Travel Log

After a much exhausting, not without trial road trip voyage to Florida, I can officially declare: WE MADE IT!!  Who would have thought we would have run into so many problems and it would have been such a nightmare getting here. Although the majority of our trip here was quite negative, things weren't COMPLETELY horrible. We saw some great sites of beautiful America, and Becks experienced his first big road trip. 

I wasn't able to take pictures because I was driving our 2nd car with Becks while following Mike who was driving the Penske and towing his car.  BUT I did get quite the interesting, random snap shots of our road trip; although a bit strange, I actually liked how they turned out :).  These pics represent everything I saw and experienced for 5 days on the road—through New Mexico, TX, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida.  I also kept a travel log on my phone—all the random insights and thoughts I had along the way.  So here it is—our trip—as it was experienced and seen by moi. 

TRAVEL LOG (followed by all the pics that got totally arranged weird when I uploaded them):

New Mexico-- no mans land . . . nothing but land.

Las Crucas was a pretty cool college town but there is nothing but cows in NM. One giant TP and a trading post selling moccasins and jerky.

Passed an ostrich farm and snake farm.

Found a place in Las Crucas called “Mikey’s Art Shop”-looked like an auto body shop but it was an art restoration building called “Mikey’s.” Wish I would have taken a picture.

Stayed at Sleep Inn, ate at Golden Corral--surprisingly I didn't get sick. Becks experienced his first sticky encounter with cotton candy.

Uh oh, boredom already setting in

Check out the trooper in the back

Wanna hop on the local train??

 

Lettin the monkey do the drivin

ooohhhh this is getting interesting

I love all his facial expressions

Mountains and a little more green in TX.

El Paso is strange, it’s lies between nothing— NM and TX— where there is no population, industry, etc. on either side, kinda weird.

Nice to drive on the freeway again and to see how compact the El Paso was with homes and businesses. It’s a pretty cool place--just the location is kinda strange.

Had to stop at boarder patrol . . .yawn

Houston: “533 miles” . . .sigh

 Tuning the radio . . . Nothing but static

Stopped to give an old man sitting at a gas station with his dog some granola bars I had in the car . . . had a great conversation with him. Commonality: we both have good friends from La Grande, OR. Reminder: we are all in "this" together.

Today’s epiphany: people are so much more friendly and personable when you have a baby. Lil Beckahm is a world changer by being his personable, sweet loving self—what an example to us all.

Today’s (Debbie Downer) “wah wah" moment: “Oh he's so cute. How old is he?" "11mo". "Better enjoy that stage cause pretty soon he will be a teenager and hate you".

  

Lunch at Subway: flatbread is my official bread of choice.

I ask myself the same question at 3pm every day: why can't babies just pass out when they are tired?

Oh Death Cab, I love you . . . One day I will see you in concert!

Road trip inspirations: Ozona Barona Moncur, Marfa Barfa Moncur, Balmorhea Gannoreah Moncur, Gerth-- all are officially in the pool of our future kids names.

"New Hampshire" by Matt Pond--still my favorite. I miss you East Coast . . . sigh.

Snap shot: Baby Beck’s tired eyes.

Needing some of this right about now

 "Allison Road"

Buttercup daisy’s at dusk--beautiful!

Driving at night. Radio tuned to 93.5. Pretty darn good folky blues/country playin.

Stars sure are perty in this big ol TX sky!

Becks had a 45 min tantrum in the car. He did pretty good the first day. He's just had a hard time with us moving in general.

Day 3: man is this getting hard.

Good morning craziness! 2 days out and we still don't have an apartment lined up. May just be livin out of a Penske truck. Word to the wise: have a place to live before you relocate your life. Upside: killing some time walking the River Walk in San Antonio and seeing The Alamo.

River Walk: a little bit of European flare meets American country. Eclectic, surreal, charming. Man does America have it all! Goodbye San Antonio!

 (San Antonio: River Walk/The Alamo)

Just passed another snake farm. Who farms snakes?

Leavin San Anton listening to 90.1--likin it!

Gorgeous meadows of red, purple, and yellow flowers

Stuck in Houston traffic @ 4:30pm, give me a break!

I feel like I'm never going to get out of TX, this state is enormous. Can't wait for Louisiana.

Talked to a local Texan at a pit stop--works on the railroad, has a twin, and has 2 teenage boys . . . today’s his birthday. Happy Birthday!

Past a crawfish farm

"God is great, beer is good, and people are crazy".

Do you really have to ask??

 Officially out of TX! “Welcome to Louisiana!”

Why? Cause there isn't another Mcdonald's in half a mile or that is open 24 hours??

Keep turning the radio: televangelists, televangelists, televangelists . . . oh and Kesha singin "take it off, turn me on".   ONE WORD: WOW!

Quitin early today: crashin in Lake Charles, LA.

A lot of industry plants in LA.

Lake Charles-interesting little beach-- kinda cute.

Becks looks skeptical of Norah Jones (he's watching her debut on SM Street)

"Catfish and grits" nope! No thank you.

"Best Mexican in Lake Charles". . . Mike woke up this morning with food poisoning.

Rough morning: the sheets felt damp all night, hotel had a strange smell, Becks woke at 3am soaking wet and freezing from pee which threw his whole morning off—super whiny and grumpy—Becks threw up, burning hot rancid pee in a bag that I pulled from my car window this a.m., tried working out behind the hotel—a smelly dumpster burned through my nostrils as the jump rope went under my feet— Mike hurled up last nights dinner in the bathroom . . . need I say more?

Finally got everything loaded--relief--head to Burger King for a smoothie. Some guys parked outside roll down their window and try selling me perfume--ahhhhh! You've left a bad taste in my mouth Louisiana.

Didn't know Quaker Oats made instant grits . . . hmmm.

"When I think of LA one word comes to my mind: SWAMPY."

I didn't want to feel like a dirty, travelling beastie anymore. Solution: I shaved my legs and armpits this morning.

 

Another dusk. Baby Beckahm is out. Ahhhh I can do this!

Do BK strawberry banana smoothies have milk in them? Uh oh!

Not feeling so great about moving to FL. I'm homesick for AZ.

New 2 fav songs: Imogen Heaps "Speeding Cars" and "Down in the Valley" by The Head and the Heart.

Worked out = Mental attitude adjusted. I'm a mental case when I skip a day. Exercise is my drug.

Pulled out 10 gray hairs this morning-- could have kept going.

LA is weird, all I see driving on this road are porn shops, catfish and grit stands, and cracklins and boudin balls . . . what are Boudin balls anyway?????

Do the Mc Donalds in LA have catfish burgers?

Addition to my new favorite music list: "That Year" by Brandie Carlile

Just passed a live tiger exhibit and a swamp shop. . .?

 . . . And that's what I think of that billboard

My Roxy Speakers died! Backup . . . 

Penske just died on a 2 lane highway in the middle of no where. No phone service. This is the straw that broke the camels back.

Officially the most horrible, unlucky day ever! 3 hours stranded on a 2 lane highway in the middle of LA. Waiting for a tow truck to get here and tow us 100 mi to Mobile, Alabama where they are re-loading all our shiz into another truck. I despise you Penske.

Had to pee in the swampy mosquito infested woods off the side of the road in LA. Squatting while being swarmed by mosquitoes is one of the most horrific experiences I have had thus far . . .think I zipped the blood suckers up in my pants. . . got out quickly, jumped over the swampy marsh . . . landed right in the muck . . . wearing flip flops.

Finally got the truck back-- said they fixed it. Hmmm we will see.

Leaving Mobile, AL . . .seems a little run down . . . like the Antabellum homes though.

Glad I have an aggressive side.

Tired. Mad. Annoyed. Irritated-- this is going to be one fun day!

I wonder what the catfish consumption in the south is like on a daily basis?

This is what you look like when you get super tired: lips start enlarging without you even knowing it.

Welcome to FL. I hate this humidity already! Yuck! What a long 2 years this will be.

Northern Florida-- no thanks!

An hour and a half to Jacksonville . . . purple flowers adorn the sides of the highway—gorgeous!

It just started sprinkling. Man this place is green.

It’s 8 and it’s still light. Welcome summer!

Fields of Christmas trees!

Super cool rainclouds at sunset coming in over rolling green cow pastures!

My little man is asleep... "Down In The Valley" is on repeat. It’s dumping! I love the smell of rain!

Last sight before the sun goes down: white farmland fences adorning the lush green landscape . . . goodnight Florida. Goodnight new home.

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Biting your nails is a sick habit and it just came creeping back into my life.

Toll roads: what a rip off!

Courtyard at the Marriot—this is what rich people feel like—a step up from the La Quinta luxury we’ve been used to.

People are so tall in Orlando.

Finally a healthy meal: seafood wrap with crab and mahi mahi. Hawaiian sunset smoothie, chips, and hummus.

Beckahm making the funniest faces. He is so flippin funny. What a personality he has!

Lady at the wrap shop lovin on Becks. He is swooned over by the ladies. Every where we go people awe and ooooh over him and his one of a kind hairdo.

Just passed Gatorland. . . ????

It is time to hit the gym and do a juice detox! I feel like I'm 5 months prego—this foods gotta start moving out of one location: my belly!

Lightning ahead!

Reached Boynton Beach . . . UH OH major blow out . . . worst yet.  Can’t take back things you say.  Lesson learned: take a few breaths, then start again.

Staying at the Courtyard Marriot for three days.  Hotels are starting to feel like home.

Found our Greek restaurant: Chris’ Taverna.  Excellent service and AMAZING gyro meat, hummus, pita bread and lemon potatoes! Salivating all over again.

Playing ball with Beck’s in hotel hallway.  Man that kid can giggle like no other. 

 

  

Breakfast at Del Ray Beach.  First time Beck’s saw the ocean—a little afraid of the waves at first but he was lovin it after some time, taking it all in.

Rains . . .stops . . . rains . . . stops. 

Drove by “our future apartment” . . . hmmmm . . . it will work.

Beach town = great culture, shops, and food. This place is gorgeous—looks/feels like So Cal. Thinkin this will be a great home for 2 years! 

Swim in hotel pool with Beck’s . . . bath water!

Boynton Beach drive: enormous homes right on the lake across the coast with their personal docks and boats--it is so gorgeous here. HMMM maybe I could permanently live here.  One minute driving by the ocean, next minute driving through a tunnel of trees . . . feel like I am in a jungle. 

The AC bill is going to be high this year!