Bill Clinton
the last 6 weeks of break I'll have for a long long time have been put to incredibly good use. First I would just like to make mention of the fact that at my graduation in June, President Bill Clinton will be addressing my class as commencement speaker. That's right, I have bragging rights to Bill Clinton officially and I couldn't be happier or more ready to gloat though I know I shouldn't.
I have spent the last 17 days traveling around this country. I left Decemeber 6th to have one final great adventure before graduation. Drove to Denver to visit Brian. Putzed around the mile-high city for a day, saw mountains, saw Casa Bonita, went to a gay club and the proceeded to head out the mile high city toward the mountains of Wyoming, Utah, and Nevada and eventually passing into the wonderfully gorgeous and quite treachorous roads of the Sierra Nevada where, after having 3 full days of more than perfect driving weather, ran into sleet, snow, and rain at Donner's Summit (not a great history and it sure shows) but passed without too much problem after having chains placed on the wheels by a main in a (no joke) yellow poncho. First time I've driven with chains, and as frightening as it was, being 5000 feet up taking 6% downhill grades at 5 am in the sleet and snow of the Sierra Nevadas, I felt pretty badass.
After mustering the courage to tackle the infamous cannibal summit we made it to the Bay and beautiful San Francisco without any more problems. I spent the following 10 days wandering a city that really has captured my heart. Between the bay, the wine country, the foothills, the bridges, and the ever so interesting people you meet on every corner, I've come to adore the place I once could only dream of visiting as a small child. It was more than wonderful to visit Katelyn and her family once again. I always feel at home with them and this trip was no different.
Eventually it was time to take the long trek back to the great plains and the blustery midwestern winter so on Tuesday morning, we headed back out onto the road. This time though, we passed the Sierras without problem and were actually able to see how breathtaking they really are. After this it was into Nevada and the wide empty spaces of desert and mountain. I finally got to see the great rocky mountains, not just the foothills and it was one of the most breathtaking sites I've ever seen. My jaw dropped as we climbed up a hill and at the top these omninous pieces of earth loomed before me. Into Utah and the salt flats and placid colorful lakes before hitting the great salt lake which resembles an inland ocean and is really quite the site to see. SLC is always gorgeous to travel through as it sits among foothills of the rockies much like Denver, only instead of the jutty snow caps of denver it's the crystallized white, purple, and pink of a mountain sunset. Wyoming however I found to be dreary and dull and unimpressive though I have been told the parts I have only managed to drive through at night are beautiful. I'll believe it when I see it though.
Arriving in Denver early early Wednesday morning, we managed to miss the biggest snow storm of the year but did find ourselves snowed into the city with no way out for 2 full days. After spending an hour digging out the car from under 2 and half feet of snow and then making a pathway in the snow for it to drive out, we finally found our way out of Denver and the snow and ice but not without the traffic complications of uncleared roads and poorly iced highways. However, once we reached the ugly Nebraskan tundra of tumbleweeds and yellowed empty fields that once held corn, we were in the clear weather-wise. It was just the scenery we lacked and longed for. All in all, over a 17 day period I've managed to see a great deal of America's natural beauty as well as encounter a great deal of mother nature's wrath during winter. Over 4000 miles 2 continental divides, a couple of mountian ranges and one of the biggest blizzards to hit in 3 years, I'd say this trip did not fail my expectation of adventure.
6 months until graduation and my inauguration into adulthood. I've over worrying about it though. Right now I'm happy to just be spending time with the crazy people I'm proud to say are family and looking forward to seeing Tom again after 4 LONG months of being a part. Happy New Year everyone, I feel that 2007 is going to be filled with a good number unexpected surprises...
I have spent the last 17 days traveling around this country. I left Decemeber 6th to have one final great adventure before graduation. Drove to Denver to visit Brian. Putzed around the mile-high city for a day, saw mountains, saw Casa Bonita, went to a gay club and the proceeded to head out the mile high city toward the mountains of Wyoming, Utah, and Nevada and eventually passing into the wonderfully gorgeous and quite treachorous roads of the Sierra Nevada where, after having 3 full days of more than perfect driving weather, ran into sleet, snow, and rain at Donner's Summit (not a great history and it sure shows) but passed without too much problem after having chains placed on the wheels by a main in a (no joke) yellow poncho. First time I've driven with chains, and as frightening as it was, being 5000 feet up taking 6% downhill grades at 5 am in the sleet and snow of the Sierra Nevadas, I felt pretty badass.
After mustering the courage to tackle the infamous cannibal summit we made it to the Bay and beautiful San Francisco without any more problems. I spent the following 10 days wandering a city that really has captured my heart. Between the bay, the wine country, the foothills, the bridges, and the ever so interesting people you meet on every corner, I've come to adore the place I once could only dream of visiting as a small child. It was more than wonderful to visit Katelyn and her family once again. I always feel at home with them and this trip was no different.
Eventually it was time to take the long trek back to the great plains and the blustery midwestern winter so on Tuesday morning, we headed back out onto the road. This time though, we passed the Sierras without problem and were actually able to see how breathtaking they really are. After this it was into Nevada and the wide empty spaces of desert and mountain. I finally got to see the great rocky mountains, not just the foothills and it was one of the most breathtaking sites I've ever seen. My jaw dropped as we climbed up a hill and at the top these omninous pieces of earth loomed before me. Into Utah and the salt flats and placid colorful lakes before hitting the great salt lake which resembles an inland ocean and is really quite the site to see. SLC is always gorgeous to travel through as it sits among foothills of the rockies much like Denver, only instead of the jutty snow caps of denver it's the crystallized white, purple, and pink of a mountain sunset. Wyoming however I found to be dreary and dull and unimpressive though I have been told the parts I have only managed to drive through at night are beautiful. I'll believe it when I see it though.
Arriving in Denver early early Wednesday morning, we managed to miss the biggest snow storm of the year but did find ourselves snowed into the city with no way out for 2 full days. After spending an hour digging out the car from under 2 and half feet of snow and then making a pathway in the snow for it to drive out, we finally found our way out of Denver and the snow and ice but not without the traffic complications of uncleared roads and poorly iced highways. However, once we reached the ugly Nebraskan tundra of tumbleweeds and yellowed empty fields that once held corn, we were in the clear weather-wise. It was just the scenery we lacked and longed for. All in all, over a 17 day period I've managed to see a great deal of America's natural beauty as well as encounter a great deal of mother nature's wrath during winter. Over 4000 miles 2 continental divides, a couple of mountian ranges and one of the biggest blizzards to hit in 3 years, I'd say this trip did not fail my expectation of adventure.
6 months until graduation and my inauguration into adulthood. I've over worrying about it though. Right now I'm happy to just be spending time with the crazy people I'm proud to say are family and looking forward to seeing Tom again after 4 LONG months of being a part. Happy New Year everyone, I feel that 2007 is going to be filled with a good number unexpected surprises...