Many Miles

Hello from the State Library of California in Sacramento. We're just spending time with some books before we meet Meg's friend for lunch. We struck it rich last night though! Jason's Aunt Dorthy lives just 30 miles east of here, so we stayed last night with her. She's a darling! A lovely old lady who really opened her arms to us. At breakfast this morning we were able to chat and get to know each other... her husband who has passed away was in the Navy during WWII, and applied and went to electronics school... after the war he went to UW Madison, like my Mom did... such a small world! It was a lovely time! We only asked to stay last night at the very last minute because we thought we'd only get as far as Fresno. But we arrived there at 5 pm, and we had a lot more drive left in us, so we pressed on into the moonlight. Got to drive a deserted highway and as we did I gazed at the meadows and trees with their moon-shadows.

But I haven't said anything since Norman!

We met Mike on Wednesday morning (the 18th) for a goodbye breakfast at IHOP. This was much happier then a late night goodbye would have been. I wore my OU t-shirt, and inspiration struck as Jason had a similar type UW shirt. After our lovely breakfast, Mike and Jason switched shirts in the gentleman's room for the picture in the last post. :) Saying goodbye was sad, of course, but we soon found reason to meet again after we left. Before getting on the freeway I remembered something we had forgotten to return to him, so we returned briefly to his house. Second goodbyes are always better!

I didn't drive much on our way back west that day. We went through a lot of boring country, but not before stopping at Elk City, OK, for the National Hwy 66 Museum. They had a very neat, 20 minute documentary about the evolution of transportation in America and the importance of Route 66. Back on the road, Jason drove all the way to Amarillo, TX, where we switched. I kept on until Albuquerque, NM, where Meg took over until we reached Grants, NM, nearer the AZ border.

On Thursday the 19th, we visited a privately owned "Meteor Crater" not too far into Arizona. The crater itself was very impressive, but the commercialism sickened me a little. I was sorry the US Parks couldn't take over this, as it's on private land. This day was full of cataclysmic holes in the ground... next stop was the Grand Canyon. We found a snack in Flagstaff and then took off on the long loop to the South Rim of the park. Before this day I had only seen the Canyon from 14,000 feet; when you're on the edge of it, it's incomparable. Magnificent. Outstanding. Breathtaking. Grand! We stopped at the tower, built at one overlook in the 1930's for the highest views. This was great! Along the highway, there were a few turnouts, and at the first we had a wonderful view. Meg and Jason spent their time getting as close to the edge as they dared. I stayed back a few feet more. :)

After looking at a few overlooks and the visitor's center, we headed south again, out of the park. Just outside the shops and motels started instantly. One good thing was the IMAX theater, playing a movie about the canyon. They had fun footage, flying down the river just inches from the water and sweeping scenes of rock that we almost ran into. I loved it when they flew right over the edge and straight down! :) But most of the film focused on the explorers and early people groups that lived in the canyon. The Spanish, the French and finally the Americans, one group in particular from 1869 that traveled the entire length for the first time. The re-enactment was outstanding... they actually took three canoes and filmed actors going down the rapids... wow! After this we made our way back to Flagstaff and stayed there for the night.

Oh, the Marines.

Friday the 20th we practically flew across Arizona. We left super early in the morning because we had heard from Zac the day before and found out he was getting off work at noon. And we made it there by noon. A lot of driving in the blazing sun. We did get to see Saguaro Cactus forests though, in the mountains between Flagstaff and Phoenix. I've always wanted to! But coming to Phoenix and to Yuma is nothing but flat nothing interrupted by a few low mountains.

But when we got there, he found out they were keeping him at work until his usual quitting time, even though he put in extra duty this week in order to get off. We were waiting to eat lunch with him, but that turned into a few snacks and then into dinner with him when he finally arrived at 4:30. It was great to see him, but darn it! they keep starting us off on the wrong foot! The bad thing about it is that it obviously bugs him a bunch. And the weather! Oh, the weather. 110+ when we arrived, and stayed that way throughout. Felt like walking inside an oven. We were able to enjoy his company for Friday evening, all day Saturday, and half of Sunday though. It was great to visit, even though anything outside was out of the question. We watched lots of movies, some at the theater and some in the motel room off his PlayStation, like Sherlock Holmes (I was very glad to finally see it!). We played cards, went shopping once and ate out a lot. Did In & Out Burger, Outback Steakhouse and Chili's (another first for me). And with all the time he had to be at his base we did a bit of relaxing as well (my poor brother!). I hope we encouraged him a little (I think we did... he was glad to see us).

Monday the 23rd we drove like mad from Yuma to half-way up California. We finished the Jasper Fforde book that Meg has been reading to us as we were pulling away from LA (a good ending! hurrah!). We filled the tank in El Centro (near Yuma) and didn't stop until just before LA (thankfully, we avoided the city). I drove all the way to Fresno, where we rearranged our plans (as I said above). So I have caught you up.

(Second half of this post brought to you from Medford, OR, where we have stopped for the night. We're "couch surfing" - how strange - at a very nice couple's home. Spent an hour and a half just visiting and chatting. We are their first guests! Oh, and we did meet Meg's friend for lunch... we had a very authentic Chinese meal. A very good time, really.)

Jp