Epiblog

We got back home around 2 on Saturday.  Our experience at the not Best "Western" in Shamrock had us running out of town without showers or combing our hair.  Jan put her cap on but I just let the hair blow.  I think we beat most of the other "working" girls out of the parking lot.  We chatted about the trip and here is our take away.  Tombstone..we both agree it's a 30 minute tour and should be treated as such.  No return for either of us.  Coronado...both agree wonderful we'd love to spend more time there.  Morro Bay...great grott shops.  Pacific Grove the absolute bomb. Would love to spend much more time there.  Monterey Bay area is still relatively unspoiled with the exception of Cannery Row.  San Francisco...ruined totally for Nutter, Fluff would still give it a go during a weekday.Crowded with tour buses and those pesky tourist!!  San Bernardino and the Wigwams. Loved the kitchiness of it all.  Very clean, nice pool, great place to take kids.  Worst toilet paper of the trip though. Have to take your own weiners too. Big city shortage.   Las Vegas..never,never again for Nutter. Fluff has the slot machine gene! Getting blown out of bed every hour on the hour by the pirate ship was an experience even alcohol won't make me forget. Hoover dam....awe inspiring nice hike too! Winslow AZ and La Posada. Lots of fun we could both have spent more time just rocking in the big chairs, sipping wine or drinking coffee watching the trains go by.  Lots of retired railroad men there too!  Nutter's observation only.  Santa Fe...La Fonda. Nutter can't take the altitude nearly wheezed to death.  Very pretty but we would need a lot more money to wipe the hick off of us! Speaking of wiping, absolutely hands down the best toilet paper of the trip. 75.00 for a Vegan Leather tote bag????PULEEZE!!  Pleather is as Pleather does~ Route 66 ing it back to Texas was a mixed blessing.  Seeing all the dying towns and all the spoiled landmarks was bitter sweet.  Kind of like when we were in Long Beach on the Queen Mary.  It was like looking at the Queen with her crown askew.  I'm so glad we did it.  It will be gone before you know it.  I declare the Maiden Voyage of the Rogue Pearl a total success.  Nobody had to wear the necklace but Jan did give me a pass on the day Pearl was broken into.  I did use some language!! By the way....did we mention the cool tatoo parlour in Tucumcari? Here endith the epistle.

Day 14

Well here we are. The last day of the trip.  We had a wonderful stay in Santa Fe at La Fonda.  For some reason we had been updated to a Deluxe Suite!  We woke to the sound of the church bells.  Really great.  We made a pot of coffee in the room and took our sweet time getting ready to go to breakfast.  We found a nice little place on the Plaza and had our breakfast sitting in a window looking at the people walking by. I guess we looked like two window displays but it was fun non the less.  We walked around the Plaza looking at all the arts and crafts.  There was live music on the square.  We checked out just before noon and headed east out of New Mexico.  We stopped in Tucumcari and took some pictures of old 66 Motel Row. We saw the coolest tatoo parlor and some biker guys.  We just had to stop.   Went past the Blue Hole and then on to Amarillo, had dinner and continued to Groom for pix of leaning water tower, then McClean for refurbished Phillips 66 station.  We ran out of luck in Shamrock there is a gas boom going and every decent hotel room is booked.  We are at the Marginal Inn.  Have checked for bed bugs but after the Bordello we can handle anything. We will have to brush our teeth with beer though.  It will be up in the a.m. and after breakfast home to kith and kin.  It's been a great trip but we are ready to  be home.

Day 13

Well the trip is winding down.  We spent the night in Winslow at La Posada.  What a facinating place.  Last of the Harvey Railroad hotels.  You could spend a week there and never see all the art and gardens.  We went to eat at a restaurant called Casa Blanca.  Had Navajo Fry bread tacos. Indescribably delicious.  It was just a hole in the wall recommended by one of the hotel workers.  We spent a restful night and then had a wonderful breakfast in the Turquoise room at the hotel.  The waitresses still dress like Harvey girls.  We walked the gardens and did a little train watching.  We walked the haybale maze and went across the street where we discovered a diner that we want to buy.  It has 8 stools and we want to have it shipped to Texas and call it Fluff&Nutter's Route 66 diner.  We would do breakfast and lunch, have it our way and make a fortune!! We walked around Winslow a little took some pictures then headed for Santa Fe on the old R66.  We stopped at the old Jackrabbit.  Sadly the old rabbit had fallen into disrepair but we made such a stink the new owner dragged out photos of the old rabbit.  Jan the spendthrift rewarded him for his efforts by spending a dime.  Gotta love her!  We flew through to Santa Fe stopping every now and then to check out the old route.  Snagged some good photo ops.  We hadn't eaten all day when we checked in.  Went to the restaurant here and had a great steak dinner.  We shared a bottle of wine and then helped each other up to the room.  It is wonderful.  Even better than La Posada.  We plan a leisurly morning and should be on the road after lunch.

Day 12

What a great day!!  Over all Vegas stunk.  Literally. Smoke, smoke smoke everywhere.  American Restoration was pretty much a bust.  They were filming and we saw people but other than buying a few things it had nothing for us.  We checked into TI.  The less said the better.  Jan's eyes turned into Plinko circles and there she went.  We had a few "free drinks" at the bar and then went fishing for oysters.  There is a place there where you fish out what you think is a good pearl bearing oyster for 14.99.  I got a large rare silver one and had it set for Jill so she can wear it as a necklace or on one of those add a bead thingys they have now.  Jan got a smaller pearl with pink casting and had it set into a turtle.  Her pearl was free!  We went to the casino and played a few slots but didn't win.  Had a great time at the Cirque du Soleil show.  Amazing!!  Had a great nights sleep other than being blown out of bed by the Pirate ship a couple of times.  Had some Pho Vietnamise soup. Delish.  On the road early this a.m. Stopped in Boulder City and had a great breakfast a quaint little diner there.  Onward to a walking tour of Hoover Dam.  Then a malt and rootbeer float at a diner in Kingman after a tour of the R66 stuff there.  While eating breakfast got a call from the office.  A nice Dr. Zientara had found my purse that was stolen out of Pearl.  Most importantly Mr. Smiley was there.  He had Marie's lucky 20 dollars she had given us to gamble with. The Dr. is going to mail my purse and Mr.S back with that money.  My nook was missing but it looks like the most important thing is coming home!! The trip to Winslow was uneventful.  Lots of scenery.  The La Posada is amazing.  Will take pictures and post more tomorrow about this area before we are off to Santa Fe.  The trip is winding down.  We are still having a great time but home is sounding a little better everyday.

Day 11

Thea and Jan wanted everyone to know that tonight they will not have internet connection, so they will not be able to blog.

They are doing well and  have made it to Las Vegas and will update everyone tomorrow night from Winslow.

Day 10

We got out of SF as soon as we could.  Skirted San Jose to avoid the traffic and made our way to Gilroy where we picked up some awesome garlic and Fosters Freeze.  Yummy, Yummy.  Eat your heart out Curly's!!  I had to hold Jan's cone so she could take the picture....really.  We finally made it to the Wigwam's here in San Bernardino and had planned to grill hot dogs.  We had to scrap that plan so we thought we would buy a couple of hot dogs.  Massey curse.  After paying and being in line for 1/2 the night.  It seems there is only one weiner in San Bernadiner.  We are tired and have big day tomorrow in Las Vegas.  Will have more pix of the wigwams tomorrow.

Day 9

Our little happy trip hit a big boo hoo this morning.  The day dawned rain free.  We went down for a great breakfast here at the Queen Anne. After breakfast I went out to get my  boots out of Pearl and she had been been broken into.  Someone had busted out the passenger front window.  What a mess!  I had hidden my big purse with the credit cards I was not using in the back under some blankets. All gone along with my Nook and my phone charger. I held it all together until I realized they took Mr. Smiley too.  Un replaceable!!!!!  At the end of the day I guess mostly what we lost was one whole sunshiney day in San Francisco and our feeling of security. Jan drew short straw, had to ride in wet passenger seat with seat heater on until we got dry.  What a trooper!!  We did however get a lovely tour of the Auto Glass industry down in the bowels of the city. Rock on Bayshore Freeway!!  Went to the North Side of the Zoo to have a hot dog at the Doggy Diner.  Teddy loved that dachshound shaped building and the hot dogs were to die for.  All we found is that the smog suckers had decapitated the poor dog and hung his head on a pike  Off to the GG Bridge.  Still the same!!  Beautiful!!  Ate Monster Burgers in Corte Medera and went by Jan's old house in Lucas Valley.  Now painted a delightful shade of forrest green.  We had a great walk around the Filmore area.  Now back at the Q.A.  for our evening wine and cards!  San Bernardino tomorrow or bust!!  Wigwams tomorrow night.