Day 14 - 15 Vegas Baby!

Day 14 -15 Vegas

Ever heard the old saying...

"What Happens In Vegas, Stays In Vegas"?

It's soooo very true:-)


Bailey's Perspective

In my case, What I ate in Vegas, really STAYED in Vegas....if you know what I mean:-)

Ready to Eat....Again!

Bailey at the Grand Canyon

Day 13 - Morning at Grand Canyon and drive to Vegas

Bailey's Perspective

I woke up in the middle of the night hearing wild animal noises outside.  Was it grandpa’s loud snoring or another one of daddy’s “gas-storm” filled evenings?  Am I just hearing things or am I dreaming?  Reality Check:  We are in the middle of the woods, in a RV park in the middle of America. The truth is, there were wild animals outside of our RV.  I wanted to bark and let them know I was awake but if I did, it would have given away our position.  And who knows what kind of WILD animals were out there.  So, I kept quiet.  Plus, I didn’t want to be rude, wake everyone up and get them fired up in the middle of the night.  I simply waited and the noise eventually faded away.  I exercised sound judgment, excellent control under pressure and quick decision making that resulted in a favorable outcome.  For this achievement, I will be rewarded with an awesome breakfast….. I fell back asleep thinking about how awesome I am.

The morning air was exceptional once again.  After returning from a walk with grandpa, I realized some of the plants that daddy left outside overnight were “trimmed”.  Some of the branches and leaves were on the floor, as if something tried to eat it but spit it out due to unfavorable taste.  So, I was absolutely right…. There were wild animals outside eating our plants.  Hope they got sick and got the BGs, aka Bubbly Guts.  I sometimes get the BGs after eating garlic.  My stomach cannot handle garlic but daddy loves it.  Sometimes, he smells like garlic for days.  He and other humans may not notice but I certainly know when he eats Korean BBQ for dinner.  Is he afraid of Vampires or something….. But I digress……. 

After another wonderful breakfast, a mixture of chopped up beef and a hint of BBQ sauce, we packed our things and started driving again. This time, we stopped and I joined them in a walk around the park. But this was no ordinary park my friends and fellow furry creatures.  As we got closer to the edge of the mountain, there was a rocky cliff that went down for miles.  It was nothing like I’ve ever seen before.  The rocky cliffs even extended out in front of you for miles…..  I was confused…. Were we on top of a mountain looking down? How did we end up here? Why is this mountain so big compares to others we’ve hiked?  If anything fell down, there will be NO survival.  I was a little nervous and kept one eye on the side of the cliff. And I did not venture too far off the beaten path (Dogs know idioms too :-) We took many pictures but I did not smile in any of them.  

How could anyone smile when you are nervous?  I didn’t want to be THAT DOG, who ended up on the cover of the morning papers…. If you know what I mean.  And I kept repeating to myself “Self, do NOT chase birds, squirrels or any other small 4 legged animals while up here.”  I don’t need to have any accidents or incidents…. Safety First!!!!!!  

After taking pictures, we got back into the RV and started driving again…. We left without an incident, maintaining our safety track record due to my diligence.  This drive was long but I sensed the trip might be coming to an end due to grandpa’s apparent excitement.  He was all smiles and even giddy during this drive.  What is going on? Either we are going somewhere he really enjoys or finally, we were close to our final destination….. California.

We pulled into a city filled with tourists, high rises and huge, elaborate hotels.  I wasn’t familiar with this city.  Perhaps, grandpa knew where we were at based on his enthusiasm. We unloaded our bags and to my pleasant surprise, we were checking into a hotel rather than staying at a RV park.  Now, this is what I enjoy….GLAMPING in a 4 star hotel.  IF I had thumbs, I would order room service and receive a 4 paw massage, in the comfort of the hotel room.  But you know that I have a Dewclaw instead of a thumb, hence it makes things challenging.  As we were walking through the lobby, I realized why grandpa was so happy.  We were in Las Vegas.  I’ve never been to Las Vegas before but I saw many movies that were filmed in Vegas like Oceans 77 and Showdogs.  The sound that a slot machine makes is unmistakable….. We were in Sin City baby.  What can I do that will get me in trouble? Public urination? Yup, I can certainly do that since there is not a grassy patch around for miles.  Or something more sinister…. Hummmmm. Let me think about this a bit more…….

We checked into our spacious room with a nice view of Vegas’ main street.  I had plenty of sleep to catch up on, especially in the comfort of a nice hotel room.  So, I slept, dreaming about what I can do to leave my “mark” in Vegas.  Nite nite……

Day 12 Canyon Views

Day 12 Grand Canyon, AZ

The next morning, we enjoyed an rv-made breakfast, but not without pondering the dilemma of how to make it all. Banana pancakes, turkey bacon and fried eggs would require three frying pans or making one item while the rest cooled?  When we’re at home, I never have this problem….hmmm

Paul, our brother-in-law suggested we microwave the bacon, which worked out great, who'd of thunk it?  The pancakes went in the frying pan. The first two eggs were fried, then we switched to boiled as the rented pans were not quite user friendly.  Breakfast solved!

Dad, who wakes up at the crack of dawn (everyday, for the record), was at the South Rim to greet the Grand Canyon when she awoke.  We had to call him back for breakfast.  Essentially, he had done the recon for us and shared tidbits on where to catch the closest shuttle and how long it takes to get to various points. 

Armed with this valuable info, we set off for the Visitors Center to start the day.  At the Rim, we rented bikes for the half-day under the false pretenses that we would encounter only one steep 6% incline (this was the advertised and repeated mantra of our bike rental folks!) during the route to Hermit’s Point.  All lies!!!

Reality was the trail was not well marked, so we were forced to travel off shoots.  Asking employees only gained us extra miles of biking in the wrong direction.  The map was near useless; it’s animation full of inaccurate, childlike squiggly lines. Two Army officers lost, could this really be?  Give us a real map and compass please!  I'm sure you're thinking, what about your Iphone?  Couldn't you just google it (as I so often do).  Here,  cell service is poor at best, so no google maps to the rescue:(  We eventually found riders returning on our projected route who FINALLY put us on the right route. 

None of this could take away from the beauty of the day.  It was gorgeous…you couldn’t ask for better weather to spend in the magnificence of Mother Nature.  All the fresh air was empowering, allowing us to travel the extra miles and conquer the multiple, more than 6% grade uphills. 

Throughout the Canyon, we stopped here and there to take in the amazing views and spend time with God.  Who else could create such majesty?  We were eventually rewarded for all our hard work, with a few miles of merciful downhill to Hermit’s Point.  At Hermit’s Point, the bike rental company picked us up…the driver cheerfully (I kid you not!) informing us that yes, the route is poorly marked, but upgrades were in progress.  Where was he before we started the trek?  Talk about poor timing!

Dad met us back at the Rim where we took lots of photos.   

Trying to determine if DDD existed up in the Canyon, we embarked on finding dinner.  As we traveled by shuttle to our eating point, we saw elk and dear peppering the park.  Literally, everywhere!  The shuttle was full of passengers gasping and crying, ‘look, look’, taking photo after photo as if they were paparazzi spying celebrities in LA.  Ummm, yes, we did the same!!!

Back at the RV Park, we encountered our very own herd of elk, the size of really large horses, grazing though the campgrounds.  How special!  After a few photo ops with them we headed over to our site.  We had placed our houseplants outside Betsy to get some sun (the trip for them has been a hard one, being relegated to the storage area underneath the rv for majority of the trip).  The elk looked at them as prime snacking, eating the leaves of the tastiest plant!  You could see they had nibbled on the other ones, but they must have tasted like peas to a four year old as the evidence (chewed up and spit out) was left nearby.  Thank you Mr Elk for not liking the taste of the other seven plants!!!

Bailey's Perspective

Woke up this morning feeling very refreshed.  I had dreams of our previous time in Arizona.  We used to go hiking for hours… I was off the leash and I ran free.  The smell of fresh air, wind blowing through my fur, chasing small animals, scaring the hell out of other hikers and mountain bike riders by jumping out in front of them out of nowhere when they did not expect it…. It was so much fun.  Unfortunately, I can’t run as fast or endure as much anymore but the memories will last forever, especially the faces of scared people who at initial glance thought I was a mountain lion or something when I jumped out of the woods in front of them……classic.  

Grandpa and I went out for a long walk.  We were both out of breathe when we returned, confirming that the air was definitely thinner up here in higher era-vation.  Daddy prepared breakfast and to my surprise, it was the same as last night’s dinner.  Is he serious? Can he not find something else in the refrigerator for me?  I know there are other items in there…like cold cuts and chicken patties.  But as soon as he put my bowl down, I ate it again without any hesitation. I don’t know what happened?  The animal instinct to satisfy my hunger superseded my food torture evasion plan.  Perhaps, I will skip dinner tonight….. I can’t promise anything as the food is still good.  No need to get all CRAZY and skip a meal for unjust reason. What am I trying to prove? The worst part of this trip is being stuck in the RV…not the food.  It looks like we are going to be stuck in the RV for a while so why add to the pain by skipping a good meal?  I have to reevaluate the current situation….should I hold out for something more tasty?  More to follow….. maybe I should simply wish for better food….. “Good Food, you will bring me.”

Mommy and daddy went out together, allowing some QT for grandpa and I to hang outside in the mid morning sun…..not too hot or not too cold.  The weather was perfect.  We sat out there, me enjoying the sun and grandpa watching Korean TV Drama on his computer.  How do I know it was Korean TV Drama?  Korean Dramas typically includes a young couple, who endure difficult times while falling in love…..there is always “drama.”  For example, parents do not support the relationship; there is a deep, dark family secret that the lovers do not know about; one person has a terminal illness……. There is ALWAYS drama.  And importantly, there is always a scene filled with tears and promise of loving each other forever (young Korean couples are so cute).  And finally, the couple always finds a way to stay together despite all  their trials and tribulations.  IF I had thumbs, I would write a Korean Dog Drama miniseries….. using the same formula.  I would be Rich “B”, aka a female dog.  Let me think about this over a nap……

Mommy, daddy and grandpa all came back after a long day out.  And this time, they brought back GREAT food…. Chopped up Prime Rib and New York Strip.  Now, this is what I am talking about….. so, my Jedi Mind trick worked better than the “hunger strike” idea.  Seriously, who came up with that crazy idea anyway…. The only one that suffers during a hunger strike is the one who is hungry. I simply don’t understand humans sometimes….dogs will NEVER go on hunger strike.  Anyways, dinner was fantastic.  I ate without chewing because it was so good.  When the Prime Rib “hits your lips….. its sooo good…. it sooo good.”  A good way to finish out our night…. nite nite…..

Day 11 To the Canyon!

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Day 11 Santa Fe, NM to Grand Canyon, AZ

Dad awoke, feeling like his ole self once again, singing songs of New Mexico.  It’s impressive the number of state songs he knows.  Do you know your own state song?

We traveled along Historic Route 66 enjoying the expansive views of the desert especially once we crossed into Arizona with snow-capped mountains in the backdrop.  Another impromptu stop… at the Petrified Forest National Park although we opted not to take the 26-mile scenic ride to view fallen trees.  We had our sights set on getting to the Grand Canyon in time to enjoy a lovely sunset.

Bailey must have known something was up as well because as soon as we passed into Arizona, she became extremely active, walking about the RV unable to settle down.  Funny how she remembers something from sooo long ago.  We left Arizona in 2001!

As we drew closer and closer to the Canyon, old memories of our courting days came to mind….Can you imagine a trip to the Canyon as one of your early dating memories?  An indelible recollection of sunshine, amazing Canyon views and romance!  Tae and I meet in Arizona 13 years ago at the Captains Career Course at Fort Huachuca...Fort Huchie Cuchie to some.  Back then, we would frequently go hiking with Bailey in the mountains.  The nearby mountains were tooo beautiful to resist!

Our quest to get to the Canyon before sunset did not stop us from a late lunch stop in Flagstaff, AZ to enjoy some more Mexican food at 3D stop Salsa Brava!  Their pineapple habanera salsa was a must on any one of their dishes.  While considered another decent stop, it was still no comparison to ToP!

Once on site, we set up the chairs with beers in hand enjoying the last hour or so of sunlight.  Dad then began a block of instruction on the ‘rules’ and etiquette of playing blackjack.  We did have a trip to Vegas to prep for, right?

Bailey's Perspective

Woke up this morning feeling very refreshed.  The air was very clean, although grandpa woke up with a headache.  He mentioned something about higher “era-vation” that was giving him a headache. We started to get ready to hit the road again, without eating breakfast.  What is the world is going on here?  I don’t know when this RV trip is going to end but for me, it dog eternity.  We made a quick stop for breakfast, I assume, and I waited in the RV, continuing my beauty sleep.  When they returned with breakfast food and fed it to me, I realized that this particular restaurant wasn’t a “3D” stop.  However, the food portions were huge and they brought back leftovers for days.  But seriously, are they going to feed me the same type of food for 4-6 meals straight?  If they do, I am truly going to “lose my mind, up in here, up in here.”  It’s bad enough I am stuck in the RV all day long but to eat the same food over and over again…… that will simply be torture.  Luckily, I’ve been trained on food torture evasion techniques.  It’s quite simple actually…. When the food I don’t want to eat is presented in front of me, I smell it like I am interested, then I turn my head and ignore the food.  Sooner or later, mommy or daddy gives me something else.  If all else fails, I count on my “Ace in the hole”…. Korean Grandpa.  He understands me and will sneak food to me while mommy and daddy are not looking or in this case, driving.  So, here is my plan, if they try to feed me the same thing over and over again, I will smell the food as IF I am hungry but will turn my head like “I don’t think so, Homey don’t play that”.  Thinking about my game plan…. I fell asleep for a long nap…..

As we were driving, the smell of this area’s air woke me up as it was very familiar to me.  So, I jumped up and tried to figure out what was going on…. I got into my detective mode again.  I could not recall why the scent was so familiar but it was definitely something I smelled a long time ago, like over 84 dog years ago.  I paced around the RV, front to back, walked up near the driver’s area to look outside but I still could not recall.  Then, daddy and mommy gave each other a high five and said out loud “Welcome to Arizona”.  Ah hah!!!!  Of course, this is Arizona…… this is where I introduced mommy and daddy to one another. Here is the brief synopsis….. I was already with mommy as she adopted me when I was very young.  I met daddy in Arizona, smelled him to check him out.  He smelled very healthy and importantly, he always had belly rubs for me, which earned him some cool points.  And I usually barked at him before he entered our apartment as it was my job to protect mommy during that time but I didn’t mean any harm by it.  But once I approved of daddy, I stopped barking and wagged my tail to let mommy know that he was a good man, notably he had my permission to date mommy……they’ve been together ever since.  So, I am not just a detective, I am also a match maker. I should start a business called “it’s just leftovers: a dating service for busy dogs”……..

Being in Arizona brought back so many good memories.  Back then, we lived in an apartment and did not have much….. I think daddy drove a purple Honda and mommy drove a red Honda.  But one thing we had, which continued to grow over time is love for each other.  Nothing can replace or buy the sincere, unconditional love we have for family.  And with hard work, diligence and good will, we now live in a nice townhome in VA and drive Mercedes Benz.  But I digress…….  Back to Arizona.  We pulled into another RV park, we settled in for the night.  I wasn’t too sure where we were exactly but we were certainly in the middle of the woods. Again, I am not a big fan of the wilderness but at least I am sleeping inside the RV.  I definitely smell wild animals out here….so, be careful and always look both ways before peeing.  

BTW, dinner was the same as what I had for breakfast.  I only ate it because I was hungry….but I don’t think I will eat it again tomorrow morning….. Food torture evasion plan is in full effect tomorrow…… Nite nite….

Day 10 Santa Fe, NM

Day 10 Denver, CO to Santa Fe, NM 

We started off the drive today with a great non 3D Greek Breakfast in Denver before continuing our journey south.  When is a gyro and tzatziki sauce not a good start to the day?  Mmmmmh!  While headed to Santa Fe we made an impromptu visit to the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO.  As we maneuvered Betsy through the front gate, you could see the sprawling campus (installation) nestled in the Rockies.  And it is as neat as they come….not a blade out of place.  We checked out the visitor’s center, which accented the history of the Academy with a display of what a cadet’s dorm room appears.  The Air Force Academy is the last of the Military Academies to be, founded in 1954.  The accordion shaped chapel was a sight to behold.  Today, it is a National Historic Landmark although its modern design was quite controversial in the onset.

Unfortunately, the photos from this particular excursion are too large to post:(

Arriving in Santa Fe, NM we made a DDD stop at Harry’s Road House.  This order was togo…and while the enchiladas were awesome (we were in New Mexico, no doubt!), the blackened catfish with grits, left much to be desired.  Harry’s made it all better with a yummy banana cream pie!  The icing on the cake, if you will:-)

As we drove to dinner that evening, we couldn't help but take in the beautiful sunset over the mountains....what's not to love about the southwest?

Dad went to bed with motion sick again this evening.  Tomorrow we’re determined to keep him up front, perhaps that will help.

Bailey's Perspective

Woke up this morning about 4 AM.  I had to go to the bathroom……number 1.  I guess I had too much to water.  The good thing is that Korean Grandpa always gets up about the same time.  Does he hear me get up and wakes up to let me out? Or when dogs and humans get older, our bladders get smaller and we have to go in the middle of the night?  Regardless, I am glad I have company at 4 in the morning.  After taking care of business, we get back in the RV and go back to sleep.  We have our routine, it our special bonding time, albeit very brief…. I love you grandpa.

I must proclaim that I have a new found love for BBQ sauce.  Daddy mixed a little bit with my breakfast, along with other small pieces of meat, aka goodness.  And it tastes sooooo good.  I received a jolt of energy and felt like I can conquer the day…until reality set in…..we are still on the RV trip.  How much longer do we have to go? How many more days to we have to drive and how many more nights do we have to spend at a RV park? IF I had thumbs, I wish I can snap my fingers and we all ended up in California just like that…. And make the RV park disappear like Keyser Soze from “The Usual Suspects”.  But I don’t have thumbs…..so, this is out of the question.  Therefore, I must endure another day of driving…..

We made a quick stop.  I immediately realized that we were at a higher elevation.  Two things led me to this conclusion:  1.  The air was very thin with very little unnatural scents.  The air was so refreshing, I wanted to inhale it and drink it at the same time.  2. Daddy was out of breathe just getting out of the car. :)  After getting out of the RV, I was also overwhelmed by a strong sense of Patriotism.  This must be a cool place where service members, like mommy and daddy, are stationed.  And sure enough, we saw some young men and women in uniform.  I wanted to thank them for their service and in exchange, get some belly rubs.  But it wasn’t meant to be as they appeared to be very busy and hurried off.  Well, at least I got to take care of business up here and “bless” their hallowed grounds.  Back in the car for more driving….. and I went to sleep. When I woke up, we were at another RV park.  Seriously, this has to stop.  How can I file an official complaint? Is there a RV Marshall or someone that I can warm up to in order to make this stop?  No, I am just kidding……… It’s not that bad.  Seriously, I am not joking….. get me out of here NOW.  I wish I can snap my fingers and wake up from this dream.  But you know about my inability to snap fingers.  With that said, there are good parts to this trip.  Quality family time, visit nice place and all the good food we are eating.  I heard Grandpa referring to one of the restaurants as a “3D” restaurants.  And I noticed a pair of 3D glasses in the RV.  So, are they eating with 3D glasses and the food appears to be closer than it is? I’m not sure what is going on.  All I know is that I certainly approve of the food…..with a little bit of BBQ sauce that is. I give it a 2 virtual “thumbs” up....... nite nite.

Day 9 The Mile High City

Day 9 North Platte, NE to Denver, CO

Mile High Stadium...Home of the Denver Broncos

Tae’s become quite the camper…he sets up and tears down shop in no time at all, like he’s been doing this RV thing all his life.  Not bad for a kid from the Bronx;) The next morning we were off to Denver to visit the US Mint.  The Rockies were a majestic sight to behold.  The air felt cleaner and crisp, like a fresh, new fall day.  It was my first time in the city other than flying through.  The city had a hippie/grunge vibe to it, like Seattle, minus the Starbucks on every city block.

Parking Betsy on City Streets

Parking RV Betsy in downtown Denver required ingenuity.  Driving around in circles until we found two consecutive open parking spaces made me glad we had plenty of time to spare before our tour.  The tour had specific instructions (along with lots of restrictions) to arrive 30 minutes prior to our tour.  Or you won’t get in!

The US Mint is a fascinating place.  The 30-minute tour (sorry, no camera’s allowed) showcased the history of the Mint and its process for making US coins.  With six facilities in the US, it includes Philadelphia and Denver (the coin makers), San Francisco (coin maker, no visitors), West Point, NY (uncirculated coins, no visitors), Fort Knox, KY (gold storage) and the headquarters in Washington, DC.   It’s in operation 4 days a week making coins, which begged the question asked by Tae, why does the US Government produce so many coins?  The simple answer: Americans are hoarders.  You don’t have to watch an episode of the A&E show ‘Hoarders’ to see one, as we all do it at a tune of 1.4 million dollars in coins a day!

A few interesting facts we learned:

-       The US Mint use to produce coins for foreign countries (including Liberia, Haiti, Venezuela, Panama along with a plethora of other countries) until 1984

-       Remember the State Quarter Program where they printed 5 state coins each year until they had all 50 states (from 1999-2008)?  We have a new program commemorating the state parks for all 50 states called America the Beautiful.  It began in 2010 and will continue thru 2019…so get to collecting!

-       The US Mint currently has a program through May 2013 to find an artist (anyone 14 and older can participate) to come up with the design for the MLB commemorative coin marking the 75-year anniversary of the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY.  The winner collects $5000 and will have their initials included as part of the minted design…but you only have thru 11 May!  Here’s more info…http://baseballhall.org/coin-design

-       Although never robbed at gunpoint, there was one employee of the Mint in Denver who stole what would be worth millions of dollars of gold from the facility.  Orville Harrington had a wooden leg, which was rumored to be hollowed out, but that’s not how he stole the envelope sized gold bars.  In actuality, he stowed them one by one in the inside pocket of his suit jacket and buried them in his back yard.  They sent him up the river for that one, but he received time off for good behavior (only serving three years) and came back to work for the Denver city government in the transportation department.  So much for background checks!

mmmmmh!

A short stint down the road found us parked in two spots on another city road to visit out next Triple DDD stop at Steubens.  Dad has recoined (I couldn’t resist!) them 3D restaurants:0)  Steuben’s is an upgraded 50’s mod style restaurant with lots of options for dinner.  Tae stuck to the bar menu which included deviled eggs and sliders, while Dad had meatloaf and I enjoyed their famous fried chicken.  We sat outside on the patio with heat lamps although it wasn’t too chilly.  A decent stop until I realized they had fried corn on the cob…we added it to the order making it an awesome DDD stop!  In the back of our minds, we still have ToP on our minds.

Hunkering down just outside of Denver for the evening, we had our very own mountain at the campsite.  One that included rattlers. Yeah!  Dad found this to be the best RV site we’ve stayed at thus far, complimenting the wide clean showers and overall beauty of the park.

Bailey's Perspective

I woke up this morning with a knee ache.  I don’t know if everyone knows the story of my knee, so I will share it very quickly.  About 56 dog years ago, I tore my knee ligament in my right hind leg.  I wish I could say it was a sports injury but it was likely related to my weight or overweight.  I was carrying an extra 5 lbs or so….OK, it was more like 9 lbs.  I was running around, playing like I always do but this time I felt a real sharp pain in my knee.  After surgery, extensive rehab and a healthier diet, I was able to avoid another surgery and luckily, my left knee held up…..knock on wood.  And now, traveling in the RV doesn’t provide enough room for me to walk around and stretch my legs.  Being in the RV the entire day is simply torture.  So, with a bum knee and possibly motion sickness…..we travel on.  Seriously, this is a cruel introduction to camping by mommy and daddy.  California is cool and all, but couldn’t they have found an easier way to get there? Hello, a quick plane ride would have been nice.

We made 2 stops but I stayed in the RV.  I frankly did not want to go outside for long or walk around much.  Short breaks are good and I much prefer to sleep than do any tourist activities.  Believe me, I know about tourist activities.  Our family used to go see the Cherry Blossoms in DC every year. Why you ask? I have no idea.  I am not a tourist and we take a trip to see the same trees, the same flowers every year.  And the streets are filled with tourists and I don’t even get enough privacy to take care of business.  Needless to say, I am glad that we didn’t go this year and don’t have to go again in the future.  But I digress……  Back to the trip. One good aspect of waiting in the car is that they ALWAYS bring back treats for me, especially if its meal time and its game on.  At one of the stops, they brought back beef sliders, fried chicken and meatloaf with bacon.  Ruff said…..

As the sun was almost setting, we pulled into another RV park for the evening.  This is simply crazy….mommy and daddy were  taking this RV camping stuff way too seriously.  Oh well, at least dinner was good…. Nite nite.

Day 8 Sightseeing from Lincoln to North Platte, NE

Day 8 Lincoln, NE to North Platte, NE

 

Day 8 started with us back tracking.  It was a light day for traveling…only three hours to our next overnight stop so we decided to make it a day of sight seeing.  Bob’s recommendations included the Strategic Air and Space Museum in Ashland, NE, which we passed the day before after Omaha.  It looked too good to pass up, so we traveled 25 miles east to take a look.

The entrance alone was stunning!  Glass paned and an awe-inspiring display of the SR-71 Blackbird greeted us!  Let’s just say that Batman envy’s this bird! I’ve only seen it once before at Edwards AFB in California.  And no, we don’t have one at the Air and Space Museum in DC.  The SR-71 was an advanced strategic reconnaissance aircraft that could fly from London to Los Angeles in 3 hours and 47 minutes!  From 80,000 feet, it was able to survey 100,000 square miles of the Earth’s surface per hour… Unfortunately, the fleet of 32 aircraft was retired in the 1990s (for the second time) due to the high cost of operation and a decreased defense budget. 

  

In the museum, there was a large array of aircraft, old and vintage, with a few fascinating exhibits including one highlighting Doolittle’s Raid of Tokyo in 1942 as Lt Richard Joyce, one of the 16 B-25 pilots who flow in the raid, was a Lincoln, Nebraska native.

 

Tae experienced flashbacks to his days as an Armor Officer in the US Army which prompted this pic!

Reaching Hanger B, we were given a tour of the restoration area by Mark ‘Hambone’ Hamilton.  They were in the midst of restoring a C-54 cargo plane, which they acquired in October 2012.  The plane was dismantled and brought in from a neighboring city taking 7 rolling road closures.  It generally takes 2-3 years and 10,000 man hours to restore an aircraft with much of the work done by 30 regular museum volunteers.

Our next sightseeing stop was in Hastings, Nebraska at the Hastings Museum.  What could be the draw for this particular spot? The Kool-Aid exhibit of course!  It was more a local Natural Museum of History with lots of animal displays, local art and pottery and antique automobiles and carriages.  The Kool Aid exhibit was the draw but by and large a decent museum considering we were in the middle of flat lands.

 

So why Hastings, NE? It was the birthplace of Kool-Aid back in 1927.  Hard to believe that it dates back to then.  Edwin Perkins developed the concept in his mother’s kitchen and based it on the six flavors of Jell-O.  Originally called Kool-Ade, the name was changed in the 1930s because of a government requirement that stated if a product did not provide some type of ade (such as lemonade which has been shown to reduce the rate of stone formation in those susceptible to kidney stones! (WHO KNEW???)), it was to be spelled aid.  The Kool-Aid Man did not come into play until the 1960s when the product was sold to General Foods, but he is an indelible brand associated with the product. Oh Yeah!

The museum even had a planetarium in which we were treated to a live presentation of the night's sky...No tape recordings here, we had our very own tour guide for the duration…Dad thought I had scheduled this as well (we were the only ones in the theater).  It’s easy enough to find the big dipper in the sky, but what about the bear with his bear claws or the hunter?  Quite an educational presentation…we’ll be looking for all these in the clear sky’s over the Grand Canyon later this week.

One last non-stop before we hit camp was the Great Platte River Road Archway Monument.  A non-stop as the monument closed at 4pm, but we were able to take a few photos as we passed underneath it.  It’s a tribute to Nebraska and the Platte River Valley’s role in westward expansion. 

A few facts:

~ We learned that Jack Nicholson filmed a scene from ‘About Schmitt’ here

~ It was built alongside the highway and then lifted and locked into place (resulting in an 8 hours highway closure in 1999)

~ It ways 1,500 tons with the exterior designed to resemble a Nebraska sunset.

The scene across Nebraska included Llamas, lots of cattle and tumbleweed.  Tumbleweed really exists…it’s not just for old western movies!

Bailey's Perspective

Again, I slept close to 70 hours. Rather than stay awake for camping, I prefer to sleep instead….hoping that this was just a dream.  But when I woke up, we were still at a RV camp site.  So, it no dream at all.  But today, we did not drive for long….. instead, it was several short trips.  Whenever we stopped, mommy, daddy and grandpa got out for a few hours (at most 14 dog hours) and came back rather quickly.  And, with each stop, I had a potty break.  This was very good.  I got a chance to stretch my legs and take a short break as well.  Then, Grandpa provided a small snack for “Bai-ry” and we were on the road again.  We pulled into another RV park and had a wonderful dinner…… BBQ Pork Ribs, BBQ Chicken, Brisket and a little bit of corn bread.  I was simply in food heaven….and eventually fell into a food coma……looking forward to leftovers the next morning. Nite nite……

Day 7 On the road (again)!

Day 7 Madison, WI to Lincoln, NE

 Our detour out of Zeus’ way took us across a swollen Mississippi River, thru the land of the wind turbine, sprawled across the hills of western Iowa.  They were soo large, yet graceful.  By and large, an uneventful drive to Nebraska.  This was Dad’s first full day of riding, so he was feeling a bit queasy by the time we arrived in Omaha.  We found that sleep can cure all that ales you!

There were a few Triple D locations in Omaha, Nebraska (can you believe none of them were steak places?), but the good spots closed early that day or the ratings were so poor it didn’t really warrant a stop.  One of the good spots, Mama’s Kitchen, offered to take our order and have it for us an hour after they closed if we could make it in time.  It was one of those days we were praying for a time change so that we could make up the hour needed to put our hands on some good ole southern cooking!  It was not to be….

In order to make Dad feel right at home in the heartland of America, we stopped at a Korean restaurant and enjoyed a pretty good Korean meal!  Who’d of thunk it?

Traveling further down the road to Lincoln, Nebraska we began to realize that there was no way to avoid the chill of the front coming through even with the detour that took us further south.  Our RV, let’s call her Betsy (nothing says Americana like Betsy, right?), must have figured something was up because after checking in to the RV Park and hooking up, the propane tank failed to connect (meaning instead of the warm toasty heat we’d experienced the night before in Madison, we had cold air blowing…yikes!). 

Uhhh, 22 degrees and no heat for the evening?  Not my idea of a fun night of camping…After several attempts to make the heater work (we even changed sites), we placed a phone call to Cruise America, which resulted in more testing, to no avail.  This led to a late evening trek to Walmart to pick up personal heaters (an authorized purchase!).  Once back at the site, wouldn’t you know it, the short run got everything all fired up and working again.  So there were a couple hours out of our day to make the night an interesting (yet WARM) one.  BTW, remember sleep being the cure all? Dad slept thru it all and felt quite refreshed the next morning;-)

Bailey's Perspective (drive to Madison, WI) 

After approximately 21 dog hours of driving, we stopped.  I had to take care of business and it was already getting dark outside.  Korean Grandpa knew I had to go because as soon as we stopped, he said “Bai-ry, let’s go.”  I know he means to say Bailey but I guess he has a hard time pronouncing Ls or something.  Its all good Grandpa, I hear you loud and clear every time you call my name. :-)  As soon as I jumped off the RV and looked around, I immediately thought to myself “we are completely lost.  This is not the right place….This had to be a mistake.”  You see, we were at a RV Park.  There was a whole bunch of other RVs and Big Buses parked all around us.  We (mommy, daddy and I) don’t like to camp outdoors and we never go camping, unless it is “Glamping” (i.e. hanging out in the park/woods during the day and sleeping at 5 star hotels at night).  With that said, it was already late and we were stopped at a RV park for the night.  What is going on here?  I quickly took care of business and came back in the RV thinking it might just be a potty break stop. But sure enough, we started getting ready for dinner…..so, I knew this was reality.  Wow, who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks….. I just learned how to camp in a RV park.  After dinner, I went to bed, hoping that I don’t have any nightmares related to camping in the woods or something crazy like wild animals trying to bite me or something…….  Nite nite.

All day drive to Lincoln, NE.

We had breakfast early in the morning and it was really good.  I had 3 strips of turkey bacon, a boiled egg and a little bit of wheat toast.  I think everyone had the same thing.  I don’t know why or I can’t seem to recall when it started …… I can’t stand the smell of regular dog food anymore.  Frankly, it smells…… what do you think? Well, it smells like dog food and I don’t like it anymore.  I love eating a mixture of human food and dog food.  And since Korean Grandpa is traveling with us, I know he will feed me really well.  After breakfast, we started driving again…... this time, we drove forever and ever.  When we finally stopped, we were at another RV park.  Am I dreaming or something? Did we just drive around in circles to confuse me? Or is this the nightmare that I was afraid of?  Either way, this is a cruel introduction to camping….. I don’t like it at all.  I MUCH prefer glamping.  Nite nite…..

Day 4 - 6 Chitown

Days 4-6 Chicago Homestay

 Chicago was alot of down time for us...It was truly a chance to spend time with Nick, Carol and Alyssa, catching up on all that has transpired since we last saw

them in February for Alyssa’s 100 day celebration.  So the snow wasn’t as bad as we suspected although it did clog up traffic driving thru downtown Chicago making a 30 mile trek near unbearable. We were able to enjoy Italian Beef sandwiches and even had the opportunity to take a beautiful walk by the lake to their local shops.  A great place to raise a family!  You'll be happy to know that Alyssa is one of those dream babies...you know the one...always happy, never cries!  YES, they truly do exist.  She’s just shy of 6 months this visit and such a joy to be with.  She’s also extremely strong for her age, doing pushups that would put us all to shame!

   Our Chicago stop was also where we had the pleasure of visiting our second Triple D stop, this time with the company of loved ones…Nick and Carol.  Talk about an amazing spot! 

  

Guy Fieri got it right when he selected Taste of Peru (ToP).  This particular stop would fall in the dive (or hole in the wall) category, but will likely be at the top of our Triple D list for years to come.  Interestingly enough, our first DDD, Momocho, did not fall into any of the categories…it was a rather refined locale.  But I digress, the food at ToP was DELISH! No other way to describe it.  Driving back to the house with the goods in the trunk, it was all we could do not to stop and nibble just a little before lunch:)

The food was so good; we realized (after the fact) that we’d failed to take photos…no use taking photos of crumbs! Fortunately, there were photos on online, which we’ve shared above.  The fan favorites were the Tamales, the Lomo Saltado and the Seco De Carn....We'll be back!

On Day 6, it was time to begin our preparations for the RV trip, but first, we needed to collect some precious cargo...Korean Dad flew into Chicago that morning.  This drive west is an even bigger trip for K Dad...see he's finally retiring and moving with us! Congrats Dad! We know it was a difficult decision to move to San Diego:)  So glad you made the right choice!!  

We commenced to do a little grocery shopping with the anticipation of picking up the RV in the afternoon.  What a mad house at Cruise America…turns out that Monday’s are their busiest days…a note for the next time! After some time, we finally had our traveling abode!  What fun.  It was now time to pack up for the rest of the ride west.  With lots of hugs and kisses for the family, we jumped into the RV and made our way to Madison, Wisconsin.   Nick & Carol, thanks for a relaxing visit...looking forward to seeing you all later this year!

Leaving Chicago

With a continuous eye on the weather, we realized we needed to make some changes to the itinerary.  Winter Storm Zeus was staring us down, so we decided that The Spam Museum (Dad and Tae imagined lots of samples!), Sioux Falls, the Corn Palace (corn is my FAVORITE thing in the world, how could we pass it up?), Mount Rushmore and all of South Dakota would have to wait for another long distance trip.  A few phone calls found us relieved of our reservations all understanding that a foot of snow is not the most suitable travel conditions for a 30 footer.

Our Madison, WI Camp Site

 With the adjustment to our itinerary, we had to call in a favor of our good friend Bob in San Diego.  Bob's a Nebraska native (how many people can say they have friends from Nebraska?!) and seeing that we’d be driving thru the heartland, we figured he had all the info we’d need to fill our days with fun stuff to do....#4 on our goals list.  Bob did not disappoint. 

Bailey's Perspective

The next 21 days (3 human days) were spent hanging out with family, napping, and definitely eating some good food. Time went by so fast….. but I will definitely remember Alyssa’s smile, her laughter and the food.  There are two things I love most….. scent of people I care about and the smell of a wonderfully prepared Bone-in Prime Rib steak.  And during our visit to Chicago, I was able to partake in both.  Ahhhhh, I love this trip so far. I thought to myself, “we need to keep this going….”

On the third morning, Korean Grandpa showed up in Chicago.  I guess he flew in directly, since he did not travel with us to Chicago in the minivan.  He is a smart man.  Why drive when you could fly right?  I was really happy to see him.  I ran up to him, said hello, and immediately looked at his hands and smelled his jacket for treats.  You see, he has a tendency to pack treats for me, even bringing home Korean BBQ in a napkin from dinner so that I can enjoy human food, aka goodness.  You see, he loves me sooooo much.  And sure enough, he had treats for me….. Slim Jims, fresh from VA. 

After having lunch, we started packing our belongings into a bigger vehicle.  It was MUCH bigger than the minivan.  So, once the packing started, I waited outside to remind everyone “hey, don’t forget about me!!!”  Mommy and daddy left me with family and friends while they were deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan.  But this was different.  We were going on a family trip to CALIFORNIA.  Still, I did not want them to leave me in Chicago by mistake or something crazy.  Do you know how cold it gets in Chicago? Every morning, there was frost on the grass outside in mid/late April.  Enough said….I am definitely a warm weather dog, aka a California dog.

After exchanging hugs, kisses and taking pictures, we loaded up and drove away from Chicago.  It was a bit sad…. But we will see them again soon.  They will visit us in California soon, especially after Alyssa gets a little bigger.  I will teach her how to swim.   In other good news…. Korean Grandpa was riding along with us.  This is going to be a fun trip.  While thinking about how much fun we are going to have…. I fell asleep.  Night night…..

Day 3 Pro Football Hall of Fame

Day 3 Cleveland to Canton to Chitown (Three Cs)

We were greeted on the morning of Day 3 with gale force winds and rain.  Welcome to Cleveland:-)  So much so, that prior to departing to Canton for the day to enjoy Day 2’s planned activities,  we watched the rain come down sideways for 10 minutes before attempting to get to the van.  Finally, the rain subsided and we were off to the Pro Football Hall of Fame to meet the Ziarkos. 

We did not know what a treat we were in for!  In those years, they’ve met almost all of the Hall of Famers and had lots of great, personal stories to share throughout the tour that literally brought the Hall to life.  One that stuck with us is the story Papa Ziarko shared of Hall of Famer Joe DeLamielleure, Class of 2003, who played for the Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills.

Joe DeLamielleure showed up to the HoF on the day of his induction surrounded by his family and dressed like any other (joe for you military folks!) individual in jeans and a t-shirt.  Upon entering the Hall, he was asked by one of the attendants, “How can we assist you?”  He stated that he was there to be inducted to the Hall and wanted to know where he could pay.  The attendant asked his name.  He responded, “Joe DeLamielleure.” The attendants recognized the name (there were only 5 inductees in 2003) and attempted to usher him and his family into the Hall.  Joe still wanted to pay for he and his family.  The attendant assured him, “This is your house…you’ve already paid!’  Such a humble, unpretentious man…this story brought a tear to our eyes!

The 50 year anniversary of the Hall of Fame, 273 inductees later, this will be some year for attendance in August! The Hall itself was under many renovations in preparation, yet still, it was extremely impressive.  For those who enjoy the sport, it was truly worth the visit.  Talk about a feeling of accomplishment and pride (without ever even stepping on the field of play!).  The room of golden Busts of each HoF members was a sight to behold along with being able to see every Super Bowl ring side by side.  It was like being a kid in a candy store…except you don’t get to take anything home, save a few souvenirs from the gift shop.

But why Canton?  We found out the reasoning behind it all:

1)   it’s where the American Professional Football Association (now NFL) was founded,

2)   the Canton Bull Dogs (an early pro football contender) were the first 2 time NFL champ, and

3)   the citizens of Canton launched a strong and aggressive petition for the Hall to be in their hometown

It demonstrates what a community can accomplish when they band together for a cause, big or small!  Thanks again Mom and Pop Ziarko! We had a fantastic time and look forward to the next time we can spend quality time together!!

It was finally time to get back on the road and head out of Ohio and onto Chicago, but not without some challenges.   We had snow forecasted for Chicago…yes, SNOW in mid April!  But we would travel through rain, hail, sleet and yes, snow (like the US Post wo/men) to see our Chicago family…Nick, Carol and Baby Alyssa! So off we went.  

Bailey's Perspective

I woke up this morning after approximately 70 hours of sleep in dog years and……… I was still tired.  I don’t know what it is lately but I guess I need to change my diet or something.  I know I am bit older these days but everybody gets old. J  Not only that, I still manage to maintain a lady like figure, keeping my weight at about 90 lbs….. 88 lbs on a real good day, when I am not bloated or retaining water.  Perhaps, the Californian, all natural, organic diet will be good for me.  I’m looking forward to it.

Soon after waking up, daddy took me out for my morning walk.  As we approached the rear exit of the hotel, I noticed torrential rain fall and thought to myself “ummm, does he really think I am going outside in this? We need to find an alternate option.”  But to my dismay, daddy forced me to go out in the rain and take care of business, which I quickly did and came back inside. Luckily, mommy had a towel waiting for me upstairs in the hotel room to dry me off.  Mommy loves me…. Daddy….well, not so much this morning for messing up my beautiful coat and making me smell like a “wet dog”.  Who likes that? 

After a yummy breakfast, we headed into the minivan and drove again.  I guessed that mommy and daddy had an important appointment or something cuz we drove through heavy rain.  Even getting into the car was a challenge as it was raining “Cats and Cats”.  After driving for a short period, we stopped for a potty break….. potty break for me that is.  We were at a football field of some kind.  I don’t care too much about football.  However, I LOVE football Sundays at our house.  It means mommy will make wonderful treats for all and when we have people over, I get to eat so much human food….and it taste soooo good. Anyhow, mommy and daddy left me in the car and went into the building for about 14 hours, aka 2 hours human time. When they returned to the car, both of Aunt Holly’s parents were with them.  How nice….. they must have linked up again to spend some additional QT together.  Shortly thereafter, it was once again time for hugs all around.  The hugs were a bit longer this time, so I knew we would not be coming back here tomorrow.  Goodbye Aunt Holly’s parents and thank you very much for your hospitality.

We drove……and this time, it was a long drive.  I can’t tell you how long it was but by the time we got to our destination, I was exhausted.  To my surprise, when we finally stopped, we were at Uncle Nick and Aunt Carol’s house in Chicago.  Yeah….. I haven’t seen them in a long time, can’t recall how many dog years….so the long trip was so worth it. Then, I noticed a scent in the house that I’ve never smelled before.  It was definitely a human scent but I could not place it.  Am I losing my sense of smell?  I doubt it.  I act like I have selective hearing now and then but my sense of smell is still spot on.  A little later, Aunt Carol carried baby Alyssa (Uncle Nick and Aunt Carol’s daughter) downstairs and introduce me to her.  She was so adorable….  She was the cutest thing ever.  And right then and there, I promised to take care of her and protect her to the best of my abilities.  And I realized why Uncle Nick and Aunt Carol did not come to visit us in VA….. they were busy starting their own family. 

After eating Chicago’s own, Italian Beef sandwiches, I slept like a champion.  Night night……