Friday, August 25, 2017

Day 26. Thursday, August 24, 2017

Yesterday evening Natalie and I went to dinner at Parma's, an Italian restaurant.  It was super good.  Kind of noisy, but some groups of people were having a good time!  I had Chicken Picatta over spaghetti, and Nat had Chicken Marsala over spaghetti.  Both were excellent!!
  

When I got up today, I felt pretty decent so I packed my things and left shortly after Natalie left for work.  I didn't take the main freeway out of Dallas so the traffic wasn't bad at all.  I left about 8:30am.  I saw many highway signs that discouraged travel to the Texas coast due to the hurricane watches and warnings for Harvey.  The first picture is near Hope, Arkansas (home of President Clinton).  The second picture is arriving in Memphis just before the Mississippi River.  The pyramid building which used to be an arena for basketball is now Bass Pro Shop.  Wished I could have gotten a better close up picture of the pyramid. It is impressive .  It's the pointed triangular shaped building almost in center of picture (left center).


I was fortunate to miss most of the rush hour traffic.  Did have a slow down on the east side of Memphis, but turned out to be a wreck on the west bound lanes. They were backed up 3 miles. Our side was just slow, probably from looky lous!!

I got home about 9pm.  Had sort of planned to stay in Little Rock, AR but arrived there fairly early and decided to get closer to home before stopping. Well, the closer to home I got, the more I wanted to be home :-)  I feel pretty good tonight but definitely feel like I have been on a boat all day.  So vertigo issue it still present.

So my trip is over!! It was a great trip - 6,180 miles - other than my health issues.  But I saw a lot of things that I wanted to see, some people that I had planned to see, spent time at Almanor (my favorite place) and visited the coast at Ft. Bragg to place Lon's ashes (one of my main goals).
I have enjoyed writing the blog. I hope those of you who read it enjoyed it also.  Until my next trip.......Hugs.

Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Day 24 and 25.  Tuesday and Wednesday, August 22, 23, 2017

Yesterday, Tuesday, I was getting my things together to head for home from Natalie's.  As the morning worn on, I was feeling much worse in regards to my vertigo.  After talking to my son, Pete, I decided to go to the emergency room and get checked out.  The symptoms that I was having was a concern for stroke or heart problems. So they did lab work, a CT of my head and then an MRI.  Fortunately everything came out ok. So they ordered medication for vertigo and let me go home.  They had given me several drugs while there.. One to bring my blood pressure down. It was high, higher than what my cuff was reading at home.  And some Reglan which made me very nervous and felt like I had to get up and get out of there!  An unpleasant side effect, well known.  Is (or at least used to be) before surgery and I have seen those side effects. Not a pleasant situation. Then some Benadryl to counteract that and help with the vertigo. This is the only picture I have for yesterday's travel.  I was at Medical Center Lewisville hospital .  They already had most of my basic information from at trip there sometime before 2009, because Lon was still driving our big red truck.  I had issues with a blood pressure mediation.  I was able to visit in 2014 on our long road trip without going to the ER.  Poor Natalie! Going to be leery of me coming to visit her!!!  Very nice staff and I felt in good hands.
Just hanging out today.  Natalie had to go to work so her dog and I are keeping each other company. 

Feeling a little better today so hope that continues.  And bp is normal today according to my cuff.  Might get the unit  checked at my next dr. appt to make sure it's accurate.  Was good last time I took it in.
Will try to update more tonight. Maybe some pictures.
Hugs.
P.S. Happy birthday Natalie!!

Monday, August 21, 2017

Day 22 and 23. Sunday and Monday, August 20, 21, 2017

Sunday am I left Guthrie, OK.  Had to drive by the Methodist Church that I had seen the night before on my way to dinner.  Beautiful old church.


The decor of the Hampton Inn there was beautiful. The main lobby area is decorated in grays and lavenders. My colors,  so I loved it.  This picture isn't real good but it was a pretty picture against the grayish lavender wall paper.


It was a pretty drive through Oklahoma down into Texas.  Again saw LOTS of northbound traffic on I35 headed for the path of the eclipse.  I arrived at Natalie's in Lewisville (near Dallas) about 2pm.  Was glad to get here and off the road!! It's good to see her. It's been a while - almost a year.  Last night when we were watching 60 Minutes, they had a section on swarms of drones.  Was very interesting and her dog, Hildy, was loving the buzzing sounds.  She was quite funny.


Today - the much anticipated day of the eclipse arrived.  We watched coverage on ABC as it came across the US. One site that was shown was Jackson Hole, WY.  That is about an hour or so north of where I was in Rock Springs, WY a few days ago. No wonder I had trouble finding a room.  Dallas had a 75% coverage so it only got a little dim but didn't get dark.  We didn't have any glasses to watch it so we had heard on the TV to take a selfie picture with phone. (Later heard it might ruin the camera lens - oh well!)  This is my attempt at an eclipse picture! Certainly not an award winning photo. LOL


This afternoon we both took naps after a nice lunch at a Tex Mex restaurant in Highland Ranch.  Her home is in the flyway of DFW airport so there are lots of planes flying.  This photo just missed the plane as it flew in front of the cloud. By the time it clicked it was past the cloud!

It's mighty hot here. Best to stay inside but I went out to take a couple of pictures of her neighborhood. Her house and the house across the street. It's a nice, quiet neighborhood.


Natalie's backyard.
                

After dinner tonight, a Netflix movie is in order.  Hopefully can stay awake since we slept this afternoon! :-)
More tomorrow.  Hugs.




Saturday, August 19, 2017

Day 21. Saturday, August 19, 2017

Another beautiful day!  I left Colby, KS about 10:45am.   Made a reservation in Guthrie, OK. because I wasn't sure if they would be sold out by this evening. They had one King left.  So I took it.  The first part of the day was clear, and hot. Kansas is flatter than a pancake!!!  Acres and acres of corn, sunflowers, and other unknown crops! And a picture at a Kansas rest stop. (Not a very good picture!)



And more windmills.  Some of the groups were not functioning, others were going around quickly.  When I got into Oklahoma I saw some that didn't have the blades on them. I think they were under construction. Either that or a tornado took them off!!!


When I was coming into Witchita, KS I could see that I was going to be running directly into a thunder storm.  Impressive lightning going straight to the ground.  Soon it was pouring harder than I've seen and apparently hail was hitting windshield.  I couldn't see it on the ground but it sounded like golf balls hitting the glass.  I pulled over as did many others cars and trucks.  Fortunately it didn't last too long and I was able to drive slowly out of it.  It's hard to see in the picture the whole storm.  it was impressive!


At a truck stop in Oklahoma, there was as interesting hand dryer in the bathroom.  It's under the square metal piece to the right of the faucet and soap dispenser.  Worked great!!

When I got into Oklahoma the landscape changed. Was pretty, green rolling hills, and trees.  The elevation is 981 feet.  I'm at the Hampton Inn in Guthrie, OK tonight.  It's a very new hotel.  Still smells like new.  Wasn't able to pull up the address on the navigation system in
the car because it's so new.  My room is great.  Twice as big as last night's room!


This little dog has followed me all the way across the US and back! (in the elevator)



I asked at the desk for recommendation for a place to eat. The man immediately said to go to Stables and told me how to get there.  It was a little,  old looking place and the parking lot was PACKED!!! What a fun experience it was.  I took several pictures.  When I sat down there were 4 black men sitting in the booth next to me.  I could hear them talking to the waitress and having fun with her.  They got up to leave and I have never been that close to such big men!!!  Later I asked the waitress if those men were football players. She said yes.  They are super nice guys and a lot of fun.  They play for Langston University. They are the offensive line!!  It was a fun way to end the day or travel.










Tomorrow I will go to Lewisville, TX to visit Natalie. I will stay 2 nights so that I'm not traveling on Monday when the sun disappears for a while!! Plus the traffic is supposed to be bad.  Hope it's ok driving back to Nashville.  May take me 2 days to get back depending on how sleepy I get driving.  Looking forward to spending some time with Natalie. 
For now, goodnight.  Hugs. 


Friday, August 18, 2017

Day 20. Friday, August 18, 2017

Today has been a LONG day driving.  I left Rock Springs, WY at 8:30am MT.  Tonight I am in Colby, Kansas.  Got here at 6pm MT (7pm CT). The time changed a couple of towns west of here.  Not many pictures today.  First one is in Colorado west of Denver. Looks like a reflection on the windshield.  Rocks were interesting.  Didn't see any wildlife.  

Several places on the highway in Wyoming the signs said to turn on headlights during the eclipse and no stopping on the road.  In Colorado when I got on I25 going south to Denver, the road signs warned to be ready for heavy eclipse traffic Friday thru Tuesdayand again no stopping on road.   The north bound side was bumper to bumper for at least 40 miles before I turned off of it to head east on I70. Hard to get a good picture but you get the idea!!


Tonight this is my headquarters with dining at Subway takeout to my room.  I was (am) pretty tired.  Had to pull off road a couple of times. Got very sleepy.


Then Jackie sent me these pictures of Almanor!! Beautiful.


Going to go to bed early tonight.  Having some vertigo issues tonight. Hoping that being down at a lower elevation will help. Tonight I'm at 3100'.  Lowest I've been since I left the Sacramento valley.  Was at almost 8000' today and mostly at 6-7000'.  This town has a population of about 5000.  Pretty sparse around here. Some corn fields, lots of windmills, some other crops that I'm not sure what they are and lots of cattle.
Good night!! More tomorrow.  Hugs.

Thursday, August 17, 2017

Day 18 and 19, Wednesday and Thursday, August 16, and 17, 2017
Edited.
Yesterday morning I left Zamora and my sister and Jack. Was so happy that I was able to spend time with them. My plans of who I was going to visit while in California changed mostly because of how I was feeling and my foot.  And last night in Elko I didn't feel very good again.  Had been feeling good while in Zamora.  I think it is the altitude helping me to not feel well.  Anyway, that's why I didn't post a note last night. So this will include pictures from 2 days.
Picture of Jackie and Jack in their front yard. And their other dog, Jesse that wasn't included in the "dog family pictures".

Their flag in the Eucalyptus trees.                      Tomatoes on the ramp from harvest.

Another picture on Interstate 80 going over Donner Summit.  I love the trees!

Lots of road construction east of Reno near Fernley.


I believe this is the Humbolt sink where the Humbolt River disappears into the ground. It's east of Reno.

 














Pretty clouds between Lovelock and Winnemucca

Highway going into tunnels near Carlin, west of Elko.


Finally got a picture of the Red Lion Inn in Elko.  Same place Iri and I stayed on August 2.  Nice accommodations.




I left Elko about 9:30 this am. Was nice in the 70's.  Good weather for the day of travel.
Two old crows were there to see me off!!                      This rock formation was near Wells, NV



Just a picture for my granddaughter.  Taken in Wendover, NV.

This sign to Bonneville Speedway is just as you come down out of Wendover, UT.  Time changed to Mountain time there. The second picture is of the salt flats. (Sorry about the bugs on windshield!)


I think these pictures were on the way into Park City, UT.  Photo says Coalville, UT.  Beautiful rock formations.


This big guy was at Little America Travel Center, WY.  It is quite a stop. Store, restaurant, hotel. Whatever the weary traveller needs.


More rock formations. This time in Green River, WY. Beautiful country.



Tonight I am at the Clarion Hotel in Rock Springs, WY.  I was lucky to get a room.  I didn't have phone service coming across so wasn't able to call ahead for a room. When I went to the Hampton Inn, they were full. The lady told me that all hotels in town appeared to be full except the Clarion. Well, a couple of less than desirable motels might have had rooms!  The reason - people getting their rooms to get in place for the eclipse!!  They said Casper WY is is direct line and is already booked.  Some of the "flea bag" motels are booking rooms for $1300 a night!! She said she had been to the Verizon store last week and said that the cell service is going to get real bad and on the day of the eclipse probably won't be able to get on line. So they are encouraging people to know where gas stations are, get maps, etc. because won't be able to access information on their phones.  Yesterday was told that some people that are in Idaho are renting out their homes for $2500-$3000 and staying with friends!!!
Going to be bad if it's cloudy or stormy.  I didn't realize it was such a big deal!


Going to bed soon.  Not sure when I will hit Central time.  Hope to get to Kansas tomorrow.  Hope all is well with everyone.  Good night.  Hugs.

OOPS!! Forgot to post my dinner picture. Went to restaurant in the hotel.  Was a Mexican restaurant. I ordered 3 enchiladas.  There is soooo much food on this plate.  I could only eat half of it!!  But was very good.