day 3: PART 4: Camp
after the caves i decided it was time to setup camp and enjoy what was left of the day.
i setup camp and got out on the bike for the remainder of the afternoon. it was nice and i found some good trails and small caves to explore. there aren't any pics of that because in my camera's best interests i didn't take it with me on the bike at any point during this trip. i missed some great photos of different places, but i also didn't fall on it or soak it with mud either so i'm going to call it a worthy sacrifice.
the campground was almost entirely empty save a few RV's at the other end.
in the absence of the computer i kept track in my journal. since i was about half way through the trip and halfway across the country i celebrated with wine and wurst.
it was hot and after i got all sweaty i went over for a swim. it was chilly, but refreshing. the meramec river runs right past the campground and was a minute walk from my site.
that's a wrap on day 3, which was a huge one. here's a link to all the photo's
i setup camp and got out on the bike for the remainder of the afternoon. it was nice and i found some good trails and small caves to explore. there aren't any pics of that because in my camera's best interests i didn't take it with me on the bike at any point during this trip. i missed some great photos of different places, but i also didn't fall on it or soak it with mud either so i'm going to call it a worthy sacrifice.
the campground was almost entirely empty save a few RV's at the other end.
in the absence of the computer i kept track in my journal. since i was about half way through the trip and halfway across the country i celebrated with wine and wurst.
it was hot and after i got all sweaty i went over for a swim. it was chilly, but refreshing. the meramec river runs right past the campground and was a minute walk from my site.
that's a wrap on day 3, which was a huge one. here's a link to all the photo's
day 3: PART 3: Meramec
Shortly after crossing into MO i started to see and drive into the ozark mountains.
finally, after three days of driving.... NOT FLAT. it was a nice change of scenery.
i drove straight to my next big stop of the trip: Meramec Caverns
if you find yourself in north-eastern MO with no major plans, might i suggest you stop at Meramec.
these caves are unbelievable. the tour takes an hour or so and i could've easily spent four. jesse james and his gang used to hide-out here and used the underground river to escape once... shibby. i don't have much else to say the pictures speak for themselves.
finally, after three days of driving.... NOT FLAT. it was a nice change of scenery.
i drove straight to my next big stop of the trip: Meramec Caverns
if you find yourself in north-eastern MO with no major plans, might i suggest you stop at Meramec.
these caves are unbelievable. the tour takes an hour or so and i could've easily spent four. jesse james and his gang used to hide-out here and used the underground river to escape once... shibby. i don't have much else to say the pictures speak for themselves.
yeah right.....
TravelCenters of America. yeah sure, that's the first thing that pops into my head when i see these signs. more like.........
hmmmm kind of makes me want to stop. that's much more appealing than gas and ho-hos.
Drafting: an Informative Series
stuck on the road? feeling the burn of high gas prices? bored out of your gord? well kids, it's fab, it's fresh, it's Nate's lessons on drafting. following along as we take our first peak at this exciting new sport.
Part 1: understanding the principles of drafting
it's simple: the larger the object the more air it must 'push' in order to move around. the area behind the vehicle is a 'void' of sorts.... put your finger in a sink full of water, move it real fast in a straight line, see how the water moves around your finger and the hollow spot right behind it. sweet huh? well, it's kind of like that. the goal in drafting is get as close as you can to the biggest shit you can and ride along in the void. par example:
regular cars tend to bring teh suck. they just aren't big enough.
hmmm... tow-behind RV, good size, nice wind break. problem is you're going to speed-up/slow-down constantly for this asshole cause his taurus can barely pull this thing downhill... my advice: skip it.
big-rig... fricken huge, massive void, great wind break. similar problem as the tow-behind if he's all loaded down with cargo. unless you have a car with the new 'traffic-sensitive' cruise, this guy is no good either. one plus, this guy has a shit-ton of extra lights and shiny chrome. you can zone out watching the light-show or be like a moth to the flame and chase the shiny shit all day.
and NOW, The Holy Mother of all Drafting Situations:
big rig in front, big rig behind, and even one on the side to block and cross-winds. best way to do this is find two trucks that are traveling together. keep an eye out, often if they're the same company they'll be sticking together. so find these guys, then comes the ballsy part. just put your blinker on and pull right in between them. chances are they're already drafting each other so you'll have to squeeze in and make a little room. you're going to piss them off, it's kind of a guarantee... at first. once they realize you're down for drafting they usually fit you right in. so just get as close as your 'pucker factor' allows and don't get worried when all you can see if a bunch of chrome and the word 'kenworth' in your rear-view. take solace in the fact that you can accelerate, turn, or break way faster than these guys. and poof, all of sudden you car gets like 50 miles to the gallon, it's the new hotness.
Part 1: understanding the principles of drafting
it's simple: the larger the object the more air it must 'push' in order to move around. the area behind the vehicle is a 'void' of sorts.... put your finger in a sink full of water, move it real fast in a straight line, see how the water moves around your finger and the hollow spot right behind it. sweet huh? well, it's kind of like that. the goal in drafting is get as close as you can to the biggest shit you can and ride along in the void. par example:
regular cars tend to bring teh suck. they just aren't big enough.
hmmm... tow-behind RV, good size, nice wind break. problem is you're going to speed-up/slow-down constantly for this asshole cause his taurus can barely pull this thing downhill... my advice: skip it.
big-rig... fricken huge, massive void, great wind break. similar problem as the tow-behind if he's all loaded down with cargo. unless you have a car with the new 'traffic-sensitive' cruise, this guy is no good either. one plus, this guy has a shit-ton of extra lights and shiny chrome. you can zone out watching the light-show or be like a moth to the flame and chase the shiny shit all day.
and NOW, The Holy Mother of all Drafting Situations:
big rig in front, big rig behind, and even one on the side to block and cross-winds. best way to do this is find two trucks that are traveling together. keep an eye out, often if they're the same company they'll be sticking together. so find these guys, then comes the ballsy part. just put your blinker on and pull right in between them. chances are they're already drafting each other so you'll have to squeeze in and make a little room. you're going to piss them off, it's kind of a guarantee... at first. once they realize you're down for drafting they usually fit you right in. so just get as close as your 'pucker factor' allows and don't get worried when all you can see if a bunch of chrome and the word 'kenworth' in your rear-view. take solace in the fact that you can accelerate, turn, or break way faster than these guys. and poof, all of sudden you car gets like 50 miles to the gallon, it's the new hotness.
day 3: PART 2: Illinois smells like dirt
so after leaving Lake Michigan it was back to interstate driving (boring, monotonous, speeding). by this point, needless to say i was feeling a little bit squirrelly. so i had to get creative and keep myself amused and awake for the rest of the day. more on that in a hot minute. anyway, after indiana i was hoping for a change of scenery, but alas, illinois is flat as shit as well. take a peek... woo hoo, fresh plowed fields and an occasional silo just to keep things exciting.illinois smells like dirt. warm, moist, rich earthen stink filled the entire car. don't get me wrong, it was a pretty good stink considering the alternatives. it seemed they had just plowed every field in the state. after a little while i noticed my windshield was remaining very clean and devoid of bugs... which got me thinking there probably aren't any bugs left after all the pesticides, fungicides, herbicides they use on the fields. which got me thinking 'yuck'. it's funny how poorly we treat the world that keeps us alive, how unabashedly we pollute life on so many levels simultaneously. funny to be having these thoughts as you smash the pedal down in your car, driving upwards of 700 miles a day, spewing out god knows how much shit in your wake. anything else less contradicting wouldn't be american would it? we're idiots.... well most of us...
then i saw this guy and i realized there were exceptions to every rule. go ahead, click on that bitch, look at the full-screen size. do it. this guy looks around at all the neighboring farms growing soy beans, corn, wheat, etc. and thinks 'screw these assholes, i want a real cash crop' so after a few late nights in the barn and a couple of hours leafing through 'farming for idiots' billybob had it! fuck soy beans, he was just going to grow school buses insead.oh yeah, check that shit out. that's right: school buses, the hottest new cash crop in the bread-basket. tell the federal government to take their subsidies and shove them up their ass. you don't need em dog, you got it all figured out.
i couldn't help but think Bob Ross would love these happy, puffy little clouds.
i drove into St. Louis right after crossing into Missouri. i was going to stop and check out the gateway arch and whatnot, but it was 88 out. way too hot for concrete, tourists, elevators.these pics from the car are as much as you get.
onward and upward! farther up and farther in!
day 3: PART 1: Elkhart, IN to Meramec, MO
my uncle is one swanky guy. just look at that beautiful house. it was a nice morning and i enjoyed a nice breakfast with Aunt Sandy. with this last parting glance i pulled out of Elkhart and hit the road. not long after i passed the home of jed's favorite fighting irish. after that, it was only a couple of hours to my first "green" stop on the trip:
Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore appears to be more of a summer spot for those who are Lake Michigan bound. I found the place to be pretty much abandoned, save for a bus load of grade-schoolers. Mt. Baldy, in my humble opinion, is a fairly grandiose name for a 200 ft tall sand box.
the road into the lakeshore is winding and equal parts lush greenery and desolate swamp. it was early (8:30 am) and aside from a strange white van that followed me to see what i was up to, there was no else around. now if i weren't a 6 foot plus, 225 lb man i might have been a little worried, but lucky me these are not things i have to devote time to and worry about.
one thing i didn't take a picture of is the doomsday size pothole that i drove straight into. considering the neck snapping jolt and thunderous bang i thought i'd have popped both drivers-side tires and lucky if i hadn't bent the shit out of both wheels. with an impressive string of four letter expletives i got out to check the damage. it must have been my day because aside from a huge bubbled out blister in the front left tire there was no damage to speak of.
on the top in the pictures above is looking west from the "top" of Mt. Baldy, on the bottom, looking east. see the pretty stack of the power plant emerging from the fog? picturesque no? it's just a short walk from the parking lot to the top of the dunes which on a clear day would offer you a wide vista of Lake Michigan and the shoreline. the day i was there the weather was in no mood to cooperate.
Lake Michigan was calm and cool and deserted which made for a peaceful and quiet walk along the shore.
it was well how do you say.... cold. suprise suprise.
a neat looking cluster of trees.
and your intrepid host, squinting and smirking as i ran down the dunes. i can point my nose in one direction while my smile points in the other.... aren't i talented?
Seamless Photo Linking?
i'm looking for a nice (free) photo linking program in order to put together some panoramic shots i took while on the road. if anyone has a heads-up or has anything to share please let me know. until then the hunt ensues.
It's Scrumtrulescent
this one is for Jed and Aaron.
mmmmmmmm mmmmmmm good
i am not sure what the deal is in CO, but there's four different Chipotle's within 15 min from where i currently live... what other reason could you possibly need to move out here? i am officially renaming this place Burrito Shang-gri-la.
i've solved my computer problems so from here on in, if i'm not a lazy shite about it, there should be lots of posts including the rest of the trip.... there's still over 200 pics to go on that alone.
mmmmmmmm mmmmmmm good
i am not sure what the deal is in CO, but there's four different Chipotle's within 15 min from where i currently live... what other reason could you possibly need to move out here? i am officially renaming this place Burrito Shang-gri-la.
i've solved my computer problems so from here on in, if i'm not a lazy shite about it, there should be lots of posts including the rest of the trip.... there's still over 200 pics to go on that alone.
Day 2: Once there was a girl i knew there and she was pretty
i woke up this morning and had breakfast with this beautiful boy
early morning i sat on the porch and had breakfast with chester, it was quiet and pretty and i savored it. i checked out my plan for the day and decided to make a few changes.
Audible on the play!
i decided to skip the Rock 'N Roll Hall of Fame for a few reasons. it's downtown, which either would put me in a parking garage and i don't think the car would fit with the bikes on top nearing ten feet. ruling that out leaves me parking in a random lot or out on the street with a car full of valuables and a couple thousand worth of bikes on top. that was not something i was ok with. this stop was also going to be one of the most expensive on my trip, so it wasn't that hard to opt to skip it.
in lieu of the hall of fame, i chose to drive north along Lake Erie and see some of the coast and the region around the Bass Islands.
Marblehead Lighthouse
Lake Erie was cold
After that i drove into Indiana....
Indiana is flat. that is all i have to say about it
i arrived in elkhart around 5pm, it was a short day of driving and i wasn't the least bit upset about it. Uncle Larry and i grilled brauts while Aunt Sandy prepared a veritable feast to go with it. i had a great time visiting with them and i wish that we had more time together. once the Beam came out Uncle Nerd and I ended up sipping whisky and bull-shitting on the porch til 1:30 in the morning. i loved every second of it.
early morning i sat on the porch and had breakfast with chester, it was quiet and pretty and i savored it. i checked out my plan for the day and decided to make a few changes.
Audible on the play!
i decided to skip the Rock 'N Roll Hall of Fame for a few reasons. it's downtown, which either would put me in a parking garage and i don't think the car would fit with the bikes on top nearing ten feet. ruling that out leaves me parking in a random lot or out on the street with a car full of valuables and a couple thousand worth of bikes on top. that was not something i was ok with. this stop was also going to be one of the most expensive on my trip, so it wasn't that hard to opt to skip it.
in lieu of the hall of fame, i chose to drive north along Lake Erie and see some of the coast and the region around the Bass Islands.
Marblehead Lighthouse
Lake Erie was cold
After that i drove into Indiana....
Indiana is flat. that is all i have to say about it
i arrived in elkhart around 5pm, it was a short day of driving and i wasn't the least bit upset about it. Uncle Larry and i grilled brauts while Aunt Sandy prepared a veritable feast to go with it. i had a great time visiting with them and i wish that we had more time together. once the Beam came out Uncle Nerd and I ended up sipping whisky and bull-shitting on the porch til 1:30 in the morning. i loved every second of it.
technical difficulties...
so here's the deal. right now, the computer available to me at home is proudly offering up the infamous 'blue screen of death'. i'm sitting here at the library, which is frigging amazing by the way ( http://www.ci.louisville.co.us/library), thinking i was going to be able to upload some pics and be able to share this shit with you guys. well that's a no go, lots of system security and limited access means i can't upload any pics from here. until the computer at home gets fixed i think i'm SOL.
a little update on life in Colorado, it's well... gorgeous. i'm still getting used to looking at the flatirons and the rockies all day. i'd like to be up in the middle of them somewhere if i had my druthers, but i'm close enough i guess. life with the Burns family is going great. they are a group of excellent people and i am lucky and very appreciative that they've 'taken me in' until i get to know the area a little better and find a place of my own. work has been good, it's great to be outside all day. it has been a little frustrating for me trying to jump into a group that have been working together for years. they have their own lingo and can get through things faster than i can, but it's to be expected and i know i'm simply frustrated because i always set the mark to high. there's no such thing as a seemless transition. i really enjoy the work, it's physical and offers you that daily satisfaction of looking back at what you've accomplished because well.... you're usually standing on it. the house we're framing now is three floors, it's a good thing i don't mind heights and walking along 2x4's 25 feet off the ground.
pics and the updates of the trip out here as soon as i can get them uploaded.... promise
a little update on life in Colorado, it's well... gorgeous. i'm still getting used to looking at the flatirons and the rockies all day. i'd like to be up in the middle of them somewhere if i had my druthers, but i'm close enough i guess. life with the Burns family is going great. they are a group of excellent people and i am lucky and very appreciative that they've 'taken me in' until i get to know the area a little better and find a place of my own. work has been good, it's great to be outside all day. it has been a little frustrating for me trying to jump into a group that have been working together for years. they have their own lingo and can get through things faster than i can, but it's to be expected and i know i'm simply frustrated because i always set the mark to high. there's no such thing as a seemless transition. i really enjoy the work, it's physical and offers you that daily satisfaction of looking back at what you've accomplished because well.... you're usually standing on it. the house we're framing now is three floors, it's a good thing i don't mind heights and walking along 2x4's 25 feet off the ground.
pics and the updates of the trip out here as soon as i can get them uploaded.... promise
Holy dog shit. Texas? Only steers and queers come from Texas, Private Cowboy.
And you don't look much like a steer to me so that kinda narrows it down.
This is Jed by the way. Nate's in Texas. He made it there on time. He told me the roadkill Armadillos look like "bloody footballs." He also says that he met some random dude last night camping and they sat around and drank wine and smoked stogies. Seems like a good time.
Next stop Mesa Verde!!
This is Jed by the way. Nate's in Texas. He made it there on time. He told me the roadkill Armadillos look like "bloody footballs." He also says that he met some random dude last night camping and they sat around and drank wine and smoked stogies. Seems like a good time.
Next stop Mesa Verde!!
Day 1: Follow the Yellow Brick Road
the day in numbers:
710 miles driven
78 degrees for a high
28 avg miles per gallon
$3.13 per gallon paid for gas
10 hrs 45 mins from start to finish
87, 88, 17, 86, 90 : the path west across NY
198 out of 5703 : songs listened to on the ipod
3 stops for fluids, both replacement and displacement
2 Usaj's i was happy to see and have a wonderful dinner with
eleventy fafillion : number of slow, non aerodynamic bugs my car is wearing currently
do you know the modest mouse song that goes '500 miles is a long drive inside a car'? well, it's no fun doing it alone, but the music helps. really though, today was a nice drive despite all the construction. i'll either have to start driving a lot slower, go farther, or hope the rest of the songs on my ipod are all 56 seconds long if i want to hear them all on this trip. i'm not sure why i went rainman today with the numbers nonsense. it's late and i'm tired. it was great to see the Usaj's and have a nice dinner and chat on the deck in the afternoon sun. it's going to be an awkward transition to go from todies, steak, and big bed to a nalgene full of piss warm water, a can of tuna, and my tent. something about this seems backwards.
the day in images
i think that NY needs to just close every road, declare no driving for a month, fix all of them, then be done with it. it seemed that i didn't drive for more than a few miles uninterrupted all day today. there were 'road construction ahead' signs within sight of 'end construction' signs.... no joke. why just connect them you ask? well if they did that some of our favorite state workers wouldn't have made two weeks pay putting out all those extra signs and cones.
my house from college, it's all boarded up and unloved now.
710 miles driven
78 degrees for a high
28 avg miles per gallon
$3.13 per gallon paid for gas
10 hrs 45 mins from start to finish
87, 88, 17, 86, 90 : the path west across NY
198 out of 5703 : songs listened to on the ipod
3 stops for fluids, both replacement and displacement
2 Usaj's i was happy to see and have a wonderful dinner with
eleventy fafillion : number of slow, non aerodynamic bugs my car is wearing currently
do you know the modest mouse song that goes '500 miles is a long drive inside a car'? well, it's no fun doing it alone, but the music helps. really though, today was a nice drive despite all the construction. i'll either have to start driving a lot slower, go farther, or hope the rest of the songs on my ipod are all 56 seconds long if i want to hear them all on this trip. i'm not sure why i went rainman today with the numbers nonsense. it's late and i'm tired. it was great to see the Usaj's and have a nice dinner and chat on the deck in the afternoon sun. it's going to be an awkward transition to go from todies, steak, and big bed to a nalgene full of piss warm water, a can of tuna, and my tent. something about this seems backwards.
the day in images
i think that NY needs to just close every road, declare no driving for a month, fix all of them, then be done with it. it seemed that i didn't drive for more than a few miles uninterrupted all day today. there were 'road construction ahead' signs within sight of 'end construction' signs.... no joke. why just connect them you ask? well if they did that some of our favorite state workers wouldn't have made two weeks pay putting out all those extra signs and cones.
my house from college, it's all boarded up and unloved now.
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