People

Here I am a few days into the trip, deciding to add things that should have been there from the beginning!!!! I'm adding a "page" above called "People". This is going to be a page of people that I see along the way who are necessarily associated with a "site" that I've visited. SO.... there's a new entry there!!! Take a look!!!

Barbadillo, the Armadillo - NOT

Well... I am not sure if posting this is a good thing or not, but here I go anyway. I find my "places" to visit in all kinds of places, word of mouth, google searches, other websites, even a downloaded file into my GPS unit entitled "Odd & Unusual Tourist Sites" or something similar to that.

Well, one site that is mentioned a couple different places is Barbadillo, a giant sculpture of an armadillo. Well, it turns out the armadillo is an elusive creature. On Monday, I tried to get to Barbadillo, only to encounter a closed road on my path. I was planning on meeting with Wagonteamster that day and gave up the search pretty quickly figuring I'd get back to it later in the day.

Well, things have a way of complicating themselves and I didn't get to it Monday. Tuesday, after a successful meeting with Bob and the Wagonteamster crew I was ready to go find Barbadillo. so with my trust GPS powered up, I set out to find him/her. As, I got to the road closure, I decided to try my luck and finding a way around it. My poor GPS kept saying "recalculating" as I wandered the area.

After some confusion and wandering, the GPS finally announced "Arriving at Barbadillo"!!!!

But I saw nothing... I wandered around... looking for this giant sculpture... to no avail. So, I guess Barbadillo will have to wait for another trip. I give up.

Wagonteamster - Bob (and the horses: Bob, Bill & Doc)

You'll notice there is no city associated with this blog entry. That's because Bob and the horses & wagon are traveling the US. So, by the time I post, they've moved!!! And, not because they're outlaws either.

After kind of a zero day Monday (I couldn't find the wagonteamster team) I started out Tuesday with a great hour spent with Bob and his team. You can find out more information at his website http://www.wagonteamster.com. It's a great site that I have been following for about a year and Bob is part of my reason for wanting to travel full-time in an RV. Although his "RV" only has "3 Horsepower."

The photo above shows an early morning at the wagonteamster camp. That's Doc in the photo. B.O.B. and Bill are behind the rig. I had the good fortune of a conversation with Bob as he prepared for the day.

He a great and personable guy making his way across the United States, meeting people and making friends. His journeys are much more personal than mine. I find odd and unusual "things" to write about and photograph. Bob is actually making real connections. And he's good at it. The section of his site that deals with this 3rd leg of his trip is here. Bob was kind enough to mention my visit on his site!

This is Bob giving the "brush off" to one of the horses. I'm sorry Bob, I am only able to distinguish Doc 'cause he's a different color!!! If you want to comment here and clear up the confusion as to whether this is Bob or Bill... AND... identify the photo below, THANKS. (I thought I'd remember... I hate senility)

Bob has also written a book about his journeys so far. He actually autographed one for me... LOOK OUT eBay if you get rich and famous Bob!!!! (Just Kidding) I haven't started it yet, but I'll go out on a limb, based on my meeting and recommend it. You can find out more on Bob's website.

All in all, it was great start to Tuesday morning!!! Thanks for the hospitality Bob!!!

Interesting Signs... Sights

Well, today I didn't really see any of the sites I had planned. I even added a huge statue of an armadillo... called Barbadillo... but the road was closed from the direction I was coming... so basically a shut out today.

But, I thought I might share a couple of things I did see. One was today (the photo) and the other was something I saw a couple days ago.

So, I'm driving today through the countryside of Texas... I was WAY off the beaten path and I saw this sign... I think in "Ballanger"??? (SP?), TX.

Now my thoughts are these.... if you "need" cremation... you're dead... and if you don't need it yet (pre-need) then wouldn't that be immolation? Walk in "pre-need" and walk out... well... get carried out in an urn.

Just my thoughts???

And the other thing I saw that was kinda cute in my opinion was a billboard. Unfortunately, I was driving like 80 and didn't pull out the camera so you'll just have to rely on my vivid descriptions... NOT

A couple on the billboard... I can't even remember what they were doing, but it was pretty basic... maybe looking at each other... and the billboard is advertising an adult novelty, toy & lotion store... their motto "It's Cheaper Than A Divorce."

I like that!!!

Waxing Philosophic

Since this was a short day as far as visits go, I thought I might share some of my thoughts, etc. on this whole deal!!!

First off, it may surprise you to know that I don't even have a radio/stereo in the 4Runner. I spend all time driving in virtual silence with only the road and engine noise to distract me. My daughters can't believe I do that. I do love music. I'm horrible and titles, artists, etc. but I do love it. I finally broke down about a year ago and bought an iPod... great little device... don't know where it is right now.

Instead, I spend my hours thinking, which could be a dangerous practice. But, while thinking, I come up with these crazy ideas like this place and what to write here. You may notice that there are new "pages" popping up here with nothing on them (except to say "coming soon"). These times in the truck are usually productive and I really never dwell on negative ideas. I usually end up with positive feelings which is great.

Which is why I've decided to share a little here.

As most of you know, I hope to eventually hope to travel fulltime in an RV beginning in about 2 years. I will not have the money to "retire" so I have to figure out a way to support myself on the road. I love to travel and I have always been a fan of things that are "not normal." So, I came up with this thing. Hopefully, you will find this site interesting enough to come back and see what I've done that's new... what I've changed that's old and everything in between. And if you find an ad or two that you can click, so much the better.

But, more importantly, this wild and crazy idea is going to give me time to think!!! As I said to someone today, I have solved most of the world's problems already in the 1,000+ miles traveled in the last two days. I guess that's why I feel like I can share that too, instead of just the silly stuff. (Although, I'm probably gonna end up with it on another site)

So today's "heavy" subject (and I will only use a few lines) is being alone vs. being lonely. I travel alone. I have been divorced for 12 years without remarrying. I have mostly lived alone for that time. But, I am not lonely. Alone, to me, is a physical state, meaning there's just no one physically present with you.

Being lonely is an emotional and mental state. I really believe than an individual can control that. It takes a lot of work, discipline, etc. But I still think loneliness is controllable and avoidable and not a necessary result of being alone.

So much for today's serious note... now let's get back to the fun stuff!!!

Tomorrow, hopefully, or maybe Tuesday, I'm going to meet a man who is traveling the United States in a horse drawn wagon. Talk about seeing the world at a slow pace!!!

Trouble in Paradise - Ora Lee & Me

Well, it was bound to happen... the two of us traveling together, in such close quarters, barely knowing each other. Ora Lee and I have having our first argument. Some of you may have noticed that she looked a little "wind-blown" in her photo at the "Center of the World", a fact that I mentioned in the blog. Apparently that is a big "no-no"!!! Not only does a gal always want to look her best for photos (and I didn't give her adequate time to prepare), I had to point it out in the blog which just drew more attention to it.

Arguing with Ora is difficult. I absolutely stated my position and PUT MY FOOT down (apparently that invokes terror in a SOCK PUPPET). Not only that... she never speaks... oh yeah... the sock puppet thing....

So we will see what happens between us. She's now missed TWO photo opportunities!!!

(Truth is folks, I forgot... twice)

A&W Root Beer Family - Willcox, Arizona

Wow... just one visit today, but a lot of miles... more on the miles later.

Before there was Ronald McDonald, before there was a Bob's Big Boy (for you west-coasters)A&W Root Beer introduced a whole family of "restaurant mascots", The A&W Root Beer Family. They are: Papa Burger, Mama Burger, Teen Burger and Baby Burger (who was not in this collection unfortunately).

These 3 remaining statues are still at their original location, or at least I think it is. Carter's was certainly an old A&W Root Beer Stand. The oval sign and the architecture are unmistakable.

Unfortunately, Carter's was closed today, Sunday, so I was unable to talk to the owner to gain any insight on the statues. Perhaps another day, or if you see this and know them... they can comment here and fill us in. I am hoping that this was originally an A&W and those statues are the originals. I would like to know what happened to Baby Burger?

Also, on a personal note, Teen Burger who stands out front actually rotates slowly on his pedestal. At first I thought it might be the wind, but it's not. He just rotates slowly... left.. then right... then left... well you get the idea. Just seemed eerie to me!!!

Below are close ups of each of the three that remain. From what I have seen on the internet, it is unusual that these have survived virtually intact, specifically with the mugs of root beer in their hands. All that's missing is Baby???

By the way... you may have noted the absence of Ora Lee... alas, there's trouble in paradise... see a separate blog entry on this date for that story.