We’re back from our Texas Roadtrip. While it wasn’t quite what we had originally planned - we ditched the camping entirely, for instance - we still had a good time and managed to see quite a bit. A few observations gleaned from our trip:
- It’s great to get back a day early, so you have time to unpack, unwind, collect yourself, and get ready for the shock of going back to work. It feels great to arrive home early enough to unload the car, unpack our bags, get laundry started, and start to get things back to order.
- Nobody goes to Texas. It was incredible how few out of state license plates we saw on the trip. Usually at national park sites, many if not most, are out of state, plus some Canadian plates mixed in. But not in Texas - only Texans go to Texas parks. I guess that’s not too surprising, as Texas plates are always underrepresented at other national parks.
- The Alamo is worth a quick stop, but don’t arrive with high hopes and don’t waste your time standing in line. It’s small, surrounded by tourist trap attractions, and let’s face it, only Texans care about this place. It’s a cool place for a photo or two, though, to help alleviate that burning childhood desire to see an inflated icon of the West, and to mark it off the life list.
- Texas is windy as hell, and it’ll affect how much fun you’ll have at several sites - Fort Davis, Guadalupe Mountains, and Padre Island to name a few. Wind blows.
- The iPhone 3G is quite possibly the best piece of roadtrip gear ever. We used it to listen to music and audiobooks during the drive, and even streamed an NFL game from a NY radio station. We used the Maps app to calculate driving directions, find restaurants, and even used Street View to preview a site. We typed draft blog posts on its WordPress app, used the clock feature as our morning alarm clock, and updated friends and family using the Twitter and Facebook apps. The camera and a couple of camera apps allowed some quick shots when the camera wasn’t handy. I checked and replied to email, kept up to date on my Reader items, and checked wikipedia for additional information on some of the places we visited. We searched hotel listings and prices, checked photos, and reserved online hotel deals every night - and looked up rewards account numbers. I added tasks to my to do list, blog article ideas to Evernote, and checked the next day’s weather. We kept up to speed on bowl game scores and NFL stats. I even used an app to locate free wifi networks for my MacBook Pro and consulted an app on Texas speed traps. And of course, we used Safari to hit a bunch of other websites. We did all of this on a small, elegant device that fits into my pocket - wow, what a great roadtrip device.
It would have been shocking if the 49ers didn’t name interim head coach Mike Singletary to the permanent position, so it was expected that they would do so in short order after the season concluded. Of course, it was a little surprising that it was done before the team even reached the locker room after a last-minute field goal gave them their fifth win in the last seven games.
That’s a great move - Singletary has shown that he can take control, make sound decisions, inspire the team to play, and even keep big egos like that of Mike Martz in check. The more questionable decision was to promote 27 year-old Jeb York to the role of President. Having both Jeb and Mike in control of off-season manuevers means that the Niners will have no experience to draw from when those big decisions come around. In addition, it probably means that Scott Pioli won’t be adding his name to the mix, which though a long shot, would have really sparked my confidence in the future of the franchise.
Instead, Niner fans are left wondering if Martz will stick around and if the organization can really chart a new course through what could be an interesting couple of years. We’ll have to see what happens with Martz, as there seems to be conflicting reports in the last few days about his perceived status. While some consistency is badly needed in the OC position in San Francisco, I don’t think Martz is the long-term solution and I don’t think it makes sense to keep him any longer if he isn’t. If the right guy is available - which won’t be Norv Turner after tonight’s Chargers win - I hope the Niners pull the trigger. Martz’s offense isn’t as successful as it once was, and his system is overly complex and unique. Changing now will speed up the eventual transition process away from him. I think Martz did a decent job in the second half of the season, when Singletary spelled out who would be playing QB and what Martz’s gameplan would be, but I just don’t think he’s the right guy for the job.
We’ll see how Mike Singletary feels about it later this week.
Tags: 49ers, Mike Martz, Mike Singletary, NFL, San Francisco 49ers
Our dog Sipapu needs to be shaved regularly, or else we end up with a house of hair. We’ve tried doing it ourselves with the $30 dollar clippers from Target without even a hint of success. So, we’ve been bringing ‘Papu down, much to his dismay, to PetsMart to get groomed. For $60 a pop.
Well, we finally decided that we should invest in an expense trimmer and give it another shot. I was thinking that we’d buy the $180 one and give it a shot. If it didn’t work, we’d just return it; if it did work, then we will have saved quite a bit of cash over the course of just 8-12 month.
Mostly because I was tired of waiting for a store employee to arrive to open the locked case and give us one of the good clipper sets, we grabbed the most expensive unlocked one, which cost about $85, and brought it home. And who knew, it worked fine! Sipapu was actually a little excited to get trimmed, though his patience wears thin relatively quickly. So, we ended up doing it over the course of several phases over two days while we crafted our technique.
This is the result of the first attempt, which probably comprised about 1/4 of the hair removed.
Tags: dog grooming, saving money, sipapu
With our attention no longer focused on which bowl game we’ll be attending (um, none), we’re now in unusual territory in our quest to visit all of the National Park Service units: we can go wherever we please. Well, anywhere we can afford, at least. This year, that means anywhere within driving distance - and no place with snow.
With those limitations - and the caveat that we want to focus on units we haven’t been to yet - it’s really down to either the Bay Area, the California desert…or Texas. It’s all about strategy in choosing.
We’ve visited all but a few NPS units in the Bay Area (Eugene O’Neill, SF Maritime, Rosie the Riveter, and Port Chicago) but love the area and could easily bunk in with family and find other non-NPS sights to visit. We could also hit Mojave and the Santa Monica Mountains, two places that we’ve passed through, but haven’t really stopped in. However, we’re planning a roadtrip to a future ASU away game (maybe Stanford on Oct 24 next year) and we could easily find ourselves in the Emerald Bowl next year as well, so we can always do those units then.
Next on the list is the California desert. This trip would include stops at Mojave, Death Valley (we’ve been there, but didn’t get to see everything we wanted to), Manzanar (we drove past without stopping back in ‘99), and maybe a stop at Santa Monica Mountains and/or Lake Mead. Most of these places are places we could visit in conjunction with a Vegas Bowl trip, or technically a Rose, Holiday, or even Poinsetta Bowl trip for that matter. They’re also close enough to just hit on a short 3-4 day trip.
Finally, there’s Texas. This trip would focus on Big Bend and Fort Davis, plus any other stops we could work in. But we always figured that we’d tack Big Bend and Fort Davis onto a Sun Bowl trip. We’ve also been “saving” Guadalupe Mountains and Carlsbad Caverns for an additional Sun Bowl trip or a shorter 4-5 day trip. Of course, we’ve also planned on taking a long roadtrip to hit the rest of the South, mostly focused on the units around the Gulf Coast - so we’d probably be driving passed these Texas units on that trip.
So, what did we decide? We’re headed to Texas.
Yeah, I know, it’s Texas - a state we do our best to avoid. But here’s the rationale. We’re quickly running out of trips that we can drive to, and Texas is far enough away to make for a serious roadtrip while not making us feel bad about eliminating shorter long-weekend-type trips. And, let’s face it, it’d be great to get Texas out of the way and instead fly into New Orleans and start the Gulf Coast loop from there.
So here are the units we’re considering hitting:
- Big Bend National Park
- Fort Davis National Historic Site
- Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River
- Amistad National Recreation Area
- Palo Alto Battlefield National Historic Site
- Padre Island National Seashore
- San Antonio Missions National Historic Park
- The Alamo (not a NPS unit, but hard to pass by without stopping)
- Lyndon B Johnson National Historic Park
- Chamizal National Memorial
Other possible add-ons:
- Guadalupe Mountains National Park
- Big Thicket National Preserve
- Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument
- Fort Bowie National Historic Site (a unit on my 101 list)
- Austin - yes not a unit, but we need something to do on Jan 1 when NPS units are closed.
That trip would get most of Texas done in a little over a week, and if we were able to tack on Big Thicket and Guadalupe Mountains, then we would actually completely finish off the state. Of course, Guadalupe Mountains would get done whenever we do Carlsbad Caverns, and Big Thicket could easily be incorporated into the Gulf Coast loop, so we won’t be orphaning these units if we skip them this time around.
It’s not a particularly glamorous National Park roadtrip, with only Big Bend making on to my top 25 NPS units I still haven’t seen list. But it does get a bunch of stuff done - and hopefully for cheap, as we can camp at most of the units (or in adjacent state parks). And while Big Bend is definitely the main attraction, though I think it will be interesting to see The Alamo and some of the San Antonio Missions, and you never know when you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
We’re still planning the trip, but I’ll post the final trip plans whenever they come together.
Tags: Dec 2008 roadtrip, national park quest, roadtrip, vacation
Quick time lapse of watching the first half of the 2008 Territorial Cup game. ASU led 10-7 at halftime but fell apart in the second half.
Go Devils!
Tags: ASU Football, time lapse, Video
- This incredibly frustrating season is finally done. Thank goodness.
- Dennis Erickson has even more pressure on him to replace Offensive Coordinator Rich Olson.
- Recruiting starts tomorrow. The coaches need the time this year to land some of the players they’re seeking and their calendar was just cleared.
- The Vegas Bowl, while I would have enjoyed going and it’s a shame we’re not going, does not provide the same level of benefits as other bowls. First, you’re playing a tough BYU team that will probably score a ton of points on you (have fun UA!). Second, it’s so early in the bowl season–and the rivalry game so late–that you probably only get 6-8 additional practices scheduled, far below the 15 you’re allowed.
- Stoops’ job at Arizona is safe for another season, and might even get another contract extension (fingers crossed!).
And, finally, Kim and I can plan a better national park roadtrip this winter.
Tags: arizona wildcats, ASU Football, dennis erickson, las vegas bowl, mike stoops, Sun Devils
Leading up to this year’s Duel in the Desert, several friends asked Kim or I why we no longer attend the game when it’s held down in Tucson. I’ve been to several of those rivalry games, but we’ve skipped it the last 6 or 8 years.
Simple: it’s dangerous, and no longer fun.
I’ve been goaded into several fights, had food flung on me, had my car vandalized, had some pretty nasty things said about Kim, and generally not had a good time, even during our customary beatdown of the UA team. The last time the Devils played in Tucson, the crowd threw full water bottles at our bench, knocking out one of our medical staff. Nice.
The so-called “Zona Zoo” has gotten so bad that UA instituted a code of conduct policy and added spotters to keep an eye on the violence and vitriol. Way to represent the University.
During this year’s game, the Arizona football staff purposefully opens the gates to the field to the fans with more than 5 minutes left in the game. The crowd surges right up to the playing field, just feet from the players…with shouting, spitting, middle fingers, and some physical contact. If that was the UA bench, the team would have been penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct. Instead, it was constructed by Arizona Stadium staff.
It’s so bad that the Police make sure that Jody Jackson, the FSN sideline reporter, is ushered off the field before the end of the game because they are so concerned about her safety. A sideline reporter! Who has security around her, and who’s primary job is to get post-game interviews from players and coaches. It’s so dangerous that she has to flee before the game’s even over. If that doesn’t speaks volumes about the situation–fostered by the UA Athletics Department–then, I’m not what does.
It’s a real shame, but that’s why we don’t go. This is a situation that desperately needs to be fixed.
Tags: Arizona State, arizona wildcats, ASU Football, duel in the desert, Sun Devils, territorial cup, tucson
As many of you know, Kim and I are on a quest to visit all of the 391 units of the National Park Service. Well, we’ve established several routines when it comes to marking off each of these units, including taking a picture of us there, snapping a shot of our Forester in front of the entrance sign, and buying a pin to add to our collection.
Of course, our most treasured routine is stamping our national park passport book. We started doing this back in 1998 or so and have a fair number of stamps. I recently finished scanning and posting them online, and am still in the process of logging each trip. We’re big fans of the passport books (we’re on our 4th one) and even joined the National Park Travelers Club. If you have your own collection, please consider adding them to Flickr group.
Tags: national parks, park stamps, passport stamps
A great day for America, a great day for the world. Congrats Obama, it’s time for you to lead the way for change. Yes we can!
Recent Comments