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Thursday, 11/11

An early start and our decision to drive California Highway 99 (formerly US 99) instead of I-5 gave us a great run for our other home.  I-5 on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley is faster, but having driven it so many times, it is also less interesting, with far fewer towns to entice us to take a break and relax.  In the '60s when I drove truck weekly from Canada to southern California, I-5 did not exist in central California.  Therefore, it was US 99 providing the main north/south route in the far west.  Nostalgia and love of the agricultural scenery made for a great day for both of us, but one stop made it perfect.

South of Fresno is Kingsburg, a small aggie town settled by Swedes in the 1800s.  Sun Maid Raisins and Del Monte Foods have processing plants there, and the fields surrounding the town are noted for their grapes, mostly of the table variety, raisins and tree fruits.  But, it's the heart of this 11,000 population town that is the attraction for us.  Cute Scandinavian style shops and restaurants, with so little traffic that we could walk down the center of the street without danger.  An excellent Swedish lunch, followed our supporting the local economy while preparing for Christmas.  Then there were the bakeries ... satisfying Doris's lust for such things, and my desire to experience again what my Swedish mother would bake for the Christmas holiday season.  Mmmm.

Kingsburg's Swedish bakery, restaurant and Christmas shopping.  A MasterCard moment

Swedes revere their coffee, so Kingsburg's water tower has been converted to an extra large, decorated coffee pot.

Further north on Highway 99, we refueled for the last time of the trip, paying an unreasonable $3.34/gallon of diesel (x 100+ gallons), then headed directly into the sun, and into Bay Area traffic and bad roads.  Our coast to coast odyssey ended at 4:30pm when we shut down the engine in front of our (first or second, I don't remember) home.

I'm compelled to end this blog by sharing some observations. So, as I sit here at the dining table, at the end of this, our last day on the road, I must say that I'm so very proud of this country. We've learned again that some of its history, even some of its present conduct is to be condemned. Yet, we have, and continue to be a beacon for most of the world that can only imagine the freedoms that we experienced on this trip. Our journey from the Pacific to the Atlantic and back again, has again allowed us to experience this country's natural, phenomenal, ever changing beauty and abundance, the latter created by this land and our people who work it to our benefit. Not surprisingly, nearly every person we met was good to us ... as Americans are noted for 'round the world. Yes, there were drivers that earned our expletives, but tens of thousands more were courteous, some unexpectedly so.  It has been a true pleasure to return the favor and share the road with our fellow travelers.

Fellow travelers? The very most special ones have been Tom & Sheryl, Joleta & Tony, Bill & Ginny, Al & Debbie, all who trusted Doris and me to lead them through New England's autumn foliage for 3 weeks. What an honor. What a wonderful time all of you gave us. Thank you for being so enthusiastic, so accepting, and such good friends.

And, to a special fellow traveler: my wife Doris ... Doris, you actually stayed true to the adventure, added special requests that made the trip better, helped by driving about 1,000 of the miles and got better at it as you went along. You are absolutely the best "backing up guide", even in the dark. No one that's lived with me in a box on wheels has ever cooked as well as you (and appeared to enjoy doing it). Yes, your occasional bouts of homesickness made for some "moments", but you overcame them and stayed the course, allowing both of us to share great times to the very end of this incredible journey. Times that you would have missed ... and been missed had you left early. How great it is to look back and know that we did it all ... together.

But, dear friends and family, there is more to learn of this country. More to see, to enjoy. That's why the nucleus of our "next trip" has already been conceived. It''ll be awhile before we set out to explore and experience another part of the US, but it'll happen if we continue to be graced with good health and a zest for learning by traveling.

So this is it. The last full day on the road. I'm already beginning to think I'll miss the opportunity to share more of our travel experiences with you. Maybe not the sense of obligation that set in when I was days late in relating our travels and travails, but certainly the sharing of an unbeatable experience. Someday, I myself might even read this blog and say, "Wow, Doris! We really DID have a good time during our 2010 odyssey."

TRIP TRIVIA:

Duration:  3 months (actually 89 days)
Miles Driven:  8,527
Fuel Consumed:  1,214 gallons of diesel (Environmentalists, please ignore this data)
Average Price:  $3.00/gallon
States Visited:  32
Weather Encountered:  6 days of rain, all on non-driving days); lots of driving days with strong crosswinds, regardless of our direction; one tornado watch; one light snow; most every day with sunshine.  Temperatures ranged from 22 to 94 degrees.

# of Overnights Spent at Accommodation Provided By: 

Walmart Parking Lots - 11 - Free, safe, easy to find; easier to grocery shop.

Elks Lodges - 18 - Always welcoming, helpful and fun. Our only complaint is that some allowed smoking.

Friends' Driveway - 2 - A special, convenient treat

Fire Station - 1 - It pays to have a cousin with connections that gives this unique opportunity.

Street - 7 - Under the autumn trees, next to my sister's.  Adds class to the neighborhood.

Home Depot Parking Lot - 1 - Never hurts to ask after a long day and nothing else is available.

Motel Parking Lot - 2 - The sacrifices we have to make to join 100 high school friends celebrating a birthday!  Great fun having an open house for them.

Casino - 1 - Unbelievably, we never went inside.  Truly a freebie.
  
RV Parks - 45 -  Makes half the overnights legitimate.

MasterCard Debt:  Your donation will be greatly appreciated.

Treasured Memories: Priceless.

Thank you for staying with us for all these days and for reading this far.  Your comments have been kind and encouraging.  We hope our words and photos have brought you pleasure and incentive to travel this great land we call home.

Toward Home

Wednesday, 11/10

OK, so the Barstow Elks Lodge was not for us last night.  Not the nicest part of town and we both decided that the Home Depot parking lot was much more acceptable.  Yes, they let us park in their level lot across from the main entrance, but far enough away that only the parking lot lights and the security cameras kept us company.  Probably as safe as any RV park.  With a view of the colored lights of the big rigs flying by us on I-15, we also enjoyed watching the news and a movie while dining at home.

This morning, we connected with niece Jane in Palmdale.  Somewhat off our direct route to home, we couldn't pass the opportunity to see a favorite relative, and one who lost her very special (to all of us) dad this past summer back home in England. 

What a great time we had!  Busy as ever, she was so appreciative of our visit.  Of course, we had to have lunch, but this time, Doris served it in our coach ... in front of Jane's house, a la "Meals on Wheels". 

With little time to go before the local school provided traffic jams of frustrating levels, we headed off to grind up & over the Techachapi Mountains towards Bakersfield and the southern end of California's "Big Valley", AKA the San Joaquin Valley, provider of a major part of our vegetable diet, along with cotton, dairy, beef, you-name-it.  Oh, oil too.  AND Merle Haggard and Buck Owens.  Those guys alone should give all of you a clue as to the importance of this area. 

But, getting there over the mountains also meant dealing with viscious cross winds that attempted to turn our 18 ton coach into a sailboat.  With only 12 feet to keep our 8+ wide vehicle in its lane, this was one of the more challenging afternoons.  In spite of the occasional drama of mountain curves and nasty winds, we made it to our favorite orange processing plant and loaded up on citrus before parking at the Bakersfield Elks Lodge for the night.  Ready for a gala farewell to our almost 3-month odyssey, we instead decided to dine one more night at "home".  At least that's now how we feel about our coach.  It's served us well, in spite of a few minor (tho' they seemed major at the time) issues that were easily corrected by a third mortgage on our other house. 

After dinner we'll watch the Country Music Awards show from Nashville, a city we enjoyed 4 years ago.  And, having traveled 8,237 miles of our country's highways & byways these past 87 days, with more to add tomorrow, country music has become something more than what big rig drivers and cowboys listen to.  Once again, it speaks to us as we enjoy the panoramic view of the US, meet its people from all walks of life while living and working in the 32 states we've driven through, walked, toured, stayed and studied ... and enjoyed immensely. 

As I sit here at the dining table, on this our last night on the road, I must say that I'm so very proud of this country.  We've learned again that some of its history, even some of its present conduct is to be condemned.  Yet, we have, and continue to be a beacon for most of the world that can only imagine the freedoms that we experienced on this trip.  Then, from the Pacific to the Atlantic and back again, there is this country's natural, phenomenal, ever changing beauty and abundance, the latter created by this land and our people who work it to our benefit.  Too, every person we met was good to us ... as Americans are noted for 'round the world.  Yes, there were drivers that earned our expletives, but tens of thousands more were courteous, some unexpectedly so, and it has been to a true pleasure to return the favor and share the road with our fellow travelers.

Fellow travelers?  The very most special ones have been Tom, Sheryl, Joleta, Tony, Bill, Ginny, Al & Debbie (and Buddy, the cat) who trusted Doris and me to lead them through New England's autumn foliage for 3 weeks.  What a honor.  What a wonderful time all of you gave us.  Thank you for being so enthusiastic, so accepting, and such good friends.

And, to a special fellow traveler:  my wife Doris ... You actually stayed true to the adventure, added special requests that made the trip better, helped by driving about 1,000 of the miles and got better at it as you went along.  You are absolutely the best "backing up guide", even in the dark.  No one that's lived with me in a box on wheels has ever cooked as well as you (and appeared to enjoy it).  Yes, you occasional bouts of homesickness made for some "moments", but you overcame them and stayed the course, allowing both of us to share great times to the end of the trip.  Times that you would have missed ... and been missed.  How great it is to look back and know that we did it all ... together.

But, dear friends and family, there is more to learn of this country.  More to see, to enjoy.  That's why the nucleus of our "next trip" has already been conceived.  It''ll be awhile before we set out to explore and experience another part of the US, but it'll happen if we continue to be graced with good health and a zest for learning.

So this is it.  The last full day on the road.  I'll think about this overnight and wrap up the blog tomorrow.  I'm already beginning to think I'll miss the opportunity to share our experiences with you.  Maybe not the sense of obligation that set in when I was days late in relating our travels and travails, but certainly the sharing of an unbeatable experience.  Someday, I might even read this blog and say, "Wow, Doris!  We really DID have a good time during our 2010 odyssey."

A traveling chef produces the best end-of-odyssey dinner in Bakersfied, CA.

From Mountain Freezing to High Desert Heat

Tuesday, 11/09

French toast and Vermont maple syrup ... what a fine breakfast on this clear morning! 

Did I mention toast?  We'll it sure wasn't "toast"y outside. 22 degrees.  But, the wind had left us to another clear day to close up and head for the highway again.  However, one doesn't close up too fast when there's a frozen hose that had been appropriately disconnected from the water source to protect the coach's plumbing, but was not drained.  A solid white snake for the sun to de-freeze.  Then, the awnings that protect the slides were covered in ice that had to be removed before bringing the slides in.  Not having this challenge before, it was a very careful ascent to the roof and careful creeping along the icy roof to dislodge the ice and remove it from the awnings.  Earning another "Hero" medal, I then washed the windshield of remaining assorted road kill, and we were on our way again.  Destination?  Needles, CA which was boasting 70 degree temps, far from our frigid number.

However, as we approached Needles, we felt that it was too early to stop, especially since we gained an hour at the California border.  Sooo ... looking at the map and seeing absolutely no place to overnight between Needles and Barstow, Doris took the wheel and we headed for the Mojave desert town of Barstow.  Not a place to live, but a place to overnight.  Besides, there are factory outlet stores, Flying J Truck Stop, and an Elks Lodge.  So, here I am, sitting at the dining table, Doris charging down our famed California highways with the sun in her face, each mile taking us closer to our Bay Area home.  I'm not sure I'm ready, but then Doris wasn't ready to start this trip ... and yet it's been great doing this together.  If she can adjust to three months on the road with her beloved, then I will adjust to being home with mine.

Warning to all truckers:  Mama's heading for home!

Winter Is Coming To Williams

Monday, 11/08

With continued help from the nearby trains horning in on our sleep, it was easy to wake up early and LEAVE!  A glorious morning with incoming inclement weather from the west added to our desire to get on the road before very strong winds, rain and maybe snow showers took the joy out of watching the scenery roll by as we ride our magic carpet.

A lone cottonwood tree, the last sign of colorful foliage for this trip.

Northern Arizona gives us high desert range land, mountains, and pine forests as we approach Flagstaff.  Then, the highway begins a descent to lower countryside and our destination:  Williams, AZ.  Touting itself as "The Gateway to the Grand Canyon", this city born in 1881, has a first class, fully paved RV parking plan, perfect for us as rain was on its way and we're tired of tracking mud to our home on wheels.  Too, Williams inspired the writers of the Pixar movie "Cars" with its old time gas station and '54 blue Ford parked in front.  A nice town to walk, with sufficient restaurants to serve us if our in-home chef is having a day off ...which is seldom.

Williams, Arizona, from our 2006 cross country trip.  Kids like us like the movie "Cars", especially because so much of what we've seen on our traveling much of Route 66/I-40/I-44 is depicted in the movie.

Taking advantage of an early arrival, I chose a site that faced the increasing winds and oncoming storm.  Better to watch it than to be broadsided by it.  This was also a good time to clean house, do laundry, reply to emails, make phone calls, and blog.  Without outside temperatures dropping, it was also more fun to watch movies again and dine by candlelight.

First the wind, then the rain, and sure enough:  Snow!!  Not enough to make snow angels or snowmen, but our first of the trip, and the last as we're getting close to southern California, a state we vaguely remember.

Indians: Casino vs. Sky City Versions

Sunday, 11/07

Leaving Albuquerque on a bright Sunday morning, we head west, stopping for fuel at the Casino 66 Casino and Truck Stop.  Refueling the ponies, we decide to investigate the casino, the first of our trip.  Unlike previous trips, Doris declared that she was done with gambling ... but not quite, especially since I was ready to duplicate our last time here and win a few hundred dollars, then dine on the best casino buffet. 

The Casino 66 arrow points to the results of our Sunday gambling.

Back in the saddle after our casino adventure, we exit toward the Acoma Pueblo, AKA Sky City.  15 miles of narrow 2-lane road through beautiful, non-inhabited New Mexico led us to the base of  a mesa. 

On the road to Sky City.

At the top of the mesa is Sky City, aptly named because of the panoramic view of much of New Mexico from most every place on the mesa.  Occupied by the Acomans, an Indian tribe since about 1150 A.D., this is one of the oldest continuously inhabited settlements in this country.  Of course, the Spanish explorers found them and nearly wiped out the Acomans ... but not quite.  Today, about a dozen families live in Sky City, while others have homes there, as well as in other towns nearby.  It is a very spiritual place, but guided tourists are welcome.  So, we paid the fee (plus $10 for using our camera) and enjoyed learning of and meeting these fine people. 

Our Acoman guide standing beside the community oven, with the valley floor as a backdrop.  No other kitchen has such a panoramic view.

Sky City Main Street.  One & two story adobe buildings.  No water, no electricity.

We would have had to walk up to & from the mesa through a very narrow slit in the side of the mesa, but western movies were made in this area in the 40's & 50s, and Hollywood had to build a road to get to the top.  Until then the Indians had to carry water, food and building materials by hand and back via the aforementioned path.  We  took the path on the way down and I still hurt from the experience!

The church, built by the Acomans under order of the Spanish.  Services are still held here.  No pews, all must stand for the duration.

All in all, Acoma, or Sky City, was a very special, somewhat spiritual experience on a warm, Sunday afternoon, and recommended to all of you.

Some people claimed they actually enjoyed the walk down the mesa.

To the right of us is Mt. Taylor.  The Acomans cut timber there and carry the logs for 12 miles, up the steps and use them to build their homes and church.

Further along I-40 was Gallup, where we've spent time and money, enjoying a somewhat prosperous city that acts as a trading post for the Indians selling their pottery, jewelery, blankets and rugs.  We've certainly helped them in the past to move their wares to California, but this time it was a familiar Walmart parking lot that was our overnight destination.  Essential shopping, home cooked dinner and a movie concluded this day ... except for the trains!  We'd forgotten that a major east/west track was only a few hundred feet from our site.  That would be OK except for the fact that trains blow their horn when approaching crossings.  All night,  1 1/2 mile long trains rolled past,  signalling their oncoming presence to the several crossings within earshot of us.  The many big rigs passing within feet of our bedroom were far more acceptable than the trains a few hundred feet away.  We always enjoy watching them parallel I-40, but we lost some affection for them this night.

Regardless of the nighttime Union Pacific Railroad Nighttime Serenade, it was a great day.

The Land of Enchantment. It's True.

Saturday, 11/06

Amarillo.  When we think of Amarillo, we think of the West.  And we should.  It's near Oklahoma and New Mexico.  You can't get more West than Amarillo, unless you cross the border into New Mexico and enter both a state and Mountain Time.  Whooeeee!  Another hour in our favor, but tonight, we also get a second "extra" hour because of the end of daylight savings time.  We need both as we're 2 ponies and 400 horses (AKA 400 horsepower pushing our second home towards our first home ... and we all know what it's like to when the horse is heading toward the barn ... nothing's going to stop the beast from going for the oats, or whatever makes the day.

Ah, well, let's slow down to 70mph.  We're now in the Land of Enchantment.  New Mexico has always held a special place in my heart, and Doris has developed the same feeling.  There definitely is something spiritual about New Mexico and we feel it.  The road is easy, the landscape is definitely western ... no more green grass, folks!  Is it the rising, multi-colored mesas that define the interstate path?  Is it the gentle people, or how about the food, filled with New Mexican chillies that may not be so gentle on the tongue or tummy?  And then, there is the perfect ballooning weather at this time of year, adding color and motion to the endless sky above.  We've tried to tell each other what is the magic, the reasons for the feeling of enchantment.  And we fail.  Instead, we just enjoy this state.

Today, we rolled along, up grade and down grade; little traffic on a Saturday ... mostly big rigs like ours, saluting each other with light signals, sometimes a wave of thanks.  We (and we both did) drive all day in this environment.  Instead, we chose Albuquerque (spell THAT 3 times quickly & correctly!), biggest city in the state.  Again, it's an Elks Lodge, this time atop a hill overlooking the city and the western view of the sun setting.  But, we had to have a favorite:  a NEW Mexican dinner.  With Doris's help, we locate THE restaurant and drive on over to the other side of town to find it's not what the folks say it should be.  Walking further down the street, we find another and realize we'd been part of a group who had lunch there last year during the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta!  Too early for dinner, we walked outside to grocery shop, only to find the security guard who said better food was elsewhere.  Being a "local", he added credibility to the choice of the evening.  So, off again across town in our coach and a dinner at a restaurant.  Funny thing is:  It was only a few blocks from the Elks Lodge.  Oh well.  We now have driven most of the streets of this city at the base of the Sandia Mountains, and had laughs doing so.  And, the famous chillies added a special heat to the memories of the day, more so for Doris than me, but that's her story to tell.

Cowboys and Indians ... and 72 Ounce Steak Country

Friday, 11/05

When we were in OKCity 4 years ago, we visited the memorial to those who died in the April 1995 bombing of the Federal Building.  A very sad afternoon wandering through the field of chairs, each one representing a fellow human who lost his or her life to an act of domestic terrorism. 

Too many chairs.  Each with a name.  All lit at night.  Memorable all the time.

Still remembering this, we traveled to another part of the city and toured the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum.

"The End of The Trail" signalled the beginning of our enjoyment of a terrific museum.

What a special morning this museum gave us!  Upon entry, we were greeted by the magnificent sculpture "The End of the Trail", standing 18 feet tall, and once featured at the 1939 San Francisco Worlds Fair (on Treasure Island, I might add).  Everywhere we turned, we shook our heads in wonder and appreciation of the stunning paintings of the West, once the only way to share the west with the eastern US and its thirst for information about the movement of military and pioneers to the promised land "Out West".  Indian artwork, collections of arms, cowboy equipment, sculptures by various artists (the best known being those of Frederick Remington), photos of bull riding (something that lasts 8 seconds, or a lifetime it may seem.  Then, there's a section devoted to Hollywood's version of the West; another section for auctioning the finest of specially crafted saddles ($37,000+), silver, guns, and more ... I could go on, but my words cannot bring forth the enjoyment we had in viewing one of the best collection of collections.

The "town" provided a one room schoolhouse, very similar to the one I attended for my first two years of schooling.  One teacher, eight grades, 26 students ... and a two-hole bathroom.  If only I'd live in a log cabin.  I could have been  a President.

And, there was a complete western town of the early 1900s, where I ended in jail (contrary to stories from friends, family and The National Enquirer, my first time behind bars).  A bribe to the marshal and I was once again under the control of Doris. 

Behind me is a typical western jail cell.  Simple, portable, and much more common than the ones we've seen in Westerns.  Bribing the marshal may have been less common, but it worked for me.

Buffet lunch at the museum was as good as the exhibits.  Then, it was off to join I-40 and ride into the setting sun, with Amarillo Elks Lodge being our destination.  For those of you who've not seen Amarillo in west Texas, you've missed the opportunity to win a free meal by eating a 72-ounce steak.  Yep!  The Big Texan Restaurant offers 4 1/2 pounds of steak & all the fixin's are yours FREE if you eat everything at one sitting ... in ONE hour.  Of course, the subsequent ride to the hospital (or worse) could be expensive.  People have won the prize and survived.  Of the thousands who've tried, most have failed.  Imagine that!

Lady Doris at the Naughty Lady Saloon.  Doris and cheap whiskey; no wonder I got in trouble with the law.