Alaksa- my travel series
Topic: travel
Alaksa is one of the most interesting states I've visited. I arrived in August 1990, on a warm sunny day. Being an 11 year old idiot, I was unprepared for the nice weather and left the airport bundled up, while those around me were in shorts and t-shirts. We spent about a week there, based in Anchorage, but we did a few nights at a cabin at Denali National Park. At Denali, we did the "safari" bus ride into the interior of the park. Along the way I saw a bear on a distant ridge and scads of caribou. in Anchorage, we visited the zoo, the science museum, and Earthquake Park. Earthquake park was once a residential neighborhod. In 1964, it was destroyed by the massive earthquake; hence the name. Today, visitors can see the rooves of houses sticking out of the ground. Two excursions from Anchorage: visiting a glacier and panning for gold. Somewhere along the road the parallels the Cook Inlet, we were treated to a pod of beluga whales. I hope to return to Alaska next summer, this time on a cruise through the Inside Passage.

Places I've Been- Alabama
Topic: travel

I've been to a lot of places, and I decided since I am nominallt blogging again, that would be a great topic of interest that I could share with you. So we'll stroll through the entire US, state by state, and examine the marks I left behind.

Alabama is an easy state for me to blog about. My experience there is very limited. I passed through on the way home from the Grand Canyon in 1992. I remember it was raining. Dinner was at the Cracker Barrel in Montgomery, my first time dining there.

That just about covers the state, sonow I'll walk you through waht I'd like to see there. Fort Mims, Fort Morgan, USS Alabama, and Russell Cave make up the list. Feel free to add more attractions.

Mount Rainier
Topic: travel
Yesterday we took a little trip to Mount Rainier since the weather was so nice. It was my first time beyond Paradise to the other side of the mountain. We went to Ohanapecosh and saw 1000 year old trees at the Grove of the Patriarchs, an old growth forest like you won't find on the east coast. Dinner was at the National Park Inn. A camp robber (bird) tried eating my lunch at reflection lake. Overall, a great day!

2007 Trip to Florida
Topic: travel

Our journey south to Florida began in winter, late March 2007. We had a few inches of snow on the ground in Slatington when we left. Our first stop was the Elkton, MD Cracker Barrel for dinner. Next stop was Alexandria, VA to change drivers. The overnight drive was grueling, but worth it. When Heather and Alicia woke up in the morning we were in South Carolina. We stopped at another Cracker Barrel. By the time you get to central Virginia they have one every other exit. For me it was nice just to see South Carolina during the day. All my other trips through the state were by train and at night.

By breakfast, it had changed from winter to spring. And the entire night the temperature stayed pretty much the same because we were headed south into warmer air as it was cooling and we kept pace with the temperature change. In Georgia there were several wide rivers that very much looked like the back bays along the Jersey shore. We crossed the St. Mary's River and finally we were in Florida. We had our picture taken at the Sunshine State sign at the rest stop.

We passed through Jacksonville just as the daily rain shower hit. Then it was gone. In Orange City we stopped at Blue Springs State Park. Magnificent. Entry was $5 and worth it. There were manatees swimming in the lake. Alicia was afraid to go to the lake because she thought it would be full of aligators. Then we had lunch with GGPop at a Chinese restaurant. Alicia mastered chopsticks.

Finally, after 26 hours we made it to our hotel in Bradenton. Alicia spent the night at Jamie's place. Jamie was just about to move back to Washington when we visited Florida. Debbie was marrying Mark there, and that's why we went south. The next day, Heather and I went to Jamie's and had breakfast. Jayden was a brand new 10 day old baby. Alicia was in love. Also, she was excited about the little lizzards everywhere.

While in Florida, we went to DeSoto National Memorial and learned about Spanish exploration in the southeast in the 1500's. Alicia is crack shot with a crossbow. On the nature trail which leads through a mangrove swamp we saw an ibis and an egret. Alicia earned her third Junior Ranger badge there. We also spent some time at the beach and went to a Tampa Bay Rays spring training game.

The wedding got off without a hitch, other than Debbie and Mark getting hitched. Alicia was a flower girl and her job was to release the butterflies. She took off the lid, screamed, and dropped the butterflies.

On the way back we walked around Savannah and spent the night in South Carolina. The next day we stopped at Cowpens battlefield, where the Americans under Dan Morgan beat Bloody Ban Tarleton's British cavalry in the Revolution. We had lunch at the battlefield and Alicia got another Junior Ranger badge. We had dinner with Becca and her family in North Carolina and spent the night with them. We left early the next morning. In Virginia we did a little food shopping and picked up a lemon for Stonewall Jackson's grave in Lexington. We parked down the road from his house and walked to the cemetery. When we got back to Pennsylvania after lunch it was in the 80's. We stopped in Allentown before heading home because Heather had a seminar to do. All our snow was gone when we got home. It was a very exhausting drive home. We left at 6 AM and drove almost non-stop, only to do a seminar before going home. But despite all the work we did to get from Point A to Point B and back, it was a great trip.

2000 Trip to Pennsylvania
Topic: travel

In June 2000 I took my first trip to Pennsylvania. So did Heather. It was our honeymoon, after 6 month delay. We took a red-eye to Pittsburgh, picked up a rental car, and drove north. After stopping for a nap at a reststop, we continued north, arriving at Niagara Falls. New York (state) can claim the falls all they want but the real action is on the Canadien (Canadien spelling) side of the river. At the falls, we met Heather's friend Philip (AKA Pip), who is Canadien by way of Romania.

After spending the night on the New York (state) side in a room that was only $50 we went back south and finally hit that thunderstorm we flew over headed east. It was cool watching the sky light up below us. Back to the ground now. We got back to Pittsburgh and drove around for what seemed like hours trying to  find Michelle's place. We ate at a Long John Silvers (another first for me) while another storm rolled in. Western PA has some great thunderstorms. Finally I got to meet Michelle and Shaun. Since Heather has this terrible habit of calling me Jeff and calling Jeff Josh, I introduced myself as Jeff. I'm pretty sure someone smacked me.

We hung out in Pitt for a few days as Heather's parents flew east. We got dropped off at the train station, then took the train to Philly. We spent the night there before getting another rental visiting my parents in Quakertown. Heather's family traveled from Pitt to Quakertown and we had a wedding reception/Christine graduation party. So everyone who missed our wedding (AKA everyone) could watch us renew our vows, which apparently were expiring.

Next up was Heather's first trip to the Atlantic. We took the Commodore Barry Bridge and backroads to Cape May, NJ. Along the way we stopped at an old church just before sunset. Heather thought it was creepy but had to stop anyway. We camped just outside Cape May and had a wonderful time, aside from the sunburn. Heather swam with dolphins and decided Cape May is the happiest place on earth. However, the sunburn was bad enough that we gave up on camping and got a room in Wildwood and slept in separate beds.

Then it was back to Quakertown, then back to Washington. Tune in tomorrow for Florida 2007. Thursday's episode will be our Weird Wednesday recap of a brand new season of Ghost Hunters. Friday we'll take a look at how the Democrats and Republicans are faring following their conventions. 

My Washington Visit, 1999
Topic: travel
Previously discussed under the Anniversary Week blog, this might be my favorite trip ever. I flew to Washington on my first ever completely independent weeklong trip. We had wonderful meals (even steak and shrimp!), a collosal cinnamon bun this big, a trip to Mount Rainier, a Mariner's game, a movie.... It was a very successful date. I had such a great time. It's the only trip I wish I could relive, especially now. It felt like the world stopped just for us. I wish I could stop the world again.

1992 Trip to the Grand Canyon
Topic: travel

Using the same characters as yesterday's Alaska adventure, let us now journey west from Columbia, MD. Actually, before going west I went south and east. To Washington, DC and Rehoboth Beach, DE to be exact. Then we went west. The night before leaving Maryland there was a thunderstorm, and it rained hard in the mountains of West Virginia as well. It cleared up just as we entered Kentucky. We had dinner at a place on the Ohio River in Indiana and spent the night at my uncle's friend in Louisville.

Day 2 took us to St. Meinrad Monastery in Indiana, then St. Louis. I didn't go in the arch, but there's a Western Expansion Museum underneath it. We also did the Budweiser brewery tour (soda and snacks for the kids, O'Doull's for the adults) but the famous Clydesdales were on tour. Our first night of camping had us in Lawrence, Kansas.

Our Kansas welcome was a thunderstorm wake-up call. After decamping we hit the zoo in Topeka. Also of note that day: I saw a Speed Limit 13 sign. Later that day we were making camp again, this time in western Kansas, a little town called Wakeeney. Another thunderstorm wake-up, this time my uncle saw a funnel cloud. We stayed in the office at the campground for shelter until the storm passed. It was the first of three, a single day record that has since been tied twice.

The plan for the night was to camp at Cherry Creek State Park outside Denver, but storm number three blew our tents down as we were leaving to get dinner. We stayed in a hotel instead. We checked out Denver the next day, then stopped at Colorado National Monument before kabin kamping at a KOA. The next day our voyage took us through Utah, where the rocks are red and everywhere. In Kanab, the gas station was full of Japanese tourists taking pictures like they've never seen a gas station before.

We arrived at Grand Canyon's North Rim late that night and slept in the van. I got to see the sunrise over the canyon. Amazing. We spent a few days on the north side before driving 80 miles to get to the other side of the 10 mile wide canyon. Along the way we stopped at the Lake Powell Dam in Page a site at Navajo National Monument, where I got my introduction to the Indian paintbrush, my new favorite flower. Unfortunately, I was sleeping when we passed through Tuba City, a place I always thought sounded interesting.

At the South Rim we had a thunderstorm. That was cool. I also had one of the best days of my life. It involved petting the mules, which you're not supposed to do, and generally being without adult supervision much of the day. When you're 13 it doesn't get any better. There was a presentation about the Civil War amp who explored the canyon in the 1870's and a tram ride along the canyon where they explained some of the history of the canyon. And of course, there was some hiking involved.

After leaving the canyon we first went south to Flagstaff, then east to Albuquerque. We camped 2 nights there, and during the day took a side trip to Santa Fe. There's an art museum and an outdoor plaza. Go there sometime. Next stop was carlsbad Caverns, where the thousands of bats fly out every evening. I got to see that. Imagine how many bugs would be in the desert without those guys.

After going batty, we hoteled in El Paso, then walked across the border and explored Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. We all survived the Mexico experience and were allowed back in the States. After leaving El Paso, we camped in Fort Stockton, a little west Texas frontier post. The sky was the clearest I'd ever seen, free of trees, light, and pollution.

The next mornng we went to the Fort Stockton fort, but it was closed. Instead we drove east and went to a cave. There's a rock formation that looks like a butterfly. Then we camped in San Antonio. They were giving away ice cream there at the campground. They also had a concert and played "Old Yeller" outside at night. Oh, and the Alamo was cool too. I love San Antonio's Riverwalk. It's an urban hiking experience. There are a few old Spanish missions in the city too.

After leaving San Antone, we passed the Republican National Convention in Houston. Texas felt different somewhere that day. It was more humid, there were more trees, and there were rivers. As we got closer to Louisiana, they started to call them bayous. We stayed in a cabin in Lake Charles, Louisiana, our last stop before the Big Easy.

New Orleans is right up there with San Antonio as far as best cities on this trip. I had an outdoor breakfast of crepes at a little cafe. Wrought iron quickly became my favorite design element in architecture. I wish I had more time there. I wanted to do the cemetery tour, or a voodoo ghost walk. And now that I'm over 21 there's Bourbon Street after dark.

In Mississippi, we stopped at the beach in Gulfport/Biloxi. The water was knee high about a half mile out. At some point it really drops off, and I'm glad we didn't go that far. We drove past Jefferson Davis's house. After got to Mobile, Alabama we took a turn to the north and you could tell we were gaining elevation. Dinner was at the Cracker Barrel in Montgomery, then we crossed into Georgia and hit 100,000 miles on the van.

The next day we went to Stone Mountain. The mountain has a carving of Confederate heros (Lee, Davis, and Stonewall Jackson) that was done by the same guy who did Mount Rushmore. There's also a plantation there for folks to explore. We did this, in the rain. We were planning on going to Myrtle Beach next, but because of the rain went to Tennesee instead. Dinner in Chatanooga was at another Cracker Barrel, same table. I believe we also sat in the same seats too. I don't think we all ordered the same thing as before though.

While in Chatanooga, we visited Confederama, a Civil War museum. We made to Virginia after leaving Chatanooga, and spent the night in Staunton in the Shenandoah Valley. The Valley is one of my favorite places. We hit the Caverns of Luray and took Skyline Drive through Shenandoah National Park before getting back to my uncle's place in Maryland.

While we were running around all over America, my family spent some time at my uncle's place. They really liked riding the water taxi around Baltimore. Becca played with crab legs. The next day, we were all in the car (nothing new for me) headed north and it was all over.

1990's Alaska Adventure
Topic: travel

Well, Loyal Reader, here's my trip to Alaska as promised. We left from Falls Church, VA. Somewhere on the PA Turnpike on Day 1 we lost our car-top carrier (and our tents and sleeping bags too). After a day on the road we made it as far as Rockford, IL. I was traveling with my Uncle Bob, his friend, and her 3 kids. South Dakota was next. We saw the Badlands, Black Hills, including Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse. Then off to Custer National Battlefield (now Little Bighorn since Custer didn't win, why should he get to name it?) and a late night ride to Missoula, MT.

A day later and we were in Seattle. Next, my first flight, up to Anchorage. I slept through it. Arrival in Alaska was a shock as it was in the 70's and people were wearing shorts. I had on a winter coat. The highlights in Alaska included Earthquake Park (a neighborhood devestated and buried by the 1964 earthquake), Denali National Park (too a really great hike there), a glacier somewhere, and panning for gold.

After 6 or 7 days in Alaska we flew back to Seattle. I played mini golf at Seattle Center and hit a hole in one on the next hole. Headed back east, we first went south to Portland, passing through Pierce County, home to Heather and her family who I didn't know yet.

We cut east across Oregon and Idaho and made our way to Yellowstone. I can't wait to go back. Geysers, mudpots, hot springs, elk..... You have to go there yourself. Continuing east, we rode horses in Cheyenne. The pronghorns were everywhere. There's a pony Express station in Nebraska we visited. I had lunch with a chipmunk in Iowa.

Chicago the second time through was more fun than the first. Westbound we drove through in a thunderstorm. Eastbound, we spent the day. No signs of Ferris Beuller though. The Field Museum had a huge Egyptian exhibit. It was like being in ancient Egypt. I also saw the Buckingham (Al Bundy) Fountain in Lincoln (not Linkin) Park. Indiana brought us to Notre Dame's Touchdown Jesus and First Down Moses.

After another night of camping, I was home and the journey of a lifetime was over. Fret not, my Loyal Reader. For in just 2 short years I would be crossing the country with the same cast of characters. Read about 1992's Grand Canyon Expedition tomorrow!

Summer Daydream
Topic: travel

Summer is almost over, so let's think back to our favorite summer vacations of all time! Here are some of mine, in no particular order: Florida, 1987 and 1988; Alaska, 1990; Arizona, 1992; Washington, 1999; Pennsylvania, 2000; Florida, 2007; and a bunch of smaller trips to places like Gettysburg, PA and Cape May, NJ.

Starting with Floirida in the 80's, it was my first time on the train. Disney is great, so is Sea World. Gatorland Zoo is a must for kids who like gators. I enjoyes the hot, humid weather and daily thunderstorms. The air smelled like tropical flowers and there were lizards running around Orlando like crazy. I think they even outnumbered the old folks. Since it was 20 years ago there's not a whole lot of details I remember, just the rides at Disney were great and I'm sure they're even better now. Check back tomorrow for Alaska!

DQ Update:

The golf cart DQ "fixed" stopped working again over the weekend. He has it back again, starting today. The Dude told me DQ had it running again. Only for himself? He's also working on the tractor. With the pressure washer. When you're car's acting funny the first thing to do is take it to the car wash.