Some of the good

Having a drink while enjoying that sunset. More of the good.

Not the movie, just the variety of things that occur while traveling this great country. And there wasn’t really anything ugly, I just like the title.

Great people everywhere. From the woman named Kelly who was eating at the bar and saved me from the very drunk homeless woman who wanted to sit with me to the woman named Barbara doing her laundry outside in the courtyard who knew all about altitude sickness. There were also my neighbors sitting out in front of our rooms at a lovely roadside motel in Yuma, AZ, drinking, smoking and just talking about the world. One couple included a private security guard at a Gentleman’s club and his girlfriend, a traveling exotic dancer home based in Phoenix. Stacy, the bartender at a local dive bar named Putney’s, where I went on Valentines Day was efficient, friendly & kept me company when she could. Then there were the newly dating couple who came into the same bar who chatted with me about life in general. She had just taken her boyfriend out to dinner for the first time and was quite giddy about it. And there was Don who was working in a cigar bar in Chandler. Probably one of the most down to earth people I had ever met. If I had been living in the area, I’m sure we would have become friends.

Coronado Motor Hotel in Yuma AZ

In front of my room at the Coronado

Now for some of the bad. I’ve already touched on the bad food in a previous post. My worst experience occurred while searching on Google for an old friend while waiting for my food to arrive in a small town in Texas. The first thing that came up in the results was her eulogy written by a good friend of hers. I was shocked and devastated for several days. Sometimes life is too short. Another bad event was my altitude sickness which started in Sedona and got much worse in Flagstaff. While trying to sleep, I kept abruptly waking up feeling like I was drowning and even considered going to an Urgent Care facility since I had no idea what was going on. I went down to the front desk and asked if anyone else had experienced such a thing before. She assured me that it happens all the time so I got a prescription from my doctor for altitude sickness sent to a nearby pharmacy. I also left for lower elevation the next day and have avoided staying overnight anywhere over 4000 feet.

On my way down to a lower elevation than Flagstaff

Another update about people. After leaving Flagstaff, one of my dearest old friends Margaret had been imploring me to visit her and husband in Henderson, NV. I did that & spent five days at their lovely home. They were gracious, accommodating and treated me like family. And catching up with Margaret after 15+ years was most rewarding and enjoyable. My words of wisdom are to not let go for too long the friends you truly love. You may find it is too late to catch up.

The view from on of the restaurants in my friend’s develpment

Their house in Nevada

Visiting my friends George and Suzie were also highlights of my trip. I saw them twice while they were dry camping, ie. No electrical, sewer or water hook ups. I spent two enjoyable afternoons and evenings and had Weber Q prepared dinners.

Suzie & George having dinner in their RV.

This is dry camping

More good food. One of the best burgers I ever had. Borrego Springs, CA

Another great meal in Kingman, AZ. Who knew?