That’s it, all done, the tour is finished Booooooo.

We arrived back in Vegas on Wed 29th after driving through Beattie and eating at the Sour Dough Inn (nice little shack with such gems in the toilets as “Please do not throw gum in the urinal, the same hands that have to pick it out, also place the ice cubes in your drinks” and “Learn warfare like the USA, if you have trouble identifying the target, shoot at anything and the first thing you hit, is the target”).

Back in Vegas we had one last evening to wander around, Me and Mrs Fogg went through all the hotels and casinos again before getting blotto at The Rainforest Cafe and the Folkies enjoyed a last view before a final American meal (salt, sugar and no veg) at the Harley Davidson Cafe.

A quick drive up to drop the car back on Thurs 30th, before waiting for our flight back to Gatport Airwick, the Folkies went off for their mammoth slog to Ireland and we went for a kip in the Yotel (well we say kip but between the kiddies running down the halls and workmen drilling, sawing and hammering we had no rest). So after a long day, we are now back in the Foggy household (brrrr blummin freezin here), with 4 million letters to deal with.

So what did we do over this trip:

• 2039 miles (290 Dollars worth of gas)
• 5 states (Nevada, Arizona, Utah, New Mexico and Colorado)
• 1 Dodge Durango covered in 10 tonne of Nevada Desert
• 2 National Parks (Zion and Grand Canyon)
• The Grand Canyon Skywalk and a 9 mile hike to the Indian Gardens
• 1 Concrete Wigwam
• Standin on the Corner in Winslow Arizona with a Flat Bed Ford
• Stood on 4 states at the same time
• Saw some more Injins
• Stacks of Ribs and Steak
• 24 Bottles of Wine (175ml just for Mrs Folk)
• 120 bottles of Coors lite (between Mr & Mrs Fogg and Mr Folk)
• 1 Barbeque at Boshful Babs
• Little Ale’Inn for less than 10 minutes
• 10 hours of Video Tape (comeon then who wants a slide show)
• About 2000 pictures

Not bad for 20 days is it?

Tata For Now

So There was we all set to check into the Little Ale’Inn with the Folks (bear in mind these are seasoned backpackers used to hovels of hotels, apparently), and we found a much posher and prettier accomodation in Alamo, but still we continued to the Little Ale’Inn. Now it transpires that luxury rules everytime, after the folkies took one look at the caravan hovel at Rachel, they requested, ney demanded that we drive back the 50 miles to the 4 star luxury that they are not used to. So there we are, no new experience on that one. In defence however the reception at the Inn was less than welcoming, in fact it made British hospitality look good.

Still we did see Area 51 and the gates, even tried to leave the folkies there and get them to cross the line, but they wouldn’t. And we did get to see fighter jets practising and doing the ole sonic booms.

So, on then to Tonopah where we checked into the lovely little Jim Butler Motel.  We left the folks to have a wander around and went to check out the local Mexican restaurant for a quick beer – which turned into an all night session complete with Lock-in.  So there we were quietly writing our diaries when we got chatting to two cool americans – Jon from Missouri and Keri from North Carolina.  They were here mapping out GPS stats for the Federal government – cool job or what!!  So, a quick beer rapidly translated into 10, a nice meal of Mexican food then translated further into dancing, frivolities and oh yes more beer.  One of us cannot actually remember walking back to the Motel (hmm oh dear).  So, a good deep sleep later we are now up and ready for the 150 mile drive back to Vegas for our last night in the US.

A big hello to Jon and Keri if you catch the blog – we hope your heads are not as sore as ours this am, it was good chatting and dancing!

We’d better go round up the folks now who are in another museum somewhere, probably chatting to more old folks again…..

Yesterday we passed out of Utah and back into Nevada, gaining an hour on the clock (Pacific time here rather than Mountain Time in Utah) and drove a short distance to Pioche, one of our favourite little places we visited on our first trip to the States.  We stayed last night at the Overland Hotel and Saloon and propped up the bar for a significant period of our stay with hosts Donna and Blondie – ok so a very many beers later we grabbed food at the Silver Cafe and then oops – time for more beers back at the saloon bar.  Its really cool over here at the moment since everything is decorated ready for halloween – the saloon itself has a full size coffin complete with monster in the front!  So, off today back towards Vegas and a major detour to a teeny little watering hole – the Ale’Inn.  Sounds like it might just have to be more beers this evening……

The holiday is now going too fast, nearly back to Vegas and of course only round the corner from a return to work (boo!).  Still, will we make the plane or just vanish back into Nevada?????

So just a short trip into Cedar City Utah and boy all I can say is yuck!!

A church on every corner and most businesses and shops close on a Saturday, but hey you can have more than one wife (is that such a bonus?)

Cedar City, home of the South Utah University and plebby kids with there pledge houses, oh and a regular Shakespeare festival (basically the only british culture some people see).

I’m sure some would like it here, not me, its dull lifeless and dead.

Oh Hey, onwards to Pioche tonight, then the wonderfully cheesey Little Ale’inn before Tonopah and lastly Vegas.

Onwards and downwards

So Zion does exist!!

We arrived in Zion today through some really beautiful scenery in Utah, eventually down into the National Park. Stu you were right, it is fantastic here, such an amazing landscape.

We are stopping at the Desert Pearl Inn, with Verandas overlooking the river and the mountains, once again Mrs Fogg has come up trumps with her planning.

Last night at Bashful Bobs was pretty cool, such a dear old man, with some quirky little apartments. We managed to barbeque there too, oh yes carnivores are us!!!

Onwards and upwards to Cedar City after a couple nights here and a tour around Zion (still cant see agent smith anywhere).

Cedar City we are staying at the Big Yellow Inn for one night and then onto Pioche with the Million Dollar court house.

Thanks for the poem Bel.

Catch you all soon.

Hi Y’All

Yep a restful two days in Monument Valley staying at Gouldings Lodge. A good 17 mile drive around the valley yesterday in the Dodge monster, seeing the Totum Pole and 3 sisters, etc.

Last night Mrs Fogg and Mr Folk went to see a John Wayne classic at the cinema here only to find the projector was broken, oh dear.

Today we head onto Page and a night at “Bashful Bobs”, look him up and see where we are staying, then its onto Zion National Park.

Big shout out to Al, Bel, Hazel, Stu and Jen, hope to see you all when we return.

Waggons Roll…..

Oooh we’ve seen lots since our last update.  The Folks have been bundled in and out of the Dodge more times than they can count (and still its fun to watch mum trying to climb up into the truck!).  After leaving the Grand Canyon, with we might add a few more leg muscles after a 9 mile hike in the canyon, we have travelled old Route 66 and boy have we seen a few sights:

• Concrete dinosaurs along Route 66
• The Folks always finding strange people to chat to
• Miles and miles of vista views
• Craig’s favourite – Injun lands, teepees, hogans, dead things, ruins etc
• More visitor centres
• Slept in a Concrete wigwam complete with 60’s car parked outside
• Petrified forest and Painted Desert  -very pretty scenery
• We did Stand on the Corner in Winslow Arizona, with the flat bed ford for all you Eagles fans out there

Today has been a long drive taking in Canyon De Chelly, The Four Corners – oh yes we have stood simultaneously in four separate states (New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona and Utah), very cool but right in the absolute middle of nowhere.  We are now at John Waynes old haunt in his movie days – so The Folks are grinning, as well as a rather spectacular view of Monument Valley to contend with we get to watch wall to wall movies with John Wayne in.  Mr Fogg has just grabbed the remote……no movies to night then, seems to now be broken!

Of course for the last few days we have been in non-alcoholic states – which means the back of the car is fully laden with a weeks supply of falling down water – you can imagine the fun we have had smuggling it into the rooms each night and the empties out the next morning.  The Folks are actually beating us at consumption too – the old soaks!

Next stop a tour of Monument Valley then we travel into new areas that Mr Fogg and I have not been to – oooh what fun, must be able to find more Visitor centres, dead things, old things, unjuns and the likes just for Mr Fogg’s enjoyment – or was that torture?

So here we are in a freezing cold USA having arrived to a cold snap with only shorts and skimpy tops to our names.  Had a fab time in Las Vegas, despite dragging Craig walking for nearly 8 hours while we “did the sights”.  Then on to a true one horse town for a night in the middle of absolutely nowhere – at least it was quiet!  Today we visited the Skywalk – and how cool, 6 layers of glass between us and a 4,000ft drop to the valley floor.  The Folks decided to give that particular experience a miss, but have now experienced American home cooking comprising fries, salt, more fries and more salt washed down with beer.  Now we are travelling route 66 in our HUGE vehicle – so large that Mrs Folk has to get a helping heave up into the passenger seat cos her legs are too short, and bought a cushion so she can see out of the car window.

Next stop is Williams and the Grand Canyon where the Folks are planning on abandoning our delightful truck and catching a train instead.

So, an eventful trip so far, educating the Folks on tipping, jaywalking, demanding good service, and of course we keep booking them into some real treats of accomodation – last night the Bates motel, tonight a slight upgrade, tommorrow who knows what we have in store for them – a wigwam perhaps?

Yes the tour begins. Tonight we meet up with the Folks in that there Gatport Airwick. Tomorrow, well “Bright Light City gonna sooth my soul”