Friday, May 1– The early sunset also meant it didn't get light til later. It was almost 9am when we emerged from out shaded den. I had already gotten up around 7 to let Dazey out, she had gone on a couple adventures already and had come back to lay down again when we finally got moving.
I went down to the creek and washed myself in the frigid water while Tyne Boiled water and washed her hair out of pots. We asked a car going by if you could get out by going down river, and to our surprise, he said that it became a paved road just a quarter mile down. We headed that way and within an hour we were coming into Palmdale and the north side of Las Angelos. Another 50 miles through the mountains and we were in the heart of it. Traffic was terrible, people were rude, and I had no idea where I was going. We slowly made our way to the beach.
We stopped first at the beach in Santa Monica. I was not in a good mood at all, I already wanted to get out of the madness of the city. There was no where to park or camp, Dazey wasn't allowed on the beach, and I had no idea what we were really doing.
We continued down the coast til we arrived at VeniceBeach. I just wanted to lay down in the car and get my stress level down a little, so Tyne went for a walk along the boardwalk to check it out. After 15 minutes, I was calmed down again, and I called her to see if we could meet. We walked along the boardwalk and scoped all the people selling and found out that we should be ok to sell there the next morning.
A couple guys with a sign saying, "Please donate to the marijuana fund" gave us a good recommendation on finding legal parking as that was a big problem here. Just a few blocks from the beach we found our parking spot and settled down for a noisy night in the van.
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Thursday, April 30 – Up before 7am, we had camp down and were ready to hike within 20 minutes. Back to the car by 8, most park visitors were just getting into their cars at home and we were onto our second activity.
We stopped at Barker Dam, where 100 years ago, a dam was built to water cattle and crops. Tyne wasn't feeling too hot so she waited in the car with Dazey while I took a jog around the 1.1 mile loop. I had the trail to myself and I saw more wildlife than any other hike yet on this trip. I saw some big lizards, chipmunks, some weasel looking ground squirrels, ducks and some other water birds at the dam. After checking out some petroglyhs and reading some info signs, I got back to the car. Sweaty and hot, I went to the bathroom at the trailhead with a spray bottle and a towel, and got a "shower" in.
We called off the second hike because Lost Horse Mine turned out to be over 7 miles instead of the 3 we were expecting, and there was a sign forbidding dogs on the trail. With several cars in the lot, we decided not to risk it and instead went up to Keyes View, an excellent overlook where you cans see Palm Springs, the Salton Sea at over 100 feet below sea level, the San Andreas fault and the tallest mountain in So Cal, with snow still melting on it's upper peaks.
Driving out of Joshua tree, we continued west towards Palm Spring. At the last moment we turned north and continued in a mostly unpopulated desert on the northern side of the AngelosMountains. Just 40 miles to the south was the biggest Metropolitan in the country, and we were safe far from it.
We did want to get to Venice beach the next afternoon, so we eventually turned south into the forest, with the intentions of camping up there for a night, them coming down the south side of them into the city in the morning.
As luck would have it, the road that we wanted to take up and over was closed. Not really sure why, we turned around and headed to another access point. The road suddenly became dirt and we were suddenly thrown out of civilization. The highway we wanted was 2 miles ahead and the road had too cross it, so we continued. About halfway through the "wilderness" we notices several coyotes and ravens on the road. Something dead, we thought. As we pulled up closer, the scavengers parted and we could see a bloody cardboard box just off to the right of the road. I parked and decided it was probably best if I had a look. Fearing the worst, I pulled over and walked over to the box. Flies swarming, I saw something that looked like a human foot. Intestines. Then I spotted a cow ear. Whew, I thought. Not a murdered Mexican drug smuggler out here in the desert. Dazey and I gave the coyotes the look that said you can keep eating, and we drove on.
The second access road worked out, or did until we got to the top of the mountain. At the Mile High market, a sign said, road closed 5 miles ahead. "No way," we thought, "They cant just close the road. LA is just over the hill, we are so close."
5 miles later, traveling down a windy road with exposed rock cliffs and a view for miles, the road indeed ended. A construction crew was fixing the snow damage from the winter and the trailhead for the Pacific Crest trail. We started to turn around and I noticed a road sign. Upon closer inspection, a dirt road headed down appeared.
We were only able to go about 10 MPH down this bumpy rocky and twisty dirt road. I was starting to worry about if we could get back up it, but the road began to get a little flatter and there were some giant pine trees as well as running water. We came into a clearing and we knew we had found camp.
The Giant Pines we later found out were called Jeffery Pines, and we found a cone from one that was over 1 foot long. I got a few pictures of these trees, but they don't give justice to the majesty that these trees project. No other people around and no where to run, so Dazey got to run free all she wanted.
It was only snow that made the stream run through the valley, and the temperature of the water reflected it. Tyne did a little reading then fell into a three hour nap. I worked on making a dam down the creek a little ways, then did some more wood burning onto a sign for our "store" when we made it to the beach, then did some reading myself.
By the time Tyne woke up, it was getting late. We relaxed for a little bit then made one of the best and cheapest meals ever! She cooked a package of Spanish rice, while I heated up a can of refried beans in a saucepan, then added to it a can of chopped tomatoes and green chilies. We mixed them together when everything was hot, then ate it on taco shells. Unbelievably good, plus it was dinner for 2 under $3. My mouth is watering now just writing about it.
The sun had gone down behind the mountains some time ago, so sunset wasn't a definite act this night. We were going to have a fire, but decided against it as the wind was still blowing and there was extreme fire risks. We had more rum tonight than the past two, actually enough to get drunk. We played some card games, assorted drinking games. The rum was still pretty rough though, and Tyne threw up hers.
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4/28 and 4/29 - Into Cali, Colorado River, Joshua Tree
Tuesday, April 28– Thanking Matt again, we headed out of the Giant city of Phoenix into the desert. It went from super Urban to desolate in just a few miles. There was nothing for 100 miles. We stopped outside an Indian reservation to hunt for "ghost town." No town, but we found the remanants of an old buildings and lots of quartz along up the wash nearby. On the way back to the highway, 99 cent beer and 99 cent burger tempted us to walk into a dusty little bar. The beer was small and the burger not all too great, but a wonderful lunch it made for us.
We crossed the Colorado River and into California just after the town of Quartsite. Instead of going west and out of the desert, we turned north and drove along the Colorado river. Along the road, we could see a maze of dirt bike trails. We turned down one and carefully drove down to the river. We found a spot 200 feet from the road; very close but out of sight. We cooked dinner and picnicked with a nice view of the river. I used my shovel to dig up more sweet rocks. As it got dark, we played cards and had a sip of rum. I slept in car with Dazey, Tyne slept in her tent.
Wednesday, April 29– Up at crack of dawn, along river for 20 more miles then west towards 29 Palms. Through some very desolate landscape, then into scattered and tattered summer homes. Most in ruins. Into 29 Palms, filled up water in McDonalds and had a couple $1 items for lunch. Gased up at over $2/gallon (Welcome to Cali) and headed into Joshua Tree. Into park, no ranger at station. 10 miles in and we needed a map so we turned around. After driving around a bit and scoping out some exhibites, we picked a place to try to camp for the night, Queen's Mine!
5 miles down a dirt road led us to a three way trailhead. Registering for the backcountry, we picked the one destination with no pre-designated camping spots – we were going to do this the old fashioned way. Only a ¼ mile backpack in the trail came to a sign and an overlook. Queens mine was on the other side of the ravine and there was no more trail.
We bushwhacked down the hill and towards a covered mine entrance. If the bars weren't there, we would be in. We wondered up the hill, inspecting the site for an possible way into the mine. There was one spot where you could get around the outer metal gates, but they had installed another mesh blockade. Exploring the desert hillside another 15 minutes, we finally discovered an entrance where you could contort yourself enough to slip around the metal gate. We walked in a few feet and looked into the darkness. "We'll come back and explore," we promised.
Trucking up to the top of the hill, we look ahead to a maze of boulders. We took off our packs and start climbing and checking out the great spots. Tyne shouts out, "check this one out!" She had found a huge rock that had fallen against another, leaving a space under it 4 feet high and 20 feet wide. There was an entrance leading out to the side we had hiked from – west; and another backdoor leading to a stone "patio." We found our camping spot for the night!
We went on a little hike after establishing our camping spot. Up the wash a little ways, but it was hot and we only had about 3 liters of water left, so we headed back to camp to hang out. Tyne laid out in the sun on a high rock, and I did some wood burning with my magnifying glass and read. I found some amber on a pine tree and we grabbed some nice pieces. As the sun started to sink, we collected firewood and set up her small tent in our protected area.
We ate dinner of a peanut butter and tuna fish wrap, then used a can of Minestrone soup as the chaser to a flash of rum. Casillo rum is pretty nasty, but try to drink it with soup broth! Not very tasty, but we managed to get it down and drank all the soup as well as to not waste any of our precious liquid.
Feeling tipsy and good, we settled onto our "back porch" and burned some yucca blossoms. We didn't want to have a large fire at all, and within 30 minutes, all our small sticks were toast. We turned in for lack of better things to do. I'm not complaining though, this was one of the sickest places ive been to yet.
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Monday, April 27– I was up at about 530 am. We drank cups of coffee and headed to SaguaroNational Park. The ranger informed us that dogs were not allowed on any trails, but could be taken onto pavement areas and could be left in the car for short periods before the sun got really hot The park is a driving loop with trailheads and exhibits off that road as you drive around.
Our first hike was a short educational walk around a saguaro stand. The trail was paved, so Dazey came. It was so early that we were the only people on this trail, and the solitude and majestic of the towering cactus was a great way to start the day.
Down the road a ways, we came to another trailhead that advertised an old mine .7 of a mile in. It was still early and cool, so we left Dazey in the car and jogged to the mine. Well, maybe not the whole way, but we did more jogging that walking. The mine was kind of a disappointment, just an indentation in the ground where a shaft used to be. We picked up a couple of pieces of copper that were left from when the mine was open and jogged back to the van. Dazey had destroyed the van! Torn apart some garbage bags and ripped part of the padding on the ceiling down. It sucked, but I cant blame her, I would also be pissed to be locked inside a car.
The last spot we stopped at in the park was Javelina rocks. Javelinas are a type of small pig that inhabit these areas and are commonly seen at this rock formation. We didn't see any Javelinas, but were greeted with the droning sound of buzzing insects and a sign warning of killer bees. "If bees become aggressive, Run to your car, Roll up your windows, and dial 911. This warning was enough to send us to the road.
Tyne and I started a bet the day before that whomever spotted the first Saguaro would get a drink bought for them by the other person. Since I was the first to see it, I called her out saying I wanted my beer. We stopped to get some supplies and two beers, and looking at the map saw that there was a large city park nearby.
We pulled into GeneReidPark so we could park the car, relax on picnic tables, drink our beer, and sort, organize, and repack the van. The day was hot, but the shade and cold beers made everything ok. Dazey laid out in the shade and loved the park.
Headed north to Phoenix, we noticed a National Monument not too far away. We made a turn off the highway for the long way to Phoenix so we could see the CasaGrandeNational Monument. It is ruins of some of the oldest and biggest buildings of the Southwest Indians. Built over 600 years ago, the tallest structure is believed to be a sky observation and education center. The ruins were awesome but Dazey had to wait in the car so we hurried out after looking for 15 minutes. At the van, a mean old lady said, "Not cool, man."
She was talking about Dazey of course. Although we had been gone only 15 minutes, she claims she was at the car for over 20 minutes before we showed up, and that we should be punished for being so mean to our dog. She was fine, in the shade with water and windows open. I could understand if it had been hours, but some people just go out of their way to complain and scold others.
This long day was about to get longer as we drove into Phoenix, which I didn't realize was huge, the 5th biggest city in the country in fact.. It took nearly 30 minutes to drive from one side to the other on he freeway. We finally made it to Matt's house in Scottsdale. We meet Matt on Couch surfing, and our first experience was a great one. Matt was extremely hospitably, and went out of his way to see that we enjoyed our time in Scottsdale. After showing us to our room and letting us take a swim in his backyard in ground pool, he asked if we liked wiffle ball.
An hour later, we were in his friends backyard, drinking Tecates and playing wiffle ball on a sweet "Sandlot" style field with some really cool people. It was about 8 on 8, and after the entire game, it was tied at 7. They called the game a tie because it was getting dark and everyone was getting drunk. It was such a different and fun way to spend the afternoon.
Heading back to Matt's house, he made up some delicious little Carnates. He bought some marinated beef from the Mexican bodaga, made up some fresh guacamole, and served it on heated tortillas. This meal made my favorite meals list, and the entire day was one of the best ones yet.
I'm not even sure when we went to bed, but when I did I was happy, warm, full, drunk and comfortable. I was very happy to be here and that Matt was not a crazy man, but a great guy that we are thankful to have met up with.
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Sundayday, April 26 – We Sleep in till after 10am. All three of us were still a little hung-over, so we moved really slow that morning. Jerry had come home with his balls burning at 7am and woken up Heidi. His pepper spray had exploded on his belt and he was on fire. It ruined Heidi's good night, but made us laugh and cringe at the same time.
We finally got up and moving around 1pm. The plan was to go geocaching for a little while up in one of the canyons just outside of town. We stopped for a bit at the Jack In The Box (nasty) and continued to CarrCanyon, which was in another CoronadoNational Forest.
We hiked up the trail to the first cache site and the ruins of a ranch built 150 years ago. I've never seen such a big ruins before, very interesting. There were several houses and buildings, in various stages of decay. We hiked up the wash to the second cache located next to the dry stream bed. Looking up, you could see where CarrCanyon falls would be. When it rains, there is a 100 foot waterfall that brings water to the dry forest.
The day had started late, and it had already gotten to be 4pm. We got the waters all filled up, said goodbye to Heidi and hit the road. We stopped at Wal-Mart for a can opener, propane and dog food, stopped to vacuum and wash the Nar, and headed north to Tucson.
Not really sure where we were trying to go that night. Just knew that we wanted to check out SaguaroNational Park in the morning. We drove to Tucson and saw a sign for ColossalCavernsMountain park and headed towards it. It turned out to be closed, but was on a quiet dead end street. Turning around, we drove until we found a little dirt road leaded off the road. Turning in, we found camp for another night.
It was just 50 feet from the road, but sheltered from plain view by a little dip. Walking around the campsite, we found a depression where a waterhole sometimes is, and spread across it was dozens of cattle bones. We were camping in a range, and the graveyard was just around the corner.
Planning for an early morning, we didn't set up a tent. We ate a cold dinner of a can of chef Boyardee spaghetti and meatballs and a can of corn, did some writing, and was sleeping by 930pm.
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Saturday, April 25 – Camping at nearly 7000 feet, the hot desert day quickly turns bitter cold. Tyne gave up on our tent at about 5am and went to the car. I couldn't sleep much after that, and I got up just after dawn to start back up the fire. I reheated the leftover potatoes in the fire and woke Tyne up to a hot cup of coffee.
Camp all set up, we continued up to the mountain pass with our next destination being ChiricahuaNational Monument. Unfortunately, the mountain driving was killing our gas mileage and we were down to about a quarter tank from the top. We let the car roll in neutral down the other side (just as steep and windy) and crossed our fingers that we would make it, We came out of the forest with an 1/8th left and pulled into ChiricahuaNational Monument.
This amazing and little known National Monument is a pretty small park. But what it lacks in size, it covers in terrain. The entire park is covered with standing rock pillars. We decided to go on a long hike, see the park, burn some calories and tire out Dazey.
We headed in past a bunch of the rock "pillars" then up over 1000 miles to "Inspiration Point." Seeing a panoramic view of the valley we soon would be descending, we certainly were feeling pretty inspired too. We then continued walking; past the balanced rock, duck rock, kissing rocks, arches and countless other amazing features. We couldn't walk 50 feet without saying "Wow." All and all we hiked about 10 miles and tired ourselves out just as much as we tired out the dog.
Heidi called from Sierra Vista. She is getting out of work at 5 and wants to go out to dinner and then out to have a few drinks. I knew Heidi from elementary school and we got really close in High School. She lives in Sierra Vista now with her Boarder patrol husband, Jerry.
We came out of the park just as the fuel light came on. The lady at the ticket booth said it was about 25 miles to the closest gas station, which was about what I could manage before running out. We ended up making it somehow. I think I heard it cough and sputter as we pulled in, but we did it!
The road took us down some pretty old roads through a couple of Ghost towns. The town of Gleason had an original one cell jailhouse that looks like it's straight out of Bonanza. There was a couple other really old buildings, but I did see several new homes with new cars out front. That kind of ruined the "ghost towns" for me.
Another 10 miles and we came into Tombstone. At first I was pretty excited, then I found out it was mainly just a tourist trap now. They did have a couple really cool historic places, but everything cost an arm and a leg to see and I felt I was at an amusement park more than I felt like I was in the old west.
Spending very little time in Tombstone, we soon came into Sierra Vista just in time. It was 5pm and we meet up with Heidi at the mall. After helping her pick out a new shirt, we met a couple of her friends and went out to eat at Buffalo Wild Wings. A spicy chicken sandwhich made me feel so good. We collected all the leftovers for Dazey who was waiting outside in the car. Heidi is too nice and insisted on taking care of the bill.
We headed back to Heidi's place for a drink before going out. Her husband Jerry came home. He is a border patrol officer and we talked with him about what he does and all the fun stuff her gets into.
Heidi's wanted to go to JR's, but her friends boyfriend had a couple buddies at the VFW, so he convinced us to go there. In order to enter the bar, you had to ring a bell. After looking at his military ID, we all had to sign in. Walking into the bar, it was all older people, many of them in their 60's or beyond. Looks like it may be an interesting night.
A guy in his 40's got up for karaoke and started singing "Because I got high." We took a jager bomb and I felt a tap on my shoulder. Turning around, the oldest guy in the place was staring at me with a shit eating grin on his face. "I know what that means," he said, reading the back of my shirt. "What happens in the mountains, stays in the mountains. When I was your age, I would go hiking all over the place."
After this incident, Heidi couldn't take it anymore. She told her friend and her boyfriend that we were going to JR's and to come over when they were down playing with the old people.
Fifteen minutes later, we were at the dimly lit JR's club and bar. Heidi has the hookup with the bartender, so she went and got us three drinks. Her drink of choice is a ________. It's a mix of 8 types of top shelf liquor, with a splash of sour mix over it. After two of them, I was done. We stayed at the bar til about 130am, talking with people, making friends and generally enjoying ourselves. There was this guy making a fool of himself, dancing on the tables and spilling drinks. He called Heidi a stupid bitch, so she used her power of knowing the bartender and DJ, and got him kicked out.
Heading back to Heidi's, I barely remember lying down. I was happy, tired, full, drunk and comfortable indoors. Thank you Heidi!
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Friday, April 24– We hung around with Jake during the morning. My new Id got sent to Biloxi, and arrived after I left so now it was coming here to Las Cruzes. We waited around until the mail came at 1pm. It was there! I got my ID back!!
Back on the highway towards Arizona, we drove for a good hour through some very bleak, dusty and hot land. Taking an exit to nowhere, we headed 20 miles south. We put a packet made of tin foil and filled with chopped potatoes, onions, salt, pepper and butter on the engine and then continued west on a small highway towards the national forest just over the boarder.
A cop appear ahead and turned on his lights as he passed us. I checked my lights and seatbelt and couldn't figure out why. 3 minutes later he was turned around and had us pulled over. Apparently it went from a 70 MPH speed limit as we were headed south to 55 when we turned west. Seeing we were from out of town and were not harboring any illegals, he was very nice and let us go with just a warning.
Giddy from our escape without fines, we headed up a gravel road, past the town of Portal and into the Coronado national forest. We went around a bend and suddenly we were in a very different world. Towering cliffs, exposed orange rock and thick forests started passing us by. We went by a couple pay campgrounds; very nice but we didn't have the budget to pay for it tonight. Checking on the potatoes cooking under the hood, they were tasty but still crunchy
Higher and higher on the twisty dirt road we went. We checked a couple possible sites but there was always something wrong with the site; no camping signs, taken, too exposed to the road, trail in too bad. Finally we drove by a campsite and knew we had a winner. It was flat and covered in trees. A creek was running nearby as well and we could later hear the water as we fell asleep.
We took a little walk and checked out the views of the surrounding mountains and then collected some firewood. The potatoes were hot and the onions done, but we still ate a pretty crunchy dinner. This was the first bonfire that Tyne and I had had together and we were really enjoying the night. It was clear and cool and with the babbling brook and heavy tree cover, I felt like I was in another, more temperate state.
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Thursday, April 23– I slept wonderfully. It was cool but not too cold. Camp broken down before 8am, we decided not to hike into the back side of Carlsbad to see another cavern. It would be a hot hike and you were supposed to have a permit in order to explore the undeveloped cave. We headed out of the park towards Guadalupe.
You can see Guadalupe from nearly 50 miles away. I think one of the most impressive aspects of this National Park is the drive up to the mountain. It looks big from a distance, but it grows to enormous heights before you. Dogs were prohibited on the trails, so we were not able to climb the biggest peak in Texas, but we did go on a couple shorter hike.
The first hike we did was up to Smith's Spring. It was at the base of the mountain, around a 2 mile hike up across the low brush desert and into a shady canyon. Trees over 50 feet tall protected us from the hot sun, and the contrast to the nearly barren landscape outside the canyon was shocking. The spring was running, just a trickle, but enough to allow these thirsty trees to grow, and to allow a ranch below to function. The ranch was settled about 150 years ago, and was the first settlement in this area of Texas. They became a very important stop for thirsty travelers passing by.
After Smith's spring, we headed west out of the park and stopped at a very scenic overlook of the mountain. We noticed an old bridge down the canyon, and bushwhacked our way down to it. There had once been a road down here, but generations had passed since it was in operation. We continued down the canyon a little ways on the slick, smooth rock, but turned back soon because it was hot as heck and we didn't have much water. A side trip up to some overlook rocks above the canyon gave us incredible views of Guadalupe. The pictures we took don't do the place justice. You have to just go there and see it to understand the majesty of Guadalupe.
Down out of the mountains and across a huge salt flat, we finally were getting out of Texas. The interstate runs 857 miles from one side of the state to the other. We had driven over 1200 mile crisscrossing the state. El Paso wasn't too exciting. Like a big version of Del Rio, with some cool buildings downtown surrounded by miles of franchised fast food and auto repair stores. Thirty five miles later we crossed into New Mexico again as we came into Las Cruzes.
Jake and Fernando worked in Yellowstone with us for a summer, and they live here in Las Cruzes. They both go to school and lead very busy lives, but they were able to find some time to hang out with us. After almost 5 days without a shower, that felt incredible. We got ourselves caught up with the internet and battery charging and writing and spent a relaxing night with the guys. We had a couple drinks, watched some TV and I got the sleep on the couch while Tyne took the floor.
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Wednesday, April 22– Waking to a mild hangover, I nursed it away with some water and an orange. We headed north aiming for New Mexico by noon. For three hours, we passed so many types of landscapes, from desert to mountain to plains and several unique variations of all three.
To the town of Carlsbad, we stopped at a Wal-mart for groceries for the next couple days, and arriving at Carlsbad CavernsNational Park by two. Scratch that, it was actually 1 here since we crossed into Mountain time now. It was about 92 degrees, and there was no shade and no way I would be able to leave Dazey in the car, but there was no dogs allowed in the caves.
Luckily, this wasn't the first time a dog showed up here. For $5, Dazey spend a couple hours in an air conditioned kennel while we explored the caverns. The $8/person charge was waived as we were now park pass holders and we were directed to either the elevator down or the 1 mile natural entrance.
Obviously we took the natural entrance. Down we went, back and forth into the giant hole in the ground. We walked down and in for a while, snapping pictures of the strange scenery. I passed a young guy with a beard and overheard him saying something to a ranger. "…….Any good camping? I just go wherever I like……."
I had to ask him what he was doing or where he was camping. Turns out Robby is from Cincinnati, and has been on the road for 6 months now, traveling around the country on his Harley. He told us stories from Key West and New Orleans, and he had another month or more before his fund would run out. Robby continued walking down the entrance to the caverns with us, and we all sat down to eat a sandwich at the "rest stop."
No food is allowed anywhere in the caves but here, and they have created an entire restaurant 700 feet below the ground. We used the bathroom down here, which was located in another little cave, then continued to the self guiding tour around this bottom area of the caves. Robby hung with us for a bit, and we took the elevator back up together, guided by a man who must have truly loved his job. Our 1 minute ride in the elevator was great. He told us when it was built (the 30's) and our speed (13 feet/sec) and that we were deeper than the empire state building. We rocketed out in no time.
Outside, Robby meet up with a ranger who he had been talking to. She was going to feed him and possibly let him stay there for the night. We gave him our number and he said he would call if he didn't stay there. We then saw a couple bikers that we had talked to the day before back in Big Bend. They wanted to know if we were following them. Picking up Dazey from the kennel, we headed out to find somewhere to camp. We took a little side road out, 10 miles on a dirt road. It was pretty cool but I regretted turning down it right away as it was about 15mph top speeds and one way so no way to turn around. It was a nice little side trip though.
We headed towards Slaughter Canyon Caverns on the other side of the park. Its very seldom used, but there is no where to camp, and it has posted no camping signs. So we turned down another random dirt road (pretty rough) but decided it was worth it when a small offshoot of it when down to a group of cottonwoods. We parked and checked out the area. A manmade dam collected water when it rained, and there was some cracked mud and cow manure around the cottonwood trees. We set up camp just a little bit away from the mud, next to a big stone fire ring.
We ate rice, corn and deviled ham spread on tortillas. They weren't too bad, but hunger makes anything a little better. Tyne set up her small tent and I planned on sleeping in the van. Some menacing looking clouds rolled in as the sun set but no rain, only an awesome sunset. We both wrote in our journals until well after it was pitch black, extra dark tonight with the low clouds blocking a lot of the stars.
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Tuesday, April 21– Waking before dawn for a change for a reason I wasn't used to – COLD! It was pretty chilly before dawn, and I watched the sky get light and the desert birds chirping long before I got out of the sleeping bag. Tyne was feeling a little better and she went for a quick dip / shower before we headed out. A hot cup of coffee and we were again moving towards Big Bend.
Well over a hundred miles still lay before the isolated National Park. We passed a border checkpoint, proved our citizenship and then counted 15 patrol vehicles on the dirt road running along the highway, looking for footprints.
To break up the drive, we stopped at the biggest town along the way, which wasn't much at all. Stopping in the "Big Bend Tourist Info" center, we were greeted by a very nice old lady. I had walked in just wanting to pick up a map and stretch my legs, but she had us talking about where we were going, pointing down at maps and saying things like "check out this town here" and "We did farming in this area of New Mexico here." Dazey howled from the heating car, and we were summoned back outside and onto the road.
Finally entering Big Bend, we bought the $80 National Park Pass, giving us access to them all for a whole year. It was approaching 100 degrees, and felt hotter than that in the sun, so we chose a few shorted hikes and started out. We went to a cottonwood oasis in the middle of a yucca and cactus dessert. The oasis had a natural spring underneath, allowing a heavenly patch of shady trees, a must have in an area this hot.
We drove on to the bottom corner of the park and got fuel. With no other choices, I bought $17 worth at $2.57! Enough to get out of the park at least and back to reasonable prices. A couple of bikers asked what kind of dog Dazey was, and asked where we were headed next. He suggested a couple places to see, and we parted ways.
Over at Daniel's Ranch just a few hundred feet away, we had a lunch of a couple sandwhiches and some pretzels, then walked down to the river. It was hot and I hadn't bathed yet that day, so I stripped down to my boxers and jumped in. I swam across the shallow and somewhat murky river and stood up on foreign soil. "I'm in Mexico, and all I have is my underwear!"
After another scenic drive, we headed down to Hot Springs. A short walk along the river took us by an old building that was a store and some stone houses. This area had been inhabited for many years, and petrogliphs tell stories of the ages as you walk along between the tall river grasses and a cliff wall. Finally down to the spring, 105 degrees being pumped from a "fossil water" deposit underground. Eventually the water will run out, but for now many people soak in the mineral rich bath. An old foundation still sits on the hot spring, at one time a hotel and bathhouse stood here, and people had to pay to use the waters. After a swim in the river and in the pool (Dazey included), we moved on to our final exhibit of the day.
Lost Mine trail is up in the cooler mountains in the center of the park. It takes you up through a canyon and offers magnificent views of the park and surrounding mountains. A little cooler up here, but still pretty steamy as we climbed up. The day was getting late so we only went to the first mile marker for a nice overlook.
We were going to camp in the park, but was disappointed to learn that a $14 camp site had no running water or showers, no shade and neighbors. No thank you, we headed out of the park.
Checking out a couple side dirt roads, we finally found one that went over a little hill, then past a perfect spot. Sitting in the shade of the van, the sun sank quickly and it started to cool off. We cooked a dinner of rice mixed with refried beans and a green pepper and shared the bottle of rum.
A hour later we were on top of the van, looking at the incredibly brilliant sky. The milky way was murky like the Rio Grande had been, and there was as many stars as there was Mexicans trying to cross it. We enjoyed the bottle a lot, did some great talking and really got to know each other. Tyne and I were becoming great friends! We slept in the 4 man tent that night together; I slept hard and I slept good.
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Monday, April 20– The Botanical gardens were amazing. A cactus garden, a local garden, a prehistoric garden and an outstanding Japanese garden with an incredible maze of streams, ponds, tunnels and bridges. Walking through the peaceful and beautiful garden was a great way to start a day and clear our minds.
Headed west again now, out of Austin and into the first hills since Georgia. Rising in elevation, the Rolling hills became brushy desert and prickly pear. Coming into San Antonio, which is a beautiful little city with a very Mexican and historic feel to it. We parked on the south side of the city at a parking meter and walked towards the touristy areas.
The river walk is a must see if you ever are in San Antonio. The rivers runs right through the city, and a walkway was built along the banks. Lined with restaurants, bars, hotels and stores, each offering access via staircases. The life in any hot desert location revolves around water, and the River walk reflects that. At any street corner along the walk you can seek shade and cooler air down beautiful twisting staircases.
The river fest was going to be happening later that night, and the town was preparing for it. Along the walkway, folding chairs were setup for viewing of the water parade that was going to happen soon. We headed up to the street above and walked another two blocks to the Alamo.
Remember the Alamo! If you're Texan this phrase will fill your heart with pride and bring a tear to your eye. For the rest of us, we remember something about it. A battle or something like that back in the frontier days. Jokes aside, the Alamo is excellent. A very beautiful and informative fort. Our only problem was that no dogs were allowed inside. Easy problem to solve, Tyne went in and saw it first while I waited with Daze, then fifteen minutes later I got my turn.
Leaving our last big city for awhile, we stocked up on some groceries and a bottle of rum for a fun night camping sometime ahead. We headed west again, into a beautiful 85 degree afternoon. We passed the town of Kline, which is a dirt road crossing a set of railroad tracks. The towns only inhabitant were two circling buzzards. Two hours later we were coming into Del Rio, which is on the Mexican border. We passed a border checkpoint stopping people coming out of town. We were happy that we didn't have any illegals on board.
Del Rio was a spread out dusty and hot town. We topped off our gas ($12 @ $1.95, filled our water bottles, and continued north-west along the US side of the Rio Grande. It was 545, and we wanted to have a spot picked out by 630. We came into Amastad National Recreation area, which is a damed up lake on the river. We stopped at the closed visitor center, picked up a map of the area and got gawked at by some old Texan ladies. "My, you are a long way from home."
We picked a camping symbol on the map and headed to the spot. It was at the end of a road that went right into the lake. An older couple was coming out of the woods, and jokingly I said to them out the window, "So do y'all know where this road goes? We're thinking about driving another 10 miles." He said that it was a road that used to go across the river, before they dammed it and built the current bridge over the water. He said that twenty years ago, the water was so low that he could drive across the road again, passed flooded foundations where houses once stood.
Taking the advance of this nice older man, we camped at the last site on the water. We were able to park just a few feet from the lake, and it was nice to be able to walk into the water and cool off. It had been over two days since any type of shower, so this was the best I was getting.
We made some pretty disappointing food and tried to relax. Tyne's stomach was really hurting her and the bugs were getting a little annoying, but the night was nice, the skies clear and the stars out. I fell asleep on the blanket with the stars above me.
Sunday, April 19– After our final showers for a few days, we said goodbye to College Station and hit the road to Austin for a Reggae festival, We followed Rick, Stella and Lindsey almost two hours across the flat and nearly featureless central Texas.
Reggae Fest was $15 to get in, but some of the best vibes I've felt in a long time. Drinking a few beers in the Nar before we went in, we enjoyed three hours of music while Dazey waited in the car. I went and checked on her halfway through the show, she was doing good in the shade and it wasn't all too hot outside either. The Wailing Souls came on as the headliner. Probably the best live reggae I've ever heard. We were all dancing and jamming, grooving and partying. The music ended too soon and we flooded into the streets of the Capital of Texas.
We said goodbye to Rick and the girls and we soon on our way, but had to turn around and go back after Rick called and said his car was dead and he needed a jump. Back at the car, Dazey jumped out and started running around the houses, checking out the other dogs. All people (and dogs) accounted for, we split again. We still didn't have it quite right though. They accidently had taken Tyne turkey sandwich and we had their ground blanket in our car but no one noticed til it was too late.
The plan for the morning was the free Botanical gardens just on the west side of the city. Now nearly 11 pm, we pass them and turn down a side street and into a little park. All the way in the back of the park was a baseball field. We pulled up and slept in the van until dawn.
Saturday, April 18– 9am, everyone is gone from the house except for a snoring Pauli. We were on the road before 10, headed to College Station to see my buddy Rick from the Bahamas two northwest of Houston. The radar looked the same as the day before, areas of very heavy rain producing hail and tornados. 4-8 inches of rain had fallen within the past two days in some places. We headed into the worst of it.
Rick and I went to a 3 week trip to the Bahamas for college credit in 2005. We studied the biology and geology of the Island. Rick has been back 3 times since and now attends Texas A&M for Oceanography. We came into his college town around Noon and met him at the lab building, "the one shaped like an air traffic control tower."
Over to his place, a small but not bad little house that he leases and shares just with his good friend Stella. He had a fold out couch set up for us in his computer room. We let his dog Kaya and Daze get acquainted in the backyard. With the recent rains and poor drainage there was as much as two inches of standing water, which promptly got splashed on the dogs and us.
The plan was to take the dogs to Lick Creek to get tired out, find some geocaches and explore a cool park. 100 feet down the first trail, Yaupon loop, and it became a stream. There had been so much rain that most of the park was flooded! Dazey and Kaya were running all through the flooded forest of short and shrubby trees. The first geocache we tried to find was no luck. The heavy cloud and tree cover made us lose good reception and we kept getting taking in circles into the dense brush. Dazey had disappeared into the woods so we headed back to the car. Dazey was waiting by the car and suddenly the clearing canopy and skies allowed good GPS signal. Back to the hike!
The second cache was a success. The Tupperware container was pretty beat, and soaking wet, but we had our first Texan cache! The third one we attempted was down a trail that was crossed by a raging flood. A usually dry wash was a torrent of water 60 feet across and at least a foot deep. The heavy rains created a new river and forced us to turn around.
We stopped at Albertson's, the Nar's Pantry, and then in Rick's refrigerator to find all the ingredients for dinner tonight. Stir Fry extravaganza; green peppers, onions, eggplant, tofu, mushrooms, jalapeños, and spices over pink beans, black beans, and rice.
After an amazing meal, we took a walk with Rick to his college to check on one of his experiments. In his laboratory, we loaded samples of salt water into a machine to check the levels of organic matter in the water. In a room filled with beakers, chemicals and expensive looking equipment, we
On the way back he said he wanted to show us what College Station was all about. He wanted to take us bar hopping, checking out the spots in town and have a drink at each one and he insisted that he had the tab. The bars in College Station have a western feel to them (duh, you're in Texas) and outdoor back patios. They are all in a row along a strip, and behind them, people walk from one patio to the next. Pretty sweet night, had a shot and a few beers in a whole bunch of cool places.
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Friday, April 17– The rain had come and gone overnight, but the skies where not sunny yet. We made our way to a gas station to get feminine products (I don't ask) and to wash our pots in their bathroom, and started driving into Houston.
Houston, Texas is the third largest city in the country. Nearly 40 miles from one side to the other, it has nearly 7 million people. Traffic wasn't too bad as we circled downtown on the highway but as soon as we got off on the south side of the city it was a mess. We drove for miles down a boulevard, stopping at a sprint store to find a new phone for Tyne, then to go to the George Bush park for a picnic lunch.
There were 10+ Mexicans on every block for miles. I'm not sure if they were waiting for jobs, a bus, or just hanging out, but there they were. Hundreds of them sat with hats on their faces, playing dice, eating fast food. Block after block after block. Finally, we made it to the edge of the city and suddenly the development (and loitering) stopped.
We pulled into the GeorgeBushPark on the west side of the city. This is one of the countries largest city park, covering over 7,800 acres. Considering its immense size, it was nearly empty. With over 6 million people just a few miles away, we saw only a handful of people out enjoying the cool 60 degree day.
We ate a lunch of Peanut butter and crushed granola sandwiches, played on the swings for a few, chased Dazey after she chewed through her leash, and walked around a pretty sad little pond. Not too impressed, and with the storm clouds mounting again, we pressed on to Katy, TX, another 10 miles west.
We had three hours to kill before my friend Marielle was out of work and could meet up with us, so we decided to find some internet. Tyne passed out on the back bed while I drove around neighborhoods looking for a good unsecured signal. After finding everyone had passwords to their connection, I drove back to the highway and parked at a Super 8, which offered great free signal. I did some work and checked the radar on weather.com. A tornado had touched down nearby. Looking at the sky, I saw it was a swirling charcoal stew. Lying down across the front seat, I watched the storm and eventually fell asleep myself.
Marielle called and gave us directions later that evening. She lives with her boyfriend Pauli from Long Island, her mother, and her mothers Mexican boyfriend. They welcomed us into their very nice home asking how we liked all the Mexicans that live down here in Houston. We were shown to a nice guest room with a pillow topped bed all made up. Dazey and their dog got all muddy in the back yard, earning them each a hose down later on.
After a shower, the four of us went down to the Wal-mart and Blockbuster to get groceries and a movie. Some amazing dank grilled chicken, 2 cheese, veggie and bean quesadillas came next, followed by "Marley and Me." (Tearjerker, made me want to hug Daze forever.) This rest and relaxation was to prepare us for a fun weekend and week ahead!!
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Thursday, April 16 – Waking to a beautiful sunrise over the bayou, we cleaned up camp and headed out before long. Bugs weren't a problem in the morning so we ate a can of peaches, fueled up and started heading west through Houma.
We stopped at a library in Kaplan, checked e-mails and geocaching info. Tyne was busy with her Facebook, so I went outside with Dazey and read in the grass. Somehow she found a dead rotting fish and decided to have a roll in it. Before leaving town we had to stop at a car wash and spray the funk off her.
We crossed into Texas by 2pm and decided to find a camp on this side of Houston. A few miles from the interstate on a country road, we turned off onto a dead end road and then onto a 4-wheeler trail. 100 yards in we found a good camp and set up for the night. The bugs were much better here than the night before, but still were biting. We took a walk down the sandy trails through a young pine forest.
It was blazing hot when we got back. Probably only about 80 degrees but the sun beat down like no other. Dazey was off tearing through the woods while Tyne and I worked on fixing a couple curtains and getting dinner ready. Tyne had planned out a meal of Speghetti and meatballs. Ramen noodles, Ragu sauce, and canned beef chunks actually tasted pretty good, except that we ran out of propane halfway through. No matter though, half crunchy noodles with lukewarm sauce and fatty bits of canned meat hit the spot.
Right before dark we heard a 4-wheeler riding the trails. Finally it got closer and 4 kids on a single ATV stopped by the van. The oldest (about 10) said, "Are y'all living out here?"
"Only for the night, if that's ok." The little boy said sure why not and hit the gas. We considered making a fire. Too tired. We considered playing some cards. Too tired. It was about 830 when we lay down and hit the sack. We needed a good nights sleep, and there was a rain storm coming in anyways.
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Wednesday, April 15 – West along the coast and then back up to the highway, we stopped at the Diamondback Country Club to find our "Mississippi" cache. The country club is a planned community and golf course with a Hawaiian theme. It didn't really catch on, but they still have a giant volcano in the front. We walked down the side trail along a ditch and found our cache no problem. Nothing too special about this place.
Instead of heading right into New Orleans, we stayed north so we could drive across the Causeway on LakeNatotoby (how do you spell it?) The bridge is 22 miles long, the longest in the world. From the center of it, you can barely see land in any direction. The skyline of New Orleans glinted in the distance ahead.
The first thing that got me about New Orleans was the size. I was expecting something a lot smaller. Once over the bridge, neighborhoods spread in all directions. I headed downtown. We passed the Super Dome and we finally made our way into the French Quarter. I followed a sign for parking and soon trapped myself in an $8 to park lot. We paid it and hit the streets.
The French Quarter is a crazy time every time. At any time, you will meet some of the most interesting people you ever have seen. Stopping into cool shapes to window-shop, Daze had a ball trying to catch pigions. We found out that its legal to carry open beer on the streets, so we picked up a couple Coors and watched a live band play and dance in the street.
Walking some more, we met this insane guy who kept knocking on his head, asking if we heard the metal plate. He was carrying a 200 pound back pack on his back and a 70 pound one on the front. He told us to find an abandoned house and stay there; there was lots of them since the storm. We also passed and talked to two kids that had been riding the rails all over the country. I was somewhat jealous of them and wanted to get in on the adventure, but I have it good with my dog and van and Tyne. Headed back to the car before time ran up, we stopped and ate a free Cajun crayfish from a sample tray outside a restaurant. Yum! Cajun cookin'.
We grabbed our car and drove to the other side of the quarter. Walking around looking for people to talk to, Tyne starts talking to these two guys and asks to use their bathroom. Whoever they asked inside said no, so they told Tyne to follow them and she could use the bathroom at the club they worked at. As we walked they started holding hands. Next thing you know, Tyne is going into the club and I'm waiting on the street corner with a cross-dressing prostitute standing kiddy corner to me.
It seemed like a long time before she came back. The prostitute was hilarious, taking pictures with tourist and waving at her/his friends passing by. But it was a little too weird so I was happy to walk to another spot on Bourbon street.
Wanting to get out of town before it got too late, we stopped at one more park. Armstrong park is a memorial park for Louis Armstrong and it was a good way to say goodbye to a crazy and fun city. I hope I come back here again some day soon. We headed south, got stuck in a little traffic, but made it down to Houmas and then continued south onto the Delta of the Mississippi.
There was swamp and water on both sides of the road and a channel with shrimping boats flowing next to the road. There was really no where to park but we trudged on. Finally we came to a little side route and just a couple miles down found a really torn up road leading to a good fishing spot.
The spot was nice but the bugs were terrible. We made stuffing with green beans and chicken spread mixed in, but had to walk to avoid getting eaten by the bugs. Tyne drank the "bean juice" from the can and I thought it was gross. Dazey rolled in something dead and we had to push her into the water to try to get her washed off.
Tyne and I drank a small bottle of whiskey and played some Uno. It was a great day, and I was very happy to be with Tyne. Good times. =)
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Tuesday, April 14 – Although we planned on getting up at dawn, it was almost 10 am when we stirred. We wasted no time in getting to work. We took all the nails off the walls, taped up the trim and started painting. 5 hours and 4 rooms later, we were all set.
Tyne and I went out and did some errands (oil change, dollar store, vacuum out the car) and then we all went back to Amanda's apartment to eat dinner with her, her mom and her sister Brittney. Beans and Rice with sausage and cornbread was excellent, and some Blue Bell ice cream with strawberries was heaven.
We celebrated the ending of a nice work day by having a beer and going to the ocean at about 1am to look at the stars and say goodbye to the sea for a while
Monday, April 13 – 6:38am. There have been earlier mornings, but this felt like it took the cake. I did not sleep well at all. I eventually went to the van where it was a little quieter. I need a good nights sleep.
Tyne and I broke camp without much trouble and hit the road by about 8am. Aiming for Alabama by noon, we starting across the long panhandle. The forests slowly changed and the tropical look was being lost. There were still a palmetto here or there, but you could tell the climate was changing.
"Pensacola is getting spanked right now," the morning disc jockey said on the radio. The clear sunny skies had been darkening all day, and 60 miles from Pensacola all hell broke lose. I haven't seen rain that hard and for so long ever. For over an hour, I could only see about 100 feet in front of me. Finally, as we pulled into our last big city in Florida, the rain stopped again.
Just over the Alabama border in Theodore, we stopped at Muddy creek to take a hike and find a geocache. A nice boardwalk took us through a wooded wetland and to a beaver dam. (Here is to you beaver!) On the way out Dazey splashed into the creek and emerged from the brush soaked to her skinny little bones. After a dry off, we were off again.
The Biloxi/Gulfport area was hit pretty badly by Hurricane Katrina back in 2005. There isn't much business left along the man made beach. Only the Waffle House came back and is open again for business. There are blocks and blocks of broken down and almost forgotten houses. My friend Amanda lives there now just between the two cities. I had met her in Yellowstone three years ago, and she has just bought a new house in town.
She hadn't moved in yet, and she asked if we could help her with some painting around the house. She showed us around and we noted what we had to paint, and then she left us to stay the night on the plus carpet and christen her new home.
Sunday, April 12 – I was as ready as ever waking up at Theresa and Greg's' that morning. My trip had taken it's first turn. Tyne was ready to ride with me, and we were headed a new direction – west! Traffic was slow as usual in Orlando, but before long, we were on state routes passing orange groves and through OcalaNational Forest again. A couple hours driving on Rt. 27 northwest and we were close to the coast again.
Our plan for the night was drive along the coast and find a nice place to camp on the beach. Eying the long panhandle ahead, we opted to try to find something on the inside curve of Florida before it leveled off east/west so we could watch the sun set. The problem was, this part of Florida is unbelievably undeveloped. There was miles and miles of coastline without a single summer camp, and absolutely no access roads or anywhere to park.
DekleBeach was our last option. After that beach, the road curved back in easterly and we wouldn't be able to camp and see the sun setting over the water. We drove to the dead end of the road and it ended in two summer camps. One was gated and said no trespassing. The other was open, no signs or mailbox. We pulled in, figuring we could turn around.
We pulled up to one of the most beautiful beaches I'd ever seen. There weren't miles of sand, but instead secluded sandbars, grasses, crabs and more shells than we could collect. We set up a blanket on the grass and collected shells and crabs as the tide went out.
Sitting on the dock an hour later drinking a Red Dog, we decided to camp here under the stilts of the building, cook and have a fire on the grill, and leave right after sunrise. Dazey was pretty psyched at this, and she ran up and down the beach sniffing fish, teasing crabs, chasing birds, and tasting whatever treats the sea washed up for her. She even went into the calm water and really seemed at home where the day before she acted scared of the water at Coco beach.
The fire was perfect. The crabs and stuffing for dinner was light but just right. The sun set felt like it was a movie and night crept in. We started the night in her tent, but the surf, high wind, lack of padding, droning mosquitoes and paranoia of someone driving in kept me awake til after midnight.
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Saturday, April 11 – Coco's spring break was up, so I offered to take him to the OrlandoAirport. I was already heading that way to meet up with Tyne. After dropping him off at the gigantic air travel complex, I drove back to the north side of town and found Tyne at her friend Teresa and Gregs house.
Tyne and I spent the afternoon geocaching in the extreme humidity. We saw a baby baby horse, a giant turtle shell in Christmas, and took a walk through a very steamy forest and dry safari-looking fields. All and all, we found 5 caches and enjoyed the afternoon a lot. One of the best finds on this hunt was a giant turtle shell in the water. It was too deep to get to, but it must have been over a foot wide.
Teresa was finally ready to go when we got back, so the three of us headed east to the coast, then south a little to Coco beach. Teresa said it was too cold to swim, even though it was in the 70's but that's how people get when they live in Florida. Tyne and I went in though, then we set forth to building a great sand castle. The sun set behind us and we walked along the beach to the reminents of a little flea market type setup by the pier. After checking out a few of the closing shops and listening to some good musiccoming from a single speaker, we headed back to Orlando.
Teresa asked if we were hungry when we got home. We were, and offered to do some cooking. "No way," she said, "lets get pizza.' An hour later, we were 2 slices deep into an excellent pie, which was perfectly complimented by captain morgan and coke, which was produced out of no where. I caught a little buzz, but it was nothing next to hoow drunk Teresa got. Tyne let me have the guest room and have a full size bed all to myself. I slept pretty good, but was up so early because it was so soft it started to hurt my back the next morning.
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Friday, April 10 – Coco and Lonnie worked at the Country Club in the morning so I drove into Orlando to see Tyne and start our plans for traveling together. Tyne is a really sweet hippie girl from Minnesota and she plans on staying with me until July or August. We met in Yellowstone and she flew down to Orlando to see her friend Theresa and then set out with me. I showed her the van and we made plans to set out on Sunday morning. Theresa and her were going to a club that night, so I headed back to have a boys night out.
Another one of the new Delta brothers was in Delray beach, two hours south visiting his grandparents for Spring break. Lonnie, Coco and I decided to drive down, pick up Corey and spend the day at one of the beautiful beaches down there.
My Grandparents also living in Delray, so I told the guys that we had to stop and see them. It's been hard to catch up with them the past few years, and it was great to spend some time with them. We only got to stay about 15 minutes because Lonnie's friend was waiting for us down at the beach, but it was still a pleasure. It's been almost 10 years since I've been down to their house in Delray and it brought back a lot of childhood
Finally onto the beach by around 5 pm. It was an awesome time, four brothers drinking beers on the beach. The sun was slowly setting, but we stayed until it was dark, jumping in the waves and enjoying each others company. Lonnie had a long drive back to Titusville after we left the beach. I tried to stay awake but to no avail. It took us over 2 hours, but within 15 minutes it felt like we were back.
