cosmic breath's gusty vitality and eating at Denny's

[sergebroom]

We made it to the Bay Area yesterday, The 1100-mile ride from New Mexico is one we've done so often that I probably gone at it with my eyes closed, and there were times when I could barely keep my peepers open, but the trip went without any incident.

It could have turned out differently.
(Says he ominously.)

We were ready earlier than expected on Friday so we left long before the crack of dawn. And, by the time we decided it was time to stop to eat, it was still so early in Flagstaff, Arizona, that none of the places Sue likes were open. I suggested Denny's, but she categorically refused. So we stopped at a grocery store and ordered some sandwwiches from their deli. Unfortunately, just as we were ordering them, we saw someone sneeze in there. So we picked up our sandwiches, hit the road.

And decided to stop in the next town. And ate at Denny's.

We were pooped when we stopped in Bakersfield, California, for the night. We turned in not long after watching the first 30 minutes of The Sound of Music, and some excerpt from Wagner's Tristan and Isolde, where, among a bunch of dead people, Isolde sang to us about cosmic breath's gusty vitality.

Comments

[fledgist.livejournal.com]

Denny's isn't so bad.

[serge-lj.livejournal.com]

Oh, I heatily agree with you, but Sue felt otherwise until she started wondering if she wanted to risk getting sick instead of having a good time. She chose having a good time.

[fledgist.livejournal.com]

That's sensible. I rather like Denny's.

[miltonthales.livejournal.com]

I like Denny's almost anytime I'm on the road; it confirms that I'm on a trip.

So you took I-40 through Barstow, huh? It's not quite Blythe and Indio (on I-10), but it's nearly as isolated as those two.

Man, I've got rock fever so bad I can taste it.

[fledgist.livejournal.com]

That's not cured by seeing Rock City?

[serge-lj.livejournal.com]

Yup. Albuquerque thru Flagstaff thru Kingman (hometown of actor Andy Devine - or don't you remember Flipper and those John Ford westerns?) thru Barstow thru Bakersfield, with of course, breakfast at Harris Ranch on I-5. (Overpriced, but I have very romantic memories of Sue and I driving back from LA when we were courting each other and stopping there on the way back to the Bay Area, where she was living ast the time. Yes, she does call me a romantic fool.)

[fledgist.livejournal.com]

That's not a bad thing to be.

[serge-lj.livejournal.com]

Actually, what she really calls me is a sentimental fool, which I think is even worse than a romantic kind of fool.

[fledgist.livejournal.com]

Again, not a bad thing to be.

[miltonthales.livejournal.com]

Nope. It's only cured by getting off-island, and I haven't been to the Mainland since 1992 for various reasons, either economic or caregiving related.

For the record, I'm in favor of both sentiment and romance.

[tania-c.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you had a safe trip, and I too have an affection for Denny's in certain circumstances.

Sentiment, romance, and foolishness all have their place. Don't forget that you also drove through Needles, home of Snoopy's brother Spike. I remember visiting family in Barstow when I was 6, and I saw the road sign indicating Needles. I wanted to go to see if we could find Spike. My dad did not go for it.

[serge-lj.livejournal.com]

I too have an affection for Denny's in certain circumstances.

Especially if the alternative is getting sick, eh?

As for Needles... I didn't realize that was where Snoopy's brother hailed from. Meanwhile, I get a kick out of driving thru the New Mexico / Arizona border near Gallup because it features in the old movie version of The Grapes of Wrath. Oh, and if you made the mistake of seeing The Astronaut Farmer, the mountain near where the 'hero' lands back to Earth is in our backyard, not in Texas.