Barnstorming

YES, we are still happily married and YES, we would do it again.

The Raw Numbers:

We traveled for 37 days and 36 nights.

11 nights we stayed with friends and family, THANKS FOR YOUR HOSPITALITY!!

0 nights sleeping in a tent.
Average cost per night for hotels $112, including taxes.

9,063 miles driven.

0 Accidents, 1 close call.

0 Speeding tickets, no close calls.

Total Gas Bill approximately $1200.
Lowest price paid for gas $3.13, highest $4.13.

Before we left we played a little guessing game. I guessed we'd travel 3,346 miles (wow, how wrong I was). And, Lester guessed a more reasonable, but still wildly inaccurate, 4,624. Not sure what we were thinking on that front, but we wouldn't have planned it any differently. (That is, we didn't plan much and would do it that way again.)

We were "concerned" about last minute accommodations only twice. Our first night of concern occurred on the drive from the Badlands to Cheyenne. We had not expected to go as far as Cheyenne but there weren't a lot of places to stop in between. That wound up being probably our worst hotel on the whole trip. Surly front desk staff - both night and morning so they must be trained that way, squishy bed, lousy internet and paper thin walls were the comments we put on our only online review of the entire trip. The other hotel issue was Carlsbad, NM. If you'll recall, we wanted to see the bats depart for their nightly hunt from the caverns. We knew that at that late hour we wouldn't, couldn't and shouldn't drive far. Our initial hotel search produced a $350 Holiday Inn. (Apparently they are aware of this particular tourist attraction in their backyard!). Sticker shock rapidly set in, however, and with just a bit of effort we found a lovely hotel, not a chain, and well within our price range.

Follow up on the car problem we tried to get corrected in San Antonio. You'll recall our total satisfaction with the Subaru dealership we went to, North Park Subaru. They told us the car needed rear sway bars and bushings but they couldn't do the work in our necessary time frame as they didn't stock the parts. Upon returning home we took the car to our regular mechanic who replaced the FRONT struts, which were shot. The car once again runs like a dream; quiet as a church mouse.

We've been back for a week now. And, still feel like we did on that last day while driving home. It is nice to be home but would rather be exploring a national park or cute little town. This was quite an adventure and we are grateful we had the opportunity to make this trip. We look forward to more barnstorming in the future but expect it will be years and years away.

Some Q&A:

What was your favorite place?

A: The National Parks in Utah, all of them.

L: I don't know. How do you pick one? It is like picking your favorite child. I'll tell you which one, if you inquire offline - not for attribution.

What was your favorite meal?

A: Beignet and frozen coffee at Cafe Du Monde, New Orleans, LA.

L: Jambo Cafe, Santa Fe, NM

What was your biggest disappointment?

A: The Delta Blues Museum, Clarksdale, MS

L: What she said.

Where would you go again?

A: Madison, WI, Canyonlands National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, San Antonio, TX, New Orleans, LA, Savannah, GA.

L: Portsmouth, NH, Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame, Madison, WI, Denver, CO, San Antonio and Austin, TX, New Orleans, LA, Savannah, GA.

Where would you never go again?

A: Clarksdale, MS

L: Clarksdale, MS

Where do you feel you have seen it and done it?

A: Roswell, NM, Carlsbad Cavern National Park, NM, Tupelo, MS

L: Pretty much all of it except where "I would go again" above. I have confirmed my previous suspicion that I am more of a city guy than a nature guy. That said, the parks were amazing.

What is next on your Barnstorming list?

A: Canada, the Upper Peninsula, MI, the pacific northwest, and maybe a bit of Mexico.
L: The pacific northwest, the Upper Peninsula, MI, Northern California; above San Francisco, Toronto, Canada.

Finally we wanted to add some pictures that we hope you haven't already seen.

The Grounds For Sculpture, NJ.

Gillette Castle and its very funky red grout.

An abandoned military prison in Portsmouth, NH. It was about to be re-purposed but September 11th put an end to that. It appears talks might be restarting. They are proposing a multi-purpose facility with office, commercial and residential spaces.

A cairn at the summit of Mt. Washington (6,288 ft) it marks the Appalachian Trail

Our view in Vermont.

Relatively late in life, Frank Lloyd Wright began using these tiles as a signature of sorts on his buildings. Each is different and sadly only about two dozen, which are known to be original, exist. They're pretty easily counterfeited. Happily, two originals are at Taliesen East.

Remember the SPAM Museum?

A farm in Minnesota.

The entry hatch to the actual Minute Man missile. Used to access the missile when maintenance was required.

Lester up close and personal with some wildlife.

You just never know what you're likely to see when you are out barnstorming!

The Stanley Hotel, in Colorado, was the inspiration for the hotel in The Shining.

Beautiful and quirky Crested Butte

Torrey, UT. The view from our al fresco dinner table. So much beauty in such a small town.

Bryce Canyon's anthropomorphic formations made me think of the Terracotta Warriors of China.

The Terracotta Warriors of China.

A love gate in Sedonna, AZ buy or bring a lock to show your love.

Prickly pears at the Carlsbad Caverns National Park, they feed the wild boars. If you attempt to pick them without protective gear you will have incredibly fine needles in your fingers for days no matter how hard you try and get rid of them. Or so Lester tells me.