“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” - Mark Twain
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Yes, I played...
someone (not naming any names) didn't believe I played beach vollyball in LA... so here is a photo to prove it! (sorry there arent more photos but its hard to take pictures whilst playing you know)
I'm in the black shorts, Zach in the yellow...
Friday, July 24, 2009
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Slacker
I've been a blogging slackjob lately but here's some photos to tide y'all over.
-- Peace Out From My iPhone
Someone has got to post!
Hello Friends,
I think the last time my witty sister posted was from San Fran, since we've spent 4 nights in LA. I offer no pictures (for now) and my blogging skills are raw, but I really don't want to watch The Bachelor with Emily and Julie.
LA has been pretty wild. Not in the Paris Hilton type wild, rather it is like nothing I've ever seen. We spent 2 total days at Santa Monica and Venice Beaches. I'm pretty sure there were more people than in all of Eagle County (CO home). Crazy hodgepodge of people too! From the Rastafarians, to the barbies, bums, muscle heads, and so on. After riding our rented bikes around, people watched, drank beer, snuck Julie beer, we played beach volleyball. Yes, "we." I asked some random people if they wanted to play but we needed an extra person. Julie was awesome enough to step-up and soon enough Emily was playing too. We all ended up having great fun.
That's all I got for now, tune in next time for San Diego, Grand Canyon, Santa Fe and more.
Zachary
I think the last time my witty sister posted was from San Fran, since we've spent 4 nights in LA. I offer no pictures (for now) and my blogging skills are raw, but I really don't want to watch The Bachelor with Emily and Julie.
LA has been pretty wild. Not in the Paris Hilton type wild, rather it is like nothing I've ever seen. We spent 2 total days at Santa Monica and Venice Beaches. I'm pretty sure there were more people than in all of Eagle County (CO home). Crazy hodgepodge of people too! From the Rastafarians, to the barbies, bums, muscle heads, and so on. After riding our rented bikes around, people watched, drank beer, snuck Julie beer, we played beach volleyball. Yes, "we." I asked some random people if they wanted to play but we needed an extra person. Julie was awesome enough to step-up and soon enough Emily was playing too. We all ended up having great fun.
That's all I got for now, tune in next time for San Diego, Grand Canyon, Santa Fe and more.
Zachary
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Frisco!
Woowee, I dig San Fran! Sea lions and bread bowled chowder by a street jazz musician. Super rad.
-- Peace Out From My iPhone
-- Peace Out From My iPhone
Life on the road
It's been hard to update, even now I'm doubt this on my phone because I have an Internet signal I can't pick up on my actual computer.
We've spent the last 5 days in 4 national parks and innumerable state parks and national forests. We've camped out all the nights but last when we arrived at z's friend's place outside San fran and took our first showers and slept on couches. Indoors. It was refreshing.
I have lots to write about. Of the adventures we've encountered, the twisty switchback mountain roads, the melting canyon sunsets, waterfalls and slick rock. But it's hard to write too much from my iPhone (even if they did finally create the larger landscape keypad, which I can't get used to and still use the small keys... I know this only makes since to other iPhone users).
Anyway, i'll throw up a few photos and resume typing at some point in the bear future when my computer agrees to my prposal of cooperation.
These were the crazy switchbacj roads we drove into canyonlands national park ( which sounds like candyland to me everytime somone speaks the name aloud). We drove 25 miles on little off road paths like this, with the climb up the canyon at the end on the single lane no railing a million foot drop being the single most frightening moment in my life. We survived. It took over two hours.
Outside bryce n.p. was the greatest of all the tourist roadside shops (excluding of course the one which had a wildlife museum of "800 types of animals!" which was really just a room of stuffed animals, and not the plushy kind). Z is doing his best Daniel Boone impersonation. Spot on I think.
Next thing I know I'm back in nyc (or the vegas version of it). We hit the strip in the 110 degree heat. Lost 30 bucks at blackjack, made 15 at the slots. Not too bad for the experience of just playing there at all. Then we snuck into the pool of the monte carlo and spent the most blissful 30 minutes of our lives. After 3 dirty days/ nights of hiking, camping, driving, nothing felt more cleNsing then a chlorine pool in this desert oasis.
The drive btw vegas and yosemite went from the ugliest boring desert stretches to the most beautiful scene once we hit the sierra nevada mountains. I with I had stopped to take photos on that drive but I was too busy enjoying it. Seriously, the most magical scene.
We set up camp that night 5 moles outside yosemite, right beside the rushing waterfall and stream. I fell asleep that night to the kind of sounds I tend to play on sleep application, running water, sounds of nature, beautiful.
Yesterday was spent on a beach in lake tahoe. On the way we stopped for breakfast in one of those 5 building little towns (it was the first restaurant food we'd eaten and we were starving for it). Our waitress in middle of nowhere California town, populatin 200 was from Waterford, Michigan. Imagine the odds. Her husband was in the army and they were stationed nearby. She hated it there and desperately missed the Midwest. "Midwest folks?" said the other customer in the place. ""I'm out here from Wisconsin." I love Midwest people. Friendliest in the world.
Anyway, lake tahoe was beautiful. It took a while to find a public beach, stopping first at one full of rocks before moving on a number of miles around the shore to a nice sandy spot. We spent only a couple hours (I get bored on the beach) but it was long enough to head into the bay area burnt to a crisp.
And now it's today. And the adventure is still only beginning.
-- Peace Out From My iPhone
We've spent the last 5 days in 4 national parks and innumerable state parks and national forests. We've camped out all the nights but last when we arrived at z's friend's place outside San fran and took our first showers and slept on couches. Indoors. It was refreshing.
I have lots to write about. Of the adventures we've encountered, the twisty switchback mountain roads, the melting canyon sunsets, waterfalls and slick rock. But it's hard to write too much from my iPhone (even if they did finally create the larger landscape keypad, which I can't get used to and still use the small keys... I know this only makes since to other iPhone users).
Anyway, i'll throw up a few photos and resume typing at some point in the bear future when my computer agrees to my prposal of cooperation.
These were the crazy switchbacj roads we drove into canyonlands national park ( which sounds like candyland to me everytime somone speaks the name aloud). We drove 25 miles on little off road paths like this, with the climb up the canyon at the end on the single lane no railing a million foot drop being the single most frightening moment in my life. We survived. It took over two hours.
Outside bryce n.p. was the greatest of all the tourist roadside shops (excluding of course the one which had a wildlife museum of "800 types of animals!" which was really just a room of stuffed animals, and not the plushy kind). Z is doing his best Daniel Boone impersonation. Spot on I think.
Next thing I know I'm back in nyc (or the vegas version of it). We hit the strip in the 110 degree heat. Lost 30 bucks at blackjack, made 15 at the slots. Not too bad for the experience of just playing there at all. Then we snuck into the pool of the monte carlo and spent the most blissful 30 minutes of our lives. After 3 dirty days/ nights of hiking, camping, driving, nothing felt more cleNsing then a chlorine pool in this desert oasis.
The drive btw vegas and yosemite went from the ugliest boring desert stretches to the most beautiful scene once we hit the sierra nevada mountains. I with I had stopped to take photos on that drive but I was too busy enjoying it. Seriously, the most magical scene.
We set up camp that night 5 moles outside yosemite, right beside the rushing waterfall and stream. I fell asleep that night to the kind of sounds I tend to play on sleep application, running water, sounds of nature, beautiful.
Yesterday was spent on a beach in lake tahoe. On the way we stopped for breakfast in one of those 5 building little towns (it was the first restaurant food we'd eaten and we were starving for it). Our waitress in middle of nowhere California town, populatin 200 was from Waterford, Michigan. Imagine the odds. Her husband was in the army and they were stationed nearby. She hated it there and desperately missed the Midwest. "Midwest folks?" said the other customer in the place. ""I'm out here from Wisconsin." I love Midwest people. Friendliest in the world.
Anyway, lake tahoe was beautiful. It took a while to find a public beach, stopping first at one full of rocks before moving on a number of miles around the shore to a nice sandy spot. We spent only a couple hours (I get bored on the beach) but it was long enough to head into the bay area burnt to a crisp.
And now it's today. And the adventure is still only beginning.
-- Peace Out From My iPhone
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Zach had a softball game...
... And this is the view whilst playing. Beautiful.
-- Peace Out From My iPhone
-- Peace Out From My iPhone
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
To Look For America...
Let us be lovers well marry our fortunes together
I've got some real estate here in my bag
So we bought a pack of cigarettes and Mrs. Wagner pies
And we walked off to look for America
Kathy, I said as we boarded a greyhound in Pittsburgh
Michigan seems like a dream to me now
It took me four days to hitchhike from Saginaw
I've gone to look for America
Laughing on the bus
Playing games with the faces
She said the man in the gabardine suit was a spy
I said be careful his bowtie is really a camera
toss me a cigarette, I think there's one in my raincoat
we smoked the last one an hour ago
So I looked at the scenery, she read her magazine
And the moon rose over an open field
Kathy, I'm lost, I said, though I knew she was sleeping
I'm empty and aching and I don't know why
Counting the cars on the new jersey turnpike
They've all gone to look for America
All gone to look for America
All gone to look for America
Yesterday I was Stung by a Bee...
But the good news is, the chance of me being stung more than once on my trip is pretty slight so now I can stop worrying while in the wilderness...
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Its hard to update in the mountains
As some of you know, my computer is a jackass. Sometimes he likes to work and sometimes no matter what I do or how close I am sitting to the wireless box he simply will not give me internet. Needless to say, this makes updating a bit tricky at times.
BUT I am trying. I managed to get those photos up the other day via my iphone and I will continue to do so as much as possible.
Right now I'm at Starbucks, their internet totally works. I think it's part of their world domination conspiracy. I now only drink their chai and I can only access internet on their premises. God, they're savvy those starbuckaroos!
So to catch up to where we are at... Sunday was my first full day out here in Vail with the bro. I woke up early (in New York I wake up everyday at 8am which out here is 6am so the fact that I woke up at 7:45am here was actually sleeping in for me but I digress...) and waited patiently for sleeping beauty (aka Zach) to get up so our day could begin. We started with a Farmer's Market in Vail (I LOVE farmer's markets and so one in a Bavarian Village at the foot of a mountain was super awesomeness) and got ourselves some styling sun hats for our trip to the dessert whilst tasting fresh Palisades peaches and super sweet honey. Z kept saying how expensive Vail is but I can't imagine its too much more obscene then NYC, I mean 6 bedroom mansions here are running at 3 million per its kind of comparable to a 2,000 sq ft 2 bedroom in my hood really. I say bargain!
Later we checked out Z's school in the little town of Gypsum. There are probably more people living in the West Village than this whole valley town! But very cute, and not a bad view when at work.
We cooked (and by we I mean Zach only) Dad's famous stir-fry for dinner that night, sharing with Z's roommates in an effort to butter them up for a game night. While Z and I may not have much in common (he's blond haired and blue eyed while I'm brunette with green eyes; he's small town in the mountains while I'm biggest city in the world) there is one thing that we both share- a LOVE for board games... and the common problem of not being able to get our friends as enthused about playing them! Come on people! Game nights are fun!!
I hate (and by hate I mean love) to say that I was the victor of all 4 games we played that evening. Perhaps this is my true talent, game playing? Is there a job out there for this do we suppose?
Anyway, that sums up day ONE, next post for Monday...
Peace and Love
BUT I am trying. I managed to get those photos up the other day via my iphone and I will continue to do so as much as possible.
Right now I'm at Starbucks, their internet totally works. I think it's part of their world domination conspiracy. I now only drink their chai and I can only access internet on their premises. God, they're savvy those starbuckaroos!
So to catch up to where we are at... Sunday was my first full day out here in Vail with the bro. I woke up early (in New York I wake up everyday at 8am which out here is 6am so the fact that I woke up at 7:45am here was actually sleeping in for me but I digress...) and waited patiently for sleeping beauty (aka Zach) to get up so our day could begin. We started with a Farmer's Market in Vail (I LOVE farmer's markets and so one in a Bavarian Village at the foot of a mountain was super awesomeness) and got ourselves some styling sun hats for our trip to the dessert whilst tasting fresh Palisades peaches and super sweet honey. Z kept saying how expensive Vail is but I can't imagine its too much more obscene then NYC, I mean 6 bedroom mansions here are running at 3 million per its kind of comparable to a 2,000 sq ft 2 bedroom in my hood really. I say bargain!
Later we checked out Z's school in the little town of Gypsum. There are probably more people living in the West Village than this whole valley town! But very cute, and not a bad view when at work.
We cooked (and by we I mean Zach only) Dad's famous stir-fry for dinner that night, sharing with Z's roommates in an effort to butter them up for a game night. While Z and I may not have much in common (he's blond haired and blue eyed while I'm brunette with green eyes; he's small town in the mountains while I'm biggest city in the world) there is one thing that we both share- a LOVE for board games... and the common problem of not being able to get our friends as enthused about playing them! Come on people! Game nights are fun!!
I hate (and by hate I mean love) to say that I was the victor of all 4 games we played that evening. Perhaps this is my true talent, game playing? Is there a job out there for this do we suppose?
Anyway, that sums up day ONE, next post for Monday...
Peace and Love
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Saturday, July 4, 2009
360 Days of Sun, I'm here on Day 361
So I've arrived at my first destination, Denver, after a long and tiresome flight.
My alarm went off at quarter to 4 this morning and I wanted to die. I had made the mistake of sticking around Nolita House drinking margaritas well after my shift ended. I had initially intended on scramming out the door the moment my paper work was complete but after basically having my ass handed to me during brunch I decided to stay for a much needed drink. Next thing I knew it was 10 and I still needed to finish packing.
My first mistake was believing that a closer to the front "limited recline" seat was a better idea than the seat I had originally been assigned. I spent the 3 hour trip from NYC to Minneapolis in varying degrees of uncomfortable. Luckily I had booked myself a nice window bulkhead for flight two which would allow me some much needed rest... of course I was wrong.
The middle seat was still empty just before take-off. This is awesome, I thought to myself, stretching out. Then over walked to flight attendant with a teenage girl. "This is where you'll sit, let me know if you need anything," she told the girl, trying quickly to get away.
"I've actually only been in Minneapolis a year, its not really where I'm from... oh hi! I'm Kayla what's your name? Nice to meet you. Have you been on a plane by yourself? I'm all by myself so I'm kinda nervous but I brought lots of gum cause it helps your ears, do you want some gum? I'm going to Utah not Denver but I have to stop in Denver. Are you staying in Denver? I'm real excited cause I get to see my cousins and we always have the best time, they really love me. We're going to watch fireworks and celebrate my dad's birthday even though he died when I was 6. But I think he's an angel now. His name was Michael. Do you think he's the archangel Michael? That's what I think. He was a great person. My mom lost her soulmate. I would probably have lots of brothers and sisters if he didn't die. Do you have brothers and sisters?"
This went on for two hours.
While flipping casually through a magazine, trying to drown out the sound a little yet feeling guilty for it, I learned how her dad spent 6 years in jail because of some drugs that "the doctor made him take" and how her parents met at the gym. How much her mom spoils her with shirts like "St Paul Girls are Hot" (although she hopes people won't think she's a lesbian for it). How she plans to be famous one day because she has a really amazing voice and is a really talented writer but may want to be a CSI crimefighter and she's really popular in school because she so friendly and can always make everyone laugh since she is incredibly funny.
Needless to say I arrived in Denver without a chance to even rest my eyes.
Zach met me in baggage and we went downtown to run a few errands. "Sorry its so overcast, its usually sunny every single day, this is really weird," he told me on the two hour drive through the mountains to his town outside Vail. It began to rain. "Seriously this is the worst weather I've seen since I've lived here. It usually clears up so quickly."
Luckily he was right about the clear up part. After a much needed nap I awoke to find blue skies and only a light breeze. It was perfect firework weather.
My alarm went off at quarter to 4 this morning and I wanted to die. I had made the mistake of sticking around Nolita House drinking margaritas well after my shift ended. I had initially intended on scramming out the door the moment my paper work was complete but after basically having my ass handed to me during brunch I decided to stay for a much needed drink. Next thing I knew it was 10 and I still needed to finish packing.
My first mistake was believing that a closer to the front "limited recline" seat was a better idea than the seat I had originally been assigned. I spent the 3 hour trip from NYC to Minneapolis in varying degrees of uncomfortable. Luckily I had booked myself a nice window bulkhead for flight two which would allow me some much needed rest... of course I was wrong.
The middle seat was still empty just before take-off. This is awesome, I thought to myself, stretching out. Then over walked to flight attendant with a teenage girl. "This is where you'll sit, let me know if you need anything," she told the girl, trying quickly to get away.
"I've actually only been in Minneapolis a year, its not really where I'm from... oh hi! I'm Kayla what's your name? Nice to meet you. Have you been on a plane by yourself? I'm all by myself so I'm kinda nervous but I brought lots of gum cause it helps your ears, do you want some gum? I'm going to Utah not Denver but I have to stop in Denver. Are you staying in Denver? I'm real excited cause I get to see my cousins and we always have the best time, they really love me. We're going to watch fireworks and celebrate my dad's birthday even though he died when I was 6. But I think he's an angel now. His name was Michael. Do you think he's the archangel Michael? That's what I think. He was a great person. My mom lost her soulmate. I would probably have lots of brothers and sisters if he didn't die. Do you have brothers and sisters?"
This went on for two hours.
While flipping casually through a magazine, trying to drown out the sound a little yet feeling guilty for it, I learned how her dad spent 6 years in jail because of some drugs that "the doctor made him take" and how her parents met at the gym. How much her mom spoils her with shirts like "St Paul Girls are Hot" (although she hopes people won't think she's a lesbian for it). How she plans to be famous one day because she has a really amazing voice and is a really talented writer but may want to be a CSI crimefighter and she's really popular in school because she so friendly and can always make everyone laugh since she is incredibly funny.
Needless to say I arrived in Denver without a chance to even rest my eyes.
Zach met me in baggage and we went downtown to run a few errands. "Sorry its so overcast, its usually sunny every single day, this is really weird," he told me on the two hour drive through the mountains to his town outside Vail. It began to rain. "Seriously this is the worst weather I've seen since I've lived here. It usually clears up so quickly."
Luckily he was right about the clear up part. After a much needed nap I awoke to find blue skies and only a light breeze. It was perfect firework weather.
Friday, July 3, 2009
Off to see the world
It all began with a phone call to my parents.
"Your brother is really disappointed right now" they told me. "He's been looking forward to this summer road trip all year and his plans just fell through, his friend can't make it anymore."
"So he just needs someone to go with him? Um, as long as he promises not to push me off the Grand Canyon I'll totally do it. It's not like I'm busy."
I tell Zach this on a call the next day. "Let me think about it," he replies, a bit hesitant.
A few days pass. "I've thought a lot about your idea. And I think, well what a great story to tell our kids one day, you know, I went on this adventure with your Aunt Emily one summer and it really made us closer," he paused, "or I'll tell them that's why they don't have an aunt."
And with that, the plans were made.
I'm still thinking of making him sign a contract though, no pushing me off a canyon.
"Your brother is really disappointed right now" they told me. "He's been looking forward to this summer road trip all year and his plans just fell through, his friend can't make it anymore."
"So he just needs someone to go with him? Um, as long as he promises not to push me off the Grand Canyon I'll totally do it. It's not like I'm busy."
I tell Zach this on a call the next day. "Let me think about it," he replies, a bit hesitant.
A few days pass. "I've thought a lot about your idea. And I think, well what a great story to tell our kids one day, you know, I went on this adventure with your Aunt Emily one summer and it really made us closer," he paused, "or I'll tell them that's why they don't have an aunt."
And with that, the plans were made.
I'm still thinking of making him sign a contract though, no pushing me off a canyon.
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