It had been quite the trip, in fact it was a dream trip to me. I had seen many fine points of the American West, and quite frankly I would have loved another week and a thousand bucks more to afford it, as we had not seen everything .Yellowstone and the Tetons would have been a terrific finale to this adventure. However, there comes a time when you want to be in familiar surroundings, LIKE YOUR OWN BED! Also, the Mustang was due back Saturday, so Thursday was a good day to head back with plenty of time cushion "just in case".
On Thursday morning, Natalie and I woke up and had a little breakfast in the Econolodge office. Good thing the desk clerk had no idea we weren't even guests there! Haha just kidding, that free continental assortment would serve a freeloader right! It's a violation of the Geneva Convention to foist it upon paying customers like us. After a while, we got packed, turned in the key, gassed up, and got onto I 80 west toward Salt Lake City.
Interstate 80 has some meaning for me. It was the majority of the Ohio Turnpike when we traveled from Pennsylvania to Michigan and back for so many years. When I lived in northern California, my buddy Scott and I took it going to his parents' house in Fairfield and also occasional excursions to Reno. One could almost call it transcontinental as it heads from San Francisco to New Jersey, but it doesn't end near the coast, but just short of New York City. Close but no cigar. It lightly touches upon Sacramento and the Chicago area and goes through Des Moines and Omaha. but 80 is mostly rural with several small towns scattered here and there. 80 in Wyoming is a bunch of nothing, albeit pretty nothing.
Heading down the pike, we kept seeing signs for a place called Little America. In fact there werre so many signs we thought it might be a megacomplex. It didn't matter to us, we were hungry so we decided to stop and have a bite, thinking there'd be a sitdown place. For all that billboard hoopla, Little America was a disappointment. It was merely a huge Sinclair gas stop for cars and trucks alone with a large convenience store with a snack bar. We grabbed some small road eats and headed out.
Down a little further, we saw an exit with a "Business loop 80" designation. Now, when one sees that, one expects at least some fast food goodness, but all we got was a 15-mile stretch with 3 small burgs: Lyman, Urie, and Fort Bridger. Oh we saw life, but not the life with sit-down service. Coming back to the interstate, we settled on some Taco Bell, which satisfies me never.
Back to the road, we eventually passed through Evanston and then crossed into Utah. It was already the afternoon and we were still almost 500 miles from home. After 50 miles of more curves and peaks, well I hate to say it, but my mind was on home, not exploring. Sure, I'd never been in these parts before, but Taco Bell was running thin! We got onto U.S. 40 east. This was actually the western end of 40, the eastern end is in Atlantic City, New Jersey. After about 20 miles, we entered Heber City and got onto U.S. 189 toward Provo.
At least this road was interesting! It wound through several canyons within the Wasatch Mountains, passing along a beautiful deep blue lake. After all that beauty, we entered Orem. The signs told us to get to I 15 via Orem, but I later found out that I could have kept on 189 and still ended up at 15 in Provo. Ah, the exhaustion of the road was getting to me!
Upon getting onto 15, we were in familiar territory. There were about 30 miles of small towns in Utah County in a row, which make it feel like one large spread-out town. After Santaquin, 15 entered rural Utah. I like this area because it goes fast via an 80 mile per hour speed limit, and the 3 hours to the Arizona line go by quickly. In the 55 mph days, this would have been a 4-5 hour affair!
We stopped at an old haunt called Lisa's in Nephi. At last we could have a real meal and I was not stingy on cost, we deserved this! After the meal and a gas touch-up, we got back on the road. After Scipio and Fillmore, we eventually passed the exit for I 70. I could not help but feel a bit sad as we passed this exit. There was a small temptation to get back on just to relive the sense of adventure from the previous Friday when we'd taken 70 to Richfield to camp for the night. It was just another indication that our adventure was coming to a close.
A stop in Beaver gave a thirst for ice cream...well at least Dairy Queen ice cream. It's not the same, but it was what we had to work with. A hot coffee was also in order as I was feeling the drain from hours of driving. Before long, we went once again through gorgeous Cedar City and then downhill to St. George. It really is a temperature difference of about 20 degrees between the two towns. Cedar City is cooler uphill and St George is more like Las Vegas. Into Arizona and the Virgin River Gorge we drove and then it was back in Nevada soon after. We stopped at the first Mesquite exit for a McNugget touch-up, then headed home.
This was an adventure I could relive, with a couple of changes, like not losing or damaging my wife's things, and getting a more worthy car for such a trek. It was certainly the highlight of my summer.
I know that words do not give a complete view of what I saw and did in that week, but rather a few snapshots. I encourage everyone who can to take a year off of air travel and see America from the ground. It really is worth the time to see something you have always wanted to see. For me it was The Bear Lodge (Devil's Tower for the uneducated). For others it could be the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite, the ocean, hell even a Disney compound. But make the time to have an adventure where your luggage won't get lost, where you can find local eateries, where you can see the great land of ours. It's worth it, believe me!
Friday, July 14, 2017
Wednesday, July 12, 2017
Summer 2017 Road Trip Part 6: Wyoming is Heaven
I love Wyoming!
With solid determination for a great day, we woke up in our Spearfish motel at a decent time Wednesday morning. The original plan was to first go east a few miles so that Vickie could visit her grandfather's grave near Sturgis, then head west to Wyoming. It didn't happen that way. Vickie decided to forgo the cemetery visit as she didn't see a point to it anymore. I wasn't going to push her and it was her decision.
So, we just went right into Wyoming after 14 miles. Wyoming still retained its beautiful hills and a healthy blend of greenery and golden land. After 22 miles, we entered Sundance. We got gas then got a tip on a good place to eat breakfast, right in downtown Sundance! It's a typical Wyoming town in terms of population and coziness. Our tip was a small but nice breakfast and lunch place called Higbee's. It was the kind of place where the locals gather to just drink coffee and shoot the breeze. I could see us going there once a week for breakfast if we lived there.
Back on the road, we got off the freeway for a while so we could see what we used to call Devil's Tower. After a little road work delay and some nice road curves, we caught sight of it. I almost had tears in my eyes as I gazed upon the real thing for the first time in my life. I was actually going to be near it! After 10 more miles we were finally there. Waiting in line to pay admission was not irritating for a change, I could still see it.
The Bear Lodge, as the Tower should be named, is hypnotic. Spielberg chose the place wisely because it truly does draw people to it. There is a spiritual Earth energy there when you gaze upon it, climb to it, walk among the trees surrounding it. It is an experience that is hard to describe in words, and it was tough leaving, for we had many miles to travel. However, Natalie and I climbed toward it on a path for a few hundred feet, all uphill. We also examined the gift shop and got a trinket or two, and then listened to a park ranger tell us a legend about how the Bear Lodge got to look the way it does.
I regretted not being able to camp there for one night, for I could imagine the plethora of stars above us. Well, I could imagine it on a CLEAR night, but northeastern Wyoming was a sporadically rainy day Wednesday.
After an ice cream at the park exit, we headed back to U.S. 14 and meandered to Moorcroft. "Close Encounters" made it seem like Moorcroft was closer to the Tower, but Sundance actually is closer. At Moorcroft we took a stretch break and headed back onto I 90. Down the road was Gillette, where we stopped for some nuggets. We thought there was a Sonic in town but no dice. Back on 90, we proceeded to Buffalo where we exited back on to old Black Hills friend U.S. 16.
On an historical note, U.S. 16 used to extend all the way to Wisconsin and then, via ferry, it continued in Michigan and ended in downtown Detroit. My parents remember it as the main road Grand River Avenue going between the Detroit area and Lansing.
We took 16 into the Bighorn Mountains, winding around for several miles through beautiful country. We passed through a few small towns like Ten Sleep and Worland, taking on U.S. 26 for a bit then picking up U.S. 20 into Thermopolis. Thermopolis is a town containing hot springs. If we had thought about it, we would have stayed there overnight, but not for the springs.
There is a canyon that had been experiencing rock, or rather BOULDER slides just south of Thermopolis. There was a 3 hour period when the road was closed in that area and we came just at the wrong time. So, we hung at a Taco John's for 2 1/2 hours.
Just before 10, we got back on the road, experiencing no problems. We were even treated to a tunnel or two. We passed through Shoshoni and Riverton and then a lot of nothingness besides a grand orange moon setting in front of us. At 1:30, we pulled into Rock Springs and quickly got into our motel for much needed rest. The next day we'd arrive home.
Did I mention I love Wyoming?
With solid determination for a great day, we woke up in our Spearfish motel at a decent time Wednesday morning. The original plan was to first go east a few miles so that Vickie could visit her grandfather's grave near Sturgis, then head west to Wyoming. It didn't happen that way. Vickie decided to forgo the cemetery visit as she didn't see a point to it anymore. I wasn't going to push her and it was her decision.
So, we just went right into Wyoming after 14 miles. Wyoming still retained its beautiful hills and a healthy blend of greenery and golden land. After 22 miles, we entered Sundance. We got gas then got a tip on a good place to eat breakfast, right in downtown Sundance! It's a typical Wyoming town in terms of population and coziness. Our tip was a small but nice breakfast and lunch place called Higbee's. It was the kind of place where the locals gather to just drink coffee and shoot the breeze. I could see us going there once a week for breakfast if we lived there.
Back on the road, we got off the freeway for a while so we could see what we used to call Devil's Tower. After a little road work delay and some nice road curves, we caught sight of it. I almost had tears in my eyes as I gazed upon the real thing for the first time in my life. I was actually going to be near it! After 10 more miles we were finally there. Waiting in line to pay admission was not irritating for a change, I could still see it.
The Bear Lodge, as the Tower should be named, is hypnotic. Spielberg chose the place wisely because it truly does draw people to it. There is a spiritual Earth energy there when you gaze upon it, climb to it, walk among the trees surrounding it. It is an experience that is hard to describe in words, and it was tough leaving, for we had many miles to travel. However, Natalie and I climbed toward it on a path for a few hundred feet, all uphill. We also examined the gift shop and got a trinket or two, and then listened to a park ranger tell us a legend about how the Bear Lodge got to look the way it does.
I regretted not being able to camp there for one night, for I could imagine the plethora of stars above us. Well, I could imagine it on a CLEAR night, but northeastern Wyoming was a sporadically rainy day Wednesday.
On an historical note, U.S. 16 used to extend all the way to Wisconsin and then, via ferry, it continued in Michigan and ended in downtown Detroit. My parents remember it as the main road Grand River Avenue going between the Detroit area and Lansing.
We took 16 into the Bighorn Mountains, winding around for several miles through beautiful country. We passed through a few small towns like Ten Sleep and Worland, taking on U.S. 26 for a bit then picking up U.S. 20 into Thermopolis. Thermopolis is a town containing hot springs. If we had thought about it, we would have stayed there overnight, but not for the springs.
There is a canyon that had been experiencing rock, or rather BOULDER slides just south of Thermopolis. There was a 3 hour period when the road was closed in that area and we came just at the wrong time. So, we hung at a Taco John's for 2 1/2 hours.
Just before 10, we got back on the road, experiencing no problems. We were even treated to a tunnel or two. We passed through Shoshoni and Riverton and then a lot of nothingness besides a grand orange moon setting in front of us. At 1:30, we pulled into Rock Springs and quickly got into our motel for much needed rest. The next day we'd arrive home.
Did I mention I love Wyoming?
Monday, July 10, 2017
Summer 2017 Road Trip part 5: Black Hills Boogie
Happy 80th blog post to me! Okay, moving on!
Waking up in a tent for the 2nd time on the trip proved to be less painful this time around. For one thing, the air mattress was blown to full capacity and sealed right, giving much better cushion. Also, I had not partaken in major caffeine beforehand. I still woke up at 6:30, but better rested. It was a beautiful morning in Spearfish, South Dakota.
After getting our gear stowed away, we decided to eat breakfast right away. Our dinner of Taco Bell was not sufficient the previous night. Down the road was Perkin's,a Coco's-like eatery, which pretty much means snobby Denny's. While eating, I texted Vickie's Uncle Dan and Aunt Kim, who had recently moved from the Vegas area to Spearfish. They joined us for a little bit later. Their kids also live in Spearfish. Interesting migration patterns! Foreshadowing for us?
After breakfast, we high-tailed the 40 miles on I-90 to Rapid City so that we could meet up with Vickie's Aunt Leanna. She gave us a package with some of Vickie's grandfather's things to give to Vickie's mom, then slipped Natalie a $20 bill for souvenirs. It was a quick visit in a parking lot, but she had to get to a golf game.
From Rapid City, we headed east on U.S. 16 toward Keystone and Mount Rushmore. This uphill drive has a little something for everyone. There are shops, an in-car trail called Bear Country, which has much more than just bears! There is also Reptile Gardens, a magnificent place to walk around and see all sorts of animals, and they are not just reptiles.
Also in this area is an establishment known as the cowboy supper. We've done this Nazi torture twice. First, you get a so-so meal of dry beef or dry chicken, a roll, apple sauce, and some sort of veggie and lemonade. After the "banquet", you sit and watch a corny live version of Hee Haw. For this you pay $30 per head. We vowed not to do this on the trip for strictly budgetary and mental health reasons.
A few miles down, 16 splits into 16 and 16a. We took 16a into the town of Keystone, which is a frontier version of Estes Park, with shops and eateries all around. Pretty fun, really. There is also an area where you can zip-line, go down an Alpine slide, and head up an aerial tram to a viewpoint to see Rushmore. I had assumed the tram was like a small train car cube entirely enclosed. Au contraire, you stand still while the car comes at you from behind. You have to sit quickly and pull a safety bar down and let your legs hang. Natalie was not all that fond of the ride. Once it starts, though, it is actually pretty fun.
At the top, we took a few shots of Mount Rushmore, though one of the faces was hard to see. Most people think that the faces are huge, while they are fairly small. It is a place I recommend to all citizens, though. After photos, we grabbed a snack at the snack stand. I opted for a hot dug, not realizing it was a big fat beef dog. For those who do not know, I suffer form occasional gout bouts, and beef dogs are a major trigger.
Afterward, we headed down. It was the same ritual getting on the car, except that my wallet fell out! Luckily, one of the employees grabbed it and headed down the Alpine slide. She got to the bottom before we did. Whew! We looked in a few shops, got our baubles (including a nice Sean Connery fake ID for me to screw with people) and Natalie got a tee shirt from another shop.
From Keystone, I decided to take a scenic route and continue on 16a. This proved to be a bad idea, as the road has lots of hairpin turns and elevation changes for over 30 miles. Also, we were stuck behind many slower vehicles from further east. We were relieved to return to 16 in Custer.
Heading back to Rapid City, we stopped at a Christmas decorations store where Vickie showed remarkable restraint spending-wise. After that, we headed back into Rapid and then back on 90 west. We stopped in Sturgis to visit with her Uncle Pat and his girlfriend at her house for a few minutes, then continued back to Spearfish.
Once there, we went to the Dairy Queen where cousin Lizzie works. She was happy to see us and she and Natalie have been close buds since Natalie was very little. Afterward, we found a motel room as it was getting too stormy for camping. Dinner was Applebee's. A little pricy, but we needed something familiar. Afterward, we returned to the motel room and retired for the night.
I love western South Dakota. It is rich with history, though much of the history is not pretty. The scenery is downright gorgeous! Up next, Devil's Tower!
Waking up in a tent for the 2nd time on the trip proved to be less painful this time around. For one thing, the air mattress was blown to full capacity and sealed right, giving much better cushion. Also, I had not partaken in major caffeine beforehand. I still woke up at 6:30, but better rested. It was a beautiful morning in Spearfish, South Dakota.
After getting our gear stowed away, we decided to eat breakfast right away. Our dinner of Taco Bell was not sufficient the previous night. Down the road was Perkin's,a Coco's-like eatery, which pretty much means snobby Denny's. While eating, I texted Vickie's Uncle Dan and Aunt Kim, who had recently moved from the Vegas area to Spearfish. They joined us for a little bit later. Their kids also live in Spearfish. Interesting migration patterns! Foreshadowing for us?
After breakfast, we high-tailed the 40 miles on I-90 to Rapid City so that we could meet up with Vickie's Aunt Leanna. She gave us a package with some of Vickie's grandfather's things to give to Vickie's mom, then slipped Natalie a $20 bill for souvenirs. It was a quick visit in a parking lot, but she had to get to a golf game.
From Rapid City, we headed east on U.S. 16 toward Keystone and Mount Rushmore. This uphill drive has a little something for everyone. There are shops, an in-car trail called Bear Country, which has much more than just bears! There is also Reptile Gardens, a magnificent place to walk around and see all sorts of animals, and they are not just reptiles.
Also in this area is an establishment known as the cowboy supper. We've done this Nazi torture twice. First, you get a so-so meal of dry beef or dry chicken, a roll, apple sauce, and some sort of veggie and lemonade. After the "banquet", you sit and watch a corny live version of Hee Haw. For this you pay $30 per head. We vowed not to do this on the trip for strictly budgetary and mental health reasons.
A few miles down, 16 splits into 16 and 16a. We took 16a into the town of Keystone, which is a frontier version of Estes Park, with shops and eateries all around. Pretty fun, really. There is also an area where you can zip-line, go down an Alpine slide, and head up an aerial tram to a viewpoint to see Rushmore. I had assumed the tram was like a small train car cube entirely enclosed. Au contraire, you stand still while the car comes at you from behind. You have to sit quickly and pull a safety bar down and let your legs hang. Natalie was not all that fond of the ride. Once it starts, though, it is actually pretty fun.
At the top, we took a few shots of Mount Rushmore, though one of the faces was hard to see. Most people think that the faces are huge, while they are fairly small. It is a place I recommend to all citizens, though. After photos, we grabbed a snack at the snack stand. I opted for a hot dug, not realizing it was a big fat beef dog. For those who do not know, I suffer form occasional gout bouts, and beef dogs are a major trigger.
Afterward, we headed down. It was the same ritual getting on the car, except that my wallet fell out! Luckily, one of the employees grabbed it and headed down the Alpine slide. She got to the bottom before we did. Whew! We looked in a few shops, got our baubles (including a nice Sean Connery fake ID for me to screw with people) and Natalie got a tee shirt from another shop.
From Keystone, I decided to take a scenic route and continue on 16a. This proved to be a bad idea, as the road has lots of hairpin turns and elevation changes for over 30 miles. Also, we were stuck behind many slower vehicles from further east. We were relieved to return to 16 in Custer.
Heading back to Rapid City, we stopped at a Christmas decorations store where Vickie showed remarkable restraint spending-wise. After that, we headed back into Rapid and then back on 90 west. We stopped in Sturgis to visit with her Uncle Pat and his girlfriend at her house for a few minutes, then continued back to Spearfish.
Once there, we went to the Dairy Queen where cousin Lizzie works. She was happy to see us and she and Natalie have been close buds since Natalie was very little. Afterward, we found a motel room as it was getting too stormy for camping. Dinner was Applebee's. A little pricy, but we needed something familiar. Afterward, we returned to the motel room and retired for the night.
I love western South Dakota. It is rich with history, though much of the history is not pretty. The scenery is downright gorgeous! Up next, Devil's Tower!
Thursday, July 6, 2017
Summer 2017 Road Trip Part 4: This Bud's for You!
It felt great to wake up once again in Colorado! The sun was out, the air felt great, and the pillow business was for the moment forgotten. In fact the only thing that bugged me that morning was eating breakfast at IHOP!
Don't get me wrong, I have no problem with IHOP apart from overpriced meals. It was just that after 2 mornings of eating at locally unique establishments, IHOP is a letdown. Oh well, it was time to grab some gas (not IHOP-sourced!) and head to I-25.
In fact, the next exit gave us access to the Budweiser brewery. We parked in the lot, went inside, and learned with great joy that tours are free! While waiting for our 1pm tour to start, we looked around the gift shop and found quite a few neat things. I did end up getting some dry rub and a cold drink, and Natalie got a trinket or 2 as well. Soon our tour began. The first stop was the stables that hold the Clydesdales when they're in town...smelled like it, too!
After that we went into the main brewhouse and learned all about the process of making beer from start to finish. If you want to know, go to a brewery yourself, there's only so much detail this 44-year old brain can hold. I can say, though, that the process is quite meticulous and is very dependent on a particular crop strain remaining intact. The tasting part was fun. I had a sample of Shock Top, a thick citrusy brew for sure.
Leaving the brewery soon after, we hopped back on to I 25 and soon entered Wyoming. We were hungry, so we began looking for a place to eat in Cheyenne. Working on a local tip, we found the Down Home Diner. Once again we were dealing with local establishments. After a hearty lunch, we returned to 25 for several miles, then began a series of turns and long stretches on local highways.
This is when I fell in love with Wyoming. There is an openness to that state, particularly in the eastern part. Gentle turns, rolling hills, and just beautiful countryside made it onto my list of favorite states. It made me realize how much I miss the blend of green and golden earth, I've been around brown too long now.
At one point, we stopped at the Lusk rest area. We learned something interesting there, that President LBJ and his wife enacted the construction of highway rest areas around the nation. Highways had apparently been overrun with billboards and needed beautification. The Lusk one was the first to be built in Wyoming. We let Natalie play in the playground area for a few minutes. We needed a rest and she needed to move around. It was 6pm and we had many miles to go.
Returning to the highway, the beauty of Wyoming continued.At one point, I made a decision to take a shorter route to Spearfish. It was a mistake! We could have been in Spearfish by 9:30 at the latest. Instead, we entered South Dakota on U.S. 85 on a VERY windy road. Not only was it windy and dark, but it was also populated with deer on the road. I had to hit the brakes many times to avoid a disaster. Later, we took U.S. 14a to Spearfish, encountering the same hazards.
At long last, around 10:30, we got into Spearfish. As it was later on a Monday night, we settled for Taco Bell dinnerwise. Afterward, we found our KOA campground and had a slightly easier time than previous setting up the tent. We also had an easier time blowing up the air mattress. Our sleep came much easier that night!
I will say it again, I LOVE Wyoming! However, the best was yet to come!
Don't get me wrong, I have no problem with IHOP apart from overpriced meals. It was just that after 2 mornings of eating at locally unique establishments, IHOP is a letdown. Oh well, it was time to grab some gas (not IHOP-sourced!) and head to I-25.
In fact, the next exit gave us access to the Budweiser brewery. We parked in the lot, went inside, and learned with great joy that tours are free! While waiting for our 1pm tour to start, we looked around the gift shop and found quite a few neat things. I did end up getting some dry rub and a cold drink, and Natalie got a trinket or 2 as well. Soon our tour began. The first stop was the stables that hold the Clydesdales when they're in town...smelled like it, too!
After that we went into the main brewhouse and learned all about the process of making beer from start to finish. If you want to know, go to a brewery yourself, there's only so much detail this 44-year old brain can hold. I can say, though, that the process is quite meticulous and is very dependent on a particular crop strain remaining intact. The tasting part was fun. I had a sample of Shock Top, a thick citrusy brew for sure.
Leaving the brewery soon after, we hopped back on to I 25 and soon entered Wyoming. We were hungry, so we began looking for a place to eat in Cheyenne. Working on a local tip, we found the Down Home Diner. Once again we were dealing with local establishments. After a hearty lunch, we returned to 25 for several miles, then began a series of turns and long stretches on local highways.
This is when I fell in love with Wyoming. There is an openness to that state, particularly in the eastern part. Gentle turns, rolling hills, and just beautiful countryside made it onto my list of favorite states. It made me realize how much I miss the blend of green and golden earth, I've been around brown too long now.
At one point, we stopped at the Lusk rest area. We learned something interesting there, that President LBJ and his wife enacted the construction of highway rest areas around the nation. Highways had apparently been overrun with billboards and needed beautification. The Lusk one was the first to be built in Wyoming. We let Natalie play in the playground area for a few minutes. We needed a rest and she needed to move around. It was 6pm and we had many miles to go.
Returning to the highway, the beauty of Wyoming continued.At one point, I made a decision to take a shorter route to Spearfish. It was a mistake! We could have been in Spearfish by 9:30 at the latest. Instead, we entered South Dakota on U.S. 85 on a VERY windy road. Not only was it windy and dark, but it was also populated with deer on the road. I had to hit the brakes many times to avoid a disaster. Later, we took U.S. 14a to Spearfish, encountering the same hazards.
At long last, around 10:30, we got into Spearfish. As it was later on a Monday night, we settled for Taco Bell dinnerwise. Afterward, we found our KOA campground and had a slightly easier time than previous setting up the tent. We also had an easier time blowing up the air mattress. Our sleep came much easier that night!
I will say it again, I LOVE Wyoming! However, the best was yet to come!
Tuesday, July 4, 2017
Summer 2017 Road Trip part 3: Rocky Mountain Highs and Lows
I have to admit that waking up in a motel room had provided me with a better rest than the previous night in the tent. Granted it was the first time since my Boy Scout days I had camped like that, but we needed a real rest. I got up and dressed, then headed to the office with Natalie to see what was for eats. As it was the first time I'd seen Parachute in the daytime, I was pleased to see it was in a beautiful setting. The morning had a mildly crisp coolness to it. In the office we found cereal and bagels and coffee and juice, great stuff to get started. Afterward, we packed up and headed out. Little did I know that something had gotten left behind.
A few miles down I 70, we came across a sign for the New Castle Diner, which had a 50s theme to it. Well, the Moore family is all about those! There's something about eating with oldies playing in the background that makes for a pleasant experience, and by golly this sure was! This was a morning for a Denver omelet, home fries, and English muffin for me. Inside the men's room was a large cardboard cutout of the Lone Ranger and Tonto. We have to return some day!
After filling up the car at $2.39/gallon and refilling the cooler with ice, we proceeded down I 70 and soon went through Glenwood Springs, an exquisite town situated in a narrow canyon. Vickie and I had once had dinner there on a previous trip. After the town had passed, we entered Glenwood Canyon, a 20-mile long stretch with the Colorado River rushing beside us. There were tight curves, several tunnels, and just everything a road enthusiast dreams of! Needless to say, this was a highlight of the day!
After the canyon, 70 goes through a long valley of small towns and then enters the resort area of the valley. We stopped in Vail for a bathroom and drink stop, then proceeded to climb to the highest point on the Interstate system!
Wait! Not so fast there, boy! Traffic began to slow and then eventually stopped. I'd read that 70 east backs up regularly on Sundays as people living around Denver often head to the mountains for biking, camping, fishing, whatever. Sunday is the day many head back, so slowdowns are expected. After some online searching, we discovered that there was a crash in the Eisenhower Tunnel! After roughly an hour during which I got out of the car to stretch my legs, traffic began to move. After a few minutes, we went through the massive tunnel. I've always been a tunnel person, so this day was a diamond ring to me, despite the delay!
Coming out of the tunnel, we needed a bathroom break and some food. We got off in Georgetown and entered Cooper's on the Creek. Natalie had some mac n cheese, Vickie had chicken skewers with a really good sweet chili sauce, and I had elk tartare. All were quite good and a needed respite from the road. Turns out, we needed it for what was to come!
My plan was to get off in Central City, find highway 119, then proceed toward Estes Park. Life is never that simple. Central City is not well marked with highway signs, and we ended up on a local road which turned into a dirt road all the while promising it would lead to 119. Ten miles later, it did. 119 wound around small peaks and foothills for several miles, then turned east toward Boulder. 72 picked up from there, and then finally route 7 took us on a very curvy, steep adventure until we finally reached Estes Park, a beautiful town just to the east of Rocky Mountain National Park.
Estes Park is a fun town to park in and just walk up and down the main thoroughfare. We got some chocolate from one shop, and world famous taffy from the Estes Park Taffy Shop. We also ate pizza at Bob and Tony's. The pizza was very good with a thick layer of cheese. After some more light shop-scouting for Natalie to spend money, we headed down U.S. 34. 34 is a pleasantly curvy road with the smell of fireplaces burning wood all the way down the road even in June. I had to roll down the window and take it all in.
34 took us into Loveland, a really sweet little town in a long string of Front Range cities. Vickie lived there for a while so she commented on what had stayed and what had changed. We turned on to U.S. 287 and headed north 10 miles to Fort Collins where we found our Budget Host Inn. A little pricey but hey, it's Colorado! It was there that we discovered that, to our horror, that I'd accidentally left Vickie's pillow in Parachute and took one of theirs! Yep, it was doghouse time for the husband! I am amazed it did not happen earlier because, well, I'm good at being a bumbling hubby at times. I had a dream that night that Vickie forced us at gunpoint to return to Parachute to get the pillow! That's what a pizza dinner does for my dreams.
In the end, it was a good day. The traffic jam, endless twisty roads to Estes Park, and the pillow loss were unfortunate incidents, but everything else made up for it! Colorado has always been a source of fun for us and I want to come back.
A few miles down I 70, we came across a sign for the New Castle Diner, which had a 50s theme to it. Well, the Moore family is all about those! There's something about eating with oldies playing in the background that makes for a pleasant experience, and by golly this sure was! This was a morning for a Denver omelet, home fries, and English muffin for me. Inside the men's room was a large cardboard cutout of the Lone Ranger and Tonto. We have to return some day!
After filling up the car at $2.39/gallon and refilling the cooler with ice, we proceeded down I 70 and soon went through Glenwood Springs, an exquisite town situated in a narrow canyon. Vickie and I had once had dinner there on a previous trip. After the town had passed, we entered Glenwood Canyon, a 20-mile long stretch with the Colorado River rushing beside us. There were tight curves, several tunnels, and just everything a road enthusiast dreams of! Needless to say, this was a highlight of the day!
After the canyon, 70 goes through a long valley of small towns and then enters the resort area of the valley. We stopped in Vail for a bathroom and drink stop, then proceeded to climb to the highest point on the Interstate system!
Wait! Not so fast there, boy! Traffic began to slow and then eventually stopped. I'd read that 70 east backs up regularly on Sundays as people living around Denver often head to the mountains for biking, camping, fishing, whatever. Sunday is the day many head back, so slowdowns are expected. After some online searching, we discovered that there was a crash in the Eisenhower Tunnel! After roughly an hour during which I got out of the car to stretch my legs, traffic began to move. After a few minutes, we went through the massive tunnel. I've always been a tunnel person, so this day was a diamond ring to me, despite the delay!
Coming out of the tunnel, we needed a bathroom break and some food. We got off in Georgetown and entered Cooper's on the Creek. Natalie had some mac n cheese, Vickie had chicken skewers with a really good sweet chili sauce, and I had elk tartare. All were quite good and a needed respite from the road. Turns out, we needed it for what was to come!
My plan was to get off in Central City, find highway 119, then proceed toward Estes Park. Life is never that simple. Central City is not well marked with highway signs, and we ended up on a local road which turned into a dirt road all the while promising it would lead to 119. Ten miles later, it did. 119 wound around small peaks and foothills for several miles, then turned east toward Boulder. 72 picked up from there, and then finally route 7 took us on a very curvy, steep adventure until we finally reached Estes Park, a beautiful town just to the east of Rocky Mountain National Park.
Estes Park is a fun town to park in and just walk up and down the main thoroughfare. We got some chocolate from one shop, and world famous taffy from the Estes Park Taffy Shop. We also ate pizza at Bob and Tony's. The pizza was very good with a thick layer of cheese. After some more light shop-scouting for Natalie to spend money, we headed down U.S. 34. 34 is a pleasantly curvy road with the smell of fireplaces burning wood all the way down the road even in June. I had to roll down the window and take it all in.
34 took us into Loveland, a really sweet little town in a long string of Front Range cities. Vickie lived there for a while so she commented on what had stayed and what had changed. We turned on to U.S. 287 and headed north 10 miles to Fort Collins where we found our Budget Host Inn. A little pricey but hey, it's Colorado! It was there that we discovered that, to our horror, that I'd accidentally left Vickie's pillow in Parachute and took one of theirs! Yep, it was doghouse time for the husband! I am amazed it did not happen earlier because, well, I'm good at being a bumbling hubby at times. I had a dream that night that Vickie forced us at gunpoint to return to Parachute to get the pillow! That's what a pizza dinner does for my dreams.
In the end, it was a good day. The traffic jam, endless twisty roads to Estes Park, and the pillow loss were unfortunate incidents, but everything else made up for it! Colorado has always been a source of fun for us and I want to come back.
Sunday, July 2, 2017
Summer 2017 Road Trip part 2: Golden Arches
Nothing like an early morning after a nearly sleepless night to start one's day! Our first night of camping was not exactly a success, and not precisely a disaster, either. We'd proven ourselves to be a great team in putting up the tent and setting our makeshift sleeping surface up. The one big problem was our air mattress, which had not been fully sealed up. Therefore, we'd struggled to sleep on a pretty flat surface. I'd woken up several times during the night and finally gave up on sleep at about 6:30. My philosophy was, if I'm up, everyone's up!
The KOA site was pretty nice. Bathrooms were easily accessible. We were one of the few tenting families while the rest were RV campers. Resigned to our fate of sleep deprivation, we packed up and rolled out by 7:15. Down the road, we stopped at a diner for breakfast and gassed up. The nice thing about fueling a rental car is that you don't give a rat's ass what you put in as long as its the cheapest. $2.39 worked well for me, little knowing it would get cheaper later!
On to I 70 east, we soon came to Salina, the last source of gas and food and lodging for 105 miles. We stopped, but only to get the music synced in the car. We could have easily waited until this town to eat breakfast at Mom's Diner, but the restless night had increased the need for immediate coffee!
After Salina, I 70 is quite curvy and hilly for several miles within the Wasatch Plateau, then opens up into the vast San Rafael Swell. This large area gives spectacular views of sharp rocky cliffs for miles around. It really does feel like a completely different Utah, which makes the state so unique and beautiful. One almost forgets that they've traveled 60 miles already with no motorist services. There are, however, some exits for scenic views and natives hawking rugs and jewelry. Hey, everyone needs to make a living!
Finally coming to Green River, we stopped for a snack and bathroom break, then returned to the freeway and exited onto U.S. 191. 191 is fairly empty for a while, then enters a region full of gorgeous red rock canyons. We had arrived at Arches National Park! In one word, WOW! The vast array of cliffs, rock formations, and natural rock arches and windows made for quite a viewing experience. We stopped at several spots to take pictures and finally stopped to make sandwiches for a quick lunch. The gift shop was our final stop, and we bought a few trinkets, notably a keychain and magnet, Vickie's mementos of most trips we've taken together. Arches is by far, in my opinion, greater than the Grand Canyon! Quite frankly, most national parks I've visited are better than that!
Leaving Arches, we crossed the Colorado River and turned on to Utah route 28. This road followed the river for many miles and would be the first in a running theme of our week-long trip: sharp, curvy roads requiring the utmost driver attention! After about 40 miles, the road opened up into the desert again. Access to I 70 via 28 came up, but due to my Google Earth research, I took a different road which saved backtracking and still ended up on 70!
Twenty miles later, we entered Colorado. I always enjoy this state, as there is so much to see and do no matter where you are. Soon after entering the state, we rolled through the Grand Junction area and stopped for a quick bite and leg stretch at Taco John's, one of Vickie's favorite places to eat. It is a shame we don't have one here because their food is quite good.
We got back on to 70 and exhaustion was hitting me fast due to lack of sleep and heavy concentration on the curvy route 28. Vickie had made reservations in Parachute for a motel. We had tried to find a campsite, but nothing was available spacewise. I was grateful, for a real bed was what I needed. At exit 75, we entered Parachute, checked in to the Parachute Inn, and quickly got comfy. After being sent out for water for the Waterpik, I was asleep in quick order. I never even bothered to check what was in the office crockpot for free dinner.
Despite the lack of sleep, this was a great day and I have the pics to show for it!
The KOA site was pretty nice. Bathrooms were easily accessible. We were one of the few tenting families while the rest were RV campers. Resigned to our fate of sleep deprivation, we packed up and rolled out by 7:15. Down the road, we stopped at a diner for breakfast and gassed up. The nice thing about fueling a rental car is that you don't give a rat's ass what you put in as long as its the cheapest. $2.39 worked well for me, little knowing it would get cheaper later!
On to I 70 east, we soon came to Salina, the last source of gas and food and lodging for 105 miles. We stopped, but only to get the music synced in the car. We could have easily waited until this town to eat breakfast at Mom's Diner, but the restless night had increased the need for immediate coffee!
After Salina, I 70 is quite curvy and hilly for several miles within the Wasatch Plateau, then opens up into the vast San Rafael Swell. This large area gives spectacular views of sharp rocky cliffs for miles around. It really does feel like a completely different Utah, which makes the state so unique and beautiful. One almost forgets that they've traveled 60 miles already with no motorist services. There are, however, some exits for scenic views and natives hawking rugs and jewelry. Hey, everyone needs to make a living!
Finally coming to Green River, we stopped for a snack and bathroom break, then returned to the freeway and exited onto U.S. 191. 191 is fairly empty for a while, then enters a region full of gorgeous red rock canyons. We had arrived at Arches National Park! In one word, WOW! The vast array of cliffs, rock formations, and natural rock arches and windows made for quite a viewing experience. We stopped at several spots to take pictures and finally stopped to make sandwiches for a quick lunch. The gift shop was our final stop, and we bought a few trinkets, notably a keychain and magnet, Vickie's mementos of most trips we've taken together. Arches is by far, in my opinion, greater than the Grand Canyon! Quite frankly, most national parks I've visited are better than that!
Leaving Arches, we crossed the Colorado River and turned on to Utah route 28. This road followed the river for many miles and would be the first in a running theme of our week-long trip: sharp, curvy roads requiring the utmost driver attention! After about 40 miles, the road opened up into the desert again. Access to I 70 via 28 came up, but due to my Google Earth research, I took a different road which saved backtracking and still ended up on 70!
Twenty miles later, we entered Colorado. I always enjoy this state, as there is so much to see and do no matter where you are. Soon after entering the state, we rolled through the Grand Junction area and stopped for a quick bite and leg stretch at Taco John's, one of Vickie's favorite places to eat. It is a shame we don't have one here because their food is quite good.
We got back on to 70 and exhaustion was hitting me fast due to lack of sleep and heavy concentration on the curvy route 28. Vickie had made reservations in Parachute for a motel. We had tried to find a campsite, but nothing was available spacewise. I was grateful, for a real bed was what I needed. At exit 75, we entered Parachute, checked in to the Parachute Inn, and quickly got comfy. After being sent out for water for the Waterpik, I was asleep in quick order. I never even bothered to check what was in the office crockpot for free dinner.
Despite the lack of sleep, this was a great day and I have the pics to show for it!
Friday, June 30, 2017
Summer 2017 Road trip part 1: To Utah or Bust!
Today I begin a 7 part series on a quite anticipated family vacation. We've been flying here and there for 5 straight summers and I thought it would be fun to go on a family road trip. I actually thought this back in January. Vickie and I agreed that a circular trip to South Dakota and back in a week would be just the right thing. When we received our tax refund in late January, we put half of it on a rental car. Vickie ordered us a Chevy Impala.
After a few days of packing and dealing with pesky HOA issues (which made us want to leave even more), my friend Marla drove me to the rental car compound (in reality an unused corner in a GMC dealership). Expecting the Impala all shined and ready for me to destroy, I was informed that it would take at least an hour to get an Impala from the airport rental warehouse, but if I wanted there was a modern Ford Mustang just about ready to go.
This was to become one of a few mistakes on my end. Instead of doing the SMART thing and waiting for what we ordered, the impatient me did the ME thing and said yes. It drove well and had Sirius aboard, as well as a nuclear plant's control panel to decode. It also had a fairly small trunk in stark contrast to its large engine. As we had luggage and camping gear to pack as well as 3 passengers, it became a tight squeeze.
We technically left for our adventure at 1:30ish. However, there is this strange galactic-league magnetic pull that prevents you from leaving Vegas without applied herculean effort. We first had to get a few food supplies, ice, gas, and a quick snack before leaving. Even then, making our way to 215 and then 15 to leave the state of Nevada proved difficult. It was 5:00 when we crossed the Nevada line.
The 29 miles of Arizona that I 15 traverses are quite unique in that they are not connected to the rest of the state in any way. Old U.S. 91 services Littlefield and Beaver Dam before heading in a roundabout way to St. George Utah. 15 opened in Arizona in 1973 to wind through the Virgin River Gorge after Littlefield, making the journey to St. George about 20 miles shorter. It is a beautiful canyon both treasured and feared by drivers. Indeed, if a lane is closed, it can be a slow, treacherous trek among all the truck traffic.
When 15 emerges from the canyon, the landscape changes dramatically. Instead of a bleak brown desert, a series of high majestic cliffs in Zion National Park in the distance shows that Utah will be a different experience, although desert is a big part of it, just in a different way. Red rock cliffs in St. George make that town a pleasant place to drive through. Afterward, 15 begins a steep climb in the mountains with several exits that were once labeled as "RANCH EXIT", now with names like "SNOWFIELD" even though no such towns exist.
After the climb, 15 emerges in a lush green valley and enters Cedar City. We stopped for a little pick-me-up there, at which point it was almost 8pm. After a stop at a store, we continued down the road watching the sun go down. After a series of summits and valleys, we turned at the exit for I 70 east. After a sharp rise into the mountains and subsequent altitude drop, 70 entered the Sevier River valley through a series of small towns. We turned off at one of these towns, Richfield, to find our stop for the night: a KOA campsite!
We had never done this before. My colleague Christine had lent us her family's tent, 2 sleeping bags, and a lantern. We did a practice tent setup in our living room a few days before just to get it right. What we should have done is turn the lights out because we ended up pitching the tent at 10:30! We'd bought a queen-sized air mattress and a pump, but had not tested them, so most of the air we'd put into it was gone quickly. It was a tough night to sleep indeed!
I will say this, though. In all of my travels through various states, Utah remains number 2 in my list! Number 1 will come later!
After a few days of packing and dealing with pesky HOA issues (which made us want to leave even more), my friend Marla drove me to the rental car compound (in reality an unused corner in a GMC dealership). Expecting the Impala all shined and ready for me to destroy, I was informed that it would take at least an hour to get an Impala from the airport rental warehouse, but if I wanted there was a modern Ford Mustang just about ready to go.
This was to become one of a few mistakes on my end. Instead of doing the SMART thing and waiting for what we ordered, the impatient me did the ME thing and said yes. It drove well and had Sirius aboard, as well as a nuclear plant's control panel to decode. It also had a fairly small trunk in stark contrast to its large engine. As we had luggage and camping gear to pack as well as 3 passengers, it became a tight squeeze.
We technically left for our adventure at 1:30ish. However, there is this strange galactic-league magnetic pull that prevents you from leaving Vegas without applied herculean effort. We first had to get a few food supplies, ice, gas, and a quick snack before leaving. Even then, making our way to 215 and then 15 to leave the state of Nevada proved difficult. It was 5:00 when we crossed the Nevada line.
The 29 miles of Arizona that I 15 traverses are quite unique in that they are not connected to the rest of the state in any way. Old U.S. 91 services Littlefield and Beaver Dam before heading in a roundabout way to St. George Utah. 15 opened in Arizona in 1973 to wind through the Virgin River Gorge after Littlefield, making the journey to St. George about 20 miles shorter. It is a beautiful canyon both treasured and feared by drivers. Indeed, if a lane is closed, it can be a slow, treacherous trek among all the truck traffic.
When 15 emerges from the canyon, the landscape changes dramatically. Instead of a bleak brown desert, a series of high majestic cliffs in Zion National Park in the distance shows that Utah will be a different experience, although desert is a big part of it, just in a different way. Red rock cliffs in St. George make that town a pleasant place to drive through. Afterward, 15 begins a steep climb in the mountains with several exits that were once labeled as "RANCH EXIT", now with names like "SNOWFIELD" even though no such towns exist.
After the climb, 15 emerges in a lush green valley and enters Cedar City. We stopped for a little pick-me-up there, at which point it was almost 8pm. After a stop at a store, we continued down the road watching the sun go down. After a series of summits and valleys, we turned at the exit for I 70 east. After a sharp rise into the mountains and subsequent altitude drop, 70 entered the Sevier River valley through a series of small towns. We turned off at one of these towns, Richfield, to find our stop for the night: a KOA campsite!
We had never done this before. My colleague Christine had lent us her family's tent, 2 sleeping bags, and a lantern. We did a practice tent setup in our living room a few days before just to get it right. What we should have done is turn the lights out because we ended up pitching the tent at 10:30! We'd bought a queen-sized air mattress and a pump, but had not tested them, so most of the air we'd put into it was gone quickly. It was a tough night to sleep indeed!
I will say this, though. In all of my travels through various states, Utah remains number 2 in my list! Number 1 will come later!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)