Rodeo and 3000 yr old sequoia

I feel like I haven't written for a long time but it is only a matter of days, but I am seeing so much. From Vegas I took the back roads instead of I-15 down to Desert Hot Springs. What a ride across the Mojave. Lonely and only two lane but no traffic and big rigs to deal with. Saw borax deposits and they actually were driven out by 20 mule teams, also saw a lava cone.

Desert Hot Springs was amazing because it is backed up by Joshua Tree national Park and across the valley is San Jacinto Mt at over 11,000 ft. It is a large valley with thousands of wind turbines. They are working on their 5th generation of wind power and the generators are everywhere dotting  the hill sides. Huge wind goes thru the Palm Springs area . Went over the pass on the way to the outskirts of LA. I went to Sequoia National Monument and the roads were all 4-5 lanes most of the way. The smog was very noticeable.

Went over a pass and ended up in the Central Valley of California. Breadbasket of the state. Massive valley with farms everywhere; citrus, nuts, veggies you name it, over 240 crops as well as dairy and beef cattle.

On my way up to my campground my last town was Springville and they were having a rodeo. so I went to the rodeo on Sunday. The first rider out of the shoot, bareback bucking bronco was absolutely mauled. I was horrified but they just dragged the guy out and continued. No stretcher or anything.

Today I drove up 4000 ft to see the third largest Sequoia tree called the Stagg Tree. 95 ft around. Awe inspiring. The pass up 190 that leads to another grove of Sequoias is finally open, so I will attempt that another day. I was hiking through some snow today looking for the tree. Took my hand held GPs in case I got lost. No cell phone service up this way but they do have this satellite 760 k wireless at a cafe I found up at 5000 ft  in a place called Pierpont Springs. Chain country in the winter. It is so amazing to be up at such elevations and have huge forests. In NH White Mts I would have been close to tree line at 4000 ft.

So I am officially in the Sierra Nevadas and Mt Whitney at 14,000 ft is the highest mt in the lower 48 is in this range. I am camping next to a rushing torrent of the Tulare river and it is is in a grove of huge mossy covered trees. I could barely find a space big enough for my tent. My hot water heater is pumping water but not producing hot water and I am hoping it is just a temporary thing. The temps are warm enough to take a cold  shower but............ The families with kids all left after the weekend and I have the place to myself and the Camp Host and just a few others. Slept till 11 AM today! I better close and leave for  camp as I talked to the host and told him where I was going so I need to get back before dark.

I went the farthest west I am going on Saturday at about 4200 miles so far. Having the time of my life and wish you were all here so I could tell you what it is like in person.

Amusements at the Stratosphere

There are four. 1) " Scream Therapy" @ 1149 ft. hoisted up the outside of what looks like a radio tower and let to free fall 2) "The Insanity" @ 983 ft spins out from the side of the building 3) "The Scream"@ 866 ft a module holding 4 sets of people rocks back and forth over the edge of the tower and dips down and up etc. 4) "Sky Jump" at 108th floor. At this level the glass slopes outward so if you sit on the floor and hold onto the edge you can lean out and watch the whole thing happening. A person is put in a light blue and yellow jump suit and harnessed at the torso. They are attached to a bungee cord type thing and guy wires. The person is launched off the platform and freefalls in a controlled fall to a target circle painted on the roof of the entrance. You can buy one ride or get bargains for up to all 4 rides plus if you aren't a resident of the Stratosphere is another fee. The individual rides start at $13 and another $25 to get in the building if not a resident. Pictures get taken of the participants during the "fun" and can be purchased at the exit desk.
I really decided that mortgaging my house for last night's dinner precluded me from partaking of any of these sports. But if any of you want to do them I thought I would provide the info for your next trip to Las Vegas.

From 30-114 degrees - The Bryce Adventure

The Guide Book says see Bryce Canyon National Park at sunrise. It is 86 miles from Zion to Bryce and then a few more miles to actually get down to Bryce Point where the book says is the best place to watch said sunrise. I set my alarm for 4:30 AM, hopped into my clothes and headed for Bryce. I had prepacked everything I needed the night before. It would happen, of course that I have slept like a log every single night of the trip with the exception of  this one night! The first part of the trip was up the twisting, hairpin turn route 9 on which I came into the Zion valley. Could not make time on that stretch. The sky was horizon to horizon with stars but I knew I was trying to beat the sunrise so I really put the petal to the metal on route 89 north. I arrived with 10 mins to spare. As I drove up the plateau toward Bryce the temperature kept dropping and it was 30 degrees at one point. I hadn't thought of that but did have a fleece and my cowboy had in the car as well as a poly pro top in my pack. So on Sunday, Earth Day, a group of us gathered at Bryce Point and watched the sun come up over the 10,000 ft peaks in the distance. I have to say I was not impressed with what the sunrise did to the rocks. They were impressive enough but I didn't see any great affect from the sun hitting the formations at a low angle. The HooDoo's, as they are called are amazing to look at and the color changes in the rock layers was interesting.
I ate breakfast and at 8 AM headed down the Navajo Loop trail to enter the Bryce "Amphitheatre." I was somewhat apprehensive about hiking down into the canyon because I couldn't get any real accurate figures about the elevation involved or distance. The rim was around 8000 ft to start with. But I headed down anyway and found the trail a mastery of trail work. At one point the trail went down this narrow canyon with 14 switchbacks to get down through a steep section. Then it evened out more and I met up with the Queens Garden trail and headed back up to the rim. The days had been very hot and I wanted to get down and out as fast as possible. The way out wasn't as steep so it was an enjoyable hike and I was really proud of myself handling the elevation. I topped out around 10:30. It was worth going into the canyon to see it all from below as well as from the rim. I then headed back to Zion. I got very sleepy driving and had to stop and get some coffee and food before I could continue. It was great to see the plateau that I had sped across during the night and it was fascinating to see the Seviere River follow the road a good distance. Then I got to drive route 9 again in daylight and it was as good as the first time I drove into Zion.
I have been experimenting with how I leave my tent flaps during the day. Up to keep the sun out, but the breeze out or down to let the breeze in, if there is a breeze, but pretty open to the public. I had left the flaps up and when I got back the tent was in the high 90's. I opened it up but was so sleepy I lay down in the heat for an hour or two. I think I fried my brain because when I woke up it was 114 degrees in the tent. I staggered out and sat in my folding chair in the shade of my tent and drank everything in sight but I really didn't feel well and never ate any dinner.
It had been a very long hot day the day before so the next day I did nothing but sit in a rocker on the covered veranda up at the Zion Lodge and pretended I belonged there. Never broke a sweat all day. Good way to recover.
Off to Las Vegas via the Valley of Fire State Park. I had been hearing about the place from others and it had little green dots on the map and was in my Scenic Byways book so I made it a must see. But then the section of road south of there to Las Vegas was nothing but desolate desert and it spooked me out. Nada, nothing, nobody but me! After 40 some miles there was a break in the mountains and I got a glimpse of Las Vegas and the Stratosphere tower. What a reliainef to see civilization again.
My son had recommended a certain steak house in Vegas called the Golden Steer, which turns out to be within walking distance of the Stratosphere. He always went there on business. I will now have to take out a mortgage on my house to pay for the meal.
Today was Hoover Dam and then the Scenic Byway through Red Rock Canyon. I really don't need to see any more red rocks. Hoover was interesting but so grand I didn't even bother to take my camera. The tourist facilities were very well done and fine materials were used including marble for the flooring and polished railings.
There apparently is an amusement park up on the top of the Stratosphere Tower and on my drive back this afternoon I could see one of those things where you sit in a swing and it swirls around, the swings fly out and around you go. Only the people in this one were being swirled out over nothing. I may go up and check it out now.
Tomorrow I am off through the Mojave Desert to Desert Hot Springs. At least I will be on a well traveled interstate 15 so I don't freak out.

Roads with little green dots

What can I say? I had no idea what I was in for at Zion and when I first started to get into the area I thought I must be in Yosemite, but I knew what I was seeing wasn't formed by a glacier. The ride to Zion over route 9 is one of those rides that AAA puts little green dots next to. Always follow the roads with green dots if you want to have a wicked good experieince. Massive uplifts of mountains and peaks all of differnent color and strata. The Zion Canyon is formed by the Virgin River. The river is only 160  miles long and drops over 50 ft per mile. It really packs a punch as far as eroding the valley and slot canyons in the area. The main part of the valley is serviced by propane propelled shuttles eliminating all the car and noise of RV's, and buses. There are stops all along the valley that coincide with interesting features or trail heads. I took it up to the end to the Temple of Sinawawa and worked my way down the valley stopping to hike at 4 places. The valley continues farther north and is called "The Narrows". It turns into a slot canyon that follows the river, often only 20-30 ft wide but 2000ft deep. I learned to rock climb with the idea to do some techinical slot canyons in Utah but never got out of the NE for climbing. this is a major world class rock climbing area and you have to be uber into your self confidence and capabilities to attempt these routes uup the massive walls. all day we watched a pair making their way up a crack.

Tomorrow is the day I will be going to Bryce Canyon. It is 200 miles roundtrip so I don't know if I will get to hike down in the amphitheatre. The geologic strata is so interesting and goes from north to south. This whole area was one big lake at one point (think million of years) and the different strata were laid down and then fused into rock. Then they were uplifted at crazy angles and then eroded. So the bottom strata at Bryce continues south and is the top strata at Zion. And the bottom strata at Zion is the top strata at the Grand Canyon. The Vermillion cliffs that I passed on the way up here are all part of the same uplifting and erosion.

Temps in Zion are wonderful. 50-60's during the night and 80-90's during the day. I will never complain about heat after the cold I have been through.
Getting good at making my own percolator coffee. I added filters and it helps to keep the grounds where they belong. Cooking has not been all that great and last night I really fell to an all time low. I made "Tuna Wiggle." The first "one pot" meal that Girl Scouts learn to make. And I made enough for three meals. yuk. I put a lot of effort into my itinerary and not anything into recipes for one pot or two. Used the shower accessory to my hot water heater for the first time yesterday. First day I have wanted to take a shower  that wasn't indoors!

Can anyone tell me how orchards can grow right at the edge of really dry places? I am seeing a lot of orchards in the strangest places.

Today is day 21 and I have put 3100 miles on my car.

Tumblin Tumble Weed

Yesterday was a drive from Navajo Lake State Park all the way to Page, AZ. A WOW moment all day. I was supposed to stop at Navajo National Monument and did stop and took the walk out to see the cliff dwellings. They are similar to the one at Mesa Verde but  there are three separate ones at this site. They are located under huge cliff overhangs. This one went back 135 ft, had a spring and natural southern exposure. They grew crops down in the valleys where their cliff dwellings are located. I went on to Page. The scenery again was beyond belief. Ship Rock, a monolithic piece of Lava sticking up out of the high desert plateau was visible for miles off. After that the soils turned more like red sand and there were more sandstone outcroppings.
The road I was on was only 2 lane but there were hardly any cars and so I could do 65 easily. That is except when there were goats, sheep, beef cattle horses and yes, even a tumblin tumble weed crossing the highway. Very high desert but enough land for grazing. I was going down a huge valley with the the strata on either side perfectly horizontal and down the middle were a series of hogbacks which are uplifting of strata on almost a 45 degree angle.
I was getting 56 mpg on this tank of gas, going up and down through the desert with that 180 degree sky visible all around.
This campground in Page has a pool and Sauna and showers and I am currently sitting outside of my tent at my picnic table connected to the wifi. It is a lovely 76 degrees and a light wind and my tent is open to get the cross winds. My tent site is in a little 2 ft high walled enclosure in this immense land of class A diesel pushers and every other kind of RV you can think of. Gorgeous sleeping last night with just a liner and light quilt. What a treat to get up and dressed without freezing.
The big treat and something on my bucket list was visiting the Antelope Slot Canyon this morning. It is on Navajo land and can only be visited with a Navajo guide. I have seen pictures my whole life of slot canyons and how the light streams down and reveals all the twists and turns and erosion of millions and millions of years of an intermittent stream flow. The stream that carved this slot originates up over 6000ft and does this canyon at 4000ft. So If they see that there is a storm out about 25 miles they will evacuate the canyon and the dry arroyo that the trucks use to get us to the slot. I took so many pictures. No flash used as it blots out the colors. I am so psyched by seeing it all. But I have not found a book of photographs done by a professional. Would buy it in a minute and can't wait to see how my prints come out.
Page only started in 1957 when the Glen Canyon Dam was started. It took several years to build and then 17 years to fill Lake Powell. I drove over to a scenic point across from the dam and it is quite impressive. I did not take a tour as I want to do that at Hoover Dam. When we rafted the Colorado we left below the dam at a place called Lees Ferry.
Tomorrow I head to Zion via back roads again but I expect they will be WOW moments the whole way.

Puddy Tat footprints

The snow was funky. It was 38 but snowing like crazy but some weirdlike snow, kinda like balls of tapioca only smaller. it covered things in a squall and moved on. Last night it was 28 degrees the coldest it has been anywhere on the trip. Went out walking yesterday and found some animal tracks that seem to be of a big kitty cat. Um. One of the guys thought he saw a bobcat but these were too big for that. One more night at Navajo and then I am back on schedule and off to Monument Valley.
today I drove into Aztec to do laundry, go to the PO and find wifi and came over a brow of a hill and was stupified by the scenery again. Wide wide valley and then the whole northern part of my view was filled with the snow covered San Juan Mts. So spectacular.
This area, IE Farmington is a huge oil and gas location. There are pumps everywhere you look. West of Farmington is the largest strip coal mining place in the world. They provide the energy for the whole Four Corners area.
Spring is coming slowly to this area. It seems like I am following it across the country.
Monument Valley and Zion are up another 1000ft so I hope it warms up some. The sky is so clear today, I can see Shiprock out in the distance. I have visited Canyon De Chelly and Chaco Canyon in this area before. I like Canyon de Chelly almost better than the Grand Canyon. I won't have a long drive tomorrow to Monument Valley because I came all of this way from Taos.

Snow in the prediction

I left Taos as the Pueblo village was closed and that is what I really wanted to see. Headed west on Route 64 and crossed the Rio Grand at a 650 ft deep gorge. Great river rafting location. 64 was was another heart stopping, drag down gorgeous drive. Between Tres Piedras and Tierra Amarilla. Saw a view of Brazos cliffs and wanted a better picture that was across a small snow field. I had clogs on and tried to cross, it was deeper than I thought so I lost my clog. ended up sitting in the snow and trying to find my shoe and thenn crawled out. PUT ON boots and got my picture. Camping at Cotton woods Campground Navajo Lake State Park. Full of anglers for catch and release trout area of the San Juan river. I am in another cottonwood grove next to the river. sitting now in a motel parking lot using their wifi. I will leave here the 17th for Navajo national Monument. Oh cheers. it was supposed to rain before snow but it is noon and already spritzing snow.

Black and white night visitor

Spent two nights up at Tolby Campground in the Cimarron State Park. Incredible 35  mile drive up the Taos valley to Angel Fire and then the scenery opened up to a huge valley and went north to Eagles Nest and then back climbing to Cimarron. Camped along the Cimarron River with grove of huge cotton woods. Snow still in the woods. Lows at night 36 daytime finicky. Up over 8000ft so decided to take yesterday and do nothing but get used to the elevation but then it poured for several hours and I napped.

Last night I was sleeping soundly when I heard rustling in my side of the tent where the floor is covered. The other half is open to the ground but I didn't have the door between the rooms completely zipped. I thought I heard something and then knew for sure when I felt something go over my quilt and pull on my feet. Then whatever it was went into the other room. I braved the cold and got out my flashlight and went looking and found a skunk in the other half. I quickly closed the zipper to my half and got back into bed and prayed. He/she found it's way out. I had nothing to eat what so ever in my tent so I was lucky. But when I shone the flashlight it was looking kind of frantic and so I beat a hasty retreat. I was very lucky to have him not spray! Cold again this am so I decided to break camp and find a place at lower elevation. Had a 10:30 appointment for getting my car serviced in Taos anyway. So loaded up and made the spectacular drive back to Taos. along the way in the Angel Fire valley is a Vietnam Vets memorial that is very inspiring and uplifting, a real tribute and in a spectacular location.
Got my car serviced and knew there was free internet at the Visitor's Center so am sitting there now. Still need to do laundry. Don't know if I even want to hit the shops. I learned this AM that the Pueblo village is closed to the public until April 20th and that was why I wanted to come to Taos to see the Indian craft work.

I may spend one more night here and then head over to another State Park farther west. I want to be at lower elevation. Up at 8000 ft plus really takes the starch out of me.

The drive here from Tucumcari took my breath away. Went west for awhile and then headed up scenic 518 thru back roads to Taos. It was spectacular and I had been steadily climbiing into the high chaparal without realizing it. Then the 180 degree sky views were unsettleing me again. It is so BIG. The I climbed a huge mt and on the way down the other side I came to a place to stop and I pulled over. I clamped my hand to my heart the view was so spectacular. I literally gasped at seeing the view. Snow capped mts, snow in the upper woods, pine, and just clear sky and you can see forever. I almost cryed it was so beautiful. Taos itself sits in a tremendous valley with surrounding mountains and if I could I would stay forever just staring at the scenery.

There is one weaving store and one knitting store I want to see and then I may head west to another State Park. Need to check elevations. I am into warmth these days but the weather isn't into that quite yet except it is in the 70's during the day.

The long days drive

Such interesting impressions of Oklahoma that I didn't expect to have. When I transitioned from the Ozarks back to the Central Plains I found a rolling verdant countryside and very red soil. The underlying strata must be all red sandstone. But the contrast between the green foliage and the red soil was very striking.  In color theory, complimentary colors  IE red and green, throw their color into the other color. So on a fall day we always feel like the sky is bluer and the trees are more orange and it is because the blue in the sky throws more orange into the trees and the trees throw more blue into the sky.) So here the red and green were doing the same thing. It had rained a lot and streams were full and red. There was an interesting snap dragon type of flower growing along the roadway and I finally had to stop to take a picture after a trucker advised me I could stop but stay way off the road but not into the red clay that was saturated.
Passed a cattle stockyard, so I was right about the beef cattle and at some point passed a slaughterhouse. Not a nice smell. Crossed the Old Chisholm Trail and saw what had to be the Guinness world record of McDonald's arches; a McDonald's spanned the interstate and the arch went over the whole thing! As I went farther and farther west I transitioned into the Great  Plains and things got drier looking and irrigation was needed. I saw those huge irrigation sprinklers that go in big circles and until now, had only seen from a window of an aircraft.
The most disturbing thing was the sky. I am so not used to being able to see from horizon to horizon and see the sky. There were, what I hoped were only rain storms, all over the sky and I ran through a few but missed most. I am glad I didn't stop in El Reno because it would have meant putting up in the rain last night and taking down in the rain this morning. So I just kept driving and basically got past the storms, I thought, until just passing into NH. When I got to the motel in Tucumcari another woman traveler asked me to join her for dinner. She called what I will describe as Dust Devils. The wind picks up the dirt in little swirls like mini tornadoes and at one point I was about to drive through one when it started to rain. So I went into a blind situation of raining mud. It was only for a second but very disconcerting.
As I progressed into western OK and on into NM it definitely was more desert like and the colors changed from the verdant greens of spring in OK to the sages of trees and plants that can withstand low water situations. Small red sandstone mesas and buttes started to appear. I was so surprised after crossing into NM that all of a sudden I was going down a large hill that had a truck warning. After a day of uber flatness it was surprising.
Got a bad tank of gas (Phillips 66) and only got 41 mpg but then the next tank of Shell got me back up into the high 40's. I am sitting looking out into the morning fog at the old Route 66. Been seeing signs all along for museums and memorabilia sites.
So encouraged to see huge scale Wind farms. I passed one that went on for ever over the horizon and another running along the top of a bluff. I like how they look with their elegant design and are so much preferable to telephone poles and cell towers. We have gotten used to seeing phone poles so now we will probably get used to wind turbines. (I like the idea of clean energy better than gaseous diffusion plants.)
Exciting day ahead with going up in to the mountains and seeing Taos and making a minny base camp for a week. My cot is more comfortable than the Super 8 mattress last night! I need to load some pix for you all and will do when I have more time.
Have amulet, will travel!

Key Issues

The day I left home I discovered that my kitchen door did not lock. I used to just press the button and close the door and go away but never checked the door. For some reason the day I left, I checked the door knob and the door was not locked, after pressing the button. The lock was broken. So I left anyway and called my son to see if he could call the Association to see if that was a repair they made. But of course it wasn't, so Chris had to drive down over the weekend and change the locks. Then this morning it dawned on me that my car has not been locking this whole week because I was leaving the spare smart key in the car. I just took the key to the car door off the smart key lozenge and was wearing it around my neck. Dah!
So I just happened to be passing through Oklahoma on my way to Tucumcari, NM, when I saw the Cherokee Trading Post. 10,000 gifts type place. Got myself a little leather pouch on a real leather cord so that I can now wear the whole smart key around my neck for the next 3 months. So in true fashion of Clan of the Cave Bear I am now known as Catherine of the Smart Key Clan and I have my amulet to keep me safe!
The sky was threatening for most of the day and the radio said rain today and tomorrow in Oklahoma City so I passed it by and decided to go all the way to NM. 650 miles and 10.5 hours drive later and here I am. Going to bed now! I rationalized that one night in a motel was worth two camping. So tomorrow I can make Taos and get settled for a week. I will make some observations at another writing.

Pulled into Springfield, MS around 2 pm. Got up at 7 and was out by 8. Crossed the Mississippi at 9:10 am. No place to stop to take pictures so I rolled down my windows and shot one handed out my windows!  The area along the Mississippi brings a new meaning to the word "flat." I drove more than 25 miles before I came to anything slightly resembling a bump in the road.
Missouri is rolling mountains and at the road cuts the substrata looks like it is horizontal sedimentary rocks. There are numerous signs for visiting caverns because of the eroded limestone. Looks like a beef cattle area although I wouldn't know a beef cow from a milk cow, except I am not seeing any black and white cows like the ones on Ben and Jerry's ice cream. (That would be a Guernsey, I suppose)
Had the roads to myself this AM because the good folks were all in church and the radio dial was filled with religion. But I did hear Bach's Ave Maria right when I learned that Mike Wallace had passed . Very fitting. Most of the drive today was on US 60 which is a divided highway but not limited access. Had to be really careful and it takes a moment or so longer to process that there is a stop light out in the middle of nowhere. This really IS somewhere because I passed signs for the homes of Laura Wilder Ingalls and Mark Twain.
My two nights in Paducah were good. I came down with wicked bad allergies and was taking Claritin D and Delsum cough syrup so I was a bit woozy.Went to the Quilt Museum and looked at the "Wall to Wall" Murals which are painted on the flood walls. The city is on a bluff above the confluence of the Tennessee and the Ohio Rivers. Major important city in River history. Just down river the Ohio joins the Mississippi. The cultural part of town is called "Lowertown".
They have built 12 miles of concrete walls along the the Paducah side of McCracken County and the last flood came up to about a foot shy of going over the top of the flood wall. It is hard to believe the amount of water that could possibly go over the flood walls. The city is up on a bluff at least 60 ft above water level, and then the walls are another 15 ft. My Geography professor used to curse the Civil engineers for ever building levies because once you build them "IT" will come. "IT " being water. And every time someone upstream paves over land for a parking lot it creates runoff that doesn't soak into the soil, so water goes into storm drains and into streams and into rivers and the problem cascades.  Every time someone up stream builds a levy it creates more problems for those down river. Just look at New Orleans. They build the levies higher and the land is sinking at about the same rate! End of lecture on levies.
I liked Paducah until I learned there was a Gaseous Diffusion Plant there. They enrich all of the uranium for all of the US Nuclear power plants. Things glow around the area! My prejudice! It was so clever of them to build on the Mississippi so that when there is a leak or disaster the river gets polluted.
I am starting to see the old time type of windmills and I saw someone wearing the first cowboy hat.
So the first week was a real test. Living outdoors 24/7 has been a trial especially with temps down in the low 30's at night and 50's during the day. Going from sedentary living in a 55+ community that doesn't have a stair in sight to schlepping gear in and out of the car and dealing with the tent etc has been a challenge but I expected to feel the effects. Didn't expect the allergies attacking but I suppose I should have for seen that happening. So it is warming up now and I have a rhythm of things. If I don't cook, brew coffee or take a shower in the morning and pack the night before, I can get up and out in an hour. Shower and cooking and loading in the morning makes it more like a 2 hour phenomena. I have a few one night stays coming up until I get to Taos and they are the longest driving days too. Should be interesting. I am already going to bed at sundown but despite all that I have managed to get most of the second motif of my shawl knit! Knitting after dark does not work even with a lantern!
Happy Easter and I especially want to say "'Hi" to my fellow choir members at 1ST U that produced such wonderful music every Sunday but especially at Easter.

On the Road

Greetings from just outside of Paducah, KY. I pity the poor folks that live along the time change line. It goes higgly piggly across S Indiana and then across KY. I need to figure out how to make my GPs recognize central time. I am very close to where the TN River dumps into the Ohio near Paducah and then the Ohio dumps into the Mighty Miss a few more miles downstream. I am eager to cross the Mississippi. I am about 160 miles south of St Louis.
It feels like such a priviledge to drive this great country. I left the Coastal Plain at sea level and have progressed up thru the Piedmont Plateau in PA and then across the Alleghenny Highlands and the Appalachian Plateau. Yesterday I came down from the plateau and hit route I-79 SW thru West Virginia. I didn't realize how high up I was in the Laurel Highlands, where Fallingwater was located, until coming down and having the road have truck runaway ramps. I-79 was in bloom especially for me with the Red Bud trees in full color. Then when I hit KY I crossed into the Central Plains and went through gorgeous rolling hills. I stayed 2 nights just north of Lexington at the KY Horse Park Campground. The area is gorgeous with the huge grasslands with white fences almost as prevalent as NE stone walls. Rich horse country and KY Bluegrass.
It was 36 yesterday and today when I woke up. Needless to say I waited while for it to warm up a little. Tonight they are talking frost. My wonderful car has been averaging 44 mpg and today I got it up to 45mpg. It likes going 71 mph. Beautiful rolling hills all the way here today. I am now truly in the farming heartland of  America. It isn't until you get away from the wretched NE corridor that you realize that this country is really all about farming.
The radio has switched already to religious and country music.  And I get the futures prices on the food markets and no traffic reports!
All day there were the brown interstate signs which traditionally recognize points of interest. I was on the Bourbon Trail today and passed by Abraham Lincoln's birthplace and the Everly Brothers Monument. The highway was also called the Purple Heart Trail and all the bridges and overpasses were dedicated to our Heroes.
When I crossed over the TN river it was the outflow after the dam that forms one of the lakes of  the area known as Land Between the Lakes. In another life I drew an inset map of the Land Between the Lakes for the KY/TN Exxon road map. And yesterday I passed thru Huntington W VA and thought about having just looked at the movie "We are Marshall." (one of my heart throbs - Matthew McCanahy (sp?).
Tomorrow is the National Quilt Museum and some Wall Murals that are put up along the river. Paducah has a thriving Arts District. Then the next day I cross the mighty Miss and head to Springfield, Missouri. I didn't realize that all of southern Missouri and northern Arkansas are part of the Interior Highlands (ie Ozarks). When I refer to geographic regions it is according to my Physiography book.
I am sitting at a Panerra Bread, bless them, as I am out of the wind and even though it is sunny it is not all that warm. Across the way is a Chico's and I don't have the least desire to go over to visit it. and those of you who know me, might think that is very strange. But truth be told, I can't fit another thing in my car!
So this stop will be my 3rd out of the 28 I have planned. I get to switch regional maps on the next leg of the trip. I can put away the AAA Southeastern States and get out the Central States map.
Not sure if I have a working camera or not. When I tried to use it at Fallingwater it kept asking for new batteries.
I can't believe it is only day 5 as I feel like I am in another world. I  have been going to sleep before dark and waking up with the birds, although they are a mite early some mornings. Alleriges have kicked in so I am  taking Claritan D and feeling it's effects. Yesterday when I was supposed to be out touring I sat in the sun and knit my shawl. Purl 2 together thru back loops is a real pain.
Who knows when I will come upon another wifi spot. Greetings to all. why did I wait until this age to see the USA

The Laurel Highlands of SW PA are lovely. Small rolling mountains with farms and fields. My first night's campground will be nicknamed "The Turnpike." It sits in the same valley as the Turnpike and the road noise is amplified. But set up site easily. There was a small picnic table so I just put the sun room part of my tent right over the table. Slept like a log.. Disappointed that the PA turnpike has changed since I was a kid. We always looked forward to the single lane tunnels and now one is no longer used and they are all two lanes each way. But then there were no Burma shave signs or Howard Johnson's with 29 flavors of ice cream at the rest stops!
Fallingwater is magnificent. I had an 8:30 tour so set my phone alarm which makes the sound of a croaking frog, and got up at 6. Thirty four degrees showed as the min temperature last night. It was tough getting out of my sleeping bag. But it was worth all the effort to see Falllingwater. In the afternoon I toured another FLWright designed house nearby. It is called Kentuk Knob. Also stopped at some locations in Ohiopyle State Park for a water fall and a location where you can slide down the rocks in the water. Right up my alley of fun things to do but I think it was running a bit high today!
 Got lost on the way back to the campsite but found this MickeyD's and they have wifi. Off to KY tomorrow near Lexington.

The Car Is Packed, on my way tomorrow early.

No Passengers allowed

Gear side, tent, food etc

I can see out the back window

Clothes side

My Side

Traveling Hat