No Hands!

     Dinner and a movie. Skip the movie, who needs it. Tom showed me around the town. We went out and to a local place called the Industry public house. Who can deny a burger and beer? Certainly not I. The place was cool and had an extremely comfortable feel about it. I felt at ease, home almost. Maybe due to my gracious host. I got the "Blast Pig Burgher" which is described as "candied jalapeno/candied bacon/caramelized onion/fried zucchini/garlic aioli." Lubricated with a stout and of course Lagunitas, which I still can't pronounce properly. I guess I just need to order more to practice the pronunciation, right?

     I laid around throughout the time I was there and Tom was at work. The most I did was going to the library to fill out some applications to send in.

     We had also went to a hookah bar, KiKu sushi restaurant, Mad Mex, and a pizza joint. Good grub, yay.

  On Saturday we went to Ohiopyle State Park in southern PA and biked around on the Great Allegheny Passage trail. A trail that leads all the way into MD. The park was packed, with the main attraction seeming to be white water rafting. A cool place to attend overall. We took a swim in the cold water of the river. After getting out the muscles were tense from the chill.

     Early Sunday I left the humble abode to head to my own.  

Pause

      I came back home yesterday for a break between the long days for a little while. Time not yet determined, haha. After saying hello to the family I took a shower and napped all day. No feeling like sleeping in your own bed. It's hot here, what gives.

     I plan on finishing out the NE of the states sooner than later.

Flickr

     Not sure if you all were able to see new pictures as I went along or not? When I clicked on the link it only showed 162 pictures available. Well have I got a surprise for you. A lot more pictures. I updated the link so all YOU have to do is click on "ROAD TRIPPIN'" and the browser should open a new window for you to take a peek! Looks like I have to update the link every so often.

A State of Independence

     Made it to PA earlier today and am staying with a friend near Pittsburgh. Going to hangout for a few days and relax for the most part.

     

     Yesterday I had went to Wayne National Forest in Ohio. I planned on hiking a trail, but when I arrived at the trail-head it was overgrown. The office for the rangers showed me how to get up there. Luckily, on the map they had GPS coordinates of the area, because I got turned around. No signs anywhere! After a few moments of stepping out of the car the sneezing came, watering eyes, and shortly after an itchy throat. I miss the dry desert of the West already. At camp the day before I cut my foot by stepping on the tent stake. I decided not to hike the trail and continued to drive through the forest.

    

     Later in the day I ended up at the New River Gorge National River and checked out the visitor center. The area was gorgeous. Looking from the viewpoint near the visitor center you can see a long arch bridge, which starts and ends in what appears to be the trees.

     

     I plugged manual spot into the GPS which turned out to be an adventure. The spot I chose, which was supposed to be near the primitive camping sight. I just pressed on the map of the GPS that looked to be about where the site was. I ..was..wrong. I ended up on a 4-5 mile rock road that was not taken care of. Bottoming out the Subaru on loose rocks as well as dirt. I get to about .5 miles away from the destination and approach a "Private Area" sign with rope blocking the way. I had to turn around and go back through the zone. Listening to the plastic skid plate on the bottom being pounded evoked some emotional words out of me like "#(*#&$ and even $*#@(*&$*) I know, to harsh to even read. Relieved after making it out I decided to head towards the camping area again with a more precise method ....zooming in.

     As I'm driving along US 60 I notice a dog running alongside the highway. So, round two begins. The last dog I tried to help ran into the woods. This one bolted across the highway to where I had been standing. I just said "Hey, come here!". She was a cutie. A sheriff drove by and I waved him down. Said he would get me some help. While waiting I notified ODL (Obsessive-Dog-Lover) which is my Mom. She had posts on facebook, contacted dog rescue individuals, and had people searching within an hour. But when I ask about dinner I am chastised (kidding of course). Without doing any work myself I found the owner. He drove by and saw her. Crisis adverted. I almost had a new dog. All this lasted about two hours. Oh, by the way the Sheriff that stopped to help never returned. He said he was going to call a few different places to help me out.

     Once arriving I was greeted by a few friendly guys. One was attempting to get the fire going at a site before I even walked up to it. He couldn't get it going, but I did for a little while. I showed him the basics of how I do it.

     

     I talked with a couple of them for a while and headed to bed.  When getting up they had offered some eggs and bacon. John, the gentleman I showed how to get a fire going had started one by my methods to cook breakfast. They grow up so fast. They were a cool group of guys who were going whitewater rafting later on.

     

     A couple of days ago I had hiked the Leatherman Loop trail in the Daniel Boone National Forest. The area is in the northern section of the forest in the Cumberland county area, if I remember correctly. The trail was around 4 miles long and harder than I anticipated, cool though.

     

     I ate, grabbed a bath, and camped out at a primitive site. The other camper had an RV and had the generator thumping all night. So much for falling asleep to the sound of creek water flowing.

    

School is out

   An odd scenario that I am becoming all too familiar with is urban car sleeping. I still become uneasy when picking a spot but it matters less and less each time. I pulled into a spot last night after searching for a dispersed campsite. It was midnight and I was driving parallel to the river. The sites i found were taken, from what i could see,  short of walking up to them. Possibly scaring those attempting to sleep.

     I woke up to the sound of a car door close as the sound of footsteps becoming faint. I sat up and had vehicles surrounding me,  but I slept through it.

     I shoved a couple granola bars into the pit of despair I call my stomach. The growls roar and can't fill it unless I cook two meals.

     I quickly checked out the river. The usual passage of turning the GPS on, waiting for the signal, and plugging in the destination commenced. It's almost comforting once I begin.

     Six hours later and I arrive at a closed visitor center at the Picture Cliffs National Lakeshore, MI. A terribly boring drive. Wisconsin is as flat as Minnesota. No fun roads have been encountered for the last few days.

     I got to the area and decided to find a campsite. Six hours is enough for the day. Finished reading "The Short Drop" by Matthew Fitzsimmons. Meh, a three star rating could be used. The reading of Hunter S. never dissapoint though. Laying here about to sleep as the sun hasn't even set.

     I'd say I'm homesick,  but I don't know if I really am. I miss everyone, but its a normal feeling. I miss nothing of the location. The longing to ride the moto and hug Sage however are not. Hah, the bachelor life is tough...right.

     I touched, for the first time, a great lake. The water cool. The sight cool. The air cool. Skipping rocks at Lake Superior can be checked off.

Fast food, ehh

     Past few days have been quickly paced. An iissue arose with the car. Got that solved but it put me a day behind. I was in Bismark ND. I caved and bought a hotel room. First lodging expense of the trip!

      I checked out the state library and the heritage center. Both very cool places to check out.

     I checked out Theodore Roosevelt National Park and made the all night drive to get close to the next one.

     Slept in a parking lot, then later in a picnic area of a national forest. Im exhausted.

     Today I was at the Voyagures National Park in Minnesota. I couldnt get to the peninsula because I didnt have a canoe or boat. I did hike along a trail totalling 2.9 miles. The mosquitoes are back. I havent had issues in weeks! Ahh.

     Heading into Wisconsin for the night and to check out a National Scenic River tomorrow.

     The days are long but fast.

Day of sights

     I covered three different protected lands by the NPS today. A long day indeed: Devils Tower, Mount Rushmore, and The Badlands.

     What a cool day. Devils tower is flat out cool. The native americans have issue with those who climb it. As it is a part of their past and held sacred to its meaningful history. Of course we dont give a shit and continue to defy them. So odd that they have a prarie dog area near the tower. Those buggers were everywhere. Goofy looking little things.

     Mount Rushmore was cool. I didn't have a lot of interest prior to arriving, but the history of how it was built was cool to learn about. They had a walkway of all the state flags. Ive been wanting to get a PA flag for years. Watched the movie as well as checked out the exhibits and found out how much work goes into maintaining the formation.

     The Badlands is an awesome area. They had some cool fosils in the visitor center that had been found at the park. Cool short hikes. I hiked the "Notch" trail which was a mile loop. It had a narrow pass, ladder, and scenic viewpoint. I hiked another trail but I didint write down the name. That was short but cool. Its right off of I-90 and should not be skipped if youre in the area.

     Ive grown fond of the smaller parks. The big ones have too much tourism that really kills it for me. Im here for the nature not to look at stores surrounding it with a mall like feeling, I digress.

      Tonight I pulled off to a lake recreation area. Its too dark and I looked for like 20 minutes for a camp site but couldnt find one. Just going to sleep in an open area, seems good enough. No one around for miles. Pretty sure a coyote passed infront of me while driving up. Larger than a fox, but just as quick.

     I need a shower badly.