The ABCs of Starting Over- OR to KY Roadtrip + WDW 50th Ann. Trip 9/28-10/4; Day 6 and REPORT COMPLETE!

[Steppesister]

It doesn't seem like any animal could find anything to eat on that land.

I know! So little out there! Somehow they make a way.

He sounds like a fun character to run into out in the middle of nowhere.

He really was. A crusty old guy who was kind and interesting.

I think because you haven't gotten to Kentucky yet in your trip report it seems like you can't be

Slow and steady! It’s taking far longer than I’d have liked, but more thorough likely.

It sounds like a great place for the winter -

I think it’s going to be splendid! As you say, nice and warm! And no tornados!

 

[pkondz]

I want to see what’s along the way not just what’s at the end of the road.

Well I do too... but.

It's usually like this. I need to be at X on the 10th. I work until the 8th. That gives me two days to cover 24 hours of driving (or whatever). I then have 4 days to visit at my spot. (Could be Disney, could be elsewhere.) Then I have 24 hours to get home before work starts again.
I don't have the luxury of stopping and smelling the roses. Best I can do is maybe a quick pause at a select couple of locations and then glance at the roses as I speed past.

Such a shame! Get some travel time in!

Maybe some day...

It was like a$$ handler magic.

I’m not buying the carrot line. Loads of friends have had donkeys and they fed them carrots all the time.

Ah. But his donkeys live over 100 years!

There was a whole cooler full of various elixers.

My kinda place.

And he saved his bottle caps for souvenirs.

Cool! What does he do with them?

I’ll be going back and forth but BG will be my home base.

Got it now.

 

[Steppesister]

Yo, Y’all, just did a photo dump of Day 1-EPCOT, Seeing Red.

Link in siggie to other Report if you’re interested.

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Hello! Thanks for waiting for me :O) Wow the no tell Motel looks like some of the places my dad used to insist we stayed at as kids. My mom wouldn't let anyone take their shoes off and pulled all of the bedspreads off the bed. Didn't let the littles shower, just wash up at the sink. Bless her for putting up with that - and you are a Brave Woman, I may name you Meridah!

Glad you made it through the snowstorm and are safely at your Snow Bird retraet! I hope all of the mechanical things settle down for you. I think I saw the Disney pixie dust came through and you did get hired?

 

[Steppesister]

Hello! Thanks for waiting for me :O) Wow the no tell Motel looks like some of the places my dad used to insist we stayed at as kids. My mom wouldn't let anyone take their shoes off and pulled all of the bedspreads off the bed. Didn't let the littles shower, just wash up at the sink. Bless her for putting up with that - and you are a Brave Woman, I may name you Meridah!

Glad you made it through the snowstorm and are safely at your Snow Bird retraet! I hope all of the mechanical things settle down for you. I think I saw the Disney pixie dust came through and you did get hired?

Thanks Tammie, and yes I did. In Gilbert. Bit of a drive but I’ll survive.

 

[Steppesister]

Hi everyone! I’ve had a couple of really nice DIS meats here so far but I was pretty sure there was someone else who is here this week too.

Is there anyone here who would like to meet up for a quick hello? If so shoot me a PM and we can make it happen!

 

[missjackiemcg]

Hi, Liesa!!!
I've been enjoying your colorful days on FB, and somehow missed the entirety of this TR, only just realizing it was here last week! I'm all caught up now, and all I can say is WOW. You're inspiring me, with your incredible discoveries, to take the road less traveled next time we're road tripping on purpose---vs. stranded in FL and white knuckling it as far and fast as possible home to Chicago all the way from Orlando in a day!

SO much to comment on, but so far behind, I just enjoyed the read and didn't try to quote and comment. Thanks for sharing so much of this beautiful country that I have yet to enjoy in person! I really need to get myself west of the Mississippi at some point soon.

Travel safe! Enjoy the rest of your trip, and now that I'm caught up, can't wait to hear more about the travels of becoming a KY woman and beyond!

 

[Steppesister]

Hi, Liesa!!!
I've been enjoying your colorful days on FB, and somehow missed the entirety of this TR, only just realizing it was here last week! I'm all caught up now, and all I can say is WOW. You're inspiring me, with your incredible discoveries, to take the road less traveled next time we're road tripping on purpose---vs. stranded in FL and white knuckling it as far and fast as possible home to Chicago all the way from Orlando in a day!

SO much to comment on, but so far behind, I just enjoyed the read and didn't try to quote and comment. Thanks for sharing so much of this beautiful country that I have yet to enjoy in person! I really need to get myself west of the Mississippi at some point soon.

Travel safe! Enjoy the rest of your trip, and now that I'm caught up, can't wait to hear more about the travels of becoming a KY woman and beyond!

I’m not able to do replies at length until get settled into my RV, but Jackie, I’m reading and plan to spend some time catching up everywhere once I am able to get back on my laptop. I love that you, and everyone else, are here!!! More soon!!!

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

I have to say after reading along on all the latest TR updates I am a wee bit in awe of you! Good for you on all your latest adventures and starting over! I am loving the details of your travels and your new life. Glad your neighbours at the RV park are friendly and helpful. Crossing my fingers for great employment and many more adventures to come

 

[vamassey1]

I'm once again caught up. Enjoyed your Route 66 adventures but the Motel is still giving me the creeps. But it's all in the name of "Adventure" right?

 

[Steppesister]

Ah. But his donkeys live over 100 years!

They are special, magical donkeys!!

Cool! What does he do with them?

Um, I have no idea!! Displays them? Puts them in a souvenir death drawer? Who knows!

 

[Steppesister]

Hello! Thanks for waiting for me :O) Wow the no tell Motel looks like some of the places my dad used to insist we stayed at as kids. My mom wouldn't let anyone take their shoes off and pulled all of the bedspreads off the bed. Didn't let the littles shower, just wash up at the sink. Bless her for putting up with that - and you are a Brave Woman, I may name you Meridah!

Glad you made it through the snowstorm and are safely at your Snow Bird retraet! I hope all of the mechanical things settle down for you. I think I saw the Disney pixie dust came through and you did get hired?

LOL!! Merida! I like it!! Brave, though? Maybe dumb? Deserate? Cheap?

I'm safely here and LOVING it!! Absolutely 100% loving it. I have spend some of every day outside taking a walk or hiking or touristing. It's bliss. Living in an RV certainly has it's drawbacks but for the gain in nice weather? I'll put up with it.

I did get hired and had my first day today.

 

[Steppesister]

Hi, Liesa!!!
I've been enjoying your colorful days on FB, and somehow missed the entirety of this TR, only just realizing it was here last week! I'm all caught up now, and all I can say is WOW. You're inspiring me, with your incredible discoveries, to take the road less traveled next time we're road tripping on purpose---vs. stranded in FL and white knuckling it as far and fast as possible home to Chicago all the way from Orlando in a day!

It's all okay!! I'm not even that very far into this report and have SO much more! It was a wonderful trip and my son and I had so much fun together. We saw so much and it only made me want to travel more and see some of those places all over again.

SO much to comment on, but so far behind, I just enjoyed the read and didn't try to quote and comment. Thanks for sharing so much of this beautiful country that I have yet to enjoy in person! I really need to get myself west of the Mississippi at some point soon.

It means a lot to me for you to even read and let me know you're here. There is a lot to see out this way and at the very least I hope I've inspired you!

Travel safe! Enjoy the rest of your trip, and now that I'm caught up, can't wait to hear more about the travels of becoming a KY woman and beyond!

Coming up soon!

 

[Steppesister]

Okay, All,

I was having a poopoo-my-pants few days as my entire collection of Light Room photos just... disappeared. Well, I can pull them up through a back door, but ALL, as in all but what I've posted so far, of my Oregon to Kentucky Roadtrip photos are G.O.N.E. I thought permanently (and they are indeed gone in LR) everywhere as I formatted by SD cards thinking to myself, "well, you have them safe in LR, don't need these anymore". Stupid. VERY, VERY stupid.

BUT!!! I found them all in a place (Photos) that I didn't look before and to say the least am elated I can now resume your not-very-regularly-scheduled Trip Reporting. I am SO sorry for the massive hiatus, but moving and starting a new job is hard.

Now, excuse me while I go edit some photos!

 

[pkondz]

I was having a poopoo-my-pants few days as my entire collection of Light Room photos just... disappeared. Well, I can pull them up through a back door,
BUT!!!

I'm sensing a theme here...

I found them all in a place (Photos) that I didn't look before and to say the least am elated I can now resume your not-very-regularly-scheduled Trip Reporting.

Phew! Would've not been a very happy Steppesister if you had permanently lost them.

I am SO sorry for the massive hiatus, but moving and starting a new job is hard.

I can only imagine. Take your time! You've earned it.

 

[Steppesister]

I have to say after reading along on all the latest TR updates I am a wee bit in awe of you! Good for you on all your latest adventures and starting over! I am loving the details of your travels and your new life. Glad your neighbours at the RV park are friendly and helpful. Crossing my fingers for great employment and many more adventures to come

HI There!! I think I'm finally settled in and have shifted focus to starting my new job in the Endo Dept at Banner Gateway in Gilbert, AZ. One week down, 12 to do. Now I'm working on doing my RV makeover as well. Fun to see the progress!

 

[Steppesister]

I'm once again caught up. Enjoyed your Route 66 adventures but the Motel is still giving me the creeps. But it's all in the name of "Adventure" right?

That's right!! LOL!! More coming up very shortly!

 

[Steppesister]

S is for: Stuff to See (Or Not) From Ashfork to Sedona​

My scratching woke me up- the bedbugs had had a feast so obviously it was time to hit the road. Ashfork, AZ, while you might be the Flagstone Capitol of the World, you can do better.





I snapped a few photos before we left town to give you an idea of how has-been Ashfork is:









Even Mickey and Minnie were happy to leave!



Breakfast would have to wait as this was the day for our long-awaited Johnson Historic Railroad Tunnel Hike! YAY!!! We drove East on I-40 to the Welches Rd. exit near Williams and started down the Forest Service Roads as every guide I’d looked at told us to do. “Just look for the AT&SF Welch Station which will be marked by a concrete slab. Can’t miss it.”.

We looked for the next 2 ½ hours. Really, we did try. We followed the bumpiest, are-we-gonna-make-it sort of roads for miles and in the end had to admit our defeat. I was thoroughly disappointed and will go back someday to conquer that wild goose chase. We did, however, console ourselves in the facts that we: A) Saw some pretty cool stuff along the way, and B) Really did try our best and it was worth the extra time.

Not only did we see parts of Old Route 66 that only a tiny fraction of people EVER see:





But we spied some pretty cool wildlife too:









Yes, that jackrabbit was literally as big as a medium-small dog. WAY bigger than a chihuahua.

And some not-so-fortunate critters:



This one made me exceptionally sad! Those are GOOD snakes that we need around.



Honestly, it was one of the bigger disappointments of our trip, but nowhere NEAR the biggest one. That is coming up a couple days after this one. By now, we were both really hungry as we’d hit the road about 7 and by the time we headed back out of the wilderness and got back on the highway it was around 10:00 or something.

Backtracking isn’t something I generally do but in this case, it couldn’t be helped. Our destination was Sedona, AZ for the night and there were still several sights I wanted to show Zach on the way. First, breakfast! Prescott was a perfect place, and we found an even more perfect brunch at Carmella’s. I got the unlimited mimosas to go with my Croissant and jam, while Zach feasted on a smoked salmon scramble and toast. I also had a delicious latte and he had tea. It partially made up for the snipe hunt we’d enjoyed earlier. Tragically, Carmella's is now a permanently closed victim of Covid.





Next stop was Jerome, an old mining town where copper was once king. It has turned into a mega-tourist mecca with high-end art shops and wine boutiques. While I love that sort of thing too, we ended up at the Gold King Mine and Ghost Town. Basically, this guy Don Robertson bought the old “suburb” of Jerome, Haynes, AZ, and brought all the “good stuff” from Jerome and surrounding areas when the copper ore dried up. I can’t even begin to describe how much stuff is actually there!! It is a veritable treasure trove of antiques from entire trucks and buildings to the smallest toys that kids played with at the turn of the century.















There were some "pretty" photo opps too:




I was able to grab a photo of a replica of my new RV while I was there so I could show you!



I know there may be more than one of you that enjoys car racing. How about this gem?







There is a working blacksmith, the old schoolhouse, the Chinese laundry, live chickens, a mock mine shaft, a REAL mine shaft, and more machinery and old crap than you could ever imagine. Seriously, this guy was like the original hoarder, but this is the best kind of hoarding. We spent a couple of hours there just poking around and didn’t even see all of it, In the end we had to go, not only because we had two more stops, but because I started to feel a bit faintish from the heat. Best to get moving! In AC preferably.

Continued in next post...

 

[Steppesister]

...continued from previous post

Going from 1900-ish to around 1000AD, the next stop was Tuzigoot National Monument. While not nearly as impressive as Montezuma’s Castle ruins, it was still quite interesting to learn of the ancient Sinagua People who lived and flourished in Central Arizona’s Verde Valley 1100 years ago. Plus, Tuzigoot is just fun to say.



In keeping with the theme of Native American history, Montezuma’s Castle was next on the agenda.



I think this one made quite an impression on Zach. How could it not?! It’s a wonderful self-guided tour made easy with sidewalks and docents giving little informational talks at shady areas along the way. We stopped and listened for quite a while as one explained in detail what we were looking at. Others were there to answer questions at various points. Much of the cliff ruins is original but the Parks Service has reconstructed portions of it as necessary. The beams, she pointed out, are original and over 1,000 years old. It is speculated that climate change drove the people on to new areas.











This diorama was fun to see how it looked if all the walls were off:




Just like them, we too moved on as it was toasty and there was still ground to cover.

Sedona wasn’t too much further at all and since we were camping, I wanted to get there well before dark so we could set up.

It never fails to be jaw-dropping when I enter the Red Rock Zone of Sedona; it’s breathtakingly beautiful- some say the most picturesque place in the US. It’s basically hard NOT take a good photo. But I’ll let those speak for themselves as I leave off with some mouthwatering Nature Porn for you. I was going to try to make it through to the end of the day, but this old gal is tired and my bed is calling.











Until next time,

Steppe

 

[pkondz]

My scratching woke me up- the bedbugs had had a feast so obviously it was time to hit the road.

Very kind of you to host a needy family.

Ashfork, AZ, while you might be the Flagstone Capitol of the World

You'd think that'd be Flagstone, GA or even Flagstone Park, CO (or even Flagstone, Australia), but... noooooooo...

Whelp, okay. I guess they can have the title.

I snapped a few photos before we left town to give you an idea of how has-been Ashfork is:

Pretty... has-been, all right.

Love this photo.

“Just look for the AT&SF Welch Station which will be marked by a concrete slab. Can’t miss it.”.

We looked for the next 2 ½ hours.

Sorry... I'm sure it wasn't funny at the time, but...

I was thoroughly disappointed and will go back someday to conquer that wild goose chase.

Good luck! I'd be curious, if you ever get back there and find it, if it was worth the effort.

Not only did we see parts of Old Route 66 that only a tiny fraction of people EVER see

Cool! Now that's worth it.

What is that? Looks too far apart for rail?

Is that part of Route 66??

But we spied some pretty cool wildlife too:

Ah yes. Do not disturb the sleeping flagstone, lest they swarm and overwhelm you.

Cool little critter.

Whoa! Look at the ears on that jackrabbit!

And some not-so-fortunate critters

Circle of life?

Honestly, it was one of the bigger disappointments of our trip, but nowhere NEAR the biggest one. That is coming up a couple days after this one.

Uh, oh...

I got the unlimited mimosas to go with my Croissant and jam, while Zach feasted on a smoked salmon scramble and toast.

Wow, that sounds good. Unlimited mimosas you say???

Tragically, Carmella's is now a permanently closed victim of Covid.

Well, poop! There goes my shot at those mimosas.

It has turned into a mega-tourist mecca with high-end art shops and wine boutiques.

That sounds pretty... awesome, actually.

I can’t even begin to describe how much stuff is actually there!! It is a veritable treasure trove of antiques from entire trucks and buildings to the smallest toys that kids played with at the turn of the century.

Completely different and just as awesome.

What a cool shot. Almost ghostly.

Love that hubcap. You won't see something like that anymore.

Your boyfriend pops up in the most unexpected places!
Then again, maybe you brought him along with you?

I was able to grab a photo of a replica of my new RV while I was there so I could show you!

Nice fixer-upper. A handyman's dream.

I know there may be more than one of you that enjoys car racing. How about this gem?

Took me down a bit of a rabbit hole.
Luther Johnson drove in 3 Indianapolis 500s. 1931-1933 inclusive.
He drove car #57 and crashed (finishing 20th), so this may not be that car. The next two races he drove #46. He failed to finish in '32 when he lost a wheel on lap 164 (of 200),finishing 16th, but finished the race in '33, finishing 10th.

Seriously, this guy was like the original hoarder, but this is the best kind of hoarding.

Of course. I mean... he's got an Indy car.

I started to feel a bit faintish from the heat.

Whups! You've mentioned that before. Just a tad toasty?

Going from 1900-ish to around 1000AD, the next stop was Tuzigoot National Monument. While not nearly as impressive as Montezuma’s Castle ruins, it was still quite interesting to learn of the ancient Sinagua People who lived and flourished in Central Arizona’s Verde Valley 1100 years ago.

Quite the time shift.

Plus, Tuzigoot is just fun to say.

Okay... that's pretty amazing. I've never seen anything like that.

Those the 1000 year old beams you mentioned?

Sedona wasn’t too much further at all and since we were camping, I wanted to get there well before dark so we could set up.

Hmmm...
Thinking there must be an art to camping there. Set up your tent too early and you'll turn it into an oven. Too late and it's a fridge.
Standing by to see the end result.

It never fails to be jaw-dropping when I enter the Red Rock Zone of Sedona; it’s breathtakingly beautiful- some say the most picturesque place in the US.

High praise!

But I’ll let those speak for themselves as I leave off with some mouthwatering Nature Porn for you.

I don't know if it's the most picturesque... but it sure can't be far off! Wow! Stunning.