WHO SAYS YOU CAN'T GO HOME AGAIN?
The two old buzzards made it home by noon on Day 14! This has been our longest Road Trip so far and it was a really nice combination of nature and glitz, of staying in one place for a while and taking day trips from a hub. And how much more of a contrast can you have one one trip than Twain Harte, California and Las Vegas, Nevada?
Our final day's journey was from Bakersfield, CA Morgan Hill and though we weren't tired of taking photos and videos, there just didn't seem that much of interest to record for posterity, though we suppose the Harris Ranch feed lots at Coalinga would be of interest if we could record in smellivision! I-5 is a pretty boring stretch of road. If we'd come across a bad accident.... well, you know, we are buzzards.
So it's back to watering and laundry and unpacking and mail. Must admit that we are taking it pretty slowly with lots of breaks to catch up on a backlog of recorded TV shows. And we are celebrating John's Route 66 birthday on Saturday. And again next weekend with our kids. So life is GOOD at The Buzzards' Roost.
We enjoyed having you with us on our road trip. Thanks for your comments. And, yes, we did make the whole trip without the distractions of TV or radio (and seldom an alarm clock). Newspapers and computers were allowed. We have a winner of the Mileage Madness contest and we think you will all be amazed at the results.
Linda is grateful for a safe trip to there and there and there and back. And for John's cousin Jerry who so graciously house sat for us. And for Jesus (his Mexican Restaurant - that's where Linda is treating John to his birthday dinner).
John is grateful for home. Also, for Jerry and for all of you, our fellow adventurers.
No photo gallery or video for today.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Twain Harte Road Trip - Day 13 - Las Vegas, NV to Bakersfield, CA
LEAVING LAS VEGAS: the Blog not the Movie
The 2 old buzzards were packed up and ready to check out of Best Western Mardi Gras by 8:30. John sent Linda in to the lobby to turn in the keys. He also handed her a baggie of change with specific instructions to send it through a slot machine once and that he would split the winnings (if any) with her. This would be the 1st gambling either buzzard had done on the trip (except for Linda's Sponge Bob, Jester Guesser and darts yesterday). After finding a machine that would take actual coins instead of a ticket, Linda sent the quarters through and then got paid off by the attendant in actual folding money - 3 whole dollars. Which was maybe a dollar more than she had put through the machine 2 quarters at a time. Wheeeeeee! We came out ahead!
And the temperature was in the 80s as we were leaving. We stopped to get gas. John pumped and Linda cleaned off the windshield. As she was finishing up a young girl approached and asked if she wore perfume. "Wow, how could I be offending someone out in the open air?" Linda wondered. Then she figured out that the girl was giving out samples to try to sell cheap knockoff perfumes. She told the girl "No, thanks" and the girl said "Welcome to Las Vegas" anyway. Both old buzzards thought that was a pretty funny send off. Ii was just like the first day we arrived and pulled up in front of our motel room. Some dude drives up in a beat up car and wants to know if John would like a nice 3 carat diamond for "his lady".
Mileage Madness Alert: While in Las Vegas, Wilma mostly rested. The only miles she added were 4 trips to the Las Vegas strip and one to an IHOP. We left today on Highway 15 to Barstow and then took 58 to Bakersfield. Our only trip tonight was to Outback Steakhouse. The deadline will soon be approaching to submit your entry because we arrive back to Morgan Hill tomorrow night.
Today on the road we saw acres and acres of cactus, some pretty wildflowers and mountains as well. Much of it was similar to things we have already photographed so we didn't pause to shoot. There were quite a few wind turbines in the Mojave area along with lots of Joshua trees (which aren't really trees but are cactus Linda thinks). They were named by Mormans after the prophet Joshua (to signify Joshua with his arms up in the air). We saw lots of different sizes of them today. Some had many many arms. Happy, happy Mormons!
We had a rest stop at Denny's in Tehachapi and Linda added Dennys to her list of where not to ever use soap. The really strong obnoxious smell just won't go away. The only other place on her list is McDonalds. Does anyone else have this peculiar quirk besides Linda? John doubts it.
It's great to be back in cooler weather. It was only 71 degrees in Tehachapi. We soon saw lots of citrus groves, a few with oil pumps scattered among them. Linda also saw a few really large pumpkins by the side of the road. Someone's been busy collecting trash and putting it in those orange bags!
The vagabond buzzards checked in at the Vagabond Inn in Bakersfield at about 3 pm which gave them plenty of time to relax and blog a while before dinner. The motel was nice, clean (major criteria), roomy enough, had a king-size bed, wi-fi (another major criteria) and free breakfast (malted waffles, no less). Cost less than $50 including the pet fee.
Wilma did a great job of getting us down under to The Outback in Bakersfield. We had only been to an Outback once before. For an appetizer we had the Awesome Blossom (it's the law apparently). Our waiter Tyler was just off the boat 2 days from North Carolina and did an excellent job despite our adding on to our order a couple of times. He was very busy but gave us real southern hospitality. John got a filet and Linda got salmon. Both were excellent. So back to the Vagabond for our last night away from home for a while. Today as Wilma carried us here, we started coming up with some ideas for our next Buzzards on the Road Adventure. You'll just have to wait. It will be a while. After tomorrow it's back to eating beans, collecting cans and rolling pennies again...gotta buy that ticket to ride!
Today Linda is thankful for extension cords, microwaves and back scratchers. John is always thankfor for Linda's patience, kindness and back scratches.
No photos or video today.
The 2 old buzzards were packed up and ready to check out of Best Western Mardi Gras by 8:30. John sent Linda in to the lobby to turn in the keys. He also handed her a baggie of change with specific instructions to send it through a slot machine once and that he would split the winnings (if any) with her. This would be the 1st gambling either buzzard had done on the trip (except for Linda's Sponge Bob, Jester Guesser and darts yesterday). After finding a machine that would take actual coins instead of a ticket, Linda sent the quarters through and then got paid off by the attendant in actual folding money - 3 whole dollars. Which was maybe a dollar more than she had put through the machine 2 quarters at a time. Wheeeeeee! We came out ahead!
And the temperature was in the 80s as we were leaving. We stopped to get gas. John pumped and Linda cleaned off the windshield. As she was finishing up a young girl approached and asked if she wore perfume. "Wow, how could I be offending someone out in the open air?" Linda wondered. Then she figured out that the girl was giving out samples to try to sell cheap knockoff perfumes. She told the girl "No, thanks" and the girl said "Welcome to Las Vegas" anyway. Both old buzzards thought that was a pretty funny send off. Ii was just like the first day we arrived and pulled up in front of our motel room. Some dude drives up in a beat up car and wants to know if John would like a nice 3 carat diamond for "his lady".
Mileage Madness Alert: While in Las Vegas, Wilma mostly rested. The only miles she added were 4 trips to the Las Vegas strip and one to an IHOP. We left today on Highway 15 to Barstow and then took 58 to Bakersfield. Our only trip tonight was to Outback Steakhouse. The deadline will soon be approaching to submit your entry because we arrive back to Morgan Hill tomorrow night.
Today on the road we saw acres and acres of cactus, some pretty wildflowers and mountains as well. Much of it was similar to things we have already photographed so we didn't pause to shoot. There were quite a few wind turbines in the Mojave area along with lots of Joshua trees (which aren't really trees but are cactus Linda thinks). They were named by Mormans after the prophet Joshua (to signify Joshua with his arms up in the air). We saw lots of different sizes of them today. Some had many many arms. Happy, happy Mormons!
We had a rest stop at Denny's in Tehachapi and Linda added Dennys to her list of where not to ever use soap. The really strong obnoxious smell just won't go away. The only other place on her list is McDonalds. Does anyone else have this peculiar quirk besides Linda? John doubts it.
It's great to be back in cooler weather. It was only 71 degrees in Tehachapi. We soon saw lots of citrus groves, a few with oil pumps scattered among them. Linda also saw a few really large pumpkins by the side of the road. Someone's been busy collecting trash and putting it in those orange bags!
The vagabond buzzards checked in at the Vagabond Inn in Bakersfield at about 3 pm which gave them plenty of time to relax and blog a while before dinner. The motel was nice, clean (major criteria), roomy enough, had a king-size bed, wi-fi (another major criteria) and free breakfast (malted waffles, no less). Cost less than $50 including the pet fee.
Wilma did a great job of getting us down under to The Outback in Bakersfield. We had only been to an Outback once before. For an appetizer we had the Awesome Blossom (it's the law apparently). Our waiter Tyler was just off the boat 2 days from North Carolina and did an excellent job despite our adding on to our order a couple of times. He was very busy but gave us real southern hospitality. John got a filet and Linda got salmon. Both were excellent. So back to the Vagabond for our last night away from home for a while. Today as Wilma carried us here, we started coming up with some ideas for our next Buzzards on the Road Adventure. You'll just have to wait. It will be a while. After tomorrow it's back to eating beans, collecting cans and rolling pennies again...gotta buy that ticket to ride!
Today Linda is thankful for extension cords, microwaves and back scratchers. John is always thankfor for Linda's patience, kindness and back scratches.
No photos or video today.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Twain Harte Road Trip - Day 12 - Linda Hits New York New York in Vegas
AND THE HEAT GOES ON AND ON AND ON AND ON.....
The 2 old buzzards breakfasted in their Mardi Gras room on some road kill. Well, actually John had his leftover pancakes from last night's dinner at IHOP and some shredded wheat. Linda had Raw Bits Twang Twang.
Linda was ready to hit New York, New York so she loaded up with a bottle of frozen water and a few snacks to have later for lunch. John and Maggie let her out just past The Statue of Liberty. She figures that may be as close as she ever gets to seeing the real one in New York. The heat did not start out as bad as yesterday. It was less than 100 at 10am.
Inside the New York, New York Casino Linda had a good time seeing the sights and shopping. She found a dollar store or rather a TEN dollar store that was a lot of fun. She got a glass wine stopper in the shape of a mermaid. Now, I ask you, how many of you are lucky enough to own one of those? She also got a purple bracelet with glitzy polka dots. She hasn't yet showed them to John.
Once Linda got outside again she noticed a walkway leading to a colorful place with turrets and fanciful shapes. After shooting a few photos she got on the walkway to take a closer look. It was only after getting on the walkway that she realized it only went one way electrically. To get out again you have to walk on your own power. Soon she was inside The Excalibur which was very ornate with statues and stained glass windows. She got sucked in by a booth where you can try to win a prize by having the court jester guess your weight (within 5 lbs or so) your age (within 2 or 3 years) or your birth month (within 2 or 3 months). She decided to choose age so the court jester wrote down her guess. When Linda reported that her age was 66 the court jester showed that she had written 50 on her paper. Whee! That surely made Linda's day (even if it was a scam). Now it was time to choose a prize which was pretty easy. She chose a pointed red hat with a veil. A Red Hatter just can't have TOO many red hats. Then the court jester let Linda get on the scales so she could see how much weight she has gained on this road trip. It looked like she weighs the same but her clothes have gotten a lot heavier. Next Linda heard a rumor that there was a Whack A Mole game downstairs so she went to check it out. Alas, it was out of order but she did play a Sponge Bob game and threw some darts. At Sponge Bob she won a hat charm and at the darts she hit 2 out of 2 balloons and won 2 large fabric roses.
Time for some fresh air again since the smoke from the casino seemed to be drifting downstairs. Linda walked back to New York, New York and found something she had not seen before or since in this town - a park bench. And it was in the shade and empty. She told John yesterday that Las Vegas must only want people to sit down when they are at the slot machines or gambling tables or restaurants because, other than some very narrow seats in the main lobby of The Bellagio she did not see any places to sit down. Anyway, the bench was a welcome sight and Linda had her cheese sticks, pistachios, granola bar and cold water. Then it was decision time. She could either journey down the road to the Luxor and Mandalay Bay or go across the street to MGM Grand where she knew there was a place to get on the monorail to go back "home". She decided on MGM and enjoyed exploring a lot of it while searching for the monorail station. The monorail was great and dumped Linda out at the Las Vegas Convention Center which is fairly near The Mardi Gras Best Western. It was the second time Linda had been on a monorail. The first time was 48 years ago at the World's Fair in Seattle.
This evening the buzzards had tickets to see ventriloquist/impersonator Terry Fator at The Mirage. We had been big fans of his when he was on America's Got Talent and were happy to see him win the $1 million prize a few years ago. He has really done well for himself. Pretty sure his contract in Las Vegas is for $100 million. Don't know the time frame. The Mirage has built him his own theater. The show was really great. He really talks right to the audience a lot and is very sincere. And you know what George Burns said “If you can fake sincerity, you've got it made!” But Terry Fator does seem to be a down to earth really nice guy. After John scolded Linda for taking a flash picture inside the theater (before the show started) because all these shows have signs...no photos allowed and no recording allowed. When Terry Fator first got on stage he said shoot all the flash photos you want becuase it doesn't bother he or the band. And, shoot video of your favorite characters, but don't try to video the whole show or the ushers whill stop you. How rare is that opportunity?
Another thing that impressed us was that he asked all the people in the audience who are currently serving, or have previously served in the military to stand up and be applauded. Then he sang the Michael Buble song, "Home". And, yes, he really can sing all by himself and, yes, he sounded like Michael Buble. He has a great singing voice. What continues to amaze John is that Fator can do a great impersonation of say, Garth Brooks, but does it as a ventriloquist. Imagine singing "I've Got Friends in Low Places", sounding like Garth Brooks and NOT moving your lips. But then, John is easily amazed!
Tomorrow we head out of here to cooler climes. It got to 106 degrees today.
Linda is thankful for frozen yogert, brazil nuts and flashlight buttons. John is thankful for barstools, Quarter Pounders with cheese and ice cold milk.
Photo gallery can be visited by clicking here.
Linda's point and shoot video can be viewed by clicking here.
The 2 old buzzards breakfasted in their Mardi Gras room on some road kill. Well, actually John had his leftover pancakes from last night's dinner at IHOP and some shredded wheat. Linda had Raw Bits Twang Twang.
Linda was ready to hit New York, New York so she loaded up with a bottle of frozen water and a few snacks to have later for lunch. John and Maggie let her out just past The Statue of Liberty. She figures that may be as close as she ever gets to seeing the real one in New York. The heat did not start out as bad as yesterday. It was less than 100 at 10am.
Inside the New York, New York Casino Linda had a good time seeing the sights and shopping. She found a dollar store or rather a TEN dollar store that was a lot of fun. She got a glass wine stopper in the shape of a mermaid. Now, I ask you, how many of you are lucky enough to own one of those? She also got a purple bracelet with glitzy polka dots. She hasn't yet showed them to John.
Once Linda got outside again she noticed a walkway leading to a colorful place with turrets and fanciful shapes. After shooting a few photos she got on the walkway to take a closer look. It was only after getting on the walkway that she realized it only went one way electrically. To get out again you have to walk on your own power. Soon she was inside The Excalibur which was very ornate with statues and stained glass windows. She got sucked in by a booth where you can try to win a prize by having the court jester guess your weight (within 5 lbs or so) your age (within 2 or 3 years) or your birth month (within 2 or 3 months). She decided to choose age so the court jester wrote down her guess. When Linda reported that her age was 66 the court jester showed that she had written 50 on her paper. Whee! That surely made Linda's day (even if it was a scam). Now it was time to choose a prize which was pretty easy. She chose a pointed red hat with a veil. A Red Hatter just can't have TOO many red hats. Then the court jester let Linda get on the scales so she could see how much weight she has gained on this road trip. It looked like she weighs the same but her clothes have gotten a lot heavier. Next Linda heard a rumor that there was a Whack A Mole game downstairs so she went to check it out. Alas, it was out of order but she did play a Sponge Bob game and threw some darts. At Sponge Bob she won a hat charm and at the darts she hit 2 out of 2 balloons and won 2 large fabric roses.
Time for some fresh air again since the smoke from the casino seemed to be drifting downstairs. Linda walked back to New York, New York and found something she had not seen before or since in this town - a park bench. And it was in the shade and empty. She told John yesterday that Las Vegas must only want people to sit down when they are at the slot machines or gambling tables or restaurants because, other than some very narrow seats in the main lobby of The Bellagio she did not see any places to sit down. Anyway, the bench was a welcome sight and Linda had her cheese sticks, pistachios, granola bar and cold water. Then it was decision time. She could either journey down the road to the Luxor and Mandalay Bay or go across the street to MGM Grand where she knew there was a place to get on the monorail to go back "home". She decided on MGM and enjoyed exploring a lot of it while searching for the monorail station. The monorail was great and dumped Linda out at the Las Vegas Convention Center which is fairly near The Mardi Gras Best Western. It was the second time Linda had been on a monorail. The first time was 48 years ago at the World's Fair in Seattle.
This evening the buzzards had tickets to see ventriloquist/impersonator Terry Fator at The Mirage. We had been big fans of his when he was on America's Got Talent and were happy to see him win the $1 million prize a few years ago. He has really done well for himself. Pretty sure his contract in Las Vegas is for $100 million. Don't know the time frame. The Mirage has built him his own theater. The show was really great. He really talks right to the audience a lot and is very sincere. And you know what George Burns said “If you can fake sincerity, you've got it made!” But Terry Fator does seem to be a down to earth really nice guy. After John scolded Linda for taking a flash picture inside the theater (before the show started) because all these shows have signs...no photos allowed and no recording allowed. When Terry Fator first got on stage he said shoot all the flash photos you want becuase it doesn't bother he or the band. And, shoot video of your favorite characters, but don't try to video the whole show or the ushers whill stop you. How rare is that opportunity?
Another thing that impressed us was that he asked all the people in the audience who are currently serving, or have previously served in the military to stand up and be applauded. Then he sang the Michael Buble song, "Home". And, yes, he really can sing all by himself and, yes, he sounded like Michael Buble. He has a great singing voice. What continues to amaze John is that Fator can do a great impersonation of say, Garth Brooks, but does it as a ventriloquist. Imagine singing "I've Got Friends in Low Places", sounding like Garth Brooks and NOT moving your lips. But then, John is easily amazed!
Tomorrow we head out of here to cooler climes. It got to 106 degrees today.
Linda is thankful for frozen yogert, brazil nuts and flashlight buttons. John is thankful for barstools, Quarter Pounders with cheese and ice cold milk.
Photo gallery can be visited by clicking here.
Linda's point and shoot video can be viewed by clicking here.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Twain Harte Road Trip - Day 11 - Linda Goes to the Bellagio in Las Vegas
WHO INVITED ALL THESE TACKY PEOPLE???????
Just kidding! It's a wonderful cross section of the world here in Las Vegas. Apparently the economy is thriving all over the world judging by the number and variety of ethnicities present in this desert. Where do they get all the water to make ice and run fountains that shoot 275 feet into the air? Amazing to this little country girl. But then, we didn't see anybody from Greece or Ireland.
The 2 old buzzards went to the buffet breakfast here at the Mardi Gras Best Western and it was OK once we figured out how to get plates and silverware. When we walked in we seemed to be the only ones who didn't understand the system. Linda was happy once she found some granola and was lucky enough to put some milk on it before Bessie ran dry. John enjoyed some eggs and peaches. We were seated at a table of a veddy English family - young parents with 2 young children, another one on the way and a set of grandparents. Linda was amazed that the 3 year seemed to be in control of everyone. He did not raise a spoon or a fork to feed himself. The young parents begged him to eat his fruity loops and he would occasionally oblige them and open his mouth like a baby bird. So different than what we are used to observing with Isaac (our almost 3 year old grandson) who has been using a spoon and fork to eat with for many months.
This afternoon John dropped Linda off at the Bellagio so that she could see The Conservatory and The Dancing Waters. When John dropped her off at about 12:30 pm it was 104 degrees. Linda was armed with a frozen bottle of water, her camera and a granola bar. She had a grand time taking photos of giant ants, butterflies, bumblebees, plants, a garden trowel and real plants. One group of about 10 people asked her to take photos of them with 2 cameras. Then they took a photo of her and also wanted to include themselves in a photo so it would look like she really did have some friends. Look for Linda's New Best Friends and some shots of the Bellagio Conservatory in the photo gallery. Linda shopped a teeny bit, watched people, walked through the casino and then cued up outside to watch the dancing waters show at 3 pm. She can take short videos on her regular camera so you will have a chance to see it too. Then she went on a moving sidewalk, some escalators and back to the Bellagio where the dancing waters was starting up again. "Oh, good" she thought. "I will just watch this one. However, she quickly realized that the water was dancing to one of John's favorite composers so she fired up the movie feature on her camera again. (John adds... that would be Aaron Copeland).
By the time show #2 was over Linda was ready for a ride back to the Mardi Gras Best Western. She called John on his cell phone and he came to fetch her. This was soon accomplished since the traffic had decreased considerably since midday. The temperature was still about 104 degrees and Linda's frozen water bottle had saved the day. She finished the last of the cold water on the way back to the Mardi Gras Best Western.
John had a great idea for dinner – IHOP – and not on the Las Vegas Strip. We drove to where the “real” people live which was a refreshing change from all the glitz. There was Einstein Brothers Bagels, Perpetual Chiropractic, Pizza Boy, Store-It Mini Warehouse, Pet Grooming, Teeth Whitening, Super Pawn and Half-Price Lawyers (Vegas, after all). Once we entered IHOP we could have been in Anywhere, USA. John had chicken fried steak and Linda had talapia. Both selections were quite tasty. On the ride home the temperature had dropped to only 100 degrees. And, once back inside our room, it was closer to 58 degrees.
Linda is thankful for her new pink broad-brimmed sun hat, Brazil nuts and moisturizing lotion. John is thankful for a cool place to stay in during the day and to sleep at night. John is thankful that he doesn't live in Las Vegas. And, John is thankful for chilled Snickers bars.
Today's photo gallery can be viewed by clicking here.
Today's video, taken with Linda's digital point-and-shoot camera can be viewed by clicking here. John says it's really quite good.
Just kidding! It's a wonderful cross section of the world here in Las Vegas. Apparently the economy is thriving all over the world judging by the number and variety of ethnicities present in this desert. Where do they get all the water to make ice and run fountains that shoot 275 feet into the air? Amazing to this little country girl. But then, we didn't see anybody from Greece or Ireland.
The 2 old buzzards went to the buffet breakfast here at the Mardi Gras Best Western and it was OK once we figured out how to get plates and silverware. When we walked in we seemed to be the only ones who didn't understand the system. Linda was happy once she found some granola and was lucky enough to put some milk on it before Bessie ran dry. John enjoyed some eggs and peaches. We were seated at a table of a veddy English family - young parents with 2 young children, another one on the way and a set of grandparents. Linda was amazed that the 3 year seemed to be in control of everyone. He did not raise a spoon or a fork to feed himself. The young parents begged him to eat his fruity loops and he would occasionally oblige them and open his mouth like a baby bird. So different than what we are used to observing with Isaac (our almost 3 year old grandson) who has been using a spoon and fork to eat with for many months.
This afternoon John dropped Linda off at the Bellagio so that she could see The Conservatory and The Dancing Waters. When John dropped her off at about 12:30 pm it was 104 degrees. Linda was armed with a frozen bottle of water, her camera and a granola bar. She had a grand time taking photos of giant ants, butterflies, bumblebees, plants, a garden trowel and real plants. One group of about 10 people asked her to take photos of them with 2 cameras. Then they took a photo of her and also wanted to include themselves in a photo so it would look like she really did have some friends. Look for Linda's New Best Friends and some shots of the Bellagio Conservatory in the photo gallery. Linda shopped a teeny bit, watched people, walked through the casino and then cued up outside to watch the dancing waters show at 3 pm. She can take short videos on her regular camera so you will have a chance to see it too. Then she went on a moving sidewalk, some escalators and back to the Bellagio where the dancing waters was starting up again. "Oh, good" she thought. "I will just watch this one. However, she quickly realized that the water was dancing to one of John's favorite composers so she fired up the movie feature on her camera again. (John adds... that would be Aaron Copeland).
By the time show #2 was over Linda was ready for a ride back to the Mardi Gras Best Western. She called John on his cell phone and he came to fetch her. This was soon accomplished since the traffic had decreased considerably since midday. The temperature was still about 104 degrees and Linda's frozen water bottle had saved the day. She finished the last of the cold water on the way back to the Mardi Gras Best Western.
John had a great idea for dinner – IHOP – and not on the Las Vegas Strip. We drove to where the “real” people live which was a refreshing change from all the glitz. There was Einstein Brothers Bagels, Perpetual Chiropractic, Pizza Boy, Store-It Mini Warehouse, Pet Grooming, Teeth Whitening, Super Pawn and Half-Price Lawyers (Vegas, after all). Once we entered IHOP we could have been in Anywhere, USA. John had chicken fried steak and Linda had talapia. Both selections were quite tasty. On the ride home the temperature had dropped to only 100 degrees. And, once back inside our room, it was closer to 58 degrees.
Linda is thankful for her new pink broad-brimmed sun hat, Brazil nuts and moisturizing lotion. John is thankful for a cool place to stay in during the day and to sleep at night. John is thankful that he doesn't live in Las Vegas. And, John is thankful for chilled Snickers bars.
Today's photo gallery can be viewed by clicking here.
Today's video, taken with Linda's digital point-and-shoot camera can be viewed by clicking here. John says it's really quite good.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Twain Harte Road Trip - Day 10 - Beatty, NV to Las Vegas, NV and "Love"
OUT OF THE FIRE INTO HELLFIRE AND DAMNATION
The two old buzzards stayed at the Atomic Inn in Beatty, CA last night and slept well thanks to a great air conditioner and a pleasant room. If you would like to learn more about this weirdly themed inn you can click here. When we went into the lobby this morning we were expecting to have a complimentary breakfast since Linda had noticed 2 coffee dispensers and a counter with a tray and tongs the evening before. We got our caf and dekaf coffee and were greeted by the owner who was in town from Reno. There were 2 slices of orange out on the tray and 2 tiny donuts by the tongs. Linda had the orange slices and John declined any food. The owner fit right in with the theme. The counter and walls were all green, his shirt and hat were green (all the SAME green). Look for his photo in today's photo gallery. He was very interesting and gave us some scuttlebutt about Beatty. John asked about the big casino sign outside of town that says El Sueno. An owner of 3 other motels and casinos in town had a brainstorm that he would build a casino to cater to Spanish speaking clientele. But with the change in the economy and his violating ordinances like Irv Perlitch, all that ever got built was the big sign. It's turned on as you can tell from today's photo gallery.... but nobody's home. Though it is a nice gesture to list all the kids names who graduated from Beatty High this year.
As we were leaving the office to go get some "real" breakfast John said to Linda "Nice hat - that's your compliment" (as in complimentary breakfast - hah!). So we breakfasted at La Ensenada just down the street. Linda had V8 and John had the 2X2X2X2 (two eggs, two pieces bacon, two sausages, two pancakes). Even he couldn't eat all of his pancakes! We rolled out of Beatty at about 10:40.
The drive to Las Vegas was highlighted by a stop near Area 51 to get ice cream. It sounded good in the 100 degree weather. Alas, the western-themed gas and ice cream place was closed. So we went across Hwy 95 and made do with iced coffee for John and green tea ginger ale for Linda. This gas station had an alien theme (like our motel) with floating green and purple aliens inside. There were also lots of alien t-shirts, etc for sale. Next door was a REAL fireworks store. M800's for sale. John wasn't allowed! Just like he's not allowed to stop in Pahrump.
Cooled off considerably, we proceeded to drive through the Amargosa Desert. There was a wide variety of plants - creosote and yuccas and some wildflowers still blooming since they had a pretty wet winter for the desert - 8 inches of rain instead of 4.
We rolled into Las Vegas at 12:45 and found our hotel with no problem. This place was recommended to us by a dear friend in Morgan Hill. She has really done her research since she is here about once a year for a convention. The rates are very reasonable, the room is spacious, well air-conditioned, they are pet friendly and their WIFI is great. Also it's just over a mile from the Mirage where we're seeing two shows. Thanks, G6K!
John finished editing, converting and uploading the video from Day 07. You read what it's about in the Day 07 travelogue and you've seen the photos. Now you get to watch the video! It's just over 21 minutes long, but it's really worth watching... we think... but, what else would we think?
We made our way over to The Mirage and picked up our tickets for the Cirque du Soliel show "Love" and then went to a The Carnegie Deli there in the casino for a quick bite to eat. Linda ordered the Salmon Enchanted Evening (a salmon salad) and John ordered a pastrami sandwich. The waiter brought Linda a small sample of the salmon salad to try to make sure she would like it. She quickly decided to have a bowl of borscht. John's sandwich was piled high with great pastrami.
Then it was off through the milling crowds to the theater where both of the old buzzards thoroughly enjoyed the show. Unlike most of the other Cirque shows, this one is performed only in Las Vegas. Though there are lots of acrobatics in the show, it's really a musical. We had watched a 90 minute PBS documentary about the concept and staging of the show which is what pushed us to come to Vegas to see it. We're not here because we like 111 degree temperatures. But we both liked the show so much we agreed that it was worth putting up with some of this hellacious heat.
Linda is thankful for 7-11s, night lights and bagel chips. John is thankful that Linda got an ice cream at 7-11, that he didn't buy and M800s and all music by the Beatles!
Today's photo gallery is on seven pictures. But you can see them by clicking here.
We didn't shoot any video at all today, so there won't be a video for Day 10.
Rest well fellow travelers!
The two old buzzards stayed at the Atomic Inn in Beatty, CA last night and slept well thanks to a great air conditioner and a pleasant room. If you would like to learn more about this weirdly themed inn you can click here. When we went into the lobby this morning we were expecting to have a complimentary breakfast since Linda had noticed 2 coffee dispensers and a counter with a tray and tongs the evening before. We got our caf and dekaf coffee and were greeted by the owner who was in town from Reno. There were 2 slices of orange out on the tray and 2 tiny donuts by the tongs. Linda had the orange slices and John declined any food. The owner fit right in with the theme. The counter and walls were all green, his shirt and hat were green (all the SAME green). Look for his photo in today's photo gallery. He was very interesting and gave us some scuttlebutt about Beatty. John asked about the big casino sign outside of town that says El Sueno. An owner of 3 other motels and casinos in town had a brainstorm that he would build a casino to cater to Spanish speaking clientele. But with the change in the economy and his violating ordinances like Irv Perlitch, all that ever got built was the big sign. It's turned on as you can tell from today's photo gallery.... but nobody's home. Though it is a nice gesture to list all the kids names who graduated from Beatty High this year.
As we were leaving the office to go get some "real" breakfast John said to Linda "Nice hat - that's your compliment" (as in complimentary breakfast - hah!). So we breakfasted at La Ensenada just down the street. Linda had V8 and John had the 2X2X2X2 (two eggs, two pieces bacon, two sausages, two pancakes). Even he couldn't eat all of his pancakes! We rolled out of Beatty at about 10:40.
The drive to Las Vegas was highlighted by a stop near Area 51 to get ice cream. It sounded good in the 100 degree weather. Alas, the western-themed gas and ice cream place was closed. So we went across Hwy 95 and made do with iced coffee for John and green tea ginger ale for Linda. This gas station had an alien theme (like our motel) with floating green and purple aliens inside. There were also lots of alien t-shirts, etc for sale. Next door was a REAL fireworks store. M800's for sale. John wasn't allowed! Just like he's not allowed to stop in Pahrump.
Cooled off considerably, we proceeded to drive through the Amargosa Desert. There was a wide variety of plants - creosote and yuccas and some wildflowers still blooming since they had a pretty wet winter for the desert - 8 inches of rain instead of 4.
We rolled into Las Vegas at 12:45 and found our hotel with no problem. This place was recommended to us by a dear friend in Morgan Hill. She has really done her research since she is here about once a year for a convention. The rates are very reasonable, the room is spacious, well air-conditioned, they are pet friendly and their WIFI is great. Also it's just over a mile from the Mirage where we're seeing two shows. Thanks, G6K!
John finished editing, converting and uploading the video from Day 07. You read what it's about in the Day 07 travelogue and you've seen the photos. Now you get to watch the video! It's just over 21 minutes long, but it's really worth watching... we think... but, what else would we think?
We made our way over to The Mirage and picked up our tickets for the Cirque du Soliel show "Love" and then went to a The Carnegie Deli there in the casino for a quick bite to eat. Linda ordered the Salmon Enchanted Evening (a salmon salad) and John ordered a pastrami sandwich. The waiter brought Linda a small sample of the salmon salad to try to make sure she would like it. She quickly decided to have a bowl of borscht. John's sandwich was piled high with great pastrami.
Then it was off through the milling crowds to the theater where both of the old buzzards thoroughly enjoyed the show. Unlike most of the other Cirque shows, this one is performed only in Las Vegas. Though there are lots of acrobatics in the show, it's really a musical. We had watched a 90 minute PBS documentary about the concept and staging of the show which is what pushed us to come to Vegas to see it. We're not here because we like 111 degree temperatures. But we both liked the show so much we agreed that it was worth putting up with some of this hellacious heat.
Linda is thankful for 7-11s, night lights and bagel chips. John is thankful that Linda got an ice cream at 7-11, that he didn't buy and M800s and all music by the Beatles!
Today's photo gallery is on seven pictures. But you can see them by clicking here.
We didn't shoot any video at all today, so there won't be a video for Day 10.
Rest well fellow travelers!
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Twain Harte Road Trip - Day 09 - Bishop, CA to Beatty, NV
OUT OF THE CALIFORNIA FRYING PAN AND INTO THE NEVADA FIRE
After a Sunshine Comfort complimentary breakfast at the Comfort Inn, the two old buzzards and Maggie Mae left Bishop California at 9:55am where the temperature was a sunny and warm 83 degrees. We got gas for $2.99 at Giggle Springs Gas. The prices seem to fluctuate wildly from place to place. A few blocks away gas was $3.16. Near Bodie yesterday we saw gas for $3.99. We also stopped at Looney Bean Coffee Roasting for John's mocha and an iced decaf for Linda. Just out of Bishop we entered the Inyo National Forest and got about a half mile down the road before John had to pull off and shoot a cattle shoot. He ssems to have a "thing" for cattle chutes. We soon passed a sign that said "NO SERVICES FOR 97 MILES". That would really sober you up if you were doubtful about your car's health. What a deserted area (that word desert is making more sense all the time) but yet beautiful at the same time. In those 97 miles we saw such a variety of plants and rocks. Lots of wildflowers are still in bloom and there is still lots of snow visible on the mountain tops which makes the warm temperatures seem quite out of place. Soon we saw Death Valley Road branching off to the right of our route. Little did we know that was an omen!
We arrived in Nevada at 11:37a.m. The sign read "Welcome to Nevada. You have now entered Hell". We soon had stopped at a historical marker and some old ruins of Palmetto, Nevada. It was a silver ore mining town started in 1866. It had died out by 1906 but there are lots of the stone walls left that can be easily seen from the road. We had started noticing Joshua trees a few miles back. The miners named their town Palmetto because they thought the Joshua trees were a type of palm tree.
On this one day, we have probably had the windy-est, rollercoaster roads and we're sure the straightest flattest roads ever. When we get around to posting the video for today, you'll see what we mean.
Tonight we are staying in Beatty, Nevada where the temperature when we arrived just after noon was 99 degrees. We unloaded at The Atomic Inn, turned on the air conditioner in the room and left to cruise around town for something good for lunch. What we found that sounded best was homemade ice cream at the Death Valley House of Nuts and Candy. John had rocky road and Linda had almond joy.
Today's history lesson: Gold was discovered just outside Death Valley, CA in 1904. Several small mining towns developed and Beatty was the most prosperous of the camps in what was called the Bullfrog Mining District. Beatty is now the only surviving town of those camps and it is the 1st community of any size north of Las Vegas.
One of our tricks when checking in to a place is to ask the local person at the desk where their favorite place to eat is. In this mecca, a Mexican-American place called La Ensenada was recommended. I took Joyce Rigby's advice and ordered a chili rellano (but in this case it was a chili rellano burrito). Joyce always her true test of a Mexican Restaurant is their chili rellano. It was excellent - like a hidden treasure inside of a flour tortilla along with rice and beans. John got a combo plate of chile rellano, cheese enchilada, shredded beef taco and rice and beans. We didn't see anybody ordering American food so obviously Mexican food is their forte'.
When we left our nicely air conditioned room to go to dinner it seemed cooler but the temp actually showed to be 102 degrees. Buzzard # 1's theory is that it seemed cooler because by 6:30pm there's a lot more shade that there was when we arrived. And, he is going to attest that there is a difference when it is a "dry" heat. The humidity here is -15%. Oops, just looked on the laptop weather channel and it's +15%. Still, your mouth dries out and evaporative coolers work well.
Linda is thankful for funny socks, ice and cool clear water. John is thankful for ice cream, air conditioners/swamp coolers and a road out of Beatty!
Today's photo gallery can be found by clicking here.
Today's video takes you from the fire straight into Hades in Beatty, NV, a strange little town of around 800 folks, one casino, several hotels (that used to have casinos with them) and a great ice cream place. Check it out by clicking here.
After a Sunshine Comfort complimentary breakfast at the Comfort Inn, the two old buzzards and Maggie Mae left Bishop California at 9:55am where the temperature was a sunny and warm 83 degrees. We got gas for $2.99 at Giggle Springs Gas. The prices seem to fluctuate wildly from place to place. A few blocks away gas was $3.16. Near Bodie yesterday we saw gas for $3.99. We also stopped at Looney Bean Coffee Roasting for John's mocha and an iced decaf for Linda. Just out of Bishop we entered the Inyo National Forest and got about a half mile down the road before John had to pull off and shoot a cattle shoot. He ssems to have a "thing" for cattle chutes. We soon passed a sign that said "NO SERVICES FOR 97 MILES". That would really sober you up if you were doubtful about your car's health. What a deserted area (that word desert is making more sense all the time) but yet beautiful at the same time. In those 97 miles we saw such a variety of plants and rocks. Lots of wildflowers are still in bloom and there is still lots of snow visible on the mountain tops which makes the warm temperatures seem quite out of place. Soon we saw Death Valley Road branching off to the right of our route. Little did we know that was an omen!
We arrived in Nevada at 11:37a.m. The sign read "Welcome to Nevada. You have now entered Hell". We soon had stopped at a historical marker and some old ruins of Palmetto, Nevada. It was a silver ore mining town started in 1866. It had died out by 1906 but there are lots of the stone walls left that can be easily seen from the road. We had started noticing Joshua trees a few miles back. The miners named their town Palmetto because they thought the Joshua trees were a type of palm tree.
On this one day, we have probably had the windy-est, rollercoaster roads and we're sure the straightest flattest roads ever. When we get around to posting the video for today, you'll see what we mean.
Tonight we are staying in Beatty, Nevada where the temperature when we arrived just after noon was 99 degrees. We unloaded at The Atomic Inn, turned on the air conditioner in the room and left to cruise around town for something good for lunch. What we found that sounded best was homemade ice cream at the Death Valley House of Nuts and Candy. John had rocky road and Linda had almond joy.
Today's history lesson: Gold was discovered just outside Death Valley, CA in 1904. Several small mining towns developed and Beatty was the most prosperous of the camps in what was called the Bullfrog Mining District. Beatty is now the only surviving town of those camps and it is the 1st community of any size north of Las Vegas.
One of our tricks when checking in to a place is to ask the local person at the desk where their favorite place to eat is. In this mecca, a Mexican-American place called La Ensenada was recommended. I took Joyce Rigby's advice and ordered a chili rellano (but in this case it was a chili rellano burrito). Joyce always her true test of a Mexican Restaurant is their chili rellano. It was excellent - like a hidden treasure inside of a flour tortilla along with rice and beans. John got a combo plate of chile rellano, cheese enchilada, shredded beef taco and rice and beans. We didn't see anybody ordering American food so obviously Mexican food is their forte'.
When we left our nicely air conditioned room to go to dinner it seemed cooler but the temp actually showed to be 102 degrees. Buzzard # 1's theory is that it seemed cooler because by 6:30pm there's a lot more shade that there was when we arrived. And, he is going to attest that there is a difference when it is a "dry" heat. The humidity here is -15%. Oops, just looked on the laptop weather channel and it's +15%. Still, your mouth dries out and evaporative coolers work well.
Linda is thankful for funny socks, ice and cool clear water. John is thankful for ice cream, air conditioners/swamp coolers and a road out of Beatty!
Today's photo gallery can be found by clicking here.
Today's video takes you from the fire straight into Hades in Beatty, NV, a strange little town of around 800 folks, one casino, several hotels (that used to have casinos with them) and a great ice cream place. Check it out by clicking here.
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