Well as you know I haven’t posted much on this site throughout the trip, mainly because I had to drive the entire trip because I couldn’t get Mike or Matt to help out. And I was too tired by the time I drove all day, keeping my dear brothers safe from other drivers and critters in the road. But also because my co-travelers would not share the computers once we reached the daily destinations. I had originally planed on delivering the”package” (truck) on my own, but mom made me ask my older brothers. One day when I was feeling rather compassionate to my elders and I sent an e-mail to them. It simply said “Road trip, AK-AZ, Interested?” Within a few hours I had responses from both Mike and Matt asking when. Of course neither one of them believed that the other would actually go and I am sure neither expected to get the green lights from their significant others. But they both got off the plane one week ago today in Anchorage and the “road-trip” was officially underway. Mom called me several times and was worried that her boys would argue about politics. I assured her that it would be fine although I had a small concern of my own about spending so much time in such a small space with the two knuckle heads. I told mom all would be fine as long as the two elders remembered only one rule “piss mark off and get out of the truck”. Turns out Mike and Matt have matured a lot over the years and I find them a lot more tolerable then I used to. The first night Matt and I laughed so hard I had tears in my eyes. Mike and Matt pretty much covered the trip but all BS aside, it was a trip of a lifetime that I wouldn’t trade for anything, well maybe 5 bucks (just kidding). Smallfry is more beautiful then ever and was excited to see us. I will stay until Tuesday at which time I will travel to Boise to begin another road trip. This one will be a short one in which I will drive Ms. Daisy to Jackpot to test her luck.
Thanks to the wifes for helping make this possible.
Friday, October 24, 2008
We're here! Deandra happily dropped us off at our hotel and zoomed off in her truck a few minutes ago.
Here's some facts about the trip:
We arrived in Prescott Arizona after 4016 miles and seven days of driving. We brothers did not get in one argument the entire seven days.
We averaged 61 mph over the course of the entire trip. We gained 4 mph of that average after we entered the lower 48 (2300 miles into the trip).
In seven days we drove from the dead of winter to the heat of summer (it's 83 degrees here). That's hard to get used to, I'm dressed for cold and it's summer.
We stayed in six different hotels (including the one we are in now), two different homes (thanks to Mom and Dani and Scott) and a total of 66 hours in the truck. Not one of the parts of our world I just described will be part of our world now.
We saw Caribou, Elk, Bear, Porcupines, Deer, Red Fox, Bison, Moutain goats (today at hoover dam) and Moose. Plus the manliest woman I have ever seen, two strippers we followed into Vegas last night (they turned off before we did), twenty or so Canadians with the thickest Canuck accents I have ever seen, enough Flying J truck stops that we are now honorary truckers.
We saw three accidents. Oddly enough they were all aroud Salt Lake City. I don't think anyone got killed except possibly a few pigs.
In the truck we ate one box of FiddleFaddle, eight tubes of Bottle Caps candy, two tubes of Sweet Tarts, three bags of chips, six donuts, 36 cups of coffe and one hot cocoa served by a barista in a bikini, four homemade roastbeef sandwiches (thanks Mom), three terrible pies and some Turkish delight
We crossed two provinces and seven states
We got no tickets but one State Trooper did follow us for about a third of the way through Utah.
We passed more people in Bothel on the freeway than live in Valdez.
Matt won $860 (Canadian), I won $80(Canadian) in BC, Mark and I both lost $200(US) in Vegas.
Over all it was a great trip. We are taking Deandra and her boyfriend out to dinner tonight. Afterwords, if I can keep my eyes open I'll post more pictures.
Thanks a to to everyone that read our trip blog and especially thanks to everyone who commented.
Mike
Here's some facts about the trip:
We arrived in Prescott Arizona after 4016 miles and seven days of driving. We brothers did not get in one argument the entire seven days.
We averaged 61 mph over the course of the entire trip. We gained 4 mph of that average after we entered the lower 48 (2300 miles into the trip).
In seven days we drove from the dead of winter to the heat of summer (it's 83 degrees here). That's hard to get used to, I'm dressed for cold and it's summer.
We stayed in six different hotels (including the one we are in now), two different homes (thanks to Mom and Dani and Scott) and a total of 66 hours in the truck. Not one of the parts of our world I just described will be part of our world now.
We saw Caribou, Elk, Bear, Porcupines, Deer, Red Fox, Bison, Moutain goats (today at hoover dam) and Moose. Plus the manliest woman I have ever seen, two strippers we followed into Vegas last night (they turned off before we did), twenty or so Canadians with the thickest Canuck accents I have ever seen, enough Flying J truck stops that we are now honorary truckers.
We saw three accidents. Oddly enough they were all aroud Salt Lake City. I don't think anyone got killed except possibly a few pigs.
In the truck we ate one box of FiddleFaddle, eight tubes of Bottle Caps candy, two tubes of Sweet Tarts, three bags of chips, six donuts, 36 cups of coffe and one hot cocoa served by a barista in a bikini, four homemade roastbeef sandwiches (thanks Mom), three terrible pies and some Turkish delight
We crossed two provinces and seven states
We got no tickets but one State Trooper did follow us for about a third of the way through Utah.
We passed more people in Bothel on the freeway than live in Valdez.
Matt won $860 (Canadian), I won $80(Canadian) in BC, Mark and I both lost $200(US) in Vegas.
Over all it was a great trip. We are taking Deandra and her boyfriend out to dinner tonight. Afterwords, if I can keep my eyes open I'll post more pictures.
Thanks a to to everyone that read our trip blog and especially thanks to everyone who commented.
Mike
Just south of Salt Lake City Utah – Well, we got into Boise last night about 6:30. Had an excellent dinner at Mom’s (Roast beef, potato’s and salad). Matt took off to go say hi to Lynette so Mark, Mom and I played with Mom’s karaoke machine. I thought I was a bad singer but Marky showed me what bad really was!
Got up this morning and took off without Matt, which felt odd. We called him right away though so he knew what we were doing…
So tonight is really the last night of the road-trip, tomorrow we only drive 250 miles. After what we just did that’s like going down to the corner store for a pack of smokes.
I’ll write final thoughts and post a bunch of pictures as soon as I can. Thanks to everyone who followed our little adventure.
Mike
Got up this morning and took off without Matt, which felt odd. We called him right away though so he knew what we were doing…
So tonight is really the last night of the road-trip, tomorrow we only drive 250 miles. After what we just did that’s like going down to the corner store for a pack of smokes.
I’ll write final thoughts and post a bunch of pictures as soon as I can. Thanks to everyone who followed our little adventure.
Mike
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Sad across the desert
Hi All,
We’re nearing Las Vegas, Mark is (of course) driving and I’m getting a head start on today’s blog addition.
We’re still adjusting to the absence of our third and most important travel companion, Matt. It’s just not the same without him. Neither one of us wanted to talk about it but we each knew what that other was thinking as we drove along in silence for the first eight hours today. Then, I glanced over at Mark and he had a tear in his eye. Finally I broke the silence and asked what was wrong. He said that he had avoided using the rearview mirror all day knowing that he wouldn’t be seeing Matt’s happy mug behind him, and when he finally got up the nerve to look, it was too much and he couldn’t help letting his emotions out. Suddenly I felt my lower lip begin to quiver and simultaneously, be both burst out in a loud and lengthy sob session. We really really miss him and our cheap hotel in Vegas tonight will feel as cold as Winter without him.
I just hope we can snap out of our doldrums before arriving at D’s tomorrow.
We’re nearing Las Vegas, Mark is (of course) driving and I’m getting a head start on today’s blog addition.
We’re still adjusting to the absence of our third and most important travel companion, Matt. It’s just not the same without him. Neither one of us wanted to talk about it but we each knew what that other was thinking as we drove along in silence for the first eight hours today. Then, I glanced over at Mark and he had a tear in his eye. Finally I broke the silence and asked what was wrong. He said that he had avoided using the rearview mirror all day knowing that he wouldn’t be seeing Matt’s happy mug behind him, and when he finally got up the nerve to look, it was too much and he couldn’t help letting his emotions out. Suddenly I felt my lower lip begin to quiver and simultaneously, be both burst out in a loud and lengthy sob session. We really really miss him and our cheap hotel in Vegas tonight will feel as cold as Winter without him.
I just hope we can snap out of our doldrums before arriving at D’s tomorrow.
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