Travels of author, soprano, researcher, and road diva Randye Jones
It’s hard to believe that it has been a month since I finally made this trip that has been on my wish list for a decade. And what a difference a decade makes! I still don’t feel like I’ve fully recovered from the trip. Yet, I’m already contemplating one more venture while I’m still in …
Read More “The Singin’ Tourist in the SW USA (Afterthoughts)”
Before I went to sleep Friday night, I noticed that my edema was pretty bad. Despite my hope, when I awakened, it was much worse. I had no choice but to decide to cut out visiting any of the three Colorado national parks and making a direct route home. Unfortunately, the WiFi access for my …
Read More “The Singin’ Tourist in the SW USA (Days 6 and 7)”
Another beautiful day! This map displays all four national parks I visited during the trip: Bryce Canyon (I), Capitol Reef (J), Canyonlands (K), and Arches (L). I entered the Canyonlands National Park on Friday morning. It seemed like every time I pulled out of one turnoff after taking pictures, I would pull off the road …
Utah has five national parks. I’ve previously visited Zion National Park, so my game plan was to try to visit the remaining four parks during this trip. However, one thing had to be taken into account. Utah is a big state in area, and the roads between the parks were not exactly direct or were …
I described myself as an eco-tourist on Tripadvisor because I enjoy travelling, but I usually work with a limited budget. Purchasing the senior national park pass two years ago has been a major benefit to me on that front. It’s has especially come in handy for this trip. Instead of paying $30-35 to enter one …
I was just a few miles from the entrance to Death Valley National Park. I got a very early start, so I took some pictures of the sun rise. It had felt a little weird to run air conditioning again the night before, but then again, I had used it while in the Irvine/L.A. areas, …
Sunday night after dinner with my friends, I decided to find Newport Beach, where I was scheduled officially to begin the tourist part of my trip. I had purchased a ticket through Tripadvisor to go whale watching early Monday morning. I’m glad I found where things were situated Sunday night when everything was quiet and …
Usually when I drive, I am free to take as much “stuff” as I want and leave at my convenience. However, I had scheduled a hair appointment in Des Moines because I wanted it to look its best for my presentation. I somehow managed to get out late yet still arrive only ten minutes late …
This “how many national parks can I visit in a week” trip has been on my radar for quite a while. I finally have a shot of actually doing it! The trip is now part business and part pleasure. I am scheduled to give a lecture on the development of concert spirituals during the Harlem …
It’s always good when I can combine business and a few days of vacation in one trip. Sorry that this posting is being added eight months after the fact, but better late than never, I guess. This was my first journey since the world went on lockdown due to the COVID pandemic. I’d done several …