Yesterday, we left Galveston Island via ferry boat. The alternative was to drive back the way we came and go around Galveston Bay. We stopped at the ferry dock in hopes of finding a shortcut to Hwy. 87 which in fact it was. Took us across the bay and dumped us right where we wanted to be. Cost: Free.
We drove on through Texas until lunch time and were headed for a Denny's when we spotted Al T's cajun restraunt. The sign in front announced that they had mud bugs available. We have searched the bredth of Texas in search of a "good" local restraunt (see earlier adventure at Bill Miller's Texas Bar-B-Que). This was to be our last chance before leaving the State, and it paid off.
I was all set for some mud bugs until I got a look at the menu. Al-T's special included salad, two kinds of gumbo (shrimp and chicken & sausage), etoffee, bodin sausage, fried catfish, alligator, oysters and shrimp, stuffed crab, cole slaw and red beans & rice. That's for me! Howard studied the menu for longer than I have ever seen him do in the past (and that's a pretty long time. The waitress had to come back three times before he selected bacon wrapped shrimp. Mine came on two platters, plus a separate plate for the salad. I ate all the shrimp, oysters, alligator and catfish, the stuffed crab, and about half of the gumbos, red beans and rice, cole slaw and bodin (which appears to be a sausage casing about 9" long filled with rice and spices. I also ate all the salad. Howard enjoyed his shrimp and we both endured the disbelieving looks we got from the other customers. Great food at last!
Soon thereafter, we crossed the border into Louisiana. The terrain changed almost immediately. Still lots of greenery and a whole lot of water. Bayous, rivers, swamps, tall trees, really pretty country. Tonight we will camp at a Louisiana State Park near Lake Charles.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Friday, March 30, 2012
Day 11
Today we drove to Galveston, TX and camped at a State Park on Galveston Island. We chased rain storms all day but never caught up. Our campsite was on the shore of a recently created lake (created by the rain which must have gone on for 40 days before we arrived. It didn't rain anymore while we were there, but we had fun stumbling around in the puddles. The terrain has changed markedly. Everything is green and the fields look ready for planting. We passed lots of rice fields. Lots of small towns with some interesting houses. Much better looking area than we've been in so far.
Last night a mosquito got into my tent. I'm one of those people who can't stand to have insects invade my space so.... wait a minute, what am I doing. I'm wasting a perfectly good story for want of a few details. He was a big Texas mosquito. He could have stood flat-footed and fucked a turkey. He unzipped my tent and walked in. I could see right away that he was looking for trouble. He had red eyes and dripping fangs. He made a thrust which I caught deftly on my rapier (glad I remembered to pack my rapier). Cyrano like, I composed a ballad as we fought (well a limerick anyway). He was no match for the greatest swordsman in France and it was soon over. I've decided to have him mounted so I can hang him over the fireplace in the library. (Note to family: sorry, I know I've used the turkey metaphor before, but it seemed appropriate here).
Today we drove to Galveston, TX and camped at a State Park on Galveston Island. We chased rain storms all day but never caught up. Our campsite was on the shore of a recently created lake (created by the rain which must have gone on for 40 days before we arrived. It didn't rain anymore while we were there, but we had fun stumbling around in the puddles. The terrain has changed markedly. Everything is green and the fields look ready for planting. We passed lots of rice fields. Lots of small towns with some interesting houses. Much better looking area than we've been in so far.
Last night a mosquito got into my tent. I'm one of those people who can't stand to have insects invade my space so.... wait a minute, what am I doing. I'm wasting a perfectly good story for want of a few details. He was a big Texas mosquito. He could have stood flat-footed and fucked a turkey. He unzipped my tent and walked in. I could see right away that he was looking for trouble. He had red eyes and dripping fangs. He made a thrust which I caught deftly on my rapier (glad I remembered to pack my rapier). Cyrano like, I composed a ballad as we fought (well a limerick anyway). He was no match for the greatest swordsman in France and it was soon over. I've decided to have him mounted so I can hang him over the fireplace in the library. (Note to family: sorry, I know I've used the turkey metaphor before, but it seemed appropriate here).
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Editorial Comments:
You're going to notice some gaps in reporting here. If there is no internet service where we spend the night, I have to write the text and post it the next time we reach civilization. Frequently, this means writing on battery power, in dim or non-existant light. Therefore, in my own defense, I make a lot of mistakes. (Oh OK, I make a lot of mistakes in bright light too). Also, I lost track of the days back there and have tried to correct the posts retroactively. Good luck keeping track. I've failed miserably.
You're going to notice some gaps in reporting here. If there is no internet service where we spend the night, I have to write the text and post it the next time we reach civilization. Frequently, this means writing on battery power, in dim or non-existant light. Therefore, in my own defense, I make a lot of mistakes. (Oh OK, I make a lot of mistakes in bright light too). Also, I lost track of the days back there and have tried to correct the posts retroactively. Good luck keeping track. I've failed miserably.
Day 10
This morning we went to breakfast at the local IHOP with Stephanie and Jillian. Jilli was a little under the weather with a cold or allergy’s, but she is such a happy little thing it didn’t seem to bother her. She ordered a big smiley face pancake, but when it got o the table, decided it wasn’t what she wanted after all. Instead she had French fries. Later, we stopped by Wal Mart to say hello to Kelly. They are right in the middle of inventory and had just had a power failure, so she was scrambling, but we had a brief visit. Always good to see her. She looks good and Texas seems to agree with her.
When we said goodbye, Jill was surprised and started to cry. My visits are usually longer and I’m afraid such a short stay upset her. She is such a delight to her old grandpa, I hope she is feeling better now.
From Copperas Cove, we drove straight to Corpus Christi with one stop for lunch at a bar-b-que place. Texas is not noted for fine dining and this place proved why. Not bad food, just mediocre so I guess we were lucky. I’ve always been a fan of mystery meat and was pleased with the unrecognizable stuff on the bar-b-que sandwich. It had sort of a meaty texture and appeared to be spread able. No identifiable meat flavor, but what the hell, better living through chemistry.
A brief word of apology to the families of the insects we slaughtered on our drive through Texas. They grow ‘em big and juicy down here and the van cuts quite a swath. From the front, it appears to have taken on a different color, a kind of brownish yellow with occasional streaks of red and orange. Very attractive. I will leave out a description of the texture out of respect for your delicate sensibilities. Dear reader.
Tonight we camped on Padre Island, near Corpus Christi Texas. Padre Island is a barrier island (the longest in the world. We camped at the National Seashore on the Gulf of Mexico side. Nice campground, but cold showers. Weather is warm with a steady breeze blowing in off the Gulf. No fire ring, so we just sat up and talked for a while, played some cards and toddled off to bed. Spent a restful night.
The National Seashore is on and undeveloped part of the Island. It is pretty large and not particularly crowded. Home to many different species of birds. There have been almost 400 different species spotted this year. The drought has dried up most of the wetlands. Tomorrow we head for Galveston.
This morning we went to breakfast at the local IHOP with Stephanie and Jillian. Jilli was a little under the weather with a cold or allergy’s, but she is such a happy little thing it didn’t seem to bother her. She ordered a big smiley face pancake, but when it got o the table, decided it wasn’t what she wanted after all. Instead she had French fries. Later, we stopped by Wal Mart to say hello to Kelly. They are right in the middle of inventory and had just had a power failure, so she was scrambling, but we had a brief visit. Always good to see her. She looks good and Texas seems to agree with her.
When we said goodbye, Jill was surprised and started to cry. My visits are usually longer and I’m afraid such a short stay upset her. She is such a delight to her old grandpa, I hope she is feeling better now.
From Copperas Cove, we drove straight to Corpus Christi with one stop for lunch at a bar-b-que place. Texas is not noted for fine dining and this place proved why. Not bad food, just mediocre so I guess we were lucky. I’ve always been a fan of mystery meat and was pleased with the unrecognizable stuff on the bar-b-que sandwich. It had sort of a meaty texture and appeared to be spread able. No identifiable meat flavor, but what the hell, better living through chemistry.
A brief word of apology to the families of the insects we slaughtered on our drive through Texas. They grow ‘em big and juicy down here and the van cuts quite a swath. From the front, it appears to have taken on a different color, a kind of brownish yellow with occasional streaks of red and orange. Very attractive. I will leave out a description of the texture out of respect for your delicate sensibilities. Dear reader.
Tonight we camped on Padre Island, near Corpus Christi Texas. Padre Island is a barrier island (the longest in the world. We camped at the National Seashore on the Gulf of Mexico side. Nice campground, but cold showers. Weather is warm with a steady breeze blowing in off the Gulf. No fire ring, so we just sat up and talked for a while, played some cards and toddled off to bed. Spent a restful night.
The National Seashore is on and undeveloped part of the Island. It is pretty large and not particularly crowded. Home to many different species of birds. There have been almost 400 different species spotted this year. The drought has dried up most of the wetlands. Tomorrow we head for Galveston.
Day 9
Last night we camped in a really nice KOA facility north of Carlsbad, NM. We enjoyed a soak in the hot tub then returned to camp for our light supper of soup and salad. Again, sat up aground the camp fire and talked. It’s colder here so bed a little earlier. We spent the day driving the 600 miles to my daughter Stephanie’s. Took a little over 10 hours with stops only for gas and fast food. No adventures. Good news: we left the desert scenery behind and drove into the West Texas hill country. It’s progressively green as you drive east and there are lots of wild flowers carpeting some of the meadows and along the highway middle separation. Pink, yellow, purple… just beautiful and a welcome sight after the long days of brown and grey. We arrived at Stephanie’s a little before 10 pm. Jillian (my three year old grand daughter) was still up and we had a brief visit with her and Stephanie and Ian before we went to bed.
OOPS... I guess I published this one twice. It was barely worth writing in the first place.
Last night we camped in a really nice KOA facility north of Carlsbad, NM. We enjoyed a soak in the hot tub then returned to camp for our light supper of soup and salad. Again, sat up aground the camp fire and talked. It’s colder here so bed a little earlier. We spent the day driving the 600 miles to my daughter Stephanie’s. Took a little over 10 hours with stops only for gas and fast food. No adventures. Good news: we left the desert scenery behind and drove into the West Texas hill country. It’s progressively green as you drive east and there are lots of wild flowers carpeting some of the meadows and along the highway middle separation. Pink, yellow, purple… just beautiful and a welcome sight after the long days of brown and grey. We arrived at Stephanie’s a little before 10 pm. Jillian (my three year old grand daughter) was still up and we had a brief visit with her and Stephanie and Ian before we went to bed.
OOPS... I guess I published this one twice. It was barely worth writing in the first place.
Day 9
Last night we camped in a really nice KOA facility north of Carlsbad, NM. We enjoyed a soak in the hot tub then returned to camp for our light supper of soup and salad. Again, sat up aground the camp fire and talked. It’s colder here so bed a little earlier. We spent the day driving the 600 miles to my daughter Stephanie’s. Took a little over 10 hours with stops only for gas and fast food. No adventures. Good news: we left the desert scenery behind and drove into the West Texas hill country. It’s progressively green as you drive east and there are lots of wild flowers carpeting some of the meadows and along the highway middle separation. Pink, yellow, purple… just beautiful and a welcome sight after the long days of brown and grey. We arrived at Stephanie’s a little before 10 pm. Jillian (my three year old grand daughter) was still up and we had a brief visit with her and Stephanie and Ian before we went to bed.
Last night we camped in a really nice KOA facility north of Carlsbad, NM. We enjoyed a soak in the hot tub then returned to camp for our light supper of soup and salad. Again, sat up aground the camp fire and talked. It’s colder here so bed a little earlier. We spent the day driving the 600 miles to my daughter Stephanie’s. Took a little over 10 hours with stops only for gas and fast food. No adventures. Good news: we left the desert scenery behind and drove into the West Texas hill country. It’s progressively green as you drive east and there are lots of wild flowers carpeting some of the meadows and along the highway middle separation. Pink, yellow, purple… just beautiful and a welcome sight after the long days of brown and grey. We arrived at Stephanie’s a little before 10 pm. Jillian (my three year old grand daughter) was still up and we had a brief visit with her and Stephanie and Ian before we went to bed.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Day 8
Today we went to visit the Carlsbad Caverns. I've seen them before but Howard never has. They are a spectacular place to see. The Big Room is 700 feet under ground and the are deeper caverns are down 1,000 feet. Over eons the caverns were eaten out of the stone by acids and then they are filled with calcium deposits in the form of gigantic stalactites and stalagmites. Really amazing. Tonight we are camped in a park in Carlsbad, NM. Tomorrow, on to Texas.
Today we went to visit the Carlsbad Caverns. I've seen them before but Howard never has. They are a spectacular place to see. The Big Room is 700 feet under ground and the are deeper caverns are down 1,000 feet. Over eons the caverns were eaten out of the stone by acids and then they are filled with calcium deposits in the form of gigantic stalactites and stalagmites. Really amazing. Tonight we are camped in a park in Carlsbad, NM. Tomorrow, on to Texas.
Day 7
The thing about traveling in this part of the great American desert is, it’s big and there’s a whole lot of nothing out here. We had planned to spend a couple of hours a day driving and camp every night. However, there are no campgrounds. Nobody wants to camp here. There are lots of RV Parks, but they are for people who want a place to park their motor homes, plug in, cook and eat dinner, watch a little TV and go to sleep.. They are not interested in spending anymore time in Brenda, AZ. Come morning, they’re on their way. Campers on the other hand like to build fires, sit outside and enjoy nature. RV parks don’t allow fires and there’s no place to sit outside. The best way to enjoy this country is get through it as quickly as possible. That’s my long way of explaining how we got from Phoenix, AZ to Las Cruces, NM in one day.
I said there was nothing out here. That wasn’t quite true. There are billboards. More billboards than cactus. They guide you to food, rest, furniture, lawyers. Pretty nearly everything you could want. We pay attention to them. Spotted one which invited us to “SEE THE THING”. It was ahead at exit 322. We were at exit 4. There must have been a thousand more of those billboards along the way. So we stopped, had a delicious lunch at the Diary Queen THE THING shares a parking lot with, paid our dollar and went in tho see it. My mother would always refer to these roadside amusements as “traps build by knaves to catch fools”. Well, she had never seen THE THING. Her saying is an insult to fools. Fools would never be drawn in to see THE THING. Any way, we saw it. I could tell you what it is, but you might want to stop someday yourself and I wouldn’t want to spoil the surprise.
The thing about traveling in this part of the great American desert is, it’s big and there’s a whole lot of nothing out here. We had planned to spend a couple of hours a day driving and camp every night. However, there are no campgrounds. Nobody wants to camp here. There are lots of RV Parks, but they are for people who want a place to park their motor homes, plug in, cook and eat dinner, watch a little TV and go to sleep.. They are not interested in spending anymore time in Brenda, AZ. Come morning, they’re on their way. Campers on the other hand like to build fires, sit outside and enjoy nature. RV parks don’t allow fires and there’s no place to sit outside. The best way to enjoy this country is get through it as quickly as possible. That’s my long way of explaining how we got from Phoenix, AZ to Las Cruces, NM in one day.
I said there was nothing out here. That wasn’t quite true. There are billboards. More billboards than cactus. They guide you to food, rest, furniture, lawyers. Pretty nearly everything you could want. We pay attention to them. Spotted one which invited us to “SEE THE THING”. It was ahead at exit 322. We were at exit 4. There must have been a thousand more of those billboards along the way. So we stopped, had a delicious lunch at the Diary Queen THE THING shares a parking lot with, paid our dollar and went in tho see it. My mother would always refer to these roadside amusements as “traps build by knaves to catch fools”. Well, she had never seen THE THING. Her saying is an insult to fools. Fools would never be drawn in to see THE THING. Any way, we saw it. I could tell you what it is, but you might want to stop someday yourself and I wouldn’t want to spoil the surprise.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Day 6
We are rolling like a hunch back doing somersaults! Made it all the way to Phoenix. We hit Intestate 10, stopped in Riverside to visit Beverly's father in the hospital and continued east. On the way we saw a sign for the Joshua Tree National Park. I've passed it by many times. Anyone who has ever driven Hwy. 395 has seen a Joshua tree. I've seen lots of them. Didn't care if I ever saw any more. BUT.. this trip is supposed to be an adventure, and we are both big supporters of the National Park. Figured we might as well see it so we turned off on Hwy. 62 heading for the park entrance. First thing we came upon was the Highway 62 Diner. Looked like a fine eating establishment so we stopped for lunch. Actually it was pretty good.
Then on to the park. It was a good idea. The Joshua trees looked somehow better than the ones I've seen on 395. Perhaps they do something to them (clean, prune, talk to). They're green and there are a lot of them. The mountains in the park are really different. They look like big piles of rubble. The park literature explained that they are formed of magma which up wells and cools before it breaks through the surface. In cooling it cracks and once the rock emerges the weather goes to work on the cracks and produces large jumbles of rubble. Really unique formations in my experience. There's a picture above of some of the rock which is just emerging posted below.
The drive along Interstate 10 is gorgeous if you appreciate wastelands - lots of wastelands. There are miles and miles of nothing. For two guys who are not big fans of desert landscapes it's a pretty boring drive. Since there was no reason to stop, we pressed on to Phoenix.
I called my grand daughter Blyth, who lives in Mesa, and she and her boyfriend Ryan met us for a late supper and a quick visit. I always enjoy seeing any of my grand kids and she's no exception. She is so bright and enthusiastic it's fun to be with her. We gave a brief update on our travels and once we decide if we're staying in Phoenix (spring training, fun, rest), we'll try to get together again.
We are rolling like a hunch back doing somersaults! Made it all the way to Phoenix. We hit Intestate 10, stopped in Riverside to visit Beverly's father in the hospital and continued east. On the way we saw a sign for the Joshua Tree National Park. I've passed it by many times. Anyone who has ever driven Hwy. 395 has seen a Joshua tree. I've seen lots of them. Didn't care if I ever saw any more. BUT.. this trip is supposed to be an adventure, and we are both big supporters of the National Park. Figured we might as well see it so we turned off on Hwy. 62 heading for the park entrance. First thing we came upon was the Highway 62 Diner. Looked like a fine eating establishment so we stopped for lunch. Actually it was pretty good.
Then on to the park. It was a good idea. The Joshua trees looked somehow better than the ones I've seen on 395. Perhaps they do something to them (clean, prune, talk to). They're green and there are a lot of them. The mountains in the park are really different. They look like big piles of rubble. The park literature explained that they are formed of magma which up wells and cools before it breaks through the surface. In cooling it cracks and once the rock emerges the weather goes to work on the cracks and produces large jumbles of rubble. Really unique formations in my experience. There's a picture above of some of the rock which is just emerging posted below.
The drive along Interstate 10 is gorgeous if you appreciate wastelands - lots of wastelands. There are miles and miles of nothing. For two guys who are not big fans of desert landscapes it's a pretty boring drive. Since there was no reason to stop, we pressed on to Phoenix.
I called my grand daughter Blyth, who lives in Mesa, and she and her boyfriend Ryan met us for a late supper and a quick visit. I always enjoy seeing any of my grand kids and she's no exception. She is so bright and enthusiastic it's fun to be with her. We gave a brief update on our travels and once we decide if we're staying in Phoenix (spring training, fun, rest), we'll try to get together again.
Friday, March 23, 2012
Day 5
After breakfast and a shower we broke camp and drove south to our old stomping grounds, the lush, sub-tropical San Fernando Valley. This day was spent visiting family and friends, of whom we have many here abouts. Howard stopped in to see his mother in Woodland Hills. She is in a nice home, and although age is having it's usual effects, she is well cared for and enjoys seeing her son whenever he comes. Bravo Howard, a lot of son's wouldn't make the trip as often as he does, and although she is a little confused sometimes, she knows he's been to see her.
We met our fraternity brother Richard Sparks for lunch and a couple of game so cribbage. Lunch was an all-you-can-eat buffet at a Mexican restaurant, so we got that out of the way for the day. Next came a stop at my daughter Eleise's house. We spent some time catching up with Eleise, Bryon and my grandsons Tristan and Dexter. From there, on to daughter Erin's. Her husband Ric was at work, but we saw Jonathan, Devin, Alyxon and Erin. Would like to have spent more time, but this visit was brief by design and I'll get back soon. I didn't get to see my son Scott at all this time. He lives in downtown LA, and we just didn't want to go there. I'll see him next visit which I hope will be soon.
Dinner at an all-you-can-eat sushi place (OOPS) then off to the motel we checked into earlier. Tomorrow we head east.
After breakfast and a shower we broke camp and drove south to our old stomping grounds, the lush, sub-tropical San Fernando Valley. This day was spent visiting family and friends, of whom we have many here abouts. Howard stopped in to see his mother in Woodland Hills. She is in a nice home, and although age is having it's usual effects, she is well cared for and enjoys seeing her son whenever he comes. Bravo Howard, a lot of son's wouldn't make the trip as often as he does, and although she is a little confused sometimes, she knows he's been to see her.
We met our fraternity brother Richard Sparks for lunch and a couple of game so cribbage. Lunch was an all-you-can-eat buffet at a Mexican restaurant, so we got that out of the way for the day. Next came a stop at my daughter Eleise's house. We spent some time catching up with Eleise, Bryon and my grandsons Tristan and Dexter. From there, on to daughter Erin's. Her husband Ric was at work, but we saw Jonathan, Devin, Alyxon and Erin. Would like to have spent more time, but this visit was brief by design and I'll get back soon. I didn't get to see my son Scott at all this time. He lives in downtown LA, and we just didn't want to go there. I'll see him next visit which I hope will be soon.
Dinner at an all-you-can-eat sushi place (OOPS) then off to the motel we checked into earlier. Tomorrow we head east.
Day 4 (cont.)
We were able to score one of the last available campsites at Refugio State Park. This is one of my favorite campsites. Great beach, big campsites, and we got one of the best. Our first night camping. Refrigerator working we fixed dinner, built a fire and sat up and talked until bed time. I slept in my tent, Howard in the van.
I just want to say that California has it all. It's seems odd that we may have done our most scenic drive (Big Sur) and stayed at the best campground (Refugio) in the first two days of our drive. I know there's lots more to see and we are looking forward to it. If it doesn't get any better, that's OK.
We were able to score one of the last available campsites at Refugio State Park. This is one of my favorite campsites. Great beach, big campsites, and we got one of the best. Our first night camping. Refrigerator working we fixed dinner, built a fire and sat up and talked until bed time. I slept in my tent, Howard in the van.
I just want to say that California has it all. It's seems odd that we may have done our most scenic drive (Big Sur) and stayed at the best campground (Refugio) in the first two days of our drive. I know there's lots more to see and we are looking forward to it. If it doesn't get any better, that's OK.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Day 3
We are rolling! This morning we got up and loaded the van with all our worldly possessions and by 9 we were ready to pull out. GAESITM! We made it as far as the 3 Zero Café on Highway 1 (3 miles) where we stopped for breakfast. From there, on to Half Moon Bay (6 miles) to Ace Hardware to pick up some necessities. There is some risk here in that I’m not allowed in a hardware store without adult supervision (Howard is not suitable for this purpose). BUT, as God is my witness, we were in and out in 10 minutes. Stops at the bank, and by 11 we were leaving Half Moon Bay and on our way. We headed south on Hwy. 101. Then we decided to go back to Hwy 1 (more on this later) We wound up on one my favorite driving trips. Hwy. 1 through Carmel and Big Sur. If you haven’t made this trip you owe it to yourself. Beautiful day and miles and miles of some of the most spectacular coastal scenery in the world. When we got to Cambria, we found a suitable campground and went into town in search of a bar and a grocery store.
Found the bar, Mozzie’s, had a beer and Howard called some friends who live in Cambria. They invited us to join them for dinner and we accepted. Mike and Sherrie Weakley are a delightful couple. We enjoyed a great dinner with them at an excellent restraint in town. They invited us to stay with them for the night, and we decided to accept that invitation too. They have a beautiful house just outside of town and after a couple of games of pool with Mike, we turned in.
Now, here’s how we wound up back on Hwy. 1. We couldn’t get the refrigerator in the van started. Followed the directions to the letter and came up empty, despite multiple attempts and much profanity. Plan E, there is an RV place in Redwood City (off Hwy.101) and we went there after we left Half Moon Bay. The guy there came out, did everything we had already tried and pronounced the refrigerator dead. No idea how to make it work, but suggested another place in Los Osos. Thus Plan F and that beautiful trip down the coast.
As I think I‘ve mentioned, our plan is simple and we are in no hurry. The organized people of the world would be driven crazy by such laxity, but this is not the way we roll. I‘ve been calling this a road trip, but it‘s really a wander. Adventure awaits.
Day 4
Spent a restful night and Sherrie fixed us a great breakfast in the morning. We bid farewell to the Weakleys and were on our way by 9:30 another GAESITM. We found the place in Los Osos but they don’t do service and they sent us around the corner to see JC. Young guy who knows VW vans. He showed us the actual steps to starting the refrigerator, explained why they didn’t work and offered to fix the problem. OK, he’ll be done by 3 he says. So we spent the rest of the day in Los Osos. Enjoyed a big lunch at Round Table Pizza (all you can eat buffet). As a result we have added another rule: from now on, no more than one meal a day at a place that advertises All You Can Eat. It doesn’t work out well for the establishment and we can’t afford the calories.
We are rolling! This morning we got up and loaded the van with all our worldly possessions and by 9 we were ready to pull out. GAESITM! We made it as far as the 3 Zero Café on Highway 1 (3 miles) where we stopped for breakfast. From there, on to Half Moon Bay (6 miles) to Ace Hardware to pick up some necessities. There is some risk here in that I’m not allowed in a hardware store without adult supervision (Howard is not suitable for this purpose). BUT, as God is my witness, we were in and out in 10 minutes. Stops at the bank, and by 11 we were leaving Half Moon Bay and on our way. We headed south on Hwy. 101. Then we decided to go back to Hwy 1 (more on this later) We wound up on one my favorite driving trips. Hwy. 1 through Carmel and Big Sur. If you haven’t made this trip you owe it to yourself. Beautiful day and miles and miles of some of the most spectacular coastal scenery in the world. When we got to Cambria, we found a suitable campground and went into town in search of a bar and a grocery store.
Found the bar, Mozzie’s, had a beer and Howard called some friends who live in Cambria. They invited us to join them for dinner and we accepted. Mike and Sherrie Weakley are a delightful couple. We enjoyed a great dinner with them at an excellent restraint in town. They invited us to stay with them for the night, and we decided to accept that invitation too. They have a beautiful house just outside of town and after a couple of games of pool with Mike, we turned in.
Now, here’s how we wound up back on Hwy. 1. We couldn’t get the refrigerator in the van started. Followed the directions to the letter and came up empty, despite multiple attempts and much profanity. Plan E, there is an RV place in Redwood City (off Hwy.101) and we went there after we left Half Moon Bay. The guy there came out, did everything we had already tried and pronounced the refrigerator dead. No idea how to make it work, but suggested another place in Los Osos. Thus Plan F and that beautiful trip down the coast.
As I think I‘ve mentioned, our plan is simple and we are in no hurry. The organized people of the world would be driven crazy by such laxity, but this is not the way we roll. I‘ve been calling this a road trip, but it‘s really a wander. Adventure awaits.
Day 4
Spent a restful night and Sherrie fixed us a great breakfast in the morning. We bid farewell to the Weakleys and were on our way by 9:30 another GAESITM. We found the place in Los Osos but they don’t do service and they sent us around the corner to see JC. Young guy who knows VW vans. He showed us the actual steps to starting the refrigerator, explained why they didn’t work and offered to fix the problem. OK, he’ll be done by 3 he says. So we spent the rest of the day in Los Osos. Enjoyed a big lunch at Round Table Pizza (all you can eat buffet). As a result we have added another rule: from now on, no more than one meal a day at a place that advertises All You Can Eat. It doesn’t work out well for the establishment and we can’t afford the calories.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Day 2
Up at 6, ready to implement Plan B. First step... coffee, second step, load our stuff in the van. We didn't make it beyond coffee. Plan C: we'll come back and load our stuff after the oil change and tire replacement. Off to Half Moon Bay. Plan A and B included replacement of two tires. The garage guy pointed out the tread separations on the tires that were thought to be keepers and confirmed the fact that he didn't have suitable tires in stock. Good news - he had oil. Anyway, Plan D: we'll walk to a nearby coffee shop, have breakfast and call our friend Bill Gillespie to come pick us up. When the car is done, we'll return to the house, load it up and get an early start in the morning. For the sake of brevity, I'm going to invent an acronym here - GAESITM (get and early start in the morning). I'm sure I'll be using it frequently and readers will learn to appreciate the utility of it. It's something we say often (but seldom... OK, never do).
The three of us took a nice 2 hour walk along the shore and Bill dropped us off at the house. Howard told Beverly that he had postponed our departure because he wanted one more night with her. She almost believed him.
Garage just called... car won't be ready until 5pm. Chances we will pack tonight - slim. I don't thinK we will be GAESITM. At least this saves us a blowout somewhere in the middle of Aligator Alley.
I talked to Jeff Pollard today and he told me that there is an over/under pool to pick our actual departure date. Nobody picked yesterday or today. He has next Monday.
The three of us took a nice 2 hour walk along the shore and Bill dropped us off at the house. Howard told Beverly that he had postponed our departure because he wanted one more night with her. She almost believed him.
Garage just called... car won't be ready until 5pm. Chances we will pack tonight - slim. I don't thinK we will be GAESITM. At least this saves us a blowout somewhere in the middle of Aligator Alley.
I talked to Jeff Pollard today and he told me that there is an over/under pool to pick our actual departure date. Nobody picked yesterday or today. He has next Monday.
Day 1
Monday March 19, 2012
Due to Howard's understandable reluctance to drive the van over Donner Pass in a snowstorm, I've agreed to drive to his house and we'll start from there. Plan A was for me to make the trip on Sunday the 18th. After thinking this over, I realized that this would put me in with all the weekenders returning from Tahoe to the Bay Area. BAD IDEA! So I decided to make the drive today as it would be a more pleasant drive and give Howard a little more time to get ready. Loaded up the car and arrived in Moss Beach a little after 2 pm. Howard wasn't ready yet, so we decided to leave in the morning after he'd had the oil changed and replaced two tires. That was Plan B. Beverly fixed us a great dinner and we sat around and talked about the things we might encounter on our journey. Howard was unaware of the fact that alligators and Burmese pythons were a hazard in Florida. He likes to go for short walks in the middle of the night when we're camping. This gives him a chance to admire nature, contemplate the universe and empty his bladder. Upon being brought up to speed on the reptiles he might meet, he's decided to curtail any midnight rambles while we're in their domain. I'm dubious, but we'll see. Off to bed... my last in a comfortable bed for the next 6 weeks.
Due to Howard's understandable reluctance to drive the van over Donner Pass in a snowstorm, I've agreed to drive to his house and we'll start from there. Plan A was for me to make the trip on Sunday the 18th. After thinking this over, I realized that this would put me in with all the weekenders returning from Tahoe to the Bay Area. BAD IDEA! So I decided to make the drive today as it would be a more pleasant drive and give Howard a little more time to get ready. Loaded up the car and arrived in Moss Beach a little after 2 pm. Howard wasn't ready yet, so we decided to leave in the morning after he'd had the oil changed and replaced two tires. That was Plan B. Beverly fixed us a great dinner and we sat around and talked about the things we might encounter on our journey. Howard was unaware of the fact that alligators and Burmese pythons were a hazard in Florida. He likes to go for short walks in the middle of the night when we're camping. This gives him a chance to admire nature, contemplate the universe and empty his bladder. Upon being brought up to speed on the reptiles he might meet, he's decided to curtail any midnight rambles while we're in their domain. I'm dubious, but we'll see. Off to bed... my last in a comfortable bed for the next 6 weeks.
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