Highway 50, Zion, Grand Canyon (North), and Bryce

It started with Highway 50, the loneliest highway. Super cool. We stayed one night in the middle at a pullout and it was so quiet, you almost couldn't hold still enough to hear it. Almost nobody went by except maybe a trucker in the middle of the night. After checking out a couple of the ghost towns on the way, we made it to Zion and camped out for the night before doing a great hike the next day to Kolob Arch, the largest arch. After visiting Kolob Canyon we headed down to the south end of Zion to the main canyon there and did the Angel's Landing walk/hike/climb. What a view! At one point, the path narrows to only 34" with an 800' and 1200' foot drop on either side of you, so a chain is there to assist for most of the way. Then, to Grand Canyon North Rim, which was very peaceful and with limited crowds (unlike the South Rim). We did another great hike there halfway down the canyon to a waterfall and then back up. On the last day, we actually got to see Robin's brother Erik and his girlfriend Heather for a day. They are also on a road trip together and met us there for the day. After Grand Canyon, our most recent stop was Bryce Canyon, were we did a little walk through the Hoodoos and took some photos. Now, I think we're on our way up to Salt Lake City. I think we're missing a little city life so we may catch a drink and some music for a night before heading back west. We'll see! Hope you are well. --Robin & Josh

California

In the last three weeks, we have visited a ton of family in Southern and Northern California. We also went to the second of two summer weddings, and did a little sailing, sight seeing, cooking, camper fixing, biking, and much eating and coffee drinking. Now, it's time to hit the road and see some country. Today we will be eastbound, ultimately headed toward Utah. We may not be plugged back in for a few weeks, so we'll report back then! In the meantime, we hope you are having a good summer.

Best,

Robin & Josh

Lots to report: A South tour, Deepwater overflight, Robin's orders end, Louisiana alligators, flight to California, a wedding. Next???

Hi friends and family! Robin here, writing from a Starbucks in Anaheim, California. Lots to report in the last few days. I've posted a ton of photos on our Picasa site (click on the link above or to the right) and that will explain more than I can write here. A quick update--In the last couple of weeks, Josh toured several states in the south and came to meet me in New Orleans, where I was wrapping up my time at the Unified Area Command in the Critical Resources Unit (moving Coast Guard bodies around). Much happened in the last few days there.

- My good friend Rob Lanier (CG Public Affairs Chief), reported to the UAC to serve as the Joint Information Center Chief; I was super excited to see him after several years.

- I was able to catch a ride on a Coast Guard plane out to the Deepwater Horizon explosion site, pretty amazing.
- Josh and I visited brother Erik and Heather on Dauphin Island, Alabama, where Erik was finishing his Coast Guard orders.
- Josh and I took a swamp tour in a Louisiana bayou and saw plenty of alligators.
- Lastly, Josh and I packed up all my gear and headed out of NOLA.

I had made some good friends there at the UAC and was sad to say bye to them. And the switch back to civilian mode, even after only 60 days on orders, is sometimes a funny brain switch. It's like changing toothpastes, swapping meals with someone during dinner, or putting on a pair of shoes you haven't worn in a while. The tempo is just different. It can take a few days to catch up with the rest of what's been going on and get in the groove again. The days at the UAC were longer--12 hours at least. And I realize that I haven't been good at keeping in touch while I've been checked out, or in. All in all, the deployment was a very good experience and I'm grateful that I had the opportunity. I'm looking forward to the next summer adventure!

So...after leaving NOLA, Josh and I flew west to Anaheim, where we are now staying with Josh's super cool grandma Maria for a few days. The first day here in Anaheim we went to the wedding of Amanda and Danny Arriaga (Josh's cousin) where we also saw a TON of Josh's relatives. I hadn't seen many of them since Josh's dad's (are you getting confused with all the 's?) wedding five years ago, so it was very cool to catch up with them.

Everyone keeps asking us what we are doing next. So, what ARE we doing next? I'm not sure is the answer! We know at least that we are going to another wedding on August 7th in Sausalito, California, and we are getting there via Dolphin. Before that, we have a couple mechanical checks on the Dolphin and some more Josh family time here in Anaheim (and I am enjoying the down time!). After that--it's sure to be either south, east, or north, and either driving, biking, backpacking, or swimming. Clear as mud!? That's the fun part. Check out the photos for lots more!

Signing out--Robin.

I'm going to Graceland...

After getting to visit for a bit with Robin in New Orleans, I took an amtrak up through Mississippi and in to Memphis. Made the trip to Graceland and the Lorraine Motel, and spent a good amount of time taking in the sites and sounds of Beale Street. Met a nice family at BB King's club on Beale, and played dice and ate fried pickles. Memphis is a place alive with blues music, great BBQ and fun night life.

The bus ride over to Nashville from Memphis was about 4 hours and took me through some very scenic rolling hills and forests. I had heard of a cool hostel in Nashville called the Music City Hostel that had dozens of beds and a fun environment. While staying at this hostel, I was happy to find musical instruments on the walls and a number of people who were willing to jam on them. Spent most of my time in Nashville out on the lawn playing guitar or walking around 2nd and Broadway in the heart of the city.

To get back to NOLA, I decided to take a greyhound from Nashville to Jackson, and then pick up the southbound City of New Orleans train out of Jackson. The bus I took was late leaving and had a broken AC unit, so the trip was very hot during the day. Overall, the ride took about 10 hours and I barely got any rest; arrived in Jackson, MS at 2:30 in the morning and decided to walk around a bit. I quickly found out that the cops were looking for somebody on the streets and I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Got stopped by three different cops, and they questioned me about what I was doing with a black duffel bag in downtown Jackson. Decided to wait until dawn in the train station instead...

Took a better look at Jackson in the day, and got on my train in the afternoon. Before too long, I was crossing through marshland again en route to New Orleans...

Summertime...

...and the livin' is easy.

After facing a potential 120 degree day in the desert and dangerous crossing on the bike, I thought it best to amend the trip and make it a train/road/hostel adventure. Stepdad Scott joined me in California and we headed out on a fun road trip through the hellish heat waves of Arizona and California. While in Phoenix, we met up with a fellow backpacking pal before heading out on the road again. Despite dodging Texas Editions, battling banditos on the Juarez border and wolfing down truck stop food, we made to Austin safely, where we then thoroughly enjoyed a plate of Ironworks BBQ.

The following day, I made it over to Antone's Blues Club in Austin where Storyville, an Austin blues rock band featuring Tommy Shannon and Chris Layton (Stevie Ray Vaughan's band), was playing. The show was great, and I even met Tommy Shannon after the show. For the 4th, I watched the fireworks over town lake in Austin, and took in some local color walking fifth and sixth streets after the festivities. Austin is a great town with a lot of fun people, good food and great music. It was fun to be there, but I looked forward to heading out on the train and moving towards the swamps and marshes of cajun country. There, my next adventures awaited...