Re: We're on our way to CAA
The Trip
On to St Louis for Crossfires Across America
On day one I hooked up with Steve (Wedge) and his son Tyler in Rancho Cucamonga, CA and headed out for day one destination of Flagstaff, AZ.
It was a pretty uneventful trip up the 15 to Victorville. Beautiful lush dirt and sand dotted the landscape (yes, that is sarcasm). Weather is clear with mild temperatures turning to warmer and eventually fry eggs on the hood.
The two Crossfires draw lots of attention and admiring looks as we head out the 15 to Barstow where we will change to I40 for most of the trip. We thought Barstow would be a good place to stop for lunch, but we are making such good time after a short stop we decide to continue on to Needles. Gas in Needles is $3.99 a gallon....ouch!
The drive along I40 is probably about as scenic as a cruise across the surface of the moon. Dirt, sand, followed by more dirt and sand and the occasional desert foliage that would best be described as weedlike (they probably are weeds). Joshua trees (tree?) are arranged haphazardly off to the side of the road. They look a little like something God might have picked up at the “create-a-world” factory outlet.
Every so often a little “burb” appears out of nowhere off the side of the Interstate. Do people really live there or was this a sentence by a judge with no sense of humor?
Cars are moving along nicely except for the occasional driver who “owns” the inside lane. This is the type of driver who finds it impossible to maintain a speed for more than a minute or two. They will not move over, it is as if they feel that lane is their own personal tax dollars at work.
They do know how to accelerate ........right when you try to pass on their right, especially if there is a slow vehicle or truck in that right lane just ahead of you. Even though they are driving a beat up old wreck, somehow they coax a velocity approaching the speed of light just as you pull alongside them to pass. The only thing capable of slowing them down is that lumbering vehicle in the right lane, the one blocking your progress. It feels like air brakes are applied as they pull even with those vehicles and somehow become “superglued” to the other vehicle’s flanks.
At this time the speed limit could be any number you choose and they will bring all the traffic following to a screeching crawl. Because of the vast number of people exhibiting this behavior, I can only assume many of them are taught this convoluted maneuver in driving school.
The only other drivers approaching this level of expertise appears to be some of the gypsy truckers. Those are the trucks following a convoy who suddenly pull around the slower vehicles. Their timing in impeccable, as they dart at a blazing 40 MPH in front of you while you are approaching 70 MPH. Quick reflexes can avoid swapping paint with them. Schizophrenia starts to set in as your personality splits into multiple characters. You start telling your other self what idiots are now allowed to prowl the highways of America. Even worse is when you start agreeing with yourself!!!
Settling back to the drive at hand we head into the high plains area of northern AZ with mind wandering and almost catching a glimpse of Clint Eastwood as the Pale Rider off in the distance. Wow, trees and plants after miles and miles and miles…..and miles of sand and, well more sand. You stare in amazement at the rock formations and catch a glimpse of creation in the strata formed by water and wind erosion. Some of nature’s most impressive artwork.
Suddenly piles of boulders lay haphazardly bunched with tiny trees growing from their rocky surfaces. I can almost see the dust covered Conestoga wagons being pulled by pairs of Oxen. Here we are zooming along at 75MPH cursing those not wanting to play “life in the fast lane” not capable of imagining traveling only a few miles in a whole day.
We climb a little farther and suddenly Pine trees appear. Lush green belts follow the shoulders of the pavement. The occasional pool of water is in stark contrast to the previous endless barren, sandy soil. More trees appear, it is a virtual forest of trees. Is this really Arizona? As we climb higher and higher the temperature starts declining and actually becomes bearable settling in the high 70’s where it seemed only minutes before were well into triple digits. “Well at least it’s a dry heat” I am thinking. I remember one of my first summer visits to Phoenix some years back when the thermometer hovered at 118 degrees F. One of my local hosts used the “but it’s a dry heat” on me. I countered with “the inside of an oven is dry heat as well, but it will still cook you till you’re done!”
Up ahead the sign reads “Flagstaff 6 miles ” “I have seen the promised land”. Surprisingly I have been both mentally and physically alert for this trip, not once did I awake to the “warning strip” symphony. But my back and bladder are both screaming “ARE WE THERE YET?” Anxiously we approach the reception desk to procure our room keys. Ever efficient, the desk clerk assures us that our rooms are ready and the beds are soft.
Just before arrival my daughter called on my cell and made a marvelous suggestion for our dinner. Seems she knew about a quaint little restaurant located in a Flagstaff strip mall that had been the subject of a Diners, Drive-ins and Dives segment. Located not far from the hotel we decided to check it out. Trusty GPS in “hand” (after all it got us right to the front door of the hotel) we proceeded to get fairly lost on the way. A quick roadside confab determined that “…it was back there somewhere”. With a new wagonmaster on point (not me) Steve quickly found our destination, “Brandy’s a Bakery Restaurant”. Located in a prime location within walking distance of a Walgreen’s we entered with anticipation. They will not win awards for their décor. However, the service and absolutely wonderful cuisine makes it a “must” when in Flagstaff. A little “confusion” of spices and cultures blended in an amazing way had us trying to find superlatives to describe the plates placed before us. You just have to try the Thai Style Pork Leg (real dish). Needless to say, we left feeling very satisfied. Gas in Flagstaff is $3.19 a gallon.
Tomorrow arrives a 7AM with another addition, tburris, to our troop on its quest to St Louis.
Last edited by SRT SIX; Jun 19, 2010 at 06:22 AM.