Our third trip of the year was more of a trip of necessity than one for pleasure. That being said, we still made the most of it and had a really good time.
One of my best friends, Dan B., was the first of my friends (two more will soon follow) to abandon me and move to another state. Dan and his wife bought an amazing house in McKinney, Texas and this trip was to help them move to their new house. Since our daughter Corrianne is considering moving to Texas next year, she came along so we could check out some possible places to live. Cindy decided to stay home, so this became a father daughter trip. The trip took place over 12 days, so I broke it up up over a few posts.
Day minus 2
In truth, this trip actually started two days before we left for Texas. Two days before we left, Dan and I were at Burbank Airport.
Why you ask? Because we were flying to Phoenix to pick up Dan’s Penske rental truck. Huh you say?
First, if you are moving a long distance, you should use Penske. They charge a bit more per day, but there is no mileage charge. Plus, if you are a Seinfield fan, you can make references to “The Penske File.” If you are not a Seinfield fan, that last sentence made absolutely no sense to you. Now back to our Phoenix trip. So many people are leaving California (imagine that), and too many moving trucks are leaving the state and not coming back. So a one way rental from Los Angeles to Texas was around $3,600. Then Dan learned a one way rental from Phoenix to Texas was only $900. So we flew to Phoenix, picked up the truck where it was over 100 degrees before noon……………………
…..and drove back to Los Angeles. All in one day. And all while driving through cities requiring masks with few restrooms open. Joy, joy! But at the end of the journey, Dan saved over $2,000 just on the truck. So it was worth it.
Day minus 1
This was load the truck day. Dan, Cindy, and I , along with several members of Dan’s church, were able to load the 26 foot moving truck in less than 4 hours.
Day 1
Day 1 started our journey east toward McKinney, Texas. This was to be our view for the next three days and 1,400 miles.
And the best part? The truck typically was only able to go between 55 and 60 miles per hour. Oh yea. Finally getting on roads with a 75 mph speed limit and driving 60 or less.
The first leg was a 450 mile jaunt to Flagstaff, Arizona. Our first stop was for lunch in Yermo, California at Eddie’s World. If you have ever driven north on the 15 freeway just past Barstow and passed the GIANT milkshake looking building on the east (right) side of the freeway, that is Eddie’s World. I have always wanted to stop there, so this time we were able to. It is a giant candy store that is also a mini food court and has several restrooms for wary travelers. The food was not bad, and the candy selection was amazing.
We continued on and drove over the Colorado River into Arizona.
That evening we had dinner in Williams, Arizona at the Historic Brewing Company. Two interesting facts. Williams is the gateway to the Grand Canyon and even though we ate at a brewery, Dan does not drink alcohol.
Day 2
Day two saw us enter New Mexico.
Our first stop in New Mexico was at the Geronimo Trading Post.
They had beautiful hand made jewelry, so Cindy ended up with a nice jewelry surprise.
Stop number two was in the town of Mesita. So what is in Mesita? Only the greatest selection of pickles to ever be offered at a gas station.
Yes, you read that correctly. Kool-aid flavored pickles. The only thing wrong with this display was I had to pass due to dietary concerns. A long story that will not be shared here and a sad moment for me indeed.
In an effort to overcome my lack of flavored pickles depression, our next stop was Bowlin’s Flying C Ranch.
This was quite the shopping extravaganza. They had everything including an $800 giant box of fireworks! Yes, another thing I really wanted and could not have.
The rest of the drive was pretty much uneventful.
We spent the night in Tucumcari, New Mexico. Tucumcari is a Greek word that loosely translates to “Lots of wind and dust.” Other than constant strong wind, there really isn’t a whole lot there. Since I could not remember the town’s name, I called it chimichurri.
Day 3
Do you know what this is?
Here is a hint. This is the service guy trying to get the keys out of the locked cab!
So after a slight delay, we were back on the road. So what are the odds you could lock the keys in a moving truck while it is running and the driver’s door requires the key to lock it so you do not lock the keys in it? 100%!!
Next stop, the great state if Texas.
In Texas, there are two interesting roadside features not found in other states we have visited.
First is the “Safety Rest Area.” Most states have small rest areas where you can pull over, use a hopefully clean restroom, and catch a few winks if you like. These are amateurs compared to the Texas version. In Texas, the Safety Rest Areas have tornado shelters, small museum like displays, several restrooms, spacial pet walking areas, and tons of parking.
I found the second roadside feature quite confusing.
Yes, they are called “Picnic Areas.” And they are exactly that. An area on the side of the freeway with covered picnic tables, trash cans, and NO restrooms. I was not aware there was a need to have a meal while sucking up exhaust fumes and holding in all of your bodily functions.
Our second stop was at the Cadillac Ranch just outside of Amarillo.
The Cadillac Ranch is an area where several old Cadillacs are buried nose down. Admission is free, and you can buy cans of spray paint to add your “art” to the cars. On the day we visited, the wind was howling so spray paint and dust were everywhere. If you have never seen this, it is worth the stop. Once you have seen it, the next time you can drive by. Like this………………..
We made it to McKinney Texas without incident, got checked into our hotel, and got some shut eye so we would be ready to unload the truck the next day.