priscilla in the world

Jamaica!

2010-05-29T20:12:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been a bit since we got back from Jamaica and my post on the trip is obviously long over-due. The past few weeks have been a whirlwind of kickball, ice-pops, and laying in parks - the little things in life that all Springs should be comprised of - all of which have been filling up my life, leaving little time for blogging.

The trip was an absolute blast! We headed down to Montego Bay for a friend's wedding and stayed at the Riu Resort - an all inclusive hotel on the beach. For five days we gorged ourselves on buffet style meals that had a variety of global and local foods. We drank fruity rum drinks at the swim-up bar (at ten in the morning) and laid under palm trees while reading books. When we weren't lying around and being lazy we were sea kayaking, dancing on a boat to rap music, or snorkeling.

We didn't leave the resort (aside from the snorkeling trip) which was kind of a bummer. I was eager to do some hiking, see some water falls and meet some of the island people. But, given the current state of affairs in Jamaica, one can instantly size up how dangerous most of the neighborhoods are. The town surrounding the resort was basically a slum . Concrete facades, dilapidated from hurricanes, or never fully completed were built into the cliffs, while dulled fabrics created curtains and when pulled taut - roofing. It made me sad to see people living like this, especially as we drove by in our air conditioned tour bus. I felt as privileged as I did ashamed.

We had a great time overall. The wedding was so beautiful and the bride and groom couldn't have asked for a more perfect day - 85 and sunny without a cloud in the sky and a slight breeze. I'd like to visit Jamaica again sometime and have the opportunity to see more of the island, and definitely take the Bob Marley Reggae Tour in Ochos Rios.

Full set of pictures.

Montego Bay: Booked

2010-03-18T08:20:00.000-07:00

Our trip to Montego Bay at the Riu resort is all booked. I'm so excited to finally see Jamaica!

Haiti

2010-01-13T07:28:00.000-08:00

Please donate to help the victims of the earthquake disaster. It's as simple as sending a text message.

Text "HAITI" to 90999 to donate $10 to the Red Cross or Text "Yele" to 501501 to donate $5 to Yele Haiti.

Power in numbers. Power in people. Please give what you can and help.

Thank you.

Asheville, NC & Lexington, VA

2009-11-21T18:32:00.000-08:00

We always heard good things about Asheville, North Carolina. A small, humble, yet eclectic community located at the base of the Great Smoky Mountains. The town has a great artsy vibe, the people are friendly and the vegetarian food options are limitless. Asheville was voted the most vegetarian friendly small city according to GoVeg.com and they also sport a Veggie B&B at the Beaufort House!

We decided to have dinner at the Early Girl Eatery where we dined on soup and sandwiches for dinner. My vegan tomato bisque was outstanding to say in the least, and I felt very lucky for having have gotten the last bowl! We took a nice walk among the downtown buildings and grabbed dessert at the French Broad Chocolate Lounge where I had a delicious piece of chocolate cake and Jack (over)indulged on a brownie and hot chocolate.

The next day we poked our head in and out of the various shops sporting anything from eco-friendly home goods, designer clothes, and art. Driving north towards Lexington we took part of the Blue Ridge Parkway which at tree level has a gorgeous display of autumns finest colors. It could rival New England falls any day. Asheville is a great little city and I definitely would like to go back someday to get in some hiking and some more of that great local & veggie food.

We stopped in Virginia to visit my aunt Susan and uncle Bob in Lexington, a quaint community located in the western part of the state. My aunt recently started her own business, Farm to You, an organization which serves as the middle man between local farmers and consumers. The idea is ingenious really and is a testament to how society is changing back to becoming locally oriented. We took a tour of their organic garden located in the front yard which grows a variety of plants from lettuces and eggplant to squash and potatoes. It's amazing how efficient, sustainable and productive one can be on a small plot of land. They took us out to a delicious dinner at The Southern Inn (which boasts the towns only fluorescent sign). I had a cream of broccoli soup and a side salad which was the perfect finish to my meal which I started earlier in the day at the Co-Op, a huge plate of quinoa with corn. We sipped on wine and got into passionate discussions about factory farming and the recent "Smart Choice" label being stamped onto Froot Loops cereal boxes - you know, typical dinner conversations. We particularly liked Lexington for its austere way of life. The humble downtown with its brick architecture and narrow streets allow you to simply fall back to a time when things were simply more simple.

Virginia and North Carolina pictures.

Tennesse

2009-11-10T04:21:00.000-08:00

Our first stop in Tennessee was Memphis. In the morning we went to the Civil Rights museum which was very moving as it's built into the Lorraine Motel where Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. A short film was playing at the center that day and we unknowingly walked by the key speaker in the documentary, Rev. Billy Kyles who was giving an interview. Kyles, who was there the day MLK was shot was one of the few witnesses at the scene and in the film he describes the tenacity and leadership that Martin Luther King Jr. possessed. The documentary was moving as well and highlighted an improvisational speech that Luther gave the night before he was assassinated, the speech is known as the Mountaintop Speech. After leaving the museum I felt somewhat in a daze to really come to terms with how America once was and how far we still need to come as a society and as a country.

There isn't much vegetarian fare in Memphis, in fact there really isn't any...so we decided to go to BB Kings on Beale Street which was the only menu we could find that offered something we could eat. I ordered the collard greens not knowing that they come with pork in them, whoops! Afterwards we went to the Sun Records recording studio which recorded greats such as Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash. It was incredible to me to be in the same studio where the founders of rock & roll recorded their unique sound. We also got to see the ribbon mic and guitars used by famous singer songwriters. The bottom of the studio has an old soda shop where they sell root-beer and milkshakes among other gift shop items. The studio is still open and at night serves as a full service recording studio.

After Memphis we headed up to Nashville also known as Music City to see sites such as the Grand Ole Opry, The Gibson Bluegrass Guitar Factory and Music Row. We took a nice stroll along the campus trails at Vanderbilt University which houses old brick buildings. We grabbed lunch at Cafe Coco which had a great selection of vegetarian and vegan fare. I had a toasted croissant topped with a black bean burger, cheese, spinach and artichoke dip and onions, even though it sounds like a strange combination it happened to be absolutely delicious and just melted in my mouth. Jack had the tortellini in a cream blush sauce with some garlic bread which was also very tasty. Afterwards we took another walk heading towards some of the most oldest and famous buildings in the area such as the Elliston Place Soda Shop.

Both Memphis and Nashville had good, fun, and lazy vibes.

Please see our full set here.

New Orleans

2009-11-05T13:10:00.000-08:00

New Orleans is filled with a grandiose spirit, a mystical warm ambiance which seems to fill the streets. The architecture is wonderful and more than I had expected from the French Quarter. Flowers hung boldly from wrought iron balconies and above the narrow block style streets.

I was excited to go to New Orleans - for me the city has always held some undying mystique and culture. Of course, we did not account for the Giants / Saints game and the BBQ Festival which made getting a hotel room very difficult.

We spent the afternoon walking around the French Quarter on a chilly fall day taking a walking tour that is outlined in the Lonely Planet Guide. Even though it was only noon people were already walking around the city with their "hand grenades" and other various beverages of an alcoholic sort. Bourbon Street to me was kind of lame and is the French Quarter's answer to making frat boys happy - a macabre red light district, if you will. The other streets which surround the area are filled with adorable homes, dimly lit bars, and boutique shops. I fell in love with some antique chandeliers and furniture... one day.

After our walking tour we took a seat on some steps to enjoy street entertainment which was absolutely hilarious. The gentleman walked down steps on their hands and even did flips over some audience members, all while having a good time and making jokes about the passerby's.

We celebrated our one year anniversary in New Orleans and time has seemed to really fly by. We dined at an African restaurant and later found a cozy bar where we sipped on wine and whisky. Many weddings were going on that evening and they paraded around the streets with their respective wedding parties sipping champagne and following a small marching band. The evening was filled with great romanticism.

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Our cab driver that evening talked to us about Katrina and the aftermath. His family lived in St. Bernards Parish which was the hardest hit. All 500 square miles of the parish were submerged in water ranging from 4' deep to 20' deep. While some of the parish has been rebuilt most of the residents have re-located to areas which are at higher ground. It's very disheartening to know how the United States Government ignored these people and their pets and are still working on finding a solution for the levys. The Army Corps of Engineers still hasn't finished their levy rebuilding project and if hit by another strong storm surge the parish will be devastated, yet again. Please see the following websites to learn how you can help donate or volunteer to aid these residents and their pets:

The American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund

Animal Rescue New Orleans

Habitat For Humanity New Orleans

Brad Pitt's Project to Rebuild Eco Friendly Homes in the Lower 9th Ward

Please view our entire NoLa collection here.

Texas

2009-11-02T13:47:00.000-08:00

They (meaning the citizens of Texas) famously quote, "Everything is Bigger in Texas", and that is true in many regards. From the excessively large white pick-up trucks, to the portions of food, and even the people themselves, everything is bigger in Texas.

Our first night in Texas we stayed in the Sonnora Caverns area as a half way point en route to San Antonio. The campground had lots of deer at dusk munching on the large variety of grasses. Along with one other camper we had the grounds to ourselves and ate leftover mexican food while reading our respective books. Myself, still diligently making my way through Michael Pollan's, The Omnivore's Dilemma and Jack reading an Edward Abbey novel he picked up in Utah. The night was absolutely gorgeous. A pleasant change from the cool weather we had been experiencing in Colorado and New Mexico. The sunset created a silhouette of a single tree in front of our tent with blending hues of orange, yellow, red and purple.

San Antonio is quaint tourist town with a mixture of American/Mexican History and modern urban living. The Alamo offered a good amount of history and exhibits for free and is located in the heart of downtown. River Walk is a nice area of the city which offers shops and restaurants along a man-made river. Also, boat ride tours are available.

Jack and I were both very excited to get to Austin. It was on our list of "places we might want to move to". We wanted to find ourselves lazily walking down sixth street and absorbing all of the live music and maybe go for a stroll around downtown experiencing as much as we can. We spent our first night dining at Veggie Heaven...for those of you who don't know Veggie Heaven is also the name of one of the best vegetarian restaurants ever located in New Jersey, so of course we had to go and compare the two. The Austin Veggie Heaven had decent food but paled in comparison to the one in NJ! We took our lazy stroll down sixth street which on a week night was rather dull. The scene is devoted to rowdy college kids and we felt we really had no place there. There was an abundance of live music though which is always good.

Before leaving Austin we stopped and grabbed breakfast at a small cafe and had breakfast tacos which were amazing! Simply potato, cheese, and egg with spices filled the warm flour tortilla which was dipped in a small cup of salsa. Afterwards we went to the flagship Whole Foods which (unlike Whole Foods in NJ/NY) offered a ton of local organic products! Thankfully.

We camped at Brazos Bend State Park where we got to see a bunch of Alligators! One of them began to follow us with the most evil (or hungry) glare I've ever seen and we decided to go back to the camp where (once the sun went down) we got attacked by mosquitos and ... raccoons. A raccoon came literally out of nowhere and tried to steal our bag of jasmine rice! Luckily Jack went after him and we salvaged our beloved rice, but not without a fight.

In Houston we stopped at the Space Center where we got to touch a moon rock, see models of the interior of space shuttles, and watch a movie on a five story screen. The space center is a pretty educational experience but its exhibits are geared more towards children, even so we still had fun.

Jack and I were both disappointed by Austin which is sad to say. The downtown area was small and didn't offer much. Also, it didn't help that in October the weather was 92 degrees and very humid. And the search continues for a place to call home...please view our full set of pictures here!

New Mexico

2009-10-27T11:21:00.000-07:00

Our first stop in New Mexico was the hippie ski-resort, spiritual town of Taos which was recommended to us in Boulder. Jack read an article that the citizens of Taos often hear a humming noise and blame this on the governments disposal of nuclear waste within the region. I would like to think the town is an epicenter of energetic fields like the Native Americans believe. Regardless, we did not experience anything strange.

Taos boasts a small downtown area which is basically a narrow street with tight adobe style buildings sporting gifts, jewelry and clothing. One of the redeeming qualities of the town and a major tourist attraction is the thousand year old Taos Pueblo on the outskirts of town. Unfortunately for us the Pueblo was closed for the day so we went to the San Francisco de Asis Church also within the city limit. The church is one of the most photographed in America. Artists such as Ansel Adams and George O'Keefe have been heavily inspired by the churches' architecture which dates back to the 1700's. Another structure which is famous in Taos is the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge which stands at 650' and crosses over - you guessed it - the Rio Grande river.

The next day we headed to Santa Fe where we browsed the outdoor art displays and had delicious huevos rancheros at the Burrito Co. Santa Fe is known to artists and history buffs for its unique community of electic artists and ancient buildings. It houses some ninety art galleries and has both Americas' oldest house and oldest church, the San Miguel. The city is also home to the Loretto Chapel which was built in 1872 and houses a spiral staircase with no visible support and is now a museum.

Roswell has always intrigued me. I guess thats because I watched too many shows on the discovery channel growing up about UFO's which all seem to relate back to this humble town which is literally in the middle of nowhere. Roswell offers limited food and is now home to most chains (ie: Pizza Hut, KFC) so vegetarians be prepared. Other than the UFO museum the city doesn't offer much except alien themed gift shops oh and of course the UFO themed McDonalds. The UFO museum itself houses artifacts relating to the famous Roswell Incident and teeters on the fence of outright blaming the government for a cover-up or blaming a government experiment for of all the hype. Either way the museum has a "hush hush" attitude about it and the mystery still remains. Roswell for those of you who don't know also happens to be the dairy capital of New Mexico and the smell of waste lingers heavily in the air.

Our last stop in New Mexico was Carlsbad Caverns National Park where the most popular bat in the world, The Mexican Free-Tail resides. We got to see the bats in their migratory stage and for forty minutes witnessed hundreds of thousands of bats exciting out of the cave in a swirling motion to build up momentum before shooting for the skies in elaborate formations and going for their evening hunt. There were so many bats that evening that the next day when we tried to hike down into the cave the park rangers had closed it off because many of the bats were still within the entrance. Did you know that bats always leave caves and head to the left? I didn't either! Because bats use supersonic waves and frequencies to communicate and navigate cameras, cell phones or any electric device is not to be used when they are exiting the cave.

The next day Jack went down into the cave while I stayed in the car and read a book. I might have gotten over a lot of fears on this trip, but dark scary enclosed places are certainly not one of them!

Full New Mexico Pictures here!

Colorado

2009-10-25T05:27:00.000-07:00

We were excited to get to Colorado for a few reasons... the main one being that the timeshare we were going to relax in for a few nights was located in Avon. We spent a few days lounging, drinking wine, reading, and watching the Golden Girls - which in my opinion is one of the best shows ever made. We headed into downtown Vail which is an upscale resort community (Harrison Ford has a house there) where we browsed the shops and strolled along the cobblestone streets. Hungry for a snack we decided to grab some baked brie and pints of Erdinger at one of the many German restaurants located in the town. The brie was outstanding! Perfectly crispy crust that came with fruit, freshly baked bread and linden-berry jam.

After our relaxing hiatus in Avon we decided to go to Denver where we found the city to be rather dirty and lacking in culture. The entire city of Denver had a really strange vibe to it which we didn't really care for. The saving grace of Denver was the Tattered Cover Bookstore which offered three floors of comfy chairs and stacks upon stacks of books in sections ranging from politics to sustainability to best sellers.

Boulder was a cute and fun town despite the snow we encountered while we were there! Walking with our hands in our pockets and keeping our heads down from the wind we battled the first snow of the season. We stopped in Leaf (a vegetarian restaurant) located near the outdoor pedestrian mall for some soup and sandwiches. The cream of cauliflower soup was very tasty as well as my tempeh rueben.

Earlier in the day we drove up a steep and winding hill surrounded by thick tall grass to a mesa located shortly outside of downtown where the National Center for Atmospheric Research (or NCAR for short) resides. The grass was frozen into hundreds if not thousands of sandy colored icicles which looked odd but beautiful against the Adobe styled building. The building was created by famed architect I.M. Pei more famously known for his controversial glass pyramid addition to the Louvre.

At NCAR we learned about global warming, creation of tornados, and the atmospheres effects on our entire planet. The center is also a functioning research center which is home to some of the most brilliant scientists of our day. Daily tours last about an hour and are free to the public.

Colorado is home to the snow topped Rocky Mountains and the pristine Colorado River. We found Colorado to be an absolutely gorgeous state, with most cities being robust in hiking, vegetarian friendly, but a little on the chilly side. Because of the inclimate weather we encountered I did not get to take many pictures of Colorado
but you can view our set here.

Utah

2009-10-20T16:26:00.000-07:00

Utah offers a vast and spectacular view of America's finest landscapes nestled into five national parks. Two previously mentioned parks, Bryce and Zion were the first on our list and offer otherworldly rock formations. To avoid boring you with the copious amounts of detail found at each of these parks I've gone ahead and broken them down highlighting what we saw...

Zion National Park

Checkerboard Mesa is one of the first stone monuments we saw upon entering the park and is created out of slickrock. The mesa was once sand and over time has been petrified into solid rock, the lines which are deeply carved into the stones surfaced were created by wind and other types of erosion.

A main attraction at the park is the impressive tunnel which was built to allow cars to enter into the heart of the canyons.

Zion Natl. Park offers a free shuttle bus which we were happy to partake in and which takes visitors to all of the parks main trail heads and sights such as: the Three Patriarchs, the Lower, Middle and upper Pools, and the Narrows. We did hikes to see the various pools and followed the Virgin river until the canyon itself got so narrow we could not continue without walking in the river itself.

Zion does not offer many campsites and regardless they fill up by early afternoon. We opted to stay in a private campground located just outside of the park and got to stay in a tent site right along the Virgin river, which is responsible for carving the canyon. Some of the water coming out of the canyon walls has been estimated at 4 million years old!

Bryce Canyon

A small National Park which offers outstanding views of odd rock formations known as Hoodoos. Hoodoos are formed when faced against erosion whether it be from water or wind. Since they are primarily comprised of sandstone but also contain other elements such as calcium carbonate, they erode at different speeds in certain sections. Hence the narrow and tall rock formations often forming arches or bridges.

We were able to secure a site within the park and we were located directly underneath the rim trail. In the evening we got to see the moon rising over the canyon on one side with purples and blues and on the other the sun setting in brilliant reds and oranges.

During the day we drove the entire park and made sure to stop at each viewpoint to get a good perspective on how the rocks are formed. Some of the more well known formations are known as Wall Street, Inspiration Point and The Silent City.

Capitol Reef National Park

Taking a scenic route towards arches allowed us to drive through Captiol Reef National Park. The Park is small but packs a punch with its unique rocks and pre-historic cave drawings by indigenous indians known as the Freemont People. Fruita, a former Mormon community is located in the area and has a small bakery where I bought myself a vintage apron (for all the cupcake baking I want to do when I get home!) and a mini blackberry pie which Jack and I ate for dessert that evening.

Finding a campsite in this park is very tricky! The park only has one campground so be sure to get there very early in the morning in order to secure a site. We ended up getting a campground at Slickrock Campground located in Moab. The sites were well kept and offered a shelter for our tent to protect it from wind and rain which was of course nice. However, there is a bar located not too far from the grounds which has live music until all hours of the night. So be prepared to either toss and turn a lot OR save yourself some frustration and bring a pair of ear plugs.

We faced some windy and rainy weather in the desert (go figure) at the park. We did however get to drive around and get to see some of its famous rock formations such as The March of the Elephants, Landscape Arch, and Delicate Arch (the unofficial state symbol for Utah). Even though it was raining it did not deter us from soaking up all the beauty that this park has to offer!

After visiting Moab, Conor Oberst sang "There is nothing that the road cannot heal", in his aptly titled track, Moab. While Moab itself doesn't offer much, it's more the towns unique proximity to so many beautiful places that really draws someone in. Who doesn't want to live within driving distance of desert landscapes, the Colorado River and thousands of miles of intense hiking or white water rafting? And despite the towns under-whelming "Main Street" it still has a unique charm that only a southwestern town could possess leaving it a force to be reckoned with.

Utah pictures here!

The Grand Canyon

2009-10-17T17:01:00.000-07:00

If you ever wanted to get a better perspective on the world on and how small you are in the grand scheme of things then try standing on a 7,000 foot peak overlooking the orange and yellow rock cliffs at the Grand Canyon. With an absolutely breathtaking view we stood at sunset and overlooked one of the seven natural wonders of the world and it's no wonder. While it's not the deepest canyon, its extreme vastness allows one to look out some forty three miles over the Colorado Plateau, where the canyon resides. We hiked to Ooo Aah point which is a very small part of the ever-so-popular Bright Angel Trail. The Park and its Rangers take hiking and preparedness very seriously (and they should) as each year dozens of people are injured by heat exhaustion or even killed. Hungry after the hike we decided to go to the cafeteria which had the most delicious vegetarian chili in a bread bowl! Yay for National Parks offering veggie options. Later on we drove the length of the park to an old lookout at desert viewpoint which offers an unparalleled view of the Canyon.

The Grand Canyon is part of the Grand Staircase also including more northern national park areas: Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park - each known for their individual landscapes. And while the park allows people to get a good glimpse of the richness of the American landscape, we felt that much more was to be seen in it's more northern "sister parks". Which you will get to see in our Utah post!

Anyway, after staying at the South Rim we headed to Jacob Lake, a small town more towards the Northern Rim of the canyon...where we had our COLDEST night on the trip so far at 27 degrees. I must admit that this was not a fun night for me as I wasn't prepared for temperatures that cool and in attempt to keep myself warm I continually woke Jack and myself up. It was certainly a lesson to be learned...and that is to be prepared for any type of weather.

Please view our entire Arizona collection here!

Las Vegas & The Hoover Dam

2009-10-11T13:23:00.000-07:00

One hears all sorts of stories about Vegas and how what "happens there stays there" and I have to admit that I was a bit trepidatious to go there especially with a boyfriend in tow. The best thing about Vegas in my opinion is the extremely cheap accommodations all ranging in the mid-twenties per night. We stayed at the Sam's Town Hotel & Casino about six miles from the strip and headed into downtown to check out some of the more popular hotels; the interiors of Caesars Palace and the MGM Grand and of course the fountains at the Bellagio. At the Bellagio they also had an autumn decorated lobby with amazing glass work trees and a waterfall made out of oversized leaves. I'm upset that I did not bring my camera out with us but I didn't want it to get in the way / stolen. I had never gambled before because it never interested me but I did get really into the nickel slots (don't judge me joe schaub) in which I won $16 and then lost it all within a matter of seconds. I can see why Las Vegas would be fun with a group of friends and a whole lot of money but after seeing it glorified in films I found the whole city to be rather anti-climatic.

The next day we headed to the Hoover dam to check out the structure. Parking is $5 on the Nevada side but if you drive across to Arizona and an eighth of a mile up the road you can park for free. The tours at the dam are expensive and lengthy so we walked across and viewed Lake Mead and the Colorado River. The Hoover Dam weighs 6.6 million tons but is only the 35th largest hydro powered facility in the world!

Santa Barbara, LA, San Diego

2009-10-08T17:11:00.000-07:00

Santa Barbara is a cushy town with a fifty fifty split of wealthy to lower middle class. Hungry after sightseeing we ate at the Taco Bell (my shameful guilty pleasure). One of the main attractions in downtown is the Court House. While it doesn't sound glamorous the building offers a surprising mix of western architecture and beautifully painted murals. A short elevator ride up brought us to the tower which has a terrace offering a 360 degree view of downtown Santa Barbara, the mountains of course, the Pacific ocean.

Later that day we headed further down the Pacific Coast driving through Malibu and ending up at the Santa Monica Pier just in time to see the sun set. The view and the weather were perfect We stopped by the Arcade to play a few rounds of Skee Ball in which Jack proceeded to beat me a few rounds in a row...with his winnings he bought me a plastic spider ring...he is the most thoughtful man I know. Our stomachs were rumbling so we grabbed veggie burgers at Swingers Diner. It was about 10pm so we headed south on the 405 towards LAX where our hotel was, and we hit tons of traffic! I always knew LA was notorious for their traffic, but at 10 at night its a little absurd. I've never seen so many cars and I wouldn't be surprised if LA was the main reason for climate change.

The next day we did a bit of sight seeing at the usual tourist places: the walk of fame, a fancy brunch place, the Hollywood sign and also to the Griffith Observatory. At the observatory we walked around the lobby area and exhibits for free, we had just missed the planetarium show which is only seven dollars per person. Griffith also had a working Telsa Coil which I was very excited about and proves how much of a dork that I am. :(

After Los Angeles we headed south to San Diego where we spent an entire day at the zoo mingling with all of the fabulous creatures that live there. We saw Koalas, Pandas, Polar Bears, Lions, and even a Jaguar! The Zoo is incredible and offers activities, an aerial tram and of course hundreds of gorgeously photographed animals.

Also in San Diego we checked out the La Jolla area and hung out at the beach at dusk for a little bit as people cleaned up from their Sunday picnics. While I didn't get to see "downtown", San Diego was a nice city and of course who can argue with the weather?

Our entire Southern California collection can be viewed here.

Big Sur

2009-10-08T14:57:00.000-07:00

We stayed in Morro Bay, CA for two nights and headed back up the Pacific Coast Highway so that we could see Big Sur and Monterey.

On the way to Big Sur we stopped at the Hearst Castle, overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Again, poor planning on our part meant that all tours were sold out for several hours and we could not go into the Castle for a guided tour. And again, there was unexpectedly an influx of tourists!

We drove a little further up to Big Sur Park, asking directions for where "Big Sur" actually was. We took a narrow, and I mean narrow road where you have to pay $5 to park so that we could enter the beach. We walked down a modest shaded trail and came across the Pacific Ocean at its strongest, smacking its large turquoise waves against jagged rocks. The wind was whipping sand in our faces, the bright California sun shining down, and there was a quietness that each person there possessed as if they knew they stumbled upon something special.

There were a few brave surfers but we weren't that brave...there are warning signs everywhere stating that the tide rises often unexpectedly and so we kept safe up on the beach and far from the waves. There are also two tunnels formed out of the rock which the waves break through every few minutes or so.

After our relaxation we drove up to Monterey in hopes to go to the oft-reviewed Aquarium, but we arrived a bit too late and did not want to be rushed. Not to mention meter parking is several dollars per hour! Instead, we grabbed a coffee, saved a few dollars and headed home after a nice day of driving Highway 1.

More pictures located in the Northern California album on flickr.

Yosemite, Kings Canyon & Sequoia

2009-10-08T14:40:00.000-07:00

Yosemite National Park did not offer the grander or views that I was expecting....it did however offer traffic and lots of tourists! Despite the fact that the "peak" season is over all of the campgrounds were completely booked! We heard previously that its reasonable to book camping reservations weeks, even months in advance but we did not expect the park to be so heavily saturated with tourists come the fall. The Yosemite waterfall is hyped up in reviews and in the Lonely Planet US, but beware, there is no water in the waterfall after the summer season and the best views are in spring when the winter snow has begun to melt.

A lot of the main attractions of Yosemite such as Half Dome can be seen from the road. However a back country hike would offer better views and a connection with the wilderness in the area. Unfortunately, without a campsite, we needed to leave the park rather quickly in order to find accommodations for the evening, and so our experience was limited to the car.

We decided to head south to Kings Canyon where we easily found a campsite for the evening. Black bears are extremely prevalent in the area and are habituated to humans in the region as well. The park does not take bears lightly, and we needed to put all food, toiletries, soaps, towels, etc into the secure lock bear boxes located in our campsite. The bears are able to see in color and they can and will easily locate an object in your car and rip it apart until they get what they want. As they say in the parks "A fed bear is a dead bear" and it's no joke. Bears who become aggressive once they have had high-calorie "human foods" will be euthanized for the publics safety, understandable on one level, but sad on many others.

We were in a bit of a rush to get back out to the coast but we did get to drive through Sequoia, overlooking Kings Canyon from viewpoints, seeing the mountains in the distance, and even getting to drive through a fallen tree. And of course, we got to stand in the shadow of the worlds' largest tree; The General Sherman Sequoia - a massive wonder with a 102.6' base circumference, a 275 foot stature, and is around 2,500 years old. The tree was absolutely beautiful.

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San Francisco

2009-10-05T05:23:00.000-07:00

San Francisco. Where do I begin?

San Francisco, above all things is expensive. We had much difficulty finding a hotel within the city that wouldn't break the bank. My mom however came through and let us utilize some of my parents hotel points to get a room for two nights at the Sheraton Fisherman's Wharf! Thank you mom and dad.

BUT....Our first of three nights in San Francisco we actually stayed at the Holiday Inn near the Civic Center. Apparently the Civic Center is a dangerous neighborhood. We saw lots of homeless people but no violence, which we found out after the fact, is very high in that area. Phew for us. And I will just mention quickly that we had a few issues with the Holiday Inn as well as most guests checking in, so I would highly recommend not staying there. Starving from a long day of driving we headed on the bus over to Herbivore for a late dinner of fresh squeezed juice and tempeh sandwiches.

In the morning we went to Fisherman's Wharf and walked along the water seeing the individual piers. We then went to Coit tower and overlooked the city and Alcatraz. Being a fan of Jack Kerouac I wanted to see Jack Kerouac Alley where the writer used to frequent in his youth. The walls are painted with various poetry of the beat generation and it was surreal to know I was standing in the same place where some of the most influential American writers spent their nights. We then walked down to the Chinatown district where a very crowded street fair was occurring. I felt like we had walked through a time warp and ended up in Asia, there was so much going on, colors, food, and culture! It was great.

Next we checked out the farmer's market which is every Saturday AND all year long! It easily rivaled Pike Place Market and I would guess that 99% of the goods were organic AND local which made us very happy. After sampling some local fruits we hopped on the trolly car to check out the Castro District, San Francisco's famous LGBT neighborhood where the once Castro Camera store (now turned furniture store) still stands with a huge painted mural of Harvey Milk in the window. This neighborhood, once a refuge for gays and lesbians across the country, turned turmoil fueled neighborhood, then back to refuge is proud with it's rainbow flags and openly accepting attitude. The Haight Ashbury district once heavily plagued by drugs is now a happening artistic neighborhood comprised mainly of young professionals and artists alike.

Our third day in the city we got up early and went to Pier 39 to check out the Sea Lions which live their and bask in the sun on floating docks. We then went to the SFMOMA so Jack could check out art exhibits and I could browse the Richard Avedon exhibit. What an incredible photographer he was! Avedon makes me want to learn so much more about portrait photography. The rest of the art at the SFMOMA was intriguing as well, and they also boast an outdoor rooftop sculpture garden where you can take off your sandals, lay in the sun and sip on a cappuccino.

That evening we met up with Joey, an old college friend of mine and got some food while we caught up and reminisced about college. Hard to believe it's been three years since we graduated...time is really flying by! It was great to see him and know that he's using his engineering degree to it's full extent, but I cant help but be a tad jealous. :)

On our way out we stopped in San Jose to check out the Winchester Mystery House. Striking and odd architecture set the scene for this Victorian home. Thirteen windows are in most rooms, staircases lead to the ceiling, and chimneys end before even exiting the house. Sarah Winchester, heir to the Winchester fortune, started creating the house after she lost both her husband and daughter. She blamed the spirits of those killed by the Winchester Rifle for the deaths of her family and set out to build a house that would never stop being built, to confuse the spirits that followed her. It's sad to think that Sarah Winchester really just had a broken heart and was in mourning for her entire life after losing her loved ones, but her house is a testament of dedication and perseverance, and for that I must admire her.

I absolutely loved San Francisco. We were able to hop off the trolly car and buy a veggie dog, or venture further into the heart of the city where you could mingle with the locals, find yourself lost in one of the many boutiques, or lazily lay about in Golden Gate Park. One day, I would like to call San Francisco home...but it'll be a while before I can afford to move out there.

Update We fixed the link and our full set of San Francisco pictures are here!. Also, I'm embarrassed that I completely forgot to mention a fabulous little Mexican place we went to for dinner on our second night in the city. Colibri located not too far from downtown and easy accessible by the trolly car offers a moderately priced home-style mexican menu with a twist. The service and ambience were great as well as our meals. I had a mashed cauliflower dish topped with creamy mushrooms and cheese in a light tomato sauce and Jack had the Chiles Rellnos. To top off our night we had coffees and melt-in-your-mouth Mexican chocolate cake. We would highly recommend this place!

Northern California

2009-10-04T18:25:00.000-07:00

Driving down the Pacific Coast Highway is exhilarating and vertigo inducing. On a cloudy day the Pacific Ocean is replaced with a thick blanket of clouds and we saw the tops of them as we were making our way south towards Redwood National Forest.

Mendocino allows medical marijuana use and personal growth of the herb within people's homes. The county smells faintly of the plant, especially near the public library which sets a strange ambiance. The entire county seems to have a haze over it, and I'm not sure if that's because of the thick fog that rolls off the ocean, or because of the perpetual daze the locals seem to be in.

My favorite part of driving down the Pacific Coast Highway, besides the crystal blue ocean smacking up against the sandy grey cliff-sides, is the random farms which reside near it. Cows standing idly against the ocean is not something you see everyday and it offers a new perspective on ranching and farming.

Redwood National Park is magnificent to say in the least. I remember being in elementary school and learning about Redwoods being some of the largest in the world and I idolized them looking in awe at glossy textbook images. It was a dream come true to find myself walking through the forest, craning my neck to see the tops of the trees and smelling the salt from the ocean drifting in on a cool summer breeze. We took a ten mile hike through the forest occasionally splashing in the river and ending at the beach where we ate some peanut butter & jelly sandwiches and watched two elk grazing.

After our hike we stopped in Trinidad, California where we had some really tasty sandwiches at Catch Cafe. We also got to sample some vegan gumbo which was delisicous! That night we decided to camp in one of California's state parks. Because of recent budget issues CA state parks increased to $35/night (after the summer peak season!) and most barely offer any amenities. We had some rude camp neighbors who decided to party all night and keep us up until 5:30 in the morning. Luckily Jack flagged down a park ranger in the morning we got our money back for the evening. The noisy neighbors got kicked out of the park and a fine for being loud. Justice was a fabulous side dish to our cereal.

*If planning to stay at Richard Grove State Park realize that you are going to pay a lot of money on camping for limited amenities and an unmonitored campsite. It's more worth it in our opinion to pay $5 extra and get a hotel room!

Northern California Pictures!

Portland

2009-09-28T05:06:00.000-07:00

Portland is a simply laid out city with a prodigious Vegan community. Large amounts of bikers battle for riding space on the streets among the cars. Despite the fact that there are so many bikers, only a small portion of downtown (from what we saw) offered an actual bike lane. The city is currently experimenting traffic flow with bike lanes.

We spent one night in Portland and went to the all Vegan Pub, Bye & Bye for some local beer and Vegan meatball subs before crashing for the night. In the morning we headed to the Columbia Gorge where large narrow waterfalls are prominent.

Afterwards we headed to downtown to Powells Bookstore "the worlds largest independent bookstore" where we browsed the used and new sections across multiple floors. We walked casually around downtown, pausing for a Gelato for Jack and stopping to take pictures of Portlandia, The Goddess of Commerce statue emerging from the Michael Graves' building.

In the late afternoon we headed to Montinore Vinyards...one of my favorite wineries. They are a small family operated biodynamic and organic vineyard located in the heart of the Willamette Valley. Their flights are only five dollars and we were given generous amounts of wine for the selections we picked. After sampling some very tasty wines (the region is known for their Pinot Noirs, which Jack sampled) we sat on the balcony over looking the vineyard, each with our respective glasses and the picnic we brought consisting of, pepper crackers, olives, and local organic sheeps milk cheese. While the staff was nice, friendly, and knowledgeable, our favorite staff member was Miss. Kitty - the wineries cat, who sat with us throughout our meal.

That evening we went to Beverly Beach State Park to camp across from the ocean, in a very well kept state campground that had *gasp* showers! We took a walk along the ocean front watching dogs catching frisbees at dusk before calling it a night and heading to Northern California the next day.

Oregon is gorgeous and offers great beaches and camping as well as a low key downtown life in Portland.

Olympic National Park

2009-09-26T20:07:00.000-07:00

After Seattle we headed to Olympic National Park taking the ferry across the Puget Sound. We camped the first night on the rim of the park and headed into town to Port Angeles where we had a beer amongst the locals. It was Twilight week at Port Angeles, and nearby Forks where I stopped in to buy a postcard for my cousin (who is a big fan of the series) and I had to battle a few dozens of tweens in the process. But thankfully I survived!

Heading to the coast we stopped to take some pictures at the visitors center which offers a great view of Mt. Olympus. At Rialto beach we camped and walked along the shore among the large amounts of drift wood and fallen trees. The coast in this area is dangerous especially at high tide when large logs are lifted and thrown by the rough surf. An eerie fog rolled slowly along the cliff edges and off of the ocean, an area notoriously known by Seamen for ship wrecks.

The next day we headed to Hoh Rain Forest, the worlds' largest temperate rain forest, where we did a few small hikes throughout the densely foliaged forest. Along one of the paths we came across two small field mice dining on some grass - they didn't seem to be bothered by us in the slightest.

Our last stop in Washington en route to Oregon was at Mt. Saint Helens as the sun was setting to take some pictures.

Full set of Washington Pictures Here!

Seattle

2009-09-21T07:11:00.000-07:00

As you've seen it's been a while since our last post. The west coast is filled with amazing things to do, whether it be exploring one of its many waterfront cities or getting acquainted with the vast outdoors - there are few limitations, if any.

We were lucky in Seattle to have some clear skies and warm weather so we could take advantage of all that the city has to offer. We started our first morning by going to Pike Place Market to check out the world renowned scene. The market offered fresh seafood, artisan cheese, produce and flowers among other goods such as pastries and gourmet pastas. We were brave enough to try some interesting jams, such as black pepper pomegranate and ginger. We picked up some locally made goods; champagne grapes, a rustic baguette and chevre and walked along the waterfront to the sculpture garden where we ate a deliciously simple lunch in the shadow of the gardens largest sculpture.

Afterwards we walked to the Seattle Center which hosts the Space Needle. Hopping on the cities only Monorail we passed through part of the Experience Music Project Museum and ended up near Pioneer Town, the oldest part of the city. Pioneer Town was completely burnt down in an early 1900's fire but has been rebuilt according to the architecture of the day. We walked through China Town, which was surprisingly very small and almost unnoticeable where we found refuge from the glaring west coast sun in a small asian garden.

In the evening we headed to Cafe Flora somewhat on the outskirts of downtown where I was personally very excited to go! Cafe Flora has been mentioned numerous times in my favorite magazine, Vegetarian Times, and has won vast amounts of awards from vegetarians and food critics throughout. The food was nothing short of perfect and we made sure to give the chef our compliments before leaving. We started out the meal with a lentil pate platter which included locally baked croccantini, caper berries, caramelized red onion confit, and assorted olives. Our entrees were as equally creative and tasty. I had the wild mushroom tartlet baked with goat cheese and sweet onions, topped with a green bean salad in a shallot djion dressing and a huckleberry current sauce. It was perfect combination of spicy, sweet, and sour. Jack had the Polenta dish which was served with onions, peas, and cherries in a balsamic port reduction with cambazola cheese. Dessert was also wonderful. I had the vegan chocolate mouse topped with fresh blackberries and Jack had the blackberry ice-cream, which unfortunately was not vegan. Out of all of the many places I have been which offer vegetarian food (and I've been to dozens and dozens) I would highly recommend Cafe Flora above all others.

Our last day in Seattle we went to the Porchlight Cafe while we were getting the car serviced. The cafe was simple and offered good coffees and Mighty O Donuts which are also famous world-wide amongst vegans for their large menu of Vegan and Organic Donuts. They were by far the BEST donuts we have ever had! Fluffly, rich but not too dense and topped with just the right amount of glaze or topping. Thankfully they also sell them at Whole Foods and other local organic eateries. Mighty O and Cafe Flora alone are enough to make me visit Seattle again!

Seattle was a nice town which was vegetarian friendly but it lacked that certain something that would make me move there. I will definitely be back for a visit again, if only for the food.

Vancouver

2009-09-14T09:56:00.000-07:00

Jack and I had both heard good things about Vancouver and we were excited to get into the city. Upon checking into the hotel the front desk made an error and we were upgraded to a queen suite room on the 15th floor overlooking downtown, which of course we did not mind at all. We were able to see Cole Bay as well as many of the cities large apartment buildings, parks, and Vancouver Island.

Our first day in the city we took it easy and relaxed a bit before heading to the Kitsilano district, Vancouver's answer to the Lower East Side, for dinner at The Naam, Vancouver's oldest vegetarian restaurant. Jack had mixed vegetables with rice in a miso sauce, and is no longer allowed to complain about us eating "something with rice for dinner" since he still orders it when we go out! I decided to part with rice for the evening and had the steak with miso gravy, steamed vegetables, sesame fries and beet salad. Our meals were delicious and to top it off we had coffee and shared a slice of the double fudge cake. The atmosphere was relaxing and we dined on the patio which had ivy covered awnings and comfortable wooden furniture. Every night between 7-10pm there is local music, which we also got to hear in the background. The Naam is also open 24 hours which is perfect for those round the clock veggie cravings.

The next day it down-poured and we attempted to walk across the city and ended up going back to the hotel to get the car instead. We checked out the Chinese Garden where classic Chinese architecture is nestled inside the city center. We learned a bit about the culture and creation of these gardens such as; bats being a symbol of good luck, no window design will be the same, and that koi fish can grow to be 200 years old! In one of the many educational halls at the garden you can sip on some freshly brewed green tea while gazing over watercolors and listening to authentic Chinese music. After the serenity of the garden we had a craving for .... you guessed it Chinese food and headed to Bo Kong Vegetarian Restaurant and shared some wonton soup and pan-fried spinach noodles.

Bo Kong veggie wonton soup

The rain was bogging us down and it had been a grueling few days so a serious nap was in order. In the evening we took a leisurely stroll across downtown, through the Davies Village and Robson Districts before we stumbled into a small dessert cafe and called it a night.

Vancouver at night

Our third day in Vancouver we headed up to North Vancouver to Grouse Mountain where we partook in the Grouse Grind, a trail comprised of 2,830 stairs climbing 3,700 feet in just 1.8 miles, at a 56% grade. It was INTENSE. Due to erosion a lot of the stairs are broken or missing and we ended climbing up tree roots and rocks often in an almost completely vertical fashion. Finally getting to the top we both felt extremely accomplished and we laid in the grass overlooking Vancouver in all of its beauty but more importantly stretching out our legs!

We enjoyed Vancouver. It was a clean city, big into farmers markets, organics, and sustainability which offered numerous amounts of hiking and outdoor activities. We would love to come back here some day and visit again.

Alaska & Canada: Southbound

2009-09-11T05:16:00.000-07:00

After our great time in Denali we headed south to Anchorage making a small breakfast stop in Wasilla , where thankfully for both mine and Sarah Palin's sake we did not run into her. In Anchorage we hit the town getting hot chocolate at Kaladi Brothers coffee and later dined on some fine indian food at Bombay Deluxe. The next day we went to Fish Creek to see silver salmon making their way up stream. Anchorage has a few things to do but unfortunately most of them did not interest us and we decided to move on.

After our stay in Anchorage we decided to check out the southern coast of Alaska by heading to Seward where we went to the SeaLife Center and Exit Glacier. At the SeaLife Center we got to stand not more than a foot away from puffins, see harbor seals feeding, and pet arctic starfish. At Exit Glacier in Kenai Fjords National Park we hiked a trail to the foot of the glacier, which has receded significantly in the past several decades due to climate change. We could also feel the cool air coming off of the glacier and see the massive rivers the glacier melting creates. Exit Glacier is but one of forty glaciers that stem from the massive 1,100sq mile, Harding Icefield.

After Stewart we checked out the Alaska State Fair, which offered some interesting sights and people. There was a farm exhibit so we pet some cows, saw owls and of course, prize winning cabbages. We had to try some local flavor so we ate some fresh peach pie, since the vegetarian stand sadly was out of corn dogs. Jack wanted to check out some more exhibits so we saw the pig races and the Equestrian Extravaganza, a bunch of gypsies doing back flips off of horses to choreographed gypsy music. This was Jack's first State Fair and he was very excited to take it all in.

Heading To Vancouver...

We stayed one night at the Tolsona Wilderness Campground and had a beautiful campsite on the edge of a babbling brook. Sadly though, just after we cleaned up dinner and went into the car to warm up a grizzly bear came out of the meadow directly behind our car knocking over garbage cans. I spotted the bear first and screamed "OH MY GOD IT'S A BEAR!!!! LOCK THE DOORS!!!!". Naturally, I refused to leave the car for the rest of the evening and played lookout as Jack grabbed the sleeping bags from the tent. It was not the most comfortable night but we didn't want to take any chances.

I want to apologize because I accidently lied in our last post about the third of September being our last night in Alaska! We had intended to stay in Stewart, British Columbia but tenting was not allowed due to recent bear activity and so we ended up in the small fishing community of Hyder, AK, "The Friendliest Ghost Town in Alaska" for a night. Hyder, despite it's barren streets, lack of pavement and stop signs is home to some 100 people. We think we saw most of them that evening at the Sealaska Inn & Bar where we stayed in a modest "sleeper room" comprised of a small window, wood paneled walls, a shared bathroom, and two twin beds directly above the bar. Down the street on Salmon Glacier road is an observation deck where we were able to watch bears catching salmon. We saw a black bear eating and it was incredible! Their claws are huge and made it me want to invest in an industrial sized can of bear spray, especially after our recent encounter.

Hyder, AK on a foggy morning.

We had to pass through Stewart to get to Hyder so we decided to check out an adorable place, the Bitter Creek Cafe for dinner. We were extremely surprised with both our meal and the decor of the place. Decorated with antiques the cafe sells home made chocolates, artisan teas, and the obligatory canadian maple syrup. Our meal was delicious and it was such a nice change of pace from the lack of inventive meals in the more rural areas.

Dinner at Bitter Creek Cafe

There aren't many major highways in northern British Columbia so we often have to take back-roads which are narrow and winding, which perfectly describes the Cassiar Highway. Although scenic, the dangerous road offered limited visibility and blind-spots, but we took it slow and safely arrived at the Boya Lake Provincial Campground. Our campsite was amazing, well kept and we a had beautiful view of Boya Lake at sunset and the moon rising over the mountains.

Moon over Boya Lake

Our last stop was in Hope, British Columbia where we stayed at the Hope Valley Campground, which is my new favorite - exceptionally clean bathrooms and a game room with Ms. Pacman is a rare treat. Jack got really into Jurassic Park Pinball, and we had a fun night playing games after eating our tasty dinner of veggie chicken, mashed potatoes, and carrots. In the morning we were famished after breaking down our wet tent (which has become a daily activity since we've gotten rain the past eleven nights of camping!) and we headed to Rolly's where we had a savory breakfast. I had the eggs benedict with tomato slices (in place of ham), the hollandaise sauce offered a perfect balance of lemon on top of impeccably poached eggs. On the way to Vancouver we stopped at the Farm House, which specializes in home made cheese (mainly gouda and cheddar) from goatsmilk where we got to go into the barn and meet the baby goats, and they were ADORABLE!

Baby Goat at Farm House

Our drive to and from the Last Frontier of Alaska is officially complete and what an experience it has been!

One month in.....

2009-09-02T18:14:00.000-07:00

A lot of people have been asking us a bunch of questions about life on the road and so we figured we would answer them for you. Tonight is sadly our last night in the great state of Alaska :(

How many nights have you camped on the trip so far?

Camping is a great way to be outdoors and really experience nature and we try to camp as much as possible. Currently our record is six nights in a row of tent camping. Weather plays a big part in whether or not we can set up camp and more often than we like we've been faced with getting a motel for the night. So far we've camped out 20 nights.

Are you able to shower?
Showers have become a luxury. We don't get the chance to shower every day as not every campsite offers them or we literally just don't have a moment to.

What do you snack on?
We try to remain as healthy as possible by snacking on granola bars, trail mix, fruit and juice boxes. Occasionally we buy Milano's and devour them almost immediately. We also like to eat veggies and buy local and organic whenever possible.

Those dinners look delicious! How do you have time for them?

The dinners that we post do look delicious but 85% of the time we're not having anything that great. As Jack says "most days we eat oatmeal for breakfast, pb&j for lunch, and something with rice for dinner"...

What camera / lenses are you using?

We primarily use a Canon Rebel EOS XS with the standard wide angel lens. For wildlife shots or macro we use a Sigma Telefoto lens, perfect for the novice photographer and found cheap on Amazon. We also use a Canon Powershot Elf for those quick point and shoot pics from the car.

Why did you decide to rent a car as opposed to buying one?

We decided to rent a car to take away from the hassle of being actual car owners. If you shop around you can find great deals and coupons for most main rental chains which reduce your cost drastically. This way while we are traveling if something goes wrong mechanically with the car we can get it fixed, and it isn't on our dime...also they offer unlimited miles. Another main factor is we wont have to worry about moving to a city and owning a car, or selling it in the end.

How many miles do you drive on an average day and how many miles have you put on the car total?
We drive an average 250 miles per day with a total mileage of 7,074.

What advice can you give to other vegetarians going on the road?

Be patient and accepting. This isn't NYC or San Francisco and you are limited in the vegetarian fare you might be privy to. Suck it up and eat the grilled cheese again but make yourself a delicious meal when you get the chance. So many places offer vegetarian options these days that you might not expect and don't be afraid to ask the locals where to dine.

How do you keep up with posts?

While posting has become a hobby for us, we don't make it a priority. We like to live in the moment and write things down on pieces of paper as we go along, then eventually sit down and recollect. When we don't have internet we type a post up and get it ready so that when we do find ourselves with some time and resources we can put up another post for you to read. Most of our posts are off by 3-4 days.

What has been your favorite restaurant so far?

We've had a lot of good food so far but we are especially excited to try some great veggie places on the west cost renowned for their delicious foods. The Chicago Diner had vegan milkshakes, Giordano's in Chicago had tasty deep dish pizza and we had some surprisingly good indian at Bombay Deluxe in Anchorage. We are really looking forward to Cafe Flora in Seattle and seeing what else is out there.

Are there any books you would recommend reading or bringing?

We bought and are currently using the Milepost 2009 edition, which if you are driving to Alaska is essential. We've also found the Lonely Planet USA guide to be a great source of information for cities although their prices can be off a bit.

Is there any other advice you would give to fellow road trippers?

Don't plan too much. We've found that the best times we've had have been spur of the moment. Planning too much can lead to rushing and frustrations, and thats the exact opposite of what a trip like this should be!

Hope you find our information helpful and should you have any questions please ask away!

A Few Bumps in the Road

2009-09-02T02:00:00.000-07:00

We are about a month into the trip and it truly has been a wonderful experience -- but before you go jump in your car and start caravanning behind us, I thought I'd mention some of the obstacles we've faced.

First of all, we have been in each other's company almost constantly throughout the trip. The vast landscapes up north keep us together as we are either in the car or on a hike. We are both pretty stubborn (I have Priscilla's permission to say that about her) so we often butt heads. For some reason it usually involves breaking down the tent. I think it will be easier to find some time to ourselves once we reach the Pacific Coast. Until then I always keep some chocolate close by to feed to Priscilla and she makes sure I get enough sleep.

Another obstacle has been the weather. After experiencing 100 degree days in The Badlands at the end of the first week, we ran into freezing temperatures in Yellowstone and a good amount of ran through Canada. We want to tent camp as much as possible not only for the experience but also to save money. However, it's difficult to set up camp and cook in the rain so we've spent some nights in hotels. It's also nice to take a shower without sandals on!

Food has also become an adventure. We've done a great job preparing some interesting meals but there are plenty of days when we have oatmeal for breakfast, peanut butter and jelly for lunch, and something with rice for dinner. Suggestions/donations/food care packages welcome.

Finally, there is the car. Gas has really added up, especially in Canada and Alaska. It's crazy that Alaska, with all the oil the oil companies are pumping through the pipeline, has gas prices over $3 a gallon. As Priscilla has been saying, it's rather insulting to the people of Alaska. We also have a tire pressure warning light that won't turn off. It started on the road construction throughout Yellowstone, then went off on the smooth roads around Calgary before lighting up again on the bumps on the Alaska Highway. We constantly monitor the tire pressure and hope it goes off again soon. Since we rented the car from Hertz, it's nice that they cover the maintenance (including having the car checked out to make sure the warning light wasn't anything serious).

That's about it. We have settled into a decent routine and are learning a lot about ourselves and each other. I think these above points are the nuances that make the trip interesting and help us grow individually and in our relationship. Now back to your regularly scheduled program.

-Jack

Denali National Park

2009-09-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

Denali National Park can be described in the following words; wondrous, resplendent, contagious, and defining.

Standing on the roadside overlooking a valley we gazed at the largest peak in North America: Denali Mountain more commonly known as Mount McKinley standing 20,320' tall. Technically the world's largest mountain (in bulk) McKinley gives Mount Everest a run for its money. Denali, on a clear day, which is only three days out of the month, can be seen from more than 80 miles outside of the park. We got to witness Denali with barely any clouds and saw its full beauty of peaceful snow covered peaks filling the horizon.

There is no other place to see North American Wildlife as abundant as Denalil. This is mainly because the parks strict rules of prohibiting private vehicles past mile 15, and into the heartland of the preserve. The first 15 miles offer moose which are hidden by eight to ten feet of brush in the tundra and in the autumn time, in a sea of reds and golds. Occasionally you will see their heads pop up to take a look around, or a bulls horns stark white standing out amongst the fauna.

On our second day in the park we took an 11 hour shuttle bus which takes you to Wonder Lake, a photographer's dream - a mirror lake reflecting Denali in its entirety. Unfortunately for us it was cloudy by the time we arrived at Mile 86 and a strong wind created waves on the lake. But thats okay because we got to see a rare sight....in one day we saw most of the parks major animals! Arctic Wolves, a separated pack with the males on the horizon laying in the grass while the female and her cubs used the road as a short cut to get to the nearby river. A grizzly bear with her year and a half old cubs stocking up on blueberries for the winter season not more than twenty five feet from our window. The state bird the Ptarmigan, a small fat bird resembling a Pheasant, and in the air circling - a Golden Eagle, which has a larger wing span than the Bald Eagle. Squinting our eyes at the mountain passes we noticed that what we thought were clumps of snow were actually packs of Dall Sheep eating grass on the vertical plains. And in the valleys with their gorgeous white and brown fur slept a pack of Caribou, the only mammal in which both the male and female sport antlers. The shuttle bus trip was exhausting and well worth the $42/person for the trip. It is extremely rare to see all of these animals on any given day let alone all in one day and we felt we were truly honored to have seen them. Absolutely famished from the long day we headed to the Salmon Bake and got some grubs, local beers and pie before calling it a night.

On our third day in the park we went for a hike to Horseshoe Lake near the river and came across a huge beaver dam, swan, and ground squirrels collecting nuts for winter. In the afternoon we headed to the dog kennel where we got to meet the Denali sled dog team (all 30 of dogs) and see a demonstration on how mushing works. Mushing is used throughout the winter months to get to different cabin posts and secure the park from hunters. It is the only form of travel that is safe for the wild animals, environmentally friendly, and practical. The dogs can each pull 150 pounds easily and we watched five of them pull 300 pounds with no effort whatsoever. Since the dogs are used to colder temperatures we learned that 60 degrees for them is sweltering, 20 degrees is comfortable, but -20 degrees is when they are at their finest. It's great to see these dogs in action, you can see how much they love their jobs as its in their blood and so ingrained within them.

It's already autumn in Denali and winter is but a short two weeks away. Temperatures did not peak past the upper 50's and the nights were around the freezing point but that did not stop us from taking in the sights and big breaths of fresh air. Denali is an incredible rare place and although a bit out of the way, it is well worth the investment and energy, for the return of seeing these animals in their natural habitat and Mt. McKinley in all its glory is one that is invaluable.

Full set of pictures here!

Fairbanks

2009-08-31T05:50:00.000-07:00

We made it to Alaska!!! It took us about three weeks to make it to Fairbanks and it has been a great trip so far! Alaska is a BIG state. It is 2.5 times larger than Texas, if broken in half it would still be the first two largest states, and its mass is equal to 1/5th of the entire continental US. Just some quick facts for ya'.

After passing through US Customs at the Alaskan border we headed to Fairbanks. The weather in Fairbanks was cool and rainy for most of the time we were there and we experienced very little of the culture and cuisine. This was mostly in part to other things we wanted to do outside of the city center, but also because, frankly there isn't much to do in Fairbanks.

Our first day in Fairbanks was dedicated to running errands, which was not nearly exciting as it sounds. Doing laundry, going to Walmart, and putting air in the tires is not the ideal way to spend time in Alaska, but it was necessary and a good productive day. Dinner consisted of Italian food from a Lonely Planet noted restaurant, Gambardella's Pasta Bella but was subpar to our palettes standards. My Lumache tasted as if the pasta was previously frozen and the Ricotta tasted watered down. The only thing that saved my meal was a glass of riesling, not a local wine, but I have a feeling that was a good choice. To give you an overall idea of our meal... Jack asked the waiter if there were any sorbet choices for dessert and he received a blank stare in return. The waiter had never heard of sorbet but offered us seven different kinds of "New York Style" cheesecake instead so we kindly asked for the check and left.

Our second day in Fairbanks we headed up to the Arctic Circle which is 180 miles from the city and is geographically the lowest point at which the sun is visible 24 hours a day at the summer solstice and subsequently dark for 24 hours a day at the winter solstice. We took a tour van with our driver John, a local politician who referred to Sarah Palin simply as Sarah and told us his platforms, for he was running again for state legislature. Regardless of the political discussion we did get to learn a bit about the history of Fairbanks, Prudhoe Bay, and the Arctic Circle. We also got to see the oil pipe which in its full length runs 800 miles from Prudhoe Bay in the Arctic Ocean to the Valdez. Another couple who was with us for the twelve hour tour, who hailed from South Africa told limitless stories of their world travels and time spent in the bush. It all made for interesting conversation and an overall relaxing day.

The landscape is interesting driving up north towards the Arctic Circle and primarily consists of a spongy surface of moss and berry plants which is rooted into a layer of soil about a foot deep and underneath is the permafrost. We got to walk for a bit on the tundra and feel the texture of the soft ground underneath us, which is way different than anything we've ever walked on. The day ended with food and beers with our tour group at Silver Gulch a refreshing brewery and restaurant located ten miles north of the city in a small town called Fox. I'd highly recommend the porter and portabello burger with red pepper aoli sauce.

Fairbanks is an interesting stop for a day but a day only. You can busy yourself by visiting the museum, taking a walk in the park, or dining like a local at Silver Gulch, but for us there seemed to be a little something lacking here.

Canada: North Bound

2009-08-30T17:29:00.000-07:00

After Glacier Natl. Park we swung up to Canada to check out Calgary and grab some lunch and groceries before heading to Banff Natl. Park. From what little of Calgary we saw we gathered its a diverse city with a good population but a short drive five minutes outside of the city leads back to rural Alberta farmlands.

Products are expensive in Canada even more so than in NYC and the exchange rate is barely in our favor. We didn't realize this until we went to the local Safeway grocer and wanted to purchase a few items. A gallon of water costs $3.99 not including GST (tax) and a recycling / deposit fee. Gasoline is another whole story. Some places charge $1.24 per liter, and there is about 3.7 liters per gallon...so you can do the math...to fill the tank one day in our little Rav4 cost us $60 and it wasn't even on empty! These prices still apply in the more rural and impoverished areas and we don't understand how those people get by.

Banff National Park, located west of Calgary boasts a backdrop of the snowcapped Candian Rockies. We camped there for two nights and did some hiking trails along the Johnston Canyon and Lake Louise areas. Johnston Canyon is actually the campsite where we stayed so we walked across the street to take a short walk along the Canyon catwalks to see the Lower Falls and Upper Falls. At the Lower Falls visitors can walk through a small dark tunnel and come out directly at the base, standing in mud and getting soaked with mist from the cool waters.

On our second day we walked around Lake Louise and watched rock climbers scale the walls of the mountainous surroundings. We toyed with the idea of getting a canoe but decided to sit on a rickety wooden bench on the rocks surrounding the lake and let the time pass by. There's a posh resort at the entrance of the lake area where tourists like to sit and sip red wine and gather in large groups taking pictures of their kids but we made our way about a half mile from the hotel and found ourselves in a nice quiet area void of tourists. At the end of the lake trail you can opt to head back or hike up the mountain about two miles more miles to a Tea House in the woods.

After our day of hiking, we made a dinner of mushroom and herb risotto with veggie chicken alongside a good Canadian Pinot Blanc from White Bear Winery. In most cities we try to stick local in terms of produce and wine / beer and we have yet to be disappointed.

Leaving Banff we drove through Jasper National Park on the Icefields Parkway, one of the world's most scenic drives. Shortly after entering Jasper we saw several cars pulled over and people taking pictures from inside their vehicles (which normally suggests there is a carnivorous animal around). Finally we got to see what the fuss was about...and we really lucked out! We got to see an entire pack of black wolves crossing the street with their young pups. It was one of the greatest things I have ever witnessed, as wolves are a rare creature to be seen. They also happen to be one of my favorite animals!

Making our way further north and following the east access route in the Milepost we found a well kept campground, outside of Grand Prairie, AB CA and the next day made our way to Dawson Creek, home of the official start of the Alcan (Alaska Highway) constructed by the Army Corps. of Engineers during WWII. The next night we stayed at Tetsa campground renowned for their "galactic-famous" Cinnamon Buns. Since we were the only tent campers there that evening they let us set up camp underneath a gazeebo to avoid the rain, which was very nice of them and convenient for us breaking down the tent in the morning. Before heading out we did try the homemade Cinnamon Buns ($5 canadian) which were delicious and a the perfect ratio of cinnamon to dough.

On our way to Whitehorse in the Yukon Territory we stopped in Watson Lake, a barren town also located in the Yukon which is world-famous for it's Signpost Forest. The forest was first started during the construction of the ALCAN highway and had one sign: a milage post back to one of the workers hometowns. The forest now boasts over 55,000 signs from all over the world which is an incredible sight to see. We stayed one night in Whitehorse before hightailing it to fairbanks...Whitehorse is an interesting little city. It has a few cute shops and a Starbucks but the rest of the town seems to be stuck in time.

We had a couple of long driving days, the first was 412 miles, the second 420 miles and the third was 620 miles. We didn't feel like staying long in these desolate places and we were understandably eager to get to Fairbanks. Making our way through Canada we came across several ghost towns along the Alaska highway. Abandoned gasoline stations and rotted away cafes with the windows missing are a common scene. Occasionally we would see a tractor trailer or RV pass us by going in the opposite direction. Other than that there wasn't much to see along the road, and the drive at times began to feel interminable.

There isn't much else to say about the Yukon or the more northern parts of BC and AB, other than expect a whole lot of nothing and if you aren't a fan of long drives through the "middle of nowhere" than looking into the Alaskan Marine Highway System might be a great alternative option.

Full set of pictures here!

Montana

2009-08-24T04:52:00.000-07:00

The drive through Montana offered gorgeous views of the Swan Mountains and a 360 degree view of the sky. It's no wonder its called "Big Sky Country". The green landscape can seem never-ending however. There's no houses in sight and every ten miles or so a clump of five mail boxes rests crooked and rusted against each other. There are also more cows and horses than people (so we saw).

We stayed at a Motel 6 in Helena before heading Northwest to Glacier - for a one star hotel it was clean and the room was a decent size as well as the bathroom. What surprised me in a good way was Motel 6's "green initiative" (as every good American company has these days) offering recycled products in their rooms. It's refreshing to see a corporate establishment, especially so far in the middle of nowhere - that does not rely on Kimberley Clark a company that was (until recently) infamous for turning Ancient forests into toilet paper. The rest of the state (at least where we stopped in for groceries) offered little organic products which is disheartening.

We stayed at Glacier Natl. Park for two nights at the Rising Sun Campground which is in the shadow of one of the Lewis or Livingston mountain ranges. While setting up our tent we were approached by a Park Ranger and told to be extra alert of bears as three were in the campsite the evening before because of the surrounding Huckleberry bushes. After setting up our tent and battling some heavy winds to do so we made a delicious dinner of Four Cheese Agnoletti and Mushroom Agnoletti in an olive oil, basil, garlic and parsley sauce with chopped plum tomato thrown in. It was by far the best dinner we have made on the road and thinking about it now is making my mouth water.

Our second day in Glacier we hiked the Iceberg Lake Trail - a 10 mile hike climbing 1,200 feet up to Iceberg Lake where Icebergs (although few) are still visible. Squint your eyes long enough against one of the three ridges that make the walls of the Lake and you will see small white dots making their way from side to side - these of course are Mountain Goats which reside here. An older gentleman who was kind enough to let Jack use his binoculars to view the said Goats had a few gashes on his leg. When inquired by another hiker the old man simply responded "I saw a Grizzly over there and I wanted to get closer...". There's never a dull moment on the trail.

The Largest Remaining Iceberg at Iceberg Lake

Making your way up to the lake you are treated to dozens of kinds of wildflowers, small streaming creeks and waterfalls Moose feeding down below, a tree top view of pine trees for miles, and of course Glaciers in the distance.

After our hike we made another tasty dinner of vegetarian chili over a bed of Basmati rice topped with oregon cheddar cheese. For dessert we treated ourselves to Boysenberry pie with vanilla ice cream for Jack and Raspberry Cherry pie with a big glass of Soymilk for me at the Park Cafe (which was highly recommended to us by a gentleman in Bozeman). The pie might as well be the best we've ever had and the atmosphere of the cafe was warm and inviting. All of the food they made looked absolutely delicious and we were kind of bummed we filled up on Chili beforehand. The cafe offered tons of veggie options from Thai Baked Potatoes, Greek food, Wraps and Omelettes.

Glacier Natl. Park has been our favorite hike and park so far. The trails are well kept and although busy you do get to meet some pretty interesting people as a result. Glacier which used to be home to some 180 Glaciers only has 26 left and all of them are expected to be melted by 2030. I would highly recommend seeing this park more so than others as the full beauty of this park is fleeting.

Wyoming

2009-08-17T06:23:00.000-07:00

We spent several days in Wyoming, the first being in a small town by the name of Worland. We rolled in pretty late in the evening and most of the stores were closed so we made peanut butter and jelly in the dark at our campsite. We went to the local grocery and got a kick out of the products they sell in the stores. For instance, Fat Boy Ice Cream Sandwiches and organic pancake batter in an aerosol can, which was both ironic and alarming.

Our first real stop in Wyoming was the Grand Teton mountains. Snow covered mountains create the backdrop for lakes, wildflowers and lots and lots of lodgepole pine trees. Grand Teton Natl. Park is where "bear country" begins so extra precautions must be taken to make sure bears are not attracted to the campsite. Thankfully we didn't run into a bear on our three mile hike but a fellow camper did!

Grand Teton as the sun sets.

The next two days we spent at Yellowstone, more specially the Grant Village camping area. We saw Old Faithful and drove several of the scenic driving loops that Yellowstone has to offer. Making your way around narrow mountain roads you come across dozens of bison, mule deer, elk, and moose and even Grizzly Bears! Old Faithful was impressive - shooting scolding water 70 feet into the air. The Old Faithful area also has several cafes which thankfully offered veggie options and we dined on the veggie lasagna -it was nothing special but it was still tasty and sufficed.

The Geysers as well as other thermal areas are easily accessible by overlooks and small trails and are gorgeous with their yellows, blues and greens. The yellow in most cases is pure sulfa and its important to be aware that some of the pools dispense toxic gasses also the Geysers smell like rotting eggs. My favorite thermal pool was the turquoise pool, it looked very inviting and reminded me of a pool I swam in once in the Bahamas. I would be more tempted to jump in if they were serving some delicious margaritas but at a minimum 160 degrees, I had to pass.

Our second day in Yellowstone we drove up to the Canyon junction where we hiked three miles of the Grand Canyon at Yellowstone. Ospreys who nest in the canyon walls are often seen, but unfortunately we did not see any bald eagles which are also indigenous to the area. We made our way down 500 feet on Uncle Tom's trail to the bottom of the Lower Falls and then up to Artist point which offers spectacular views of the canyon and is the most photographed area of Yellowstone and its no wonder. A deep orange and yellow canyon surrounded by pine with a blue green waterfall running down the middle, and a rainbow to boot is natures spectrum at its finest. The evening brought a hail storm and 42 degree weather which wasn't the most pleasant of sleeping conditions but we were toasty in our double ll bean bag!

Wyoming offers thousands of hiking trails and a crisp clean pine scented air which is unique to the area. Grand Teton is less of a tourist area than Yellowstone but both offer a great view of the American landscape.

Grand Teton pictures here.

Yellowstone pictures here.

South Dakota

2009-08-16T15:50:00.000-07:00

We're back and in effect! It's been a bit difficult to find wifi and some time to put up posts but finally here we are.

Our first stop was at the Corn Palace, which was interesting. Each year since the 1800's the "palace" has different designs made entirely out of cornhusks created on its outside walls. Inside offers tourist gimmicks, and lots and lots of corn themed gifts.

Heading further west we stayed at the Badlands for two nights next to a ranch on the outskirts of the park. The campground had a unhindered view of the rock formations and some bison who lived next door. The Badlands are a desolate desert territory two and a half hours east of Mt. Rushmore. The closest vegetarian restaurant was over 300 miles away! Once a shallow ocean the formations give way to yellows and reds as their different levels of rock are exposed. The scenic drives along the winding roads are unparalleled in their color and shapes. The first night we drove down to a trailhead as the moon was coming over the horizon with shooting stars overhead we attempted to take some pictures with my camera using the tripod.

The next morning we spent sealing up the tent so it could dry in the hot arid sun after we put some much needed sealant and waterproofing spray onto it. In the afternoon we headed into the heart of the Badlands to go on a 6.6 mile hike. This was not the best idea we have ever had as noon was fast approaching and the temperature was already 95 degrees. We made our way onto a trail with little shade, a never changing scenery of grass and rock, "beware of rattlesnakes" signs and only two bottles of water. About an hour into the hike I already drank one 32 ounce water and wasn't feeling too great. The sun was a bit too hot and we weren't very prepared so we decided to play it safe and end the hike early. Grabbing some lunch and going into an air conditioned museum felt like an oasis.

On our way out to Wyoming we drove by Mt. Rushmore, and checked out Crazy Horse which (when completed) will be the worlds largest monument. To give you some perspective, the entire statue of Mt. Rushmore could fit in uncompleted left part of the head of Crazy Horse (see below). Crazy Horse was amazing, it's family run and built and refuses any funding from the government, which is refreshing.

Full set of South Dakota pictures here.

One Week On The Road

2009-08-11T03:28:00.000-07:00

Exactly one week in! Our progress of travels below:

Minnesota

2009-08-11T03:06:00.000-07:00

Minneapolis is a great little town! At first glance the downtown district can be a little under-whelming on a Sunday afternoon. It's quite barren and most of the shops are closed but head to Uptown which is ironically south of Downtown and you will find a bustling art scene filled with sidewalk cafes, festivals, and joggers running along the trails at Lake Hennepin.

In the morning we headed to the Weisman Art Museum located on the edge of the Mississippi River which has free admission and free parking on sunday. We then walked along the Heritage trail - a two mile trail offering information on the construction of the bridges and hydraulic power in the city. Veer off the trail for a bit and you will find yourself hiking down cliff sides to the Mississippi River where you can enjoy some peace and quiet among the thick foliage.

After taking a two hour stroll we headed to a lesser known part of the city to The Vegetarian - a vegetarian indian joint where we just were in time for the lunch buffet consisting of Southern and Northern Indian cuisine. We filled our plates and stuffed our bellies and talked to the owner about our travel plans and his previous work experience in Manhattan. After lunch we went to the Minneapolis Art Institute which has a great number of artifacts from ancient Egypt. We didn't go through the entire museum as it was a gorgeous day outside and we'd seen enough sculptures for a week. Traveling back outside we drove up to the Nicollet Mall area to take a photograph of the famous Mary Tyler Moore Statue.

The Uptown area of Minneapolis was by far our favorite. It offered a perfect mix of small town friendliness, big city art and fashion and suburban homeliness. We laid in the grass along Lake Hennepin as bikers and joggers went by on the trail and people laid in the shade under trees reading books. We found ourselves talking to an older couple at local eatery Tin Fish, a seafood shack outside on the lake. We talked to them about modern photography, Minneapolis history, and our travels. They were a really nice couple and I wish we had got their contact information before we headed out. As the sun was setting we tried some local beers; Fat Tire and Zommer Ale as we took in the calming views of the lake, dock and skyline.

Pictures to follow later this evening!

Wisconsin

2009-08-09T17:26:00.000-07:00

After Chicago we headed up to Madison, Wisconsin and got stuck in heavy rain which delayed our arrival. We decided to set up camp at Tower Hill State Park where we "roughed" it. There were no showers or sinks and the bathroom was pretty atrocious but I'm sure there will be worse. After setting up camp we drove down the road to the small town of Spring Green whose population is 1,444. We drove past "Fun Festival" which was a bunch of guys playing baseball and drinking Coors Light before we found ourselves in The Shed, a local restaurant. Our servers were extremely friendly and we tried some local beers, our favorite being the Lake Louie Warped Speed Scotch Ale, a nice dark beer with a smooth finish. For dinner I had a four cheese grilled cheese with onion on marble bread and Jack had a portabello grilled sandwich. Both were delicious. After having dinner we walked across the street to a local art gallery where I bought my first pieces of art! Small collages on 4x4 squares of canvas created from clippings of advertisements in architecture and music magazines. There was 100 pieces total in the collection and I purchased four of them.

The next morning the lighting was so bad and frequent that for thirty minutes we were laying on the center of the air mattress keeping as low as possible without putting our feet on the ground or near the metal poles holding the tent up. The lighting was so close at times that the inside of the tent lit up in reddish hues, which was as awesome as it was frightening. We sprung some minor leaks and will need to add some water proof sealant to the seals in our tent in the near future. We were relieved however that the tent withstood some pretty strong winds. So, thank you Kelty!

After the hurricane like weather we headed to Grandma Mary's cafe for breakfast before heading to the House on the Rock per suggestion of Jack's grandfather. It was enormous, overwhelming and fantastic to say in the least. The rooms are filled with odds and ends such as antique guns, the worlds largest indoor carousel, doll houses and music machines (which are giant robotic orchestras which orchestrate themselves). After our 3.5 hour tour of the house we headed to downtown Madison to grab some lunch at Monty's Blue Plate Diner which offers a numerous amount of vegetarian dishes. I would highly recommend the barbecue seitan sandwich with dill mustard sauce and the spicy curly fries. Unfortunately, we didn't kick around Madison for too long because the weather forecast wasn't looking good and we decided that a tent was probably not the best shelter for the evening. We stayed at a motel in Eau Claire only to turn on the TV to get interrupted by a tornado warning. Fortunately for us we did not experience any tornadic activity, but one did touch down twenty miles away and we saw the lighting off in the distance from that very same super cell.

House on the Rock Collection, center is 280 carats.

Overall Wisconsin is a very friendly state. Madison, from what we saw seems to be a clean city which has a large amount of bikers. But the heart of Wisconsin lies within the farmers whose perfectly plowed fields and hard work provide a lush and engaging scenery while driving. People don't hesitate to talk with you here which is a nice change from the complete disconnect of Manhattan.

Chicago!

2009-08-08T19:21:00.000-07:00

Day 3

This morning we got up early and walked a quarter mile from camp at Dunewood State Park to the Beverly Shores train station where we took the aptly named South Shore Rail Line to Chicago. Since the population at our stop is very low we had to press a button which "flags" down the conductor to stop.

Upon arriving in Chicago we saw "The Bean" and in it the reflection of the Chicago Skyline. We also walked around to see other famous sculptures in the area, my second favorite to the Bean is the "snoopy in a blender" piece. Thursday is farmers market day in downtown so we checked out some local produce which all looked delicious but unfortunately we could not bring any of it back with us because it was way too hot to be carrying it around in our bags.

In the afternoon we took the red line train to Wrigley field and The Chicago Diner. The all vegetarian diner uses only seasonal produce and is also 100% vegan option. I munched on the roast beef w/ cheddar and a vegan chocolate shake, adorned with chocolate chips and chocolate syrup it was by far the best I've ever had. Jack got the "vegetarian times" famous "diner burger" which was also very tasty and compromised of a seitan patty on a wheat roll with sprouts, lettuce, tomato, and special diner sauce.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="the chicago diner"][/caption]

After seeing the North side of Chicago we decided to head south to check out the Frank Lloyd Wright Row Homes. The south side of chicago is definitely not the best neighborhood I've ever been in which made for an interesting walk. After asking for directions we finally found the yellow brick houses nestled amongst the newer homes. We were pretty disappointed by the facade and hope that the multiple mercedes parked outside indicated more note worthy architecture on the inside. I wouldn't recommend going out of your way to see the homes, unless of course you are a large Wright fan...but in our journey we did get to see the Cellular Field home to the White Sox, which was cool.

Eventually we made our way back up north and sat on a bench in Grant Park as merch guys made their way around setting up for Lollapalooza. Lake Michigan is huge and should not be underestimated. It looks exactly like the Atlantic but with dozens of sailboats bobbing off the coast.

After taking a breather and much needed break from walking we went to the Art Institute which has free tours after 5pm on Thursday and Friday evenings during the summer. We got to see a great selection of Renoir, Monet and Van Gogh as well as two very interesting exhibits: Japanese Screen Paintings and A History of Wine. Also, the famous American Gothic painting resides here. After the Art museum we were absolutely famished and went to Giordanos and got the spinach stuffed pizza which was enormous and at 10" definitely too much for only two people. (But thats okay because we ended up eating the rest for breakfast the next morning!)

It was a long day, a long day indeed, but we think we got to see a lot of what Chicago has to offer. Chicago, reminded me of a more subdued Manhattan and if it didn't get so cold here in the winter we would consider relocating.

Before leaving for Wisconsin we decided to take a stroll through the Dunes in Indiana and hiked up to overlook Lake Michigan where we saw two skylines which we are 90% sure belonged to Gary, Indiana and Chicago. We then walked down the dunes to the beach where we skipped rocks (no sea shells here!) and felt the water which was surprisingly warm.

But then it was time to be on our way to our next destination of Madison, WI.

Full set of Chicago pictures!

Indiana

2009-08-05T04:29:00.000-07:00

Day 2 : Dunes State Park Indiana

Rather than trekking to all the way to Illinois with all of our belongings we have decided to bunker down in Dunes State Park in Indiana on the border of Lake Michigan about an hour East of Chicago. Chicago, being a main city is very limited in cheap lodging especially of the camping variety so we have to stay in the "outer limits".

Today we passed several Alpaca farms and dozens of tractor trailers making our way west on 80. We also passed the sign indicating that we have hit the Central Time Zone and are officially in the Mid-west!

Right now we are laying in the tent getting ready for bed. Jack is wearing his head lamp going over local maps and train schedules so we can coordinate our day tomorrow in Chicago. This evening after making a dinner of basmati rice with tomato and leftover burrito from Johhny Mangos we drove down to Lake Michigan just as the sun was setting behind the Chicago skyline. It was a beautiful sunset of crimson, pink and orange against the charcoal grey outlines of the buildings. The skies were clear and a slight breeze rolled off of the lake and into the sea grass lining the costal shore. Down the road (but unfortunately closed after dusk) are the actual Dunes where you can go climbing along the shore. Nearby there is also a limestone trail for biking.

Tomorrow we head to Chicago. Hopefully I'll be able to snag some free wifi and bombard our readers with posts of the past few days! We wanted to check out a game but the Cubs aren't playing home until next week but with all of the museums, art galleries, parks and the veggie famous Chicago Diner I doubt we'll find a lack in things to do!

PS. Sorry if you see that our posts are backdated. We're trying to keep as organized as we can without having to posts extremely lengthly updates!

The Chicago Skyline at Dusk

OH-HI-OH!

2009-08-04T04:09:00.000-07:00

Day 1

I am sitting at a picnic table at Pymatuning (Pie-Mah-Tune-Ing) State Park located in North Eastern Ohio. It's dusk. We are facing east and our campsite (#388) over looks a pristine lake with a small island about a quarter of a mile off shore. We were tempted to swim to the island but realized we would probably not make it. Jack is sitting on a rock by the water side meditating and I am doing some writing. I feel completely relaxed in my new surroundings and hope that this feeling lasts for the remainder of the trip.

The ride here was good for the most part. We hit traffic on 80 west several times due to lanes being closed but we arrived later in the afternoon and were able to stop and pick up some groceries. The camp office was very nice and understanding about us being a day late, and in all honesty we lucked out. We think we may have the best spot out of the entire campground! A panoramic view of lake Pymatuning, a clear dirt spot under some tall sturdy trees and also a large patch of grass which we played frisbee on after dinner. Dinner consisted of vegetable lentil soup, cabot cheddar cheese, and some crusty french rolls. It was delicious. Setting up the stove and using our new pots (thanks mom and dad!) was simple, and actually more spacious than Jack's studio apartment.

There's a family with their young kids laughing paddling along the shore, all in their bright orange vests. They are our camping neighbors and earlier in the evening Jack helped the young ones collect sticks for their campfire. Other than them, it's very quiet and serene.

Well, it's time to go to get some rest and listen to the lake waves slopping against the shore...

(continued)

Hello and good morning. The first night of camping was interesting to say in the least. We were hit by some heavy wind and rain which kept me awake for most of the evening. I was having trouble sleeping anyway, due to the new noises occurring around me and was slightly relived when it did start to rain so that I could wake Jack up. We laid in bed for a bit talking about our trip which was nice and calming. Our bed setup to our surprise is very comfy! We have an air mattress and layer an L.L. Bean sleeping bag on top of it to add some cushioning and it makes for a good bed.

Today we stopped in Cleveland on the way to Indiana and hit up a local joint by the name of Johnny Mangos which was featured in the Lonely Planet US guide. The food and atmosphere were pretty good and the local wait staff all looked like they hailed from Williamsburg, so naturally we felt at home.

Alas we had to "Flee the Clev" and head to Indiana!

Veggie Lentil Soup w/ Cheese and Bread

If Toyota wants to sponsor us, we'd be okay with that.

PICTURES! located at Flickr.

Leaving today!!!

2009-08-04T00:02:00.000-07:00

Will update after our first destination. See you all later!

A Change In Plans

2009-08-02T13:59:00.000-07:00

Originally we were scheduled to leave tomorrow morning to head to our first destination in the great state of Ohio. Jack says, "Goooo Buckeyes"!

Last night and this morning we finished packing up the rest of Jack's apartment...a rather tedious task which has left us utterly exhausted. We were lucky enough to miss the rain when moving items into the truck but we did get to test how well the Rav4 handles in downpours (especially deep puddles) and we have to say that we are impressed and feel safe driving the car in inclement weather.

Today we spent the day with my family out in NJ celebrating my mothers 35th birthday! Just kidding, she's not actually 35 but I feel like if I divulged her accurate age publicly she would be upset with me. We had a lot of good food and cake...and one of my favourites...pie and got to see my aunt, uncle and cousins. We also spent some time outside talking with neighbors which was rather nice. Thank you all for your well wishes and to Ginny and Lisa for the generous gift.

Because of all the commotion and events we have decided to leave Tuesday morning so we do not have to rush packing the car and can spend tomorrow taking our time running last minute errands and preparing.

We'll update once we're ready to launch!

Possum and Al

2009-08-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

A video I took this morning before going out to run errands!

Untitled from priscilla miller on Vimeo.

We're Mobile!

2009-08-01T02:00:00.000-07:00

We've made our site iPhone, iPod Touch, BlackBerry and Android friendly for those of you who are also on the go!

Enjoy.

The Friday Before....

2009-07-31T07:13:00.000-07:00

Just a quick update.

We spent all day yesterday packing up Jack's apartment. I assumed he had little possessions (as I am the pack rat) but boy was I wrong! Last night we got drinks with some friends at Swift and talked about the trip. It was making me very excited to talk about all of the details. I also got very cute gifts from Deana and Meagan (broaches and a travel journal are a necessity for every trip). So, thank you to them...and also to everyone who came.

This morning we got up early and headed to NJ where we picked up the rental car. It's a gorgeous brown Rav 4 which interestingly enough smells like root-beer on the inside, which is okay by us since we are such fans of the beverage. We have not picked out a name for our car yet but we will soon...and we will let you know. The only bummer regarding the car is that it will meet it's maximum mileage before the end of our trip, which means we have to exchange it somewhere along the way for another Rav 4 "or similar". The Hertz guys told us they want a car with Alaska plates on their lot in NJ and we told them we would do our best.

Jack headed down to Delaware this afternoon to visit his family and spend some time with them which is always great. I unfortunately had to stay in NJ but its for good reason, as my brother returns from his 6 month backpacking trip in Europe this evening! I'm very excited about this and to see him. If you see a brother and sister who appear as emotional wrecks in Newark airport this evening...than thats us. I'm very close with Tim and it will be good to see him for a few days before we head out.

Well I'm off to do some more preparations as you know you can never prepare too much for a trip like this.

Five Days

2009-07-29T18:14:00.000-07:00

It is five days before our departure and I am bundled with emotions. Stuffed into a box neatly wrapped but the ribbon has come undone and sooner or later everything I am feeling will be forced to escape, run rampant and free. The air has a certain electricity about it - anxiousness, similar to Christmas morning.

I spent most of my day reading. I also did laundry and some packing, but that pales in comparison to a good piece of literature. Getting in my "free time" and doing what I love ie: reading, writing and listening to vinyls is important right now as free time may be rare in the upcoming weeks and months. Today I finished reading the Time Travelers Wife - which as I was reading it discovered I didn't want to end. I think of Henry and Clare both protagonist and antagonist to each other's lives, fictional but real and I feel a sadness and longing for them.

One of the cats meow and I am surrounded by the present. What remains on the horizon throws my stomach forward in pure and unabashed expectation.

There's a reason I brought up this book. The book is about love, not the puppy dog kind or the unrequited but genuine true love. Henry and Clare live their lives in extraordinary conditions. Henry, often absent in the physical form but never from the heart is a time traveler as blessed as he is damned. He lives it all simultaneously - past, present, and future weaving throughout their lives as different versions of himself. It was never easy on them to live like they did, yet they made it work...but that is love.

So what is the point that I am making? I'm sipping on a cold beer which is beading sweat drops onto my writing desk and somewhere in the distance a young dog barks and the train sounds through the woods. It's hot and humid in July five days before I am to venture on a journey to Alaska - a place I have always envisioned myself as falling in love with. I revere in my childhood dreams and Alaska is my final frontier. And while deep down inside I am excited ad nauseum the very exterior of me remains humbled.

I have this opportunity in my hands, so fragile and delicate that I don't want to waste a moment of its time nor take it for granted. I don't want to get my hopes up too high nor do I want to become catatonic at fault of overwhelming emotions. The road ahead is exhilarating but dangerous. Leaving behind our jobs, taking a break from our current lives and the comfortableness that comes with it all is as terrifying as it is inviting. The blandness of routine in the past is met with uncertainty in the present.

I know that this might not be perfect. I know going into this journey that we may want to "kill eachother" as some say or call it quits. But that is life and it is inescapable. However, the very simple act of abandoning all of lifes infinite drawbacks for someone you love is a rare chance which I will glady accept. I know there may be a rough spot or two or the occasional breakdown whether it be mental or automobile related, but we are in this together and it is worth the risk ...but that is love.

Packing Up

2009-07-29T17:18:00.000-07:00

I started tearing apart my apartment today and putting it in boxes. Also, I am trying to use up as many food products as possible. The result - I made hummus and banana bread today. I think both are pretty tasty. Tomorrow will be more of the same but Priscilla will be over to help. That will be nice. - Jack

Mapping It Out

2009-07-15T07:05:00.000-07:00

This past weekend Jack and I sat on a park bench in Astoria Park sharing a snow cone and diligently going over maps in Lonely Planet US and The Milepost Guide 2009. We came up with the itinerary below and used the free AAA TripTik online program to map it all out.

Phase one takes us from New Jersey to Alaska. 8,051 miles equals 144 hours of driving.

Phase two of our trip from Alaska to Delaware 6,627 Miles equals 104 hours of driving.

In total: 14,678 miles and 248 hours of driving! Good thing Hertz offers unlimited mileage.

Ithaca / The Finger Lakes

2009-07-14T07:25:00.000-07:00

Recently we went on a pre-road trip, trip...to Trumansburg, New York - a small town 15 minutes outside of downtown Ithaca. We stayed at the McLallen House Bed and Breakfast in the annex apartment which had two adorable bedrooms with antique furniture, and a deck outside which had a very cozy hammock. We went with friends Dan and Diana for the July 4th weekend and took in the breath taking views at Taughannock State Park, the tranquil sunset at the Watkins Glen Marina and some gorgeous waterfalls at Watkins Glen State Park.

On the Fourth we stopped by Farm Sanctuary, the nations largest sanctuary for mistreated & abandoned farm animals for a delicious Vegan BBQ and tour of their facilities, where we got to mingle with cows, goats, and turkeys! Later on that afternoon we decided to go to two wineries; Castel Grisch and Cascata along the Finger Lake Wine Trail near Watkins Glen. Cascata is hidden up a gravel drive in the back room of a restored victorian home. They offer several delsicious wines, and I ended up purchasing both the Maggie and the Cranberry Bog Mead. Castel Grisch overlooks a grassy knoll and not only offers wine but authentic German cooking, make sure to try their Ice Wine. And if you stop by Cascata talk to John "The Professor" who will offer you limitless glasses of wine and inappropriate jokes.

On our last day we decided to take a walk along Cornell University's campus trails - which is a must see with their acres upon acres of undisturbed woods, lilly pond, and botanical gardens. Before heading home we dined at Smart Monkey Cafe which offered a ton of tasty vegetarian dishes (try the eggs florentine) and local organic meat.

The evenings offered a brisk autumnal air, (even though it was the beginning of July!), walking through downtown Ithaca underneath the stars was a refreshing break from the constant hustle and bustle of the city.

Some pictures...full pictures at Flickr!