Does size matter?
We never intended this blog to be a travel guide. There are travel books that do a much better job than we do. It also is not supposed to be political (politically incorrect maybe). I do however want to write a little about the land anyways. After being on the road for almost 3 weeks and having driving over 2500 miles, I am still looking forward to every stretch of road ahead.
This land is beautiful. People who know me are probably stunned by this statement. Being German, I usually complain and criticize everyone and everything (Allison’s dad and my old co-workers will definitely agree with this). Don’t worry, I still do my share of complaining (just ask Allison). I therefore have to say it again. This land is beautiful!!
I am not only talking about the National Parks. They are of course spectacular, but we have been more impressed by things that you don’t find on maps and travel guides. We loved Highway 12 in Utah between the National Parks, the prairie in Idaho, where the road had no turns for over 1 hour of driving (Yoda Van speed), the black mountains near Hover Dam, Snow Canyon in southern Utah, where we spent one night, before we where on another incredible stretch of land on the way to Mesquite, Nevada. We saw incredible thunderstorms in Flagstaff, Arizona, had wind gusts that brought our 67 horsepower engine almost to a standstill. We drove from sea level to 11500 feet in altitude. The list could go on and on. The most mind-boggling thing however is the sheer size of the country. Driving hour after hour through the most beautiful landscapes imaginable and not even making it half way from coast to coast. Unbelievable! I think that answered the title question. Size does matter. I know it matters to our RV-er friends at the KOAs with the 100 foot long luxury vacation homes on wheels that get 4 miles to the gallon.
Driving the Yoda Van makes this experience twice as enjoyable because we are the slowest vehicle on the road. It is a rare occasion when we pass someone and as a result we have plenty of time for enjoying the scenery. It also helps to that we started only driving during nap time for no more that 2 hours every day. Having 2 sleeping kids in the car (no one asking “Are we there yet?”) could make a drive through the German Ruhrgebiet a scenic drive.
We would also like to say thanks one more time to our Las Vegas friends Lynn and Daren for their incredible hospitality. Since they were sleeping in the guest room, and we were in their room, we provided them the opportunity to find a new appreciation for their own bed. Thanks also for teaching us great new baby-sitting techniques (see picture). However, I’d still bet big money in a cheap Mesquite casino that Julian could find a way to hurt himself while he was locked in a dog cage.
Tags: US-Mexico
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