There is something about ol’ Route 66 that just wants to live on. Probably from that historical sense of it being the connection between the Midwest and the West Coast. All the small towns along the way would have made a Greyhound rider ecstatic ! Like most everything today, progress and the big bad Interstate took a lot of it away. I remember seeing the old “end Route 66” sign on the corner of Jackson and Michigan in Chicago. Now it’s just more of a historical marker.
Absolutely! Route 66 truly has a charm and history that just won’t fade away. It’s amazing to think about the countless adventures had along that iconic road. I have a friend who upon graduating from high school here in California returned to her birth place in Clarksville, West Virginia. A few years later, she took a Greyhound bus back to California to visit, bringing with her tons of photographs capturing her journey along the way. She had the best time exploring all the small towns and meeting people, just like you said, which really speaks to the spirit of what Route 66 represents! It’s a shame that progress has overshadowed some of its historical significance, but those memories and markers, like the one you mentioned in Chicago, help keep the legacy alive. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
I love observing the Spring Equinox as the new year...it makes so much more sense and this year, it is really clicking into place. Much love to you both - you look so beautiful together!
Thank you so much for your kind words! I completely agree—the Spring Equinox feels like a wonderful time for new beginnings and renewal. It’s amazing how the changing seasons can inspire us and bring clarity. We appreciate your love and support, and it’s always uplifting to connect with others who share the same sense of appreciation for this time of year. Wishing you and Scot all the best as you celebrate this fresh start! Much love to you too! 🌸✨
What an interesting piece. I don't think we ever did Route 66 when I've been in the States. In the early 80s I crossed from Montreal to Santa Cruz California non-stop on a Greyhound bus...and would never do it again!!
Your photos are gorgeous, I don't think I ever saw flowers like that when I was there, although I've heard about California poppy fields blooming suddenly and shortly.
It sounds like you have a very interesting life, my dear!
Route 66 is no longer a significant road. It has been relegated to side attractions of mostly Interstate 40. You can drive off the interstate, travel on the Old 66 for a few miles, and see antique gas stations and stores left from that time in history. Museum stops mostly. I think there’s one street corner in Chicago with a sign that says Old 66 where Route 66 once went through Chicago. Mark Twain described the first time he walked through California Central Valley as one giant field of flowers. Flowers as far as your eye could see. Now, it’s all agricultural land. However, in the springtime, this area in California is full of wildflowers. Although we haven’t had as much rain, they are still vibrant this year.
I have never traveled on a Greyhound bus— I had an experience 😂🙏 — but I know people who have. Some tell horror for stories, and others loved their trips.
Once again, you have captured the "life on the road" perfectly! A wonderful read, but it's the pictures (especially the flowers) that take me back to my childhood. I grew up in, what I call) my two hometowns: Lompoc and Visalia. We lived for a while just a hop, skip and a jump from each other with you being in Porterville! Lompoc (south of Santa Maria) was when I was a child, the Flower Seed Capital of the World! The entire valley was filled with beautiful flowers. Visalia, is where I remember living with the Walnut trees and fruit orchards for miles and miles! Your story brings back so many good memories. Plus travelling the same roads, and stopping at the same historic and memoriable places along the Mother Road just makes me smile from the inside out! Thank you for sharing. And a belated Happy birthday. (I am behind on my readings due to conflicts is performance schedules!)
@Rick De Lung Thank you so much for your kind words! It’s wonderful to hear from someone who understands the blend of performance and personal experience. Your work as a clown and magician must bring so much joy to people! I truly appreciate your support and the magic you share with the world. Keep shining your light—it's inspiring! 🪄✨✨🐰✨ 🤡
I think Steinbeck’s book The Grapes of Wrath is one of the most beautiful books I have ever read. The way you tied it into your speech is fantastic. Great writing, Charlotte.
During the Great Depression, both Randy's family made the journey on 66 from Oklahoma to Bakersfield when his parents was just a young children . They were incredibly poor, but his mother’s family was even more poverty stricken. Despite their struggles, they persevered and ultimately helped build wonderful communities in Central California. Randy's father passed away relatively wealthy after years of farming on a plot in Pixley.
I bring this up because The Grapes of Wrath was a banned book in Bakersfield and many other communities in Central California. The stories told in Steinbeck‘s book are 100% authentic. I think sometimes truth hurts. PTSD? From the experience of immersed in abject poverty for years. Maybe that’s why it has been banned?
It reminded me that when I was very young, my grandpa showed me “Giant”, the movie with James Dean. If I’m not mistaken, there was also the theme of the rich denying their hard times. As if it were something to be ashamed of or afraid of. Like a ghost.
Yes Michael, I have observed that this theme remains prominent today, particularly in this region of central California, where Oklahomans and others from the Midwest migrated during the Great Depression and Dust Bowl. Aside from a few pioneer families, this area was largely settled by those resilient individuals, many of whom seemed to carry a sense of shame regarding their poverty. My family, are the cousins leaving the harsh winters of North Dakota and Minnesota, to come to sunny California, which allowed me the vantage point to witness the experiences of those who came before me. I often sensed their feelings of disgrace and humiliation stemming from their backgrounds. 😞
Steve, I’m so glad my story is a meaningful for you. I do love the richness of that part of our American history. I’m glad that through my writing you now a more memorable understanding of that American time period. Have an awesome weekend! 💖🤗✨
This was beautiful, I really loved the photos and the talk of the Faith. Sounds like you've had quite the journey there. Route 66 sounds awesome.
If I may, that first picture of you and your husband looks great you look very happy Charlotte which was moving and heartwarming to see. The talk of Jesus, and of the Passover was also lovely as I can see that you're more devout than I and have reminded me of all the old fashioned virtues that America once embodied (I mean no offense by that). It's essays like this that remind that the life off the internet is the real life, is the important thing and this tool of ours is merely meant to connect us not be everything.
So thanks for this essay really hope you do more essays like this in the future.
I’m thrilled this one resounded in you in such a profound way. The internet can be very addictive and we often forget to just put away our phones and enjoy the magic of real life. During this springtime is a perfect time to reconnect to ourselves by doing real things and enjoy the beauty the divine spirit has abundantly given us. Bless you my friends Brothers Krynn! ✨💖🤗
Good point, and I do feel the addiction though my hope is to disconnect a little again when I start the new contract so pretty excited for that. For now, I’m slowly extricating and so am following your example madame X)
Thank you! Randy and I went out for a beautiful drive this afternoon. Followed by a late lunch and then grocery shopping. We didn’t use our phones once except to take videos and photos. Now I’m home checking my messages and baking an angel food cake to go with fresh strawberries we picked up at a fruit stand. I feel very good today.
Take my word for it, just disconnecting from these devices and going out alone or with a friend or a few friends is well worth your trouble. It’s a refreshing experience. 🤗💖🤗
I remember how much I loved this last year! Being that we live next to and drive on Route 66 (all the time) it was so wonderful to read the nostalgia as you drove much further than our neck of the woods! Love your pictures too! I don't remember seeing the flower ones and all the critters! Gorgeous! I also love the image of you and Randy and how you celebrate your faith by taking these trips, incorporating the resurrection of Jesus and all that comes to life in the Spring! Thank you for sharing this beautiful piece again Charlotte! oxox
Thank you so much for your kind words! I'm thrilled to hear you enjoyed it last year, especially being so close to Route 66. There's something magical about that route with its rich history that brings back such nostalgia. I’m glad you loved the pictures too! The flowers and critters are truly a vibrant reminder of spring's beauty. Randy and I feel blessed to celebrate our faith through these travels, especially during this season of renewal. Your support means a lot to me, and I’m grateful to share this journey with you! oxox 🤗✨🤗
Beautiful photos, Charlotte, especially love the wildflowers!! So gorgeous in CA spring. And nice memories of Route 66. I too have traveled it a few times but not nearly as much as you, I am sure!!! Happy Spring and New Year to you both.
Thank you Janine! I felt compelled to share this one last week. Being it is spring and we have been spending our weekends taking trips, which is the best time to be out because of the green hills and flowers. Life just flourishes!! Bless you, and I hope you have a great weekend coming up!✨🤗💖
Julie, I appreciate your comment so much! I dug through my batch of photos to share a few of those I thought would work with this theme! Enjoy a beautiful weekend and stay beautiful! ✨💖✨🤗
Hi Charlotte, as an Aussie, (without American cultural context) — i love this because Route 66 is on our travel wish list ... despite highways interrupting the nostalgia. The Grapes of Wrath, was one of my senior high school texts back in the early 1980s, and I loved it ... perhaps that planted the seed. Of Mice and Men, I read it with students many times over my time as an English teacher. At any rate, I became a Steinbeck reader. I can relate to the long road trips you describe, it takes about 10 days to drive from Darwin (North) to Melbourne (South) in Australia — 7 if you want to go 'flat out like a lizard drinking', and risk your life. I so relate to getting out the physical map — yes please. Thank you for sharing your journey and photos. Love it 🥰
Sending you much love and gratitude, Simone! 🤗 Thank you so much! John Steinbeck is truly one of my favorite authors. He had a remarkable talent for exploring themes of human suffering, social injustice, the struggle for dignity, and the quest for the American Dream with profound emotional depth. His ability to unite multiple perspectives into cohesive storytelling is truly inspiring.
I lived in Australia, but my time was mainly spent in Sydney and the Brisbane area. While there, I learned from the locals just how long it takes to travel from one end of the continent to the other. Have you experienced it? I often see photos of the Outback, and it looks so wild and untamed—much like America’s vast deserts. But I imagine there’s so much more to discover! The west coast reminds me of the island of Maui.
I hope to return to Australia someday and spend quality time with you! Wishing you all the best and an amazing day ahead! ✨🤗💖
Hi Charlotte, sending love and gratitude back to you. Yes, Steinbeck’s writing elicits and develops empathy. John and l had many road trips and l have continued to go camping since he died. We did the East coast and back down the middle, and another trip across the Nullarbor Plain. Next year l am planning on doing another half lap which will include up the West coast (haven’t done that before), and then back down the middle, so l will spend 3-4 months on the road. C’mon down Charlotte, would love to host you and spend some quality time. I have a self contained studio, so you are welcome to use it as a base to explore the southern states. Anytime 😊🙏❤️
Just beautiful, Charlotte! Both the writing and the photos, especially of you and Randy. I really love the idea of celebrating the new year at the spring equinox, it makes so much more sense. I think I’ll quietly celebrate with you in spirit. What adventures you’ve had on Route 66! I love the way you incorporated the Grapes of Wrath. I hope you have a beautiful start to your new year!
Thank you, Jenn! I truly appreciate it! It feels especially celebratory to acknowledge the arrival of spring as we approach the spring equinox. In my opinion, the transition from winter to spring is the most dramatic transformation of all the seasons. You can witness it unfold before your eyes as life awakens from hibernation and begins to bloom and thrive.
I hope you and your family enjoy an amazing weekend! 💚🌸🌞🌺🌼🌷🌻
It is, I think it is my favorite seasonal transformation. It’s so exciting, and it always feels like good things are on the horizon. I’m ready for it! Happy weekend to you, too! I hope it’s just absolutely lovely ❤️☀️💐
R. H. Spring is the ideal season for a road trip that stretches from Oklahoma and Texas all the way to the West Coast. The journey offers a wealth of beautiful sights and a dramatic shift in climate that can elevate your spirits. Particularly as you pass through Arizona, where blizzards can sometimes surprise you during this time of year, you can experience both running through the blooming flowers and snowy landscapes simultaneously!
Your questionable Mapquest reminded me of a trip I made way back in the day of Apple II+ and dialup modems. I had Mapquest plan me a route from Chicago's O'Hare Airport to Warrenville, Illinois that I printed out on my dot matrix printer.
I arrived in O'Hare, picked up my rental car, followed Mapquest's directions and couldn't get out of the airport!
Seems back then Mapquest didn't know about one way streets and wanted me to drive the wrongway on one.
Luckily I did have a Standard Oil (That you used to pick up at the gas station.) Illinois map in my bag that got me out of there and back OK.
Last night, my car broke down about a quarter of a mile from our house on our dirt road driveway. This morning, I called for roadside assistance to have it towed. While we waited by the car, we received a call from the dispatcher informing us that the tow truck had become stuck in the mud while navigating through the orange grove on its way to us. As a result, they had to send another tow truck for both us and the original driver. I spoke with the driver and asked how he ended up in the orange grove, and he explained that was the route his GPS directed him to take. Our property is situated in the middle of an orange grove, accessible via a driveway that leads to our ranch, with another road heading north from it. The GPS directed him to the north exit, but when he arrived at our property, the gate was locked, so he drove around the orange groves and got stuck. It was locked, because it is always locked because we don’t use it as an entrance. And it’s a bunch of simpler to go through the south entrance which goes out to the main road. GPS hard at work! 😂
There is something about ol’ Route 66 that just wants to live on. Probably from that historical sense of it being the connection between the Midwest and the West Coast. All the small towns along the way would have made a Greyhound rider ecstatic ! Like most everything today, progress and the big bad Interstate took a lot of it away. I remember seeing the old “end Route 66” sign on the corner of Jackson and Michigan in Chicago. Now it’s just more of a historical marker.
Absolutely! Route 66 truly has a charm and history that just won’t fade away. It’s amazing to think about the countless adventures had along that iconic road. I have a friend who upon graduating from high school here in California returned to her birth place in Clarksville, West Virginia. A few years later, she took a Greyhound bus back to California to visit, bringing with her tons of photographs capturing her journey along the way. She had the best time exploring all the small towns and meeting people, just like you said, which really speaks to the spirit of what Route 66 represents! It’s a shame that progress has overshadowed some of its historical significance, but those memories and markers, like the one you mentioned in Chicago, help keep the legacy alive. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
I love observing the Spring Equinox as the new year...it makes so much more sense and this year, it is really clicking into place. Much love to you both - you look so beautiful together!
Thank you so much for your kind words! I completely agree—the Spring Equinox feels like a wonderful time for new beginnings and renewal. It’s amazing how the changing seasons can inspire us and bring clarity. We appreciate your love and support, and it’s always uplifting to connect with others who share the same sense of appreciation for this time of year. Wishing you and Scot all the best as you celebrate this fresh start! Much love to you too! 🌸✨
What an interesting piece. I don't think we ever did Route 66 when I've been in the States. In the early 80s I crossed from Montreal to Santa Cruz California non-stop on a Greyhound bus...and would never do it again!!
Your photos are gorgeous, I don't think I ever saw flowers like that when I was there, although I've heard about California poppy fields blooming suddenly and shortly.
It sounds like you have a very interesting life, my dear!
Route 66 is no longer a significant road. It has been relegated to side attractions of mostly Interstate 40. You can drive off the interstate, travel on the Old 66 for a few miles, and see antique gas stations and stores left from that time in history. Museum stops mostly. I think there’s one street corner in Chicago with a sign that says Old 66 where Route 66 once went through Chicago. Mark Twain described the first time he walked through California Central Valley as one giant field of flowers. Flowers as far as your eye could see. Now, it’s all agricultural land. However, in the springtime, this area in California is full of wildflowers. Although we haven’t had as much rain, they are still vibrant this year.
I have never traveled on a Greyhound bus— I had an experience 😂🙏 — but I know people who have. Some tell horror for stories, and others loved their trips.
Once again, you have captured the "life on the road" perfectly! A wonderful read, but it's the pictures (especially the flowers) that take me back to my childhood. I grew up in, what I call) my two hometowns: Lompoc and Visalia. We lived for a while just a hop, skip and a jump from each other with you being in Porterville! Lompoc (south of Santa Maria) was when I was a child, the Flower Seed Capital of the World! The entire valley was filled with beautiful flowers. Visalia, is where I remember living with the Walnut trees and fruit orchards for miles and miles! Your story brings back so many good memories. Plus travelling the same roads, and stopping at the same historic and memoriable places along the Mother Road just makes me smile from the inside out! Thank you for sharing. And a belated Happy birthday. (I am behind on my readings due to conflicts is performance schedules!)
@Rick De Lung Thank you so much for your kind words! It’s wonderful to hear from someone who understands the blend of performance and personal experience. Your work as a clown and magician must bring so much joy to people! I truly appreciate your support and the magic you share with the world. Keep shining your light—it's inspiring! 🪄✨✨🐰✨ 🤡
I think Steinbeck’s book The Grapes of Wrath is one of the most beautiful books I have ever read. The way you tied it into your speech is fantastic. Great writing, Charlotte.
During the Great Depression, both Randy's family made the journey on 66 from Oklahoma to Bakersfield when his parents was just a young children . They were incredibly poor, but his mother’s family was even more poverty stricken. Despite their struggles, they persevered and ultimately helped build wonderful communities in Central California. Randy's father passed away relatively wealthy after years of farming on a plot in Pixley.
I bring this up because The Grapes of Wrath was a banned book in Bakersfield and many other communities in Central California. The stories told in Steinbeck‘s book are 100% authentic. I think sometimes truth hurts. PTSD? From the experience of immersed in abject poverty for years. Maybe that’s why it has been banned?
It reminded me that when I was very young, my grandpa showed me “Giant”, the movie with James Dean. If I’m not mistaken, there was also the theme of the rich denying their hard times. As if it were something to be ashamed of or afraid of. Like a ghost.
Yes Michael, I have observed that this theme remains prominent today, particularly in this region of central California, where Oklahomans and others from the Midwest migrated during the Great Depression and Dust Bowl. Aside from a few pioneer families, this area was largely settled by those resilient individuals, many of whom seemed to carry a sense of shame regarding their poverty. My family, are the cousins leaving the harsh winters of North Dakota and Minnesota, to come to sunny California, which allowed me the vantage point to witness the experiences of those who came before me. I often sensed their feelings of disgrace and humiliation stemming from their backgrounds. 😞
Interesting post with some beautiful pictures. The flowers are so bright and vivid.
Thank you Bliss, I appreciate you reading my post and commenting. I’m so glad you liked it! Have a beautiful day! ✨💖✨
This is a wonderful history. It brings a part of America alive that I have read about but perhaps I have never understood it until now. Thank you!
Steve, I’m so glad my story is a meaningful for you. I do love the richness of that part of our American history. I’m glad that through my writing you now a more memorable understanding of that American time period. Have an awesome weekend! 💖🤗✨
And you Charlotte ❤️
✨🤗✨
This was beautiful, I really loved the photos and the talk of the Faith. Sounds like you've had quite the journey there. Route 66 sounds awesome.
If I may, that first picture of you and your husband looks great you look very happy Charlotte which was moving and heartwarming to see. The talk of Jesus, and of the Passover was also lovely as I can see that you're more devout than I and have reminded me of all the old fashioned virtues that America once embodied (I mean no offense by that). It's essays like this that remind that the life off the internet is the real life, is the important thing and this tool of ours is merely meant to connect us not be everything.
So thanks for this essay really hope you do more essays like this in the future.
I’m thrilled this one resounded in you in such a profound way. The internet can be very addictive and we often forget to just put away our phones and enjoy the magic of real life. During this springtime is a perfect time to reconnect to ourselves by doing real things and enjoy the beauty the divine spirit has abundantly given us. Bless you my friends Brothers Krynn! ✨💖🤗
Good point, and I do feel the addiction though my hope is to disconnect a little again when I start the new contract so pretty excited for that. For now, I’m slowly extricating and so am following your example madame X)
Thank you! Randy and I went out for a beautiful drive this afternoon. Followed by a late lunch and then grocery shopping. We didn’t use our phones once except to take videos and photos. Now I’m home checking my messages and baking an angel food cake to go with fresh strawberries we picked up at a fruit stand. I feel very good today.
Take my word for it, just disconnecting from these devices and going out alone or with a friend or a few friends is well worth your trouble. It’s a refreshing experience. 🤗💖🤗
I remember how much I loved this last year! Being that we live next to and drive on Route 66 (all the time) it was so wonderful to read the nostalgia as you drove much further than our neck of the woods! Love your pictures too! I don't remember seeing the flower ones and all the critters! Gorgeous! I also love the image of you and Randy and how you celebrate your faith by taking these trips, incorporating the resurrection of Jesus and all that comes to life in the Spring! Thank you for sharing this beautiful piece again Charlotte! oxox
Thank you so much for your kind words! I'm thrilled to hear you enjoyed it last year, especially being so close to Route 66. There's something magical about that route with its rich history that brings back such nostalgia. I’m glad you loved the pictures too! The flowers and critters are truly a vibrant reminder of spring's beauty. Randy and I feel blessed to celebrate our faith through these travels, especially during this season of renewal. Your support means a lot to me, and I’m grateful to share this journey with you! oxox 🤗✨🤗
I so enjoy your stories, magic and adventures Charlotte! Have a lovely weekend 😘
Beautiful photos, Charlotte, especially love the wildflowers!! So gorgeous in CA spring. And nice memories of Route 66. I too have traveled it a few times but not nearly as much as you, I am sure!!! Happy Spring and New Year to you both.
Thank you Janine! I felt compelled to share this one last week. Being it is spring and we have been spending our weekends taking trips, which is the best time to be out because of the green hills and flowers. Life just flourishes!! Bless you, and I hope you have a great weekend coming up!✨🤗💖
The beauty of spring, especially now with rains bringing so much moisture—makes those fields just ready to explode! Lovely photos.
You wish you could live in it forever! It’s like being in a Wizard of Oz movie! 💚💚💚
What a spectacular post….wonderful photos…..
Thank you Richard! I’m so happy you enjoyed it and the photos too! I hope you have a great weekend 🤗✨🤗
Loved this. And what photos!❤️
Julie, I appreciate your comment so much! I dug through my batch of photos to share a few of those I thought would work with this theme! Enjoy a beautiful weekend and stay beautiful! ✨💖✨🤗
Hi Charlotte, as an Aussie, (without American cultural context) — i love this because Route 66 is on our travel wish list ... despite highways interrupting the nostalgia. The Grapes of Wrath, was one of my senior high school texts back in the early 1980s, and I loved it ... perhaps that planted the seed. Of Mice and Men, I read it with students many times over my time as an English teacher. At any rate, I became a Steinbeck reader. I can relate to the long road trips you describe, it takes about 10 days to drive from Darwin (North) to Melbourne (South) in Australia — 7 if you want to go 'flat out like a lizard drinking', and risk your life. I so relate to getting out the physical map — yes please. Thank you for sharing your journey and photos. Love it 🥰
Sending you much love and gratitude, Simone! 🤗 Thank you so much! John Steinbeck is truly one of my favorite authors. He had a remarkable talent for exploring themes of human suffering, social injustice, the struggle for dignity, and the quest for the American Dream with profound emotional depth. His ability to unite multiple perspectives into cohesive storytelling is truly inspiring.
I lived in Australia, but my time was mainly spent in Sydney and the Brisbane area. While there, I learned from the locals just how long it takes to travel from one end of the continent to the other. Have you experienced it? I often see photos of the Outback, and it looks so wild and untamed—much like America’s vast deserts. But I imagine there’s so much more to discover! The west coast reminds me of the island of Maui.
I hope to return to Australia someday and spend quality time with you! Wishing you all the best and an amazing day ahead! ✨🤗💖
Hi Charlotte, sending love and gratitude back to you. Yes, Steinbeck’s writing elicits and develops empathy. John and l had many road trips and l have continued to go camping since he died. We did the East coast and back down the middle, and another trip across the Nullarbor Plain. Next year l am planning on doing another half lap which will include up the West coast (haven’t done that before), and then back down the middle, so l will spend 3-4 months on the road. C’mon down Charlotte, would love to host you and spend some quality time. I have a self contained studio, so you are welcome to use it as a base to explore the southern states. Anytime 😊🙏❤️
Just beautiful, Charlotte! Both the writing and the photos, especially of you and Randy. I really love the idea of celebrating the new year at the spring equinox, it makes so much more sense. I think I’ll quietly celebrate with you in spirit. What adventures you’ve had on Route 66! I love the way you incorporated the Grapes of Wrath. I hope you have a beautiful start to your new year!
Thank you, Jenn! I truly appreciate it! It feels especially celebratory to acknowledge the arrival of spring as we approach the spring equinox. In my opinion, the transition from winter to spring is the most dramatic transformation of all the seasons. You can witness it unfold before your eyes as life awakens from hibernation and begins to bloom and thrive.
I hope you and your family enjoy an amazing weekend! 💚🌸🌞🌺🌼🌷🌻
It is, I think it is my favorite seasonal transformation. It’s so exciting, and it always feels like good things are on the horizon. I’m ready for it! Happy weekend to you, too! I hope it’s just absolutely lovely ❤️☀️💐
Oh I wish I could run through the valley of flowers again and see the beauty that unfolds on the Road to Paradise
R. H. Spring is the ideal season for a road trip that stretches from Oklahoma and Texas all the way to the West Coast. The journey offers a wealth of beautiful sights and a dramatic shift in climate that can elevate your spirits. Particularly as you pass through Arizona, where blizzards can sometimes surprise you during this time of year, you can experience both running through the blooming flowers and snowy landscapes simultaneously!
Nice!
Your questionable Mapquest reminded me of a trip I made way back in the day of Apple II+ and dialup modems. I had Mapquest plan me a route from Chicago's O'Hare Airport to Warrenville, Illinois that I printed out on my dot matrix printer.
I arrived in O'Hare, picked up my rental car, followed Mapquest's directions and couldn't get out of the airport!
Seems back then Mapquest didn't know about one way streets and wanted me to drive the wrongway on one.
Luckily I did have a Standard Oil (That you used to pick up at the gas station.) Illinois map in my bag that got me out of there and back OK.
Oh no! 🙈
Last night, my car broke down about a quarter of a mile from our house on our dirt road driveway. This morning, I called for roadside assistance to have it towed. While we waited by the car, we received a call from the dispatcher informing us that the tow truck had become stuck in the mud while navigating through the orange grove on its way to us. As a result, they had to send another tow truck for both us and the original driver. I spoke with the driver and asked how he ended up in the orange grove, and he explained that was the route his GPS directed him to take. Our property is situated in the middle of an orange grove, accessible via a driveway that leads to our ranch, with another road heading north from it. The GPS directed him to the north exit, but when he arrived at our property, the gate was locked, so he drove around the orange groves and got stuck. It was locked, because it is always locked because we don’t use it as an entrance. And it’s a bunch of simpler to go through the south entrance which goes out to the main road. GPS hard at work! 😂