Elk City to Joplin

Wednesday April 28, 2010: Day 5, Elk City, Oklahoma to Joplin, Missouri
Via: I40 and I44

We are pretty much half way. We have lots of interesting things to report, but as we mentioned before those longer stories are going to have to wait. For now here a sampling of pictures:

Fuel Added: 2 containers (we figured out it is easier if Christi holds the funnel while Eric pours)

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Elk City, Oklahoma:

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Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, American Banjo Museum (you almost can’t get more Americana than this): Continue reading

Gila Bend to Globe

April 25, 2010 – Day 2, Gila Bend, Arizona to Globe, Arizona
Via: I8 to 60 (Apache Trail)
Miles: 242

Yesterday’s miles per gallon (statue miles per US gallon) was 42.5. Today’s was a rather low 34 due to the numerous hills and a dirt road. We have made it 553 miles so far.

Here is Eric adding one container of fuel to the tank before leaving the Space Age motel:

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Painted Rocks Ancient Indian Site (just outside Gila Bend, Arizona):

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Dog Run Saloon — note the no firearms allowed sign on Eric’s left! (Apache Junction, Arizona):

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We are bug killers: Continue reading

Book Coming Soon!

Volume 1, of the yet untitled book covering San Diego to Australia will hopefully be ready to purchase soon. Many people have asked us why they should buy our book if they can read our blog for free. Here are a few good reasons:

  • Prologue: How we formed the dream and the early planning stages.
  • The entire 21 day passage from San Diego to Nuka Hiva has been re-written. At that point, the blog was in real time and we didn’t want people to worry about us. But the truth was that it was tough!
  • Many new stories from the journey – And there are some really good ones!
  • In Retrospect sections with great insights — so you can see the situation through the eyes of a newbie as we learn, while simultaneously seeing the same situation through the eyes of experience.
  • Streamlined stories – some complained our posts were too long and detailed, and the book is a condensed version they will enjoy more.
  • Formatting is first person, through Christi’s eyes – Some complained they didn’t like the third person format, so they will enjoy the book more.
  • Actual dates on each post. On the blog, the dates are not real time, which is a significant piece of information for anyone hoping to follow in our footsteps.
  • All profits will go to our cruising fund. The more books we sell, the sooner you can start reading about our next journey! So, buy one and get all your friends to buy one, too!

Following the Red Line to San Diego

May 31, 2009 We were up early and ready to pull out of port by 0645. Even though we were going through the usual motions, it felt different. For the first time in over two years, we were going back. We always moved forward. The fact that we were going back hit us hard. It’s over. It is really over.

We were joined by a journalist from Circumnavigator for the trip down. We pulled out as soon as she arrived. We actually had to fight the instinct to go north or west, and instead turned south. We used the never used in 2 years “reverse route” feature of the plotter to set a reciprocal course back to San Diego. Going back on our previous course seems wrong. Our plotter draws a red line where we have been. By definition of our circumnavigation the red line has always been behind us. Now we were following the red line.

Right away, we realized Continue reading

Party in Dana Point with Nordhavn

May 26, 2009 Nordhavn wanted to throw a celebration party for us at their offices in Dana Point, but with our trip to Greece and Eric going back to work, we had trouble coming up with a date that worked everyone. We finally agreed to the 26th for the party, with us taking the boat up there on the 25th and leaving for San Diego again on the 27th.

Sunday was Continue reading