National Parks and other adventures

Last time we left you with a problem to the Land’s lights. We arrived just in time to a 6^th Motel in Flagstaff where we stayed for the night. Next day we tried to find the problem but without results and we decided to go to Grand Canyon National Park, promising not to drive after the sunset.

We had a great time in Grand Canyon, looking at the beautiful panorama and go thru a part of the trial that descend to Colorado River.

Maybe we waited a bit longer in the trail because on the road to Page we encountered the sunset! After a run against time, Fabrizio drove for half an hour with only the emergency lights (the only ones working properly)!

After a restoring night in Page, in our plans was the visit of Antelope Canyon and Bryce Canyon. But, sometimes, plans don’t work as well as on paper… We arrived late for our reserved tour at Antelope (we arrived in time but the clock in the Tours Office was 10 minutes in advance!) and the only chance was to wait for the 3.30 p.m. tour… We decided to wait for it and for passing time we visited Glen Canyon Dam (I wanted to visit Hoover Dam but it’s out of our itinerary… So we take the opportunity to look at the second dam in USA).

The Antelope Canyon is a stunning show! After the visit with the trip in the Navajo Guides’ cars (Fabrizio was sad he can’t use the Land for it) we decided to stay in Page for the night but in the camping of the Glen Canyon National Park, just out of the town; a very beautiful place on Lake Powell; we were blessed with a night sky full of stars and falling stars!!

The next day we leaded to Bryce Canyon, opting for a “little” offroad trip (more than 100 kilometers) taking the road thru Johnson Canyon… We are having a good time when, unfortunately, in the middle of nowhere, we found an hole in one of the tires!

We changed it like professional pilots of Camel Trophy and arrived at the Bryce Canyon just in time for a visit and preparing the tent for the night.

And now we leaved the spectacular hoodoos of Bryce Canyon with destination Kayenta, where we plan to start our trip though Monument Valley to Moab and the Arches National Park.

From Taliesin to Flagstaff

In Phoenix we visited Taliesin West, the Biltmore Hotel (where we tasted the original Tequila Sunrise!!) and the 2 creations of Architect Paolo Soleri: Cosanti and Arcosanti.

We met the Architect, who was arrived in Arizona from Turin, and we invited him to return to Turin for trasmit his ideas to the young students...

After visiting Arcosanti we directed to Sedona, where we tested the Land in an off-road trip: simply great!

Yesterday evening we arrived in Flagstaff where we separated with Alberto and Daniele: they need to travel more rapidly to Chicago... The days passed with them was very enjoyable and funny.

After that, we visited Meteor Crater and returned to Flagstaff... Just in time! The shadows of night are coming and we discovered that the lights of the Land didn't worked anymore!

Now we have to go... Stay tuned for more news about our trip!

Arrived in Phoenix

We're in Phoenix! After a very long journey two days ago (in the Highway 10 which we came to know is a Coast-to-coast way... enormous spaces, with desertic panoramas, some little sand storm) we reached Tucson, where we met Daniele, a friend of Fabrizio who had arrived in Houston some days after us and travelling by train for reaching us here.. from now on he will travel with us.

The next day, in Tucson we visited the studio and some houses of the architect Rick Joy (very interesting buildings made with the use of earth walls) and checked the Land with a mechanic about a little problem on front right wheel and steering... Nothing to be scared about.

We continue to met interesting people, curious about the Land and very kind to us...

At 6 p.m. we leaved Tucson for Phoenix when we met with Alberto, an other friend of Fabrizio who is traveling from the West Coast to the East Coast (he buyed an old cherokee car here).

After a big meal at Burger King and a restoring night we are now ready for visiting Phoenix!

The Longest Day, The Longest Journey

I'm writing at 6 a.m.

Today will be the longest day of our trip: we are leaving Fort Davis (TX) and our final destination for the day will be Tucson (AZ), passing thru El Paso where we give the rented car back ... Just 530 miles (850 Km)!

Yesterday we tested the Land going to Marfa (22 miles from Fort Davis) and we visited the Chinati Foundation and the House of Donald Judd (the founder of Chinati).

Everything had worked well so we are now ready for the big journey!!

From Austin to Fort Davis

We have to thank a lot Yen for his help in Austin, for sharing his home with us and for guiding us in the city especially at night!!!

Before leaving Austin (it was Sunday) we had lunch with him at Rudy’s “The worst BBQ in Texas”… what a fabulous meal: the meat was delicious and the sauce was rich and tasty…very fun people there!

After lunch Yen helped me satisfying my curiosity about comic books in USA bringing us in a comic bookstore near his house. After that we greated him and left Austin for Fair Oaks Ranch, near San Antonio, where the relatives of Fabrizio live.

Our next stop was on the road to San Antonio: a big store named Cabela’s… Here Gianpaolo had something to do for his cousin…But this is another story.

Near San Antonio we met with Yen’s sister, who is also a friend of Fabrizio. We had a nice talk in a very hot starbucks café then we get again on the road to Fair Oaks Ranch.

Here the relatives of Fabrizio were waiting for us and we had a fabulous dinner: Allison your dinner was great (the best meat I have eaten in a long time)! All the family has been so kind to us and for a little while I felt like being a cousin or a far relative coming from far far away.

Next morning we had a Texan-mexican breakfast and then, after a strong wii session, we left for Fort Davis.

In Fort Davis we found Fabrizio’s Land Rover, at the mechanic’s garage and then started to prepare it for the next miles of 3overland.

from Houston to Austin

Francesco:

Siamo finalmente riusciti a connetterci ad internet quindi cercheremo di fare un maxi aggiornamento...

Da oggi inauguriamo la versione in inglese del blog in modo da essere comprensibili anche fuori dall'Italia.

We've finally got an internet connection so we will try to do a maxi update of our adventures...

Starting today we will write the english version of our blog so everyone can read it.

In the last short post we announced our arrival in Houston, TX. We rented a car (a faboulous Ford Escape... For us it's a very big car but looking around here it's just lika a Punto in Italy!) and we got a room in a hostel where we was defeat by jet lag and the tiredness of the flight and we fall completely asleep...

The next day we wake early in the morning ( me and Fabrizio at 4 a.m.!) and, after a breakfast at Starbucks we started our visit of Houston with the Brown Pavillion of Mies van der Rohe and the Museum of Fine Arts of Moneo... After the visit we take a tour in the near Cullen Sculpture Garden and the Museum of Contemporary Art (where we created the 3overland dollar!).

After that we visited the very beautiful Piano's Menil Collection and Cy Twombly Gallery...

At 4p.m. we leaved Houston and we had lunch into a Whataburger (Fabrizio suggested it with the excuse "We are in USA...We have to try all"!).

In the evening we arrived to Austin but some bad news are here waiting for us: the mechanic who have in charge the Land of Fabrizio will be on holiday the days we have planned to pick it, the hostel was full and one of Fabrizio's friend wasn't in Austin... But there isn't only bad news another friend of Fabrizio called Yen let us sleep in his apartment...we had dinner in a nice restaurant named La Condesa and then walked along 6th street full of people and girls... What a beautiful night!!!

Today we take a rapid visit in Austin and after that we are going to Fabrizio relatives home in Fair Oaks Ranch, near San Antonio.

See you later.

Siamo arrivati! We are landed!

Finalmente riusciamo a collegarci ad internet... Anche se solo per un rapido aggiornamento: siamo finalmente arrivati negli States!!
Dopo la giornata di ieri trascorsa in volo e l'arrivo a Houston sotto la pioggia... Ci sentiremo piu' avanti per un aggiornamento piu' corposo... Appena riusciremo ad avere una connessione stabile ad Internet.

See you later!