Bionic Teutonic

For those that are interested, I’ve posted the cliff notes version of my travel journal. Great trip, though too much driving.

May 16^th

Ariel’s 35^th birthday. We are camped in our new VW camper van just inside the Utah border. We are taking a trip through the southwest for 12 days, which we realized is the longest trip we have taken together in about 5 years. Crazy.

It feels great to be out on the road and despite all sorts of things not working with the van (sink, stove, refrigerator and one of the cabinets whose latch just broke) I love being able to pull over, flip down the seat for our bed and settle in for the night.

We took off yesterday morning from Seattle, though it took forever to get out of town due to some propane tank weirdness. We thought the tank was full but I couldn’t get the stove to light nor the fridge to turn on. We took it in to the repair shop where we got the AC fixed (they also looked at the propane but could find no leak) and they seemed to think the tank was empty, despite having told us it was full a month ago.

So we then took it to a propane place to get the tank filled. The attendant there said he couldn’t get much propane to go in, at least not enough to charge us though at our next stop we could hear (and smell) the propane leaking out of the tank, which was unsettling to say the least.

Eventually we took it to the U-haul on Rainier to get the tank drained which took almost an hour, much longer than it should have if the tank was really empty. The only think I can think is that the tank was originally full, and that something else was wrong. End result = no stove, no fridge.

As for the sink, it worked two days ago until I drained and refilled the tank and now that won’t work either. Ha! The joys of owning a VW van.

We had brunch in Boise this morning at a place called Goldy’s (nothing special) and went to the co-op (special) before hitting the road. I have co-op envy.

Tavi has been doing really well so far. He tends to nap for a little bit longer in the car seat which is nice, and he’s been generally pretty agreeable.

I’ve been driving, as usual, which I actually really enjoy. It’s always relaxing to me to be able to simply slowly watch the scenery change and to find the zen of the long distance drive. I like to try and connect to the sense of place of each landscape that I pass, as much as one can in a car.

We have been listening to some books on tape (mp3 actually) as we drive. Currently we are listening to the Codex Alera book which isn’t all that good actually, but has a main character named Octavian who goes by Tavi, so we felt sort of obligated to read it at some point. Several people had thought that we had gotten Tavi’s name from this series, so we figure we should at least give it a shot.

Tomorrow it’s off to Arches national park. I’m excited to spend some time in the southwest. It’s not a place I’m really familiar with despite a couple trips to individual cities when I was younger. It feels like a good thing to do in Tavi’s first year. Though he won’t remember it, it seems like it’s good to get him used to travel and a good habit for Ariel and I to get in together (i.e. traveling with the baby).

May 17^th

Just got into Moab about 2 hours ago. We found a campground w/ a swimming pool just north of town. Took a short dip just a little bit ago, which felt really good in this heat.

We checked in, then went into town for a bite and to grab some swimming trunks for me. Tavi sat in a high chair for the first time! He seemed to love it, though between that, his (our) first attempt at a swimming pool and having been in the car seat all morning, he had a bit of a meltdown at a certain point.

After Tavi and Ariel take a nap, we are going to head into Arches for the evening. Even just the entrance to the park was stunning. It’s a pretty amazing landscape here. Deep red rock. A total climber’s and mountain biker’s paradise.

My 19^th

We are settled in at the Grand Canyon Mather campground. Tavi is taking a nap and I thought I’d catch up a bit.

Arches was incredible. We went into the park around 5 or so and it was actually a bit overcast. Right away though, the rock formations are stunning. We got out to take a few pictures and walk around a bit.

Ariel was feeling a little bit nervous about hiking with Tavi, especially as the hike to Delicate Arch (which I really wanted to see) was labeled ‘moderately strenuous’. We ended up agreeing that if she got too nervous, we could turn back.

We made it the whole way there though without problem and as soon as we reached the end of the trail the sun started shining. Rounding the corner to see the arch in that light was really breathtaking.

I busted out a little wine and we sat on the rocks looking at the arch. There were a ton of people there actually, almost all of them with cameras. I really wanted to get a couple of pictures (full wheel and reverse planche) under the arch so I walked over while Ariel (and everybody else) took pictures.

On our way back down the sun disappeared again behind some clouds before going down for good. We got back to the car before it got dark though.

The next morning we got up early and hit the road. It turned out to be a super long driving day, although through some amazing scenery. Our video camera battery died though and I didn’t get any footage of this stretch, which was a bummer.

We pulled into our campsite last night around 6 or so. I wasn’t expecting the grand canyon to be so forested. I was pretty surprised to see pine trees everywhere and not the desert-like landscape I was expecting. It’s also relatively cold here. Only got up to 62 today and will get down to 31 tonight. I’m thinking we should have brought an extra blankt.

The grand canyon itself is quite a thing to see. While it’s pretty touristy here, it is so for a reason. The sheer scale of it is hard to comprehend. We took a nice walk along the rim last night close to sunset, taking pictures and simply taking it all in.

They sell firewood (and about everything else) at the massive store near our campground so we made a fire after dinner and hung out while Tavi slept.

We got up this morning, had some breakfast, then took a bus (weird) to the South Kaibab Trail, which goes down into the canyon. We went as far as the aptly named Ooh, Ahh point (about a mile down). It was great to get off the rim and get a different perspective. The vistas were pretty amazing and there were some great switchbacks at the top of the trail. You can take a mule ride down to the bottom apparently as the trail was littered with mule shit.

Tavi did great. He has had a few moments of meltdown, but then again so have we. For the most part he has been a fantastic traveler. I have high hopes for future adventures.

After we got back, we made the mistake of trying to go to one of the restaurants for a very late lunch. There turns out to be only one place open at 3:30 and there was a strange smell the second we walked in. Then, once we sat down we started to hear the loudest construction noise right above us. Apparently the roof was being fixed. I told Ariel I thought it sounded like we were Jonah and the whale was getting a dental exam.

I couldn’t handle it so we left but ended up stepping right into the middle of the grand canyon tourist scene and Ariel and I were both totally overwhelmed. We came back to camp to escape it all and relax. If that was the grand canyon mid-week in the off-season, I can’t fathom how much of a nightmare it would be on a peak weekend.

We are still trying to figure out the logistics for the rest of the trip. Really, a trip through the southwest deserves at least a month, but we are trying to do it in 11 days, which means we will have to skip a lot of stuff we would both really like to see.

May 23^rd

Whew! Finally settled in at the Redwoods after an epic couple of days.

I’ll start at the grand canyon. The last morning I got up super early (with Ariel’s prodding) and went to the rim to watch the sunrise. There was only one other family up at the viewpoint I went to. I’d seen them the day before on the trail and liked their general dorky vibe. We talked a bit. They were from Minneapolis. Cool family. We sat and watched the sunrise together which was really beautiful. After I went back to camp and packed up the van, then drove a couple of hours south to Sedona.

The rocks around Sedona are really quite beautiful. Very red with some really cool formations. The town itself is a total trip. Every other shop has a psychic. Apparently the town was identified as an energy vortex by some leading psychic a few decades and the new-age folks flocked there. We bought a crystal that is now hanging in the van

We stayed at a pretty cool campground north of town. The people next to us were in a Eurovan but used to own a couple Westfalias and the guy – Alan – had a bunch of tips and advice for us. Several seeds for projects and upgrades were planted.

The next morning, we decided that Zion was too much of a logistical hassle and instead went to Vegas Ariel booked a swanky room at the Venetian. Holy shit! There is a recreation of the grand canal of Venice with a fake sky and gondola rides (singing gondoliers included). And as the guide book points out, it’s upstairs! Seriously, the sheer ambition of the place is something to marvel at.

Ariel got a massage during the afternoon and I wandered around with Tavi just marveling at the craziness of Vegas. Again, the ambition of it all. Not just the hotel, but the performances, the people. It’s both naked and somehow gaudily dressed ambition.

We briefly went out on the strip to check out the scene at night, but quickly retreated to our room for room service desert and drinks. You can drink on the streets in Vegas so the number of drunks was really impressive.

The next morning we got up, had breakfast and decided to head to Yosemite. It was a mostly beautiful ride though when we got to the pass, it was closed. Doh! It turns out the only way to get into the park is from the west side, which would have been another 8 hours of driving. This was very disappointing as I’d been working up the excitement for a night near half dome and the Tuolumne meadows, two places I’d dreamed about when I did a lot of rock climbing in my early 20s.

We decided to power through as far as we could, making it to a tiny town called Susanville. It had been so cold all day and was actually snowing for a bunch of the drive so we ended up getting a cheap motel for the night.

The idea for today was to get on the road quickly and be at the Redwoods by 2 or so. We unfortunately had left our atlas at dinner outside of Yosemite and were relying on google maps to get us there.

Most of the trip was pretty straightforward though we were all a bit road weary. At a certain point, we turn onto a backroad, which turned into a smaller backroad, which then turned into a single lane dirt road up the side of the mountain. Ariel almost lost it. At a certain point, she turns to me and says “I’d just like to do an emotional check-in” then started crying. Unfortunately our only options at that point were to see the directions through or turn around for a guaranteed extra two hours or more of driving. It was seriously like google maps led us to a logging road.

At the top of the mountain, we flagged down a passing car to make sure that the road went through and they said yes, which made me feel a lot better knowing that we would eventually get there.

The top of the mountain all of a sudden opened up into this amazing alpine landcape with fields of grass and an old farm. Some really stunning views. It was completely unexpected. We drove by a sign with a historical marker for Lyon’s ranch, which we later looked up. Sounds like there used to be grasslands covering many of the mountains with land use on this particular spot going back at least 4 thousand years. When the park service bought the land in the 70’s they restored a bunch of it from logged mountainside to this beautiful mountain grassland.

I would have preferred to skip all the stress and anxiety of the trip, but I’m actually glad we got to see it. It was a really unique and beautiful place. It would have been nice to know what we were getting into though. Seriously google maps. What the fuck?

We eventually made it down the mountain and to the beach campsite where we are now. The road in was really rough which was in stark contrast to the Grand Canyon with it’s huge roads and bus system. I like this better.

Once at the campsite, everything was returned to normal. The ocean, the coastline, an overcast sky. This feels like home territory for both Ariel and I and things are right with the world again. Moods have returned to normal.

We took a nice walk along the beach. I made dinner, then once Tavi went to sleep we made a fire and had S’mores. We still have quite a bit of driving ahead of us. I worry a bit about both Tavi and Ariel’s sanity the last two days. Hopefully we can take it slow and have a nice, relaxed drive up the coast with plenty of stops and coastal views.

May 24^th

Nice relaxed day. We got up, had breakfast, then packed up and headed out. We wanted to take a walk, originally at Fern Valley, a hike Ariel and I had done 10 years ago or so, but the gate didn’t open until 9 so we decided to head into the park proper to find a walk.

The hike we took (a short one) was really nice. The scale of the redwoods inspires wonder and gratitude for this world. The really are magnificent trees. It’s both amazing and sad that much of the west coast used to be dominated by these giants. Now there is not much left save for this little national park.

At the halfway point of our walk, we decided to stop and take a few pictures. Tavi took that exact moment to take a huge dump and we didn’t have any diapers on us (we had just changed him in our defense). Sadly, he had to stay in his poopy diapers for the whole hike out, which made for quite a whiny trip back to the van. Lesson learned I guess.

We managed to time our drives almost perfectly with his nap schedule so that we were driving as he slept and were able to grab lunch and take a couple nice walks during his awake periods. I’ve been feeling pretty bad about how much he has had to be strapped into his car seat which he clearly hates. I’ve taken to calling it the plastic maiden. I just hope he doesn’t resent us for too long

It’s been great driving up the 101. It’s such a beautiful drive that the time in the car is enjoyable, even after all the driving we have put in over the last week and a half. Too much time in the car. Next time I will plan for more time or a shorter trip.

We found a great campsite just north of Florence on the recommendation of a friend, Esther. Right by the beach tucked in behind these great wind-swept coastal trees. They also have an amazing shower. So nice to feel all clean again. I haven’t been sweating much on the trip so don’t stink really, but was just starting to feel dirty. Normally it’s the other way around for me.

We managed to get a new atlas for the van while we were breaking for lunch. It’s funny how awesome having an atlas has been. Not something I normally get stoked about having but it’s really been useful on this trip.

It’s been a fantastic trip. Wonderful to be on the road with our little family (minus the dog), and we have seen some amazing sites. God bless the Westfalia. It’s been a fantastic home away from home. Can’t wait for the next camping trip, though a much shorter one next time.

Tomorrow we head home.

Travel

Last Wednesday, my wife and I had a little baby boy. Octavian Orion Fetz Stallings (tavi for short) was born at 4:41pm and weighed 8lbs 7oz. He was breech during the entire pregnancy so we ended up having to do a planned cesarean at Swedish hospital, but it went smoothly and now we are back home settled into our place.

So far, things have gone really well. Ariel is recovering quickly and though still a little slow, we have been getting out for daily walks with Tavi and our dog Sassafrass, which has been great. He sleeps like a champ so far, which means that we have been avoiding the dreaded sleep deprivation, at least for now. He is tiny and cute and healthy as can be, which is really all you can ask for.

I’m just at the very beginning of this adventure, but my life has opened up in so many ways already. My heart feels like it opened up a huge new space for him to settle in to. It’s crazy how natural that feels. I’ve known him for all of 4 days and already I feel so connected to the little guy. I would pretty much do anything for him at this point.

There are so many thoughts swirling in my brain about being a new parenthood, about the miracle of life, and my little boy specifically that it’s hard to even know how to write about it. There is all the little logistical stuff that changes, but more than that, the shift in outlook has been huge. My hopes and desires are now tied up with this little being that is just at the cusp of his life. Not that I don’t have my own, but they all need to be inclusive of him and the support he will need.

One of the changes is just how present I feel. I try and cultivate that through yoga, meditation, and just reminding myself to be present, but I get distracted with all sorts of things during the course of a normal day. The mind veers off on tangents and it’s hard to stay in the moment as much as I would like. This past week though has been nothing but me being in the moment. I don’t want to miss any of it. All the little things that he does, all the little explorations of this new world that he has already begun. And I can only hope that I can continue to be this present after the newness of parenthood wears off.

I’m sure that I will have tons more to say in the coming months, but for now, I’m just thankful for a healthy boy, that both Ariel and I are in such a great place to welcome him into the world, for our amazing group of friends who have been supporting us, and for much more. Couldn’t have asked for a better Thanksgiving than this one.

I finally went to a Seattle Sounders game this past week with a couple of friends. I’ve been a big soccer fan most of my life. I played all up until college and I still obsessively watch highlights and games from the European leagues, but I will admit I’ve sort of turned up my nose at the MLS until now. The few games I’ve seen on TV looked pretty pitiful. The level of play wasn’t all that great and the crowds were pretty weak. In Europe (actually most of the rest of the world – though Europe is where I’ve been to games), people dance, sing and chant the whole time and the party atmosphere is a huge part of the appeal. In the U.S. most people are accustomed to baseball and football, where spectator participation is pretty meager and usually that translates to soccer as well.

Not in Seattle though! The Sounders game was awesome. Seattle consistently gets something like twice the average attendance to their games (35,000 this week) and the crowd was great. There was a supporters section on the far end of the field that really never stopped singing or chanting and the whole stadium was pretty engaged. I was (’sniff’) just so proud of my city. We turn out a kick-ass crowd.

The game itself was decent. There were some good periods of play and even though it was a 0-0 tie, it was a good hard fought game. It was nice having my friends Kate and Steve there who actually knew a little bit about the players. I might have to actually start following the team now.

Ariel and I went to a PEPS orientation last night. For those of you unfamiliar, PEPS is a parenting group where you get together with other new parents (and their children) to talk about the process and challenges, share advice, and talk over what is happening in the first few months of your baby’s life. Even just the orientation felt reassuring. There were a couple people already with babies there (who were all remarkably quiet) and it was nice to have other people to talk to where that was the only reason to be there. I don’t want to be one of those parents who can only talk about their kids. I know how irritating that is from the other side. At the same time though, it’s the biggest thing happening in your life and you need to talk about it. My friends Ben and Joriel did PEPS last year and found it really useful. Sounds like sometimes people create longer term support networks out of it, and other times they only need it for the first few months. I think I’ll be happy to have it either way.

I’ve also signed up for a child safety and newborn care class at Swedish. It’s a little odd signing up for parenting classes. Sometimes I catch a look at myself in the proverbial mirror and am a little shocked. I’m taking parenting classes? Weird. Life just never stops evolving in new and strange ways.

I’ve been having one of those days where I’ve been feeling vaguely nostalgic for absolutely nothing in particular. It’s just sort of a floating nostalgia. Which is strange, right? One would think that nostalgia would be FOR a specific place or time. It reminds me of synaesthesia, where the senses get all confused and you smell colors, or taste music. The feeling is there, but it doesn’t have a logic to it. It’s funny how sometimes I’m totally aware of how certain emotions get triggered, while other times there is just no rhyme or reason to it. I’m wondering if my nostagia is for something I’m just not aware of, something subconscious, or if it’s a chemical mindset that my brain is simply interpreting as nostalgia. And I’ve sort of been looking around, thinking that at some point I will find just the thing that will make it make sense. The correct item, memory, smell, or taste that is at the root of this floating nostalgia. More likely it will simply fade away without anything more specific ever making itself known, but it’s fun to try and connect the pieces.

I’ve become a little obsessed with Rick Steves lately. For those of you who don’t know him, he is a locally based travel writer and hosts a TV show that you can find online on Hulu.com. When I got the flu a couple of weeks back, I started watching his show just because it seemed like a good way to sit around and do nothing but not be totally brain dead at the same time. I love to travel but haven’t actually done a ton of it in the last couple of years (I got laid off two weeks before our last planned trip to Buenos Aires and we never went), and with the baby on the way I don’t imagine I’ll be doing a ton of international traveling next year either.

When I was growing up, both my dad and my mom took me to Europe a lot and I spent some time going to school in Germany. Those times have had an disproportionately large impact on shaping who I am (or at least who I think I am). I get the itch to travel and can feel a little depressed when it’s been too long. Watching his TV show has been like scratching the itch. It’s mostly making me feel like I get to experience some international flavor without having to leave Seattle. The other tiny part makes me want to travel even more, but for the most part, I feel better.

Last weekend, I went up to Edmonds, where he is based, to hear a talk he was giving. It was basically just a slide show of his summer trip to Europe, but he was really funny and had a lot of good insight and thoughts. And then this weekend, my friend Jeff and I are going to hear his Travel as a Political Act talk. I’m pretty much a Rick Steves nerd at this point, but I’m OK with that. Bonus – the guy is really active in Drug Policy reform. He gave a plug at the end of his talk for his drug policy work, and when you look at his schedule, it is liberally sprinkled with NORML conventions. Funny.