We arrived back in San Francisco, will post more in the next few days after sorting through the 40 gigs of photos and videos we shot.
One thing we learned was sadly internet radio in the car isn’t ready for prime time in many parts of the country- there just isn’t reliable mobile internet service in many locations still.
However, on the big interstates, we did have nearly continuous coverage, which was pretty cool. But the smaller Interstate highways, like many parts of I40, didn’t have continuous coverage and hence weren’t too useful for internet radio.
We went to Zion National Park yesterday, and spent the night there. Playing Drone Zone and watched the sun set over the rocks. Today, we’re going to hike a few miles around to see the “must see” sights and take a bunch of pictures. Then hit the road again.
Very little internet connectivity in Zion; took an hour just to download email in the lobby of the Zion lodge; iPhone has no service at all, so we couldn’t listen to SomaFM live and had to use a pre-recorded set from the iPod.
Last night we arrived in Page, AZ, on the shores of Lake Powell. We arrived here for sunset Wednesday night after driving much of the day from Farmington.
We made several stops: Four Corners and a detour through the dirt road that goes through the bottom of Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, which straddles Utah and Arizona. It’s pretty awe inspiring to be underneath these thousand foot high sandstone buttes.
Love the local FM station here in Page: free “classifieds” they read over the air every hour. You can either call them or “drop by the station” if you have something you want them to broadcast. That station is truly what a local radio station should be.
Next big stop: Zion National Park.
There is something cool about seeing towns you never even knew existed. Last night we ended up in a place called Farmington, New Mexico which is the first of the “middle of nowhere” places we’ve been to that is thriving, even with the somewhat recent addition of 2 Walmarts on either end of tiwn!
This is a small low-rise city full of wacky (and/or unique) small businesses (e.g. an optical place had two 20-foot tall palm trees made of christmas lights as decorations out front) as well as a moderate number of chain stores (Home Depot, Safeway, Lowes) all existing in harmony, and all seeming to flourish.
Apparently this is a big center for “the oil and gas industry” as the man at the motel told us, incredulous at our ignorance. That also explains all the people asking where the Chevron meeting was taking place.
We had dinner at Three Rivers Brewing Company downtown. 10+ microbrews, great food. And they also own a Pizza place next door. Maybe we’ll go there for breakfast tomorrow?
Back on historic Route 66, spending the night in Santa Fe, NM.
We departed Austin this morning, drove most of the day until we made it to Lubbock, TX. Not much going on here in the birthplace of Buddy Holly. Tomorrow we head to Santa Fe, NM, and after that a detour to Bryce Canyon, Utah.
One final night of SXSW Music. We depart Austin tomorrow.
Rusty’s picks for this evening at SXSW:
8pm Nosaj Thing at Speakeasy (Congress between 4th and 5th)
9pm Machinedrum at Speakeasy
9:30pm Dieselboy at La Zona Rosa (Big venue, probably packed, 4th and Rio Grande)
10pm Felix Cartal at Radio Room Patio (on Sixth)
10pm Yelle at Emo’s Main Room (sneak in through Emo’s Jr if the line is long)
11pm Longview at Cedar Street Courtyard (with Ulrich Schnauss on Keyboards) (208 W 4th St near Colorado)
11:20pm The Crystal Method at La Zona Rosa
1am MSTRKRFT at Radio Room Patio
