Days 21 & 22 - San Luis Obispo, CA to Monterey, CA

After a quick continental breakfast we headed off to Monterey via a nearby Starbucks. Somehow I knew something was wrong as soon as we walked in. Barb finally told me we were in the Jamba Juice place. Starbucks was next door.

After passing through Morro Bay and Cambria we hit that stretch of Highway 1 with narrow twisty roads and absolutely great views. Much of the road has you hundreds of feet above the ocean with few guardrails in sight. I you leave the road there is absolutely nothing between you and the water. Going north at least put us a few extra feet from the edge.

It was almost noon when we arrived at out hotel and with a check-in time of 4:00 there was plenty of time to wander around Cannery Row. The canneries are long gone, replaced by upscale hotels, restaurants and the usual tee-shirt shops. You can’t walk ten feet without being reminded this is Steinbeck country, home of Doc, Dora Flood, Lee Chong and Mack. The Cannery Row movie with Nick Nolte/Debra Winger is one of my favorites. Lunch was a really good clam chowder and a pair of Anchor Steam at a local brewery.

Originally we had reservations at a motel not too far from Cannery Row, but while in San Diego Barb switched us over to a hotel on the bay. Good decision. The Monterey Bay Inn is great. But does it have a continental breakfast? Of course it does, delivered to your room at the time requested. And the bottle of Chardonnay brought to our room was nice.

Dinner was shrimp and scallops for Barb and a seafood fettuccini for me. With no Oregon or Washington wines offered, we settled for a California Merlot.

The next day...

With the door to the deck partially open, we went to sleep listening to the surf and woke up hearing seals. Our continental breakfast arrived at the requested time. No box of raisin bran here. Coffee, orange juice, fruit plate, sesame seed muffin and hardboiled egg.

About 9:00 we took off for a drive around the Monterey Peninsula. Along the way we drove by the Pacific Grove Golf Links where I remember walking along with my dad while he played. I think I must have been about ten at the time. A short time later I found what I think was where we lived on Seaview Avenue. Lots of houses to find when you move every two or three years. Then it was back into town for a Starbucks and short walk.

Back in the car we headed for the 17 Mile Drive and a drive along a coast under a high wave warning. Great beauty in those waves. The relentless sea and all that. Golf courses and million dollar homes are the rule on the 17 Mile Drive. Pebble Beach, Spyglass and Cypress Point are but a few that thread their way through sand and cypress. A wrought iron gate guarding your driveway must be a status symbol. I wonder if there is such a thing as a starter gate that one aspires to move up from.

Back to our hotel to clean up a little and then a fifteen minute walk over to Fisherman’s Wharf for lunch. Crab Cocktail for Barb and a Shrimp Cocktail for me. We shared half way through. Oh, and a pair of Anchor Steam.

The afternoon was spent back at the hotel. At 6:00 another fifteen minute walk took us back to Fisherman’s Wharf for dinner. Barb had red snapper while I went with the clam linguini. Free appetizer of calamari and a pair of Anchor Steam, what more could we want.

A decision tonight at dinner will take us to Redding, California tomorrow instead than Eureka. Less driving time and less gas.

California Coast

Cannery Row

Day 20 - San Diego, CA to San Luis Obispo, CA

Another good day. We were up early and onto Interstate 5 by 7:05. With no continental breakfast available we headed over to US 1 to find something in one of the many coastal towns. No luck. All we saw were bicycles and runners. Finally in Oceanside we found a McDonald’s and Starbucks in the same parking lot. Ok, we each had a breakfast sandwich. The runners probably would have frowned on such a diet, but to them I simply say get over it. A latte and mocha later we were back on Interstate 5 headed toward Los Angeles.

Now I thought the freeways would be pretty empty early on Saturday. Wrong. Maybe not weekday busy, but too busy for me. Speed limit 65, I’m doing 70 and getting passed.

Since we had lots of time to get to San Luis Obispo, Barb suggested revisiting the Reagan Library. Good idea. Knowing absolutely nothing about how to get around LA explains why it took me highways 5, 73, 405, 605, 5, 405 and 118 (in that order) to get to Simi Valley.

Once there, it was as good as last year. If you have never been there, it’s well worth a visit. We ate lunch under the 707 that was Air Force One and once again had our photo taken boarding. Arriving at the library store Barb purchased an elephant pin and I picked up a shirt and small flag pin.

Back on the road we took Highway 101 all the way to our overnight. Weather? Rain. Lots of rain. And low flying clouds. Gas? $4.59 in Goleta.

Dinner was clam chowder and fish and chips, both shared. The chowder was easily in our all time top three. Oh, and a couple of Anchor Steam.

Tomorrow we should be in Monterey for two nights. I say should be because we’ve heard some talk of slides on Highway 1, so we will see.

Day 19 - San Diego, CA

Today was a great day. We left the motel at 8:05 and headed over the bridge to Coronado. Coronado is special for me. My family lived there three different times when my dad was stationed in San Diego and I have to tell you going to high school and living two blocks from the beach is pretty darn nice. After finding the last home I lived in we happened upon a Starbucks for a drink and breakfast sandwich. Took a drive by the Hotel Del Coronado and then headed down the Strand to Imperial Beach and back to San Diego.

Then we took a short drive out Point Loma for a visit to the Cabrillo National Monument, which because of haze did not offer great views. However, the Golden Age card got us in for free. Next up was a drive around Balboa Park and finally back to the motel. Not needing a rest, we walked around Old Town San Diego for a couple of hours. Ok we did need a rest, which was a pair of Dos Equis Amber, chips and salsa.

Back at the motel, which by the way is a Marriott Courtyard and free for the two nights, we took a little rest and then headed out for dinner. Chicken Fajitas and the required Dos Equis filled the bill.

Gas in Coronado was $4.89 for regular.

Day 16 to 18 - Casa Grande, AZ to San DIego, CA

We spent a few more days in Casa Grande before heading to San Diego this morning. Before leaving we had to suffer through several Happy Hours, but I’m working hard to accept this challenge. Dinners prepared by our hosts were excellent and included a best ever shrimp scampi.

Two days ago I attempted to play pickle with our hostess. Don’t know what pickle ball is? The court is one fourth the size for a tennis court, paddles are smaller than a tennis racket and larger than a ping pong paddle, the ball is a wiffle ball a little larger than a baseball and scoring is similar to tennis. At 7-3 in the second game I charged to net to get a drop shot. Being slightly off balance gravity took over and I crashed the net. Both knees and two fingers scrapped and a nice cut on my forehead. A day later a large bruise appeared on the right side of my chest. Today I noticed my thighs are a little sore. NO MORE PICKLE BALL.

The drive over today was pretty easy. Get on Interstate 8 and stay there. Along the way we passed through Dateland, Arizona, a town neither of us had heard of. Turns out General Patton had two desert training camps there during WW2 and it was also the location of a POW camp for Italians. Lunch was Burgers and Beer in El Centro, gas was $4.39 for regular and San Diego was cold.

After checking in we walked around Old Town San Diego and finished off the day with a Mexican dinner. 355 miles today.

Day 11 to 15 - Phoenix, AZ to Casa Grande, AZ

Yup, missed a few days.

We spent more time looking around the Phoenix area and have a difference of opinion. Barb likes Sun City Grand and I’m going with Pebble Creek in Goodyear. Went through about two dozen model homes, which means we saw a lot that were nicely decorated with extensive upgrades.

The last day in Phoenix area we took a drive up to Carefree for a little window shopping and lunch near Ho Hum and Easy Streets. That evening we had dinner with longtime friends.

Since the next day was my birthday, 70 to be exact, I refused the box of cereal at the motel and had a real breakfast. Really should do that more often. After a quick stop at Starbucks it was off to visit friends at Palm Creek Golf and RV Resort in Casa Grande. That night was a nice gathering to celebrate two birthdays with a BBQ and cake. Oh, and a little 18 year old Glenfiddich I had been saving for just this occasion.

I like Palm Creek. Happy Hour begins at four. Nuff said about that. This is the land of Snow Birds. They migrate here in huge numbers from places like Washington, Oregon, Minnesota, the Dakotas, Colorado and other places where a daytime temperature of 30 degrees is the norm. Some arrive in motor homes costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. Some are more modest. But they all have fun in the sun. This is our second year here and if our friends are here next year we will be back.

Yesterday it was church in the morning and then a drive up to Globe, Arizona for what has to be one of the largest swap meets ever. In the evening it was These Three Tenors, one of the many excellent shows brought in by Palm Creek. Not sure what the next few days will bring. Today is Monday and we will be heading out to San Diego on Thursday. See you later.

Day 5 to 10 - Tehachapi, CA to Phoenix, AZ

Ok, I have a few days to make up. After leaving Tehachapi we headed for the outlet stores in Barstow, so Barb could pick up some socks. If you have ever been to Barstow you know it’s in the middle of nowhere. So I was a little surprised to see two tour buses dropping of tourists for a little shopping. Why? Are outlet stores in Barstow the best we have for visitors from another country.

Then on to La Quinta and a five night visit with neighbors from home. And I have to say there is no better place to visit. The morning starts with coffee and an oatmeal cookie. Next up is one very good Bloody Mary followed by a fruit plate. Scrambled eggs and toast or an omelet out might be next. Happy hour starts around five. Tough days.

Saturday night we went to the Palm Springs Follies, which is one of the most amazing shows I’ve even seen. Check out www.psfollies.com for the full scoop on this great show. If you are ever in the area don’t miss this one.

We also took a look at some model homes at a Sun City Indio, none of which impressed. After a few purchases at a kitchen store we picked up some dates at Shields Date Garden. Founded in 1924, Shields has every kind of date you can think of and the date shake is much better than it sounds.

Snow at home and 75 degrees in La Quinta. I think we just may be back next year.

Today it was a four hour drive to the Phoenix area. After lunch we spent some time driving around Sun City West, where we might spend some time next winter. More checking on that tomorrow.

So that’s the last few days.

La Quinta Sunset

Day 4 Sacramento, CA to Tehachapi, CA

A good start today. Breakfast at Embassy Suites is anything continental. We both had made to order omelets, which sure beats Raisin Bran in a box.

After a quick stop at a bank we did a 45 minute walk around the Arden Way Mall, waiting for Nordstrom to open. Just as promised, Wendy had the replacement jacket ready and after a few calls to accounting figured out how not to charge me sales tax. Excellent service as always.

With a Starbucks in hand we headed South on Interstate 5. This is the third year in a row we have taken the same route and whatever appeal it once had is gone. Except for Anderson Split Pea Soup about two hours out of Sacramento in Santa Nella (not Buellton as I said yesterday.) As always, we stopped for a bowl of their best and a little walkabout.

Yesterday I set a goal to pay less than $4.50 a gallon for gas. It was close, but I did find $4.49.

Once into Bakersfield we headed East on Highway 58 towards Tehachapi. Along the way is the famous Tehachapi Loop, a railroad engineering marvel. Completed in 1876, the track passes over itself to lessen the grade over the mountains. After passing through a tunnel, a train will circle passing over the tunnel and gaining altitude. Any train over 4,000 feet long will pass over itself. Today for the first time we saw a train approaching the loop and a short drive off the freeway took us to a spot where we could watch the train do its thing.

Dinner was Mexican and not all that good. Tomorrow we are off to La Quinta to visit Redmond friends for a few days. 362 miles today.

Day 3 - Eureka, CA to Sacramento, CA

I’m sure that given some time this trip will start getting a little better.

Siri, that amazing lady who lives in my iPhone, woke us promptly at 6:00 am and once again we managed a continental breakfast and were on the road before daybreak. Thirty minutes later we found a Starbucks in Fortuna.

The first part of the day was South on Highway 101. This took us through the redwood forests and on a warm and sunny day would have been great drive. The trees are huge and a few have been turned into tourist attractions, such as the one you can drive a car through. If you are into roadside attractions, there is a five legged cow just off Interstate 70 in Kansas. Alas, today was cold and rainy with low clouds, so the redwoods were not at their best. We will try again on our way home.

The middle part of the drive was from Calpella to Williams on Highway 20. Boring. But then there was the drive along Clear Lake. One little burg after another and all of them in serious need of a HGTV makeover. Then there was the CHP officer holding up traffic so a large fiberglass swimming pool could take up the whole road. Williams was a quick stop at Subway to split a sandwich and fill up with $4.29 gas.

The last part was a 59 minute drive into Sacramento. Freeway. 70 MPH. More rain.

Since our room wasn’t ready we headed to Old Town and spent a $1.25 worth of parking meter time walking around in the rain. I was still wearing sandals. After nearly missing several puddles I changed to tennis shoes. The socks are still drying out.

Today was one of those splurge days. Embassy Suites kind of splurge days. You know the kind of day with $25 valet parking and $9.95 WiFi. Oh well, the happy hour and really great breakfast takes some of the sting out.

While at Nordstrom the first day out I bought a new casual wear jacket. After deciding on a deep blue Tommy Bahama I told the clerk to hold it and I would be back shortly. Simple. What could I possibly learn from this. How about always check to make sure the clerk didn’t get things mixed up, cause what I now have is black and two sizes too big. Called the local Nordstrom, spoke with one of their super employees named Wendy and will be picking up a replacement from her at 10 pm tomorrow.

Happy hour behind us, we headed over to the Crab Shack in Old Town for dinner. After getting a text that our table was ready we returned to an absolute mad house of noise, singing and a conga line of adults and children. We left and ended up at Fat City, a place I was familiar with in a prior life. For a few bucks more we got the quiet of a funeral parlor, a waiter who looked and acted like a waiter, cloth napkins and very good food.

A quick walk back and here I am. Tomorrow will be exciting. After a quick stop at Nordstrom we will head down Interstate 5 and then East to Tehachapi, stopping only for lunch at Anderson Split Pea Soup in Buellton. My goal for the day will be to pay less than $4.50 for a gallon of gas. 299 miles today.

Day 2 - Portland, OR to Eureka, CA

Too many miles, too many hours. A quick check of the TV weather showed snow everywhere. Snow in Portland and further South in the valley is not unusual, but eight inches at Tillamook on the Oregon coast? What’s that about?

After a quick continental breakfast we were off, not even stopping for a Starbucks. Unheard of. Although it snowed off and on from Portland to Roseburg, about 178 miles, the roads were mostly just wet. The only problem was passing trucks, which sent up rooster tails of spray leaving me in a fog. We did manage a stop in Salem for a pair of Starbuck’s best.

Roseburg turned out to be decision time. After checking ODOT, CalTrans and the Oregon phone line (511), we decided trying Interstate 5 over the Siskiyou Mountains and down through Mount Shasta would be inviting disaster. Instead we headed for Bandon on the Oregon coast. It was only when we began seeing trees lying across the road did we remember the weather reports of 80 MPH winds. Chain saws were busy opening one lane around trees for all us crazy people on the road that morning.

Bandon was a much needed rest and walk about, while the Bandon Fish Market provided a great lunch of clam chowder and beers. The rest of the drive to Eureka was a breeze and the Oregon coast, even on a gray overcast day, was a very nice drive.

After checking into our motel we headed to Marie Callenders to split a sandwich, bowl of French onion soup and a couple of beers. 490 miles today.

Day 1 - Redmond, OR to Portland, OR

Started out early on our drive to the desert for a little time in the sun. After two quick stops for breakfast (McDonalds) and coffee (Starbucks), we headed out as it was just getting light. We opted for the slower route through The Dalles, rather than take on the new snow over Mount Hood. As usual, the drive was uneventful.

A visit with in-laws for conversation and lunch was followed by a trip to the nearby Mall and a small donation at Nordstrom.

Next up was the usual fun filled dinner with Don and Loretta at the Brush Prairie Tavern. Just can’t go to Portland without meeting them for burgers and beer.

The rest of the night was spent trying to figure out just how bad the snow was going to be the next day. Alternative routes were a must for the Honda with summer tires. 235 miles today.

Day 10 - Elko, NV to Redding, CA

I knew today would be a long one, but I didn’t think it would be over eleven hours from motel to motel. Anyway, we grabbed a couple of muffins from the motel and a Starbucks and headed West on Interstate 80. The first rest stop provided a sunny spot to down the muffins and then it was off to Winnemucca.

Winnemucca? Yup. Barb has always wanted to go to Winnemucca. Why? I haven’t a clue. It’s not much of a town. Kinda old. Well, I needed a little walkabout (can’t drive as long as I used to) so we took a stroll through Winners casino. Once again I had the magic touch, putting in a $20 and cashing in $21. Now I’m two for two in walking away with just a touch more than I want in with.

The drive along Interstate 80 was very nice. Lots of construction signs, but no work being done on Sunday. The scenery was great. There is a lot of space filled with mountains and thankfully only a few towns to interrupt the views.

We spent some time wandering around in Sparks, Nevada looking for the Red Robin. Finally did locate it near where the GPS said it should be and had lunch. After a quick stop for gas we found some of the worst roads we have ever been on. Interstate 80 up and over Donner Summit is terrible. To their credit (California) is working on the road, but for now (and probably for years to come) it is a rough, noisy, narrow and distracting road to drive. Had I known what we were in for I would have taken another route.

Fortunately we were able to take off on Highway 20 to Nevada City and Grass Valley. The next part of the day was a long, slow drive through Oroville and Chico. If you saw the two lane and occasional four lane roads we drove you might wonder just what we were doing. Well, the answer is we were heading for Corning, California. Corning, also known as Olive City, is home to Bell Carter Olive Company, the world’s largest ripe olive cannery. More importantly, Corning is the home of the Olive Pit, which offers dozens and dozens of different kinds of olives. My favorites are the pitted dried black olives in the Greek style. Bought two containers. Also bought some sun dried tomato stuffed green olives.

rom Corning to our motel in Redding was a short drive and we are in a very nice upgraded room. Dinner was a shared pasta dish at Olive Garden. Tomorrow we go home and both of us are ready for it. A long 522 miles.

Day 9 - Green River, UT to Elko, NV

Today started with thunder and lightning at about 5:30 and because we thought today would be another long day we were out of the motel at 7:06. Only when passing the “Pacific Time Zone” sign did we realize there would be an extra hour. Later on I’ll tell you how we spent that hour.

So right out of the motel parking lot was one of the best rainbows we have ever seen. It was a complete arc from one horizon to the other and the colors were…every color of the rainbow.

Just outside Green River we took a shortcut on Highway 6 to Spanish Fork through Helper and Price, Utah. Helper got its name from “helper” engines the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad stationed there to assist trains in making the steep, fifteen mile climb up Price Canyon. I have no idea how Price got its name. However it is the hometown of Cassandra Lynn, who was Playboy’s March 2006 Playmate of the Month.

You may have noticed there has been no mention of Starbucks. And with good reason. For the first 143 miles there weren’t any. Not until Orem did we meet up with a mocha and latte.

I’ve driven Interstate 15 from Provo up through Salt Lake City several times and it’s always busy and under construction. Since our destination was Nevada instead of Oregon, we were able to plot out back roads that took us South and West of Salt Lake before meeting up with Interstate 80. The drive through Cedar Fort, Fairfield, Stockton and Tooele was scenic and I would do it again. It took awhile, but I finally figured out the objects atop poles along the road were sirens. Which made sense since the Tooele Chemical Disposal Facility was nearby. I guessing the sirens were to have gone off if there had been any accidents in disposing of the huge amounts of Sarin, VX and Mustard Gas stored there.

Heading West on Interstate 80 we were surrounded by salt and near Wendover, Utah was the road leading to the Bonneville Salt Flats. Since 1914, the flat, hard-packed salt of Bonneville has been used to attempt setting land speed records.

Somewhere along the road we came across the time zone change. Thinking ahead to Elko, we decided this bonus hour would be best spent in one of the friendly casinos. I wonder what a jackpot on a penny machine lots like.

Tomorrow we will be heading for Redding via the Olive Pit in Corning for some of their Greek Style dried black olives.

Update: Slipped a $20 bill in a slot machine and walked away 10 minutes later with $32. Even though I had to cover Barb’s $4 loss I consider the 20 minutes well spent and the $8 profit went toward two Coronas. 425 miles today.

Day 8 - Colorado Springs, CO to Green River, UT

Knowing we were going to have one of our longer days, we were out of the hotel at 7:12. After a short stop for breakfast and Starbucks we were headed West on Highway 24. Forty-eight miles down the road we stopped at a Forest Service site, from which could be seen more than a dozen mountains over 14,000 feet. Over a distance of more than fifty miles, a wall of peaks more than 12,000 feet stretched before us to the West. During our eight years in Colorado, we had the opportunity to venture into many of these mountains and we can both attest to the care necessary when hiking and camping above 12,000 feet.

Near Buena Vista we headed South on Highway 285, with the Collegiate Range to the right and Arkansas River on the left. The Collegiate Range includes Mt. Harvard (14,421), Mt. Princeton (14,204) and Mt. Yale (14,202) plus six more over 14,000 feet. Colorado is a really big on altitude. Down a little lower the Arkansas offers some great fishing, especially around a big rock sitting near the bank. While I was fishing nearby, Barb fell off this rock into the river not once but twice, taking her book and my camera with her both times. She recovered, camera didn’t.

Arriving in Poncha Springs we turned West on Highway 50 for about five miles and then turned into Heart of the Rockies RV Park. There we spent a half hour with the same Redmond neighbors we had met earlier on day four.

Continuing west we quickly climbed up to Monarch Pass, which tops out at 11,312 feet and is the home to a large ski area. Just before noon we stopped in Gunnison for a quick lunch and then followed the Gunnison River to the Blue Mesa and Morrow Point Reservoirs. Near Montrose, Colorado we dropped below 6,000 feet and were pretty much out of the mountains. The little known fact for today is that the town of Montrose is named after Sir Walter Scott’s novel ">A Legend of Montrose. For me, the town’s claim to fame is that it’s where Ross Reels are made.

A few miles north of Montrose we encountered the town of Olathe, Colorado, which with a population hovering around 1,500 may be more of a wide spot in the road than a town. However small it may be, Olathe is big on corn. Olathe sweet corn that is and it grows everywhere. Each summer the town hosts the Olathe Sweet Corn Festival, which has pulled in such performing stars as Three Dog Night, Styx, LeAnne Rimes, Travis Tritt and Clint Black. Pretty impressive.

As we neared Grand Junction, Colorado a quick call to our motel for the night confirmed we had a microwave in the room. Knowing that, we stopped at Olive Garden for some take that would be dinner later on.

Now on Interstate 70, it was a quick drive to Green River, Utah and our motel. Sure enough, there was a microwave in the room and as planned the soup, cheese ravioli and spaghetti were great. My task now is to find a way through Salt Lake City for tomorrow’s drive without going through Salt Lake City. Its miles of traffic that I just don’t like. I’ll let you know tomorrow how I did. 419 miles today.

Day 7 - Colorado Springs, CO

Well, today was maintenance day, but first there was the now dreaded continental breakfast. Yup, the old English muffin and orange juice. Probably the same thing tomorrow. Boring.

So then it was off to the Laundromat. About half way through a chatty lady came in and by the time we left we had a pretty good understanding of her goals and aspirations for retirement. Interesting what you can learn when surrounded by washers and dryers.

Next we headed for the full service car wash. The attendant was not all that sure they could remove 5 states worth of bugs, but promised to do the best they could with their full array of chemicals. They were successful. Upon close examination every one of the little devils was gone.

The next few hours were spent driving around The Springs in awe of what had been accomplished in a short 7.5 years. New overpasses. A large new hospital. Roads that now go somewhere. Lots of new businesses. And one very favorite Italian restaurant (opera while you dined on Sunday) now replaced by some sort of New York Style Restaurant, whatever that means.

Later we took a short drive down to The Broadmoor, Colorado’s 5-star 5-diamond resort. Built in 1918, it was a premier destination resort during the golden age of railroads. Now it’s simply a premier destination resort.

Back to the motel for a well deserved rest and some great thunder and lightning. Dinner was at Old Chicago, where we meet one of my very best friends from back in the dark ages when I had to work. How nice that was to spend a few hours going over old times and catching up on the new stuff. Thanks MG.

By the way, Old Chicago is a very special place for me. Somewhere on one of its walls is a small plaque with my name on it, indicating I drank 110 different beers and thus completed the World Beer Tour. My time in The Springs was not wasted.

Well, that’s day 7. Tomorrow we are planning to make our day a little longer by passing up the Interstates in favor of some of the lesser traveled roads on our way to Green River, Utah.

Day 6 - Denver, CO to Colorado Springs, CO

Left the motel at 8:10 and headed out for a Starbucks and an Einstein’s bagel. Having retrieved both, we stopped at a park in Castle Pines for breakfast. The rest of the drive into The Springs was uneventful.

Since it was early and we figured our room wasn’t available yet, we did a little tour of our old stomping grounds. First off we headed up to Peregrine to see the house we built in 1995. Appears someone is taking a lot better care of the yard than I did. Next we drove through Garden of the Gods. Don't pass this drive up when in The Springs. Then a short drive over to Old Colorado City for an hour plus window shopping walk. Half the time was spent in Michael Garman’s gallery. Another place you must visit if ever in the area.

Since it was getting close to noon we headed to Jose Muldoon’s, which is just about the best Mexican restaurant in The Springs. Lunch was Dos Equis Amber and nachos. Doesn’t get any better. More window shopping and then we were back to the motel for a little rest before meeting friends for dinner. Splitting burgers and beers (ok, we didn’t split the beers) finished the evening. Yes, as you may have noticed, it was too late to put anything on the blog.

Tomorrow morning will be maintenance, which means washing clothes and car. After that just driving around to see how much the place as grown/changed in 7+ years. 105 miles today.

Day 5 - Estes Park, CO to Denver, CO

Really short driving day today. We were up about 6:45 and after a quick continental breakfast were off at 7:39. Highway 36 took us down to Lyons and along the St. Vrain River. Those of you who fly fish may recognize Lyons as the onetime home John Gierach. John is the author of a number of books based on various fly fishing adventures. My first read of his was Standing in a River Waving a Stick and I was hooked (get it, hooked.)

Boulder and Broomfield took us into stop and go traffic on Interstate 25. Living in Central Oregon, I’d forgotten what four lanes of stopped traffic looked like. Pretty impressive and it’s amazing what some drivers will do to gain one car length.

After passing downtown Denver off to the left traffic thinned out and we headed for our motel. We were being way overly optimistic thinking your room would be ready at 9:35, but to our collective astonishment it was. After dropping off a few bags we made the short drive over to Park Meadows Mall, where Barb led on a two and a half hour tour of every square foot.

Lunch was at Champs. We split a turkey sandwich and I had a bowl of French Onion soup. And a Newcastle Brown (that’s a beer.) Barb opted for Corona. We spent a couple of hours back at the motel and then meet some Denver friends for dinner at Brio Tuscan. Excellent dinner.

Today’s bargain: Gas in Estes Park for $3.34 a gallon. Boy was I surprised. Resort town up in the mountains. I was thinking at least $3.80.

Today’s best deal: Two and a half hours at the mall and Barb didn’t buy a thing.

Today’s freebee: Our room at the Hilton for free.

Tomorrow another short drive, this one to Colorado Springs for a 2 day stay. 181 miles today.

Day 4 - Steamboat Springs, CO to Estes Park, CO

Another early start. Up at 5:45 and drove off at 6:51. First stop was Safeway for an apple fritter/mocha (Bob) and banana muffin/coffee (Barb), which we would get to somewhere down the road. The gas tank was filled for the amazing price of $3.42 a gallon.

Shortly after leaving Steamboat Springs we started a long assent up to Rabbit Ears Pass (elevation 9,426), which straddles the Continental Divide. For those not familiar with the Continental Divide, it defines which way water flows. Generally speaking, watersheds on the East side flow towards the Atlantic, while watersheds on the West side flow towards the Pacific. About halfway up we found a sunny place to stop and have breakfast. My guess is that the name came from a rock formation seen from the summit that looks like...rabbit ears.

We passed through Kremmling, Parshall, Hot Sulphur Springs and Granby before reaching the Rocky Mountain National Park visitor’s center. After a 10 minute wait our neighbors from across the street showed up for a short visit. Based on their schedule and ours, we might meet up again in Gunnison, Colorado.

Once entering the park, courtesy of the Golden Age Pass, we began a slow steady climb up to 12,220 feet. From about 10,000 feet on you best stay on the road, as there is absolutely nothing to stop an instant drop into the abyss. I probably averaged around 25 MPH, which was about 20 MPH too fast for Barb.

We got into Estes Park at 1:00 and went in search of lunch, which turned out to be splitting fish and chips, a bowl of chili and a couple of beers. The next few hours were spent window shopping and a short drive along the Big Thompson River.

We are now debating what to do for dinner and at this point going without seems to be the leading contender.

Today’s best deal: Breakfast for 2 - $5.25

Today’s high: 12,220 feet

Barb’s thought for the day: I don’t need to be at 12,000 feet to enjoy the scenery.

Tomorrow we have a short drive to Denver to visit a friend. 181 miles today.

Day 3 - Green River, WY to Steamboat Springs, CO

Much better start to the day than yesterday. We wanted to get away early today, so up by 5:30 and driving out of the parking lot at 6:55. We did the continental breakfast at the motel, which was something on half a bagel. It was good and I’m guessing the something was probably egg and cheese. We didn’t expect to find a Starbucks in Green River and so weren’t disappointed.

Following the advice of a friend who had just visited Flaming Gorge, we started down the West side on Highway 530. What a nice drive. Yes, I’m beginning to change my mind about Wyoming. Maybe it’s just the drive along Interstate 80 that I don’t like. Anyway, the views were great. It was a little strange that there wasn’t a tree in sight for the first 30 miles or so and then suddenly we were in a forest.

After crossing into Utah we continued South on highway 44 and took a side trip to Red Canyon Visitors Center. Trails take you right up to the edge of the gorge and getting a little too close can result in an 1800 foot drop to the lake. Take the warning signs seriously.

On the way down to the Flaming Gorge Dam we stopped at the Red Canyon Lodge and picked up a sandwich to split later on. The dam was kind of a let down. Small. Not much of a visitor’s center. After about 10 minutes we headed back up the hill and off to Vernal, Utah.

About 20 or so miles before Vernal, the highway becomes a little interesting. It starts with a large warning sign stating 10 miles of 8% downgrade with 10 switchbacks. 8% is pretty steep, usually the most you will see is 6% and occasionally 7%. At the first hairpin turn was a sign that said 9 more. There were several runaway truck ramps, however, unlike most which head uphill to help stop a truck, these went downhill. Must have really deep gravel.

We stopped at a really nice Welcome to Utah visitor’s center in Jensen, Utah for our sandwich and then continued East on Highway 40 to Colorado. At the town of Dinosaur, Colorado I made a game time decision to take Highway 64 down to Rangely, Colorado. I have fond memories of Highway 64, having exited a 1958 Oldsmobile through the rear window in 1961. The Rangely hospital is still on the right as you drive through town. I’ve forgotten my room number.

From Rangely it was only 2 plus hours to Steamboat Springs, by way of Meeker and Craig. Turns out our motel was on the very far side of town, but we did manage to find our way back to a nice Italian restaurant.

Today’s question: When driving out in the country have you noticed how some people tend to store stuff in their yards? It’s really amazing. Why do you need 7 broken down pickup trucks sitting around your home? Or a collection of old travel trailers? Or camper shells? Or just plain junk? All of this and more today. Email your answer.

Tomorrow we are off to Estes Park, Colorado through Rocky Mountain National Park. 339 miles today.

Day 2 - Burley, ID to Green River, WY

Interesting day. We were both up very early. Entirely too early. Mind you I’m not saying it had anything to do with the restaurant last night, but we were sick. Really sick. Good thing today was a short drive, as we didn’t get on the road until 9:44. No Starbucks today.

What stands out today? For one thing lots of road construction. Miles of one lane on the interstate 80 and 84. We have been driving these highways back and forth between Colorado to Oregon for over 16 years and it seems they are always under construction. On the other hand, the weather was great. High 80’s in Utah, with some clouds most of the way.

Southern Idaho along Interstate 84 is a very nice drive. Mostly farmland, with lots of potatoes (famous potatoes according the Idaho license plates), corn and some wheat. Utah seems to favor wheat and hay. Wyoming? Sagebrush. Wyoming from Evanston to Green River is a very depressing drive. Gray colored dirt hills sitting on various shades of tan. Occasional splotches of faded green failed to add much to the overall picture. However, one must always remember that Northwest Wyoming holds the beauty of Yellowstone and the Tetons. So, you take the bad with the good. Tomorrow we should have more of the good with a visit to Flaming Gorge.

More on Wyoming: Trona. Ever heard of it? Trona is a water bearing sodium carbonate compound that’s mined underground and then processed into soda ash and bicarbonate of soda. And where is the world’s largest deposit of trona? Wyoming, of course.

Today’s dining: Breakfast (light and bland) was continental at the motel. By lunch we were feeling a little better so it was burgers and beer at Suds Brothers Brews in Evanston. Short on atmosphere, but the burgers were good and the chocolate porter was great. Dinner? What dinner? Green River is a little short on eating establishments, so it was some of Myers best dark rum and a few pretzels in the room.

Today’s bargain: $3.47 a gallon in South Ogden, Utah (compare that to $3.89 in Redmond.)

Today’s technology moment: Hadn’t even finished the first sentence of today’s blog when my laptop began ringing and there was Earl’s face on my screen. Clicked the answer icon and we had a nice 20 minute video phone call with our friends in Chicago. What will they think of next?

Barb’s thought for the day: Don’t eat Mexican food on vacation.

Tomorrow we should be up early on off to Steamboat Springs, Colorado.

Day 1 - Redmond, OR to Burley, ID

Ok here we go again, only this time it will be a short drive of 10 days. Denver and back by way of Flaming Gorge, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado Springs, and San Isabel and Gunnison National Forests. Piece a cake.

Left the house at 6:45 and headed directly to Starbucks in Redmond for mocha and coffee. Having crossed Oregon on Highway 20 way too many times, we elected to take Highway 26. Both will take you from Redmond to Ontario, but 26 has trees. And altitude. And towns. And is much easier on the eyes.

Anyway, we made a quick stop in Prineville to pick up a sandwich to share later on and headed East. This is truly a nice drive. The first 80+ miles out of Prineville there was neither a car in front of us or behind us. Along the way we passed through Mitchell (too early for lunch, but great hamburgers at the Little Pine Café), Dayville, John Day, Ironside (the town that isn’t), Jamieson (yet another town that isn’t) and finally Vale (the town of murals.)

Having spent too much time driving through downtown Ontario, we opted to stay on Highway 26 for Nyssa, where a nice city park provided a spot to share the sandwich. After lunch a short drive and we crossed the Snake River into Idaho and soon were on Interstate 84. Speed Limit 75. Never see a sign like that in Oregon. Another couple of hours and we were in Burley, Idaho for the night. Dinner at El Caporal was good and inexpensive.

Today’s interesting sight: A hawk crossing right to left about 25 feet in front of the car at an altitude of 5 feet with a snake in its talons.

Today’s crop report: Once close to Vale there were fields of corn (lots of corn), wheat and what were either potatoes or sugar beets. The presence of a sugar beet processing plant near Ontario makes me lean towards beets. Idaho had lots of corn , some wheat and alfalfa, and what I’m pretty sure were potatoes.

Today’s weather: 48 leaving Redmond and 91 somewhere in Idaho.

Today's bargain: Fairfield Inn - free

Tomorrow is a short day with a drive to Green River, Wyoming.498 miles today.

Day 48 - Burley, ID to Home

Sorry about posting this so late. Just had to take a little time a think about the trip. Hope you enjoyed coming along with us. We sure liked hearing from all of you.

Today was a really early start and we were ready when the continental breakfast opened at 6:00 am. Twenty minutes later the little HHR was loaded and we were on Interstate 84 West. After the weather yesterday I was a little worried about the possibility of ice or maybe even snow. However, the roads were clear and shortly the rising sun to reveal a pretty nice day.

Really an uneventful drive today. We crossed into Oregon, found our way through Ontario after crossing the Snake River and then headed west on Highway 20. After passing through the farmland of eastern Oregon, the scenery was about the same as forty eight days ago. I suppose there is a certain beauty to so much open land covered with sagebrush if you raise cattle, but after so many trips it’s just so much open land covered with sagebrush. And yes, we saw a lot of cattle.

We made a quick stop in Hines to split a sandwich and before we knew it we were in Bend. A short fourteen miles later we were home and unpacking. Next was a trip into Redmond to drop off the rental car and pick of a half gallon of milk.

We are now pretty much back to normal. Sounds like the Honda will be done in three weeks or so. AAA in Bend was very helpful in referring us to a company that will transport the car back home. Turns out that is much less expensive then motels, food and gas for us to go get it. And I don’t want to drive to Colorado and back in winter.

Overall, it was a really wonderful trip and one deer that had a bad day will not keep us off the road in the future. 512 miles on the last day.

Days - 48
Miles Driven 11,667
States Visited - 32
Best Dinner – Union Oyster House, Boston, MA
Best Lunch – Peck's Seafood Restaurant, Slidell, LA
Best Breakfast – Inn of the Governors, Santa Fe, NM
Best Italian – Any place Earl takes you in Chicago, IL
Best Burger – Moab Brewery, Moab, UT
Best Battlefield – Shiloh National Military Park, Shiloh, TN
Best Drive – Natchez Trace Parkway, MS
Best City Tour – Freedom Trail, Boston, MA
Best Boat Ride – Riverwalk, San Antonio, TX
Best Visual Impact – Vermont
Best B & B – The Northfield Inn, Northfield, VT
Best Shopping – L.L. Bean, Freeport, ME
Best Side Trip – Amish Country, Lancaster, PA
Best Night Life – Bourbon Street, New Orleans, LA

Day 47 - Moab, UT to Burley, ID

It was another one of those “or maybe” days. With an alarm set for 6:30, we were sitting in bed at 6:00 drinking coffee and deciding what to do today. Both of us wanted to go home and it was a game day decision to do just that. Scratch West Wendover and Reno; add Burley and we’re home in two days instead of three. And I don’t lose my $2.57 to the penny slots. Quick continental breakfast and we’re loading the car under a mostly clear and sunny sky.

We’re not in too much of a hurry to get home to pass up a couple of hours at Arches National Park. The park, established in 1929, covers 76,359 acres and is home to over 2000 natural sandstone arches. After a few minutes of driving I added this to my ever expanding list of places you must see. Getting to Burley at a decent hour limited us to about two hours, but we will be back for a two day visit.

We stopped in Green River, Utah for a coffee and then turned off Interstate 70 for a shortcut to Interstate 15, south of Provo, Utah. This one cuts a lot of miles, turning an interstate only drive of 285 miles into an easy 127 mile drive. However, when it began to snow at a little over 7,700 feet there was reason to question our shortcut choice of the day. But, with home in our sights we continued on.

The rest of the day was a mix of rain, hail, snow, fog and wind. Through it all the little HHR chugged on, at times straining all of its four cylinders and sounding as though there was a rubber band unwinding somewhere deep within its less than sleek profile, which turned out to be an easy target for the high crosswinds of Idaho. To be fair, I couldn’t help but smile at the 29.3 MGP on the cleaver little digital readout.

Our first night on the road was spent in Burley, Idaho. We stayed in the Fairfield and ate at a Mexican restaurant. Tonight is the forty seventh night on the road and we are in Burley, Idaho. Same motel. Same Mexican restaurant. Must mean something. Tomorrow night we will sleep safe and sound at home. 452 miles today.

Arches National Park

Day 46 - Pagosa Springs, CO to Moab, UT

Well, today was a little better than yesterday, but then what day wouldn’t be? With nothing to do, we were up a 6:45. Go figure.

Before having breakfast I called the body shop in Grand Junction. It seems the problem with getting the car to Grand Junction is going to be the road. Known as the Million Dollar Highway, Highway 550 is a narrow, winding, mountainous road as it travels from Durango, Colorado north toward Grand Junction. Difficult to drive in summer, it can be a real challenge in winter and winter is now here. Coal Bank Pass (10,640 feet), Molas Pass (10,790 feet) and Red Mountain Pass (11,018 feet) are but a few of the obstacles the highway offers up. Barb and I have been over these and other passes in the area during our stay in Colorado. Rumor has it that fill dirt used in building the road contains over a million dollars in gold.

Next was a call to the rental car company, and I was told there might or might not be a car available. I suggested he find one. He called back a short time later with two cars. The first one was a Mustang convertible. His boss wanted it moved out of winter weather. Perhaps he doesn’t know where Oregon is. The other was a Chevy HHR. Kinda looks like a small SUV, with lots of room. I took it. A little research on the internet told me HHR stands for Heritage High Roof. Really? That’s good to know.

We finally drove away in the car about 12:30. Apparently he is a one man operation, which means he cleans them, rents them and delivers them. And after he had just washed the car we drove away from the rental office on a half mile muddy road.

About forty minutes later we split a Subway sandwich in the small town of Bayfield and then on to Durango. By then the rain had stopped and the sun was starting to come out. Not much going on the next 137 miles, except for passing the entrance to Mesa Verde National Park and crossing into Utah. We visited Mesa Verde during our Colorado time and it’s another one of those must see places. I’d like to think we added another state today, but Utah was number three way back on day two.

Around Looking Glass Road the real scenery of Southern Utah begins, with some to the most beautiful red rock formations and mountains you will ever see. Yesterday was the day we were to explore Canyonlands National Park, but our four-legged friend has put a hold on that one. By stopping for the night in Moab we are back on schedule and will have a chance to spend some time in Arches National Park.

Dinner tonight was at the Moab Brewery, which has easily won the best Burger of the Trip award. And their beer is pretty darn good too.

Tomorrow after Arches we head to West Wendover, Nevada via Salt Lake City. I’ve been saving my pennies since day one and intend to gamble the whole $2.57 away, even if it takes till midnight. 220 miles today.

Day 45 - Santa Fe, NM to Moab, UT

Ok, today has been a disaster. We were on our way to Moab, but are now sitting in a motel in Pagosa Springs. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

Wanting to get an early start today I set the alarm on the Blackberry for 5:30, which would give us time to dress, pack and get down to breakfast at 6:30. Small problem. I glance at the clock on the nightstand as we are about to go to breakfast and it shows 5:20. What gives? Oh, the Blackberry is still on Central Time. What to do? We wait because it’s a very good full breakfast and included in the room rate.

So we hit the road at 7:02. I spy a Starbucks sign on an Albertsons and am rewarded with a Mocha for my quick left turn. North of Santa Fe the drive is beautiful, especially with the sun rising in the East. Lots of the canyons, mountains and red rock that showed up so often in O’Keeffe’s paintings.

It was cold and cloudy, but no rain. We saw a little snow on the higher mountains and the temperature was in the high forties.

About four miles out of Pagosa a deer thought about crossing in front of me, but a quick foot on the brakes and a game time decision by the deer to make a right turn avoided disaster.

About three miles out of Pagosa a deer suddenly appeared at the right headlight. After a rather healthy impact it was lifted onto the hood, careened into the windshield and disappeared off to the right clearing the oncoming lane and making a hard landing on the shoulder.

We are now in a motel in Pagosa. The car is a mess. Right headlight is gone, as is the bumper and hood. Right fender is pushed back into the passenger door and windshield pillar. This brut of a deer hit the windshield directly in front of me. Fortunately the glass held, although there is a small area that’s pushed in and there are small flakes of glass on the dashboard.

A number of really nice people stopped to see if we were ok, which we were. Except for Barb, but soon the tears were gone and she was making plans to buy a new car. Spent some time with the insurance company and I think everything is under control. Hopefully the car will be towed the 200+ miles to Grand Junction tomorrow. I opted for their preferred shop and a nearby Honda dealer for parts. And a rental car should be available after 9:00 am.

We now have a motel room full of everything that was in the car and neither of us can believe we got all this stuff in there. On the plus side, we have repacked and filled a large wastebasket. I don’t know what we are going to do next. I suppose we will load up the rental car and head for Grand Junction tomorrow to await the verdict on the car. If it’s to be repaired we will probably head back home and figure out how to get the car back to Oregon later on.

This could be a bummer way to end our trip. But it won’t. Nothing will take away from the wonderful time we have had for the last forty four days. 164 miles today.

Day 44 - Santa Fe, NM

No need to drive today, so we slept in a little and then headed down for a really great breakfast. Since we weren’t meeting our friends till 10:30, a little scouting trip was up next.

The heart of Santa Fe is the plaza. Like other Spanish cities in the Southwest, one side of the square is devoted to a government building and in Santa Fe this is The Palace of the Governors. Built in 1610, it is the oldest continuously occupied public building in the United States. The rest of Santa Fe is devoted to shops and restaurants.

Silver and turquoise jewelry handcrafted by the Navajo Nation. Pottery from the Santa Clara, San Ildefonso, Acoma and Zuni pueblos. Kachina dolls fashioned by the Hopi. And Barb’s favorite the chickens of Edith John. All of these and more make Santa Fe a shopping experience equaled by few.

Meeting up with our friends we made another circuit of the plaza and nearby streets, making our way through most shops. After a quick stop for lunch and more shops we took a tour of the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. O’Keeffe was a major figure in American art and responsible for pushing the boundaries of American artistic style. Then on to The Loretto Chapel, which is known for its spiral staircase. Built by an unknown carpenter in 1878, the staircase makes two complete revolutions, lacks a central support and was assembled using only wooden pegs. Although handrails were added later, as originally built there were was nothing but the spiral steps.

After a short rest, we were off to dinner. It was excellent, as were the margaritas. Tomorrow we leave early for Moab, Utah.

Day 43 - Amarillo, TX to Santa Fe, NM

Wanted to get to Santa Fe early, so set the alarm for 6:00 am. Out of bed, in and out of the shower, bags in the car and on our way to Starbucks at 7:10. We ordered up two of the regular and split a blueberry muffin before heading west of a fogbound Interstate 40. And it stayed fogbound until New Mexico.

Ah yes, New Mexico. Lots of nothing. Wide open spaces, little traffic and a 75 mph speed limit. Crossing the border put us back an hour, so we really didn’t have to get up at 6:00. At least today I had two headlights. Our only stops were at the Visitor’s Center on the border and for gas in Tucumcari.

It looks like New Mexico may have opted for billboards rather than road kill. Approaching a town of any size, and fortunately there weren’t many of them, the road is lined with billboards on each side advertising the single store that sells everything you need. Knives, pottery, jewelry, burgers, cold drinks, moccasins, blankets, ice cream and others, which I choose to forget, appeared over and over. Disgusting. It was along in here that we got a call from our Chicago friends, who were in the fog about two hours behind us.

Having seen a number of Old Route 66 signs and because we had a couple of hours on our friends, I decided drive a few miles on the old highway. Followed a sign off the freeway, looked around, couldn’t find Old Route 66 and headed back to the safety of the interstate.

Took a right at Clines Corners near the Shell Food Mart and Clines Corners Retail, neither of which exceeds 1.5 stars on Google, onto Highway 285 heading north. Then a short drive on Interstate 25 into Santa Fe. It was only about noon so our room wasn’t ready, but we got upgraded to a suite. Very nice.

Ok, so today I’m wearing shorts. I’ve been wearing shorts for weeks. What else would you wear in the South? Right, shorts and a t-shirt. So today its 44 degrees and windy. I can’t get into the room to change. So off we go looking for a Wells Fargo and lunch. I see one other guy with shorts, he just arrived from Florida. Anyway, found a bank and we split a sandwich for lunch. I had a cold beer with it. And followed that up with a margarita.

We are now is the room and I’ve changed into jeans. Just got a call from our friends and we will be meeting them soon for dinner. Tomorrow will be spent window shopping in Santa Fe. 276 miles today.

Day 42 - San Antonio, TX to Amarillo, TX

Thought this was going to be a nothing day, without much to talk about. Well, Texas came through with a few things for me.

Wanting to get out of San Antonio early, we set the alarm for 6:00 am. But there we were making coffee at 5:45. Heading out of town at 5:55 meant no continental breakfast and beating the traffic was more important than a Starbucks. Bummer.

Once again we found ourselves steering west on Interstate 10. By the way, this highway has got to be one of the longest in the country, stretching 2,434 miles from Jacksonville, Florida to Santa Monica, California. We weren’t on it for long this time, turning north on Highway 87. Six o’clock is pretty dark out in the middle of Texas and I found myself having to use the high beams whenever possible. Once the sun started to show itself we were in and out of fog.

We passed near Luckenbach, Texas, made famous in a Waylon Jennings song and even closer to the LBJ ranch. We were now in the hill country of Texas, with altitude ranging from 1600 to 2000 feet. Pretty country when you could see it through the fog. We finally stopped after about 140 miles for a quick breakfast in Brady. While eating a guy walks in. Cowboy shirt, jeans, silver buckle the size of a salad plate, boots, spurs and a …….. baseball cap. I wanted to ask what happened to the Stetson, but didn’t. 259 miles down the road in Abilene I got a Starbucks. That sounds like a long ways, but when you leave at 5:55 and drive at least 65 mph, it’s not so bad.

There are a lot of ranches in this part of the country and it seems like everyone has a name and some kind of arch type of thing over the driveway. The best name today, and I’m not kidding, was Belly Acres.

Once we got past Abilene three things suddenly appeared. First there was cotton. Cotton like you wouldn’t believe. Both sides of the road and as far as you could see. Second, oil wells began to show up out in the sage brush and in the middle of the cotton fields. No derricks of course, just the pumpjacks working oil to the surface. Lastly, there were wind turbines. Thousands of them, at least that’s my guess. Oh, and one other thing: there were a dozen or so longhorns.

A little cotton, a little oil

About an hour out of Amarillo we pulled into a rest stop. A guy who was in front of me pointed out that one of my headlights was out. Hummm, maybe that’s why it was so dark this morning. The friendly Honda GPS gave me the name and phone number of the dealer in Amarillo, and a quick call confirmed that they could squeeze in this traveler in need. And they did.

The rest of the evening was uneventful. We checked into the hotel, got a little dinner and are now watching the Giants vs. Phillies. Tomorrow we are off the Santa Fe, New Mexico, where we will be meeting up with our friends from Chicago for two days. Now up to 10,040 miles. Almost time for another oil change. 546 miles today.

Day 41 - San Antonio, TX

Yes! Zero miles and slept into 8:00. We had a decent continental breakfast and set out for River Walk. One level down from the street we found the ticket office and purchased two at the senior rate of $6.00.

For 45 minutes the boat travels through a canyon of hotels and restaurants, passes under bridges and lush vegetation, floats by waterfall and shops, and is a journey through San Antonio history. Hopefully you have had a chance to visit River Walk, but if not do so when in town.

After the boat ride we took River Walk to Rivercenter Mall for a little shopping. We were lead to believe it would be a WOW, but it turned out to be just another aging mall. Barb found a place to get her bangs cut and there was a Macy’s, where I found two shirts and Barb got skunked.

Now it was time for lunch and we found a table right on River Walk. We split a couple of enchiladas, beans and rice. Oh, and a couple of Dos Equis Amber. After eating we were a little tired of the heat, so we headed back to the motel for some rest, before heading back to River Walk to look around a little more and find dinner.

If you choose the correct side of the street in the late afternoon you can walk almost all the way to River Walk in the shade. We followed the loop around to the Rio Rio Cantina, where we ordered a couple of margaritas and again shared chicken fajitas. Great food and a great setting. Only problem with being right on the water is the ducks pecking at your feet trying to get a handout. A slow walk back to the motel and off to bed early. We’ll be heading to Amarillo and it’s going to be one of those 500+ mile days.

Day 40 - Conroe, TX to San Antonio, TX

Once again I woke up with Barb already out of the shower and getting dressed. Either I’m sleeping very soundly or she is very quiet. Very nice continental breakfast for a change. After packing the car we suffered through the freeway construction for a Starbucks.

I was tempted to take some back roads to avoid Houston morning traffic, but wound up heading south on Interstate 45. Actually the traffic wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be and by taking Interstate 610 around the west side of the city we avoided the downtown.

A couple of things about Texas roads. First, I have never seen so much road kill per mile. Everything from deer to possum to armadillo to squirrels. It’s all there. Second, trucks must come to Texas to lose rubber off their recaps. Third, Texas has the best roadside rests we’ve seen so far. Every one is like a visitor’s center. Nice big buildings, with clean restrooms and well kept landscaping.

I am a little disappointed with two things so far, no longhorn steers and no oil wells. What gives?

Barb got us a motel right in the middle of the action in San Antonio. And she got it on points. We’re seven blocks from the Alamo and four blocks from River Walk, plus close to lots of restaurants and shopping. No driving tomorrow.

After checking in we picked up a map from the motel and headed for the Alamo. Quite a place. Although much of it is not original, it is sufficient to give a clear picture of what transpired in 1836. Defending the Alamo during the 13 day siege was a small group of Texans, including well known frontiersmen James Bowie, Davy Crockett and William Travis. In the end, the estimated 182 to 260 defenders could not withstand the assault of over 2,000 Mexican troops under General Santa Anna. The few survivors that surrendered were immediately executed, an act which was not forgotten as Texans moved forward toward independence from Mexico.

On the way back to the motel we took the steps down to River Walk, which is a network of walkways along the San Antonio River one story below street level. Having its beginning after a flood swept through San Antonio in 1926, it slowly developed into the major tourist attraction it is today. Shops and restaurants line the walkway today and boats offer tours of the waterway. We stopped at one of the restaurants and sipped a cold beer from a table overlooking the river. Looked like a good menu, so we made a 7:00 reservation for dinner.

After a little rest at the motel, we headed back to the restaurant and got a table with another great view of the water. For dinner were shared excellent chicken fajitas. And the margaritas were great too. Or two. Back at the motel Barb did a little laundry and looked up the history of our motel. Turns out it has been around since 1878 and was a jail until 1962, when it was remodeled. Executions were carried out from the third floor, with the drop being down to the second floor. Glad we are on the fifth.

Tomorrow we will do a little more exploring around town and take a boat tour on the river. 244 miles today.

Day 39 - Natchez, MS to Conroe, TX

Kinda slept in until 6:45 pm and after a bagel and loading the car we headed west, immediately crossing the Mississippi River. I spent the first 15 minutes back in Louisiana unsuccessfully trying to catch up with a tug pushing a bunch of barges south. No photo of that tonight.

Big difference from one side of the river to the other. For some reason, and I have no idea why, the Mississippi side looks like the elegant old South, while the Louisiana side just looks poor. There was also a big change in agriculture. We saw one small cotton field earlier, Tennessee I think, but now there was cotton everywhere. Not only in the fields, but beside the road in huge bales waiting to be hauled off. And little puffs of the stuff all over.

Seventy-four miles down the road we rolled into Alexandria, Louisiana, and found a Starbucks. Located in an Albertsons, we had both coffee and a convenient rest stop. As we were walking toward the back of the store I spied some gallon sized jars, which looked like they were filled with crayfish. Turned out they were pickled pig’s lips. Quite popular in the South.

Not much to comment on for the rest of the drive. We passed near Fort Polk, the Army’s Joint Readiness Training Center, and shortly thereafter crossed the Sabine River entering into Texas. Jasper offered a chance to split a sandwich and stretch a little. I’m getting a little tired of driving. After lunch did a two mile drive across Lake Steinhagen and spent a little time in the Sam Houston National Forest. Just before getting to Conroe we passed through Cut and Shoot, Texas. Being the curious type I checked out the name. According to one legend, it all had to do with a church dispute; it was either the design of a new steeple, who would be allowed to preach or land claims among church members. Other than the name, the town’s claim to fame is boxer Roy Harris, who fought Floyd Patterson for the heavyweight title in 1958.

Very nice motel in the middle of freeway construction. It took two passes before we found our way in. Dinner was Mexican and very good. Tomorrow we head to San Antonio for two nights. Up to 9,250 miles and 30 states. Really starting to think about getting back home. 346 miles today.

Spanish Moss

Day 38 - Vicksburg, MS to Natchez, MS

Without an alarm we were up at 6:15 and getting ready for yet another day. Not being overly impressed with the motel, we elected to eat breakfast out. Walked into an unnamed restaurant and walked right back out. We have this thing about eating in places that look clean. Drove the few extra miles and had a great breakfast at Cracker Barrel. Back at the motel we loaded up and headed for Clinton, Mississippi.

Clinton offered two things. First and foremost, Clinton has the only Starbucks within 100 miles. Second, there’s an entry onto the Natchez Trace Parkway. So with Starbucks in hand, we started out on a 94 mile drive to Natchez.

Opened in 2005, the Parkway extends 444 miles from Nashville, Tennessee to Natchez, Mississippi and had its beginnings as an ancient salt lick to grazing pasture migratory route for American Bison. Later Native Americans and early frontiersman continued using the Trace until it became a well established route complete with taverns and overnight stops for travelers. Over hundreds of years, constant use wore the Trace down until sections of it became a sunken road. In time it was the primary return route for those taking flat-boats down the Mississippi River. Flat-boats built and loaded with goods would be sailed down to New Orleans. Once there, goods and flat-boats would be sold and the Trace used for the return to the upper reaches of the rivers.

So why was this simple two lane road be such an amazing drive? Maybe it was the way it gently winds through the surrounding forests and farmland. Maybe it was the trees dressed in fall colors. Or perhaps the exclusion of commercial traffic. Maybe it was the wild turkeys along the road. It was in fact all that and more. You don’t have to drive the whole 444 miles, but if you are in the area drive some of it.

Founded by the French as a trading post in 1714, Natchez passed back and forth between Spain and America until 1795. As part of the Old South it abounds in history. Fortunately the early surrender to Admiral David Farragut during the Civil War saved the city’s architecture from the destruction suffered elsewhere in the South and there are many of the old southern plantations still standing. We took some time to see some of the homes and other sites in the city, including the frantically waving lady trying to tell me I was driving the wrong way on a one way street. Barb was pretty excited about that.

Our motel tonight is pretty nice. Less than a year old and we have a room with a view of the Mississippi. Ok, it’s not a great view, but is better than looking at the parking lot. Tomorrow we continue west toward home and will spend the next four nights in Texas. 178 miles today

Old Natchez Trace

Day 37 - New Orleans, LA to Vicksburg, MS

We wanted to sneak out of New Orleans early, so were up at 6:00 am. It’s dark then. A quick continental breakfast and we were on Interstate 10 headed west. Before getting too far, the GPS had us make a quick stop in Kenner for a couple of Starbucks.

We now followed Interstates 10 and 55 along the western shore of Lake Pontchartrain. Thirty-six of the miles along the lake were driven on elevated roadway over the Maurepas Swamp and several wildlife management areas.

A few more miles and I began to think about how a rest stop would fit nicely into my plan for the day. So, when the sign announced the Mississippi Visitor’s Center was just down the road I quickly moved to the right lane in anticipation. Closed. Checked the GPS and found another a short 30 miles down the road. Ok, no problem. Closed. Finally Magnolia, Mississippi came to the rescue with an Exxon station.

All this interstate driving gets a little boring. Time for a short cut, which turned out to be a pleasant drive down a little two-lane country road. Barb was happy and I saved 21 miles. We stopped to split a sandwich for lunch and then off to Vicksburg National Military Park.

First stop was the Visitor’s Center, which had one of those really neat digital maps. These maps have to be the very best way to visualize a battle progressing over days or, in the case of Vicksburg, even months. We picked up an auto tour map for the 16 mile drive over the park’s 1,736 acres. Vicksburg was a different kind of battle for us. In our travels from Gettysburg to Shiloh, battles have been won or lost by Union and Confederate forces fighting and dying on blood soaked fields. The high ground of Vicksburg offered the Confederates excellent ground to defend and the first two major assaults by Union forces were soundly defeated. After the heavy losses, Grant laid siege to Vicksburg beginning on May 25, 1863. With all access to resupply cut off, Confederate forces finally had to surrender on July 4th. The loss of the Mississippi River, along with Lee’s defeat the previous day at Gettysburg, was devastating for the South.

Probably the most interesting stop on the tour was at the USS Cairo. The Cairo was a city class ironclad gunboat, which served with both the Army’s Western Gunboat Fleet and later the US Navy. In December 1862, while clearing mines on the Yazoo River she struck a torpedo and sunk. In 1964, after several setbacks, Cairo was lifted onto barges and moved to Pascagoula, Mississippi, for restoration. She now resides in a special shelter at the park and, along with the museum, is well worth seeing.

While checking into the motel, Barb found out the vine we keep seeing is kudzu. It’s a climbing, coiling and trailing vine native to Japan and China. In the Southeastern United States it is known as “foot-a-night vine”, “mile-a-minute vine” and “the vine that ate the South”.

The rest of the day was uneventful, with Barb doing a little laundry after dinner. We are really looking forward to tomorrow, when we will travel the Natchez Trace Parkway to Natchez, Tennessee. 251 miles today.

Ulysses S. Grant Monument
Vicksburg National Battlefield
Vicksburg, Mississippi

Day 36 - South Louisiana

Up about 8:00, downstairs for a really good continental breakfast and on the road by 9:25. We drove a few miles south on Highway 90 and then picked up Highway 23 near Terrytown. Once through Belle Chasse, highway 23 would follow the Mississippi River down toward the Gulf.

Chevron and Conoco both have large refineries on the river and we passed several heliports, which transport work crews out to oil rigs in the Gulf. There seems to be a sports fishing industry in the area and we did see some orange orchards, but other than that I don’t have any idea what people do down there. Oh, they are still rebuilding houses.

At one time sulfur was big business in Gulf area and Port Sulphur was named for the Freeport Sulphur Company. Yes, the town and company are spelled Sulphur. The Grande Ecaille mine located in a marsh ten miles west of town was the largest sulfur deposit in the world when production began in 1933. Sulfur from other mines in the area was processed in Port Sulphur, including a mine 50 miles offshore in 300 feet of water.

Near the end of the road is Venice, which is a collection of fishing boats and the county sheriff’s office in a C Class RV. Continuing to the very end we encountered the “You Have Reached the Southernmost Point In Louisiana” sign. You don’t go any further on wheels.

Not a big decision on what to do next, turn around and head back the way we came. And it was time to look for lunch. The first two we stopped at didn’t pass muster, but the third, Lil G’s Kajun Restaurant, looked hole-in-wall enough to try. Two bowls of gumbo and two Coronas hit the spot. The gumbo was shrimp, crab, okra, rice and I don’t know what else. It got a 10 from me and 9.5 from Barb.

Couple of things about this part of the country. First, there are a lot of houses on stilts. Looks a little odd, but when a hurricane raises the water level you’re good for at least 10 feet. Second, those who have passed on are buried above ground. With an elevation of 4 feet above sea level, you can’t dig too far without finding water. Third, there are a few banana trees mixed in with the oranges.

Ok, so now is the time I have to tell you about another lousy dinner. On the recommendation of the concierge we made reservations at Oceania on Conti Street. Typical French Quarter restaurant. Casual, noisy and big menu. First up was a chardonnay for Barb and a Newcastle Brown for me. For an appetizer we shared Louisiana Crabmeat Cakes, with Crawfish Cream Sauce. Wonderful. Main course for Barb was Red Beans and Rice, with Sausage, while I opted for the Shrimp Creole. Both were excellent. The shared dessert was New Orleans Bread Pudding with Rum Sauce. Outstanding. Barb finished her wine, while I ended the meal with a 15 year old Glenfiddich.

A stroll down Bourbon Street on a Friday evening offers a rich mixture of sights. From the local street entertainers trying to earn a living to your fellow travelers, there is something to see every minute. Tomorrow we will be off early for Vicksburg, Mississippi, and the Vicksburg National Military Park. 176 miles today.

Shrimp boats
Venice, Louisiana

Day 35 - Mobile, AL to New Orleans, LA

We split a Starbucks blueberry muffin for breakfast and were on Interstate 10 heading west by 8:12 am. Ok, we did have a mocha and coffee too. A few miles down the road we left the Interstate and followed US 90 to drive along the Gulf Coast.

Crossing the Pascagoula River near Pascagoula and Gautier, Mississippi, we began to see the lasting damage from Katrina. Along the highway driveways led to vacant lots. Some with the remains of a foundation and others with what looked like a once upon a time driveway. Many more homes with significant damage, windows and doors covered with plywood. What a mess. There was some construction going on, but it didn’t seem like much.

A little further along we encountered Biloxi, Mississippi, which has miles of beautiful white sand beach and a lot of casinos. And the devastation from Katrina continued. At this point the beach towns came one after another, as if joined at the hip. Gulfport, Long Beach, Pass Christian, Bay St. Louis, and Waveland took us back to Interstate 10 and the hunt for lunch.

This was the Gulf and that meant seafood. We wanted a place on the water, but were now heading away from the coast. Putting our trust in the GPS, we headed for Slidell, Louisiana, and Peck’s Seafood. Peck’s is the kind of place you walk into and immediately start considering how to leave. Ambiance none. Cafeteria tables and chairs. Order at the counter before finding your own table. But sometimes these little hole-in-wall places have really good food and when the big menu on the wall screamed out SEAFOOD GUMBO we ordered two bowls and two Coronas. Remember the best ever gumbo last night? This was better.

The rest of the drive into New Orleans was pretty easy. With our room not ready, we spent a couple of hours walking the French Quarter. Bars, restaurants and shops selling t-shirts. Narrow streets, old buildings and balconies with wrought iron railings. Tourists, delivery trucks and horse drawn carriages. Having been there once, I wouldn’t go back. Barb described it as dirty. It is, but perhaps part of the experience. There was a positive for me. I have a few CD’s of The Preservation Hall Jazz Band and there at 726 St. Peter Street was the Preservation Hall. Even better, two of the musicians, drums and sax, were playing out front.

Joseph Lastie Jr. and Charlie Gabriel
Preservation Hall Jazz Band
New Orleans, Louisiana

Dinner tonight was at the Red Fish Grill. We shared an appetizer of grilled shrimp with a ginger glaze and crab stuffed spring rolls. We then shared a main dish of shrimp and jambalaya with a crab and shrimp cake. We followed that with a shared double chocolate bread pudding. Barb opted for coffee, while I choose a 15 year old Glenfiddich scotch neat. From start to finish, this was one of the best meals we have ever had. If you ever get a chance, eat at the Red Fish Grill. I don’t know how we can do any better tomorrow.

After dinner we walked Bourbon Street and it was just like in the movies. With the street blocked off there were people and musicians everywhere. Yes, there really are people on the balconies and Barb caught necklaces to prove it. What fun. I’m beginning to like New Orleans.

Another state today. Sometime I’ll have to sit down and figure out exactly where we have been. Tomorrow we head south out into the bayous of Louisiana. 154 miles today.

Gulf coast
Biloxi, Mississippi

Day 34 - Savannah, TN to Mobile, AL

Last night I set the alarm for 6:00 am. When I woke up 5:45 Barb had already taken a shower and was getting dressed. So, a quick shower and shave later I was out in the dark packing the car. We decided to drive awhile before having breakfast and finally stopped at the Waffle House in Corinth. Then it was south on Highway 45 headed for Tupelo, Mississippi and Starbucks.

Today was the longest drive since day 21 and could easily have been considered boring, but we have learned that every day offers something. Today we watched as pine forests began to encroach on the changing colors for fall. And those pines began to remind us of home. We also added another piece to the agriculture jigsaw puzzle by slipping the cotton piece into place.

The road today was neither interstate nor back road. A beautiful four-lane divided highway gave the appearance of an interstate, but the occasional driveways and stop signs imparted a rural look. Towns with names like Okolona, Shuqualak, Scooba, Shubuta, Citronelle and Chunchula made us feel we were out of the mainstream.

I now know the purpose of the Rocky Mountains. They have been strategically placed to balance all of the bricks used in Southern buildings. It seems like every house, church, business, courthouse and library is built of brick. Beautiful homes are everywhere. And prices are unbelievable.

We asked at the desk for a dinner recommendation and then headed for the Original Oyster House out on Battleship Causeway. Probably the best dinner since Boston. We started with a couple of Coronas and sharing a bowl of seafood gumbo. Best gumbo we’ve ever had. Flounder, crawfish, shrimp, beans, rice and who knows what else. I had Blackened Shrimp and Grits. Sounds a little far out, but seafood and grits seems to be a southern thing. Dinner included red beans and rice, red potatoes and hush puppies. Barb had the same except for grilled shrimp instead of blackened.

On the way back to the motel we stopped so I could get a photo of the USS Alabama (BB-60), which is now a museum ship on permanent display in Mobile Bay. Now up to 8,145 miles and I think Alabama is number 28. Tomorrow we will take a lazy drive along the gulf coast to New Orleans, Louisiana. 473 miles today.