I'm headed out on a cross-country trip and am looking for advice and sharing with you

[mechurchlady]

I am glad that Bill got to do Riverwalk, that would freak out my senses to be settting on the front of the boat next to the pilot instead of setting in the bottom of the boat. He is so brave.
I am going to set on him if he does not have some gluten free bread for me. GRRR.
Nice report and I hope to get to meet him so I can get a hug and gluten free bread and cakes.

 

[locolala]

I'm very excited for you!! I'm in Baltimore too, funny to see so many of us on the boards. I hohpe your trip is going well. I've learned with long trips that it's best not to push yourself.. if you're tired, sleep.. don't go out and do stuff when you're exhausted, it won't be any fun!

 

[peemagg]

Ok, now I am jealous! I want to be there traveling with you. Those pictures are beautiful!

Good Luck and Happy Travel!

 

[swedie]

First off....congrats on turning 50 - 1/2 a century! (We're turning 6 Oh this year -its getting kinda scary)
After going thru TX, I'm sure you are aware - get gas whenever you see a gas station, even if your tank if more than 1/2 full. Anyway...
Carlsbad
I'm hoping you're a day delayed in your travels as this is the day you have planned for Carlsbad (well, not really if you're under time constraints in your travels - your itinerary if quite full) 5 years ago while son & I were doing a cross-country trip to visit other son living in CA, we had planned on a day for the Caverns. We never knew about the bats leaving the caves at dusk, they did not come out the while we were there as it was cloudy, some thunder, etc. so we ended up staying another day = it was really awesome!
Roswell
We found the alien stuff a little funny, little aliens on top of shops, in windows, etc. The museum was very time consuming, and we couldn't believe the amount of junk people were buying there, running up tabs of $100-$200+!!!
We bought our postcard, which we did everyday, wherever we were, writing sort of a little daily journal, and then would send it to ourselves back home (this was/still is a wonderful keepsake).
Anyway, one of the best mexican restaurants we have ever eaten in was in Roswell. It looked like a bar from the outside. I can only describe where it was located....having your back towards the museum (on the main street) this little mexican place was about 1-1/2 blocks to your right. Really looked like a dump of a place, but mmmmm soooo good!
I'm so jealous....I want to go again...I would do it in a hearbeat, but this time planning Yosemite a little better (we had no kind of reservations for our trip for anything but Grand Canyon and Vegas), and the closest we could get to it was about 1-1/2 hours away. So staying too many days there was difficult. Ah....memories. I'm sure you will come away with many, and I've really got to say, we do have a beautiful country (although some of the hundred/thousand corn fields can get a bit tiring, but the rocks/mountains in the west!)
Good luck in your travels!
OK, so now after I decided to copy this and go look at your journal, I see that you did get to Carlsbad today, did you notice that bucket that people used to use to get down to the caves - isn't that insane?!
Your pix are gorgeous - all we had with were disposable cameras, and yes, most of the pix were just that - disposable. Thank goodness for those postcards!
Again, I am sooo jealous - enjoy & give mother nature a hug for me.

 

[BillSears]

...I am going to set on him if he does not have some gluten free bread for me. GRRR.
Nice report and I hope to get to meet him so I can get a hug and gluten free bread and cakes.

Sorry no gluten free bread. But I can give you a hug. I'll be in Disneyland Friday night and on Monday and Tuesday, the 10th, 13th and 14th. Send me a PM with some details about when and where to meet up and I'll work it out with you.

...After going thru TX, I'm sure you are aware - get gas whenever you see a gas station, even if your tank if more than 1/2 full. Anyway...

Yep, there are some places that really worry me about gas. I've heard the drive from Reno to Salt Lake City is goiing to be rough for that.

Carlsbad Caverns was great! I was surprised ow accessible it is for someplace so old. I didn't get to see the bats, they don't start doing that until May so I just missed it. I didn't see the bucket...now I have to go back and see it on my next trip.

Roswell was cute but it was 8:30 on a Sunday morning so I didn't stop at anything.

So far I'm really enjoying this trip. You're right we do have a beautiful country. As an east coast guy who's used to the Baltimore Washington corridor it amazes me how far you can drive in the west without seeing any development.

 

[mechurchlady]

I sent you a message, I put my schedule in my signature so I won't forget where I am going this year, lol. I am enjoying reading your journal. Have fun and big hugs, Laurie

 

[DisDreaminMom]

This is so cool. I hope you have fun. I wish you the best.

 

[Earstou]

I see that you'll be in Disneyland tonight and for the next few days. Our family loves to eat at the Blue Bayou and watch the POC boats go by. Don't know how accessible they are, but ask for a waterside table if you can!
I'm off to in-laws for Easter, so I'll wish you a Happy Easter now while you enjoy DLR. Say hi to Mickey for me!

 

[mechurchlady]

I took the wheelchair and got a first spot at Downtown Disney. I stopped at the Magazine shop and they sell lots of sundry items. Bathroom break then onto the monorail. IT WAS STIFLING.

I got off and hugged a CM who was such a big loveable sort and he and staff were nice to me. I waddled over to the front of Nemo as I figured that was where Bill would be coming from. I then got a bottle water as it was getting hot, OMG, it was finally warm and I love the sun.

I met this handsome man who is such a sweetheart teddy bear kind of guy. Bill is the nicest dude around and put up with me. We talked then did the Nemo submarine nonmotion thing. Bill got some pictures and it was nice but not good if you do not like darkness. With a flashlight it would probably be ok for kids who abhor darkness.

Bill offered to buy me lunch but with celiac it can take half an hour to get food, I should have take n him up on the offer but am glad I did not. We got to see the trash can band/trio and that was fun. Then we waited in line for Space Mountain for a while.

Bill was going down that hall pretty fast and me too because leaning on the wheelchair takes a lot of weight off of my legs so I can get going fast downhill and part of that is just gravity. I have no brakes and was at a good clip but did not hit the wall. We sat near the back and it was put into motion fast.

For people with epilepsy and sensory issues there are lots of flashing lights on this ride at the beginning. At the end I was seeing spots when the camera went off. The worst part I think was Bill trying to get out of the ride vehicle. They had a transfer bench but there was no place to hold onto to push up. If they had bars on the side then he would have had an easier time. There are needs for ride vehicles that disabled guests can get out of and into. Bill walked me over to Monorail and said good bye.

I got to see something new with Nemo and seen how hard it is for a strong guy to get out of a ride and that hit me hard as there are so many things that could be done to make rides more accessible. It was a great 2 hours in the park.

I rode the monorail out and tried ESPN Zone and Rainforest Cafe but neither had gluten free rice or potatos. I want taters with my food or at least ride or beans. I went home and got there at 6 pm. It was a nukeathon, lol. Nuked hot dogs, a bag of beans and a bag of corn, and coffee for mom.

I would say that Bill really was nice to me and it was a wonderful day. Thanks for the memories Bil.

hugs
Laurie

 

[Earstou]

Hey Bill, I sent you a pm.
Hope you are enjoying Manitou Springs!

 

[Earstou]

My dh and I met Bill for dinner the other night! I was excited to meet a Dis bud in person. We talked and laughed for a couple of hours!

Thanks for a fun evening, Bill. Enjoy the rest of your travels!

 

[clori]

Bill's trip sounds amazing. Just fyi for Boston. The closest subway stop to the Museum of Science (Science Park) is not accessible yet. You can go to North Station and get there though it is further. If you are going there I would do the duckboat out of the Museum of Science entrance since it seems much less crowded/hectic than the one at the Prudential Center.

Kelly's is great but with one day I would skip it do to the long lines.

 

[Earstou]

Looks like you had a great trip, Bill! It was fun "traveling" with you thru your blogs!