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| AAA Member since 1993 |
First stop was my friend Matt's place in Tuscon. Great hospitality. Golf at The Gallery, pickle ball, fancy resorts, and good landscaping. Matt is my first friend to live in an Active Adult Community. Kind of throws you when you know someone doing that. Oh well. Probably good health care in the neighborhood.
Another treat was San Xavier del Bac Mission outside of Tuscon. I always marvel at what dirt poor people can do with these places. Very rustic but beautiful.
Outside there's an open air market of sorts. Nothing more than some old tree limbs type of shelter. Here you can buy "Navajo Bread". It's the real deal. Goes in the oil like a tortilla and comes out like elephant ears. Usually with chili on top, or powered sugar as seen here.
South to Tubec Golf Resort was next. A couple of scenes from Tin Cup were filmed there. Here's Robin taking the second shot for the green on par a 5. The spot where caddie Costner took bet and put it on with Don Johnson's clubs. You might also remember the front gate where Don Johnson's ball traveled past following the bar bet for longest shot.
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| Tin Cup Hole. 240 yards |
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| Tubec Golf Club Entrance |
Robin noticed some cows romping around on the course at dusk the first night and sure enough they kind of have the run of the place. A local rule for the hazards. Lift, lick and place.
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| Sharing the tee box |
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| Pie |
This is a great spot with beautiful cassita type hotel rooms. I saw a couple sitting outside of theirs last year while golfing there with Matt. All I wanted to do was to get back and do the same. Without Matt. Robin called Tubac a destination wedding type place and I'd agree. Only 10 miles from Mexico if you need anything.
Our next stop was Nogales Mexico for what the seniors here call "the booze and drugs run". We parked on the border and walked across. You don't even know you've passed any government agency on the way over. You sure do on the way back. Stopped for a great lunch at La Roca, recommended by my pal Jerry who works on the US side in the produce industry. Seemed safe but the next day someone told me they murdered the sheriff in the town square last year. I waltzed back into the US with contraband in hand and no questions but Robin got quizzed on what she was doing in Mexico. Has the look I guess.
They got a plenty big wall there. I don't know what all the fuss is about.
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| Crossing into Mexico |
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| The Wall |
Then on to Bisbee AZ. Old mining town also very near the border. Kind of an artist colony. Kind of a hangout for stoners I suspect too. Stayed at a very nice historic hotel called The Copper Queen. Phelps Dodge had a mine there for 100 years until the 70's. Some hole. The town is also famous for its baseball stadium. Warner Park was built by the mine for its workers. Left field wall is 500 ft. Firstly famous because arguably the oldest baseball park in the US but also for the Pinkertons hired by the mine and rounded up a couple thousand striking miners and held them there before shipping them out of town, never to return.
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| Copper Queen Hotel |
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| Winding main drag following up the valley |
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| Phelps Dodge Mine |
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| Warner Park |
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| Robin reminded me of the odd dancing we saw at bar the night before. |
Now the drive east to Florida starts and it was a long one. You might want to take a break here.
We must have driven past 100 historical roadside markers on this trip. Over the past few year I've started pulling over often, but not on this journey for some reason. But on a lonely two lane state highway in AZ for no reason I did. This marker notes the spot (Skeleton Canyon) where Geronimo surrenders on Sept 6, 1886. Forever ending Indian warfare in the US. Kind of cool to think about it.
They do have plenty of Border Patrol around here but not anywhere near the border. Here's a checkpoint on I-10. I passed the quiz. "American Citizen?"
We spent the first night in downtown El Paso. I don't think I took any pictures. Not a bad place. Had a great Tex Mex steak dinner at Corralito Steak House. Imagine the marinated steak strips you would get in a fajita, but here served as a whole steak. It was great. Border town and downtown and I-10 run right along it. Literally you can reach out and touch Mexico.
Now traveling across Texas, the long way, takes forever. We stopped in west Texas town of Fort Stockton. Oil and cattle. K-Bob's is the spot for beef. Chicken fried steak again. Yummy.
My dining habits on this trip have had their consequences.
We planned to spend two nights in San Antonio as its such a great town with its Riverwalk and all. You have to go if never been. Night clubs, great food and played golf at The Quarry. (in a quarry) Of course there's The Alamo too. Walking downtown on Palm Sunday evening we see two priests in garb outside the cathedral blessing folks. There inside are the remains of Travis, Crockett and Bowie, or at least somebody claim its them. We watched John Wayne in the 1960 version of The Alamo when we got home just to get the history right.
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| Riverwalk |
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| The Alamo |
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| Travis, Crockett and Bowie |
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| Great Bar #1 |
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| Great Bar #2 |
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| You have to wonder why... |
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| The Quarry |
We never really wanted to put too many miles on each day as in no hurry and didn't want to get to the New Orleans wedding too soon. Houston seemed like a good next stop. Didn't know its the third largest city in the US. With traffic jams that can't be beat. Wouldn't you know that after checking into the ICON Hotel downtown, I learn the Brewers are in town playing the Astros. Just 6 blocks away. Robin gave me a pass for the night.
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| Minute Maid Park |
One thing we'll always remember about The Icon in Houston. The bedbugs on the towels in the morning.
From there we killed a night in some unheard of Louisiana refinery town at a Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino. It actually was very nice. Nice golf course too and we played a round before heading to New Orleans. My nephew Brian Lysaught was having a destination wedding in New Orleans and I don't think he expected everyone to go. They did. I've been to NOLA since Catrina but I was shocked how much bigger Bourbon Street was. I think its double in size since the hurricane. The kids were both there along with Danny's girlfriend Claire. Very nice time. Epic wedding with a jazz band leading the party in a parade.
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| Wedding Reception. Yikes!! |
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| Antoine's. Fancy NOLA spot.. I got Al Hurt's autograph on a menu someplace from when I was a kid there. |
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| After Easter mass with Claire at oldest cathedral in US. Cathedral of Saint Louis, King of France. |
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| Fairgrounds Racetrack one afternoon with brother in law Bill |
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| Rehearsal dinner site. Invented the Po Boy sandwich here for "Those Poor Boys" (Black street car drivers on strike.) |
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| Riding the Street Cars |
A few of the families that had travel from the west decided to make a week of it in Destin FL after the NOLA stop so we joined them. It was nice to relive the 20 or so years in a row we went there for spring break. Great memories. Robin celebrated her 61st birthday there that week too.
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| They have great beaches in Destin |
Dropped Laura at the Fort Walton Beach airport one morning and stopped at the Armament Museum of the Air force next to Elgin AFB. Remember the first Gulf War and the Mother of All Bombs?
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| SAC pic for Bobby |
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| MOAB |
Also had to hit a local Elks Lodge and say hello to my benevolent and protective order folks. The Fort Walton Beach Lodge was one of the nicer ones, at least from a location standpoint. I was the first ever visitor from the Milwaukee Lodge and got to put a pin on the map.
Robin's pals from Regis COLLEGE planned a book club type thing I guess in Naples so the south FL part of the trip that got cancelled when Destin popped up, got back on the calender and we headed south. Fortunately everyone after Easter was heading north. Worst traffic I've even seen.
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| Interstate north of Tampa |
Spent a night in downtown St. Petersburg which I learned to appreciate when Danny interned for a summer with The Rays. Got to visit Dad's brother Jim, probably for the last time. It was nice. St Pete is like South Beach at half the price. My favorite bar is The Emerald. Classy place. For the only time in my life, I was actually thinking of buying the dive that night. Here too, Robin gave me an evening pass.
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| The Emerald |
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| Fancy Soap Dispenser |
Then on with a throbbing headache to drop Robin in Naples for four days... and I got lost until she was done. Wasn't bad. Friend Colin put me up for a few nights and even flew me to Key West for lunch.
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| Me and the Bonanza |
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| Key West |
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| Colin the Flying Farmer |
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| Lunch. Had Sloppy Joe's of course |
Spent some time in Long Boat Key with neighbor Michael. So nice we decided to spend this December there before we go to AZ again. Star Fish Co was great. Outdoor restaurant and fish store in one. Nothing fancy. Cash only. A must see.
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| Michael in Long Boat Key |
Drove back down to Naples to get Robin and back to Michael's place for a night as we had tickets for Antique Roadshow in Sarasota. It was at the Ringling Mansion and Museum. I told Robin there were a lot of old people there. She reminded me of our senior status too. We didn't get on TV but it was neat to see all the appraisers you've seen on the show.
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| Sunrise in line for Roadshow |
Then off to north FL to stay with Tanners in Amelia Island. We did stop for lunch in Saint Augustine on the way. Oldest city in the US. Nice historic district if you like ice cream and fudge. Turns out the American Legion was on the list of good places to eat. Right on water. Very nice.
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| Ferry to Amelia Island |
Did play a round of golf while on Amelia Island. Largest gator I've ever seen on the first hole. Maybe 150 lbs. Sign said she had just hatched some young ones. Didn't get very close.
Unfortunately my friend Paul passed away from complication of stomach surgery when we were in Destin so I took a 24 hr (became 48 hr with the winter storm two weeks ago) trip home to pay my respects. He as a great guy. Got me involved in so many things that I can't remember them all. Rotary, Zoo Society and on and on. Such a sad thing. He will be missed. The four of us had lunch in Scottsdale shortly before he went home for the operation. Very happy we had that time together.
One of the eulogizers said "Paul was a guy's guy." I think every male at Chenequa CC was in attendance. Nice tribute.
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| Paul Cadorin |
We had no firm plans on how to get back to Milwaukee after the Tanners stay, other than it was time to get home. Colin had mentioned how nice Savannah GA was. Not having ever been there we took that route. Not too far out of the way. Savannah and San Antonio were the best stops of the trip. Stayed at a historic hotel. Planters Inn. Great town with live oaks with spanish moss squares every 4 blocks. Great restaurants in the Ole Pink House next to hotel and great bar below in Planters Tavern.
Baseball team is Savannah Bananas.
Thanks to Colin for the suggestion.
Even met favorite son Johnny Mercer. (Moon River etc)
They're crazy about the Irish here. (Robert) Emmet Park on the riverfront. Big Big Big St Patrick's Day too.
Vic's on the River was a great meal. In dining room they found a map of Sherman's March to the Sea under the wallpaper about 100 years ago. The building was his officers quarters at the time.
They don't seem to remember the Civil War for the most part though and seems they forgot about the salve trade in town too. Too messy for the tourist coming up from Disney and still humming "It's a Small World". This building held a few hundred newly arrived slaves until their auction. I don't think I could have a nice evening in The Chart House.
The local graveyard has many family crypts where the deceased would be put on shelves only in linen. When a new family member needed to move in, they opened the crypt, gathered up the bones of the oldest tenant and threw them in a stone box. Kind of keeping the family together. The arch on the ground is the doorway top. Long since buried.
Next stop is Chattanooga TN. I was there some years back and it seemed a little dumpy. Locals told me they committed to the "fastest internet in the world" and the town is rocking. We stayed at The Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel. In a car!! I died and went to heaven. Robin is a saint. I felt like Jim West sitting in my parlor car. Great steak dinner at Main Street Meats. Restaurant / butcher shop. There isn't really a train by that name. It's was just a name for a particular route.
Baseball team is The Noogas.
Lookout Mountain has a commanding view of the city although I don't think Sherman's view included all the wires and an on rap.
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| Lookout Mountain |
Our last night of the trip was spent in Louisville at the historic Seelbach Hotel. For all the times I've been in Louisville, I'm shocked I missed this one. Beautiful. Basement Rathskeller something to see.
And then we arrived back in Milwaukee on April 21st. The car was a champ.
So now we stay put and look for the next trip. It's been fun to jot this all down and relive it all. It clearly was the best time of my life.
Tim
I LOVED reading this. "What a gas" as you would say Tim!
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