Day 20 - Riverton, WY to Pocatello, ID

On the road at 7:50 without coffee. Bummer. Eight-eight miles later we were in Dubois, Wyoming at the Coffee Haus getting that much needed morning starter. Dubois is an old western town and bills itself as such. It comes with old buildings and wood sidewalks.

We were now on the Wyoming Centennial Scenic Highway and scenic it was. Playing tag with the Wind River took us through the colors of Fall and great mountain vistas. Towns were few and far between, however road construction continued to be ever present. Several sections of one lane slowed us down, but we managed to reach Jackson, Wyoming just in time for lunch.

For the last several days Barb has been on the lookout for buffalo, without a single sighting. Cows, horses, prairie dogs, sheep, a moose...yes. Buffalo...no. So we headed to the Silver Dollar Bar & Grill in Jackson for buffalo burger. Didn't work and we finished the day with a zero in the buffalo department.

After lunch we walked as much as Barb's toe would allow and managed to disappoint the Jackson economy by leaving without purchases.

Leaving Jackson we took the road less traveled, allowing ourselves a little slower drive over the Teton Scenic Byway. The climb up to just under 10,000 feet was a 10% grade. I have never seen anything more that 7%. And on the other side? A 10% downgrade. A scenic drive, but keeps your eyes on the road.

The rest of the drive into Pocatello was uneventful. Having eaten so much we decided to get a pizza and zap it at the motel. Barb's research led us to a highly rated, five star pizza parlor. I remembered our experience in Abilene when we found it closed. A near Pizza Hut filled in, Fred Meyer provided me with a beer and Barb is still working on the wine from last night. What? Say you didn't think we finished that bottle at the restaurant and then drove sixteen miles back to the motel.

We would like to sleep at home tomorrow, so looking at a long day. Probably ten plus hours of driving. We shall see. 338 miles today.

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Day 19 - Rapid City, SD to Riverton, WY

Kinda long drive today,so we were up at 5:45 and after a decent continental breakfast were headed West on Interstate 90. Our first stop was to be Devil's Tower in Wyoming, but Starbuck's in Spearfish, South Dakota won out. With mocha and latte in hand we pressed on.

Devil's Tower is this big rock that juts up out of the ground. A geologist would frown at such a description and might refer to it as an igneous intrusion or laccolith. There seems to be some confusion among the experts on how it was formed, so I feel comfortable calling it a big rock. And it is big. The tower rises 1,267 feet and the trail around the base is 1.3 miles. Due to Barb's toe issue we passed on the hiking trails. We were surprised to learn that in 1906 Theodore Roosevelt established Devil's Tower as the first United States National Monument.

Barb decided lunch would be in Buffalo so we were back on Interstate 90 heading West. Along the way we passed through Gillette and... well I guess it was just Gillette. Not many towns out there.

The Bread Board in Buffalo hides behind a tree, which makes it a little, no a lot, hard to find. We finally gave up, called for help and had to drive about 200 feet. It turned out to be a slightly upscale Subway, with a good sandwich and needed time away from the wheel.

After lunch we said goodby to the Interstate and headed generally southwest on Highway 16. This part of the drive took us through the Bighorn National Forrest and changed my opinion of Wyoming. I guess I was thinking most of the state was like Interstate 80 from Evanston to Laramie. It's not. A great drive that topped out at over 9,000 feet and was followed by the Wind River Canyon Scenic Byway south of Thermopolis.

In Riverton the Hampton Inn will be home for the night and a nice home it is. Years ago, probably 26 or so, I stayed in Riverton on a business trip. As we headed West all I could remember of the trip was a steak dinner somewhere nearby. Thanks to plentiful cell towers, Barb was able to locate a restaurant in nearby Hudson that fit the bill. Thirty plus years in business, excellent reviews and steak. We drove the sixteen miles and sure enough that was the place. The wine list was limited, but a bottle of 14 Hands Cab from Washington made us feel at home. Starters were an ante pasta plate with the usual suspects plus ravioli and stuffed cabbage rolls.We both had the senior portion of prime rib, which would be a full portion anywhere else. Add a baked potato and roll and it was an excellent meal. Oh, and the price? $50.86 including the bottle of wine.

So here we are back at the motel. Barb's in bed playing with her phone and watching Hannity of FOX, while I listen to bluegrass and try to remember what happened today. Tomorrow we head off to Pocatello, Idaho. 473 miles today.

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Day 18 - Mitchell, SD to Rapid City, SD

After a continental breakfast we were on the road about 8:00, however before leaving town we just had to visit the Corn Palace. Built in the Moorish Revival style, it serves as a multi-use facility for the community and region.

Traveling West on Interstate 90 we began to notice subtle changes in the landscape. Corn and beans no longer ruled the fields. Along with the usual suspects sorghum and sunflowers starting showing up. For some reason these newcomers seemed to favor the North side of the Interstate. Bales of hay also made an appearance, along with the cattle they would feed come winter.

As we drove West, South Dakota continued to provide an abundance of road kill for identification. Opossum, raccoon, skunk and deer all had recently departed life on this stretch of Interstate 90. Just before crossing the Missouri River near Chamberlain we stopped by the Lewis and Clark Keelboat Visitors Center. It was closed. While Barb's designer shoe wouldn't allow her to walk out to view the river, I pressed on until encountering the poisonous snakes sign. Shorts and sandals? No way.

Lady Bird Johnson, a lifelong advocate of beautifying America's highways, would not be a happy camper on this section of Interstate 90. Billboards, billboards and more billboards, all proclaiming a fantastic, exotic, wonderful something that must be seen by the entire family. Original 1880 Town, Al's Oasis, Wall Drug Store and Reptile Garden are but a few. Having extra time we opted for Wall Drug Store. Drug store? More like a shopping arcade with gift shop, restaurant and a store with more cowboy boots and hats than any place outside Texas. Oh, and yes there is a drug store.

After checking into our motel we headed for a full service car wash. They did a great job, removing several layers of South Dakota's finest from the front bumper and grill. I suppose they will reappear tomorrow, but for tonight Honda will sparkle in the moonlight.

Next up? Cabela's of course! Number four for trip and I think we may just be running out of things to buy. One small purchase and we headed to On The Border for Fajitas and Dos Equis. Back at the motel my flask is again running low as I try to bring you up to date on our doings

Tomorrow we will be leaving early for a drive to Riverton, Wyoming. Getting close now. Three days and we should be home.

In closing, a little South Dakota thing: When the chips are down, the buffalo is empty. 307 miles today.

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Day 17 - Humboldt, IA to Mitchell, SD

Even though this was to be a short driving day we were up at 6:05. At 6:40 is was still dark. I make no effort to try and understand this kind of behavior.

Since this was to be another day without lunch, we headed back to Miller's Landing for breakfast. Boy those sausages are good. After a quick stop for gas we were finally headed West toward home.

We gave some thought to staying in Rapid City, South Dakota tonight, but extending the driving day from four and a half to nine and a half hours lost out in the end.

With lots of extra time we headed for Sutherland, Iowa, where my grandmother was born and raised. We found the house she lived in and I had a short conversation with the guy that lives there now. With a population of only 645 hardy souls Sutherland is a small town, so it didn't take us long to drive the streets. Yes, the downtown is one block long. Parking is not only at the both curbs, but also down the middle of the street.

Traveling two lane roads from one small town to another and flanked by farms we encountered a flurry of activity and dust. According to the waitress at Miller's Landing (who's husband is a farmer) the time has come to get the corn and soybeans (around here simply known as beans) harvested. So, the activity was harvesting and the dust the result thereof.

Once again small towns announced themselves with water tower and grain elevator. Reaching the 151 mile mark we stopped for coffee at the Inwood, Iowa all-in-one gas station, cafe, grocery store. On the way out I asked the older guy behind the counter how to get to Minnesota. He mumbled something about around a curve, a paved road and Interstate 90. I decided to trust the lady in the dash and we ended up in Luverne, MN. From there it was a short drive into Mitchell.

Too early to check into our motel we headed for Cabela's. No second floor or mountain, but still a nice store. A lot of looking and only one purchase kept our financial future on an even keel.

While driving in Barb researched the internet for dining in Mitchell and came up with several options. We settled on Chef Louie's Steak House based on a near perfect Yelp rating. We both opted for the bacon wrapped filet and baked potato then finished with a shared creme brulee. Oh, and a really good merlot. If you are ever in Mitchell, go to this place.

A couple of observations. First, South Dakota has more road kill than any state we've been in. Even more than Texas. Second, in Iowa you best like Bud Lite, Coors Lite or Miller Lite or you will be thirsty. Third, the bugs in South Dakota are large and they leave really big white splotches on the windshield.

Tomorrow we have a fairly short drive to Rapid City, South Dakota. 297 miles today.

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Old barn
Humboldt, Iowa

Day 16 - In and around Humboldt, IA

Ok, a couple of housekeeping items. First, I have for several days forgotten to take note of the mileage. Current odometer reading is 881 and I think that goes back to Olathe. I'll try to do better. Second, I just posted yesterday's update. There's not much in the way of internet access here, but our new motel is WiFi friendly. Should be good the rest of the way home.

We shunned the continental breakfast and headed for Miller's Landing in Humboldt. Having eaten there several times on a past trip, we knew there was a meal waiting that would last till dinner. The sausage and bacon are the best.

Today was spent driving around Humboldt county in roughly a counter-clockwise direction. After breakfast we hit Renwick, Lu Verne, Livermore, Bode and Rutland. A quick car wash in Fort Dodge and then back to Humboldt for the night. All told we covered only 148 miles. Other than Fort Dodge and Humboldt these are small towns, with populations ranging from 145 in Rutland to 384 in Livermore. So how could we spend so much time in these towns? By driving up and down each and every street. I know it sounds a little strange, but there is so much to see in small town America.

It's easy to spot these small towns, just look for a water tower and grain elevator. Once there you can check out downtown. It's usually a block long, maybe two, but never three. But don't look for much there. Oh, there's a library, a bank, maybe a law office and a small grocery store. The real real life blood of the town is right next door to downtown. The grain elevator.

This time of the year is about harvesting and everywhere we went today it was in full swing. Just as a water tower means a town, a dust cloud means harvesting.

In Livermore we headed out to the Union Cemetery and located the grave of my great great grandfather George McCauley. In Bode I stopped at an elevator and got a lesson on sampling incoming grain and measuring water content. And every time I stopped to watch soybeans or corn being harvested there was probably a farmer wondering what rock I'd been living under. But I've learned just enough to have a bunch of questions for Neal when I get home. Phyllis, warn him now.

A lot of the roads here are gravel. And dusty. Very dusty. So back in Fort Dodge we did a quick car wash and I found a Starbucks. Checking into our motel in Humboldt I found the first WiFi of the day and updated the blog for yesterday. For dinner we were headed back to last night's spot, but found it open for a private party. Not having an invitation we opted for roast turkey at Miller's Landing.

Tomorrow we turn back to the West toward home. Be ready to read about South Dakota the next two days.

Posted from my iPad

Late afternoon harvest
Renwick, Iowa

Nothing runs like a Deere

Case and Corn

Day 15 - Waterloo, IA to Fort Dodge, IA

First decision of the day was where to have breakfast. We settled on Newton's Paradise Cafe after passing on IHOP and Perkins. Great decision. Located in a historic building in downtown Waterloo, it has the look of an old time diner and a friendly staff. After wandering around town, we happened upon The Five Sullivan's Convention Center. The five Sullivan brothers all perished when the USS Juneau was sunk during World War II. It was then that the navy wouldn't let brothers serve on the same ship. The convention center in their hometown was completed in 2008.

Then it was off to Dyersville, Iowa, home of the "Field of Dreams" ballpark. One of my favorite movies (like once a year favorite) and not something I was going to miss when so close. On the way we saw a highway sign for a Frank Lloyd Wright house near Quesqueton (I did not make that up), Iowa. Of course we wanted to see it, but like two years ago it wasn't to be. Apparently we are not allowed to see such things.

The "Field of Dreams" gets it's own paragraph. Wow, looks just like in the movie. The home, the field, the bleachers, the bases and even the corn field. Some folks were playing catch, some were pitching, some were hitting and some were just sitting in the bleachers. I took a video of Barb disappearing in among the corn stalks. She came back. I bought a shirt and off we went. Was it worth three hours out of the day? Absolutely. Remember, he built it so you would come.

After driving back to Waterloo we took backroads for most of the way into Fort Dodge. Checking into the motel I found no WiFi. What? How can that be? So I will get up early and try to find a hotspot to upload this. Second night here has been canceled and we will be staying at a WiFi friendly motel in Humboldt.

Dinner was at the Rustix in Humboldt. Highly recommended by friends back home, it lived up to it's hype. We both had prime rib, which is something I never, never do. Great call Phyllis.

Tomorrow will be in and around Humboldt. Tops on the list will be Renwick and Livermore. Why? Tell you next time.

Posted from my iPad2

Field of Dreams
Dyersville, Iowa

Day 14 - Olathe, KS to Waterloo, IA

A little strange waking up in a house belonging to someone else and not having them there. Missing that morning coffee with Mike and Julie already.

We were up at 6:15 to do a little housekeeping, feed the cats and pack the car. All that done we headed for a nearby Ihop for breakfast. Acting on Mike's advice we hit Interstate 35 about 9:00 and avoided the morning rush. About an hour later we found a Starbucks and our morning was complete.

Interstate 35 is basically a straight road with a gentle curve thrown in occasionally. Along the way we passed by the Jesse James (Kearney, KS) and John Wayne (Winterset, IA) birthplaces and then made a few purchases at the Amish store in Lamoni, IA.

At Des Moines the lady in the dash (GPS) took us off the well traveled roads and into the country we were really looking for. Iowa is corn and soybeans and by golly if we are going to drive in Iowa we want to see a lot of both. And the small towns. And farm houses. And barns. And silos. Melbourne is one of those small towns (population 830) and it was an "ok, let's go see it" turn off the highway. The big event every year in Melbourne is Mouse Hole Day. Yup. Really. Marshalltown is a big town. So big that it has a real drive through car wash, which quickly removed six states worth of bugs.

The last couple of hours driving Iowa back roads through small towns and farms was easily the best drive of the trip so far. Great thing is we have two more days of this.

Tomorrow we are off to a special baseball place. 372 miles today.

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Day 13 - Olathe, KS

Not a good day for any of us. Unexpectedly Mike and Julie had to leave late morning for Chicago. We will stay one more night and then leave for Iowa tomorrow.

Barb and I split a sandwich at Panera Bread and then headed to Cabela's. Very nice facility, second only to the original store in Sidney, NE. We got out cheep with a fleece blanket for Barb's mom, a bottle of chipolte salsa and a floatant holder for me. One does not usually escape from Cabela's under a hundred.

Back at the house Hagen (Hagen is a cat) eyed us as if wondering what had become of Mike and Julie. Shadow (the other cat), continues to be a shadow.

Barb washed clothes while I worked on the blog and now with everything folded and packed it's time to think about dinner. I'll continue once nourishment has been obtained.

Ok, feeling a little better. Barb and I split a burger for dinner and other than that there is nothing more to report. Tomorrow we are off to Waterloo, IA. We do live on the edge don't we.

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Day 12 - Olathe, KS

Yes, another day without driving!

After a late breakfast and a lot of talking we headed for Independence, MO and the Truman Library. Another uneventful drive, except for trying to program the GPS on the fly.

I will say the Truman Library runs a close second to the Reagan Library in California. We spent several hours there and I would need several more to feel that I had given it a good look. We started with a forty-five minute video, which told us a lot more about Truman than any of us ever knew. For example, we didn't know he never went to college. And that he failed in one business after another. Mining, oil and a joint-venture haberdashery in Kansas City never paid off. Following along with him from local politics to president on his own was an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon.

Dinner at Cracker Barrel was as good as ever.

Barb just reminded me I have to tell you about her toe. A few days before we left she took a little spill and hurt a toe on her right foot. It quickly became black and blue, swollen and painful. When I suggested urgent care she said it would be ok with ice. After no improvement for over two weeks she finally went to urgent care in Olathe. Broken toe. She is now wearing a rather unattractive shoe. She said next time she will listen to me. I have my doubts.

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Harry S. Truman

Day 11 - Abilene, KS to Olathe, KS

Ok, as you probably expected I'm playing catch up.

We managed to sleep in late enough to catch the 9:00 opening of the Eisenhower gift shop. Made a couple of small purchases and then hit the road. Eighty-nine miles later in Topeka we found a Starbucks. The rest of the drive in was uneventful, except for highway construction every ten miles or so.

Our planned stay of three days with old friends Mike and Julie would give us plenty of time to catch up on the last seven years. Dinner that night was at Jack Stacks and if you want BBQ this is the place. I had the best burnt ends, brisket, baked beans and cole slaw ever. If you get to this area you won't be sorry for giving it a shot.

171 miles today.

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Day 10 - Colorado Springs, CO to Abilene, KS

Right on schedule and with Starbucks in hand we were on the road at 6:59. It started out as one of those "get from one place to another" kind of days, but turned out a little different than planned.

Initially we were to overnight in Abilene and then hit the Eisenhower Library the next morning. As it turned out the drive took less time than I thought and we went directly there before checking in. This saved us waiting around for a 9:00 am opening the next day.

The facility was good. We toured his boyhood home, museum and burial site. While not quite the level of the Reagan Library, the museum had a lot of info on WWII, the Cold War and everything from his boyhood to death. The home was small (really small) and with parents, six sons and a grandfather space must have been tight.

On our drive across Kansas we discovered sorghum. Actually Barb discovered it through a little internet search while we drove past fields of the stuff. A little additional research showed it is used for food, biofuels, fodder, molasses and alcoholic beverages to name a few. All news to me. Adding height to the rather flat landscape were pumpjacks and wind turbines.

And now for dinner. Abilene is a small town. Real small. Not much in the way restaurants. After a little research on the internet we headed for our first choice. Closed on Mondays. Off to our second choice. Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. A five mile drive out of town took us to our third choice. An empty field. Right address, but still an empty field. A pizza joint for spaghetti, meatballs and Coors Light won the day. Coors Light? I usually drink a stout or porter (if it looks like an oil spill, I'm good.) They had Coors Light and Bud Light. Bummer.

So basically a good day, with a little frustration at the end. Tomorrow we start a three night stay with some really good friends in Olathe, Kansas. Looking forward to that. I will try to update everyday, but I could just be having too much fun. 469 miles today.

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Day 9 - Colorado Springs, CO

Last day in The Springs and not much to report. Started with a continental breakfast, did a little car packing and then found our way to a nearby Starbucks.

Not having anything to do until 12:30, we took a drive out East toward the airport and got into a road paving traffic jam. Finally made our way over to the Broadmoor Hotel. Built in the early 20th century, it was known as the "Grand Dame of the Rockies" and evolved into a 5-star/5-diamond luxury hotel. When there have a "yard of ale" at the Golden Bee English Pub.

Best part of the day was meeting Marla at Old Chicago for pizza, beer and catching up on several years of news. After lunch I tried looking up old friend, but he wasn't home. Steve, if you found the card I left and make your way here - Hi, sorry I missed you.

After another short drive and a stop for gas we are back at the motel. With a 440 mile drive tomorrow we will try to be on the road (or at Starbucks) by about 7:00.

Posted from my iPad2

Day 8 - Colorado Springs, CO

After a not so bad continental breakfast we headed to nearby mall for a Starbucks and a little shopping. Barb did her regular thing while I sat and surfed the internet on my iPhone. She did a little damage, but we'll survive.

At one point she tried to text me and found her phone missing. She continued shopping, thinking it was in the car. Back at the car no phone. Oh well, it was probably at the motel. Now she begins to worry, which means we head back to find it. A thorough search of the room equals no phone. Finally I call her and lo there's a ringing. The phone turns up in her makeup bag. She asks that we not speak about this incident again.

Next is lunch at Marigold's, where I once again have what I consider the best ever French Onion soup. After lunch we took a drive through part of the burn area not too far from our old home. It is amazing. We see an empty foundation with untouched homes on either side. Or a group of a dozen or more empty foundations. No partially burned homes. Just foundations. Scary looking stuff.

Heading over to the Garden of the Gods we found ourselves in the middle of the Folk Art Festival traffic jam. A slow escape got us to Manitou Spring, which turned out to be another traffic jam. What luck. We finally made our way to downtown Colorado Springs and a little more shopping. No damage this time.

Later we shared a chicken fajita and Dos Equis dinner at On The Border to end the day. Tomorrow will be our last day in The Springs and then off to Abilene for a visit to the Eisenhower Library.

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Day 6 & 7 - South Fork, CO to Colorado Springs, CO

Ok, I missed a day. Get over it. Look at it this way, you get two days for the price of one.

So, day six was our last day in South Fork. Gonna miss this place. Especially Frank and his friends. Spent part of the morning trying to find a gremlin in Frank's iPod that kept inserting an incorrect email address. No success. It's still there, just a little less obvious.

Just before noon a large tank truck loaded with fingerling rainbow trout rolled up Frank's driveway. Twenty gallons of the small critters were dumped in the river right in front of his house. Good deal right? That's a lot of rainbows to be caught (and released) down the road. Wrong. The state worker (Steve I think) told us they were putting in 46,000 and 3% were expected to survive. Before you grab your calculator that's 1,380 alive, kicking and ready to be caught.

Later Royce and Elizabeth came for a BBQ and Frank stepped up to the plate with some great steaks. Lots of great wine, scotch, conversation and then the end of the day.

Thanks for the email Marilyn!

Now on to day seven. Getting up early we finished packing, loaded the car and then headed to the Coffee Shop for breakfast. Faced with the possibility of no lunch, I opted for the Huevos Rancheros. Excellent choice.

Sticking to back roads, we headed generally North through Del Norte and Seguache (pronounced sa-watch) to Poncha Springs. A good part of this drive put us just west of the Sangre de Cristo (Blood of Christ) mountain range. With nine peaks exceeding 14,000 feet, this was a pretty impressive sight.

Then it was East on US 50, following the Arkansas River (past a few spots I fished in a prior life) to Canon City. The area around Canon City and Florence is heavy with prisons, including the original Colorado Territorial Prison and the US Penitentiary, Florence ADX, better know as Supermax.

A short drive North got us to Colorado Springs. A little early for check-in, we took a drive around Peregrine and found the house we built in 1995 still standing after the recent fires. Based on the burned areas nearby, it looked like the fire got within about 400 yards of the house. Too close.

After dinner I'm back here are the keyboard, once again bringing you up to date. The next two days will be in and around The Springs. 251 miles to The Springs.

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Stairs to nowhere

Near the home we built in 1995

Day 5 - South Fork, CO

Another day in South Fork, but unlike yesterday it was a rainy one. Woke up at 6:00 am to what sounded like a pipe had broken. Turns out it was just rain, something I hadn't heard for a while.

A good part of the morning was spent playing with our (Frank's and my) iToys, while Barb started copying receipts from a few cookbooks. Yup, we do have exciting vacations.

Then it was off to do a little visiting and shopping. The first stop was Home Reflections, from which Barb made a small purchase. I was pleased with the amount. Next up was another visit with Royce (from yesterday) to meet his wife. Both are from Texas and y'all can sure tell it when they talk. Really great people. Hope to see them again before we leave. Lastly it was the Rainbow Market to pick a a few items for dinner.

Now I sitting here trying to write while Frank is squeezing a couple dozen limes for tonights margaritas. It's still raining and some of the locals predict seeing snow on the mountain tops when the weather finally clears. Tomorrow is our last day in South Fork before heading off to Colorado Springs.

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Day 4 - South Fork, CO

Great night's sleep for both of us on an old familiar bed. Almost like being home.

This is a day I have been waiting for. Why? No driving. A little riding, but no driving. After breakfast we took a ride up to Creede for a little walk around town. It's a great little place to visit, especially the two fly shops. I managed to escape with just one shirt.

The hardware store was a gem. One of those small but got a little of everything kind of places. Well worth walking each and every aisle.

After lunch we were off again for a drive around the Rio Grande Club and a tour of the clubhouse. Nice digs and a great looking golf course.

The rest of the afternoon was spent enjoying the company of one of Frank's friends. Sitting outside under a canopy during a brief thunderstorm reminded us our days in Colorado. Thanks Royce for a pleasant afternoon. By the way, I should introduce our host. Meet Frank. Long time friend and really great guy.

Ok, so after a fun day we are now back at Frank's for happy hour. Chicken is on the BBQ and from where I'm sitting I can look out a window and see the Rio Grande. All is well with the world.

Posted from my iPad2

Day 3 - Grand Junction, CO to South Fork, CO

With a short drive ahead we slept in late and after breakfast at the Village Inn were on the road at 8:05. And without visiting one of the ten local Starbucks. How did that happen?

The first part of the drive was on Highway 50 through Delta, Olathe and Montrose. Ok, we stopped in Montrose for a Starbucks.A few miles before Gunnison we turned South on Highway 149, also known as the Silver Thread Highway. If you are looking to make time this is not the road for you. It's slow going, but this time of the year it is one beautiful drive. Fall in this part of Colorado is about bright yellows, reds and oranges mixed in with the evergreens. At high altitude Fall comes early and 11,600 feet above sea level qualifies as high altitude.

Not much in the way of towns on 149. Lake City was the first and it's a great jumping off place for an exciting 4-wheel drive through 14,000+ foot mountains. Then came the old silver mining town of Creede, which is the only incorporated town in all of Mineral County. With a population of 712, Mineral County has a lot of open space to pack in a lot of scenic stuff.

A short distance before our destination the highway follows alongside the Rio Grande, which has it's beginning in the nearby mountains. About 2:00 we rolled into South Fork for four nights with a old friend of nearly thirty-five years. Time does travel fast. 233 miles today.

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Autumn colors
Silver Thread Highway

Day 2 - Elko, NV to Grand Junction, CO

After a quick continental breakfast, 6:30 found us leaving the motel and headed for the casino. Nope, no early morning slots for us. Seems the only Starbucks in Elko is inside the casino. Grabbing a pair of early morning drinks we got out before those pesky slots could lure us in.

Back on Interstate 80 and at 75 MPH we headed for Utah and everything salt: flats, lake and city. Salt Lake City was a breeze on Sunday morning and we cut off at Provo for the shortcut through Price, Utah.

As noon approached, we pulled into the small (and I do mean small) town of Helper, Utah. The name comes from the extra engines that are attached to trains to "help" them over the mountains. We found a small park (and I do mean small) and put together a gourmet lunch of cherry tomatoes, string cheese, hard boiled egg and a few crackers. Weight Watchers would be proud.

Nearly turning west into the eastbound lanes of highway 6 (a divided highway) made for a fun way to restart the afternoon. Averting disaster, we continued on and joined up with Interstate 70 near Green Valley, Utah. This is a pretty nice drive, with lots of really great mountain views. But, there are no trees. None. And the sagebrush seldom exceeds two feet in height. But there are mountains.

Tonight is free at a new Marriott Courtyard and free is a very good price. Tomorrow we're off to South Fork, Colorado and a four night stay with an old friend. I'm not sure what the wifi situation will be so you may not hear from us for a few days. But, I will try very hard to be faithful and write a little something every day. And another long 536 miles today.

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Day 1 - Redmond, OR to Elko, NV

Talk about an early start. We were up at 4:45 and on the road at 5:30. By the way, it's dark then. Anyway, the first stop was Starbucks and then we were off on our next adventure.

The drive across central Oregon to Burns was pretty much old hat. Sagebrush, cattle and open space. The only attention getter was a large fox that caused a sudden 60 to 10 change in speed.

In Burns highway 95 was to take us to Interstate 80 and Elko. Ten miles down the road we slowed for a family conference and a decision to try a backroad. A u-turn took us to highway 205, headed for Frenchglen, Oregon. Now we've heard a thing or two about Frenchglen (all good), but I have to say we just didn't see the attraction. On the positive side this is a great drive. Traffic? There wasn't any. Truth is there were more cows (and one unlucky fox) on the road than cars.

About 11:30 we pulled into the Post Office parking lot in Denio, Nevada and a few minutes later we had two egg salad sandwiches in hand. Never heard of Denio? With a population of less than 100 I would be surprised if you had.

Down the road we connected with highway 95 again and the much appreciated 70 MPH speed limit. It got better when we hit Interstate 80 at Winnemucca, Nevada. 75 MPH all the way to Elko.

After checking into the Holiday Inn Express (very nice) we each had a chicken salad and then headed to the casino. Now we aren't gamblers. For us it's penny machines and "Get Out Of Dodge" when you're a few bucks ahead. We started with $40 ($20 each), playing a penny on nine lines. Twenty minutes later we left with $53.03. With that kind of luck we should get a lottery ticket.

So now I'm back at the motel writing up the first day on my iPad and Logitech bluetooth keyboard without a desktop as backup. I was able to insert a little HTML code to get the font and alignment set.

Tomorrow is another 500+ mile day, so we will be off early. A long 539 miles today.

Posted from my iPad