Phoenix!

I arrived in Phoenix around 3 and just hung out for a bit.  That evening Debbie and I went to dinner at the Black Angus.  We talked about everything and it started getting late.  Then we realized neither of us had our cell phones on us and didn't know the time.  We figured it was probably around 10pm, since we were the last ones in the restaurant.   They even turned the lights out as we were leaving.  We got in the car and realized it was 11pm and we had been talking for over 4 hours.

 Saturday I watched the amazing Duck game on the big screen TV!  Then Cynthia, Rex and Debbie's nanny, went to Mill Ave with her boyfriend.  We had a great time at the Library.  There was this punching thing that told you how hard you punch for a dollar, so we figured we probably should do that.  This is the picture of us being really buff, can't you tell!

Sunday Debbie, the kids and I played in the pool and laid in the sun.  Oh and rocked out to country music.  I had a blast with the kids they are so adorable!  Dad and Rex arrived at 9:30 that night and we all went to sleep early.  Monday everyone was back to their routines and I laid in the sun and applied for jobs online.  Watched a good movie that night called Taken, kinda scary though. 

Tuesday, I had lunch with dad and Grandma Holly and hung around all day with them.  Dinner was amazing! We had salmon, green beans, potatoes and salad.  Rex's dad and his wife were there too.  After dinner, Dad and I took Grandma home and this is the picture of us at grandma's after the drive.

Wednesday, Debbie and I had a wonderful time! She took us to lunch, to get manicures and pedicures and to get smoothies.  We then just hung around and relaxed until the boys, Rex and Dad, got home.  Dad took us all out to PF Changs for dinner and we had a grand old time.  And then it was Thursday, time for me to travel to my next destination of New Mexico.  What I really enjoyed in Phoenix was the kids.  They would come snuggle up right next to me on the couch every night. It was very sweet.  Look at these cute kids!

Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon

This time in Vegas was very relaxing compared to the last time I was there.  I laid by the pool, ate some good meals and went to a show.  The show we went to was KA, but I couldn't take photos inside.  I did get one in the lobby though. These guys are playing a giant harp.

I left for the Grand Canyon and stopped at Hoover Dam.  I took some pictures on the dam and Lake Mead.  Once I entered Arizona, I saw my first 75mph speed limit of the trip, that was fun! Because of the weather report, I was expecting thunderstorms and lightning at the Grand Canyon....

But when I got there, it was clear and nice.  I set up my tent, met the tent neighbors right away; David 57 and Wayne 87.  They were really nice guys.  They even bought be dinner at the cafeteria, which I couldn't believe, I mean I don't even know these people.  David told me where I should go hiking the next day and Wayne gave me a bunch of advice like a grandpa would.

Here are a few pictures I took on the Rim Trail at the Grand Canyon...

 

The green patch is Phantom Ranch which is where you stay if you hike to the bottom and the light brown patch is the river.

 

 

Overall it was shockingly big but I felt like I was on the outside looking in.  Next time, I need to hike down into the Canyon, that way I will really feel the greatness.

YOSEMITE

I set out a little late around 9:30am and it's a 4 hour drive from San Fran to Yosemite.  I thought that I would get there around 1:30, set up camp and be hiking around 2.  However, there are so many curvy, slow roads and so many rules about food and things that smell (bear rules), that I didn't get hiking til 3:15.  Not to mention, I chatted with my tent neighbors before I left too.  The hike to Vernal Falls was beautiful! It feels like your walking around in a post card.  The pictures of this place do not do it justice, the rocks are amazing and so much bigger than you think.

I get back from the hike and think, "I'm sweaty, there's no showers, so I guess I'll just change my clothes, put my hair up, put on deodorant and head to the lodge for dinner." The lodge was so big and had great architecture.  Everyone in there, besides me, smelled really good too.  I ate a salad and headed to camp.

My neighbors were there, so I chatted for a while and went to bed.  Don't get this confused with sleeping though.  I didn't really sleep because I knew that all that food was in the bear safe locker, which was next to my tent and it's not like it was smell safe.  I didn't know where the bears were and I didn't want to find out.  I couldn't get out of the tent to pee, to take out my contacts or to get medicine for the headache I had.  I needed another pillow too.  All things good to know when I come back, or just stay in the lodge.

I get up in the morning and change again, no shower and more deodorant, head to find breakfast.  I needed a big meal for my 8 hour drive to Vegas.  I found a buffet! I had eggs, hash browns, sausage, biscuits and gravy, fruit, cream of wheat, juice and coffee.  I think I got 12 bucks worth.  It took me 2 hours to get out of the park.

Picture below is Half Dome that people hike to the top of, takes 10hours round trip

I filled up on gas in Oakdale, CA which was before I entered Yosemite.  I thought I would easy make it to Nevada before I needed to fill up again.  However, that was a stupid move.  I took 395 to 168/266 and that "stomach dropping" road was up and over 3 or more mountain ranges and straight through 2 valleys.  Most of the time the road was too curvy to see over the hump and 15 mph.  By the way I maybe saw 5 cars in 3 hours and there was nothing for miles.  I would come across a sign that said, "School Bus Stop Ahead," and laugh, but then there would be messed up 5 trailers with broken stuff everywhere around them.  "Wow, are there really people in there?"  So.... I hit Nevada and there is still nothing. I get on the GPS and find the nearest gas: 52miles away.  I have an 1/8 of a tank left and I'm doing a bunch of calculations in my head to see if I'm going to have to run for 10miles to get gas.  I turned the AC off, popped the sunroof, drove 60 in a 70 for efficiency and there were no cars behind me anyway.  Thank God Nevada knows how to make roads, they were all straight and I never had to take the cruise control off.  I sweaty, hot and ready to put on my running shoes when I pulled up to the Beatty Ice Cream Candy shop that had gas in front.  I got an Ice cream, cause I was hot and deserved it, got back in the car cranked the AC and drove 80 all  the way to Las Vegas.

San Francisco

Leaving Sacramento was hard! I had so much fun there I decided to go back on my way home.  I stopped in UC Davis to collect my thoughts and hopefully figure something out.  I didn't figure much more out than I already knew, but I did run into a bunch of ducks!

 

I arrived in San Fran at 5pm and had dinner with Kelly's family.  The next day we got up and went to Alcatraz, which was awesome!  I bought a "prisoner's rules booklet" that is very interesting, dad, you would like this!

The next day, we went to the Academy of Sciences.  I took so many pictures of butterflies and other cool things.  We experienced the rain forest, which was awesome! We also saw an albino alligator. We ran into Orrin and Duke, which are friends of ours from architecture school.  We were with them in the academy and had drinks with them later.

Saturday: Duck Game Day! We went to the Home and Garden Show somewhere, and tried to convince people to give us jobs.  We even met an UO Alum.  We went to Half Moon Bay Brewing company for dinner and to watch the game.  It was a fabulous time; the game was good, the music was good, the food was good, and the company rocked!

Sarcamento!

I had so much fun in Sacramento! I met Cynthia's amazing family and they made me feel right at home.  The first day we drove around the town and ended up in Old Sac, where they were reinacting the wild west, hilarious! We ate lunch there and headed home to drink wine in the backyard.

Tuesday, I had meeting with people in construction and architecture.  I even went to a construction site and had to wear very safe clothes.  I learned something new at every meeting and I think I've figured something out.  I want to eventually be a project manager at a general contracting company, at least that's what I think I want right now.  Hopefully, I will get to set up some meetings with some general contracting companies in Phoenix, Dallas, Austin and anywhere else I go.  Cynthia and I chatted almost all night long and had a blast!

Wednesday morning, I packed up and headed to Cynthia's office to see what she does and go to lunch. I think there were almost some tears as we both parted ways, so I'm going to stop back by on my way home!

Reno

This is the sunset that I photo-merged on the way to Reno. (remember that sweet thing I showed you, mom, that puts pictures together to create panoramas.)  I showed up at Cody's track meet, which is the photo of the Shadow Mountain complex.

The next two days we went to the Reno Aces baseball games and that was a social event! Ice cream, beers, blue margaritas and pretzels! Don't forget a picture with the team mascot, Archy!

So......... I told Cody that I was determined to do things I have never done before on my road trip, including going on a motorcycle ride.  I found out real quick that his dad had the nicest Harley around.  PRETTY AWESOME!(Dad, It was very safe, k)

PS you all should know that I've been to Mustang Ranch, and the wind on your face from a motorcycle ride is a weird feeling afterward!

PSS I found my hilarious face, look at the picture with archy and find the other similar faces like a "where's waldo" book.

Day 1: Interesting

  I made my first "in the parking lot, out of the trunk" sandwich, and I hadn't even left Eugene yet.  I also stopped in Roseberg to surprise Steve at Ten Down Bowling.  (I met Steve at the Wings Seminar for those who don't know.) I had no idea if he was even going to be working that day, but he was and I was the last person he thought was waiting to see him.  He made me a spiked milkshake and an hour later I was off to Ashland. 

In Ashland I stayed with Kirsten and Kyle in this super nice house with a crazy shower.  This shower did everything.  Water spays at you from every direction you could think of, it plays music, lights up and turns into a steam bath, not to mention it looks like a space ship.  We laid low that night and went downtown for a nice lunch to catch up.  Off to Reno I went...  I still don't think its hit me that I'm not coming home for a month and a half.

I'm Off!

I'm a second away from getting in the car and leaving the house for good.  I'm starving and I'm going to the grocery store as my first stop.  I think I'm going to need to get used to the feeling of being hungry, but I hope I'm wrong.  Should be in Ashland to watch the duck game, GO DUCKS!