Kelly's SC to CA Road Trip and Reflections

El Cajon, CA

Hampton Inn Breakfast Rules (Kelly’s version). 1. Don’t wear your pajamas. Look around. You are not at home. You are in a public place. 2. Please take phone calls in your room. 3. If you are in a heated discussion with your coworker about today’s preso, please take it outside. (“I’ve been up since 6:00 working on this!” “I’ve been up since 5:30!” And so on.) The rest of us just want to sip our tea in quiet and greet the day. Thank you.

The landscape of the United States is diverse and amazing. About 100 miles outside of San Diego are miles and miles of sand dunes, followed by a rocky section of I-8. I must study the geographical history of this area.

Running parallel to I-10 and I-8 are railroad tracks with numerous trains traveling in both directions. I’m curious about the graffiti I see on the trains – I’ve seen it before on the train that crosses (and frequently) stops on Spruill Avenue. Who is making this graffiti? When are they doing it? One blocky set of words looks like another. They can’t have possibly been done by the same artist, but how is it done?

John would have so enjoyed this road trip. He especially would have been interested in the heavy highway construction that is happening in every state along I-10. He would always critique road construction out of state – “This asphalt is uneven! This would never pass inspection in SC!” I miss that.

Thanks, Scott, for the wonderful itinerary you put together for me. And thanks for telling me about the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum outside Tucson. The drive into this mostly outdoor museum is full of saguaro cactus – they’re so tall, and some of them look like people with outstretched arms. My favorite part of this Museum is the reptile house. I was so hoping to see the gopher snake, but it remained hidden in its little habitat.

A very excited group of 2nd graders was visiting the Museum today, too. Teachers are so brave to take students this young on a field trip this time of year. The students were noisy, not in a bothersome way, and they each had a little book of questions to answer during their visit.

The guide at the Museum called me over to look at some large baby owls and their nearby parents. Turns out the guide’s wife is from Spartanburg, SC.

I arrived in El Cajon around 5:45pm. Kari and I have over 60 years of catching up to do, so stay tuned. Rick made a delicious rotisserie chicken, perfectly cooked.

Favorite book about a gopher snake: We Can’t All Be Rattlesnakes by Patrick Jennings (middle grade). Hilarious!