Second Week... 2950

What is the number of miles we traveled last week?

Two thousand nine hundred and fifty miles round trip from Denver, CO to Saratoga, CA and back to Denver, CO.

Well, we have returned!

We had a great trip... left Denver about 11:30 am Saturday and returned to Denver about 4:30 pm the following Saturday. What a blast!

For those who do not know, Jody and I decided to take a few days off. She completed her first week (see "First Week") with little or no side effects, so we decided to take a trip. When we started our plans we did not know where we were headed and by Saturday we decided we were going visit Aunt Ruth in Saratoga, California. Due to recent snow storms in the mountains we decided to use the southern route. I plotted the route in my TomTom (also known as my JoJo named after Jody for the female voice she selected) for my favorite Mexican restaurant in Santa Fe; Tomasitas. Tomasitas lived up to my expectations and Jody loved it. From there we headed to Albuquerque for the first night.

The next morning we headed west on I 40, which for those who live in the west know, parallels US 66. And for those old enough to know about route 66 you will recall the eclectic sight seeing stops.

Through petrified wood forest we pressed on. Little did she know I had plotted my JoJo for another restaurant in Bakersfield, CA. We traveled through Gallup, NM and Flagstaff, AZ. Turning south at Kingsmen, AZ we zigged and zagged around Lake Havasu. Stopping only for gas and facilities. The vision of the "Crystal Palace" in my mind. After passing through Barstow, CA I noted we would be arriving in Bakersfield, CA about 7:00. Exiting the highway we arrived in front of THE "Crystal Palace", yes! THE "Buck Owens Crystal Palace"! Racing up to the gate we realize it is closed... Oh No! Closed! The big Buckaroo's Restaurant was closed. We looked at each other and simultaneously exclaimed its Easter!

We decided to call it a night at the Best Western next door to the Crystal Palace". The next day we drove through the Central Valley and crossing the Golden Gate Bridge through San Francisco. We finally arrived at Aunt Ruth's home in Saratoga.

That night we went up to Deb and Tom's home in Los Gatos, CA. For those who do not know Deb, she is Aunt Ruth's daughter. Tom and Deb Rice live in a beautiful home on top of a hill, the home was once owned by the Piper family; of the "Piper Cub" fame. We eat "pot luck" and had a fantastic time.

We spent the next two days with Aunt Ruth, going to dinner with the family and just spending time together.

During our stay we visited the Saratoga "Hakone Garden". It is a beautiful Garden built by Saratoga's sister city in Japan. It is also where the filming of the Memoirs of a Geisha was filmed. http://www.saratoga.ca.us/cityhall/rec/facility_and_park_rentals/parks/hakone_gardens.asphall/rec/facility_and_park_rentals/parks/hakone_gardens.asp Our stay was far too short. On Thursday Morning we left for Sacramento to visit another friend. We arrived in time to enjoy a fantastic lunch with Marilyn and Kent.

Leaving Marilyn and Kent's place around 3:00 we headed for Reno, NV. On the way we crossed the Bonneville Flats, where my memory returned to the movie "The Worlds Fastest Indian" staring Anthony Hopkins. I just had to point the sign out to Jody and as we drove on I told her about the entire movie.

We spent the night in Reno, where Jody proceeded to loose $16.00 in the "penny slots" at the Holiday Inn. After a short stay we drove on to Vernal, UT. The home of the National Dinosaur Park. Vernal, UT is just 4 hours out of Denver and rather than pushing on we decided to stay the night.