The Road to Change - Travel Log 10/20

Here it is, the 20th of December, one month before the big event. And today we set out from the comforts of home, toward the rising sun. We left town on the 210, past a strange city of gravel quarries known as Azuza, then through the desolate land of Foreclosia. At least the mountains were snow-covered and pretty.



Onward and upward, over the Cajon pass to Victorville, Barstow, and a coffee break in Baker, home to the world's largest thermometer and Alien Fresh Jerky!



Then, the bright lights and rapidly emptying wallets of Vegas! Obamathon Man salutes the citizens of Las Vegas this year for helping to push the state of Nevada over to the Obama Column. And apparently, Vegas is still stoked over the Obama win - they had a giant O poster right in the center of town! We regretted that we couldn't stay longer, but we had to press on as family is expecting us tomorrow night in Denver.



We passed through miles of nondescript desert, then through the canyons of Arizona and Southern Utah. Stopping in St. George, we ate our premade sandwiches outside of the Utah Welcome Center and Nature Museum, aka the Dixie Center. St. George has always been fond of calling itself the Dixie of the west - leave it to a city in Utah to wish it were part of the South.



I kid St. George, with love. Back in the day, before the election, I had the opportunity to drive through town on another LA-Denver trip. And there were signs out for Obama! Never thought I'd see divergent viewpoints in Utah. Unfortunately, on the outskirts of town we passed what could be described as the world's greatest eyesore: the Wal-Mart distribution center. Spreading Wal-Mart to every corner of this great land! I've always thought that Wal-Mart would make a great monster for a sci-fi movie.



We pressed on through snow-covered hills and valleys, ultimately spending the night in Richfield. Tomorrow, the majestic rocky mountains await.