All Good Things Must Come To An End

The Road Not Taken
By Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

As we sat down together to write our final thoughts regarding the whirlwind that was the last two years, this poem immediately came to mind. After we read through each line together, Amanda excitedly said “That’s it!”, because it perfectly sums up our decision to pursue the ever uncertain but always exciting life of travel PT.

It was not the first road we thought to go down, but the road less traveled was the best choice for us. We knew we could save the road of “normal life” for another day. Let’s be honest though, it is very evident that normal life doesn’t really suit us, further validating our decision. Because we took that second road, the yellow wood that Robert Frost speaks of could refer to anything from a campsite in Kentucky, an old growth forest in the Pacific Northwest, a black spruce lined trail in Alaska, or the scraggly junipers of the Colorado Plateau. Just as Robert Frost was walking alone down this path, we left our friends and family behind as we set out on this journey. Deciding to spend two years alone with your spouse can be a risky proposition, but it has definitely brought us closer together and made all the difference.

Alright, enough of us trying to sound overly intellectual with our literary reference, complex metaphors, and philosophizing. Let’s get to the meat and potatoes of the issue: favorite memories, our final thoughts, and take home messages from the last two years of life on the road.

A brief summary of our favorites –

(Each of us compiled our list independently)

Favorite Overall Travel Placement
Charlie: Olney, IL
Amanda: Homer, AK

Favorite Place to Live
Charlie: Homer, AK
Amanda: Western WA

Favorite City Visited
Charlie: Missoula, MT
Amanda: Missoula, MT

City I Plan to Return to
Charlie: Sedona, AZ
Amanda: Sedona, AZ

City I Would NOT Return to
Charlie: Spokane, WA
Amanda: Gatlinburg, TN

Favorite National Park
Charlie: Yellowstone
Amanda: Yellowstone

Best Hike
Charlie: Harding Ice Field in Seward, AK
Amanda: Mount St. Helens Snowshoe Climb

Best Weekend Excursion
Charlie: Mount St. Helens Snowshoe Climb
Amanda: Hiking and camping at Exit Glacier/Harding Ice Field

Unexpectedly Great Weekend Excursion
Charlie: City Museum in St. Louis, MO
Amanda: Nashville, TN

Favorite Restaurant
Charlie: Syd’s Place in Lawrenceville, IL
Amanda: Syd’s Place in Lawrenceville, IL

Best Brewery
Charlie: Midnight Sun in Anchorage, AK
Amanda: Deschutes Brewery in Portland, OR

Favorite Hangout
Charlie: Alice’s Champagne Palace in Homer, AK
Amanda: The Gypsy in Olney, IL

Most Memorable Drive
Charlie: The glacier-lined road to Stewart, British Columbia
Amanda: Driving into Stewart, British Columbia surrounded by avalanche warnings, bears, and glaciers

Side Note:
Having to give only one answer for each of the above questions was NOT an easy task. I (Amanda) felt the need to explain each answer and apologize for not picking something different. Therefore, I need to clarify that in reality there are no “favorites” because each experience was unique and memorable in its own way! Although it was not a bad experience, I will confirm that there’s really no need to ever return to Gatlinburg, TN.

Without further adieu, our closing remarks about life as nomadic PTs are as follows…

Amanda:
When we explain that we were travelling with work for approximately two years, people don't initially think much of it.  In the scheme of things two years is not a very long time.  However, when we continue to explain the places we lived and the numerous locations we've visited, the scale changes.  We really crammed a lifetime worth of adventures and memories into just 22 months. This was exhausting at times, but the energy that was required to make it happen was most definitely worth it.  Having the opportunity to live and work in many of the places we explored gave us a better understanding of the areas and allowed us to intimately interact with people from these towns. We will never forget the generous people we had the pleasure of sharing our time with.  We were welcomed and accepted as more than transient therapists. Thanks to everyone who helped make the last two years as enjoyable as they were. As for my travel buddy, Chuck and I have come a long way in the eight years we've known each other. I don’t think there could be a better test for the strength of a relationship than putting all of your belongings into storage to spend 22 months working, living, and playing together – in one vehicle, while sleeping on an air mattress.  As we move forward it is exciting to think about what new adventures we'll tackle.  Let the fun continue... 

Charlie:
Before we started travelling, we made this great list of places we expected to find work and what time of year we wanted to be there. That list quickly went out the window, which gave me heart palpitations and made me question whether or not travelling was the right move. However, in hindsight, I’m glad things didn’t always go according to plan. It is what made our two year adventure even more exciting and helped Amanda and I grow together while better relying on each other to get through the stressful times. The uncertainty also caused me to evolve in ways I never thought possible. For instance, I went without owning a TV or having cable for 2 years!! Crazy, I know. I was also forced to be more adaptable and creative as our work and home life was always in flux with few resources at our disposal. Living out of your 4 cylinder Ford Escape, especially when it is packed like a clown car, gives you a whole new perspective on things. Most importantly, I became comfortable living outside of my little Philadelphia bubble. It was hard to leave because I had been there so long and developed a routine that was great for me. Yet I was quickly able to realize that it wasn’t great for us. I wrongly had just tried to insert Amanda into my already created life hoping it would transition smoothly. Travelling allowed Amanda and I to build a life together and I am incredibly grateful to have had that opportunity. That, combined with all of the ridiculous places we travelled to, wild adventures undertaken, and fantastic people we befriended along the way made this easily the best years of my life. As we begin the next chapter of our lives together we will have new adventures to look forward to, new challenges to face, and new people to help us along the way, but I can’t foresee anything topping these past 22 months. If something does though, you can bet I’ll want to blog about it!

Next up, we have some words of wisdom to share.

The Top 10 “Take Home Messages” from 2 years on the road:
10) Never underestimate the comfort of a double high air mattress (just make sure you have a warranty).

9) Alaska is far away. It will take a long time to drive there.

8) You need to pack a tent to go tent camping.

7) 4 cylinders won’t cut it if you want to climb the Canadian Rockies at speeds greater than 20 mph.

6) A GPS is only as good as the atlas you use to double check the directions.

5) Everything tastes better when cooked over a campfire.

4) Adventures are fun. Adventures with friends are better. Adventures with friends who own good gear are the best.

3) Camping knives are frowned upon as a carry-on item when flying.

2) There’s no bad weather, just bad clothing.

1) Always plan a road trip based on the location of National Parks and breweries. Panoramas and pints resolve the inevitable moments of tension.

Unfortunately it is now time to bid you a fond farewell. We thank all of you for following this blog and sharing in our adventures over the last two years. Being able to document and share with you our escapades as we gallivanted across the country has been a memorable undertaking in and of itself. Your positive feedback has also given us the motivation to continue blogging in the future as we embark on new endeavors. So while we are saying goodbye to the O’Malley’s American Adventure (for now), the birth of a new blog could be just around the corner…

Thank you and goodnight.

Charlie and Amanda

Our new adventure headquarters

And Outside We Went: Part 4

Enough stalling...time to bring it home.

I know this whole road trip has been a drawn out process. As much as I hate being behind on the blog, I must admit that it's been kind of nice to have this hanging over my head. It makes me feel like the trip isn't over yet. It's not that I'm having a hard time letting go of our travelling lives, I just like to reminisce about the great times we had. Ok, maybe I am having a little trouble letting go, maybe there is a large part of me that wishes I was back in Alaska, but I know in my heart that I wouldn't fully appreciate all of our adventures if we didn't come full circle and come back to where it all began, where our families were ready to welcome us home, and where our life-long friends had warm wishes and cold beers waiting for us upon our return.

So here it is, at long last, the dramatic conclusion of our road trip across America.

After exploring the depths of Carlsbad Caverns, we headed east into the Lone Start State. Our initial plan was to drive as quickly as possible across West Texas because we thought there wasn't much to see. However, our relatives Jim and Ann O'Malley (who live in Houston, TX and will be making an appearance shortly) advised us to take our time and enjoy the ride. So we did as we were told and slowed down a bit. We made our first stop in Junction, TX for food and sleep. Here, I experienced my first taste of Texas cuisine when I ordered a chicken fried steak. Apparently you can't leave TX without eating one of these delicious, but artery clogging dishes. Fortunately, my heart survived the meal, but I'm pretty sure it took a good 2-3 years off of my life just by eating it.

Steak, breaded, and pan fried in oil used to fry chicken.
Covered in gravy and served with mashed potatoes.
No good can come from this.

If you haven't noticed, I will point out that we have not posted any pictures of West Texas itself. This is because there was nothing worth photographing in the left half of the state. Sorry West Texas, but we were not impressed by your dust, stumpy shrubs, and oil rigs. However, we did enjoy ourselves thoroughly in our next stop, Texas' River City, San Antonio.

Running was how we started and ended our San Antonio experience. While in Junction, I randomly stumbled across an ad for the Rock and Roll Marathon Runner's Expo being held at the Alamodome and thought, "I've just found a way to get a free trip inside the Alamodome, a free swag bag, and free afternoon entertainment. Sign me up!" So even though we had no intention of running the marathon, there Amanda and I were, touring the expo and collecting as many bags of granola, energy gels, and fruit drinks as we could. Not to mention we educated ourselves on the latest running gear while trying out all sorts of exercise accessories. Life was good!

Free fun at the Alamodome

We then headed from the Alamodome to the actual, historical, Alamo. What's great about visiting the Alamo is that it is right in the heart of downtown San Antonio. Amanda and I really knew nothing about the Alamo, other than it was a popular historical sight. We certainly got a lot of education regarding the origins of the Spanish Missions, the issues between Spain, France, and Mexico that culminated in the battles waged in this area, and the fight for Texas' independence. It's a bit of a complicated history, but the Battle of the Alamo in 1836 is a classic story of perseverance against all odds that includes such characters as Davey Crockett and yielded the battle cry of "Remember the Alamo!" which resonated with Texas' freedom fighters at that time. Since we had not experienced many historical sites along our adventures, this was a nice change of pace from our usual outdoor adventure craziness.

Remember the Alamo!

An interesting detail about the Alamo. The iconic façade seen in the picture above is how most people recognize the Alamo. However, this is not what it looked like during the Texas revolution. The look we see today was achieved in the mid 1800's when the structure was taken over by the U.S. Army who built a pitched roof and began storing munitions inside the Alamo in preparation for the Mexican-American War.

Once we completed our Alamo tour, we set off along the River Walk. This is a network of walkways, shops, and restaurants that follow the banks of the San Antonio River for miles through the city. The river levels are controlled by a series of gates and two small dams which prevent floods in times of heavy rains. After a devastating flood in 1921, plans were initially drawn up to dam the river, divert it's flow away from the city, create a sewer along its previous path, and pave over the sewer. Fortunately this plan was defeated and instead you have the current day River Walk.

This is WAY better than a paved sewer

It is a beautiful and relaxing area where it is easy to forget that you are in a major city. We walked along here most of the afternoon and evening, only stopping at Blue Star Brewing Company for a refreshing beverage and a local Mexican restaurant for dinner. The air was cool, the birds were chirping, and active people were out and about. It was an amazing night in the city.

The River Walk at night

We returned to the Alamo the following morning to conclude our time in San Antonio with the River City Run. This is a running tour of the city where you learn about the people, places, and events that have shaped this city. It is organized by a husband and wife team who love two things: Running and San Antonio. There were 19 stops along the 5k route where our guide stopped us to spout out all sorts of fun facts. Sweaty, tired, and with a new t-shirt, we finished our run, hopped in the car and made our way to Houston, TX to visit Jim and Ann O'Malley.

Running hard!
San Fernando Cathedral was one of the
many stops on our River City Run.

We thought it was hot in San Antonio, but it was disgustingly hot and humid once we got to Houston. Fortunately, we were greeted by two of the nicest and most welcoming people you could ever meet, Jim and Ann O'Malley. Jim O'Malley is my dad's cousin and even though he lives in Texas, he made the trip out for our wedding. So Amanda and I were excited to see his end of the world as we travelled through Texas. After sitting down to chat with Jim and Ann, we were once again in the car as they took us on a tour of their home town. We were going to tour the Johnson Space Center, which is where the space shuttles used to land (hence the phrase "Houston we have a problem"), but it started to rain. Since most of the tour is outside, this was now a no go. We did the next best thing though and saw the movie Gravity. It was not what we had planned, but we were all thoroughly entertained.

Just as good as the real thing

Ann is a fantastic cook and prepared us some awesome meals for dinner that night and breakfast in the morning that were exactly what we needed. After so much time on the road eating at restaurants and supplementing meals with our stockpile of granola, beef jerky, and PB&J, a home-cooked meal never tasted so good.

Unfortunately, we managed to leave our camera hidden in our car the whole time we were in Houston so we don't have any pictures. We will always remember Jim and Ann's hospitality though and think back fondly of the time we got to spend together.

Back on the road, yet again. This time our destination was Gulfport, MS to visit Missy our good friend from PT school. That's right, the one and only Missy from Mississippi. She recently got married and lives in Gulfport with her husband, Nick. Right down the road from their house are her parents, who took us out to dinner upon our arrival. Now it was time to dive into southern bayou eating. Over the next two days in Gulfport, MS and New Orleans, LA we had crawfish, alligator, beignets, and a myriad of other southern treats. I ate my face off. I have always wanted to go to this area for the Cajun cooking and I certainly got my fill. When we weren't eating, we were touring around Gulfport and spent Monday walking around New Orleans. We saw all the sights from the Superdome, to the French Quarter, to Café du Monde, and St. Louis Cathedral, among others.

World famous Bourbon Street

Did you know that Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop & Bar bills itself as the oldest bar in America? The oldest bar in America in new Orleans...I never would have guessed that. Missy and Nick showed us a really great time and it was great to catch up with Missy since we hadn't really seen her since graduation.

Thanks Missy and Nick for the southern hospitality!

After eating all of the good southern food we could get our hands on, we were now fueled up and ready to head north on the final leg of our journey. Initially we planned to stop at both Great Smoky National Park and Shenandoah National Park on our way back to PA, but after this much time on the road we said to heck with it and planned our last major stop to be Great Smoky. Great Smoky is a National Park located on the border of North Carolina and Tennessee. It got its name from the blue-ish mist, caused by the mountains' location in the jet stream, that hangs over the peaks and valleys in this section of the Appalachians.

As the sun was setting, we made our way along the main highway that runs through Great Smoky National Park. This made for some breathtaking views at the overlooks as we worked our way to Gatlinburg, TN. In town we avoided as much of the carnival-like atmosphere as we could, got some good BBQ, and rested up.

The next morning we set out on a series of great hikes intended to let us see as much of the park as possible in the limited time we had. First we hiked to Grotto Falls, a beautiful series of waterfalls, one of which you can walk behind, as seen below:

Not as wet as you'd think.

Next we headed up to Clingman's Dome. This is a man-made lookout located at the highest elevation in Tennessee at 6,643 feet. It is also the highest elevation along the Appalachian Trail. The weather was spectacular and we could see in all directions for miles and miles. The blue mist was also present, giving us the full viewing experience.

THIS is why they are called the Great Smokies

I didn't want to leave, but there was one more stop to make. Our final destination in the park was a tour of Mingus Mill, a grist mill built in 1886. This mill used a water turbine, not to be confused with a water wheel, to grind corn into cornmeal. It was really interesting to see the ingenuity of those times. They were able to divert water from the river, build a very efficient turbine, and use it to power machinery. Pretty impressive considering the calendar hadn't even turned to 1900 yet. It also allowed us to get in touch with the historical side of the park, since there used to be people living on these lands before it became a National Park.

High tech for 1886

Sadly, it was time to say goodbye to the last National Park of our 22+ month journey. We set off for Asheville, NC, the last stop before our triumphant return to Pennsylvania. We went out with a bang in Asheville. Well, maybe out with a twang is a better description. We decided to go to "Old Timer's Night" at Jack of the Wood for the last night of our road trip. This was basically a huge jam session for local folk music artists in the Asheville area. There were fiddles, banjos, guitars, upright basses, and any other folky instrument you can think of. We sat for hours listening to the music while we talked about what the last two years had meant to us. I couldn't have picked a better way to spend the last night of our road trip together.

The last drink of our month long road trip

With a bittersweet excitement, we awoke the next morning to finish out the trip. It was an uneventful drive, but it did feel good to see the words "Pennsylvania welcomes you." We had done it. Come full circle. Pennsylvania to Alaska and back, all while seeing a whole heck of a lot in between. This road trip alone was 8,210 miles over 27 days, an incredible feat. I'll eventually put into words what this has all meant to me, but now is not the time. I just hope you all enjoyed the journey. Amanda and I both did and wouldn't trade this experience for anything and were happy to have you along for the ride.

In the coming weeks I hope to reflect back on this experience as a whole and I'll be posting a short quiz to see who has been keeping up with the blog. The winner gets a sweet prize that we brought back with us from Alaska, so study up! As for us, we are now back in the real world dealing with everything that goes along with that. As a reminder of how we got back here though, below is the summary slide show from our massive road trip. It was, without a doubt, the trip of a lifetime.

And Outside We Went: Part 3

Happy 2014 to our friends and family near and far!!  Before we go back in time to November of 2013 I will take a moment to give you a quick update on our whereabouts as of January 9, 2014.

After many interviews and lots of discussion Charlie landed himself a permanent job in Lewisburg, PA!  He is currently orienting at his new place of employment, Lycoming Physical Therapy, while I am keeping myself quite busy organizing our life, blogging, and searching for a job that will hopefully put me within or adjacent to Lewisburg, PA.  Charlie will be managing Lycoming PT’s new satellite clinic and is excited for the challenge. 

A few other things that some of you may be wondering:

(1) Is Lewisburg home to Bucknell University? 

- You betcha!

(2) Did Amanda go to Bucknell University?

- As a matter of fact I did!

(3) Where the heck are the O'Malleys living if Charlie's new job is in Lewisburg?

- Good question. The short answer is my grandfather's home in Bloomsburg, PA; however this is a temporary stop until I find a job and we figure out the best place to be (hopefully in or neighboring Lewisburg!). 

Now that we are mostly caught up on current events, it is time to return to the 8,210 mile road trip that we haven’t finished blogging about.

Here we go!  The date is now Friday, November 8, 2013.  We stepped out of our tent in Zion National Park and were greeted by a pleasant, but windy morning.  After a quick breakfast it was time to pack our belongings and head toward the mighty Grand Canyon.  A pleasant, uneventful drive southeast into Arizona wound us through the desert and a Navajo Indian Reservation.  We were surrounded by mesas, more red rock, and empty road side stands within the reservation.  By 1:30 pm we had arrived at the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park and were both viewing this impressive geological phenomenon for the first time. The erosive Colorado River, which has been carving the canyon for ~5-6 million years, cannot be seen from all angles.  Luckily we stopped at Desert View Point that allows views of the river from a watchtower located at 7,438 feet.

Desert View Watchtower
A re-creation of an Indian watchtower.

The North Rim (left) and Colorado River (center)
They say you can see about 100 miles on a clear day.

Planning the best way to experience the Grand Canyon was extremely difficult due to the time of year (off season), our limited time there (1-2 days), and having just a few weeks to compile an agenda.  With that being said we were unable to obtain a permit to camp in the canyon, which means we also couldn’t hike to the river.  They warn against attempting day hikes to the river due to “long distances, extreme temperature changes, and a near 5,000 foot elevation change each way.”  Plan B ended up being part educational, part active. 

After checking into our hotel and cleansing ourselves of Zion dirt we were off to an early dinner followed by an evening Ranger Program titled, I Can’t Get No Respect – All About Ravens.  Ravens and crows both fall under the genus Corvus and both are often associated with darkness and evil.  This is an unfair assumption due to their dark feathers and non-melodic caw, but believe it or not recent research considers them to be among the world’s most intelligent animals! 

The Common Raven

Keep alert around Ravens, they might unzip your backpack for a treat, respond or repeat your vocalizations, or put on an air show for you and your kids/friends if you routinely have picnics at the park.

With the educational component of our visit checked off the list we were up early the next morning to get our hike on.  We parked at the Visitor Center then hopped on a Grand Canyon shuttle bus.  Apparently when you visit the park during the regular season these buses are packed to the max, as is the entire South Rim of the park.  In November we had our choice of pretty much any seat, as did our backpacks.  The Blue Route shuttle bus conveniently delivered us to the Bright Angel Trailhead where we planned to hike 3 miles into the Garden Creek Canyon before driving to our next destination. 

Being shuttled to the Bright Angel Trail.

This trail is heavily traveled by humans and mules.

Fun fact about mules: Mules are the offspring of two different species (a male donkey and female horse) that have different numbers of chromosomes.  Thus, most mules are infertile.  Charlie says this is common knowledge.  I disagree, but think I might have known this fact at some point in my life.  Regardless, I thought it was worth sharing!

The first section of the Bright Angel Trail is moderately strenuous as you hike along a well maintained trail.  It provided great views of the geologic layers of rock and gave us a glimpse of just how massive the canyon really is.  Its true scale is hard for the eye and brain to comprehend, especially from the rim of the canyon. This is why Charlie and I want to return to the Grand Canyon some day and experience it from the perspective of the Colorado River. 

Looking up at the South Rim

We had time for a quick self-guided tour of the Kolb Studio.  The Kolb brothers arrived to the Grand Canyon in the early 1900’s as it was becoming a National Monument (1908) and then a National Park (1919).  They were there to photograph this beautiful place and the people who visited.  The brothers were allowed to build a photography studio on a specific plot of land within the park and this is where it remains, precariously positioned on the South Rim by the trailhead of Bright Angel Trail.  The photos and videos these men daringly took helped draw the public to this stunning land. 

Emery, Emery's wife (Blanche), & Ellsworth Kolb in 1904
(Picture from PBS.org)

Twenty four hours after our arrival it was time to move on.  The next leg would allow us to see the Colorado River in a different light.  We were heading about 4 hours west toward the man-made Lake Mead and Hoover Dam.  We had a great day at the Grand Canyon, but were now in a bit of a hurry because we planned to camp at Lake Mead.  The problem was we didn’t know exactly where we were camping and we were losing an hour of daylight thanks to crossing back into the Pacific Time Zone. 

Historic Route 66 - Williams, AZ
There is always time for a quick detour and a chance to fill our growler!

Highway driving through the desert warmed us up with temps hitting 75 degrees.  This felt amazing and was in stark contrast to the 30-40 degree temperatures we experienced during our morning hike.  The sun was setting as we arrived to Lake Mead, a huge body of water in the middle of rugged desert.  Hungry and slightly grumpy we found Boulder Beach Campground and RV Park, picked a spot and found the camp store where we purchased firewood and BBQ chips.  Our smiles returned as we sat by the campfire sharing a dehydrated meal of chili mac and beef and a large bag of BBQ chips.

Oh the little things...

The real reason we back tracked into Pacific Time was to visit our friend who was living and working in Las Vegas, Nevada.  Although we had both vacationed in Vegas about 5 years ago, this opportunity allowed us a chance to see more than the Strip.  We had planned to do some hiking with Scott in a state park just outside of Vegas; however, Scott decided to do a 24 hour relay race the day before.  As a result, he was having a hard time walking and in no shape to attempt a hike in the Valley of Fire.  We all agreed for Scott’s sake it would be better to spend the late morning and afternoon watching football at Wild Wings before hitting the town.

Charlie and I had one stop to make before indulging in city life – Hoover Dam.  Dams are truly an impressive human feat of man’s attempt to tame nature.  However, as we've experienced so much raw landscape over the last 22 months it didn't seem quite right to see tons and tons of concrete jammed between Black Canyon’s walls.  I understand the hard work that was set forth, its numerous benefits, and the purpose of the dam but it is still hard for me to accept that its construction was 100% necessary.  With this, I found the National Park Services explanation of Hoover Dam’s construction to be a bit presumptuous, “Humans, working feverishly over the last hundred years, remodeled and built a landscape better suited to modern needs and desires.”  Those needs and desires are now contributing to the Colorado River’s dwindling water supply. 

Sorry for the side bar.

Despite my conflicting feelings we were very glad to visit Hoover Dam and took time to walk on the recently constructed bridge (completed in 2004) that directs highway traffic around, instead of over, the dam itself.  The stop took a little longer than expected due to their hardcore security.  Who would have thought that after successfully crossing the US/Canadian border >5 times in the last 22 months Hoover Dam would be the place they insisted on searching our very full vehicle.  Luckily the officers were polite and only made us open one of the many boxes in our car.  Phew!

View from the Mike O'Callaghan–Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge

We had a quick, but great time catching up with Scott.  Our time included a lazy afternoon at Wild Wings, walking on the strip while soaking up the Vegas sun, a delicious sushi dinner at the Luxor, a bit of nightlife (we made it to one bar), and a stay at the classy Excaliber (aka Dutch Wonderland on steroids).  One night in Las Vegas was enough for me and Charlie as we said farewell to Scott.  Conveniently, Scott has since returned to his hometown of Pittsburgh.  See you soon Scott!

The Excaliber.
We got a picture of the hotel, but sadly forgot to take one with Scott.

We were psyched to head east, away from the hustle of Vegas, back to Arizona, and return to Mountain Time.  Our destination was Sedona.  This was a last minute addition to our agenda and we loved it.  We took the scenic route (89-A) south, descending ~2,000 feet of steep roadways surrounded by Ponderosa Pine Forests with reddish-orange rock formations jutting out here and there.  Sedona is a quaint, outdoorsy city of ~11,000 people that sits in a valley at 4, 326 feet among beautiful red sandstone formations.  There are great shops, unique restaurants, and plentiful recreation.  This is another place we’d love to return. 

Sedona, AZ
Did you know Sedona is known to be a spiritual power spot?
The effect is especially concentrated at specific vortex areas.
I'm not making this up.

We couldn't linger too long in this breathtaking and relaxing place because we made plans to spend the afternoon visiting new friends in Flagstaff, AZ.  So we sluggishly worked our way back up the steep roads onto the southwestern portion of the Colorado Plateau where Flagstaff sits at 6,910 feet. 

At nearly 7,000' above sea level, this is a place where you follow the high altitude instructions when baking!

Roger and Mary (Darcy’s parents) greeted us at their beautiful home in Flagstaff, AZ.  They took us on a tour of their city, which they absolutely adore.  It was great to learn about and experience a new place with people who love it so much.  Other than being a high altitude city, Flagstaff is bordered by the largest contiguous Ponderosa Pine forest in the continental U.S., home to Northern Arizona University, Lowell Observatory (where Pluto was discovered!), the U.S. Naval Observatory, and the U.S. Geological Survey.  After a delicious, late lunch at Beaver Street Brewery we were off. 

Visiting with Roger and Mary.
Sophie is admiring Charlie

On the road again, we headed east on I-40 through Arizona.  We planned to drive through Petrified Forest National Park, which is known for its petrified wood.  At ~5,400 feet in elevation, the petrified wood is located among semi-desert shrub and eroded badlands.  However, when we were just 15 miles from the park we realized that they close the gates and park road at 5 pm this time of year.  The time was 4:50 pm (boo!), but we didn’t let this misfortune get us down.  Instead, we got our petrified wood kick from a tourist trap located in Holbrook, AZ.  This huge store was actually quite interesting with many varieties of fossils, furniture, rocks, a huge skeleton of a 2.9 million-year-old alligator (“Wild Bill”), and of course petrified wood. 

Who needs Petrified Forest National Park?
You can buy this beaut for just $480!

What is petrified wood? Here is my simple understanding.  Rather than being an impression like most types of fossils, petrified wood is a 3-D stone replica or mold of its original organic structure that results from the deposition of minerals in the plant’s cells. 

Following our failed attempt to visit Petrified Forest NP we drove a little further east to spend the night in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  The days seemed to be flying by so we had to keep moving in an effort to stay on schedule.  I don’t have too much to report about Albuquerque since we arrived around 9 pm, ate left overs, had breakfast at the hotel, did a load of laundry, then hit the road.  However, we did get two things out of this stop:

(1)   A drive through Old Town Albuquerque. (see pic below)

(2)   This is the city where the TV series Breaking Bad was set and produced.

Spanish origins are seen in the architecture of Old Town Albuquerque.
Please ignore the crooked photo.

By Thursday, November 15^th we’d traveled from the red rock territory of Southern Utah to the plains of Southern New Mexico.  After a night in White City, NM we were just 10 minutes from our next destination, Carlsbad Caverns National Park.  This is an underground world of subterranean chambers and cave formations that sit below the Chihuahuan Desert.  The very first park Charlie and I visited together was also a cave system (Mammoth Cave NP), so we were excited to see how this compared.

Welcome to the Chihuahuan Desert!

We were not disappointed.  We spent 2 hours on a ranger guided tour (Left Hand Tunnel) that was candle lit.  The young ranger was full of knowledge and thanks to off season travel our small group of 5 allowed lots of questions to be asked and much informal conversation to be had.  Visually the cave was magnificent with numerous cave decorations (speleothems), i.e. stalactites, stalagmites, helictiles, draperies, columns, soda straws, popcorn, etc. 

I've got my candle! Which way to the cave?

Historically this cave began as a 400-mile-long reef in an inland sea.  Eventually this sea evaporated and the reef was buried under salt and gypsum deposits.  Millions of years later this region underwent uplift with erosion revealing the ancient rock reef.  Due to a combination of rainwater seeping downward and hydrogen sulfide-rich water from surrounding gas and oil fields migrating upward, sulfuric acid formed and began dissolving limestone that helped create the large chambers and passages we see today. 

A little sulfuric acid goes a long way!

Our fun at Carlsbad Caverns continued with a self-guided tour through the natural entrance of the cave into the Big Room.  A lone ranger took us under her wing after we helped her remove coins (thrown by ignorant tourists) from a pool in the cavern.  She pointed out many hard to see fossils that are proof of the ancient reef that once covered this region.

Look at that!  A fossilized nautiloid!

Due to an early start we were able to leave Carlsbad by 1 pm and embark on the intimidating task of driving across the 2nd largest state.  Turns out Texas wasn't nearly as painful to drive through as we’d been warned.  But I'll let Charlie share those stories with you.   

So now we're officially caught up through week 3 of our 4 week road trip.  Stay tuned...one more week to go!!