Friday, June 15, 2012

I'm On The Road At Last



I left Sun City West early, about 7:30AM.  Amazing for me but I was more than ready to get going.  I drove up AZ Hiway 93 to Kingman and then Hiway 40 into California, ending the day in Barstow.  I've made this trip a few times before and I do have to laugh at the idea that Barstow is my choice for an overnight stop.  Barstow is a dusty, desert town with not much to recommend it but it is a good first day stop at 375 miles from home.  I stayed at the Motel 6 this time and was pleasantly surprised.  Very clean, fast WIFI, friendly staff and a comfortable bed.  All in all, a good first day.

Old Masonic Hall

Great Pie
In the morning I headed west on California Hiway 58 to CA. 395.  It is a lot of miles of nothing but barren desert until you start climbing into the Eastern Sierra Mountains.  I have always enjoyed this trip up 395.  I remember doing this drive years ago with my husband Charlie.  These days the little towns like Lone Pine, Independence have grown and seem to be doing OK with lots of tourist activity. I stopped in Independence at Jenny's Cafe for pie and coffee.  It was great, she had just taken 5 pies out of the oven, so I chose the strawberry & rhubarb.  Delicious.  The cafe is in an old Masonic Hall and very cute inside.  Jeni was fun to talk to.  Tonight I am staying in Bishop.  I didn't like the looks of the Motel 6 here so chose an older, kind of funky place called  The Village Motel.  It is just fine.  Clean, WIFI, a pool (which I plan to make use of when I am through posting this) and a lovely, helpful, young woman at the desk.   

Tomorrow I am heading for Carson City, Nevada to spend a couple of night with my niece Tracy and her husband Ed.  Looking forward to that visit.  Tracy always is a delight.