NAVY DAY!

Saturday, October 11th was Navy Day in the District. I had a few hours in the morning so I hopped on the red line to the Archives/Navy Memorial exit. This was the first time I had used this stop and I was surprised to see that the escaltor puts you at the foot of the Navy Memorial. There was a young uniformed officer standing at the top of the escalator, handing out pamphlets for the event. The Navy Memorial is round and set up like a stage. around the farthest circle is a fountain. The next is a mural cut into the stone wall depicting the naval adventures of our men dating back to before the Revolution.

Around the memorial they had set up humvees and other naval vehicles. Inside were tables with activities for kids. There were also booths set up by the navy with different kinds of equipment on display. There was a booth set up by the Seals with assorted weapons. I stopped by the diving table and spoke to a couple naval officers about what it takes to be a navy diver and the types of training they endure. After listening to Marcus Litrell's Lone Survior on the way to DC, I developed an interest in the Navy and the missions they endure.

This was officially my first event in the District and I can't to see what is to come!

Tips for Road Trips

I can honestly say that this trip was the best thing I have ever done. Not only did I have the opportunity to spend a top of quality time with my dad, I discovered the beauty of my country. It gave me a new perspective of places I never would have dreamed of visiting and ignited a desire to see the states we could not fit in this trip. I have compiled a list of things to consider when planning a road trip to help encourage others to do the uncommon.

1. Be your own Travel Agent: Pick a route and invest in some maps or a good computer program that will help you plan out and execute a successful trip. Visit the tourism sites of the areas you will be visiting to get ideas.
2. Know that you are going to miss some things: Some people don't like planning road trips and I know I am a bit of an "over-planner". But if you decide to do some research and figure out what site you want to see, recognize that that day when you hit two time zones you might have to skip a few things.
3. Invest in a good GPS: My one caveat to this is that you will always know where you are, you just won't know how you got there. That being said, it really saved us in Tennessee and Virginia where the roads can be terribly confusing and aren't always labeled.
4. Be a penny pincher: Ship around for good hotel rates and research what restaurants are going to be nearby your route/hotel. Knowing these things ahead of time can help you save your money and your waist. A road trip is not about spending money, its about exploring. A lot of the best things we saw on our trip were free or very cheap.
5. Leave your prejudices at home: Or at least try to. Yes Texas and Arkansas and Oklahoma evoke all sorts of "exciting" images, but try to have an open mind. I was constantly surprised. Some of the most beautiful parts of our country is designated as "flyover".
6. Go with someone you know you aren't going to fight with: I know this can be difficult to plan ahead, but I knew from the moment this idea came to me that I could do this with no one but my dad. He and I are alike enough that we share the same interests and easy going enough that neither of us stressed out a moment of the trip. Even though I had done a lot of the planning, when we had to cut things out I was okay just going with it and he was okay letting me be the travel guide. It would not have been the same if I went with anyone else.
7. Have fun! Sees the most obvious, but just remember to focus on why you are on this trip. Whether it is exploration, reconnecting with a loved one or learning about something new, don't forget why you are there!

Road Trip Days 5 & 6

As we come to then end of this adventure, I feel like I can finally come to terms with this major change in my life. Dad and I crossed through Tennessee and into Virginia on Day 5, then finished our trek on Day 6 from Lynchberg to Washington DC.

It is amazing how beautiful Tennessee is. I visited here once when I was about 5 for a wedding and only remember a trampoline and fireflies. Coincidentally, the couple whose wedding I attended (and was the flower girl) back then is the same couple we will be staying with in Lynchberg VA. While on the road to Thompson Station, TN we took a wrong turn off the exit following the one we missed and ended up on some amazing back road with beautiful forests and large houses. By the time the GPS finally got us to our friend's house, we had no idea how we had navigated the curvy roads. All we knew was that Tennessee was, by far, the most beautiful state we had seen thus far.

After a great night reuniting with our friends in Thompson Station, we left on what we anticipated to be the longest day of the trip. In reality, the GPS took us on a route that bypassed both Carolinas and took us straight through Tennessee and into Virginia. We managed to get to Lynchberg at a reasonable hour and spent another night reminiscing with friends and enjoying a home cooked meal.

The next morning our hosts took us to the Lynchberg Cemetery. As weird as it sounds, this was one of the coolest stops we made during the whole trip. The cemetery dates back to the Pre-Civil War era and was the final resting place for many Confederate soldiers who died from small pox during the war. The cemetery built a road through it, shaped like a "U", that visitors drive through. There are various places that you can stop and park your vehicle to explore. These include "The Pest House", the chapel, and the train station. Definitely worth checking out if you find yourself in Lynchberg.

Next: Home

Road Trip Day 4

Today we traveled from Little Rock, AR to Nashville, TN. Since this was the shortest day so far, we left a bit earlier this morning and took more time on the two stops we made in Memphis.

The first detour from our route was the Beale Street in Memphis Tennessee. For anyone unfamiliar with Beale Street, it was the birthplace of blues and rock and roll. Famous recording studios that produced hits from Jerry Lewis, Elvis Presley, Issac Hayes and BB King all originated on Beale St. Today it retains a lot of the same charm it had 60 years ago. Cafes, restaurants and bars line the street and it looks like a neighborhood you would see in the French Quarter of New Orleans.

Just off Beale Street is the Memphis Rock and Soul Museum. Definetly a must see if you are in Memphis. It is a part of the Smithsonian and as you work your way through the exhibit you see the evolution of blues and rock and roll. They also spend a lot of time tracing the gains made racially within the industry generally and Memphis specifically. Lots of history and cool artifacts to take a look at.

Last was, of course, Graceland. How could I go to Tennessee without visiting Graceland? It was wonderful. A little pricey to get in but definetly worth spending a little money. As he died seven years before I was born, it helped expose me to a much richer history of the "King".

Tomorrow is our longest day. We will be living Nashville and driving 700+ miles to Lynchberg Virginia. After that we are just a few hours away from our final destination!

- LGM

Road Trip Day 3

Today did not seem as long as yesterday, although we did cover almost the exact same amount of miles. We finished up in Texas, crossed all the way through Oklahoma and ended in Little Rock, Arkansas.

One of the most remarkable things about this trip is how distinct every state I've been to is. It occurs almost instantly upon crossing the border as well. I'm dissapointed I didn't get to see as much Texas as I wanted to, but I have absolutely loved every state I've been to so far. It has helped enhance my love of this country. It is easy, when you live in somewhere like California, to dismiss the "flyover country" as boring or at a slower pace as the "rest" of the country. Or rather, just the coasts. The richness of the culture, diversity and land has been really surprising.

Best surprise of the day was our visit to the Oklahoma City National Memorial. When planning this trip, I didn't realize we passed through Oklahoma until I looked at the map. Since we are visiting so many states, I decided that it is important for us to stop somewhere in Oklahoma. The first and really only thing that came to mind is to visit the site of the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. Luckily it was right off of I-40, the main interstate we have used to cross the country. As I was still in grade school when the bombing occured, it amazed me how much I remembered about the bombing itself. That may be partly due the the trial and summary execution of Timothy McVeigh in June of 2001. At that point, six years following the bombing, I was just beginning my political "awakening" and was preparing to go the Stanford University as a high school junior to take government and speech classes for the summer. Part of my preparation included purchasing newspapers and news magazines in the weeks leading up to the summer semester to prepare for our course work and debate requirements we would have to fulfill. One of the Newsweeks I purchased was the one published before his execution.

The memorial itself is really quite perfect. There is a good balance of space and use of the remaining materials of the building. It is simple and not overwhelming, yet it truly can not be missed. There are two large walls, one on each end of the block. In the middle is a long rectangular reflecting pool that is about 1/2" deep. On one side there is rows of chairs, each one for an adult or child lost in the attack. Each chair is inscribed with a name. There is also a museum in the neighboring building that contains more artifacts, video and oral accounts of the event. Unfortunately we were there too early in the day, as it opens at 1PM on Sundays. I highly recommend taking half an hour just to walk around the memorial itself.

Tomorrow we have a short day. We will leave Little Rock in the morning, stop in Memphis to visit the Rock & Soul Museum and then Graceland. Tomorrow night we will be staying with friends outside of Nashville. A portion of our drive will take us across and then alongside the Mississippi River, so I expect to have some great pictures tomorrow!

- LGM

Road Trip Day 2

Today was a big day. We ended up covering about 100 more miles today than yesterday. In addition we passed through 2 time zones which means I will have to catch up on sleep tomorrow. We finished driving through Northern Arizona, completed New Mexico and ended in Amarillo, Texas. We didn't get to see all the things we wanted to, but we did get a lot in.



First stop was the National Atomic Museum in Albuquerque. Very interesting. Got to see how nuclear technology is used for medicine, power and, of course, warfare. Had some great exhibits on the Manhattan Project and Los Alamos. Also had a good section on the Cuban Missile Crisis. Suprising it is also Congressionally chartered. We were lucky enough to get additional information from one of the museum's docents, who also happened to be a member of the original Manhattan Project. He had a lot of interesting things to say about nuclear energy as well. In all, a very good spot to check out if you are in Albuquerque. Pictures are of a WWII poster and me in front of a replica of Little Boy, the bomb that fell on Hiroshima.

Second was the International Rattlesnake Museum also in Albuquerque. I am so glad I stumbled across this little gem. I highly recommend the program Microsoft Streets & Trips (2008) as it helps you find museums, hotels, landmarks, restaurants and general points of interest within a 1 mile radius of your route. With that being said, rely on a GPS to get around town, as some of the road information was either not up to date or a little unreliable. Somehow while using this program this particular museum caught my eye. It was relatively small with two exhibits and all kinds of snakes and other creepy-crawly creatures. What made it stand out is all the information in the museum itself as well as being able to get so close to the animals. I've been in rattlesnake country for the last 10 years but this is the first time I've been able to actually see them up close. Definetly check this one out as well.

Missed the Wildlife West Nature Park and the Cadillac Ranch because it got darker quicker than we anticipated (time zones). Tomorrow we will finish the Texas pan handle, bust through Oklahoma (I hear its tornado season) and make out way to Little Rock, Arkansas. Stay tuned...
- LGM

Road Trip Day 1

This morning we packed up the old suburban and headed east. After sitting down last night and looking at the boxes that miraculously trippled in size and numbers when I wasn't looking, we vetoed the whole Rav4 idea. I think it would have had a hard time holding our luggage. Especially knowing how I pack... Here are some pics of the suburban and the family as we all said goodbye.

We covered 530 miles in about eight hours. By the time we had reached Kingman, AZ both of us were covering ground we had never been before. I have been to Havasu, AZ a few times and my father has been to Pheonix. Northern Arizona is nothing like either of us could ever imagine. It is covered in beautiful forests with large pine trees.

Before stopping for the night in Flagstaff, we stopped at the Grand Canyon Caverns for a tour. Named when they realized the air in the caverns comes from the Grand Cayon that is over 60 miles away, the massive dry cavern is quite impressive. Designated at one point as a potential fall out shelter during the Cuban Missile Crisis, the government stockpiled enough food and water for 2000 people. They forgot, however, to factor in why the cavern are called the Grand Canyon Caverns. The fall out shelter they created would have been useless in the event that any radioactive exposure reached the Grand Canyon as it would funnel right into the caverns. I'm attaching a few pictures from the tour.

Tomorrow we will cover the rest of Northern Arizona, fly through New Mexico and cross into the Texas Panhandle. Its looking like another 500+ mile day!

Check out my dad's post http://www.stripersonline.com/surftalk/showthread.php?t=613922

- LGM