Salt Flats Utah
Charlotte
Tonopah llama
Charlotte!
Las Vegas
Circus Circus Adventuredome
Yosemite
Wikiup Arizona
Large cactus in Wikieup
Dog riding in back of pickup
in Arizona - had to pet!
Between Phoenix and Vegas
Rest stop
Lake Mono, CA
Thank goodness that my daughter, Rachel, brought her digital camera along on the trip. Although she didn't take any pictures at the Boardwalk or at the ocean, we at least have some pictures of our journey across Arizona and Nevada and Yosemite that I will post to share.
At Tonopah, Nevada (an old silver mining town in the middle of absolutely NOWHERE), we dropped our horse trailer before crossing the border. There, we discovered quite a few llamas and a sweet little pig we named Charlotte in outdoor stalls at the rodeo grounds. We fell in love with the pig and one llama, and are aware that they are 4-H project animals. I am secretly praying that someone isn't raising Charlotte for meat..........so maybe a little postcard offering to buy her would be a fun thing to do? Crazy thoughts, I have, I know.
I just want to say for the record that all of those commercials we see on television about California cows being happy cows (visions of cows out on lush pasture, sunshine) is a total farce.
California dairy cows probably never see the outside world - we passed huge building after huge building with dairy cows standing stacked on top of each other. There were beef cows out, but no sign of a dairy cow. Worse than this is the memory I have of passing through Kansas. Along I-80, as far a stretch as the eye could see, were feedlots upon feedlots upon feedlots crammed with beefers enjoying their last few weeks of life, unknowingly. The scene was gruesome, with filthy cows standing on concrete or in lots with manure up to their ankles. I have been very seriously committed to my efforts to become vegetarian, and seeing things like this give me the strength to continue eating healthy, and not supporting the ranchers who treat animal life in this manner. My oldest daughter is trying to go totally vegan, but I just can't give up dairy or seafood right now. I do try to only drink soy milk or organic milk, where baby calves are not separated from their mothers the day they are born. Believe it or not, according to a woman who runs an organic dairy farm, their milk production is only 15%-20% lower than commercial dairies by leaving the babies with their mothers for the first few months. How kind and sensible is that or anyone who even remotely cares about an animal's feelings? Okay, enough of me.....
Arizona was really interesting, and the drive from Phoenix to Las Vegas is one everyone should try some time. The people were friendly and hospitable too.
This is what our itinerary looked like:
Day 1 (6/18) - Leave La Crosse 4 pm
Day 2 (6/19) - Arrive in Phoenix after 28 hours of driving straight through - 8 pm
Sleep overnight at Comfort Inn, Phoenix
Day 3 (6/20) - Drove from Phoenix to Las Vegas - about five hours , and stopping along the way
Stayed at Circus Circus, let kids go to Adventuredome - we did a few penny slots
Day 4 (6/21) - Drove to Tonopah, Nevada - a small mining town in the middle of nowhere USA
Stayed at Ramada Inn - no pool open as it was not warm enough this summer -
I played "Reel Em In" nickel slots with $1.00 and won $33.00!!!!!!!!! Yipppeeee
Saw many BLM mustangs and burros both before Tonopah and after!
Day 5 (6/22) - Drove through Yosemite, then on to Gilroy California. Stayed at Best Western
Gilroy - a beautiful motel with pool and free breakfast at a great rate of $89 a
night. Gilroy, close to my home neighborhood, is the "Garlic Capital of the
World"! The smell of garlic was everywhere in the air, as it is harvest time now.
Day 6 (6/23) - Visited a winery - did wine tasting, went to the Garlic Shoppe and bought
fresh roasted pistachios, garlic steak sauce, garlic salsa, garlic tortilla chips, and
even tried the garlic ice cream! We reeeeeeeked all day! Saw my friend Lisa's
mother up on Graystone Lane and Lisa's brother Cliff. Had iced coffee out on the
patio in the glorious sunshine. Kids got to pick lemons off the lemon trees, and
kumquats, and we brought home some iris bulbs for mom!
Day 7 (6/24) - Took kids to Santa Cruz Boardwalk for the day. Played in the ocean. Went to
Jack in the Box and then on to Moss Landing to watch sea lions and otters and
eat a glorious meal on the ocean (oysters on the half shell, shrimp, clam chowder
in a bread bowl).........left my camera on the table at Sea Harvest, where it was
taken by ??????? (sob). Met with my best friend Perri and her mom and dad
Shirley and Al and Perri's brother Mark. Hugged and hugged, talked and shared
Day 8 (6/25) - Left to come home. Drove back through Yosemite, to Tonopah to pick up trailer,
kiss llamas and pig "so long". Drove and drove til Ely Nevada. Saw lots of mus-
tangs again. Went to downtown Nevada casino - no luck on penny slots - stayed
at Ramada which had a very neat pool and hot tub and great breakfast.
Day 9 (6/26) - Drove to Sidney Nebraska. All motels full - we ended up in a rinky dink place
that wasn't very clean but the guy was nice to put us in his last room. BTW did I
tell you that we saw a dead MOOSE on I-80 going through Salt Lake City? Wow
Day 10 (6/27) - Whew - we made it home at about 8:30 pm - after putting 5,000 miles on our
poor tired old truck!
I worked all last week which seems like a blur now. Mom came June 30. She has not been well - just got out of emergency with her tonite - on to neurologist's and work tomorrow morning.
Three horses arrived this weekend: Cobra, Race for Home, and Bart's A Bad Boy
I love Cobra, but he's got a bit of recovering to do - he will be a very flashy trotter.
Bart is still one of my favorites!!!! He is so calm and sweet...........and needs a home!!!!!!
My chicken died - long story and one I don't emotionally think I can tell for awhile.....and our rabbit populations is dwindling as we put an ad in the paper (thankfully)............
All else is well! Enjoy the pics!
