It doesn't seem possible, but here we are - back in Gulf Shores, Alabama. After nine months and nearly 10,000 miles, we've returned to where we first began our adventure in May of 2008.
For those of you who have been reading our blog, you know that this has been a wonderful and amazing trip. We have seen so many of the wonderful sights that make our great country unique. It is difficult to say what have been our favorites (everything has been appreciated), but both of us pretty much agree - the United States National Parks are truly sights worth visiting. Early on, when planning this trip, we weren't certain about how much time to allocate to these marvelous public treasures, and we wondered if we were planning on too much time devoted to 'parks'; but now we better understand. A week in Yellowstone, for example, isn't too much. It's just enough to allow the visitor to see most of the sights. And if one wants to take more time to explore - additional time would not be wasted. And of course, we both enjoyed the opportunity to renew old acquaintances with friends we haven't seen for years. And spending time with family has been like frosting on our Bounder Across America cake. So - for anyone wondering what's been the best part? We wouldn't change one single thing that we planned; nor would we be willing to give up even one of the many memorable sights that we've seen. It's been a fantastic nine months on the road, and we'd do it again in a minute!!
But now it's time to recap the past several weeks - and the final leg of our Bounder Across America Journey.
We left Santa Cruz, CA, as planned, on January 10th. It was a sad parting, after spending four months in the Monterey Bay area with Noreen and Susan and all of their wonderful friends. But we'd be lying if we didn't admit to just a bit of resurgence of wanderlust. The call of the open road was clarion, and so we had mixed emotions as we pointed the Bounder south and away from Santa Cruz. Our plan was to head as far south as possible in California, and then make our way East to Gulf Shores, hugging southern routes as much as possible to avoid any possibility of Winter weather woes.
The Saturday grew balmy as we made our way into Southern California, and of course, true to form, we found a beautiful beach where we could set up our picnic and enjoy a couple of hours with some of the good food that Noreen and Susan had packed for us. And of course we had to spend an extra hour or so just soaking up the sun and reading our favorite books.
When we started the Bounder up again to continue toward our Wal-Mart 'boondock' for the night, we were surprised to notice that the engine had developed a rather obvious 'miss' in its normally smooth operation. For the rest of the drive that day the engine seemed to labor whenever any extra effort was required to climb a steep hill or mountain road. The following morning, after an uneventful night at the Santa Clarita, CA Wal-Mart, the engine started up as normal, and continued to operate normally for nearly an hour - before the 'miss' again returned.
(And for anyone interested, that 'miss' returned from time to time for the next 2000 miles, for the most part whenever the ambient temperature warmed above 70 degrees. Other than that quirk, the engine ran as expected. We were tempted to stop and take the motorhome into a mechanic to have it checked; but other than the periodic 'miss' everything seemed fine. And besides, we were certain that if we took the vehicle in to be checked, nothing untoward would occur while in the presence of a mechanic. Mysteriously, for the final 500 miles, sometime after stopping in Beaumont, TX, the 'miss' never returned, and we arrived at Luxury RV Resort in Gulf Shores, AL relieved that the Bounder had carried us for nearly 10,000 miles around the country with nary a complaint. There was, of course, that one tire that for about 2000 miles lost 20 lbs of pressure each night and required re-filling in the morning. But that too mysteriously seemed to 'right' itself somewhere in Texas, and then never again lost another pound of pressure. We will, of course, now that we are stationary for awhile, take the Bounder in for a good 'going-over by a mechanic. So this then is the final 'mechanical' note on the Bounder's performance. The rest of this posting will be about our trip... PROMISE!!)
Our second night on the road was at another Wal-Mart boondock in El Centro, CA; famous for little more than a very large U.S. Post Office mail sorting facility. (Thanks to Susan for this bit of trivia!!)
The 12th of January saw us entering Arizona for the second time on our Bounder Across America journey. (The first time was in the northern part of the state for our visit to The Grand Canyon.) We stayed in Eloy, AZ for several nights - having picked Eloy because it was centrally located between Phoenix and Tucson, and we weren't quite certain where we would want to sight-see. Friends Kate and Ray live near Tucson, and they joined us near Eloy for our first night in Arizona. We enjoyed a great dinner with them - which after more than ten years, was filled with 'catching-up' conversation. On Kate's and Ray's advice, we were able to choose our two primary sightseeing side-trips for our time in Arizona.
On Tuesday the 13th, we decided to head slightly North (toward Phoenix) to Casa Grande. Although there is a town which bears this name, our real destination was the nearby Casa Grande National Monument - which was home to the Hohokam people more than a thousand years ago. (Interestingly, 'Hohokam' means 'the departed ones' in the Native American tongue. The indigenous people having departed around the year 1400, their real name is no longer known; and later residents simply called them 'the departed ones'.) The adobe-like ruins contain, among other artifacts and structures, what is now known as The Big House. (This will be no surprise for anyone fluent in Spanish who has already translated 'Casa Grande'). The grounds and all of the remaining structures are truly inspirational. Like Stonehenge in England, there is evidence at Casa Grande that the main 'monument' was, in addition to a living and meeting place, also used as a primitive calendar. Openings in the earthen walls are perfectly sighted to provide a vantage point for the entry of light during the Vernal and Autumnal equinoxes. The clear understanding that ancient peoples had knowledge of celestial mechanics always inspires a certain amount of awe. It's difficult not to feel that you are in a mysterious and spiritual place when walking through these ruins. Although there is no particular similarity (other than the observance of the equinoxes) with Stonehenge, the feeling of the two places is very much the same.
Wednesday we spent the better part of the day driving to Tucson and visiting the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum.The Desert Museum is a well-planned outdoor museum that is easily accessible for just about anyone. Although cacti form a large part of the attraction, they are by no means the only things to see. In addition to cacti of just about any imaginable shape and size, the museum is also a zoo containing a large variety of native animals, amphibians and birds. The main path through the exhibits is about a mile and a half long, and is an easy walk. (Especially on a comfortable day in the middle of a mild Arizona Winter. We can make no claims about how pleasant this might be in the middle of 120 degree heat in the middle of Summer!!) And for anyone who thinks that cacti are about the only things to grow in arid Arizona, there is also a large selection of other native plants (flowering and not) that round out the museum's attractions. It's difficult to imagine a better way to spend a day in the desert. We learned a great deal about life in the SouthWest from knowledgeable guides in the park, and couldn't help but gain a better appreciation for desert life.
(Just a note about cacti. For two people who grew up in the MidWest, the prevalence of cacti in the SouthWest is a special treat. Varieties abound, however we both have to admit that our favorites are the huge Saguaro cactus that dots the landscape everywhere you travel in Arizona and New Mexico. These tall slender cacti never cease to make us smile. For anyone unfamiliar with the Saguaro, these are the cactus that often appear 'human-like' - with arms raised alongside a footless body, as though waving 'hello'. There are, of course, a large variety of shapes and forms for these cacti, but most common is that 'waving-arm' look that seems to be saying: 'Howdy Pardner', in a very friendly fashion.)
Thursday we departed Eloy for two relatively uneventful days of driving - with two more Wal-Mart boondock nights (in Las Cruces, NM and Fort Stockton, TX). Unfortunately we had no real opportunity for sightseeing in New Mexico. But quite honestly, in this part of the state, it's difficult to see much difference from Arizona. But by the time we arrived in Texas, however, it was apparent that things had changed. From the moment you enter the state, with the constant visibility of the 'Lone Star', on every public building, monument and tourist stop, you know that you are in TEXAS! And America's second largest state certainly is large at the latitude where we crossed. It would be more than 800 miles (driven in nearly a straight line) before we departed Texas and entered Louisiana.
Saturday evening we arrived in San Antonio, for what was planned as a four day/night stay. (More about that 'four day' statement later.) Sunday we drove north to Wimberly, TX, where friends from our time living in England, Lynn & Joe, have now settled. They showed us the sights of the area, and we were both impressed with how much like the Mid-West this part of Texas looks. Beautiful countryside amongst rolling hills is the norm. We particularly enjoyed visiting Gruene, TX, which has a bit of the feel of an old-time western town. One 'special' stop was at Gruene Hall. This rickety and old-time Texas dance hall was the perfect place to enjoy a couple of Lone Star beers, and to listen to some good old Texas rockabilly music. (Anyone having seen the film 'Michael' with John Travolta will remember Gruene Hall as the location where the 'angel' spent a boisterous evening with some of the locals.)
(A surprising note about Texas. Coming from Wisconsin, we didn't expect to feel particularly 'at home' with much that we'd find in Texas. However, South-Central Texas is loaded with familiarity. Town names like 'Gruene' and 'Friedricksburg' and New 'Braunfels' dot the landscape. Even San Antonio seems to have a split personality - with half the street names being of Spanish origin, and the rest having definite German roots. The reason? In the mid-1850s (a time for vast European famines, which sent many immigrants to the U.S.) the social and economic conditions in Germany were right for emigration. A group of German noblemen secured a huge land grant of nearly 4 million acres in Texas, and 'volks' began to migrate West into America. Because America was at that time in the midst of war with Mexico, and most mass transportation had been sequestered by the military, a lot of Germans found themselves stranded in SouthCentral Texas after having arrived on the coast at the Gulf of Mexico. Being 'practical Deutschers', they made the best of it - and stayed. To this day, the German influence in this part of Texas is an unexpected surprise. Now that I think about that last sentence - is there such a thing as an 'expected' surprise?)
Over the next several days, we had planned on visiting The Alamo and The Riverwalk in San Antonio, as well as making a stop near Austin for some highly recommended Texas barbecue. As fate would have it, however, Sunday night Glen began a rather arduous saga of gastro-intestinal discomfort. (Is that a polite enough way to describe 12 hours of vomiting and 72 hours of diarrhea?) Not certain if this was food-poisoning, the flu, or perhaps something more sinister, just about the time that Glen was mostly recovered, Donna came down with her own (fortunately milder case) of what we now concluded must be the flu. It was at that time that we decided to add a few days to our San Antonio stop. By Friday and Saturday we were both mostly recovered, and decided to continue with our previously postponed visits within San Antonio.
The Alamo, in real life, looks pretty much how we all remember it from the Walt Disney 'Davey Crockett' film (that most of us saw as kids). Except for one thing. The Alamo seems so much smaller in real life!! Glen remembers the Texas 'monument' as being colossal (although Donna doesn't quite share that vision). In truth, the grounds really are quite large. However, there are more structures than what we all remember. It seems that the film focused mostly on what is, in fact, only the original church. The grounds and buildings have been restored or preserved, and there is really quite a lot to see and do. (But that church still seems much smaller than what I remember!!) Obviously, 'The Alamo' has a much more resounding meaning for Texans, because of the significant history that affects their heritage. Certainly it affects them more than it affects those of us who have never lived in what was an independent republic now wholly contained within the confines of the United States of America. A lot of the history of the monument (as well as of the state) is contained on placards that can be read as one makes the rounds throughout the grounds. We were also fortunate to have a guide who provided a wonderfully articulate and moving account of the events leading up to, during, and following Battle of The Alamo in 1836. Understanding the history gave us both a much better appreciation of Texas and Texans.
The next day was devoted to San Antonio's Riverwalk. The San Antonio River does, in fact, run through the heart of the city. However, The Riverwalk is a mostly man-made 'branch' of the river added through a canal system. This makes a lot of the downtown accessible from the water; with shops and cafes lining this stretch of the 'river'. We took a tour of the river on a barge that took us to past most of the major attractions; and then we purchased an all-day water taxi pass that gave us the opportunity to explore the rest of the waterway. For lunch we stopped at a Texas steakhouse where we ate on a balcony overlooking the Riverwalk, and then made our way to a small lagoon on the water where we enjoyed a desert of Starbucks and cookies. Then it was time to head back to the Bounder and prepare for our early morning departure on Sunday.
We had planned on spending several days along the Texas Gulf Coast with friends Kip and Brian from Minnesota (who are dividing their winter between Rockport, TX and Gulf Shores, AL) but because of our bouts of flu, this part of the trip had to be cancelled. So on Sunday we headed off to another Wal-Mart stop in Beaumont, TX - before proceeding on to New Orleans, LA.
Rested and ready to go, Monday Morning we headed East again; arriving in New Orleans on late afternoon of January 26. With two days of sightseeing planned, we made an early night of it - and Tuesday morning we made our way into downtown New Orleans. There isn't much parking available in the city center - and what is available is atrociously expensive. Being no more expensive than any other parking, we decided to use the valet service at Harrah's casino which sits near the Mississippi River at the foot of Canal Street. From there we decided to try out what is left of New Orlean's streetcar system. Right outside Harrah's one can catch the Canal Street line, which heads to the center of downtown - and a transfer point with the St. Charles Avenue line. The St. Charles line takes the rider into the heart of The Garden District of the city; where many of the beautiful old French and Italianate architecture homes are located. We rode the St. Charles line to the end - returning back to Canal Street where it crosses Bourbon Street. We then proceeded on foot through the heart of The French Quarter, along Bourbon Street. Many venerable (and well-known) old bars and clubs line this famous street. And with the closely packed buildings, adorned with masses of wrought-iron railings, a walk down this famous street takes one back to many pictures and films where we've previously seen Bourbon Street and The French Quarter. We then walked toward the river, strolling through beautiful Jackson Square before arriving at The French Market. There we wanted to sample two of New Orleans most famous culinary treats. First we went to Central Grocery - home of the original 'Muffuletta'. These hoagie-like sandwiches are (to use Donna's term) PERFECT!. We took ours to a small park along the river, and enjoyed the garlicky treat while watching the busy river traffic. Afterwards we walked back to Cafe du Monde for another New Orlean's original - beignets and cafe-au-lait. Sitting at wrought-iron tables along the busy street across from Jackson Square in the heart of the French Market district. From here it was just a short walk to the Riverfront Streetcar Line, where we were able to catch a car that took us back to Canal Street - right outside Harrah's Casino. After an hour of table action at Harrah's, we headed back to our RV park, only ten minutes away.
Wednesday we headed toward the Great Mississippi River Road to see some of the plantations that still remain there West of the City of New Orleans . After a bit of research, we had decided the plantation we wanted to visit was the Laura Plantation. By no means the most beautiful or majestic of those remaining in southern Louisiana, the Laura Plantation seemed to be the one with the best historic tour. Different from the normal image of a stately white pillared mansion, the large home at Laura Plantation is painted in bright primary Creole colors. This plantation, founded in 1805, was owned and operated for much of its history by a French Creole family. (In Southern Louisiana there is a significant distinction made amongst the residents concerning the lineage of the families. Many families come from French heritage; however Creole families acknowledge a blending with Native American and African American cultures. The family who owned and operated the Laura Plantation, although employing nearly 200 Black slaves, nevertheless saw themselves as Creole, with ethnic roots in all three of these cultures. The tour was, as billed, excellent. The guides share the Creole heritage of the original plantation owners, and lovingly and carefully recreate the history for the visitor. Although now only a small fraction of the original land grant size, the grounds at Laura Plantation still contain the original plantation home/office, as well as two overseer houses and several slave houses. An effort has been made to maintain small gardens that are representative of the time when the plantation was at its full operating capacity. All in all, the tour is highly recommended for anyone who wants a taste of Lousiana plantation history. Before we left the area, we did manage to find another plantation along the Great River Road that perfectly fits the image we all have of Tara from 'Gone With the Wind'. Before returning to New Orleans, we did stopped along the road and snapped a couple pictures of this stately home at Oak Alley Plantation.
On Thursday morning we embarked on the last two hundred mile leg of our Bounder Across America journey. Although only two hundred miles from Gulf Shores, AL, we took our time leaving New Orleans, and savored our final day on the road. The trip was uneventful, and the Bounder was running in top-notch form (the leaking tire and missing engine having abandoned us prior to New Orleans). We stopped at the Mississippi and Alabama Welcome Centers, but that was all. And so it was mid-afternoon when we arrived at our resting place for the next two months - Luxury RV Resort in Gulf Shores, AL. This is our fifth year stopping at this location, and many friends from previous years who had arrived one, two and even three months earlier were awaiting us. At the office we were greeted by Pat, the manager, with hugs for both of us, and sent on our way to our site, having been told that registration could wait. As we drove through the park, headed to Site 27, we were greeted with waves from friends. And as we backed into our spot, friends began to head in our direction for 'welcomes' and hugs. In many ways, coming back to Luxury RV felt like 'coming home'!
Now we are well settled in. We've had the opportunity to spend some time with many old friends, and have already made some new friends. In moments of reflection we can both look back on our nine month adventure as 'The Trip of a Lifetime'. Some folks ask if the high price of gasoline didn't give us second thoughts as we were beginning our Bounder Across America journey. Having given that a lot of thought, we can only say that this truly was the trip of a lifetime; and looking at it that way, if you amortize the cost of gasoline over our entire lifetimes - it really doesn't amount to much.
We have many photographs that Donna took during this segment of our Bounder Across America Journey. For your ease of viewing, we have divided these into two Picasa albums.
The first album is for our trip from Santa Cruz, CA through Arizona. This album can be viewed at:
The second album is for our trip from New Mexico to Alabama. This album can be viewed at:
We hope you have all enjoyed this edition of our blog. Drop us a 'comment' and say 'Hello', so we will know that you've been here. And drop back from time to time. We are already talking about Bounder Across America - Part 2. Who knows... we just may have to see if we can't 'top' the wonderful adventures we've already had!
Donna & Glen
2 comments:
Wonderful trip record. May it inspire those that aren't sure if they should finally get out there to JUST DO IT!
Looking forward to reading about your next big adventure.
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