October 2023 – One Bold Crone

Day 7/7 – Journey’s End: Flagstaff, AZ to Rancho Mirage, CA

The bold crone is very tired after her long journey. Tired… and happy to be home, safe and sound.

It’s difficult to describe the feeling of joy that welled up in me as I crossed the Colorado River and entered the state of California after seven days on the road.

Amazingly, two texts came in at that very moment, from two different west coast friends, Laurie and Lee Andra, who magically sensed my arrival. I felt so held by their connection, and again later by my sister, Katie, when she phoned just before I merged onto the last highway of the trip, I-10, to tackle the final stretch of driving.

As my exit approached, I switched from “A Tranquil World” to my random “Liked Songs” Spotify play list, and started whooping it up. The songs don’t really go together, but they all mean something to me. The Smashing Pumpkins classic “1979” came on, just as I was pulling off the highway, and some deeply sourced tears rose up to join the whoops. oh. my. god. I did it!! We made it!!

Heading West on Frank Sinatra Blvd, just minutes from home. Whoo-HOO!

It was fun to see Timi and Clyde express their relief and their happiness to realize we were home again. Here they are in one of their favorite familiar lookout spots—watching the action in and around the bougainvillea bush.

By the way it’s been very hot here this week, hitting 104° today. A big change from Massachusetts, where leaves are falling in the cold, with rain (again) predicted this weekend. The only things falling here in the California desert are sunlight and flower petals.

These soft yellow flowers are very fragrant. I wonder what they are called…

Oh! Before I forget, here is my Navajo pot. Isn’t it beautiful?

Etched Navajo pottery vase with horsehair detailing, signed M. Sam.

One last thing, dear Readers. I can’t tell you enough how much your presence on this odyssey has helped me to feel motivated and engaged during many long hours alone in the car, and a week of hotel nights. From the bottom of my crony heart, and until next time, thank YOU!

🙏🏼OBC🌿🦉🌵

Day 6/7 – Edgewood, NM to Flagstaff, AZ by way of Navajo Nation

Drove through some really beautiful country today. Dry earth and red clay for miles, giant mesas near and far. It all began just over the hill from Edgewood where we spent the night. Here are the kids and the luggage rack, all loaded up and ready to hit the road this morning. What a production. Oy!

Today’s journey started out at a nice clip, but we ran into some major road work (glad it wasn’t an accident) on the way out of New Mexico, which slowed traffic almost to a halt for a good half an hour. Interesting, to say the least. It’s not every day one gets stuck in bumper to bumper traffic in the middle of the desert, behind a trailer with a message.

This is the car charm I made the day before I left Montague, using beads from my collection, old and new. The Mother Mary medal—a long ago gift from my friend and neighbor, Terri Skarszynski—was blessed by Mother Teresa. As you can imagine, it is very special to me.

The drive today was peaceful and easy. I stopped twice: first for fuel in Grants, and again at a gas station/trading post in Navajo, the town. Two older native women with long gray hair were selling crafts at a booth beside the parking lot—silver necklaces, pottery, decorative arrows—so I wandered over. One of them rose to show me the various items, including the pretty beaded bracelets and earrings she makes, and we chatted a bit. I bought a lovely little vase made of white clay, painted in desert colors and glazed with a special horsehair technique. At first she thought it was made by Russell Sam, a potter on the res, but on the bottom, this piece was signed “M. Sam”—possible for Russell’s wife (Mary? Marilena? I later found there appear to be several Navajo artists named Sam making pots and jewelry for sale in galleries and online. Sounds like an extremely talented and creative family.)

Anyway, the woman at the booth said she uses one of Russell Sam’s horsehair pots for her toothbrush holder! As we were talking, it occurred to me she was not much older than I…but what different lives we have. It gave me a lot to think about after she wrapped the vase in several layers of protective plastic, our transaction was completed, and we parted ways. The warmth of this encounter stayed with me for many miles down the road. As for the vase, I’ll post a picture tomorrow when I unwrap it at home, so you can see how sweet it is.

Tonight we are staying in La Quinta Flagstaff, where there is an outdoor pool and hot tub (ahhh), along with very comfortable beds for everyone. So grateful to have made it this far safely, and for all my blessings. 🙏🏼💜🌿🦉🌵

Timi and Clyde making themselves comfortable. 💜

One Bold Crone feeling excited for the home stretch tomorrow!

Day 5/7 – Land of Enchantment

Today was an exciting day for the bold crone as we entered the Southwest. Oh yeah. 💃🏻🕺🏽 From the flat high plains of Oklahoma and Texas, the Prius went over a hill and boom! Suddenly the landscape changed to sagebrush and red earth. There was a distant butte on the horizon, and cheery Mexican music on the radio. “Olé!” I exclaimed.

Mind you, we first had to cross West Oklahoma and the Texas panhandle. From the La Quinta in Weatherford, OK, it was one hour to the Texas border, and another before I pulled into pit stop number one, a modest sized Love’s in Panhandle proper, heart of windmill country. (Weirdly, the windmills were not spinning this morning. I remember last year almost being hypnotized by their massive arms, waving at me like giants.)

As an aside, I’ve been quite impressed by the number of Indian truck stop restaurants advertised all through the Midwest and into Texas. I love Indian food! Maybe I’ll try Punjabi Dhabba on my way back.

Indian food and arrows galore across from Love’s in Panhandle, TX.

I can’t remember exactly how far it was from Panhandle to the New Mexico border, but our next stop, two and a quarter hours from Love’s, was at the magical Pajarito Rest Area. If you ever do this drive, please note that Pajarito is the second rest area on I-40 after you cross into New Mexico. There is an earlier rest area, very close to the border, which I have not visited.

I stopped here last year, too. Always a highlight. (Can I say “always” after only twice?) Scenic views, several different areas to walk around, and the restrooms are pretty clean.

The Comanche sound fierce on their horses. Where did they live before, I wonder, and why did they leave that place? 🤔

A nice shady spot for a good little car, under the cypress tree.

From this wonderful rest stop it was only an hour and a half to reach tonight’s destination: Edgewood, New Mexico. We stayed here last year, too, in the same Comfort Inn. Edgewood is a cute little town with an excellent grocery store called Smith’s, where I picked up dinner and replenished my supplies.

At sunset I looked for the new moon and its graceful curve. New moons signify renewal—fresh growth, and new beginnings. May all who pass this way be renewed and refreshed, in peace and joy. 🙏🏼OBC 🌿🦉🌵

New moon, Edgewood, NM. 10/16/23

Day 4/7 Buffeted Through Missouri & Oklahoma

Bidding farewell to the Blue Lake goose before leaving Rolla, MO.

Despite last night’s hopeful forecast, Day Four dawned in drizzle. So instead of enjoying a leisurely walk around the pond, we left early in anticipation of losing time from driving slowly.

The good news is we all slept well. This is largely thanks to Timi, who is barking at noises “outside the door” way less often than he did during our first two sojourns cross-country. Thank you, Timi Hendrix!

In other pet mews, Clyde is eating well and using the portable litter box like a pro, but he’s still not crazy about spending long days in the car. Can’t say I blame him.

Clyde hiding behind the chair in protest when it’s time to go. *Not again!*

Fortunately, it did not rain much, and the road was only wet for the first hour or so. But the sky remained foreboding, swirling with clouds in every shade of gray, from charcoal to pearl, all the way through Missouri and well into Oklahoma. It was distracting—too much goin’ on! Plus the wind picked up something fierce after Tulsa. It was a lot. But so beautiful, too…undulating hillsides giving way to acres of flat pastureland dotted with black cows grazing…lone farmhouses surrounded by shorn fields darkly lit by filtered sun.

That sun finally came out after about five hours, when I-44 split, and we took The Exit (it doesn’t have a number, it’s just “the exit”) onto I-40 West.

The clouds finally parting, as I take “the exit” onto I-40 W.
Note the Amazon truck up ahead. Been seeing a fair amount of those,
along with Walmart and FedEx trucks. (UPS not so much.)

From the on ramp it was only about an hour to Weatherford, OK where we stopped for the night. 460 miles covered today in 7.5 hours with two 30-minute breaks. It’s still pretty windy out, and I guess it always is up here in the high plains. That’s why they have so many windmills!

First of many hundreds of windmills in the high plains of Oklahoma and the Texas panhandle. Will see plenty more tomorrow, en route to New Mexico.

Our hotel La Quinta is pretty much located in Nowheresville. All the action in Weatherford is on the other side of the highway. This side is just us, a Conoco, and a big, showy car dealership. Not that I mind being far from the action. Resting in the comfy room with Timi and Clyde is action enough for this weary traveler. 💜🌿🦉🌵

Impressive entrance to car dealership!
Note La Quinta tower in the background.

If you have more than one valuable, you’re on your own.

Goodnight sun. Where is your sliver of moon? 🌞🌙

Day 3/7 – Scattered Showers through Indiana & Illinois, and into Missouri

Last night’s rain on the windshield,
outside the Best Western in Richmond, Indiana.

When I left Richmond, Indiana this morning at 9:30, it appeared the rain had come and gone in the night. But as we travelled along I-70 West, the sky filled with restless, moody clouds. After making it through the high stakes traffic surrounding Indianapolis, I pulled off at a rest stop to consult my On the Way app about the weather. It was a relief the forecast called only for clouds.

On the Way predicts clouds, all the way from
Indianapolis (on the right) to Rolla, MO.

After relieving himself at the rest stop,
Timi shares my relief the forecast looks good.

Unfortunately, the app was wrong. Not long after we departed this rest area, the wind picked up and a fine rain began to fall. It then gusted, rained, and misted, on and off, for the entire rest of the drive. A drive which, altogether, lasted 7 1/2 stressful hours today, door to door. 😬

Rain happens. The good news is, this should be the last of it. Sunshine and more sun from here on out. Yippee!

Meanwhile, the first time zone change of the trip took place today, when we crossed the Indiana border into Illinois. I found this great webpage to help me keep track. Tomorrow night we land in southwestern Oklahoma, so our next time change wont be until Monday. Until then, we are in Central Daylight Time.

In other good news, it was not raining in western Illinois during the St. Louis segment of today’s drive. St. Louis is probably the most difficult city to negotiate of this entire cross country voyage—difficult for this bold crone, anyway. Between the numerous, poorly marked lane changes and all the fast, confident cars and trucks, I always whoop it up with feeling, once St. Louis is in my rear view mirror. I’m sure it’s a lovely city, too. Just rough on a bypassing, out-of-state driver.

Sharing wet road with the Hideout. Funny because I used to work at a pizza place by the same name. That’s a story for another day.

Some of you may know that St. Louis is a city shared by two states, Illinois and Missouri. It’s also the point where I exited I-70 West (through a tortuous maze, not gonna lie) and began heading South on I-44 through the beautiful, rolling (almost roller coaster-like), tree-blanketed hills of northeastern Missouri. Noteworthily, I passed a sign for “Endangered Wolf Center” in Eureka. Maybe if dogs are allowed to visit, we can stop there on the way back? Looks interesting. I wonder how Timi would behave around wolves… (https://www.endangeredwolfcenter.org/)

Speaking of Timi, here he is with Clyde, settling right in at the Wyndham Baymont in Rolla. Can you see the pond through the window?

Some of you may recall we stayed here last spring, too. When we arrived today, Timi was so excited to walk around the pond again! We even bumped into a goose on its way down the hill, heading into the water. It’s clear Timi recognizes the place from our first visit, and it seems like Clyde might too. Although you can never quite tell with a cat. Cats like to play it cool. Especially a cool cat like Clyde. 🌿🦉🌵

Day 2/7 – Alegany, NY to Richmond, IN

Today was a big driving day because it takes four hours to cross Ohio. Starting with Cleveland, then down to Columbus and over past Dayton, there’s a ton of city traffic, with many miles of “grooved” pavement, and a generous soupçon of stress to go with it. That said, we did fine, and here we are in Indiana for the night.

But first we had to get started, and there was a lot of fog in upstate New York this morning, so we didn’t hit the road until about 9:15.

Waiting for the fog to lift in Olean/Alegany

The sun started to peek out shortly after we got going, and again I felt grateful for taking this new route through the Southern Tier of NY State, instead of going I-90 through Buffalo like last year. I hardly saw another vehicle, the road itself was in great shape, and the views were spectacular.

Due to heavy rain all summer, the fall foliage isn’t really going to pop this year, but the mostly muted colors are still very pretty.

I was impressed while driving through Seneca Nation territory that the road signs were bilingual, displaying both English and Native place names. I had not seen that elsewhere. Sounds like a new and welcome trend, one that has been a long time coming. (Sorry no photo, but here is a link to learn more: https://www.newyorkupstate.com/news/2016/10/bilingual_road_signs_growing_trend_on_state_roads_crossing_indian_land.html.)

Alas, I-86 eventually came to an end. As soon as we ran into I-90 there were a zillion trucks to contend with and traffic galore. But the first hour of todays journey was peaceful and serene, shared with just a few other drivers. I wish everyone in the world could experience such peace.

After leaving New York, we traversed the Pennsylvania panhandle on I-90 and crossed into Ohio. There we took our first break at the Ohio Welcome Center, which features an illustrated walking path. Something about the place gave me the sense that Eric Carle might hail from the Buckeye State.

Timi still isn’t feeling it. Maybe he’s just not into caterpillars. 🤷🏻‍♀️

My top highlight from the rest of the drive was this unusual opening in the clouds, spotted north of Columbus. Love that slice of blue in the mottled mass, like a window to clarity, with a feathery swoop inside. Angelic! 🌿🦉🌵

Day 1/7 – Western MA to SW New York State

Timi & Clyde sharing the best seat in the house.

Hello my friends! Writing to you from the beautiful, pastoral rolling hills of New York’s “Southern Tier” which borders Pennsylvania, having followed a different route than we took last year. This was my first time driving on I-88 and I-86. Gorgeous, and much easier than going through Buffalo on the 90… absolutely zero traffic, and the weather was perfect. I couldn’t have imagined a nicer day to commence this journey of first returning. 🙏🏼

Clyde coming to terms with the inevitable, as I load up the car this morning.

I was extra careful to keep Clyde in the house, under watchful eye, as I loaded up the car. After what happened last year I wasn’t taking any chances! (If you’re new here and you don’t know what happened last year, I invite you to scroll down to the first post from November 2022 and read all about it. I’ll give you a clue, though: Houdini.)

Two good boys ready to roll, if resignedly. 🤷🏻‍♀️💚💙

We left at 9 AM and drove for two hours, then pulled off in Duanesburg New York to stretch our legs. To be clear, Clyde doesn’t usually stretch his legs on the road, he stays in his crate. But Timi likes to walk around a little, sniff stuff, pee, and have a drink of water. As for me, I got a dark roast coffee at Dunkin Donuts (not shown). It was yummy!

Two hours from Duanesberg, we stopped again to fill up with gas at the Dandy Truck Stop in Nichols where a gallon of Regular goes for $3.75. (I know I’m going to miss those prices in California!)

After that, it was just a quick final two hour leg to arrive at our first destination, a Microtel Inn & Suites in Olean/Alegeny. My friend Sarah strongly encouraged me to try out one of these new boutique style, pet-friendly hotels by Wyndham and I love it! So clean, well appointed, and nicely situated: a few minutes drive from the highway, in a quiet area beside a little field. We all just might be getting a good, sound sleep tonight. Fingers crossed. Tomorrow is a big day, traversing Ohio and several of its major cities. Fortunately, the weather promises again to be sunny and clear. Hallelujah! 💜OBC🦉🌵

Tail up means a happy cat. ❤️ And…the journey is off to a great start!

The Second Going

The Open Road is Calling with Autumn Underway

In case you haven’t heard, One Bold Crone (yours truly) is preparing for another trip across the country. Indeed, the OBC caravan is leaving New England very soon. T-minus four days, to be exact. Yikes!

This will be our second time heading West in the Prius C, taking essentially the same route as last year. My plan is to drive approximately 400 miles a day, for a total of seven days on the road…with Timi and Clyde, of course! We’ll be staying at several of the same pet friendly hotels as before, and a couple new ones, including a Microtel in upstate New York on the first night. (I’ve never stayed in a Microtel before, but I hear they are fabulous.)

Departure date is Thursday, October 12. Please feel welcome to sign up for the RSS feed to be notified of new posts, or just follow along—and remember to *like* and comment below. I’m so excited to share the journey with you! 🙏🏼🦉🌵