The Final Tally

After leaving Utah, there was a quick stop in Winnemucca, NV then home - arrived on Monday, April 29 at about 3:30 pm.  Home again, home again, jiggity jig!

So as a final blog from my trip, I thought I would share with you some photos and final numbers.  I know everyone likes that info.

First I will let you know that I went through a total of 16 states (not counting CA) and put 7980 miles on my pickup.  That is a lot of traveling.

The states I went through and in order -

 

 

 

 

  
                                                                             

 

 

A few more tidbits of info -

-Used 845 gallons of gas

-Paid an average of $3.50 per gallon

-Averaged 9.5 mpg

-Met 19 dogs (at least)

-Had 0 flat tires

-Lost 1 trailer awning, 1 rear view mirror

-Packed way too many clothes

-Ate way too much

-Everyone I met up with along the way was absolutely FANTASTIC!!

-Saw some incredible scenery

-RV folk are really nice

- Gave out 30# of Rumiano Cheese

 

Have been getting asked what the favorite and least favorite parts of the trip were.  Hard to answer, but I have to say that seeing old friends and meeting new ones had to be a highlight. A close second or a tie has to be having the opportunity to do a trip like this. Very rare, I think, that people have this kind of freedom with work and family obligations. So I am very fortunate in that regard.  Thanks to my partner Rae Jean for holding down the fort while I was gone.

The worst part of the trip had to be losing the awning off the trailer. At the precise moment I figured out what had happened, I never wanted to be home so fast. Learned a little about myself right there.

 

So with that, the traveling portion of my blog is complete.  Will probably continue with this blog to relay stories from my life, riding, or whatever.  Enjoying relaying my antics to the interwebs! 

 

Thank you so much for reading along the way......more to come so stay tuned.

 

 

 

The last week on the road

Not sure anything can top 'awning-gate' as a blog entry.  That was somethin', wasn't it?

So, after that incident I went on to stop in Sterling, CO where it was 21* overnight.  Sooooo cold - thankfully I have a heater!  Got up the next morning to frozen ground! 

On to Fruita, CO - little did I know I would be staying just one day before the Fruita Fat Tire Festival started.  Again, my timing was not the best.  But the weather was fantastic.  I am sure a great time was had by all!

On to Utah to visit another cycling friend and hang out for a couple of days.  What an awesome place.  Hadn't really 'vacationed' in Utah before but I am glad I was with locals.  Played tourista in Park City and went on a really great bike ride. Hiked on Antelope Island - it is located in the middle of the Great Salt Lake, and is where the USA Cycling Collegiate Nationals will be held this weekend.  If you are anywhere near, PLEASE GO!  Sounds like an awesome event.   Will go back!!!

Unfortunately, I knew leaving Utah that my trip was coming to an end.  There is a definite feeling, like when you know your on the last day of your vacation. That angst or stress that comes along with going back to reality was setting in.  But I knew it was time...... :-(


Thanks for reading.......

My luck ran out today

The last 2 nights spent in Grand Island, NE were absolutely delightful!!  Pulled in on Saturday afternoon to the cousin's house.  Was very glad to be off the windy, windy road. 

They are lovely people and have 3 great daughters all with families of their own.  I had met 2 of the 3 at a family reunion a few years ago, so I was so very excited to meet the 3rd daughter, husband and 3 kids.  That makes it official - have met the ENTIRE extended family now.  Wow!

Thanks to the entire Rasmussen/Bussell clans for entertaining me!!! 

Before leaving Grand Island, I stopped to get gas but soon after I was on my way down the road.  It was a balmy 28 degrees at the time.  ;-/.  Well, didn't get very far and I noticed that one of the rails that sits under my awning was flapping in the breeze. Pulled over at the next convenient exit only to find my entire awning had comepletly BLOWN OFF the side of my trailer.  WHAT???????  I hadn't even noticed and with the size of that thing, it shouldn't have been that hard to miss.  So I sat on the side of the road wondering, should I go back and see if I can find it and pick it up or just let it go and forget about it?  After about 10 minutes, I decided to go back and look.  I got within 1/2 mile of my on ramp and there it was - IN THE CENTER DIVIDE! How did it get there?  As I am traveling down the road the awning is on the shoulder side of the road, not the center divide.  There must have been a huge gust of wind that hooked that thing and ripped and flipped it OVER the top of the trailer.  Not sure how else it could have happened.  So I pull over and SPRINT over to the center and then started to bring back pieces to my truck.  Finally wrestled the thing to the shoulder - now what do I do with it.  Way too long for the bed of my truck.  Hmmmmm.  I finally duct taped it around the metal base then put it inside my trailer.  Just barely fit, but I had it.  I WAS MORTIFIED!  And sooooo lucky it didn't hit another car or cause an accident.  I have secured the awning kind of across the rail of my truck, but at an angle and strapped it down very tightly. Should be okay for the ride home. I wanted to just click my heels together and say 'There's no place like home, there's no place like home'. 

Well I am now sitting in a very small place called Sterling, CO.  Windy, very cold, and snow flurries.  Glad I didn't wander further north! 

Going to try to get to Fruita, CO tomorrow.  Almost 400 miles, but doable if the weather cooperates. 

Days like today, I do not want to repeat. Last night we were discussing how great it was how nothing had happened to me as of yet on my journey.  Well, there ya go.....

Well, off to fix something to eat for dinner.  Going to bed early for tomorrow's big day.  Hopefully, a wheel doesn't fall off....oh wait.

Thanks for reading......

And another.....

Sad to report that I have had to make a major diversion on my journey.  Was in Madison, WI last night moving to Jackson, MN today.  Unfortunatley, the weather is not being cooperative.  I called an RV park and the guy basically talked me out of going.  Said it was raining, freezing, icy, then snowing.  So going to Mt. Rushmore will have to wait until another trip.  Bummer. That was leading me into Yellowstone National Park - snowing and I don't even think the park is open in most parts yet.  Again, another time. 

Soooooo, here I sit in exciting Altoona, Iowa.  Not as sexy as someplace in Minnesota, but at least it is a bit warmer.  In fact, I have actually been here before.  In 2011, I rode my bike across Iowa for something called RAGBRAI. The real name is 'Registers Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa'. Happens every year and my year it stopped here.  Exciting, right? 

Tomorrow I will be stopping in Grand Island, Nebraska.  My partner's entire extended family is in the Cornhusker state, so will be slowing down to say hello!  Will be fun, as usual, to see them. 

Then I am not certain where I will be next.  But as you can tell, I am inching ever closer to home and to the end of my journey.  Will blog all about that later.

So with that, I will sign off. 

Thanks for reading.......

Bombs

I have been writing this over the last several days and I think I am finally ready to let it fly. 

I write this post as I watch the news regarding the bombings at the Boston Marathon finish line area. It has captivated me much like the horrific day of Sept. 11, 2001. I cannot fathom the motivation of someone to do this. Simply unbelievable and sad.

Which brings me to the real reason for this particular blog, and believe it or not, it was going to be about bombs before this even happened. More whispers...let me explain. 

While staying in Charleston I received a message from a woman I met while cycling in Italy with friends. She wanted me to know since I was pretty close to where she lived with her family, did I want to come for a visit. I thought about it for a bit and decided I would, since I was soooo close. Have to say it was an excellent decision. 

Her name is Yvonne and we met in 2006 in the city of Vicenza, Italy. At the time, she was stationed in Italy as a surgical nurse.  She was a friend of my riding mates but all of the Americans there were more like a little family. 

Yvonne loves being in the Army and more importantly, loves being a nurse.  When you meet her you can tell, she is someone you would absolutely LOVE to be your nurse - caring, compassionate, and she knows her shit.  In 2005 she was named Army Nurse of the Year. Yes, the WHOLE Army.  Not bad, eh?!

We have kept in touch through our friends and Facebook over the years. Sometimes we didn't know where she was, as her unit was almost always in a highly sensitive area of the particular conflict. She has been in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Desert Storm, Desert Shield, Kosovo, more Iraq and lastly, Afghanistan.  Deployed a total of 3 of her 18 years to be in harms way to save the lives of our soldiers, and anyone else who needed it. If you have ever seen the documentary "Baghdad ER' you should know it was her unit that set up that hospital but wasn't the one featured in the film.  Too bad, it would have been a great testament to such hard work.   

On her last deployment in Afghanistan, her unit had been receiving small gun fire and heard larger explosions around the compound.  It was a little bit too close for comfort.  In January of 2010, she was in her tent changing clothes when she heard the familiar whistle of a mortar round falling. It was uncomfortably too close, she could tell, and stood up to run to get to shelter when it exploded 6 ft from her cot.  She was hit - her right arm and her left leg were hit badly, but she tried desperately to get away to safety.  Two others in her tent were injured but they were much further away from the blast.  It took 2 days for her to be evacuated because it was so dangerous for the helicopters to try to come and get her.  She said that they kept taking her out to the tarmac, then back, then out, then back for two days. She was finally evacuated but by the time she arrived in Landstuhl, Germany infection had set in to her wounds and she could have easily lost her limbs.  She eventually made it back to the States to continue her recovery.  That is when she realized something was very wrong with her head. Turns out a piece of shrapnel had entered her skull and lodged there - unbeknownst to everyone, the piece of metal was so hot when it entered, it cauterized the surrounding vessels so she didn't bleed and no one noticed the wound. 

Yvonne has had numerous surgeries to repair her broken bones and nerve damage over the last 3 years.  I had been following her progress, but hadn't talked to her.  So visiting her at her home with her husband and two sons, was something I really couldn't pass up.  She continues to struggle with lots of things including short term memory loss, PTSD, and depression.  Just as an example, she was driving me to a small park with a lake nearby that has walking trails around it. As we were going along, there was a piece of cardboard in the center of the road.  But Yvonne didn't see it that way - she told me she saw an IED. 

Luckily for her she now has a new ally to help with these issues.  Her name is Genny and she is a 15 month old black Standard Poodle - a service dog. 

She is absolutely adorable and I believe she is helping in those ways that we, as humans, cannot see on the surface. While visiting, Yvonne took me to the Airborne Museum in Fayetteville to see how Airborne units have contributed and assisted in all of the conflicts the US has been involved. Genny accompanied us, as expected. In the museum displays, several included recorded gunfire or explosions for affect.  Soon Genny had her front paws on Yvonne and was looking her straight in the eyes.  She sensed the stress Yvonne didn't consciously feel, and wanted her to know she was there for her.  It was an awesome moment to witness.  Genny will do wonders for her.  She already has.

I write this because I have, and have ALWAYS had, the utmost respect for anyone who signs up to possibly put themselves in harms way to protect us and our freedoms.  For Yvonne, I think it was her calling.  Especially with her desire to be a nurse - to be one of those 'helpers' that everyone is talking about with the Boston bombing.  She was one of those people who ran TOWARDS the wounded, not away. And while she was laying in the hospital that she helped set up in Afghanistan hurting from her wounds, I know she was comforting all of the people who were trying to comfort her.  That is just how she is. 

Her Army career is now over.  Her wounds so severe she cannot return to active duty.  She received a Purple Heart, a combat service medal, and a Bronze star.  But I can tell that she would much rather be with her unit putting injured soldiers back together wherever they needed her than being stateside.    

Stopping to visit her has to be the best decision I have made so far on this trip.  I am humbled by her service and dedication to her craft and to this country.  Without selfless individuals like Yvonne, I would worry what our country would be like.   

So, please take a minute when you see a veteran or active duty soldier and thank them for their service. 

 

Thanks for reading.....

Moving North

Left Swannanoa, NC to Georgetown, Kentuckyand am currently sitting in Champaign, IL.  A few things I have noticed on my journey:

1.  It has been a much hillier trip than I imagined.
2.  Noticed that in KY most of the barns and outbuildings are painted black and not red.
3.  Haven't seen many CA license plates - in fact, I have counted about 8 since leaving the state of New Mexico. 
4.  Road kill in South Carolina consisted of mostly armadillos.
5.  RV folks are very, very nice people - everywhere!
6.  Have met many, many dogs which I am very excited about.
7.  Anybody know what these little numbers along the side of the road mean?

8.  Many, many new species of bird I haven't seen before.
9.  I am usually the slowest one on the road. Most trucks pass me, too. 
10. I have traveled 5478 miles so far, burned 540 gallons of gas and been in 12 states. Not counting CA.
11. Have met 11 twitter friends in person, so far.

There are a couple of other things but I don't want to jinx my journey.
More to come soon......

Thanks for reading....

Charleston

Ahhhhh Charleston, NC. 

Just a few facts about this town -
It sits below sea level much like New Orleans.  Flooding is a concern.

Has been hit by earthquakes AND hurricanes. Horrific damage from both events, but has rebuilt nicely.

Historically, was very prominent in the Revolutionary war and was the birth place to the Civil War.

There was so much to take in here, I stayed 3 nights.  Has a pretty cool downtown and an historic ocean front with old mansions built by rice plantation owners.  I took a Gray Line tour that included a city tour and a ride out to Fort Sumter on the ferry.

 

 

Fort Sumter was very interesting, especially because of all of the cannons that are left and the ammunition that was propelled from James Island.  Funny how things go, but I went out to the fort on April 12, 2013. Just happened to be the 152nd anniversary of the first shot fired. Special day!!

 

Dodged thunder, lightning and rain to be able to see the city and its' sights.  Was fun!! 

 

 

PS:  the biting bugs loved me!!  :-(

 

Thanks for reading.......

Mom's

Over the last week two of the people I follow on twitter have lost their mothers.  If you didn't know it already, I lost my Mom to lung and brain cancer 8 years ago on July 22, her fathers birthday.  For me, it was a devastating life event of which I thought I would never recover.  She meant so much to me as she was my only parent from 18 on up.  

It was 3 days before my 19th birthday when my father, age 55, passed away from pneumonia brought on by chemo and his battle with lymphoma. I was off at college, way before cell phones and the internet, when I got the call from my sister.  Wow.  I was pretty young and had already experienced death with my dad's parent, but this was different.  So confused and heartbroken watching my Mom try to grasp what had happened. I contemplated long and hard about staying in college or moving home to help. I stayed in school, graduated and then moved home for a few years.  I moved when love took me to the other side of the country.  Like a sport, my Mom drove across the country with me to my new home.  Over the years, we ended up doing this 3 times.  Mom was always up for traveling anywhere, really.  The US, Europe, Brazil, Hawaii, just to name a few. And she was a great traveling partner - pretty easy, except when I had to sit in the smoking section of an airplane to Europe. Again, that was eons ago, but she was taking me for my college graduation, so I had to go along.  Was a great trip I will never forget.  
Yep, she smoked for at least 50 years off and on so her diagnosis was not a complete surprise. What was shocking was that it was already in her brain. She was diagnosed the same day my father died 27 years later. Again 3 days before my birthday. What the hell. I was the queen of denial in my own head. I had hope beyond hope that she would live a few more years. Wasn't to be.  It was the shortest 9 months of my entire life. Trying to hang on to every shred of life that we had left together.  Devastated. 
Part of this trip I am on is to truly deal with her not being here and to actually finish grieving. But what I think is that if I do finally come to terms with her death, I will lose her forever. Not true, but that is what it feels like. Something I must keep working on.
In closing, Mom's are just different to lose. She brought me into this world, even though I wasn't on the agenda. She loved me unconditionally - we didn't always agree, but she loved me unconditionally.  I still want to pick up the phone and call her. I want to share my joys and frustrations with her.  I want to just talk to her one more time. But that would hurt too much, I think.
Something that has stuck with me is that Oprah has said that life talks to us in whispers. I believe it is talking to me now, with the two who are grieving, and that it is okay to let go now.  As difficult as that will be, I must let her go.  Not the memories, the pictures, the cookbooks, the life experiences, but the grief. I will always have her with me - I had her ashes tattooed into my skin in a tattoo that says simply "MOM". :-)
Many of you that are reading this have lost your mother. I am sorry - I feel for you.  For those of you that have your Mom, and you have a relationship, do me a big favor - tell her you love her, because you never know when it might be the last. 


Thanks for reading.........

Georgia was my grandmothers name

Have had a tremendous last 4 days. Stopped in Greenville, SC - was 39* and pouring rain when I arrived but when I left it was about 70*.  Wild weather here in the south. 

Had a great lunch and ride with Neil and Pamela of Tour Chats fame.  If you don't watch this great show, you should.  A must for even the casual cycling fan. Fun, informative and you never know what might happen. Here is the info - http://www.tourchats.com/

From there I made my way to Atlanta, Georgia on Saturday.  Staying at the Stone Mountain RV park.  It is the closest I have come to actually 'camping'. Still have all the hookups, but it is hilly with lots of trees on a small lake with a view of Stone Mountain.  Very nice. If you live within 3 hrs of this area, you must come for a visit.  It is really beautiful - tons of wildlife, cycling, hiking and fishing if you want.  On Sunday I met with another twitter pal, watched some bike racing, had Krispy Kreme from one of the original stores (yum) then had a tour of the city.  Thanks to Valerie for that!!  Then on to some other friends to bike part of the Atlanta beltline and more, have a fruit smoothie, and watch many dogs romp at a local dog park. Even saw a greyhound, Sal - my trip is complete. :-)

Then I got to take a real BATH!! That was a treat!  Ahhhhhhhhh! Then a couple of cocktails and a delicious dinner with friends at their home.  Nothing better. 

Today, I rode my bike around to the Walk Up entrance to Stone Mountain.  You can actually walk to the top or take a tram. It is approx. 1.2 miles up and pretty steep. You gain 786 ft of elevation to get to the 1686 ft. mark.  That was a workout. Beautiful views from all around. I could actually see where my trailer was parked. 
I passed a woman who told me she had climbed it 427 times and wanted to get to 1000 before she turned 80. She has 7 years to go. And, oh btw, she was carrying 1 lb dumbbells in her hands.  What an example!!!  

From there I went to the largest bas relief in the world.  It is located on the side of Stone Mountain. The carving depicts three figures of the Stonewall Jackson, Robert E. Lee, and Jefferson Davis. Pretty impressive. 

 

Hard to see in the photo but it is 90 ft tall and 190 ft wide and the carved area is 3 acres.

I like it here so I have decided to spend one more night before moving on. Have been inquiring about where to go next and have heard lots of enthusiasm for Charleston, SC.  So, I think that will be my next and most eastern stop.  Then I am starting to weave my way home.  Bummer.

Off to another fabulous dinner!!  

Thanks for reading....... 

-Ville and -On, plus other ramblings

While in Nashville, I drove to the area of town called Centennial Park. Really nice area kind of across from Vanderbilt University. In the park they constructed an exact replica of the Parthenon in Greece for the Centennial of Tennessee.  Having seen the original, I was amazed at how it should look. Lots of artifacts, original paintings of American artists and a 40+ ft tall replica of Athena inside.  BTW, that is Nike in her right hand and she stands at over 6 ft. Very impressive. 

From there I hopped on my bike to
do some exploring. Mapped out a route and took off. Only took me about 100 yards to be turned around and lost. Didn't care - I was on my bike. Weaved my way around the city. It actually has nice bike lanes and routes throughout. 
Found the Antique Archeology store, you know the show on TV. Wanted to go in but the line was ridiculous so I skipped.  Back to downtown and Broadway - the avenue of dreams for country western wanna be's.  Honky Tonks galore!  Cool architecture and a very pretty city.

 

My trusty steed

From there I went on to Crossville, TN.  As I was driving across the state I just happen to notice just about ALL of the cities either end in ON or VILLE. Look at a map and I think you will agree. Apparently not much of an imagination.  :-)
In Crossville I was very fortunate to meet and stay with twitter friends. Had a fabulous time with ALL of them - that southern hospitality is not a joke. I really believe they are genetically disposed to be friendly and feed you well.  I win.

Now I am sitting in Piedmont, SC, just a few miles from Greenville, SC. The home of TOUR CHATS!  Excited to do a little exploring today and maybe a little riding as well.  From here I leave for Atlanta on Saturday to visit MORE friends. I have a lot of friends all over these United States. So glad I can get away and visit some of them. 

So off to watch some bike racing on the interwebs and get ready for my day. 

Thanks for reading, y'all.......

Nashvlle......not a typo

Left Austin on Wednesday - had the BEST time there. Loved seeing my friends and just hanging out!! Highly recommend you visit if you have never been there. 

Now in Nashvlle. And yes, the 'i' is silent here.  Practice with me - 'Nash-vlle'. 

From Austin to Texarkana, TX, to Memphis to Nashvlle.  Was a pretty easy trip with zero incidences. Knock on wood for me please!!  And I passed these businesses along the way - who knew Arkansas was such a popular place.

Didn't get the camera out soon enough for the Caterpillar factory.


While in Memphis, I just happened to stay across the street from Graceland.  Not a big Elvis fan, but thought I had better take advantage as I was so close. The house was actually pretty modest except for the Jungle room with the Tiki chairs, wood carved tables and carpet on the ceiling. Apparently he recorded his last album in that room.  One thing that I didn't know was that he never performed outside of the US. I was surprised by that with his level of popularity. People are CRAZY for the guy. 

Flowers and chotzkys (?) are sent on a DAILY basis from fans all over the world. They actually put them around his gravesite. Germany, Japan, etc. His parents are buried next to him, plus there is a marker for his stillborn twin brother. Didn't know that about him either.  Am glad I took the time.

Then it started to rain and continued to rain the entire journey to Nashvlle.  Not horrible but made me hyper sensitive. Had another trailer casualty yesterday - the little cover that goes on the water inlet spout blew off.  Oh well - picked up another for $2.44.  And I'm back on track.....

Sightseeing today.  Must get to planning my day.  Ya'll have a good one!!

Thanks for reading.......

Dog Blog

Have been wanting to do a little blurb about all of the dogs I have met along the way.  Soooooo many and so cute, all of them.  Is it possible to not like ANY dog?  Not for me.  All shapes, sizes, breeds, genders - all are fabulous to me.

So the first night in Bakersfield I met Wally - the 11 yr old Weenie dog. Apparently was a puppy mill dog and has become blind and deaf. But his nose was still working just fine!! 

Then the next morning it was Sandy, the Golden retriever mix having the best morning walk!!  Very happy puppy - carrying an orange in her mouth as if it was a ball.  And proud!!

In Kingman, AZ, it was Birdy - a beautiful small pit bull that was strong as an ox, of course. Pulled her owner all over the park.  Loved to chase birds, hence the original name. ;-)

Saw LOTS of dogs but didn't get to pet any until Austin. My friends have 3 dogs - Eddie 15, Beezer 16, and Zoe 5(?).  Eddie and Beezer are so sweet and so old. Routine is the name of the game for them.  Go out = treats!!  Yummy!

Eddie                                                                               Beezer



Zoe



 

 Poor Zoe is wearing a coat because she has bad skin allergies.  Medication helps but upsets the tummy, which doesn't help out Mom and Dad in the house. She is extremely loyal to her keepers and wouldn't have much to do with me.  Oh well, her loss!!  :-)

 

Then of course there were more - a Terrier mix and a Dalmation, both from resuce organizations.  Shelby, on the left is a go, go, go dog.  I think she really needs a job.  Eleanor, on the right, is small for a spotty dog and extremely shy. She is new to the home but will be extremely loyal when comfortable.

 

 



  

Then there is Jenson - Jenson Button, to be exact. Named after the F1 race car driver of the same name.  A labradoodle puppy. Need I say more than the word puppy?  I think not.  You all get it.  

 

 

 

Last but certainly not least, are my two beautiful girls.  Had to include them as they are mine, after all.  Gracie and Molly.  How do you NOT love those faces. 

 

 Gracie

 

 







Molly

 

 

 

Will leave you with that smile!!

 

Thanks for reading.....

 

....Still in Austin

As you know, I have been in Austin since last Thursday visiting with my old college roomie and her family.  Don't get to see them very often so I am appreciating my time here. 

Have seen my first bunches of Blue Bonnets here in Austin this week.  Very similar to the Lupin we have in California. Drought here has made them scarce, but they bring lots of color to the dryness. 

Never a dull moment around here - sat in the hospital for a few hours with my friend who suffered with a kidney stone on Friday night.  Luckily she is efficient with everything she does and it passed later on that night. I had one that lasted over 3 months. She has the best luck!!

Changed the oil in my truck and had my tires rotated at Costco. Yes, they have those here - and the gas was $3.32 per gal.  How awesome is that! 

Saturday night was the Ronald McDonald House Charities Bandana Ball and it was magnificent!  Almost 1000 people helping to raise $500,000 (goal).  Auction items included a signed electric guitar from Led Zeppelin, trips to NY, Monterey, Yellowstone, paintings, jewelry, and many, many other things.  Very well run event with passionate people working to accomplish a monumental task. It was awesome. 

Have eaten my weight in food here, including BBQ, but nothing is better than a home cooked meal.  Last night was steak, potatoes, asparagus, salad, bread, and dessert (ice cream and cake). See what I mean? 

Am planning on staying an extra day here as the weather at my next destination isn't the best and my desire to meet with friends there will make that more convenient.  

Well that is all for now. Of course, if anything exciting happens, you will be the first to know!

Thanks for reading.....

PS - The Oscar Meyer Weinermobile was seen in San Jose a few days ago. Let me know if you have a sighting!!

Keep Austin Weird!!

Have been remiss in posting, but have been visiting with lots of friends over the last couple of days.

Everything is going swimmingly so far on this trip.  Have travelled through a bunch of Texas so far - Landed in Lubbock at an RV park directly across from the International Airport, then in Granbury, TX to meet friends I haven't seen in at least 12 years. Last time I saw them, their little boy was a newborn.  He just turned 13. Man, time flies.  Great to catch up with them. I even got to take a real shower and sleep in a 'real' bed.  SWEEET!! 

From there I have made my pilgrimage to Austin.  My bestie from college lives here plus we are going to something called the Bandana Ball on Saturday night. It is a major fundraiser/auction for the Ronald McDonald House Charities in Austin. Big jewels, hair, and big money!!  Will be fun! 

Just an FYI - attended the Driveway Crits tonight. Pretty famous crit series here in Austin, and was very cool to watch.  Love bike racing.

On a side note, my gas mileage has been horrible. Head wind has reduced it to about 7 mpg.  Ouch!!  At least the gas around here is about 40 cents a gallon cheaper than California!!

Kind of a boring post, but will have more over the next couple of days.  Hope everyone is well and happy Spring!!

Thanks for reading...

Random thoughts

Over the last several days, I have seen many random things.  Seems like a good place to share them with you.

Trains - there are soooo many train tracks traversing this country.  And I bet the conductors get to see the most amazing things. Off the main drag and through areas we will never see. It would be fun to ride one someday. Amtrak possibly? This goes directly through the Petrified Forest!

Animals - have seen coyote, hawks, ground hogs (squirrels?), cottontail bunnies and many small birds.
     Roadkill - sadly have seen this as well. Coyote, rabbit, skunk and most tragically, dogs. Saw 3 dogs in a 5 mile stretch. Made me very sad.

I have also seen many, many crow or raven. They are very large birds and a peculiar thing I have noticed about them - I always see them in pairs. Mate for life? 

Scenery - I have seen enormous outcroppings of lava flows. Just like the island of Hawaii. Didn't know it was out here. The colors of the bluffs are amazing - vibrant and plentiful. Grasses, cacti, and, of course, tumble weeds.

I have driven almost 1300 miles, spent $430 on gas, and about $115 on RV parks.  I haven't been out to eat or watched TV since embarking on this trip. Kinda like the solitude. A lot. 

Oh, and then I came across this today!  I have seen it twice now.  You can't see it here, but the license plate says "Weiner"!

Thanks for reading.

BIG Day!

Well, today turned out to be quite adventurous.  Several stops, mishaps, lots of scenery and WIND!!!

The high desert is quite beautiful but not a place I would like to live.  Went through Flagstaff and saw quite a bit of snow still on the sides of the road.  A pleasant surprise. 

Did I mention that the speed limit in AZ is 75 mph with NO designation for trucks or trailers?  Everybody blew by me like I was standing still.  That's okay as I saw several people pulled over by the highway patrol.  Ha!!

When I acquired the trailer I had to get extender mirrors for my truck that attach to my regular mirrors.  Couldn't see around the trailer without them.  Anyway, I was going along the highway and it suddenly turned very rough in places.  I see something in the corner of my eye, and WOOSH, there goes the mirror.  Needless to say, I didn't turn around to pick up the pieces.  There were hundreds.

Then pulled over at a rest area  in 'I have no idea where' ville and saw this.  Speaking of broccoli.
Trailer brakes caught fire and 'cooked' the goods!

Finally, I stopped at the Petrified Forest National Park. Sooo cool to learn how petrified wood is created AND to see petroglyphs etched into the rocks. Very interesting place and well worth the stop.

 

If you look closely below, you can see some figures.

The end of a petrified log

 



So there you have my day.  Didn't get to Gallup until about 7:30 local time, which is now an hour later than California time. So it has been a huge day.
The pic I posted yesterday of the giant golf ball thing? Yeah, that was someones house!  Guess you have to make it interesting in the desert!
Until next time.....