Generalissmo & Jenny Karankawa

Generalissimo JennyKarankawaGoWest

Generalissmo & Jenny Karankawa

Generalissimo and Jenny Karankawa have teamed up to take on the Pacific Northwest (and Utah and the Grand Canyon). The pair first met back in 1997 under the banner of St. Thomas, when Generalissimo was a fierce fencer and Karankawa an aspiring actress (of all things).

Karankawa's namesake comes from the Texas Gulf Coast tribe that was wiped out in the 1800's, primarily by the French pirate Lafitte. Little is known about the tribe, except that the men were spectacularily handsome at nearly seven feet tall while the women were only a mere five feet and often referred to as short and squatty. It is for the latter Karankawa won her name.

Generalissimo--get it?--General-Elyse-imo earned her nickname for being able to mobilize massive amounts of people for game nights and delicious dinners. Generalissimo, starved for travel/vacation after a long teaching year (and 6 weeks of summer school), heard mention of a road trip one night after writer's group. Grandiose travel plans were hatched and executed within two weeks. A last minute road trip with a gazillion 'I-want-to-go-to-there' locations? Generalissimo was all over this travel adventure! Rafting, redwoods, and camping, oh my!

Generalissimo and Karankawa are embarking on their first foray July 12, 2009 at 6:20 a.m. ... which we can now add was WAY too early.

Farewell, My Vacation - Texas Red Says "Goodbye"

North America » United States » Texas » Houston August 2nd 2009

San Francisco

Generalissimo JennyKarankawaGoWest

Well, kids, it’s over. Texas Red has returned home to H-Town and his girlfriend, pony-sized puppy, air conditioning, and Tex-Mex. What more can you ask for? Oh, I don’t know, mountain vistas, cool and fresh air, towering trees, green cities, damn-good coffee, prime cycling trails, the Pacific Ocean? It’s too bad you can’t bring your vacation home with you—besides pictures, shot glasses, magnets, memories, and whatnot. A lot of good times were had; even more miles were flown and driven. Needless to say, this was less a vacation than a marathon. So much to see and do, two weeks being hardly enough time to finish the task. The good news is that there’s incentive to return. San Francisco was destination numero uno for me and my girlfriend, C. Visiting the City by the Bay was like ... read more

Lone Idiot Kayakers Take on the Emerald Isle - Three Nights in Tahoe

North America » United States » Nevada » Lake Tahoe July 30th 2009

Tahoe Sandy Beach

Generalissimo JennyKarankawaGoWest

"Lake Tahoe is one of the few places on earth where people feel an emotional response just by looking at it. Yosemite Valley, the giant sequoias, the Grand Canyon, a perfect sunset on the Pacific Ocean ... these are a few other sights that occasionally can evoke the same response. But Tahoe often seems to strike the deepest chord." - Tom Stienstra, a guide to MOON Tahoe Camping & Hiking We came across this passage en route to Tahoe, driving Hwy 5 from Crater Lake. What we found startling in it was that not only did it list every destination in our trip, but that we had discovered this ourselves on the Pacific ocean only two days before. Our tickets and itinerary for this 24-day-ride were bought and planned on June 30 (we left July 12). ... read more

We don't need men to camp-One night in Crater Lake, OR

North America » United States » Oregon » Crater Lake July 29th 2009

Wizard's Hat

Generalissimo JennyKarankawaGoWest

Crater Lake was our first camping experience without men. No Juan Rambo to wake us with hot coffee and a brush up with mountain lion/bear survival skills. No Texas Red and splitting a bottle of wine three ways--the bottle was up to us this time. Building a fire was all ours. Scaring the bears with the manliest and growliest yawps we could muster was our task alone. Juan Rambo told us and we quote, "What I like to do is pick up a large boulder and then smash it because it makes a lot of noise." Umm. Thanks Juan Rambo, but we might not be able to lift the giant boulders! Perhaps we could instead go into cheerleader formation and look taller and scarier than a bear that way. Bears in the campground? Who cares? J. ... read more

It's Hot: Home for 2 Nights in Seattle

North America » United States » Washington » Seattle July 28th 2009

Seattle Aquarium

Generalissimo JennyKarankawaGoWest

We rode an enormous ferry into Seattle from Kingston with the wind in our hair. After shower-less camp sites, we were delighted to be received in a cozy Seattle bungalow by the most gracious and entertaining of hosts, K and G and their two adorable beagles, George and Elroy. Both dogs are sweet boys. Elroy is charming, but he has an amazing reach that allows him to gobble up the insides of sandwiches in progress when one turns their back to reach for the mustard. He was quite pleased with himself, but so were we to be in a real home, no rocky tent floor; instead there were hot showers, laundry, filtered drinking water and lovely hostesses. Our first night we dined on awesome Thai food with K and G after a short stroll through the ... read more

The Olympic Shore

North America » United States » Washington » Olympic National Park July 26th 2009

JK on 2nd Beach - happy to be out of the car

Generalissimo JennyKarankawaGoWest

You will feel like you're standing at the edge of the world as you search for the horizon on the Olympic shore. Here, everything is wild and smells like Christmas. Fog clings to every surface and breathes a humidity into the air that creates a skin of sweat. The haze crowds even the sun from the sky, sending down the faintest, soft white light to the sandy beaches. And before the tall and dense forests of Washington rise from the shore, a boneyard of fallen trees bridges the way, the wood gray and waterworn. Bumbling and tired, we spent the day at 2nd Beach in La Push. Despite the clouds and humidity, Jenny Karankawa, Generalissimo, and Texas Red suspended all suspicion (and distilled the Twilight fever), clambering over the salty trunks to explore the beach and ... read more

The Accidental Twilight Zone

North America » United States » Washington » Forks July 25th 2009

By the pricking of my thumb something wicked this way comes

Generalissimo JennyKarankawaGoWest

So ... this is how we came to experience a little known town in the Olympic Peninsula named Forks. You will notice our cameras went missing and the events of the night of the 25th have largely been documented in drawings (as more actual renditions may be too difficult to bear). The events that transpired are largely Jenny Karankawa's fault and the Lonely Planet guide that her roommate gave to her. You see, the Olympic Peninsula is DESOLATE. There are no towns. Except two. Forks and Port Angeles - stop if you know where this is going because we really didn't see it heading there. Lonely Planet recommended an excellent, excellent campsite called Mora, only a stone throw away from the Pacific. Sadly, as sometimes happens with last minute travel arrangements, Mora was full for that ... read more

Portland

North America » United States » Oregon » Portland July 23rd 2009

Photo 17

Generalissimo JennyKarankawaGoWest

July 23d- Ahh Portland. Driving up highway 101 with the twists, curves and coastal climbs was Generalissimo's dream come true. But if you had to drive a windy road, you'd want a member of Team Rambo/Generalissimo at the wheel. Texas Red and J. Karankawa felt like they were kidnapped by Speed Racer. Only Speed Racer's I-pod was full of Iron and Wine, Pixies, M. Ward, Patsy Cline, George Jones and Neutral Milk Hotel. Portland is a town that believes in yielding to pedestrians and bicycles--a big city that believes in keeping it small town. Restaurants had veggie friendly options, many boasted local produce, free-range meat for the carnivores, and organic veggies for the veggie. Portland is the mecca for microbreweries and one favorite of the trio was the all-organic Roots. Mmmm...beer. There was even a Beer ... read more

Generalissimo samples some organic brew at Roots

Hugging Trees Along the Redwood Coast

North America » United States » California » Humboldt Redwoods State Park July 20th 2009

Generalissimo lost in the woods - Humboldt

Generalissimo JennyKarankawaGoWest

July 20th - 22nd Before reading, we ask you to consider the height of the following: The Egyptian Sphinx: 66 feet Sistine Chapel: 67 feet The Roman Colosseum: 144 feet The Leaning Tower of Pisa: 183 feet Tall Tree of Humboldt State Park: 350 feet (that's just 100 feet shy of Kuhfu's great pyramid) In two days we lost ourselves in the lush forest floors of northern California beneath the dizzying treetops that spread out into a jeweled yellow and green cathedral canopy. Our usual quotes are below, but we left this one brief as it's difficult to express the unearthly magnificence of these giants ... (disclaimer, if you had a moment of reverence, it's about to be over). Texas Red: "I'll be fine. I've got a sleeping bag, a compass and my pants are hot." ... read more

Pushing Buttons in San Francisco

North America » United States » California » San Francisco » Alcatraz July 19th 2009

Trio on the San Fran Wharf

Generalissimo JennyKarankawaGoWest

July 18th -19th After a somewhat delirious drive into San Francisco the night of the 18th, Generalissimo and Karankawa rested up at the Cow Hollow Inn (which was an awesome suggestion, thank you Kate!). Upon waking in this beautiful--and VERY cold--city, we were stunned by the lack of nature. SF has been the first major city stop (we are electing to forget about Las Vegas--it's not like it's a real city anyway). Don't get us wrong, the rolling streets and spectacular architecture were totally worth the brief glimpse, but we missed camping and our personal nature chef, Juan Rambo. Soon, however, we were joined by Texas Red--the Gulf Coast Shooter (not guns ladies, don't get excited, just a Nikon). We used the one day in SF to peruse the city (Karankawa took on the driving ... ... read more

Leaving Las Vegas

North America » United States » Nevada » Las Vegas July 17th 2009

Golden Nugget

Generalissimo JennyKarankawaGoWest

July 17th While we waited for the dish sink our last morning at the Grand Canyon after a crazy-gourmet veggie-egg-hash brown scramble, Adam from Pearland overheard our plans to head to Las Vegas that day. He and his posse had stopped in Vegas prior to the Grand Canyon. In Vegas, Adam and Co. asked themselves why they were fighting and grumpy and it wasn't until they reached the Ponderosa shade of their Grand Canyon campsite that they breathed a sigh of contentment and peace. Our Las Vegas hotel, Main Street Station Hotel, Brewery and Casino was not a bad deal, except Yunkyard was definitely going to need a kennel. No way even Juan Rambo could sneak a dog into a casino and upstairs to the room even if we had the right-sized suitcase. Jenny Karankawa put ... read more

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