Monday, May 30, 2016
Today, we said goodbye to Judy and continued on to Virginia Beach, Virginia. This has been the day with the most rain on the trip so far. We hadn't gone too far on State Highway 17 when there was such a gully washer that we pulled over and stopped in a parking lot. Stella was driving and the windshield wipers weren't even remotely carrying the water. After 10 minutes or so, we started up the road again. We had intermittent rain showers and it was raining heavy when we got here.
That highway is a good road that takes you through small towns and showed us "the real south", as Becky told us. We came past a lot of cornfields and what we decided was tobacco. There were a lot of fields that had plants in full bloom that we could not identify. We are staying with Becky, a friend who used to live in Idaho, but moved back to her hometown when she retired. The three of us spent a lot of time looking up plants to find out what these were but never came to a consensus. In hindsight, I should have taken a picture.
It was late afternoon before we arrived, and rainy, but after dinner, Becky took us on a drive around the area showing us where she grew up and the state park that is virtually right in town, and where the entrance to the military base is so we can go see the lighthouses. The sentry at the gate wouldn't let us in because it's closed to tourists after 4:30 pm.
Military jets fly over a couple of times a day, going from aircraft carriers to the base. And with the mouth of Cheseapeake Bay (probably misspelled that) just down the road, there are a number of container ships out on the ocean. I would get absolutely nothing done if I lived where I could watch all this.
After a dinner of crab cakes and the drive, we watched Hart of Dixie on Netflix. I don't do Netflix so all these are new to me. We hope for good weather the next few days because we are planning on going out on Cheseapeake Bay Wednesday and doing a little fishing.
Tuesday, May 31, 2016
Sunday, May 29, 2016
This morning, we took a trolley tour of Wilmington, North Carolina. Every house in the historic district has a plaque outside the door telling the history of the house. The homes are well taken care of, and the foundation for the district has restored some.
The guide pointed out where President Woodrow Wilson grew up and told us that he was known as Tommy Wilson as a boy. Another resident here was the actress Linda Lavin. Quite a number of movies have been filmed in Wilmington and the surrounding area. I forgot to mention that in Savannah the guide pointed out locations that featured prominently in Forrest Gump.
Next, we did a boat tour/cruise on the Cape Fear River. We went downriver and saw the big blue cranes that were in the Iron Man 3 movie. We also got to see a tug boat guide a container ship into the dock for unloading. The concrete piers along the river are being removed so the "turnaround basin" (I think that's what he called it) can be large enough for larger ships to come in and then turn to return to sea. Judy said the city wants to be able to have cruise ships come in.
They dredge the river every few years to keep it deep enough for cargo ships. The USS North Carolina is permanently docked here and open for tours.
We then went to the Airlie Gardens. We had not sat down on the tram for more than 5 seconds before the skies opened and a downpour began. It does not rain in the west like it does here. It passed after a few minutes and we walked around the gardens seeing an oak tree that is more than 500 years old and a small house made from bottles honoring a local woman. That tree was beautiful, very full and very tall. It stands near the large area where they have concerts and other events. A beautiful garden that was great to see.
We went to a restaurant on the Wrightsville Beach for lunch. We had the fish and chips and have decided that we have been ruined for life with the fresh fish we've had. The beach was crowded and the waves were big, we thought, but there were body surfers and others out in the water. The lifeguards were glued to the scene, as they should be.
Another great dinner with Judy that evening. We watched Grace and Frankie, the show with Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, Martin Sheen and Sam Waterson on Netflix after dinner. I hadn't seen it before but enjoyed it.
This morning, we took a trolley tour of Wilmington, North Carolina. Every house in the historic district has a plaque outside the door telling the history of the house. The homes are well taken care of, and the foundation for the district has restored some.
The guide pointed out where President Woodrow Wilson grew up and told us that he was known as Tommy Wilson as a boy. Another resident here was the actress Linda Lavin. Quite a number of movies have been filmed in Wilmington and the surrounding area. I forgot to mention that in Savannah the guide pointed out locations that featured prominently in Forrest Gump.
Next, we did a boat tour/cruise on the Cape Fear River. We went downriver and saw the big blue cranes that were in the Iron Man 3 movie. We also got to see a tug boat guide a container ship into the dock for unloading. The concrete piers along the river are being removed so the "turnaround basin" (I think that's what he called it) can be large enough for larger ships to come in and then turn to return to sea. Judy said the city wants to be able to have cruise ships come in.
They dredge the river every few years to keep it deep enough for cargo ships. The USS North Carolina is permanently docked here and open for tours.
We then went to the Airlie Gardens. We had not sat down on the tram for more than 5 seconds before the skies opened and a downpour began. It does not rain in the west like it does here. It passed after a few minutes and we walked around the gardens seeing an oak tree that is more than 500 years old and a small house made from bottles honoring a local woman. That tree was beautiful, very full and very tall. It stands near the large area where they have concerts and other events. A beautiful garden that was great to see.
We went to a restaurant on the Wrightsville Beach for lunch. We had the fish and chips and have decided that we have been ruined for life with the fresh fish we've had. The beach was crowded and the waves were big, we thought, but there were body surfers and others out in the water. The lifeguards were glued to the scene, as they should be.
Another great dinner with Judy that evening. We watched Grace and Frankie, the show with Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, Martin Sheen and Sam Waterson on Netflix after dinner. I hadn't seen it before but enjoyed it.
Monday, May 30, 2016
Sunday, May 29, 2016
Saturday, May 28, 2016
We continued north on I-95 today, and stopped in Savannah, Georgia, to see the sights. We did a trolley tour of the historic district. Lots of history here, and lots of iron. Iron railings, iron steps, iron fences, more than I've ever seen.
The most interesting fact, to me, is that Savannah is the second largest port in the U.S. Only New York is larger. I can't remember the figure, in tons, that the tour guide quoted, but it was a huge number of goods that pass through here. When we were close to the water, there was a huge container ship going out under the bridge. The bridge is another story. It was damaged by a ship in the last 20 years sometime and the firm that won the bid for reconstruction and redesign was an all woman company. The first time that had ever happened.
Lots of Memorial Day activities going on in the squares that we passed. One place was blocked off by police tape and there were a number of police vehicles there. One of them was the "bomb disposal unit." That made my eyebrows go up, but I think they were just being a presence to deter anything that may happen.
We've decided that the GPS unit should be called "Ranting Ruby" instead of Naggy Maggie. We were not sure about her taking us over the huge bridge here but we did meet up with I-95 again a few miles up the road. Savannah is 9 miles off the interstate, so not too far if we needed to backtrack.
Today was overcast. We didn't run into rain until we were halfway across South Carolina, and it was fairly light. It had almost quit when we came to the "South of the Border" tourist trap on the South Carolina-North Carolina border. Hard to describe if you haven't seen it.
We went just a few miles and turned northeast toward Wilmington, our destination. It was a deluge for a few miles. Everyone slowed way down because the wipers wouldn't carry the water. By the time we reached Wilmington, the sun was out, but the storm is on its way, from the forecast.
We are at our friend, Judy Fuller's house for the next two nights. Seeing as it is Memorial Day weekend, the traffic and weather is not conducive for going to the Outer Banks.
We continued north on I-95 today, and stopped in Savannah, Georgia, to see the sights. We did a trolley tour of the historic district. Lots of history here, and lots of iron. Iron railings, iron steps, iron fences, more than I've ever seen.
The most interesting fact, to me, is that Savannah is the second largest port in the U.S. Only New York is larger. I can't remember the figure, in tons, that the tour guide quoted, but it was a huge number of goods that pass through here. When we were close to the water, there was a huge container ship going out under the bridge. The bridge is another story. It was damaged by a ship in the last 20 years sometime and the firm that won the bid for reconstruction and redesign was an all woman company. The first time that had ever happened.
Lots of Memorial Day activities going on in the squares that we passed. One place was blocked off by police tape and there were a number of police vehicles there. One of them was the "bomb disposal unit." That made my eyebrows go up, but I think they were just being a presence to deter anything that may happen.
We've decided that the GPS unit should be called "Ranting Ruby" instead of Naggy Maggie. We were not sure about her taking us over the huge bridge here but we did meet up with I-95 again a few miles up the road. Savannah is 9 miles off the interstate, so not too far if we needed to backtrack.
Today was overcast. We didn't run into rain until we were halfway across South Carolina, and it was fairly light. It had almost quit when we came to the "South of the Border" tourist trap on the South Carolina-North Carolina border. Hard to describe if you haven't seen it.
We went just a few miles and turned northeast toward Wilmington, our destination. It was a deluge for a few miles. Everyone slowed way down because the wipers wouldn't carry the water. By the time we reached Wilmington, the sun was out, but the storm is on its way, from the forecast.
We are at our friend, Judy Fuller's house for the next two nights. Seeing as it is Memorial Day weekend, the traffic and weather is not conducive for going to the Outer Banks.
Friday, May 27, 2016
Friday, May 27, 2016
Wednesday, we went to the Edison-Ford Estates in Fort Myers. Thomas Edison and Henry Ford were fast friends. Thomas Edison happened on Fort Myers in the early 1900's and decided to make it his winter home. The population was only 350 people at that time. When Henry Ford visited, he wanted to stay there as well.
Thomas Edison built a large house, a study, a research lab, and a gatekeepers house on the grounds, along with a swimming pool and a 1500 foot dock. His wife was instrumental in the planting of tall palm trees lining the street that leads to their estate. A trusted friend and employee of Edison's built a home next door but when Edison realized he was embezzling he forced him to sell the house to him.
Henry Ford paid $20,000 for the house and land that he built next to Edison's. It had, and still has, a "friendship" gate between the two properties. We saw a Model T and a Model A from his company, and a truck from the same era. We happened to be there when they started the Model A, which supposedly only happens once.a week. The man who takes care of the vehicles went into great detail about all the steps it takes to start one up. I decided that no women (or the vast majority of them) would ever be able to start one after hearing that.
The museum here is excellent. I didn't realize how many things Edison invented. He holds more patents than any person or corporation does. We listened to his first phonograph. It used cylinders instead of the flat round records we all knew, and the sound was scratchy but it worked.
There was a group of students there that looked like about fifth graders. They were in a room where an employee of the museum was doing experiments and demonstrating Edison's inventions. The kids were having great fun. What a great program they have for kids here. They also sell herbs and flowers and plants. All in all, it was great. We did the hourlong guided tour.
Oh, I forgot this. Edison died in 1931 and Henry Ford never came to Fort Myers again. He just couldn't come without his best friend. He sold his property in the 1940's for what he paid for it, $20,000, because he said he did not want to profit from his friendship with Edison. There is a nonprofit entity that oversees the properties today. The Edison family signed it over to them and have loaned them all the furnishings and personal belongings on display.
Then we went to a donut shop that is locally famous for maple bacon donuts. They have maple frosting with square inches of bacon, four of them, embedded in the frosting. And they have cold pressed coffee. I'm not a coffee person but the others really liked it.
Thursday, we went out fishing in the gulf for half a day. Stella and Phil caught sharks. Phil's friend, Don, also caught one but it bit through the line before it was in the boat, so no luck there. I caught a number of grouper that were less than 20" long so were too small to keep. I also caught a couple of small snapper. There were 2-3 foot swells so no one was seasick. We were all kind of disappointed when it was time to come back, but we were windburned and hot so it was time to get out of the sun. We had a great time, though, and ate shark and snare for dinner.
Nothing beats fresh fish for flavor. It was flaky and mild. Yum. Yum.
This morning we said goodbye to Phil and Carol and started north again. To avoid Orlando and the holiday weekend traffic, we went east around Lake Okachobee. Phil and Stella had discussed various routes last night and it was decided that this one was best. Our destination was St. Augustine and Jacksonville. Phil said it would take a little longer but the traffic would be a lot less. We would meet up with I95 and head up the coast.
Sounded good so we set off. We went on two lane state highways for 3-1/2 hours before finding I95. Through small towns, down country roads, putting along with a 45 mph speed limit a lot of the time. We think that Naggy Maggie, the GPS, took us on a circuitous route to say the least. It seemed she either wasn't talking to us or she was sending us down back roads.
Anyway, we didn't get to St. Augustine until almost 3:30. We decided to skip it and continue on so we wouldn't be going through Jacksonville at 5 pm on the Friday before a three day weekend. Our plan is to use the time we would have spent in St. Augustine in Savannah tomorrow, so we are spending the night in Brunswick, Georgia, tonight.
Georgia is our 9th state. We loved our time in Florida. We will see what this area offers.
Wednesday, we went to the Edison-Ford Estates in Fort Myers. Thomas Edison and Henry Ford were fast friends. Thomas Edison happened on Fort Myers in the early 1900's and decided to make it his winter home. The population was only 350 people at that time. When Henry Ford visited, he wanted to stay there as well.
Thomas Edison built a large house, a study, a research lab, and a gatekeepers house on the grounds, along with a swimming pool and a 1500 foot dock. His wife was instrumental in the planting of tall palm trees lining the street that leads to their estate. A trusted friend and employee of Edison's built a home next door but when Edison realized he was embezzling he forced him to sell the house to him.
Henry Ford paid $20,000 for the house and land that he built next to Edison's. It had, and still has, a "friendship" gate between the two properties. We saw a Model T and a Model A from his company, and a truck from the same era. We happened to be there when they started the Model A, which supposedly only happens once.a week. The man who takes care of the vehicles went into great detail about all the steps it takes to start one up. I decided that no women (or the vast majority of them) would ever be able to start one after hearing that.
The museum here is excellent. I didn't realize how many things Edison invented. He holds more patents than any person or corporation does. We listened to his first phonograph. It used cylinders instead of the flat round records we all knew, and the sound was scratchy but it worked.
There was a group of students there that looked like about fifth graders. They were in a room where an employee of the museum was doing experiments and demonstrating Edison's inventions. The kids were having great fun. What a great program they have for kids here. They also sell herbs and flowers and plants. All in all, it was great. We did the hourlong guided tour.
Oh, I forgot this. Edison died in 1931 and Henry Ford never came to Fort Myers again. He just couldn't come without his best friend. He sold his property in the 1940's for what he paid for it, $20,000, because he said he did not want to profit from his friendship with Edison. There is a nonprofit entity that oversees the properties today. The Edison family signed it over to them and have loaned them all the furnishings and personal belongings on display.
Then we went to a donut shop that is locally famous for maple bacon donuts. They have maple frosting with square inches of bacon, four of them, embedded in the frosting. And they have cold pressed coffee. I'm not a coffee person but the others really liked it.
Thursday, we went out fishing in the gulf for half a day. Stella and Phil caught sharks. Phil's friend, Don, also caught one but it bit through the line before it was in the boat, so no luck there. I caught a number of grouper that were less than 20" long so were too small to keep. I also caught a couple of small snapper. There were 2-3 foot swells so no one was seasick. We were all kind of disappointed when it was time to come back, but we were windburned and hot so it was time to get out of the sun. We had a great time, though, and ate shark and snare for dinner.
Nothing beats fresh fish for flavor. It was flaky and mild. Yum. Yum.
This morning we said goodbye to Phil and Carol and started north again. To avoid Orlando and the holiday weekend traffic, we went east around Lake Okachobee. Phil and Stella had discussed various routes last night and it was decided that this one was best. Our destination was St. Augustine and Jacksonville. Phil said it would take a little longer but the traffic would be a lot less. We would meet up with I95 and head up the coast.
Sounded good so we set off. We went on two lane state highways for 3-1/2 hours before finding I95. Through small towns, down country roads, putting along with a 45 mph speed limit a lot of the time. We think that Naggy Maggie, the GPS, took us on a circuitous route to say the least. It seemed she either wasn't talking to us or she was sending us down back roads.
Anyway, we didn't get to St. Augustine until almost 3:30. We decided to skip it and continue on so we wouldn't be going through Jacksonville at 5 pm on the Friday before a three day weekend. Our plan is to use the time we would have spent in St. Augustine in Savannah tomorrow, so we are spending the night in Brunswick, Georgia, tonight.
Georgia is our 9th state. We loved our time in Florida. We will see what this area offers.
Thursday, May 26, 2016
Thursday, May 26, 2016
We went fishing today out in the gulf. It was such fun, I am so glad we did this. Stella and Phil caught sharks! There were four of us and we came back with shark and snapper. Stella and I also caught probably 10 grouper between us but they were too small to keep. They have to be 20 inches and ours ranged from 8 to 12 inches. It was fun nonetheless.
We were windburned and tired after being in the sun but no one was seasick or queasy which was good. We were in 2-3 foot swells, maybe a little less.
Tomorrow we are saying goodbye to our hosts, Phil and Carol Arnold, and heading for St. Augustine and Jacksonville, Florida. Phil showed us how to avoid going through Orlando. With this being the start of Memorial Day weekend, the traffic around Orlando will be worse than normal.
I need to update yesterday on this blog. I'm going to do that tomorrow.
We went fishing today out in the gulf. It was such fun, I am so glad we did this. Stella and Phil caught sharks! There were four of us and we came back with shark and snapper. Stella and I also caught probably 10 grouper between us but they were too small to keep. They have to be 20 inches and ours ranged from 8 to 12 inches. It was fun nonetheless.
We were windburned and tired after being in the sun but no one was seasick or queasy which was good. We were in 2-3 foot swells, maybe a little less.
Tomorrow we are saying goodbye to our hosts, Phil and Carol Arnold, and heading for St. Augustine and Jacksonville, Florida. Phil showed us how to avoid going through Orlando. With this being the start of Memorial Day weekend, the traffic around Orlando will be worse than normal.
I need to update yesterday on this blog. I'm going to do that tomorrow.
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
Tuesday, May 24, 2016
Tuesday, May 24, 2016
Today was a great day. Our hosts, Phil and Carol, took us to a National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island. Here's what we saw -
A reddish egret (actually 4 of them)
3 Ospreys
1 little blue heron
1sheeps head fish
Cormorants
Horseshoe Crabs
Gar fish
1 yellow-crested night heron
1 juvenile ibis
1mullet fish
Tree crabs
Fiddler crabs
1snook fish
A school of stingrays.
And I saw my first blue jay today!
After we left the NWR, we had lunch at Doc Ford's, the restaurant owned by Randy Wayne White, the author whose main character is called Doc Ford. Great food. Then we went to a local beach and looked for shells and waded in the warm water of the Gulf. That's where we saw the snook and the school of stingrays. The stingrays were in a large group about 15-20 feet from the beach. I was surprised at how close people could get to them to take pictures, maybe 5 feet away.
Then we stopped and had ice cream on the way back to the house. Chicken Alfredo for dinner with asparagus, yum.
Ended the evening by watching part 1 of the Swedish version of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo movie.
AND! On Thursday, we are going fishing off shore in the gulf!😄
Today was a great day. Our hosts, Phil and Carol, took us to a National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island. Here's what we saw -
A reddish egret (actually 4 of them)
3 Ospreys
1 little blue heron
1sheeps head fish
Cormorants
Horseshoe Crabs
Gar fish
1 yellow-crested night heron
1 juvenile ibis
1mullet fish
Tree crabs
Fiddler crabs
1snook fish
A school of stingrays.
And I saw my first blue jay today!
After we left the NWR, we had lunch at Doc Ford's, the restaurant owned by Randy Wayne White, the author whose main character is called Doc Ford. Great food. Then we went to a local beach and looked for shells and waded in the warm water of the Gulf. That's where we saw the snook and the school of stingrays. The stingrays were in a large group about 15-20 feet from the beach. I was surprised at how close people could get to them to take pictures, maybe 5 feet away.
Then we stopped and had ice cream on the way back to the house. Chicken Alfredo for dinner with asparagus, yum.
Ended the evening by watching part 1 of the Swedish version of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo movie.
AND! On Thursday, we are going fishing off shore in the gulf!😄
Monday, May 23, 2016
Monday, May 23, 2016
Today, we are in Cape Coral, Florida, having a great visit with our friends, Phil and Carol. We started the day at the Ford dealer in Fort Myers with an oil change. We have put more than 4,000 miles on Stella's car so it was time.
We ended the day with a great dinner of gumbo, cornbread and blueberry crumble. Yum!
I saw my first Cardinal tonight! I have no idea why this program keeps capitalizing Cardinal but there you have it. Anyway, it lit on their bird feeder at dusk. Beautiful bird.
After dinner, we took a short walk down the street to see burrowing owls that live in this area. The young ones were out and let us get quite close for pictures. I loved it.
Good times. 😃
Today, we are in Cape Coral, Florida, having a great visit with our friends, Phil and Carol. We started the day at the Ford dealer in Fort Myers with an oil change. We have put more than 4,000 miles on Stella's car so it was time.
We ended the day with a great dinner of gumbo, cornbread and blueberry crumble. Yum!
I saw my first Cardinal tonight! I have no idea why this program keeps capitalizing Cardinal but there you have it. Anyway, it lit on their bird feeder at dusk. Beautiful bird.
After dinner, we took a short walk down the street to see burrowing owls that live in this area. The young ones were out and let us get quite close for pictures. I loved it.
Good times. 😃
Sunday, May 22, 2016
Sunday, May 22, 2016.
Today, we drove to the Big Cypress National Preserve and the Everglades National Park. It was a 220 mile day so we didn't spend a lot of time in the car. On the way there, we passed some signs with an outline of a panther with the words "panther crossing" below on a busy street in a populated area. That was a new one, but we learned that there are several hundred panthers in the Preserve and surrounding area.
I posted a picture of the "alligator safety" sign that was at Big Cypress on Facebook. People seem to be more careful around alligators than bison. Unfortunately. Anyway, from there we went to the Everglades National Park Shark Valley Visitor Center and did the 2 hour tram tour. It covers a 15 mile drive through the Park with a woman telling us about the birds, plants, alligators, animals, and trees and shrubs. She was great. At one point, she waded knee deep in the water to pull up the muck and plants to show us what is used as food for snails, and all kinds of critters. We did see two alligators in the water along the roadside. She said that usually there are a lot more visible but because of the heat, they are spending more time underwater. It was 91 degrees and probably about 85 percent humidity today. We saw a lot of egrets today, one great blue heron, and about 20-30 vultures along the road on our way back. They weren't feeding on anything that we could see, but it was a large "wake" of vultures. We had to look up and see what a group of vultures are called.
Stella also saw an alligator along the road as we left the Big Cypress visitor center but I was busy coating myself with sunscreen and missed it. The tram tour was full. A lot of foreign tourists were on it. We heard French, Chinese, and languages we couldn't identify. It was nice to see that they had brought their kids to see something besides amusement parks.
I went in the restroom at the Everglades Visitor Center before we got on the tram, and told Stella, after I came out, that a U.S. Forest Service outhouse was masquerading as a National Park Service restroom. I recognized the metal toilet and no sink and the "do not throw bottles or cans in the toilet" signs. First Park we've been to that had those facilities.
They rent bicycles at Everglades for tourists to ride the 15 mile route. A lot of people were doing it, very few over the age of 30, however. I can't imagine doing it in that heat. They also had a sign for a "Tamimiami Trail Triathlon" that consisted of biking, hiking, and canoeing. The National Park Service is doing a lot of things this year to promote their 100th anniversary, and the triathlon might be one of them.
It has begun to sprinkle here so we probably won't get to see Mars tonight.
Today, we drove to the Big Cypress National Preserve and the Everglades National Park. It was a 220 mile day so we didn't spend a lot of time in the car. On the way there, we passed some signs with an outline of a panther with the words "panther crossing" below on a busy street in a populated area. That was a new one, but we learned that there are several hundred panthers in the Preserve and surrounding area.
I posted a picture of the "alligator safety" sign that was at Big Cypress on Facebook. People seem to be more careful around alligators than bison. Unfortunately. Anyway, from there we went to the Everglades National Park Shark Valley Visitor Center and did the 2 hour tram tour. It covers a 15 mile drive through the Park with a woman telling us about the birds, plants, alligators, animals, and trees and shrubs. She was great. At one point, she waded knee deep in the water to pull up the muck and plants to show us what is used as food for snails, and all kinds of critters. We did see two alligators in the water along the roadside. She said that usually there are a lot more visible but because of the heat, they are spending more time underwater. It was 91 degrees and probably about 85 percent humidity today. We saw a lot of egrets today, one great blue heron, and about 20-30 vultures along the road on our way back. They weren't feeding on anything that we could see, but it was a large "wake" of vultures. We had to look up and see what a group of vultures are called.
Stella also saw an alligator along the road as we left the Big Cypress visitor center but I was busy coating myself with sunscreen and missed it. The tram tour was full. A lot of foreign tourists were on it. We heard French, Chinese, and languages we couldn't identify. It was nice to see that they had brought their kids to see something besides amusement parks.
I went in the restroom at the Everglades Visitor Center before we got on the tram, and told Stella, after I came out, that a U.S. Forest Service outhouse was masquerading as a National Park Service restroom. I recognized the metal toilet and no sink and the "do not throw bottles or cans in the toilet" signs. First Park we've been to that had those facilities.
They rent bicycles at Everglades for tourists to ride the 15 mile route. A lot of people were doing it, very few over the age of 30, however. I can't imagine doing it in that heat. They also had a sign for a "Tamimiami Trail Triathlon" that consisted of biking, hiking, and canoeing. The National Park Service is doing a lot of things this year to promote their 100th anniversary, and the triathlon might be one of them.
It has begun to sprinkle here so we probably won't get to see Mars tonight.
Saturday, May 21, 2016
We got up at 5:15 so we could be at the ferry dock at 7 a.m. We took the Key West Express ferry from Fort Myers to Key West. It's a four hour trip but was a very smooth ride. The ferry was maybe 2/3 full.
We decided to do the Conch Tour Train hour ride around the town. We were glad we did because it gave us a good overview of Key West, and the driver did a narration pointing out all the historical places and talking about how the town has grown and developed over time. We got off the train after about 45 minutes to walk down Duval Street and get lunch. We really wanted to have our picture taken at the "southernmost point of the U.S." Marker but the line was more than a block long, and since it was 91 degrees and about that much in humidity, we didn't wait. There was also a line at the Hemingway House, but we saw it from the outside. It's a large 2 story house, and still has some six-toed cats living there.
We ate at the original Margaritaville cafe. It was busy and the cheeseburgers were great. I could tell it was an old building after I had to walk down a hallway, up the narrow, steep stairs and down another hallway to find the restroom. Creaky floors.
After that we walked down Duval Street, which is the main drag, and shopped some. We stopped at the Hard Rock Cafe store so I could get some more pins. After seeing the displays of pins at the shops on this trip, I know what I want to do with mine now. The New Orleans store had a wonderful display in the shape of a guitar but I think any shape could be done.
We stopped and had fondue for dessert before we strolled back to the ferry for the ride back. All in all, we walked more than 3 miles around Key West. All the bars, and there are many, we're gearing up for Saturday night because more than a few already had live music and it was mid-afternoon. As we walked along the walkway past marinas, restaurants and bars, we came to two city cops. They were listening to a barefoot guy in his 40's telling them that he wasn't drunk, he was sure he staggered from having a stroke. They weren't buying it.
The ferry left at 5:30, and got back to Fort Myers at 9:30 so it was a long day, but worth doing. It was another smooth ride home.
We got up at 5:15 so we could be at the ferry dock at 7 a.m. We took the Key West Express ferry from Fort Myers to Key West. It's a four hour trip but was a very smooth ride. The ferry was maybe 2/3 full.
We decided to do the Conch Tour Train hour ride around the town. We were glad we did because it gave us a good overview of Key West, and the driver did a narration pointing out all the historical places and talking about how the town has grown and developed over time. We got off the train after about 45 minutes to walk down Duval Street and get lunch. We really wanted to have our picture taken at the "southernmost point of the U.S." Marker but the line was more than a block long, and since it was 91 degrees and about that much in humidity, we didn't wait. There was also a line at the Hemingway House, but we saw it from the outside. It's a large 2 story house, and still has some six-toed cats living there.
We ate at the original Margaritaville cafe. It was busy and the cheeseburgers were great. I could tell it was an old building after I had to walk down a hallway, up the narrow, steep stairs and down another hallway to find the restroom. Creaky floors.
After that we walked down Duval Street, which is the main drag, and shopped some. We stopped at the Hard Rock Cafe store so I could get some more pins. After seeing the displays of pins at the shops on this trip, I know what I want to do with mine now. The New Orleans store had a wonderful display in the shape of a guitar but I think any shape could be done.
We stopped and had fondue for dessert before we strolled back to the ferry for the ride back. All in all, we walked more than 3 miles around Key West. All the bars, and there are many, we're gearing up for Saturday night because more than a few already had live music and it was mid-afternoon. As we walked along the walkway past marinas, restaurants and bars, we came to two city cops. They were listening to a barefoot guy in his 40's telling them that he wasn't drunk, he was sure he staggered from having a stroke. They weren't buying it.
The ferry left at 5:30, and got back to Fort Myers at 9:30 so it was a long day, but worth doing. It was another smooth ride home.
Friday, May 20, 2016
Friday, May 20, 2016
I almost ran over a turtle today. We were between Tampa and Fort Myers on a state highway when the car in front of me swerved slightly. At the last minute, I saw why. I missed it, but a dinner-sized dark green turtle was just stretching out one leg to take a step when I went by. That prompted the question - how much of a fine do you have to pay for crunching a turtle?
It was raining heavily when we left Tallahassee this morning, and had been for awhile. We had rain for at least 200 miles. Traffic wasn't too bad on I-10, but when we turned south on 75 it was heavy all the way until it split off to go to Orlando. We were kind of sad to leave I-10 since we'd been on it since Phoenix and were only 70 miles from where it ends in Jacksonville.
North Florida is really cattle country, lots of livestock in the area. Corn was growing in a few places, too. That's the only crop we've seen in the south. Still lots of pines, oaks and a few magnolias along the highway. As we came further south, palm trees were in the mix. And it's flat here. No more rolling hills.
We are staying in Fort Myers the next three nights. We have a room with a balcony that looks out over the bay. It's humid and hotter here but not unbearable. Rain is in the forecast, but we're hoping it holds off for awhile since we are taking a ferry to Key West tomorrow. It's three hours from here on the ferry as opposed to six driving. We'll do a round trip and won't get back until 9:30 pm, so I may not do a blog entry tomorrow.
We saw our first surfboard on a car today. It was strapped to a Ford sedan. Later we passed two teenaged boys in an open air Jeep and thought that would be more appropriate. Lots of road work going on here. Because the freeways are mostly three lanes, there are usually two lanes open. The speed limit in construction zones is 60 mph. I was doing 70 to keep with the flow of traffic and still getting passed by everything from Priuses to Hummers. The state troopers were out today though. We saw a number of them working accidents and giving out tickets. One came up behind me and I thought Stella would be taking a picture of me signing a ticket (press hard, five copies) when he went on by.
I almost ran over a turtle today. We were between Tampa and Fort Myers on a state highway when the car in front of me swerved slightly. At the last minute, I saw why. I missed it, but a dinner-sized dark green turtle was just stretching out one leg to take a step when I went by. That prompted the question - how much of a fine do you have to pay for crunching a turtle?
It was raining heavily when we left Tallahassee this morning, and had been for awhile. We had rain for at least 200 miles. Traffic wasn't too bad on I-10, but when we turned south on 75 it was heavy all the way until it split off to go to Orlando. We were kind of sad to leave I-10 since we'd been on it since Phoenix and were only 70 miles from where it ends in Jacksonville.
North Florida is really cattle country, lots of livestock in the area. Corn was growing in a few places, too. That's the only crop we've seen in the south. Still lots of pines, oaks and a few magnolias along the highway. As we came further south, palm trees were in the mix. And it's flat here. No more rolling hills.
We are staying in Fort Myers the next three nights. We have a room with a balcony that looks out over the bay. It's humid and hotter here but not unbearable. Rain is in the forecast, but we're hoping it holds off for awhile since we are taking a ferry to Key West tomorrow. It's three hours from here on the ferry as opposed to six driving. We'll do a round trip and won't get back until 9:30 pm, so I may not do a blog entry tomorrow.
We saw our first surfboard on a car today. It was strapped to a Ford sedan. Later we passed two teenaged boys in an open air Jeep and thought that would be more appropriate. Lots of road work going on here. Because the freeways are mostly three lanes, there are usually two lanes open. The speed limit in construction zones is 60 mph. I was doing 70 to keep with the flow of traffic and still getting passed by everything from Priuses to Hummers. The state troopers were out today though. We saw a number of them working accidents and giving out tickets. One came up behind me and I thought Stella would be taking a picture of me signing a ticket (press hard, five copies) when he went on by.
Thursday, May 19, 2016
Thursday, May 19, 2016
This morning, we walked around the French Quarter, down to the Mississippi River, back up Canal Street to Bourbon Street and back to the parking garage. We were hot and humid by the time we got back to the car. It was fun to see the tourists who were wearing beads and hats even though it's not Mardi Gras.
Then it was back on I-10 headed east. Our next stop was in Biloxi, Mississippi, where we went to the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino so I could buy pins for my collection. That went well until we tried to find our way back to the freeway. Several missed turns and wrong exit numbers by Naggy Maggie, the GPS voice, and we headed east again. Mississippi is very green with lots of trees along the interstate. We saw magnolia trees in bloom mixed in with oak trees and pines. I loved it. And along the freeway were lots of lily pads. We wondered what was lurking under them. We also commented on the fences along the interstate. Field fencing with three strands of barbed wire on top. Most of the time the fences aren't visible because of the vines and shrubs that have grown up and through them.
We stopped at the Mississippi Welcome Center when we crossed from Louisiana to Mississippi and wished we had a bird book because we couldn't identify the one perched on top of a statue singing its little heart out. Stella saw a dead alligator along the freeway in MS, but I was looking out the passenger window and missed it.
The amount of water in this part of the country is astounding. We crossed bridge after bridge after bridge today, across rivers, lakes, bayous, and marshlands. I think we are especially amazed after driving through Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.
As we came to Mobile, Alabama, traffic slowed to a crawl. It took us 45 minutes to inch our way through the tunnel there and then to the point on the bridge where an accident had happened. Severe damage to two of the four cars involved in the rear ender, but no injuries. After that, it was a race to make up time. Alabama and northern Florida have gentle rolling hills. We passed three Air Force bases and at least two, might have been three, Naval Air Stations. Traffic was quite heavy around Pensacola but light from there to Tallahassee where we are tonight.
We hav decided that Niceville, Florida, wins the great name for a town contest thus far. Oh, that reminds me, a young woman in New Orleans snagged us as we walked by. She was a marketing person for Wyndham, the hotel chain who now owns a time share company, too. Anyway, here's the conversation - "where are you from?" "Idaho" " I just love the Midwest, I'm from Wisconsin." She might get more business if she knew where the states are.
Another lightning storm tonight as we drove into town. It's the third one of the trip. No rain, and it was such a nice warm evening when we got out of the car.
This morning, we walked around the French Quarter, down to the Mississippi River, back up Canal Street to Bourbon Street and back to the parking garage. We were hot and humid by the time we got back to the car. It was fun to see the tourists who were wearing beads and hats even though it's not Mardi Gras.
Then it was back on I-10 headed east. Our next stop was in Biloxi, Mississippi, where we went to the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino so I could buy pins for my collection. That went well until we tried to find our way back to the freeway. Several missed turns and wrong exit numbers by Naggy Maggie, the GPS voice, and we headed east again. Mississippi is very green with lots of trees along the interstate. We saw magnolia trees in bloom mixed in with oak trees and pines. I loved it. And along the freeway were lots of lily pads. We wondered what was lurking under them. We also commented on the fences along the interstate. Field fencing with three strands of barbed wire on top. Most of the time the fences aren't visible because of the vines and shrubs that have grown up and through them.
We stopped at the Mississippi Welcome Center when we crossed from Louisiana to Mississippi and wished we had a bird book because we couldn't identify the one perched on top of a statue singing its little heart out. Stella saw a dead alligator along the freeway in MS, but I was looking out the passenger window and missed it.
The amount of water in this part of the country is astounding. We crossed bridge after bridge after bridge today, across rivers, lakes, bayous, and marshlands. I think we are especially amazed after driving through Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.
As we came to Mobile, Alabama, traffic slowed to a crawl. It took us 45 minutes to inch our way through the tunnel there and then to the point on the bridge where an accident had happened. Severe damage to two of the four cars involved in the rear ender, but no injuries. After that, it was a race to make up time. Alabama and northern Florida have gentle rolling hills. We passed three Air Force bases and at least two, might have been three, Naval Air Stations. Traffic was quite heavy around Pensacola but light from there to Tallahassee where we are tonight.
We hav decided that Niceville, Florida, wins the great name for a town contest thus far. Oh, that reminds me, a young woman in New Orleans snagged us as we walked by. She was a marketing person for Wyndham, the hotel chain who now owns a time share company, too. Anyway, here's the conversation - "where are you from?" "Idaho" " I just love the Midwest, I'm from Wisconsin." She might get more business if she knew where the states are.
Another lightning storm tonight as we drove into town. It's the third one of the trip. No rain, and it was such a nice warm evening when we got out of the car.
Wednesday, May 18, 2016
Wednesday, May 18, 2016
We crossed the Mississippi River today. After leaving Houston this morning, we drove to New Orleans. Here's a tip - between Houston and New Orleans, there are no rest stops. It's not too far between exits that have gas stations, fast food restaurants or truck stops, though, so I guess the states just didn't see a need for rest areas. We were surprised to see a lot of picnic areas in Texas, and safety rest areas. Not sure why they are called safety rest areas but that's what the signs said.
It was a pretty drive here, lots of oak and pine trees along the road. It was heavy overcast most of the way, but no rain to speak of, and the sun came out just before we got here. A truck kicked up a rock yesterday, resulting in a windshield chip, so we spent an hour and a half in a glass repair place this afternoon. I was searching for motels while we waited and the one with the best price was located in Westwego, a suburb of New Orleans, Never having heard of it, I asked the woman working in the office about it. She said to not stay there and to avoid all of east New Orleans because it's not safe. She also recommended areas so we are in Metairie (a suburb) for the night. A young woman came in to pick up her car, and said, as she was leaving, "it will be nice to not have a couple of bullet holes in the windshield now." That statement sure raised our eyebrows. We aren't in Idaho anymore.
We crossed the Atchafalaya Basin on the way here. Many many bayous, rivers, swamps, and lakes. The water table looks like it's about six inches below the ground. I looked on the map and this Basin drains into the gulf. It was between Lafayette and Baton Rouge, and went for a long ways. There is one point on the freeway where the road is on pilings for 18 miles. I can't imagine how long that construction must have taken. We also saw a number of fields, for lack of a better word, that looked like rice paddies, but I'm not sure that's what they are. They had strings of what looked llike bobbers making a grid. We speculated about freshwater shrimp or clams, maybe.
Louisiana gets the prize for having the most cops so far. State troopers, sheriff vehicles, city cops, we saw them all, and a number of them had people pulled over. And no wonder, the local residents seem to think speed limits are only a suggestion. Stella missed the large cardboard box that was in our lane but couldn't avoid the big wad of paper packing material. It must have wrapped around the axle because it made an awful flapping sound. I watched in the rear view mirror while it tore off in big chunks until it finally got disentangled from the car. I don't think the guy behind us appreciated that very much.
The humidity is about 70 percent here which is not as high as I thought it would be. All the rivers are brown here. That's hard to get used to coming from Idaho. And bass fishing seems to be the thing to do. No dead animals on the freeways since before Houston.
We crossed the Mississippi River today. After leaving Houston this morning, we drove to New Orleans. Here's a tip - between Houston and New Orleans, there are no rest stops. It's not too far between exits that have gas stations, fast food restaurants or truck stops, though, so I guess the states just didn't see a need for rest areas. We were surprised to see a lot of picnic areas in Texas, and safety rest areas. Not sure why they are called safety rest areas but that's what the signs said.
It was a pretty drive here, lots of oak and pine trees along the road. It was heavy overcast most of the way, but no rain to speak of, and the sun came out just before we got here. A truck kicked up a rock yesterday, resulting in a windshield chip, so we spent an hour and a half in a glass repair place this afternoon. I was searching for motels while we waited and the one with the best price was located in Westwego, a suburb of New Orleans, Never having heard of it, I asked the woman working in the office about it. She said to not stay there and to avoid all of east New Orleans because it's not safe. She also recommended areas so we are in Metairie (a suburb) for the night. A young woman came in to pick up her car, and said, as she was leaving, "it will be nice to not have a couple of bullet holes in the windshield now." That statement sure raised our eyebrows. We aren't in Idaho anymore.
We crossed the Atchafalaya Basin on the way here. Many many bayous, rivers, swamps, and lakes. The water table looks like it's about six inches below the ground. I looked on the map and this Basin drains into the gulf. It was between Lafayette and Baton Rouge, and went for a long ways. There is one point on the freeway where the road is on pilings for 18 miles. I can't imagine how long that construction must have taken. We also saw a number of fields, for lack of a better word, that looked like rice paddies, but I'm not sure that's what they are. They had strings of what looked llike bobbers making a grid. We speculated about freshwater shrimp or clams, maybe.
Louisiana gets the prize for having the most cops so far. State troopers, sheriff vehicles, city cops, we saw them all, and a number of them had people pulled over. And no wonder, the local residents seem to think speed limits are only a suggestion. Stella missed the large cardboard box that was in our lane but couldn't avoid the big wad of paper packing material. It must have wrapped around the axle because it made an awful flapping sound. I watched in the rear view mirror while it tore off in big chunks until it finally got disentangled from the car. I don't think the guy behind us appreciated that very much.
The humidity is about 70 percent here which is not as high as I thought it would be. All the rivers are brown here. That's hard to get used to coming from Idaho. And bass fishing seems to be the thing to do. No dead animals on the freeways since before Houston.
Tuesday, May 17, 2016
Tuesday, May 17, 2016
The word if the day is humidity although it could be worse. Higher than Boise experiences but not outrageous.
We went to the George H. W. Bush Presidential Library today in College Station, Texas. I thought that it was a suburb of Houston, but it's about 90 miles from here, and the Library is on the campus of Texas A&M.
I enjoyed it and would recommend it. It's not pretentious or ostentatious in any way. They have a plane like he flew in WW II hanging from the ceiling. I was surprised at how small it is. On the old news reels, the planes look much bigger, I think. The presidential limousine is here,and they have a version of the Oval Office where a library employee is more than happy to take your picture sitting at the desk. And there is a life size bronze statue of President Bush sitting in a chair with two chairs beside him so you can have another photo op.😊
A section of the library is devoted to Barbara Bush and it's very family oriented, She is so down-to-earth, and it comes through in the exhibits. The library has pictures from both sides of the family, the Bush side and the Pierce side, her maiden name, with her wedding gown, and his military uniform.
Outside, down a walkway to the rear of the building, is a large pond. I was surprised to see a sign stating it was catch and release only fishing. The pond has a sidewalk around it with several bridges and great landscaping. One of the bridges takes you through a "forest" to the site where President and Mrs. Bush will be buried. The daughter of theirs who died from leukemia at 3 years old is buried here now. Very peaceful beautiful setting.
Stella's daughter, Tara, took the day off and drove us there. We probably could have found it ourselves, but not as quickly. After we ate Texas barbecue, which was very good, the library was next. Then we ate at a Mexican restaurant this evening. Personally, I think Texas has the best Mexican food of anywhere.
On the drive there, and yesterday as we drove in, we passed fields of corn. That is the only crop we've seen in this state. It's relatively flat here with lots of oak trees. I think it's pretty around here but I don't know if I could ever get used to the traffic.
The word if the day is humidity although it could be worse. Higher than Boise experiences but not outrageous.
We went to the George H. W. Bush Presidential Library today in College Station, Texas. I thought that it was a suburb of Houston, but it's about 90 miles from here, and the Library is on the campus of Texas A&M.
I enjoyed it and would recommend it. It's not pretentious or ostentatious in any way. They have a plane like he flew in WW II hanging from the ceiling. I was surprised at how small it is. On the old news reels, the planes look much bigger, I think. The presidential limousine is here,and they have a version of the Oval Office where a library employee is more than happy to take your picture sitting at the desk. And there is a life size bronze statue of President Bush sitting in a chair with two chairs beside him so you can have another photo op.😊
A section of the library is devoted to Barbara Bush and it's very family oriented, She is so down-to-earth, and it comes through in the exhibits. The library has pictures from both sides of the family, the Bush side and the Pierce side, her maiden name, with her wedding gown, and his military uniform.
Outside, down a walkway to the rear of the building, is a large pond. I was surprised to see a sign stating it was catch and release only fishing. The pond has a sidewalk around it with several bridges and great landscaping. One of the bridges takes you through a "forest" to the site where President and Mrs. Bush will be buried. The daughter of theirs who died from leukemia at 3 years old is buried here now. Very peaceful beautiful setting.
Stella's daughter, Tara, took the day off and drove us there. We probably could have found it ourselves, but not as quickly. After we ate Texas barbecue, which was very good, the library was next. Then we ate at a Mexican restaurant this evening. Personally, I think Texas has the best Mexican food of anywhere.
On the drive there, and yesterday as we drove in, we passed fields of corn. That is the only crop we've seen in this state. It's relatively flat here with lots of oak trees. I think it's pretty around here but I don't know if I could ever get used to the traffic.
Monday, May 16, 2016
Monday. May 16, 2016
Yesterday was a 577 mile day. Today, we drove from Sonora, Texas, to Houston, Texas, a distance of 370 miles.
Stella's sister, Marge, called her, and my sister, Beverly, called me because the national news had a "grim" forecast for bad weather in Houston. We did have some rain on the way here but just enough to have to use your wipers, and it was slightly raining when we arrived. It was nice of them to call, though, because we haven't turned a tv on since we left Boise. There could have been a tornado behind us and we would have never known it. The humidity is rising, though.
This part of Texas is very green compared to what we saw the past few days. More and bigger trees. Yesterday, we couldn't decide if what we were seeing was mesquite, or pinyon trees, or something else. It was rolling hills all the way here, but flattened out as we approached the city. We drove right through the heart of San Antonio and were pleasantly surprised that the traffic wasn't too bad.
I finally saw an armadillo! A dead one on the side of the highway, but it was an armadillo! We decided that Texas is quite the skunk capital because we saw, and smelled, a lot of them as roadkill on this stretch of the trip. Actually, we saw a lot of dead animals today, a deer, two coyotes, many skunks, and a number of animals that we couldn't identify. I thought one was a badger, and we debated whether the others were possums. They were quite furry and dark colored.
We are at Stella's daughters place for tonight and tomorrow night. Her boyfriend is working and she will be working so we will be on our own to see the sights. Good thing the car has a GPS. After a good meal, we are in for the night.
Looks like the sky is clearing! Good news.😊
Yesterday was a 577 mile day. Today, we drove from Sonora, Texas, to Houston, Texas, a distance of 370 miles.
Stella's sister, Marge, called her, and my sister, Beverly, called me because the national news had a "grim" forecast for bad weather in Houston. We did have some rain on the way here but just enough to have to use your wipers, and it was slightly raining when we arrived. It was nice of them to call, though, because we haven't turned a tv on since we left Boise. There could have been a tornado behind us and we would have never known it. The humidity is rising, though.
This part of Texas is very green compared to what we saw the past few days. More and bigger trees. Yesterday, we couldn't decide if what we were seeing was mesquite, or pinyon trees, or something else. It was rolling hills all the way here, but flattened out as we approached the city. We drove right through the heart of San Antonio and were pleasantly surprised that the traffic wasn't too bad.
I finally saw an armadillo! A dead one on the side of the highway, but it was an armadillo! We decided that Texas is quite the skunk capital because we saw, and smelled, a lot of them as roadkill on this stretch of the trip. Actually, we saw a lot of dead animals today, a deer, two coyotes, many skunks, and a number of animals that we couldn't identify. I thought one was a badger, and we debated whether the others were possums. They were quite furry and dark colored.
We are at Stella's daughters place for tonight and tomorrow night. Her boyfriend is working and she will be working so we will be on our own to see the sights. Good thing the car has a GPS. After a good meal, we are in for the night.
Looks like the sky is clearing! Good news.😊
Sunday, May 15, 2016
Sunday, May 15, 2016
We left Las Cruces, New Mexico this morning and headed for El Paso. The rain and lightning storm was gone. As we've made our way through Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and now Texas, I continue to be amazed at how different the terrain is even though all these states are dry arid landscapes. The mountains in NM today were very jagged, but the farther east we went, the flatter, more Mesa-like they looked.
I keep expecting Texas to become tabletop flat, like it was around Victoria, TX, when I visited my sister there in 1971, but it hasn't. We are in Sonora, Texas, tonight, about two hours from San Antonio. It's rolling hills here, but very rocky.
We lost at least an hour today because neither of us looked at the map thinking we knew exactly where we were going. By the time we did, we were way past where we should have left I-10 and headed on a more northerly route from El Paso to get to the Guadeloupe Mountains National Park on the border of New Mexico and Texas. I was navigator and Stella was driving so I wasn't doing my job very well, but as we zoomed up a state highway that we had no plans to take, we decided it's part of the adventure.
That National Park was different than any we've seen before in that there were no admission fees, no bookstore or gift shop, and the campground was right close to the visitor center. It's more geared to people who are interested in geology, I think. It's beautiful, but to get the most out of it you need to hike it. The view was amazing. They are studying visibility there and the effects of man made pollution. The information said that on the clearest days, usually in the winter, you can see as far as the curvature of the earth and I believe it. Even today, you could see miles away.
We proceeded to Carlsbad Caverns National Park, about 20-30 miles away. Bat guano stinks. Just a warning. The elevators are not working, meaning you have to hike back up the way you hiked down. In total, it's a 3-3/4 mile hike. The rangers are very specific that you need to realize you have to hike back up so you should decide how far to go before you turn around. Stella had been here before so she didn't go too far. I kept going but turned around when the stairs started. Up to that point, it's a switch-back path. It's paved and a nice surface but steep.
Stella heard a man who worked for the Forest Service say that the elevators have not worked for a year now and that, basically, the repair cost is the obstacle to getting them fixed. It would have been fun to have been there at sunset to see the "bat flight" occur. They have an amphitheater in front of the entrance where you can see the thousands of bats leave for their night feedings. There were lots of swallows flying around the entrance and I think we were the only two people who knew they were swallows. Most of the people who mentioned them called them bats.
It was about 2:30 when we left there and we didn't get to Sonora, TX, until 8 pm so it was a long day, but a good one. We came through another rain and lightning storm, then it cleared for awhile and was getting ready to storm again when we got in our room.
Yesterday was a 465 mile day, I think. Today was longer. We have about a five hour drive to Houston tomorrow.
We left Las Cruces, New Mexico this morning and headed for El Paso. The rain and lightning storm was gone. As we've made our way through Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and now Texas, I continue to be amazed at how different the terrain is even though all these states are dry arid landscapes. The mountains in NM today were very jagged, but the farther east we went, the flatter, more Mesa-like they looked.
I keep expecting Texas to become tabletop flat, like it was around Victoria, TX, when I visited my sister there in 1971, but it hasn't. We are in Sonora, Texas, tonight, about two hours from San Antonio. It's rolling hills here, but very rocky.
We lost at least an hour today because neither of us looked at the map thinking we knew exactly where we were going. By the time we did, we were way past where we should have left I-10 and headed on a more northerly route from El Paso to get to the Guadeloupe Mountains National Park on the border of New Mexico and Texas. I was navigator and Stella was driving so I wasn't doing my job very well, but as we zoomed up a state highway that we had no plans to take, we decided it's part of the adventure.
That National Park was different than any we've seen before in that there were no admission fees, no bookstore or gift shop, and the campground was right close to the visitor center. It's more geared to people who are interested in geology, I think. It's beautiful, but to get the most out of it you need to hike it. The view was amazing. They are studying visibility there and the effects of man made pollution. The information said that on the clearest days, usually in the winter, you can see as far as the curvature of the earth and I believe it. Even today, you could see miles away.
We proceeded to Carlsbad Caverns National Park, about 20-30 miles away. Bat guano stinks. Just a warning. The elevators are not working, meaning you have to hike back up the way you hiked down. In total, it's a 3-3/4 mile hike. The rangers are very specific that you need to realize you have to hike back up so you should decide how far to go before you turn around. Stella had been here before so she didn't go too far. I kept going but turned around when the stairs started. Up to that point, it's a switch-back path. It's paved and a nice surface but steep.
Stella heard a man who worked for the Forest Service say that the elevators have not worked for a year now and that, basically, the repair cost is the obstacle to getting them fixed. It would have been fun to have been there at sunset to see the "bat flight" occur. They have an amphitheater in front of the entrance where you can see the thousands of bats leave for their night feedings. There were lots of swallows flying around the entrance and I think we were the only two people who knew they were swallows. Most of the people who mentioned them called them bats.
It was about 2:30 when we left there and we didn't get to Sonora, TX, until 8 pm so it was a long day, but a good one. We came through another rain and lightning storm, then it cleared for awhile and was getting ready to storm again when we got in our room.
Yesterday was a 465 mile day, I think. Today was longer. We have about a five hour drive to Houston tomorrow.
Saturday, May 14, 2016
Saturday, May 14, 2016
We said goodbye to Marge and Bob this morning, and stopped in Chandler, Arizona, where we had a good visit with our travel friends, Jerry and Kathleen. Then it was back on the road to the Saguaro National Park outside Tucson.
The saguaro cacti are huge, and some were beginning to bloom. The other types of cactus are just on the verge of blooming but it appears we are a few days early to see it. A rather large lizard scooted across the walkway as we left the visitor center. We liked this Park, and felt it was well worth seeing. It was hot, though, in the 90's, so sunglasses and hats are needed.
Back on I-10, we continued east. There were a lot of dark clouds ahead and it was just starting to sprinkle when we stopped at the first tourist trap "oddity" of the trip. The Thing is advertised on billboards for two miles before the exit off the freeway. It was a combination Dairy Queen, Shell gas station, and trading post, with a museum, run by Native Americans. I was very surprised by the amount and variety of fireworks for sale, pretty much anything you could want was available.
We decided we couldn't pass up seeing The Thing so we paid our $1 entry fee and went through the door. Yes, you read that correctly, it cost one dollar. It should have been our first clue. Anyway, when you open the door to enter, you are immediately outside the building. Here's where the fun starts. You follow the big yellow footprints painted on the sidewalk. They lead you through three different buildings that house everything from antique cars to old tools to carts, buggies, etc. There were signs posted about scorpions, snakes and tarantulas sometimes being in the buildings and to notify the employees if you see them. These were official signs so it must happen from time to time. Stella pointed out on the walk from the first building to the second that the footprints were painted backwards with the left foot on the right and vice versa.
There was some cool antique stuff and there were some things that were marginal at best. But, in the last building was the largest trap I have ever seen. It was easily 5' from one end to the other. It looked like a bear trap, but I can't imagine what animal it was for. You could have caught a rhino in that thing. I should have taken a picture of it, in hindsight. We stood and looked at The Thing for awhile, and then followed the footsteps to another door into the main building that we started from. And had to walk through the full length of the gift shop again, imagine that. I don't want to give away the secret, but let's just say we didn't take any wooden nickels, but we think we saw a wooden Indian. Not completely sure, though.
As we continued east, we went through a rainstorm that dropped the temperature from 99 to 78. It came back up to the mid 80's for quite awhile. Outside of Tucson, we passed some large groves of trees that looked like nut trees and not citrus trees. We debated that for awhile, but when we saw the same trees in New Mexico, they were advertising walnuts and pecans for sale.
I've never been in New Mexico before. It's very dry here, but we did see grapevines and winery ads so there is water available for them, I guess. The farther east we came, the blacker the skies. By the time we reached Las Cruces and stopped for the night, it was 69 degrees out, rainy, and lots of lightning. We were glad to be in for the night.
Yesterday was a 311 mile day, the shortest one day distance we've had, and I didn't check the miles tonight, but we've decided we will probably have to stop one more night before reaching Houston.
We said goodbye to Marge and Bob this morning, and stopped in Chandler, Arizona, where we had a good visit with our travel friends, Jerry and Kathleen. Then it was back on the road to the Saguaro National Park outside Tucson.
The saguaro cacti are huge, and some were beginning to bloom. The other types of cactus are just on the verge of blooming but it appears we are a few days early to see it. A rather large lizard scooted across the walkway as we left the visitor center. We liked this Park, and felt it was well worth seeing. It was hot, though, in the 90's, so sunglasses and hats are needed.
Back on I-10, we continued east. There were a lot of dark clouds ahead and it was just starting to sprinkle when we stopped at the first tourist trap "oddity" of the trip. The Thing is advertised on billboards for two miles before the exit off the freeway. It was a combination Dairy Queen, Shell gas station, and trading post, with a museum, run by Native Americans. I was very surprised by the amount and variety of fireworks for sale, pretty much anything you could want was available.
We decided we couldn't pass up seeing The Thing so we paid our $1 entry fee and went through the door. Yes, you read that correctly, it cost one dollar. It should have been our first clue. Anyway, when you open the door to enter, you are immediately outside the building. Here's where the fun starts. You follow the big yellow footprints painted on the sidewalk. They lead you through three different buildings that house everything from antique cars to old tools to carts, buggies, etc. There were signs posted about scorpions, snakes and tarantulas sometimes being in the buildings and to notify the employees if you see them. These were official signs so it must happen from time to time. Stella pointed out on the walk from the first building to the second that the footprints were painted backwards with the left foot on the right and vice versa.
There was some cool antique stuff and there were some things that were marginal at best. But, in the last building was the largest trap I have ever seen. It was easily 5' from one end to the other. It looked like a bear trap, but I can't imagine what animal it was for. You could have caught a rhino in that thing. I should have taken a picture of it, in hindsight. We stood and looked at The Thing for awhile, and then followed the footsteps to another door into the main building that we started from. And had to walk through the full length of the gift shop again, imagine that. I don't want to give away the secret, but let's just say we didn't take any wooden nickels, but we think we saw a wooden Indian. Not completely sure, though.
As we continued east, we went through a rainstorm that dropped the temperature from 99 to 78. It came back up to the mid 80's for quite awhile. Outside of Tucson, we passed some large groves of trees that looked like nut trees and not citrus trees. We debated that for awhile, but when we saw the same trees in New Mexico, they were advertising walnuts and pecans for sale.
I've never been in New Mexico before. It's very dry here, but we did see grapevines and winery ads so there is water available for them, I guess. The farther east we came, the blacker the skies. By the time we reached Las Cruces and stopped for the night, it was 69 degrees out, rainy, and lots of lightning. We were glad to be in for the night.
Yesterday was a 311 mile day, the shortest one day distance we've had, and I didn't check the miles tonight, but we've decided we will probably have to stop one more night before reaching Houston.
Friday, May 13, 2016
Friday, May 13, 2016
Today was a good day to have a good day. We saw a squirrel, an antelope, a cow elk munching at the Grand Canyon National Park, two rabbits and some quail.
We left Page, Arizona, and drive to the Grand Canyon. This year is the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service. I don't know if that has made a difference in attendance, but the parking lots were full. We found a spot in lot 3 though and went to the visitor center, and on to the viewpoints. It's an amazing sight, for sure. One of the ground squirrels almost ran over my shoes. Made me jump. Large Do Not Feed the Squirrels signs, but they are beggars.
As we walked past a tour group, we heard the park employee who was guiding them around say that they lose about 4 people a year because they fall over the canyon walls. I wouldn't be surprised after seeing people lean way over to get the perfect picture. Selfie sticks have made an appearance but not as many as I would have thought.
Lots of school groups there on field trips. We went to the grab and go cafe for ice cream, and commented on the $6 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. But they know their audience because all the grade schoolers around us chose it.
From there we drove to Sun City in Phoenix via Flagstaff. Traffic was quite heavy. Luckily for us, the road construction was on the north bound lanes, down to one lane and backed up more than 10 miles. It was 80 degrees in Flagstaff and 104 here in Sun City.
Stella's sister and brother-in-law, Marge and Bob, are hosting us for the night. They have fed us a great meal. It's still probably 90 degrees out as I type this. You should have seen us inching along on the street to their house. It was late in the day, I was driving, Stella was navigator and we just couldn't seem to get the house number right or see it on the houses. We almost got passed by two elderly gentlemen in a golf cart. We pulled into the correct driveway in the nick of time, as a sheriffs deputy was just turning the corner, and I was pretty much in the center of the street.
So far we have had only clear, cloudless skies, and tomorrow should be the same.
Honestly, we should have a recorder running in the car because we are having a great time. Lots of laughs because we pretty much make our own fun. Stella has decided that the people watching so far is the best at the Grand Canyon and I can't disagree.
Oh, we also saw a cougar sign on the road to the Park. One of those signs that just has the black outline of the animal. That was a first one of those I've seen. And I still have not seen a mountain lion in the wild.
Stay tuned, we are continuing the odyssey tomorrow.
Today was a good day to have a good day. We saw a squirrel, an antelope, a cow elk munching at the Grand Canyon National Park, two rabbits and some quail.
We left Page, Arizona, and drive to the Grand Canyon. This year is the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service. I don't know if that has made a difference in attendance, but the parking lots were full. We found a spot in lot 3 though and went to the visitor center, and on to the viewpoints. It's an amazing sight, for sure. One of the ground squirrels almost ran over my shoes. Made me jump. Large Do Not Feed the Squirrels signs, but they are beggars.
As we walked past a tour group, we heard the park employee who was guiding them around say that they lose about 4 people a year because they fall over the canyon walls. I wouldn't be surprised after seeing people lean way over to get the perfect picture. Selfie sticks have made an appearance but not as many as I would have thought.
Lots of school groups there on field trips. We went to the grab and go cafe for ice cream, and commented on the $6 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. But they know their audience because all the grade schoolers around us chose it.
From there we drove to Sun City in Phoenix via Flagstaff. Traffic was quite heavy. Luckily for us, the road construction was on the north bound lanes, down to one lane and backed up more than 10 miles. It was 80 degrees in Flagstaff and 104 here in Sun City.
Stella's sister and brother-in-law, Marge and Bob, are hosting us for the night. They have fed us a great meal. It's still probably 90 degrees out as I type this. You should have seen us inching along on the street to their house. It was late in the day, I was driving, Stella was navigator and we just couldn't seem to get the house number right or see it on the houses. We almost got passed by two elderly gentlemen in a golf cart. We pulled into the correct driveway in the nick of time, as a sheriffs deputy was just turning the corner, and I was pretty much in the center of the street.
So far we have had only clear, cloudless skies, and tomorrow should be the same.
Honestly, we should have a recorder running in the car because we are having a great time. Lots of laughs because we pretty much make our own fun. Stella has decided that the people watching so far is the best at the Grand Canyon and I can't disagree.
Oh, we also saw a cougar sign on the road to the Park. One of those signs that just has the black outline of the animal. That was a first one of those I've seen. And I still have not seen a mountain lion in the wild.
Stay tuned, we are continuing the odyssey tomorrow.
Thursday, May 12, 2016
Thursday, May 12, 2016
It was a 1 whistle pig, 2 deer, 6 antelope and about 25 bighorn sheep day. We left Beaver, Utah, and backtracked to I 70 to go to Capitol Reef National Park. It was 74 miles from I 15 and not much traffic. We thought not much traffic until we pulled into the Visitor Center and the parking lot was full. The scenery at that Park is wonderful. The rock formations and color are amazing.
The park ranger gave us directions to get to Bryce Canyon National Park. Everything was good until he told us about having to go across hog back ridge for 12 miles. My eyes were like saucers when he held his hands up in a pyramid shape with his fingertips about a quarter inch apart and said "this is how steep the sides are and the road goes right along the ridge top. Now the driver has to keep their eyes on the road and the passenger can look at things, but you both cannot look at things." At least he warned us.
So we set out and were gabbing away wondering when we were going to get to that part of the road, when there it was. Maybe six inches of dirt beside the pavement on each side and straight drop offs. I don't like edges. I don't like high places where you look straight down. So we both had our eyes glued to the road and neither was looking at things. It did widen out a little and I took a few glances but we were relieved to get past that part of the road. And I missed my chance at a great sign picture! Before we got to the drop off place, there was a sign that said "Sharp Curves next 85 miles." You read that right - 85 miles! But it was a beautiful clear day with no clouds and the scenery is outstanding. Now I understand why everyone always says these national parks are not to be missed.
Bryce was stunning. The rock coloration and shapes are jaw dropping. It was much busier than Capitol Reef, lots of traffic and a lot of motorcycles. Then we left Bryce and went to Zion National Park. Another absolutely amazing place. It has a 1.1 mile tunnel, which was interesting. Lots of people there also. That's where the bighorn sheep were.
From there we were going to go to Phoenix until we realized that it's 411 miles from Zion NP. Needless to say, we are staying in Page, AZ, tonight. We drove, well, Stella drove 90 percent of it, 465 miles today.
We ate dinner at a steakhouse tonight and had a great meal. We entertained ourselves by watching a woman teaching a group of Asian tourists how to line dance in the parking lot. Went right with the 60's country music playing in the restaurant. Tomorrow, we are off to the Grand Canyon and Phoenix.
I forgot a sight we saw yesterday. Two Cowboys on horseback with their cow dogs herding sheep. It just looked strange.
It was a 1 whistle pig, 2 deer, 6 antelope and about 25 bighorn sheep day. We left Beaver, Utah, and backtracked to I 70 to go to Capitol Reef National Park. It was 74 miles from I 15 and not much traffic. We thought not much traffic until we pulled into the Visitor Center and the parking lot was full. The scenery at that Park is wonderful. The rock formations and color are amazing.
The park ranger gave us directions to get to Bryce Canyon National Park. Everything was good until he told us about having to go across hog back ridge for 12 miles. My eyes were like saucers when he held his hands up in a pyramid shape with his fingertips about a quarter inch apart and said "this is how steep the sides are and the road goes right along the ridge top. Now the driver has to keep their eyes on the road and the passenger can look at things, but you both cannot look at things." At least he warned us.
So we set out and were gabbing away wondering when we were going to get to that part of the road, when there it was. Maybe six inches of dirt beside the pavement on each side and straight drop offs. I don't like edges. I don't like high places where you look straight down. So we both had our eyes glued to the road and neither was looking at things. It did widen out a little and I took a few glances but we were relieved to get past that part of the road. And I missed my chance at a great sign picture! Before we got to the drop off place, there was a sign that said "Sharp Curves next 85 miles." You read that right - 85 miles! But it was a beautiful clear day with no clouds and the scenery is outstanding. Now I understand why everyone always says these national parks are not to be missed.
Bryce was stunning. The rock coloration and shapes are jaw dropping. It was much busier than Capitol Reef, lots of traffic and a lot of motorcycles. Then we left Bryce and went to Zion National Park. Another absolutely amazing place. It has a 1.1 mile tunnel, which was interesting. Lots of people there also. That's where the bighorn sheep were.
From there we were going to go to Phoenix until we realized that it's 411 miles from Zion NP. Needless to say, we are staying in Page, AZ, tonight. We drove, well, Stella drove 90 percent of it, 465 miles today.
We ate dinner at a steakhouse tonight and had a great meal. We entertained ourselves by watching a woman teaching a group of Asian tourists how to line dance in the parking lot. Went right with the 60's country music playing in the restaurant. Tomorrow, we are off to the Grand Canyon and Phoenix.
I forgot a sight we saw yesterday. Two Cowboys on horseback with their cow dogs herding sheep. It just looked strange.
Wednesday, May 11, 2016
Wednesday, May 11, 2016
Stella and I set out on our cross country road trip this morning. We had a 530 mile day and are now in Beaver, Utah. It took us about 9 hours, but we only stopped 3 times. There was road construction north of Salt Lake City so it was 55 mph for awhile, but not too long. Quite by accident, I ended up in the carpool lane, which wasn't busy so we zoomed along.
Both areas that went to 55 had a state patrol car sitting at the start of the speed zone with their lights flashing, which slowed the traffic down much more than in Idaho. After having lunch in Tremonton, I was all ready to climb on the dinosaur for the picture but, and I'm sure it's by design, there is not a rock or anything to stand on, so I wasn't able to heave myself upon it. ☹️ But the photo ops are just starting, so stay tuned.😊
Utah is really pretty right now, everything is green and the Wasatch front still has snow on the peaks. It has been a bright sunny start to this odyssey. Tomorrow, we are off to the national parks, and then on to Phoenix!
Stella and I set out on our cross country road trip this morning. We had a 530 mile day and are now in Beaver, Utah. It took us about 9 hours, but we only stopped 3 times. There was road construction north of Salt Lake City so it was 55 mph for awhile, but not too long. Quite by accident, I ended up in the carpool lane, which wasn't busy so we zoomed along.
Both areas that went to 55 had a state patrol car sitting at the start of the speed zone with their lights flashing, which slowed the traffic down much more than in Idaho. After having lunch in Tremonton, I was all ready to climb on the dinosaur for the picture but, and I'm sure it's by design, there is not a rock or anything to stand on, so I wasn't able to heave myself upon it. ☹️ But the photo ops are just starting, so stay tuned.😊
Utah is really pretty right now, everything is green and the Wasatch front still has snow on the peaks. It has been a bright sunny start to this odyssey. Tomorrow, we are off to the national parks, and then on to Phoenix!
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