OFF TOPIC & LONG/Road Trip USA

[Guest guest]

Where to begin? My story should begin at & Noble, where I bought a book.

I then picked up a Trip Ticket and, of course, the good ole Triple A Tour Books

- and that was the beginning of my dream vacation. A friend and I wanted to see

as much of the United States as possible in a month - and we did it. We left

August 1st and just returned.

Friday, August 1, 2003:

Our very first stop was the Casino in the western part of North Carolina

(Cherokee) - and I was off to a good start because I won $200.00 playing Poker.

I really enjoy Roulette, but unfortunately the Cherokee Casino does not have

Roulette tables, so I settled for Poker. We heard there was a 420 mile Flea

Market on Route 27 - so we took a side trip to take a look.

Saturday, August 2, 2003:

Another Casino in Memphis, Tennessee (Tunica Route 61 South) - and again I won

$75.00.

Sunday, August 3, 2003:

We arrived in Branson, Missouri on Sunday via a long hard 100 miles of a

winding mountain road through the Ozarks (Route 7). Branson is Middle American

Las Vegas. It is a century old Ozark resort that hit the big time in the 1980s

with country and western music and lots of recreational stuff. There are over

30 major performances with one beautiful Theatre after another. Most offer two

shows a day with some offering a breakfast show - starring Tony Orlando, the

Osmond Brothers, Andy , Charlie Pride - an lots of good ole fashioned

Musical Stage Shows. We saw a show called " Lost in the 50s " and also the

Charlie Pride show - both very enjoyable. We also booked the Dinner Show on

the Branson Bell River Boat on Table Rock River - terrific. We took a tour of

the Fish Hatchery, which was extremely interesting, and we boarded " Ride the

Duck " bus for a guided trip around Branson. The bus came to an abrupt stop at

the top of a ramp - and the driver asked if we would like to descend slowly or

would we like him to give it all he had. We, of course, said go for it - and

the bus became a boat that glided through the river. We stayed a few days in

Branson, and it was delightful!.

http://www.bransonchamber.com/

Wednesday, August 6, 2003:

We left Branson and headed towards the largest city in southern Missouri. It was

in Springfield, Missouri in 1926 that plans for Route 66 were made, and the city

preserves much of the old highway frontage along St. Louis Street. Springfield

is also celebrated as the place where Wild Bill Hickock killed fellow gambler

Dave Tutt, because Tutt wore the watch he's won from Hickock playing cards. A

plaque tells one of many variations of this tale. The World's Greatest Sporting

Goods Store, Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World, is just that - great. It has acres

of floor space; 140,000 gallon fish tank; a 40 foot waterfall, and even its own

Mcs. We then took a Tram Tour through the Fantastic Caverns. We drove 607

miles that day and ended up in Amarillo, Texas. Amarillo is midway across Texas

Panhandle. This is the center of the local ranching industry that raises some

two million head of cattle each year (some 25% of the national total). Amarillo

is also one of the few places where helium can be found; 90% of the world's

supply came from here, but production has all but ceased. We booked a room at

an Executive Inn, and took in a movie - Legends of Extradinary Gentlemen with

Connery, which by the way, was just awful.

http://www.fantastic-caverns.com/

Thursday, August 7, 2003:

We left Amarillo (Pan Handle of Texas) at 9:22am. By this time into the trip,

we had traveled 2,021 miles. Our first stop after leaving Amarillo was a Brunch

in Santa , New Mexico. Interstate 40 has bisected the town of Santa

(population 2,744) and cut its old Route 66 frontage in two. We visited the

Blue Hole, a popular diving artesian well - 87' wide and 240' deep - restful and

pleasant spot. We are following the historic old Route 66 here and there in

our travels., and we are now east of Albuquerque in the Town of Grants. It has

the usual Route 66 range of funky motels and rusty neon signs. Grants was a

former mining boomtown. In 1950 a local Navajo rancher discovered an odd yellow

rock that turned out to be high-grade uranium ore. Mines here once produced

half the ore mined in the United States, but production has now ceased.

We stopped for the evening in the town of Gallup, New Mexico, and despite the

obvious poverty and other signs of genuine despair, Gallup is a fascinating

town. The town was founded in 1881 when the Santa Fe Railroad rumbled through.

Gallup called itself " The Gateway to Indian Country " because its the largest

town near the huge Navajo and other native American Reservations. We actually

stayed at a motel owned and operated by Navajo. Gallup has some of the

southwest's largest trading posts offering great deals, and one of the best

strips of neon signs you'll see anywhere on old 66. We just happened to be in

the right place at the right time that evening - the Indians were gathering for

a three day Intertribal celebration, and there was a huge Parade - with full

dress, music and dancing galore. Gallup has a population of about 20,000, and I

think all 20,000 were there that night. - and so were we! What an experience!

http://www.desertusa.com/Cities/nm/gallup.html

Friday, August 8, 2003:

We left Gallup, New Mexico, at 7:55am with a 2,550 mile reading on the

Odometer, and headed for the 93,000 acre Petrified Forest National Park in

Arizona. We took the Rim Route around the Forest. Saw several Swallow type

birds with white patches on wings. The Ranger called them Lesser Nighthawks.

Also several spotted small tan Prairie Dogs, and saw ruins of old Pueblo

Indians. Seeing the petrified wood is not all that thrilling, but the story of

how the wood got petrified is interesting. About 225 million years ago, a

forest was buried in volcanic ash, then slowly embalmed with silica and turned

into stone. You can see 93,000 acres of this stuff in the Petrified Forest. We

then traveled into the town of Holbrook, another dose of old Route 66 with a

population of 4,917. More than the other Route 66 towns in the eastern half of

Arizona, Holbrook still has some lively cafes and roadside attractions. We

stopped at the Navajo County Museum in the old Navajo County Court House. If

you walk downstairs in the museum, you can go through an old county jail, which

was in use from 1899 to 1976 - the graffiti is great.

http://www.nps.gov/pefo/

We then continued west to Sedona, Arizona by way of 89 South - absolutely

beautiful. The road was long with one turn after another, but very very pretty,

and, of course, the town Sedona, was awesome! Lots of shops against a beautiful

background of gorgeous mountains. My friend called a friend who lives in

Flagstone, Arizona - and we were invited to visit and spend the night with him

and his family. Friday evening was spent with a friend chatting and catching up

on old times - nice nice visit.

http://www.sedonachamber.com/

Saturday, August 9, 2003:

We left Flagstone at 8:00am with 2,861 on the Odometer. Our first stop was Glen

Canyon - Lake , heading for Bryce Canyon in Utah. Oh my goodness-

absolutely awesome. No words, or photographs for that matter, can describe the

beauty of these Canyons. We pitched a tent and camped in the Canyon - and then

made the rounds of the many scenic points - beautiful beautiful - beautiful.

Eighteen (18) miles overlook stunning geological panoramas and southern Utah

scenery. I have never experienced anything so breathtaking - I was in awe - I

am in awe! And, that evening I even got to see my very first Rodeo!

http://www.nps.gov/brca/

Sunday, August 10, 2003:

Left Bryce Canyon Campsite - and on to Zion Canyon - also in Utah. Another

gorgeous site! Very different from Bryce, but very extremely majestic and

overpowering. We camped in Zion Canyon - very hot - 105 degrees. In Bryce

Canyon, you are on the top of the mountains, and in the Zion Canyons, the

bottom. Looking back on the trip,Utah and Bryce and Zion Canyons were at the

top of my list as favorite places. I think Utah is a best kept secret - such

beauty - it's indescribable - honestly!

http://www.americansouthwest.net/utah/zion/national_park.html

Monday, August 11, 2003:

We packed the tent and left for Las Vegas with an Odometer reading of 3,195

miles. I died and went to heaven - cause we stayed at a Motel right smack next

door to Circus Circus Casino. It was so very hot in Vegas (116 degrees). My

friend headed for the Pool - and me? The Roulette Table was calling my name

<g>! I won $425.00 right off the bat! I also played three card Poker for the

first time. I got in rather late Tuesday morning - around 4:00 am - you know,

there are no clocks in the Casinos!

http://www.circuscircus.com/index2.php

Tuesday, August 12, 2003:

7:00am and its 91 degrees already, but despite the weather, we took off for

Hoover Dam - absolutely fascinating. Temperatures soared to 112 degrees. Hoover

Dam opened ten years behind schedule and $100 million over budget. US93 rolls

right over the top of the Dam, nearly a quarter-mile across, 726 feet high, 660

feet thick at the base, all accomplished with a mere seven million tons (14

billion lbs) of concrete. Hoover Dam marks the border between Nevada and

Arizona. We enjoyed a scenic boat tour on the Desert Princess on Lake Mead -

and saw Hoover Dam from another angle. Lake Mead is the largest man-made lake

in the western hemisphere, containing roughly 30 million acres, or just over

nine trillion gallons. It irrigates some 2.5 million acres of land in the US

and Mexico and supplies electricity from 17 electrical turbines inside the dam's

base, to millions of people. The lake is a very popular recreational site, with

thousands of water-skiers and fishermen. It has 500 miles of shoreline. When

leaving the boat, we spotted yet another Casino. There we had a nice Buffet

dinner and saw the movie Seabiscuit - yeah, there was a movie theatre in the

Casino. By the way, Seabiscuit was excellent!

http://www.c1b.com/hooverdam.htm

Back to our hotel and off to do some gambling at the Casino next door - is this

fun or what? We walked the Strip and got in at 4:30am - busy busy day!

Wednesday, August 13, 2003:

Said goodbye to Vegas this morning with an Odometer reading of 3,608 miles - and

heading for San Diego (15 South) to visit my friend's son. On the way, we

stopped at another Casino called Packanga. Again, I won $120.00 at Poker.

Rather than Roulette tables, this Casino has Roulette " machines " . I didn't care

for them at all - so I played Poker. We arrived at my friend's son's home at

7:30pm.

http://www.sandiegovisitorinfo.com/attractions.cfm

Thursday, August 14, 2003:

Went to Seaworld today. Seaworld in San Diego is very similar to ours on the

eastcoast - and, of course, Shamu is always wonderful. Enjoyed a good Lobster

Dinner and got in about 11:00pm - another long, but enjoyable day.

http://www.seaworld.com/seaworld/ca/

Friday, August 15, 2003:

Drove into Mexico today - lots of good shopping. Enjoyed another Lobster Dinner;

serenaded by three Mexican musicians. Driving back through the border was

crowded - long wait to have the car checked over, but extremely interesting.

This was also a long delightful day.

Saturday, August 16, 2003:

Got up really early and went to the San Diego Zoo - such a beautiful place -

WOW! Another day that is hard to describe. Late afternoon, we said our

goodbyes, and headed back to Las Vegas with an Odometer reading of 4,363 miles.

On the way, we stopped a great Casino Hotel in the middle of nowhere -

appropriate called " The Oasis " . The Oasis was in Mesquite, Nevada, the corner

of Utah and Arizona. Another night of gambling and another late night - got in

at 3:00am.

Sunday, August 17, 2003:

On Sunday morning, we were on the road again with the Odometer reading 4,773

miles. Driving through Utah by way of 15 and 70 west was truly a beautiful

site. I never reamed the scenery would be so magnificent. It actually takes

your breath away. We drove all day with nothing, and I do mean absolutely

nothing, but beautiful majestic mountains. I didn't think mountains could be

that gorgeous without tress. Every turn in the road was more beautiful than the

last. We called it a day in a town called Grand Junction, on the Colorado

River, thirty (30) miles east of Utah. This Colorado town has a population of

41,000 and has a thriving downtown, complete with cobblestone streets, odd bits

of outdoor sculpture, antique shops, neon signs, and is rich with the scenic

splendors of rivers and red-rock canyons - delightful!

Monday, August 18, 2003:

Left Grand Junction with an Odometer reading of 5,240 miles, traveling east on

Route 50, going though small towns and farm sites - mostly rolling hills - but

desert like. Returning to Route 70 East once again, we experienced magnificent

mountains. Grand Mesa continues to awe us - especially Glenwood Canyon in

Eagle County. This is known as one of the most scenic sections of roadway in the

country. The Colorado River was following us, or I should say, we were

following the Colorado River. At one point, we just had to stop and wade

through it. Our last stop for the day, was in a sweet town in Colorado, called

Dillon.

http://www.mesalek.com/colo/glenwood/

Tuesday, August 19, 2003:

We were on the road again with an Odometer reading of 5,493, traveling through

Kansas - very flat - level - and straight. Nothing but wheat, corn,

sunflowers, hay, beets- and oh, yes....cows! We were still on Route 70 - so

very flat, but easy driving at a steady and straight 75 mph. To cross the

entire state of Kansas is a 500 mile trek. This is the heartland of America,

winding through dozens of small farming towns that dot the level landscape. We

stopped in Salina, Kansas. Salina is a major trade distribution center for one

of the greatest wheat belts in the world.

Wednesday, August 20, 2003:

With an Odometer reading of 6,006 miles, we left Salina, Kansas and drove to St.

Louis, Missouri. One thing you have to see while visiting St. Louis, is the

Gateway Arch on the riverfront. You actually can't miss it! Rising up from the

west bank of the Mississippi River, is a stunning 630 foot stainless steel

monument that dominates the city skyline. There is a small elevator like tram

that carries you up the arch to an observation deck at the very top - WOW!

There are also lots of touring boats on the Mississippi, as well as several

Casinos - but wonders will never cease - I passed 'em up!

As noted previously, its 500 miles from the Kansas border to the Missouri

border, and 250 miles from the Missouri border to the Illinois border. We were

on the road again - 150 miles of southern Illinois' pancake flat farmlands -

acres of corn and soybeans as far as the eye can see with small towns dotting

the roadside every 10 miles or so. We stopped in Effingham, Illinois, for the

evening.

Thursday, August 21, 2003 :

Left Illinois, continuing east on 70. driving through Iowa At 3:00pm, we

arrived in Indiana with an Odometer reading of 6,734 miles. We made an overnight

stop in Yorktown/Muncie, Indiana - and had a nice visit with my friend's other

son.

Friday, August 22, 2003:

Left Yorktown, Illinois - we drove all day and stopped in Tennessee.

Saturday, August 23, 2003:

Left Tennessee with an Odometer reading of 7,170 miles - and started to think

about heading home to North Carolina - but first one last stop. You guessed it

- the Cherokee Casino in Cherokee, North Carolina. We took the beautiful scenic

road through the Smokey Mountains - and there is something to be said about

mountains with trees! We arrived home late Saturday evening with an Odometer

reading of 7,750 miles.

http://www.nps.gov/grsm/

This was a *once in a lifetime* trip - absolutely positively wonderful. We have

a beautiful beautiful country, and I would suggest that this is the only way to

see it.............

I had a really tough time keeping my meds at the proper

temperature..........stopping for ice constantly. Fortunately, I have been

Afib-free and hope you all have been the same.

I extend a very warm welcome to the many new folk that have joined us.

Ellen

(NSR on Dofetilide)