Road Trip

We just returned from what's turning out to be our annual road trip to visit family in Tucson and Boise. Traveling nearly 2500 miles in our '93 Jeep with 212K miles on it through Arizona, Utah, Idaho, and back south through Nevada and Arizona in 18 days. A few quick observations.

• People in the US eat a lot of food, and it shows. Restaurant portions are huge and what is with all the bacon?
• People in the US seem to be afraid of almost everything from strangers to obscure diseases. Maybe it's being constantly exposed in the media to every possible danger and risk including the constant barrage of pharmaceutical ads.  With all the random shootings maybe the fear is justified. Get a grip people, turn off the TV and go for a walk.
• Utah is a beautiful place and it looks very prosperous. They seem to be doing something right there.

• It's hot up North this summer and there are a lot of range fires. Global warming is here.
• People in the States don't smile very much. People on the streets and in their cars seem either angry or depressed. What with the economy and the political mess they may have a reason.
• It's expensive in the States. Hotels, gas, restaurants, even a drink in a bar cost a lot more than in Mexico. Not to mention health care, even with a job that has "good" insurance you can be out thousands of $ if you get sick.

We like to travel and had a good time seeing some parts country where we haven't been before but it was good to be back home on the boat and in laid back Mexico. Now back to work on the boat.