Eric's Thoughts: Day 3

We are still in Jackson and thoroughly enjoying ourselves. We went to the Jackson Hole area and rode a tram to the top of a 10,000 foot mountain. It was way cool both literally and figuratively as the ground was still completely covered in snow. It looked like it was still winter up there, quite a bit different from the near 100 degree weather we were having in Houston. The temperature itself was not too bad but the 20 to 30 mph wind gusts made for an interesting hike around the summit area. We could not go too far as most of the trails were covered in snow, but we enjoyed what we managed to explore. We ate at a little shack that sells waffles with brown sugar that were yummy. All in all it was an amazing experience.

When we rode the tram back to the bottom, we still had some energy to walk around through the woods near the bottom. Jenny made us walk around yelling at each other to make sure we did not surprise any bears. I must tell you it feels a little odd. We had an enjoyable walk, and then went back to town for an early dinner. We ate at the Sweetwater Cafe, and we were both a little disapointed with the food. Well, I am a little tired now, so I am going to sign off. I am looking forward to rafting the Snake River tomorrow.

Eric's Thoughts: Day 2

We made it to our first destination, Jackson, WY, which I have been to once in Spring of 2000 to go skiing. While it was beautiful covered in snow, I must say it is even more amazing during the summer. The mountains, forests, and streams seem to be more vibrant when not covered by a stark, uniform whiteness. While on the road, we saw a variety of wildlife: a coyote, a chipmunk, many prong horned deer, prarie dogs, and multiple birds of prey. This also contributes to the living quality of the terrain.

Once we arrived in Jackson, we had a wonderful dinner at a place called Thai Me Up (no it is not a bondage bar, but rather one of the best Thai food places I have ever experienced). Jenny and I are both excited to be here, and we are looking forward to more exploration tomorrow.

On a side note, we have not had much luck with small town fast food establishments. We stopped at a McDonald's to get a couple of iced mochas. Well, I thought we were going to be trapped in there forever. My first indication that this might be the world's slowest fast food establishment was the guy waiting by the counter for 20 minutes for a milkshake. Not a good sign. There were two people taking orders, one who clearly was another relative of the Dairy Queen inbreeding crowd and the other who appeared to be a meth addict. Anyway, we finally get our drinks. I think these mochas had to be the strongest coffee drinks we have ever had. I am curious if that is normal. We plan on experimenting at a later date.

Eric's Thoughts: Day 1

After fourteen hours of driving, I am a little brain dead, and I am having trouble putting together coherent thoughts, but I wanted to say at least something each day. The one thought that springs to mind is how blessed I am to have a loving companion who will accompany me on all kinds of adventures even if it means being stuck in a car for fourteen hours on our sixth anniversary. Our romantic anniversary dinner consisted of a quarter pounder, chicken nuggets, and fries. But we smiled through the whole experience, and while it may not have been the most romantic of locations, this is another memory that will be sure to last. The day went fairly smoothly with only two incidents: 1) Jenny being too grossed out by a small town Dairy Queen to eat lunch (I will admit it was pretty gross, and the people working behind the counter were probably related through massive amounts of inbreeding, but that still didn't stop me) 2) Me (Eric) being pulled over right before the New Mexico border. I know those of you who know me well are probably not surprised that I was pulled over, but the cop let me off with a warning (that seems to happen to me a lot). Anyway, I am looking forward to reaching our first destination (Jackson, WY) tomorrow. I will try to post something then.

Texas is One Big-Ass State!

Everyone knows that Texas is huge. In fact, when I first did the drive from California to Houston, I heard the statistic that El Paso is closer to the Pacific Ocean than to Houston. However, I thought this trip would somehow be shorter, since we're headed northwest. Twelve hours later, we are still in Texas! But it's been a fun drive and we are having a great time. Our goal is to make it to the southern part of Colorado, which we should be able to do in the next two hours. And we haven't been driving the whole time either. We just had a very romantic anniversary dinner at a McDonald's inside a Chevron in a tiny town in the middle of nowhere. :)

If you are traveling this way:
It's about 9 hours from Houston to Amarillo if you don't stop except to get gas and a quick bathroom break.
Texas rest areas are really well-maintained along this route. Some even have 24-hour attendants
Stopping at Buc-ee's is a must for any Texas roadtrip!

Our Next Adventure

Eight years ago, Eric walked into the restaurant I was dining at in Nikko, Japan... and a lifetime of travel adventures for the two of us began. We created Jeneric Travels as a journal for ourselves and a way to keep in touch with friends and family. Jeneric Roadtrips is an extension of that journal, but with a focus on U.S. travel. We hope you will enjoy our musings, and maybe even find them helpful if you are planning a similar trip.

So, for our next adventure...
Houston --> Jackson, Wyoming/Grand Tetons --> Yellowstone --> Glacier --> Banff --> and back home again.

The plan:
Hiking, camping, relaxing, with some rafting and site-seeing thrown in.

The excitement:
Visitng places neither of us have been to, and returning to one of our favorites, Banff.

The anxieties:
Bear encounters and scary heights/cliffs while hiking (Jenny)
None (Eric) (Or so he says) :)

So sit back, relax, and enjoy this virtual ride. We always love to hear from you and appreciate any comments.