A natural waterslide?

Jorge tells me about this place in Sedona, AZ which is on the way to Phoenix that has natural waterslides. It is a river running down from the mountains that runs over red rock national park. So the rocks are really smooth and the rushing water just pushes u over the rocks down stream. Some parts real fast and there are these nice pools we just sat in for a while. This time we were not prepared like our hike in the Grand Canyon we had no food or water. We were hanging out in this one big pool with a large mexican family. They eat lunch and then they say hey we have two extra sandwiches if u want so that's perfect. I go over they give me a coke and then they cut up this watermellon and we get some of that too. I would have been starved walking out of that canyon, good to meet nice people. We get back to the car after a 20 min hike up and there is a ticket on my windshield. At first i was pissed but i looked at it and is only a 5 dollar fine. Dry off and change then to finish the drive to Phoenix.

South to Flagstaff

Excited to get a bed and return to civilization we drive two hours south to Flagstaff, AZ. We go to a place called the Grand Canyon Hostel and i can't believe it but they don't have any AC. After 5 days without i have to go another 2 before holly's. Other than that it's a nice clean hostel. So after a much needed nap and shower. I get a lot of laundry done and we get some food that we didn't have to cook over a camp fire! It's a friday night in a new town so we get ready-pregame a little and head out. Downtown flagstaff is fun lots of bars all close together. We hit up like 4 of them the last one i don't remember so much but i do remember one of them had dollar well drinks. It was a horrible idea i think jorge and i drank a whole bottle of ron rico rum and a bunch of jager shots. I was so hungover the next day i didn't want to do anything so i just sat in the tv room mostly but we did clean out the car from the canyon dust and fire wood debrie. That night, still hungover, we just smoke and go to bed early so we can head to phoenix and see holly the next day.

GRAND CANYON Camping

We drive northwest to The Grand Canyon National Park. There is a 25 dollar park entrance fee then we go to Mather Camp Ground inside the park. We pay for 4 nights which was real cheap, so we think this is great. We go to our camp site, set up the tent, then we go to the shop and we find out the first great rip off of the grand canyon. They say u aren't allowed to scavenge for firewood and u have to buy your own at 7.50 a bundle. So the first night we buy a bundle. Then we have a little problem getting the fire started but after a little while we have fire for our hot dogs. Then we break out the jack and jim, one bottle for each of us. Sit around the fire drinking and smoking through the night. Next day 8am i wake up sweating, it is so hot when the sun comes up that i had to go start the truck, turn on the AC and pass back out till about noon.
Then it's off to see the canyon. We drive to the rim, park and walk up. When i first saw the view i was speechless. We both couldn't believe it was even real. So we get a little educated on the canyon and find out there are three trails that u can actually walk into the canyon. Bright Angel is the beginner trail not steep but a long walk. South Kaibab trail is the intermediate trail with steep cris cross paths. It also has the best views u can see the colorado river and it is the first place with views to the east and west. Then there is another trail that is not suggested unless u are an expert hiker and some parts are more like mountain climbing then hiking. We decide the next day we are going to try the South Kaibab trail. After our plans for the next day are made we drive around the park to get familiar. We watch the sunset at a look out point and it was so amazing. As we are driving by some cabins we see there are piles of wood. We fill half of the back of the truck so no more paying for wood. Although we did have to buy ice for 3.50 a bag. That night Jorge made a great dinner- chicken legs, beans, and a sauce made from ketchup, maple syrup, jack daniels, and coca-cola. It was amazing. No drinking that night as we wanted to be well rested for our hike.
Again 8am to the truck for a little more sleep. Then we wake up cook pancakes over the fire (with free fire wood!) We pack up a lot of water and some snacks drive to the trail head. Start to walk down and it is amazing zig zag trail on the edge of the canyon going down. We go about a third of the way down and see all the way to the east for the first time. We sit down in some shade and yes we smoked one in the canyon. Got some water and started back up the side of the mountain. Let me tell you the way down was beautiful but the way up was hell. We had to stop a bunch of times for water basically every time we saw shade we took a break. It took twice as long to go up then down. After that we were beat, we bought some beer got some more free fire wood. As we were looking for wood we see 4 huge elk right in the middle of town. A line of cars were stopped all taking pics so we did the same thing. Then we made a huge fire, cooked some chille, and drank some beers.
Next day we got on the free shuttle bus to all the stops. The plan was to get off and check out all the spots but we were enjoying the AC too much to get off at all of them. We did get off at the panoramic view visitor center. There they had binoculars and we saw where we could have hiked to, the bottom. Which takes two days- u have to camp at the bottom, i am so glad we did not go all the way to the bottom. After 4 days of camping we were done sick of no AC, two dollar showers, and expensive ice i wanted to go back to society.
So to bed early and up early 8 am by the suns clock. We pack up the tent, air mattress, food and roll out.

Albuquerque

So we have another real long drive to Albuquerque, NM so we wake up semi-early and hit the road. Jorge has the morning shift because i had to get a little more sleep. He drives for 4 hours, we stop for gas and some food in the pan handle of texas. Then my turn i drive another 4 and we are pulling into our hotel in Albuquerque. So we have nice big beds and our own room. Right as i am thinking this is pretty nice i go to get some ice and there 5 cop cars and fire truck. Some fight happened and someone got thrown through a hotel window. There was blood and broken glass everywhere. I think he died. So we decide to go get a drink, as we are leaving a guy tells me if u are going out do not drive that the cops are all over. I think yea where i live the cops are everywhere too. We drive downtown which was surprisingly busy and we realize we are under dressed. We tried to get into one place but did not have a collar shirt on. So we head back maybe looking for a dive bar but the amount of cops out on the main streets made me just want to go back to the hotel. So we just smoked and chilled. Slept in the next day and booked a camp site for the grand canyon. So we also bought supplies that day, a tent, some chairs, snacks, and a lot of can food. Check out the next day 11am and head to Arizona (which jorge is a little scared of.)

DALLAS

So we leave Louisiana around 1pm and finally got to Dallas like 10 what a drive. We get to the hostel and in our room is a Japanese guy and a man from Belize (sp.) Next day we drive over to the new Dallas Cowboys stadium. We get a pass for 17 bucks to walk around. First we go to the field. That flat screen is so huge- biggest in north america. We take some pics, then go to the cheerleaders locker room. Then the players locker room where the staff guy happens to be from portage, mi and actually knew my neighborhood. What a small world! It's funny the third string players lockers are down a hall by the showers and the starters are in front of 2 flat screens with lots of room. Then the best part we go back to the field where there are some practice footballs. So we take turns kicking field goals. I missed two but i made one, it's way harder then it looks. So we throw the ball a round a little, then hit up the concession stand. After that we found bonnie's grave of bonnie and clyde. The next day we do a little shopping and laundry. That night we go out with a group of people from the hostel- mostly english and one texan. The next day i go to an urgent care because my ear infection has gone to both ears and is killing me. So after 300 hundred dollars i get some stronger ear drops. Then we go to the Galleria Mall one of the biggest malls in the country. The bottom floor of this mall has an ice skating rink so we have to do it. It's been a while for me but i picked it right back up, Jorge on the other hand was little shaky i would skate around and check him but he was hard to move. I got a video of it which is hilarious. Next Albuquerque, NM another long drive.

Mexican Hospitality

So the next stop on our trip is a visit to Jorge's aunts house. Now Jorge and Aunt Veronica haven't talked in 13 yrs, in fact he has 3 cousins that he doesn't even remember so this should be interesting. They live in Houma, La about 1 hr. west of New Orleans. We get there and no one is home (a growing trend.) They return from the store let us in and everyone is speaking spanish the whole time but i didn't care i was so hungover i just wanted some cold water. Then we hang out with the cousins play a little fifa on the ps3. Veronica makes us some dinner which i thought was pork tacos, ends up being goat tacos. Next day we go to the mall which i think is one of the few things to do in Houma. Then another dinner comes around aunt Veronica is making like a million tortilla's by hand. This time it is pork marinated in the most spicy sauce i have ever had. I like spicy stuff but this was out of control good thing i had lots of tortillas to calm it down. They all tell me i haven't had real mexican food before and now i believe them. We stay just two nights good enough for jorge to reconnect. Plus get some free laundry done. At this time i also have a painful ear infection so i have to get rid of that before Vegas but for now off to Dallas, which takes 8 hrs of driving. The furthest drive yet!

New Orleans

Jorge and i left gainesville for Slidell. It was about a 7 hr. drive. My friend from naples, jose let us crash on his couch. So we get settled and his friend Meredith comes over so we decide to go out for a few. New Orleans is like 45 min away so we just go to this local bar. Mudbugs is a real Louisiana bar we walk in finish our beers from the house. Grab another round, play some pool, then i notice the dance floor is alternating from country line dancing to rap. So the cowboys all leave the floor and the thugs come on pretty entertaining.
The next day we move on to New Orleans. So we get to this real run down area off Magazine st. our place is St. Vincents Guest House and i do not recommend it but it was one of the few places available since we waited to make a reservation until 3 days before the 4th of July. So we get all checked in and head off to bourbon st. My navigator (jorge) gets on a street car heading the wrong way so we ride into the suburbs which is the only nice part of New Orleans that i saw, filled with huge old mansions. We finally get back to Bourbon st. and it is packed. This weekend is essence fest which is a black pride festival. So I stuck out a little. We walked around got some food then back to the hotel for some P90x. Which really sux in New Orleans since we have no central air, not many places do. Next day we did a little site seeing and everything is so run down and still messed up from Katrina. That night is the 4th of July so we went back to Bourbon st. Straight to tropical isles for some hand granades which are really good. Cool thing about New Orleans is u can take a drink from one bar on the streets and into another. So we just went down bourbon st. from bar to bar with drink in hand. Some people were lighting off fireworks in the street and scaring the horses that the police were on, which started a stampede people running everywhere it was a crazy 4th but no problems unlike what everyone said.

Gainesville

I paid up all my bills and told my job i will return in Oct. We left Naples for the first leg of our trip. I have a good friend, Carolina i met at brio who lives in Gainesville and she said we could stay with her for our first stop. So rolled up and hit the road. It was a 4 hour drive and we get to her house with a little help from my GPS and she is not even there. She came right home though, Jorge and i made ourselves comfortable. The next night we went out to a gator bar called sherobs (sp.) drank some there and drank some after. The next day we started a P90x workout routine it takes 90 days so that is a perfect amount of time. Then we went to the complex pool which is amazing, i could imagine all the pool parties there during football season. That night we went to Get Him to the Greek, movie it was hilarious. Next day we took off for Slidell, La just east of New Orleans. I have a friend there as well. Jose is a friend from the naples park days and his is in the military stationed there. Just one night there then New Orleans for the 4th!

New Summer New Trip

So another busy season has come and gone and now summer has come to south Florida, business is slow i got that itch to travel again. Jorge, one of my good friends from college and i put together a summer long road trip covering most of the western United States. I plan on continuing to update my Australia blog with the new trip info. So keep checking back and have a good summer because i know i will.