Back I am, sorta + 2011 Road Trip notes/pics

[knightfan26917]

I can hardly believe it has been a month since my road trip ENDED.  It's been a rough few weeks since I got back home, which hasn't helped.  I finally had the CT Scan of my heart/chest Saturday, August 6, 2011, and, given some other things happening (mostly not-so-good; one maybe good), I may be scarce for a while.  I haven't even driven my MCs much this year ... MAYBE 100 miles so far on each of them.  I kinda doubt I'll get 1,000 miles on 'em this year for what would be the 3rd year in a row.

Anxiousness + uncertainty + waiting + powerlessness + helplessness + feeling lost + not feeling well + hating medical crap = NOT a good combo. BUT ... I'm still alive and such. HA! Life is, after all, TOO SHORT PEOPLES!

One current bright spot is my nephew.  He will be 3 in ~3 months ... and it has been fun watching him grow up.  And, yes, because of Uncle Cort, he knows cars VERY well...!  This was taken right before my road trip:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=32629252&l=17237f10b8&id=1300282613



NOW ... to my 2011 road trip notes and pictures (with captions)...!!!!


"SNAPSHOT" FACTS/FIGURES

...22 states visited = IN, OH, PA, IL, MO, KS, OK, TX, NM, CO, UT, NV, CA, OR, WA, ID, MT, WY, SD, ND, MN, WI

...# of days = 18 (Friday, June 24 - Monday, July 11)

...Friends/Family seen = MANY!

...Miles driven = over 9,300 (wish I could buy a 2011 Dodge Charger!)

...Total cost = over $2,600.00

...Pictures taken = 697

...Memories made and kept = PRICELESS!



SOME THOUGHTS ALONG THE WAY

A fine line exists between planning a road trip TOO much and not having enough "concrete" plans...and it is tough to negotiate/balance those....

I just HATE saying goodbye....

Reminisced with several friends about my 2004 road trip ... and how it can't be possible that was 7 years ago....

During the trip trip, I lost touch with many online, but I was in touch IN PERSON with many awesome friends and family members.....

For me, it has become harder & harder to come home after a road trip because my home IS the road, though I'm hoping that will soon change....



SOME HAPPENINGS ALONG THE WAY

06/21/2011
...I should've been elated that my road trip was ON, but I wasn't; I was drained and in knots.
...My cardiologist's office waited until just after 5p to call to tell me the CT Scan (heart/chest) could wait until AFTER my road trip.
...Luckily, I made to the rental place in time, and my first drive in a 2011 DODGE CHARGER was SO WORTH IT!

06/24/2011
...Embarked on the road trip over an hour late, but it all worked out...I think!

06/27/2011
...With the Road Trip Kickoff Weekend over (having had less than 10 hours of sleep between Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights, traveling all the way to PA and back to IL), I started the second phase of my road trip...after 6 hours of sleep Sunday night into Monday morning in Pontiac IL.
...Spent the night in the Marilyn Monroe room of the newly-renovated Wagon Wheel Motel (Cuba MO).

06/28/2011
...Saw part of the tornado destruction in Joplin MO and was thrilled when Gary Turner (Route 66) shook my hand and said, "I KNOW you!", remembering me from my 2009 Route 66 journey.

06/30/2011
...Watched the 12:30a and 7:30a showings of "Golden Girls" on The Hallmark Channel at Jake and Mel's home in Wichita KS.

07/02/2011
...Could NOT believe my road trip was half over already....  Needed a "mind shut off" button, but never did get it....

07/04/2011
...Chose SLEEP over SUNRISE (had planned to be up at 4a to watch the sunrise west of Salt Lake) and glad I did; it was CLOUDY that morning so I wouldn't have seen the sunrise anyway.
...In the morning, I finished the rest of the delicious, world-famous cinnamon roll from Johnson's Corners (north of Denver CO).
...The day of driving was "contemplative" as I drove west.
...Ended up just north of Sacramento CA, spending the evening of July 4th alone; hadn't planned on that.

07/05/2011
...Ended the day watching the movie "Gran Torino" with my cousin and her best friend.  Never did get to see CARS 2....
...Earlier in the day, I met Angela, the author of THE EPIC thread, and saw "Dad's SS"...:
http://www.montecarloss.com/community/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=484380#Post484380
...Unfortunately, Dad was in the ICU while I was there...and died on July 20, 2011:
http://www.montecarloss.com/community/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=885895#Post885895

07/06/2011
...Traveled US 20 from Lebanon OR to the coast and back.  US 20 runs through my home town, Elgin IL.  I drove eastern portions of US 20 during my August 2010 road trip to the NorthEast US.

07/07/2011
...With a twinge of sadness and excitement about seeing more people along my travels, I turned my rental 2011 Dodge Charger east, towards home.

07/08/2011
...Stopped in Twin Falls ID, after leaving Boise ID and the First Generation Monte Carlo Club Western Meet; I was at the FGMCC Eastern Meet 2 weeks prior in Carlisle PA.  In Twin Falls, I stopped at the vistas and at a church my grandfather pastored MANY years ago.

07/09/2011
...I was supposed to stop in Sioux Falls SD, but with "no room at the inn" and no friends calling, I found myself headed an additional 3 hours north to Fargo ND to spend the evening, or rather, early morning hours....

07/10/2011
...POOL PARTY in the evening at a cousin's home in MN.  Had a BLAST ... and, yes, I did swim.  Holy cow was that nice!

07/11/2011
...After a stop in Freeport IL to see some friends (and eat at a restaurant along ... US 20!), I steered my rental 2011 black Dodge Charger into my home driveway ~9p.

07/16/2011
..."Uncle Cort, let's play cars. You're done" ... said my 2+ -year-old nephew, peering up at me after dinner Saturday night, just seconds after he noticed my plate was clean, too.  That was a slice of heaven after a ROUGH WEEK.
...Earlier in the day, I drove my 1979 Caprice Classic for the first time since returning home.  I drove all 5 Monte Carlos the next day, Sunday.

07/20/2011
...Returned the 2011 Dodge Charger, though I wanted to keep it.
...Then, I drove my '79 CC to a cruise night, which turned out to be the first of FIVE cruise nights IN A ROW (Wednesday, July 20 - Sunday, July 24).



LINES FROM SOME SONGS HEARD

"Put some gravel in my travel"

"Every time I see your face my heart takes off on a high-speed chase"

"Don't underestimate the things that I will do"

"I'm gonna take my chances taking a chance I might find what I'm looking for"

"Out here its like I'm someone else"

"Time just seems to fly, but the memories remain"

"We were coming alive"



PICTURES ... SLIDESHOW link:
https://picasaweb.google.com/knightfan26917/CoastToCoastRoadTripFri06242011Mon07112011#slideshow/5632615869249437186

(You will need to adjust the "second" interval so you can read all of the captions!)




Cort | 37.m.IL.pigValve.pacemaker | 5 Monte Carlos + 1 Caprice Classic | * CruiseNites_2011_Chi.IL *
MCs.CC + CHD.models.HO.legos.RadioShows + RoadTrips.us66 = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort
"Got the wings of heaven on my shoes" __ Bee Gees __ 'Stayin' Alive'

[knightfan26917]

*
Forgot to highlight the "overnights":


FRI, 06/24/2011 ... Smithville OH

SAT, 06/25/2011 ... PIttsburgh PA (after stops in York/Carlisle)

SUN, 06/26/2011 ... Pontiac IL

MON, 06/27/2011 ... Cuba MO

TUE, 06/28/2011 ... Tulsa OK

WED, 06/29/2011 ... Wichita KS

THU, 06/30/2011 ... Azle TX (after stop in Terrell TX)

FRI, 07/01/2011 ... Amarillo TX (after stop in Oklahoma City OK)

SAT, 07/02/2011 ... Longmont CO

SUN, 07/03/2011 ... Taylorsville UT

MON, 07/04/2011 ... Williams CA

TUE, 07/05/2011 ... Lebanon OR

WED, 07/06/2011 ... Seattle WA

THU, 07/07/2011 ... Boise ID

FRI, 07/08/2011 ... Bozeman MT

SAT, 07/09/2011 ... Fargo ND (after brief stop in Sioux Falls SD)

SUN, 07/10/2011 ... Bloomington MN



10 pic highlights:

Sunday morning, 06/26/2011, Ohio, Lincoln Highway...


Monday afternoon, 06/27/2011, Staunton IL, Chris' 1987 Monte Carlo SS Aerocoupe and my 2011 Dodge Charger rental in front of Rich's Ra66it Ranch.  Rich has a 1973 Monte Carlo that he bought brand new...


Wednesday late morning, 06/29/2011, Chandler OK, Jerry McClanahan's 1957 Chevy, but notice the wheels, 4th generation Monte Carlo "honeycomb"/"checkerboard"...


Saturday morning, 07/02/2011, New Mexico, US 87 N & US 64 W, parting/gathering storm...


Monday afternoon, 07/04/2011, California, a vista along I-80 W, just before Exit 156...


Tuesday evening, 07/05/2011, Florence OR, Bliss Diner, US 101...


Wednesday morning, 07/06/2011, Newport OR, very beginning of US 20, which runs right through my home town of Elgin IL...


Thursday afternoon, 07/07/2011, Idaho, US 95 S...


Friday afternoon, 07/08/2011, Twin Falls ID, Visitor Center Vista...


Saturday evening, 07/09/2011, South Dakota, storm along I-90 E...




Cort | 37.m.IL.pigValve.pacemaker | 5 Monte Carlos + 1 Caprice Classic |
MCs.CC + CHD.models.HO.legos.RadioShows + RoadTrips.us66 = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort
"We can't afford to let one moment pass us by 'cause it's a short piece of time" __ Dierks Bentley __ 'Long Trip Alone'

[knightfan26917]

*
Sure hope my upcoming surgery only puts a temporary stop to my road trips....


10 more highlights from my 2011 journey:

Thursday evening, 06/23/2011, Plato Center IL, sure wish I could buy a 2011 Dodge Charger...


Tuesday morning, 06/28/2011, Cuba MO, restored Wagon Wheel Motel...


Thursday evening, 06/30/2011, Terrell TX...


Friday afternoon, 07/01/2011, Oklahoma City OK...


Sunday morning, 07/03/2011, Colorado along I-70 W...


Thursday afternoon, 07/07/2011, Pullman WA...


Sunday afternoon, 07/10/2011, Augusta MN...


Monday evening, 07/11/2011, Illinois along I-39 S...


Monday evening, 07/11/2011, home ... bought these at Becky's Barn, 06/27/2011; notice the car themes.  Plus, the "Mail Pouch" Barn...I saw that on the Lincoln Highway in Ohio...


Friday evening, 08/05/2011, home ... FGMCC Western Meet Plaque on the left; Northwest Motorfest Participant Badge on the right...




Cort | 37.m.IL.pigValve.pacemaker | 5 Monte Carlos + 1 Caprice Classic | * CruiseNites_2011_Chi.IL *
MCs.CC + CHD.models.HO.legos.RadioShows + RoadTrips.us66 = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort
"Traveled down the road and back again" __ Andrew Gold __ 'Thank You For Being A Friend (Golden Girls)'

[Otto Puzzell]

You sure have seen a lot of this big ol' land. Every time I see these, I pine for the road trips I used to take before all travel became 'business trips', interspersed between 60+ hour work weeks.

We're happy you chose to share a glimpse of your travels with all of us. 

[knightfan26917]

You sure have seen a lot of this big ol' land. Every time I see these, I pine for the road trips I used to take before all travel became 'business trips', interspersed between 60+ hour work weeks.

We're happy you chose to share a glimpse of your travels with all of us. 

Cool ... glad you enjoy the pics, Otto!  I've tried to see as much of it as possible ... still a LOT more to go....lol.


*
Time sure flies.  It's now been 3 months since my 2011 road trip STARTED ... and I'm wishing I could be back on the road ... NOW.


10 more highlights:

Friday evening, 06/24/2011, W of Fort Wayne IN, along US 30 E:


Saturday late evening, 06/25/2011, along PA Turnpike, I-76 W:


Wednesday morning, 06/29/2011, Red Fork OK, 1 of a few MCs I saw along the way that I wondered if it was owned by someone I know:


Sunday morning, 07/03/2011, Rock/Rail/River along I-70 W, Colorado:


Monday morning, 07/04/2011, Nevada, along I-80 W:


Wednesday morning, 07/06/2011, Lebanon OR, US 20 W:


Thursday afternoon, 07/07/2011, Idaho, along US 95 S:


Friday afternoon, 07/08/2011, Idaho, along I-15 N:


Saturday evening, 07/09/2011, South Dakota, along I-90 E:


Sunday afternoon, 07/10/2011, Minnesota, along I-94 E:




Cort | 38.m.IL | pigValve + paceMaker | 5 Monte Carlos + 1 Caprice Classic
CHD.MCs.CC + RoadTrips.models.RadioShows.legos.HO.us66 = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort
"I could never get enough" __ Eddy Raven __ 'I Could Use Another You'