Cape Canaveral, Florida, Star Wars Disney- review

If you have ever been to Cape Canaveral, Florida there is one thing that most people want to see, and that is a rocket launch. Well that is one thing I wanted to see. Most people apparently go to the Cape during Spring break to get blasted by the sun on the beach and the bars that are around in plenty. 

There was supposed to be a rocket launch while we were there. I was eagerly awaiting this, as it is something I have wanted to do whenever we travel to Orlando, but to no avail this time. The launch got rescheduled to the day after we left. We also missed one the day before we came to Florida.  We did go to the Kennedy Space Center, but were not allowed to go to the rocket launch pads, as they were setting up for the launch. Something about not wanting visitors get close to which is basically a giant bomb, with all that rocket fuel.

So what do you do in Cape Canaveral in January?  We played golf and found out that we are golf club snobs. Yes, we did not bring our clubs on the plane and had to use beat-up, mismatched, felt like lead, and in my case too short women's clubs. We have vowed never to let that happen again. We are either going to have to suck it up and ship our clubs or drive everywhere we want to go. I guess a few road trips are okay.

We also went one day to Disney, as it is only about an hour away, and is pretty much a straight shot. Next time we go to Orlando, time-share owners, I am hoping that there are rocket launches. We went to the new Star Wars exhibit at Disney. If you plan to go be forewarned, if you want to go to the Cantina, you need to make reservations, also unless you come with a group of people there are no seats. Fun drinks, an okay atmosphere, I think I was expecting something magical, but there were only a few snacks to order off the menu at lunch time, so we had to find a place to eat afterwards. I hear breakfast is better.

Also, the Rise of the Resistance ride was booked full to capacity when we arrived at 9:30. You can not book this in advance, but you do have to book it with the Disney App. But you have to be on the property and it booking only opens when the park does. So you have to be there pretty early and by 8:30 apparently all times were taken and they had waiting times but those were also booked. We met one group who were at the park by 6:30 AM and they ended up on a waiting list. So be prompt and be fast. One of these days my husband and I will ride this ride, it wasn't available when we were in California.  

There are some interesting things to do and see while in the Star Wars part and we did do the Millennium Falcon ride and were the pilots of the vessel, this time. Which means we got to see all the things close up and personal that we ran into, towers, other vehicles, the bad guys. Lots of buttons to push. Other food places in the area were pretty good and we ate at both of them. Also there are character interactions with the Stormtroopers, the Resistance and Darth Vader, Chewbacca, Kylo Ren, and others. A little crowded but I think that is the newness of the place, hopefully the next time we go, we will be able to do some of the other things we wanted to do.

Lots to do, even watched a few cruise ships, but loved the bird watching I got to do while there, who knew there were so many seagulls, terns and other gull like birds were around.

Trains on Route 66

As promised several blogs back, I did some trainspotting (do not think heroine) on our journey across the USA. Most of the trains were from the Santa Fe line but I have one picture where you can see an Amtrak train going behind a Santa Fe train. If I am incorrect about the line please let me know.

Dwight, Illinois Train Station:

Oklahoma:

New Mexico near Gallup, New Mexico:

Before Winslow, Arizona:

Seligman to Kingsman, Arizona:

We have finished Route 66

I am sad to say or delighted to say our Route 66 adventure is over, as we finished the route today on the Santa Monica Pier. Where it was hard to get a spot to take the picture. There were at least several groups vying for a spot with the iconic sign, including myself.

So what do you do when you have a little time in LA and then two days after you have more adventures.  So we went on a tour of LA. Visiting sites such as celebrity homes, which all we really saw were gates and hedges with a few exceptions. We also saw the Hollywood sign and the Walk of Fame, where we stumbled upon a movie premiere being set up right in front of the Grauman's Chinese theater, the new Spiderman movie. I had two camera malfunctions as we went on tour with Paradise surf shop. One my SD card was in my computer in my car, so no pics and two my camera had to be reset as it decided not to take any pictures once we bought a new SD card. Then to make me crazy my phone died, so maybe not as many photos as I like but:

Graumans Chinese Theater

Spiderman Premiere

Back to the Santa Monica Pier.

Tomorrow we adventure to Anaheim, CA and Disneyland. The new Star Wars land has just opened.

Now if we could just stop traffic long enough to get there. Two plus hours today just to get from San Bernardino to Santa Monica.We got stuck on the 10 (freeway) today and could not figure out alternate routes, our GPS not helpful.

2 nights in Las Vegas and on the road to San Bernardino, CA

After spending two wonderful days with my sister-in-law Terry and her husband Scott we left for California. But while in Las Vegas we went to see the Hoover Dam, ate dinner at a wonder place called the Hofbrauhaus, gambled a little and played Top Golf. 

The Hofbrauhaus was lots of fun, music, entertainment and German food, they even had vegan and vegetarian options. Very interactive with the diners. 

Hoover Dam

Back on the road we went from Las Vegas to Needles, CA stopped to take pictures of the Mojave Desert, some trains, and a Harvey house in Needles, before driving on I-40, instead of route 66 to Barstow.  We didn't drive route 66 because when I looked at the California roads website, it said that parts of it were closed, but I think they haven't updated the site, because we saw people driving off it when we stopped in Ludlow for lunch. 

Charles Schultz used to live in Needles, it is where he created his character Spike. If you look at the mural closely you can see Woodstock sitting with Spike in the car in the mural.

After lunch it was on to Barstow and we did find Route 66 and were happily tooling down the road. Jim put our
next destination into the phone and after a few towns and we could see traffic jams and even the phones GPS said we were on the fastest road, but then boom she put us on 1-15 before we knew why and then kept giving us alternate routes and the next thing instead of going west on route 66, when we came into San Bernardino we were going East on 66. She took us an hour out of our way, trying to get us to the Wigwam Motel. Jim kept saying why are we going in the wrong direction. We finally made it, but the GPS apparently will not allow us to stay the course on 66.  

Detour from Flagstaff to Las Vegas to visit family

Yesterday was crazy, but fun. Since we were so close to Las Vegas, NV we decided to stop for two days to visit family. Did that mean we didn't stop anywhere or drive the Mother Road, no way.  

As we meandered through Flagstaff, looking for wildfires and keeping our windows shut against possibly smoke inhalation (which we didn't see) we enjoyed the view of the pine forest. One thing I like  about this trip is the various scenery from plains to mountains, scrub and forest, desert. Also I'm a train fanatic so one of my blogs will eventually be about trains.

Back on I-40 outside of Flagstaff and then onto Williams, a quint little town where we met a local author and preacher running a flea market which juxtaposed the picture I took coming into the city. We could not buy her book but she said it was on Amazon. 

 Then through town and back on I-40 to Seligman and Route 66 to Kingman, AZ. With a few photo ops and stops along the way.

Seligman

Hackberry

Kingman

Harley Dog

Then onto Vegas. Next blog all about Vegas.

6/21/2019 Gallup NM to Flagstaff AZ

Stayed at the Holiday Inn in Gallup and the staff there were exceptional, gave us good directions to food Jerry's Mexican American Grill. I had chili relleno's, yum.  The back of the hotel view was great.

Next stop the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert

Part of Newspaper Rock

Blue Mesa

Petrified wood

Petrified log

After the Petrified Forest it was onto Winslow Arizona and standing on the corner, which is now called Standing on the Corner Park. 

Wish I had a guitar.

Had lunch here across the street, can't remember the name but had the best veggie  crepe.

Off to Meteor Crater and more wind, they had gusts up to 69 MPH on 6/21 which closed of the rim tour, but we could do a self tour at multiple platforms, according to the guy in the gift shop they have had 169 mph winds and there building can stand up to 250 mph winds. I was almost blown off my feet when I walked onto the first platform.

One mile across

Then onto Flagstaff Arizona, where we ate dinner at Salsa Bravo, apparently one of Guy Fieri visited. I had a Portobella and Spinach enchilada and Jim had a Farmers Market Burrito, his was better.

Then night. 

Santa Rosa, NM to Gallup, NM.

Today (6/20/2019) we had a traveling day. We started out at the Route 66 Car Museum in Santa Rosa. Followed by a drive mostly on the the Old 66 except when Route 66 was actually I-40.  I loved the change of scenery. We stopped in Albuquerque for lunch at the 66 Diner. Then winding our way on Route 66 to Gallup. What a beautiful drive.

Diner Pics