Magellan 2013: McAlisterville, PA (Final destination...for now)

Currently Listening To: I've Got Friends - Manchester Orchestra
Miles Traveled: 8,009.3 (final number)
Current Location: McAlisterville, PA

And I'm done!  I left Ohio around ten, stopped in at W&J, and then drove to McAlisterville.  I'll be here until next Wednesday, and then I gotta go back for Parkhurst and ROTC stuff.

I don't know what to say as a final post.  It was a great trip and I've learned a lot.  I'm tired of blogging. My deteriorating spine is tired of sleeping on the ground.  I got some pretty good pictures, and I can't wait to open them up in photoshop.  My car has proven to be great. If it was going to break down, I think it would've by now.

I'm surprised I didn't get a speeding ticket that whole time.  I'm quite proud of myself.

Uhh what else... I need to make an expense sheet for the Magellan, and make a video for the comms office.  That's it!  Good trip.  Goodbye.

Oh, and my friends and I are planning a trip to Colorado already for this year.  I can't wait!

Magellan 2013: Cuyahoga Falls, OH

Currently Listening To: Nothing.  
Miles Traveled: I forgot to check.  7,700 something.
Current Location: Cuyahoga Falls, OH

I'm practically done with the Magellan road trip which is sad, but I'm with Connor for the night finally.

I left the awesome hotel in the morning and drove to Ohio.  It took forever because there was an accident on 70 eastbound, so I sat for an hour.  Surprisingly, I wasn't too impatient, and I just sat and listened to the radio.  I got into Pickerington around eight and met up with Casey at Barnes & Noble. We hung out for about an hour and just talked and caught up.  I'm going to miss her when she leaves for Spain.  The three musketeers are dwindling.  :(

The next few days we are just going to walk around and hike and explore.  He's going to show me the park and the falls and whatever else.  But we are going to bed now, so I'll probably write one more post when I'm in McAlisterville with pictures and that will be it!

Magellan 2013: Fulton, MO

THIS POST IS SO HARD TO WRITE RIGHT NOW.  I.E., I'm wired.

Oh, and I'm listening to Bob Dylan of all people.

And I've been doing flips on these two beds.  And I've traveled 6,981.1 miles so far.  And my current location is Fulton, MO.  I'm staying in a kickass hotel.  My friend's mom had hotel points, and she hooked me up.  It has free cookies.  What kind of hotel just has free cookies just lying around?  I think they were free.  I took them, so they were free for me.  I left world's sketchiest hotel this morning and drove to Columbia, MO, with every intention of checking out the college as per recommendation, but I found a bookstore, and lost all hope for the afternoon.  They just draw me in and then I'm stuck until it lets me go.  I just look at all of the books, I realize all of the things I don't know, and then I decide I'm going to buy every book and learn everything all at once forever.  I just keep thinking about how drastically someone could change the world if they knew everything.

Later, I made it to Fulton, checked in, and then went and saw Jobs the movie.  Reading Hackers kinda ruined it for me, but it was a good movie and Ashton Kutcher did a decent job.  Haha.  A decent Job... haha.. Okay.  Sorry.  Like I said, this post is hard.  That's it.  I called my mom and she said I need to "put my brain to rest," so that's my next goal.  After I read this book and write this thing and do a few more flips and possibly everything else that pops into my head between now and whenever I get tired.

Goodnight.

P.S. It's my last day of Magellaning tomorrow.  I'm going to Ohio to have lunch with KC Ortega antes de salir a España.  And then Connor's house for a night or two, and then WashPa and then McAlisterville, and then WashPa and school.

P.P.S. Goodnight.

Current status.

\

Magellan 2013: Wakeeney, KS

Today was awesome.  I left Mesa Verde at 7am and started out towards 70.  I took a road that I thought would be a shortcut...but ended up being incredibly slow because of the mountains.  I didn't care in the slightest though, because the drive was absolutely gorgeous.  I finally understand why everyone wants to move to Colorado as soon as they visit.  I didn't want to leave.  I've already planned fall break to go fishing with Yoder.  I wish I had more time here.

I drove north and stopped by Black Canyon of the Gunnison at the south rim.  It was amazing, and I tried to drive down into the canyon, but the steep grade caused my car to overheat about a mile in.  Luckily, I had water reserved for overheating problems, and fixed it quick with the help of some friendly mechanic who was driving down to fish for the day. He stopped and explained to me how antifreeze works and how the tank overheats in a specific way to save the engine, etc. I didn't have the heart to tell him I already knew.  He was obviously being the big hero, so I let him have it. 

I ended up driving for roughly 16 hours today, with that one break in Gunnison.  I'm currently in Kansas, like half an hour from Hays.  Also, tonight was the first time I've actually been worried for my safety.  I stopped at this motel, and my room was at the opposite side, facing an unlit parking lot.  To get to that side, I had to walk through a dark alley with a chain link fence to the side, a fence that was holding back a barking dog. When I was walking, a door burst open and a guy with a cigarette and his pants undone and hanging open just watched me walk by.  I kept walking, quicker, and I saw a kitten on the sidewalk repeatedly running head first into the wall.  Altogether, I'm creeped out, tired, the door is bolted, and I'll be clearing out of here early tomorrow morning. 

I took this lake picture with my iPhone while driving, so I'm quite proud of how it turned out. 

Magellan 2013: Mesa Verde (August 13th)

Alright, in posting with my phone in my tent, so this should be short.  Last night I stayed in Zion National Park.  I really want to see Bryce Canyon and Canyonlands, but that will have to be next time.  

These were three pictures I had on my iPhone. First is Mesa Verde site.  Second is Zion site, and third is somewhere in Zion.

Tonight I'm staying at Mesa Verde, and it is probably the best place I've been to in this entire trip.  My tent is in the trees, so I feel super cozy and shaded.  Also, I made a friend.  He works at the Mesa Verde store.  He gave me the senior discount and made me pinky promise not to tell.  So naturally, it's going on the blog.  I'm meeting up with him tomorrow sometime to hang out.  There's a bear somewhere in the vicinity of the campsite, so I have my camera ready just in case.  A few people saw it already.

I'm staying here again tomorrow night  instead if a motel in Durango like I was planning to because its just so awesome.

Goodnight!   

Magellan 2013: Mesa Verde

Currently Listening To: Nature.  For once.  Birds and stuff.  And those little crickety things that just go at it all night.  
Miles Traveled: Whatever I was at yesterday... 

Obligatory selfie at the park.

During the day

I feel like this trail is something out of a movie

I got all artistic and stuff.

Just waiting for the sun to set.

I love this combination of colors

The rocks are higher than the moon

Rainbow sky

I wish I could stay at Mesa Verde another day.  It's beautiful.  This is by far my favorite place I've been to on the trip.  I got in around noon, and then spent the rest of the day setting up the tent, cooking, exploring, and just hanging out.  This morning, I was surprised that I slept in an hour late and then I realized yesterday I had hopped back a time zone without realizing it.  Anyway, I got up, worked on some stuff, met an Australian biker gang, and then hiked for a few hours.  Halfway through the hike, my camera battery died, so after getting that charged, I hiked back in the evening to watch the sun set by the mesa.  Three other guys had the same idea, so we all shared a few rocks and took pictures.  It was pretty amazing.

After talking with them for a little, they hiked back, and I sat on the edge and just watched.  It was pretty peaceful, which is something that I am unused to.  It was a weird feeling.  I didn't feel like I had to be anywhere or do anything.  I don't think I liked it.  Regardless, that feeling was ruined by the realization that it was pitch black, I was sitting on a cliff, and a bear lives nearby.  I think I ran most of the way back.

Tomorrow I'm driving as far into Kansas as I can and then stopping to sleep.  I feel like Kansas won't be terribly interesting, but I'll give it a shot.

Update.

Hi, this doesn't have anything to do with my Magellan project.

Since last year I've had a website that I've been using to learn HTML, CSS, PHP, responsive web design and all that good stuff.  It's not an official portfolio site or anything, and I pretty much only use it to try new things.  At some point, once I actually have a portfolio to show people, I'll make an actual site that I would feel okay giving out to people and employers.  Today I was working on it, and I used a post written by Chris Coyier that shows how to make a contact form.  I took it, edited it, made it more HTML5-ish, and put it up!  So feel free to send me random messages!  I enjoy them.  I've sent myself a lot already.  I also made Lauren do it.   Haha. Anyway, I'm using things like that to learn how data is saved/sent, etc over the web.

Also today, I added this blog url to my nav bar of the site.  So you can link it from there.  I edited the html a little bit to make it look more like how my actual site looks at the moment, but I have a bit of work to do.

Feel free to give me feedback or just send me a cool message with my contact form just because.  :)

www.intrepidem.net

Magellan 2013: Las Vegas

Miles Traveled: 5,200 something…

Currently Listening To: All I Want – Kodaline

Current Location: Las Vegas, NV

I had a change of plans.  I was going to drive north and hang out in Oregon and Washington, since Washington has been my favorite place I’ve probably ever been to.  However, I got a phone call asking if I can move into school a few days early to start working on stuff, so I am heading back.

I had a great past week hanging out with my friend in Santa Maria.  I met a guy on a street in Santa Barbara from Cranberry, PA who knew people from W&J, which was cool.  Kinda.  He was hammered, so I don’t think he’ll remember that… Cassy (my friend) and her parents were incredibly nice and put me in a spare bedroom and fed me copious amounts of steak.  It was glorious.  And when I left this morning, her mom sent a giant bag of food, lunch meat, cheese, etc to make it home.  Her dad called one of his friends in Vegas and got me a place to stay for free for the night.  He was in the Army, so he was giving me advice on how to not be a screw up lieutenant and things like that.  Haha.  And then her mom used her extra Holiday Inn hotel points to get me a place to stay in Missouri later on.  So I’m pretty much set!  I really appreciate people who take in travelers on a moment’s notice and take care of them.  I hope to return the favor soon.

I ended up staying with them for four days, so I didn’t do as much exploration as I was planning on, and now since I’m heading back, I won’t be seeing up north.  In other words, I’m already planning my next trip out… I’m thinking San Francisco, Oregon, and Washington.  I need to see some trees.

Tomorrow I’m driving into Utah and hitting up Bryce Canyon and Zion for the day.  I’ll camp out there and then drive into Colorado to Mesa Verde area at some point.  So if my readers (or my southwest expert, Dr. Fee) have ideas for cool things in the area to check out, let me know!  After a few days there, I’ll head to Ohio to see Connor and KC, and then head to WashPa or McAlisterville.  That’s what’s up!

P.S. I’m emotionally attached to my car.  It’s happened.  We’ve had a good 5000 miles together, and I’m ready for many more.  If only I liked people this much…

P.P.S. Also, my car overheated between Santa Maria and Las Vegas, and I stopped by the road to fix it.  I had lots of water just in case this happened.  As I was sitting there waiting for it to cool enough to pop the cap, two guys in a pickup pulled up with a gallon of antifreeze and offered to fix it.  I didn’t argue.  So thank you, random strangers!

P.P.P.S. I’m not a fan of all of these signs that end in an “E.” I liked all the west heading signs…

Okay.  I’m done.  Now to “borrow” some wifi from some kind stranger who doesn’t know how to change his router default password and post this to the blog…

Magellan 2013: Santa Maria, CA

Currently Listening To: G.I. Joe: Retaliation - the movie
Miles Traveled: ... I forget.  Again.  It was like 75 miles today...
Current Location: Santa Maria, CA

I left my motel this morning and drove to Santa Maria.  I stopped along the road three times over the short trip to sleep.  I was so exhausted.  I somehow managed to get dirt in my eye and scratched it all up so bad that it wouldn't open all day.  When I made it to Santa Maria, I bought eye drops and stuff for it, but I've been walking around with it twitching and watering and looking pretty weird.  But none of this is important for you to know...

I'm at my friend's house in Santa Maria.  I was planning on just staying the night, but we haven't seen each other in almost two years, so I'm going to hang out here for a few days.  Tomorrow we are staying at University of California Santa Barbara.  I forgot what good food tasted like.  We had a huge dinner consisting of tri tip steak grilled over red oak, linguiça, potatoes, beans, salad... and now we are watching G.I. Joe and eating ice cream.  Today has been a good day.

Also, at AMH's request, commenting is now available on the posts.  :)

That's all for now.

Magellan 2013: Maricopa, CA

Currently Listening To: Grace Like Rain - Todd Agnew

Miles Traveled:  4,891.1

Current Location: Maricopa, CA

Alright, I'm doing this quick because I'm so tired and all I want is sleep.  I was going to put it off until tomorrow, but I can do this.

I drove all over today. If it wasn't so fun and W&J wasn't paying for it, I'd know it was a total waste of gas and money and would never do it on my own accord. Yay college!  I drove from San Diego to Sierra Nevada mountains by Death Valley, and then started heading back west towards Santa Maria.  I made it to some random town by a large vineyard before I called it quits.  I got some nice pictures which will hopefully make it on here at some point.

I also have this whole argument in my head about how photography is a cruel art form, but at this point in the night, my thoughts aren't coming out in normal people sentences, so that will be later.  If I remember.  Just know I'm angry over it.  Ask me tomorrow.

Oh, and I'm heading towards Santa Maria because I got invited to a BBQ at someone's house in Santa Maria.  I love BBQs.

Also, California is a let down.  Or maybe I'm just in all the wrong spots.  It seems kinda lifeless and facadish.  Not a word, I know.  It's very talked up but it just seems kinda empty.  I'll give it a few more days, but then I'm hitting up Oregon because I miss trees and copious amounts of greenery.

And I haven't had coffee.  In almost four months.  And I need coffee.

Okay, goodnight.  And hi mom.  My loyal reader. 

Magellan 2013: San Diego, CA

Currently Listening To: I Will Run - Misty Edwards

Miles Traveled:  I forgot to check, but somewhere in the 3800s or 3900s...

Current Location: San Diego, CA

I slept in until about ten this morning, and it felt great.  That's like 1pm eastern time, so this should be interesting going home... Haha.  I drove to Joshua Tree National Park in the morning and... saw some Joshua Trees.  They're funky looking things.  From there, I went to Yucca Valley and met up with my cousin at Starbucks.  She just moved out here a month ago, so I was her first visitor.  We talked for a while about traveling and life, and then I left for San Diego.  It was nice to see another person that I actually knew.  

I wanted to stay in a campsite, but I got into the city area so late, that I had to book yet another motel.  I hate spending money... but here I am.  In the middle of San Diego.  Tomorrow I'm going to explore for a little and then keep heading north.  At some point, I'm going to make it to Santa Maria and hang out at my friend's house and have a BBQ, which I am pretty excited for.  I haven't seen her in like a year and a half.  After that, north into Oregon and then back East/South.  Still gotta hit up Colorado and Utah.  I also talked to Connor and I'm stopping in Cuyahoga Falls, OH on the way back to camp with him for a few days since I haven't seen him since May.  

That's pretty much it.  :)

Magellan 2013: Barstow, CA

Currently Listening To: Between The Raindrops - Lifehouse feat. Natasha Bedingfield

Miles Traveled:  3730.0

Current Location: Barstow, CA

I made it to California.  This was not part of the original plan, but that plan went out the window about five states ago.  It's more like a "let's see how many states I can fit in before school starts."  Right now I'm at fourteen states in thirteen days.  

Powell Lake, AZ

I was laying in the grass taking pictures of the sunset.  It looked on fire.

Lake Powell

Lake Powell

Lake Jacob fire

What did the mother buffalo say to the baby buffalo before he left for school?  -Bison! Heh heh...

I'm like 80 miles from Yucca Valley where my cousin moved to a few weeks ago.  Hopefully I can visit her tomorrow.  I drove about 600 miles today, between Page, the North Rim, and then to Barstow.  The drive to the North Rim was beautiful, and at one point I stopped to take pictures of a forest fire.  When I got into the park, I had to stop again, thanks to a herd of buffalo on the road.  The North Rim was a lot calmer than the South, and I enjoyed it more.  From there, I drove straight to Barstow, where I am staying the night.  The drive was great.  The landscape changed every hour, and I never ran out of things to see.  On the way back through, I'll be stopping in Utah and Colorado for at least a week, so I wasn't too worried about missing things.  At this point, I'm just going to drive to the Pacific ocean just so I can say I did it.  

I'm behind on sleep, so this entry is short in comparison with some.  Goodnight.

P.S. Gas prices are >4 dollars here, and it makes me incredibly sad...

Magellan 2013: Lake Powell, AZ

Currently Listening To: Falling Slowly – Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova

Miles Traveled:  3157.0

Current Location: Lake Powell, AZ

I slept again in the campsite outside Flagstaff last night.  I spent hours trying to fall asleep, and when I couldn’t, I just lay there, thinking.  This trip has had a lot of thinking time.  Practically the past week and a half, all I’ve been doing is thinking, not because I specifically want to, but because when there is no one to converse with, I turn to myself.  Things I haven’t given myself time to think about, or places I haven’t allowed my mind to venture have been thoroughly explored… I’m still contemplating whether or not this is helpful to me.  For sure, I’ll be ready to be back this semester and to get busy again.  I’m determined to make it a great year.

I drove to the Grand Canyon this morning, and stayed briefly at the South Rim.  I took a good amount of pictures, but I got tired of having so many people all around me, and having people in my shots that I left and started driving to the North Rim.  The Grand Canyon is huge.  That’s a definite understatement, but my brain is having issues grasping the hugeness of it, so that’s all I've got.  I climbed over the fence at one of the look out points and climbed down the one side until it came to a complete cliff.  I took some great on the edge pictures for my mom to continue the tradition I started at the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland.  I really like how Arizona changes so much within the state.  When I crossed over from New Mexico, it was flat with little variation in vegetation.  As I drove north, there were big green trees and less wide-open desert-ness.  As I am driving around the Grand Canyon area, there are the deep, layered canyons surrounded by the forests.  As I was driving towards the North Rim, I passed by the Painted Desert, which was totally different than anything I had seen on the trip so far.  The landscape really did look as though it was painted.  When I reached Page, AZ, the earth turned orange, and the dust swirled over the road creating drifts at the shoulders.  I am staying the night by a lake outside of Page, and I’ve already forgotten the name… It’s incredibly blue, and I stood on the beach – yes, there’s a beach – and watched the sun set over the hills.  It was beautiful.  If I don’t sleep again tonight, I’m going to make sure I’m there for that sunrise.  I think that driving through the states has given me an actual appreciation for the places that I’m passing through, as opposed to if I had flown.

Like I said, I’m staying near Page, which is around two hours from the North Rim.  I can’t figure out how to get to the North Rim because the main road is closed, which is why I had to stop here anyway.  I can drive north into Utah, and then circle around down, but it’s an incredibly out of the way trip, and I’m trying to decide if it’s worth it to go now, or just stop when I go through Utah on the drive back. 

I’m thinking about this trip would have been with other people.  The dynamic would have been entirely different, and I think I would have enjoyed it just the same.  I’m enjoying being by myself, but there are some things that would be more fun with more people.  I believe when I do this next time, I’ll do it with a small group of people.  That is… assuming I can get anyone to go.

Well, that’s it.  Tonight is one of those nights that I wish I wasn’t here by myself, but I’m surrounded by campsites and I’m going to try to sleep. 

More to come.  Oh, and the lake is Lake Powell.  Btw.

Magellan 2013: Flagstaff, AZ

Currently Listening To: I Will Steal You Back - Jimmy Eat World
Miles Traveled: 2828.6

Current Location: Flagstaff, AZ

Well... I'm almost embarrassed to say that I don't have a lot to write about for today.  I woke up, moved out of the motel and to a campsite outside of Flagstaff.  Then, I went to the library when it opened, and stayed until it closed.  Now I'm at the campsite writing this.  

I spent the first six or so hours just reading.  Reading is the one thing that I've missed these past few years of college.  I could make time for it I'm sure, but I always feel like it's a lower priority.  I figured since this trip is as much about trying to relax as it is about adventuring and following through with my project, it wouldn't really hurt.  I used to sit for hours and read without stopping.  I would occasionally stop to sleep or eat, but I could sit for 24 hours plus and just read. I spent the rest of the time working on the new ROTC website.  I've been working on this ever since I discovered what HTML and CSS were in the beginning of last year.  It's constantly being redone and revamped as I learn new things.  Last year when I read Responsive Web Design, I had to redo it... and then I read about designing for mobile first, and had to redo it again.  Then Javascript came and ruined everything...I'm at the point where I've realized that I'm never going to be content with what I know, so I might as well just finish the freaking website and make edits as I learn.  On the bright side, I'm getting good at it, thanks to redoing it about fifty times...  I know this post has nothing to do with my trip right now... but the fact that I'm on the roadtrip of a lifetime, and I STILL can't keep away from a computer and the books means that I should probably look into this as a career... Which makes me very excited to have an idea.  I consider that a successful part of this trip.

Off topic for a second- I hear a high school marching band drum line somewhere in the distance, and it makes me miss my days as drum line captain, practicing for band camp for a few weeks over the summer in preparation for the parades and football games.  If I have time, I think I'll go back to playing drums at the football games at W&J like I did freshman and sophomore year.  Also, more off topic, the people in the campsite near mine just came over and asked how I was getting wifi, so I explained how hotspots worked to them.  We started talking, and one is from Italy, one is from New Zealand, and one is from... I forget already.  But the one from New Zealand is going to Penn State next year so I told her I live like 50 minutes from campus and have a biomedical science certification from there.  She seemed excited to hear about the campus and classes.

Okay, back on topic.  I like this whole web design/development thing, and I think I'll stick with it.  But I'm done now.  I'm too busy listening to the group of international travelers argue over the best clothing to wear for hiking.  It's entertaining me.  When I wake up tomorrow, I'm either driving to the Grand Canyon, or taking another day off to just relax and learn stuff.  I guess I'll find out tomorrow.

Emily

Magellan 2013: Black Canyon to Taos Pueblo to Bandelier National Monument to Los Alamos to Chaco Canyon to Flagstaff, AZ. Whew.

Currently Listening To: Chocolate - The 1975
Miles Traveled: 2808.7

Current Location: Flagstaff, AZ

Aaaand I've reached the one week not being as diligent at posting time... I'll catch up in one giant post. But first... pictures!

My little camping area in Chaco Canyon.  Best place I've stayed so far.

Somewhere along the road in Los Alamos area

Chaco Canyon - Fajada Butte

Buildings in Taos Pueblo

Chaco - Reason # 2873492 why there are "no touching" signs: my first
thought was to run up and try to push it over...

Rio Grande - somewhere along the road

Crater!  - outside Flagstaff, AZ

Me at Bandelier National Monument

This one is for Dr. Fee - Chaco Canyon, no idea what it is.

I made a friend... Bandelier

Near Los Alamos, along the road

I have no idea what to say about this... I counted 14 dogs while I was there
creeping with my zoom lens.  Alright then,  New Mexico...

7/30 – Taos, Bandelier, Black Canyon (written 7/31)

I can barely remember and it’s only been a day… I woke up very early to go see Taos.  I drove up, took the tour, took a bunch of pictures and just walked around.  It was crazy how old some of the places were, and I enjoyed the stories about all the conquests and the church getting destroyed.  I was going to stay there the whole day, but ended up leaving in the afternoon because I had arrived so early.  It took me forever to make my way back, because I kept stopping to take pictures.  At one point, I spent a good hour alongside the road looking at rocks.  I discovered a cool rock that explodes into silver glitter when you throw it at something hard.  It doesn’t take much to entertain me…  I also made the mistake of not giving a cactus the proper respect it deserves, and am still picking the little needles out of me (as I’m writing this a day later).

On my way back to Santa Fe, I took a detour to Los Alamos and the Bandelier National Monument.  I’ve made it to the point in the trip where all organization goes out the window, and I just drive until I see a sign that points to somewhere that looks interesting, and then go exploring.  I had to take a bus to Bandelier because they don’t allow cars, and so I could only stay there until around five, when the last bus out left.  I took like 50 pictures of just a squirrel at one point.  I also met a girl from Germany… She took a picture for me in one of the little caves.  I didn’t ask her to… she just said, “here, give me your camera.”  Germans... Anyway, after that, I visited the snack bar thing for lemonade, and the lady running the cash register was legitimately too lazy to ring me up so she just told me to take the lemonade and cookie that I was trying to buy and leave.  So I did.  I made it back to Santa Fe, found parking, and then watched a bunch of bands play in the Plaza.  There was this one lady who just went wild, and was dancing by herself in front of the bandstand.  The band members didn’t know how to handle her at all, so they just kept not looking at her. I, however, was laughing and videotaping.  Check Facebook for more details… :D

After that, I went back to the campsite and went to sleep.

7/31 – Chaco Canyon (written 7/31)

I left in the morning for Chaco Canyon, and I am going to stay the night in the campsite.  It’s a lot hotter here, which is fine by me.  My tent is right by the wall of the canyon, so it feels pretty awesome.  This whole “no backcountry camping” thing is really bothering me.  I don’t like to camp unless I’m staying up half the night with a knife thinking every sound is a wild animal trying to eat me.  It’s just not the same…

I spent the rest of the day doing the nine mile driving loop through the canyon, stopping at each of the little points of interest.  It’s so quiet here.  There’s no traffic, loud generators, or airplanes.   It’s very different from Black Canyon, which was near a road with construction and traffic to and from Santa Fe.  I’m currently sitting at a picnic table typing, and planning tomorrow.  At this point, I was only going to stay one night, but now it depends on when I call it quits tomorrow.  My next stop is Arizona.  I’m going to meet up with my old roommate Emily Bolton (hopefully) and then take Arizona by storm.  Mostly the Grand Canyon.  I wanna see the Grand Canyon.  I’m really starting to like Canyons. 

On an unrelated note, I have a fancy national park card that let’s me and everyone in my vehicle (which so far is no one…) into everything for free!  It’s pretty great.  It was free.  I'll take it...

8/1 - Flagstaff, AZ

Chaco was awesome.  I definitely need to go back there sometime with people and go exploring.  Hiking isn't the same when you're own your own.  I spent the rest of last night reading books from AMH and trying to divert ants from crawling in my tent.

This morning, I drove around once more in Chaco, making sure to check out Fajada Butte one more time.  I drove north into Farmington, and then south towards Flagstaff.  When I got into Arizona, I stopped briefly at the Petrified Forest National Park.  I had that stupid petrified pizza song stuck in my head the whole time.  The worst part is.. I can't remember if that's an actual song or not.  I feel like it's not... I kept driving out 40 and some of Route 66.  I saw a sign for a meteorite impact area, and I had to stop.  I have a slight space obsession and a secret desire to be an astronaut, so I was very excited.  I ended up spending a few hours in the museum watching the short films playing and checking out the exhibits.  I walked out on the observation deck and took about a thousand pictures of the crater.  It was awesome!  I'm still excited over it.  

Soon after that, I arrived in Flagstaff and saw a giant mountain.  I wish my city had a giant mountain in it.  I was planning on staying here the night, but I may need an additional day for exploration...

So far, so good.  

P.S.  I think the farthest west you go, the bigger everything is.  In Washington, the trees, the mountains, and even the sky were just massive in comparison with the east.  It's kinda the same in the south.  I'm starting to feel like PA is just a watered down version of everything...

P.P.S. More reflections - I tend to pray more out here.   Also, I keep going crazy the minute I am not doing something.  Relaxing is hard.