Westwad Ho

This was such a super trip.  It was so wonderful getting to visit our kids whom we rarely get to see.  I have been procrastinating about posting about it (it is now 2-12-14) because anything I can post about it now does not do it justice and tends to make me homesick to see them again.  However, I need to get this done soon or it will not happen, so here goes the first of several posts to cover this great trip. 

We celebrated Christmas among the three of us.  Here is Alex with his Christmas present, a "Drinkwell Zen Fountain" watering bowl.  He has always preferred drinking from the faucets in the bathroom, so we hoped this filtered, flowing water would be cat approved.

Alex drinking from his Zen Fountain.  The water is filtered through a charcoal filter and flows onto the metal ledge rather than dripping, the latter to cut down on noise.  We thought the low noise feature was just marketing hype, but it is actually quiet once the water flow is adjusted correctly.

We got everything packed, left plenty of dry food and water (both in the new fountain and otherwise) for Alex, then headed west about 7 am on December 26.  The plan was to get to at least El Paso and take 2.5 days to get to Santa Barbara.  With very favorable weather and the addition of an hour due to the time zone change, we made it all the way to Deming, NM.  This is about halfway and has been a common place for us to stay, whether in a car or in Silver, on numerous trips back and forth across the Southwest.  We ate dinner at the Rancher's Grill steak restaurant.  The food was just ok, but we had fun looking at the many cattle brands on the wall in the lobby. 

We headed out early the following day with continued great weather, although cold...in the 20's.  The trip was uneventful, but it is always interesting to see the saguaro cacti along I-8 south of Phoenix in the Sonoran Desert National Monument.  

Picture is from this site:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonoran_Desert_National_Monument

Another highlight is the "valley of the wind turbines" in California, the San Gorgonio Pass Wind Farm, near Palm Springs.  We had passed multiple wind turbines the day before in west Texas, including many near Sweetwater, TX and Big Springs, TX.   In fact, Sweetwater makes claim through its large welcome signs along the interstate to being the Wind Energy Capital of North America.  I guess that is better than only being known for the world's largest rattlesnake roundup each March.

Once we turn west and start driving across the 210 west of San Bernardino, it feels like we are getting close.  We know it is not really true, but it always feels that way.  At that point, through the miracle of cell phones, we checked in several times with Gwen to let her know we were on our way.  Despite heavier traffic in areas north and northwest of LA, we made it to Santa Barbara in time for dinner.