From C to shining C

So here I am a week later writing the wrap-up to the blog.  Or the pre-wrap-up perhaps.

I spent a week driving from California to Connecticut.  And what a week it was.

I started out in California.  Took me six hours to drive to Laughlin, NV from LAX on the day I arrived.  I stayed with my friends out there and could not WAIT to get out of Cali traffic.  Holy mother of god, it was ridiculous.  The first thing I noticed right off the bat, once getting out of horrendous traffic, was the heavy train traffic carrying cargo from who knows where to who knows where.  It was pretty amazing.  After arriving in Laughlin and catching up with friends, it was off to the casino for a few hours (and hoping to catch up on jet lag).

The next day I was off to Arizona.  I was hoping to reach the Grand Canyon that day, and to move on from there, but time and the sun would not allow me.  I reached the Grand Canyon and enjoyed a night talking to tourists and seeing managed fires burn right next to my hotel.  The next morning, I was up stupid early to see the sun rise at the Grand Canyon.  A moment I will never forget.  No words can describe the view.  It's simply too grand for words.  Just get there.  See it.  NOW.  Before you die.  I promise you won't be disappointed.

The view of the Grand Canyon led me to the east entrance and off to my next adventure in New Mexico.  I reached Albuquerque and stayed with friends there.  I especially enjoyed catching up with my old friend who I served with in the Air Force and taking an amazing "Breaking Bad" film location tour.  The food out there is also amazing. If you like hot, spicy food, you will absolutely LOVE New Mexico.  I fell in love with this state and can't wait to go back to see more.  What an amazing place.  I watched the sun rise from my friend's house and went on to see a few more sights before I moved on.

The next stop was a few places along Route 66 in New Mexico.  Stunning!! The Blue Hole is a crazy place in Santa Rosa, which is famous with divers.  A deep diving hole in New Mexico? Yup.  It's there and it's incredibly deep (and in the middle of nowhere).  Stop and see it if on Route 66 (it's also part of the "older" Route 66 in Santa Rosa).  I saw quite a few more Route 66 must-see's and moved on to Texas.

I had not been to Texas since my basic training days in the early '90's, when I was in San Antonio.  I was hesitant as to what this state would offer me as a tourist.  It did not disappoint.  It was grand.  It was  vast.  It was beautiful.  I visited the Cadillac Ranch (and tagged on one of the cars, of course), I had a delicious steak (and I'm not one to eat steak), and had a fantastic time driving through the state that scared the crap out of me while joining the Air Force.

After Texas, I went to dreaded Oklahoma.  Whatever you do, do NOT speed through this state.  EVER.  I was pulled over and had my vehicle searched thoroughly.  Being a woman, driving alone, across country no less, draws suspicion as to being a drug mule (as well as any other illegal activity), which will cause the cops to search you.  Just drive normal.  Don't get pulled over.  Learn from my experience.  It was interesting, but scary as hell, at the same time.  However, I did stop in Oklahoma City and see the memorial for the bombing of the federal building.  It was amazing, and was a gracious memorial to all those who perished.  It will make you stop and think.  If in OKC, see it.  Please.  It is something everyone should see, to remember.

Once through OK, I went on to Tennessee.  What's a stop in Tennessee without seeing Graceland of course?  I had to see it.  My mother was a huge fan of Elvis when she was younger, so of course, I had to visit.  It was simply stunning...and lavish.  After Graceland, I stopped in Nashville to visit a friend. What a nice break from the road that was.  Seeing friends on the road makes you pause, and forget the road ahead.  It's a welcome break.  If traveling anywhere, make it a point to stop and visit with those you know along the way.  It's a welcome reprieve.  Trust me.  Just do it.

Following Nashville, I had one more night on the road.  I stayed in Jackson, TN and met some locals while dining.  It felt as if I wasn't even traveling.  As they say, the southern hospitality is a true thing.  I chatted it up with people at the bar and had a grand time before my long road trip ahead.

Another early morning on the road and off to Virginia I was headed.  I made a trip through Shenandoah National Park and saw deer, and a bear, while on Skyline Drive.  What a beautiful drive. I highly recommend.  They even have cabins and camping areas where you can stay for extended periods.  I visited during off-peak season and practically had the road to myself.

At this point, I was near exhaustion and headed home.  When crossing into Pennsylvania, I stopped at the visitors center and met some hilarious women that chatted up with me for a good half hour.  Even some of the truckers stopped in and joined in on the conversation.  It was a much needed moment I needed to wake up so I could continue on.  From there, I drove on to Connecticut.  I wanted to sleep in my own bed.

Sleep I did.  I slept pretty much all weekend.  I was exhausted.  It was an amazing journey.  I saw the country from coast to coast, saw amazing sights, met incredible people, caught up with great friends, and made memories of a lifetime.  I still have to go through my GoPro film.  I plan to make a video that scans my entire trip.  For now, I'm home, back to work and living life to the fullest.  As we all should.

Miles traveled: 3, 327
Friends visited: 5
Dogs met: 4
Speeding tickets I have to pay: $266
Money spent on gas: No clue
Time spent traveling: Priceless

Until next time...ramble on down the road....

The Civil War and the Music Highway

Today's trip started out in Jackson, Tennessee.  Upon leaving my motel this morning, I stopped to take a look over some of the sights to see along the way on the map.  The first thing I noticed was that I was already in an area known for a Civil War battle.  I needed to find out more.

I stopped in at the Visitor's Center, for what is known as the Battle of Parker's Crossroads.  I had never heard of this battle.  Little did I know that history was surrounding me.  (Some of the pictures posted here are somewhat blurry due to the ice still on the glass from the early morning cold. )

In the early morning during December 1862, the Confederate troops were close to taking over the Union near the Tennessee River (in an area which I-40 now runs through).  Confederate troops gained an early advantage, but not too soon after, the Union surprised the troops by attacking from the rear.  The Confederates then attempted to attack the Union from the front and the rear, without success, and eventually withdrew south.  After the battle, the Confederates moved across the river anyway, and it was considered a victory for both sides.

Today, there are only about 350 acres that have been saved, however, it is feared that commercial development could hinder the preservation of the battle field.  Metal detecting is not allowed on the battlegrounds, where most of the Confederate artillery was found.  The tour can be self-guided, which is what I did.  There are maps at the Visitor's center, and I just followed the battle by finding the markers located throughout the area.  A simple stop off the highway is all one would need to find out about the history.  A history which I never even knew about.  I do hope this land will be preserved for generations to come, as it was a very important battle that was an early part of the history of our country.

Moving on from there, I drove to Nashville, to stop in and see a friend who lives there.  I was hoping to make it to his place last night, but I just couldn't pay attention to the road.  I was only able to visit for about 45 minutes and then had to head out again, to make up some time on the road.  I drove and drove and drove, until I reached Wytheville, Virginia.  Once again, the driving took a toll and I had to stop for the night.

Tomorrow, I will be 592 miles out from where I live.  I will probably make one more stop along the way to see a sight, and then it's onward to home.  Now, time to unwind and sleep.

Ramble on down the road....

Desegregation and Blue Suede Shoes...

Today's journey brought me to two ends of the spectrum.  I started out in Oklahoma, and after yesterday's excitement, I was looking forward to reaching Arkansas.  I was up very early again and was on the road by 6:30.  I wanted to make some good ground on the road today.

Oklahoma was mostly flat and not much to look at.  I did have a pretty sunrise to look at though.  I've watched the sun rise across this entire country, and each time, it was like seeing it for the first time.  The landscapes and colors were different every time. This morning was no exception.

(Taken as I started out on the journey)

My first stop was in Little Rock.  A must see was the place where desegregation was conquered by teenagers with guts and integrity.  I went to Little Rock Central High School, which created a turning point in desegregation in the south, and across the nation.  Nine black students paved the way for desegregation in public schools.  At the national historic site, I learned that the Brown vs. Board of Education decision was pushed to the forefront with these nine students.  Their persistence, and commitment to equality, made headway for all to be treated equally with the same rights.  President Eisenhower had federal troops sent to the school to control the mob that was against desegregation.  Treatment of blacks prior was absolutely horrendous and the thought that the color of one's skin could determine where you could stand, shop, drink water, or even go to the bathroom, was despicable.  These nine children stood up against all those who disagreed with equal rights and stood their ground.  I have no words to describe the emotions I felt when learning of their own journey back in 1957.  The school is still a working public school to this day.  While I was there, a group of teenagers from a local school were just learning of how far history has come.  It was a touching moment, and incredible learning experience on a personal level.  I'm so glad I came to visit this national historical site.  More people should see it if in Little Rock, as there are still so many people who discriminate to this day.  Why, I will never understand.

From Little Rock, I moved on to Memphis, Tennessee.  No trip would be complete without visiting Graceland, the infamous home of Elvis Presley.  My mother was a HUGE Elvis fan growing up, and in her honor, I had to visit.  They have it set up so you park across the street from the home, and are shuttled over.  You are given a self-guided headset to follow the tour at your own pace.  From what I've seen about Graceland, I thought it was set back in a private neighborhood, but how wrong I was.  It's on a busy street, and there are residences all around the home.  It was a nice surprise to see that it wasn't as giant of an estate as I formerly thought.  The home is simply beautiful, and has quite the southern charm on the outside.  When I arrived, they had the nativity set up on the lawn.  I was advised that Elvis would rent this same nativity setup every year at Christmas time.  After his passing, Lisa Marie purchased the nativity so it would continue to be displayed every year, as it always had been.

Once inside, wow.  He spared no expense at furnishings.  Everything remained as it was when he passed.  The jungle room was simply stunning.  Actually, the entire home was stunning.  Elvis enjoyed playing racquetball so much that he finally had a court installed.  That court now houses endless awards, plaques and other various items throughout every inch of all the walls.  Some of his famous glitzy outfits are also displayed in the court.  The second floor of the home is not accessible.  That was Elvis' private space, and they don't allow visitors out of respect.  His home was simply stunning, as you can see by the photos.  When in Memphis, I highly recommend a visit to Graceland.

After visiting this stunning home, I made my way east.  I attempted to make it to Nashville, but my mind had other plans.  I could not concentrate as well as I should, so I stopped for the night in Jackson, Tennessee.  While at dinner, I met some locals who were extremely friendly.  As they say, the south is known for it's southern hospitality.  Now I'm ready to unwind and look forward to yet another adventure tomorrow.

Ramble on down the road...

To the Grand Canyon and beyond....

It's been a fantastic couple of days.  I had no internet connection last night so I'm updating for the past few days. 

Sunday was amazing.  I left my room early in the morning, around 6 am, to head into the Grand Canyon.  It was dark and a few cars were also heading into the park.  It was certainly a wonderful treat to ride up to the gate, be given information from the ranger and told that it was FREE!!  Thank you Veterans!  I headed out to the Geology Museum for a view.  Once parked, I strapped on my GoPro camera and headed out.  It was my first time at the Grand Canyon and I was excited! I could see the sky starting to get lighter and knew the sun would be peaking over shortly.  My first view of the Canyon was....speechless....stunning....there are no words to describe the sheer beauty and awe of the vast canyon.  The sun coming over the canyon created ever changing colors that bounced off the rocks and peaks that curved in every direction as far as the eye could see.  I was in awe.  Sheer awe. 

After watching the sun rise, I moved on to the visitors center where I watched a short film that described some of the history of the park.  Following the movie, I trekked over to yet another area for more spectacular views from a different angle.  I could just barely make out people the size of ants that were down in the canyon camping.  I saw their tents, which were an obvious human intrusion within the surrounding beauty.  It was a perfect time to visit the park due to the small number of visitors that were there at that hour.  The one thing I didn't like were the sounds of buses coming in and out filled with tourists.  It created a sharp contrast, but the park is here for everyone to enjoy for generations to come.  It is a place that everyone should see during their lifetime. It's that beautiful.  I kept my eyes peeled for elk, but no luck in seeing one. 

After spending about three hours at the Grand Canyon, I moved on.  i drove until I reached New Mexico.  I visited the Continental Divide marker on my trek to Albuquerque.  Pretty cool to see.  It was a somewhat hidden marker off the road next to a boarded up gas station.  

I drove on until I reached Albuquerque, where I was invited to spend the evening with a friend of mine I served with in the Air Force.  I couldn't wait to see her and finally meet her husband.  Once I finally reached their place, we headed out to a pretty famous restaurant, El Pinto.  It has a wall of fame, with pictures of famous people visiting.  It was also a known spot for the cast of Breaking Bad to enjoy some delicious New Mexican food.  The three of us shared the ginormous nachos, also known as "The Best Nachos in America", according to the Wall Street Journal in 2006.  Holy nacho heaven it was huge!  Definitely enough for three people, with plenty leftover.  There were roasted peppers sprinkled in, and wow, one of them set your mouth on fire for a few minutes.  Woooooo!  Please pass the sour cream!  The food was delicious.  After dinner, we headed over to the Sandia Peak Tramway for a view of the city lights.  It was stunning.  I had no idea how big Albuquerque was.  After that, I was ready for bed.  Phew what a long day.  I had an exciting day ahead and needed my rest.

The next morning, my friend took me on a Breaking Bad film location tour.  It was fantastic.  We saw the homes where Walter and Skyler lived, and where Hank and Marie lived, as well as the dam where a few shots were filmed, and of course the infamous car wash.  We also drove by the school where Walter left his teaching job, as well as the used car lot where the vehicles were used for the show.  And how can I forget seeing Saul's office location?  "You better call Saul".  We then moved on to Rebel Donut, where they sold Breaking Bad donuts with blue rock candy on top.  After the tour, we had a mouthwatering breakfast at Sophia's Place, a hidden hole in the wall that was featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.  Once again, it was a heavenly taste of New Mexican flavor for breakfast.  It did not disappoint.

After filling my belly and getting my fill of eye candy with the film locations, I was on the road again.  This time, I was headed to Amarillo, Texas.  I haven't been to Texas since 1993, when I was in Air Force basic training in San Antonio.  That was the extent I knew of the state and was ready to see more.  On the way, I stopped in Santa Rosa, New Mexico, to see the Blue Hole.  It's a geological phenomenon that is now a popular destination with diving enthusiasts due to it's depth of 81 feet.  It was so deep, I was afraid to go to the edge because I didn't want to fall in.  This fell along the pre-1937 portion of Route 66. 

My next stop was on Route 66 in Tucumcari.  I saw the Motel Safari, and the ever famous Blue Swallow Motel, know for it's garages that come with a room.  It was as if I was driving back in time to the early days of Route 66.   Now on to the Texas state line.  The first thing that came into view was a giant wind farm.  As they say, everything is bigger in Texas.  Whoever "they" are, are not kidding.  It kept going for miles.  It was quite a sight to see.  Finally, I reached Amarillo.  Destination to not pass?  The Cadillac Ranch, of course!  I didn't realize that you could spray paint on to the cars themselves.  I found an almost empty can and sprayed away.  I had to leave my own little mark, only to be sprayed over by the next visitor down the road.  After a long day's drive, I ended up at the Big Texan Steak Ranch and settled in at the Big Texan Motel right next door.  When in Texas, steak is a must.  I'm not a big steak eater, but I couldn't resist.  It was like butter.  They also brew their own beer right there.  I tried a few of the brews to wash down dinner.  With my belly full, it was off to yet another night of good rest.  I wanted to make good headway the next morning.  As the evening went on, though, the winds picked up and the mercury dropped.  Snow was in the forecast for the overnight.  It was time to start bundling up for the rest of the journey.

This now brings me up to today, a unique date indeed of 11.12.13.  I woke up early, around 6:30 and hit the road around 7.  This has been the craziest of all the days so far.  And by crazy, I mean "hello Oklahoma state police".  The morning started out fine and stopped in the town of Groom, Texas to view the world's largest cross.  Would it be wrong of me to say, god DAMN, that's a HUGE CROSS!  Wow.  This sucker is ginormous.  Moving on, I then stopped in at McLean, Texas to see the Devil's Rope/Route 66 Museum.  It's free entry and I got there just as they opened.  The lady in the museum was incredibly friendly and showed me some of the unique pieces.  The building was an old brassiere factory, and shut down when they moved to Mexico for cheaper labor, which in turn, didn't work out anyway.  The town became known as "The Uplift Town" due to it's past history.  It's something I would have missed had that woman not been so friendly and helpful. She also showed me the old flags they had stored there.  There was a 45 starred flag, a 48 starred and a 49 starred flag.  All of which are original.  It was amazing to see this history just hanging on the wall.  Again, I would have missed these because they were hanging in a part of the museum that was currently closed off.  I highly recommend a stop here if in the area.  Not only does it show old pieces of history of the country, it also has Route 66 facts and memorabilia, as well as information regarding barbed wire.  Wonderful place to visit.  And not another visit was there, so I had the place to myself.  As I was leaving, she told me about the very first Phillips 66 gas station that was still there, right down the road, with the original truck, as well as a WW  II internment camp that was in the area, which held German prisoners of war.  Naturally, I had to stop by and see both of these pieces of history that were so close.  Both were unique and intriguing in their own right. 

Moving on from there, my next destination was Oklahoma City.  This is where it gets interesting.  All other states had a speed limit of 75, but here in Oklahoma the speed limit dropped to 70.  Oops. Busted by the cops.  Doing 84.  Yikes!  I was advised to sit in the state police vehicle as they ran my license.  Once they gave me my citation, they had just a few more questions for me.  Was I carrying any weapons?  Was I transporting drugs or anything illegal?  Was I asked by anyone to carry anything in my vehicle across the country?  Ut oh.  They think I'm a drug mule.  Crap.  They then asked if I would allow them to search my vehicle.  I had nothing to hide, and had done nothing wrong, other than speeding, so I said "go ahead".  Now i know some of you would say something to such as, "thats'a violation of my rights", blah blah blah.  However, I had never been profiled before and thought it would be interesting to see the process.  Lo and behold, those two officers tore the vehicle apart, along with my belongings.  They even took out the spare and checked the tire for changes in sound, as well as inside every nook and cranny inside and out.  Being a rental, at one point, I did get nervous.  Had anyone ever transported illegal drugs in this SUV and left some behind??  Oh boy.  Relief washed over me when they came back and thanked me for my cooperation, and apologized for taking my time.  I understood why they did it, and in the end, it makes a great story.  The moral here?  Set your cruise control to the exact speed limit when traveling through Oklahoma.  Cops are everywhere, and they will stop you.  If you are alone, they will probably request a search.  Just don't speed and you will be fine.

After that little fiasco, and an expensive souvenir to boot, I traveled on to Oklahoma City to visit the Oklahoma City National Museum, which honors the victims of the Oklahoma City domestic terrorist bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in April, 1995.  The memorial outside is beautiful and leaves one to reflect on the evils in this world that can happen anywhere, anytime. They have chairs for each victim, of which include children.  The smaller chair represent the children that were in the day care that morning.  The museum provides a personal feel of the events that unfolded that day.  It starts with sitting in on a hearing that was recorded that morning, which captured the explosion, along with the ensuing confusion which immediately followed.  You wind your way through the displays and it shows the time line of the events that happened following, and ends with the outcome of Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols.   Such tragedy to so many innocent victims, and for what?  It was a memorial I had to see, as I will never forget that day as long as I live.

After such a moving experience visiting the memorial, I drove on to my final destination to rest up for the night in Henryetta, Oklahoma.  Onward to Tennessee tomorrow.  Now, sleep.

Ramble on down the road...