The 4th Leg - Day 64

Legs 1, 2 and 3 were Hoboken to New Orleans, New Orleans to Phoenix, and Phoenix to San Francisco. I am very ready to start out on the next segment of my od(d)yssey.

I can count the number of times I have flown with my parents on one finger. We returned to SF last night and the flight on Southwest was efficient. I spent half the trip chatting with my captive aisle-mate Marie. Time flew.

I'm thrilled to be back in SF, and spent the last day dining with Seismic, celebrating my niece's 2nd birthday, and reclaiming my Prius. Next up is a two-day vacation to California's wine region of Russian River. I suppose this counts as part of the Road Trip because it will be all new. Anything new and different is great. I'll take pictures.

The 4th leg of this trek was supposed to be SF to Portland to Seattle to Vancouver to Calgary to Montana to Wyoming to Utah to Phoenix. I will still make that trip, just not yet. I'm putting it on hold because Battlestar and B-girl have made final their decision to move to Seattle, and I want to wait until they are there to enjoy their hospitality. Congratulations to the dynamic duo, you've made an enormous decision, and I think it's a great one...at least for me.

The revised trip still takes me to Phoenix, but the new route will be something like this:

First I will head East through Yosemite. This will be just a pass through because there is too much to see and I want to spend some real time there in the future...maybe I'll just catch Old Faithful. I've previously been to Lake Tahoe, and will again admire it's beauty on the way to Reno.

Before losing some money in Reno, I'll try to stop in Murphy, Idaho, at least for a photo-op. And after losing some money in Reno, the next destination may be Boise, Idaho. There I hope to visit CuzBill. (Note to self - contact CuzBill.) There are a string of waterfalls leading out of Idaho that I'm hoping to see on the way to the Great Salt Lake and the city it is named after. I haven't seen many waterfalls in my life, so that should be cool, and refreshing.

After Salt Lake City, I will make my way through Wyoming a bit en route to Boulder, CO. EdMcJr, who I am told has checked out this blog, is a family friend I haven't seen since childhood. In adulthood, EdMc has become a serious rock climber, dangling and "camping" at heights that terrify me to think of. Perhaps I can convince him to give me some pointers on traversing a non-serious, out-of-shape, poky, fat man's hill. Or at least point me to some scenic locales that I can drive to. (Note to self - contact EdMcJr.)

Denver is shortly drive from Boulder, and I hope to hook up with UncleDave. (Note to self - contact UncleDave.) At our last family reunion in CO, UncleDave and I laid out in the snow un-coverd slopes of Breckenridge and took in the stars. Being a mile-high, the galaxy is that much closer, and it'd be nice to check it out again...or maybe catch a Rockies game.

From Denver I may be on the clock. If time permits, I will head through Utah and see Bryce Canyon. Bryce is the one place some people say is more beautiful than the Grand Canyon. I'll let you know if I agree. Vegas would give me the chance to see the Hoover Dam and the new Grand Canyon Skywalk on the western portion of the GC. I've also done a little research and might be able to fit in a rafting trip down the Colorado through the canyon.

But this will all be contingent on getting to Phoenix in time to prepare for a 1000 mile adventure through Mexico to hook up with SisDixRiMax in Puerto Vallarta. 75% of the people who have opinions about this trip tell me not to go. And internet research on driving through Mexico hasn't been encouraging. It sounds like I should expect to carry a wad of Peso's to bribe my way out of speed traps. If anyone has any first or second-hand knowledge of driving south of the border, please let me know. Also, if anyone want to take a trek like this, PLEASE feel free to join me...I could really use a riding companion and/or cell mate.

Adios Amigos.

Week 9 Ends

End of Week 9. (8AM, PST - 6/10/07)

Snodgrass - Day 59

I'm grounded. I will not be taking an early flight back to SF. With plans to stay in the Russian River area of California's wine region early next week, preceded by an appointment at the Toyota dealership on Monday, I really wouldn't be able to take to the road and accomplish much by going back early. So I will still be flying out on Saturday as planned.

I can now add "living with my parents" to my already fetching qualities of jobless and homeless.

I'm feeling a bit unproductive. Since the day I fully decided to undertake this Road Trip, I have been so completely absorbed in all the tasks leading up to and including the trip that "down time" has been non-existent. I don't know how normal unemployed people can bear all the wasted time. I heard recently that some take to odd tasks such as vacuuming their driveway...if I only owned a driveway...

I may not post again until something NEW happens again, so feel free not to check in until next week.

But tonight, I did have dinner with a great group of friends old and new. After beating SWZA at three straight games of Scrabble, we hooked up with Beena, her bro, and a few others for an excellent meal of Indian food.

I love all of the Asian cuisines, but, as far Asian cuisines go, Indian is lowest on my hierarchy. (Generally, my cuisine ranking is Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese, followed by Indian.) I think it is because I love eating cows and Indians don't. But, there are two things that Indian food does better than any of the other cuisines - bread and sauces. Next to French bread IN France, Nan is consistently one of the best breads. And if you take out all the chunky stuff from Indian main courses, you are left with the superb dipping sauces ranging from refreshing cucumber yogurt to spicy red and green curries. I guess my ideal Indian meal would be 5 slabs of Nan and a bowl each of Vindaloo and Tikka Massala sauce. Which is pretty much what I had for dinner tonight...excellent.

As for the company, the Bozarth's that attended have each independently been ranked higher than me by my nieces and nephew. Beena is certainly the sister my sister never had and as much of an aunt to ReMax as I am an uncle. She even changes diapers. And my brother once told me that Adam had (briefly) replaced me as favorite uncle to his daughters. Also, SWZA brought along her current heartthrob JW Snodgrass. (Yes, that is his real last name.) Kudos SWZA, and he's even over 20. MFox - you can go back to your real last name now.

Katz's - Day 57

Today I had a treat. 6Pack, 3Pack and I headed through the Holland Tunnel and into (the dreaded) New York City. It took us about 45 minutes to drive the 3 or 4 miles to the restaurant. 6Pack thought that was making pretty good time. NYC is warped in so very many ways. In case anyone didn't already know, I have never been a fan of the big city.

But the treat was going to Katz's deli for lunch. Katz's is historic and famous and the infinite number of celebrity photos on the wall attests to this. For $14, I had a hot pastrami sandwich. If there is better pastrami in the world, I don't see how it is possible. After bellying up to the counter (and there were a lot of big bellies competing), we placed our order. The slicer guy went to the steamer and pulled out a fresh brisket, which he expertly trimmed. Before commencing on making the sandwiches, he sliced and plated a sample of the brisket on the counter. We fingered it into our mouth, not waiting for it to cool off. Perfect, we told him, but he already knew that.

After a few more minutes of toil, he produced the Dagwood Bumstead thick sandwiches that consisted of nothing but rye bread and pastrami. The meat was cut about a quarter inch thick as anything thinner might have melted. With a bit of mustard at the table, I fork-fed myself the first inch or so of the meat before I had a sandwich I could fit in my mouth. It was spectacular.

I spent another $35 on a pound and a half of corned beef to go ($22.95 per lb.) It was worth it and my parents and I shared it for dinner, saving about 2 sandwiches for lunch tomorrow. It's not the Grand Canyon, but it is a must if you are in the area.

----

On a side topic, I have been having a great time hanging out and seeing the old crew and the family, but I am beginning to get a bit antsy. I want to get back to the west coast, back to the Prius, and back to the road soon. For the first time, I am beginning to feel like an unemployed bum who hasn't gotten anywhere. I have been sleeping 8 hours a night again, even oversleeping, and I feel like I am losing the "edge" that has helped propel me so far on this trip. So, Sis and Seismic, don't be surprised if I show up on your doorstep a few days early. Any interest in Yosemite?

Week 8 Ends

End of Week 8. (11:00 PM, PST - 5/24/07)



Same as last week for reasons described there.