HappieGrrrl CountDown to Winter Migration Launch

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canyoncat

Social climber
SoCal
Nov 30, 2018 - 01:32pm PT
Having driven from Kansas to California several times I can tell you it is B.O.R.I.N.G.

There is nothing, seriously nothing to look at. I hope your doggie is a good conversationalist. :)
Happiegrrrl2

Trad climber
Topic Author's Reply - Nov 30, 2018 - 06:25pm PT
My van has duel tanks too, but when I bought it I was told the flip switch was broken, and whatever I do - DON'T flip it!!!! So, just the one tank in use. I have a small canister in case of run out, but I don't keep gas in it. I just try not to run out.

As for Kansas/Nebraska - Yes, the Plains. Say no more. This is why I may go due south. Get into Oklahoma and it's actually quite scenic. I don't mind the Kansa Plains so much, but Nebraska seems to have these roads that are just series of hills; not big hills, but quick little ones, coming fast enough that I get motion sickness from them.
neebee

Social climber
calif/texas
Dec 1, 2018 - 05:42am PT
hey there say, DMT and happieGrrrl...

say, as to this nifty and very serious info from DMT:

Happi a small tip for windshield deicing in a snow storm - don't let it get iced to begin with.

Seriously. Once it starts icing your goose is, froze.

You have to keep the windshield clear of snow. Keep your heater on the warmest setting and keep the defroster blowing full blast the entire time you're driving when it's snowing. If you get to warm crack your window for some fresh air. But keep that windshield warm!

The idea is to never let any snow or ice accumulate anywhere on the windshield (not just the wiper blade path), at all. Once it does start to accumulate, wiper-ice is inevitable.

Its a version of keep your powder dry.

DMT


i am not a mich-folks, but, only by living up here, now-- that is...

and-- i learned this awful bad, one night, driving home from
my dishwasher work, when some of the worst snow nights, showed up...

nothing helped my window-- thank god there was a gas station nearyby,
and was my 'safe place to call for help' and-- my ex son in law,
adviced me what to do, etc... as, what i WAS doing, was just NOT
good enough...

whewww... i got home... :O

scary stuff, though, really...

now, i try to either NOT dry on those days, or, if i have too...
keep the window, as dmt (YOU) said...


oh my...


best wishes, happy ... keep on trunkin' ... i mean 'vanning' :)
tradmanclimbs

Ice climber
Pomfert VT
Dec 1, 2018 - 06:00am PT
I pull over occasionally and get the ice off the wiper blades...
Happiegrrrl2

Trad climber
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 3, 2018 - 05:37am PT
Finally out of the Cold Zone.... In Oklahoma City today, and now I really need to decide on the angle of my trajectory.

This summer someone I was talking to mentioned the ethereal beauty of Taos, which I've never been to. I decided I'd take a look at weather when I got closer. Should have done that yesterday....I spaced out because it was SO cold I ran for south. Oh well....

I would probably get there on Wednesday late afternoon, maybe Thursday. NOAA says rain/snow on Thursday night. I suppose I could "hurry" and get there Wednesday and leave mid day Thursday. But I hate hurrying.

People say "It's flat!" getting to Taos. Maybe so, but what about getting out to the south, which would be my exiting route. I just do not want to be on a mountainy road in snow.

So, today I need to research a little.


Yesterday I came through small towns in Kansas, along hwy 99, and one was called Howard. On a Sunday, there was one - just one - place open for business, a restaurant. But it kinda looked like the rest of the places weren't really open for business any other day of the week either.

Old red brick pavement, but this is a town that has seen better days, probably decades, though there were some beautiful homes in one section. A block away....homes abandoned and barely standing. Interesting juxtaposition.


Here's an example of the state of the place. This was on the northeast corner of the road in the picture above. It's one of two prominently sized commercial buildings in the town. It was probably something, in it's day. Today - how depressing it must be for *this* to be your visual day after day, knowing that it's going to take more than a miracle for this one to see a restoration.

BUT!

Somebody does care...... This old gas station had vintage pumps, and the old truck had a Merry Christmas sign hug on the driver side door.

I am guessing it belongs to the people who have the Benson Museum, which was unfortunately not open yesterday. I peeked in one of the windows and saw a fully restored beauty of an automobile, and it looked like it might be just one of several. Here's the Facebook for that museum: https://www.facebook.com/howardksbensonmuseums/ I have the feeling it is well worth visiting that museum.


There also seemed to be an active business with this soap company. They also have a FB page, at https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Gift-Shop/Red-Barn-Soap-Company-113145455430412/, but - ominously - the website linked says the account has been suspended. Times must be tough, for a touristy gift shop in a town like Howard, Kansas.
Winemaker

Sport climber
Yakima, WA
Dec 3, 2018 - 05:53am PT
Hey Happie, is it possible to buy stuff from your store while you're on the road?
Happiegrrrl2

Trad climber
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 3, 2018 - 05:57am PT
^ Yes, Winemaker. I have all my supplies and inventory with me.
Jaybro

Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
Dec 3, 2018 - 07:38am PT
Man, is that, the truth!
Happiegrrrl2

Trad climber
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 3, 2018 - 08:55am PT
I'm not sure what can be done for a town like Howard, as it is off the major routes. Nobody goes there except the locals and wayward travelers.

But here's an example of another town I visited this time, in southwest Wisconsin. It's Mineral Point, and just a mile or so off Hwy 151. Now, Mineral Point has historic note due to being the place where Wisconsin was signed into statehood, so that may also help, but what they have done in Mineral Point is make to TOTALLY restore the entire historic downtown. The buildings are all on the Historic Register, so that don't come cheap. Then, the artists and artisans moved in. The buildings have GOOD restaurants, antiques stores, specialty shops(private, not chain) and artist/artisan galleries and studio spaces.

They also have restored buildings with a mind toward educating the public on the history of the town, which was a major lead mining place, and produced 30% of the lead used for Union munitions in the Civil War.

One thing that seems really important for these small towns to reclaim an exuberance is NO CHAIN STORES ALLOWED. NOR CHAIN RESTAURANTS. Banks and gas stations get a pass, but even in Mineral Point, the downtown gas station was not a Big Brand shop. It was a Clark, and the price was same as on the highway.

Here are some pictures from Mineral Point:






Seems a bit different from Howard, doesn't it?


It seems to me that a town has to not only make a commitment to restoration but have a means to support it once it gets done. AND smart people doing the planning and restoration work. I see plenty of towns that got grants to revitalize their downtown but then kind of left it up to the entrepreneurs who try to make a go of it to make it go.

 Craft and creative work is vital - a commitment to the arts
 A GOOD reason for people to make the trip off the major route to visit, and an experience that ends up having them glad they did. Jerome, AZ and Julian, CA both do that.
 A sharp eye keeping out corruption and cronyinsm.
 Incentive for the local population to be active in the revitalization. Jobs nearby for people to spend money in the town instead of trying to struggle selling their doodads to their neigbors as the only option.


Every town should have at least one major thing it is known for, and that it wants to share with others.

Every town should have some kitschy festival - more, if they can manage it

Every town should SAY NO to chains - leave them to line the highways. People will still buy from the chains, and then make their way to Nowheresville a couple of dozen miles away, and the "familiar" chains aren't in Nowheresville to siphon the pockets of the person who decides an ice cream would be good right about now.

Federal SUPPORT for the rebuilding of our historic, and not so historic towns, and a promotion of travel throughout the country to visit them.
Jon Beck

Trad climber
Oceanside
Dec 3, 2018 - 09:38am PT
Good stuff, I like driving the roads less traveled, but sadly for many towns most people are not so inclined.

Federal SUPPORT for the rebuilding of our historic, and not so historic towns,

I am very progressive but find this solution to be a very bad idea. These towns depend on discretionary tourists spending. That pot of money is a fixed size. If we double the number of "touristy" small towns that people want to go to guess what? You just cut the revenue of each one in half.

Mineral Point is interesting and more importantly close to huge urban centers. Howard on the other hand looks like a miserable location.
Happiegrrrl2

Trad climber
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 3, 2018 - 10:19am PT
99 south from Emporia, KS(another small town that could have benefited from never allowing the Walmart/Hotel chain to plant outside their boundary) was actually nice. Rural, cattle ranches with few homes and very few structures visible, with beautiful red grasses. Howard did seem like it was probably populated with an aging generation. I saw about 6 people while there(for about an hour). They were all friendly enough, with a wave as they drove past, but I didn't talk to anyone. They were all about my age and a bit older. I saw no kids, nor much evidence kids were a significant part of the demographic.

I see your point regarding the pie slices for touring.
Reilly

Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
Dec 3, 2018 - 11:28am PT
Glad to see you survived the KS blizzard!
ontheedgeandscaredtodeath

Social climber
Wilds of New Mexico
Dec 3, 2018 - 12:03pm PT
You will either love or hate Taos, it's that kind of place. Definitely beautiful and unique. It's cold though, don't let the desert landscape fool ya, probably single digits to teens at night. From there you could follow the Rio Grande south and hit Truth or Consequences for some hot springs and then cut over to Silver City for a cool funky arty mining town. Then take a southerly route through AZ, hit Bisbee and Nogales (and the Stronghold!!) for some interesting sights and culture.
spud

climber
Dec 3, 2018 - 12:04pm PT
Also, check out the Wisconsin Troll town of Mt. Horeb!! Good food, locally sourced vegetables and meat and wonderful beer at the Grumpy Troll!! Another gem is New Glarus! Home of New Glarus Brewing, only sold in Wisconsin! Beautiful grounds for beer tasting and hanging out! All in the driftless area of good old Wisconsin!

On Wisconsin!
John M

climber
Dec 3, 2018 - 12:25pm PT
If you are going to Taos, be aware that its high desert at 7000 feet. Also be aware that they are calling for black ice in the area with freezing fog for early this week.

If you do go, and the weather cooperates, you could continue on highway 64 over to see shiprock, which is this amazing rock formation sticking 1500 feet up out of the desert. Its worth seeing.

Edit: if you do take the back roads to tuba city like recommended below, realize that some of those places on the map are just a store with maybe a post office. They don't all have gas stations. So keep her filled up.
Jon Beck

Trad climber
Oceanside
Dec 3, 2018 - 12:30pm PT
If you end up in Shiprock support the locals by eating at the Chat an Chew (burgers)

The back road through the rez (Shiprock to Tuba City) is a great drive, beats I-40

Winemaker

Sport climber
Yakima, WA
Dec 3, 2018 - 12:40pm PT
Seeing those pictures of Howard reminded me of a road trip my daughter and I took when she was at Smith. We went across upstate New York to get to Niagara and stopped (very briefly!!!) in New Amsterdam while looking for lodging. Man, nothing there, no jobs, nothing and scary to be in. We stopped for breakfast a bit further up the road and the town we chose was just like Howard; empty buildings, no businesses except the restaurant we ate at, all very depressing. Amazing that the area was once the industrial heartland of America, with the Erie canal for transport. Depressing too.
mikegrai

climber
ON
Dec 3, 2018 - 04:25pm PT
If you make it as far as Silver City, check out the nearby City of Rocks State Park. Great bouldering there, and if that isn't your thing, the rock formations are cool just to wander around and look at and the campsite is very well equipped and reasonably priced.
Happiegrrrl2

Trad climber
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 3, 2018 - 05:15pm PT
I stayed the day in Oklahoma City and will head out tomorrow morning.

It got friggin COLD again here while I was having coffee in the shop this morning. Dang!

Looks like Taos/Sante Fe are coming off the agenda. Just too cold, and the mere thought of black ice is a no go. I drove on it once, trying to get into a motel parking lot one night. Thank god they had a steel pole to stop vehicles from crashing into the building, and thank god my tank's bumper is hefty enough there wasn't so much as a scratch. Complete loss of control while driving is not my thing....

I've never been to Shiprock and definitely want to. Have to look at the maps again tomorrow, but I will probably vear more southwest. My aim is Quartzsite, AZ for the mineral show in January, and I would like to be there early and learn stone shaping from the Gem and Mineral club people(the club has a workroom one can take classes in, receive guidance and practice for a small fee).

I've bee to the Tuba City area - usually on my way back in spring. But since I discovered Escalante, I either go up through Page, or come from the west via Las Vegas.

Silver City is definitely a still on the list place, but I have to admit coming over the Rocky Mtn passes causes me anxiety. Crossing low (Abilene TX, Las Cruces, Roswell - especially as I'm heading to Quartzsite - just makes more sense.
Happiegrrrl2

Trad climber
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 3, 2018 - 05:20pm PT
So, I will almost surely take that route. Went through Socorro last year and bouldered a bit just west of town. Exploring the area around Globe might be fun - I have always just driven through in the past, except for a day once in the Superstitious Mtns.

My friend went climbing/hiking those mountains around Las Cruces(forgetting the range name), but I didn't check them out - any trailhead suggestions in that region(for hiking with Lucas, and if bouldering - very easy, close to the ground stuff)?

Edit: Oh yeah - City of Rocks was very cool. I did spend a little time there, but definitely saw just a wee bit of the offerings.
Messages 61 - 80 of total 181 in this topic << First  |  < Previous  |  Show All  |  Next >  |  Last >>
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