On the road (9/12/2024)

Not a very imaginative or original title, but it is appropriate. As I mentioned in my previous post, I have been traveling the famous U.S. highways and some of the byways. This last time, it was a quick trip across, delivering one of our cars to my daughter and her spouse. We had three vehicles and that is more than enough for a retired couple. It was a solo trip this time; my wife stayed home to take care of the dogs and bonsai. In addition, it is hurricane season and it always feels risky leaving home for an extended period. The region was hit by a tropical storm when we took a similar trip last year.

In the past we have taken a few road trips across and I still enjoy it. In 1979 we drove from Delaware to Utah for our graduate studies. We did the opposite trip in 1981 on our way to a new job in Nepal. That was my really first multi day road trip. On the way we visited my wife's friends in Lexington (KY), Louisville (KY) and Columbia (MO). We continued on through Denver to Cheyenne, and ended our trip in northern Utah. We drove an AMC Pacer, which looked like a fishbowl on wheels. On the way back we raced through Nebraska, Iowa and the Midwest; we were in a hurry. We somehow fixed my wife's paintings (she's an artist) to the ceiling of the car, and the gap between the paintings was occupied by our two cats; our two dogs were on the back seat. The other memorable thing that I remember is hearing Barbara Mandrell’s song titled “Crackers” over and over while driving through the prairie states (Nebraska and Iowa). It always amazed me that this song was so popular in the Bible belt since she invites someone back in her bed after a fight and I didn’t think it was her hubby.

Our next trip across the continent was in 1986, but now from Delaware to southern New Mexico. This time in a Honda Civic Wagon, with the same two dogs and only one of the two cats. The most exiting episode was when our cat escaped out of our room of an Indian run motel, in Artesia, NM. We had to stay another night before we found our cat and we could complete the journey. We got to know that town quite intimately that layover day. During those study years we made one more road trip, back and forth for Christmas vacation. Another time we drove to Dallas and flew from there to visit the grandparents of our 1 year-old daughter. In the mean time we made some other trips: to Corpus Christy for one and later on to California (the San Luise Obispo area).

Finally, we did the trip across that I describe in last year's posting: Yorktown to Montana to Long Beach and back home. In addition, my wife drove across one time to take our daughter to Sacramento and now I did this solo trip. I also made a solo trip from Gallup (NM) to Richland (WA) and from Virginia to Maine (I-95). We also have traveled to Charleston (SC) by car. In the past we frequently traveled the Pennsylvania Turnpike when we lived in Cincinnati and visited the (grand) parents in Delaware.

What highways did we take. We lived on Route 66 in Gallup, NM, and we did other Route 66 sections in Arizona, California, Oklahoma, and Missouri. These past two years Interstate 64 was a common route in our trips across the country. We have also traveled Interstates 70, 35, 40, 44, 15, 70, 76, 80, 84, 10, 37, 90, 94 and 95. Highway driving is fair. It is a great way to quickly get from point A to point B; however, the landscape typically flies by. We always joke that the Texas Interstates are the reason we were able to conceive our daughter; all those early arrivals in motel rooms and having time for more time for intimacy (aka wild monkey sex … we were still young … sorry daughter). Naturally, the radar detectors assisted in our speedy arrivals.

Honestly, I like the byways. We have taken large sections of the Lewis and Clark trail through Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Idaho, and Montana. We have driven some of the country roads in Missouri, Kansas, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming and Arizona on some of our other cross-country forays. I like those much better. It allows you to sightsee and just spend time to take it all in.

Things have changed over the years. While in the old days we poured over maps to plan our trips; Google maps is now my go to source. I still plan a trip marking destinations and aiming to keep a day's drive to around 300 miles (480 km). That distance can amount to approximately 6 to 7 hours of driving. Going west is easier because you gain time when crossing into another time zone. Going east you can lose an hour and a 7 hour drive all the sudden results in an 8-hour trip (on the clock) when you cross into the next time zone.

This is just a sampling what we have done. We have spread our wings and shared our exhaust gasses with many places. We still enjoy traveling the highways and byways by car (and now our van).

Bison near the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.  All the pictures below are from my latest trip.

Me at the North Rim

The Four Corners

Highlands of Colorado

Road Trip (9/6/2024)

In the latest update, I am on a road trip across the country. My wife and I decided to shed one of our vehicles and give it to our daughter. She got a new job that required a long commute on the opposite area of LA. We had three vehicles: our van, the CRV and my Accord. We figured that it would be a lot cheaper if we shed one and expect that our tax and insurance rates would go down. We would probably use the van a little more and put more miles on both remaining vehicles; however, it should be a net win. In conclusion, I decided to hand deliver it to LA and fly back. It is a solo trip, and I just don't have a lot of time to write,

I am currently writing this entry at a microbrewery in Alamosa, Colorado. I am at 7500 feet elevation, and since I crossed into another time zone, I have an extra hour. The trip has been fun and somewhat frustrating. It is nice to be on the road again, that's for sure. I am usually too tired to go crazy after a drive of 6 to 8 hours. As I mentioned before, getting old is no fun; the drive tires me out and the time zone changes are interesting as well. The first day I just drove like crazy, I did not sightsee, and ended up on Mnt. Sterling, KY. I noticed that the charging port in my car did not work and my phone was about to die. So after checking into the motel, I went in search of a charger. After buying one I had a good dinner at the Mexican restaurant next to the motel. The food was crazy, I asked for a steak fajita and was served a full rib-eye steak like a fajita. It was very tasty especially while being fueled by two margaritas

Day two took be to Warrenton, MO via St. Louis. During this leg my trip became fun and very frsutrating at the same time. Start with the fun! I took a side-trip to the Gateway Arch. I had never seen it close by, let alone been to the top, so it was my day! It was fun; however, on the way there I learned about the latest school massacre or as one of the vive presidential candidates called it: an unfortunate incident that is just “a fact of life.” Well, fuck him! In other words, having XM satellite radio in my car, I could not stop listening to the reports on the shooting and the aftermath. I angered me and really bothered me.

Day three took me to a small town in Kansas. I stopped for another side trip at the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve where I took a 1.5-mile hike. This was totally up my alley being a range scientist. However, man, it was hot (90) walking there. By the time I got back to the visitor's center I felt like I had heatstroke. This feeling did not leave me and when I I arrived at my motel in Pratt, Kansas, I felt utterly exhausted. Not sure if the drive, the news or heat exhaustion did me in. On top of that, I got a room in the motel where nothing seemed level: I had to walk up slope to get to my bags or out of the bathroom. There was at least two inches difference which made me very unstable during my stay. It exaggerated my concern of my health and general well-being.

Day four brought me here: Alamosa, Colorado. No side trips this time, just a 8 hour drive. Goin through Dodge City I was reminded of my last gripes about the area; but things got better when I entered Colorado. It got drier, I saw prairie dogs, ocotillo, and eventually the Rockies. I was listening to Doctor Radio on XM and I felt good. At time I was still pestered by the news (the shooting and the Cheney news). But life was good again.

I’ll leave it at that, except to tell you about my travels to-date, and my metal state. More to follow, as I am sure you know.

A tall grass prairie picture

Before going up

Wyat Earp and me in Dodge City

At the Spare Kegg in Alamosa

Restaurant view