A Grand Tour of The Entire Midwest, But Mostly Wisconsin (UPDATE 11/12--BONUS Texas TR NOW COMPLETE)

In that case, I have a good deal I can offer you on some property in Iowa.
I'll swap you for a spot in Central Fla that just acquired this really awesome nature built instant swimming hole.


One word of caution--you really want to see Going-To-The-Sun Road. And it's only open for maybe a couple of months out of the year. Even early July is iffy. They keep the status updated on the Glacier NP website.
Going later might not be in our best interest but i will keep in in mind.


Don't worry, I'll let you down at some point.
Given our expectations...
I don't see how.
 
I'll swap you for a spot in Central Fla that just acquired this really awesome nature built instant swimming hole.

Hope there wasn't a building on top of it.

Going later might not be in our best interest but i will keep in in mind.

Personally, I think you would miss out if you couldn't take that drive through the heart of the park. It's special.

Given our expectations...
I don't see how.

Let's hear it for low expectations! :woohoo:
 
Bonus Chapter 2: To The Bat Cave!


With the whole band back together, we set out in the morning on a half-hour drive south to Carlsbad Caverns National Park. As if you couldn’t see that one coming.


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The entrance road for the park winds several miles up to the top of a mesa, and visiting early in the morning presented a great opportunity to see some wildlife. In this case, it was not one, not two, but a whole family of bighorn sheep.


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When we reached the top of the mesa, we were treated to a view of the morning fog/mist, not yet lifted from the valley below. It’s not often you get to start a day with a view like this.


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But of course, we weren’t visiting this place for the view outdoors. That was just a bonus. We were here to see the cave! We even brought an expert along to guide us.


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Cave tour tickets are first-come, first-served, so once again it’s wise to use the Rope Drop strategy. This particular day happened to be the Saturday of Easter weekend, and was one of a few fee-free weekends offered by the National Park Service. So we all got to tour the cave without having to pay the normal fee. Not a bad deal if you can get it.


There are two ways to enter the cave: via elevator or by foot via the Natural Entrance trail. We wanted to get the full cave experience, so we chose to walk in. We followed the path out the door and were led to a small pavilion where a ranger gave an orientation/safety talk about the cave and its many thousand residents—the famous Brazilian free-tailed bats of Carlsbad Caverns.


The ranger talked us through the hike (1.25 miles or so), the temperature of the cave (56 deg. F on average), white-nose disease (dangerous to bats), how to kill vampires (wooden stake through the heart), etc., etc. Then we were allowed to head down the trail and into the cave. We walked through the large amphitheater just outside the cave, constructed to give scores of visitors a view of the evening flight of the bats out of the cave as they look for food. We did not stick around for that.


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Here’s the motley crew of cave explorers getting ready to do their best Indiana Jones impersonation. Plus, Drew doing whatever it is that Drew does.


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The first part of the trail is all steep switchbacks as you descend into the cave.


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It was nice that Drew was allowed to accompany us on this hike. In South Dakota, he was too young. In Carlsbad Caverns, the only age restrictions are for the ranger-guided tours. Drew did really well. He only asked to be carried a couple of times while we were down there.


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We reached the end of the trail, which links up to the Big Room self-guided trail. This is another 1.25-mile trail that does a loop around…


…wait for it…


…the Big Room.


We did that trail as well. All told, I think we spent about 3 hours or so in the cave. Here are some of the more interesting formations:


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This was part of the old historic entrance to the cave. I don’t know why they don’t let people come in this way anymore.


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There was also a deep cavern labeled as the “Bottomless Pit”. Now I know what you’re thinking—how do they know? Well, as luck would have it, at that very moment some guy walked past me wearing a Dallas Cowboys hat and a New York Yankees jersey and muttering that “Disney World sucks.” So I tossed him over the edge, and darned if we never heard him hit bottom.


Oh, wait--there was a splat. It’s actually about 140 feet deep.


There is actually a snack bar right in the cave, about 755 feet (230 metres for our Canadian readers) directly below the visitor center. We took a potty break there before riding the elevator up out of the cave. And then we had our customary PB&J sandwiches right there in the parking lot, and there was much rejoicing.


Drew was the picture of peace and contentment after lunch, while Dave helpfully flashed gang signs.


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Just one day into the trip and we were already done with New Mexico.


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The next stop was just another 45 minutes or so down the road—Guadalupe Mountains National Park. It was here that we got our first taste of one of the best reasons to visit Texas in the spring—it’s wildflower/cactus bloom season. This is called an ocotillo plant.


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And these are called…uh…wildflowers.


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The park itself is fairly small as national parks go, and, similar to Zion, is best explored on foot. We didn’t have the time to do that, so we were content to just check out the visitor center and exhibits and collect another National Park passport stamp.


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We moved on in the mid-afternoon, heading down into the heart of west Texas. After about an hour through Zombie Apocalypse-level wasteland, we stopped for gas in the town of Van Horn. Then we continued on our way to Fort Davis. We made sure to take U.S. Route 90 on my father’s advice, mostly so we could stop and pamper the women properly. We pulled over at the Prada store of Marfa, Texas.


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Yes, just because we’re in the middle of nowhere doesn’t mean that the women don’t deserve fine shoes and handbags. Who says Texans are uncivilized?


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This is one of those great oddities you find along the highways in America. Part art project, part practical joke, this was a permanent sculpture by artists Elmgreen and Dragset in 2005. The door doesn’t actually open, but inside are two window displays showing actual Prada shoes from the 2005 collection. Why is it here? I don’t know. It’s art. It doesn’t have to make sense.


With that, we rolled into the town of Fort Davis about an hour later and checked into our hotel for the next two nights—the Indian Lodge in Fort Davis State Park. We then trekked back into town to find some food for dinner, and learned just how far away from civilization we actually were. There was apparently only one restaurant open on Saturday nights in Fort Davis, a hole-in-the-wall Mexican place called Cueva De Leon. I can’t post a link because they don’t have a website. It was crowded, but we were arriving a little later into evening so we were able to seat ourselves inside. There were only two servers covering the greater population of Fort Davis, so things were, to be generous, slow. Our server had clearly had enough as she was arguing with customers over their orders and the amount of time it was taking to get their food. I guess she wasn’t big into receiving tips.


Anyway, I had a taco and an enchilada or a burrito (really, aren’t all these things just the same dish? Meat, lettuce, cheese, salsa wrapped in a tortilla?) and I remember the taco being better. But it was fine. I mean, when you’ve been driving all day and there’s only one place open, you learn pretty quickly to lower your standards for the evening. And not get in a fight with the server.


Coming Up Next: Easter Sunday in Fort Davis.
 
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Cave tour tickets are first-come, first-served, so once again it’s wise to use the Rope Drop strategy.

This is usually wise for any tourist attraction really...though I always seem to have a hard time convincing anyone I'm travelling with!

We walked through the large amphitheater just outside the cave, constructed to give scores of visitors a view of the evening flight of the bats out of the cave as they look for food. We did not stick around for that.

I'm torn on whether I'd actually want to see that or not...seems kinda cool..but bats...um...not sure.
 
Cool update! Our family enjoys cave tours, so Carlsbad Caverns may end up on one of our trips someday.

Big difference between enchiladas and burritos? You should be able to pick up a burrito and eat it, but enchiladas definitely need a knife and fork. Exception - burritos with sauce on top. Wrapped so you can pick it up, but if you did, you would get sauce all over you. So, I don't normally order them, lol.
 
Love the cavern tour. I've only done one cave tour, the Natural Bridge Caverns near San Antonio. I was really impressed by it. I definitely would have chosen to walk into the cave as well. Seems like more of an adventure that way.
 


I'm working on these things with my own kids. It's fun to introduce them to great movies. Like watching them again for the first time. Terminator is probably still a little too graphic for them, though.

Probably.
Yesterday, Kay told me she introduced a friend of hers to Pulp Fiction.
I may have shed a tear.
 
we set out in the morning on a half-hour drive south to Carlsbad Caverns National Park. As if you couldn’t see that one coming.

Actually... no.

This is somewhere that I've heard about for almost all my life... and never been.

Should remedy that.

The entrance road for the park winds several miles up to the top of a mesa,

That's amesaing!

In this case, it was not one, not two, but a whole family of bighorn sheep.

I have yet to see even one of those!!!

When we reached the top of the mesa, we were treated to a view of the morning fog/mist, not yet lifted from the valley below. It’s not often you get to start a day with a view like this.

Beautiful.

We even brought an expert along to guide us.

Looks like he knows his stuff.

Cave tour tickets are first-come, first-served, so once again it’s wise to use the Rope Drop strategy.

Good to know.

the cave and its many thousand residents—the famous Brazilian free-tailed bats of Carlsbad Caverns.

Every TR I read seems to mention the Brazilian groups.

how to kill vampires (wooden stake through the heart),

::yes::

We walked through the large amphitheater just outside the cave, constructed to give scores of visitors a view of the evening flight of the bats out of the cave as they look for food.

That would be so cool to see. Might go just for that.

Nah... Not after seeing your photos.

We did not stick around for that.

Too bad. But... time marches on.


So cool.


Great shot!

Drew did really well. He only asked to be carried a couple of times while we were down there.

<phew!>

We did that trail as well. All told, I think we spent about 3 hours or so in the cave. Here are some of the more interesting formations:

Those shots are cool/amazing!
I really need to go there.

This was part of the old historic entrance to the cave. I don’t know why they don’t let people come in this way anymore.

Because they relocated the gift shop.

Well, as luck would have it, at that very moment some guy walked past me wearing a Dallas Cowboys hat and a New York Yankees jersey and muttering that “Disney World sucks.” So I tossed him over the edge, and darned if we never heard him hit bottom.

He had it coming.
Or going.
Whichever.

Oh, wait--there was a splat. It’s actually about 140 feet deep.

See? He served a useful purpose.

There is actually a snack bar right in the cave, about 755 feet (230 metres for our Canadian readers) directly below the visitor center.

This is interesting.
The Canadian reader comment, I mean.
Well... so is the fact you have a subterranean snack bar.

But... I read that and thought "pft. Everyone in Canada knows feet."

But then I remembered a conversation I had with Kay a few years ago.
"It's about four feet wide."
"How long is that?"
She didn't know.

And then we had our customary PB&J sandwiches right there in the parking lot, and there was much rejoicing.

9R3g9S.gif


It was here that we got our first taste of one of the best reasons to visit Texas in the spring—it’s wildflower/cactus bloom season.

Nice!

And these are called…uh…wildflowers.

::yes:: Of course!

After about an hour through Zombie Apocalypse-level wasteland

See any?


I know of this!

Who says Texans are uncivilized?

Everyone outside of Texas?

:duck:

There was apparently only one restaurant open on Saturday nights in Fort Davis, a hole-in-the-wall Mexican place called Cueva De Leon.

How many restaurants do you need? You can only eat one meal at a time, ya know.

There were only two servers covering the greater population of Fort Davis, so things were, to be generous, slow.

ouch

Our server had clearly had enough as she was arguing with customers over their orders and the amount of time it was taking to get their food. I guess she wasn’t big into receiving tips.

double ouch

Actually, depending on how she treated me, I might give her an even larger tip.

Anyway, I had a taco and an enchilada or a burrito (really, aren’t all these things just the same dish? Meat, lettuce, cheese, salsa wrapped in a tortilla?)

You're asking a Canadian about Mexican food????

I mean, when you’ve been driving all day and there’s only one place open, you learn pretty quickly to lower your standards for the evening.

Yes. I suppose that's true.

And not get in a fight with the server.

Dang. I was hoping for an exciting finale.
 
With the whole band back together, we set out in the morning on a half-hour drive south to Carlsbad Caverns National Park. As if you couldn’t see that one coming.

One of my favorite places we visited as a kid. Super beautiful. :)


This is really cool! BUT, is that another sheep up the hill from the herd? Or is that a coyote or other animal??

few fee-free weekends offered by the National Park Service.

Ka-ching!! See, you could justify the meal out later that night!

We walked through the large amphitheater just outside the cave, constructed to give scores of visitors a view of the evening flight of the bats out of the cave as they look for food.

I never got to see this either. I need a trip back!

In Carlsbad Caverns, the only age restrictions are for the ranger-guided tours. Drew did really well. He only asked to be carried a couple of times while we were down there.

He's really growing up! Before you know it, he'll be asking for the car keys. ;)

I don’t know why they don’t let people come in this way anymore.

The government just can't keep printing money for every Tom, Dick and Harry that sues them.

Oh, wait...

There was also a deep cavern labeled as the “Bottomless Pit”. Now I know what you’re thinking—how do they know? Well, as luck would have it, at that very moment some guy walked past me wearing a Dallas Cowboys hat and a New York Yankees jersey and muttering that “Disney World sucks.” So I tossed him over the edge,
He sure got off easy! You're so nice!


Just one day into the trip and we were already done with New Mexico.

You missed some nice parts of it. Hatch is pretty neat.

This is called an ocotillo plant.

Instant case of homesickness!

It’s art. It doesn’t have to make sense.

Does it really ever?
I guess she wasn’t big into receiving tips.

See? You were just saving money left and right that day!
 
This is usually wise for any tourist attraction really...though I always seem to have a hard time convincing anyone I'm travelling with!

Thankfully, I've been drilling my family for years, so they all know how vital Rope Drop is. It works everywhere!

I'm torn on whether I'd actually want to see that or not...seems kinda cool..but bats...um...not sure.

Yeah...I'm kind of in the same boat. Bats are really neat...from a distance.

Cool update! Our family enjoys cave tours, so Carlsbad Caverns may end up on one of our trips someday.

We've been on a roll with the cave tours lately. Wind Cave, Jewel Cave, now this. Always fun to explore underground.

Big difference between enchiladas and burritos? You should be able to pick up a burrito and eat it, but enchiladas definitely need a knife and fork. Exception - burritos with sauce on top. Wrapped so you can pick it up, but if you did, you would get sauce all over you. So, I don't normally order them, lol.

Most burritos I see have sauce on top. So I still think of them as the same thing. Still, it amuses me that most Mexican dishes are the exact same thing in terms of ingredients.

Love the cavern tour. I've only done one cave tour, the Natural Bridge Caverns near San Antonio. I was really impressed by it. I definitely would have chosen to walk into the cave as well. Seems like more of an adventure that way.

Definitely! Way more fun to do it that way. I learned how to explore caves from Indiana Jones movies.

Probably.
Yesterday, Kay told me she introduced a friend of hers to Pulp Fiction.
I may have shed a tear.

:eek:
 
Actually... no.

This is somewhere that I've heard about for almost all my life... and never been.

Should remedy that.

Seems like we keep adding to the list. So many places, so little time!

That's amesaing!

I see what you did there.

I have yet to see even one of those!!!

I hadn't seen any until the Rocky Mountains 2 years ago. Now they seem to be popping up regularly. Go figure.

Looks like he knows his stuff.

Image is everything!

Good to know.

Rope Drop works everywhere. It has yet to fail me.

Every TR I read seems to mention the Brazilian groups.

:lmao::rotfl2::rotfl:

That would be so cool to see. Might go just for that.

Nah... Not after seeing your photos.

Yeah, you wouldn't want to skip the cave. I wouldn't suggest hiking in during the evening bat flight, though.

Too bad. But... time marches on.

Yep. We only had a week, and Texas is a BIG state!

Great shot!

Thanks! That was Julie's, I believe.

Those shots are cool/amazing!
I really need to go there.

Thanks! If you don't get down that way, I also recommend Luray Caverns in Virginia (near Shenandoah National Park). Really amazing formations in there.

Because they relocated the gift shop.

Now that makes perfect sense. No way they could send people out without perusing the shot glasses.

He had it coming.
Or going.
Whichever.

Deck was stacked against him from the beginning.

See? He served a useful purpose.

About as useful as he was going to get!

This is interesting.
The Canadian reader comment, I mean.
Well... so is the fact you have a subterranean snack bar.

But... I read that and thought "pft. Everyone in Canada knows feet."

But then I remembered a conversation I had with Kay a few years ago.
"It's about four feet wide."
"How long is that?"
She didn't know.

I'll be honest. When I looked up the depth of the snack bar, it had both units listed, so I just went with it. Otherwise, I wouldn't have had a clue, either.


+1:thumbsup2


No, but we're only a day into the trip.

I know of this!

I'm impressed! I thought the Prada would be fairly obscure.

Everyone outside of Texas?

:duck:

:rotfl2::rotfl2:

How many restaurants do you need? You can only eat one meal at a time, ya know.

True. I need more to distract the crowds, though.

double ouch

Actually, depending on how she treated me, I might give her an even larger tip.

Very true. In this case, she didn't fight with us, but also didn't pay us much attention, either. So it worked out to an average tip.

You're asking a Canadian about Mexican food????

Sorry. If they'd had poutine on the menu, I would have asked about that.

Yes. I suppose that's true.

Put more succinctly: beggars can't be choosers.

Dang. I was hoping for an exciting finale.

Sorry to disappoint. But then again, that's what I do.

One of my favorite places we visited as a kid. Super beautiful. :)

I'm glad we got to see it!

This is really cool! BUT, is that another sheep up the hill from the herd? Or is that a coyote or other animal??

Good eyes! Hard to tell in the photo. If I had to guess, it's another sheep, but you have me wondering...

Ka-ching!! See, you could justify the meal out later that night!

:woohoo: Always nice to save a few bucks.

I never got to see this either. I need a trip back!

Seems like we never see everything, no matter how much time we spend exploring.

He's really growing up! Before you know it, he'll be asking for the car keys. ;)

:faint: Don't remind me! Sarah takes driver's ed this year, and I'm still not ready for it.

The government just can't keep printing money for every Tom, Dick and Harry that sues them.

Oh, wait...

:rotfl2::rotfl2:

He sure got off easy! You're so nice!

Yes. Yes, I am.

You missed some nice parts of it. Hatch is pretty neat.

Like I told pkondz, we only had a week, and Texas is so huge. There's always something to go back and see.

Instant case of homesickness!

Aw...:hug:

Does it really ever?

It's very, very rare.

See? You were just saving money left and right that day!

With this many kids, it always feels like it's getting spent somewhere else!
 
The entrance road for the park winds several miles up to the top of a mesa, and visiting early in the morning presented a great opportunity to see some wildlife. In this case, it was not one, not two, but a whole family of bighorn sheep.

That's totally cool! I never seen those in real life.

It’s not often you get to start a day with a view like this.

No. I'm usually underneath those clouds when my day starts. Of course, there isn't a Mesa with Big Horn sheep nearby.....

So we all got to tour the cave without having to pay the normal fee.

Bonus!

It was nice that Drew was allowed to accompany us on this hike. In South Dakota, he was too young. In Carlsbad Caverns, the only age restrictions are for the ranger-guided tours. Drew did really well. He only asked to be carried a couple of times while we were down there.

Especially since you didn't have built in Babysitters at this time.

We reached the end of the trail, which links up to the Big Room self-guided trail. This is another 1.25-mile trail that does a loop around…

OK, I'm for sure taking the elevator down.

This was part of the old historic entrance to the cave. I don’t know why they don’t let people come in this way anymore.

Huh. I can't imagine why????

So I tossed him over the edge, and darned if we never heard him hit bottom.


Oh, wait--there was a splat. It’s actually about 140 feet deep.

Thanks for the information, I might have tossed a rock or something. Smells less as time goes on, but then again, you won't be back. Thanks for stinking the place up with rotting flesh in case I ever get there.

and there was much rejoicing.

@pkondz beat me to it.

This is called an ocotillo plant.

We have those in the CA desert....

And these are called…uh…wildflowers.

:rotfl2: :lmao: :rotfl:

This is one of those great oddities you find along the highways in America. Part art project, part practical joke, this was a permanent sculpture by artists Elmgreen and Dragset in 2005.

I wonder how many people stop there thinking it's a real store.

There was apparently only one restaurant open on Saturday nights in Fort Davis,

I would prefer a little more choice than that.

Anyway, I had a taco and an enchilada or a burrito (really, aren’t all these things just the same dish? Meat, lettuce, cheese, salsa wrapped in a tortilla?)

I feel that you may have made that statement to rile me up! Of course there is a difference! While the distinctions may be subtle, they lie in the vehicle of deliverance of all those "same" flavors of which you talk, however, that is not the only distinction, but it will be my first point of contention.

I'm not sure what shopping for Tortillas is like in Delaware, or if you have even been tortilla shopping. In California, it is quite daunting. Not only do you have choices of flour vs. corn but there are sizes, Soft Taco, Burrito, Street Taco, and a whole bunch of others, 6 inches, 8 inches, etc. I am no longer daunted as I know which size I prefer for each sort of thing that I make at home.

Tacos are generally small. There are crunchy tacos (not wrapped in a tortilla), and the most traditional tacos are made (at restaurants for me) with meat inside a tortilla (I can't tell if it's flour or corn) and deep fried. Once they come out of the fryer, lettuce, cheese, and tomatoes are added and voila! taco! Gringo tacos are made with pre cooked crunchy shells, meat (or other protein) on the bottom topped with lettuce, cheese, tomatoes and/or sour cream. Street tacos are made with small corn tortillas, protein (could be meat, fish, poultry), and veggies (cabbage, onions, cilantro, etc). Soft tacos are made with a flour tortilla and usually protein, lettuce, and cheese. The thing is that all these can be eaten with hands only.

Burritos are always bigger. As I mentioned above, they have their own size of Tortilla at the grocery store and they are always found in flour tortillas, never corn. More often than not they are sealed on the ends by the folding of the burrito. There are two ingredients that may be found in a burrito that will not be found in a taco, Rice and/or beans. There is definitely a protein element such as meat, poultry, seafood, or just vegetables as well as cheese. Lettuce is not normally found in a burrito unless you are at Taco Bell, but Sour Cream, Salsa, or Guacamole are normal additions. Some burritos can be eaten with your hands, but most of the time you need a knife and fork to eat a proper burrito. If you have your burrito "wet", you'll definitely need a knife and fork to eat it.

Enchiladas are a whole different story. While tacos and burritos can be prepared on the fly, Enchiliadas require an oven and baking time. Some sort of protein is wrapped in a corn tortilla (cheese, meat, I use poultry, cheese, onion, and chilies) and then they are coated in a sauce and perhaps more cheese and baked for 20-25 minutes before serving.

Make sense? :rolleyes1

I mean, when you’ve been driving all day and there’s only one place open, you learn pretty quickly to lower your standards for the evening. And not get in a fight with the server.

Yeah, I can see that. And I wouldn't challenge her on a taco vs a burrito or enchilada. I would just order the most simple thing on the menu and not argue if it came up different.
 
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Hope there wasn't a building on top of it.
Not to worry…
It’s gone now.


Personally, I think you would miss out if you couldn't take that drive through the heart of the park. It's special.
Personally, I agree.
But traveling latter in the summer may not be an option.




Bonus Chapter 2: To The Bat Cave!
Holly mountains of guano, Batman!


With the whole band back together…
2017 Oblivious Reunion Tour
Selected dates in the Southwest

“You think that last trip was long and strange…
Just you wait till the next one”


, we set out in the morning on a half-hour drive south to Carlsbad Caverns National Park. As if you couldn’t see that one coming.
Couldn’t see anything coming.
Too busy ducking out of the way of all the bats.


In this case, it was not one, not two, but a whole family of bighorn sheep.


hLv-b9Pm92bk_a3CkW980ufNa3kSqmDTx5LLeJFUvxtDkJqQqbDGAr20sJm8r2eXfG_uwhW5rJPFnN-mA8dBsVDd2PfgrTSf5UL8UGwM3igGNSyaUGBOf5ty3Fs-66rvUWm1VcjqOsRUdB_qcDKO5gnqCIXDDtetr6H2FuMyLvj4A68_ZckV0-d80NZsr6SDSU6r3VD4lE6IUujKrPwOl2qN4I4-m9T76xvik86IW4EJJrLOHTyzdleHA0A3kCDN15fmXoXjV1fSoK0OoNltN4gAVf95JZ9p7O9akdihnkgmOhKP9XnGOP429GWHJQHwQ0NSJ57P0vRjoQhF3Kc-yIjK30djtwpFB1iRHOcepbWhgRcP7as-NAqs6q0TBgh-a76xB211Nswzsso5HLuCWyrLHjqMgg0sES4cHYYgMUg-cdb6kK2-U28NjXauaeCvMqgQ7Uisi9HBO59RlOuvqxIqXkzSp7cGlOJkg5sHgJxhI7lubY-TSMAiD72kHZgMTDpV3xsujzBtvzTPu_zEVFPuA7bZbQ7bbPkdq6zfpF_hS8dBw-VNAaXu40E0KkvwpqEiwc0RvRJxMIcLjW--Rh8vIJ9Vc5xecFvtspnCDBxA9ZBI1K2T5veA=w1192-h795-no
Well that’s just great; now they decide to go out and about…
And where were they last night when I was in need of something to count?


But of course, we weren’t visiting this place for the view outdoors.
Nope, you were looking for another hole in the ground.
And while I’m told that it’s one spectacular hole in the ground…
This one unfortunately doesn’t come equipped with a cold war missile and lunch facility.





So far as we know.


This particular day happened to be the Saturday of Easter weekend, and was one of a few fee-free weekends offered by the National Park Service. So we all got to tour the cave without having to pay the normal fee.
I’ll make a note of that policy.
Don’t think I’ll have much occasion to put it to use, but it has been noted.


There are two ways to enter the cave: via elevator or by foot via the Natural Entrance trail.
Well, there’s also the method of having part of the Massa collapse beneath your feet and granting you the TOT Style gravity assisted express vertical descent entry experience.

However that’s not the most highly recommended mode on ingress (as it moves so quickly that one tends not to get as clear a view of all the details between the top and bottom of the cavern).


The ranger talked us through the hike (1.25 miles or so), the temperature of the cave (56 deg. F on average), white-nose disease (dangerous to bats), how to kill vampires (wooden stake through the heart), etc., etc.
Always helpful, those NPS Rangers.
Did they happen to be handing out wooden stake that morning…
or is it up to the seasoned traveler to be aware of the necessity of bringing their own?


Here’s the motley crew of cave explorers getting ready to do their best Indiana Jones impersonation. Plus, Drew doing whatever it is that Drew does.


6F00nSHF6phqVNCn3dhvSXSoCKZvH6tOR-J6Oz9HTeDjCSiZ0oQgn9OpRy5eQx8-EnpffCrZR95YUAeUGu_oESX4BwpvY5I9nhfeBA01RogAUT3jY0ti7ks9Mj87i8IYKR1aI15GvmK4HcfzJk9cl004tTiMZDVpOZkQU4TJVZN2E1pSJTfLgndwtJScOY2xghtrJi-MZqNZm-0O5NYaIH3dl8xG6x39VmG5ZyDoXAMxeESf2sy_-eROJ8DOvkUl_vOxzZVUmRWInPlO_UJNA8-Sj_rKi1YLFr030HZVKDWuh4kn7Ed4Q7hTAjj-uoxOMVc5Fhi3XwxU21amO942GW-bnCF_mhcBuR8PS2gse8DDuwc5zsFrnpHWmpanpIYgiV2CVkXoOopWX1wHKGdK-YT6EQVYOzcdGEXl8buKx3mvinyJYky-_44fSxFvRgLy17xPNPe3JHG2K7ybOiWSXFstigMhJI-wgbshOvkgwbaVOj-U4cQOqkmE7jxlKPrcRdZV7VOhk4BZ4Fm45PD7Ml_EbrcjPLL8vZLAkka4x-jw7oOfQ2UrdzZe9AX096dgw40mOlHfrVlay2We63TO5IZC-VSD1Haz7kIZrt4GKvohCEZ5lJ4dCtPZ=w1139-h854-no
Seems fairly obvious…
Drew is just practicing the form he’ll be using as he runs away from that giant round bolder.


The first part of the trail is all steep switchbacks as you descend into the cave.


oRpqM8V2wbiPubsLNkaNu0ZYMY6-KZSmPYVIWGMIJH-Gad1TOIdqQKKwYsVStG977rbRV1_Woq-wd4x5BxyLBiC6rcVHvakC17UPBPE7ESKAik8iFqlcBZdpEw1no0jEblQqi0IhFLW5gX4z1LvN09sXi8ra1cePb_t8SLt4afcRgFDOYiKKHjGwIjV8cTDThpHVxDSAArUBJ2WdNM2Nt3YpdbS6byi6v5GpguSDuE2ka471306FMlyXACw7Wc3tow_yw_CozlHm7ZDem31LgmP2lGjty-SKyQQDWWGaY6-pygcTENivUlrxv8vHypjYPF9Oml6v88shqnOxvV1loSyooMJLctUtSqiqn5dhvA2NbBIzNvTLZpvcKUeeXMOPSkSBWRA6eWvKmuQGByBq84XucnMYysX8hwDkJlUhc9iIMMJfRdJyjqvDibSUUr2e1gk0_Jwd_90PdER3621tS7ng-2txVZYTSarZCRuU9BNuRqA4PMulj-GMrR6o6ZMuR_rq2FQTQ4Itd6I6H1pHhup5JfCdSs-BlgUAiGsd5caNO_Xcj1xvK0HOlJjRH0T7V0irOW7X2U67e2gq-AcC0SHbjebff6HiJ6VotiAYgEdcX8FHV-xdMrWI=w1192-h795-no
https://www.myinstants.com/instant/goofy-yell/


We reached the end of the trail, which links up to the Big Room self-guided trail. This is another 1.25-mile trail that does a loop around…


…wait for it…


…the Big Room.
Better than an unscheduled tour around the Big House


This was part of the old historic entrance to the cave. I don’t know why they don’t let people come in this way anymore.


Mc-_3MHYkk_R0_M0BLvsnzXeh9oTibeZxuZVJ5cv_DlynIoznNvhd6PBA1iXTy1XHVC3tTS6kJSXH71_yZrZ0RYAHy5vmIWOZ9vrhPU12lQmQMsgWjYKsQa2ojxhBycu_nVsCwL_J0cxmht0VjdaDdr-OC8IRTIPFBujijLLe989ZFdb1aXNHclitMvX7QOykbnZiAQSliu6iy7OKRaytayfndxDsMWcIL2x3NOUKOPG9II6S3rnG-OH2F0ZLRyzV4DTOKOX89PNW5HoZsDBe54k844tgVFt4Cn7VGayZlh-DmjBkqjOnqkIonbLW220hpxfKHEbOv7heRd3IVcIHQX9EOmN0kjqYYm1pmkxApPyjUsVieS73BesF1FUxwf0Mv9geuguT0HRBIRqm1CerD6O9dIHQ8PptkPJ_1hx0MQMWhlPRxgx-GuL2I6j5zSjhRy5YjiIpOaGSKFTEWnJXFNmmCFZfS31Wq0EWEmnMwF148IN57CIlYOfsxUDdFYiUzqGz230nLk5KM9TL_XokhiNRTtmqrVnr4tRbdpPpszmM6I5Swipls9FPHbOlZZogVSzNC7EqMc3iyIUoXw770RKO-i89gSG1GZ6sisY9i-Yo-zSxAIQd6ny=w570-h854-no
Mollycoddling government regulations…
Turning us into a nation of wimps.


There was also a deep cavern labeled as the “Bottomless Pit”. Now I know what you’re thinking—how do they know? Well, as luck would have it, at that very moment some guy walked past me wearing a Dallas Cowboys hat and a New York Yankees jersey and muttering that “Disney World sucks.” So I tossed him over the edge, and darned if we never heard him hit bottom.
A practical experiment and a public service combined into a single action…
Excellent use of your resources.


There is actually a snack bar right in the cave…
Just stay away from the guano fritters


We took a potty break there before riding the elevator up out of the cave.
Two very sound choices on your part.


And then we had our customary PB&J sandwiches right there in the parking lot, and there was much rejoicing.
Mmmmmmm…
Roast Minstrel


Drew was the picture of peace and contentment after lunch, while Dave helpfully flashed gang signs.


I7LnmimvDCpyYeQ5QXfdtJPaEjL1v5v-zoIIkpB-y_RtRgCiMjipCW6qEis5mTLMNAAeju5TGpYP69t7Qm5u1bB2zXv7FuR-MQx2jdbHTa0HOvC6AKw9pkKwgKfcyT51z52KU_AefEy0cbjUMZBwTh8GZXSoyDWfsj9kbhGU2Y_mhrtB557qyGJz8TsOgycOzyFGAbqyDmbXZtbXzL5vLZilp4Z58CJw8aF19Q4r6RCtCdZD1T8fDSNVZaF-rMvhD8n1lpKRsv6-pPqueciXEHGDFKpr4X5QcDrtBJYI7x5u04GEVp4GICQNzigW84IgHLB5hImvsenGcwVQVaP61WuLaKjK6uXEE58vLiRTZUVkN11eDQ0cH3c_AyHlbwvdkrtf9NZf2UxST3WFLybKVAaaXx-LyhNOm4LZJotLeK7VYIFdaEzWfVLujn9f01zXAE_AmdXu1pEiY0GiTKJ03umuh2gn9nWMLDV1zE_ZLx2Of_eC-fYzWFBP_NF3h8quxPrgt3evTtMqgFOQE0Pz5KTZZdnxKEjVRq1goBEyfmY2It4LxuDFlMPZ4llbNWF7O3W5wSJ7YB6SOe32arHpH75BE82CVGhkGKOZDbSi-T00O9yaZohvmlxR=w570-h854-no
Because nothing aids a toddler’s slumber quite as well as gang signs.


And these are called…uh…wildflowers.


HgmuBz4WQSGayiJ3ZpZ6b1PjyOFPCjt_9gHl4TSOaPzQGBIfck7Fp248oYAMoNrgXocKAK-kI_NmyM_tGfUGWMGIUXiIduGNu9YP-iGMFVWS5ofnyXt-DEOnN-j7REcGE7xf-A7PLtuvO0HtJwskhGiNFjxjFD7ifFHb_979pOY9j2fT1w6P4elorFwyrn3sPOezJ176ZuFGcXkLTZCCpMQ7O6skAPXZ1Drx02qWfl1ouna7J4gyWKxuJSfKumP_0moYnfXJpeEaAnOaqkVc4FIG3byPxxClt2L4ju0SoJV4LAFWvRjLMfAYU-7QOSytBeRbawnlJ9WXHqpbMavZnBKStfiGte8BskVbtY0b_sFfASufa2LdQZodQ8WCJ4IfKtiT7CKZbaZBznQuJzjh_bMr0H_AYjBocWR3IBW44AmzyIGrSr-o_ZvUs_Eivd6yu_P-BmbWoPoLWqHTKs6gVAbnARDQWvt1-baoKDSNWyiIDJGnu74BkiQzdIePZ3b9RLYkPOmetkSaV5Z0VYGQ-RbX9zPjSV1NQaklvIeSs2Q6uqBhy59abCF640eeQidUrG33J1MyFpNU-EoSDpcnGidPLgaHAStfSIvPKOVt_ULbNOO3eXyyvnmC=w1192-h795-no
genus, humanus... Alice.


After about an hour through Zombie Apocalypse-level wasteland, we stopped for gas in the town of Van Horn.
And that name just happens to translate to: Zombie Wasteland…
Convenient!


Then we continued on our way to Fort Davis. We made sure to take U.S. Route 90 on my father’s advice, mostly so we could stop and pamper the women properly. We pulled over at the Prada store of Marfa, Texas.

PTFkmHDJXKMQiTo8nvEUGcX77KUu4wieh4vhWhGjDnIOvufDSsg_zGMXPu1ngB0swuLu4t2cWI5OATworUNFwzUjhI24x_pZvYLaS6Px21uAWjQq2fRgOISIS4zlkZqIv7RbOdrB3bDXoM-RHYuWMMRXCZJD7oo4XEzmt4uN4_LbVRiorr_o3VSuhyPtXseVhYezaowlM45WsRYRsCionbsKlGvtu-nwHMDeHf2wf2eNucsVKwXBPiRjQv4KKMc-6IQnlQIm1PHivtXdW6uI0NWrtw8jiZBQWJq5X6UxbGBaFmng-TX4IAYovZyODaShvd2mpbrK9Il0lSvxQFN_daPB3Buf_P8tsnirepSLlK4GYucXRgExDFN-139831xfSZSObNMqPJYwzDhuHIqI9A-0KhdhBUV8qbxdvFshy2iwwb5l5OJYP2qQF5QkHocqfN41hnsmayvtXaYwuTAtKpygaoKzw-ZnSN5G9o-TaIaVe1DcOeuYQ8DJC6AQjc8AGt81qFT4q53tFi3Lr4HVgyyoK1CCZz5HJppXiaryU7oUdBMnExeCy6IftmOxfH2LGdvqG_X5CzDVz_kt-btgY6zDWTseEfiSqqT2LOSIi9QbgD9AyvFbzhy4=w1192-h795-no
Where all the fashionable zombies go to procure the latest in post-apocalyptic stilettos.


There was apparently only one restaurant open on Saturday nights in Fort Davis, a hole-in-the-wall Mexican place called Cueva De Leon.
Lion’s Cave?
So… then it was something to be survived rather than somewhere comforting?
 
I feel that you may have made that statement to rile me up! Of course there is a difference! While the distinctions may be subtle, they lie in the vehicle of deliverance of all those "same" flavors of which you talk, however, that is not the only distinction, but it will be my first point of contention.

I'm not sure what shopping for Tortillas is like in Delaware, or if you have even been tortilla shopping. In California, it is quite daunting. Not only do you have choices of flour vs. corn but there are sizes, Soft Taco, Burrito, Street Taco, and a whole bunch of others, 6 inches, 8 inches, etc. I am no longer daunted as I know which size I prefer for each sort of thing that I make at home.

Tacos are generally small. There are crunchy tacos (not wrapped in a tortilla), and the most traditional tacos are made (at restaurants for me) with meat inside a tortilla (I can't tell if it's flour or corn) and deep fried. Once they come out of the fryer, lettuce, cheese, and tomatoes are added and voila! taco! Gringo tacos are made with pre cooked crunchy shells, meat (or other protein) on the bottom topped with lettuce, cheese, tomatoes and/or sour cream. Street tacos are made with small corn tortillas, protein (could be meat, fish, poultry), and veggies (cabbage, onions, cilantro, etc). Soft tacos are made with a flour tortilla and usually protein, lettuce, and cheese. The thing is that all these can be eaten with hands only.

Burritos are always bigger. As I mentioned above, they have their own size of Tortilla at the grocery store and they are always found in flour tortillas, never corn. More often than not they are sealed on the ends by the folding of the burrito. There are two ingredients that may be found in a burrito that will not be found in a taco, Rice and/or beans. There is definitely a protein element such as meat, poultry, seafood, or just vegetables as well as cheese. Lettuce is not normally found in a burrito unless you are at Taco Bell, but Sour Cream, Salsa, or Guacamole are normal additions. Some burritos can be eaten with your hands, but most of the time you need a knife and fork to eat a proper burrito. If you have your burrito "wet", you'll definitely need a knife and fork to eat it.

Enchiladas are a whole different story. While tacos and burritos can be prepared on the fly, Enchiliadas require an oven and baking time. Some sort of protein is wrapped in a corn tortilla (cheese, meat, I use poultry, cheese, onion, and chilies) and then they are coated in a sauce and perhaps more cheese and baked for 20-25 minutes before serving.

Make sense? :rolleyes1

And now you have the whole enchilada. ;)
 
That's totally cool! I never seen those in real life.

I only saw my first one 2 years ago. Now they're everywhere! It was very cool to see the whole herd. Yet another argument in favor of Rope Drop!

No. I'm usually underneath those clouds when my day starts. Of course, there isn't a Mesa with Big Horn sheep nearby.....

I need to get out of Delaware to get a view like that as well.

Especially since you didn't have built in Babysitters at this time.

Yeah, that was such a big help on the previous trip!

OK, I'm for sure taking the elevator down.

I have a feeling you and Fran would not enjoy the hike into the cave.

Huh. I can't imagine why????

This country is getting so soft!

Thanks for the information, I might have tossed a rock or something. Smells less as time goes on, but then again, you won't be back. Thanks for stinking the place up with rotting flesh in case I ever get there.

Oh, I'm sure the bats and other creatures will take care of things before you get there.

@pkondz beat me to it.

I always appreciate when people pick up on the movie references.

We have those in the CA desert....

I'm much less familiar with them.

I wonder how many people stop there thinking it's a real store.

I have to imagine it's fooled a few people. It's such an oddity, you can't help but stop and take a look.

I would prefer a little more choice than that.

Me too!

I feel that you may have made that statement to rile me up! Of course there is a difference! While the distinctions may be subtle, they lie in the vehicle of deliverance of all those "same" flavors of which you talk, however, that is not the only distinction, but it will be my first point of contention.

:rotfl2::rotfl2:

Uh oh, I pushed Alison's buttons with this one. This should be good!

You know how much I love to poke fun at the foodie crowd, though.

I'm not sure what shopping for Tortillas is like in Delaware, or if you have even been tortilla shopping. In California, it is quite daunting. Not only do you have choices of flour vs. corn but there are sizes, Soft Taco, Burrito, Street Taco, and a whole bunch of others, 6 inches, 8 inches, etc. I am no longer daunted as I know which size I prefer for each sort of thing that I make at home.

I think the primary difference between me and a foodie is that I don't really notice subtlety in my food. So if you give me a flour or corn tortilla, or a 6-in. vs 8-in. tortilla, it really makes no difference to me. It's a bland wrap for the rest of the dish. Now, I'm not so oblivious (see what I did there?) that I can't recognize the difference between a soft and a hard taco, but still, the texture alone doesn't make me think of it as a completely different dish.

Tacos are generally small. There are crunchy tacos (not wrapped in a tortilla), and the most traditional tacos are made (at restaurants for me) with meat inside a tortilla (I can't tell if it's flour or corn) and deep fried. Once they come out of the fryer, lettuce, cheese, and tomatoes are added and voila! taco! Gringo tacos are made with pre cooked crunchy shells, meat (or other protein) on the bottom topped with lettuce, cheese, tomatoes and/or sour cream. Street tacos are made with small corn tortillas, protein (could be meat, fish, poultry), and veggies (cabbage, onions, cilantro, etc). Soft tacos are made with a flour tortilla and usually protein, lettuce, and cheese. The thing is that all these can be eaten with hands only.

Ok, I'm with you.

Burritos are always bigger. As I mentioned above, they have their own size of Tortilla at the grocery store and they are always found in flour tortillas, never corn. More often than not they are sealed on the ends by the folding of the burrito. There are two ingredients that may be found in a burrito that will not be found in a taco, Rice and/or beans. There is definitely a protein element such as meat, poultry, seafood, or just vegetables as well as cheese. Lettuce is not normally found in a burrito unless you are at Taco Bell, but Sour Cream, Salsa, or Guacamole are normal additions. Some burritos can be eaten with your hands, but most of the time you need a knife and fork to eat a proper burrito. If you have your burrito "wet", you'll definitely need a knife and fork to eat it.

So I think here the key is the rice and/or beans. Never in a taco, always in a burrito, that makes it feel like a different dish.

Whereas eating with your hands vs. having to eat the same basic ingredients with a knife and fork doesn't sway me from feeling like it's a variation on the same basic theme.

Enchiladas are a whole different story. While tacos and burritos can be prepared on the fly, Enchiliadas require an oven and baking time. Some sort of protein is wrapped in a corn tortilla (cheese, meat, I use poultry, cheese, onion, and chilies) and then they are coated in a sauce and perhaps more cheese and baked for 20-25 minutes before serving.

Make sense? :rolleyes1

Absolutely! And I appreciate you taking the time to educate a caveman like me on the subtle differences.

As I mentioned earlier, I think the big difference between me and you on food is that you really have an appreciation for subtleties that change the flavor or texture of a dish. For me, I don't know if it's because I'm a guy or an engineer or what, but my personality is such that I like to reduce most things to their simplest form.

So where you see three totally different meals due to the slight changes in ingredients or the method used to make them, I see the same basic ingredients and consider them variations on a theme. So you could say, "This is completely different! It never uses lettuce!" and be right. And I could also say, "They all use meat and cheese in a tortilla. The absence or presence of lettuce doesn't really change it all that much." and also feel that I am correct. The key is in how much you think the lettuce or rice or onions changes a dish, which at its heart is a subjective argument.

In a larger sense, this is why we all need to have friends and acquaintances in our lives who see things differently than we do. This is a chance for me to learn something. The thing is, I have to be humble enough to accept that my opinion on the matter is not fact. This is especially true in a subjective interpretation, where most opinions are valid.

In the end, you're most likely correct, because they gave all these dishes different names for a reason!

We all need to be humble enough to learn, and we all need to keep a sense of humor. I could turn around and go on and on about the subtleties of golf course architecture, because I have more of a passion for that. And you could stop me and say, "Don't they all just involve whacking a little ball all over a field?" And I'm sure I could get all riled up and school you on the various intricacies of the golf course. But I should also have enough of a sense of humor to acknowledge that there is truth in the fact that, yes, no matter where I place various sand traps, in the end we're all just whacking a ball around a field.

Yeah, I can see that. And I wouldn't challenge her on a taco vs a burrito or enchilada. I would just order the most simple thing on the menu and not argue if it came up different.

I was a little scared of her, so I just told her I wanted meat and cheese wrapped in a tortilla.:duck::rotfl2:
 
Personally, I agree.
But traveling latter in the summer may not be an option.

I hope it works out. But I understand that life intrudes. We don't always get what we want.

Holly mountains of guano, Batman!

Ew...

2017 Oblivious Reunion Tour
Selected dates in the Southwest

“You think that last trip was long and strange…
Just you wait till the next one”

That's a pretty apt description.

Couldn’t see anything coming.
Too busy ducking out of the way of all the bats.

At least they're not after you. Or I don't think they are.

Well that’s just great; now they decide to go out and about…
And where were they last night when I was in need of something to count?

Not sleeping well, I take it?

Nope, you were looking for another hole in the ground.
And while I’m told that it’s one spectacular hole in the ground…
This one unfortunately doesn’t come equipped with a cold war missile and lunch facility.





So far as we know.

That would have made it even better!

I’ll make a note of that policy.
Don’t think I’ll have much occasion to put it to use, but it has been noted.

They do it a few times a year. It usually coincides with special dates like the anniversary of the National Park Service, or things like that.

Well, there’s also the method of having part of the Massa collapse beneath your feet and granting you the TOT Style gravity assisted express vertical descent entry experience.

However that’s not the most highly recommended mode on ingress (as it moves so quickly that one tends not to get as clear a view of all the details between the top and bottom of the cavern).

Well, you know I'm not a huge fan of the ToT. So I'd just as soon skip that one.

Always helpful, those NPS Rangers.
Did they happen to be handing out wooden stake that morning…
or is it up to the seasoned traveler to be aware of the necessity of bringing their own?

This park is strictly BYOWS.

Seems fairly obvious…
Drew is just practicing the form he’ll be using as he runs away from that giant round bolder.

All he needs is a fedora.


Always a classic.

Better than an unscheduled tour around the Big House

I can't disagree.

Mollycoddling government regulations…
Turning us into a nation of wimps.

You tell 'em, Rob!

A practical experiment and a public service combined into a single action…
Excellent use of your resources.

I'm just trying to make the world a better place.

Just stay away from the guano fritters

You'd have to be bat-guano crazy to try those.

Two very sound choices on your part.

'preciate that, Clark.

Mmmmmmm…
Roast Minstrel

He bravely ran away...

Because nothing aids a toddler’s slumber quite as well as gang signs.

Seemed to work in this case.

genus, humanus... Alice.

Never seen one of those before.

And that name just happens to translate to: Zombie Wasteland…
Convenient!

There were many stretches of roads there that felt like it.

Where all the fashionable zombies go to procure the latest in post-apocalyptic stilettos.

Only the finest will do!

Lion’s Cave?
So… then it was something to be survived rather than somewhere comforting?

Given the disposition of the wait staff...yes.

And now you have the whole enchilada. ;)

More than I could ever have bargained for!
 
As I mentioned earlier, I think the big difference between me and you on food is that you really have an appreciation for subtleties that change the flavor or texture of a dish. For me, I don't know if it's because I'm a guy or an engineer or what, but my personality is such that I like to reduce most things to their simplest form.

I don't think it's the "guy" or "engineer" part, I think it's more of a question of how you were raised. My parents are both foodies and they graduated from MIT and worked as computer programmers since the 1960s. Then again my sister did not get the same passion for food I did. I do have one story you might appreciate that will exemplify my parents geekdom.

I gave them a waffle maker a few years back after replacing my own at home. Mine was a six inch circular waffle maker while the one I gave them was rectangular. I told them that I used half a cup of batter at home and wasn't sure if I should do the same with this one that I gave them. So my mom gets out a ruler to measure the dimensions of the rectangular one. My Dad says "well R=3, so Pi (R) squared would be....." they decided that I could use half a cup of batter in the rectangular one. :laughing:

The absence or presence of lettuce doesn't really change it all that much." and also feel that I am correct. The key is in how much you think the lettuce or rice or onions changes a dish, which at its heart is a subjective argument.

This is also true. When I choose to make a new dish at home I'll often Google it and read numerous recipes for the same dish and make up my own recipe based on my favorite aspects of all of them. Some are so wildly different from the others that I often wonder how they can call it the same dish. And we didn't even get into rolled tacos vs taquitos, flautas, chimichangas, etc! :rotfl2:

We all need to be humble enough to learn, and we all need to keep a sense of humor. I could turn around and go on and on about the subtleties of golf course architecture, because I have more of a passion for that. And you could stop me and say, "Don't they all just involve whacking a little ball all over a field?" And I'm sure I could get all riled up and school you on the various intricacies of the golf course. But I should also have enough of a sense of humor to acknowledge that there is truth in the fact that, yes, no matter where I place various sand traps, in the end we're all just whacking a ball around a field.

Yes and I enjoy hassling you on the whole sports thing, but I do understand a little bit of the golfing thing. My grandfather used to golf and at the Cape house he used to whack balls into the forest. We would go out with a bucket and retrive the bass so he could do it again on another day. And sometimes he let me hit them as well. I know that you need a driver to hit the ball farther, and a putter while on the green. But I've never watched golf (or any sport) on TV, and I've never been on a course, though I drive past them all the time. LB is full of them. I think I just like your reactions when when I make stupid comments because as you said, its good to have a sense of humor and keep yourself surrounded with people whose opinions differ from yours. :teeth:
 
I don't think it's the "guy" or "engineer" part, I think it's more of a question of how you were raised. My parents are both foodies and they graduated from MIT and worked as computer programmers since the 1960s. Then again my sister did not get the same passion for food I did. I do have one story you might appreciate that will exemplify my parents geekdom.

I gave them a waffle maker a few years back after replacing my own at home. Mine was a six inch circular waffle maker while the one I gave them was rectangular. I told them that I used half a cup of batter at home and wasn't sure if I should do the same with this one that I gave them. So my mom gets out a ruler to measure the dimensions of the rectangular one. My Dad says "well R=3, so Pi (R) squared would be....." they decided that I could use half a cup of batter in the rectangular one. :laughing:

:rotfl2::rotfl: Wow, that's getting awfully specific! That is true geekdom!

I was raised to be skeptical of the hoity-toity crowd, and to find good value for the money I spend. Of course, this is subjective too.

This is also true. When I choose to make a new dish at home I'll often Google it and read numerous recipes for the same dish and make up my own recipe based on my favorite aspects of all of them. Some are so wildly different from the others that I often wonder how they can call it the same dish. And we didn't even get into rolled tacos vs taquitos, flautas, chimichangas, etc! :rotfl2:

:faint:

:rotfl2::rotfl2:

Yes and I enjoy hassling you on the whole sports thing, but I do understand a little bit of the golfing thing. My grandfather used to golf and at the Cape house he used to whack balls into the forest. We would go out with a bucket and retrive the bass so he could do it again on another day. And sometimes he let me hit them as well. I know that you need a driver to hit the ball farther, and a putter while on the green. But I've never watched golf (or any sport) on TV, and I've never been on a course, though I drive past them all the time. LB is full of them. I think I just like your reactions when when I make stupid comments because as you said, its good to have a sense of humor and keep yourself surrounded with people whose opinions differ from yours. :teeth:

Well, I enjoy hassling you about the gourmet scene, so I deserve some shots back! I have to be able to take it if I'm gonna dish it out, right?

I can appreciate a good zinger! We all need to be kept humble. Thanks for being willing to do the job for me, Alison! :rotfl:
 
Well, there's a lot going on in the Oblivious household. Julie is now officially a 4th grade teacher, full-time! She was just offered a position at the school my kids attend. We've been talking and praying about the right time for her to return to work and once again, it wasn't quite as planned. But this was a perfect opportunity that fell in her lap, so we decided to go for it while we could. As the 4th grade social studies teacher, she will be instructing the kids on...

...U.S. geography and the various 50 states. I think we can call her a subject-matter expert.

We are also leaving on our Deep South road trip at the same time! So things are going to be a whirlwind. As soon as we get back, she's going to have less than a week to set up her classroom and be ready to start the school year. As a result, we may end up canceling the last day of our trip and driving all the way back from the Carolinas just so she can have an extra day to prepare. We shall see!

Adventure is out there!

In the meantime, while I'm gone, please update your TR's slowly so I have a chance to get caught up later. And I'm going to steal an idea from @pkondz ... tell me some more about yourselves:

What are your favorite movies?

What are your favorite books?

Where do you want to travel that you haven't seen yet?

What's the best prank you ever pulled/witnessed?

If money was no object, what would be your vehicle of choice?

When are you going to be anywhere near Delaware?

Will you stop reading these TR's once we finish off the 50-state quest?

What have we missed in our travels that made you smack your head in disbelief? And, in the words of Jack from LOST, do "we need to go back"?

What's your favorite thing about Disney parks?

Everyone behave yourselves while we're gone!
 

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