Looking Out From the Garage

As many of my FaceBook friends and Twitter followers have been well aware, my family and I went down to Florida for Saturday's failed Space Shuttle launch. 

It was a long and somewhat frustrating trip... driving down with two small kids and a dog presented some challenges... as did getting the camper packed up for the trip.  The result was that we didn't leave Atlanta until Friday afternoon.  We arrived at the campground in Titusville, FL at almost 1:00am... with tired kids, annoyed parrents and a dog that was ready to run...  Our 8 hour trip took about 12 hours. 

And then we had to set up the camper, get the kids down and tire out the dog...  And get some sleep before the 7:17am Saturday launch.  About 2:30am, Gail and I were finally able to turn off the lights and try to sleep.  Unbeknownst to us, NASA had already cancelled the launch due to a hydrogen leak. 

At 7:00 we got up and piled out of the camper, excited to see the Space Shuttle begin its journey. 

Around 7:01 we were told by another camper that the launch was scrubbed... and again around 7:02.  We pulled out the phones and confirmed with the NASA website.  And then we started talking with others and letting some of the dozen of folks assembled along Indian River at the Manatee Hammock campground know that there wasn't going to be a launch. 

Garrett was disappointed.  I was disappointed.  Gail was disappointed.  We all had looked forward to seeing this marvelous event.  At that time the next attempt hadn't been scheduled. 

So, on to Plan B... actually, we needed to figure out a Plan B.  So, we went to the pool...  Florida was HOT.  Setting up camp was HOT.  The air conditioning in the camper ROCKED... but we needed something better...  The pool ROCKED more.  

On Sunday we spent some more time in the pool, and then drove to Port Canaveral to watch the Disney Wonder pull out of port (It plays "When You Wish Upon A Star" on the ships horn for 7 notes).  We also did a little bit of local sight-seeing. 

Monday morning we got up bright and early to watch the sunrise, break camp and hit the road.  We were on the road by 9:00am... home by 7:00pm.  But, sunrise was a bust.  It was cloudy to the east and so it just got light... no spectacle. 

But, in the end...  Time with the family was wonderful.  There were no complaints on the way home about the shuttle launch failure.  There were no complaints of the heat, bugs of cramped space.  We were all glad that we were able to have fun and spend time together.  And isn't that what a vacation is about? 

More pics will be posted on Flickr soon.

from LaneBailey.com

Some people like to watch baseball.  Others think that basketball is what makes life worth living.  I like things that involve a little more octane.  From Thursday (Oct. 4th) through Sunday (Oct. 7th) my 4 wheel drive club ran registration for the Southern Four Wheel Drive Association.  

Sunburned, fried, frozen, tired and glad would all be accurate descriptions of the last few days.  Temperatures during the day were in the 80s with wonderful (and burning sunshine) and in the 50s at night.  We ran registration from 7:00am (I am NOT a morning person) until as late as 11:00pm.  It was a great time.  

The big ugly tan and black Blazer belongs to a guy named Gabe (a future client).  This was during the rock crawl competition.  Justin (one of my clients) was his spotter.  They did a great job bringing it in 3rd place in the big tire class.

As predicted, I never made it onto the trails... of course, I don't actually have a trail rig right now, while I'm building my Jeepster.  However, I did manage to snap a few shots of some interesting hardware.  Remember, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. 

The "truck" looking thing to the left is an Army M-715.  This one is SERIOUSLY beefy, and did quite well in the rock competition.  

But, despite the fact that I was busy for the majority of the time, I feel somewhat recharged (I will accept that it isn't the same as a cruise).  We talked trucks, travel, and joked with each other.  We talked about Tellico (the scene of the trail rides), Moab (the center of the 4wheeling universe) and the Rubicon Trail (the home of the fist Jeepers Jamboree).  We talked about friends that couldn't make it up for the weekend, had moved on to other hobbies, or just moved on. 

Batteries recharged.  Attitude reset.  Priorities back to normal.  Isn't that what vacations are all about? 

You heard it.  At the end of the week, I'll be off to the wilds to do a little camping.  While it isn't as much of an outdoor experience as some, it is a nice place to get away to. 

The Southern Four Wheel Drive Association (SFWDA) has their 21st Annual Dixie Run outside of Murphy, NC in the Tellico OHV area.  I don't think I will even get to fourwheel this year (not really that unusual), since I will be spending most of my time in the registration area.  However, my phone won't have service, and I won't be reachable from Atlanta for a couple of days.  

BTW, that Yellow Jeepster isn't mine.  It is cool though.  He has a TJ Wrangler suspension under it, and it is quite clean.  Quite a few people didn't notice how modified it really was.  

So, it will be three days in a tent for me... and several hundred of my "closest personal friends."   

However, if someone has a camper they want to loan me from Thursday through Monday, I might be willing to take you up on it.  I guess I really am getting old.   

Meet Pat Johnson of the blue CJ.  This poor guy is often my road trip companion.  This particular picture was on one of our Moab trips.  If you look at the Moab, My Happy Place post, you'll see the tow rig dragging our toys out there.  Here is Pat playing in the "Wedgie" on the Poison Spider Mesa trail.  It started as a great day, and ended as a great story. 

Poison Spider Mesa leads to a trail called the Golden Spike.  That connects to a trail called Gold Bar Rim.  That combo is generally an all day affair.  It took us a little longer.  

As I mentioned, everything started out great, but then we started having a few problems.  We had five Jeeps in the morning.  The first Jeep exploded a lock-out.  He had a spare and was soon on his way again.  The second Jeep had a serious case of angle issues with the carb.  It kept getting worse, and he decided to turn back.  The driver of the Jeep with the previously blown hub agreed to accompany him out.  I wish I had a transcript of the CB conversation between those two on the way out.  We could hear them all of the way into town.  

Next up is Patrick Bennett of the olive CJ.  He has built a VERY cool Jeep, but this day was not to be great for the Jeep.  A short while after this picture, the power steering pump gave up its long fight.  And then, an over-extended driveshaft caused further delay.  In both cases, we were able to get everything back together and moving along.

Because of the delays, we hit on if the more famous obstacles on the Golden Spike at the most beautiful time of day, that golden light just before sunset.  The problem is that it takes about five hours to drive back out to paved roads.  That means that four hours is done after dark... and it was REALLY dark.  Even with extra lighting, finding the trail markers became a challenge on the slickrock.  In fact, it was enough of a challenge that our only passenger, Pat Johnson's wife Helen, had to walk in front of out little three Jeep caravan with a flashlight, searching for the trail markers.  These faded markers were painted every few hundred feet, but were difficult to see with headlights.  A wrong turn could lead to a disaster.  At one point, we were on the end of a point.  One way lead down a series of steps along the trail.  The other lead over a 300 foot cliff.  They looked the same from the driver's seat by headlight.  Add an extra hour to only drive at walking speed. 

We seriously considered camping for the night.  Despite the daytime temperatures in the 90s and higher, nighttime temperatures were in the 50s.  We took an inventory of our stores... several bottles of water, tarps, and a single "Lunchable" left over from lunch.   We also had a few small bags of chips, and a couple of granola bars. 

We decided to keep going. 

After a little hiking at an intersection, we were soon on our way down the Gold Bar Rim trail.  We were almost home free.  The one problem we still faced was that Gold Bar Rim empties out into a valley that is criss-crossed with sand wash roads.  It is also still 15 miles or so from pavement.  It was dark.  there were no signs, and none of us had run this particular trail before. 

Referencing a map and a GPS, we determined the general direction to the exit of the canyon.  I had run another trail in the area three years before on a previous trip. 

We managed to find our way back to the pavement, and eventually to the condo.  We had started on the trail around 10am, and finished the day at 2am.  It was rough.  But, all in all, it has been a great story to re-live every so often around a campfire.  I've been back since then, and plan on going again before too long.

I want to write about my happy place.  Moab, Utah.  

I first went out to Moab with a friend back in 1997.  We delivered a Jeep to Salt Lake City, and stopped in Moab for a couple days of 4wheeling before giving it over to the owner.  We had permission... really.  

Aside from having a great time driving across the country, we both decided that we loved 4wheeling in Moab.  The scenery is awesome.  The obstacles are incredible, and the traction is amazing.  And there is good food, too.  

I've made the trek again... and again... and again.  I went back in 1997 again with my own Jeep.  I drove it on the 4000 mile round trip, and 4 wheeled for a week while out there.  In 2000 and 2003, I towed my Jeep out there along with another Jeep.  Each ride has attracted a little bigger group than the last.  I think we had around 14 trail rigs on the 2003 trip.  

Aside from the 4wheeling, we have rafted part of the Colorado River, took purely scenic drives, visited other areas nearby, and enjoyed some great food.  

BTW, I recommend the Moab Brewery for casual dining, and the Sunset Grill for a little more formal atmosphere. 

The family just got back from a visit to New Orleans.  We stayed in a rental condo just outside of the French Quarter, near Decatur and Frenchmen streets.  It was a great place to stay.  

We spent the majority of our time in the French Quarter.  We did have to run over to Slidell for a wedding reception (1/2 of the reason for the trip).  We did, however, see some of the left-over damage from Hurricane Katrina.  We spotted a few things on the way in along I-10.  The Six Flags park is closed... and not coming back.  There were areas where all of the trees were dead.  We were told that the ones that didn't get taken down by the winds died from the salt water that flooded into the area from the canal/levee breaches.  The drive to the Quarter from the interstate also showed us a few damaged houses.  

From the perspective of a tourist, New Orleans is back.  The "touristy" things have pretty well recovered.  The city knows that right now, their most valuable resources are visitors.  Not only has the city government embraced visitors, but the businesses that cater to visitors have embraced us as well.  I can't count how many times I heard "Just tell everyone you know that we are here... and want them to come, too."  So, I am.  Bourbon Street was friendly.  Drink prices were pretty good.  Cover charges didn't exist.  The bands were good... and plentiful.  

From the perspective of a resident, there is a LOT of work that needs to be done.  So many businesses have just stayed out it is amazing.  The Home Depot, and daiquiri stands (even far from Bourbon Street) are doing well.  But, there are so many holes in the business fabric of New Orleans it is amazing.  We were also told that housing is still short.  

From a real estate investor standpoint... things look wide open.  I think that one could go in and buy entire subdivisions.  Mid-priced and entry level homes look to be needed.  Commercial property in plentiful, but finished space is at a premium in many areas.  One of the biggest opportunities I see is to revamp larger tracts that are nearer the city center, and raise the price level of the area.   There also look to be some great opportunities with some of the apartment complexes.  I would say that refitting, and converting to condo could have a HUGE profit potential.  Even with very affordable pricing, some of the complexes might be turnable for very good margins.  The main challenge looks to be getting workers in that aren't already so b usy that they can walk from your work.  

Bottom line... Go visit New Orleans.   They need you.  And it is a great time to see the sights.