One Bold Crone

Red Rock & Fry Bread

Without a doubt, when we’re westward ho Day Six is the scenic showstopper on this seven day journey.

It started in Edgewood, New Mexico.

Comfort Inn parking lot gardens—so pretty.

Roughly six hours of road time, all on Interstate 40, took us through countless glorious vistas, finishing high in Flagstaff AZ.

But first things first.

Everything is different out here. The plants, the rocks, the critters.

Mysterious pink parking lot flower-pods. Tuberosa?

We set off around 9:15 AM, and the next thing we knew, we were on a movie set!

Mountain pass outside of Grants, NM, where “gusty winds may exist”.

Because I am retiring my snowbird wings and this may be my very last drive through this part of the country, I made time for a scenic stop at Red Rock Park in Gallup, NM.

Trusty “Busty”, my indomitable little 2021 Forester, in shady repose at Red Rock Park.

It so happened there was a rodeo going on at the park, and the temperature was pushing 90, so we didn’t stay long. I did see a lot of handsome young Cowboys and Cowgirls walking around, and stalls full of fabulous horses, though, which was fun.

Being there was very peaceful and calming.

Church Rock, a natural stupa (as noted by Zack). I would’ve liked to do the short hike up to the rock, but it was too hot to leave Clyde in the car, so I took this fuzzy photo from afar.

The park is only about a five minute detour off the highway. Totally worth it if you ever pass this way.

Feeling refreshed from the natural beauty, we continued on through New Mexico and into Arizona.

The wind was really starting to pick up by then, too, adding an element of challenge.

A little after noon it was time for lunch and another stop, this time at Chee’s Navajo Trading Post and traditional snacks shack.

At Chee’s, I ordered some Navajo fry bread (Plain, $5) for the first time ever.

OMG. It did not disappoint. 😋👍🏼

The wind was really picking up by now, so I had to eat my Fry Bread in the car. Warm and crispy… So good!

If you’ve ever had fried dough at the fair, Navajo Fry Bread is a similar sensation—but much fresher and tastier, made in a deeply seasoned cast-iron pan instead of a questionable deep fryer, and far superior in my opinion. Yum!

After that delightful gustatory experience, we got back on the road and, I must admit, were pushed around quite a bit during the final 130 miles of Day Six.

Near the end, there was so much windblown dust in the air I could barely make out Mount Humphrey—Flagstaff’s signature peak, and the highest in the state—on the approach.

Nonetheless we arrived safely. Spent the night in a cozy bed. And are ready to be home soon on Day Seven.

Yippee!

See you in California!

🌿🦉🌵💛OBC

Over the Hill

In 2022, the year of the first One Bold Crone excursion across the USA and before I found my traveling cadence, if you will, I went over the hill on Day Four.

Since then I’ve learned a thing or two about solo senior road trip taking, and going OTH got moved to Day Five.

By going over the hill, I mean quite literally driving over a hill which crosses a distinct invisible line, on the other side of which there can be no question that you are now one hundred percent and most definitively “out West”.

Going over the hill amazed me in 2022, as documented here, and I am pleased to report the experience has been just as awe inspiring and thrilling henceforth, including yesterday when I got to have it for the FIFTH time!

Some things never get old.

Others do.

As you can see, there were more gorgeous skies to ogle today, and no rain until much later in the evening when a thunderstorm swept through Edgewood, NM.

The road really opens out in New Mexico.

RV park outside Cline’s Corner travel plaza.

It’s a beautiful world. Carpe diem, my friends.

🌿🦉🌵💛OBC

Cadence

Day Five begins in Clinton, Oklahoma, near Twin Oaks.

Across the street from the La Quinta Inn and Suites where we stay in Clinton, OK is a cute new development called Twin Oaks.

Twin Oaks is so new they’ve only built two homes so far, with maybe a dozen more lots available. If you’re interested you can call the property agent whose name is displayed prominently on a sign at the entrance: Cadence Richeson.

I never heard of anyone called Cadence before and when I saw their sign yesterday, I thought it was a cool name.

I thought the same when I walked Timi over to Twin Oaks this morning, and saw the sign again. Just then, a big white truck rumbled by on the I-40 overpass behind us, and when I turned to look, you’ll never guess what word was written in giant blue letters on the side:

CADENCE

Timi thought that was a funny coincidence.

Synchronicities always get my attention. So I figure I’m supposed to contemplate the word cadence now.

Per Merriam-Webster, cadence means “a rhythmic sequence or flow of sounds in language”, which is how I generally tend to think of it. Kind of rhythm adjacent.

Cadence also means “a regular and repeated pattern of activity”. This definition certainly applies to what I am doing this week, between the driving and the blog, right?

But I think the intended message of this “cadence” Sign, if one believes in such things, is probably deeper.

Perhaps the message for me in seeing CADENCE—twice in a row like that—is about cultivating a more rhythmic, harmonious pace in my life, day to day.

Windmills for miles in the high plains of West Texas.

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately. Finding a regular steadiness and flow that feels nourishing to body, mind, and spirit. Remembering to make time for what’s important. And creating routines to ensure that the important things happen.

For example, meditating for 15 minutes every morning before looking at my phone. (Anyone with me here?)

Otherwise, the hours, the days—one’s entire life, even—can just slip away.

Wild grass, Gray County, TX—wind farm country.

May we all flow in harmony with our highest purpose, and the greatest good.

🌿🦉🌵

💛OBC

Thistle & Pie

I’m writing from Clinton, Oklahoma, where the caravan just arrived to a hot wind and 95° temps, after logging 6.5 hours of road time from Rolla, Missouri where we left at 7 AM in order to dodge a flood watch in Tulsa.

Hard to believe that just yesterday, the crone needed to bundle up in a cozy sweater in the 62° Richmond, Indiana morning …but it’s the honest truth!

Starting fresh in Richmond, IN on Day 3!

There are a couple things that set this particular voyage apart from all the previous eight (!) cross-country road trips the OBC crew has taken since 2022.

Number one: we have never made the journey in the summertime.

Number two: this trip marks the end of our snowbirding era, because… (drumroll, please) the house in Massachusetts has been sold.

In fact, the closing took place on day three of this journey (i.e, yesterday) literally minutes before we crossed into Illinois and entered a new time zone, somewhere around 1:00 PM EST.

Wide open closing view…so full of possibility!

Naturally, I stopped for pie at Blue Springs Cafe, a roadside attraction of apparently some renown, to celebrate. The lemon meringue was good; the cherry was perfection. 💛❤️

Timi and Clyde had a nice break at Blue Springs, too, where in lieu of pie they enjoyed the grass.

After picking up pie we continued on and eventually made it to Rolla for the night, after being poured on hard enough to cleanse the car of dust and bugs completely, readying it for new beginnings.

Due to the flood watch in Tulsa, we left Rolla this morning at 7 AM, a couple hours earlier than we would have otherwise.

Timi and Clyde in Rolla, MO—preparing for takeoff. Day 4.

Despite the flood watch warning, it was smooth sailing all the way— an outcome made possible by studying the weather apps at our disposal during this wonderful new age of modern travel, and “threading the needle”, as I call it.

The only delay was a spot of traffic coming into Tulsa.

We made two pitstops and drove on to Clinton, OK where our pet friendly La Quinta hotel is full of little boys and their families, all here for some type of kids baseball event. I can hear them having fun in the pool down the hall. How cute is that?

Clyde checks out the Stroud, Oklahoma truck stop scene and decides to stay in his crate. Good choice.

I have to agree: that Blue Hills Cafe rest stop will be hard to beat. 💛💙

On our cross country Odyssey from nearly coast to coast, Oklahoma marks the turning point from “back East” to “out West.” The crossing of the seam, in Rand McNally terms. Yay!

Tomorrow we head to beautiful New Mexico, land of enchantment…

See you there,

OBC 🌿🦉🌵

Sky Drama

Maybe because it rained all day yesterday—Day One of our journey—the skies of Day Two gave great cloud.

After receiving our cloud-kissed blessing from the school of good voyages in Olean (Saint Bonaventure U.), the OBC caravan headed West on I-86 through Seneca Nation and on towards Lake Eerie, crossing Chautauqua Lake and the tip of Pennsylvania before entering Ohio.

Once in Ohio, we proceeded to spend the rest of Day Two moving south through that great state. We passed by Cleveland and Columbus on n I-270, changed over to I-70 and headed towards Dayton, and finally, at the very end, crossed into Indiana—the state with my name in it.

Clear weather held out all day, making up for the low grade stress of yesterday’s rain drenched low visibility and hydroplane potential. Beautiful!

Highlight of today’s drive was a pit stop at Bell’s, near Mt. Gilead.

Tiny bell-like saucer blooms at Bell’s—these look big in the photo, but are only the size of a nickel or so!

More beautiful clouds at Bell’s to remind us: Keep Looking Up! This 7-day journey is a Marathon, not a Sprint (or a Mobil or a Shell, for that matter). And remember, as Julia was always telling me … B R E A T H E ✨

Speaking of drama, don’t forget these guys!

Landed safely around 4:00 in Richmond Indiana, home of the amazing Gulzar’s Indian Cuisine. They serve the most delicious, rich and creamy Saag Paneer you can imagine. Not to mention their decadent Samosa Chaat. Even Gulzar’s rice is amazing—each fragrant grain a unique and separate entity.

Feeling Grateful for an incredible meal at the end of a long but relatively easy Day Two on the road, and for the leftovers…to be savored in Rolla Missouri.

Stay tuned!

🌿🦉🌵💜💛

Threshold Day

One Bold Crone with Dog & Mountain Laurel

We leave tomorrow. One last highway Odyssey across the USA.

One last full day in the house and the village I’ve called Home for thirty years.

Thresholds like these don’t come around too often in life. When they do, they are worthy of marking.

I’ve been sleeping on a borrowed air mattress (thank you, Sarah Patton!) for the past two weeks since all my furniture vanished, thanks to an auspicious encounter with Aaron, a strong and friendly junk removal entrepreneur who collects mid-century modern furniture on the side. (Tagline: “I make things disappear”.)

Aaron will be back today to help me load the car in exchange for a lovely Danish teak table, literally the last stick of furniture left in the house.

Needless to say, and after a solid two weeks of sorting and culling and meaningful, emotional goodbyes, the OBC is having feelings.🦋🥺

In this, I am not alone.

Clyde in His Top Favorite Birdwatching Window

Timi and Clyde have been wonderful companions during the past couple of months since our bumpy arrival from the last trip, tolerantly overseeing all the profound changes in the house, and providing much needed nervous system co-regulation services.

They must sense we are leaving again very soon. They see the suitcases, and the boxes packed, but of course what happens next is out of their control, and it’s all very touching in a tender and poignant way.

They go with me no matter what.

Not everything can.

Still Life by Ruth Marjorie Kreger (née Gold), my paternal grandmother.

No matter what is left behind…tomorrow we three are leaving together.

One dog. One cat. One bold crone.

A new life awaits.

As gracefully as possible, may our grasp on the old be released….

🌿🦉🌵

P.S. If you enjoyed this post, please consider letting me know by leaving a like or comment. (If you read it inside your email, you may need to click through to the actual web page in order to do this.)

It means a lot to me to know you are there, especially when I am on the road, and the days are long and tiring—but no pressure! Only if it feels right & works for you.

Truly,

💛 OBC

Another Triumph!

So here we are—the gang is back in town. Seven days and six nights for the eighth time.

Shout out to my guides and angels for letting me know this was the right week to travel. Perfect weather every single day! I feel blessed and grateful. (And tired.)