Day 10, May 12, 2009

It was nothing but interstate today for the 11 hour +/- drive home from Dallas, TX. Not much to report, except for the fact that the worst drivers in the country are in Mississippi, Alabama, and (sorry) Georgia. Maybe it was the fact that I was so close to reaching my destination and kept getting caught behind Pace Car Peter. I'm telling you, we really need to replace our nice suggestion of "Slower Traffic Keep Right" to the Texas law of "Left Lane Is For Passing Only!"

Since I didn't make too many stops, I wanted to re-cap a little and post a few pics that made me laugh along the way.





This is posted on the door at one of the last gas stations before leaving California on I-10... And NO I DIDN'T!!! Get yo mind outta the gutter.



You too can have this wonderful piece in your living room for only 3 payments of $6,666.66 dollars. This was one of many wacky tacky items at the Flying C Ranch. Why didn't I get some fireworks?



I was drawn to this city in Mississippi. It was like something took over my body and I had to stop for boiled peanuts and ice cream sandwhiches. Population 344 (2000 census).



This isn't really a funny one, just one I forgot to post. This raven was following me around the Yavapai Observation area at the Grand Canyon. Look at the size of that thing.



The more I see this pic, the more I realize that this is just wrong in so many ways.

Well, as you know by now, I made it home safely after almost 5000 miles round trip. A few said that I got to take the trip of a lifetime, but I want to and probably will do it again... And again, and I'm sure each trip will be a little different. So I'll file it under the trips of a lifetime.

Thanks so much for following me on my journey! Keep checking back as I may add things from time to time. I may be taking a few road trips soon so I will keep this blog active.

-- Post From My iPhone

Day 9, May 11, 2009

I probably should have hit the road when I woke up in Albuquerque at 2:00a, but I managed to get back to sleep through all of the wind and woke up around 6:00a. I had about an 11 or 12 hour drive to Dallas. Packing up was no fun because as soon as I took my air matress out of the tent, the wind blew it down the street. That'll wake you up. I finally got packed up and took a shower in the KOA facility. After the shower, I walked out to the truck to leave and noticed the wind had completely stopped. Weird! It did finally look like rain as I drove out of Albuquerque.






After a quick (kinda) Dairy Queen breakfast at the Flying C Ranch gas station and tourist trap, I was back to falling asleep at the wheel... No wait! I drove good. I did pick up some rocks for Keely and Emma at Flying C. They love the fools gold and magnetic rocks. I'm still kicking myself for not buying some fireworks. They had some GOOOOD s*** there.

Since the ride through northwest Texas felt like forever the other day, I decided to stay on I-40 when I got to Amarillo. About 3 hours later I was in Oklahoma City, OK. It looked like it could storm at any minute, and all of the storm chasers in their fancy convoys of black SUV's with all of the weather instruments started to creep me out. One tornado per trip is enough for me (see day one). Three hours south of Oklahoma City and I was back in a stormy Dallas, Texas. I set up camp inside the La Quinta just off I-20. Got to bed early, but ended up sleeping later than expected.

-- Post From My iPhone

Day 8, May 10, 2009

The stress and reality of how far I would have to drive back really started to settle in on Saturday night, so I got an early start today. I decided to go I-10 out of LA and cut up at Phoenix, AZ and go through Sedona on my way back to Albuquerque. Sedona was a suggestion of my good friend Doug. I almost passed it up, but so glad I didn't. I'll get to those pics in a second.

I got to Phoenix around mid-morning and stopped at an Air Force baseball game to say hello and visit with my old friend, Jamie Massey...






...and her fianc...uh, I mean "boyfriend," Chad. (He better ask her). Great story of how they met. I'll let Jamie pop on to the comment section and tell everyone.

It's always great to see old friends, but I couldn't stay too long because I was trying to reach Albuquerque before dark so I could set up camp. That didn't happen because I was mesmerized by the beauty of Sedona, AZ and didn't want to leave.






"You have to drive through Sedona," was suggested by my friend Doug. I was so tired and almost skipped it. I just wanted to get to Albuquerque and go to bed. I'm so glad I didn't pass it up.






The red rocks were amazing!





I wasn't able to snap a pic of it, but the town of Sedona was very cute. I put it on my list of places to stop and stay a day or two when I do the trip again (and I know that I will do it again). I drove through Sedona from the south. As I drove out of the red rocks I entered Oak Creek Valley.






It was another gorgeous drive. I consider myself blessed to have been able to see so many beautiful places across the country.






Once I left Oak Creek Canyon, it was only a short drive to Flagstaff where I picked up I-40 East for Albuquerque. I got to my campsite after dark, and with 20-30 mph wind gusts. There was no storm, just a very strange wind that lasted all night. There were a few other tent campers when I set up my camp, but when I woke up at 2:00a (had to pee... Bathroom was 50 yards away btw) I noticed the other tent campers had packed up and left. Maybe it was the fact that it felt like someone was standing on each side of my tent shaking it all night. Just a bizzare wind. I did finally fall asleep.


-- Post From My iPhone

Day 7, May 9, 2009 Part 3

I do believe this was my favorite part of the whole LA experience. I've always loved the beach and the ocean, and I just fell in love with Santa Monica.






I found out something very cool. The Santa Monica Pier is almost on the same latitude as the Tybee Island Pier (Tybee = 31.991853, Santa Monica = 34.00943), so essentially I have seen both coasts from the same latitudinal plane. Cool!

The pier was alive with energy. The entire city of Santa Monica was, but yet it retained that laid back, relaxed feeling that is California.
















There were performers and dancers, and if you were brave enough, you could fly on the trapeze.






Just off the pier head toward Venice Beach is the original location of Muscle Beach.




The weight benches have been replaced by rings, ropes, balance beems that are well beyond my skill level. It's a good thing that some of the performers from Cirque du Soliel come out on the weekends to work out, practice, and show off a little.






I could have sat and watched this for hours. At one point I looked over and about 20 feet from me was Gary Busey, also watching the acrobats. He shook their hands and took off down the beach.

If you ever make it out to the Santa Monica Pier, there is a great Mexican restaurant all the way at the end called Mariasol Cocina. It's a great place to watch the sunset, but you might want to bring a light jacket as it can get chilly in the early evening.


-- Post From My iPhone

Day 7, May 9, 2009 Part 2

There was so much to see on Hollywood Blvd, funky stores...









Wax museums...







Street performers...









Pirates?!?!?








"My Jack Sparrow costume is better than yours, bee-otch! See, I got me a piece of eight in my hair and my accent is better..."

After the long but exciting walk along the Boulevard, I took a drive down Sunset.

































And then I ended up here, and I didn't get arrested or even followed for looking suspicious.









Not far from this sign, I took a right into Bel Aire. It took me a while but I finally found it.






... Well, this may or may not have been the Fresh Prince of Bel Aire house, but it's the closest I could find. Mission Accomplished! I could go home now. Actually, Bel Aire was beautiful and the views were spectacular!






... And the archetecture was amazing.






After Bel Aire, I headed for the beach. Check that out in Part 3.

-- Post From My iPhone

Day 7, May 9, 2009

Today was another amazing day in California. I can describe it in four "B's" Boulevard, Beverly Hills, Belle Aire, and Boardwalk.






Hollywood Boulevard, while not the nicest part of Hollywood, is still a big tradition for tourists, and it did not disappoint.






The people who dress up and creatively panhandle outside of Graumans' Chinese Theatre were there. I tried to save that little girl from Homer, but I was too late.





The guy playing Superman was quite good. I walked up and down Hollywood Blvd. for hours. There was so much to see like the landmarks:































I'm not sure how I got this next pic because people were everywhere and it got more crowded as the morning turned to afternoon. I guess I was lucky to snap an empty staircase leading to the Kodak Theatre.






Also, you probably won't be able to see it in the pic, but if you stand across the street from the Kodak Theatre and look through the promanade on the right, you can see the famous Hollywood sign on the hill.






-- Post From My iPhone

Day 6, May 8, 2009

This was my first time in Los Angeles, and cause for celebration. What better place to celebrate than ____________. Well, where do you think I went?






Disneyland has been on my list of places to visit for a long, long time and I can't believe I finally went.






I speant the entire day there and even stayed late for the West Coast version of Wishes which was incredible.

I tried to ride everything at least twice, and I was having a blast comparing Disneyland to Disney World. Some differences were subtle, some where very noticable. For example:





Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland has two drops and added scenes. Also, It's A Small World in DL added Disney characters into the different scenes, plus the boats are loaded outside on the open air (aaah, sunny California).






The Haunted Mansion is different, there are many rides in Disneyland you can't find at Disney World: Pinocchio, Alice In Wonderland, oh, and an old favorite of mine that used to be in DW, Mr. Toads Wild Ride!






It was such a great day!






... But all good things must come to an end. It was another long day as I tried to fit as much stuff into two days as I could. I was worn out when I got to where I was staying. I crashed pretty early because who knew what tomorrow would bring.

-- Post From My iPhone

Day 5, May 7th, 2009

I was a little screwed up on the time this morning. My iPhone automatically syncs for the time zone, and had already done so. Arizona btw spends part of the year in Mountain and the other part in Pacific time zones. Since I had no signal, I guess my iphone reverted back to Mountain Time. Therefore, I was waiting for the shower facility, which opens at 6:00, at 5:05a. I didn't realize this until I did the math off my watch at 5:30. So I cruised over to Mather Point and watched the sun rise.









I'm so glad I was screwed up on the time. It was spectacular.








See that ledge? I walked out to it. There are all sorts of small rough trails where you can drop down and walk along the rim. What? Don't believe me?








I walked to the first break in the rock and that was as far as I could go. Didn't want to have my phone in my hand as I looked over the edge. I want to go back and spend more time there and really explore the "off the path" paths like this one:








After an 8 minute shower that cost me $2 dollars, I was off to Vegas via the Hoover Damn. I hit 2000 miles at this road sign in Arizona.








Remember how I was saying that Arizona didn't have the view that New Mexico did? It more than made up for it as I approached the Lake Mead area.









Once again, please excuse the buggies on my windshield... I've washed it 3 times.








This is on 93 in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area. There's a lot of road construction where they are putting the new bridge in over the damn, but that's ok. I was able to drive slow, take pictures, and piss off the people in the car behind me.









I didn't have time to take the Damn tour, but I did take some Damn pictures, and Damn video which is coming later.








Here's a pic of the new bridge being built (It's not finished yet, Scott)






And here's the other side of the damn.






I don't think the parking lot lady thought it was all that funny when I asked her how damn far it was to Vegas, but she politely said, "30 minutes." It didn't seem like 30 minutes at all though. And the view of Lake Mead as you drove up 93 was spectacular. Of course it was behind me, but I pulled off to take some pics.





Then it was on to Vegas.






This was my first time in Vegas. I'm going to go back when I have more time (and money).




After a quick meeting in Las Vegas, I jumped on the 15 for LA. After a short four hour (give or take) drive, I arrived in LA. "I'm in LA trick..." Actually, the songs I heard the most were "Boom Boom Pow" by the Black Eyed Peas, followed by Jamie Fox and T-Pain "Blame It On The Aah-Aah-Aah-Aah-Alcohol" This is based on the stations I listened to across the country.

It was surreal to drive into LA, and it wasnt all that scary to drive there. I thought it might be. I got in late and went straight to bed. It had been a long day.

-- Post From My iPhone