AMERICA - COAST TO COAST OCT 2007

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October 10th 2007

Published: April 28th 2008

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Janut

THE BRIDGE

This is what we had come to see

FOUR UNCHAINED PENSIONERS
JANET - FRED - CHRIS - ROY

Let me tell you a story. It all began with a desire to see the fabulous Golden Gate Bridge (amongst other things) before one dies.

“Shall we do The Triangle?” were the first words I can remember. The Triangle being San Francisco, Los Angeles and Las Vegas. The unanimous answer being, “Yes, before we get too old”.
We decided we could start off in San Francisco, drive down the Big Sur to Los Angeles and through Death Valley to Las Vegas before driving back to San Francisco. We thought maybe we could get cheap return flights to San Francisco.
A week went by and then Roy suggested we go to “The Villa” afterwards, in Orlando. We could then fly home from Orlando.

That is when the whole escapade exploded. Yes we fly to San Francisco, we wanted to see the Golden Gate Bridge, but where we went from there was anybody’s business. The route was planned. The journey was completed in fine style in 41 days, 24 beds and 5210 miles.

10th October 2007
The experience began at Birmingham Airport when we caught a

THE MAP

This is the map of our Trip.

National Express coach to Heathrow in time to catch our BA flight to San Francisco. On arriving in San Francisco, we picked our trustee steed - A Toyota Rav4. We packed our cases into one SUV and Chris mounted the back seat. She literally climbed in. Meanwhile Roy, Fred and I had spotted our little Rav4. We had to drag Chris out of “The Animal” for “Betsy” (the RAV4) was waiting. This was to be our means of transport across the United States of America on our journey of a lifetime.
We booked into our San Francisco Motel, after a horrendous trip from the Airport, up Van Ness Street to Lombard Street, in the dark, on the wrong side of the road. Scary! We found a quaint Italian Restaurant and had a drink or two with a very chatty waiter. An early Night was had by all. One of many to come!

11th October 2007
Our first day of the adventure. We found the local bus service No. 30 and took a trip down to Pier 39 for breakfast at Wet and Wild. It was turning out to be a hot day. We booked an afternoon city tour and

JANET AND FRED

Ready to board the Plane

walked up to Pier 33 to book a trip to Alcatraz.
The afternoon city trip started at Pier 39 and went to the Italian and Chinese quarter, along Market Street to Mission and then up Twin Peaks for fabulous views overlooking the City.
We then crossed the Golden Gate Bridge for more photos. We certainly enjoyed our chauffeured trip. In the evening, we went into the Hard Rock Café had a succulent steak and again, an early night.

12th October 2007
It rained. No, I mean it rained like I have never seen rain before. We took a cable car ride to Market Street and went inside a large department store to get out of the torrential downpour.
We then came back to Pier 33 to catch the ferry to Alcatraz. Alcatraz was very moving, especially whilst listening to the audio trip when walking around the cells.
It never stopped raining.
Everything was soaking wet even the camera bag and you could ring out our jeans. We had a Pizza on Lombard Street, hot bath and early night.

13th October 2007
We drove over the Golden Gate Bridge to Muir woods and enjoyed a very nice picturesque hike

CHRIS AND ROY

Ready to board the plane

through the giant red woods.
We drove back to Sausalito for the afternoon. This is a very pretty place just the other side of the Golden Gate Bridge on the sea shore.
In the evening we went on our No. 30 bus to the Chinese quarter which was an experience and then back to the Hilton by Pier 39 and into Denny’s for a steak. A very pleasant day!

14th October 2007
We were very sad to be leaving San Francisco. We drove up Lombard Street and parking at the top at a 90º angle. Chris and Janet had to climb out of the car because of the slope. We took some very good photos and actually drove down the crooked road.
A well known landmark in San Francisco.
After driving over the Bay and Oakland Bridge, we stopped at a very nice restaurant at Oakhurst. We spent the afternoon in a place called Columbia. It was a town from the Past. A Wild West Historic Town. We took plenty of photos as a reminder of this way out place.
We then did a scenic drive to Mariposa on Route 49. We thought this would be a nice gentle

SAN FRANCISCO

View whilst on City Tour

ride through a valley but it ended up as a mountain road with plenty of excitement and views.
After checking into the Best Western in Mariposa, we thought we would set Mariposa alight. Mariposa was closed. The only place open was a Pizza Hut that sold flagons on beer, cheap. The lads didn’t mind.

15th October 2007
Well, it took our breath away. Yosemite National Park was way above what we had expected. The photos tell all.
The only down side was that we never saw any bears, plenty of deer but no bears. We do not think we really wanted to see any. We cannot run that fast, even in our pensioner pumps. In the afternoon, we travelled to Mariposa Grove which contained some rather large sequor trees, one being the Giant Grizzly.
It was a pleasant time walking in to forest. On our way back to Mariposa we stopped at Oakdale for a steak, knowing that Mariposa would be closed. We did have a walk up the high street when we returned and found a Hideout Bar which had two or three people in and saved us having a really early night.

16th October 2007
We

SAN FRANCISCO BRIDGE

Too much information to remember are our age. Had to take the photo.

were on the road early and decided to do a straight drive to Monterey - It was flat roads with few hills, across mainly agricultural land. We stopped at Hollister, the Pigs Café, for a “to go” sandwich and had a pleasant conversation with the owner.
We arrived at Days Inn, Abrego Street, in Monterey at lunchtime and walked down to Fisherman’s Pier and through to the Aquarium via Cannery Row. It rained on the way back but only a shower. After a couple of hours rest, we walked back into town and went into the Britannia Pub - Chips and curry sauce, steak and mushroom pies. Brilliant! It was a Scottish lady who owned the Pub.

17th October 2007
We left Monterey early. We knew it was going to be a busy day.
We drove to Carmel along the beach road and then down the picturesque Big Sur.
This is a very scenic route and well worth the early alarm call. We then arrived at Hearst Castle.
Again, we are having trouble describing this place. You have to see it. We took plenty of pictures in case our memory cells have a senior moment. It was brilliant. We

SAN FRANCISCO - ALCRATRAZ

Money well spent on this trip. We spent the day on the island, looking round the prison. It rained all day but worth the effort.

then drove to San Simeon Acres where we booked into a Courtesy Inn. The evening was spent over Highway 1 in an Italian restaurant which was a part of the Best Western Hotel. After our meal and thinking we were having yet another early night, we came across a Karaoke evening in a local bar. Well, we had to have another one, didn’t we? By the way, not one of us got up and sang.

18th October 2007
Today we are driving to Goleta, Santa Barbara. We stopped at a RV park by the beach. We headed straight for the picnic area and got out our reliably “SUBS”. “Italian footlong with beef, a bag of chips and large drink”. The standard lunch which we shared between two. It was hot by the beach and clothes started to peel.
We then drove down the western flanks of the Sierra Madre mountains to Santa Barbara. It was not an impressive place, with a pier, a marina and a few local drunks. It was not at all what we had imagined. There were very few shops or restaurants. We had a wander around, watched a man catch a stingray and then drove

SAN FRANCISCO - MUIR WOODS

North of San Francisco - Muir woods is well worth the drive. Sequor trees for beginners

back to the motel in Goleta which was in a poor location by a McDonalds where we ate that evening. There was a Mexican restaurant where we went for a beer but this was sparsely decorated and not very comfortable. An early night was had by all.

19th October 2007
The Metropolis awaits. We are on our way to Los Angeles. We stopped at Malibu beach for a while to dip our feet in the Pacific Ocean.
The area was a wildlife sanctuary and there were plenty of birds and ducks who wanted our “SUBS”. The beach was a private one and the houses came down onto the beach.
We left Malibu and headed for Santa Monica. This was very lively and the pier was full of people. The beach was very wide and a lot was going on.
Later in the afternoon we drove to the hotel, Days Inn on West Manchester Boulevard. We got lost and a few expletives ended the conversation. It was by the airport, say no more.
Peggy was our lady on the desk. She was very helpful. We went to Denny’s, along West Manchester Boulevard for something to eat and had a beer

SAUSALITO

Just north of San Francisco. Lovely little town on the sea front.

in our rooms. We phoned and booked our Half Day City Tour for the 21st October and again had an early night.

20th October 2007
The excitement of the day was a trip to the local laundrette by Denny’s. We had our breakfast at Denny’s and commenced to get our moneys worth from the machines. In the afternoon we had a drive looking for Venice Beach. We had heard that it was very good and plenty of activity. We got as far as Hermosa Beach and decided to have a rest.
We never got any further and got lost on the way back. Los Angeles is very sprawling place. During the evening we had a Curry on West Manchester Boulevard.

21st October 2007
We had breakfast at Denny’s and waited to be picked up for our City Tour. This trip started by going to the trip office in Santa Monica. Santa Monica is a beautiful place and we would recommend anyone to go and see it. Plenty of life and colour. We transferred to our Mini coach and set off on our trip. We went to Venice Beach, which we never found the day before and where there

SAN FRANCISCO LOMBARD STREET

The incline on this street is something else. We parked at a 90 degree angle and could not get out of the car. We climbed out.

were Mime acts and Muscle Gyms.
You could hire bikes and skates. We then went to Hollywood actors and musicians homes. The Belle Air Hotel and Beverley Hills. We stopped to shop at the Niké shop on Rodeo Drive and saw the Hotel Beverley Wilshire.
Remember “Pretty Woman”, this was the hotel where they stayed. We then went to Hollywood Boulevard and Sunset Strip followed by the Chinese Theatre. There were plenty of stars on the pavement and we saw a Guitar Shop where all the musicians buy their instruments.
Travelling up to the Hollywood Sign, we had views of Los Angeles from the mountains.
It was a long journey back to the hotel because there had been some forest fires in the Malibu area and there was a lot of traffic. We were very tired and went for a local Mexican evening meal.

22nd October 2007
We had an early start, driving up to Canada Flintridge and into the San Gabriel Mountains at the back of Los Angeles.
It was absolutely beautiful. We drove for 25 miles into the mountains only to find that the road was closed. There had been a landslip and the road had disappeared.

SAN FRANCISCO CROOKED ROAD

You must ride down this street. Stop and have a look first.

We did not have to come back too far and take a detour. We stopped at Newcomb Ranch for a pot of tea and directions.
We then drove over the Mojave Desert to Vagabond Inn at Ridgecrest. We had meal in the evening at the Texas Ranch Steakhouse. It was a lovely meal with Baked Potatoes. While there, a lady came to talk to us because she recognised the Birmingham accent. She was originally from Solihull but was now living in Kent. She worked in Germany and drove home at weekends. Her husband worked in Kent. The Hotel location was great but the motel was full of road workers who had to have an early start due to the heat. We heard them leaving at 6.00 a.m. the next morning. Why not have an early start? We had a long days drive to Las Vegas.

23rd October 2007
We started early from Ridgecrest and entered Death Valley. The views were out of this world. While we were admiring the view, the couple we had met the night before pulled up behind us. It was a coincidence but lovely to see them.
We all admired the views and took plenty

COLUMBIA - CALIFORNIA

We spent the morning here on our way to Mariposa and Yosemite. It is an historic town and people dress accordingly.

of photographs. When we actually entered Death Valley the road was rough. It was the lowest point in the USA, dry and hot. After a drink and “SUBS” we cross Spring Mountains into Las Vegas.
We pulled up in the car park of New York, New York ready to party. It was full of gambling machines, noise and restaurants. The rooms were expensive but worth it. We changed and went to the Nine Fine Irishmen - Irish bar for something to eat. The lads had Sausage and Mash and the girls had a Caesar Salad.

24th October 2007
Still in Vegas, we walked to MGM to get tickets for “MAMA MIA” and walked to the Mandalay Bay Hotel to book our seats. The Mandalay Bay Hotel was beautiful, with a sandy beach, pool and shark reef aquarium. A very nice hotel.
On our way back up the Strip we went into Excalibur and the Sherwood Café.
It was very nice and the prices were reasonable. We had Meatballs and salad. We had a walk along the strip for a while and came back to change for the show. We travelled on the Skyrail to the Mandalay Bay, saw the

A49 TO MARIPOSA

What a drive - beautiful

show and came back to New York, New York for a Pizza. Not much winnings were achieved on the Roulette.

25th October 2007
We had our breakfast in the Sherwood Café, Excalibur. Cereals and toast. Lovely.
Today we were going to ride the Strip. We got on the bus called “The Deuce” and rode to the Stratosphere.
We travelled upstairs in order to see the activities of the Strip and Las Vegas by day. The stratosphere was very high and the scenery from the viewing platform was tremendous. Again, plenty of photo opportunities.
We then got the bus to Circus Circus and watched a couple of acts. A bus ride later and we arrived at the Venetian. This is a beautiful Hotel.
It has a street scene inside the hotel and you would think you were outside. There is also a Gondola ride, inside and outside the hotel. You can image that you are actually in Venice. In the evening we caught the bus to Fremont Street and the nightly laser shows. This was very impressive with so many lights and music shows.
We arrived back in New York in time for a Pizza and bed with sore feet.

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK

This place is awesome. A place to be seen in your lifetime.

26th October 2007
Again we had our breakfast in the Sherwood Café, Excalibur, which must be a recommendation. We walked over the road and waited for the free shuttle service to the Hard Rock Café.
Wherever we are in the world we always have to go the Hard Rock Café. Each one is so individual. A Tee Shirt is a must. We came back onto the Strip and went back to the hotel to wait for our limousine trip to the airport to catch our Helicopter for the flight over the Grand Canyon. A Black limo arrived and escorted us to the Helicopter pad.
We enjoyed a long flight to the Grand Canyon and back, flying over the strip at sunset. During the evening we went for a steak in the American Restaurant in New York, New York. There were maps on the ceiling to cover all of America.
We did not win any money on the machines or the Roulette.

27th October 2007
We vacated our rooms and drove to the Hoover Dam. After parking the car we walked back over the dam and purchased a ticket to go down into the bowels of the dam.
A

MARIPOSA SEQUOR TREES

One tree was huge - Giant Grizzly.

very enjoyable experience. We were now entering Arizona. We drove up to Tusayan and the south rim via Route 66. We stopped at Seligman, the Rusty Bolt Café and took a few photographs.
It was very interesting and contained many items from the biking era. We arrived at the Best Western Hotel in Tusayan and it was lovely. We had a brilliant meal in the hotels French restaurant.

28th October 2007
We had a beautiful breakfast and was about to enjoy a highlight in our tour. We drove up to the South Rim.
The road was 25 miles of pure euphoria with several viewing points. Arriving at the first viewing point, we decided to travel to the end of the road and stop at all the points on our way back. The most eastern point was called the Desert View and there was an old Indian watchtower.
Plenty of photos and memorabilia. We climbed the tower and visited the shops. The tower had Indian painting on the walls. We drove slowly back to Grand Canyon village stopping at the viewing points on the way. Grand Canyon town had trains and shops to visit. I believe the train runs to

ROAD TO MONTEREY

Long straight drive through agricultural land.

Williams on the main I40 Highway. We reluctantly drove back to the hotel and went out to a Pizza restaurant on the main road in Tusayan. The hotel had a bowling alley and to finish the evening we had a game, before which, we had to purchase some socks to wear in our hire shoes.

29th October 2007
Today we drove to Bluff - this was a highlight in our tour which we had been really looking forward to. We stopped at Kayenta where the superstore was full of red Indians and then onto Monument Valley. Breathtaking, is all the words you need to describe Monument Valley. Miles and Miles of Buttes, flat desert and straight, and we mean straight, roads. Wonderful.
We then drove onto Mexican Hat and the Goosenecks.
Another Photo opportunity. We then arrived at Bluff, the Desert Rose Inn. A picturesque setting indeed. A wooden building and very nice and clean.
We had an evening meal in Twin Peaks Café and checked the local Indian shop out.

30th October 2007
After a Breakfast in the Twin Peaks Café and another Tee shirt purchase, we began our drive to Durango. We made a small diversion

MONTEREY

Well worth a visit with its aquarium and sea life.

to Four Corners. A point on the map where Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah meet.
We had a dance around the point which is a commercialised spot.
We then drove onto Mesa Verde National Park which we thought was a valley but ended up being a mountain. After driving 15 miles into the park we came across Spruce Tree House which are cave dwellings belonging to old age Indians.
Our pictures tell all. Finally for today, we drove to Durango and the Best Western by the station. We were planning to have a trip on the Durango/Silverton Railway but they had stopped running on the 27th October 2007 for the season. We were so disappointed.
The hotel had a swimming pool and hot tub which we enjoyed and also every evening we had vouchers for free cocktails. Our first evening meal was in The Ore House which was very good and worth a recommendation.
We had a drink in the Diamond Belle Saloon in the Strater Hotel.

31st October 2007
Instead of riding on the train, we decided to walk around the town and down the river. This was very enjoyable and restful after all the driving that

BIG SUR

A 17 mile drive and well worth it. The views are spectacular

we had been doing.
There were Jeep Rides and White Water Rafting available for the younger set but we enjoyed a swim in the pool and rest in the hot tub. During the evening we had another night in the Strater Hotel with the cowboys and singing. The Montana Kid entertained us. The Hotel is something from the past and would recommend anyone to stay there.

1st November 2007
Today we were driving the Million Dollar Highway to Montrose via Silverton and Ouray.
This is a road up in the mountains, that goes to Silverton where we saw our first snow and had a snowball raid.
Silverton is a cowboy town with no traffic and it was very quiet. One could image a shoot out at the OK Coral. We used the Brown Bear Café which was full of Halloween items. We left Silverton and drove onto Ouray. Another cowboy town with snow covered mountains all around.
We then left the mountains and drove onto Montrose which is a flat farming community and stopped at the Black Canyon Motel. We had a splendid diner in the Red Barn Restaurant which consisted of Beef and Liver and Onions with a

HEARST CASTLE

Put this on your list of places to see. It was brilliant

drink in the bar.

2nd November 2007
Today we are driving to Salida, where we are booked into a Days Inn. We travelled via the Black Canyon at Gunnison which was unquestionably beautiful.
We drove the rim of the Canyon and down to the Dam on a 5 mile steep road. During our Drive of today we passed over Monarch Pass which is 11312 feet high.
Salida was flat country and after settling in to our motel, we went to County Bounty Restaurant. The young waiter kept saying “I’ll be back”.

3rd November 2007
After a breakfast in the wooden entrance to the Days Inn we drove to Canon City and picked up train tickets to ride the Royal Gorge Railway. While we waited for the train, we went for a walk. The town was empty not much traffic and no people. It was a very nice town with many old buildings. After a cup of tea in an old fashioned, rock and roll “Diner”, we went to the station to start our train ride.
The ride was 12 miles and went through the gorge and under the Royal Gorge Suspension Bridge which was 1053 feet high. The

HEARST CASTLE

Front elevation. Looks like a church. Is it trying to tell you something?

return journey gave many different views. We then drove to the suspension bridge and went on the aerial tramway to the other side and walked back over the bridge.
It was wooden slats and you could see through to the gorge base. We did not drive over the bridge because the south gate was closed to through traffic. We then had a scenic drive back - 50 miles. In the evening we had steaks in The County Bounty Restaurant. There was a model bear in the car park of the Days Inn and we saw a herd of deer at the side of the hotel.

4th November 2007
We had planned that today we would go over Independence Pass but had been informed by traffic control in Colorado that it would be closed at this time of year so we changed our route and today we are driving to Georgetown via Leadville which is the highest town in Colorado. After leaving Salida and taking the road north we came to Twin Lakes and found that Independence Pass was open but decided that it was too far round to drive in one day and we were booked into a Hotel

SANTA BARBARA

We were dissappointed in Santa Barbara and would not have stopped if we had known.

in Georgetown. Leadville was closed. The whole town seemed deserted. There was a very old saloon which looked interesting.
The next part of our journey took us to Valle via a mountain road and it was a lovely drive with superb views of mountains and snow.
Valle is a ski chalet town with ski runs as a backdrop. We had a “SUB” sandwich overlooking the runs. The next part of our day was via a major road and Eisenhower Tunnel to Historic Georgetown.
We settled into our rooms and went for a walk around the old shops and had an evening meal at the Ram Inn. This is an old wooden western Bar.

5th November 2007
Today we are driving to Idaho Springs to have a look around. We were supposed to be driving to Mount Evans but we were all a little tired and there was a lot of snow. Idaho Springs is a typical cowboy and mining town.
We went into Jiggies café which was full of old car number plates. There was an old train of which we took some photos and a Pensioners Hostel which we had to sit outside, where we belonged.
There was

SANTA BARBARA PIER

Many caught a Sting Ray off the pier.

a laundrette we used and also the internet. Later, we went up to the Ram Inn in Georgetown for something to eat and decided to try the Buffalo Burgers. We should not have bothered. We were the last people in the Restaurant and this was at 8 o’clock. We thought it was time for an early night.

6th November 2007
Today we had planned to drive up to Grand Lake and what a good decision. It was a very scenic ride and Grand Lake was beautiful.
It was very quiet with a main wide street that should have been full of cowboys. We drove 10 miles into Rocky Mountain National Park and then the road was closed. This road is the highest in Colorado and always closes for the winter season. We had a walk in the forest on a Bear Hunt and visited the Visitor Centre to watch a DVD on the area.
We drove back to Georgetown and went to a local bar with a buffalo’s head on the wall and then to a café for a small Pizza. Georgetown was closed.

7th November 2007
We left Georgetown and made out way into the Rocky mountain

MALIBU

Picturesque place with lots of wildlife by the beaches. Private beaches with houses backing on to them.

National park via Central City. We got lost in Central city but finally found our way out. The views were excellent as we drove through the park. We drove up to Bear Lake and it was freezing.
There was such an icy cold wind. We then drove back to Glacier Gorge and walked to Alberta falls which was frozen over.
We did not see any bears so we got back in the car and drove towards Estes Park where we stopped in a little café on the side of the road and watched the ducks. We then drove through Estes Park which looked lovely and we wished we had time to stop but we had to get to Englewood, Denver before nightfall. The drive was horrendous. There was so much traffic as we went through Boulder and Golden. We finally arrived at the Great Western in Englewood, just outside of Denver. It was a lovely hotel and a good night sleep was had by all after a meal in the Red Robin Restaurant, which is a chain of eateries like MacDonald’s.

8th November 2007
After a superb breakfast we drove to Englewood Station where we caught a train to

MALIBU WILDLIFE

Wildlife along the beaches

Union Street Station and a shuttle bus to Denver’s the16th Street Mall. This street is about 1 mile long and full of shops heading down to the Civic Centre.
A very cosmopolitan City and very clean. We got on a bus in the bus station to Cherry Creek Mall for a shopping expedition and had a drink in Delaney’s Bar after. We went back to Hotel and had another early night after a trip to Red Robin Restaurant.

9th November 2007
Today we are heading for Manitou Springs. We drove the I25 and passed Colorado City to Severn Falls. These falls were up a rather pleasant valley and were very picturesque.
We had to go in an elevator to the first viewing point and then up a ladder walkway to the very top. Scary.
We had a hot dog in the small café at the bottom of the falls. We then drove to the Manitou Cog Railway to Pikes Peak and booked our trip for the next day. These trips get booked up very quickly. Manitou Springs was a splendid town and we had a quick walk around the shops and a meal in the Stagecoach Inn. A very

SANTA MONICA PIER

Avery lively place with plenty to do and see. We much preferred it here than in Los Angeles.

nice healthy salad!

10th November 2007
Today we are on our trip up Pikes Peak.
A 14100 foot high mountain on the outskirts of Manitou Springs. After a long journey we reached the top and it was very cold.
The views from the top were fantastic and not to be missed.
On returning to the station we drove down to the town and had a look in all the shops. We ate a hot dog and went back to Super 8 for a rest and change before heading back into town to the Stagecoach for a steak.

11th November 2007
Still in Manitou Springs we went on a tour of the neighbourhood. We visited a Ghost Town museum but it was closed. We drove into Old Colorado City and had a coffee in a busy little corner café.
We had a lovely walk round The Garden of the Gods and watched some climbers trying to scale a large rocky wall. We proceeded to The Stagecoach for Tea and another early night.

12th November 2007
Today is the longest stretch of our planned drive. We are driving 622 miles to Oklahoma City. It was a long journey but

SANTA MONICA BEACH

A very wide beach with lots of volley ball etc.

the Hotel and location at the end was marvellous.
The Comfort Inn in Oklahoma was just off the I40 on a service road and over the road to a Bennigan’s Restaurant. The whole evening was lovely.

13th November 2007
The second part of a long stretch. 470 miles to Memphis.
Again a long journey but the hotel at the end was something else. We past through some wonderful countryside and arrived at a Comfort Inn on the Riverside and from our top floor gorgeous bedroom we had a view of the river and the city.
We took a walk down Beale Street after alighting from one of the main Trolley buses that are in the City. They are something from the past and all made from wood. Beale Street comes to life at night. There are many Blues Bars and one singer in particular sounded just like Johnny Cash.

14th November 2007
Still in Memphis we took a free bus shuttle to Sun Studio where Elvis first started his recordings. We had a guided tour by a young lady who was very informative. The recording studio was in the basement. It was a small shop front next to

LOS ANGELES.

We did a city tour and thank god we did. It was so busy that the driving was horrendous.

a café and not what we expected.
We looked at Beale Street in Daylight and went to TGI Fridays for a lip-smacking
Rack of Ribs.

15th November 2007
We took a free bus to Gracelands, home of Elvis.
It was special and well worth the money. We had a tour of the house which we thought was not that big and saw all his cars and aeroplanes.
Many more photos and DVD footage! There were many articles of clothing on display and also his gold and platinum disc collections. The memorial garden was very moving. After our free shuttle ride back, we did some shopping at Peabody Place in the town centre.

16th November 2007
We had a delightful drive to Nashville and stopped in the Holiday Inn on Broad Street. Again a very good location.
We were opposite the old Railway station and the Flying Saucer Pub. We went down the Street in the evening and saw all the Rock and Roll Bars. They were packed and have live entertainment in most. There was one group called Second City which were very good. We went upstairs in another pub and had Fish and Chips. We had a

LOS ANGELES HERMOSA BECH

It was very quiet and you could hire bikes to ride the cycle/walkways.

late night after a session in “The Stage”.

17th November 2007
A day in Nashville City Centre, down Broad Street to the River and the Hard Rock Cafe and ending up in the Flying Saucer for lunch.
During the evening we went to the Grand Ole Oprey and saw Loretta Lynn.
The whole programme was being filmed for live television. We were on camera all over the USA. (Maybe). Afterwards, we went upstairs and had some food in a noisy bar on Broad Street.

18th November 2007
Today we are driving as far as we can, heading south towards Orlando. We ended up in Thomasville, Georgia after driving through Birmingham, Alabama which looked a very nice place with a lot of parklands. Alabama was very wooded with lots o deciduous trees ready for the fall. Reds, Yellows and autumn greens. Beautiful!
We spent 10 minutes crossing the road outside our Comfort Inn, trying to get to Ruby Tuesdays for an evening meal. When we got there, they had the usual menu but no beer. Their licence had not come through so we ended up drinking water.

19th November 2007
With an early start we drove along a

LOS ANGELES VENICE BEACH

Very Very Busy. Lots of gyms and muscle building going on. Cycle and Skate hire available.

very beautiful road, the US10 on Orlando’s north panhandle. The scenery was awesome, through logging country with autumnal colouring.
We arrived on the coast in St Augustine at 1.30 p.m. and had a dip in the Atlantic. We had driven 5130 miles - Coast to Coast and slept in 24 beds. St Augustine was beautiful. It was a pity we did not have more time. After a lunch in one of the seaside cafes we headed south. We were heading on the last part of our trip to Orlando to have a long earned rest after getting up early on most days.

We arrived in Orlando in the evening and the final figure for a whole trip was 5210 miles.

We had a few nights eating out and in Downtown Disney. More shopping and more spending before catching the big bird home.

When handing the car back at Orlando Airport after 53 days including a week in Florida, it had 5614 miles on the clock.

Additional photos below

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