Mon Jun 18 - Another very early start today - wanting to avoid the 100+ degree heat, since we still don't have working AC in the car. Just as we got onto Highway 50, there was a pickup truck with something in its bed on fire - six foot flames were shooting into the air as we drove by - fortunately there were fire trucks, etc. on site, and we got past before there were any explosions.
We made good time down Interstate 5, stopping for lunch at Len's sister's house. We got to Claremont Lincoln housing office in time to get the keys to our apartment. The housing coordinator ("innkeeper") was amused when we asked her if we could take her picture with Lil' BC and our hearthstone. We explained all about 'resetting' our hearthstone to our new home.
Finally, we got to see what our new apartment looks like. It's even nicer than the one we saw before. We've set up delivery and connection of services, starting Wednesday, so tomorrow will be a day of rest. We drove out to the timeshare in Palm Desert, where we'll be staying until our furniture gets set up. After nearly 4500 miles - the Migration has been accomplished - just a bit more time to settle in.
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Family Time
Sat, Sun Jun 16-17 - We got out of Winnemucca as early as possible - didn't even stay for the free continental 'breakfast' they offered - we couldn't leave town fast enough. We stopped in Sparks, NV for gas, and played some spare change we had from tolls in the slot machines, ending up with $25 - only stayed about 1/2 hour, since we wanted to get to CA as early as possible.
Once we got into the familiar territory of the Sierra Nevada mountains, both of us heaved sighs of relief - and when we crossed the border into California, even more so! We got to Carol's sister's house in time to join in the party for her mother's 90.5 birthday party. We spent the rest of the weekend visiting with family, reminiscing, and just resting up for the final stretch of our drive on Monday.
Once we got into the familiar territory of the Sierra Nevada mountains, both of us heaved sighs of relief - and when we crossed the border into California, even more so! We got to Carol's sister's house in time to join in the party for her mother's 90.5 birthday party. We spent the rest of the weekend visiting with family, reminiscing, and just resting up for the final stretch of our drive on Monday.
Desert Blues
Fri Jun 15 - We left our lodgings at University of Utah early in the morning to avoid the desert heat. (One thing that was amusing was that the laundry room on the bottom floor there was labelled "Helms Deep" - someone there was obviously a Lord of the Rings fan!) We drove through downtown Salt Lake City, seeing more of the sights, then set off around the Great Salt Lake. After crossing more mountains into Nevada, we drove through the little town of Elko. It was really depressing - even the landscape, different from the desert in Wyoming, seemed to be barely hanging on to survival. We stopped for the night in Winnemucca, Nevada - a place I will be happy to never see again. Besides the creepy atmosphere, the Super 8 Hotel was the worst motel EVER. At least there weren't bugs, but that's about all the good we could say about it. First and last time ever staying in THAT chain!
Shindig!
Thur Jun 14 - After a leisurely morning and then lunch with the Cap'n, we wandered around Salt Lake City a bit, and then gathered for a 'shindig' barbecue. We had a fantastic time visiting with old and new friends - present, former, and potential Browncoats, We realized we've met and visited with at least 20 Browncoats since beginning this adventure - fantastic people all. We're fortunate to be part of the crew!
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Crossing the Continental Divide
Wed Jun 13 - Staying in Laramie, WY overnight (elevation 7284 feet) brought some important lessons to mind - 1) Stay hydrated to avoid altitude sickness, headaches, dizziness, etc. and 2) Remember that high altitudes can cause sealed containers to pop. Fortunately the brand new bottle of body wash was out on the table overnight when it exploded, instead of in the suitcase.
The high plains gave way to high desert and sagebrush, again, beautiful in its own way. We stopped at Rock Springs to visit Western Wyoming Community College. They had a FANTASTIC dinosaur display, as well as a wildlife museum - both free of charge. The school cafeteria (T-Rex Grill) was a good place to eat lunch, if you didn't mind the giant skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus looming over you while you ate.
We crossed over the continental divide and through the mountains into Utah. The view from the mountains as we came around a bend and saw the Salt Lake valley spread out before us was stunning. We were impressed how easy it was to get around the city. We settled in at the University of Utah Guest House, and then met up with the Cap'n, his wife, and their new little guy. We had a fantastic dinner, then did a bit of gaming before heading back to our lodgings for the night.
The high plains gave way to high desert and sagebrush, again, beautiful in its own way. We stopped at Rock Springs to visit Western Wyoming Community College. They had a FANTASTIC dinosaur display, as well as a wildlife museum - both free of charge. The school cafeteria (T-Rex Grill) was a good place to eat lunch, if you didn't mind the giant skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus looming over you while you ate.
We crossed over the continental divide and through the mountains into Utah. The view from the mountains as we came around a bend and saw the Salt Lake valley spread out before us was stunning. We were impressed how easy it was to get around the city. We settled in at the University of Utah Guest House, and then met up with the Cap'n, his wife, and their new little guy. We had a fantastic dinner, then did a bit of gaming before heading back to our lodgings for the night.
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Into the Mountains
Tue Jun 12 - Low key day today - we really needed it. After a leisurely breakfast, we set out westward though high plains of Nebraska. The fields of wheat we passed were beautiful. Talk about 'amber waves of grain!' Photos couldn't begin to capture the beauty. As we climbed in elevation, the temperature became more moderate, but still no sign of 'real' mountains.
We stopped in Ogallala, NE - once known as the 'Gomorrah of the Plains.' It seemed pretty quiet today, however. There was a small historic re-creation of the main street, but not much excitement.
We crossed into the Mountain Time Zone just before getting into Wyoming - at least this time there was a sign so we could change the car clock. When we got to the border of Wyoming, all of a sudden the landscape changed, several bluffs with trees interrupted the smooth high plains landscape, and we continued our gradual climb.
Just south of Cheyenne, WY, we visited a bison ranch. On the way there, we could see the massive plume of smoke from the Colorado wildfire - it stretched over half the sky. We were glad we'd decided not to continue through to Denver - the road might have been unpleasant with all the smoke. (Bookh wants to state for the record, she had NOTHING to do with the fire - she never even set foot in Colorado!) We were able to get glimpses of distant mountain ranges on the horizon despite the smoke and resulting haze. There was also a 'point of interest' in the middle of the interstate which explained some of the geology of the area. We especially liked the 'earth born' stone formations.
Just before getting to Laramie, we hit the highest point on Interstate 80, over 8600 feet. There was a monument celebrating the Lincoln Highway (and Abraham Lincoln) at the rest stop there.
In Laramie, WY, we toured the Univ of Wyoming campus, checking out their Anthropology museum and what little of the geology museum was not being renovated. Very cool displays. We grabbed dinner at Arby's (at least it was a bit more 'western' than Wendy's) and relaxed, looking forward to Utah tomorrow.
We stopped in Ogallala, NE - once known as the 'Gomorrah of the Plains.' It seemed pretty quiet today, however. There was a small historic re-creation of the main street, but not much excitement.
We crossed into the Mountain Time Zone just before getting into Wyoming - at least this time there was a sign so we could change the car clock. When we got to the border of Wyoming, all of a sudden the landscape changed, several bluffs with trees interrupted the smooth high plains landscape, and we continued our gradual climb.
Just south of Cheyenne, WY, we visited a bison ranch. On the way there, we could see the massive plume of smoke from the Colorado wildfire - it stretched over half the sky. We were glad we'd decided not to continue through to Denver - the road might have been unpleasant with all the smoke. (Bookh wants to state for the record, she had NOTHING to do with the fire - she never even set foot in Colorado!) We were able to get glimpses of distant mountain ranges on the horizon despite the smoke and resulting haze. There was also a 'point of interest' in the middle of the interstate which explained some of the geology of the area. We especially liked the 'earth born' stone formations.
Just before getting to Laramie, we hit the highest point on Interstate 80, over 8600 feet. There was a monument celebrating the Lincoln Highway (and Abraham Lincoln) at the rest stop there.
In Laramie, WY, we toured the Univ of Wyoming campus, checking out their Anthropology museum and what little of the geology museum was not being renovated. Very cool displays. We grabbed dinner at Arby's (at least it was a bit more 'western' than Wendy's) and relaxed, looking forward to Utah tomorrow.
Monday, June 11, 2012
Just "Plain" Wore Out
Mon Jun 11 - After an early morning visit to the World's Largest Pitchfork (and driving by where the World's Largest Concrete Garden Gnome is, although we couldn't get in) we stopped at a quick oil change shop. Boy, Jiffy Lube has a lot to learn from these guys! Amazing service, quick, efficient and polite - we were on our way in less than 10 minutes. Unfortunately for us, they are a single family owned location. I hope they expand!
There were fields of power windmills that seemed to stretch for miles. We found a fun contrast to them in Elk Horn, Iowa, where there is a large Danish population and an authentic 1848 Danish windmill. It was nice to take a break and walk around in the shop in the adjoining building. Not what I expected to see in Iowa, for sure!
More than a week in the car is really taking its toll on us. What should have been a seven hour drive today took nearly eight and a half (of course, that doesn't count the time that we spent napping under a tree in a convenience store parking lot.) Driving through the plains of Iowa and Nebraska, there was not a lot of variety in the scenery, even though it had its own beauty. Fortunately, the weather was not overly hot, so when we would stop, the breeze was refreshing. We saw the World's Largest Coffee Pot just outside of Omaha (another converted water tower @ Sapp Brothers) We ate lunch at the cafe there, tasty BBQ brisket sandwiches. People in the gas station stores, snack bars, etc. were so very friendly, it almost seemed strange.
When we reached North Platte, Nebraska, we wandered through Fort Cody Trading Post (it's just down the road from Buffalo Bill's Ranch, but that was already closed for the night.) Lots of memorabilia and historic displays and of course, tacky souvenirs. We were so tired, we just had dinner at Taco Bell and hit the hotel. We've decided to skip Colorado entirely, both to save driving time, and to avoid the wildfires near Fort Collins. Rearranging the hotels again, we'll have a short drive to Laramie, Wyoming tomorrow, then to SLC! We also decided to split the desert trek up better, and will be staying in Winnemucca instead of Reno. We figure it's better at this point to be safe in how much we push the driving times.
There were fields of power windmills that seemed to stretch for miles. We found a fun contrast to them in Elk Horn, Iowa, where there is a large Danish population and an authentic 1848 Danish windmill. It was nice to take a break and walk around in the shop in the adjoining building. Not what I expected to see in Iowa, for sure!
More than a week in the car is really taking its toll on us. What should have been a seven hour drive today took nearly eight and a half (of course, that doesn't count the time that we spent napping under a tree in a convenience store parking lot.) Driving through the plains of Iowa and Nebraska, there was not a lot of variety in the scenery, even though it had its own beauty. Fortunately, the weather was not overly hot, so when we would stop, the breeze was refreshing. We saw the World's Largest Coffee Pot just outside of Omaha (another converted water tower @ Sapp Brothers) We ate lunch at the cafe there, tasty BBQ brisket sandwiches. People in the gas station stores, snack bars, etc. were so very friendly, it almost seemed strange.
When we reached North Platte, Nebraska, we wandered through Fort Cody Trading Post (it's just down the road from Buffalo Bill's Ranch, but that was already closed for the night.) Lots of memorabilia and historic displays and of course, tacky souvenirs. We were so tired, we just had dinner at Taco Bell and hit the hotel. We've decided to skip Colorado entirely, both to save driving time, and to avoid the wildfires near Fort Collins. Rearranging the hotels again, we'll have a short drive to Laramie, Wyoming tomorrow, then to SLC! We also decided to split the desert trek up better, and will be staying in Winnemucca instead of Reno. We figure it's better at this point to be safe in how much we push the driving times.
Browncoats of the Corn
Sun Jun 10 - After a leisurely morning doing laundry and just hanging out with our friends, we headed north to Iowa. We saw lots more of - you guessed it - corn. Who knew there was so much corn in this country? Today was much hotter and humid, we were trying to beat a forecasted thunderstorm. We arrived under threatening clouds but no rain, and had an authentic Iowa Italian dinner with our Browncoat friend :) After looking at the forecast weather patterns, we should manage to miss any storms - thankfully no tornadoes!
We came to the realization that the travel times that the AAA TripTik had given were off by quite a bit. Thankfully the GPS on our phones (Google-based) is very accurate. We realized there was no way we were going to drive 13 hours tomorrow, so we figured out we were going to have to cut out our side trip to Colorado Springs. We changed our hotel reservations from 2 nights in CO to a night in NE and one in WY, and added a night in Reno, NV (best to not drive 3 hours through the mountains after 8 hours in the desert!) We're still on track for our two nights in SLC for the major Browncoat shindig. :)
We came to the realization that the travel times that the AAA TripTik had given were off by quite a bit. Thankfully the GPS on our phones (Google-based) is very accurate. We realized there was no way we were going to drive 13 hours tomorrow, so we figured out we were going to have to cut out our side trip to Colorado Springs. We changed our hotel reservations from 2 nights in CO to a night in NE and one in WY, and added a night in Reno, NV (best to not drive 3 hours through the mountains after 8 hours in the desert!) We're still on track for our two nights in SLC for the major Browncoat shindig. :)
Crossing the Mississippi
Sat June 9 - Leaving Indiana early, we crossed into Illinois. Still saw lots and lots of farmland, rolling hills and fields of corn, soy and other crops. We crossed our first time zone line into Central Time (a bit disappointed that there was no marker or indication of it.) We stopped at a Tourist Information Center just inside Illinois and talked with the agent there. Her name was Molly, and she was a hoot! So friendly and helpful, she let me behind the counter to take a picture of the white squirrel poster - Olney, IL, the home of a population of white squirrels (albino grey squirrels) that are protected (they have the right of way in traffic) as well as celebrated. She also gave us a bottle from Route 66 Beer (root beer) since we were near the beginning of the historic Route 66. That was especially meaningful, since we'll be living near the other end of Route 66 in California! She talked our ear off before we were able to leave, but was just so nice, we felt very welcome. Other major events for us were spotting the world's largest catsup bottle and world's largest free-standing cross (Collinsville and Effingham, respectively.)
We took a slight detour through St. Louis to get a peek at the Gateway Arch - Lil' BC tried to jump into the Mississippi while Carol was shooting the picture - guess he doesn't appreciate the fact our car's AC doesn't work - it's getting a bit warm. We continued through Missouri, and stopped at another Tourist Information center. This time, we found an older gentleman who was, oddly enough, an avid Red Sox fan! (small world, eh?) He regaled us with stories of trips to Boston with his grandkids - wonder if talkativeness is a requirement for the Tourist Centers? He was fun, though.
We arrived in Kansas City, MO about dinner time (today's drive was one of our longest for the trip) and were treated to - of course - barbecue! We crossed over into Kansas to a place called Brobeck's for some of the best baby back ribs and burnt ends (BBQ beef brisket) we'd ever had. We topped off the evening with some homemade cobbler and another viewing of "The Court Jester"with our friends.
We took a slight detour through St. Louis to get a peek at the Gateway Arch - Lil' BC tried to jump into the Mississippi while Carol was shooting the picture - guess he doesn't appreciate the fact our car's AC doesn't work - it's getting a bit warm. We continued through Missouri, and stopped at another Tourist Information center. This time, we found an older gentleman who was, oddly enough, an avid Red Sox fan! (small world, eh?) He regaled us with stories of trips to Boston with his grandkids - wonder if talkativeness is a requirement for the Tourist Centers? He was fun, though.
We arrived in Kansas City, MO about dinner time (today's drive was one of our longest for the trip) and were treated to - of course - barbecue! We crossed over into Kansas to a place called Brobeck's for some of the best baby back ribs and burnt ends (BBQ beef brisket) we'd ever had. We topped off the evening with some homemade cobbler and another viewing of "The Court Jester"with our friends.
Friday, June 8, 2012
Heartland
Thu & Fri Jun 7 & 8 - We had no idea that our friends lived in such a rural area! After a jaunt through Indianapolis (for the requisite Hard Rock Cafe t-shirts) we drove north into serious farmland. It was interesting to see how the roads were numbered and laid out in one-mile grids. The corn is still very short, as we are early in the growing season, apparently, so visibility was amazingly far. Our friends had bought an old farmhouse and had done some serious remodeling and renovating - it was gorgeous! We got the full tour, and relaxed, catching up with our friends. As it got dark, we enjoyed seeing the fireflies and listening to the SILENCE - not a hint of traffic noise, and sooo many stars!!
The only down side to today's travels was that Fred (our plant) was seriously wilted by the afternoon heat in the car. After some discussion, we decided to leave Fred with our friends (as foster plant parents) for his survival's sake. After a hearty breakfast, we set off to another friends' house. This time, the house was in a more suburban area, but still lovely and relaxing.
One amusing thing we noted on the drive - we saw a number of sets of signs and sights in odd juxtaposition - like the "No Passing" sign next to the graveyard...
The only down side to today's travels was that Fred (our plant) was seriously wilted by the afternoon heat in the car. After some discussion, we decided to leave Fred with our friends (as foster plant parents) for his survival's sake. After a hearty breakfast, we set off to another friends' house. This time, the house was in a more suburban area, but still lovely and relaxing.
One amusing thing we noted on the drive - we saw a number of sets of signs and sights in odd juxtaposition - like the "No Passing" sign next to the graveyard...
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Blue skies, finally!
Wed June 6 - A beautiful morning, blue skies and sunshine, as we drove through more rolling farmland of Ohio. We saw a giant wicker basket, which turned out to be the home of Longaberger. As we passed Columbus, all of a sudden, the land was flat as far as we could see. Shortly after entering Indiana, we realized that we'd already driven 1000 miles - almost 1/4 of the way already! We made it to our friends' home in the early afternoon, and enjoyed a relaxing afternoon and evening.
Through Amish Country
Tue June 5 - We set out this morning heading westward through the rolling farmland of Pennsylvania. We wove through the Allegheny Mountains, and several looooonng tunnels. We made a slight detour (and several circles through downtown) to Pittsburgh to pick up our Hard Rock Cafe t-shirts. We were amused to see that Pittsburgh had two funicular (elevated tram cablecars on their hills) just like the one in Orvieto, Italy. We also discovered that natives of Pittsburgh call themselves (no joke) Pittsburghers.
Heading west into Ohio, (after a brief 10 minute passage through West Virginia) we drove though more farmland and lake country. After arriving at our next stop, our friends took us to an Amish restaurant - great broasted chicken, and especially good was the peanut butter/honey spread they had on the tables.
Heading west into Ohio, (after a brief 10 minute passage through West Virginia) we drove though more farmland and lake country. After arriving at our next stop, our friends took us to an Amish restaurant - great broasted chicken, and especially good was the peanut butter/honey spread they had on the tables.
Westward Ho!
Mon June 4 - after tossing a few last minute things in the pod, we headed west. We got to New York City in time for lunch with Len's son Ryan. He took us to John's Pizza in Greenwich Village - awesome authentic New York pizza. After lunch, we grabbed some New York bagels and cream cheeses. Even though it was only half a dozen blocks or so in New York City traffic to get into the Holland Tunnel, it was MORE than enough of an 'experience' to make us glad to be on the highway.
We made it unscathed through the Holland Tunnel and continued west - through New Jersey and into Pennsylvania. Despite off and on drizzle we made it safely to our first stop. We shared a lovely dinner with our friends, and watched "The Court Jester."
We made it unscathed through the Holland Tunnel and continued west - through New Jersey and into Pennsylvania. Despite off and on drizzle we made it safely to our first stop. We shared a lovely dinner with our friends, and watched "The Court Jester."
Saturday, June 2, 2012
The Migration is about to begin...
It's almost all packed - laundry is done, addresses changed, farewells said.
Now just to try and regain a bit of our energy for the 4200 mile drive. Thankfully, we have a route planned that will hopefully allow that, as well as time to relax and refresh with friends.
Now just to try and regain a bit of our energy for the 4200 mile drive. Thankfully, we have a route planned that will hopefully allow that, as well as time to relax and refresh with friends.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Yea, Verily, Yea
A friend of mine just popped her head into the door of the IT helpdesk to check if I was still here. We chatted for a moment and as she turned to leave, she remarked "I'll always think of Danny Kaye when I think of you." We both giggled, remembering the movie that I had introduced her to - 'The Court Jester', starring Danny Kaye.
If you haven't seen it - you NEED to - it's one of the finest classic comedies ever made. I haven't yet met a person who doesn't love it.
And it fits exactly how I feel at the moment.
Without giving too many spoilers, there's a sequence where Danny Kaye is rushed through a series of trials, and after each one, the knights affirm the completion of the test by saying "Yea, verily, yea." Poor Danny Kaye is dazed and befuddled by the whirlwind of events (as those of us watching laugh hysterically, while relating to his bewilderment.)
"Are we almost done packing?" "Yea, verily, yea"
"Are loose ends getting tied up?" "Yea, verily, yea"
--
If you haven't seen it - you NEED to - it's one of the finest classic comedies ever made. I haven't yet met a person who doesn't love it.
And it fits exactly how I feel at the moment.
Without giving too many spoilers, there's a sequence where Danny Kaye is rushed through a series of trials, and after each one, the knights affirm the completion of the test by saying "Yea, verily, yea." Poor Danny Kaye is dazed and befuddled by the whirlwind of events (as those of us watching laugh hysterically, while relating to his bewilderment.)
"Are we almost done packing?" "Yea, verily, yea"
"Are loose ends getting tied up?" "Yea, verily, yea"
--
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
The cardboard is winning
I really had no idea we had so many books - and these are just the ones we accumulated in the past six years while we were here in seminary. Of course, we also have books we read for pleasure, but I am in awe at the size of our library. Almost all of it is in boxes - now to get it downstairs to the pods, which arrived this morning. They look so SMALL! Crossing fingers we can get everything in.
I've been doing battle with cardboard boxes - and I'm afraid the cardboard is winning! Almost every square foot of floor space (and counter) has at least one cardboard box on it. I have to remember to leave space for walking - oh yes, and there's a bed somewhere underneath the stacks in the bedroom. Hope I can get some friends to help me get them downstairs - this morning I tried carrying a (fortunately empty) box downstairs, and it ended up at the bottom of the landing - luckily I DIDN'T, but it was close. *sigh*
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I've been doing battle with cardboard boxes - and I'm afraid the cardboard is winning! Almost every square foot of floor space (and counter) has at least one cardboard box on it. I have to remember to leave space for walking - oh yes, and there's a bed somewhere underneath the stacks in the bedroom. Hope I can get some friends to help me get them downstairs - this morning I tried carrying a (fortunately empty) box downstairs, and it ended up at the bottom of the landing - luckily I DIDN'T, but it was close. *sigh*
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Friday, May 11, 2012
And so it begins
Pre-trip planning and organizing and packing. It's really happening.
All my organizational tendencies are in full swing - the route mapped out, 'reservations' made with friends and family along the way. It's a strange feeling to be filling out change of address forms for an apartment I've never actually seen yet. Talk about going to "a land that I will show you!"
I have lists, spreadsheets, reminders, maps and guidebooks. Timing is crucial, scheduling get-togethers with family and friends in between weeding out what we're really taking with us and what needs to go, and then packing it. I'm grateful that we'll have help getting things down the stairs into the pods - my new progressive lenses make it challenging to get down the stairs in a vertical position - let alone carrying anything.
I'm planning on doing a photo journal of this adventure, and I want to get some good pictures of our 'starting zone' before we head out. Our Lil' BC stunt double (tm) will be featured prominently in many of the photos (for those who don't know, Lil' BC is the mascot of our guild the Browncoats in World of Warcraft.) I'm making yet another list now of the places I don't want to miss.
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