Durham Trek

Home

2006-07-04T08:26:00.000-07:00

The movers came yesterday. Since the contractors were still working on parts of the house, we had all of our stuff put in the middle of one room. An interesting benefit to this otherwise inconvenient situation is that we will get to unpack carefully, one box at a time, without a lot of clutter in the room we're unpacking. This means we will get to rid ourselves of even more things!

We were exhausted when the movers left. We took a nap and then went out for food. When we got back, we tinkered with the layout of the office and then went to sleep, in our own bed, in our new home.

Home, Almost

2006-07-03T03:53:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we left Knoxville and headed for Durham. Our drive took us through the Great Smokey Mountains. They are beautiful, and worthy of a return trip.

We stopped in the town of Asheville, which had been correctly described as a place populated by retirees and hippies. Asheville is the home of the Biltmore Estate, a big, old house. The McDonalds outside the front gates looks like a big, new house.

The weather in the mountains is pleasant: hot and humid, but not uncomfortably so. After completing our drive to Durham, I see now why people go there in the summers. Durham is hot and humid, and somewhat uncomfortably so. But strangely perhaps, we didn't find it all that bad. After hearing so much about how awful the weather would be, it really didn't live up to its promise. Now of course, we might have arrived on a particularly mild day, right?

We took a tour of our house. The floors have been put it, and the paint is dry. This morning we're going over to clean and get ready for our furniture, which arrives at noon. We're hoping to sleep there tonight.

Southern Fried Goodness, Part Deux

2006-07-02T20:17:00.000-07:00

I've updated the list of restaurants in my earlier post to include several I had forgotten about. Jason and I have been kicking around some restaurant names for when we take on Cracker Barrel.

Bacon Barn
Jelly Jug
Raggedy Anne's
Poss-M-Trof
Honey Spout
Outhouse
Gravy Griddle
Buckshot Billy's
Plantation Station

Y'all are welcome to submit suggestions, but we're pretty sure we're going with Mrs. Addle's Biscuit Paddle. Take that, Cracker!

The People of Knoxville

2006-07-02T06:07:00.000-07:00

In keeping with our theme of judging a city by our limited experience there: it seems the people of Knoxville do not drink from cups, nor do they dry themselves off after taking a shower.

Southern Fried Goodness

2006-07-01T21:34:00.000-07:00

There is a certain repetition to driving I-40 East. One tends to see the same signs, trucking companies, and businesses state after state. Take fast food restaurants, for example. There are the standards such as McDonalds, Dairy Queen, Taco Bell and even Starbucks. These are familiar to me and so I tend to tune them out. However, there are several chains that are new to me this trip. Chains with folksy names such as Waffle House, Bean Pot, Chester Field, Chick Fil-A, Ruby Tuesday's, Huddle House, Shoney's, Biscuitville, Sagebrush Steakhouse, Bojangle's, and the grandaddy of them all, Cracker Barrel Old Country Store. Cracker Barrel is EVERYWHERE and it's sign features a man in overalls (presumably the cracker?) sitting next to, you guessed it, a barrel. Maybe it's because we've been traveling for awhile but I'm sick to death of Cracker Barrel and I've never even eaten there.

Tennessee

2006-07-01T21:14:00.000-07:00

Today we drove across Tennessee, the Volunteer State. The terrain was some of the most beautiful we've seen since leaving the desert. We stopped briefly in Memphis to fuel up. Unfortunately we didn't see much of the city but that was one heck of a service station, let me tell you. We also made a mid-day stop in Nashville where we visited Vanderbilt University. The campus is very pretty but it being summer and a Saturday, we were only able to go inside one of the libraries. Vivian used the time out of her car seat to practice her crawling. She's starting to think her arms may be of some use to her after all. Tonight we're staying in Knoxville (home of my TV boyfriend) before heading for home tomorrow. Durham, here we come!

Goose: 0

2006-07-01T20:41:00.000-07:00

Alison took this picture of a goose egg when we were in Amarillo. It turns out we each have a mild fear of geese that stems from a childhood run-in with one of the hump-nosed beasts.

Regarding Arkansas

2006-07-01T20:00:00.000-07:00

As we've alluded to before, it's odd to go to a city for just one night, stay on the outskirts, and then leave in the morning. It's odd because you develop an impression of the place that feels as correct as if you've stayed there a week, but you know it's based on too little information.

Such is the case with Arkansas. We basically breezed through it as quickly as we could. The people were friendly enough, I guess. North Little Rock, where we detoured briefly to grab coffee, seemed a nice enough place. Yet for some reason, my impression of Arkansas is that it's, well, not a very nice place. As I drove through Tennessee, the citizens of Arkansas continued to vex me---this did not help their cause. Soon I realized I had a bitter, Arkansas-flavored taste in my mouth.

I needed an antidote. What's the opposite of Arkansas? Depeche Mode's Violator. Arkansas says "I did not sleep with that woman, Miss Lewinski." Depeche Mode's Violator says, "I did in fact sleep with that woman, Miss Lewinski, and it was both terrible and exhilarating. And she was a man."

Since we didn't take any pictures in Arkansas (really!), I'm including the cover art for Violator. Enjoy.

Crux populi

2006-07-01T04:26:00.000-07:00

It started in Texas with the Western Hemisphere's largest cross (a truly inspirational experience, guaranteed the billboard). I didn't find it inspiring, but it was big. When Alison awoke, I told her about it and she asked if it was on fire.

As we made our way through Oklahoma and into Arkansas, their frequency increased: roadside crosses, mega churches, fish stickers, Bible colleges, "Jesus loves you" license plate frames. It's like somebody's trying to tell us something---but what?

As somebody who's always trying to convince others he's right, it's easy to understand the urge that leads to proselytization. But I've never tried to convince another person that ghosts are real, and that's where my understanding falls off. Best of luck, people of Arkansas.

Not in Kansas

2006-06-30T05:29:00.000-07:00

We've both felt, since leaving New Mexico, that we're no longer in familiar territory. Neither of us had ever been there prior to this trip, but at least it felt like the desert Southwest. Now we're squarely in a place niether of us knows much about.

Okay

2006-06-29T20:05:00.000-07:00

Today's drive was a study in flatness. We drove through the hills outside Albuquerque, the last ones we'll see for some time, and headed for Amarillo, our midpoint in today's drive.

Logistically, we've had good days and bad. Today was good. On paper, it was our most ambitious (and probably misguidedly so) travel day. It takes a solid eight hours to get to Oklahoma City from Albuquerque. We employed two new tactics that paid off well: we left early, since Vivian tends to sleep a lot in the mornings, and we split the trip in two, with a two hour break in Amarillo, in order to give her time away from her car seat. We hit all our marks and arrived in Oklahoma City with plenty of daylight to spare and a sleeping baby.

Along the way, we even managed to stop at a few more Route 66 towns. Tucumcari, NM, still has many old signs and buildings; some are well preserved. McLean, TX, had a few gems, but was in a state of severe disrepair (bottom photo). This is a pervasive problem with practically all of Old Historic Route 66. It's a universally recognized national treasure, having played a critical role in the development of modern America, both demographically and culturally. But the landmarks are all privately owned, and there doesn't appear to be any strong thrust to acquire and preserve them. So they fall apart.

We took a break at the Amarillo Botanical Gardens, a last-minute find on Yahoo Travel. It's a small series of outdoor gardens, plus a new hothouse with tropicals; a nice little place, and part of a larger group of public spaces near some medical facilities in the outskirts of Amarillo.

Our last thrust took us through the aforementioned McLean and onward to Oklahoma City. We haven't seen the city yet---we're staying on the West side of town. Tomorrow we make for Little Rock, AR.

Accommodations Update

2006-06-28T22:12:00.000-07:00

By early evening we reached Albuquerque and our nasty little hotel located off the interstate. After our stay at Little America, it was a bit of a jolt---the "Safety Tips" posted in our room don't inspire much confidence. We keep expecting Dateline to show up with their black light.

It's a little like staying by the airport. It makes it difficult to see what the rest of the city is actually like. But judging by our little corner of the city, Alburconquins rent hotels by the week and eat Taco Bell four times a day.

A better understanding of Albuquerque will have to wait for another day. At dawn we leave for Oklahoma City.

New and Improved Mexico

2006-06-28T21:58:00.000-07:00

Today we drove from Flagstaff to Albuquerque, pausing along the way to see artifacts left over from Route 66 (these dinosaurs roam freely along I-40---not sure if they were displaced by the construction of the Interstate or not).

We briefly visited Gallup, NM and saw weathered signs pointing to cafes and motels that are no longer in business. A few still are, though, and many of the newer businesses (it appears that Gallup is growing) seem to be joining in the spirit of Route 66 by putting up old-timey signs.

We also drove the Route through some hilly areas. The new highway cuts through hills, but the civil engineers in charge of 66 were a little more delicate with the terrain. We returned to the highway after seeing a sign asking non-Indians to not take pictures, movies, or make sketches of the local village.

Crazy in AZ

2006-06-28T07:50:00.000-07:00

We went to the Grand Canyon yesterday. We put Vivian in the Baby Bjorn and walked along the South Rim. I was a hit with the Indian ladies, who seemed to like that I was holding the baby. Also the East Asian ladies. And the French-Canadian ladies. And all the ladies. I'm huge in Arizona, apparently. Too bad I have a no-autographs policy.

The drive back from the Canyon featured screaming, as did the rest of our day. This morning we leave for Albequequequequerque.

Mojave

2006-06-27T10:27:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we left L.A. and drove to Victorville, where Alison's Aunt Charlotte lives. She and Vivian got to know each other over lunch, but their date was cut short by Vivian's mean parents and their big bad travel schedule.

We drove through the Mojave Desert for most of the afternoon as we made our way to Flagstaff. When we arrived at our hotel, I was surprised---Alison had booked us a room at an old destination hotel called "Little America" (named for the outpost in Antarctica). What a wonderful treat for my birthday! After staying in perfectly adequate, but characterless hotel rooms for the past week, the Little America was a welcome change.

The hotel appears to have been built as a destination hotel along the highway (now it sits next to Interstate 40, but I think its old enough to have been built alongside Route 66 or one of its successors). Our room is a thing of wonder. It is really as yellow and old-timey as it looks in the photo. Beautiful!

We love L.A.

2006-06-26T23:50:00.000-07:00

We love it!

After regaining consciousness somewhere outside San Jose, I was able to settle in and enjoy our drive down the length of the Golden State. At Uncle Tyler's recommendation, we took US-99 instead of I-5. I see now that this is the secret purpose behind our diversion through San Jose. Since I love driving through hilly, semi-arid terrain (I've been a fan of it for years), this was a delight. And then there's the coast. Who can argue with breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean? Nobody can---that's why nobody bothers.

We arrived in L.A. just in time to not be able to get Indian food delivered. Tyler and I drove to pick it up, and---WOW---what eye candy! Folks in L.A. really know how to obsessively try to outdo each other. And Angelinos, it's working! After we returned, Vivian got a bad case of the screams, which ticked off Ty's upstairs neighbor. Screw him.

The next day, we drove to Santa Monica after a brief auto tour of UCLA (nice campus!). We walked along Santa Monica Beach and then went back to Ty's for a three-hour siesta. Relaxing is hard work.

We drove back from dinner via Mulholland Drive. The wise people running Los Angeles think it best that scenic lookouts be closed after dusk, so we only got brief glimpses of the electric colossus that is L.A., but it was still a nice drive. I was hoping to snap a photo of L.A. at night for this post, but since we couldn't stop to take one, I'm using this palm tree instead. Enjoy.

Burrito Mal

2006-06-23T23:48:00.000-07:00

We pulled into Carolina's for lunch but changed our minds when we saw this burrito in the parking lot.

Do you know the way to San Jose?

2006-06-23T20:31:00.000-07:00

Kenny and the Dairy Belles

This morning we said goodbye to my Grandma Ruth and headed for San Jose. I have family in San Jose and the plan was to visit with them before continuing on to Los Angeles. Well, the family was a no show (I come from good people) but we did spend several hours sitting in traffic only to spend a couple more hours locating our "klassy" hotel, which I specifically chose because of its proximity to said family. And to think we could have stayed in the cute part of San Jose (yes, there is a cute part) with actual goods and services instead of on auto-row where the only food available is the local Dairy Belle (see photo).

All told, I got off easy. Jason did most of the driving during this whole ordeal. He can't contribute to tonight's blog cause he's gone to his special place for the evening. I had to explain to Vivian that her Daddy's gone nutty nuts and may need to go away for awhile. She offered to drive tomorrow. Is she a great kid or what!

Quality

2006-06-23T09:00:00.000-07:00

We woke up in Reno. Reno may have a rich history as a mining and gambling town, but it is today, despite what came before, a horrible armpit of a place.

We're staying at the Quality Inn. This was clearly some sort of destination hotel way back when. This logo is from a decal on our sliding glass door. The same image appears on the grand fireplace in the lobby. Not the kind of thing Choice Hotels splurges for when putting up a new building.

Judging by the age of the tree next to the swimming pool, I would guess this hotel dates back no sooner than the 1950's. It could easily be older, but I don't think it would have weathered as well as it has, were it such.

Tanfastic!

2006-06-22T23:26:00.000-07:00

Today was, in a word, tanfastic! Where tanfastic is the opposite of fantastic.

Vivian discovered two important things at the same time: 1) she has lungs, and 2) she's a little sick of sitting in the carseat. I think the shreiking is her way of saying, "Mom and Dad---not cool!"

The highways we used to get from Grants Pass to Reno were shut down to a single lane for some pretty long stretches. There was a lot of waiting.

We did see Alison's Grandma Ruth once we got to Reno, despite being much later than we'd thought we would be. She was gracious about it. Babies smooth over even the worst social transgressions.

More shreiking, then some Thai food, now sleep. Sweet, precious sleep.

In the elevator

2006-06-22T09:44:00.000-07:00

Alison snapped this photo of a sausage on the floor of the elevator in our motel. I went back to get a better view, and it was gone!

Down but not out

2006-06-22T09:38:00.000-07:00

We saw this truck near the bubble tea place. The door of the truck says "Sanford and Son Salvage."

On the road

2006-06-22T09:28:00.000-07:00

We finally left for Durham. Vivian said goodbye to Grandaddy and Miss Penneye, and then we were off.

Vivian did well in the car. We drove for about eight hours, and only stopped a few times. Keeping one of us in the back with her seems to be the trick so far.

Some hobos offered to sell me a truck tire.

There is an espresso stand in Rice Hill, Oregon, that sells bubble tea. That, my friends, is globalization.

We had a celebrity sighting! We saw Nick Nolte riding his bicycle down Interstate 5. He was riding against the flow of traffic. He is such a rebel.

We arrived at La Quinta in Grants Pass around dinner time. We ate at Angela's Hacienda, which is the best Mexican restaurant in the world. Alison says, "It wasn't even very good." You have to be one hell of a restaurant to be confident enough to serve food that is just O.K. is what I think.