Heading West

The morning I couldn't feel my toes

2008-02-19T23:53:00.004-06:00

Ben has taken us past church and on our way into the great Yellowstone. My goal in this post is to get us on our way through Le Grandiose Tetons.

The first thing I noticed about Yellowstone was the little town you drive through to get to the main gate. We came in the North entrance on 89, through the town of Gardiner. Very old, it demands a reaction before you drive through the gate. My reaction was mostly, "Is it 1925 and are there going to be too many people here?"

The roads in Yellowstone are kind of crowded in mid-June, and people will stop and watch about anything. Of course, the same was true for Ben and I. The first thing we stopped to watch were some bears that we couldn't really get a good look at. From then on, we figured out that if you just keep driving, you will see all the wildlife you need, including a buffalo who will just eat grass right next to the road.

I don't think I will focus on what we saw, because most people know what's in Yellowstone. What I want to do mostly is write down what was going on between me and Ben and the interesting things that happened along the way. Ben and I had spent a lot of time in the car before Yellowstone, and we all know that too much car time can breed frustration, so I was determined to soak in the natural beauty and be positive. Interestingly enough, I think that is the attitude Ben generally has, and that's something that has stuck with me from our trip as a whole. But I'm rambling now, so.....

The bubbling, stinky mud pits were pretty incredible (please see our Yellowstone Video). While in the park, it got hot, it rained, it snowed, and the wind was crazy. We drove down to Bridge Bay to set up shop for the night, and to pick up some much needed supplies. Our camping spot was right next to some woods, and we were relieved to find out we could gather any wood on the ground to make a fire. But that came later. We turned our eyes to the giant figure eight that is Yellowstone and set out for the sights. I won't lie, things got a little tense on the drive to Lower Falls and Upper Falls, and I don't know why I was so moody, but I had set myself in competition with Ben to see who could enjoy the scenery the most. And Ben probably had no idea! The Falls were amazing: I have a picture of them that looking at it you can't tell which way is up which way is down. Then we continued on for the Mecca of all things wild, Old Faithful. It is interesting to think why this landmark is in the West. There is nothing Faithful about the West. The West will lure you in with its beauty, inspire you with its vastness and potential, and pull compassion out of you with its rawness. But in the end it doesn't need you, giving it all the power, and no reason to be Faithful to you. Maybe the geyser's name is in reference to how we feel to the West. Yes, I think that is it. And that is exactly why we had to see it. Also, because Ben was getting married and I wanted to give him an example to live by.

On the way to Old Faithful we stopped at the Artists Paintpots. They are more faithful than Old Faithful.

We arrived at Old Faithful just after its eruption, so we had some time to kill before the next one. We went into the giant lodge and I reserved two chairs by the giant window that looks out on the geyser while Ben went to get two refreshments from the car. We sat. We gazed. And I think Old Faithful worked its magic on me.

Back at the campsite we gathered wood for a fire and started writing thank yous and postcards. Ben worked on some video stuff. For the most part it was a good evening. It took me forever to get the fire started, but eventually it was going and we had another nice sit by Fire. Camp fires should be a real consideration for the Nobel Peace Prize. We then put on all of the clothes we had because it was super cold and we went to bed.

I didn't write much in my journal from the time we left Idaho, and actually the last entry I made on our trip was from that night in Yellowstone, even though we had a week left on the road. All it referred to was how cold it was, and how disappointed I was in myself. Ben and I have talked about this some, and we discussed how maybe at this time in the trip we subconsciously were realizing how little time we had left, and it just put us in a bad mood. I know I was really taking for granted how incredible life was in that moment.

We woke up and I couldn't feel my toes. I went to brush my teeth, and the water at the restroom hut about gave me frostbite. We drove up to have breakfast in Lake Lodge in Lake Village. It was seriously one of the most beautiful views of the trip. And I was jealous of what Ben got for breakfast.

Driving out, it was about an hour after we had woken up. I could finally feel my pinky toes again.

Coming up next is the Grand Tetons, and the nomads we found in Gillette.

Jake

I Confess, I Confess

2007-09-27T10:30:00.000-05:00

So I confess that a great part of our trip still remains to be told. In the fog of getting married and moving away from the US I had trouble remembering important things like writing. Well now I'm finally finding my head.

Before moving forward though Idaho must have its time in the spotlight one more time.

Idaho.

There. The spotlight has been shown.
Our time there felt like a freeze-frame after frenzied montages . Good rest and conversation after racing past the coastline and the far edge of our trip. Now we were heading back. Heading back towards the end. Once we left Idaho the sad feeling started sinking in that we were no longer heading west. We tried to brush the feelings off by living even more rugged and harshly then before. Planning to spend more time camping and breathing in the big country of Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Colorado on our return path.

I guess I'll tell you the part about our time in Montana and then leave the rest for another time (which will come, I promise). As I said, leaving Idaho was tough. I started to feel a little tired of being on the road and I was starting to worry more about the wedding coming up, but we were determined to live this last part the best we could. The legends are true about the sky feeling bigger and bluer in Montana. I remember looking out the window to see green plains and mountains run on forever past the finite lines of the interstate.

Our goal was to race towards Yellowstone, before night I guess, but we started looking for somewhere to camp a couple hours outside the park. Wide open roads and beautiful views all around us. We drove about 15 minutes from the main highway off on a dirt road to a really simple but great remote campground (Jake will have to include the name if we still have it). Setup camp, gather fire wood and then of course climb the nearby hill (mountain by Alabama standards) for sunset. I decided I needed to carry my video camera all the way up. Sadly this was one of those inclines that never ends - we climbed for a long time, I kept setting tops of the crests as my goal thinking I couldn't climb any farther only to find out there was another crest beyond that. It must of happened 4 or 5 times, thinking the top was just right there only to find out there was still another 25 yards up and then the more. Jake finally parked at a nice place and we paused to admire the stars and fading light. Trying to catch my breathe, knowing this time will end soon. Climb to the top, enjoy the beauty just long enough to rest my burning legs and then stumble and falter all the way back down the mountain. Rest was meaningful after that.

We talked around the fire and enjoyed the natural isolation. The setting of plans, goals and hopes. Less than two weeks left. I hadn't really been counting time too much before now.

One of the most refreshing things spiritually happened the next morning as we packed up and drove back to an Episcopal church we'd pasted on our way to our campground. Just a small building in a little town along the highway, but people gladly welcomed us. I had that feeling of sameness, like singing along to an old song in a new place, once the worship service started. The liturgy was a wonderful bridge for the two of us with a congregation of people we'd never known, but we shared the connection of Christ's Church. That was beautiful.

After the service ended we were offered tasty homemade snacks and all sorts of great advice on how to spend our time in Yellowstone. Everyone said we needed more time to see everything properly, but we just smiled and tried to explain our rush was an attempt to see more and inspire a return visit. Yellowstone National Park was of course one of the many places I'd never been to before our trip but now that spark has been set in me to return. But I guess I'm getting ahead of myself because that would put our story past the Montana border and that's as far as I said I'd take you.

Thanks to everyone who's kept up with us on this trip. We're still sifting through all our adventures trying to remember and understand what took place. We'll finish out our story before too long. I have more pictures and videos to share, so come back around sometime and check for them.

"I'm a sucker for a kind word. I just run until I find one."

Settled in the South (the kind-of South)

2007-09-03T13:26:00.000-05:00

Wow, it really has been awhile since we last posted, and I guess it has been a long while since we have been out west. Ben of course is married now, and like a good man he has combated the urge to nest and has kept traveling; he and his wife calling Washington, Mexico, and soon, Northern Ireland way points on their journey toward a white picket fence. Or knowing them, there might not be a fence, but just a border booth. Actually Ben will have a fence, but it will be a double-layered fence that only covers 3/16th of his yard.
I am in Siloam Springs again. I work at John Brown as an administrative assistant for the director of a leadership program. I also moonlight at Wal-mart-I am a vendor who stocks the CD's and DVD's. And I work with the Cathedral Choir. This includes taking notes, learning music, reading books, philosophizing with Mr Smith, and leading the Alto sectional on Wednesday nights at 7pm.
Ben and I both have real bills to pay now, and any wandering or wondering we have done has the danger of being replaced by work. Now, I haven't talked to Ben about this, so maybe he doesn't feel that, but I bet he does.
A little quote I'd like to share with you all. I know it is kind of lame or even cheesy, but I got this quote on a birthday card from my distant and lovely sister Katie Funk. Please read solemnly:
"No one can possibly know what is about to happen. It is happening each time, for the first time, for the only time." This quote is by a fellow named James Baldwin.
This is true for me now; because I have no idea what is going on, and this quote gives me a little comfort. It also makes me feel all right about living in ignorance.

And I will add this too, as it has been an encouragement to me. It is from Psalm 16. Verses 7-11.

7 I will bless the Lord who guides me;
even at night my heart instructs me.
8 I know the Lord is always with me.
I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.

9 No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice.
My body rests in safety.
10 For you will not leave my soul among the dead
or allow your holy one to rot in the grave.
11 You will show me the way of life,
granting me the joy of your presence
and the pleasures of living with you forever.

Ben and I haven't talked on the phone much, so I can't give you any updates on him. So Ben, if you read this, I'm calling you out to write something.

Here are few pictures of me at our new house. My house-mates are Ryan Ransdell and David Burney. They are very helpful. Katie Funk got me a cook book and some bread mix for my birthday, and these pictures are me utilizing those gifts. Sarah Kientz was a great help.

Idaho: Day Three

2007-08-01T13:19:00.000-05:00

I know what you are thinking. You're all like, "They let those gypsy's stay three days with them?" and I'm all like, "Yeah, deal wit it." Not only that, but we didn't even leave until the next morning, so that's even longer. Anyway, it was Friday, June 15th, and it would be our last day in paradise.

Ben woke up. Jake woke up. They went upstairs in search of coffee. It should be mentioned that Mary Ann put out big bowls of fruit every morning for Jake and Ben because she was worried they would get scurvy on the road. So they got some fruit too. They checked out the papers and were reassured that the status of the world had not changed: Everyone is dying and the world is quickly coming to an end. This morning/afternoon the two gypsy's were wanting to see the softer side of Lewiston, so Scott took them on a tour. First was the post office. Then we toured where Scott influences young minds to fall head over heels for Kansas. Scott teaches at the highschool and specializes in History. His room is a fortress of logic with passion as its moat. While in the room, Scott taught both Jake and Ben how to juggle.

The road tour continued and we saw the cool downtown district and where the boys go to school. When we got home, something happened that Ben does not want me to tell you about. Ben and I played some one on one basketball. We hadn't done any real physical activity for about 4 weeks, so anyone who was watching probably wouldn't have been able to tell we were even playing basketball. Oh, and we were shirtless. And yes, the boy from Kansas won this match. I don't say this for my own benefit, I say it to encourage all the young ones on the farms in Kansas, so that they know that they can achieve greatness.

Then the rest of the gang came out. We played an awesome game of hide-and-go-seek tag. It really was intense. Even Uncle Scott played and made me bleed and he made Ben bleed which is a huge accomplishment because Ben neither bleeds nor crys. Just as we were planning on ordering some pizza, we got a call that Henry was late for his baseball game. The schedule had changed without us knowing, so he rushed off to the game. The rest of us joined him and cheered him on. He started out at first and made some great plays. Then his team made a grave mistake and put him in the outfield. The thing is, Henry is a great outfielder, but his long reach at first had really been an asset and the guy who replaced him was wanting. Henry also dazzled us with a base hit. And I think he impressed some of the ladies in the stands. Ok, so the ladies were his mom and his cousin, but I know if there had been any girls his age there they all would have been wearing Henry Funk t-shirts for the next week. So the game was sweet, and so was the food that came after.

We ordered the pizza and let me tell you something: someone is a genius in Lewiston. They have sauerkraut pizza in Lewiston Idaho. That's just one more thing to put on the list of things that make Idaho a lot like the Garden of Eden. After eating the best pizza ever, we watched a few episodes of the Office. Actually, we were only going to watch one episode, but once the ball got rolling, we couldn't stop. We watched three episodes.

And that's how the night pretty much ended. Ben and I went to sleep.

It was Saturday when we woke up. We got some coffee and Uncle Scott drove back to school to pick us up some Lewiston High Juggling Club t-shirts. It was hard to leave, because honestly it really felt like being at home with the Idaho Funks. And I know Ben is missing talking politics with Uncle Scott. Thank you Idaho Funks, you made our trip as great as it possibly could have been. Cheers.

Idaho: Day Two

2007-07-28T11:21:00.000-05:00

June 14th is day Ben and I made a new friend, ate raw pork, and got wet in the Canyon of Hell.

We woke up early because we had to get to Clarkston in time to catch the jet boat that would take us on a 10 hour trek up and down Hell's Canyon. You see, when I say the Idaho Funk's treated us like royalty, I ain't exaggerating. Uncle Scott and Aunt Mary Ann had purchased Ben and I each a seat on the massive jet boat. We got there just after a bus load of 60-somethings. Good news for us, because that meant we got the two back seats on the boat, meaning of course that we had the best view. It also meant that we got soaked every time we hit the rapids (this is a good thing) and we got to sit by a mustached man named Brad. Brad is a nebula of wisdom, and he was the co-captain of our journey. Everyone is a dying star, and usually when a star dies it gives birth to new stars. Brad is a nebula that will most likely beget world peace or an arm wrestling championship. All that to say that Brad illuminated our jet boat ride like a double moon-bow in an ancient Redwood forest. He told us things the other passengers weren't getting to hear. And he told us what kind of rig he has.

The boat ride really was amazing. We saw rock taking the form of pliable metal rods in the shape of J's and horns.

We saw 12-16 wild Big Horn Sheep.
We saw ancient petroglyphs that the captain claimed were Native American but Brad told there was a good chance they were Extra-terrestrial. In contrast to the brittle bare basalt, we saw mound after mound of fuzzy canyon wall. And don't forget, this is Hell's Canyon, so we kept our eyes out for its Prince, but he never came.

After getting off of the boat, we got a picture with Brad, and headed back to Lewiston. We pulled to see me cousins playing outside. Again, I don't know why they weren't inside playing video games like kids are supposed to. Ben and I went inside to find some red wine set out and some pork that was to be dipped in hot mustard and sesame seeds. Delicious. After a tasty dinner, tons of people came over and we just sat and talked into darker hours. The kids once again played outside. Oh, and Ben serenaded us with some Josh Ritter tunes. I played a little harmonica.

It was a really full day, and we saw a lot of what makes Idaho a great state. Thanks for the boat ride Idaho Funks.

More to come.

Oh, this is us and Brad.

Idaho: Day One

2007-07-20T14:09:00.000-05:00

Ben and Jake woke up late on June 13th, 2007. It was a Wednesday, and the coffee was on. Emma was showing off on a video game in which the gamer is a mountain biker and is going way too fast down some ridiculous mountain. She was good at it, but Ben quickly caught on and game her some good competition. One of Ben's spiritual gifts is video gaming. Mary Ann and Scott made everyone some sandwiches and they all ate in anticipation of what was to come in the afternoon: and hiking extravaganza with Mongo and his crew (family).

Mongo came over and some of got in his rig and the rest jumped in Scott's rig. In Idaho, you call every kind of vehicle a rig. Doesn't matter if it's a 3-cylinder Metro or a Monster Truck: they're all rigs. We drove the beautiful country side to Elk River, where we hiked for a good couple of miles.

One of the things Mongo was very excited about was drinking some Hamm's beer in front of a certain waterfall. Ben and I were eager to comply. There are some pictures of us enjoying Hamm's in the most picturesque way possible.

After the hike, we went to a very small town that used to be a big logging community. The name of the town is Elk River. We saw a nice little restaurant named the Elk River Cafe and decided to give it a try. This small restaurant was like the quintessential mountain dive, and it had awesome burgers. It was a husband and wife running it the night we were there-he was the cook and she was the server. It was all very laid back and in one corner there was a mini general store. It was just some shelves filled with the most random wares one could imagine. At one point, two men walked in, one might have been barefoot, and they picked up a 12 pack of Mountain Dew and told the lady to put it on his Mom's tab. 'Nuff said.

After dinner, the crew jumped back into the rigs and cruised to Moscow, Idaho. This is the town were Josh Ritter is from, and so of course Ben wanted to stop there. I have since become a fan of Josh Ritter, thanks to Ben and Jolynn Goertz, and I am very glad we stopped there.
Driving out of Moscow was a pretty impacting drive for Ben and I. We both agree that the stretch from Moscow to Lewiston on Highway 95 is some of the most beautiful scenery we saw on our 10,000 mile Odyssey. It also helped us understand the song "Idaho" by Josh Ritter. Before driving back into Lewiston, we stopped at an overlook of the city. Pretty amazing, pictures included.

That night we played frisbee with the young ones and just talked with the old ones. Ben and I didn't know it yet, but we needed our sleep for what was in store for us on the next day.

Lyrics to Josh Ritter's "Idaho"

All that love all those mistakes What else can a poor man make? So I gave up a life of crime I gave it to a friend of mine Something else was on my mind The only ghost I'm haunted by I hear her howling down below Idaho oh Idaho

Wolves oh wolves oh can't you see? Ain't no wolf can sing like me And if it could then I suppose He belongs in Idaho Packs of dogs and cigarettes For those who ain't done packing yet My clothes are packed and I want to go Idaho oh Idaho

Out at sea for seven years I got your letter in Tangier Thought that I'd been on a boat 'Til that single word you wrote That single word it landlocked me Turned the masts to cedar trees And the winds to gravel roads Idaho oh Idaho

Idaho Chronicle: Intro

2007-07-12T00:14:00.001-05:00

Ben and I arrived at the Funk Compound in Lewiston, Idaho pretty late on Tuesday, June 12th, 2007. We were greeted by the whole crew: Scott, Mary Ann, Henry, Sam, Emma, and the precious dog. After the hugs we completed, I decided it would be a good idea to introduce Ben, since he had just been standing there the whole time like a creepy bearded person. After Henry had showed Ben and Jake to their room, the two weary travelers met the elders of the Funk crew on the back veranda for drinks and conversation. Jake and Ben kept Scott and his lovely wife way past their bedtimes, and then retired to the comforts of their room. This first night was indicative of how Ben and Jake were continually treated while at the Funk Compound: even though they were truly vagabonds, the Funks insisted on treating them as Kings. This is just the preview of the Idaho Chronicles. Ben and Jake arrived on the 12th, and didn’t leave until the morning of the 16th. More to come later. AND PICTURES, TOO! Here’s one to tide you over. It’s the young Funks showing off all of the land they donated to Kansas.

Our simple Yellowstone video

2007-06-23T19:27:00.001-05:00

Camping in Montana video

2007-06-23T19:26:00.002-05:00

Elk Sightings

2007-06-23T19:26:00.001-05:00

Golden Gate Bridge Video

2007-06-23T19:25:00.001-05:00

2007-06-21T17:29:00.001-05:00

10000 miles. The odometer reset. I guess it could'nt handle the prophecy.

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Just a note...

2007-06-20T02:19:00.000-05:00

Coming soon will be the Idaho Chronicles. Until then...

Another milestone

2007-06-19T12:53:00.001-05:00

9000 miles just over the South Dakota border. Deadwood is the next stop. Then onward.

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The Catch-Up

2007-06-19T00:17:00.001-05:00

Basically, we are so far behind, it hurts to think about. So here is a really quick overview.

When Ben and I got to Washington, we went to Jolynn's house and were treated like Kings.

Then I flew to Tulsa and drove to Wichita to sing at a lovely wedding.

I saw Luke Hayes and he helped me buy Mayan Gold.

I flew back to Washington.

Then we left for Idaho.

Ok, now you are caught up.

Status Update

2007-06-19T00:16:00.000-05:00

Well its late here in Gillette, WY (we're staying with a friend for the night) but I thought we should let everyone know what we've been up to.
We left Yellowstone early this morning. Roamed through the Grand Teton National Park and on outward through Wyoming. Beautiful of course and we'll have photos and videos later on.
Tomorrow we plan to have a big day hitting up Deadwood, Mount Rushmore, Badlands National Park and ultimately Denver, CO.
We're going to try and update more but right now we're enjoying civilization and a warm bed.

From the road in MT

2007-06-16T19:36:00.001-05:00

8000 miles and the race goes on thru Montana.

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Planet Earth: NP Pitstops

2007-06-12T16:03:00.001-05:00

Planet Earth: Snow in CO

2007-06-12T15:50:00.001-05:00

Planet Earth: Garden of the God's?

2007-06-12T14:23:00.000-05:00

A strange delicate land we have been longing to share with the world. Please enjoy this latest installment.

Backlog: You can eat Doritos at a Wine tasting

2007-06-12T14:15:00.000-05:00

On Monday morning, the Fourth of June, Two Men set out in search of Doom
They started at Eight, to a surfer's shop
to break a fast, then to a cliff side top.
They watched the surfers for Twenty minutes, said goodbye to Danielle and her Witches Broom.

Up the coast to San Fran, to find the hearts, their own, which they had left there.
However, the clouds hid their hearts there, and now they're hollow in the middle, which gave them little remorse for the small island in the bay with the barbed-wire fence.

On ward to greener pastures, or rather, vineyards.
Like the kind you see in movies.
The two Men cornered a winery and demanded a tasting.
Their knowledge of swirling and smelling was only a potentiality before that day, and when they had found the wine of their bliss,

They went on Their Way.

To the coast of Northern California, where trees outlive dinosaurs
and Elk will cry where they eat.
Two Men hiked a path, they started as college grads, and while taking their first steps they were transformed into dwarfs and conquistadors, both and.

And on that feight-full hike, a promised was made:
If Theodore were attacked by wolves, Travis would carry him out:
Defending him with his arm, and protecting his face.

Then through a foggy creep, and black Mamba of asphalt.
The Men could not see but a few feet ahead.
And just as quickly as the fog fell like the sighs of a million locusts
It Lifted, leaving the Men asleep in a parking lot,
till their adventures would begin anew.

Backlog: Use the Force

2007-06-11T10:59:00.000-05:00

After we had arrived in Modesto on Friday, June 1st, and after we had showered and got some shut-eye, we spent the next day at a Star Wars convention. I guess it was more a celebration of George Lucas. He had attended Modesto Junior College, so they put together an event complete with speakers, talk back sessions, trivia competition, Darth Vader, and the showing of some of George Lucas' films. Our friend Danielle Vogus, who has a nickname I refuse to use because of its vulgarity, was instrumental in putting the Star Wars event together. She also got us VIP name tags and was our host for our three days in the Modesto/Santa Cruz area. Thanks Danielle.
I enjoyed the Star Wars event because I got to see the movie and hear a guy give a good talk on the philosophy of Star Wars. Ben got to meet some people who were in the industry, and talked to people who were either making it, or trying to make it in the film industry. We didn't get a picture with Darth Vader.
After the event, we went to Danielle's friend's house. Her name is Mandy and she has a nice van and is a good cook. We had dinner by an outside fire, and Ben was in his prime, which put me in a good mood, and we succeeded at being very awkward the whole night.
We got some sleep that night, and the we actually went to Church!!!! Danielle introduced us to 17 hundred people, then we drove to Santa Cruz. Danielle took us to a cabin and Ben and I crashed on some couches. We were tired. Then Danielle woke us up and took us to some geo-political hotspots around Santa Cruz. Ice cream was first. Ben sniffed the wall. Then to the beach, where I lost Ben's frisbee to the Pacific Ocean. We left the water and went to a place called Pizza my Heart and got some pizza and t-shirts.
It was interesting walking around downtown. At least I think it was downtown. Anyway, like many American city centers, there were a lot of homeless people. And it puts one in an inner struggle, because at first you say to yourself, "It would be awesome to get in an organization that is helping these people," or then you tell yourself, "Man, I could just sit and hang out with these folks," but that doesn't work because these people actually scare you a little bit. It is obvious walking by them that they have serious addictions, and you have no idea what the manifestations of those addictions could be. So yeah, it is a little scary. So those were my thoughts walking down the street, and my ending thought was almost, "There is nothing I can do here." But I was not left with that thought. I saw a guy, dressed like we were, going down the street with a bag full of hamburgers wrapped in foil. He was about my age, and if I hadn't been looking closely, I wouldn't have noticed him asking these people I was scared of if they were hungry. When they said yes, he gave them a burger. He quickly passed us going the opposite direction, but as we continued walking, we saw foil wrapped burgers in the hands of all the homeless people we saw. The guy with the bag of hamburgers got over the fear that I had, probably wasn't in an organization, and actually helped the hungry. This left and impression on me and I know that Ben saw it too.
After downtown, we went back to the beach to see the sun go down. It was too cloudy, but we had fun anyway.
Then it was sleepy time.
Ben, can you pick up from here?
Oh, and the pictures below aren't in any order, or labeled, but you'll get the idea.

Backlog: Yosemite

2007-06-07T21:22:00.000-05:00

So Jake got everything updated to the night we spent in Yosemite, so I'll finish off our day their in brief.
We spent the night in the White Wolf area campground on the north side of the valley and due to our looong day before we slept in late until 11am or so. It was great to slow down enough to sleep and enjoy the area a little bit. I think we managed to eat more peanut butter and jellys for breakfast - a treat for the hungry! We decided to spend the little time bit of time we had going around the south side of the valley to Glacier Point. It really surprised me how huge the valley really is because it took us a long time to get from the north side down and then back up the south side. The views from Glacier Point were really amazing though. I felt really touristy just pulling up into our little parking spot and walking a couple hundred yards to such a beautiful view. The valley floor opened up below our ledge and we could see several waterfalls and Half Dome.
All along this trip I keep thinking about how these beautiful places we're seeing deserve so much more than passing glances or postcards. It even seems like most of the stops people make, however long, are cheapened by how easily and quickly we can fly through something beautiful. Jake will laugh at this, but I keep imagining the wonder and awe that people must have felt when travel was so much slower and instead of racing through Death Valley in under a day they had to spend days. Hiking over the mountains around Yosemite valley and then finally peeking over the edge to see waterfalls flowing over beautiful mountains and Half Dome and Sentinel Dome and all the trees along the valley. That's a wonder and awe I don't know how to share today.
So all of these thoughts led us to go on a short hike. We hiked a little over a mile to Sentinel Dome which is a similar view as Glacier Point but well worth the effort. The hike was pretty easy, but the activity and talk were good for us. We found wildlife (squirrels) eager to meet us at the top and of course Jake tried to claim everything for Kansas. We paused long enough there to get a sense of how amazing the area really is.
I guess from there we loaded up and headed to Modesto, CA for the night to finally hit civilization again - AKA cell phone coverage and the Internets. We drove out 140 along a river which was really beautiful. There was a rock slide in that area a while before that covered the road, so we got to cross on a temporary bridge, which was cool enough to two guys. From there it was just open and pretty farm land rolling on into I-5 and then north to showers and beds. We might talk more sometime about who we stayed with and all the cool people we got to meet. But I'll leave that to Jake for now.

The Secret Photos of Ben G.

2007-06-06T12:48:00.001-05:00

A small shop along the road in OK

Sunrise in the valley in Utah

Our secret campground. Amazing.

Leaving the magic campground.

The glorious mountains on the way into Yosemite.

Planet Earth: Mt. Sunflower

2007-06-05T23:18:00.001-05:00

Our latest upload from Mt. Sunflower in Kansas.

Time on your hands, world at your feet; no adventure left incomplete

2007-06-02T14:41:00.000-05:00

(Also known as the 48 hour day: Wednesday, May 30 to Thursday, May 31)

Some people our age are unaware that birds are up at like four in the morning. And that is also when they start singing. Furthermore, many of us do know that man creates time, and in light of this, my traveling partner and I decided that 24 hours just would not do for a day, and we thus created a 48 hour day, and lived it to the last drop. And it was the birds that told us when to start. We awoke to the sound of the pre-historic birds. Ben, being young and agile, took the opportunity to climb the nearest mountain and awe at the coming sun. Jake continued to sleep, giving himself more time to absorb the complexities of his dreams, hoping that he could interpret his own haunting nightmares.
Ben burst into the tent at 7am, saying that they must quickly depart; and in 22 minutes they were driving away from the red dirt. They had a lengthy and complex agenda: Before the day would be done, Ben and Jake will have visited Arches National Park, the Northern rim of the Grand Canyon, Zion National Park, Las Vegas, Hoover dam, Death Valley, and spot a bear and her cup in Yosemite National Park.
(Jake will be inserting pictures, hopefully in order, but he promises nothing)
Arches National Park was pretty cool.
There are some amazing geological mysteries. Obviously there are some arches, and just some other weird rocks. We took a short hike to see the Delicate Arch. We also bought a pass at this park that will get us into all of the other National Parks for free. We then left for the Northern Rim of the Grand Canyon.
It took a very long time to get there, but when we finally made it, we were pleased to find out that it would not be possible for us to climb to the bottom of the canyon.

For those of you who haven’t seen this canyon, I recommend you go, because it’s hard to believe something like this even exists. It blows my mind thinking of it. You can see for like 70 miles around you and then you can’t even see the bottom of the canyon. Ben took some footage for Planet Earth, and I listened to the many different languages being spoken. We heard Spanish, Italian, French, and German.
Our next destination was Las Vegas, but to get there, we decided to take a route that would take us through another National Park. Zion National Park was really a treat. Solid rock surfaces with plants coming out. The road cut through it pretty nicely, and it all was made more impressive with the setting sun. We kind of sped through this one, but we had to make it to Las Vegas.
We arrived in Vegas at 11pm. We put on some polo shirts so we would fit in, and then looked for a casino to blow all of our money in. Going straight to the Bellagio, we quickly realized that we are the two lamest people to take to Las Vegas. I lost 5 dollars to the slot machines, and Ben gave me 4.50 that he had won off of slots, and I quickly lost that too. Ben wanted to play some Texas Hold’em, but the buy in was too high. So we went to one of the many bars in the casino to get a drink, but we found out that a beer was 6 bucks and every other drink was 12 bucks. Folks, these drinks were not in our price range.

We then decided to see what the street had to offer us, but we couldn’t find out how to leave the casino. We asked a man in a red suit for directions, of which he was happy to give, and then he told us to have a great day. But it was night. Not that it matters; this city never goes to bed. Ben and me waited for a fountain to give us a show, but it never did, so we walked around a few blocks and tried to figure out why we were so lame. I mean, we understood the concept of the city; it just wasn’t doing anything for us. So we left. Denny’s in Henderson, as suburb of Sin City, was our destination. I went inside to do some writing, and Ben took a short siesta in the car.

Ben came in Denny’s after he had finished studying his eyelids, had some pancakes, and we hit the road at 5:15am for Hoover dam. The birds were all ready singing.
Hoover dam is incredible. Me and Ben couldn’t remember what the architecture style was called, but we both agreed it was pretty cool.

And I wanted to run down the slope of the dam, but for personal reasons I decided not to.
Note to other travelers: if you get to the Hoover dam before 6 am, there won’t be anyone there to take your money, so you get in for free. After we had our fill of the dam, we hit the road for the land of Death.
On our way to Death Valley, we put in the soundtrack to The Last Five Years. It is a great musical, and we both cried. I took a little siesta on the way, and Ben drove us through the Valley of Death. I would sometimes slip in and out of consciousness, and I am pretty convinced that Mephistopheles was in the car with us.

Death Valley plays tricks on your mind. There are sand dunes, desolate mountains, fields of salt, and absolutely no water.
Thankfully Ben never came under the spell of Death, and he got us through without a physical scratch, though I’m not sure if our psyche made it out unscathed.

From Death Valley we made our way to the quintessential American National Park: Yosemite. Ben had been there before, but it was all new to me. We drove in (for free because of our awesome pass), and found a camping spot. Then we hiked over some big rocks, I claimed some of them for Kansas, and we saw the mama bear and baby bear.
Then we took a trek down to the Valley and Ben showed me Bridalveil Falls and some other sites. Yosemite has been the most beautiful thing I’ve seen so far on this trip.

We drove back up to our campsite, ate some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and ended our 48 hour day.
This is all very surface level stuff, but hopefully it provides some basis for you to ask us questions later that will help us provide more depth to this epic.

Backlog: Colorado Springs, CO

2007-06-02T14:27:00.000-05:00

Monday May 28th:
Upon arrival in the great springs the "Rocksdale" family gave us a warm welcome.

Jake and I crashed a bit and then set out for the sights. I finally visited the great "Whit's End" at Focus on the Family that all Adventure's in Odyssey fans should know. Sadly Focus was closed because of Memorial Day but we had a good time anyway.

Ryan and Tara gave us a great tour of the area, local coffee, and a trek around Garden of the God's. http://www.gardenofgods.com/ Its really an interesting place, with strange rock formations that make you feel like dinosaurs are going to peek around the largest ones. We've got a live Planet Earth video we'll have up sometime. Photos will have to do for now.

Afterwards we went to see Pirates 3 - I want to get married on a pirate ship in the middle of a battle - comment if you do too. Then we ended the night of with a great time at Jack Quinn's Irish Pub downtown. My good friend Paul came out from the Air Force academy and we had a grand time catching up on life.
Jake and I ended the night testing our new camping gear in the Rocksdales backyard.

Tuesday May 29th:
We packed everything up and said goodbye to the Rocksdale family. We decided to take back roads from the Springs up to Frisco. Colorado was in its prime along the way. We passed through beautiful country and got attacked by rain and hail at several points. We had a nice lunch and break in Frisco - which is a small upscale town with a really cool lake and boating community - a mini-San Fransisco.
One of our last adventures in CO we stopped at a 50's diner and ordered apple pie, vanilla ice cream and coffee. We took that time to figure out where in the world we were going to stay. We kind of decided on a camp site around Moab, Utah but it was getting late and we really didn't know if we'd make it in time or anything like that. We also picked up our key supplies of peanut butter, jelly and bread. Oh and the needed plastic utensils.

I think that's all, but there's probably something cool I'm leaving off.

Cheers for now.

The good, the bad, and the Denver

2007-06-02T14:12:00.000-05:00

I know many of you have come under the impression that Ben and me have died. But that’s not true. We are alive. And now we will begin to tell the story of where we have been for the last 5 days. I’ll pick up where our last big post left off.
This all happened from Saturday, May 26th to Monday, May 28th. We arrived in Denver late, around 9:30pm, at my Uncle Keith and Aunt Retha’s house. My cousin Tyler was there too, and he and Ben went and got burritos while I ate sushi with my relatives. That’s right, they had sushi. They are awesome. We all kind of went to bed after a while and woke up late the next morning.
Aunt Retha cooked us some delicious French Toast (which you can call Freedom Toast if you are still boycotting France) and then we all got to work. I got to help Uncle Keith in his yard. I jumped at the chance to do this, because out of everyone I know, he knows the most about everything that grows and anything related to nature. We cut branches, carried some compost, mixed some dirt, and put it into pots. I got pretty dirty, but I did learn that ideal dirt is made up of 20% air. Pretty cool, huh? Ben was inside all this time, working on a project for Luke Davis’ studio.
Then Jake and Ben went down town to Denver’s 16th street mall to try and get a feel for the city. They were impressed with the capital buildings and they have included some of these pictures in the blog. They saw many different subcultures while downtown, and were encouraged that the different groups of people did not fight each other, but rather, they lived in perfect harmony; the kind of harmony that can only be found in a Shoenberg tone row. After chasing a few squirrels, Ben and Jake got some coffee and pondered what it would be like to live downtown. They decided that they would only live downtown if the following criteria were met:

1. Their apartment would have to be walking distance from the place they worked.
2. An all natural foods market would also have to be walking distance from their apartment.
3. Their wives would either work from home, or be a big time executive that got picked up every morning by a limousine.
4. Their kids would go to a nice school where they would have to wear uniforms. This school would be close enough that the guys could walk their kids to school every morning, and the wife could walk them home.
5. The final criteria would be that they would have some garden space on the roof of their apartment building
This is not too much to ask for is it?

After we were finished downtown, we went back to my Uncle’s house for some awesome hamburgers and late night conversation. We finished the evening by watching a movie with Tyler, and investigating the underpants gnomes.
Then we left the next morning. My family in Colorado treated us like kings. And Ben and me are pretty overwhelmed by all of the hospitality we have been receiving on this trip. A big thank you goes out to the Colorado Funks. We love you.

We're Alive!

2007-06-02T12:08:00.000-05:00

So we've finally reached the internets and cell phone service again after being in the desert for at least two full days. That's a long time for techies! Anyway, we're in Modesto, CA trying to stay in one place for more than a day. We're staying with friends and getting ready to go to George Lucas film festival (he's actually from here, sooo exciting).
A brief overview since our last real update. After leaving Kansas we spent a few days in Denver with Jake's wonderful family, then we hit Colorado Springs (once again a lovely visit), then we set out for Utah and ended up spending the night in a beautiful valley (near Moab I think), onward to Arches National Park, then the North rim of the Grand Canyon, then Zion National Park, then Las Vegas, into an all nighter at Denny's which led us to the Hoover Dam at sunrise, then Death Valley, and finally stopping for the night in Yosemite. That's probably the worst run on sentence, but I'm just laying the ground work for sequal posts. What the world needs more of is sequal as Jake would say.
So all of this to say we have a lot to post about. We've got some great pictures (point and shoot, nothing too National Geo) and I've got some videos I'll post up sometime soon.
Prepare thyselfs for the back log posting to begin.

From the middle of nowhere

2007-05-30T19:27:00.001-05:00

We're headed to the big hole and then the city of blinding lights. We've got good stories and pictures to post

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But I am le tired,

2007-05-28T19:15:00.001-05:00

Living on z road is le tuff.

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Why Kansas is a Proper Noun, a State, and a Verb

2007-05-27T20:41:00.000-05:00

It only took 10 and a half hours to get from Newton to Denver, and it was the quickest 10 and a half hours I have ever had the joy of living. Our first stop was Coronado Heights. It is supposedly where Francisco Vásquez de Coronado stopped his search for the alleged city of gold, Quivera. There is a stone fort built by the WPA in 1932 on top of a big hill to commemorate the spot. It is actually pretty cool and it has a great view from the top.
Jake and Ben then took a back road the rest of the way to I-70, allowing us to see some of Kansas that Jake had never seen before. When they got on I-70, they decided to go as far as KS-40, and then take that to some dirt roads that would eventually lead them to Mt. Sunflower. Mt. Sunflower is the highest point in Kansas,

and is home to much wildlife. Jake should tell you some of the stories.
Stories: As I was pulling the car into the dirt drive that led directly to the highpoint, three small rodents ran into a hole in the road. I immediately stopped the car, Ben grabbed his camera, and our Planet Earth shoot began. We later found out that the rodents were actually three-lined ground squirrels. My uncle Keith told us this. He is very smart. I placed some food (completely organic and natural food) outside of th
eir hole, and one brave squirrel emerged to eat. We got the shot in HD. Then, at the top of the highpoint, I mentioned how the gently rolling hills begged us to frolic over them, and to make fun of me, Ben began frolicking. Well, the joke was on him, because when he did that he almost frolicked on top of a snake. the photo below is of that snake. He is gruesome and scary. After we got back in the car, we almost ran over a 5 foot long snake, a giant red bird attacked our car, and some deer slo-mo jumped over some fences. Oh, and Ben saw a cow trying to make more cows.
Then we drove to Goodland and saw the biggest Van Gogh painting ever. We weren't really impressed, but we were glad we stopped. When we finally crossed over into Colorado, I few to sleep immediately.
While we were driving in Eastern Colorado, I mentioned to Ben that I didn't really like it. He said there is really no difference than Western Kansas. And he was right, the landscape is pretty much the same, so I was trying to figure out why I felt the way I did about Eastern Colorado. I think it is because Eastern Colorado has been disowned by the rest of its state. Looking at it, you can just sense the sorrow from it not being accepted by the rest of the state. I think I might cry.
Anyway, here are some pictures. I hope you like them.

Denver, CO

2007-05-27T20:05:00.000-05:00

Downtown Denver has now been conquered. Jake and I toured around the 16th St Mall area and the capital buildings. Lots of interesting people, which led to ponderings about city life and where we'll end up living and working. Perhaps some of those will make their way onto the blog.
We'll add pictures soon.

CO ho!

2007-05-26T23:31:00.001-05:00

Mile 3343 from the road. We've just crossed over into CO. First time for me.

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The Instruments

2007-05-25T02:26:00.000-05:00

I don't know if we ever mentioned this, but Ben and I are also traveling musicians. Ben is good at guitar, and I can only sing, so I bought a harmonica and penny whistle (pictured) so that I could contribute to the music. Ben of course brought his guitar. I also wanted to post about our compass (pictured). This compass only points West. Nuff said. I have also included a picture of Ben driving the car. He is a very safe driver. And there is a picture of Ben sleeping, cause he is real good at it. A few random photos also need to be posted. Kyndel Liggett's brother is not only the best AirSoft warrior in Texas, he is also a Lecrae fan. So here is a picture of he and I when we represented and got crunk. The last picture is of Ben, Kyndel, and I in Texas. Ben is drumming, cause we are in a band in the picture

Can Texas Contain us?

2007-05-25T02:08:00.000-05:00

Absolutely not. But that's not Texas' fault, Ben and I are just really resilient to containers. The Liggett's are an incredible family and were a huge encouragement for me and Ben. We are really hoping that this trip will be awesome, and the Liggett's challenged us to radically pursue God. They reminded us that He wants to answer our questions and is desperately waiting for us to be transformed by his love. So if you are reading this, pray that me and Ben would do just that: seek out God more and more so that he can transform our lives (which would make this trip awesome). We left Texas on Wednesday morning for the quaint village of Siloam Springs, AR. Our main goals were to see Jonathan Wilson and his wife Katie, collect my car, collect some of Ben's things from Lambert's Storage And Poetry Warehouse, see Greg's suits from China, groom Becci's yard, and hear of Whitdawg's latest organ escapades. All goals were accomplished. Oh, and this is of note. Ben challenged a lot of burly looking guys to a game of poker, and he won. Ben should make a post about it, but it is impressive, seeing as he usually just plays computer poker.
I'm writing this post from my mom's couch in Newton, KS. Let me tell you this: We drove through Oklahoma today and it was really rainy and the toll roads were in horrible condition--then we hit the Kansas border! and the sky chastised the clouds in our favor, letting us see the unmatched Kansas beauty surrounding us for miles and miles. There were some peace doves, too. Kansas probably could contain us, but the call of the road is much stronger than the pull of the grain elevators, so we are pulling out of here on Saturday morning.

Boxers High

2007-05-22T13:58:00.000-05:00

Captains Log:
Tuscaloosa, AL - Sunday 11:22 pm - Deep in the underbelly of the Goertz compound I found myself in a tough spot. After losing the first round of darts against Cadet Funk I needed a big shot to win the best out of three rounds. So far most of my shots had extended outside the point zones on the unusually small scoring board. I took aim and said a short prayer hoping my dart would find its home. Success at last! My first shot of the round landed right outside the center giving me enough to almost win the entire match. Cadet Funk reaction "I'm standing in cat piss."

Burleson, TX - Monday 9:41 pm - We encountered resistance outside Fort Worth, "Ta-has." Kyndel's brother Latham introduced us to the world of AirSoft street wars. Cadet Funk and I were thrown into the mix with limited knowledge and little hope for winning against seasoned warriors ranging in age from 9 - 13 years old. "Don't make easy targets" was an early jeer we received from the furious spartan warriors.

My single shot pistol was considered one of the better weapons to have, but I managed to consistently jam it in tight spots. Thankfully, the young warriors feared my gun so my air blasts made them run. Cadet Funk and I held our ground and scored several strikes against the barbarians throughout the battle. I took one shot to the hand as I peeked around a corner and a later shot to the chest after tripping on a water hose on my way to a tree for cover. The sniper shot to the chest hurt the most. However my extensive physical training has allowed me to quickly recover and prepare for the upcoming battle today.

2007-05-20T20:10:00.000-05:00

Today was another day in Southern Paradise, and sadly our last day at the Gortez Compound. On Saturday went into Birmingham to drop Jolynn off at the airport, and then we visited Ben's Aunt Karen. Ben's mom made us some good quesadillas, and then we rocked out to some more Kansas. Ben's dad has been exposing us to all kinds of wicked cool music. Oh, and we went to a huge bonfire in a residential area. The most notable thing that happened today was that we dirtbiked again. This time, we went longer, faster, and almost killed some dogs. A key takeaway from the dirtbiking is that life is tougher after you have a college degree, and the only way to stay sensitive is to race bikes on loose gravel at high speeds.
Key recommendations: Yuengling beer (http://www.yuengling.com/index.htm) and afternoon naps.

When we traveled by dirt bike...

2007-05-18T23:03:00.001-05:00

Check out our protective vests

2007-05-18T19:42:00.001-05:00

Most of what Ben and I have been doing is getting fat, going to concerts, tillin' yards, gettin' muscles, and living a charmed life. We went to a concert in Hotlanta which featured Dickey Betts. Dickey is an exceptional guitar player, and has an exceptional handle-bar mustache. We went with Mr. Buddy. He is Ben's dad and he wanted to see Dickey play before he dies. It was a great time, as you can see from the photos. Ben and I have been in Alabama for a while, and we rode some dirt bikes today. I crashed a few times; no big deal. And now we are about to eat some lobster. Life is rough on the road. I sleep in and take naps. I hope I can recover.

Photos from the Dickey Betts concert in ATL

2007-05-18T16:50:00.000-05:00

2007-05-18T16:49:00.001-05:00

Freak yea man