Year 2, Day 277 (The Anniversary Weekend Getaway, Part 2)

During our getaway in Eureka Springs, AR, Tikvah and I did a little more sightseeing before we made our way back home. One of the things we paid a visit to was the Crescent Hotel. Built in 1886, it is often known as the most haunted hotel in America, and was even featured on Ghost Hunters. Sometime in the 30's, a doctor had converted it into a hospital and ran it as such for about 3 years. It turns out that it was, basically, just about the money for that doctor. From what the conciergé told me, over the course of that 3 years, there were over 400 people that had died in that hospital.

They have an old pipe organ in the main lobby (and I, like the idiot I can be at times, forgot to take a photo of it) which was originally built to be installed in the Titanic, but the organ wasn't completed in time for the voyage. Also interesting to note is that in December of last year - during their slow "off season" period, they had town out the elevator and have a new one put in, just in time for the "on season". A week after the elevator was torn out, they started getting rooms booked for the weekends... and have been up to 10 rooms shy of full occupancy every weekend since. Needless to say, the new elevator has not been put in yet. The Crescent has daily ghost tours, but if you want to "go solo", you are free to wander throughout the hotel... but the areas that have the signs Registered Guests Only are off limits.

On 31 October of this year, they are hosted a first ever seance (if you're into that) in an attempt to "contact" Harry Houdini.

Year 2, Day 276 (The Anniversary Weekend Getaway, Part 1)

The weekend that Tikvah and I spent in Eureka Springs, AR was absolutely fabulous! We arrived at our motel Friday night, staying at Lookout Lodge. The lodging was quaint and the hospitality we received from the owners was superb. In fact, this is what our room looked like:

and of course we had an excellent view the next morning, right outside our door:

Of course, that Friday evening, we celebrated 20 years in style, with a bottle of Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon that Tikvah had picked up just for the occasion.

What was fantastic about Lookout Lodge was that any issues or problems that may have arose were quickly addressed and rectified. As part of the Always And Forever package I had gotten with the room, we had a voucher for one of the local restaurants, and the best word I can use for our dinner at Ermilio's (we had opted for Italian) was orgasmic. They are only open from 1700-2100 - and there will, more than likely, be a wait - but it is so worth it! The next pictures are of what Tikvah and I ordered, Fettuccini Alfredo and Fettuccini with Garlic & Olive Oil Sauce, respectively.

The thing I had noticed about Eureka Springs is that it maintains a small-town appeal, while still having enough commerce to attract the tourists, with a little San Francisco feel to it. A very artsy atmosphere is also added to the mix. It was like no other place in Arkansas we had ever been to. It had such an allure to it that Tikvah and I are seriously considering moving there instead of California.

There was also a vast array of different food without getting too outrageous. The local restaurant where we ate breakfast Sunday morning, aptly named Local Flavor Café. I had ordered an Eggs Benedict, was is an english muffin with Canadian bacon, poached egg, and hollandaise sauce. The difference with the Local Flavor is they offer different options. Instead of Canadian bacon (or ham), you can choose sausage, bacon, filet migńon, or smoked salmon (I chose the salmon). Tikvah is not a big fan of fish, be she took a bite of it and liked it... really liked it; Tikvah had chosen the Quiche for her selection. So, needless to say, we were very pleased with our trip. We plan on spending a week there next year to get a feel for it off season. This was a fantastic weekend. Tomorrow's post will be about the Crescent Hotel (which is haunted) in Eureka Springs.

Year 2, Day 211 (Homeward Bound Very Soon)

Though it may have taken a while to get loaded yesterday, Nathan and I did get out of there with a little time left to drive. I stopped in South Beloit, WI to scale out, then I shut down for the night in Rochelle, IL. Even though there was still nearly 1 1/2 hours left of available driving time, I chose Rochelle because there was a Pilot nearby where we could get a shower. There was also a Petro (which is where we parked where we could get a good meal while I washed what was left of our laundry.

The food at The Iron Skillet (Petro's in-house restaurant) has always had good food, and last night was no exception. Nathan had the Sirloin Steak Sandwich, while I went with the 7 Pepper Whitefish.

Today gives me a little over 500 miles to cover on this load. It's due tomorrow morning, but we do have a drop trailer there, so I can do a drop & hook and be out of there. No telling if I will load up something else and have it re-powered to another driver, or if I will just get sent home from there. One thing is certain, I'm ready to go home and relax!

Now to get some coffee.

Year 2, Day 202 (A Piece Of History Off The Beaten Path)

The other day (Friday, to be specific), after I had unloaded in Chattanooga, TN, I was told by Monica (my Fleet Manager) to head to Mt. Juliet, TN (just east of Nashville) to re-power a load from another driver, so that he can go home for his time off. Once Nathan and I were on the road, I received a call from the other driver. He informed me he would be there in Mt. Juliet at around 1530. Having mulled over a thought for a few minutes, I decided to take a slight detour - about 12 miles north of the interstate - to a small Tennessee town named Whitwell.

Whitwell is not a thriving metropolis by any means, but what drew me in that direction is one particular attraction they have: The Holocaust Memorial, located in front of Whitwell Middle School. I won't go into detail as to how that transpired, but I will strongly encourage you to rent (or purchase) the video Paper Clips.

For starters, to see the Memorial, just go to Whitwell Middle School (located at 1 Butterfly Lane, Whitwell, TN 37397), but for visitation after school hours or during Summer, you may get the key from Smith Brother Grocery, about 1 1/2 miles north on TN 28, about 2 blocks north of City Hall (both of which are on the west side of the highway). One thing that's very interesting to note is the Memorial is in an actual railcar, used by the Nazis (built in 1917) to transport the Jews, Polish, etc. to the concentration camps (I chose to take those photos in black & white, mainly for the feel of that era).

There are several plaques, both inside and out, giving different information, as well as memorials to this structure, as well as this tragic time in history.

Inside can be found not only the paper clips that were donated - symbolic of the 6 million Jews who were murdered during the Holocaust - but also several other interesting artifacts (note: the school has displayed the 6 million paper clips, but has had many more than that donated... they stopped counting after 30 million.).

One thing I found to be very emotional was their grasp of the Judaic traditions, by their addition of a mezuzah on the right side of the entranceway into the Memorial:

I took the opportunity to go on this detour for two reasons: a) I don't travel this way very often, and, b) it would be a very memorable experience that I was able to share with my youngest son... a piece of history that he can carry with him forever.

Year 2, Day 191 (A Change Of Course)

Yesterday, after I was unloaded, I headed up to Milwaukee to pick up the load I was pre-planned on. Once I arrived (after making a stop to pick up some bulkheads) everything seemed to go fairly smoothly... until I checked in to the guard post where I would be getting the bills. It was then I found out that my load had been "double booked" (that is, one load assigned to two different trucking companies). Since the other truck had arrived before I did, the load went on that truck. I had to wait until this morning to get another load, so Nathan and I went to the Pilot just south of Milwaukee and shut down for the night. Our dinner was some spaghetti that I made in the crock pot.

This morning I was sent to Delavan, WI (about 50 miles southwest of Milwaukee) to pick up the load I am now on. While we were waiting, Nathan pulled out his guitar and played a few songs.

This load will take us to Covington, TN for tomorrow, where I am also pre-planned to pick up my next load, which goes to Lebanon, TN for Friday morning. Still, all is quiet on the mid-western front.

Year 2, Day 180 (Kansas City, Here We Come... Again)

Once we had finished unloading in Petoskey, MI yesterday, John and I waited for a couple hours until we were given our next run. This one had us deadheading to Chicago (about 350 miles) to load today. Our loading time was between 1200- 2200, but we arrived there last night. Along the way, John had called his sister and had her meet us in Covert, MI to bring a pizza. The pizza was from DiMaggio's Pizza in Coloma, MI, and was delicious. I had never had their pizza until last night. We stopped off in Burns Harbor, IN and topped off the fuel, then off to Chicago.

We were blessed that Tyson had us loaded and leaving just after noon. We left from there and I had John take us to the Target on the south end of Chicago, on Cicero. I stopped to pick up a few things (milk being one of them), and I also treated John to a Starbucks: a Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappaccino, which, upon tasting it (delightfully, I might add), he gave it the moniker "diabetes in a cup". We are making our way to Olathe, KS which is just south of Kansas City, KS.

The weather has been humid so far, but it looks as though we may be hitting some rain before we hit St. Louis. Either way, this is a beautiful Sabbath, because The L-rd has granted me another day.

One more thing... I saw Mario in the Chicago area:

Year 2, Day 179 (What A Nice Ride)

John and I had a nice trip through the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, though we would have made better time, had we not been delayed at one facility waiting for the bulkheads that the customer required. If not for that delay we probably would have made it to the customer last night (or early this morning, by Eastern Time Zone). We shut down just after midnight (CT) at a small rest area, right next to the Northern Rim of Lake Michigan. That turned out to be a blessing in disguise this morning, as I was able to get some good pictures this morning.

On the way to the customer, we crossed the Mackinac Bridge, which separates Lake Michigan (on the west side) from Lake Huron (on the east side).

The weather was very mild, getting down to about 56° where we parked, and much less humid than it was in Milwaukee, WI yesterday.

As Sabbath approaches I hope you will all take the time to keep the leaders of our country in prayer. We are facing some very tumultuous times ahead, with what we are seeing now soon to pale in comparison to what may lie ahead. May you all be blessed, and enjoy a peaceful - and restful - Sabbath!

Year 2, Day 170 (About 24 Hours To Go)

Yesterday John and I left from Avoca, IA (which is 40 miles east of the Nebraska state line), and were able to cover quite a bit of ground. John drove nearly 600 miles before we shut down for the night in Fremont, IN. Along the way, during one of the stops for the required load checks (and an essential restroom break), I saw this really cool minibus driven by a couple of guys making their way to Vermont. In fact, the bus was too cool not to get a picture of.

Sure, it may look like the typical hippie/surfer bus, but the designs and the artwork looked as though there was time and thought put into it (and obviously very good use of color).

Tomorrow this load delivers at 1900 in Bedford, PA, though the delivery time shows a window: 1430-1900. I called about this, to find out that's the window with which Walmart receives ice cream. Even though our appointment is for 1900, we can (supposedly) go in at 1430 and they will work us in... we shall see. What our next run will be has still yet to be determined... hopefully it will be a really good one.

Year 2, Day 153 (Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow)

This morning, Tikvah and I met up with her two sisters, Theresa (with her husband, Scott), and Chris (with her husband, Bob, and youngest daughter, Nikki) for breakfast. We did this because Theresa & Scott were leaving out today to head back to California. We all had a good time, and good conversation. It was nice for them to get together again, though we all wish it were under better circumstances.

                Theresa, Tikvah, and Chris


Afterwards, Chris, Bob, Nikki, Tikvah, and myself went to a couple antique stores in town, as well as a flea market, before we all went to my Mother-in-law's house for a while. So that Pat (my Mother-in-law) wouldn't have to cook (and so that Chris, Bob, and Nikki wouldn't have to leave earlier to go out to eat) I decided to make my famous (at least in my household it is) Matzah Ball Soup... which turned out to be a hit. Tomorrow we will be taking our two oldest sons back to the airport for them to head back to California as well.

I really miss California... I'll be back home soon!

Year 2, Day 145 (The Trip Continues)

As Dillard and I make our way through Montana, the temperature has been brisk at times, and the weather is indecisive. Since we left Missoula, Dillard has driven through three types of conditions: dry & sunny, rain, and snow... not necessarily in that order. The scenery has been stunning (as to be expected), between the miles we've traveled from yesterday's starting point (Ellensburg, WA) to present (somewhere west of Billings, MT).






At one point, while driving just east of Butte, heading towards Bozeman, the temperature dropped down to 30°, then back up to nearly 70° once we made it to the bottom of the mountain.






Fortunately - as I'm sure Dillard would agree - the snow wasn't too terribly bad; the roads weren't slick nor icy, nor was there enough snow to really be worried about (at least for me, Dillard has never driven a truck in winter conditions).

Either way, it's been a peacefully uneventful ride with a lot of open road, and little traffic (at least compared to the East). With Memorial Day soon to be upon us within the next few days, I hope you will be safe in your travels. Most importantly, please remember the reason why we even have a Memorial Day: those who have served - or are currently serving - in our military services. Without the sacrifices they have made in the past, we wouldn't be free today. Those whom are serving now continue to carry on that legacy of tradition, honor, courage, and pride.

May you have a blessed Sabbath, and a joyous Shavuot!

- Posted by me

Year 2, Day 143 (Heading Back To Tulsa)

After some "down time" and relaxation (as well as quite a bit of walking yesterday), Dillard and I made our way up to British Columbia to finish delivering this load. Before we crossed the border, I had Dillard pull into the truck stop in Blaine, WA (right there by the border) to brief him on what to expect at the crossing and how to handle it. 30 minutes later we made our way across... no muss, no fuss. I navigated him to the customer and back into the U.S. Along the way I was finally able to get some decent pictures of some of the scenery (the previous time the weather was just to bleary).
















Once we returned, we parked back at the truck stop where I bought the ingredients to make some Pico de Gallo, and to grab a bite to eat at the Hot Spot. Dillard had a Philly Cheesesteak sandwich, while I opted for some Chipotle/Garlic Wings:




We made it here to Ellensburg, WA where I topped off the fuel and we are shutting down for the night. Tomorrow Dillard will have full reign... he will be doing it all for his final week... but I may coach him from time to time.

- Posted by me

Year 2, Day 141 (I'm Always At Peace In The West)

Dillard and I made it to Ft. Bridger, WY where we shut down. Fantastic weather: 45°; even when we left, it was 15° cooler than where I live. Dillard pulled out of the truck stop at around 1245 and we continued our way westward. I've always found a certain solace when driving through the mountain regions. There is such beauty in those areas. Take a look at these pictures I took while traveling through eastern Utah:







(both of which were taken with my Hipstamatic app).

Before we left, I made some preparations and started the crock pot up to make the roast we are having for dinner. We did, however, have to make a stop at the SuperTarget in Riverdale, UT to get another onion, as the one I had went bad (plus I made a stop in Starbucks). for those who may be curious about my recipe, here it goes:

a 3-4 lb cut of beef (use your own personal preference)

1 bottle Mesquite flavored Liquid Smoke (I use Colgin brand)

1 small or medium red onion

3 garlic cloves

2 pkg powdered brown gravy

1lb baby potatos

fresh green beans

fresh mushrooms (whole or sliced, depending on your preference)

Cut the beef into 4 pieces, marinate overnight in the Liquid Smoke. The next morning transfer the beef and Liquid Smoke into the crock pot, slice onion and chop garlic, add to crock pot (add whichever seasonings you wish) Cook on high about 2-3 hours, then turn to low and add potatoes and gravy mix. Allow to cook for another 4-5 hours, then add green beans & mushrooms for the last 30-60 minutes (this way the green beans will still be crisp when you bite into them).

This will serve 4-6 people, depending on their appetite.

Bon a petit!

- Posted by me

Year 2, Day 140 (Great Scenery, Great Weather)

I had Dillard take over the driving duties from Tulsa yesterday, and he brought us all the way to Colby, KS, just a little over 50 miles from the Colorado state line. We arrived there at 0315 this morning and shut down for our 10 hour break. We were up again at around 1130 (due to the call of nature), and milled around until it was time to head out. I went inside to partake of the offerings inside the Starbucks at the truck stop where we parked. The weather was wonderful, especially for lunch time. My WeatherBug app was showing it to be 63°, whereas in the Arkansas town with which I and my family currently reside was gauging at 88°. Though (on a different note) while I was perusing through Facebook and GetGlue last night/this morning, I was shocked to learn - albeit a month late- of the passing of another great musician. On this day just last month was the passing of saxophonist Greg Ham (for those of you unfamiliar with this name, he was the saxophonist - as well as other instruments within his repertoire - for the 80's band Men At Work). This was a surprise for me, as I was a fan of his work.

One of the things I really enjoy about being a truck driver trainer, is the opportunity to capture some good photographs on the road... especially when my student is doing the driving. I have several different photography apps on my iPhone, two of my favorites being Hipstamatic and Instagram. On the former, I'm able to interchange the films, lenses, and flashes. On the latter, I can apply different effects in order to bring out more depth to the shot. Both of these shots were taken today in Colorado, just north of Ft. Collins, using the above apps, in order of their mention:








Photography has always been nothing more than a hobby for me. I would like to get more involved, but for that I would have to get a more suitable device for it. Two cameras I wouldn't mind getting are the Canon Rebel T2i (which is presently a little out of my price range), and the Leica M9 (which is definitely out of my price range). One day I may be able to get one of them, but until then I'll just have to settle with what I can do on my iPhone 3GS.

- Posted by me