). And it's the first time in a long while that I've had phone service, so I've been able to return some calls. Thank you to everyone who was concerned about my well-being...I am fine, it's just there isn't service in these parks (I'd much rather have that, than have them build cell towers in these nice areas).

Yesterday, the 12th, I arrived at the Eastern entrance (Tioga Pass) to Yosemite around 9am. It's probably the most dramatic entrance into the park, as the alpine part of the park is on the Eastern side. I had great views just form my car seat, though it was a little nervewracking driving in, as there are no guardrails separating the road from the canyons below.

Tioga Pass streches across practically the entire width of Yosemite, so I spent a large part of the morning driving across, stopping for some views, and I did a little hiking up a small mountain. Like other national parks, visitors here often just drive the main roads through, stop and take some pictures, then continue on (My national park guidebook refers to these people disdainfully as "shutterbugs"). As soon as you get out and do some of your own exploring, away from the major touristy areas, it's quiet and peaceful, and you can discover some great views for yourself, like the following:

I eventually got to the Western side of the park, which was more of a hilly/wooded area. I pulled off to the side to hike a 4 mile trail which, again, provided some great views. At one point on the hike I was sitting on a dead tree, re-lacing my boots, and I heard this loud crashing noise coming up from higher on the hill, somewhat like a porch door being slammed. I looked up, but saw nothing, and I just assumed someone else was out here. Further along the hike, I heard that crashing noise again, and it turned out to be a bear. Although the bear was probably 75 yards away, uphill, and heading in the opposite direction, it still got my adrenaline going a bit as it was big and it could move very fast. It seemed to be scared of me, though, so I was fortunate in that respect. It turned around one last time to look at me, then vanished behind some rocks. I was a little more vigilant the rest of the hike, but there were no more bear sightings.

Yosemite is big on protecting its wildlife, especially the black bears that inhabit the park. When bears start getting into visitors' improperly stored food, their instinctive fear of humans eventually goes away and they have to be relocated elsewhere in the park as to not pose a danger to visitors. However, these relocated bears often try to find their way back and then must be killed. Bears have been known to cause thousands of dollars of damage to cars and camping equipment, and bears at Yosemite now recognize items like coolers and soda cans, so people have to be extremely careful when camping and heading out on trails in certain areas. The park offers large metal bins for visitors to store food and other scented items in so bears don't try to get into vehicles or tents. Bears have a strong sense of smell, and therefore might try to get into a car when it picks up the scent of sunblock lotion.

I made on final mini-trip for the day and headed up towards Glacier Point, which is high up in the hills near the center of the park. I avoided the road into the Valley and Yosemite Village, as all the visitors were flocking there. There were people up at Glacier Point, but not as many, and there were some great views of the mountains and waterfalls (which I didn't realize there were so many), and it was so beautiful people spoke in low tones, as if their regular voices were enough to disturb the scenery.

I spent a good amount of time at Glacier Point, just sitting and relaxing. A lot of squirrels inhabit the area, and have grown accustomed to people feeding them, so they get pretty close to the visitors. I managed to take a funny picture of one just a few feet away:

It was getting later in the day, and I needed to find a place to sleep for the night. I had passed a campground earlier, Bridalveil Creek, that had a sign stating "spaces available," so I headed back down the hill. I grabbed one immediately as other people were coming in looking for spots every few minutes.

I got my tent set up, and then the next step would be to remove all the food and scented items from my car and put them in the bear-proof bin. Needless to say, this was a lengthy process as my car is a mess as I have lived out of it for almost 2 weeks now. I also discoverd that my detergent spilled in the back, as well. So it took a while to get all that stuff out, but it did allow me to do a little cleaning and re-arranging, as well.

I next began to walk back towards the entrance of the campground to pay my fee. On the way there, there were two girls driving around looking for spots, but not appearing to have much luck. Being that I had room at my campsite for another car and tend, and being that these girls were pretty attractive, I told them we could share the site and we'd split the fees. They jumped at this offer, not so much because they badly needed a place to stay, but they seemed entranced by my rugged wilderness good-looks. I'm sure the 3-days growth of beard sealed the deal.

Anyhow, I got to know Allison and Bonnie over the evening...they were form San Diego and where on a 2 day road trip at Yosemite. They were pretty familiar with camping and the outdoors, and had everything you would need to set up camp. As we had a pit for a fire, we talked about how good it would be to roast marshmallows (anything is a treat when you've been living on raisins and granola bars). They didn't have any marshmallows, but we decided to head South towards the little area in the park called Wawona and see if the store there had any. Unfortunately, the store was closed, but it was nice going for a drive without actually having to drive, after being on the road for so long.

Although we had no marshmallows, I was given a moonpie which I readliy devoured. It was a nice evening getting to talk with some people my age for the first time in a little while. I eventually went to bed, exhaused and sore from my earlier hike. It wasn't the best night of sleep, though...I was cold for the first time since I was in Western Virginia, and my tend was getting damp from the moist air in the woods. Also, in a campsite tent about 50 feets away, this guy was snoring so loud it was as if he was sleeping in the adjacent tent. I first wondered if there was a bear sleeping near my tent, but it turned out to be this one guy just being ridiculously loud with the snoring. I decided I'd move to my car and try to sleep, but that didn't turn out too good as it was cold in there, but at least I couldn't hear the snoring.

We all parted ways this morning, and I headed down near the Southern entrance to the park, where there are groves for Sequoia trees...and, as we learned at DJ Thad's trivia, these are considered the largest living organisms on earth (by volume), so I was curious to see what these trees looked like in person.

Pretty enormous, right? Excluding skyscrapers, I have never seen anything so big. And these things can live as long as 3,000 years.

I spent a good part of the morning at the grove, but then decided to head out of the park. As much as I'd want to explore some other areas, I had to keep moving as I was nearing the halfway point of my trip.

So I'll leave this restaurant eventually and head towards Sacramento, which will probably take a mere 3 hours or so. I'll see my brother Mike, spend two nights there, and head further north on the 15th.

Thanks to everyone who took time to sign the guestbook and make comments...you guys crack me up.

Joe

Day 11

2005-07-13T14:20:00.000-04:00

Location: Fort Independence, CA

Total miles traveled: 4,875

I woke early this morning and it was just a short drive to Joshua Tree National Park. As you can see from the pictures, the park has some pretty unique plants. Oddly enough, these aren't trees or cacti, but actually they are more closely related to lily plants. Though the park was pretty big, it didn't allow for much walking around, so I decided to head North to Death Valley.

To get to Death Valley I first had to drive through the Mojave National Preserve, which was pretty large, but only a small part of the entire Mojave Desert. I eventually got through it and arrived in Shoshone, CA, where I could get on 178W and head into Death Valley National Park.

Other people have probably said this before, but you can see why it's called Death Valley after driving through it for just a little bit - it's hot, dry, and lifeless, except for some bushy-type plants scattered around.

I drove towards Badwater - the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere. At the cliffs at Badwater there was a sign marking "sea level," and you could see how much further below sea level you were at Badwater.

It took a long drive to get to Badwater, and after seeing that I had seen just about enough of Death Valley. However, I still had quite a drive until Furnace Creek, from where I could eventually head west out of the park.

I had read that Death Valley is the largest National Park south of Alaska, and it's actually larger than the state of Connecticut, so it would take me still quite a while before I would be outside of the park. Heading west, traffic was a little slow as there were vans parked all along the shoulder being used as support vehicles for "Ultra-Marathoners." There were probably 50-75 runners I saw while leaving the park, though most of them were walking (I can't blame them - it was 119 degrees in Death Valley today). The runners wore protective gear to avoid getting burnt and they were given a lot of water at frequent intervals, but I still couldn't believe they'd run here, of all places, which can be one of the hottest and driest places on the planet. I drank over a gallon of water just simply driving through the park.

I had to drive up and through some mountains to get out of Death Valley, which took a while. But after getting near the top, you could look back and actually see how low Death Valley actually is.

So I finally made my way out of Death Valley and when I was coming down the other side of the mountains I saw in front of me the Eastern end of the Sierra mountain range. Now, I had thought the mountains I saw around Death Valley were impressive...they were nothing commpared to the Sierras, whose peaks were at cloud-level.

As it was only about 6pm at this time, ideally I would have visited King's Canyon/Sequoia National Park, which, as the crow flies, wasn't terribly far. However, I learned on my map that the only entrances into the park are from the West, and I was on the Eastern side. I didn't want to have to loop all the way around to get to the park, which was pretty big, so I decided I would head North to Yosemite National Park, which I've heard is pretty impressive.

I'm probably 150 miles or so outside of the eastern entrance to the park, but I'll get there tomorrow morning and spend a couple days. From there, on towards Sacramento to visit my brother Mike.

Thanks for hanging in with the sometimes slow-updating. Sometimes I'm lucky and I find scattered Wi-Fi hotspots, but not too often.

Joe

Day 10

2005-07-11T00:54:00.000-04:00

Location: Ehrenberg, AZ

Total miles traveled: 4338

I'm sitting here at a "Flying J" service area off of I10, right near the border of Arizona and California. I'd prefer to stay outside near my car and write; however, the heat is very enveloping and it feels like you got stuck in the attic.

Today was pretty uneventful and the driving seemed pretty simple, as well. I took my time getting ready this morning, and after I checked out of the hotel I got an oil change at a Wal-Mart in Show Low. By the time I was on the road, it was after noon, but I didn't mind.

I originally headed South to Tuscon as I was planning to spend some time at one of the Saguaro National Park locations (there's two - East and West). The parks are renowned for all their saguaro plants (big cacti with flowers growing out of the ends). On the drive down, though, I saw a number of these plants along the highway. By the time I arrived near Tuscon, it was after 4 and I decided I'd rather just head to California. The drive to Tuscon was enjoyable, driving through highways cut into mountainsides, and driving in and out of small canyons.

The next major stop on the trip will be Joshua Tree National Park in Southern California, which I'll reach early tomorrow. From there, if time allows, I'll head north to Death Valley.

Thanks to everyone for all your well-wishes and support. The first third of this trip has been a blast, and I'm optimistic the rest of the trip will be even better.

Happy Anniversary to my parents!

Joe

2005-07-10T13:48:00.000-04:00

The journey so far (approximately)

Day 9

2005-07-10T12:39:00.000-04:00

Location: Show Low, Arizona

Total miles traveled: 3874

I was fortunate to wake before the sun came up. I was worried I'd oversleep, as I found out last night that my cell phone's alarm clock doesn't function if there is no service available.

Having loaded up the car, I continued the drive to Santa Elena Canyon. It was impressive from far away, and I was able to get up close. There wasn't much for trails there, however, so I headed back towards the other end of the park.

I got out and walked the Chimneys trail which I had passed last night. It was only a 3 mile hike, but I was glad I brought a lot of water. In this dry heat, you don't notice sweating so much, so you have to keep drinking water or you can dehydrate quickly. On the hike I saw all types of cacti and some lizards scurrying about. Speaking of animals, since yesterday I've seen a number of jackrabbits and roadrunners...roadrunners are nothing like the cartoon, but they move pretty quickly across the ground.

I decided as nice as this place was, I had to get moving if I wanted to get to New Mexico by evening. I stopped for some gas and ice at Panther Junction (located near the middle of the park) and then headed back North.

The original plan was to head towards Guadalupe Mountains National Park, which sits on part of the border of Texas and New Mexico. I changed my mind and decided I would rather head towards Socorro, NM. In case you don't know, about 50 miles west of Socorro is one of the world's largest radio observatories, the Very Large Array (VLA). It is made up of 27 individual huge radio telescopes (they look like giant satellite dishes) that can work together, using a process call inferometry, to detect radio waves from space. The VLA was made famous when part of the movie "Contact," based on Carl Sagan's book of the same name, was filmed here.

I was always impressed by the size of this place, but I had no idea how big it was until I saw it for myself. The individual telescopes are set on little railroad tracks in a "Y" shape, so they can be moved around into different positions easily. If the radio astronomers need to focus on a specific area in space, they spread the dishes out wider. If they need a broader focus, than they move the dishes closer together.

Fortunately for me, the visitor center was open until sunset, so I got in and took the self-guided tour. The tour takes you close to only one of the dishes, but I got a good sense of how huge these things were. The dish is actually twice the size of the average American home.

I was surprised to find that there was no mention of the filming of "Contact" here until I saw a barely noticeable display on a wall headed out of the visitor center. My guess is the VLA wanted to distance itself from the idea that it listens for signals from "little green men," which is how it is used in the film. The VLA is actually used to understand the make up of stars, galaxies, black holes...that type of thing, and it can measure radiation still present in the Universe from the Big Bang.

The organization that looks for signals from other civilizations, SETI (Search for Extra-Terrestial Intelligence), scans a very narrow band of the radio spectrum. So although the film would have you believe otherwise, the VLA wouldn't be useful to SETI as it can't focus its radio telescopes to that narrow band.

Anyhow, I left the VLA at sunset. I was in the middle of nowhere, having driven near 800 miles for the day, and I wanted to relax and find a hotel for the first time this trip. However, the nearest town of any size was 60 miles away. So I continued west towards Springerville, AZ. It wasn't the easiest of drives, as I had about 3 deer run in front of me, and I couldn't avoid running over a jackrabbit. But I did cross the Continental Divide in that same drive.

Ironically, the town of Springerville was having some kind of American Legion convention, so all their hotels/motels were booked. Frustrated, I continued further west about 40 miles to Show Low, where I eventually found a Holiday Inn.

I'll take it easy tomorrow - I'll sleep in, and then I'll eventually head South towards Tuscon, to Saguaro National Park. If all goes as planned, I'll be in California by tomorrow.

Joe

Day 8 - From Bryan to Big Bend

2005-07-10T01:57:00.000-04:00

Location: Cottonwood Campground - Big Bend National Park, Texas

Total miles traveled: 3049

I left Jon's apartment around 8 this morning as the goad was to get to Big Bend National Park before dark. In case you don't know where Big Bend is...find El Paso at the western tip of Texas...then head south along the border with Mexico, and where the border makes a "U" shape is the park - hence "Big Bend."

The best way to get there was to head south towards San Antonio, and then catch I10 West all the way to Fort Stockton, which would be quite a haul, and the follow a highway into the park 150 miles south. It would be a full day of driving altogether.

I finally arrived in Fort Stockton around 3pm (or 4...I keep forgetting to change the time on my car radio). I begin to head south towards the park, but I saw heavy storm clouds ahead along with some lightning, so I began to get discouraged. And I was still about 100 miles away. I decided I didn't want to get there, near sunset, in the rain, so I chose to head North and try to get to the Guadalupe Mountains (on the TX/NM border).

I got a little antsy and began to drive too fast on the two-lane highway that would eventually take me back North. On this highway, there were no posted speed limits, and rarely would you pass any cars. My foolishness caught up with me and I was noticed by a patrolman who subsequently pulled me over. As odd as this may sound, if it were not for me being pulled over, my day wouldn't have turned out nearly as great as it did.

Officer Graham did the usual...asked for the license and insurance and he brought it back to his jeep, after asking me a few questions. He tooks a while, so I sat there, mad at myself, assuming he was writing up a ticket. However, he came back with just my paperwork in hand. What he said next was pretty smart and I'll never forget it:

Officer Graham: "Mr. Curtin, are you in college?"
Me: "Just recently graduated, Sir."
Officer Graham: "What was your major?"
Me: "Management."
Officer Graham: "See if you can manage to go a little slower."

I didn't laugh right then, but I thought that was so very clever. He was extremely friendly and courteous, and he asked about my plans. I told him of my decision to skip Big Bend, but he said it's something that shouldn't be missed, and he didn't think the weater was bad there. He actually volunteered to use his radio to find out the conditions at the Park...he got back to me and said it should be pretty clear down there, so it would be worthwhile to take the drive. Another route into the park would be coming up shortly at the next town, and he recommended I use that highway.

I arrived in the next town, Alpine, got some gas, and headed South towards the park. It was an incredible drive...hills and mountains along a winding road...it took me a while to actually get to the park because I kept pulling over to take pictures. Spectacular views were hidden just around corners, and you'd have no idea what would be coming up around these turns. It was gorgeous, but nothing compared to when I actually arrived at Big Bend.

Pictures don't do this place justice - I have never seen anything like this, and I was awe struck, fortunate enough to see this place at sunset, with just a few clouds in the sky. Hopefully the pictures give you some idea of the beauty and size of this place, but you'd really have to be here to understand, I think. I actually wish I could post more than a few - I took near 140 pictures from the entrance of the park to only 15 miles in.

As I mentioned, Big Bend is an enormous park, with a couple roads running through it. I followed a major route towards the Santa Elena canyon while the sun was going down. Before the canyon, I noticed a sign for a public campground. I decided I'd better pitch tent for the night before it gets dark, and then I'd have the morning to do a little hiking.

Near the campground I saw some javelinas which I had read about in my guide book. Javelinas are pig-like animals that are common in this region. There are a lot of signs warning visitors to leave food locked in their cars, as javelinas have been known to tear down tents when they get hungry and smell something. No worries here, my granola bars and Honey Combs are stowed safely in my backseat.

The campground here is run on an honor code - every night you stay costs $10 - you leave your check or cash in an envelope and drop it off in a secure box. I definitely couldn't argue with that price, especially since the quality of this campground was far above and beyond that of River Valley in NC. Oddly enough, I was the only one in the entire campground.

It was great having the whole place to myself. I got the tent set up while it was still light out (not that it takes a lot of time, anyway) and was able to watch the moon and Venus set, and the stars come out. There's no artificial light here (other than from my flashlight), so I've never seen as many stars. The campground is near the canyon wall, as well...all in all, a pretty nice place to spend the night.

So as you can see, if I never got pulled over I never would have seen this great place. Odd how things work like that.

Joe

Day 7

2005-07-08T00:31:00.000-04:00

Location: Bryan, TX

Catalina, Jon, and myself drove to Houston this morning and we had a great time down there. We first spent some time at the Houston Zoo, which was enjoyable, especially considering the last time I was at a zoo was in the 7th grade. The only drawback was the heat - 110 degrees today.

Meercats

After the zoo, we went to the Houston Museum of Natural Science which kept us busy for a few hours - we saw a planetarium show, a special exhibit on butterflies, and most of the regular exhibits which included dinosaurs...a personal favorite of mine.

We then spent some time in the nearby enormous mall, got some dinner, and then headed back to Bryan. Jon and Catalina were extremely generous - not allowing to let me pay for anything, as they claimed all of these things were early birthday gifts.

Jon and me outside HMNS

As nice as it is to be here, I have to get back on the road tomorrow. It will probably take a 9-10 hour drive to get to Big Bend National Park which is in the Texas "panhandle." (I was previously mistaken as to which part of Texas is actually the panhandle)

Fortunately it won't be long until the next time I see these two - they will be up in Endwell next month for my brother Brendan's wedding.

What a great stay.

Joe

2005-07-07T03:07:00.000-04:00

The ferocious man-eating ducks of Bryan, TX

Day 6

2005-07-07T02:42:00.000-04:00

Location: Bryan, TX

Total Miles Traveled: 2336

I managed to get just inside the Texas border around 3am this morning. I was surprised I made it this far in one day - then I realized I drove 800 miles throughout the whole day, with a stop in Alabama - I drove in parts of 7 states in one day.

As soon as I got into Texas, I pulled into the first rest stop on I20 which was a welcome center. I took my shoes off, put my feet up on the dash, and reclined my seat to sleep a while. Unfortunately, I couldn't recline my seat much as my back seat is jam-packed. However, it is not hard to fall asleep in such tiny areas after driving a combined 12 or so hours in one day.

I woke up around 9 (CT) and got on the road shortly after. I was roughly 200 miles from Jon's, so I had about 3-4 hours of driving in front of me. I went via 2-lane highways and I was treated to the flat scenery of southeastern Texas...quite a change from the hills and gorges in NC and Tennesee.

Jon and his girlfriend, Catalina, were still working when I arrived at the apartment. Jon left a key for me so I could bring in my things and relax for a while. Since it was 100 degrees, I decided to set my tent up and let it dry out as I didn't have the opportunity to do that earlier. It now somewhat smells like wet-dog, but at least it is dry again - it didn't take long at all in this heat.

It's hard to center these two in a photo - Jon is way too tall

Jon and Catalina got back from work and we went out to dinner, walked at the park near Texas A&M, and then we got ice cream at a "Cold Stone," which was delicious. We came back to the apartment where I soon fell asleep on the couch.

Tomorrow we'll take the hour and a half drive to Houston and spend the day down there, spending some time at the Natural Science Museum, among other places. I'll be leaving here early the following morning.

Joe

2005-07-06T15:10:00.000-04:00

Philadelphia....Mississippi?

2005-07-06T15:09:00.000-04:00

Ocoee river in Tennesee

2005-07-06T15:08:00.000-04:00

Ocoee river in Tennesee

Day 5

2005-07-06T14:53:00.000-04:00

Location: West of Monroe, LA - headed towards Shreveport

Total miles traveled: 2000

I woke up this morning shortly before 6am, wanting to get an early start on the day. As you saw from the previous entry, I was hoping to explore a bit of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and then head south to Alabama. But when I woke rain was coming down hard and everything was soaked, including my campsite. After taking a while to roll up my sleeping bag and fit it in its pouch (Colleen was 100% correct in stating that would be the hardest thing to do on this trip), I packed up my wet tent and decided since it was so miserable I wouldn't head to the park; rather, I'd just get on the road.

It was maybe a 4 hour drive to Madison, AL where my aunt Paula (my mom's sister) and uncle Danny live. At a gas station a few hours away, it was easy to tell I was in the South - I couldn't understand anything that was said by the customers. I've been in the south before, but I don't remember the accents being that hard for me to understand.

It was a pleasant drive to Alabama...drove through Chattanooga and past the Tennessee River, and also drove through som gorges which provided some nice scenery.

I arrived at Paula's and she was in the driveway waiting for me. I was treated like a king there - she offered me food, use of the washing machine, a shower, and a nap. I stayed there longer than I originally anticipated I would, but I'm glad I did. I definitely needed the nap. I got to see my uncle and catch up with both of them for a while, as well. It's been over 8 years since I last saw them, so it was a great visit. And having all those amenities after sleeping in a tent the night before was a nice bonus, too.

Aunt Paula and Uncle Danny

While there, I checked Mapquest and it informed me the drive from Madison, AL to Bryan, TX (where Jon lives) would take roughly 13 hours. I figured I would get on the road, see how far I could get, and then get to Jon's at some point on the 6th.

I've already managed to drive through Mississippi, and I'm halfway through Louisiana if you haven't checked the map. It's definitely been a nice drive...I saw clear skies for the first time in a while coming into Louisiana (I could easily recognize the constellation Cygnus to the south from my window. BONUS: what animal does Cygnus represent?).

I'm now at a rest stop for the millionth time - too much water, I suppose. And since it's only 2am Central Time and I'm not tired, I'll continue on a little more and then stop to sleep.

Time to get back on the road...oh yes, talked to Colleen tonight - appears the trivia team I play on won tonight for the first time in a while...go figure, right? The first night I'm not there.

Joe

Day 4

2005-07-05T16:19:00.000-04:00

Location: River Valley Campground - near NC and Tenn. border

Total miles traveled: 1228

The trip to Great Smoky Mountains National Park from Portsmouth, VA took a bit longer than expected. I left Chris' apartment around 7:30 this morning, and I didn't get in the vicinity of the park until about 6pm. Granted, I made some stops along the way...one of which included a little nap at a rest area. Also, the weather wasn't the best; there was intermittent rain across the North Carolina. But it was easy to tell when I was getting the close - the Smoky Mountains loomed big ahead traveling west on I40...these are much bigger hills than you'd see in Broome County. I just wish it wasn't as cloudy and hazy as it was.

Having already traveled over 1000 miles, I also checked my oil at the rest stop and everything with the car seems to be going well. To you naysayers: the Green Goblin has held up incredibly, and I expect her to do so for the rest of the trip.

Since I didn't get here until early evening, I figured it would be a good idea to save some exploring of the park until tomorrow morning, and set up for the night somewhere. I saw a sign for a KOA (Kampgrounds of America) campground and I followed the directions to it. Being a proud KOA Value Card holder, it would be a cheap place to pitch my tent and relax. However, the campground was full for the holiday, but I found another one, River Valley, just down the road.

So here I am now, in my tent, relaxing and getting set to take a nap (thanks to Darren back home for helping me with the purchase of camping gear). I don't know if there's any place in the area setting off fireworks, but I'm pretty beat so I don't see myself leaving. I'll spend the night here, wake up early, and head over to the park to do some hiking. From there, on towards Huntsville, Alabama. Hope everyone has a fun holiday.

Yes, I set that up all by myself

As I was just getting here, I received some bad news from back home - my housemates' father died today, in Maine. Please keep Joe and Don in your thoughts, as well as the rest of the Hashey family as they head up there for their dad's burial.

Joe

2005-07-05T16:18:00.001-04:00

Smoky Mountains ahead

2005-07-05T16:18:00.000-04:00

Not a big fan of either school

Day 3

2005-07-03T22:39:00.000-04:00

Location: Portsmouth, VA

As we didn't get back last night until close to 5, it was a good day to sleep in. Early this afternoon, Jess (Chris' girlfriend), Chris, and myself went to a park alongside the Chesapeake Bay. It was huge with its own golf course - reminded me of Eisenhower Park in Long Island.

This whole trip, although it has only lasted a few days, has been full of friends telling me about places I can stay when I'm out on the road. My friend Mary Lou from the Danielle House has sons in Dallas; Jess has a former roommate in San Francisco I can stay with. Looks like I may not have to do as much sleeping in the car as I originally thought. Everyone has been so supportive and helpful...I am blessed to have great friends.

After the park we came back to Chris' and just hung out for most of the day. I fell asleep for a while, actually. I was very comfortable in his air-conditioned apartment. Later in the day we went to Wal-Mart as he had to buy groceries, and I needed more supplies for my trip. My water has gone incredibly fast, so I bought more bottles, bought some more granola bars, carrots, and some more raisins. My friends have made fun of what my diet will be like on this trip, but I figure this is about the best I can do to try and eat (relatively) healthy and have dry food I can bring with me when I go camping. As I forgot my bathing suit, I also purchased one at Wal-Mart so that I can swim at the Jon's in Texas.

Chris made chicken cutlets for dinner which really hit the spot. He's been a great host and I'm grateful I had the chance to come down.

Already tomorrow is the 4th...although I've allowed myself a whole month for this trip, I have a feeling it will go by fast...so tomorrow I'll begin heading in a westward direction, not to come back in an eastern direction probably until I'm in the state of Washington. I'm headed to Great Smoky Mountains National Park which lies on part of the border of Tennesee and North Carolina. I hope to be out there by early afternoon, and I imagine I'll probably pitch my tent that night, as well, for the first bit of camping this entire trip. I hope to have some good picture from there to share on this website.

Goodnight, everyone.

Joe

Day 2

2005-07-03T11:25:00.000-04:00

Location: Portsmouth, VA

Total Miles Driven: 698

I left Philly early so to avoid all the traffic for the Live 8 concert. I didn't get a lot of sleep, but it was much more than I got on the night before I left JC. After taking the bus from the city to where my car was parked, I ended up leaving there around 9:30.

My next destination would be Shenandoah National Park in Northwest Virginia. The best route for me would be to take I95S to 66W, but unfortunately I95 runs through Baltimore and Washington D.C. I was hesitant because I didn't know what the 4th of July traffic would be like, but it was going to be the most direct route.

I'm so glad I purchased satellite radio for my car before I headed out. Not only can I listen to the same programs without losing a connection (theoretically I can listen to the same program, real time, driving from JC to LA), but also it has stations solely dedicated to weather and traffic updates for major cities. So I just selected the "Baltimore" and "Washington" stations when I got in those areas, and it really helped, as I could take detours around the areas with heavy traffic. I ended up getting through those two cities fine, with only a slight delay in Baltimore.

I arrived in Front Royal, VA hours later, and stopped for gas. Not too bad, right?

Front Royal was just north of Shenandoah National Park. There is a highway that runs for 105 miles through the park, Skyline Drive. I figured I would drive most of Skyline, make a few stops along the way, and then I'd head onto the next stop. Despite a slight haze from the humidity, it was a beautiful park, especially so at the higher elevations.

Overlooking the Shenandoah Valley

I got out early in the drive to walk a trail - Fox Hollow Trail, specifically. Apparently, most of the visitors to the park only drive through part of Skyline Drive, only to get out of their car at the overlooks to take pictures. I thought it would be worthwhile to see just a bit of the woods...it was interesting how quiet it gets as soon as you got away from the highway. All you could hear in the woods were the birds and the wind in the trees. Quite a change, especially because I wasn't even a mile from the highway. It was cool in the forest - the humidity wasn't noticeable at all.

I drove through about 75% of the park, then figured it would be time to head onwards to Virginia Beach, in SE Virginia, to see my friend Chris. On the way there, I stopped to have a sandwich at this little cafe in Gordonsville - The 007 Cafe. It was a nice little place, with old Bond movie posters adorning the walls. I figured I couldn't go there and not take a picture for my father, the James Bond lover.

I continued on towards Virginia Beach, passed through Richmond, and arrived in Portsmouth to see my friend Chris. I used to play CYO basketball with Chris, and he's down here now working as a landscaper. He showed me the downtown VA Beach area, which is a very nice area with fancy restaurants and bars, nothing like State Street back home. It was surprising how much energy I had after driving 500 miles during the day - it goes by quick when you don't have to hunt for radio stations or go through CDs, that's for sure. Again, satellite radio = great investment.

Chris is putting me up for as long as I would like to stay...I imagine I'll head out of here early on the 4th towards western NC to spend some time at Smoky Mountain National Park. Looking at the map, I didn't realize how close (relatively) that is to Huntsville, AL where my Aunt Paula lives, so I probably will be down her way on the 5th or 6th.

Happy 4th, everyone. Enjoy the holiday.

Joe

Day 1

2005-07-02T08:20:00.000-04:00

Location: Philadelphia, PA

Total Miles Driven: 192

Having left myself a lot to do on the day I planned to head out, I ended up getting a late start. I originally planned to see my great-uncle in NJ, but I called and told him I'd be running a little behind. Uncle Bernard was concerned for me as there were thunderstorms predicted in his area in the afternoon, so he suggested I just drive straight on down to Philly. That's Uncle Bernard, always putting others before himself... I was disappointed and mad with myself on getting such a late start, but he assured me it was fine and said I could catch him on my way back to the area or at a later date after I return home.

So I drove straight down from JC to Philadelphia, where my friends Adam and Jenna live. I met Jenna years ago when she was a student at Binghamton University, I was at BCC, and we both worked at Kohl's together. She moved to NJ for school, met Adam, and there couldn't be a nicer couple.

The two of them live downtown (Center City). I picked up Jenna at her work, we went to dinner, drove back to her work's parking lot, left the car there, and took a bus downtown. As today is the Live 8 concert, Adam and Jenna felt it would be best and safest leaving the car out there in the suburbs than parking it downtown (if there were even spots available).

We met up with Adam's sister, her boyfriend, and another couple they knew, hung out at their apartment for a while (where I fell asleep for a bit on the couch), and then walked to a friend of their's who was hosting a pre-Live 8 party. The 8 represents 8 world cities that are hosting huge concerts to fight world poverty. Philly is one of them, and the city has made huge preparations for it. A lot of big names are coming into town for this one day...Maroon 5, Black Eyed Peas, Dave Matthews Band, Jay-Z, and Rob Thomas, among others. Its expected to get a bit crazy, so I've been told a lot of people who live here have gone away for the weekend to avoid the crowds; but if you didn't go away, most likely you would be attending the concert.

Anyhow, got up early this morning to try to avoid a little traffic...I'll be heading further south today (no kidding!), and I think my first stop might be Shenandoah National Park in Northwest Virginia. From there, I'll probably head towards Norfolk, in SE Virginia, to visit my friend Chris.

Thanks, everyone, for all your nice thoughts. The first stop was a good one... hopefully more to come.

Joe

Zero Hour

2005-07-01T02:17:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone -

Here it is - the site you can use to follow me along as I spend the month of July traveling across the U.S. I'm estimating there'll be between 9-10,000 miles covered before the month ends, so there will be a lot you can read about.

Thanks to everyone for the well-wishes and to (most) for not thinking I'm crazy. I'm pretty excited and a bit nervous, but I'm confident it will turn out to be a great trip.

You'll read about my visits with friends and family scattered across the country, all the National Parks I'll visit, as well as the nights I'm sleeping in the car, in my tent, or in a cheap motel. On this site, I'm able to post pictures, as well, so hopefully you can get a good feel for what I'll see out there.

I have a wireless card in my laptop, so I hope between places I'm staying, various rest areas, and towns, I'll be able to get a connection to the Internet to update the site, if not everyday than hopefully at least every other day.

It's after 2am now...I plan to leave by 10am, but still have a lot to do before that can happen. I've never had to pack for a trip longer than a few days, so it should be interesting.

My first stop on this trip will be to Roselle, NJ, to visit my 85-year old Uncle Bernard. From there, onto Philly to visit some friends, and then back on the road Saturday.

As you might know, I live in JC now with the Brothers Hashey - Don and Joe. In August, we'll be moving out of the house to separate places, but the past 9 months have been a blast and I couldn't ask for better housemates. I won't see them in the morning when I head out, so we took a picture together earlier this afternoon.

Don, Me, Joe

Still have a lot to do before I head out, but I just wanted to write a little intro for this site. Sign the guestbook if you get a chance...it'll be great to hear from my friends when I'm out on the road.

Thanks again, everyone, for all your support. Hope you enjoy following me along. Be back in August.

Joe