Another postcard from the US (long as usual)

Tote · 18-04-2005, 05:16 PM

Woo Hoo, less than a week to go, we fly back into Aus on Anzac Day. This weekend The bloke I'm here with took his family down to Disneyland for the weekend So I took the mighty Pontiac up to Lake Tahoe and had a 600 mile drive in the country.
The US is a land of such amazing contrasts, from the geology to the differences between rich and poor, more about the poor later.
I drove over the mountains to Reno, despite the warm weather there is still plenty of snow at over 7000 feet, Driving through Reno and Carson City you are struck by the desert landscape compared with the California side of the mountains. I pulled up in Carson City to fill up the Pontiac and was a little surprised to find that the servo had poker machines where you would expect to find drink fridges, just in case you feel the need to lose a couple of bucks whilst you fill up.
The gambling thing is really strange, the week prior to the trip I had at least 3 people say to me "are you going there to gamble? " when I told them of my plans. The usual result when I told them I was going to look at the scenery (and Sammy Hagar's nightclub) was suspicious disbelief, the same look you get when you tell your girlfriend that you buy Penthouses for the articles.
After leaving Carson City you drive uphill for about 3000 feet and over the hill into the Tahoe valley, It's nothing short of spectacular.

Tahoe was an interesting place to watch people, it was like all the straightlaced folk had been let off the chain for the night. There were 30 something girls nights out partying with the boys on the bucks nights. Kinda scary when you consider that most of the same people wouldnt be game to enter a bar in their home town.

Heading home I drove back over the mountains on the south side of Tahoe before heading back north across the farming country and back to San Jose. I was driving through a rural town when I saw one of the most troubling things I have seen so far. A small girl was holding a sign advertising a car wash, except that the sign also had "please help us, our grandfather needs to be put to rest properly" Sure enough, further down the road were the rest of the family washing cars or holding simillar signs. Its hard to believe that in a country where people drive "Family SUVs" that get 12 miles per gallon that others cant afford to get old grampa buried.
Whilst travelling around I've been poking around museums and old houses and a funny phenomonon is that instead of preserving their history a lot of it has been recreated. I visited the Empire Mine which is pretty much as you would expect any similar historical site to be with old buildings, machinery etc except when the site was shut down all the machinery was sold off and the buildings knocked down, all the old buildings on the site had been rebuilt "to portray "the way they would have been" It gets to the point where you go somewhere and you don't know if it is a heritage site or a theme park. Kind of like rebuilding Port Arthur and putting roofs on the buildings.

They have really cool advertising signs though, they are like a giant TV screen and usually rotate through several screens, here's one on the outskirts of Reno. I've become pretty good at taking photos from the top of the steering wheel

:

We went to Hooters ( www.hooters.com ) for dinner one night last week so that we could tick that particular box on our list of things to do. I wasn't sure what to expect, with my thoughts running from strip club to family restaraunt. In the end it was closer to the family restaraunt once you get used to the girls and train yourself to look them in the eyes. We've been debating since whether the concept would work in Australia or it only works in the States because of their generally repressed attitude. Some food for thought anyway.

Regards,
Tote

Dodge · 18-04-2005, 05:22 PM

did u got to The bucket of blood resturant/bar at carson? how did u like Reno, u got to go the the automobile musume, did u try some mexican food ? fajitas are the go or a fried burito

Kenaz · 18-04-2005, 05:25 PM

I like reading about your US adventures. Brings back a few memories. Lake Tahoe looks really nice.

Tote · 18-04-2005, 05:25 PM

Had most excellent shrimp Fajitas at Cabo Tahoe, unfortunately I was only passing through Reno and only stopped long enough in Carson to buy some boots.
Regards,
Tote

MotherNature · 18-04-2005, 06:46 PM

Thanks again Tote sounds like you are having an awesome time ......

It is sad that families have to resort to raising funds for the family in this way .... but on the other side at least they are doing something ... not just sitting around expecting someone else to do it for them .... Good on them for having a go.........

Im wondering how strange it will be for you to drive on the correct side of the road again on your return :P

galaxy xr8 · 18-04-2005, 07:44 PM

Great snap's Tote, are you bringing anything home from the ol US for the classic Falcon?.

WIKIDSTIX · 18-04-2005, 08:52 PM

cool, sound like your having an awesome time tote

can u get some pics of any skateparks if u buy any chance see one, or funny pics :P hahaha

hope it all goes well.

dan

FordFan86 · 18-04-2005, 08:58 PM

good to read another one of your revies Tote, hope the flight home goes well

T_Terror · 18-04-2005, 10:25 PM

Some great snaps there Tote.

Its interesting to hear how it goes on the other side of the world. I wouldnt say were as introverted as the Americans but i dont know many Aussies who have been to other countries and experienced diverse cultures.

Dodge · 18-04-2005, 11:02 PM

make sure u have 3 hrs to get thru LAX airport, they make u take ur bag to a x ray machine first , this take a long time then after watching ur bag do a 60 mph splat against a steel wall on the other side of this machine the doods will throw it like a sac of spuds on a trolley and thats the last u will see of it until ur in australia, then u go thru the normal checks. Hope u get to drive down Hwy 1 go to Baja mexican in monterey.

GTP 320 · 18-04-2005, 11:07 PM

Another great read and very informative.
Cheers John

Tote · 19-04-2005, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by galaxy xr8

Great snap's Tote, are you bringing anything home from the ol US for the classic Falcon?.

Man I wish.....
Maybe (probably ) it's just California but go fast shops are pretty thin on the ground and wreckers even thinner, If I had more time to explore I reckon I could find some cool stuff but no long weekends kinda limits how far I could go, I was pretty Knackered last night when I got back freom Tahoe, I did just over 1000Km in two days and I think driving on the wrong side of the road tends to tire you a bit more quickly as you're concentrating harder.
The major parts suppliers are all mail order and located on the other side of the country so that leaves Kragen or Pep Boys which are Autobarn/Supacheap equivalents with maybe a little more stock. As soon as you mention Cleveland their eyes glaze over just like at home.
Dodge,
Unfortunately I wont have time to go south of the border but I did get to see Sammy Hagar's GT500 mustang:

Drool........ The casino staff wipe the fingerprints off every half hour. We fly out through SFO so that should make things a bit less stressful but I know what you mean. I've got my Gaffa tape to hold the wings on the United plane so I'll be laughing.
Thanks for the replies guys, it's good to know somone's reading them.
Regards,
Tote