DAY 98- San Antonio, TX...

I woke up to a thick fog.  At first I could barely see the interstate that was running along outside of my window.  Later it became lighter out and I could see the interstate but the tall downtown buildings were lost in the fog.  I turned on the local news and they were showing accidents and backed up traffic all around the area.  I had considered a morning bike ride but I didn’t think it would be safe now.

Photo- A foggy morning in San Antonio, TX.

I went down for the grab and go breakfast at the Red Roof Inn where I was staying.  A muffin, some orange juice, a coffee and US Today paper, I was back up in my room.  I figured I would just wait out this fog thing.  The weatherman said it would clear as it warmed up during the day.  It was supposed to rain later that night and bring in a slight cold front.  The temperatures would be in the upper 60’s; sounded pretty good to me.

A while later, I found myself at the yellow trolley stop a half block away sitting on one of two benches.  There were two black guys there that were sitting on the bench not waiting for a trolley but taking a work break from the auto repair just down the street. I talked with them for a bit while I waited.  As the trolley (which was a regular bus) came I wished them a good day.  I rode the trolley over to the San Antonio Market Square stop.

Photo- Outside at the Market Square in San Antonio.

San Antonio’s Market Square is a colorful walking mall area where there are a lot of Mexican goods for sale.  It has a very festive air and there’s a whole variety of things to look at.  It was rather fun window shopping.  I walked around for a little bit and then decided to get lunch.

Photo- Inside the Mi Tierra's Cafe and Bakery.

I went to Mi Tierra’s Café and Bakery that says it’s always open.  I walked in and was enveloped by some wonderful smells.  Upfront, there’s a glass enclosed counter where there’s a whole selection of mouthwatering freshly baked goods.  Yummy!  I went up to the hostess stand and she started to take me back.  “Where would you like to sit?” she asked me.  She asked if I would like to sit at the counter or a table.  I said whichever is more interesting.  She gave me a perplexed look.  I asked about the covered patio area and she happily sat me out there; looking a bit relieved to be rid of me.

Chips and salsa were brought to the table and I ordered one of the specials of the day just picking something at random.  Their prices were very reasonable.  A very hot plate was served with a cheese enchilada, Spanish rice, a covered container of warm tortillas (corn and flour), and a huge chicken leg.  It was all tasty.  While I was enjoying my lunch, a table of Latino men were sitting and chatting in Spanish.  It was someone’s birthday and one of them was getting a hard time.  A short bit later a trio of guitar players showed up at their table along with a group of restaurant employees.  It was birthday song time; all sang in Spanish.  The birthday boy was turning all shades of red.  It was so cute.

After lunch I walked around the Market Square a bit more.  I went in a few shops and was tempted to try on some of the cute colorful clothes but I didn’t have the room in my car; so I thought I better not.  I caught the yellow trolley back to my hotel where I jumped in my car and drove to one of the Mission Churches in the area.  There are four of them in the area and they are a National Park.  There are guided tours that they do at a few of them and I thought it might be interesting to catch one of these.  So with my Google directions in hand I wandered south through San Antonio.  I went south on St. Mary’s which changed names twice before I came to the San Jose Mission and it’s visitor center. 

The tour was given by a National Park’s employee named Nanette.  She was a cute native Texan gal with an amazing unique southern drawl that almost had a hint of Spanish accent.  It was just amazing listening to her as she gave the tour.  She talked about the history of the Mission San Jose and pointed out the different areas along the way.  We got to see the “apartments” where up to 20 Indians would live.  It made my Salt Lake City one bedroom apartment look like the lap of luxury compared to these two linked rooms; one of which had a fireplace where cooking was done. 

Photo- The cute Nanette with the wonderful Texas drawl accent.

Photo- The outside of the little "apartments" that line the outside wall of the San Jose Mission.

Nanette talked about what was expected of the mission Indians and what an average day for them would have been like during this time frame.  Most of their life was centered around the church.  They would get up and attend church in the morning; go back to their “apartments” for breakfast and then report to whatever work area they were expected.  Then, at the height of the day would be siesta time.  Then after their nap they would be expected to attend church again.  Then, it would be dinner and they had free time in the evening time.

Photo- The Famous Rose window.

During the tour, we steadily worked our way over to the church part of the mission where she ended her tour.  She told of two different legends regarding a Rose window on the side of the church and said we could decide which one was true.  The actual church was not part of the National Park.  Though, it was open to the public.  It’s an active parish church and run by the San Antonio Diocese. 

Photos- San Jose Mission Church, outside and inside.

After that I wondered around taking pictures and reading some of the displayed signs.  It was all very fascinating.  I walked over to the milling area which was just outside the wall areas.  It was the miller’s day off but normally they would have someone that would be operating the mill.  It was the only one of the four missions that had a working mill.  Most of the missions had been somewhat restored in the 1930’s.  It was while viewing this that I had this kitten rubbing up against me and getting all friendly.  It was a sweet thing but I wasn’t taking it home if that was what it was hoping for.

I headed back to the hotel where I did a quick shower and change before going over to the River Walk Area.  I got some change at the front desk just in case I decided to take the trolley back after dinner.  I walked over the 6 or 7 blocks to the River Walk taking a bit of a different route now that I was getting to know the area.  I walked along almost all of the River Walk area trying to decide where I wanted to eat dinner.  I went by almost every restaurant; checking quite a few menus.  I must have walked about 2 miles in all; nothing seemed to be sparking my interest.

Photo- Lighted carriages you can rent in the River Walk area.

Great deals of the restaurants along the River Walk are Tex Mex, Italian, and BBQ.  I finally decided to turn around and go back to the Waxy O’Connor Irish Pub.  They had a lamb stew that sounded rather good and it did turn out to go very well with a draft of Blue Moon.  I was enjoying the outdoor table until rain started to sprinkle just a bit.  I asked the server to move in and finished my meal indoors while watching a bit of Monday night football.  The rain started to come down a little harder and I ordered another beer in hopes of waiting out the rain.  It finally calmed down and I walked back to my hotel.

Photo- One of the restaurant areas along the River Walk.

 

DAY 74- Tombstone…

Tombstone tallied as the town that would not die.  I had been seeing the billboards for Tombstone almost everywhere I went in the state; giving directions and showing the 5 gun slinging guys holding guns out towards you.  Well, it was only about 80 miles southeast of Tucson.  I thought I had better check this one out.  So off I went east on I-10.

When I got to Tombstone was really unsure of where to go.  I had an address for Tombstone from the internet for Allen Street; I got a little ways into town and saw a sign that read Allen Street this way.  I followed.  Then I saw Allen Street and it was closed to cars.  I found parking on a side street right across from the Tombstone Courthouse which is touted as the smallest state park in the west; one more small thing to log in on my BIG adventure.

Photo- Stage coach waiting to give a tour for visitors in Tombstone.

I walked over to Allen Street and walked along the board walk sidewalks where here and there cowboys were decked out down to their spurs.  They would say howdy ma’am as I walked by and tip their hats.  I wandered in and out of a few shops as I went along.  At one intersection the cowboys were talking about a shootout that was going to occur at Helldorado Town if you weren’t too much of a yellow belly to watch it then you should go down the street to it.  Of course, I wasn’t and off down the street I went and purchased a ticket for the next shoot out show.

Photo- Board walk sidewalks in Tombstone.

I found a sit among the cowboy hatted group and watched the show.  It was some interactive fun.  The sheriff was introducing the good guys (Yeah!) and the bad guys (Boo!) and the ugly (laughing booing!).  Then, they started a skit and one of them was tossing his gun up and around; doing all kinds of fancy gun works.  Some balloons got shot out, and then the ugly guy got shot.  Then, a miner who was a good guy (yeah!) showed up who was looking for his donkey that one of the bad guys had sold.  Well, some more entertaining fun came along with this part of the skits and I think a great deal of it was adlibbed because periodically they would say that wasn’t in the script. 

Photo- A bad guy (Boo!) whose showing off his with his gun at the shoot out show.

Photo- The inexperienced miner, a good guy (Yeah!), at a shoot out.

When the show was over they introduced everyone and said that unfortunately for their families this was how they earned their living and if you enjoyed the show to please tip generously on your way out.  Also, they said that our ticket stubs were good for discounts at the Helldorado restaurant and for the tour trolley car ride.  I walked across the street to the trolley and asked when the next tour was.  It was in 20 min.  I bought a ticket which I was told was good for discounts at other places in Tombstone and that our trolley ride guide would point out where those places were.  Yep, there was a bit of marketing racket going on in Tombstone but then again was that any surprise.

Photo- Tombstone's famous newspaper.

The trolley tour ended up being filled to the gills but it was a good tour and there was a fair amount of colorful history in the area.  We sat for the first bit of the trolley ride at the main stop while the driver told us how Tombstone came into being.  It was silver mining that out it on the map and its height it had 7000 male residents.  He said that the census back then did not take into consideration anything other than white males; that didn’t include the woman working in the brothels or the Chinese that also lived in the area.  We were taken along the edges and back and forth across Allen Street that was closed to cars because the streets have tunnels underneath them.  When it was really rainy, they were discovering that the weight of the cars was causing the streets to collapse just a little bit.  So it’s only the horse wagons that are allowed on Allen Street. 

Half way through the tour they drove out to Boothill Cemetery where you could get off the trolley and then catch the next trolley in about 45 min.  I stayed on because I was hoping to find a place to eat shortly after the trolley car tour was done.  The driver said that Boothill was the second most haunted place in Tombstone and that it closed before dark because it was too haunted for even the employees to stay past dark.  I don’t remember where the first haunted place but he kept on talking about how many were killed here and there in gun shoot outs as he drove us back through the rest of the tour.  There was plenty for the driver to talk about and he wasn’t the short winded type anyway.

Photo- The inside of the Crystal Palace Saloon in Tombstone.

With the tour done, it was now time to find a place to eat but first I went to my car and grabbed my warped cowboy hat.  I told myself it was for the shade and to keep my hair out of my eyes; not because I was at Tombstone and wanted to semi-try to fit in, of course.  I walked by a couple of bars and a restaurant.  The restaurant had closed because they were just open for a short lunch hour.  The 2^nd bar that I came to was the Crystal Palace Saloon.  I went in and sat at the wonderful wooden bar area.  I ordered a Blue Moon draft and asked for a menu. 

Photo- The Crystal Palace Saloon's signage outside.

While waiting for my burger on rye, a couple of women walked in.  One of them has this southern slang; she’s yelling and waving obnoxiously across the bar about getting shots of tequila with salt.  They have their shots and then discover that their husbands are down the bar a ways.  They get up, move down the bar, order more shots and proceed again to get salt all over the bar while they have their shots.  Then shortly after that they leave, the bartender clad in a black bustier old saloon attire with fish net stockings ended up wiping and wiping to get all of the salt off the bar.  I laughed and told her that she needed a little mini vacuum.   That would be really nice to have right now she said.  We strike up a conversation and I discover that she owns 5 horses.  She breeds them but most of the time she really has a hard time selling the young ones because she gets attached to them.  She really seemed like a nice gal.

Photo- A sign outside one of the shops along Allen Street in Tombstone.

After lunch I walked along Allen Street more and I went in more shops.  I was on the search for postcards and possibly an inexpensive t-shirt.  I ended up finding postcards in one shop and a t-shirt in another.  Then, I got to looking at some of the sterling silver rings that were priced very low and reasonable.  Oh, why not I thought to myself.  I ended up going around to 3 different shops and found a stainless steel one I really liked.  Now, it’s about 4pm and I still have a three hour drive to Phoenix where I’m meeting my friend Laura at a hotel in the downtown area.

I drive north on I-10W past Tucson and continue to Phoenix.  I watch the sunset as I drive north.  It’s dark by the time I get to the turn off exit in Phoenix.  I find the hotel and end up seeing my friend Laura for just a short bit as she takes a break from the nuns’ retreat she is attending.  She’s had 6 diet cokes and is just bouncing up off the walls; cracking me up. 

The guy at the front desk recommended a restaurant that was kitty corner from the hotel.  The name of the bar/restaurant is called Switch.  I walked across to it; and it’s pretty busy.  It’s a nice bar/restaurant with dim lighting and under lighting done in blue which is kind of cool with the décor.  I asked the hostess if I could just sit up at the bar. 

I end up sitting between a guy and a pair of friends.  The pair of friends is a younger slim sorority type black haired gal that went to Ball State which is where the guy on the other side of me went.  They talk together for a short bit and I think Cassie, her name, thinks that he and I are together.  Because she keeps on trying to include me in the conversation and she’s quite the talker I tell you!  Then she starts talking with her “buddy”, her married friend that she’s out to dinner with; who can’t seem to keep his hands off of her. 

She and her “buddy” leave after one drink.  I look at the guy next to me and told him I wanted to yell to go get a room.  He laughed and said I don’t treat my female friends like that.  We end up talking and watching the Washington- California college football game.  The game has had 8 turn overs and about 6 flags in the 25 minutes that we’ve been sitting there.  I teased Logan, the guy, that it’s a new game called Ping-Pong Football because the football has been going back and forth over and over with in the same 20 yards on the football field. 

We talked for a while longer.  Logan is currently on call for his work which is as the I.T. person for the 20 floor office building across the street.  I gave him a bit of a hard time about having three phones and that’s when he explained his on call status.  I teased him about I just figured he was one of those guys that likes his greatest and latest toys.   I ended up wishing him a good night and went back to the hotel with my left overs.

DAY 67, 68, & 69- Regrouping and Days Off…

After the eye opening problem with the debit/credit card fiasco, my nerves were a bit over stressed and it was affecting me.  My stomach was upset and anything food wise just didn’t appeal.  I found myself misplacing stuff and I just couldn’t quite focus on things.  I was in need of some serious downtime and needed to re-evaluate what and how I was doing things.

John had offered for me to come stay with him again in Palm Desert and I kind of jumped at the idea of it.  It was some place where the weather was warmer and where I could hand out a friend and I would be in someone’s home rather than an impersonal hotel room.  So, after picking up my debit/credit card from the museum in Kingman on Friday morning, I found myself driving for Palm Desert; a bit of a back track but the possibility of downtime and days off flashed in my mind.  I couldn’t wait for the 4.25 hour drive to be over.

It was good to see John and it was a very good weekend of just relaxing and hanging out. 

Highlights of the weekend—

Friday night-               
We had a bit of partying fun at the Tilted Kilt, which is an upscale restaurant version of Hooter’s in Palm Desert with gals that wear short kilt skirts and skimpy front tied shirts but with a lot better food than Hooters.  Our server was a cute 19 year old blonde named Christina who helped make the whole experience of the restaurant fun.  John and I ended up taking a taxi cab ride home we were having SO much fun.  The fun continued when we got back to his place and we ended up running around on the wet fourth green of the golf course that’s just off of his patio area.  I’m amazed and thankful that the police weren’t called.

Photo- The sun setting and the moon rising in Palm Desert.

Saturday-

Well, a bit of a HUGE hangover for me and most of the day I spent trying to recover from it.  My stomach was almost as angry with me as was my head.  OMG!  Why did I drink THAT much?  But flashes of the night came back and it had been well worth the hangover.  John kept on looking at me and cracking up.  I guess I must have looked pretty pathetic.  However, I did finally manage to give John a ride back to pick up his car from the Tilted Kilt.  Later on, I was alive enough to prepare a meal of chicken Dijon for John and myself which we enjoyed while watching the Notre Dame Football game.  We watched the Fighting Irish win; that made John very happy.

Sunday-

In the early morning, I managed to get a nice climbing ride in on the bike in the Palm Desert area.  I climbed part of the way up Hwy 74 until the shoulder of the road got too narrow and it wasn’t safe to be with the speeding cars.  But it felt good to be climbing on the bike.  They have wonderful bike lanes in Palm Desert that are also designed for golf carts too.  I worked on my 5 loads of laundry but had enough time to go get a mani-pedicure at a local nail place where a cute gal named Kim from Vietnam waited on me. I also discovered that Palm Desert is really into their golf carts.  They closed down a main street area for a golf cart parade.  A parade of them?  Now that’s some people with some serious golf cart issues.  Later on, I made a batch of my chili while John grilled up some brats on his back patio area.  We enjoyed chili dogs while we watched the Giants win the World Series game; another wonderful way to end the day!

Photo- My pretty new purple toes after my mani-pedi.

Overall, it was a wonderful weekend and I want to thank John for putting up with me; especially when I get silly and drunk.  But it was just what I needed to help me de-stress.

DAY 61 & 62- Laughlin - A Poor Man's Vegas...

DAY 61- On to Laughlin…
I wake up as a hint of light is coming through angled skylights in the vaulted ceiling of John’s spare bedroom.  The light slowly makes it way down into the room as I enjoyed a nice long hot shower that was not under a low-flow shower nozzle.  That’s what I really hate about staying at hotel/motels.  Sometimes, I feel like I’m trying to get clean under a trickle of luke warm water.  That’s another reason I like to stay at a bed and breakfast or a friend’s place. 

Photo- The view from John's back patio area.  A very nice looking golf course.

I’m dressed and surfing the web as John finally wakes up and comes out of his room.  He’s especially happy to see that I already have a pot of coffee started and he asks how I slept.  It’s a comfortable bed I tell him.  I watch TV with him and kind of just hang out for a bit both of us drinking coffee.  But eventually I need to get packed up and get off on the road for Laughlin.  I call to make sure that the hotel in Laughlin still has me for a reservation for the 2^nd night at the hotel.  I also mention that I want to stay an additional night too.  Yes, they have me for the night and say to just let the clerk at the hotel know when I check in about the additional night.

I’ve decided to take the longer version to get to Laughlin just in case I have any problems with the car.  I’ll be closer to towns and hopefully have more cell phone coverage too.  About 10:30Am I pack up my car and give John a hug.  I’m off heading east on I-10 after a quick fuel fill up.  It’s a two lane in each direction type of interstate and the traffic is rather heavy.  I really can’t put on my cruise control because the speeds vary from 55mph, the truck speed, to 70mph, the car speed.  It’s one of the major interstates in the area that goes towards Phoenix.

About a little over an hour later, I stop in Blythe, CA for another fuel stop and a bit of lunch at a local Burger King which has VERY slow service.  I get back onto I-10 and then get off at the next exit to head north on Hwy 95.  Periodically, there are small towns all along this route but for the most part you are in the middle of a dry arid bland landscape.  This landscape makes the flats of Nebraska and Kansas look interesting.  Shoot!  This area makes the Salt Flats look like a resort.  Okay, that might be pushing the envelope by saying that but you get the drift of my meaning.  It's the pure definition of bland.  The traffic is light and I can set the cruise control  for a few miles over the speed limit and just go.

Photo- The more interesting landscape as you get closer to Needles.

As I get closer to the town of Needles the landscape gets a little more interesting.  There are some rock formations and foothills.  There are also some green areas along the river.  In Needles I stop at a gas station and use the restroom.  I would’ve topped of the tank with more fuel but the price per gallon is $5.19 which I think is ridiculous!  I buy a soda instead and continue on Hwy 95.  Hwy 95 as it goes through Needles’ downtown area follows the old Route 66 and there are little signs on the side of the road letting you know.  I thought that was neat but it’s not a very scenic section of Route 66.  It follows the Route 66 for about ½ mile through town and then Hwy 95 turns left and goes north towards Bullhead City. 

Not even 8 miles down the road, I’ve crossed a river and I’m in Arizona.  The gas prices are hanging around $3.80/gal over here.  I’m sorry Californians but you really need to be looking at those gas prices in your state.  They are just terrible!  There’s a series of smaller towns one just after the other for the next 15 miles until I get into Bullhead City.  Off in the distance I can see across to the Nevada side of the river where the tall casinos dominate.  I’m almost to Laughlin.

Laughlin has been described to me as the Poor Man’s Vegas.  I had to laugh when I first heard that.  After living for over 20 years in Salt Lake City, I always thought that Wendover the border town closest to Salt Lake’s Nevada border was a cheap version of Vegas.  Though, most of us Utahans always referred to Wendover as “Bend Over”.  But I have to admit that the hotel rooms are cheap.  For less than $90, I’m staying in a nice room with a King size bed on the 18^th floor for two nights.  OMG!  The view is amazing especially as the sun goes down and the lights of the Casinos go on.  I go downstairs to an Italian restaurant which I find out later is not cheap at all.  But I figure I’m saving quite a bit on the room so why not splurge here; and maybe that’s the general marketing ploy here.

Photo- The view from my 18th floor room. 
Note to self- Turn off the bathroom light when taking a night shot of the view
from the hotel window.

After dinner, I wander around the main casino floor area of the hotel.  I put $20 in a penny machine and it’s disappearing quite quickly down this drain.  I changed to another machine and the same thing happens.  Then, off I went to another and then another.  The $20 disappears REALLY quickly.  There’s no lose slots here!  I then go up to my room and just watch a little TV and enjoy the view.

DAY 62- A Day Off in Laughlin…

I figured I would stay one more day where the hotel room is cheap so that I could take a day off.  Yeah, I know some of you out there are like… she’s on vacation why does she need a day off.  But sometimes I need a break from driving the car and sightseeing.  I just need a day of “vegging out”.

Photo- The view with the sun just starting to rise.

I woke up early enough that I can watch the sunrise as the casino lights are still on.  It’s amazing to watch the sun as it rises and lights up the landscape.  I do this while lying in the King size bed and kind of watching the TV too.  Finally, about 10am I figure it’s time to get out of the pj’s and I take a shower.  I grab my laptop and head down to the Starbucks for coffee, a bit of scone, and free internet.  They charge for internet service in the rooms.  I forgo the $10/day charge and just go to Starbucks.

Photo- The sunrise about 10min. later....
and
then 20 min later....

Yummy!  It’s that time of year when Starbucks has my favorite coffee the pumpkin spice latte.  I surf the web and end up texting four friends simultaneously.   I head upstairs and decide to hang out and watch a movie; Mirror Mirror with Julia Roberts in it.  I’m just being a total bum.  I was playing with the idea of a manicure but the nearest place is on the Arizona side of the river and I just don’t want to drive at all.  It’s my day off.  I figure I’ll get manicure another day down the road.

I start getting hungry at about 4Pm-ish and head down to the Outback Steakhouse that they have in back of the casino area.  I have a $25 gift card I can use and figure I might as well use it.  I sit at the bar and order a beer and ask for the menu.  The gal at the bar says her name and the other name of the bartender and then asks my name.  They are really nice and friendly.  I order steak and shrimp.

The steak is good but it’s a disappointment after the steak dinner I had with John.  The steak I had with him was juicier and had a slight crust with black pepper and sea salt.  This steak is just broiled and doesn’t have the crust. The coconut shrimp is good, though and they have one of my favorite beers on tap—Blue Moon.  Yeah! 

A baseball game of Cardinals and the Giants is on the Big TV and they have the Steelers vs. Bengals on the other.  This is wonderful!  I’m getting baseball and football.  I watch my Steelers in a pretty close game.  The bar area starts to fill up with a big group that just came back from playing golf.  On my other side a guy sits down and orders a soda.  A soda?  The bartender asks him what kind of soda.  The man gives a perplexed look like there’s choices?  Meanwhile, the other side of me is talking about the golf game of the day and who got the best shots in. 

The bar area fills up completely and the noise level is picking up.  I can’t hear the TV’s at all and I have to watch the Steelers game a little more closely.  The indecisive soda guy asks who I’m routing for.  The Steelers, I answer.  He throws a couple more questions at me but I’m more into watching the game and he soon stops talking.  I close my tab and Mr. Soda Guy is like you are not staying to watch the rest of the game?  I’m going to watch it in my room upstairs where its quieter I tell him.  His face seems to fall.  I say good night to him and thanked Brandy the bartender. 

I head up to my room where I try to find the game on the TV but it’s not on one of those channels.  I give up on the TV.  There just doesn’t seem to be much of anything on.  I grab my laptop and head down to Starbucks instead.  I surf the web while I enjoy a refillable black coffee.  After about 10pm I head upstairs to my room and decide to turn in early.  I fall asleep enjoying the view from my bed.  Sorry no photos of a night shot; it is after all my day off. :)