Our Cross-Country Journey (Part 2 of 2)

Part 5 (last) of a Series

We left Oklahoma City on the 12th of July, headed west on I-40. Those of you who have driven that particular highway know two things: A) it mostly follows the route of the famed and former US Route 66, and 2) it is long, mostly straight, and almost completely boring. Other than certain tourist stops such as Garth Brooks’ honorary street in Yukon, Reba McEntire’s hometown of Elk City, or the Indian Market marking the Continental Divide between Grants and Gallup in New Mexico, it’s miles and miles of get to the next town–or truck stop–for a rest stop and fresh cold drink.

To be fair, coming over the hill into the Rio Grande Valley and seeing the city of Albuquerque stretching out in front is sort of pretty. I will mention here that DW and I took I-25 north to Santa Fe, where we stayed for a couple of nights and saw a Flamenco show as well as many other arts. Oddly, I have no photos of that stay. I’m really not sure why. Also, Flagstaff, AZ, and the surrounding forest are refreshing; a splash of green in the sandstone desert.

After leaving Santa Fe, our next stop was at The Lodge at Sedona, AZ. One small aside, as I’m reasonably certain the statute of limitations has expired: heading west on I-40 after leaving Gallup, NM, I noticed DW had dozed off. I was normally driving between 75 and 80 mph. I was curious if 100 mph would feel any different. I slowly pushed the accelerator until the needle just passed the 100 mark. It didn’t really feel any different, so I didn’t keep it there long. I let the cruise control take over again, and on we went. DW didn’t even stir, and to this day (unless she reads this post) I don’t believe she knows of this.

Of course it was dark when we checked in to The Lodge. The next morning after breakfast, I took a few photos of the grounds, including the “Labyrinth”, an arrangement of stones so you can either solve it or step out of it.

There were also horseshoe pits, shown here with my new car. As you may know, between Sedona and Flagstaff lies the Oak Creek Canyon, a wonderland of sandstone that has been cut by water into fantastic shapes. Not as vast as the Grand Canyon on the other side of Flagstaff, but certainly every bit as impressive. The Lodge has views of many of the formations near town.

Even driving the main street (US 89A) through town offers great views, like this one.

After getting some snacks and drinks together, we took 89A north along Oak Creek to the junction with I-17, then through Flagstaff, off to US 180 north. Our destination was the Grand Canyon. Along the way, there are a few scenic turnouts, but really only one large one as far as I recall. We took a few photos there.

 Since much better photographers than I have published photos of the Grand Canyon, I’ll just leave you with these three, to round out my post.

After the Grand Canyon, we went on to the Las Vegas area to spend the night, then drove back home to Reno the next day. And washed the car. No, I think we waited until the next day for that.

Our Cross-Country Journey (Part 1 of 2)

Part 4 of a Series

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Asheville, NC and the Biltmore Mansion

We spent the night of the 6th of July in Asheville, intending to see Biltmore, the Vanderbilt frontier estate, the next day. When we awoke, though, it was a little too early and a little too rainy to visit there, so we drove around Asheville for a while. We stopped by the campus of UNC Asheville and looked around a bit, read some of the announcements and advertisements on a bulletin board, just to see if any performances caught our interest for that night.

We then drove around some of the residential areas around town while the rain abated. Nearly all the lawns and shrubs were neatly trimmed, and we saw a couple of modest houses, and a few larger houses. I believe this was the largest we saw. At least, it was the largest where we had a clear view of the house through the landscape.

The rain had stopped, so we decided it was time to make our way to the Biltmore Estate. On the road approaching the parking area, guests drive under this overpass, which we later have the opportunity to drive over. The Biltmore asks guests to refrain from flash photography inside, and our snapshot camera was not good enough to get good photos without the flash. However, we did take several photos of the greenhouse and gardens, of which I present two here.

In the space between, I’ll tell a little about our stay in Nashville, TN, and the drive to my hometown of Oklahoma City, OK. I’m not sure whether we stayed another night in Asheville, or left for Nashville immediately after we left Biltmore. What I am sure of is that the Gaylord Opryland hotel (now apparently a Marriott property) is as grand and impressive as any resort in Las Vegas, and I’d be willing to bet that there was no gaming money involved. We went to the Grand Ole Opry show, where we were privileged to see Porter Wagoner and Little Jimmy Dickens, among other Nashville luminaries.

The next day we drove through Tennessee and crossed the Mississippi River (as people do) at Memphis. About halfway between there and Little Rock, we got hungry. We didn’t want to eat at a truck stop, so we took a State Highway exit south into a town of probably no more than 10,000 people. It was Saturday the 9th, so there wasn’t much traffic. We found a local burger joint and had a couple of good, old-fashioned cheeseburgers with fries and onion rings. Well, DW had fries, and I had onion rings.

We went on across Arkansas and Oklahoma, past Indian Nations and Lake Eufala, past the road to Okmulgee and the turnpike to McAlester. It grew dark, but thankfully there was no rain or worse. When I saw the Shawnee exit, I knew we were nearing our destination.

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Oklahoma City – Home, Sweet Home

My first cousin once removed*, Nell Steele, has lived in southeast Oklahoma City for probably most of my life, if not hers. She graciously offered to let us stay with her for a few nights while we visited the members of my family who still lived in the area. We arrived late, or it seemed late, at around 10:30pm, and after an iced tea and a toothbrush we collapsed in the spare room.

A visitor

My cousin Nell

The next day, Sunday, we awoke refreshed and happy. Nell and my own DW made a scrumptious breakfast (while I was still waking up), and we spent the morning talking about things that had happened in the family, both recent and much earlier. We took a few photos, including one of local wildlife (a squirrel in her backyard). We also talked about some things that had happened in Oklahoma City, including the bombing of the Murrah building (more about that later).

Sam, Patsy, and Lloyd

Patsy, her husband R.D., & their son Eli

Later that afternoon, Nell called her brother Lloyd, our cousin Sam, my sister Patsy, and a few others over to visit at her house. We went through a couple of boxes of old pictures, and took a few more. Here are a couple with the people closest to me.


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Downtown, and Grandma’s

On Monday we left the house a little earlier, with a purpose. We were going to visit my grandma’s grave site at the Yukon Cemetery–or as Nell called her, “Aunt Evelyn”. I did take a photo of her and grandpa’s headstone, but I’ve decided not to post it here. I am posting, though, a photo of the Davis family plot at Yukon. I have no way of knowing if these Davises are my grandma’s family, but I thought the proximity was interesting.

We then drove the two miles (1/2 over, 1 down, 1/2 back) to the entrance to the house plot where my grandma lived for most of the years I knew her. There had been a few changes since the last time I was there; one was that the outhouse that I had used as a small child was in even worse shape, with a more pronounced lean. I didn’t get out of the car to check it for daddy-long-legs spiders. Another was that there was now a chain-link fence around the house itself, which presented an odd juxtaposition of new with old.

After lunch at the Braum’s store next to the Walmart on Garth Brooks Blvd. (aka 11th Street), we caught the I-40 freeway back into Oklahoma City. We stopped by downtown to visit the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building Memorial. The 10th anniversary of the building’s bombing had been that previous April; next April will be the 20th. The people who designed and built the memorial did a very good job. Here are a few photos.

Clockwise from top left: looking east across the reflecting pool; looking east on the field of chairs; looking northeast across pool to building on north; a message from responders painted on the north building.

The field of chairs is a lawn with a chair sculpture for each individual that died in the bombing.

I will take time here to note that my sister Patsy, shown in the photos above, was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) about a year before this visit. She died of failures caused by the disease three years later, in November 2008.

The next day we would be on our way across the plains of Texas and the Rocky Mountains of New Mexico, to stay for a couple of days in Santa Fe. Something awful happened there. It wasn’t a tragedy or even anything major, but it did cause me some small amount of consternation.

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*Nell is my mother’s first cousin, my grandmother’s brother’s daughter. As I was choosing the photos to include, I realized that one shows two other first-cousins-once-removed: Lloyd Davis, Nell’s brother; and Sam Irion, her first cousin.

The Object of My Selection

Part 3 of a Series

We arose and had yet another wonderful breakfast on the White Doe’s patio, surrounded by flowering shrubs and other happy guests. We took a few more photos of the Inn before packing the rental. Here’s the best one.

We drove back to the Raleigh area to head southwest toward South Carolina and Spartanburg. We returned the rental at the Greenville-Spartanburg airport, where a driver from BMW in a nice Alpine White 5 Series was waiting to take us to our hotel in Greenville. It was a nondescript business hotel, used by BMW for buyers in the factory delivery program. But we were spending just the one night there and it was clean with hot water, so it was perfect for a couple of tired travelers.

The next morning, the 6th of July, after a nondescript, clean, and hot business breakfast, we were ferried to the BMW complex located on both sides of the 4-lane SH 101 between Spartanburg and Greenville. Our first stop was the Performance Center, where we attended a few hours’ class of driving safety and technique. The instructor was dynamic, and there were several demonstrations, so the time went quickly. Then it was out to the road course to put what we’d learned into practice.

I knew that we would not be using the vehicles we’d purchased on the road course. What I didn’t know is that the vehicle you’re given to use on the course is intended to be as much like the one you bought as possible. I bought a Z4 3.0i Sport trim, so that’s what I was given to drive on the course. Even the color was the same–Maldives Blue!

You can see an X5 in front of me; another customer in our group was taking delivery of one of those that day. This photo was taken after I'd made most of the seat adjustments as recommended by our instructor. I recall two. One had to do with how far back the seat should be in relation to the brake pedal. The other was for seat height: with the top closed, the top of my head should be about 4", or one closed hand breadth, below the top. Since the top is open, then, this must have been after I had done that.

We were taken out to various parts of the courses (which you can see on Google Maps), sharing some parts at times. Here I am coming south on the road called “Entrance” on a short clockwise loop. Out here was where the steering, anti-lock brakes, and other safety and performance features were demonstrated. We (owners) had a BMW instructor riding with us during the course, so DW had plenty of opportunity to take photos.

After driving around a bit on the road course, I was directed up to the skid pad in order to demonstrate the traction control system. In its normal position, it allows < 15% slip, so I could mash down the accelerator and crank the steering wheel, and it would not skid noticeably. I was instructed to take it to the minimal level without turning it completely off, and attempt the maneuver again. This time, it was like doing donuts on an icy parking lot.

After the practicum, we went back inside and were offered small pieces of BMW merchandise, then were taken to the main attraction: delivery of our new cars. There was another short orientation, at least for me, because I had specified I wanted the SMG, or Sequential Manual Gearbox, transmission. With that transmission, the starting procedure requires specific steps that even a regular manual transmission does not have. I only mention this because of what happened directly after delivery.

After all our deliveries were completed, we were invited to go as a group, in our own vehicles, across SH 101 to the BMW Zentrum Museum and Manufacturing Center. After delivery, I had pulled my car out to a parking space and turned it off; when I went to start it again, I forgot one of the required steps for a few moments. Just as one of the employees realized it and started over to help me, it came back to me, and I got the car started. It was the only time I forgot that I needed to do that.

Over at the Manufacturing Center, we were met by a lovely, healthy Bavarian lady, who would be our tour guide. As we entered the facility, she asked if anyone knew what BMW stood for in German. I answered, “Bayerische Motor Werken”. She said, “That's very good. It’s the Bayerische Motoren Werke”. I realized that I had said one motor, multiple factories, rather than many motors, one factory.

The manufacturing facility was quite impressive, with plenty of robots and lots of X3s, X5s, and Z4s being assembled. We were surprised to see many right-hand drive vehicles; the South Carolina facility at that time was the only production site for those three models to be exported to all the countries where they were sold.

I didn't get any photos inside the factory, but we did get plenty in the museum. I’ll present the ones I’ve selected here with minimal comment.

This was called a Varilus	1950s 328 Roadster	Special Edition Dixi by Ihle
1960s 507 Roadster	1970s 1800	Z1 Roadster, limited numbers sold in USA
The Z3 as introduced by James Bond	Z8 Roadster, also a Bond car	And for motorcycle enthusiasts…

After our day at the BMW facilities, it was still not terribly late. We were headed for Asheville that night, but on the way we took a little drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway. It had turned overcast and a little misty, which I guess is normal for the Great Smoky Mountains, so we put the top up. Here, we were in a scenic pullout, and I was charged with getting something out of the suitcase, or putting something away, one or the other.


We did take some photos of the views, too. This one is representative.

If you ever get a chance to participate in a driving course like the ones offered by BMW (and they offer courses to everyone, for a price, not just factory delivery participants), I highly recommend it.

Independence Day in Small Town USA

Part 2 of a Series

It's the 4th of July: Independence Day!

After another great breakfast at the White Doe Inn, DW & I decided to walk the 4 or 5 blocks down to the harbor. There is a nice municipal park area along one side of the waterfront.





There was a little sloop moored just offshore, and the harbormaster’s shack looked ship-shape.
  

A little further along the piers, we saw a fellow with a little larger boat, and a hand-made sign advertising harbor cruises. We asked if he’d be doing business today, and he said sure, and he had a few spots left. Regretfully, I didn't get any photos of the whole boat or the sign, but I did get a couple of the Cap’n and his craft during the cruise.

We had barely left the pier when we noticed this three-masted vessel off to port. I believe the Captain told us it was a recently built reproduction of an 18th-century style.

As we sailed out of the harbor, our host pointed out the homes of some of the wealthier residents of the area, over on this spit of land.

Just a bit further, and we found this local resident for whom money is truly no object. Or speed limits, for that matter.

Only a few more photos from the cruise. There were a couple of groups of parasailers, which we found sort of interesting. At least the sails were brightly colored.

Then we met this fellow who was out crabbing Albemarle Sound with Miss Mandi and his canine helper. At least the dog looked happy to see us.

We headed back toward the Inn for lunch, and found this truck parked nearby. How appropriate on Independence Day!

After lunch, we headed back down toward the harbor, but on a different road that leads through the business district. The town was all turned out for an Independence Day celebration. The local deputies were having fun, too!

While “downtown”, we learned that there would be a concert that evening on the Common Lawn, where there is a permanent outdoor stage. It was a fine hometown concert with probably the best musicians and singers from all of eastern North Carolina–that’s my story and I'm stickin’ to it.™ Here is one photo from just before sunset.



All in all it was a fantastic way to celebrate Independence Day! Tomorrow we check out and head to Spartanburg, and the next day we pick up the new car. So excited!