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.....

Golf anyone?

Ya know, this RV'ing thing is pretty sweet.  Just hook up to all of the amenities - water, electricity and sewer and you are all set.  Who knew!  Sitting here cooking some broccoli and microwaving a frozen dinner.  Camping has sure changed!!

Currently ensconced in Kingman Arizona.  Weather is very nice except for the wind.  That puts a little damper on things but overall it is a nice place. 

The picture you are about to see is real.  No names or situations were changed to protect the innocent.  Can anyone guess what it is?  Come on, give it a go.

I will reveal in the next blog. There may be a prize - you don't know.

There is a sense of peace when you are forced to drive 60mph.  I don't get mad at people going too slow or doing stupid things. I just putt along minding my own. I like it.

Having XM satellite isn't a bad thing either. Sooo many choices, it is great. 

Just had dinner - brought to you by 'Eating Right' frozen dinners. Full now and going for a walk. 

On to Gallup, NM tomorrow.  Hopefully, another uneventful driving day.

Thanks for reading.

Phew, made it.

As usual, things did not go as planned this morning and got a bit of a late start but I did manage to make it to Bakersfield tonight.  Phew!

Was a sad parting at home but once on the road, felt a little better.  Finally got into a groove going a fast 60 mph all the way here.  Trucks and I are officially buddies now.  We got it down!! 

Nothing exciting to report, except when I stopped in Fresno to get gas, I noticed that my rear storage door on the outside of the trailer was OPEN!  Luckily nothing fell out. 

Weather is a balmy 75, but nice.  Have actually set up next to a couple who are on their way home to Yuba City.  Could the world be any smaller?  I think not. 

Just enjoyed some homemade split pea soup Rae Jean made for dinner and am enjoying a Mikes Hard -  Blood Orange.  It is a new seasonal edition and it is quite tasty, I must say. 

Miss the dogs already.  Everybody that is in this park has a dog.  Oh, it is going to be a long trip with me petting everyone in sight. This RV thing is quite an experience. So glad I did a practice run or it would be a mess. Takes at least 30 min to hook up and set up.  Nice and quiet though.  :-)

So on a little side note, Rae Jean told me this morning that she sure hopes she doesn't bring another dog home.......  WHAT??  I hadn't even left home yet and there may be a new dog in our lives. Long story, but she is an old black lab whose companion died.  Enough said I think. 

Okay, off to shower and bed.  Another long day ahead. 

Thanks for reading. 

Ooops....

Apparently when writing a blog, it is important to let everyone out there in on what is actually happening in my head.  Silly me. 

First of all, I am not running away from home.  It is merely 'me' time.  And, I will be returning in approximately 4-6 weeks.  Several years ago I wanted to do the same thing but on my motorcycle.  Several family members and friends thought this was a horrid idea, so instead, I am driving my truck pulling a room from a Residence Inn. 

No real agenda, but I will be carrying several writing instruments and 3 journals.  Self discovery, grief, place and relationships are all on the agenda.  Plus a GIANT box of kleenex because I think we all know how that is gonna go.  :-)

I am currently in a rabid frenzy trying to clean up loose ends before I leave.  I will be exhausted on the first day!

Also bringing along 2 of my bikes. Road and Commuter which will give me lots of options.  Ride for real or cruise to the store so I don't have to unhook my truck everytime I want to go somewhere.  Plus I will definitely need the exercise after sitting several hours. 

Will check in again from my first stop on the road.  Hello Bakersfield!!

Here we go.....

On Friday March 15, I will embark on a rather lengthy adventure with my 18' travel trailer.  Not sure what possessed me to buy said trailer, but some sort of adventurous spirit apparently has overtaken my psyche. This could be the first trip of many or the last trip ever.  As always, time will tell the outcome. 

This is a first for me - being away from home for an extended period of time and not having it be job related. This is purely a chance for me to spend time with myself without distraction, which is a foreign concept to me.  I am a task master. List maker. Doer. Tinkerer.  Fixer.  Mechanic.  With this trip I hope to be absolutely none of those things.  A challenge to say the least. 

Seeing the beautiful US of A and visiting friends far and wide will be the only things on my agenda. Oh, and riding my bike, of course.

So, I invite you to come along with me. As long as I remember to write something every once in a while, I will try to keep you updated on my progress and happenings.

Welcome to My Turning Point.

Mary