NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

September 2, 2014 / Lindsey&Steven / 5 Comments

Apologies everyone for the lack of updates lately. *Spoiler Alert* We have made it back to Portland and our time has been consumed by family and friends, as well as job hunting and figuring out what to do with the bus.

Where we left off, we had been in San Francisco for several days enjoying some great friends and an amazing city. After we said our goodbyes we climbed back aboard our trusty Bird and continued our trek north. We stopped to visit some family outside Redding for a few days, and had a great time exploring some back roads in the mountains. The bus does surprisingly well on rough gravel roads. There is something to be said for the robust build quality of an old Blue Bird school bus. Lindsey and I talked it over and decided that we would have much more fun following the coast up to Oregon, rather than taking I5 straight through the middle. We didn’t want to trip to end, so extending it by an extra 2-3 days was a welcome idea.

Leaving Redding we headed west on highway 299, winding our way up and down through the mountains. It was hot out but we were really enjoying the drive, these were some of the greatest driving roads I have been on for a while. The closer we got to the coast and the further we got into the forest the more it cooled down. We marveled at the beautiful scenery going by, and even though I had to really hustle the bus along the curvy road we were really enjoying the drive. Little did I know what waited ahead would make me regret that statement later. We passed a few hitchhikers along the highway, but they always seemed to be waiting along the guardrails next to a steep drop off where there was no room to pull over, so we continued along without extra passengers.

Pretty soon we were turned off 299 at Douglas City and headed down highway 3 south. The road got a little narrower but it wasn’t enough to cause alarm. We were really enjoying ourselves now, cruising through some beautiful forests and along some small rivers. It was so nice to be out of arid Southern California and see so much greenery and water flowing. Eventually we turned onto highway 36 and made for the coast. This is where things got interesting, as the road narrowed so much that most of it didn’t have a yellow center line. We snaked our way around the mountain for miles, trying not to look over the side at the steep drops. Crossing our fingers at every switchback, hoping there wasn’t another vehicle coming from the other direction, as we needed most of the road just to negotiate the turn. Fortunately we managed to squeeze by all the oncoming traffic and eventually made it out onto the foothills where the road opened up again. By the time we got to the bottom I was a sweaty mess. This was definitely one of the most harrowing roads we have been on so far.

Meeting up with highway 101 again we headed to Fortuna, where we planned to spend the night. A few days earlier Lindsey had found the Eel River Brewing Company online, and learned that they allow overnight RV camping, which we eagerly took them up on. We found the brewery and parked in their large gravel back lot, which was perfect for the bus. It was so nice to relax with some cold fresh beer after such an intense day of driving.

Spending a peaceful night in the bus we got up early and hit the road. We stopped at a state beach just north of Eureka and made some breakfast, then walked down to the water and enjoyed the cold sand on our bare feet. Driving along the coast through the chilly early morning fog made me nostalgic for the days I spent with my grandparents at the beach when I was growing up. The smell of the ocean rolling in the open window just added to the experience.

We continued our drive north, stopping at a few overlooks to watch the mighty Pacific crash against the rocks. Pretty soon we found a scenic byway that led us through the Redwoods National Park, where we were awe struck by the size and beauty of the old trees. Parking the bus at the base of some of these trees we marveled at their immense size, making us feel so tiny and unimportant. I can see how the Redwoods hold such a sacred place in many peoples minds and hearts, and I can’t wait to go back and spend some more time camping and exploring around the park.

As we drove north toward Crescent City a new reality hit us: it was only a few more miles until we crossed into Oregon, and a couple more days until we were back home in Portland. This brought feelings of elation at being back home after a year and a half, and also sadness, for the New Oregon Trail was coming to an end. It was hard to be too sad though, as it was a gorgeous August day to be driving along the Pacific Coast Highway, with the water so blue and the forests so green. It sure feels nice to be back on the West Coast.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

August 11, 2014 / Lindsey&Steven / 2 Comments

After our adventures in Utah we were headed toward Southern California. Our plans had included some more camping and exploring in the deserts of Utah, but we decided to re-route and head towards the ocean after looking at the weather forecast. We have already spent enough time in hot weather in our bus without AC, so we told ourselves that we would just have to come back in the spring.

Leaving from Park City, it took twelve long hours for us to reach Riverside, where Lindsey’s Uncle and Aunt live. We rolled into their neighborhood and parked the bus on the curb a little after 11PM, exhausted and fried after driving through the desert all day. Coming into the house for a shower and air-conditioned guest room was a welcome relief.

We spent the weekend enjoying the company of family, and visiting some great breweries and restaurants in the area. It felt so nice to be back on the West Coast! Clair and Heidi were amazing hosts, and we had a great time playing with their dogs and checking out the tortoises they have in the backyard. When we told them about our plans to head down to San Diego to visit friends they quickly offered us the use of their spare car, so we wouldn’t have to find a place to park our bus in the city. We were happy to take them up on the offer! Clair had been using a repair shop close by for many years and had become friends with the owner, so we told him our story and he agreed to let us park the bus in his back lot for a couple nights while we went south.

Cruising down the highway in the old Buick we marveled at how fast we could go up hills and how easy it was to get around traffic! When you drive a giant bus everywhere you forget what driving a car is like. In no time we had reached Escondido, where we met up with Lindsey’s friend Krista. It had been a while since they had seen each other so there was a lot to catch up on. Krista took us over to the Lost Abbey, where we enjoyed a few samples of their delicious beer while we hung out in their brewery/warehouse. After getting some pizza down the street it was time to head further south, where we would meet up with Krista’s boyfriend in San Diego and spend the evening exploring the area.

While we were in the area I also wanted to visit my friend from school that is in the Navy now, and stationed at North Island out on Coronado. I called Cody up and let him know our plans to go out and visit breweries and get food and he was excited to come join in the fun. We all piled in the car and went out to Ballast Point, a popular local spot, to have a couple pints. Their most popular beer is Sculpin, a tasty IPA that isn’t too hop forward. They also do two variations on Sculpin; one with grapefruit and one with habanero. We tried the grapefruit and it’s a nice fruity addition to the already citrusy flavor. Ballast Point also offers many other great beers, as well as some nicely designed merchandise. We had to use a lot of self-restraint to keep from buying up several shirts and hats in the store. Our next stop was Urge, a trendy Gastropub with a large beer selection and fried cheese curds to die for.

The next morning while Krista and Paul were at work we wanted to meet up with another friend of ours from back home who just happened to be in San Diego on a work trip the same time we were there. We haven’t seen Ruben for a long time, and we were excited to spend the day hanging out at the beach. We picked Cody up at the base in the morning and drove up to Del Mar, where we met Ruben at his hotel. It was so nice to spend the whole day with friends from back home, relaxing on the beach and playing in the ocean. We found an interesting little bar in a lush garden area and enjoyed a slew of happy hour drinks and fresh tacos.

Sadly our time in San Diego came to an end, and we made our way back to Riverside where we picked up the bus and spent one more evening visiting with Heidi and Clair. The next morning we continued our drive north, around LA and along highway 101 up the coast. Once we got out of the city traffic the drive along the coast was so enjoyable, it is amazing to be back on our familiar Pacific ocean. We stopped in Santa Barbara for lunch at an awesome authentic taco joint, with a line down the block. We had just finished our lunch and were starting to walk through town toward the beach when I got a call from a strange phone number, with an LA area code. It turned out to be the Santa Barbra police, they had been getting complaints about where our bus was parked and asked us to move it. We were parked legally along the curb so they didn’t give us a ticket, but we were taking up a large section of the street so we were happy to move out of the way. I am just curious about how they got my phone number, as it isn’t anywhere on the bus, and it is licensed and registered in Lindsey’s name. Feels a little weird, but I guess that is what the police do. It would be a lot easier to get around in these small towns in a little VW Westfalia!

We pressed on up the coast, our stopping goal for the night was Pismo Beach. Arriving in the early evening, we drove down to the beach access road in Oceano looking for a place to camp. Of course all the state parks where filled up, and the only area available for camping was out on the sand. I really wanted to drive out on the beach, but after standing at the top of the hill and watching several other trucks with campers and RV’s get tuck in the soft sand I decided it wasn’t worth the risk. Instead we found a quiet street a few blocks from the beach to park along for the evening.

A strange coincidence occurred that night; just after we drove up and parked at the beach we got an instagram message from a guy I knew in Portland, he said he had just happened to open his curtains and look out the window as we drove by his house. He said his jaw dropped in disbelief, and he immediately sent us a message. Jay and I exchanged a couple quick messages and he came out to check out the bus. It was so awesome to see another familiar face, and none of us could believe the random chance that we decided last minute to go to Pismo and he just happened to look out the window at the right time. Jay invited us back to his house to have dinner with his family, so instead of eating leaftovers for dinner we enjoyed delicious local beer and pizza with friends. Funny how the world works sometimes.

That night we slept soundly in our big cozy bed, with the cool ocean breeze drifting in the windows. This is what bus life is all about; having the freedom to park most anywhere and have your own little home with you is a very liberating feeling.

PARK CITY, UT

August 6, 2014 / Lindsey&Steven / Leave a comment

From the great state of Colorado, we made our way to Park City, Utah in one long and uneventful drive. We left Fort Collins in the morning and drove over the plains through Wyoming and down into Utah to Steven’s sister’s house. Heidie and Trent actually live just outside Park City, where there’s a bit more breathing room. We had a good time with them and their Alaskan husky Pascha while we were there. We couldn’t get our bus up their driveway, so upon arriving they helped us find a spot to park off the road at the bottom of the hill. That led to an interesting time trying to leave, as we already mentioned. So our time there will now always be recalled at that time we got stuck in the mud. Fine with us, it all turned out well and makes a good story.

Utah offers many outdoor recreational activities, and we tried our best to take advantage of them. But to get the week started off right, we had to try the local beer. After getting settled, we went to Squatters for beers and snacks. Utah has some unique liquor laws, due to the large mormon presence. They have everything you’d want, but draft pours are only available for beers rated at a 3.2% alcohol content or lower. Any more than that, and it must be served in a bottle. The beer culture also seems to poke a bit of fun at the mormon culture with their beer names and labels. Nothing like some good sibling rivalry, I suppose. Bottle or not, the Squatters beer was great! And Steven and I tried fried pickles for the first time at the insistence of our hosts, and we loved them! We followed that up with a nice dinner at the whiskey distillery in Park City, High West.

In the morning we had to work off some of that dinner with a hike. We put the dog in the jeep (her favorite place in the world) and went into the nearby Uinta Mountains to find Shingle Creek. The weather had uncharacteristically turned cold and damp, and we hiked in a fog. The air felt great, all chilly and fresh. We all felt like we had been transported to Oregon. On the way back down, the clouds got thicker and as we neared the car, a light rain began to fall. About as soon as we had all gotten back in the car, the sky really opened up and we drove back in a downpour. Lucky timing! We stopped to get a pizza on the way home and spent a lazy rainy afternoon at the house.

When the rained stopped, we set off to explore Park City a bit more. Trent drove us up to look at the Olympic ski jumps built for the 2002 winter games. The view was great from there, and the ski jumps built into the side of a mountain looked extremely intimidating. We walked around to the pool, where some smaller jumps are set up to train young athletes for aerial jumps. After some gawking we headed into downtown to stroll Main Street. Park City is a fun resort town full of art galleries, nice restaurants and laid back bars. It’s home to the only resort with an in-town ski lift which picks you up right off of Main Street. It’s also home the the Sundance Film Festival, and fills up with celebrities and paparazzi each January. We had to stop for a drink at the No Name Saloon, the most famous bar in town. They have a rooftop patio with a nice view of the street below.

On Wednesday the storms continued, but the internet assured us it was very localized. So we decided to visit some hot springs about an hour south near Provo, Utah. On the way out we stopped down the road at the Gold Creek Creamery, an amazing place that is quickly gaining wide recognition. When we went inside, the only staff member there was the head cheese maker, and fortunately he had time in-between batches to come out and chat with us. They make all kinds of award winning cow cheeses and also have started selling butter due to popular demand. We got a quick peek into the operation before buying some cheese curds for the road.

Since we were in a Jeep, we wanted to try taking the back roads all the way to the springs and see how long it took us. We maybe got a little lost, but we made our way down some single lane dirt roads, dodging the free range cattle and finally made it to our destination. The springs are a 2.5 mile hike from the small parking lot, but they are so worth the trek. The water was beautiful, and we hiked a bit farther beyond the first pools and came to a lesser known smaller area where we found some shade. The pools in the river were constructed by hand twenty years ago, we actually met one of the guys that worked on it. It was amazing the difference in temperature between the river and the pools. I’m not so savvy with geology, so I can’t tell you how it works but I can tell you it’s incredible.

On the way back we stopped at Robert Redford’s Sundance Resort. It’s a beautiful place in the mountains where you can stay and ski in the winter or enjoy a summer evening play at the outdoor amphitheater. We had some food and drink in the Owl Bar, which sports an impressive turn of the century bar made of ornate dark wood and a large mirror. It was fun to walk around the buildings and see old photos of famous actors that have stayed at the resort.

We were due to leave the following day and do some camping down in the canyon lands, but that’s when we discovered that after all the heavy rainfall we were stuck in the mud. We scratched our heads a bit but didn’t get too discouraged since we were in good company and had a place to stay if we couldn’t leave as planned. After some unsuccessful attempts to remove our bus from the side of the road, we let it sit so the sun could dry out the ground. Finally in the afternoon, the ground was more solid and we were able to get out with the help of a good samaritan. By now it was real late to be leaving, and we were also coming to the realization that camping in the desert in our tin can, without AC, might not be so fun anyway. So we were able to get our campsite reservation refunded, and we stayed to enjoy one more night with Heidie and Trent. It turned out for the better I think, and we all sat out in the back yard with glasses of cava and watched the sun set over the valley. It was the perfect ending to an amazing visit in Utah.

FORT COLLINS, CO

July 31, 2014 / Lindsey&Steven / Leave a comment

We were really excited to see Fort Collins after hearing so many nice things about the town and it’s beer. We were fortunate to come across another one of Steven’s BMW buddies who invited us to park at his place, just around the corner from New Belgium Brewing and a short bike ride from downtown. Colby and Sarah were awesome hosts, they and their adorable pets made us really feel at home. Soon after we arrived we got out our bikes and hit the town in search of dinner. Fort Collins is so amazingly bike friendly, it’s ridiculous. There is bike parking everywhere, including several fancy New Belgium Fat Tire parking racks. And the residents of Fort Collins need every single parking space, because they fill up fast.

Our dinner spot was not open yet, so we headed down the street (and only just beat the rain) to an impressive and hip establishment called The Mayor for a beer. They have 100 rotating beers on tap, which is a little overwhelming but awesome! Lots of local stuff as well as imports to choose from. We continued to have our minds blown when we had an incredible dinner at 415. Figs and goat cheese on my pizza, yes please. I would eat their food all the time if we lived there. Dinner was followed by bar hopping and exploring the nightlife in Old Town. We stopped in at Equinox Brewing and picked up some more of Colby and Sarah’s friends. One place that stood out was Crank n Stein, the most hipster brewery ever that Portland would whole heartedly embrace. Not only do they brew beer, they also serve as a bike shop and coffee roaster. Triple threat.

The next morning, breakfast called loudly. Colby said if we came to Colorado and didn’t eat at Snooze, then our visit didn’t count. So off we went for pancakes and eggs at an adorable brunch spot in Old Town. When we had our fill, we decided it was time for a little auto tour of the area. Colby and Sarah hopped in his M Coupe, and he generously offered Steven his newly acquired E30 to drive behind. It was so fun to ride in an E30 again after so long, and made both of us miss our old cars. Colby’s car is in such perfect shape, and it had no problem keeping up with the little coupe. We drove out to the Horsetooth Reservoir to get a nice view and enjoy the twisty roads up there.

After our outing, our hosts had their own engagements to tend to, so Steven and I spent the rest of the afternoon by ourselves. We biked over to New Belgium, where we’d heard they have beers that don’t make it out past Fort Collins. They have a nice tasting room, and out in the parking lot we found the coolest airstream they have converted into a seating area! Next stop was O’dells Brewery, which has an amazing outdoor seating area, complete with stage and live music. It was such a nice sunny day to be out. Fun fact: we later learned that some guys who were setting up a produce stand in the patio area (isn’t that so Colorado?) are actually fellow skoolie enthusiasts and friends of ours on Instagram. Small world. We next headed into Old Town, this time to wander the shops and see the artwork of the city. There is a really cool music project happening where someone has taken old upright pianos, turned them into pieces of art, and left them all over town for anyone who feels like playing. Another fun thing is all the electrical boxes in Fort Collins are painted, even the ones farther out that aren’t in downtown. It’s a colorful place, and we are so glad we had the opportunity to stay close in with some nice people and experience it.

DENVER, CO

July 31, 2014 / Lindsey&Steven / Leave a comment

Heading down out of the mountains toward Denver was a much easier drive than the way up, and the bus handled it just fine. We had a good laugh at the creative signs along the highway warning truckers about the steep downhill grade. Parking in Denver for a night was going to be an issue for us, as I hadn’t come up with any good options yet, so I decided to make a post on a BMW car forum that I am fairly active on asking if anyone had parking available. We got an immediate response from several great guys offering driveways and curbsides all over the Denver area. Roland was the first to offer us a spot along the curb on a dead end street next to his house in Golden, and it worked out perfectly. Roland and his family were so nice; they loved the bus and welcomed us into their home.

Once we got the bus settled and extension cords ran to the house we set of on an adventure through Golden and then down to Denver. Golden was a really neat little down, with a historic downtown area and a nice park next to Clear Creek, the river that runs through town and into the Coors factory. We had a great time walking along the creek and enjoying the beautiful weather. Since we were in Golden we had to go check out the Coors factory, even though Coors beer is a sin to us! Unfortunately (fortunately) we got there too late and they were closed for tours, but we did get to see the outside of their massive factory. It was interesting from a history standpoint.

Waving goodbye to Golden we set off down the highway into Denver, we had better breweries to visit! Stopping at Great Divide first we really enjoyed their lively tasting room, and their delicious beer. We had learned about Great Divide while living in Florida, since our local beer store had several of their offerings available. I got to try their Belgian Wit seasonal; it was another great Wit style beer to add to the list. Next we went around the corner to Breckenridge Brewery, a larger restaurant and brewery that carried a variety of great beer from around town as well as their own selection.

When we first set off for Denver I thought we might just check out a couple places and then head back out to Roland’s place for the night. Little did I know that we were actually out for an all night brew tour of Denver! Everywhere we went, there seemed to be another great spot just down the street or around the corner. We visited River North Brewing and Renegade, both excellent companies. Lindsey really enjoyed the Poblano Amber Ale at Renegade; it had quite the smoky-spicy undertone. We finally finished the night at a taproom and restaurant next to Roland’s where we met up with his sister and her friend. Needless to say, I might have fallen asleep during dinner.

After our wild night out in Denver we enjoyed some breakfast at Roland’s and were able to take advantage of the shower, it is so nice to be in a bathroom that isn’t at a campground, where you don’t feel the need to wear sandals into the shower. Our goal for the morning was to go back into Denver and check out the specialty product of Glaze, called a baum cake. It’s a very interesting old European style of baking with a Japanese twist. It is a place Lindsey read about while we lived in Florida, and we added it to the list of things to see while we traveled the country.

Roland’s mom, sister, and her friend had caught wind of our plans to visit the bakery and asked to join, we said of course! The more the merrier. We all loaded up in Big Red, their old Suburban, and headed off to find some cake for breakfast. They have a really nice store and seating area, and offer several delicious confections. We had a lot of fun watching the head baker use the incredible oven to make these large tube shaped cakes, one layer at a time.

After loading up on sweets for the road, it was time to head out of Denver and toward Fort Collins, so we all said our goodbyes and took pictures by the bus. It was so nice to make new friends and have an excellent place to stay while we visited the city; I hope Roland makes it out to Portland sometime soon so we can visit again.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK, CO

July 29, 2014July 29, 2014 / Lindsey&Steven / Leave a comment

Next stop in Colorado was a campground less than a quarter mile from the entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park and the little town of Grand Lake. To get there, we headed North out of Colorado Springs and then turned into the mountains, crossing the Berthoud Pass up and over towards Grand Lake. In nearly any other vehicle, this would be a simple task. In an ’84 Blue Bird bus with a Cummins VT555, not so much. The real difficulty arose when the freeway started a long, gradual climb upwards to 11,000 feet. That is roughly the equivalent of driving over Mt Hood! The bus was already underperforming in the thin, high altitude air, so adding a steady climb like that greatly decreased our power. Our eyes stayed close to the temp gauge, and we had to pull over a couple times to let the engine cool down. But nothing went wrong, and luckily there were multiple lanes so everyone could go around us as we crept along at 20 mph. Once again, our bus did us proud by getting us safely to the other side. It was a little nerve wracking, but in the end we had conquered the mountain, and took in amazing scenery on the way.

As we came down the other side of the mountain, we arrived in the ski town of Winter Park. Scanning the village for points of interest, low and behold we spied a brewery brilliantly called The Library. Still slightly shaken from the high mountain pass, we decided it was indeed happy hour. We pulled over into some empty on street parking and went inside to check it out. The Library Sports Grille and Brewery is a total ski bum bar, with a literary bent to it. I’m sure it’s packed in the winter, but this time of year it did have a decent amount of summer time tourists. We each tried a beer, and I was especially fond of my Oats n’ Cream Stout. When I noticed the shirts the staff were wearing, I knew I had to have my own. So now I’m a proud bearer of the slogan, “Don’t lie to your mom, tell her you were at The Library”.

We got to our campground shortly after our stop, and were very happy at the sight of it. The Elk Creek Campground is an extremely friendly and affordable place, with just under forty spaces for parking your rig with hookups, and also tent spaces, tipis and cabin rentals. I will say the showers are quite wonderful too. We were relieved to meet the owners and find how nice they are, and the fact that they appreciated our bus but never made a big deal out of it was really cool. They also have a very sweet golden retriever that hangs around camp. Our stay there was very comfortable, and they also were able to figure out how to extend our visit to a third night. The campground is also very much surrounded by nature, even though it is so close to town. While we somehow never had the opportunity to witness it, there are several moose, including a cow and her two calves, that like to graze on site, and also a bear reportedly trundled right past our bus our last night there. All the other campers there, even the ones with the fancy top dollar RVs were very friendly and really interested in our bus.

We had great ambitions for our first outing into the National Park. I chose a moderate to difficult (depending on who you ask) hike to Timber Lake, a 10.6 mile round trip. Even after hearing about a difficult detour around a landslide, I was only more determined to reach the top. It was hard, but we enjoyed it nevertheless. We huffed and puffed our way up 2,100 feet, mostly in forest with small waterfalls throughout. Near the top we came out of the trees and into a series of meadows. Finally, long after we had expected it, we reached the lake at the top. It was beautiful and well worth the trek. When we were done, we were ready for dinner and a relaxing evening around the fire. On the way back towards camp, we saw a lot of cars pulled over to the side of the road. This is a sure sign that some kind of wildlife is in sight. So we pulled over too to get a look, and there we saw our first moose! A second moose, a bull, was also just down the road in the next field. They are magnificent creatures.

The next day we quickly realized we wouldn’t be doing more hiking. I woke up still feeling ill after an uneasy night, and Steven was dizzy. We managed to make ourselves breakfast, but didn’t do much else for a few hours. We weren’t sure what the deal was, when it finally dawned on us: we had altitude sickness. Steven was alright, just a little disoriented, while I fought the urge to lose my breakfast. I guess sleeping at 8,000 feet, and climbing higher during the day is one way to make yourself feel weird when you’re not used to it. But the surrounding beauty is so worth it, and we were so happy to be up in the fresh mountain air.

Once we decided we were fit enough to leave camp, we took the motorcycle down the road into Grand Lake. The cool breeze coming off the water made me feel so much better, we were able to get some lunch. We were still feeling strong, so we spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the area on the motorcycle. It was a nice day for a ride, not too hot. We went to see Lake Granby down the road, the Granby Dam, and we drove around some back roads full of lakeside cabins.

Upon arriving back at camp, we saw again a crowd of vehicles on the side of the road, so we went to investigate. It was another bull moose, this time much closer to us. We watched him graze for a while and tried to get some good photos. Before turning back, we went just up the road towards the park to see what other creatures were out. Right around the corner we found a herd of elk, with lots of cute calves!

Our last morning there found us on one more bike ride, up into the park. Our time there, even with the altitude sickness, was amazing and we wouldn’t hesitate to go back and see more of the park. I loved how much wildness surrounded us, yet we didn’t need to travel very far from civilization to experience it. As check out time rolled around, we thanked our hosts and turned to brave the mountain pass once more. This time we’d be starting from higher elevation, and gravity was in our favor as we coasted down to Denver.

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO

July 26, 2014July 27, 2014 / Lindsey&Steven / 1 Comment

Continuing west from our last stop in Kansas, Colorado Springs would be our first foray into the beautiful state of Colorado. We were so excited to finally have a chance to visit this awesome state, neither Lindsey nor I have ever been to Colorado before and it has been calling our names for a while.

Driving into town we found our camping spot for the next 2 nights, a little tiny RV park right on the edge of town. It didn’t provide much privacy or scenery, but the spots were very affordable, we had a place to plug in our power cord, and a nice bathhouse at our disposal. It was also very close to some of the places we wanted to visit while in town, so it worked out perfectly.

After getting settled into our spot we quickly unloaded our bicycles and set out on a fun little ride through town to Bristol Brewery. There was a nice set of bike trails that took us almost all the way there. We had read about Bristol on our drive through Kansas, and it sounded too interesting to pass up. The brewery has recently renovated an old elementary school building called Ivywild School to house its brewing operation and small pub. It also shares the space with a few other local artisans’ including a bakery and a meat company, which supply the pub with delicious fresh and local ingredients for their sandwiches and other options. This is a really interesting idea for a community space; it was very fun to visit. Lindsey and I enjoyed sampling a couple beers and having a delicious sandwich before heading off into the dusk to ride back to the bus.

The next morning we were up early, excited for a day full of adventure. Our goal for the day was to make it to the top of Pikes Peak, one of the highest mountains you can drive up. We were determined to make it up on our little motorcycle, even though we were a little uneasy about how it would handle the thin air at high altitude. We loaded a backpack with camera gear, water, and some lunch and got ready for the ride. Since we were parked on the edge of town, we were only a few minutes away from the start of the Pikes Peak Highway, once we arrived we waited in line with quite a few other cars and motorcycles until we finally had our turn to pay our entrance fee and start the climb. It was so exhilarating to be riding a motorcycle up Pikes Peak! I have long been a fan of the International Hill Climb race that has taken place here annually since 1916, and to ride up the same road as the competitors do was a dream come true for me.

With a starting elevation of 7,400 feet our little Yamaha was already starting to run out of breath, so by the time we got to the 14,115 foot summit it would barely run above a quarter throttle, although she never failed! Once we reached the summit it was such an incredible view, words can’t describe how amazing it was to be standing on the edge of the rocks and looking out for miles at mountains and forest. After spending a while looking out over the country below we got back on the bike and headed down to a big rock outcropping we had seen on the ride up, just below the summit. Parking in the turnout we climbed up into the rocks to be greeted by another spectacular view. We found a comfy spot to sit and broke out our picnic lunch. Nothing like a little scenery while you eat lunch! After relaxing for a while and taking pictures we started our descent. This time we stopped at several turnouts to take photos and look out over the mountains. It is a lot easier to stop on the way down, when you don’t have to worry about losing your momentum and getting started again. As we wound our way back down the mountain through the switchbacks I silently thanked Yamaha for putting a decent set of brakes on the little XT250. We eventually made it to the bottom and rejoiced, we had conquered a fourteener on our motorcycle! I am so thankful to have a brave and trusting girlfriend who doesn’t hesitate to hop on the bike and go on a ride, and I am so proud of our little motorcycle for carrying us safely to the top and back. Getting to the top of Piles Peak was definitely one of the main highlights of the trip for both of us. I have no doubt that I will be back to ride up it again in the future.

Heading back toward Colorado Springs we rode out to the Garden Of The Gods Park, where we rode through the winding roads around some beautiful red rock formations. Stopping in a few places to walk out into the rocks and take photos, it was another amazing experience. The large, brightly colored formations used to be a popular meeting area for various Native American tribes, since they are such a remarkable landmark.

To finish off our long day of exploring we headed over to Trinity Brewing, where we sampled a few of their amazing beers and had some great food. Trinity does a lot of Saison style beer, which is one of our favorites. Along with the large selection of Saisons, there were some rare beers including a sour, and they utilized many brewing techniques with different combinations of barrel aging and Belgian yeasts, as well as the typical house offerings. They are easily at the top of our favorite brewery list; we hope we can find some of their interesting bottled beers back home in Oregon.

HOLLAND, MI

July 22, 2014 / Lindsey&Steven / 1 Comment

We stayed 8 days Michigan, and when we weren’t exploring the UP, we had the pleasure of camping out at our friend Allison’s house on the edge of town. Our stay with Allison and her family was a great time that felt like a vacation from our vacation. It was a lot more than just a place to park; they really took care of us and made us feel at home. It was great to catch up with a good friend, and her parents, Keith and Pat, went out of their way to make our stay comfortable. Our time in Holland and the surrounding area also involved much fine food and drink, as you might expect!

But first, a little bit about the town of Holland. Holland is in the southwest region of the state, and sits along Lake Michigan. As the name suggests, it’s a Dutch town and proud of it. Windmills are prevalent, as are tulips when the season is right. Unfortunately we missed Tulip Time, which is a celebration of Dutch culture that takes place every May. If you are looking for skyscrapers, you’ll have to drive 20 minutes east to Grand Rapids. But there is a nice view from the 6^th floor of the Seminary Library, where Allison works, as it’s the highest point in town. The dunes on the lakeshore can be seen out to the west. The surrounding area is mostly farmland and small towns.

We visited two breweries with Allison downtown, the most popular being New Holland Brewing, which is very big and has a full restaurant. The other, Our Brewery, is still new but seems to do well for itself. A third brewing company, Big Lake Brewing, is in a different part of town that isn’t as quaint but their beer holds its own. Our Brewery caught my attention with their unusual selection. Our flight consisted of a Burnt Caramel Quad, Ginger Beard (perfect for Steven!), Careless Whisper IPA, Chocolate Vienna Lager, Vanilla Milk Stout, and a Curry(!) Cider. While slightly skeptical (there were a lot of creative options to choose from), we were very pleasantly surprised. Especially by the Chocolate Lager, which had the depth of a stout.

Our taster was followed up with dinner down the street at New Holland Brewing. They make excellent beer and food and have something for everyone. They have a selection of beers called the Hatter Series, which includes many beer styles, all with a different mad hatter on the bottle. Steven is partial to the White Hatter, the white Belgian style wit bier. Besides the hatters are many other fine options, as well as their own distilled spirits, but it’s hard to leave room for that when there are such nice beers to be had. We made good use of the patio seating while we were there.

One day while Allison and Keith were at work, Pat took Steven and I on a little field trip. She took us in her car to see the Saugatuck Dunes on Lake Michigan. You have to walk a little ways through the forest to get to the beach, so we had a nice mini hike out there. Afterwards we got a driving tour of a couple little tourist towns and a stop for lunch at Saugatuck Brewing. What makes Saugatuck really unique is that they offer brewing workshops where you can come and learn to make your own batch of beer, leave it there for a week or so to ferment, and come back when it’s time to be bottled and taken home.

We drove through some scenic country until we came to Virtue Cider in Fennville. They are a relatively new company brewing many kinds of craft cider with almost all local apples. The owner is the former owner of Goose Island Beer Company in Chicago, so he brings quite a bit of brewing experience to the cidery. We got a chance to taste everything they have bottled currently, and our favorite was The Mitten, a bourbon barrel aged cider. It has sparked some inspiration in us for future homebrew ambitions. One of the guys there saw Steven taking photos of the place and offered to show us the “cellar” where they hold all the fermenting tanks. It was pretty cool to see! The building is mostly underground to keep everything at an optimal temperature.

We washed that all down with some good old-fashioned fresh pressed apple juice at Crane’s Pie Pantry on the way home. Pat took us the back way on the return trip so we got to do some more sightseeing. I loved seeing all the old farmhouses and little cottages, to the point of Steven’s chagrin I think. It sure felt special to be chauffeured around for a day.

Tuesday found us relaxing at the house and working on the blog until evening came around and we all went out to Big Lake Brewing. We sampled some beers there and ordered a pizza from next door. They had a lot of darker beers, which was a change of pace from all the summer beers we’ve been drinking. After dinner, we headed down to the Holland State Park on Lake Michigan to catch the sunset. There’s a beach there, with a lighthouse and a pier. We had a funny experience as we walked out onto the concrete pier and found ourselves in the midst of a surprise proposal. The term “surprise” is relative I guess because it was pretty obvious what was going on. It was a very young couple and it was pretty cheesy, but it was fun to see her family trying to hide out of sight while she walked past us and of course said yes with a million eyes burning into the back of her head. Awkward! Even though it was a cloudy sky, the sunset cast a beautiful pastel light on everything and once again, Michigan proved to us how wonderful it’s summers are.

On Wednesday, Steven, Keith, Pat and I took a trip to the Gilmore Car Museum in Hickory Corners. It was a huge place with several large barns full of classic cars, motorcycles, and even some campers! We also found a double decker bus, and immediately saw the possibilities for a conversion. That would be a fun project for a little house. There were so many cars and things to see, it was an impressive collection. I think Steven and Keith each took hundreds of pictures. Allison had to work, but she didn’t mind missing the museum so much. She was more interested in our next stop, Bell’s Brewing in Kalamazoo.

Steven and I were introduced to Bell’s when we moved to Florida, as we learned about all kinds of craft beer west of the Mississippi that doesn’t make it out to the Northwest. We were looking forward to trying some more of their beer with lunch, and were really blown away. We had a flight of six samples, and loved each of them. They have a really wide range of offerings, everything from their flagship summer wheat beer to a couple Belgian styles, a sour, darker high gravity beers, and IPA’s, to name just a few. When we finished lunch we stopped in at their store for some goodies. It’s pretty neat that they sell home brewing equipment there too.

But the fun didn’t stop in Kalamazoo! Keith had something planned for us that evening, a little thing he likes to call a Bike and Brew. We went back to the house to pick up Allison and load up our bikes, and we set off for Grand Rapids. Our destinations were Founders Brewing and Hopcat. There was a nice paved bike path from a park into the city, so the 8 miles in didn’t feel bad. Founders is becoming an expansive brewery, I’ll be curious to see if we find it back home. They are known for their extremely drinkable All Day IPA and the Breakfast Stout. After a quick taste there we continued on a couple blocks to Hopcat. Hopcat is a cool hangout with lots of taps and a couple of their own brews. We all had burgers and the aptly named and very addictive “crack fries”. As we finished up, we couldn’t help but notice the sun dipping lower and lower, and we still had another 8 miles to get back to the car. So with no excuses to lag behind, we kept up the pace on the way back. I may have taken the liberty of exercising my vocal cords as well as my legs, just to keep myself going. Sorry, guys… We had a great time, and Steven and I have decided to try to make biking to breweries a habit. It feels good to work for your beer a little bit.

We enjoyed one more day at the house on Thursday getting the bus cleaned and reorganized, ready to get back on the road. Allison took us downtown one more time that evening, and then we had a delicious meal of homemade pizza. Michigan was such a great time, and we are so grateful for everything the Van Liere’s provided. It feels like I gained an extra set of parents over the week. I’d love to go back and experience another summer camping trip on those incredible lakes. We were sad to leave it behind us, but it was time to trade out sand dunes for mountains out West. Michigan, we’ll miss you! Until next time.

UPSTATE NEW YORK

July 15, 2014July 15, 2014 / Lindsey&Steven / Leave a comment

From Vermont our next destination was Holland, Michigan; where we would meet our friend Allison and spend several days exploring the area with her. To get from Burlington to Holland we had to decide which route to take, the long way around through Ohio, or straight across through Ontario? After our recent border issues we were skeptical about doing another one, but decided we wanted to give it a try. We wanted to see if we would have trouble again, or breeze right through like many other travelers we have talked to.

After we spent the first part of the day exploring Burlington, we loaded up and headed across the bridge into New York. Our goal for the evening was Saranac Lake, where we planned to meet another couple with a bus project and park at their place for the night. Driving through the Adirondack Mountains was an amazing experience, even though it can be a chore to weave the bus through some of the small towns and winding mountain roads. There were so many beautiful rivers and overlooks, it would have been fun to spend an entire week camping and exploring the area. On the way to our destination, we passed through Lake Placid and got some views of the old winter Olympics structures. The Olympic training center is still used today, and tourists are welcome at some of the points of interest, such as the towering ski jumps. As scary as those things look on TV, they are even more intimidating in real life! The Lake Placid high school even makes use of the speed skating rink, which serves as their track. Arriving in Saranac Lake we found Shelby and Dave’s apartment and got the bus situated for the night. We met them through Instagram after they started commenting on our pictures, and when they learned of our route they offered up a place to park and a tour of their own bus project. We couldn’t say no! It was a lot of fun to compare buses, theirs is still in the middle of the construction phase but it is coming along nicely. It is going to be a more complete home than ours is, which will be a lot of fun for them. Next on the agenda for the evening was a drive over to Lake Placid, where we were going to have dinner and beers at Lake Placid Craft Brewing, home of the famous “Ubu Ale”, a strong, dark English style ale. We really enjoyed the food and beers, as well as having some fun people to hang out with. We stayed out late into the night telling travel stories and playing the beanbag toss game in the brewery yard.

The next morning we relaxed in the bus while we tried to figure out which direction to head and where to stop for the night. After studying maps for a couple hours and looking up various camping options we just couldn’t find anything that fit our plans, so we waved goodbye to Dave and decided to head towards Niagara Falls, to see how far we could get before we called it a night. Our camping spot ended up being a Wal-Mart parking lot in Albion, NY. This was the first time we had parked at a Wal-Mart (wallydocking) and we weren’t too thrilled, but it was a free place to stay for the night and we could get a few groceries inside. It turned out to be better than expected, we had a quiet corner of the lot and no one bothered us. We even met another traveler parked there in his converted van, it was interesting to share stories with him and learn about his recent trips around New England. Lindsey made us an amazing dinner, homemade potato chowder and even a strawberry rhubarb cobbler, baked in the tiny oven. This was the first real use of the oven, and we weren’t sure how well it would work, but it did great! We sat at the table looking out the window at the beautiful sunset, happy to be out exploring the world even if we were in a parking lot.

After cooking some breakfast the next morning we got everything put away and ready to get back out on the road, this was the big day! The Canadian border was only an hour away and we were ready for it. As we waited in line to go through the checkpoint we relaxed and prepared ourselves for another invasive search. Finally our turn came at the window where the officer checked over our passports, asked a few questions, and waved us on our way. This was impossible. How could it be so easy? We rejoiced as we paid our toll and headed toward Niagara Falls. Circling the area for half an hour we finally found a place to park the bus so we could visit the falls. It was a rainy cloudy day, so the view wasn’t as clear as it could have been but it was a powerful experience to stand out on the point only a few feet from where the river plunged down over the edge. It was more impressive than I ever imagined it would be, I am very thankful we decided to stop there along the way. Lindsey and I watched the waterfall for a while before we walked back to our bus just in time to miss the heavy downpour that started.

Heading back out onto the highway we slogged west though the rainstorm hoping to reach Holland before midnight. Somewhere along the way I noticed a strange squeaking sound coming from the front of the engine, I just chalked it up to a belt making noise from being wet and didn’t think much of it. The rest of the drive through Ontario was uneventful; we were noticing how much the terrain was changing, long gone were the mountains of New York. We finally reached the Michigan border, where we got our first glimpse of the great lakes. The highway leading to the US border went up over a beautiful bridge where we could see Lake Huron off to the right side, never before had we seen such a vast expanse of water that wasn’t an ocean. We were so excited to be here. The real fun started when we pulled up to the US Customs window, where the officer asked me to shut down the bus so we could talk without yelling. I of course said sure thing and reached for the key, as I was about to turn it a little voice in the back of the mind said “don’t do it” but I shrugged it off thinking it was silly, the bus hasn’t had any issues so far, why should it start now. After completing the passport check and declaration paperwork he motioned us over to a side area to wait for our “random” inspection (yea right) but as I turned the key and hit the start button all I got in return was a loud click. I tried again with no luck. Great, now we are stuck in the lane at the US Customs with a dead battery. That’s when I realized that the strange squealing I had heard earlier in the day was the alternator in its death throes, possibly killed by the heavy rainstorm. I had been driving along all day with all the headlights and running lights on, as well as the fan so the starting batteries were too weak to crank the giant diesel engine. There we were in our crazy old bus, broken down in the middle of the border crossing with a line of people behind us. This is one of those moments where you just laugh and can’t believe it is happening. I explain to the border officer what the problem is and he radios for the Michigan DOT to send a truck over, so a few minutes later a pickup pulls up to the bus, we hook up some jump leads, let it sit for a couple minutes and then she fired right up. Fortunately these old diesel’s don’t require any electricity to run, so as long as we could leave it running and not shut it off we would be ok to make it to our stop for the night. After going through some of the typical US bureaucratic nonsense we were finally free to continue into Michigan. We still had a few hours to go until we reached Holland, and we weren’t sure if we were going to make it.

As we rumbled along watching the sun go down I was a little nervous, as our headlights would barely turn on without our batteries charged up. By the time nine o’clock rolled around we were running down the highway without any lights, and still had a couple hours to go. The setting sun was still lighting up the horizon so we pushed on, but kept an eye out for a place to park. After another 45 minutes on the road it was too dark to be on the roads with our dim candles for headlights, so we pulled off into a rest stop to wait until daylight so we could see. I parked the bus in a spot and shut it off, praying that I would be able to get it going again in the morning. Luckily I was able to hook up our little generator to my battery charger and jump-start it again in the morning. Driving along in the bright morning sun we were just happy to be so close to a friends house, where we would be parking for the next several days. I could figure out what to do with the alternator while we relaxed with Allison and her family. We pulled into their house and got the bus situated on the driveway before shutting it down one last time. After saying hello to Allison’s parents we set off into Holland on the motorcycle, ready to see all that Michigan has to offer.

BURLINGTON, VT

July 10, 2014July 14, 2014 / Lindsey&Steven / 3 Comments

We spent the night in Bangor camped in the parking lot of a Restaurant called Season’s; Lindsey and I had met the owner of the place while we were visiting Allagash Brewery back in Portland. He invited us to park there for the night, and we didn’t turn him down. After watching the great fireworks show on the river we ran through the rain back to the bus, where we listened to the rain come down on the metal roof all night.

The morning light woke us up early, and we drove on through the rain with our sights on Burlington. Crossing in New Hampshire again we were really enjoying the beautiful scenery and winding roads. It didn’t take long to cross the narrow part of New Hampshire and enter Vermont. Driving toward Burlington we saw signs for Cabot Creamery, we couldn’t pass that up! Cabot makes some of the best Cheddar, besides Tillamook of course. We had a nice time looking around their factory and sampling many different cheeses. We couldn’t leave without buying a little block of some delicious aged Alpine Cheddar. We also tried to visit a maple sugarhouse, but they were not open for business that day.

Continuing on we drove through many small farm towns, each with their own interesting buildings and character.We finally reached our destination, Sam Mazza’s Farm Market, just outside Burlington. The staff pointed out an area around back by the cornfield and apple orchard for us to park and we set up camp for the night. Sam Mazza’s was an awesome market, full of fresh produce, jam, honey, and fresh baked bread. After getting setup for the night and having a quick dinner we jumped on the motorcycle and headed down the road into downtown. Since it was Saturday evening there was a lot going on, live music at several places, and lots of people out enjoying the night. We wandered up and down Church Street looking at all the nice restaurants, and listening to some music. Eventually we found our way to the Vermont Pub and Brewery, which we had heard was excellent. The place was packed full of loud college kids, we waited around for a while at couple different areas but didn’t have luck getting the attention of the staff, so we decided to head down the street to another brewery that sounded more promising. We found Zero Gravity Brewing inside a restaurant called Flatbread, and immediately had a seat at the bar. Their beer selection was great, and we enjoyed sampling a few different offerings. We even tried a Gruit there, which is an interesting medieval style ale brewed without hops. My favorite was the Conehead Wheat IPA, a delicious hazy golden IPA with a great balance of hops and citrus flavors. Not the typical mega-hop NW style IPA!

Zak, the Scottish Highlander

Heading back out to the bus we enjoyed a peaceful night, as only being parked on a farm can bring. The next morning Lindsey really wanted some fresh berries so we walked across the road to the U-Pick area and got a nice big quart of juicy strawberries. After we picked up a couple more items from the farm store we set off on the bike again. Back in Burlington we enjoyed exploring the city in the daytime, but were sad that quite a few places seemed to be closed on Sunday. Walking down to the ferry dock we were greeted with an amazing view out across Lake Champlain. It was such a beautiful sight, and a perfect sunny morning to be out. We sat on a bench in the park and basked in the sun while we watched sailboats cruise in and out of the harbor. After a while we walked back up the hill into town and found Citizen Cider, a craft cider house serving up some great flavor combinations we had never tried before. We enjoyed a sample flight there in the fun tasting room. By then it was well past lunchtime for us, and our stomachs rumbled. We headed back out to the farm and loaded up the motorcycle. Sitting in the grass next to the bus enjoying a sandwich in the sun was a great way to end our Vermont visit.

On our way out of town we stopped by Magic Hat Brewing, one of the biggest names in Vermont. We learned about Magic Hat while living in Florida, and wanted to see it in person. We parked the bus in the back and walked into the “Artifactory” where we entered a bizarre carnival-like zone of merchandise. As we looked around at all the cheesy branded items we were disappointed. This was a far cry from the craft breweries we were used to, where there is a lot more emphasis on the beer and brewing process. It was nice of them to offer free samples to guests, but after having so many outstanding beers in the last few weeks we were a little jaded. At least we can say we have seen it in person!

Lindsey and I were sad that we didn’t have a few more days to spend camping and exploring Vermont, since there is so much to see and do there. Every bend in the road reveals a new hiking trail or campsite by a gorgeous river. Our goodbye was bittersweet; sad to leave but excited to keep working our way toward Michigan, where our good friend Allison and her family awaited us. As we cruised across the bridge into New York state Lindsey and I vowed to each other to return to the NE sometime soon and spend some more time exploring this beautiful part of our country.

New Oregon Trail

Taking The Long Way Home

Craft Beer