torsdag 7 juli 2011

Arriving in San Francisco

Berkeley, California 7 July 2011

(1104 km / 690 miles)
Nevada, California

Today we arrived at our final destination on our road trip! Now we've traveled from the Atlantic to the Pacific!

In Kingman we said bye-bye to our old friend I40 and took US93 north towards Vegas. A short drive through desert landscape that took us past the Hoover Dam.

We met the Tollin family in Vegas and stayed two nights on the Strip. I'd love to tell you all about it but what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.

From Vegas, we drove southwest on the I15 through the desert down to Barstow and from there northwest on California 58 to Bakersfield where we spent the night.

Today we drove California 99, California 46 and I5/580 up to San Fransisco.

This will be the last entry before we're back in Sweden next Thursday. The remaining time will be spent here in the Bay area.

söndag 3 juli 2011

Grand Canyon

Kingman, Arizona 3 July 2011


(490 km / 306 miles)

Grand Canyon today! Despite poor weather it's a truly magnificent experience.


Then back to I40 and heading west. We are stopping in Kingman on our way to Vegas.
The whole family at Grand Canyon, Arizona

lördag 2 juli 2011

Rodeo

Prescott, Arizona 2 July 2011

(682 km / 426 miles)
Arizona

We left Albuquerque early to get to Prescott in time. We followed I40/Route 66 across western New Mexico and eastern Arizona. Spectacular landscape!

The clock tricked us again, since Arizona has Mountain time just like New Mexico but they don't use daylight savings time, so we had to put the time back an hour even if we didn't change time zone.

We saw the Meteorite Crater outside Flagstaff and the red rocks outside Sedona on our way. Very nice, thank you Joel for the tip!

At the hotel - Wilmer learned how to swim! He just made up his mind and started swimming!

The reason for going to Prescott is that we got tickets for the Rodeo. A splendid piece of American culture that we'll always remember.

Filippa and Benna by the Meteorite Crates, Flagstaff Arizona

fredag 1 juli 2011

World's longest aerial tramway

Albuquerque, New Mexico 1 July 2011

Albuquerque has the world's longest aerial tramway which leads up to Sandia Peak, 3 200 m. From the top there is an excellent view over Albuquerque and the surrounding desert.


After some afternoon shopping we went to see the Sikora family who moved here from Stockholm in 2003. We enjoyed an mexican dinner and all children, Sikoras and Ströms got a chance to practice some language skills.

Albuquerque from Sandia Peak

torsdag 30 juni 2011

Big Texas




(470 km / 294 miles)

New Mexico

Today's trip on I40/Route 66 offered true Texan landscape, flat fields as long as you could see in all directions, giant heards of cattle and occational canyons. We headed into New Mexico and more of highlands before stopping in Albuquerque.

Texan landscape

On the Mother Road

Amarillo, Texas 29 June 2011



(403 km / 252 miles)
Texas

Route 66 starts in Chicago and runs south west to Oklahoma City and from here, it's a straight western route to Santa Monica. Route 66 runs in parallell to the I40 between OKC and Amarillo, but where Route 66 went through the towns, I40 goes around. The result, of which we saw several examples, is deserted gas stations and motels in run down towns.

We stayed at the Big Texan Steak Ranch, where anyone who can eat a 72oz/2.0 kg steak dinner in 1 hour get the meal for free! We saw one winner and two other contestants during our dinner.


We also saw Cadillac Ranch, 10 Cadillacs buried nose down in the Texan soil.

Benna and Patrik at Cadillac Ranch, Amarillo Texas

tisdag 28 juni 2011

Buffalos

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 28 June 2011

We went north in Oklahoma today, in search for the Wild West. We ended up in Pawnee where Pawbee Bill's ranch is located. Bill was close friend with Buffalo Bill, and like him had a Wild West Show. On the ranch there is a nice museum and a heard of buffalos.

We drove through prarie countryside and endless straight roads which we thoroughly enjoyed!

Buffalo heard at Pawnee Bill's ranch