It Is Done

Well, we made it! 40 states, 5 Canadian provinces and over 20,000 miles. We pulled into San Diego at around 6:30 pm on October 31, right on schedule. Are we glad to be home? You bet. Do we wish we could just keep on going? Well in some ways but we are tired and anxious to move into the next phase of our lives. Can you imagine it? We traveled for so long through so many states and had not one ticket, not even a warning. We hit nothing nor did anything hit us, the rig is intact without a scratch. We encountered no dangerous weather and, if my memory serves me, had less than 5 rainy days that hampered our plans. I am completely convinced we are so blessed.

Get Your Kicks on Route 66 – For those whose goal isn’t just to reach a destination but rather to enjoy the journey itself, U.S. Route 66 may be the solution. From its official beginnings on November 11 1926 it has been explored by families, vagabonds, dreamers and vacationers like us. You can still “get your kicks on route 66”. Many of the cities through Oklahoma, New Mexico and Arizona have kept their downtowns vibrant with a diverse selection of restaurants and shops. I always think of that old TV show, Route 66, and the fun those guys driving a new corvette had every week on route 66. As a kid I promised myself I would do that some day. Well, no corvette but we did explore Route 66 and had at least a few kicks.

One last park, Mesa Verde National Park – Out last tourist outing was to Mesa Verde National park. We also took in the four corners monument nearby (so we could be in 4 states at the same time). About 1400 years ago, long before Europeans explored North America, a group of people living in the four corners region chose Mesa Verde for their home. For more than 700 years they lived and flourished here, eventually building elaborate stone communities in the sheltered alcoves of canyon walls. The cliff dwellings range in size from one room houses to the huge 5 story Cliff House with more than 150 rooms. Walking in among these ruins is awe inspiring. It brings a new respect and understanding of the American Indians and their history.

And The Winner is - Drum roll please. The winner of the international quest for best barbeque style is……Santa Maria Style. Ok, so that is the style I personally use but believe me there was no bribing of the judges. For those of you unaware, Santa Maria style barbeque features a special cut from the top of the sirloin called tri-tip. This cut is thick with fat and marbling which makes it particularly succulent. It is then slow cooked with smoke (either red oak for the purest or hickory can be used). Prior to smoking, the meat is dry rubbed with special seasonings. So why Santa Maria style? Well it incorporates the best of all of the styles we tried. We fell in love with the Memphis dry rubbed ribs and have always been fans of Texas brisket. But Santa Maria style is unique in that it uses a high quality cut of meat rather than inexpensive cuts which are the norm. As far as sauces, it’s a personal choice. Kansas City has great sweet sauce, tomato base. Memphis has wonderful hot vinegar based sauce. Maybe not to everyone’s liking but I loved it. And Carolina has great vinegar based sauce similar to Memphis but sweet. So put the sauce of your choice on the side and enjoy a Santa Maria style barbeque. You won’t be disappointed!

Road Revelation #24 – Just DO IT. Having a dream is great. Dreaming that dream can be enjoyable as well but doing it is best. So if you have a dream like we did, just do it!