Days 40-54

Our trip is winding down.

After visiting Jade we left Idaho and entered Canada. Neither of us had ever been, and it was a completely new experience to see speed limit signs written in km/hour and gas sold by the "litre" in North America. Luckily most places still accepted US currency so we didn't have to exchange our money.

We started on our way to the Canadian Rockies, having made the decision long before that we wouldn't be going to Alaska since we had so many unplanned visits in the continental US. Not to mention the drive would have taken far longer than the time we were planning to spend at our destination.

It turned out to be an excellent decision. When we hit the outskirts of the mountains, we were instantly stunned by the sheer size of them. Such jagged, proportionally large peaks as we had never seen before. And they just kept going and going! It was like an infinitely vast shark jaw, petrified at the beginning of time, the sharp, irregular tips frosted in snow.

Finally we reached Banff, a tiny tourist town in the heart of the Canadian Rockies. If you have ever seen the movie "The Last Holiday" then you have an idea of what this place felt like. It was a refreshing atmosphere of liveliness and warmth with all the people and small restaurants gathered together in the cold, high-altitude air of the town nestled so deeply in the heart of this mammoth range. All the international visitors here were very excited to get to wherever they were going that evening. We decided to go and see the gondolas, small cable cars that will take you on a ride 80 feet in the air along a cable stretched up to one of the peaks, affording a spectacular view of the breathtaking terrain. We made it there, only to discover a ridiculous fare posted at the gate, so we hung out at the lodge and took in the sights from there.

After driving around the town some more and checking out every street until we had seen all that we could, we spent the night in the industrial area of Banff in the back of the car. That was our coldest night so far, at 36 degrees before we woke up. Very nice for me. Erica hated it.

The next day was our longest ever driving day. Leaving the Rockies was awesome, seeing all the mountains and glacial streams for the last time. But then ahead of us lay the MOST BORING 14 HOURS of the entire trip!!! NOTHING BUT FLAT WHEAT FIELDS UNTIL NORTH DAKOTA! We went through Medicine Hat, Mortlatch, Oungre, Moose Jaw, and a dozen other oddly named towns and were DYING to get back to the States. When we finally reached the North Dakota border, they had closed the border crossing for the night until morning. DAMMIT!! I tried to convince the officer to let us across to no avail. One more night in Canada. We found a dirt road that ended next to a grain silo in a pitch-dark field of wheat. The only light was a dim flicker on the horizon from a flame stack attached to one of the many oil derricks that speckle the landscape. At least the stars were out strong. Really they were spectacular, the milky way being very apparent and many shooting stars to accompany it in the night sky.

It was great to be back on American soil. Gas is a lot cheaper here, by the way. We spent that entire day driving as well, until we arrived at Mt. Rushmore. It was cool, but a lot smaller than I thought it would be. And it's eleven freaking dollars to park at the base and look at it. So we said F that parked on the road. There is, however, a pretty cool town that no one ever told us about further down the mountain. We stopped there and looked at chainsaw carvings and made some tea. Then we started toward our next stop, Erica's extended family in Minnesota.

We met with her Uncle John on her dad's side and Aunt Ellen, two of the most wonderful and kind people that one can imagine meeting. They served as our home base for our visit to all of the Minnesota family. It was great for me to finally meet this side of the family. Over the next couple of days we made a point to meet with her Grandma and Grandpa, her Grandpa being 98 YEARS OLD, and still sharp as a tack! He told us many stories, including some pretty detailed war stories from WWII. Great visit.

We then met with her Aunt Linnea, Uncle Allen, and one of their kids and grandkids. They have an incredible house in a very secluded area and we had a great visit with them as well.

Aunt Ellen and Uncle John treated us like royalty in there home, and we were reluctant to leave. But we had yet another visit already planned, this next one in Michigan. Erica used to work with Melaine Rude at New Hope Academy and was taking her up on her invitation to see her at her new home in Harbor Springs in between Lake Michigan and Lake Superior. She took us around the small town of Harbor Springs and bought us breakfast at a very high quality little restaurant called Mustang Wendy's. It was amusing to watch them share many stories from New Hope. We also met with her daughter and granddaughter before we had to go our separate ways. Good to have finally met the person that I've always heard so many stories about after work.

Next we drove to Niagara Falls. I had never seen Niagara, so this was a huge treat for me. We got there at night and saw it from the Canadian side, which affords the best view if you ask anyone who's been. They had the "Rainbow Falls" display that evening, where they shine multi-colored lights onto the massive falls to highlight the whitewater and mist. What a display. Special for that evening, and completely unplanned, was the fireworks display! They launched a damn-near 4th of July sized barrage of dazzling explosives into the air over the falls, the thundering booms reverberating again and again off of the gigantic vertical cliffs that line the rim of the Niagara River. What a crazy show.

My favorite thing about that evening, though, was after the fireworks. The crowds thinned and we had the chance to walk up close to the Horshoe Falls. If you have never been, you should know: the force of those waterfalls, 40,000,000 gallons PER MINUTE to be exact, disappearing down a sheer 90 degree drop to solid rock 165 feet below, creates the unique effect of water exploding in jets under it's own pressure off of the rocks and high into the air. And if the wind is just right (or wrong) you will get a mild to heavy rain all along the rim, no matter how clear the skies. I had the greatest time walking through that Niagara Rain, as we had not a slight but a strong and cold wind that night, dropping huge, weighty drops of the pure water in a consistent shower upon us. I drank what sweet water was naturally guttered to my lips, thrilled to be so close to the thundering cataclysm that was the source of this delectable moisture. What a treat. Erica would probably say that she was pissed off at being so cold and wet. A different perspective for sure, and I did feel a little bad for her. But she was a good sport about it.

But really, the next morning was the real show. In the daylight the falls look very different than at night. The sun reveals the true magnitude of the constant event that is Niagara Falls. From the relatively calm CLASS 6 RAPIDS which suddenly cascade in a solid mass of whitewater down a dizzying drop, to the violent geyser-like explosions caused by the impact on the rocks below and subsequent mind-boggling currents where the waters reunite, the entire scene is brazenly unveiled into plain sight each morning. We stayed until we could fill our cup no more with the incredible sights. Highly recommend.

We crossed back into the US for the last time this trip and shot straight to Providence, Rhode Island to meet Josh Perry and his wife, Rebecca, both good friends of ours. As we crossed the Rhode Island border I made a mental check in my mind, and sounded a mental gong, signifying my finally having been to ALL 50 states in the United States of America! Good times.

At Perry's, we were treated to some very high end pastries from the local bakery. Then we attended the Worcester Sunday Service where his dad was speaking and went out for some Thai food afterwards. We went out for some delicious hot fudge sundaes together, which I have not had in quite some time. We played pool and foosball, finishing the night with some pretty hilarious stand up comedy. The Perrys really know how to entertain. What a great night.

Lastly, we made it to the Ellanson's house. Both of us had actually been looking forward to this moment for a good while. Being on the road is truly a broadening and I'd even say an important experience, but especially after 7 friggin' weeks of it, there's nothing like family. It's great to finally be back on the East Coast and home. Thank you North America for an experience that we will remember for the rest of our lives and into eternity! And a special thanks to each and every person that spent time with us and let us stay the night at their place and fed us out of the goodness of their hearts. We truly owe you and will never forget the kindness that you bestowed on us. Thank you!!!

Days 33-39

Napa Valley was wonderful. Despite the earthquake damage in the town of Napa (several shops and entire sections of street were closed down and some buildings had severe structural damage), people were very friendly and businesses were doing their best to serve customers. We went to highly recommended olive oil producer and tasted about 30 different olive and nut oils, as well as 20 different balsamic vinegars and white balsamic vinegars. We couldn't leave without buying a couple bottles of our favorites. Later we hiked out onto a hill that overlooked Napa Valley as the sun set, sharing the abundant beauty only with a few cows that were grazing on the adjacent hill.

The next day we met back up with my Aunt Annette that we had spent time with in southern California. She and her husband had come back home from vacation there were eager to show us their thriving walnut orchard, which we were eager to see. A nearby orchard was harvesting an early variety, and we drove there on quads (which was super fun by itself) to watch the process. Earl explained everything in detail and it was very educational and interesting.

We then went to their house in Paradise, CA, built on a hillside overlooking Chico Valley. What a gorgeous place. It was a treat to watch the sun set from there. Easy to see why they call it Paradise. In the morning, we all set out to go gold mining. We hiked by a man-made waterway called a "flume" that is essentially a small canal which directs water from the natural river to a power plant. We spent the day mining with Earl's equipment in the river, interspersing mining with ample amounts of swimming in the deep, cold, crystal-clear water. What a perfect day it was. I found gold for the first time in my life there, just a couple of small flakes, but it was so exciting! I can see how people get the bug.

On our way back I jumped into the flume and had a blast floating with the current along the spillways carved into the rock and constructed from metal. It was a little freaky when the water disappeared into a tunnel in the side of the mountain. I had to try it, as I was sure that we saw where it came out again. Only 20 feet in, it got pitch black. I floated head-first to add to the freakiness. I extended my arms out to feel ahead of me in case of, well, whatever the hell was in front of me. There was absolutely sound in there, except for the occasional lick of the flowing water on the cave wall somewhere. It felt like I was in there forever, and I started to get worried that this might have been a bad idea, but then I saw a dim light ahead and knew I was good. When I came out I was relieved, but upon exiting the water I noticed that I had leaches all over me! Erica helped me pick every one of those blood-sucking bastards off, about 20 of them. Worth it, though.
Back home we separated the magnetite from the gold and wound up with a couple of good flakes of gold. Maybe 2 bucks worth. More fun than profitable.

Very grateful to Aunt Annette and Earl for the experience.

Next was the Redwoods. We headed for the northern coastline and experienced a crazy weather shift. It went from hot and dry at 95 degrees to cool and damp at 45 degrees in ONE HOUR! When we finally hit the coast it was like we were in a different country. The sand was different, the clouds were ever-present, the trees were huge, and even the waves came in differently. We stopped at some blackberry bushes that I spotted while looking for elk and tasted the fruitiest, sweetest, most delicious wild blackberries I've ever had. Must have been the perfect growing conditions there.

Further up the road was Redwood National Park. We saw many HUGE redwoods along the road on our way there, and I couldn't keep from being hunched over, looking up through the windshield at the unusually big trees. It was evening when we arrived, and when we finally parked and started a short walk into the actual woods, I was spellbound. I mean literally. This forest was so solemn and primordial that it felt as if it was forcing me to take deeper breaths. At times I had to focus on exhaling. I was dizzy with my own smallness in this forest of ancient giants. I could walk only very slowly, and in complete wonder as I approached the first of the ancients, a tree not less than 15 feet wide at the base, disappearing more that 300 feet up into a distant canopy where it mingled with the fog. Neither of us had spoken a word. I slowly met the bark of the tree with my hand and felt one of the ridges of it's bark, which filled my entire hand. I knew that this bark could be a foot thick on a tree this size to protect it from fires, and pondered the things that it must have lived through during it's 1,000 year or more life thus far. Truly a wonder.

As we penetrated further into the woods, I kept getting a deeper and deeper feeling of tranquility. The woods would open up from time to time, allowing us to see across to different groves of redwoods and witness the full length of the species from afar. A redwood viewed from afar appears to be an infallible column of living rock rising out of the ground by itself, with it's random sprays of dark-green needles along it's height appearing as smaller and smaller clouds, as if existing only to indicate the trunk's remarkable feat of altitude.

It was as if we had been transported back to the Mesozoic Era, and I half expected a newly-minted dinosaur to come scurrying through the ferns. We came across an older tree that had been hollowed out by fires and entered it, looking up a hundred feet or more to the still-living core where it still grew to meet the sun. I climbed on the burls and knobs of the trunk and got pretty high above the forest floor before I could look out above the dead wood. I felt like a kid in a playground without borders or limits. Everything was bigger than I was used to, and I reveled in it. I made a small fire to smell the smoke of this place. It was new and intoxicating. I don't think that I could ever spend enough time in a redwood forest.

Before we left the next day we did see a very big elk with antlers that looked like he could shred our car. And we also went to see the "Big Tree" which is 22 feet in diameter and estimated at 1600 years old.

Then it was off to Olympia to meet up with one of my best friends, Brennan Boothby. We met him in the afternoon and he took us around to see some of the local sights. I had never visited him in the four years that since he moved to Olympia, and it was good to see the sights that he had become accustomed to over time. We met up with his girlfriend, Ash which was a pleasure and made a KILLER homemade pizza that night for dinner, with toppings that included apples, fresh garlic, fried sausage, and an ungodly amount of spinach. The apples actually worked perfectly with the pizza. I would do it again any day (actually I want some right now).

The next day we all went to the Olympic National Forest for a short day hike. It was a similar experience to the redwoods to me, seeing the enormous western cedar trees there. I've never seen a cedar tree that big, and I had to get a piece of the bark as a souvenir. We had lunch on a 15-foot tall boulder that sat in the middle of a pristine rushing river with water as clear as the river in Paradise, but colder.

On the way out of the park we stopped by a great cliff-jumping spot on Lake Cushman. Both Ash and I jumped from 20 feet into the clear lake. I ended up swimming around with my goggles for a while, enjoying such water clarity as is difficult to find on the east coast. The air temperature was about 60 degrees, making the water feel warmer than I'm sure it was. Before getting back to Brennan's place we hit up 5 Guys and had a little taste of home.

Next we went to Seattle. We saw the Public Market and got a sample of some alder-smoked king salmon (SOOOOO GOOOOD!) and had a cup of coffee at the first Starbucks store. A very interesting and busy downtown area where I'm sure I could spend $1000 in a few minutes.

Then we visited with the Holdhuses, only a short drive away. Kristian took me out mushroom hunting while Erica and Eunha hung out. It took a long time and we almost lost hope, but we ended up finding about a pound of chanterelles! And I had never had them before, so it was especially special for me. It was a treat to have them fried up back at their house.

We were lucky enough that Kristian could take off work the next day, so we all went out clamming! We managed get 4 different species of shellfish in our bucket: Butter clams, mussels, cockle, and a horse clam, which none of us had had before. We took the ferry back from the island that we clammed on, and it was Erica's first time on a ferry.

Back home Kristian whipped up THE BEST CLAM CHOWDER I HAVE EVER HAD! If any chef claims to be capable of better, I would ONLY believe it when I taste it! You just couldn't get fresher ingredients, and the flavor was indescribably sublime. The kind of food that makes your eyes roll into the back of your head. Maybe he used crack, I don't know. But I do know that afterwards we prepped some garlic wine sauce to steam a huge serving of smaller clams, including the cockle and the horse clam, which we split. And those were to die for. I really feel like we had the full clam experience, and I was full to the bursting point.

The following day we reluctantly left, grateful for the experiences, and headed for Idaho to visit Jade in Rathdrum. Along the way we stopped at Lake Wanatchee for lunch and enjoyed yet another gorgeous lake.

Route 2 from Seattle to Spokane winds along a raging river and is much nicer to drive than the interstate, by the way. It also runs right through a quaint little town called Leavenworth. We stopped there on the Holdhuses recommendation to see the unique Bavarian village. Everything is Bavarian to the max; the architecture, the food, the roads, even a lot of the people! We got a bratwurst and some gelato, which for our highly budgeted trip was a splurge. But we both needed something extra at that point to keep us going on the long drive.

Finally, at 8:30 PM we met Jade at a McDonalds in Spokane. Good to catch up with him and see him in his new habitat. We spent the night at a rest stop in Idaho and today we look forward to meeting his girlfriend and baby girl.

We have officially begun our crawl back east! Now we're looking forward to Canada.

Days 22-32

Been a long time since the last update, here's a quick run down since our last post.

We got POUNDED with hail on our way out of Idaho (leaving Yellowstone from the west we went through Montana and then Idaho). I still can't get over how far you can see out here. That storm was like helplessly watching an inevitable impending doom. What a rush.

Our destination was the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. We went through Nevada to get there and gambled a little more, making a little more gas money. The flats themselves were windy and wet from some previous storms. SO MUCH SALT! It was pretty cool to see, and we were told time and time again not to leave the hard pack because the deep salt mud would eat our vehicle and it's a $650 dollar tow to get back to the hard pack. I didn't break any land speed records.

Our next stop was Las Vegas again, this time to meet one of Erica's old friends, Kwan Jin Nim and Christine.
We happened across a little gem on our way down there: Cathedral Gorge in Nevada. It looked kind of like Bryce Canyon's little brother, but with NONE of the tourists and no regulations. Also, there were the COOLEST canyons, I mean stereotypical like 30-foot vertical walls 12 inches apart! And there were even caves and off-shoot canyons. I was like a kid in a playground. The fact that there were no other people around gave us the impression like we were the discoverers of this place, exploring it for the  first time. I had twice as much fun there as in Bryce. I hope it stays crowd-free forever.
That night we splurged on some pork chops that we grilled over western cedar and sagebrush coals, a delicacy that I will not soon forget. It had that deep, rich flavor that makes time stop for a moment. We also took some much-needed showers. What a treat.

Still further south, we finally got some buffalo jerky! We had been looking for it for a long time, so it was a big deal. The girl who sold it to us was a local of 4 generations and told us many stories of Area 51 and all of the above-ground nuclear testing that poisoned so many people in her town. Crazy shit.

When we did finally make it to Vegas, we were given a warm welcome by Kwan Jin Nim and his wonderful wife, Christine. He had a pretty unique perspective of Erica's childhood and it was fun to watch them relive some of the old stories.

Next stop was Death Valley. I thought it was hot in Vegas until we finally made it to this hellish place. It was a cool morning on the valley floor, at 105 degrees Fahrenheit. There was not a single plant on some rocky stretches, and it looked like a volcano had buried the life here recently. I was dying in the heat and got a headache pretty quickly. At 280 feet below sea level, it is the lowest point in North America. I don't think I'll be returning in the summer ever again.

Camp Mozumdar, one of our churches oldest properties in the area was recommended to us to stop by, so we did. What a polar opposite experience from Death Valley! It was 65 degrees, breezy, and dry with lots of vegetation. Pastor Juan Morales, the current keeper of this place, is one of the kindest souls I have met. He even looks like Jesus. He rolled out the red carpet for us, with a wonderful breakfast of fresh fruit, sausage, and eggs rancheros. Then he gave us a grand tour of the property. We saw the "Pillars of God" and the Temple, both done with remarkable architecture. And the view, my God was it gorgeous! I hope that place can continue to thrive as a place of renewal, and I know it is in good hands.

Next we saw the Pasadena House, another church property in the area. If you haven't been there, I would recommend it to you. We swam in the pool and enjoyed the large rooms. I felt like a Columbian drug lord whenever I stepped out onto the terra-cotta-tiled balcony to survey the property and nearby LA. Very cool.

Josh Thompson picked us up on our first night in LA and showed us around Pasadena where he grew up. It had been at least 7 years since either one of us had seen him. He graciously took us out to Umami Burger, a gourmet burger joint that truly goes above and beyond in there incredible cuisine. Then he took us to the Pie Hole, where we tried Mexican Chocolate, Earl Grey, and my personal favorite, Maple Custard pie. Delicious.

The very next day, we met up with Hatchi, one of Erica's friends. It was so great to see her and eat at Umami Burger again. Too bad we didn't have more time to hang out.

The next day we went south and visited an exotic fruit nursery in Vista. We were given free samples of some weird fruit that I have NEVER heard of, such as Jujubes (Erica's favorite), sapotes, natal plum, organ pipe cactus fruit, ice cream bean, and curry leaf. I want all of them! It was great to try something I didn't even know existed.

Afterwards we went to Oceanside and met up with some family that I never met before; my dad's cousin Annette and her daughter, Gigi. They had dinner ready for us when we got there. We listened to long-lost stories about my grandfather and granduncle for hours, and I was amazed at what I didn't know. It was great to get to know them. They put us up for the night in far greater luxury than we have been used to, and the next morning made us breakfast before we all went to Laguna Beach together. Laguna Beach was my first time this trip jumping into the Pacific Ocean (shout out to Richard Abendroth, that one's for you!). The waves were F-ing HUGE! It was a "red flag" day and the lifeguards weren't letting anyone go out past the breakers without fins. Well, I didn't know that. Right into the breakers I went, getting pushed and pulled by the undertoe, but I did finally make it past some real monsters out to open ocean. I floated around for a while and enjoyed the clear, clear blue before turning back. I talked to some real stereotypical surfer dudes who told me to try to body surf some of the waves. "Just charge it, bruh!" is what he said, giving me the hang-loose sign. I looked at another normal-sized wave turn hard surf into powder, with a deep thunderclap on impact. "Yeah, fuck that." I waited for a lull in the waves and swam my ass off to shore, using the waves to counteract the powerful undertoe. I was out of breath on shore and I saw the lifeguard whistling someone else in. Glad I got the opportunity.

We had to leave my folk at that time, to be able to make our dinner appointment back in LA with Josh Thompson and his wife, Jeanie. We were looking forward to meeting her. They took us out to a FANTASTIC Thai restaurant in Hollywood (I think). Anyway, the food was to die for. The most unique dish (I can't pronounce the actual name) was fried chicken served with water bugs. Incredible.
We went out for coffee at the Coffee Bean afterwards, which was a treat for us not being from the area. Then we all went to the observatory and saw the Hollywood sign in the hills, right before taking in the best view of LA that I've ever seen. They let us stay at their place, where we had great conversation into the night. We will miss them and hope to see them again soon.

The next day Erica and I went to see Rodeo drive. Not much to say there. Everything feels very fake and exclusive. But we had to see it, just because it's iconic. Not a place I think I'll ever return to.

We said goodbye to LA at that point and jumped onto Route 1, the Pacific Coast Highway, or "the PCH" as it's called here. Incidentally, it seems that everyone in California calls highways "The 10" or "The 156" or "The" whatever. What's up with that?
Route 1 was jaw-droppingly beautiful. The cliffs kept getting taller and taller, the road more and more twisted and curved. Spectacular rock bluffs rising from the endless ocean with turquoise waves batting at their base and gigantic tidal pools ringed with red, green and brown ice plants were just some of the sights that we stopped for many a time to take in.
There were also huge eucalyptus trees and redwoods in established groves along the roadside.

We (I) got a ton of fruit from people's front yards in Santa Barbara. We now have too much of every citrus fruit grown in that town.
We stopped at Pismo Beach, where you can drive your car out onto the beach. It felt like driving in deep snow. SO FUN!

 We stopped at Garrapatta Beach in Big Sur, where I got into the much colder Pacific Ocean and almost drowned in the icy waves. We found a place where the cliffs jutted out into the surf and the only way to get to the other side was to time the surf in between waves so as not to get smashed. On the other side we found an entire beach without a single person on it, and a massive tidal pool, all to ourselves. I even discovered some caves in the bluffs that the waves would fill at high tide. I went in as far as I could go at low tide.

 Finally, we arrived in San Francisco, where we met up with Dave Dufour. It had been 10 years since I had been there (and lived there for 6 months) and Erica had never been there. Dave took us out to a local taqueria where I once again had THE BEST MEXICAN FOOD IN THIS COUNTRY! No place does it like San Fran. I had a half tongue, half tripe burrito, Erica had the grilled steak. The free sides did not disappoint. 4 kinds of salsa and prepared spicy vegetables galore. Love it.

Of course, we had to swing by Ashby House in Berkeley, where I lived for six months on STF and met some of the closest friends that I have. I wanted to show Erica that place, as it is special to me. I took a lemon from the tree that is still growing next door, like it used to, and she took a great picture of the house.

 Erica and I then went to Marin Point, where you can see the Golden Gate bridge from afar. There are some pretty cool cliffs there, too, which I climbed down to the shore. I met some seals down there who were very curious about me. They swam around my rock, as if they wanted me to get off, constantly looking at me with intense interest. The water around me came in and out and created giant, swirling eddies instead of coming in waves, as I was on the bay side of the peninsula. A few times the tidal gurgling almost rose to the point of sweeping my off the rock, which was freaky. But what a hell of a place. Worth the risk.

Now we are on our way through Napa Valley to sample some of the lesser known gourmet olive oils that are produced in small quantities here. We'll try harder to keep you posted in the future!

-Karl