Disclaimer: I haven't heard a lot of releases from 2010. :)
1."The Age of Adz" by Sufjan Stevens
2."King of the Beach" by Wavves
3."Contra" by Vampire Weekend
4."Let It Sway" by Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin
5."This Is Happening" by LCD Soundsystem
6."The Panda Magic Happy Fun Show" by Panda Circus
7."Gorilla Manor" by Local Natives
8."Teen Dream" by Beach House
9."Tsol" by Shad
10."Treats" Sleigh Bells
I'm a teacher, musician, and filmmaker from Lawrence, Kansas https://twitter.com/beatmastermatt
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Monday, July 26, 2010
Alaska Trip - Day 16/17
The end of our trip was a bit hectic. I am very glad to be home. The trip to the West Coast set us back a few hours, and we definitely had to make up for it the last two days of the trip.
We left Spokane early Saturday morning. The Spokane/Coeur d’ Alene area is very nice, and looks like it is growing quickly. We went through Idaho and then through various cities along Interstate 90 in Montana. It seems like we were in Montana forever, despite going near 80 mph the whole time.
We stopped for lunch in Butte. It was good to get out of the car for a bit. We were moving along very quickly until we stopped for gas near Columbus, Montana. I put unleaded 85 octane fuel in, and I think that was probably the worst decision I made the entire trip. After that the Rav4 wasn’t the same. The engine knocked a couple times, and after we made another stop, the car couldn’t even get into third gear, and soon the transmission seemed to shut itself off, and we stranded along a highway where giant trucks were zooming by at 75 mph.
Our worst fear came true. The car broke down. Who knows, maybe 7,000 miles of driving mostly through mountains began to finally wear the car down. I called Hertz and they sent a tow truck out to tow us to the Billings airport, over 40 miles east.
We waited about two hours in 90 degree heat for the tow truck gentleman to arrive. He drove us, of course, and we had a good talk with him. He was a really nice guy, but it seemed like he was about to die from a heart attack at any moment. We took the poor guy away from good barbecue and John Wayne. I felt bad.
We arrived at the airport just as it was getting dark. It was dead when we walked in. Thankfully someone was still at the desk. He couldn’t believe we had drove all the way to Alaska. The biggest thing he had available there was a Nissan Altima, which had to be big enough.
We transferred everything to the new car, and got the heck out of there. At this point, we were about 16 hours away from home, and the broken down SUV put us back about 4 hours. We decided it wouldn’t be worth it to find a hotel Saturday night, so we just kept on driving, even though our loved ones tried to talk us out of it on the phone.
We headed South through Wyoming, where hardly anyone lives. We looked around and saw an endless sea of grassy hills. Under the moonlight, it almost looked like we were driving through the ocean. Then, out of nowhere, bright lights were signal a city, usually spread out at least 50 miles. Casper looked pretty cool at 3am when we arrived.
Just as we were heading east on Interstate 80 from Cheyenne, the sun was coming back up. I fell asleep soon after that, but only for a couple hours. Don’t worry, I wasn’t driving at the time. Steven and I would drive for 2-3 hours, then switch.
We made it through Nebraska pretty quickly, and ate lunch in Lincoln around 1pm. Almost there…
We got to Shawnee about 4pm, not as exhausted as I thought I was going to be. The journey was complete. We drove over 8,000 miles in 17 days.
This was certainly a life-changing adventure that we will never forget. It’s safe to say we will never drive that much in one trip again. I spent less than $1500, and it was rough sleeping in the car and staying at “less than ideal” locations, but it was definitely worth it. I don’t think I will mind driving 45 minutes to work everyday anymore. If anyone has the opportunity to do this, take it, if you can handle all the driving. This trip definitely is not for most people, but I feel lucky to be one of the few people in the world to experience this. I will cherish the memories forever.
We left Spokane early Saturday morning. The Spokane/Coeur d’ Alene area is very nice, and looks like it is growing quickly. We went through Idaho and then through various cities along Interstate 90 in Montana. It seems like we were in Montana forever, despite going near 80 mph the whole time.
We stopped for lunch in Butte. It was good to get out of the car for a bit. We were moving along very quickly until we stopped for gas near Columbus, Montana. I put unleaded 85 octane fuel in, and I think that was probably the worst decision I made the entire trip. After that the Rav4 wasn’t the same. The engine knocked a couple times, and after we made another stop, the car couldn’t even get into third gear, and soon the transmission seemed to shut itself off, and we stranded along a highway where giant trucks were zooming by at 75 mph.
Our worst fear came true. The car broke down. Who knows, maybe 7,000 miles of driving mostly through mountains began to finally wear the car down. I called Hertz and they sent a tow truck out to tow us to the Billings airport, over 40 miles east.
We waited about two hours in 90 degree heat for the tow truck gentleman to arrive. He drove us, of course, and we had a good talk with him. He was a really nice guy, but it seemed like he was about to die from a heart attack at any moment. We took the poor guy away from good barbecue and John Wayne. I felt bad.
We arrived at the airport just as it was getting dark. It was dead when we walked in. Thankfully someone was still at the desk. He couldn’t believe we had drove all the way to Alaska. The biggest thing he had available there was a Nissan Altima, which had to be big enough.
We transferred everything to the new car, and got the heck out of there. At this point, we were about 16 hours away from home, and the broken down SUV put us back about 4 hours. We decided it wouldn’t be worth it to find a hotel Saturday night, so we just kept on driving, even though our loved ones tried to talk us out of it on the phone.
We headed South through Wyoming, where hardly anyone lives. We looked around and saw an endless sea of grassy hills. Under the moonlight, it almost looked like we were driving through the ocean. Then, out of nowhere, bright lights were signal a city, usually spread out at least 50 miles. Casper looked pretty cool at 3am when we arrived.
Just as we were heading east on Interstate 80 from Cheyenne, the sun was coming back up. I fell asleep soon after that, but only for a couple hours. Don’t worry, I wasn’t driving at the time. Steven and I would drive for 2-3 hours, then switch.
We made it through Nebraska pretty quickly, and ate lunch in Lincoln around 1pm. Almost there…
We got to Shawnee about 4pm, not as exhausted as I thought I was going to be. The journey was complete. We drove over 8,000 miles in 17 days.
This was certainly a life-changing adventure that we will never forget. It’s safe to say we will never drive that much in one trip again. I spent less than $1500, and it was rough sleeping in the car and staying at “less than ideal” locations, but it was definitely worth it. I don’t think I will mind driving 45 minutes to work everyday anymore. If anyone has the opportunity to do this, take it, if you can handle all the driving. This trip definitely is not for most people, but I feel lucky to be one of the few people in the world to experience this. I will cherish the memories forever.
Alaska Trip - Day 15
We began the day early- I woke up at 5:45am local time. After breakfast on the run, we went through Whistler, which recently hosted a lot of the 2010 Winter Olympic events. In the middle of town- in the middle of the street, in fact- we saw a black bear about 50 yards ahead of us. That was a bit surprising, but I have noticed it is not as big as deal anymore to spot a bear.
After a stop at Starbucks in Squamish to use their free wi-fi and enjoy a tasty beverage, we continued the winding and scenic Sea to Sky Highway to Vancouver, just as the morning rush hour was winding down.
We stopped in Vancouver briefly to get some water, but we did see some of the city. I noticed a lot of nice vehicles driving around town. If I remember correctly, Vancouver is one of the wealthiest cities on the planet.
Soon we were heading south, out of the mountains for a bit, to the U.S.-Canadian border. We waited in line for over an hour to cross the border, but only got a couple questions from the border guard, so it was relatively painless.
The interstate down to Seattle was busy, but not nearly as busy as the city itself. Although we were in the city in the early afternoon, the traffic was horrible. We made one stop, close to downtown, to Boom Records, a cheap record store I had bought stuff online from a few times. From what I saw, Seattle is incredibly unique, and just a cool place in general.
Both Vancouver and Seattle are similar, of course, and both are places I would love to live, but realistically I know that will never happen. Then again, today’s weather was perfect. There were clear skies and highs in the 70s along the coast. That may have influenced my perspective of the two cities.
Seattle was difficult to escape from, but once we did we moved along quickly on Interstate 90. We headed west through the Cascade Mountains, and then made a stop to Cicely, er, Rosyln, Washington, the filming location for one of my all-time favorite TV shows, “Northern Exposure.”
It was cool to see a lot of the buildings filmed almost twenty years ago still in existence and near to their original form. We went to the gift shop, and I bought a rare Northern Exposure coffee mug. As it just so happens, today was also the Moose Festival in town, an event celebrating the show! There were actors from the show in town, but unfortunately we didn’t meet them because we were in a hurry (like the entire rest of the trip).
We then headed west to much drier country. It’s amazing how quickly the climate and landscape changed as we got past the Cascades. The temperature rose about 15 degrees in an hour.
We arrived in Spokane, Washington, about 9pm, and were wanting to stay in Couer d’ Alene, just across the border in Idaho, for the night, but every motel was booked solid due to a pow-wow, so we had to head back to Spokane to stay for the night.
We’re staying at a Motel 6. It’s nice to see affordable prices again for hotels. We also ate an extremely late dinner at Jack in the Box. Did you know they serve breakfast all day? Yay for Spokane.
After a stop at Starbucks in Squamish to use their free wi-fi and enjoy a tasty beverage, we continued the winding and scenic Sea to Sky Highway to Vancouver, just as the morning rush hour was winding down.
We stopped in Vancouver briefly to get some water, but we did see some of the city. I noticed a lot of nice vehicles driving around town. If I remember correctly, Vancouver is one of the wealthiest cities on the planet.
Soon we were heading south, out of the mountains for a bit, to the U.S.-Canadian border. We waited in line for over an hour to cross the border, but only got a couple questions from the border guard, so it was relatively painless.
The interstate down to Seattle was busy, but not nearly as busy as the city itself. Although we were in the city in the early afternoon, the traffic was horrible. We made one stop, close to downtown, to Boom Records, a cheap record store I had bought stuff online from a few times. From what I saw, Seattle is incredibly unique, and just a cool place in general.
Both Vancouver and Seattle are similar, of course, and both are places I would love to live, but realistically I know that will never happen. Then again, today’s weather was perfect. There were clear skies and highs in the 70s along the coast. That may have influenced my perspective of the two cities.
Seattle was difficult to escape from, but once we did we moved along quickly on Interstate 90. We headed west through the Cascade Mountains, and then made a stop to Cicely, er, Rosyln, Washington, the filming location for one of my all-time favorite TV shows, “Northern Exposure.”
It was cool to see a lot of the buildings filmed almost twenty years ago still in existence and near to their original form. We went to the gift shop, and I bought a rare Northern Exposure coffee mug. As it just so happens, today was also the Moose Festival in town, an event celebrating the show! There were actors from the show in town, but unfortunately we didn’t meet them because we were in a hurry (like the entire rest of the trip).
We then headed west to much drier country. It’s amazing how quickly the climate and landscape changed as we got past the Cascades. The temperature rose about 15 degrees in an hour.
We arrived in Spokane, Washington, about 9pm, and were wanting to stay in Couer d’ Alene, just across the border in Idaho, for the night, but every motel was booked solid due to a pow-wow, so we had to head back to Spokane to stay for the night.
We’re staying at a Motel 6. It’s nice to see affordable prices again for hotels. We also ate an extremely late dinner at Jack in the Box. Did you know they serve breakfast all day? Yay for Spokane.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Alaska Trip - Day 14
We have traveled nearly 6,500 miles in 14 days. Still hating your commute to work everyday? Actually, it hasn’t been so bad, because we have seen some of the most beautiful places on earth.
Today was no exception. In fact, today we took the most scenic route I have taken in my entire life.
But first, we had to get out of Chetwynd. There were trucks everywhere. I think we might have been the only ones in town without a truck, as matter of fact. From Chetwynd to Prince George, we continued to encounter mostly trucks on the road. No surprise, as the two cities are very industrial. There were especially a lot of logging trucks.
We went through the Rockies again on our way to Prince George. Prince George is about the size of Lawrence, and I liked what I saw there, but we couldn’t stay long because we had a lot of driving to do today because of the lack of driving yesterday.
The drive from Prince George to Quesnel was fairly boring (despite passing through a town called Stoner), but Quesnel was a hilly, very nice little town.
As we drove southwest, we saw mountains again, and by the time we arrived in Clinton, they were huge, baby. This was the Northern Cascades.
Soon after, we turned onto highway 99, also known as “Sea to Sky Highway,” and this road, by far, was the most scenic road I have ever seen. Before you die, you should travel on this road. No joke. It was simply amazing. There was just too much scenery. The drive had literally everything: mountains, hills, valleys, meadows, canyons, glaciers, rivers, streams, creeks, lakes. That’s about it.
Not that it was an easy drive. The road was rougher than a lot of the roads up north at times. Most of the time we were driving under 30 mph because of the potholes, winding curves, and lack of guard rails. I counted 9 one-lane wooden bridges that I thought we were going to drop through as we went over them (thankfully, this did not happen). Through all of these conditions, many locals sped by us as if they were NASCAR drivers. It was an adventure, and certainly worth it.
After that drive we arrived in the picturesque town of Pemberton, British Columbia, which is about two hours northeast of Vancouver. Pembleton is a ski town that really becomes sleepy in the summer. We are staying at a very nice hostel there tonight, after eating our first nice dinner of the entire trip at a local restaurant.
Today was our last full day in Canada. Tomorrow we hit Vancouver and Seattle, and maybe Rosyln, Washington? We have a lot more driving ahead of us in order to get back by Sunday night!
Today was no exception. In fact, today we took the most scenic route I have taken in my entire life.
But first, we had to get out of Chetwynd. There were trucks everywhere. I think we might have been the only ones in town without a truck, as matter of fact. From Chetwynd to Prince George, we continued to encounter mostly trucks on the road. No surprise, as the two cities are very industrial. There were especially a lot of logging trucks.
We went through the Rockies again on our way to Prince George. Prince George is about the size of Lawrence, and I liked what I saw there, but we couldn’t stay long because we had a lot of driving to do today because of the lack of driving yesterday.
The drive from Prince George to Quesnel was fairly boring (despite passing through a town called Stoner), but Quesnel was a hilly, very nice little town.
As we drove southwest, we saw mountains again, and by the time we arrived in Clinton, they were huge, baby. This was the Northern Cascades.
Soon after, we turned onto highway 99, also known as “Sea to Sky Highway,” and this road, by far, was the most scenic road I have ever seen. Before you die, you should travel on this road. No joke. It was simply amazing. There was just too much scenery. The drive had literally everything: mountains, hills, valleys, meadows, canyons, glaciers, rivers, streams, creeks, lakes. That’s about it.
Not that it was an easy drive. The road was rougher than a lot of the roads up north at times. Most of the time we were driving under 30 mph because of the potholes, winding curves, and lack of guard rails. I counted 9 one-lane wooden bridges that I thought we were going to drop through as we went over them (thankfully, this did not happen). Through all of these conditions, many locals sped by us as if they were NASCAR drivers. It was an adventure, and certainly worth it.
After that drive we arrived in the picturesque town of Pemberton, British Columbia, which is about two hours northeast of Vancouver. Pembleton is a ski town that really becomes sleepy in the summer. We are staying at a very nice hostel there tonight, after eating our first nice dinner of the entire trip at a local restaurant.
Today was our last full day in Canada. Tomorrow we hit Vancouver and Seattle, and maybe Rosyln, Washington? We have a lot more driving ahead of us in order to get back by Sunday night!
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Alaska Trip - Day 13
There is not a lot to report about today. We slept in late, and didn’t hit the road until noon local time.
We did manage to get the chip in the windshield fixed, and as soon as we did the entire town of Fort Nelson lost power. In fact, we waited at the windshield repair shop for about an hour until they got their generator running so that we could pay them.
We stopped to eat lunch at Buckinghorse River, about two hours southeast of Fort Nelson. They were selling t-shirts there that said “Buckinghorse, where we bucking enjoy ourselves,” or something like that.
We saw another black bear and a lot of deer, but I have a feeling we won’t see much more wildlife the rest of the trip, for now we are off the Alaskan Highway and once again on the edge of civilization.
We are staying at a motel in Chetwynd, British Columbia, the “chainsaw sculpture capital of the world.”
Here’s a sweeping generalization…most of the hotel managers in northern British Columbia are of Asian descent. Tomorrow, we plan to stay in a hostel about an hour north of Vancouver. I haven’t been feeling well tonight, so hopefully the food at Buckinghorse didn’t make me sick!
We did manage to get the chip in the windshield fixed, and as soon as we did the entire town of Fort Nelson lost power. In fact, we waited at the windshield repair shop for about an hour until they got their generator running so that we could pay them.
We stopped to eat lunch at Buckinghorse River, about two hours southeast of Fort Nelson. They were selling t-shirts there that said “Buckinghorse, where we bucking enjoy ourselves,” or something like that.
We saw another black bear and a lot of deer, but I have a feeling we won’t see much more wildlife the rest of the trip, for now we are off the Alaskan Highway and once again on the edge of civilization.
We are staying at a motel in Chetwynd, British Columbia, the “chainsaw sculpture capital of the world.”
Here’s a sweeping generalization…most of the hotel managers in northern British Columbia are of Asian descent. Tomorrow, we plan to stay in a hostel about an hour north of Vancouver. I haven’t been feeling well tonight, so hopefully the food at Buckinghorse didn’t make me sick!
Alaska Trip - Day 12
We spent 12 hours on the road today, but it was definitely worth it. We’ve been back on the Alaskan Highway, and today we traveled from Whitehorse, Yukon Territory all the way to Fort Nelson, British Columbia.
Two nights in a row of sleeping in the car was not fun, and I hope we can avoid it the rest of the trip. After another trip to Wal-mart and stop at Tim Horton’s for breakfast, we quickly hit the road this morning.
I should call this the “wildlife day” because we saw more wildlife today than all the other days combined so far, especially during the route between Watson Lake and Fort Nelson. That stretch has been my favorite of the entire trip, with its scenery combined with the wildlife.
So here’s the approximate rundown for today:
2 grizzly bears
4 black bears
Approx. 10 elk
Approx. 10 stone sheep
3 moose
2 caribou
2 mule deer
…and just about all of them were captured on film.
I would say all the driving was worth it, and tonight we are staying in the nicest place we’ve stayed the entire trip…the Shannon Hotel, named after my lovely wife, Shannon, of course.
The bad news is, as we were close to town, we hit a random gravel spot on the highway at 65 mph the same time a huge semi did going the other way, and a chunk of gravel cracked our windshield. Looks like we’ll be fixing that hopefully tomorrow.
Oh, and we decided today that we are going to go down through Vancouver and Seattle on our way back. Steven has never seen the Pacific coast before, and I’ve never been to both places. Heck yes.
Two nights in a row of sleeping in the car was not fun, and I hope we can avoid it the rest of the trip. After another trip to Wal-mart and stop at Tim Horton’s for breakfast, we quickly hit the road this morning.
I should call this the “wildlife day” because we saw more wildlife today than all the other days combined so far, especially during the route between Watson Lake and Fort Nelson. That stretch has been my favorite of the entire trip, with its scenery combined with the wildlife.
So here’s the approximate rundown for today:
2 grizzly bears
4 black bears
Approx. 10 elk
Approx. 10 stone sheep
3 moose
2 caribou
2 mule deer
…and just about all of them were captured on film.
I would say all the driving was worth it, and tonight we are staying in the nicest place we’ve stayed the entire trip…the Shannon Hotel, named after my lovely wife, Shannon, of course.
The bad news is, as we were close to town, we hit a random gravel spot on the highway at 65 mph the same time a huge semi did going the other way, and a chunk of gravel cracked our windshield. Looks like we’ll be fixing that hopefully tomorrow.
Oh, and we decided today that we are going to go down through Vancouver and Seattle on our way back. Steven has never seen the Pacific coast before, and I’ve never been to both places. Heck yes.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Alaska Trip - Day 11
We are headed home. This is weird to think about, because we won’t be home for six more days.
I didn’t sleep well in the car last night, mostly because it never got dark. Alaskans can’t see the stars from late May to early August.
This morning we headed back east to Tok, Alaska, and got a big breakfast as we tried to connect to their wi-fi. We had no luck, but the food was great. Also in Tok, we headed to the post office to mail some things back home. I predict we beat those things, and the race is on.
The rest of the day was completely dry and sunny, so the trip back into Canada/Yukon Territory was great for pictures.
We were back on the Alaskan Highway, on the same stretch we were on last week, but this time it wasn’t raining. The St. Elias Mountains are my new favorite mountain range.
We stopped in Haines Junction again for internet, coffee, and a bite to eat, then headed east to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, thinking we could stay at the hostel there. We called ahead and they were already full. Then we thought we could easily find an affordable motel. Well, most of the “affordable” motels had no vacancy, and everything else was just too pricey. We literally drove up and down the town trying to find a place to stay tonight. Finally, we settled in an RV park at the edge of town. Steven had his tent set up and we were half-way through our meal when somebody pulled up and told us they already had the spot reserved. So we packed up and drove to a couple more RV spots before finally settling in the place we’re in.
That’s what we get for not planning ahead, eh? So that will make two days without a shower. Shannon, I’m pretty sure you’re glad you didn’t come with us on this trip.
I didn’t sleep well in the car last night, mostly because it never got dark. Alaskans can’t see the stars from late May to early August.
This morning we headed back east to Tok, Alaska, and got a big breakfast as we tried to connect to their wi-fi. We had no luck, but the food was great. Also in Tok, we headed to the post office to mail some things back home. I predict we beat those things, and the race is on.
The rest of the day was completely dry and sunny, so the trip back into Canada/Yukon Territory was great for pictures.
We were back on the Alaskan Highway, on the same stretch we were on last week, but this time it wasn’t raining. The St. Elias Mountains are my new favorite mountain range.
We stopped in Haines Junction again for internet, coffee, and a bite to eat, then headed east to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, thinking we could stay at the hostel there. We called ahead and they were already full. Then we thought we could easily find an affordable motel. Well, most of the “affordable” motels had no vacancy, and everything else was just too pricey. We literally drove up and down the town trying to find a place to stay tonight. Finally, we settled in an RV park at the edge of town. Steven had his tent set up and we were half-way through our meal when somebody pulled up and told us they already had the spot reserved. So we packed up and drove to a couple more RV spots before finally settling in the place we’re in.
That’s what we get for not planning ahead, eh? So that will make two days without a shower. Shannon, I’m pretty sure you’re glad you didn’t come with us on this trip.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Alaska Trip - Day 10
We spent most of the day in or around Fairbanks. Last night, we met a lot of cool people at the hostel as we watched “District 9” out in the living room. Our roommate was from Germany.
This morning we went to church downtown. Afterward, I went down to the soup kitchen to go to the restroom, and accidentally walked in on two guys exchanging something very suspicious. We then explored downtown Fairbanks for a bit. It has some neat little areas.
After a trip to Wal-mart to buy some cheap souvenirs and breakfast, we decided to check out Pioneer Park. It was almost like an amusement park, but it was mostly free. There were all kinds of cool museums with old railroad and mining collections. One area had a room where you could experience what it felt like at -40 degrees, which is a temperature that is reached at least once every winter here in Fairbanks. We decided that experiencing -20 degrees in Nebraska was close enough.
We then took a little side trip up to the White Mountains, just northeast of Fairbanks. We reached all the way to Twelve Mile Peak, which was far north as we will get on this trip, about 134 miles south of the Arctic Circle. It was cold up there.
Then, it was back to Fairbanks to get some Great Alaskan Pizza. It’s basically Domino’s.
After dinner, we said goodbye to Fairbanks and headed toward Delta Junction, but first stopped by the North Pole to visit Santa Claus. I wonder if the kids that live in North Pole, Alaska, believe in Santa Claus or not. Santa’s house was pretty rad.
I did get some good pictures of the Alaska Range near Delta Junction, but, as it has been doing ever since we arrived in Alaska, it was raining off and on during the drive.
Tonight we are camping by some random river along the Alaskan Highway (don’t worry, I saved the GPS coordinates) about 75 miles west of Tok. It’s actually on a dry portion of the river bed, and it is beautiful here. This is definitely a place I will not forget.
I just hope we do not get attacked by a bear tonight.
This morning we went to church downtown. Afterward, I went down to the soup kitchen to go to the restroom, and accidentally walked in on two guys exchanging something very suspicious. We then explored downtown Fairbanks for a bit. It has some neat little areas.
After a trip to Wal-mart to buy some cheap souvenirs and breakfast, we decided to check out Pioneer Park. It was almost like an amusement park, but it was mostly free. There were all kinds of cool museums with old railroad and mining collections. One area had a room where you could experience what it felt like at -40 degrees, which is a temperature that is reached at least once every winter here in Fairbanks. We decided that experiencing -20 degrees in Nebraska was close enough.
We then took a little side trip up to the White Mountains, just northeast of Fairbanks. We reached all the way to Twelve Mile Peak, which was far north as we will get on this trip, about 134 miles south of the Arctic Circle. It was cold up there.
Then, it was back to Fairbanks to get some Great Alaskan Pizza. It’s basically Domino’s.
After dinner, we said goodbye to Fairbanks and headed toward Delta Junction, but first stopped by the North Pole to visit Santa Claus. I wonder if the kids that live in North Pole, Alaska, believe in Santa Claus or not. Santa’s house was pretty rad.
I did get some good pictures of the Alaska Range near Delta Junction, but, as it has been doing ever since we arrived in Alaska, it was raining off and on during the drive.
Tonight we are camping by some random river along the Alaskan Highway (don’t worry, I saved the GPS coordinates) about 75 miles west of Tok. It’s actually on a dry portion of the river bed, and it is beautiful here. This is definitely a place I will not forget.
I just hope we do not get attacked by a bear tonight.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Alaska Trip - Day 9
As I am typing this, I am further north than I have ever been. It is 9:45pm local time here in Fairbanks, but the sun is shining bright. This may pose a problem as we are sleeping in a glass gazebo at a hostel tonight.
This morning we left Anchorage after I got my precious Starbucks. We then stopped by Wasila to visit Sarah Palin, but she must have been next door in Russia, or something. On the way to Wasila from Anchorage, I got some great pictures.
We then headed north towards Fairbanks on the Parks Highway, which is actually in fairly good shape. There were only two construction delays on the way up here.
We stopped in Talkeetna, the town that supposedly inspired one of my favorite all-time shows, "Northern Exposure." It was basically a cool little tourist trap. I did like it, though. It seemed to be the "real Alaska," where locals actually spend the entire year there. Anchorage and Fairbanks seem to have a lot of temporary folks, probably because the military presence here.
Next, we headed up through Denali National Park, home of North America's tallest mountain, Denali (also known as Mt. McKinley, though I hate to call it that because he was a bad President). I was aggravated, because we couldn't see it! There were too many clouds, which I guess is normal for this time of the year. However, when we were almost to Fairbanks, I did get at least one picture of it.
The drive between Talkeetna and Fairbanks was very scenic, and thankfully it did clear up again.
We arrived in Fairbanks about 7pm local time, and arrived at a hostel that is now an apartment, and this guy looked at us weird when we walked in. After a little more searching, we the hostel we're currently at. There are lots of people here tonight. We ate at the furtherest north Denny's in the world. Yay.
Tomorrow, I don't know what we're doing.
This morning we left Anchorage after I got my precious Starbucks. We then stopped by Wasila to visit Sarah Palin, but she must have been next door in Russia, or something. On the way to Wasila from Anchorage, I got some great pictures.
We then headed north towards Fairbanks on the Parks Highway, which is actually in fairly good shape. There were only two construction delays on the way up here.
We stopped in Talkeetna, the town that supposedly inspired one of my favorite all-time shows, "Northern Exposure." It was basically a cool little tourist trap. I did like it, though. It seemed to be the "real Alaska," where locals actually spend the entire year there. Anchorage and Fairbanks seem to have a lot of temporary folks, probably because the military presence here.
Next, we headed up through Denali National Park, home of North America's tallest mountain, Denali (also known as Mt. McKinley, though I hate to call it that because he was a bad President). I was aggravated, because we couldn't see it! There were too many clouds, which I guess is normal for this time of the year. However, when we were almost to Fairbanks, I did get at least one picture of it.
The drive between Talkeetna and Fairbanks was very scenic, and thankfully it did clear up again.
We arrived in Fairbanks about 7pm local time, and arrived at a hostel that is now an apartment, and this guy looked at us weird when we walked in. After a little more searching, we the hostel we're currently at. There are lots of people here tonight. We ate at the furtherest north Denny's in the world. Yay.
Tomorrow, I don't know what we're doing.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Alaska Trip - Day 8
It was nice not having to drive so much today. However, we made up for it by hiking a few miles!
It took us about 3 hours to get to Anchorage, mostly because I kept pulling over to take pictures. I got some good ones because the rain stopped briefly.
Unfortunately, the second half of the trip the rain returned, along with lots of fog. It made a stop in Palmer, then took the old Glenn Highway route to Anchorage, which was a bit more scenic. It was weird to all of sudden see farms again.
We spent the rest of the day in Anchorage. After we drove around the city a bit, we stopped to get an oil change for only $54. What a great deal! Next, we went to two little "mom and pop" establishments that the locals seem to love- they were so crowded! One was called "Wal-mart" and the other was "McDonalds."
Next, we checked into our hostel, which is in midtown Anchorage. We spent the next three or so hours hiking at two of the city's parks, Kincaid and Earthquake. Both were in city limits, but seemed like they could have been out in the wilderness. I got some great pictures at Earthquake of the Anchorage skyline.
After that, we went downtown to do a little bit of shopping for Alaska souvenirs. We easily found a parking spot, and it was even free to park there!
I like Anchorage. It has everything you need, but it's almost completely surrounded by wilderness. It's also a lot quicker to get around in than Kansas City. It rarely gets warmer than 70 degrees here, though. Today was actually 70 and sunny- absolutely perfect.
As I type this we are doing our laundry at the hostel. There are a lot of people here tonight from countries all over the world. One of our roommates is from Brisbane, Australia.
It took us about 3 hours to get to Anchorage, mostly because I kept pulling over to take pictures. I got some good ones because the rain stopped briefly.
Unfortunately, the second half of the trip the rain returned, along with lots of fog. It made a stop in Palmer, then took the old Glenn Highway route to Anchorage, which was a bit more scenic. It was weird to all of sudden see farms again.
We spent the rest of the day in Anchorage. After we drove around the city a bit, we stopped to get an oil change for only $54. What a great deal! Next, we went to two little "mom and pop" establishments that the locals seem to love- they were so crowded! One was called "Wal-mart" and the other was "McDonalds."
Next, we checked into our hostel, which is in midtown Anchorage. We spent the next three or so hours hiking at two of the city's parks, Kincaid and Earthquake. Both were in city limits, but seemed like they could have been out in the wilderness. I got some great pictures at Earthquake of the Anchorage skyline.
After that, we went downtown to do a little bit of shopping for Alaska souvenirs. We easily found a parking spot, and it was even free to park there!
I like Anchorage. It has everything you need, but it's almost completely surrounded by wilderness. It's also a lot quicker to get around in than Kansas City. It rarely gets warmer than 70 degrees here, though. Today was actually 70 and sunny- absolutely perfect.
As I type this we are doing our laundry at the hostel. There are a lot of people here tonight from countries all over the world. One of our roommates is from Brisbane, Australia.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Alaska Trip - Day 7
On the 7th day, we finally made it to Alaska.
We slept in the Rav4 again last night at a tent site in Haines Junction. He rained lightly most of the night. It also was fairly bright out most of the night, but we were so tired we didn't mind.
This morning we stopped by this cool coffee shop/bakery and used their wi-fi, then as soon as we left Haines Junction, a grizzly bear ran out across the highway in front of us, much like deer do here. It was crazy. By this time, the sun had also came out, so we got some good pictures of the Kluane National Park and the St. Elias Mountains, though not of the bear. It was just too quick.
The drive from Haines Junction to the Alaskan border was rough, but beautiful. This was some of the roughest roads we faced yet, most of it caused by permafrost. There were portions of the road where we couldn't go faster than 20mph.
When we finally did make it to Alaska, we rejoiced. Steven did get caught up in both countries, though.
After some more construction on the Alaskan Highway, in, um, Alaska, we then ran into some heavy clouds and rain again as we became closer to Tok.
Tok was a nice little in the middle of complete wilderness. We stopped there to eat a late lunch/early dinner at this diner there and were served literally half a chicken each. Needless to say, we didn't finish our food.
The rest of the day was somewhat depressing. In what was supposed to be one of the most scenic drives yet, all we got was a lot of rain and cloudiness that prevented us from seeing any of the gigantic mountains in the distance. One of the lone highlights was the sighting of a moose (finally).
We wanted to make it all the way to Anchorage tonight. Then we wanted to make it all the way to Palmer. Instead, we are in a small village called Nelchina, which is about two and a half hours east of Anchorage, staying in a little cabin. Tomorrow we won't have much driving to do, for once!
We slept in the Rav4 again last night at a tent site in Haines Junction. He rained lightly most of the night. It also was fairly bright out most of the night, but we were so tired we didn't mind.
This morning we stopped by this cool coffee shop/bakery and used their wi-fi, then as soon as we left Haines Junction, a grizzly bear ran out across the highway in front of us, much like deer do here. It was crazy. By this time, the sun had also came out, so we got some good pictures of the Kluane National Park and the St. Elias Mountains, though not of the bear. It was just too quick.
The drive from Haines Junction to the Alaskan border was rough, but beautiful. This was some of the roughest roads we faced yet, most of it caused by permafrost. There were portions of the road where we couldn't go faster than 20mph.
When we finally did make it to Alaska, we rejoiced. Steven did get caught up in both countries, though.
After some more construction on the Alaskan Highway, in, um, Alaska, we then ran into some heavy clouds and rain again as we became closer to Tok.
Tok was a nice little in the middle of complete wilderness. We stopped there to eat a late lunch/early dinner at this diner there and were served literally half a chicken each. Needless to say, we didn't finish our food.
The rest of the day was somewhat depressing. In what was supposed to be one of the most scenic drives yet, all we got was a lot of rain and cloudiness that prevented us from seeing any of the gigantic mountains in the distance. One of the lone highlights was the sighting of a moose (finally).
We wanted to make it all the way to Anchorage tonight. Then we wanted to make it all the way to Palmer. Instead, we are in a small village called Nelchina, which is about two and a half hours east of Anchorage, staying in a little cabin. Tomorrow we won't have much driving to do, for once!
Alaska Trip - Day 6
I had a job interview today, in Watson Lake, Yukon. It was for a job at Blue Valley High School, just 2,775 miles away!
It was a very, very long day today, so much that I'm actually writing this tomorrow. We are currently in Haines Junction, Yukon Territory, a beautiful town overlooking Kluane National Park. Too bad it's been rainy and cloudy. We can't see the mountains :(
We stayed the night at the Toad River Lodge in British Columbia, and got up early to get as much driving in as possible to make up for the fact that we were now behind.
Two things I forgot to mention yesterday. At Fort Nelson, there were dozens of hitchhikers! I wanted to pick them all up, but we barely had any room, and plus Shannon might not approve. So far on this trip we have mostly run into older folks and the occasional family. When we do run into younger folks such as ourselves, they usually are the "hippie" "jam band" type, and nearly all of them are hitchhiking. Another thing is the fact that the roads are much more beat up in places now. There are rough patches of gravel here and there, and occasionally there are random bumps on the highway, I assume where the permafrost has thawed and they have applied a temporary fix.
We stopped by Lliard Hot Springs, which was really, really cool. Actually hot. Extremely hot. They are natural springs, and some of the water was near boiling! We took a dip, and it was very relaxing, but the water smells like sulfur, aka rotten eggs, so we smelled like that the rest of the day.
Our shower water this morning also smelled like rotten eggs. Yay!
Next, we made our way up to Watson Lake and into Yukon Territory. I had my interview right next to the Signpost Village.
The Alaska Highway then weaved back and forth between British Columbia and Yukon Territory, and the scenery did not slow down. I took 85 pictures today.
We arrived in Teslin about 7:00pm local time. I called Shannon here, and Steven's Mastercard was promptly rejected as he tried to get gas. They think his card was stolen, and I think that he is the culprit.
Next, we made it to Whitehorse, the capital and largest city of Yukon Territory. I really liked the town. We stopped at Tim Horton's here. I couldn't believe that they had a Pizza Hut and Starbucks. Oh wait, I could.
By now, it was past nine, but the sun was still shining bright, so we made one final push to Haines Junction. On the way, we spotted some elk, and then the rain came pouring. We arrived here about 11:45 pm, and it was still daylight. Hopefully today the clouds will clear quickly so we can see the gigantic mountains of Kluane National Park. By tonight, we will be in the Anchorage area (hopefully). Finally, OFF TO ALASKA!!
It was a very, very long day today, so much that I'm actually writing this tomorrow. We are currently in Haines Junction, Yukon Territory, a beautiful town overlooking Kluane National Park. Too bad it's been rainy and cloudy. We can't see the mountains :(
We stayed the night at the Toad River Lodge in British Columbia, and got up early to get as much driving in as possible to make up for the fact that we were now behind.
Two things I forgot to mention yesterday. At Fort Nelson, there were dozens of hitchhikers! I wanted to pick them all up, but we barely had any room, and plus Shannon might not approve. So far on this trip we have mostly run into older folks and the occasional family. When we do run into younger folks such as ourselves, they usually are the "hippie" "jam band" type, and nearly all of them are hitchhiking. Another thing is the fact that the roads are much more beat up in places now. There are rough patches of gravel here and there, and occasionally there are random bumps on the highway, I assume where the permafrost has thawed and they have applied a temporary fix.
We stopped by Lliard Hot Springs, which was really, really cool. Actually hot. Extremely hot. They are natural springs, and some of the water was near boiling! We took a dip, and it was very relaxing, but the water smells like sulfur, aka rotten eggs, so we smelled like that the rest of the day.
Our shower water this morning also smelled like rotten eggs. Yay!
Next, we made our way up to Watson Lake and into Yukon Territory. I had my interview right next to the Signpost Village.
The Alaska Highway then weaved back and forth between British Columbia and Yukon Territory, and the scenery did not slow down. I took 85 pictures today.
We arrived in Teslin about 7:00pm local time. I called Shannon here, and Steven's Mastercard was promptly rejected as he tried to get gas. They think his card was stolen, and I think that he is the culprit.
Next, we made it to Whitehorse, the capital and largest city of Yukon Territory. I really liked the town. We stopped at Tim Horton's here. I couldn't believe that they had a Pizza Hut and Starbucks. Oh wait, I could.
By now, it was past nine, but the sun was still shining bright, so we made one final push to Haines Junction. On the way, we spotted some elk, and then the rain came pouring. We arrived here about 11:45 pm, and it was still daylight. Hopefully today the clouds will clear quickly so we can see the gigantic mountains of Kluane National Park. By tonight, we will be in the Anchorage area (hopefully). Finally, OFF TO ALASKA!!
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Alaska Trip - Day 5
After 2,000 miles of driving, it’s amazing how you can fall asleep in the most uncomfortable spots. We spent the night in an RV park, and slept 7 hours (give or take) in the Rav4 by clearing everything out of the back. Despite the cramped space and Steven’s snoring, I did manage to get some sleep. Not a shower this morning, but some sleep.
After I bought a new pillow at Wal-mart, we stopped by to get coffee and the best blueberry muffin I have ever had at a wonderful place called Tim Horton’s. They are everywhere here in Canada.
Dawson Creek is where the Alaska highway officially begins, and it felt good to finally see some true wilderness, and some mountains.
We didn’t drive as far as I would have liked today, but that was mostly because we finally saw some substantial scenery and wildlife. We saw two deer and three black bears! Unfortunately, the pictures I have of the bears did not turn out well. We did get close to one of the bears, but only have video of that. We literally filmed the bear walking next to the Alaska Highway while we were on it since there was no shoulder. Good thing no one was coming!
The mosquitoes, as people warned about, have gotten bad. You can see them go full speed at our car windows. It’s kind of scary.
Today we traveled north to Fort Saint John, another town that surprisingly had a Starbucks. While there, I made some important phone calls, as soon cell phone coverage would be very spotty.
Then we headed north to true wilderness. We made a stop for lunch near Pink Mountain at the Sasquatch Crossing. We found a sasquatch! They do exist. He stole some of our Doritos and Shannon’s brownies.
Later, we made it to Fort Nelson and decided we would probably not make it to Lake Watson and the Yukon by dark. Heading west we entered some of the most breathtaking vistas we have seen yet.
We are staying the night at the Toad Crossing lodge, literally in the middle of nowhere. It’s amazing that they have high-speed internet and four TV channels. Our room is small, but has a great view out the window. There are hats on the ceiling in the hall. I’m not kidding.
After I bought a new pillow at Wal-mart, we stopped by to get coffee and the best blueberry muffin I have ever had at a wonderful place called Tim Horton’s. They are everywhere here in Canada.
Dawson Creek is where the Alaska highway officially begins, and it felt good to finally see some true wilderness, and some mountains.
We didn’t drive as far as I would have liked today, but that was mostly because we finally saw some substantial scenery and wildlife. We saw two deer and three black bears! Unfortunately, the pictures I have of the bears did not turn out well. We did get close to one of the bears, but only have video of that. We literally filmed the bear walking next to the Alaska Highway while we were on it since there was no shoulder. Good thing no one was coming!
The mosquitoes, as people warned about, have gotten bad. You can see them go full speed at our car windows. It’s kind of scary.
Today we traveled north to Fort Saint John, another town that surprisingly had a Starbucks. While there, I made some important phone calls, as soon cell phone coverage would be very spotty.
Then we headed north to true wilderness. We made a stop for lunch near Pink Mountain at the Sasquatch Crossing. We found a sasquatch! They do exist. He stole some of our Doritos and Shannon’s brownies.
Later, we made it to Fort Nelson and decided we would probably not make it to Lake Watson and the Yukon by dark. Heading west we entered some of the most breathtaking vistas we have seen yet.
We are staying the night at the Toad Crossing lodge, literally in the middle of nowhere. It’s amazing that they have high-speed internet and four TV channels. Our room is small, but has a great view out the window. There are hats on the ceiling in the hall. I’m not kidding.
Alaska Trip - Day 4
I slept well last night. I’m glad we decided to stay at the motel, even though there was a mysterious stain on my sheet. At least there were no found insects inside the room! I even shaved this morning at the motel...that could be the last time I shave this entire trip.
Refreshed, we left Lloydminster, Alberta/Sasketchawan this morning around 10:30 local time. It was a fairly hilly drive to Edmonton.
Edmonton is a pretty big city, much like Kansas City, and so the traffic we encountered wasn’t surprising, but what was surprising was how crowded the West Edmonton Mall was. Being a Monday, we expected to easily find a parking spot, but we were very wrong. North America’s largest mall didn’t seem that large, but it did have a cool theme park inside.
After spending an hour so at the mall, we left for Dawson Creek, British Columbia. It began pouring down rain. Looking at the forecast, I think we can expect a lot of rain over the next couple days.
We finally saw the edge of the Canadian Rockies and saw some scenery, but even around Grand Prairie there was, well, um…just grand prairie.
At least the rain went away. Soon we entered British Columbia and another new time zone.
Another observation about Canada:
Any time Canadians refer to the United States, they simply call it “The States.” Three different locals here have asked “You from the States?” after I spoke to them.
We just arrived to Dawson Creek (no, not the TV show filming location) and parked in an RV park. The office is closed, so we just found a spot and parked and now are using their wi-fi . We’ll try to sleep in the Rav4 tonight. Wish us luck. Also, this is where the Alaskan Highway officially begins, so this is one of the largest RV hubs I’ve ever seen.
We have traveled over 2,000 miles so far.
Refreshed, we left Lloydminster, Alberta/Sasketchawan this morning around 10:30 local time. It was a fairly hilly drive to Edmonton.
Edmonton is a pretty big city, much like Kansas City, and so the traffic we encountered wasn’t surprising, but what was surprising was how crowded the West Edmonton Mall was. Being a Monday, we expected to easily find a parking spot, but we were very wrong. North America’s largest mall didn’t seem that large, but it did have a cool theme park inside.
After spending an hour so at the mall, we left for Dawson Creek, British Columbia. It began pouring down rain. Looking at the forecast, I think we can expect a lot of rain over the next couple days.
We finally saw the edge of the Canadian Rockies and saw some scenery, but even around Grand Prairie there was, well, um…just grand prairie.
At least the rain went away. Soon we entered British Columbia and another new time zone.
Another observation about Canada:
Any time Canadians refer to the United States, they simply call it “The States.” Three different locals here have asked “You from the States?” after I spoke to them.
We just arrived to Dawson Creek (no, not the TV show filming location) and parked in an RV park. The office is closed, so we just found a spot and parked and now are using their wi-fi . We’ll try to sleep in the Rav4 tonight. Wish us luck. Also, this is where the Alaskan Highway officially begins, so this is one of the largest RV hubs I’ve ever seen.
We have traveled over 2,000 miles so far.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Alaska Trip - Day 3
Didn't sleep well last night at the hostel. Probably because there was no air conditioning. Yesterday was one of the hottest days of the year so far for Winnipeg, but a storm last night did cool things down.
So we overslept a bit, and then had some GPS issues, so were late to church this morning. It was a speed Mass when we did get there, and before we barely had a chance to catch our breathe it was over. As expected, we were the youngest people in the church.
I really like Winnipeg.The city has a lot of character. It's a lot like Minneapolis.
After we reached Portage La Prairie, we decided to take some side roads on our way to Saskatoon in an attempt to take in some more scenery. You see, Manitoba has some "mountains" that many visitors don't know about, probably because the "mountains" are smaller than the Ozarks.
We headed north toward Dauphin, Manitoba, and then west, right in between both Riding Mountain National Park and Duck Mountain Provincial Park. It was indeed more scenic than further south, I presume.
Right after we crossed this body of water (I don't remember it's name already) we entered Saskatchewan and a new time zone. Around here there were many ponds, swamps, and, of course, lakes. Oh, it was around this time that I realized I left my pillow back at the hostel in Winnipeg!
The rest of Saskatchewan was pretty boring. We spent around 13 hours on the road today, and the all-too-familiar landscape started to drag us down for the first time this trip. We stopped for dinner in Saskatoon, a nice but boring town. However, I did get some Starbucks there so that was exciting.
Actually, the real excitement came later! Just after we went through North Battleford, Saskatchewan, I saw a black bear! It appeared to be a teenager, and was hanging out in someone's field behind a fence. He ran away as we drove past. I couldn't believe I had already seen one. Steven missed it because he was driving at the time, but he did see a big buck earlier today. I wish I had a picture of it. This picture was taken a little bit after I saw the bear...
Our next excitement came when we almost ran out of gas near Marshall. We arrived to a gas station only to find it closed. (There are a lot of full service gas stations with no pay at the pump around here, btw) With the gas light on the next 20 miles, we barely made it here to Lloydminster, a city that sits both in Saskatchewan and Alberta.
So we are staying the night at a motel in Lloydminster. Our goal is to get a good night's sleep tonight, because we will probably be sleeping in the car tomorrow night. We didn't make it to Edmonton, but soon enough tomorrow we will be there to check out the city.
So we overslept a bit, and then had some GPS issues, so were late to church this morning. It was a speed Mass when we did get there, and before we barely had a chance to catch our breathe it was over. As expected, we were the youngest people in the church.
I really like Winnipeg.The city has a lot of character. It's a lot like Minneapolis.
After we reached Portage La Prairie, we decided to take some side roads on our way to Saskatoon in an attempt to take in some more scenery. You see, Manitoba has some "mountains" that many visitors don't know about, probably because the "mountains" are smaller than the Ozarks.
We headed north toward Dauphin, Manitoba, and then west, right in between both Riding Mountain National Park and Duck Mountain Provincial Park. It was indeed more scenic than further south, I presume.
Right after we crossed this body of water (I don't remember it's name already) we entered Saskatchewan and a new time zone. Around here there were many ponds, swamps, and, of course, lakes. Oh, it was around this time that I realized I left my pillow back at the hostel in Winnipeg!
The rest of Saskatchewan was pretty boring. We spent around 13 hours on the road today, and the all-too-familiar landscape started to drag us down for the first time this trip. We stopped for dinner in Saskatoon, a nice but boring town. However, I did get some Starbucks there so that was exciting.
Actually, the real excitement came later! Just after we went through North Battleford, Saskatchewan, I saw a black bear! It appeared to be a teenager, and was hanging out in someone's field behind a fence. He ran away as we drove past. I couldn't believe I had already seen one. Steven missed it because he was driving at the time, but he did see a big buck earlier today. I wish I had a picture of it. This picture was taken a little bit after I saw the bear...
Our next excitement came when we almost ran out of gas near Marshall. We arrived to a gas station only to find it closed. (There are a lot of full service gas stations with no pay at the pump around here, btw) With the gas light on the next 20 miles, we barely made it here to Lloydminster, a city that sits both in Saskatchewan and Alberta.
So we are staying the night at a motel in Lloydminster. Our goal is to get a good night's sleep tonight, because we will probably be sleeping in the car tomorrow night. We didn't make it to Edmonton, but soon enough tomorrow we will be there to check out the city.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Alaska Trip - Day 2
Attempt number 2 after my computer locked up...
We made it to Winnipeg after 10 hours on the road today.
Last night we spent the night at Sam's, and then ate lunch with him and Doug and Caitlin at Perkins. We left Omaha about 11am and headed north to the spectacular Sioux City.
Steven drove most of the time today, and I was very grateful for that.
There was not much for scenery today. Most of the landscape was fairly flat and wide open, much like home. North Dakota was exceptionally flat, or at least around I-29.
We did like Fargo when we stopped there for a late lunch.
After Fargo, and a trip for some cheaper, by-the-gallon gas in Grand Forks, North Dakota, we continuted north to the U.S.-Canadian border. Steven and I both have never been to Canada, so we didn't know what to expect, but it was a fairly painless process. A nice lady there asked us about a dozen questions (it almost felt like speed dating). Another guy gave us a firm arm wave by saying "I am off now so sit your butts back down and the next guard will help you" without saying anything at all. I felt like a dog. After about half an hour there, they let us into Canada, and after a lot of construction we made into Winnipeg about 10pm.
Speaking of construction, there was a lot of it today. I guess we should be getting used to that.
A few initial observations about Canada:
* The metric system and the way spedometers are set up cause Canadians to drive slower in the U.S. and Americans to drive even faster in Canada. We were passing people constantly. It was weird, because I typically never go more than 5 mph over the speed limit. Also, we were ecstatic to see a speed limit sign say 100, until we immediately realized it meant kilometers per hour, not miles per hour.
* Everything seems nicer and cleaner in Canada. Even North Dakota seemed so...fresh...compared to the previous 5 states we'd be in on this trip. Does the cold preserve everything better?
* All road signs are in both English and French here. I think I finally have an opportunity to brush up on my French.
We are staying in our first hostel tonight in Winnipeg. The people here are nice. I even ate some free berries. From what I can tell so far, I really like this city. It it weren't for the -40 degree winters.
We made it to Winnipeg after 10 hours on the road today.
Last night we spent the night at Sam's, and then ate lunch with him and Doug and Caitlin at Perkins. We left Omaha about 11am and headed north to the spectacular Sioux City.
Steven drove most of the time today, and I was very grateful for that.
There was not much for scenery today. Most of the landscape was fairly flat and wide open, much like home. North Dakota was exceptionally flat, or at least around I-29.
We did like Fargo when we stopped there for a late lunch.
After Fargo, and a trip for some cheaper, by-the-gallon gas in Grand Forks, North Dakota, we continuted north to the U.S.-Canadian border. Steven and I both have never been to Canada, so we didn't know what to expect, but it was a fairly painless process. A nice lady there asked us about a dozen questions (it almost felt like speed dating). Another guy gave us a firm arm wave by saying "I am off now so sit your butts back down and the next guard will help you" without saying anything at all. I felt like a dog. After about half an hour there, they let us into Canada, and after a lot of construction we made into Winnipeg about 10pm.
Speaking of construction, there was a lot of it today. I guess we should be getting used to that.
A few initial observations about Canada:
* The metric system and the way spedometers are set up cause Canadians to drive slower in the U.S. and Americans to drive even faster in Canada. We were passing people constantly. It was weird, because I typically never go more than 5 mph over the speed limit. Also, we were ecstatic to see a speed limit sign say 100, until we immediately realized it meant kilometers per hour, not miles per hour.
* Everything seems nicer and cleaner in Canada. Even North Dakota seemed so...fresh...compared to the previous 5 states we'd be in on this trip. Does the cold preserve everything better?
* All road signs are in both English and French here. I think I finally have an opportunity to brush up on my French.
We are staying in our first hostel tonight in Winnipeg. The people here are nice. I even ate some free berries. From what I can tell so far, I really like this city. It it weren't for the -40 degree winters.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Alaska Trip - Day 1
I feel so lucky to be able to take this trip. Most people do not get an opportunity to do this, so I feel that we are fortunate.
Not much to report on Day 1. I picked up Steven in our rented Toyota Rav4 around 7pm, and now we are in Omaha staying at a friend's house. Thanks Sam! Speaking of the Rav4, it is freaking nice, and has lots of storage room for the immense amount of stuff we have brought with us. We might be sleeping in the vehicle a few nights, and fortunately it appears that there is enough room for us to do so!
Tomorrow, we will have breakfast with a few friends at Perkins, then head straight north to Winnipeg. There will be A LOT of driving tomorrow, most of it through a fairly boring landscape. Shannon would hate it! :)
Not much to report on Day 1. I picked up Steven in our rented Toyota Rav4 around 7pm, and now we are in Omaha staying at a friend's house. Thanks Sam! Speaking of the Rav4, it is freaking nice, and has lots of storage room for the immense amount of stuff we have brought with us. We might be sleeping in the vehicle a few nights, and fortunately it appears that there is enough room for us to do so!
Tomorrow, we will have breakfast with a few friends at Perkins, then head straight north to Winnipeg. There will be A LOT of driving tomorrow, most of it through a fairly boring landscape. Shannon would hate it! :)
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Alaska Trip - The Introduction
Hey humans who I am greatly knowledgable of and care about. I wanted to let you know that I will be updating everyone about our road trip to Alaska regularly on here and Facebook.
We are leaving tomorrow night, and will be gone until July 25th. I plan on updating everyone on the trip as often as possible...hopefully everyday. I will also post video clips at www.youtube.com/electricneedleroom
I don't care if the government knows everything we will be up to. I want to do this to help us remember such a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. This is definitely one of those top things I wanted to do before I die, and I can't believe we're finally doing this. It feels like the right time, and I know it will be something I will never forget, even if we didn't take any photos or videos at all.
In case you didn't know, Shannon did not want to take this journey. Or should I say, she wasn't crazy enough to. So it's just Steven and I. 7500 miles round trip. Yes, we are insane.
We are leaving tomorrow night, and will be gone until July 25th. I plan on updating everyone on the trip as often as possible...hopefully everyday. I will also post video clips at www.youtube.com/electricneedleroom
I don't care if the government knows everything we will be up to. I want to do this to help us remember such a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. This is definitely one of those top things I wanted to do before I die, and I can't believe we're finally doing this. It feels like the right time, and I know it will be something I will never forget, even if we didn't take any photos or videos at all.
In case you didn't know, Shannon did not want to take this journey. Or should I say, she wasn't crazy enough to. So it's just Steven and I. 7500 miles round trip. Yes, we are insane.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Alaska and the Examiner
It's been awhile since I updated the ol' blog, so here are some updates...
* My brother and I are finally taking a road trip to Alaska this July. This is something I have wanted to do for literally 13 years, and I am finally doing it. We will go all the way north to Fairbanks. The whole trip will take 16 days.
* I am now writing about the Kansas City music scene here.
Be sure to subscribe to the articles! It's cool to be writing about music again.
* My brother and I are finally taking a road trip to Alaska this July. This is something I have wanted to do for literally 13 years, and I am finally doing it. We will go all the way north to Fairbanks. The whole trip will take 16 days.
* I am now writing about the Kansas City music scene here.
Be sure to subscribe to the articles! It's cool to be writing about music again.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Kansas City Underground Music, baby
I am now reviewing the Kansas City music scene for The Examiner web site. Feel free to subscribe to my articles! I will be publishing articles at least once or twice a week. I already have a few local album reviews up.
Ch-ch-ch-check it out!
Ch-ch-ch-check it out!
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