Monday. San Francisco!

Eins: finally our destination, San Francisco... i was impressed by all
this traffic around us and decided that I never want to drive the car
here... but what can I say, Four left this morning, so it was just the
three of us figuring out what we are going to the with the car...
because unfortunately parking in SF is a mess, yes a real mess... from
9am-6pm parking, from no parking between 6-8am due street cleaning or
feeding the meter a fortune... i am staying at my friends place and it
felt like competing with others for parking... right now our car is a
burden for us so we decided to do one last tour towards the north
tomorrow and return it on Wednesday... It is freaking cold here... I
love it, but man, I havent expect this weather... after we walked up
the Golden Gate bridge... If you feel like you always wanted to see
the Gg bridge, you might get the same kick by seing The BF bridge in
Philly or the Brooklyn bridge in NY... you get less traffic and less
pedestrians and biker... after dropping off the girls at the Pier 39 I
took a detour to my friends place, leading me through little Italy and
Chinatown... so much to explore the next days... on the way back I
took another street and passed a Goodwill, so I needed to stop ;)... i
found not exactly what I was looking for but my bag collection is
officially expanded ;)...

Saturday and Sunday and the Denver airport

Four: I have a good half an hour before my connecting flight back to Philadelphia leaves Denver. DIA offers free internet, FYI.

Saturday we left Vegas and zoomed along the Mojave Desert and into California. Wow, California was the most boring state entrance I saw the entire trip. The road we took was slow and packed with large tractor trailers. We stopped in Four Corners, CA for a quick break and continued onward out of the flat land and into the mountains. Those mountains were completely different than any mountains I have ever seen. Covered in a yellow-ish grass and big. In a way they reminded me of the Scottish countryside but in a grander fashion. The road eventually opened up and we weaved high speed through the hills. I was happy Eins was driving because once the mountains stopped (abruptly) the farmland started and it was really uneventful.

The first few times we saw trucks filled with veggies was cool. Seeing lots of grapes was cool the first twenty times as well. It was the asshole drivers on the Pennsylvania-like quality highways that made it such a chore and not fun. It was stopping in a rest area and immediately being surrounded by California "city-folk" that made me realize how wonderful and magnificent the rest of the trip had been away from that life.

Luckily California is large and after many hours of driving we hit the coast. I don't remember much about any farms in particular but I will never forget passing north Santa Cruz and seeing the cliffs and the Pacific Ocean come together. I yelled "STOP!!!" at one point and Eins pulled over so we could explore the seaside. I have no words to tell you what I saw. Think of raging waves smashing into cliffs and holes in cliffs. Think of sand being thrown around by the force of waves being funneled into crevices in the rock and earth. It was amazing. Have you been to Acadia National Park to see Thunder Hole? It's like that but on the side of the road, down a ravine, with no one around and no sign to point it out. I collected a few stones and shells to bring home with me. Oh, and a piece of green glass that has been worn smooth. Cool.

We stayed at the Pigeon Point Lighthouse Hostel and I highly recommend it. There are nice rooms with nice people and seals outside. SEALS! It was a near full moon so Eins and I explored the darkness until I was so tired I passed out in my bunk bed.

We found a nice place to eat called Gazzos Grill and it was not far from a trail we were told to hike. What's up the trail worth seeing? How about a very large Redwood? VERY large Redwood. It looked like four trees growing from one tree. Humbling.

I really like the weather we had in California. It was such a nice relief from the heat of the desert. It wasn't sunny but it also was not humid. I like.

(a small interjection to mention that i overheard a guy talking about heading into las vegas today for vacation... *i'm making a puke face*)

Let's see.... after our hike we just drove up to San Francisco, stopping once at a small beach for some fresh air and ocean sounds. Once in San Francisco we went to Pier 39 and I got to see AT&T Park, home of the Giants and mighty Tim Lincecum. Pretty cool but I didn't really feel like stopping. I'm telling you the drivers in California make the drivers in Philly seem courteous. We got to see Alcatraz and some big sea lions. They are so cute but smell so bad. We ate at a place there that I cannot recall the name of. They validated our very pricey parking so we only had to fork over $7. Traffic was bad getting to the hotel but the room was large. Sadly they live in the 20th century with their ethernet internet connection.

I didn't sleep well at all and had to catch the airport shuttle at 4:20am. I am stuck in the position of wanting very much to see my pets and my friends again, but not wanting to be in Philly nor at my job. What's a girl to do?

I miss being on the road already. I miss the super nice people we met along the way. I miss what it felt like to see Kentucky and Oklahoma for the first time. I really miss the Grand Canyon a LOT. I guess that's why I earn vacation time...

I hope you have enjoyed reading as much as I have enjoyed writing. See you soon!

Saturday and Sunday... I want to get back to that city by the bay....

Four: Yeah, we made it out of Vegas alive. It's been a long trip and I am tired. Please look for me to post more once I get somewhere to sit down and type. I'm standing at a table with an ethernet cable plugged into the computer. Yikes.

Also, I have to fly home in a few hours. *insert big sad sigh*

Friday. Dam it. What happens in Vegas...

Four: Eins & Drei found some excellent info about the small town we stayed in overnight so we ended up having breakfast at Roadkill Cafe along Route 66 in Seligman, AZ. I had a breakfast burrito and though it was not as good as previous burritos, it was tasty and just half of it kept me full. I am really starting to want to buy one of these old Route 66 places and call it my own. How about the "Everything Fermented Saloon" offering beer, wine, and cheese. Yes?????

We passed the Hoover Dam today. Apparently the dam will be closed to thru traffic by the end of this year so I feel lucky to have driven the original road over it. They are in the process of making a bypass so cars can flow freely to Nevada instead of going through a security checkpoint as we did. I thought I would want to do a tour and all that jazz but once I saw it, I felt ill. It's an abomination of nature. The water is unnaturally green-blue in Lake Mead, and there is a "Lake Mead" where there should be a river. Also, I swear it smells like a port-o-john. Ok, so it's cool that there is a lot of hydroelectric power created for parts of Nevada, Arizona, and California, but ewwww, gross. I just don't like it. Eins felt similarly and passed up a helicopter tour of the area to just to "put a foot down" in opposition. Instead we hiked a bit and were blessed with a large lizard. He was seriously interesting. I almost stepped on him before he scurried away and let us watch him eat a mystery meal and scale the nearby rock wall.

I do not ever need to return to Las Vegas. It's big, it's busy, and it's too big and busy for me. I ate an excellent meal and had a quite tasty beer at a place recommended by a good friend. I played the slots, blackjack, and poker and lost a total of $13 after several hours of entertainment. I DID get to witness the water fountain show at the Bellagio. It was lovely.

The pool and hot tub are 24 hrs so after much use, I am ready to retire. We got a great deal at the Super 8 off of Flamingo Rd. (Thanks for the hot tip!)

Tomorrow will be a long driving day. I hope the Sonata will pull through after the near 3000 miles we put on it. I think I might be ready to see the Pacific. I miss my pets dearly and want my own bed.

Thursday. A large hole in the earth's crust.

Drü: eis zwei drü und hopp gahts . ... ja heute scheint der regen uns begleiten zu wollen die wolken im nacken, die tränen auf den backen, wenn der sommer regen aus seinem dunklem gewand platzt.
Es scheint dass motel wo wir uns zur späten stunde noch ein dach über den kopf kriegten an einem güterbahnhof zu liegen, wenn die nachtzüge vorbeirummpeln könnte man nie denken es sei nur ein zug sondern ein landeplatzt für helikopter. Der grüne teppichboden unter meinen füssen lebt, wie auch der stilsichere plüschsessel im taubenblau scheint niemanden mehr rufen zu wollen. Zum glück brauche ich nur meine augen zu schliessen und mir die weite des heutigen grand canyon tripp wachzurufen, es war so eindrücklich, die kraft der natur in seiner puren form aufnehmen zu können. Die zeit tropft lautlos dahin wie sirup, die süsse klebt auf meinen lippen, nektar für die sinnlichkeit.
Stille wasser sind tief und so begeb ich mich, in die traumwelt zurück ... . .
love and peace

...

Four: We started the day off right by having freshly baked donuts in Gallup, NM at the Donut Diner on old Route 66. Very fairly priced and very tasty.

"Standing on a corner in Winslow, Arizona, such a fine sight to see"... was me in front of a Winslow, Arizona billboard on a corner in Winslow, Arizona. Gas prices were the highest so far, but luckily we only required about half a tank. No girl drove by but an older gentleman in a white Ford Ranger managed to pass while I hummed.

We then drove in a storm up towards the Grand Canyon. Along the way we stopped at a road-side stand. The nice Navajo man explained to us that we are visiting during monsoon season. Ahhhhhh ok, so no wonder it rains every time we hike! Rain was not keeping me away from the Grand Canyon, nor did it keep away the wildlife. Oh, yes, and he offered to sell us his dog. (???)

We hiked on the trails, off the trails, up the trails, down the trails, and I can't even describe how amazing this place was. I took so many pictures and so much video and it just looks fake. The canyon begged me to step closer and closer and explore deeper. Sadly the rain made the rocks very slippery and therefore I was limited to how far out I could venture safely. The thunderstorm became so severe that the shuttle bus for the "red loop" was shut down. Didn't matter. We hiked down and relaxed in a natural cliff-side cave. We even got to see some form of elk (or moose or large deer) up close and personal. It would always stop raining just long enough to get out and walk some more, so we did. Everyone was a real sport about being out in the cold rain.

For dinner we stopped in Williams, AZ along, you guessed it, old Route 66. We ate at the Pine Country Restaurant and I had country fried steak and sweet tea. Yeah, I wanted to have more southwest food, but I did what one is supposed to do in these situations and asked what the waitress recommended. Let me tell you, I was NOT disappointed. Eins and Drü were also very pleased with their meals. Zwei ordered a vegetarian shepherd's pie and the rest of us mostly just stared at her while she ate it.

We ventured onward in yet another thunderstorm to a tiny town called Seligman, AZ. We have stopped at the Stagecoach Route 66 Motel. Their sign boasts that they are "Norwegian Owned." All I know is that they have windows that open, real keys with which to open the doors, little benches in front of each room, and we can hear the train every half hour or so as it blasts past.

The owners are super nice and allowed us into their adjacent pizza store to buy a six pack after hours. Our room neighbors are a father-son hunting combo, complete with a camouflage 4-wheeler on a trailer. The carpet smells a little odd.

Should be a good night!

Wednesday. The most tiring short day.

Zwei: It's hard to tell how much we saw during this trip.. it's amazing. I lost
completely my feeling for time and distances. It feels definitively longer
than a week. And so much more is waiting for us..great!!

Ok, just one thing is missing for my very very perfect trip experience. And
I know nobody would understand.. but.. I wished, I would be tainted. To be
honest, I thought I am already. But the pictures are telling qnother story.
My skin is fucking reflecting the sun!!! Hello? I always thought, it's just
the flash. My mistake.. Maybe I should drink carrot juice instead of Diet
Coke, haha.

...

Four: We are only 2 hours west of where we were yesterday. We drove all day to see everything cool. Petroglyphs, ice caves, lava flows & a volcano, and a little more Route 66 glory.

The day started with the Frontier restaurant in Albuquerque. This is an old Route 66 food establishment where you line up and order food, then wait for your order number to flash on the little screen. I had a breakfast burrito with hash browns, bacon, cheddar cheese, and green chile. I also ordered fresh orange juice to accompany it and WOWSA that was the best OJ I have ever consumed. The burrito was excellent and kept me full for hours. I give the place two big thumbs up for keeping the place pretty Rt 66 legit AND for serving top-notch food.

We headed out to the Petroglyphs and did three small hikes. It was really interesting to think the markings were from people who are not only dead, but who never saw a car or made a phone call, or even fired a gun. I bet life was fairly simple & cool in 1000-1300A.D. I was hiking very quietly along a few boulders while pondering life when suddenly a large rabbit bounded out from a rock and scampered across my path and down the hill a bit. I just stood with my mouth open, staring. I don't know the difference between, say, a jack-rabbit or hare or whatnot, but this fella was large and had super funny long ears & feet. As we headed out we filled up all our water containers at a nice outdoor pump we located near a small building. It must have been potable because I have yet to feel ill.

We then headed southwest to Sky City, where the Acoma tribe has lived since the dawning of time. Their main pueblo is located atop a mesa and is the oldest continuously-inhabited community in North America. I wandered through the museum and saw a film about the history of the area, but did not pay the steep fee to take the bus tour to the top of the mesa. I mean, honestly, you can see the homes from the bottom pretty well.

We then headed southwest again towards the El Malpais National Monument. This is a very large area of lava flows and remnants of about 40 volcanoes. Lava flows apparently make "tubes" underground which eventually become caves after 110,000 years....er, something like that. All I know is that we got to hike into some amazing caves. We also got to hike up the side of a young volcano crater, where it proceeded to thunderstorm heavily. We ended up hiding in a small cave where a family of four was already seeking shelter. It was weird. The lady and the two boys were nice the but guy was a jerk. Too bad. We eventually were overcome with weirdness so we hiked back down to the trading post in the rain. Once the rain died down we took another hike to an ice cave. Like, whoah. It's 31 degrees all the time and as the story goes, once the native americans discovered it way back when, it changed their peoples forever. They were finally able to store foods and so they prospered. The area is privately owned but clearly respected. PS: there were hummingbirds galore outside the trading post.

I'm not sure how long we were at each place, but it was worth it not to "get far." As we drove along the old Route 66 in the rain we were rewarded with a complete rainbow.

Zwei and I wanted one more stop at what was once a bar. We didn't know it was no longer a bar as from miles away we could see the bright pink building boasting "BAR" on it's wall. We stopped in to find double chain link fence with a petrified looking woman asking what we wanted. Yikes! She explained that "in the state of New Mexico you will be hung for drinking and driving." Then further explained "one beer, one wine, one shot- will put you over the limit so don't even THINK about it." Totally not a bar anymore.

Tonight we reside in West Gallup, NM. We would have been in east Gallup but apparently there is a big rodeo in town and all the hotels were booked up. Who knew?

My body aches from hiking in the heat and jogging down a volcano in the rain. So, I'm going to go get a shower and crawl into bed. Tonight perhaps ancient Petroglyph figures will dance in my dreams?

Tuesday. The stars at night are big and bright...

Eins: I am to tired to write as much as Four is doing every day. I have to say I am really impressed about so much energy... Days getting tough since we are on the road for 4 days and drove already 2100 miles... Wow... I am still in charge with directions and finding cool route 66 places... I think. I am doing pretty well at least all three are impressed by what we get to see. And I like the smaller towns because they offer a kind of sleeping beauty atmosphere... Most impressive today... To drive through three states, oklahoma, Texas and new Mexico... It's amazing how the landscape changes and how you can like Texas... a little bit :)

...

Four: We left Oklahoma City this morning after the third try. We had one pit stop for coffee and headed to Texas. Coming into the Lonestar State on I-40 is like nothing I have ever seen before. The land started to drop away into ravines, the hot wind started to blow steadily, and the land just opened up to an array of shrubs and trees growing in the direction of the constant breeze. We stopped at the first rest area we came to and relaxed under a large iron teepee. I wish I had had charcoal and some form of meat product because at each teepee was a grill pit... in the shape of TEXAS! The rest area was adjacent to the Johnson Ranch and so looking through binoculars offered views of cattle and water pump windmills (I'm not sure if they have a special name but it's those old metal windmills that remind me of the Beverly Hillbillies). Of course there were oil rigs of various sizes scattered across the land as well.

We drove through some more Route 66 stops, including McLean, Conway and Amarillo. McLean was supposed to be some amazing step back in time but really it was depressing as all the old shops were rusted and in poor disrepair and empty. It was like a ghost town, but not in a cool way. Conway offered some VW Beetles stuck in the ground ala the more popular "Cadillac Ranch" that is west of Amarillo. The beetles were really amazing because they just sat next door to a run-down building and a classic motel that is still operational. No one was around so it was all ours! We applied the proper graffiti, took some pics, snooped around the abandoned building, and then headed on to Amarillo.

The Big Texan Steak Ranch was our big stop in Amarillo. They boast a "free 72oz steak" to anyone who can finish it within an hour. And no, I did not even think of ordering a steak that weighs over 4 lbs. I did however have one of the best meals I have had so far. It was fairly priced and I even got to try some Texas beer that apparently is only sold within the state. Yum. To appropriately complete the scene was a big Texan who came to our table and sang two Johnny Cash songs. I'm so serious when I tell you Eins blushed as she slipped a tip into his armband.

Ok so this place is a souvenir shop, motel modeled like an old west town, has a giant pool in the shape of Texas, and restaurant all in one huuuuuge place. It's obscene. I loved it. Oh yeah, they even had an over-sized rocking chair in which 3 of us were able to sit comfortably.

On our way out of town we stopped at Cadillac Ranch. The Cadillac Ranch was built in 1974 and the owner assembled used Cadillacs representing the "Golden Age" of American Automobiles (1949 through 1963). The ten graffiti-covered cars are half-buried, nose-down, facing west "at the same angle as the Cheops' pyramids." Visitors are encouraged to paint the cars if so desired. I so desired and painted part of a wheel bright green.

Once we left Amarillo, it was goodbye Texas and goodbye Central time zone. We headed to New Mexico with full bellies and lots more pictures on our cameras. Entering NM was an immediate change, again, of the landscape. Mesas started to crop up and the trees disappeared. We stopped in a few more towns to visit the historic Route 66 and were not disappointed. The best was in Tucumcari where we found a LOT of empty, yet wonderful dwellings and signs. I'm starting to realize how similar highways are to Walmart... little towns die when either show up.

Back along I-40 I even got to see a train in it's entirety. It blew my mind that one could see a complete train all at one time, but there it was. It looked so small and slow and yet I could see it was carrying hundreds of automobiles. Surreal.

As we approached Albuquerque a huge storm was brewing on the horizon. We could see it for miles and miles up until we were engulfed in it. Luckily we also got to see most of the sunset over the distant mountains as we rode into the rain. We pulled into Albuquerque and into an official, historic Route 66 motel. It's the Imperial Inn. We are in room 110 if you want to look it up and give us a call.

People tell you that the west is big. Yeah, ok, so? I don't even know what that means.

The west is BIG.