Mac N Cheese Travels

Exploring Owens Valley, CA

2009-01-06T12:56:00.007-05:00

The Owen's Valley road trip crew. Mike, Jeff, Me, and Matt.

The Buttermilk boulders. This is a hot spot for bouldering. There was snow on the ground but it was beautiful out. I walked around barefoot and in a tank top. Not bad weather considering it was the end of December.

This is taken at the top of a climb in the Alabama Hills. This was a really hard climb but I got the top. What a great feeling looking around after climbing a huge rock!

The Sierra Mountains are absolutely beautiful. I look forward to hiking to the top of Mt. Whitney one of these days.

I spent the first few days of my Christmas road trip in Owen's Valley near Bishop, CA. I was even lucky enough to go to a hot springs a couple of times outside of Bishop. Sitting in a natural hot spring after a day of climbing was awesome. It was cold out that night. I think it was around 30 degrees. But sitting in the hot springs was wonderful. There is nothing like looking up at an amazing starry sky in a steamy pond in the middle of winter with a great group of friends.

Adventures in AmeriCorps

2008-12-21T22:33:00.004-05:00

Mt. Adams

I'm now officially employed. I will be re-entering the job force on Feb. 23rd as team leader with Northwest Service Academy. I applied for quite a few jobs through AmeriCorps and was lucky enough to get my first choice! I'm excited, nervous and happy all at once.

I will be based out of Mt. Adams, Washington about 1 and half from Portland, Oregon. I'll working to help maintain trails in Washington, Oregon and California. Basically, I'll be getting paid to hike, camp and travel. I know it will be lots of hard work and an experience unlike any I've ever had. I can't wait to learn how to use a huge chainsaw!

Since I started my journey on August 30th, 2008 I've met a few people that have hiked the Pacific Crest Trail. The P.C.T. is one of the most beautiful trails in the U.S.A. It starts in southern California and ends in northern Washington. I loved this program because I will train for 6 weeks on the P.C.T. in southern California. I may even get to work on the P.C.T. in different locations.

I wonder what life is going to be like in 2 or 3 months? I've yet to make it up to Washington or Oregon. It will be fun to explore new places while helping make the forests better for everyone's enjoyment.

Forest Falls, CA

2008-12-17T14:24:00.006-05:00

This is the view right outside my house. The sky is an incredible blue almost everyday. I have to drive over this creek down a "road" to my new home. It's the most beautiful place I've ever lived.

I've been neglecting my blog and I'm sorry. I decided to stay in the San Bernardino Mountains outside Redlands, CA about 2 months ago.

I rented a room in an amazing log home in Forest Falls, CA. The first couple of weeks of living in a house again were strange. I had gotten used to living out of my car and a tent. I've been enjoying my new mountain home and town.

Forest Falls is a small town of 1,00o people. There is one general store and a Mexican Restaurant. It's absolutely beautiful. I'm within walking distance to wonderful trails that make me feel like I'm in the middle of the wilderness. I've seen a couple of bears and a bob cat since moving here. Pretty cool! I may have a home base right now but the adventure continues.

My new love, Rock Climbing!

2008-12-17T13:56:00.006-05:00

I've been rock climbing almost every weekend for the past month. This is New Jack City in CA. I thought New Jack City was an actual city and we were simply going climbing in the desert to climb outside of New Jack City. I climbed to the top of the first rock and looked around, where was the city? Ha. Joke was on me when I asked this question to my fellow climbing buddies. I was in New Jack City. It's just a spot to go climbing in the desert!

We arrived on Friday night and camped all weekend. We climbed all day Saturday and Sunday. Wow, was I tired on Sunday night. It was an awesome weekend.

My first time rock climbing!

2008-11-17T13:28:00.005-05:00

I've been lucky enough to meet some cool people that rock climb. I went climbing at Frustration Creek right next Angeles Oaks, CA.

I didn't know anyone that rock climbed regularly in Philadelphia. At the Joshua Tree Music festival I met lots of climbers and immediately wanted to try it. Now I get why people love climbing!

Riordan Mansion

2008-11-10T19:41:00.004-05:00

The Riordan Mansion is a great example of a craftsman home. The Riordan brothers basically built the town of Flagstaff a hundred years ago.

The tour guide was a quirky college student with a funny sense of humor. The mansion is actually two separate houses that are connected by a 1,000 sqft. family room.

The one brother was studying to be a Jesuit priest when he met his future wife. I wonder what he was like? What a great love story. I can only imagine the toasts at their wedding. "My hubby was planning on being a man of God until he met me."

Arizonians take their 'old' buildings seriously. I guess I've been spoiled by living in Philadelphia and NYC. I think the crappy tenement apartment I had in the East Village of NYC was older than the Riordan Mansion.

Lava Cave

2008-10-28T14:09:00.007-04:00

The entrance of the Lava Caves. Exploring a cave was first for both Silvi and I!

The forest on the drive to the Lava Cave in Flagstaff, AZ.

I was lucky enough to be taken to a Lava Cave in Flagstaff, AZ. Thanks Andrew for showing me this cool place. The cave was formed by hot lava in a volcanic eruption many years ago.

I've been on top of mountains, in slot canyons and now I've been in the total darkness of an underground cave! Life is good.

The feeling of being underground surrounded by rock in the dark is unique. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who's scared of the dark or claustiphobic. I wasn't sure how Silvi would do climbing over rocks in the dark but she's a trooper and a crowd pleaser. I passed a kid that said enthusiastically "Wow, you have your dog AND a lantern, you're so lucky!"

Dar Williams

2008-10-28T13:50:00.002-04:00

I saw Dar Williams in Flagstaff, AZ on Saturday night. Sadly, I forgot my camera.

Shawn Mullins opened for Dar Williams. I didn't know who he was and wrongly assumed that Shawn was a women! I was pleasantly surprised by his soulful, folk rock performance. A few of his songs were about being on the road. How could I not like him?

The show was at the Orpheum Theater. It's a cool old theater except it still has movie chairs. I really hate having to watch a music show sitting down.

Dar Williams is enduring, funny and a wonderful performer. She has an interesting and energetic stage presence. I highly recommend checking her out if you're a folk/ rock music fan.

The Quest for Deep Creek Hot Springs!

2008-10-28T13:07:00.008-04:00

I drove in the desert for at least an hour trying to find Deep Creek Hot Springs.

It took unbelievable persistence to find Deep Creek Hot Springs. The directions online sucked. I drove around and around on desert roads trying to find Bowen Ranch Rd. I asked for directions at least 5 times but no one could really knew what they were talking about. I was finally about to give up when I saw a mail man. He gave me great directions and told me I was going to have a blast!

The hot springs are located outside of Hesperia, CA. I payed my $5 to Mike, the guy who lives and takes care of the BLM land where the springs are located. There are a few different ways to hike into the hot springs. The Pacific Crest Trail is right next to the springs. It was cool to see the P.C.T. It's on my list of things to do!

I hiked the 2 or so miles on a desert trail to the hot springs. It's incredible to walk in the desert and then see a river! I was at the springs on a Thursday so there were only a few people around. It's a big nudist, hippie location. I'll have to go back on a weekend to get the full experience!

Silver Lake, CA

2008-10-28T12:49:00.004-04:00

Morning at Silver Lake.

I took this picture on my 2 hour sunset walk looking down at Silver Lake, CA.

I found this area outside Hesperia, CA where I went to find Deep Creek Hot Springs. I didn't find the hot springs on Wednesday but I found this beautiful place on National Forest land. Just walking and watching the sun set is simple, elegant, and wonderfully peaceful.

San Bernardino Mountains

2008-10-28T12:33:00.004-04:00

I stayed a few nights in Angelus Oaks, CA in the San Bernardino Mountains northeast of LA. My new friends from the Joshua Tree music festival call this beautiful place home. I've been enjoying the good company and hiking.

Joshua Tree Desert

2008-10-24T13:00:00.007-04:00

The desert in Joshua Tree is breathtaking. It's hot even in October! It was too hot to walk around with Silvi by 11am. I hear summer in Joshua Tree is almost unbearable.

I loved all the cactus and mountain backdrops. I hiked a bit with Silvi around the cactus garden until I realized it was a disaster waiting to happen. Dogs sniff with their noses!

There are lizards everywhere in the desert. Silvi is convinced that she might just be able to catch a lizard. I could foresee her chasing a lizard right into a cactus!

Amazing Sunrises, Joshua Tree CA

2008-10-24T12:29:00.006-04:00

The sunrises in Joshua Tree National Park are unbelievable. I woke at dawn every morning just to watch them. These were the best sunrises I've seen so far!

The huge rocks against the sky are really cool. Apparently it's the mecca for rock climbers!

Crossing into CA!

2008-10-21T15:40:00.002-04:00

Driving into California was exhilarating! I made it cross country. The feeling of driving coast to coast across this magnificent country is overwhelming. It's something ever politician should be required to do before running for president.

Hello California!

Jerome, AZ

2008-10-21T15:12:00.008-04:00

Jerome, AZ is a mining town that was founded in 1876. Rich Copper mines helped it grow to a population of 15,000 by the 1920's. By the mid 1950's Jerome was a ghost town. Today Jerome is a tourist and artist community. It's built into the mountains and a great place to walk around. There's lots of interesting art galleries, restaurants and bars.

I ate breakfast at Gisele's. I had biscuits and gravy. Wow, now that's a breakfast that sticks to your ribs! I love eating at small local joints.

Flagstaff, AZ

2008-10-21T13:34:00.004-04:00

The above picture is Dara Thai. This restaurant would be perfectly at home in West Philly!

Flagstaff is an interesting city. There is an Amtrack station and the historic route 66 cuts through the town. There are hostels and cheap motels on the cooler or some might say seedier part of town. Ironically the city is split by the train tracks.

Walking around I saw quite a few guys with big packs that were riding the trains across the country. I got excited because I thought I would get a chance to talk with people that were riding box cars but the travelers I met were traveling by Amtrack. Not as dangerous and hard core a method of travel as the boxcars but still interesting.

The classier part of town has lots of cool art, hiking, and boutique stores. There are a couple of old hotels that are really cool. I went into Monte Vista on Sunday night. There’s a bar on the first floor and most of the rooms are named after movie stars that have stayed there.

My friend showed my around Flagstaff on Sunday night. Getting to see a town or area with a local is wonderful. It adds a depth to where ever I'm visiting and is always a treat.

Haze at the Grand Canyon

2008-10-14T13:53:00.004-04:00

The Grand Canyon was hazy on Saturday when I arrived. I have to admit I didn't really explore the Grand Canyon. I was tired from my night of wind camping and ready to be in a town! I drove around, enjoyed the views and walked Silvi around.

I was close to Flagstaff and thought Saturday would be a great night to get a motel room and explore a new town. I headed out of the Grand Canyon to find a warm, cheap room for the night and hopefully some live music in Flagstaff.

Wind Camping, Relaxing!

2008-10-14T13:31:00.002-04:00

Friday night a cold front came through southern UT and northern AZ. It was windy. I've never camped in the wind before. I camped in Kaibab National Forest outside of the Grand Canyon.

I drove off the side of the road onto a logging road leading into the forest. I looked around to make sure to camp away from any dead trees. I didn't want to have a tree fall on Silvi and I in the middle of the night. What a boring way to die!

The wind blew strong all night. I could hear tree limbs falling down a little ways from me in the forest. I had no idea how loud a tent can be when there's strong winds. Wow, what an experience! I'm not sure it's exactly something I want to do again for a little bit. It was a long night especially since I kept thinking about the pottery store couple I had just left. Stories about Ted Bundy aren't exactly relaxing bedtimes tales. I guess I had to have a scary night at some point. I've been on the road for over 6 weeks. It's pretty amazing that this was my first scary night!

Strange Potters

2008-10-14T13:06:00.003-04:00

I stopped at this pottery store just over the AZ border coming from UT. Wow, what a strange place in a tiny town. I went in and picked out the a cool vase and then realized I needed cash.

I went to the only ATM at a gas station/market/gun store. I walked over to the ATM and the guy at the register asked me how much money I wanted to take out. Coming from Philly I had to resist the thought that he was trying to rob me. I wanted $100 and he said that he needed to put more cash in the machine. I guess I could have robbed him. He took money out of his cash register and loaded the ATM.

I went back to the pottery store owned by a middle aged couple. I walked in and saw a cute pitbull curled up on the floor. I said "hi" to the dog when the man immediately came out of the back and yelled at the dog "Go to your hole!" It gave me chills and I definitely didn't want to see the hole. Has anyone seen 'Silence of the Lambs'? That's what the serial killer yells at his victim.

I paid for the vase and talked with the man and his wife that owned the store. They were too interesting to pass up a conversion with. Jim and Lisa make all the pottery they sell. Jim asked me if I had any weed. I didn't so I said no but I could have had a truck load of weed and I still would have said no!

Jim and Lisa were harmless, I guess, I couldn't quite read them. They were paranoid about the world. Jim said "It's a dangerous world. I just watched a video were 2 blackies beat up people on a bus for an ipod somewhere back east." Yes, he said blackies; I'd never even heard that before. Jim and Lisa then went on to talk about Ted Bundy and all the women he killed. They were trying to warn me of the dangers of the traveling alone as a woman. But I couldn't tell if maybe they were warning me of themselves. They tried to convince me to camp on their land next to the shop or get a room across the street. I declined and decided the forest was safer. Especially since Jim wanted to know if I had gun. He had many!

Canyon Diving

2008-10-09T13:10:00.010-04:00

I took this picture after swimming to the next rock on the Narrows hike in Zion. The Narrows was the best hike I've done. Although I found out the official term is Canyoneering. I didn't expect to actually go swimming but the water was higher than I expected and I just went for it. I climbed up the boulder on the other side of the deep water and waited for the guys to take the plunge.

I have to admit I was a little cold after my swim in 57 degree water! I wasn't too smart about my swim. I had to quickly try and save my camera and I didn't have a spare shirt. I saved the camera and was lucky enough to borrow someone else's spare shirt for the rest of the hike. But it was fun!

It's a mile walk to the river in a large canyon. As the canyon gets tighter and tighter you start hiking through the river. The large canyon turns into narrow slot canyons. It was cold in the morning especially since there's not much sun a few miles into the canyon.

I pasted a hiker in the Narrows who said "This sure beats working doesn't it!" I totally agree!

It's almost the opposite feeling as being on top of a mountain. The rocks tower above you and the river is spectacular. The area around Zion is unique because water flows through the rocks. This creates hanging gardens. At times it feels almost tropical along the Narrows hike. But it's in the desert of Utah, so cool! There are ferns and other plants growing stories above your head as you walk through the canyon. The tops of the enormous rocks are red and the sky is the most amazing blue you've ever seen. It's something I will never forget.

Community of Travelers

2008-10-09T13:08:00.000-04:00

There is an entire community of long term travelers traveling about I'm now proud to be a member of. This is a picture of Patrick and Wallie at Capitol Reefs. I met both of these guys at Capitol Reefs. Wallie is from Germany and Patrick is from Florida. They are both riding the same BMW bike.

It's been fun to meet all the people camping at the National Parks. There is a small but amazing group of people that take months or even years off from their jobs to travel the world. I'm impressed, inspired and totally intrigued!

But where are the solo women travelers? I'm on the lookout for even a solo women camper but I have spotted one yet.

Every long term traveler I meet has a unique story. The travelers I've met aren't independently wealthy. They have a true passion for traveling. I love asking lots of questions, seeing pictures of their trips and finding out how they have funded their travels. So far there is one thing everyone has in common, no kids, no mortgage.

At Capitol Reefs, Wallie a German doctor riding a BMW Dakar camped at our site. Wallie is 5 months into a 6 month bike tour around the world. He rode through Germany into Russia and had then had his bike flown to Alaska.

I came into the Zion campgrounds and guess what I saw? The same bike as Wallie parked at one of the campsites with 2 other bikes. I asked the guy at the site if the bike belonged to a German doctor that had ridden from Russsia. He said yes. But when the owner of the bike walked up it wasn't Wallie but his friend Hans. Funny I assumed there could only be one German riding a BMW Dakar around Utah. The other 2 bikes belonged to a really cool couple from Sweden. They are 2 months into a year long trip. The Sweds had their bikes flown to South America and ridden north.

At Zion I also met an Australian couple. Guy and Lisa are traveling around the world for 2 years. They had amazing pictures from South America.

I'm totally blown away by the idea of riding a bike around the world. I had never heard of that until now nor had the idea that people did that even cross my mind. For me, there is nothing better than being exposed to a foreign and unique concept. It's time to read Ted Simon's book Jupiter's Travels.

Mile Marker 24 and a Bucket

2008-10-09T12:22:00.003-04:00

I met a fellow traveler last week, Patrick. It turns out we where heading in the same direction. He has been kind enough to let me camp at his sites for free. It's a treat to camp inside the parks.

I went to Zion a day ahead of Patrick and being a cheap bastard I wanted to find free camping. I asked a park ranger where the closest BLM land was. It was dark at this point. She said "It's close but really hard to find." I told her that was o.k with me. She said "Take the highway 10 miles and look for mile marker 24 and then look for a bucket on a pole."

I went down the dark highway searching for my landmarks. I found it but she was right it was a little tricky. It was raining and I drove down a sandy dirt road into the BLM area. I love finding these places. It's an adventure and the people camping in these hidden areas are usually locals. Talking with locals is awesome. They always know the best places to eat, hike, and camp.

Gettting away from Snow

2008-10-09T12:16:00.003-04:00

I left Bryce Canyon because it was suppose to snow. As I drove into Zion it was raining but beautiful. The colds around these enormous rocks were breathtaking.

Bryce Canyon

2008-10-06T18:14:00.004-04:00

I loved hiking at Bryce. The campgrounds were in the forest but then I picked up the trail and I was walking on a ridge looking into the desert. The sky floated on top of the rocks.

Bryce was cold at night. The campground is around 8,000 ft. What a difference a few thousand feet in elevation makes! Funny how I knew nothing about elevation after spending my entire life on the east coast.

Capitol Reefs National Park

2008-10-05T13:12:00.005-04:00

I went to Capitol Reef's on the recommendation of a couple I met at bar in Green River, UT. I decided it was time to pay to camp for a night. After 3 days in the desert $10 was worth camping with people!

I loved Capitol Reef's because it is an unique National Park. This park was originally a Mormon settlement. The last of the Mormon's left over 50 years ago but the farm house, barn and orchards are all still here. They have all kinds of pick your own fruit orchards. I'm a practical girl and I love seeing how land is used by people to live. Plus I now have tons of fresh apples!

The Mormon's settled here in the late 1800's. They built dams and brought water into the valley. It was really cool to come out of the desert into this little oasis.

Camping totally off the Map

2008-09-30T15:14:00.009-04:00

Down this "Road" was the cavern area where I camped. This amazing place was out past Goblin State Park, UT. Goblin State Park is about 30 miles from the interstate.

The first night I camped here I just left my car on the dirt road and walked in to pitch my tent. But there were cars and trucks driving down the main dirt road so I decided to be brave and drive Mac on off the main road the next day. I should be in an ad for Mercedes! The 1982 Mercedes as an off road vehicle.

I loved this spot. It felt like the desert sort of. There are these huge clay formations that look like goblins. It was kind of like the real world version of the movie the Labyrinth. I hiked all around yesterday. Silvi and I followed the dry creek beds. I figured that was the safest way not to get lost.

I asked around today and found out I was Bureau of Land Management space. I talked to a local man. He said "that it's our land use it." I love when people say that. I've heard locals across the west use those exact words. It warms my heart!

Arches National Park

2008-09-30T14:52:00.005-04:00

Arches National Park was a beautiful and scenic drive. People have given the rock formations all kinds of funny names, like "Sheep's Head Broken Arch". I think the geologist may have spent too much time in the desert sun.

I went into the visitor center to ask about local Bureau of Land Management Land and National Forest Land. The women I talked to was a trip. I don't think she liked me very much. But the feeling was mutual! Ha, Ha. She got her back up very quickly that I was looking for a place to just put my tent for free. She told me I'd need a National Forest approved toilet to take both my pee and poop out with me. I wish I had a picture of my face when she said that. Is this lady for real??

I always practice low impact camping. I don't make fires and bring all my trash out with me. But I do go to the bathroom where I camp. I bury "it" 6" deep like you're supposed to. But I'm not about to carry that out!

The funny thing is that the National Parks are filled with cars, SUV's, and trucks pulling huge trailers. How about all those fossil fumes park ranger lady?

World Capital of Melons

2008-09-30T14:44:00.005-04:00

I happened into Green River, Utah totally by accident. It is just a stop off the interstate with a few chain motels. But it is apparently the capital of melons. There were 6 melon stands in this tiny town. I stopped and bought a few melons and some squash. The watermelon was perfectly ripe. It just split in two when I put my knife into it. Silvi and I had it for lunch in the shade at Arches National Park.

This is the main street. And this restaurant is it. I had dinner here on Saturday night. It was crazy busy. There was an air show and festival happening this past weekend 110 miles away. That's right there are so few hotel/motels out here that every motel was filled for 330 miles!

Hawaii, New ideas!

2008-09-28T13:31:00.008-04:00

I've got a new idea! I'm going to fly to Hawaii from CA! I have a plane voucher that I need to use and it just about covers the flight. Flying to Hawaii from CA is almost $1,000 cheaper than flying from Philadelphia!

I'm going to board Silvi in Ca. and fly to Hawaii for about a week. I will do back country hiking and camping through the park. It's free so I'll just have to pay for food and public transportation to get to the park.

Anyone want to come??? Check out these pictures!

Red Rocks Amphitheater, CO

2008-09-28T13:17:00.004-04:00

This would be a great place to see music. I didn't go in and walk around though. It was hot, really hot! I was in jeans and Silvi's seemed like she needed to cool down. After selling water at the amphitheater in Camden, NJ I think I'd make a killing working here!

This is the view looking down from the amphitheater.

Rocky Mountain National Park

2008-09-28T12:40:00.006-04:00

This church was built into the rocks outside of Rocky Mountain National Park. I just pulled over and watched it's beauty change as the morning sun came up. I'd love to know it's history.

I went to Rocky Mountain N.P. I drove in but ended up camping in the National Forest. I met a German guy. He was taking 3 of his 6 weeks vacation to drive around the states exploring national parks and camping. He had been everywhere in the States. It sounded like he'd been traveling the states on his vacations for years. Maybe I need to move to Europe. I can't get over that they get 6 weeks of vacation there. That's a lot of time to travel! And they have free health care! But I think I'd miss Philly.

After being away from Philly for just about a month there's certain things I miss. I miss biking, friends, and family. I want to walk into a bar and say I'd like a lager AND get a Yuengling! I miss all the common things that bind people that live in the same area. I saw a PA plate. Yes, I've only seen one in 3 weeks. I almost went up to talk to the people!

Boulder, Co

2008-09-28T12:21:00.004-04:00

Arches Hike 15mins away from where I stayed in Boulder. We had no idea this was at the top of the trail! Thanks Robby for taking me up here.

I was lucky enough to get a personal tour of Boulder, Co. and a real bed! A big thanks to Razz and Robby for putting Silvi and I up. I got to hike, be in a city and ride Razz's motorcycle. Now that's a good couple of days in my book.

Boulder was warm! It was great to drive from the cold. I went from wearing all my winter clothes, 2 pairs of long underwear, winter jacket, etc to jeans and a tank top.

I really liked Boulder. There are bike lanes everywhere. It made me miss my bike. It had the best Whole Foods grocery store I've ever been in.

Boulder has miles of hiking trails minutes away from the city. I found myself looking at the help wanted signs posted in restaurants around town. That was my cue to get out of Boulder. I've only been traveling for a month. There's a world of breathtaking sights ahead that I have to explore. I feel driven and inspired to see as much as possible.

Truck stop showers!

2008-09-27T17:38:00.002-04:00

I took my 1st trucker shower on Tuesday, 9/23. It had been a while since I'd had a real shower. I was headed towards Boulder, Co. to stay with a good friend's friend. I just didn't think it was fair to arrive in the state that I was in.

I went to an Autopilot and asked how much the shower was. $10, I was floored. I stood there dirty wondering it was worth it. Should I just hope the guys I were going to stay with in Boulder could handle a seriously dirty girl on there doorstep? Well I think I looked like I needed a shower because a trucker in line at the register offered me one of his shower passes.

Wow, that was the best shower of my life. Maybe everyone should camp for a week plus and get really dirty just to know how good a shower can feel!

Cow's or Bears??

2008-09-27T15:03:00.005-04:00

This road didn't even seem like a road at 11pm at night!

The campgrounds, what a morning view!

Silvi enjoying her freedom from the leash!

I left Yellowstone and headed south towards Boulder. Apparently Yellowstone and the Tentons used up most of Wyoming's parks space. I had to drive much further than I expected to find camping. I finally found a state park but it was 33 miles off the highway. It was 11pm at night and pitch dark. I don't have a working odometer so it can be really hard to judge distance on back roads.

I drove for about 30mins down a tiny dark road and saw a sign for a recreation area camping space. I figured I would stop there instead of pushing further into the unknown to find the state park. I turned onto another dirt road and saw a sign that said open range. Dead ahead of the car where eye balls and 3 big black animals. I sat there for a couple of minutes trying to decide if I was looking at harmless cows or 3 black bears. I couldn't make up my mind so I backed up the car and headed onward to the state park.

The road to the state park went through huge boulders and winding roads with guard rails. Needless to say I drove slowly. I finally found the state park down more dirt roads. I drove in to the deserted camping area around 12am. Here's the funny park the place was so wide open and dark that I got freaked out and ended up sleeping in the car. I did get to star watch. Looking up at the sky made me feel dizzy. The sky was huge and filled with stars!

It was all worth it because I woke up to a fabulous sunrise and an awesome campground totally void of people. If I had just slept in the car off the highway I would have just woken up to trucks. I let Silvi run around as we hiked around. She had a great time.

Big Saturday Night!

2008-09-22T18:28:00.002-04:00

On Saturday night in Gardiner, Mt I decided it was time to have a "real" meal and a beer. I walked around this cool little town outside of Yellowstone with Silvi looking for a place to go. Guess what I found? $1 drafts of Pabst Blue Ribbon at a cool little place on main street.

I had a buffalo burger, a PBR and some fresh peach pie with ice cream. Can't even express how good that meal tasted after 2 weeks of almost nothing but camping food.

I met the owner of the Town Cafe. He said PBR is big with the snow boarding crowd. He recommended the pie and boy was he right! It was good.

All I needed was a shot of crappy whiskey and I would have been back in Philly. Although I must saw PBR is much tastier on tap than in the can! I should have suggested to the owner that he start his own city wide special in Montana!

Grand Tetons at Sunset

2008-09-22T13:44:00.004-04:00

I left Yellowstone the traffic, and all the people yesterday. As soon as I was out of the park the Grand Tetons appeared!

I was going to camp in the Grand Tetons and explore them but it got really cold. It has been warm during the day and then 25 - 40 degrees at night. But yesterday it was just cold all day and I wanted to start heading south. There was already snow in the Tetons and I just don't have the camping gear to camp in snow. Plus Silvi has no hair! I put her coat on at night and then cover her in a couple of blankets just to keep her from shivering.

I love Montana and Wyoming. I especially like Wyoming because every hole in the wall town has a sign telling you the town's elevation and population. A lot of these towns have a population of 10 or 15! No that's a small town.

Rainbow in Yellowstone

2008-09-22T13:26:00.003-04:00

This was the biggest rainbow I've ever seen. I just pulled over in the car and watched it for at least 15mins. It was a double rainbow. The sky was wide open when the rainbow appeared. It went on forever!

Yellowstone is huge. It is magnificent and the land changes dramatically as you drive around. I didn't camp in Yellowstone because there was free National Forest camping right outside the park. The campgrounds in Yellowstone were a little too developed for me. I think I need to go back and explore the back country. After 2 days of driving through Yellowstone with all those people I couldn't wait to get out. There are so many rules and Silvi wasn't allowed anywhere except on the road. I loved hiking in the National Forest that is next to Yellowstone. Just as wild but no rules and barely any people!

In Yellowstone everyone jumps out of their cars every time there's an elk, bear, buffalo, etc. That wouldn't be bad but then they try and get real close to the animals. I began to feel like I was driving through a giant zoo. I hate zoos! But I'm glad I went. The boiling streams and acid hot springs are very cool.

Beartooth Pass

2008-09-22T13:12:00.004-04:00

Beartooth Pass is an awesome drive. I felt like I was on a roller coaster but I was the driver and there's no track! Hiking around on top on that mountain was breathtaking. I felt like I could touch the sky. Everything in the world, my life seemed to disappear hiking around on those rocks. It cleansed my soul. It's should be a must on everyone's to do list.

Little Bighorn Battle Field

2008-09-19T13:43:00.008-04:00

I went to Little Bighorn Battlefield on 9/18. I didn't take any pictures. I wanted to just be in the moment and experience the site. The Native American Memorial almost made me cry.

I drove through one of the reservations earlier in the day. The land there just seems so barren. The history of what happened between the whites and natives is so recent. It's a terrible part of our past. Actually being out here in the West and seeing these sites makes the history come alive.

Devil's Tower

2008-09-19T13:43:00.006-04:00

This is Devil's Tower in northeast Wyoming. Someday I'm going to come back and climb this tower. I don't know how to rock climb yet but wanting to climb Devil's Tower is great motivation!

Morning Walk

2008-09-19T13:43:00.005-04:00

I'm currently in Montana right outside of Yellowstone National Park. I'm camping in the National Forest. It's free and is in the middle of the woods. I love it. These are some of the
pictures I took on my morning walk with Silvi. This river is loud! I could here it as I went to
sleep.

I was thinking about doing some back country camping in Yellowstone but I'm reconsidering that idea. I talked to some locals this morning and they told me how aggressive and dangerous the grisly bears are this time of year. I think I'll wait until I have a partner to go into the back country!

Harney Peak

2008-09-16T17:41:00.009-04:00

Harney Peak is in the Black Hills National Forest, South Dakota. It's a 7,242ft elevation. It was a wonderful day hike.

The top point on the left of the those rocks is where I was. What a view! I took this picture about halfway up to the peak.

Best Damm Steak Ever!

2008-09-16T16:48:00.004-04:00

My morning view!

I've loved Nebraska. It was the first place I was sad to leave. I stopped using the interstates after my second day of driving. I highly recommend it to anyone driving across this remarkable country.

The Sandhill's of Nebraska are beautiful. I drove from 3-7 going west as the sun was coming down. It should be considered on of the wonders of the world. The sun came through the clouds in amazing patterns. It looked liked there were enormous waterfalls in the distance.

I went to northeast Nebraska to check out Ashfall's fossil site. After driving for 3 hours I got there and the viewing area was closed. Oh well. I spoke with a couple very nice women at the visitor's center that lead me to Grove Lake Park. It wasn't even on the map. It was wonderful. It was great timing. There was a reunion of sorts happening that weekend.

What a great group. They said I was in Nebraska so I had to eat steak. They had cooked steaks on a open fire. I even met the guy who raised the cattle. Wow!! I have never liked steak before that night. But man, I could eat that steak forever. I had steak and beers sitting by the fire. It was a fabulous evening. They invited me back over for breakfast. Another great meal!

Beautiful Farmland

2008-09-12T11:37:00.006-04:00

Driving in Indiana.

I can't even begin to describe how beautiful driving through Indiana and Illinois was. The sky and clouds were just perfect. The cornfields surrounded the road and I felt swallowed by the landscape as I drove.

I've met so many good people and feel like I'm acquiring a database of stories as I go. On Wednesday I stopped in Ottawa, IL. It's where Lincoln gave his first public debate. I walked the town square where 10,000 people came to listen. I tried to imagine what that would have felt like and how all those people could hear Lincoln talk without modern amplifiers.

I pulled out of my parking space and immediately heard a horrible sound. I pulled over expecting to see my muffler dragging on the ground. But I saw nothing. I ended up at Conroy's auto shop in a mile away. If anyone ever needs car service near Ottawa, IL this is the place. Three guys looked over my brakes for 45 mins. They had just decided it was something they couldn't fix when they figured out the problem. I was missing a bolt that holds the brakes to the wheel. It's an important bolt! They were awesome and didn't seem to mind me hanging around. I love learning about this car. In the end, they spent an hour working and only charged me $35. Wow!

I entered NE yesterday. I'm headed to see the Pompei of NE. Can't wait to see all the buried prehistoric animals. There's camels and rhinos! I was told it's must see by some older NE guys I met camping last night. They were kind enough to share their fire with me.

This was on the window of a small beat house with a for sale sign on the lawn. It says "Dee's International Massage, Take a one hour vacation with us." I wonder if I can still get an hour vacation with them?

Ohio

2008-09-08T11:45:00.006-04:00

Early morning dawn at Ohio's West Branch State Park.

This is a beautiful park. The morning light and the fog over the lake was impressive.

I love watching the mountains, trees and farms change as I drive. I'm not sure the other cars appreciate my car's slow going but 'Mac' just can't go that fast. We stay around 60MPH. No chance of getting a speeding ticket in this car.

Last night I spent the night at West Branch State park. This park was in the middle of nowhere. I went to check in and saw the camping prices, $20 for a primitive (no toilet site). Umm no, not on my cheap budget. I figured I'd just sleep in the car in a parking lot on one of the outer roads of the park. Immediately a state ranger came over and asked if I was o.k. I talked with him and he said it was cool if I slept in my car as long as I was out before the next ranger came on duty at 7am. Perfect! I hope that will work in the future. I just need to get further west and then there's plenty of free camping. Until then I'm loving my car.

Appalachian Trail Rocks

2008-09-03T15:47:00.000-04:00

I've departed early from the Appalachian Trail. The Appalachian Trail isn't for dogs, at least not my dog. Silvi is an awesome companion but she isn't built for rock climbing. The rocks cut her paws. I was afraid her feet would get worse and she wouldn't be able to walk. Silvi will be fine she just needs to rest up and not climb any boulders for a few days. By the time we get to Montana or where ever we land next she'll be good as new.

The A.T. was amazing! Climbing the hills and rocks was hard but getting to the top was unbelievable. The mountain I climbed was tiny compared to the mountains out there in the world. I never understood why people would risk everything to climb big mountains. Getting a small taste even though it was a tiny morsel made me understand. I hate the cold but Everest must be something else.

I saw breathtaking views in Mexico and El Salvador but was driven up the mountains. It's an entirely different feeling climbing up yourself and feeling the rocks under your hands as you figure out how to get to the top without breaking a leg. There were times when I had to literally pick up Silvi and help her up or down the rocks. Thank god she's super motivated and has an iron will or I'd be sitting up on some rock trying to figure out what to do.

I was glad to find out that wasn't scared at all at night. I learned more in the last few days than I could have reading or talking to people. I want to do the entire Appalachian trail one of these summers. It will be without a dog. The trail was really dry. It was 10 miles between springs and some of those were dry. Carrying water and food for a dog and all my stuff was a lot. Everything was worth it and I'm thrilled I got to start my trip on such a historic trail.

Is this really the trail! This isn't a trail. Where the hell is the white trail marker?

Off to the trail

2008-09-01T09:42:00.000-04:00

I'm leaving a day late but I'm packed up and ready to leave the house. Wow, I didn't realize how much work it would take to be a traveler. There was so much packing and organizing.

I'm so excited to hit the trail today. The weather is beautiful and warm, thankfully. My pack is heavy! At least it will get lighter every day as I eat. Silvi has her own pack and a bell. I'm hoping she can handle the hiking. Dog food is heavy. I didn't put much weight in her pack so I'm carrying all my food for almost 2 weeks and dog food. I will have to get off the trail to buy her more food. I never realized how heavy a bag of spices was until every ounce was packed up and on my back.

Luckily I don't care how far I get I just want to be out and hiking for 2 weeks. My mom's picking me up on Sept. 16. Can't wait to see those stars tonight in the woods.

Here's a picture of the Mac N Cheese car, my '82 Mercedes that will be getting me cross country.

Moving on out

2008-08-31T06:41:00.000-04:00

I'm out of Philly and have started my trip. Holy crap! Yesterday was a blur. I was living in a 4 floor walk up in University city. I made what felt like a hundred trips up and down the stairs packing up my car. The car was packed to it's limits. Thankfully I was able to store some of the things I won't need on the trip at friends and families houses.

It's amazing how a little bit of stuff can seem like a lot when you're living out of a car. 2 pillows turned out to be one to many. The veggie oil tanks sits in the truck where the spare tire was. I now keep my spare behind the passenger seat on the floor. To fill my veggie tank I need to have easy access to my truck. This means less stuff and an organized truck. I also want to keep 3 jugs of filtered veggie oil in my truck. Wow driving for free has really cut my space. But it's worth it. Who needs 2 pillows out on the road anyway. People do these kind of trips on motorcycles. I can definitely make it work.

I slept at my mom's house last night. Today I'll get dropped off at the Appalachian Trail. I've got all my gear and food. I'm excited, scared and can't believe it's all happening today. I'll be on the trail until Sept. 15. I will then wash up at my mom's and head off to Glacier National Park in Montana.

I will be sending daily updates to my new twitter account. mac_cheese. I think that's the easiest way for me to save battery and stay in touch. Hopefully my phone doesn't get wet or punk out on me in any way.

Vegetable Oil Runs a Car!

2008-08-29T05:56:00.000-04:00

Today I filled my car up at a Japanese restaurant, so cool! The conversion is finished and operational. I just put my filter in a 5 gallon jug and poured the oil into the jug. I walked over to my car and filled my tank. This is actually going to work as I go cross country. I wasn't sure how I would make it work as I traveled until today. I have over 100 miles logged running completely on vegetable oil.

I went into the restaurant and asked if I could take their used oil. As I was taking the oil out of their big barrels everyone who worked at the restaurant keep coming out back to look at me. It was really funny. I just keep smiling with my greasy hands as I worked. I tried to explain but I don't know if they understood what I was telling them. It was very entertaining for everyone, myself included.

Here's a link to Wikipedia's Veggie oil page for anyone who's interested. I bought my kit from grease car.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegetable_oil_used_as_fuel

Ideally I'd give the oil a couple of days to settle before filtering and using it as fuel. Whenever possible I will do this on the road. I may be shortening my engine life slightly by just filtering and driving but diesels can run for 500,000(or so I've read) so I'm not too worried. It will be a grand experiment.

I want to give a big shout out and thank you to my friend who's a mechanic who did the conversion for me. I feel really good knowing someone did the work who's really interested in the system and actually cares if it works.

Great Ebay Story

2008-08-27T13:25:00.000-04:00

My car is sold! Yeah! I was starting to get nervous. I needed to sell my VW to fund my trip. Plus I'm leaving this week. I've pushed back my leaving date to Saturday, the last day I have my apartment. Leaving and preparing for this trip has been a great experience.

I sold my car through ebay but not on ebay. A Russian man called me a couple of days a go to come look at the car. He said he was from Brooklyn and wanted a car to ship to Russia. He came that night and gave me a cash deposit. He looked at the car for about an hour while talking to someone in Russia the whole time. The one problem, he wanted me to drive the car after he officially bought it to a port in Jersey. He would then drive me back to Philly. I agreed, for a price.

Well, everyone and I mean everyone I spoke to thought I was nuts to let some strange guy that was shipping a car to Russia drive me back to Philly. I thought he was a little different but all he talked about was his kid and wife. Plus my first impression of him was good. I was afraid he was going to arrive in a bad suit or any kind of suit. But he just looked like a NYC rocker guy.

In the end I let my Dad come and take me back to Philly. Thanks Dad for taking your whole night out to help me sell my car.

The guy had told me he was musician when he first came to look at the car. I'm a huge music lover so after he bought the car I asked him about it. Guess what? Sasha Kazachkov an original member of Gogol Bordello bought my car. He told me in was in a band that's now quite famous but he had quit. Too much Rock and Roll for him.

As I spoke to him and he told me about the band he was in and how they played with Madonna I wasn't really sure who they were. I came home and immediately got on the web. I had read about these guys but never knew how the hell the name was pronounced. Sasha's the guy on the left of the picture in the black suit without the hat.

Kick Off

2008-08-18T22:25:00.000-04:00

In 10 days I'm leaving for a cross country trip that I have been planning for a year and half. My dog and I will be camping at National Parks, hiking, working and exploring anything that catches my interest. I have at least 4 months set aside for the trip. I have no real plan or route for the trip except to stay away from cold weather. I have a list of sites that I want to see and hope people will post suggestions.

I quit my job and move out of my apartment next week. I've sold or gave away well over 2/3 of my belongings. I'm selling my '04 VW Passat to fund the trip. Anyone need a car?

I bought a 1982 Mercedes a couple of weeks ago. I wanted an old diesel car to convert to veggie oil. The Grease car kit has arrived and is getting installed this week. Yah! I'm now the proud owner of a 26 year old, 187,00 miles driven, luxury cruising vehicle. Here's hoping I don't have to camp and work at a WalMart in the middle of now where to pay for repairs.

I bought the car off of craig'slist from a very nice guy. The car is now know as the Mac N Cheese car because of the following email exchange. I wish I had a camera on my face when I opened the first email. I was totally confused by the email but mainly I was disappointed. How could I buy the car off this guy? I did find him and the car through Craig's list after all. But thankfully the second email had a reasonable and funny explanation. I bought the car. The seller showed me the hamsters and his girlfriend when I went to pick it up.

"DEER MEGHAN THANK U 4 CLEANIN OUR CAGE KOVIN NEVER DO IT AND MY TURDZ SMELLDED KEEP UP DA GUD WORK

CHEEZ

dear m****,

i too appreciate your effort. can i have my own iphone next? it would mean so much to me. if not, another cage cleaning when needed would be ok.

love,
macaroni j. hamster

Nice to meet you today. As you probably figured out, the silly hamster email was supposed to be sent to my girlfriend, M***, but do to the wonders of auto-complete, you got it. Realizing what happened 20 minutes ago, I am beyond embarrassed, but also cracking up laughing. I'll joke around with her sometimes, sending fake emails from our hamsters "Mac" and "Cheese". Anyway, thought I would give you an explanation on why you got a crazy email this AM. Bet this didn't happen when people sold cars in the newspaper...
*****"