6.24.92 Woke up early today, Sem's birthday, to catch the Voyager Cruise along the Mississippi River. We were excited to see the city from the riverbed. However, the trip got old real fast. The Bayou wasn't what I expected it to be, and since my buddy John Fogerty wasn't there to sing "Born on the Bayou" (even though he's from California), we got a little bored. We did get to see some Cajun villages and a couple of locks (not of the "pole" variety). Turned out to be a decent cruise, just long.
We were deserving of some time on Bourbon Street afterwards to celebrate the big boy's birthday. Things don't start kickin' on Bourbon at 5:00 PM however, so we were forced to spend $1 at a time back at Pat O'Briens. Finally, we broke out and bought Sem a "jet fuel" and a "hurricane" to get things rollin'. Spent most of the night at the Gold Mine and then back to the Annex, getting to know some girls from Chicago that we hoped to meet up with when the "No Worries Tour" made it's way North.
Finally at about 3:00 AM, tired of sharing our tent with mosquitos and humidity, we packed it all up and drove East towards Daytona Beach! Sem drove through Mississippi and Alabama without the comfort of any country CD's (Jase couldn't get to those under the luggage in the way back). Fortunately, there was some Pearl Jam available to keep him awake. Happy Birthday, Sem!
After 11 hours, we pulled into Camelia's hotel for $29/night in Daytona Beach. Grabbed a slice of pizza and walked on over to the beach where we crashed for a while. That night, enjoying the luxury of our first hotel room bed on this tour, watched a little 90210 so that we could get caught up with Brandon, Dylan and the crew.
Three week Report Card
Upon the eve of his 25th birthday, Sem felt the following: "This trip is phenomenal! It's hot, and I hate bugs. Tucson was how I pictured it - hot, scorpions, lizard, snakes...etc. But in Dallas, it was surprising to see a big city rather than cowboys and rodeos. Some of these ballparks don't feel any different than the Kingdome, or even Cheney Stadium in Tacoma. But it sure will be sweet to one day be able to say we've been to every one. Best game so far was Houston vs. the Giants. Candlestick was my favorite park. The Astrodome was a huge disappointment. My favorite city so far is New Orleans and San Diego."
Jase says, "It sucks having so much fun. But really, I'm having a great time. The is my first time being away from home for a long time (three weeks now) and it's kind of weird adjusting to that. But everything has either met or exceeded my expectations so far. My best game was in Oakland when we got sunburned. My favorite stadium was Jack Murphy, but Candlestick was a close 2nd since it has so much tradition. Anaheim was my biggest disappointment so far, even if we sat by the singing cowboy. My favorite city so far is San Diego and Dallas. I can't remember New Orleans..."
Jase says, "It sucks having so much fun. But really, I'm having a great time. The is my first time being away from home for a long time (three weeks now) and it's kind of weird adjusting to that. But everything has either met or exceeded my expectations so far. My best game was in Oakland when we got sunburned. My favorite stadium was Jack Murphy, but Candlestick was a close 2nd since it has so much tradition. Anaheim was my biggest disappointment so far, even if we sat by the singing cowboy. My favorite city so far is San Diego and Dallas. I can't remember New Orleans..."
New Orleans
We've driven 4,500 miles through 7 different states. We hopped on a free ferry ride that took us out of Galveston and headed us Northeast towards N'awlins. The scenery was very different than my expectations. I thought we'd see bayou's and marshes and the French Quarter right along the Mississippi River, but instead, it looks a lot like a city!
The Superdome is right off the freeway. We took I10 to 90 over the bridge and found a state campground in Westwego for $12/night (about 20 minutes from Bourbon Street)...
Upon reaching the center of the universe (Boubon and St. Peters), we noticed that most places were interested in selling us "Hurricanes" or "Jet Fuels". While we knew this fuel probably wouldn't increase the gas mileage in our Bravada, we guessed there must have been more to it than that. Attracted by the dollar bill wallpaper at the Absinthe House, we opted to try one of these drinks. It was pretty much downhill from there...We found Jase doing something we never knew he could do - dancing at Pat O'Brien's annex - by himself. Sure, the live band sounded pretty good, but I'm not sure I would have been the first to "bust a move" at this place. Sem couldn't keep the tears out of his eyes from laughing so hard.
I received a couple of nice compliments from some nice men that I later learned were a "little light in their loafers", so to speak. Anxious to slip into a coma for the night, we headed back to our home away from home at 3:00 AM.
I don't know how anyone can stand the humidity in these parts - it's unbearable! Our tent has to be at least 20 degrees warmer inside than outside! BRUTAL.
It's interesting how the states differ in these parts - a bit like Europe. Each has its own distinct characteristics. Arizona - deserts and cactus make up the scenery, no large bodys of water nearby. Golf is huge. Texas - Everything is bigger in Texas. This state is like its own country. People were very friendly. Yet the "good ol' boy" network is in full force. Dallas was clean, Galveston was different altogether. Louisiana - New Orleans is a real tourist town. People come from everywhere to see Bourbon Street. I didn't find any of the "mystique" of old traditions. You know, Mark Twain the the riverboats in the bayous...etc. Apparently, a lot of authors loved the Florida Keys, such as Ernest Hemingway. I always look forward to seeing these places through their eyes.
The Superdome is right off the freeway. We took I10 to 90 over the bridge and found a state campground in Westwego for $12/night (about 20 minutes from Bourbon Street)...
Upon reaching the center of the universe (Boubon and St. Peters), we noticed that most places were interested in selling us "Hurricanes" or "Jet Fuels". While we knew this fuel probably wouldn't increase the gas mileage in our Bravada, we guessed there must have been more to it than that. Attracted by the dollar bill wallpaper at the Absinthe House, we opted to try one of these drinks. It was pretty much downhill from there...We found Jase doing something we never knew he could do - dancing at Pat O'Brien's annex - by himself. Sure, the live band sounded pretty good, but I'm not sure I would have been the first to "bust a move" at this place. Sem couldn't keep the tears out of his eyes from laughing so hard.
I received a couple of nice compliments from some nice men that I later learned were a "little light in their loafers", so to speak. Anxious to slip into a coma for the night, we headed back to our home away from home at 3:00 AM.
I don't know how anyone can stand the humidity in these parts - it's unbearable! Our tent has to be at least 20 degrees warmer inside than outside! BRUTAL.
It's interesting how the states differ in these parts - a bit like Europe. Each has its own distinct characteristics. Arizona - deserts and cactus make up the scenery, no large bodys of water nearby. Golf is huge. Texas - Everything is bigger in Texas. This state is like its own country. People were very friendly. Yet the "good ol' boy" network is in full force. Dallas was clean, Galveston was different altogether. Louisiana - New Orleans is a real tourist town. People come from everywhere to see Bourbon Street. I didn't find any of the "mystique" of old traditions. You know, Mark Twain the the riverboats in the bayous...etc. Apparently, a lot of authors loved the Florida Keys, such as Ernest Hemingway. I always look forward to seeing these places through their eyes.
Incaviglia
Waking up to thundershowers is not really a fun thing when you've slept in a humid tent all night. But like all good things, our time at the Hi-Ho has come to an end. Our destination today is the Gulf of Mexico, Galveston to be more exact. We made sure to spend most of the 5 hour drive listening to the Jellyfish Bellybutton CD for about the 100th time...
For $10/night, we set up camp at the Bayou Haven RV park, right in the middle of a wide open field. Another huge bargain, but this time with a view.
June 21, 1992: (First day of Summer!) Father's Day game at the Astrodome at 1:35. Today, the Dodgers put Gross on the hill to face Henry of the 'Stros. One nice thing about this old dome was the cushioned seats. Houston gave us seats in the upper level behind home plate. The roof has non-see through windows to let daylight in. No vendors to be found in this place.
With no score in the seventh, the boredom was creeping in before Jase predicted that Inky was going to "launch one" at his next at bat. Again, he was right - a two run shot to left field. This completed a three game sweep of those low scoring Dodgers, 2-0.
We experienced more excitement on the ride home than we did during the whole game. Thunder bolts like we Northwesterners had never seen before were lighting up the sky. I looked hard for Noah's Ark, but because of all this rain, I really couldn't see much of anything out our car windows. We actually were thankful to retire to our Gulf view tentsite for the night...Hopefully the host of Fat Tuesday, our next destination, will be a little more exciting!
For $10/night, we set up camp at the Bayou Haven RV park, right in the middle of a wide open field. Another huge bargain, but this time with a view.
June 21, 1992: (First day of Summer!) Father's Day game at the Astrodome at 1:35. Today, the Dodgers put Gross on the hill to face Henry of the 'Stros. One nice thing about this old dome was the cushioned seats. Houston gave us seats in the upper level behind home plate. The roof has non-see through windows to let daylight in. No vendors to be found in this place.
With no score in the seventh, the boredom was creeping in before Jase predicted that Inky was going to "launch one" at his next at bat. Again, he was right - a two run shot to left field. This completed a three game sweep of those low scoring Dodgers, 2-0.
We experienced more excitement on the ride home than we did during the whole game. Thunder bolts like we Northwesterners had never seen before were lighting up the sky. I looked hard for Noah's Ark, but because of all this rain, I really couldn't see much of anything out our car windows. We actually were thankful to retire to our Gulf view tentsite for the night...Hopefully the host of Fat Tuesday, our next destination, will be a little more exciting!
JUAN GONE
Nothing like waking up in a tent that's dripping with humidity....It was slightly warm when we were shaved and showered by 8 AM the following morning. Our misssion was Dealy Plaza. We parked at the Reunion Arena, where the Mavericks play.
We walked thru Union Station to the South Floor of the infamous Book Depository. The audio tour was $6 and it covered everything from Kennedy's Campaign through most of the conspiracy theories. Since JFK's involvement with the Bay of Pigs failed, he held a grudge against the CIA. They were to train the local army's to help the Cubans overthrow Fidel Castro. It didn't work, much to JFK's embarrassment. So after the Cuban missile crisis, people thought JFK was soft on communism. So when he came to Texas, there were a lot of locals who wanted answers.
At 12:30 PM on 11/22/63, Mrs. Connally (the Governor's wife) said, "The people of Dallas sure love you". Coincidentally, Kennedy said "If anyone wanted to shoot the president, all they would need is a tall building and a telescopic rifle." So, was Lee Harvey all alone?
We talked with a theorist who was convinced that two out of the three shots Harvey fired missed. And the lethal shot was fired from the grassy knoll we've all seen in the Zapruder film.
We needed a break from conspiracy theories and drove to Texas Stadium in Irving where the Cowboys play, God's team. The open roof allows God to see his team play while keeping the fans free from the elements!
Now it was time to head to Arlington - the game only started in 3 hours!
6-17-92: Along with 32,000 other fans, we got to witness Bobby Witt (7-5) host the Red Sox Gardiner (3-6). At game time, it was 98 degrees outside. Sem was parched! Arlington Stadium reminded us a little bit of Oakland. It was very symmetrical - 330 ft. down each line. Instead of symbols along the OF wall for each of the teams within the division, they had flags, in no particular order. We're hoping the Juan Gonzalez goes deep for us tonight, so to speak.
Without Ruben Sierra or Julio Franco (like Straw and Davis in L.A.), we witnessed a game. In the bottom of the first we lived through a power failure. All the lights in town went out. This delayed the game for 20 minutes. In the bottom of the 5th, during a 1-1 game, Raffy hit a two run homer to right field to break the game open.
Unbelievably, there was no 7th inning stretch. As prophesized earlier, Gonzalez hit a solo shot in the 8th inning - his 17th of the season - JUAN GONE! to put the Rangers up 4-1. The temp at the end of the game was 89 degrees. At home, the M's won their 5th in a row, their longest streak of the season....Nice
We walked thru Union Station to the South Floor of the infamous Book Depository. The audio tour was $6 and it covered everything from Kennedy's Campaign through most of the conspiracy theories. Since JFK's involvement with the Bay of Pigs failed, he held a grudge against the CIA. They were to train the local army's to help the Cubans overthrow Fidel Castro. It didn't work, much to JFK's embarrassment. So after the Cuban missile crisis, people thought JFK was soft on communism. So when he came to Texas, there were a lot of locals who wanted answers.
At 12:30 PM on 11/22/63, Mrs. Connally (the Governor's wife) said, "The people of Dallas sure love you". Coincidentally, Kennedy said "If anyone wanted to shoot the president, all they would need is a tall building and a telescopic rifle." So, was Lee Harvey all alone?
We talked with a theorist who was convinced that two out of the three shots Harvey fired missed. And the lethal shot was fired from the grassy knoll we've all seen in the Zapruder film.
We needed a break from conspiracy theories and drove to Texas Stadium in Irving where the Cowboys play, God's team. The open roof allows God to see his team play while keeping the fans free from the elements!
Now it was time to head to Arlington - the game only started in 3 hours!
6-17-92: Along with 32,000 other fans, we got to witness Bobby Witt (7-5) host the Red Sox Gardiner (3-6). At game time, it was 98 degrees outside. Sem was parched! Arlington Stadium reminded us a little bit of Oakland. It was very symmetrical - 330 ft. down each line. Instead of symbols along the OF wall for each of the teams within the division, they had flags, in no particular order. We're hoping the Juan Gonzalez goes deep for us tonight, so to speak.
Without Ruben Sierra or Julio Franco (like Straw and Davis in L.A.), we witnessed a game. In the bottom of the first we lived through a power failure. All the lights in town went out. This delayed the game for 20 minutes. In the bottom of the 5th, during a 1-1 game, Raffy hit a two run homer to right field to break the game open.
Unbelievably, there was no 7th inning stretch. As prophesized earlier, Gonzalez hit a solo shot in the 8th inning - his 17th of the season - JUAN GONE! to put the Rangers up 4-1. The temp at the end of the game was 89 degrees. At home, the M's won their 5th in a row, their longest streak of the season....Nice
Hi-Ho
6.18.92 Life is a highway, and I'm gonna ride it all night long. At least until I get to the Big D, ....DALLAS, Not much of a city until the late 19th century, just a trading post. All we knew is that it looked sweet from HWY 20E - at least it was new territory for all three of us. Heading South towards our first campsite, we were a little apprehensive as to what we should expect. But the Hi Ho Campgrounds in Glenn Heights turned out to be sweet (before we learned this was a "DRY" town). What is this, the Duke's of Hazard? For $4/night each, we got a bargain. The lady at the front desk gave us a map and told us what to see - she used old postcards for an added visual effect.
Since we were headed downtown tomorrow, we wanted to check out the S.M.U area. It was awesome! Very classy, colonial buildings. We couldn't belive the Phi Delta Theta Housa looked like the model chapter for the whole organization! We drove through campus and saw some of the houses in the area, which were amazing!
The Green Elephant was calling and we were ready to answer. This was a 60's type establishment with psychadelic stuff all over. Chicken noodle soup and salad. One of my favs....This led us out to the Greenville Ave. and Grill. Live music and lots of chilling needed.
Back at the campsite, we needed to revisit our hearts card game - even Jase played. But being parched, we walked to the gas station in Glenn Heights only to find that they didn't sell adult beverages in them there parts. So back to the Hi Ho we go. Sem couldn't sleep too well so he ended up in the Bravada and Jase and I enjoyed a snore-less night without having to sling any shoes at the culprit!
Since we were headed downtown tomorrow, we wanted to check out the S.M.U area. It was awesome! Very classy, colonial buildings. We couldn't belive the Phi Delta Theta Housa looked like the model chapter for the whole organization! We drove through campus and saw some of the houses in the area, which were amazing!
The Green Elephant was calling and we were ready to answer. This was a 60's type establishment with psychadelic stuff all over. Chicken noodle soup and salad. One of my favs....This led us out to the Greenville Ave. and Grill. Live music and lots of chilling needed.
Back at the campsite, we needed to revisit our hearts card game - even Jase played. But being parched, we walked to the gas station in Glenn Heights only to find that they didn't sell adult beverages in them there parts. So back to the Hi Ho we go. Sem couldn't sleep too well so he ended up in the Bravada and Jase and I enjoyed a snore-less night without having to sling any shoes at the culprit!
T-Town
6.15.92 Having been an honorary member of the "T-Towne Crew", Tacoma, WA, I was curious to find out about a different T-Town, Tucson, AZ. Shanon made sure to get us to Blue J's for their 99cent breakfast this morning. Two eggs, potatoes and toast. What a bargain!
Then, we treked up to Sabino Canyon for a little rock climbing/cliff diving..which was fun. This is how I pictured the desert, lots of cacti, rocks, dry...etc. It required that we take a train up to the top before settling into a great spot for the afternoon. After soaking in our fair share of sun, we headed back to Shan's place for a little BBQ ribs.
We needed to do a little fine tuning of our upcoming route and decided to go to New Orleans after Houston and then to Florida (before the Marlins or Rays existed, keep in mind). We made sure that we had time to visit Daytona Beach before heading all the way down to the Keys.
We noted that by spending only 99cents on breakfast the past couple days, that our average cost/day was now at $28. At this point, we are 2 1/2 weeks into the trip and have driven 2,900 miles (spending $220 so far on gas!)
It was expected to take us 10 hours to get from Tucson to Odessa, Texas (population 90,000). Along the way, we crossed the Continental Divide and a time zone. The terrain was very flat and very bare. We were to meet another college friend there, Jeff, who would put us up for a couple nights. Odessa is the original Friday Night Lights town, and this was very apparent. Even the cab driver we passed was waving at everyone he saw along the road.
Jeff took his to his rec league softball game once we arrived. Unlike any rec league game I've ever been to, this one attracted about 500 fans. Must not be much else to do in town. Everyone we talked with was very polite and very interested in our journey. Very hospitable people so far in Texas! By the way, Juan Gonzalez hit another homerun for the Rangers tonight.
Then, we treked up to Sabino Canyon for a little rock climbing/cliff diving..which was fun. This is how I pictured the desert, lots of cacti, rocks, dry...etc. It required that we take a train up to the top before settling into a great spot for the afternoon. After soaking in our fair share of sun, we headed back to Shan's place for a little BBQ ribs.
We needed to do a little fine tuning of our upcoming route and decided to go to New Orleans after Houston and then to Florida (before the Marlins or Rays existed, keep in mind). We made sure that we had time to visit Daytona Beach before heading all the way down to the Keys.
We noted that by spending only 99cents on breakfast the past couple days, that our average cost/day was now at $28. At this point, we are 2 1/2 weeks into the trip and have driven 2,900 miles (spending $220 so far on gas!)
It was expected to take us 10 hours to get from Tucson to Odessa, Texas (population 90,000). Along the way, we crossed the Continental Divide and a time zone. The terrain was very flat and very bare. We were to meet another college friend there, Jeff, who would put us up for a couple nights. Odessa is the original Friday Night Lights town, and this was very apparent. Even the cab driver we passed was waving at everyone he saw along the road.
Jeff took his to his rec league softball game once we arrived. Unlike any rec league game I've ever been to, this one attracted about 500 fans. Must not be much else to do in town. Everyone we talked with was very polite and very interested in our journey. Very hospitable people so far in Texas! By the way, Juan Gonzalez hit another homerun for the Rangers tonight.
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