So, we had been sitting tight for quite some time, and decided it was high time for a good ol' fashioned American road trip. We headed northeast and drove for two days to get to Salt Lake City, our first intended stop. We spent the first night just south of Las Vegas. Now, that might seem exciting to some folks, but we would just as soon pass up on the casino scene. We drove into town just as an incredible thunderstorm was starting. Plenty of lightning, and then a downpour of rain and hail. We got one of the last rooms at Whiskey Pete's Hotel and Casino. The accommodations were spartan but sufficient. The only thing out of the ordinary is that at 5:30 or so in the morning, sometime after I had trekked down to the in-house McDonald's and returned with our coffees, we found a young man fast asleep on the carpeted floor outside our hotel room door. We grabbed our luggage, left him an orange near his head, and got out of there! It took another long day of driving to get to Salt Lake City, but we were happy to visit with a friend and her two beautiful whippets. The next day, we put in another few hours of driving and finally reached one of our all-time favorite destinations-- Star Valley Ranch in Wyoming.
If you love good clean fresh air, lots of open spaces, beautiful mountains, cool rivers, wandering deer, friendly folks, delicious food, log cabins, and glistening lakes, Wyoming is a place to visit. Don't tell anyone else, though, because we don't want it to get too crowded!
Hunter's prize above the door. I believe it is a moose.
Bird in the tree.
About twenty hummingbirds exhibited frenzied mass addiction to MAK's home brewed sugar water blend. Within three days, they had consumed over a gallon of the stuff. They zipped back and forth like kamikaze pilots, hellbent on getting their fix. Part of me worried we were about to become part of a sequel to a Hitchcock film, with those birds darting back and forth!
Our hosts dropped us off at one point of the Salt River and came back to pick us up at another point downriver. We paddled downriver in the kayak.
Luckily, it was overcast for part of the journey, since we incorrectly guessed the trip would take two hours, when in fact it took about four and a half.
Some cows watched us as we paddled by. We thought, oh what an easy trip it was until we hit a couple quick corners and flipped our kayak over as we tried to avoid slamming into bushes. We lost a few replaceable items, but the camera and phone were snug and secure inside the locked compartment of the kayak.
All along, we used the little house on the hill as our primary landmark. It took us over two hours to reach the other side of it before we headed toward the dam.
Went on a hike the next morning and saw this little fellow posing on a flower for a while.
About an hour away is Jackson Hole, a very popular tourist destination. It was hot and crowded, but I bet business owners were glad to have so many visitors.
We spent about an hour in town to pick up a couple T-shirts and a few odds and ends. Then we stopped at the Cowboy Bar for a beer.
Out of town, sit the majestic Teton mountains and the area's beautiful lakes. We had intended to kayak one of the lakes, but we were still wiped out from our long kayaking adventure on the river the day before. Plus, we had forgotten to bring along the padded seats that clip onto the kayak. So we drove through town and to the Tetons with a kayak strapped to the top of the car. We looked like real adventurers as we cruised through town.
On our way home, we saw this deer and her two fawns. She didn't seem to mind us at all.
Part of a mural in Silver City
By the end of the week, it was time to head south again, this time through Colorado and New Mexico, as we made our way to Silver City. We drove through the spectacular sights around the town of Moab, where we enjoyed looking at wonderful red rock formations. Then we drove through the Gila National forest, past miles of fresh green forest. We arrived late on a Saturday afternoon, just in time to have dinner at the Jalisco Cafe in the historic downtown. The best, and I do mean the best, bowl of chili in the world is to be had at this restaurant. I still drool over the thought of it, several days later.
It was a good thing we went out when we did, because, contrary to most towns, especially towns that rely on tourist business, nearly everything was closed on Sunday, the only day we had to explore. Luckily, we had had enough time to explore some of the art shops there. Every other store is a little gallery where local artists display their work. One weaver showed us how she makes her carpets. It was fun to look around and talk to the artists.
The next morning, we went for a walk to see what we could see. There was a little park, with a rushing stream. Around noon, a few art and antique shops did open, and we were able to see enough to know we really want to come back again to spend a few days. What a lovely town!
Now, that's how you paint a wall!
Tile work on steps leading up from the street. Some of the sidewalks were at least a couple feet high off the street! Hard to climb up at times. I wonder why they were so high up?
Building facade. We also visited the local museum to learn a bit about the history of Silver City.
Fortunately, our hotel was located right in the center of the historic downtown. We walked everywhere, and kept the car parked until we were ready to head back to San Diego.
The Palace Hotel, where we stayed, is the oldest hotel in the city. The rooms are quaint and old fashioned, yet comfortable. The location is priceless and the rates are good.
A couple blocks away was a cabin made in the style lived in by Billy The Kid. It was given to the town by Ron Howard
Lots of beauty in Silver City. We stopped at the gelato store next door to try their Pralines and Cream and their strawberry gelato. Yum!
The next morning, we headed straight for San Diego. Nine hours later, we were safe and sound. All in all, our trip took us about 2700 miles.
