The Hemisphere Explorer is a 19 foot motorhome cab placed on a 4WD Toyota pickup chassis. The original cofiguration of motorhome was probably fine for the chassis. However, when Dad added extra gasoline and water tanks along with generator, utility box and motorcycle carrier, the weight started shredding the rear wheel bearings. Dad tackled the problem by replacing the 1/2 ton rear end with a 1 ton dually rear axle. Luckily Toyota used the same differential in the two different rear axles making synchronization possible. Dad uses the 4WD in the motorhome as a tag along tow truck to "unscrew" himself in the many off road situations the Hemisphere Explorer is faced with.
Mad Mike & Dad's travels started the summer of 2000 when they flew to Cabo San Lucas for a one week vacation. There Mike first tried snorkeling in semi tropical water. Mad Mike & Dad also took a road trip in a rental car to visit the Hotel California (of Eagles fame) in Todos Santos. Later that summer, Mad Mike & Dad took a short road trip Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico, in the Hemisphere Explorer. At the Caverns, Mike & Dad watched as thousands of bats swirled out of the cave's entrance at dusk. On their way back to San Diego, they stopped in Tombstone Arizona to pay tribute to the law makers and breakers that marked the wild west.
Later that year, Mike and his mother flew to the Hawaiian Islands where Mike got to experience snorkeling in "Real" tropical water, and act as co-pilot in a scenic helicopter flight over one of the active volcanos.
During the summer of 2001, Mad Mike & Dad took a month and a half road trip around the United States and eastern portion of Canada in the Hemisphere Explorer. During that trip Mad Mike & Dad visited 46 States along with the Provinces of New Brunswick, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. Highlights were the Grand Canyon, Four Corners, Mammoth Caves, Plymouth Rock, Walden Pond, Niagara Falls, Mount Rushmore, and some tilted merry-go-round in a mosquito infested trailer park on Prince Edward Island.
During Spring Break 2002, mad Mike & Dad took the Hemisphere Explorer on a road trip to Palm Springs, and then on to Death Valley. Highlights of the trip were the Aerial Tram Ride to the top of San Jacinto Mountain, Dinosaurs at a desert rest stop, Scotty's Castle in Death Valley, and a very fat coyote that has learned road side hand outs from tourists is far easier than hunting game in Death Valley.
Mike started the summer of 2002 by flying with family members to British Columbia, and then cruising to Alaska. With this voyage Mike had been to every State in the Union at the age of 10!
Later that summer, Mad Mike, Dad, and Aunt Jean flew to Cancun for a week. Highlights for that trip were snorkeling in the Caribbean waters off of Cozumel, Exploring the Maya ruins of Tulum, and having a baby pet monkey pee on Aunt Jean and Mad Mike during a thunder storm.
During Spring Break 2003, Mad Mike & Dad drove the Hemisphere Explorer to San Quintin and Erendira on the Pacific Coast of Baja California. Mad Mike & Dad lucked out on seafood this trip. In San Quintin an unusally strong current unearthed the deep buried clams, and rolled them onto the shore. Thousands of clams lined the beach. Clams marinaded in pepper juice was to die for. Later on that trip, Mad Mike & Dad scored lobster and crab from the local fishermen in Erendira.
During the summer of 2003, Mad Mike and Dad toured Europe. They took a charter bus through England, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Italy, and Swizerland. Highlights were London, Paris, Amsterdam, Rome, Venice, and Kaiser Premium Dark Beer Dad was able to enjoy in a little restaurant outside of Innsbruck.
Spring Break 2004 found Mad Mike & Dad in the Hemisphere Explorer visiting Aunt Fay and Uncle Rudy at their beach house in San Felipe, Baja California. They spent their days riding ATCs up and down the beach, and hunting clams on the flats during San Felipe's nortorious low tides. Mad Mike experienced a grunion run during daylight (reportedly the only place in the world this phenomenon occurs).
Mad Mike & Dad have bought tickets, and are going to Costa Rica the summer of 2004. Stay tuned for news on this adventure.
