Salt Lake City to Reno - Oct 23

My trip to Reno was uneventful - probably my longest drive day of the whole trip. Since I was alone, I made it a point to make frequent stops. I spotted this mound of salt along I-80 so took a quick detour to find out what it was and to snap a picture of it.  It's at the Morton Salt plant in near Grantsville, UT. They harvest the salt from evaporation ponds around the Great Salt Lake. The last time I drove across Utah was in 1980 when I moved to California, but I don't remember seeing this.  The topography across this part of Utah varies from a lot of dirt and rocks to the salt flats.  Towns are well off the highway.  Driving along the salt flats I noticed different formations of "dots", which turned out to be beer bottles embedded in the flats - neck down.  My guess is that college students go out during the night to party and leave behind their bottles in a decorative way.

I knew I would cross the Bonneville Salt Flats but wasn't quite sure exactly where it was.  Lo and behold, the final rest stop I made in Utah turned out to be at the BSF.  I walked out onto the flats and was surprised at how hard the surface is.  It looks like I'm walking on snow.  I think it would be fun to go there for to watch a race sometime.

At this point, I was only a few miles from the Nevada border and the city of West Wendover.  By now, it was time to get something to eat and a little play time.  I don't remember the name of the casino I stopped at for lunch, but they still have machines that pay out in real coins, not tickets as most are doing now.  I walked away with a little extra cash.  My next stop was Battle Mountain but just for gas and a quick stretch break.  I made it to Reno about 8 pm - had a reservation at Harrah's so wasn't too worried about when I would arrive.  My stay at Harrah's was uneventful and not profitable, but that's okay.  The next day I ventured out to the Peppermill Hotel for lunch and a little more play time.  It was my last day on the road and I stayed most of the day at the Peppermill and came away with a little extra cash.  I procrastinated as long as I could and about 4:00 pm I made my way 'down the mountain' and into the Sacramento valley. 

I arrived home about 6:00 pm on Oct 24 and was greeted with a very cute Welcome Home sign on my bedroom door - courtesy of my very dear friend Darlene.  In one sense, it felt good to be home but bittersweet - I hated for my trip to end. I had a week and a half left before I had to head back to work.

Stay tuned for my trip wrap-up post.

Provo and Salt Lake City - Oct 22

By the time I got to Provo, it was time for lunch and a rest stop.  Provo is a very picturesque town at the base of the Wasatch Mtns.  It is also the home of Brigham Young University.  I stopped at the Visitors Center and the lady I talked with told me I should take the scenic loop drive.  After lunch, I walked around the historic downtown area for about an hour to enjoy the architecture and peacefulness of the area.  From there I headed out to take the recommended drive.  Driving past BYU, I saw a very large Y painted on the mountains - which I assumed had to do with the university as the school butts up against the mountains.  I never did find the B or the U - I'm sure they're there somewhere.

My first stop along the scenic loop was Bridal Veil Falls - very nice.  What really got me was when I turned around to get back in the car and the mountains across the road made me gasp - it was awesome.  This picture doesn't really convey that feeling.  As I was only at the beginning of my drive, I knew I was in for a treat.  The next point of interest was Sundance - yes, Robert Redford's Sundance.  I regret that I didn't stop and walk around, but it was about mid-afternoon and I was told the drive would be at least an hour - so I pressed on.  From the road, you only see the parking area so you have no idea what the resort is really like - a good reason to go back.  As I drove along Hwy 92, I was truly amazed at what lay before me.  After 30 years, I am still in awe of the Sierras but this was different and probably more awe-inspiring, I think it was because I was driving through the thick of the mountains and every turn presented a different view - the Wasatch is very different from the Sierras. 

Check out my Utah album for pictures - they're not in order taken, but you'll know which ones are from this drive.  At one point I entered a National Forest and the road narrowed quite a bit with lots of curves - the speed limit was 20 mph - no complaints from me as I was enjoying everything I saw and wishing I had more time to spend there.  At one point, I was a little nervous about where I was headed until I finally saw a car coming from the opposite direction.  Then I felt okay about continuing on and not turning back - remember I'm in the middle of the mountains and by myself - even in daylight it was a little spooky.  This area of the mountains is very thick with Aspen groves - unfortunately, the trees were already bare, but it was still stunning to see.  The summit was at 8,060 ft elevation and the drive down the other side was just as spectacular as the drive up - I made it a point to stop at several turnouts to fully take in the views.  There are quite a few trails in the National Forest and I would guess that they're pretty well used in the warmer months.

I came down into Provo on the opposite side of town dotted with lots of newer housing developments and each with an LDS church in the middle - they all looked alike so they were easy to spot.  By now, it was close to 5:00 pm and I was about an hour from Salt Lake City, so I headed north along with the commuters.

I had hoped to stay in SLC proper but hotel rates were outrageous so I stayed at a La Quinta Inn near the airport. 

I had learned that the Mormon Tabernacle Choir practices on Thursday evenings at 8:00 pm and open to the public, but I had to get to Temple Square to find out the schedule and location.  Off I went hoping I would get to hear this magnificent choir.  I found Temple Square but could not find any parking nearby - this was very disappointing on several levels.  So I made my way to the State Capitol which is situated on a hill overlooking the city.  It was about 7:00 pm and pretty well deserted and dark, but I walked around the grounds a little bit in search of Utah's Liberty Bell  - turns out that it's inside the Capitol building.   I drove around downtown for a little bit - still in search of a place to park near Temple Square - no luck so I headed back to my hotel.  I decided not to go back to the city the next day as I knew I had a very long drive ahead of me, so I have no pictures in SLC. 

My trip at this point is close to an end.  Stay tuned....

More to Come

Just a quick note to let everyone know that I'm a little behind on my updates.  I am back in California and went back to work today, but will get my postings done soon.  Hope you've been enjoying my travels.  Stay tuned.....

Denver - Oct 20

My day in Denver started out sunny but quickly turned to overcast. My first stop was the state capitol and the first thing I spotted was the Liberty Bell replica in a park across the street. I made my way there and started chatting with a young mother named Becca who was exploring the city with her son Andrew - he’s a little over 1 year old and was a real trooper. She and her husband and son recently moved to Denver from Las Vegas. He husband is working on the gubernatorial campaign for Scott McGinnis - hope he wins so they can stay in the area as they really like it there. She and I walked over to the City and County Building and wandered about the building taking pictures. We then walked back toward the Capitol taking lots of pictures along the way, then said our goodbyes. I went into the Capitol and happened upon a tour that had just started so joined it. We toured the first, second and third floors. The walls on every level (including the lower level) are lined with rose onyx and is very stunning. The quarry where the onyx came from is now the site of a new housing development. They recently found a new vein but have no plans to mine it.

After the Capitol tour, I made my way to the 16th Street Mall. It’s a mile long pedestrian mall lined with the usual shops. I stopped into a couple stores that were selling Denver and Colorado items so I could pick up some postcards.  I also bought a fleece jacket for me and a gift for my sweet friend Riley.  I ate lunch at Marlowe’s, a local restaurant, and I recommend it any time you get to Denver. By now it was after 4:00 pm and the weather was getting progressively uglier so I made my way back to my hotel. I considered going to one of the local casinos, but they were in Blackhawk which is about 30 miles west of the city.  Because of the weather and the prediction of snow showers, I decided to stay put. Read my Denver to Green River post next and check out my Denver photo album.

Stay tuned for more….

Denver to Green River, Utah to Salt Lake City - Oct 21 & 22

Denver to Green River - Oct 21

Today I left Denver in rainy and snowy weather headed toward Salt Lake City.  Last night, the weather predictions were for snow.  Luckily, the major snow was to the south and east of Denver - the opposite direction I wanted to take.  I really wanted to drive across the Rockies via I-70 rather than drive north to I-80 at Cheyenne, Wyoming.  I did that  drive across southern Wyoming many years ago and it's boring.  I watched the Colorado DOT travel site this morning for a while and when I saw that the weather in the mountains was mostly rain mixed with some snow, I went for it - all the cameras were showing wet roads but not snow sticking.  I'm so glad I did - what a treat.  I want to do this drive again in nicer weather and explore the mining towns.  Even though the weather was wet and somewhat foggy to start, I thoroughly enjoyed the drive from beginning to end.  There are similarities to driving through the Sierras but many differences, however, both are extraordinarily breathtaking.  Traveling through the Rockies you go through several tunnels, one of which is the Eisenhower Tunnel which crosses the Continental Divide at 11,158 feet above sea level.  There are also quite a few sizable towns along the route unlike the Sierras.  Because you start out at above 5,000 feet, the elevation changes are mostly gradual but there are 2 or 3 areas where you really climb and your car feels it. 

After coming through the Eisenhower Tunnel, everything was dry and clear - no snow or rain anywhere.  I stopped at Vail for lunch, but the village was fairly deserted so I ended up at a local Subway.  I continued on toward Grand Junction and passed through Glenwood Canyon - truly amazing.  It's about 13 miles long and the Colorado River runs through it, so that is most likely how it was formed.  It was like driving through a mini Grand Canyon.  I snapped the photo on the left while I was driving and unless you've ever taken this drive, it doesn't really convey the true feeling of going through here.

When you come out of the Rockies, you're in the high desert and still at about 5,000 feet.  When I got to Grand Junction, I still had lots of time to keep going so I headed to Green River, UT - having no idea what would be there.  It turns out that between Grand Junction and Green River there is nothing and it's a two hour drive so I hoped I wasn't making a not-so-good decision.  Very shortly after I crossed into Utah, there was a road that read "Eagles on Highway".  I never saw any eagles - in the sky or on the road.  And, I only saw that one sign.  Their deer crossing signs are different from most - they read "Frequent Deer Crossings Next xx Miles".

During my visit with my youngest sister, her husband Rick and I had a discussion about driving for hours without seeing any civilization except cars on the road.  He has never experienced this and couldn't visualize what that would be like.  So, Rick this photo is for you - a lot of nothing in Utah - but beautiful in a bleak way.

I arrived in Green River just after 7:00 pm and from what I could tell, it's a little spit of a town in the desert, but there were plenty of hotels to choose from and I'm here for the night.  I think it exists only for I-70 travelers. 

Green River to Salt Lake City - Oct 22

In the light of day, I got a better look at Green River and discovered that they have a history museum and also a Rocky Mountain Power plant.  Otherwise, just a handful of hotels, a few gas stations, two restaurants, a couple campgrounds and a small residential area.  It's aptly named as the Green River runs through it. 

I stayed off the interstate for most of my drive today - I headed west on Rte 191 then onto US-6.  This route took me through the towns of Price and Helper plus the Wasatch Mtns.  Price is fair sized town and Helper is a smaller town, but according to the road signs has some history to it.  Outside of Helper, I noticed about 20 people on horseback and a herd of cattle along the side of the road.  By the time I could pull over they were herding the cattle up the hill.  One old cowboy who was pulling away in a truck said I should have been there earlier and that they were moving the cattle to pens on top of the hill.  I don't know where the cattle came from and what happens to them after they're penned.  I did manage to get a picture before they totally disappeared from my sight.

This is still a work in progress, so check back again for the updates.

Kansas City - Oct 18 and 19

KC is a beautiful city and I spent quite a bit of time exploring it.  There are over 200 public fountains in KC and I set out to find some of them.  I got back from Independence about 5:00 pm and spent some time driving around the downtown area and found my first fountain (Muse of the Missouri) in a business district.  As I was roaming around, I kept seeing young girls and their parents headed toward the Sprint Center so I decided to park and take a walk to see who was in town - it was Miley Cyrus.  The sun appeared and it warmed up a little from earlier in the day, so I kept walking.  Across from the Sprint Center is an area called the Power & Light district which encompasses lots of restaurants.  One area within this district is Kansas City Live! - it was pretty cool.  It is made up of various restaurants and bars surrounding a multi-level outdoor seating area.  There was a very large outdoor monitor on which a college football game was being shown.   There a large canopy with heaters over the area.  From there I continued walking through the P&L district toward the Convention Center.  There was some interesting looking towers looming above and one guy I asked thought they were weights for a bridge.  I don't know if they're decorative or have a purpose but they're on top of the convention center. I walked around more then headed back to my hotel on the Kansas side. 

I spent most of the next day in KC exploring the Country Club Plaza area and searching for some of the many fountains, then getting on the road about 3:00 pm.

The Country Club area is a historic area that is now a shopping area.  The architecture is primarily Moorish and Spanish - very beautiful.  I found more fountains and lots of artwork.  It seemed like every corner I turned, I found something new and intriguing.  I walked along Brush Creek Parkway which is bordered by large hotels and old apartment buildings.

My fountain search took me along Ward Expressway toward Meyer Circle and into a very upscale residential area - think Sacramento's Fab 40s on steroids.  The most beautiful part of this area is that the houses are not hidden behind fences - they are on display for all to enjoy.  I don't know what this area is known as, but how would you like to live in the house behind this fountain - look to the left.  It's directly across the street and I can only imagine how wonderful it would be to enjoy the beauty of the fountain every day.  Next I headed to Loose Park to find the Rose Garden fountain.  What I found was a fabulous park in the middle of the city and, of course, the target fountain.  It was a glorious day and there was lots of professional photography going on in the park of families, an engaged couple and a group of 6 guys and a gal that I guess is probably a band - or brothers and sister.  As I headed back toward the freeway, I stumbled onto more fountains and stopped to snap a few photos.  Check out my Kansas City and KC Fountains & Statues albums.

Salina to Denver - Oct 19

Another quick post - I made it to Denver and will be here for 2 nights, maybe 3 depending on what I do tomorrow.  I'm really tired so I won't be adding my KC post tonight, but stay tuned as it will get done soon.