Saturday, February 21, 2009
We were so lucky to end up in places like Zions and Moab, Utah. At this point, we were just planning the trip on a daily basis so we were delighted in what we found. The drive from Moab to Boulder is another surprise. We took the scenic route that followed the Colorado River and it was like being in the Grand Canyon. As we were winding through the mountains it was so beautiful we just kept thinking it was fake. Apparently, these areas have been used for backdrops on movie sets and commercials so we'll keep our eyes peeled when we're back to watching tv. It's another lucky day for us to have sunshine so we can admire the beauty of the West.
We spent a couple nights in Boulder with 2 of my college friends. It's hard to believe Jan and Terry Murphy are empty-nesters already. I don't know where the time went! Other than drinking wine instead of really cheap beer, we picked up right where we left off. They threw a lovely dinner party and invited another college friend, Jan Ray and her family to join us. A home cooked meal, great friends and a blazing fire...it all made for a perfect evening. Lots of laughs, telling stories about our trip and reminiscing about college days. This was the latest I stayed up this entire trip but sometimes it's good to pretend you're young. Until the next morning when you suddenly feel your age again.
We spent the next day on a cool hike in Chautauqua at the foothills of the Flatirons in Boulder. Chautauqua is actually an adult educational movement that started near Lisa's hometown in New York and there are several across the U.S. The trails were surrounded by cottages earmarked as historical landmarks so it was a challenging but educational climb. We also made a spin through the UC-Boulder campus because Lisa's nephew will be playing football for the Buffs in the fall. I'm really glad my friends met each other and hopefully they can connect when Lisa goes out to see the football games. And hopefully I'll be invited to chaperone.
Our trip ended at Cornell College in Mt. Vernon, Iowa, my alma mater. Lisa had never been to Iowa so I thought Cornell would be the perfect spot to make the state shine. She had also never been to Nebraska and as much as I didn't want to do it, there's only one way to get to Iowa from Colorado...and it ain't pretty. It's by far the worst drive of the trip. The state of Nebraska hasn't changed a bit since the first time I drove through it 28 years ago. It's still flat and smells like cow manure. We stayed in Lincoln hoping at least the University of Nebraska would offer a highlight. But, it didn't. And Lisa swears the pictures on their website are doctored.
We tooled around Cornell's campus in the afternoon and I was really happy to show it off. I definitely have more of an appreciation for the historic buildings and tiny town than I did when I attended the school. We made a quick stop at the local tavern, hit the new wine bar and had a good, cheap Iowa dinner. Some things will never change.
44 nights, 45 days, 9141 miles and 2 oil changes later we made it back to Chicago. It's hard to believe it's over already. We were fortunate to spend quality time with family and friends and are so grateful for the warm hospitality extended to us on our journey. We met new people and saw things I don't think either of us ever imagined we'd see. It was a once in a lifetime experience; an excellent adventure. And we shared no less than one belly laugh a day. We were good friends when we left and I think we're better friends now.
As we awoke in Iowa this morning, a snow storm hit and it was bitterly cold and windy. It was much like the January day we left Chicago. And when we turned on the tv this morning, the movie "Sideways" was on. Yes, the same movie that destroyed the reputation for Merlot. We've come full circle and I don't think I could have written a better ending.
Friday, February 20, 2009
We drove from St. George towards Zions National Park and then on to Moab. Both of these places are absolutely majestic. We followed the Virgin River up through tiny towns with rustic lodges, cabins and local shops until we "reached our destination". That's what Trixie always tells us in her little British accent. It's actually very comforting to hear after a long day in the car. The downside is if we alter the course, even to get off to fill up with gas, her voice goes from comforting to annoying. She just keeps repeating the phrase "turn around, turn around" to the point we end up shouting "shut it Trixie, shut it". Who's the fool here? Trixie or the 2WestwardHos? Don't answer that.
Zion is Utah's oldest national park and is also the most visited. It's no wonder because its colors are spectacular and canyons beautiful. There are hundreds of hiking possibilities not only for regular people like us but for hard-core back country hikers as well. We listened as a ranger gave a permit to a guy who wanted to hike and camp in the canyon. She was very meticulous in getting all the correct information and having him sign on the dotted line. I guess they need all that info in case he got eaten by a bear. We later learned that these guys typically climb up a canyon as far as they can before dark, attach a metal bed to the side of the mountain and then tuck themselves in so tight they can't move. If you have allergies, I suggest you take a Zyrtec because one sneeze will land you sprawled at the bottom of a canyon. If I were one of these extreme hikers, I think getting eaten by a bear would be a more noble way to die than to be posthumously referred to as "Poor Sneezey".
Moab is home of Arches National Park and is a couple hours north of Zions along the Colorado River. It's another example of Mother Nature making sculptures out of a 15 million year old landscape. It's a place that will awaken your imagination with all its brightly colored rock formations. It was one of the more interesting drives we had in all the parks. We found ourselves giving names to the various formations we saw along the drive. And although some of the rocks were already named, we thought we came up with better ones. However, the ranger didn't tell us the park was open to suggestions. On the other hand, he also didn't say anything about us going into the visitor's center and scratching out the existing names on the postcards and putting in our own. I'm putting Lisa on that task. Hopefully she'll finish before I"m ready to go.
There are 5 National Parks in the state of Utah alone. The Mormons trekked through Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska and Colorado just to find this paradise. I'm starting to feel remorseful about what I said earlier about them ruining Sundays for us non-Mormons because they closed all the good restaurants. Now that we've been through a lot of the state, there's probably a good reason. Sunday may be the only day a polygamist can gather all his wives and kin to go out and enjoy one of these wonderful parks. I really feel bad now. So bad that when I get home I'm going to borrow Lisa's "Best of the Osmonds" album and listen to it all day Sunday.
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