Road Trip Adventures

Prelude to the road trip
The road trip began much later than planned - 4 hours later in fact. This may not sound like much, but when you need to drive 400 miles to Flagstaff, a delay like this throws the whole plan off. The delay wasn't any one's fault per se - except perhaps my optimistic self. I assumed that since family and friends could pack, drive, and unload a moving van filled with my belongings from a 1 bedroom apartment, professional movers would surely be able to load a moving van in 3-4 hours. I'd be VERY VERY wrong. They arrived at 9am and were not finished until 3pm. Good grief!

Part 1: Vista, California to Flagstaff, Arizona
Anyway, Mama and I headed out around 4pm. Arrived in Flagstaff after midnight with one stop in EXCITING (if sarcasm could drip off letters this page would be dripping) Needles, CA at a Denny's for dinner. I must say, I love the I-40 and 75 MILES PER HOUR! Anytime the limit dropped to below 70 it felt like we were c r a w l i n g down the road.

Meet Nuvi Garmin. Our companion for this entire trip. Nuvi was mostly our reference to make sure we didn't get off the beaten trail. The trip itself was simple through Missouri - stay on I-40. But, I noticed through Corona and up into Victorville, she kept trying to direct us off the I-15 to side roads and highways. When we stopped for gas off the 15 (pass Barstow), I pulled Nuvi closer and looked at her menu settings. A voila - the setting showed to avoid highways. She was trying to dump us on to old Highway 66, which would explain why she kept calculating an arrival time of 1:30am. I thought she just was converting to Mountain Standard time. So, glad I knew to stick with the main highways and avoid all diversions.

Part 2: Flagstaff, Arizona to Amarillo Texas
As part of a last minute side trip, we decided to see the Grand Canyon. Neither of us had ever been there . . . so side road trip! :o)


This picture doesn't reveal the beauty. Although I am not the photographer, I did stand in the exact spot where the image was captured. Colors, depth, wind, echoes, birds soaring, the wonder at the power of wind and water to carve and sculpt the details of this canyon.



Now the disadvantage of a trip like this one is the 5 hours added to the day's driving plan. 1.75 hours to the Grand Canyon, 1.5 hours walking and exploring, and 1.75 hours back to Flagstaff to start the journey to Amarillo, Texas. The time to drive from Flagstaff to Amarillo is close to 9 hours with NO stops. But wait, I forgot the time change, which jumps us ahead 2 hours. We didn't arrive in Amarillo until 1:30am. All I can say is that my Mama is a patient person. The truth is I was so tired I turned into a bit of a *itch!!!

New Mexico and its painted deserts are exquisite.
However, the squalor and poverty revealed in the run down houses, motor homes, and trailers made the journey on the I-40 an interesting one in contrasts. Natural beauty and man's disappointments. I wondered about the stories at each of these run down spots. Was it someones effort to eek out an existence? Or the last spot where they just gave up? Sadly, most of these areas were Indian Reservations. It appears the bright lights of the various casinos along this route failed to lighten the burdens of these individuals.

Part 3: Amarillo, Texas to Springfield, Missouri
Slept In! Didn't get up until 10:20am. Felt like a human being again. We went to Cracker Barrel for breakfast. Mama's first time. Customer service shines at these restaurants. And as long as you avoid grits, breakfast is tasty.

Switched from I-40 to I-44 somewhere on the road from Texas to Oklahoma. Texas was, well, flat and boring. Oklahoma surprised me. Lots of green hills. Farms. Cows. More cows. And trees. And many Indian "Nations." The homes residing on this land are like palaces compared to the squalor witnessed in New Mexico. Interesting differences. Perhaps in Oklahoma they've learned to share the wealth better?

And on I-44, I experienced a first. Let's just say, a patch of grass, a tree, and a hillside along I-44 somewhere between Tulsa and Springfield are all very intimately acquainted. (Fill in the blanks of this story.) And ironically, just over the next hill, a gas station. Sigh - there were so many hills before that one, which I crossed over EACH one anticipating deliverance and experienced disappointment instead. My patience skills just weren't strong enough! :o)

We arrived in Springfield by 10:30pm. Early compared to all our other nights. Met a nice man at the Front Desk, who obviously had a long day! Told funny stories about guests who demanded a lot for their $69.99 per night stay at a La Quinta in Springfield, Missouri. He told us, he looked them in the eye and said, "This isn't the Ritz Carlton." Gumption.

Part 3: Springfield, Missouri to Louisville, Kentucky
Blustery day. Fought the wind through Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky. Beautiful country. Farms. Land. Homes. Lakes. Ponds. Trees. Grass blowing. Peaceful. No adventures.

Mama did opt for Cracker Barrel again in Springfield. She wanted to try the Wild Blueberry Pancakes with Wild Blueberry syrup - ALL from Maine! I think she is hooked on the down home southern cooking and quality customer service.

Arrived in Louisville at sunset. Louisville greeted Mama as we drove over the bridge from Indiana into downtown - shadows of buildings against the blue sky twisted with orange and reds. Quite a showoff!

Stopped first at the new rental in Chester Hill/ Cherokee Gardens neighborhood. Dropped off the boxes which traveled all the way from from California to Kentucky. Almost home. Just waiting for the movers to arrive. Delivery window is Thursday 4/7 through Saturday 4/9. Isn't it great they get a 3 day delivery window!

Tour given. Boxes moved in. Plants watered and put into temporary locations until their stands arrive. Off to the hotel.

Road Trip ends here . . .

Thank you to the following sites for the use of their images
Road Trip: http://www.gpb.org/files/RoadTrip.jpg
Grand Canyon: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ZdaN-wQFlx_CtHIJ6e7-RQw1cAplFDo-5OQV6U0dZPQXTHIF-EuHzoW8VskszbIa1ei2dKdK-wdivOxhWziaTBqVBuhBatD9INHlV84UyyLy2cP-5Vp5afgLTUtuq4EVUIQ1asZn9yM/s1600/GrandCanyonLookingWest.jpg
The End: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_lOSKZ_Iccr0/R3JJRtarqYI/AAAAAAAABPw/UgivLgmv-hA/s400/the-end-bb.gif
New Mexico: http://departments.weber.edu/hp/RMATA/NEw%20Mexico.jpg