New Orleans to Jacksonville (Day 9) August 31, 2019

Wow. What a trip. I hardly know how to describe the joy I feel. We made it completely across the country today - San Francisco to Jacksonville, Florida. Big milestone.

We drove 587 miles today from New Orleans to Jacksonville. I'll catch up with the map tomorrow; left it in the truck again. The truck is holding up famously.

Finally found some rain to cool us off (I hope the video works. I am having technical difficulties. My tech guru is out of town getting enlightened):

We were in four states today: Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. Florida is a BIG state. We drove all the way across the panhandle. Some very interesting place names in the South:

As you know, there is big hurricane approaching, Hurricane Dorian. We almost decided against coming. We left it up in the air til this morning.

We got an early text from Laura and Fred Kusumoto, telling us it was safe to come. We are still worried a bit:

On the way, we saw trucks loaded with generators and gas cans. Headed to Florida. Good samaritans? Entrepreneurs? What do you think.

I have never been to Florida. I know very little about the state. Everything I do know about Florida, I learned from watching Flipper in the 1960s. (Look it up on Wikipedia, Meyer and Peg)

We arrived a little weary at Fred and Laura Kusomotos -  into  the lap of luxury! Beautiful big home near the water close to the beach in Jacksonville. Fred cooked up a gourmet dinner.

Accompanied by fine wines

We were so happy to be able to be with them after so many years. They left SF in about 1993 for New Mexico and then Jacksonville, for the last 15 years. They look great

What gracious hosts to share their home with us. We look forward to more adventures with them tomorrow.

Love,

Beth and the bear

S'port to NOLA (Day 8) August 30, 2019

We drove 324 miles today from Shreveport to New Orleans. 2413 miles total (2089+324). Looking at the map, we drove from one corner of Louisiana to the other:

Pretty easy drive. Beth drove more than usual (about 1/2).

Exciting to reach and cross the Mississippi River near Baton Rouge. It felt like a milestone. Got close to New Orleans and tuned in WWOZ, one of my favorite radio stations.

While we waited for our hotel room, we headed to the French Quarter. Bourbon Street was hopping at 2 pm:

Good Zydeco

Dancing

And a Hurricane (or 2)

We are having hurricane anxiety. Worried about our planned drive to Jacksonville, FL tomorrow. Beth talked to Laura Kusumoto who said, "don't come to Florida". But, we really want to visit Laura and Fred. We'll talk again in the morning and decide. We've been checking the hurricane tracker constantly.

We love New Orleans. So fun to walk around and explore. Went for a long walk in the garden district. Looked at lots of old mansions.

Delicious dinner at Patois. Thank you Jason! Beth figured out the difference between Gumbo and Jambalaya. 

Great company around our table.

Debby and David educated us about New Orleans. David (camera shy) hopes Dorian is a shu shu (dud).

Richard and Susan - transplants from Potrero Hill

Tomorrow morning we'll decide whether to press on to Jacksonville or go north, probably to Nashville. Until then,

Love,

bear and Beth

Geauxrelick

Shreveport - 2d day with Levin (Day 7) August 29, 2019

Very relaxing second day in Shreveport with Levin. What a great host! We are sleeping in the cottage above her garage. Nicely appointed. AC got fixed today. Happy! Cool and comfortable.

Took a walk around the neighborhood this morning. Enjoyed the gardens surrounding the Norton Art Gallery.

Levin helped me with today's NYT Spelling Bee. I did not know she was also an addict.

I am having a harder time with the NYT Crossword because of the time difference. It comes out at 10 PM EST, which is 7 PM WST. So, at home, I can usually do it the night it comes out. More difficult as we get closer to EST.

Levin took us on a driving tour of Shreveport. We looked at her childhood home and neighborhood. Great stories about jumping out windows. We learned about oxbow lakes (formed around bends in the Red River).

Beth and Levin went to an Estate sale while I tried my luck at the Horseshoe casino crap table...

Oops. Wrong image. Looking for Bear at crap table. These are closer:

Not bad! My luck was good today: $272 winnings.

We had dinner with Levin, her dad Pat and his wife Sherry at his house on Lake Bistinou. It got late and dark so I did not get a photo. We are on the porch overlooking the lake.

On to New Orleans tomorrow. We considered going to Nashville next. But, it was too far out of our way to Jacksonville where we are going to visit Laura and Fred Kusumoto (assuming Hurricane Dorian cooperates). Got good restaurant recommendation from brother in law Jason Lewis. Will report back.

Love Beth and the bear

Abilene to Shreveport (Day 6) August 28, 2019

295 miles to Shreveport today. Total mileage: 1744 + 295= 2089 miles.

Shorter drive today. Getting into Brothers Karamozov.

Beth found us a catfish/burger joint in a sketchy area outside of Dallas for lunch. Cheap, pretty good food.

We arrived at Levin's about 3 pm.

Climate changed a lot between Texas and Louisiana. A lot greener and more humid in Louisiana. The cicadas singing at night reminds us of the jungle in Palau. Very comforting. Like a nighttime symphony.

Levin took us to a great local Mexican place for dinner: Ki Mexico.

It is so hot. We are going to sleep naked with a fan going. 

We'll stay here another day or so. Next stop either New Orleans or Nashville. Still deciding.

Love,

Beth and bear

Santa Fe to Abilene (Day 5) August 27, 2019

Spent the morning in Santa Fe. We really liked it and one day was not long enough but we felt like moving on.

Where to next? Our next destination is Shreveport to visit Levin Kinsey. But Texas is too big to cross in one day so we needed to stop somewhere. Two reasonable halfway points were Wichita Falls and Abilene.

So I put Abilene and Wichita Falls in the hat... and Beth pulled Abilene. Onward to Abilene.

Stopped for lunch and gas in Ft. Sumner New Mexico. Ate at the Rodeo Grill. Greasy spoon diner #1 of our trip. 

Great eclectic cowboy and rodeo crap on the walls. My favorite sayings: "Yes, I was born in a barn";  "This ain’t my first rodeo."

The sweltering heat let up on our drive. It cooled down into the 70s. We even got some welcome sprinkles. 

Finished our book: "The Art of Driving in the Rain". Enjoyed it but ending too corny. Started "Brothers Karamozov."

Entered the Great State of Texas. The Lone Star State. Huge open expanses. Oil rigs and windmills as far as the eye can see.

I did not fall "Asleep at the Wheel" while we encountered "Miles and Miles of Texas".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdNky66QyEQ

We drove 501 miles today!

1744 Miles to date.

At least gas is cheap in Texas

Today we were mostly on a "Blue Highway": Rte. 84 East. A smaller, lesser traveled road. Beth read Blue Highways by William Least Heat-Moon which inspired us to get off the main roads when possible. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Highways

Enough for today. We are in the South now:

Y’all come back now, y’hear!

Love,

Bear and Beth

Sedona to Santa Fe (Day 4) August 26, 2019

Arrived in Santa Fe this afternoon. Six hour drive, with a short stop in Winslow Arizona, per Bert Arnold's recommendation:

Mileage to date (Per Ferg’s request):

San Francisco to Barstow – 409 miles; Barstow to Sedona - 403 miles; Sedona to Santa Fe - 431 miles

The trip keeps getting better! We love Santa Fe. Great architecture: earth tone stucco with rough hewn lintels and supports. Clean. Slow.  Elegant. This is exactly what I wanted the southwest to be like. It feels good when a place exceeds your expectations. Downtown is vibrant.

Beth found us a great hotel: Old Santa Fe Inn. Close to downtown.

Yummy dinner at Cafe Pascual’s. Recommended by Laura Kusumoto.

I needed a drink tonight! We walked around downtown and happened upon the bar at La Fonda Hotel. They had no Class Azul or 1942 so I had to settle for Herradurra Anejo.  It was acceptable. Great conversation at the bar with Bill Cudmore, a professor from Boston.

We may stay one more night in Santa Fe. Will decide in the morning. We considered Carlsbad Caverns as our next stop. I think we are going to skip it. If we move on we'll stop next somewhere in Texas; on our way to see Levin in Shreveport.

___________________

Beth's two cents: travel is changing me because it is changing the way I see things. This is another way of saying travel broadens our horizons which broadens our minds. And it is too F'ing hot down here.

___________________

rebuttal: none today.

Hasta Mañana,

Love,

the bear