2024 Route 66 Odyssey

2024 Route 66 Odyssey Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from 2024 Route 66 Odyssey, Travel and transport, 900 Vintage Green Lane, Franklin, TN.

06/03/2024

Just to let all of you know, Leigh Ann and I have finally posted our wrapup video about our Route 66 trip. Go to our page, 2024 Route 66 Odyssey and watch it.

We are trailblazing home, and we’re almost there! After saying our “goodbyes” to Cameron this morning,  , we left Austi...
05/30/2024

We are trailblazing home, and we’re almost there! After saying our “goodbyes” to Cameron this morning, , we left Austin, TX, about 7:40 AM. We knew we had a long drive ahead of us, so we wanted to try to get ahead of the traffic. And for the most part, we did. However, the traffic in Austin is terrible, and the drivers seem to drive in a frenzy. They were switching lanes at 70 MPH and even going from a far-right lane to a far-left lane, and dangerously cutting in front of people. This didn’t happen once or twice; it seemed to be the norm. And I thought Nashville traffic was bad.

Nevertheless, we hit I-35 and headed east at a steady pace. Once out of Austin, the traffic was less dense and less intense except for the trucks. I can say with certainty that, today, there were at least twice as many trucks on the road as there were automobiles. At one point, there were trucks as far as you could see down the road. And it was frustrating. At one point, I was caught in the middle lane with a truck in each lane on either side of me, a truck in front of in the same lane as I and another behind me in my lane. Boxed in. At 75 MPH, with those trucks swaying in their lanes, it was a bit scary.

Continuing on, as we went through Waco, TX, Leigh Ann saw signs about Magnolia and the Silos that were made famous by Chip and Joanna Gaines. We were on a tight schedule, but she asked me (I was driving) if I would stop and let her at least take a few pictures. And of course, I did. In the meantime, we passed Baylor University and its football complex, McLane Stadium, and she got to see a bit of the Baylor campus, albeit from the interstate.

Leigh Ann here…I didn’t spend much time in Waco because I knew that Dad was waiting, and we had several more hours to go at that point, but it was so cool to actually get to see the Silos and visit the park and the little church that the Gaineses had relocated and refurbished. It’s such a sweet little area in downtown, and I can see why people would make the trip to come visit and spend time meandering and hanging out with family and friends. Chip and Joanna have most definitely left a lasting imprint on the city of Waco. My last stop before heading back to the car was the Silos Baking Co. to grab us a little sweet treat for after dinner tonight (probably the last sweet treat I’ll be eating for a while!).

Rodney again…Leaving Waco, we headed for Dallas. Fortunately, our route bypassed the metroplex and took us on the outskirts around on I-440 to I-30. All along these routes there is construction. I suppose there will be construction going on until the Lord returns, because there doesn’t seem to be an end to it. Everywhere one looks, the roads are blocked, and the highway is obstructed, causing delays. One must exercise extreme patience when traveling like this. Nevertheless, after bypassing Dallas, we needed gas and fortunately located a Buc-ees on I-30 just northeast of Dallas, where I fueled the RV ($2.95/gal.).

We have been very thankful that the Lord has taken care of us on this very long and sometimes tiring venture. We have experienced no breakdowns, no safety issues, no health concerns, and the RV has performed extremely well. We have not put a dent or a scratch on it…until today. Driving to Lonoke, AR, where we are staying the night, a truck threw a small pebble up, and it hit the windshield causing a starburst crack in the windshield. We tried to get it repaired before we were to leave tomorrow morning, but I guess these are the modern times. One can’t just call a repairman anymore and have him come fix something. It takes days of scheduling, so he would not be able to come to our motel until Friday and fix the problem. Needless to say, we ain’t staying until Friday.

Just as we stayed our first night on the road in a hotel, so we are bookending our journey by staying our last night in a hotel. We expect to arrive home tomorrow by about 1:30 or 2:00 PM. It has been great, but we are ready to be home. Hopefully we will see everyone this weekend at church on Sunday. Until then . . .

Mostly a travel day today. We left Fredericksburg, TX, about 7:45 AM and caravaned to Austin, TX. We were in such a hurr...
05/29/2024

Mostly a travel day today. We left Fredericksburg, TX, about 7:45 AM and caravaned to Austin, TX. We were in such a hurry this morning that we forgot to record our morning video. We were mainly concerned that Cameron get to her job in Austin on time. Leigh Ann drove the RV to the park in Austin, while I rode with Cameron to her work at Multi-Tracks. It was a trip of about an hour and 40 minutes. She actually arrived about 10 minutes early.

In Austin I met Leigh Ann at the RV park where she had already set up the rig. We then took Cameron’s car and went to lunch at a 96 year-old eclectic restaurant known as Dirty Martin’s. Dirty Martins was established in 1926, the year that Route 66 was opened. It has continuously been in business since then. The onion rings were especially good. Eating here continued our established practice of avoiding eating at chain restaurants on this whole trip. And we have succeeded.

After lunch, we went to Cameron’s apartment, where with Leigh Ann on the couch and me on the bed took a much-needed nap. After our nap, we drove to Multi-Tracks and picked up Cameron from work. Back at the apartment a little over an hour, we were out again having dinner at the Velvet Taco. Then we returned to the RV park for the evening.

After so much heat, it is nice to have an evening in the low 80s with a mild breeze blowing. Tomorrow will be the penultimate day for the conclusion of our journey.

Hot! Hot! Hot! I’m being told that this heat is very unusual for this time of year in Fredericksburg, TX. In fact, it is...
05/28/2024

Hot! Hot! Hot! I’m being told that this heat is very unusual for this time of year in Fredericksburg, TX. In fact, it is 5:45 PM, and we are having a thunderstorm. I guess that is to be expected in this kind of heat (100-103 degrees).

We had my granddaughter, Cameron, join us yesterday. She is fast becoming accustomed to campground life. Today, we had the chance to sleep later. In fact, I didn’t wake up until about 8:45 AM. The day was to be spent enjoying some of the sights around the town.

We forewent breakfast (almost unintentionally) and drove straight to the National Museum of the Pacific War (formerly known as the Admiral Chester Nimitz Museum). Owned today by the Texas Historical Commission, it has developed incredibly since I was here raising money almost 30 years ago. It is still located in the same place, namely the old Nimitz Hotel, where Admiral Nimitz grew up. It has added several galleries, including the George H. W. Bush Gallery for which I was hired to raise the funds for development. The Japanese minisub is still there, as well as the Japanese Peace Garden given by the Japanese people as a token of respect and honor for Admiral Nimitz. The exhibits are wonderful and very informative. I was pleased to see so many people at the museum today.

We happened to visit the museum on the day and time when a special event honoring those who have given their lives for our country. Ships, groups and individuals were honored at the ceremony. The keynote speaker was General James Rainey of the U.S. Army. It was a very hot day, but a nice crowd attended the ceremony. It was one of those serendipitous events that we stumbled on.

After going through the museum, we drove to Luckenbach, TX, only about a 12-minute drive from Fredericksburg. We went mainly just to let the girls see it and say that they had been there. Actually, the stage was occupied by a group that was entertaining a small crowd that had gathered. We didn’t stay, partly because of the heat and partly because we had other places to go.

From Luckenbach, we drove to the LBJ Ranch which was about a 20-minute drive from Luckenbach. This is not the site of the Presidential Library (which is in Austin), but it is the ranch where he was born and grew up and owned while he was the 36th president of the United States. Originally a little more than 2700 acres, it is spread out over a wide distance and has several historical structures on it. It also has the Texas White House, although today, it was under reconstruction. We did see his birthplace, the school where he was educated, the Head Start Center where he signed that law, his and Lady Bird’s graves in the Johnson Family Cemetery, as well as his airplane. We couldn’t decide whether it was his Air Force 1 or his plane when he was the 37th Vice President.

Approaching the end of the day and the heat being almost unbearable, we headed back to the campground. We spent the remainder of the day resting and avoiding the heat. Tomorrow, we move to Austin and a campground there.

Another long day of driving! But what started out as a very hot night last night when we arrived in Las Cruces (at least...
05/26/2024

Another long day of driving! But what started out as a very hot night last night when we arrived in Las Cruces (at least 100 degrees) had become pleasantly cool by this morning (in the 60s). But we knew that we had a long day ahead—nearly 600 miles—and so we got a very early start. By 6:40 AM, we were on the road. While we did not have a full tank of gas, we had almost a full tank, certainly enough to get us down the road aways. But I can say again, don’t travel in New Mexico and Texas without planning your gas stops. Again today, there were at least two segments where there was no gas station for more than 100 miles.

Leigh Ann here…I was passenger for the first half of the drive today and honestly the most concerning piece of the entire trip (besides Chicago and LA) was being so close to the border in El Paso, TX. At one point I think we were probably about 1-2 miles away, but things there were so flat that we could actually see THE WALL near Sierra Blanca, TX!!!! I wanted to get off I-10 and get closer, but this was such a long driving day that we really couldn’t afford the adventure. We did have to go through a border patrol station not far beyond Sierra Blanca, and there was a drug dog sniffing every car, and the agent asked us if we had anyone else traveling with us. I must admit that it did concern me that they just took our word for it and didn’t ask to see in…which we would’ve been happy to allow. Just makes me wonder how many others are getting through and getting trafficked because the patrols just take the drivers word for it. “Things we think about in 2024.”

Rodney back…After stopping in Balmorhea, TX, for gas ($3.59/gal.), I continued to drive this segment. Leigh Ann and I had decided before leaving that we would split up the driving today. During the last part of my time at the wheel, I noticed smoke in the distance. As I approached it, I recognized it as a brush fire along the interstate. Crews were there to put it out, but I suddenly found myself in a smoke screen so thick that I had to brake to about 20 MPH. It probably lasted for a quarter mile before clearing up.

Leigh Ann and I soon switched out drivers after I had driven almost 300 miles. She would complete the trip to Fredericksburg, TX. During this leg, we encountered air temperatures of 103 degrees. After several hours of driving, when we exited I-10 to a county road toward Fredericksburg, I took over again and completed the journey to the Oakwood RV Park in Fredericksburg. When we arrived, the air temperature was 100 degrees.

The drive through the countryside was beautiful as is the whole of the Hill Country of Texas. We are looking forward to a couple of days. Tonight and tomorrow night Cameron, Leigh Ann’s daughter and my granddaughter, is joining us for a camping experience and family reunion. She is working an internship this summer in Austin, TX, and has already moved there. So, this is a time when she can manage her homesickness by being with us.

Some sight seeing tomorrow and hoping to see some old friends at the Nimitz Museum. Until then. . .

One must remember that we are on our way back home right now. So we are not making as many stops to see attractions as w...
05/26/2024

One must remember that we are on our way back home right now. So we are not making as many stops to see attractions as we did when we were traveling Route 66. Our days are mostly driving, except for when we serendipitously find something that catches our eye that we want to see or visit. Such was today.

We left our RV park this morning at 7:15 AM. Needing gas, we stopped to fill up ($3.89/gal.) before heading out of Mesa, AZ, headed to Las Cruces, NM. Soon, along the interstate, Leigh Ann saw a sign advertising Tombstone, AZ, and she just had to visit it. In spite of a five-and-a-half-hour drive today, we took a couple of hours off I-10 to visit Historic Tombstone, AZ.

Yep, it was all me…I had always heard about Tombstone and had even seen the movie but had never gotten to visit, so being within 25 miles of it left me no option but to make the detour. Besides I was the one driving today!

We just so happened to stumble into Tombstone on Wyatt Earp Days over Memorial Day Weekend, and there was a little more happening than usual. There were gunfights in the streets, cowboys practicing their lasso skills, stagecoaches riding folks around town, saloon gals, sheriffs…you get the picture…it was a typical old western town alive with activity and people! We grabbed a bite of lunch at the Big Nose Kate’s Saloon before walking around and finished up just in time to catch a show at the OK Corral Theatre that told the story of the famous shootout. There was a small museum with stagecoaches, old wagons, an outhouse (non-functioning), and as we walked through this area, we heard what sounded and smelled like a blacksmith! We wandered back to the blacksmith area only to see a fella working some iron over hot coals and a hand-crank forge! Back in 2020 I got enamored with the show Forged in Fire, so on a whim I asked the guy if he had ever been on the show, and he said “yeah! Season 3 Episode 4!” So you know that’s the next thing I’ll be streaming after we’ve watched Tombstone tonight! After grabbing a local Tombstone newspaper from 1822, we began to make our way out of town and just ran through Boot Hill Graveyard to grab a quick picture. There are some not as famous cowboys and westerners buried there, but we needed to hit the road…

Speaking of the road…our little detour took us down what the signs called “Historic Route 80.” The brown road signs all looked a lot like the ones we had seen in every state while we were on Route 66, so when we got back on the road we looked it up and it was actually a “sister road” to Route 66 and was once called the Ocean to Ocean road. We want to do a little more reading up on it because what we read only told about the portion that was in Arizona, but it was so cool to actually get on a road that had a similar history to Route 66. Sadly, much of what happened to Route 66 has also happened to Route 80 as the interstates came along and bypassed many of the smaller towns and really wreaked economic havoc on communities across the country.

Rodney back…After we left Tombstone, we headed back to I-10 via that Historic Route 80. Once on I-10, we were finally off to Las Cruces, NM. Plenty of gas, a good meal under our belts, and we were happy as larks. Looking at the fuel range indicator on the RV, we were confident we could fill our tank before getting to Las Cruces because the distance to there was longer than the fuel range indicated. But we knew that, with towns along the way, we could find gas. Not so fast, my friend! There were no gas stations for nearly 100 miles, and then we checked the map and saw that we were about to come upon the town of Lordsburg,NM, but before we knew it, we were fifteen miles beyond the exit to Lordsburg. In fact, there had been no sign showing an exit to there. So, we kept going, watching the fuel range diminish more quickly than expected. Finally, we see signs of a station a few miles ahead in Separ, NM. It even had a Dairy Queen associated with it. So, we stopped, filled up ($3.59/gal.) and also filled our tummies with food—a banana split for me and a peach cobbler blizzard for Leigh Ann.

On towards Las Cruces. The wind continued to harass us viciously, but now we had to contend with dust. We had noticed, when looking at the mountains in the distance, that the mountains seem to be obscured as though by fog. It was not fog, rather it was dust from the desert. At one point along the highway (where the speed limit is 75, and we were doing the speed limit), the dust became so thick that visibility was down to feet, and Leigh Ann braked to about 25-30 MPH until we exited the thick dust storm. I was more concerned about someone rearending us than we hitting someone else in front. Fortunately, the blinding dust storm was short-lived, and we were then able to maintain a speed limit speed to Las Cruces. We finally arrived about 6:00 PM MDT.

Although today has not been as exciting as others, it got us closer to home. Tomorrow is a long day, with a drive of eight hours ahead of us to Fredericksburg, TX. Join us then for more news from this 2024 odyssey.

For a number of years now, whenever I have mentioned that I traveled out west, I have been bombarded with the question, ...
05/25/2024

For a number of years now, whenever I have mentioned that I traveled out west, I have been bombarded with the question, “Did you visit Joshua Tree National Park?” I have always said, “no,” because I never was near enough with sufficient time to make the visit. Not so today!

After a windy day arrival yesterday (wind speeds were probably 25-45 mph), we awoke this morning to more wind, just less of it. In fact, it blew enough all night to constantly shake the RV while we slept. It was kind of like being rocked to sleep. Today, we were able to leave the RV park in Desert Hot Springs, CA, by 8:10 AM, expecting to take about an hour to get to the entrance to Joshua Tree National Park. It actually took about 45 minutes.

Before we left for JTNP, we needed to refuel our RV. We only hoped that this tank would last until we got into Arizona. So, we filled up ($4.99/gal.) in anticipation that we would make it all the way to our next RV park before needing more. Didn’t happen!

Excited to see what all the “buzz” was about from my friends, we drove to the west entrance of the Park. I want Leigh Ann to describe her experiences in the park, since she did more than I did.

I really didn’t know what to expect. The only time I had actually heard the term Joshua Tree was from a U2 album (which I never really listened to myself). For several trips now, we have used an app called GuideAlong, and you purchase the guide for whatever national park you are going through, and it connects through GPS and tells you historical facts, scientific tidbits and other interesting info as well as guides you through the park to sights and highlights, so you don’t miss a thing! We got Mr. GuideAlong going and learned a lot about Joshua trees themselves but also a lot about the two different deserts that it connects (Colorado Desert and Mojave Desert), the Cholla Cactus, the rock formations and hiking trails. We knew we couldn’t spend all day there, and hiking was not really realistic for Dad, but when we got to the Arch Rock and Heart Rock, I just had to see them. So, he read and took a nap in the car while I hiked a mile or so up to see them, and I’m SO glad I did! Just check out the pictures…you’ll figure it out!

I think what I was most baffled by was the mountains of rocks. Mr. GuideAlong told us about the millions of years…yada yada yada…but every single mountain or mound of rock was literally a pile of smaller rocks and a few huge boulders. I mean I can’t really even describe how they looked, and we tried to take pictures, but I’m not sure if you’ll really be able to see it. Anyhoo…It was amazing to see all the different topography and plant life despite the harsh environment. The Cholla Cactus Garden was another mind-blowing field…just acres and acres of these dangerously barbed cacti that are also known as the teddy bear cactus (because apparently, they look cuddly like a teddy bear), but not only do they have SUPER sharp spikes, each spike has microscopic barbs that continue to sting and poke and just ouch!!!! Beauty and pain all from one plant.

The other thing we noticed was the great lack of wildlife. There are supposed to be about 200 great horned sheep in the park and tortoises, but the only thing we saw was a zebratail lizard, and I think we caught a quick picture of him too. I guess it takes a special animal to survive in a land with very little water, hot temps and sticky stingy spikes! It really was all a sight to behold and reminded me a little of the song “My Redeemer Lives” with the lyric “who told the sea to only come this far?” It was like God said, “ok, over here I want you Joshua Trees to gather together. Some of you can scatter around here and there, but this is home base.” And then to the Cholla Cacti “you guys are a little dangerous so let’s put you all together so we can make a beautiful scene, and everyone will not worry about how prickly you are.” And on down the road he carved images in stone with curves and angles and depth to remind us of man (Skull Rock) being covered (Arch Rock) by His love (Heart Rock). I guess you can tell this put me a little deeper in thought, but God’s creativity is just endless and amazing, and I’m so grateful that we got to see just a little bit more of it today!

After exiting the park, we hit I-10, looking toward the next 250+ miles to get to our next overnight in Mesa, AZ. Long stretches of highway, fighting the wind and, frankly, a boring expanse of scenery, traffic was not bad and, with a 70 MPH speed limit, we made pretty good time. After enduring the drive through California, we came to Blythe, CA, on the border with Arizona. Blythe is located in the Colorado section of the Sonoran Desert. Along with Needles, CA, it is one of the hottest locations in the United States, having recorded an astounding 124 degrees F on June 20, 2016. By this time, we had gone from a cool 60+ degrees in Desert Hot Springs to 98 degrees as we passed through Blythe. And thankfully, as we crossed the CA/AZ state line, gas prices dropped by $1.50/gal.

Then another long stretch of highway as far as the eye could see on I-10 traveling between the Eagle Tail Mountains to the south and the Big Horn Mountains to the north. Finally, by 3:30 PM, we had reached the Good Life RV Park, for our overnight stay in Mesa, AZ, local temperature 100 degrees. It felt hotter.

What a good day it was though in spite of our weariness from travel. The trip through Joshua Tree National Park was, indeed, worth the wait. See you tomorrow.

Another significant day! Now, all caught up on our daily posts and morning live videos, we headed out from Barstow, CA, ...
05/24/2024

Another significant day! Now, all caught up on our daily posts and morning live videos, we headed out from Barstow, CA, at 7:30 AM. Needless to say, we were in typical California traffic. Most of the reason this particular day for some of the slow going was due to fog. The freeway was congested to a point but not overly so. It’s simply that you drive a couple of miles, then stop for a minute and then drive a few more miles. Then repeat. One good thing I have observed about California is that the truckers tend to obey the laws that require them to stay in the two right lanes on four-lane highways. Apparently, California strictly enforces those laws, because I have seen this phenomenon during our entire drive through California. By so doing, we always have a lane or two to drive in unobstructed by trucks, especially those trying to pass each other. Most of today’s congestion was around Hesperia, CA, and Cajon Pass (altitude 4200 feet) where the air temperature was hovering at 49 degrees. Little wonder that there was fog.

All this time Leigh Ann was driving and doing a great job, even when two nit wits stopped ahead of us on the freeway, spoke to each other and then drag raced off. After about two and a half hours of driving, we began to see the inner city of Los Angeles. Our first goal was to find the original 1926 end of Route 66 which is currently located at the corner of Broadway and 7th Avenue. After passing so many areas where homeless people have settled, we entered the historic district of Los Angeles. Then, uh-oh, a sign indicating the street was closed ahead. Wouldn’t you know it, we would be detoured a block before getting to the sign. And nowhere to park. However, the closer we came to the intersection, we noticed that the street was blocked on the other side of the intersection, allowing us to turn and yes, get a picture of the “End of Route 66” from 1926.

After successfully negotiating the busy streets of Los Angeles, Leigh Ann headed to the Santa Monica Pier where the modern-day “End of Route 66” sign is located.

Leigh Ann here…I had been to the Santa Monica pier before on family vacations in the past but this time was very, very different. There was a purpose and a mission at hand, and we were here to make it happen! It was very satisfying to finally arrive at the End of Route 66. All those states, all those miles, the cornbread, beans and buttermilk and all those nights camping under the stars…it was worth every minute to have done it with my Dad. These are the moments that you never forget, and there is not a thing I would change…even Sitgreaves pass and “off-roading” on Route 66! We spent the next hour or so walking around the pier, grabbing a coney and taking a ride on the iconic Pier Park Ferris Wheel overlooking the Pacific Ocean. I even facetimed one of my many friends that relocated from SoCal just a couple of years ago to say hi from her old stomping grounds.

After one last stop at the “End of the Route” kiosk and signing their guest book, we made our way back to the RV which I had actually parked (very nicely I must add) along Ocean Drive. Then we set out on the 126 forever long and TRAFFIC filled miles to our next stop that I’ll let Dad share about.

By 12:15 PM we were headed out of Los Angeles with Leigh Ann at the wheel headed for the Catalina RV and Resort in Desert Hot Springs, CA. It is near Joshua Tree National Park where we will be tomorrow. After checking in, we parked in our spot, set up our RV for the evening and put on swimsuits to go and enjoy the pool and spa. The pool was nice and warm due to the warm temperatures (86 degrees) here. The spa, which is nothing but a small, three-foot deep swimming pool/hot tub, was heated to above body temperature but not so hot as to be uncomfortable. The mineral water was wonderful. While I spent most of my time in the hot tub and reading, Leigh Ann read and enjoyed getting some sun.

Tomorrow, we will leave Catalina RV & Resort and continue to Joshua Tree National Park, drive through there and then on to Phoenix, AZ. See you then.

Excitement today galore! We left the campground in Mojave Valley, AZ, having decided to record our morning video when we...
05/23/2024

Excitement today galore! We left the campground in Mojave Valley, AZ, having decided to record our morning video when we arrived in Oatman, AZ. Well, life happened, we got so excited with what was occurring in Oatman that we completely forgot to record a video for today. So, please forgive us.

Leigh Ann here…there has been a lot to love about this trip, but I found pure joy and childlike silliness today in Oatman. We had read that the b***os roamed the town, we had seen signs all along the way, “b***o crossings,” but as of 9 AM this morning, we hadn’t seen a single b***o! But boy did that change! Once we entered the Oatman town area we were transported back into an old mining camp and time stood still. There were mines all around the area, but what had once been a gold rush haven became a ghost town after the gold fever died down. In more recent years, several money men came in and have helped bring Oatman back to life, and it is such a fun little tourist spot! I had to see the gunfight and the bank robbery, so we stuck around for about two hours…did some shopping, petted the b***os, ate an ice cream cone and just thoroughly enjoyed this most unique stop yet on Route 66.

Rodney back…From Oatman we made our way (after the gunfight) to Needles, CA. At least we tried. In spite of making every effort yesterday to avoid Sitgreaves Pass, a narrow, winding, hair-pin turn array of curves, our map and even asking someone the way, we ended up atop Sitgreaves Pass. After having driven 4 of its 8 miles, we decided to turn around and go back to Oatman and follow the GPS to Needles.

We passed through Needles, the second hottest place in America next to Death Valley. Located in the Mojave Desert, it is not unusual for it to be reported in the summer as the site of the highest daily temperature. In fact, in 2012, Needles experienced a thunderstorm that dropped rain at a temperature of 115 degrees Fahrenheit. In 2014, Needles recorded the lowest relative humidity ever recorded at .33%.

From Needles we headed west to our stop for the evening in Barstow, CA. We checked into the Hampton Inn, one of only four motels we stayed in the whole trip and found another locally owned restaurant in which to dine.

Leigh Ann again…As we came into Barstow tonight it was approaching dinnertime so we asked the fella at the hotel front desk where we could find some local food. He handed us a list with local restaurants highlighted and our eyes fell on a place called Southern Twist. It served what he called southern soul food…so we gave it a shot! What a treasure! The proprietor was a man from Atlanta who had become a trucker after serving in the Navy and he found Barstow and fell in love. He decided they needed to know what southern food was all about and chased his dream! What once was a worn-out Chinese restaurant, he turned into a charming southern soul food paradise, and it was like an oasis in the desert for these two southerners!

Rodney again…We are ready to call it day, get a good night’s rest and make the final push to the finish line at the Santa Monica pier tomorrow. Hopefully, we will make it through all the Los Angeles traffic to Joshua Tree National Park by mid-afternoon tomorrow, having achieved the goal we set out to accomplish.

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900 Vintage Green Lane
Franklin, TN
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