Roadtrip Across America (Fresno) -06/20/2011
Day one of 
our journey began with rising early to pick up the U haul trailer and begin emptying the condo of our belongings into the back of my car, Jon's truck and the closed-in trailer. Packing was a beast! You never expect it to take as long as it does....at least I got a "buns of steal" workout from carrying boxes up and down a flight of stairs. I had spent the last week absently packing stuff into boxes without really thinking how much stuff was still in drawers. After cinching down the last of our possessions with rope ties and tie downs, we checked our walkie-talkie radios and we were off for the miles of road ahead of us. We left driving through mid-evening traffic through Emeryville/ Oakland (an experience with a caravan of Jon's truck and the trailer with me leading the way in my car piled with our bikes on the back.)
Nothing is quite like the traffic that just grows in the bay area. It grows in pockets and then expands and contracts like the inner intestine. People bopping to music and others trying to text on their cellphones while narrowly missing the car in front of them as they
dart from one lane to the next. Reliable and ever consistent the traffic hums through, Jon and I should have planned our departure with a little more foresight.
our journey began with rising early to pick up the U haul trailer and begin emptying the condo of our belongings into the back of my car, Jon's truck and the closed-in trailer. Packing was a beast! You never expect it to take as long as it does....at least I got a "buns of steal" workout from carrying boxes up and down a flight of stairs. I had spent the last week absently packing stuff into boxes without really thinking how much stuff was still in drawers. After cinching down the last of our possessions with rope ties and tie downs, we checked our walkie-talkie radios and we were off for the miles of road ahead of us. We left driving through mid-evening traffic through Emeryville/ Oakland (an experience with a caravan of Jon's truck and the trailer with me leading the way in my car piled with our bikes on the back.)
Nothing is quite like the traffic that just grows in the bay area. It grows in pockets and then expands and contracts like the inner intestine. People bopping to music and others trying to text on their cellphones while narrowly missing the car in front of them as they
dart from one lane to the next. Reliable and ever consistent the traffic hums through, Jon and I should have planned our departure with a little more foresight.
On over towards highway 99 after passing through the hills dotted with the wind turbine farms. Twirling next to the hillside, these windmills are a sight to see in the fading daylight. They gleam in the fading daylight and are almost whimsical as they twirl in the breeze.
Our first bout of construction on the highway hit around Manteca, CA on 99. The sun had set, yet still the valley floor was around a humid 85 degrees. (Little did Jon and I knew what humidity was yet.) The air was thick with the putrid smell of melting asphalt and the fact that even the workers were all wearing respirators made me quickly roll up my down turned windows. Covered in ash and putting through grated and broken up highway we trudged on towards Fresno.
We took lodging for the night at the Renaissance Marriott in Fresno, CA. It included a swimming pool, breakfast & dinner, a full gym, along with a kitchenette and high speed internet for the rooms. Our front receptionist Patrice was amazing and even sent up a copy of my friends & family discount printed out to make our trip easier. THANKS Patrice! My only warning to visitors is to beware of the frogs during the summertime. They are full out in force when it is hot in the summer.
Have you ever
noticed that most of Fresno appears to be one long fast food/ shopping chain? While driving through downtown in the evening all I could notice is fast food chains...I think this is going to be an overwhelming theme as we go through....I am looking for the good hometown food!!!
On the radio,
Christian music, country, top 40 and a little bit of talk radio during the early morning mid evenings. Not much else in between until you get closer to the main large cities along the routes.
Christian music, country, top 40 and a little bit of talk radio during the early morning mid evenings. Not much else in between until you get closer to the main large cities along the routes.
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