Car’s OK so heading home

When we started this trip, we had planned to head home tomorrow. But Ken decided he’d rather leave today after the car repair. So we got up bright and early to make the 7am opening time, packed our suitcases, and dragged everything out to the car. Lo and behold, the Check Engine light did not come back on when he started the car. After a tiny bit of dithering, he said “Screw it” and we turned the car toward Mesa. Actually, toward the first MickeyD’s outside of the metro-Houston area where we could stop for some breakfast.

We did not plan to make the trip all in one day, but, with the early start and time zone changes, it just seemed too soon to stop for the evening in West Texas or New Mexico. (Actually, it seemed OK by me based on miles travelled and body aches, but Ken doesn’t do hotel sitting very well.) By the time we stopped for a snack ~7pm MST (AZ time) in Willcox AZ, I agreed that we might as well push for home and sleep in our own bed. I  may even have encouraged it.

We made it there at ~10pm. My body was stiff and sore, but bed sure did feel good.

1177 mi, 17:03 hrs, 15:10 hrs moving

[written 1/6/14 – Car update: Check Engine light stayed off for several more months. Same code reading so Ken had the sensor changed. It must not have liked the humid Texas air or something]

Johnson Space Center

Another day and we’re on our own again. So, after a great breakfast at the Buffalo Grille (weak coffee tho) we headed on down to the Johnson Space Center. Another iconic “only in (or near) Houston” attraction. Actually, the tourist center is called “Space Center Houston”, but I can’t stop calling it Johnson Space Center.

Mary Lou and the space shuttle replica Explorer.
Since we had just seen the Endeavor, we didn’t bother with it after the photo op

The first thing we did after getting our museum tickets was to head to the back to sign up for the tram tour. This tour is the only way for tourists to get into NASA’s Johnson Space Center (correct name this time). I thought it was an interesting tour well worth the time and money. But then I was glued to the television set during the space program’s early years.

Original Mission Control Omnipresent ashtrays are a nice reminder of how far we’ve come in that respect	Building 9 – space vehicle mockup facility
Astronauts in training on the Orion module in the mockup facility	The RV of the future? Space vehicle mockup facility

The last stop of the tour was the building housing this Saturn V rocket.
Big just doesn’t describe it

After the tram tour, the museum was a bit of a let-down for me. It seemed to be geared toward kids (who seemed to be having a wonderful time), but I prefer a bit more information density and a little less “Gee whiz!” Or maybe I was in sensory overload. It happens.

Lunar landing module. Replica or Real? I don’t know

 

After the museum, we had a late lunch at the Marble Slab Creamery. We both felt like we were lacking dairy in our diets. Then back to the hotel.

But first, time for a little panic. We were approaching I-45 when the Check Engine light came on. Man, don’t you just hate it when something happens to your car a thousand miles from home (and your second vehicle)? And that Check Engine light could mean “It can wait until you get back to Mesa” or “Your car’s going to expire any second now”. You just don’t know.

Luckily, there was an O’Reilly’s nearby and they could scan the engine code and give us some idea of what was happening. Result – “Oxygen sensor bad”. Whatever that means. A little more driving around found us at an independent mechanic who confirmed the sensor read and said he could fix it but needed to order the part. More chat revealed that he felt we wouldn’t do any damage to the car if we drove it a couple hundred miles, but all the way back to Mesa might be pushing it. Ugh.

So back to the hotel where we found a nearby Dodge dealer and Ken spent some time on the phone with their service department trying to find out if they had the part in stock. For some reason he had trouble getting a definitive answer but it finally seemed like they did. So he tried setting up an appointment for tomorrow. No appointments. So we decided we’d be there bright and early when they opened at 7am. That was all we could do right now.

Both children seemed to be in fine form tonight so we all went out to the Thai Gourmet and had a wonderful supper. Then topped it off by going to Amy’s Ice Cream & Coffee for desert. I could have skipped that, but honesty requires me to reveal that I did have one scoop.

[written 1/6/14]

Galveston

Before we headed out on this trip, I started looking into things to do around Houston. I soon stopped, however, when I realized that we were only planning on being there 3 days and the whole object of the trip was to visit with Ken’s friends.

As it turned out, a little planning would have been appropriate. Gopal’s grandson was sick enough (stomach bug?) to keep out of daycare so they were babysitting him. Heartless folks that we are, we did not volunteer to come over there. Instead, Ken suggested we drive down to Galveston. So we did. And had a fine time.

Galveston Beach

Ken walking out to dip his toes in the Gulf of Mexico

After lunch (Landry’s Seafood) and briefly playing on the beach, we drove around the island to see what else there was to see and do. We were admiring the buildings in the old section of town and reading plaques on those that survived the great hurricane/flood of 1900, when we came across this structure. No explanation or sign anywhere. After getting home, I was finally able to track it down on Google (don’t ask me how) and found out it’s a piece of public art.

The Mardi Gras Arch – "Evoking the sailing ships that called on Galveston..."

Continuing our ramblings, we got to the dock area and saw signs for an “Offshore Drilling Rig Museum”. What’s our likelihood of running across something like that again? So off we went to the Ocean Star Drilling Rig (and now museum). We had a great time there and highly recommend it. A lucky find.

The Ocean Star Offshore Drilling Rig is now permanently docked

One of the many brown pelicans observed from the catwalk on our way to the rig

Various oil rig drilling bits

Cut-away of a blowout preventer stack. I don’t know how similar it is to
the one that blew on the Deepwater Horizon in 2010

 

126 mi, 5:30 hrs, 2:35 hrs moving

[written 1/4/14]

Another Trip so Soon?

Ken has a friend, Dr. Gopal, who was going to be coming over from India this summer to visit his daughter and grandchildren in Houston. We had been debating about how, when, and how long to go there to visit them also. (Houston in the summer was not appealing to us, but…) Well, “going to be” has happened and Gopal and his wife are in Houston now. For reasons unclear to me, it was decided that the second week in June would be the best time for us to be there.

So, a week after our LA roadtrip, we’re back on the road again. We decided to drive instead of fly for monetary reasons, but I’m starting to regret that choice.

We chose Fort Stockton as a reasonable stopping point – especially since there isn’t much before or after. That part of Texas is pretty empty! Then we had trouble booking a room for the night. While there are several hotels there, they all seemed to be booked up. Finally, I found the Deluxe Inn via Yelp (I think). Seedy looking on the outside, but rooms freshly redone according to the reviews. Plus they had a room open! And the reviews were right. It was a pleasant stay.

Then back on the road Sunday morning. We toyed with the idea of going into San Antonio and having lunch along the River Walk, but traffic was practically gridlocked as we approached the outermost circle freeway. What was going on!!? After a couple miles of stop and go and no signs of an accident or other cause, we decided to skip that idea, backtracked to the circle freeway, stopped for lunch, and generally skipped San Antonio.

With no further excitement, we pulled into the Candlewood Suites around 4:30 and settled in.

 

After getting directions to Sandhya’s house, we headed over for a visit and then out for supper. At least all of us except Sandhya and her young son who wasn’t feeling well. Her daughter was pretty lively though and entertained us all. We ate at Pico’s Mex Mex at Sandhya’s suggestion and it was very good.

 

Sat – Mesa to Fort Stockton: 676 mi, 11:20 hrs, 8:52 hrs moving
Sun – Fort Stockton to Houston: 513 mi, 9:01 hrs, 7:36 hrs moving

[written 1/4/14]

And It’s Over

The mini-roadtrip, that is. It’s homeward bound today. But we took the scenic route to Big Bear Lake through the San Bernardino National Forest. Another nice drive and a beautiful park to take a break in.

Welcome at Boulder Bay Park on Big Bear Lake

Boulder Bay Park

From there we wended our way through the National Forest and back south to I-10. We had lunch in Ruby’s Diner (a tasty BLT for me) in Cabazon, stopped at the nearby outlet mall where Ken bought two shirts, and headed on home.

485 mi, 9:19 hrs total, 7:32 hrs moving

[written 12/30/13]