Screaming Trees

I am so torn about this. On the one hand (so far) nothing we have unpacked has been broken, but on the other hand it seems environmentally and economically unsound to use this much paper. And we're not even DONE unpacking. Of course we are going to recycle and/or post on Craigslist for free moving supplies. But it's just crazy and I figured I'd share. That is all. Cable is almost hooked up and All Star Game Home Run Derby calls.

A trip to Red Rocks will blow your mind

Here are the much anticipated photos from the Wilco concert at Red Rocks. If you ever have a chance to see a show here, the climb is well worth it.

Click here to see the full album of photos.

Almost There & Happy Anniversary!

So we made it. Well almost. We still have to return the RV tomorrow AM, so we're camping for the night at a pretty nice little "RV Resort" about an hour outside of Chicago. Had I told Michelle four years ago today, right before she said "I Do," that on our fourth anniversary we would be camped in Sycamore, IL in a 30 foot RV with two cats and a 12 pack of Fat Tire, most people would assume that she would have headed for the hills (and not the cool, dramatic, hip hills where Lauren Conrad and "Speidi" live - or maybe, I'm not really sure, I just wanted to mention "Speidi" to see if it would drive traffic to our blog).

But I tend to think that she wouldn't have high-tailed it out of there, leaving me standing dejected at the altar, but rather have simply said, "Yeah right, and if we do my parents will kill you." But luckily for me, her mom is in France and her dad is too busy enjoying having the house to himself, so I think I got out of this one.


In any case, I'll take this opportunity to publicly wish my lovely wife a Happy 4th Anniversary. Not only am I lucky to have such an amazing wife and best friend with whom to share this crazy road trip adventure, but also to share the adventure of life together. Here's to many many anniversaries and adventures together ahead. I love you!

If it's Iowa there must be cows

So the backstory on these pictures - other than I'm not exactly sure how one travels to/through Iowa without leaving with pictures of a cow or a whole buffet for that matter...that's what groups of cows are referred to as, right, buffets? In any case, back to the backstory - relates to my obsession with the Jack in the Box "Mini Sirloin Burgers" ad that was in pretty heavy rotation in May/June.



It's not the Chipmunks style vocals or the little people cowboys that I especially enjoy (although both definitely have their benefits), but rather the "cows the size of Schnauzers, but they're cattle..." line and the tiny little cows.

So imagine my delight when driving across Iowa and out in the fields I SWEAR I saw cows the size of Shnauzers. Now some might say that it was road fatigue or even the three iced coffees and two cans Mountain Dew Amp'd that caused some sort of hallucination. I assume those critics live sad, lonely lives, the majority of which are consumed by posting secrets behind magician tricks on Internet message boards and telling small children at the mall that they can't be whatever they want when they grow up.

I myself, however, like Indiana Jones seeking the Arc of the Covenant was on a quest to capture a photo of the elusive Pigmy Cattle of Iowa. When we stopped at a rest area on the I-80, behind which was some ranch land where a cast of cattle grazed, I spied my prize. There amongst the swarm of cows stood motionless, a cow of small stature. Quietly chewing her cud, like a ninja with multiple stomachs, she stared at me as if to say, "Here I am, your Rocket Queen, I might be a little young, but honey I ain't naive." Or maybe that was the Guns n' Roses song playing in my headphones. Either way, I knew I had but mere moments to pull out my iPhone and capture this image, in order to prove the existence of this magical creature to the world. And so I did. The results of my quest are below. When I showed them to Michelle, she simply said, "Those are baby cows." She loves Fox's Breaking the Magicians' Code: Magic's Biggest Secrets Finally Revealed too.

A Few More Pics from Denver

A little hard to see, but here's Maggie trying to make friends with a local bunny that grazes outside of our RV spot at Dakota Ridge RV Park in Golden, CO.

We snapped a pic of this RV outside of the walk-in clinic where Michelle went for her allergy issues. We were both pretty jealous. If this RV doesn't scream "Hot Chocolate Whiskey," I'm not sure what does. Although the plates on it were European, I think, so maybe it actually screams "Chaud Chocolat Whiskey."

This is the Daniels & Fisher Tower, or D&F Tower to the locals. Back when it opened in 1909 it was the highest building west of the Mississippi, and the third highest structure in the U.S. It was modeled after the bell tower of San Marco in Venice. We snapped this picture while checking out the 16th Street Mall (think 3rd Street Promenade to our L.A./SoCal readers). We had an awesome lunch at Osteria Marco (Christine, we tried to go to Riojo, but it was really crowded).

Hot Chocolate's Not Feeling So Hot

We should have seen this coming. Living in a mobile box with two cats and passing through all kinds of various altitudes and terrains was bound to have some effect on Michelle's allergies. But a quick stop at MedExpress in Lakewood, CO, which by the way gets the award for friendliest staff and fastest service at a walk-in clinic, and we were ready to go explore Denver and the surrounding area before the Wilco show at Red Rocks tonight.

Post your well wishes to Michelle via the comments link below.

TripPics

A few pics from our travels thus far...

http://picasaweb.google.com/michellering/TripPics?authkey=Gv1sRgCL_SweCV36DLkgE&feat=email#

Oh hai!

Above: Harvey updates HCW on how the trip has gone thusfar from HER perspective.

Hello HCW readers,

Guest blogger Harvey Ring (F,V,8) here!  So for the first time on this trip, mom and dad let me and the fat one (Ed. Note: "the fat one" refers to Maggie, Harvey's adopted feline sister) roam free while they somehow levitated our new apartment through what I'm pretty sure was the dark side of Hell.

For the most part, the fat one and I found the smallest place possible in the bedroom to wedge ourselves and brace for the regular earthquakes that have persisted since mom and dad had all of their posessions reposessed and we were apparently evicted from our last home.  I blame dad.  He hasn't held a regular job since September 2007 and usually just sits around on the couch reading the Financial Times (clearly not reading the Help Wanted section).

In any case I felt it was my obligation to take over his computer and post the truth to all of you.  More after I pee on their bed and take a nap.

End transmission,
Harvey Camille Ring, esq.

VEGAS BABY VEGAS!! (First stop Petsmart)

That's right...Petsmart...it's where the pets...fart? Seriously, what is Petsmart's tagline?

I realize that if some of you were to replicate our road trip, you might have immediately driven your RV's up to the valet at the Belaggio, tossed him the keys and said,
"Let me know what kind of a marker the bank will give me for this." Followed by a, "Me and the lady will be at the craps table where she'll be blowing on my dice!"

However your colorful scenario while both humorous and bawdy is severly flawed since,
A) You know nothing about what kind of overhead clearance you get at the Belaggio as it's far below the requirements of the height of a 30 foot RV
B) "Me and the lady..." is just bad grammar.
C) You don't have two cats traveling with you and realized in the middle of the night at a campground in Barstow that while the rental company said they thoroughly cleaned this vehicle before you rented it...there still might exist the threat of fleas, mites and other creepy crawlies that like to dine on feline flesh.


For the purposes of this post, I'm going to focus on "C," since that's the point of the Vegas pit stop at Petsmart. Since Michelle and I had exactly that moment of realization, we figured we'd play it safe and pick up the kitties some Advantage from the vet to kill any vermin who might have hitched a ride on them.

In addition, if there were any bugs lurking in the upholstry of the RV the cool thing about Advantage is that it basically turns your pets into walking exterminators for the next week or so. Literally, any fleas or ticks and such that jump onto your pet will die. So it's a handy way cleaning house. True story.

So anyways, that was the start of our hot ass adventure in Vegas. I'll post more later when a good looking billionaire offers Michelle a million dollars to spend one night with me. Will she take this indecent proposal?? Stay tuned!

Here she is...

...we are currently accepting nominations for what to call her. I'll
start you off with "S.S. Landmonster" - leave a comment below with
your suggestions.

Barstow, ho!

The girls aren't sure about this moving business...

Maggie and Harvey confined to the living room while the movers pack the rest of our apartment.

And so it begins...

Our cars ready to begin their own road trip. Bet they won't have a
much fun as we will...or will they?

One Last Goodbye

We had a bittersweet second-to-last day in SoCal today by attending the wedding of two of my Merage classmates. While it was definitely awesome to share in Peggy and Tak's special day and to spend one last night of celebration not only with them but with other friends with whom we've shared so many great times over the last two years, at the same time it was a little tough to say our last goodbyes. But I think I speak for both Michelle and me when I say that we are lucky to have made so many amazing friends during my time in b-school and it was a great way to close our our OC experience by watching two of my classmates declare their love for each other in front of friends and family and become husband and wife.

Congrats, Peggy & Tak and we'll miss everyone...come visit!

The Countdown Continues

Meanwhile, enjoy Lindsay Buckingham's theme from National Lampoon's Vacation, "Holiday Road"

Our Roadtrip Route

View Larger Map

Roadtrip Countdown