Urban Spaceman: March 2011

Here goes a rather large update:

St George, Utah

My fifth and final project for ACE was to be trail building and maintenance near St George, Utah. It was another 8 day project, though the drive there took around 7 hours, so we only worked the six days in between (a comforting thought). The work itself was OK – not only did we create new trails, we also improved existing ones and removed others not wanted by the project partner. We mostly used picks, shovels and a special rake called a McLoed (just kept making me think of Highlander, which then became its nickname. That and 'Prince Of The Universe'*).

We were working at the Red Cliffs, so we got to see this more or less every day:

Which was nice.

There's not much that was so special about the first few days – or even the whole project. The only bit of the work I really enjoyed was the rock work. This came from my experiences in Tonto Creek – rock work is not only fun but you also feel so much of a sense of achievement because you can see the difference you've made. We moved this one rock with just three people and one rockbar – it was bloody huge!

We DID see the extremely rare desert Tortoise. This particular one is only found in this part of the world, and are fast becoming outnumbered by foreign species.

We finished everything the project partner wanted a couple of days faster than she expected. So she punished us. The last two days we had to drive out to a well-used trail (from a car park, up a hill to some ancient native rock drawings – more on that later) and install culverts. Culverts are the plastic tube things you see under footpaths – they stop the water going on the footpath and let it flow down the hill.

We all hated the experience. Not only was it pissing it down most of the day, we were all so bloody tired. We'd had a tough few days of work, most of us were battered and bruised and we were a person down (though not like she was missed. She was faking an injury {as in she kept changing which foot she was limping on} and she was such a miserable shit). My back had been playing up for a few days, which made it hard to carry stuff, my knee hurt and I hit myself in the other leg with a pick-axe (OUCH). The site myself and Dan were working on, we dug into the trail and met bedrock a few inches down. We tried to get through some of it, but we barely made a scratch. So we decided to put in the culvert and fill it in. It took easily 30 wheelbarrows of sand before it was finished – Dan and I nearly had a breakdown, because it was just never perfect. Every time it was “just one more barrow.... here” then “...... and another here”. Never-ending torture; we were at the same site for a day and a half.

Finally, we were finished on it. Them last 2 days were my worst on any project. I was just so done with it!

Anyway, the following Friday we rented a car for the day and took a day trip to The Grand Canyon. Saw this on the way:

which was weird.

The Grand Canyon is so massive. We were at the South Rim. Your first sight of it is just – wow. It is so incomprehensibly huge. You can't quite grip how far or big the landscape ahead of you is.

We hiked down the South Kaibab trail in the hope of bumping into the ACE crew working on it – there were a few friends on that crew that we wouldn't see again – sadly we didn't have much time with the car and had to turn back after an hour or so, so we had to turn back. Besides, it was bloody steep.

Anyway, here's some pictures of the Grand Canyon:

Huge.

We had a large gathering of people out on Saturday as a big farewell, which was a great night. The next morning – Sunday 13^th – I got a lift to Vegas with Dan and his flatmate Ben (they've a holiday planned) in a blue Fort Mustang Convertible. Awesome car!

I got an amazing deal and stayed at the MGM Grand for only $74!! I loved the weird looks I got checking in with a big heavy rucksack! I'm not going into what happened that night as a) I can't remember much and b) as they stay 'What happens in Vegas, STAYS in Vegas'! Though I will tell you I woke up on my birthday with a receipt for winning $1 at the Bellagio at 3am, and someone's jaunty hat (NO memories of either of these!)

After I met Dan and Ben at their hotel for a dirty buffet breakfast, I opened all my lovely cards (thank you all!!), we had a wander around Caesar's Palace, then Dan and Ben had to go to Fresno that night, so they dropped me off at the MGM. I picked up my bag, got a taxi to the airport and rented a car.

It was 5 o'clock, my last hour in Vegas, so I was determined to enjoy it, so I went to the Welcome To Las Vegas sign and got the obligatory Mohammed picture (see above), and one of me and my jaunty new hat:

I then drove back into town and parked at the Bellagio, walked through the casino and back outside to see the fountains one last time on the half hour. The music playing was Singin' in the Rain. I bloody love the fountains! This was probably my favourite show of all the ones I saw. You HAVE to see the fountains for yourself! When Singin in the Rain finished I headed back to the car through the casino and put my last dollar in a slot machine – I won $20!! As I was driving out, I had to go past the fountains again, and luckily the traffic lights took quite a long time to change, as this time the music was Time To Say Goodbye by Andrea Boccelli and Sarah Brightman. Just the most perfect way to leave Vegas!

My last hour in Vegas on my birthday was absolutely fantastic!

Bye Vegas; will do!

My birthday ended with the drive back to Flagstaff – and a long wait to get the train to New York. It was at 4.40 am. I bumped into a couple of mates on their way home from a night out and gave them a life home, where they plied me with coffee and good conversation. Then I handed in the car and jumped on the delayed train to Chicago. 30 hours on a train – rather uneventful. Twas a nice journey. American travel appears to be far superior to British rail travel (obviously). You get comfortable seat that recline farther than airplane seats, an incredible amount of leg room – TWO leg rests! A lounge carriage with big windows on the ceiling and the sides so you can see America passing by. The only slight disappointment is the latter – the views on this route don't even come close to the views on the Johannesburg to Cape Town train!

Sadly I did a silly thing and left the charger for my phone in my checked baggage. Rather stupid, as the battery was low anyway, so I didn't get any photos. Bummer. Also, my rucksack was being transferred to the New York train for me, so I couldn't access it when we got to Chicago.

Ah Chicago. I only had 6 hours, which was annoying. It does seem like quite a nice city, but I only got the chance to wander around the general vicinity of the train station. Though I did find a nice English pub on Adams St called The Elephant and Castle! Steak and Chips and a decent pint, this one probably on of the better meals I'd had all trip.

Later on Wednesday I cought the train to New York. It was quite late, but my sleeping pattern has all been messed up lately so I watched a few films on the laptop before having a good few hours sleep.

Until I was woken up by an armed Immigration office asking for my passport.

Completely bemused, very groggy and a little bit terrified, the exchange went something like this:

IMMIGRATION OFFICER

Sir, wake up. Excuse me, Sir! Are you a US Citizen?

IAN

(still mostly asleep and a bit confused)

Ay? What? Yes. Er. No. UK Citizen.

IMMIGRATION OFFICER

May I see your passport please sir?

IAN

Yeah, hang on.

I preceded to fumble about the pockets of my jumper. Found it.

IMMIGRATION OFFICER

You sure been a lot of places.

IAN

Yep.

The Immigration officer pays particular attention to the Mozambique visa taking up a full page.

IMMIGRATION OFFICER

Where's your stamp for this trip, sir? I can only find 2004 and 2005

*Slight amount of panic*

IAN

Errr... it's just there.

Immigration officer goes a bit quiet as he examines my passport. This moment feels like it goes on forever. Several things are going through my head: What's going on? Something's wrong. I'm going to get thrown out the country. I'm so bloody tired...

IMMIGRATION OFFICER

Time's running out my friend. Thank you.

He gives me back my passport and moves on. Relief!

While I'm wondering what that was all about he's already moved onto the person across the aisle from me, who is from Sierra Leone. The officer wasn't satisfied with his passport, so asks the guy to collect his bags and come with him, as his boss wants to let the train go. Five minutes go by and the Sierra Leone guy wanders back onto the train, no sign of trouble.

And then we got to New York!

Which is where I am now, so seeing as I am in mid-experience it doesn't feel right banging on about it for hours...

In which case I'll post some pictures: