Northern Iowa to Mt. Rushmore to the Big Horns to Cody Wyoming

Sooooo today was another long day of getting through the midwest and it didnt really start getting good until 1880 Town, yes people 1880 Town. Its some old preserved town in the midwest and it was used as a prop town for Dances With Wolves. They even have a grave site for the horse from the movie. From there it was to the Bad Lands which are mind blowing, from there it was to Key Stone. The hotel is about a mile from Mt. Rushmore and you can see the faces on the side from the hotel. Big props to the state of South Dakota for having a 75mph speed limit. Cruise control at 85 is the way to be.

Wyoming is awesome, a constantly changing land scape and sticks to the 75mph speed limit. Got a hotel with a ton of stuffed animals in the lobby which is kind of crazy because its all African Safari animals. I am going to get some camping essentials then going to set up shop in Yellowstone for the next two days.

Matt I fixed the registration sticker for you.

You know whats good about the midwest? Nothing! I spent 2 days with my grandma in Columbus, OH then got on the road today. My goal was to get as much midwest out of the way as possible. So I did about 900 miles. I made it from Columbus to Sioux City Iowa and there really was nothing eventful to see except the windmills in western Iowa and the ligthning storm oh and the fact that I am now smack in the middle of a tornado warning sitting in a hotel wondering if I will experience my first and only twister

The 70mph speed limit entitled me to go about 85 through Indiana, Illinois and Iowa







Tomorrow its off to Mt. Rushmore which I am expecting to be severely over rated.

Take a seat Brett Michaels

This is really a bedroom people. It is like something out of Dark Days.


How many times in life do you get to see a snake actually feasting on something? Mind you I am deathly afraid of snakes, I was at my moms house standing along side the drive way and saw this 3 or so foot long Garter Snake going to town on a toad. I naturally screamed, jumped and ran inside. But I returned with my camera but stood as far away as the zoom would let me.

I cant belive its just 4 days until I move to the West Coast. I have become a social recluse and just hang by my lonesome. I think it makes the moving gig easier for me. I hate good byes so rather than go spend time with my friends and family I hide out, I guess it makes it easier on me. But I do plan to hit Arches National Park, Yellowstone, Crater Lake. I am going down to Texas to see my dad too. I have 10 days of road tripping and I am hyped.

I cant believe Spike Jonze turned this into a movie.



Best thing ever

Happy memorial day all. Lets remember what its really for. While camping rules along with summer. Remember those who fell for our nation. I took a the time to make a visit to the "Soldiers Plot" today. This is what I saw.

So I headed out west last week to find a place to live. I was unsure of what I was going to find or think of the area I am moving to since it was the only part of the west I had never been too. To my surprise I was quite into it. A drive north of San Fran and a drive south of Portland and you are in some amazing country.




The beaches really blew me away. This was my first day there and I stumbled on this beach here. Boring I know


I drove up and down the Avenue of The Giants and on all the scenic side roads in awe of the Redwoods and how insanely massive these trees are. It is probably one of the cooler things I have ever seen.



This is Whiskey Town Lake. I took a long unintentional drive through the Shasta/Trinity National Park and Mountain range. It was 2 hours of winding, up and down, hair pin, stomach dropping and motion sickness roads and this was at the end on the other side. It was impressive and hot as fuck. It went from 65 degrees a few hours before on one side to 90 degrees on this side. There were some cliffs that I really thought I was going to plummet off of in the car.



I really wish I could say I hollowed this piece of fire wood out myself.







Oh and Elk are way bigger in person.








Anyway. Narrating all these pictures is pointless. Humboldt County California is absolutely amazing and beautiful. There are tons of landscape surprises around each bend and down every road. I am psyched I am moving there. I found a house that over looks the mountains in a good neighborhood. My living room windows look right out into the ranges and my land lord says I cant put the trash out the night before because it attracts bears. Well guess what I want to see a bear up close so I am putting my trash out the night before. I should make friends with all the neighbors when I do that. In about a month I get on the road and head out. I am getting excited for the change

This whole swine flu

Ok, so it sucks that there is a strain of flu out there that we have never seen, its killed some people and infected some. It will kill a few more and infect a lot more.

Do people forget that seasonal flu kills half a million people each year. Relax world. Everything will be ok.

Don't let the swine get you

It was a sunny day. A hot day. I think it was 89 degrees on Saturday. So I decided to head out to the "range" with a few people, but of course this was after a stop at Gus's so we could feel the pain of the delicious delicacies that fine stand produces. Across the tracks and into the woods. How ever I thought we might find a dead body just off the tracks. Maybe one named Brower? First name Ray?






I am rather positive Sam wishes he could take the credit for the kill. But either mother nature laid this creature to rest, some one out on the hunt, or a passing car or truck? It seems lately I have been finding creatures that are deceased and I am not sure why. Its really starting to freak me out a little.




It smelled like hot trash over this pile of bones baking in the sun. NATUREEEEEE





And he sure as shit aint no John Rambo. But watch out if you are a female this beast likes to mate.




And who said a Jew can't shoot a gun?



That was Saturday in a nutshell. Yea a little odd

Some creatures just dont have any luck. After my brief yet intense investigation I determined there was no foul play. This little guy got wedged in a crack in the tree and was not able to get out. The hard luck of nature.

I also recently discovered that if you are lost in the woods and worried that Blair Witch may be taunting you to just look for this tree as it will point you in the direction of your car. When in doubt just search for this tree.

On a side note. I am out this summer. Off the the left coast for a few years. More information on that to come.