A journey of a lifetime

We did it. Go West Young Men have completed their three week voyage around the country. After an all-night, thunderstorm laden, rain loaded drive from Nebraska to Illinois we dropped JD off at his humble abode (see JD, I can use really big sentences too.) After a much needed rest and an unbelievable meal of steak and potatoes, Derek and I set off to Grantham, PA where his journey would end. As we pulled out of JD’s house I couldn’t help but feel a little bit of sadness. It’s hard to believe that what once started as a semi-serious conversation about wanting to see the country has now come and gone. As Derek and I left Rockford and traveled through Chicago and into Indian things were running smoothly. Into Ohio we sailed like Columbus on his first voyage (except we weren’t lost and we actually landed where we wanted to). Things couldn’t have been going better for us until somewhere around 1:30am. All of a sudden our car slowed to a stop, the engine turned off, and the radio faded until no music was heard. There we sat, at the back of a long line of trucks on the interstate, in a traffic jam. For about an hour the car remained in resting state aside from the occasional 50 feet we needed to move so we didn’t lose our spot on the road. We sat, and we sat, and we sat…agonizing with every precious moment passing knowing that it was another minute longer we would have to be awake. When 2:45 rolled around we were back to clear roads and slow trucks. The rest of the trip is quite a blur to me but I do know that at 9:45am we rolled into Grantham, PA where the sun was shining.

5 days later and 3 more states later I arrived home to a family who greeted me with open arms. As I sat in the car on the last few legs of the trip just recapping the adventures we experienced, it was hard to grasp the entirety of the experience. 21 states, 5 national parks, 8,404 miles, and more great people than I can count adds up to an experience like no other.

I will leave you with a few reflections from the road…

1-Take the time to meet new people and discover new relationships. As I’ve said before on this blog, life is about the bonds that your form and the relationships that you create. There are so many great people out there and so many friendships waiting to be formed. In today’s technologically advanced, interpersonal world, we often forget that not many things are better than a comfortable chair and a good conversation. Get to know people, its never not worth your time. “Love life and life will love you back. Love people and they will love you back.” ~Arthur Rubinstein

2-Travel. Get out and see the world if you haven’t done it already. And if you have, go somewhere new. Broaden your horizons and expand your experiences. There are so many amazing places in and out of this country that I want to see. I have a list that is far too long of places that I want to visit and explore. The world is an unbelievable place with so many great experiences waiting to be had. Why don’t we all get out and explore; we’ll be glad we did.

3-Career Corner- See reflection #1....

4-Nothing takes the place of good friends. As John Lennon puts it, I get by with a little help from my friend. JD, Derek…You guys are great. Thanks for an unbelievable ride. Friends are undoubtedly one of the biggest ingredients in this recipe of life. We are all smart to invest time and energy into our friendships. I have been greatly blessed with some incredible friends and I thank God daily for those blessings.

A few more lessons from the road…

21)JD vs. a cat…the cat would win every time and has thus far.
22)Getting $150 worth of free money in adidas was “the happiest moment of my life” according to JD. Sure, why not. Who would think graduation, becoming an uncle, or winning 3 national championships would trump that?
23)Coach Brandt is always watching….he took up a new tactic (truck driving)
24)Old faithful isn’t that faithful…it was 12 minutes late.

Final road kill count- 106. Yes 106 animals killed themselves to help us reach that insanely high number. Thank you kindly.

Final pull over count- 36- hahahah suckers!!

Final license plate tally- Did we see all 50?? Nope. Sorry. 49. Rhode Island escaped our grasp. We did see the back to the future car, 5 canadian provinces, and a European car. I will forever be angry at Rhode Island. I did see there plate after the trip in Massachusetts though and I do have a bit of an issue with it. They claim to be the ocean state!! Really? The smallest state in the country and they claim the ocean?? That’s a gutsy move if I’ve ever seen one. Im surprised nobody has called them out on that. I realize they cant claim anything else but they could have at least come up with something believable.

Last but certainly not least I want to thank everyone who followed the blog throughout the journey of a lifetime for the three of us. We had an unbelievable time and I hope you were all able to enjoy our experience as much as you can through pictures and a little bit of writing. This will most likely be my last blog. Unless I find some deep motivation or receive extreme requests to write a real blog (neither of which I see coming in the foreseeable future) I will be leaving you here. I hope you all are able to experience the beautiful world around us. Theres a lot to see!! I leave with these few words to live by.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” – Jesus

“All people die, few REALLY live”…be the few. Live your life to the fullest. Live the abundant life and explore what was created for us to see.

"People become really quite remarkable when they start thinking that they can do things. When they believe in themselves they have the first secret of success." – Norman Vincent Peale

Until “Go West Young Men” go somewhere east, north, or south…..Later Days,

Brett

20 things I've learned......

1)God blessed us on this trip. His hand was certainly present and no doubt helpful in our safety, health, and emotional wellbeing.

2)The Asian population keeps United States tourism alive in well….a special thanks to them.

3)I actually can handle Derek Sipe for more than 1 day at a time and would actually encourage anyone to spend a good amount of time with the kid.

4)JD packs his life with him wherever he goes- and thus is always prepared.

5)The radio can provide a sense of freshness on a long trip when you don’t know what song or station you are going to land on.

6)ANYTHING can be a bed.

7)People are generally friendly, helpful, and hospitable. (At least out west)

8)Driving through the night is the best use of your time

9)JD likes taking pictures of dead trees- don’t ask me why but he took like ten pictures of dead trees. Nothing like God’s creation at its darkest hour.

10) Three 20 something year old guys in a minivan for 3 weeks can manage not to stink up the van or kill each other.

11)Adventures are not nearly as good without great friends to share them with.

12)JD writes far better than I do but I can get the point across without nearly as many analogies and similes.

13)I now know how to read a map. It sounds strange but lets be honest, who reads a map when you have mapquest and GPS? We didn’t have either so we had to make due.

14)I am incredibly blessed to have the friends I do and the support I do back home. (JD, its been a good 4 years, have a good life. Hope you find a job someday)

15)Life is what you make it. We have to make the most of the opportunities we are given.
16)I know more than 4 people read this blog which is about the total I was shooting for so that’s a small victory.

17) Snack food can sustain a person for days

18)Hiking is as hard as you make it- trust me we lived on both ends of the spectrum

19)America the beautiful is an understatement- this country is incredible if you take the time to explore it.

20)Three weeks on the road with 2 other guys in a cramped minivan can be one of the best experiences of a person’s life.

COMING TO A BLOG NEAR YOU...

For you blog faithful out there I will be posting one last blog documenting Derek and I's trip home from Illinois and a recap of the highs, lows, and humors of the trip. Also, keep a lookout for the road kill, pull over, and license plate count.

The open road and the great Nebraskan debacle of 2009

So as we continue eastward toward Grantham, PA we are quickly approaching the three week mark of our trip. We have covered 18 states, almost 8,000 miles, 5 national parks, and 7 major cities. With this said, its hard not to have a few good stories on the road.

Tangent #1- Thank goodness for cruise control. As I’ve stated before we have not and will not accumulate any traffic violations on this road trip. I must give plenty of thanks to cruise control for that fact. Its easy to get carried away when you are driving long hours and not paying attention to the speed of the car. Cruise control wonderfully takes care of that for us and allows us to smoothly glide at a comfortable 5 over the speed limit. With this said, there are those moronic drivers who fail to recognize that cruise control exists and end up looking like complete idiots on the road. I have no problem with people who do not use cruise control. I think its very useful but if you don’t like it, that’s fine. Seriously though, if you don’t use cruise control, at least maintain a consistent speed. So many people we’ve encountered fluctuate within 10mph. It becomes a nice little game of cat and mouse. I pass them, they pass me, I pass them, they pass me. Just drive the same speed please.

Road Kill!!- To say road kill has increased lately would not be telling the whole story. Animals have begun finding the path of our car and laying down dead just to make the road kill tally. As of last night the road kill tally stands at 105!! We chalked up at least 30 sacrificial animals in the last three days alone. The number one road kill came the other night as we were driving along a major interstate in pure darkness. A dead deer lay half on the side of the road and half in our lane. Guts were sprayed across the road and blood covered the lane. Whatever hit this animal had a personal vendetta against all animals. A statement was clearly made with this poor bambi.

I’ll just say that this next story was close to the demise of the group. After enduring three weeks together with little to no issues, this event almost ended catastrophically. Needless to say we are all still friends and the once tension filled night is now merely a funny story.

So at the beginning of the trip, while we were mapping our route out in our heads, on paper, and even calculating how long it would take us to get to places, we seemed to miss something. Our original plan was to drive through South Dakota and have a nice visit with JD’s grandmother in Nebraska. We trusted his sense of geography and figured it was a good place to stop for a place to sleep and maybe a bite to eat if we were lucky. JD said it was near Omaha or Lincoln which is awesome because those are two “big” cities in Nebraska by major interstates.

As it turns out, South Dakota got cut out of the trip and the plan was to drive straight from Yellowstone to JD’s grandmothers. So the night before we were scheduled to leave Derek and I were looking at the atlas to figure out the best roads to take for the long, 15 hour journey we had ahead of us. Wouldn’t ya know it, JD’s grandma actually lives in Madison, Nebraska. If you aren’t familiar with Nebraskan geography, that is directly in the middle of the state at least 100 miles from anything. Needless to say, Derek and I did not want to travel 200 miles out of our way simply for a bed to sleep in. The way we saw it we had slept in the car plenty already, one more night wouldn’t kill us. JD didn’t think so. So as we drew closer to the place where we would turn off the head into the middle of nowhere Derek and I started growing ever more hopeful that maybe JD would concede to the fact that his plan was ridiculous. No such luck. Understandably he thought it would be best to go through with the visit since he told her we were coming. Unwilling to argue with the “it’s the right thing to do” argument, we gave in and continued on towards Madison begrudgingly.

At this point Derek and I were a little upset about the circumstances and the gas we were losing with every mile out of the way we drove. However, JD had good intentions and it was a bed to sleep in so we didn’t feel like it was too big of a burden. 2 hours later, we turn onto the road where his grandma lives. After passing the road we needed to turn on, and turning into the wrong driveway once we arrived at her house. I must mention that when we turned into the wrong driveway we were not only a block away, but we were on the WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD. Really JD, come on man-at least get the details right.

So we arrive at the house. After 10 minutes of hopeless searching for a spare key, JD informs us that we will not be able to enter the house that night and will be sleeping in the van. This did not go over well. No yelling occurred, no degrading comments were made, and no punches were thrown. It was no secret though that internally Derek and I were furious. At this point, JD was less than happy with the situation as well. Its not every day you get a chance to drive 15 hours and 2 hours out of the way for a good night’s sleep only to lay uncomfortably in a van full of stuff. When asked if we could call his grandma JD casually looked at his phone, looked back at us, and responded…”Nope”.

Like I said before, we smoothed things over the next day, settled the emotional affair and moved on. Our day spent in Nebraska however turned out to be marvelous. Since we arrived at the house at 4am we spent the entire morning sleeping. After a fabulous dinner prepared by JD’s grandmother and shared with his two aunts, we spent a good portion of the afternoon playing “I’ll buy it.” Card games at grandparents houses never seem to get old. After cards and a nap, we feasted again. I swear I ate more food that day than my stomach would ever want to accept. The great Nebraskan debacle ended up being a very pleasant visit with some great people. Nebraskans could teach the south a thing or two about hospitality. Maybe they should call it Midwestern hospitality.

In case you are wondering Nebraska is indeed exactly what people think of when someone says Nebraska. Corn and nothingness.

Quote of the day: “Lets just leave” - Derek after hearing the news that we would not be sleeping in a bed.

Homeward Bound via Yellowstone

Long time no see everyone. Sorry about my blogging hiatus. Service is hard to come by when you are living in a car, national parks, or somewhere in Nebraska. These next few posts may be scatter-brained as I am on an unorthodox schedule and a lack of sleep but please bear with me.

So after a sad departure from the west coast, we made our way toward our last destination- Yellowstone National Park. Yellowstone was a must see place on our original list of places to go and is one of the most well known parks in the country. Following one of the longest drives of the trip thus far (13) hours, we arrived in Yellowstone. As much as the place had been a hot spot for us early, or hiking fever had severely worn out and we were relieved to find ourselves comfortably located in Old Faithful Snow Lodge.

Let me take this moment to thank a friend of mine- Mr. Jim. I have come to know Mr. Jim over the course of my four years at Messiah and he has done more for myself and my classmates than we could ever have imagined. Mr. Jim is truly an incredible guy with a heart for people and a habit of selfless giving. I am probably going to get killed for posting about him on this blog but such kind acts should not go unnoticed. Thank you Mr. Jim for everything you have done for us. You truly are a blessing to us and we are so grateful for the friendship you have bonded with us.

So needless to say, Mr. Jim with the collaboration and kindness of the Dorsey’s booked us two nights in the Old Faithful Snow Lodge. As time wore on it became ever more convenient as we were forced to retreat inside due to inclimate weather. The first night was rather uneventful. After a head to head coin flipping contest to see who would lie alone in bed, we headed to our appropriate positions. As it turned out, I won the duel and the rights to a night of sleep without a coverhogging bed mate.

The morning did not come quickly the second day. We took our time getting out of bed and slowly meandered down to the outdoors. The morning was spent right outside the hotel perusing Old Faithful and the various geysers that were in the area. It was a really neat area because it was unlike any area we had seen on our trip yet. The whole area is thermal and cant be stepped on. Hot springs are bubbling everywhere you turn and if you get lucky you may even see one of the geysers erupt. Some geysers are very predictable while others are given a two hour window to erupt.

Most of the afternoon was spent around the Old Faithful village or in our room due to thunderstorms. At one point I entertained the idea of renting a bike for a quick ride but the rates coupled with bad weather just didn’t entice me enough. The evening ended with a nice dinner in the lodge restaurant. Again, Mr. Jim was kind enough to treat us to a finely fixed meal to give us a break from the monotony of Mac n Cheese and Spaghetti. Beyond that the night was spent in our room talking and reading until our eyelids no longer felt like staying awake.

The following day was actually relatively pleasant and we still got to enjoy the park (although not as well as the other parks or as well as we would have liked). Let me just put this disclaimer out there. Yellowstone is absolutely enormous. With 800 miles of hiking trails and covering an area of 3,400 some square miles, it is no small park. With this said I think we were at a bit of a disadvantage at this park. If you go to this park I would suggest three things. 1) Be willing to drive to places you want to go. You can hike from where you drive but its not as fun if you stick to one area. 2) Give yourself enough time. Unlike a lot of parks, Yellowstone doesn’t have just a few attractions. The whole thing is an attraction with tons of things to see. Allow yourself time to see what you want to see. 3) Know what it is you want to see. If you come in without a plan its overwhelming and can be disappointing.

I would say we didn’t do any of the three things I just talked about. We did have a chance to drive around on our way out of the park the second day and saw some really cool mountains, lakes, and even some wildlife. Although I would say we underachieved at Yellowstone due to lazyness, a lack of a plan, and time shortage, it is truly a great park and its beauty is not hard to see.

Eastward we go as our trip quickly draws to a close in the coming days. Where has the time gone??

Impossible is nothing

Wow!! Words cannot describe this day. It was one of those days where you wake up the next day and hope that everything that happened the day before is still actually true. It all started yesterday when I got an email from our contact at Adidas confirming an interview that we had all but given up on. We set out for Adidas this morning around 9:30 in order to be there for our 10:15 interview. Without getting lost, we arrived at the "Adidas Village" right on time(15 minutes early). They call it a village for a reason. Each building is color coded and they even have a skybridge and a soccer field.

Quote of the day: When trying to get into the building Sipe rang the doorbell. The security guard answered with "Hello, can I help you." Sipe responded "Yeah...We're trying to get in." Really Sipe?!? What else would we be doing?

So anyhow, inside we met our incredible host Leah Harrison. She is a lovely lady with a contagiously positive spirit about her. After showing us around some of the offices we sat down to meet with the Director of Global Sports Marketing- Jim Gatto. It was a very interesting interview. In a nutshell he deals with all the NBA agents and players that adidas sponsors. He also deals with the marketing that adidas does for basketball all over the world. In fact, he is heading to Italy tomorrow to scouting upcoming talent.

From there we had a really cool opportunity to meet with 4 of the adidas soccer guys. They were all really cool guys who have all of our dream jobs. They wouldnt allow us to take any pictures or video in the room we were in because it had unreleased shoe models, jerseys, and balls in there. They talked with us about uniform, shoe, and ball design, local events, and everything that goes into promoting adidas soccer in the world-particularly america. They showed us the entire 2010 cleat line of adidas, let us see and hold David Beckhams cleats. It is unbelievable how they bend over backwards for their clients. David Beckham has writing, initials, and flags on his cleats. For heaven's sake he wears a size 9.25.

Following that interview we continued to get a more expansive tour of the building followed by another interview. They really spoiled us I know. The last person we interview was name Tony Holmes. He is the senior merchandising manager for originals. This man oversees everything that goes on with the adidas heritage line (all their lifestyle, trendy clothes).

This is where the story gets even better. If you are thinking it cant get any better I dont blame you...I didnt think it could either. But it did. As we walked out of the last interview Leah handed us 2 pair of sneakers. Apparently we have the sample size and they have shoes to give away. We then followed Leah down to the employee store where she informed us that we each had $150 to spend at the store as a way of thanking us for coming to visit them. Yeah, I dont really get it either. They let us visit and interrogate their company and they reward us. Wild stuff. If you dont support Adidas you should. Its a solid company and some great people. Leah Harrison is a saint and my new friend.

Following our Adidas adventures we zipped over to One Center Court to meet with the Director of Game operations fro the Portland Trailblazers. We had an incredible time meeting and interviewing Todd Bosma. He is a real laid back, down to earth guy who truly enjoys what he does for a living. The trailblazers seem like a really unique organization who are trying to do things well but also do them in the right way.

What have we learned from these interviews? Well Im glad you asked. All of the people we have been able to meet and particularly the people we have been able to interview have taught us a lot of things. If there is one thing I have learned it is that enjoying what you do is an incredible thing and too rare these days. Not enough people truly look forward to getting up for work each day. The people we have talked to have stressed time and time again that to really enjoy your job you must find your passion and follow it.

Relationships are another big theme that have been stressed. Take time to meet new people, network, and use connections that you are able to make. The job market is all about networking and seizing opportunities that come along. In an industry like the sports market I cant help but believe that these things really are the keys to success. It is my hope that I too may find the courage to chase my passions and never settle for anything less than my best like so many of the people we have met on this trip.

The rest of today was spent on the couch, on the trampoline or in the yard of our excellent host. It has been an excellent stay in Portland and certainly a stop we wont soon forget. Tomorrow morning after 13 states, over 5,000 miles, and millions of memories, we start to head EAST. Its been an incredible trip out west and truthfully a little sad to be heading the other direction tomorrow morning.

"Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do."- John Wooden

We started this trip with the unreasonably high hopes of somehow connecting with John Wooden while we were in LA. Although we didnt get to meet the man, we did buy his book and are in the process of reading it throughout the trip. I believe this quote carries with it a lot of power. Every day of our lives we are all told what we cant do and what is not possible to achieve. What if we started every day taking steps to accomplish everything that we ARE capable of? The more we allow doubts and others criticism affect our potential, the less we are able to accomplish. Accomplishment is born from belief. The more we believe we can do something, the more possible that reality becomes. If we all believe in ourselves just a fraction more tomorrow than we do today I think we will all be surprised at the naysayers we leave behind.

Yellowstone National Park tomorrow with Yogi and Booboo. Gonna get me a picnic basket.

Brett

Go West Young Men Went West

Today was a big day in the trip because it marked our first day in the furthest point north and west we will be going in our trip. For you that may not seem like a real big feat but considering how long this trip took to plan and all the things that fell into place, its pretty remarkable for us to look back and realize how far we've come.

Before I get started on the day, I just really have to vent about west coast showers. Yes, west coast showers. If you have any idea what I am talking about when I say that you probably understand the frustration they can cause. Ever since we arrived on the west coast, we've noticed that the showers are seemingly made for little people. When I say little people I mean kids, midgets, and the vertically challenged. At first I thought this was a one house situation but the more we travel the more I realize that people somehow manage to wash their hair and upper body while crouching down (or at least thats how I assume they make it work.) To comfortably fit in these showers a person must be a maximum of 4' 5''. Seriously people, how does this make any sense? Do they really want to conserve water that badly that they design showers in a way that makes them uncomfortable and thus unused?

Anyhow, today was a nice yet rather relaxed day. After rising from bed around 10 I set out to the park across the street for a run. I really enjoyed getting out and running today but my stomach, lungs, and legs didnt really enjoy it much. We then set out to explore the city of Portland and all it had to offer us. Although we didnt get very far, we did end up at the biggest book store I had ever seen. Powell's bookstore took up an entire city block and contained over a million books. We spent 3 hours in the book store before we finally dragged ourselves out...but not before making a few purchases.

We proceeded to spend the next 4 or 5 hours doing nothing back at our homestay. Doing nothing is a great thing. If you havent done it lately, give it a try. Around nine we decided we wanted to have some excitement. We slowly but surely made our way to the video store and the grocery store to pick up a movie, cookies, ice cream, and root beer. Sure those may not be healthiest things in the world but we are going to be home in less than a week now and Im sure I'll have my fill of whole grain noodles and veggies in no time.

Tomorrow is a big day...We are headed to 2 interviews that we have been looking forward to for quite some time. Adidas and the Portland Trailblazers. Better get some shut eye.

Later days,

Brett

2 Weeks in Review

So as of yesterday we were two weeks into our 3 1/2 week journey across America. Its hard to believe that a little over 2 weeks ago JD and I were walking across the graduation stage and driving away from Grantham to explore our beautiful country. Now here I sit, 2 weeks down the road and as far away from home as we will be getting on this voyage- Portland Oregon. Since I really dont have a whole lot to talk about from the last few days I will give a quick recap of the last 2 days and then recap some highs, lows, and reflections of the trip from Grantham to Portland.

Yesterday morning we drove across the golden gate bridge and out of San Francisco. It was too bad because I think we all really enjoyed our time in the bay area and the hospitality that the Pope offered us while we were there. We decided that to fully get the coastal experience we would take THE 1 along to coast until we eventually ran into THE 101 on our way to Redwood National Park. The sites on the 1 are as good as advertised and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a gorgeous drive. The only complaint that I have about the 1 is that it is unbelievably windy and takes FOREVER to get anywhere. Luckily for us we have nowhere to be and therefor can take our time doing whatever suits our fancy. We rolled into a rest area just south of Redwood National Park around 9:30pm. After making some pasta in the bathroom the three of us settled into the van for what was surprisingly a good night's sleep. Derek and I slept on the makeshift bed in the back while JD reclined the front seat and made that his bed for the night. Other than the fact that Derek was convinced the guy in the truck next to us was going to kill us, we all slept relatively well considering the circumstances.

We woke up today around 9:30 and made the short drive into the National Park. Fortunately Redwood is a free park to enter and thus we were able to keep our paid park total to 1. We didnt spend a ton of time in the park because lets be honest, once you drive, walk, and stare at the redwoods for a little while, there really isnt a whole lot left to do. We did hike a nice 1 mile trail through the woods called the Lady Bird Johnson Nature Trail. It was a really cool trail with a lot of breathtaking trees. Im convinced I could comfortably live in one of those trees if I hollowed it out.

We finally left California today!! After a full week in Cali we entered into the beautiful state of Oregon. 5 or 6 hours after entering the state and one big gulp later we arrived in Portland at the home of one of JD's friends from Ecuador. We made a quick trip to the grocery store and then Derek and I made an absolutely scrumptious dinner while JD chatted with the locals. This particular dinner included spaghetti with meatballs, garlic bread, salad, and some lovely limeade. If thats not a good dinner I dont know what is.

To give you a taste of what we've experienced and what this trip to the left coast has been like I'll run down a few of the highlights...

Favorite State: Too close to call

Least favorite state: Kansas in a landslide although I could definitely see myself going to grad school at KU, gorgeous campus, great athletics.

Closest encounter with heaven: I am going to have to say hiking in Zion on Angel's landing. While we have done some pretty unsafe things on this trip (just kidding dad), Angel's landing was just a poorly constructed hike for any normal person. They did have some precautionary railings but most of the final ascent was free climbing on a narrow walkway. What I left out of the story the first time is that it started to rain as soon as Derek and I reached the top making all the rocks on the way down extremely slippery. Oh well, I guess God looked out for us on that one. Thanks big guy.

Most uncomfortable night of sleep: In what was possibly the worst night of sleep in my life, Zion takes the cake. Here I was sleeping half on the road, half on the gravel next to the road in a bug infested area. To top it all off, we were in an area we shouldnt have been. Unbelievable but certainly memorable.

Favorite Park: This was extremely tough but my vote goes to Zion National Park. Yosemite was a close second but I think we captured Zion better than we did Yosemite. Between the near death hike, the breathtaking trek through the narrows, and the incredible sunset the first night we were there, its hard to beat.

Most mind boggling quote of the trip- Derek to JD after JD told him he couldnt throw a frozen ice container out the window- "Its not littering if the plastic is frozen."

A few things we've learned thus far:
1) Park and Rides make for great places to set up camp
2) Pasta made from a hot pot in a bathroom is just as good as pasta made at home on a normal stove
3) People are generally very welcoming, hospitable, and friendly if you show them the same courtesies.
4) A tank of gas isnt empty until the car stops running
5) Kansas really is as boring as advertised
6) People from Rhode Island, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Connecticut dont travel the same places as us.

In closing, I just want to thank everyone who reads this blog for supporting our trip. Your thoughts and prayers are appreciated daily.

I will leave you with these words from Alex Hitchens "Life is not the amount of breaths you take, it's the moments that take your breath away."

Brett

Much needed Rest

Today marked our last day in the bay area and a day for our legs to be rejuvenated. If we did anything right during this trip it has been the way we planned our rest days. Today consisted primarily of sleeping, reading, and cruising around San Francisco (by car.) Unlike most days that start with the rising sun, today started around 10am. Slowly but surely we arose from our slumber and made our way to the showers. After a long period of procrastination, picture posting, and being lazy, we decided our two objectives for the day would be to find the Full House house and get us some In N Out burger.

So apparently the Full House house is only like 3 blocks from where we are staying. So we set out to find these infamous houses. After a few too many minutes of driving and a little bit of frustration with one way streets and poor directions, we gave up on the houses. As it turns out we were very close. The thing about the houses is that there really is nothing significant about the houses. They show up on the opening song but the actual filming obviously take place elsewhere. Long story short it would have been nice to stop by the see Danny Tanner and the gang but we'll just have to wait until another day.

So after a feeble attempt to find In N Out Burger last night and more recently the Full House house, we were bound and determined to get us some In N Out. This time we actually did find our delightful eatery but not quite in the way we expected. Going based of the directions we had from the house, it should have only been 3 miles away. Clearly we dont have a good understanding of this city because that 3 miles took us to the exact place where we spent most of the day yesterday. None the less the burgers, fries, and shakes were absolutely fantastic.

The last event of the day before a quiet, uneventful evening was the culmination of the Eastern Conference Finals. Pope took us down to a really cool pub right down the street from where he lives to watch the game and get some more food. This place was packed. From wall to wall, people were standing. As it turns out, not only were the Cavs getting a beatdown from the Magic, but the 1st game of the Stanley Cup playoffs were taking place. Now I'll admit that I dont have the best attention span in the world but this was just too difficult for me. With 15 TV's all around, my main focus trying to be on the basketball game, and listening to the sound of the hockey game, I was simply confused. In the end, it turned out to be a great atmosphere to watch both games and I had a chance to thoroughly enjoy Dwight Howard being a man among boys against the Cavs.

As far as our adventures, thats really where it ends today. We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow as we head to Redwood National Park. We are all pretty excited to get back on the road and continue with our journey. Its hard to believe we are now 2 weeks in but we have all had an incredible experience thus far and have learned so much.

Quote of the day: “I see my path, but I don't know where it leads. Not knowing where I'm going is what inspires me to travel it.” - Roasalia De Castro

Food for thought: How do we become who we want to become? How does God’s plan in our life truly take shape? Am I really who I want to be? What shapes my life? Where do I go from here? Am I making an impact in the lives of others? These questions have swirled in my head each day as this trip continues to wind on. One of the primary reasons I wanted to take this trip was to have time away from the stresses of life to simply reflect, learn, and connect with not only the world around me but the world inside me.

These questions that I continue to wrestle with are questions I believe take a lifetime to figure out and questions that many people unfortunately never answer for themselves. As we travel down our paths in life, we are pulled, pushed, and influenced in all different directions. In today's world, what is right is openly challenged by what feels good, and what is easy.

Throughout this trip and as I continue through my journey of life, it becomes ever more clear to me that in order to fully become the person God wants us to be and truly fulfill our purpose in life, it is imperative that we surround ourselves with things and people that will build us up, support us, and spur us on. The world will continually to push us to conform and give in to temptation but God has a different way, a better way. I encourage each of us to ask the tough questions, to really look inside ourselves, and to truly seek positive influences. They are out there if we seek them. Develop positive, accountable relationships, make the tough decisions, and stand for what is right, not what is pleasurable or easy. Many walk the easy road in life, but those who stand for what is right, wrestle with the tough questions, and sincerely seek God's purpose in their lives find a life of abundance. Let us live that life of abundance. In the words of words of Switchfoot "this is your life, are you who you want to be?"

Later Days,

Bretteron

Fun in the bay area and watching paint dry

This whole blog thing is getting a little over my head I think. I have come to fully understand how people lose track of their blog or fail to post for a while. My apologies for being a little bit behind schedule with my blog.

Today was day 1 in San Francisco and what a day it was. Although we took hiking off the list of things to do for a little while, our feet probably didnt like us anymore today than all the days before. I was up around 7 to go for a run through the city and get the day started while JD and Derek opted to get some more sleep. I cant blame them at all but if you know how I like my sleep the situation here is a little unorthodox. Needless to say I got temporarily lost before returning to the apartment. The thing about that is that I knew I was going to get lost going into the run so I did my best to avoid it and somehow still got mixed up. I guess thats what you would call a self-fulfilling prophecy.

John Paul drew us an incredible map of the muni lines and sites to see for the day (he's an architectural engineer.) Despite taking the muni line to the other side of the city before we got to where we wanted to be, we did make it to our first destination- Pier 39. I really am amazed at the new and exciting places we go. Each day surprises me in how new and refreshing it can be.

I will not bore you with the details of the city but I will say that if you enjoy cities San Francisco is a great one to visit. While it is obviously a big city, it has a quaint feel to it with a hint of europe. Along our way through our quick tour of San Francisco we stopped by or visited Fisherman's Wharf, Pier 39, Pier 33 (Alcatraz), the financial district, Ghiradelli square, and the bay bridge which we crossed yesterday.

The big event of the day came in the evening when we really broke the bank and treated ourselves to a Giants vs. Cardinals game at ATT&T Park. As you can see, the Giants play in a gorgeous stadium with views that are probably more exciting than the game itself. After all, it is baseball...how exciting can it be. The Giants squeaked out a 4-2 game which was mildly exciting on my baseball excitement scale. Like so much of the trip has, the game reminded us that sometimes the best experiences are not the sites you see or the trips you take but the people you meet and the relationships you build. We had an awesome time at the game together laughing, freezing our tails off, joking about how it would cost just as much to buy a popcorn as it would to buy a sweatshirt, and chatting with a really friendly Australian family we sat by.

In what seems to be becoming a regular habit we quickly returned home and prepared for sleep but not before a venture for some In N Out Burger. Unfortunately we could not find the delicious goodness that the fine establishment packs into their less than healthy food. The days are beginning to get longer and our energy levels are beginning to wane. Enjoyment and fulfillment levels are still high in the sky but the energy supply is slowly depleting. A full day of rest maybe in the works for tomorrow.

Road Kill Update: A whopping 52!! Its a good think God created a lot of animals that nobody likes because these guys are dropping like flies.

Pull Over Count- 36!! Yes, 36 poor victims had to endure the gut-wrenching feeling of seeing the lights behind them and the huge monetary fine that ensues. Not that I've ever been in that position but I can imagine what it would be like. I will also take this moment to point out that we have yet to even provoke a glance from a police officer. If any of you out there placed bets on how many tickets this group of law abiding citizens would be getting, you might as well pay up now.

Quote of the day: From a cup in Yosemite Park: "While in Yosemite make like the animals and use your feet"

Its a beautiful day
Dont let it get away
Its a beautiful day

-U2

Think about it- Every day is what we make it. Make today a beautiful day. Chase the adventures of the day and live the life you've always wanted.

Later Days,

Brett

The city by the bay

After what seemed like an eternity of tossing, turning, and literally sliding around in the tent, the sun finally decided to rise. While it may have only been 6am, it seemed like the perfect time to get out of the tent and on with the day. The only problem was that it was still freezing cold outside and extra clothing wasnt a top priority on the packing list the afternoon before. Slowly but surely my body warmed up and began functioning as it should. It took some prying but JD and Derek eventually gave in to peer pressure and crawled out of the tent to start the day.

The hike back down the mountain was naturally a much smoother and faster trip than the hike up the mountain. What seemed like half a decade on the way up to the peak of the falls passed by in the blink of an eye on the way back down. I think we were all happy about this considering sleep was at a premium the night before and hiking wasnt at the top of our to do list for the day.

A quick van pack, a trip to the wilderness center, and a momentary stop at the camp shop was all that separated us from the road to San Francisco. We were on our way there when things took a turn for the worse. I mean whats a leg of the trip without a good story?? So we were probably 10 minutes out of the park, driving along nicely in the 95 degree heat when all of a sudden the air conditioning decides that it has had enough for one road trip. So there we were in blistering heat with no air to circulate the already crowded van. To say the least Derek was not happy about the situation. We soon became the epitome of PA rednecks. We already had the PA license plates and then we were driving around without shirts on to keep the sweaty laundry to a minimum. In order to ease his pain, and grumpy mood Derek decided he was going to get gas, and treat himself to an ice cream cone and a mt dew. (It worked superbly) Luckily for us by the time we hit San Francisco 3.5 hours later the temperature had dropped to 60 and we could use the non air conditioned air again.

We arrived at our host home around 3:30 in the afternoon. The person hosting us is John Paul Peterson, a 2003 graduate of Messiah and lives in downtown San Francisco. We all went to a local sports bar to watch the end of the Magic Cavs game, get dinner, and get to know each other. John Paul has been an excellent host to us in San Francisco and has really helped us find our way around. That night he showed us around his neighborhood and some of the places in the area as well as providing us with a good game plan to see the rest of the city the next day.

By the end of the evening tired was on the top of everyone's list of current feelings. A long day and an even longer night before in the woods provided a great platform for some fantastic sleep (even if it was still on a floor.)

Cool thing of the day: Between the time we arrived at Pope's house (John Paul) and the time we went out to dinner, the three of us took off to see what we could find on our own since Pope was still in work. Wouldnt ya know it, we stumbled upon the Golden Gate bridge. Although I wouldnt say its the coolest thing I've ever seen, it was weird to actually be standing in front of it. All my life i've seen pictures of it and caught a glimpse of it every time full house was on but to really be standing right next to it was pretty cool.

Craving of the day: A homemade meal- of anything.

Quote of the day: “Life is either a great adventure or nothing.”- Helen Keller

Some of the best times in life are when you are experiencing something new- Random hiking companion

After a mighty good night of sleep and a healthy dose of carbo loading last night, we set out into Yosemite to see what it had to offer us. What we found was more than we could have imagined. We began the day by picking up our camp site and venturing towards "Mist Trail". We werent real sure where this would lead us but with the map in Derek's hand, we felt confident we would see some great sites. (That may be the first and last time I ever say that.) Mist trail was an incredible 4 mile hike up to the top of 2 beauteous waterfalls. The first waterfall we passed was Vernal falls, a smaller but gorgeous waterfall. As we wove through the switchbacks on the way to the top, the mist from the falls refreshed us. The closer we came to the falls, the more the mist rained down upon us. The site from the top was an incredible view of not only the waterfall but also of the landscape and the surrounding park. The next waterfall, Nevada falls was just as breathtaking and perhaps more frightening. Side not- It amazes me how every park that we've been to has enormous cliffs with nothing to stop people from plummeting to their death. The top of Nevada falls also led us to the base of what is called half dome, one the biggest climbs in Yosemite. In what seemed at the time as the smartest move of the trip, we opted not to test ourselves against the treacherous incline of half dome. Instead we decided to hike down the mountain and repack our things for what would prove to be a heck of an afternoon.

After marveling at the wonders of Yosemite on our first hike, we decided to hike up to the top of Yosemite falls, the 6th tallest waterfall in the world. Our plan was to hike up to the top of the falls by dinner time, enjoy the sites, make camp, eat dinner, and sleep overnight somewhere in the backcountry. This all went according to plan, other than the fact that we struggled mightily up the trail. I thought I was tired after hiking the grand canyon but this was a whole different story. With a 30 pound pack on our backs and a rigorous climb for a full 2.5 hours, our tanks were empty. I'll be honest, it wasnt any of our proudest moments or best decisions but yet another adventure we're all glad we can share.

I must interject a side story in regards to this hike and many hikes that have come before it. There is a certain hiker camaraderie that is enjoyed by those who hike at national parks, in the backcountry, and im sure anywhere in world I assume. People are typically extremely friendly, encouraging, and overall interested in what your're doing or where you've come from. The verse do unto others as you would have them do to you seems to hold true in the hiking world. I think a lot of it stems from the fact that you are sharing in an experience and going through the same thing that really breeds a sense of communal purpose. This is true in any area of life that we live in but it has really been evident to us on the trails. With that said I have come to find a few phrases that people use often that can mean varying things.

Good luck- aka youre gonna go through the fires of hell before you get to the top

Enjoy- Its sweet wherever you're going so get ready for something breathtaking

You're getting there- Youre nowhere near where you need to be

You're almost to the top- That means one of two things. It can either mean you really are near the top or that they have been climbing down and have lost complete sense of where the top is.

I must say though, one girl really exhibited some brutal honesty on the trail. About an hour and a half into the hike we passed this man with his kids. As we passed this cute little girl who was about 8 or 9, she smiled at us, and simply stated "if you're going to Yosemite falls, you're not almost there. Bless her heart. I think we all wanted to throw her down Yosemite falls at that point but we simply smiled back speechly.

Anyhow, the views as you can see from the pictures were unbelievable. It was an incredible experience to be at the top of the falls, away from the crowds. We set up camp about a half mile off the beaten path and feasted on 3 boxes of mac n cheese, some applesauce, and granola bars. We had baked beans but we were too full to eat them. Following that delightful dinner we headed back to the falls to watch the sunset and enjoy the solitude. At that point we were the only people around. The ability to just sit on a rock overlooking the park and soak in the beauty of such a wonderful creation is hard to put into words. Without a doubt, those moments were some of the best on the trip thus far.

Quote of the day: I’ve read that I flew up the hills and mountains of France. But you don’t fly up a hill. You struggle slowly and painfully up a hill, and maybe, if you work very hard, you get to the top ahead of everybody else.- Lance Armstrong

Add Vermont to the license plate list along with Alberta and Quebec. We may get all of North America by the time this thing is done.

Tearful goodbyes, and new adventures

Today was a sad day indeed. We had to say goodbye to our new friend Merlin as we continued our trek up the state of California. I think we all could have hung out with Merlin for another week if it were an option but the itinerary simply wouldnt have any of it.

We arose early this morning to say goodbye to our new friend who at the ripe age of 74 and 363 days had a business meeting to attend to. We all wept harmoniously as Merlin exited his humble abode but quickly perked up when we noticed that the wizard had concocted a delightful breakfast of fruit, coffeecake, juice, and some kind of egg casserole. After we quickly showered, did the dishes, and made our beds, we began our journey to Yosemite National Park.

As far as drives on this trip go, this one was a bit of downer. Not a whole lot of eventful stories or funfilled happenings. I will however say that Yosemite National Park couldnt be more in the middle of nowhere. Yes I understand it is a national park and thus practically screams middle of nowhere but this place is out there. There isnt even a major highway closer than 75 miles. On the way to Yosemite we did see a de lorean. Yes, straight out of back to the future. We stayed close to see if it would disappear but it seemed fairly content just cruising along.

We did our best to scam the system by showing up after open hours at Yosemite but were forced to pay the $20 fee anyhow. At least we tried. We then proceeded to the wilderness center to pick up our backpacking permit and our bear proof canisters. Thats right, BEAR PROOF. After talking to the ranger for a while and getting our "itinerary" for where we were supposed to be each night we decided that it was best to camp in the backpackers campground tonight. We didnt see much reward in hiking in the dark with bears crawling around, in the rain. Take note of this because it may be the first smart thing we did all trip. In unfortunate news, all food had to be removed from our vehicle when we parked it. They have bear lockers for us to put the food in during our stay at Yosemite. If you have been following our blog you realize how bad that news was considering our van is filled primarily with food. Long story short we took up two entire lockers with our food and managed to unpack our newly packed car.

After settling in at our newly acquired camping spot and embarking on a short hike to mirror lake we fixed ourselves quite a feast. Well, I guess that depends on how you judge a feast. We made a fire and proceeded to fix ourselves spaghetti with applesauce. Not luxurious but absolutely delicious AND filling.

Bonus of the day: After settling in at our campsite and preparing for bed, we prepared to pay the $5 fee per person to stay in the backpackers campground. To our delight the campsite had already been paid for without any sign of a person or their belongings.

Not the most exciting blog i know but one none the less. We survived the night and lived to tell about it...pictures and some exciting stories to come.

And on the 9th day...We rest

I'll be honest, I dont have much trip to talk about today. We drove the van a grand total of 20 miles and didnt do much. Derek and I woke up around noon and started our day with a nice breakfast. JD on the other hand decided to get his day started a touch earlier than us. After breakfast we didnt do a whole lot. We spent most of the day by the pool reading, writing blogs, and enjoying the sunshine.

JD and I did venture outside the house for a run along route 66. I wouldnt call it the most fun thing I did all day but necessary none the less. We spent a good chunk of the evening at a pizza place down the street with Marlin watching the Lakers/Nuggets game. After all we are in LA. Following the game we came back and did an interview with Marlin about his life and job. It was quite interesting and he is an incredible person. He has a true heart for people and really seems to live out what he stands for.

Backstory on Merlin,Marlin, (The wizard)- JD originally spoke to him on the phone a few days into the trip and called him Marlin. I however thought he called him Merlin, as in the wizard, wand, the whole gamut. I kind of grew attached to the name Merlin and havent let go of it since.

Random Tangent- Whats with Californians and placing a "the" before every road they talk about. "Take the 55 to 271 to the 210..." They speak about these roads as if they are theirs and nobody elses. Other states do have the same roads. Its an odd phenomenon if you ask me.

Food for thought- It seems a little funny writing this on a blog which is surely not the most personable style of communication but I'll do it anyway. Something I have learning on this trip and have been continually trying to embrace is that their is no substitute for face to face communication with people. Relationships with people are such an essential component of life and a building block to becoming the people we turn out to be. In today's world technological advances have made it so easy to stay connected through pictures, facebook, email, cell phones, texting, and other things that the value of face to face communication has diminished.

Over the course of this trip I have really begun to understand how much of an impact true, meaningful, face to face communication can have on a person. Of course I have had the opportunity to spend countless hours in the car and around the country with JD and Derek but we have also had the chance to meet and learn from so many other people. Taking the time to get to know people and really listening to people's stories is so good for us. God did not create us to be on our own individual island. We were created to be in community with one another and continually learning from other people. Tony Dungy writes in the book that I am reading- "Its in those real-life connections that the power of our personal influence can have life-changing, long-lasting impact. As we sat and talked with Merlin tonight, he drove home the message that I had been digesting all day. Community is the wellspring of life. As he puts it "When you hang up the shingle at the end of your life, its not the financial gain that you’ve made that counts, it’s the relationships you’ve built and the friendships you’ve made that matter."

I believe that in today's society it can be so easy to be swept away in the whirlwind of technology that we forget to step back and take a look at what is truly important. May we never forget the power of true human interaction. Real meaningful relationships can have a profound impact on someone's life. A simple conversation can impact a person more than we may know. Seek out the little moments in life to make a difference and develop meaningful relationships through true person to person communication.

Big day tomorrow as we head to Yosemite National Park for a few days. More than likely we will not have internet so look for a new post on Thursday when we arrive in San Francisco. Once again, I cannot tell you much we appreciate your thoughts and prayers. We have been extremely blessed thus far and look forward to an exciting, safe couple weeks ahead of us.

Later Days,

Brett

Welcome to California!!

We did it!! Today we arrived in beautiful California and stepped foot in the frigid yet delightful Pacific Ocean at Newport Beach.

After pulling over at a park and ride somewhere on the side of 15 last night, we arose ready and excited to conquer the day. We packed the van quickly and set out towards Newport Beach, our first destination of the day. 2 hours later, after struggling mightily to find a parking space, we walked onto the beach under the warm mid-may sun. It felt great to finally arrive in California and get a few days to rest, relax, and catch our wind before more exciting adventures. We only spent a few hours on the beach before we all decided we should head out to our host home for the rest of the day.

Merlin Marlin (the wizard) Riegsecker, a trustee of Messiah College was gracious enough to offer his home for us three scavengers. I must admit that staying with a random 75 year old man was a bit worrisome to me and I did not know what to expect. At the very least we knew we would have a roof over our head and that was good enough for me. As it turns out, the wizard is our consensus favorite person of the trip. He is an absolute crack up and acts as if he is still young (which he is of course.) No more than 30 minutes after arriving to his house, hearing his life story, and telling him ours, we were whisked away away for a brief Mexican lunch down the road. When Marlin was asked what the name of the place was he responded "I dont know...I keep going there but I dont remember the name. As long as I have my wallet and I show up we can usually work something out."

Once we got back, the three of us took the time to dejunk the van and get everything back in order for the days ahead. While the van has stayed fairly clean considering the time we spend in it, it was time to reorganize. In the evening we were privileged enough to be invited to Marlin's church with him. His church is a small group of about 20 who meet in a home, have dinner, and then conduct a service. It was a new experience for all of us but one we were eager to be a part of. The dinner was delightful and the service was really enjoyable. The only problem JD,Derek, and I experienced was that every person in the room was brilliant and had more knowledge than we can hope to gain in a lifetime. Most were college professors with doctorates and those who werent were just really, really intelligent. One guy has written 30 books and is currently working on a novel about Rembrandt for fun. (Not my idea of fun).

So there we, sat contently on the couch, listening as the group talked through the last few chapters of Luke using big words we didnt know and coming up with ideas we had never even thought about. It was really fun actually. Although I think we all felt too stupid to be in the room, it was extremely intellectually stimulating. Even the songs they sang were done well. (I guess thats to be expected when 2 of the people in the room studied music and composition.)

Nope, the night is not over yet. At the demand of one of the members of the church, Marlin took us out to In N' Out burger for some double cheesburgers and fries. Apparently this is a southern california specialty. It was as good as advertised. All the ingredients were extremely fresh and as unhealthy as one could hope for. We then headed back to his house to blog, plan out the next day, and get a good night's sleep. Tomorrow will be another day in LA lounging around the pool, maybe going for a run, and hanging out with our main man Marlin (the wizard).

Quote of the day: Marlin referring to a guy from church- "oh you mean that little old guy that kind of looks like Mr. Peepers?"

Random fact of the day: JD wore the same pants for 7 days straight on this trip. Im a firm believer in reusing pants but that is just a new high...or low, im not sure.

Big news: We saw an Alaskan license plate today. I think it was Palin but Im not sure. After all, I dont know anyone else from Alaska, other than the Into the Wild guy but yeah, I dont think it was him.

Thought of the day: Maybe tomorrow

Brett

Grand Canyon NP/Las Vegas...Cali on the horizon

Let me simply open this blog by saying that Arizona needs to get their stuff figured out. If they dont want to participate in daylight savings time then they should let more people know about it. This leads me to an issue that plagued our tent last night. We arrived just outside the Grand Canyon around 9:45pm* and set up camp along side the road. As we prepared to sleep peacefully for once in our newly acquired tent we debated on when we would wake up. The only problem was that our phones and our watches no longer matched. Neither did the timezone for that matter. In the end we decided not to set an alarm but still have no idea what time it really was.

We arose bright and early today at 5:45, or 6:45, that is still to be determined. We quickly packed our things and headed into the national park yet again escaping the entrance fee by arriving before the park opens (2 for 2). Today was quite a day because we were about to attempt quite a feat in a small amount of time. We planned to hike down the canyon to the Colorado river and back up to the rim within the day that we had allotted to the park. It is a 7.8 mile hike one way making the entire trip a little under 16 miles with an elevation difference of around 5,000 feet. Arriving at what turned out to be 7:00 thanks to Arizona's lack of daylight savings time turned out to be a bonus that we hadnt accounted for. The early arrival meant more cool weather and more time to hike.

Not more than 2 minutes into the hike we arrived at a sign that read "Never attempt to hike to the river and back to the rim in one day...may cause serious illness or death." Well, lets just say we either cant read very well or have a few screws loose in the head. I think its a healthy combination of both. The hike down was gorgeous and the sites were absolutely remarkable. It is one thing to hear about the canyon and see postcards but to truly experience it is something entirely different that words cannot describe. The downhill hike didnt hurt the euphoric feeling of hiking the grand canyon either. We arrived at the Colorado River in about 2 hours and 40 minutes. After a 30 minute break or so splashing around in the river and listening to JD talk about alternate routes to the top such as riding crows, talking to squirrels, or hijacking horses we began our way back up the once enjoyable canyon. Turns out that just as we began to hike up the canyon the sun came out and the heat began to pour on us. I'll spare you the details but I'll just say that by the time we had 2 miles left in our hike up our legs were exhausted and our wills were just about broken. Needless to say we did make it to the top and finished the trip in a total time of 6 hours and 30 minutes including a bit of a rest at the bottom. If anyone plans to go to the grand canyon and wants to really enjoy themselves, dont do what we did. While I did have a blast hiking the canyon and thoroughly enjoyed the challenge, it probably would have been more fun had we not made our bodies cry out in pain, our legs give out, and our caloric balance to plummet to a record low. Needless to say though, it was a climb of a lifetime and I wouldnt trade anything for it.

Story of the day: Yes, although the grand canyon was the main event, the best stories come from the simple things in a day. After hounding some lady at the front desk about why Arizona hates on daylight savings time, we requested directions to the nearest shower facility. Yep, you guessed it...not even a shower is free. $2 will get you 8 minutes of shower time at the grand canyon. That's not bad if you ask me. However, we decided it would be much more economical if we could make $2 pay for 3 showers. It took some quick maneuvering but we managed to clock out 3 showers at 2 minutes and 30 seconds a piece and still save the world 30 seconds worth of water.

After our lovely shower time we decided it was only fair that we bend our budget a little bit and treat ourselves to a nice meal at the Bright Angel Lodge (Bright Angel Trail is the hike we did). It was a fantastic dinner which set us up for quite an evening.

After much debate we came to the conclusion that if we are out west we might as well stop in Las Vegas. We spent a solid hour in Vegas driving the strip, admiring the lights, buildings and entertainment, and wondering how much money we could lose before the night was over. As it turns out the number to the last question was zero. We all decided that seeing the city was enough for us and that if Mr. Jim taught us anything throughout our college careers it was to stay away from gambling.

Tomorrow is the big day...we head to LA and step foot in the Pacific Ocean. We will have traveled as far west as we can go in the continental United States and cant wait to set foot in the beautiful state of California. Or so we hear anyway.

Big news!!- We found a Hawaii license plate in Las Vegas bringing our total count to 45 states, 3 Canadian whatchamacalits, a US Government plater, and a European plate.

Quote of the day: “Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever.” - Lance Armstrong

I really enjoy this quote because I believe it to be true. We all struggle at different points in life with tasks, experiences, or even relationships and at times we all want to give up. Giving up is easy. It is a quick fix that society tells us is okay to use if we really dont want to deal with our problems anymore. The truth however is that giving up only deepens the pain and causes us to wish we had pressed on. Dont take the easy path. The true reward is in perseverance. May we continue to press on and never give up.

Brett

"Do the right amount of stupid things" - Trey Overholt

If unbelievable was the word of the day for yesterday then words for today must include breathtaking, heart pounding, exhilarating, and awestruck.

Today is without a doubt my favorite day of the trip thus far. Every day on this adventure has been unbelievable, eye opening, and thought provoking but today was a whole new level.

We woke up around 5:50 on the side of the van and quickly packed up our sleeping bags, mats, and pillows. We drove further into the park and parked our car at the shuttle parking area that would take us to the trails and events of the day. Zion has a great shuttle system that eliminates traffic, congestion, and crowds of cars near the trails. We all fell back asleep in our car for another few hours and began the day around 9:00am. After packing our bags and making sure we had everything we would need for the day we caught a shuttle to “Temple of Siniwava.” Our first event of the day was a 2 mile hike to what was titled “The Gateway to the Narrows.” This was a nice little hike down to the Virgin River that flows through the heart of Zion National Park. Once we got to the water we started a 2 hour trek through the river into the “Narrows” which is an unbelievable site. The river sits in between towering canyons on both sides and eventually narrows to create some unbelievable sites. The canyons are so large that we felt like ants marching through the river. You can get a good idea of what the narrows are like from the picture below.




Zion Narrows

After conquering one of Zion’s must see’s and making our way back to the shuttle we prepared for the next event of the day- Angel’s Landing. We had to change out of our soaking wet clothes and get our hiking shoes on for what would prove to be one of the toughest hikes any of us have ever faced. Angel’s Landing is a 3.9 round trip hike straight up a canyon the size of pride rock with a heart pounding climax that I’ll get to in a few minutes. The beginning of the hike started well as we set out a good clip up the mountain. We were about 20 minutes into the hike when we all had severely burning calves and winded lungs. Slowly but surely we made it to what seemed to be the top of the canyon. Again, our assumptions proved to be wrong. Turns out that once you get to the top of the main hike, you have to free climb another half mile to the peak of the hike. While they did have posted warnings about the hike stating that people afraid of heights should not go and that anyone out of shape should stay behind, more accurate warnings would have read- “May cause death” or “Seriously dangerous.” The Rockies adventure that hit the top of my unsafe list just 2 days ago has now been easily passed by Angel’s Landing. As always these pictures do not quite grasp but the beauty or severity of what was taking place. This experience was the most exhilarating, most breathtaking, and most fearfilled experience I have ever ventured into in my short 22 year life. Every step I feared for my well being while at the same time having no desire to turn back and being absolutely overwhelmed with God’s beauty and wondrous creation. Again, we survived to tell the story and carry with us the joy of having a chance to witness such a spectacular view. If you look closely in the pictures above you can see us two idiots climbing the mountain.

It should also be noted that the hot pot was put to quick use. We made western style rice and some form of mystery pasta from a bag in the Zion family bathroom. It was a rather smooth process really other than some random lady walking in on JD and I boiling water in a bathroom. Most would think that would create some awkward moments...we just laughed at her. She on the other hand walked away a little upset but I think she will recover quickly.

We are now headed to the Grand Canyon for a fun-filled day of hiking tomorrow. We plan to hike to the bottom of the canyon and back up before setting up camp atop the gargantuous hole. As always, we appreciate your support and prayers as we continue our journey through America. God has truly blessed us and we are reminded daily of his wondrous creation and magnificent beauty. It is my prayer that we may all be mindful daily of how great God is and seek to honor him in everything we do.

Later Days,

Brett