Archives December 2021

The first thing I did this morning was to get a Covid self test and take it. I am heading to see my family and I wanted to ensure I wasn’t bringing Covid along with me. I grabbed a cup of coffee and took the test while sitting in my car. I swabbed my nose as it says to do (and as we’ve all had done so many times in the past two years), dipped the swab into the little vial of solution and waited. When the ten minutes had passed, I checked, and low and behold… it says positive and I had Covid! Crap!!! I’m going to have to quarantine for 10 days which puts me on the last day of my stay in Orlando!

I wanted to make sure so I did it again…. and again… it was positive. I’ve heard these tests can be inaccurate so decided to get this professionally done to make sure. I found a clinic in Richmond that could see me and made an appointment. I went in early in the afternoon and the first thing they did was give me an instant test. That test came back negative!! NICE!! Due to the mixed results, they sent a sample away to get, what they called the gold standard test, a PCR test.

I was supposed to stay with my older cousin that night and even though I did not have a fever and had no symptoms, I didn’t feel comfortable staying there that night. So it looked like I was going to quarantine in my van until the test results came back.

I did do some exploring of Richmond anyway and just made sure I didn’t go inside anywhere, masked up and I avoided people. I enjoy seeing capitals so headed towards the downtown area of Richmond where the capitol building is located. The area around the capital building was fenced off with some kind of stands set up and areas under construction so I couldn’t really see much. There were some cool statues which I enjoyed reading about.

A day later, my test came back negative! The trip continued on.

Friday – Boston, MA to Summit, NJ

Saturday – Summit, NJ to Richmond, VA

Visiting cousins in Summit, NJ

I left Boston after work on Friday and arrived at my cousins in Summit, NJ later in the night. It was really great seeing them as it has been years since we’ve spent any time together. We had a nice dinner and caught up on out lives. In the morning I sat at their kitchen table talking some more and, although it was Saturday, logged into their wi-fi and checked in on work. I headed out in the late afternoon with plans to come back and visit again soon. They are close enough that I can go down for a week specifically to see them and not just a stop on a longer trip.

Pottsille, PA

The day before I Ieft on this trip, I received a picture of a store in my hometown with its sign being removed. Just over 90 years ago, my grandfather started the Yorkville Drug Store in Pottsville, PA. When my dad finished college, he came back to Pottsville and worked the store with my grandfather. It seems, after 92 years, that store is closing and the building may be torn down. I’m a very sentimental guy and this news was very sad to me. My grandparents lived above the store and I have such fond memories of being there. Since Pottsville was just a few miles out of my way, I decided to stop in. I drove by the store as well as the house I was raised in, which is just a few blocks away. Since I was in town, I had to stop for a Coney dog. I do love my Coney dogs!

Coyote Hills Disc Golf, Carlisle, PA

This course has been on my radar for some time since it has some really great reviews online. Discgolfscene.com has it listed as number 4 in Pennsylvania and UDisc has a 4.4 rating with almost 1000 reviews. I’ve driven by here close to a dozen times, however, it was either to late in the day, raining or I had somewhere else to be. Today I was able to play and I was not disappointed. I found the course to be well maintained with some beautiful views and a nice hike through the woods.

The course is very challenging with many of the baskets playing through tight tree lines. Although most were through trees, I though it had a nice mix with some nice elevation changes, some very long open shots and a few possible ace tees. The distances range from about 150 feet to about 700 feet. As I was playing the course, I was thinking how there are definitely ace potentials (like 7 where I hit the basket on my drive) but also double bogey potentials if you hit a tree at the wrong time.

I finished at plus 5 and I was happy with that. For me, it was a tale of two courses. I shot two under on the front nine and seven over on the back nine.

Gus’s Bar & Grill, Richmond, VA

The Patriots were playing tonight and I wanted to watch the game. It turns out I was going to be getting into Richmond right around game time so I Googled “best sports bar in Richmond”. Google recommended Gus’s. I made it almost in time for kickoff. I did enjoy the bar. There were plenty of televisions, the staff was friendly and it wasn’t crowded. If only the Patriots didn’t play as poorly as they did.

It was a beautiful night so I walked around the area for a little while before crawling into the van for the night.

There were moments on this trip were I felt I was able to get a better understanding of different perspectives of people and why they may do the things they do. On this particular day, it was that of the stupid tourist. You know….THAT guy.

One of my pre planned stops on my way east through North Dakota was the Painted Canyon Visitors Center at Theodore Roosevelt National Park (F on the map).  I was in search of somewhere to stay while driving from Billings, MT (D) to Fargo, ND (H).  This location was almost half way and was advertised as a good place to boondock.  I had called the visitors center while still in the planning phase of the trip and they confirmed this.  It also looked to be in a location that my hotspot would work and had a one mile hike loop through the Badlands.  I often mentioned this stop when asked about my trip plans and I was very much looking forward to it. 

I arrived very late. The rest area was very dark.  There was only one little light above the restroom doors.  I quickly parked, found my way to and from the bathroom, crawled in the back and fell asleep.

I woke around 6:30 to this view. I continue to be in awe of the things I’ve been seeing.

(Click on the pictures to enlarge)

I gazed for awhile (in awe) then headed off on the mile loop. 

About half way through there was a small sign that read “overlook” and pointed up a small incline, so I walked up the slope.  I could see the path that was ahead of me and there, just across the ravine from the path, stood a bison!

Pretty amazing creature!  He was just standing there, grazing.  Just right over there!

I finished the walk and made my way back up to civilization. I stood there for awhile at the parking lot edge looking out on the BadLands.  I have been amazed by the sights I’ve gotten to see in my travels and this one was towards the top.  I was able to spot, way out in the distance, a few more bison!  I pointed them out to a few people that were also looking out and had a few conversations about the beauty of it all.  

It was time to start my day and decided to drive to the other side of the rest area where there were some picnic tables.  I could set up my stove to make some breakfast and coffee and set up a work area to settle in for a few hours.  The picnic tables were in two sided covered structures with the opening out towards the scenery and was such a peaceful place to be. I had my own little office and kitchen area!

As I drove towards the tables, passing the bathrooms, I noticed the bison. I saw it standing there on the grass between the bench, the sign and the tree…. a full sized, stuffed bison!  There have been statues of bison everywhere on the trip so far but they were typically very large and metal.

This one was different than those!

SO COOL!  I pulled into a spot, hopped out and headed towards it, phone camera in hand.  My mind was excited with what to do… how to capture this moment.  I definitely wanted to feel the tufts on its head.  I internally laughed as I thought to wrap an arm across its head and take a selfie.  I wondered what the horns felt like……

I left the Salt Lake City area pretty early expecting alot of activity for the day. My plan was to get to the Craters of the Moon National Park in Idaho before the end of the day. Beginning to end it wasn’t that far, but I had numerous stops planned and its nice to have a full day to travel. You never know what I might discover.

Riverpark Disc Golf Course

Planned to get a round of disc golf in first thing. I really enjoyed this round. It started raining after I played the first basket so ended up sitting under a tree with a local golfer waiting out the storm. It only rained a few minutes and we played the round together. Nice kid who dreams of one day getting himself a van and traveling around the United States!

Corrine, UT

Corrine, UT is an historic city on the road heading north. It’s a small railroad town that was established as the Union Pacific Railroad and the Central Pacific Railroads neared completion. Corrine is the closest city to where these two lines met and were commemorated with the Golden Spike. I stopped in town at a few memorials and dedicated historic spots.

	Travel then and travel now.

Golden Spike National Historic Park

In 1869, the Central Pacific and Union Pacific Railroads met and the first transcontinental railway was completed. A ceremonial spike was driven to commemorate the completion of this event. I enjoyed learning about the event and these two railway companies. The more they completed, the more they would earn so they built as fast as they could, racing across the country. I stopped at numerous spots along my drive that explained how it was done.

Spiral Jetty

The Spiral Jetty was such an amazing stop that it gets its own post (Spiral Jetty post). The Jetty is located in Corrine, UT, however, you have to drive down a 14 mile long gravel to get there. It was worth it. I walked out to the edge of the Great Salt Lake and watched pink water lap onto the shore.

In my opinion… this is a must for anyone making this trip.

ATK (Northrum & Grumman) Rocket Garden

I was driving on after the Spiral Jetty when I saw this Rocket Garden so I stopped. What a cool little rocket museum. The large rocket is actually a booster for the space shuttle.

Entered Idaho

What it looks like to drive through Idaho

Lava fields at Craters of the Moon National Park

I made it to Craters of the Moon National Park right around sunset. I watched the sun go down over the lava fields and noticed how I was in such an opposite kind of place from the Bonneville Salt Flats, just a few days earlier. I never knew there were lava fields in the continental United States. It was a beautiful night. I pulled into the Lava Flow Campground and stayed up late thinking about my day and looking at the stars.

Sometimes I find myself on a different planet!

I left early in the day and headed out to see the Bonneville Salt Flats.  It was about an hour and a half drive west of Salt Lake City.  I figured that I would head out there, drive out onto the flats and then head home.  It turns out I spent over three and a half hours there.  It was fascinating! I stayed very entertained.

	Looking out at me parked on route 80

I definitely enjoyed myself while hanging out on the Flats.  As barren as it is, I found it to be a great place to take some fun pictures.  I also played my guitar for a little while and was able to get internet through my phone hotspot!

This is what it looks like if you panorama shot as a car drives by.  There was a continuous flow of cars flying by.

A few hours north of Salt Lake City and on the north east shore of the Great Salt Lake is the Spiral Jetty.  I visited here as a recommendation from a friend and it didn’t disappoint. What a magical place.  I felt as if I were on a different planet.

The Spiral Jetty is an earthwork sculpture built in April, 1970 by Robert Smithson. The Jetty is made of mud, salt crystals, and basalt rocks, forming a 1,500-foot-long, 15-foot-wide counterclockwise coil jutting out into the lake.  I was there when the water level was low enough to walk out onto it.

To get to the Jetty, it’s necessary to get off of the main road and travel along 14 miles of gravel road.  The road was ‘ribbed’ and I found that if I traveled too slowly, the car would bounce up and down along each rib.  There were two options to deal with this.  The first was to drive very slowly, which would then take me hours to get to my destination, while the second was to travel very fast and just go over the ribs.  It was an interesting journey traveling 40+ mph along this gravel road in the middle of nowhere.  Even though it was in the middle of nowhere and a desert, I found it to be beautiful.  I stopped frequently just to enjoy the sights and to take a break from the stress of the drive.

If you enlarge, you can see the ribs.

Upon arriving at the Jetty parking lot, I opted to hike up the rocky hillside to get a view first.  It was a short 1/4 mile hike to the top.

Looking up at the parking area and the hillside hike.

Taking a moment at the pedestal looking out onto the Jetty.

I walked back down and onto the Jetty.  I walked the Spiral very slowly and meditated along with it.  Then I set out towards the lake. I had been told about the water here and wanted to see it for myself.

On the Spiral.	On the Jetty looking out towards the lake.
	Like being on a different planet.

Places like this make me realize why I love getting out on the road and exploring. There are so many unique places throughout the United States.  There are places that are magical and so different from our every day lives.  At the Jetty, the water was pink.  Amazing!

How Google saw me on my trip to the Spiral Jetty. (It even caught my meditative spiraling walk.)
Dark blue is driving.  Light blue is walking.

Tree of Utah

“A hymn to our universe, whose glory and dimension is beyond all myth and imagination” – Karl Momen

Bonneville Salt Flats

There are no signs on the highway for The Bonneville Salt Flats.  There are signs for a rest area which is how you get onto the flats.  If you didn’t know this ahead of time and missed this rest area, you would have to drive miles to get to the next exit, turn around, head back past the Salt Flats to the next exit and then turn around again, driving back to the rest area. I did not know, but luckily decided to check out the rest area.

Wendover, UT and West Wendover, NV

Temple Square & The Capitol Building

The Viking Farmer’s Farm

The Armory

	Left to right: with the scope, handgun, AK47

Draper Historic Park

After leaving the Denver area, heading to Salt Lake City, UT, I stopped for a day and an evening in Fort Collins, CO.  Fort Collins is about an hour north of Denver and was a good place for me to break up my drive.  There was so much going on in Fort Collins which made it one of my favorite stops on the trip.

Edora Park Disc Golf Course

This course was my first stop in the morning.  I do enjoy starting the day with a round of golf. Although the layout was difficult to figure out, this round was very enjoyable.  I ended up playing along with two brothers, about my age, who played this course frequently.  The course played through a local public park. Most of the fairways were open with a few tree obstacles.  There was one section that played through fields and prairie dogs kept popping their heads up to see what was going on.  Shooting 1 under par also makes it an enjoyable round!

Swetsville Zoo

Well this was a bizarre place!  I discovered this while researching prior to the trip and looking for unusual things on Atlas Obscura.  Bill Swets started creating metal creatures in 1985 and has since grown his collection of whimsical creations into the 100’s.  The ‘zoo’ is currently for sale and is a little run down but I enjoyed walking around.

Oddly… this was the second ‘VW bug’ creature I’d seen on this trip.	‘VW Bug’ creature in Erie, PA

Totally 80’s Pizza & Museum

This was another Atlas Obscura find.  Totally 80’s Pizza boasts as being the home to the world’s largest collection of 1980’s pop culture memorabilia.  What a blast from the past.  I thoroughly enjoyed walking around and seeing so much from my childhood!  I started the 80’s going into middle school and ended the 80’s graduating high school.

Oddly, this is the second ‘Slimer’ I saw on this trip.	‘Slimer’ in Omaha

Fort Collins Old Town Square

What a great place to walk around.  Throughout the night, I kept coming back here.  I had some great conversations with some of the folks that were working including the juggler, artists and musicians.  The sculptures were fun and the vibe was very relaxed.

Alleys Around Old Town Square

Surfside 7

I stepped in here to take a break from walking around and to grab a beer.  Little did I know they were having a special: $5 slice of pizza and beer.  That is my kind of special!  The pizza here was fantastic.  The slices were huge,  you could get any topping of your choice on a slice and it was the thin crust, which is my favorite.  I ended up coming back here later in the evening for another late night slice.

I chatted up with the bartender, her boyfriend and another fellow at the bar.  It was funny because as I was walking around the square later in the evening, the boyfriend saw me and asked how my evening was going.  Making friends everywhere!

The fellow at the bar told me he was there just to support his friend (d.e.fulford) who had written a book and was having a book signing at the local bookstore.  The bookstore was just around the corner so I went and bought one of her books.

The Exchange

Wandering around the area I came across the Exchange.  What a nice little outdoor area.  There were lots of folk wandering around and families surrounding the Churn in the center.  There are cute shops, good food, live music and a brewery.

Jazz Alley

As I was walking around later in the evening, I heard some piano. I followed the sound down an alley and came across a guy sitting at a piano, by himself, just playing.  This piano is always here for anyone to come along and play.  There was also a wonderful mural on the wall with some classic musicians watching the piano player.

I spent about five days in the Denver area. I stayed with an old friend from high school.  I hadn’t spent more than a few hours with him since high school so it was really wonderful catching up!  Most of my time there was spent at his house working although I did get out and do some exploring.  One thing I learned while here is that one week is not enough time to be in Denver.

I was able to play a few disc golf courses in the area.  Honestly, not the best courses I’ve played but I did enjoy them none the less.  There was a small 9 basket course not far from the house and there was one course that had prairie dogs all over!  I’ve never seen prairie dogs before.  Very cure.

I was able to spend some quality time with my buddy and explored some of downtown Denver.

Rattlesnake!