In 2017, I started off on a journey. A journey to discover the U.S., the world and, most of all to discover me. I tracked (most) of my journeys here on Rouge Tripping.
A new year, a new journey and a new car (a 2017 Nissan Pathfinder) later, I am off to do some Path Finding. Follow the new adventures over on pathfinding.us.
Happy to have you along on the journey.
The Rogue was back on the road for its next adventure – a quick 3 day trip down to the National Aquarium in Baltimore and then out to Ohio for stops at the Christmas Story house and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
I had companions on this adventure – my sons, Drew and Sean, and Sean’s fiancee, Ashley. While all the sights we visited were fun, the best part of this trip was spending time with them. Life is about making memories and we made some good ones on this roadtrip.
From New Jersey, we head south for a roadtrip tradition – breakfast at Waffle House! After we had our fill of pecan waffles and hashbrowns, we detoured down to Baltimore for a visit to the National Aquarium for fish, sharks, turtles, dolphins and more.
After a few hours among the fish in Baltimore, we headed northwest on our way to Ohio. Again, so often we think things are too far away, but they really aren’t. Make the time, you will never regret it!
After a quick stop in Toronto, OH to visit with Ashley’s family, we arrived in Cleveland. After a good night’s sleep, we headed out for breakfast. We had decided to plan our roadtrip meals based on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives recommendations and it did not disappoint. Breakfast was at Lucky’s Cafe (OMG, the pecan bacon!) and dinner was at Melt Bar and Grilled (Yep, all grilled cheese!). – Go to both of them – the food was amazing!!
Fueled up for the day, we headed over to the Christmas Story house – yes, the house from the movie – leg lamp and all!
Then it was off to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame! I loved it, but it is almost overwhelming. There is so much to see that I’m not sure how you could see it all in one day. Below are just a few of my favorite exhibits, the ones I had serious fangirl moments at , but I took many more pictures that you can see over on Flickr.
Johnny Cash’s guitars, Ringo’s drum set, the entire Elvis display, the original notes from John Mellencamp’s Jack and Diane, and Mother Maybelle Carter’s guitar.
We had a fabulous day in Cleveland and lots of fun on the drive out and back, including our last stop before home – the Blackbird Distillery for a quick tasting of moonshine!
Great memories made…and isn’t that the point of adventures…
Because you know there are always ore photos – Full photo albums are on Flickr – Sacramento, Lake Tahoe and San Francisco.
The surprise, last-minute trip (aren’t they the best ones!) to Northern California was a road trip, but not really a “rogue trip” since this was my transportation for the week. As much as I LOVE my Rogue, this was fun to drive.
It was a whirlwind five days of work, sight-seeing and catching up with a friend. Part of what made the trip so fascinating was realizing that from our Sacramento base we were only 2 hours from Lake Tahoe and 2 hours from San Francisco. I highly recommend taking a moment and looking at how close things really are to you and stop using “but it is so far” as an excuse. Things are often much closer than we think. And Day Trips Are Awesome!
Before I headed east and west, I did a quick afternoon exploring Sacramento. Besides seeing the Capital Building and the Leland Stanford Mansion, I did a self-guided tour around Sutter’s Fort and we had dinner along the river in Old Sacramento. I’m a bit of a history nerd, so getting the chance to learn more about California and U.S. history was a blast.
The next part of this adventure was a drive up to the Lake Tahoe area. Steady climbs through the mountains, absolutely stunning forest scenery and a gorgeous day made for quite a drive. Not to mention going from the 107 degrees in Sacramento to the 72 up in the mountains was a nice respite. There was a lot of tourist traffic out, so I didn’t get to stop and take as many photos as I would have liked, but I still came home from that day with 150+, including these from Donner’s Summit, North Lake Tahoe and Emerald Bay.
The last leg of the Northern California trip was a day in San Francisco – one of the places on my travel bucket list. We only had a few hours in SF, so we chose to see as much of the city as we could in a short period of time by taking a Big Bus Tour. It was a gray, chilly day in San Francisco (no surprise there!) but we bundled up and sat on the upper deck of the double decker bus and got a tour all around the city. We hopped off at the Golden Gate Bridge and walked part of it. We had a great seafood meal and wandered around the piers before heading up to drive down Lombard Street – in the dark! and then up to Colt Tower on Telegraph Hill to see the full moon. All in all a magical day in the city. Now I have a long list of places I want to go back to and spend more time and do more exploring, including Alcatraz. Pro tip – Alcatraz tour tickets sell out weeks in advance so plan accordingly. At least I got a couple of great photos from the Golden Gate Bridge.
Northern California, thanks for the hospitality, I will be back! So many places I still want to explore.
One of the best things about traveling is being able to take a lot of photos. One of the worst is having to upload and edit all of them! But, I am finally done with the approximately 900 photos I took on my June road trip.
The full collection can be found here https://www.flickr.com/photos/glokbell/collections/72157683348951501/
I have also added the relevant albums to each post.
Enjoy! and stay-tuned for the next Rogue Trip!
…the Rogue pulled into its parking spot at home. Before I wax philosophical about the magic of this journey, I want to share a couple of shots from my last day on the road. I stopped for gas in some little town in West Virginia and this view greeted me next to the station. Talk about a good omen for the day’s travels.
One of my last random stops was at a scenic overlook near the West Virginia / Maryland border. There are a lot of pictures from that stop (yes, I promise, I’ll be adding the links to the Flickr albums soon!) but these are just a taste of the beauty I got to soak in.
There do not seem to be enough superlatives to describe this experience. I saw awe-inspiring sights. I experienced the pain and joy of time spent just with myself and my own thoughts. I saw family and friends that I don’t see often enough. I worked every day. Most of all, I observed and I learned and I grew and I shrank. Yes, I know that is a confusing statement, but it is an accurate description.
I observed the majesty, beauty and quirkiness of getting off the beaten path and out of my comfort zone.
I learned about places in this great country that I did not know about. I learned about cultures and customs that I don’t interact with every day. I learned that we, as Americans, have way more in common than we have different and we need to start embracing that commonness and pushing away the forces that try to divide us through politics, ideology, religion, race, geography or other arbitrary metrics.
I learned that my way, my view and my beliefs should be challenged – regularly. So should yours.
I observed the convenience, privilege and loneliness of wealth and the heart-breaking sadness and immense pride of poverty. Urban poverty is something most of us in the Northeast see or experience regularly, but seeing the poverty of a ramshackle RV, not even a home, but a travel trailer just parked in the middle of the desert, that houses a large family of Native Americans and is surrounded by the family’s herd of goats will give you a whole other view of poverty. And a whole other view of why it is so important that we start addressing some of the issues with compassion and respect instead of derision, annoyance and cruelty.
I learned that we will never be complete until we stop doing things the same way and seeing things through the same lens. Opening ourselves to tolerance, compassion and understanding means being willing to try to see things differently and requires getting off the highways and onto back roads; taking the time to talk to a stranger; searching for the beauty in everything; learning patience and most importantly, being willing to get both into and out of our own heads for a while.
Along with the beauty I saw, I took the time to talk to people – servers in local restaurants, the man or woman getting gas next to me, clerks in convenience stores, the woman washing her hands in the sink next to me at the rest stop. It is amazing what a simple smile, holding a door for someone or just general chit-chat will do for you and for someone else. I bought ice cream for kids whose mother was clearly having a rough day, had breakfast bought for me by a cowboy who was clearly flirting, and had a 95 year old woman give me the sweetest smile and say “God Bless You” when I helped her up a curb and held the door for her to enter the chapel. It really is about the little things in life.
I turned off the technology for large stretches of time (other than Waze – I love Waze! – go download it now!) and listened to the radio – music and talk. Hearing the farm report as the sun rises over Kansas is a great reminder that my life is not the same life everyone else has and I need to understand their lives too. I listened to local radio stations, including Sunday morning preachers, conservative talk shows and local NPR stations. I listened to the local news and weather. All of this exposure to things outside of my norm helped me see the gorgeous views through a new lens. Those tree-covered mountains took on new meaning when I heard about the wildfires close by. Those fields and farms took on new meaning when I listened to the grain price reports or saw the billboards and advertisements with the cost of farm machinery. Heck, even the wide range of gas prices ($1.85 to $2.65) was eye-opening to how others experience life.
Simple opening lines like “did you drive from Alaska?” to the family whose car had Alaska license plates and Trump bumper stickers create an opening for a fascinating discussion over a cup of coffee about their trip – yes they drove to New Mexico from Alaska! – and that the current rancor in politics was what prompted them to bring their kids down to see the lower 48. They are spending 4 months traveling the US with their final stop being Washington, D.C. and a visit with their Congressperson to share their views on what the President and Congress is doing right and wrong. We could not have been further apart on political positions, but they were thoughtful, articulate and clearly held their views with strong resolve. It was just a short chat, but they were willing to listen and discuss, not argue, and so was I. I believe we all, including their children (ages 10 and 12) whom they insisted participate in the discussion, learned something from each other. Getting a different perspective is always beneficial. To quote the father (I never did get their names) ” talking with someone who thinks different, does not mean you have to embrace or believe what they believe, it means you are smart enough to know that you are not always right”. Wise words, indeed.
I grew by embracing my curiosity, instead of my fear. I shrank my perception of myself as the center of the universe. I grew my wonder. I shrank my anxiety. I grew my patience and tolerance. I shrank my limited viewpoints.
I shrank my willingness to accept intolerance, bigotry, racism and sexism.
I grew my love for this country and the wonderful people, of all shapes, sizes, colors, races, ideologies, religions, cultures, and beliefs who call this home.
This trip has come to a close but Rogue Tripping has not. There are many more adventures in my future, both near and far. I will be documenting them here.
I have one wish for all of you – experience something new, go some place new, meet someone new – Just get out of your comfort zone!
After rising to a stunning sunrise over Oklahoma, it was time to be on the road again. 
The journey included a stop in Louisville, KY to visit with family and I squeezed in a little sight-seeing.
One of the most fun things about this trip has been stopping at the historic, the beautiful, and the kitschy places along the way. Fun places like this gift shop in the mountains of Missouri
Or the slightly odd, but oddly touching (and unfortunately closed) landmarks like Larry Baggett’s Trail of Tears Memorial. I would have completely missed this one had it not been for a chat with a local man while filling my gas tank. Read the story in the link – it is fascinating! Sadly this place is currently closed and in significant disrepair, but rumors are that someone has bought it and will be restoring it. Fingers crossed! We must keep these unique pieces of Americana – no matter how odd. These unique pieces of our history are part of what makes us who we are.
I only had a day in Louisville, but I made a couple of quick stops and drive-bys. I picked up a bottle of bourbon at one of Louisville’s craft distilleries for my son. There were many to choose from, but who can resist bourbon aged in port wine casks and a name like Angel’s Envy?
I live the painted city animals trend and was thrilled to find some in Louisville – horses, of course!
Louisville has beautiful old homes and everyone who knows me knows I love old architecture. A drive through Old Louisville gave me a satisfying view of many beautiful old homes like this one.
Of course, no trip to Louisville is complete without at least a drive-by of Churchhill Downs
The visit with my dad, step-mother and step siblings was short but full of love and fun. Before I knew it, it was time to get back on the road and head home.
Fortunately the next phase of my drive was uneventful weather-wise. It was sunny and warm as I made my way through Kansas and Oklahoma.
The 1st stop of the day was in Dodge City. I was hoping to be at the Boot Hill Museum while there was a gun fight. I was a few hours early, so I passed on going through the museum and walked around taking photos instead. 
Dodge City has a historic strip where they have maintained a bit of the Old West charm – with a covered boardwalk running across the storefronts. That walkway also has their walk of fame where I found this cool marker
I’m going to have to do some research and see if we are related.
Dodge City also had some really interesting street/pole signage. Where other cities might put up flags, they have these metal cut-outs and wood carved signs. Each one is a different scene. 
The other landmark in Dodge City is the 100th Meridian marker. I was officially heading “back east”.
My 2nd stop of the day was an unplanned one. As I was traveling the back highways, I passed a sign for the Coronado Cross park. I was intrigued so I swung right in.
The cross marks the spot where Coronado’s exploration party celebrated Mass after crossing safely the Arkansas River. Beyond the size of the cross and the view, it was intriguing because of the history. We all learned about Coronado’s explorations, but we think of him as being in Mexico and the American Southwest. To contemplate that he actually explored the interior of the American continent as far north as Kansas and beyond, 100+ years before the Pilgrims landed, was eye-opening and thought-provoking.
After a little contemplation and prayer, I was back on the road to Yukon, Oklahoma – just outside of Oklahoma City. I was having dinner with my cousin and spending the night there.
Read the next post for my adventures in Oklahoma.
Please tell me that you read that title with the song running through your head!
This was my first time back in Oklahoma in many years. Since most of my family lives in Texas, I make it there more often than its neighbor to the north. One of my cousins still lives here, about an hour from Duncan, Oklahoma, where we were both born. This stop was to visit with her.
Susie, her daughter, Isabella and I had some adventures yesterday. My cousin is a garden/landscape architect so we drove by one of her client’s house so I could see her work. (Gorgeous!)
Then we headed to the Oklahoma City bombing memorial. That was sobering. The memorial has a portion of the blasted wall at one end and a reflecting pool with the times etched on stone at both ends. The primary focus of the memorial is an open space with a chair for each of the victims. Their names are etched on a glass block under the chair. It is hard holding back tears when you realize there are several smaller chairs for the children who perished. We also said a prayer at the smaller park across from the memorial. A parsonage had stood on that corner. That memorial has a statute of Jesus turning away from the blast surrounded by short black posts. A park ranger told us that the 21 posts stand for the 18 children and 3 unborn children killed in the bombing. Tears flowed at that one. The one uplifting part of the memorial is the Survivor Tree. It was the only tree that survived in the blast radius. It stands as a living, growing memorial to those gone and the strength of the human spirit. If you ever find yourself in Oklahoma, go to the memorial – pay your respects and strengthen your resolve to fight intolerance and evil in our world.
Our rambling for the day wasn’t done though! Susie and I were both reminiscing about family visits to Bill’s Catfish in Waurika. I’ve eaten a lot of places, but no where has better fried catfish and hush puppies. So we made the 4 hour round trip to Bill’s and stuffed ourselves silly on catfish and hush puppies. Yes, you read that right – 2 hours down and 2 hours back. It is that good!!
On our way down to Bill’s, we had to drive through our hometown – Duncan, Oklahoma. Since we were there, we made a quick side trip to her old house (miss you Aunt Mary!), the elementary school Susie attended and where I went to 1st grade and just meandered through the town. We got to share our memories of being kids in a small town. It was pretty great.
It was a long day, but worth every minute and every memory. Today, I was supposed to drive to my Dad and step-Mom’s house in Louisville, KY, but Tropical Storm Cindy’s after effects are covering almost all of my travel route. I’m letting Cindy move on her way and will be back in the car tomorrow headed to Kentucky.
Oklahoma is my birth state and where my mother’s family is from. I am part Choctaw Indian, along with a mix of other things. I’m proud to say that my name and birth date are recorded on the official rolls of the Choctaw Tribe. Being here is special. As much as being in Texas does, it connects me with my roots, my heritage, the core of who I am. So I memorialized it with a gift to myself – a new pair of boots. 😊
Photo album – Colorado / Photo album – Kansas & Oklahoma
Yes, that is Pike’s Peak in the background. The nice thing about offering to take photos for other people is they will also take one of you. 😊
Yesterday, before I headed out of Colorado Springs, I spent a few hours exploring the Manitou Cliff Dwellings and the Garden of the Gods.
The cliff dwellings are very well preserved and an interesting look at the homes of the Anasazi and Pueblo Indians. One tidbit I learned is that the dwellings are not in their original location. They were originally located in the Four Corners (where Nevada, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico meet) and were moved to this spot in Colorado. Despite the small lack of authenticity, they were still interesting to see and to photograph. (again, I have a ton – I think I have taken 800+ so far – photographs that will be uploaded and links added to these posts)
My next stop was the Garden of the Gods Park. I was fascinated to learn that this is a city park, not a national or state park. There is no charge to enter the park and it has a driving route with lots of scenic pull-offs, as well as several hiking trails. I spent some time on both. The rock formations, most of which have names, were massive, intimidating and exhilarating. Along the way I chatted with other photographers (including 1 who was doing a lingerie photo shoot amongst all the tourists!), hikers, tourists, scout groups and even a real rock climber. I didn’t realize until she had walked off that I didn’t get a photo. I should have, her climbing gear was impressive!
The photo at the top of this post was taken at the Siamese Twins formation. The hole in the center has a perfect view of Pike’s Peak. It was amazing to see the snow still on the top of the mountain! I wanted to take the cog railway to the top, but it is a minimum 3 hour trip and I needed to get on the road.
Colorado, you are beautiful! From your majestic mountains to the plains in the eastern part of the state. The cloud formations over the fields were massive and looked so fluffy. I knew that clouds like that had to be leading to something weather-wise. 
Once I crossed over into Kansas, I found out!
Thunderstorms, strong winds and golf ball sized hail finally encouraged me to pull over in the first parking lot I came to. Fortunately, that lot was right next to a hotel. I had planned on car camping last night, but didn’t think it was wise in that weather, so I hopped online (Hotels.com – I love you!) and made a quick reservation.
A few hours of work, some time snuggled in bed with a book and a good night’s sleep has me raring and ready for today.
1st stop – Dodge City, KS for some siteseeing and then on to Oklahoma City to see my cousin.
Happy Trails all! I hope you are all planning your adventure.
Pro tip – get off the main highways. Take the smaller roads, drive through some small towns, stop at local restaurants and turn off the podcasts and videos and listen to the local radio stations and sing along. It will be good for your mind and your soul. Both will expand exponentially with each mile that passes
I have heard for years that Colorado was beautiful and some place not to be missed. Everyone who raved about the breathtaking beauty of Colorado was right!
Yesterday morning, I drove from the New Mexico border up to Denver. It is hard to find enough adjectives to describe the views of wide open plateaus, many full of grazing cows, being dramatically interrupted by the majestic Rockies.
There was even a bit of excitement. Driving up I-25, I started seeing work zone, reduce speeds signs. Given the ups & downs and twists & turns, it was no surprise that the signs and speed reductions started a few miles before the work zone. The next set of signs advised us to turn off two-way radios and cell phones that it was a blasting zone. Shortly after the northbound lanes crossed over into the southbound lanes, creating one lane in each direction, they were stopping every vehicle to ensure that we turned off radios and cell phones because they were actively blasting! There was a rockslide the size of a house covering the northbound lanes. I wish I could have gotten a picture but there was nowhere to pull over and stop. Fortunately the rest of the drive was uneventful.
The majority of the day I was in meetings in Denver, so I didn’t really do any sight-seeing there, but I am looking forward to being back in October for the Women in Tech Summit and seeing more.
After the meetings, I drove back down to Colorado Springs to make a quick visit to the Air Force Academy and to do some sight-seeing this morning before I head off to see my cousin in Oklahoma City. My next post will be from my birth state!
Good morning from Colorado!
This lunch at Kachina in Denver was photo-worthy – Pretty and delicious! Green Chili, Chicken Frybread Taco and Grilled Cactus Salad with grilled cherry tomatoes and avocado.
The views at the Air Force Academy are stunning and the architecture of the Cadet Chapel is inspired.
Rogue Tripping 