El Paso in a Day - 9/25/11

Too many things to write about individually, so here's the abbreviated version.

The List

1. Walked through downtown El Paso. Loved it!
2. Walked up to the Mexican Border Crossing.
3. Visited the El Paso Public Library.
4. Visited the El Paso Museum of History. Free = Awesome!
5. Visited a southwest pottery store. Bought a Mexican wall hanging and a gaggle of colorful, decorative ceramic chile peppers.
6. Strolled through the Munical Rose Garden. (1 of 134 official Rose Gardens in the U.S. due to the ripe blooming conditions all year long.) Free.
7. Drove around the University of Texas - El Paso campus (UTEP). Architecturally beautiful. It has good views of Juarez, Mexico.
8. Walked through the Chihuahua Desert Garden @ UTEP. Free.
9. Witnessed a dust storm. Exciting.
10. Drove over a tumbleweed while driving on a busy interstate. Sorry I crushed you with my rental car. :-(
11. Traveled to Las Cruces, New Mexico for a last minute view of a stunningly beautiful mountain peak before the sun went down.

Thus endeth my vacation in this sunny, arid land. I can affirm that El Paso offers much cultural heritage and history as well as friendliness from its diverse peoples.

Until next time, may the gods of travel be with you.

From the Sun City,

-kevin-

All in a Day...

Today was a day to be outside. Well that's an understatement. Everyday is a day to be outside in El Paso. The temperature is... perfect. The weather is... heavenly. The air is... breatheable.

I started off by visiting the Concordia Cemetery in El Paso. It's a historic landmark due to the fact that it was bought up in sections by Jews, Chinese, Mexicans, and Freemasons. One section of the cemetery is devoted to the Buffalo Soldiers- a Black military regiment from the Civil War who fought bravely. Also buried at Concordia is the infamous gunslinger outlaw and attorney John Wesley Hardin. He killed 30+ people in what he calls "self-defense." After doing his time in prison, he was released. He became an attorney and started his own practice in El Paso, but was killed by the city constable 3 months later. I can't exactly say I was going to pay my respects to the gunslinger. It's an odd feeling to visit the grave of a murderer, even if it is for historic and cultural education.

Later, I checked out the historical Mission Trail in San Elizario. I can't exactly say what the importance of it was, cause I'm not sure. I think it had something to do with some Christians who crossed the border in the 1700 or 1800s and tried to convert people. They built three beautiful, adobe-style churches within six miles of each other. Outside of one church, a Mexican festival was taking place. Teens were dancing to Mariachi music (I think); farmers were selling red, hot, shut-your-screaming-brat-up chile peppers, a man was roasting plantain bananas, and I was eating a chocolate-filled churro. Mmmmm. Good. Me likey.

On my way back to El Paso, I swung a couple of rights and lefts with my trusty rental Totota Camry and ended up at Hueco Tanks State Park. Formed from volcanic lava millions of years ago, the rock formations previously housed a certain tribe of Native Americans. Dammit, I really need to start taking notes. So anyway, they lived there from the B.C. era to the 1100s A.D. The rocks hold the remains of their secret language- pictographs of masks. Much of the land remains untouched and pristine. Enjoy the video-feed from the top of the rocks.

Buenos Dias!

The Mount-ends of El Paso - 9/23/11

My adventure today takes me to Franklin Mountain State Park in El Paso, TX. Overlooking the city of El Paso, it occupies 37 square miles of space. It is the largest urban park in the US. People didn't appear to be rushing to climb this monster when I arrived, not like in Sedona last year. This particular cliff is the Ron Coleman Trail, which is listed as "difficult." At the top of the mountain, dragonflies seemed to swarm the peak. It appears they suck the liquid out of the succulents that they land on. I was captivated by the view, yet weary of scorpions. I was told that I might see deer, perhaps a bobcat, and rarely a rattlesnake. Unfortunately, there were no such animals out today. This particular trail--had I completed it--would have taken me about four hours. I'm happy with the 2.5 hours I hiked, and out of breath with wobbly legs.

Desert Love

The desert is a star,
and I'm it's paparazzi.
I'll be shooting you baby,
so get ready for me.
Take off your bright flashbulb mantel
and pose for the camera.
There's nothing naked about
the sun exposing your raw flesh to the sky.
Your eyes are jagged--
green needles that poke through the lens
while I'm sitting here waiting
for you to show me your purple-painted trends.
As the night comes up,
you'll reveal your secrets in confidence.
And I will make love to you with a button--
just some fun between friends.

by Kevin Leitzel


(See the fruits of our labor on the right.)

Between an Earthquake and a Hurricane... 8/23/11 - 8/25/11

...I found relaxation on a two-day vacation. By now, most of you have probably visited Rehoboth, Dewey, Bethany, or Ocean City. Finding a soul who hasn't vacationed there would be the equivalent to finding a home without a television, I suppose. But I discovered a new way to vacation at the beach... Camping.

Oh yes, I love it. It's kind of funny how as our society grows forward in technology and architectural dwellings, many are reverting back to a primitive style to see the world. Reason #1 for me- it's cheaper. Thus, I happened upon Cape Henlopen State Park and Indian River Marina campgrounds in the Rehoboth-Dewey-Lewes area. http://www.destateparks.com/ Unfortunately, Cape Henlopen was fully booked, so I made my reservation at the tight and crowded Indian River Marina just outside of Dewey. For $30 a night, I can set up my tent, take a shower, use the toilet facilities, and visit any Delaware State Park until 12 midnight on the day my reservation ends.

I've been to Cape Henlopen State Park before, but this time, it held some sort of new magic for me. I was able to forego paying the $8 out-of-state entrance fee into the park because I displayed my Indian River Marina reservation tag. Woohoo! $8 saved. I got snapshots of the two lighthouses, walked up to the beach, strolled along the fishing pier while battling winds that whispered "Irene is coming..." I climbed the World War II tower just in time to watch the daylight close it's eyes upon the beach. As I stood gazing upon miles and miles of spruces and pines, sand, the Lewes ferry, and the distant lights of Rehoboth Beach waking up for a night on the town, I was stunned at the awesome-ness of it all. Then it struck me. Had I been at this very spot approximately 30 hours earlier, I might have been scrambling to hold onto the railing and wondering if the tower would collapse as the earthquake shook the east coast. Ten years ago, when I stood in the same spot, I didn't marvel at the beauty of the landscape. This time however, I smelled the burning of campsite fire-pits and heard the sound of children's feet as they hurried to ascend to my point of view. A wave of gratitude washed over me as I appreciated the moments in life that are rare. The stars twinkled at me and I felt safe looking upon the park as I quietly declared that it could all be changed by the end of the week when Irene rolls in.

The beauty of nature is that at any time, it could be ruined, destroyed, leveled. As I looked back at old photos of the 1960s hurricane that put a hurting on Rehoboth, I realized that with time anything can bounce back and be even more spectacular. So I learned that the Delaware coastline has a lot to say from up high.

The war tower, a massive structure that was designed and built at the cost of $29,500 in the 1940s to intercept German ships and set off underwater land mines, decorate the Delaware coastline. It's strange to think of something as utilitarian as a World War II tower, which was created for defense now serving in an almost spiritual capacity by allowing people to have an ah-ha or zen moment and discover the richness of the landscape. On the one hand is war--created by man; on the other hand is the earth--not created by man. And you can also have a bird's-eye view of incoming ships--to see how technology has changed our culture in less than a centenary. It's strange to think that 70 years ago we would need these hulking structures while today we have radar equipment and satellites that can spot the enemy from afar.

If you've seen Rehoboth from a hotel room, try camping there next time instead.

Passing the Time - Tick Tock on the Clock

7/20/11- Question: What do you do when you are surrounded by an abundance of clocks? Do you: a) Start to get paranoid about the time on your watch and so decide to set it to the hour, minute and second of those around you? b) look for the Mad Hatter because by some fluke of synchronicity you believe you were brought to this place to have tea, then fight an evil queen and slay her dragon? or c) expect that a party is about to take place complete with the swagger of Mick Jagger, and drink until the po-po shut it down?

At the National Watch and Clock Museum in Columbia, PA, I had the time of my life (dot dot dot)... *Silence* (Insert applause and a chorus of laughter now) *Crickets chirping*. Tough crowd. Tough crowd.

What can I say about the National Watch and Clock Museum? Well there's a bunch of clocks. Over 12,000 of them to be exact. Big, small, old, etc. Did you know that in previous times, sundials were used to tell time? Oh, you did? Well, how about hour glasses? Uh-huh, I see. Well, I bet you've never heard of a clepsydra, have you? Not to be confused with Cleopatra. A clepsydra is a bowl in which water drips. When the water reaches a line, it marks the passing of time. By 1088 A.D., Su Song had his own clock in China - a water-driven astronomical clock tower. Quite fascinating, but not very accurate at telling time.

Further into my adventure, I got to see the inside workings of a clock along with many fine grandfather clocks, watches and other time-keepers. All joking aside, the museum is quite stunning, and well worth the $8 admission for adults. I even had the opportunity to make my own clock from a blank cd, and a few clock supplies. Yes I can say horology is a very interesting study. Besides the clocks, I watched a short movie on the progression of time-keeping through the ages; I learned how our own time today is actually about 11 seconds off. So, if I'm ever late, don't blame me. It's not my fault.

Check out the website to learn more. http://www.nawcc.org/index.php/museumlibrary.

A Spontaneous Trip to Baltimore

7/17/11 - Traveling through the York countryside looking for an adventure, I eventually ended up on 83 going south toward Baltimore. I looked at the clock - 4 pm. Ok, so I have a couple hours to grab dinner at Inner Harbor. What the hell, I thought. It's fun to be spontaneous.

The Light Rail is my favorite way to go into Inner Harbor. At $3.20 round trip, you can't go wrong. And there's also the colorful people you sometimes run into on the train... A group of high school kids boarded the empty vessel followed by a man thanking them for some miscellaneous info. The kids appeared indifferent--choosing seats where he wouldn't be able to sit next to them. I hate to use the words "on crack," but in this case I think it's appropriate. The man appeared to be on crack. The seat next to me was empty. I saw him approaching me. I kept my eyes shielded with my sunglasses and gently moved my knee over into the next seat thereby sending him the subtle message "Sorry but this seat is taken...by my knee."

Yes, these people make life more interesting, but in this case I was glad I followed my intuition. As the train was moving the man shouted from the back, "Hey anyone ever read the Da Vinci Code? This is just like the Da Vinci Code!" I wasn't sure what he meant by that and yes I have read the book, but I kept my hand down. The air was filled with a chorus of nearly inaudible grumbles and "Oh god." A smirk crossed my face as I enjoyed a chuckle. I nearly wanted to turn around and see what he was doing, but my inner voice said, "No, don't turn around or you will be acknowledging him."

The train unloaded me at Camdem Yards. Hallelujah! The Harbor was full of people enjoying the sunshine, pirate cruises for kids and a band playing "Sweet Caroline." I really wanted to grab some chicken wings at Hooters, and sit outside over looking the crowd, but the moldy money in my wallet said, "Get some pizza and save on the cost of tipping." Two slices of pizza and one medium soda for $8.55. Ouch! Not as cheap as I thought it would be.

I found myself searching for books on travel over at Barnes & Noble. My find: A House in Fez, by Suzanna Clarke. In this true life adventure, Australian photo-journalist Clarke and her husband decide to buy a house in Fez, Morocco. She recounts the joys of remodeling her new home in a country where she couldn't speak the language. It's synchronicity! I thought. Morocco is on my list of places to visit. Also, the story reminds me of one of my favorite movies "Under the Tuscan Sun!" If this were Oprah's Book Club, I'd have a copy for everyone, but the moldy money in my wallet says, "Get your own!"

As I was searching through the teen section at BN, I encountered a very ridiculous man. His girlfriend was searching for a teen book. "These books are for teenage girls! Why do you want to read these books? You have five minutes," he declared.

Wow. So many things wrong with that statement. I guess I'm a teenage girl then, because I like to read teen books.

The night ended with much less excitement, but the train ride gave me some time to gain ground on my new reading treasure.

WWKD?

So I drove the 5 1/2 hours to Assateague. It was spectacular... It was marvelous... It was a moonlit vision... It was... closed! "Park Full" the sign read. I guess it was my fault since I didn't leave from York until 4 pm.

I pulled up to the sign and I asked myself, "Self? WWKD? What would Ke$ha do?" I thought for a moment what that meant and then realized it was time to go home. I had no intentions of brushing my teeth with a bottle of jack or seeing unicorns. To really get inside the head of Ke-dollar sign-ha, you have to withhold taking a bath/shower for at least a week. So I turned around and sped off like a madman cackling into the wind, "The end is near! The end is near!"

I decided to try my luck at Assateague later in the summer--perhaps for the next full moon.

The Echo of Indians at Indian Echo Caverns (Hummelstown, PA)

Today, I went deep into the heart of the earth. Before I could plunge her depths, I stood creek-level with the waterways used by the Susquehannocks gazing upon a fantastic entrance. I pondered the secret incantation that would allow me passage through these mines (created possibly by Dwarves from Middle Earth, or not). "Speak friend and enter," were the words that came to mind. I imagined the air around me beginning to swirl as I stood with my wizard's cap. Then, the tour guide opened the door and allowed me passage... Perhaps an incantation was not necessary, or was it???!!!

The mines were deep and filled with rock-like protrusions that may have flitted about behind my back. It was dark; I couldn't really tell. I feared for my life, praying that the descent wouldn't take me to a lair full of blind, vampiric subterranean cave dwellers. Fortunately, I was not taken to their lair or I would not be sharing this adventure with you now. Nor did I find a certain caped-crusader hanging out with his butler.

Alas, my gang was led to the most beautiful, pristine pool of water that even old Indian(a) Jones could appreciate. I knew it had to be the fountain of youth. Walking beneath the rock-shaped bridge, I was baptized with two drops of cave-blood. It is said that each drop represents one year of good luck. Had I a cup with me, perhaps I could have collected some to share with you all.

T'was a good adventure and kid-friendly with many mythological accounts that will excite and entice fresh bloods deeper into the dark... For more information about location, directions, gift shop and pricing, check out the website at http://www.indianechocaverns.com/.

From the Edge of Glory to the Edge of Madness

Hi All,

So this is my first post on this new blog which will be primarily about my travel experiences. I hope you will find much joy, humor and excitement in this blog that will spur you to go create your own adventures. Please feel free to leave comments.

I revved up the engine of my trusty Ford Focus to set out on adventure into the wilderness of Adams County, PA today. Brian and I went on our yearly pilgrimage to Fuller Lake, an old quarry with a man-made beach. The Appalachian Mountains guard this exotic, little gem as the Secret Service guard the President. The cool air from the nearby creek and the shade of tall evergreens create a relaxing breath of fresh air and an "aaaahh" moment. The water, though not as clear and blue as what you might expect from a quarry, is nevertheless refreshing. I swam out into the deep parts, away from the splashing kiddies to find my own "aaaahhh" moment. At 26 feet deep, it's a little hard to not be afraid of the water. I had that nagging fear that we all sometimes get--that a snapping turtle would surface only to bite me where the sun doesn't shine. Suddenly, I found my mind wandering from snapping turtles to sharks and alligators. Hey, I know it sounds ridiculous, but it could theoretically happen, right? What happens when people find them growing too big for their aquariums? They have to be set loose somewhere...

Next, Brian wanted to show me Kings Gap--a view of the South Mountain (Cumberland Valley) between Shippensburg and Carlisle, PA. It's about 15 minutes along 34 (I wasn't really paying attention to cardinal directions, but I think it was North). At the top of the sprawling landscape was a mansion where, according to him, the state park rangers meet for conferences. Throughout the summer and fall, events are held, some free and some at a cost. We decided to return later in the summer for the guided historical kayak trip. For info, check out the state department of conservation and natural resources at http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/parks/kingsgap.aspx.

As always we decided to rock out to the latest Lady Gaga hit on our way home. It's kind of like a closing ritual for a day of fun. Her new single, The Edge of Glory, describes the kind of day we had. I always like to do a little karaoke along with the music in my best opera voice. I think for Brian, I took the Edge of Glory to the Edge of... Awful! I don't have that rendition, but you can close your eyes and imagine. Until next time... Peace out, girl scout!