Halfway Home

We've spent the last two days driving through the American Heartland, on our way from Chicago to Prescott.  Yesterday, it was the entire length of Illinois, a corner of Missouri, and a dash of Arkansas to usher us across the Mississippi into Memphis, Tennessee.  Today, with Memphis in our rear view mirror, we drove through the northern width of Arkansas and well into Oklahoma.

With two more days of still ahead, I am wearily attempting to focus on the positive aspects of this long road trip.  There are mental snapshots replaying in my head.  The landscape went by too quickly to capture these scenes with a camera, but they will be some of the highlights of this trip...

Crimson Clover

• Farmers in Caterpillars and Farmalls, planting crops on their acreage in the early morning sun.
• Red buds blooming heartily among the spring green trees by the highway.
• A herd of cows standing in a pond in Oklahoma.
• Swaths of Crimson Clover making vast fields of grass blush a wine color.
• Beautiful chestnut horses grazing in a hilly field of yellow wildflowers.

I'm pooped, and not partiularly looking forward to another two days in the car, but we really enjoyed the hospitality extended by our dear friend Dave in Memphis last night.  Tonight we'll walk across the parking lot from the Hampton Inn in Yukon, Oklahoma (Garth Brooks' hometown) to have some Italian food.  By early afternoon on Saturday we'll arrive in Prescott - our new home.  We can't wait to put down real roots there.

Tour of I-55, I-44, and I-40

We just arrived in Prescott, AZ after a road trip of almost 2000 miles.  Our Subaru Forester (which we love) faithfully hummed from Chicago to St Louis to Oklahoma City to Albuquerque to Prescott.  Along the way we had side trips to Santa Fe and through the Petrified Forest National Park and Painted Desert in eastern Arizona.  It was a really good trip.

In St Louis, we visited Ron's brother Tim, his wife Emily, and their son Kyle.  (Sorry we missed Logan, who is hard at work in a summer program at the University of Minnesota, sandwiched in between his internship at the University of Wisconsin.)  It was lovely to catch up with the "St Louis Baileys", see the newly renovated kitchen, play cornhole in the back yard, and share a yummy dinner.  Thanks for being such great hosts!

Next was an overnight in Oklahoma City, which we had never visited before.  We stayed at the Skirvin Hilton, a renovated historic hotel - and it was fabulous!  The hotel was beautiful, perfectly located downtown, and the staff was very friendly and helpful.  For dinner, we took a recommendation from the bellman, and walked over to Graham Elliot's "Red Prime".  The restaurant itself was unexpectedly contemporary in design, and the food (particularly my steak) was perfect.  Not cheap - but a great meal and experience.  We also made time to visit the Oklahoma City National Memorial, at the site of the bombing of the Murrow Building.  The memorial is well conceived, beautiful, and very moving.  (Photo of one of the gates and the reflecting pool at left.) 

Monday morning, we were off to Albuquerque - a city with which we are fairly familiar, and do enjoy.  There we stayed (2 nights) at the Hampton Inn & Suites Coors Road, near I-40.  Ron and I decided that the room we had wins the prize as the noisiest room ever!  The air conditioning roared, some weird sound from the ceiling above our top floor rumbled loudly, and the shower emitted a high-pitched whine.  The hotel was full, so they couldn't move us.  We had to put on headphones and listen to music to go to sleep.  Nonetheless, we enjoyed our visit which included dinner in Old Town (Church St Cafe) and lunch the next day in Santa Fe (La Casa Sena).

Fairly rested after two nights in the same place, we took off for Prescott.  Along the way, we saw signs for Petrified Forest National Park and decided, "Why not?"  The park has a 28-mile road, along which there are numerous stopping points to enjoy the views and short walks on paved trails.  We were wowed by the Painted Desert (at right), and the large sections of petrified wood from prehistoric fallen logs (in the foreground in the photo below).  The broken logs, now stone and crystal, reminded us of the ruins of pillars at the Forum in Rome. Interesting that one is the remains of what nature created, and the other is from a creation by man.  Both are magnificent. 

Now we're in Prescott, ready to work on our home and enjoy some summer fun at Talking Rock Ranch!

4,525 Miles on the Highway

We arrived home yesterday afternoon after a long road trip through Illinois, Tennessee, Arkansas, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, and back through Illinois. Over 4500 miles of driving to get somewhere and see things. Over 4500 miles of gas, food, and potty stops and hotel overnights – all narrated by that annoying, know-it-all GPS voice.

Ron and I also had hours and days to talk, listen to music, and log new experiences that add to the rich texture of our life together. We laughed and sang and read billboards out loud. I gasped at the discovery of a home we want in Prescott, at my first eyeful of the Grand Canyon, and at an unexpected close up sighting of mule deer in the snow. I sighed at the sight of so many beautiful colors and vistas in New Mexico, Arizona, and Colorado, and (I admit) in dismay a few times when I had to get back in the car for more road time.

The most relaxing times were when we stopped for more than one night in one place. We had two nights in Albuquerque, four nights in Prescott, and three nights in Santa Fe. Those stays gave us a chance to see and do more; exploring restaurants new to us, shopping at local places, sneaking in nine holes of golf, and enjoying the hospitality of our lodging hosts. Fellow guests at the Pleasant Street Inn B & B in Prescott provided unexpected pleasure with their stories and friendly openness. The Hilton in Santa Fe upgraded us into a very comfortable casita, where we enjoyed the warmth of fireplaces (yes, two!) and a jetted tub.

The funniest thing is that we planned this trip to escape the last gasps of winter in Chicago, yet encountered snow in both Albuquerque and Santa Fe. So we bundled up in layers and kept going! Our return was delayed one day by reports of road closures due to an icy mountain pass from New Mexico into Colorado on Interstate 25. Nonetheless, we soaked up enough sun and warmth to help us survive until it warms up in Chicago.

All in all, a great trip spanning many miles. I’m so glad to have the freedom to spend time this way.

Lovin' The American West

What a time we’re having out West! We spent the last week driving through and staying in New Mexico (Albuquerque) and Arizona (Prescott, Jerome, Sedona, & Grand Canyon National Park). The time passed so quickly… In Albuquerque, we shopped and dined, and revisited a planned community we looked at last year. We also looked at homes in Prescott, played golf, and decided that this could very possibly be our next home in a few years. The piece de resistance was seeing, for the first time, the grandeur of the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. It can’t be effectively captured by a camera, which isn’t a surprise because it almost can’t be absorbed visually in person. I’m so glad we went, and wish we had planned to stay longer. If you haven’t experienced a stay in a lodge at one of our National Parks – it is a uniquely special experience. Reject the local Best Western or other franchise, and stay at one of the lodges on park property. Rub elbows with visitors from around the world and be proud that they are enjoying our beautiful country.

We head back East this morning, with much to remember and consider. There’s a house in Prescott that could be our next home – but we need to quell a heady emotional response and carefully weigh the pros and cons. When you are in your 50’s, it’s hard to visualize and plan for the days when some design features (such as stairs) will become a logistical issue. Will what seems attractive now still be appealing in 20 years? We really have to think about it.

The best way to sign off this week is with a few of our images from Arizona. So beautiful and so easily accessible. Be sure to make an opportunity to visit this lovely desert locale. And us? We’re on to Santa Fe this morning for a little more of the American West.

"Friends Everywhere"

Back in 1982, I was offered a new job and a transfer by Hilton. It required me to move from Chicago to Dallas. Although excited by the opportunity, I was hesitant to leave Chicago and all my friends. But I got great advice from my boss, Bob Wishon. The first nugget was to have a good reason if I turned it down, because I would eventually stop getting offers. The other was something like, “The great thing about moving around for the hotel business is that you end up with friends everywhere”. I took the leap and began a new adventure in Dallas.

Earlier this week, Ron and I started a long distance road trip. We headed south through Illinois, and made our first stop in our former home city of Memphis. There we met a group of good friends for Happy Hour, and enjoyed lots of hugs and laughter. That night, we were overnight guests at our good friend Dave’s home. I wish we could have stayed longer. But we were on the road again the next morning.

The next evening, we arrived in Dallas to visit our dear friends, the Gradidges. We’ve known them for twenty years. Although it’s been almost 16 years since we left Dallas, we have remained close friends who visit with each other several times each year. That night we had a lovely dinner together, and stayed as guests in their home.

Bob Wishon’s advice was right… I moved three times during my career with Hilton (Chicago to Dallas, Dallas to Las Vegas, Las Vegas to Memphis), and each time we met wonderful people who have continued to be good friends. We treasure every one of them.

Just a road trip footnote: We faced threatening weather driving from Dallas through Wichita Falls. Concerned, we tuned into the Weather Band on the car radio. The National Weather Service did not alleviate our concerns as they were forecasting rain, dangerous wind gusts, large damaging hail, tornadic winds, lightning, increased fire potential, and flying lawn furniture and trash cans. And we’re pretty sure we heard something about flying monkeys and “Auntie Em”. Fortunately we managed to skirt the storm and head safely for Albuquerque.

Road Trip!!

When my husband Ron and his brother Tim planned their annual hiking trip to Utah early this year, I decided to tag along. Instead of flying to Vegas to meet, we planned a multi-day drive. Our hope was to make it a leisurely trip, including sightseeing along the way. We loved the idea of having the time to burn on a road trip.


The Subaru was packed and we pulled out of Chicago on the morning of May 16th, arriving in Las Vegas on May 19th by way of Springfield MO, Amarillo TX, and Gallup NM.


On the 20th, we met up with Tim and headed north to Utah and Zion National Park. (Me at Zion on right.) We took a short hike together to a scenic overlook, and then went back to the hotel. There was a fabulous Mexican restaurant across the street from the Best Western in Zion. The weather was beautiful, and we ate on their outdoor patio with accompaniment by native flute players. That is to say, the flutes were the wooden, native American type (as opposed to the type you hear in a band or orchestra). There was a flute workshop in town, and some of the artists had gathered on the grounds outside the restaurant to “jam” for the evening. Truly lovely.


The next day, when Ron and Tim took off, I headed to Mesquite, NV for 2 days at a resort/spa. The weather was clear and hot, and I enjoyed a quiet and relaxing couple of days on my own. The guys spent their time doing some serious hiking in Bryce Canyon. We met back up in Mesquite on the 23rd. Tim headed for the airport in Las Vegas, and Ron and I headed back to the Lodge in Bryce for a night. He insisted that I see some of the sights before heading home. I’m so glad we did. Bryce is other-worldly, and a must see for anyone! (Ron at Bryce at below left.)


Our route home took us through Moab UT to sightsee in Arches National Park. Zion, Bryce and Arches are all very different and equally amazing, in their own way. Arches has rock formations that look as though they have been created by giants playing with oversized building blocks. Through the ages, the rock formations have been molded by nature’s forces into stunning geological displays.


After more than a week away from home, we were anxious to get on with the last part of the trip. Our drive home took us over the Rockies, through Denver, across Nebraska into Iowa and Des Moines, and finally back to Chicago on May 27th.


It was a great trip, and exactly the type of thing we looked forward to being able to do in retirement. In retrospect, we would take a little more time so that we didn’t have so many one night stops along the way. But it’s a grand country we live in, and we would like to see more this way. I just need a little time to recover before the next long road trip.