Food and art...what could be better?

I skipped any kind of breakfast this morning and opted instead to have brunch... Pink's Hot Dogs! I was SO ready for it! I had eaten Pink's famous chili dogs twice on previous road trips and I was craving it again. When I got there right after they opened at 9:30 am, I was the second customer of the day. I ordered 2 dogs and a side of onion rings, and took the food to a nearby park to enjoy. SO GOOD! I ate one chili dog and saved the other for a future meal...after I leave town! Yes, it's good microwaved!

I had four museums on my schedule for the day...not that I was actually thinking I could see them all. I like options and I plan ahead of time so I always have someplace to go. First on my list was the Chinese American Museum in downtown Los Angeles. Once I was in the vicinity, I realized I needed to find someplace to park. Every nearby lot seemed to be full. I went round and round in circles, then finally gave up in frustration. I went on to the next museum on the list...The Geffen Contemporary in Little Tokyo. Again, I had to move on...it was closed for renovation. I had already wasted an hour doing nothing! I drove a short distance to the main Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA...finally, success! I like modern or contemporary art as opposed to the older stuff...anything before the 1800s doesn't interest me much. Too many portraits, landscapes and still life, which simply bores me. With different mediums, styles and themes, contemporary art is just...more creative.

The MOCA had some nice pieces by well-known contemporary artists...Jackson Pollack, Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein. But, I wanted more. My last museum of the day was the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. This is THE main art museum in Los Angeles...and they had a LOT of modern art there. I was awed by the impressive collection of Picassos. And, like the MOCA, they also had their fair share of Warhols, as well as Henri Matisse and single works by Georgia O'Keefe and Winslow Homer. But, what really made my day was seeing two paintings by my favorite contemporary artist, Rene Magritte. The Treachery Of Images (Ceci n'est pas une pipe) and The Liberator (seen above) graced the walls of the museum. It was quite a thrill. Now, even though I prefer modern art, that doesn't mean I don't appreciate the old masters. I was impressed by the collection of Renoirs, Monets, Gauguins, Rodins and Cezannes. Hey, I know a LITTLE about the older stuff!

After filling my day with art culture, I was ready for a good dinner. I drove to the nearby Los Angeles Original Farmer's Market for my Brazilian grill fix. I got takeout from their buffet and selected a couple of delectable meats. I made sure to get my favorite fried plantains! Driving back to my hotel, thankfully, I didn't stay too long on the dreaded Hwy 101. That freeway seems to be in a perpetual traffic jam!

One more day in Los Angeles, then it's off to San Francisco! Looking forward to one last day of fun...yes, it WILL be fun! No more disappointments allowed!

Ride to yesterday

When I left Yucca Valley, CA this morning, I was eager to get to Los Angeles. After visiting and spending the night in small towns, I was ready for the big city. My first destination of the day was the American Military Museum on El Monte. This place has a wonderful collection of old military vehicles, weapons and hardware. Some of the items were used in movies and TV shows. Afterward, I was ready for lunch. At this point, I was craving a nice bowl of ramen, and I got it from Ajisen Ramen in San Gabriel. The spicy beef ramen really hit the spot, and I elected to get a takeout of order of curry with fried chicken for dinner.

The most interesting place of the day was the Automobile Driving Museum in El Segundo. I enjoyed looking at the old cars, but it was even better riding one! On Sundays, they select a few cars from the collection, and offer rides to museum visitors. I had the pleasure of taking a spin in a 1941 Packard convertible. This classic automobile had a surprising smooth ride, and I was told it could actually go fast enough to drive on the freeways. I must say, it's the oldest car I've ever ridden in...my family owned a '57 Chevy when I was little, but this one tops that. The Packard was definitely opposite of the NASCAR race car I rode in a couple days ago, but almost as exciting.

My last point of interest of the day was The Museum of Jurassic Technology in Culver City. This eclectic museum is certainly unlike any that I've seen before. A mix of the bizarre, the scientific and the cultural, it's probably not everyone's cup of tea, but I found it fascinating. My favorite exhibit displayed old remedies and superstitions from times past. For instance, the cure for a child's bed wetting? A meal of toast with mice...with fur still intact!

Tomorrow, more fun in the Los Angeles sun. I'm getting kind of used to the rays, but I'll never get tired of the cool Pacific Northwest temps...and yes, the rain, too!

Beauty KNOWS pain!

I left Las Vegas this morning to sunny skies. I was hoping it would not be too hot today. As I drove west to California, I could practically feel my arms getting darker...I tan pretty easy. I won't be needing my Vitamin D supplements, that's for sure! I didn't have enough time to really see Mojave National Reserve, since my priority was Joshua Tree National Park, so I just drove through. At one junction, just as I was turning south for Joshua Tree, a sign caught my eye... Amboy Crater. Then, I SAW the crater. Hmm...interesting. I turned around and drove a mile to the viewpoint to take a look at it. Cool. It's described as a cinder cone volcanic crater, rising up from the ground. I took a few photos from afar, then continued on to Joshua Tree.

Initially, my plan was to see wildflowers at the park. But, it soon became evident there were no flowers in the areas of Joshua Tree that I selected to check out today. I guess I should have planned things better! But, all was not lost. I DID see the beautiful cholla cactus garden. This particular cactus might be beautiful, but it's also dangerous. The plant is known for its branches that can break off easy and attach to your clothing. The spines are particularly hazardous and can be difficult to remove from the skin. I walked along the dirt trail running through the grove and took care not to make contact with the cholla. I also took a lot of photos, including the one you see above.

I spent the rest of the afternoon admiring the numerous rock formations and stone covered hills. Joshua Tree is popular with rock climbers, and I saw quite a few of them enjoying their hobby. With no wildflowers to photograph, I concentrated my efforts on the rocks...and the Joshua trees. I ended my day at the park with a pleasant 1 mile nature trail to Barker Dam. Many people did the same thing, since this trail is particularly easy and picturesque.

Tomorrow, I make the drive to the big city...Los Angeles! Like my road trip has been so far, my sightseeing plans there are a mixed bag. It will be nice to stay in one area and not have to drive too much for awhile.

That's one off the bucket list

I had a mind-blowing day! I went on my long-awaited Richard Petty Ride-Along Experience, which took place at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. A shuttle picked me up at Harrah's Hotel & Casino, along with a guy who would be doing one of the actual driving experiences. Already on the board the shuttle were a couple from Florida and four Australian gentlemen. None of us had done the ride-along before, so everyone was pretty excited. When we arrived at the speedway, our group was given a tour of the Race Shop, where they maintain and repair the NASCAR race cars used for the ride-along and driving experiences. Then, it was adrenaline rush time!

Everyone was issued a protective driving suit...which was worn over our street clothes...a head covering and a race helmet. The workers there did a good job eye-balling everyone's sizes...the suit and helmet selected for me fit perfectly! There was one more important item placed over my neck before my ride...the Hans device or head restraint. This is a piece of equipment developed for drivers to protect them from fractures to the back of the skull after crashes. Sadly, this was brought to the public's attention after NASCAR racer Dale Earnhardt's untimely death in 2001. All decked out in my race gear, I was now ready for my thrill ride! I was led to the race car, and I climbed in through the window...no doors here! A worker strapped me in, and pointed out the emergency releases for my belts and head restraint. I was glued to the seat and I couldn't move my head much. The driver introduced himself...I think his name was Jim. At that point, a photographer took my photo, which would be available for purchase after the ride. In addition, there would be video cameras recording me in the car, as well as the car traveling around the track. This would be burned to a DVD as another memento of the day.

Then, the driver started the engine. It roared to life and I could feel the vibration throughout the vehicle. A pace car pulled out in front of us and we immediately gave chase. The race car quickly accelerated...and away we went! The speed was incredible...supposed around 160 mph...and the car literally hugged the banked track. The Las Vegas super speedway is 1.5 miles long with an incline or bank of 20%. As the car went around the track, I was rendered speechless. The ride was both exhilarating and scary. I found myself praying that we wouldn't crash, but I was also enjoying the experience. The car did three laps...and then, it was over. What an awesome ride! When I crawled out of the car, my legs felt a bit wobbly. It must have been the adrenaline wearing off.

After I got the gear off, I went to the merchandise trailer and found they mounted the photo of me in a nice plaque. I opted to buy it, and also ordered a copy of the DVD. After the ride, I decided once was enough, and I wanted to have something to remember the experience. I must say, now that I know what it's like to be in a NASCAR race car, I have a new found respect for the drivers who do it for a living. To go 200 or 400 laps around a track in a race car is a strenuous and stressful occupation, with a definite element of risk involved. Would I recommend the ride-along experience? Heck, yeah! It might be one of the most thrilling things you'll ever do in your life!

When I returned to the Strip on the shuttle, I enjoyed a buffet lunch at Planet Hollywood Hotel & Casino, then drove to the Tropicana for something less exhilarating, but no less entertaining. The hotel had a special exhibit called the Las Vegas Mob Experience...a audio/visual history of organized crime in Sin City. For a sawbuck...that's 10 bucks if you don't know...I found it to be amusing and informative. The first half of the exhibit featured live actors who brought to life the activities of The Mob. The interaction with them was fun, and made this experience well worth going to.

I ended my last day in Vegas with a trip to yet another museum...the Clark County Museum in Henderson. Tomorrow, I leave town and I'll spend the day doing some outdoor stuff. It will be nice enjoying the fresh air and sunshine. After walking through smoky casinos, I can use some cleansing out.

Pawn shopper

Left Cedar City, UT this morning with the sun shining brightly. All it did was accentuate the dirt on my Blazer. I did a previous internet search and found what looked like a good car wash in St. George, so that was my first stop of the day. Twenty minutes later, my ride looked great! If you want a first rate car wash, go to St. George Car Wash...they'll treat you right! A couple of hours later, I was in Vegas. After five days of eating out, I was craving healthier fare. One way to get that...a buffet! The one I picked for lunch wasn't the greatest, but at least I got my vegetables!

After lunch, I took a short drive to the most famous pawn shop in Las Vegas, the Gold and Silver Pawn Shop. If you watch the History Channel television show, Pawn Stars, you know what I'm talking about. I was hoping to catch a glimpse of the guys featured on the show, but they weren't around. Darn. I DID buy a T-shirt, though. I might stop by again tomorrow and maybe I'll be lucky enough to see them.

I only had a couple of museums on the agenda today. I went to the Nevada State Museum, which was pretty standard for its type. I appreciated their using artist's sculptures for most of their animal displays instead of the stuffed variety. I especially enjoyed The Atomic Testing Museum. This museum is about the development and testing of atomic weapons throughout history and around the world. While looking at the exhibits, I got to talking to one of the docents volunteering his time at the museum. He told me about his past experiences during the bomb tests in Nevada. I was especially impressed with a photo of President John F. Kennedy visiting the facility where he worked...and he pointed himself out in the photo! The gentleman was much younger back then, but it was unmistakably him!

Tomorrow is a big day for me! I'll doing the Richard Petty Ride Along Tour at Las Vegas Speedway. That means I'll be riding shotgun in a real NASCAR race car with a professional driver at the wheel. They say we'll hit 160 mph on the banked racetrack. I can't wait!

Mission accomplished!

I had the best night so far on my road trip...stayed at the Days Inn in Brigham City, UT. Sure makes one forget about the rough towels at "that other place." I left town and traveled south on an important mission...the quest for diet Code Red Mountain Dew. You laugh, but it's a serious matter. You see, the Pepsi Company stopped selling the stuff in Washington...and Oregon and Idaho, too. They said not enough people were buying it in those states. I like regular diet Mountain Dew, but I really missed my Code Red. While I'm on my road trip, I set some time aside to get some for myself and a friend...she also likes diet Code Red.

I stopped in Centerville, UT and the first store I checked only had one half case, which I bought. I was more successful at the second store...I bought FIVE more! That will be three for me, and three for my friend. Mission accomplished! I skipped breakfast to prepare myself for something I had been craving since last November's road trip... In N Out Burger! I lunched on a double double combo in Orem, UT...oh, yeah! It was worth the wait! I'll probably be doing In N Out at least one more time before my trip is over.

Back in my home state of Washington, the maximum speed limit is 70 mph. In Oregon, it appears to be 65. When I crossed the border into Idaho, it jumped to 75 mph. Now, this is plenty fast for me, but certainly not for a lot of other drivers...they were passing me. I found the same speed limit when I entered Utah, but I was in for a surprise. Apparently, they are testing out 80 mph in certain long, straight stretches of interstate. I encountered this today, but I did not feel compelled to increase my speed. I stuck to 75 mph, mainly because my Blazer just burns more gas the faster I go. I'm sure it's like this for other drivers, but they don't seem to care. You would think that with the higher gas prices it would affect their driving habits, but it doesn't seem to.

I only had one sightseeing destination today... Fremont Indian State Park. This park is known for its wonderful collection of pictographs and petroglyphs left by the Fremont Indians a thousand years ago. I had never seen rock drawings before, so it was especially fascinating for me. It was too bad most of the trails were too wet and muddy, so I wasn't able to see all of the drawings. But, I saw enough to make the trip worthwhile. I'll have to come back and see what I missed on a future road trip.

Are two heads better than one?

This morning, before leaving Boise, ID, I visited the Idaho Historical Museum. I had read that this was a great museum, and I wasn't disappointed. It IS a nice museum! Not the biggest, but it's filled with a lot of interesting things. There were informative exhibits on the Lewis & Clark Corps of Discovery, the Chinese during the Gold Rush, and the Peace Corps. The most unusual artifact there had to be the two-headed calf. The stuffed calf was donated to the museum by a farmer back in 1950, and it's been popular with visitors ever since.

I only had two other destinations for the day. Both of them were at out of the way places. The first was Minidoka National Historic Site in Jerome, ID. Unlike the more well-known Manzanar National Historic Site, this site only consisted of a few interpretive signs. Like Manzanar, Minidoka was also a Japanese internment camp during World War II. Americans of Japanese descent from Washington and Idaho were relocated here just because they...were Japanese. Minidoka has been listed as one of America's Most Endangered Historic Places. Now that's a shame. Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.

My other destination was Golden Spike National Historic Site in Utah. This park commemorates the first transcontinental railroad in the United States. It features authentic replicas of the two locomotives that met at Promontory Summit on May 10, 1869...the Central Pacific's Jupiter and the Union Pacific No. 119. The trains only run during the summer months, but I was still able to see the beautiful engines stored in their barn.

Tomorrow, if the weather and conditions cooperate, I'll be doing some more hiking. Museums are nice, but I like to mix things up. And, I'm looking forward to a bit of excitement when I get to Vegas. Stay tuned.

Walking in history's path

Before I left Pendleton, OR this morning, I decided to fill the gas tank. I had done some checking the night before and found one station had regular for $3.39...3 days ago. I thought it was still a good place to fill up, so I went there...and found the price hadn't changed! With gas prices spiraling up, I consider myself fortunate to get one last tank of relatively "cheap" gas.

I drove just out of town to the Tamastslikt Cultural Institute. This museum is devoted to the history and culture of the Umatilla Indian tribe. Having previously worked at Nez Perce National Historical Park back in the 80s, I found the two tribes had a lot in common. After an enlightening hour at the excellent museum, I continued on to my next history lesson of the day. In Baker City, OR is the National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center. This facility provides an in-depth overview of the Western emigrant experience, in particular, their travels along the famous Oregon Trail. The high point of my visit was actually standing on a section of the original trail. The wagon ruts were still quite visible, even after 160 years! You can see what I mean in the above photo.

I had a pretty good day up to then, but things changed as I continued east on Interstate 84. As I neared the town of Ontario, a charter bus zoomed past me in the fast lane. I had passed this bus going slow about 15 minutes earlier, and here it was, exceeding the speed limit. Then, the bus started cutting in front of me, barely clearing my front bumper! I laid on the horn, and the driver moved back in the fast lane. As he put a little more distance between us and moved into the right lane in front of me...a rock came flying from under its wheels. It smacked into the left side of my windshield, leaving a dime-sized star on the glass. I cursed the stupid bus driver, not only for his erratic driving, but also for throwing up the rock. After the bus settled in the right lane...he slowed down to the speed limit! What an asshole! I passed the bus and left him behind, but it ruined my mood for the rest of the afternoon. What did I say about good luck yesterday? I take it back...I think I jinxed myself.

Waterfalls galore!

When I left Vancouver, WA this morning, it was foggy...but, at least it wasn't raining! I decided to grab some breakfast, so I headed over to Portland's Pine State Biscuits. I had been here once before on a previous road trip, having discovered it through Historic Columbia River Highway. This road is famous for its numerous waterfalls, and my plan for the day was to see as many as I had time for. That meant going to the waterfalls that would not require to much walking to see them. My first falls of the day was Latourell Falls. I ate my breakfast in the parking lot, then proceeded to check out the waterfall. I followed that with Sheppards Dell Falls and Bridal Veil Falls. Then, the biggie...Multnomah Falls.

I briefly visited this waterfall in 2007, but just long enough to take a few pictures. This time, I wanted to make the 2.2 mile to the TOP of the falls. I had been told by a friend that it was well worth the hike, so I decided to give it a go. I soon found out it was going to be quite a workout to reach the end of the trail. It was a steep climb from the get-go, and it continued as I negotiated the switchbacks. It didn't take long for my calves to protest, and I had to make frequent stops to rest my legs. On the way up, I passed a young couple with a STROLLER going down. Pretty gutsy of them. One hour, eleven switchbacks and 700 feet of elevation later, I made it to the top. Needless to say, I don't think I'll be doing this again in my lifetime. But, it WAS worth the hike. The photo you see was taken from the falls summit viewpoint. Going back down the steep trail was easier, but still hard on the body...my knees and feet can attest to that! At one point, I saw a family taking a breather at the 4th switchback. The parents asked me how much farther it was to the top. Trying to be encouraging, I told them it was downhill from switchback #9. When I got back to my car, I popped a couple of ibuprofen to help my aching legs and feet, then continued on with my waterfall tour.

Horsetail Falls, Starvation Creek Falls and Wah Gwin Gwin Falls finished things out for the day. The latter was located at the Columbia Gorge Hotel, a historic landmark located in the town of Hood River, OR. After checking into my hotel for the evening, I made a rather wonderful discovery. Last night, I had been lamenting my misfortune at leaving my flash card reader at home. Well, while going through my things, I discovered I had my camera's USB cable! I can download my photos into my computer after all! So, I added a pic to yesterday's blog, and I'll be posting photos in all my future blogs on my road trip. Hope this is a portent of things to come...good luck things!

Splish, splash, I was...making a phone call?

Day One of my 2011 road trip...I'll call it the Bash Road Trip after the charity event I'll be attending in a couple of weeks. I only got about 5 hours of sleep last night because my final road trip preparations took longer than expected. After I got the Blazer all loaded up this morning, I went to say Goodbye to my cat, Kimi...but she was nowhere in sight. Kimi was hiding because she thought SHE was going, too...she hates riding in the car. I reassured her that she was staying put, and gave her a hug...a friend will be tending to her in my absence.

As with my two previous road trips, the first CD I played in my car was Five For Fighting's Slice album. It just gets me in the mood, and sets the tone for the day. The drive south went smoothly, with periods of on and off rain showers. It was because of this uncertain weather that I canceled plans for a zoo visit. Instead, I headed directly to Vancouver, WA and Fort Vancouver National Historic Site. In the 19th century, this fort was headquarters of the Hudson's Bay Company and one of the most important settlements in the Pacific Northwest. When you think trappers and the fur trade, the Hudson's Bay Company at the center of it all. By the time I got to Vancouver, the rain was gone and the sun was peeking through the clouds. I used my National Park Service pass to access the fort...I bought it last April and would be using it for the last time on this trip before it expired. I found the historic site similar to another one I visited on my last road trip, Fort Sutter in Sacramento.

Afterward, I went to the adjacent Pearson Air Museum. This facility in Vancouver is one of the oldest operating airfields in the U.S. I found the interpretive exhibits on early aircraft and aviation during World War I extremely interesting. Wooden airplanes that can break under stress and flammable hydrogen balloons makes you appreciate the brave men who took to the air back then.

I finished my sightseeing early today, which gave me the opportunity to pick up something from the grocery store for lunch tomorrow. With a favorable weather forecast, it looks like my outdoor plans are a go. When I checked into my hotel for the night, I realized I forgot something rather important at home. I always transfer the photos I took during the day to my laptop, and I found out that I didn't have my flash card reader to do so. Alas, no pics to go along with my blogs, at least not until I get home. Don't worry, I'll add them later. Oh, one strange thing I found in my hotel bathroom...a phone installed on the wall! This is a first for me...never seen that before! So, someone can talk on the phone while they're sitting on the throne? I guess.