Almost forgot. It’s raining today, and it’s kinda cool outside. I GOT TO WEAR MY RAIN COAT!! 
Gah! Nearly two weeks since my last post. Where has the time gone? I haven’t forgotten about all y’all dear readers. Least I think I have some readers. I’m not situated in Florida, and I have a need to get bits of my life in order one piece at a time before I get to more fun things like internet surfing, blogging, TV watching (ahem I’ve missed 3 episodes of Vampire Diaries which totally … ummm … sucks).
I’ve not abandoned running. I’ve been using a treadmill here at my extended stay deluxe hotel, every other day, a 30 minute easy run.
About that Extended Stay Deluxe Hotel. I’m still trying to figure out what is Deluxe about it. I’ve never stayed in one before, so I have nothing for comparison purposes. Seems pretty ordinary. The free WiFi offered sucks. I can say that with conviction. It’s annoying. It’s also not exactly free since there’s a nominal one time charge giving you access for the duration of your stay. Since there is money involved, you’d think they’d make sure it actually works.
Enough complaining. In the spirit of the upcoming holiday, I am thankful I have a roof over my head and the company decided to spring for a month’s stay in this crack shack* … errr extended stay deluxe hotel.
* ok, it’s not really a crack shack. It’s safe, and that’s all that matters.
During my cross country road trip, I passed by or through a lot of places I’d like to get back to one day. I always have a list of places to see, and never enough vacation time. Some that I can recall from this past week of traveling are:
- Carlsbad Carverns
- San Antonio – spend more time here
- Natural Bridge Caverns near San Antonio – I had wanted to stop here but the visiting hours didn’t mesh with my travel schedule.
- There were actually a lot of historic site signs for cavern sites. Yeah, I think caves are so cool. I’ve snorkeled in an cenote in a cave and thought it was the coolest experience ever!
- New Orleans – spend more time here
- Mobile – I ‘d like to visit the battleship here. It was huge and looked amazing!
- Aviation Museums – I’d passed a few Aviation museums, and of course here in north Florida we have the Home of the Blue Angles. If you’ve never seen them and ever have the opportunity, a Blue Angels Air Show is an amazing thing to see.
That’s all I can remember at the moment. There may have been more.
Mister Q is happily splattered with bugs. It was a scenic week of driving and I really enjoyed making this some-what leisurely cross country trip.
Happy Motoring.
Biloxi, Mississippi to Jacksonville, Florida
I lingered. I admit it. Check out was Noon. I woke up at 10:30 local time. The drive and different time zones were starting to catch up with me. I think I walked out of my suite (I just like typing that instead of “room”) at 11:50am. A quick stop at Starbucks and I was on my way! The last leg of my journey was just driving the entire width of Florida.
Compared to Texas, Florida is a narrow state. Driving I-10 took about 8 hours total (including stops). And that’s it. I’ve got the weekend to adjust to the time zone, and get settled into my temporary corporate living digs. (ugh!)
San Antonio, Texas to Biloxi, Mississippi
800 freaking miles and I’m still in Texas. Ugh. Will it ever end? I made a stop in Beaumont, Texas. The text between BubbaQ and I went like this.
BSQ: Stopping in Beaumont, TX for a short break
BubbaQ: What’s in Beaumont? It sounds familiar.
BSQ: Cows?
BubbaQ: LOL
And so it goes. Louisiana brought another change of scenery. I have to wonder though; at one point I was driving along a bridge that was over a huge ass swamp. I don’t know much about swamps, except that’s its not any place I’d like to go swimming. As I’m driving along, I see a sign for a camp ground. Call me crazy, but if you put a camp ground along a swamp, don’t ya just call the campers gator snacks?
After Beaumont I made a dinner stop in New Orleans at The Gumbo Shop. I had the best gumbo ever! For clarification, I’ve only had gumbo from one other place… and that was at the Cajun Queen in Charlotte, North Carolina.
From New Orleans I pushed on to Biloxi. By the time I arrived it was 12 hours later than I’d started out that morning. I was pretty tired. This was my first stay in Biloxi and I’d selected the Hard Rock as my stop for the night. I don’t gamble much. My choice was simply because I knew the Hard Rock would have awesome beds.
If you haven’t figured it out, I can be a bit chatty. Tonight was no exception as I started talking with the front desk clerk. By the time I had my room key he knew it had been a long day of driving, I’d never stayed at this property, I’d never been to Biloxi, I was from California (driver’s license check) I’d been on the road for 4 days (STRAIGHT he asked??), and I was heading to Florida for a new job. Whether I was just lucky or being friendly had anything to do with it, he mentioned in passing that I had been upgraded. Upgrade didn’t register.
My room was at the very end of a long hallway. I opened the door and my first words were “Holy Shit!” I’d been upgraded to a suite. It was bigger than some of the apartments I’ve lived in. On the way to get my luggage I wanted to thank the front desk guy …he was gone. Anyway, I was spoiled by this suite. I had the best night’s sleep of the trip and didn’t want to wake up or get out of bed the next day.
The suit had 2 bathrooms, a living room, a dressing area, a walk in shower with three shower heads (room for about 10) people, a jacuzzi bathtub in it’s own solarium area with windows instead of walls that overlooked the gulf. I think two dressing areas rounded out the suite. Whew.
It was the perfect end to a long trip.
Rock On!
Van Horn, Texas to San Antonio, Texas
A whole day of driving and I’m still in the state of Texas. From Van Horn on I am traveling a route I’ve not done before in my cross country adventures. I-10. I must say I have been pleasantly surprised. I-20 is a giant dustbowl with a lot of oil rigs. Smells too. Like oil. I-10 is nothing like that. The scenery has been pleasant. Lots of shades of green, red grasses, some leaves turning fire orange. A lot of butterflies too. Too many in fact. I’d say nothing short of 50 are smashed into the grill, hood and windshield of Mister Q. He could not be happier. Bug splatters are a badge of honor for MINIs.
I had wanted to stop at the Natural Bridge Caverns just outside of San Antonio, but learned that since it is off season, they have very shortened hours. Although Texas has a generous speed limit, which I stuck relatively close to, there was no way I was making it there by 4pm. As it was I rolled into San Antonio with just enough time to get a glimpse of the Alamo. I didn’t spend nearly as much time as I would have liked there.
I’m not sure why, but I really didn’t expect the Alamo to be in the center of a major shopping area. It’s like smack in the middle of retail central. That was weird. I guess I expected it to be off by it self a bit.
My hotel on this night is a definite step up from the last one. It’s 1970’s retro chic Holiday Inn, El Tropicano Riverwalk. I ended up with a room on the 9th floor overlooking the city and the riverwalk. I like San Antonio. I’ve enjoyed walking along the Riverwalk and taking in all there is to see. I have a very bad sense of direction. I’ve spent much of this trip just trying making my way around.
I find my time here too brief, and I’ve definitely put San Antonio on my list of placed I’d like to spend a few days … perhaps in the wintertime when the weather is mild.
Casa Grande, Arizona to Van Horn, Texas
One thing I like about traveling by myself is I can go to bed when I want, wake up when I want, stop when I want and eat where ever I please.
This morning I woke up craving scattered, covered. Now if this is a foreign phrase to you, it is hash browns as fixed at the Waffle House. Scattered means they are scattered over the grill which makes them nice n crispy. Covered is a slice of cheese melted over them. Say it with me now. Yum!
Shortly after I hit the road I hit up a local Waffle House. Ordered my breakfast and the waiter asked me if I wanted anything with my hash browns. Before he could even give me options, I said “Scattered, Covered. Of course.”
It was a good day of driving. Not much in the scenery department. I’ve now seen the desert of California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. Surprisingly each looks a little bit different than the other. I’ve had a little time on my hands to be able to contemplate this. 
As with yesterday, the rest stops in Arizona were closed. Yeow. Truck stops seem to have the cleanest restrooms. Just incase you are planning to make this drive anytime soon.
My lunch stop was in Las Cruces, New Mexico. When ever I think of Las Cruces I think of my very first job in the corporate offices of Miller’s Outpost. Store #141 was in Las Cruces. I remember odd things like that from that job. Much like to this day I know 501, 505, 550 and 560 Levi style numbers from memory. Cracker Barrel was today’s lunch stop, a good place for some home style cooking. Well not from my home … my mom is a horrible cook.
At the Border Patrol Check, I almost laughed when the agent stopped Mister Q and I and asked if we were American Citizens. I simply said “of course.” He patted Mister Q’s roof, laughed and sent us on out way. Why the laugh? Mister Q has an American Flag on his roof.
My hotel here in WBF Texas has the dark green 1970’s carpet. You know the type. The stuff you always make sure you have shoes on before stepping on it.
Great, just heard it. Seems I am near train tracks. Where’s my ear plugs?
Chino Hills, CA to Casa Grande, AZ
Road Trip - California to Florida
Packed up what is hopefully enough clothing and miscellaneous stuff to get me by in corporate housing until I find a permanent residence and have my household stuff shipped out to Florida. In case you have forgotten, Mister Q is a MINI Cooper S. Not huge, but if you know how to do it, a lot can be fit into him. Everything I had planned to take fit nicely into Mister Q. I knew it would, yet I found myself thinking “thank goodness I don’t still drive a Corvette.”
Actually if I did, there would be no way I’d be driving across country. My Vette got a whopping 11 MPG.
Anyway, after a stop at Starbucks (Grande Decaf Peppermint Mocha, non-fat, no whip), we were on our way. I left late enough to miss the Monday morning commuter traffic. But not late enough to hit the trash detail on the 10 in Fontana. WHY do they close down two lanes of a freeway to pick up trash on the side of the road? Whatever.
Once I reached Palm Springs, it became a boring drive. It’s all desert, which means nothing but brown sand, rocks and some joshua trees or cactus. The scenery was broken up by occasional road kill. (The only thing I could actually identify was a coyote).
A gas stop in Quartzsite, two rest area stops, and 8 hours later I have checked into my hotel for the evening. Score! As a kiss-up card member I received a certificate for a free drink and a free dessert. I passed on dessert, but of course took advantage of the drink.
So far I’ve not liked driving through Arizona. Why? None of their rest stops are open! I know it’s scorching hot here (It’s going to be 90 tomorrow), do people not have to pee in this state? Mister Q may be a comfortable car to drive, but even I need to stop every now and then to stretch my legs out.
I also don’t like that they use Photo Radar in this state. ON THE FREEWAYS! Obeying speed limits isn’t one of my strong points. (see Mister’s Q’s early days in TN).
Day trip time. Off to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library Mister Q and I went. I don’t know that this can be classified as a road trip or a day trip. I thought I was going to be traveling farther. The Reagan Library is in “the other valley.”
Portrait of President Reagan - made of Jelly Bellys
Simi Valley to be exact. On a Sunday, and hour and a half a way. The same drive during the week, probably 3 hours.
Anyway, it’s a trip I’d been meaning to take for quite some time. Ever since my friend Red Stapler Boy told me about his visits. He thought it might be a place I’d like.
He was right.
I spent almost 6 hours there, walking through all the exhibits and roaming around the grounds. There was more I wanted to see, and some exhibits I could have spent more time perusing. It was weird to be seeing so much of our history in one place.
I can’t really say which was my favorite part. The Salute to Heroes exhibit where I saw the bullhorn President Bush used at Ground Zero. The military displays. Hollywood. The media. The Oval Office. The artwork. Walking through the very Air Force One former Presidents have flown. The gardens. The view over the grounds. I think mostly I liked reading the personal correspondence and speeches. With each speech I read, I remembered hearing the President say those very words. It wasn’t like learning about something in a history book. These were all things that happened in my lifetime.
It was a nice way to spend my last day in California.
Berlin Wall - West Berlin Side
Today’s the first day I don’t have a hangover from cold medicine. Hope that means this cold is on the way out and I can get back to running soon. There’s a 5K in Jacksonville I’d like to do … at this point I seriously doubt I can even eek out a 5K run. That kind of sucks!
Speaking of Hangover … if you haven’t seen it, I recommend the movie.
