Home Sweet Home!

First, I apologize, it has taken me much longer than expected to submit this last blog of our 2010 road trip! I am grateful to everyone who followed our cross country trip here and gave us such positive feedback regarding the posts! We did make it home to Virginia, right on schedule, for Halloween with friends and neighbors. The girls were very happy and we were all so glad to see our pets! Maddie had gained a little weight and Mittens had grown, but, all in all, things were great.

Halloween!

We settled back into life in Suffolk. We celebrated Thanksgiving in the Outer Banks of North Carolina and decorated the house for Christmas. We have been able to visit and spend time with friends and family and enjoy 2 snowfalls (a very rare occurrence in our area) during the 2 months that we have been home. (Additionally, we have had a chance to meet the Governor of Virginia, run a 5K, and celebrate Stevie's 8th birthday!)

Turkey Trot 5K

Of course, as everyone knows, this is the time of year where you blink your eyes and find that you are making plans for New Year's Eve! And that is exactly what we are doing now (I am taking a time out to write)! We are preparing to spend New Year's with friends at the beach and reflecting on what a great year 2010 has been. There were many changes, adventures, trials and blessings over these last 12 months and we are excited to see what lies ahead in 2011! I hope to share more adventures here at our blogspot. I hope you will stay tuned and continue to wonder "what's up with the Drums?"!

Horsing around with JoJo!

Happy 2011~ kd

Eastern Standard Time!

That's a young Rick, 2nd from the left bottom row!

As we entered EST, at long last, we were greeted by the beautiful fall colors of the leaves! Such a lovely sight. It is something that is so easy to take for granted but it is an amazing "Welcome Home" when you have been away at this time of year. We headed up through Georgia and the Carolinas without a hitch. We decided to stop in Rocky Mount, North Carolina to show the girls (including me) North Carolina Wesleyan. Rick spent his first 2 years of college there and played baseball. His team had the distinction of winning the 1989 College World Series. His team photo is featured in the college's Athletic Hall of Fame. We were thrilled to get to see a place that is so special to Rick! Next stop, Suffolk!

Biloxi, Mississippi

After leaving the Dallas area, we traveled to New Orleans. There we enjoyed a late lunch in the French Quarter, strolled around Bourbon Street and decided we would rather head on to Biloxi than stay for the night in New Orleans.

We were able to find a good deal, at the last minute, on a room at the Beau Rivage, a casino resort. The girls were thrilled to pull up to the opulent extravagance of the 20 something story building right on the gulf! It was a dramatic difference from all the other hotels we had stayed in along the way.

Beau Rivage Casino/Hotel

With all the action of the early evening crowd gathering, bell service to our room and the plush bathroom in our suite, they were loving this place! We took our stuff up, then went down to check out the place. We discovered a shopping wing, restaurants, an arcade and of course, the bling, blinging casino floor (which they could only look at from afar).

inside the lobby of BR

All in all, a very exciting place for them to be. We did venture out to the pool area in the morning before taking off. Good thing it was kind of cloudy/drizzly, I am not sure we could have convinced them to leave otherwise! The pool area was huge and over the top with luxury appointments (example: little red flags on the top of the lounge chairs/raise if you need anything!). The pool looked out over the Gulf of Mexico...which is another thing...we did see birds out there, and, on the beach, we found a number of hermit crabs. All very encouraging signs of life, and, no visible (to me) oil spill damage.

We followed the tracks in low tide till we found this guy!

Gulfcoast, Biloxi, low tide

Verdict: Biloxi = lovely town, worth a longer visit!

Fort Worth, Texas

While Rick had business meetings in Dallas, the girls and I spent the day in Fort Worth, Texas at the stockyards. What a fun day! It was authentic Texas! Cobblestone streets, cowboys (and girls), Longhorn cattle, the Cowboy Hall of Fame, a cowpen maze, passenger train, rodeo and twice a day cattle drives right down the main street. Very cool place.

Romero demonstrating the lasso technique

Stevie and I wore our cowboy hats and felt right at home.

We met a cowboy named Romero, who demonstrated how to lasso and chatted with us about the cattle.After walking around the area and chatting with Romero, it was time for the day's first cattle drive. Everyone lines the streets and watches as the cattle and cowboys come round the corner and walk on past. So neat to see. The cattle were so close we could touch them!
 After watching the cattle drive, we ran into a cowboy that had a Longhorn saddled up for folks to sit on. Of course we took advantage of that opportunity. That old guy (the cow) stood as still as a statue while all 3 girls got on and I took pictures. I think he had done that before!

We also had an opportunity to Skype with the second grade class back at NSA while we were at the Stockyards. It was fun to share the day with them. We tried our best to show them some Longhorns (2nd grade: if you are reading this, I am including this extra Longhorn picture here just for you!).


Finally, it was time for the girls to give the Cowtown Cowpen Maze a try. There are observation decks to look out over the maze before you enter so you can attempt to plan your course...the girls insisted that I not help 'guide' them from the watchtower.

Stevie in the maze!

Once they took off, I immediately lost sight of them as they were too short for me to see their heads in the maze...I could hear them saying "Oh My Gosh" and "AH, Which Way". It was MUCH harder than it looked but, eventually, everyone made it. Ashley even went back to help Stevie find her way and lost the first place finish to Rachel as a result. What a great sister! We had a great time!

Albuquerque, New Mexico

After driving all morning through New Mexico, we were very pleased to find ourselves in Albuquerque by early afternoon. We strolled around this beautiful city and visited some fun and unique local places. We visited the old town area which is designed in classic style with a church, a town square/gathering area and shops surrounding it. We loved looking at the unique buildings and their authentic styles.

We did visit the world's largest rattlesnake museum (I am not sure there are any others actually..so by default) and a store that sold every kind of chile you could imagine. While at the rattlesnake museum, we saw an article framed that told the ridiculous tale of a man biting the head off of a rattlesnake. His lips were too swollen to comment, an the doctors deemed him 'lucky' to be alive after getting bitten 5 times! A closer look revealed the newspaper, article and man are from Elkton, Virginia !! Other unique items of interest were scorpion lollipops and stuffed jack-a-lopes. Hum, are they real or aren't they?

Ridiculous article from Virginia!!

We have thought a great deal about the people we saw in New Mexico, in Albuquerque, and in the various Indian lands we drove through on the way. There was a true poverty there and we saw people that really needed a hand. We wished we could have been more of a blessing to those that we encountered. Sometimes you wonder if your kind deed changes them as much as it changes you! One man in particular, we are still thinking of and hoping he finds his way.

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon! 

We arrived there late in the afternoon on Saturday. Honestly, I do not have much to say about it, because, there really are not words to describe how truly awesome this sight is. Mostly, while there, you stand amazed that this exists and feel grateful that you have had the opportunity to see it. We did meet a great senior citizen volunteer that shared with us the best 'strategy' for viewing on a tight time-line. Interestingly, she was from Virginia and had lived in the Norfolk area! We followed her advice and stopped at several viewing points around the rim. Each location was spectacular! We headed out just as the sun was setting.
 

Full moon rising!

 

 

Amazing ending to amazing day!

Mojave Desert, Route 66

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eastbound and down....We have begun the eastward part of our journey back to Virginia! Our first day of travel took us through the Mojave Desert as we made our way from California to Arizona. We plan to be spending late afternoon checking out the  Grand Canyon, so we are rolling along.

We decided to take Route 66, rather than I40 (the roads parallel each other), for part of our drive today so we can see the ghost towns and famous scenery along the way. We were alone on this road for much of the time (most drivers today use the 40, with its higher speed limits).

We saw some interesting, creepy, deserted places, like the famous Roy's Motel Cafe, and towns that had population signs of 10!  Also to note, Joshua trees and a Tarantula crossing the road!! AAHH!! I think that added to the creepiness for sure!

Kinda creepy, deserted place in Ludlow, CA

Mojave landscape

Ahhh, oh my gosh, I cannot even stand to see this picture!! Really....I am turning my head.....

Hollywood

Rick had some work in Los Angeles, so, after leaving Los Gatos we headed south to L.A...

Obviously, the girls wanted to see the Hollywood sign and the famed Hollywood Blvd. We arrived in town and headed straight for the hills to get as close as possible to the sign. We checked online and found the best viewing spot (straight to the end of Beachwood Dr) in the original Hollywoodland neighborhood. The location was right in the Hollywood hills and adjacent to an area called Griffith park. Cool to see the sign so close-up and, big surprise, there is a horse farm up there! Who knew that? I was expecting only Tom Cruise or somebody up in those hills and instead found horses! Even better.

After taking pics and wandering around the trails on the hill, we headed back down to Hollywood Blvd. It was interesting to see, but a total tourist trap. There was, of course, the Kodak Theater and the Chinese Theater next door, which are famous locations. Then there were the stars....the girls were happy to see David Hasselhoff's star! Funny, they knew him from some Spongebob episodes! Silly. Oh, and, there was some big red carpet event taking place at Hard Rock so the street was blocked and security people were all around...and lights, cameras, etc...

Limo drop off zone in front of Hard Rock Grand Opening

After taking in the sights, we headed over to Santa Monica where we were staying. Friday, while Rick worked, we strolled (and shopped) down 3rd and Promenade St. and then drove up through Malibu and checked out the beach and homes. So lovely. 

Hanging out in Malibu on a Friday afternoon.

Point Dume, Malibu

The Best Day Ever-surfing Santa Cruz & Buffett concert!

This was possibly the best day ever!

We started out surfing in Santa Cruz and ended with a Jimmy Buffett concert. I almost need not say anymore....but, I will.

Though Rick has surfed a bit while in California, the girls had not yet gotten in the water until today. They were very excited to get the chance to try out classic California surfing. (They are quite at home in the Atlantic....but no experience managing a big heavy longboard, a wetsuit and kelp!)

Ashley, Rachel and Stevie each had a chance to go out with Rick by themselves...he's a great surf coach! After paddling out, they were able to get right up and rode in with no trouble. Other surfers out there were encouraging them and they loved that interaction. Ashley even had some adults on the beach ask her for advice! Funny. She was kind of excited about that. Overall, it was a lot of fun and they had a great time. I got some great pictures of the day to share.

Rachel, ripping curl!

Ashley & Rick

After getting back to Los Gatos and cleaning up, it was time to head out to the Shoreline Amphitheater for the Jimmy Buffett 'Under the Big Top' concert. We went with one of Rick's co-workers Chris and his wife Kathy (Chris also loaned us the surf boards and wet-suits that we used earlier in the day! Awesome.). Anyway, as all good parrot heads know, the parking lot is like a pre-game tailgate and one must arrive in time for this event! We mingled and visited with each other and many random folks looking for their lost shakers of salt before heading into the show. Good times. 

Hey, there's a parrot on your shoulder!

  The show was, of course, fantastic! Love, love, love a Buffett show. It is a great time with beach balls flying, crowd interaction (think: fins to the left) and great slideshows of beaches and places that conjure up coastal memories.

  It was a great day! Time to think about going home.

Under the Big Top Tour!