tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51750766364754402692023-11-15T23:47:52.640-08:00From the side of the road...Geoff and Crystal Rousseauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00380519554289102852noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5175076636475440269.post-15851740652196483982008-06-22T20:48:00.000-07:002010-06-28T12:21:35.701-07:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHvCB4_6kSj1te_I972emnX32av_ZKhvaFnqiWMfAK2gMmBBQ1t4DHJOBJHCghS98vAZZ3KJEYzFHH2vPXEaX5Oi_5D_ZvhU0OfaGkpstg-n7Q-5l5UbTgP8xsqIeeTOBn1SgqkWGgJW4/s1600-h/IMG_6600.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214926548399207282" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHvCB4_6kSj1te_I972emnX32av_ZKhvaFnqiWMfAK2gMmBBQ1t4DHJOBJHCghS98vAZZ3KJEYzFHH2vPXEaX5Oi_5D_ZvhU0OfaGkpstg-n7Q-5l5UbTgP8xsqIeeTOBn1SgqkWGgJW4/s320/IMG_6600.JPG" border="0" /></a> Written: Sunday, April 6th - Slab City, CA<br /><div><div><br /><div>The range was great last night - lots of great music sounded into the night - everything from John Wayne to L.A folk music. They have quite the little musical community here in the town of no rules. 'The slabs' have actually become a bit of a hot spot for LA city dwellers on Saturday nights. They often take the drive stay for one night (2hrs - east into the desert.) and leave the next morning for the drive home.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRjcJlmjZGhcMurp659Bf6WuInedWCTewzO5XK8UOt3BJa0vJIwe278CYeHViI8OLe1OCA6EcGVD93wpM6gCkXTTgyLxthge9u7bbD1lHoiDoMMjahDCKs7P6hh6LSiZdGWgpGzxhIn_k/s1600/IMG_6507.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRjcJlmjZGhcMurp659Bf6WuInedWCTewzO5XK8UOt3BJa0vJIwe278CYeHViI8OLe1OCA6EcGVD93wpM6gCkXTTgyLxthge9u7bbD1lHoiDoMMjahDCKs7P6hh6LSiZdGWgpGzxhIn_k/s320/IMG_6507.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487899603334493202" border="0" /></a></div><br /><div>Today we hid away from the sunshine, playing Yahtzee and reading the food section of the NY times. later on, it's time to head to town for water a necessity here. and on the way stopped in for a shower at the spring. Now the shower, how do I explain. It's like a cement hole in the ground with a culvert cascading down into it. You climb down the makeshift ladder, inside the dark hole for your hot spring shower. It is a weird sensation or really creepy and really relaxing. Perfectly toasty hot-spring shower, while trying not to think about the spiders and other desert creatures living down in there. If you can get past the algae, and the overall weirdness of the whole thing it's actually quite nice.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRMpE8WH4H81z8ffU5THKNYsjJMPEX3pC1nta87520UqvtquL_f4RfTIRqVfiRugKH3o8XV8-GDG9A1Acgkfv4692r84KXhhMuXP8SufvafXjDHAn7nc1GUE1SlY-GXaOk1Qu0aHbRVpk/s1600/IMG_6579.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRMpE8WH4H81z8ffU5THKNYsjJMPEX3pC1nta87520UqvtquL_f4RfTIRqVfiRugKH3o8XV8-GDG9A1Acgkfv4692r84KXhhMuXP8SufvafXjDHAn7nc1GUE1SlY-GXaOk1Qu0aHbRVpk/s320/IMG_6579.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487903636683259842" border="0" /></a><br />Today we went to find a now space in the slabs, further away from the 'theiving meth heads' as our fellow blue 71 bus owner Bill tells us. we found a nice little spot and a slab of our own actually. It's raised up from the ground so you can't drive up on it. but it has a set of steps, and a little rock garden courtesy of the past occupant.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMiaAMahVTpMJUmBu8xMqIZhHph7wNS9A-an445lRdlwyrkP8Chffmb5sbSvs7hGFVqkDG-iIHaD2fXaoLEoZ9y9OcTIpF8_-oqLdTE-zRS0Con26QMeGHHlBxsCq8OoxkOKonDNHYjbk/s1600-h/IMG_6620.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214928038077151330" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMiaAMahVTpMJUmBu8xMqIZhHph7wNS9A-an445lRdlwyrkP8Chffmb5sbSvs7hGFVqkDG-iIHaD2fXaoLEoZ9y9OcTIpF8_-oqLdTE-zRS0Con26QMeGHHlBxsCq8OoxkOKonDNHYjbk/s400/IMG_6620.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaIOpLBMY8LTwZVIYHugqjB0tN2CfHNbdZIJUup4lNc-cbB0yupRcM635ics_FL3dbLsE0DOn8GtROuUyOsx3Q6QaYrEG7jyeTRBn6WP0HsbTvtA_1twh_SI2Rsg2I7h0zuXKEtX8EeuE/s1600-h/IMG_6605.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214927575867821922" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaIOpLBMY8LTwZVIYHugqjB0tN2CfHNbdZIJUup4lNc-cbB0yupRcM635ics_FL3dbLsE0DOn8GtROuUyOsx3Q6QaYrEG7jyeTRBn6WP0HsbTvtA_1twh_SI2Rsg2I7h0zuXKEtX8EeuE/s320/IMG_6605.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />It's quite empty here in the slabs, the past few weeks have said goodbye to the snowbirds and many others as the heat of the summer has started to roll in. I've been told that in the summer as temperatures rise well into the 100's (128 degrees at times) the only people left in the slabs are the druggies, and those who can't leave for whatever reason. For now, it's toasty, but manageable. and there's still many people around for a few more weeks. I'm told that the winter will bring the return of the citizens of Slab City and that New Years Eve is the night to be here in the winter - It's the party of all parties.<br /><br />At night there are flashes of light in the distance. Slab City, is neighbored by a military testing range. They drop flares at the base of the chocolate mountains which are close by. The flares were bright light a lightening strike only they lasted 30 seconds long. We are told that the US military is testing all sorts of artillery here and sometimes the windows in the RVs shake. I hope that we're going before any of that happens.<br /><br />Just outside of slab city is Salvation Mountain, it is this giant man-made mountain out of straw bales, dirt, and copious amounts of paint. There is paint all over the ground around the main mountain which is solid, but there are also lots of other tunnels and rooms and other wacky things. It was kind of disturbing walking around inside we took a quick spin - but God only knows the structural integrity of the straw mountain so we got our pretty quick. The guy who has spent his life working on it wasn't home but we snapped a shot of his little home and outdoor living room.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi8eqA5du4Bw_YKQnmy1FD05FNl3q-KGMdgq_k16f9qx2B8y5tjDHHJVBLlRO0CZO9P-4uIl-laFecTWPDH8r5uUReoL4mHecHRX1oLxNdQkZf_i-hw1xrLe_mYd99_HanENSF7cmnyEw/s1600/IMG_6546.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi8eqA5du4Bw_YKQnmy1FD05FNl3q-KGMdgq_k16f9qx2B8y5tjDHHJVBLlRO0CZO9P-4uIl-laFecTWPDH8r5uUReoL4mHecHRX1oLxNdQkZf_i-hw1xrLe_mYd99_HanENSF7cmnyEw/s320/IMG_6546.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487905415075280498" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq2DREHWJ9wmB3DB13nuMxoG_f5L1RZYl0IrSwS5HQtQjAyc-V0nG8t5fYjDPLvMmx20ZA2hU8j_TST7jbvYWVKWfzrpvDD9v4QQGx1YIHCUFeeEgJXYMH9Rosw5FNroVFrsFHqPoas8A/s1600/IMG_6540.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq2DREHWJ9wmB3DB13nuMxoG_f5L1RZYl0IrSwS5HQtQjAyc-V0nG8t5fYjDPLvMmx20ZA2hU8j_TST7jbvYWVKWfzrpvDD9v4QQGx1YIHCUFeeEgJXYMH9Rosw5FNroVFrsFHqPoas8A/s320/IMG_6540.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487905095761154082" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdaUJ5Dk9PbKgVCq2NngjNFF7xcwb72wAYwFnDd3KMZlzITfwAM222zUXAxIU0nYDrfmWbHqJ22mG1XbCv76Ru0i-cWhsDGSum2molEVeBk2MTxYcRsg0NTAFlBpG4JSoB9jA7hsPiPZU/s1600/IMG_6524.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdaUJ5Dk9PbKgVCq2NngjNFF7xcwb72wAYwFnDd3KMZlzITfwAM222zUXAxIU0nYDrfmWbHqJ22mG1XbCv76Ru0i-cWhsDGSum2molEVeBk2MTxYcRsg0NTAFlBpG4JSoB9jA7hsPiPZU/s320/IMG_6524.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487904776633482930" border="0" /></a></div></div></div></div></div>Geoff and Crystal Rousseauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00380519554289102852noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5175076636475440269.post-57518067413518354282008-06-22T20:26:00.000-07:002009-08-09T17:16:13.090-07:00Slab City - the one and only<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxiOJjg2kvHL-Zs2Yos5hpBDYBzx0q-mmTGnWDn_Xj75T5DtJ4PO-eNvN5Exl8sQQV1JJAtuaF-GX7DrQVeJFZdbjtcgSHz6pDAenah2KLqZe6DY7knQCckyEimsCZSNZ1aX5LTq0k370/s1600-h/IMG_6500.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214918587483738578" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxiOJjg2kvHL-Zs2Yos5hpBDYBzx0q-mmTGnWDn_Xj75T5DtJ4PO-eNvN5Exl8sQQV1JJAtuaF-GX7DrQVeJFZdbjtcgSHz6pDAenah2KLqZe6DY7knQCckyEimsCZSNZ1aX5LTq0k370/s320/IMG_6500.JPG" border="0" /></a> Written: Saturday, April 5th, 2008 - Niland, CA (a.k.a Gateway to Slab City)<br /><br />We rolled into Niland last night just as it was getting dark. The town had such an erie feeling that we decided to put off trying to find slab city until the morning. Today, we have awoke to find that the daylight has done little for this town's eerie feel except to highlight the cluster of stores that line the highway. The 99 cent store for rent, little grocery store, with the toothless woman in peachy pink lipstick and the taco shop, open at 8am.<br /><br />"Take a right past the 2nd store, cross two sets of tracks, pass the 3 old fuel tanks and salvation mountain on your right, then you're there" says the old hippy in a 71' hard top we met last night in town. He's been living in a van since 79'. He's surprisingly helpful and definitely chill. He came to the slabs 2mts ago for a visit and never got around to leaving. I secretly think he was a deserter from the Vietnam War. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slab_City"></a><br /><br />"The Slabs" or Slab City is an old WW II Military base that has long since been demolished only the slabs remain. It's this huge gathering of RV's in the middle of the desert and you can find all sorts here from snowbirds, to druggies, to year-round residents and casual tourists like us, If you're interested you can read more about it here <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slab_City">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slab_City</a><br /><br />We found it just as he said. However, what I didn't expect to find was a slab city community message board, homemade street signs, 2 stages for live music and late night parties, a library, a christian centre, a solar panel store and many other small 'clubs' like the oasis club. There are even districts there is 'The Lows" - popular to diesel pushers and snow birds or the "Main Drag" frequented by the lifers. There are old school buses transformed into permanent homes, quaint little cactus gardens, picket fences and and trellised entryways.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYPRVJAOzp-XtbuiemRQAuT-Qiknx8m-L66XQBZOX_y-WHESauSV-RVv2NeEY_bXcHt9AHGmgAQ_bzhC9uok4rMKhAczv23dUt0ad6lqU2PapfZ92yG9g-69ja8GEl2cCSQ2dOxp2KEG8/s1600-h/IMG_6502.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 206px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYPRVJAOzp-XtbuiemRQAuT-Qiknx8m-L66XQBZOX_y-WHESauSV-RVv2NeEY_bXcHt9AHGmgAQ_bzhC9uok4rMKhAczv23dUt0ad6lqU2PapfZ92yG9g-69ja8GEl2cCSQ2dOxp2KEG8/s400/IMG_6502.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368118808480960722" /></a><br />There is even a local 'hot spot' where a you'll find a natural hot spring courtesy of mother earth which as we found out later that night makes to the perfect hot bath just after the hot sun goes down. If a bath isn't your thing, you can go to 'The shower" a little further downstream.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbLHFj3pyWHGhPTf4un-DIJ8SAx2KmXfKBzOJm6dhjn_QUJ-AaqMW-Al8PSY7L-iCtikcSXFdHlguUhHzjbHkeEMAJOq2g2cNOPb0YgjK7K45SaG6Lk-viYfignMJgMIudx-a9wYfpi-Q/s1600-h/IMG_6516.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbLHFj3pyWHGhPTf4un-DIJ8SAx2KmXfKBzOJm6dhjn_QUJ-AaqMW-Al8PSY7L-iCtikcSXFdHlguUhHzjbHkeEMAJOq2g2cNOPb0YgjK7K45SaG6Lk-viYfignMJgMIudx-a9wYfpi-Q/s320/IMG_6516.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368109733248609442" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Tonight we're going to get a feel for the city of the slabs, because it's Saturday night, and Saturday night is music night at the Range - the preferred stage of the two according to the locals. People come from as far as L.A. to party in the Slabs. The range is on one of the larger slabs, with a big old white bus as it's backdrop it has the feeling of an outdoor festival stage meets backyard mechanic. There are car parts, old hubcaps and car seats set neatly around the slab. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiimxT-MwouIowOQjSYurGXVKRzQqnarhCeLyXn7s8f-lN_qEmBc4IOtjQbZ-tE3wwznS6zSfngQVk2MxCsjuNDv4nxRY5gtBR3w6afR9gQVCvh8VJ1dQNxdeDizOuZfj9m0YPd7mC484U/s1600-h/IMG_6510.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiimxT-MwouIowOQjSYurGXVKRzQqnarhCeLyXn7s8f-lN_qEmBc4IOtjQbZ-tE3wwznS6zSfngQVk2MxCsjuNDv4nxRY5gtBR3w6afR9gQVCvh8VJ1dQNxdeDizOuZfj9m0YPd7mC484U/s320/IMG_6510.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368112191696475746" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjZ6G2UkSv9TCvVepFmuiyauxIHxxGe_mu9N7UVMMQ3PJb_qNhypAJxyF1NG0Q5K_kA213m-oD3vNZyor1spULMKrrsvLAi4raPy_POXE-NoENnXM5V0KjwZT0B_pMQ-wXXq-4ex9iDOU/s1600-h/IMG_6509.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjZ6G2UkSv9TCvVepFmuiyauxIHxxGe_mu9N7UVMMQ3PJb_qNhypAJxyF1NG0Q5K_kA213m-oD3vNZyor1spULMKrrsvLAi4raPy_POXE-NoENnXM5V0KjwZT0B_pMQ-wXXq-4ex9iDOU/s320/IMG_6509.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368113557683948738" /></a>Geoff and Crystal Rousseauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00380519554289102852noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5175076636475440269.post-32753036221201626202008-06-21T14:37:00.000-07:002009-08-09T16:13:33.473-07:00Fever in the Desert<div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZRnpetFY-Vy1WU-wPCzB00oy6dfRaH8V8wWb_bD53pOxehwDVUpdgk7_FIQVI1t6ftNUKFzxdAHTWswiRwT1lcLmFpnKF4TM5hI6LnNiJjwiT7oZWOREiEkJw4fnEgpuWy3ppDJG6r9I/s1600-h/IMG_6462.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214455600315995266" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZRnpetFY-Vy1WU-wPCzB00oy6dfRaH8V8wWb_bD53pOxehwDVUpdgk7_FIQVI1t6ftNUKFzxdAHTWswiRwT1lcLmFpnKF4TM5hI6LnNiJjwiT7oZWOREiEkJw4fnEgpuWy3ppDJG6r9I/s320/IMG_6462.JPG" border="0" /></a> Written: Thursday, April 3rd, 2008 - El Centro, CA<br /><br /><div><div>It looks like were are driving through some kids sandbox. We're passing through the Sonoran desert onroute to Slab City. The climate is so much warmer here than on the coast. Yesterday we spent the entire day at Ocean Beach north of San Diego. Geoff's really sick and we ended up spending the entire day in the van. We just hung out playing guitar and listening to music and that when we discovered the best game ever that would occupy the next three hours. We were playing this game where one of us puts on the ipod with headphones and the volume turned way up. you randomly select a song, then you have to sing the song until the other person guesses which song it it. sounds easy but it isn't really, and it's the funniest thing ever, especially when you venture into the hip-hip genre. That was yesterday's sick day, but today the fever is getting worse, and the desert heat isn't helping, poor Geoff is just getting sicker and sicker<br />We had to get the help of a reddy ice block to help bring down the fever. It's so hot - crappy weather for a fever. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214455928462417538" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7iRoOuhgYA-jsgWbrv7kvY2Bdo9fUi0XYz4_oF-Ef0gKNIgCNUf4iPsYDxG5ObF7kLaN2Nojd5_j1kaBIFNv9qIRHIsZdE9NqEm5zW4GgGIodn-UEzrqRMKsjHshZICl06fdL4utddSE/s320/IMG_6494.JPG" border="0" /></div></div></div></div>Geoff and Crystal Rousseauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00380519554289102852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5175076636475440269.post-23077073130707839842008-06-21T14:04:00.000-07:002009-08-09T15:43:51.880-07:00In search of the 3 Amigos<div> </div><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLSTDnG_ghGAEpWwaUkhoLQK3Cpn2ExCNC0fcyf5GvIeNMOzYovSi3c6vYaTU4vjkxCKAKxMsSyzNJO-RgZISu7MlMFyBY16a7Wb8K6zhuBjX-VFWTDixsnNzP_eMAN90w6-J15x4i9-4/s1600-h/IMG_6358.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214450813417787282" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLSTDnG_ghGAEpWwaUkhoLQK3Cpn2ExCNC0fcyf5GvIeNMOzYovSi3c6vYaTU4vjkxCKAKxMsSyzNJO-RgZISu7MlMFyBY16a7Wb8K6zhuBjX-VFWTDixsnNzP_eMAN90w6-J15x4i9-4/s400/IMG_6358.JPG" border="0" /></a> Written: Monday, March 31st, 2008 - Tijuana, Mexico<br /><div><div><div><div><br /><div>Today marks the most southern part of our journey. From this day onwards, we will be heading north.<br /><br />Tijuana is a total border town. We were advised by many people that it is not the best representation of what Mexico has to offer and is actually quite unsafe. However, we had come so far and we couldn't resist popping over for a quick burrito. We did decide that it'd be best to leave the bus behind and travel to TJ on foot.<br /><br />The border crossing experience was was kind of funny because there are no directions or signs pointing to tell you where to go. We parked the bus and just started following the crowds of people all moving in the same direction (when in doubt be a follower). We walked for awhile, up stairways, through cross walks over the street down some more then finally through this large ominous metal turnstile. We passed through the turnstile and then Volia' - Welcome to Mexico - I hope you want to be here cuz there's no way back now. While the whole experience was really bizarre the weirdest of all was that there were no customs! They don't care, you want to go to Mexico? well go right on ahead, help yourself.<br /><br /></div>The problem comes when you would like to go back to the U.S. The massive wall that stretches out for miles complete with surveillance pretty much lets you know how unwelcome you are. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214451691973823250" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTViJiB04S_DI3ZTufq2h6pL7KXiZAIcqtBlTXBiPyGgY4u40IUJmk3wUt-4tckhtLcLFv8bp37nXtWK0SQw96xt1HdQZvpCDxeeZ53FzK4P4P6opGvsqV_fyWjx8C6UbW4IwWYiJY8W8/s320/IMG_6341.JPG" border="0" /> <div></div><br /><br /><div>The whole experience was overwhelming to say the least. We had this little map and were trying to find a little restaurant to have lunch. It seemed like us along with 10 others were the only white people in TJ that day and thus the haggling was pretty aggressive. We walked past countless drug stores tucked into the walls, no doors, and people inside wearing lab coats offering discounted prescription drugs, the usual gift stores, restaurants, and kids selling chicklets. Some people were even offering a shot of tequila if you just came inside to look around. I remember my mom telling me about strangers, cars and candy - but this is new territory. The strangest of all were the poor little donkeys on the corners. They wore sombreros and were painted in zebra stripes. They just stood there with this "i hate my life" expression on their donkey faces. The idea is that you could pay to get your picture taken with the zebras. I'm sure it's a great hit with drunken male American teenager demographic. </div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214450574446057906" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh2n1t8i9IkUPxI3yCdSwZD4QcdWy0V2qaGxxzJipZoXFSJoiYAypA6DvyvNi09vczuZUcpbgJRWB5c9vmemQ7fEB-5PcFpR5S09Jbfkj6qsWvpdb-aU0rpWong5bOcxUl2zbL2lfs2Yo/s400/IMG_6344.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214450300710879922" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUET3DUw9tdo0TvSd2UbVEvp0X7zhn4bbgD8w9on3INGulAqg7I1mkmN6rFIcRKe0Vipe2bvCGrRY4e84nIgC4XJd-h8buw0Qa4u6DnOlW4W8VvRZBRrcMtfNex1F_y1QrOwP7H9hLVss/s400/IMG_6345.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div>The restaurant was like a little haven away from the chaos. a little place on a sunny balcony where we could sit un-noticed, and un-haggled for a little while. After a couple of beers and a plate of fajitas we were ready for the walk home because it was getting dark soon (Make sure you leave before it get's dark was the advice at the little tourism bureau) We bought a few tiles, some freshly fried churros (deep fried pasty with cinnamon and sugar - fatty goodness) and were on our way. The line up at the border was nuts. Hundreds of people on foot and in vehichles were lined up waiting to get let into the US. The vehicle traffic stretched further back than I could see, apparently traffic jams at the border are so common place that there are booths and shops set up along the street. There's actually a mini economy here based on the simple fact that there will always be a huge grumpy line up of idling cars in the hot sun, and these cars will be filled with people looking for a snow cone, churro or one last picture with the world's only zebra donkey.<br /><br /></div><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214449754154242242" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRINzpKkmqYRlvQfXRuE_3ol321wDcpNnMVwVfxSuRDnsvcpvj4kL-6cNRXp73M0kgKFVLjFt9XUSRvq2m1bGjQziJ9qpjLybRy5TMhKteH1KLWbZxid3FaKZaae6QXADEUUQNQ9FA5_I/s320/IMG_6361.JPG" border="0" />So after some mild interrogation, breif frisking and a purse x ray we were back in the U.S of A before dark and ready to head North. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Geoff and Crystal Rousseauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00380519554289102852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5175076636475440269.post-4114187382376502322008-06-09T15:47:00.000-07:002008-12-11T10:02:56.372-08:00Crystal + Baby Koala = LOVE<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNd9GV8DGPDf8PxKDdwKGARzkjw6fhZWwtf_sLCkZusjEXfvpAteuZx96YML4C0H1SJNHS-i2J-ukYuWcho3GgeSkWF4HCzgJgPAjMufsi60a9YQe-l__l6-gwXBSW4Gh-OqJvFkLh3Qw/s1600-h/IMG_6122.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210257122399900658" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNd9GV8DGPDf8PxKDdwKGARzkjw6fhZWwtf_sLCkZusjEXfvpAteuZx96YML4C0H1SJNHS-i2J-ukYuWcho3GgeSkWF4HCzgJgPAjMufsi60a9YQe-l__l6-gwXBSW4Gh-OqJvFkLh3Qw/s320/IMG_6122.JPG" border="0" /></a>Written Saturday, March 29th - Ocean Beach, CA<br /><br />We visited the San Diego Zoo yesterday. I had no idea it would be so big! We sauntered in at 12:00pm, and were barely able to see it all. There was so much to see and sooo much walking. We did got to see the famous pandas! We had to wait in line for 10 minutes just to get into the exhibit. Once we were in there was all these rules like NO TALKING! and KEEP THE LINE MOVING! and DON'T TRY TO HUG THE PANDAS...Crystal! they were cool but were mostly sleeping, and a lady on a microphone talked about how they pick up all the leftover bamboo every day so they can tell how much they ate. The volume was turned down so low, the treble was off leaving only the low bass of the woman's voice so as not to disrupt the pandas. The whole experience was rather odd. but the Koalas, oh the Koalas. now they were my favourite of the day. they are like a cross between a baby and a teddy bear. Hello! who wouldn't want one. After seeing the Koalas I made Geoff come with me to the gift store just so I could pretend to hold one.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6pkvNPyi8T8jdvq3tUlHIc0cBy-WkiMEXLQRT9LWGZLPqvAp6q55aLM-uHoXTSm86_oa_2eln6gXWyLOQfluD-A6bVeE01yIfk7HXoqni5DWIeWnxbL0xzpETKoxHjtOkYigiLMvMFBc/s1600-h/IMG_6101.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210257364304040706" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6pkvNPyi8T8jdvq3tUlHIc0cBy-WkiMEXLQRT9LWGZLPqvAp6q55aLM-uHoXTSm86_oa_2eln6gXWyLOQfluD-A6bVeE01yIfk7HXoqni5DWIeWnxbL0xzpETKoxHjtOkYigiLMvMFBc/s320/IMG_6101.JPG" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvuYlXBVHhO4C5kX6GzWgFMyuIyb_I5g5Wc5EDwX1pJemOCl0MIyXhf0NuO6AyU_Dr_7uv12Pkmz-NIiwj6NHGL9iXiuMuvBtgJhm5Xk2hnu0dPwxJwlcDwZmlWDN1P68EXLZoBSOvPhw/s1600-h/IMG_6108.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210257530581544402" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvuYlXBVHhO4C5kX6GzWgFMyuIyb_I5g5Wc5EDwX1pJemOCl0MIyXhf0NuO6AyU_Dr_7uv12Pkmz-NIiwj6NHGL9iXiuMuvBtgJhm5Xk2hnu0dPwxJwlcDwZmlWDN1P68EXLZoBSOvPhw/s320/IMG_6108.JPG" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixVKMHj9SM93vVfBIS0zgRiAeA1Al80om3I36Y7hpu7SPoh7OE7br5FBX7w2mXTkrHzkHhXAm11DGqjj7VsINZUWM_vztC9zsB9dwP_-o1xMrJPRrnGO3ylWATPB0j_VABZlTLzZVp0rE/s1600-h/IMG_6109.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210257616692488082" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixVKMHj9SM93vVfBIS0zgRiAeA1Al80om3I36Y7hpu7SPoh7OE7br5FBX7w2mXTkrHzkHhXAm11DGqjj7VsINZUWM_vztC9zsB9dwP_-o1xMrJPRrnGO3ylWATPB0j_VABZlTLzZVp0rE/s320/IMG_6109.JPG" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8WkmQRrsKT-FjOCGuN64NplM7DGFbuiSxfavYQDz8T-UgPTop_hyn6nJ0mesQ6Wy1k8NPO-3EIppWpQSxNGSdKQN-Pz3HjrCRdr6WtLLp4k5F5JYZ2aYWEjSXnlpWarjoFxjxj3pSNp0/s1600-h/IMG_6128.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210257987433773186" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8WkmQRrsKT-FjOCGuN64NplM7DGFbuiSxfavYQDz8T-UgPTop_hyn6nJ0mesQ6Wy1k8NPO-3EIppWpQSxNGSdKQN-Pz3HjrCRdr6WtLLp4k5F5JYZ2aYWEjSXnlpWarjoFxjxj3pSNp0/s320/IMG_6128.JPG" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpebcVPaDZc-kSo8LF4yiY4aQqtrKy9WIc8aFOo0pwz-WSp7KnbW76GF7-f69xANPB6Qr6CFvJJcEcQQVfMn5cUjdX_KKZ7CJZ2tkzoBCPcRCPLJisHViEBMFXtDmdTvwOMKD4GjptnMY/s1600-h/IMG_6139.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210258172977179394" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpebcVPaDZc-kSo8LF4yiY4aQqtrKy9WIc8aFOo0pwz-WSp7KnbW76GF7-f69xANPB6Qr6CFvJJcEcQQVfMn5cUjdX_KKZ7CJZ2tkzoBCPcRCPLJisHViEBMFXtDmdTvwOMKD4GjptnMY/s320/IMG_6139.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Now, If you ask me, I think that the Panda looks a lot like a little man dressed up in a bear suit...don't ya think?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK12O_AcVC4IayhlLmD9ABI9mn_dJzBQjAu0m6fY72Tn5wDD7SOjrncB3TDxltZJL0bz2hpcWB5GfCAi5XQE5avbqRfID3Zd_XgsjxSN_t47ectjAQgj0GK-v-lxlW2h6LSXajTXBdenQ/s1600-h/IMG_6187.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210258403856724226" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK12O_AcVC4IayhlLmD9ABI9mn_dJzBQjAu0m6fY72Tn5wDD7SOjrncB3TDxltZJL0bz2hpcWB5GfCAi5XQE5avbqRfID3Zd_XgsjxSN_t47ectjAQgj0GK-v-lxlW2h6LSXajTXBdenQ/s320/IMG_6187.JPG" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtS_lK0vpOHJsHrWo3UJiGoroasdHXi-wLhC6nBka41TH3G8cCOUvI6F_besHLdJus-GB5HQNuK5-p0HkMloCGNJpiti9NNRllFQyyxvZASO6-xfEQVb4oBx91FI3RWFd-N0jLnZOvnjM/s1600-h/IMG_6214.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210258925992168514" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtS_lK0vpOHJsHrWo3UJiGoroasdHXi-wLhC6nBka41TH3G8cCOUvI6F_besHLdJus-GB5HQNuK5-p0HkMloCGNJpiti9NNRllFQyyxvZASO6-xfEQVb4oBx91FI3RWFd-N0jLnZOvnjM/s320/IMG_6214.JPG" border="0" /></a>The EndGeoff and Crystal Rousseauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00380519554289102852noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5175076636475440269.post-16835263409206177112008-06-09T15:39:00.000-07:002008-12-11T10:02:56.518-08:00Herb Garden<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnProH5r5Kjq8HPKXBBknoiBr87BmUFdtVQTgheoaE2GsOXOgixx_v0_s7f1Qhuzz9uADNwqCRtvpvCOjuiHsKr17K5LXRlS7NliYuztdfLf05qz2nmnFGJGqlupfAfhnUtWsLZxcytUg/s1600-h/IMG_6860.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnProH5r5Kjq8HPKXBBknoiBr87BmUFdtVQTgheoaE2GsOXOgixx_v0_s7f1Qhuzz9uADNwqCRtvpvCOjuiHsKr17K5LXRlS7NliYuztdfLf05qz2nmnFGJGqlupfAfhnUtWsLZxcytUg/s320/IMG_6860.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210254204525420418" /></a>Written: Friday, March 28th - San Diego, CA<br /><br />We were in a really steep area and Geoff was trying to parallel park the bus. This is a pretty difficult task due to the manual steering, let alone the added incline. That's why when he backed suddenly into the curb it was just enough to send the refrigerator sailing into the back of the bus. Unfortunately this was also the day I was supposed to empty the melted ice water dish sitting in there. There is water everywhere, but at least the fridge is OK! You were right Mom, we should have bolted that down. <br /><br />Oh, I forgot to tell you all about our latest addition...A garden! a.k.a "our tasty little sink garden". We were only using the sink as a glorified bowl anyways, and we wanted to spruce up the place a little. Now we have Basil, Dill, Cilantro, and a tropical just to make the place feel homey. They are all doing well so far, and they don't seem to mind the constant jostling and infrequent light patterns. In return we get fresh herbs for cooking every day. It's perfect for us since buying fresh herbs is just impractical given our limited fridge space.Geoff and Crystal Rousseauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00380519554289102852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5175076636475440269.post-44317760767886676692008-06-09T15:21:00.000-07:002008-12-11T10:02:57.125-08:00New Friends<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwtPj78NABqqgFfqiITL3wRZ9-IbKQOUUDykXDMCLTEqz2NzJ0f7HSXmjbTzyT4FMHFBuslEoGsRcBZg2jZGcPV6lR9qxfkm5txPqs-SmlaS8w5XY1sLhdC5Wrp_sWDH32n6Eteb3yyWA/s1600-h/IMG_5990.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwtPj78NABqqgFfqiITL3wRZ9-IbKQOUUDykXDMCLTEqz2NzJ0f7HSXmjbTzyT4FMHFBuslEoGsRcBZg2jZGcPV6lR9qxfkm5txPqs-SmlaS8w5XY1sLhdC5Wrp_sWDH32n6Eteb3yyWA/s320/IMG_5990.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210042002826003522" /></a>We're leaving Seal Beach today - but only because we have to. We have mail waiting for us in San Diego. We both love it here and look forward to coming back. We've made some new friends here and have even run into some old ones (we ran into Glen from Huntington Beach at the grocery store - of all places!). It's so nice to be in a place where people recognize you. We've spent months being anonymous, slipping in and out of towns unnoticed. Here in Seal Beach not only do we have friends, but we even have visitors - and that's how we met Billy. <br /><br />We first met Billy the classic way. He is the proud owner of an 81' westy, and in the VW world making friends with another VW owner is often initiated by the following conversation. <br /><br />You usually drive up with the window down, and arm hanging out and say something like:<br /><br />"Nice bus, what year is it?"<br />1974. yours?<br />"oh, it's an 81'"<br />nice. air-cooled?<br />"yup, last year they made the air-cooled"<br />oh really, dual carb?<br />"no fuel injection"<br /><br />This is just basic chit-chat, now if there's a connection made rather than driving on you might delve a little deeper. You may talk about where you bought it, where you've taken it, some of the work you've done on it, the upholstery, camper gear, or even any modifications you may have made.<br /><br />Then, if after this conversation if you've both sized up each other as good solid folks, you may choose to take the final step in your relationship as VW buddys. "The look in the engine". This may be initiated by asking "do you mind if I take a look?" If the owner agrees, then you're off. The two of you can now head on back to the bus to lift up the hatch, crouch down and talk shop. And there you have it - A VW match made in heaven. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibojcvz0tlJInGtSA6urP8eUNcOHeiQzkEFQgCdYwsWqfhyphenhyphenhDdV5LhkuHME6IUq5LVF2mz9tPOUCnB9LP2StvwFlxkt6hjaptJozdWXQiaeHcBmTjn2F-cWbJuD5aIr9BoMUDFQuj0hUU/s1600-h/IMG_6928.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibojcvz0tlJInGtSA6urP8eUNcOHeiQzkEFQgCdYwsWqfhyphenhyphenhDdV5LhkuHME6IUq5LVF2mz9tPOUCnB9LP2StvwFlxkt6hjaptJozdWXQiaeHcBmTjn2F-cWbJuD5aIr9BoMUDFQuj0hUU/s400/IMG_6928.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210253488608973106" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKJ2M62-7oiDOzQltkO-e6LBSpQPA91QZGdseQ7FHadQG683C22WakTEtz__AwJrdqeVUGM_c42ZxK0N-FZdHXeEcHYnv27vSC5UKqXqA2EgSAQXbkqTE8p0qtHx0RSXxeNZQ1jBLtzuU/s1600-h/IMG_6873.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKJ2M62-7oiDOzQltkO-e6LBSpQPA91QZGdseQ7FHadQG683C22WakTEtz__AwJrdqeVUGM_c42ZxK0N-FZdHXeEcHYnv27vSC5UKqXqA2EgSAQXbkqTE8p0qtHx0RSXxeNZQ1jBLtzuU/s320/IMG_6873.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210065114097576002" /></a><br />We met Billy down at the Beach because he heads down there to check out the surf most days. We met again the next and had a beer together, and then we just kept bumping into each other all over town! It was so nice to have friends again, it was novel to have someone drop by with a few beers for a visit. Since we had no phone number, or address it was all up to chance whether you'd run into someone. It was nice that the van was able to become a little home in that way. We had dinner at Billy's house, met his beautiful wife Cheryl and there 'cute as a button' daughter Mackenzie. He cooked us a feast of king crab, prawns, and steak - what a cook! I think that if was the first time we had sat at a real table to eat in weeks or had been indoors for an extended period of time. Billy and Cheryl introduced us to their friends, took us in and made Seal Beach feel like a home away from home. They are one of the many reasons that Seal Beach is such a cool place. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7usp-YVpe148I-0PwgUrUOcayuS_qZiSXQXKpu59fPdF-IgWqHDu4WhVO68I6OzbABGpKPoJ7uwKmeVjfyBrSy5yBTiG9wM9ZHl3J1grnUjsqkj9OVnFzm06GGFDbNDfn7468fCsDjys/s1600-h/IMG_6875.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7usp-YVpe148I-0PwgUrUOcayuS_qZiSXQXKpu59fPdF-IgWqHDu4WhVO68I6OzbABGpKPoJ7uwKmeVjfyBrSy5yBTiG9wM9ZHl3J1grnUjsqkj9OVnFzm06GGFDbNDfn7468fCsDjys/s400/IMG_6875.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210065803853048178" /></a>Geoff and Crystal Rousseauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00380519554289102852noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5175076636475440269.post-85909730521650091132008-06-09T14:21:00.000-07:002008-12-11T10:02:57.398-08:00We got told<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi87AmPoxJoIUwt_QEniwrohur8zzlIw6DiRmSqVmrPswGuDHOcE9VfMpgPVDFxP2kc4KxmKOht8yeHribpkY5xyXrwJzF-WR-bWnJb8UATX19K-NtjX0xszhLZ2W27c-U5tZR3urjKOPU/s1600-h/IMG_5975.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi87AmPoxJoIUwt_QEniwrohur8zzlIw6DiRmSqVmrPswGuDHOcE9VfMpgPVDFxP2kc4KxmKOht8yeHribpkY5xyXrwJzF-WR-bWnJb8UATX19K-NtjX0xszhLZ2W27c-U5tZR3urjKOPU/s320/IMG_5975.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210022819064026194" /></a>Written: Wednesday, March 25th - Seal Beach, CA<br /><br />While having our post surf rinse off at the outdoor showers this little kid started eyeing up Geoff's board. He was like "Woah, Dude, what happened to your board" <br /><br />Now I suppose that I should jump in here with a little background information. Geoff bought the board from a swap meet the guy was asking for $20 or best offer, we got it for $15. This fact being hard to forget given that the previous owner wrote $20 obo in permanent black magic marker on the top of the board. Now I know that this makes us look terribly cool and all, but we also found out that the board is actually something special - a "Gordon & Smith" from the early 80s. All I know is that it too hard for a beginner to ride and looks like it went through hell and back again. Anyways, back to the story. <br /><br />So, He was like "Woah, Dude, what happened to your board" and Geoff said that we bought it this way. Then the kid looked at us like a couple of newbs and said, "well, you should at least tape it up with duct tape so it won't catch water." Then he turned and walked off leaving us feeling a little stupid. Normally I'd be offended by getting condescending advice from a 7yr old. However, given the fact that we'd just spent the day getting tossed around like little rag dolls in the surf - I was thankful for the advice.<br /><br />The waves were bigger today, and this only exaggerated all little things I'm already doing wrong. Perhaps it is time for a real lesson. Right now all that I know is that there is so much water up my nose that it drips out uncontrollably when I lean my head forward making this journal entry a soggy one.Geoff and Crystal Rousseauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00380519554289102852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5175076636475440269.post-79280822156137647992008-04-10T12:55:00.000-07:002008-12-11T10:02:58.896-08:00Easter at Seal<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjytsp5mBSDhtB2IE73flkNNtWrq3a3C5aVrRg11lLUwxyzPgJfYnMUch3m4bwyblYZKfSAJVlE_QY4aMeTE3uBntsxdXRBtL8JkHrfFRw2C2w4FHCnqN_KZu8VGLCV7VwRRU-5hNgcWcg/s1600-h/IMG_5931.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjytsp5mBSDhtB2IE73flkNNtWrq3a3C5aVrRg11lLUwxyzPgJfYnMUch3m4bwyblYZKfSAJVlE_QY4aMeTE3uBntsxdXRBtL8JkHrfFRw2C2w4FHCnqN_KZu8VGLCV7VwRRU-5hNgcWcg/s320/IMG_5931.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5187712249653097074" /></a>Written: Thursday, March, 19th Seal Beach, CA<br /><br />We found a 2nd surfboard on Craigslist and spent the rest of the day surfing. It was awesome, the waves were poor but it made it quite easy for us to get used to the whole surfing concept. We spent the evening taking in the night life in nearby Long Beach. We found an amazing acoustic folk trio playing on the street they were just like the Marc Atkinson Trio (another favorite of ours). Acoustic bass, lead guitar and rhythm guitar – really tight and polished. I wish that we could have stayed longer to listen but the rest of the night was calling. Here’s a link to their my space page. I suggest you check it out. They’re called the Long Beach Caravan Trio. http://www.myspace.com/thelongbeachcaravantrio<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGqpKIiO9zUyAkNru5g174lcmvec3BpvQHIn1Ux3Qbsgug5pN8BTNKhicKv5TTBanTUpFY3qFi-VzED8NH4rTpuYgNhCjbaQOFd2ZcT8c5RZ9nopIdcl9_QIbMxvvOjnhBhsLcZV4UMt4/s1600-h/IMG_5951.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGqpKIiO9zUyAkNru5g174lcmvec3BpvQHIn1Ux3Qbsgug5pN8BTNKhicKv5TTBanTUpFY3qFi-VzED8NH4rTpuYgNhCjbaQOFd2ZcT8c5RZ9nopIdcl9_QIbMxvvOjnhBhsLcZV4UMt4/s400/IMG_5951.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5187710561730949714" /></a>Written: Friday March, 20th (Good Friday) Seal Beach, CA<br /><br />Too many surfers and not enough waves. Only caught about 2 waves today, one of which sent me flying straight into Geoff and knocked him a good one in the head. First with the nose of the board, then the fins for good measure. Later on in the day we came across a Spanish-Catholic church surrounded with crowds of people and asked a lady if there was a good Friday service. “Oh yes” she said “We’re acting out The Passion, we’re going to bring him (Jesus) out here, beat him up, crucify him...it's gonna be fun” What we forgot to ask was whether of not the service was in English, (it wasn't). There were so many people gathered you couldn't find parking for blocks. Likely because the play was being acted out in the church parking lot. Hundreds of people lined the 'make-believe' streets of Jerusalem, while vendors sold glow sticks and churros (cinnamon pastry) on the church lawn. It began by leading Jesus up to Pontious Pilate, while the Roman Soldiers whipped Jesus. They were actually hitting him quite hard, and the whole thing was really long, and rather violent, and weird, kinda neat, but mostly weird. The whole thing was quite the scene, people on the streets were stopping to watch and news helicopters circled above. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvLzriF-rS__nk0Y9PvVaQJCW_bmm2t8h0-1qNnnkiUYP_edRuROFR7P-TYPafTVggszTkWO8FrfCcAA0ATjku0TZ_tMIZGXKhKC_rzxbtEHhLEDd5y26VYvX9UlwcP5beLFN_Cr9_Gqo/s1600-h/IMG_5963.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvLzriF-rS__nk0Y9PvVaQJCW_bmm2t8h0-1qNnnkiUYP_edRuROFR7P-TYPafTVggszTkWO8FrfCcAA0ATjku0TZ_tMIZGXKhKC_rzxbtEHhLEDd5y26VYvX9UlwcP5beLFN_Cr9_Gqo/s320/IMG_5963.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5187710961162908258" /></a><br /><br />Written: Sunday March, 22nd (Easter Sunday) Seal Beach, CA<br /><br />We found ourselves at Damascus Church for Easter Sunday service. What a refreshing place! It was like being home at Royal City Church (our home church) for a day. The church is still quite young maybe 3ys old. They rent out space in the community centre for their services. Awesome worship, anointed preaching, and a very welcoming community. It’s nice to come to a church for the first time and leave having met at least 5 people and have had time to have significant conversations with most of them as well. It’s a nice change since lately we’ve been spending our time at a lot of churches where all they seem to care about it that you fill out the little info card and drop it in the collection box so they can count their attendance numbers. http://www.damascuschurch.orgGeoff and Crystal Rousseauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00380519554289102852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5175076636475440269.post-17878559319598475582008-04-09T18:38:00.000-07:002008-12-11T10:03:02.339-08:00Crystal loves Crystal Cove<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTgObDnMl0cJy6oAk54rs1PswWECg4x-5PmmimgpIx4WOvaLSrKMX0ywMZH_S58sd3ylQTG3mrrdNjiK-pmvRE2xBBlha7pxsHVnMTZmaj5F877Gp0rvf32qGK4dIKHG2FA7iPsTj1kD0/s1600-h/IMG_5844.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTgObDnMl0cJy6oAk54rs1PswWECg4x-5PmmimgpIx4WOvaLSrKMX0ywMZH_S58sd3ylQTG3mrrdNjiK-pmvRE2xBBlha7pxsHVnMTZmaj5F877Gp0rvf32qGK4dIKHG2FA7iPsTj1kD0/s320/IMG_5844.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5187437680983798306" /></a>Written: Saturday, March 15th – Huntington Beach, CA<br /><br />Went to “The Sanctuary” for a Saturday evening service. It was a nice church but the pastor was way too slick for us. He was tres high fashion - the definition of cool. His profile in the Sunday bulletin features various pictures of him with photo-shoot quality. They highlight his skills as an ex-pro skater, his dashing good looks, great fashion sense and of course his beautiful wife. Again, is this a California thing?<br /><br />Sunday, March 16th – Palm Sunday – Huntington Beach, CA<br /><br />Since the Saturday evening service wasn’t quite what we were looking for we went in search of another Sunday morning. We found ourselves at the Sea Coast church upon the recommendation of Glen. It was by far our biggest church we have ever been to. The sermon was about the importance of not playing “the game” (the game being "keeping up with the Jones"). He spoke about how revolutions historically have been about TAKING power and how ultimately this will not get us anywhere except in another situation of power imbalance. He presented Jesus' teaching on GIVING power. A concept that in todays world is a bit… well… revolutionary, as much as when Jesus first suggested this idea to his Disciples. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcSbhyphenhyphenajuuX4N79bPSMg5Jwo75Vc-uIHxAXEAEqF_O2On_BhHXLbfsZaQ_nbuOfzhSZ4NwFC69IOgmT8PZCz9FvsVDxQF2MB5VFNr_r6f6-FZ2YJtEX7oUY8Apfrh7-5QDrS5pF1iZ2BU/s1600-h/IMG_5873.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcSbhyphenhyphenajuuX4N79bPSMg5Jwo75Vc-uIHxAXEAEqF_O2On_BhHXLbfsZaQ_nbuOfzhSZ4NwFC69IOgmT8PZCz9FvsVDxQF2MB5VFNr_r6f6-FZ2YJtEX7oUY8Apfrh7-5QDrS5pF1iZ2BU/s320/IMG_5873.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5187435301571916226" /></a>Monday, March 17th , St. Patrick’s Day – Crystal Cove, CA<br /><br />We went to Crystal Cove State Park today. Its free during weekdays - a benefit of traveling in the off season. It’s funny that you see a lot of sights saying “closed – off season”. In Canada, half the country would be out on a beautiful day like today. Here in California, however it’s too cold for locals. Walking along the beach we saw a pod of dolphins off shore! So exciting! Our long walk on the beach led us to the Crystal Cove cottages. These are old, abandoned homes from the 1920’s, old squatter cottages put together by beach bums and runaway C.E.O’s looking to escape from their busy lives. People have lived in these homes as a community up until 2001 when they were evicted to make way for a beach-front resort. People freaked out and protested. The compromise, was to instead restore the cottages to their former glory. Today you can rent them out for the night at a capped price of $150. It’s pretty fun to think of a community of people who ran away from it all to live on the beach. They gathered together for sunset cocktails, surfing, and beach parties. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdCLwASqPANGKIBa-63cNRZoHcV3NLP350kjsBqdDeeQUnUJIcoizU1KI3KH50LiNOOvPxEPx5QAW5luUS1yCIi77e_yKe-RW6tmaJ8m4T7uTpHMjs9QmvsyHQ26lDqGFyz8aPnOzoc1M/s1600-h/IMG_5854.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdCLwASqPANGKIBa-63cNRZoHcV3NLP350kjsBqdDeeQUnUJIcoizU1KI3KH50LiNOOvPxEPx5QAW5luUS1yCIi77e_yKe-RW6tmaJ8m4T7uTpHMjs9QmvsyHQ26lDqGFyz8aPnOzoc1M/s320/IMG_5854.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5187436903594717714" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiihe_ibSCxWZlrGiRy-gu1_Mg23P6oYsnSHG8Ks6Udd4lCkAXmJXge8YYhIzcw-kmyZVrz0FYlI7cxbCtNaW2JDpXzgFr_QfNTlY4dS9B3K3VwvBm8apFvb-3LITreh5hOT8rLGaR8lJ4/s1600-h/IMG_5859.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiihe_ibSCxWZlrGiRy-gu1_Mg23P6oYsnSHG8Ks6Udd4lCkAXmJXge8YYhIzcw-kmyZVrz0FYlI7cxbCtNaW2JDpXzgFr_QfNTlY4dS9B3K3VwvBm8apFvb-3LITreh5hOT8rLGaR8lJ4/s320/IMG_5859.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5187436723206091266" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLE7RgENqmZkCHY1f5EPTKSAq9Mmsk8uQ7ZGDP8QArNDK2MD8mdnCcpBytvrVVGmtpoz4ko_mcaJK90m7e2HBXEOiHPLNimvYbRmSHTyPGABi8LWc8TreI_x6vxVCHMWLLPXZGLUr0-g4/s1600-h/IMG_5867.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLE7RgENqmZkCHY1f5EPTKSAq9Mmsk8uQ7ZGDP8QArNDK2MD8mdnCcpBytvrVVGmtpoz4ko_mcaJK90m7e2HBXEOiHPLNimvYbRmSHTyPGABi8LWc8TreI_x6vxVCHMWLLPXZGLUr0-g4/s320/IMG_5867.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5187436246464721378" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiksGCfJRSYf7Xps8EfG5UfJcfwowp8JwEaFkao4P8pMZvxNdunEVNNsI-8bKXuuw8Klfeawx-zZvVTnJ5SbpxQxT9zbYtjtvrjwUCegl7L3XVtVr_4YeZJeTTY_VB903ALn5jigLjsYIw/s1600-h/IMG_5871.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiksGCfJRSYf7Xps8EfG5UfJcfwowp8JwEaFkao4P8pMZvxNdunEVNNsI-8bKXuuw8Klfeawx-zZvVTnJ5SbpxQxT9zbYtjtvrjwUCegl7L3XVtVr_4YeZJeTTY_VB903ALn5jigLjsYIw/s320/IMG_5871.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5187435812673024466" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo7hofiIr77hZ2ZA5DytgADorQaE9YOpWbjNX7iAP6WtRu2WhWjFKowuvHdopBI3cUfzpVf4J-zV_Gv3bs0kBNKCz1UDE5SOQpRlYwgSZ9coMCkONTz5_MggFbaavGqaTEDEcUQq2fSKY/s1600-h/daisy+and+della.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo7hofiIr77hZ2ZA5DytgADorQaE9YOpWbjNX7iAP6WtRu2WhWjFKowuvHdopBI3cUfzpVf4J-zV_Gv3bs0kBNKCz1UDE5SOQpRlYwgSZ9coMCkONTz5_MggFbaavGqaTEDEcUQq2fSKY/s400/daisy+and+della.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5187434532772770210" /></a><br /><br />Tuesday, March 18th San Clemente, CA<br /><br />SO from now on we will be traveling down the coast highway. Passing through the beach towns along the way. The view is beautiful, I can’t seem to capture it’s grandeur in a photograph. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVZXaYJmQmmu5OL5Hu-3RPIQDvMoQ_LvbV5f4Fmpw-LAcur9QFVPOvpd83J7eJ2hPEB-EYgNcMsE16M1ZpB4Inr5lLxOmTHdP2UUR9poD-plATroiqRT4XRNA652f9EnSN7Wb1faA6Ixo/s1600-h/IMG_5921.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVZXaYJmQmmu5OL5Hu-3RPIQDvMoQ_LvbV5f4Fmpw-LAcur9QFVPOvpd83J7eJ2hPEB-EYgNcMsE16M1ZpB4Inr5lLxOmTHdP2UUR9poD-plATroiqRT4XRNA652f9EnSN7Wb1faA6Ixo/s320/IMG_5921.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5187431908547752258" /></a>Geoff and Crystal Rousseauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00380519554289102852noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5175076636475440269.post-21276129851849277382008-03-22T12:13:00.000-07:002008-12-11T10:03:08.112-08:00Della get's a Makeover<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbVCXlSv-nXeN_Uz8D3bC0BEskUqXnV-b81DWV6VwsIiKJiyRWyxhNA79lYpQ8hyphenhyphen38w__lms-CSXk4H9spEq7goFlcv3yxuXyASPY-4j1DmTP6g9OBIVMwUcv8CQZOFMP_eLmyv1Brjgo/s1600-h/IMG_5538.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbVCXlSv-nXeN_Uz8D3bC0BEskUqXnV-b81DWV6VwsIiKJiyRWyxhNA79lYpQ8hyphenhyphen38w__lms-CSXk4H9spEq7goFlcv3yxuXyASPY-4j1DmTP6g9OBIVMwUcv8CQZOFMP_eLmyv1Brjgo/s400/IMG_5538.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5185563027337136802" /></a>Written: Thursday, March 6th – Fresno, CA<br /><br />We went to the Pink House this morning to meet with Beth Eckloff, the Program Director. She’s staff with IVCF and one cool lady. The Pink house is a group of people who’ve decided to live together in a sort of intentional community. They live together in a big (you guessed it) pink house right in downtown Fresno. All the people are involved in their own ministries like tutoring kids in the neighborhood or volunteering at drop-in centres and local churches (basically some type of ministry with an urban focus). They meet weekly to eat a meal together, study the bible, discuss, share and pray. Their focus: community, urban ministry and leadership development. I would love to have something like this in life, imagine living and being in community with your neighbors friends. A life spent in service to others. It’s actually quite scary to imagine. I need a better understanding God’s heart for the poor. In the meantime it’s so good to catch a glimpse of this happening in real life and actually working - very encouraging. http://www.fiful.org <br /><br />On a shallower note, project “get a bus-pet” almost came true, there is a momma cat who has babies under the pink house porch. Unfortunately, they were too young to take…or fortunately...<br /><br />We’re driving a part of the blossom trail today. Almonds, plums, apricots, peaches, nectarines, apples and citrus trees are in blossom. Driving with the windows down makes the van smell fantastic. There are Mexican workers on all the corners selling mangoes and fruit salad and there are El Camino’s left, right and centre. The highlight of the blossom trail was that we were able to visit the Sun-Made Raisin Factory, and buy lots of delicious cheap dried figs and raisins. yum! <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Sq4F0EfHcV1ULc0QKKveq8x2WBuWl35sR0_5hntPmKDLzbaLwnNuUlsxtqnGG1mQQl8H0Xf9QIvYbP3Y199srNtgoMfI87UEY9Q1fMYj1XV4j2Vcf7lCRs3SEh0iLpESk2OL5dxZu6c/s1600-h/IMG_5584.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Sq4F0EfHcV1ULc0QKKveq8x2WBuWl35sR0_5hntPmKDLzbaLwnNuUlsxtqnGG1mQQl8H0Xf9QIvYbP3Y199srNtgoMfI87UEY9Q1fMYj1XV4j2Vcf7lCRs3SEh0iLpESk2OL5dxZu6c/s320/IMG_5584.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5185563620042623666" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX_jeFrzItaXjSH1stRZY7_BVbEWNhOZq_ePFC28wr1KvhUIClxBKQ3w8EjaicRguF53k-cOHZ5BEn08uoXs4jyFqDhBqLAK15__O8dJNKoEO2iP88UgcB_YeUHCGeoKdjX73jpGCnhNc/s1600-h/IMG_5206.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX_jeFrzItaXjSH1stRZY7_BVbEWNhOZq_ePFC28wr1KvhUIClxBKQ3w8EjaicRguF53k-cOHZ5BEn08uoXs4jyFqDhBqLAK15__O8dJNKoEO2iP88UgcB_YeUHCGeoKdjX73jpGCnhNc/s400/IMG_5206.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5185565703101762242" /></a> <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIFxdLNSImf4D7lmQS6TNBxRnxQ8v3s9IZBlD1RmJywx7QhleJ9Uhe0UEETEa1DlPS6tGbTQD2VEIiyQS1kLDeBy2Zt7nF7hA9EN1n1PgvTFkMhgvqLhGf7Bv0GmIE_vx9CtgPD6cMrF4/s1600-h/IMG_5615.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIFxdLNSImf4D7lmQS6TNBxRnxQ8v3s9IZBlD1RmJywx7QhleJ9Uhe0UEETEa1DlPS6tGbTQD2VEIiyQS1kLDeBy2Zt7nF7hA9EN1n1PgvTFkMhgvqLhGf7Bv0GmIE_vx9CtgPD6cMrF4/s320/IMG_5615.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5185566506260646610" /></a>Written: Saturday, March 8th – Pasadena, CA<br /><br />We’re officially in LA, well, within the city limits. We had to cross the grape vine pass. What a killer. It was hot day and we had to drive up the shoulder with the 4-ways on the whole time, our cylinder head temp was climbing well past 350 degrees F. We're not sure what the exact rules are concerning cylinder head temp. I've heard of people running theirs up to 400 degrees at times. When It’s hot enough to bake cookies…then we stop and cool down. That’s our policy. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGfTEtvFKBOR1B-UHstG_TRqZuRgXIf-hhE3kwYtOU4iBnSqB-GGeR0XkG3V8Terw9SIlBukCvSt0bBEAcvO1YyVzk3gToin-LdBGCXdbkilnRBjF_3pmQqXExrgIaLij-VkpyF9aagnU/s1600-h/IMG_5633.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGfTEtvFKBOR1B-UHstG_TRqZuRgXIf-hhE3kwYtOU4iBnSqB-GGeR0XkG3V8Terw9SIlBukCvSt0bBEAcvO1YyVzk3gToin-LdBGCXdbkilnRBjF_3pmQqXExrgIaLij-VkpyF9aagnU/s320/IMG_5633.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5185566940052343522" /></a>We spent the morning in a Wal-mart parking lot, cleaning up Della for the car show tomorrow. She’s covered in a thick layer of tar, grease, and bugs. Also, there was a cheap paint job done on the right side of the van. It holds dirt and if you scrub too hard, the pain just rubs off. All of our window seals are disintegrating and liquidized black rubber runs down the car anytime it rains. After driving cross-country, sitting in Vancouver’s rainy winter, and driving down the coast she was looking a bit bedraggled to say the least. Now she’s shiny and happy again so stay away bugs and dirt! <br /><br />While washing the van a guy noticed us and came by to say hello. He was reminded of the 3 months he spent living in different Wal-Mart parking lots. He was a little strange, one of those talkative types that doesn’t let you get a word in edgewise. In 5 minutes, he had told us all about his life, his time in NAM, his masters degree, new Spanish girlfriend, old English ex-wife, then his 3 recent murder convictions, trips to Ontario and Victoria, and the time he got attacked with an axe. About his old home in Laguna Beach that he lost to his wife (the English one), about his daughter who’s on the show 'Laguna Beach'. He told us about his cocaine habit, and how they called him Greyhound in Prison, because of his grey hair. The strangest part was how important it was to mention details like the cost of his house (2 million), how tall his daughter was (6’) and how beautiful she was (very), the type of car she drove (Audi) how much her car cost (45 grand). His son’s boat size (40’). It was all rather odd. Even odder than him. Is this shameless self-bragging a Californian thing? Or is it just a crazy man thing?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHTXNQfJC_bR1Q-1-a4G6cJm0h2IEFo2QOuNWoCti8RtizrxXJwRCcosNCFjbvFL9wnhuQGgrFFGrrEi86QyVkGtRx81SKbJ7iXudQijf6xBHp5FrqBfxcf2_8TUSjcOaozdO8ytK_-Eg/s1600-h/IMG_5647.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHTXNQfJC_bR1Q-1-a4G6cJm0h2IEFo2QOuNWoCti8RtizrxXJwRCcosNCFjbvFL9wnhuQGgrFFGrrEi86QyVkGtRx81SKbJ7iXudQijf6xBHp5FrqBfxcf2_8TUSjcOaozdO8ytK_-Eg/s320/IMG_5647.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5187419315703640322" /></a>9:30pm - Pomona, CA<br /><br />I’m so excited about the swap meet tomorrow, we just went to check it out before we go to sleep. It starts at 5 am tomorrow and we’ve been advised that you want to get there bright and early, since the early bird gets the worm, we’ll be getting up at 4:30 am, since the clocks move forward, tonight it’s actually going to be 3:30 am. The place is already buzzing and we’ve already seen 3 really sweet air-cooled V-dubs buzzing around the area. It should be fun.<br /><br />5:00 am, March 9th (Sunday)<br /><br />Driving up Fairplex Drive – It’s like a time warp. There are more cars from the last 50 years than modern ones. Most of them are all street rods, and are of course passing us on this big hill. We didn't sleep at all last night. We slept in noisy spot and were too excited to sleep. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAwTRBzLD_FVFG_C7w67Ag-peT51fJ3v2bMHlMUJG_VJjEzJJHOI56z6uh4pQUf7-5NIKempooVaDN2-tlNGOypp8r2FBeRYnW-fM-F80koIdQabQL3k4yLDV1EzYZPxjDHKTM6axS4K0/s1600-h/IMG_5688.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAwTRBzLD_FVFG_C7w67Ag-peT51fJ3v2bMHlMUJG_VJjEzJJHOI56z6uh4pQUf7-5NIKempooVaDN2-tlNGOypp8r2FBeRYnW-fM-F80koIdQabQL3k4yLDV1EzYZPxjDHKTM6axS4K0/s400/IMG_5688.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5185567708851489538" /></a>3:00 pm<br /><br />I am exhausted. 5 to 1:30 = 8.5 hours spent wondering around a parking lot. This morning we were among the first people here. It was still dark but all the vendor's were ready with their parts set out. People were rushing around with flashlights trying to grab the good deals and rare parts. It was pretty fun to wander around in the dark through the endless isles of parts with all sorts of suspicious looking characters, flashlights, and trash can fires. The overall theme of the day however was - parts parts parts, and cheap cheap cheap! We made out like bandits and even snagged a crappy surf board for $15. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYo1qEZq-JgfjgD2b2s3GbwwWfVKFP8CgN8CNEl0TuZTYqfFipDeniYGPHUfTXENhXuQz0eKIy_hJXoye_xNjG19SDGC012K4a1p87xyicltrt_xNtmkh7vp4c3VR9kQ1BpEn-D91wkHk/s1600-h/IMG_5634.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYo1qEZq-JgfjgD2b2s3GbwwWfVKFP8CgN8CNEl0TuZTYqfFipDeniYGPHUfTXENhXuQz0eKIy_hJXoye_xNjG19SDGC012K4a1p87xyicltrt_xNtmkh7vp4c3VR9kQ1BpEn-D91wkHk/s320/IMG_5634.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5185569538507557778" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCb6LTdWPQmHkwORvqkcXXCCw04G7aqoFgLgFuDegbrciDEkNf7TtAbrMujExT1e1bPHOh0fEB4Uh045Iaa3CssPIdKOJU-up3SkSa37NiNE7GzyJHQwNoh5_M5kCZNa-33YzLuVDvfic/s1600-h/IMG_5637.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCb6LTdWPQmHkwORvqkcXXCCw04G7aqoFgLgFuDegbrciDEkNf7TtAbrMujExT1e1bPHOh0fEB4Uh045Iaa3CssPIdKOJU-up3SkSa37NiNE7GzyJHQwNoh5_M5kCZNa-33YzLuVDvfic/s320/IMG_5637.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5185569126190697330" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQck-Ej-n0jtPcx4PzKKGACqjpT2fTGM7thVtyvk_yDdtoG1nuZduUt38KhIGmmLjQc5hBXWIPlwwTIkONUyFHjV2RJiGxULQXUy5LSBd4lW0bnSI1u4A_0NdtwMDj6bVO5lkWU4D9EhA/s1600-h/IMG_5644.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQck-Ej-n0jtPcx4PzKKGACqjpT2fTGM7thVtyvk_yDdtoG1nuZduUt38KhIGmmLjQc5hBXWIPlwwTIkONUyFHjV2RJiGxULQXUy5LSBd4lW0bnSI1u4A_0NdtwMDj6bVO5lkWU4D9EhA/s320/IMG_5644.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5185568795478215506" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9w6oJkvY7B7C_n_N7OWZh81mt4miJtN92TUuz_tyGvtNj7xgjBKLhsjbRWUA0xqOWc3-UhepqIh-uSqC5AGhAwXs8AjjPGY1xFAOU8lp72GHMTnvag76mdo4f77ogAXuavGJdzJwIdlI/s1600-h/IMG_5669.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9w6oJkvY7B7C_n_N7OWZh81mt4miJtN92TUuz_tyGvtNj7xgjBKLhsjbRWUA0xqOWc3-UhepqIh-uSqC5AGhAwXs8AjjPGY1xFAOU8lp72GHMTnvag76mdo4f77ogAXuavGJdzJwIdlI/s320/IMG_5669.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5185568653744294722" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCYfTz_k21SOpSWgys4qjqm5GDDkPe2mvi6pjhyphenhyphenUlQnDuZOODnFvKYwq3_DyvPuZG7wF5EkGzXQLZsCSD3VUKzP37I2HkZd75nsRYU_BY8VCrYRTW8U-bl9dtast77no0jZVl4j8UrQdc/s1600-h/IMG_5650.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCYfTz_k21SOpSWgys4qjqm5GDDkPe2mvi6pjhyphenhyphenUlQnDuZOODnFvKYwq3_DyvPuZG7wF5EkGzXQLZsCSD3VUKzP37I2HkZd75nsRYU_BY8VCrYRTW8U-bl9dtast77no0jZVl4j8UrQdc/s320/IMG_5650.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5185568413226126130" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicffHCXS4M966yWgTpgdZrkGd59IbUaNIANfE6QuBuH2RZ3fwdMoapQwvQjezctKG1e58Orgr4mHEU73j5SEgGNQUpWn_iklz3E3hYw0LzwEGwoOtnU4tqdEJIXkAaGODAxT59ANJ3zes/s1600-h/IMG_5672.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicffHCXS4M966yWgTpgdZrkGd59IbUaNIANfE6QuBuH2RZ3fwdMoapQwvQjezctKG1e58Orgr4mHEU73j5SEgGNQUpWn_iklz3E3hYw0LzwEGwoOtnU4tqdEJIXkAaGODAxT59ANJ3zes/s320/IMG_5672.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5185568267197238050" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh22dcfAaS9o6as5XQmbLYddf3CfDj6Pc2yI8a3n9Q3RrOi2vbrhC_XT5FoUyHjkn93Qk3XUKcW-V91ljy20VY2odXeBdBRbJvUHuBJZ1aFXF4PzGa5tMAKJNlNYXzmB_4_0iBcVMBMNBo/s1600-h/IMG_5678.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh22dcfAaS9o6as5XQmbLYddf3CfDj6Pc2yI8a3n9Q3RrOi2vbrhC_XT5FoUyHjkn93Qk3XUKcW-V91ljy20VY2odXeBdBRbJvUHuBJZ1aFXF4PzGa5tMAKJNlNYXzmB_4_0iBcVMBMNBo/s320/IMG_5678.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5185568099693513490" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCHBRG3oOFyZcnvNdmIzHh5qYHb0IvuLVWJakFOL4zFkth5sj-oJf4j-b6dF6eFZ_NWMLrWFrMp_ddZIvstgccHptdqi-P1i_RjTsBf8bz3VrjzyrTp7R218m-q8JH0B8JSA2EwwPGAsk/s1600-h/IMG_5694.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCHBRG3oOFyZcnvNdmIzHh5qYHb0IvuLVWJakFOL4zFkth5sj-oJf4j-b6dF6eFZ_NWMLrWFrMp_ddZIvstgccHptdqi-P1i_RjTsBf8bz3VrjzyrTp7R218m-q8JH0B8JSA2EwwPGAsk/s320/IMG_5694.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5185569903579777954" /></a>11:20 am Tuesday, March 11th - Rancho Cucamunga, CA<br /><br />Van work day! Geoff adjusted the valves yesterday. He did it with a fancy new remote starter which makes the job way better. Today, Geoff’s adjusting the points, but for some reason it isn’t going well. He just came into the van, cursing like a sailor (which, if you’ve ever met Geoff, is a rare state only achieved by the most frustrating situations). It’s so annoying when you know how to do a job, you know you’re doing it right, but the bus won’t start and when it does, the adjustment is all out of whack anyway. The inside of the van looks like a bomb went off. We just need to get things in order! Next job on the list is getting the transmission fluid changed and then the looming CV job – sure to be a grease-fest I’m warned. Had dinner in a nice park today. It was nice to find a place with shade. All these palm trees are pretty but they got nothing on our big shade trees in Canada Eh? <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfI2B-r_seTT3AVZJbnYGmQ28XZk74g0VPv_Azz8TpHcjVWZEXfZVTJcnJMCs6yddnk1TjpLkmAiR89Cv1v2owUVrT4pMOCUydecxZllVGWC6wbS2kibSFv-eu3W3gsCBhAqqwZlkGbko/s1600-h/IMG_5708.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfI2B-r_seTT3AVZJbnYGmQ28XZk74g0VPv_Azz8TpHcjVWZEXfZVTJcnJMCs6yddnk1TjpLkmAiR89Cv1v2owUVrT4pMOCUydecxZllVGWC6wbS2kibSFv-eu3W3gsCBhAqqwZlkGbko/s400/IMG_5708.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5185570461925526466" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9w_EfNHC6UKLpSibw9fbywRucBey4_4ZCFRnSV0p5ioKqJ7XNroXqAX7NaFk5IChCaKgdcAhcLocmeyPDB0NU6vycSZ3AvU-aRbKYpDXojuXQDha3ZUeeNBE4CprF7bdG0OTV53yHb4w/s1600-h/IMG_5696.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9w_EfNHC6UKLpSibw9fbywRucBey4_4ZCFRnSV0p5ioKqJ7XNroXqAX7NaFk5IChCaKgdcAhcLocmeyPDB0NU6vycSZ3AvU-aRbKYpDXojuXQDha3ZUeeNBE4CprF7bdG0OTV53yHb4w/s400/IMG_5696.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5185570251472128946" /></a>"shady lane, everybody wants one..." - Pavement<br /><br />Wednesday, March 12th, Buena Park, CA<br /><br />We got kicked out of our 1st Wal-Mart last night. It’s silly because their policy is that you can stay overnight. But this particular manager didn’t like overnighters. Oh well, we were leaving anyways. Today we are hoping to adjust our carbs and fix the timing since it’s still not right.<br /><br />Thursday, March 13th , Huntington Beach, CA (“Surf City USA”)<br /><br />I keep all our receipts in a bag behind the drivers seat. The pile of them is getting so large it reminds me of the suitcase of IOU’s in Dumb and Dumber. "That's as good as money, sir. Those are I.O.U.'s." We've arrived in Huntington Beach a.k.a. Surf City, USA. Last night we went to the beach excited about our first true California trip the beach. We hadn’t been parked for 30 seconds before 2 hippie, dread-locked stoner dudes came up.<br /><br />“Hey, you guys from Canada?"<br /> yep.<br />"Cool man,"<br />Yeah, it’s pretty nice here<br />"So, you guys like live in the wilderness?"<br />Well, no, where we’re from, it’s just like here, people, streets, houses.<br />"Hey, can I ask you a question?"<br />Sure.<br />"Do you know if I go to Canada if I can trap a wolf?"<br />Silence (Strange furrowed eyebrows, cocked head look)<br />picking up on our concerned look…<br />"No, no, I mean if I wanted one for a pet."<br /><br />I won’t go on with the conversation but you get the idea. He was a nice guy though, they both were, and they offered to buy us a beer, but we declined in search of dinner on the beach and some better conversation. For dinner we just sat and looked out at all the people surfing, playing volleyball and running along the beach sidewalk. We saw a girl riding a bicycle wearing nothing but a bikini with 1980’s stilettos that were the exact colour match and gloss of her bicycle. Sorry no pictures, I wasn't quick enough on the draw. Everyone here seems to be trying to set the next trend. When I first came to the beach I must confess, I was worried about feeling comfortable. Beaches and bathing suits have never been my 'forte' and I worried a bit about being judged. The funny thing is that no one seems to notice you here, they are all too busy watching themselves. Fixing their hair, making sure their shirt is sitting right. It's nutty. <br /><br />We started calling through our Type 2 rescue list (a list-serve of VW owners willing to help out travelers). We need a driveway to do the CV job since it requires jacking the car up...working on it in a parking lot just isn't a good idea. We got through the to the first person on the list. Glen. He said he was able to help us out and he was actually in the area! Within 30 seconds he was there! poof! like he just plopped down from the sky. Minutes later we were having a drink in the parking lot and shooting the breeze. It was so nice to have other people to talk to! And yes, everyone. They really do use the words dude and gnarly in a sentence.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDasjMGyEkg7y2N1lVU-K7_g2EVDNHzkazp7BO9SN56Y4nNyakmOv2bLvrx6_3epxNGaAcBnAhYaiPfm8cKLtOCBrAwa4u8nFE-gTMh_gw7_fwmv39beowVW-r51ekXTgZIdkxp-Mu_4c/s1600-h/IMG_5715.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDasjMGyEkg7y2N1lVU-K7_g2EVDNHzkazp7BO9SN56Y4nNyakmOv2bLvrx6_3epxNGaAcBnAhYaiPfm8cKLtOCBrAwa4u8nFE-gTMh_gw7_fwmv39beowVW-r51ekXTgZIdkxp-Mu_4c/s400/IMG_5715.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5187032073656093794" /></a>Thursday March 13th, 11:00 am<br /><br />So turns out we have gear oil in our transmission as well as a fluid leak. Previously, we were hoping to change the fluid and hope for the best. But now that we can't seem to locate a new gasket we're going to hold off for now. The fluid level has never been low as of yet and she's running fine. Changing the fluid is mainly precautionary at this point anyway. In the picture below you can see where the leak is, it’s mainly evaporating off or getting soaked in the gasket. Even the mechanics recommended we just keep driving it. We'll just have to be prepared for that fateful day...dun dun dunnnnn <br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguQ7BgoACP2wmJnkU2Ea7YOZ_DVY4Ok_ddggEm75TJFqcPGWu8N7Ms25XK0u8F7-L9SIbRTxV8vZYzK_Gu3vQd5yfF4dyTsV3yXOC50XTXmib9MbGvVQHnURXZjLIsszYmuzV7TMK_zLo/s1600-h/IMG_5717.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguQ7BgoACP2wmJnkU2Ea7YOZ_DVY4Ok_ddggEm75TJFqcPGWu8N7Ms25XK0u8F7-L9SIbRTxV8vZYzK_Gu3vQd5yfF4dyTsV3yXOC50XTXmib9MbGvVQHnURXZjLIsszYmuzV7TMK_zLo/s400/IMG_5717.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5187032760850861170" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYnnaceknXM9FCoSOPBevBLw-58ZPZ8veSUvT24cCk621Vvc4mUp5dnQfcuYSlqwNSDiRRqdQ9PWvtSfwpEFJdg_IW6_6WXCIFgakB3ZUBXt2IsEznWeVKRQD9EdvOP1nAhzKM7lhfrCU/s1600-h/IMG_5735.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYnnaceknXM9FCoSOPBevBLw-58ZPZ8veSUvT24cCk621Vvc4mUp5dnQfcuYSlqwNSDiRRqdQ9PWvtSfwpEFJdg_IW6_6WXCIFgakB3ZUBXt2IsEznWeVKRQD9EdvOP1nAhzKM7lhfrCU/s400/IMG_5735.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5187026168076061666" /></a>Friday March 14th, Huntington Beach<br /><br />Like most VW jobs...you can never do just one thing quick. It always seems to lead to another task you weren't planning on doing. Our CV, re-packing job turned out to be a wheel-bearing replacement. We conveniently didn’t come to this conclusion until after our CV job was complete. Which I <span style="font-style:italic;">now</span> know is the wrong order to do the job because you have to then take the axle out twice. So one day turned into two and late in the second as we were putting the last wheel nut on it started slipping because the half-shaft was stripped. Glen tried welding a homemade washer remedy, but no luck. I felt so bad for Glen because, this simple job has turned into a not so simple one, and he was expected on a weekend camping trip. In the end Glen's Dad was able to track down a new half shaft and nut at a junkyard are we just had to re-do the left rear wheel bearing. The nice thing is that we are in the right place to find VW parts. It’s quite the luxury to have more than one store that deals only in VW parts. You can just walk up to the counter and just ask for the part and someone turns around grabs it from a magical shelf and hands it to you. No internet, no backorder, and no high prices. All in all this has been a great couple of days. In fact, things just don't seem to feel finished until you have a setback or three. And nothing beats a sunny day working on the van with an ice cold beer. Many thanks to Glen and his family! You fed us and taught us loads. Thanks to you we won’t be stranded in the Desert somewhere. I hope.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqIlxDjtJGOoPDBm4fID1TO9hgQb1oeyUe_QUCa311RPxAeg4xm9mThFS8i8MQe4VpgyzlIgVM9W5PZzQDpJVpez5VQur8oRcdK2nuekpLYCaIBLL1QJAnhP-xC3njXqBxe9BwWnqOQdQ/s1600-h/IMG_5734.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqIlxDjtJGOoPDBm4fID1TO9hgQb1oeyUe_QUCa311RPxAeg4xm9mThFS8i8MQe4VpgyzlIgVM9W5PZzQDpJVpez5VQur8oRcdK2nuekpLYCaIBLL1QJAnhP-xC3njXqBxe9BwWnqOQdQ/s320/IMG_5734.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5187027752918993938" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDmdppcH9n3nQqD-DB50wISX1GABfKRg_rPY8IYtgXqg4GVIBGwHh_sdV0FwKyUCLNRk8HyqEwl2nmgbLQi1WX851zW01OIPL9BZXb6DluVR-jFjjn6WsN2D45Km1tHtnglQvDRvBuYa0/s1600-h/IMG_5736.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDmdppcH9n3nQqD-DB50wISX1GABfKRg_rPY8IYtgXqg4GVIBGwHh_sdV0FwKyUCLNRk8HyqEwl2nmgbLQi1WX851zW01OIPL9BZXb6DluVR-jFjjn6WsN2D45Km1tHtnglQvDRvBuYa0/s320/IMG_5736.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5187027452271283202" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTW4OwzyxFjlbZNKvrtuqvnLHZrP95Uxa4j4w4FUhRpaQ3VCFC9Bzp7c6zCDNGkhufazwb8UxWmdzwuRqRFHb88caECySw19bArF8_BQEfz718JLn6mZ-ETx_B-R3TeVa9_h5U5KN-N_U/s1600-h/IMG_5744.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTW4OwzyxFjlbZNKvrtuqvnLHZrP95Uxa4j4w4FUhRpaQ3VCFC9Bzp7c6zCDNGkhufazwb8UxWmdzwuRqRFHb88caECySw19bArF8_BQEfz718JLn6mZ-ETx_B-R3TeVa9_h5U5KN-N_U/s320/IMG_5744.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5187027044249390066" /></a>Geoff and Crystal Rousseauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00380519554289102852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5175076636475440269.post-15242724517199316252008-03-08T15:55:00.000-08:002008-12-11T10:03:09.729-08:00More from the sunny Central Valley<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUM-YWROgGeG67OOBkBOV7aSEu_21wc2CBxReCSez5EovsKoBOoLkBJoB3tlpELv1A8hapk75gz51lIT2VignPzfv8RsyuewxPv_bQ1whqQhUUKfghmmLuh5kCQdNLDq86qKvTCY7iSDg/s1600-h/100percent+financing.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUM-YWROgGeG67OOBkBOV7aSEu_21wc2CBxReCSez5EovsKoBOoLkBJoB3tlpELv1A8hapk75gz51lIT2VignPzfv8RsyuewxPv_bQ1whqQhUUKfghmmLuh5kCQdNLDq86qKvTCY7iSDg/s320/100percent+financing.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5175537358462327618" /></a>Written: Saturday, March 1st – Hilmar, CA<br /><br />We’re off to find more cheese, we just left a little dutch shop that specializes in Gouda. Today we’ve been wandering around on old farm back roads. There’s lots of small farms here with little shack homes. It’s so different from the large farm houses you see in the northern States and in Canada.<br /><br />2:30pm – Atwater, CA<br /><br />California is mini-Mexico. I love the cultural diversity & hearing all the accents. It’s common to see large crowds of Mexicans standing on street corners here, waiting for work, for the day… whoever may need a day labourer. It really makes you wonder how someone can support themselves let alone a family without steady work?<br /><br />There are houses for sale everywhere - ‘Foreclosed’. When we talk to people around here they say you can sense the desperation in people. There are lots of people out on the street, staying in state parks, sorting out what the heck to do with their families after losing their homes or jobs. Also, one hundred and fifty state parks will be closed by September next year, because of lack of funding. I guess that’s the price of funding the war on terror combined with life spent living on credit.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIWD4UGAAjVjBJ34t9P-lHxtjDNhl2AmYDcsOs7RIq5fsoc-MhY6u_-sqa5ryaa66cTRwUc4Mod6koEWUbIc5NCOZODk5gIuJ3n7FN3v9pUFQwdq8zDM-C9BqTx0R9RkN7f0UUSgJSuRQ/s1600-h/out+of+gas.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIWD4UGAAjVjBJ34t9P-lHxtjDNhl2AmYDcsOs7RIq5fsoc-MhY6u_-sqa5ryaa66cTRwUc4Mod6koEWUbIc5NCOZODk5gIuJ3n7FN3v9pUFQwdq8zDM-C9BqTx0R9RkN7f0UUSgJSuRQ/s320/out+of+gas.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5175537551735855954" /></a><br />3:00pm<br /><br />Well we just ran out of gas. It was kind of funny because neither of us were all that fazed. When the car went dead in the middle of the highway, Geoff simply turned the key off, and casually looked over and said “oh, we’re out of gas…”, said like you’d say “oh, the neighbors are having a yard sale.”<br /><br />4:00pm<br />Speaking of yard sales… once we were fueled up and back on the road, we went to a couple. They were in these tiny Hispanic neighborhoods with little stray dogs and kids (not stray) everywhere. I don’t think these are the kind of yard sales that are very well attended. They’re full of overpriced crappy gadgets that look like they were pulled from a dumpster in 1970, and old really old clothing too. I feel bad for these people so I bought a package of dusty ‘key turners’ for a dollar. Also, Geoff has decided that he wants to steal the street dog, and name it Atwater after the town we stole it from…either that or Arfie.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix6Vtw_b9G-a-U6A0JufZsnxRdUMA8pB3ZXrg1BhVUwU5dw0q-xUh9l80pUD39pOK5md3Z-m6LIKEe_hZxQhsS3pZ943ri5jrM4y6YwawMR7Zv2PgcePmlnhdXA9pspBjvWQpIOCclp0I/s1600-h/almond+blossoms-along+road.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix6Vtw_b9G-a-U6A0JufZsnxRdUMA8pB3ZXrg1BhVUwU5dw0q-xUh9l80pUD39pOK5md3Z-m6LIKEe_hZxQhsS3pZ943ri5jrM4y6YwawMR7Zv2PgcePmlnhdXA9pspBjvWQpIOCclp0I/s320/almond+blossoms-along+road.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5175534437884566290" /></a>4:30pm<br /><br />The Almond trees are in full blossom here, and the highways are lined with brilliant wildflowers! We can see the High Sierra mountains of Yosemite to our left. Oh what a beautiful day.<br /><br />Written: Sunday, March 2nd – Fresno, CA<br /><br />Went to the University Presbyterian Church, it was nice, they gave us cookies. Took a Sunday drive to Clovis for lunch, had sausage, cheese and beer (James was right - Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is the greatest) all this was followed by a delightful nap. This is the life. Don't worry Dad, I'll eat vegetables with dinner, and stop being so lazy tomorrow.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2WR2jXTBC9ZsOZoD5JVUnb2iTKHt7gObj5_YhVOTBPPwcgpCGrq58UZH3Wlqfg1xh879sLwbuDmoZhYDFHDm3QcsUTWrpwG0vs-MNj8HKQbzPLe-q2MjwUDLoeJVAMKag_RJAojaETl0/s1600-h/crys+geo+eating+salsa+mar3.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2WR2jXTBC9ZsOZoD5JVUnb2iTKHt7gObj5_YhVOTBPPwcgpCGrq58UZH3Wlqfg1xh879sLwbuDmoZhYDFHDm3QcsUTWrpwG0vs-MNj8HKQbzPLe-q2MjwUDLoeJVAMKag_RJAojaETl0/s320/crys+geo+eating+salsa+mar3.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5176232997135391698" /></a>Written: Tuesday, March 4th – Fresno, CA<br /><br />It’s Geoff’s 25th birthday today and we’re at Millerton State Recreation Area north of Fresno. Geoff wanted to get away from the city and spend his b-day in Nature. This place is beautiful, a birding hot spot, we’ve pulled out our birding books but there is just too many I don’t know where to begin. We stopped after we id the White-capped Sparrows that hop around our campsite. For today I feel the need to just BE and enjoy the sunshine, the peaceful nature of this place and my fantastic husband on his 25th birthday. To celebrate, we cracked open ‘Firma’, a red wine from California’s Jewel Collection. I’m enjoying a glass right now… actually so is a little bug, can’t say that I blame him. Actually I think he’s drowning.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI-To6_KZ7CYSj63BhI9ivhnlprIbGrkY0qNK9WjPtjwABM338l7kUxq104aNis_CFbvA6PFwBWsOgcPygz-GlXzw26M3aVIBP_aSot8nOVSCMpFh9IZs_D_DsPHhywTHGvTUTYDD78YQ/s1600-h/crys+making+dinner.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI-To6_KZ7CYSj63BhI9ivhnlprIbGrkY0qNK9WjPtjwABM338l7kUxq104aNis_CFbvA6PFwBWsOgcPygz-GlXzw26M3aVIBP_aSot8nOVSCMpFh9IZs_D_DsPHhywTHGvTUTYDD78YQ/s320/crys+making+dinner.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180642979090811330" /></a><br />Today we slept in, did some laundry. We had baths out of the icy water tap on our site. It was quite the site and actually very difficult to have a shower with your clothes on. There are showers here, but they use quarters and of course we don’t have any. There aren’t many people here anyway and we have the place to ourselves. I love it here. I love the gnarly oak trees and abundant birds, the van with her top popped up and the food, the gin and wine, burgers and homemade salsa. There are cows here too, and coyotes. They howl into the night. They’ve started already even though the sun hasn’t set. The cows go crazy too. Last night we had to listen to a mad cow moo into the night a cross between being in heat/labor/and having your baby calf stolen by coyotes. I hope she’s ok tonight. Last night we also had a visit from the local raccoon as he broke into our garbage. I decided, instead of fighting and hiding it all away, he could have it. I mean, I’m just throwing the crap out to sit in a landfill and he’s just going to climb in my garbage can anyways. So I took our garbage out of the can a spread it on the ground by a big tree. I think he liked his dinner of ribs, I also gave him a piece of bread and cheese. And named him Rocky. It was all gone in the morning and he didn’t bother us at all in the night. Yes, I shouldn’t feed the wildlife, and it is unnatural that raccoons eat out of trash cans, not from the wild, like they’re supposed to… but humans aren’t any better. Rocky and I are actually a lot more alike then I’d like to admit – both strangers to the ways of the wild.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiltoFrPkyu1ScXMcGANOEl18jv3KjvUvl4t-Ux_M_6BwOcmJ6xe9T-MyaUJ4LtRUZ5HwJ_XHN9bTcrToct90hnhfgCp1YilBQtRzmF_LOPizjtrgY7TZ3w4NkNsh6v3w5srOBQVLN_H9M/s1600-h/pancake+breakfast+mar4.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiltoFrPkyu1ScXMcGANOEl18jv3KjvUvl4t-Ux_M_6BwOcmJ6xe9T-MyaUJ4LtRUZ5HwJ_XHN9bTcrToct90hnhfgCp1YilBQtRzmF_LOPizjtrgY7TZ3w4NkNsh6v3w5srOBQVLN_H9M/s320/pancake+breakfast+mar4.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180643606156036562" /></a><br />Written: Wednesday, March 5th – Fresno, CA<br /><br />Today we packed up camp after a delish breakfast of eggs and toast. It was nice to take the time to clean out the van, organize the cupboards and wash the moldy mattress upstairs (don’t worry, it’s not as bad as it sounds) We went for a hike too to the top of buzzards lookout. All the different types of hawks were soaring about on the wind currants below us. Today we id’d an Acorn Woodpecker that is native only to this region! Pretty neat. I’ll have to come back here once I’m really serious about this birding thing because there are different species everywhere. That will have to of course wait until I get a big set of intimidating binoculars, and on of those khaki safari hats. Lunch today was our classic tuna and avocado sandwiches with cilantro. Everything we’ve been eating for the past two days has been with cilantro. All because I wanted some for the fresh salsa I made. It just comes in such large quantities. Tonight for dinner we had casserole with cilantro, tomorrow salad with cilantro.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirUAcXb55cpVY4RrL6S7vP_tFklyPW6Hp5hw393YV-tl-CRiraX8oP6c_scZd8Zf3tOzO83uKCmS_xfnSdAkdnatvBPO33Tkp3ooKcEMvDDF6MVIVNpKpfKRob1DserdxbtMY0Qcy8Il4/s1600-h/geo+off+roading.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirUAcXb55cpVY4RrL6S7vP_tFklyPW6Hp5hw393YV-tl-CRiraX8oP6c_scZd8Zf3tOzO83uKCmS_xfnSdAkdnatvBPO33Tkp3ooKcEMvDDF6MVIVNpKpfKRob1DserdxbtMY0Qcy8Il4/s320/geo+off+roading.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180645070739884514" /></a> On the way out of the park we took Della on her first off road trip. This picture doesn't look to impressive...but we were impressed.Geoff and Crystal Rousseauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00380519554289102852noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5175076636475440269.post-38678547979983053212008-03-05T20:46:00.000-08:002008-12-11T10:03:14.691-08:00From Redwoods to Almond Blossoms<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnT_nML3pRXHeo0nulEO5poDv6l45XkQ9mbxFH4ddDrKLupy3loHVIX4IFWTpTGwycCqjpz-8oVpTq_K9oaDwsEvGYdWrIFIxhZO4BrCylBGo1-JL304Z2BFo13I_m0mWNo2HStK2PzA0/s1600-h/IMG_4570.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnT_nML3pRXHeo0nulEO5poDv6l45XkQ9mbxFH4ddDrKLupy3loHVIX4IFWTpTGwycCqjpz-8oVpTq_K9oaDwsEvGYdWrIFIxhZO4BrCylBGo1-JL304Z2BFo13I_m0mWNo2HStK2PzA0/s320/IMG_4570.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5174490221262708706" /></a>Written: Thursday, February 21st - S. of Portland, OR<br /><br />We slept outside of Portland last night at a rest stop. There was this cool older woman parked a few spots over sleeping in an old Chevy Camper-van with her cat. Geoff and I keep talking about getting a traveling companion of our own. Maybe we’d find a stray kitty or dog along the way. Actually the more we think about it the less sense it makes. I couldn’t imagine a little litter box to go along with our cat, or scratch marks or puppy barf on our seats. I wish we could get one that didn’t do any of those things…like a travel puppy. I guess for now Zeddy will have to do. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbz_ybWRzXGYGzNZZbYxSulsGfCz2NuOq89E_iJxEH4C_UEDtOd4UV0SYieYdJkhpMfnOfj-iVSvylNvIP5vUGfAkj6wg90pWI_mEWExBnukwYNioScfqt3DRlPKMRopplPH4IMqSobG0/s1600-h/IMG_4579.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbz_ybWRzXGYGzNZZbYxSulsGfCz2NuOq89E_iJxEH4C_UEDtOd4UV0SYieYdJkhpMfnOfj-iVSvylNvIP5vUGfAkj6wg90pWI_mEWExBnukwYNioScfqt3DRlPKMRopplPH4IMqSobG0/s320/IMG_4579.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5174490560565125106" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhanc696o_KcszSFnFXnDjovMKW94IVGXgO8Uel8pjIoSfxzLtpWiqoBP1X26sk8lzzNThrQb2bzKKi_1O5SHZtorv9X-BJENcExWxm7rYNM9iIgrQm_7Njydc20vK7Yp-8RA-EDNyKnTo/s1600-h/IMG_4576.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhanc696o_KcszSFnFXnDjovMKW94IVGXgO8Uel8pjIoSfxzLtpWiqoBP1X26sk8lzzNThrQb2bzKKi_1O5SHZtorv9X-BJENcExWxm7rYNM9iIgrQm_7Njydc20vK7Yp-8RA-EDNyKnTo/s320/IMG_4576.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5174490801083293698" /></a><br />A fountain for four in Portland, OR and well...Broadway Street.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJo2tgn9ls8FZlL8bqgQzhLAkt4etyTa1H7jJnivJ-h1R9wX9BxvJAjPWSFkQVe2gh2Xx_ChATSlpwPmzLjXSBBJ2Xt9LOzx7xYw3l02OMKyf1aef5K-6KUQBHiq8uwMQlkffBvBDb8uA/s1600-h/IMG_4609.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJo2tgn9ls8FZlL8bqgQzhLAkt4etyTa1H7jJnivJ-h1R9wX9BxvJAjPWSFkQVe2gh2Xx_ChATSlpwPmzLjXSBBJ2Xt9LOzx7xYw3l02OMKyf1aef5K-6KUQBHiq8uwMQlkffBvBDb8uA/s320/IMG_4609.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5174491320774336530" /></a>5:00pm – Florence, OR<br /><br />Well we made it to the Pacific Ocean! We’re at the Sand dunes National Recreation Area. The ocean here is so incredibly breathtaking…and loud. The water is especially violent because there’s a storm a brewing. When we came over the dunes and saw the ocean we ran to the water along the dry beach and stood looking out, when everything went strangely silent…in a really unusual way. Then out of nowhere this huge wave came crashing in and we barely made it off the beach dry. The wave, we later learned is aptly named the sneaker wave. After seeing the ocean and driving along cliff edges looking down on the ocean we both have developed a pretty strong fear of the ocean…which will likely complicate any attempts at surfing.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_eCLX3os4mn4Rd45jWjAkoy5guFxf92cKq-qyp5bfrOFG4rbksG0Jj1vF0533qymMNC3bflfRUqKaQP4NuvP1IXFp84mcJ7XzQtjHMbCNIDrwzevJYfAd0-Lk8k2CleSEXv8lRfi7xpI/s1600-h/sanddunes.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_eCLX3os4mn4Rd45jWjAkoy5guFxf92cKq-qyp5bfrOFG4rbksG0Jj1vF0533qymMNC3bflfRUqKaQP4NuvP1IXFp84mcJ7XzQtjHMbCNIDrwzevJYfAd0-Lk8k2CleSEXv8lRfi7xpI/s400/sanddunes.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180647149504055794" /></a><br /><br />8:00pm – Coos Bay, OR<br /><br />We snuck onto a truck weigh station…the grand total is 3850lbs!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO-0y7YeTvJYA2I7MjMR9StJ7kPg7DDrN0OI7-IJa8pvuzPnENPB7okqVfWknmevfd7XvOYb1D11LA5V5qKbypfU07h4l3GO2qUY-mRBODjEaYXmrumJRD5vuQwoCvyOyKq2h3RYUWzwA/s1600-h/IMG_4627.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO-0y7YeTvJYA2I7MjMR9StJ7kPg7DDrN0OI7-IJa8pvuzPnENPB7okqVfWknmevfd7XvOYb1D11LA5V5qKbypfU07h4l3GO2qUY-mRBODjEaYXmrumJRD5vuQwoCvyOyKq2h3RYUWzwA/s320/IMG_4627.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5174491965019430962" /></a><br />Written: Friday, February 22nd – California!!<br /><br />I think that somewhere I was hoping to cross the border to California, and the clouds would part and the sun shine down. It is quite rainy here today but we’re excited to be heading into the redwoods, we are already beginning to see monstrous stumps lining the road. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnCdGcG9zT2RLN_-tW6RXj5hTAYWe9IWd9h8lCCvoEu32WrdkKYZ9mO3POsWwy3abkad4AsLl_tPNIzdiWqiIz-PYBjcW8lBYoh3uWMhhLcHM9GBjvew44s-kDCO5QRn9jBczDszbbD4M/s1600-h/IMG_4635.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnCdGcG9zT2RLN_-tW6RXj5hTAYWe9IWd9h8lCCvoEu32WrdkKYZ9mO3POsWwy3abkad4AsLl_tPNIzdiWqiIz-PYBjcW8lBYoh3uWMhhLcHM9GBjvew44s-kDCO5QRn9jBczDszbbD4M/s320/IMG_4635.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5174492781063217234" /></a>10:20pm – Eureka, CA<br /><br />There is a big storm coming on it’s way, and I don’t want to be on the coast when 50mph winds hit. We’re going to head into the central valley in search of warmer/drier weather. Today we went hiking in the redwoods, It was so amazing! We found it so hard to capture the essence of this place on film…”ambassadors from another time” as John Steinbeck refers to them. This is a picture of one of these 'ambassadors' if you look close you can see Zeddy. <br /><br />Oh, and about this ocean thing…I’ve been thinking. There are times when I’m confronted with majestic things in nature that are initially quite scary, like looking over a cliff, or entering a cave. Once you stand there for a while and let your eyes adjust and you feet firmly plant themselves you inevitably start to feel at ease. But this ocean…It’s been days now and it’s still gives me the heeby geebies. Tonight we are the last people at this lookout spot, up on a large cliff overlooking the surf. The storm is coming in tonight and you can feel the wind shift towards the ocean as the weather system pulls the warm air in from the shore. We are about to hit the road soon, we were going to sleep here tonight but it's just too creepy.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIUMLl6TNfhKFSCiOh8r1Ifv7RvAAxO2fCE8_qfNtQ2INWDs6OkeBEsduuNddgvEcW35o0jJEc-H9zPTIrKs87Pxxt6Vlo9SMm1RiblmH6NRFG2BHjW09ul0uTt06-dtYFNv7yhlH64Ac/s1600-h/IMG_4639.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIUMLl6TNfhKFSCiOh8r1Ifv7RvAAxO2fCE8_qfNtQ2INWDs6OkeBEsduuNddgvEcW35o0jJEc-H9zPTIrKs87Pxxt6Vlo9SMm1RiblmH6NRFG2BHjW09ul0uTt06-dtYFNv7yhlH64Ac/s320/IMG_4639.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5174491677256622114" /></a>Written: Saturday, February 23rd – Meyers Flat, CA<br /><br />It’s STILL rainy today. Geoff said that he wouldn’t be surprised if there was moss on Della by the time we made it out of this rainy area. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6AQwQRsyHSQx8q-8y_yi01xm4B6FFVV7GCmSj-f4avqIyZDLsPOIycWqC4gv9Q_ZKtfzFT982yjA6fETw1k3-7tHqkw_C5YaVgUhmhxhTecU-sS-BJkS0JVsdKJMRAdbxaci_OMlernM/s1600-h/IMG_4701.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6AQwQRsyHSQx8q-8y_yi01xm4B6FFVV7GCmSj-f4avqIyZDLsPOIycWqC4gv9Q_ZKtfzFT982yjA6fETw1k3-7tHqkw_C5YaVgUhmhxhTecU-sS-BJkS0JVsdKJMRAdbxaci_OMlernM/s320/IMG_4701.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5174493309344194658" /></a>We went through the drive through tree today! I can’t believe that Delilah made it…She just barely fit. I had to get out and guide the car through. <br /> <br />3:50pm – Willits, CA<br /><br />The Guy on the cover of my California tour guide holds a big fat glass of wine up to me as if to raise a toast. He is surrounded by his beautiful tanned friends around a table full of flowers, food, and warm sun. I’m so cold in the van my feet went numb, literally. Having no heat really makes a difference when the temp drops a little. We just stopped for some warm soup and hot green tea. I spent a few minutes under the hand dryer in the rest stop bathroom. I’m now feeling quite content with my tea, a fleece blanket wrapped around my legs, and the down slippers I stole from my mom. They are starting to defrost my feet despite the fact that I’m losing feathers through a hole in them that I can’t seem to find.<br /><br />“Other people’s lives seem more interesting because they ain’t mine” – Modest Mouse <br /><br />Written: Sunday, February 24th – Fairfield, CA<br /><br />Bad Day. Don’t want to talk about it. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO6HC-ykj1i-smMxvaeFhRzvtrWzx6tWGg7oOhsro0CwDfnyBWuK_xgBAfCjDYDiJV0sR-btcJY5coNhZmd9NTkq3O69SaBy-Ksuv122Q7Wgv3WFvr4Gqa4O7Vh-NsSeDcnUciSK1MO78/s1600-h/IMG_4728.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO6HC-ykj1i-smMxvaeFhRzvtrWzx6tWGg7oOhsro0CwDfnyBWuK_xgBAfCjDYDiJV0sR-btcJY5coNhZmd9NTkq3O69SaBy-Ksuv122Q7Wgv3WFvr4Gqa4O7Vh-NsSeDcnUciSK1MO78/s320/IMG_4728.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5174487614217559938" /></a>Written: Monday, February 25th – Rio Vista, CA<br /><br />The view out my window is like a Microsoft background. Beautiful green hills roll along the road while puffy white happy clouds float overhead. We are on route to Lodi, a region know for it’s wine. Today we sampled a less sophisticated Californian delicacy at the Jelly Belly Factory tour. It was actually pretty neat…but I have no pictures of the inside. Apparently Willie Wonka doesn’t want his recipes stolen by that Mr. Smudgeworth. The air in there smelled so sweet it hurt my teeth. They had a sample bar there and you could try anything. They even made you recipes like mango pineapple salsa (mango + crushed pineapple + jalapeño). And the to end it all I got my picture taken with the jelly belly portrait of Arnold, the governor of California. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI9edZZJovZO-0y3on1ZZp9HSoPXWRqAQaDStSezJ2h2UPUuVbt7Of3qK_45ZMw_15mMLXUNzuch5nR9g6m-RZRGnMw_2Tj23dZP7OSyyWkreUkmzW6PPwOARePQie7g-xlkhnGzHXI7s/s1600-h/IMG_4722.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI9edZZJovZO-0y3on1ZZp9HSoPXWRqAQaDStSezJ2h2UPUuVbt7Of3qK_45ZMw_15mMLXUNzuch5nR9g6m-RZRGnMw_2Tj23dZP7OSyyWkreUkmzW6PPwOARePQie7g-xlkhnGzHXI7s/s320/IMG_4722.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5174488176858275730" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNtVsE1GmMGSNWjQloucqbuQ3Ee8SjaR_85qct7F57vx1FklbgTftXGJN7x3s-mpwO9sJVRf_go6GXkHl93PveGeXfK9KmN2bv5JtTH9dmhP6Q_jmUIxxiD3nEZnd25y42khFlrlFTb6g/s1600-h/IMG_4724.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNtVsE1GmMGSNWjQloucqbuQ3Ee8SjaR_85qct7F57vx1FklbgTftXGJN7x3s-mpwO9sJVRf_go6GXkHl93PveGeXfK9KmN2bv5JtTH9dmhP6Q_jmUIxxiD3nEZnd25y42khFlrlFTb6g/s320/IMG_4724.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5174488773858729906" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsezyGpfLUyAXOSSlPnmmsy1NgS4w7FFXeUK-ppVft8BYeel2WhK5AIjzYm5V6DCoJqLWSbeBzCDbhAISZQNzW2ojhQ6Y2xP8RHftwAZ6G9DvoayG0uTk1rCv7ufE3vFfDFTYfNe9pRCA/s1600-h/IMG_4747.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsezyGpfLUyAXOSSlPnmmsy1NgS4w7FFXeUK-ppVft8BYeel2WhK5AIjzYm5V6DCoJqLWSbeBzCDbhAISZQNzW2ojhQ6Y2xP8RHftwAZ6G9DvoayG0uTk1rCv7ufE3vFfDFTYfNe9pRCA/s320/IMG_4747.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5174493975064125554" /></a>Written: Tuesday, Feb 26th – Antioch, CA<br /><br />I have a sunburn! And it’s February. Today was just perfect. We went to the Black Diamond Mine Preserve for a whole day since yesterday's hike wasn’t enough to fully take this place in. How can I describe this place? If I asked God to make me a piece of land, just for me…this would be it. Giant rolling hills covered in grass, wildflowers, blossoming trees and grazing cattle. We just hung out for the morning, and went hiking to the top of one of the hills in the afternoon. This place is so tranquil and at peace, I can’t help but feeling the same when I’m here. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiviBcaLqYf7CKuipXfwVIrzD20v8hkSfSESqmmel6rBR55IEcBJ-14iF4q5uWlwg7_k-oj7DPb_s_9Etc-r15xrTac3bY0_AXD1gq8JxKOCxIbpdgZ6C5u6DWa20gfFO6bH66fhARE6qc/s1600-h/IMG_4795.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiviBcaLqYf7CKuipXfwVIrzD20v8hkSfSESqmmel6rBR55IEcBJ-14iF4q5uWlwg7_k-oj7DPb_s_9Etc-r15xrTac3bY0_AXD1gq8JxKOCxIbpdgZ6C5u6DWa20gfFO6bH66fhARE6qc/s320/IMG_4795.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5174494636489089170" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGM14U4QnjvCa8tKsDNXZnVnx6CU8AswpwdBIhSG3ppaHCGtIe-rheTT_A0eNe-F1Keab1PfpDaYg6FPkShBfGfqX35r1KU7NV_ivY457nBBx4wyoYiggkjO-VHUZeiWIQ6IshtBvBXeU/s1600-h/IMG_4800.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGM14U4QnjvCa8tKsDNXZnVnx6CU8AswpwdBIhSG3ppaHCGtIe-rheTT_A0eNe-F1Keab1PfpDaYg6FPkShBfGfqX35r1KU7NV_ivY457nBBx4wyoYiggkjO-VHUZeiWIQ6IshtBvBXeU/s320/IMG_4800.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5174494962906603682" /></a><br /><br />Written: Wednesday, February 27th – Lodi, CA<br /><br />We are in wine country, and are of course…touring wineries. We just went to Jewel Vineyards – such a beautiful place. Tip#1 for California Wine tasting: make friends with your wine tasting bar guy and he’ll hook you up. We were in there for an hour, talking about everything from wine to the environment and he let us sample tons of things even from the fancy estate series. Needless to say we need to take a break in the beautiful picnic area before we operate a motor vehicle. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCcyoLjl0vfijpcJrN9cjgS-zrLfWFmzEHzlbzN2J9PSeyPhMRF2nVn26iSj7jWjL7-wC5DZhM-OlFz2lp3TCIeTWzqOjfvddNhlIzrFtaxPu2V9M28wjH-p7kiQBsxOT-DXq2ysGDEZ0/s1600-h/IMG_5001.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCcyoLjl0vfijpcJrN9cjgS-zrLfWFmzEHzlbzN2J9PSeyPhMRF2nVn26iSj7jWjL7-wC5DZhM-OlFz2lp3TCIeTWzqOjfvddNhlIzrFtaxPu2V9M28wjH-p7kiQBsxOT-DXq2ysGDEZ0/s320/IMG_5001.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5174489572722646994" /></a>Feeding the goats at Michael David Winery. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpEL2itHoHqY362JSFumzzy0r5itzCow9dsh35xNjmpp7edOTAe0DfDqgq9hvC8JcJ9kfTgit1u25NX1FzM8C-2vthPmSJFgC4_TzpQQrpErDgK6H5h0oz7_SVD_m8PkSngl8S57zgIIo/s1600-h/IMG_4907.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpEL2itHoHqY362JSFumzzy0r5itzCow9dsh35xNjmpp7edOTAe0DfDqgq9hvC8JcJ9kfTgit1u25NX1FzM8C-2vthPmSJFgC4_TzpQQrpErDgK6H5h0oz7_SVD_m8PkSngl8S57zgIIo/s320/IMG_4907.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180732176971614786" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwEr_xYXmiKKxZF-3NVJWjPUf9UQzBVIAd-JlZTWaFi08Rcynvrdx7vkZFfvHEI-C8DONm_1nF7_ND2K4mmxN21Da94hYOlqpsjUnWn2sB3vd-reyw_u6AYUBWJA50Pud8yOz73MQDEZc/s1600-h/IMG_4883.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwEr_xYXmiKKxZF-3NVJWjPUf9UQzBVIAd-JlZTWaFi08Rcynvrdx7vkZFfvHEI-C8DONm_1nF7_ND2K4mmxN21Da94hYOlqpsjUnWn2sB3vd-reyw_u6AYUBWJA50Pud8yOz73MQDEZc/s320/IMG_4883.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180731867733969458" /></a>The bottling facility at Woodbridge, just like in Laverne and Shirley.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5bUKawA3R0YswZ1tQf9no543ocs8qltrfldKPgDWae_d-etrSaBh3fc-KUeA7j4IZzU2fLBbRxuui8k31nnxB6j8TNuTH2_XQf9IKbHVBUvyQhQwn6SqShYzqOzb7Nz6Z8Dbwzig2B7o/s1600-h/IMG_4862.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5bUKawA3R0YswZ1tQf9no543ocs8qltrfldKPgDWae_d-etrSaBh3fc-KUeA7j4IZzU2fLBbRxuui8k31nnxB6j8TNuTH2_XQf9IKbHVBUvyQhQwn6SqShYzqOzb7Nz6Z8Dbwzig2B7o/s320/IMG_4862.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180731502661749282" /></a>These are giant redwood barrels used for aging wine. Usually it's done in the smaller barrels seen below. In this old room there were frogs hoping around. I guess the love the cool damp environment in there. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9WTMmJaCs-JMBl2-l-oK5wA8h1VaHq5WBgkeMiWSRKcDxpQoBxitLJCeLRcY33-FS6pno6JcGDrYVfywKkwP_019Sz0zhf0fBMSY6kbNdwM8jxVpp2qQCW64NSiXcck33QsQxErBBrDQ/s1600-h/IMG_4853.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9WTMmJaCs-JMBl2-l-oK5wA8h1VaHq5WBgkeMiWSRKcDxpQoBxitLJCeLRcY33-FS6pno6JcGDrYVfywKkwP_019Sz0zhf0fBMSY6kbNdwM8jxVpp2qQCW64NSiXcck33QsQxErBBrDQ/s320/IMG_4853.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180735041714801266" /></a><br /><br />Written: Friday, February 28th – Modesto, CA<br /><br />It’s the last day in February, and the almond trees are in full bloom here. Acres and acres of trees line the road. We are in the home of Black Diamond Almond Co., we even went to the factory and gift shop. Not only are there cheap almonds everywhere but fruit too!! I’m in heaven. Everyday we make it a point to eat at least one orange. These oranges are like no other. They are so juicy it’s hard not to choke while eating them. “Crystal Rousseau, Found dead, drowned in orange juice, with a smile on her face” I could think of worse ways to go.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipuCDnOKIPb7SlUI96Q-A4-6-s0pp9WW65qn0gHvpbp-F9-H4mu871k0XXWMMWK77y95pAnwiC2GOxPGMkJbKUdVQGyExZ-509t3RMA5ir2fAkCHQyUQsSzMgEXnByxsM3RN0zTgQot9g/s1600-h/IMG_4768.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipuCDnOKIPb7SlUI96Q-A4-6-s0pp9WW65qn0gHvpbp-F9-H4mu871k0XXWMMWK77y95pAnwiC2GOxPGMkJbKUdVQGyExZ-509t3RMA5ir2fAkCHQyUQsSzMgEXnByxsM3RN0zTgQot9g/s320/IMG_4768.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5174494271416868994" /></a> almond blossoms...so pretty.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivrUMN4EhI5vlGLcHGhSyR8RrD9_t91HAVR37nbu_yFiJpdCQsFLRYpPQm8bvkh6H-CPeLp08UeELkPdr0uVuQ91A8xu0zqztraCsBsYdbwPf1tA1t6C4nkqOuLk22YlNnionrGCv16XE/s1600-h/IMG_4957.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivrUMN4EhI5vlGLcHGhSyR8RrD9_t91HAVR37nbu_yFiJpdCQsFLRYpPQm8bvkh6H-CPeLp08UeELkPdr0uVuQ91A8xu0zqztraCsBsYdbwPf1tA1t6C4nkqOuLk22YlNnionrGCv16XE/s320/IMG_4957.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180732447554554450" /></a>watching the sunset after dinner.Geoff and Crystal Rousseauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00380519554289102852noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5175076636475440269.post-10186855976897712392008-02-20T16:00:00.000-08:002008-12-11T10:03:15.110-08:00First steps in a southern directionWritten: Tuesday, February 19th – 2:30pm Mt. Vernon, WA<br /><br />Well, I guess we’re on our way again. It seems ages since I made a meal in the van. We’ve just stopped for lunch in a really cute town called Mt. Vernon, where we came across the Skagit Valley Food Co-op. Twenty-eight dollars and forty nine cents later we were good to go. Today for lunch we invented a new tuna salad sandwich. It was so yummy, dinner is going to have big shoes to fill. <br /><br />Della's Tuna Salad, sans mayo<br /><br />1 can tuna, drained<br />diced onion<br />salt & pepper to taste<br />1 avocado, mashed<br />lots of hot mustard (for a kick)<br /><br />pile it on top of crispy corn cakes, or toast or whatever, and enjoy, preferably in the back seat of a VW van on a cool spring day. **note: try not to spill tuna juice all over the upholstery…Geoff<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGqrdpRltzm9CiRm506NygIYj03jdZT0UXYeF48S0tXG48cO6auRTFXr48pqi8ba1aW625EbG732_g3nVRtWd3MNe_uzQ6VFa_7E6FKKQ4bES-UhUFe2gVDO0Cfq1egS16GD-nZYuR6YY/s1600-h/IMG_4542.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGqrdpRltzm9CiRm506NygIYj03jdZT0UXYeF48S0tXG48cO6auRTFXr48pqi8ba1aW625EbG732_g3nVRtWd3MNe_uzQ6VFa_7E6FKKQ4bES-UhUFe2gVDO0Cfq1egS16GD-nZYuR6YY/s320/IMG_4542.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5169218430288315218" /></a>3:40pm Seattle, WA<br /><br />This is such a beautiful city, I can’t wait to spend some more time here on the trip home. For now, only a snapshot will have to do. Even the highways are green here, with plants and trees everywhere, they look like they are taking over the freeway. It definitely makes this rush hour more tolerable. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Written: February, 20th – 11:20am Portland, OR<br /><br />We are in Portland to celebrate our 3rd year anniversary. I just got a haircut from one of those student places where you get a cheap cut and they get to take three hours to practice cutting your hair, and then they take so long that the teacher comes and finishes the second half of the cut, only she rushes and finishes the cut in 30 seconds like she’s Edward Scissor Hands’ wife… yeah, one of those places. I don’t regret it…I’m just not sure if I’ll do it again. So we’re off to tour around, and find some dinner. <br /><br />I forgot to tell you...A guy on his bike came up to the van today, and asked said “Hey Guy’s I just wanted to tell you, every time I’ve been in Canada you have been so nice to me I just wanted to return the favor. I got bags of 40s if you need any weed” Ha! it must be the van.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYt5AqnBySBMfA3J1hokHX0oZfbn-6n3aEs-MDpyrB3WCUZbnmVT0UGsOX-0OEuPKl-zBG86_yyy9hXoLTLdx9cBQ4me2m4aZEJrbiv_fCQnv-ljIbrKeeSIzBOePf6-_tLmOkKW-VvzM/s1600-h/IMG_4561.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYt5AqnBySBMfA3J1hokHX0oZfbn-6n3aEs-MDpyrB3WCUZbnmVT0UGsOX-0OEuPKl-zBG86_yyy9hXoLTLdx9cBQ4me2m4aZEJrbiv_fCQnv-ljIbrKeeSIzBOePf6-_tLmOkKW-VvzM/s320/IMG_4561.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5169219113188115298" /></a>Geoff and Crystal Rousseauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00380519554289102852noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5175076636475440269.post-89479630601477570002008-02-03T12:23:00.000-08:002008-12-11T10:03:24.124-08:00Tales from the Land of MountainsWritten: Monday, August 6th – Banff, AB<br /><br />Rolled into Banff today, these old stompin’ grounds haven’t changed much since the last time I was here. We decided that we could make some fast cash here since everyone is so short staffed here, so we’ve made a friendly bet to see who can get a job first. Went to the Fairmont today and had a drink in the Rundle Hall it was quite the splurge for us, especially considering we were eating the last of the food (mac & cheese) earlier today. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtgUvr7SMnsJziSb0WZ7vQ1NtVZOHJBy_f4BM_JbupHiF5ppuF_SA_LOoS8MJuuUt9E4DE-mfSb7_Fa1Ltz_TzwLRMMQn07ZiscO0YMh0i_rcKdSenWQeMBXGlaqiOFnZ3ggP45G577-w/s1600-h/Crys+and+Geo+pics+938.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtgUvr7SMnsJziSb0WZ7vQ1NtVZOHJBy_f4BM_JbupHiF5ppuF_SA_LOoS8MJuuUt9E4DE-mfSb7_Fa1Ltz_TzwLRMMQn07ZiscO0YMh0i_rcKdSenWQeMBXGlaqiOFnZ3ggP45G577-w/s400/Crys+and+Geo+pics+938.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162864750812765714" /></a><br />The Van was running rough when we came into Banff. We were having a hard time getting through the mountain pass. It was a white knuckle drive as we were followed closely by a line of pissed off tourists who felt it necessary to express how upset they were. We were exhausted by the time we stopped at this waterfall for a few pictures and dinner.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTDGGeIx8RRiigMIL0tnUEM8khfn4ehNfk4JteF6BxGM9SVkWSThF_qxurQNQKoHvNvcC2dGZ7ToBzBtRMttjmhyTE_kYssN8POCy1hRSbzkDOg21Lce3WvuwrytX3sN0vtSKyimpnLpA/s1600-h/Crys+and+Geo+pics+942.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTDGGeIx8RRiigMIL0tnUEM8khfn4ehNfk4JteF6BxGM9SVkWSThF_qxurQNQKoHvNvcC2dGZ7ToBzBtRMttjmhyTE_kYssN8POCy1hRSbzkDOg21Lce3WvuwrytX3sN0vtSKyimpnLpA/s400/Crys+and+Geo+pics+942.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162865949108641346" /></a>Beautiful Mt. Rundle...my favourite<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhwoLH2_ODMqTytahvgkveRjuftppkh0e1jxIc9Esk6AUr4Wsx389hN9T8jqJg1q4GYWDXH9BFGE0U_aDwLyJznt8sMljyjROd9xvJxk01cd5uNQGveTxaOaTkKzT5v-ZX0OfPvR9Olh8/s1600-h/Crys+and+Geo+pics+944.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhwoLH2_ODMqTytahvgkveRjuftppkh0e1jxIc9Esk6AUr4Wsx389hN9T8jqJg1q4GYWDXH9BFGE0U_aDwLyJznt8sMljyjROd9xvJxk01cd5uNQGveTxaOaTkKzT5v-ZX0OfPvR9Olh8/s400/Crys+and+Geo+pics+944.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162865120179953202" /></a>Written: Tuesday, August 7th – Banff, AB<br /><br />So within 24 hours Geo and I have managed to get 2 job offers – all of which start tomorrow (P.S. I won). So I’m working in a dingy basement, baking. It’s a far cry from With the Grain, but hey I’m not complaining. Geoff has another interview at The Gap before things are for sure. Currently, we are parked in the staff parking lot at the Fairmont, and our friend Christine is letting us use her shower and stuff. We are definitely enjoying the upgrade in facilities. We went for a hike to the top of Tunnel Mountain and we got talking about life, a common topic on hikes such as this. We were talking about how spread thin we felt by all of life’s possibilities. It was one of those 'there is so much to do and I can’t do it all' conversations. Along came a solo hiker...and we got chatting. His name was John. He is a Environmental Science prof. He's been living in Guelph until just recently. Anyways, we got talking and he just gave us all this wisdom and answers to the questions we were just bringing up to ourselves. He talked about how he’s happy where he’s at in his life, and about enjoying where you’re at. I can’t put it in writing but it gave us such a peace to the whole issue. And then off he went, like he was just plopped down there just for that very moment. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjekbvJj-ftQRrs2ITBGCDmMg1Q5wv_W6RQXmQhdKlG14VCBiFOC62OTbVhS1pRQ3Hba4tdAItJGh1ZR24nt-v1kw-7haKNtDBot8iopUA4hRP0ZxrHK-y0jm-6UtyqKJrAGwqv2tcbC-I/s1600-h/Crys+and+Geo+pics+1192.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjekbvJj-ftQRrs2ITBGCDmMg1Q5wv_W6RQXmQhdKlG14VCBiFOC62OTbVhS1pRQ3Hba4tdAItJGh1ZR24nt-v1kw-7haKNtDBot8iopUA4hRP0ZxrHK-y0jm-6UtyqKJrAGwqv2tcbC-I/s320/Crys+and+Geo+pics+1192.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162870334270250786" /></a>My little Bakery Dungeon at Evelyn's<br /><br />Written: Thursday, August 9th – Banff, AB<br /><br />Started work at 6am, I wasn’t there for long when Geoff came downstairs and told be that Della was in trouble, the bad kind. We ruled out the possibility of starter failure and that something is jamming the flywheel. This means that there is a major engine problem involving a jammed piston, and it's likely connected in some way to the huge crack in the engine case. The engine needs to be removed and rebuilt. This is a job that required some money – or in our case the rest of out travel fund. Since we were parked in a 2hr parking spot in downtown Banff we aren’t quite sure what the heck we are going to do. We did meet a really nice British man who helped us trouble shoot. He said that he drove a bug with the same engine in India, where it too broke down. He then carried the engine on his back (sans flywheel and heads) for some guy on the top of a mountain who knew how to fix it. While the man couldn’t help us I did feel less sorry for myself. On the other hand it’s freezing here, very unlike India. I can see my breath; neither of us are dressed for this weather. So what next at this point? I don’t have a clue. We just need to trust that God had indeed blessed this trip and has indeed put us here. <br /><br />Later on…<br /><br />Can’t help but feel like a failure; like I was a fool to buy this van, to take this trip. I feel embarrassed that I can’t finish what I set out to do. I just want to run away from it all. Banff just feels so claustrophobic. We are just so cold and grumpy. We’ve lost our home, our car, our plans for an adventure, and our money that’s stuck up in this van. It is actually all pretty overwhelming. The freezing rainy weather isn’t helping much either. Do we spend more money to rebuild now? At the state she’s in now we can’t get back the money we put in. Do we work on her ourselves? Where and how? For us that can be months of work, not to mention tools and parts we don’t have. <br /><br />Written: Friday, August 10th - Banff, AB<br /><br />This morning our bosses offered us the apartment above their garage IF we will commit to staying until after Labor day. The place is pretty crazy – basically a toilet, shower and a bunch of hotel furniture. We have a T.V. and we get CBC. Oh and a Nintendo – (Cam you’d love it). Right now I’m just happy to have heat and running water. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx6OZdohTRyIXOqCk5VKHrZLLMPzhhOHuOAWsaoceeS5FL0LZIdYk54hkbDNetSW0jwJq3wkxlUCgiJtlf3r6xvFjXfccn1Fw9nJeiuRJ5Z4epdTRpaptJwDBdCWoCKnpKRLnQrgTMB6M/s1600-h/Crys+and+Geo+pics+968.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx6OZdohTRyIXOqCk5VKHrZLLMPzhhOHuOAWsaoceeS5FL0LZIdYk54hkbDNetSW0jwJq3wkxlUCgiJtlf3r6xvFjXfccn1Fw9nJeiuRJ5Z4epdTRpaptJwDBdCWoCKnpKRLnQrgTMB6M/s400/Crys+and+Geo+pics+968.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162866833871904386" /></a>doing laundry<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVOeLKis0hoY_ArRCULk8kw7Srzlf_l5fmhcpCdzp4RKGJE0CYbDRFz8gjU8Fq1oh5AsRiiz8RmMn7eWqEirGIiT3YsE4_orjWjVdHAXJG_WAhFdAU6zhgxodpkRPPQ5wKq6-LfdYu_Do/s1600-h/Crys+and+Geo+pics+972.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVOeLKis0hoY_ArRCULk8kw7Srzlf_l5fmhcpCdzp4RKGJE0CYbDRFz8gjU8Fq1oh5AsRiiz8RmMn7eWqEirGIiT3YsE4_orjWjVdHAXJG_WAhFdAU6zhgxodpkRPPQ5wKq6-LfdYu_Do/s400/Crys+and+Geo+pics+972.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162866601943670386" /></a>the living room/bedroom...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLavtRj7W6gWrP7zl1FO8wt0OIWCFMF0G_o1u_ITN73Dms-o2PLBdfZX4pkzajsuOufB_XuVcrU-T7eZwr1jaP6MKdPXKQSKFADutMTbhqn0NsWXIvkTa4rPYgtYTfZaK4Glmb9_IyMoc/s1600-h/Crys+and+Geo+pics+970.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLavtRj7W6gWrP7zl1FO8wt0OIWCFMF0G_o1u_ITN73Dms-o2PLBdfZX4pkzajsuOufB_XuVcrU-T7eZwr1jaP6MKdPXKQSKFADutMTbhqn0NsWXIvkTa4rPYgtYTfZaK4Glmb9_IyMoc/s400/Crys+and+Geo+pics+970.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162866468799684194" /></a>the bathroom...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuR_ZTAJO9YuX06jNobkB754Amq0ox9CFXQObvPXkYJehl2TWJcyCeJbIv7SjTYN2DkkyQX9Y-i2aJzoBj_tm8fd2_6sL4SL18VYVeqhuYOO2DUeUSBQuhixTCcILzX1RQEXK104tHYAs/s1600-h/Crys+and+Geo+pics+969.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuR_ZTAJO9YuX06jNobkB754Amq0ox9CFXQObvPXkYJehl2TWJcyCeJbIv7SjTYN2DkkyQX9Y-i2aJzoBj_tm8fd2_6sL4SL18VYVeqhuYOO2DUeUSBQuhixTCcILzX1RQEXK104tHYAs/s400/Crys+and+Geo+pics+969.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162866357130534482" /></a>the kitchen...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiugA9aRTQhYW2yFn18UPf_yJpEpax-2iP_8s6efsmKBqaTPFPPBs2Lmkm800QhwL0k2wAcJK5p8YDDaapFt5QkJXLPX5k3LmQxgkn8S5fBz_sZbZThKC_Pb4iDwd2SiZJ_no1HbaZ4NVU/s1600-h/Crys+and+Geo+pics+1154.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiugA9aRTQhYW2yFn18UPf_yJpEpax-2iP_8s6efsmKBqaTPFPPBs2Lmkm800QhwL0k2wAcJK5p8YDDaapFt5QkJXLPX5k3LmQxgkn8S5fBz_sZbZThKC_Pb4iDwd2SiZJ_no1HbaZ4NVU/s400/Crys+and+Geo+pics+1154.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162873954927681554" /></a><br />And of course, the view of Delilah outside waiting for us to bring her back to life. <br /><br />It’s a 30 minute walk to work. When I leave the house at 5:30am I am reminded of my early mornings at With the Grain (my old bakery). Only now on my morning walks I worry about running into wildlife, not crazy drunks (although I do see those too). It’s surprising how much wildlife comes into the city. Yesterday I ran into a deer eating out of the hotel garden, then a huge buck and a few others. They were right there, literally inches away. I could reach out and touch them but they didn’t even seem to notice. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD3cYZczRvKvkfmQcAUtUPaC-70Slli-2HPb0cPjSQnkUn7ifg9op-de0HYQb9Jf3s9rBJenj3wc5h4W8m3Lgu3xWSRir7Eg4rfSo2uLQzRnz4PLlcCKC_9I93-KMxL1px71JfHFSksDo/s1600-h/Crys+and+Geo+pics+985.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD3cYZczRvKvkfmQcAUtUPaC-70Slli-2HPb0cPjSQnkUn7ifg9op-de0HYQb9Jf3s9rBJenj3wc5h4W8m3Lgu3xWSRir7Eg4rfSo2uLQzRnz4PLlcCKC_9I93-KMxL1px71JfHFSksDo/s400/Crys+and+Geo+pics+985.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162867710045232786" /></a>Written: Tuesday, August 14th – Banff, AB<br /><br />It’s strange being a resident in a town full of tourists. This is a picture of us enjoying pint at our new favorite restaurant ‘The Bison Bistro’ The patio here is beautiful with a gorgeous view of the mountains. Oh, I suppose that I should tell you that the sun did eventually come back out. There is something about this place that is sort of distracting. So much has happened and this place is so beautiful – yet I haven’t taken any pictures and I haven’t written in days. I find myself walking around and not looking up at the mountains. It's strange to walk past tourists pointing at the skyline and snapping photos while you stare straight ahead trying to maneuver through the crowded sidewalks. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4rWHZwildF3eYC1Wq8YcwNb6K9g0Z6Gn9DAlJRaM3_whAx3Lc4oddkong6gPiNtQOqXroLMAyBcU53EYVMjN5qg4Lz-n9uF7byqdN91elCoqA2VTp0XApVJuUsKnTu7Uvs-tg656Oy54/s1600-h/Crys+and+Geo+pics+987.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4rWHZwildF3eYC1Wq8YcwNb6K9g0Z6Gn9DAlJRaM3_whAx3Lc4oddkong6gPiNtQOqXroLMAyBcU53EYVMjN5qg4Lz-n9uF7byqdN91elCoqA2VTp0XApVJuUsKnTu7Uvs-tg656Oy54/s320/Crys+and+Geo+pics+987.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162867804534513314" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4PQBzqOreNaDsrWz6KCXl3bPwdX_ReOr_q5ZgFW4aSuQjNDJ-ns0RUbP4YXGy_oMMU5eYe8EYVtWs4UK2FxmS6FsZ1er1H0XQ1i5XumoLETQHsL4KErFyTATqaNrpnqEVmFxXRhfURNo/s1600-h/Crys+and+Geo+pics+1035.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4PQBzqOreNaDsrWz6KCXl3bPwdX_ReOr_q5ZgFW4aSuQjNDJ-ns0RUbP4YXGy_oMMU5eYe8EYVtWs4UK2FxmS6FsZ1er1H0XQ1i5XumoLETQHsL4KErFyTATqaNrpnqEVmFxXRhfURNo/s400/Crys+and+Geo+pics+1035.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162868727952482002" /></a>Written: Wednesday, August 15th – Still Banff, AB<br /><br />It’s our 7 year anniversary today – I still feel like such a kid. It seems strange to say that I’ve been in a relationship for 7 years. I haven’t been flossing my teeth for that long. Actually I never floss. Bad example. <br /><br />The fact that we are here for a while has really sunk in. This has come with the realization that I’m not ready to be working again (I know, who is?!) and definitely not in a bakery. I really do love to bake but it’s so hard on my body. I’m usually ok to get through the day but I’m exhausted afterwards. I have been having trouble walking home because my legs and feet are so tired and sore. It almost feels like I am bruising the bottoms of my feet, sometimes I’m hobbling home stopping at every bench to take a break…I don’t know what the heck is happening to me but I don’t like it. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9XKzw7-3zBn9bEmcAeCzPHO3Z4h6rK37szI0ZQXiaNSj4DL4qwiz61pDzuynaBb3Bzef6y9QRTW2AR3BG_w4Wb8rhmHS3ieslgpz-DxT1qTucqx59C4G1klPrynNjKUWN7VVkkP5kvfI/s1600-h/Crys+and+Geo+pics+1037.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9XKzw7-3zBn9bEmcAeCzPHO3Z4h6rK37szI0ZQXiaNSj4DL4qwiz61pDzuynaBb3Bzef6y9QRTW2AR3BG_w4Wb8rhmHS3ieslgpz-DxT1qTucqx59C4G1klPrynNjKUWN7VVkkP5kvfI/s400/Crys+and+Geo+pics+1037.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162869488161693442" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEHRxyAcKHauqlGIeJGbhJbJM42YKFpdEvPflu3s-xFXolzyRjP01lW1-ZLLKfbEUIZokhd8eJWycpzu-nKjlcecGUDDrJrq-1cw1HJei-kc-_CtPqadm2ZAZA8vMHMM_Y3o0yQBtNa58/s1600-h/Crys+and+Geo+pics+1033.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEHRxyAcKHauqlGIeJGbhJbJM42YKFpdEvPflu3s-xFXolzyRjP01lW1-ZLLKfbEUIZokhd8eJWycpzu-nKjlcecGUDDrJrq-1cw1HJei-kc-_CtPqadm2ZAZA8vMHMM_Y3o0yQBtNa58/s400/Crys+and+Geo+pics+1033.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162869397967380210" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX83um0kltUvZk1qgmlQo0y3qNJb6PQw2uLphJtEkZ5Fdn5-ecy8vH59Z118Jt2hy3b1GW1Zrq8WGQQ6veRbb4_9bO1XFj4qq90DBTuRfKT8YddIG8GvVOQtQKaZOHk-QGID5kp59ijIU/s1600-h/Crys+and+Geo+pics+1000.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX83um0kltUvZk1qgmlQo0y3qNJb6PQw2uLphJtEkZ5Fdn5-ecy8vH59Z118Jt2hy3b1GW1Zrq8WGQQ6veRbb4_9bO1XFj4qq90DBTuRfKT8YddIG8GvVOQtQKaZOHk-QGID5kp59ijIU/s400/Crys+and+Geo+pics+1000.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162868212556406450" /></a>Written: Sunday, August 19th – Banff-a-roo, AB<br /><br />ENGINE REMOVAL!<br /><br />After reading tons of message board postings, a few calls to our mechanic for pep talks, pouring through our “How to keep your Volkswagen Alive” manual by Muir (bless his heart) and a good look at our bank account we’ve decided that we need to tackle the engine. It’s cold and grey today and we are wearing all the clothing that we own to stay warm. Geoff pulls off all of the electrical wires and I make labels for all the wires in hopes that we will be able to put them all back together again. There are mosquitoes everywhere and I am grumpy as can be – had a bad morning. I’m feeling better now that we are doing something to get the heck out of here. Winter seems so threatening, and it’s only august. This town is becoming isolating and the job…well you get the idea – I won’t go on about it.<br /><br />These are a series of pictures of us taking out the engine over the course of a few weeks. We worked a lot in the beginning and could only work on the van a few hours here and there. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWgFbZjRW4QKo3jQ6dT9Z3629_OQk-j21Bq1Rif7nxq4rTU1kfCDhb4i2kPSrn0oq8iBFr4PNgpRlQlouKdFFsR2qIBFcQiKFOyunOAYFaE_7Azo-Dk6S57nOrLdTTZrNFqvwntJS1N5E/s1600-h/Crys+and+Geo+pics+1002.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWgFbZjRW4QKo3jQ6dT9Z3629_OQk-j21Bq1Rif7nxq4rTU1kfCDhb4i2kPSrn0oq8iBFr4PNgpRlQlouKdFFsR2qIBFcQiKFOyunOAYFaE_7Azo-Dk6S57nOrLdTTZrNFqvwntJS1N5E/s400/Crys+and+Geo+pics+1002.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162868526089019074" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdgDpaYYpvnKbEMl7Ar8K-hWoWSU8HQdcS8lMtMuwqgR1Fu6Dq5n3QmNlqw0y-84yBeaYv-2lna43wCwZzoLo1y1g1lvKw7rs-a1oVmWHGGGCYrKRawJVMGLuUe_V3y5bScZ1T5DB6HIE/s1600-h/Crys+and+Geo+pics+1065.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdgDpaYYpvnKbEMl7Ar8K-hWoWSU8HQdcS8lMtMuwqgR1Fu6Dq5n3QmNlqw0y-84yBeaYv-2lna43wCwZzoLo1y1g1lvKw7rs-a1oVmWHGGGCYrKRawJVMGLuUe_V3y5bScZ1T5DB6HIE/s320/Crys+and+Geo+pics+1065.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162873662869905410" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_-Krg-SqNiobQ3Affiyg0D5IBf9F-ZZzCPmZbMmdTBGVby0_wb427OJVSFVZvh_hp_lY5sx0mB91QLWPoWoTEz73YQeZd9czsg06fRpVHXsVmzkhepr-cB5UG1bWQL59RX5FeOvKeuZo/s1600-h/Crys+and+Geo+pics+1072.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_-Krg-SqNiobQ3Affiyg0D5IBf9F-ZZzCPmZbMmdTBGVby0_wb427OJVSFVZvh_hp_lY5sx0mB91QLWPoWoTEz73YQeZd9czsg06fRpVHXsVmzkhepr-cB5UG1bWQL59RX5FeOvKeuZo/s320/Crys+and+Geo+pics+1072.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162873538315853810" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS9WykwF7GvemjwZ8z67x7KDVmbacVVKpnFExbcqoqCRXKXb2kY2g1-LoqO-jzq4c2cvtVOJIGt_UN1WLV_BU0X7BMEhGnMdWbSv7nWfIVVys3o7wsuzQEL8-YqJ357s6cDi201OUs-3k/s1600-h/Crys+and+Geo+pics+1076.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS9WykwF7GvemjwZ8z67x7KDVmbacVVKpnFExbcqoqCRXKXb2kY2g1-LoqO-jzq4c2cvtVOJIGt_UN1WLV_BU0X7BMEhGnMdWbSv7nWfIVVys3o7wsuzQEL8-YqJ357s6cDi201OUs-3k/s320/Crys+and+Geo+pics+1076.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162873448121540578" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrbzA7vtIVqd_Na18CGreXGDR0Xh_iSWmPOlW599kjaKTgB3MtrD3IlXHvHc4hzBfn9dHEtG4Y5s7nd848_1n5yu0UuMfCQ0BWcMkPPWVUQQeIi1-vvOKtQBSePCe1a0FrrQ4p1wwJjnM/s1600-h/Crys+and+Geo+pics+1132.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrbzA7vtIVqd_Na18CGreXGDR0Xh_iSWmPOlW599kjaKTgB3MtrD3IlXHvHc4hzBfn9dHEtG4Y5s7nd848_1n5yu0UuMfCQ0BWcMkPPWVUQQeIi1-vvOKtQBSePCe1a0FrrQ4p1wwJjnM/s320/Crys+and+Geo+pics+1132.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162873319272521682" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCbfDFzTtkarZjJi9tbwKgLrYpv5vU6R4v7WOv3EdruSBswnah7ZtDCn2-JuahrgAw-NpIa-ogbmQkmpVY9RZSQwLAlKVeyLxcER8_W0yy4mAHIf1Ku_LNczTQT48vfsL2EodiOiA4r08/s1600-h/Crys+and+Geo+pics+1159.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCbfDFzTtkarZjJi9tbwKgLrYpv5vU6R4v7WOv3EdruSBswnah7ZtDCn2-JuahrgAw-NpIa-ogbmQkmpVY9RZSQwLAlKVeyLxcER8_W0yy4mAHIf1Ku_LNczTQT48vfsL2EodiOiA4r08/s320/Crys+and+Geo+pics+1159.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162873138883895234" /></a><br />We couldn't forget to include cookie (our boss' dog), she was such a sweet heart. She came to visit and play often. Usually at the times we needed cheering up. <br /><br />Written: Tuesday, August 22nd – Banfy, AB<br /><br />I’m at Evelyn’s having a soy latte. I can’t help but feel guilty for not writing more, also for not updating the blog since forever. There never seems to be enough time in the day, or inspiration rather. I just find myself watching the time pass by. I get ideas of things to do, letters to write, projects to do (like wash those dirty stairs at the bakery) thoughts of updating the blog, plans to call home, but it’s better left until tomorrow. <br /><br />Now that we’ve been into the engine it’s better because we have some sort of a hobby – something to look forward to and a reason to get moving and the get out of here. There are things we are starting to enjoy here in Banff, A new work friend Anne-Marie (a beautiful lady from Holland working in Banff to get her citizenship), having a home, the Great Canadian Food Show on CBC, good days at work and free coffee. But even with all that there is the urge to keep moving and put some miles between us and Banff. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeL-susjZx4GgP3qnxKK354xE4w-7n3_tx1JZb89YGhz66WeUWLNgwZwdDoEVoZJZdSX2mWf_if1Yz8fCKIEoPbwhnuOFj6-O6xbkvMLi06Uz7-M0s5PbvNa-xOVraAysua4VlZPnvWIo/s1600-h/Crys+and+Geo+pics+1024.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeL-susjZx4GgP3qnxKK354xE4w-7n3_tx1JZb89YGhz66WeUWLNgwZwdDoEVoZJZdSX2mWf_if1Yz8fCKIEoPbwhnuOFj6-O6xbkvMLi06Uz7-M0s5PbvNa-xOVraAysua4VlZPnvWIo/s400/Crys+and+Geo+pics+1024.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162869050075029218" /></a><br />With Anne-Marie on her Birthday, at the Elk of course. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLQyMF4d5JYgROEGU-ZbM5BTihi19B1WYyoG56ygQES6IcwWVkBCrPc4tBUK37CXbIyDcMYsHZiQ4aDl9UFk8-d5kOw10lpNdTjAdZRmNOVs8CGiilg15Lbm0jUIy3ouc3sPmJ3s81dFc/s1600-h/Crys+and+Geo+pics+1103.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLQyMF4d5JYgROEGU-ZbM5BTihi19B1WYyoG56ygQES6IcwWVkBCrPc4tBUK37CXbIyDcMYsHZiQ4aDl9UFk8-d5kOw10lpNdTjAdZRmNOVs8CGiilg15Lbm0jUIy3ouc3sPmJ3s81dFc/s320/Crys+and+Geo+pics+1103.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162870012147703570" /></a>Written: Sunday, September 30th – Banff, AB of course<br /><br />“We are shaped by our experiences. Our perceptions of joy, fear, pain and beauty are sharpened or dulled by the way we rub against time. My senses have become dull and this trip is an effort to sharpen them” –Don Miller, <span style="font-style:italic;">Through Painted Deserts</span><br /><br /><br />Written: Saturday, October 6th – Banff, AB<br /><br />Made a yummy pork dinner with roasted apples and potatoes, greens with cilantro and lemon blueberries. We are watching an awesome game – Toronto VS. Montreal. Life is good today in our little garage of a home. <br /><br />Written: Friday, October 12th – Banff, AB<br /><br />I am a little embarrassed to admit this but lately all I seem to have on my mind is babies. Yes I know, it’s crazy, and no I’m not pregnant or planning to be anytime soon. There are just babies everywhere it seems…I can’t get away. It’s like when you get a new haircut, or new shoes, then you walk around all day noticing everyone else’s hair and shoes. Anyways, the important point here is that we need to get back into this van. We need to get back into the van just like a fish needs to stay in a small tank – growth control you know? <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNubaH9vBgloASmYXjg90NxBRAq5TdI95h3beymu7tPL_nVgyczUsUwaHSyVza4kZNW88A3hZbQlXea_TxXDJHCjZ5TI33E2eAg-A-03x7wNYYfvDnapQ7Si3zOHtJFStVd-_wsr645I8/s1600-h/Crys+and+Geo+pics+1174.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNubaH9vBgloASmYXjg90NxBRAq5TdI95h3beymu7tPL_nVgyczUsUwaHSyVza4kZNW88A3hZbQlXea_TxXDJHCjZ5TI33E2eAg-A-03x7wNYYfvDnapQ7Si3zOHtJFStVd-_wsr645I8/s320/Crys+and+Geo+pics+1174.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162871670005079922" /></a><br /><br />Written: Sunday, October 14th – Banff, AB<br /><br />“It’s interesting how you sometimes have to leave home before you can ask difficult questions, how the questions never come up in the room you grew up in, the town in which you were born. It’s funny how you can’t ask difficult questions in a familiar place, how you have to stand back a few feet and set things in a new way before you realize nothing that is happening to you is normal” Don Miller, <span style="font-style:italic;">Through Painted Deserts</span><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAON_K7652nthE3jD1boS2PyAr06247y0qaY2atC4KokSPDn3VLgtAdNjJLGiXT1WWzuEwfr_Dm-iWRVDGuiwZWSnSsOXvKtu31hM8aYQ4waC7bkNQAkDwT-peJ5xIuOxRKySMsaCjUsg/s1600-h/Crys+and+Geo+pics+1061.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAON_K7652nthE3jD1boS2PyAr06247y0qaY2atC4KokSPDn3VLgtAdNjJLGiXT1WWzuEwfr_Dm-iWRVDGuiwZWSnSsOXvKtu31hM8aYQ4waC7bkNQAkDwT-peJ5xIuOxRKySMsaCjUsg/s320/Crys+and+Geo+pics+1061.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162870965630443330" /></a>Written: Friday, October 26th – Getting out of Banff, AB on route to Cranbrook, BC<br /><br />We are back on the road again! We left Banff this morning, all packed up with our newly installed engine. Geoff and Pete put it in. It took less than an hour to plop it in and only a few days to get it running smooth. Now we are much more confident to be able to make it through whatever lies ahead. We understand the engine so much more now. Pulling out the engine and installing the new one was a three month crash-course in air-cooled mechanics.<br /> <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg12B_IGh8pIidt0s6XeABO4RwiIE067DFGwriQ280vbEN7Iq1A_-TGuHvTdLjkWSoPFDhJthrYpRVsY6j_MY1DClk9rG5yz51gERYmeDn2xgJfVpYBE-2hoPEs9pOVxs59eqDqmIjHV0A/s1600-h/Crys+and+Geo+pics+1189.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg12B_IGh8pIidt0s6XeABO4RwiIE067DFGwriQ280vbEN7Iq1A_-TGuHvTdLjkWSoPFDhJthrYpRVsY6j_MY1DClk9rG5yz51gERYmeDn2xgJfVpYBE-2hoPEs9pOVxs59eqDqmIjHV0A/s320/Crys+and+Geo+pics+1189.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162872670732459938" /></a><br />Geoff and the pretty engine. It was delivered on a palate from the Bug Shop in Vancouver.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXMAANxQiS8Ve7ODZK8J5GgMygUnu8x-QxrKRLQBkRkQA_BdQHd1hsmLrMw32XibNmBHdXjv0BlXHYkIjDSn0HCy9mi8X_wCOuD3LpPqqcTfJVtbpB7NRfdYJ4kDNiHPNdZu-VbCoqm_Y/s1600-h/Crys+and+Geo+pics+1190.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXMAANxQiS8Ve7ODZK8J5GgMygUnu8x-QxrKRLQBkRkQA_BdQHd1hsmLrMw32XibNmBHdXjv0BlXHYkIjDSn0HCy9mi8X_wCOuD3LpPqqcTfJVtbpB7NRfdYJ4kDNiHPNdZu-VbCoqm_Y/s320/Crys+and+Geo+pics+1190.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162872490343833490" /></a> Geoff and Pete. Pete came from Calgary to help us out with getting the engine in. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXhlngZQE9OUEmsBKmz_Z-wpO3cN9u8m8otkzRfF-BzZcpfoQyZvb1F96z25zwEuDuzvY60yA0tyEVfB0gfqc5dUEQdAY7DYdWS2BwP3YN47IbXjAae_e0A2cGekAmhVeB1bLMTqQN8GI/s1600-h/Crys+and+Geo+pics+1217.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXhlngZQE9OUEmsBKmz_Z-wpO3cN9u8m8otkzRfF-BzZcpfoQyZvb1F96z25zwEuDuzvY60yA0tyEVfB0gfqc5dUEQdAY7DYdWS2BwP3YN47IbXjAae_e0A2cGekAmhVeB1bLMTqQN8GI/s320/Crys+and+Geo+pics+1217.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162872391559585666" /></a> Delilah on her maiden voyage to Calgary. She loves the new engine. <br /><br />Written: Sunday, February 3rd 2008 – Emeryville, ON<br /><br />After systematically pulling out the engine Geoff and I found that we had dropped a valve in our third piston, breaking the piston and cracking the crankcase in the process. We pulled the engine out piece by piece sticking it into little baggies and labeling it. We carried it all up stairs where it lived with us on our living room floor for two months. Geoff meanwhile poured over the Muir manual, message boards, the Samba.ca. We had the help of a new friend (Pete in Calgary who helped us over the phone and even came out to help for a day) and The Bug Shop in Vancouver who shipped us a new 1.8L long block. We were finally back in action. Replacing the engine was an amazing experience that tested our strength, patience, not to our mention marriage. We spent many many hours bent over that engine covered in grease with bloody knuckles - through cold and snowy mountain days and in the end we did it. <br /><br />Leaving Banff was actually harder than we thought, in the end we made some great friends while we were there and wish them all the best. We drove our 'new' van to Langley, BC where she patiently awaits our return. We flew home to Ontario to be with family for a while (thanks mom for letting us move back home) We leave tomorrow to drive west again in our car, with plans to jump back in the van and head south along the coast and see where that leads us. Thanks so much to our faithful readers, so sorry we left you hanging for so long. We hope to write about our new adventures in Part II of Adventures with Delilah..stay tuned. stay classy. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5i-WJuXCXOTfc0OoGfFOD9BKp0yIbvMKjUDFklVRuSW0nvJ9C10k0r8I9pmcCjcPi181WUHtVfV8aMIHLCKf8NdQvQuufwlzp4CMOvCyCAvlyylCHuzpSZhZVNw9gogrljenGR8aHoec/s1600-h/Crys+and+Geo+pics+1099.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5i-WJuXCXOTfc0OoGfFOD9BKp0yIbvMKjUDFklVRuSW0nvJ9C10k0r8I9pmcCjcPi181WUHtVfV8aMIHLCKf8NdQvQuufwlzp4CMOvCyCAvlyylCHuzpSZhZVNw9gogrljenGR8aHoec/s320/Crys+and+Geo+pics+1099.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162871515386257250" /></a><br />Toques off to catch a little sun and call homeGeoff and Crystal Rousseauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00380519554289102852noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5175076636475440269.post-70095123427802374922008-02-01T11:04:00.000-08:002008-12-11T10:03:26.840-08:00Things start to cool down<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZEQG3CzUTuHq1RFqQbKCilGtGgqkMcejs7XRLKZfLoeesEsX7mYuGXoXIM0jM-BPiPZ-hTF_ielRU3NtZLa56vkEXtvRmArOPAtDANSHborLJSRZkyg7rV5WWC1lvwLjU3aM-U4FB-9Q/s1600-h/Crys+and+Geo+pics+848.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZEQG3CzUTuHq1RFqQbKCilGtGgqkMcejs7XRLKZfLoeesEsX7mYuGXoXIM0jM-BPiPZ-hTF_ielRU3NtZLa56vkEXtvRmArOPAtDANSHborLJSRZkyg7rV5WWC1lvwLjU3aM-U4FB-9Q/s320/Crys+and+Geo+pics+848.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162091673879354674" /></a>Written: Wednesday, August 1st - Milk River, AB<br /><br />Made it back to Canada today with no trouble at the border, although we had to stop and eat a ridiculous amount of produce before we crossed. We rolled into our homeland full of fibre and national pride as Gion Gomeshi welcomed us home. (We are so happy to have CBC back on the radio.)<br /><br />Written: Wednesday, August 1st - Lethbridge, AB<br /><br />We ran into those same ladies with the 1986 white Vanagon complete with peace symbols and flowers. They travel with their two golden retrievers in the back – I wish them the best of luck! They are traveling from New Mexico to Banff, AB…with two large dogs (yikes – our van seems crowded with just two of us). <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj58uVFaTUqAXhyBDmN27HbeGRzgelN4QKesb6H6-3nLI3htdGqVLygFdNxMSSPGdPsgVlILdJShnbRZrCzbZsq7AkgqrdPqEhaVeb2FTnbSRdRvYDBceX7me4E0Vnukq756EjHcKu8eQ/s1600-h/Crys+and+Geo+pics+862.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj58uVFaTUqAXhyBDmN27HbeGRzgelN4QKesb6H6-3nLI3htdGqVLygFdNxMSSPGdPsgVlILdJShnbRZrCzbZsq7AkgqrdPqEhaVeb2FTnbSRdRvYDBceX7me4E0Vnukq756EjHcKu8eQ/s400/Crys+and+Geo+pics+862.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162096355393707506" /></a><br />Delilah and her new friend the bunny <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSr3MPQzqvtlmLkTINUDsehzuWdw0Q_wHP81PQvJgkXoaq99zw-DVmxEH98-KuSkS6CmADk_iZJh-JzpAM1eMDvjnTWt8VYutQUFNoftJZRHoNzKQYFKSMll1iuzcZLuM05nn6cFgDjk0/s1600-h/Crys+and+Geo+pics+864.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSr3MPQzqvtlmLkTINUDsehzuWdw0Q_wHP81PQvJgkXoaq99zw-DVmxEH98-KuSkS6CmADk_iZJh-JzpAM1eMDvjnTWt8VYutQUFNoftJZRHoNzKQYFKSMll1iuzcZLuM05nn6cFgDjk0/s400/Crys+and+Geo+pics+864.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162092893650066786" /></a><br />The reason it's named Lethbridge<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCU5lYNUwQVMqfjMwg8thMgEi_ABtsHSqYoyZ7QXBbdK_IOpS3E3lQWL5x9gM-gqVWBNa7mW8Xnvc0fSoy087-Pv9JFb16Ro4WLebGnvJKAB1XBxGShvpp2rJpsk-ixRRbrNjef9uSqdQ/s1600-h/Crys+and+Geo+pics+875.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCU5lYNUwQVMqfjMwg8thMgEi_ABtsHSqYoyZ7QXBbdK_IOpS3E3lQWL5x9gM-gqVWBNa7mW8Xnvc0fSoy087-Pv9JFb16Ro4WLebGnvJKAB1XBxGShvpp2rJpsk-ixRRbrNjef9uSqdQ/s400/Crys+and+Geo+pics+875.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162092708966473042" /></a><br /><br />Written: Thursday August 2nd - on route to Cranbrook, BC<br /><br />We are driving through the foothills with the snow capped Rockies straight ahead! We are passing through a windmill field and are surrounded by these ominous wind catchers. You can’t help but imagine you are in a Sci-Fi film. On the radio is the BBC recording of The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe and right now I feel like these are magical hills we are passing through…ooooohhh don’t be scared.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5oNHxil24NTYsLy5Zt7yLft5qp1JkSR5j68XP625Z0-KmOAWzuBsecFe0FCtxrOXd7se3aOkbcZR_Dy5dM-2k0hLd4RFBNKVkd_lASdj0CpLNeFRXKOf74oGKrFShO93MkjdIBUoDJmk/s1600-h/Crys+and+Geo+pics+877.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5oNHxil24NTYsLy5Zt7yLft5qp1JkSR5j68XP625Z0-KmOAWzuBsecFe0FCtxrOXd7se3aOkbcZR_Dy5dM-2k0hLd4RFBNKVkd_lASdj0CpLNeFRXKOf74oGKrFShO93MkjdIBUoDJmk/s400/Crys+and+Geo+pics+877.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162093198592744818" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAUYsS3wGN20tauHCs9pANYxnWV6eO5xsXris5e0pxe5BYVR47xRnv7veYsiPglctzbvWBA3985TWO2RXJqj6IYwOO8wHRGa1pD79N5lxZ5aTF5nDTF6cE4jlUUpyN2ses0nCMS5_4xfE/s1600-h/Crys+and+Geo+pics+882.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAUYsS3wGN20tauHCs9pANYxnWV6eO5xsXris5e0pxe5BYVR47xRnv7veYsiPglctzbvWBA3985TWO2RXJqj6IYwOO8wHRGa1pD79N5lxZ5aTF5nDTF6cE4jlUUpyN2ses0nCMS5_4xfE/s400/Crys+and+Geo+pics+882.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162093340326665602" /></a><br />At the site of the Frank slide<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN9ye3lG14kdHJA1jDSeNtM0wu1-lZmNJJWd5G5t9iMStyyOOP_mGQM_iPCF2gqWwYTeh26v0ehkBALzeKoz88KVbyUcvqeUfmulo7SJfU44P1aGoA-4Xc84F7S98Kjp8djm8hT7rJ57g/s1600-h/Crys+and+Geo+pics+883.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN9ye3lG14kdHJA1jDSeNtM0wu1-lZmNJJWd5G5t9iMStyyOOP_mGQM_iPCF2gqWwYTeh26v0ehkBALzeKoz88KVbyUcvqeUfmulo7SJfU44P1aGoA-4Xc84F7S98Kjp8djm8hT7rJ57g/s400/Crys+and+Geo+pics+883.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162093610909605266" /></a><br />We were stuck in a traffic jam, and since Delilah is air cooled she wasn't doing too well. We decided to turn her off and push her instead...it actually worked surprisingly well. <br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge7dUxAjU45VR9KL3C4bJXnj0ewu7fug3qhyLXUDdCKH9hlnmBCaz6zE0s60YtVOtqUk7N3KITxaCtGO3iGdc3chN-AJ9KuSj8xDZh6F17FEQ_wC_l2ec86iZlXUs9N5IOu1DqBFrMPCQ/s1600-h/Crys+and+Geo+pics+897.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge7dUxAjU45VR9KL3C4bJXnj0ewu7fug3qhyLXUDdCKH9hlnmBCaz6zE0s60YtVOtqUk7N3KITxaCtGO3iGdc3chN-AJ9KuSj8xDZh6F17FEQ_wC_l2ec86iZlXUs9N5IOu1DqBFrMPCQ/s400/Crys+and+Geo+pics+897.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162094061881171362" /></a>Written: Saturday, August 3rd - Cranbrook, BC<br /><br />We went hiking with my brother Daniel yesterday. Its fun driving with him – reminds me of the times we spent cruising around back home in his old mustang, with the big speakers, looking for stores that would sell cigarettes to minors. Needless to say he’s a bit of a wild driver, a good one but a bit crazy. Maybe it seems crazier after spending weeks behind Delilah our faithful steed who barely clocks over 100km on a good day. <br /><br />We also fixed the chairs in the van today with the fancy foam from our dear friends in Minnesota. They are super sweet, and I think that we can drive for longer now that our bums won’t get as sore! I’m pretty excited about this – previously we were just sitting on just about the bare coils covered by the upholstery. <br /><br />However…<br /><br />We thought that our seats were a pain before we tried to fix them…But to our surprise the real pain in the ass was when we tried to fix them!! Pulling the 30yr old vinyl over the rusty springs was a headache. It took a while and a few tries but they are back together and better than ever now. With the new seats we can drive more than 4 hrs a day! woo-hoo!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiXmSMz0YCxqoeHBvljvgRjRbG1GP73ksERSVc3txptG-8EceAjLVcIiW80mFCca7Qo2KxxthOdH7_wT1478Vlh1X0zSuyA3JloR0mnlLmfvNhrnRTUOM20RDxUxRNNon8idqZ9joHKZk/s1600-h/Crys+and+Geo+pics+896.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiXmSMz0YCxqoeHBvljvgRjRbG1GP73ksERSVc3txptG-8EceAjLVcIiW80mFCca7Qo2KxxthOdH7_wT1478Vlh1X0zSuyA3JloR0mnlLmfvNhrnRTUOM20RDxUxRNNon8idqZ9joHKZk/s400/Crys+and+Geo+pics+896.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162094422658424258" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2j4Gxh47-A2UWGprwR12Bdnkt0yBVF-LRfq6nQjJNxu7OVyprdpm2tz2fi_UfIkCE9ew_6Yfdss7TCc_rK2VUtJcC_M7rvYCXEkTe_IeQ78vdcIs6rh3F_kJQ5QTwXsCyT-DPpc_kmWc/s1600-h/Crys+and+Geo+pics+893.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2j4Gxh47-A2UWGprwR12Bdnkt0yBVF-LRfq6nQjJNxu7OVyprdpm2tz2fi_UfIkCE9ew_6Yfdss7TCc_rK2VUtJcC_M7rvYCXEkTe_IeQ78vdcIs6rh3F_kJQ5QTwXsCyT-DPpc_kmWc/s400/Crys+and+Geo+pics+893.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162094293809405362" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVmAfZiLE7p3Qmn85iYpa-bVBkgHaEk1oC_vouV_keEwyckO1leBQoXhkJqXkz0MbwEpFdqS4Jtt3acLa9T2kCiVAyrJhCDJx9xjdJr3Oy7Py2oWbKO-mu8mk3_dfkVTWD23thrM10pT0/s1600-h/Crys+and+Geo+pics+912.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVmAfZiLE7p3Qmn85iYpa-bVBkgHaEk1oC_vouV_keEwyckO1leBQoXhkJqXkz0MbwEpFdqS4Jtt3acLa9T2kCiVAyrJhCDJx9xjdJr3Oy7Py2oWbKO-mu8mk3_dfkVTWD23thrM10pT0/s400/Crys+and+Geo+pics+912.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162094684651429330" /></a>Written: Sunday, August 5th - Cranbrook, BC<br /><br />Went to church today (a little late as per usual) we found a small crowd of people gathering in a park for a service. They later told us that they sold their building and have decided to meet in the parks all summer long. The pastor led worship and taught on Luke 22. He spoke about the Passover meal, about how Jesus told his disciples to go into town and find a man getting water….there you will find all you need for preparing the meal. He spoke about this idea of going in faith, and in return finding things just as he said. A message that this church is certainly living out as they continue to meet trusting that there will be a building over their heads come wintertime. I can’t help but wonder about my own life. If I trust and believe, will God lead me to a place in my life where everything is just as he said so?<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVVv_D0dpzrF7AFArmpzePg4BCeTvKSS8_ZP3XowXl9TsGEmz7sbpp2VpS2sAj3vw5cKyo882SPtE0uAwHe43TaIr538aXl4DxkeU0WCQlflTgfURktRvGxTUvCNwG_VtEB8k8DL0FvzU/s1600-h/Crys+and+Geo+pics+919.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVVv_D0dpzrF7AFArmpzePg4BCeTvKSS8_ZP3XowXl9TsGEmz7sbpp2VpS2sAj3vw5cKyo882SPtE0uAwHe43TaIr538aXl4DxkeU0WCQlflTgfURktRvGxTUvCNwG_VtEB8k8DL0FvzU/s400/Crys+and+Geo+pics+919.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5162094895104826850" /></a><br />Geoff playing in the park after churchGeoff and Crystal Rousseauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00380519554289102852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5175076636475440269.post-60705322939005111992007-11-28T19:07:00.000-08:002014-05-03T09:28:52.751-07:00Things start to heat up<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEhPG1kL3MoBO4NDLB3Ngyv0DVK3igNM1aOUh36Rg-4XHGErIrIq4mVRRCzqM3XhrEQ_7GuEEdDnNT05iT4r0ow9dOSkoB3GAz5Xc_59ihNxtTri3q689Bp-k2Y0-N9MF3RyFaj9dzi0g/s1600-h/MICHIGAN+TO+BANFF+330.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEhPG1kL3MoBO4NDLB3Ngyv0DVK3igNM1aOUh36Rg-4XHGErIrIq4mVRRCzqM3XhrEQ_7GuEEdDnNT05iT4r0ow9dOSkoB3GAz5Xc_59ihNxtTri3q689Bp-k2Y0-N9MF3RyFaj9dzi0g/s400/MICHIGAN+TO+BANFF+330.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5138112254338313778" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0 10px 10px 0;" /></a>Thursday, July 26th - Rapid City, SD<br />
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This town has a large First Nation population. From what I can see it's very segregated. Unfortunately I don’t find this particularity surprising. We ate an early dinner in the park nearby a bunch of folks gathered on a park bench drinking in broad daylight. There were so many of them, all of them so drunk, many of them could barely walk.<br />
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Before we left I had to throw out some garbage. There were two garbage cans both equal distances away. One right beside the seemingly harmless, drunken people, and the other a 'safe' distance away. I'm embarrassed to admit it but I didn't want to walk towards those people. Not because they were drunk but because they were different, non-white and middle class like myself. It was to defy or confront this shameful feeling inside, or perhaps to push the envelope, that I walked towards them anyways. It was dark by now, and the crowd had dwindled to a few. Nearby was a little girl and her mother. As I approached the garbage can the little girl bravely ran up and shyly asked me for a ride. She wanted me to bring her and her mother home. Kylie was her name as I later found out. She is six years old, happy, and kind. She is the same age as our little friend Audrey that we met only a week earlier. <br />
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Kylie's mom, was so messed up she could barely stand up, and staggered over to the bus. Kylie and I walked in awkward silence; Kylie to small to help her stumbling mother and me too uncomfortable to give her the help she needed. We did make it to the bus, where we found Geoff a little confused but happily obliging. In the van she led us this way and that giving us endless directions leading us in circles before admitting that she didn't know where she lived. She was muttering and passing in and out of sleep - she was so hard to understand. Fortunately she told us her street name before passing out and we had a city map (that had previously been useless to us and almost went the way of the garbage can).<br />
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We did get them home, and I helped her mother out of the van to sleep it off. I however am unable to sleep off this feeling I am left with. How can a mother willingly put her child in such a vulnerable position? How can she put herself in one? What if Kylie had asked the wrong person for a ride? What would then happen when her mother forgot the way home and passed out in the backseat to leave her six year old girl alone? I can't believe this child, and what she is surrounded with. I can't believe this is her reality. This was all so normal for her, we were the ones shaken by this whole endeavor not her. She wasn’t embarrassed by her mom’s actions. She wasn’t worried that we were lost and in the backseat of a strange car. She wasn’t surprised to see her mother’s horrible stagger. This is her everyday, this is normal grown up behavior, and as Kylie grows up I can only imagine that she will grow to be a grown up just like the ones around her. <br />
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It’s at times like these that I understand the need for Godly interventions of miracle proportions. Because despite how much she was able to hide it I think deep down Kylie really is embarrassed, scared, worried and perhaps a bit hopeful. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCYG4HXC49PZ1mFjRL27JDd5YDi6uw9o3l5hzIweMP9COdSny3h1t_ESA-Wa9ruq3KKKe3owkJITqDWJVVfjpJeh72nhSzzF0GNi-nLKMbvzyO9RtoqR4PcJZjN8NTkN4fjuchDkNgEs8/s1600-h/MICHIGAN+TO+BANFF+311.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCYG4HXC49PZ1mFjRL27JDd5YDi6uw9o3l5hzIweMP9COdSny3h1t_ESA-Wa9ruq3KKKe3owkJITqDWJVVfjpJeh72nhSzzF0GNi-nLKMbvzyO9RtoqR4PcJZjN8NTkN4fjuchDkNgEs8/s400/MICHIGAN+TO+BANFF+311.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5138125474247651026" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0 10px 10px 0;" /></a>Written: Friday July 27, 2007 10:30pm – Gillette, WY<br />
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We woke up to a new day after a good nights’ sleep, happy to leave behind yesterday. We filled the day with things of a tourist nature, maybe just to distract ourselves. A tour of a diamond factory, a local winery for complimentary tasting and a bottle of chardonnay we couldn’t afford. Mt. Rushmore was the next stop. As we rounded the corner of the twisty single lane death highway we saw our first view of the mighty mountain…and we damn near drove off the highway in excitement. Thankfully, there was a pull over spot on the shoulder, likely put there for nutcase tourists such as ourselves. But seriously it was really beautiful, I wasn’t about to pledge allegiance to the flag or anything but I did take a picture. The day was great and the park was especially awesome. After the park we left behind the black hills and the Ponderosa Pines for Wyoming on route to Montana for the night. This drive we took across the tip of Wyoming was the most awe inspiring so far. We passed through large mountain passes that had recently been burned; we raced trains, rode into the sunset (like in cowboy movies) and dodged countless deer alongside the road. It’s hard to explain this drive except to say that we drove with a sense of purpose in this world and no plans in particular, we drove along perfectly content.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmuChIl-zuNI6G8K-qzhArI8zFhMlMWShBS2TeNHxWtPPCvplNXk_Y-vkPqIMVcIxDW3f1p_wJ-jpo_qJQRjE2qHy7Q-HLeuEQUnCBDaifkocEe-RiXqDQa8KiaScNG7JZR0ipKNLCcQM/s1600-h/MICHIGAN+TO+BANFF+117.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmuChIl-zuNI6G8K-qzhArI8zFhMlMWShBS2TeNHxWtPPCvplNXk_Y-vkPqIMVcIxDW3f1p_wJ-jpo_qJQRjE2qHy7Q-HLeuEQUnCBDaifkocEe-RiXqDQa8KiaScNG7JZR0ipKNLCcQM/s400/MICHIGAN+TO+BANFF+117.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5138126672543526658" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><br />
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Written: Sunday July 29, 2007 7:30pm – Billings, MT<br />
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Spent Saturday & Sunday in Billings, planning to stay tomorrow too. We desperately need showers, to clean house (or van if you will) and a CV joint grease job. It is really amazing how God provides for us on this trip. It seems that every time we are in need of something someone walks up to say hello to us completely out of the blue. Yes we do stand out; being young, Canadian and driving a bright yellow 1974 hippie van. But these people that come keep coming with exactly what we need. Like the man who out of the blue rode up on his bike and had a grease gun to lend us. I’m not exaggerating when I say that Geoff and I were just talking about whether we could afford one and where we were going to find one so late in the night. He told us we could just drop it off at his house when we were done! <br />
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Today we woke up for church with plans to attend to this grease problem afterwards. Instead we awoke to the smell of gasoline. There was gasoline spewing over one of our carburetor thanks to a malfunctioning float valve. As Geoff was off making yet another desperate call to our mechanic for some over the phone advice, along comes another fellow. He was a previous owner of a VW, which isn’t a common occurrence for us. This man however oddly enough just happened to own a very similar model - with you guessed it - Dual carbs! Also he had in fact encountered this exact same problem and knew how to trouble shoot and mend it as well. On top of all of this he was free for the day and stuck around to give some tips, a ride to the parts store, and share stories about sailing off the coast of Mexico and trading pens and paper for potatoes and bread (because money is useless in these small town you see). His wife even bought us all lemonade bless her heart, because it was sweltering today. Call it coincidence if you want, but I seriously suspect that there is some big guy up there looking out for us, and providing daily. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibszsqyvVfkHlojFMlZMYKhxQA9hDl3wZrZBNc_hiOZdSaY4jacJnSgMkUyJN1esaK58QKIHha0ldHPRGM2S15660hOB8HxGZJ2zG1j0j1ySahC6YcvmEScfnq3kjIF7aoBNRqmR8ScHA/s1600-h/MICHIGAN+TO+BANFF+419.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibszsqyvVfkHlojFMlZMYKhxQA9hDl3wZrZBNc_hiOZdSaY4jacJnSgMkUyJN1esaK58QKIHha0ldHPRGM2S15660hOB8HxGZJ2zG1j0j1ySahC6YcvmEScfnq3kjIF7aoBNRqmR8ScHA/s400/MICHIGAN+TO+BANFF+419.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5138113220705955394" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><br />
We set up shop right in the Wal-mart parking lot and spent the day trying to look inconspicuous...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv_90PtYogXeArW-XvY2RTqNGEPCIFx4d1ub94T3Xh7-MzkbayOgBMMQMh_5GDhevL8frtpTpp3ix7zMIwnyTIegDKofYZjJp5YPpMqXE21aXcsiuoVCmwzRgQXDHKOMo6Ah6ROSi_zC0/s1600-h/MICHIGAN+TO+BANFF+650.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv_90PtYogXeArW-XvY2RTqNGEPCIFx4d1ub94T3Xh7-MzkbayOgBMMQMh_5GDhevL8frtpTpp3ix7zMIwnyTIegDKofYZjJp5YPpMqXE21aXcsiuoVCmwzRgQXDHKOMo6Ah6ROSi_zC0/s400/MICHIGAN+TO+BANFF+650.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5138113323785170514" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><br />
Drying some laundry to pass the time <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhljIFcy6A18kBVbYQaxENLifKaDKRtkEQurgR7Pu3ySLW0bQNmtPjxc0OfcBBiYq0bolzjMG6Lwb2oJFZ1YJg3XqOXUL1idClxiuhCSCc5cRpOTSt2SI19LCFyp9jQwdKGYZMgxpGBw2s/s1600-h/MICHIGAN+TO+BANFF+712.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhljIFcy6A18kBVbYQaxENLifKaDKRtkEQurgR7Pu3ySLW0bQNmtPjxc0OfcBBiYq0bolzjMG6Lwb2oJFZ1YJg3XqOXUL1idClxiuhCSCc5cRpOTSt2SI19LCFyp9jQwdKGYZMgxpGBw2s/s400/MICHIGAN+TO+BANFF+712.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5138113435454320226" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><br />
We spent the evening relaxing with hot chocolate and our trusty road map (on loan from my Dad)<br />
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Written: Monday July 30, 2007 – Billings MT<br />
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Ok, that’s enough I’m tired of this town it’s 100 degrees F…again and it’s stifling. Did the grease job on the back four boots today. They don’t call it a grease job for nothing. Looks like we’ll need to overhaul the axels soon. Spent the whole day running, literally, back and forth from box store to box store looking for a flat tip to a grease gun. Those parking lots weren’t made for people on foot were they? The only was to keep cool is to roll down the windows and keep moving…and so we must. <br />
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Oh! And the sweetest part is that we turned the speedometer over! We went from 99999 to 00000. It was pretty sweet, although I had hoped that it would happen some crazy unique place, and at a certain point in time where the stars would align and the heavens part to deliver some divine wisdom as to where and what we should be doing with our lives. Instead we just drove slowly along the highway staring at the dashboard and got into a fight over who was taking a better picture of the speedometer, but we smiled for the camera anyways, because hey it’s a momentous occasion. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWFGeVtsVKRbdsBwe5i-l8_XUgNJsL8tR3gw0tHEBhRqr_kA2bxwJr8yc-kSWaRPSepJeS41qHCoxrmGi2P3yOEEVeBsmsvbVi1k-GWIlUarBej-GZjQBr-EYwUN3ITHtJAVcKUJzgvT8/s1600-h/speedometer+turn+over+copy.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWFGeVtsVKRbdsBwe5i-l8_XUgNJsL8tR3gw0tHEBhRqr_kA2bxwJr8yc-kSWaRPSepJeS41qHCoxrmGi2P3yOEEVeBsmsvbVi1k-GWIlUarBej-GZjQBr-EYwUN3ITHtJAVcKUJzgvT8/s400/speedometer+turn+over+copy.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5138118872882917010" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-0gbh89ckPfG_7byKsn95R8CMvCOc5uDaDefnHj8wUP3UfjCm-S-QLgEIMec4E6ycfimA3RXE1EZOKu7aMhGuNZiAtqsIpWM6jjqPG3n5DAS4F1xxsr_iTqqW4uGLycYp_F0eBiGI5Nw/s1600-h/MICHIGAN+TO+BANFF+1189.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-0gbh89ckPfG_7byKsn95R8CMvCOc5uDaDefnHj8wUP3UfjCm-S-QLgEIMec4E6ycfimA3RXE1EZOKu7aMhGuNZiAtqsIpWM6jjqPG3n5DAS4F1xxsr_iTqqW4uGLycYp_F0eBiGI5Nw/s200/MICHIGAN+TO+BANFF+1189.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5138120689654083266" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: right; margin: 0 0 10px 10px;" /></a>Tuesday July 31, 2007 – Great Falls, MT<br />
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Can’t seem to find these 'Great Falls' this town is apparently known for. Drove all day on route to my Brother Dan’s house in Cranbrook, BC. The new plan is to leave tomorrow at 5:00am to try to avoid driving in the intense heat. The van doesn’t like it, and I can’t say that we do either. There are crazy forest fires here and the smoke is so thick you can’t see the sun except for a deep red ball and if you stand still enough ashes drift down from the sky like the start of a snowfall.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8TNjUYjKkfqXEf2DWBaI_XBIOsQJDBns-1iFF6Mtz5WYpMlxWDCgaVk30ToKADD2jwwW1Wzbj2nmJCp3TbgeutUymFkNpyh-xnnOFr8l4aefXEqZoIdbZymQiCnTlpFyaoUSMEW2FL5s/s1600-h/MICHIGAN+TO+BANFF+1074.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8TNjUYjKkfqXEf2DWBaI_XBIOsQJDBns-1iFF6Mtz5WYpMlxWDCgaVk30ToKADD2jwwW1Wzbj2nmJCp3TbgeutUymFkNpyh-xnnOFr8l4aefXEqZoIdbZymQiCnTlpFyaoUSMEW2FL5s/s400/MICHIGAN+TO+BANFF+1074.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5138109192026631714" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a>Geoff and Crystal Rousseauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00380519554289102852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5175076636475440269.post-40765078101470940892007-08-07T14:00:00.000-07:002014-05-03T09:18:07.965-07:00On to the Badlands...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbOVFXolQLeJKBM_H6-i_oMMGGnVH8Gy7NAT_eKLNGh92wq2KEo9tRhlkrUE7SYcNjdx4kHYXy62DA5wk7PUybvixi7UoeNADpY1pxCR5TMpABAad7sJH3ptV1cl-aNg5Djeb9so_EmBo/s1600-h/IMG_2170.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbOVFXolQLeJKBM_H6-i_oMMGGnVH8Gy7NAT_eKLNGh92wq2KEo9tRhlkrUE7SYcNjdx4kHYXy62DA5wk7PUybvixi7UoeNADpY1pxCR5TMpABAad7sJH3ptV1cl-aNg5Djeb9so_EmBo/s320/IMG_2170.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5096074556596289810" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0 10px 10px 0;" /></a><br />
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Friday July 20, 2007 - Wausau, WI <br />
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So apparently we’ve been here for a day and didn’t realize that we’d passed through a time zone. (and here I thought we had slept in). Ultimately it makes no sense when our days are without any schedule. As a major Type-A organizer this is actually really difficult for me. I find myself trying to set order to things through arranging silly systems and lists for most things…not sure if this is good or bad?<br />
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Saturday July 21, 2007 - Pepin, WI<br />
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I think we should name re-name our VW bus Delilah the butterfly killer or something like that. We had no idea there would be so much carnage. We seem to hit at least eight monarchs every day, it makes a really gross ping noise too. We’ve decided that we have to make a donation to a butterfly conservatory or get some butterfly friendly plants for mom’s backyard to make up for it. “In memory of all those who lost their little lives – Killed by Della, Summer 2007”<br />
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Sunday July 22, 2007 - Hastings, MN<br />
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What a great day. After a refreshing sleep in a Wal-Mart parking lot (yes, I do hear how that sounds) we stumbled into the River of God Baptist Church. Within minutes we were greeted by 3 really nice folk, had a coffee in hand and had an invite to lunch. We were taken in by a wonderful couple (Tyson and Stephanie) and their 3 cute as can be kids (Audrey, Isaac, and Anne-lise). They let us do our laundry, take showers, and fed us. They even let us crash at their house for the night. It was such an amazing blessing. We were so road weary and Geoff was beginning to get stinky (just kidding…I was the smelly one). We went to a church BBQ that night and were given (praise god) fancy wheelchair-grade foam for our seats!!! Steve, if you are reading this – we can’t express how much more comfy the seats are, although maybe you already know since you saw the wire springs we had been sitting on. The river of God fellowship is blessed with a welcoming spirit and a great pastor. We have only been here less a day and already feel part of the community. It’ll be sad to move on tomorrow. <br />
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Monday July 23, 2007 - St. Paul, MN<br />
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Got in the van this morning and it was making some funny noises while idling…seems she’s feeling the effects of this long trip. Went to the <a href="http://www.comozooconservatory.org/">Como Zoo</a> saw some amazing pond plant and monkeys (and a bunch of other stuff). Took way too many photos. After it all Geoff and I decided that we now needed our own private conservatory, want to take up bonsai artistry, have a snow leopard to cuddle with, and a stuffed puppet otter cub. Fortunately, we were able to exercise some restraint and have decided to delay these pursuits to a later time.<br />
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Tuesday July 24, 2007 - Minnesota, MN<br />
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Spent the day in Minnesota - a small big city. We busked for the first time…can’t say that we wowed them, but we made $1 and that paid for our parking. <br />
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Wednesday July 25, 2007 - Somewhere in South Dakota<br />
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It was really hot today 100 degrees F. Driving is slow in a 1974 VW bus, but it’s nice. It gives you time to see the beautiful places you are driving through. We drove through so many farm fields and cattle pastures. Corn, corn, and more corn. Somewhere along the way the landscape changed as we got closer to the badlands. Jagged hills, they seem so vast and desolate. They are beautiful, but I can’t seem to decide whether I like them or not. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuAV-iGb_q4GHA0F4sXsaUvnDhIy4dKcHcmjq5K-R7Q9vqD2orNkUhW-lUc8JasIWAVIJAYw5Zoqro2lVE1LD5Ez0Ci9eAJ6u9UPhhYmL4wzhiHCVjJMDjBq5dapnu5u3iZ8EVfzymD8U/s1600-h/IMG_2705.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuAV-iGb_q4GHA0F4sXsaUvnDhIy4dKcHcmjq5K-R7Q9vqD2orNkUhW-lUc8JasIWAVIJAYw5Zoqro2lVE1LD5Ez0Ci9eAJ6u9UPhhYmL4wzhiHCVjJMDjBq5dapnu5u3iZ8EVfzymD8U/s320/IMG_2705.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5096077382684770674" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdJzKgA1rs3uqlslmkJe0KoLxhpZz6ABKyMheNljybvHDTuGMJ1nR845uecDz1yyoaZ7gPV-6bVHpWnnNs5PKfU5mRbPFJGyigpPM6f6COhkbkjRpY4PGuh5pHct1_zcZqfl27SRXg8dE/s1600-h/IMG_2707.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdJzKgA1rs3uqlslmkJe0KoLxhpZz6ABKyMheNljybvHDTuGMJ1nR845uecDz1yyoaZ7gPV-6bVHpWnnNs5PKfU5mRbPFJGyigpPM6f6COhkbkjRpY4PGuh5pHct1_zcZqfl27SRXg8dE/s320/IMG_2707.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5096077829361369474" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><br />
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Thursday July 26, 2007 - Rapid City, SD<br />
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People don’t seem very nice here. And the hills are kind of creepy – maybe I’m just road weary. The heat wave finally broke, and it’s only 78 degrees F (down from 100) which feels really nice. We went to an old church today, a replica of one in Sweden. Interesting fact: The church was built with a hole near the front so lepers could watch without going in and could receive communion through the hole.Geoff and Crystal Rousseauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00380519554289102852noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5175076636475440269.post-51389062596200711612007-07-20T14:15:00.000-07:002014-05-03T09:06:52.840-07:00Through Michigan & Wisconsin<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZSwDLl0HYhbMOalL5witfqKVp7xcaYd5S8g0J6GmEBGm6QmQqV7YOPgw_rFOb6TeWexkSGa04YgfemykMKo7SLvTZLFZ5fg0B1MT1UeZz59QoCc0YZyvNf2gAPHQFIq6u6dZ8TSJNJnI/s1600-h/Mackinaw+bridge.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZSwDLl0HYhbMOalL5witfqKVp7xcaYd5S8g0J6GmEBGm6QmQqV7YOPgw_rFOb6TeWexkSGa04YgfemykMKo7SLvTZLFZ5fg0B1MT1UeZz59QoCc0YZyvNf2gAPHQFIq6u6dZ8TSJNJnI/s320/Mackinaw+bridge.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5089397093969697250" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0 10px 10px 0;" /></a><br />
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<strong>Tuesday July 17, 2007 - Barryton, MI</strong><br />
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Well, camping apparently requires a bit of skill...which we haven't seemed to grasp yet. I know each day will get easier as we go along. I almost laughed my dinner out of my nose when Geoff smacked his head off the roof, but it wasn't so funny this morning when I reached under the drivers seat and smashed the steering wheel full on. Hoping to settle into this small space soon.<br />
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<strong>Wednesday July 18, 2007 - Petoskey, MI</strong><br />
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That was our first U.S. Wal-Mart experience. Good-God - it's no wonder they are making billions - 24hrs, food-mart, auto-mart, and regular-mart. We are able to sleep in the parking lot for free, which is great because paying for a campsite can cause a big dent in the travel budget at around $20 a night. <br />
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Went for our first swim in Lake Michigan. The water was freezing cold and I was being a suck and scared to jump in. Just as Geoff was coaching me in a seagull flew by and took a huge dump on my head. It was easy to jump in after that. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0hbYP7jV_fbA8rNLtkQzJyNzGrUvUOfwpnAb2Kn0ICFAwVCOha09uL_AqwFZnL1spmTvAP3mh8fRo6H7ELp_PjgSpEZRZaXsf_gnUmDXfsuK0xsZZtbpl1AJjANmXl4HZKaJ_oxL6pso/s1600-h/Petoskey,+Lake+Michigan.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0hbYP7jV_fbA8rNLtkQzJyNzGrUvUOfwpnAb2Kn0ICFAwVCOha09uL_AqwFZnL1spmTvAP3mh8fRo6H7ELp_PjgSpEZRZaXsf_gnUmDXfsuK0xsZZtbpl1AJjANmXl4HZKaJ_oxL6pso/s320/Petoskey,+Lake+Michigan.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5089398365280016930" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><br />
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<strong>Thursday July 19, 2007 - Wausau, WI</strong><br />
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Had a good day today, Wausau is a nice simple town. Made curry for dinner in the park. It happened to be the same night as a free sousa band concert and the park quickly filled with white haired folk. It was neat because we made friends with a bunch of people who wanted to see the van. After the show two couples cam by at the same time. They were previous and current owners of VW campers. It was the first time so far on this trip that we got to really connect with some really cool people.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhGjTxqlKj0a3omOcINl0qqFeVJZV2soefEfxqvlQ_KlX0MHqqIqLpdmYcN-5Xyef0QJdqt4UJSbePi5QFZgAOnFh4N6Xs1uumY3WTpO15JqXtlInL2AeeJDQY_bMmoXcBKCOONTkTjJg/s1600-h/Wausau+VW+greeters.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhGjTxqlKj0a3omOcINl0qqFeVJZV2soefEfxqvlQ_KlX0MHqqIqLpdmYcN-5Xyef0QJdqt4UJSbePi5QFZgAOnFh4N6Xs1uumY3WTpO15JqXtlInL2AeeJDQY_bMmoXcBKCOONTkTjJg/s320/Wausau+VW+greeters.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5089397368847604242" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0 10px 10px 0;" /></a>Geoff and Crystal Rousseauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00380519554289102852noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5175076636475440269.post-84217740689041413472007-07-15T13:22:00.000-07:002014-05-03T09:06:16.895-07:00The Beginning...<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">We are feeling a need to be set apart from the world. We desire life with a purpose other than our own well-being and financial security. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Humanity has big issues, but many of us live between dreams for a better world; and a padded private life we didn’t exactly choose”<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">This trip is about being poor and a little hungry at times; it’s about being stranded and needing to rely on others; it’s about taking a break to reflect and listen; it’s about seeing what other folks are up to - and hopefully being inspired and motivated towards a different way of living. We want to meet other people who are changing the communities they live in, with the hopes of one day doing the same in our own. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Geoff and Crystal Rousseauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00380519554289102852noreply@blogger.com13