This year, we're going to repeat our stays in Phoenix and Tucson, while for the third location we chose San Diego. Something new, something warm, hopefully.
We decided to maximize our time in each of the three locations, so we planned to drive straight through to San Diego, actually a KOA an hour east of San Diego in Boulevard, California.
The plan was to start in Columbus to visit our daughter and then lay over at Cracker Barrels in St. Louis, Oklahoma City, Albuquerque, and Phoenix. Phoenix didn't work out in the end..
On the way home, it will be the same: we'll finish in Tucson, then it's a straight shot home, staying over at Cracker Barrels...or truck stops, which we discovered on this trip are pretty good layovers.
We decided to maximize our time in each of the three locations, so we planned to drive straight through to San Diego, actually a KOA an hour east of San Diego in Boulevard, California.
The plan was to start in Columbus to visit our daughter and then lay over at Cracker Barrels in St. Louis, Oklahoma City, Albuquerque, and Phoenix. Phoenix didn't work out in the end..
On the way home, it will be the same: we'll finish in Tucson, then it's a straight shot home, staying over at Cracker Barrels...or truck stops, which we discovered on this trip are pretty good layovers.
First Stop: Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is only a couple hours from home, but we left late after my rehearsal and intended to spend the night and have breakfast with Thome. It was a weekday, and she has to work, so she drove out to see us before Cracker Barrel even opened and we had coffee and a lovely chat. The time went fast.
Mishaps began early on the trip. As we were taking selfies, I knocked the coffee pot off the shelf.
Driving West: Cracker Barrels and a Love's
The stops in Fenton, Missouri (less shady outskirts of St. Louis), Edmond, Oklahoma (suburb of Oklahoma City), and Albuquerque, New Mexico, went according to plan.
We ate dinner at each and had a pleasant-enough night except for Edmond where a mini semi was parked with his engine on all night. It was a jerk move considering there was a Love's and a Flying J right next door with plenty of room.
When we approached Phoenix, I had a brainstorm: Why not eat at our favorite restaurant Nando's before heading to the Cracker Barrel? We did, and it was delicious. The restaurant was easily 30 minutes from the Cracker Barrel, so Scott suggested staying at a nearby Walmart. When we double-checked whether it would allow overnight stays (no), we fortunately thought to check on the Cracker Barrel. It also would not allow free overnight stays, so we had to switch gears.
We decided to keep driving west and look for a truck stop. The first one we tried just outside of Phoenix was packed, so we got back on the road. The next one was in Gila Bend, Arizona. It was less busy, and when I checked with the manager, he said we could stay no problem. We parked in between a couple of quiet semis and had a great sleep.
We ate dinner at each and had a pleasant-enough night except for Edmond where a mini semi was parked with his engine on all night. It was a jerk move considering there was a Love's and a Flying J right next door with plenty of room.
When we approached Phoenix, I had a brainstorm: Why not eat at our favorite restaurant Nando's before heading to the Cracker Barrel? We did, and it was delicious. The restaurant was easily 30 minutes from the Cracker Barrel, so Scott suggested staying at a nearby Walmart. When we double-checked whether it would allow overnight stays (no), we fortunately thought to check on the Cracker Barrel. It also would not allow free overnight stays, so we had to switch gears.
We decided to keep driving west and look for a truck stop. The first one we tried just outside of Phoenix was packed, so we got back on the road. The next one was in Gila Bend, Arizona. It was less busy, and when I checked with the manager, he said we could stay no problem. We parked in between a couple of quiet semis and had a great sleep.
Surprise Stop: Petrified Forest and Painted Desert
I noticed that Petrified Forest National Park was on our route. I'd never seen it, and we had plenty of time, so we decided to stop. It was beautiful. We drove the 30-mile road through the park and stopped in a few places: several views of the painted desert, and Blue Mesa.
