Day 23 : HOME!

I am pleased to say that I am writing this from the comfort of my own home!

I stayed in Midland, Texas on Monday night. Yesterday morning, I got up around 6:00AM, packed, ate breakfast, and hit the road by 6:45AM. I was on I-20 and only stopped to get gas when the gauge got to empty. I drove until 12:15PM last night. That was approximately sixteen and a half hours of driving. But it turned out to be a really easy drive because I knew what was at the end of it: home. The one thing I have learned on this trip above all others is the value and appreciation of home. My wife, my dog, and my house. I cared for each of them very much before the trip, but now it is only more so. It is easy for all of us to take those things for granted because they are omnipresent. But if you remove them, even for a little while, it becomes very apparent just how much they mean.

Here is the final tally:
start of trip: 140,512
end of trip: 148,197
total miles driven: 7,685 miles
I left on 06/03 and got back on 06/24. So, I was gone 22 days; just over three weeks.

yesterday's numbers:
start: 147,053
end: 148,197
distance: 1,144 miles
That's a personal best for me.


And here are some things I saw that I didn't post in the daily entries:

wildlife:
-a coyote trotting down the side of the road in Grand Canyon National park, looking like he had business to attend to.
-two roadrunners on separate occassions in New Mexico. And they were doing exactly what you'd expect them to be doing: they were crossing the road. Alas, I saw no coyote chasing them with fork and knife in hand.
-two crows attacking an owl in Mississippi. That was yesterday evening. Crows hate owls on principle. I'm not sure why, but it is true. My dad always told me so, and last evening I saw it firsthand.
-a group of about six doe laying down under one of the only trees in western Utah, trying to savor the shade it provided.
-the mountain goats and the pronghorn go on this list, but I did post about them.
-I was disappointed that I did not see a single buffalo on the entire trip; not even on a ranch.

activities:
-I rode an alpine slide in Keystone, South Dakota. It was like a curvy waterslide, except you go down on a sled with wheels. It was very fun.
-I went to a junk store outside of Crazy Horse and bought a Miller Highlife pull tab that I may use as a shifter in the hot rod.
-I paid an Indian $5 to show me some dinosaur footprints out in the desert east of the grand canyon in northern Arizona. I took pictures and would have posted them, but I had to use the other camera and I couldn't get the pictures off of it.
-I collected rocks from many of the places I visited. To be clear, I have an unusual collection going. I have a rock from many places I have been. I am not a rock hound or geologist. When I go somewhere, I pick up a rock and save it as a souvenier. It is an actual piece of the place I have been. You see? So, I now have an actual piece of Mount Rushmore granite, Crazy Horse granite, a piece of the Grand Canyon, a piece of sandstone from within Meteor Crater, and a piece of Carlsbad Caverns from deep in the earth. They aren't big pieces; you could close your fist around them. Oh, and the fossils from Utah. got those too.

So, that's it. This is the last post. I owe Chad and Nancy a sincere apology for flaking out and not going through Houston. Sorry, y'all.
Truth be told, Jennifer and I had both eaten something in San Diego that made us sick; some type of food poisoning. I was very weak after that stay in the truck bed and hike in Carlsbad Caverns. It was at that point I decided to cut the trip a couple of days short and head for home. Enough was enough.

Thanks for reading this blog, and following along on what has been a great adventure. I really love this country for its beauty and VAST variety of landscapes. You should really get out and see it. You won't believe the variety that exists out there. And I only saw a small fraction!

Lastly, the biggest thank you of all goes to my wife, the best friend I've ever had. When I was leaving my job, she reminded me of the dream I had had for this trip (I've wanted to do it for many years) and encouraged me to take advantage of the moment and do it. For that, I am humbled and forever grateful. I love you.

Till the next adventure,
Watson

PS
Check the post below for more Carlsbad Caverns pictures.

Day 22

I left Tucson around 8:00AM. Hurtling across the desert, it was already 93 degrees by 9:45AM. I hit the flat bottom of an ancient lake bed, and T. Rex's "Bang the Gong" came on the classic rock station I was listening to. I hit the gas and topped out around 105mph, and I left it there for a few minutes. My only companions were T. Rex and the mirage to my left, a small, yet vast, promising sea, glimmering in the distance. On it went, the desert was never ending. And I couldn't help but think, "Why do people live out here? Honestly?"
The miles passed in this way for the rest of the day. After El Paso, the cacti stopped, and I turned left. I headed over the mountains. Three more hours of desert driving and i came to the turn off for Carlsbad. By that time it was 4:45PM. I headed six miles into Carlsbad Caverns National Park. I bought a ticket and got to the elevator in time for the last trip down. But I opted to wait till morning.
I drove back to the turn in point which was a place called "Whites City". I booked a campsite and went looking for dinner. Toward sunset, I drove back into the park. There is an ampitheater at the natural entrance. Around 8:15PM, the bats start to fly. I watched as 500,000 Mexican Freetail Bats left for the evening to consume their individual bodyweights in bugs. It was a pretty amazing sight. They swirled out of the entrance in a whirlwind type pattern. They then scattered into the oncoming night.
I drove back to the campsite and set up the tarp to sleep in the back of the truck. The night that passed was a pretty bad one. After I laid down, a desert wind kicked up. It was gusting and shaking the tarp hard. It did that for about three hours. When it died down, I fell asleep. At least I think I did. Then the birds started. I have no idea how many there were, but they made a great deal of noise in a nearby tree for a few hours. They eventually stopped. But I suspect that was because the desert wind came back. In all, I estimate that I got two to three hours of sleep last night.
I got up at 6:30AM and showered. I was at the natural entrance to the caverns when it opened at 8:30AM. Here are some pictures:

So, after the cave, I headed back into Texas. I am now in Midland. I have opted not to go through Houston. I feel bad about it, but I have been away for just over three weeks now. I am ready for home.
I will probably make one or two more posts and then it will be done. I'll post more cave pictures in the next day or so. Most didn't turn out too well since it is so dark in the cave.

Day 21

Two things from yesterday:
1. It was at least 115 degrees in the desert. It was the hottest day I have ever experienced. Breathing was more of a chore it was so hot.
2. As soon as I crossed the Arizona border in Yuma, the price of gasoline dropped $0.50 a gallon down to $3.99 a gallon. I want the next job I get to be close to home for the simple reason of the price of gasoline. It has really been the most negative element of this whole trip.
Alright, I need to get some breakfast and get on the road. I've got caverns to see...

Day 20

Today I dropped Jennifer off at the airport and started heading east. Parting ways with her was tough. We had a great week together. And today she gets to see Henry again after a week. It's been three weeks for me, and I can't wait to see him myself.
I drove for six hours and stopped at a La Quinta in Tucson. In the morning, I plan to drive approximately six more hours to Carlsbad Caverns. After that, I have a decision to make. Either I drive southeast to Houston where I spend a day or two with my old friends Chad and Nancy, or I head for home. I cross I-20 between Carlsbad and Houston. I am going to be very tempted to just turn left and head for the house.

Day 19

Today I tried to surf. I didn't get up, but I gave it an effort, and that is what I wanted to accomplish. Also, I am not used to six foot waves. This is me in a wetsuit. The pacific is very cold in June:

Around noon, we went in a found a pizza place to have a slice and a pint of beer. Both were good:
After that, we stopped back by the hotel room to pick up some stuff, and we went back out to lay on the beach for the afternoon. It was very crowded, but still nice. We both wound up a little red despite using sunblock.
Tonight we are going to a local joint called Hodad's. There has been a constant line for that place, so, it's either truly good, or it's riding on hype. Time will tell.

Enjoying ice cream after dinner:
Some surfers were catching waves and surfing through the pylons of the pier:
the "star trike":
The last leg of the trip begins tomorrow, and I can't wait to get home:
Tomorrow I take Jennifer to the airport to fly back to Atlanta. That will be hard. It has been great having a companion for this past week. After I drop her off, I am going to drive as far as I can toward New Mexico. Sunday, or possibly Monday, I may stop off to see Carlsbad Caverns. I was originally going to see the Trinity Test Site, but I found out that they only open it twice a year; once in April and again in October. So Carlsbad will be good instead. I like caves. I took a "wild cave tour" of Mammoth Cave in Kentucky once, and it was a good adventure. I had to wear a helmet and knee pads. It was a lot of fun. I may not post tomorrow as I may be sleeping in the desert...

Day 18

Today we traveled from San Marcos, CA to Ocean Beach in San Diego. On the way we mad a couple of stops that Jennifer was interested in. The first was the Salk Institute. This was an architecture stop. Louis Khan is the architect that designed it, and it is considered a masterpiece. I actually tend to agree. It was a really cool use of space.


yeah, they're a bunch of slackers and layabouts at the Salk Institute:
From there, we went to the children's pool in La Jolla. It is a famous place where sea lions romp and play. And sure enough, we saw some.


After that, we drove another 45 minutes or so down to Ocean Beach in San Diego. Jennifer has picked out yet another nice spot for us to stay. It is across the street from the ocean.

Alright. It's off to find some dinner. Tomorrow, I may make a first attempt at surfing!

Here are a few more photos. The first two are of a nice California sunset:

This guy and his dog were very funny. Apparently, the dog, "Brutus", loves the ocean. The guy, the girl on the left, and Brutus were all sitting on the wall watching the sunset and the surfers just like we were. Then Brutus got loose. He took off running as fast as he could toward the ocean. The guy took off after him. Brutus leapt into the waves and went swimming. The guy waded in ankle deep and was able to call Brutus to him. As soon as he got ahold of Brutus' leash, a triple wave rolled in and knocked the guy off his feet. He was soaked. Undaunted, he walked Brutus back up to the wall, where Brutus promptly escaped again and dove right back in the water. The girl was laughing histerically at all of this just as we were. This time, the guy, already wet, took his shirt off and dove in to go swimming with his dog. And then a wave knocked his pants off. We laughed some more. He got his pants back up and swam some more. After about ten minutes, he and Brutus made their way back up to the wall and sidewalk. That is where I took this picture:
there really are guys with metal detectors at the beach in California:
bicycles and skateboards come in a thousand different varieties in California. I didn't get a picture of it, but earlier in the evening, I saw a bike that had a hinge in the rear that allowed the rear wheel to steer as well.

Day 17? I'm losing track

We left the Queen Mary this morning and south for Costa Mesa. What's in Costa Mesa, you ask? For me, the biggest disappointment of the trip: Hawleywood's Barbershop.


Despite the name of "Barbershop", Hawleywood's apparently takes appointments. I have NEVER heard of a barber shop that takes appointments. In my book, if you book appointments, you are, at that point, a hair salon, or some other fancy establishment. Barber shops take in the man off the street. That said, I was told that the next available spot was tomorrow at 3PM. I turned it down. In retrospect, I could have fought harder. I could have explained that I was on a road trip and could they work me in. But I just didn't bother. Afterall, it's only a haircut. still sucked, though.
We went to a nearby Subway for lunch and got in the car and continued south.
Next stop, Palomar Observatory. We drove the Interstate for about an hour, got off, and back out on the country roads we went. Eventually, we turned left onto Highway 6. This road was built back in the 1940's for the sole purpose of getting the 200 inch wide pyrex mirror up the mountain. It took a special trailer and one truck pulling and two trucks pushing to get the mirror up the mountain. The skeletal structure of the telescope was assembled in a shipyard, because that was the only place that could handle pieces of steel that large. Here is the history page of the palomar website:
http://www.astro.caltech.edu/palomar/history.html

This is Jennifer at Palomar. She thought the rattlesnake sign was funny because the snake looked happy:

I am awestruck at the engineering and physics prowess it took to build this device. It has got to be the largest mechanical device I have ever seen. IT IS HUGE!! So huge, in fact that I couldn't take a picture of it. It wouldn't fit in the frame of the camera. Here is a video instead. They keep it dark in the dome during the day because they carefully control the climate inside the dome so that it is the same as the nighttime climate outside. Having lights would produce heat, so they only have a few low temperature lights. Ignore me saying "Keck" at the beginning of the video. That is wrong. I had just been explaining to Jennifer that the largest optical telescope in the world is on the big island of Hawaii on Mauna Kea at the Keck Observatory. Palomar was at one time the largest optical telescope on Earth. Here is the video:



After the Observatory, we headed back down the mountain and started looking for a hotel. We are now holed up at a Hampton Inn (we both were in favor after the camping trouble) in San Marcos, CA. Tomorrow is a short drive to San Diego. Jennifer has a beachfront motel lined up that sounds nice. So, until then, goodnight.