10 – 14 november Go West young man

USA car trip

Day1: Don lives in an enormous “gated” mobile home village for 55+ year olds. We found his home on 8th street about a mile from the entrance, past the clubroom, tennis court, swimming pool and artificial lakes. We et off in his Ford Fusion, trying hard not to disagree with his definite views on politics and theories of big brother, indoctrination and manipulation of the general public. Anti government, anti authority, anti processed GM foods:  pro The Constitution, The 1st Amendment (the individual’s right of religion, freedom of speech, etc) and 4th amendment (one cannot be searched or arrested without warrant). Drove all the way to the end of the Florida panhandle on the first day. Left the Interstate highway 10 for detour to the pristine white sugar sand beach on the Gulf of Mexico. The scenic route went through Disneyesque resort villages and perfect cute little towns like the seaside town called Seaside where Truman Show was filmed. Dinner at a noisy sports bar where animated fans cheered the TV broadcast of Texas v Alabama football. Could not finish the oversize salads and pizza

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Day2: We were soon out of Florida (the Sunshine State), our Lonely Planet got a good workout through the flat swamplands of Alabama and into Mississipi. The southern states, dependent on agriculture and slavery, seceded from the Union then fought the civil war with the industrial northern states in 1861. Alabama was central to the Civil Rights movement in the mid 20th century. Rosa Parkes was arrested for refusing to give up her seat to a white person and go to the back of the bus. Slave-based plantation estate Louisiana was our next state. We made a quick stop to walk around the French Quarter of New Orleans, wacky shops, street performers, Mon Marte-like artists, carriages pulled by donkeys, flower covered wrought iron verandas and paddlesteamers on the Mississippi River and home to Louis Armstrong and Fats Domino. Signs of hurricane katrina still evident in areas with unrenovated housing and swathes of stripped trees. The road continued for about 50 miles of causeway though the swampland.

 

Day 3: An early start on Interstate 49 to Natchitoches, the earliest settled plantation town, with lovely colonial homes and historic street on the Dane River. We tried the local specialty of crispy deep fried meat pie and explain dead horse and dog’s eye to Don.  Dolly Parton  starred in “Steel Magnolia” here. Our camera’s battery had finally carked it (so no pics of New Orleans), so off to Walmart for a new camera, then back onto the frog and toad. Stopped at a rest stop and saw an Emu! Over the border on Interstate 20 into Texas. The countryside is still mostly flat and now drier grassland. We drive straight through Dallas, not stopping for JFK and through Fort Worth even though Liz suggested going to the Cowgirl museum and show. The concrete freeway overpasses are often 3 or 4 levels high, weaving the traffic every which way. Car is King, especially the F150, the Dodge pickup, a huge RV bus towing a SUV, a 1950s Cadillac, or a little car like our economical 4 cylinder Ford Fusion. It would be completely possible to drive from Miami to Seattle without one traffic light. As the sun sets, we found a “delux” hotel and then sat down for a Texan Ribeye steak at Sweetie pies.

 

Day 4: Travelled through prairie, oil fields, cattle ranch country and cotton fields. crazy cafe names like Wired Wabbit. A turn off to Acme and would not have been surprised to see Wil E. Coyote and Road Runnner. Interstate 40 has replaced most of Highway 66 but remnants remain in Amarillo, the planted cadillacs and Midpoint Cafe (equal distance to Chicago and L.A). The rugged beauty of the orange and pink cliffs of Palo Duro canyon was a worthwhile detour. 440 miles of Texas and then another 200 miles to Albuquerque in New Mexico was a big day.