We've been everywhere

Last day was a long drive through KY and IN into MI. Finally a breakfast at a Waffle House! Best part of today's travels was 4 antique malls one outside of Bowling Green KY and 3 on the square in Scottsburg IN. While in Scottsburg as the county courthouse was chiming the hour, My Old Kentucky Home was playing,

Wind still very gusty and then rain as we came into MI and what a temp drop once we made or last gas stop at a BP in northern IN off I-69

Didn't realize how many towns have the same name in one form or another--Memphis, Adrian, Goshen, Las Vegas, Boston, Flat Rock, Mason, Canada, N. Canada,Windsor, Bowling Green, and more that my tired mind can't recall.




Adios amigos!

Where in the United States are T&L+C?

As we hit the road in the rain--and dodged tornado warnings, sirens going off an roads we couldn't see
--A. we saw the favorite estate of a king
--B the strip where it happens
--C. Music highway
--D.legend in radio and music history
--E. another nightlife strip


The pictures tell the story for today

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North, south, east, west

Crosswinds all day until we got rain. 3 hours at dealership to say can't find a brake problem. On the road and after a misread of the map headed the opposite direction on a turnpike,
we made the decision to skip the museum. Stopped briefly at 2 antique places and the Seminole Nation Crosswinds casino. None of the stops were productive.
Louise decided the vehicle was acting up since it knew we were on the way home and didn't want to go.
Passed one lake in OK that looked like the red sea with white caps. Once in AR we got sneak peaks at lakes.
Another day of doing nothing but road warrioring. Next trip willl need a pre-req of a passing grade in map reading 101.
The pix tell it all.
The lady at the reataurant asked if we were in town for the Toad Suck Daze in Conroy AR! What did she say?
It's a fund raiser for scholarships.

Weather channel has a rain forecast and hopefully we will be on the edge and miss most of it.

On the road again!

Monday was a day for driving, driving, driving! Backtracked along highway 58 past Boron and the 20 mule team road and borox road. Caught up with I-40 at Barstow and headed to Needles. Lots of motorcyclists on their way back from a river run at Laughlin. Finally a restroom where the men were standing in line.
Drove through Needles which needs a whole urban renewal of "downtown". The old train station looks like it might have been the glamour spot along the Santa Fe lines. It is a skeleton now but fenced in so perhaps plans are underway for renovation.
Traffic has been light and we shared the countryside with the rail lines pulled by BNSF, Santa Fe and Union Pacific engines. Most were pulling flatbeds full of containers.
Drove through downtown Williams Az which is in much better shape than Needles--at least it had stores that were open.
Now at the hotel where some amigos are kicking back with "blue kool-aid"
Back on I-40 tomorrow to as far as we can get with a stop at another casino and some tourist traps and hopefully an antique store.

From the redwood forests

Saturday morning after breakfasting with the homeless kids outside Jack in the Box we visited the Monterey Bay Aquarium. It seems to have doubled in size since last seen in 1995. We saw South African penguins, tuna, star fish, anemones, jelly fish, turtles, sea lions, and more.
The area around it has been rebuilt and will be a tourist area with restaurants, souvenir shops, clothes stores etc--probably to give Carmel a run for the money. Several chocolate shops and we just had to buy something. The chocolate covered strawberry was great.
Twisted around the roads a bit until back to 1 south to Carmel by the Sea. Nope we didn't see Clint or Doris. Drove down to the beach and then up to Eighth and Mission to a prepay parking lot. Walked along the main shopping street and ate in a bakery that's been in business since 1906!
Visited Lush store and came out with a quarter pound of soap for $8.95 passed the COACH store.
Headed back to 1 to continue up to Santa Cruz. along the way we saw the working prt of the penninsula with fields or artichokes--just weeks from the castroville artichoke festival; and fields and fields of strawberries.
Got a room and then went to see the boardwalk but parking was impossible.
Headed on to Henry Cowell State Park to see the redwoods and took about a mile hike. Yes, that's right we hiked a trail around the redwoods. beside the redwoods all we saw was a Stellar Jaw and a squirrel, though there was a sign warning about mountain lion.
Back to the boardwalk amusement park to ride the Looff carousel. This carousel has the original Wurlitzer "band". Louise was standing on the boardwalk to take photos, but once her bottom was pinched she decided to visit us at the carousel. The attendant was passing out "brass" rings to those of us on the outside horse. Thelma was able to toss hers through the clown's mouth. On the way out Carol bought a container of fresh California strawberries that we enjoyed for desert with chessecake once we returned from dinner at the santa cruz diner. Gas at $3.91 and lottery tickets were again a loss.

Weds. April 23 Grand Canyon

Light traffic to the canyon. Took some detours to continue on Route 66. We have all driven part of Route 66!
Took 64 up to the canyon, some construction and traffic was light on a very good road. Didn't see any elk though the crossing signs were posted.
Wind very strong and temps only in the 60's
Parking lot was full and we parked on the side of the roadway. Got out and walked over a mile of the south rim. Severeal people lost hats due to the wind. More green seen this time than when Thelma and Carol had been there before. Could see parts of the Colorado River.
Along the roadways we saw many washes with names like Peacock, Rattlesnake, Sandy basin. The little colorado river was half water and half sand bars.
Hit the gift shops and found lots of goodies.
Back on I-40 we continued on to Nevada. Finally saw cacti in bloom on 93 heading to Hoover Dam. We didn't get pulled over at the police check point--must have been our age! Over the Hoover Dam was amazing and the new high bridge will be stunning.
Louise drove across the dam!
On to sin city bright and early Thursday.

Tuesday April 22 EARTH DAY

Breakfast at the hotel and on the road again. Left Las Vegas New Mexico headed for Santa Fe.
Took part of Route 66 into town. Parked and saw old town and the cathedral as well as gift shops.
Back onto I-25 heading towards Albuquerque left highway again to take Route 66 into town. Signs marked Pre-1937 Route 66.
Caught up to I-40 just west of the city and headed to Sky High Casino to drop Carol off for some slots action. Thelma and Louise
took off to Acoma pueblo for a tour of the pueblo on top of a mesa. Great mission church built back in the 1600's
had to purchase camera pass in order to take any photos. We couldn't take pictures of the stone fenced graveyard that is at least 4 layers deep and only open now for veterans
or tribe elders; or inside the mission. The site is the oldest inhabited native american community. The mission church in true fashion of the conquering Spaniards was built on top of a kiva.
The walls are 9 feet thick narrowing to 5 feet at the top. The interior is 40 feet high. They used ponderosa pine for the beams and had to carry the logs from quite a distance and then
up to the missson.Interior has some old lithographs of the stations of the cross and a few old paintings, one on a buffalo hide. After a revolt the church was somewhat restored by 2 priests in the
early 1800's, painting sides of the altar area with saints. A statue of St Stephen holds center position and was carved especially for the mission.
As usual the indians were treated as slaves and many were sent away to Mexico to act as servants.
Picked up Carol and got a coupon for $10 of free gas--gas was $3.49 a gallon so it didn't go far.
Crossed the Continental divide. Changed to pacific time in AZ.
Continued on to Holbrook AZ for the night.
Traffic has been very light including trucks--maybe it's the time of year and the price of gas.