I have so much more to tell but I need to get ready for tomorrow's trip to the Grand Canyon. I also can't wait to tell you about the Big Texan Steakhouse...it was amazing!
Right now it's about 9 p.m. and I would like to take a dip in the pool before I head to bed.
I may not be able to post as often as I thought due to internet connectivity and time. Plus, we're pretty busy on the wild west adventure.
We're having the time of our life and I think everyone should drive across the country once in their life...for fun. Of course, we still need to drive back home, so...I'll keep you updated, LOL!
Monday, June 25, 2012
Cincinnati to Tulsa
We've made it to Arizona. Wow! What a trip thus far. My dream of driving across the country has not disappointed. I have seen some of the most amazing sights and felt God all through the way.
Right now, I'm relaxing outside a secluded porch at the resort after enjoying a day complete with an early morning ( 7 a.m.) swim, nap and an evening Pineapple Upside Down mixed drink from the poolside bar. It was definitely over 100 today. I'm not sure of the high, when I saw the temp at around 4 p.m. it was 104. It's probably at least 99 right now. The hot, gentle breeze is constant and feels amaxing! Right now, life is indeed good.
For those of you curious about the details of the drive, I'll try to give some highlights without boring the heck out of you. If you're reading this, you most likely know me personally and know I'm not a lady short of words. So, I'll try my best.
We left Cincinnat around 7 p.m. on Thursday night. The original plan was to leave at midnight and drive straight to Tulsa. As last week rolled around, I began to realize that this probably wasn't the best idea. So, we hopped in the car and made our way out West! You have no idea how excited we all were. CJ kept saying, "We're really doing this!"
Just outside of St. Louis our head grew heavy and sight was dim and we needed to stop for a bit. CJ is in love with the rental car (Buick Enclave) and kept insisting we just sleep in the car. So, we agreed. It was cheaper and what's a roadtrip without at least one night in the car? So we pulled over to a rest stop and caught a few Zs and continued west. It's amazing what a few hours can do. Just west of St. Louis we hopped onto Route 66. At around 4 a.m. we were driving down two lane highways laughing and taking pictures. A little further down the road, I agreed to drive so Ken could get a break. I wasn't behind the wheel for more than two minutes when I say, "What in the world does 'pavement ends' mean?" This was our first of many experiences with Route 66 just ending. So, I hopped back on the highway and continued west.
Our first National Park visit proved to leave me speechless. We visited the National Monument of George Washington Carver. I was so inspired spiritually by this great man who did so much for our nation, yet remained humble and lived a simple life his whole life. If you're interested, visit www.nps.gov/gwca
The next step on our trip was Galena, Kansas--pretty much known for nothing except being the home to the inspiration for Disney's Tow Mater. The lady that runs the place calls herself "The Mouth" and she's my kind of woman. She talks fast and talks a lot. Disney creators literally saw the old tow truck in front of the place in 2000 and used it as the inspiration for the film. There's a lot of interesting other tidbits about the movie. I'll tell you later if you're interested.
We enjoyed lunch in Baxter Springs, KS and then heading to Oklahoma. Our first main stop in Oklahoma was McDonald's on the Will Rogers Highway. I read it was supposed to be the World's Largest McDonald's. However, I wasn't overly impressed. It was just a McDonald's straddling the interstate. Oh well, we've been there done that.
Next stop: Tulsa, OK. I was pleasantly surprised at how nice Tulsa is. The city was vibrant, clean and pretty. We enjoyed dinner at Joe Momma's (featured on Man vs. Food) and Ken and I shared the best pizza we've ever eaten. The restaurant had an alternative flair, relaxed and fun atmosphere. And, they served Woodchuck Cider, so score! For more info visit http://www.joemommas.com/
I highly recommend the Hyatt Regency in Tulsa if you ever head that way. Very nice accommodations. Too bad we just missed the Back to the Future Convention, LOL.
We settled in for a good nights sleep. We needed it. Next day is Santa Fe bound!
Right now, I'm relaxing outside a secluded porch at the resort after enjoying a day complete with an early morning ( 7 a.m.) swim, nap and an evening Pineapple Upside Down mixed drink from the poolside bar. It was definitely over 100 today. I'm not sure of the high, when I saw the temp at around 4 p.m. it was 104. It's probably at least 99 right now. The hot, gentle breeze is constant and feels amaxing! Right now, life is indeed good.
For those of you curious about the details of the drive, I'll try to give some highlights without boring the heck out of you. If you're reading this, you most likely know me personally and know I'm not a lady short of words. So, I'll try my best.
We left Cincinnat around 7 p.m. on Thursday night. The original plan was to leave at midnight and drive straight to Tulsa. As last week rolled around, I began to realize that this probably wasn't the best idea. So, we hopped in the car and made our way out West! You have no idea how excited we all were. CJ kept saying, "We're really doing this!"
Just outside of St. Louis our head grew heavy and sight was dim and we needed to stop for a bit. CJ is in love with the rental car (Buick Enclave) and kept insisting we just sleep in the car. So, we agreed. It was cheaper and what's a roadtrip without at least one night in the car? So we pulled over to a rest stop and caught a few Zs and continued west. It's amazing what a few hours can do. Just west of St. Louis we hopped onto Route 66. At around 4 a.m. we were driving down two lane highways laughing and taking pictures. A little further down the road, I agreed to drive so Ken could get a break. I wasn't behind the wheel for more than two minutes when I say, "What in the world does 'pavement ends' mean?" This was our first of many experiences with Route 66 just ending. So, I hopped back on the highway and continued west.
Our first National Park visit proved to leave me speechless. We visited the National Monument of George Washington Carver. I was so inspired spiritually by this great man who did so much for our nation, yet remained humble and lived a simple life his whole life. If you're interested, visit www.nps.gov/gwca
The next step on our trip was Galena, Kansas--pretty much known for nothing except being the home to the inspiration for Disney's Tow Mater. The lady that runs the place calls herself "The Mouth" and she's my kind of woman. She talks fast and talks a lot. Disney creators literally saw the old tow truck in front of the place in 2000 and used it as the inspiration for the film. There's a lot of interesting other tidbits about the movie. I'll tell you later if you're interested.
We enjoyed lunch in Baxter Springs, KS and then heading to Oklahoma. Our first main stop in Oklahoma was McDonald's on the Will Rogers Highway. I read it was supposed to be the World's Largest McDonald's. However, I wasn't overly impressed. It was just a McDonald's straddling the interstate. Oh well, we've been there done that.
Next stop: Tulsa, OK. I was pleasantly surprised at how nice Tulsa is. The city was vibrant, clean and pretty. We enjoyed dinner at Joe Momma's (featured on Man vs. Food) and Ken and I shared the best pizza we've ever eaten. The restaurant had an alternative flair, relaxed and fun atmosphere. And, they served Woodchuck Cider, so score! For more info visit http://www.joemommas.com/
I highly recommend the Hyatt Regency in Tulsa if you ever head that way. Very nice accommodations. Too bad we just missed the Back to the Future Convention, LOL.
We settled in for a good nights sleep. We needed it. Next day is Santa Fe bound!
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Vacation Eve 2012
For the last week I've had a few songs in my head..."Oh my bags are packed I'm ready to go..."
"Holiday Ro-ooo-oo-o-ooad..." "Get Your Kicks on Route 66....".
It's VACATION EVE! I'm finally doing something on my bucket list See April 6, 2010 post! Tomorrow I embark on the ultimate road trip...driving across the country. I've been planning this trip for years in my head and on paper since April of this year. The itineraries are all set, directions printed, all the days fun attached to each little individual packet. I've done a trial packing run-through and have tried to anticipate for any cold, allergy, sinus, achy body situation possible. All that being said, something is bound to not go as planned.
And, this week has proved it. It's been a crazy week with some unexpected expenses and that was not on my agenda. So, I'm inviting you to stay tuned for each day of my wild west adventure. It's sure to be full of enough drama and comedy to keep you entertained!
Oh, and for those of you that are playing the 2nd Annual"Where They Were During the First Fight ©" (I'm claiming a copyright on this) please comment on this blog where you think we'll be when we have our first blow-up. If you are closest within 50 miles you will win the right to laugh and say, "I called it, I called it!"
Last night, we couldn't make it through the dinner at Chinese Buffet without the whole family fighting. We literally were against each other...no sides were taken but our own.
Happy Trails!
Christina
"Holiday Ro-ooo-oo-o-ooad..." "Get Your Kicks on Route 66....".
 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| My carefully planned out itineraries for each day. |
It's VACATION EVE! I'm finally doing something on my bucket list See April 6, 2010 post! Tomorrow I embark on the ultimate road trip...driving across the country. I've been planning this trip for years in my head and on paper since April of this year. The itineraries are all set, directions printed, all the days fun attached to each little individual packet. I've done a trial packing run-through and have tried to anticipate for any cold, allergy, sinus, achy body situation possible. All that being said, something is bound to not go as planned.
 |
| A sample of my daily schedule. Control freak? Maybe a little :-) |
And, this week has proved it. It's been a crazy week with some unexpected expenses and that was not on my agenda. So, I'm inviting you to stay tuned for each day of my wild west adventure. It's sure to be full of enough drama and comedy to keep you entertained!
Oh, and for those of you that are playing the 2nd Annual"Where They Were During the First Fight ©" (I'm claiming a copyright on this) please comment on this blog where you think we'll be when we have our first blow-up. If you are closest within 50 miles you will win the right to laugh and say, "I called it, I called it!"
Last night, we couldn't make it through the dinner at Chinese Buffet without the whole family fighting. We literally were against each other...no sides were taken but our own.
Happy Trails!
Christina
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)