Santa Fe

Sunday, February 17 - Monday, February 18

As we drove farther north in NM, things seemed less barren but still pretty sparse.  I noticed the land was less flat and there seemed to be more vegetation, though we hit darkness before seeing a whole lot of change.  We still seemed to be on the only road around for the most part.  We reached Santa Fe late (maybe arond 9, 9:30? I can't quite remember), and though we were tired, we decided to trek to a place called Cowgirl's BBQ for dinner.  It was a neat little restaurant/bar with live music à la Neil Young and Bob Dylan, where I thoroughly enjoyed a delicious steak fajita platter.  

A Little Difficult to Tell, but this is Cowgirl's BBQ

Yum! My Delicious Steak Fajita Platter

The city seemed to be very quiet with many places closed on a Sunday night. The next morning we walked into town to peruse the shops we'd heard good things about, but nothing seemed to open until 10:00! We were trying to depart for our next destination around noon to avoid driving at night, so we walked into town before most places were open. We killed time walking around and visiting a few places open early. In one jewelry store we met a salesperson from Mount Laurel in New Jersey! It's such a small world.

It was easy to see why so many people like Santa Fe. It's filled with adorable boutiques and vintage shops, plus it has a bustling art scene that includes beautiful jewelry and turquoise as far as the eye can see! It felt like a hipster's paradise to me (in a good way haha, non-hipsters invited too!). I found an excellent pair of high-waisted levi bellbottoms in a thrift (read: high-end vintage) store that I was sad to discover were way too small for me :( But no worries--I ended up finding a great bag that I got and put to use as a new camera bag!

Shop in Santa Fe

A Fabulous Vintage Find

We ended our shopping spree in order to get an early lunch so we could be on the road before we burned too much daylight. We decided to go to a place near the railyard named Tomasita's, which opened just before we arrived. It's a reasonably-priced mexican restaurant with warnings about how hot the chiles are, and it has great ratings online. It's a great thing we decided to go early--by the time we had finished lunch there was a HUGE line waiting to get in! It seems to be a fortunate theme that we 'stumble upon' gems as we travel! Side note: the food wasn't even very spicy! It was good but I was honestly a little disappointed to miss out on the heat. My cousin wondered whether they could tell we were tourists and dialed it down.

Mural in Santa Fe

Artsy Walk Signs in Santa Fe

Between the Caverns and Santa Fe

Sunday, February 17

(note: I have made it safely to my destination at this point, for anyone that may be confused.  I clearly fell behind on posts--I will continue to post until I cover what I've missed, so the posts will cover what I did in chronological order even though I've already arrived!  Thanks for reading!)


Though completely different from the marvel that lies underground in the Carlsbad Caverns, the view from atop the mountain is quite impressive.  We stopped at a pull-off spot on the way back to town to enjoy the landscape.  One thing that stuck me was that we were so high up looking and many different levels of land expanded in front of us, yet just outside the national park everything was flat for miles and miles and miles.

These pictures really can't even translate how awesome and impressive the landscape is.

After leaving the Caverns and getting some much-needed lunch, we ditched Carlsbad, NM for Santa Fe!  This time we got to drive through New Mexico in the daytime.  At night, it had felt somewhat creepy driving though the empty, flat land in the dark.  During the day it wasn't so much creepy as surprising.  We still seemed to be on the only road around for most of the drive, with nothing to very little around.  We would see signs pointing to towns that seemed to consist of about four buildings.  Another thing we noticed was tons of trash that perhaps blew across the desert until it finally hit a fence.  We even saw a huge pile of trash labeled as a "dump site", which was bizarre--but not as bizarre as the city of Roswell!  If you don't know anything about Roswell, NM and its famed UFO incident, you can read a bit about it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roswell_UFO_incident .  Roswell was more built-up than most of what we were driving through, but it wasn't any big city I'm used to.  We passed by their famed UFO museum but that was far from being the only UFO reference visible on a quick drive through.  There were statues of aliens everywhere--at gas stations, hotels, parking lots, etc.  Roswell was a strange combination of tourist attractions (I use that term somewhat loosely, mainly thinking of the UFO museum and hotels), aliens, military, and hipsters.  We were somewhat surprised to stumble upon a hipster population at a Starbucks we stopped in, though after thinking a bit it seemed to make sense.

One of These Things is Not Like the Others...
Apparently Just Your Typical Shop in Roswell

Alien on the Side of the Road

Blurry Picture, but Sign Outside a Hotel
(Reads "I Feel at Home!")

Carlsbad Caverns

Saturday, February 16 - Sunday, February 17

We made it to New Mexico after our mouth-watering BBQ and scenic drive through West Texas.  By the time we crossed the border it was dark, and we were on what appeared to be the ONLY road around--a one-lane highway that stretched for miles and miles.  It was almost eerie driving through the flat expanse of southern New Mexico at night, because it just looked like blackness surrounding us.

As we drove, we noticed many cars in the opposite direction flashing their high-beams at us.  It became so frequent that we stopped to make sure we didn't have a headlight out.  We affirmed that nothing appeared wrong with the car, but we still had flashers as we drove.  Has this ever happened to anyone? It still baffles us why they could've been flashing us.  I don't have those insanely bright or bluish headlights or anything.

Anyway, after driving through the vast black nothingness that is southern New Mexico at night, we finally reached our destination of Carlsbad, NM, and ate dinner at a Chili's literally right in front of our hotel.  The next morning we woke up, checked out, and drove to Carlsbad Caverns National Park--the thing that brought us to Carlsbad in the first place.  The Carlsbad Caverns are these HUGE caves in the Guadalupe mountains or the Chihuahuan Desert in NM.  The Caverns are filled with cave formations (ie stalactites, stalagmites) that create a beautiful scene.  I can hardly work out a description for these natural works of art--the best description I can muster is to compare it to an underground, natural cathedral (if that makes any sense).  Perhaps a sampling of the pictures I got would do a better job at describing the caverns:

The first to enter into the mountain and discover the beauty of the caverns indoors was a man named Jim White, at age 16, sometime in the late 1800s.  I can't imagine wandering into this underground world without a path to walk on or lights illuminating the way!  The spectacular view of the caverns today is thanks in part to a theatrical lighting technician who worked on Broadway that came in to light the caverns.  Turns out that cave studies are freaking awesome!!  I learned in the caverns that studying (bacteria in) caves helps scientists get a better understanding for what life may be on Mars, and also that certain bacteria (or maybe enzymes? can't quite remember) in caves may help scientists discover a cure for cancer, because it decomposes certain cells while preserving others.  But besides the obvious advances possible through studying caves, I learned that cave explorers are basically a group of total bad-asses.  We heard one story of how and explorer sent rope up to a dome hundreds of feet above them with a helium balloon, draped it over a stalactite, and proceeded to climb up and explore the unknown area of the dome after only a few tugs on the rope to "be sure of" it's security.  Also, a group of explorers planned a six-month journey to map out the cave, during which they descended a simple rope-ladder designed by Jim White (below)

Can you imagine planning to spend six months in a cave?!  I wonder what it's like to see sunlight for the first time after six months underground...

Don't Mess With Texas

Wednesday, February 13 - Saturday, February 16

Howdy!  Since the last post we've made our way to the Lone Star State.  After our wonderful day in Memphis we drove through Arkansas into Texas and stopped in Dallas.  Now I won't lie and say there seemed like much to see in Arkansas, but I never knew it could look so pretty:

(unedited, on the road in Arkansas)

We got into Dallas pretty late, and the next morning we invested our time in the Sixth Floor Museum, which is about JFK's assassination (it's on the sixth floor of the Texas School Book Depository building, where it was concluded that Lee Harvey Oswald shot JFK from).  With your admission they give each visitor and audio tour device, to which you listen as you make your way through the museum full of photos, videos, and artifacts.  The audio tour is extremely well-done.  I enjoy museums, though many times I feel like I pass through and look at a bunch of things without absorbing much information--this audio tour provides a lot of information presented in a memorable way.  The narrator of the tour is a man who was a reporter present that day at Dealey Plaza, and they have several other speakers such as citizens watching the parade that day.  The museum was put together so well it brought tears to my eyes.  I found this museum particularly interesting because I've had a special interest in JFK since and extensive project I did on the former president in seventh grade.  Though I knew most of the information presented at the museum, it only added to my affinity for the topic.  Unfortunately, photography is prohibited on the sixth floor, but after your tour you can go up to the seventh floor where you can take pictures from the window right above Oswald's perch.  Also, for those interested in the controversy of this history, the museum covers the disputes many have about it, touching on conspiracy theories (though they don't talk very much about the mafia) and explaining why people remain skeptical without glaringly favoring an explanation, or at the very least not shooting any theories down.  The audio tour even includes clips of some skeptics explaining their reasoning.

Where JFK was Shot, Taken From Seventh Floor, Right Above Oswald's Perch

After this sobering yet enjoyable experience, we began our next leg of the trip towards San Antonio.  My cousin has relatives there (other side of her family) who generously welcomed us into their home.  The night we arrived they treated us to a wonderful TexMex dinner at Rita's on the Riverwalk.  The San Antonio Riverwalk is absolutely beuatiful! It's lined with restaurants, shops, hotels, etc. and has a fun, bustling atmosphere.  We sufficiently stuffed ourselved with queso, tacos, and enchiladas before heading back to the house to retire for the night.  

The next day after visiting with my cousin's grandmother (who was always sweet to me as if she were my grandmother too), we all had another delectable TexMex meal at the Alamo Cafe (yum!).

Then we headed to a real Texas rodeo.  At the rodeo we saw bucking broncos, roping, bull riding, etc.  

Roping

One of my favorite parts was Mutton Busting, where they put little kids on the back of sheep to hold on like riding a bucking bronco.  It was adorable :)  Following the rodeo was a One Republic concert.  I never really actively listened to them, and I thought I had heard maybe one of their songs but I actually recognized a lot of the songs they played.  They put on a great show with a bunch of fun covers.  My favorite part was when they performed a mash-up up Seven Nation Army by the White Stripes and Sexy Back by Justin Timberlake.

The next morning after saying our goodbyes and thanking everyone for being so wonderful to us, we hit the road again, and before we left texas we knew we had to find some authentic Texas BBQ.  As it Turns out, West Texas is VERY undeveloped (pretty, but not many restaurants along the highway).  We finally saw a sign for a place called Lum's BBQ in Junction, TX.  We were a little wary at first of this gas-station eatery, but we definitely made the right decision in stopping there!  The food was PHENOMENAL.  I thoroughly enjoyed the best pulled-pork sandwich I ever had, while my cousin lovingly feasted on her brisket sandwich.

This Picture Doesn't do Justice to how Pretty our Drive Was

The Most Awesome Day So Far

Wednesday, February 13

When we set out on this trip, I had no idea how much I would enjoy Memphis.  Our only plans were to see Graceland, and though I was quite excited to see the King's palace, I didn't know all that was in store for us.  While driving the other day I happened to spot a colorful brochure at a rest stop for a soul music museum that said "The Louvre is great, but you can't dance to Da Vinci", and we added the Stax Museum to our Memphis plans without much of a second though.

This morning we followed the directions to the museum, and it turns out it's in a very run-down area.  At first we actually debated whether we should go in and leave our car full of stuff, but boy am I glad we decided to go in.  The Stax Museum is the coolest museum I've ever been to!  It's a museum of American soul music at what was the site of the Stax record label (that signed musicians like Booker T. & the M.G.'s and Otis Retting--ever heard of them?).  I knew this place was something special from the moment I stepped inside, welcomed by funky decor and excellent music.  And you know you're in an awesome museum when museum staff tells you "Enjoy, and don't dance too hard."

The museum chronicles the history of soul music (of course touching upon gospel, blues, jazz, and country) through an incredible collection of memorabilia and nicely displayed information--and yes, there is incredible music playing throughout the museum.  The items on display include apparel and instruments that belonged to many notable musicians, such as Ike and Tina Turner's snazzy digs and the organ used to record Green Onions.  I never took much note of how incredible the fashionable expression of soul musicians was--this museum had some very eccentric and elaborate ensembles. They even had Isaac Hayes's super-swanky blue and gold Cadillac.

Another feature of the museum was its impressive gift shop--they had practically everything, including potholders with the selling point that "if it's too hot to handle, it must be from Stax".  What's really terrific about the Stax museum is that it's connected with Soulsville Charter School, which gives students an excellent opportunity to learn and prepare for college while supporting a new generation of the soul music community.  The museum profits go towards the school--so by purchasing a ticket and some (totally rad) souvenirs, you're not only treating yourself, but you're financially supporting a wonderful cause.

If you're ever in Memphis, GO to the Stax Museum.  It was my favorite part of the trip so far, and I'm SO glad I stumbled upon the brochure at a rest stop along the road.  

While Stax was amazing, we of course still had to make our pilgrimage to Graceland!  So we headed from the soul museum to Elvis's home (only about 15 minutes apart).  Not only did Elvis have a big home (that he purchased at age 22!!), but the decorations were staggering.  The living room was decorated with stained glass peacocks, and the pool room was entirely covered in funky fabric.  It was awe-inspiring to see the unbelievable amount of awards Elvis won displayed all together.  And I never before knew how charitable he was--today I gained a whole new level of respect for Mr. Presley.  I also was unaware that Elvis is actually buried at Graceland.  There were tons of flowers placed at the gravesite as well as notes from fans.  It's hard to believe how profoundly influential one man can be--in his time as well as today.  People come from all over the world to pay their respects to Elvis at his resting place.

This trip has included a lot of music, and I am absolutely loving it.  Today was my favorite day of our journey so far, and I can't say enough what a wonderful time I had in Memphis.  The Stax Museum and Graceland are the perfect formula for an incredible day!

The Stax Museum of American Sould Music

Ike and Tina Turner's Sweet Digs 

The Organs Used to Record "Green Onions" by Booker T. and the M.G.'s 

Records Displayed in the Stax Museum 

Isaac Hayes's Pimpin' Ride 

Graceland! 

In the Words of the King...

I Guess it's not a Road-Trip Without Car Trouble...

Monday, February 11 - Tuesday, February 12

This trip has certainly been an adventure!  Yesterday we woke up and set out on our way to Nashville, excited for the music scene and Opryland.  For lunch we ate food we had in the car, and by 3:00 we were both dying for a coffee break.  In case you didn't know, there are hardly ANY Starbucks of Dunkin Donuts as you drive through Tennessee... We were on the hunt for probably an hour before we spotted a sign for Dunkin Donuts.  After we grabbed our caffeine, aka life-source, we noticed a squeaking noise coming from the rear of the car.  It seemed to be coming from the rear wheels.  And so we ran into car trouble :(  Fortunately, we made it to Nashville and there was a dealership nearby.  It was closed by the time we arrived, so we spent the night in watching movies and eating pizza.  This morning we woke up early (a struggle for both of us--how do people function so early in the morning?!) and took the car to the dealership service center around 7:30, 8:00.  After a tour in the service shop (and some dealership coffee made in a machine that was somewhat baffling) the mechanic showed us that my passenger-side trailing arm was smashed in, and though they couldn't guarantee that was causing the squeak, it definitely needed repair.  The dealership had a shuttle service that took us to the mall while we waited about 2 hours (which worked out because I somehow managed to forget ALL my bathing suits and needed to buy a new one).  The whole ordeal was frustrating in itself, but a big extra annoying because the Platinum Care Package I purchased when I bought my car didn't cover the repair, even though suspension problems were listed in the brochure.  The mechanic said we must've hit something to cause  the damage--but we never hit anything!  What's really strange was that the car was fine for about 600 miles on this trip before the squeaking started, and it didn't start until AFTER we stopped the car and restarted it after our Dunkin Donuts detour.  Has anyone ever had a similar problem--with the part or a care package?  It makes me wonder why I bothered to buy a protection plan if it only covered mechanical errors--if a part is defective shouldn't they take care of it anyway?!  But, I'm glad we took it to the dealership because it turned out they had to take care of a recall (which, ironically, ended up being for the same part--but a different issue).  Anyway, all in all we were pretty fortunate--thank goodness it was only a part repair and not something that left us stranded on the side of the road.  And actually, we only ended up missing about a half a day--we had the car back by noon!  We spent less time than we hoped to in Nashville, but we still got to go see Gaylord Opryland!

We drove from the dealership to Opryland, which was pretty awesome!  Of course the Grand Ole Opry isn't open on Tuesday, but we had lunch and spent some time in the hotel/resort.  It's unlike anything I've ever seen!  It reminded me a bit of Disney World because of the whole recreated-town feel, mixed with an airport (there was even a shoe-shine station).  There were buildings, and even a river, inside the building!  And gardens--plants were growing everywhere!  We got lunch at Stax which is a build-your-own-burger joint.  It was delicious--I didn't quite expect to enjoy it so much since I don't really like burgers (I got chicken with pepperjack cheese and guacamole).  We also did a bit of souvenir shopping and enjoyed the architecture.

After we enjoyed our time in Nashville, we continued on to Memphis, grateful to have a non-squeaky car.  I'm so grateful to be able to look BACK on our car troubles as and adventure and no longer be stuck in the middle of a problem.  Here's to adventure and safe, working vehicles!

Gaylord Opryland

 Cowboy Boots at the "Cowboys and Angels" Shop at Gaylord Opryland

The Grand Ole Opry

Day One

Sunday, February 10

Today consisted mostly of driving.  We ended up leaving later than anticipated after I took careful time to make sure everything was in order (one of the perks of having a flexible schedule!  Luckily my cousin had a very go-with-the flow attitude :) ).  It was perfect driving weather--bright and sunny!  It only started to rain about a half hour before we reached our stopping point.  The drive went pretty smoothly--just a small bit of traffic due to an accident nearing DC.  Since we didn't stop and visit anywhere, the most interesting thing we saw today were some humorous signs. When we stopped for gas & dinner we spotted a struggling Burger King Sign that said "Try our Cheesy Tots", and our hotel proudly displayed "WE HAVE THE BEST KEPT SECRET...", conveniently located across from the awesome Carpetland USA! (oh boy!)  Happy to finally make it to a hotel with comfy beds, we relaxed and watched what was left of the Grammys.

The Morning Before Departure

Sunday, February 10

Today I woke up earlier than I have in a long time.  Though groggy as usual in the morning, I got up (after only hitting snooze once! yay motivation!) and began the day that marks the first leg of my trip across the country.  I was born and raised in New Jersey, and though this is the place I call home, I'm making a change in my life and moving to California for an adventure.  To get there, I'm making a cross-country road trip in the car with my cousin, stopping at many places I've never been to along the way.  It feels somewhat surreal this morning (though that could be that my coffee hasn't kicked in yet).  It's cold yet sunny here at home and the snow has melted significantly from the storm that passed through recently.  I spent a lot of time working at loading the car last night--much more time than I anticipated! I had to take a few things out, but aside from the few things I'll try to squeeze in there before I take off, I managed to get it done! Though it won't be easy giving my "see-you-later" hugs this morning, I'm excited to take this next step in my life and see (some of) this (ginormous) country!