The End of the Trail

Folks have been on my case to gather the loose ends. Today (the 29th)is exactly a month since we began Mimi and Grandpa's Magical Mystery Tour. For the past few days we have been busy getting retrained for the life "not on the road". Lately we have spent so much time living out of a suitcase and eating out of a box that our kitchen seems like a foreign country. ("Where do we keep...?")

Let me say without any reservation that it was a great trip - no accidents, illnesses, muggings or anything of the like. It was all we had hoped for and more. Ready to be disappointed by all the hype of television programs, magazine articles, brochures and testimonials of friends and strangers on the street we were still pleasantly surprised at every turn by the beauty and grandeur of our country. God's hand is surely in all of it. We thank Him for our safe journey and the opportunity to have see so much of it while on this trip.



Interested in the final tally ?? Just some fun facts:


In 27 days -


9,169 miles


28 gasoline fill ups - the average mpg -24.8


23 states visited - not counting PA


20 different hotels - that's also 20 different soaps, shampoos, conditioners , shower pressures and fixtures (some states put the Hot on the "other side!) - also 20 different key card entry systems, not to mention room numbers to keep current and the location of the ice machine, or the bathroom for that matter


Here might be the place to mention that when you go on a trip with your spouse you must keep in mind that the only time you are apart is during trips to the restroom. Hotel bathrooms don't count. Restaurants, museums, etc. and the like... Just food for thought . Depending on your bladder...... 27 days x _?_ bathroom trips x minutes = time alone. You do the math.

10 rolls of film - yes, the old fashioned kind (and the 250 pictures are great and already in an album!) We have digital pictures too, so many more than we posted. Believe me. About an hour of movies were taken too. Haven't watched them yet - that reminds me -I must get Dramamine.

8 time zone changes - back and forth - back and forth

We located 49 out of 50 state license plates (that illusive Hawaii) /+ 8 Canadian/Mexico

81 meals on the road - ranging from Cheerios and oatmeal in our hotel room courtesy of a Hot Pot and a cooler, some free continental breakfasts, some picnics made with provisions from our "box in the back", to MacDonald's, Subway or Wendy's, or to experiencing the local culture at "Pickle's Place" , the Rte. 66 Diner or the Sky City Restaurant atop the Space Needle in Seattle.

Did you know we never found a salad bar in a grocery store?

At least 2 doz. bags of M&M's consumed - 99.9% by Major Tom - but never before 9:30 AM . He was suffering from Tastey-Kake withdrawal too.

Our favorite spots?? Let's say Top 3 - For me - Bryce Canyon in Utah, the Going to the Sun Highway in Glacier National Park and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon as far as natural beauty. Man made? Maybe the Lincoln museum, the tour at Taliesin West in Phoenix, the Pike Market in Seattle (what a colorful place!) - so many to choose from. . On a serious note - I would have to mention the Oklahoma City Memorial and Slave Haven in Memphis as being very worthwhile. On a totally different scale - the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

For Major Tom - he agrees with Bryce Canyon, the Grand Canyon in general and that area called the "Breadbasket of America", and as for man made: the Cass Scenic Railroad, Truman's home and the city of Memphis. You see? something for both of us - something for the individual.



For those interested in more of the logistics:

Keep in mind, we had reservations for all our overnights. Places like Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon should be booked as far in advance as possible (and any excursions you want to add). I had a three ring binder equipped with plastic inserts holding each different hotel reservation and any special information for the area we were visiting.

We had two coolers with us - one for the day's lunch or snacks and drinks, and a larger one with ingredients for sandwiches, etc. - things we wanted to stay cold so we didn't open it unless we needed to. We bought ice along the way at a variety of prices.

We each had a "carry-in" suitcase with toiletries and overnight things, unmentionables, two or more changes of clothing and medicine. (Actually, I had to take a separate bag for all my medicines and supplements......oye.) Then we had a huge (30"?) suitcase with more clothes. Remember, we were going during what we thought would be the changing of the seasons. How could we know we would be experiencing record heat ! Anyway - every couple of days we would bring that suitcase in and switch things around.

We had planned on doing laundry at about three locations. (We took detergent and softener sheets with us - they charge for those things you know - $1.00 here and a $1.00 there...)and each load is 1.50 to wash and $1.50 to dry.) We had a small square laundry basket with us that came in handy for laundry, of course, but during the rest of the trip housed our heavier coats and sweatshirts, etc.

In closing - This trip was intended for us - to see the things on our list. ..to get to some states we had not been in before, to see places we had always wanted to see that were of the top priority. If we never get to go again... Some people have asked ... "Did you see__ or ___?" and I have to say "No___we ..."


Some have wondered why we seemed to go to great lengths to "avoid" California and Nevada. Not really - we have been to California (San Francisco, San Diego, Santa Barbara, the Palm Springs and Indian Wells area (a number of times)to name a few. And we have been to LasVegas at least half a dozen times (with a trip to Hoover Dam). I liked San Antonio, TX. but it is such a big state to cover on a trip with so many other destinations. We've been through Colorado ..... so you see - we planned this one for us!

We know that there is more to see and maybe we will get to do this again. If we are able, what would we put on that itinerary?? I'd love to see Crater Lake in southern Oregon, Devil's Tower in Wyoming, maybe the Great Lakes. I know Hubby wants to go to Maine and if that's on the plan, I want to get to Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia. Have to get our passports ready!



I do have a word of caution. Probably in using an unsecured site (one of those 20 hotels?) our credit card was compromised. Imagine - a few days since returning home, bank of America called us after flagging a transaction at a K-Mart in Greenville, NC. Two attempts were made to use our number (we have the cards) - the first went through, the second (probably within a very short time) was denied. Hard to believe that with all our gallivanting around, they noticed something out of the ordinary. So -watch your back. Maybe the person taking out their phone in the line behind you might also be taking your picture!



Finally, thanks to my son-in-law, Adam, for setting up this blog. (He's "CEO" of the Brown Software Group). The family wanted to hear all about the trip and I wanted my granddaughters Corinne and Emily to be able to track the journey. (Grandson Garrett is too young - I think he might have missed us though.)

I hope I imparted a little wisdom (with some wit) to those who followed us. To all you armchair travellers, I hope you felt a part of the experience. Thanks for coming along. I really hope we get to do it again.

For now - I am signing off! Roger, Wilco ... and Out!
Yours Truly,
The Tour Director

Home at Last!

Arrived home tonight around 9:15pm after a long day. We left Lewisburg, WV this morning @ 8:15 am and drove to the Cass Scenic Mountain Railroad in , where else?, Cass, WV. The two hour excursion we were planning on getting did not leave until noon, so when they announced a tour, Big Tom jumped at the chance to go to the machine shop. Having nothing else to do, I went along. If all your grandfathers had been railroad men, I guess it would be a treat.
Anyhow we bought a boxed lunch to share and grabbed a seat on the train to Whittaker Station. It was really a 40 minute ride up the hill to the "station" , a 40 minute lunch period, and a 40 minute ride back down the hill. In a few weeks I think the fall colors will make the ride spectacular.
We left there a little after 2 and headed toward Pennsylvania. Shortly we went through Green bank (WV) where Greg ( our nephew for the non family reading this)was working after graduating MIT. We spotted the radio telescope (I hope that's the right term) and jockeyed for a good position to take a picture without trespassing, so that's one (pix) that I am including.

Off again and soon on a road that if I never am on again it will be too soon.(WV 250, so you know to avoid it.) At no time on this trip have I been car sick, until this afternoon. "This way is the fastest " he said. ( The fastest way to turn my stomach...) A few curves I can handle , but this was a roller coaster, the tilt-a-whirl and the Whip rolled into one. The Interstate could not come soon enough. My stomach didn't settle for hours. The two hour stopping rule was not applied either, so I was getting "antsy" to stretch. The man was like a bloodhound ("I smell home!") and he had to make tracks.

Finally adinner stop at Cracker Barrel helped all parties. The sunset was another beauty and the harvest moon was shining down! The house was still standing which is always a relief. Now the car is unpacked (mostly) and for the first time in 27 nights we'll sleep in our own bed and won't have to leave the maid a tip in the morning (though I may negotiate that).

The final tally isn't in, but the estimate is over 9,000 miles travelled and 23 states. A more complete report will follow. For now take care!

9/23 - Lexington

Another beautiful but hot day -97 when we left Lexington. But before we did, we were picked up at the hotel (a Sheraton Four Points if you care) and taken on a Thoroughbred Horse Farm Tour. Guided by a part time Presbyterian minister we were jostled around the Kentucky countryside and visited some rather prestigious spots in the horse racing world. The first place was Keeneland Race Course where we watched a few horses on the track. Since it was warm already (9:15 or so) they weren't working them too hard, but it was fun anyway. The track at Keeneland is poly-track, a combination of sand , rubber and cloth shredded so finely that you wouldn't recognize any of it and much more forgiving for the horse (and jockeys too) than dirt or turf .Only a few tracks have it at present, others apparently reluctant to buck the traditional .

The place was very busy because sales of horses are going on this week. We were allowed in the auction area while it was empty. (Maybe people who spend 4.2 million on a horse don't want you to know who they are.) After that we drove around the area of the Calumet farm and then to the place where Secretariat is buried. (died 37 days after being sold - so the new owners collected the millions in insurance - ouch).

We spent some time on the stud farm of Don Ball -who owns Smarty Pants (Derby winner) and Drosselmeyer (forgive the spellings - Belmont winner, and "Tiznow" whom we saw up close and personal. Tiznow won the Breeders Cup twice in a row. He was beautiful and is helping make little horses for a whopping amount of $$$$. Seven horses in a brick barn.

FYI - The World Equestrian Games will take place in Lexington starting Saturday. This is the first time they have ever been held outside Europe. We had lots of 'out of the country" people in our hotel.

When we finished the tour (around noon) we drove in town to Mary Todd Lincoln's (family) home. She had lived there as a teenager. The home has been beautifully restored. It had fallen into disrepair as a warehouse for a hardware store and was doomed for the wrecking ball to make way for the new sports complex. The governor's wife intervened and got a group going to preserve it. It is the only home devoted to a First Lady.

An aside here to the MD Brocks - I found the Lincoln Scrapbook - the one I borrowed from the Joppatowne Library and enjoyed so much ?. Now Hank can borrow it from me!)

We finally got out of Lexington, ate along the way, and made our way through Kentucky to West Virginia. We have reached familiar terrain last! Not impressed with the elevation of the mountains anymore (2745 ft) but they looked mighty pretty. The trees seemed to be trying to fake a color change, but in the rosy light of twilight it almost worked. Another great sunset and the moon is shining brightly tonight - only in the 80's here around 7:00.

This is our last hotel. We only admit today to being anxious to get home . We think the time has gone so quickly! We've one more day , and if we are lucky we'll get a ride the rails tomorrow in Cass, WV, before making the final leg of the journey. There will be another update and a concluding chapter - I have made some notations of things we'd do again or do differently....how we did certain things - if anybody cares. They always say take half as many clothes and twice as much money. WE would take twice the underwear and socks too......... Anyway, until tomorrow - Don't leave me now!

9/22 - Lexington, KY

Greetings from Horse Country....and it really is...the World Equestrian Games are beginning on Saturday here in Lexington, so the place is jumpin'.

We left a warm Memphis this morning to travel all day. For some reason we both feel it too. Part of it was the ride across I40 through Tennessee. Trees on both sides and nothing to look at - so that was pretty boring. We turned north (the first time in many a week!) onto I65 which wasn't much different.We picnicked at a rest stop right after we entered Kentucky. It was still very warm and quite breezy, but pleasant under the hickory trees.

Late in the day we did finally get off the beaten path to hunt down Abe Lincoln's birthplace. Signs appeared miles before we got there and the closer we got the fewer signs there were. We must have driven right by it from the opposite direction before we finally found it.

They have taken the cabin (can we be sure about this?) and put it inside a mausoleum-like structure to preserve it. No flash photos,etc. Not far from it and still on the premises is Nancy Lincoln's Inn with a few little cabins stuck around it. Now if they are trying to protect the solemnity of the site, how did Nancy and her little motor court get inside the hallowed National Parks ground, me wonders ?

The ride after that was on the Bluegrass Scenic Highway and was much better, finally turning into "horse country" and bringing us past Keeneland Race Track and some large horse farms.

Castle Farms has a house with a moat!

Nonetheless, we made it here safe and sound and have eaten. Life is good. They are experiencing record high temperatures here in Lexington so we have not escaped the heat.

Tomorrow we are scheduled for a Thoroughbred Heritage Tour (3 hours?)with a walk through Keeneland and a drive by of some other farms including Calumet. Hopefully we'll get to Mary Todd Lincoln's home before heading to West Virginia. We are at over 8,000 miles and still counting. We can see the light at the end of the tunnel and it's Pennsylvania!

9/21 - Memphis

How y'all doin' tonight?

We had quite a day visiting a wide variety of points of interest. We began the day at the Danny Thomas Pavilion on the campus of St. Jude Children's' Hospital. We had just enough time to see things before they closed it for some special occasion. (They had tables and chairs set up for a luncheon.) I think it took us as long to park the car. Big Tom had worked (and I mean worked -back and forth and back and forth) into a parking spot right across the street. When we got out of the car and walked over to the gate, the guard said "You can park in here." So.... he worked out of it again and we parked on the premises. You may ask why we didn't leave the car where it was? Well, I'll tell you. The guard needed to see both of our driver's licenses if we were walking in. Mine was in the car - so we had to go to the car anyway. When we drove through the gate , he only asked for Big Tom's - I was a non-person. go figure.....

Next we spent some time at the "Pink Palace", a mansion built in the early twenties by the man who "invented" the grocery store as we know it today - the Piggly-Wiggly chain. He lost the home in a fight over the stock of the company and never lived in the place. It is now a museum (with an IMAX added) with rooms of many different themes. There was everything from a one room log cabin to skeletons of dinosaurs. We spent more time in the rooms of historical costumes (worn at the "Cotton Carnivals" through the years) and old office or kitchen set ups (Grandma Baird had a stove like that"), and of course a life size replica of the first Piggly-Wiggly store from 1916. Also a miniature circus. We ate lunch in their cafe before leaving.

We left there (temperature now about 97) and went to Slave Haven - supposedly the "estate" of a man who helped with the Underground railroad. (It's one floor and not all that big.) The tour started out very slowly ( I worried we wouldn't leave the hallway - and it was very HOT!) but began to move along when we went into another room. Our guide broke into "Wade in the Water" and she had a very nice voice. Then a little of "Swing Low" and "Steal Away" explaining how all of the lyrics were code. To end the tour, she took us down in the cellar and had us close our eyes and hold hands while imagining we were hiding there. She prayed a little (as if she were a slave hiding too) and put it tidbits about quieting the babies, etc. It was rather moving.

We went from there to Sun Recording Studio, where some of the earliest "rock 'n roll" was
recorded. Elvis, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash etc. Though the building had been used for a variety of things through the years, the recording studio was virtually unchanged from the fifties. We had a lively tour guide with wild eyes and wilder hair who played snippets of songs recorded there and imparted some little known facts (or lies).

We were really "done in" by that time because of the heat, but we did stop at A Schwab's Dry Goods Store on Beale Street. It is said that if Schwab's doesn't have it, you probably don't need it. Two floors of an odd assortment of everything from soup to nuts, some of which has been there since the doors opened.

We got back to the hotel and went for a swim. The pool is on the 8th floor (our floor) and is outside surrounded by the hotel. That allows the wind to swoop in there at a pretty good clip.
The temperature was still high but the water was quite cool - I had to do my aquacise routine to stay warm!

We went to "Rendezvous" for supper. It's a popular little dive close by in an alley. You go downstairs (" to some tables and chairs...") and the specialty is ribs of course. Or barbecued something. Sweet tea is the drink to have if you're not boozing and coffee is not on the menu.
There is a scale in the vestibule where you can weigh yourself before and after. Not me. I'll wait till I get home. That's soon enough.

We're going to pack up tonight so we can get an early start. This morning we had a continental breakfast in the Blues Club that belongs to the hotel, but it was very skimpy, so we'll stop somewhere tomorrow on the drive to Lexington Kentucky. Maybe it will be cooler there!

9/20 - Memphis TN

How y'all doin' tonight? " Hon" . . . .

Came across Arkansas today coming through some hilly terrain in the Ozark Mountains and then flat land again. Picnicked at a rest area following a not so pleasant pit stop/bathroom break at an exit prior. yhug.... Having become somewhat of an expert on public toilets in the last three-plus weeks, I can safely rate this one in the bottom two, the other being the outhouse in Yellowstone while out on the chuck wagon supper. There, at least, was fresh air coming up from the toilet.

We drove through some smoke which we first thought were forest fires (or controlled burns) or do they grow sugar here and burn the fields? - meant to "look it up". We have seen little of the damage by black pine beetles which are destroying the pine forests in places we have visited on this trip. Some graphs at Mount Rushmore estimated 40% of our forests have been lost in those areas. The bears eat the pine cones from those trees. That is why there is such a bear problem this year - they've lost their food source.

On to better things.We arrived in Memphis a little after 2:00 and went straight to the National Civil Rights Museum. It's located at the site of the Lorraine Hotel where Dr. Martin Luther King was assassinated in 1968. We saved two dollars each on the admission price because we are old and turned around and spent it on audio tapes to guide us because we get lost.

The museum was very interesting and well done. Of special note are the scenes they have reconstructed of the Woolworth lunch counter where protesters sat, the bus on which Rosa Parks was arrested for sitting in the white section (the whole bus - you are invited to step in and sit near her - then a bell rings and you are asked to move to the back of the bus), a Greyhound bus that had been burned ,and so on....a lot of film footage too.

After that we checked into our hotel in the downtown section. Happily we can self-park enabling us to go back and forth to the car. We are about 5 blocks from Beale street so we walked there to see it and get some supper. Music blared out of every club, restaurant and bar. After dark I thought it looked a little like a dream of one on acid (showing my age there - and NO - I don't know that from personal experience).

We ate at "Pig With Attitude". You can visit it online. We had pulled pork and ribs with potato salad,onion rings (2) and a little ear of corn that I swear came out of a can (or was field corn soaked a week). For the most part it was pretty good and Major Tom had a piece of peanut butter pie to cap off the evening. We walked back - it is very warm now even after dark - had been in the upper 90's . Clear skies and a near full moon.

We will try to see as much as we can tomorrow!

Sunday 9/19 - O-K-L-A-H-O-M-A !

Reporting on Oklahoma today - warm (a little more humid than we've been used to) and once again the sun shone and there were bright blue skies. We sure have been lucky with our weather.

We drove from Shamrock Texas (through Erick, OK) to Oklahoma City. We went to the Oklahoma City Memorial and Museum, located in the area of the Federal building that was bombed in April of 1995. They have a long reflecting pool flanked by two walls, each of them with 9:01 or 9:03 engraved on the top - the minute before and the minute after the blast. Along the one side of the pool there are bronze and glass chairs, each with the name of one of the 168 victims. Some chairs are smaller to represent the 19 children (in the Daycare) that were killed.

Next door in a building that suffered some damage (and they have left those cosmetic scars)the museum is located on three floors. The first thing that they do is put you in a room that suggests a courtroom where the proceedings were being recorded and the sound of the blast can be heard. Then doors open and immediately you are bombarded (excuse the pun)with the media coverage on several screens. You then follow the time line with pictures on the walls, monitors playing news coverage and interviews with survivors (or family members), display boxes of watches, shoes or coffee mugs, eyeglasses - all of which have some perfect and others damaged. One room displays photographs of each victim and with some of them something personal to perhaps reflect the personality of the individual. I could hardly stay in the room. And the children's items - it was heart wrenching. They take you throught the trials of the bombers and finally to the planning of the memorial.

After that we felt we needed a little something different, so we went to the Cowboy Museum and Hall of Fame, also in Oklahoma City. A huge building with gallery upon gallery of cowboy items - shoes, chaps, hats, guns, saddles - rooms of western art, a whole town (sort of Disney-like) complete with voices that must be on sensors (go into the bank and you'll get robbed). One whole area is devoted to cowboys of the big (and small) screen. From the earliest Tom Mix,etc. all the way through our favorites - mine - Jimmy Stewart, and Big Tom's - Glenn Ford - up to the stars of Lonesome Dove and finally Tom Selleck and Sam Elliot. Horses, sidekicks and eye patches were all covered.(pun)
That was all very interesting.

We then drove on through Oklahoma, which began to get greener and hillier (a word?), and into Arkansas, where we are now in a Super 8 ( actually Van Buren, AR).

Another suite - A large room with a qu bed, a couch and TV armoire and a bar sink, and then an adjoining room with another qu bed, a desk, a frig, microwave and console (for our suitcases). All this and a bathroom too! We have a light with no knobby for turning (you-know-who is irritated by that and has already reported it to a "new girl". We don't look for it to be repaired or replaced in our lifetime - oops - stay.) We also have a floor lamp that requires one to stand and hold the "pusher" in to keep it lit . A person down's get much done that way. That one is attached to the ceiling light anyway and we all know how I feel about ceiling lights.

We ate at Braum's - a little ice cream chain that seems to be popular in this section of the country. Hamburgers and shakes. Nothing fancy. It seemed to be the hang out place for Sunday night church goers - not many eating and a whole lot of chatting goin'on.

Tomorrow we're hoping for an earlier start than today to head toward Memphis. Bye Bye

9/18 - - Howdy Y'all

Howdy from Texas, the Lone Star State!
We began the day (in Albuquerque)by driving out to the Sandia Peak Tram, the longest tram in the world, so they say. This happened after Major Tom had been forced to back the car out of the parking stall in order to put in the suitcases. The parking lot must have been lined by the guy who designs airline seats.

We breakfasted at Cracker Barrel on the way. The tram was not real busy when we arrived and we only had a short wait. It runs about every twenty minutes - a 15 minute ride to the top - 10,300+ feet. Whew! You can walk around (or hike some trails) or eat in a restaurant that charges for the view and return whenever you like on another tram. The interesting thing was that you can see both sides of the mountain from the top. Ski lift and trails were on the opposite side.

We finally got underway and the ride was only Interstate 40 today. Parts of it are on the path of the historic Rt 66. We had lunch (very late) at the Rt 66 Restaurant. Bar stools and booths and pictures of classic cars everywhere.

The land in Texas became quite flat again (at least through the part we went)and became grazing land and some crops. Granaries with as many as a dozen silos were spotted.

In Groom, Texas, we stopped at the 190 foot cross that weighs 2 1/2 tons. It is visible for miles . Also there in a circle they have statues that depict the stations of the cross. It was really neat because we got there just as the sun was setting. Hope the pictures turn out.

We are in Shamrock Texas very close to the Oklahoma border if you're looking on a map. The town very close by is Lela, and we should be near Erick tomorrow. In addition we have seen MT. Emily in Idaho and the town of Corinne in Utah. No Garrett yet, BUT, the town close to the cross is "Pampa". How about that?

We're in a Best Western tonight. We have a different soap, shampoo, conditioner and lotion. A new toilet paper to try, etc., etc. Last night it was Scott or "Recycled for Your Enjoyment". Hotels are trying to "go green" so we're asked not to throw the towels in the laundry everyday nor change the sheets if we're staying more than one night. We've tried to oblige and they changed the towels anyway. Places are using recycled "grey" water for flushing so we're asked to "flush and run for the hills".
It's all been an education. Every shower is different - pull this, turn that, lift up, etc.,and the water pressure has been everything from a dripping trickle to a car wash. It's all very exciting! and isn't that why we travel?? More tomorrow....

9/17 - Albuquerque

"Buenos Noches" from Albuquerque, NM. Beautiful weather - balmy evening - no sweater required. We're on the 9th floor of the Doubletree Hotel Albuquerque looking out over the city lights with the mountains in the distance.
We left our "casita" in Phoenix and travelled 465 miles today on I 10,I 17, and I 40.... Whew! Actually sounds worse than it was because it was an easy drive. Partway through and at the eastern corner of Arizona we drove to the Petrified Forest. It didn't take us far from our interstate route and it was interesting. Great chunks of logs that have turned to stone - Beautiful looking quartz-like pieces lying around.(We saw none standing.)Also stone formations that look like teepees. (That reminds me we saw a motel that gave you the chance to sleep in a teepee! - if only I'd known...)
At the northern end of the park is the Painted Desert which was also very pretty. It's still amazing to us that there are so many different types of landscapes just within this desert region.
The northern end of the park comes right back onto the interstate, so no backtracking was needed. We ate lunch in the car while in the park. Having the pit stop in Phoenix allowed us to restock our cooler(s) so we're good to go for a couple days(though it is difficult to eat breakfast in a hotel room when you're on the 9th floor.)
New Mexico's terrain seemed more sandy than Arizona and of course there are no saguaro cactus - which only grow there in the Sonoran desert. They are the tall cactus you sometimes see in cartoons that talk and move their "arms". A lot of scrubby shrubbery as far as the eye can see. There were some pretty steep mountains between Phoenix and Flagstaff where truck lanes are provided for the slower traffic. However this day we saw a pathetic VW "bus" (pulling the world's smallest trailer behind it) on the berm chugging up the hill at a good 10 miles an hour (I think I can...I think I can...).
We ate in the restaurant here at the hotel and will probably turn in soon. We lost an hour again when we crossed the state line (again because AZ doesn't observe DST) and we may be losing another tomorrow when we cross into TEXAS - see that Emily?? TEXAS!! Finally.

We plan on riding up in the Sandia Peak Tram in the morning and maybe something else - we'll see - we'd be driving into the sun in the morning anyway. Ta Ta!

Still in Phoenix!

We breakfasted in our "casita" and left for Taliesin West - Frank Lloyd Wright's home here in Arizona. Built in 1937 and in a series of construction periods, it now serves as the headquarters for the foundation and six months of the years houses a school of architecture. It's really a complex - two theaters, office, sleeping quarters, etc. We took the "insights" Tour which was 90 minutes and granted us access to some of his living quarters. Our guide was excellent - even Major Tom said so.

When we got back to the car, the thermometer registered 115 degrees - dry heat, of course. We feasted at a Target because we were looking for some other things too. Smoothies and Hot Dogs.

later, back here we went over to the pool. Gorgeous -large round with an island in the center for lounge chairs ,etc. The water was great and we stayed until sunset. About 102 at that point.

We ate in the room and finished the laundry/ironing. We head out of here tomorrow for the petrified Forest and eventually Albuquerque.

Pictures???

I am taking a chance that this connection is working well enough to add a few pix. We didn't download todays, so these are past due.

9/15 - Phoenix

Hello from sunny and HOT Phoenix. 105 when we arrived, but now at 9pm, a balmy 99. But it's a dry heat....

Started this morning from Tuyasan ,7 miles from the Grand canyon, where it was 39 degrees. Another beautiful day - clear skies and no rain in the forecast.
We drove down toward Flagstaff and then on to I 17 and Rte 89A to Sedona, through Oak Creek Canyon, which is layer upon layer of white, yellow and red rock. By the time one gets to Sedona all the rocks and hills are red. We just sort of toured the town - no shopping - and there would have been plenty to do. Nor was it eating

Just outside of Sedona we went up in the hills to the Chapel of the Holy Cross. Built in 1956, it is nestled in between two huge rocks. A 90 foot cross seems to come up out of the side of the mountain. Very impressive. (And - I think I have seen it before in one of our coffee table books on Churches across America.)

We had a little difficulty finding our accommodations. The address was given as Scottsdale but the GPS would not take that. Eventually we figured that it must be in Phoenix and ta-da! here we are. The Legacy Golf Resort. As we approached we were a little leery. Right next door to the property is a run down "I don't know what". But -inside the gate - wow. About a dozen two story buildings with "casitas" - in our case, a studio suite. We have couch, table and chairs, coffee table in one room (sliding door to a ground floor patio facing the golf course) and A King size bed and two nightstands (and lamps)in the other. We also have a kitchen - only a 2 burner stove, but small ref,microwave and dishwasher, and utensils,etc. Best of all we have a washer and dryer right here too. So, needless to say, we are catching up on laundry. It's great not to have to run back and forth to a coin machine.
Great bath too - sink and vanity separate and then a complete bath beyond. Iron and ironing board too - I'm all set!

We went out to eat at a place called Coco's and afterward stopped for some groceries.Pprovisions for the road trip starting Friday and eome stuff for here.

Tomorrow we go to Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin West. Big Tom's a real trooper - although I must say this is the only "This Old House" that I have planned for us to see. Abe Lincoln's and Harry Truman's were on his list.

We have a lovely pool so I am planning on suffering there in this 100plus heat tomorrow . There is a fitness room too.This stop is for rest and relaxation and a bargain at only $60 a night. (I am very proud of that.) More tomorrow!

9/14 at Grand canyon

After another McDonald's breakfast we took off for the park around 8am. We saw a herd of elk. I tried to catch it on the movie camera - we'll see. Unfortunately we were not first in line.

The light was better at that hour (than the middle of the afternoon yesterday) and the different layers of rock stood out more clearly. We hiked along the rim for a while below the area of the visitor's center and Mather's Point (which is currently closed to traffic as the parking lot is repaved). It is a fairly level path - there are even signs for wheel chairs - and the day was clear.

Late morning we headed back to the hotel. After lunch we went down to the pool for a couple of hours. The sun was hot but the breeze was strong.

We went back into the park to catch the sunset, knowing that the light would be different again. no disappointment there. We just sat and watched until the sun slipped below the horizon. On the way in we came across elk again.

Back here in Tuyasan, we ate at the Yippe-i-o Steakhouse. (I had called it the
e-i-e-i-o steakhouse.)Shared a cowgirl steak - an 8 oz fillet, potato, corn, beans, salad and biscuit, and it was plenty - even shared. The atmosphere was that of a rugged ranch house, I suppose. No girl waiters - just cowboys. We hit it lucky, time wise, because while we ate a long line waiting was forming.

We are out of here tomorrow - heading for Sedona on our way to Scottsdale!

9/13 - Grand Canyon

Greetings from the Red Feather Lodge in Tuyasan AZ. We left the wonder of the Treasure Trail motel in Kanab, UT, and journeyed forth to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. It took us about an hour and forty-five minutes to get to the north rim - it is very remote. There seems to be only one lodging option there (besides camping) so fewer people were up and about. We walked all the way out on the bright Angel path and the view was tremendous. I thought I might have to drag Major Tom along with me - the height is not to his liking, but he persevered and from now on the shaky ladder leaning against the roof at home will be a "piece of cake".

We filled our gas tank (again!) before we left the park and were surprised to find Arizona time was an hour earlier - so we picked up an hour again. (AZ doesn't observe Daylight Savings Time)
The ride to the South Rim was supposed to be nearly five hours but that just isn't so.We came through some gorgeous canyons and the colors of the rocks and cliffs, etc., were amazing.

We arrived at the eastern end of the canyon and did some stopping at scenic spots. After seeing the north rim at early light , it was not quite so "breathtaking" - still amazing, but we decided we'd go back tomorrow early morning and maybe sunset to view it again.

We checked in here mid afternoon and crashed (the extra hour took its toll). We have a very nice room. Dinner was at the Cafe Tuyasan and then we headed to the IMAX theater to see the National Geographic's "Grand Canyon". Only 35 minutes but packed with views we are never going to get on our own.

I will be including an additional blog tonight that should be of special interest (and cause for laughter) to Melanie and Jonathan. Bye Bye

Sunday in Salt Lake

First -apologies for the tipped view of the Perrine bridge. It was rotated correctly but when transferred it turned and we were unable to cancel it or edit it,etc. We have had trouble since Idaho when it comes to getting the pictures on. Sorry. They are all saved and we'll have a whale of a picture show with homemade ice cream later on!

Today was a beautiful day. In Salt Lake City we went to the taping of the Mormon Tabernacle choir's weekly program . The acoustics in that building are amazing and the music was superb. It wasn't a traditional church service like we're used to but it was a wonderfully moving experience. 360 voices. After applying and maybe auditioning, then through a trial period, singers can be part of the choir for as much as twenty years, or out when they're 60. So... Dad and I are skipping it. He's too old and I don't want to miss working at Boscov's for Christmas.
We walked around afterwards and got some pictures and went through the two visitor centers that they have elaborately staged with paintings, statues, displays,etc.

Around 11 am we started down I 15 for Bryce Canyon. Rides like that really zip by when you're going 75 (and in some cases of "test" areas - 80) miles an hour. At some point we exited onto Rt 89/12 for a little bit more scenic drive and worked our way to Bryce Canyon. Before entering the park you ride through Red Canyon and just like it sounds, it is red rock towering above in all manner of strange shapes.

Inside the park (BTW - Big Tom is very proud of hie Senior pass for which he paid $10 and gets him in to all these parks for FREE)we took a 37 mile road with pull outs and places to park and walk to the overlooks. I had seen pictures of the very unusual spiky columns that abound in the canyon, but it still didn't prepare us for the view. Once again we were WOW ed. And the colors were fantastic because we were there between 4:00 and 6:30 when the shadows were deepening.

Driving on to Kanab (Utah)the ride was just as pretty. The different colored rocks with different "Textures" was fascinating. Checked in here at the Treasure Trail Motel - and yes, I have not been disappointed - it is all we feared it would be. Neon strip lighting,bottle openeron the door jamb, etc. We are looking forward to the shower in the morning - I believe it's related to the Rip Van Winkle bathroom.

We dined at a local eatery - Houston's Steaks and it wasn't bad - ribs,etc.
We hope for an early start tomorrow, as we're headed for the north rim of the Grand Canyon. TA TA for Now!

Idaho - Saturday 9/11

Hello - Big Day - We began (clear blue skies - 43 degrees) at Mountain Home, ID and set off on the Interstate 84 towards Twin Falls. There we crossed the Perrine Bridge
some 480 feet above the river bed where Evel Knievel jumped years ago. They have put two golf courses down in that valley-like place (very green) and some other recreational stuff too, but what was interesting was the amount of nuts jumping from the bridge - It is legal and apparently quite the attraction .

We left there for Shoshone ( just two syllables) Falls which are just a few miles away. The Shoshone Falls are higher than Niagara (not as wide so no one promoted them enough, I guess).

Then - we headed North up RT.93 for Craters of the Moon National Monument. The ride seemed long because it is a very desolate area but in the end the trip was worth it. "Craters" is the right word for it because it does look like the surface of the moon. Major Tom thought it looked like coal clinkers. It is lava broken apart and heaped or sunken everywhere for about 75 square miles.

We were hungry when we left but had to wait to eat . They seem to close down on Saturdays (went to the rodeo, I guess) - not that there was that much to choose from. "Pickle's Place" was a port in the storm and made for a very entertaining time studying the locals.I had a bison burger just for fun - a little too lean for me though.

Finally we made our way to Blackfoot - the Potato Museum. Now my trip is complete!
Alas, they gave us no free potato product as promised in the AAA guide book. (I am going to report that fact.)I did have my picture taken with the large potato in the front yard.

It was back to the Interstate, this time 15 and south to Salt Lake City. It was a straight shot except for a gas stop. We arrived here (EconoLodge) after 7, unloaded some stuff and went off to see where the Mormon Tabernacle is. There is a bridge out just up the street or we could walk. We didn't feel like searching for food so we got pizza from a Pizza Hut take out only and came back to the room.
It was a busy day, but we're looking forward to tomorrow and out trip to the Tabernacle. later in the day Bryce Canyon is on the agenda. We're halfway done!

Back in Idaho

We travelled through the Columbia River gorge today (very picturesque - fisherman using nets!)and then on to I 84 back towards Idaho. We are in Mountain Home, a little past Boise. Tomorrow on to the Potato Musem!

Oregon/Idaho

Sorry to have missed last night's posting, but we're too cheap to pay for wireless when we know it's just "out there" - floating around somewhere.



Yesterday after breakfast (at McDonald's) we headed for the Oregon coast. The day was mostly cloudy with an occasional break through of sunshine. We took highway 101 starting at Tillamook and worked our way south. We know now that we should have gone on down farther on the interstate and then cut over to Lincoln City, because the section we were on was not as close to the ocean as the more southerly section. Nonetheless, we saw some beautiful dairy farms (the Tillamook area being known for cheese) before finally reaching the more scenic section closer to the pacific Ocean. At one overlook we did see whales!



We lunched at Dory's Cove and had wonderful clam chowder (the best ever) and lumberjack vegetable.
We headed back early, swam in the hotel pool and just chilled out'

Seattle! We Made It!!

Things are "lookin' up"! We have reached the west coast as of yesterday (Wednesday 9/8/10).

We left Coeur d'Alene ID and embarked on our journey across Washington state in the morning with a lunch stop at a Subway along I 90. The lay of the land was very different than what I had expected of Washington. I was thinking trees , trees, trees, and they didn't show up for a long time. The eastern part of the state was almost desert like, with scrubby bushes ,etc and some sort of brown grass on the slopes. Then came the growing region where the type of crops were marked on the fences. now we can tell the difference between sweet corn and alfalfa. (??) The farther west we got, the more trees appeared. The rain appeared there too but happily did clear before we made Seattle.

Arrived in Seattle a little before 3:00pm and had some time to walk down toward the water and go to Pike Market, a really interesting area that takes up a whole square block and fills several floors with small shops , each focusing on a particular thing - jewelry,honey,old records,herbs, etc.and on the main floor, open to the street in many places is the food portion, with absolutely gorgeous displays of fresh vegetables and fruits, (samples abound!) , flowers and fishmongers who toss fish back and forth to attract and please the crowds. Passersby stand with cameras poised to try and capture the moment. It was great fun.

We had reservations at the Sky City restaurant at the top of the Space Needle (built for a World's fair). The cost of the ride to the observatory is waived if you eat at the restaurant. However, the price of dinner is inflated to cover it - so this morning we're eating breakfast at a McDonald's where the WiFi is free too. (An extra $6.95 at the Hilton where we are staying two nights.). Our dinner was wonderful though -I had salmon (figuring it was fresh)with fingerling potatoes and "wilted pea vines" and a green salad with pears and bleu cheese and Big Tom had a fillet that could have almost been cut with a fork after an opener of chicken spaetzle soup. We both had creme brulee for dessert. The pictures included today are from the observatory . The weather cleared and it was a great view.

Today we slept in a little and have scrapped plans for Crater Lake (we'll just have to return!) and are going to just drive the coastal highway (Rte. 101), hopefully down to Florence. Perhaps we'll see sea lions and lighthouses. Talked to Jon last night and he can tell you we are well.

Till we meet again!

From Idaho....

Hi-dee-ho from Idaho!
Moo-ray! we left Montana today via Glacier National Park. Everyone had said how beautiful the "Going to the Sun Highway" is and it wasn't a disappointment. The Rockies get larger and larger as you approach the park entrance.(We went in from the East at St.Mary's - not always shown on a map) suddenly you are amidst them. I think some of the precipitation the other night helped the snow caps". There was snow clinging to the ledges of the mountains too.

We got off the beaten path and took a "pleasant walk" (yeah,right) down to the St.Mary's Falls. We were supposed to make noise as we went in case there were any bears lurking about. So, after a chorus or two of "Teddy Bears' Picnic" and" Bare Necessities" (Get it? Bear Necessities) and "the Bear Went over the Mountain" helped out by a few other hikers on the way, we reached the falls - which were worth the trip. The hike back wasn't quite as bad as the path in Yellowstone (to the falls ).

We stopped at different vantage points for pictures but I can't imagine they will capture it all. The road which is very narrow in places is being worked on right around the highest part (Logan Pass on the Continental Divide). As we were stopped for one way traffic I popped up through the sunroof for a great view and pictures. I knew that roof would come in handy someday!

We tailgated with some deli sandwiches from the Puff 'n Pump Deli (located to last night's "mecca")and made our way out of the park and on to Idaho. Some more construction on the way but no major delays -just a lot of mud and dust , the Equinox requiring a bath after supper tonight (Applebee's).

We just finished two loads of wash here at a Shilo Inn in Coeur D'Alene - which is very nice - we have a large room with a couch and table and chairs and a kitchenette - a bed, too, of course - nice bathroom. This may be a chain more common on the west coast, but I'd stay here again.

Tomorrow we may have the car lubed and oiled or the tires rotated (or both) before we work our way to Seattle. Bye for now...

Old Faithful on September 5, 2010

testing 123

Labor Day on the Road

Checked out of the hotel in Yellowstone this morning. Last night's precipitation had turned to ice so we had a little work to do before setting sail again.

We were hoping to see some more wildlife on our way out of the park (via the North entrance this time) but were disappointed. Perhaps the animals had the day off due to the holiday.

The landscape changed constantly on the drive to Montana (about 7 hours). Always in the distance are the mountains but here they blend into the sky and become one. No wonder they call it "Big Sky" Country. Of interest was the fact that as we came farther north, we saw much more wheat growing in the fields (which look endless!). Huge silos stand near the rail lines - sometimes three tracks.

Arrived in Cut Bank around 3:00pm. Lunch had been anything we had remaining in the ice chest tailgating along a road. Exits with anything of use are few and far between, so I am grateful we have "At the Next exit" to refer (to). Of course if the Captain keeps on driving...

The Pakistanis are the Innkeepers of the world. After some confusion we were sent to the Gateway Inn and not the Plaza. (Believe me, this is not the Plaza) There's a nice looking place across the street that we are not staying. We are on the wrong side of the tracks where a large penguin advertises Cut Bank as the coldest spot in the US (I think). It seems clean ....and we have a fountain in the "lobby" with a coy pond. However there is the lingering odor of soy sauce hanging in the air. The exercise room and indoor heated pool are across the way as well - but - we have "privileges" and may venture over later. (I was reminded of Betty Apple saying "Oh John, do you think it's safe")

Well, that's the news from Lake Woebegone.....We're going to try to put the pictures on while we're here. And, by the way, I had the camera turned on - but I was holding down the button to film. I did turn it off after I was finished so maybe there won't be too many black spots.

Here's another tidbit. In four days on the road we had seen 42 different state's license plates. thought we were doing well. We are now missing only Rhode Island, South Carolina and Hawaii.
We live in hope. bye for now! "TD"

Sunday at Yellowstone

It's about 7:15pm here and we're in the lounge again with the Internet, hoping this will go through. It hasn't seemed like Sunday because we weren't to church or to lunch with you all.

However, we're muddling through as best we can.

Today after a clandestine breakfast of Cheerios and Oatmeal in our room we set sail for the Lower Loop, specifically Old Faithful and other geyser basins ,etc. We learned that there are four types of geothermal something or others -geysers, steam vents (think Centralia), hot springs and mud pots.

We walked/hiked the Back basin Loop at the Norris geyser basin, which we couldn't get a parking place at yesterday. Then another 30 miles by car to Old Faithful -which did not disappoint. We only waited about 20 minutes so that was well timed. We then headed for Yellowstone Lake which is the second largest mountain lake on this continent. Very deep and very cold because it freezes over in December and does not thaw until May. Beautiful color of blue. The water was choppy and whitecaps were present. The temp when we left this am was 55, but until we got back to the hotel it had dropped 10 degrees and was very windy.

Between the lake and the hotel we covered the same ground as Friday when we arrived. We went back to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and to a different viewpoint for the lower falls. Glad we did - it was breathtaking.

Back at the hotel, we decided to eat before the big rush and before the weather got worse. While at dinner it started to rain - then snow! I had huckleberry chicken and Big Tom had prime rib. Our waitresses were from the Czhech and Taiwan (she had never seen snow and was practically dancing .

Saturday at Yellowstone

We packed a lunch and set out for the upper loop highlights this morning. We stopped at the upper and lower terraces near the hotel. This look like limestone mixed with steam holes. There are lots of paths to take and we walked one but then drove another trail which was more scenic.
We tried to see more in the lower part of the loop but the geyser area was very crowded and we couldn't even get a parking spot. Apparently not all parents have taken their children back home for school.
We went to the Roosevelt area late afternoon for our wagon ride and chuck wagon supper. The weather was threatening and chased us under a covered picnic area. It was a pretty good meal of steak,potato salad,beans, corn, a corn cupcake (as Emily likes to call them), watermelon and apple cobbler. Cowboy coffee was available for the brave.
We're back at the hotel now and have been arguing with our free internet access for quite a while and are quitting for the night. Farewell to all.

Cody/Yellowstone

I am writing yesterday today first so that I don't get confused.

Friday, 9/03 -



Took a while to get going this am because we took everything into the motel . Got the laundry done (and ironed this morning so as to not get out of practice). We visited the Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody - well worth it. It is basically five museums - firearms, western art, the plains people (Indians) , Buffalo Bill Cody and Yellowstone (situated on a downward ramp that mimicks the timberline down to the plains and the underground. We also had the $5 lunch special - vegetable lazagna, coleslaw and shared fruit (interesting for those whocare). In total we were there over four hours. On the way out of town we stopped at a WalMart for film and a toothbrush (I lost one again!)and then 0n to the Old Trail Town -a collections of 20 buildings all moved to this site and reassembled. It's laid out as an old town might have been. Jeremiah Johnson and some other western "personalities" are buried there as well.

For those with a map - we then drove the very scenic Rt 14/16/20 also known as the Buffalo Bill Cody Byway, (I think)on to Yellowstone. Every turn in the road is more thrilling. I know I said that before but it's true. Words can't describe and I am afraid pictures won't do it justice either.

We got to Yellowstone (the East entrance) around 4:00 and proceeded toward our hotel - the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel at the far north of the park. We didn't get far until we came upon bison on the road. We were upclose and personal before we knew it! It's their home and they let you know it . There are very fierce looking at such a close range. We saw more in small herds and alone as we made our way north. We stopped at the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone -at both the upper and lower falls. At the lower falls the Captain convinced me to walk down to see them more closely. Had I known what was in store! - At least 8 "switchbacks" at a goodly slopedown, down, down. Granted, it was a great view, but what goes down must come up. A couple weeks ago the paramedics would have to be called, but i say with satisfaction that I (we) made it. Yes, I had to take breaks, but almost anyone would have to at 8,000ft.!

We managed to finally arrive at the hotel (built in 1937, but updated some) and got settled in. The bulb on the ceiling is one of those "darks" like in Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation but eventually brightens. They try to go green here - from towel usage to the soap and the recycling of water. Don't ask for an explanation. . We have one of the larger rooms on the corner so we have some cross ventilation. - no air conditioning here! No TV so we'll get along to bed.

Day 5

Thursday is almost over. We started the day with a "continental" breakfast in room 101 of the Dakota Cowboy Motel in Custer. Words can not describe it. (I'll try.) Picture this: one dimly lit room has the food - blueberry muffins and two open loaves of bread (white and wheat) ready for the toaster. Fruit loops and cinnamon crunch wannabees. A mini fridg sitting up on a folding table with a gallon jug of milk in it . Coffee too. The other bulbless room has two white folding tables and a card table with metal chairs. But - you can't eat atmosphere. There was a billboard across the street with a Holida Inn ad on it advertising a hot breakfast and I was really thinking.........

Anyway -we got a good start on the day (before 8) and drove the Needles highway and out of the Mount Rushmore area. The Needles highway was breathtaking (as almost everything is). It's extremely narrow with sharp turns and blind corners and a few one lane" tunnels". We drove on through Wyoming on I 90 until we took the road through the Big Horn National Forest. WOW! (again, I know - but there aren't words to describe this region.) Everytime we stop to take a picture we turn to go back to the car and there is another outstanding view.

Family - you will be glad to know that we have not lost our funny bones. Your father made me laugh in the "Buckhorn Grocery and Woodcrafting Shop/Gas Station and I got a laughing jag so pronounced that he felt the need to apologize to the clientele (which only made it worse.). Imagine - apologizing for being good natured!! Really!!" and - -"He laughed too".

We got to Cody WY a little before 6 - in time to see the shoot out at the Irma Hotel (something about the hotel being original to Buffalo Bill's time period - the bar in the dining room was his). Then we checked in here at the Sunrise motel. Last night and tonight have evened me with the Sea Dip and Rip Van Winkle (almost...) this is a suite - (I am getting a laughing jag as I say it). Two rooms yes - and the bathroom has two doors - one to each room. One is the bedroom which only has room for the bed and the front room has a futon, a frig a TV and a table with 2 chairs. All the comforts of a cabin. But - we did laundry and downloaded the camera to the computer.

Of Note - we have no cell signal here and probably won't while in Yellowstone. We may not have Internet either (we won't have TV!) - so don't be discouraged - you'll hear from us when you hear from us. We are staying at Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel and the only number I have is 1-307-344-7311 in case of emergency.
Pretty soon we'll try putting the pictures on - we had our own slide show tonight and some of them are great (others are deleted). Love to all

PS to Garrett - we saw some VERY BIG trucks today that you would have really liked! They were hauling propellers for windmills!

Day 4

We have just returned from the evening ceremony at Mount Rushmore. Very impressive and Major Tom says "worth every penny" whatever that means. But really - it is truly impressive
and a sight to behold - popping out of the trees and towering above. We went around 6:30pm after checking in here at Dakota Cowboy's Motel in Custer -not the Four Seasons - but it's clean.
We ate hot dogs at the feet of Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt and Lincoln - pretty good company. The outdoor ceremony is really a film shown in the amphitheater followed by the singing of the National Anthem as the lights are slowly brought up on the faces. Then all the veterans were called to the stage and the flag is lowered. We were struggling with the weather - spritzing and getting windier and then more drizzle, but our spirits were not dampened! Met some fellow Pennsylvanians on the way out. Temp -51

Early this morning we left Gothenburg, NE, finding no long lost relatives. We travelled through Nebraska on US 83 - a straight shot to South Dakota - and we mean straight! A 2 lane highway with a 65 mph speed limit, sailing through cattle country. This is what must be called the open range. We stopped at an overlook and took some pix - hopefully we'll have time to get those on here sometime. But the strangest thing was the absolute silence when we got out of the car. Nothing. We felt as if we should be whispering.

We finally got to the "amber waves of grain". And more disturbingly, we came through the area of Indian villages. I feel guilty that the people who were here in this beautiful country first are living in such deplorable conditions.

We went to the Badlands National Park and were bowled over. What a landscape that is!
The sun going in and out and the wind whipping around was breath taking. And the same thing there - it was as if all the people did not want to ruin the moment. What an experience.

We may go through Custer state Park tomorrow before we head toward Wyoming - haven't decided.....Goodnight and God Bless

What day Is This?

Already we have lost track of time.Yesterday we gained an hour but today I don't know where it went! It was mainly a travel day, leaving Foristell, MO, and heading west. Missouri was surprisingly hilly and I 70 cut right across some beautiful countryside up and down and up and down.
Encountered some heavy downpours while yours truly was driving, but at least it wasn't dark!

After 3 hours, we stopped in Independence Mo (suburb of Kansas City) and toured Harry Truman's home. We could only see the downstairs, but what we saw was frozen in time. Even to the coat, hat and cane by the back door as if waiting for Harry to go for a walk. We decided not to do his library,etc. - it was so hot (97)and opted instead to hit the road. We had "hoofed' it to and from the visitors' center and were ready for air conditioning.

It was nearly another 6 hours to Gothenburg Nebraska. The drive was a picture postcard of what "Major Tom" called the breadbasket of America. However we saw no wheat - only corn and soybeans. Mile after mile...corn and soybeans. There was a pretty good wind all day (knocked down the fuel economy) which made all that corn and soybean wave in the breeze.
Farther into Nebraska cattle herds started appearing, mixing in amid the corn and soybeans.

The sky had been quite threatening making us aware of the danger of tornadoes and we're not used to seeing so far to the horizon -so it's an eerie feeling to be so 'exposed". Speed limit went to 75 and that was a lot of fun...heh, heh, heh
Tomorrow we head for the" Hills". And perhaps pictures - we're working on it!

Day 2 - Springfield, IL

After a free breakfast we drove Rt 36 to Springfield, IL, a straight shot to the Land O'Lincoln. The ride through this area was just what Big Tom had been imagining - fields of ready to harvest corn and soybeans and huge equipment at work. America's heartland broken up by a two lane highway. Along the way were some interesting homes desperately in need of TLC and at each one an old car that needed it even more. Also seen were wells pumping in the middle of the soybeans, moving up and down, like birds dipping their beaks in a puddle. Gas or oil, I don't know.

We took a guided tour of Abraham Lincoln's home (the only home he ever owned). Tours are free - the tickets are stamped for a specific time, but we didn't have to wait.. Not crowded at all.
It was amazing to me how small scaled the furniture was - no wonder people thought him gangly looking. Note to family...there was a fake Mary Lincoln white almond cake (made of Crisco, no doubt) displayed in the dining room. Now I am going to try it!
We then walked about 6 or 7 blocks to the new Lincoln Museum which is wonderful. Several theaters presenting films in addition to life size depictions of a log cabin and the White House. Most moving was the dimly lit room with Lincoln's coffin on a raised platform just as if we could have been passing by it in 1865. Of course there were galleries of memorabilia too.

We visited Lincoln's tomb before heading out of town. Quite impressive. The four statues at the corners were made of melted down Civil War cannons.The sun chose that moment to appear as the earlier part of the day had been cloudy with a brief shower that only made the heat wet.
Managed to get to East St.Louis in time to get pictures of the Memorial arch (across the Mississippi) before the sunset. WOW! We could see the arch looming ahead for quite a distance.
The Gateway Geyser that we were hoping to photograph with the arch in the background was not turned on , so that was disappointing. We did find an outlook tower that we climbed to get a better view. Hightailed it through St.Louis and on to Foristell, MO, where we are holed up at a Best Western along Interstate 70 and are outnumbered by trucks 10 to 1.

Day 1

Well, we've come as far in one day as pioneers would have travelled in a month! 609 miles - but don't expect us to keep that pace. We left after church and zoomed across I 80 until we picnicked (tablecloth and all) at the last rest stop before the border. Ohio was uneventful except for the speeding motorcyclist with the state police in hot pursuit - they may still be chasing him since we never saw any of them again.
Once we left Pennsylvania we went over two hills - one in Ohio and one in Indiana. I think we're approaching the flat lands. There were some beautiful farms and fields along the highway as we approached Indianapolis. Must make note of the gorgeous sunset - like a red rubber ball slipping below the horizon. Too bad our camera had slipped behind the driver's seat or we'd have had our first great picture. Tomorrow's another day!

Preparations are Advancing!

The gathering has begun - all those little things that you scurry around to put in the suitcase (or car) at the last minute. Well, not this time! Everything from the binoculars to the Imodium is being set aside in a place of prominence so as to not be forgotten - not that there aren't stores where we're going, but I've always said (as in the case for the Imodium) "When you have a cold, you can drag yourself to the drugstore, but if you need Imodium - you're up the creek!"

(Pronounced crick in PA).

Found out after the car was checked out that new tires are needed before we leave - they have apparently been wearing unevenly. Good Grief -we'll be in the hole ($$$) before we leave. But
we'll be covering thousands of miles so any help in making it a smoother ride will be beneficial.

Getting Ready

Plans are underway for a cross country road trip beginning August 29th.

Keep up or be left behind.