 Like my last six travel eBooks (link), I’ve chosen a song as my book title and theme. And I think Living In America is a perfect fit for my 2023 road trip for several reasons.
First, I will be visiting friends along the way and seeing some of the joys they experience living in America. It’s the kind of everyday, wonderful, life-affirming, sometimes quirky stuff you won’t see featured in a media obsessed with depressing us with bad news. Secondly, the song Living In America was a hit by the one and only James Brown. And if that alone weren’t Americana enough, the video (below) features him singing it with flashes of Rocky Balboa and Apollo Creed. Finally, the lyrics – especially that last line - are the perfect teaser for an epic USA road trip. So, with that said, I feel good letting The Godfather Of Soul kick this thing off. Superhighways, coast to coast, easy to get anywhere. On the transcontinental overload, just slide behind the wheel How does it feel when there's no destination that's too far? And somewhere on the way you might find out who you are James Brown, "Living In America" < link to song Table Of Contents 01. Living In America. Part 1: AZ/CA. Mar 18-29. Map here. 02. California Dreamin'. 03. Cry Me An Atmospheric River. 04. Amazing Places: Napa, CA. Part 1. 05. Amazing Places: Napa, CA. Part 2. 06. Amazing Places: Napa, CA. Part 3. 07. Amazing Places: Napa, CA. Part 4. 08. Amazing Places: Alameda, CA. 09. Amazing Places: Clovis, CA. 10. Amazing Places: Tower Theatre, Fresno, CA. 11. Amazing Places: El Patio, Fresno, CA. 12. Did I Mention It Rained A Lot? :-) Part 2: AZ/NV/UT. Apr 15-18. Map here. 13. Get Your Kicks On Route 66. 14. Relics Of The Past On Route 66. 15. The Wild Beauty Of Route 66. 16. Route 66 Will Throw You Some Curves. 17. The Famous Burros Of Route 66. 18. Amazing Places: St. George, UT. Part 1. 19. Amazing Places: St. George, UT. Part 2. 20. Amazing Places: St. George, UT. Part 3. Part 3: AZ/CO. May18-25. Map here. 21. Amazing Places: Pagosa Springs, CO. 22. Horsing Around In Pagosa Springs. 23. Feeling A Little Sheepish In Pagosa Springs. 24. A Golden Opportunity In Pagosa Springs. 25. A Mission To Know More. 26. The End Of The Line. 27. Amazing Faces: Bobbie and Mike Leonard. 28. This Party Was In Tents! :-) 29. Amazing Places: Westcliffe/Silver Cliff, CO. 30. Amazing Places: School House, Arvada, CO. 31. Just Another Day At The Office. 32. The "Perfect" Storm. Part 4: NE/IA/MI. May 26-28. Map here. 33. Cruising The Lincoln Highway. Part 1. 34. Cruising The Lincoln Highway. Part 2. 35. Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum. 36. Eugene T. Mahoney State Park. 37. Baker's Candies. 38. Boldly Going To Riverside, IA. Part 1. 39. Boldly Going To Riverside, IA. Part 2. Part 5: MI. May 28-Jul 5. Map here. 40. Oh, What A Beautiful Morning. 41. Amazing Places: Saugatuck, MI. 42. Heaven On Earth. 43. Amazing Places: Bay City, MI. 44. Ray's BBQ, Brews & Blues, Grayling, MI. 45. A Pleasant Thing To Ponder. 46. Pleasant City Is A Pleasant Surprise. 47. Amazing Places: Octopus' Beer Garden. 48. Refuge From The Storm. Part 6: KY/CO/AZ. Jul 6-Jul 12. Map here. 49. Getting My Ducks In A Row. 50. Buffalo Trace, Frankfort, KY. 51. Amazing Places: Kentucky State Capitol. 52. Amazing Places: Cliffside Diner, Frankfort, KY. 53. Daniel Boone Monument, Frankfort, KY. 54. Amazing Places: Santa Claus, IN. 55. Yes Virginia, There Is A Santa Claus, Indiana. 56. Amazing Places: Carbondale, CO. 57. Amazing Places: Glenwood Springs, CO. 58. For Anyone Who's Ever Had A Bad Hair Day. 59. "The Colorado Rocky Mountain High." 60. Amazing Places: Moab, UT. 61. America Is Funny. 62. America Is Furry. 63. Thank You For Going The Extra Mile. 64. For More Travel And Encouragement. Contents Books Home Hire Stories  Nothing says "California" like palm trees. And as you can imagine, there's a whole lot of them in the beautiful Palm Springs area. This was my first stop on my road trip designed to spend time with great people. And what made this stop so special was that I got to go dancing with some Michigan gal pals I went to high school with back when this wistful song (below) debuted.
The Mamas & The Papas, "California Dreamin'" < link to song Contents Books Home Hire Stories  I began my 12 day California road trip on March 18, 2023 and my timing was both wet and wild. Half of the time I had to drive through an "atmospheric river and/or bomb cyclone", which was a far cry from my clear, sunny skies of Arizona. But the warm welcome I received from my fun hosts near Santa Barbara made it all worth while. Despite the rain we were able to see several places I intend to revisit including: Santa Ynez, Los Olivos, Maverick Saloon and Solvang - "The Danish Capital Of America".
Contents Books Home Hire Stories  Napa, CA is known for many things. The food. The wine. The beauty. The culture. And I am blessed to say that my beautiful hosts there were determined to give me a taste of it all. We visited Oxbow Public Market (top pics), Jax White Mule Diner (bottom pics), Brasswood, Bistro Jeanty, Archer Hotel Rooftop, Kelly's Filling Station and Southside. However, the highlight for me was spending time with them and getting their personal tour of The Vineyard House, owned by Jeremy Nickel.
Contents Books Home Hire Stories     I visited my Godson and his wonderful family in Alameda, CA. They were kind enough to take me to dinner at Admiral Maltings and on walking tours of their vintage neighborhood. It's a gorgeous area filled with Victorian style homes and quaint shops and restaurants. But the best part for me was to meet the newest addition to the family and see how much she reminds me of my Godson at that young age. It was a gentle reminder of how quickly time passes and how important it is for me to be present in those precious moments.
Contents Books Home Hire Stories  The last stop on my California road trip was to visit a college buddy and his charming wife in Clovis. He and I set out to explore some of the local spots of interest which included the Clovis Veteran's Memorial District. However, a highlight for me was discovering Kuppa Joy Coffee House, owned by former Detroit Lions player, Zack Follett. Their motto is "Love God. Love People. Love Coffee." and should you ever doubt their mission, look no further than the special chair reserved for the King. Can I hear an "Amen"?
Contents Books Home Hire Stories  I have a thing for old theaters that have weathered the storm (and covid). And so I was delighted when Janna Christensen invited us in for a tour of The Tower Theater for the Performing Arts in Fresno, CA. The Town Theatre opened in 1939 as a Century Fox Movie House. Now the gorgeous art deco facility is a beacon for the arts and showcases some of the best music and entertainment in the industry including: Adam Corolla, Judy Collins, Al Stewart and Jeanette Harris.
Contents Books Home Hire Stories  All that walking around made my buddy and me a little peckish. So, when we spotted the very colorful El Patio Mexican Restaurant in Fresno, CA, we were motivated to stop. And what a deliciously smart choice that was. The service was amazing. The food was delicious. And the cheery ambiance was enough to chase the clouds away.
Contents Books Home Hire Stories  I took this photo of a submerged road in Clovis, CA before I left to complete my 1700 mile road trip (map here). And just when I thought the water works were over, I had to battle rain ranging from drizzle to torrents on my 10 hour drive back to Phoenix, AZ. All this is to say that while I'm grateful for all the moisture we so desperately needed in the Southwest, all you good folks who are still praying for rain might want to ease up just a bit. :-)
Contents Books Home Hire Stories  Route 66 is arguably the most famous road in the world. It's been featured in songs, television shows and Disney cartoons. And fortunately, the longest existing drivable stretch of The Mother Road is in Arizona. So on April 15, 2023, I set out to get my kicks on Route 66 in Part 2 of my Living In America road trip, and I'm glad to report, it was an epic ride.
Rolling Stones, "Get Your Kicks On Route 66" < link to song Contents Books Home Hire Stories    Having never passed this way before, I thought the road ahead to Oatman, AZ would be straight and easy. However, that is not how the section of Route 66 called "Sidewinder" rocks and rolls. It's 8 miles of 191 curves, switchbacks, narrow passages and being wayyyy too close to sheer drop offs that scoff at the idea of guardrails. But the good news is, once you survive it, you get to tell the story.
Contents Books Home Hire Stories  My final stop on Route 66 was the former mining/now revived ghost town named Oatman, AZ. It is known for it's colorful history and cute shops and eateries. But what people from all over the world come to see are the famous burros (video here). Once bred to work the mines, the gentle beasts now roam free and serve as ambassadors to this Wild West town.
Note: See all Route 66 posts here, here, here, here and here. Contents Books Home Hire Stories  I made a brief stop in Las Vegas to visit with two good friends I had worked with and to surprise another friend who had traveled from Michigan to celebrate her milestone birthday in the Neon City. From there I made the two hour drive to visit another friend in gorgeous St. George, Utah. In addition to its proximity to spectacular Zion National Park, there is a terrific vibe to the cute downtown area that welcomes visitors to great shops and restaurants.
Contents Books Home Hire Stories  After discovering a super cute place called Cafe Feel Love, we walked down to the arts and parks area called Town Square. The artwork ranges from quirky to abstract and the park is designed for family fun.
Contents Books Home Hire Stories   My first stop on Part 3 of my Living In America road trip was Pagosa Springs, CO. Not only is the area gorgeous, but as you will see in the next 8 posts, it's home to a lot of amazing faces and places.
Contents Books Home Hire Stories    We came upon this mission outside of Pagosa Springs, CO and were struck by it's simple, devout beauty. I couldn't find any information on it online, so if you happen to know it's background please make it your mission to let me know.
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