From Dallas to Denver

Before we left Dallas, we had dinner with Alvin's nephew Brian Wyant and great nephew Joshua. Joshua just found out his eagle scout work has been approved so we celebrated at Buca - by eating in the kitchen - what a treat.

Leaving Dallas we headed northwest and finally saw oil wells....... and took at detour to Frederick, OK.  Everyone was harvesting grain and hay. 

 We got followed by a drone - after we accidentally passed a US Army flight training facility, I guess they were training on drone flights as well as airplanes...

We spent the next night in Amarillo, TX  and found an unmarked section of old Route 66 an found the tourist stop of Cadillac Ranch - old cadillacs buried  part way in the ground. There is paint 1/2 inch thick in some places. Another unexpected side trip...

  
We took the back roads to Denver, CO on Friday, by way of New Mexico. We saw one small store in 40 miles - no quick trips to Walmart here, very few homes but lots of farms, cattle, wind mills for electricity -land is so flat you can see for miles.

We passed Pike's Peak but it was covered in snow.  We did not make it downtown so we didn't see the pot outlets or the customers........  :)

 We did stop by Mile High Stadium for a quick look.......... Very pretty stadium.

Sorry this post took so long - computer security issues are finally resolved.  More Later

Tuesday - Day 2 started in Memphis at  Graceland tour and to Texarkana TX.
Graceland was a pretty neat tour to recall lots of memories of Elvis.  Most of the people touring with us were from another country - just a reminder of his popularity. This was a short travel day so we found time to take a detour for me to get a manicure and pedicure....    Weather is too chilly for convertible........ I am sure weather will change,

Day 3 took us  through a rainy morning to  Parker, TX to the ranch used to film the outside scenes of the original TV show Dallas and used for inside and outside scenes for the new Dallas.   Rain stopped an hour outside Dallas so we had great weather for the tour. This picture is at the patio table that several family fights we filmed for the show :) And of course we needed a picture of the mansion. We are hoping to see lots of animals - first one was Texas longhorn cattle.



 

We finished the afternoon in Downtown Dallas, touring the JFK assassination site.  It's hard to believe it happened 50 years ago.

 Sixth Floor School Book Depository site - Corner window was location of shot

 JFK Memorial Site from the Grassy Knoll.

This one was also taken from the Grassy Knoll. See the X in the middle lane?  That is location Kennedy was shot - Anyone on the grassy knoll also could have had a perfect shot........ Theories continue,,,,,,,,,,


 More to come soon.

The Adventure Begins - for Alvin and Denise

5/12/2014

Welcome to our blog where we will share a few nuggets about our trip. You have this special invitation - we are trying not to let the world know we are gone for a. month  This trip has been in the planning stage for over a year. We are finally on our way- tightly packed and hoping we packed the right clothes.

630 miles and 4 states are already behind us. We are just outside Memphis, Tennessee.  We decided to head down I- 85 and go through Georgia. Alabama and Mississippi to avoid the all too familiar stretch of I-40. Weather has been rain free so far.

We took a surprise stop at Talladega International Speedway and toured the race track - in a van - we did not drive  :)  It's the largest NASCAR track at 2.66 miles and highest banking of 31-33 degrees....... Of course that was a neat treat for a day we thought was just driving..

THANKS to many of you for your suggestions, ideas and well wishes, and a special thanks to Deanna and Lauren for keeping the Mariposa home base in maintenance mode while we are gone.