Grand Canyon, South Rim

One of the treats traveling the I-40 on the way to the Grand Canyon South Rim is the stop at Winslow, AZ, famous from Jackson Browne's "Take It Easy" which the Eagles covered and made into a huge hit. When Jay and John stopped here in 2006 the "corner" was under construction so we wanted to see what they'd done with it. John's pointing to the "girl in a flatbed Ford slowin' down to take a look at me", i.e. - he's got his thumb out hoping to get lucky. Back in the car buddy!

On the Canyon access road we ran into late afternoon thundershowers, evidently a common occurrence this time of year. Per one of the Park Rangers, "It's monsoon season". Speaking of the Park Ranger, turns out this volunteer was from hometown Toledo, OH and grew up on Robinwood Avenue, one street over from the family manse on Scottwood. It was old home week for a while as we chatted about all the Robinwood folks that the Wenzler family knew. Truly a small, small world. Factoid from the Ranger, "What's the most dangerous animal in the Park (other then the humans who find a way to rack up an average of 16 fatalities a season doing what the Ranger called "Stupid Park tricks")? Answer, the squirrel. These little furry rodents are quite adept at posing for the tourists who then either attempt to pet or feed them. Ouch! Off to the hospital for rabies shots, the most painful of treatments...

We posted a short video on Facebook which was a panorama of the different lighting of the park from one location. That's the beauty really. You can stand in one overlook all day and the light and colors will change dramatically as the sun makes it's east to west movement. We chose motion however. The Park has an excellent free trolley system (oh, did I mention that our Senior National Park Card got us right in at the entrance with no additional fee? What a bargain, for $10 a person you gain "free" admission to any National Park which usually have fee's in the $25 range. Save on as we visit Yosemite, Zion, Bryce and Monument Valley!).

We rode the trolley west to Hermits Rest, off limits to vehicles. Each stop offered different view's of the canyon and in some cases the Colorado River over 6,800 feet below in some spots. From Hopi Point, the river which is over 6,000 feet below looks like a thin line even though it's actually over 350 feet wide. With our binoculars we did manage to spot several rafting parties on the river below which would be a fun way to see the Canyon by looking up rather than down, provided one was on a "flat water" trip!

We had intended to hike down the Bright Angel trail about half-way but our friendly Ranger told us it took twice as long to come up as it did to get down, so with limited time we chose to grab lunch back at the Maswik Lodge, then took the car to explore all the overlooks west on the way to the Desert View and Watchtower, the final attraction along Desert View Drive. At each overlook, as the afternoon waned, the light in the Canyon changed and the hues mingled from green to red to dusky desert tones. No wonder we saw so many painters and photographers!

As a side note, we noticed that our wind shield sported a 10 inch crack that the sun must have brought out. We knew we were hit by a stone the day before but there was not a sign of damage the next morning. But after lunch when we entrained in the car for the Desert View run we saw it. Yikes, 3,000 miles on a new car and already a damaged windshield. Bummer. We'll take care of it in LA where we have a two week layover with Jay.

After a long day, we managed a lovely prime rib dinner at the Best Western in Grand Canyon Village just outside the park next to the Red Feather Lodge where we were staying. Fodor's gave the Best Western dining room a big thumbs up and we agreed, especially priced at $12.99 for a three course dinner (yes, early bird before 6:30 PM but remember, we were still transitioning from EDT to PDT so parts of our bodily system thought it was 9:30 PM (that would be the Cavit part?).

It's very difficult to describe the elegant beauty of the Grand Canyon. Even photo's don't quite capture this unique eloquence of nature. As one of our dear friends, an expert photographer with a fabulous kit of equipment told us, "Only the human eye can truly capture the beauty".

I guess this is why the Grand Canyon is a must see on any bucket list. It's truly a gift of nature, it's here so you don't have to travel halfway 'round the world and it's so stunning that words can't really describe it.

With a long travel day ahead of us, we hit the vee berth early and the next morning at 7:00 AM found us LA bound. We answered the Duke's call, "Westward Ho!".

Hooray for Hollywood!

Hooray for Hollywood,

That screwy, ballyhooey Hollywood

Where any office boy or young mechanic

Can be a panic, with just a good looking pan

Where any barmaid can be a star maid

If she dances with or without a fan.

Hooray for Hollywood!

Johnny Mercer

Our drive from the Grand Canyon was uneventful except for keeping an eye on the growing crack in our windshield. We were fortunate to stop for gas in Arizona because once crossing into California the prices increased by 75 cents a gallon. No wonder this state is exploring alternative energy! Our Ford Edge with two white-bread seniors passed the CA Agricultural Inspection. No sign of the Joad family so we were whisked into La La Land.

The drive across the Mojave Desert is quite monotonous. You might as well be in a LEM landing on the moon. Once across the desert at Barstow we stopped for lunch at the old Barstow railroad station which was made up of old passenger cars linking a central food court. Of course train buff John loved it and he was looking for his equally trained out buddy Jasper to share the experience.

Once on the 15 (note that in CA one drops the "I" designation and everything is "the 101", "the 5" etc. We do our best to fit in our new culture!). A right turn onto the 10 and we were an hour out. Our host Jay over ruled Gertrude Garmin and on the 10 we really had our first taste of SoCal traffic. FREEKS!

We found our one bedroom apartment in West Hollywood, a clean and bright respite owned by our hosts Eugene and Mary on a relatively quiet tree lined block between W. Sunset and Fountain Blvds. We soon found we were really centrally located, within a mile of studio's, great restaurants and Hollywood and Vine. Soon after we unpacked our host Jay arrived and we shared our first CA wine with him on our balcony. To celebrate, Jay took us to Duke's on Malibu beach, literally on the Pacific Ocean on the PCH (again culturista's, PCH stands for Pacific Coast Highway but nobody uses the full name).

Sunday found us hiking the canyons of Runyan Park with Jay. Local signs warning of rattlesnakes. "Why'd it have to be snakes"? Uphill climb which is fine with us as it wrings out a week of sitting in the car and will help to get us in shape to hike to Vernal Falls in Yosemite with our friends Jacqui and Steve in two weeks. After the walk, a reward of eggs benedict from Chez Sarah (eggs avacado for veggie Jay) washed down with Prossecco. We could get into this California living. Hard exercise followed by foodie reward. What could be better?

On Sunday Jay gave us the "insider's tour" of Hollywood, Sunset Strip, a very real reminder that we were not in CT anymore. We saw someone dressed as Marilyn Monroe and Darth Vader were spotted walking down the street. Apparently these impersonators pose with tourists for photos, hoping to score tips.

We spent the rest of the week sightseeing. Took a trip on Mulholland Dr. and loved it's steep, winding beautiful vistas, we also went to look at the famous HOLLYWOOD sign and took the obligatory pictures.

Before we left home, we had reserved tickets to attend a taping of Jeopardy! John and I watch Jeopardy! nearly every evening as it comes on as dinner is being prepared. So we got a big kick out of sitting in on a live show. Fun to see how it all works in person. They tape five shows in one day, three in the morning and two in the afternoon. We were warned in advance not to shout out the answers like we do at home. Easier said than done, but we managed to keep our mouths shut. The episodes we watched will be aired in November.

We also visited the Reagan Library in Simi Valley. We have never been to a presidential library before, so this was a unique and interesting treat. It is a huge museum and naturally chronicles the former president's early career as an actor and follows his life in politics and his eight years as president. Very inspirational. We were reminded of the optimism that Reagan was famous for and the accomplishments of his administration. We were wowed by seeing Air Force One on display. It is the plane used by all the presidents from 1974 through 2001. The library is located at the top of a mountain with stunning views of the valley and mountains beyond, a beautiful final resting place for the "Gipper".

We read in our guidebook about The Norton-Simon Museum in Pasadena. John and I love to visit museums all over the world and are aware that LA has the famous Getty, but we had never heard of this one, so we had to check it out. What a pleasant surprise. Small but with a wonderful collection of works by some of our favorite artists. We viewed several Renaissance pieces, many pieces by Rembrandt, Reubens, a Vermeer, Van Gogh, Degas, Renoir, Corot, Matisse, and Picasso. We were in heaven. A special jewel in this sprawling metropolis.

Hooray for Hollywood!

Santa Fe: Southwestern art capital

We arrived in Santa Fe to a sparkly blue, cloudless afternoon, happy for the opportunity to get out of the car.

On a plateau at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains-at an elevation of 7,000 feet-Santa Fe is brimming with reminders of nearly four centuries of Spanish and Mexican rule, and the Pueblo cultures that have been there for hundreds more.

Humorist Will Rogers said on his first visit to Santa Fe, "Whoever designed this town did so while riding on a jackass, backwards, and drunk." The maze of narrow streets and alleyways confounded us while in the car, but as pedestrians we delighted in the vast array of shops, restaurants, flowered courtyards and eye-catching galleries at nearly every turn.

We only had thirty six hours to enjoy our stay, so we had to make some decisions about how to best spend the time.

We had three goals.

• Food
• Shopping (I am hunting for a pair of cowboy boots)
• Sightseeing and visiting galleries

Food in Santa Fe is wonderful. Eating out is a major pastime when visiting this lovely town.

We enjoyed several delicious meals: breakfast at Pasqual's, lunch at Anasazi (wow) and dinner at La Choza. I honestly don't think you can get a bad meal in Santa Fe.

As for shopping, it's hard to know where to begin. I mentioned earlier, I am looking for cowboy boots. We stopped at several places to look, see and try on. Two spots sold boots on consignment, no luck. A few were big brand name stores, sold at retail, still no luck. Then we happened upon a shop named Back at the Ranch. Now we're talkin. This cozy spot in an old creaky-floored adobe is stocked with the finest handmade cowboy boots I've ever seen. They come in every color, style, and embellishment imaginable. I tried several pair: pink, turquoise, black, red, brown. Fell in love with each one, then reality hit and I decided not to be an impulse buyer. I'd keep looking, but the hunt had been fun.

Our shopping spree did not end empty. We stumbled upon a small leather goods shop. We spent some time visiting with the owner and designer of sterling silver belt buckles. NICE. Needless to say, I am now the very proud owner of a gorgeous leather belt with a beautiful silver buckle, hand made in Santa Fe. Grin.

Next we hit the galleries on Canyon Road, the city's art district. If you are familiar with a condition called "Stendhal", or "Florence syndrome", you will know what I mean when I tell you that the Santa Fe art district can be overwhelming. This small city boasts being second only to NYC in it's art sales. Dozens of galleries line the narrow streets and you can find anything from oil paintings of the stunning local scenery to mobile art to enormous sculptures of American Indian chiefs, deer and antelope. We spent the afternoon wandering in and out of these interesting places.

Local dress, and cuisine by the way, is "New Mexican". The blend of Spanish, Mexican and American Western plays out in both the food and the dress (at least for locals). While having breakfast at Pasquals we noted a local with his jeans, cowboy boots, western shirt and a vest studded out with turquoise. And of course a well worn straw Stetson covering long hair. The local ladies were quite chic and very well turned out in similar fashion to our cowboy. Their boots alone were in the $1,500-$5,000 range.

While the tourists were eclectic the Texas ladies stood out. Well tended, bejeweled to the nth degree and having the best of times as only those Texas ladies can. Truly black belt shoppers. The Hampton's crowd back home has a lot to learn!

Our hotel was in the Railway District, the Hotel Santa Fe, and while the room was adequate the location was great and hotel offered free shuttle service to all local points of interest. We learned long ago that when in a new city it's a good idea to take the local tour and then go back to places that struck our interest for more detailed exploration. One of those spots was the Loretto Chapel, a delicate Gothic Church modeled after Sainte-Chapelle in Paris. Built in 1873 by French architects and Italian stonemasons, it is known for it's "Miraculous Staircase" that leads to the choir loft. The staircase contains two complete 360 degree turns and a mysterious carpenter who arrived on a donkey and built the 20 foot staircase-using only a square, a saw and a tub of water to season the wood-and then disappeared as quickly as he had appeared. No nails were used in the construction. Naturally, many of the locals at the time believed the legend that St. Joseph, a carpenter, had appeared to build the staircase.

The Palace of Governors was equally interesting as the old adobe structure had been home to three seats of government, Spanish, Mexican and American. Outside under the arcade facing the 400 year old plaza, Native American's laid out hand made jewelry on hand woven blankets. I bought a lovely silver and turquoise cuff bracelet after some modest bargaining.

Because we were in the Rail yard District our number one (hmmm, maybe tied with Grandson Jasper) rail fan longed to take the Rail Runner train to Albuquerque on the road bed of the original line that reached Santa Fe, the famous Denver & Rio Grande, but alas, with 36 hours, it wasn't to be (I could write the Sunday Times piece, "36 hours in Santa Fe!).

We loved Santa Fe and highly recommend a visit to anyone who is visiting this part of the country.

Next we ride into the sunset to see the Grand Canyon.

Route 66: Observations from JohnnyG

Once we crossed into Oklahoma we began to see signs for "Historic Route 66". These only increased crossing into Texas and once into New Mexico the old highway paralleled I-40 for miles and then veered to Santa Fe before following I-25 to Albuquerque and then West to Arizona. Of course we stopped in Winslow, AZ for the obligatory photo op, "standin' by the corner..."(see photo on Facebook), the great Jackson Browne song covered by the Eagles. With lots of windshield time, we observed even this late in the season so many groups traveling the old historic route that we wondered what was the attraction? Bikers of course, but at our overnight in Weatherford, TX we ran across a group of folks driving vintage muscle cars. GTO's, souped up Mustangs from the '60's, you name it, they were driving it. Then scenes right out of Tom Wolfe's "Kandy- Kolored Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby", the story of the California car scene in which 1930's and 1940's cars were "chopped" and painted "krazy" colors. Imagine watching a fleet of these beautiful cars cruising on the Old 66 next to you on the I-40! Even vintage sports cars, followed of course by the break down vans.

What is it that attracts these groups to a roadway built in 1926 as the first purpose built asphalt route from Chicago to Los Angeles? In the 1930's, the "Okies"fled the dust bowl on Route 66 and migrated to the orange groves of California, think "Grapes of Wrath", which is likely the first notion any of us had about Route 66. In 1986 the road was largely decommissioned, much like a ship of the line after much useful service. This was a direct result of the Interstate system started in the mid 1950's by President Eisenhower.

This road has always celebrated the romance and freedom of automobile travel. Bobby Troup wrote the seminal song about the road, "Get Your Kicks, On Route 66" in 1946 while driving the route at the suggestion of his wife. Nat King Cole released his all time popular cover in 1946 and the song has been covered by hundreds of artists, including Chuck Berry in 1961, the Stones in 1964 and Depeche Mode in 1987. So the song and roadway certainly resinate in the American psyche.

Our observation is that the age groups we saw traveling on what is left of this vintage roadway, Jackson Browne excepted, are largely baby boomers who grew up in the 1950's in the post WW II era of "Leave it to Beaver", "Marcus Welby, MD" and "Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet". This was a fairly constrained and somewhat rigid post WW II era with social mores pretty much of a conservative bent. The explosion of the Beatles, Vietnam, Stones, Buffalo Springfield in the '60's provided a release from the social constraints of the '50's. Think "Bye Bye Birdie", "what's the matter with kids today"?

With the popularity of the TV show, "Route 66" (1960-1964), young people envisioned a life free of parental constraints represented by the journey through small town America and indeed many at the time were drawn to replicating the journey. Indeed, Sarah's brother and a friend rented a Corvette and drove Route 66 in the early '60's. They weren't alone.

And today, the sections of what remains of the old road are chock-a-bloc full of baby boomers on Harley's, bikes, sports cars, muscle cars, RV's and whatever, living the dream of freedom that the old historic road represents, because they're at an age when they can! After the brief freedom's of the post Vietnam era most of us went into a different world of constraints, usually called "corporate" or "law firm" or the like. I remember several years ago my Chairman at my corporate gig was taking a month to trace Route 66 and the Lewis and Clark journey on his Harley with a buddy. Intrigued, I asked why? He said, "you're still too young to understand, but you will". I do now.

We've joined them, sort of, and while our trip isn't just about traveling the old route, we share their sense of freedom and discovery as we travel this great land of ours. Our next stop is the Grand Canyon, South Rim.

Graceland and West!

As the great Paul Simon wrote and sang:

"The Mississippi Delta, was shining

Like a National Guitar.

I am following the river

Down the highway

Through the cradle of the Civil War.

I'm going to Graceland, Graceland

in Memphis, Tennessee.

I'm going to Graceland.

Poorboys and Pilgrims with families

We are going to Graceland. . ."

OK so we toured Elvis' home, Graceland, in Memphis.

I honestly didn't know what to expect. I was never a huge Elvis fan to begin with. He came on the world music scene when I was a little too young to get it, and in the 60s, when I became aware and interested in music, the Beatles overtook the fifties genre of Rock and Roll. And of course in the seventies, he was doing most of his entertaining in Vegas and became sadly addicted to prescription drugs, dying much too young.

We got up and checked out of our room at the Heartbreak Hotel early in order to be the first group to go through the mansion. The people who sold us the tickets tried to talk us into a "package" which includes touring two, yes two, airplanes that sit on the grounds. One is the "Lisa Marie", a Boeing 707, and the other is "The King" a large twin engine corporate jet. We declined, our reasoning being that the "Mansion" was enough.

We boarded a shuttle bus along with dozens of "seniors on a spree" to make the short journey across the street.

The house sits up on a hill, it's large, but not overly enormous. Honestly, not ostentatious from the outside, a large colonial style. It was purchased in 1957, when Elvis was 22, for something like $125,000.

The interior is decorated in the early seventies look. Not the best decade for style. Lots of mirrors, dark colors, shag carpet, glitz. Every modern convenience of the day, such as stereo systems, TVs, a huge pool table, a jungle room. Elvis had his parents living with him and they had a whole wing to themselves.

There are lots of photos of Pricilla, and Lisa Marie. There is a very large display of his clothes, including the elaborate costumes he wore in his Vegas days.

My favorite section of Graceland was the very extensive display of his early career and record of how he got his start in the music business. Old films of a very young man on the Ed Sullivan Show and the Steve Allen Show. Then there is a very long hallway with his gold and platinum records, numbering well into the two hundreds. And that is just in the States. Also on display are his Emmy awards and countless plaques and testimonials.

I was struck by how much of a philanthropist Elvis was and how generous he was with family and friends, giving them money, cars and homes as needed.

Was it worth it? Yes, I'm happy to have seen Graceland. It's a slice of American music history.

After that, we hit the road across Tennessee, into Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas. Whew!

Next stop: Santa Fe NM.

Heartbreak Hotel

What a hoot and a half! Here we are in Memphis at the Heartbreak Hotel.

The whole place is a throwback to 1957.

The lobby is all dark and purple and filled with Elvis fans from all walks of life and all countries.

Our room is decorated with blown up photos of Elvis and the pool is in the shape of an enormous heart.

In the parking lot there was a huge old pink Cadillac which I tried to get a photo of, but the man drove away before I got there. Apparently, he runs a shuttle to a restaurant nearby, all in the Elvis theme-natch. I hope to get a ride in that baby.

Tonight we'll dine on Beale Street and enjoy some of those famous Memphis dry ribs!

Tomorrow we will tour Graceland before we hit the road again.

(I eventually got a photo of my pink Cadillac when it came back for another pickup.)

From my roommate:

Driving opens one to the wonderful history and landscape of this great land. Our adventure began with purpose as a great American road trip. After spending much of my corporate career outside this wonderful country, with numerous trips together to the great capitals of Europe, we decided to set out on one of our bucket list trips to visit our Western National Parks and to spend spend more time with actor Jay who is LA based.

So many people we know think that there's nothing between the Hudson River and LA, except Vail or Park City. Hopefully this blog will help them understand how vast, varied and beautiful this country truly is.

We cruised past the Gettysburg battlefield onto the beautiful Shenandoah Valley, site of so many historic Civil War battles. With the Blue Ridge mountains on one side and the Appalachians on the other. At one point Sarah heard me exclaim, "OMG, Hungry Mother State Park"! This park nests off the Blue Ridge Parkway and is the earliest of my memories of the many family vacation's that followed. We literally camped in surplus Army tents in the early 1950's as my Dad served his post PhD. internship at the Veterans Memorial Hospital in Roanoke, VA. My first taste of roasted marsh mellows over a campfire, the old Studebaker overheating on the Blue Ridge Parkway, a miscast diaper out the front window landing in the back seat. Anyway, you get the point, none of this would have happened if we'd elected a "fly-over".

So, we're ready to board the bus to Beale Street after several interesting detours on I-40 (thanks Navigator Sarah and GPS "Gertrude"). This is a down side of road travel. You don't control the idiots on the road or the construction people in Nashville who decide to take I-40 from three lanes to one for three days.

But as typical American's, we're resilient and resourceful.

And speaking of that, our Sirius radio has been tuned to the 9/11 Memorial Services for two days. Never forget!

The View Hits The Road

Here it is, already Labor Day 2011.

Time just seems to fly by at an astonishing pace these days.

We spent a wonderful summer on Long Island Sound aboard Cinnamon Girl, enjoying the sea breeze, stunning sunsets, family and friends.

Until the last week in August, when we experienced an earthquake and hurricane Irene, the weather was pretty darn perfect. There is hardly anything more relaxing than being on the water, picking up a mooring in a lovely harbor, settling with a cool drink, and listening to Sinatra on the iPOD. Heaven.

Now that September is here, it's time to think about putting the boat away for the cooler weather we know is to follow. Time to think of our next adventure.

The View is hitting the road.

When I was growing up, our family didn't do much traveling. My parents traveled to Europe and New York, but we didn't as a family. Who would take all those kids on a big trip? We traveled to Luna Pier in June and stayed until Labor Day.

John and I are getting in the car this coming weekend and driving across the country. We plan to visit our son Jay in Los Angeles, in fact we've rented an apartment in LA for two weeks. After that we plan on visiting our country's National Parks.

This journey has been on our "bucket list" for several years and we decided that this is the time to do it. After all:

• we have the time
• it's the best season to travel by car because the weather is non threatening
• we have traveled extensively to other countries, but why not see the USA?

Stay tuned for updates and a travelogue.

Now I have to think about packing.