The Adventures of Yogi and Boo #6

Part 6 The West Is The Best....Forget the Rest!

New Mexico is Known for two things, at least to Yogi n Boo it is...Billy The Kid and Trophy Elk Hunting. Seeings how neither are able to be met or done they explored Albuquerque and Santa Fe briefly and moved into the treacherous land of the rocky mountains. The road winds along a very steep row of cliffs. The weight of the high elevation literally takes your breath away. Once at 9,500 feet they stumbled across the small mountain town of Silverton. Below freezing temperatures and a long drive through the canyons the two scurried into a small bar named Pride of the West. They ordered a few drinks and sat by the roaring fire. Each time the door swung open they were reminded of the frosty night ahead. The two commented on the idea of just falling asleep by the fire but eventually braved the wintery conditions for the night.

Moab, Utah. Home of the Arches National Park. It was amazing. So beautiful! Yogi assisted Boo to the top of an arch and they carved their symbol into the delicate rock. They sat atop the adjoining stone and reveled in feeling so small in such a glorious unique place, that towered around them. Four corners was a fun stop, they stood in four states at one moment then headed to the Grand Canyon. More Canyons....just what Boo was wanting(sarcasm). They walked passed a huge Mule deer grazing in the road and into an old haunted hotel by the Canyon and watched Monday night football. At sunset they stood at the canyons edge and welcomed the day.

VEGAS! They drove over the hoover dam and to the Strip. New Nork New York Hotel was the coolest! So life like. After watching the sunset at the Strip and snapping a few family photos by the Welcome to Vegas sign they drove into California and stopped at Barstow..... The next morning they made their way to San Diego and began.....GAVIN DAYS!!!

Gavin is the most adorable 16 month old little boy in the WORLD and he LOVES his Uncle Yogi! Yogi and Boo got back to their baby wrangling roots and babysat him while his folks went to work. They also found that the secret to the Niners success is Little Gavie wearing his Niners jersey! Boo got a chance to spend some quality time getting to know Yogi’s family and enjoyed watching home movies of the bunch! The end of Gavin Days came too soon for the trio they were so sad to go and can’t wait to visit again!

Next Stop was the Marine Corps base! Spending the days with Kaydence and Hunter was tons of fun! Kayd never stops going and Hunter is a little cuddle bug! New Moon midnight premiere with Katie, Krys, Yogi n Boo! As per usual it disappointed but was a step up from Twilight. A family trip to boomers for mini golf, bumper boats, go karts and laser tag was so much fun but left Boo in alot of pain...Damn that Levaquin!!! After a sleepless night of tearful pain Boo was excited for a Marine BBQ. Krys had gotten a bear this year and planned a party to cook it up. It was yummy! Good times rolled as Zack pulled out the Rock Band and someone else brought out the Country Band! Yogi is a guitar playing Pro!!!

Patty’s!! A few days to hang with Pat and Matt, The brothers from another mother, the place where Yogi gets to be a kid again!! Tomorrow the two will leave, make a few quick stops at Yogi’s Godfather’s, Oregon to visit Boo’s Great Grandma, Frank’s DogMother and then head towards home. Thanksgiving with their babies!!!! There will be two more blogs. One written by Boo and one by Yogi! Hope you have enjoyed them all!!!!

Part 6 Pics up photobucket.com/yoginboo

The Adventures of Yogi and Boo # 4

Part 4: We the people.....

For Yogi and Boo getting to see spots where U.S History occurred is like eating Rita’s frozen strawberry custard before dinner. It is a common bond the two share. So it goes without saying that this part of the trip was an exciting one for them. All the history you can handle and then some. The two also share the love of competitive sports. Therefore Boston was a great place to start. They hit the old north church first. Sat in the box seats that line the interior and listened to the tour guide tell the tale of Paul Revere’s ride to spread the word and fight the british while Robert Newman hung two lanterns to signal to the unsuspecting villages and Patriots that the british were coming. One if by land, two if by sea. After hanging the lanterns 14 stories high, he had only seconds to descends the ladders and make a hasty escape out the back window before the british redcoats broke down the door and stormed the church.

This first stop got the goosebumps going for Yogi and Boo, they continued on to the home of Paul Revere and then on to the Bunker hill. After grabbing Yogi a cannoli that was in his words “Nothing compared to Auntie Jo’s” They headed to Harvard and found that it is only $1333 a week to attend. The must stop, Fenway Park! It was beautiful and thanks to a cute little bar they were able to see the field even though the Sox season was over :( One day they will catch a Red Sox game at Fenway....until then they always have ESPN.

Boston did hold one dramatic detail. Boo was in a t-shirt shop and exited to find a mad woman walking away with Frank! Yogi was standing where she had left the two with a shocked look on his face and a pink leash in his hand. The leash was attached to a silvery and rather large great dane. With a few not so nice words for the clearly unstable dog walker, who claimed to be helping him get over his fear of bigger dogs... Boo retrieved her puppy and politely explained that were she to touch their dog again she would have one less limb!

Stopping in Plymouth to see the world famous rock and gander at the mayflower replica, they learned of a great American mystery...No one knows what happeed to The Mayflower....With a light in their eyes they calmed their urge to launch a full scale treasure hunt for the ship and decided they must venture out to Provincetown. The landing spot of the pilgrims. Once there they stuck their feet (and paws) in the Atlantic for the first time in the same place the pilgrims did(roughly speaking). Then down to Newport, RI which was adorable and Warwick, RI. The home of TAPS aka The ghost Hunters. This began a hunt for the ghost hunters...hoping to get a pic of them for Mom! They found them to be in Danbury, CT. Once there they found they were sold out of tickets to meet them. :( So they continued on to Yale and Princeton. Princeton was by far the most beautiful of all the ivy leagues and they had now seen them all (sans Brown). Both Yogi and Boo had a childhood dream of attending Princeton and so they spread ashes. The backdrop, a castle surrounded quad with half a dozen black trees with stunning fall leaves atop.

Philadelphia. Home of America, Freedom and the Fresh Prince!! They entered Philly with Boo rapping the Fresh Prince theme song and Yogi spinning the air disks. A quick jaunt to the Rocky steps and then on to Independence Row. They started out at the Liberty Bell and found out that the rest must be done by tour only. Boo was having a bad day for pain and could not stand through tour guides long talks, they happened upon the nicest and coolest tour guide/Ranger EVER! He rummaged up a wheel chair for Boo and situated them at the front of the line with Frank. The Ranger showed them through the many sights and after the tour was finished in Independence Hall he treated them to a behind the scenes special. He let Yogi n Boo see and hold “The Key”, it is over 200 years old and was held by the greats! Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin and George Washington to name a few. The Key that opens and locks Independence hall, The very place where the Declaration was detailed, signed and argued over. Running there fingers across every banister they could, wanting to soak up its greatness, tears welled up in Boo’s eyes and Yogi’s weren’t dry either. The two just sat in the hall taking it in. Were they to allow it, the two would have gladly stayed forever. It was amazing. Just outside the Hall they spread some more ashes where Mom and Keesha could have a permanent view.

A short drive to Gettysburg, the two thought this would bring feelings as the day before did but found that sadness was more the tone. In only three days 50,000 Americans were lost and for what? Nothing. It was all something that could have been talked about and worked out peacefully but much like the issues of today... the people let it go until it was too far and words meant nothing.

D.C. Was the next big stop. Though the monuments were amazing and the allure of history compelling the two did not stay long. The people were as rude as can be and the face of America‘s demise posted everywhere. The two saw the Archives and monuments then made a promise to come back in 2012 and see it right again.

Having learned that the Sons of Liberty had not simply turned their backs on England but rather England had turned their back on the people. It was only after several untended attempts to work out their woes with the King that they decided they must be free of him. Hearing the fates of many of the signers, seeing their diaries and hopes for America they sat at the Lincoln monument, being harassed by the Rangers and wondered.....would they do it all again if they could see it now? Would they give their lives for this?

With that folks we conclude part four and the tour of American (and British) History. Hope you enjoyed part 4 and will come back for Part 5 - The South Will Rise Again....In Temperature! Thanks for all the comments! Keep em coming we love the feedback! :)

Now Up is the Photo Blogs!!! You can see our pics at: http://photobucket.com/YogiNBoo

The Adventures of Yogi and Boo #3

Part Three: Old New England

Welcome back one and all! Part three begins with Yogi and Boo following their tummies to Ann Arbor, Michigan. It was rumored that there they had “the best pastrami”. The two found the little deli filled with hungry patrons. This gave them hope. They decided to be on the safe side and split one of these “huge” sandwiches. $12 plus tax and about 10 minutes later they had eaten the disappointingly small sandwich and thought...will we ever find great food over here? Still hungry they found themselves wishing there was a Meconi’s around the block. They made their way through Ohio and to Erie, PA. Erie was a beautiful town with fall leaves a plenty and water views you could get lost taking in.

They could hear Niagara falls in the far off distance calling their names and set off in search of them. The falls are everything one expects and then some. Yes there is the water and the falls but the mist takes over you and the carefully carved rocks are nature’s artwork and the water its famed sculptors. The brave pair laughed at the required raincoats as they made their way down the elevator to the bridal veil falls. They were not however laughing anymore when drenched by the 675,000 gallons of rushing water that fell upon them. Toes frozen solid and teeth chattering, they put their “big kid” pants on and dove hand in hand under the full stream of the veil, sharing a kiss beneath it. Cold as it was they could not pry themselves from the weather lorn decks below the cascades. It was too magnificent, they stayed till frost bite began to set in.

They returned twice more to the falls. That night to see it lit with many colors. Yogi’s favorite was the red, he felt it captured the depth and power that is the falls. Boo’s was the green. With night having fallen all around it looked as black as a cauldron and the green mist, a bubbling concoction that took semblance to the Witch’s Brew. Bright and early the next morning the trio trotted down to Horseshoe Falls. There at the calm before the drop, they spread ashes. They watched them lightly flow along the water, drop delicately into the chaos only to be lifted peacefully into the mist. They couldn’t help but see the metaphor before them. The beauty of it was only exceeded by the love, laughter and kindness that Mom and Keesha brought to all they knew.

Tired and emotionally worn from the terrible loss of the niners they stopped in Saratoga Springs, NY, thinking it to only be a pit-stop. Upon awaking they saw what a truly unique town they had landed in. They explored for a while and found a little boutique where Boo introduce Yogi to Hudson Jeans. He loved them and at $155 a pair he would have to love them from a distance as Boo had for some time. Vermont, what is there to do in Vermont? Buy Patrick some maple syrup of course...and the Ben and Jerry’s Factory tour. Yogi was in heaven.... as ice cream is his favorite and testing mid week tour guides with a plethora of difficult question is his second favorite. Talk about your win win :)

New Hampshire was delightful to say the least, Portsmouth in particular. The two went to Dartmouth together. (they had always wanted to go to college together) It was in Dover that they finally struck culinary gold in the form of crepes! Silver Moon Creperie is an adorable crepe shop owned and operated by the nicest couple they have found east of Montana. The crepes were tailor made for thier taste-buds and oh so scrumptious! Boo could have stayed and ate crepes all day! One quote will stick with them for the duration of their life. “Save a waffle, eat a crepe!” Truly words to live by.

Portland, ME....Lobster...Lobster...Lobster. In a small bar by the water a kind lawyer bought Yogi a beer and offered valuable advice on Maine, Florida and Boston. On the second of the lobsters they learned the terrible fate of Frankie in a past life. He was taken down by a battalion of militant lobsters. As such he has retained an intense fear of lobsters. One look at a lobster, his eyes bulge out and in one leap he is as far from the scarlet crustacean as possible. Yogi had a lightbulb go off above his head and anytime Frank would attempt to climb on the ice box he was met by his worst fear....a lobster claw!!! Boo being the protective mommy she is, went black opts and let’s just say the the lobster claw is forever MIA. Much to Yogi’s dismay. Unfortunately the two caught a cold somewhere along the way and were feeling down and out. Frankie cried to his grammy about being sick of the car and she treated him to a room so that Yogi and Boo could rest up and Frank could stretch out. This was a much needed and appreciated gift. They slept for 12 hours after learning a hard lesson that is sure to stick. Three lobsters in one day while being sick = Not A Good Idea! I doubt either will ever have lobster again. Honorable mentions for Maine are Camden and Hallowell both villages are picturesque and the essence of New England in the fall.

The last leg of part three takes place in the witch city, Salem, MA. The place to be in October. A true Halloween town. Sadly though Salem has brought out a dark side in Frank. He is now known as....FRANKENSTEIN! He has learned to open the ice box, pull out the jug of chocolate milk, chew off the top and lap it up as it pours all over everything. He has also learned that in the event that he poops on his blankie that he get to sleep with mommy and daddy. This has resulted in many “accidents” and four trips to the laundry mat. Folks I know what you are thinking but it is not all his fault. He is undoubtedly shaken. The Frank-a-razzi has been out in droves taking picture after picture! Not to mention the loads of adoring fans constantly wanting to pet, kiss and steal him away. The pressure of being so famous at such a young age is clearly wearing on him. Yogi and Boo are going to have to beef up security as they move on to the next leg of the journey.

The U.S. History Tour! Nine states full of rich and exciting looks into the past of this once great country and the people who made it so great. Stay tuned for full coverage on it.

Yogi, Boo and Frankie were featured in the Salem newspaper eating what else? To see the unflattering pic go to:

http://salemnews.smugmug.com/date/2009-10-19/2009-10-19#686204359_98mSc

On a side note all should know that the east thus far is in desperate need for civil(Road) engineers and driving schools (preferably specializing in safety)

A person could make a fortune on How to books out here.

“Is it clear to not for dummies”

“A red light means STOP for dummies”

“How to: Read road signs and lines”

“ Yes that is a pedestrian, What to do when they enter the roadway” (hint: Stop)

"Building and repairing roadways for dummies"

The Adventures of Yogi and Boo #2

Part 2
The Curse Of
Yellowstone

Ok ladies and gents it's part two. Unfortunately the bad luck has continued on the journey with Yogi and Boo....

The duo headed towards South Dokata but happened upon Little Big Horn Battlefield. They stopped for the night deciding to hit the historic hot spot in the AM. They awoke to a series of loud noises. A wind storm had struck the land. Yogi realizing that it was "just wind" quickly fell back to sleep with ease, leaving Boo awake to enjoy the sounds of rain and wind with Frank. When morning rose they drove into the now plaque covered terrain and a feeling of connection flooded their hearts. Seeing the many headstones scattered about the rolling hills sent chills through their spines. Knowing that men on both sides had fought and died for what they believed. Who was right? Who was wrong? Custer was out numbered 6 to 1 and right or wrong bravely forged ahead in pursuit of freedom but found only deafeat. Reading the indian's gloating accounts was difficult. Yes they were protecting themselves but must they rejoice in the massacre that they performed? Must they revel in the details of easily taking the lives of 263 men... some of which their own tribesman that believed in the American way? The age old battle of cowboys vs Indians was in that moment not a tale from the movies but current and real to them.

The two then drove the distance to Rapid City, South Dakota, The wind storm following them mile for mile. Having gone about 6 days without a shower, the two decided they could not smell eachother anymore that something must be done. Diamond lifetime membership in hand they infiltrated the local best western and went for a swim, a hottub soak and finally a much needed shower! It will go down in history forever being known as "The Rebel Swim".

Smelling good and feeling even better they headed to Mount Rushmore. I'm sure you've heard of it. It is more then words can discribe. A place seething with history, nature, artistry and honor. Truly a diamond in the middle of nowhere. Seeing it from a distance was eyecandy but standing below it makes you feel as though breathing might ruin it, so u don't. Talking might make it disappear, so you whisper. Looking up at four of the worlds most determined and brilliant men, warms your heart and inspires you to be more today then you were yesterday. Yogi's eyes met hers and she nodded. No words were neccessary she knew what he was thinking, this spot below the mountain was where they would spread some ashes. The two took out a satchel of mixed ashes half Mom and half Keesha. With Boo holding one corner holding back tears and Yogi holding the other with a brave smile across his face they tipped it over and let the wind take them. As they did the wind picked up, taking with it their beloveds. The ashes riding up the mountain in the wind said everything that neither Yogi nor Boo could express in words. Mount Rushmore wil forever posess a spot in the hearts of Yogi and Boo.

A quick drive through North Dakota and into Minesota they landed in Minneapolis. They spent their time in the Mall of America. Boo tried on many designer duds for Yogi but the two had to exit too soon as Boo's muscles couldn't keep up with her shopping euphoria. Still she couldn't help but wish that her Toots was with her. So many stores full of pink, purple and Aquamarine outfits for her little darling to love, even a Barbie store! She would have loved every second! Then Boo spotted what her Little Man would have flipped for... Roller coasters adorned with spongebob, backyardigans and Jimmy Neutron! The boy would have gone on every ride fearlessly with his Big Sis.

The two spent Sunday in a friendly sports bar and watched the Niners wipe the floor with the Rams while sipping Bloody Mary's and Caribbean Teas. Tearing themselves away from the lure of Minneapolis they went to Madison, WI. A must stop for the pair, it was the old college stomping grounds of Yogi and Boo's favorite and albeit only brother in law. It was very friendly and welcoming as he had discribed. The pair found another sports bar to catch the historic game. Brett (older then dirt) Farve beat his old team the Green Bay Packers. It is always an amazing weekend when the Niners win and the Packers lose :P

The two spent the next day in Madison,WI at a ford dealer... I know what you are thinking " didn't you pay $100 to hear that it was bad gas?" Well big suprise, they were wrong, or scamming unsuspecting travelers? You make the call. After two more hours... This ford dealer had located and fixed the problem. Jiffy lube had botched the air filter replacement thus killing the mass airflow sensor thingy. "sorry it must be replaced." goodness! This is the last thing their already tight budget needed.... Only $530 (what!? :0) and they were on the road again. A big thanks to the very kind, professional and knowledgable staff at Capitol Ford for the free sticker and actually fixing the problem :)

Milwaukee! The two found a nice spot to park and rest. They laid back and fell asleep to Dogma playing in the background. Boo was startled by a bright light flashing through the windows. Waking up, Yogi peeked thru the curtain and saw.....Cops. He put on warm clothes and steped out into the ever stalking wind storm to speak with the 5-0. After 20 minutes of Boo being asked if she had been kidnapped or was she a prostitute they were satisfied that this was not an amber alert situation or a business exchange and left them to slumber. The next morning the road life and mishaps had gotten the best of them and they had a tif. Then got to the gym and went separate ways for alone time. Yogi doing cardio and weights, Boo water arobics. Boo saw that yogi was done and headed under the lap dividers to exit the awkward shaped pool. Not knowing how close she was to the edge she opened her eyes under the water. Levaquin strikes again, her poisoned vision saw only blur in what looked like the distance. So she put all of her might into a forward motion and SLAM her face hit the sandpaper siding and then her shoulder. This was the breaking point for Boo. So much had gone wrong she couldn't imagine what was next. She made her way to the showers collapsed and let it all out. She cried in that shower for a good 20 minutes before sucking it up and moving on from the past.

Needless to say the two were not sad to leave Milwaukee and headed for Kenosha. They tripped around with Frank and picked up some Wisconsin chesse curds. Having thouroughly worked through their argument the two watched a flick and hit the hay.

The next morning it was time for Chicago, land of Cccrrraazzyy drivers and bad parking. I don't mean racecar driving like So Cal. There they have a kind of finesse and control to it. In Chicago it is more like chickens with their heads removed behind the wheel of a BMW! Worst of which was the cab drivers! Not feeling the vibe of Chicago they decided to continue on to Notre Dame. The two flaunted their best Irish accents and hit the campus chanting Rudy and accusing passerbys of not really being Irish at all.

After finding a favorite childhood treat, enjoying a day of laughter, the car being fixed and Boo having made great progress in her book. The two couldn't help but think that perhaps the tides had changed.... that the curse of Yellowstone as they call it had finally passed. Only time will tell for the two road bandits.

Stay tuned for Part 3 and Thanks for Reading =)

The Adventures of Yogi and Boo #1

Part One: The Ignored Signs

After a long hard day Yogi and Boo were discussing what they are doing with their lives. Yogi was training to become a cop and Boo writing a book series. They were talking about where he should apply and how 5 months in the academy is going to be long and trying. That afterwards he is going to be patrolling the streets on a modest salary and they will be on a budget, not able to do much.

A little light bulb lit up above Boo's head. If Yogi is training on his own for now and Boo is writing her books on her laptop, why are they stuck here!? "why not take this time Yogi? Let's go for a drive, A journey to No where, Everywhere and Anywhere! Let's take the long way home." Boo explained with excitement!

"what about my training?" Yogi asked. "Easy! We will get a gym membership to one of the gyms that are everywhere and you can train there. We will go to every state we have never been to."

"Ok I'm in." Yogi said. Just like that they organized their savings, clothes and camping gear and set off with frank the tank along for the ride. Their first stop Chelan. It is known for apples, cherries and O yea that huge beautiful blue lake! They visited some family for the night and headed out the next morning. With two sets of ashes to sprinkle at each of the most amazing places they were to find along the way. Yogi's mother and Keesha the dog wonder.

Next stop Idaho where they drove alot and had square ice cream, Frank the tank loved it! Then it was on to Missoula, Montana they were both smitten with it's charm and homey feel. Next stop was Butte, Montana. I know what you are thinking and yes she was a Butte! The people were so friendly and made for great conversation over breakfast.

They hit the road and headed for Jackson Hole, Wyoming. When they arrived Boo was speechless, it was such an adorable town! They drove out to the Grand Teton national park and not 200 feet into it, there stood in the middle of the road, a 6x6 bull elk. Boo hurried for the video camera and zoomed in on the horns. It was so exciting to see and so unexpected! The Tetons were majestic and breathtaking at sunset! The next morning they awoke bright eyed, bushy tailed and ready for Yellowstone.

First stop of the day was old faithful, true to her name she was faithful... going off about 90 minutes after her last blow. Then up to the thermal pools, they were stinky but beautiful. Their cameras filling up and there minds taking mental note after mental note they attempted to go north. Stopping into a ranger station and finding a herd of elk in the river they took it all in for a while then moved on to find They were blocked by road construction one way and fire the other way.

This probably should have seemed like two clear signs that this was not a place to be going. Not to these road warriors, they took the four hour detour around. They stopped in Bozeman Mt to gas up and get the old changed then hit the road to the north end of the park. Upon arrivig they found a cute little town that had elk walking thru it. One big bull was leading the herd. Frank wanted to play with the elk, the bull wanted to challenge Frank. While they watched yellowstone at sunset and Yogi talked with three bull elk via bugle, They noticed the car was acting strange...sputtering and stalling.

So they set off the 100 miles back to Bozeman, while driving through on a cold, dark montana road Boo was typing away when suddenly she felt Yogi swerve the car into oncoming traffic. She looked up and saw in front of them, three buck standing in their lane. She watched almost as if in slow motion... one of the deer panicked and ran towards their car, a truck was in the lane they now occupied and Yogi was watching the scene with all of his consentration. The buck tried to shift course at the last second but it was too late. His head hit the passenger fender, then the side mirror and finally the pavement. He bounced up quickly and finished his interrupted journey across the highway.

Boo realized that had Yogi not reacted in the Andretti fashion that he did, those deer would have come through the windsheild and left the traveling trio possible without life. With a few hugs and calls home to say I Love You they made their way to Bozeman and spent the night in the snowy town. Awoke the next morning and paid $100 to be told that they had "bad gas" and to let it run it's course! My friends customer service is dead and gone.

But As they say in the Biz, the show must go on. So Yogi and Boo shaken and a little more thankful for life continue on and say goodbye to Yellowstone, Wyoming and Montana.

Thanks for reading =)

Part Two coming soon...