Hartman Travels - USA 2014
We hadn’t planned to travel to the USA in 2014 — but now we are.
We changed our minds after visiting Raylene’s only brother, Kevin. He’s 72 and recovering from an aortic aneurism that nearly took his life. Although he can’t walk at the moment, he’s mentally sharp and alive. The message we took away from Kevin and his wife Jill was clear: don’t put things off — you never know what’s just around the corner.
Then, a very cheap fare popped up with Virgin Australia — $1300 return to LA. I was thinking it over when our eldest son Ryan said he might want to come along. So we grabbed the opportunity and booked. The three of us will arrive in LA on 15th March and leave four weeks later.
We’ll spend a few days in LA, then Ryan plans to fly to Chicago for a week. We’re thinking of joining him on the road trip—maybe Michigan and a bit further south. Raylene’s keen to visit a quilt shop in Paducah, Kentucky.
After that, we’ll head back to Vegas for a week to 10 days exploring the Colorado and Utah national parks. We’ve been before, but they’re so beautiful we can’t resist seeing them again. Then it’s back to LA for a few days before flying home.
USA 2014 – Day One
14th March 2014 – Departure Day
So here we go — flying out tonight at 10:45pm from Perth to Melbourne. The trip officially starts! I’ve loaded my iPad with over 90 episodes of The Twilight Zone — perfect for the long flights ahead. Rayls has been busy packing, while I snuck in a bit of garden work and cleared out the verge for roadside collection. Always those last-minute chores!
Had lunch with my mate Glen — he’s a regular traveler like me, so swapping travel stories was a nice distraction from the packing frenzy. Got the usual pre-trip haircut and beard trim. Ryan, well… not so much. Sorry Cath! Speaking of Ryan, he’s been working right up until the last minute, finishing at 2pm.
Looking forward to getting this journey underway. The anticipation always feels a bit mixed — excitement tinged with the weariness of travel prep
USA 2014 – Day One
14th March 2014 – Departure Day
So here we go — flying out tonight at 10:45pm from Perth to Melbourne. The trip officially starts! I’ve loaded my iPad with over 90 episodes of The Twilight Zone — perfect for the long flights ahead. Rayls has been busy packing, while I snuck in a bit of garden work and cleared out the verge for roadside collection. Always those last-minute chores!
Had lunch with my mate Glen — he’s a regular traveler like me, so swapping travel stories was a nice distraction from the packing frenzy. Got the usual pre-trip haircut and beard trim. Ryan, well… not so much. Sorry Cath! Speaking of Ryan, he’s been working right up until the last minute, finishing at 2pm.
Looking forward to getting this journey underway. The anticipation always feels a bit mixed — excitement tinged with the weariness of travel prep
USA 2014 – Day Two
15th March 2014 – Melbourne to Los Angeles
Day one on the trip lasted barely a few hours! We left home just after 8pm Friday night. Scott and Shannon kindly drove Rayls and me to the airport, while Freddy took Ryan separately. Good to get through check-in smoothly — our bags are off until LA now, which means no lugging them around airports for a while.
An amusing moment at security: a flight attendant ahead of us had her bag burst open, spilling her unmentionables everywhere. She didn’t notice until we pointed it out. Awkward but we all had a laugh — these travel moments are what make trips memorable, right?
Boarding started well ahead of schedule, which was great. We took off just a couple minutes early, flying over our house — Scott said he heard the plane pass right overhead. That was a neat little reminder we were leaving home behind.
It was a short hop to Melbourne — just under three hours. The city is gearing up for the Formula One Grand Prix this weekend, but we’ll miss the action this time.
Once at Melbourne, we had a long layover before the flight to LA. The international departure gate wasn’t open when we arrived, so we waited around. Rayls and Ryan sprawled out in the lounge trying to catch some sleep — judging by the snoring, one of them was more successful than the other!
USA 2014 – Day Two
15th March 2014 – Melbourne to Los Angeles
Day one on the trip lasted barely a few hours! We left home just after 8pm Friday night. Scott and Shannon kindly drove Rayls and me to the airport, while Freddy took Ryan separately. Good to get through check-in smoothly — our bags are off until LA now, which means no lugging them around airports for a while.
An amusing moment at security: a flight attendant ahead of us had her bag burst open, spilling her unmentionables everywhere. She didn’t notice until we pointed it out. Awkward but we all had a laugh — these travel moments are what make trips memorable, right?
Boarding started well ahead of schedule, which was great. We took off just a couple minutes early, flying over our house — Scott said he heard the plane pass right overhead. That was a neat little reminder we were leaving home behind.
It was a short hop to Melbourne — just under three hours. The city is gearing up for the Formula One Grand Prix this weekend, but we’ll miss the action this time.
Once at Melbourne, we had a long layover before the flight to LA. The international departure gate wasn’t open when we arrived, so we waited around. Rayls and Ryan sprawled out in the lounge trying to catch some sleep — judging by the snoring, one of them was more successful than the other!
The Virgin flight to LA was excellent — early boarding, smooth flying, and surprisingly good food for an airplane meal. The scrambled eggs ran out before they got to us, which was a shame, but overall the service was solid.
The route took us over some beautiful parts of the Pacific — north of New Caledonia, Vanuatu, and the Hawaiian Islands. It’s always amazing to look down at the endless ocean and tiny islands far below and remember just how vast the world is.
We started our descent over California at about 7:52am LA time, crossing the coast just south of Santa Barbara. Landing was smooth, and LAX’s new immigration setup worked well, though I did have to fix a typo on our visa waiver forms. Small hiccup, but no big deal.
From landing to getting outside took about an hour — not too bad for such a busy airport. The shuttle bus ride to the rental car center was interesting. We struck up a conversation with a couple who fly in monthly from Sacramento to visit their son in prison. He’s serving a 20-year sentence for an environmental crime — apparently made an example of. It was a sobering reminder that behind every traveler there’s a story, some happy, some tough.
Getting the rental car was smooth — we ended up with a white Dodge that will be our ride for the next few days.
We stopped at Wal-Mart to stock up on essentials and then headed to Maria and Charlie’s place in Carson. It’s nice to meet Shannon’s folks — soon to be part of the family. Ryan hadn’t met them yet, so it was a good introduction.
Finally, after what felt like forever, showers! Ryan decided to skip it though — said the dogs Harley and Molly had given him a good wash already. Only Ryan…
After a much-needed three-hour nap, I updated some photos. Rayls skipped the nap and Ryan got less rest than me — typical!
After a much-needed three-hour nap, I updated some photos. Rayls skipped the nap and Ryan got less rest than me — typical!
Maria and Charlie treated us to a lovely barbecue dinner with apple pie for dessert — classic American hospitality. Plenty of ball-throwing for Harley and Molly, who were loving the attention.
Now it’s late Saturday night, and we’re watching the LA Kings take on the Ducks in hockey — weird watching hockey in the evening instead of the morning, but hey, that’s travel for you.
Despite the exhaustion, it feels good to be here. The adventure has officially begun.
16th March 2014 – Carson (Los Angeles)
A quiet day today, and to be honest, we needed it. Jet lag is still working its way out of our systems — the body’s in LA, but the mind’s still somewhere over the Pacific.
We took a trip to Del Amo Fashion Center, which holds the title (or at least fights for it) as one of the largest malls in the USA. If you like shopping, this is Mecca. Three Macy’s. Yes, three. That’s some serious retail overkill. Also JCPenney, Sears, and what feels like hundreds of other stores. Rayls wasted no time and spent $30 at Jo-Ann’s. Ryan and I managed the impossible — we walked through a mega mall and spent nothing. That deserves a medal.
After a quiet afternoon, we ventured out for dinner at Lucille’s Smokehouse Bar-B-Que. Absolutely delicious — ribs, pulled pork, all the good stuff smothered in sauce. Not great for the arteries but excellent for the soul.
In the evening we took it easy and had some great chats with Charlie. He shared stories from his time with the LAPD, and they were fascinating. Turns out he worked alongside Ken Osmond, the actor who played Eddie Haskell in Leave It To Beaver. Ken became a cop in real life — what a twist. As someone who watched the show religiously, it was a surreal connection. Makes my 27 years in the force seem quiet, which it mostly was. Charlie’s stories could fill a book — or at least a gritty Netflix series.
Looking forward to tomorrow. Our internal clocks are slowly catching up with the local time, and the excitement is building for what’s ahead — especially our flight to Chicago on Tuesday and seeing The Beaver himself next weekend.
In the evening we took it easy and had some great chats with Charlie. He shared stories from his time with the LAPD, and they were fascinating. Turns out he worked alongside Ken Osmond, the actor who played Eddie Haskell in Leave It To Beaver. Ken became a cop in real life — what a twist. As someone who watched the show religiously, it was a surreal connection. Makes my 27 years in the force seem quiet, which it mostly was. Charlie’s stories could fill a book — or at least a gritty Netflix series.
Looking forward to tomorrow. Our internal clocks are slowly catching up with the local time, and the excitement is building for what’s ahead — especially our flight to Chicago on Tuesday and seeing The Beaver himself next weekend.
17th March 2014 – Los Angeles
A day that had everything — a celebrity sighting, an earthquake, and a tribute to an old friend.
We were woken (well, some of us) by a 4.4 magnitude earthquake at 6:25am. I felt it, Maria and Charlie felt it, but Rayls and Ryan… didn’t. Out like lights. A proper Californian wake-up call!
After breakfast, we drove into Hollywood, a surprisingly short 40-minute trip with LA traffic behaving itself for once. We found cheap parking ($10 — a miracle in Hollywood) and joined the small crowd gathering for a Walk of Fame ceremony. It was Kate Winslet’s big day, and the stars were literally lining the pavement.
Crowd control was hopeless, but I somehow found myself just a metre or two from Kate. She was poised, polished, and friendly. Kathy Bates and Mekhi Phifer (from ER) were also there. Felt like we’d stumbled into the Oscars.
After the ceremony, we took a stroll to find Neil Diamond’s star — Rayls is a fan — then we made our way to Silver Lake. There, we walked in memory of our good friend Scott McKenzie. Hard to believe it’s been years already. The area has changed, but our memories haven’t.
A surprise detour — we dropped in on Scott’s old girlfriend Fleur, who still lives nearby. She returned a quilt Rayls had made for Scott in 2009. That quilt has stories woven into it. A quiet moment that meant a lot.
We swung past Kohl’s for a bit more shopping — this time everyone walked away with something.
Dinner back in Carson with Maria and Charlie, where we met Ashley, Shannon’s youngest sister, and her little boy Jacob. Great people. Lovely family.
We ended the night watching hockey (Kings vs Coyotes — the Kings lost), with more great chats with Maria and Charlie. We head off tomorrow but will be back next week. LA is always easier when you’ve got family nearby — even extended family.
18th March 2014 – Los Angeles to Chicago
I had hoped to report that everything is Normal but alas it is not!
We all got up at 4am and hit the road by 4:30am. I thought this was plenty of time for a 6.25am flight. Dropped the car off at Alamo, 105 miles we did in that car – cost us just under $14 in gas. The shuttle bus got us to the airport. Sadly there was a line to check into our flight, not like the line we had on the 2012 Quilt Bash but a fair line all the same. However, things went OK even if our bags were tagged with ‘late check in’ indicating it was not guaranteed that they would make our flight. The late check in was due to South West’s inept check in system.
Security was interesting; I was told I didn’t have to take off my shoes so I assumed that went for the other two as well. That was not to be and poor Ryan in particular got put through the third degree. The TSA people know their routine and therefore assume the public does as well – this is not the case and yet they get very grumpy with people who don’t know what they are doing – sounds like a bus driver I know.
The flight took off on time – only two thirds full so we were all able to sit together. We took off at 6:35 am and landed in Las Vegas at 7:19am, the same time it takes to drive a 212!
In Vegas, half the passengers got off and others who were just doing the Vegas to Chicago leg of the flight joined us. We took off at 8:29am and landed in Chicago Midway Airport just a few minutes short of 3 hours later at 11:23am although it was now 1:23pm Chicago time. Bags came OK, still with their late check in tags on!
We got another Alamo rental. We have a small SUV and had a choice of a Chevrolet or a Mazda 5. Ryan thought the Mazda (pronounced Marzda in the USA) was better and so we took that. Getting to downtown Chicago took some time, a lot of traffic and it is not a nice drive, very derelict looking way to approach the city. The weather was around 10C so we had to dig out jackets for the first time in many months.
No real problem finding Ryan’s hotel, the Godfrey in downtown Chicago. He will be there for 6 days spending time with mates and going to three Blackhawks games.
Rayls and I then hit the road, very slowly, as we headed back the way we came in, onto I55 and past Midway Airport again as we headed towards St Louis. It was supposed to be a two-hour drive but took a lot longer due to the traffic.
We had aimed to make Normal, Illinois to spend the night and we thought we had made it there but the hotel is in the neighbouring town of Bloomington! We had dinner at a Cracker Barrel and took in a Normal Wal-Mart, before using my nifty iPhone App to find a good hotel, the La Quinta right next door to the Cracker Barrel.
A very long day – tomorrow onto Springfield, the capital of Illinois and then St Louis, just over the Mississippi River in Missouri.
19th March 2014 – Onto Missouri
Nice breakfast at the hotel to start the day and then along I55 to Rochester, which is just out of Springfield, the Illinois State Capital.
In Rochester Rayls visited her first quilt shop for the trip, Peace and Applique – she seemed to enjoy it. Then it was on to downtown Springfield where we visited the Abraham Lincoln Museum. It is a fascinating place, very interesting with some very informative guides along the way. Across the road they had a display of props used for the movie Lincoln.
We managed one more Quilt Shop, Sew Unique before at around 3pm we started out on I55 further south towards St Louis and our friend’s house in West Alton. It was cold and windy all the way down from Bloomington, a very dreary day. The drive was through very rural areas, lots of freshly ploughed fields.
Our friend Eileen was waiting for us in her West Alton home. Hubby Phil is away on a golfing week with some friends. Eileen lives on a lovely rural property just a half hour or so out of St Louis. She and Phil are great people we met through their daughter Nicole when she was a student in Perth back in 2002.
We had a lovely roast dinner and a chat. Alas I went to bed early, not much later than 7:30pm. Just so tired.
Ryan spent the day wandering the streets of Chicago before going to the Blackhawks game at the United Center.
20th March 2014 – West Alton
Today was a pleasant enough day with Eileen in the St Louis area.
We planned out 4 quilt shops we could visit and got to all 4. Sadly 2 were no longer open so Rayls and Eileen got to just 2 shops and they seemed to enjoy them. For lunch we went to one of Eileen’s favourite places, Hendel’s Market Café. It’s a lovely old place with much history. The building was originally built in 1873 as a general store and in more recent years has been developed into a restaurant.
After lunch we returned to the house where I was left to do some computer work whilst the ladies went off to a flea market. We had another nice dinner and chatted. Rayls managed a much needed load of washing.
Tomorrow we move on. We never stay long with Eileen, which is a pity as she is a lovely person and the perfect host.
Ryan seems to be having a good time in Chicago.
21st March 2014 – Frank Wilcox Day
Firstly a big thank you to Eileen. A good friend, one of the few people I am comfortable enough to open up with. That is a big compliment Eileen.
We left West Alton at 10am and had three quilt shops to visit on the 100K drive to Festus! We got to two, the other we will do on Saturday. Rayls also managed a Thrift Shop and a Hobby Lobby which she enjoyed.
In the meantime I went to a sports store, no cricket gear. When I jokingly asked the server for where the cricket gear was she said “we don’t have any cricket stuff but we do have pickle ball items”. I also went to a Shake and Steak, which was a bust!
Our plan was to get to De Soto for the Frank Wilcox Film Festival and in particular the special guest Jerry Mathers. De Soto is not a big town so we stayed the night in a Comfort Inn in the nearby town of Festus.
Frank Wilcox was an American character actor born in De Soto. Each year the town honours him with a film festival. We saw They Died With Their Boots On introduced by his daughter Elizabeth von Gremp. Small crowd, good movie.
After the movie we were interviewed by Kevin Carberry of the local newspaper, Leader. I guess they don’t get many Aussies in De Soto!
22nd March 2014 – Jerry Mathers Day
Today I got to meet one of my all-time favourite people, Jerry Mathers. As a youngster in the early 1960s I watched Leave It To Beaver each week. It was always a dream to meet the Beav and today it happened.
We started with breakfast, then a stop at Cobblestone Quilts before driving to De Soto. The town was hit by a tornado in 2003 that caused extensive damage, but it has bounced back.
The Jerry Mathers event featured a Leave It To Beaver marathon at the historic Melba Theatre. Jerry gave a short speech and then signed autographs. I told him he was a big part of my youth and he was very gracious. I asked if he’d been to Australia – he hadn’t.
The theatre staff and locals were incredibly friendly. Jim Thomas, the festival organiser, made us feel very welcome. These sorts of events take you off the beaten tourist path, and you meet great people and see unique things.
We debated staying the night in De Soto or going back to Eileen’s, but in the end we started the drive back towards Chicago and stopped in Springfield for the night at the Route 66 Hotel. Lots of memorabilia but otherwise an average stay.
23rd March 2014 – Back to Chicago
Tonight we are in River Grove, a suburb of Chicago. Tomorrow we aim to pick up Ryan at 3am at his downtown hotel and then get to Midway Airport for our 6:15am flight to Los Angeles.
We started the day in Springfield, drove to Normal to pick up Rayls’ iPhone, and then onto a Denny’s for breakfast. Disappointing food, our first Denny’s of the trip.
As we closed in on Chicago we called into the Prairie Quilt Shop in Batavia and then Fabrics Etc in Bensenville. I booked a Super 8 in River Grove for the location (and cost) and although the premises itself is average, the service from Elena was the best we’ve ever received from a hotel check-in.
Dinner at a nearby Ruby Tuesday, served by Jasmine – excellent food and service. Into the room by 7pm, as ready to go as we can be. Alarm is set for 2:20am.
24th March 2014 – Back to LA
We were up at 2:20am, left by 2:50am to pick up Ryan. Fresh snow in Chicago, and -6°C. Ryan was waiting, having had a fantastic time — new mates, beer, hockey — the full Chicago experience.
We reached Midway around 3:30am, returned the rental car, and caught the shuttle. Too early — no staff at check-in, 80 people in line! A guy offered curbside check-in — bags tagged and on the belt for a tip. Worth it.
Through security by 4am, no stress. Southwest Flight 3391 departed at 6:15am — dark, bumpy ride, especially over the Rockies. I watched live news on my iPad, including the Malaysian PM’s announcement about MH370.
Landed at LAX 8:30am. Bags arrived late despite being loaded first. Shuttle to Alamo, where we got a Jeep. Drove to Carson and unpacked.
After naps, we headed to Glendale to meet Amy, Steve, and Amy’s mum Theresa. Dinner at Cheesecake Factory — good food, great service from Josh. The fictional Cheesecake Factory in Big Bang Theory looks nothing like the real ones. Dessert was, of course, cheesecake.
After dinner we visited Amy’s hotel, chatted, then drove back to Carson — 32 minutes, just as the GPS promised. Great to be back with Maria and Charlie.
25th March 2014 – Big Bang
Long but great day.
Left Carson at 9:30am to visit our friend Lidia in Garden Grove. Short visit, then a quilt shop (Quilt Cupboard).
Next, north to LA and two guitar shops — Westwood Guitars and Guitar Center Hollywood. The latter has a Rock Walk with over 400 musicians’ handprints — Ryan enjoyed both places.
Met up with Amy, Steve, and Theresa for a late lunch at BJ’s Brewhouse. Valet parking. A bit fancy, but good food.
At 4:00pm, we headed to Warner Bros Studio for Big Bang Theory taping. Like TSA, Audience Unlimited staff are efficient but not overly communicative.
We got in and had great seats. Ryan was pulled on stage for a matchmaking game — sang Waltzing Matilda! Fun night. Show ended just before 11pm, home by 11:30pm.
26th March 2014 – Book of Mormon
Our last full day in LA before a 7-day road trip.
We went out in the morning to a mall — not sure which one — and got lunch but no other purchases.
Back to Carson, then at 4:00pm we headed to Hollywood. A 30-minute trip took 90. Dinner at Denny’s with Amy, Steve, and Theresa.
Ryan joined them at the Pantages Theatre for Book of Mormon, a satirical musical from the South Park creators. Rayls and I went to Glendale Galleria to kill time.
We picked up the Mormon crowd afterwards and Ryan rejoined us for the drive home — arriving at 11:45pm.
27th March 2014 – LA to Flagstaff
770 kilometres today — we had hoped to reach Williams, Arizona, but made it all the way to Flagstaff, where we stayed at a Days Inn.
We left Carson at 10:00am — thanks to Maria and Charlie’s helpful directions, we escaped LA smoothly. Reached Barstow around midday. Ryan drove the next leg along I-40 to Needles, just before the Arizona border. We stopped for fuel and lunch.
Ryan continued driving into Arizona, plugging away at the kilometres. In Williams, I checked hotel availability but had no luck, so Ryan suggested we press on to Flagstaff. A good move.
We found a hotel on historic Route 66 and had dinner at the Galaxy Diner — a classic 1950s-themed spot. Great food, fun décor, jukebox music, and walls filled with Hollywood legends. Apparently, classic car meets and swing dance nights happen here regularly.
A long day of driving, but it sets up our next few days well.
We also received a newspaper article about our appearance at the Frank Wilcox Film Festival — we’re famous! One small error: I was misquoted about my favourite band, but the rest was fair.
28th March 2014 – Monument Valley / Four Corners
We left Flagstaff at 9:00am and grabbed breakfast at Dunkin’ Donuts — served by Relaene. On the way, Rayls spotted a Joann store and was delighted to find a Michaels next door. We gave her an hour, which she used entirely at Joann. Ryan and I refuelled the car.
By 10:45am, we were on the road to Monument Valley. Rayls and I had been there two years earlier, but Ryan was keen — and impressed. It’s a spectacular spot.
Afterwards, we continued to Four Corners Monument — where Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico meet. Yes, we know Google Earth claims it’s a few metres off, but hey — still a cool place.
A brief visit there, then we drove an hour to Cortez, Colorado, for the night.
29th March 2014 – Mesa Verde / Million Dollar Highway
The Knights Inn in Cortez was a disaster — especially for Ryan, whose room flooded during the night.
We grabbed breakfast at Burger King, chatting with some very friendly locals, then drove 20 minutes to Mesa Verde National Park. Known for its incredible cliff dwellings, it’s a fascinating place — even though some areas were closed due to the season. We still enjoyed our time exploring.
Next stop: Durango, birthplace of our friend Amy (a while back!). It’s famous for the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad — a heritage steam line. While Rayls explored the quilt shop (complete with pool table), Ryan and I shot some balls.
From there, we drove 170km through Silverton to Montrose via the Million Dollar Highway. An unforgettable drive — reaching over 10,000 feet, with snow-capped mountains and striking red rock. Easily the most stunning drive we’ve ever done. Hats off to Ryan for navigating the tight bends and steep climbs.
We spent the night in Montrose at the Black Canyon Hotel and had dinner at Denny’s.
30th March 2014 – Arches National Park
Today’s goal: Moab, Utah, via Grand Junction and Arches National Park.
We had a late start — my iPad alarm didn’t go off (it was set to PM instead of AM!). Thankfully, Ryan’s did, and we were only 40 minutes behind schedule.
We stopped at an iHop in Grand Junction for breakfast — very busy, with a 15-minute wait.
From there we drove the 170km stretch of I-70 to Arches National Park. There are over 2,000 natural sandstone arches in the park, and the red landscape is striking. Lots of walking — through sand and over rocky paths. The wind whipped up the sand, and later it started to rain, but we managed to stay mostly dry.
Rather than stopping in Moab, we pressed westward on I-70 and ended the day in Richfield, Utah. The weather turned snowy and windy — not ideal driving conditions, but Ryan handled it well. We had dinner at Frontier Village Restaurant, then braved the snow to check into the Super 8 next door.
As we checked in, a weird noise came from one of my bags — the “stupid iPad” alarm going off after all. Wrong time zone setting. Lesson learned.
Arches National Park
31st March 2014 – Cedar City
We’ve made it to Cedar City, where we’ll be based (on and off) until Monday.
Started the day in Richfield, 150km away. The hotel had poor internet — couldn’t stay connected for more than a minute — and I only managed to upload one photo from yesterday. Will try to fix that.
Our car was iced over, and the windows wouldn’t open. Ryan smartly poured water over them to free things up. Windscreen wiper fluid sorted the front. After breakfast at Macca’s, we drove the final stretch, turning south on I-15, which runs from San Diego up to the Canadian border.
Arrived in Cedar City around noon to a warm welcome from Amy and Steve — hadn’t seen them in a week! Being here feels like home. Amy and Steve are like family — adventurous and outdoorsy, and yet we still get along!
We did some shopping (yes, another Wal-Mart), and even Ryan picked up a few clothes. Lunch came from Jimmy John’s and Arby’s. The afternoon was spent chatting and enjoying each other’s company. Dinner at Sizzler, then a Red Box DVD rental: The Wolf of Wall Street. Amy bailed after 10 minutes, the rest of us lasted 30, and Ryan was the only one who watched it through. Awful movie.
1st April 2014 – Cedar City
A quiet but pleasant day. Rayls and Amy did laundry and shopping, with time spent in Amy’s studio — which sparked a few creative spins.
Lunch at the Market Grill, where Karen (a long-time server) looked after us. Their banana cream pie is still excellent.
Ryan and I visited Wal-Mart and Christensens while killing time before a movie. Funny thing: Christensens was playing The First Noël — a Christmas carol… in April! Maybe an April Fools joke?
We saw Arnie’s new film Sabotage — not bad. Dinner was pizza and we watched A Beautiful Mind — a big improvement over the previous night’s film.
2nd April 2014 – Cedar City
Another pleasant day. Amy and Steve’s son Daniel dropped by. At 20, he’s already a paramedic firefighter. He showed us his work vehicle — impressive.
Rayls and Amy reorganised the studio with supply runs to Jo-Ann’s and Wal-Mart. Steve, Ryan and I had lunch at Carl’s Jr. Amy made a lovely chicken dinner. Evening movie: The Man Who Knew Too Little.
3rd April 2014 – Las Vegas
We all left Cedar City at 9:00am and drove to St George. Steve had a car service at the Honda dealer; Amy and Rayls travelled separately. Ryan and I followed in our Jeep.
Rayls joined Ryan and me and we continued south, stopping in Mesquite so Ryan could visit Lee’s Liquor, then on to Vegas. Time zone change meant we gained an hour and a half.
Another stop at Lee’s Liquor, then lunch at Subway. Ryan needed a car to drive to Phoenix to visit mates. He rented a red Chevrolet Camaro — sporty! We swapped luggage and he hit the road via the Hoover Dam.
Rayls and I visited the Christmas Goose quilt shop, Michaels, and Hobby Lobby. We stayed at Sunset Station in Henderson. Disappointing buffet and poor internet. Watched The Big Bang Theory — the episode we saw taped last week.
Ryan reached Phoenix before we reached our room!
4th April 2014 – Back to Cedar City
A slow start today. Internet issues, bad buffet, and a surprise $16.95 service fee at checkout — which I contested and had refunded.
We wandered around Henderson before heading back to Cedar City around 1:00pm. Stopped in Mesquite and passed through the scenic Virgin River Gorge.
Amy devised a plan to detour via Michaels in St George. Also browsed at Lowe’s for home improvement ideas. Back in Cedar City around 6:00pm. Watched 50 First Dates with Amy and Steve.
Ryan seems to be enjoying Phoenix. His mate Scott is going through a rough patch, but doing okay.
5th April 2014 – Cedar City
Cool day with rain and some hail. Ryan’s still in Phoenix having a blast. Not sure when we’ll head back to LA — sometime this week.
We ran errands with Amy, watched TV, and relaxed. Dinner at Sizzler, followed by Dan in Real Life on TV.
Received a model Wal-Mart truck in the mail — a gift from our friend Jim. Straight to the pool room!
6th April 2014 – Cedar City
Amy and Steve treated us to the movies for a special occasion: 40 years since Rayls and I had our first date! Back then, it was Carry On Loving and Father Dear Father at the Galaxy Drive-In. Today, we saw The Grand Budapest Hotel — not sure if we liked it, but it was certainly interesting.
Dinner at Texas Roadhouse. Weather was very good.
Cedar City
7th April 2014 – Cedar City
Our last full day in Cedar City — tomorrow we head to Vegas, and Wednesday, back to LA.
I booked tickets for a sitcom taping on Thursday: Your Family or Mine, featuring Richard Dreyfuss. Fingers crossed!
Amy has inspired me with her healthy smoothies. I’ve ordered a blender to be delivered back home.
Highlight of the day: Rayls and Amy went to both Jo-Ann and Wal-Mart — and didn’t buy anything!
Amy made a lovely dinner, and we watched Across the Universe (a Beatles-themed musical), followed by One Chance via iTunes, and wrapped up with The Castle. Plenty of laughs all round.
Another wonderful Cedar City visit — huge thanks to Amy and Steve!
8th April 2014 – Cedar City to Vegas
Forty years ago today I began as a 19-year-old recruit at the police academy — hard to believe!
It was a beautiful day in Cedar City: just 1°C, but the sun was shining and the sky was a deep blue. I wore shorts, expecting warmer weather in Las Vegas.
As always, we had a fantastic time with Amy and Steve. While I love it in Cedar City, it’ll be nice to get back to sea level — 5,000+ feet takes its toll! I really should’ve drunk more water.
We fuelled up and hit I-15 straight to Las Vegas. We’re staying at Fiesta Henderson — an okay hotel. It was around 25°C when we arrived.
Discovered we don’t fly home Saturday night after all — it’s Sunday night! So I had to extend the rental car an extra day.
Rayls squeezed in a visit to Jo-Ann, and we had dinner at the hotel buffet.
McDonalds Grounds in Boulder Nevada
Boulder Nevada
9th April 2014 – Back to LA
Back in LA for the final days of our trip.
We left Vegas in the morning. After checking out of a hotel we won’t return to, we drove to Boulder City via the Hoover Dam.
Delayed briefly when I couldn’t find my phone — only to discover it was in Rayls’ back pocket!
Boulder City is a lovely, artsy town. The McDonald’s car park is dotted with statues of kids playing sport, and the town has various statues paying tribute to the workers who built the Hoover Dam.
Rayls enjoyed a visit to Fiddlesticks Quilt Shop, next to the historic Boulder Theatre, run by Desi Arnaz Jr. — Lucille Ball’s son.
We stopped in Barstow for a break and reached LA by 5:00pm. Made a quick stop at Calico House (closed, but Rayls managed 20 minutes of shopping!).
Dinner with our friend Lidia at Denny’s in Garden Grove, then onto Carson to stay with Maria and Charlie.
10th April 2014 – LA
A relaxed day with Maria and Charlie in Carson.
Ryan drove from Phoenix to LA — about six hours.
Charlie’s been busy transforming the backyard. We enjoyed sitting out there chatting.
We had tickets to a show taping but decided to skip it and take it easy instead.
Rayls introduced Maria to a new craft project. We visited a couple of Wal-Marts for supplies — one in Long Beach.
Lunch at Chick-fil-A.
Ryan arrived around 6:00pm to a warm welcome from Harley and Molly. Maria was impressed by his Camaro.
Dinner at Outback. While waiting for a table, Rayls and Maria popped into Jo-Ann.
Back home, we watched The Big Bang Theory — the episode we saw taped earlier. Still funny!
Carson, California
11th April 2014 – LA
Another great day. We went to see Draft Day at the movies with Maria and Charlie — really enjoyed it.
Ryan did a solo road trip up the coast to Malibu and back.
After the movie, we lunched at BJ’s, then had a quiet afternoon.
Watched Oblivion on TV. Ryan and I went out in the Camaro to grab dinner — came back empty-handed and ordered pizza instead.
Tomorrow’s our last full day. Both rental cars go back — thanks to my mix-up on the return date.
12th April 2014 – LA
Last full day. As much as we’ve enjoyed the trip, we’re ready to go home.
Returned Ryan’s Camaro to Alamo at LAX. I managed to extend the Jeep rental by one more day.
After dropping the Camaro off, Ryan and I visited In-N-Out Burger at the end of the LAX runway. Just grabbed drinks — the place was packed! Took them across to the park and watched planes land. A couple of 747s flew right overhead — amazing. Next trip, we’re bringing chairs!
Late lunch/early dinner with Maria and Charlie. Joined by Shannon’s sister Lisa and Charlie’s mum, Ruby — lovely lady.
Afterwards, the Hartmans visited Best Buy and Wal-Mart.
In-N-Out Burger at the end of the LAX Runway
13th April 2014 – Going Home
A quiet final day. Always great spending time with Maria and Charlie. Harley and Molly kept us entertained.
Quick visits to Walmart and Home Depot. Lunch at Omega Burger. Rayls and Ryan packed — different techniques, but I won’t complain since I don’t have to do it. I just hold the bags for weighing. Three big bags were each just under a kilo overweight. Some repacking and off to the airport by 3:00pm.
I dropped Rayls, Ryan, and the luggage at Terminal 3, parked the car, and joined them. Check-in went smoothly — much easier than last time with Virgin.
Back to Maria and Charlie’s for a few final hours. Showers all round (last for 30 hours!). Lisa and her son Ethan were there too. Played ball with Ethan and threw the ball for Harley — endless fun for him.
Said our goodbyes and left for the airport at 7:30pm. Returned the Jeep (which I did not enjoy driving) to Alamo.
Shuttle to the terminal and through security — smooth. Virgin’s early boarding is great. Our flight (VA2) wasn’t full. Ryan snagged four middle seats and disappeared. Rayls curled up in two. I’m writing this as we fly over New Caledonia, three hours from Sydney.
No babies onboard — a bonus! Just a couple of rowdy toddlers behind us who want to “go out and play.”
14th April 2014 – Huh
Doesn’t really exist — time travel.
15th April 2014 – Going Home
Landed in Sydney around 6:30am. Virgin was fine — not as good as Qantas, but acceptable.
Immigration was a breeze with ePassports. Bags were a little slow, but no damage. Ryan’s 16-year-old whiskey bottle survived.
Customs area was chaotic, but we made it through. Rayls even scored a Band-Aid after tearing a fingernail.
Bag transfer to Virgin Domestic was easy — just 20 metres from Customs exit. Then a shuttle to the domestic terminal.
We had a four-hour layover, so we took it easy — sat in the restaurant area for a while before heading to the gate.
Boarded the A330 flight VA555 and arrived in Perth at 1:40pm. Scott met us with a Diet Coke for me and a Coke for Ryan. He had a trailer for the luggage.
Home sweet home. Hunter was very excited to see us — not quite as lively as Harley and Molly, but just as loved.
Another trip done and dusted.
Taping The Big Bang Theory and meeting Jerry Mathers in De Soto were definite highlights.
But as a self-proclaimed grumble bum, it was the time spent with Amy and Steve, Eileen in St Louis, and Maria and Charlie in LA that meant the most. Wonderful people who made us feel truly welcome. Thank you — and here’s hoping we see you all again soon.
Thanks for reading. Until next time!
Gaz
