tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52994789845320704482024-03-20T09:46:48.788+00:00Geeks on Route 66Rachael Livermorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14611872297819209492noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299478984532070448.post-29518532747310245042012-09-23T15:15:00.000+01:002012-09-23T15:15:07.984+01:00Day 25 - Home and DerangedIt's over. Not happy. Our American Adventure finished as we left San Francisco and both Rachael and I had mutinous thoughts as we packed our cases and took the trip to the airport. We daydreamed about getting on the "wrong" flight to Chicago and starting the whole trip over again. <br />
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We did have a lovely breakfast in SF at Lori's diner - a last taste of 50s Americana which sealed our trip nicely. Then we buzzed Macy's in Union Square to get Rachael some Levi's and for both of us to raid the MAC counter. After that difficult shopping we felt we had to reward ourselves with a last trip to the Cold Stone Creamery just to make sure it was still as good as we had experienced the first night.<br />
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But inevitably British Airways took us away from such delights and transported us across the pond. Thankfully the entertainment system on this flight was the "on demand" variety so we could watch what we wanted. Sadly the max volume available was insufficient to make out dialogue on any of the movies so the whole thing was basically useless. Thank god I took movies on my ipad this time because otherwise that would have been a very boring 11.5 hours. On the subject of British Airways... *sigh* We tried to check in online the day before the flight only to be told that we couldn't. We tried several times but it wasn't working on any of them. So we arrived at the airport 2 hours before our flight and got told we could get on the flight but couldn't sit together. There is only 2 of us ffs. /o\ Then as we checked in they made Rachael remove 1kg of stuff from her big case because it was 26kg and therefore too heavy. This despite her having a 2 x 23kg allowance and only one bag being checked. *sigh* The staff were utterly meh about the whole thing - as if checking in for a flight we'd booked for was an imposition. Not impressed at all. Will be flying Virgin next time. (Who aren't perfect but I've always found their staff good even if something goes wrong). We were also told that the flight was oversold by 5. Why? The flight was completely full - how do they get away with that? I understand letting a seat go for standby if the booked person doesn't check in on time but to actually book at 5 over? MADNESS.<br />
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As we landed at Heathrow, Rachael and I looked out the window in horror at the grey sky and drizzle on the window. Something told us we were not in Kansas anymore - or any of the other 8 states we visited for that matter! And also horror because we would shortly have to part. It was horrible to be honest. I headed for baggage reclaim and Rachael for 5 hours in an airport lounge for her connecting flight to Newcastle. Goodbyes suck and this was only made worse as we were both exhausted from getting no sleep on the flight. I say "were" but I've not been to bed yet. This is why this is the rambliest most shambolic blog post so far. And there are no pics because we didn't take any today. I am attempting to make jet lag my bitch and this is always a mission fraught with danger.<br />
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So here is a piece of advice if attempting this trip - make sure you have a couple of days off when you get home to readjust. Unlike many other holidays, route 66 is a demanding mistress. You really have to keep moving in order to make it and after running full pelt for almost all of the 24 days we are tired from travelling as well as facing jet lag. Both of us are back at work tomorrow. Bad planning. LOL.<br />
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We will be finishing this blog with some big picspam posts and a lessons learned type review of how we would change our trip if we had the chance to do it over. Hopefully this will help people from the future embarking on this epic journey.<br />
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But for right now we both have to get through a whole week of work without falling over or being useless. Lets see if we make it. Thanks for sticking with us - especially if you made it all the way to the bottom of this post.Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03524286415998486590noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299478984532070448.post-35583189177095564892012-09-22T10:10:00.000+01:002012-09-22T10:10:08.353+01:00Day 24 - In Search of Nuclear Wessels<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We started today with breakfast in the hotel, which turned out to be a huge mistake. Breakfast is included in our rate (it's a ludicrously high rate too - about six times what we paid on the road), and it's supposed to be available until 10am. Not only did they start clearing away at 9.50am, they actually <i>kicked us out of the room</i> at 10am sharp. I wasn't even allowed to finish my cup of tea. I'm not sure they actually understood the implications of kicking out an Englishwoman halfway through a cuppa; I'm far too British to actually complain, of course, but I frowned a bit and will passive-aggressively give them a one-star Tripadvisor review when I get home.</div>
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Today was our final full day in San Francisco, so we took a full day's chauffeur-driven tour of the city, picked up from right on the hotel doorstep. A truly excellent service, but unfortunately not one available to every San Francisco tourist as it was provided by a friend who happens to live nearby, who took the day off to show us around. Caren's a fellow Trekkie, so obviously the agenda included searching out filming locations from Star Trek IV. She and Fi wouldn't let me stand on a street corner asking people for directions to nuclear wessels, though. Spoilsports.</div>
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Instead, we started off by driving down Lombard Street, the twistiest turniest street in San Francisco. Apparently the hairpins were added because so many horses were falling down, and they were just left that way after cars came along. I half believe it was really just installed for tourists; every car I've seen driving down this section has had someone hanging a camera out the window so I don't believe anyone who lives here actually uses this as a road. Either way, driving down it is a Thing one must do while in San Francisco, and Caren managed it admirably (in a manual car too, which is quite unusual for the US).</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Slartibartfast obviously got tired of fjords and decided to try designing a street in San Francisco</td></tr>
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Next, she took us to Coit Tower, a monument in the Telegraph Hill area with some pretty stunning views of the city from the top.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great big phallic thing on a hill</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view looking away from it is better</td></tr>
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Incidentally, only one bridge in this city gets any love, but its sibling in that picture is far cooler in my extremely-uninformed-about-bridges opinion. The Bay Bridge is older than the Golden Gate (by a few months), it's longer at nearly four and a half miles, it's a double decker - which is incredibly cool - and its name doesn't lie about its colour.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The underappreciated big brother of San Francisco bridges</td></tr>
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We did, however, give in to the tourist impulse to go and get a better look at the over-hyped, not-golden-at-all Golden Gate Bridge, and... okay, I'll concede that's a pretty neat piece of engineering too. It might be a liar, but red's a pretty colour and Red Gate Bridge doesn't quite have the same ring to it.<br />
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Best of all, we got to walk along the same path Kirk and Spock trod - sorry, I mean <i>will tread</i> - in STIV!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We may have to fight over which one of us gets to be Spock</td></tr>
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After that tantalising view, we obviously had to drive over the thing. That view didn't entirely suck either.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh this? This is just my view over the Golden Gate Bridge to San Francisco. No biggie.</td></tr>
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That trip over the bridge, of course, is the same one Kirk and Spock took on a bus. Only we didn't get to deliver a nerve pinch to an annoying kid with a boombox, which was disappointing. And also the Sausalito Cetacean Institute is obviously fictional, but that's okay because actual humpback whales in captivity would have made me sad (the scenes were filmed just down the road in the Monterey Bay Aquarium, which was one of our intended stops on the way up on Wednesday, but we ran out of time. I'll have to dive into a fishtank wearing a bathrobe some other time).</div>
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With no whales to see, we went for lunch in Sausalito instead, and I finally got to try Dungeness crab. It was very, very good, but at $21 for a <i>sandwich</i> I'd kind of hoped it would be gold plated. In fairness, the plain old crab sans gold plating probably tasted better.<br />
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After lunch, we headed back over the Red Gate Bridge (see, that'll never catch on) to visit Golden Gate Park. This was another Star Trek location; it doubled as the Genesis Planet in The Wrath of Khan for the landing site of Spock's torpedo tube. Not, alas, as the landing site of the Klingon Bird of Prey in STIV, which was in a fake Golden Gate Park.</div>
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Since there are no cloaked Klingon vessels hanging around, we headed instead for the Japanese Tea Garden to ogle the garden and drink some tea.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We figured we came this far we may as well tack Japan on to the end of our trip. Sort of.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Neither of us can resist climbing on stuff</td></tr>
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For our final evening in San Francisco - indeed, in the US - we went out to the Castro District, with mixed results. We first went to the Twin Peaks for cocktails, which is a very cute bar with very pleasant patrons but an extremely hostile barman who clearly did not want women in his bar (we weren't the only women there, but not far off). We then walked around a bit, and what struck me most about the place was that it had all the vibrance of Soho in London but felt a whole lot safer. Tourist goggles maybe, but that was my first impression. We finished off the evening just around the corner at an Italian restaurant ("I love Italian...and so do you") and then sadly had to part ways with our most excellent and geeky guide.</div>
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Today was an awesome day. I'd happily spend another few weeks here (although it would be nice if they could give me access to the city's thermostat) but sadly we're now settling in for our final night in an American hotel room. Unless anyone would like to send us a shedload more cash so we can get our car back and make our way slowly back to Chicago...?</div>
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Ah, there's that tumbleweed we've been looking for this whole trip...</div>
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Rachael Livermorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14611872297819209492noreply@blogger.com0San Francisco, CA, USA37.7749295 -122.419415537.6745235 -122.577344 37.8753355 -122.261487tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299478984532070448.post-62472608119887641802012-09-21T09:07:00.000+01:002012-09-21T09:07:51.983+01:00Day 23 - Escape from AlcatrazToday, the first of two whole days in San Francisco, we got up and discussed the terrible view from the breakfast room at our hotel.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shabby view from the breakfast table.</td></tr>
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Venturing out in the direction of Union Square we had a vague notion to do one of the Duck tours of the city and out into the bay. If you never seen a Duck it's an amphibious vehicle designed originally for military use but now doing a roaring tourist trade in cities around the world where it can take passengers on tours both on land and water in one go. I'd previously done the London one which was huge fun but Rachael was a duck virgin so we thought it would be a great way to see the city.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A duck. The only way to do a city tour by land and water. Well the only way if you don't want to get wet anyway.</td></tr>
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We decided to get one of the cable cars from Union Square up to Fishermans Wharf to pick up the Duck tour. The duck tour does advertise that they also run from Union Sq but apparently thats only if you book in advance, and are obviously psychic because there was no mention of that on their advert. The cable cars are the old fashioned trolley cars you see in a lot of SF movies and they really are a tourist attraction only. People who live in SF seem to use the electric trams and buses but the old fashioned trolleys are cool to look at. We decided after one trip that we wouldn't bother with it again though. It was heaving with people, you have to cling on for dear life on the steep hills (there were no seats so we were standing) and at $6 for a one way trip it was pretty expensive. <br />
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Getting on the duck we were presented with our very own duck call noise maker. We were instructed to use it as often as we liked whilst on the tour. There was plenty of it for the first 10 minutes at which point everyone except a 2 yr old child on our tour got bored of it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz8a7_8bcngmwKWDrB9Y2vpqSYaZAQzHfGxIPRw_eCcy2j34DEL7SvrbHD4ZxWMR7JjPdgscGt3acErUP89n5yIlkZkZRb5bVFc0YkHpWLmSdJXhl-iqil-F-82SY3hEjcnNzuL2VaoDc/s1600/P1030650.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz8a7_8bcngmwKWDrB9Y2vpqSYaZAQzHfGxIPRw_eCcy2j34DEL7SvrbHD4ZxWMR7JjPdgscGt3acErUP89n5yIlkZkZRb5bVFc0YkHpWLmSdJXhl-iqil-F-82SY3hEjcnNzuL2VaoDc/s400/P1030650.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lizard gains a duck bill. Not sure it's a good look to be honest.</td></tr>
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We had a very friendly and engaging tour guide / driver called Sky who regaled us with little tidbits of San Francisco history as well as pointing out the quirkier things to see on our route. The duck is almost certainly not the best actual tour because I'm sure there was a lot we passed that didn't get a mention. But it's a lot of fun especially when it goes out on to the water.<br />
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At this point both Rachael and I were experiencing something we've not felt since leaving England. Cold. No really, it's cold here. We both had to buy tacky tourist fleeces because it's COLD. Brrrrr....<br />
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After the duck we strolled around Fishermans Wharf and decided to get a late lunch / early dinner. We headed back to Boudin and had a lovely meal with a great view of Alcatraz island. Boudin is a San Francisco bakery and restaurant famous for their sourdough bread. This was foreshadowing because we had tickets booked for the Alcatraz night cruise.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm61wLc39qAj5zyrW5NB3hRUnFnLlRgfuXmsTkbIHpAz22-ZlhaalXa4QPeYvYWJF9QZPOS3Nke6chSDr5spZUdKsUqNpmipppWl2Ksv2gGkGWXfEBSnt8mF5XHJQIeyL2dhRM5iWId5k/s1600/DSC03039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm61wLc39qAj5zyrW5NB3hRUnFnLlRgfuXmsTkbIHpAz22-ZlhaalXa4QPeYvYWJF9QZPOS3Nke6chSDr5spZUdKsUqNpmipppWl2Ksv2gGkGWXfEBSnt8mF5XHJQIeyL2dhRM5iWId5k/s400/DSC03039.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alcatraz</td></tr>
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The boat over to Alcatraz was pretty quick with a cheerful information commentary about the island on the way. The tacky tourist fleeces came into their own on the boat trip because with the windchill it was freezing. We can't work out if it's just that we've been baking like lizards for 3 weeks and have therefore acclimatised to the hot weather further south, or if it's just bloody cold here in SF.<br />
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Alcatraz is an eerie place. The buildings are largely unchanged since it's days as a prison and like Ellis Island in New York, the place has an atmosphere that is part creepy and part momentous. It's like the walls are talking. The cell block has an audio tour that is part of the ticket and it's excellent. There is audio testimony from actual wardens and inmates as well as dramatic retellings of some events. These are accompanied by sound effects such as clanging cell doors and alarms etc. It's all very atmospheric and slightly sinister. I certainly wouldn't want to do the tour on my own, it would be like walking around in your own personal horror movie.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbCRYPgk98AQVMsJoufygxgIplq8AKvFU5wy7FNkC2gB5p7zo5knR7Vrvx3Pn3hzHjzbiRDSZuSlw4bqwIjBptUZ1Cr4HoAovPxQfZajE7Y9z7e3GLi6KxwOYNT1WgVc6PzYdt-XSbKP8/s1600/DSC03079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieRDls6XBZuxAnl8tUi93rad4JUspA0e9CBsiTb3w0Rd8SVs6MyXF0iZ4nUH37Xj13WQpVr4pBd13YXD0b-OyW1DT3GwE1rDZUIYj3F2DvQg_IWiJBR-gsA0SMqUs4k4XA4cv9BwF1VDM/s1600/DSC03052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieRDls6XBZuxAnl8tUi93rad4JUspA0e9CBsiTb3w0Rd8SVs6MyXF0iZ4nUH37Xj13WQpVr4pBd13YXD0b-OyW1DT3GwE1rDZUIYj3F2DvQg_IWiJBR-gsA0SMqUs4k4XA4cv9BwF1VDM/s400/DSC03052.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A cheery message for those entering the cell block. <br />At least they were going to let us out at the end of the day - unlike these guys.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2GcCiffTeKatg-W8NPi9z8UT3qAA8IiaKbAADxF3Vy7huscAf7hF3HXDxxHiC4AWRxte7AI1Uy6rKE0MqxS97PAbi7w8MgCXP6Lk2EJbw3-Do3z9so-xdzMwRPRc9nL_z1e8YdKwCF28/s1600/P1030666.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2GcCiffTeKatg-W8NPi9z8UT3qAA8IiaKbAADxF3Vy7huscAf7hF3HXDxxHiC4AWRxte7AI1Uy6rKE0MqxS97PAbi7w8MgCXP6Lk2EJbw3-Do3z9so-xdzMwRPRc9nL_z1e8YdKwCF28/s400/P1030666.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rachael already looks worried and she's not even IN the cell.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCj_C4VQICJXAfY_w7yRMZWEyLy1i_s1smRH9avR3Z2mznRQHs04IZGhCzhF485fcJ3_tTFkWHBkL0eKo_Gz94aMIGGZdHt-jGyRNDkdWwnhUzNQ9OksG48AtJ-MrJh_cYJ6u-3ZeG2iA/s1600/P1030691.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCj_C4VQICJXAfY_w7yRMZWEyLy1i_s1smRH9avR3Z2mznRQHs04IZGhCzhF485fcJ3_tTFkWHBkL0eKo_Gz94aMIGGZdHt-jGyRNDkdWwnhUzNQ9OksG48AtJ-MrJh_cYJ6u-3ZeG2iA/s400/P1030691.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In Isolation (where the really naughty prisoners go)</td></tr>
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The view from Alcatraz back to the city is spectacular. This is of course all the more strange since the inmates could see glimpses of the city from their recreation area but could not leave to go there. This was probably an unintentional part of the punishment but an effective one none the less.<br />
We think Chicago still wins the stunning skyline award though.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbCRYPgk98AQVMsJoufygxgIplq8AKvFU5wy7FNkC2gB5p7zo5knR7Vrvx3Pn3hzHjzbiRDSZuSlw4bqwIjBptUZ1Cr4HoAovPxQfZajE7Y9z7e3GLi6KxwOYNT1WgVc6PzYdt-XSbKP8/s1600/DSC03079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbCRYPgk98AQVMsJoufygxgIplq8AKvFU5wy7FNkC2gB5p7zo5knR7Vrvx3Pn3hzHjzbiRDSZuSlw4bqwIjBptUZ1Cr4HoAovPxQfZajE7Y9z7e3GLi6KxwOYNT1WgVc6PzYdt-XSbKP8/s400/DSC03079.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">City skyline as seen from Alcatraz</td></tr>
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Returning back to San Francisco on the boat we ran into a huge queue waiting for a taxi. I think sometimes we are spoiled in London because 300 people leaving a scheduled (daily) tourist trap would probably have a tailback of cabs waiting. As it was we had to wait about 45 minutes for a taxi. SF clearly needs more cabs!<br />
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Tomorrow we are going hunting for Star Trek locations in SF since in the future Starfleet in based here.<br />
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Live long and prosper!Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03524286415998486590noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299478984532070448.post-19614793373082243322012-09-20T08:19:00.000+01:002012-09-20T08:19:01.604+01:00Day 22 - The Chequered Flag<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="text-align: left;">We left the Peach Tree Inn in San Luis Obispo this morning, which was a lovely little motel. Breakfast was in what felt like a grandmother's kitchen, complete with 1930s music and TEA! And best of all, the stay was cheap as chips (well, actually those would be quite expensive chips, but you know what I mean).</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhyphenhyphenOg-wAu7xR3m_Djnx3U8WLvfMb1gzsGJ86Y_B5GvhEMHMZOzHUbTW6VC87VxNwyJUAJGcs_qni-MHgsfA50aGmYb-VflMBVuMpDYK85aP8dm7DK8dbk-2ZHElMiZ-YJ2mWQEq9pXhDsM/s1600/DSC02931.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhyphenhyphenOg-wAu7xR3m_Djnx3U8WLvfMb1gzsGJ86Y_B5GvhEMHMZOzHUbTW6VC87VxNwyJUAJGcs_qni-MHgsfA50aGmYb-VflMBVuMpDYK85aP8dm7DK8dbk-2ZHElMiZ-YJ2mWQEq9pXhDsM/s320/DSC02931.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I wanted us to be grumpy old ladies sitting on the porch and muttering at passers by, but Fi wouldn't let me</td></tr>
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After breakfast we were back on the road to experience the spectacular Pacific Coast Highway.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgagBBDRhNqyOPLbbC09nOvWxEupf0XG1KfLYnD6W5el80HKkeNTqStuIAPXf3i_aDTZEcPFMcq9hNR2H31RT1y6d90FCD0pJn7X6qJyFvLEmWwdEaU1u7u1kR7h7TCqnSsmqDlJpEEtx5j/s1600/DSC02934.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgagBBDRhNqyOPLbbC09nOvWxEupf0XG1KfLYnD6W5el80HKkeNTqStuIAPXf3i_aDTZEcPFMcq9hNR2H31RT1y6d90FCD0pJn7X6qJyFvLEmWwdEaU1u7u1kR7h7TCqnSsmqDlJpEEtx5j/s320/DSC02934.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hey, I'm a rock, just sittin' here in the Pacific Ocean</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit-G-SAbXlLS2ZckuFMZVWgQL3_m9U0phJrb1-5Ccv-x2TzAfD6pnOzop3qUsIdRSDZL5lieyW9KLqAjmx1GUl96-X9Qe2aw7kComIB0ZAwce1_uYgyxEAHRvmxcZNT_1ogc7Gky6b_1j3/s1600/P1030505.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit-G-SAbXlLS2ZckuFMZVWgQL3_m9U0phJrb1-5Ccv-x2TzAfD6pnOzop3qUsIdRSDZL5lieyW9KLqAjmx1GUl96-X9Qe2aw7kComIB0ZAwce1_uYgyxEAHRvmxcZNT_1ogc7Gky6b_1j3/s320/P1030505.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not the worst view in the world</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsOk6u8Roc_taYgeo6M-AHllXIFdrGHRHH8djWfzTQQS30YC7ZCrZt7RJ-BzJH__y5V1GTlfr7AOyx0MvPwFzXuMtKMjLYnuL6S12u6ul85N7ySUSGalbLTzBDAXTkItfQNpUMLzmlwJOZ/s1600/P1030511.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsOk6u8Roc_taYgeo6M-AHllXIFdrGHRHH8djWfzTQQS30YC7ZCrZt7RJ-BzJH__y5V1GTlfr7AOyx0MvPwFzXuMtKMjLYnuL6S12u6ul85N7ySUSGalbLTzBDAXTkItfQNpUMLzmlwJOZ/s320/P1030511.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hero shot!</td></tr>
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<br />We were driving completely blind, our friendly EZ Guide having ceased directing us back in Santa Monica, but fortunately Route 1 is a darn sight better signposted than 66. Probably something to do with the minor detail that it wasn't decommissioned 28 years ago.<br /><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI4iAedrAVtadud-QxdNYJMq6hhjywaobL1OV4fHdI016buyjVB6fotJNvWDEsDfDuvv1xnB6yzYaCRoagzcPzeNOoG-zKDmvCbxk0_4c6NlrbnEluP_GGmhjNVuc7kjVgH1KmnlkaIItJ/s1600/P1030507.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI4iAedrAVtadud-QxdNYJMq6hhjywaobL1OV4fHdI016buyjVB6fotJNvWDEsDfDuvv1xnB6yzYaCRoagzcPzeNOoG-zKDmvCbxk0_4c6NlrbnEluP_GGmhjNVuc7kjVgH1KmnlkaIItJ/s320/P1030507.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sadly, this sign is not directing us to the World's Largest (But Unusable) Bike. Route 66 has given us unreasonable expectations.</td></tr>
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<br />The PCH is by no means the quickest way to reach San Francisco, not least because there is far too much pretty to simply drive past, and we ended up pulling over to gawk at the view rather a lot. At one such stop, we bumped into a large group of bikers who had also just completed a Route 66 trip; apparently we're not the only ones who don't consider Santa Monica a suitably satisfactory ending.<div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb6dUQ6iC9VYXYOoL8NJePy_RciRgQZXbkxVI0_KuOzwwh7MPywM4OM8CT_Jc7nZJ9Or0GfCH8ZJMqcCJMSLpX3IoYBl7dIarPVVljO1mviAGTvZKX_rj2JCK_d1SD7PfeyaATg-4gPe-7/s1600/DSC02953.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb6dUQ6iC9VYXYOoL8NJePy_RciRgQZXbkxVI0_KuOzwwh7MPywM4OM8CT_Jc7nZJ9Or0GfCH8ZJMqcCJMSLpX3IoYBl7dIarPVVljO1mviAGTvZKX_rj2JCK_d1SD7PfeyaATg-4gPe-7/s320/DSC02953.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These guys seem to spend all day basking in the sun. Where can I sign up?</td></tr>
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Another reason it's not the fastest road is that it's extremely twisty and turny; kind of like the Oatman Highway, except the sheer drops plunge down to a little puddle called the Pacific Ocean.<div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3D9-yfbFolqwGyTeG2f3DgNuXJ2kly-kIYpkOT17mjjRjLMwVm_kbFt9I6qGde3tu_5XsD7TPdH1BUBsvjGhG-HlQWMI4DwcFPGVbqsIhq8Kfw2AmZ2QqnwNZTpPsNl8Mud9Xub27AytN/s1600/P1030572.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3D9-yfbFolqwGyTeG2f3DgNuXJ2kly-kIYpkOT17mjjRjLMwVm_kbFt9I6qGde3tu_5XsD7TPdH1BUBsvjGhG-HlQWMI4DwcFPGVbqsIhq8Kfw2AmZ2QqnwNZTpPsNl8Mud9Xub27AytN/s320/P1030572.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wheeeeee!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAKttWZDg5RLrVaV3ahYCIXNOTqVsx7qhe1ItakTvfqLpBuSiHHl3M0TZYWs5abJK2T31gTNJSsK-zbQIsBLQBrJNMvWta4CEGl3T04togZVoIOwqoxNdMra_7UsDANpbpH6WBfSGoUI9A/s1600/P1030588.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAKttWZDg5RLrVaV3ahYCIXNOTqVsx7qhe1ItakTvfqLpBuSiHHl3M0TZYWs5abJK2T31gTNJSsK-zbQIsBLQBrJNMvWta4CEGl3T04togZVoIOwqoxNdMra_7UsDANpbpH6WBfSGoUI9A/s320/P1030588.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Am I checking out the road ahead, or am I a meerkat? Who can tell?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR6Zx9ck5pLXuHgCM76yPf4J87X3KbKNoe6rrUxYvjHO6_FslfEJ4udqVHTK5nw5gRarYTM0xS_xGu7vfodqcB4eBnH2qpMcom7o4p9mi5IeNeA4fN1BEPNDPZ9b61Bu-GJ3u5EmuxolJy/s1600/P1030613.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR6Zx9ck5pLXuHgCM76yPf4J87X3KbKNoe6rrUxYvjHO6_FslfEJ4udqVHTK5nw5gRarYTM0xS_xGu7vfodqcB4eBnH2qpMcom7o4p9mi5IeNeA4fN1BEPNDPZ9b61Bu-GJ3u5EmuxolJy/s320/P1030613.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I wanted a Thelma and Louise ending here. Fi is such a spoilsport.</td></tr>
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Countering the good signage, a disadvantage of the PCH being an active highway is that other people use it. I was very much looking forward to the twisty turny roads, but it turns out you only get short bursts of fun driving in between loooong stretches of being stuck behind nervous drivers. I wouldn't mind if they were just cruising to take in the view, provided they made use of the many passing places (or "turnouts") to let faster drivers pass, but these were clearly people just not accustomed to corners. Watching out for sporadic and often illogical braking quickly becomes both exhausting and infuriating.<div>
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That said, I was probably alone in my frustration; Fi is not as fond of the twisty-turny as I am, and was probably quite relieved that I was being reigned in (though for the record I wasn't even speeding: the slow-pokes were braking <i>in a straight line </i>when there were <i>no corners </i>when they reached the dizzying heights of two-thirds the speed limit).</div>
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I have decided that each of these drivers needs to be sent to England for lessons on country road driving. They can join the many people we've encountered who need to go to England for lessons on proper queuing etiquette. And the many, many more who need to learn how to make tea. And then America will be empty enough for me to enjoy driving on lonely roads.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEillPRyLpE76MPdHwEy7gl7PEAfG18nvxipy7-8YLwt7of1QASzg40-GNhIRCoYa7UxaQp2aE6Y9dTkvuBBd6LWZvNhCZ50AkqhjU-NKiwi3-c4tcTfjQqQ0faTW-TEz1gnENwlUqZCMwCf/s1600/P1030568.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEillPRyLpE76MPdHwEy7gl7PEAfG18nvxipy7-8YLwt7of1QASzg40-GNhIRCoYa7UxaQp2aE6Y9dTkvuBBd6LWZvNhCZ50AkqhjU-NKiwi3-c4tcTfjQqQ0faTW-TEz1gnENwlUqZCMwCf/s320/P1030568.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I miss the long empty roads of New Mexico</td></tr>
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<br />Okay, rant over: one of the plus points was that in the stretches where passing was impossible (and turnouts ignored), the only way to regain a nice empty road was to pull over for a while, and there was lots of pretty to occupy us.</div>
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We stopped briefly at Hearst Castle along the way, which we were told was built because a rich guy got fed up of camping. We decided that's almost crazy enough to be worthy of a spot on Route 66, though it would need to claim it hosts the world's largest of some mundane object in order to merit a relocation.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOYxk40Vlv2FytVUSBQs2L2q6WZokmqFnHeWihCmDn_HfIPg__Zpql3aCb5HrJg4PMU94WfUoMdVOyqzKjdQl9opTByKNfrtjj9tVHf049sw8CrWRgKGASomyToqWh5ohRmxCLWscafpFc/s1600/P1030526.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOYxk40Vlv2FytVUSBQs2L2q6WZokmqFnHeWihCmDn_HfIPg__Zpql3aCb5HrJg4PMU94WfUoMdVOyqzKjdQl9opTByKNfrtjj9tVHf049sw8CrWRgKGASomyToqWh5ohRmxCLWscafpFc/s320/P1030526.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add the World's Largest Spatula and you can move to Seligman</td></tr>
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<br />All too soon, though, we were rounding one of the coolest cambered flyovers I've ever driven on that took us into San Francisco.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finish line in sight!</td></tr>
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<br />Unfortunately we had unwittingly kept to our accidental tradition of arriving in cities at rush hour, so my first impression of San Francisco was of long traffic jams and aggressive drivers and pedestrians. Despite the city's best attempts to get us lost, however, we did eventually find the rental car return, and finally had to say goodbye to our home of the last few weeks. Fortunately, she appeared to be lacking any cuts or bruises from where I reversed her into the giant pole back at the Midpoint Cafe in Texas. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifcd4SMjkhgRgrrIY0ZdYqSTzV3A3K205O8zgO_k9kgtNJ2oJ7SXGuKPZ4_hNSohgsFQ_dT2c3Vurm_WQwQXeF4JyoDLh_JfZnVGPeblsnhBRD_sjZeG5oXF2iY9F3ix5Nsvg5p-qGWiDm/s1600/DSC02965.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifcd4SMjkhgRgrrIY0ZdYqSTzV3A3K205O8zgO_k9kgtNJ2oJ7SXGuKPZ4_hNSohgsFQ_dT2c3Vurm_WQwQXeF4JyoDLh_JfZnVGPeblsnhBRD_sjZeG5oXF2iY9F3ix5Nsvg5p-qGWiDm/s320/DSC02965.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anyone who comments on my appalling parking gets a Glare</td></tr>
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<br />Our hotel in San Francisco is lovely (thanks mostly to Fi's mum (<3) who upgraded us when we realised all we could afford at the end of our trip was a motel out by the airport). After checking in, we went out for a celebratory end-of-road dinner at John's Grill just down the road, and I found a Coldstone Creamery - one of my favourite things ever and a reason to come to America all by itself - so there may have been celebratory ice cream too.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIb2bIQIwD_gydmwYRPwc5pczXvmJBiPW9kyrb6OWqlBH2wXNhPnRotOUZJdkHwLQcU-GXWX9HJKMbVGV9z0sUarCbICoc-KHSz_2JQ7vFLbk2vvF5UUI06ODOkETGB1JQWwWkK3TSC-v_/s1600/DSC02966.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIb2bIQIwD_gydmwYRPwc5pczXvmJBiPW9kyrb6OWqlBH2wXNhPnRotOUZJdkHwLQcU-GXWX9HJKMbVGV9z0sUarCbICoc-KHSz_2JQ7vFLbk2vvF5UUI06ODOkETGB1JQWwWkK3TSC-v_/s320/DSC02966.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In Estate Agent speak, our hotel room has stunning views of the Golden Gate Bridge</td></tr>
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<br />We now have a couple of days of sightseeing in San Francisco. And I originally typed 'Chicago' there, which just goes to show how quickly this trip has gone!</div>
Rachael Livermorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14611872297819209492noreply@blogger.com2San Francisco, CA, USA37.7749295 -122.419415537.6745235 -122.577344 37.8753355 -122.261487tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299478984532070448.post-56419290561749766102012-09-19T07:43:00.001+01:002012-09-19T07:44:28.058+01:00Day 21 - And so we've come to the end of the road...Today was a little surreal. We've been planning this trip for a year and living it for nearly 3 weeks now. So to drive the last little bit from Hollywood to Santa Monica on route 66 and reach the literal end of the road was incredibly bittersweet. There was elation that we've not only made it but that all our hard work in planning the trip largely paid off. There was also sadness because we don't want it to end. As we drove the last few miles we discussed how we might change things if we had the trip to do over again and how feasible it might be just to turn the car around and head back to Chicago. Our "what we would do if doing this again" plan will probably form a post-trip blog post because we want to share our thoughts on that with people from the future. Our plans for driving straight back to Chicago got pretty quickly shelved on the basis that people might complain not least our bank managers. Spoilsports.<br />
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Strangely the official western end of R66 is a block or two away from the ocean on an unsatisfying street and there is nothing to mark it. So we drove that route and then made for Santa Monica pier where the spiritual end of the road is and where it is marked. Clearly. About 3 times in fact :P<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLOiVpoicvKUbAOoXMpv07XInEhS4d65_GPw5R6OtZbcLAwB-n9n6S0O2Tm7syL5vXdA_no7lsQ1qKrlyQoUb7ZlR3NvJ3xhGAtZaoJTOQbHcULSSjhkDl37dGcO9KTPFSikKEIuwvKVU/s1600/P1030447.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLOiVpoicvKUbAOoXMpv07XInEhS4d65_GPw5R6OtZbcLAwB-n9n6S0O2Tm7syL5vXdA_no7lsQ1qKrlyQoUb7ZlR3NvJ3xhGAtZaoJTOQbHcULSSjhkDl37dGcO9KTPFSikKEIuwvKVU/s400/P1030447.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The End of the Trail... *sob*</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8AZCvmUKJ0xXvxYIFg0wdQmSCGsjTSxRjAPSNEEBHKZvutrhnUugeWuGd7Tricfx-sQo74ex7zu_oZw5xe4oJF2EvUeZdyTuX1fD18oca-gxIJmmPJ-S0Ho1lEqw8yXVelLabyGSomVA/s1600/DSC02904.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8AZCvmUKJ0xXvxYIFg0wdQmSCGsjTSxRjAPSNEEBHKZvutrhnUugeWuGd7Tricfx-sQo74ex7zu_oZw5xe4oJF2EvUeZdyTuX1fD18oca-gxIJmmPJ-S0Ho1lEqw8yXVelLabyGSomVA/s400/DSC02904.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">... oh... actually this one is the end (this one does match the "begin" sign we photographed ourselves with in Chicago)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikR3wFNA2AyqGcKgUK43kTQfJqoXU1kYoYRSu-274KcNwVhkBawMphNzoi8VGal3SHMjlo0c7ERv3HuxmdOZsZUIBvEvDnKALRd6l6qmElgWo87l9H1EeGiLO9lZONHG0tvNAmdNyfcqw/s1600/P1030491.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikR3wFNA2AyqGcKgUK43kTQfJqoXU1kYoYRSu-274KcNwVhkBawMphNzoi8VGal3SHMjlo0c7ERv3HuxmdOZsZUIBvEvDnKALRd6l6qmElgWo87l9H1EeGiLO9lZONHG0tvNAmdNyfcqw/s400/P1030491.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Or maybe THIS is the end. Well it's bound to be one of these 3 so we captured them all for posterity and safety's sake.</td></tr>
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Very much like our start in Chicago, we ended on a pier. Technically we visited Navy Pier the day before we set off but it did feel like a full circle moment, if you'll excuse the pun, to go on a Ferris Wheel at the Santa Monica Pier.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxbouDC5GIUsy1YzrjeG-gR-JS4OZhRwrlUpyVR0p4kUKCfPG2VOCrcxNVWG4SkKYzeheva5wMOGcIu8dcF8ldNBNj2Ha3SnmPLbk-BQOX1kPlbXcZ-cG-VRawWXqqMzXxI9is3ZhOmUY/s1600/DSC02875.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxbouDC5GIUsy1YzrjeG-gR-JS4OZhRwrlUpyVR0p4kUKCfPG2VOCrcxNVWG4SkKYzeheva5wMOGcIu8dcF8ldNBNj2Ha3SnmPLbk-BQOX1kPlbXcZ-cG-VRawWXqqMzXxI9is3ZhOmUY/s400/DSC02875.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another Ferris Wheel - another sunburn... Look how blue that water is! The Pacific is gorgeous.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfnRnGeuHtkAkh5s7NOZykRuRDNJUZBGkKXHUcyy4q9anxxnwANu4v0NNx-5yLENzloH_7UGJwrS4X03pcV13Jf0DNR3BBHJLDBwuDz7DFXCjTSALWTakqvVNPW6hO06nnAoGPZuy1AX0/s1600/P1030452.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfnRnGeuHtkAkh5s7NOZykRuRDNJUZBGkKXHUcyy4q9anxxnwANu4v0NNx-5yLENzloH_7UGJwrS4X03pcV13Jf0DNR3BBHJLDBwuDz7DFXCjTSALWTakqvVNPW6hO06nnAoGPZuy1AX0/s400/P1030452.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Windswept and interesting in Santa Monica.</td></tr>
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The Pacific Ocean is beautiful - there really is no other word for it. We had planned only to spend an hour or so taking pics and marking the end of Route 66 before picking up the Pacific Coast Highway north towards our final stop on this trip - San Francisco.<br />
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That was our plan but it sort of didn't work out that way. Because the Pacific is a siren that demands you stare at it's beauty. And Santa Monica pier has frozen custard and an old fashioned games arcade.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVqsa-E7BfqRSwEs199WGhe8zbHv_llwzuhajpvVhkBcLWbMZgsnjTQtccOb2Cnm5fgJo1lbSmeaj8LOjq3bDdaRmbqqGvBU7NSZRkETUI55_XvrqbBGc8rcTFpTmZLJ_eEWKEZskZQfw/s1600/P1030449.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVqsa-E7BfqRSwEs199WGhe8zbHv_llwzuhajpvVhkBcLWbMZgsnjTQtccOb2Cnm5fgJo1lbSmeaj8LOjq3bDdaRmbqqGvBU7NSZRkETUI55_XvrqbBGc8rcTFpTmZLJ_eEWKEZskZQfw/s400/P1030449.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We had no idea Route 66 was called the Custard Trail until we got to the end. But we can say this - the best Frozen Custard on Route 66 is Ted Drewes in St Louis - NO CONTEST.</td></tr>
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We had huge fun playing childhood favourites at the arcade. Rachael won the driving game (shocker!) but I kicked butt at the pirate zombie shoot'em'up game and we won enough tickets for a cheesy Santa Monica pier fridge magnet.</div>
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Our final stop in Santa Monica was the Will Rogers memorial. Route 66 is also named the Will Rogers highway and so it seemed fitting we pay our respects having spent the last 2 weeks on the chaps road.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixSzN7B4_INNS5EsBhdHDlDW0IY5pes2BkM_s13-xyvGAUmOjWimSjk-3Tf5pn1dTdqA51J37_hXYfTEDzSC-dX13_Le_herL2aONbV1TRA05G0j72-ONxfYs5Me35rgBp-fx_pMfkzdA/s1600/P1030488.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixSzN7B4_INNS5EsBhdHDlDW0IY5pes2BkM_s13-xyvGAUmOjWimSjk-3Tf5pn1dTdqA51J37_hXYfTEDzSC-dX13_Le_herL2aONbV1TRA05G0j72-ONxfYs5Me35rgBp-fx_pMfkzdA/s400/P1030488.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Will Rogers Memorial</td></tr>
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We left Santa Monica at an inappropriately late hour of the day given our long drive up the coast to San Luis Obispo where we are stopped for the night. Naturally we hit traffic (boo) and the sun began to set (hiss) so we abandoned the PCH in part for the interstate because it's faster and you can't see the ocean in the dark anyway. Apparently much of the good stuff to see is on the run from SLO to San Francisco we've been told so we are looking forward to that tomorrow. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGlByZpsyhLAdx7Sg4UXPLrbe-5gmZUWPKeVRO34neTugYIkDhA4F8tk3RjlzG30zMM0qLvQK5GILlaFQW_-1Z9gsZO16kVG1OMje1VR9hyiEcWR8WhqdKA9VPfFM7jb3QUhf9_HlRMFs/s1600/DSC02930.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGlByZpsyhLAdx7Sg4UXPLrbe-5gmZUWPKeVRO34neTugYIkDhA4F8tk3RjlzG30zMM0qLvQK5GILlaFQW_-1Z9gsZO16kVG1OMje1VR9hyiEcWR8WhqdKA9VPfFM7jb3QUhf9_HlRMFs/s400/DSC02930.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset from El Capitan State Beach</td></tr>
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Tonight we are very comfortably ensconced in the lovely Peach Tree Inn. Tomorrow we drive through Morro Bay and Monterey and then on to San Francisco for the last few days of our trip. Looking forward to all the things we want to do there, but we can't quite believe it's nearly over.Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03524286415998486590noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299478984532070448.post-85717429460517022292012-09-18T18:17:00.000+01:002012-09-18T18:53:36.115+01:00Day 20 - Our Big Break in Hollywood<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="text-align: left;">Today was our first rest day since Chicago, and it felt like a massive luxury. Waking up in a hotel room without having to pack up and check out! The little things make me happy.</span></div>
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Our hotel is mostly lovely, and was great value for the price we got. The room is massive for a city hotel, and we have a balcony with a glorious view of the AT&T building opposite - and if you stand right in the corner on tip toes, you can even see half of the Griffith Observatory, which is quite cool. Unfortunately, though we have few firm requirements for our overnight lodgings, one of them is a hot shower and on this front the Hollywood Hotel fails abysmally. Washing long hair in a freezing shower is doubleplus unfun, and even the delicious omelette station isn't enough to make up for it.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An estate agent would list this as stunning views of Griffith Park</td></tr>
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We had a bit of a lie-in and then headed out to Tourist Central to be tourists. As Londoners (or ex-Londoner in my case) we have high standards for public transport, and our experience in Los Angeles so far has been iffy: we took the shuttle up to Griffith Observatory last night and it was late going up and non-existent coming back (luckily we had planned on catching the second-to-last shuttle back!). Today we decided to give the LA Metro a try. The Vermont/Sunset station is only a couple of blocks from the hotel and lies on the line we wanted, so that part was easy. The ticket machines are not entirely tourist-proof, requiring random button-pushes to find the prices, but they seem to have instigated an Oyster card-type system since I was last here, which beats Oyster (for tourists) on the basis that the initial card deposit is only $1.<br />
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The platform was easy to find on the basis that there's only one line at this station, but on reaching it we were horrified to note that trains only come every twelve minutes. <i>Twelve minutes!</i> Even the Circle line manages better than that most of the time.</div>
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Fortunately, there was plenty to occupy those twelve minutes, as the station is decorated with model constellations!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vulcan is over there, just below and to the right of Orion</td></tr>
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We alighted at Hollywood & Vine, to stroll along the Walk of Fame towards Highland. I have to admit that on my first visit to Hollywood I was hugely disappointed: it's frankly a bit of a dive, and the Walk of Fame is cracked and filthy. This is my fifth visit, though, and I've decided that it's fun if you expect less glamour and more Blackpool for entertainment fans.<br />
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It's easy to spot tourists on Hollywood Boulevard: for one thing, they're the people not trying to sell things; for another, they walk along head downwards, sporting cameras and reading out names. Naturally, we stopped to photograph a few of the stars that are relevant to our interests.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Route 66 is also known as the Will Rogers Highway. We're not entirely certain why, but at least it means we've heard of him.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chekov's brand new star, only awarded a few days ago</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1i1TxKVLfrB5iJnC1sRVQApYehwopik8aRnFU2hzJe4kAdx3uIiaajd-uTW8lsAlnyXEkoeKFQUZfU44yo9amzRkyoPdIFqZ7JqCNVRh0MD3MXZlGwC-YSWZfyz881jQYDic5b4uf2rtM/s1600/P1030388.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1i1TxKVLfrB5iJnC1sRVQApYehwopik8aRnFU2hzJe4kAdx3uIiaajd-uTW8lsAlnyXEkoeKFQUZfU44yo9amzRkyoPdIFqZ7JqCNVRh0MD3MXZlGwC-YSWZfyz881jQYDic5b4uf2rtM/s320/P1030388.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tyrone Power, whose room we stayed in at the El Rancho in Gallup. He was very hospitable.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUABTxpduU-edSy5o23dG8vwapUZxLDHz3NQYc8243IO_SuYiZi_I8EXon6bczlO26pNp1Nnz6obTX2I7fdIYX7O_4aIb56dBBfE7atBxju5PXoutxaZOwtzpWU-kduxqO6uvUWu-ycjUf/s1600/P1030411.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUABTxpduU-edSy5o23dG8vwapUZxLDHz3NQYc8243IO_SuYiZi_I8EXon6bczlO26pNp1Nnz6obTX2I7fdIYX7O_4aIb56dBBfE7atBxju5PXoutxaZOwtzpWU-kduxqO6uvUWu-ycjUf/s320/P1030411.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't even start, I won't hear a word against The Shat</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiorVnYEFiFC2iRHp7qfFZZdj0qKaIrw2vZB42fmY2aSEhVMC5UzWqX4cbmkbFZlaKxh8ftrHDuj4s8hXOh4ULAN8DAHnKrxifuQoJf8erWHczW4Jl3U1prpUcdG_m2GazohFKHXS-uHVBT/s1600/P1030416.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiorVnYEFiFC2iRHp7qfFZZdj0qKaIrw2vZB42fmY2aSEhVMC5UzWqX4cbmkbFZlaKxh8ftrHDuj4s8hXOh4ULAN8DAHnKrxifuQoJf8erWHczW4Jl3U1prpUcdG_m2GazohFKHXS-uHVBT/s320/P1030416.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Comparing hand sizes with Leonard Nimoy</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzm3uyxdWERW9ittmayhGyUfwd3HszgAXuQ43F3YPI3_r6diXF_x-x60dPkHTIil4CIgcIhWuriryZNyu8drIsFo7bdr1Zb_MdE10P00hHg2tzXI4eVN8wJeY5G3W6yDY88_INJyf14Dmp/s1600/DSC02842.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzm3uyxdWERW9ittmayhGyUfwd3HszgAXuQ43F3YPI3_r6diXF_x-x60dPkHTIil4CIgcIhWuriryZNyu8drIsFo7bdr1Zb_MdE10P00hHg2tzXI4eVN8wJeY5G3W6yDY88_INJyf14Dmp/s320/DSC02842.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We ate Khan back in Gallup: he was very tasty</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4VwuTWpFeiY018Oxc8gfIA8JNufUKiO3vpG4s50169v01i17_AqxatguIJOIbQUyEk3W2rmpwwbXNFGRGVw0cBwZc7bHS6COBoo_B999w9glOITaJvkT_2jj53oCtmmpCF4YYwJpv_0h2/s1600/P1030446.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4VwuTWpFeiY018Oxc8gfIA8JNufUKiO3vpG4s50169v01i17_AqxatguIJOIbQUyEk3W2rmpwwbXNFGRGVw0cBwZc7bHS6COBoo_B999w9glOITaJvkT_2jj53oCtmmpCF4YYwJpv_0h2/s320/P1030446.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nimoy's star location is not at all worthy of him</td></tr>
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On visit to the Hollywood & Highland Centre for an obligatory photo of the Hollywood sign, we came across our first bubble tea since Chicago!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGs5X5oRnmN4vACOHO32VFC65EJWCTjLNe3GIVcs8KHi58BF1Mo3gOFG7d1mP6onZn056yaFDZrTgQtJrIkt_0Xu238J6CHnXahkNE8ADfRF9_LkgVaE9rIHadHWyPzLgPNdbturClvUIe/s1600/photo+(3).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGs5X5oRnmN4vACOHO32VFC65EJWCTjLNe3GIVcs8KHi58BF1Mo3gOFG7d1mP6onZn056yaFDZrTgQtJrIkt_0Xu238J6CHnXahkNE8ADfRF9_LkgVaE9rIHadHWyPzLgPNdbturClvUIe/s320/photo+(3).jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I have never been so happy to find a bright orange drink that likely contains no ingredients found in nature</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUevR-7SwRMEip422coXZYpSVMQPZOPawi0J5uKLL2cWv_jrmKM_03sU4c5Zq5LxDNW5pm-gC3PxkxDbzoSNXR9Csd_rwOexrlwcdAE_lUyL89c-GianYgoSjzfaxh3dB4-d2wAt7bRX-Z/s1600/P1030395.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUevR-7SwRMEip422coXZYpSVMQPZOPawi0J5uKLL2cWv_jrmKM_03sU4c5Zq5LxDNW5pm-gC3PxkxDbzoSNXR9Csd_rwOexrlwcdAE_lUyL89c-GianYgoSjzfaxh3dB4-d2wAt7bRX-Z/s320/P1030395.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh yes, and the obligatory photo</td></tr>
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As is quite evident from that photo of me, the manicures we had back in Chicago were a little the worse for wear, so we decided to treat ourselves to a little bit of Hollywood pampering and have them redone. The place we went to was called Diamond Nails Spa & Tanning, and I'd highly recommend it. Very reasonably priced, pleasant staff, and the lady who did mine insisted on adding flowers to both our nails.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sparkly nails! And a tree.</td></tr>
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We were then able to head back to the hotel to clean up, a massive luxury when we've got used to moving every day. In the evening, we headed out to Alhambra for Chinese with a few of my fannish friends I haven't seen in over a year (and who turned out to know each other but required visitors from England to get them to meet up for the first time in about ten years). We arrived a little after seven and stayed until gone midnight; getting geeks together is a long and dangerous business.</div>
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All in all, a fantastically relaxing rest day, and now we're all prepared to complete Route 66 tomorrow and begin the second portion of our American adventure.</div>
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Rachael Livermorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14611872297819209492noreply@blogger.com0Hollywood, Los Angeles, CA, USA34.0928092 -118.328661434.066510199999996 -118.36814340000001 34.1191082 -118.2891794tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299478984532070448.post-90747893985904666722012-09-17T09:25:00.001+01:002012-09-17T09:25:59.686+01:00Day 19 - City of Angels<br />
We spent an awesome 20 minutes talking to the owner of the Wigwam motel before leaving this morning. He was telling us stories about the various trips he's done and gave us some advice about places to visit including the location of banana split epicness in Pasadena. One thing became immediately apparent from his stories - route 66 is a party town on wheels. Many of the characters we've met along the way are total party animals but we just didn't catch them at the right time of day to experience it. Probably just as well since neither Rachael or I are big drinkers. He also got us to take a couple of mad photos as the people who just stand in front of the wigwams are boring. So we hugged it and there was another one where we totally failed to jump in front of it.<br />
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Technically we think (well according to google / wikipedia) these should be called Teepee's because their shape is wrong for a wigwam. But the motel is called Wigwam so we are going with that.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg88BiHu3xWPfEcFJFdXxTPgy4Ua8J61j2Yz4iOVPq-MOFbEYbkIDgQ3r3c1KkSSB7TAeLmYI-FFYevzndQJbcdFqo9tIbARuHsEwApCIjWItL09u_iA5w799ZO1aXuZgJGoRjQFd9rPlM/s1600/DSC02751.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg88BiHu3xWPfEcFJFdXxTPgy4Ua8J61j2Yz4iOVPq-MOFbEYbkIDgQ3r3c1KkSSB7TAeLmYI-FFYevzndQJbcdFqo9tIbARuHsEwApCIjWItL09u_iA5w799ZO1aXuZgJGoRjQFd9rPlM/s400/DSC02751.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hugging a concrete wigwam - as you do...</td></tr>
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Setting off west from San Bernardino we started to experience end of trip anxiety. Initially we had planned to end our R66 adventure today before spending a couple of days in LA and then heading up the Pacific Coast Highway to San Francisco, our final destination before flying home. But somehow we didn't want R66 to end just yet. Some friends we met along the way are finishing their journey on Tuesday and since thats the day we are due to leave LA we decided to try to meet up with them and complete it together. So we got to Hollywood where our hotel is and just stopped.<br />
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Before that however, we passed through a number of LA adjacent towns and drove basically along one really long road from San Bernadino to Pasadena.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlVkWtklSsLhN5y8jz20BZ2Dp4OMqLMblXtDv9airtwhjQyX8XyidwS8AV9Ds9mREepv4KGyryWYybzR69bDdXJKHp4WvaK_xa3NFdtu7GW1Po4AIyLQ5BVq1PLvC0NzaqFfeIm0BW6j0/s1600/P1030228.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlVkWtklSsLhN5y8jz20BZ2Dp4OMqLMblXtDv9airtwhjQyX8XyidwS8AV9Ds9mREepv4KGyryWYybzR69bDdXJKHp4WvaK_xa3NFdtu7GW1Po4AIyLQ5BVq1PLvC0NzaqFfeIm0BW6j0/s400/P1030228.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Apparently there used to be lots of these in California but this is the only one left. Still not 100% sure what it is though.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc5dSKqWvcnUUPtrqKcKgFeyki4kEFbUHJJHZUr7bHRjKgQYYDQZQZAmixH9CMELKv36yNb3M5bEeu-R-Nc1_twDv-mfg4HRh75ngARhpFdMEzFEVuwBJ_Z9VdzAoX-unQHEL2bxkmoLA/s1600/P1030238.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc5dSKqWvcnUUPtrqKcKgFeyki4kEFbUHJJHZUr7bHRjKgQYYDQZQZAmixH9CMELKv36yNb3M5bEeu-R-Nc1_twDv-mfg4HRh75ngARhpFdMEzFEVuwBJ_Z9VdzAoX-unQHEL2bxkmoLA/s400/P1030238.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">California kicking arse on signage.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhNK3DE1zs6W3AUTaVTtnpRTGIMEXKsdAliQLH49w3d2Q3gAnR63wmds3EpNfd5FdIMUwafl7Aw-n8w9sFZ6AklViFBpgEtXz8-owHHk9LUSm21E7V4BjppAH-MMQMApFOn6fNwoBTu4Q/s1600/P1030243.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhNK3DE1zs6W3AUTaVTtnpRTGIMEXKsdAliQLH49w3d2Q3gAnR63wmds3EpNfd5FdIMUwafl7Aw-n8w9sFZ6AklViFBpgEtXz8-owHHk9LUSm21E7V4BjppAH-MMQMApFOn6fNwoBTu4Q/s400/P1030243.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the only actual road name signs with Route 66 on we've seen along the whole trip.</td></tr>
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Since it was lunchtime when we stopped in Pasadena, we tracked down the Fair Oaks Pharmacy and Soda Fountain, as recommended, for a sandwich and to share the banana split of epicdom. Let's be clear though - there was one banana sliced lengthwise in this thing. And about 4 pints of icecream, sauces, whipped cream and cherries. We attacked it as best we could but definitely could have used a 3rd person in the team to really obliterate it. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmq34tBE3BglHGGMCe4YdkX2xku2WpcibCJeQvoKWgIfS3uBKcdoVFhyV0IbFgdeMyd2kuMM8YfmbiM_QwoVTg4FnkmuBGoN63rlFz-e26XLLugP2LNqA0a8T5wLSxnItTB_MywwGvcdU/s1600/DSC02754.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmq34tBE3BglHGGMCe4YdkX2xku2WpcibCJeQvoKWgIfS3uBKcdoVFhyV0IbFgdeMyd2kuMM8YfmbiM_QwoVTg4FnkmuBGoN63rlFz-e26XLLugP2LNqA0a8T5wLSxnItTB_MywwGvcdU/s400/DSC02754.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The banana was pretty much an afterthought in this mountain of ice-cream .</td></tr>
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Moving on we negotiated LA traffic and managed to find our hotel pretty easily. The Hollywood hotel is surprisingly great. We got an amazing deal for it online at Expedia and it's one of the nicest hotel we've stayed in since Chicago. We read the reviews before booking but sometimes other people's idea of great isn't the same as ours. We'd seen a few times that places get 5 star reviews when we might only give them 3. But so far the Hollywood is all it promised and more. Having checked in we headed straight out again because we wanted to fit in a sunset visit to the Griffith Observatory and it's closed on Mondays so we needed to go today.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0T70jCumoy10CMC2C3YE9XGgt8F4BIEkvP8aKUpJx3_fXZmEP21CqgPaj7ZmuHbrXudsfjY_zG_bV5HWVApxz7rSpfjLmsiOul5CB2UMO2u6zOu7Oh5OVc4LaUNk4bobvMSzbGR-2X_w/s1600/P1030285.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0T70jCumoy10CMC2C3YE9XGgt8F4BIEkvP8aKUpJx3_fXZmEP21CqgPaj7ZmuHbrXudsfjY_zG_bV5HWVApxz7rSpfjLmsiOul5CB2UMO2u6zOu7Oh5OVc4LaUNk4bobvMSzbGR-2X_w/s400/P1030285.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Griffith Observatory - yes this is where they shot one of the Charlie's Angels movies... </td></tr>
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Griffith was fantastic. It felt smaller than the Adler in Chicago but we both felt it was a more satisfying experience and more focused on education than entertainment, especially for the planetarium show. The one at Griffith was narrated live by a guy with an amazing movie announcer / actor voice (probably a resting actor) and it was far less contrived than the Chicago equivalent.<br />
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Observatories seem to be great places to take pictures of the cities than they are in/near because of the high view point. I do think Chicago has LA beaten for the view though, as there was quite a haze over the sprawl of LA, and Chicago has the epic lakefront view of the city which really can't be beaten.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKpqbkyD34wsM_3jeV10_4D_5FzVS4hNBNsXK3S1KZVy6ZPxRoTxWu03oodwmALB4ta2_mPV4-PfEMtAUY_ZM_hFGWk7ZrOrqBX5wsL3lc0xg277HZV9x81uiVq8w25u1s3zprJVYCoDs/s400/P1030281.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Griffith is one of the best places to view the Hollywood sign - even though this was taken on full zoom!</td></tr>
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Of course LA does have the Hollywood sign and I managed to capture a pretty good fried egg sunset from the observatory's cafe balcony.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ__hDkyPR09uJlHlBhENUBSrDlG37x2OguPW0AH3UCbIWNXdpbyXwdJsiyMnFlTzL-YqI9jDVjNRkXs2o9WK0IbxrNKKuT6RtF2mMDyuI1JtE6xhwriOcygs4p7unmAATv9Kw35aZfuI/s1600/P1030325.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ__hDkyPR09uJlHlBhENUBSrDlG37x2OguPW0AH3UCbIWNXdpbyXwdJsiyMnFlTzL-YqI9jDVjNRkXs2o9WK0IbxrNKKuT6RtF2mMDyuI1JtE6xhwriOcygs4p7unmAATv9Kw35aZfuI/s400/P1030325.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fried Egg Sunset</td></tr>
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Another reason we loved the Griffith is that since the recentish refurb there is a Leonard Nimoy event theatre where they play a short film about the history of the place and the recent work. Leonard himself does the narration and is hella cute doing it. We wandered around for about 4 hours all told and then made our way back to our hotel.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcFzzVK-5I1FzReBbmvhc6bzdnXMXeVzk-oXItVs71KLjbSiIGgtZCd7l4fpPVuXZB6GkvcGTQ5_W2nIh6rm49rxoAFedK8qJCmPfXnNj1wseYdcvrA9u-IzonLK1F8gmsvZWqh4oi18s/s1600/DSC02761.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcFzzVK-5I1FzReBbmvhc6bzdnXMXeVzk-oXItVs71KLjbSiIGgtZCd7l4fpPVuXZB6GkvcGTQ5_W2nIh6rm49rxoAFedK8qJCmPfXnNj1wseYdcvrA9u-IzonLK1F8gmsvZWqh4oi18s/s400/DSC02761.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Foucault Pendulum at the Griffith - unlike the one at Meramec caverns this one actually works.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC5_OiS7zC9KgRbUSXAmTVp0LCx90b7y0s2JzfNmo-1oWzAZ3uQFYIH23jYrhBiFbXTrfcjDdeXtz1f_kHs3Oys-f1lR3bG-5dGaId-hoCNJveq3VacPKJV66BGYDaCTJjis1RFH_nozI/s400/DSC02778.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of downtown LA - lots of zoom to get this too.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC5_OiS7zC9KgRbUSXAmTVp0LCx90b7y0s2JzfNmo-1oWzAZ3uQFYIH23jYrhBiFbXTrfcjDdeXtz1f_kHs3Oys-f1lR3bG-5dGaId-hoCNJveq3VacPKJV66BGYDaCTJjis1RFH_nozI/s1600/DSC02778.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyKgqJPyfhyq_7frWVV23RXPRkpM9ueCoFrpMluOnbsEWvQGDh0idqjvfy5g_QsJ0o37CxLEFhVIU8gwurGlUk4tZPzBU6vlzHxalqef7SJYbt7Wjlx7K4qwOTSYfNKI-JVdRrwjVyoRA/s1600/P1030292.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyKgqJPyfhyq_7frWVV23RXPRkpM9ueCoFrpMluOnbsEWvQGDh0idqjvfy5g_QsJ0o37CxLEFhVIU8gwurGlUk4tZPzBU6vlzHxalqef7SJYbt7Wjlx7K4qwOTSYfNKI-JVdRrwjVyoRA/s400/P1030292.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sponsors star for the Nimoys. <33333</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEnSq06pkE4agwCzo-nwnS3VwhPm7szqEDojO1zNg-j9I6D2te-dUkAkhyW4txfGByAmp5H1uGpm3mB6u2h7mAAF1UcPAoc9qcYXWvKeYXSw_8W_SvyXioaNo70401BQn4okCxqnmlU74/s1600/P1030337.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEnSq06pkE4agwCzo-nwnS3VwhPm7szqEDojO1zNg-j9I6D2te-dUkAkhyW4txfGByAmp5H1uGpm3mB6u2h7mAAF1UcPAoc9qcYXWvKeYXSw_8W_SvyXioaNo70401BQn4okCxqnmlU74/s400/P1030337.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rachael consoles Pluto on it's demise as a planet.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCXwUrXEzJaRInCRtAcqqS9_6WS4Amv6jgbhTkkoQmzYKZqGTX5KquY5p-w8DOqqzKHqL9FZB0uEBjUTbTg2oaCvbjGmJvb0MBpvzuJzNaZ3346Q6M7LY-jBeK8BKS0IxsqKx9MOaRWP0/s1600/P1030338.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCXwUrXEzJaRInCRtAcqqS9_6WS4Amv6jgbhTkkoQmzYKZqGTX5KquY5p-w8DOqqzKHqL9FZB0uEBjUTbTg2oaCvbjGmJvb0MBpvzuJzNaZ3346Q6M7LY-jBeK8BKS0IxsqKx9MOaRWP0/s400/P1030338.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A helpful sign in case we got lost on our visit.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO46An7HS5GKoGhjm6H7-XncEEIrayIKPnX3H3-SwnVZJ9JiBVOzDvvsflUac6DtrPdPja08Ji-INwYAvkWLyyfUkklYWeXs3Qyc0zgRULuVl_m2VpaXFo7fxC3l2Y8sxTEUe3nM8Kd0E/s1600/P1030340.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO46An7HS5GKoGhjm6H7-XncEEIrayIKPnX3H3-SwnVZJ9JiBVOzDvvsflUac6DtrPdPja08Ji-INwYAvkWLyyfUkklYWeXs3Qyc0zgRULuVl_m2VpaXFo7fxC3l2Y8sxTEUe3nM8Kd0E/s400/P1030340.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Einstein looks bemused. Rachael looks amused. I could barely hold the camera steady for laughing.</td></tr>
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Tomorrow we have another easy day - Hollyweird sightseeing and dinner with fandom friends. Looking forward to it. :D</div>
Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03524286415998486590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299478984532070448.post-71348318921162844022012-09-16T08:19:00.000+01:002012-09-16T08:38:54.812+01:00Day 18 - Leaving Las Vegas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Before leaving Las Vegas, Fi dragged me (kicking and screaming, honest guv) to Hash House a Go Go for breakfast. It becomes immediately obvious that this place is a little bit mental when you enter to find all of the staff in costume. There was a Fred Flinstone, Batman, Superman, Shaggy and Velma from Scooby Doo, even a woman dressed as the game Twister. Our server, in a clear sign that our presence there was fate, was wearing a red Star Trek Original Series minidress. Hopefully she was meant to be Uhura, otherwise she must have somehow met her untimely redshirt demise after we left.</div>
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Hash House a Go Go was featured on the TV show Man vs Food, which made their fried chicken benedict famous, so obviously we needed to give this a try. If I'd thought about this a moment and remembered what Man vs Food is like, I might have reconsidered. This dish is <i>ridiculous.</i> On top of a fairly large bed of mashed potato, you get a biscuit (for anyone unaccustomed to American "biscuits", think less Rich Tea and more savoury scone) topped with bacon, scrambled eggs, spinach, tomato, <i>a massive piece of fried chicken</i>, and all of this is covered in mozzarella and chipotle cream. With a bloody great knife stabbed through the whole lot. Oh, and a random slice of melon, perhaps to alleviate guilt?</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinxxbd5X4qSmnOJuDN6-sODDka0w5mC-pdEhqHyHebrOhexEYHL5ilTfGY4zKm42MMQQ7y4M9b2C1YeVHnsGQa34Q-8CHw3NtWomYdsS8vlpEBsjBITQNMybFO13Vt_mzYnukWPixoRr6H/s1600/DSC02651.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinxxbd5X4qSmnOJuDN6-sODDka0w5mC-pdEhqHyHebrOhexEYHL5ilTfGY4zKm42MMQQ7y4M9b2C1YeVHnsGQa34Q-8CHw3NtWomYdsS8vlpEBsjBITQNMybFO13Vt_mzYnukWPixoRr6H/s320/DSC02651.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They fry in zero trans fat oil, which somehow makes this okay?</td></tr>
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I don't know. American portion sizes tend to the extreme, but this is the most absurd I've seen yet. I managed less than half, and that's lasted me all day. I'm not even sure I'll want to eat anything tomorrow.<br />
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Our destination today was San Bernadino, which lies along a nice speedy Interstate direct from Las Vegas. A sensible person might have taken that option, but I'm a purist and insisted we cover every mile of Route 66, so we backtracked down the 95 to Needles, California, to pick up Route 66 where we left off yesterday.</div>
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One thing we made sure to do before leaving Nevada was top up the petrol tank. Yesterday, we made the mistake of filling up just as we crossed into California, and the prices were a whole dollar per gallon higher than in Arizona. The scary thing is that even the California price of $4.99 per gallon is still <i>less than half </i>what we pay in the UK. Depressing thought, isn't it? And especially galling when Americans complain the price of gas is too high.</div>
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While I'm digressing about buying gas in the US, I'll mention to any Hypothetical Future People that it's an absolute pain in the arse. In America you have to pay before you fill up, which is fine as they all have pay at pump systems. Except they ask for a zip code, and therefore don't work for non-US residents. To get around this, you have to go inside, guess an amount to pay, go out and fill up, and then go back inside for a refund of the difference between the estimate and the actual. In the past I've only had to do this maybe once or twice per trip and so it's only been a minor inconvenience, but on this trip we've had to do it every single day, and often in places that aren't used to dealing with overseas visitors. I've heard that this is especially awkward for those doing the guided group Harley tours, where there are dozens of foreigners trying to do this at once. Nightmare. Seriously America, get with the times and sort out chip and pin.</div>
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End rant.</div>
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So, California!</div>
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Today's stretch of Route 66 winds a long way away from the Interstate, following the railway line through the Mojave Desert.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPo7-JskGWmgqy7v9eug9aXWoMGsWfFOZtpWLc-r7Gor3k_6nb7Eami8Zr2er1JjKBTFaS5aUQsdsiyvhDy3Ntgh8_GzrLYzWLPityJkQrpPx9KXJMggqMBzBtci_xDZ06DR_sI9atiAGm/s1600/DSC02660.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPo7-JskGWmgqy7v9eug9aXWoMGsWfFOZtpWLc-r7Gor3k_6nb7Eami8Zr2er1JjKBTFaS5aUQsdsiyvhDy3Ntgh8_GzrLYzWLPityJkQrpPx9KXJMggqMBzBtci_xDZ06DR_sI9atiAGm/s320/DSC02660.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A whole lot of nothing. Except for our SUV, which Fi keeps claiming back after I exchange it for cooler modes of transport.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigSzYEYbIuafctmNwZxN3ZfrkKwozncP3KveakcL3-gBMyAl8HHj31XtyXgcL36DV9qzrvp_iAUz5QvLu5CEHU7FrwnQ0LIromXdXuyZDCmShHv_kxfio_Qfkwi646VNm5OG3tpHSgb6nJ/s1600/DSC02659.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigSzYEYbIuafctmNwZxN3ZfrkKwozncP3KveakcL3-gBMyAl8HHj31XtyXgcL36DV9qzrvp_iAUz5QvLu5CEHU7FrwnQ0LIromXdXuyZDCmShHv_kxfio_Qfkwi646VNm5OG3tpHSgb6nJ/s320/DSC02659.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">A lonely choo choo. Perhaps Fi will let me keep this one?</td></tr>
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There's a long stretch where people have left their marks, autographing the road side in rocks and other miscellania. Some of which were clearly brought along especially, which we decided was cheating.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYDD7DmzVKlFtp-w6cmYtX4msVrnFz7AQ3NVIR0pmb-6sLQhHtDT0YsoNGpQOxwF3TP4gy2uqNkDLVfhSq2pAWsFt-t0cuQlxT1dGmRP7oFK20F_yqJ7xoINe2B1vFyT1lpNoWkTxdjl-z/s1600/P1030183.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYDD7DmzVKlFtp-w6cmYtX4msVrnFz7AQ3NVIR0pmb-6sLQhHtDT0YsoNGpQOxwF3TP4gy2uqNkDLVfhSq2pAWsFt-t0cuQlxT1dGmRP7oFK20F_yqJ7xoINe2B1vFyT1lpNoWkTxdjl-z/s320/P1030183.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My contribution to improving signage along California's stretch of the route</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
After a long drag of flat desert, the road began to climb until we reached Cadiz Summit. In the early days of Route 66, a gas station and cafe at the Summit provided a much-needed respite for engines overheated by the steep climb up the mountains. Today, there's nothing left but some ruins and haplessly strewn tyres, like something out of a science fiction dystopia.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOsbQcKUH2cjkXApedPfkf83x1j90y0Sj3938I04ijAhvfUsle0eohA0sxqeNA60-KJiBOWDM8ZGs6BEhdaONsI6Rz8u4iQnOsr-VpEUnT3-z8dYC3FnV2Nwr6Qrn1zcWeJVxTFKr7dzG4/s1600/DSC02665.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOsbQcKUH2cjkXApedPfkf83x1j90y0Sj3938I04ijAhvfUsle0eohA0sxqeNA60-KJiBOWDM8ZGs6BEhdaONsI6Rz8u4iQnOsr-VpEUnT3-z8dYC3FnV2Nwr6Qrn1zcWeJVxTFKr7dzG4/s320/DSC02665.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Actually not the most run-down gas station we've come across</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Some tumbleweed here would have really been the icing on the cake, but alas there was none to be found. Route 66 has failed us on this front: clearly someone needs to go into business throwing tumbleweed through ghost towns to lure the tourists.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMPDij0zV2ToB8EpGJhweXXFEEbXeeRea-Ff0p-JrOhbEee2S7MXy01SjifFX2iW5YSeJBBEiTeUABtnfpRLcJ4i6HBKXsUGN_uv5Xz84xE2vJQol0v6bxAgPAzb4eM3Mc4hGuFp6Fy3HV/s1600/DSC02678.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMPDij0zV2ToB8EpGJhweXXFEEbXeeRea-Ff0p-JrOhbEee2S7MXy01SjifFX2iW5YSeJBBEiTeUABtnfpRLcJ4i6HBKXsUGN_uv5Xz84xE2vJQol0v6bxAgPAzb4eM3Mc4hGuFp6Fy3HV/s320/DSC02678.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Navigation becomes especially tricky in complex roads like this one...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2vuo7t-p0oOqSEiFPv-DFTjBTsPfUXx6hmkBKmts6ZVnWOVaD-xZROXgsLDzIq1avlvHKqr0rQYJ46hDOiMoJV8ue4ukpmljr-g4Hk8s4gF9Rg8Vt8VKUMfnYRULMhc9siCgwGirh1oRy/s1600/DSC02673.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2vuo7t-p0oOqSEiFPv-DFTjBTsPfUXx6hmkBKmts6ZVnWOVaD-xZROXgsLDzIq1avlvHKqr0rQYJ46hDOiMoJV8ue4ukpmljr-g4Hk8s4gF9Rg8Vt8VKUMfnYRULMhc9siCgwGirh1oRy/s320/DSC02673.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...so it's a good thing they provide lots of signage</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Out in the middle of the desert, we came to the bustling town of Amboy. As I have a bit of time, I'll give you the complete tour of the entire town.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4vnQOph_PsXKWsHepnVPw7TBkvR8TheEtPuKYQUpra0Szh7ZaYyleYXrcMm7b3AhnCpiVkPaUgNdszf2YHGcIov6fvVJhh_2WjdoDdqLOtaI_Tee48RfvHPtzXQqUnFOUC41dvqSt4Exs/s1600/DSC02682.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4vnQOph_PsXKWsHepnVPw7TBkvR8TheEtPuKYQUpra0Szh7ZaYyleYXrcMm7b3AhnCpiVkPaUgNdszf2YHGcIov6fvVJhh_2WjdoDdqLOtaI_Tee48RfvHPtzXQqUnFOUC41dvqSt4Exs/s320/DSC02682.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A gas station that actually has gas: this has become something of a novelty of late</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRTzZN5btKTOUotsEUVsUCFW3Bp14rw2JXm86ArbO8TZzITmPISXD3mlylS0M9Uxw6GIm4uc3tQbz7o26BQi2qKqts25uRybvLha8ax8d6lO9pNHycULYWo-H18614s6XokaPOhKsHKeUP/s1600/DSC02681.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRTzZN5btKTOUotsEUVsUCFW3Bp14rw2JXm86ArbO8TZzITmPISXD3mlylS0M9Uxw6GIm4uc3tQbz7o26BQi2qKqts25uRybvLha8ax8d6lO9pNHycULYWo-H18614s6XokaPOhKsHKeUP/s320/DSC02681.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A heaving post office. Just imagine the queues here on pension day.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
As I'm sure you can imagine, the traffic here was horrendous. We stopped for a cold drink and in the whole time we sat there, we saw <i>an entire car</i>.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Once we'd escaped the rush hour queues and got another ten miles or so into the desert, we came across a man on a pushbike waving an empty water bottle. We stopped and gave him all the water we bought before leaving Nevada, and ended up staying to chat for a good long while as he turned out to be fascinating. He's sixty, and is cycling from Los Angeles to Flagstaff <i>across the desert</i> in the hope that it will be cooler high up (as we've just come from that way, we can confirm that it's actually downright cold there in comparison to Southern California). He showed us the hats he crochets, and the four leaf clover he carries in the hope he'll one day present it to a lady friend, and he's the type who tells a story so well you don't even care if it's true. I hope he made it across the desert okay; he had a <i>long</i> way to go.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We also happened across two of my very favourite things: a volcano and a train. Not combined, alas. Volcanos are incredibly cool and therefore require no explanation. I have no idea why trains suddenly fascinate me when they're out in the middle of nowhere.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKYAK1lI4vL8ZYEUn3uRLPOlR_yBPoLuNTJDLq7HsPgimQZQwD1KlSjZZMaRy5oRjePmwWRvk7UM51v8p2UVlo2_Q8CVpSM5bIdiyhaovOQbs0E6Ul6ynj_jkmH2fKupSzk3FKCGzXVVWd/s1600/DSC02695.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKYAK1lI4vL8ZYEUn3uRLPOlR_yBPoLuNTJDLq7HsPgimQZQwD1KlSjZZMaRy5oRjePmwWRvk7UM51v8p2UVlo2_Q8CVpSM5bIdiyhaovOQbs0E6Ul6ynj_jkmH2fKupSzk3FKCGzXVVWd/s320/DSC02695.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amboy Crater, and a whole lotta lava. Possible site of my future Villain Lair.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggi31TD-UzfKV_iO_dj05ktRwp2OKgUy0oZxOmqJ3ZYwhGJ0KUoIGmJAGn9m_IRU8P5LjJ58gY5BkK83DV-Dt5eedo4PbUUbJ5k6Xm2pKhXMGHz33C8QLHg20GGhsgRmJzET7vsMkuf_Tv/s1600/DSC02699.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggi31TD-UzfKV_iO_dj05ktRwp2OKgUy0oZxOmqJ3ZYwhGJ0KUoIGmJAGn9m_IRU8P5LjJ58gY5BkK83DV-Dt5eedo4PbUUbJ5k6Xm2pKhXMGHz33C8QLHg20GGhsgRmJzET7vsMkuf_Tv/s320/DSC02699.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I wanted to be tied to the tracks, but Fi pointed out I'd insist on rescuing myself, and that might give the caped hero a complex </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The thriving town of Amboy has clearly taken business away from the rest of the route, as we passed a lot of ghost towns.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnyMJXQJRfLd9YgjYH4OO0hNVIPQQjNVGHQ-Gh1_dGTBNxAaUef0KpqSdaz5Ba7XrsTOmukaE1OQhjyEyfHQIJAaMiLIRGA-cpx-pJWZvTjGGaTpXqENLWNTSd6-gMCKjz30GiI1Hq0bfJ/s1600/P1030195.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnyMJXQJRfLd9YgjYH4OO0hNVIPQQjNVGHQ-Gh1_dGTBNxAaUef0KpqSdaz5Ba7XrsTOmukaE1OQhjyEyfHQIJAaMiLIRGA-cpx-pJWZvTjGGaTpXqENLWNTSd6-gMCKjz30GiI1Hq0bfJ/s320/P1030195.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A distressing lack of tumbleweed</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSqo9_tjHzL8zrgXPIXgjnUSxxCq8DVvzQiJRbajMVyWy9yLkqEmrrowITOop8CQqk6R3nzso2wzZpeo8E5dJ9293WITi9gPZBWxgGZVrlNEFQiYoqmBTc6Ie2L_Wvpv0FTJSqz__yAaFQ/s1600/P1030194.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSqo9_tjHzL8zrgXPIXgjnUSxxCq8DVvzQiJRbajMVyWy9yLkqEmrrowITOop8CQqk6R3nzso2wzZpeo8E5dJ9293WITi9gPZBWxgGZVrlNEFQiYoqmBTc6Ie2L_Wvpv0FTJSqz__yAaFQ/s320/P1030194.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You might be better off calling the RAC than relying on this place</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Nonetheless, I think the right business could thrive here, so I'm considering this region for the headquarters of my tumbleweed throwing operation. There's plenty of tumbleweed around (the boring kind that's still attached to the ground) and it has easy access to a whole host of ghost towns. Perfect! If only I could find some available real estate...<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhFUJ5gEVgKvLlRQF4EA8sz8_qWjcvgQ4-gnligUSRNOUV8ETzdFinTljBel6qcaSjSJZPy2-l7-Ahql4_2IyQJfERGj2GPgLKVV6YUmrvbbLlD_39yYtPRJW4WwRjXfp9kaV5zMpQTbYW/s1600/DSC02705.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhFUJ5gEVgKvLlRQF4EA8sz8_qWjcvgQ4-gnligUSRNOUV8ETzdFinTljBel6qcaSjSJZPy2-l7-Ahql4_2IyQJfERGj2GPgLKVV6YUmrvbbLlD_39yYtPRJW4WwRjXfp9kaV5zMpQTbYW/s320/DSC02705.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A massive field of lava near Pisgah Crater: new business headquarters and Villain Lair in one!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Now that I have a Plan, all I need is to build an unnecessarily large mundane object and add a shop selling tourist tat and I'm sorted. Screw astronomy: this is obviously a much more secure career.<br />
<div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj84FevT4l0TOIsHLzRKMMy7ffIXQzXSWH5f1DPPOf7H8n8PSgnw-AVTglHlkys4X1znu-ZWpKB5sRRVmckEP64MOoWga2Mpf1oAKyQtBSt61aWbS3KdtMZC8RCumhL_ckSOGwIBl4D8cmT/s1600/DSC02710.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj84FevT4l0TOIsHLzRKMMy7ffIXQzXSWH5f1DPPOf7H8n8PSgnw-AVTglHlkys4X1znu-ZWpKB5sRRVmckEP64MOoWga2Mpf1oAKyQtBSt61aWbS3KdtMZC8RCumhL_ckSOGwIBl4D8cmT/s320/DSC02710.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My new business will benefit from the hoards of passing trade</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ11PyxIkKTUePx-FLGtaB37yb3mORX7XnVBdzVBQnH-mTWnQpAC48Hv5El1mWjjCDPcn4x9B06E-OH6RN3pQ0oRUDAuNcnds8NDazVt68tUSb0RdxYvRfDtXsUDZ5uiGSnTv7_lVHScbo/s1600/DSC02713.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ11PyxIkKTUePx-FLGtaB37yb3mORX7XnVBdzVBQnH-mTWnQpAC48Hv5El1mWjjCDPcn4x9B06E-OH6RN3pQ0oRUDAuNcnds8NDazVt68tUSb0RdxYvRfDtXsUDZ5uiGSnTv7_lVHScbo/s320/DSC02713.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This place manages by having starred in a movie that neither of us has seen</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
In between Barstow and San Bernadino, we came to our final stop of the day, Elmer's Bottle Tree Ranch. This is a forest of trees made out of bottles and other random junk, including cars, typewriters, surfboards and animal skulls.</div>
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwLGbxJzi_xfgH824aREB8mpi2fN3o566mBOKft3QVw1F-G8nu2vDTalOGNuShrDuE5us04hN9GlvrXMlMwZByi8DXsTA0wQbS1KgQ08rpS8cKyDCrQWav40af2WJ3b8w4nJXjIxeOR9Vc/s1600/P1030215.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwLGbxJzi_xfgH824aREB8mpi2fN3o566mBOKft3QVw1F-G8nu2vDTalOGNuShrDuE5us04hN9GlvrXMlMwZByi8DXsTA0wQbS1KgQ08rpS8cKyDCrQWav40af2WJ3b8w4nJXjIxeOR9Vc/s320/P1030215.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Apparently the recycling collection here leaves much to be desired</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQNN7Go8oOWX0R3xSerR7RP_JmDBUoDX7IZwbnGsBKlBFZNrerois_XPa7Zlx0S5XNzYMBG28k_Qa1FAvKzLNgKieFr3PnxIpluIkcxZU5j6ciIdHzcTPILjQNgydQUkOQKkexq3bZpRDU/s1600/DSC02725.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQNN7Go8oOWX0R3xSerR7RP_JmDBUoDX7IZwbnGsBKlBFZNrerois_XPa7Zlx0S5XNzYMBG28k_Qa1FAvKzLNgKieFr3PnxIpluIkcxZU5j6ciIdHzcTPILjQNgydQUkOQKkexq3bZpRDU/s320/DSC02725.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Why? Why not.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Despite our best efforts to race the Sun west, we were losing the light by the time we arrived. As it happens, though, seeing the sunset through variously-coloured bottles turned out to be quite cool.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf-HCR_AKJ-O6d16yoWqp4xaCU1I715ONYEq8maLC3yqVa7RMZrbM9T1FHxTtgqN5-wYHlSscawIG9vm6YUY5ysAErjrEsJ8Fcxh6_vtWaLSs797DfN85Zsfz2H74B01HP0CyZCoN4h917/s1600/DSC02727.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf-HCR_AKJ-O6d16yoWqp4xaCU1I715ONYEq8maLC3yqVa7RMZrbM9T1FHxTtgqN5-wYHlSscawIG9vm6YUY5ysAErjrEsJ8Fcxh6_vtWaLSs797DfN85Zsfz2H74B01HP0CyZCoN4h917/s320/DSC02727.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This place would probably make it into the top ten chart of forests made out of bottles</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO92HPYHKfOJCkikLD5TWSJHErBAv8uqIghhQsWjAEcsGD4sVgGIXp1UOg-PeTOZTdr5ZvZct2EhzIfPNK5p3y8pv0CaH02qMAQNho6AK28v7yyettMA6fgfmi2gUI2RbWr55dBbVLM-gp/s1600/P1030209.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO92HPYHKfOJCkikLD5TWSJHErBAv8uqIghhQsWjAEcsGD4sVgGIXp1UOg-PeTOZTdr5ZvZct2EhzIfPNK5p3y8pv0CaH02qMAQNho6AK28v7yyettMA6fgfmi2gUI2RbWr55dBbVLM-gp/s320/P1030209.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Eye of Sauron has relocated to Helendale, CA</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A creepy minion guard</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDPrNtB56Amn8MZdwfkMrzPBEPQbFtFEzCqHtrvlK79y2SVf7K8TtMOSPhyphenhyphenh9HYJ69UyJ5YZvmIwH35l1ukyX3R5dqpsS-KfuIDgbYEuJlyWhNpVcNIkhsFTRwIJMsqt8ydg0H11nDw1Fe/s1600/P1030211.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDPrNtB56Amn8MZdwfkMrzPBEPQbFtFEzCqHtrvlK79y2SVf7K8TtMOSPhyphenhyphenh9HYJ69UyJ5YZvmIwH35l1ukyX3R5dqpsS-KfuIDgbYEuJlyWhNpVcNIkhsFTRwIJMsqt8ydg0H11nDw1Fe/s320/P1030211.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">EZ tree-topping rule of thumb: Christmas trees are topped with fairies, bottle trees are topped with rifles.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A standoff between the Mundane Trees and the Cool Bottle Trees</td></tr>
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As darkness fell, we wound our way back and forth across the Interstate towards San Bernadino.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our train friend has caught up with us</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You only get the additional "historic" shield if you're heading West. Going East must be some crazy newfangled thing.</td></tr>
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Our home for the night is the Wigwam Motel on the border between San Bernadino and Rialto, one of two remaining on the route. I insisted on staying in at least one, and Fi permitted this one as it's been more recently refurbished. At one time, it had become very run down and decidedly seedy, probably something to do with the infamous "do it in a teepee" sign. It was then bought by the Patel family, who have done an absolutely brilliant job of cleaning the place up. We'll get decent pictures in daylight tomorrow morning, but it's basically the Cozy Cone from Cars (not a coincidence, obviously). They're a bit like Tardises (Tardi?), much roomier on the inside than you might think. I'm writing this from a very comfy sofa, and the bed looks quite inviting so I think I'm going to call it a night.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKlppOE48SpGYlIicSR1F2by0r2s09HFBi2uL-SM1M4GTCoSUzMH3xGy8CMMQh-Zdrioo7vL5OYUGQDr1-qNyZu1Ud0OAyuWwHxHXm9FuIkG7IwLEwuc21GCscjOZ70NBUK3ahkaQ3PUR8/s1600/DSC02748.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKlppOE48SpGYlIicSR1F2by0r2s09HFBi2uL-SM1M4GTCoSUzMH3xGy8CMMQh-Zdrioo7vL5OYUGQDr1-qNyZu1Ud0OAyuWwHxHXm9FuIkG7IwLEwuc21GCscjOZ70NBUK3ahkaQ3PUR8/s320/DSC02748.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm told these are technically teepees, but I don't think anyone's aiming for accuracy here</td></tr>
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Rachael Livermorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14611872297819209492noreply@blogger.com1Rialto, CA, USA34.1064001 -117.370323534.0012206 -117.528252 34.2115796 -117.212395tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299478984532070448.post-27526613416571405182012-09-15T11:08:00.000+01:002012-09-15T18:22:34.011+01:00Day 17 - A donkey bit my postcardsOur first destination today was a town called Oatman that was rumoured to be the most batshit place in Arizona. After yesterday we were thinking this town would have to go some in order to achieve this, but ever hopeful we set off. After one quite spectacular wrong turn we found the Oatman highway and drove across the vast wash in front of the Black Mountains in search of batshittery of epic proportions.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Something told us this was not the right road...</td></tr>
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Rachael was behind the wheel and her previous rally driving experience was bloody useful as the road was like one of those children's colouring book puzzles where the duck has to get to the pond by crossing a plate of spaghetti.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMXF6cgC31tvrk3n338cG1s5ERj6DvXVivdoPnZJ2ySBzy0v0K5nxlLlei8CCY1DSUONTV_GioGpZChWAz70ghqBcaFCBUOpLHqEIuUZ4ZFe5r7jpw8v9fTMzd04kNvMcEDWqosLzpW98/s1600/DSC02559.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMXF6cgC31tvrk3n338cG1s5ERj6DvXVivdoPnZJ2ySBzy0v0K5nxlLlei8CCY1DSUONTV_GioGpZChWAz70ghqBcaFCBUOpLHqEIuUZ4ZFe5r7jpw8v9fTMzd04kNvMcEDWqosLzpW98/s400/DSC02559.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They used to drive this road in cars without modern suspension and power steering. Nutters.</td></tr>
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Having survived the hairpin bends and loose definition of the term "guard rails" we arrived in Oatman ready to view the spectacle. It turns out this place was quite correctly hyped as insane.<br />
Oatman was a gold mining town until the 1930s and in it's heyday boasted 10,000 people. Clark Gable loved the place and even spent his honeymoon with Carole Lombard there. Route 66 took over as the gold mining came to an end but the town refused to die when the interstates were brought in, and now does a roaring trade in tourism. It's like a wild west town survived - wooden boardwalks outside each store complete with railings where you could tie up a horse. If you have one of course and there isn't already a car parked there. Only now all the saloons etc sell knick-knacks and t-shirts and route 66 tat.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHy5S7ZECro6IVSW5EFIV3l2VhEuS4s9Q1lhz1UPS9k21EVJEI3UzdUw0rdj4sIa1h6BpQWRINcdENjHu4ThlkXPfJ12zv2MPGDc4LUNeuYTOsOVSAh1eB_OIdkgcx1AywpDLcHmL0V9M/s1600/DSC02583.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHy5S7ZECro6IVSW5EFIV3l2VhEuS4s9Q1lhz1UPS9k21EVJEI3UzdUw0rdj4sIa1h6BpQWRINcdENjHu4ThlkXPfJ12zv2MPGDc4LUNeuYTOsOVSAh1eB_OIdkgcx1AywpDLcHmL0V9M/s400/DSC02583.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oatman's finest tourist tat.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiujxR53Lxr5a0scN9kf7VvobdwIGQlUsj1w8gIiftO7MABgLFtkMSyrn74BxYpsJ2toBUcil5c-sHTvbd1n53TdFclxUtaf13sB-TovDVUHpmLiqDVp2aj0q-DvnR7vKpiUCOKkf8BnrM/s400/DSC02598.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We see what they did there when naming this place.</td></tr>
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Aside from the many and varied gift shops which are in original buildings, the town boasts a couple of restaurants. The Oatman hotel where we had lunch serves up Buffalo burgers and the most scrummy and crispiest fries I think I've ever had. The decor of the restaurant is amazing too - the walls are completely covered in dollar bills signed by visitors. Of course we added one of our own so people from the future may come across our travel blog URL as they peruse the walls. Definitely THE place to eat in Oatman.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgrknt-L_r1EUYff17LCo6yNu-bgM-mFe7foeH9AMsG2RKfdWrIFr5oATWUzrUKgLz6KzK6vGQJrF27CoZ4fyz-ZCGspljyOkwxRFJyvZwWWHaKonbTVZjlHYkmb4ul8EklZK8nAfxHkc/s1600/P1030057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgrknt-L_r1EUYff17LCo6yNu-bgM-mFe7foeH9AMsG2RKfdWrIFr5oATWUzrUKgLz6KzK6vGQJrF27CoZ4fyz-ZCGspljyOkwxRFJyvZwWWHaKonbTVZjlHYkmb4ul8EklZK8nAfxHkc/s400/P1030057.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An expensive way to decorate a restaurant.</td></tr>
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But Oatman's true batshittery comes from it's other residents and I don't mean the lovely people who work in the gift shops and hotel. No, Oatman is home to several wild burros. Thats donkeys to you and me. And they roam around the main street totally freely. The whole town is covered in donkey shit and there are signs up telling you to be careful feeding the donkeys because they bite.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A drove of donkeys getting ready to mug the tourists.</td></tr>
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Needless to say the place is unusual to say the least. Getting in and out of the gift shops is interesting because they lie and stand on the sidewalks, stick their heads into shops and at one point one of them took a bite out of my postcard bag while I was trying to negotiate my way between shops. I was not impressed and I'll own up to being a little scared of the huge white donkey that was getting pretty aggressive with my postcards. When she took the second bite I pulled my bag away and reversed direction to get back to the street. Ok so I totally ran away from a postcard eating donkey. So would you because she was a right moody cow. Rachael immediately dubbed her the Sheriff of Oatman and said I was being brought up on charges for bad taste in souvenirs. Honestly anyone would think I've bought a lot of tat or something. Oh damn, I forgot to look for another suitcase today.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Staking a claim on any tourists trapped in this store.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If I stand here long enough someone will succumb to my sad!eyes and buy me food.</td></tr>
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Leaving Oatman behind we were reasonably sure that nowhere else in Arizona could possibly top that level of epic batshittery. This became an absolute fact because less than an hour later we crossed the state line into California. Most of the borders between states in the US have been passed with little fanfare. Sometimes they are on bridges over rivers, sometimes just a couple of signs on the interstate or on R66 itself. Mostly when we've found one Rachael has wanted to mark it by trying to be in both places at once but that's ok because we are usually the only ones around. California is special though. At the California border there is a customs-like checkpoint where you are interrogated by the fruit police. You aren't allowed to take any fruit or vegetables across the border into California. We think this is to protect the large agricultural areas of the state from unwanted diseases etc. I do hope someone has told the wildlife about this rule. It would seem a shame to regulate the humans only for a bear or a rat to ruin things. Needless to say Rachael did not try to straddle the fruit police checkpoint. We didn't think it would go down too well.<br />
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We enjoyed California for a while especially as the road gets dryer and more desert like and we saw actual real cactuses on the side of the road (still none of the Saguaro ones that appear on all the postcards though), but fairly quickly we left it again for our third major detour on this trip and our 9th US state. Pretty sure we qualify for a set of steak knives now. Heading north from Needles we drove for about an hour and a half to the city of Las Vegas, Nevada which is tonights stop. Before entering Las Vegas itself we did a slight eastern swerve over to the Hoover Dam. I've wanted to see the Hoover Dam for a long time. It's been used as a movie location so many times from Universal Soldier to Transformers and many others and I've long been fascinated by it. Rachael totally humoured this desire but upon getting there she became distracted by the beautiful interstate bridge that spans high over the river as it flows away from the dam.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2OmJ35beuJLjg3hX7_VYlT9WN0TIcRL3Znj0jrHKkLgUQqCdTmNVi3qoJSmHoXh3hNqkiXwcPG2z8iDWgXzSWoGWxlJXrkIKCpw4C9WuDXuCWz7w3QJQ6g500ddR2mg5KTHgE2dwuvkA/s1600/P1030147.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2OmJ35beuJLjg3hX7_VYlT9WN0TIcRL3Znj0jrHKkLgUQqCdTmNVi3qoJSmHoXh3hNqkiXwcPG2z8iDWgXzSWoGWxlJXrkIKCpw4C9WuDXuCWz7w3QJQ6g500ddR2mg5KTHgE2dwuvkA/s400/P1030147.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from the Hoover Dam to the river below and road bridge above.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqDHstSESKrSxlFJKPzY_Ws55U7D8EE16GIFIFXh7h42AuQxi4_13JWhajJn1Z_eyKw2TnWSXFqTqhXQMAgkeNTnL0z86VHBuvNcFxMPCGvB6QhbFDTqHINZCuAIMGmuCGsQustFTbhHM/s1600/P1030150.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqDHstSESKrSxlFJKPzY_Ws55U7D8EE16GIFIFXh7h42AuQxi4_13JWhajJn1Z_eyKw2TnWSXFqTqhXQMAgkeNTnL0z86VHBuvNcFxMPCGvB6QhbFDTqHINZCuAIMGmuCGsQustFTbhHM/s400/P1030150.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lizard basks in the sunshine in front of the Hoover Dam.</td></tr>
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We didn't do the tour of the dam because mostly I just wanted to see it in real life and walk across it. After half an hour marvelling at the place we headed for our hotel and my first view of the Las Vegas strip.<br />
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We are staying in the newly refurbished Tropicana at the south end of the strip (Las Vegas Blvd). The hotel is beautifully modern without being overwhelming which is nice because we went down the strip for dinner and a look around and the same cannot be said for all the hotels in Vegas. The worst offenders we visited were the Venetian and Caesars Palace. We went into the Venetian for a look around and to see the Gondola ride. The place is a total nightmare. The signage for getting around inside is completely useless, apparently intentionally, so that you cover as much of the property as possible and to prevent you from leaving the building before parting with all of your money as well as your sanity. Needless to say we didn't spend a single cent in the Venetian. Even if the owner wasn't on the right-wing funding shit list, the place annoyed me so much I wouldn't spend anything in there on principle.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhADm6ygbRfR4jvBBAcbO5SKu0xGCon85gM26qHq3V4xhB6ExDjwhl_YBVywhitXecx2yw1VONrEv6NWZ0nxRnTZOJDNM6zvfO7de1qfhGaxkOoEgpwD0xoyeg8Piz0fqWFzHaf-lMumBU/s1600/DSC02627.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhADm6ygbRfR4jvBBAcbO5SKu0xGCon85gM26qHq3V4xhB6ExDjwhl_YBVywhitXecx2yw1VONrEv6NWZ0nxRnTZOJDNM6zvfO7de1qfhGaxkOoEgpwD0xoyeg8Piz0fqWFzHaf-lMumBU/s400/DSC02627.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Right before we fell into an Adventure LARP - You are in a maze of twisty passages all alike.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXRgC6gSE2v1USdAKBod5ljTJlMEtHsj9pHdnlcFizGEWaitN_PjNXL7LEgG0MzEutVxwKWRKkVjnVkKjLoEwOjZT1Es29-45e_TawpcxnHeafY-1o-DthdzJlMRslFWUIwEy_wN6M3og/s1600/P1030171.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXRgC6gSE2v1USdAKBod5ljTJlMEtHsj9pHdnlcFizGEWaitN_PjNXL7LEgG0MzEutVxwKWRKkVjnVkKjLoEwOjZT1Es29-45e_TawpcxnHeafY-1o-DthdzJlMRslFWUIwEy_wN6M3og/s400/P1030171.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The firework setting on my camera came into it's own in Las Vegas.</td></tr>
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Crossing over the street we stopped briefly at the Margarita bar attached to the Treasure Island hotel - we had frozen virgin Pina Colada and Strawberry Daiquiri. I was sorely tempted to climb in to the Strawberry Daiquiri machine it was that good. Although it did give me the stomach equivalent of brain freeze at one point.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi52ctt3GRCcbyTmAAxqwmyCU7p4BNOD7a3_0l8ft-g7C2cXBOfZg_IkYWmnhRdYKpHhkK6sDbpzXr8VTKlcw5V0pKEx1oeox88Lhc708UPiwsV4MtmlUUpSsXJT5Hgtg8e_aXcb5fSMcY/s1600/P1030169.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi52ctt3GRCcbyTmAAxqwmyCU7p4BNOD7a3_0l8ft-g7C2cXBOfZg_IkYWmnhRdYKpHhkK6sDbpzXr8VTKlcw5V0pKEx1oeox88Lhc708UPiwsV4MtmlUUpSsXJT5Hgtg8e_aXcb5fSMcY/s400/P1030169.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Frozen cocktail goodness - beware the frozen oesophagus.</td></tr>
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Next we headed over towards Caesars Palace where we had planned to try their new buffet for dinner. Apparently since it only opened this week after a huge refit, loads of other people had the same idea so rather than queue for an hour to get in we went over to the Bellagio instead. Trying to find our way around Caesars Palace was almost as much a nightmare as the Venetian. I've been to Casinos before in the US - the Borgata in Atlantic City and the amazing MGM Grand at Foxwoods in CT. Neither of them was designed so bloody badly that you just want to sit down and cry. I was very glad to leave Caesars and head into the Bellagio where signage and the world began to make sense again.<br />
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Leaving Caesars we walked past several look-a-like characters they have for people to get their photo taken with. The Mickey / Minnie mouse ones were presumably sufficiently different to avoid legal action from Disney but they looked pretty shabby to me. Plus they were way too tall. In real life Mickey and Minnie are total shortarses. I know cos I've met them at Disneyland Paris.<br />
As we were passing the Jack Sparrow character he called out to Rachael "Hey Ariel - what are you doing out of the water?" Needless to say this made Rachael's day and she's fallen asleep still grinning.<br />
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The Bellagio buffet is pretty amazing - so many different things to choose from and everything was delicious. Both Rachael and I made a point of getting fruit and salad as well as sampling other yummy things. I think our time in the flyover states has warped our taste buds. Apparently there is such a thing as too much red meat and starchy carbs. We still can't quite believe it.<br />
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After dinner we blew a few small bills on the slot machines in the Bellagio just to see what all the fuss is about. At one point Rachael was about $40 up but that soon reversed and we got bored and headed back to the Tropicana. Gambling is obviously not a gene that either one of us possesses in any significant way.<br />
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Tomorrow we head back to route 66 and start our California adventure properly. We have just over a week left and still so much to cover and I can't wait to see what the golden state has in store for us.Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03524286415998486590noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299478984532070448.post-66651570404191666732012-09-14T09:25:00.000+01:002012-09-14T09:25:07.474+01:00Day 16 - Batshit ArizonaThey say that when you look back on your life you don't remember the nights you got plenty of sleep. With that in mind, we got up this morning for the literal crack of dawn to watch the sunrise. Neither of us are morning people so this was a new experience, and as ways to start the day go, I have to say I've had worse.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinTS8pnXDhQaKgzdO0tOq6H2mYHDxkzR8Em40cqTaWTBPOQl2AzFw-LKBQ-YHICDV6poYr1wVznbX5C0LL3wGLkrcXzsdvI40LITXGNeyekORW82h-6ongFyOtgNVOOk3Q3m_AyVkzHwdn/s1600/DSC02381.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinTS8pnXDhQaKgzdO0tOq6H2mYHDxkzR8Em40cqTaWTBPOQl2AzFw-LKBQ-YHICDV6poYr1wVznbX5C0LL3wGLkrcXzsdvI40LITXGNeyekORW82h-6ongFyOtgNVOOk3Q3m_AyVkzHwdn/s320/DSC02381.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sun is going the wrong direction</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg17NqoVsX2o4ErKc77iFx1gegF0OMa0DM8U1zSFoey0fvWOBxdj0q1R3QxniaTWovh5JI4wgnXld6S-pxrPNWSRmdJCnFAaIwpiwY6hbXWdCGFrGBfi0tH05L1JoImDDqb8UiF_WIkiQWD/s1600/P1020872.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg17NqoVsX2o4ErKc77iFx1gegF0OMa0DM8U1zSFoey0fvWOBxdj0q1R3QxniaTWovh5JI4wgnXld6S-pxrPNWSRmdJCnFAaIwpiwY6hbXWdCGFrGBfi0tH05L1JoImDDqb8UiF_WIkiQWD/s320/P1020872.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And there I was thinking sunrise was something that only happened when you stay up a really long time</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not the worst view in the world</td></tr>
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The amazing thing about sunrise over the Grand Canyon is how dramatically the landscape changes as the light shifts and paints the scenery in different ways. I'm sure we could have quite happily stayed there and watched all day, but the road was calling.<br />
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We headed back to the hotel for breakfast, and both had utterly out-of-character joy at the amount of fruit available. Yes, even I get tired of carbs after a while. The Best Western Grand Canyon Squire Inn scores massive points on that front, and even more because when I lamented the lack of tea, one of the chefs went and dug some out of the only-just-arrived truck for me. In the tea provision stakes, that puts this hotel only just behind the Blue Swallow, although it was about three times the price (but then they all are up there).</div>
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After breakfast I took advantage of the fact that this was the first time we had reasonable (though not great) wifi without having a massively heavy day of driving ahead and did some work for a couple of hours. Obviously I'm only mentioning this because I learned today that people back in Durham are actually reading this (*waves*), but also it did allow for a nice guilt-free jaunt through Arizona.</div>
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We rejoined Route 66 in Williams, which calls itself the Gateway to the Grand Canyon. This is where you can take a steam train up to the Grand Canyon, so a lot of Route 66 travellers - including many that we've met on this trip - leave their cars and bikes here and head up by train. We didn't do that, but I still insisted on visiting the choo-choo anyway, on account of being a geek and all.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJrZyYdvQ3f-lHlccdl6CWAz6Na_07XPE0gLDPvL7_ugtpgHIiard7iuUv0JPwOr8Sy9n6b4oJEBtPYhPQw2L9uQZjFIXtgAM11k4nyAmjpiOPZGdpv42Tu7vsnLhuhz5pgSJ0VNPgovpY/s1600/DSC02428.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJrZyYdvQ3f-lHlccdl6CWAz6Na_07XPE0gLDPvL7_ugtpgHIiard7iuUv0JPwOr8Sy9n6b4oJEBtPYhPQw2L9uQZjFIXtgAM11k4nyAmjpiOPZGdpv42Tu7vsnLhuhz5pgSJ0VNPgovpY/s320/DSC02428.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arizona's signage has been hit and miss, but when they decide to go for it they really go for it</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A town whose two major attractions are methods of leaving it </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They cunningly make you loop around one-way streets, thus forcing you to take in more than the usual one street per town we've seen elsewhere</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBZXCo-xsFfmthgy80T3PMFweH_AIkFXfSIxQuCoI_54opDLiGQKQO9BxO6wpOOzZExT9NeP8mRwSbOB0ynhmUfpJHsno4AJWwFew72wp9nx4F-kRF7wPd4hEqQ8unxYd3J5R4SiHcGAf8/s1600/DSC02438.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBZXCo-xsFfmthgy80T3PMFweH_AIkFXfSIxQuCoI_54opDLiGQKQO9BxO6wpOOzZExT9NeP8mRwSbOB0ynhmUfpJHsno4AJWwFew72wp9nx4F-kRF7wPd4hEqQ8unxYd3J5R4SiHcGAf8/s320/DSC02438.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The only thing cooler than a steam train is a steam train that has the Grand Canyon at the end of it</td></tr>
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Williams turned out to be a very pretty town in its own right; it's clearly been looked after, and they've gone to a lot of effort to promote their Route 66 heritage. The only downside was the rather surly staff in the visitor's centre; then again, perhaps we were out of line going into a shop and expecting to exchange slips of green paper for goods and services.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Someone just left this lying outside a diner, so I traded in the SUV again.<br />
Surely Fi won't have a problem with this one? It has wheels and everything.</td></tr>
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<div>
<div>
Williams was the last town to be bypassed by the Interstate back in 1984, but hosting an incredibly cool method of getting to a pretty major tourist attraction has obviously helped it not to suffer too badly. By contrast, our next stop in Ash Fork had clearly seen better days.</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEX9286FeTgSmDfLJ4vOwcfDRMSISt_JGhk6i6Nsn40WH5OZUE2E4lYZvD9wEHk3fyYOoFISLMfWuuNgd2uwn4d0fz3B9e4v1xUiLPTfQpnTzg1We1rgB1ydcZcGTP3g3xEOQtyf1k_kx7/s1600/DSC02472.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEX9286FeTgSmDfLJ4vOwcfDRMSISt_JGhk6i6Nsn40WH5OZUE2E4lYZvD9wEHk3fyYOoFISLMfWuuNgd2uwn4d0fz3B9e4v1xUiLPTfQpnTzg1We1rgB1ydcZcGTP3g3xEOQtyf1k_kx7/s320/DSC02472.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Would my landlord object if I painted my house these colours?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
To be fair, being bypassed was rough on a lot of places, and when your claim to fame is that you're "the Flagstone Capital of the World," you have an extra uphill climb.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The drive through Arizona today was especially pleasant, as instead of following alongside the Interstate we swept out into lonely countryside. Much greener than we had expected Arizona to be, but then we are still at pretty high altitude.<br />
<div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7orsWLAYy6bQYYqmOeHw8nEttnTp5Mg7dVK7cmwQ5A6DHkkxGPFOUxP7AA5NtzDuvsAu7y2pIQv8dDtvrJrrUlBEQq3HJoAFBxOvKqcG2QIGzxT7BmbU9p8BxITkXUdbFC3cxlTdghV7X/s1600/DSC02474.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7orsWLAYy6bQYYqmOeHw8nEttnTp5Mg7dVK7cmwQ5A6DHkkxGPFOUxP7AA5NtzDuvsAu7y2pIQv8dDtvrJrrUlBEQq3HJoAFBxOvKqcG2QIGzxT7BmbU9p8BxITkXUdbFC3cxlTdghV7X/s320/DSC02474.JPG" width="248" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's nice to be reassured that we're still on the right road</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_haaqZYUxlbrTPxOapp3ZXwO_j01NHXYg8TqRNfESeEOAPfQCP-kDQjttrw6pVnpm6AXbUcKHnPVKEilu1-uHX1cpGmGi1nRAIoQCAbqp3F90neoJ49YbJHnXPTC4MmmsODa8KZQMgOGk/s1600/DSC02473.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_haaqZYUxlbrTPxOapp3ZXwO_j01NHXYg8TqRNfESeEOAPfQCP-kDQjttrw6pVnpm6AXbUcKHnPVKEilu1-uHX1cpGmGi1nRAIoQCAbqp3F90neoJ49YbJHnXPTC4MmmsODa8KZQMgOGk/s320/DSC02473.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If we follow this lorry will we end up back home?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
While on the road, we sang the Buffy musical all the way through at 5700 feet. Because why not?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
In the afternoon, we stopped in the small town of Seligman, on which the town of Radiator Springs in Cars was based; apparently Seligman local Angel Delgadillo described to John Lasseter how the opening of the Interstate almost instantaneously stopped traffic through the town. Alas, Seligman does not have a brand new racing team headquarters to lift its fortunes, so instead it waves a massive red flag at every passing Route 66 tourist. There are more tacky tourist shops on this one street that I think we've seen in whole towns. And they're not just replicas of the other tourist shops, either; each one goes out of its way in a different way to lure in the tourists, with the result that each store is wackier than the last.</div>
<div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX1vbNc_7fZ-W23Kkl-dfxuKUinEHtvczQvYe4dFqDR7jALSsupZsByTyd-4iA4eNjgAKwFEekwfyIql9BGNoWmmT-VLCyssobdWK3OkGLJnKp9z5kEYVU-3DmTZCET-DVDKV-XdkMtKUr/s1600/DSC02476.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX1vbNc_7fZ-W23Kkl-dfxuKUinEHtvczQvYe4dFqDR7jALSsupZsByTyd-4iA4eNjgAKwFEekwfyIql9BGNoWmmT-VLCyssobdWK3OkGLJnKp9z5kEYVU-3DmTZCET-DVDKV-XdkMtKUr/s320/DSC02476.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How to sell stuff in Batshit Central</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We started off with Angel's store itself (though he wasn't in), which had a large range of sparkly t-shirts (disclaimer: any future photographs of me in tacky sparkly t-shirts are pure coincidence). We then made our way next door to his late brother's Snow Cap restaurant.</div>
<div>
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<div>
I am pretty sure that if you look up the definition of "batshit" in the dictionary, you will find a picture of Delgadillo's Snow Cap in Seligman, AZ. There is no other word to describe this place.</div>
<div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjplTde3koWExbLehjjI8hboDUjw7-7tg2vaxh6rDKR2qHePh7KTmwLOFAHOLMmeD45pKnKoORxKPNdXTsETFuovr9vJFTchVVRMPG-ZIRH4d8khKdlWr-GkE1yRzjE7tyhAhiBcwh5PMGF/s1600/P1020903.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjplTde3koWExbLehjjI8hboDUjw7-7tg2vaxh6rDKR2qHePh7KTmwLOFAHOLMmeD45pKnKoORxKPNdXTsETFuovr9vJFTchVVRMPG-ZIRH4d8khKdlWr-GkE1yRzjE7tyhAhiBcwh5PMGF/s320/P1020903.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reassuring, I suppose?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIUPhyphenhyphenGx9LImnpmiYSyja0NwZLSlm-2M0ROueihW6Ox6K0y8stoMmqlFmG0SxKBiJrxSS7hrMzijIc3XAh2M9XpST5hlZeClJe8UWN8erjJPVUDudT9rSzKdlNNV4tuB5IZYRXSqh1jjQ8/s1600/DSC02488.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIUPhyphenhyphenGx9LImnpmiYSyja0NwZLSlm-2M0ROueihW6Ox6K0y8stoMmqlFmG0SxKBiJrxSS7hrMzijIc3XAh2M9XpST5hlZeClJe8UWN8erjJPVUDudT9rSzKdlNNV4tuB5IZYRXSqh1jjQ8/s320/DSC02488.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And to think London tourists think photographing plain red phone boxes is cool</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5GE6lyNrbGoJ3_xG_R0_KX4ous_adT-tBk7vIMdTLlhzsjBm-HAhi467G2HuEY3zEO3ALDYZi3mi15RjWCYkk0gDCWOaD9g3ojgR0lN_MOnEzVFAlHEg2_ryh2pNWsa9uuZl-JUhYhilZ/s1600/DSC02490.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5GE6lyNrbGoJ3_xG_R0_KX4ous_adT-tBk7vIMdTLlhzsjBm-HAhi467G2HuEY3zEO3ALDYZi3mi15RjWCYkk0gDCWOaD9g3ojgR0lN_MOnEzVFAlHEg2_ryh2pNWsa9uuZl-JUhYhilZ/s320/DSC02490.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Do you think Fi will let me have one of these?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSUPsKCZ6ZwTRGEOQFE3HEZxDKubrdictBYvOqCTlXzQ77R1N1387LkAM1VRKyJlWX8HoI7DzvDcch6JLxghxXcinCddScZIEado0gzwFF-37zF53RySZhj-QQUukc9nO2l4O4aQtmiPd0/s1600/P1020917.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSUPsKCZ6ZwTRGEOQFE3HEZxDKubrdictBYvOqCTlXzQ77R1N1387LkAM1VRKyJlWX8HoI7DzvDcch6JLxghxXcinCddScZIEado0gzwFF-37zF53RySZhj-QQUukc9nO2l4O4aQtmiPd0/s320/P1020917.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lizard gets to bask in brightly-coloured chairs</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Since we'd photographed all the batshittery, we decided to be polite and order drinks. That side of the restaurant business ought to be fairly mundane and straightforward, right? Not in Seligman. From squirting me with fake mustard to offering a bundle of straw (as in, the stuff that comes from a field) to go with our drinks, this is a place everyone should see once.</div>
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<div>
The hilariously over-wrought tourist-trapping clearly works; considering this is a small town with a population of less than 500, in the short time we were there at least four coach-loads of tourists turned up. In one shop at the other end of the street, they even had a US coin cheat-sheet taped to the counter, which suggests a significant number of overseas visitors. These people know what they're doing.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjjpgpoygox71__uQhEzi_aCiWbnuyWjT55zWTYn5aDpEtJAkG2mSekyzInPUZUMOCKXPjMcFsMtD1tRYolVuvWaW6uPBPJTVRvjVf49Hh2HTVYAW39g3XJ7h3RzYdrRBNftk4XaBAPr5d/s1600/P1020915.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjjpgpoygox71__uQhEzi_aCiWbnuyWjT55zWTYn5aDpEtJAkG2mSekyzInPUZUMOCKXPjMcFsMtD1tRYolVuvWaW6uPBPJTVRvjVf49Hh2HTVYAW39g3XJ7h3RzYdrRBNftk4XaBAPr5d/s320/P1020915.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clearly a motel with no particular target audience in mind </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpeFF_-4Vh6LR2WYFzB7KTE4Mv-ZTNCuNrUgrD9eYwiKUQI-k6pdqC0iMMNQW9ojWvXJJg1TBkaDhtiY8e_Kp-zZ4MhyIpy8XRi_3ZurRTa2Nh0zQSfMHDoEjG6UDZJa1KVmGcuAdND2gS/s1600/DSC02507.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpeFF_-4Vh6LR2WYFzB7KTE4Mv-ZTNCuNrUgrD9eYwiKUQI-k6pdqC0iMMNQW9ojWvXJJg1TBkaDhtiY8e_Kp-zZ4MhyIpy8XRi_3ZurRTa2Nh0zQSfMHDoEjG6UDZJa1KVmGcuAdND2gS/s320/DSC02507.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You think this is extreme? Try touching my car...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH6z3TNX2m1YKK8w-OpXkXYkD4TanSmncuJzeu1DBzsseoawin7eS7n2TfZ9rWUwAxcJ54j9LAKXpmnSf5YwaLaNAmcX07REiJM0gWQX9KRDAl2X3jV3YIgEB2SfXgtXiHIL-e5Q__K6ia/s1600/P1020946.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH6z3TNX2m1YKK8w-OpXkXYkD4TanSmncuJzeu1DBzsseoawin7eS7n2TfZ9rWUwAxcJ54j9LAKXpmnSf5YwaLaNAmcX07REiJM0gWQX9KRDAl2X3jV3YIgEB2SfXgtXiHIL-e5Q__K6ia/s320/P1020946.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's nice to learn a bit of history</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBEpuIvHAKtk8Wisje_pTBCaCL8Ae-SljS4Z1cTmUBF2nY_oP5Yen9BxiThBwh_yV3qjmSB09WBz_PKsbFBVUq-wLMukUU6XxzUilqX5HA-ASXvzfs4D05YPGTRrp2yy1AzKSpdV0Y8wuk/s1600/P1020947.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBEpuIvHAKtk8Wisje_pTBCaCL8Ae-SljS4Z1cTmUBF2nY_oP5Yen9BxiThBwh_yV3qjmSB09WBz_PKsbFBVUq-wLMukUU6XxzUilqX5HA-ASXvzfs4D05YPGTRrp2yy1AzKSpdV0Y8wuk/s320/P1020947.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Once you've found it, the question becomes "<i>What </i>the hell is Seligman?"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3SB5R4k6R9RNxXe0OL4gFFrv9uubuY0SaSVeKOiCGSb07s8t8ngAf9xqTinQCdA4xI3GSgCrTS-40Xq6bxn2ZdBxMYnk79T0TEB_hKTbxrj3zPKf4Tmpgxv_LqqeGpiiEeKkkKcc6g1Qj/s1600/DSC02512.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3SB5R4k6R9RNxXe0OL4gFFrv9uubuY0SaSVeKOiCGSb07s8t8ngAf9xqTinQCdA4xI3GSgCrTS-40Xq6bxn2ZdBxMYnk79T0TEB_hKTbxrj3zPKf4Tmpgxv_LqqeGpiiEeKkkKcc6g1Qj/s320/DSC02512.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unfortunately-named motel would definitely not be on our list of places to stay</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
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<div>
By the time we finally dragged ourselves out of Seligman, we were thoroughly bemused but very effectively relieved of cash. The last stretches of the road are going to have to throw up a massive surprise to beat this place for weirdness.</div>
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<div>
Our final major stop of the day made a valiant effort to take that crown. Having enjoyed Meramec Caverns so much, we simply had to stop at the Grand Canyon Caverns. Also the giant dinosaur may have had something to do with luring us in.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK4btqhMV3yGhMYRaELV6NabGPfahYFX-tu5VwLJ1mvw27Y7B3KXSi6ScPdubfzjreE5vFyiS2aKGn9Xfs58F2DeZekKJYDMl_dfaDrWIszj-iE-E6LxNkq3rn_Yk0zmexINg3PgMnqiYJ/s1600/P1020967.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK4btqhMV3yGhMYRaELV6NabGPfahYFX-tu5VwLJ1mvw27Y7B3KXSi6ScPdubfzjreE5vFyiS2aKGn9Xfs58F2DeZekKJYDMl_dfaDrWIszj-iE-E6LxNkq3rn_Yk0zmexINg3PgMnqiYJ/s320/P1020967.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Honestly, you survive being impaled by giant arrows only to be devoured by a dinosaur. This is not my week.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />The Grand Canyon Caverns used to be known as Dinosaur Caverns, because some old bones were found there that were assumed to have been from dinosaurs. Turns out the bones actually belonged to a giant sloth that fell in during the last ice age. Had I been in charge I would have retained the name and filled the caverns with dinosaurs, but I guess changing the name is the boring option for boring people.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div>
These caverns are very different to the ones at Meramec, as they're completely dry. This means no stalactites and stalagmites, and obviously no water, so the scenery isn't as pretty. They do have a similar business model for improving on nature, though.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi49g56vSWdC2ZS0ObeiPCsNhCvvFD39tHZSvDWIiAcz3IevitGHofo2uCOKKuq_Wb4Fp9CbyAnP2bwewHqtNsuGTe9HvodndS4wW7AN2TLUmVQrgLpll4c1H7_8LHpf9q1VJdJ5YwSKMA8/s1600/DSC02524.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi49g56vSWdC2ZS0ObeiPCsNhCvvFD39tHZSvDWIiAcz3IevitGHofo2uCOKKuq_Wb4Fp9CbyAnP2bwewHqtNsuGTe9HvodndS4wW7AN2TLUmVQrgLpll4c1H7_8LHpf9q1VJdJ5YwSKMA8/s320/DSC02524.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">According to my experience from this trip, the world underground is full of brightly coloured lights</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />We were told by our guide that when these caverns were first discovered in 1927 by Walter Peck, he thought he had discovered gold. It turned out to be rust; easy mistake to make, apparently.</div>
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<div>
We also learned that Mr Peck was a complete dick as well as an idiot. When he realised he wasn't going to get rich using this place as a mine, he opened it up as a tourist attraction. One of the "sights" tourists could see was <i>actual human remains</i> dressed up as cavemen. As if that isn't creepy enough in its own right, these guys had only been dead ten years, and he refused requests by their relatives to return the bones.</div>
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This whole thing could have been sold as a horror tour. One of the still-remaining exhibits is the remains of an actual bobcat who fell into the caverns, broke his hip and then died slowly of dehydration (the dryness means things are preserved to a creepy degree). And the giant sloth whose bones I mentioned before? They have a magnificent life size replica of her (the original bones were given to a university) just to make you like her, and then tell you that when she fell into the caverns she broke her back. There are even still visible marks in the cavern walls where she spent goodness-knows-how-long trying to claw her way out <i>with a broken back</i> before dying. And the reason they know those marks came from her? <i>There were still claws embedded in the walls</i>.</div>
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If you're now picturing that scene from Silence of the Lambs with the nail in the wall, you'll know why I'm going to have nightmares tonight.</div>
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On the plus side, if you're willing to shell out $700 you can have those nightmares in a really cool place.<br /><div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwkqUvCcAjjbFCCPVbVpsLpYqQYC2taHFdLpPQ1j-I8RUheyvgamemP3RmeAleYhyphenhyphenBg80c0H5lt7nFiU9Ne4VJ4BEhx2eOFUpWH9v-a5NiWVf_aKQMWtN_-3RQkH_JKJejUE111Kp0G06-/s1600/P1020962.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwkqUvCcAjjbFCCPVbVpsLpYqQYC2taHFdLpPQ1j-I8RUheyvgamemP3RmeAleYhyphenhyphenBg80c0H5lt7nFiU9Ne4VJ4BEhx2eOFUpWH9v-a5NiWVf_aKQMWtN_-3RQkH_JKJejUE111Kp0G06-/s320/P1020962.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I assume that if you want a lie-in you get gawked at by the morning tours</td></tr>
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<br />This is the underground hotel room featured on Billy Connolly's Route 66 programme, but I can't say we were tempted.</div>
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The tour finished with a light show, which got us all excited as we anticipated a repeat of Meramec's God Bless America fiasco. This one was quite different, though; the lights were just laser points on the ceiling, there was no audible light switch flicking, and the music started with the 2001: A Space Odyssey theme and segued into other space and SF-related music before finishing with Bobby Troup's Route 66. So, points for choice of music but the light show itself was nowhere near good enough to be classed 'good' and not horrendously awful enough to be as hilarious as Meramec's. Overall, a resounding "meh."</div>
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As we were making our way back up to the surface, our tour guide redeemed herself for the questionable light show by warning us of an upcoming heavily-policed speed trap on the road. Now that's the kind of useful information you want from a tour.</div>
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From there we had a fairly straightforward run through twisty-turny roads all the way to Kingman, nicely aided by a useful signpost.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They forgot Winona</td></tr>
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<br />Our stop for the night is in Kingman, Arizona, at the Hill Top Motel, which funnily enough is right on top of a hill. How they come up with these names I'll never know. The motel's owner recommended a local eatery where I got to cross off fried catfish from the must-eats that Tonya provided us with back in Missouri. And tomorrow, we head out into the desert!<br /><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1w9dx_EfASIXVbPBaqFLgEz4NLkmMGoFkHEknUGJ7N-h50ShJYhTEuO9zoXVMVI0dGJWgTHexZQtHJCwEyB0coLftBPmgsXjEwUxuL4OEAErAkM_Px95XsUzC3VUuStgzb-3wieFT2hEI/s1600/DSC02545.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1w9dx_EfASIXVbPBaqFLgEz4NLkmMGoFkHEknUGJ7N-h50ShJYhTEuO9zoXVMVI0dGJWgTHexZQtHJCwEyB0coLftBPmgsXjEwUxuL4OEAErAkM_Px95XsUzC3VUuStgzb-3wieFT2hEI/s320/DSC02545.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This sign had better not be teasing us</td></tr>
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Rachael Livermorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14611872297819209492noreply@blogger.com1Kingman, AZ, USA35.189443 -114.053006535.085629 -114.21093499999999 35.293257 -113.895078tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299478984532070448.post-49723650690084861902012-09-13T08:33:00.000+01:002012-09-13T08:33:42.927+01:00Day 15 - There are holes in the planetWe woke up this morning very excited because we had another day of Arizona ahead of us and today we got to go to the Grand Canyon. But before any of that excitement we had to say goodbye to Holbrook passing one of two surviving Wigwam motels on our way out. (We are booked to stay in the other on in San Bernadino in a few days time).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If this reminds you of the Cozy Cone Motel in Cars then your brain is doing it's job because it should.</td></tr>
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Route 66 has many relics of gas stations and roadside shops / diners that are now entirely devoted to serving the tourist trade who are driving the route. We passed one that wasn't in our guidebook that was called Geronimo's so of course we had to stop. We'd been led to believe that cactuses were plentiful on Route 66 but this turns out to be a marketing lie. Arizona is full of cactus but they are almost all much further south. In particular we wanted the type of cactus that looks like a demented coatrack or a human with uneven arms. Stopping at Geronimo's we found a metal example and so of course took some pictures as compensation for not being able to get the real thing.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLMZR2fKtDbXwjdSXk3jyJtB56__e8PaHevTcnzDQ4UqBVyAQYCZd6Upb64Fu6vmRzOO5q1dYdP1QqKHHDApKqpk6K4haSYPhunLg9HtREVyWZs24gu-chUqO4LqY8hQogqGMsq-yTo6s/s1600/P1020663.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLMZR2fKtDbXwjdSXk3jyJtB56__e8PaHevTcnzDQ4UqBVyAQYCZd6Upb64Fu6vmRzOO5q1dYdP1QqKHHDApKqpk6K4haSYPhunLg9HtREVyWZs24gu-chUqO4LqY8hQogqGMsq-yTo6s/s400/P1020663.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretending to be a cactus next to a metal sculpture also pretending to be a cactus.</td></tr>
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The Jack Rabbit Trading Post is another one of those places that is now a gift shop with history. In years gone by there were billboards up and down R66 that did a countdown mileage to the store culminating with the famous sign outside that says "Here it is". Now only that one remains but the store is well worth a visit just for that and the large climbable bunny statue outside.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As if the giant black bunny wasn't enough - the helpful sign tells you that you've made it.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rachael rides the rabbit.</td></tr>
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One of the Eagles most popular hits is a song called "Take it easy". Winslow's claim to fame is that one of the lines in the song says "Standing on a corner in Winslow, Arizona" and so of course they have a corner setup just like the song says with a mural and an absolutely enormous Route 66 sign painted on the floor. The gift shop on the adjacent corner actually pumps the Eagles out on to the street just in case anyone didn't know about the song.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We weren't sure if we were on the right road until we saw the sign.</td></tr>
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Moving on we stopped off at Meteor City (lol its a roadside stop not a city) where there is another gift shop and also the worlds longest map of Route 66. At this point I could be snarky and point out that long maps of Route 66 are probably only to be found in the USA and therefore the "World" designation is pointless, but it's a rather nice map so I won't. Also the gift shop is a geodesic dome and the lady in there was lovely so we'd definitely recommend it as a stop for novelty value.<br />
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A few miles down the road we stopped at the Meteor Crater which gives Meteor City it's name. It's a bloody impressive hole in the ground. And while it was a little on the expensive side to visit ($16 each which included the museum and full 1hr guided tour that we didn't have time to take) we felt it was well worth the time and effort. There was also another gift shop where I felt compelled to spend money. At this point I've given up all pretence that I'm going to fit everything I've bought in my cases. I'm seriously considering chartering my own plane to get all my tourist tat home.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A pretty big hole in the ground.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When speed limit signs have a sense of humour you know you are in an awesome place.</td></tr>
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The EZ guide to route 66 suggested the next interesting place to stop was another roadside attraction called Twin Arrows. Its at the end of one of the dead end sections of R66 which are pretty common in Arizona as most of the original road was literally overridden by I-40 and doesn't exist any more. The barriers around Twin Arrows and lack of anywhere to park suggested that it wasn't really up to receiving visitors but we managed to put it's most prominent feature to good use before looping back the way we came and getting back on the interstate.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihBhIfnXEkrCf9hJY1IU8MEaX9ZXh8zFLrqDnggILWHSGTtiXUUyVBZNpQdONs3zYqmMv1BYfha8Gr0dHjODUdNSbxd3cvjlW1x49SD5lJ8FqxfoVo_aGY6xp5D8G-coYjbOPfLJwhl6k/s1600/P1020731.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihBhIfnXEkrCf9hJY1IU8MEaX9ZXh8zFLrqDnggILWHSGTtiXUUyVBZNpQdONs3zYqmMv1BYfha8Gr0dHjODUdNSbxd3cvjlW1x49SD5lJ8FqxfoVo_aGY6xp5D8G-coYjbOPfLJwhl6k/s400/P1020731.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Struck down by a huge arrow, the lizard couldn't even bask because the pesky sun was hiding behind a cloud.</td></tr>
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On our way to Flagstaff we cruised through the town of Winona. We had some expectations here because Winona is in the song. And by "the song" I mean THE song. In "Get your kicks on route 66" we are implored to "don't forget Winona" and I kind of understand why because the place is pretty instantly forgettable.<br />
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Flagstaff was a contradiction and we really didn't give it much time to be honest. We had better places to be but I'm jumping ahead... What we saw of Flagstaff was part strip mall and part cute arty quarter but we buzzed through because we had a date with a helicopter to see the Grand Canyon. Let me say that again - WE WENT IN A HELICOPTER TO THE GRAND CANYON!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">LOOK!! Still can't believe we actually got to do this.</td></tr>
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Needless to say it was un-fucking-believable and honestly I think I may need a month for it to sink in. Rachael and I ended up having the whole aircraft to ourselves with just our pilot Dale. She was fantastic and it was a totally smooth ride even going over the rim of the canyon which I had expected to get a bit choppy. We took video and about a million pictures but none of it does it justice - the english language is insufficient when describing the Grand Canyon. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Grand Canyon from our helicopter. EPIC doesn't cover it.</td></tr>
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I think I could sit looking at it for the rest of my life and never get bored. They have a saying at Grand Canyon Helicopters "Leave no footprint" - it's because they believe the most ecologically sound way to experience it is from the air. I wouldn't know if thats true, but I can say that it was an unforgettable experience and No.1 on our must do list for visiting this area. We also drove into the park and visited one of the viewing areas on the south rim - but the experience from the air is totally different and is so much more.<br />
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Tonight we are staying in the town of Tusayan just south of the entrance to the Grand Canyon National Park and we had dinner with some fellow Route 66-ers we've met a few times on the way. The main topic of conversation of course was the Grand Canyon. I'm warning you now - I'm going to be bloody boring on this subject for a long time. Can't see it ever getting old.Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03524286415998486590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299478984532070448.post-34928224539388216012012-09-12T09:48:00.002+01:002012-09-12T09:48:49.905+01:00Day 14 - In which we make discoveries about History that others have somehow missed<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="text-align: left;">I had an amazing night's sleep last night in Gallup, New Mexico. Maybe the beds were good or maybe I was just really tired, it's hard to tell. Still, it means the El Rancho will get a good Tripadvisor review despite their apparently outdated definition of "Convenience of tomorrow" (the geeks do not overlook the lack of wifi in the rooms lightly). That aside (and overlooking the fact that it was our most expensive hotel on the route), the El Rancho is pretty much everything you want out of Route 66 accommodation: it's clean and comfortable, incredibly tacky, it has a fabulous neon sign, and it overplays the movie stars who stayed there back in the day almost as much as Roswell oversells the aliens. Each of the rooms and even the items on the restaurant's menu are named after actors. For dinner last night we both had the Ricardo Montalban, just because of the name. It was tasty too, which is fortunate as otherwise we may have had to yell "KHAAAAAAAAAAN!" and get kicked out of the hotel.</span></div>
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For breakfast this morning, we decided to venture outside the hotel and found a diner that, despite the sign bearing the ubiquitous Route 66 shield, appeared to be a local diner for local people. There was a lot of staring. But that's okay, because there were also very good pancakes. Not as good as Jessica's back in Tucumcari, perhaps, but still outranking IHOP. Incidentally, we are both thoroughly bemused by the American custom of serving meat with sweet pancakes, not to mention that what they call "sausage" is clearly some variety of hamburger. Weird.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Good breakfast, if you don't mind feeling as though you're an exhibit in a zoo</td></tr>
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We moved slowly out of Gallup, stopping at regular intervals to shop for Navajo jewellery, which is about a quarter of the price there that it was in Santa Fe. In doing so, we met another real character at the Nizhoni Native American Jewellery Store, on whom I am convinced the character of Ol' Gil in The Simpsons was based. His sales pitch was obviously quite good, as he did manage to relieve us of a reasonable sum of money.<br />
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It was at this point that we encountered another peculiar American phenomenon. We were trying to get to an ATM that we had been told was inside the grocery store, but we accidentally tried to walk into the liquor store next door instead, upon which a path was blocked by a burly security guard in sunglasses who asked whether we had a vehicle. We pointed to it in the next car park, and were told that we couldn't be allowed in unless we drove up to the front door. At this point we realised our mistake and moved on to the security-less grocery store, but we were both thoroughly confused. Why do you have to drive up to the door to be served alcohol? Surely it's better if you're not driving at all? Answers on a postcard (or, y'know, a comment form) please.</div>
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Heading towards the New Mexico/ Arizona border, the scenery became absolutely spectacular. We actually felt that we were in Radiator Springs of the Pixar film Cars (incidentally, an <i>awesome</i> and horribly underrated movie). Right on top of the border, we came across another opportunity to be relieved of cash.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXqZzJj5LYwkzA50xfCY8LVkHwHPWICzAYzy1jih6-E4cG_YmBgpp0FMaPPOEoMYVa0C8XjNJu0BQWakJBBrb3zq0snbx-akHI_Aadiz6RQlhpcb46DnacRkBoeiwQLE-HL7wZm-qtIFzt/s1600/DSC02103.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXqZzJj5LYwkzA50xfCY8LVkHwHPWICzAYzy1jih6-E4cG_YmBgpp0FMaPPOEoMYVa0C8XjNJu0BQWakJBBrb3zq0snbx-akHI_Aadiz6RQlhpcb46DnacRkBoeiwQLE-HL7wZm-qtIFzt/s320/DSC02103.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another claim we didn't verify...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbFECjZ0f_t9X9U7-bqjNU18Y5j29XL_JMvsaI05BGJqCk8Zzg3f1F4-NwNDuOmLpoK8hBrueL58yhbOlWlc1gfnzWtHV7lOY3u8Cx8gZjW_lQbAYqOVrduwNI9MgpMaQ2lxgMW2SMkEqw/s1600/DSC02102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbFECjZ0f_t9X9U7-bqjNU18Y5j29XL_JMvsaI05BGJqCk8Zzg3f1F4-NwNDuOmLpoK8hBrueL58yhbOlWlc1gfnzWtHV7lOY3u8Cx8gZjW_lQbAYqOVrduwNI9MgpMaQ2lxgMW2SMkEqw/s320/DSC02102.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...but yes, it's rather large</td></tr>
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The two rules of successful Route 66 business seem to be: 1) make something unnecessarily large, and 2) provide a good photo op. This place delivered on both fronts, with the bonus that their photo op was also quite useful if you're travelling without a map:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqN_IX4UkZSGyK9yg_ZKTAr0qXYsN78gDUKCEVxhWmHkgOM0jkVa6p6DPNjURzGLTEC9zberycZQBvhSkqDbTosxQlDHNBt3WePbqThRwZgaWmceLzTqLrao-4aTVK3ilVkBYUSimO7qGD/s1600/P1020491.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqN_IX4UkZSGyK9yg_ZKTAr0qXYsN78gDUKCEVxhWmHkgOM0jkVa6p6DPNjURzGLTEC9zberycZQBvhSkqDbTosxQlDHNBt3WePbqThRwZgaWmceLzTqLrao-4aTVK3ilVkBYUSimO7qGD/s320/P1020491.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here I am breathing a massive sigh of relief that we've somehow remained on the correct road</td></tr>
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So here we are in state number 7 of 9! (Yes, there are only eight states on Route 66, but we're adding one just so that I could make that Star Trek reference.)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHCA8vEfSmbAG2gqtkZP-dOq_LzjBzuU-83j93SQtGxZt7pQt8SH1qygBVVXyDnT7rvdqn4KU5F_oydHp8Sdims9oKFdlRaoOX27tnDACL-9ya8vqO9WBw815f2_TlGN7w44eJoJzy2oQb/s1600/P1020495.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHCA8vEfSmbAG2gqtkZP-dOq_LzjBzuU-83j93SQtGxZt7pQt8SH1qygBVVXyDnT7rvdqn4KU5F_oydHp8Sdims9oKFdlRaoOX27tnDACL-9ya8vqO9WBw815f2_TlGN7w44eJoJzy2oQb/s320/P1020495.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A state famous because it has holes in it</td></tr>
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We didn't travel very far today, only a shade over 100 miles, mostly so that we could spend the day in the Petrified Forest National Park, and <i>wow </i>was it worth it.</div>
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The visitor centre makes this outlandish claim that the Painted Desert has something to do with different types of minerals being laid down over millions of years.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLTA3_rW9-6RVqwBQrlTRujQVlPciTZEZGUUM4Pfrfj5dUxyf_Ie8A7mbPFR5P7TU_7gKLt_MsUg2ySFWD2EkxkLBUvrD5ILIwsVR7i4xC7ado6B5ojsI6-NDxiiAhe32wdOYeCcLzp4l4/s1600/DSC02131.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLTA3_rW9-6RVqwBQrlTRujQVlPciTZEZGUUM4Pfrfj5dUxyf_Ie8A7mbPFR5P7TU_7gKLt_MsUg2ySFWD2EkxkLBUvrD5ILIwsVR7i4xC7ado6B5ojsI6-NDxiiAhe32wdOYeCcLzp4l4/s320/DSC02131.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Colourful rocks</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmitKMMKGRZT6FhSejOBOcssatZLbN4TGhNbi219KxcUSbELLCzN10QtT0h3_xPM5heAhR5tWD7vyNXXAkBPES-GeJPugjNGcVcjtPJX5hQQ8oj-lHsXOgvQFoVbCDa6jH8RS7ZTJJ4P6x/s1600/DSC02114.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmitKMMKGRZT6FhSejOBOcssatZLbN4TGhNbi219KxcUSbELLCzN10QtT0h3_xPM5heAhR5tWD7vyNXXAkBPES-GeJPugjNGcVcjtPJX5hQQ8oj-lHsXOgvQFoVbCDa6jH8RS7ZTJJ4P6x/s320/DSC02114.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clearly a spraypaint job</td></tr>
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Of course, we are far too clever to fall for that ruse. It's blatantly obvious that what really happened is that a colleague of Slartibartfast grew envious of his fjords and decided to top them by spraypainting a desert in Arizona. The evidence even suggests the use of the cans of spraypaint we left with a kid back at the Cadillac Ranch.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLvocnr1YaqZx65YJh7boFTV0Wt0RsD9G8IbYYeUJtpgV3Ns5lGYEG0l994OGSBzcUvBm5-qxyZiRaylWzfb0cRAYlK_EUp9QaClCLsloupJ83h1YYB2L16wHVG76GT_4RGaSvmI8-VNbZ/s1600/P1020524.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLvocnr1YaqZx65YJh7boFTV0Wt0RsD9G8IbYYeUJtpgV3Ns5lGYEG0l994OGSBzcUvBm5-qxyZiRaylWzfb0cRAYlK_EUp9QaClCLsloupJ83h1YYB2L16wHVG76GT_4RGaSvmI8-VNbZ/s320/P1020524.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Those colours look suspiciously familiar</td></tr>
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See, Arizona, we're onto you.</div>
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The park isn't huge - the road runs for 28 miles - but with stopping at every single lookout and trail, we spent at least five hours there, and could probably have doubled that had time allowed. Without a doubt, the best drive of the trip so far.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJGwge5ZIM6irdj28vBUGDZ5ktsg7c8S34-u0w_dfscGD7ZAJblC47M63mhuXmngrPqAnRqLTYcO674ieNEcUpzVgiZQlv2DAhq33Dbj96I3wID62TazWDgEk72_dvIhzJrr_kd4l44vj5/s1600/DSC02152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="70" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJGwge5ZIM6irdj28vBUGDZ5ktsg7c8S34-u0w_dfscGD7ZAJblC47M63mhuXmngrPqAnRqLTYcO674ieNEcUpzVgiZQlv2DAhq33Dbj96I3wID62TazWDgEk72_dvIhzJrr_kd4l44vj5/s320/DSC02152.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: start;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The views from the old Painted Desert Inn probably didn't suck</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikCahzkdOGQ4aKla6_YaIUh_l9WbVIsX9Bt-0L4AzJ5NBpTGyTEcFc68hg63TisGyvZEFclUZ7y10j-t_xCmkb5yNVLI8P7KOM1j3UDh2DO-Ku-xS-nO7J5j9Bt6moxVjzUQio5swwHGhyphenhyphen/s1600/DSC02212.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikCahzkdOGQ4aKla6_YaIUh_l9WbVIsX9Bt-0L4AzJ5NBpTGyTEcFc68hg63TisGyvZEFclUZ7y10j-t_xCmkb5yNVLI8P7KOM1j3UDh2DO-Ku-xS-nO7J5j9Bt6moxVjzUQio5swwHGhyphenhyphen/s320/DSC02212.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The A1 is going to be a massive letdown after this</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2VPw27alTBFEr_jYg_nINl1pweAbxSSNVURqnfWrhWOj5n2wnJhZwV8LQbSzmjTZ0GxLRtIGhrFTVpuWVstjTu6MGwTpfGQ-kNNWnCKHTD18V_xLOt3K1kMM_Nu4nSj3AUILqaL5n4E_J/s1600/P1020602.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2VPw27alTBFEr_jYg_nINl1pweAbxSSNVURqnfWrhWOj5n2wnJhZwV8LQbSzmjTZ0GxLRtIGhrFTVpuWVstjTu6MGwTpfGQ-kNNWnCKHTD18V_xLOt3K1kMM_Nu4nSj3AUILqaL5n4E_J/s320/P1020602.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lizard finds a perfect basking rock</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimzRbXDBFup0lFFNK60qezc-vyuVoS4osQrwC5yw6Pnqxahb_UNSJLxjNYFc8eI7lSXd68bFp9AeMmFXAzH7-p5MA9bn3PND7gxTEFtx06q_5Ee2IDfQftl_rRkGg7hGJEwKqrTfEV_SWt/s1600/P1020629.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimzRbXDBFup0lFFNK60qezc-vyuVoS4osQrwC5yw6Pnqxahb_UNSJLxjNYFc8eI7lSXd68bFp9AeMmFXAzH7-p5MA9bn3PND7gxTEFtx06q_5Ee2IDfQftl_rRkGg7hGJEwKqrTfEV_SWt/s320/P1020629.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Petrified wood: apparently trees get pretty when they're scared</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg584JYB2s0w8U_k0p6a2jHcsCIQRzrXbp2uAWHfwa4ea3rVPAYiXJ0dVBUFWiiaK5_r7_dxdm2KWa6tVueZHv58ytIKHdpwyc6Nn7hlWdDMZYfU_-mr9HhdgGGHFJl9zLj-BXKy0Gbjki/s1600/DSC02259.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg584JYB2s0w8U_k0p6a2jHcsCIQRzrXbp2uAWHfwa4ea3rVPAYiXJ0dVBUFWiiaK5_r7_dxdm2KWa6tVueZHv58ytIKHdpwyc6Nn7hlWdDMZYfU_-mr9HhdgGGHFJl9zLj-BXKy0Gbjki/s320/DSC02259.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not wanting to be outdone by Meramec Caverns, Arizona proves it can do coloured lights too</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsKDwJUOzOV2ooUycuuTSCZLhyphenhyphenmxeNSetVnw6qPyCr5_LTLEsUtrJhmPoqK1z1rqBOvSE8fVYiKyF3I3Pj_KrHzBqDhu2Qz2mtAlzIPGRjFL1FWlkQK4FFptyADmM8AnFzDb6SKB1MCecO/s1600/P1020639.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsKDwJUOzOV2ooUycuuTSCZLhyphenhyphenmxeNSetVnw6qPyCr5_LTLEsUtrJhmPoqK1z1rqBOvSE8fVYiKyF3I3Pj_KrHzBqDhu2Qz2mtAlzIPGRjFL1FWlkQK4FFptyADmM8AnFzDb6SKB1MCecO/s320/P1020639.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fortunately (for you) you can't hear me, but I'm singing about hills being alive<br /></td></tr>
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<br />Apparently this area was settled as early as 1250 until about 600 years ago. There are still petroglyphs visible, with a particular concentration on what they call Newspaper Rock.<div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4rfGk5tniqucxc9llbHf3Q7cwOWE7SjT9mTWLUgQ1hVlQO2jfc1dhCUgxS0tcsMUqEZcKwfjoiyqYM0ipwKEDhnNSjguI_Uk_KBl20rqicE82zNGRaon7Ks9HXlTJMHfTsgV0CKO3lVlw/s1600/DSC02199.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4rfGk5tniqucxc9llbHf3Q7cwOWE7SjT9mTWLUgQ1hVlQO2jfc1dhCUgxS0tcsMUqEZcKwfjoiyqYM0ipwKEDhnNSjguI_Uk_KBl20rqicE82zNGRaon7Ks9HXlTJMHfTsgV0CKO3lVlw/s320/DSC02199.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The only newspaper we've seen since we arrived in the States that doesn't mention Prince Harry</td></tr>
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<br />We met some Route 66 travellers from Manchester around here, who pointed out that the "human" figures on this rock are clearly alien. We later came across evidence to support this claim.<br /><div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRxh1bFu22ohO5bNzBvVI8gWluj3vtye_FQzJDiim9lvo49SB6laWBdrB0QwcAElDvOesAluukX-3a52W8wh7EnRLGpV_160upsMlBHBCDIa958e43aKTAX8h9S2DgI-7NVHuJFtnHy4D9/s1600/DSC02202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRxh1bFu22ohO5bNzBvVI8gWluj3vtye_FQzJDiim9lvo49SB6laWBdrB0QwcAElDvOesAluukX-3a52W8wh7EnRLGpV_160upsMlBHBCDIa958e43aKTAX8h9S2DgI-7NVHuJFtnHy4D9/s320/DSC02202.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blatantly the Starship Enterprise</td></tr>
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<br />Clearly there's some backstory here about how Kirk and Spock travelled back in time and visited the ancestors of the Navajo. Perhaps they even had something to do with painting the desert: we'll never know.<div>
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The old Route 66 used to pass directly through the Petrified Forest National Park, but the road is now a teensy bit overgrown.<br /><div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPEXtk4rauDfVwWU7lRQusYRiXfeOaZdc4fdJbjI6AaHnpVzISWYOsXNsD-MJEybOpaqMQmnvNlKwm4AT2xFktV99yw0RY0LTmsupW-lJqRr8iV43TdpKQrMvpdplXknCt42w__sSjZ2OU/s1600/DSC02176.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPEXtk4rauDfVwWU7lRQusYRiXfeOaZdc4fdJbjI6AaHnpVzISWYOsXNsD-MJEybOpaqMQmnvNlKwm4AT2xFktV99yw0RY0LTmsupW-lJqRr8iV43TdpKQrMvpdplXknCt42w__sSjZ2OU/s320/DSC02176.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Points for signage, Arizona, but not so much for maintenance</td></tr>
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<br />However, someone had left their car behind, and I decided that if we're going to travel an historic road we may as well do so in a fitting car, so I've traded in the SUV.<br /><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYdpalkQwqhHm-DfoAOIRgVG8rvOPtkjozjTEaF2yZHqzIpNbEHAx2k7MmhqXxzVvGD-Nliffty1e5MRYJIDrq5dtFb_AatP9e_qDtjC3bTYz8dVrPeqhMFICs2yMDUjZTGbGpS33fRkL3/s1600/P1020565.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYdpalkQwqhHm-DfoAOIRgVG8rvOPtkjozjTEaF2yZHqzIpNbEHAx2k7MmhqXxzVvGD-Nliffty1e5MRYJIDrq5dtFb_AatP9e_qDtjC3bTYz8dVrPeqhMFICs2yMDUjZTGbGpS33fRkL3/s320/P1020565.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fi keeps fixating on the lack of wheels, but she's clearly missing the big picture</td></tr>
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<br />I don't know what Fi's worrying about; I think the rest of the trip is going to be a blast in this thing. Who needs air con if the air's rushing straight in through the empty window frames?</div>
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We'll find out how she holds up tomorrow when we visit two of Arizona's famous holes in the ground.</div>
Rachael Livermorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14611872297819209492noreply@blogger.com3Holbrook, AZ, USA34.9022482 -110.158176834.8501582 -110.2371408 34.9543382 -110.07921280000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299478984532070448.post-22018761249372087282012-09-11T06:46:00.000+01:002012-09-11T06:50:23.742+01:00Day 13 - A shocking lack of cactusBefore leaving Santa Rosa this morning we made a quick stop at the Blue Hole. It's a circular pool that is 80 feet deep and is in popular use by divers. Of course Rachael found another use for the rocks that surround one side of the pool and managed to startle a seriously cute grey squirrel in the process. Since neither of us were in a swimming mood we just took some pictures and got on our way.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirEn5rGfwTVJZi_JgQt-zqyOdc1fSSvJVWqY-7w7nO_BC-zOUDTcmMjC633b0Gl3pwlAWAgOnybrJTZqqAfPJJaU1dHDjWxIe9g1bHyXMVPsMqajSY_rcipsPxWHbyE3B3zDqigAUBXKs/s1600/P1020445.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirEn5rGfwTVJZi_JgQt-zqyOdc1fSSvJVWqY-7w7nO_BC-zOUDTcmMjC633b0Gl3pwlAWAgOnybrJTZqqAfPJJaU1dHDjWxIe9g1bHyXMVPsMqajSY_rcipsPxWHbyE3B3zDqigAUBXKs/s640/P1020445.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lizard found a tasty rock to bask on and saw off the competition (a grey squirrel).</td></tr>
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Todays route took us north off of main route 66 in search of pre-1937 Route 66 in search of the city of Santa Fe. Now called the Santa Fe loop it's an alternate route that you can take from Santa Rosa to Albuquerque instead of the straighter road that now shadows Interstate-40.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRRe0dtAxlyc0hWSUgT81TgrJQu9FvZgsJm3RhPXuM02YSXlah_BqycNL2sLH92nJGSO4Mf8LYAkI5zmIsxdkXCIX027MyDR9mdULj2vjkwqaxgimSsxE5lbGm13XOxfhE_c3ZmvRsZiY/s1600/DSC02036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRRe0dtAxlyc0hWSUgT81TgrJQu9FvZgsJm3RhPXuM02YSXlah_BqycNL2sLH92nJGSO4Mf8LYAkI5zmIsxdkXCIX027MyDR9mdULj2vjkwqaxgimSsxE5lbGm13XOxfhE_c3ZmvRsZiY/s400/DSC02036.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A helpful sign - New Mexico is better than some states (looking at you Texas) but Illinois still rules on signage.</td></tr>
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It was a lovely morning as we left Santa Rosa and having spent a very comfortable night at the Best Western Santa Rosa Inn, we were well on our way to Santa Fe by 10am. The journey north also encompasses part of the Santa Fe trail as well as many roads that contain absolutely NOTHING at all. Not kidding about this. Rachael and I are loaded to the hilt with technology and 4 different devices that can communicate if we need them to. However, in New Mexico there does seem to be an awful lot of NOTHING and not much data signal to speak of (voice/text coverage is very good).<br />
Our trip yesterday down to Roswell had a great deal of open road and today was very similar. During this stretch Rachael saw our first cactus - but it appears to have been the only visible one on the road to Santa Fe and we didn't get a picture. There better be more tomorrow or there will be trouble.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNuI3pq4Ql120aLuhYaL5cTSzYsJEYAZ32rvfN_isxS7pohvKS_Oi0VcF_h6Gkph7K8ZAhI0MC2RXa1JktWvS5C0otjAaH0CC_q1QF0sxt6ID7KEf7hll-Q_gP2VKwFk5UqKka1LOtTaI/s1600/DSC02048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNuI3pq4Ql120aLuhYaL5cTSzYsJEYAZ32rvfN_isxS7pohvKS_Oi0VcF_h6Gkph7K8ZAhI0MC2RXa1JktWvS5C0otjAaH0CC_q1QF0sxt6ID7KEf7hll-Q_gP2VKwFk5UqKka1LOtTaI/s400/DSC02048.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A road completely devoid of cars. And cactus. And tumbleweeds. Fail.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd-sj0NS_lhV_LdYGY14uILu1htxmBJ8JwM6jfg9mSGeG8hGgzBY63JwqyEg3j_OsQoPAkNaszXFVz-GwataMuJ5pXoHgXXPjYF4n5CtYDR57YFURF9WP2G5PrdzoD6_pEzEFRrnw3HFg/s1600/DSC02057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd-sj0NS_lhV_LdYGY14uILu1htxmBJ8JwM6jfg9mSGeG8hGgzBY63JwqyEg3j_OsQoPAkNaszXFVz-GwataMuJ5pXoHgXXPjYF4n5CtYDR57YFURF9WP2G5PrdzoD6_pEzEFRrnw3HFg/s400/DSC02057.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This one has a car! Oh wait... it's ours. Probably doesn't count. And still no cactus or tumbleweeds.</td></tr>
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We arrived in Santa Fe just before lunchtime and after figuring out where to park we took a stroll around the historic square, multitude of gift shops and got some advice about where to eat from the visitors centre. We bought a few souvenirs but most of the shops were full of super expensive turquoise jewellery so we didn't buy much. We did see a counting book for children - Pride and Prejudice version which I regret not buying even though all the kids I know can count already. It was batshit and appealed to my sense of the ridiculous. (2 wealthy gentlemen, 5 Bennett sisters, etc) A lovely chap at the visitors centre recommended a restaurant called Pasqual's which turned out to be an organic haven of good cooking where we enjoyed Bison burgers. The Bison burgers were really tasty even if they did screw up giving them to us so I got Rachael's medium and she got my medium well and we were more than half into eating them before we realised what they'd done. Medium well is such a subjective order it would seem - so many places I've been to I get steaks / burgers anything from light brown to a bit bloody. I should probably just order medium and have done.<br />
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Santa Fe itself is adorable. It's very low-rise and most of the buildings are adobe structures and are very old. It looks fantastic in the sunshine but it got a bit overcast when we were there and it was equally heartening to see otherwise lovely places also look depressing when its dark and raining!<br />
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Leaving Santa Fe mid-afternoon we had a reasonable run back down to Albuquerque when we hit rush hour traffic and things got boring very fast. Rachael did snap a few good pics of roadside sights in ABQ but we were in a hurry by then because our hotel reservation in Gallup was still about 100 miles away. We were quite amused by some of the place names we went through - especially Los Lunas - the moons. We also liked this little town because of their cool banners. It was somewhere on this stretch that we saw our first tumbleweed. Admittedly it was stuck under the back of someone's truck but it totally counts! Especially as it fell off and tumbled towards us - looking forward to seeing them loose by the road.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lovely banners in Los Lunas - not strictly signage but they really made an effort.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The skies were interesting as we left Albuquerque for our drive to Gallup.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq4Rdo0BYU4-cGdO8enLtAnjn-jtQU-6JUqs4PHo23xNmuwbVfOtRPeNG6JoKbY6qB4QLDOFDbNIcbh8R3fLATG-wSDcNJn9W8LsXE3rrcXZhbLZ-Xpuu7jL3BER65yvAkPk4rgd8sgGI/s1600/P1020484.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq4Rdo0BYU4-cGdO8enLtAnjn-jtQU-6JUqs4PHo23xNmuwbVfOtRPeNG6JoKbY6qB4QLDOFDbNIcbh8R3fLATG-wSDcNJn9W8LsXE3rrcXZhbLZ-Xpuu7jL3BER65yvAkPk4rgd8sgGI/s400/P1020484.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another interesting sky - the light was amazing but sadly we also had quite a bit of rain in this stretch.</td></tr>
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We did decide to bin a little bit of the route between Albuquerque and Gallup. There wasn't much on the road that would have been open and it was getting dark plus there was "weather" threatening - so we took I-40 for most of it in order to get to our hotel in Gallup at a reasonable hour. This proved to be a good decision because we got here before the restaurant closed and if we'd stuck to the 100% route we'd probably have gotten here 2 hours later.<br />
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Our Gallup hotel is El Rancho. It's another Route 66 legend. It was built to house the hollywood stars who came to shoot westerns etc. near Gallup so it's a level of luxury that Route 66 is not usually known for. It's been restored and has almost a hunting lodge type atmosphere inside. Outside it has some of the tackiest neon we've seen on the whole journey. Which made us smile quite a bit!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvgMQs9CYXpJbW0Zu7MXcbWO2NkDF6qLLvF-mRKL-PpVfAvAFG3-I_p5zS8-W3owr8taavPeNY5MZW6ZGd-rXJhegtum3ecr0zGeUrTmGzbtAXIKHL8X6Z9dVu1k7I82rmuOmuYQDc1Cg/s1600/DSC02084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="365" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvgMQs9CYXpJbW0Zu7MXcbWO2NkDF6qLLvF-mRKL-PpVfAvAFG3-I_p5zS8-W3owr8taavPeNY5MZW6ZGd-rXJhegtum3ecr0zGeUrTmGzbtAXIKHL8X6Z9dVu1k7I82rmuOmuYQDc1Cg/s400/DSC02084.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Charm of yesterday - convenience of tomorrow. Oh really?</td></tr>
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The slogan written in bold neon on the front of the hotel is a bit misleading. The rooms are lovely and have flat panel TVs with lots of channels but the only wifi available is in the lobby. This is hardly convenient. And for double the price of the Best Westerns (which all have fantastic in room wifi) it's a bit of a cheek to be honest. But our room is named after Tyrone Power and we have Mae West next door so we really shouldn't complain I suppose.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQkKyjFb8DZ_EW8XFeTopwsMb94YuyCClFMw0UHYyW1CZMIV18Co5j1NW6_CEFjSwpnHRiblBjnWiXriKW2yloaxUoiF7H3nqxMphFiZcTjMMgGvyjXF6yxMIFq7IpGclD55L-1Na1WUs/s1600/DSC02088.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQkKyjFb8DZ_EW8XFeTopwsMb94YuyCClFMw0UHYyW1CZMIV18Co5j1NW6_CEFjSwpnHRiblBjnWiXriKW2yloaxUoiF7H3nqxMphFiZcTjMMgGvyjXF6yxMIFq7IpGclD55L-1Na1WUs/s400/DSC02088.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The beautiful lobby at El Rancho where I am currently sitting as it's the only place in the hotel that has wifi.</td></tr>
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Tomorrow we head into Arizona and part of the trip Rachael and I have been waiting for - the DESERT!Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03524286415998486590noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299478984532070448.post-76214003435381862232012-09-10T06:44:00.000+01:002012-09-10T06:44:03.416+01:00Day 12 - The Truth is Out There<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption">100% refrigerated air: because 98% just won't do.</td></tr>
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I really did not want to emerge from the bed this morning. I'll say one thing for the Blue Swallow: their mattresses are <i>amazing</i>. Chatting to one of the owners, Kevin, this morning, we learned that they buy home mattresses as opposed to commercial hotel ones, and it makes all the difference.<br />
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They also - and this was a <i>huge</i> deal to me - have PG Tips (and also Twinings if you're not into builder tea). Even better, Kevin knew without being prompted that the hot water in the coffee maker is not suitable for tea, and went out back to boil a kettle, and even brought me real milk. After a week and a half of being deprived of tea, this was <i>bliss. </i>Massive gold star for the Blue Swallow.<br />
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That said, we both felt that there's a nostalgic fan culture about this place that's led to a bit of an Emperor's New Clothes situation. It has 5 stars on Tripadvisor and I've seen someone describe it as the best place they've ever stayed. Well. It is a Route 66 icon, and I certainly enjoyed staying there, and of course Kevin was lovely, but come on. It's nice that it has a quaint old-fashioned feel, but things have changed since this place opened in 1939. The rooms don't have microwaves or fridges (everywhere else we've stayed since leaving Chicago has had both), the air con is too loud to leave on overnight, the bathroom door requires brute force to close (and has no lock), there are no laundry facilities, no breakfast, there is excessive street noise (perhaps not double glazed? I didn't check), and the room we were in had a bit of an ant infestation. And we paid $80, which is at the upper end of our accommodation costs (excluding Chicago and LA). So, it's nice and I would absolutely stay there again, but don't be fooled by the Tripadvisor reviews into expecting luxury.<br />
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Since we couldn't get breakfast at the motel, we went to Kix on 66 in Tucumcari, which was <i>amazing</i>. I'm a hopeless devotee of American carb-laden breakfasts so I've sampled a lot of pancakes over the years, and I can honestly say that these were the best I've ever had. "Jessica's secret recipe," according to the menu, so I may need to find out who Jessica is and take her home.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We're back to brown signs as our friendly companions in New Mexico</td></tr>
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<br />We only had a short stint of Route 66 to cover today, between Tucumcari and Santa Rosa, New Mexico. That short drive turned out to be quite the adventure, as there are long stretches of this road that are unpaved. It mostly runs alongside the Interstate, but (as ever) we resisted the temptation to cheat. Had we cheated, we would have missed the excitement of our road of clay making a sudden turn into a very narrow and really rather creepy tunnel. Those Interstate travellers don't know what they're missing.<div>
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As we reached Santa Rosa, we turned left and headed south into the depths of New Mexico for our first of three detours from Route 66. I cannot begin to describe how <i>huge </i>and <i>empty</i> this place is. It seems to go on forever with no sign of civilisation, and we barely saw another car for hours. If you were an alien looking for an unobtrusive place to land and investigate this new planet, this would be a good place to choose.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ideal spaceship landing site.<br />Unless you're Captain Kirk, in which case your primary mission objective is to cause as much of a commotion as possible.</td></tr>
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A couple of hours down this empty road, we came across a hitchhiker:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The hottest holiday destination in the Alpha Quadrant</td></tr>
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<br />We didn't really have a destination in mind, but figured if this "Roswell" place was good enough to travel from wherever this fella came from, it was good enough for us.</div>
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The first thing that becomes immediately apparent as you drive into Roswell is that this is a town with one claim to fame, and it's determined to build a tourist trade out of it. Even the McDonalds is shaped like a flying saucer - er, I mean weather balloon.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEFOyFqk5d2V0qPLlliafMS_hogasbGH1F06Ve_Ln3ndSQemVQ-xxIyVW6wAKr7TWmk_r0HoYwZ3U6e2SDwjGxhz8NwSdp8_yyuomHXManqUdgD9dzYRnZdzaqFHcsm2UUJ5I1HQ6_rNCS/s1600/DSC01975.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEFOyFqk5d2V0qPLlliafMS_hogasbGH1F06Ve_Ln3ndSQemVQ-xxIyVW6wAKr7TWmk_r0HoYwZ3U6e2SDwjGxhz8NwSdp8_yyuomHXManqUdgD9dzYRnZdzaqFHcsm2UUJ5I1HQ6_rNCS/s320/DSC01975.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clearly, the aliens were aiming for Route 66. Clever aliens know where all the cool kids are at.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The streetlamp is watching you</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Apparently Roswell's immigrant population has gone into the moneylending business</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6iDRMgCtv9qvqVjcxEP4C_MbmGS3fq7PMXcAr-G5l27G6Mz8nXYND9XStAHqd57FZxqTLT65b8_HOZm1nun1l-MgEv4vmcrglkMGldtTNfJk0AWoBWCyguXhdCDshxTp1EsloGp9TvnIF/s1600/P1020398.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6iDRMgCtv9qvqVjcxEP4C_MbmGS3fq7PMXcAr-G5l27G6Mz8nXYND9XStAHqd57FZxqTLT65b8_HOZm1nun1l-MgEv4vmcrglkMGldtTNfJk0AWoBWCyguXhdCDshxTp1EsloGp9TvnIF/s320/P1020398.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What are the odds inflatable Kirks are for sale in a tacky tourist shop on some alien world?</td></tr>
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<br />We decided to investigate further, and the obvious place to start was the UFO Museum.<div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXCUlFMAu8q6cd_gA95HK7TgooLq0ZzGlacFUwsXVlkSEm7vekkptMYX6Xl5-59ahvMspZTx9U-c7QxIzwy4pXd1LLp3sHrjTWX4QzrpRnvpok-LkmcLDrjmSGI9VBzCMeek3kbD0aLNdJ/s1600/DSC02000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXCUlFMAu8q6cd_gA95HK7TgooLq0ZzGlacFUwsXVlkSEm7vekkptMYX6Xl5-59ahvMspZTx9U-c7QxIzwy4pXd1LLp3sHrjTWX4QzrpRnvpok-LkmcLDrjmSGI9VBzCMeek3kbD0aLNdJ/s320/DSC02000.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's a "research center" which means it's all serious and scientific and stuff</td></tr>
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<br />The museum was actually quite cool. It's obviously very low budget and had the feel of a display set up in a school gym, mostly consisting of laminated pieces of paper attached to the display panels used for convention art shows. There is a <i>lot </i>to read: big blocks of text telling the story of the Roswell Incident as well as other UFO sightings and weird phenomena, newspaper cuttings, witness statements (admittedly some of these "witnesses" were along the lines of "many years later, my grandmother who was around Roswell at the time casually mentioned that something weird happened that week" but others were actually quite interesting).<div>
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We both liked the fact that they don't ram the conspiracy theory down your throat: they just put up all the details (including the official explanations) and allow the visitor to make up their own mind. We both left convinced that something had been covered up, but less convinced that the explanation was necessarily extraterrestrial. Still, it's a lot of fun to pretend.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">To be fair, these guys just look like me after I've spent too long in Durham away from the sun.</td></tr>
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<br />As a break from all the reading in the museum, we ventured into the video room, which is a load of plastic chairs in front of a large TV playing a "documentary" about crop circles that looked to have been made on a cheap home camcorder in the 90s. The tone of it was so forceful (lots of hating on the "irresponsible media" who are "denying people the truth") and the explanations so ridiculous (unless aliens really do travel all this way to leave Christian propaganda) that after a while it stopped being funny and we left.<div>
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After the museum, we felt it was our duty to support local businesses by visiting the other tourist tat shops and buying unnecessary numbers of t-shirts. The staff in these shops were very nice but not terribly talkative.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Apparently they don't sell trousers </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDp3Tglxg0SbiMFUiJ2OJiLePbQVGIZyy4dgOHGUHlAqmTeDtkgrprxAjzeSaXGw4e1xbVj1O-NSbcparrlz9bAs_wxbcYSbfS7A4lNx821R9qj8gM3wclJ3ZBD_AKRkgm8popsjg1SS9Z/s1600/DSC02007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDp3Tglxg0SbiMFUiJ2OJiLePbQVGIZyy4dgOHGUHlAqmTeDtkgrprxAjzeSaXGw4e1xbVj1O-NSbcparrlz9bAs_wxbcYSbfS7A4lNx821R9qj8gM3wclJ3ZBD_AKRkgm8popsjg1SS9Z/s320/DSC02007.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Where else can you get artwork by an alien?</td></tr>
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<br />The proprietor of one of these establishments told us we had to experience something called the "Spacewalk." This sounded relevant to our interests, so we ventured around the corner towards what appeared on the outside to be just another purveyor of tourist tat.<br /><br /><div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dammit, I just cleaned that pavement<br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I made a new friend! He looks scared.</td></tr>
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As soon as we opened the door, we realised this place was Different. We were greeted by a man with pointed ears who gave us a Vulcan salute, said "Greetings, humans," and explained that he was minding the store while the humans were out.</div>
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It seemed like it would be rude not to take the Spacewalk after that, so in we went, having been assured that however many hours we spent in there, only a few minutes would have passed in New Mexico time. We entered through what appeared to be a curtain made of tin foil, and emerged inside a lava lamp.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stargate got wormholes all wrong</td></tr>
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Our tour of space included a psychedelic galaxy, depictions of the Roswell Incident, and several pieces of unidentified artwork.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm going with a circus on the planet Zog</td></tr>
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<br />Seriously, this place is worth the trip to Roswell by itself. By the time we emerged through the exit foil curtain, we were both crying with laughter.<div>
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Also, as a bonus, the Vulcan gave us some alien money so that if we're ever abducted we can buy our freedom. Win!</div>
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Sadly, we eventually had to say goodbye to our many new alien friends and head back up to Santa Rosa. Along the way, I started to notice black things scurrying across the road just in front of the car. We started watching out for them, and realised they were TARANTULAS. As in, actual massive, black, hairy, people-eating (possibly) TARANTULAS. At this point, we stopped getting out of the car to take pictures, because we are wusses who have a hard time with British house spiders, so the following was taken out of the window.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sun sinking below New Mexico horizon, or explosion of crashed alien vessel? You decide.</td></tr>
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<br />We arrived safely and un-devoured-by-tarantulas at our hotel in Santa Rosa, ready for an evening of high glamour: we're at the halfway point of our trip (or thereabouts), and that means it's laundry time.<div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A night on the town in Santa Rosa, New Mexico. Don't wait up.</td></tr>
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<br />Rock 'n' roll, baby.Rachael Livermorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14611872297819209492noreply@blogger.com4Santa Rosa, NM 88435, USA34.93867 -104.682489234.886603 -104.7614532 34.990737 -104.6035252tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299478984532070448.post-45719619032326919022012-09-09T06:02:00.001+01:002012-09-09T06:03:17.558+01:00Day 11 - Mid-trip crisisDay 11 was a bit of a rest option after the mad cap mileage of the last few days. We only had about 120 miles to cover between Amarillo, Texas and Tucumcari, New Mexico so we had time for breakfast and a little shopping in Amarillo first. Breakfast was a chance for me to experience IHOP for the first time and for Rachael to continue her extensive American Breakfast Carb testing program. There were chocolate chip pancakes on the menu, they were thoroughly tested and found totally satisfactory.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A stack of the chocolateyist pancakes I've ever seen. </td></tr>
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Then we moved on to do some shopping. Rachael bought some really nice cowboy boots and other bits and pieces. No pics because this outfit is likely to debut in the next couple of days so there will be pics then. A young man called AJ at Cavenders Boot City helped us spend money on cowboy stuff before we left the city heading west. We were in search of the Cadillac Ranch which we'd been told was on R66 after you leave Amarillo but honestly if it were not for Rachael's eagle eyes we'd have missed it because it's on the wrong side of the Interstate and it's still just about within Amarillo's limits.<br />
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So after negotiating our way under the interstate we pulled up on the southern frontage road to go see the Cadillacs. The Cadillac ranch is another feat of imagination from the same guy that thought up the Bug Ranch we saw in Conway, Texas. Essentially it's a line of Cadillac's buried nose first in a field and people are invited to decorate them with spray paint cans. I made our Geek 66 mark on one of them and we photographed it for evidence.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz3FnwP27WlAmjNYGxy24WHjBcFsW_2Nn70AAi0JITON294G-uzKkuDcmQmS1fYBpEoNYk-9cJylNCmR1n4yAFtBCinaCIBelkqcx1XXgbk3RDnUyUcxSInEaiJ7YkcM1X8l-iC3UMiHk/s1600/DSC01869.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz3FnwP27WlAmjNYGxy24WHjBcFsW_2Nn70AAi0JITON294G-uzKkuDcmQmS1fYBpEoNYk-9cJylNCmR1n4yAFtBCinaCIBelkqcx1XXgbk3RDnUyUcxSInEaiJ7YkcM1X8l-iC3UMiHk/s320/DSC01869.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The vandals are proud of their efforts.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We are geeks and we are on Route 66 playing pic-a-boo. Can you spot Rachael? </td></tr>
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There were a bunch of other people there today - a couple with their dogs, some girls from Texas A&M university (their logo was some v. impressive spraying) and a guy who shows up about once a week to put his stamp on the installation. Having taken more than a few photos we got back in our trusty SUV and set off for the next stop.<br />
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Adrian, Texas is barely a blip on any map but it marks the official half way point between Chicago and Los Angeles on Route 66. The enterprising folks at the Mid-point Cafe in Adrian have taken this idea literally and do a roaring trade in souvenirs in their cool cafe/diner. The cafe is also the home of the Ugly Crust Pie (why it's named this we don't know because it's amazing pie and it looked very pretty to us). We tried the chocolate peanut butter version between us and still couldn't finish one slice - it's EPIC pie.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipXCMuuPWvj_6GV1oOPKA9TzGyhn8cuHX6uT_7dBPkGEWNQxU0j9uOXVi0z6GWLIzwLB8ieJ8ZipNDvD1SdRSYbU9iHtpcyTtvHTxnHEjt-egNgV07aZLskx3NBZj5nvkP1KhnYXUYgQk/s1600/DSC01903.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipXCMuuPWvj_6GV1oOPKA9TzGyhn8cuHX6uT_7dBPkGEWNQxU0j9uOXVi0z6GWLIzwLB8ieJ8ZipNDvD1SdRSYbU9iHtpcyTtvHTxnHEjt-egNgV07aZLskx3NBZj5nvkP1KhnYXUYgQk/s320/DSC01903.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ohhhhhh...We're halfway there..... Ohhh OHH Living on a prayer...</td></tr>
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Leaving the mid-point, and having a minor crisis when we realised that our trip is half over, we approached the border between Texas and New Mexico in search of a ghost town called Glenrio. Ghost towns are a depressingly common Route 66 phenomena. When the interstates were built starting in the late 1950s (and continuing all through the 60s and 70s), there were many towns on Route 66 that went from being on the arterial road of America to being a barely visible spot on the horizon as cars on the interstate flash past. Some of these towns found new ways to entice people in but some of them did not survive at all. Glenrio, a town that straddles the Texas / New Mexico border is one of the casualties. All that is left are the remnants of the motel, gas station and post office that were the last few survivors. An interesting fact is that the Gas station was in the Texas part as the prices were cheaper, but the Motel and Bar were on the New Mexico side because Texas was dry when the town was built. The name Glenrio is derived from the Scottish word for Valley and the Spanish word for River, yet the town is neither in a valley or on a river. Someone clearly had a sense of humour when naming it! Could this have been a contributing factor in it's downfall? Who knows... but fall it did and now it's a shell on the roadside.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A non-resident of Glenrio goes for a stroll towards the Motel.</td></tr>
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Leaving the ghost town to it's ghosts and significant ant population, we headed further into New Mexico looking for our final stop for the day, the town of Tucumcari. Tucumcari is also important for our Cars odyssey because the Hubcap mountain of Radiator Springs is based on Tucumcari mountain (even down to the RS painted on the side being copied from the T painted here). The top of Tucumcari isn't exactly hubcap shaped but we must allow them a little artistic license I suppose.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lizard finds a rock upon which to bask whilst Tucumcari mountain does mountainy things in the background.</td></tr>
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After checking into our motel for the night (one of the restored Route 66 elite - more about that in a minute), we headed to Mesalands Community College's Dinosaur Museum. New Mexico is prime fossil country and the museum although small had some amazing life size bronze castings of dinosaur skeletons. We also met a wonderful lady who explained how scientifically there is some evidence that Dragons could be real. This made Rachael's day - not least because she met someone who is as passionate about science as she is. We left the museum with huge grins on our faces. :D<br />
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The lovely couple who run our motel recommended a local mexican restaurant for dinner and the Pow Wow Inn Restaurant did not disappoint. The portions were predictably huge but we thoroughly enjoyed the deep fried pickle slices and mushrooms, Burrito and Tamales we ordered. Looking forward to more mexican food on our trip through the SW states.<br />
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Our lodging for the night is the fantastic Blue Swallow Motel - one of the oldest motels on route 66 - it was built in 1939 and has been recently restored to a modern/historic standard that seems to satisfy the nostalgic as well as those looking for a wifi connection. It also has one of the most recognisable signs on Route 66 and it's a fantastic example of neon art.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTsvtF56PSny8Vweqvzin3zwDbAWa5-JzgkOAWnlfaIk4Fqehxk65MYTQ70VrZi7BERmw64UILf0GREsnC0PGwamtgIJQCv67Pg8wi2gW8tVG4DjtZINJZ1MpK_sg8DUL3UXEjKcbj0Ag/s1600/DSC01959.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTsvtF56PSny8Vweqvzin3zwDbAWa5-JzgkOAWnlfaIk4Fqehxk65MYTQ70VrZi7BERmw64UILf0GREsnC0PGwamtgIJQCv67Pg8wi2gW8tVG4DjtZINJZ1MpK_sg8DUL3UXEjKcbj0Ag/s320/DSC01959.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The amazing neon sign at the Blue Swallow motel on Route 66.</td></tr>
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Tomorrow we do our first proper detour off of Route 66 - we head south to Roswell, New Mexico in search of Aliens and conspiracy theories. The truth is out there... we're probably just going to photograph some touristy stuff but you never know we may find it.Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03524286415998486590noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299478984532070448.post-17943456438333074092012-09-08T07:46:00.001+01:002012-09-08T07:46:18.076+01:00Day 10 - The Way to Amarillo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We said yesterday that the scenery in Oklahoma was a bit dull (read: similar to England), so it's only fair to mention that it got a lot prettier to the west, and also a lot drier. We even saw our first dust storm!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretty bridges seem to be a feature of Route 66</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The open road in western Oklahoma</td></tr>
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<br />However, the signage west of Oklahoma City was even worse than it was yesterday, and wasn't aided by the fact that there was more than one error in our directions. Typing "left" when you mean "right" is quite a big mistake when giving directions, and it led us into quite an interesting situation involving an unpaved road many miles from anywhere. Getting lost is all part of the fun in Oklahoma!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Despite the lack of signage, Oklahoma is obviously quite keen to promote Route 66, so there were two museums on our route today. The first was in Clinton, and was extremely well organised with lots of very cool and informative displays, themed music in each room, and a movie that was so engaging we ended up sitting through the entire thing. And as if you need another reason to visit, they also sell sparkly t-shirts. Win!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhWcvLDVuINbsce0sqVTtkDUdX4aH4ayFmyaIwgsxIHiXodrDy8BlU4rIw6UMgjykkQ0IPCwxlEBsyZabZUGp4MFQJpLngn0f7dTdLZkWMt0Zoy3GaXPHfHCY50qiX-oAM03cEtM7CrwoT/s1600/DSC01793.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhWcvLDVuINbsce0sqVTtkDUdX4aH4ayFmyaIwgsxIHiXodrDy8BlU4rIw6UMgjykkQ0IPCwxlEBsyZabZUGp4MFQJpLngn0f7dTdLZkWMt0Zoy3GaXPHfHCY50qiX-oAM03cEtM7CrwoT/s320/DSC01793.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Home of the sparkly t-shirts. And also some educational stuff.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_djUUZjCm4Lpe9VUnxl50V3vWMMDSFNLuaFSNmIqE4idnyqea_ow4V-cTI05QNLH3Nn79ls9Xy4-2UzEnuboCSXojoSceOI7EftvYbrcvpJ8HOT5pF6TpUEjEfvRKpCCRxrwe7_uNvEJ0/s1600/P1020221.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_djUUZjCm4Lpe9VUnxl50V3vWMMDSFNLuaFSNmIqE4idnyqea_ow4V-cTI05QNLH3Nn79ls9Xy4-2UzEnuboCSXojoSceOI7EftvYbrcvpJ8HOT5pF6TpUEjEfvRKpCCRxrwe7_uNvEJ0/s320/P1020221.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">She's behind you!</td></tr>
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The second museum was the National Route 66 Museum in Elk City, where there was more shopping for unnecessary tourist tat, and we met two adorable Route 66 beanie babies.</div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQmcoFyPT50f34HkQacjrz1FMFIQFgGa7qJGTVZaSc3JdvhxtZ1zK1XavcWeBpoqqnZDh4kjZ_A4J0T7ewFtz5-sUpiGiC5AVyqSk4OxfuZxS1qBdgFuFJvQsKrQfoj0K5on_MiiBwvbCT/s1600/DSC01801.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQmcoFyPT50f34HkQacjrz1FMFIQFgGa7qJGTVZaSc3JdvhxtZ1zK1XavcWeBpoqqnZDh4kjZ_A4J0T7ewFtz5-sUpiGiC5AVyqSk4OxfuZxS1qBdgFuFJvQsKrQfoj0K5on_MiiBwvbCT/s320/DSC01801.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption">One of the few signs we saw all day, but at least it's large enough to fit every single Illinois sign inside it.</td></tr>
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This wouldn't be a Brits Abroad blog if we didn't talk about the weather, so I'll mention that as we were leaving Oklahoma an almighty storm hit. The winds were so strong that we were watching traffic lights and signs sway, and at times it felt as though the air was trying to drag our car into a ditch. We were really hoping we'd get to see a tornado; sadly that didn't happen, but we were treated to a spectacular lightning storm while out on the road. Nature is cool.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdDYg1UuVfk6UAzEAtPoHfjtAP9kc2ayTLcg0dWlLfuoBIxgxeB4dO7fXluqekMaI2z0Iz6jMiyL093-GPut_ECVba4u0c8PDQ-A0hOmtVwvn2W7eXpfXyeK3daG1M5TrVlEEuYEupzHpI/s1600/P1020284.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: medium; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdDYg1UuVfk6UAzEAtPoHfjtAP9kc2ayTLcg0dWlLfuoBIxgxeB4dO7fXluqekMaI2z0Iz6jMiyL093-GPut_ECVba4u0c8PDQ-A0hOmtVwvn2W7eXpfXyeK3daG1M5TrVlEEuYEupzHpI/s320/P1020284.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some people put a lot of effort into making their hair look as though they've been dragged through a hedge backwards.</td></tr>
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By the time we reached Erick, Oklahoma, it was well and truly pissing it down. At least three separate people had told us we absolutely had to stop by and meet Harley and Annabelle, who bill themselves as the "Mediocre Musicians" and are said to be part of the inspiration for the character of Mater in Cars as well as Tin Lizzie's curiosity shop. The recommendations were so enthusiastic that we ventured out of the car into near-solid rain and gale force winds, but alas Harley and Annabelle were nowhere to be found. That makes this paragraph probably one of the most pointless in any travel blog ever, but there you go.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhizOLmuupJrAxxq5TCjf07cMbZKNYjq7re5ygM_tEsZgEQL0j-8F3BqXl9TmoeLLtKWby8onfZstXewtYIWZE7Uyj6BqcKj5kgx6pcpaqhzR0U0u9iffCVxsxeKQ5E4mLvDKOMFBH1IjMH/s1600/P1020286.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: medium; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhizOLmuupJrAxxq5TCjf07cMbZKNYjq7re5ygM_tEsZgEQL0j-8F3BqXl9TmoeLLtKWby8onfZstXewtYIWZE7Uyj6BqcKj5kgx6pcpaqhzR0U0u9iffCVxsxeKQ5E4mLvDKOMFBH1IjMH/s320/P1020286.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sign reads: "See rednecks work and play in their natural environment!"<br />Alas, the only rednecks around today were our sunburn.</td></tr>
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<br />A little while later, the sun came out just in time for us to cross the border into Texas.<br /><br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7wQpnaFUK9AEPKK_39KnWpDvufFQKE1GnS3hoQqiwl0p0reqmQnclVAuUmLj0s74cgQBaQzsTiV2qcYDVCadcYR4v9SViSRvu8N91_IQ-YAy2eQrdR0timpjWX3HjL9fBFcxuB_c-dk8w/s1600/P1020290.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7wQpnaFUK9AEPKK_39KnWpDvufFQKE1GnS3hoQqiwl0p0reqmQnclVAuUmLj0s74cgQBaQzsTiV2qcYDVCadcYR4v9SViSRvu8N91_IQ-YAy2eQrdR0timpjWX3HjL9fBFcxuB_c-dk8w/s320/P1020290.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My right leg is in George W Bush territory, but my left leg is still in a Rodgers & Hammerstein musical</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYPtAh-o1JDvIjd_QK46_B4fSHzCb_H9CgKipuHua-yq-Jt0QgfiXyuOI-pyU5IKmIO8nAGcmfECXUC8qaRpfpsMVG-WeSwLFXKi7T4KOBTRfIwEHHUAN3qxIRWbhi9-6VxARA8on_4OOW/s1600/DSC01811.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYPtAh-o1JDvIjd_QK46_B4fSHzCb_H9CgKipuHua-yq-Jt0QgfiXyuOI-pyU5IKmIO8nAGcmfECXUC8qaRpfpsMVG-WeSwLFXKi7T4KOBTRfIwEHHUAN3qxIRWbhi9-6VxARA8on_4OOW/s320/DSC01811.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The U-Drop Inn in Shamrock, Texas was the inspiration for Ramone's body art place in Cars</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYIr1YSvZENgzwFhqUjEeUGedmGiCfRuny_pN6AhivOSOfwOPv73UDcXfIpSItEs6P2FQgoq-3KcCz0k7B2DCHEcxWOg-LzGiOXEExVbVBR-shcRCP7DLVu3DUpkAhGsWjCbi_D7Wr2YYO/s1600/DSC01812.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYIr1YSvZENgzwFhqUjEeUGedmGiCfRuny_pN6AhivOSOfwOPv73UDcXfIpSItEs6P2FQgoq-3KcCz0k7B2DCHEcxWOg-LzGiOXEExVbVBR-shcRCP7DLVu3DUpkAhGsWjCbi_D7Wr2YYO/s320/DSC01812.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can anyone explain to me why the bit we're driving across is called the Panhandle? The rest of the state looks nothing like a pan.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpoAyaQvTjX3cnZqw7vqAXwiEXiX-AsaBYvAYO5yiGKVgknn2aO9nhN6tijjknwZflUPY2Tmbfr36wGvHd5Af2QyF3XN9s92rcI-imQOgXC9TatmFk1eai0TuFec8GmXXeR7MoLIL63PXu/s1600/DSC01817.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpoAyaQvTjX3cnZqw7vqAXwiEXiX-AsaBYvAYO5yiGKVgknn2aO9nhN6tijjknwZflUPY2Tmbfr36wGvHd5Af2QyF3XN9s92rcI-imQOgXC9TatmFk1eai0TuFec8GmXXeR7MoLIL63PXu/s320/DSC01817.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, this really is a museum dedicated to barbed wire. Next time you holiday in the Seychelles, just think about what you're missing.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju-OJSQNduGaUgSfWZP9VxJsWIcdxNsw2kgxRQ8mt9XbGl5BiVb22I-ZXKLfBlaxJw4ok2iighRB8iXRPB8X2DrNmin8JrWBID17rzTpyBb-Cfl6yO8-txF31IHWB07BMXalEyG-j_V8S2/s1600/DSC01823.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju-OJSQNduGaUgSfWZP9VxJsWIcdxNsw2kgxRQ8mt9XbGl5BiVb22I-ZXKLfBlaxJw4ok2iighRB8iXRPB8X2DrNmin8JrWBID17rzTpyBb-Cfl6yO8-txF31IHWB07BMXalEyG-j_V8S2/s320/DSC01823.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The leaning tower of Groom, TX</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_wzMMWRSTFNk6vb1nPa3oHsewjq7uvtUc8d-pf44lLD7kO1MKaOp9t4csh4oZ2O6T8w8J2tTmhV_AaYoN678Lf42-84gKvfbn57PO2c1pYgvdoZHS18tAyXoZ4xDmXjyWmFGZENH1pgil/s1600/DSC01824.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_wzMMWRSTFNk6vb1nPa3oHsewjq7uvtUc8d-pf44lLD7kO1MKaOp9t4csh4oZ2O6T8w8J2tTmhV_AaYoN678Lf42-84gKvfbn57PO2c1pYgvdoZHS18tAyXoZ4xDmXjyWmFGZENH1pgil/s320/DSC01824.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Apparently the largest cross in the western hemisphere. Now I really want to see the one in the eastern hemisphere, because this thing is bloody huge.</td></tr>
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Our final stop before heading into Amarillo was at the Bug Ranch in Conway, Texas. This art installation is basically a copycat of the very similar Cadillac Ranch that we'll come to tomorrow, only with Volkwagen Beetles buried nose-first in a line and covered in graffiti.<br />
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Incidentally, pro tip for any Hypothetical Future People: none of our guides mentioned that this isn't actually on Route 66: you have to turn right when you get to Conway as though you're heading to the Interstate, and it's maybe a mile or so down the road next to the dilapidated motel. But then you're from the future and have sat nav in the chip embedded in your brain so you already knew that.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidL6gF__s883pBinkT4Acsj9Ri_WnntXegPPfHEJ8lg4j-6ew8_GSgesStRNltEVz0FCnHXeVh53a7mJvFCS5w0GzGQ-HFVwsyO0vjD0hgmzQcTD5AfA5zIAG7ghNn1BLdE-IpRRuopNWj/s1600/DSC01826.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidL6gF__s883pBinkT4Acsj9Ri_WnntXegPPfHEJ8lg4j-6ew8_GSgesStRNltEVz0FCnHXeVh53a7mJvFCS5w0GzGQ-HFVwsyO0vjD0hgmzQcTD5AfA5zIAG7ghNn1BLdE-IpRRuopNWj/s320/DSC01826.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What, are you saying this isn't how everyone keeps their cars? </td></tr>
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<br />We learned today that spray painting in high winds is really hard. Or perhaps there's a knack to it: this is my first foray into juvenile delinquency so I have a lot to learn.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9x0gglzE2gP9l8PpUSrq7fi0tJKL3ojd3tB3z6i0zLmK3w8bdVws3tM_igwAHw4oH2ZoJTdRdwY9sPL_8ceJ1hKxL5yTL2K-CCqjBjDG51ZMZvX73Ra_apVhPwlJdTSAnTso3fMqgphJO/s1600/DSC01828.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9x0gglzE2gP9l8PpUSrq7fi0tJKL3ojd3tB3z6i0zLmK3w8bdVws3tM_igwAHw4oH2ZoJTdRdwY9sPL_8ceJ1hKxL5yTL2K-CCqjBjDG51ZMZvX73Ra_apVhPwlJdTSAnTso3fMqgphJO/s320/DSC01828.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bug spraying<br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWEasLbZ6Drm8GAH4cI776dyv9MxCSS2boT_-7CDyfm8ygaOTAQJEHJQR2SILILLP8wETYzDeaSrwLtQbwLUT4BMTG5dMDiNGISzzG0m73wXbAUpxyJcb4wzjKqVB0OzoTvW3GGGBl0xl9/s1600/P1020297.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWEasLbZ6Drm8GAH4cI776dyv9MxCSS2boT_-7CDyfm8ygaOTAQJEHJQR2SILILLP8wETYzDeaSrwLtQbwLUT4BMTG5dMDiNGISzzG0m73wXbAUpxyJcb4wzjKqVB0OzoTvW3GGGBl0xl9/s320/P1020297.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">The high winds give our artwork an unintended but quite effective sinister appearance.<br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEBySe_CFxWCOCrDP_y7sp28-8pMxFt3g5sGKhzz0opfJBuvrO9-QTOQifCO9WZjbunc_gLmMZvjKwdc00in0DSnpRxO-mffMwlcMKwmHXZo_wgBeUd9u0qCZOaMEU1Fqq3dXWV1bOB4mq/s1600/DSC01830.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEBySe_CFxWCOCrDP_y7sp28-8pMxFt3g5sGKhzz0opfJBuvrO9-QTOQifCO9WZjbunc_gLmMZvjKwdc00in0DSnpRxO-mffMwlcMKwmHXZo_wgBeUd9u0qCZOaMEU1Fqq3dXWV1bOB4mq/s320/DSC01830.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fly, my pretty! Fly!<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIm42HrkSnOOzteaSLu7_3ZYbuu93fSXohWjUIZu6aO68MrSOcEf0WRWsra7pyDNse-hr9Nlh5miTLv_qEH-IxWfN7y491AFHhEPGuhQO5DO_YNWxW7rJN-0Mjf8_nofPxykEibINLsppN/s1600/P1020304.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIm42HrkSnOOzteaSLu7_3ZYbuu93fSXohWjUIZu6aO68MrSOcEf0WRWsra7pyDNse-hr9Nlh5miTLv_qEH-IxWfN7y491AFHhEPGuhQO5DO_YNWxW7rJN-0Mjf8_nofPxykEibINLsppN/s320/P1020304.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Driving in America is harder than it looks</td></tr>
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We acquired the spray paint this morning in an Auto Parts store as we left Oklahoma City, and managed to thoroughly bemuse the guy who served us by picking out the shiniest metallic paints and telling him we were going to use them to decorate cars sticking out of the ground. It's almost as if he didn't think this was an entirely normal thing to travel thousands of miles to do. Go figure.</div>
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Also! While stopping at a gas station we saw our very first unironic wearing of a cowboy hat! That's one item off the list.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXHivm_OI3uBazMSfrBfe1AAcBc7B45FZ-_WhLYuIBqx4L8bAj00X3eH8rHjAguARQ6MXG5FAvYbTiMidoPrbs1rn3Ejlmo247rtXesHBmFGnNRpUtUwgyYlpOdgORs85SeaDtFwA-Tgpu/s1600/DSC01837.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXHivm_OI3uBazMSfrBfe1AAcBc7B45FZ-_WhLYuIBqx4L8bAj00X3eH8rHjAguARQ6MXG5FAvYbTiMidoPrbs1rn3Ejlmo247rtXesHBmFGnNRpUtUwgyYlpOdgORs85SeaDtFwA-Tgpu/s320/DSC01837.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You're right to frown at us, Texan cows: we're on our way to eat one of your cousins </td></tr>
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<br />One thing that didn't occur to me when we were planning this trip was that we'd be driving into the sunset every evening. This is always fun (albeit a tad dangerous as there is a period every evening that we're effectively blinded), but tonight in combination with the storm, it led to an awesome Texas sky.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO7r-jLDrRttiC6SFw5m7Y2uKbd4SaKvTKN_v4ZO_hynRAl4kJgbXQtn_BgePyGccsLduW8OVs75De_YXF3T5ZUuZ6Je0CTydrBE0bPTKxRDrTLtSSa4YErlgMHiK4rpCHdQ3Vj-SvWSy0/s1600/DSC01839.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO7r-jLDrRttiC6SFw5m7Y2uKbd4SaKvTKN_v4ZO_hynRAl4kJgbXQtn_BgePyGccsLduW8OVs75De_YXF3T5ZUuZ6Je0CTydrBE0bPTKxRDrTLtSSa4YErlgMHiK4rpCHdQ3Vj-SvWSy0/s320/DSC01839.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not what I thought Texas would look like</td></tr>
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<br />By the time the sun had set, we'd found the way to Amarillo and to the Big Texan, famous for its free 72oz steak meal (if you can eat the whole thing within one hour). Alas, no one was attempting the challenge while we were there, but we did learn that the record is about eight and a half minutes!!! This place is an extreme tacky tourist trap, so I wasn't sure the actual steaks would be anything to write home about. As it happens, they were simply amazing, so this place gets a whole-hearted recommendation.<br /><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrPQ9X1sXa6vOsipOIxj-apwrASW4J6so2meOKuKZc-GiPLr32xUfFJB7A4OThMxcAco7e6TG3i13H8wALUXSx5ku2sIyNu_0s_JsVULHoKoFqJFk90sdgmzBbgMirTGqmA40UfWH4oARv/s1600/DSC01848.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrPQ9X1sXa6vOsipOIxj-apwrASW4J6so2meOKuKZc-GiPLr32xUfFJB7A4OThMxcAco7e6TG3i13H8wALUXSx5ku2sIyNu_0s_JsVULHoKoFqJFk90sdgmzBbgMirTGqmA40UfWH4oARv/s320/DSC01848.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Frowny Cow sees you eating its friends</td></tr>
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<br />Tomorrow is a very exciting day, because we hit the midway point of Route 66 before heading into New Mexico, and we're on the lookout for cactus and tumbleweed. Bonus points if the tumbleweed is in a ghost town.</div>
Rachael Livermorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14611872297819209492noreply@blogger.com2Amarillo, TX, USA35.2219971 -101.831296935.118224600000005 -101.9892254 35.3257696 -101.6733684tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299478984532070448.post-17323128604078767662012-09-07T06:11:00.001+01:002012-09-07T06:12:01.425+01:00Day 9 - There's no place like homeWaking up this morning we realised we had a mighty task ahead of us. One of the highest mileage counts we needed to complete (~340m) as well as three different US States to traverse. Leaving Springfield, Missouri we were armed with amazing directions, for getting around a local detour, courtesy of Tonya at the Best Western Rail Haven where we stayed last night. Can't say enough about the hotel - it was ideally suited for our trip and at a really good price. The staff were super friendly and Tonya in particular was a gem. The BWRH scored not least because their breakfast area had a self-serve waffle iron so Rachael was able to tick the last items on her American breakfast carb wish list (pancakes, waffles, french toast). Of course we reserve the right to try them all again just to make sure that our sample is statistically relevant. We also had a side discussion about whether you can get waffle irons in the UK and resolved to find out when we get home.<br />
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Our first stop of the day was in a one horse town with two names. It's literally a couple of buildings facing each other across the street and we know it's a one horse town because we saw the horse grazing in it's field. Gay Parita / Paris Springs is an absolute MUST see on any Route 66 trip. Not least because Gary Turner, a diamond geezer, runs the restored Gay Parita gas station (well it doesn't sell gas but it's got loads of old signs and stuff), plys the passing tourists with free Route 66 soda and lets them take pics with his Bonnie and Clyde wax figures in the garage.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">garysgayparita.com (yes this is actually the website)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh396VfJyTrclF0r03p2NGCFn7ihL_ieZq4THIr6Y1cITsgVwCWfipdilx81VM0u85K4khKC359bNjowTtBvoPj2-K5HAESMttS1K04k0XTcWe_CL8Gab2fFOuwAD7tQDVOkm__a3Qy8QE/s1600/P1020097.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh396VfJyTrclF0r03p2NGCFn7ihL_ieZq4THIr6Y1cITsgVwCWfipdilx81VM0u85K4khKC359bNjowTtBvoPj2-K5HAESMttS1K04k0XTcWe_CL8Gab2fFOuwAD7tQDVOkm__a3Qy8QE/s320/P1020097.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Your intrepid routetrippers with Gary</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rachael getting an indecent offer from Gary and calling for help (was that phone even connected?)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB6PxVCbinuhTuORlLbuaFsLTglyM3NvClX9bHsGR4b1Q-fEM-kgxLdyi88Z99nNGVtaKKpCjfg1ojzLQqEI-M6ys5aeEUbYmFjx0xkIuUWFwrKnAUo-FDRoJn5qOp_OXKn2959Mhdgus/s1600/DSC01695.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB6PxVCbinuhTuORlLbuaFsLTglyM3NvClX9bHsGR4b1Q-fEM-kgxLdyi88Z99nNGVtaKKpCjfg1ojzLQqEI-M6ys5aeEUbYmFjx0xkIuUWFwrKnAUo-FDRoJn5qOp_OXKn2959Mhdgus/s320/DSC01695.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clyde has a big gun and I have an orange soda. Whats wrong with this picture?</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rachael's new job as a "exit facilitator" seems suspect.</td></tr>
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Gary was a total character and we could have stayed all day just soaking up the sun and drinking orange soda whilst talking to him. However, we had well over 300 miles to cover today and we'd barely scratched the surface so we got back on the road in search of the R66 Drive In in Carthage and then the Missouri / Kansas border. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Route 66 Drive-in at Carthage. Not showing Cars so no point in staying til it opens...</td></tr>
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Honestly we looked for a marker for the border between Missouri and Kansas but couldn't actually find anything so we gave up. Route 66 traverses 8 states in the US and Kansas is the shortest section by a long way. Only 13 miles of the Mother Road are in the Sunflower State but in R66 terms they are worth their weight in gold.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We were pretty sure we were in Kansas because of signs like this.</td></tr>
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For it is in Kansas that one of the key characters in Disney / Pixars "Cars" found it's real life inspiration and therefore there is a direct line from those 13 miles to us being here at all. No it's not weird that this trip was inspired in part by an animated movie. If you haven't seen Cars, or you are rolling your eyes at us, then you need to go find your inner child some popcorn and the DVD and settle down for a couple of hours because you've been a neglectful outer adult.<br />
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Kansas is the home of Tow Tater - the inspiration for Tow Mater. Tow Tater lives in Galena, Kansas at the Kan-O-Tex service station and is looked after by the lovely Melba (amongst others) who we also met today.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rachael getting a lift from Tow Tater with Melba Rigg - The Mouth</td></tr>
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Melba Rigg is another Route 66 character who we could have stayed all day with. She regaled us with the history of the refurb of the old gas station into the gift shop it is today, as well as all the behind the scenes history and gossip about how Tow Tater came to inspire Tow Mater in Cars. Melba has the nickname "The Mouth" partly because she talks really fast and also because she is the voice of Tow Tater in his real life adventures. Seriously those cattle auction guys have nothing on Melba - she'd definitely win in a speed talking contest.<br />
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Sadly we couldn't stay much longer and had to get back on the road. We drove through the picturesque Baxter Springs before waving goodbye to Kansas. Short but sweet.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We are not in Kansas any more.</td></tr>
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Crossing over from Kansas into Oklahoma was a little like coming home. For some reason Oklahoma reminds us of England. It's very green with fields at the side of the road, and many of the roads are windy and have hills. Honestly outside of the warm weather it could be one of the home counties.<br />
As we had a lot of miles to cover today we took a strategic decision to view some of the Oklahoma towns on todays route from the car. Thus went Miami, Vinita, the city of Tulsa, Sapulpa and Bristow. <br />
Just before Tulsa is the town of Catoosa where there is a huge concrete Blue Whale. So we stopped for pictures because it would be rude not to.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A huge concrete Blue Whale at the side of the road. <br />
We tooks pic to prove we weren't hallucinating whilst on the long and windy roads of Oklahoma.</td></tr>
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We stopped in Stroud to see the Rock Cafe with the hope of an early dinner there, however they weren't open til 7pm and we decided not to wait around. The Rock Cafe is owned by the lady who inspired the character of Sally in Cars - we didn't get to meet her but her restaurant looks very cool. It's so named because it was built from the rock dug out of the ground when they were building Route 66.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No classic rock bands were harmed during the construction of this cafe.</td></tr>
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We pushed on to Arcadia, OK where I unwittingly caught the attention of a police patrol officer. He took one look at my UK driving license and told me to pay better attention to the posted speed limit signs. (We figure booking me for the smallest of speeding offences wasn't worth the extra paperwork to him)<br />
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Having arrived at Pop's in Arcadia we stuffed our faces with burgers, some truly excellent chilli cheese fries and finished off with some milkshakes that make the McDonalds ones that require a suction pump look weak, watery and pathetic. Lets just say they were served with a spoon and where I come from that's whipped ice-cream not a shake! They were delicious though so we'll let them get away with it. However as good as all that was, the star of Pop's is their soda menu. They have all of the sodas I think I've ever seen on restaurant menus plus several hundred speciality options and you can have added flavour shots too. I had a Coke with a cherry shot and Rachael went for Diet Pepsi with a vanilla shot. Pop's also sells gas (thats Petrol to you UK people) and has a shop full of bottles of soda of all kinds as well as sweets and souvenirs. The restaurant is very modern although it retains a traditional diner feeling somehow. It's worth a trip in the evening as when it gets dark the huge neon soda bottle out front starts it's light show. I'm not going to tell you how many pics we took of it flashing away but it was A LOT.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEIVLjHy8VyJuwx-Id0XiYbtZR4ztt06-6-CuatEKC72ZybfBsBXD_5kWwOuZfQ2nF2vXJCHfafYeFoWR6s4BqSt-8WxXNgcUTzxmP_tJD1rAmN2jJzJpkCKueRGehNAtqyFOWYhYNY-M/s1600/DSC01775.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEIVLjHy8VyJuwx-Id0XiYbtZR4ztt06-6-CuatEKC72ZybfBsBXD_5kWwOuZfQ2nF2vXJCHfafYeFoWR6s4BqSt-8WxXNgcUTzxmP_tJD1rAmN2jJzJpkCKueRGehNAtqyFOWYhYNY-M/s320/DSC01775.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The gas station forecort, with restaurant and shop behind, but who really cares about that when there is a giant red soda bottle in front.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHj0i4GG0kGp0FIemYnNh8LtX2pT8-LAJ6VBX0Mycki0uuBLdUTo_T8ALXaCMAKCdPVJKy4IjlL_TrqQGPnonHMRV54VlH3NpM11XGVGxJItmK0DpR4LO6QDM5UlPId8nIrFWzgMWXv6A/s1600/P1020177.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHj0i4GG0kGp0FIemYnNh8LtX2pT8-LAJ6VBX0Mycki0uuBLdUTo_T8ALXaCMAKCdPVJKy4IjlL_TrqQGPnonHMRV54VlH3NpM11XGVGxJItmK0DpR4LO6QDM5UlPId8nIrFWzgMWXv6A/s320/P1020177.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Make that a giant BLUE soda bottle.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk-1Cv7XciyfALGLWxk83UQL-Cej-M7Xhqvz-36ymsfhFp12eQ55CqdGfyk3wYes9u9xobmzEu3tcj22Kewt16WugYJ3LDLJaPR7JP6blen9PS5M6IvDfMU_NUuiSttczEsZxHjLz4Fm4/s1600/P1020187.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk-1Cv7XciyfALGLWxk83UQL-Cej-M7Xhqvz-36ymsfhFp12eQ55CqdGfyk3wYes9u9xobmzEu3tcj22Kewt16WugYJ3LDLJaPR7JP6blen9PS5M6IvDfMU_NUuiSttczEsZxHjLz4Fm4/s320/P1020187.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ok now it's purple with a red band running up and down it.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNHRzobLktjSN3HL1lz-bes-TXHq35MnNKgzIl3gycvuOIIzmlJjbtRHJsO-7LFbxuu_v0ydSZnmE4Z1EZ-oWWql8YrgZv-2TQcTqMqAv10MRSIOF68rnBuNIddbnvn5wEryE-Om31wqA/s1600/P1020190.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNHRzobLktjSN3HL1lz-bes-TXHq35MnNKgzIl3gycvuOIIzmlJjbtRHJsO-7LFbxuu_v0ydSZnmE4Z1EZ-oWWql8YrgZv-2TQcTqMqAv10MRSIOF68rnBuNIddbnvn5wEryE-Om31wqA/s320/P1020190.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And now it's just showing off.</td></tr>
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Arcadia was the last town on our route before our hotel destination of Oklahoma City where we are comfortably ensconced at another Best Western. Tomorrow we have another long day. We leave Oklahoma for the Lone Star State of TEXAS. We are on the look out for tumbleweed and unironic wearing of cowboy hats. Wish us luck.</div>
Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03524286415998486590noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299478984532070448.post-70368186871118759662012-09-06T08:03:00.000+01:002012-09-06T08:03:05.015+01:00Day 8 - Gateway to the WestWe woke up this morning to an ominous black cloud. I would like to make it absolutely clear that this was <i>entirely</i> Fi's fault. Yesterday, when my bag was getting heavy and the skies were blue, I commented that I couldn't possibly remove my umbrella because that would cause the weather to change. Fi said that rule only applies in the UK, so into the suitcase the umbrella went. Therefore, anyone in the Midwest who got caught in this morning's torrential downpour, blame Fi.<br />
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This morning was the time we'd set aside to do the Gateway Arch in St Louis. It's supposed to be a monument to America's expansion into the west, but apparently the idea that the arch shape also represented a gateway only occurred to the architect <i>after </i>his design was selected. We were also told that the original workforce building the monument was almost entirely white, and this was rectified in one of the first actual enforcements of equal employment law, so it's also become a symbol of the civil rights movement.<br />
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The arch is <i>huge</i> and can be seen for miles around, and it looks stunning when the stainless steel catches the light. None of which you can see from our pics, on account of the aforementioned weather.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A landmark almost the same colour as the stormy sky behind it. Google image search for pics of how nice it can look.</td></tr>
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The trip to the top is worth doing just to experience the unique transport system. The curved arch means that straightforward lifts wouldn't work, so instead it uses this half-train, half-ferris wheel system. You go up and down in tiny round pods about four feet high - fortunately neither of us suffers from claustrophobia! At the top, there are only small windows to look through, but we got a pretty decent view of St Louis, such as it is.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ant people, prepare to welcome your new overlords</td></tr>
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We needed to hit the road so we only had time for a quick whizz round the museum, but I was pretty impressed by what I saw; in particular, the exhibits didn't seem to gloss over the less pleasant aspects of the westward expansion.<br />
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The last item on our to-do list in St Louis was to stop by Ted Drewes just to make sure it hadn't been swept away by the storm, or that the frozen custard hadn't suddenly become poisonous or something. It's a hard job, but we do these things so that those coming behind us can better enjoy their trip; that's just how selfless we are. I'm pleased to report that it was still there and the cookie dough concrete is safe to eat. If you're reading this from the future having found this blog on Google while researching for your own trip, it is your sacred duty to check the nice people at Ted Drewes are still okay, and that the other flavours are safe to eat. Just to be sure.<br />
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Our task completed, it was time to hit the road through Missouri. I mentioned back in Illinois that I was very fond of the brown signs; in Missouri we traded these for blue signs.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is where we played the very British game of Look! Blue Sky! Head thataway!</td></tr>
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So far, I have to say Illinois is kicking Missouri's arse on the signage front. Firstly, Missouri's "incident diversion" signs are the same size and colour as the Historic Route 66 ones, which gets confusing. Far worse, though, was the number of junctions we came across where our directions told us to turn but there was no corresponding sign. We tended to go with the directions, and then a hundred metres or so down the road would be one of these blue signs with no arrow, confirming we'd gone the right way. A hundred metres earlier would have been <i>way </i>more help. So there's a handy hint for anyone from the Future: you can probably wing Illinois from the signage, but you need detailed instructions to tackle Missouri (unless you want to cheat and take the Interstate, but where would be the fun in that?).</div>
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Driving through the Missouri countryside, we started to feel like it would be a good time for a break, if only we could think of somewhere fun to stop.</div>
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There didn't seem to be anything coming up, though.</div>
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Perhaps there's just nothing to see on this stretch of the road.</div>
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Or is it that Missouri attractions really like to hide their light under the proverbial bushel?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQluuxVnHL2oDLdvkSgmlPl4SU01NhZZqBmUsG70lyK_E97uhZ1Ozb9z3BVhnnmckS9g2b67y_ybXJYwM6IimPFeN1q_B0ohyqtXfVpvfjBTdAOPQmYvo1iB8lfbWxq_b3SYlUDM31vFHf/s1600/DSC01553.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQluuxVnHL2oDLdvkSgmlPl4SU01NhZZqBmUsG70lyK_E97uhZ1Ozb9z3BVhnnmckS9g2b67y_ybXJYwM6IimPFeN1q_B0ohyqtXfVpvfjBTdAOPQmYvo1iB8lfbWxq_b3SYlUDM31vFHf/s320/DSC01553.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Either way, it was a long road with no sign of anything coming up.</div>
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Mile after mile without any hint of an attraction.</div>
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On the plus side, maybe we'd get to our hotel early tonight?<br />
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We were just about to give up on the idea of having anywhere to stop when all of a sudden we happened across some caverns on the Meramec River!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A cabin from the woods nearby that was moved here for reasons that aren't entirely clear</td></tr>
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This place looked pretty cool, so we decided to stop. Lucky we came across it - they should really get someone in to sort out some advertising or something so people know they're there.</div>
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We initially thought the $20 tour seemed a bit steep, but it turned out to take well over an hour so in retrospect it was quite a bargain. Our tour guide was fantastic: he had a brilliantly deadpan sense of humour that was perfect for what turned out to be one of the tackiest tourist attractions I've ever seen. He started off by telling us that the log cabin in the entrance had nothing whatsoever to do with the caverns, and went on to proudly announce that they had the only Foucault pendulum in the world that doesn't work.</div>
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The caverns really have to be seen to be believed. They're huge, and have some of the largest stalactites and stalagmites in the world, as well as incredibly clear water that reflects the cavern roof with crystal clarity. The natural beauty of this place is amazing.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizEK0-A2ipDY90IxRYi5YTVqEs51rXQR97pEU0qerVyZ3rn4KhQwjnwpaBdlXe-Pr-7FWYozTnsHCuqvh3nTPljacG2TUenAV26Akwzjr_kdx99gEVQiheuZ3ZfTI-7SIaiCzlGlBaorl5/s1600/DSC01595.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizEK0-A2ipDY90IxRYi5YTVqEs51rXQR97pEU0qerVyZ3rn4KhQwjnwpaBdlXe-Pr-7FWYozTnsHCuqvh3nTPljacG2TUenAV26Akwzjr_kdx99gEVQiheuZ3ZfTI-7SIaiCzlGlBaorl5/s320/DSC01595.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These are some pretty rocks...</td></tr>
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<br />However, why would you just show off the wonders of nature when you can improve on them?<br /><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXODiX9JI_vMj5OqpEt_EZNx-eANZDzMgjl0b9NIBQuYB_3_FejS3ZN26FIPUWRveM0mErNVoZC6gKyvFqAiyrLoHIR58FOChOftnZKtxRxW_9W5yngTL0dNazodxIRz-1gNDjDueMHXei/s1600/DSC01597.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXODiX9JI_vMj5OqpEt_EZNx-eANZDzMgjl0b9NIBQuYB_3_FejS3ZN26FIPUWRveM0mErNVoZC6gKyvFqAiyrLoHIR58FOChOftnZKtxRxW_9W5yngTL0dNazodxIRz-1gNDjDueMHXei/s320/DSC01597.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...but aren't they improved with the addition of gaudy colours?</td></tr>
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<br />When we got to this part of the tour, Meramec Caverns officially displaced the Canadian side of Niagara Falls in my mind as the tackiest over-commercialisation of a natural phenomenon I've ever seen. However, that was before we got to the "theatre."<div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Te6TsRrbm6FSU_-Ubp3HohEPRp3P7wQ4JIlyj0r6VrhnVQ3GsGa1NNURV9vprEKBOunEzguWasq3wAsu0eXC6bJL_fZwFdSX9csSBPF4_FfZVGx5p0keKVFV15ODv5ulNU0vTVEwtLXB/s1600/P1020066.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Te6TsRrbm6FSU_-Ubp3HohEPRp3P7wQ4JIlyj0r6VrhnVQ3GsGa1NNURV9vprEKBOunEzguWasq3wAsu0eXC6bJL_fZwFdSX9csSBPF4_FfZVGx5p0keKVFV15ODv5ulNU0vTVEwtLXB/s320/P1020066.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A nice flat-ish bit of rock underground? LET'S PROJECT STUFF ON IT!</td></tr>
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<br />For the finale of the tour, we were seated in front of a bit wall of rock while God Bless America blared on the stereo, accompanied by a light show, which was literally the tour guide flicking switches on and off in time with the music. The "show" finished with the American flag projected on the rock. I just... I have no words.<div>
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The whole tour, and especially that show, has to be one of the most surreal things I have ever seen. I arrived expecting a quick scenic break from the road, and left two hours later so befuddled that I found I didn't even care how much I believed their tenuous evidence for the Jesse James connection. As marketing ploys go, though, this one doesn't half work; if these had just been pretty caves I might have spent a paragraph saying that we saw some caverns and they were nice. By making the place utterly weird, they've ensured they occupy the bulk of a blog post, albeit primarily about how ridiculous the place is.</div>
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It's unlikely that anything will ever top that stop for weirdness, but we pressed on out west into what was now blazing sunshine, and the lizard got to bask in Cuba, MO.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0V_TfzSx-q07fQD_CSqUm5oLJwXqvQlLXM87aDwufkmXsBe4Dtlh5yA3kYWy6ELMYgsQ0xX-2K2Bjch8qErrvyDQyW6IztUFmYjwQAp3FCnlIUDj2y_Xrh8PQ7TlZGmbHFYVPgQAc3nEY/s1600/DSC01643.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0V_TfzSx-q07fQD_CSqUm5oLJwXqvQlLXM87aDwufkmXsBe4Dtlh5yA3kYWy6ELMYgsQ0xX-2K2Bjch8qErrvyDQyW6IztUFmYjwQAp3FCnlIUDj2y_Xrh8PQ7TlZGmbHFYVPgQAc3nEY/s320/DSC01643.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The <i>other </i>Cuba</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO_ihbi7gbODcJD5mhtuCZZ8dANX_bV-cUL0IGSulExWbgcJz0SrVgWEfHYPKArqA-52TczHi1JT4lK-mV8xHyo58R17U0fFdK_yjJLgeD74vo1KtdFO1wf-LohO9EtiOKoh5PeVt-qXqK/s1600/DSC01651.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO_ihbi7gbODcJD5mhtuCZZ8dANX_bV-cUL0IGSulExWbgcJz0SrVgWEfHYPKArqA-52TczHi1JT4lK-mV8xHyo58R17U0fFdK_yjJLgeD74vo1KtdFO1wf-LohO9EtiOKoh5PeVt-qXqK/s320/DSC01651.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretty things</td></tr>
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<br />Cuba was quite similar to Pontiac back in Illinois, in the sense that the town is filled with murals depicting its past. I especially liked the Amelia Earhart one: her "connection" to Cuba is apparently that she crashed not far away, but everything was fine so she picked herself up and carried on to Los Angeles. Awesome.</div>
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Our other notable stop of the day was just a few miles down the road in Fanning, for the world's largest rocking chair. Admittedly, we didn't request paperwork to support this claim, but having seen it I think we can agree that it's a bloody massive chair. Even if it doesn't actually rock.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicPMT4aFrTIDtaNhxRRfwQGq2Bgl6gfz-fcijm9CpV0IcHkHgF7Ks3X0LW7TTTy0IBrxSFJcg0tmowCuKvnlqTUuv9G_t_OdUK32eU7cdyPATupm8v8FVrTvGGyeJgeOKhNH3Oxf-j_uKj/s1600/DSC01672.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicPMT4aFrTIDtaNhxRRfwQGq2Bgl6gfz-fcijm9CpV0IcHkHgF7Ks3X0LW7TTTy0IBrxSFJcg0tmowCuKvnlqTUuv9G_t_OdUK32eU7cdyPATupm8v8FVrTvGGyeJgeOKhNH3Oxf-j_uKj/s320/DSC01672.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Frankly, I'd prefer a normal-sized one that actually rocks, but hey ho.</td></tr>
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<br />We also stopped in Rolla, where we came across an actual roundabout! Unfortunately there was no one else around, so we didn't get to see how Americans think they work. Our stop here was at the Totem Pole Trading Post, a Route 66 icon. In return for taking pictures, we dutifully spent some money in the gift shop (those two suitcases are going to earn their keep on the way back!) and met the owner, Tim, who was absolutely lovely. We ended up spending a good long while there hearing about the history of the road from someone who's part of it, which was fantastic.<div>
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Around 7pm, realising we'd only eaten a couple of slices of toast and some frozen custard all day, we stopped at Sweetwater BBQ for dinner. I don't know why I've never seen this place mentioned on other blogs, because it was great. The staff were lovely, the pork ribs literally fell off the bone and the potato salad was divine. And between two of us, with dinners so large we only ate about half, we spent less than $30.<br /><div>
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It was late when we rolled into Springfield, MO to check into the Best Western Rail Haven. The receptionist asked if we were here as part of a Route 66 trip, and when we said yes the lovely Tonya jumped in and went to great lengths to direct us around a road closure coming up on the route. She then went on to talk about the history of the road, about the business owners she knows further west and made a list of recommendations for stops that aren't in our guides. I don't know how long we spent talking to her, but we kept her up a <i>long</i> time. We chose this place because of the reviews of tripadvisor, and suffice it to say there will be another 5* review when I get around to writing it. And I think we paid all of ~£45 for a room with two doubles. Hypothetical Future People: if you're stopping in Springfield MO, stay at the Best Western and say hi to Tonya.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYEoY2-yYuD6nS-qGTKMB0h1K4KK84SJa_W_6q03FHbZQLzG73oZ6ItqO7qhKXLt_hpmDpeau0HJRZsMxFqF7EwGkYL21QLOWdo4ZOCu0Q8Oh8UdpiclVgPWxQWS4rUgPVrc107bc9_f3P/s1600/DSC01685.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYEoY2-yYuD6nS-qGTKMB0h1K4KK84SJa_W_6q03FHbZQLzG73oZ6ItqO7qhKXLt_hpmDpeau0HJRZsMxFqF7EwGkYL21QLOWdo4ZOCu0Q8Oh8UdpiclVgPWxQWS4rUgPVrc107bc9_f3P/s320/DSC01685.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The unexpectedly awesome Best Western Rail Haven Route 66</td></tr>
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Rachael Livermorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14611872297819209492noreply@blogger.com2Springfield, MO, USA37.2089572 -93.292298937.1077867 -93.4502274 37.3101277 -93.134370400000009tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299478984532070448.post-69171668050171790302012-09-05T06:01:00.001+01:002012-09-08T07:46:38.953+01:00Day 7 - Who freezes custard?After an excellent night at the Route 66 Hotel in Springfield, IL (no really it was a fantastic place to stay we both agree), we started our day with breakfast at the Cozy Dog Drive-In. Now we hadn't intended to have breakfast here since their speciality is Cozy dogs (thats corn dogs to the rest of America - this place claims to have invented it and hence the slightly different name), but given the proximity to our hotel it's just the way it worked out. Honestly we were a little worried whether it would be weird, but I can report that Cozy dogs are delicious and totally work as a breakfast food in case you were wondering.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE7vUnp_EWilGEjy7EBotMIvJpC6-HbJaPod8vbbNndWhL_yf7hqk3Ne9TsP3W9EIzHJl5anTfbzglQw6pRX1Dm5CmML23rs4XkU2wQ7tcJuSxZUHXtA-ZOSkQkF3Rp9uQvJGxM942Sz8/s1600/DSC01466.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE7vUnp_EWilGEjy7EBotMIvJpC6-HbJaPod8vbbNndWhL_yf7hqk3Ne9TsP3W9EIzHJl5anTfbzglQw6pRX1Dm5CmML23rs4XkU2wQ7tcJuSxZUHXtA-ZOSkQkF3Rp9uQvJGxM942Sz8/s320/DSC01466.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We ate the cozy dogs too quickly to photograph, so here have a pic of the sign instead.</td></tr>
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Next on our plan for the day was a lightning tour of Lincoln's home in Springfield and also his tomb. And by lightning I mean slowing the car down long enough to lean out of the window to take pics. We didn't tour Lincoln's home but we did take the time to tour the tomb and take a few pics. It's an impressive memorial and they have some of his famous speeches on plaques inside. I came away with a sense of awe at how someone who lived so long ago could have been so amazing when some people now can't manage to grasp the concepts of equality, as well as a sense of disgust at my own grasp of the English language. Seriously, the dude was eloquent.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnDGJOrmlIdU7hyDd5H8UpcybVIY5nDvB6P4ERdVbI_uTOzuEam2cIzyYa8M1JRiH60dAEkZyfdaHqNTVEFH2hfZiDEf5RcUJqpgoqa2_fNb5golHQ7vrUQVCnIANXsol4-uo7v_FLi7Y/s1600/DSC01472.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnDGJOrmlIdU7hyDd5H8UpcybVIY5nDvB6P4ERdVbI_uTOzuEam2cIzyYa8M1JRiH60dAEkZyfdaHqNTVEFH2hfZiDEf5RcUJqpgoqa2_fNb5golHQ7vrUQVCnIANXsol4-uo7v_FLi7Y/s320/DSC01472.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Lincoln's Tomb<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhp-Le_uFw7ZXXsPG0WbGHhc5Es4ref0HVAr1c5sjF1lfLMaPpufNRCgwcEldPHzC73cJCjcAofxZH6Qsrm4_0wQfS7PX7eZzfok-i1jwyPSCj7snzgF05uNKTZUpUgZQawV_NrGjAkbc/s1600/P1010943.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhp-Le_uFw7ZXXsPG0WbGHhc5Es4ref0HVAr1c5sjF1lfLMaPpufNRCgwcEldPHzC73cJCjcAofxZH6Qsrm4_0wQfS7PX7eZzfok-i1jwyPSCj7snzgF05uNKTZUpUgZQawV_NrGjAkbc/s320/P1010943.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Touching Lincoln's nose for luck</td></tr>
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From here we moved on to a number of tiny stops on the route... a restored abandoned gas station, a bunny ranch (no not THAT one - this one has actual bunnies!) and a hotel that has a tiny lake with a steamboat in it then made our way to the Chain of Rocks bridge. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7NkF5RX3nZmxyTWNAKBfw8VeIyDniD9eysVv2wWSeVLLS1e7PDci35vjyKmvg9XakjxRq1pgZOVIzjhRg28xEbtALbFkVmQLflYmKu9vEWiToBM8P9tn5SND-ZOVr6S4-5YrC6rOE6JM/s1600/P1010978.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7NkF5RX3nZmxyTWNAKBfw8VeIyDniD9eysVv2wWSeVLLS1e7PDci35vjyKmvg9XakjxRq1pgZOVIzjhRg28xEbtALbFkVmQLflYmKu9vEWiToBM8P9tn5SND-ZOVr6S4-5YrC6rOE6JM/s320/P1010978.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Illinois end of the Chain of Rocks Bridge</td></tr>
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Many years ago this bridge would have marked our departure from Illinois as we crossed the Mississippi River and entered the city of St. Louis, Missouri. However, the Chain of Rocks bridge is no longer in use as a river crossing for cars. It has long since been bypassed for a much more modern bridge spanning the river nearby, but you can still cross it today on foot and it's become a Route 66 tourist attraction itself. It's a must see if you are travelling R66 for the views of the Mississippi river alone. One word of advice though - if you are walking the bridge on a hot day, take some water and remember your sunscreen because there is little to no shade. It's a deceptively long walk from one end to the other - just over 1.6km each way! Needless to say we fell upon the car on our return and blasted the aircon on high (and by we I mean I because Rachael is a lizard and revels in any available sunlight).</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4IzbRttB7gSsjCS_PbZAm0BKCWsHKXIDbta5QJppKTRucCdxadYDIuMVneceg4mEJwl-BNPxBqh1uxeCmihvpsASVavc4jHzRl7PxCFpUFpAcSLl1bFjG3Ie-r9K0kMjirdf4MPKBuLU/s1600/P1010991.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4IzbRttB7gSsjCS_PbZAm0BKCWsHKXIDbta5QJppKTRucCdxadYDIuMVneceg4mEJwl-BNPxBqh1uxeCmihvpsASVavc4jHzRl7PxCFpUFpAcSLl1bFjG3Ie-r9K0kMjirdf4MPKBuLU/s320/P1010991.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lizard basks on the bridge</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ4jE5DdDEHGeZ4PjxwQbBoEt5JcqaQ_Ff79xdKRlJp_GESBh525c5uF6BCEY9stROxRTyAdaV7Lms6YCJ2k8uuRrNM5FC9z7wtHpI04VK6saX79k6rIyOckKaOhEnmwlaABsQgFk1a94/s1600/P1010992.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ4jE5DdDEHGeZ4PjxwQbBoEt5JcqaQ_Ff79xdKRlJp_GESBh525c5uF6BCEY9stROxRTyAdaV7Lms6YCJ2k8uuRrNM5FC9z7wtHpI04VK6saX79k6rIyOckKaOhEnmwlaABsQgFk1a94/s320/P1010992.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lying down in the gap between the two states, basking in the sun. The lizard is stateless.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLnUFmvWc_0Jvq9GVub4ekAylELr1jacJWOwM5rVIiwZUXtxsLOZlDqYXjubiZguvSmjhyphenhyphenNLy9JH_vKySrGBeOuMR9vfo-iO-3XnUiy-WSyis-r-RiNCS10uOzzt9CDd_JzdpvlkTgByM/s320/P1010993.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="240" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still barking... err... I mean basking.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLnUFmvWc_0Jvq9GVub4ekAylELr1jacJWOwM5rVIiwZUXtxsLOZlDqYXjubiZguvSmjhyphenhyphenNLy9JH_vKySrGBeOuMR9vfo-iO-3XnUiy-WSyis-r-RiNCS10uOzzt9CDd_JzdpvlkTgByM/s1600/P1010993.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzbYpz2n64_WAOVV_9VV0F1vl7ft0P_LL4u2PT4IqJY_zO3GX7Hr_Yl6KJcUBK1stY2TYbvy24SIQsPLm6wwZL1YQ1y9XxcMWlKppxBMYGb9-bwy1YCZKCmY39uIRvULnzcPnMNM5dO8o/s1600/P1020002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzbYpz2n64_WAOVV_9VV0F1vl7ft0P_LL4u2PT4IqJY_zO3GX7Hr_Yl6KJcUBK1stY2TYbvy24SIQsPLm6wwZL1YQ1y9XxcMWlKppxBMYGb9-bwy1YCZKCmY39uIRvULnzcPnMNM5dO8o/s320/P1020002.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of the Mississippi from the bridge.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
After retracing our steps a little and using the interstate to cross the river by car, we made our way through St Louis using as much of R66 as we could manage in search of custard. Frozen custard. The reputation of Ted Drewes' frozen custard was legendary on all the Route 66 blogs and programs we could get our hands on. It was one of three places Man Vs Food covered on their R66 episode and it instantly became a "must see" on our list. Honestly the place could not have been more hyped if Max Clifford was doing it's PR, and so we were hoping it would be good. We were not disappointed. Well actually thats a lie, we were very disappointed when we'd eaten it all and there was none left. Who freezes custard? The bloody clever people at Ted Drewes do. It is going to be a true disappointment in my life from this point onwards that this stuff lives nearly 4000 miles from me. Because of our hot walk on the bridge we decided to go 20 minutes past our hotel on R66 just to get this today. This means we have to pass it again tomorrow. So for scientific purposes tomorrow on our way out of the city we will stop and sample the product some more (to make sure today wasn't a fluke) and take photos for you lot. Are we not good to you?</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicDyt07m5v2mny3VdvS8-mSuKyZVaqSby83zXa99_2u1ODARV2BaVJSLZAAFMpVdUzh5_SD0btEcsnruOcGvhSBZM3uBPMETCzg2TYsD-ueCkJsTR2QruH_Ec7dwS155ICtzuv29D06Z0/s1600/P1020006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicDyt07m5v2mny3VdvS8-mSuKyZVaqSby83zXa99_2u1ODARV2BaVJSLZAAFMpVdUzh5_SD0btEcsnruOcGvhSBZM3uBPMETCzg2TYsD-ueCkJsTR2QruH_Ec7dwS155ICtzuv29D06Z0/s320/P1020006.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These custard cups are broken - we need new ones.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
Driving in America is odd - about 10 times in the last 2 days we have driven past the same Walgreen's. Is it possible that the theory about the USA being big is a huge conspiracy? Have we been lost and driving in circles for the last two days? Cos I swear all of these Walgreen's were completely identical. It's starting to give me a complex.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
After checking in at our hotel for the evening (a well equipped Holiday Inn Express just off R66), we ventured out to the Soulard area where there are lots of bars and restaurants. The receptionist at our hotel had recommended Molly's where we had fantastic Cajun influenced food and sat outside in the sultry heat of the evening making little tweaks to the plan for the rest of our trip.</div>
<div>
Still can't quite believe we are doing this. Loving every minute of it. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
:D</div>
Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03524286415998486590noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299478984532070448.post-16623226782156963062012-09-04T16:11:00.001+01:002012-09-04T16:11:14.650+01:00Day 6 - California or Bust<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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We’ve enjoyed our time in Chicago, but we have nearly 3,000
miles ahead of us so today it was time to hit the road.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The first thing we learned today is that Labor Day in
America is not like Bank Holidays in the UK, in the sense that things <i>close</i>. All the things. First off, we had
to change our rental car pickup from a few blocks from the hotel to out at the
airport, which meant a cab ride out with our luggage and then a drive back into
the city to the start of the road before heading back out. On the plus side,
there was very little traffic.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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The other problem we had was that we’d intended to start our
journey with breakfast at the famous Lou Mitchell’s, but alas that too was
closed.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Undeterred, we made our way to E Adams St and Michigan Avenue to start the long drag to California.<br /><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDxvdLnSEl7rYg1ORyLEbCivCVNR1YO4a_rBml0Nv1SANgOpE1_jVP_78bkAM8UrTr7bCfwN-0iSiZe2_rndFhn_RAtMT4aC3uDtevIbZ_G3LnkdXsufF3QvL5H-_ZdCDohXNdGvT20gYZ/s1600/DSC01274.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDxvdLnSEl7rYg1ORyLEbCivCVNR1YO4a_rBml0Nv1SANgOpE1_jVP_78bkAM8UrTr7bCfwN-0iSiZe2_rndFhn_RAtMT4aC3uDtevIbZ_G3LnkdXsufF3QvL5H-_ZdCDohXNdGvT20gYZ/s320/DSC01274.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And we're off!</td></tr>
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(Purists will grumble that Route 66 never really started
here and the sign should be a block over, but the original start is now one way
in the opposite direction, so this is as good as you can get. And it has a
shiny brown sign, so that’s good enough for us.)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Heading out into Illinois, our first stop was Joliet:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi84I2rc9QPYDzT4dKbe00hZ02JSAL7Sz1IV8YCZAi1lk7pG4HVGSIDx9BVbY14uyvOx8xUzxG0d-xUjo7vo7ACz_C-b4O7KRkb0Jtu-2cdPqmUicDXk7UY-YVwIy8Da6opdK6m1JO5pYu5/s1600/DSC01292.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi84I2rc9QPYDzT4dKbe00hZ02JSAL7Sz1IV8YCZAi1lk7pG4HVGSIDx9BVbY14uyvOx8xUzxG0d-xUjo7vo7ACz_C-b4O7KRkb0Jtu-2cdPqmUicDXk7UY-YVwIy8Da6opdK6m1JO5pYu5/s320/DSC01292.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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Sadly the museum was closed, but it was a gorgeous day and we got some lovely views of the river.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPxynjkma9Cio2PLyeAPpvzdo4jVVHh671k6R9OJraGuNWRHUC58u5TP6U6Futj6wn5MtBt41ntruJHkKFc8lxRitV15AHo40haGGobv4drWOxeuvfbZkNTE6FXPhR6Vlww78Psa-d8gjC/s1600/DSC01286.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPxynjkma9Cio2PLyeAPpvzdo4jVVHh671k6R9OJraGuNWRHUC58u5TP6U6Futj6wn5MtBt41ntruJHkKFc8lxRitV15AHo40haGGobv4drWOxeuvfbZkNTE6FXPhR6Vlww78Psa-d8gjC/s320/DSC01286.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
That bridge - the one pointing upwards - was supposed to be our road. We considered Thelma & Louise-ing it, but on reflection decided it was a bit early in the trip to be plunging over precipices. The nice thing about the American grid road system is that it's easy to work around road closures, so that was only a minor detour.<br />
<br />
Our next stop was Wilmington, IL, where we made a new friend:<br />
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A little further down the road we stopped for lunch at the Polk-a-Dot Drive-In and made even more friends:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyC1-aM-9XYaFBICqpRtw4JRPlBPY1Lkf_9W-ONU6qSkvAc77Pynf8X4c4VVEHJS1jQKRz9QyhwOqytgapHBfxoSAxo7VpIF_ciPBTYrw2TdqjzI583TNn0wNnuNm2NGYK1kx-Gweug5Gi/s1600/DSC01300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyC1-aM-9XYaFBICqpRtw4JRPlBPY1Lkf_9W-ONU6qSkvAc77Pynf8X4c4VVEHJS1jQKRz9QyhwOqytgapHBfxoSAxo7VpIF_ciPBTYrw2TdqjzI583TNn0wNnuNm2NGYK1kx-Gweug5Gi/s320/DSC01300.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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We also caught up with a massive group of Scandinavians on Harleys that we'd run into earlier at a gas station and would do so again at several stops on the road. They make a really impressive sight when they roll into and out of a place, but it doesn't seem the most comfortable way to travel across the country! We would also run into a French pair from Surrey - which is where Fi lives! - several times, and some people from Germany. We learned from the American equivalent of the Big Issue that 60-70% of travellers on Route 66 are from overseas, and it seems that we Europeans comprise a large chunk.</div>
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For most of the way through Illinois, we were on a frontage road running parallel to the Interstate, with the original Route 66 sandwiches between us. I doubt even the hardcore folks take the original road:</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Helpful sign, just in case you didn't notice the lack of tarmac</td></tr>
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<br />A lot of businesses and even towns along the road shut down when they were bypassed by the Interstate, but the people of Illinois have done a brilliant job of restoring things to give a flavour of the old Route 66. An example of this is the gas station in Dwight, where we met a lovely guy who told us all about life on the road in the 50s.<br /><div>
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Our next stop, in Pontiac, was an example of a whole town that's gone all-out to attract the many Route 66 tourists. As well as the Route 66 Museum, there are murals all over the town. Some are paintings of old businesses, some are old-fashioned adverts, and they've very cunningly put a massive one on the back of the museum building that ensures the town's name makes its way into <i>every</i> Route 66 photo album. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRo-7S_3_DIRjC-pDVrAdBVj8ig9BE9pJ6iVp-L2as2TX-RNT3_4qjZvdkbb3_10704GEZ7ToCnniru-HawpG110sTK6CtPyuKYXx0VTDw9cXqVaX3EJp8mK2EPOKGudptthDGYV-y94bt/s1600/DSC01328.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRo-7S_3_DIRjC-pDVrAdBVj8ig9BE9pJ6iVp-L2as2TX-RNT3_4qjZvdkbb3_10704GEZ7ToCnniru-HawpG110sTK6CtPyuKYXx0VTDw9cXqVaX3EJp8mK2EPOKGudptthDGYV-y94bt/s320/DSC01328.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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I was also especially fond of the random brightly-painted cars dotted around the town. Kind of like the <a href="http://www.kingbladudspigs.org/" target="_blank">Bath pigs</a> a few years ago, they make you want to wander around the town to find them all.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We traded in our rental SUV for something a bit snazzier</td></tr>
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We also made a long stop in Towanda, where a stretch of just under a mile of the original abandoned road has been spruced up by students and volunteers into a Memory Lane. Walking along the whole length, you pass a billboard for each state that Route 66 passes through, as well as a very helpful map painted on the ground.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTe0dkVyQd7XFVWU7HPl_ieMcAWiOQk1lATqXPQ9uA4mEym6pflTko_PGtCx6hKPa9T3XuvXnyKQ6PFG_9RmlZnK4B5_0QMdbeYbPamBNRh6NOg8Jcwfyonym8NX6ruppDpgsT1Ymiiktq/s1600/DSC01382.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTe0dkVyQd7XFVWU7HPl_ieMcAWiOQk1lATqXPQ9uA4mEym6pflTko_PGtCx6hKPa9T3XuvXnyKQ6PFG_9RmlZnK4B5_0QMdbeYbPamBNRh6NOg8Jcwfyonym8NX6ruppDpgsT1Ymiiktq/s320/DSC01382.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Working out which way to go next </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the old Route 66 across a Borrow Pit to the Interstate</td></tr>
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Our final stop of the day was in Atlanta, which like Pontiac has gone all-out to present a bit of historic Route 66 to tourists. It's a shame we couldn't have been there when some of the businesses were open, but we did get to meet our second giant of the trip.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhXk0oC4ufK3qUWDWpRv8UVzCKvjCHdeQDJVympwvhbEFQT8NeupDl-tbg70uPc7TWmOMYRRx3aoJqLngLrmoHKtR_rOkSgfvQflbknPgF__nkCgLCR9rPnIsPR0CL7Za9TgiITaW5LRyq/s1600/DSC01430.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhXk0oC4ufK3qUWDWpRv8UVzCKvjCHdeQDJVympwvhbEFQT8NeupDl-tbg70uPc7TWmOMYRRx3aoJqLngLrmoHKtR_rOkSgfvQflbknPgF__nkCgLCR9rPnIsPR0CL7Za9TgiITaW5LRyq/s320/DSC01430.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anyone hungry?</td></tr>
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<br />Finally, we headed for Springfield, IL, where we holed up in the Route 66 Hotel. This place is <i>amazing</i> - it has all the neon and kitsch you could possibly want from a Route 66 trip, and we paid all of £36 for a room with two queen beds. Not too shabby!</div>
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Illinois has been a massive surprise: we had expected it to be somewhere we just had to get through on our way to the good bits, but so far it's been enormous fun, thanks primarily to the efforts that have been made to preserve this part of the route. Also, massive props to the state of Illinois for their efforts in signing the route: those little brown signs saved us on more than one occasion when the road signs were too small to read.</div>
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Firsts in Illinois:</div>
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<ul>
<li>I survived my very first 4-way stop, albeit with some over-politeness</li>
<li>Our first roadkill :-(</li>
<li>First time getting lost! (Only once, and to be fair Google Maps agrees with us that the road on our directions doesn't exist)</li>
<li>Fi's first time driving in America (nobody died)</li>
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Miles so far: 214.2</div>
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Next up, we cross the Mississippi into St Louis!</div>
Rachael Livermorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14611872297819209492noreply@blogger.com1Springfield, IL39.7817213 -89.650148133.540269800000004 -99.7575701 46.0231728 -79.5427261tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299478984532070448.post-10615245628178534522012-09-03T06:20:00.000+01:002012-09-03T06:27:57.343+01:00Day 5 - Big Tall High PlacesToday we entirely blew off the convention in favour of a last day of sightseeing in Chicago. After a leisurely breakfast, during which we tweaked the middle of our trip a little, we headed for Navy Pier. This turned out to be a very pleasant walk on a warm day even though the weather was pretty overcast. (NB. This comment will become important later - please pay attention).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rachael with Strawberry Italian Ice before heading for the Ferris Wheel</td></tr>
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We had a vague plan of riding on the Ferris Wheel and having a look at all the other things to do. We headed for the Wheel first and having purchased tickets we queued for an hour to get on it. Mixed reviews to be honest. It was fun and we got good views of the city but as it was overcast and the windows of the gondola weren't terribly clean the photos we took were mostly not great. We also shot a little video but not going to put those on the blog just yet.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me with the Ferris Wheel!</td></tr>
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There was a lot of fried dough and ice-cream on offer as we walked the pier but I was completely restrained instead going for some soft drinks and a little "watching the world go by" at one of the cafes. I make no promises that this will last til the end of the trip though. Let's be honest I make no promises that this will last to the end of the week! We have got Frozen Custard coming up on our itinerary after all.<br />
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We had booked tickets to go up the Willis tower to the Skydeck for today but thought we would also have a go at the observatory at the John Hancock building which is also supposed to have amazing views of the city. However the visibility was severely reduced due to clouds at the building top so we abandoned that and headed for the Skydeck instead.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Obey the big orange arrow.</td></tr>
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Despite having pre-booked tickets on the internet, the queues were pretty long. We waited about an hour and a half to get the elevator up to the 103rd floor but once there we decided that it was well worth the wait. The Skydeck has ledges that you can walk out on to so you are surrounded by just glass 103 floors above the street. I was pretty gung ho about going out on it but actually making your feet move to walk out there is another thing. We did have our picture taken by the official photog but we also managed some of our own feet too.<br />
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Overall the Skydeck was a big hit and Rachael took some lovely photos of the city lighting up as we'd planned our visit for dusk / early evening for this very reason.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chicago at twilight</td></tr>
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After a day full of highs (literally) we headed back to the hotel to examine our mild cases of sunburn (remember the weather being overcast? We forgot sunscreen on a few bits *facepalm*) and to have dinner with lovely fandom friends and do a little celebrating with the London 2014 bid which officially became the host city of Worldcon 2014 this afternoon. Congratulations Loncon 3!<br />
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Tonight we pack, for tomorrow morning we head out on the next stage of our epic adventure!<br />
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ROUTE 66 HERE WE COME!!!Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03524286415998486590noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299478984532070448.post-37669069666031039382012-09-02T07:05:00.000+01:002012-09-02T07:05:18.526+01:00Day 4: In which Worldcon gets oldWe had intended today to be a Con Day. After breakfast, we had a wander round the art show, which was nice. The obsession this year seems to be dragons and cats (combined, I mean), of which we both thoroughly approved. There were purchases made, and we both bemoaned the fact that we couldn't buy some of the gorgeous space artwork, because a) they're massive and we already have two suitcases each, and b) they're (justifiably) extremely expensive, and we're going to be very poor indeed after this trip.<br />
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I had a panel at 11am, on "The Wonders of Space" as part of the kids' programme. From doing lots of outreach in schools I thought I had a reasonable understanding of what 5-10 year-olds know about science, but it turns out I completely - as in order-of-magnitude - underestimated the effect of their being fandom kids. I'm not exaggerating when I say that small children were coming out with A-Level physics. Terrifying and awesome.<br />
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The kids really are getting the best programme at this con. Immediately before my item, they were making mutant animals from cannibalised soft toys. This one's name is Stuffy (the head is Eeyore):<br />
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After the panel I investigated the con suite, but for some reason there was no tea (herbal doesn't count), which as a Brit is a true tragedy. I normally bring my own tea when travelling to act as an emergency Lipton-repellant, and I'm severely regretting the oversight this time. Fair warning, this blog may well turn into a withdrawal diary before long.</div>
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This afternoon, we went to a panel on science fiction and fantasy in musicals, which seemed like it would be awesome, since SF&F and musical theatre are my two favourite things. In fact, it was one of the worst con panels I've ever been to. The panellists were only interested in discussing obscure, regional productions that most of the audience wouldn't have known (and by "discussing" I really mean "listing" with a passing comment at best). Anything commercially successful was dismissed in a depressingly elitist way - including several instances of ridiculing and even being downright vindictive about musicals the panellists admitted to never even having seen! Considering they talked for over an hour about predominantly fantasy-based musicals (there aren't that many SF), LotR wasn't mentioned at all (none of the panel even seemed to be aware of its existence, perhaps because it never played in the US, although it did originate just over the lake in Canada), Disney was dismissed outright, and Wicked was written off as irrelevant because "its audience is teenage girls." </div>
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Stuff like this happens at every convention, and there is a limit to what concoms can do about it: at the end of the day, panellists are volunteering their time and you have to make use of amateur enthusiasts or the programme would be half the size, but it's still annoying when it does happen.<br />
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Balancing out that tedium, there was a really good panel on manned space stations, which was a joint thing with DragonCon conducted by video conference. The panellists were both knowledgeable and engaging, and that makes all the difference. And since we both have a few friends who are at DragonCon this weekend, it was nice to see a small bit of that con.<br />
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This afternoon, I went for a walk and stumbled across Grant Park:<br />
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And a short distance away I came across this giant red pterodactyl drinking from the pavement:</div>
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No idea why it's there. Perhaps it doesn't know there's a tasty lake a few blocks away? Or perhaps it just likes pavement: I'm not judging.<br />
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It was starting to rain so I headed back to the hotel bar to wait for Fi, which in hindsight was a Bad Move. My tolerance for misogyny in fandom has been wearing thin since SMOFcon, and this evening it snapped. As a result, we're blowing off the con tomorrow to do all the remaining touristy stuff in Chicago, and then we've brought our car rental forward so that we can hit the road a day early on Monday. Can't wait!Rachael Livermorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14611872297819209492noreply@blogger.com3Chicago, IL, USA41.8781136 -87.629798241.6889521 -87.94565519999999 42.067275099999996 -87.3139412tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299478984532070448.post-45197083161369203852012-09-01T05:17:00.000+01:002012-09-01T05:17:52.886+01:00Day 3: All the learnings!The jetlag appears to have subsided: this morning we rose at the nicely holiday-appropriate time of 8am. It seems wrong for me to have been in America for two days without having had pancakes, so that situation was swiftly remedied. Pancakes are one of my favourite things about America. Unfortunately, balancing out the carb-laden awesomeness was one of my <i>least</i>-favourite things about America. If any Americans read this, please, I beg you, if someone asks you for tea, do not serve them a cup of hot water and a still-wrapped tea bag. The number of ways in which this is unacceptable and wrong could fill a blog by itself, but I digress. On the bright side, at least the tea wasn't Lipton.<br />
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After blowing off the morning to get manicures and pedicures, we returned to the convention. So far, I have to say that the only thing Chicon has going for it is the fact that it's in Chicago. Teaching kids about rockets yesterday was fun - as was the planetarium of course, which I guess was technically on the con programme - but today I only felt inspired to go to one programme item, and that was disappointingly bland. We did wander around the dealers' room, but it's hard to muster the same excitement about obscure books that we used to when everything under the sun is available on Amazon. Also not helping our impression of this con is the fact that the recent blow-up in British fandom about gender parity doesn't appear to have crossed the Atlantic; in just a couple of hours of milling around the con, I overheard no less than four separate conversations bemoaning the dominance of white men on panels.</div>
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Fortunately, the convention wasn't the only (or in the end even primary) reason for the trip, and even if it was then Chicago has turned out to be worth the cost of the flight by itself.</div>
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There didn't seem to be much on this evening anyway, so we decided to take the Chicago Architecture Foundation's boat tour, which had come highly recommended. It's pretty pricey (about $45) but for that you get 90 minutes with a very informed guide, so it was well worth the investment.</div>
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A rocket, cunningly disguised as a building</div>
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Some cool things we learned:</div>
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<li>That Chicago once burned down, just like London</li>
<li>That the flow of the Chicago River was deliberately reversed to stop it polluting the drinking water in Lake Michigan (this was news to me, anyway)</li>
<li>What an "Art Deco" building is (hey, I've never pretended to know a thing about architecture, or anything designy for that matter)</li>
<li>That those stolen rocks we saw yesterday were brought back (read: nicked) by reporters for the Chicago Tribune</li>
<li>Chicago doesn't appear to be as big as we had assumed it was</li>
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We also got to see some of the things we're going to be doing in the next few days. This is the Willis (formerly Sears) Tower:</div>
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See those slightly bumpy bits sticking out of the top? That's the Skydeck, the transparent-floored capsule thingys we'll be braving before we head out.</div>
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And this is where our adventure west will begin, at the start of the original Route 66:</div>
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We also learned one disappointing thing: that amazing car park we saw on the first day? Apparently it's strictly valet parking only, which I guess explains why there isn't a pile of broken cars on the street. Alas, this has shattered my illusions about the mad parking skills of Chicago residents.</div>
Rachael Livermorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14611872297819209492noreply@blogger.com2Chicago, IL, USA41.8875823767912 -87.6217174530029341.8846273767912 -87.626652953002932 41.8905373767912 -87.616781953002928tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299478984532070448.post-53462952715268913732012-08-31T05:42:00.001+01:002012-09-02T07:05:37.713+01:00Day 2: Stolen Stones and StarsToday started with a rude awakening. Well I say rude, but what I really mean is that there is only supposed to be one 5 o'clock in the day and it's not supposed to be before lunch. Jet lag is a cruel mistress; however, since pretending to sleep didn't seem to be working either we abandoned all pretence of it in favour of an early start.<br />
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We decided to have breakfast at the Corner Bakery Cafe near our hotel where we sampled delicious french toast, something delectable called apple chicken sausage (no we don't know what an apple chicken is either but it was yum), as well as Cherry Coke on unlimited refill and this was all before 8:00am.</div>
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Having set ourselves up for the day food wise, we ventured across a bridge that makes the millennium foot bridge seem stable to find the Chicago Tribune building. This was one of the Chicago sights featured on Billy Connolly's Route 66 program. It's an office building that has small pieces of stone embedded in it from famous buildings from all over the world. Each has an engraved description and we photographed as many as we could find. What is particularly hilarious is that some of these buildings are national treasures e.g. Houses of Parliament, the Parthenon, the Taj Mahal, Edinburgh Castle. One wonders truly if they got given these pieces or if they were purloined in some fashion. We could do an entire blog full of all the pictures but we won't. Here are a couple of the most mindboggling and when we get a round tuit later we'll post a link to a facebook album where you can browse the rest.</div>
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After the exhausting work of photographing pieces of rock in the hot sun, we decided to get a drink and fell upon the Argo tea cafe which was helpfully also embedded in the Chicago Tribune building. Rachael got very excited because they served "bubble" tea but lost me somewhere in the enthusiastic description so I chose a sparkle tea instead. This turned out to be a mistake because whilst the sparkle tea (white tea with raspberry) was both refreshing and delicious it was no where near as fantastic as Rachael's White tea and vanilla bubble tea. I had never before heard of bubble tea but I shall be seeking it out back home in London. It has chewy bits in the bottom and it's a cold tea that has milk in it. No really. And it's still amazing.</div>
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At this point we spotted a nearby Walgreens and decided I needed to prop up my meager nail polish collection (stop sniggering at the back) as well as pick up a few other bits and pieces we probably didn't need. Somehow we experienced the absolute extremes of customer service within 5 minutes with one assistant who couldn't do more to help us and another who's answer to a polite question about stamps was "thats not my job". No really. Next we wandered down to the Nordstrom mall and after a little more shopping in Benetton, where Rachael bought a belt and I had to be physically restrained from unfolding things, we headed back to the hotel in the midday sun as the convention officially started this afternoon.</div>
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On the way back to the hotel we got a little sidetracked by a bar and decided to get another drink (did I mention today was really hot?). Sitting outside and watching the world go by we had good intentions of only getting drinks, but when we saw "disco fries" on the menu we knew we could not miss the chance to sample Poutine style fries. For the uninitiated basically this is fries with melted cheese and gravy, but trust me when I say it's 100 times more awesome than that description suggests.</div>
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Worldcon is a strange and interesting beast. Rachael spent the afternoon with children building rockets and then launching them. I blew off the opening ceremony in favour of more interesting things on the internet and a bit of a rest before the evening's outing to the Adler Planetarium where the convention had free run of the place for the entire evening. The exhibits were interesting and the CGI on the planetarium show was fantastic. Of course Rachael had a few quibbles with content but there was also lots of squeeing "that galaxy is one of mine... LOOK!". </div>
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One of the remarkable things about the Adler is its built on a peninsular on Lake Michigan away from the city centre, and the views back towards the city are nothing short of spectacular. We could have spent hours just photographing the city skyline from there alone.</div>
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Chicago is proving to be so much more than I expected and I love it.</div>
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:D</div>
Fihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03524286415998486590noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5299478984532070448.post-76498229548514100252012-08-30T05:18:00.000+01:002012-08-30T05:18:14.673+01:00Day 1: Jetlagged in ChicagoI had an entire hour's sleep last night before being woken by an extremely rude alarm clock that seemed to think 3am was a reasonable time for a person to wake up. After hurriedly packing (yes, I like to do things last minute), my lift arrived at 4.20am (courtesy of Sarah, most awesomest friend ever) and a little after 5am I was facing the joys of airport security.<br />
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As airports go, I have to say that Newcastle is usually pretty great, probably the only one in which I consistently encounter smiley security staff. The guy working this morning, however, seemed to think it was hilarious to loudly leer at women passing through and suggest he might decide that their shirts pose a security threat so that he could make them go through topless.<br />
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Skeevy staff aside, I made it down to London without incident and met up with Fi, and even had a nicely quick dash across from Gatwick to Heathrow.<br />
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Fi and our mountain of luggage at Heathrow</div>
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The flight to Chicago was quite painful. It seems British Airways still have some planes with the old-fashioned entertainment systems where the movies play at set times only. I haven't seen these systems since about 2005 and had hoped they were extinct. The fun (?) part, of course, is that they don't tell you when the movies are starting -- I assume the point is that you can entertain yourself trying to work out what happened in the first half-hour of the movie? Lacking enough brain function to even follow a linear story after my lack of sleep, I tuned in for about an hour in the middle of something I'd already seen (The Hunger Games) and then, realising the resolution of the screen was only a fraction of what you can get on a phone, gave up and did some work instead. Now that's desperation.</div>
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Fortunately, we now don't have to get on another plane for three and a half weeks, which is a glorious thing indeed!</div>
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We took a shuttle straight from the airport to the hotel (in which every single passenger turned out to be going to Chicon), washed the plane off, registered for the con (the badges are very cool, although they do seem to contain an alarming number of lines from the address field of the database!) and then had a quick explore in search of dinner.</div>
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We only went out for a couple of hours, but already I have made two Startling Discoveries:</div>
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1. Chicago seems to have some sort of weird extra season that we don't get in England. It involves this yellow ball of fire high up in the sky, and the sky itself is this strange bright blue colour. And it's warm enough outside to walk around without a jacket! Although you still need to carry the jacket with you to cope with the <i>freezing</i> air conditioning indoors.</div>
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2. I can't believe this isn't in all the guide books, but Chicago has the coolest car parks:</div>
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I assume the bottom of the river is littered with the rusted shells of those that reversed too far?</div>
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And if we've learned this much within a block of our hotel, just imagine what the next 3,000 miles might bring!</div>
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Our final burst of energy of the day went into locating Gino's East to investigate the famous deep dish pizza. This is a restaurant with a brilliant approach to interior design: why invest in expensive painters when you can have customers decorate your walls for free?</div>
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I would probably look more enthused if I could remember what sleep was.</div>
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It also gives you something to do in the hour it takes them to make the pizza, besides the kids' puzzles on the back of the menu. We left our marks, of course, and I learned that someone from France visited this restaurant on my birthday nine years ago. I hope they had a good time.</div>
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I cannot speak highly enough of the food. We only ordered a small pizza between us, and even then I only managed one slice, but it was the best slice of pizza I have ever tasted. I've never tried deep dish pizza before, but I'm definitely a fan of putting the cheese on the bottom.</div>
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The 'deep' in the name is to be taken literally.</div>
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Chicago's made a good first impression, but right now I'm quite fond of the idea of sleep. Lots to see tomorrow, and I believe there's a convention starting as well...</div>
Rachael Livermorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14611872297819209492noreply@blogger.com11Chicago, IL, USA41.8781136 -87.629798241.6889521 -87.94565519999999 42.067275099999996 -87.3139412