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. :)

DAY 60- Car Trouble...

It’s hard to believe it’s been 60 days, 2 months, since I headed out of Salt Lake City in my loaded up car heading for the northwestern US.  It’s interesting because this trip for the most part has been better than what I could’ve ever imagined in my wildest dreams.  I’ve learned to let go a little more and just be.  But I also have learned to be a little more confident as each day passes.  You only live life once and sometimes it’s so easy to hide in the everyday rhythm that you lose track of that. 

I’m lucky enough to be in a situation where there’s no true rhythm which doesn’t allow me to hide.  Sometimes that’s good but other times I get my “moments” where I want to hide and need a little down time.  I must admit that I’m working to find a bit of a balance but all in all it’s given me more freedom to just go and do than I have ever had in my life.  It’s like someone opening a HUGE double wide door and saying just go play.  The HUGE playground is 48 states and I’m plowing along with all of the gusto I can manage.

I started the day with the two egg option for the cook to order breakfast this morning at the Best Western Plus.  I thought I should mix it up a little and didn’t really feel like anything sweet after that HUGE piece of pineapple chiffon cake the night before.  I got packed up.  The plan for the day was to check out Palm Springs and then drive up to Laughlin, NV where I would stay for the next couple of nights.  The general plan is to head north just a bit and then over into Arizona.  I started loading my gear into my car when I noticed a puddle under my car.  Ah-oh!  I put my finger in it to see what it was and I pulled away red liquid; transmission fluid.  This was really not a good thing.

Photo- My poor car on the tow truck! :((

I decided to check out of the hotel and then head over to the nearest Jiffy Lube to have them take a quick look and possibly then refer me to a nearby automotive repair shop.  I turned a left on to Hwy 111 from my hotel and immediately the car started to act sluggish.  I could barely get it to go up to 30mph.  Oh-no!  I pull over and take a right at the next street but there’s no parking on the road just a bike path area.  I take a left turn into a subdivision and park the car. 

I get out my AAA card and call the card on the back.  Please, please… I think to myself let it be that I stopped it soon enough that no true damage was done to the transmission.  I give my info to the man on the phone who then transfers me to a woman that dispatches for the AAA southern California area.  I give her the address to the house across the street which is the only address I can see in the area.  She estimates it’ll be a 20-25 min. wait before the tow truck will be there.  It ended up being only about 15 minutes before I see the tow truck driving down the road. 

I stood outside my car and am waving at the tow truck driver but he’s looking at the address of the houses across the street and almost passes me.  Then, he stops and gets out.  “I’m sorry”, he says and then he slowly shakes his head side to side like Ray Charles.  “I must be blind that I didn’t see you right in front of me.  Sorry about that!”  I’m cracking up and say, “It’s Ray Charles my tow truck driver.”  He laughs, takes a look at my AAA card with driver’s lisc. and then asks what the problem is. 

I tell him and he gets my car key.  He directs me to get in the air-conditioned cab of his truck while he gets my car on the bed of the tow truck. Within a short bit he’s in the truck with me and has me sign a form which he teasingly says I’m signing my life away.  I ask if the AAA automotive repair shop is very far away.  No he says it’s about four miles away, and I say that’s good because I have a 100 miles distance with AAA.  He says he can take me the scenic drive to the shop.  Great, I say I can get the sights in of Palm Desert on the way huh?  I couldn’t help but laugh.

You’ve got an infectious laugh he says as he turns the truck around.  Then he goes onto say you know most people are not laughing in situations like this.  What else am I supposed to do being mad or angry about it won’t change it or make it better so I might as well laugh about it?  Just go with the flow.  Then, I tell him about the last time my transmission had given out on a road trip along the Oregon Coastline.  Another road trip he asks and I end up telling him about my two year plan. 

2 years!?!  He exclaims.  Wow!  He keeps on looking at me with this look of disbelief.  That’s something he’s never heard of anyone doing before and he thinks it’s cool.  That’s really cool he says.  We continue to talk as he drives to the repair shop.  He talks about the one time he drove on a trip to the Oregon coastline with no set plans.  He said it was the best family trip he can remember and it was a pretty scenic coastline.

Photo- The "Ray Charles" of tow truck drivers!  But a nice guy!

We get to the repair shop and he unloads my car after he does a quick pose for my blog picture.  He’s a bit conscious about what he calls a silly haircut.  I just laugh.  Why are we always so self-conscious when others most of the time don’t even notice stuff like that.  Then I remember my thought process at arriving at the restaurant last night.  Hmmmm…

I go in the shop and give them my info and then am about to sit down when the guy suggests that I might want to have lunch and wait over at a nearby restaurant that closes at 2PM.  We should know what’s going on with your car by then he tells me.  I walk across to the parking lot and into a little diner in the strip mall area called C.J.’s. 

C.J.’s is only open for breakfast and lunch.  It’s Friday lunch hour and it’s pretty busy.  The hostess told me to sit where I would like and someone will be right with me.  I find the only table that’s open but needs to be cleaned off.  I slowly sit down.  A guy runs over with a wash rag wipes the table and asks me what I would like to drink.  I said a diet coke but he comes back with ice tea with lemon. 

I’m not in the mood to complain.  My mind is focused on hoping that I don’t need a replaced transmission in the car.  Please, please, I hope I didn’t do any damage to the transmission.  I order the patty melt medium well done with a side a mixed fruit.  I’m still not use to being asked how I want my burger done; not something they do in Utah.  I feel a bit down at this point and I’m really not even interested in the food.  I text John and tell him I didn’t get very far.  He asks if he can do anything later and I text back maybe a strong drink after they tell me what needs to be done.

The patty melt arrives terribly greasy and I eat all of the fruit before even attempting the sandwich.  I’m taking my time and really just drinking the ice tea which really tastes good to me.  It’s kind of a nice for a change.  I tell the gal that I hope I’m okay just hanging out and that my car got towed to the repair shop over the ways there.  Oh you poor thing she says that’s no problem at all as she refills my ice tea. 

My phone rings just before 2pm.  It’s the repair shop.  It’s a broken pan and a cracked gasket that need to be replaced but he states that all of the transmission fluid had drained out of the engine.  He says they can replace those parts and refill the fluid but that might not solve the problem because more damage could’ve been done to the transmission while it was dry.  But it was a place to start and then drive it to see if more needed to be done.  I tell him to go ahead and do that and then we’ll see what is what.

I pay for the restaurant and the hostess wishes me good luck with my car.  I walk over to the repair shop and sit in their front waiting room area.  I get out my nook and just hang out.  I also watch a little TV but I couldn’t really concentrate on the TV or my nook.  I was a bit stressed out.  I text John and ask how far a drive is Laughlin.  It’s four hours but with Friday traffic it would take a bit longer than that.  It’s almost 4PM.

Photo- A street in Palm Desert not far from where I stayed the night.

 I guess I need to see about finding a hotel to stay in Palm desert for the night.  John offers his spare bedroom.  He mentions that he’s just planning on staying in at home watching some TV and that he’s been having a hankering for meatloaf.  I laugh.  I text back and say I make a great meatloaf.  He asks me to text him the shopping list and he pick up what’s needed.  Okay, why not?  I text it back and a short time later a guy from the back of the repair shop comes back and says my car is ready and it seems to be driving fine.  They drove it around the neighborhood for a bit, but he suggests I don’t go anywhere too far for a while before it’s been driven a bit more.  I told him I was planning on Laughlin.  He suggests I drive around locally and make sure there’s nothing wrong before I get out on with my traveling.

So I take my car over to the interstate and zoom along on I-10 going east for a couple of exits; then through Palm Desert in stop and go traffic.  Next it’s up to Hwy 74 and I drive up the mountain side that I came down to get into Palm Desert.  The car’s doing beautifully.  I meet John and follow him to his townhouse in a gated community.

It was fun using someone else’s kitchen to cook in and it had been a while since I had cooked for someone.  I made a dinner of my meatloaf with extra special sauce and some garlic mashed potatoes, while John opened a bottle of wine.  We had a nice meal and then just hung out and watched a movie.  I was almost falling asleep on the couch.   The day had taken its toll on me.  John suggested that I turn in for the night and wished me a good night.  I went to the guest room and got settled in for the night. 

DAY 59- Joshua Tree National Park & Dinner...

In the morning I found myself heading downstairs in mid-70’s weather to have breakfast at the Best Western Plus Palm Desert Resort.  I don’t think it really even cooled off last night at all.  The breakfast is the wonderful part about staying here.  There are four set choices and they cook it to order.  I decided on pancakes with sausage and I took my breakfast outside in a trellis covered patio area where little sparrows are enamoring a little boy.  “Look Daddy!  That bird flew right over me!”  The boy says with wonder in his voice.  Yes, I back to my usual people watching as I eat my breakfast.  A majority of the people I see are retired couples or families.

Photo- Near southern entrance of Joshua Tree Nat'l Park. 

The plan for the day is to head out to Joshua Tree National Park.  I follow the Google directions with some confidence because there’s limited roads in the area.  I head east on I-10 and take an exit that’s about 26 miles out in the middle of nowhere that mentions Joshua Tree National Park.  I passed a sign about 8 miles prior that mentioned no services for the next 28 miles. It so very true there’s nothing out here.  The radio loses reception as I drive north into Joshua Tree National Park.  I also notice that cell phone reception is patchy at best too.  6 miles in there’s a Cottonwood Visitor Center where I stop show them my National Parks Pass and get a map of the Park.  I’m at the southeastern entrance of the park which is kind of the back way into it. 

Photo- A grouping of Cousin It's relatives?

I drive north along the only road through the park.  Quite a bit of the stark landscape is rocky and arid.  Most of the plant life is short and stocky succulents.  There’s a beauty in the starkness of it and the clouds are light wispy trails in the sky.  It’s a wonderful day.  It reminds me a little of driving through southern Utah except there are more rocks and Joshua trees here.  I always thought that the short stubby Joshua Trees remind me of an old slightly graying version of the Cousin It, from the Addams Family.  But in this case, Cousin It also has a spike ‘do’ on top; a green spiked crown.  Joshua Trees were named by the Mormon pioneer settler’s heading out west on the wagon trails.  They actually were called something else but the Joshua name just seemed to stick.

I stop at some of the Exhibits and read about them; like the Smoke Tree Wash which has light thin billowy cotton looking trees that are smoke trees.  This wash seems to have quite a few of them.  The exhibit sign also says I don’t want to be standing by this sign when it’s raining because I would be in the middle of a river; good to know.  As I stand there I hear the pure silence of it all.  It was refreshing after a day of so much activity at San Diego Zoo.  It was a nice day out enjoying the solitude of nature.

Photo- Fried Liver Wash? Really?!?

I continue north going by the Porcupine Wash, the Turkey Flats, and the Fried Liver Wash; quite the list of names.  Then, I come upon the Ocotillo Patch and I stop to take a couple of pictures of this species of succulent.  They look like a grouping of tall branch straws pointing towards the sky with florescent green on them.  Some of them bend out or curve towards a certain direction like the wind has guided and spaced them that way over time.  The ocotillos stand out among the mostly dry sparsely green stubby plant life that’s around them. 

Photo- A wind swept Ocotilla Cactus.

Photo- The Cholia Cactus Garden.

Shortly after the Ocotillo Patch there’s the Cholia Cactus Garden.  This is something to see.  There’s a fenced off trail path that winds through the garden area that maybe goes about ½ mile.  Soon you are surrounded by these alien short rounded forms.  They almost look like they are ready to bloom into flowers.  The buds are puffed up.  The angle of the sun on them makes them even more striking.  It’s fascinating walking through them but the signs warn not to get too close to them because they are prickly lot.

Photo- A Cholia Cactus up close.

Driving past the garden the landscape starts to evolve into an even more alien landscape.  There are larger lighter color rock formations that look like piles of rocks.  The road comes to a “T” intersection and I turn left towards Jumble Rocks.  I drive through the campgrounds that look like a wonderful place to camp for the night.  I see a trailhead called Skull Rock and get out to see if this might be a good second hike of the day.  I read the sign and it says it’s about 1.5 miles.  That would be a wonderful hike I think as I start down the path but then I see a sign saying beware where you step there’s rattle snakes a foot.  Nah, on second thought I don’t think I want to try this trail by myself especially with poor cell phone reception.  Plus, I’m really not too fond of snakes to begin with.  I also notice that the wind that was keeping it cooler to explore the area has stopped and it’s starting to get pretty warm out.

Photo- Almost an alien landscape in Joshua Tree Nat'l Park.

I start to drive further west along the road but then I look down at my fuel gauge.  I should have filled up at the last stop along the interstate.  I look at the map and decide to turn around.  I go back to the “T” in the road and turn left towards the north entrance hoping that I can easily find somewhere to fuel up at the small town of Twentynine Palms; I know what a name for a town, huh?  I stop at the north entrance station and say hi to the gal in the booth.  She starts to wave me through after she sees my annual park pass but I ask her if she knew where the closest gas station is.  Sure she says and gives me the directions.

Photo- A look at Skull Rock where I decided not to hike.
Snakes and me don't mix!

I drive down a hill three miles and then take a left into Twentynine Palms.  I easily find the gas station and fill up my tank.  I go a bit more into Twentynine Palms and am so glad that I decided to stay in Palm Desert instead of this smaller community.  The hotel selection is slim and the restaurant selection is even smaller.  I did however find a McDonald’s where I drive through for a diet coke and a small chicken snack wrap; just a little something to tide me over until my dinner date later on.

I turn around and head back to the north park entrance at Joshua Tree.  I say hi again to the gal and thank her for the directions.  I say I didn’t want to run out of gas somewhere in the park.  She laughs and agrees that wouldn’t be a good thing; as she wishes me a good day.  I start to head back towards the south park entrance.  I look at my cell phone’s clock and realize I’ve spent more time than what I thought.  I should really be getting back to Palm Desert.  I quickly finish the diet coke and decide it might be best to stop at the Cottonwood Visitor’s Center and see about some more water to drink.  The heat is really making me sweat and I’m trying not to run the air in my car to ensure that the car doesn’t overheat.  I purchase a slightly cold bottle of water and head back to the interstate.

I had hoped to get a little pool time in when I get back to the hotel but I just feel a bit zapped after the heat at the park.  I take a quick nap instead.  Shortly after a short nap, I take a shower and try to figure out what to wear for my dinner date.  John had mentioned that the place would be some place where you could wear shirt and shorts; so I figure casual and wear jeans.

I drive over to the restaurant where I’m to meet John.  It looks like it’s on the second floor of a clothing store in the downtown area of Palm Desert.  I walk around and find stairs heading up and discover I’m in the middle of a walking mall with two levels.  I locate what I think is the door to the restaurant.  I walk in and I right away feel like I’m under dressed.  A woman in a short cream linen dress and stiletto heels walks in the door before me.  Then, I see another gal in white designer jeans, a black ¾ sleeve t-shirt and designer accessories and I know I’m under dressed.  This is strange because usually I feel over dressed for stuff in Utah.  But I’ll play it like I don’t know it and see how the hostess reacts to me.  It’s a guy and he doesn’t give my clothes a second look.  I guess I'm alright. Whew!  I don't have that much clothing with me on this trip and the few "dressy" pieces I have I need to wash.  In fact, I need to find a place to do my laundry soon.

John had texted me his was on his way, and I’m always one to be on time or before time.  So I sit at the bar and look over the restaurant and the menu.  The restaurant is a Tommy Bahamas’ and is a bit more upscale than I’ve been in a while.  The description and prices on the menu clinches it, as the most expensive upscale place I’ve been.  I’m a bit nervous that a date is going to be paying for my meal.  As you can guess, I’m not in my element at all. And I’ve haven’t dated that much in a while.

Dinner and the company were wonderful with the exception of a table nearby that was shouting at a football game on TV.  I teased John about needing a remote for their volume.  But I really didn’t mind I was tucked into the rib eye steak I had ordered.  It had been a long time since I had a steak this good and I was really enjoying it.  We ended up sharing a HUGE piece of pineapple chiffon cake.  I kept on teasing John that he needed to take the rest of it home and have it for breakfast.  He kept on saying no you take another bite of it as he sipped on a glass of wine from a bottle of wine we were also sharing.  We were both stuffed.  We talked for a while after we finished eating but the restaurant was starting to close up for the night. 

That’s when John told me that this restaurant was part of the men’s clothing store that was downstairs from the restaurant.  That makes sense now that I could quite really find the “main” entrance to the restaurant.  I had felt like I came in the back door to something.  I guess that there are only certain Tommy Bahamas has these restaurants and as we sat there he talked to the waiter about a recent remodel done to the restaurant. It was all new to me.

John walked me out to the entrance I had come in, gave me a hug and wished me a good night.  I walked across the street to my car and back to the hotel I went.  A short time later, John sent a text to make sure I made it back to the hotel safely.  I answered and thanked him again for dinner.  It was a pleasant way to end the day.

DAY 58- Exit Interviews & San Diego Zoo & MENSA Candidates...

I get up with stiff legs from yesterday’s bike ride and I just didn’t feel ambitious enough to go for a quick spin on my bike around Chula Vista.  So I reset my alarm and slept in a bit.  I was down for breakfast at El Primero about 8:30AM, and this morning I appeared to be the only one.  I had a quick breakfast out on their outdoor patio area where you can hear a bit of the street noise from Third Ave but it’s more of a hum in the background.  As I was almost done with my breakfast, the husband of couple who own and run the hotel sits down across from me and says, “Okay, so I need to get your exit interview over with.”  Exit interview? What!?!?

Photos- The El Primero Lobby and the patio area where breakfast is served.

He says he meets all kinds of guests from all over and he likes to learn a little more before they leave.  He asked me what I did and then I started talking about my adventure.  Then, the conversation turned to him and his wife and how they got into the hotel business.  They used to buy fixer upper properties and turn them over after they did some work on them.  This hotel was one of the properties that they had purchased and started fixing up.  They were about half way through fixing up and had some really good offers but they were hoping to get a little more if they finished.  The housing/property values in the area crashed and all of the prospective buyers disappeared.  They had this property and were stuck with it.  So they decided that they would go ahead and run it.  That was about 8 years ago.  He says it’s been an adventure for him and his wife.  They’ve met people from over 64 different countries and from all walks of life.  He said he’s really enjoyed it even though it’s a 24-7 type of occupation.

In about another hour I was off heading north on I-5 towards the San Diego Zoo which was the main reason I had come to San Diego.  San Diego Zoo is the crème de la crème of all zoos.  I was SO looking forward to this.  I muddled my way through the Google directions and parked my car in the E Section of the HUGE parking lot.  I definitely needed to remember where I parked my car in this lot or I would be wondering for hours and possibly days trying to locate it.

Photo- A HUGE elephant!

I follow the mob of people and they lead me to the front entrance of the Zoo.  I was expecting more of a line but there were three ticket windows open and maybe two or three people in line at each.  Of course, it was the middle of a school week so that might have helped out with it being not too busy.  I purchased my ticket and then immediately went to the information booth.  I told the lady this was my first time to the zoo and I wanted to get make it a good experience.  She happily welcomed me and got out a map.  She explained about the different bus tours and transportation that was available throughout the Zoo.  She also explained some high lights that I might want to check out while I was here too.  She then helped direct me to the guided tour bus ride that covers about 70% of the park on its 45 min tour through the park.

Photo- Mom and her kids.

I got in line for the guided tour bus ride and it was rather long but they were double decker buses and they came about every 15 minutes.  I waited maybe about 35 minutes to get on the third bus that showed up.  The bus tour went through the Lost Forest section first and during the whole tour the bus driver is talking over the intercom about the different features of pointing out where animals are when the bus is stopped.  It was a good tour to go on but not one to go on if you wanted to get pictures.  There just were too many other people on the way in the bus and the angles were all wrong too.  I put away the camera after a while and figured I would just enjoy and get a feel for the general feel of the zoo. 

Photo- Best friends; a donkey and a zebra.

It’s a BIG Zoo!  The Zoo is over 100 acres and has over 3500 different species of animals.  Included in a One Day pass, you get unlimited use of the Guided Bus Tour, Express Bus, and the Skyfari Aerial Tram.  I stuck to the buses, and made use especially of the Express Bus that went by 5 different stops within the park about every 15 minutes.  That and walking were the best ways to access most of the park.  They did have some Footsie Wootsie chairs that would vibrate your feet.  I never tried them but I was getting a kick out of watching the people plop a quarter in and watch as their feet were vibrated at a high speed.  I guess I could see how that could help sore feet.  I especially got a kick out of this couple from Australia when they used the machines.  It was too funny listening to their expressions and their accent.

 

Photo- A zookepper scratching a belly!

I managed quite a bit of the Zoo within the few hours that I was there and I saw all kinds of animals such as; giraffes, zebras, donkeys, monkeys, flamingos, polar bears, lions, jaguars, elephants, hippos, and Giant Pandas.  I walked on the Hippo Trail, the Big Cats Trail, the Monkey Trail, and the Fern Canyon Trail.  I visited the Urban Jungle area, Panda Canyon, Asian Passage, Lost Forrest, the New Outback, and the Owens Aviary.  But after a few hours, I had enough of that much walking and that much people with kids.  It was a lot of noise and activity and I’m afraid I had reached my limit.  I swung by the gift shop before I headed out.  I didn’t care for any of the t-shirts that they had but I did find a bumper sticker for the car and some more postcards.  Then, I walked out to my car which I found rather easily.  There were few cars around mine.  All of those people that had parked had already left.

Photo- The Footsie Wootsie chair!

Off I went on Hwy 163 North and on my way towards Palm Dessert where I would be staying for the next couple of nights.  The traffic was heavy in some spots but only when there was a highway patrol that had pulled someone over.  Then, the speeds would pick back up to 70mph plus.  I stuck to the speed limit of 70mph but people were flying by me like I was standing still.  Then, I turned onto Hwy 371 and I was really unsure which direction I was headed but as I was going along the 2 lane highway that curved quite a bit I saw my first REAL high gas price.  At one end of a very small town in the middle of nowhere they showed $5.50/gal.  Yikes!  I had filled up at Chula Vista at $4.39/gal.

Since the last day I drove from Walnut Grove just out of San Francisco, all of the gas prices have risen about $.30/gal in general in California.  But I’ve seen quite a few of the price per gallon stay right around $4.70 in the southern area of California.  It has been on the news here throughout California and the gas companies are blaming it on refinery fires and a major pipeline in the area that broke.  According to the California papers all of the people are up in arms about it but I still see them driving on their crowded highways.

Photo- A wonderful sunset just outside of Palm Desert.

I get to Palm Desert just as the sun is setting and I’m coming in the back way through the mountains.  It’s a beautiful sunset of pinks that are almost a chalky pink with hues of lavender and edged in blue.  Just amazing to look at and I stop at a view area to take a break from the curvy descending road to enjoy the view.

I get checked into the hotel and proceeded to ask the hotel desk if there’s somewhere to go get a burger and a beer.  He looks at me and says there’s not too many in the area and says that he wished there were more because that’s his favorite combo too.  He ends up giving me directions 10 min. down the road to another town that has a restaurant called Beer and Burgers.  I’m driving so far out that just as I’m about to turn around I see the sign in a strip shopping complex.

I go in sit at the counter order a beer and ask for a menu.  As I’m waiting for my order the bartender comes over with 6 beer caps and lays them out in a cross in front of me.  “Here, try this!  Move one cap and form two rows of four.”  WHAT!??!  I look at the guy just down the bar from me and say that I’m not one to jump through hoops.  He laughs.  I move the caps a couple of times but I just don’t get it.  I tell the bartender that I give up and he shows me how it’s done.  Then, after I get done with my burger the bartender brings 5 straws, and lays them all in the same direction spaced evenly apart.  “Move two straws and make something that’s curved.”  WHAT!??!  I look at the guy down the bar again and I say,” Is he a MENSA candidate?” 

The guy down the way helps me with this one and when the bartender comes back and I’ve got it figured out he looks a little disappointed.  Then, the bartender comes back with a glass and two quarters and does another test.  By this time, I feel like I’m being picked on by the bartender.  I start a conversation with the guy down the bar whose name is John.  He’s a salesman for a company and Palm Desert just happens to be centrally located for his work.  I end up telling him about my adventure and he’s very interested and thinks it’s neat that I’m doing it.  He asks me all kinds of questions and it’s really a fun talking with the guy.  I have another beer and then my favorite coffee with Bailey’s kind of my night cap drink and we are still talking away.  The next thing I know John is picking up my tab and is asking me out to dinner for tomorrow night. Okay, I say as he sees me safely to my car and wishes me a goodnight like a true gentleman.