Both girls did terrific in our last trial of the Nationals! Great way to wrap things up! After four very long days of trials - some 12 hours long - I was ready to get a jump start on our trip home. I was also ready to not spend another night in what turned out to be a problematic motel room in Murfreesboro. So I packed up and headed west right after Jemima's last run on Tuesday. A quick 4 hour trip and we were settled in for our first night in downtown Memphis. Decent room, a quick jog off the interstate. Plenty of grass out front. We were tired and down for the night in short order.
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| And that's about where I parked, right in front of our room. |
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| Glowing Aussies |
Huge freshly mowed grass field next to the parking lot. Out came the frisbees while we waited for the car. Happy dogs.
I later fed the girls outside while waiting. We went inside to pay and one of them lost their supper on the floor. Really? I told the guy who was ringing us up to not look while they cleaned it up. Never a dull moment.
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| So much room! Giant grassy field! |
I downed one of the two Red Bulls I had brought, and went as far as I safely could, late into the night - Clinton OK in western Oklahoma. Turned out to be my favorite room on the trip. Super friendly staff, quiet, clean.
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| Longest tongue in New Mexico |
Thursday: Holbrook AZ - my original Thursday destination, so it was a bit of a push after Wednesday's delay. OK ... TX ... NM ... AZ. Just four states. Sheesh! But back on track, and with a couple of good frisbee stops to break up the trip.
I like the Motel 6 in Holbrook. It's a nice one, with little white lights wrapped around a row of tree trunks out front; and a neat, long curving rock-lined dog path through lots of gravel, with a poop bag/can onsite, and even a fire hydrant for p-mails. :)
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| Non-skid rugs are a must on the pergo floors |
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| Hanging out in Holbrook |
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| Meteor Crater Rest Area AZ |
Friday: my friend's house in Bakersfield CA. It was raining off and on all day across Arizona - the rains that deluged California were moving East. It was cool and blustery. The skies were colorful. The wet desert smells were divine.
More stops on the way to enjoy some roadside stretches. This one in eastern AZ, another one later on closer to CA.
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| We got yer kicks! |
In between those two rest areas was a break in Seligman. Cute Hwy 66-themed shops! Got some gas, saw this bench. Girls said, oooooo another photo opp! Jr jumped in.
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| 200ish cars and trucks were trapped |
Toward the end it turned out to be a bit challenging because 10 miles of Hwy 58 in the Mojave desert was closed due to a mudslide. It was a bad one ... turns out that stretch of 58 will be closed for at least a week while they dig it all out.
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| Eagle's eye view |
After some discussions with some friends, I opted for a simple southern detour, sort of parallel with 58, and arrived at Brian's house around 7:30 PM. YES!!!
Additionally, part of I-5/Grapevine had a mudslide the day before. Fortunately, it had just been opened before I got there. Eleven hours on the road is plenty. Not as long as these guys, though. I don't believe anyone was hurt, which is amazing. I was glad to reach my destination. I hope these people reach theirs soon, too.
Saw some beautiful colors out there. Smelled some sweet after-rain smells in the desert. Had some delicious Blizzards Courtesy of Dairy Queen all along the interstate.
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| New Mexico sky |
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| Arizona sky |
Eight days' total on the road in the Magic Box. We are very grateful to be Home.
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