Hello from the road!
(A letter I sent to my Aunt and Uncle. Sums up the trip.)
Hey guys. I’m really sorry it took so long to get back to you, but I wanted to let you know that all is well and haven’t had any trouble keeping busy. Thank you again very much for letting me stay with you in Idaho, it was a pleasure getting seeing you both again. Shoshone Falls was as amazing as you said it would be, so I’m really glad you gave me the heads up on that spot. From there I have seen so many things, often staying several days in each location and putting many miles under my hiking boots. In Utah I visited the Dinosaur Park museum, the Morman Temple and gardens, downtown Salt Lake City, the Salt Lake Marina, and the amazing Arches, Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon, and Zion National Parks as well as Coral Pink Sand Dunes and Red Canyon State Parks. Due to some labels that have followed me around for years I was eligible for a “Disability” Park Pass that lets me in to all National Parks for FREE plus many in-park discounts. That has saved me a lot of money, as well as sleeping in the National Forests and at Walmart parking lots (both free legal camping plus bathroom access). In Arizona I visited both the North and South rims of the Grand Canyon, plus two hikes into the canyon, but when I got to Phoenix the heat quickly chased me out of the state. In California I saw Joshua Tree National Park, Salvation Mountain in Slab City, then fled the desert down to San Diego where I visited the Zoo, Seaworld, Balboa Park and gardens, and went swimming / body boarding in the nice warm ocean. Once I ran out of activities I headed up to L.A. and attended two electronic music events (hobby of mine) and lounged at the Santa Monica Pier. Shortly afterwards I headed Northeast to Sequoia, Kings Canyon, and Yosemite National Parks. You think I’d be burnt out on parks by this point, but every time I turned a corner it was like… “Wow!!” I was in hiking and photography heaven. I eventually made my way back West from there to visit Monterey Bay and spent an entire day at the aquarium. Yesterday I took a tour on Alcatraz Island then rode my bicycle around the San Francisco bay area, which I plan on exploring some more today.
My plans from here are to head towards the Redwood Forest, Crater Lake in Oregon, Portland Oregon, Mt. Rainier in Washington, then go home to rest and reorganize before heading off on some more pre-planned hiking and biking trips. I plan on returning to work early in September, but hopefully not sooner.
The van has been running great this whole time, and I have not run into any major health problems. Even my previously troublesome joints have been doing well. The only big disappointments so far is I’m not going to have enough time to settle down and do volunteer work, which was supposed to be the highlight of the trip. Also, with the exception of visiting you, all the out-of-state friends and family I was supposed to visit have for once reason or another had to cancel, often at the last minute. But so far this trip has exceeded my expectations, especially since I am working with far less time then previously planned. Oh, and another major mishap was my digital camera gummed up at the Grand Canyon. Long story short I decided to upgrade to a new camera that I am having a blast with.
Anyway time is almost up on this computer so I’m heading off. I’ll email you again once I get home!
Hey guys. I’m really sorry it took so long to get back to you, but I wanted to let you know that all is well and haven’t had any trouble keeping busy. Thank you again very much for letting me stay with you in Idaho, it was a pleasure getting seeing you both again. Shoshone Falls was as amazing as you said it would be, so I’m really glad you gave me the heads up on that spot. From there I have seen so many things, often staying several days in each location and putting many miles under my hiking boots. In Utah I visited the Dinosaur Park museum, the Morman Temple and gardens, downtown Salt Lake City, the Salt Lake Marina, and the amazing Arches, Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon, and Zion National Parks as well as Coral Pink Sand Dunes and Red Canyon State Parks. Due to some labels that have followed me around for years I was eligible for a “Disability” Park Pass that lets me in to all National Parks for FREE plus many in-park discounts. That has saved me a lot of money, as well as sleeping in the National Forests and at Walmart parking lots (both free legal camping plus bathroom access). In Arizona I visited both the North and South rims of the Grand Canyon, plus two hikes into the canyon, but when I got to Phoenix the heat quickly chased me out of the state. In California I saw Joshua Tree National Park, Salvation Mountain in Slab City, then fled the desert down to San Diego where I visited the Zoo, Seaworld, Balboa Park and gardens, and went swimming / body boarding in the nice warm ocean. Once I ran out of activities I headed up to L.A. and attended two electronic music events (hobby of mine) and lounged at the Santa Monica Pier. Shortly afterwards I headed Northeast to Sequoia, Kings Canyon, and Yosemite National Parks. You think I’d be burnt out on parks by this point, but every time I turned a corner it was like… “Wow!!” I was in hiking and photography heaven. I eventually made my way back West from there to visit Monterey Bay and spent an entire day at the aquarium. Yesterday I took a tour on Alcatraz Island then rode my bicycle around the San Francisco bay area, which I plan on exploring some more today.
My plans from here are to head towards the Redwood Forest, Crater Lake in Oregon, Portland Oregon, Mt. Rainier in Washington, then go home to rest and reorganize before heading off on some more pre-planned hiking and biking trips. I plan on returning to work early in September, but hopefully not sooner.
The van has been running great this whole time, and I have not run into any major health problems. Even my previously troublesome joints have been doing well. The only big disappointments so far is I’m not going to have enough time to settle down and do volunteer work, which was supposed to be the highlight of the trip. Also, with the exception of visiting you, all the out-of-state friends and family I was supposed to visit have for once reason or another had to cancel, often at the last minute. But so far this trip has exceeded my expectations, especially since I am working with far less time then previously planned. Oh, and another major mishap was my digital camera gummed up at the Grand Canyon. Long story short I decided to upgrade to a new camera that I am having a blast with.
Anyway time is almost up on this computer so I’m heading off. I’ll email you again once I get home!