Road Trip DiaryTraveling around America and bloggin' about it.
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March/April 2025:
May/June 2025:
June 2026:
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Day 5: Tulsa, OK to Hot Springs, AR I wish we could have spent another full day in Tulsa (who knew it was such a cultural mecca?!), but at least got to spend the morning exploring a bit more before pressing on. Brunch was a 'bang-bang' (hitting two restaurants right after another) - first fueling up at Tally's Cafe (another yummy Route 66-inspired diner), followed by a sweet bite at Savoy, a Tulsa institution (est. 1918, known especially for their cinnamon rolls). Well sated, the last stop in Tulsa was a visit to the very heavy (but extremely well-curated) Greenwood Rising - a living history museum dedicated to memorializing and processing the aftermath of the horrific 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. For those who may be unfamiliar, the historic Greenwood District of Tulsa (also known colloquially as 'Black Wall Street') became one of the wealthiest Black communities in the U.S. during the early 20th century, which of course upset white supremacists/business owners quite a bit. Racial tensions grew to a boiling point by the early 1920s, and culminated catastrophically on Memorial Day, 1921. Dick Rowland, a 19-year old Black male shoeshiner, entered an office building to use the segregated restroom on the top floor, as he was not allowed to use the restroom in a different office building where he worked. While the exact details of what occurred next cannot be verified, the most accepted version of events is that Rowland entered the elevator, tripped, and grabbed what was nearest to stabilize himself, which happened to be the arm of the 21 year old white female elevator operator, Sarah Page. Page screamed and ran out of the elevator, which another white clerk on the floor assumed to be an incident of attempted assault, and called the police. Local officials at the time did not believe these charges were credible; Sarah Page did not ultimately press charges, and the case against Rowland was ultimately dismissed. However, in classic yellow journalism fashion, the Tulsa Tribune ran with the assault narrative, and snowballing misinformation led to an altercation between an angry white mob and concerned Black citizens outside of the courthouse where Rowland was being held...which led the white mob to chase Black Tulsans into Greenwood, ultimately inciting one of the worst incidents of racial violence in American history. White supremacist terrorists took to the streets and burned the vast majority of Black Wall Street to the ground, killing dozens and injuring hundreds of people, displacing thousands, and causing $2.25 million in damages (equivalent to over $40 million in today's dollars). Black residents were wrongfully blamed by local officials for the massacre, and denied any sort of reparations. The massacre was covered up by local/state government and omitted from textbooks for decades, simply referred to as the "Tulsa Race Riot," if it was mentioned at all. The massacre did not even officially become part of the Oklahoma school curriculum until 2020. It is deeply painful to revisit this history and witness our country's civil rights plummet further and further on a daily basis; however, I think it is paramount (for white people, first and foremost) to understand and reckon with our role in this continued violent legacy, and ensure we are doing everything in our power to chart a more equitable path forward. As our direction shifted southeast, it was sad to wave goodbye to Route 66 for the remainder of the trip, but I feel so grateful to have had the opportunity to travel well over half of the Mother Road during her 100th birthday year. The consolation prize was finally getting to visit Hot Springs, AR, which we had to skip on an earlier April 2025 trip due to severe thunderstorms and tornado warnings. Luckily, the weather cooperated this time as we left the freeway behind in favor of the beautiful and winding roads of the Ouachita Mountains and National Forest. Hot Springs is definitely one of the most uniquely weird and interesting places we've visited! It is of course known as a wellness hub for its namesake thermal hot springs (with supposed healing properties) and historic bathhouses, which have drawn throngs of tourists since the 1800s. Thankfully, the area is now protected and managed by the National Park Service as Hot Springs National Park. You may not have known that Hot Springs was also the birthplace of Major League Baseball spring training, President Bill Clinton, and the Assemblies of God church...along with being a gambling mecca and favorite vacation spot of Mafiosos from the 1880s-1940s. While the natural surroundings here are really lovely, there are some bizarre vibes in Hot Springs, for sure. The fascinating dichotomy of seedy history juxtaposed to the pervasive presence of 'woo-woo' wellness culture parallels a bit too closely to our current 'MAHA' nightmare, for my taste...but it's still a fun place to visit. First up was the Ohio Club, the oldest bar in Arkansas (est. 1905) and one of the oldest establishments we visited on this trip, period! Many baseball and Mafia legends ate here, including Babe Ruth, Bugs Moran, Bugsy Siegel, and Al Capone, and Mae West even performed here back in the day. My experience was less than ideal (the AC was absolutely frigid and the burger was very salty...), but the vibe in the bar was lowkey and pleasant - I'd definitely return for a drink. Since the hot springs are federally protected, you cannot soak in the springs directly - but a number of bathhouses that pipe the water directly from the hot springs exist along the main drag (Central Ave), called 'Bathhouse Row.' This area was developed between 1892-1923, and includes the largest collection of early 20th-century bathhouses in the US. Only two bathhouses have stayed open for their original use, but the remaining buildings have been preserved and repurposed by the NPS for educational and National Park use. Many of the bathhouses are quite ornate and architecturally very impressive. While it was too late in the day to visit a bathhouse, we had a pleasant stroll along Bathhouse Row after dinner, and planned to try to get in the following day for a quick soak before hitting the road. We also had to stop in at the crown jewel of Hot Springs - the Arlington Hotel. It was a bit out of budget to stay the night for this trip...but some of the rooms have the option to pump the thermal hot springs directly into your room's bathtub, so I would absolutely try to stay there if I ever return. First opened in 1875, and rebuilt twice since then, this storied hotel is exquisite, and immediately gives major "Shining" vibes as soon as you walk in. Many famous figures have stayed at the Arlington over the past 150 years, including U.S. presidents, MLB players, gangsters, performers, and more...but the most storied ghost is Al Capone, who supposedly haunts the 4th floor...guests have frequently cited the unexplained smell of fresh cigar smoke in his favorite room (443)! After a nightcap at the hotel bar, we retired for the evening to our much more modest accommodations. Day 6: Hot Springs, AR to Tupelo, MS Determined to make the most of our last few hours in Hot Springs, we woke up with a start and booked it to The Pancake Shop (which is probably the most popular breakfast spot in town), and had arguably some of the best food of the trip. Open since 1940, everything is either homemade or locally sourced, and was absolutely delicious. The final quest was to try to fit in a quick soak at one of the bathhouses...we opted for the Quapaw Baths, which luckily had availability, and had a brief but pleasant soak in four of their pools. For those who have visited a Korean spa before, the experience is very similar to that, without the required nudity...which may or may not be a plus, depending on your preferences ;-) We spent the majority of the rest of the day winding along fairly rural roads in Arkansas and Mississippi, with one critical stop in Clarksdale, MS, which is a major hub for the Blues. As the blues form the bedrock of the majority of American popular music (20th cent. and beyond), it's very important for every music lover to have at least a cursory appreciation for the art form and the basics of blues history. Music nerds may also know that the Crossroads (where US 61 and 49 meet) is the famed intersection where the legendary Blues musician Robert Johnson supposedly sold his soul to the devil in exchange for his blues "chops" (technical mastery and musical prowess). Highway 61, which runs from Louisiana to Minnesota, is often referred to as the "Blues Highway" for its significance to blues history and spreading its popularity from the southern U.S. to the north (Bob Dylan's Highway 61 Revisited is a tribute to this road, as well). The area was the birthplace of many well-known musicians, such as Sam Cooke, Muddy Waters, Ike Turner, Son House, and John Lee Hooker (to name a few), and is also the home of the excellent Delta Blues Museum, which we had just enough time to tour before it closed for the day. We were both huge fans of the 2025 blockbuster hit Sinners (which, if you haven't seen it, pays great homage to Blues culture), and were very bummed that we didn't have time to visit one of the local juke joints...but it was a nice consolation to learn through the museum that the Sinners production team treated the residents of Clarksdale to a special free screening of the film at the local civic auditorium! On the way out of town, it turns out that the Crossroads intersection is located directly in front of Abe's BBQ (a local institution that has been serving top shelf barbecue and hot tamales since 1924), so we were able to have some delicious food and pay our respects to the Crossroads before heading to our destination for the night - Tupelo, MS. Day 7: Tupelo, MS to Atlanta, GA We've arrived at the final day of this whirlwind cross-county trip - bittersweet for sure, but I'm consistently proud and perplexed by how much we're able to accomplish in a short amount of time. Our stop in Tupelo was of course for one reason - to visit the birthplace of the King! While Graceland is certainly a flashier and more extensive/expensive/crowded/over the top tourist destination (which we covered in April 2025)...the Elvis Birthplace and Museum is more subdued, and caters to the more hardcore fan base. If you've got to pick just one, go with Graceland, but serious Elvis fans will find a lot to appreciate about visiting his humble origins. Visitors have the option to see three different attractions - a small museum, the house where Elvis was born, and the church that Elvis grew up in. You can pay for all of these attractions, or just pick and choose. You may or may not know that Elvis grew up on the "wrong side of the tracks" in Tupelo. After he acquired fame, Elvis purchased the land surrounding his former home and donated it to the city of Tupelo, on the condition that the city provide a youth center that would cater to the local neighborhood kids. While the youth center no longer exists, the "early Elvis" compound survives. We didn't have a whole lot of time to spend here, but of all the attractions, I surprisingly enjoyed the presentation inside of his childhood church the most. Afterward, we had to grab a bite at Elvis's favorite local eatery, Johnnie's Drive-In (est. 1945) - his order was a cheeseburger and an RC cola, so we had the same. It has a ton of great vintage memorabilia, and is cash-only, but the staff is extremely friendly, and it's SUPER cheap (two meals for $13 is practically unheard of these days). For real Elvis heads, there is a map available at the museum with dozens of important 'sites' you can visit from his life in Tupelo.. We only had half an hour or so to explore downtown Tupelo, but found some lovely public art, and saw the outside of Tupelo Hardware, which is where Elvis notably acquired his first guitar. Then it was off to Alabama for a busy afternoon! Our penultimate planned stop was "The Shoals" of northwestern Alabama, which encompasses the quad-city area of Florence, Sheffield, Muscle Shoals, and Tuscumbia, along the Tennessee River. While all of the musical destinations on this trip were fantastic...Muscle Shoals might be the place I was the most excited to visit, because SO much spectacular music was recorded in various studios throughout this region, especially in the 60's and 70's. I won't go into too much depth here, but if you're curious about this long history of the countless rock, soul, and R&B hits that were recorded here, the Muscle Shoals documentary (2013) is an excellent overview that includes the backstory of the producers and studio musicians who cultivated this legacy and put this place on the map. There are still 15 professional operating studios in the Shoals, and we were fortunate enough to visit the two studios who arguably played the biggest role in shaping the "Muscle Shoals sound." FAME Studios opened in 1959, and was founded/run by producer Rick Hall. The studio began rolling out hits in the early 60's, and basically didn't stop. While Hall was usually listed as producer, the session musicians (known as the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section) were the real workhorses primarily responsible for crafting the signature "Muscle Shoals sound." It's my understanding that they were able to capture this soulful, expressive, "down-home Southern" musical foundation by EQing the bass/drums to significantly boost the low end. But the real magic was the session players' ability to hear a song once, put together an arrangement very quickly, and then record the whole song in 1-2 takes (usually 15-20 minutes flat). This hallmark "swampy" sound earned the rhythm section the nickname "The Swampers" (forever memorialized in a lyric of a song I dislike, and won't be mentioning, but you definitely know it...). While at FAME, the Swampers recorded career-catapulting hits for Aretha Franklin ("I've Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You"), Etta James ("Tell Mama"), Wilson Pickett ("Land of 1000 Dances," "Mustang Sally"), and plenty of others. It's still an active recording studio today. In 1969, the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section (Barry Beckett, Roger Hawkins, Jimmy Johnson, and David Hood) decided it was time for the Swampers to branch off from FAME and start their own studio. For the next 10 years, the Swampers' own Muscle Shoals Sound Studio (3614 Jackson Highway) churned out hits for the Rolling Stones ("Brown Sugar," "Wild Horses"), the Staple Singers ("I'll Take You There"), Paul Simon ("Kodachrome"), Bob Seger ("Old Time Rock and Roll"), and so many others. The group moved to a much larger studio space in 1979, and the original building fell into other hands for several decades. After the 2013 documentary came out, interest grew in restoring the 3614 Jackson Highway to its former glory, and in 2017, the Muscle Shoals Music Foundation acquired and reopened the studio as both a tourist attraction (during the day) and working studio (at night). Much of the equipment remains the same, and it was extremely special to have the opportunity to hear this classic music in the space where it was recorded. Aside from its extraordinary musical legacy, there are SO many other attractions we wanted to explore in The Shoals, but sadly did not have the time :-( I was grateful we could at least stop by one of the oldest businesses in the area, Trowbridges (est. 1918), for some of their famous orange-pineapple ice cream (NOT sherbet) and a pimento cheese sandwich. I also discovered AFTER the fact that you can actually get an all-inclusive pass to see basically all of these attractions (including the studios) for as little as $40 (hire me, Alabama Tourism Board!!!). Other places I'd love to get to another time: - Alabama Music Hall of Fame - Florence Indian Mound - Frank Lloyd Wright Rosenbaum House - Helen Keller Birthplace (and the famous water well) - W.C. Handy Home and Museum (we did get to see the outside) We still had a few hours' drive to get to Atlanta, so we didn't make many additional stops, except for dinner at Golden Rule BBQ in Irondale, AL. Open since 1891, it's one of the oldest BBQ joints in the U.S.! I am not sure if it was because they were just about to close, or I just ordered poorly, but sadly my BBQ baked potato was pretty lackluster....Alex enjoyed his ribs, though. Just before midnight, after about 2,400 miles, we finally reached our final destination (my sister's house in Decatur), not too much worse for wear! I hope to keep blogging about my time here in Atlanta (and elsewhere), so stay tuned! On a closing note...a song I've listened to and thought about quite a lot since the trip is one of my very favorite tracks ever recorded in Muscle Shoals - Jimmy Cliff's "Sitting in Limbo." I first encountered it on the soundtrack of The Harder They Come - a 1972 Jamaican film (starring Jimmy Cliff) that is widely credited for "bringing reggae to the world." While it is a crime film that takes on a rather dark tone much of the time, the scene in the film that uses this song takes place in the ocean, and is quite a serene and spiritual moment. I thought it was an interesting parallel with the water that also surrounds Muscle Shoals, which seems to play some kind of cosmic role in inspiring such a great wealth of music. In the documentary, Bono claims "the music comes from the mud." For the past year, I have been sitting in my own sort of limbo, trudging through the "mud" of figuring out which direction I'm going in, what to do with my life, who to share it with, and where I belong. As someone who is prone to depression, this is an especially difficult way to move through the world. I'm trying my best to soldier through these incredibly trying times (for everyone) in one piece, but many days it's a struggle. Hope isn't lost, but the best path forward is frustratingly opaque. While I can't pretend to have come to any great conclusions, I have found such resonance with this song..although, unlike Jimmy, I still believe that love and friendship are the two things that keep me going...and personally, any remaining 'faith' I have comes from that :-) "Sitting here in limbo But I know it won't be long Sitting here in limbo Like a bird without a song Well, they're Putting up resistance But I know that my faith Will lead me on Sitting here in limbo Waiting for the dice to roll Sitting here in limbo Got some time to search my soul Well, they're Putting up resistance But I know that my faith Will lead me on I don't know where life will lead me But I know where I've been I can't say what life will show me But I know what I've seen Tried my hand At love and friendship But all that is passed and gone This little boy is moving on Sitting here in limbo Waiting for the tide to flow Sitting here in limbo Knowing that I have to go Well, they're Putting up resistance But I know that my faith Will lead me on..."
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It has been exactly one year since I last blogged! Maybe I'll expand this beyond just being a travel blog and document adventures and thoughts more regularly? We'll see... A bit on what I've been up to over the past year: I'm grateful to have had the privilege (and some savings) to take time off from working, to travel and "reset." Reality is kicking in now, though, and I'm definitely ready to return to the workforce as soon as I can. Job hunting right now has been particularly brutal. After a lot of radio silence, a few potential opportunities and extended interview rounds that ultimately didn't pan out, and [occasionally soul-crushing] gig work required to survive...I'm still looking for a new full-time role with bennies. My focus is on finding something that's largely remote, either with an in-house legal department, an alternative dispute resolution-focused firm, a litigation firm that actually fights for what's right, or a secret fourth thing...idk, just putting all this out there to manifest good career vibes....! My mom also had a heart-related health scare in March that shook our immediate family rather seriously. While she is recovering well now, having to fly across the country at a moment's notice brought into sharp focus that I do not want to be on the other side of the country all the time, particularly if an event like this occurs again. The dilemma, however, is that I still love Los Angeles with all my heart, and after 15 years, I can't bear the thought of fully leaving a place that still feels so much like my home. After a lot of deliberation (along with the financial reality of being largely unemployed), I've made the difficult decision to rent out part of my beloved LA apartment, and explore some other options for places to potentially call home. This effectively makes me a nomad, at least for the time being, which is really kind of awesome. I am still keeping the majority of my things and a room in my apartment, so I plan to return to LA as often as I can manage - but seizing this moment to keep exploring. I've been feeling a strong desire to head east to be closer to my immediate family (parents and sister), who live in Raleigh and Atlanta, respectively. So I'm starting there, but also considering D.C./Baltimore/potentially other places with relatively moderate climates along the Eastern seaboard? I probably don't want to do crazy winters again, but seasonal changes are certainly welcome! The bottom line here is: pitch me a fulfilling job idea or a fun new place to live, I guess? I don't know! Since I'd ideally love to keep my place in LA and explore an additional place to establish a base closer to family, I'm jokingly calling this next phase 'exploring my bi-coastality.' But honestly...embracing some freedom to see if this will be realistic feels like a worthwhile venture at this moment. Hence why I'm heading... Back on the road! The first leg of this journey is driving cross-country from LA to Atlanta, where I will be staying with my sister Hannah for a while. With only a week or so to make this >2,000 mile cross-country trek, I'm grateful that Alex could tag along, too (he remains a friend and travel companion). Suzy Sube is staying with her father in LA, so this time we drove my own Subaru Forester, Towanda. You may remember 'Towanda' as the rallying cry of female empowerment and inner strength from the queer Southern classic, Fried Green Tomatoes...which felt very appropriate for my green, queer car ;-) I'm so grateful that her first cross-country outing included the opportunity to travel over half of Route 66 in the centennial year of its existence, too! Day 1: Los Angeles, CA to Holbrook, AZ The first day was a long haul from LA to eastern Arizona (~560 mi). We set off early in the morning, stopping for lunch at the Wagon Wheel Restaurant in Needles, CA (not to be confused with another Route 66 landmark with a similar name, the Wagon Wheel Motel & Cafe in Cuba, MO). For travelers heading west, this CA/AZ border spot is notable for being the first stop along Route 66 in California. They had a delicious Monte Cristo sandwich, which is pretty hard to find nowadays (sadly I neglected to take a photo) - and for reasons unknown, there was also had a gorilla on the roof...but a solidly kitschy first stop on a Route 66-centric road trip. Crossing into Arizona, we had the opportunity to coast along a wonderfully preserved stretch of Route 66 into Seligman. While we didn't have time to drive the entire historic route, you get a very strong sense of the classic road by stopping in this small town, which has a ton of kitschy charm. The Black Cat Bar is the local watering hole, which had a lot of very colorful local clientale...(for LA folks, this place is quite a different vibe from the historic Black Cat gay bar in Silver Lake...). We also had to stop for sweet treats at Westside Lilo's (famous for their enormous pieces of carrot cake) and Delgadillo's Snow Cap Drive-In for a milkshake. Built in 1953 from mostly scrap lumber and decorated in an extremely eclectic fashion by the enterprising founder, Juan Delgadillo, this eatery has become something of a Route 66 institution. Juan's brother, Angel Delgadillo, is considered to be a leading historian and "the Guardian Angel of Route 66." He is largely responsible for the preservation of Route 66 in Seligman and other parts of Arizona; Pixar's Cars lists the Delgadillo brothers in the credits for their advisory roles and contributions to preserving the historic authenticity of Route 66 for the film. Lovers of Route 66 (and/or the Eagles) should absolutely stop in Williams and Winslow along this route, as well, but since we visited both of these on our previous trips (check older posts from April and May 2025), our destination for the night was the Wigwam Motel in Holbrook. While the name/facade/everything about the place is problematic for a whole host of reasons...it was still kind of a hoot to spend a night there. This motel also clearly served as the inspiration for 'Cozy Cone Motel' in Cars the film, and Carsland of Disneyland. Holbrook is pretty small and everything closes pretty early, but luckily we arrived with just enough time to grab some sopapillas at the local Mexican/Southwestern joint, Romo's, before conking out in the teepee for the night. Day 2: Holbrook, AZ to Tucumcari, NM With another big day of driving ahead, we rose early(ish) and hit Route Sixty Sips for caffeine on the way out of town (a fun coffee bar/soda fountain; very sugary). A slight backtrack was in order to rectify a previously missed opportunity to stop at the Jack Rabbit Trading Post last April. This long-standing gift shop (est. 1949) had sadly closed early the last time we were passing through, but luckily it was open on our 2nd attempt, and we were able to get some fun attire. The "Here It Is" sign with a jack rabbit is largely responsible for the Trading Post's enduring popularity (remember this sign, there's a quiz later...). A common refrain on these trips is not having enough time to spend everywhere...but I also believe that even a brief stop is better than nothing. With some ideas floating around, but no firm plans for our day in New Mexico, we could afford to be somewhat spontaneous. After enjoying the Acoma Pueblo so much on a previous trip (see April 2025), we decided to take a slight detour through the Zuni Pueblo. Photography was not allowed on the Pueblo without a permit (which we sadly couldn't get because the visitor center was closed), but it was still very informative to visit the A:shiwi A:wan Museum Heritage Center, and fun to browse a couple of jewelry stores, too. I will include one permitted photo of Dowa Yalanne (Corn Mountain), a sacred mesa to the Zuni. At the time of Spanish invasion, the Zuni (like the Acoma) initially escaped colonization by fleeing to the top of the mesa. It is quite breathtaking at a distance.  Dowa Yalanne (photo credit: Alex) As we left the Reservation, a sign appeared for the El Morro National Monument, which ended up being a wonderfully unexpected surprise stop. Another prominent mesa top that was home to Ancestral Puebloans in the 13th-14th centuries, it is most notable for the many inscriptions carved into the rock, spanning several centuries (sort of like very historical graffiti?). The Zuni call it A'ts'ina ('place of writings on the rock'), the Spanish called it El Morro ('the headland'), and Anglo-Americans called it 'Inscription Rock.' Remarkably, many of the very old inscriptions have been preserved, and are very visible along an interpretive trail around a portion of the epic mesa. While I wish we had time to hike to the top of the bluff to see the Ancestral Puebloan dwellings, I'm so glad we stopped here and at least got to admire beauty of this space and its inscriptions. The next couple of stops in Grants, NM were admittedly Alex's choices...but both were worthwhile. We learned a lot about the history of mining in New Mexico at the NM Mining Museum (especially uranium mining), which even included a recreation of a real mine in the basement of the museum. Afterward, to stave off hunger for the couple of hours of driving we had left, Blake's Lotaburger had some surprisingly yummy mini burritos...its blatant ripoff of Whataburger's name AND logo is also naturally very funny to me as a Texan. As we pulled into Tucumcari around sunset, watching the glorious neon along Route 66 slowly begin to illuminate was truly a sight to behold. Our home for the night, the historic Blue Swallow Motel, was easily my favorite stay of the trip. Family owned and operated since 1939, all of the original details (lovingly preserved by the devoted owners) make this old school motor court motel such a worthwhile stay. Book early though, it fills up fast! Blue Swallow has absolutely some of the most beautiful neon I've ever seen in person. We also had to grab some Christmas enchiladas at La Cita, of course; in case you're new here - that is New Mexico-speak for "smother it in red AND green chilies, please." And don't miss the Jack Rabbit callback photo :-) Day 3: Tucumcari, NM to Oklahoma City, OK I needed one last chili fix before leaving New Mexico, and was delighted to find some delicious green chili egg bites next door to the motel at Carlson Coffee Company. It also didn't hurt that they appeared to be fervent supporters of Deb Haaland for Governor (our first ever Native American Cabinet Secretary, and just overall awesome political rock star I greatly admire)! Onward to the next state (Texas), which we wouldn't be spending the night in, but had a few important Route 66 stops to make along our quick jaunt through the Panhandle. Vega, TX was a very cute town that I had never been to before, and is totally worth visiting just for Mama Jo's Pies and Sweets alone (some of the best coconut cream pie I've ever had)! We obviously had to stop at Buc-ee's in Amarillo, too, of course… The last stop of our brief visit through the Panhandle was Shamrock, TX - home to some spectacularly well-preserved historic Route 66 landmarks. The Conoco Tower Station is a very striking 1936 Art Deco building, supposedly meant to emulate a old nail stuck in the dust (I think it's a lot more impressive than that, though). Attached to the station is the U-Drop Inn Cafe, where we were lucky enough to sit in the very booth Elvis sat in when he ate at the cafe in 1956! We also stopped by another historic Magnolia Station down the street, and the blue, blue sky really did its thing. Waving goodbye to TX in the rearview, we made it to Oklahoma City with enough time left in the day to do a bit more exploring. An attempt to visit the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum was thwarted by a gala full of patrons in their finest Western wear (would that be black bolo-tie?), so we opted for an early dinner, instead. It felt mandatory to eat at Cattlemen's Steakhouse, the oldest continually operating restaurant in Oklahoma, and it turns out that was the correct decision. Originally opened in 1910, this place has an impeccable vibe, fantastic steaks (for an extremely reasonable price), and some very colorful history...as in the restaurant once changed hands in the 1940s thanks to an unlucky roll of the dice in a game of craps, among other lore.... Alex and I are both big fans of the Oklahoma-based psychedelic rock band The Flaming Lips…so while we were in OKC, it felt really important to find the home of their frontman, Wayne Coyne. While we didn't catch him this time, apparently Wayne is quite comfortable with visitors who want to gawk at the exterior of his trippy compound, and will even sit in the yard sometimes and talk to looky-loos (which is obviously a great excuse to return to OKC again!). Driving around Wayne's neighborhood led us to stumble upon an OKC Pride event - which included lots of great art, an outdoor drag show, and wonderful vibes all around. The day ended on a much more somber note, with a visit to the Oklahoma City National Memorial - which of course honors the victims, survivors, rescuers, and all others who were affected by the bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in 1995. While the museum was already closed, the outdoor memorial is free and open to the public 24/7. There is a field of 168 empty chairs (to represent the victims who lost their lives), flanked on each side by two large gates, with a reflecting pool. It's extremely well done, and the quiet stillness we experienced at sunset was very moving. Day 4: Oklahoma City, OK to Tulsa, OK We finally got a bit of a break from several hours of driving in one day...but only because there are FAR too many things to do in Tulsa, OK! Stop #1 was sustenance at Pops 66, a fun diner/soda pop emporium just outside of OKC (anywhere with specialty soda is a mandatory stop for Alex). Tulsa is only an hour and a half or so from OKC, which gave us plenty of time to spend at two of the most important stops on the trip - the Bob Dylan Center and Woody Guthrie Center (which conveniently happen to be on the same block in the heart of the Tulsa Arts District). I have been dying to visit the BDC since it opened in 2022, and having the fantastic WGC right next door is a huge incentive to visit, as well. A casual fan will definitely find these museums interesting, but deep lovers of Dylan and/or Guthrie can easily spend a whole day here, or more. We spent 5 hours between the two museums, and definitely could have stayed longer. I will let the photos speak for themselves, but it is well worth a visit to Tulsa to visit these fantastic archives of two majorly important artists. As if this day couldn't be any more music-filled...a trip to Tulsa would not be complete without visiting one of the most historic dance halls in the country - Cain's Ballroom! Thanks in large part to Bob Wills, this 100+ year old venue is the hallowed birthplace of a literal genre of music, making it colloquially known as the "Carnegie Hall of Western Swing." We were fortunate to get some great BBQ at the venue, and then heard two fantastic younger "woke country" artists, Joleen Brown and Kat Hasty. So many country & western legends have grace the stage at Cain's - and any lover of live music will tell you that the best sounding concerts will always be...in an old wooden room :-)
Congrats, you made it to the halfway mark of another whirlwind trip! Part 2 (Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama) coming soon... I've been particularly slow on this post because it's been a very challenging time for the U.S., and Los Angeles in particular...I don't have anything particularly insightful to add to the hellscape discourse, but I hope everyone is taking care (metaphorically, putting your own oxygen mask on before helping others). That being said, finally getting around to documenting the end of Leg 2 of our trip - which included Four Corners, Monument Valley, and Las Vegas. It was hard to say goodbye to Colorado, but my lungs were also REALLY looking forward to returning to lower altitude. After leaving Mesa Verde, our first stop was the Four Corners Monument - which you probably know is where Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Arizona all converge. We didn't stay long, but got a photo and walked around to peruse the Navajo vendors in the area surrounding the monument. I got another Navajo taco, and Alex tried a Tiger's Blood sno-cone for the first time (for the non-Southerners - Tiger's Blood is just a combination of watermelon, strawberry, and coconut flavors). It's not an essential stop, but worth it if you're already in the area. I would, however, categorize our next stop (Monument Valley) as absolutely essential! Straddling both Utah and Arizona, these majestic and sacred monuments have been memorialized in countless films and TV shows, but I had never gotten to see them up close until now. We had an epic campsite view from Goulding's Campground, and the greater Goulding's compound has a variety of other lodging options/restaurants, as well. The scenic drive to see the monuments is a notoriously rough road, and I'm glad we splurged a bit to take the guided sunset tour. I will say that this is not a tour for anyone who gets carsick easily - the tour vehicles are very similar to the Indiana Jones ride at Disneyland...VERY bumpy! I was relieved to not have to worry about ruining Suzy Sube on the rough road, and would definitely recommend anyone visiting the area who wants to do the scenic drive to also take one one of the authorized tours by a Navajo guide, unless you have a Jeep. It is really difficult to describe how awe-inspiring this place is...particularly that these incredible monuments were all formed by the power of water. I'll say that going at sunrise is probably the most optimal light for photos, given where the monuments are situated - but sunset was also beautiful! If you are short on time or don't want to pay for a guided tour, you can still get some great shots from the scenic viewpoint at the Visitor's Center. Just a heads up - there is a nominal fee to enter the park, as it is Navajo tribal land. A small price to pay for this amazing must-see!! In the morning, we had a hearty breakfast at Goulding's Lodge and briefly checked out the "John Wayne Cabin" (not his literal cabin, but a former potato pantry turned mini-museum to house memorabilia from the films that Wayne worked on in Monument Valley). Then we were off to tackle the long drive to our last stop of the trip, to Alex's favorite place - Las Vegas! I am admittedly less enthusiastic about it, especially in the summer heat...but despite being terrible gamblers, we still enjoy those neon lights, the delicious food, and the endless entertainment. Vegas regulars know that staying on the Strip on Fri/Sat night is way more expensive than Sun - Thur...but since this was a Sat-Tue visit, we opted to save a bit of money and spend our first night just off the Strip at the Mardi Gras Hotel, which was actually pretty freaking nice for the lower price point! After a swim and a nap at the hotel, we walked to the classic Italian joint (and Mob/Ratpack favorite), Piero's, which was probably my favorite meal of the trip! The service is incredible, and everything we ate was DIVINE (Pat's Meatballs, New York Strip, Osso buco, crispy potatoes, and creamed corn). The portions are huge (we definitely over-ordered), so come hungry! After dinner, we walked to Resorts World and spent way too much time looking for the elusive Golden Monkey Tiki Lounge, which we did eventually find. It was surprisingly slow for a Saturday night, and the bartender chatted us up about some of the other tiki places around town ("real", AKA off the Strip) that we should try. We had visited the Golden Tiki in Chinatown before (yes the names are too similar, lol), which is awesome, but were excited to add some new spots to our ever-growing list of places to try. Our walk back ended up being much further than we initially thought (word to the wise - always doublecheck the maze of walkways/paths on the map when navigating Vegas on foot)...but did stop for a breather to watch the mesmerizing screen that surrounds the Sphere. I still haven't been inside, but maybe one day will get to go! The next day, we had some time to kill between checking out of the Mardi Gras and checking into the Sahara, so we decided to check out one of the tiki recommendations from the night before, Red Dwarf. It was super dark in the bar, so I didn't get many good pics, but this is a great spot - decorated in top-shelf kitsch, they serve delicious Detroit-style pizza, tiki drinks (including a spiked Dole Whip), and beer, with live music, too. Alex insisted we also stop by the oldest freestanding bar in Las Vegas, Atomic Liquors. Opening in the '50's, Atomic got its name from patrons who used to watch nuclear bomb testing from the roof of the bar. They used to have an 'atomic cocktail' as well, but sadly it's no longer on the menu. The Punk Museum was the next stop, which we both loved! It's a bit pricey and more of a fantastic memorabilia collection for die-hard fans (which I am not), but it was well organized and really enjoyed expanding my (somewhat limited) punk knowledge. Our last stop before checking into the Sahara was Frankie's Tiki Room, which definitely had the best drinks of all the tiki places we tried! We had tickets to see Rod Stewart at Caesar's Palace in the evening, but sadly he caught the flu and had to cancel some shows. Confident we could find something else to do in the Entertainment Capital of the World (one of them, anyway), we headed down the Strip to have dinner at Diner Ross. As the name suggests, it's an upscale 70's themed diner inside of the Linq, with a notable tribute to Diana Ross, of course. Our server asked if we were interested in half-price tickets to see the accompanying "Disco Show" next door, and we said yes, please! This ended up being a FANTASTIC substitute for Rod that I would highly recommend (even if you are only a casual disco fan). We were corralled into theater by a roller disco squad, and the entire show was so immersive that you really just felt like you were in a discotheque the whole time - AKA, lots of dancing! We walked around a bit more, caught a fountain show at the Bellagio, and got some AI-mixed cocktails from the Tipsy Robot (in Planet Hollywood) before calling it a night.
Our last day was fairly low-key (I was very tired and hot!). I caught up with a college friend, Katie, who is on faculty at UNLV and I hadn't seen in quite a long time over a wonderful brunch at PublicUs. Alex and I hit the pool and napped in the afternoon, which was the perfect way to beat the unrelenting heat. Before dinner, we checked out the Observation Deck at the Strat (108 stories high) for happy hour and some killer 360 views of the Strip and greater Las Vegas - pretty stunning! Dinner was at the incredible Golden Steer Steakhouse (another favorite of the Rat Pack)! This was one of the most difficult reservations I've ever gotten...it took 2.5 months to get off the waitlist, but it was totally worth it! It was a wonderful way to commemorate the last night of another epic road trip. Our final morning, we said goodbye to the Sahara and stopped for breakfast at a place we couldn't resist trying, Mr. Mama's (which was great) before heading home to Los Angeles. Thank you for following along on our journey once again! We packed so much into our time in Colorado that it warrants a separate post! Colorado stops (Pt. 2):
While I was sad to leave Leadville (which was so lovely), I was looking forward to breathing a little easier at a slightly lower altitude (~8,000 ft). We stopped for lunch in Gunnison at the Ol' Miner Steakhouse, and had planned to spend the rest of the day and camp at the Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP - but the weather was already not looking good. On the drive into the park, the rain and fog got so bad that we abandoned the plan and decided to spend the night at a motel just past the park in Montrose, instead. Luckily, the weather was much more agreeable the next day, and we were able to take the scenic drive through Black Canyon, stopping at many of the scenic viewpoints along the way. The name says it all - it's a very steep, dark canyon (due to the lack of sunlight in many areas) that the Gunnison River cuts right through. This is a criminally underrated park that is sadly one of the least visited national parks in the country...but it's well worth checking out if you are in the area. Continuing along with unplanned stops, on my mom's recommendation (thanks, Mom!) we decided to look around Ouray ("The Switzerland of America"), and ended up finding a great deal at a lovely little mountain lodge (shout out Box Canyon Lodge & Hot Springs) situated next to natural hot springs! Ouray totally lives up to its nickname, and the scenery is absolutely stunning. We had dinner at The Outlaw, the oldest restaurant in Ouray, and dessert (a "scrap cookie") at Mouse's Chocolates - both very yummy, then took a soak in the hot tubs at the hotel. It was a bit too 'natural' for my taste...but still relaxing, nonetheless. The next morning, we checked out some nearby waterfalls (Box Canyon Falls and Cascade Falls) and scenic viewpoints before letting Jesus take the wheel as we began our journey down the famously treacherous Million Dollar Highway... The "Million Dollar Highway" between Ouray and Silverton is notorious for being one of the windiest and most harrowing mountain roads in America - primarily because many of the sheer drops are not protected by guardrails. We learned that this is because snowplows in the winter have to be able to push snow off the sides of the cliff...hence the lack of guardrails. It was drizzling for most of the first leg of the highway drive, which was a bit unsettling...but we took it slow and did just fine, but I was more to take a break from this stressful road as soon as we got to our next stop. I had visited Silverton once before as a kid when we took a family vacation to CO and rode the steam train from Durango, and Alex had ridden the winter version of the train to Cascade before, as well. While we didn't have time for the train on this trip (it basically takes all day), Silverton was well worth a return visit (although it also meant returning to pretty high altitude, too). We stopped by the train depot, and had lunch across the street at a historic bordello turned restaurant, Natalia's 1912. One of the most unexpectedly delightful stops on the whole trip was our tour of the Mayflower Gold Mill, which was a functioning mill for the nearby Old Hundred Gold Mine until the 90's. It's now open for tours, essentially exactly as it was when it closed - and you even get to demo some of the equipment! It's important to note that Alex's hat of choice for this trip was the red "God Bless Gram Parsons" hat we got in Nashville. For the uninitiated - Gram was the godfather of country-rock and what he called "Cosmic American Music," a member of the Byrds and the Flying Burrito Brothers, performed as a duo with Emmylou Harris, and tragically overdosed at age 26 in Joshua Tree. We actually spent Alex's 40th at the Joshua Tree Inn, in the room where he passed...which surprisingly wasn't creepy - it's a really loving tribute to Gram now, and a very cute place to stay. Anyway, when we showed up at the mill for the self-guided tour, the clerk casually mentioned "y'know, I played with Gram back in the day." We talked to our new friend, Freddie, for close to an hour, hearing stories about his life as a session musician who played with tons of greats (John Prine, Neil Young, Muddy Waters, etc.) and as a horse stunt rider, his love of film, service in Vietnam, and finding his ultimate happiness in Silverton as a miner and rockhunter. He very kindly said we're "in the extended Silverton family now," and it was a totally delightful surprise for all parties.
Our next stop, Durango, ended up being shorter than anticipated, due to a combination of factors...I messed up and booked a place to stay that was less than desirable (let's just say it included an outdoor port-a-potty...), and Mesa Verde (our next planned stop) ended up not having any tours available on the original day we wanted to go. So, while we only ended up being in Durango for one night, we luckily still had the opportunity to check out Honeyville market, which is absolutely incredible, and Ska Brewing, which is well-loved all over Central/Southern CO. Last but certainly not least for Colorado - Mesa Verde National Park! This is one of my very favorite stops, noted for its lush greenery and Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings. We had visited before, but it was well worth the return trip for both of us. The weather was a bit touch and go, but luckily we didn't get rained on too much throughout the day. Along with hitting the majority of the scenic viewpoints/exhibits of historic pit and cliff dwellings located throughout this incredible park, we had the opportunity to tour Cliff Palace (one of the largest dwellings). We stayed at the Lodge in the park for the night and had dinner at the Metate Room, which had stunning views. A major highlight of the trip, for sure! Next up: Four Corners, Monument Valley, Las Vegas, Home! While I used to road trip with my family to Colorado fairly often when I was growing up, I hadn't been back in over 20 years, and was psyched to return. We decided to tackle a lot, although I was a bit nervous that the itinerary included some very high altitude spots. I've had altitude sickness before, and it was NOT fun. CW: Skip past the brackets if you don't want a gross altitude sickness story... [One summer in Mammoth Lakes (where I used to play oboe in the summers for several years), I foolishly thought I was well-acclimated enough at 8,000 ft. to go on a hike on a concert day. A few hours before the performance, I started getting really dizzy and vomiting. It was basically impossible to find a sub who could drive all the way to Mammoth on such short notice, so by the grace of adrenaline, I made through the first half, immediately ran outside to vomit again, chugged a Perrier, and somehow made it through the second half. Adrenaline is a hell of a drug.] All this to say, was still super excited to revisit CO, and it's delivered! Colorado stops (Pt. 1):
Our next day was filled with many fun activities! I caught up with my longtime friend Kelcie (we go back to high school days) and her husband at Denver Biscuit Company, and had some incredible biscuits the size of a child's head. In the afternoon, we visited our fifth and final (for now) Meow Wolf location, which may have been my favorite one yet! There are three floors to explore and experience some very innovative art - I won't even pretend that I "get it," but just immersing yourself in the space is engaging enough, even if it doesn't fully make sense. I'm excited that they are building a location in LA that should open in the next year or two. In the evening, we turned the kitsch up to 11 and visited Casa Bonita - the legendary Mexican restaurant (popularized and now owned by the creators of South Park) that is also like a mini-Disneyland? There are cliff divers (my favorite part - I added a video below), puppet shows, a mariachi band, balloon animals, an arcade, face-painting, a root beer bar...you name it. While my cheese enchiladas were pretty 'meh,' the salsa and sopapillas were surprisingly on point - but as you may have discerned, the draw is not really the food! We ended with a nightcap at the oldest bar in Denver, My Brother's Bar, which has been open since 1873, and tried to play Drop the Needle to their running soundtrack of classical deep cuts (pretty tough, even for the oboe doctor...) The next day was equally eventful! For Elizabeth, Alex, and myself, our main reason for taking this trip to Denver was to visit the Red Rocks Amphitheater, which has been a bucket list item for many years. A few months ago, we decided to take a gamble and get tickets to see Lord Huron and Molly Lewis at Red Rocks, just hoping that we could make the trip work...and thankfully, it did! Before the show, we fueled up with a big lunch at Sam's No. 3 Diner (est. 1927) and headed to see some very old dino tracks at Dinosaur Ridge (near Red Rocks). When we got back to the car from our hike, much to our chagrin, we realized Elizabeth's car battery had died...but fortunately, AAA was super quick with a jump, and we were back on our way within 30 minutes or so. Not too much worse for wear, we finally made it to Red Rocks - which, if you're not familiar, is a HUGE amphitheater that also has many trails for hikers/runners/etc. For all of its coolness and awesome beauty, Red Rocks is unfortunately not designed with accessibility in mind. If you go, get there early and be ready to walk A LOT - there's a shuttle, but you still have to walk up MANY stairs...no escalators, and very few elevators. I do think that if you have serious mobility issues and advocate for yourself, there are some options, but it seemed to cater mostly to those who were wheelchair bound, and not much else. Other than the schlepping that was required to get around the venue (and some chatty Cathys in our section), we loved Red Rocks, and it was a fantastic evening and show. Molly Lewis is an incredible whistler who opened the show for Lord Huron (psychedelic country folk-rock-ish), who were also wonderful. It was so worth the trip to have this experience at such a magical venue...even if it meant walking close to 15K steps that day...which is less of a pain when you get to do it with good friends :-) Videos: "Lounge Lizard" - Molly Lewis "Crushed Velvet" - Molly Lewis "Hurricane (Johnnie's Theme)" - Lord Huron "La Belle Fleur Savage" - Lord Huron "Not Dead Yet" - Lord Huron
After bidding farewell to Elizabeth (who sadly had to leave us to return to Long Beach), we stopped for lunch in downtown Denver at Ship Tavern, a splendid old pub (est. 1934) inside of the historic Brown Palace Hotel (what a name, huh?). We poked into the Brown Palace (I still can't believe that is the name) and then headed south toward Colorado Springs. We stopped at the Garden of the Gods - a fabulous park, free and open to the public. I wish we could have stayed in the area longer, but a storm was brewing and we still had to drive up the hill to our destination - Cripple Creek (another "I can't believe that is really the name"...will just call it CC from here on). CC is perhaps best known for its gold mining...then, in no particular order - outlaws, prostitution, and gambling. It also has an elevation around 9,500 ft, but I was feeling optimistic about it after having spent the majority of our trip at 6,000-8,000 ft. Ultimately, I was definitely affected and had some moments of really needing to catch my breath, but it wasn't nearly as bad as it would have been coming straight from sea level (do not recommend ever going above more than 6,000 ft from sea level before you've acclimated). What I wasn't as prepared for was having to drive up to CC in rain - and then - sleet. Thankfully we made it just fine, but learned quickly that the higher you go, the more volatile the weather can be in CO (and the iPhone weather app is essentially worthless in CO, too). We stayed at an interesting B&B on the edge of town called the CC Hospitality House - which actually used to be a hospital from 1902-1930, and a nursing home from 1933-1960, until it was finally converted into a hotel in 1963. We are partial to weird hotels that may or may not be haunted - while we didn't have any particularly harrowing encounters as far as paranormal activity is concerned...one certainly notes the vibe of a lingering spirit or two. They also kept the names of each hospital room and have a few of those old-timey wheelchairs to maintain an appropriately creepy aesthetic. The place was actually very nice, though, so it was a net win/worthwhile stay. We visited a number of other historic places in CC, including:
Our next stop was the highest city in the United States - Leadville, CO (elev. 10,154 ft). I was totally enamored by the gorgeous drive up (a running theme in CO), and surprised by how much I loved visiting this little town - practically in the sky! Alex toured the National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum while I took a nap (and said I really missed out). The main attraction for us visiting Leadville was the historic Tabor Opera House (known primarily through its association with "Baby Doe" Tabor - who has a fascinating/tragic story). Our guide also had quite a colorful past, and we ended up having a private tour through all of the areas of the theater - including the dressing rooms below the stage! Built in 1879, many famous people have performed or attended performances at the opera house, including Oscar Wilde, John Philip Sousa, Buffalo Bill, and even Harry Houdini - it is still occasionally in use, today. Apparently they even had circus elephants perform here?! Other places we visited in Leadville included:
That's all for now, but will catch up on the rest of Colorado as soon as I can! Next up: Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Ouray, Silverton, Durango, Mesa Verde |
Rachel V.A.Ruminations on a cross-country, open-ended excursion. Archives
July 2026
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