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

[disneyAndi14]

I’m catching up, what a wonderful way to explore the country on your way to your new home!
Beautiful pictures and how fun to check out the national parks along the way!
I hope you are settling in to your new life in Kentucky!
Have you started job hunting yet? Keep me updated!

 

[DISNEYMOON10121991]

You made it!!
Hope all is going good as you start creating your new home. I can't believe you'll be leaving again for Disney's 50th soon. We would have been leaving soon too . But since the celebration is for 18 months we are going to go for it next Oct. also we'll be able to see how all the new changes work out.

But we are going to DC in two weeks!!
The joke when we were at Disney is I knew all the plans and he would just take my hand and follow. We bought a magnet for frig with Minnie pulling Mickey like that towards the castle.
I bought some travel books about DC for Weeb (&me the planner). But when he opened the present I had two notes for him to read in two layers of tissue before he got to the books.
(1st note)
So……………………
Since we won’t be doing
Disney
(In October)
How
about………

(2nd note)
You follow me to:
WASHINGTON
D.C.
**I have flights
**I have hotel
**I just need you!!

HAPPY 70TH BIRTHDAY!
&
30TH ANNIVERSARY!

My son and daughter (on facetime) watched him open it because they know it's always been a bucket list thing for their dad.
I still see his face with tears starting and a him quivering a disbelieving "nooo" . So I ask what he thought and lets just do it! He was surprised!

We leave on a Saturday afternoon and come back Wed afternoon (no crazy early AM to airport an about a 2 hour flight!)
We'll have 3 full day to see some monuments and museums. Tuesday will be our 30th wedding anniversary.

I'm looking forward to reading ALL your TRs you have going and the one you start when you get back AGAIN from the mouse house
Have a great time and have some

 

[docsoliday1]

I'm here, but now 14 pages behind where I was 12 on the other.

I'm hoping to do quite a bit of travel in Europe soon. PM or text if interested in deets.

 

[docsoliday1]

(Well, okay. Your butt too. )

You're talking about touching her tush again??

I really is. He's a pretty great kid.

Having met him and hung out with him a small time, I concur! Must've had a great mom.

 

[docsoliday1]

I'm SUPER behind on all of the threads I'm following. Apologies friends.

Oh right. Says the person who is generating TRs more often than Wile e coyote gets gadgets from acme.

I still am trying to catch up on this one and then @pkondz, @Captain_Oblivious, @MeghanEmily, @chunkymonkey, @disneyAndi14 Oy!

 

[Steppesister]

@docsoliday

Not ignoring you, but am pretty busy with "setting up house" and getting ready to travel tomorrow. Plus, thought I'd let you finish and reply once I get home.

Carry on...

 

[pkondz]

You're talking about touching her tush again??

Wasn't going to, butt it came up in conversation.

 

[docsoliday1]

@docsoliday

Not ignoring you, but am pretty busy with "setting up house" and getting ready to travel tomorrow. Plus, thought I'd let you finish and reply once I get home.

Carry on...

Didn't figure you were ignoring (well any more than I deserve), but saw your travel timeline, so figured you were enroute to somewhere.

I don't think that's gonna happen (finish) since there are probably 3 or 4 other TRs I haven't found or gotten to yet.

Zach

 

[docsoliday1]

D is for Days 5-8 Destinations​

Day 5-

With Ridgecrest off the table, we’re shooting for Barstow for Night 4- all of this is subject to how often we stop and enjoy the scenery mind you- plans are guidelines not rules. That said, taking off East out of Barstow, we’ll stick to Old Route 66 and find some kicks in Amboy. I went to university in Flagstaff, AZ and took that trip “home” through Amboy many, many times. There really isn’t much to see (and I’m sure it’s very different than 35? years ago) but there are some cool salt flats and working salt mines there that are worth the drive. At one time there was Roy’s where you could get a burger, which also housed the post office, gas station, and town hall. Last I drove through, the entire “town” (one building) was for sale.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amboy,_California

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Also along the way on Day 5, we’ll stop at Peach Springs, Tribal Headquarters of the Hualapai Tribe. This is where we’ll get some lesser known views of the Grand Canyon area and some other interesting sites. I’ll let you Google it; you won’t be sorry.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peach_Springs,_Arizona

From there it’s time to get out of the car and do a little hiking. I’ve never heard of, but discovered during my research, a little piece of cool history- The Johnson Railroad Tunnel. Here is a description for you if you’re interested! Looks GREAT!! I love that it’s easy and only takes about 3 hours. And I think it may afford some cool photo ops!

https://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=931

There’s a campground at the Welches Road Exit, so we’ll make use of that calling it a good 9-hour day. If we make too many stops along the way for sight-seeing, we can easily hike the next morning too. (I'm leaning towards this.)

Day 6-

From Ash Fork, the direction is South taking us on 89 through the Chino and Prescott Valleys, both gorgeous areas that I spent a TON of time in during college. My ex did his Masters work in that area collecting research and data for his Geology Thesis. I did BOATLOADS of rockhounding (even found a legit ruby), mapping, hiking, and sitting in cattle tanks to cool off. By September maybe the noseeums will be under control.

Just west of Prescott Valley, our route turns east and we’ll mosey, twist, and turn our way up to Jerome. I’m ridiculously excited about this, but I think since I was there last it looks like it’s taken a turn for the “touristy”. Ugh. 35 years ago, you could amble as you might going into the old buildings and exploring. Still, I love a good old mining town.

Tuzigoot National Monument is our next stop where we’ll photograph and see some ancient Native ruins.

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

No trip to the area would be complete without showing Zach Montezuma’s Castle Cliff Dwelling ruins! That’s next on the list. However, when I was living in the area, we found some off-the-beaten-path ruins that I may try to locate again. It took a bit of a hike to get to them, but we saw ancient corncobs still intact which was pretty amazing.

View attachment 601426​

Traveling north from there, the obvious next stop is Red Rock Canyon near Sedona. This may be the most beautiful spot on the planet. If it’s a hot day, we may take a plunge at Slide Rock- I need to remember to bring a trash bag to slide on!!

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After that we’ll need a hotel, so I’ll try to book one in the next few days in Flagstaff. Phew!! What a beautiful, fun-filled few days we’ll have had until now!

Day 7-

Heading north out of Flagstaff, we’ll make our first stop at Wupatki National Monument, another area of ruins, then hit up some REAL dinosaur tracks at Moenkopi! I’ve done it before, but never, ever get tired of stuff like that. This area is my jam, Folks!

https://www.placestoseeinarizona.com/tuba-city-dinosaur-tracks/


Lee’s Ferry is next with some fantastic photo stops at Marble Canyon, Balanced Rock, Cathedral Rock (with a possible hike here), and then a stop at the Vermillion Cliffs for a breather. The end destination for this day is the North Rim where we can pitch our tent for free anywhere in the National Forest.

Day 8-

The goal of this day is only 3 sights- Monument Valley (which will require a paid fee of $20), the Goosenecks State Park, and Canyon de Chelly (pronounced de SHAY). The Goosenecks affords one of my clearest and earliest memories of solo traveling and was perhaps one of my most risky moves as a young 20-year old off doing her own thing. I decided to camp at the Viewpoint and was just staring off into this most amazing view and a single guy pulled up to do the same thing. He was friendly enough and said hi, we chatted for a few minutes and then we each minded our own business. It wasn’t until a few years later when I had my own kids that I thought back on that and realized how vulnerable I was that night. In hindsight, I could have easily been assaulted and dumped over the edge without a trace in that remote place alone and unprotected. YEESH! I’m glad to have Zach along. Not only to have safety in numbers, but also to show him some of these beautiful places.

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We won’t do any guided tours as we’re trying to get to Gallup this day. It’ll be a long, but gorgeous day!


I'm not sure how much more I will be able to update.... I'm really feeling the crunch now and there are many details still to be done. That said, I will try.

So much for catching up. I want to look at these places and if I do, that will probably put me another 2 or 3 TRs behind. <sigh>

 

[Steppesister]

Just letting you that Food and Wine and all things 50th is all it’s cracked up to be.

 

[pkondz]

Just letting you that Food and Wine and all things 50th is all it’s cracked up to be.

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Hey! You made it! Have a great time.

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

Have an amazing time!

 

[Steppesister]

Thanks everyone!!

Also, would love your prayers if you’re so inclined. I have a promising job lead that I hope pans out. Hoping for an interview while here!

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

Good luck for the job interview

 

[pkondz]

Thanks everyone!!

Also, would love your prayers if you’re so inclined. I have a promising job lead that I hope pans out. Hoping for an interview while here!

Good luck!!

 

[Mousemom234]

Thanks everyone!!
Also, would love your prayers if you’re so inclined. I have a promising job lead that I hope pans out. Hoping for an interview while here!

 

[franandaj]

Early Risers often find the sweetest rewards. We were determined to savor each and every delicious sunrise, each quiet moment on every mile we would travel, and so were up before the sun

You are far more ambitious than I, even with the prospect of Adventure out there, I can't help but lay in bed until light streams in and my consciousness wakes up.

It was far too early for breakfast, most mornings a cup of coffee or two is sufficient anyway;

That I understand. I don't normally wake up hungry, but I do want coffee.

We'd stick to little known, off-the-beaten-path places and roads that might afford some unique photo opportunities and a variety of entertainment, historical, or picturesque points of interest.

Sounds interesting. I tend to want to get from place to place. Back roads are fun, but I might mix it up, then again I've never moved a large move like that!

we endured endless swathes of blackened and scarred landscape; forest after forest of towering, charred Douglas Fir, Cedar, and Hemlock stood as sickening remnants of a once thriving and vibrant ecosystem teeming with life and promise.

That must have been very sad to see.

little did I know, after hemming and hawing a great deal, just how much money I'd saved myself in deciding to pony up for the AP.

Makes sense if you will be visiting quite a few parks on your journey.

 

[franandaj]

I had to Google what those were.

Yuck. No thank you.

I meant to mention this in the comments. I haven't had a Good and Plenty in years. And that's a good thing!

Thanks everyone!!

Also, would love your prayers if you’re so inclined. I have a promising job lead that I hope pans out. Hoping for an interview while here!

Good Luck!

 

[Steppesister]

 

[docsoliday1]

Thanks everyone!!

Also, would love your prayers if you’re so inclined. I have a promising job lead that I hope pans out. Hoping for an interview while here!

I also interviewed while at Disney a few years back, so not only will I pray, I'll also hope my good fortune rubs off