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Shower Encounters

26/06/2015 | Comments: 0 | Posted by: modgeos | In: Adventure, Car Living

Yes. Many of you guessed it: showering has proven to be a challenge. Here’s our motto: day one: hair down, day two: hair up, day three: hat. The following are true tales of how we’ve managed to stay clean on the road.

First: there are have been a number of loving friends who have let us stay with them as we’ve driven through their cities. This is the most convenient to obtain a shower. Perhaps also, the most preferred. It’s especially nice because often they have clean, fluffy towels for us, rather than our handy, but sometimes less cozy, microfiber ones.

We knew that once we left Arizona, we were truly in uncharted territory. Everyday is a question of where we’ll go, what we’ll see, where we’ll sleep, when we’ll shower, and where.

We figured we could use gyms or truck stops. Both are quite expensive. The first needing a down payment and 12 month commitment, the latter is about $13/shower. It’s about that easy. We use wet wipes everyday for faces and other important places.

Here’s our first encounter..

We were in New Mexico. We had just visited White Sands National Park. We were on day 4, and looking a little rough. We had our shorts, Chaco sandals, hats, and tee shirts. At this point we were discouraged when we tried a truck stop, and learned the expensive shower price. We stopped at a nearby gym and asked about their rates. We looked way bizarre with our pre-packed backpack full of clean clothes and shampoo. We decided not to get an annual pass, but were given a week free to test out the facility.

Me, trying not to seem like we had a sure end in mind, skirted around the issue, C, on the other hand, said, “Okay, great. Well, thank you. We just went to White Sands and are going to use your shower.” I was mortified. C went to the single shower, and I sat down at the various machines and started pathetically working out while I waited for my turn.

Other times we’ve gone to the beach and quickly washed our hair in the rinse spigots by the shore. Once we got a hotel (luxury!) in Orlando and another time we found a truck stop for only $2.50/shower. Now that it’s warmer, going to community pools for a swim in the early afternoon and showering there has proven to be a fun way to play and get clean for cheap.

No matter where we get to scrub off, it’s always oh, so wonderful to be clean.

Gator Growl

26/06/2015 | Comments: 0 | Posted by: modgeos | In: Adventure, Creatures

Few things in is world are more terrifying than a giant animals that could eat you. For me (Em), this nightmare of encountering one these creatures became a reality for us. We were leaving the state of Georgia, headed to South Carolina. On our way we stopped at the Savannah Nature Refuge. As one drove around the four mile loop, it was exciting to think that in the lush trees or tall grasses you may see a bird, or in the marshland an alligator may be swimming slowly by.

Along the driving trail were designated places one could get out and walk on a trail. We started the loop, and already counted four gators in the swamps and a handful of birds. C pulled the car over and suggested we take a short walk on a path to a photo blind (a small wood cabin with shutters for folks to snap some shots).

Knowing how close we still were to wild gators, I hesitated. Dismissing this as unnecessary worry, I followed C into the trees. The was lined with tall tres on either side; the path was just wide enough for two people side-by-side. The path curved to the left and ten yards away we saw the cabin on the right hand side.

We were chatting to each other when we heard near us, low and to the right, in he brush a deep and throaty growl. My heart froze. I looked at C with question in my eyes, when to my horror, the sound came again. We both knew the gator was there and we ran for the photo blind. I slammed the squeaky wooden door closed behind me, holding it fast to the jam, thinking any moment a gator would be pummeling his snout into haven. Click here to hear the sound of doom we experienced. If you want, close your eyes and imagine yourself of the wooded, isolated path..

C managed to get a lingering wasp out, slid the wooden shutters closed, and we waited. Breathing quietly, I read the notice on the back of the door. The instructions were to stay quiet and not attract wildlife to the blind. But what if wildlife was already there? There was an emergency contact at the bottom.

While I frantically Googled how to escape an alligator confrontation, I learned that in May and June gators are mating and more territorial. C slid a blind open.. There came another deep growl. Gah! Too much. We said a prayer, and I called the emergency line. If we were going to get gobbled by a gator I wanted someone to know where to look.

“Savannah refuge, how can I help you?”

Me, whispering, “Hi. My name is Em. A friend and I are at the photo blind.. Yes. And there seems to be a gator just outside. He’s growled three times. How do we get back to our car.”

Basically, the advice was not to provoke him. Sheesh. Summoning my courage, I followed a confident out the door and down the path. No sight nor sound of the beast, but I was done gator watching the rest of the day.

Food for Everyone – UT – TX

26/05/2015 | Comments: 0 | Posted by: modgeos | In: Uncategorized

Part of the fun has definitely been finding delicious places to eat. Here are a few places we’ve tasted.

Gifford Historic Store at Capitol Reef National Park: we got a DELICIOUS cinnamon roll here. It was filled with pockets of dark, rich cinnamon and topped with creamy icing. It was so good. Probably a good idea to share this gem with a friend cause it is really sugar-filled.

Also, we got to sample some salsas that they sell here. E was especially enticed by their “Five Amigos Fire Roasted Pepper Salsa” and wishes she had six bottles full instead of just savoring the memory at the park.

Taqueria Mexicano in Albuquerque, NM. Some of the best fish tacos ever. This place was especially fantastic because by divine providence we met a woman who will be the pharmacy resident supervisor of a dear friend who will be moving to NM in June. She was so so kind and recommended we get said fish tacos. She bought our meal, encouraging us to get two tacos, one for each, and their homemade lemonade instead of waters. She was a saint. The food was killer and we definitely want to get back there again in the future.

Tim’s Place in Albuquerque, NM. They advertise that they serve, “breakfast, lunch, and hugs.” Tim has Down Syndrome and owns the restaurant. It’s always been his dream to do so. Tim was AWESOME. We indeed got our hugs when we arrive. He showed us his metals for Special Olympics and came by our table to let us watch his stick figure movie he’s making. The place was charming and it really was the most friendly eating joint. Their fries and green chili were scrumptious.

Teka Molino in San Antonio, TX. Their specialty was this guacamole cup. It was really good. The cup was made of a folded, thick tortilla. This place didn’t match up to Taqueria in Albuquerque, but we were glad to try their signature puffy tacos.

Hopdoddy Burgers in Austin, TX. A new favorite. So so tasty. We loved the hipster feel. Everything there was local and totally worth a visit if you’re in town. We got their original with brie cheese and their mushroom burger with goat cheese and pesto. Their ginger lemonade was zesty and we enjoyed their tasty fries.

Rudy’s BBQ in Austin, TX. This place was awesome and really encapsulated the true meaning of BBQ. Their plates are wax paper and the place smelled of delicious smoked meats. We got potato salad, creamed corn, potatoes, and colslaw to consumer with our brisket and smoked turkey. This turkey was to die for. It literally melted in one’s mouth. They provide good ol’ white bread with your meal.

Kerbey Lane in Austin, TX. Right off campus this diner is open 24/7 and sell breakfast all day. Really the best idea of the ideas. Their lemon poppyseed french toast was tasty and mostly tasted like cake. Gingerbread pancakes and yummy, crisp bacon made the meal. Our friend got the crispy chicken benedict and said, “I had a relationship with the food. It combined my one and only favorite breakfast food with fried chicken, which was the quintessential Texas food experience for me. Throw a piece of fried chicken on it and call it a day.”

Tacodeli in Austin, TX. Breakfast tacos. Avacado. Beans. Bacon. Eggs. How can you go wrong?

Harry Potter – what we’ve been waiting for :]

26/05/2015 | Comments: 0 | Posted by: modgeos | In: Adventure, Uncategorized

Words can’t describe the magic of this place. However, here’s five one-worders to try: Glorious. Enchanting. Detailed. Wonderful. Impressive. The three of us that went to the park were so so excited and nervous that it wouldn’t meet up to our fantastical expectations. Lucky for us, we were so not ready for the magic that awaited us.

We spent two and a half days in Harry’s world and truly it was not long enough for a fan. I expressed at the close of day two that I would be happy there always. “If someone ever asks me where I’d like to be right then or what my favorite place on earth is I will say here at Potter World.” Ha. It sounds dramatic, but it’s true. The way they captured the essence of the books and movies is amazing.

I loved walking through the London train station called Kings Cross station heading towards Hogsmead via Platform 9 and three-quarters. Watching friends and strangers go first was especially cool as they vanished out of sight as they marched through the brick wall towards the Hogswarts station.

It was funny, the first time we went from Hogsmead to Diagon Alley, we stepped off the train to the horrifying reality of the non-wizarding world. They made the platform very commercial and London-esque. We had to make our way out of the station and find the brick wall opening to the fantasticly decorated, and spot-on wizarding shops down Diagon Alley.

We went to Fred and George Weasley’s joke shop in Diagon Alley, escaped through Gringott’s, ate at both The Three Broomsticks and The Leaky Cauldron, took a stroll down the cool and dank Kncokturn Alley (this was actually incredibly refreshing and at one point we took off our shoes and strolled the dark underbelly), and explored the intricate halls of Hogwarts.

The food was fun, but especially getting a frozen, slushy butterbeer and gulping down the tasty pumpkin juice described in the books was delightful. We had different British dishes (ie: bangers and mash, fish and chips, and cottage pie) for dinner. The park (like most any you visit) was pricy. We chose to pack lunches and ate breakfast beforehand. If you’re pinching pennies, try this tactic. I recommend getting a butterbeer to share with your friends though. Harry would want you to after all.

The workers were courtious and did their job well. They had various outfits/costumes depending on their job. Some of workers went above and beyond the call of duty, making the time magical. One kind, young witch in Honeydukes (a candy shop at Hogsmead). She was enthusiastic and helped us get a Dumbledore card (rather, she transfigured our original Salazar Slytherin one) from the chocolate frog treat we purchased. She was really into her part and made sure we had a memorable time.

The other stellar character was one of Olivander’s wand keepers. He was walking past us in the wand shop, headed upstairs for a break. We stopped him before he ducked away and chatted. He not only took a picture with us, but took time to tell us what the cores of each of our wands were. (C: phoenix feather, mine and our hop-on: unicorn hair.)

One of our three wands was interactive. It could be used throughout the wizarding world. We had fun going to statues and window displays to wave the wand and see magic unfold before our eyes. Granted, we knew to look for the motion sensor to connect with the tip of the wand, but this didn’t make casting the spells any easier. C, we learned, however, is a real witch. She often got it on her first try. K and I were flabbergasted and tried to stay patient in our many attempts.

All in all, this place is for anyone with a great imagination. Any Harry Potter fan will be in Heaven, and even a person who can appreciate art and attention to detail will be amazed.

That first weekend.. Figuring things out.

26/05/2015 | Comments: 0 | Posted by: modgeos | In: Adventure, Car Living, Plans & Prep

Star Command (our casa in Utah) >> Capitol Reef, UT >> Bryce Canyon, UT >> Henrieville, UT >> Zion National Park, UT >> Kanab, UT, Grand Canyon, AZ >> Flagstaff, AZ

Since we’ve hit the road we’ve slept in the car twice, stayed with friends/family twice, have eaten dried and rehydrated refried beans, creamy pasta, peanut butter & honey, summer sausage and crackers, water, sour gummy worms, apples, bananas, and pistachios. (Not a bad gig.)

We are enjoying being on this trek, and surprised it’s really (finally) happening. We spent months specifically planning this trip, and who knows how many years we individually looked forward to such a journey.

The weather has been cool and rainy in spots. We love our prescription sunglasses to combat the brilliant sun.

One thing we needed to do was find a place for each item we have in our car-home. This shouldn’t be too much of an obstacle, though. We had a few extra items with us to take to C’s family’s home. In fact, we even had an extra memory foam to sleep on. We were provided a specially-made, fabulous little mattress from Intellibed. It is a dream. Having both stacked on top of each other is a bit of a joke though.

Honestly, when we took off, we felt good about the amount of food, clothes, camera gear, toiletries, and medicine that we had packed. We did a nice job planning ahead and down-sizing appropriately.

Danger: One-Way Street

25/05/2015 | Comments: 0 | Posted by: modgeos | In: Car Living

It seems obvious, but we spend a lot of time driving. Up mountains and through canyons. Along highways, byways, back roads, and more. We have enjoyed observing different drivers in the states we go through.

The freeway on ramps in the south (specifically Texas and Lousiana) were shocking and confusing. One had to first enter a frontage road, then cross over and merge with the speeding cars. The worst part was making a right hand turn.. because after you turn right you’ve got to blaze across four lanes of traffic in about 200 yards to get into the far left lane so you can make the on-ramp for the freeway. Luckily, local drivers seem to know their system is a little nuts and haven’t honked or been frustrated.

At one point in Georgia we were in search for a place to hunker down for the night. I made a right turn down an empty four lane road. I was surprised we got through two or three intersection-esque streets without traffic lights. Only gray, metal fixtures hung above us. I looked down and saw only white dashed lines. “Am I going the wrong way?? Oh no, this is a one-way streets!” People in cars had passed us at that point. I threw the car into a speedy u-turn and blushed in embarrassment.

Our hop on at that brought up this experience several times. I laughed when, after being a passenger for most of the trip, she drove, and immediately made the same mistake..

Despite our personal traffic blunders, driving has been good and as a general statement, other drivers have been courteous. However, Atlanta and Orlando people in other cars seem less willing to share the road and often don’t use their turn signals.

The First Weekend

13/05/2015 | Comments: 0 | Posted by: modgeos | In: Adventure, Car Living, Food

The points we’ve hit from 5/1 – 5/5 are Star Command (our casa in Utah) >> Capitol Reef, UT >> Bryce Canyon, UT >> Henrieville, UT >> Zion National Park, UT >> Kanab, UT, Grand Canyon, AZ >> Flagstaff, AZ

Since we’ve hit the road we’ve slept in the car twice, stayed with friends/family twice, eaten dried and rehydrated refried beans, creamy pasta, peanut butter & honey, summer sausage and crackers, water, sour gummy worms, apples, bananas, and pistachios. (Not a bad gig.)

The weather has been cool and rainy in spots. We love our perscription sunglasses to combat the brilliant sun.

The roof top carrier had trouble locking securely, but once we had a second opinion, we figured it was just more stuff than the front portion could handle. We pulled some things out from the top and kept it in the main portion of the car and all seems to be well.

A major thing we look forward to doing is finding a place for each item we have in our car-home. We brought a few extra items with us to take to C’s family’s home. Once that stuff is out and put away it should be a breeze putting things in a proper place.

When we took off, we felt good about the amount of food, clothes, camera gear, toiletries, and medicine that we had packed. We did a nice job planning ahead and down-sizing appropriately.

C has been doing some work for a hospital-grade mattress company. They were so generous to provide a specially-made, Intellibed mattress for us. It is a dream. Prior to this we had planned to sleep on a king-size memory foam folded in half. We have both with us so we can leave the old one at C’s place. Having both stacked on top of each other to sleep on is a bit of a joke. We have a lot less wiggle room and the ceiling of the car is closer than before.

We feel like the real adventure will begin once we leave Flagstaff. Though we’ve been getting used to car-life for the last couple days, the general areas we’ve gone through have been familiar. Once we head toward New Mexico all bets are off and we’ll really be off into the unknown.

The Plan

01/04/2015 | Comments: 0 | Posted by: modgeos | In: Adventure, Car Living, Food, Plans & Prep

When we talk with people about the trip, often their first question is, “Wow, where are going to go?” Followed quickly by, “Are you going to hit all fifty states?” We’d love to share with you the sketch-of-a-plan we have for your reading pleasure.

First: We are going to travel in a counterclockwise loop from Arizona > New Mexico > Texas > Louisiana, and on from there. Our trip will then take us north along the eastern states to Prince Edward Island in Canada, back across the US (following the perimeter) from Wisconsin > Washington > California, and home. This will take us roughly 15 weeks.

Second: As you may have interpreted from the above explanation, no, we will not be hitting all fifty states. A) because Hawaii and Alaska are pretty tough to tackle, and B) we are focusing on the diverse continental US loop, hitting as many unique and wonderful places as we can with the time that we have.

We have friends that have asked to come along for pieces of the journey. We’re calling these friends “hop ons.” We’re stoked to shares portions of our trip with them. We also have friends (sometimes friends of friends) who have graciously left open invitations for us to stop by their homes as we pass through their city for a nice place to sleep and/or a yummy meal or two. We cannot express how grateful we are for the sincere kindnesses that have already been shown to us.

30 Days To Go

01/04/2015 | Comments: 0 | Posted by: modgeos | In: Adventure, Car Living, Plans & Prep

People like looking forward to things. It breaks up the monotony of the daily grind, and gives one something to daydream about and prepare for. Part of the looking-forward-to-things game is the counting-down-to-that-thing. Whether it’s paper chains, calendars, or online app countdowns that you use, one way or another, that special thing will arrive. Believe us, we know when you say it feel like it will never get here.

It seems most of the time when there’s a grand thing ahead, feelings of anxious anticipation or sheer excitement aren’t far behind. Whichever emotion you tend to feel, there’s one thing that’s certain: change is in the air. But that doesn’t mean doom is in the air. Change is necessary and helps us become better than we were before.

For C and I, today marks 30 days until we hit the open road. Whether we are ready or not, our grand, awesome, super, soul-searching trip of our lives is only 30 days away. The Summer of 2015 is looming, and we can’t wait.

We’re probably 70% ready. We need sleeping sheets (made out of bed sheets so we don’t melt and die in our cozy, warm sleeping bags), car curtains for nighttime, storage bins, and food. Everyday we think about the trip. Everyday we check off mental to-do lists, and everyday we try to reassure ourselves that everything will be okay. But do you know? It really will be. We’ve decided to take a chance. We are confident that as we look ahead with excitement and faith, no matter what happens out there, we will be okay.

What’s ahead for you? What are you looking to? Tell us what countdown you have going these days.

Jan 14 2015

Modern Geographers

14/01/2015 | Comments: 0 | Posted by: modgeos | In: Adventure, Plans & Prep

Anyone can choose to take the road less traveled. For us, it seemed unavoidable. We both grew up with an inner pull to travel and a desire to change the world. We’ve chosen to leave our normal lives this summer and document the US (including parts of Canada and Mexcio). Our backgrounds in design and video have helped us with our plans to document and explore.

Feel free to come along for the journey! We’d love for you to follow our blog, watch our videos, and share our experiences with your friends. Get involved by telling us where to stop or what to see, eat, and discover..

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