Home to Home

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.

MO to OK

Thursday, 11/04

Life on the road continues to be good as we leave Branson, MO for Oklahoma City, OK, or "OKCity" as the natives prefer.  329 miles later, with Doris driving half of them, and we're hunting for a Blue Beacon Truck Wash, so well concealed that we enjoyed(?) some extra "touring" to locate it.  "Betsy the Bus" definitely needed a full shower and waxing after nearly 7,000 miles of being assaulted by everything the roads and weather of America can toss at her.

With a shiny "new" look that made us look less like trailer trash, we made our home at the nearby Elks Lodge which provided a pool, playground and 10 acres of prime OKCity land on which to park for the night.  Lodge members so ingratiated themselves that it was hard to leave, except for the smoke.  That's the one thing that has bothered us with so many establishments in the east/midwest:  Smoking patrons and members.  Whew!  At least we made new friends and had a fun time doing it before retiring for the night.

Our farewell to Dolly Parton's Branson Show Place.

A Dolly Parton Merry Christmas

Wednesday, 11/03

Doris found her special boots and jacket while I blog, do housework and enjoy the solitude.  It is becoming more enjoyable to watch TV, now that the political cow patty tossing commercials are gone.  Now, it's the near continuous analysis of the election results which means I'm watching the weather channel more intently, especially since we plan to leave tomorrow and head toward higher altitudes in New Mexico and Arizona, using familiar I-40 as our route.

This afternoon, we ride our rental car to Dolly Parton's "Dixie Stampede", one of the most extravagant Branson shows, complete with horse riding, camels, lambs, goats and assorted other creatures involved in Dolly's version of a Christmas celebration.  Oh, and ringside dinner thrown in as well. Three hours of our time and $54 each, the most expensive show of this trip.  Other shows have been $25, with some free tickets for the second person.  We've already concluded that Tahoe and Las Vegas shows, some only 30 minutes for $100 to $250 each are ripoffs in price and quality.  We've never been so impressed, nor enjoyed so much entertainment for so little.

A Dolly Parton Christmas show performer "laps up" Doris's affection before he has to go to work.

The Christmas edition of Dixie Stampede left us on such a "high".  Our seats were among the best in the house, center of the arena directly in front of us.  Incredible horsemanship, toys that come "alive", the birth of Christ and the manger scene was the best I've ever seen.  Trained doves flying to the angels floating above; 3 Wise Men arrive on camels which kneel for the dismount.  Sheep and goat herds enter and (I've never seen this before) trained to halt and stay still during the singing of praise for the newborn child.  Never once did there seem to be an error on the part of the singer/riders and their steeds.  The dinner served was fine, but the audience of 1,000 found this to be non-stop superior entertainment.

Santa's non-helper at Dolly Parton's Christmas Celebration.

Leaving the Christmas holiday decorated building, we could only say to each other that these 3 days of being entertained in so many ways were 3 of the best provided by all of the US entertainment capitals. Interestingly, some one mentioned to us that never once was a curse heard in any of the shows they attended.  That was true for us as well.  Humor can be "clean" and still tummy-hurting funny.  Also, music can be exceptional without mentioning acts of violence, something that has become commonplace.

 It will be difficult to leave Branson, but we will do so in the morning as we recommence our journey toward our "other" home.

Two Shows. Two Winners.

Tuesday, 11/02

The rental car arrived at our coach and we were off to explore whatever Branson had to show us.  It may be a bit tacky, but everyone was so friendly, constantly asking with a smile, "How ya'll doin' today?"  Well, just fine thank you.  A little Christmas shopping a killer lunch, and then it was time for an afternoon show, "Legends in Concert" at Dick Clark's American Bandstand Theatre.  As with last night, front & center seats for another remarkably enjoyable two hour program.  George Strait, Marilyn Monroe, The Temptations, Patsy Cline, The Blues Brothers, and Elvis!!!  Yes folks, we got them all and all of them were terrific.  OK, so we didn't get the real ones; that would've been great in some cases, and a bit ghoulish in others.  What we DID watch and listen to were impersonators that looked and sounded so much like the real ones that imagination took over and the audience responded like we did, with stand up ovations.  During each presentation were videos of the real people performing, supporting the notion that what we were seeing and hearing were the original entertainers.  Another exceptional show.

Home for dinner, after buying tickets to Mickey Gilleys' show in his own theatre, and then to our THIRD show!

This was, without a doubt, the most emotional show yet.  Seems Mickey was carrying some furniture from his house one day about 16 months ago, and fell backwards, resulting in paralysis from the neck down, due to swelling within the back's nervous system and injury to the neck's C2, 3, 4, 5, 6 vertebrae.  Intense will to return to the stage, sing and play piano, plus therapies that are ongoing, he presented himself, walking with the aid of two of his singers, to sit down in a real office chair ... and began to sing as if nothing had happened.  What a voice!  What a repertoire.  While it was very obvious that he could not play the piano ... yet... he still had entertaining stories of his career, the accident, the future. 

If you don't know Mickey Gilly, rent the movie "Urban Cowboy".  It was his bar/dance hall in Pasadena, Texas used as the movie site, with Mickey being in the movie with Debra Winger and John Travolta.  This was also the first movie Doris saw after coming to the US for college.  Special for was the movie and the music from it.  Special for both of us was getting to know the man who wrote and sang some of the best country music still heard.

And comedy?  Too funny was Mickey as the straight man for his sidekick who kept us all nearly rolling in the aisles.  Our third show, and now we want more.  So, we stay another day, for an even bigger event.

And did I mention that it's Christmas in the Ozarks, especially Branson?  It is, and that's an Ozark tradition that Christmas decorations and music be up and ready by November 1st.  A bit startling for us as we expected it at Walmart, but the whole area??!  As one native told me, they don't place much emphasis on Thanksgiving, thus giving Christmas and religion more prominence.  (Turkeys:  Take note.  It's 50% safer in the Ozarks.)

Music & Laughter

Monday, 11/01

We're excited.  Everything we've heard from those who've been there, Branson, Missouri will be a very special experience in entertainment.  We've been to shows in Tahoe, Las Vegas and Reno, so we're going to be critical, regardless of the compliments heard and read.

Three hours of driving through northwestern Arkansas' Ozarks and into southwestern Missouri, we descend on Branson, a "nothing" town until someone chose it to be the site of Midwestern entertainment.  Driving Main Street to our RV park gave us the impression that there was little regulation as to signage and building code.  What a conglomeration of tacky and showy places!  Yet, we had made a stop at a "discount" ticket seller who gave us sufficient information and some good prices for two chosen shows and  more information about how to get around town.  The essence of the input was that there were no bad shows or entertainers.

Our Musicland RV Resort was well located within walking distance of some of the shows, perfect for us.  Even with a little rain, we headed for our first night's choice, Jim Stafford's Theatre, with Jim himself being the headliner.  Two solid hours of terrific music from him, his wife, and there sooo talented teenage son & daughter.  We laughed.  We got teary-eyed.  We had such a good time!  If all of Branson was to be like this, we underestimated the time we needed to spend here, because two shows wouldn't satisfy our new-found love of this kind of entertainment.


Branson, MO.  Our RV "resort" is located behind & down the hill from the piece of the Titanic that already sunk ... not a good sign.



Elvis Country ---> Fried Chicken ---> Clinton Country

Sunday, 10/31

We continued to be blessed with great weather.  Autumn at its best, with the foliage falling behind us.  Sunday on the road in less populated areas, especially on very good roads makes the day an easy one.  The goal is to sneak into the Little Rock, Arkansas area and visit the Clinton Presidential Museum.  Our route from Mississippi to Arkansas took us through a corner of Tennessee and a city we've explored 4 years ago.  What we didn't know then was that our computer could connect with http://www.flavortownusa.com/, hosted by Guy Fieri, seen on The Food Channel, a favorite of Doris.

As you know, on this trip, we've wallowed in troughs of Midwestern beef, corn on the cob, Chicago "dogs", Vermont syrup & donuts, Maine lobster, Rhode Island clams, Maryland crab, Virginia ham, "down home" Georgia cookin', Alabama ribs.  You'd also think that we've "oink, oinked" enough and should have started a starvation diet so that we'd be ready for the upcoming Thanksgiving stuffing ... of turkeys and ourselves.

But NO!  Tennessee said it's time for Sunday lunch.  While I'm driving toward Memphis, Doris searched the website for a good representative of Memphis dining.  She came up with ribs or fried chicken.  Memphis ribs we'd done 4 years ago and gagged.  Dry rubbed ribs meant they'd been cooked and the spices dry rubbed onto the ribs, afterward.  Yuck.

So, it was chicken this time and Food Channel's Guy Fieri said the best in town were at "Uncle Lou's Fried Chicken" on Millbranch Street.  We tuned in the GPS and soon found ourselves skirting Memphis' airport and driving into an area that most of us would not choose at nighttime, especially if one had seen it in bright daylight, just as we were.  Assuming Guy did not have heavily armed guards and lived through the experience, we slowly motored deeper into the area of less fortunate folk, finally locating the strip mall that accommodated the kitchen with the best fried chicken on earth.  The parking lot was nearly empty of cars, but not of wandering young men.  Uh oh.  A nail shop, a hair salon, an ethnic grocery selling chitlins and collard greens, etc., plus several empty store fronts.  And "Uncle Lou's". 

"Uncle Lou, Dude your chicken is so off da chart.  Keep cookin'"

Inside this restaurant with rolls of paper towels on plastic covered tables, our order taker spoke in "southern black", a language that might as well have been Sanskrit, but we got our order placed and then waited.  With a blaze of laughter, a young black man storms in and starts talking to everyone, a real charmer.  Seems he's related to the real Uncle Lou and loves to share how wonderful the food is, what a great guy Uncle Lou is, and then proceeds to serve us, adding extra chicken because we told him we traveled from California because of what we saw on TV.  Other people strolled in, some from St. Louis, others from New York, even a "local", and we all shared the same reason.  It was a fun cross-cultural experience, just talking and taking pictures together while we waited and ate.

Uncle Lou's Sunday public relations "dude" greets another customer.

The chicken?  Unbelievable.  The promotion was absolutely spot on.  We all agreed it was the best we've ever had.  (In fact, I never before enjoyed so much a meal at a restaurant highly praised by the media.)  If you don't believe us, grab a flight to Memphis, take a short cab ride and treat yourself.  Just be sure to bring home an order for us.

Chickens cluck.  After an Uncle Lou's over sized Sunday fried chicken lunch, his customers "cluck" high praise.

By the time we finished our Sunday chicken in Memphis, the drive to Little Rock took longer than expected and once again, Walmart provided overnight parking.  President Clinton would have to wait for us to inspect his memorabilia (or what remains after the XXX portion was removed).  After that fried chicken lunch, our Walmart parking lot Halloween trick-or-treaters were given free directions back to Uncle Lou's.  Someday, they'll appreciate our Halloween "treat".

Big Decision & Elvis Land

Saturday, 10/30

Early morning was spent making a big decision.  Do we continue southward and visit more friends outside New Orleans and onward into southern Texas for more such visits and sightseeing ... or begin a more westerly heading toward home.  We've been on the road 2 1/2 months and a continued pleasurable, educational and friend-filled days that includes the deeper south and southwest will add a month.  That, dear friends, puts major pressure on being home a few days before Thanksgiving.  In fact, the pace we've been enjoying would see us enjoying(?) Thanksgiving together, with fellow roadies, but without family and friends.

It became evident that we needed to delay those visits 'til our next trip when we'll cover the deeper South ... in depth.  (Oh boy!  I get to design another cross country road trip.)

Saying farewell to Georgia on a quiet Saturday, we cruise into northern Alabama.  Rolling countryside, passing the Talledega Super Speedway, filled with more RVs than any rally we've seen (big races today), and with the sun at our backs, we approach Birmingham and decide to try some southern cookin'.  BBQ'd ribs seemed in order and that is what we did ... order some.  Surely there were better ones in the South because these did not rise to what Doris can produce with little effort. 

Moving northwest, we reach our destination, Tupelo.  Why Tupelo?  I knew of Tupelo because of studying the Civil War ... and because it's Elvis Presley's birthplace.  A small, truly southern town, it was easy to find the house where he was born, and where he lived with his very poor parents 'til age 3 when Dad moved the family further south in hopes of finding a job that could support the family.  Elvis' life ended in tragedy, but he was a remarkable philanthropist.  His first gift was a home to his parents, followed by purchasing his birthplace and 15 acres, giving them to Tupelo as an historic site.

Tupelo, MS:  Elvis' birthplace.  Two rooms, 2 parents, 2 children.

Front room/living room/bedroom for 4.

Kitchen/dining room/playroom.  The bathroom was outside.

We stayed the night in this town, now populated by 36,000 people and home to one of Toyota's manufacturing plants, supporting a poor region of this country.

The Big Chicken & A Bigger Dinner

Friday, 10/29

It feels like summer with foliage and John gave us some ideas for exploring downtown Marietta, a near idyllic suburb of Atlanta, and one that barely escaped destruction during the Civil War. 

So, how do we find the plaza in the center of Marietta?  "Drive out of the RV park, turn right on the main street, then left at the big chicken."  Whaaat??  "Just don't think about it, you can't miss it".  Hmmm.  We're driving our coach and while we're good at getting around places others have said isn't possible.  But, being told that looking for a big chicken while driving in city traffic wasn't the most reassuring direction item we've heard before John, known for his humor, shared it with us.

Whatever, off we went and, sure enough, driving down the busy thoroughfare, there was a BIG chicken!  With beak opening and closing while its eyes were rolling, this BIG chicken, 3 stories tall, stood by the highway intersection, overlooking a Kentucky Fried Chicken store.

The Big Chicken, the landmark that guides everyone throughout Marietta.  Too bad all KFCs don't have one.  GPS and Mapquest aids would become extinct.

With the siting, we turned left and squeeezed our way downtown and around the ornate, tree-filled plaza.  Finally we found parking a few blocks away in front of a Baptist church, the church letting know for sure that we definitely are in the South where Baptist churches abound.

Walking throughout downtown Marietta was a special pleasure, along with having lunch in a historic building overlooking the plaza.  Sociable locals guided us about, and shopping became another pleasure for both of us.

Dinner tonight?  An exquisite, 4 course meal with intermissions between each course.  All this prepared by John & Cecile's daughter and son-in-law in their beautiful, shared Marietta home on a golf course.  What an experience with such a loving, harmonious family.  With everyone sharing stories and humor, it was nearly 11pm when we realized that it's time to leave and let those who still work get their night's rest.  This, our last night in Marietta, was a celebration of long term friendship.

Michelin would award 5 forks for this dinner.  Great food, great ambiance, great friends providing us with a farewell to Georgia dinner.

Fridges & Friends

Thursday, 10/28

The morning of reckoning.  Will the fridge be fixed, or will we have to replace it after our journey ends?  Those are the options per the manufacturer.

We park our coach in front of a scrappy little appliance store in Abingdon and wait for "Mack" to begin his work.  First, he shims all four fridge doors for better sealing of the doors, per the manufacturer's recommendation (we all fail to understand why the doors weren't shimmed at the factory).  As we completed the job, UPS delivers the new thermistor ($21 plus $45 shipping) and.  Installation issues are minimal and we're on our way after paying $72 for labor, about 1/3 of what it would have cost in California.  Now it's "wait & see" if the new thermistor is the complete solution to our fridge problem.

Back on the road by 11 a.m., we have a 5 hour drive to our intended destination:  Marietta, GA.  A suburb of Atlanta, Marietta is home to John and his family.  John became a very special friend during the winter of 1973/74 when we, along with two others, shared the responsibility of resurrecting an ill-fated venture of American Express Travel.  Living in elegant style in New York City, our seven months together brought 4 guys a lifetime of cross country friendship with few personal visits.  That absence had to be corrected on this trip!

Continued clear weather and good highways through eastern Tennessee and northern Georgia gave us a pleasant rolling view of the forested mountains, Knoxville and Chattanooga.  Knowing how important it is to keep drivers happy, Doris was treated to her favorite McDonald's soft ice cream after having driven two hours while I read and mapped potential routes after our Georgia visit.  Arriving at our chosen RV park only minutes from our friends, we snagged the last parking site and prepared for John & Cecile's arrival, the first reunion in 20 years.

What a treat!  What fun!  Doris's appetizers and our bar complimented four people sharing great stories of past times and families.  A late, great dinner at a diner minutes away left us exhausted but happy when we said goodbye at 11pm.

The fridge?  Found to be working well, even making ice for the next party.  A great way to end the day.

Cecile & John.  37 years later, John & I can  still can laugh about our lives together in NYC while draining American Express's bank account.

Tornado Or Fridge Problem ... Which Is Worse?

Wednesday, 10/27

Interested in what did happen during the night?  We thought so, because we sure were! 

Essentially, the weather produced nothing of concern.  Some heavy rain about 5 a.m. that ceased within the hour, never to return.  However, to the southwest is Chattanooga, Tennessee which took a major hit, as well as other locations on a line to the west of us.  Our friends, still in DC reported that they had more rain than we, but nothing more.  We're lucky.  Tornado warnings are given when the wind and storms are ripe for producing tornadoes, and did, but not for us.

Unfortunately for us, our refrigerator began failing at 5 a.m.  That meant we had to find a repair service qualified to work on it.  Not an easy task, but we succeeded and headed for a small outfit further toward our destination.  Weather cooperated and abundant sunshine made for more spectacular foliage sightings in the mountains of southwestern Virginia.  This was to become the best part of the day, as the fridge problem cannot be fixed until a part arrives tomorrow morning, and then we're not totally sure if the issue will be resolved.  Grrrr!!

Now, it's another overnight in another Walmart parking lot.  As you know by now, we find these locations to be safe, quiet and convenient for shopping.  This time, there's an "Outback" steakhouse across the street that will satisfy our need for a good time on this day.

The Shenandoah Valley & Tornado Watches

Tuesday, 10/26

After waiting for the notorious DC Beltway traffic to abate, we headed west to the Shenandoah Valley and I-81 southward toward North Carolina.  While the sky was overcast, there was no doubt that Virginia's foliage was peaking in these soft, low-rise mountains.  When the sun did shine, the colors were among the best of the trip.  Rolling through rich farmland, on a smooth interstate was quite a break from previous freeway travels of late!  Definitely, this highway is a great way to move toward the southeast.  Fine roads and less traffic.

Tonight?  Another Walmart parking lot experience.  As we always do, we called ahead and received permission to park.  However, on arrival, "security" told us to move on.  "No RV parking allowed.  Ever!"  Sooo, another call to management and again, we were confirmed as desired "tenants".  So much for effective corporate communication, even the printed memo that the security officer had in hand.  However, the incident also confirmed the need to ask management for permission, regardless of what the websites and other sources tell us to do. 

After inspecting the mall across the street, filled with several interesting restaurants, we returned to our coach to learn that severe weather, even tornado "watches" were in effect until 3 a.m.  That news certainly energized us!  What to do?  Not much.  We closed the front slide, made sure awnings were fully retracted, and slept fitfully.

Gettysburg, etc.

Monday, 10/25

Oh dear, only 2 months 'til Christmas!  On the road for almost 2 1/2 months.  It seems impossible that we left our "other" home midsummer, and now we're closing in on the holiday season.  Still, there's much to see on this trip.  So, while Doris and most of the group are enjoying their trek to Gettysburg, PA, I get to spend quiet time attempting to calculate how much we can see and what routes to take so that we arrive in California before Thanksgiving.

Gettysburg.  Site of one of the bloodiest battles fought during the first days of July, 1863, there were between 46,000 to 51,000 casualties incurred in three days, with the Confederates suffering the most during this turning point in our Civil War .  A powerful monument covers acres and should be a required visit for all people, regardless of nationality.  I've been there several times during my tour company days, and have also circled it in an overfly during one of my cross country flying trips.  If television were there to transmit the battle, the war may well have ended the next day by popular decree. 

Gettysburg battlefield, one of numerous monuments to this pivotal Civil War battle.

The Union Army's hill top commanding view toward the advancing Confederate Troops below.  

Tonight?  Another farewell dinner as we leave for Virginia while our friends continue their exploration of the Washington, DC area. 

Sunday Surprise

Sunday, 10/24

It was my day to work.  Hours were spent washing the windshield (the first time in a month, thanks to few bugs at this time of year and the rains while parked), plus thorough dusting, mopping, vacuuming of the interior and some more outdoor chores.  Setting off to buy some new windshield wipers, we encounter our old friends as they arrive from having spent four days immersed in New York City.  What fun for all of us to see each other again! 

Doris had already made her famous chili plus "wings" while Tom pulled out his grill and others whipped up more food, including special desserts from "the #1 bakery", found on Hoboken, NJ, and popularized on one of the food channels.  Once again, good friends shared good times.  It just doesn't get better than this when on the road.  Maybe that's why it's difficult to part from them.

Towards Washington, DC

Saturday, 10/23

Leaving Delaware was another drive along country roads.  First, were the beaches facing the Atlantic, then turning west, through little towns like Bridgeville, boyhood home of General Custer, and more corn and soybean fields, just like in the Midwest, except smaller fields.

A major RV park in College Park, Maryland was our destination for today.  Doris & I couldn't write this blog until later because the group we'd left behind reads our blog and we wanted to surprise them with our decision to change plans and enjoy Washington with them rather than bypassing the Capitol and move further south.

Finding the park was easy, just off busy I-495 (the outer beltway).  The park is filled with RVs and trees.  Living in a forest only a few miles from DC gives a false impression of how close we are to the "headquarters" of the most powerful nation in the world.

The Capital Area and The Beach

Friday, 10/22

Weather continues to encourage exploration, so off to the countryside surrounding Dover.  Knowing that the Amish live in the area, we searched them out and found a fabulous country store with Amish delights ... especially in the bakery session. 

Doris doing what she happily does best:  finding the best carbs for my waistline.

The Amish are gentle people who specialize in farming the old fashioned way.  No electricity, no cars, no telephones.  They take care of each other during difficult times.  One thing for sure:  They are hard workers.  Along with their draft horses and buggy-pulling horses, they are a special feature of the Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and even little Delaware.

Sharing the road with the Amish.

This election year, Delaware has produced a lightening rod of a candidate for US Congress.  On this day, we found two political statements within a mile of one another:

I'll leave the caption for you to create!

The Amish and their manure spreader at work ... a subtle (?) political statement.

Leaving Dover and the nearby Amish community, we continued south on towards the beaches of Lewes and Rehoboth Beach.  Lewes is an old Dutch town that once relied on fishing and crabbing, like its neighbor, Rehoboth which was founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church, they are now tourist towns, catering to the big city populations attempt  to escape the sweltering summer heat and humidity.  We found them and the beaches to be very quiet at this time of the year, a pleasure for us.  Home this night would be another Elks Lodge parking area.  Again, nice people to greet us and make sure we were comfortable.

Neighbors for the night at the Lewes, DE Elks Lodge.  Sure was quiet. 

The First State

Thursday, 10/21

We thought California roads were bad, but the highways circumnavigating NYC, including those in Connecticut, New York and New Jersey are strong contenders for #1 in the involuntary dental filling extracting business. My God!  How our coach stayed in one piece is a credit to Monaco, the manufacturer.  Accentuating the problem is that one has to drive at 65 mph over the ruts, bumps, pot holes and occasional pieces of other vehicles in order to keep from being run over by other, highly aggressive drivers.  And it makes little difference how little or large their vehicles.  Combine bad roads and "kill or be killed" drivers and we have one stressed driver:  Me.  No wonder my sister says they avoid I-95 and the New York area when they make their snowbird trek from Vermont to Florida.  We'll do the same when possible.

As we headed south, things got better.  After refueling near Philadelphia, we crossed into Delaware and off the interstate to the capital, Dover.  What a treat!  A small city in the 49th largest state that was the first to ratify the constitution, Dover gave us more history, narrow streets to enjoy (although our coach "owned" them as we explored historic downtown) and more autumn beauty.  Having stocked up at our first Costco since leaving the west, we ultimately landed at a local Elks Lodge for an overnight.

Dover, Delaware.  One building among many that shows the history of this small, but important state.

Dover's City Hall