Author: kimspathway

Wed 4 July  5953 steps
Before we left Vegas, we went off to Walmart to stock up before heading back to the desert. I think I did 4000 steps in Walmart alone.
To clarify, I started off in fresh produce, corner 1, worked my way backwards to corner 2 and then diagonally through household and clothing to toiletries (corner 4).  Toiletries yes, but toilet paper no.  That would be in groceries, so back to corner 2. While David was waiting in the queues (halfway between corner 1 and 4), which were very long even or especially for a holiday, I hightailed it back to groceries in corner 2. I stared at the variety of toilet paper, but there was no special, easy-dissolvable toilet paper for RVs to be seen. Oh, that would be in auto – Corner 3! Luckily David hadn’t paid by the time I got back, quite exhausted.
We left Vegas and drove on to Williams, Arizona. I love the sides of the flyovers in Nevada.  We went via Lake Mead, Hoover Dam and over the arch bridge that spans the Colorado River. I took photos of roadworks where I could because David couldn’t stop to look at them and I have been married to him long enough to know that this is important to him.

After driving for hours, on historic route 66 where we could, our wonderful tour guide, (me), got us into the main street of Williams just 2 minutes before it was cut off for the parade. We parked, David poured us each a whiskey and we sat on the pavement, watching the entertainment. It was a very long and varied procession.

Our KOA campsite was pretty much the norm in these places. Clean, tidy, and feeble wifi.  Arizona is in a severe drought so no outside fires, gas or even propane was allowed. Luckily we had bought KFC on the way home. It which was delicious. Less oily and more crisp than at home.
Chuckle of the day: One of the floats in the procession was MOPS standing for Mothers of Pre-schoolers who had little ones handing out candy. Surely they would know better?
What I learnt: Walmart superstores are my new favorite store.
Williams was the last town on route 66 to be bypassed when the highway was built. It was dying until one couple bought the railroad, refurbished the train and started a daily trip to the Grand Canyon. The route is now so popular they run 2 trains in summer. Once again, instead of just quitting and going with the flow, visionaries not only had the idea, but made it happen and saved the situation.

Tues 3 July  – 15192 steps
We took the day off to recover before we set about again at 6pm. We took the shuttle to Fremont Street which is Old Vegas and a portion of it has been revitalized and has a huge cover over the street, which makes it cooler. It has a Zip line along the street so you can fly like Superman, a light show on the roof, stages with live bands as well as circles on the paving for street performers. Compared to the Strip, it is more real, cheaper and a little bit seedy.
We were hungry, but we had been told by shuttle bus driver that Container City was great and we should be there at 8 to see the mantis. So I thought we should eat at a restaurant in the centre that had good rating, but when we got there, it was all sandwiches or burgers and the mantis was feeble. Not a great start to our night out, especially as we had walked past so many places to eat that looked really inviting. We decided to give the Heart Attack joint a skip. If you weigh over 350 lbs (about 160kgs), you can eat for free.
We walked back to the covered area and passed by a piano bar with an open microphone, so we stopped for a drink. Just as we sat down, in walked a very loud bunch of ladies on a bachelorette party. My heart sank and we decided to finish our drinks and leave. Before we did, a girl got up to the microphone to sing. She was 2 bricks and a tickie high, but she belted out an incredible version of Sweet Child of Mine. I got goose pimples. We left as others approached the mike and the singing deteriorated. We wandered through the crowds, just chilling, enjoying the whole vibe, the great music and the frozen margaritas. I applaud the entertainers who lose their inhibitions and make use of their talents, even if it is just dressing like Elvis, to earn a few dollars. We made it home before midnight.

Chuckles of the day: people watching
What I learnt: Something I have known all along, I am not glamorous and prefer surroundings that have less bling, are more relaxed and full of real people.

 

Mon 2 July – 17814 steps 7 flights
We went on a guided tour of Hoover dam in a Hummer that was adorned with red, white and blue stars and stripes. It was a very comfortable ride. The guide, Tom, was an ex US military with the gift of the gab, useful in his profession. He gave us a lot of information all tinged with his personal take. He was entertaining and knowledgeable, but not unbiased nor humble. Surprisingly, his wife of 20 something years was Chinese.
There was another couple on tour with us. I think they were from Charlston, let’s call them Hank and Betty-Lou. My immediate reaction was to class them as Rednecks, but then I did some research into the history and meaning of the word. It was very confusing as it has changed over the years! So rather than labelling them, let’s just say they were God-fearing,  hard-working Americans who are tired of the social benefits and freebies given by the government to refugees and others who don’t work, smoke pot all day, have babies to get baby grants etc. They agreed with Tom that the Clintons were corrupt and criminal, Obama was useless and weak and that Trump is doing a great job and will save the day. I did make a small suggestion that perhaps the economical boom they are experiencing now was as a result of things Obama had put in place, but that was shot down. I got quieter and shut up completely when someone made a suggestion that SA had got it right before 1994. David was tjoepstil throughout – wise man.

The tour of the Hoover Dam was excellent and well worth the trip and being out in the heat. We went through the little town of Boulder where the construction people were originally housed. It is a far cry from “Legoland” in Piggs Peak where we were housed when Maguga Dam was built. There was a lot of controversy about building the dam, but thanks to the wisdom and perseverance of a few, in particular Herbert Hoover then Secretary of Commerce, it went ahead. What a vision and what an achievement, especially given that it was thought of almost 100 years ago. Construction started in 1931 and it changed the landscape forever.
When we got back to our RV, we just had time to shower and change. While we waited for the free shuttle to The Vegas Strip, we walked around the casino  and I put a dollar into a slot machine and won on my first go. I cashed out. Now I can truly say I am one of an elite few – the winners in Vegas.
We were taken into the back entrance of a hotel called Harrahs. We found the food court, had delicious Chinese food and found the venue for  “the Tenors of Rock” which was fantastic. They consist of 5 tenors from UK who sing their versions of rock ballads. It was so good, I bought their CD to play in the RV.  I did have to meet them afterwards, what can I say, we all know I am a total groupie.

 

Then we walked out the front of the hotel and onto the strip. It is an experience that blasts all your senses. First is the hot dry wind and the throngs of tourists brushing past you, neon lights that dazzle, music that blares from different casinos and tourists from around the world, but mostly Asia, talking loudly, inviting smells of food as you walk past the restaurants and the occasional whiff when you get too close to the sewers and the taste of delicious frozen margaritas!

Achievement of the day: Keeping my mouth shut, well almost, in the Hummer.
What I learnt: In 1931, in the depth of the Great Depression, a group of brave people with incredible foresight and vision saved the fate of Nevada which was apparently about to be cut up and absorbed by surrounding states. They decided to legalise gambling and allow people to get a divorce if they stayed in Nevada for 6 weeks. At the time, a divorce would take up to a year, so many people, especially from Hollywood, were able to check into a hotel for 6 weeks and leave as a single person. They needed to be entertained during their stay and Las Vegas bloomed in the desert. To this day, they continue to adapt rules to keep ahead of the game.

Sun 1 July 4061 steps
We got up earlier, packed up and headed off to town to repeat the process of breakfast at Toomeys, me chilling and David going back to the bike park to cycle. He was keen to do a ride from the top, which he had been unsure of previously.
When he returned from a triumphant morning at about 12, he was on a high. He quickly showered and we got ready for a 501 mile long drive. We headed back down US395 to Big Pine. As per RV hire company rules, we were not allowed to go through a National Park called Death Valley after June 15, as it apparently gets so hot, the tires can melt! Really? However, we still had to cut through the mountains to get to Las Vegas. We turned onto the CA 168E, a 40mile stretch which was a hair-raising experience. At one point through a cutting in the mountains the road narrows so that it is only wide enough for 1 vehicle and there is no way of knowing if there is an on-coming car. This goes on for about 1 mile.
The area is a national forest. I have to wonder if there are no trees in the forest, is it still a forest? Someone was looking out for us and we got through without any hassles.

Once through the mountains, you are back in the desert, which is edged with beautiful mountains. In some of the mountains, the different coloured layers are clearly visible. Occasionally there is a patch of green where there is water.

As you enter Nevada the quality of the road improves dramatically. There was a small pink cabin that had an aeroplane outside. The word “brothel” caught David’s eye.  We were later by a tour guide that it is indeed a brothel run by a guy who is standing for governor. (Prostitution is legal in some counties of Nevada).
There is also a sand dune that apparently sings when the wind blows through the fine sand and a correctional centre. Very clever, I think, to put a prison in the middle of the desert, because if anyone escapes, there is nowhere they can hide. Maybe we should look at moving all prisoners in SA to somewhere in the Kalahari. Also along this highway is Area 51,  America’s top secret military base, although it is not much of a secret as everyone knows it is there. Rumors abound about what goes on there, from the stripping of the alien spaceship that crashed in Roswell to the filming of the so-called moon landing. We didn’t see anything, but for the conspiracy theory junkie in me, it was nice to have passed it.

In the middle of this expanse of nothingness, there was a sign showing a cow. Surely, we thought, it is not possible to farm cattle in the desert, so there must be one lone mad cow that we had to look out for. As hard as we looked, we could not find it. After many miles and many repeats of “been through a desert, hmm, hmm, hmm..”, we finally found the lone cow who had apparently found some friends. We also found 2 mad cyclists. Having succeeded with the cow,  we given the challenge to find the lone donkey.

As you approach LA, the bridges are decorated. It is impressive and vast. Our RV park was on the other side of town, but next to a casino and opposite a Walmarts. Oh my word, it is ridiculously hot. As I stepped out of our cool RV to go and register, it felt like 10  hairdryers were blowing in my face.

David’s chuckle of the day: Apparently as I got out of the RV, I said I wonder where I must go.

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What I learnt: I have no desire to live in a desert.

Sat 30/6  4385 steps
If I have led anyone to believe that all has been idyllic in our cosy space, please forgive me. We have had some moments. This morning was one of them. I was awake by 6am as is my norm and waited till 8 to try to wake David. He struggled to wake up and I was getting frustrated because I could not understand why he wasn’t jumping up to get on his bicycle.  Afterall, these were his 2 allocated days of downhill racing.
David, however, was unsure of what lay ahead and slipped into “race mode.” Not sure why I did not pick it up, I usually know to leave him alone on these days. We finally got going at about 10 and then instead of going straight to town for breakfast as I thought we had planned, David wanted to first drive up to the bike park to buy his tickets and understand how things worked. As we drove up the hill, there were cars already parked with at least 1 mile to go. We went to the top. Parking there was $60 for the RV, but the guy said we could stop in a loading zone for 10 minutes while David went to buy his tickets. David and I both had a different idea about what that meant and did I mention I am quite irritable when I haven’t eaten anything in the morning. My hanger and his race mode is not a good combination. I will save you the details and fast forward to the part where he now has his tickets, we are parked in town and having coffee and brunch at Toomeys. David then caught the shuttle and spent his day riding down different slopes. I sat in the cool restaurant, making use of their wifi to catch up on some admin and upload photos which takes forever. I went back to my air conditioned RV for wonderful alone time. David returned much later, all smiles. He had had a lovely day too. He reckons he learnt so much in just one afternoon..

The good thing about an RV is that could he shower right there in the car park, then we went for drinks and supper at Kitchen 53, a delightful cocktail bar bistro with live music. Cool jazz with a sultry singer, perfect!
Chuckle of the day: Hard to believe there was one, but there was. I discovered all my angst about finding a campsite and Joyce having to come to the rescue was unnecessary. The city of Mammoth has carparks where overnight parking of RVs is allowed and is only $30 per night.
What I Learnt: David and I have fundamentally different biological clocks. When he had to get up to go to work, they were in sync. He got up early to make tea, which gave me my quiet time to prepare for the day and then me brought me tea in bed. David makes such good tea. Now in the RV, I wake up, lie quietly for an eternity, then when my bladder can’t take it anymore I edge to the bottom of the bed, move David’s legs out the way so I can get off, put David’s legs back, so I can open the bathroom door and finally move 1,5m away to the table, put the kettle on and hope that when it whistles, he will wake up.
Now I know most of you will think why don’t you just make the tea. I do occasionally, but then he sleeps even longer and well, David makes such good tea, it is worth waiting for.
How we will manage this when we return to our normal lives, is yet to be seen.

Fri 29/6 – 11806 steps, with 3 flights, a 10km cycle
We packed up the RV, and drove down to the Yosemite Valley. It was a 54 mile long and winding road, with a lot of hectic drop offs with no railings. My worst nightmare.
The sight when you get down to the valley, however, is well worth the stress of the drive.

We parked our RV and headed off on our bicycles. The 13km of cycle trails which they advertise are in the Valley. We stopped to have breakfast first and while I was putting in my order on the automated system, it shut down. It was 10:50 and breakfast stops at 11 when lunch kicks in, so for 10 minutes you are in limbo. Very frustrating, especially when you haven’t eaten yet, your blood sugar is dropping and you are getting hangry!
Luckily there was a Starbucks, so after a ham and cheese croissant and coffee, calm was restored.
We rode on an awesome cycle track down to mirror lake. There were loads of people in the park, but it never felt too crowded, We stopped to look at a museum which had a replica of an Indian village and saw a coyote. Apart from the dude who kept telling us very loudly he had seen the “co-yo-te” catch a squirrel and the child who did not stop screaming from the time she entered the village till I don’t know when (I left), it was a very interesting display.

After our cycle, we drove for about an hour down to Mariposa Grove in the south. Here the shuttle was working. It took us to the start of the trail and we walked along the path amidst these ancient trees which was incredible. These sequoias are not as tall as the Coastal redwoods, but are much older and larger in volume. It was well worth the effort to see them.

Feeling re-energised from the trees, we had to drive the torturous road back to Tuolumne Meadows and out the east side of the park and then on to Mammoth Lakes. For the first time, we struggled to find a campsite, being the weekend before the 4th of July.  Eventually we were going to hire a cabin.  However, when we got to High Sierra Campground, we discovered the cabin was a wooden structure with 6 camp cots, nothing else for $85 a night. I said I would rather find a hotel. The lady at reception, Joyce, said she would make a plan and found a camp site where we could park our RV, no hook ups, but only $50 a night. I decided rather than take a chance for the weekend, we would book for 2 nights.
Highlights of the day: The cycle, the rocks, the waterfalls, the trees…..the whole awesome splendour of Yosemite.
What I learnt: I have had to ask myself why I enjoy rollercoasters and theme park rides, but get so stressed on roads on the side of a mountain with no guard rails. I have come to the conclusion it is a question of trust. I believe the theme park rides are safe and, therefore, I let go and relax, enjoying whatever comes my way. On the side of a mountain or as a passenger I have no control. Not a comfortable place for me. So I have to remind myself to:
– affirm: “The spirit of God goes before me, making safe and comfortable my journey”;
– trust that the driver also does not want to hurtle over the cliff;
– close my eyes and enjoy.

Thurs 28/6 – 17702 steps with 3 flights
Mike’s another knee op – “another” meaning more than 2 as most people would imagine, there being only 2 knees. Get better soon, Sweetheart.
We woke up later than we wanted and it was 10am by time we got going on our bikes. We stopped off at the cafe for breakfast, which existed of a biscuit (like our scones) with a fried egg, a slice of cheese and bacon. I added a sausage patty to mine and gave David my egg. It was surprisingly good. The bacon here is delicious and always crispy. Then we cycled down to the Visitors Centre for information about bike paths and shuttles, only to be told that neither exist in Tuolumne Meadows. I was a bit peeved as bike paths are advertised and shuttle services are not only advertised, they are encouraged to reduce traffic congestion.
So we decided to go for a gentle walk to Soda Springs where carbonated mineral water literally bubbles out of the ground. They do not know why this happens. I like it when some things remain a mystery.

Then again, my “onward and upward” spirit got the better of me again and we walked a total of approx. 10 km. David’s Garmen watch said 10.5km, but my Apple said 12.45km. It was hot and dusty and also not ideal that I was wearing good old bata tackies, actually R50 specials from P&P.
However, it was a lovely walk and we got to see some wildlife.

After walking back to the RV, we still had to go and fetch our bikes! We drove.
We ended the evening in front of a fire. David read his book, while cooking 2 of the thickest lamb chops ever seen that we bought at the LA Farmers Market. I sat typing with one hand as there was a glass of red wine in the other. Lovely ending to a lovely day.

Special moment of the day: While stopping to catch my breath, I spotted a deer in the bush. I was so excited to actually see a live animal in a National Park, I quietly indicated to David and set off a little deeper into the bush to try and get a photo. Two Americans, out hiking, talking at the top of their voices were coming towards us. David waved them down and whispered:  “There is a deer”, they looked at him, carried on crunching down the gravel path without a break in their conversation.

What I learnt: Some (not all) Americans were never taught when to use their “inside” voice. David also reckons that US motor manufacturers could save a lot of money by leaving out the indicators. No-one uses them here. I think that they are often so wrapt up with themselves, they are really just not aware of anyone else around them. Sometimes I think we (my peers) may have been made to be too aware of others’ needs and not our own. It is a fine balance.