I'm home!

17 days, 12 states, and 5,064 miles later I've made it back to the state of Illinois.  I'm visiting my parents for a few days - to prove to them I'm still alive and for some homemade meals fresh from the garden.  Corn on the cob and peaches, yum!!

I'm also hanging out with my old "bubby" and taking in the country sunsets (a close second to the Grand Canyon).

The Gateway Arch

It had been several years since I'd been to the Arch (ok, like 30, but it shouldn't be so long ago) so I didn't remember too much about it.  Really my only memory is my brother asking when we were going to go up in it as we were leaving because he thought we'd go up the outside like they did in the movie.  This time the movie was the most interesting part.  And instead of going up in the tram car, I want to go inside the "legs" to see how they did everything.  How is it ventilated?  And who came up with how to build it?  Is that means and methods?  Can you tell I'm an architect?

Corn fields, wheat fields and Monument Rocks

Yes, I am in Kansas.  (Finally, I've seen it many times from across the Missouri River, but never set foot in it.)  I don't think it's as flat as everyone says.  There are rolling hills and trees (in some places anyway).  A lot like Illinois. . . in fact I think central Illinois is flatter.

I went off the paved roads today to see Monument Rocks, several large rock formations out in the middle of a cow pasture.  There was 7 miles of dirt roads (not even gravel roads) and dodging cows to get there, but I finally made it.  St. Louis, here I come!

Pike's Peak. . .

was a bust!  Here's the view I had from the top:

Oh, and that's not just fog or rain; it's grapple (basically sleet but not exactly).  I had prepared for the cold, but didn't think about snow!  I'm glad I took the cog rail to the top, but it could stay a little longer.  Even without having a view to look at, there wasn't enough time to do anything before the train left again - only 30 minutes for a 3 hour round trip.  It didn't seem worth it to me.  (I just remembered that the train did leave 10-15 minutes late so that would have helped.)

Back at the base the weather was slightly better so I went to Garden of the Gods.



I think I must be tired of unique landscapes because I didn't stay that long.  (Now I know how my sister felt in Europe looking at all the churches I drug her to.)

Albuquerque

After several long days, it was time to take it easy (sort of).  I took a tram ride to the top of Sandia Peak (over 10,000 feet in elevation), and then did some more hiking.  I thought I would be out of shape when I got back home, but I don't think so anymore especially with the altitude difference. 

 View of the Sandia mountains

View into Albuquerque

I tried to go to another Triple D restaurant, but I couldn't find it.  I went to another restaurant instead and had "New Mexican" food.  It was good too.

2 Unexpected Stops

On my way east from the Grand Canyon, I saw a sign for Meteor Crater.  It sounded interesting and was fairly close to the interstate so I decided to stop.  It's exactly what the name suggests.  A crater caused by a meteorite.  The first one to be confirmed that it was created that way.  (Before that everyone thought all craters were made by volcanoes.)  It's a mile in diameter and 550 feet deep.

The second stop was the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest (one national park).  Again some odd landscapes and beautiful too.

Guess I'll see Albuquerque tomorrow!

The GRAND Canyon

When I first saw the Grand Canyon, it almost didn't look real.  I think it's too big for my brain to process what it was seeing.  Plus it seemed like I would fall off the edge.  There were people sitting on rocks jutting out into nothing, but I couldn't do it.  (I don't know that I'm afraid of heights; it's the falling part.  Besides, I trip enough when the ground is flat  One loose rock and. . .)

I hiked around about a quarter of it.  (The shuttles were too full, and you don't get to see all the views and wildlife.)  On the west end there are views of the Colorado river.  I didn't expect it to be brown.  

The highlight was staying around for sunset. It was beautiful!  (My pictures don't do it justice.)  The best part was the little French girl saying good-bye as it sunk below the horizon.

Hoover Dam

The answer to the only project to get done early and under budget.  (Ok, maybe not only, but it has to be close, right?)  It's hard to explain how big it is.  Mind boggling to think about all the effort that went into building it.  And only 5 years and $46 million (in 1935)!

The dam tour actually goes into the inspection tunnels and other areas in the dam.  They only allow 20 people per tour so the tickets go fast.  I got the last one!  (Traveling by yourself does have some perks!)  There are original public areas that are no longer used that have terrazzo and glazed block.  

Above is the inspection tunnel where the joints in the concrete are visible. .Below a view out an air intake about halfway down the dam.

The land of the hoodoos

Hoodoo sounds like something from Dr. Seuss, and they look like it too.

But they are all over Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah.  I wasn't sure what to expect,  but it's very cool.  Basically the stone has eroded away leaving arches and different shapes. Some even look like historical figures, if you squint. (It's supposed to be Queen Victoria.

I had only planned on walking along the rim, but I had the whole day to explore so I hiked to the bottom.  Of course then I had to come back up.  At the end of the day, I was the same color as the hoodoos, but it was worth it.

Salt Lake City

After all the nature I've seen,  it was time to see some buildings.  I walked around Temple Square,  where the cathedral and tabernacle are.   The cathedral isn't open to the public, but the tabernacle (home to the choir) was and a guy was playing the organ.  The sound was everywhere:  it seemed like the air was vibrating.

For lunch I went to Maxwell's East Coast Eatery, featured on Triple D.  There was pizza,  salads,  and sandwiches on the menu so I choose the chicken wrap (just kidding).  I had the eggplant parmesan sandwich, which was good.

I traveled to Bryce Canyon in the afternoon (crossed Highway 50 and Interstate 70, in that order).  There was nothing for miles around.

Craters of the Moon

Parts of  Idaho reminded me of central Illinois -- if the potato fields were soybeans (which I thought they were at first) and there weren't mountains in the background.  But Craters of the Moon was unlike anything I had seen before.  I don't know how to describe it -- it's not really beautiful, just very strange.  Volcanoes erupted years ago, and the hardened lava is what's left.

There are also hills covered in cinders to hike up. . . 

And caves to explore (nature's Pantheon).

Yellowstone

Today was Yellowstone!  Since I didn't plan ahead, I didn't have a good plan of attack so I decided to just do one day and see what I could (or at least Old Faithful).  Today turned out to be cloudy and cool so waiting for Old Faithful took a little more patience.  (I kept thinking of the saying, "A watched pot never boils."  Except it finally did.)    

I then braved the weather and visited other geysers.  Standing in the steam felt good except for the smell!  When I was leaving, I stopped by a waterfall.  There were some people swimming in the river.  It had to be freezing!

While it was beautiful, I've decided I'm definitely a beach person.  I like the wide open space.

I saw a moose!!

While traveling through the Bighorn National Forest, there were a few cars parked along the side of the road (not at a scenic overlook), and people were looking at something.  I thought it seemed strange so I pulled over too.  There was a moose!!  Glad I stopped!!  

I also saw prairie dogs near Devil's Tower.  So cute!  (I was hoping one would attack the girl who was trying to catch it, but they just ran to their hole.)  

Mt. Rushmore and Devil's Tower

I didn't post yesterday because I went to the lighting ceremony at Mt. Rushmore.  I was looking forward to it, but it was a little disappointing.  It didn't seem to be very well lit.  (It looked better from farther away.)  I did enjoy my time there in the afternoon.  The "Walk of Flags" (I think that's what it's called) was a cool entrance.  Also the trail to get closer to it made for better pictures.  Piece of advice:  start on the left that way you go down the stairs.

Devil's Tower wasn't on the list, but was only an hour away.  Also a few people told me I needed to have a close encounter.  No aliens, but there were people climbing it.  I wasn't that adventurous, but did walk the trail around it.  It's just odd that it's the only thing like it around.  

But the whole Wyoming landscape is strange.  There's red dirt and hills with scrubby bushes and protrusions on the top.  Then there's tree covered mountains which leads to a flat, brown almost desert-like (I'm assuming) land.  Then back to mountains which is what I get to drive through again tomorrow to get to Yellowstone.  Can't wait!  I wish my sister was with me so I could make her drive -- just kidding!

Ashfall fossil site and Corn Palace

Who knew there were once rhinos, elephants and alligators roaming the plains of Nebraska?   What about saber-toothed deer?  (I didn't even know there was such a thing.)  Ten million years ago anyway.  Here's what happened: A volcano erupted, covered the ground with ash, and the animals basically suffocated.   Sort of a mini Pompeii.   However, most of it still remains in place, and it's actively being excavated.  Very interesting!

I was not as impressed with the Corn Palace.  I didn't realize they "rebuilt" it every year so this year's hadn't been completed yet.  Not sure when they take it apart or how long it takes (forgot to ask too).

Day two

I almost pulled a Clark Griswold and showed up at Wally world when it was closed.   Luckily, the internet saved me from a hour drive to a closed carousel museum.  Actually, I thought the whole day wasn't going to work out, but some nice contractors let me in to the school.  Looks just like what I drew. :)

Then a quick 4 hour drive - dodging the storms - to Norfolk, NE (apparently the boyhood home of Johnny Carson).  I found the best radio station out of Omaha to keep me company (it was like I was back in high school/college.)  The last hour had large cattle farms/ranches, and rolling corn fields.

The hotel manager gave me a wonderful recommendation for dinner.  The weather was so nice I took a walk after and was completely charmed by the town.  On to the rhino skeletons and Corn Palace!

The adventure has started!

The adventure has started!  I left this afternoon since I wasn't doing anything else.  (It also worked better with what I wanted to see.)  Carden Park school will be my first stop -- if I can talk them in to letting me inside.  I've seen the exterior when it was under construction, but only pictures of the interior.  They looked awesome!

Then on to a new state and the carousel museum.  The plan is to travel to the next stop after that, but who knows???

June

The month of June was for getting projects done around the house that I had put off.  First my sister and I tackled the front porch.  She hated the "astroturf", but I was scared what was under it.  Turns out it's in perfectly good shape.  Just had to remove the adhesive before I painted it.  I also painted the porch poles because when I stopped to look at them they weren't in as good as shape as I thought.

My mom came up the next week, and we took up the old wood border around the landscaping.  I installed the new brick later.  After trimming the shrubs and mulching, it looks awesone.  I know it may not be very exiciting, but I needed some down time and it feels good to have accomplished something.