The End

Photos

Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque, NM

Vets representing the Navaho Code Talkers

Number 5, really quite comfortable

Nathan!!!

Standin' on the corner

Grand Canyon

Woods overlooking Williams, AZ

Newspaper article about the storm we encountered

Ceremony for "EMG 603"

"Special Ear"

Burros at Oatman AZ

How many maps does one need???

Fresh fruit stand

Hey, dude!  What do you think a camera on a tripod means, anyway???

Oops!

View out from our hotel balcony

Day 10 HOME!!

Woke up Saturday to a beautiful day, walked the ocean front and headed to Bob Hope Airport after taking a little side trip through some neighborhoods in Beverly Hills.  Thought we saw the Beverly Hills Courthouse where OJ Simpson's trial was but turned out to be a Mormon Tabernacle!  Dropped of the rental vehicle without problems and had plenty of time to check out the airport (more boring than Rochester International!!).  Switched planes in Phoenix and got part way to MSP when the pilot came on and said that do to mechanical problems with the plane, we were headed back to Phoenix.  We figured as long as they didn't tell us to put our heads between our knees and brace for a crash, the landing gear was OK! Switched planes again and finally got to MN!  Thanks to Deb's memory, we found my car that had been parked at the airport!   Arrived home without any difficulty.  It was a great trip!  Glad you could share some of the highlights with us!  Until next time......

Day 9 Santa Monica CA pop. 87,000

I am sitting on our balcony overlooking the ocean while Deb and Karen are shopping.  Now I can write anything I want without getting their approval!!  We made it safely to the end of Route 66 at about 3:30 California time.  The trip today included a stop at a fresh fruit market and a drive through Hollywood, stopping to see the stars in the sidewalk and some other interesting things.  These three Midwest girls did pretty well manuevering in this big city and I wanted to lay on the horn just once because everyone else was but for Karen's sake didn't.  We got a great rate on an ocean view room and even got a better deal after finding a dead cockroach under the chair!  Took pictures at the end of route 66, met Dan Rice's wife and told her hi from Tatoo Man and ate  seafood at the end of the pier.  Karen tried fish tacos and I ate onions!  Walked down to the beach and watched a beautiful sunset, a great ending to a great day.  The hotel has a business room with compter but no usb port and you had to pay $0.10 a minute so again, no pictures.  Next time I will bring a laptop and won't have this problem. We leave tomorrow afernoon and get into MSP late.  Check the blog on Sunday afternoon for a final post.  Thanks for following along on this "Adventure"
P.S.   Praying for Sawyer Hanson today as he had his second surgery and wishing my parents a happy 56 th wedding anniversary.

Day 8 continued

Well, not really but it was real enough to make me scream!  A traumatic as it was, I left MN EMG 603, my favorite license plate at a new home.  It was quite a ceremony and I know it will be happier at the store where the creators of the movie "Cars" met in the barbers chair to plan the movie than in my garage covereed with dust and spider webs.  The road to Oatman AZ was a beautiful winding mountain road and once there we were greeted by the burro with a "special" ear.  A stroll down the center of town, avoiding at all costs the "Red Hat Society" ladies and the piles of burro dung and then off to California!  Driving through the Mohave Desert caused us to pause and think about what earlier travellers headed west for a better life encountered, some just left what they had and walked into the desert never to be seen again.  We found a place to stay (no computer-I am still a little miffed) and now time for bed.  Tomorrow when I call for reservations in Santa Monica, the first question will be if they have a computer to use to post picture on the blog!  Seee you soon!!

Day 8 Barstow CA pop. 21,000

I am in the depth of despair, our hotel (despite being a very nice chain hotel) doesn't have computers for patrons and the person that has the thumb print for the office computer doesn't come in until 11 p.m. & we were given a sr discount for dinner!  Had a good day starting out with a picnic breakfast on the hill surrounded by large pines overlooking Williams.  On the way out of Williams we saw a Heartland Tours bus and had to stop and see if the driver knew My friend, Joe.  Andy the driver did and there was a lady from Kasson there also.  We made excellent time today, probably due to the fact that Deb, the driver had 4+ cups of various caffinated drinks this morning.
"Cattle crossing-means go slow-that old bull-is some cows beau-Berma Shave"  Yes, we were entertained on the long, desolate roads by some vey funny signs from the past.   A stop in Seligman AZ included a stop at the Snow Cap drive in where Deb got sqiurted with yellow mustard!

Day 7 Williams AZ pop. 2,800

Well, sleeping in a TP went well, even the railroad tracks with multiple fast traveling trains did not bother us (much)!!  Once on the road again, we took a trip through the Petrified Forest and no, the trees weren't standing up right!  We also saw part of the Painted Desert. Breakfast was at Joe's and Aggies in Holbrook.  Deb rode a rabbit and Karen stood on a corner in Winslow AZ!  I wish there was a computer in this train station because I have some great pictures that would describe the day better than I ever could!  We almost ended up back in Kansas when a tornado ripped through Flagstaff AZ.  The freeway was opened by the time we came through but there were semis tipped on their side and a camper sales business was pretty much destroyed.  the sun came up and we took a side trip to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.  we got some nice pictures of the canyon as the sun was setting.  Supper was at the Pine Country Restaurant which was delicious.  Sorry about no picuters, many people have asked when they would be posted, hopely tomorrow!  Hoping to get to California tomorrow otherwise may need to get a hold of our supervisors!!   Good night from Arizona again!!

Day 6 Holbrook AZ pop. 5000

Sitting in a wigwam (which isn't really a wigwam but a more of a teepee according to our resident anthropologist-Deb) listening to the rain.  Hopefully our wigwam will remain dry.  Today began for some of us at 4:00 a.m.  Reminds me of the day of getting up early to look for moose only this time we were looking for balloons.  Karen and I went to the International Balloon Fieata in Albuequerque.  It was amazing, many different colors, sizes and styles.  SpongeBob had a very difficult time getting his balance but the crowd broke out with cheers when he took off successfully.  There are no computers in the wigwam so can't post pictures but will try tomorrow.  A trip to the airport was not as fun as the balloon watching.  We decided that going back to the hotel with anything less than a van, we would have to face Deb which would not be good before Starbucks.  Went back to Albuquerque and went to Old Town where some shopping was accomplished including raspberry chocolate and chocolate and peanutbutter.  We stumbled upon 5 veterens of WWll who were signing books related to the Navaho Code Talkers. It was very interesting and quite moving.  We left New Mexico and realizing that we still have a long ways to go before getting to CA, drove faster and longer than previosly.  Had qiute a rain storm which resulted in the most beautiful double rainbow which originated in our car.  And that brings us to Holbrook AZ and the tee pee wigwam!   We have over 600 miles to go and I can't imagine the adventures that await us down the road.  Good night and 10-4!!

Photos

Who's great idea was this????

"Insanity at it's Finest" Harly's backside

Did we take a wrong turn????

Cadillac Ranch

And the road goes on!

Day 5 Sante Fe, New Mexico pop. 74,000

We are again in another state, this time New Mexico!   Sunny and nice with very cool evenings!  Deb is out waiting for the AAA guy to come and change our flat tire and Karen is upstairs doing wash and I am alone, trying to remember what we did today!  All I remember is that it has been great fun!  Outside of Amarillo, there are 10 old cadillacs buried nose down in a field.  People come out and spray paint them so really very colorful.  I am having difficulty posting pictures tonight so not sure I can get it working.  There was a quick trip to an old hardware store in some town.  Really the next thing I remember is stopping at Adrian NM, the half way point from Chicago to Santa Monica.   It really isn't 1/2 way for us because we started in St. Louis.  We took a couple side trips including a gravel road that looked like it went to no where but we found some longhorn cattle and what looked like a prong horn deer.  Otherwise there hasn't been much in the way of wildlife, except for maybe us ;)   We rolled into Sante Fe and despite my concern that we may have to sleep in the van because of the Balloon Festival in Albuquerque, we found a really nice place for a decent price.  Did some Goodwill shopping (I stayed in the car, imagine that!!) and bead store, walked the downtown square of Santa Fe before going to Tomatista, recommended by Triple D!  It was then that the tire pressure light came on and while Deb waited for our table, Karen and I went to find a pressure gauge and air pump.  After 3 gas stations and a guy asking to give him money to get a hotel, we found the low tire, put in air and made it the restaurant in time for some delicious Mexican fare!    Karen and I are hoping to leave by 4:30 a.m. to watch the dawn take off of the hot air balloons in Albuquerque, get a new rental van and then run back to get Deb who opted out of this activity.  

Day 4 Amarillo TX pop. 200,000

Have driven 908 miles and each mile has brought new, interesting and bizarre experiences!  I went to Windsor Hills for church and then we hit the road.  Before leaving OK, we toured an excellent RT 66 museum in Clinton, and were the sole diners at an Italian restaurant.   We have done fairly well at finding all the sections of Route 66 including the one lane section that needs to be mowed and that the tree roots are coming up through the asphalt. Karen even took a piece home for a souvenir!  We will see how well that travels!  (no, Karen, it is not stealing to take the clump, it's not a state park!)  A trip to Erick OK will long be a source of "wet your pants" laughing for the trio!  I really wish we had computer access because there are no words to describe our experience.  The shop was called "the Sandhills Curiosity Shop" owned by Harly and Anna Belle.  Harly was outside working on cleaning up a sign to add to the collection. He told Anna Belle to "go in and turn on the lights, nothing is for sale but take lots of pictures and then hit the road".   She was very friendly, showed us many things and gave us a tour of "the RedNeck Castle".  We're thinking that they might have had a "BAD TRIP" back in the 60s.  We stayed way longer than we cared to and after scraping the dog dung off our shoes we headed as fast as we could for the TX border!  Will post pictures as soon as possible!  We found a vintage western hotel in Amarillo next door to a steak house.  Neither Deb, Karen or I took the challenge to eat a 72 oz steak for free and if you can't get it down in 1 hour you pay $72.  We have met a couple from Sweden and they are also staying at the same hotel and ate dinner just before us.  Tomorrow it is on to New Mexico....

Day 3 Bethany Oklahoma pop. 20,000

Gary

Tattoo Man

Smitty

Another day, another state (again!).  And again the weather was beautiful and a fun day.  Tonight we are staying in a Holiday Inn Express because the "vintage" hotels looked like they might be having trouble with bed bugs!!  So, I am going to try to post some pictures seeing there is a computer.  The days are starting to run together so I am not sure if what happened today happened yesterday or not!  Last night, Karen and I took a walk and noticed an unattended candle burning in a store that was closed, reported it and may have prevented it from burning down!  Had the breakfast part of the bed and breakfast and then hit the road.  This time the road was not as well maintained, often gravel with a little pavement!  Met Tattoo man at      .  Of his 87 tattoos, 86 are about Route 66.   The goal of the day was for Deb to be measured for a custom made cowboy boots at Smitty shop.   He and his daughter, Erin, were great and after Deb was measured he gave us a tour of how he makes the boots.  It may likely be a year or 2 before Deb gets her boots, complete with RT 66 2010 stitched into them.  Smitty recommended his relative Larry's bbq place and it was right up there with the rest.   I was able to have supper with Sarah Hanson at a Crab Shack while Deb and Karen brought (you guessed it,) BBQ back to the room.  It was so much fun to visit and laugh with Sarah, one of the kids that would always go up north with me.  OK, lets see if I can post pictures!  Tomorrow we will be in Texas!  Hee Haw!!

Day2 Baxter Springs KS pop. 5000

Another day, another state!  The day started with Deb walking to town for coffee and then a delicious breakfast at Back in the Day Cafe!  They should be on Triple D for sure!!  The apple pancakes were outstanding!  Saw the worlds largest rocking chair, flatted lots of penny's, drove and drove many miles.  One of the highlights was to the vacumn cleaner museum where we met a real vacumn cleaner salesman!  Happened upon a outhouse sized BBQ joint, (are u seeing the theme?) and again, it was the best!  Wish i could post pictures but again, no computer!  We met Gary in Missouri (ran a "tourist trap" and he shared with us some interesting places on the "Mother Road".  Saw the real Tow Mater and Red the firetruck from Cars in Galena Kansas.  Our day ends in Baxter Springs where we ate at the Smokehouse and staying at the "Little Brick Inn" a nice Bed and breakfast.  Deb, being the resourceful person she is, raided the vacant rooms for bedding, towels and pillows!  All in all, another wonderful day "on the road"!  Unil tomorrow....