1st “steps” – DC to Stanford CA! (29 May – 8 June, 2011)

Our trip across the country was long and generally great.

29 May:  We left DC in the afternoon, driving south to Richmond where we had a brief but very nice visit with Judi’s aunt Thelma Allen.  She is looking younger every year and keeps a beautiful apartment.  We then drove on slowly through the Appalachians to Kingsport TN, notwithstanding some RV problems that began soon after we started.  (Our underpowered vehicle was even more underpowered than usual and the “engine control” dashboard light winked on after leaving Richmond.)

White Rock Overlook w Wes, Chrissy, and Joy

29-30 May:  We spent two delightful nights with Wesley and Joy Eastridge, young friends from medical school.  On Memorial Day we took a great hike in a huge local park – Buffalo Mountain City Park  – and then hit the tennis courts. It was great catching up – and Joy and Chrissy are both great cooks!

31 May: We drove up to Knoxville and visited our first Freightliner Service Dept, joining the other big rigs.  Four hours and $300 later, we drove on with a new Turbo Booster Resonator and renewed pep (relative).  We drove to the military campground at Ft. Campbell Kentucky and hit the low point of my trip.  We drive with the AC off to improve our good gas mileage (23-24), and the day was in the 90s and humid.  We drove into camp late, hot, sticky, and very hungry.  We parked in the middle of a field of poison ivy, and were set upon by thousands of mosquitoes as we tried to set up.  We finally found a working electrical plug, turned on the AC, and then must have overloaded their circuit as it failed.  We got it working again, but this time when it failed, the problem was in our camper and there was no reviving it.  We had lost our “shore power” and were adrift on a sea of poison ivy, cooking dinner in a 150 degree silver box beset with malarious mosquitoes.

Crossing the Mississippi in St Louis

1-2 June:  Fortunately the prior evening brought cooler nighttime temperatures, and I awoke in a better mood. (Judi had maintained her calm better than I.)  After breakfast and a much needed shower, we drove on, crossing the Mississipi at St. Louis  and stopping in Columbia Missouri to spend two nights with Kathy Brady and her impressive younger daughter Krista. Unfortunately we missed Bob as he was caring for N. Dakota family.  Kathy was Judi’s college roommate for three years at the Univ. of Missouri, and they have stayed very close over the years.  More great food, and on the 2nd, Judi, Kathy, and Katae took a beautiful 16 mile bike ride along the river while I researched and played at how to fix the camper electrical system. Columbia Missouri has an impressive network of city, county, and state bike trails crossing the state.

3 June: We left Columbia MO and drove 432 miles to a Roadtrek Truck Service Center in Lincoln Nebraska.  They couldn’t fix the electrical system but bolted our hotel-style safe under the back seat of the van. Talking to the truckers in these service centers as we crossed the country has provided an interesting insight into our nation’s trucking culture.   We drove on to Mormon Island State Park, just off the interstate, where we camped beside the lake at a beautiful site too close to the highway.

4 June:  Nebraska has an impressive series of protected lands and parks along the South Platte River, a major bird migration route. Drove about 30 miles to the Rowe Audubon Sanctuary and took a hike along the river, birdwatching.  This area is famous for the migration of Sandhill Cranes through the area – but that is in the early spring.

We drove on to Laramie Wyoming (483 miles and climbing from 1400 to 8600 feet, then back to 7250 feet) where we spent the night with Judi’s college friend Sarah Gorin, her husband Bern, and their two almost-grown kids Franklin and Marlis. It was great seeing Sarah after many years and meeting her fascinating family. The city was beautiful as their short spring had only begun in the prior week. Daffodils were in bloom and there were bright green leaves on the huge Cottonwood trees and the Aspen.   I greatly enjoyed the tour of Bern’s rock collection (he is a Geologist), and the tour of Sarah’s medical clinic for the underinsured in Laramie.  The salmon dinner and morning cloud pancakes couldn’t be beat.

5 June: Left Laramie around 10:00 and 413 miles later drove through/around Salt Lake City and, at sunset, besides the Great Salt Lake and salt flats.   Pushing on another 235 miles brought us to a Pilot truck stop in Nevada just a little past midnight where we filled up and slept  (surprisingly well) in their parking lot.

On the highway going through Nevada

6-7 June: Beautiful sunrise and skies for our drive through Nevada.  Cold – in the 40s – but great snow-covered hills.   Stopped for a break at an incredible rest stop (wifi, must move on after 18 hours…) just shy of Reno and then at 12:30 visited a Sierra RV Service center.  They were asked to diagnose our electrical problem with “shore power” but amazingly, it fixed itself.  They could find nothing wrong?!   So we drove on, none the poorer.

Later in the afternoon we arrived at Lake Tahoe – wow!   We stayed in the Fallen Leaf National Forest campground in S. Lake Tahoe for two nights.  It was chilly (had snowed the night before) but beautiful.  We biked, hiked, and took a beautiful drive around Emerald Bay.

Emerald Bay, Lake Tahoe

8 June: Left S. Lake Tahoe and drove the remaining 225 miles to Stanford California, arriving AT OUR DESTINATION for lunch.  It was wonderful to see Ryan – who was still wrapping up his spring quarter.   More later on our California adventures.