Dan Returns

Click to enlarge

Return trip in BLACK

4/15/09 Dan is heading to Baton Rouge as of 11:30 PT today. He said New Orleans still looks pretty beat up. As you leave NO you find yourself on a highway completely surrounded by swamp for MIILES. It is pretty surreal. A place where there is no room or mercy for breakdowns. That is where Danny is now. He will head to Dallas, then up through Ok City, Kansas and on to Boulder - his next real stop. Should take two days. Watch this page for the latest.

4/14/09 Dan toured the Everglades this morning and is now headed up the west coast of FL. the plan is to pound across the US to Colorado, then on to Kernville, CA for his white water rafting job. Looks like he will be hitting some heavy thunderstorms mid state but OK after that. Maybe he can get a picture of a tornado!

4/13/09 He made it to the Keys. Sounds nice.


4/13/09 Got some pictures from Danny. Spent last night in campground across from Kennedy Space Center - missed a shuttle launch by one day. See pictures below.

Tunnel Vision leaving Boston

Shenandoah Road

Shenandoah

When I was in Greece a girl there had visited DC and commented
that it looked just like Greece. She was right.

White House with Trees

White House

Treasury

Lincoln Memorial with copter

Washington Memorial

Wacky Melon in Savannah Nature Reserve

Turtles in Savannah Nature Reserve

Gator vs duck - enlarge this one

Wormsloe Plantation in Savannah, GA

Sucking up electricity - the solar did kick in when it finally got sunny

4/12/09 From Dan:

I calculated my fuel cost today and it looks like I might just make it to Kernville with a few dollars left assuming a deposit goes through that I'm expecting! I am not going to buy anymore non-essential items for the rest of the trip. Only water and, ok, maybe a campsite here and there. One thing is for sure. I'm never staying at a privately owned campsite after tonight. For $31, I might as well stay at Motel 31. If you do the math like I do though and go on averages, it is more like I paid $15 for last night and $16 for tonight as I didn't pay for last night. Who knew economics could be so fun! Oh yeah, my location is across the river from the Kennedy Space Center, Fl. I plan on just going to Miami before heading over to New Orleans. I'm cruising at an altitude of just over two feet above street level and the in-drive entertainment is The Hitchhickers Guide To The Galaxy Audio Book. I've listened to it two times now (going on three). What makes me crazy though is that out of 12 parts, guess which part decided to not burn right...that's right the last one!! Luckily I know how it ends and could pretty much make it up, but I'm lacking that closure in my life. Jk. End Transmission. Downloading pictures right now btw.

4/12/09 - He is moving fast. Dan has gone through Jacksonville and will end up somewhere in the Florida east coast this evening. He is determined to get to Key West at some point, but it is already 5 pm where he is and he is 500 miles away. He did go through Savannah and visited a plantation. Maybe one day we will see the pictures. In the meantime, I can still steal some:

Plantation

Savannah

4/12/09 - After a long night of closed campgrounds Danny was finally able to settle and get some sleep. He went to the Savannah Wildlife Preserve, in S. Carolina rather than Georgia - just north of Savannah - and saw his first croc or alligator in its natural habitat. Today he will visit old town Savannah and head down the 95 to Miami. makes me harken back to 1975 and my trek west.....but I had a better place to sleep - the VW van.

4/11/09 - Update. Heard from Dan via text message, he is now in South Carolina, so is not staying in Stone Mtn campground. More later. (also...funny Rockport stories added following this installment)

4/11/09

From Dan (after my heads up re: thunderstorms and tornados):

It doesn't look that bad on weather.com. I'm at a rest area now charging my batteries. I'm still working on housing. I might have to find a campsite for the night. I drove down from the Shenandoah Mnts. this morning travelling south on Skyline Dr., took the 64 west and am now on the 81 south. I plan on taking this to the 77 heading to Savannah, Ga. I'm looking at staying at Stone Mnt. State Park for the night (I need to find out what time they close first, lol). Virginia is by far my favorite state so far on the trip. It has the most beautiful mountains and scenery imaginable. I highly recommend this over France, but do what you like (I'm kidding of course). I'm finding that society is perfectly set up for my situation; that is, campsites are naive enough, rest areas aren't regulated as to steal electricity and take showers, McDonalds has a billion locations at the lowest prices. However, Chris bought me a propane powered stove, so all my meals are hot and free assuming I have an endless supply of canned food. I started to make a website last night with all my favorite shots on it. It should be up soon, at which point I'll let you know the address of course.

Also, the housing thing is complicated because of Easter, so everyone seems to be traveling. Oh well, that's why I built a house in my camper I guess. It still works great and most nights are warmer than I'd like!

Stone Mtn State Park, NC

4/10/09 - After leaving Sam's, Danny spent a few hours in Washington DC taking photos and is headed to the Shenandoah Mountains for a day hike. He plans to go to North Carolina tomorrow where he will tentatively be staying with the president of Kindermusik, thanks to Lisa of course, and then who knows where he will go next. Tonight he will be staying in DC or Shenandoah. There should be original pictures soon once Danny has time and internet access to forward them. The pictures below are not his.

Washington Monument

4/9/09 - Danny has had a great nerdventure and had the opportunity to meet with some energy specialists in Boston. However, all good things must come to an end so he is heading back for his next adventure - white water raft guide. He needs to be back by the 20th so he reluctantly left Rockport on Thursday the 9th. He reached Sam's in PA for his first stop and heads to Virginia on Friday, I believe. I will keep you posted as his trip progresses. (Yes, I have too much time on my hands - but if I fill my mind with something every waking moment maybe my real life will not intrude).

Bye-bye Rockport

Hello Philly