Where to begin?

The last few days have definitely been the most eventful of the trip so far. Canyons, car trouble, casinos (Vegas), cuisine, coasters and characters (Disneyland) and lots more.

Let’s begin with a brief overview of our visit to the Grand Canyon. Our first break down happened in the desert just outside of Flagstaff, AZ. We got the car running again and brought it to the nearest shop where they told us that it was probably a sensor issue and gave us the OK to keep driving. So, we ventured up to the Grand Canyon where we had a campsite reserved. We also had dinner reservations at the nicest restaurant at the Canyon, so we quickly pitched our tent, changed clothes, and took the shuttle to the lodge/restaurant. On the way to dinner we found a HUGE elk. Actually, it was probably a pretty standard-sized elk, but I had never seen one before, so it was HUGE.



When we arrived at the lodge for dinner, we could tell that the railing up ahead was most likely the edge of the canyon, which we hadn’t seen yet. It was past sunset, but still a little twilight-ish, so we could still see. Erik and I grabbed hands, looked down at the ground and walked slowly up to the edge. We counted to 3 and looked up at the same time. I just about fell over when I saw it. I have never had my breath taken away like that. It is the most beautiful, surreal and BIG thing I’ve ever seen. It’s indescribable. It looks fake. Anyway, we enjoyed a fancy dinner at the lodge (filet mignon for me and quail for Erik) and went back to the campsite. The next morning, as shown in a previous post, we woke up at 4:45 a.m. and hiked to the canyon edge to watch the sunrise. We were surprised at how quiet it was; there was no one around. We found our own special spot and sat there, inches away from a cliff that would be certain death had we fallen, and watched as the sun creeped its way down the various cliffs. Incredible.



On to Vegas. We broke down again just outside of Boulder City, just past the Hoover Dam; this time for good. The car would not drive faster than 15mph, and in a desert where it is mostly rolling hills, it’s hard to get anywhere. Luckily, we creeped into Boulder City (more of a desert than a city), which is just 25 miles south of Las Vegas. We located a shop in Vegas that we wanted to take the car to, but we needed to get it towed there. We sat on the cement in the sun (just a cool 115 degrees) for over two hours waiting for a tow truck. We were grateful to have a jug of water to drink, although it was about 120 degrees. The tow truck came and took us away and we were on our way to Vegas. Again.

After much trouble trying to find a cab to take us from the car shop to the strip, we finally rolled up to the Palazzo, a 5-star hotel resort affiliated with the Venetian, right on the Vegas strip. Wow, Maddie and Erik must be RICH! Nope. We have great friends with big connections. :) Here’s the deal: Erik’s lifelong friend, Jake, is a VIP Host at the famous nightclub TAO in the Venetian. He got us a comped room at the Palazzo, along with private concierge service, tickets to a show (La Reve), and much much more. Our room was unbelievable. The bathroom was all marble and even had a TV and a phone next to the toilet. The room itself was two levels, with a couple marble steps separating the bed area from the living room/office area. There was a big velvet sectional couch, and two more big screen TVs. Needless to say, these luxurious accommodations were just what the doctor ordered after the day we had.



The show was amazing. La Reve is like a Cirque de Soleil show, but it’s all in water. Look it up; it’s too much for me to describe. Having never been to Vegas, pretty much everything was just sensory overload for me. So many shiny things!!! Also, we were in the 3rd row so we felt like we were in the show...and I got splashed!

The next day, we checked out of our hotel and wandered the strip for a few hours. My friend from high school, Dennis, happened to be in town, so we hooked up with him for a bit and chilled by the pool at Caesar’s Palace. Later, Jake picked us up and drove us to his house that he built with his girlfriend, Chrissy, where we would be staying that night. They had told us that we had a fancy dinner planned so we needed to get ready. We drove back down to the strip with Jake and Chrissy where we would be dining at STK, a trendy steakhouse in the Cosmopolitan Hotel. Chrissy had met the GM of the restaurant a couple months back, and he was going to “take care of us” when we came in. We didn’t even need to look at the menus because a few minutes after we sat down, a waiter came up and asked if any of us had food allergies because our food was already cooking. They proceeded to bring us 4 courses of amazing, gourmet deliciousness, including but not limited to Kobe beef sliders, lobster mac n‘ cheese, creamed corn, melt-in-your-mouth filet, chicken, fish, asparagus, mashed potatoes, mini ice cream cones, peanut butter cheesecake, caramel bread pudding, blue cheese rolls, etc. It sounds like common people food, but it WASN’T. It was FANCY food. Plus, drinks were taken care of as well. Martinis anyone?




After dinner, they took us to Vegas‘ hottest nightclub: XS. It is in the Encore Hotel, and Chrissy works there as a cocktail waitress. She had arranged for us to get a table and bottle service comped for the night. We had our own couch and table outside next to the pool and our own personal cocktail waitress making drinks. We were there for the next several hours... [Some details have been intentionally omitted to protect the reputations of the authors of this blog]



The next “morning” we woke up, went out to breakfast with Chrissy and Jake and then went to the shop to pick up our car. The problem was two broken sensors that would go haywire and not allow the car to throttle. They were replaced and we were good to go. Get us out of Vegas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anaheim welcomed us with open arms and sweet whispered nothings in our ears. Anaheim let us know that everything was going to be alright. We were going to Disneyland and no one was going to stop us. We had the one day hopper pass, so we could go back and forth between Disneyland and California Adventure all day. We both had been MANY times already, so we knew what we were doing. The bummer of the day was that at least 4 rides had intermittent technical difficulties all day, which made it difficult to know whether to wait in line or use fast passes if it was just going to break down again while we’re waiting. Also, high winds caused them to cancel the fireworks show. But, we saw the World of Color water show at California Adventure, which was AWESOME, and Erik saw Captain EO for the first time. Tuckered out after a Vegas weekend and a 12-hour Disneyland marathon, we grabbed some midnight Pizza Hut and passed out.



As I write this, I am looking out at the Pacific Ocean.....West Coast represent!!! We are driving up “the 101” on our way to my cousin, Kaylyn, who is about to graduate from Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo. The next few days we are winding up the state of California while we wind down our trip and end in P-Town, USA. Can’t wait!

-M

Stranded in the desert...again

A beautiful morning at the Grand Canyon seems so long ago... We made it to Hoover Dam where it is scorching hot, the incredible cement mass not only provides electricity for the desert folk, but it also serves as a heat trap for its patrons.

Just after leaving the Hoover Dam...we broke down. After talking with some people, it seems like it's a sensor problem that's prohibiting the engine from using too much throttle. 

We're waiting for a tow in Boulder City, about 25 miles from Vegas. 

We've got plenty of warm water to keep us hydrated. Our spirits and body temperatures are high though with the prospect of a nice hotel suite at The Venetian waiting for us along with good friends :)

Good to go.

-E

Good morning!

An early wake up, but man was it worth it! God is grand.

Over the desert and through the desert to grandmother's house we go!

Our stop in New Mexico, although brief, was very memorable.  Maddie's Grandma Arda had hosted Gus and Maddie on their move to Nashville over two years ago and was happy to host us on our return trip home. If all cross-country travelers had a homestay option like Grandma Arda's, they'd be oh so blessed. 

Her home is welcoming, warm with colors of the Southwest, and wonderfully alive with the company of her three Australian Shepherd pooches.  Violet and Kimberly are 14 and 10 respectively; they are the friendliest and sweetest dogs you could ever know. But, it's the new addition to the family, Lila, the Toy Aussie, who steals the show :)

We rolled in having hit the midpoint of our journey, approximately 1,750 miles logged. We...were...hungry. Arda had dinner prepared when we arrived. We enjoyed chicken florentine (a new recipe of hers that is definitely a keeper) followed by homemade bannana bread paired with raspberry frozen yogurt.

After a long night's rest, thanks to the extra hour we gained transitioning to Mountain Time, I got up and enjoyed a cup of coffee with Arda while she shared with me her favorite hotspots of the area. I had heard rumors from a previous roommate who attended New Mexico Tech that Mexican food in his home state was lethal to the unconditioned palate simce chilies are used liberally in all dishes. Arda told of one such place down the road. What really caught my eye was her fantastic turquoise jewelry. She said she takes all of her guests to the local Saturday market where you can buy the gorgeous stone jewelry directly from the artist. Unfortunately, we mistimed our trip, but I'm sure we'll be back through a few more times :)

We're on the road now bound for the Grand Canyon. We have dinner reservations at El Tovar Lodge just after seven. GPS has  us arriving  shortly after six, perfect.

Ciao for now!

-E

Keep Austin Weird? No Problem!

Tuesday was foodie day! Mari and her roommate, Steph, took us to Torchy's for breakfast tacos. Torchy's is an Austin staple that serves up blazin'-good tacos (note the one topped with jalapeños); a corn tortilla chalked full of scrambled eggs, bacon, green chiles, avocado, and fresh pico de gallo. Mari accurately pointed out that it's the type of food you just can't put down, not just because it's a fireball of taste, but because you have no hope of figuring out how to hold the mess in your hand again once you set it down.



With the prospect of 97 degree heat, Daniel (another BF of Madd's) suggested paddleboarding on Lady Bird Lake. After wrestling to get four coupons off the company's Facebook page, we headed down to the pier where we were received by a not-so-enthusiastic employee of Austin Paddle Sports. When asked how his day was going, he responded curtly with, "Could've slept a couple more hours." Our coupon guaranteed us two hours for the price of one; not that it mattered, because Austin Paddle Sports didn't seem to be too stingy about their rental policies. The tired employee told us he wouldn't let us off the lake until at least two hours had passed.

Paddleboarding isn't hard. Thank God, because water/snow sports have never been my thing. All four of us bounced up, no problem. Then again, maybe we're just rockstars? We also did our part to save the world: picking up trash floating in the lake in places the common do-gooder could not reach from land.



[Maddie steals the computer from Erik and finishes this post]

Foodie day continued with German fare at Easy Tiger on E. 6th Street. I horked on a pretzel and salad while the others feasted on roast beef and turkey on sourdough accompanied by cucumber salad slathered in vinaigrette. Cool vibe, cool waitress, Easy Tiger.

Can you think of anything better on a hot day than a cup full of ice topped with sugary syrup? If so, please comment with your ideas; otherwise, listen up. Daniel took us down the street to a literal hole-in-the-wall that serves authentic shaved ice (yes, Dad - the good stuff). Ice shaved so finely it looked like yogurt. I opted for Dragon's Blood flavor (strawberry with coconut). I love eating it; it is so choice. If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up.

Austin had delivered so far, and we already had an extensive itinerary planned for the next day, so we took the opportunity to swing down to San Antonio and see what that's all about. What made the trip was getting to see some old friends from high school, Katie (who was also my college roommate) and Michelle. Michelle works as a speech pathologist while Katie is in insurance marketing, and they have been living in SA for about a year. We met them down at the famous River Walk, a bustling outdoor restaurant extravaganza. Aside from the colors, sights, and smells, I was most surprised by the lack of safety railings along the river. I found myself wondering how many people fall in the water per year, as the sidewalks are narrow, tourists are clumsy, and most restaurants are eager to promote their specialty drinks. Shocking!

Oh, and I almost forgot - we saw the Alamo.



Wednesday kicked off with another classic Austin Eatery: Juan in a Million. Erik raved about this years ago when he saw it on Man vs. Food, and he also visited it during his summer in Houston. The highlight of Juan in a Million isn't the food (although it's delicious and filling), it's Juan, winner of 2001's "Best Restauranteur Handshake." His signature greeting is known throughout the city. As soon as you walk in, he looks you in the eye, smiles, and gives the ladies a firm handshake and the men a dominating high five that echoes throughout the restaurant. Erik went in for the follow up embrace and Juan obliged, giving him the "man pat" on the back. If you're a first time patron of Juan in a Million, there's really no other way to go than to order the Don Juan. Three corn tortillas buried under a mountain of potatoes, migas (cornmeal cooked in eggs), bacon, and cheese. The truth is, one Don Juan would've been enough for Erik, Mari and me to share, but instead we ordered one each. !Ay caramba!



We capped off our time in Austin with a very Austin-y experience: Sound and Cinema. Daniel walked us down to the Long Center where they have set up a huge inflatable movie screen on the sloped lawn overlooking the Austin Skyline. Each week in the summer they show a movie and a local cover band plays before the sun goes down. We were lucky enough to be there for the showing of Labyrinth, the 80's muppet movie with David Bowie and Jennifer Connelly. What a trip! None of us had ever seen it, and it was....interesting. Obviously, from looking at the crowd, it has quite a cult following, much like Rocky Horror Picture Show. Our favorite character in the movie by far was Sir Didymus (<-- CLICK THIS).

Other Austin shenanigans:

1. Got bullied by a bartender who was SURE that we were all 17 or younger.
2. Ate fancy happy hour snacks while making fun of the pianist/singer playing live to drum tracks.
3. Visited the original Whole Foods Market (mecca!).
4. Erik and Mari snuck into UT football stadium.
5. Waited in line for an hour for frozen custard.

Even with the all the fun we had while in Austin, we couldn't help but smile when finally greeted by New Mexico (see below).



Adios for now!

-E&M

Confederate Lines

Day 2 of our journey took us through Mississippi, the top of the boot that is Louisiana, and into the state that still thinks it can stand alone apart from the Union: Texas. We chose to break up the trip into a few different segments, a critical strategy, because anyone who has spent extensive time with me in a car knows that I get antsy/claustrophobic at a moments notice (lucky Maddie, I know).

We woke up reasonably early to leave Jackson, stopped for coffee, and drove the short hour to Vicksburg where Ulysses S. Grant and his Army of the Tennessee laid siege to the Confederate stronghold that President Lincoln called the “key to the South.” Lincoln and Grant knew that the taking of Vicksburg would allow safe passage for Union supplies and soldiers down the Mississippi River and employed innovative military strategy to ensure the outcome would favor the Union.

We were pressed for time but my landlord, Ralph, in Eutaw, said Vicksburg National Cemetery was a must-stop before we left the South. We bought a cd from the Visitor’s Center and embarked on a one-hour self-guided tour through the park. We cruised the 16-mile road that tours the grounds of one of the most intricate battles of the war that pitted brother on brother.

I want to share just a few of the nuances of the battle that I absorbed during our brief visit.

A little war strategy to start... Initially, Grant issued a standard frontal attack from across the river, but the rebel soldiers withstood the bombardment and Grant’s army suffered substantial losses. Grant and his army regrouped and crossed the Mississippi south of Vicksburg thanks to a tip from a runaway slave concerning a more passable route. Union Navy ships had to travel by Vicksburg to rendezvous with Grant’s army who marched south. All the ships were damaged but only one was lost. The captain of the lost ship along with all the men aboard had an option to return on another ship but instead the sailors chose to stay and fight on land. After the Union army captured Jackson, cutting off supplies to Vicksburg, Grant and his army laid siege to the town for more than forty days before white flags rose over Vicksburg.



Today, there are more than 17,000 Union soldiers, of which 13,000 are listed as “Unknown,” buried at Vicksburg National Cemetery. None of the Confederate soldiers who died during the battle of Vicksburg are buried in the cemetery, instead they were buried behind what was still Confederate lines.

A quick fact: Mississippi still retains the Confederate flag as part of their state flag (in fact, it is the only remaining state to do so).



Having lived in the Deep South for two years, I’ve run across the occasional Confederate flag T-shirt and bumper sticker. I still don’t get it... I don’t comprehend this lingering pride. Driving through the battlefield just outside of Vicksburg, I think of the men who fought on both sides. I recognize the need to celebrate the acts of bravery and courage by Union and Confederate soldiers alike, but I do not comprehend the need to raise a flag in protest to the victory of the North that brought freedom to black slaves and the future generations of blacks.



Anyway, we left the one state that still flies the Confederate flag and headed to the Lone Star State, who has considered seceding from the Union a little more recently.

Maddie made a point to take the route through East Texas that included the town of Nacogdoches, the hometown of her boss in Nashville. We enjoyed our first taste of Tex-Mex at La Carreta...I scarfed on fajitas and $1 beers (just two).



From there, we traveled the last four-and-a-half hours to Austin where Maddie united with one of her best friends, Mari. Mari just wrapped up her Master’s in Opera Performance from UT. We’ll be livin’ it up here for the next 3 nights.


I’m thinking brisket, “Juan in a Million” breakfast burritos, and possibly a quick trip to the Alamo are in our near future.

-E

Is the cargo carrier still on???

We landed in Jackson, Mississippi, were received by our AirBnB host, Mysty, and informed that we had been upgraded to their fancy apartment above the garage instead of the small guest room in the house. Southern hospitality at its finest! We have a private balcony that overlooks a pond in the back, full of gators no doubt.

I'll start with dinner as it's the freshest in our minds and bellies. We took our host's recommendation and ventured to the local reservoir boardwalk to dine at Cock of the Walk. That's right - you heard me. Anyway, our seats were on the lower level overlooking the water, and we were lucky enough to enjoy our meals across from a gaggle of 10-year-old girls. They were loud, but harmless (Erik was afraid). As far as food goes, they only offered two simple options on their menu - chicken or catfish. Before the waitress came over, we had already decided that I would get chicken and Erik would get catfish. She asked us straight up, "What'll it be - chicken or catfish?" I was tempted to facetiously tell her that we needed a feeewwww more minutes to decide, but we were hungry so we ordered. Our meals came with fries, hushpuppies, slaw, and fried onions. WE IS FULL.



Our big meal at "The Cock" was a perfect ending to our eventful day. Having traveled on Hwy 40, and then down Hwy 55 South to get where we are, we spent our afternoon at the halfway point: Memphis, Tennessee. We had been to Memphis once before with my family, and had already done a lot of the touristy stuff (Graceland, Mississippi Riverboat ride, Beale Street, BBQ, etc.), but Erik and I were looking forward to doing the couple things we had missed on our previous trip. First stop was the National Civil Rights Museum, which is located at the Lorraine Motel - the site of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination. The experience is surreal. My breath was taken as I walked up to the balcony and stood in the very spot where he was shot, while Mahalia Jackson's voice rang out from the speakers singing "Take My Hand, Precious Lord:" his favorite hymn. What an important legacy he left us, and the work is far from complete.



After the museum, we rushed over to Sun Studio. I had some songs in my head that I just HAD to lay down. Just kidding. But we really did go there, and it was really cool. You walk inside, and it's a little diner/soda shop with memorabilia and souvenirs everywhere. We could've done the studio tour, but the next one didn't start for another 45 minutes, and we had to get on the road. We've got places to be, people!! So we said "catch ya later" to E, J and R (Elvis, Johnny Cash and Roy Orbison, duh) and put the pedal to the metal.



It's early to bed for these kids tonight, cuz tomorrow we're going to AUSTIN! (It's like Portland....but in TEXAS!) Goodnight, Y'all!

-M