All of our pictures are up ...
http://community.webshots.com/user/travelinsisters1
http://community.webshots.com/user/travelinsisters2
2 links because there are so many!
Alison
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Monday, July 23, 2007
Day 23-24
Day 23
Location: Yosemite National Park, CA
Miles Driven: 6143
Price of Gas: Paid - $3.25, saw 3.89
Today we drove into Yosemite and explored here. We first went to the visitor’s center to get some information, then we went to set up our tent to make sure we had a campsite. After that we got to explore the sites, we drove down to Wawana to see the Pioneer Yosemite History Center. Then we went to see the Giant Sequoias, they were beautiful. We took an almost 2 mile hike to see the Grizzly Giant and the Tunnel tree. After that we drove to Glacier Point. The view from there was amazing, you could see three different waterfalls, half dome, and the valley below.
We then drove back towards our campsite pulling off to watch the sunset over the mountains. Now its sleep time! Hope the bears don’t come near.
Alison Goins
Day 24
Location: Utah/Nevada border town
Miles Driven:
Price of Gas: Saw between 2.98 and 3.99, paid 3.09 and 3.99 (but only 2 gallons)
Today we finished seeing Yosemite before driving to the Nevada/Utah border.
We did a short hike to a waterfall this morning, then drove through Yosemite stopping at one of the large lakes there on the way out. The water was much warmer than you would expect. I wanted to go swimming but Megs did not. Then we drove to the Travertine Hot Spring which was about 2 miles off the highway – It was beautiful. And I went swimming for a bit after we both had our legs in for a while.
After that we drove towards Salt Lake City which is one of our stops tomorrow. We ran into a huge thunder/lightening storm on the way. After we got through the storm, we saw around 6 forest fires, one was somewhat close to the highway and was large. Another was right over the hillside from the town we were originally going to camp in. We decided to keep moving due to the fires and weather and found a 25 dollar hotel/casino to stay in for the night.
Utah tomorrow!
Alison
Location: Yosemite National Park, CA
Miles Driven: 6143
Price of Gas: Paid - $3.25, saw 3.89
Today we drove into Yosemite and explored here. We first went to the visitor’s center to get some information, then we went to set up our tent to make sure we had a campsite. After that we got to explore the sites, we drove down to Wawana to see the Pioneer Yosemite History Center. Then we went to see the Giant Sequoias, they were beautiful. We took an almost 2 mile hike to see the Grizzly Giant and the Tunnel tree. After that we drove to Glacier Point. The view from there was amazing, you could see three different waterfalls, half dome, and the valley below.
We then drove back towards our campsite pulling off to watch the sunset over the mountains. Now its sleep time! Hope the bears don’t come near.
Alison Goins
Day 24
Location: Utah/Nevada border town
Miles Driven:
Price of Gas: Saw between 2.98 and 3.99, paid 3.09 and 3.99 (but only 2 gallons)
Today we finished seeing Yosemite before driving to the Nevada/Utah border.
We did a short hike to a waterfall this morning, then drove through Yosemite stopping at one of the large lakes there on the way out. The water was much warmer than you would expect. I wanted to go swimming but Megs did not. Then we drove to the Travertine Hot Spring which was about 2 miles off the highway – It was beautiful. And I went swimming for a bit after we both had our legs in for a while.
After that we drove towards Salt Lake City which is one of our stops tomorrow. We ran into a huge thunder/lightening storm on the way. After we got through the storm, we saw around 6 forest fires, one was somewhat close to the highway and was large. Another was right over the hillside from the town we were originally going to camp in. We decided to keep moving due to the fires and weather and found a 25 dollar hotel/casino to stay in for the night.
Utah tomorrow!
Alison
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Day 20-22
Day 20
Location: San Fran
Miles Drive: 5546
Gas Price: $3.29
Today we went to Lincoln Park to see the Holocaust Museum and the Art Museum there. The art museum had a exhibit of Rodin’s sculptures which was very interesting. They also had paitings by Picasso, Dali, and Renoir. They were amazing.
Then we drove downtown to the Cable Car Museum which also houses the mechanics and such for the cable cars. It showed the history of cable cars and how they work.
After that we drove around a little bit- the roads here are awful! Lots of hills, you cant see where you are doing because of them! Then we drove to Lombard street – curviest road in the world! And drove down it twice – very fun.
Then we drove over to the Golden Gate Park to see another art museum before heading back to the same campsite for a second night. This is the first time we have stayed at the same campsite on the trip.
More San Fran tomorrow and then we will head north to Napa Valley.
Alison
Day 21
Location: Petaluma, CA
Miles Driven: 5634 miles
Gas Price: $3.29
Today we woke up and drove a few miles to the neighboring park of Muir Woods. This is one of the national forests with Redwoods in it. We took a small hike and took lots of funny pictures with the trees. They are magnificent!
After that we drove back into San Fran to see the Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39. We toured a WW2 Victory ship and Megan toured a WW2 Submarine. We also went though a musueum with lots of game machines, from arcades throughout the 1900’s. We ate lunch at Bourdin sourdough bakery, we shared a sourdough pizza – delicious!
We then went to the Modern Art Museum of San Fran. This was something I really wanted to do – some amazing work! After that we drove through Chinatown before heading north towards wine country.
This is where the day went downhill, we drove over the Oakland bridge which is the most god awful bridge ever made, not only is it 8 miles long it is 2 stories, with one story going east and the other going west – pretty much a nightmare. Oh and it had a tunnel in the middle going through a mountain on an island. It was horrible – but we made it.
We are staying in Petaluma which is a small town about 30 miles from Calistoga which will be our first stop in the wine country tomorrow! We found a campground with laundry facilities – we are both out of clean clothes!
Alison
Day 22
Location: Groveland, CA
Miles driven: 5925 miles
Gas Price: $3.25
Today we explored the wine country. We took one tour of a winery at Sterling Vineyards, very good wine. Then we decided to take advantage of the many spas in Calistoga and have a mud bath! This town was built around a hot spring so there are many spas in the area. We had a mud bath, mineral bath, and steam. Amazing!
After that we headed down the Silverado trail to another winery that offered a free wine tasting. I liked the wines at Sterling Vineyards much better! After that we continued down Silverado trail for a while before cutting over to another scenic highway that would take us down into Napa. We stopped at one more winery before grabbing dinner and driving towards Yosemite.
All in all it was a very good day!
We are camping tonight five miles outside of Yosemite, probably the worst campsite we have stayed at yet – but oh well, we will get some sleep.
Alison
Location: San Fran
Miles Drive: 5546
Gas Price: $3.29
Today we went to Lincoln Park to see the Holocaust Museum and the Art Museum there. The art museum had a exhibit of Rodin’s sculptures which was very interesting. They also had paitings by Picasso, Dali, and Renoir. They were amazing.
Then we drove downtown to the Cable Car Museum which also houses the mechanics and such for the cable cars. It showed the history of cable cars and how they work.
After that we drove around a little bit- the roads here are awful! Lots of hills, you cant see where you are doing because of them! Then we drove to Lombard street – curviest road in the world! And drove down it twice – very fun.
Then we drove over to the Golden Gate Park to see another art museum before heading back to the same campsite for a second night. This is the first time we have stayed at the same campsite on the trip.
More San Fran tomorrow and then we will head north to Napa Valley.
Alison
Day 21
Location: Petaluma, CA
Miles Driven: 5634 miles
Gas Price: $3.29
Today we woke up and drove a few miles to the neighboring park of Muir Woods. This is one of the national forests with Redwoods in it. We took a small hike and took lots of funny pictures with the trees. They are magnificent!
After that we drove back into San Fran to see the Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39. We toured a WW2 Victory ship and Megan toured a WW2 Submarine. We also went though a musueum with lots of game machines, from arcades throughout the 1900’s. We ate lunch at Bourdin sourdough bakery, we shared a sourdough pizza – delicious!
We then went to the Modern Art Museum of San Fran. This was something I really wanted to do – some amazing work! After that we drove through Chinatown before heading north towards wine country.
This is where the day went downhill, we drove over the Oakland bridge which is the most god awful bridge ever made, not only is it 8 miles long it is 2 stories, with one story going east and the other going west – pretty much a nightmare. Oh and it had a tunnel in the middle going through a mountain on an island. It was horrible – but we made it.
We are staying in Petaluma which is a small town about 30 miles from Calistoga which will be our first stop in the wine country tomorrow! We found a campground with laundry facilities – we are both out of clean clothes!
Alison
Day 22
Location: Groveland, CA
Miles driven: 5925 miles
Gas Price: $3.25
Today we explored the wine country. We took one tour of a winery at Sterling Vineyards, very good wine. Then we decided to take advantage of the many spas in Calistoga and have a mud bath! This town was built around a hot spring so there are many spas in the area. We had a mud bath, mineral bath, and steam. Amazing!
After that we headed down the Silverado trail to another winery that offered a free wine tasting. I liked the wines at Sterling Vineyards much better! After that we continued down Silverado trail for a while before cutting over to another scenic highway that would take us down into Napa. We stopped at one more winery before grabbing dinner and driving towards Yosemite.
All in all it was a very good day!
We are camping tonight five miles outside of Yosemite, probably the worst campsite we have stayed at yet – but oh well, we will get some sleep.
Alison
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Day 19
Day 19
Location: San Fran, CAMiles Driven: 5494 miles
Gas Price: $3.29 paid but have seen from 3.15 to 3.55
Today we drove up the coast on Highway 1/Pacific Coast Highway to San Fransisco with lots of stops on the way!
We went over to Big Sur State park to see the coastal Redwoods. They were amazing! You could see some that had been partially burned in a fire in the past but kept growing. Very neat – we went exploring a little ways and saw a river. Took lots of silly pictures – Megs has a new obsession with making silly faces at me and the camera.
After that we drove up the coast to Point Lobos state park to see some wildlife. We saw otters, deer, sea lions, and many types of birds. It was beautiful.
After that we went to the Dennis the Menace playground and the Fisherman’s Wharf. We got to try many samples of Clam Chowder from the various restaurants and ended up stopping at one to have a bowl and artichoke hearts.
Then we tried to go see a Lighthouse that was closed but pretty. We then drove along Seventeen Mile Drive stopping at various places to see animals, rock formations, and a lone cypress.
After all of that we headed north to San Fransisco. We drove through the Golden Gate Bridge park before driving over the bridge and stopping at an overlook on the other side of the bay. We got to see the bridge, San Fran, and Alcatraz from the overlook. We then had sandwiches and drove in search of a campground or cheap hotel. In our search, we were offered a top suite for $950!!! And finally found a campground after driving quite a ways on a curvy mountain road.
We met a family from Durham at the campground before setting up our tent and going to sleep!
Alison
Location: San Fran, CAMiles Driven: 5494 miles
Gas Price: $3.29 paid but have seen from 3.15 to 3.55
Today we drove up the coast on Highway 1/Pacific Coast Highway to San Fransisco with lots of stops on the way!
We went over to Big Sur State park to see the coastal Redwoods. They were amazing! You could see some that had been partially burned in a fire in the past but kept growing. Very neat – we went exploring a little ways and saw a river. Took lots of silly pictures – Megs has a new obsession with making silly faces at me and the camera.
After that we drove up the coast to Point Lobos state park to see some wildlife. We saw otters, deer, sea lions, and many types of birds. It was beautiful.
After that we went to the Dennis the Menace playground and the Fisherman’s Wharf. We got to try many samples of Clam Chowder from the various restaurants and ended up stopping at one to have a bowl and artichoke hearts.
Then we tried to go see a Lighthouse that was closed but pretty. We then drove along Seventeen Mile Drive stopping at various places to see animals, rock formations, and a lone cypress.
After all of that we headed north to San Fransisco. We drove through the Golden Gate Bridge park before driving over the bridge and stopping at an overlook on the other side of the bay. We got to see the bridge, San Fran, and Alcatraz from the overlook. We then had sandwiches and drove in search of a campground or cheap hotel. In our search, we were offered a top suite for $950!!! And finally found a campground after driving quite a ways on a curvy mountain road.
We met a family from Durham at the campground before setting up our tent and going to sleep!
Alison
Day 16-18
Day 16-18
Location: Los Angeles up to Big Sur, CA
Miles Driven: Still haven’t checked – Promise tomorrow!
Gas Price: $2.99-3.21 paid, we saw $3.79!! It was in a small town in CA.
Ok, so rewind … We spent Sunday in Los Angeles also before heading up the coast. On Saturday, we went to see the La Brea Tarpits and the Automobile Museum before shopping on Rodeo Drive. The tarpits were very interesting with skeletons of saber tooth cats and camels from the tarpits under downtown Los Angeles. There was a large park area dedicated to finding more fossils. The Automobile Museum was Megan’s favorite; we saw lots of old cars as well as new Ferrari’s!
We got in our first fight on Saturday but all is well now. On Saturday, we ate at a sandwich shop called Sandbags – very good. We also had gelato after walking Rodeo Drive.
On Monday, we got up and drove to Laguna Beach for breakfast. Megan picked the most expensive place to eat breakfast spending 32 dollars for two on breakfast but it was delicious! Then we wandered around Laguna before heading up to Venice and Santa Monica beaches.
At Venice beach, we walked up and down the boardwalk seeing many interesting people! One man was selling pieces of driftwood for 30 dollars or more, he had not carved it or anything, just plain ol’ washed up driftwood!! Santa Monica was fun too with more vendors and a fair on the pier! After Santa Monica, we drove up to Santa Barbara and had the BEST burritos at a place called Freebirds. Santa Barbara is the prettiest town we have seen so far, I think. We saw an old courthouse, a mission, and some old adobe houses before driving about 20 miles north to camp.
This morning we woke up to drive up the Pacific Highway more. The highway is beautiful and overlooks the Pacific on the LEFT the whole way. We saw San Louis Obispo, Morro Bay, and many other small coastal towns on the way. We stopped in Morro Bay to have a cup of Clam Chowder for a late lunch at a local seafood restaurant, great food – horrible service.
After our late lunch, we continued up the coast to the Hearst Castle. AMAZING. See our pictures, but this man collected all kinds of antiques from rugs to sculptures to books to paintings. He also had mantles, fireplaces, choir chairs, and ceilings from old buildings in Europe. It was beautiful.
After the castle, we headed up to Big Sur to camp under the REDWOODS. We will explore the rest of the coast tomorrow before heading up to San Francisco.
Alison
Location: Los Angeles up to Big Sur, CA
Miles Driven: Still haven’t checked – Promise tomorrow!
Gas Price: $2.99-3.21 paid, we saw $3.79!! It was in a small town in CA.
Ok, so rewind … We spent Sunday in Los Angeles also before heading up the coast. On Saturday, we went to see the La Brea Tarpits and the Automobile Museum before shopping on Rodeo Drive. The tarpits were very interesting with skeletons of saber tooth cats and camels from the tarpits under downtown Los Angeles. There was a large park area dedicated to finding more fossils. The Automobile Museum was Megan’s favorite; we saw lots of old cars as well as new Ferrari’s!
We got in our first fight on Saturday but all is well now. On Saturday, we ate at a sandwich shop called Sandbags – very good. We also had gelato after walking Rodeo Drive.
On Monday, we got up and drove to Laguna Beach for breakfast. Megan picked the most expensive place to eat breakfast spending 32 dollars for two on breakfast but it was delicious! Then we wandered around Laguna before heading up to Venice and Santa Monica beaches.
At Venice beach, we walked up and down the boardwalk seeing many interesting people! One man was selling pieces of driftwood for 30 dollars or more, he had not carved it or anything, just plain ol’ washed up driftwood!! Santa Monica was fun too with more vendors and a fair on the pier! After Santa Monica, we drove up to Santa Barbara and had the BEST burritos at a place called Freebirds. Santa Barbara is the prettiest town we have seen so far, I think. We saw an old courthouse, a mission, and some old adobe houses before driving about 20 miles north to camp.
This morning we woke up to drive up the Pacific Highway more. The highway is beautiful and overlooks the Pacific on the LEFT the whole way. We saw San Louis Obispo, Morro Bay, and many other small coastal towns on the way. We stopped in Morro Bay to have a cup of Clam Chowder for a late lunch at a local seafood restaurant, great food – horrible service.
After our late lunch, we continued up the coast to the Hearst Castle. AMAZING. See our pictures, but this man collected all kinds of antiques from rugs to sculptures to books to paintings. He also had mantles, fireplaces, choir chairs, and ceilings from old buildings in Europe. It was beautiful.
After the castle, we headed up to Big Sur to camp under the REDWOODS. We will explore the rest of the coast tomorrow before heading up to San Francisco.
Alison
Saturday, July 7, 2007
Day 15
Day 15:
Gas Price: $3.05-3.19
Miles Driven: Didn’t check before coming inside-I’ll check tomorrow!
Today we drove around LA.
We went to Hollywood, saw the Chinese Theatre, went shopping, drove down towards Beverely hills, saw the Hollywood sign, and shopped some more! We also went to The Grove shopping area and to this great Farmer’s Market.
Megs and I both got some new clothes and I actually found 2 pairs of teacher shoes that FIT me!
For dinner, we went to an In ‘n’ Out Burger – fast food chain out west. Our friends at USC had told us it was a must because it was ‘better’ fast food and it was. But before making it there Megan got us lost in Compton before settling for a restaurant in Inglewood. Quite the adventure – I was freaking out.
More exploring LA tomorrow.
Alison
Gas Price: $3.05-3.19
Miles Driven: Didn’t check before coming inside-I’ll check tomorrow!
Today we drove around LA.
We went to Hollywood, saw the Chinese Theatre, went shopping, drove down towards Beverely hills, saw the Hollywood sign, and shopped some more! We also went to The Grove shopping area and to this great Farmer’s Market.
Megs and I both got some new clothes and I actually found 2 pairs of teacher shoes that FIT me!
For dinner, we went to an In ‘n’ Out Burger – fast food chain out west. Our friends at USC had told us it was a must because it was ‘better’ fast food and it was. But before making it there Megan got us lost in Compton before settling for a restaurant in Inglewood. Quite the adventure – I was freaking out.
More exploring LA tomorrow.
Alison
Day 14
Location: Los Angelas
Gas Price: $2.99-$3.03
Miles Driven: Forgot to check
This morning we slept in a little bit before going to find the Wilmington, NC 2,554 miles away sign!!! This is the sign that started this whole adventure and the reason I have been talking about driving cross country for years and years!
So we found it and took some pictures before driving to San Diego .. very exciting!
We drove to San Diego and went to the Zoo. It was amazing, tons and tons of animals, some I had never seen or heard of before. We got to see the pandas too!
Then we went to Belmont Park, Megan rode an old wooden rollercoaster, we walked along a boardwalk by the PACIFIC ocean, and then ate at a corner taco shop. The tacos were amazing – Meg had a fish one that I tried and it was really good.
After that we drove the hour and a half to Los Angeles to stay with a friend from Charleston. Tomorrow we will explore LA.
Alison
Location: Los Angelas
Gas Price: $2.99-$3.03
Miles Driven: Forgot to check
This morning we slept in a little bit before going to find the Wilmington, NC 2,554 miles away sign!!! This is the sign that started this whole adventure and the reason I have been talking about driving cross country for years and years!
So we found it and took some pictures before driving to San Diego .. very exciting!
We drove to San Diego and went to the Zoo. It was amazing, tons and tons of animals, some I had never seen or heard of before. We got to see the pandas too!
Then we went to Belmont Park, Megan rode an old wooden rollercoaster, we walked along a boardwalk by the PACIFIC ocean, and then ate at a corner taco shop. The tacos were amazing – Meg had a fish one that I tried and it was really good.
After that we drove the hour and a half to Los Angeles to stay with a friend from Charleston. Tomorrow we will explore LA.
Alison
Friday, July 6, 2007
Day 13
Day 13
Location: Barstow, CALIFORNIA
Gas Price: $3.03
Miles Driven: 4325 miles
We made it to California today!!
This morning, I got up to get the oil changed, tires rotated, and a screw out of one of our tires! Then we ate breakfast, Megs went up in the Stratasphere (I went last year and it was expensive and I’m a fraidy cat), we shopped in Ceaser’s Palace, and then we went to the Liberace museum.
The museum was very interesting with lots of his costumes, pianos, and cars!
After that, we headed down to the Hoover Dam. Then we were off to California. We made it to Barstow and will go find the Wilmington sign in the morning before heading to San Diego!
Alison
More pictures are up – Not too many for Day 11 and 12 b/c of the cloud on my camera which is now fixed!
Location: Barstow, CALIFORNIA
Gas Price: $3.03
Miles Driven: 4325 miles
We made it to California today!!
This morning, I got up to get the oil changed, tires rotated, and a screw out of one of our tires! Then we ate breakfast, Megs went up in the Stratasphere (I went last year and it was expensive and I’m a fraidy cat), we shopped in Ceaser’s Palace, and then we went to the Liberace museum.
The museum was very interesting with lots of his costumes, pianos, and cars!
After that, we headed down to the Hoover Dam. Then we were off to California. We made it to Barstow and will go find the Wilmington sign in the morning before heading to San Diego!
Alison
More pictures are up – Not too many for Day 11 and 12 b/c of the cloud on my camera which is now fixed!
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Day 12
Day 12
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Miles Driven: 4140
Gas Price: 2.95
We drove down from the North Rim to Las Vegas today. We spend the early afternoon doing a few errands and checking into our hotel and showering! Then we met up with KAT and the Hanes family for dinner, walking the strip, and fireworks. We saw no fireworks tho! Most were cancelled here due to the dry weather conditions. It reached 114 degrees today here!! Tomorrow we will do some more things in Las Vegas and maybe head to the Hoover dam!
Alison
ps More pics are up!
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Miles Driven: 4140
Gas Price: 2.95
We drove down from the North Rim to Las Vegas today. We spend the early afternoon doing a few errands and checking into our hotel and showering! Then we met up with KAT and the Hanes family for dinner, walking the strip, and fireworks. We saw no fireworks tho! Most were cancelled here due to the dry weather conditions. It reached 114 degrees today here!! Tomorrow we will do some more things in Las Vegas and maybe head to the Hoover dam!
Alison
ps More pics are up!
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
Day 9 and 10
Day 9
Location: Sedona, AZ
Miles Driven: 3201
Today we drove from Canyon de Chelly to Sedona, AZ. We decided to take a detour through the painted forest and petrified forest while driving. It was beautiful! The petrified wood was really interesting. The Arizona countryside was nice but I still like New Mexico the best! Before getting to Sedona, we drove through Oak Creek Canyon. We wondered around Sedona for a while looking in shops before going to set up our tent. Our campsite had a watering hole right beside it! Then we headed to another shopping area to wonder some more. After that we ate dinner at the Red Stone Cabin where I had some of the local Oak Creek Canyon beer!
Day 10
Location: Williams, AZ
Miles Driven: 3436
Gas (Since Day 7): 2.96-3.29
Tonight, we are camping about an hour south of the south rim of the Grand Canyon.
This morning, we got up early and went to Slide Rock State Park. There is a natural water slide which is a part of Oak Creek that is about 80 feet long. Here, we played in the creek even though the water was freezing cold. Megan was very adventurous and jumped off cliffs, swam around, and went down the slide but Alison was too afraid of the cold water and would not particularly participate. She went down the slide 1 ½ times. This was a lot of fun but then it started to get crowded as we left. We went and took hot showers (yay!) and then we drove around Red Rock State Park to look at all the cliffs. Next, we drove down to Jerome which is a former ghost town after the end of the copper mining there. There were lots of little antique shops, art galleries, and curio shops. It was fun to explore. Next, we drove down to Montezuma’s Castle, which is another site of pueblo ruins. The castle is misnamed obviously but it was probably our favorite ruins yet. It is way up high in a cliff and was a magnificent sight to see. After that we went to see the Chapel of the Holy Cross. It is a small Catholic church which is up on a cliff in Red Rock State Park. The architecture is very unique which you can see in the pictures. This was also probably our best viewpoint for the cliffs. Tonight, we drove north to camp.
-Megan
Location: Sedona, AZ
Miles Driven: 3201
Today we drove from Canyon de Chelly to Sedona, AZ. We decided to take a detour through the painted forest and petrified forest while driving. It was beautiful! The petrified wood was really interesting. The Arizona countryside was nice but I still like New Mexico the best! Before getting to Sedona, we drove through Oak Creek Canyon. We wondered around Sedona for a while looking in shops before going to set up our tent. Our campsite had a watering hole right beside it! Then we headed to another shopping area to wonder some more. After that we ate dinner at the Red Stone Cabin where I had some of the local Oak Creek Canyon beer!
Day 10
Location: Williams, AZ
Miles Driven: 3436
Gas (Since Day 7): 2.96-3.29
Tonight, we are camping about an hour south of the south rim of the Grand Canyon.
This morning, we got up early and went to Slide Rock State Park. There is a natural water slide which is a part of Oak Creek that is about 80 feet long. Here, we played in the creek even though the water was freezing cold. Megan was very adventurous and jumped off cliffs, swam around, and went down the slide but Alison was too afraid of the cold water and would not particularly participate. She went down the slide 1 ½ times. This was a lot of fun but then it started to get crowded as we left. We went and took hot showers (yay!) and then we drove around Red Rock State Park to look at all the cliffs. Next, we drove down to Jerome which is a former ghost town after the end of the copper mining there. There were lots of little antique shops, art galleries, and curio shops. It was fun to explore. Next, we drove down to Montezuma’s Castle, which is another site of pueblo ruins. The castle is misnamed obviously but it was probably our favorite ruins yet. It is way up high in a cliff and was a magnificent sight to see. After that we went to see the Chapel of the Holy Cross. It is a small Catholic church which is up on a cliff in Red Rock State Park. The architecture is very unique which you can see in the pictures. This was also probably our best viewpoint for the cliffs. Tonight, we drove north to camp.
-Megan
Day 8
Day 8
Location: Canyon de Chelly, AZ
This morning, we saw Four Corners Monument. This is the point where the corners of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Arizona meet. It was neat and we got to take pictures. We will never be able to say again that we were in four places at once. This area is surrounded on all sides by the reservations of the Navajo and Ute. So, there was a lot of nice jewelry and such to look at while we were there. Next, we drove to Canyon de Chelly. This drive was through the Navajo reservation where we saw the hogans that most Navajos still live in today. They are hexagonal homes which are very short. At Canyon de Chelly, we drve around the north and south rims and stopped at the overlooks. Alison was a wuss as usual and was afraid of heights and was being silly and wouldn’t look over the edge. This was a very beautiful area. However, because the land is Navajo land, you are not allowed to go down into the Canyon unless accompanied by a Navajo guide. It as fine though because we got to see plenty from the overlooks. There were ruins everywhere in the Valley and up in the Canyon walls. There is a free campground here that we will be staying at tonight.
-Megan
Location: Canyon de Chelly, AZ
This morning, we saw Four Corners Monument. This is the point where the corners of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Arizona meet. It was neat and we got to take pictures. We will never be able to say again that we were in four places at once. This area is surrounded on all sides by the reservations of the Navajo and Ute. So, there was a lot of nice jewelry and such to look at while we were there. Next, we drove to Canyon de Chelly. This drive was through the Navajo reservation where we saw the hogans that most Navajos still live in today. They are hexagonal homes which are very short. At Canyon de Chelly, we drve around the north and south rims and stopped at the overlooks. Alison was a wuss as usual and was afraid of heights and was being silly and wouldn’t look over the edge. This was a very beautiful area. However, because the land is Navajo land, you are not allowed to go down into the Canyon unless accompanied by a Navajo guide. It as fine though because we got to see plenty from the overlooks. There were ruins everywhere in the Valley and up in the Canyon walls. There is a free campground here that we will be staying at tonight.
-Megan
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Day 7, New Mexico
Day 7
Location: Farmington, NM
Gas Price: $3.15
Miles Driven: 2599 miles
Today was the most beautiful by far!
We woke up at 7:30 to call Midas to make sure our car was still there and they could get started on it right away. After telling them our situation they decided to go ahead and look at it immediately instead of waiting until 10:00 which is when they originally said they could! We were out of there with new brake fluid and clean brakes by 9:30! It was awesome.
We drove back up to Bandalier Monument with our new GOOD working brakes to see the ruins and cave dwellings there. They were incredible. You could still see some paintings in some of the cave dwellings and you could still see the blackened tops of the caves from where they smoked them in order to keep the rock from crumbling as much. You could climb up ladders into a few of the caves which was neat. The most interesting thing to me was to see the holes above caves they had made which would hold the ceiling beams. There were straight horizontal rows of holes up to three stories high that would have made their celings/floors.
Next, we took New Mexico Highyway 4 through the Jemez mountains towards the Aztec Ruins about 3 ½ hours north of Bandalier. This was by far the prettiest countryside I have ever seen. You must look at our pictures of the Vallas Caldera. It was breathtaking.
The Aztec Ruins were amazing. One kiva, place of worship, was rebuilt based on excavations made of the original one. We were able to go down into this one which was neat. We were also able to go into part of one of their buildings. The doorways were very low between five feet at the tallest and three or three and a half feet at the shortest. The most interesting part of the Aztec Ruins to me was that the original ceilings made of wood were still intact in some places!! These were built in the 1100’s and 1300’s!!
After the Aztec Ruins, we found a LOWE’S and bought a very large rain tarp in case of rain again. We are set on being able to keep our stuff dry and not sleep in the car!! We then drove over to Mom and Pop’s RV Park which is the cutest camp ground I have ever seen.
Look’s like we are going to stay dry for the first night!!!
Alison
Location: Farmington, NM
Gas Price: $3.15
Miles Driven: 2599 miles
Today was the most beautiful by far!
We woke up at 7:30 to call Midas to make sure our car was still there and they could get started on it right away. After telling them our situation they decided to go ahead and look at it immediately instead of waiting until 10:00 which is when they originally said they could! We were out of there with new brake fluid and clean brakes by 9:30! It was awesome.
We drove back up to Bandalier Monument with our new GOOD working brakes to see the ruins and cave dwellings there. They were incredible. You could still see some paintings in some of the cave dwellings and you could still see the blackened tops of the caves from where they smoked them in order to keep the rock from crumbling as much. You could climb up ladders into a few of the caves which was neat. The most interesting thing to me was to see the holes above caves they had made which would hold the ceiling beams. There were straight horizontal rows of holes up to three stories high that would have made their celings/floors.
Next, we took New Mexico Highyway 4 through the Jemez mountains towards the Aztec Ruins about 3 ½ hours north of Bandalier. This was by far the prettiest countryside I have ever seen. You must look at our pictures of the Vallas Caldera. It was breathtaking.
The Aztec Ruins were amazing. One kiva, place of worship, was rebuilt based on excavations made of the original one. We were able to go down into this one which was neat. We were also able to go into part of one of their buildings. The doorways were very low between five feet at the tallest and three or three and a half feet at the shortest. The most interesting part of the Aztec Ruins to me was that the original ceilings made of wood were still intact in some places!! These were built in the 1100’s and 1300’s!!
After the Aztec Ruins, we found a LOWE’S and bought a very large rain tarp in case of rain again. We are set on being able to keep our stuff dry and not sleep in the car!! We then drove over to Mom and Pop’s RV Park which is the cutest camp ground I have ever seen.
Look’s like we are going to stay dry for the first night!!!
Alison
Friday, June 29, 2007
On the road again ...
Brakes are fixed and we are back on the road!!!!!
More updates next time we have internet!
More updates next time we have internet!
Pictures
We will be updating the same website with pictures that we posted in the Day 4-5 post. We will hopefully be updating it every time we update our blog. So check both!
Day 6, June 28, Thursday
Day 6
Location: Back in Santa Fe, NM
Gas Price: $3.15
Miles Driven: Not sure b/c our car is at a Midas shop
So today was quite the adventure .. I’ll start with the good parts.
We woke up early and took HOT showers before heading down to the historic district in Santa Fe. We saw the oldest house in New Mexico and the oldest church in continuous use in the entire USA. It was very interesting! There was a buffalo hide from the 1300’s with a depiction of Jesus on the cross – very neat! We also saw the miraculous staircase in the Loretto Chapel. It is a double spiral staircase with no middle piece (column) and no attachments to the wall or other structures. We also got to see some Native Americans and their jewelry and crafts by the Plaza in Santa Fe.
After Santa Fe, we went back to the campsite to slightly dryer camping gear and then packed up and headed up to Bandelier Monument where there are ruins. We laid out our wet stuff to dry and then Megan went down to the visitors center to get some maps while I took a nap. After our naps, we headed down to White City overlook to see the Rio Grande which was beautiful then headed back up to Bandelier to hike to see the ruins.
This is where things started to go downhill…. While trying to turn back into the park I realized we had NO BREAKS while driving in the mountains …. Not good. So we turned around eventually to head back down to White City when we decided it would be best not to drive down a curvy mountain without breaks so we pulled off the road and called AAA. Jeremiah (the tow truck driver) came to pick us up and was nice enough to take us back to the park to get our tent and stove before going to the Midas store in Santa Fe. So needless to say, we stayed in a hotel 2 blocks from the Midas store and are waiting for it to open to see what the damages are going to be! Until then we are stuck in Santa Fe at a Super 8 with no car. We brought our electronics to charge and a change of clothes so we should be good for the day and hopefully our car will be fixed quickly!
We will keep you updated!
Alison
Location: Back in Santa Fe, NM
Gas Price: $3.15
Miles Driven: Not sure b/c our car is at a Midas shop
So today was quite the adventure .. I’ll start with the good parts.
We woke up early and took HOT showers before heading down to the historic district in Santa Fe. We saw the oldest house in New Mexico and the oldest church in continuous use in the entire USA. It was very interesting! There was a buffalo hide from the 1300’s with a depiction of Jesus on the cross – very neat! We also saw the miraculous staircase in the Loretto Chapel. It is a double spiral staircase with no middle piece (column) and no attachments to the wall or other structures. We also got to see some Native Americans and their jewelry and crafts by the Plaza in Santa Fe.
After Santa Fe, we went back to the campsite to slightly dryer camping gear and then packed up and headed up to Bandelier Monument where there are ruins. We laid out our wet stuff to dry and then Megan went down to the visitors center to get some maps while I took a nap. After our naps, we headed down to White City overlook to see the Rio Grande which was beautiful then headed back up to Bandelier to hike to see the ruins.
This is where things started to go downhill…. While trying to turn back into the park I realized we had NO BREAKS while driving in the mountains …. Not good. So we turned around eventually to head back down to White City when we decided it would be best not to drive down a curvy mountain without breaks so we pulled off the road and called AAA. Jeremiah (the tow truck driver) came to pick us up and was nice enough to take us back to the park to get our tent and stove before going to the Midas store in Santa Fe. So needless to say, we stayed in a hotel 2 blocks from the Midas store and are waiting for it to open to see what the damages are going to be! Until then we are stuck in Santa Fe at a Super 8 with no car. We brought our electronics to charge and a change of clothes so we should be good for the day and hopefully our car will be fixed quickly!
We will keep you updated!
Alison
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Day 4-5
Day 4
Location: Guadalupe Mountain National Forest
Gas Price: $2.82 (Dallas) - $3.39 (Western Texas)
Miles Driven: 1859 miles
Today started out awful but has ended great. It rained all night and we woke up around 5:45 to pack up our tent and sleeping gear in the pouring rain – not so much fun. I slept in the car most of the night last night due to the horrible sounds the wind was making – Megan toughed it out in the tent. We have made it to Guadalupe National Forest which is about 100 miles east of El Paso and just sound of the Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico. On our way out here we stopped in Odessa for some Mexican food, to go to the grocery store, and to see the Odessa Meteor Crater and Musuem. The crater was pretty interesting but was mostly filled in so not exactly what I was expecting but still pretty neat. The countryside changed drastically as we drove farther west. We saw fields of wild sunflowers and lots of oil things (wells? diggers? Not sure of the name for them but there were millions of them). They looked like see-saws to me. We also saw a lot of large windmills on the top of hills in the distance.
We set up tent here at the park around 3:30 Mountain time and then went to see an old ranch and school house. We then made dinner – our first camp dinner was pasta! After dinner, we walked a ¾ mile nature trail near the park visitor’s center. So far we have seen jack rabbits, deer, and a snake! Also lots of HUGE flies – that bite!
We plan on waking up pretty early tomorrow to take a hike to see 2 springs before heading up to Carlsbad Caverns.
Alison
Day 5
Location: Outside of Santa Fe, NM
Gas Price: 3.15-3.59 in New Mexico
Miles Driven: 2199 miles
Ok, so the rain is following us – It is hailing – yes HAIL, lots of it so once again we are hanging out in the car for the evening. Our rain tarp does not work very well.
We did lots today – We woke up very early to do a 2 ½ mile hike to see two springs in the Guadalupe Mountains. It was beautiful – look at the pictures. We saw a rattlesnake on our way! Then we went to another site in the Guadalupe Mountains and did another one mile nature hike before heading to the Carlsbad Caverns.
At the caverns we decided to take the natural entrance down to the “Big Room” where the many formations were. It was very interesting and we saw lots of cool formations and some pools still inside the caverns. That was another 2 ½ miles down to the bottom and then you take an elevator back up.
So our feet are a little tired this evening. After leaving the caverns around 2:30 we decided to go ahead and start driving towards Bandalier Monument which was our next stop but along the way we decided that we wanted to see a few things in Santa Fe since we are ahead of schedule! So we have stopped about 15 minutes outside of Santa Fe to “camp” aka sleep in our car b/c its hailing and lightening and our stuff is wet.
So we will see Santa Fe tomorrow and then head to Bandalier.
Alison Goins
Look at our pictures at http://community.webshots.com/user/travelinsisters1
Location: Guadalupe Mountain National Forest
Gas Price: $2.82 (Dallas) - $3.39 (Western Texas)
Miles Driven: 1859 miles
Today started out awful but has ended great. It rained all night and we woke up around 5:45 to pack up our tent and sleeping gear in the pouring rain – not so much fun. I slept in the car most of the night last night due to the horrible sounds the wind was making – Megan toughed it out in the tent. We have made it to Guadalupe National Forest which is about 100 miles east of El Paso and just sound of the Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico. On our way out here we stopped in Odessa for some Mexican food, to go to the grocery store, and to see the Odessa Meteor Crater and Musuem. The crater was pretty interesting but was mostly filled in so not exactly what I was expecting but still pretty neat. The countryside changed drastically as we drove farther west. We saw fields of wild sunflowers and lots of oil things (wells? diggers? Not sure of the name for them but there were millions of them). They looked like see-saws to me. We also saw a lot of large windmills on the top of hills in the distance.
We set up tent here at the park around 3:30 Mountain time and then went to see an old ranch and school house. We then made dinner – our first camp dinner was pasta! After dinner, we walked a ¾ mile nature trail near the park visitor’s center. So far we have seen jack rabbits, deer, and a snake! Also lots of HUGE flies – that bite!
We plan on waking up pretty early tomorrow to take a hike to see 2 springs before heading up to Carlsbad Caverns.
Alison
Day 5
Location: Outside of Santa Fe, NM
Gas Price: 3.15-3.59 in New Mexico
Miles Driven: 2199 miles
Ok, so the rain is following us – It is hailing – yes HAIL, lots of it so once again we are hanging out in the car for the evening. Our rain tarp does not work very well.
We did lots today – We woke up very early to do a 2 ½ mile hike to see two springs in the Guadalupe Mountains. It was beautiful – look at the pictures. We saw a rattlesnake on our way! Then we went to another site in the Guadalupe Mountains and did another one mile nature hike before heading to the Carlsbad Caverns.
At the caverns we decided to take the natural entrance down to the “Big Room” where the many formations were. It was very interesting and we saw lots of cool formations and some pools still inside the caverns. That was another 2 ½ miles down to the bottom and then you take an elevator back up.
So our feet are a little tired this evening. After leaving the caverns around 2:30 we decided to go ahead and start driving towards Bandalier Monument which was our next stop but along the way we decided that we wanted to see a few things in Santa Fe since we are ahead of schedule! So we have stopped about 15 minutes outside of Santa Fe to “camp” aka sleep in our car b/c its hailing and lightening and our stuff is wet.
So we will see Santa Fe tomorrow and then head to Bandalier.
Alison Goins
Look at our pictures at http://community.webshots.com/user/travelinsisters1
Monday, June 25, 2007
Day 2-3
Day 2
Location:
Gas Price: 2.99
Miles Driven: 1186
We drove through most of
We got to see some old family friends in
Tomorrow we plan on seeing Dallas and Fort Worth – In Texas, museums and such are closed on Mondays for some reason so we will hopefully still be able to see some things. We plan on eating either at a
Anyways, I’m exhausted so I’m off to bed.
Alison
Day 3
Location:
Gas Price: 2.79
Miles Driven: 1273
Quote of the Day: “Follow the dots and don’t hit any Mexicans!” Megan
Today we explored downtown
Today, we learned that the rain tarp is an important part of the tent – otherwise your stuff gets very wet! Fortunately, all but are pillows are dry now!
Tomorrow, we will head towards the western part of
Alison
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Day 1
Day 1
Location: Meridian, MS
Miles Driven: 554
Gas Price: $2.82
We have stopped in Mississippi and are spending the night in a hotel so Megan can catch up her rest and do laundry!
This morning she got nominated to be HONOR LEADER at BRLS 2008! One of the top 6 leaders of over 700 leaders and I am so proud! So that was a great way to start our trip off. We ate lunch with some fellow friends in Black Mountain before heading off. We drove through North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi. Tomorrow we plan on making it over to Texas for our first big stop in Dallas.
More updates in Texas!
Alison
Location: Meridian, MS
Miles Driven: 554
Gas Price: $2.82
We have stopped in Mississippi and are spending the night in a hotel so Megan can catch up her rest and do laundry!
This morning she got nominated to be HONOR LEADER at BRLS 2008! One of the top 6 leaders of over 700 leaders and I am so proud! So that was a great way to start our trip off. We ate lunch with some fellow friends in Black Mountain before heading off. We drove through North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi. Tomorrow we plan on making it over to Texas for our first big stop in Dallas.
More updates in Texas!
Alison
Friday, June 22, 2007
We are off....
I'm packed and off to Asheville to pick up Megs and then head to Texas. We will hopefully update in Dallas where we will stay Sunday and Monday night!
Alison
Alison
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Last Minute Changes
We have decided to scratch renting a car and take Megan's car - good ol' Tex.
Between not being able to rent out of Jacksonville for more than 30 days and being charged $25 a day for being under 25 anywhere else - it seems to be the best plan. It's a two door car which means a little bit less space than we were planning on but it should not cause problems.
Megan is off to Blue Ridge Leaders School which is making changes difficult to make but she is having a good time. I will drive up there Friday to give her a sixth year jacket during an awards ceremony and then we will be off around noon on Saturday.
We have also made plans this week to meet up with old friends and neighbors - The Hatchers -in Texas on our way to Dallas which will be our first real stop. They lived down the street from us in our first house and have two girls around our ages. Hopefully we will be able to see the whole family but I am not sure yet.
Thats all for now - maybe one more update before I leave if not we will try to update while in Dallas, Texas!!
Alison
Between not being able to rent out of Jacksonville for more than 30 days and being charged $25 a day for being under 25 anywhere else - it seems to be the best plan. It's a two door car which means a little bit less space than we were planning on but it should not cause problems.
Megan is off to Blue Ridge Leaders School which is making changes difficult to make but she is having a good time. I will drive up there Friday to give her a sixth year jacket during an awards ceremony and then we will be off around noon on Saturday.
We have also made plans this week to meet up with old friends and neighbors - The Hatchers -in Texas on our way to Dallas which will be our first real stop. They lived down the street from us in our first house and have two girls around our ages. Hopefully we will be able to see the whole family but I am not sure yet.
Thats all for now - maybe one more update before I leave if not we will try to update while in Dallas, Texas!!
Alison
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Two days or one week ...
Megan has 2 more days before she leaves for Blue Ridge Leaders School which leaves her packing for the next 6 weeks or so for two seperate trips!
I have one more week and am just beginning to pack up my things. I am bringing all of the toiletries, camping equipment, and cooking items for both of us so I have lots to do!
We have decided to leave straight from Asheville next Saturday, the 23rd and drive to Marietta, Mississippi eight hours away which will then put us six hours from our first stop which will be the Toledo Bend Reorvoir and Sabine National Forest. Yes, Lauren there is a forest named after your dog! We want to get pretty far on the first day instead of wasting 2 full days on driving to Texas.
Any more suggestions on where to go? what to see? who to stay with? or what not to forget to pack?
Alison
I have one more week and am just beginning to pack up my things. I am bringing all of the toiletries, camping equipment, and cooking items for both of us so I have lots to do!
We have decided to leave straight from Asheville next Saturday, the 23rd and drive to Marietta, Mississippi eight hours away which will then put us six hours from our first stop which will be the Toledo Bend Reorvoir and Sabine National Forest. Yes, Lauren there is a forest named after your dog! We want to get pretty far on the first day instead of wasting 2 full days on driving to Texas.
Any more suggestions on where to go? what to see? who to stay with? or what not to forget to pack?
Alison
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Change of plans
So we are now leaving a week earlier due to me needing to be back in time for some conferences in Columbia which I am hoping to still get our of and take later!
We will be leaving straight from BRLS in Asheville on Saturday, June 23. I will be leaving Charleston that Friday and driving to Wilmington and then on to Asheville.
The cool thing about the new schedule is we will be taking a trip down into the Grand Canyon of July 4th - can you think of a better way to spend July 4th!??!!? AND we will be in Yosemite on my sister's birthday and Yosemite is the one place she really wanted to go.
So all is well. Starting to plan out more details. Leave advice on where to stop, see, explore!
We will be leaving straight from BRLS in Asheville on Saturday, June 23. I will be leaving Charleston that Friday and driving to Wilmington and then on to Asheville.
The cool thing about the new schedule is we will be taking a trip down into the Grand Canyon of July 4th - can you think of a better way to spend July 4th!??!!? AND we will be in Yosemite on my sister's birthday and Yosemite is the one place she really wanted to go.
So all is well. Starting to plan out more details. Leave advice on where to stop, see, explore!
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Planning...
We are starting to plan out our trip ... here is how the journey looks so far ...
Drive down to Atlanta
Accross Miss, AL, LA
Stay in Texas a few nights, crossing the northern parts
Go north thru New Mexico seeing cliff dwellings and caverns
Up to 4 Corners then back down through Arizona then up to the Grand Canyon
See both Rims of the Grand Canyon
To Las Vegas for 2 nights
Then down to California
Travel up the coast of California to San Fran then over to Sacramento and Yosimite
Then accross Nevada to Salt Lake City, Utah
Up Idaho
Over and thru Wyoming
Down to Colorado then back accross to home stopping in St. Louis
These are the plans so far .. We are starting to map out specific sites and places to stay.
Please Please leave suggestions on where to stay, camp, see, play, explore, and eat.
Alison and Megan
Drive down to Atlanta
Accross Miss, AL, LA
Stay in Texas a few nights, crossing the northern parts
Go north thru New Mexico seeing cliff dwellings and caverns
Up to 4 Corners then back down through Arizona then up to the Grand Canyon
See both Rims of the Grand Canyon
To Las Vegas for 2 nights
Then down to California
Travel up the coast of California to San Fran then over to Sacramento and Yosimite
Then accross Nevada to Salt Lake City, Utah
Up Idaho
Over and thru Wyoming
Down to Colorado then back accross to home stopping in St. Louis
These are the plans so far .. We are starting to map out specific sites and places to stay.
Please Please leave suggestions on where to stay, camp, see, play, explore, and eat.
Alison and Megan
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