Sorry, I've been stuck on a rollercoaster!

So someone from my past asked me a curious question yesterday...how are your Johnny trips going?  I had to sit back and ponder for a minute.  When was the last time I thought about, let alone planned a trip.  My heart broke a little bit.  Life has definitely gotten in the way of being able to enjoy myself.

Since the mister had to go and propose at the Grand Canyon, it started with wedding planning.  Wedding planning turned him into Groomzilla and me into an organized mess.  Next the wedding came, the night was one I'll never forget.  It rained all day to subside just as I walked out to get into the car and head for the venue.  The skies broke and the sun came out...not everything went perfect though.  The ground was soaked beyond belief and I made an emergency call to move it inside.  The DJ's mic went in and out as we said our vows.  Once the sun fell, temperatures dropped all too quickly(the alcohol running through my veins was kryptonite, I was warm all night!)  The night was a success, I was beyond thrilled to have my partner in crime finally nailed down with that ball & chain..tee hee hee...

Next, we wanted so much to have a family.  We were comfortable in our lives both mentally, spiritually and financially and wanted to share that with someone in need.  As soon as we were back from our honeymoon and into the swing of things, I had to throw another wrench into things.  We started classes to become foster parents!  I'm not sure what exactly pushed me into the idea that we could handle helping a kid find their inside light, but I'm glad I did!  The day we recieved the phone call that we were officially licensed, we met Tony.  The next day, he came home with us.  A 14 year old boy?  Surrrreeee...why not!?  Two weeks later we brought 17 year old Kaitlyn into our home.  These kids act like they have been brother and sister their entire lives.  They fight, bicker, laugh and love each other with their whole heart.  Everyday is a struggle with "are we doing the right thing?"   Somehow we're surviving and making strides with both of our kids.  Yes, I call them my kids.  Yes, they call me mom and Jerry dad.  Strange?  Not to us :)

So here we are, all four of us as one big family!  I just started planning our first family vacation to Ormond Beach, Florida for Spring Break.  Now to see...what Johnny cities can we visit!  I'll keep everyone updated.

I can't wait to see what the future holds for us!

XOXO
Mrs. C

Trip #4. Day 9. 1 down, 82 to go!

Day - Sunday, 24, 2011

Miles: I've lost track by now.
Weather: Warm and overcast
Lowest Gas Price:
Johnny stops: Pasadena, CA

Today we start route 66, score!  We don't set the alarm, waking up around 10am for our goodbyes to the Dolphin Motel.  Grab a pop tart and soda from the back of the car and hit the road.  I am so nervous to fight L.A. traffic, although my nerves were calmed by the fact it was Easter Sunday.  Traffic wasn't nearly as bad as I expected.  Once we make it to the 101, home of the famous O.J. Simpson car chase, I'm in awe of the big city.  Our first goal was to make it to the Hollywood sign, an icon in American pop culture.  I did my homework before leaving and found one of the best places to see the sign is a dog park in the Hollywood Hills.  So we wind up the Yaris and head up the steep hills towards our destination.  The incline isn't the problem, but the teeny tiny skinny roads around sharp turns with no warning of cars coming from the other direction, that sucks.  We pass up a few Porsche, Rolls Royce and nice ass Cadillacs on the street side, yum.  After about 45 minutes of maneuvering around we make it to the top and park the car for a photo op.  After a few snapshots we hop back on the 101 and hit up the Hollywood Walk of Fame at Hollywood and Vine.  I seek out a few of my favs: Patsy Cline, Mae West, Frank Sinatra and Audrey Hepburn.  It's so cool to think about how this intersection shaped modern show business, by harboring so many careers pre-1960s.  I stop at a shop to browse souvenirs and head towards another Johnny city, Pasadena.

Skipping through a couple less than attractive parts of town, we hit Pasadena around 5pm.  Of course the city sign was located on the highway so we scope out the police station for a quick pic.  And hit the road headed towards Barstow, Ca.  A short drive away we pull into a very sketchy Route 66 Motel, and unwillingly check in for the night.  Our room smelled like death and had marijuana laying on the nightstands, we ask for a refund and get the hell out of town.  It's still somewhat early so we decide to roll until we get tired.  We follow Rte 66 through the Mojave desert for the most beautiful sunset I've ever seen in my life.  The reds, yellows, blues and oranges illuminate the desert sky in an almost indescribable way.  The pictures do not begin to describe the beauty, you'll just have to go see it for yourself.  We stop for the night at a Motel 6 in Needles, Ca for the night.  The place is either brand new or completely remodeled and a great place to lay our sleepy heads.  We walk across the parking lot for a quick late night dinner at Dennys and head back for dreamland.  Goodnight Cali.

Trip #4. Day 8.

Day 8- Friday 22, 2011

Weather: sunny and warm

About 8am the sound of the alarm wakes me again, time to get ready for some Sportfishing! I drown my skin in sunscreen, since I'm still complaining about a red nose and peeling forehead. Head down to the courtyard at our motel for a muffin and some orange juice and read the local paper. It is a gorgeous morning, sunny and a slight breeze to keep it just a little cool. The owner of the motel strikes up a conversation about the days activities, suggesting more hot spots for us to see and visit. Once we finally get rid of him(he's slightly creepy) we walk across the street to the docks and sign in for our ship. We are equipped with fishing licences and poles. Behind the building is the ship, the Daily Double. It's a mid-size boat run by Point Loma Sportfishing. Once everyone is aboard we head down the way a bit to pickup bait from another dock.

At the stop for bait we are greeted by a baby sea lion, this little guy is just too cute for words. He was hanging out with the pelicans and seagulls waiting for some spare fish. On the way out to mid-ocean I get a little woozy, seasickville here I come. The feeling of intense nausea lasted about an hour, until my body finally got used to the lack of sturdiness. The first stop I caught two fish, a rockfish and a mackrel. The rockfish is an orange, pointy fish that has a face only a mother could love. The mackrel isn't a quality eating fish, it's mostly used for bait so it got thrown back. After that first stop the boat moved around quite a bit, unable to find a quality fishing spot. I didn't catch anymore fish, but it was still a great experience. At one of the spots I see a whale go under the boat, it was just a quick glance but really neat. Then on the way into the dock we run across a mama and baby whale in the near distance. We stopped and watched for about 20 minutes
as they kept coming up to spout. It was really cool, probably one of the highlights of the trip so far.

We get back to the room and wash up, trying to get rid of that ocean smell and all the salt on my face. Once all cleaned up we head for San Diego Brewing Company for lunch/dinner. We try some bacon/vinaigrette/blue cheese tater tots and I order an Avocado/BBQ sandwich along with the house light draft beer. They were all yummy in my tummy. After dinner we figured a trip downtown was in order. Once we get within shooting distance we realize that a Padres game is going to keep up from finding any possible parking spot for under $20. Since we're coming back the next day for a game we figured it's not worth the dough.

We head back to hotel for some R&R until we find that ice cream is a necessity. A cotton candy waffle cone from a shop in Pacific Beach and my sweet tooth is ecstatic. We get back to the Dolphin Motel around 10pm and call it a night with some TV and cuddle time. Keep it classy, San Diego.

Trip #4. Day 7.

Day 7- Thursday 21, 2011

Miles: 352

Weather: sunny and warm

Lowest Gas Price: 4.07 (Just inside California state line)

Today nothing could wake me up, not the alarm, not my nagging boyfriend, not the thought of San Diego. All I wanted to do was stay in the big comfy bed at Bills. Kicking my feel and whining the entire time I get dressed and pack my suitcase.  The room is turned upside down with three days worth of clothes, shoes, garbage, ten cent cash out tickets and empty pop cans. I manage to get everything picked up and find somewhat of a good mood as I imagine the view of the Pacific Ocean. By 9am we check out of the casino and head to the far end of the strip for some pics with the Welcome to Las Vegas sign. We hit little traffic as we head out of town and jump on the highway Southbound. A stop at the state line for a check-in with the agricultural department, just in case we were trying to smuggle in illegal plants. You know, because I'm gangsta like that. We stop just over the border for Jerry's first experience at Jack in the Box. The burger was so big and filling, I couldn't even finish it. We jump back on the highway after seeing a few more greasers and hot rods heading for Vegas.

We roll into the Dolphin Motel parking lot around 5pm West Coast time. Our room is small, but clean and exactly what we paid for. The guy at the desk gives us a few dining options in the area. We head right down the street for dinner after getting all of our junk cluttered in the room. We both order seafood platters from Point Loma Seafood, direct from the ocean bordering the restaurant. As the weather is perfect to eat outside I grab a picnic table and play face-off with a ginormous seagull that wants some fries. I'm not kidding you folks, these seagulls are not like their cousins in Indiana. This little guy or gal is bigger than my chihuahua, he probably tips the scales at ten or more pounds. After scarfing down some delicious crab cakes, shrimp and fish we hit the neighborhood laundry mat. While our clothes are finishing up the rinse cycle, a slicked back greaser comes in. I swear they are everywhere out here, and it's TORTURE! Why wasn't I born in southern Cali with the rest of the cool kids? Anyways, Jerry asks him where some cool hangouts are around town. He points us to the Tower Bar, a dive/rockabilly bar on the other side of town. We chit chat a bit and he tells us he's heading to Vegas in the morning with his '64 truck, bastard.

Now it's time to get all dolled up and hit up the Tower Bar. In the parking lot is a beauty of an old truck, complete in rusted glory. Inside I order two Pabst Blue Ribbons and am completely flabbergasted when the bartender hands me two 24 ounce cans of PBR. Seriously, I have never been so happy in my life to meet a bar. We sit in the corner of this dingy, dark bar while the regulars are lined up at the bar. It must be movies on since they have bowls of popcorn on the bar and are playing a B-Rated movie on the TVs. I can't make out what movie it is, but it's about a tacky 90's girl and a farm. All I know is that her boobs are shown at least every two minutes...the guys sure seem to enjoy the flick. After finishing our brews we try to find The Shakedown, another bar greaser boy told me about. But we end up getting lost, frustrated and irritated at San Diego. So we head to the hotel, watch some TV for a while and fall asleep around 11pm. Another day down the drain.

Trip #4. Day 6.

Day 5- Wednesday 20, 2011

Miles: N/A
Weather: sunny and warm

3am and I'm wide awake listening to the sounds of Vegas outside our room.  I wake up my other half, whom has stolen all the blankets(as usual.)  The sounds of sirens awoke me a couple times during the night, come to find out someone had robbed the Stratosphere during the night.  I was kinda bummed we had slept the night away, but my body definitely needed the rest.  We turned on the t.v. and decided to head to Ellis Island, a couple blocks off the strip, for breakfast.  Before leaving I had printed out a list of all the "deals" in Vegas, and Ellis Island had a few graveyard/breakfast specials.  We walked through the somewhat sketchy neighborhoods to the casino and arrive around 4:30am for some biscuits and gravy.  The 3.99 meal tasted like a 3.99 meal, worse than cafeteria food but still able to ease a hungry tummy.  We make our way back to Bills just in time for sunrise, close the curtains and fall asleep for a couple more hours. 

Once we wake up for the day(again) around 9am we throw on the swimsuits and head for the Flamingo pool.  Since Bills does not have a pool, admission is included into the pool next door for free.  We walk in and see all the stuffy, rich folk sitting poolside afraid of a little water.  Me and my thunder thighs make our way to the water, which is a little more than chilly.  But coming from Indiana a little cold water cannot frighten me off.  About an hour and a half in the pool earns me a nice sunburn, I start to resemble Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer.  We head back to the hotel and change for the afternoon adventures.

First stop- Imperial Palace for the Auto Collection Showroom.  A beautiful collection of around 200 cars includes former owners Elvis, Johnny Carson and presidents of foreign countries.  A hot pink 1951 Mercury strikes my eyes, causing a slight love affair with a chopped, slammed, gorgeous piece of hot rod.    What a wonderful piece of work, only such thing can make a woman weak in the knees.  Once Jerry peels me away from the auto museum we head to the Miracle Mile shops at Planet Hollywood for lunch and some shopping.  We stop in a small restaurant for a bite to eat, check out a few art galleries, chug a Corona and do some browsing through shops I could never afford.  We head down the street to catch a show at Treasure Island featuring the sirens.  It was a pretty good show, cheesy but cute.  Next stop-Fremont Street.

Fremont is hopping tonight, with more tourists and performers littering the street than the daytime.  We head straight for dollar margaritas, chugging them down like water.  We catch a magician playing tricks with cigarettes and sugar packets, he's definitely good for a few laughs.  I am in complete awe of the surplus of rockabilly boys and gals surrounding me.  Greaser boys + pompadours + rolled up jeans = heaven.  See, Viva Las Vegas(a rockabilly car show) starts the day we leave Vegas.  I am utterly disappointed  by this fact(Debbie, if you're reading this, I may need a few days off April next year.)  By this point, I was feeling the pressure of too many alcoholic beverages and decide it's about time for dinner.  We head to 4 Queens for some $8 prime rib, vegetables and potatoes.  It was the most delicious meal a drunk person could ask for.  After dinner we hop back on the Deuce, headed for Bills.  About 2am we hit the sack, last night in Vegas was a blast.  One thing is for sure, next time to Vegas Fremont Street is the way to go.

Trip #4. Day 5.

Day 5- Tuesday 19, 2011
Miles:  N/A
Weather: sunny and warm

Woke up about 10am, ready to go!  We grab a bus pass to ride the Deuce down the strip towards the old school Fremont Street.  We stop off at the Sahara Hotel and Casino, which is slated for demise on May 16th.  It opened the doors in 1952, and has been home to many performers such as Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sonny and Cher, Jerry Lewis and Johnny Carson.  A couple dollar hog dogs and High Life's slide down the tube in delight.  We hop back on the bus headed for Pawn Stars, home of another History Channel favorite.  There was a short line to get into the shop, but it does not deter us.  Once inside, I realize how much the shop has changed since January last year.  The tacky souvenirs have taken over what was once space filled with one-of-a-kind antiques and collectibles.   It was busy, and rather disappointing that my man Chumlee was not on site.  We head across the street to another kitschy antiques store.  It was slam packed with pretty much junk from floor to ceiling.  We walk a few blocks, losing our way back to the bus station.  Once we find someone with the bus they tell us it'll be another 45 minutes until the next bus arrives, and that we'd be better off walking. 

So in mid-80s weather we sweat our way to Fremont Street, thirsting for one or two or five margaritas.  Good thing they're only $1 at Freemont.  Some famous Shrimp cocktails follow at the Golden Gate casino, along with some deep fried Twinkies at Mermaid's Casino.  Talk about a massive sugar rush!  We wander from one end to the other, bouncing in and out of all the casinos and decide to head back to the hotel for a early evening nap.  We make it back to our room about 8pm and set the alarm for an hour later.  Bad part, we don't wake up.  I guess this is our bodies playing catch-up with our minds.

Trip #4. Day 4.

Day 4- Monday 18, 2011
Miles: 619
Weather: sunny and warm
Lowest Gas Price: 3.77 (Glenwood Springs, Co)

We check out of the motel after a great nights sleep around 9am and hit the road. The landscape from the Colorado area, through the mountains and plateaus of Utah are gorgeous. My eyes can barely believe the beauty around me, can this really be in America? The colors of the mountains glow with specs of red, yellow, orange and brown. We stop at many lookout points and learn quick facts about what we see. The oldest sediment of the mountains are actually the smaller ones, while the larger mountains are the youngest. For hours all we see is pure beauty. The roads are quite, no traffic at all.  This is such a change from everyday life, it's nice to take a step back and see the things that surround us in our own backyard.

We (finally) roll into Vegas about 8pm Mountain time. The lights from the city are absolutely breathtaking, I love the view from the distance. After fighting a little bit of traffic we hit our hotel, Bills Gambling Hall. It is right next to the Flamingo, in the heart of the strip. We check in and dart straight to our room. It was clean, bigger than expected and had a view of the Bellagio fountains right from our window! Once we got changed and settled in we hit the strip. First stop, the casino bar to catch the final minutes of the Bulls game. I enjoy the sights of my new boyfriend, Joakim Noah. *sigh* After a few margaritas, the Bulls put up some last minute shots and beat the Pacers. Bellagio, here we come.

We waited about ten minutes for the first show, Time to Say Goodbye by Sarah Brightman. I freaking love this song and am so glad to hear it. There is nothing more romantic than the sight of the illuminated water dancing so in sync to an absolutely stunning song. We decide to wait another 15 to see the next show. While waiting we spot some local police taking pictures in front of their cop car. They had a camera crew with them, so I figure they were either with Vegas Jail or Cops. They seemed to enjoy the attention. The second show begins, blasting some Luck be a Lady from Mr. Las Vegas, Frank Sinatra.

After the show we wander around the strip, taking in the glory that is Vegas. The lights, the sounds, the smell of Cigars, the hookers, the cards for hookers at every corner. Ahhhh....Vegas, you rule. We dart in and out of casinos, grabbing drinks and throwing a dollar or two in the machines. Thankfully, neither of us are gamblers. We hit Hooters for some midnight $.25 wings, they hit the spot! After a short hike back to our hotel room, we hit the pillows about 2am. Goodnight, Vegas!