Sep 17, 2006: We're on the way "home" (this notion of exactly what makes
home home has
changed a bit since spending the whole summer in Vancouver) to Hudson.
More on this topic later. Anyway, we left Vancouver and headed south and a bit east, with the intention of driving
more or less around the perimeter of the US (this is our route
so far,
with the distance already-covered in red). There are two major focuses
("foci", actually) for the return trip: seeing some
friends (both old and new -- several we met on our Antarctic cruise),
and viewing many (in retrospect, perhaps too many) of the National
Parks. The route looks vaguely like show annoying "smiley faces" popularized several years ago. Like our own expressions after some really long days, our route's "face" is looking a bit contorted.
The first couple of days were just long driving events. We stocked up on our favorite junk foods for the car (we almost never eat junk food, but somehow a road trip gives us permission). Packed in relative haste (all our stuff from clothes to computers is going into an uber-comfortable but let's face it -- cramped -- BMW 3 series. At least this one has 4 doors...
We stopped at friends (Brian & Koy) near Salt Lake and hung out with them and their numerous dogs. They're great hosts and we don't see them often enough.
Each of the western national parks has their own character - some (e.g. Bryce) have vast multicolored canyons that you look down into (or in some cases, hike down into). Others (e.g. Zion) you start in the canyon and the view is upward. Some are stunning to see but don't particularly photograph well.
Over the next couple weeks we toured Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Zion Canyon National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, Saguaro National Park, White Sands National Monument and Carlsbad Canyon National Park. We hope to have sample photos on the web "soon", but the task is daunting -- choosing from literally hundreds of stunning pictures, to a few representative ones. We'll probably do slide shows with a dozen or so photos for each. As usual, "watch this space!".
Having finished the national park visits, we stopped at a couple of Antarctica cruise friends (JoLee in Tucson; Sue in Phoenix) -- both fun rendezvous. Then down into Texas (dive buddies Tom & Jane; Nancy and Charlie and Family). Up to Little Rock (Judy & Terry -- we met in Thailand)
The next leg of the trip was arduous -- from Little Rock to Scottsboro, Alabama. No, we didn't choose Scottsboro for its eponymous quality, rather, it is the location of the unclaimed baggage store -- where the airlines send all the stuff that can't be reunited with its owners -- goes. We have no idea what to expect, but it was sort of on the way so we couldn't pass it up. Maybe we'll be shipping stuff home. Hope it doesn't get lost in the mail...
The last few legs of our trip will be stops at Scott's few relatives -- and even then, we'll have to miss one (Scott's Aunt Betty) -- the schedule just doesn't allow for a detour. We will see Scott's Uncle Bill (his Dad's only remaining brother) -- and a stop at Scott's parents a couple hundred miles from our place in NH.
Our stay in Hudson is brief: about 3 weeks before we head south for the winter. But that's a story for another time. Watch...
