I write this from the hot and humid comfort of Tampa, Florida. While I sincerely enjoyed my time in LA, circumstances have brought me back home... for now. Here are a few of the adventures along the long road home. (How long you may wonder? 2, 592 miles to be exact)
I was fortunate enough to head to Venice Beach to watch the Fourth of July fireworks with a few friends. It was a pretty spectacular show.
The next few days I tried to get my fill of things I would be leaving behind, here is a panoramic view (thanks to a new app) from my favorite hike up to the Griffith Observatory. This isn't quite to the top, there is still one more pretty steep climb, but it's still a good shot.
A few days later I started packing and getting ready for the drive back home. Danielle was awesome enough to agree to fly out and accompany me on the road trip.
On my last day in LA before we headed back, we got to see The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. We weren't allowed to take any picture inside, but it was a pretty awesome show, Steve Carell, Jane Lynch and a younger comedian were the guests. It was a HILARIOUS show.
Our first potty stop on the way outside of California was close to the California Arizona border. (For those of you that don't do cross country trips often, it is imperative that you take advantages of restroom stops prior to Arizona because ALL of their rest stops are closed.) We left BEAUTIFUL 76 degree LA weather and when I stepped out of the car a measly 3 hours later to take this picture, it was 100 degrees and climbing. It's a beautiful view though.
About an hour later in the car we recorded this... yep... thank goodness for air conditioning.
We made a stop at the National Petrified Forest (also referred to as the painted desert). Thanks to my new panoramic app you guys also get to experience these beautiful views. I asked the guide how far in we had to drive to "see anything" she said that two miles in was an adobe house. Here is our first stop, about a quarter of a mile in. WOW!
Stop #2, I'm a giant. :-)
The house the girl mentioned. I would live here... if it had air conditioning. The views are beyond spectacular.
The next day we stopped at Cadillac Ranch. Here is the sign at the gate on your way in. This is an eccentric millionaire's public art project (my kind of guy), where they strongly encourage you to leave your own mark on the buried Cadillacs.
The cars and the other "graffiti artists."
I really like when I am allowed to do "something bad." I've never been in the situation to spray paint on someone else's property in my life (you know, without it being wrong), I had way too much fun!
That's the car I wanted to "tag," but the mud around it was insane and since we had literally just started driving I didn't want to be covered in mud for the rest of the day.
The bunny is my sister and the crown is me. :-)
Our car.
Our next stop was at the Oklahoma City Memorial. It was awe inspiring. So much thought and planning went into it and I believe it was executed perfectly. Below you see one of the black walls, and you see the backside of the other. One of these was marked with 9:01 and the other 9:03, because the explosion occurred at 9:02. In between the two walls are the chairs that represent the lives that were lost and the reflection pool.
We finally arrived at our stopping point, Memphis, TN.
I was SUPER excited to be in the land of Elvis. I'm a huge Elvis fan. My favorite song that my poor family had to listen to way too much (a la Michele Tanner on Full House with Baby Beluga) was "Return to Sender." I LOVED that song. When I was in middle school my dad brought me home one of the Elvis clocks where his hips sway with the seconds and when my sister was in high school she got me a velvet painting (that our parents have not been able to locate since our move about 15 years ago). My lovely sister used to let me commandeer the TV for two weeks every summer to watch the Elvis movie marathons on TBS, that's the level of addiction. :-)
Here I am at the gates to Graceland. We arrived too late to go on a tour, so that I get to save for later.
Here I am trying to get a stealthy picture of the Elvis impersonator at the gates.
Walking on Beale Street. I LOVED this building. They demolished the "guts" of the building, but created this support system to keep the facade. Inside there is a courtyard bar. I really enjoyed how Memphis preserves its past. In the lobby of our hotel there was a facade of a 3 story building, perhaps the best lobby adornment I have ever seen.
Ahh, Guinness, the drink of my people... you know, besides Whiskey.
The next day was the marathon 14 hour drive back home. We didn't really stop much so there isn't much to share.
All in all a good trip with fun adventures.
