Calfornia, Here We Come

California, Here We Come!

Finally heading west to California, we traveled on RT 118, the 'scenic route' which was hilly and winding. We saw signs warning of "loose livestock on the road." Thankfully, didn't encounter any. It was extremely windy, and tumbleweed blew across the road, piling up against the fences. When the road dipped down, there were signs warning of sudden flooding. And, in the dips there were rain gauges with measures up to 5', to let travelers know how deep the water was. Fortunately, we didn't see any flooding,--just the wind.

We stopped at a I-10 rest area for the night, and in the morning entered Mountain Time. Here, the speed limit was 80 mph! Cars and trucks whizzed by us, but we kept to a moderate 65 mph. Our experience throughout America is that too many drivers will exceed the posted speed limits especially on the Interstates. We stopped in El Paso at the Planet Fitness to exercise. This was a gym that we had stopped at last year when we traveled this way. We left, and were almost out of El Paso when we saw a terrible accident on the other side of the highway. A tractor trailer, a police car, and 2 or 3 cars were involved, and they were crushed! We had to keep going, so we never learned what the injuries were. New Mexico was next.

We stopped for the night in Las Cruces NM, and in the morning our batteries were dead. They were all the original batteries, so it was not surprising that in the cold weather, we couldn't start the VIEW. We called AAA, who arrived fairly quickly, and after we got started, we headed to a RV dealer which was fortunately close by. These were speciality batteries, and we had to wait for a while before they got our new ones. We left, but didn't travel for long. It was so windy that the VIEW was being blown all over the highway. We stopped at the next Walmart we saw, and the parking lot slowly became crowded with other RVs and tractor trailers who also stopped to get out of the wind. Even walking across the parking lot was difficult. There was sand blowing around, too. No matter the skill of a driver, mistakes or carelessnes of another can involve anyone. The American Vagabonds believe in prudent and defensive driving.

The next day, after the wind calmed down, we crossed the Continental Divide. We decided to leave the interstate again, and follow a state route. We entered the Sonaran Desert National Monument and went through a small Indian village, Casa Blanca, which appeared to be very poor. The homes were small, with dirt yards and there were piles of trash in the yards. We passed a cemetery that had mounds above the ground--instead of burying in the ground. It seemed a bit unsettling, to see all those mounds with flowers and crosses on them. This was part of the AK-Chin Indian Reservation.

Near Gila Bend, we went by the Solana Generating Station, a solar producing electrical plant with a 250 mega watt capacity. When it is complete in 2013, it will produce enough electricity for 70,000 homes. Renewable, clean energy for America. We traveled through an area of volcanic rocks and entered California and Pacific Time. We had gone through several boarder patrol checkpoints by this time, but the next checkpoint was different. This was an agricultrual checkpoint. The officer asked if we had any apples or oranges with us--which we did. You aren't allowed to bring any fruit into California because some carry a fungus. The officer actually came into the VIEW and inspected the refrigerator and took all of our apples and oranges!

On December 22nd, just about a month after leaving home, we arrived in San Diego, CA, and parked in front of James' Aunt's home. She, Aunt Frances and her husband live in a residential area near a shopping mall. She is 90 years young so we tried to impose as little as possible. We parked in front of their home, but ate inside with them--making dinner and cleaning up after each meal. Her husband still helps with his wife, and does his share around the house. Not all men are from Mars!

We only stayed in San Diego for two days, and then left for Rosemead, which is only 10 miles from Pasadena. We went to visit a lady we met on our first trip to the Tournament of Roses Parade. She had 'showed us the ropes' on that first visit, and we see her each year. We arrived on Christmas Eve, and went directly to her brother's home where they were having a family Christmas party. They welcomed us warmly, and we had a great visit.

When we left the party, we followed our friend, Cecelia, to her home, and parked outside on the street where we stayed until December 29th. While we were in Rosemead, Cecelia took us to Los Angeles to tour the town. We stopped at the Grauman's Chinese Theater on Hollywood Blvd. to look at the stars on the sidewalk, and the hand and foot prints of the stars. The next day we went to Griffin Observatory. Inside, there are exhibits of the solar system, and the night skys. Outside, we could see all of LA, sparkling in the night. All of this is free to the public! This place is so famous it finds its way into many movies.

We had unloaded the scooter, and rode it around the town, and into Pasadena to check out the parking situation for the parade. We saw some RVs already parked on the side streets, but signs indicated that the 29th was the earliest date to park without getting a ticket.

On the morning of the 29th, after loading the scooter back on the VIEW, and saying our good-byes, we headed for Pasadena and our favorite parking spot. It is near Pasadena City College where the bands practice, next to a 24-hour fast food, and very close to a $0.99 store that sells almost everything, including fresh produce. We rode the scooter up and down Colorado Blvd. checking out the other RVs. We still think that we have the best parking place!..and we are from Connecicut!

L.A. at night

Einstein statue at Observatory

Mickey Mouse star on the Hollywood Blvd.

 

 

Michael Jackson look-alike.

Tom Cruise prints in cement!

 

Big Bend National Park

Big Bend National Park

We headed south from San Antonio to Big Bend National Park. Big Bend is about the size of Rhode Island and borders on the Rio Grande River. The American Vagabonds always try to visit national parks and forests as they are unique and special places. An added benefit from this visit was to see an elementary school classmate of Joan's, who lives in Study Butte, just to the west of the park.

Big Bend is a desert, but doesn't have the sand dunes that we generally associate with deserts. Big Bend has rocks, rocks, and more rocks. It has canyons and cactus plants. The colors of the desert are not just brown. They are red, kelly green, sage green, yellow, and many hues and tones in between. In fact, the colors inspired Joan to purchase paints and try to capture the colors on canvas---with mediocre results!

As we drove along Rt. 385, we saw nothing but rocks and cactus. Once in a while a dirt road branched off to the side. We saw a sign pointing to Hot Springs, and thought that an interesting name. (More about that later.) The road to our campground, Rio Grande Village, was about 50 miles long into the desert.

When we arrived, we picked up a map and drove around to find our campsite. The first thing we saw as we rounded a corner, was a Javelina (hav-uh-LEE-nuh) an animal that resembles a black, hairy pig, but is not from the 'pig family', which ran into the brush when it saw us. Our campsite was across from a trail that we were told was a perfect way to view the sunsets. We unloaded the scooter and changed into hiking boots.

We settled in and before sunset, we ventured onto the trail. As soon as we began, there was a sign saying it was unlawful to purchase items from Mexican Nationals. This was a little puzzling until we started the climb up the canyon. We came upon a little display of hand-crafted trinkets and a paper giving prices for them. There was a jar to put money in. As we hiked on surrounding trails, we would come across these displays, some with very pretty items. What we realized was that at sometime, most likely during the night, the crafters would sneak across the Rio Grande River to put out their wares and collect any money from the jars. We never saw any money in the jars, so business couldn't have been very good. Also, they were taking a big risk trying to sell illegally.

We continued up the trail, and found a few others on the bluff waiting for the sunset. Unfortunately, it wasn't very spectacular, but the view was. We could see Mexican cowboys riding horses along the river on the other side. Here was the famed Rio Grande River, rolling along below us, with specatular buttes on the other side.

That evening, we went to the ampitheater to listen to a ranger speak about the park. She was informative and we could tell her love of the desert and all of its uniqueness. At the end of her talk, she brought our attention to the night sky. The stars seemed to be within reach, more stars than we have seen in a long time. The park has made a concerted effort to reduce the lighting and the dry air makes the constellations visible with the naked eye.

The next day, Wednesday, we rode the scooter into Study Butte to find Joan's classmate. This was a 50 mile ride--one way through the desert. Study Butte is a very small community, and it wasn't difficult to locate the bank where Carol works, and we arranged to meet for lunch on Friday. We then rode to Terlingua, a ghost town, that used to be a mining community. We then headed back the 50 miles to camp.

When we got to the turn off for Hot Springs, James decided to follow that gravel road to see what the Hot Springs were. The road soon narrowed and became rough and difficult to navigate. At the end of the road, we hiked a quarter mile to the springs. We passed abondoned buildings that used to be a resort in the 1930s and 1940s. In places, the trail was narrowed by rocks that had broken off the cliffs above. At the springs, we found people floating a a small, pool-like area. We took off our shoes and socks and put our feet in the water. WARM! The water that comes from the spring is 105^{0 F. It then flows into the Rio Grand. We rode the scooter back over the rough road, spotting three mountain goats scampering over a hillside.}

The next morning, we decided to hike to the Hot Springs, to 'take the waters.' The signage said the Hot Springs Canyon Trail is 3 miles long. What it didn't say is how difficult a trail it is. We went over bluffs, down limestone, shale, and sandstone canyon sides, and over rocky ground. At one time, this area was under water and we saw a ammonite fossil imbedded in the rock. Along the trail we saw the droppings of large, unknown animals. We did know that there are Mexican Black Bears and Mountain Lions in the area.

After almost two hours over difficult terrain we reached the spring. There was another couple there, lounging in the warm water. We removed our boots, socks, and eased into the water. It was like soaking in a very warm bathtub. Instead of rejuvenating us, the warmth made us lethargic. Joan did not feel that she could return on the trail and we decided to go by the road. It would be longer, but easier walking. But, we were fortunate, some kind people gave us rides. One gave James a ride back to get the scooter while Joan waited. Joan then got a ride to the paved road, saving James tranversing the diffiuclt gravel road.

Friday morning, we loaded the scooter, and left Big Bend. It is a wonderous place of unusual geology, animal life, plants, and insects. Along the trails we saw no litter, only resepct for nature. We drove to Study Butte so Joan could reminiss with Carol the past 50+ years since they had last met.

James on scooter.

 

Joan at Hot Springs.

                                                                                        Rio Grande River rolling past Hot Spring.

                                                                                 Sunset on the ridge.

These pictures were omitted from the TEXAS blog.



James going through gate.



James going through unusual gate at Belton Dam.


 

The River Walk in San Antonio.                                                                             Joan on cement bench.

TEXAS

TEXAS

                We entered Texas at Dennison and stopped at the Welcome Center. The woman behind the counter was very helpful in giving us information on places to visit. She told us we were welcome to stay there overnight--which we did.  In the morning, after breakfast, we headed south, planning to stop in Temple to visit Joan's great nephew Logan, who is 16, and his mother, Kristy.

                We arrived while Logan was still at school and Kristy was at work, so we unloaded the scooter and went into Temple to check it out. When we got back, we had a great reunion with Kristie and Logan, and then we went out to eat at McAlister's which is a restaurant similar to Panera Bread. This restaurant had super service.  After catching up on Logan's participation in the Blue Knight Drum Corps, we went to bed.

                The next day, we went to the Belton Dam and Miller Springs Park for a walk around the trails in the park. The dam is so high, that tractor trailer trucks crossing it looked like toys from down below. We wanted to walk along the dam, and at first it looked like there was a fence across the path. We watched as another hiker with his dog went through the fence, so we went closer to investigate. The gate had a swing mechanism that neither of had never seen before. We went through the gate and continued along the trail.

                That night several of Kristy's friends came and we had a picnic. The next afternoon we went to the H.E.B. Festival of Sharing--which was somewhat of a disappointment. Two years ago we went to the Festival in San Antonio, and had a great time. Since then we have gone to one in Jasper and the one in Temple, and neither was of the caliber of the one in San Antonio.  It is assumed that size of city does matter. 

                Our schedule does not permit the San Antonio "Feast" this year.  For the country this is a model in community outreach by a large corporation.               H.E.B. is a grocery chain with 23 stores in southern Texas and Mexico, and during the holidays they give back to the communities. They give free meals to everyone who goes, and have entertainment during the meals. To our knowledge, this is the only grocery chain to do this.

                That night, Kristy and her friends went to a 'girls only' Christmas party. They go for fun, and make the weirdest hairdos they can think of. Kristy had a Christmas tree topper, a crown, woven into her hair. Actually, it was quite an attractive do! So with sparkles in their hair and in high spirits, they left for their party. We stayed at the house and visited with Logan.

                In the morning, after good-byes, we loaded the scooter onto the VIEW (in a misty drizzle) and continued south for our next stop which was to be in Universal City to meet and visit with Joan's cousin, Carisma, whom she had never met--but had corresponded with via the internet.

                We were welcomed into Carisma's family like old friends. With children: Stevie, 18 months, Isis, 7, Gabby, 8, and Zach, 13, it is a busy, boisterous, and warm family. Steve and Carisma couldn't have been more welcoming to us. We shared meals, and family history. Carisma resembles her second cousin, Tammie June. They even have some of the same mannerisms. On Sunday, the Vagabonds rode the scooter into San Antonio, which is a  45 minute ride (using the side roads.) We enjoyed several hours in the city--which is one of our favorite places to visit.              

                James speaks often of his concern for the future of America.  With the promising  young people we meet like Carisma's and Kristy's children throughout this great country, these concerns always seem to mitigate with the encounters  the American Vagabonds experience. 

                SAN ANTONIO

                San Antonio is one of our favorite cities to visit. There is so much to do and see, particularly the River Walk, which has beem expanded to eight miles. During the daytime, it is a pleasant stroll, with ducks swimming in the river, and beautiful plantings along the walkways.

                There are restaurants, bistros, hotels, and little shops for souvenirs. At each street crossing, there are steps to go up to the street, or down to the river making it accessible from all along the route of the river. There are also bridges for crossing to the other side if you want to stop or go back the other way.  Under the bridges, the walls are decorated with mosiac murals, cement 'couches' for resting or just hanging out with friends.

                At night the walk takes on a more festive atmosphere. There are colored lights in the trees and people everywhere. The sidewalk restaurants are full of customers, you can hear music coming from inside. To take away the chill, heaters are placed along the way, along with luminaris to add to the ambience.

                There are also boat taxis along the river. You can take the entire ride, or hop on or off at the many stops along the route. The taxis are open, and the pilot narrates as you travel.

                Along with the River Walk, San Antonio has museums of art and history, the Alamo, cultural exhibits, children's museums, and entertainment. There are parks, self-guided walking tours and so much more. No wonder it is one of the Vagabonds, and thousands of others,  favorite places to visit!

                We got back to Carisma's in time for dinner! The next evening, we decided to treat the family to pizza for dinner, and the only way to get it home was by scooter. If you have ever seen a TV commercial with a pizza delivery boy on a scooter, that is what we looked like. Three large pizzas held by Joan on the back of the scooter, while James carefully navigated the street corners!  The American Vagabonds are resourceful indeed.

                The next morning it was time to say good-bye and head further south. Big Bend National Park was our next destination. We love to visit the national parks, and to support our government's efforts to preserve special areas for generations to come!

 

 

Oklahoma to Texas

Oklahoma to Texas

We left Arkansas and headed west on I-40 again. We were on this section of I-40 on our first trip west, and it hasn't improved with time. The highway is cement, and so bumpy things kept sliding off the dash! Thankfully, the bumps finally ended without our losing our teeth!

We stopped at the Oklahoma Welcome Center to empty our waste tanks and get our water refilled. We try to look ahead of where we are and find dump stations that are affordable and easy to use. For that we use the internet. There are web sites that list dump stations and their costs.

The Oklahoma Welcome Center was clean and modern, with a very accessible dump station. The picnic area had teepee forms over the tables. In summer they are covered with canvas, but they are removed for the winter.

We left I-40 on RT. 82 headed for Tahlequah, the capitol of the Cherokee Nation. We went over the Illinois River which was very low. Later, we noticed that most of the creeks that we crossed were dry, or had only a slight trickle of water.

Rt. 82 is the craziest, crookedest road ever! The map depicts this state road as scenic-but only for the passengers. This is not the road for a new driver's test. Some of our impressions of the road are: names of places such as Tenkiller, Snake Creek, Chicken Creek, Black Gum Mountain, 888 Road, and The Roasted Goat Restuarant. The road had no shoulders, no guard rails, and steep declines even at the worse curves.

The town of Vien had a quiet Main Street with wonderful murals painted on some of them. Further on we saw acres of green houses. It has to be the largest nursery in the country. There is a great disparity in the homes in this area. Either they were extremely large homes, with acres of mowed grass, and long, winding driveways. Or, they were small, probably 4 rooms, with litter in the yards and falling down out buildings. You may find both types of home anywhere in America, but what was so noticable was it was either one type or the other. Very few modest, well-kept homes.

As we approached the town of Tahlequah, there were signs indicating thea we were entering the capitol of the Cherokee Indian Nation. There is a Heritage Center, Museum, and Chamber of Commerace. Some vehicles have "Cherokee Nation" license plates and emergency vehicles are from the Cherokee Nation. We stopped for coffee at McDonald's, and the woman taking orders told us she was a Cherokee Indian. Her name was Florinda Ridge, and she is decended Major Ridge, aka Pathkiller, a Cherokee leader who signed the Treaty of New Echota of 1835 with Chief John Ross.

When Florinda found out we were from the East, she said we had to have the sausage, gravy and biscuits for breakfast, which is a regional favorite. As we have traveled, we sometimes find that McDonalds's has items on the menu that are related to that region. Florinda also told us we should visit the Prison & Museum in town--which we did.

At the musem, the women told us that there was a Christmas Parade that night. We joined the local citizens on Musgokee Street, and waited for the parade. The temperature was in the high 70's and hardly seemed like Christmas. The parade was well organized and there were over 50 floats decorated with lights playing Christmas music. It seemed strange to think of Christmas with such warm weather!

In the several years that we have traveled and parked overnight in Walmart parking lots, we have always been left alone. Most of the Walmarts have a security vehicle that travels around the lot with flashing yellow lights. While we were in Tahlequah, we were approached twice by 'pan handlers' asking for money. the first said he had a car breakdown, and the second one for gas money. Both were told that we carry no cash, only credit cards. For safety this is common state for us. They left, going there own way. We wondered if the presence of security would have eliminated their begging.

While in Tahlequah, we were fortunate to locate James' long lost niece, whom he hadn't seen since she was a toddler. We had a wonderful visit, and they were able to reminisce about their family. She is a talented artist who hasn't had any formal training, and has not maximized her abilities.

After doing our laundry, filling up with fuel and proprane, we left Tahlequah and the Cherokee Nation, traveling through the Oklahoma countryside and the Creek and Chactaw Nations. We were headed south to Texas and our next planned stop was Temple, TX to visit Joan's great-nephew Logan and his mother Kristie.

 

Connecticut to Oklahoma

We are James and Joan, The American Vagabonds, making our customary winter trip across the country with the ultimate destination of Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena, CA, to get front row seats for the Tournament of Roses Parade on New Years Day. This is our fourth year and we still find it a "hoot."

We are making our second trip in our Winnebaggo VIEW, and have a 250cc scooter mounted and strapped on the back. The scooter will make it easier to explore an area when we are parked for two or three days--instead of battening down the VIEW to move it.

We left home on November 20th at 6:00 AM right on schedule. We hadThanksgiving dinner with James' family in Virginia, and on Friday, the ten of us went to Fort Hunt, which is just 11 miles south of Washington, DC, and was built in 1897 to help protect the city.

We rode the scooter to the fort, and the rest of the family drove, taking their bikes for a beautiful day of exercise. At Fort Hunt, the kids ran around, climbed trees, and tossed a football before hopping on their bikes to ride the trails.

James and I explored the fort, which was originally was part of George Washington's River Farm. During World War II, the fort was a top security intelligence operation then known with the code name "P.O. Box 1142". German war prisoners were housed at the fort for interrigation. It is ironic that a military investment eventually turns out as a park for everyone to enjoy and commune with mother nature.

Traveling to and from Fort Hunt, we rode through the 'Old Town' section of Alexandria. The buildings are beautifully preserved, but some of the businesses are modern such as cell phone stores, while others are pubs and antique shops that reflect times gone past. There, also, is the George Washington Masonic Memorial and Museum which we have gone past, but never stopped to investigate. This will have to be for another day.

We left the family on Sunday morning, heading west on Route 66 towards Front Royal which is in the beautiful Shenandoah National Forest, and the starting point for the Skyline Drive. We have driven the Skyline Drive twice, and backpacked in the forest, but this time we had different plans, and kept going!

Rather than go on I-81, we traveled along US RT 11, It was more scenic and passed through villages with Historic Districts that were well kept. We also went through farmland with acres of rolling fields and herds of Black Angus cattle.

Traveling from state to state on the Interstate Highway System, we always stop at the Welcome Center. Each state has displays of their culture, and offers free road maps of the state. Some will also offer coffee or other refreshments as well as vending machines for snacks. While we always get AAA regional maps before we leave on a trip, it is good to have each state map which show local roads. Back on I-81 we saw a burned out tractor trailer on the north bound lane. It must have been fairly recent or it would have been removed from the side of the road.

One difference on the Interstates, is what they allow for overnight parking at their rest stops. In Georgia, no overnight is allowed, while in neighboring Florida, not only do they allow overnight parking, but they have armed security as well. Tennessee only allows 2-hour stops at their rest areas, and Arkansas posts signs stating that "overnight camping" is allowed. James wants to test the 2 hour limit and if and when the time limit is enforced, to ask the question what will he do if he still feels--after two (2) hours--he is too tired to drive! Abuse is one thing, arbitrary time limits is something else.

In Tennessee, on I-40, we passed by fields of solar panels. This was the West Tennessee Solar Farm, in Stanton, TN. The solar panels cover 25 acres and can generate 5 megawatts of power. This can power 500 homes and save 250 tons of coal per month! There is an educational and informational center there to educate the public on the use of solar power. The American Vagabonds support renewable energy and have concerns about Gobal Warming,

The VIEW is self-contained and we 'boondock' at Walmarts along the way. (Which means parking in the lot, away from the store. Walmart welcomes travelers as we usually make purchases in the stores.) There always seems to be a few other travelers in the parking lots. At a Walmart in Knoxville, we were joined by seven RVs and two tractor trailers. Most of the Walmarts in the country are Super Centers opened 24 hours.

In some areas, 'boondocking' is not allowed. If there is a local attraction, and a few private campgrounds there, the campground owners band together and ask the town fathers to ban parking at Walmart, Target, and other places of business that generally allow overnight parking. In those cases, we leave the town and go to a rest area or truck stop. What the campground owners don't realize is that we are traveling---not camping. Most of the time, here for 8 to 9 hours and then gone.

The morning after staying at the Memphis Walmart, we went into the store to replentish our food supply. We saw a tow truck with a Nissen Pathfinder on the hook. We talked to the driver's buddy and discovered that they were Repo Men and were taking the SUV away. Imagine coming out of the store with your packages to find your vehicle missing! I hope they call the police to inform them!

Thursday, November 29, was a beautiful, warm day. I think the forcast back home in Connecticut was not so nice. Driving through Memphis we passed by the famous and magnificent St. Jude's Hospital where they do such good work with serious children's illnesses. We then drove across the Mississippi River and into Arkansas.

At the Arkansas Welcome Center, it was suggested that we leave the interstate and take an alternate route to avoid heavy construction and traffic congestion. The route they gave us (RT. 70) took us through the countryside with a narrow road--no shoulders--and big ditches on either side. We went through small towns, (population 600 - 1600) some of which had very little business and several abandanded buildings. One town had huge grain elevators and silos along the road.

Route 70, which runs parallel to I-40, also follows the "Trail of Tears" that the U.S. Government dictated to the Indiams. Cheorkee, Choctaw, Creek, Chickasaw, and Seminole Indians were forced to leave their lands and walk to Oklahoma Territory in 1830, mandated by the Federal Indian Removal Act.

There were ponds along both sides of the road (Route 70) in one town which were for spawning catfish. As we drove, James noticed a flock of birds flying over. There seemed to be no end to the flock--there must have been thousands-- geese possibly heading to their winter feeding ground. We saw close to every goose in North America!

We are now heading to Oklahoma, to see the Cherokee Capitol in Tahlequah, OK.

Don't forget to check out our website: http://www.americanvagabonds.net

James and Joan, The American Vagabonds