The Road Trip…
-Spike
On
Thursday, December 16th Yvonne and I hopped on a plane and flew to
Kansas City, MO arriving around midnight.
The
next day we loaded up a U-haul type truck he rented and around 10:00 p.m. we
left Kansas City and headed south for Texas.
We drove all night, lucky Steve took the first shift, and I took the
second (while he and Yvonne slept!). We
arrived in Amarillo, Texas at 8:00 a.m., got a motel room and slept until 3 p.m.
or so.
That
night we went to a “real” Honky Tonk, this was the only thing Yvonne wanted
out of the trip, and we found out that the “real” cowboys of Texas do not do
“Line Dances”. Yvonne was
disappointed in this, she really wanted to do some, maybe even show up a few
locals with her skills (My interjection). We made the best of it and had a good
time regardless.
The
next morning we headed out for Flagstaff, AZ.
This meant another 10-12 hours in the truck. We had made reservations on the Internet and got a great rate
at the Hilton Hotel that night. We
took full advantage of the spa, hot tub and pool!
Monday
morning we got up and drove to The Grand Canyon’s South Rim.
This was my first time to see it. I
am still in awe of the sheer beauty and size of it!
Very impressive.
Later
that day we drove to Las Vegas arriving in the early evening.
Once again I had found a great rate on the Internet, allowing us to stay
at the Rio for just $25 per night. This
was my first time staying there and I must say I was very impressed.
All the rooms are “junior suites” that are huge and very nice.
I could not believe the deal we had gotten.
Another perk of staying at the Rio is that you get to
walk right up to the front of the two hour plus line for the buffet, which is
one of the best in Vegas!
In
Vegas Steve and I both won, me a little, he about $800.
Yvonne did not gamble much but still won about $20!
We
spent three nights in Vegas and headed out Thursday, Dec 23rd for
home. We made it into town about
10:00 p.m.
Over
all we drove about 2500 miles, which does not seem too bad over a week, but the
majority of it was actually done in four days, which is roughly 600 miles a day.
I
got to see parts of the country I had never seen and the trip was a blast.
Yvonne, Steve and I were sad in one way, but happy to be home.
Last year The Spike Times
ran article with the following picture
(That was captioned "Arky & his date!")
(The sheep's identity has been hidden to protect it)
As you can see this is a crude job of photo editing, I did not take any time to try and hide that is was nothing more then a joke. Some people that read this and others I sent it to at his work (eti) thought it was real! Now come on folks... look at the picture... it is an obvious fake...
Well that among other things sparked the following column, I apologize to Arky that it has taken me a year to print his column.
This publication offers it sincerest apologies to the Sheep for any discomfort or embarrassment this photo may have caused!
Redneck Corner
-ed. Arky has since moved back to California.
To all the avid readers of the Spike Times: Howdy. Spike has graciously allowed me to write a guest editorial in his great publication; however as editor-in-chief, he holds the red pen at the ready, so the words you see here have been heavily filtered to remove all politically incorrect material. I hope to become a regular columnist for this rag, so I have to bend to his mighty hand. This introductory column will be a little different than future editorials.
Before I continue, there is
something I need to say. Since most
of you are regular subscribers to the Spike Times, you have been blessed (or
cursed) with reading about some of the escapades that I have had with Spike, Joe
and all the others. After seeing my
pristine reputation debased in the last edition, I was compelled to write and
defend my honor. I want the
American people to know….I did not have sexual relations with that sheep.
Anyone who looked closely at that photograph could easily see that the
sheep depicted was not even good looking. I
have standards!! And to Spike: Check
those sources.
Having gotten that off my chest, I can continue.
In future columns I hope to give all you Californians a glimpse into life
from a Southern (read redneck) perspective.
Since, even during my 3 year stint in the San Francisco (read Frisco)
area, I have never met anyone who was actually born in California (except of
course for Spike), I am sure that at least some of the readers have ventured
across that sacred line that Mr. Mason and Mr. Dixon indelibly etched onto our
country side and into our hearts. Those
that have already know the magnetic pull that this part of the country holds.
My objective is to enlighten all the other poor souls who have never been
blessed with this opportunity and to remind those that have of what they are
missing.
My articles will contain stories
of my fishing trips on crystal clear lakes, of smog less green forests set in
modest mountain slopes where deer fun free (except of course during deer
season), of people who are often misunderstood and considered backward by
outsiders, but who possess a survival instinct absent from most city folk
(running stills will do that to ya). Most
of my stories will be satirical and humorous and I hope to make you laugh;
however some will be serious and philosophical (damn…had to get the dictionary
for that word).
So thanks for taking time out of your busy schedules to read my musings. Don’t take anything I say to heart and never is there any serious offense intended. Yall just come on in, pull up a stool, pop a top and enjoy.
Arky
