My Sedona (sung to the tune of My Sharona)

Drive Time: Torrey, UT to Sedona, AZ 8 hours
Weather: Sunny, highs around 75 degrees

The drive from Capitol Reef to Sedona included: more cattle in the road (sans Cowboys); lots of beautiful rock formations; even more desert terrain; Indian reservations, and finally some crazy switchbacks down steep canyons.

We arrived in Sedona a little too late to enjoy a hike of any length. We set up camp at the Cave Springs Campground in Coconino National Forest. We explored the campground, full of what Mike affectionally calls "leafers" - people who have come from places like San Diego to enjoy the fall foliage. We made our way into downtown Sedona to checkout the shops and restaurants. Sedona is definitely a beautiful place  (of which we had little time to fully see) but it's tainted by the masses of tourist flooding into it's blood red canyons and spectacular forests.

Currently we are at a little bar in Sedona, enjoying the local Oak Creek brew and watching game seven of the world series... Go Cards!

San Diego tomorrow and lots and lots of apartment hunting. Wish us luck!

~Roberta

P.S. We are having trouble uploading new pics... pictures from Moab, Capitol Reef, and Sedona to come soon, please check back!

Cowboy Country

Drive Time: Moab, UT to Capitol Reef National Park 3 hours 30 minutes
Weather: Sunny and in the 60's

After leaving Moab, we took a 3 hour + drive to Torrey, Utah to see Capitol Reef National Park. As we entered the town we saw signs for "open range" with a picture of a cow on it and we soon figured out why... within moments Roberta had to slam on the brakes as cattle blocked the roadway. We crept along the road as most slowly moved to the side. Rounding the bend we saw a seemingly endless line of multi-colored cattle. Cowboys, real cowboys and cowgirls too, cracking whips and herding the cattle down the dusty desert road. We took as many pictures as possible, trying not to look like tourist or a bunch of creeps.

We got to Capital Reef and took what turned out to be our favorite hike yet. After a steep initial climb up the mountain we took off running down the trails inside the canyon. It was an amazing impromptu run after an intended hike but we got caught up in the excitement of exploring our surroundings. We peaked down a crack in the mountain which I then decided to go down while Roberta opted to sun bathe on a rock "like a lizard" my option turned out to be one of the coolest things I have down in a while...

At the start of the crack it was easy for me to straddle the two sides and walk down about 10 ft up it. As I made my way down the seemingly endless path I was forced to climb higher while the crack continued to get wider. I was able to make most of the way using small pockets for grip but then the crack really widened. At one point I was 20 ft in the air and fully horizontal pressing as hard as I could through my feet and hands to slowly shuffle further into the crack. It was an adrenaline pumping experience and I wish I could have snapped a few photos from my perspective.

So awesome.

When I returned we continued on, and finished out a 6 mile hike with more scenic views. I continued to seek rocks to climb, at one point I climbed myself into trouble and was forced to leap 5 ft over to another rock both of which were about 20 ft in the air. I did this with little more than a few scraps, and of course making sure Roberta was looking the other way.

That night we stayed at the Cowboy Cabins Homestead which allowed horses but no dogs so we smuggled Simon ET style (he wore Roberta's hoodie) -probably a bit excessive but certainly entertaining. At the ranch we saw more stars than I ever knew existed (and then watched the end of a fantastic World Series game 6).

It was a good day.

-Mike

Moab.

Drive Time: Denver, CO to Moab, UT 8 hours 30 minutes
Weather: Cold and rainy turning to sun Wednesday afternoon


We stayed two nights in Moab, arriving late Monday night shaking and exhausted from our trek across the mountains. Tuesday morning we woke up and drove to Red Rock Bakery to attend a yoga class however the class must have been cancelled, guess we didn't get the memo.

When the rain cleared we headed to Arches National Park and hiked a 3 mile loop to Delicate Arch, the symbol of Utah. Brisk air so we bundled up, but amazing scenery.

We had dinner at the Moab Brewery which hosts a bustling mix of tourist and locals alike. We were told by a local that Moab was just like Vegas and while we found that couldn't be further from the truth we had an awesome time and would love to go back some day and explore more of the over 2000 natural arches.

~Roberta

Civic vs Rockies

As Roberta already established Boulder was awesome but we had to leave to beat a snowstorm which we did.....sort of.

So we are driving I-70 climbing up and up from Denver.  Denver is already a mile high so our altitude is steadily rising even higher until we pass 11,000 ft.  At this point the snow is coming and the road is getting super steep.  There are signs saying "CHAINS REQUIRED WHEN LIGHTS FLASHING" which fortunately remained dormant.  I saw signs for chain stations which I hoped would be useful but it was just a broader shoulder on the side of the road.  Also considering that I had no chains every time I passed a sign a breathed a sigh of relief.

As we are pushing up and up and near and still climbing with the snow falling progressively harder the Civic starts to bog down upon acceleration.  Up at the top of the Rockies 45 minutes from a town or an exit is the last place you want to have car trouble.  The check engine light turns on to add a to the stress of the moment.

When we finally surpassed the top of the Mountain with the car continually bogging down at higher RPMs I breath a sigh of relief until I realized we are now plummeting down a drastic mountain with sharp turns and a car having engine difficulty.  I had not gripped 10 and 2 that hard since my driving test as I attempted to navigate the slush.

We went from snow to rain to clear with our collective blood pressure getting back down to normal ranges when we decided to find somewhere to get the car checked out.  Off the bat we chose closest place, then decided we could push til the next major town, then all the way to Moab after no new problems.  I concluded that it was the lack of Oxygen at the higher altitude that prevented the engine from firing and I'm sticking to it.  I am no car expert and after a quick search Google didn't prove my theory right but the check engine light went off today and we can only assume we are good to go!

Boulder and Beyond in 24 Hours

Drive Time: St. Louis, MO to Salina, KS 7 hours 25 minutes
                    Salina, KS to Boulder, CO 6 hours and 50 minutes.

Weather: Record highs in Boulder, close to 80 degrees!


Boulder was beautiful, I only wish we had more time to explore. We checked into our motel and headed straight for Chautauqua Park. Dashing out of the car we made an ambitious attempt to conquer a 5-mile loop at an enthusiastic "I am never getting back in that car" pace. Within 800 meters my heart was racing and my lungs were burning. Confident in my athleticism and endurance I pushed on but soon found my self slowing to a shuffle. Annoyed and embarrassed, I asked Mike if we could slow down a bit. He was huffing and puffing too, and we realized quickly that it would take some time to adjust to the altitude of Boulder (5430 ft above sea level). We agreed upon a brisk hike instead. The views were amazing and the weather couldn't have been better!

Next we headed to the Left Handed Brewing Company in Longmont, CO. We sampled some of our favorites and some new (to us) brews too.

In the evening we explored Pearl Street in downtown Boulder, the street is lined with shops including Patagonia, Billabong, and Urban Outfitters and lots of restaurants and coffee shops. We decided on a place called Salt for dinner and sampled their farm-to-table menu and designed our own cocktails.

We woke up early Tuesday morning and hopped into the car, driving an hour north to Estes Park. Much of the park was closed for the season but we were able to drive a 10-mile loop which offered breath-taking views of the Rockies and herds of elk. (see our photo journal for more pictures from Estes).

Tuesday afternoon we met up with my friend Annie (she moved out to Colorado in July) for lunch at a pub in Denver. It was great to see her, I think it's been all most five years.  After lunch we completed a whirlwind tour of the flagship Denver REI store (much too large to explore in just an hour). We left Denver around 2:30pm (GMT) in an effort to avoid the impending snow storm threatening to strand us in the mountains.

Overall, we LOVED Colorado and can't wait to get back. Lots to do outdoors, plenty of sun, good restaurants, and friendly people. What more could you ask for? If San Diego doesn't work out...

Stay tuned for our harrowing trek across the Rockies...

~Roberta

A Stop in the Gateway to the West!

       It would only be fitting for Roberta and Mike to stop in St. Louis on their journey westward considering the significance of St. Louis in the Lewis and Clark expedition. After all St. Louis was the starting point in the exploration of the west. But more than it's historical significance I call St. Louis home and I was dying to see Roberta!
        Roberta and Mike arrived Friday afternoon and we were soon enjoying a walk around the city where everyone admired Simon and we embraced the beautiful weather. Later in the evening we went to the Central West End a favorite hot spot for St. Louisans to eat, drink, and be merry! After some delicious Sushi (Ok they had the Sushi I had Chicken- what?! I'm a Mid-West girl now) we drove through the city in desperate need of some dessert. We were heartbroken to see a line at a fabulous little after dinner dessert and drink bar and headed home (I couldn't handle waiting- I'm getting old now)!
        On Saturday we enjoyed a variety of St. Louis to do's. Roberta has already mentioned a few but my personal favorites include:

• Nearly running out of gas in Forest Park (Mike and Matt would have hated to push the car to the gas station)
• Having the car alarm go off when Mike and Matt went in to grab lunch. Roberta, Simon and I subsequently hid under coats so the people walking by couldn't see our faces. Roberta ran in to grab the keys and the guys walked out the other door with food and keys in hand. Mike spent the next 5 minutes looking for Roberta- HILARIOUS SCENARIO
• Eating a picnic below the Arch
• Watching a group of juvenile detention kids get to play frisbee/soccer below the arch for good behavior (for the record they were not from juvie- I don't want people judging St. Louis that way)
• Guessing what instruments the kids from juvie played (Drums obviously)
• Counting wedding parties throughout the day (a total of 13)
• Laying on the bed with Berta when the boys when to pick up dinner and catching up on life
• Cheering on strangers at the Rock n' Roll Marathon and Half Marathon
• Left over pizza and Ted Drew's at the kitchen counter (This was bitter sweet though- knowing they would soon be leaving)

I spent the entire weekend trying to convince Berta and Mike that San Diego sounds exactly like St. Louis and that they would be very happy continuing to sleep on our air mattress. They didn't buy it and left Sunday afternoon. I can't begin to describe how much I LOVED seeing Roberta and Mike and getting to spend so much time together. I feel so lucky and grateful that they made St. Louis a stop on their voyage west. And they didn't even get mugged!

We miss you three already and know you will find tons of sunshine, happiness, success, and laughter in San Diego (but just in case you always have a home in St. Louis)!

Pushing Westward To "The Land of Weeds and Seeds"

Drive time: 7 hours from Columbus to St Louis
Weather: sunny and in the mid 70's

We spent the weekend with our friends Emily and Matt who reside in a swanky downtown loft in St. Louis. Friday we went to the Drunken Fish for sushi in the Central West End of town. It was delicious!

Saturday we woke up to an amazing brunch and headed to the Missouri Botanical Garden. We toured the gardens and expansive green houses and took a lot of pictures (fun for the ladies but quite annoying for the gents).

 Next we drove through Forest Park - the Central Park of St Louis and headed to the famous Arch. We spent the rest of the afternoon picnicing and people watching under the arch. It was a perfect day and so wonderful to stretch out under the sun (and the gateway to the west) with good friends and good food.

This morning we got up bright and early, slipped on flip flops cupping warm mugs of coffee and headed to the street. The Rock n' Roll 1/2 and full marathon went right by Emily and Matt's building and we dubbed ourselves the cheer squad of Washington ave. I feel like I got more of a workout than some of the runners! Ok maybe not but we were so enthusiastic some people thought we were drunk - most loved our spirit! We went to church and than Ted Drewes for world famous custard.

We are currently about 200 miles from Kansas City (there was a horrible accident on I-70 which caused a bit of a delay). Pictures and a post from guest blogger Emily to come!

~ Roberta

Packing and Day One

Drive Time: 7 hours 35 minutes
Weather: Overcast and rainy, highs in the low 60's

It's friday morning and Roberta and I are in German Village in Columbus OH. Our first day of travel went smooth driving from Hummelstown PA to Columbus OH with a stop in Pittsburgh PA (actually Monroeville) to visit Roberta's PSU friend Tricia and her baby Easton. We were hoping to be part of the hunt for exotic animals in the area but alas they were all killed or detained prior to our arrival. Simon was quite disappointed when I broke the news, he had spent the previous day researching the fighting styles of Bengal Tigers.

We spent the first night with my cousins Lauren, Randy and baby Lincoln. Had an awesome dinner and it was a lot of fun hanging out with them.

Packing went surprisingly smooth we fit everything we own( even my surfboard) into a 2 door civic. We arranged it so things we need are easily accessible and things for SD ate packed away tightly.

Today we push on to St Louis with a probable stop in Indianapolis. We already saw Hienz Field and we will be sure to drive by Lucas Oil. I was hoping to see NFL hall of fame too but itts in northern OH and not on the way. Roberta did a good job of pretending to be disappointed when we discovered this.


-Mikey

Hired.

Good news! Yesterday I found out I will be working as a school based therapist in one of the largest school districts in California. What a HUGE relief to know that I have a job once we get to San Diego. Peter Pan no longer!

Ithaca, NY is one of my favorite places to visit. It's where the splendor of nature meets the spice and flavor of a multitude of cultures. This small city at the southern most point of Lake Cayuga (in the finger lakes region of NY) brings my family a lot of peace and joy. The past few days I spent hiking, wine tasting, and exploring the town and surrounding gorges with my parents. We were blessed with incredible weather and had a great time.

Here are some photos from our hike...

Ithaca Farmer's Market...

~ Roberta 

The Route.

After lots of researching and discussion we have landed on the unofficial road trip route.  Here is  the rundown:

October 20th: We depart from Hershey bright and early after hopefully an easy day of packing and with a car that isn't so weighed down the tailpipe drags.  We make a stop in Hollidaysburg, PA to visit Roberta's grandfather Papa Murray.  From there we push on to Columbus, OH to visit my cousins Lauren and Randy and their baby Lincoln and the rest of the Ohio Schroepfers for the night.

October 21st: After a night in Columbus we are off to St. Louis to see Roberta's friend Emily and her husband Matt.  We have two nights in St Louis and intend to do all the things the best tourist do, including of course climbing the arch and getting mugged. Standard St Louis.  I was hoping for the days to match up to see a World Series game (barring the Cardinals take the Brewers like I predict) but unfortunately they don't so unless the plans change we won't be seeing a game at Busch Stadium.  

October 22nd:  The exploration of St. Louis continues.

October 23rd:  So we were hoping to drive the trip from St. Louis to Denver CO on this day but we wanted to go to church, starting the 13 hour 30 minute drive late in the afternoon seems a little much so we are stopping halfway in no other than the famous Plainville Kansas and staying at the fabulous Evergreen Inn and RV Park.  Never heard of the Evergreen? It's only THE number one motel for transient workers in the greater Planville area. I had a rough time balancing the budget to afford such a fine establishment but life is just too short.

October 24th: After our luxurious stay we go to Denver, CO for a night exploring the city.  Lots of breweries in this town and I intend to visit them all.  With places like Flying Dog, Wyknoop, Strange Brewing and more I'd like to do a tour and have a Pabst at all of them.  

October 25th: A much appreciated short 40 minute drive to Boulder is next.  Our itinerary here is open and looking at where we want to explore ideas include Garden of the Gods, Pike's Peak, and Rocky Mt National Park.

October 26th: Arches National Park for some camping and hiking.  Certainly excited for this.  City's are fun but I'd rather explore the wild any day.

October 27th- Another hiking day at Zion National Park or Bryce Canyon.  More camping although the night lows are 29 degrees which may lead us to try and find a cabin or a hotel.  I'd rather have a character building night but we'll see how that fares.  It's the regrettable decisions that make for good stories right (see my Costa Rica adventure).

October 28th-  Off to the Grand Canyon (hopefully).  We are supposed to just make a pit stop here but can you really do that?  Seems like you need a few days to get all it's worth but will be something to see just to say we did. After that Sedona, AZ for the night.

October 29th- From Sedona we go to Phoenix for our last night of the trip.  Hopefully at this point we can say our amazing adventure is winding down rather than I hate this person next to me and can't wait to have a day out of the car but stay tuned to the blog for what happens!

October 30th. San Diego. We made it.  Time to surf.

October 31st. Well now we are just living there and I find it creepy you are wanting to keep reading about minute details of our lives.

Mikey

Soaking It Up

What an amazing fall day! This is how I want to remember the Outer Banks... perfect barrel waves dotted with surfers reveling in the hurricane swell; ocean spray that extends to the sky in a brilliant rainbow; and the sound of gulls chattering unaffected by the powerful walls of water colliding with the shore. 

Bundled up from head to toe I lean back into the warm sunshine, soaking all the vitamin D and warmth my bronzed cheeks and toes can handle. I breath in deeply allowing the cleansing salty air to fill my lungs. Days like this remind me of the magnificence of the ocean; its' unmatched beauty and power. As I make my way up and down the beach I take mental snapshots (and a few actual photos too) attempting to hold onto the images forever. I have a week left in the Outer Banks and less than a month until we hit the road, I will miss this...

~ Roberta