Headline News reported a couple was arrested for theft because they refused to pay an 18% gratuity added on their check. My Websters defines a gratuity as a gift of money, especially money for service rendered in addition to what is owed. So, if a gratuity is added to a tab, then it is not a gratuity.  It is an additional cost of the meal.

I usually double the tax on the check and round up to determine my tip. I may for a number of reasons leave more or less or nothing at all. Tipping is my discretion, not the establishments. I do not owe anybody a tip. 

I will not patronize an establishment that adds a "gratuity" to the menu price. If the policy is concealed, as in small print, I will refuse to pay it.  

It is not my policy to drop out of sight without notice. My piece of junk computer finally died of old age. I have been computerless for the last 10 days or so. Getting another machine took time as I have strict exact standards. (In other words, I shopped for the cheapest computer I could find.)

Now that I'm back, did I miss anything important?

Since I last posted from Page, Az, I did see Navajo Bridge over the Colorado River and got to the North Rim of Grand Canyon. Quite a drive but made it and spent some time there.

Didn't think I'd get to the South Rim the same day but decided to find a flea bag in the village of Cameron and continue early in the morning. Cameron has only one motel and it was filled. Went south to the next whistle stop of Grey Mountain a short distance and lots of vacancies at the local flea bag.

["Flea bag" is acquired road trip lingo for a one-night stay at a hotel or motel. Whether it's a flop house in skid row or a Hilton, it is always a flea bag. Overall quality rated by flea silhouettes, not stars.  Incidental, a buffet is a "trough."]

Made it the next day to the South Rim in good time. Driving there wasn't a beat the clock or zoom like a bat out of hades priority. Took time to look at vistas, visit roadside stands, anything that happened to look interesting was worth a few minutes (or hours or all day, if not on a schedule).

South Rim (on a Friday) was crowded but not ridiculous or unmanageable. One noteworthy mention: I took the shuttle bus tour to the different points of interest (9 or 10 stops in all) and the temp was 100 to 105. Even though I didn't do anything a person would call hiking and I hopped on and off air conditioned buses, I didn't take a water bottle. At the first stop (Hermit's Rest) I guzzled a 20 oz. bottle of water and drank the other at less desperate pace. How easy it is to get careless and not practice what I preach. Take water.

Spent the rest of the day wandering the views, bought some worthless souvenir items for gifts and managed to get to Williams and find a flea bag by dark.

Next morning after a good sleep, shower and clean clothes, I was off to Kingman and the road to the Hualipi (sp?) Reservation to see the West Canyon and walk the Skywalk glass bridge over the rim. I did both and it was quite an experience. Worth the long drive if you've never done it. Shuttle bus points of interest, however, is the only way you can see the views. $43. The optional Skywalk is at one of the points. An additional $32. But you can stay on the bridge and walk over it again as much as you want. No cameras allowed. Photographers will take a picture of you or your group and you can claim them at a counter in short order. I bought two. $25 each. Now I know why those Indians built a Skywalk bridge. At those prices, they don't need a casino.

Managed to leave in time to cross Hoover Dam. The overpass construction is as awesome engineering as the dam itself. Can't help but be impressed. Stopped for chow at the Rio in Vegas. For the money, nothing beats a Vegas casino trough. Prices have gone up since I remember them, but prime rib beats McD's anytime.

Was night when I finally go to Pahrump and got a flea bag room at the Gold Nugget. Reasonable and luxury. Got up in time for the 3-egg breakfast special--$1.99!--and headed out for Death Valley. 

Death Valley yesterday was overcast and windy. Temp was a few degrees over 100. I even got a few raindrops on my windshield at Bad Water. As I drove off from Death Valley, I could see from the higher elevation what I thought were low clouds. Then I realized, it was white sand from the dunes. Quite a dust storm and a different sight than the Death Valley I remember as clear, sunny and 120 degrees. 

Partly to avoid traffic over hwy. 58 and mostly for the heck of it, I got on 178 and came home through the Kern Canyon.

So, it's been an adventurous week, 3,000 miles on the vehicle, and--I'll just wait for the next bank statement and try not to be around when Mrs. Catpaw looks at it.

I don't like to write lengthy posts, so thanks for bearing with me and letting me share. I appreciated the comments from the few posts I wrote while I was on the road. Pictures I'm afraid is something my daughter will have to walk me through to get them posted.

Well, back to unpacking and sorting junk souvenirs. Later.

I am using the computer at the Days Inn in Page, AZ.

Went through the Petrified Forest. Took my time and saw everything. The views were nothing less than fantastic. What the world must have been before people.

Also, stopped off to see Meteor Crater. Another example of the violent upheavel that leaves its mark on the earth. Hard to imagine a 150 ft. diameter rock from space could leave such a potmark. 

Temps. have been warm. 100 degrees or close to it. Fortunately, the SUV have an a/c that would make a polar bear comfortable. I haven't spent a whole lot of time in the heat. Bought a few souveniors, had a big lunch of Navajo Tacos.  (Open-face taco fixin's served on fry bread. Yum.)

Oh, my lucky day. Since I intend to visit both sides of the Grand Canyon I asked the ranger at the Petrified Forest gate if I could get an annual pass. She took my plastic and ID, looked at it and commented, "You're 62."

"You don't need to remind me."

"Well, you're entitled to a pass for $10." She made out the paperwork, I signed it and asked her if this pass is good for a year.

"No," she answered, "it's good for the rest of your life."

Anyone getting old will tell you that there's not much about it that's poetic or graceful. It sucks. But with perks like that, I'm motivated to hang in there.

Rising early to see the North Rim and time permitting, the South Rim as well. I expect a full day.

Later.

The Queen mine tour in Bisbee was an adventure and education. Not quite an amusement park ride nor for the claustrophobic. Went to a depth of 1500 feet and the temp was a cool 47 degress. Quite a contrast to 100 on the surface.

From Bisbee to Douglas then north all the way to Holbrook where I'm using the motel computer now. Stops on the way, the mountain stronghold of Cochise among them. I'm limited to the time on this machine so I'll cut it short.

Gas is cheaper. I paid $2.66 last night because I didn't want to go hunting all over for a cheaper station. I've seen $2.47. It was $2.80-something when I left Bako.

Coffee, some yummies for breakfast and off to see the Petrified Forest. Interstate hiways have a speed limit of 75. Most traffic zooms at 80. Making good time.

Sorry about not posting pics. I am camera challenged.  Later.

Spent the bulk of yesterday in Tombstone. More interesting than I thought; lots of preserved history. With the reenactments and costumes one would think cowboys and miners just  had nothing else to do but fight, fornicate, get drunk and kill each other in gunfights; all women were saloon shills and prostitutes. Anyway, for what it's worth I can say been there done that.

Spent the night in Copper Queen Hotel in Bisbee. It's a remodled and restored historical place that's way overpriced. Today, it's a mine tour, way deep down. Later.

A lot of driving but traveled Route 66 to Needles for the heck of it. Some parts of the road are better maintened than others but I had it pretty much to myself and got to pull over and look at the lava fields. You gotta be interested in stuff like that to realize once upon a time in the Mojave, hell erupted and it was the end of the world.

If, like me, you are descended from Dust Bowl Oakies who took this route at about 50 mph in over 100 degree heat and unlikely had air conditioning and no money for yummies and drinks at any gas station, you wonder how they ever made it.

From Needles to Lake Havasu; saw London Bridge; ate at a McD's; continued to I-8; across through Tucson; checked into a Days Inn in Benson about 11:00 at night. A complimentary computer is in the lobby, where I am posting this morning. After the comp "breakfast", I'm off to Tombstone. 

Keep you posted when I can. Later. 

Some of you may recall me saying some time ago that I am taking off on a road trip to tour Arizona, including both rims of the Grand Canyon. After so many delays, I am finally going to do it!  And it makes me feel like I'm planning a jail break.

Tomorrow morning while most of you are sleeping (or partying) I am hitting the road before daylight. My first priority will be get on hwy. 58 and zoom out of Bako without getting a speeding ticket before something happens to derail the trip again.

What started out as an idea for a sort of get-away has by now become an unhealthy obsession. I'm going. Don't anyone try to stop me. I'm desperate and radical.

I'll let you guys know how it went in about 10 days or 2 weeks or something.

And I thought today was just going to be another ordinary boring day. It was until the mailman left me a letter. It hasn't quite been a year since I paid my credit card off and haven't used it since. I don't even know if I still have an active card. Anyway, the surprise letter begins:

It's true. Your Platinum MasterCard card is Pre-Approved....So the sooner you respond, the better.

It ends with:

Take advantage today - you're Pre-Approved!

By calling a toll free number or better, contacting an internet address, this bank will drop what they're doing and rush me my MasterCard with a beginning limit of $250.

Well, there is a Program Fee of $95; Account Set Up Fee of $29; Annual Fee of $48; Monthly Servicing Fee of $7; and if I want Mrs. Catpaw to have a card an Optional Additional Card Fee of $20. Which means my pre-approved MasterCard will have a credit limit of $51.

Please, gang, try not to be jealous. We can't all be pre-approved. Be happy for me while I step up to a better lifestyle.

Hey gang, I learned something last night I was unaware of. Thought I'd pass it on.

The DeYoung Museum in San Francisco is displaying the King Tut Exhibit until March. If you missed the last tour or want to see it again, now is your chance. Tickets are something like $32. Must have advance date and time.

I missed it the last time King Tut was in California. Now it's back on my bucket list. Planning on taking the slow route of Pac Hwy #1 with a stopover in Monterey to get there, when the time comes.

Haven't been on Scenic Pac #1 for a long while. Do hippy chicks still hitchhike on that road?