Planes, trains and automobiles

Those… aren’t… PILLOWS!!”  One of my favorite movie quotes of all times. John Candy and Steve Martin are two great actors in my opinion. The tale of the highs and lows (well maybe mostly lows) of their travels makes this movie a classic in my book. Another classic for MY book is this road trip we’ve been on.

We left NC last Sunday morning and made it to Reno Thursday morning. Stayed in a several cool campgrounds (mostly KOAs) along the way. We’re here in Reno now for Hot August Nights, which is an OFF THE HOOK mega car show that if it’s not on your bucket list, put it on!!  Anyway, during those 2,600 miles we saw rain and sunshine, deserts and mountains, and tons of planes trains and automobiles! I love seeing the trains make their way across this great country of ours. To me, they’re beautiful and symbolize strength. The planes we saw were by way of a museum at the Wendover Army Air Force Base in Nevada (kudos again to my hubby for stopping at random places I find with my google searches). During WWII this was the training base for the B-17 & B-24 bombers, and it was also the testing and training site for the atomic bomb. So much history and information there - I could write a book (but I’m sure someone has already done that). Another thing that stood out to me (literally and figuratively) was “The Tree of Life” which is an 87’ tall sculpture in the middle of the Great Salt Lake Desert. The 6 spheres are covered with rocks and minerals native to Utah. Something you don’t see every day! Well, I guess unless you’re a trucker who routinely travels that route. And speaking of trucks… many consider them a nuisance when traveling the highways. I see them differently…. To me they symbolize freedom. They’re moving the materials, goods and commodities that we all use every day. That house you’re living in or that car you’re driving in to that food you’re eating… thank a trucker! Not to mention some of them are beautiful to look at (a particular grey and white 389 Peterbilt we saw in Utah comes to mind). And yeah, I’m married to a trucker, but I’ve loved big trucks since I was a kid. I even wanted to be a truck driver at one point but married one instead. ;)

So as we enjoy the Hot August Nights car show here in Reno, it hit me that we’ve done 18 states, and we will have been gone 18 days. Couple that with all the 18 wheelers we’ve seen, I guess I should head into one of these casinos and put some money on #18 on the roulette wheel or on a keno game! Wish me luck…