Auburn and the far north of Indiana

Okay, so this picture is of an Indian motorcycle I took at the Indy 500 racetrack. I realise I didnt tell you Stubby and I had gone there and although some cars were racing around, the action was pretty quiet on the day as the qualifying times and poll positions had been set the previous day. But the museum on site was fun with all kinds of hot stuff to see.



But we also ventured into the far north of Indiana, again taking the small roads and small towns from Nappanee across to Auburn where the Auburn,Duesenburg and Cord Car Museum is. WOW! There is a 1928 Cord in the Southwards Museum at home but nothing prepared me for the sheer opulence of cars made in this era - 1920's and 1930's mostly. Style, elegance and freakin gorgeous! Why can't someone make cars liek this anymore ? I though the line up of straight eights and straight twelves was stunning but there were also some 16 cylinder engines as well

and to give you a sense of size, here is a sixteen - admittedly made for an aircraft but you still get the picture

Nappanee

Nappannee was not the only town we saw Amish, but this photo is classic because it shows that this town has hitching rail, so people can leave their carriages tied up outside supermarkets to go grocery shopping. Some carts had small trailers for groceries, and on some roads they have their own "lane" so they dont hold up traffic.

At Amish Acres we took the tour and leant about some Amish ways of life and culture....

The boys are chatting. The turkeys and rabbist were less inviting but you really have to watch out for the geese and goats - they bite!

Turkey Run

Turkey Run State Park is over near the border, and a really pretty spot. I finally got to see Racoons, squirrels,chipmunks and deer, even a buzzard along the highway

The old covered bridge in the State park which you can walk on. Later Kim and I also drove over the Cox Ford covered bridge which was as solid as the day it was built in the late 1870's.



There were also some little cabins like this one in the forest, but although it was boarded up it obviously belonged to someone, and I didnt want to trespass. But really pretty in the State Park


We spent all day here, and its beautiful. I took so many photos of the swing bridge, the limestone rocks and the sunken forest.. far too many to add here

Meeting in Indiana, and off to Turkey Run

So here we are - the family around a barbeque meeting for aslmost the first time. Its really weird to have been married eight years and only just getting to meet your father in law and brother in law over a few beers and a BBQ, but we seemed to get along just great !

And then there were more introductions to Kims old friends from Indiana University.

A few days later we headed out to Turkey Run State Park. Indiana is damn flat in the central part, lots of dutch barns because of the population of German settlers with Amish and Menonite communities scattered about all over the state

We came across these two wee men taking a roll of fencing material somewhere. The boy driving the cart may have only been 12, with dark hair and the brightest blue eyes. The little fella was hanging on for dear life

Deep in Northern Texas across to Graham,Jean and Jermyn

Kim Jean Jermyn in Jean...just down the road from Jermyn.

Named from someone in the distant long ago family. Not much here anymore....

If you're stopping around Graham - WOW. Pretty little town, green, lush, lakeside. This is Civil war and Indian war territory, alot of proud history here. Elm Street Bed and Breakfast run by Karen McMillan we would highly recommend to anyone. This is a beautiful home , well appointed and a real treat. She was a gracious host who teed us up with a visit with her friends Caroline and Fred Mayo at the Paradise on the Brazos.

We spent a lovely night with Fred, Caroline and guests with Texan hospitality. I cannot speak highly enough of Texan hospitality and manners. I guess further South the state is dry dust, but this far north its greener than at home in some respects. But its the people we will take away as the standout feature.

The morning we left I wanted to photographed more of Graham, but it was softly raining and the light was too poor. I regret that a great deal... the main street was pure hometown Americana and exactly what we have been chasing this whole journey. The "Faded Glory" is still alive, we followed some of Route 66 early on in this trip ,visited some backwaters and dying towns, but we have also seen some stunning scenery and met some darn nice folks. Some of these small towns are far from dying or still

We left for Kansas City and Indianapolis sorry to say goodbye to Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. Adios....

Claremont and Aspermont Texas onward......

When we got to Claremont we found this old jail and a courthouse. You can walk inside and the cells are all iron banded, the locks still work.. Amazing really. Claremon is an officially listed ghost town although we could hear someone on a drumset somewhere in the mesquite down the country road.

We also kept coming across old cars just parked up all along the roads in Texas..... I took hundreds of photos and have attached a few here for the auto nuts amoungst you

A funny stop for us was at Aspermont Tx. A truck was delivering fuel at the local shell when we gassed up and went inside to pay. Guy standing inside smoking looked and sounded alot like Cooter from Dukes of Hazzard (the original series) I'm not running this guy down, because he was just being himself and he was nice and polite as pie, though he did ask where y'all from, discovered my wife was a damn Yankee, vowed the South was 'just restin' . We were incredulous to say the least, but the folks here were genuine friendly and down to earth which we respect.

Just down the road we came across the old gas station... I guess times have changed somewhat.

Artesia NM to Post Tx, Post,

Artesia is a mixed town in New Mexico ...... with lots of pretty houses and some a little rougher.

If you need a place to stay here, stop with Sue Keho at the Heritage Inn. The Hotel was comfortable, cosy and Sue very helpful and welcoming. She recommnded the Wellhead as a great place to eat, and she was dead right - the food was excellent

As we left town, some of the locals watched us to ensure we left the property....

In Post we couldnt believe how pretty the town was. We had planned to stay at the Hotel Garza, but stayed instead at Rusty's Cottage as the Garza was packed. The hosts here Jim and Janice Plimmer, a lovely couple but I have to say....Rustys Cottage was perfect for a romantic weekend away ! You can find out more through the Garza website - they teed everything up for us...

The roads in Texas stretch forever. I thought New Mexico was empty but when we crossed the state line to Tx, the grass greened up yet the roads just seem to go forever........

Whte Sands,Cloudcroft,Mayhill,Artesia NM

Fine beautiful day to leave Las Cruces... New Mexico's lowest point is just 2800 ft above sea level and the highest around 13,100. I think Las Cruces and Mesilla sit around 3500 ft.


Over the San Augustin pass to the White Sands Missile testing range.....

and into the White Sands Desert Musuem. Well worth the visit.. the sand is blindingly white and the total complete silence incredible... no wind, no birds, no people... just total silence in a happy kind of way

I got stopped between White Sands and Alamagordo in a Border Patrol checkpoint. We've seen a few but this was the first time Ive had to step out of the car and produce a passport and drivers licence. Lunch at Alamogord and the climb to Cluodcroft. Pretty little ski village about 9000 ft. We got stuck behind this little school bus much of the way....

After Cloudcroft we got to Mayhill, tiny little place beyond the mountains. Met two really nice folks - Jen and Butch. Jen runs this cafe thats haunted somewhat.


Butch is a volunteer fireman who was off home to wash his truck, a Navajo gentleman with a warm and generous character we chatted for awhile and was one of the most decent people Ive met on the trip so far.

Jen made us Root Beer floats with chocolate ice cream which strangely tasted just like a Tootsie roll.! Mayhill is where the Mescalero Apaches fought the Army in the 1850's

Passed through a small town called Hope, which was poor looking and just a few miles down the road came to Artesia , which was our stop for the night. Artesia is an oil town, hosts a Police college as well, so plenty of fit young men in The Wellhead restaurant. Great meal, but if youre staying in Artesia, we recommend the Heritage Inn. The Hotel is old and lovely, run by Sue who made us feel very at home. She had a full house... testament to her facilities.. We leave here today and cross into Texas, the final leg of our journey before Indiana.

We've seen so much, eaten alot of fab food, been disappointed rarely - but most of all have met some great people, witnessed some beautiful country and achingly serene panaromas that phtos do not do justice. So far Ive taken over 1300 photos... what is here is a small slice only and randomly picked to tell the story.

Lordsburg,Truth or Consequences,Hatch to Mesilla, NM

Lordsburg NM has certainly seen better days, but the people were friendly and the Comfort Inn was a great night sleep. Everything here is big -including the trucks. We spotted a new dump tray heading for the mines

Steins Ghost Town was a little bit weird. Heavily advertised and promoted, we arrived to find it "closed" behind gates and fences.... more ghostly than most


The desert throws up huge dust storms about 15 days of the year, and we drove for hours in swirls of sand that reduced visiblity. You ould then come out the other side into bright blue sky.

We chose a smaller road to get to Truth or Consequences. The most boring mindless drive with nothing to see, with the exception of Hatch. Chillies everywhere ! and right on the banks of the Rio Grande....

Truth or Consequences was fun. We sat in a private hotpool naked in 106 degree water watching the Rio Grande pass by, we also had some terrific Mexican food at a diner picked at random. It didnt look much from the outside but we have learnt that doesnt mean alot - some of our best meals have come from scary looking exteriors.

Las Cruces was dull overall, and not what we expected but then we did get lost a few times and the dust was still blowing. But we stayed at the Meson de Mesilla in the old town. The boutique hotel was hugely disappointing, and a series of problems mean we would never return. However we had a great meal at Paisano - pecan crusted chicken salad with raspberry sauce.Oh yum ! click the link and check out the menu - not open for dinner - just lunch.

Old town Mesilla was beautiful, and the surrounding countryside pretty. A little run down in places but that was the charm ,and it made up for Las Cruces. We spent large at Stahmans Pecan farm - the largest growers in the world. The trees made the surrounds shady and green.

San Diego, Yuma, Bisbee to Lorsdburg

Loved San Diego, and catching up with John and Tom, Lauren ,Sean and Mimi over dinner. I loved the food at Casa Guadalahara, and all the margaritas. Oh, Oh !!!








From there next day we headed over the mountains East, climbing to 4100 feet and down below sea level, and stopped at Yuma in Arizona. WOW. Stepped out of the car and opened my mouth, and found the air so hot my mouth dried instantly. It was 37 degrees, dead dry. The whole time we walked around we couldnt sweat. There are parts of Yuma that are run down, and great just the way they are.







Reluctantly, we pushed on for Tucson and stayed at the Hotel Congress


The Congress is an old timer, with a helluva past and a current hotspot every night. Quirky, lousy shower, fabulous food and great hospitality. We'd stay there again anytime !


From Tucson we checked out the Arizona Sonoran Desert Museum. Well worth seeing,stunning scenery and staffed by alot of volunteers who donate time to educate all the people who visit. Its reached on the really narrow-assed road, where its possible to try the local sport - cactus slapping.



The cactus grows so close to the road that if you stick out your hand you can slap it real hard on the way past - but only recommended if you have a very high tolarance for pain, and exceptional medical insurance !!!! Cactus slapping is not a pussy sport




We left Tucson today, the 29th April, visiting San Xavier Bac, the Titan Missile Museum ( Kim launched a missile and killed the world). Whoa - very cool!





Still no sweat in the 35 degree temperature. To Tombstone (over rated and living on its past reputation), to Bisbee - the Copper Queen is a grand old lady, then down to Douglas, taking the minor road to Lordsburg. Highly recommended ! At first the views aren't great, but the vistas as you close Arizona and head to New Mexico become stunning. Lonely roads, we passed just 12 cars in all those miles, but the views are to die for.

Laguna Beach

Drove from Santa Monica to Long Beach to see John and Tiffany. Had brunch at the Bonanza grill - a greasy spoon diner that had great food. Long Beach is lovely and warm, but busy and urban.






This wee wee house has a tag of around $1m for a one bedroom ..... location,location ! (nowhere near the beach by the way - just lots of apartments being made over).

Then drove to Laguna Beach on the way to San Diego. Have seen some amazing sights, and talked to some very cool people.

The newspaper in Santa Monica tells me the average price for a small family home locally is around $2 million, so I guess we wont be living there! However Laguna Beach blew me away.

So totally the Southern California lifestyle, relaxed, warm and quirky. Shopping is amazing, we came across this sweet store. This is just one ailse of many with lollies just spilling out, tempting fatties everywhere with calories


But you just couldnt live here without very deep pockets. We checked a few house prices and they start around the $4m mark upwards.

Then down to Oceanside, and a Malted shake at Rubys on the pier. Reluctantly rejoined the crazy traffic and headed towards San Diego. Time already slipping through our fingers..... but having so much fun, eating lots of Mexican food and naughty things. More Later.

The US trip- Arriving in LA

Finally made it to LA! We flew business class and had a fabulous sleep in the pod chairs that let you lie fully down... but I was still really tired when we ate at Mariasol's on the Santa Monica Pier at 6pm Tuesday. Due to the differences in timezones we managed to arrive in the US before we left NZ.

So whats different? Weird driving on the wrong side of the road and legal red light turns. Seen many bizzare and funny things but my favourite in this first 24 hours is this photo of the Brennans saloon that offers turtle racing near the Marina del Ray. Outside there is an imposed speed limit though it is unclear whether the speed applies to the traffic or to the turtles

I think the other strange thing is being surrounded by so much affluence in Santa Monica and surrounding neighbourhoods like Beverley Hills, Cheviot Hills.... and seeing so many people living on the streets of all ages, young and old, male and female. Disturbing that so many people live on the edges.

The other sign that seemed a little strange was this one to calm traffic. Not sure quite what it did for the cars, or the drivers but apparently advice is available on remaining calm while in traffc. Kim also reminded why its important not to drive around LA with the car windows down - people get offended if they think you're staring or talking about them. Much,much safer to wind up the windows and turn on the AC !