Day12-We arrived at the Rocky Mountains! After settling in at Salt Lake City, UT last night, we took a short trip to Antelope Island State Park in the middle of the Great Salt Lake this morning, before heading north. Great Salt Lake is the largest natural lake west of the Mississippi River and is a remnant of the pre-historic Lake Bonneville, which covered more than 20,000 miles during the ice age. The park gets its name from the Pronghorn Antelope that roam freely on the island, along with many Mule Deer. But, its most famous residents are American Bison. Twelve animals were brought to the island in 1893 and now there’s a healthy heard of around 600. Along with the larger mammals, the park is home to Coyotes, Badgers and a variety of birds. It’s a unique, amazing park, and I really l would like to return to spend a few days roaming around!

Our travels took us north to some of the most famous, and visited, national parks in America-Grand Teton NP and Yellowstone NP. Our plan was to hit Grand Teton today and visit Yellowstone the next two days. On the way to Grand Teton we trekked through some of the most beautiful high mountain meadows we’ve ever seen. The areas we traveled through were found at about 6000’ and were vast and lush with huge green meadows, fresh water ponds and even some cattle pastures. Most people probably just drive through them on their hurried way to get to the big parks. We were able to spot several Sandhill Cranes, hawks and waterfowl using these habitats.

I think the Grand Tetons (a local range in the Rocky Mountains) are the most majestic-looking mountains in the entire country. Each time you look at them, you photograph them! It doesn’t matter how many times you stop, or from how far away your parked (or hiking), you just keep snapping. When you first see them from a long distance, you pull-over to take pictures almost thinking you better capture them now before they’re gone, even though you know you’ll get much closer! A cloud gently rolls in over one of the peaks and you look at it thinking, “that looks cool, I don’t have a picture of that yet,” then the sun breaks through the clouds and illuminates one of the glaciers that hides between the peaks, and again you steer the car nearly into the ditch. Why? Because the mountains beg you to stop and photograph them. Lots of other cars are almost in ditches, too-even though 100 yards up the road you discover a large, safe turnout to stop in. Even after you’re all done for the day and you’re heading out of the park, you still manage to snap one last picture through your window at 40 mph, as twist your head around into a pretzel! That’s what the Tetons do to you! That’s their magic!

We called today Mammal Monday because of all the mammals we spotted throughout the day. We started with Coyotes, Pronghorn, Bison and ground squirrels on Antelope Island SP, and continued our good luck with seeing a young, bull Moose feeding along the Snake River in Grand Teton NP. We also managed to see a few Elk grazing nearby, Mule Deer along the busy roads and chipmunks playing among the rocks at Jenny Lake. The ladies made fun of me (and started to get a bit concerned) as Big Blue spent quite a bit of time driving in reverse. I would spot something, then wildly hit the brakes as if something just ran in front of me, take a quick look in my mirror, and start backing up to get a better view of it. It started with seeing two Coyotes on the causeway into Antelope Island SP. I noticed a pair of them crossing the shallow flats in the Great Salt Lake, and were headed right for us. As they got closer they started trotting down alongside the truck, but in the opposite direction, so I started backing up. This continued for another ¼ mile as I positioned myself to get that perfect photo of both of them together. Fortunately, no other cars were on the road, or it might have been a problem. Finally, I heard the cries from the back seat, “Stop! Let’s go forward and get to the park!” The message was received loud and clear!

Western Meadowlarks an Black-billed magpies could be seen and heard throughout travels today (see below)

Day 11-After watching Darby spin around in circles last night with the luggage cart in the hotel parking lot, we settled in for the night in Carson City, NV. As a note, I thought it was a joke until I saw Theresa jump in to try and save her and the luggage from flying all over the hotel entrance! Darby’s rotation was so fast it looked she was riding some whacky ride at an amusement park. If they weren’t laughing so hard, I would have thought it was a traumatic experience.

We left Carson City and headed northwest across Nevada, with our goal of making Salt Lake City, UT by evening. By comparison, the scenery today was quite a bit “less exciting” than the past few days. For the most part the journey across these two states was uneventful, except for a good stop at a rest area in central Nevada. Not only was it a much needed bathroom break, but we also enjoyed a nice picnic lunch in the high Nevada desert, and I also found a small oasis of birds that were using the few trees that were growing there. I recorded Black-headed Grosbeak, Western Tanager, Bullocks Oriole, Wilson’s Warbler and a Western Kingbird. In addition, we also spotted a small ground squirrel that Darby scared away when she tried to offer the critter a piece of her bread stick from last night’s dinner by throwing it directly at him. The poor little rodent thought something was attacking him from above and frantically ran away into the sagebrush, heading toward Arizona!

A few western bird species I managed to spot (see below) at a rest area in central Nevada included Swainson’s Hawk, Black-headed Grosbeak and Western Tanager.

Getting ready to leave the rest area, I asked Theresa to drive Big Blue for a half hour or so, so I could take a quick power nap. Well, that didn’t quite work out so well for either of us. She really hasn’t driven the truck that much, and I put her behind the wheel in an unfamiliar area and told her to put the pedal to the metal. After 15 minutes of driving through some high winds, a long tunnel and several tractor trailers whizzing by, it was time for her to call it quits. Besides, honestly, I couldn’t even close my eyes! So, I asked her to pull off to a gravel turnout that was just ahead of us, but the only problem was she wasn’t slowing down to pull off. After I started wildly shaking my finger pointing to the spot to pull off, she came to a screeching stop in the gravel area, barely missing a plastic pole. It was as if she was pulling the truck into the pits at the Daytona 500. I sat there for a moment dazed, and subconsciously waiting for the truck to quickly jacked-up and all four tires to be changed, and gas to be dumped into our tank! I jumped out of the passenger side and breathed a sigh of relief!  

If you travel this part of the country on I-80, you have the fortunate (or unfortunate) pleasure of crossing through the Bonneville Salt Flats in western UT. This 40-mile stretch of highway has large, expansive salt flats on both sides of the road. Its claim to fame is that it’s the location where many land speed records have been broken over the years. It’s pretty cool to look out over the flats and see what appears to be water, with the mountains in the back looking like islands. There’s so much heat reflecting off the white salt and sand, it creates mirages in the distance, as you drive by. If you’re really not into that sort of thing, you’re in luck, since the legal speed limit coming across that section is 80 mph.

We rumbled into Salt Lake City, but not before one last little incident. I had forgotten to fill up with gas before we crossed the Bonneville Salt Flats, and read a sign that said the next fuel available was 55 miles away-oops. I couldn’t tell the girls just yet. If you have one of those indicator lights in your vehicle that comes on when the fuel is running low, you should probably pay attention to it. But, it’s even a bigger problem when that little orange light comes on for 25 miles, then disappears! That’s where I was. I had to spill the beans to Theresa and Darby that there was a slight chance we might run out of gas. I knew there was a small gas station 15 miles up the highway, but was not sure I could make it, and in my head I kept hearing my wife’s statement that’s been repeated to me for 27 years-“I do not push, and I do not walk for gas.” Luckily, I drifted into the gas station, stretching my neck to make sure it was still open on a Sunday night. I filled Big Blue’s tank, and said a couple quick prayers! Tomorrow we head north for Yellowstone NP and Grand Teton NP.

Day 10-After leaving the beaches of central CA, we met up with Tyler and Amelia for a hearty breakfast in Paso Robles. It was great seeing both of them and catching up with what they’re doing with each other, and their busy lives. It’s only been 12 hours and we miss them both already! Oh, and thanks for a great breakfast. We can’t wait to see you both again soon! Maybe a trip back to PA, eh?

As we traveled through the hills east of Paso Robles, we noticed a small herd of Elk at the top of a distant hill, staring across the road. When we turned to see what they we’re looking at we were surprised to see they were staring at a small cattle drive (see below)

On our horizon today were the mighty Sierra Nevada Mountains, and more specifically, Yosemite National Park. Known mainly for its waterfalls and famous granite peaks such as Half Dome, El Capitan and Cathedral Rocks, the park’s nearly 1,200 square miles host so many different ecosystems to explore, including alpine meadows, giant sequoia groves and high mountain lakes and streams. Around every turn there seems to be a different view of Yosemite’s rich, natural resources.

Four of Yosemite NP’s most popular attractions (below) are Bridalveil Falls (l) and Yosemite falls (r), and the granite peaks of Half Dome (l) and El Capitan (r).

Since we were visiting the park in mid-May, there was the chance that some of the roads we wanted to explore might be closed due to snow. We were in luck today, and our timing couldn’t have been more perfect. The one main road we wanted to drive (and would need to exit the park from) re-opened this morning after being closed for several days, so, after visiting all the main, but still spectacular, tourist sites, we headed north for Tioga Pass. Now this road is not for the faint-hearted. It winds its way across high peaks ranging from 6,000’-10,000’ and turns and switches back about 100x in 40 miles. The views are stunning, but should only be seen and appreciated at one of the many pull-offs along the route-not while you’re driving! Although there was quite a bit of snow higher up, we only hit a little bit of rain mixed  with some sleet. We took our time, and stopped along the way to see the less visited side of Yosemite, as the sun poked out through the low clouds that surrounded us. It was worth the cautious drive, as we were blessed with some of the most beautiful sights the park has to offer-most of which are not seen by the majority of visitors to Yosemite. The Sierra Nevada Mountains are big, really big, and they seem to go on forever. Just when you think you’re down out of them, another 8,000′ pass looms in front of you, and up you go again!

I asked Theresa and Darby to compare Yosemite to Zion, which we visited four days earlier, to see if they had a favorite. We all agreed that the views that Yosemite offered, along with the dozens of cool, snow-capped, granite peaks, were beautiful and simply unmatched from a scenic standpoint, but in the end, all three of us chose Zion. Maybe it was the trails of Zion that we had a chance to sample, maybe it was the towering sandstone pinnacles that stand like guardians over the forests and streams below, or maybe it was just because we got to hike up the middle of a fast-moving river! How cool is that!

 After four days of traveling throughout Central California that took us from the lowest point in the U.S., to the bright lights of Hollywood, and from the coastal beaches to some of the highest peaks in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, we departed the Golden State and landed in Carson City, NV (after a failed attempt to get to our hotel room in South Lake Tahoe, due to two key roads being closed because of snow). Although we have many miles to go, and still many places to see, Big Blue has officially turned himself (and us) back toward the East!

Day 9-A moment to slow down, sleep in this morning and relax for a day or so, in the same place. For a quick geography lesson, we’re hanging out near the central California Coast-about halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco. Tomorrow (Saturday), we begin our journey north and inland toward Yosemite National Park.

 As we get excited to see Tyler and Amelia, we took some time to do some local exploring. Our 24-hour travel pause allowed me to sneak out early this morning and do some birding at a local park. In addition, Theresa, Darby and I popped down the road a short distance to visit Morro Bay, on the central CA coast. This was a cool place that Amelia and Tyler showed me back in February, and I wanted to return with the ladies to show them the same. Staying overnight in Morro Bay made this short adventure easy.

A California Gull  (below) digs in the beach for sand crabs and a Snowy Egret dashes in and out of the surf

A few of the California birds I was able to see early this morning included an Acorn Woodpecker, an Anna’s Hummingbird stretching its wings, a Western Scrub Jay looking for insects and a California Towhee checking my truck out. Along with the birds, a family of Ground squirrels were not happy with my presence.

Between my brief bird walk and the critters we saw in Morro Bay, we logged a good bit of wildlife species today. The main attraction in Morro Bay are the California Sea Otters. These year-round critters lazily float in the bay, napping and feeding on the rich sea life. Many visitors travel to Morro Bay just to see these playful marine mammals. Although quite windy, our walk on the beach was very relaxing and peaceful, as we enjoyed watching California Gulls and Snowy Egrets feeding along the breaking waves, and discovered a couple small, intact sand dollars-some with barnacles growing on them. We did see an interesting habit that a few California Gulls were carrying-out. A bird would dig into the sand at the water’s edge with its webbed feet, then continue digging as water filled up the hole-just like kids digging on the beach as the waves roll in. It would stay in the same spot for several minutes, presumably looking for those little sand grabs as hors-d’oeuvres. By the time it was done, both legs would basically disappear in the hole. We also watched a few dedicated surfers braving the 54-degree F water!

We capped our afternoon adventure off with a stroll along some of the harbor shops, then stopped for, what else, ice cream! I was enjoying my sundae when out of nowhere, my dear daughter starting commenting about my wild, bushy eyebrows. I sat there shoving Moose Tracks into my mouth as Darby pointed at me as if I had two large caterpillars crawling across the tops of both eyes! I didn’t know whether to join both of them laughing, or immediately run back to the hotel room and shave them off! The way she looked at me you would think she was looking at Sasquatch! Darby began to laugh so hard that I think I saw ice cream ooze out of her nostrils. So, I did what any other semi-embarrassed father would do. I just sat there eating my snack, then declared it was time to go! Maybe this is what happens when we have a bit too much down time!

The long days finally caught up with me last night, so I’ve decided to combine Day 7 (yesterday)and Day 8 (today) together in this blog. 

Day 7-We left Las Vegas this morning to return to Hoover Dam so Theresa and Darby could take the dam tour, down inside this amazing structure. They really enjoyed the full tour, seeing the turbines and getting the opportunity to hold their cell phone outside one of the vents to snap a unique photo of the dam.

As we headed west to the CA desert and a stop in Death Valley National Park, one thing that didn’t let up for the past two days was the wind. It’s been strong and steady, blowing around 20-30 mph non-stop during the day. It started as we left Zion NP in Utah, returning to NV, and into CA, and refused to let up during the daylight hours. It does taper off when the sun goes down. We can certainly feel it with Big Blue’s boxy shape, as sometimes he gets nudged toward the side of the road by a strong gust (more on this later, including a close call).

We entered CA and paid a visit to Death Valley NP-the hottest, driest and lowest place in the U.S. Although Death Valley’s conditions can be extreme, the landscapes are very different throughout the park and show a rare beauty in how they were formed millions of years ago, and are still forming today. Rugged peaks, outcroppings of black volcanic rock formations, great vast salt flats, large, wind-blown sand dunes and ever-eroding sandstone badlands paint the park everywhere you look. It’s a very distinctive environment, but uniquely special as well!

As we departed Death Valley, we ascended up through two separate mountain passes. The first was Tower pass, at 5,000’. The drive up, then back down was a bit nervy. With 10-mile switchbacks, very little guide rail, wind gusts of 30 mph or more (remember those winds I mentioned earlier) and steep drop-offs just past the shoulder of the road, my grip on the steering wheel was pretty tight. At one point, a strong gust pushed the truck toward the edge of the roadway-no shoulder, no guide rail and a 1,000’ drop. Needless to say, we all took a quick breath, held on to something and froze for a minute or two. Except for me of course, since I was driving and couldn’t just stop or we probably would have plunged over the edge to a very gruesome death! As I glanced in my rear view mirror I saw Darby looking like she was about to project vomit on the back of my head, while a second glance toward my dear wife saw her grabbing my Bird Field Guide and start frantically turning pages as if she was speed reading the entire book, never taking another look out her window until we had safely descended. But, no worries, I shook Big Blue back into the middle of the lane and continued down, but this time driving at a snail’s pace. It was a very hairy call! When we got to the top of the second pass, there was a scenic overlook, so I asked Theresa and Darby if they would like to pull over to check it out. Their answer was perfectly timed together, with a booming “NO!” Later on, Darby told me if we had stopped at the overlook, she wasn’t going to get back in the truck for the drive to the bottom. She would either walk the 10 miles down the other side of the mountain, or call for an air lift! I do admit, it was one of the scariest drives I’ve ever done.

Some of the critters (see below) we encountered as we drove from Nevada to California included a very hungry Coyote that came right up to the truck when I pulled off the road (unfortunately, this was a sure clue other people had probably fed it), a Gambell’s Quail, a Common Raven calling to its mate and  a small White-tailed Ground Squirrel stopping for a snack and a Desert CottontaiI that I scared away after I laugh snorted while taking its photo! 

After a long day we safely arrived in LA, tired, but ready for a new kind of adventure on Thursday morning.

Day 8-The name of this two day blog is Extremes. Extreme landscapes, extreme temperatures, extreme weather conditions and now, extreme differences in visit locations. Up to this point, the trip has been mostly based on locations that focuses on our natural resources, because, quite honestly, that’s the kind of places we prefer to visit. But, we also like to “dip into” our cultarl resources every once in a while as well. That’s where California kinda fits in. You can’t get more extreme from trekking up a river gorge in the middle of a rugged National Park one day, then stroll down Hollywood Blvd. surrounded by thousands of people, large buildings, bright lights, music blaring, characters in costume darting in and out, the next day, and not consider it extreme!

It’s time to California. I word it like this not exactly knowing what it means “to California.” Maybe it’s a lifestyle, maybe it’s an attitude (not necessarily in a negative sense), maybe it’s a little of both. However, I’m convinced of one thing, if you don’t live in California, then you probably can’t understand what it means to be a Californian, and I’m ok with that. But, as promised, we were ready to check out one of the most famous places in the world-Hollywood.

We took the typical tourist route and booked a tour to “See the Star’s Homes, Beverly Hills, Bel Air, Rodeo Drive…and many more fascinating sights!”  We boarded our open air van with our guide Steve and driver Danny, and headed off. It was unseasonably chilly in LA today (temps in the low 60s), and rain was forecasted for a little later in the day-something that hasn’t happened in many months. As Danny raced through the wealthy neighborhood streets like a NYC Taxi Driver, Steve would point out a star’s house on one side, another on the opposite and spiced the locations up with many colorful and funny stories. It was a fun, fast-paced peek at some of the homes of the most famous and wealthiest people in the world, as well as a history of the entire TV, movie and music industry all rolled in to one. In addition, we took an extra hour and walked down the weird, but wonderful, Hollywood Blvd-with many people seeking fame and fortune dressed up as movie, comic book and cartoon characters and guys “giving” (for a small donation) away their personally autographed music demo CDs. At one point I laughed as I stood and watched one of these aspiring hip hop artists trying desperately to convince a group of eager Asian visitors that he was not Snoop Dog! The more he tried to sort it out, the more Asian visitors surrounded him! His pedaling of music CDs to this visiting group completely backfired, and he vacated his coveted spot in front of the Chinese Theater quickly and quietly. The group’s attention quickly turned away from the would-be musician when one of the visitors discovered Jackie Chan’s star in the sidewalk directly below them and they all rushed in, huddled around snapping photos of the star and selfies of themselves next to his star-only in Hollywood!  We also checked out the bronze stars on the Walk of Fame, Grauman’s Chinese Theater and the Dolby Theater (where the Academy Awards are held). From my personal travels, I compare it to a cross between Times Square in NYC, Jackson Square in New Orleans and the Strip in Las Vegas, but w/a few less people, and surrounded by a whole lot more money!

After a rainy ride north up RT 101 (Coastal Highway), we landed in Atascadero, where we’ll hang for a couple days to meet up with Tyler and Amelia tomorrow. I’ll be aiming to get back to my daily blog if time allows. As a note, to date we’ve travelled 3,490 miles, traveled through 13 states and visited 5 National Parks-and we’re not even halfway done yet! Thanks for following our travels!

Day 6-We left the bright lights of Las Vegas this morning and headed northeast to Utah-our destination: Zion National Park. It was only a 2.5 hour drive from Vegas, which, compared to some of our recent long days driving, seemed like a short trip up the street to go for milk. Darby had chosen to give up her first choice excursion to Area 51, for an outing to this park, and we’re glad she did!

Now I’ve heard a lot about Zion NP (and other National Parks in Utah such as Bryce Canyon and Arches), and it’s been on my bucket list to visit for many years, but nobody else’s personal photos, postcards or national Geographic TV shows can equal an actual visit to this park! In this blog you’re going to briefly read about our day and see some of the photos we snapped, but this is one place you must try and get to in person. My words and our photos don’t “do it fair justice.” It was truly (and literally in some places) breathtaking!

I had promised Theresa and Darby if we could get out early, I would stop for coffee and some breakfast. About 20 miles north of LV, Darby had tracked down a Dunkin Donuts and we all decided we really needed coffee. Unknowingly, the exit we chose was for the LV International Speedway. Yep, big race tracks, grandstands, shops and NASCAR signs everywhere. Big Blue (my truck) got very excited and seemed to pull us toward the main track. I think he really wanted to live out a fantasy and take a few laps! He resisted when, realizing we had made a wrong turn and were headed for the main pit area, I turned him around toward the Dunkin Donut shop. For the next 90 miles he drove like he was pouting!

After easing our tired morning bodies with some java and snacks, we were on our way. As we entered Utah, we drove through the Virgin River Canyon-an amazing 11-mile stretch of I-15 that cuts through steep, rugged peaks on both sides of you. I do admit, it was hard to keep my eyes on the curvy highway when you’re driving past 9,000’ peaks right outside your window, but both my wife and daughter kept reminding me as Big Blue would edge closer to the 100’ drop-offs!

Zion NP is Utah’s first National Park. For millions of years, the Virgin River (which flows into Lake Meade above the Hoover Dam) has carved a path through layers of sandstone, forming spectacular gorges and forming high, rugged peaks of all sizes in its path. Wherever you look, you’re surrounded by cathedral-looking pinnacles of rock that tower above you. Every turn and every new step on a trail seems to call out for yet another photo.

We encountered some cool wildlife along our hikes today, including (see below) a momma Ground Squirrel carrying a baby and a small little Tree frog quietly resting on a log.

We wanted to hike today, and we did a good bit of it. Not hard core 15-mile hikes, but just some easy walks on some of the hundreds of miles of trails the park offers. Our first stop was a nice 4-mile hike up to what’s called the Upper Emerald Pool. The first section (3 miles) is considered easy, but the last 1-mile section was considered moderate. It was pretty challenging-especially that last section. But Darby, who turned into part Mountain Goat today, seemed to glide across the rocks with ease, and traverse the ups and downs as if she walked the trail many times before, only stopping to snap a quick photo w/her iPhone, or to check on the slow progress of Theresa and I. I do admit, I was impressed by her endurance!

Our last stop of the day was maybe the coolest (figuratively and literally). We wanted to hike a section of the park called the Narrows. As its name implies, it’s a deep, narrow gorge with the Virgin River (more like a large stream) running down through the middle of it. After walking on the Riverwalk, a 1-mile paved path the trail ends at the river. At this point you carefully walk up through the rushing water as far as you want to go-you can choose a few hundred yards, or you can hike up another 10 miles. The farther up you wander, the deeper, and tighter the gorge becomes. It’s an awesome experience. Most visitors simply walk up a little ways and turn around. Many of the Adventure Tour groups were leading their customers up 3-5 miles. The three of us decided a ½ mile up was far enough to get a “feel for the experience,” and after standing in 50-degree water for an hour, we were once again ready for dry land. It was a fantastic end to a fantastic day in Zion National Park. The three of us only chatted a few times on the way back to Vegas-exhausted from a long day of hiking and sightseeing, but extremely satisfied!

Sunshine can lift the spirits. Arizona has lots of sunshine. We rose this morning to a beautiful morning in Winslow,  AZ to bright sun, blue, cloudless sky and a fairly short day of driving ahead of us.  I woke up early with hopes of seeing a few AZ birds in the brush behind our hotel, and had some luck as I found Black-throated sparrows, Ash-throated Flycatchers and Yellow-breasted Chats-all new birds for our trip list.

The night before, I told Darby that she could sleep in a bit this morning, since we didn’t need to leave until 9am. Things didn’t quite work out as I promised, since I forgot my room key, had to rush back to go to the bathroom, then knocked a bit loudly on the door to get back in-all before 7am. It didn’t help Darby’s promised morning of peaceful rest when Theresa and I were sipping coffee and talking a bit loud. When I mentioned her name, I heard a Darth Vader-like voice project out from under the sheet. “Yes, I’m awake, how could I not be!” Oops, sorry Darb-I’ll give you another try at a morning sleep-in another day!

It was 9:30 am when we rolled into the Meteor Crater, just east of Flagstaff, AZ. Many signs dot the 6-mile road back to the site warning drivers to slow down because of calves that were just born and may wander onto the road. I was pretty much ignoring the signs until I saw one of the cute little moo-moos moving very close to the road shoulder. A sudden flash came across me as I envisioned myself trying to explain to the rancher and AZ Highway Patrol how I ran over one of his prize beef calves after passing 76 warning signs, while visitors in RVs passed by me shaking their angry fists! I decided to slow down and heed the signs!

50,000 years ago a large meteor crashed into the Earth’s surface in this remote spot. It left a crater more than ¾ of a mile wide, and over 500 feet deep, which scientists are still investigating today. It’s an amazing natural landmark, and you feel very tiny as you stand on the rim looking down into this large hole! In addition, Theresa managed to give us some wildlife bonus while walking on the pathways, as she caught sight of a cool looking caterpillar, a couple small birds that we identified as Rock Wrens, and two different species of lizards. At one point, I was trying to get a little better look at the birds when I tripped on the edge of the path. Fortunately, there’s a railing and I caught myself before I plunged over the edge of the rocky wall of the 500-foot deep crater! OK, so, I might not have been right on the edge of the large hole where I could have fallen to my death. But if I had fallen, then rolled 50 feet up across several large boulders, then bounced over two more railings, it could have been very dangerous for me!

Our destination for the evening was Las Vegas, where we’ll be for the next two days. But, as we headed north we had to stop at the man-made marvel and unbelievable engineering feat of the Hoover Dam. Although we missed the last dam tour, we’ll have enough time to return so Theresa and Darby can experience the same thrill that Tyler and I did in February. It was great, and I really want to see if I can get the girls down in the dam before we head to CA.

We ended our day with a great meal in one of our hotel (Paris-Las Vegas) restaurants, then walked “The Strip” to catch some of the sights, sounds and lights of Vegas! Good Night from Sin City!

As we began our day 4 trek to the Four Corners Monument in northwest New Mexico, the landscape seemed very familiar to me. It should be, since I took this same route in February, 2014 with Tyler, on his way to CA to start his new position near San Francisco. The difference was today it was about 25 degrees warmer and there was no snow on the ground. It was a fresh look at some of the same landscapes we passed through 15 months ago. Although it’s a long way from anywhere, there’s nowhere else in the U.S. where you can stand in four different states at the same time. It’s well worth the drive!

When it was time to leave, I asked Darby if she would like to drive the 3 hours back down to the highway. With a little hesitation, she accepted the challenge, even though it was unfamiliar territory for her and we had wind gusts of 25+ mph. After 28 grueling miles, she decided she had enough. She pulled Big Blue over to the side of the road, looked at me and exclaimed, “Thanks, but no thanks. It’s all yours,” and once she turned the map right-side up, turned out to be a decent navigator.

Some tidbits of nature in our travels today (below) included Western Kingbirds, blooming Prickly Pear cactus and skinks (lizards) that darted in and out of the rocks

Our last stop of the day was the Petrified Forest National Park and Painted Desert. This was an awesome visit that actually combines several natural and cultural resources into one incredible location. At one viewpoint your gazing at buttes and mesas that seemed to change colors right in front of your eyes (as the sun hits them), and then you shoot up to another vista to see the scattered remains of 200 million year old trees that have turned to stone, that include beautiful crystals. And, if that wasn’t enough, you can experience, fossils, petroglyphs and ruins of ancient Pueblo villages. It truly has something for everyone.

Everyone likes snapping pictures. They post them on Facebook, Instagram or Snapchat. They email them to friends and families, even though many of the friends and families may get tired of seeing them and simply delete them. But, does it really matter? No, not really. You see, you’re not taking photos for them, you’re taking photos for yourself-for your own memories, for your own stories to be told later. Sure, you may enjoy sharing your adventure, experience or event with others, but unless it’s a fancy remote control camera or one of the new types of motion-activated trail cams, the one thing that is needed to take a photo is that you have to be there to snap it, looking directly at the subject. I think sometimes (including yours truly) we just want to race out, capture the photo, and move on to the next “photo opp.” We simply ignore taking a few minutes to sit and enjoy what you’re looking at, or what you came to see in the first place. Today was one of those days. We snapped a lot of pics, but also tried just to stand for a few minutes and look. We had to. The sights that we were fortunate to see were better than any photo that we could have taken. It was pretty cool, and I highly recommend it! Stay tuned!

Today was a dash. A dash across Tornado Alley, with eyes to the sky. We left Oklahoma City early this morning with hopes of getting out in front of the approaching storms. Just yesterday they had experienced wicked thunderstorms, flash flooding and a couple near misses with tornados-and even more severe weather was predicted for today. If you’re not familiar with where Tornado Alley is located, just watch the Weather Channel or any of the cable news stations. They’re having one of the largest, and most destructive spells of severe weather in a long time. Oklahoma, with I-40 running across most of the state, is right smack dab in the middle. Our travels yesterday and today had us driving on I-40, running across most of the state of Oklahoma, and continuing over into northern Texas.

If anyone knows my lovely wife, you’ll know she’s very good at being prepared for just about anything. In the past 24 hours she also began explaining instructions she found on the internet, (as well as the Weather Channel) to Darby and I about what we would have to do if we should encounter a funnel cloud while driving. Notice that I said, what “we would HAVE to do,” not should do, or possibly do. The plan, as explained to us in detail, was that we would pull the truck over to the side of the road, abandon MY truck, and lie down flat in a low ditch. Now, if you know me, I’m not sure that would be very effective for yours truly. Sure, Darby and Theresa might be spared by their low profile, but unless I found a large Prairie Dog hole to scurry down, I’m not sure I could get very low in the ditch to make a difference. As a matter of fact, I might even cause a secondary problem by damming up any storm water runoff that was running down the ditch, causing a mini flash flood on the same roadway we needed to escape on! At one particular point this morning we were driving right toward some very dangerous looking clouds when Theresa turned to Darby and told her to get her sneakers on. I looked at Darby in the rearview mirror with a puzzled look and we both kinda just chuckled. Did she know something we didn’t know? About 20 minutes later, Darby summed up the entire morning. Some of the sky showed signs of clearing and I wanted to snap a good photo showing the vast grasslands of western Oklahoma before we left. I found a perfect spot to stop and had to to quickly slow down before I drove past it. Without missing a beat, Darby looked up from her phone and calmly asked, “Are we getting ready to run?” We all broke out in laughter, and although a bit stressful morning due to the weather conditions, it was a perfectly-timed question!

As we left Oklahoma and northeast Texas, we were fortunate to leave behind the dangerous weather as well. We decided to take a break and stop by a well-known attraction in Amarillo-the Cadillac Ranch. Actually, it’s more like a Cadillac art display. In the middle of a farm field ten old, Cadillacs stand in a row, all with their front ends buried, as if they all crash landed in a perfect line. The owner invites anyone to stop by and legally graffiti your name, message, etc. in spray paint on any of the cars. Darby decided she would like to give it go, so, after both her and Theresa removed their shoes and walked the 200-yard walk barefoot, through 3” of mud and large puddles from recent rains, Darby left her autograph in metallic gold paint, as Theresa, myself and several other, not so brave visitors, watched on. It was pretty cool.

We ended our travel day in beautiful Albuquerque, surrounded by rugged mountains of rocks that look like they could tumble down at any time, and capped our nervous-traveling, fun, weird day with a fantastic southwestern meal (and great service) at the Range Café in Bernalillo, NM.

I’ve said it before, weather happens, whether you want it to, or not………btw, as we look ahead to our travels next week that will bring us to Wyoming and South Dakota, we can’t help to chuckle just a bit after hearing that 1’-2’ of snow has just fallen in the areas we’re planning on exploring! Let the fun begin!

Day 2, and we started a bit later today, than we did yesterday. We all got some much needed rest and were ready to continue west! As we crossed the Mighty Mississippi, we made a brief stop in St. Louis so Theresa and Darby could visit the Gateway Arch, including a trip to the top. I skipped the pod ride this time, having experienced the Star Trek-like journey two years ago with Tyler. I had no desire to repeat the outing! They both enjoyed the elevated view of the city and the Mississippi River from 630’ up in the air! They even snapped a photo of me laying down below them in the grass, until I realized I had stretched out in a nest of ants, and jumped up and ran off the large lawn area, hopping up and down like a crazed maniac. I’m surprised one of the National Park Service Park Rangers didn’t call in a SWAT team to take me down!

Leaving St. Louis is was time to hit the road again and make our way across Missouri, and down into Oklahoma. We were quite aware of the weather we were about to face!

 As we came into the city of Springfield, we had one quick detour we had to take-weather, or no weather. Hidden in the back of an office complex, behind of one of the buildings, stands the World’s Biggest Fork, at 35 feet tall! It was very cool, and if you could actually lift it, you could probably stab the World’s Biggest green bean, french fry or other food items you’re supposed to use a fork for!

A large part of taking long distance trips, of any kind, is to experience the local culture. These experiences may not necessarily end up with a beautiful or captivating photograph, or purchasing a delicious meal, or hand-made craft from a local artist, but they are just as interesting in their own right. Many times the funniest stories are from these encounters. We had a small “cultural experience” today when we decided to stop for a late lunch at Hood’s Truck Stop in south central Missouri. We were seated by a group of 10 people, who, by over hearing their loud bellows, decided all to come over to Hoods for lunch. We presumed they were all pretty much related and conversed in topics ranging from staying in a local motel where they had bed bugs and had to turn the mattresses over, to swimming naked in a cold pond, to pointing out the fact that the local Wal-Mart did not have everything on sale that was on the flyer they received in the mail the day before! The last topic (Wal-Mart) had everyone at the table in several heated discussions and sent them in to a mini feeding frenzy! Thank goodness the three of us had finished our sandwiches first, and quickly headed for the door!

 Our day ended in Oklahoma City, OK, as we arrived to pounding thunderstorms with heavy rain and wind, but thankfully, no tornados. Even as I finish typing this, the weather continues to hammer the hotel we’re staying in (and all of the OKC metro area), and more tornados and flash flood watches have been issued. Tomorrow (Sat) may bring the worst of it, yet. We’ll be up early and headed west across northern Texas and into New Mexico, as quickly, and safely, as possible. Weather is part of the “great” outdoors, and unfortunately, sometimes Mother Nature reminds us of the sheer power that she can unleash!