Road Trip Past: Out West - September 2007, Part 1

Texas rest area. September 2007.

On a 2007 solo road trip out west from Missouri, I kept a journal of sorts. Mostly random notes that included both the mundane and the glorious.

Sept 22

• Left house at 6:35 a.m.
• Arrived Shamrock, TX, about 6:00 p.m.
• Stopped at Oklahoma City Memorial.
• Miles today = 596.

Expenses

• Gas (Joplin): $35.12 @ $2.79
• Postcard: 0.27
• Postcards: 1.00
• Tolls: 7.00 total in OK
• Soda: 0.70
• Dinner + tip: 10.00
• Pretzels: 1.08
• Hotel: 54.00
• Breakfast sandwich: 1.70
• Total ~ $114.00

Hotel
Western Hotel, large room with desk, table/chairs, refrigerator/microwave, neatly kept

Bridge between Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon, AZ. September 2007.

Sept 23

• First day of autumn.
• Left Shamrock at ~ 7:00 a.m.
• Arrived in Holbrook, AZ ~ 5:30 p.m. Mountain Time (7:30 Missouri time)
• ~ 600 miles today

Expenses

• Hotel = $50
• Gas @ Holbrook: 13.00 @ 2.66
• Gas @ Grants NM: 39.00 @ 2.84
• Dinner + tip @ El Rancho: 15.89
• Lunch + tip @ Silver Moon in Santa Rosa NM: 9.00
• Coffee + snack bar @ Grants NM: 2.50
• Gas @ Alanreed Travel Center NM: 40.00
• Total = ~ 170

Long slog through NM to Z
High winds!
Sporadic rain
Road construction
Unloaded first of my clothing last night in Holbrook: green capris and tie-dyed shirt
Sent some postcards from Holbrook

Campsite, Oak Creek Canyon, Arizona. September 2007.

Sept 24

• Pleasant drive from Holbrook to Oak Creek Canyon Campground
• Site 9 - beautiful view of creek; next to camp hosts

Expenses

• Campsite: $18.00 per night
• Art book: 20.00
• Breakfast: 3.00
• Postcards: 1.00
• Ice + chips: 4.00
• Coffee: 6.00
• Total = 51.00

Reminds me a little of camping in Colorado two ways - sound of creek reminds me of when [sister] K and I camped (partial meltdown by K when tent site she picked out wasn't good) + other campground (time un-remembered) when could look up the side of canyon.

Sedona, AZ. September 2007.

Sept 25

• Spent day in Sedona.
• On one hand, complete tourist trap. On other hand, when you remember to look up, you see magnificent scenery.
• The city does good job of caring for visitors - quite a bit of free parking - at least this time of year + during work week. Might be complete madness during high season and on weekends.
• They also have a good # of public restrooms + free trolley through the most popular business districts.
• I neglected to pack enough warm clothing. Yesterday I noticed there was a thrift store, so I visited there today and bought three sweatshirts for a total of $6! Wow. No reason to pay big bucks for a souvenir sweatshirt that I don't really want, anyway

Expenses

• Ice: 2.00
• Pink jeep tour + tip: 92.00
• Salsa: 8.00
• Coffee: 3.00
• More coffee: 3.00
• Lunch: 11.00
• Campsite: 18.00
• Sweatshirts: 6.00
• Total = $143.0

Made a stupid mistake today and let my car battery drain down. Had to call AAA for a jump start. Stoooopid.

Had a ho-hum lunch at Sally's Mesquite Grill. So far, meals have been forgettable except for the green chile stew I had in Santa Rosa, NM, @ Silver Moon.

I imagine the campground's resident skunks will visit this evening on their daily rounds.

The Pink Jeep tour was pricey, but worth it. Some of the $ goes to the NPS - the guide was very good at explaining expenses (cost + upkeep of the jeeps, for instance). He was solicitous, knowledgeable and friendly. His wife is right, though - he lacks a filter between his brain and his mouth (as he shared with us his wife's thoughts on some of the things he says). He is a volunteer archeological site steward for state, tasked with protecting ancient Hopi remains from vandals or poachers.

Pink Jeep tour, Sedona, AZ. September 2007.