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

An adventurous trek down I 70

Let me apologize to those of you who sit at your computers and hope for a blog update on an hourly basis. I know there are so many of you people out there (NOT). I am going to pretend that people pine after this blog regardless.

Also, since this blog is being written a day behind schedule, I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt that this day is nothing short of unbelievable for lack of a better term. The day began in Denver, Colorado and ended somewhere in Zion National Park, Utah. The destinations are truly insignificant compared to the things that happened between them. After a much needed stop at Target and Dick’s for necessary things such as a hot pot, can opener, hiking shoes, and air fresheners we began to make our way 9.5 hours toward Utah, home of the Mormons. If any of you haven’t visited or driven through the Rocky Mountains, you are missing out. The views from I70 are absolutely breathless. I had moments along the drive that I could barely pay attention to where we were going because I was so mesmerized by the gorgeous sites that surrounded our trusty minivan on all sides. The beauty, peace, and tranquility of Colorado got turned on its head when we crossed the border and entered the fascinating state of Utah.

Wild happening number 1: Apparently Mormons don’t believe in gas stations. Literally, gas does not exist in Utah. At one point we saw a sign on I70 that there were no services for the next 106 miles. 106 miles?!?!?! Are you kidding me? Then, as soon as you pass the exit that has gas there is a sign telling you yet another time that there are no services any time soon. Im no expert but don’t you think that once a person is on the interstate they don’t need a huge sign that screams “if you cant make it 100 miles, you’re screwed.” I think that if the person doesn’t have enough gas, they don’t need to be told immediately that they wont make it. To make matters worse, when 106 miles ended and gas become “readily available” the gas was actually 25 miles down the street. Who is willing to drive 25 miles the wrong direction in the middle of Utah to get a little petrol? Not these guys. Turns out in retrospect that it was almost an unwise decision not to travel the extra 50 miles.. After a tense 30 miles and a good amount of time spent in neutral on 70, we rolled into an overpriced gas station in the middle of nowhere 10 miles short of our first catastrophic blunder.

Wild happening number 2: In Utah it is acceptable to post signs that state “damaged road next 100000 miles.” If you decipher the code this means that the road will have random bumps and jumps ever so often. Well turns out that one of these bumps got the better of us. JD was cruising along around 75 mph (speed limit was 75) and all of a sudden a bump jumped up on us. During this slight rollercoaster ride JD somehow managed to hit his knee on the key in the ignition and shut the car off. Yes, we all realize this probably wasn’t good for the car or JD’s knee but needless to say we pulled the car over and had to restart it.

Wild happening number 3: The great sleep debacle of 2009. To say last night’s sleeping experience was enjoyable would be the correct use of an antonym. It all started when we decided to stop at Kolob Canyons, a piece of the greater Zion National Park. By doing so, we ended up pulling into Zion around 9:15pm with no camping reservations and a sky that was as black as coal. Problem #2: All campgrounds were full. Alright, so I guess we will have to drive into the park and camp on our own…WRONG. After driving through the entire park we realized that not one car was parked along side the road and figured it was not worth collecting a ticket for unlawfully camping in the national park. Finally, we decided that we would park just inside the camp by the ranger station and sleep in the car until the sun came up and then begin our adventures in the park. Sound like a good plan? Well it couldn’t have been much worse. 3 guys sleeping in a van full of stuff is not ever a good idea. Sipe and I tried to sleep on our makeshift bed while JD used the passenger’s seat in the front as a bed. After 2 hours of laying in silence losing weight by the minute from the extreme amounts of body heat in a small space we decided something had to be done. It is now 12:15am. Sipe and I moved ourselves to the ground outside the bed where we could be fully exposed in case any wild animals needed a midnight snack. JD took refuge in the now free bed that exists in the back seat of our van. Although we clearly made it through the night without losing our lives, it may have been the worst night of sleep we have all had in our lives. Nevertheless, its all part of the adventure.

Random fact of the day: We saw a gay guy in Burger King…That’s bad news for both Derek and JD who have recently had advances placed on them by homosexual men.

Quote of the day: Coming to you from Mark Twain- “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do…Explore. Dream. Discover.

Top the Rockies

What a day!! Although we are only three days into our journey of a lifetime, today was the highlight of the trip thus far. In one of dumbest, unsmart, most incredible adventures of my life Derek and I set out to discover what the Rockies were all about. We had plans to head out to a place called "red rock" just west of Denver. Red rock was a hiking spot in the foothills of the rockies that peak at about 8,000 feet. On our way there we decided that since this may be our only time in Colorado we needed to go big or go home (and considering its day 4 we certainly werent going home.) After much contemplation and talking with a nice elderly women in the visitors center we decided we were going to hike Grays Peak which is 14,000 feet above sea level. While we realized we may have been over our heads we liked the idea of a challenge and set off to conquer the Rockies.

We arrived at what seemed to be the base of the mountain around 11:30am after a gorgeous scenic drive through some of the mountains. After about 2 hours we had hiked our way to what was truly the base of the mountain. Apparently you can drive your car all the way up to the base if you have the right vehicle (aka a huge truck). We however did not have the right vehicle and thus hiked from the very bottom.

Once we passed the huge trucks only parking area the adventure really began. At this point we had been hiking for about 2 hours and were probably standing at about 10,000 feet staring straight up at a peak that seemed miles away. Slowly but surely we began to make our way up the winding path amidst the gorgeous scenery. Then came the real problems. The path seemed to disappear and snow covered the entire ground. At times we would sink up to our quads in snow and quickly had water logged shoes and socks. Bound and determined to finish what we started we scraped, crawled, rolled, and treked through the snow and continued up the mountain. We clearly strayed off the path and by the end of the hike were probably hiking in unsafe areas far from the trail we ascended at the beginning. Then it began to snow. Scary yet amazing all at the same time. Around 13,000 something feet we decided it was not smart or worth our while to continue with the hike. Unfortunately for everyone except Derek and I none of my pictures truly capture the beauty, awe, or size of the mountains we were climbing. The good news however is that we are still in one piece and feel as though we conquered the Rockies. Turns out that 14,000 foot peaks usually dont get hiked often until July or August due to the amount of snow and the weather conditions.

This evening provided a little different style of adventure. We attended JD's nephews graduation from kindergarten. These 6 year old kids were decked out in cap and gown and even walked in to the typical graduation music. I may even say that this graduation was more entertaining than my own less than a week ago.

Quote of the day: On a coors light sign along I70- "Go west young man" They must know what our team name is and where we are headed.

Big news: We added Massachusetts and North Dakota to the license plate states that we have seen bringing our total to 41 states. This is big because they were two of the few states we were not real sure we would see.

Pull overs jumped up 2 spots today to a grand total of 21

Road kill struggled today but still managed to add 1 to its tally totaling 37 on the trip

Note: Colorado is a great state. Very clean, extremely pretty, and in the two days I've been here...sunny.

All in all today was an excellent day. Having the chance to hike in the Rockies was incredible. God's creation is certainly on display in Colorado and I am so blessed to have had the opportunity to explore it. The more we travel the more I come to appreciate how beautiful God's creation is and how lucky we are to be able to enjoy it.

Tomorrow we head out to Utah to visit Zion National Park followed by a few days in the Grand Canyon. I am not sure when we will be able to blog again but I will do my best to keep everyone up to date. Until then, later days.

~Brett~

Kansas City, Kansas, and Colorado Sunset

We're Not in Kansas Anymore...thank goodness

7:30am arrived quickly today after a late departure to bed last night in Kansas. While discussing our night's sleep, it came to Derek and I's attention that JD slept on the floor instead of the seemingly open couch. When confronted about the situation JD's comments went something like this..."I was going to sleep on this couch here but the cat was there." "Why didnt you move the cat JD?" "I tried to move it but it meowed really loudly so I just moved to the floor." Yes, JD lost his bed to a cat. Turns out, the cat wasnt even there in the morning. Sucks to be him.

This morning we had the chance to travel into Kansas City and meet with NAIA president Jim Carr and Director of Championships Laurie Thomas. We met with them for about a half hour and talked about their lives, jobs, and the NAIA in general. It was a great experience for me personally considering I am a sport management major. They gave us tickets to see the "College Basketball Experience" in downtown Kansas City but it turns out that the exhibit isnt open on Monday's or Tuesday's. What building closes on two random weekdays?!?!

So with the exhibit closed and the city explored, we took off for Denver Colorado. This means traveling across the entire state of Kansas. About 20 minutes into the drive we stumbled into Kansas University and decided to stop to see the sights. As fate would have it KU is an incredible campus that provided us with the highlight of our day. After scouring the campus and seeing the sights we landed in the Men's Basketball staff office wing. For what seemed like an eternity we debated whether or not we should walk into Bill Self or Danny Manning's office to introduce ourselves and maybe work out some kind of an interview. We eventually conceded to the fact that we didnt have the guts to do it and walked out. No more than 5 minutes later we were in the soccer office wing talking to the head women's soccer coach Mark Francis and two very interested administrative assistants. We bragged about JD for a while and discussed KU and Messiah soccer. As we were leaving the secretary uttered the words "JD you're the man, I read all about you."

On to the trip. 9 hours after we left Kansas University we pulled into JD's brothers house in Denver, Colorado. Kansas, although maybe the most boring state in the US provided for some great times. I seriously question if the government knows that Kansas exists. The world is overpopulated and 15 people live in Kansas. Games of "Hey Cow" and "Dodge the feeble old lady" kept us more than occupied.

Quote of the day: Happiness is a crock of beans- Colorado train station ad

Random Happening: While trying to take a really corny photo of the three of us in the middle of Kansas City with the nice skyline in the background a semi-truck decided to park directly behind us blocking the photo from taking place.

Road Kill Count- In skyrocketing fashion road kill jumped to 36 thanks to the gross state of Kansas.

The pull over count did nothing today remaining at a standstill- 19

We have now seen license plates from 39 states and 2 canadian provinces. Sipe claims to have seen a Puerto Rico plate but nobody believes him.

So the "hey cow" game- While driving by a herd a cows a person in the car rolls down the window and yells "hey cow" at the top of their lungs out the window. Points are awarded for every cow who acknowledges the call with a head turn.

Tomorrow is bound to be a delight as we remain in Denver to hike the rockies and visit the city.

*Pictures to be posted soon.

~Brett~

Chicago by air, Kansas City by land

What a day!! 2 days down and nobody has killed each other. Today was full of adventure, fun, sickness, and farms. We started the day in Rockford Illinois and finished our travels in Kansas City Missouri (or Kansas, who knows). The day began with a air tour of the Chicago skyline. While the sites were amazing, a few of the crew struggled with some flight sickness. As seen above, Derek filled a few bags with his breakfast while JD suffered from a healthy dose of nausea. The ride was a bit bumpy in JD's dad's small plane but the sites were amazing. We were able to have a clear view of Soldier Field, Wrigley Field, the Sears Tower, and a few Major Universities.

After a quick siesta back at the house we continued on our way to Kansas City. The short 8.5 hour drive seemed to fly by as we shifted drivers, enjoyed the lovely countryside of Iowa and listened to the local radio stations. It appears that the lack of a GPS may be alright after all. We have some time on our hands so reading maps gives us something to do and in the words of JD "adds to the adventure."

Big Stop of the Day: The worlds biggest truck stop. Oh yea, its everything its cracked up to be. A huge truck stop. Nothing more, nothing less.

Strangest thing of the day: The bugs in Missouri are huge!! Our car single-handedly took out the bug population in the state. At times I wasnt sure who was worse off, the bugs or our windshield.

Quote of the day: Billboard sign: Real Food, Real People, Real Memories

Road Kill Count: 23
Cars Pulled over: 18- Idiots...Why wouldnt you just obey the rules of the road?

In other news we saw a car from Ontario...A close second to the Asian Female Bus Driver from yesterday.

Not all those who wander are lost- JRR Tolkien

We have completed our first day travel and have officially begun our 3 week adventure across America. Today was spent entirely in the car as we made the trek from Grantham, PA to Rockford Illinois. Below are a few of the highlights from today's ride.

1) We saw an Asian lady driving a tour bus from Texas. With all racial stereotypes asides, that s just something you dont see everyday. A lady driving a tour bus is one thing but an ASIAN LADY?!?!?!....FROM TEXAS!!

2) In scarier events today, but only by a small margin- An Ohio Cop pulled over a truck that was driving directly in front of me today. Now by no means do I have a perfect driving record as far as speed goes so I was a bit nervous. Considering today was the first day of the trip, I wasnt really looking forward to a ticket. As I passed the cop on the side of the road going 71 in a 65 I was pretty confident that I was not in danger. Looking in the rear view mirror as I always do when I pass a cop I noticed that he had pulled out behind me. I calmly moved to the right lane and filed in amidst the traffic. Then came the lights. Although I was pretty sure I was okay my stomach did tie itself in a bit of a knot. Luckily the guy in front of me took the fall instead of us.

3) Quote of the day: JD in reference to the distance we were trailing his parents on the way to his house. "I wouldnt say we are gaining on them, more like inching or drawing nearer." Now I am no linguistics expert but I dont think drawing nearer and gaining on someone are too different.

4) Oversight of the semester: We failed to locate or secure a GPS for the trip. Looks like our map reading skills will be put to the test.

Up Next: A morning plane ride along the Greater Chicago Skyline and the Lake Michigan Shoreline. After that we will head to Kansas City for Monday evening and Tuesday morning to conduct an interview with some people at NAIA headquarters.

Go West Young Men!!

The time has come for us to head west!! Somehow in the whirlwind of this past week, the trip sneaked up on the three of us. While I am excited to take off on what will most certainly prove to be an adventure of a lifetime, its hard not to feel the bitter sweetness of knowing that college as I've known it for the last four years is over. It is tough to think that four years has come and gone. It has been an UNBELIEVABLE four years and I wouldn't trade the friendships or the memories for anything. Today marks the start of new memories and deeper friendships to be built.

Our bags are packed and we're ready to go. We are traveling in a 2005 Towne and Country Minivan. It is actually very handy because as you can see from above, the food we need to pack could feed a small army. As of Thursday night here was the food inventory...

Drinks:

14 20oz ounce sodas

2 2-liter sodas

6 vitamin waters

23 20oz gatorade

31 energy drinks

18 powder packs

2 gatorade canisters

1 orange mix canister

2 gallons of water

3 bottles of water

2 crystal light canisters

4 half gallon iced teas

2 boxes of teabags

Canned Goods:

7 pineapple

3 mandarin orange

21 soups

5 mixed fruit (minis)

2 corn

1 applesauce

3 tuna

2 peanut butter

Snack Foods:

19 peanut packets

12 sunflower packets

11 packets trail mix

21 packets of ramen

16 cups of ramen

24 bags of chips/pretzels

6 bags of beef jerky

16 cracker packs (minis)

2.5 boxes of crackers

27 oatmeal

1 tub of raisins

16 boxes of bars

7 dry meal mixes

1 can of cashews

2.5 cereal boxes

5 boxes unhealthy snacks

1 pack of cough drops

1 bottle bbq sauce

1 bottle of syrup

6 boxes of mac and cheese

1 bag of buns

1 pack of gum

Non-edibles:

2 soap bottle

1 scrub brush

1 cooler air freshener

1 saran wrap

1 aluminum foil

2 containers

assorted plastic wear

napkins

cups

1 box of tissues

*Note- The food count has gone up since that inventory.

So after months and months of planning, calling, emailing, researching, and endless late night meetings, we are finally ready to depart for our journey. First stop- Rockford Illinois. We will leave around noon today and head to JD's house in Rockford. The plan is to spend the night there and continue on to Kansas City on Monday. Stay tuned for more adventures in the next few days. Please pray for safety as we hit the road.

Good News!!

Yes, I should be studying for the two finals that I have tomorrow that are looming over my head but this is far more exciting and stimulating. If you are interested in taking my finals tomorrow give me a quick call and we can probably work something out. Anyhow, on to the good stuff.

So first off, just a little background information on the trip itself before I talk about the good news. As a way to partially fund our trip, our group has teamed up with a program that is offered by the career center called "hit the road." As part of this program, the career center gives us $450 to go wherever the wind blows us. Our end of the bargain is that we conduct informational interviews along the way of people who share our vocational interests. We are also required to keep a blog that is located on the Messiah College site and video a good portion of our trip. If you know the three of us, we embraced these stipulations and are looking forward to the adventure with a camera in hand.

Enter good news:

In the past week we have set up interviews with the following people who I am extremely pumped about.

- VP of global operations for Adidas basketball in Portland, Oregon
- Director of Game operations for the Portland Trailblazers

We also have some good leads on a writer, a screenwriter, and a marketing executive.

Here is the link for the Messiah Blog... http://www.messiah.edu/offices/career/students/hittheroad.html (The blog isnt posted yet but it gives you a good idea of the program)

So it begins...

Hey everyone!! I am finally writing my first blog for the trip of a lifetime. I've been meaning to do this for weeks but I always felt like I had a lot of time. Well, somehow that time has disappeared and the trip is a mere 12 days away.

Who: Myself, JD Binger, and Derek Sipe

Where: Chicago, Kansas City, Denver, The Grand Canyon, LA, Zion Nation Park, Yosemite National Park, San Francisco, Redwood National Park, Portland, Yellowstone National Park, The Wind Caves, Somewhere in Nebraska, Grantham, PA!!!

When: 3.5 weeks between May 17th and June 12th


It seems like just yesterday that JD and I sat down in his apartment and talked about what we wanted to do after graduation and what big thing we could do before we headed into the real world. Months later I am here writing about how we are about to embark on the adventure of a lifetime only 1 day after graduating from college (yes i know im not actually graduating but my academic work is done).

The intent of this blog is for me to be able to document our adventures on the road. I will attach our trip itinerary for anyone who wants to follow along and laugh at our good times, mishaps, and all the other moments that are bound to arise with 3 guys on the roads of America for 3 1/2 weeks. Enjoy!!