Four Wheeling in Accra

Brook was homesick until we had an absolutely crazy taxi ride that seemed to change his perspective. He is doing much better now. Everything and anything goes on the road here. We were in a beat up taxi going off road in the ditch to get around traffic. It rivaled our hairy four wheel drive experience in the Uncompahgre National Forest where we drove 2 hours and came upon a washed out bridge 10 miles from Moab, our destination.
- Eydie

About This Round the World Idea…

The round the world trip is off to a shaky start, I’m afraid. Accra leaves a lot to be desired, we’ve had a few underwhelming experiences, and now Brook has been crying and asking if we can go home! Those moments have had me wondering if this plan, this dream of ours, is a good idea after all.  Maybe we went overboard in preparing Brook for the challenges of West Africa – the lack of vegetarian food, the heat, etc.  Stay tuned!
- John

Welcome to West Africa!

Yesterday was our first day in Ghana.  Once we got off the plane and got our visas checked we found out that I had left my book on the plane.  The lady that helped us find it was really nice and we got it back in about fifteen minutes.  Meanwhile we found out that our bag hadn’t gotten on the plane so we would have to wait until the next day to get it.  Next, it took a really long time to find a hotel.  Then the restaurant that the guide book described as perfect for us, vegetarian and on the ocean, was creepy and was located in a strange section of Accra.  It took forever for the taxi driver to locate it.  Thankfully we ended up at a pizza place in Osu, a section of Accra that is as good as this city gets (which isn't saying that much).  I really don't like Accra.  It has open stinky sewers everywhere.  There is way too much traffic.  Taxi rides take a long time because the city is super spread out.  I don't like it here and it is giving me a bad first impression of West Africa.  It makes me appreciate how great it is to live in the Upper Valley.
- Brook

Thanks to our Colorado Friends

Here is the luggage we left the U.S. with

Our trip preparations have taken way more time than we ever imagined.  Tomorrow we leave on a seven month trip and yet today we were still writing a will, getting it notarized, going to physical therapy for Eydie's knee, tweaking our packing list, buying more stuff, testing our packed bags, returning the packs we've rejected, dropping gear and our car off, and taking care of a ridiculous amount of other details.  Had we not received the assistance, generous hospitality, and moral support of our friends here in Colorado, we would not have gotten it all done and we would be extremely stressed out right now.  Huge thanks to Julie, Charlie, Garvin, Tanya, Ali, John, Jan, Andy, and all of their sons for entertaining Brook, feeding us, storing our stuff, lending us your car, being last minute witnesses at the notarizing bank, and otherwise being great friends by taking such good care of us when we needed it badly!  

My First 14er!

Summit of Mt. Democrat, CO

Two days ago, Charlie, Johnny, my dad, and I hiked my first fourteen thousand foot peak!  We started to climb at eight thirty in the morning.  The trail was double track but really steep and loose until we got to the saddle.  After the saddle the trail became really narrow and loose ­­and it started to look like a big pile of rocks.  The trail would have been hard to find if there hadn’t been so many people.  Right after the false summit the trail went through a snowfield and we went a lot faster once we could see the true summit.  The view from the top was amazing; we could see for one hundred miles!

On the way up Johnny found a rock that looked just like a slice of pizza.  When we got down to the bottom and went home we put pizza sauce on Johnny’s pizza rock and tried to trick our moms into eating it.

Climbing a fourteener was a lot of work.  We were exhausted at the end.  But it was also really fun.  I think I’d like to climb some more fourteeners in the future.  They’re worth the effort!
- Brook

Durango to Moab

Hermosa Creek, near Durango

Nine days ago we started an eight day mountain bike trip from Durango, CO to Moab, UT.  The first day (the "prologue") we rode a trail called Hermosa Creek.  About two thirds of the way in my mom was trying to stop but she couldn’t get her foot out of her pedal and she fell down a long slope.   While she was trying to get her foot out she tore the MCL and ACL in her knee.  She had to walk out about six miles.  The next day the trip went on without us but they had to turn back because of a big scary thunderstorm.  They stayed with us in Durango the next day.  On day three I left my parents behind and we drove to Telluride where we rode the Galloping Goose Trail.  That night we slept in a cow field beside the next day's trailhead in the Uncompahgre National Forest.  The cows were not too happy about this and mooed loudly at us for a long time before going away.  Day four we rode an ATV trail and camped at Windy Point which is right on a cliff.  That evening my mom and dad caught up with us.  The next day we rode and then spent two hours looking for the perfect campsite only to end up in a campground we knew was there from the very beginning.  Day six was Yute Creek Trail and we dropped four thousand feet before lunch into Gateway, UT.  That afternoon the route climbed about thirty-eight hundred feet but only Juan was able to ride the whole thing.  The next day was the last day, day seven and it was supposed to be about twenty-two miles.  Sixteen miles in, about two thirds of a bridge over a stream had been washed away in a flood and the cars weren’t going to be able to get across so we had to turn around, get in the car, and drive out.  Tom had a flight from Durango at five fifteen so he had to drive back really fast and we all thought that he was going to miss his flight and buy a new ticket but he just barely made it and was able to get home on time.  Meanwhile, we looped back around to Moab where it was really hot and we watched the Women’s World Cup Final while eating pizza.

- Brook, with a little help