For anyone who knows me, I'm a road warrior at heart. Not only do I love traveling for pleasure, but I'm happiest working directly from my jeep, hiding my laptop in under the beach blanket and emergency kit in the "trunk."
No, my jeep doesn't come with a trunk. I have a makeshift version which is created by locking the back gate and putting the soft top down to cover the opening at the top. Other than this, locking is useless because my windows zip open. Not the most secure vehicle, all things considered.
But my style is being severely cramped by the Covid 19 restrictions or as I like to call them:
The "stay-at-home, stop looking out the window, finally a use for that burka, yes that's my real hair color, why are my jeans so tight, when did Netflix run out of movies, do I still need to dust?"
restrictions.
This week, I have been hearing about more and more states, areas starting to relax restrictions and with the long weekend, I was hoping to get out of the house. (spoiler alert, I'll probably vaca in my pool). But I was hopeful.
I started planning my weekend by researching "open" states. I love a good breakfast on the road, so I found that if I can only get from So Cal to Fargo, ND before 11am, I can hit The Shack on Broadway for their famous country fried steak - my favorite road trip breakfast.
Best options for lunch seems to be the patio at family-friendly KJ's Restaurant in Judsonia, AR; sounds like they make a mean Rueben sandwich; I definitely like my Rueben mean, the nice ones just don't do it.
Dinner is tougher, but there are options. Texas is back in business, and nothing is better after a windswept drive than good, old BBQ and a cold one. King's Texas Smokehouse in Camp Wood is ready to offer their meat platter (are there really 7 different meats?), at a socially distant manner, of course.
So with food issues solved, what to do? Well, not much. My favorite drive was an option - for about 45 minutes as I tried to piece together a weekend. I love driving through Utah (yes, I realize my food options aren't going to help me with this). I have heard that National Parks are starting to let people back in. Ok, so the gift shop is out - which is a slight inconvenience for my shelf of books I "plan" to read about how they built the lodge, who the women of the West are, and what is that flower you noticed by the side of the road, but ok, I can handle it.
More importantly, was building a trip with someplace to sleep and eat. I found a cool dude ranch on the Eastern side of Zion, but their dining room isn't open - option was a Shell station that sells food. (ugh). I found a restaurant in St. George - 1 1/2 hours from the ranch. I could go the other direction, up from Flagstaff, but then Zion closes once the parking lot is full, and if I got stuck on the Eastern side - well, that's a long back-track.
We're not there yet - I get it!
So I suppose I'll paint the laundry room instead, it needs it. Maybe there's a new movie on Netflix? No, we all know there isn't.
Happy Trails.
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