The Travels of Thelma and Louise ... Kelzie and Marnie's Western Trip 14

Marnie and Kelzie Road Trip 2014 - US Indiana to Southwest and parts in-between
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Day 1 - Thursday, July 31, 2014 - Marnie alone Madison to Bloomington, IN
I got away from home by 11:00 AM after a morning of working out, doing last minute packing/organizing and saying good-bye to Rick, who will be on his own here for the duration. In perfect weather to 82 degrees I was faced with awful traffic on the Interstate as far as Rockford, IL. Hwy 39 South from there was rough with many holes, cracks, repaired spots and challenges which kept me alert. Near Bloomington, IL some repairs were underway, but the task will be massive. The several very large wind farms in northern and central Illinois were busy producing electricity and saving irreplaceable natural resources. Illinois crops looked very good. After drink, bathroom and gas stops in Rochelle, IL and Bloomington, IL I boogied eastward on I-74 at 75 MPH, barely keeping up with a steady stream of speedsters in the left lane. Gas near Indy and in Martinsville wasn't cheaper than Bloomington so I came on to fill up in Bloomington in the morning. There were a lot of left-lane dwellers today, and again I saw a crazy driver cutting from the left lane across 3 lanes and between cars to make a last-minute exit in Indy rush hour traffic.
Totals for the day: (from the car computer) 423 mi, 62 MPH avg., 30.9 MPG, 6 hrs 51 min. GPS numbers: 434 miles; 59.8 avg speed; 6:46 moving time.
When I arrived at Kelzie's apartment in Bloomington she was studying so we briefly discussed dinner and tomorrow's plans. I will tidy the apartment for Dad's arrival before we get back from our trip while Kelzie takes her final in the morning. I must also visit the Honda dealer to discuss the recent Element repair that failed. We will aim for a Noon departure.

Day 2 - Friday, August 1, 2014 - Bloomington, IN to Iowa City, IA
Kelzie got up at 5 AM to do her usual final review of the material for the final exam today and I (blessedly) slept until 6:15. By 6:25 I had the sheets in the washing machine at the complex laundry mat then made coffee for both of us. Kelzie departed at 7:20, I finished the laundry then I headed across town to the Honda dealer. The last time I was here the Element developed a problem which they "fixed", but the difficulty returned during my trip home to Madison the next day. Today I went to explain to them what Capitol Tire in Madison found to be the real problem in hopes that they would refund at least part of the major repair bill I paid to get no fix.
Kelzie returned home happy to have the final behind her and anxious to get on the road. We were on our way westward by Noon after emptying the frig and leaving the apartment in good shape for Rick who will arrive here the day before we return.
Upon my arrival late yesterday Kelzie offered up a change of plan for today. Her good friend Lesley is living and training in Iowa City, IA and wouldn't it be great if we could visit her on the way to Boulder! We made final arrangements to be with her and her boyfriend tonight, and I cancelled our reservation at the HIEx in Kansas City, MO, our original destination. So instead of heading through St. Louis to KC we took I-74 through Bloomington, IL, Peoria, and the Quad Cities to Iowa City. While we were underway, Kelzie spent a significant amount of time on her cell phone with AT&T to work out a cable service scheduling issue. Traffic was heavy. After a few comfort stops and gas-ups in beautiful weather with occasional and sometimes very hard rain we met Lesley and Ryan in Iowa City at Stella's, a favorite restaurant near the home of the Iowa Hawkeyes. This small city with its university seems very hipster, given its location among cornfields. The hilly terrain, large old homes, pedestrian mall in the very nice downtown and many large trees throughout give it a nice feel.  Hawkeye statues of various colors and decorations abound, much like Madison's cows. Over a 3 hour time period we enjoyed a casual dinner in outside seating and a lot of catching-up conversation. Lesley is a pro triathlete and Ryan is a competitive skier from Boulder, Colorado. They are currently staying at Lesley's family lake cabin about 15 miles north of Iowa City on Hwy 1 outside of Solon on Lake McBride, so we drove there after dinner to spend the night.
Chuckle of the day = Snickers and Reeses peanut butter cups made in pumpkin shapes and green Cadbery eggs. Its August 1!
Totals for today: Car: 433 miles = 880 total; 57 MPH avg.; 29.9 MPG  - GPS numbers: 7:05 moving; 61 MPH avg.

Day 3 - Saturday, August 2, 2014 - Iowa City (Solon), IA to Boulder, CO
I woke at 5:20 and K's alarm went off at 5:45. We were in the car and under way at 6:00 AM sharp. The low gas price in Solon was $3.25, which was a shock to us given the $3.45 + in Madison and Bloomington. Kelzie spent the first few miles taking photos of the beautiful rising sun, red in mist.
Our route today took us on I-80 through Iowa and Nebraska past Des Moines, Omaha, Lincoln, Grand Island and North Platte. At the Colorado border we took I-76 southwest toward Denver then chose to take E-407 around the north side of Denver to link with Hwy 36 to Boulder. Interesting sights through Iowa and Nebraska included the unique display of farm equipment at Kinze Equipment, a huge bus-type RV titled "Dad's Toy VI" and towing a cadillac on a trailer, and massive wind farms in central/western Iowa but no wind farms in Nebraska on I-80. We found that wireless was available in the Iowa rest stops. We saw a lot of motorcycles, a good number on trailers, but didn't have the opportunity to ask if there was a rally in the area. Crops looked pretty good in Iowa then in the western hilly part of the state cattle land was interspersed with crops. Nebraska was flatter and the crops and cattle looked good until the western part which seemed very dry. Hay baling was in full swing and a lot of irrigation systems were running. I am always reminded when traveling in farming country that the old style barns are quickly becoming extinct. Larger and more durable buildings are required for ever-larger equipment, and corn is generally shucked in the field so corn cribs are a thing of the past. Traffic was dense in the central part of Iowa, and there were a lot of trucks on the road. Driver courtesy (or lack thereof) again proved to be frustrating. The weather was sunny and hot, up to the low 90's by the time we reached Colorado.
Eastern Colorado was mostly huge farming operations and cattle feed lots. Further west toward Denver the farms got smaller and less prosperous, with poorer quality buildings and farmsteads. At the Colorado-Nebraska border we took I-76 toward Denver. This Interstate was rough and difficult to drive. The traffic in Colorado was considerably lighter, and the 75 MPH speed limit was noticeably ignored. We noticed a massive wind farm along the right (north) side of the road for many, many miles.
Kelzie was anxious to show me the best sights of Boulder (elev 5260 ft), and she made good use of our limited time, given our late arrival in the area. We stopped at Chautauqua to see the huge lawn and look at The Flat Irons then drove the mountain road up and over Flagstaff Mountain. A stop at the Amphitheater to see the view of Boulder was mandatory, and we lucked upon a touching Proposal taking place, complete with luminaries and friends/family of the couple jumping out and cheering after the event. We drove down the back (western) side of the mountain to Walker Ranch and the very popular Walker Ranch Trail. Along the way we saw deer and turkeys and the requisite mountain bike riders on the steep inclines. On the way back over the mountain we stopped at Panorama to get a good view of the miles and miles of humanity that includes Boulder and Denver; such a view! As the sun dropped over the mountain we drove through the Boulder city center to Adrienne's house, where we stayed the night. Adrianne and Kelzie became friends in DC and this was the first time they've seen each other since Adrianne left DC for graduate school in Boulder. Her husband was away for the weekend but she assured us of his existence with wedding photos. They live in an apartment in the very impressive early 1900's home of long-time friends' of Adrianne's family. Corey teaches 4th grade and Adrianne has 2 years left of her Doctorate program.
Chuckle of the day: sign on the back of a tanker truck - "Not for human consumption - pork blood".
Totals for the day: Car numbers (including mountain tour) 833 mi; total trip = 1689 miles  -- with daily 64 MPH avg (higher on the highway); 28.9 MPG avg (29.5 highway); travel time 13:08. GPS numbers: 821.8 mi; 66.2 MPH avg; moving time 12:24.

Day 4 - Sunday, August 3, 2014 -  Through Rocky Mountain NP, Leadville, & Aspen to Gunnison, CO
I woke at 5:20, the alarm went off at 5:30 and we were out the door at 5:45. We parked in the Chautauqua parking lot and walked out onto the lawn to watch the sun hit the Flat Irons (massive rocks shaped like old fashioned irons and positioned in front of Flagstaff Mountain), projected to be 6:02. Kelzie took a lot of photos and we conversed with a vacationer who was there for the same purpose but with upscale equipment. We were all underwhelmed with the light show, as Mother Nature put some clouds on the horizon which interfered with the bright sun hitting the rock formations. We tried to get better light at nearby NCAR but we were too late. This area does provide a very nice view of the city.
With Starbucks coffee in hand and the top down, we left Boulder on Boulder Canyon Drive (Route 119), a scenic drive next to Boulder Creek all the way out to Nederland (elev 8236 ft) and its beautiful reservoir on Rt. 72. A short side trip up Magnolia through many switchbacks provided us with wonderful vistas to the east and a vision of how some choose to live in the mountains away from civilization. Heading north on Hwys 72 and 7 we stopped in remote Ward (elev 9500 ft) to see the very rustic and interesting village which caters to bicyclists who are riding the mountainous routes from Boulder. A great site here was a very rusted bus and surrounding yards and fences covered with a huge assortment of hubcaps, sticks and anything interesting enough to add to the montage. The sighting of a school crossing sign edited to include a flying saucer and an alien topped off the visit. We tried to see Brainard Lake Recreation Area nearby but didn't enter because they didn't sell NP Senior Passes and I didn't have mine yet. This entire area (Peak-to-Peak) has many popular bicycle training routes well-known to Kelzie who battled them and the altitude when she stayed here for a month while training for an Ironman a few years ago. As we reached these higher elevations we began to notice Aspen trees, which provide beautiful scenery as groves. Fall here is said to be beautiful because of their striking color at that time of year.
We arrived in Rocky Mtn. National Park (elev 7522 ft) about 9:30 AM, purchased my Senior lifetime pass for $10 and joined the long line of sightseers chugging through the park. This would be the beginning of a very slow day of travel. We stopped at a few overlooks to take in the beautiful high mountain scenery and snap some photos. Our first Thelma and Louise trip photo was taken in front of our trusty stead with the Rockies as a backdrop. We saw 2 herds of elk and had our first Continental Divide Crossing. Grand Lake (elev 8437) and Shadow Mountain Lake at the lower end of the park are reputed to be home to (one of) the highest elevation boat marinas in the US. In Granby just outside the park we chuckled at the Antler Chandelier market in a semi trailer and tried to buy something for lunch at the very busy quick shopper. Carbs and sugar appeared to be at the top of the menu so we settled for our supply of cherries, apples, an avocado almost dead and the last of Bloomington's best bread.
We traveled west on Hwy 40 through the valley and its scrub (sage brush, perhaps?) with views of the Rocky Mtn. foothills to Kremmling (we were down to 7362 elev), where we saw a very large 2-engine private jet parked at the very small community airport. Somebody had come for vacation, apparently. Nearby we purchased fresh-baked brownies and pumpkin bread from an enterprising lady who had set up a conastoga wagon-inspired "Old Fashioned Bakery" at the major intersection. Our route then took us south on Hwy 9 to Silverthorn, packed with vacationers and a lot of consumer opportunities to satisfy their urges, and west on I-70 past Frisco and Vail ski areas. Vail, situated right on Interstate 70, is a valley filled with amenities of all levels meant to satisfy every need of the droves of skiers who come to the slopes in the winter.  We turned south on Hwy 24 for our second Continental Divide Crossing of the day at Tennessee Pass (elev 10,424). It quickly became apparent that the terrain, coupled with vacationers, would plot to make it a long, tedious, tiring day. Heading further south we saw pastures and cattle, even at this high elevation. In Leadville, having dropped about 300 ft from the Pass, we rested our posteriors at the Melanzana factory store (fleece-type clothing favored by Kelzie) and were entertained by a festival of live music. Kelzie related memories of the exciting experience she had supporting her friend Chas and his family members a few years ago in the famous Leadville 100 mountain bike race. Leadville is said to be the highest incorporated city in the country and is known for its mining of gold, silver, lead, zinc, copper, iron and other minerals.
Continuing on, we turned west at Twin Lakes, where Kelzie worked the support booth for the Leadville 100 race and I spent many summer weekends fishing with my great aunt Opal who was a colorful member of the Colorado Springs Board of Realtors for years. Hwy 82 took us up and over Independence Pass, our 3rd Continental Divide Crossing of the day. This route was quite impressive.  Aspen impressed as well, and it is much much more upscale than 40 years ago when we skied its runs. The airport was an amazing sight, as out here in the mountains of CO there were ROWS of very large private and corporate jets on the tarmac and many more jets and smaller planes under plane-ports. This was a shock to us as we drove out of town westward. On to Carbondale on the frantic 4 lane highway with Aspen rush hour traffic and south, again slowly, on Hwy 133. We found out the GPS was eventually taking us on an unpaved road over the mountains as the quickest way to Gunnison, and with the local knowledge of a rancher in a heavy duty pick-up truck, we wisely decided to stick to the route we had planned. In sprinkles and rapidly diminishing daylight we passed coal mines (I think) and Hotchkiss (no kidding) then headed out on Rt 92 toward Gunnison, founded as a mining supply camp and now operating as a trade center for the area's ranching operation. This road turned out to be one of the most beautiful and scenic runs of the day as we followed the Black Canyon of the Gunnison and its river and reservoir. The impressive mesas above and straight, steep sides of the canyon provided levity at this late hour and sunset. The name Black Canyon comes from the many shadows cast on the cliff walls due to the narrowness of the canyon and from the dark-colored rocks. At the narrowest point along the top of the canyon the distance between canyon walls measures about 1100 feet across but narrows to only 40 ft near the riverbed below. We were joined on the road by 3 sightings of deer, some with huge antlers, numerous rabbits, a marmot and only 4 cars during the 52 mile leg.
Joining Rt 50 we continued to make up time, called the Gunnison HIEx to notify them of our late arrival and heaved a sigh of relief that the day was ending. Famished, we had a quick dinner at Rick's recommended restaurant, Palisades, which is a rustic and popular restaurant/bar, then shopped the next door grocery store for lunch makings and crashed far later than we hoped. Butts were sore, eyes were tired and patience needed rejuvenation. Today was one of many splendid sights and experiences, but we might have been happier and enjoyed it more had it been split into two shorter days.
Totals: Car numbers: 510 miles = 2199 total to date; 12:36 travel time. GPS numbers - 510.9 mi; 43.5 MPH avg; 11:44 moving time.



Day 5 - Monday, August 4, 2014.        Onto Pagosa Springs, CO for a short day
I woke at 6:20 and was walking by 6:30, which will become my daily routine on this excursion. Part of my route went through the campus of Western State Colorado University - "Education at Altitude- 7704 ft. elevation". Afterwards, two cups of coffee helped me get through morning administrative chores after the long tiring day yesterday. I talked with Rick by Facetime and he sent me helpful information for a hotel tonight in Pagosa Springs. I feel behind on everything due to the lack of evening time to plan and log. Kelzie ran and did core strength work, we had a hearty hotel breakfast with lots of coffee followed by additional computer work and got away around 10 AM in overcast conditions.
Our route today began on #149, the Silver Thread Scenic Highway, heading south through open scrub areas with the car top down. This part of the state is mostly ranching (hay or pasture land) with some irrigation. There is a LOT of forest, so a large portion of the land is unused. We were in an area of foothills, which we entered late yesterday, which gave way to mountains and then much flatter land by day's end.
With Kelzie driving and the breeze blowing through our hair, we lulled along, almost always following a stream or river, one being the Lake Fork of the Gunnison River.  There were a lot of fishermen trying their luck in the waters. This will be a familiar sight in the mountains. We moved into a narrow valley surrounded by mountains covered with conifers and almost felt cuddled. Kelzie's friend, RF, suggested we spend time in Lake City and perhaps rent a 4-wheel drive vehicle to explore the back roads of the mountains, but we elected to explore the very rustic Main Street of the town by foot instead. Situated at 8671 ft (we have been above 5000 ft since entering CO) and originally serving as a supply center for the nearby gold and silver mines, the town is now a center for hiking, fishing, ATV/4-wheel drive rentals, RV camping and cabin rentals. Five 14,000 peaks provide plenty of recreational opportunities, and The Alpine Loop's 65 miles of dirt and gravel roads connect the former mining towns of Lake City. The Main Street was built in the 1870's and is still fully in use. To keep with the era, board sidewalks have been installed. Perennial gardens abound among the buildings with tree trunk and stone benches and stone paths. A nice Central Park appears to get a lot of use. We visited a number of interesting businesses which use the original historic buildings and were impressed with the commitment to keep the heritage alive. One building had 4 hummingbird feeders hanging above the boardwalk, all of which were getting a lot of attention from a noisy flock of tiny brightly-colored hummingbirds. Nearly all the homes in the small town appear to be original cottages or small two story builds that have been preserved and upgraded for use, complete with cheerful colors and abundant decorations. Known for its Victorian architecture, most of the town's old buildings have been restored and preserved within a National Historic District. We used a truly authentic mountain jeep (its back end decorated with boasting bumper stickers) as today's backdrop for a Thelma and Louise trip photo.
While we walked and drove around Lake City Kelzie recalled her experience climbing a nearby mountain which is listed in the collection of Colorado's 14ers. These are mountains whose height is at or more than 14,000 ft. She and her friend Adrienne, along with Adrienne's father and sister, did the climb from Lake City a few years ago. Thus, today is a return to the scene of the crime. Lake City will turn out to be one of our favorite stops.
Moving on in the rain, we crossed the Continental Divide for the 4th time over Spring Creek Pass and began to notice that the forest appeared dead. During my phone call with Rick tonight he told me this is a result of pine borer infestation. There was a massive forest fire in this area last summer, extending toward both Lake City and South Fork from Creede. With the 2 devastations the mountains look very scarred. South of Lake City we saw the first of several sizable campgrounds packed with massive RV's. It seems that this area of CO has become a community of folks who hang out here for the summer. The Rio Grande River builds steam in this area so fishing might be a big attraction. The financial impact to the area from their presence must be impressive.
Rick suggested we stop in Creede for a hot dog at a restaurant he favors, so we put that on our list of to-do's. Creede (elev 8838 ft) is a very small town that sits at the bottom of a canyon and thus must take a beating in the spring from the snow melt. It was a silver mining camp which managed to remain active until 1985. It had the reputation as one of the wildest camps in the state due to some of the Wild West characters who hung out here. The community has now become a destination for passers-by and provides plenty of shopping and ogling opportunities in the vintage buildings along the Main Street. The hot dog place was passed over for the smell of BBQ coming from a trailer at the entrance to town; we're still dripping sauce from the tasty pulled pork, sausage and beef brisket. Eat your heart out, Rick.
On toward Pagosa Springs on HWY 160, we had our 5th Continental Divide Crossing of the trip at Wolf Creek Pass. Pagosa Springs is home to thermals, and we could smell the sulfur as we cruised through town toward the HillSide Hotel on the west side. Rick and I stayed here when it was a Holiday Inn, and he stayed here last year after it left the HI trademark. The Polish folks who run the establishment still had Rick in their system and also had rooms! It was a relief to unload the car and settle down. Eventually after some facetime with Rick and trip planning we went to nearby Boss Hog's for their salad bar and some sides for Kelzie. The planning for the remainder of the trip is proving to be a challenge because of the distance between sites and lodging availability during this vacation season.
Chuckle of the day: mainstreet establishment in Lake City - "Packer Saloon" which boasted a sign including a carved alikeness of #4 in green and gold.
Chuckle 2 of the day: Outside of Lake City - Vicker's Nude Ranch.
Chuckle 3 of the day: Gentleman coming to Creede in his power wheel chair, decked out with life's necessities.
Totals for today: Car numbers: 174.6 mi = 2400 total trip; 38 MPH avg; 27.8 MPG avg.  GPS numbers: 176.6 mi; 45.5 avg speed; 3:52 moving time. The car odometer turned over 30,000 miles today.

Day 6 - Tuesday, August 5, 2014 - Pagosa Springs to and around Santa Fe
I woke at 5:20, snoozed until 6:10, walked until 7 and finished my morning workout with some core work. Kelzie ran at 7 and did some core also. We had a (mostly) healthy hotel breakfast and were away by 9. When we got up it was cloudy and wet from overnight rain, but by the time we left town the skies were clearing. With the top down we had a smooth ride down Hwy 84 to Santa Fe, passing over the Continental Divide for our #6 crossing. The area was low mountains covered with pines. Cattle ranches dotted the hills and for the first time we saw the typical western-style arches over the entrance to ranch lanes, pueblo architecture, and doublewide trailers as the predominant residential housing in the country. In Abiquiu we stopped at an interesting general store which must supply the area, and after being alone on the highway we were among vacationers, locals, RV's, trucks, motorcycles, you-name-it. We hit the 4-lane in Hernandez, passed several small Indian reservations and casinos and ran right into Santa Fe. The area is flat with mountains to the east, so at last we feel like we're back down from the mountains.
Rick had made a reservation for us at the Holiday Inn Express on the north side of the city, and we arrived there by noon, checked in and obtained some local knowledge from the Receptionist. In order to make the 2:00 city tour in the city center we left right away for the Plaza where we had a good Mexican lunch at Barrito's. The 2:00 tour was full but we were able to get on the 2:30. To pass the time while waiting for the tour departure we walked the Plaza shopping area, noticed handmade flutes for sale like those Rick bought for us earlier in the summer and pondered the possibility of getting a "frito pie". I'm not sure of the advisability of the later, though it was mentioned as a local speciality by Kelzie's friend, RF. The 1 1/2 hr tram tour showed us nearly every historical building, museum, art gallery (although, that's impossible!), significant municipal structure, church and shopping area in the Santa Fe downtown area. Our guide was a font of information (though we would learn tomorrow that he passed us incorrect information about access to Los Alamos) and presented it in an entertaining manner. Afterwards in warm sunny conditions we walked a few blocks to the Capitol building and viewed some of the art in its galleries including the Governor's office. Kelzie was very interested in some of the things we saw outside the galleries on Canyon Road on the tour so we walked from the Capitol building to explore the galleries and photograph some significant pieces and architecture. Back on the Plaza we took a look at the local jewelry and crafts being sold on the Plaza of the Governors. In all we walked for almost 2 hours.
Returning to the hotel, we worked with Rick on Facetime to follow up on his research on our route for the next few days then had dinner at the Whole Foods salad bar. Kelzie has taken a large number of photos on her and my phone so she downloaded them to her computer for her use.
Santa Fe at an elev of 6989 ft and population of almost 68,000 seems to focus more on the history, art and tourism of downtown than what goes on in the remainder of the city. The Railyard District is mentioned as a shopping destination while The Opera, Symphony Orchestra and ballet are high on the social calendar. Its very bustling but we saw none of the industry that must be in the area.
Totals: 169.8 miles = 2574 total; 50.6 speed (inclu town driving); 3:21 time.

Day 7 - Wednesday, August 6, 2014 - Back to CO for Cortez and Mesa Verde NP.
We were up early to walk and do a little workout then hit the hotel breakfast bar. We were back on the road by 8:30 in beautiful weather with the top down. Our first leg was north on Hwy 286 past the Santa Fe Opera and the Tesuque flea market (no action yesterday or today) to Hwy 502 toward Los Alamos. Hwy 286 climbs as it heads north away from Santa Fe, and we were provided with a wonderful view of the mountains in the northeast and northwest. The sign at the outskirts of Los Alamos claimed it to be "where discoveries are made". It certainly is, as this is the home of the Manhatten project. One wouldn't now know that this area was top secret during the 1940's. It sits at 7320 ft. elevation and has a population of between 13,000 (AAA booklet) and 17,000 (town sign). It's now a busy town with several hotels and plentiful services in a nice mountain pine environment.
Beyond the town as we were heading toward the still-active National Lab we came upon the security checkpoint that monitors traffic in the restricted area, through which the highway passes. In a cordial manner the officer asked our destination and for Kelzie's drivers license as the driver. With no difficulty we were through and away. Street names in the area included Oppenheimer Drive and Bikini Atoll Road.
Beyond Los Alamos we passed the Valle Grande Caldera. As one of the largest measured calderas on Earth, it covers 148 sq.miles and has a depression/bowl (bright green grass!) with a rim high above its floor. The remainder of the landscape was burned mountains, a massive amount of pine borer damage, flannel mullen fields, Bandolier National Park, the town of Jemez Springs and the Jemez Indian Reservation (as well as others). Route 126 would have been the most direct route west to Hwy 550, which we needed to take north, but the middle, mountainous section is gravel. We elected to stay on Route 4 heading out of the way south and hooked up with 550 at the wide spot in the road known as San Ysidro. Hwy 550 was 4 lane for most of the trip north to Durango and took us through Cuba and open sage brush land with formations and mesas of various colors from dark red to almost white. One of the area's major industries is the production of oil and gas and it sits on the Continental Divide (#7)
We passed through Aztec, NM in bright mid-day sun and 90 degrees which made it prudent to put the top up. I was surprised to read from the AAA guide (chucking to Kelzie) that in 1948 an investigator named Frank Scully gathered information from a variety of sources about a purported alien crash-landing in this area. While there is no evidence a real-life Mulder assisted Scully in the investigations, modern-day X-Files (TV show with those characters) enthusiasts gather to swap alien stories and theories at an annual symposium here in March. Thus, our chuckle of the day. This overshadowed our exploration of the nearby Aztec ruins.
Further north toward Durango the large alfalfa fields were irrigated and stood out because of their bright green color in contrast to the brown pastures and hillsides. In Durango we had salads for lunch and battled tourist traffic in an effort to see the Historic downtown. Towns such as this that have been preserved and made an effort to provide reasons for people to visit do attract people who want to shop and experience the history, and today was no exception. A quick run through the area and we were out of there on puzzling one way streets in construction.
On the way to Cortez, our destination for tonight, we spent a couple of hours in Mesa Verde National Park looking at pueblo cave structures and enjoying the beautiful vistas in all directions. Traffic was light, fortunately, as we were running into late day. We hiked to the most interesting dwelling area and Kelz took a lot of photos. We read about the Pueblo people who lived here and saw some of their building techniques. Tonight we're at the HIEx in Cortez using points earned from previous visits. This is a nice facility with a Colorado flavor of decoration and a separate restaurant, fitness center and laundry. We enjoyed dinner of sandwiches at the recommended Main Street Brewery. Kelzie got to revisit her love of Hatch pepper sauce, which is a southwestern thing.  Again, we arrived late, ate late, and will get to bed late after writing logs and talking with Rick. Kelzie had difficulty with wifi so posting her blog entry took several attempts, much of the time at the adjacent restaurant which advertised better wifi - Not!
Totals: 360 miles = total for trip 2942 mi; 8:10 travel time.

Day 8 - Thursday, August 7, 2014 - A unique route: Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah.
Again, we were up early to walk, run and work out. Kelzie discovered that the nice charging port in our room wasn't plugged into the wall so our devices were very low of charge this morning. We set our morning challenge as getting away by 8:00 and we nearly met it. With an hour of exercise as a priority each day, getting out of the hotel by 8 IS a challenge. The hotel was very full so breakfast in the small dining room took longer than usual.
Our day was to be long so we needed to make good time early on. Our first stop was Four Corners on Hwy 160, the only place in the US where 4 states come together in one place. The land is tribal, and the indians have erected a monument on the junction to attract interest in paying $5 per person to enter the area. We took photos of the state and monument signs and moved on with our collective $10 still in our wallets. Near this area we saw a sign that the elevation was 5000 ft, the first time we've been that low since arriving in Denver.
Moving more quickly than the local fuzz would approve of through desolate open land that wouldn't sustain any animals as it had almost no growth, we could see for miles in all directions. In Kayenta, AZ we stopped to ask about the condition of Hwy 261 which we would use further on. The cashier in the gas station said the second half of the leg was gravel and "a long stretch of it", so I decided we should take the long way around, not happy about the added time required. As I was getting in the car to depart, I asked a lady driving a nice pick-up truck for a second opinion on the condition of the road. She said she works in the area and in fact would be working in Mexican Hat today, where we were to turn onto the road in question. She reported the road to be very scenic and the (only) 6 mile section of gravel to be very well maintained. I changed my mind with her information and as we loaded up Kelzie told her we'd find her if we needed help.
We took Hwy 163 north out of Kayenta through the very impressive Monument Valley. The timing was perfect, as the sun was in the right spot for good photos of the pillar-type rock monoliths of red sandstone. This colorful region covers several thousand square miles within the Navajo Indian reservation so the Indians have set of a visitors center near Mystery Valley where the most prominent pillars are located and evidently charge a fee for service. Kelzie approached the signs to take photos and was surprised by a friendly billy goat coming around the corner from behind the stone pillar. He played the role of Model quite well and posed for photos. Our first chuckle of the day. Just down the road the local horses were grazing openly and chose our approach as the time to cross the highway. We boogied on through the area and enjoyed the wonderful views. Up and down over rolling hills in the relatively lower land we arrived at Mexican Hat, took photos of the Mexican Hat rock near town and held our breaths as we turned onto Hwy 261. As it turned out the road took us through very beautiful terrain, as the lady promised, and the (only!) 3 mile gravel section around many switchbacks up the mesa side was no difficulty at all, and indeed quite picturesque. Well worth the anxiety!
Shortly after turning northwest onto Hwy 95 we turned off and toured Natural Bridges National Monument. The short loop drive and walks to overlooks revealed three of Mother Nature's works of art in the form of natural rock bridges made by erosion from river water (as opposed to arches, which are made by erosion from other sources).
Continuing on Hwy 95 we crossed the Colorado River in Glen Canyon National Recreational Area and climbed through the canyon to see impressive sights of the River (NO PICTURE, THO, laments Rick). We were constantly awed by the beautiful rock formations, mesas, canyons, ravines, and surprises on 95. In Hanksville we gassed up and had delicious hamburgers at a long-standing local restaurant. It was about our only choice in this tiny town, and a good one at that. As we were leaving the parking lot Rick, who was on a bike trip to Duluth, MN, called to check on our progress and report his. We passed through Capitol Reef National Park without stopping and later could see its impressive canyons from an overlook as we headed south on Hwy 12 near its western border.
As we approached Torrey (pop. 182) the terrain changed from rock and no agriculture to irrigated green pastures for horses. The low mountains to the west (Garfield National Forest) were covered with pine forest, a noticeable difference from the last 200+ miles. In Torrey we turned south on Hwy 12 and made a run for Bryce Canyon National Park. Just down the road from that intersection we found the Flute Shop Rick noticed on his trip through here in the spring and from whom he ordered a flute for Kelzie and me. We stopped to meet the craftsman and get pointers on playing the wooden instrument. From there we bordered Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument for miles, passed through the small towns of Escalante and Boulder, and finally approached Bryce. Through this area we were back into Aspen trees.
We got a room at one of the two Best Western hotels just outside the NP. I had not made reservations for tonight because there is an abundance of accommodations at the entrance to the National Park but as it turned out we were lucky to get a room. The crowds were amazing. There was a 7:00 rodeo and the roadsides were full of people walking from hotels to the event. Ditto for when it let out at 9. The restaurants and shops were doing a brisk business though the prices were high.
Right after checking in we drove into the park to see what we could before sunset. We visited Bryce Point Overlook first and saw the amazing formations (called hoodoos) so prevalent in the park. Sculpted by erosion into pillars, the colorful rocks have red, yellow and brown tints from iron oxides on limestone. On the way back out we visited Sunset Overlook until the sun was low enough to take away the color in the formations and finally shade the entire canyon. Back in town we checked out dinner options and opted for the most reasonably priced: pizza at the diner.  After the rodeo the place was packed, mostly with foreign travelers who must wonder if fast food is the norm in the US.
I did laundry while writing most of this log and crashed as soon as I got back to the room. Kelzie worked on her photos and blog for a while after I went to bed.
We have seen many self-contained rental RV's and encountered many, many foreign tourists, mostly French. Even the Park Entrance staff commented on the number of foreigners visiting the sites this year. We went over 9600 ft and 7600 ft today.
Totals for today: 471 miles = total trip 3422 miles; 10 hrs travel time

Day 9 - Friday, August 8, 2014 - Amazing canyons - Zion and Grand Canyon
I did a short walk in a surprising 40 degrees. Kelzie ran and found herself somewhat lost on trails not far from the hotel. We tried to get away by 8 AM but were foiled by breakfast, which was served to hundreds of visitors in the massive western-motif hotel dining room. Though well organized and comprised of an expanded hot buffet and dinnerware instead of styrofoam, the number of people around the table foiled our schedule.
We backtracked a few miles to a very nice wall of formations near Topic, which we saw yesterday in the wrong light, then we moved south on HWY 12 with the top down to Zion National Park. There were few interesting views on the way, some traffic, the first police we've seen in ages, and horses in the pastures rather than cattle herds. The temperature was 40 to low 50's early then 61-65 by 10 AM.
The route through the park to Bryce Canyon was at first unimpressive then changed to be very different and massive once into the canyon. The road passed through a long (1.1 mi?) tunnel through which large vehicles must be escorted. We spent 2 1/2 hours total in the park including the now-mandatory on-off shuttle (rather than personal car) ride up to near the head of the beautiful sheer-cliffed Zion Canyon. In order to more clearly see some of the sights we got off at 2 places, and at the 3rd Kelzie did a 1/2 mile hike up to see Weeping Rock. Big horn sheep were sighted along the way. Back out of the park it was a surprise to see that because we did Bryce last night instead of this morning we now had time to get to Grand Canyon South Rim by end of the day. With a cell signal finally (none in the park) Rick and I team-tagged to get a room at the Best Western Grand Canyon South Rim. Through the heat we drove Hwy 89 and 89A, stopped at Kaibab for salads, then moved on to Marble Canyon, next to Vermillion Cliffs National Monument, to get photos of the Colorado Bridge and the river below. A short trip up the side road toward Lee's Ferry brought us to water level and a good shot of riffles on the River. At the bridge the temp was 100, at the turn to the side road it was 108 and on down Hwy 89 it went back to a reasonable upper 80's.
Finally in Grand Canyon NP at 6 PM, past a wild fire in the distance south of the road, we stopped at 2 good overlooks and stayed at Grandview Overlook to view the sunset. Kelzie sat on a suspended rock overlooking the canyon and took many photos while I sat on the upper wall enjoying the view and listening to nothing but foreign languages. The park seemed well-visited and appeared to be an attraction favored by Europeans. Its beautiful, impressive, massive and one of the most amazing sights one can imagine.
We had a late dinner of Mexican food in a full restaurant near the hotel and unloaded into the room way too late. It became apparent on the way from Kaibab, particularly after the Colorado River, that our GPS was predicting an unrealistic arrival time. Kelzie finally found out that Arizona does not follow Daylight Savings time, except for the Navajo Nation.
We are staying at another Best Western Plus. Our room included a Kureg coffee maker, which didn't quite make up for the cost for the night.
Totals: 354 miles = trip total 3776; travel time 7:13.

Day 10 - Saturday, August 9, 2014 - Grand Canyon South Rim to Kingman, AZ
I woke at 4:45 AM, Kelz at 5 and we were away at 5:15 for the canyon rim in faint light. We watched the sunrise from Mather's Point Amphitheater on the rim overlooking the canyon with many other people. After the sun peeked over the rim we watched the light slowly creep down the opposite walls, making a spectacular sight. Kelzie documented the rise in photos and will most likely spend a good portion of her time this evening culling images.
I walked and Kelzie ran from the car afterwards, and she lucked out by getting up close and personal with a massive elk on the rim path heading west. Unfortunately, she didn't have a camera with her! The experience of being on the rim path very early in the morning is something I will always remember. After yogurt and nuts from our stash in the car, we drove west to the end of the public road and took the on/off shuttle bus on Hermit Road to view the canyon from various Points. Each view provided a different perspective, and the time of day made the colors bright and the canyon magnificent. One of our shuttle drivers was very chatty, given that we were her only passengers at the time, and talked a lot about the park. From her we learned that the birds that were soaring in the canyon at dusk yesterday were likely ravens. They didn't appear to be as large as turkey buzzards (another option), and Condors (a third possibility) haven't been sighted here much this year. We were back at the hotel, located just outside the park's south entrance, by 9 AM and enjoyed a good buffet breakfast with a lot of coffee. The car was loaded and we checked out by 10:30 local time.
We joined a fast-moving line of cars heading south out of the park on Hwy 180, in busy Williams turned east on I-40 (which later in the day we found to be in bad condition from Flagstaff west to Kingman), then drove south to Sedona, AZ on 89A (Oak Creek Canyon Drive). We crossed the Arizona Divide at 7500+ ft elevation west of Flagstaff and could see the smoke from the fire between here and the canyon. The last leg to Sedona through the canyon must have had a recent fire, as all forest access was blocked including all road shoulders and there were several signs on fences of homes thanking firefighters for their hard work. We found the northern part of the town to be infiltrated with tourists looking for a vacation experience and a work of Art, but the more southernly area to be more tailored to full-time residents. We had a light lunch at the Coffee Pot (recommended by RF), named after a nearby rock formation and clearly a very popular restaurant with 101 omelets on their menu and very unique decorations/wall paintings. To get a flavor of the area, we drove the Red Rock Loop Road with its impressive views of the classic red rock formations to the east. This area is comprised of upscale southwestern-style homes on large wooded lots. On the way toward I-17 we stopped at the Church of the Red Rock to see the view from their sanctuary, but it was closed today, Saturday.
  On I-17 north and I-40 west we drove through the heat (86 to 100 degrees all afternoon and particularly hot in Sedona) to Kingman with fleets of trucks traveling to and from the west coast and Las Vegas. I do hate to be a left-lane dweller, but the right lane was nearly dangerous due to damage by truck traffic. During this leg we did have some sprinkles, just enough to turn the dust on the car into splatters. Just west of Flagstaff on our way to Kingman we noticed a very prominent fire which was putting a huge cloud of white smoke into the air. This might have been a new fire in the last 3 hrs, as we didn't notice it on the way to Sedona.
Tonight we are in the Kingman, AZ Holiday Inn Express, arriving earlier than has been usual and battling the time difference. The left-overs from our Mexican dinner last night kept warm in the trunk all day today but lacked the appeal of fresh food, so we had frozen yogurt for dessert along with a ride around this flat town which is the main stop on the longest existing stretch of the historic Route 66. The parking lot of the nearby Sonic restaurant was the sight of an "antique/vintage" car show today, most vehicles of which seemed to be from the time when I learned to drive.
Rick is home watching the Packer pre-season game after having volunteered today for the National Association for Free Clinics.
Totals: 336 miles = total 4112.

Day 11, Sunday, August 10, 2014 - To the depths of the country, Death Valley, CA
After our morning exercise and a good breakfast at the hotel we found our way to 93 North in a flat wide valley with mountains far to each side. There were no trees in sight or protection from the beating sun. The road moved into the foothills and mountains, still with very sparse scrub. I noticed cactus plants including low bulb-type cactus plants with a bright red top. In sprinkles we stopped at Hoover Dam to check out the water level of Lake Mead and take a few photos of the dam and the nearby highway bridge looming high above. As we traveled toward Las Vegas, NV Kelzie pointed out the area where she did the Las Vegas Ironman, which includes a swim in Lake Mead, biking from the shore into the foothills and the run beginning at higher elevation out of sight from the Interstate. We were nearly by ourselves on the Interstate through LV, as it was  Sunday.
Into, through and beyond LV still on Hwy 95 we were in flat, hot, dry land on a good 4-lane road, with temperatures at 98-99 degrees. A sign warned us: "2 1/2 hours to Services". We passed through Indian Springs where we could see the military base, and further on we could see small towns in the distance but with little apparent use of land. We turned onto Hwy 373 and passed by the town of Amargosa Valley (NV), elevation 2660 with the temperature rising up to 100. One wonders what people do for work out here in these conditions. Moving on, we noticed the elevation increasing to 3000 and dropping to 1000 ft near Zabriskie Point (CA), with the temp going to 108. This elevation and temperature change continued for the duration of the trip, with the Death Valley Visitors Center boasting an elevation of -190 ft (that's minus!) and temp of around 116 degrees, up to 120. We parked the car in the provided shaded car park of the Visitors Center and the temp dropped to 110. Kelzie photographed the temperature reading on the car as it changed up and down during the trip into the park. Gas near the Visitors Center was $5.19 for regular. We saw a coyote crossing the road nearby.
For the purposes of professional research Kelzie did a 19+ minute run from the Visitors Center. She was very in tune with the effects of the temperature and resulting perspiration on her body functioning, feet and thought processes. The runners who do the Death Valley Ultramarathon experience a lot of stress in those responses.
Rick had warned us that the heat would take a toll on the car during the climb through the mountains leaving Death Valley heading west, so we turned off the AC and fan and opened the windows prior to entering the National Park from the east. As we climbed out of the valley heading west there was a sign warning drivers to turn off the AC, so we were ahead of the game. The elevation quickly rose to 1000 ft and more, and the temperature fluctuated between 110 and 113 through the mountains. The peak elevation we saw was 4956 before we headed down to Panamint Springs and out of the National Park. Gas there was $5.98/gallon. We turned the AC back on about 25 miles before reaching Lone Pine, the last turn away from the Park. As we approached Lone Pine we could see Mt. Whitney to the west (elev 14,494 ft. making it the highest mountain in the lower 48 states).
In the Owen River Valley we passed salt flats and salt mining, and soon after the land became much more fertile on the east (river) side of the road. Irrigation was used on hay and pasture land, and cattle herds could be seen. Though the eastern side of the valley was well-developed with ranches, the west side (away from the Owen River) was dry and nearly barren. We stopped in Lone Pine to get fresh cold water then moved on to Bishop, CA, where we are staying for the night at the Comfort Inn. On the way into town we stopped at the very popular Erick Schat's bakery to drool over the huge assortment of pastries and breads offered in two rooms of tall shelves laden with products. The word is out about this place, as the parking lot was overflowing and the outside seating was packed. We bought a loaf of 7-grain bread, passing on the famous Sheepherder's bread and enticing sugar-coated pastries. Perhaps tomorrow....
From our hotel we walked a block to a good Texas BBQ place for dinner. Now that we are in California Kelzie vowed we would eat at the first In-Out Hamburger we saw to experience its menu, but it was not to be here in Bishop.
The Comfort Inn wifi was less than steller so after dinner I walked a block to the Starbucks to deal with my phone back-up and memory issues in communication with Rick. When I returned to the hotel a motorcycle tour (Harley's!) had arrived and the riders were celebrating the end of the day by tailgating behind their support trailer. Fortunately, they were no more in the mood to celebrate than we were.
Totals: 419 mi = 4539 trip total. To this point we have: 50 MPH avg; 27.5 MPG avg.

Day 12, Monday, August 11, 2014 - Yosemite National Park
We got up at 6 to work out and were off north on Hwy 395 by 8. The route was mostly uphill and 4-lane to Lee Vining, CA, where we turned onto Hwy 120 toward the park. On the way we passed over Sherwin Summit at 7,000 ft elevation, and Tioga Pass at the Park entrance was at 9945 ft elevation. The 3 hour trip through the park to Yosemite Village included less traffic than we expected but very impressive sights. We stopped at Olmsted Point and using binoculars were able to see hikers climbing Half Dome using the Park-installed cable ladder. We passed a forest management fire and saw evidence of past wildfires, including the one still underway near the entrance to the Village. We stopped along the road to gather a small collection of very large pine cones for Kelzie, and I was disappointed that we saw none of the very long sugar pine cones.
We spent from Noon, our park arrival time, until 6 PM visiting Tunnel View and Bridalveil Fall and taking the shuttle to see El Capitan and the sights on the east end of the Valley. A huge number of people visit the park daily so measures have been taken to provide parking, services, tour activities, camping, etc. What a massive change has taken place since Rick and I were here in the past.
Our last stop was at Tunnel View again in the late day to see the late-day sunlight from the west on El Capitan, Half Dome, Bridalveil Fall and all the other impressive formations surrounding the valley. Kelzie documented the changing light and encroaching shadows in photos, which will add to her already-substantial file of pictures taken today.
At about 6 PM we departed the Valley and headed  in the direction of the east gate with the top down in beautiful waning light. There were few cars on the road going in our direction so we made good time, reaching the gate in 1 1/2 hr, compared to about 3 hours going in. It was dark by the time we turned onto Hwy 395 toward Bishop. In scattered rain we made the mostly-downhill run in about an hour and were impressed with the sight of lit-up Bishop in the valley from 20 miles out.
Totals: 299 miles = total 4837 miles.

Day 13 - Tuesday, August 12, 2014 - Dash across the West
We tried to get an early start out of Bishop but our plans were foiled somewhat by the coffee shop. Underway about 45 minutes late, we followed Hwy 6, a two lane sparsely traveled road, to Ely, NV. The first chuckle of the day was the sign that said "163 miles to next gas". Rick had prepared us for this so we moved on, prepared and stress-free. A lightening show and accompanying rain provided entertainment, which was in short supply through this barren land. We passed a DOD installation and went over many summits, including Black Rock at 6259 ft. and Current at 6999. We always returned to flat land which spread out before us unadorned by trees, houses/ranches, cattle or cars on the road. West of Current we passed a small oil production facility at 71 degrees. This temp was short-lived. Through Railroad Valley we again passed into the foothills and soon saw irrigation of hay and pasture land, with creeks rimmed with trees and bushes.
In Ely, a precious metals mining town with its nearby Liberty Pit and Ruth Pit, we grabbed lunch then continued on, sticking to Hwy 6/50. Shortly after Tonopah, a silver mining town at 6,030 elev, we got our second chuckle of the day in the form of a sign stating "Next services 163 miles." Over a hill (one of many), perhaps Conners Pass, we came to a beautiful huge plain adorned by a huge wind farm. Very impressive, with a large number of wind generators perfectly lined up in rows across the plain, presenting a beautiful site from above; worthy of an ad. Shortly we were entertained by a ranch driveway adorned by a massive arch festooned with antlers, and lots of them. Kelzie thought it grotesque. I thought it typical of someone showing off their hunting prowess. Mountain Time arrived at the NV/Utah border, and we were closer to feeling "at home".
Dry Sevier Lake appeared in the low land almost as a mirage and was stark white, perhaps due to salt in the land. The third chuckle of the day appeared through a real mirage - a man walking on the shoulder pushing a running baby stroller. Dressed for travel, he clearly was determined to reach his destination, being many many miles from anything/anywhere in either direction. The next chuckle rose from the roadside near Delta, UT in the form of a large dead tree covered with hundreds of pairs of shoes. Famous Footwear it was not.
Near Hinkley I was startled by what turned out to be a huge sand/dirt storm. It appeared to the south of us as a long line of light-colored haze then took the form of a very dark cloud of dirt several miles long. The dark cloud dispersed but the atmosphere continued to be filled with debris in a line parallel to the road. As we approached the far end and had to turn through it, we recirculated the air in the car but could still smell the dense dust. One of Mother Nature's quirky habits, I guess.
Hinkley, UT is a very fertile area as shown by green pastures and fields, herds of cattle and abundant hay bales stacked neatly in long tall rows, propped up by boards to prevent tipping. Some farms stored their bales in huge open-sided sheds, while others covered their long rows with tarps. Cattle will be happy this winter if they don't get lost in the fierce snow storms.
Our route took us onto I-15 at Holdon, where we noticed that the speed limit was 80 MPH. A store clerk we talked with allowed as how she'd prefer to take the dirt road to town because people are traveling 90-95 MPH on the Interstate. And we wondered why the speed limit was posted at 65 MPH on the very long, straight, flat stretches of 2 lane road through much of Nevada and Utah.
East of Holdon, UT on Rt 50 we passed through a very fertile valley and turned onto I-70 headed for Moab. This time the sign said "Next services 109 miles." This on an Interstate! In sprinkles and full-out rain we turned onto route 191 South and traveled the 30 some odd miles toward Moab to the entrance to Arches National Park. We got the park map and drove in a few miles to check out a few sights, but the overcast conditions put a damper on what could have been  brightly colored formations. We'll return at sunrise tomorrow to take full advantage of the sights in this park.
Further south in Moab (elev. 4000), our hotel tonight is a new Comfort Suites, in which I managed to get the last room by phone earlier in the day. As we drove downtown later through crowds of vacationers we noticed that every lodging was full. The stores and restaurants were packed; clearly the recreation here draws many people during the summer. The town overlooks the Colorado River, was familiar to outlaw gangs in the wild west, was the scene for many of Zane Gray's novels and has frequently been used as a setting for movies. We're here for more mundane reasons: Arches National Park.
Dinner at the Broken Oar across the street, recommended by the hotel receptionist and Rick, was good but tardy in being served. Again it will be a late night. We talked with Rick a couple of times late in the evening as we tried to compress our travel schedule to meet him in Bloomington on Friday eve. My phone went on the fritz tonight, having worked well in the afternoon when I made the hotel reservation. Another item to problem solve by long distance.
Totals: 670 miles (all driven by Kelzie! I'll pay tomorrow.) = total 5508. Today - 66 MPH avg and 29 MPG avg. We both have TB tonight.

Day 14 - Wednesday, August 13, 2014 - Arches National Park, Moab UT and eastward.
We got up at 5:15 AM to leave by 5:30 in order watch the sunrise on the South Window arch in the Windows section of Arches National Park. The sun came up over the cliffs to the east through a few low clouds and accentuated the red color on the arch, in addition to shining light through the arch and doing an interesting framing of the opening of an arch aligned to its west. It was a very unusual sight. Within 15 minutes, however, dense clouds blocked the sun and the vision was gone. While watching the sunrise I saw from my perch in the arch high above a fox (?) scamper through the brush below to make his way past the tourists unseen. Kelzie did her morning run from the parking lot out to and down the main road. Afterwards we searched out other arches and walked to Landscape Arch, the photo of which adorns the NPS brochure and is often used in publications about this park. As we were doing the walk back to the car it started to sprinkle, and our sightseeing was done. Not only was it damp but the highlighting sunlight was gone.
We left town after a quick late hotel breakfast and purchasing some Christmas gifts at the National Park visitor's center. Rick recommended taking two-lane remote Hwy 128 from Moab along the Colorado River, and it was a very scenic choice. This area is near the beginning of the river, so it was interesting to see its size. The canyon was eyecatching with steep, straight walls of red sandstone and green pastures and hay fields. Impressive.
We took I-70 into Colorado, past Grand Junction, Glenwood Springs (near Carbondale where we turned south toward Gunnison during the first part of our trip) and on past Vail to Frisco in intermittent, heavy rain. Traffic was dense and moving fast, which put pressure on us to watch the road and not the sights. Breckenridge, south on Hwy 9 was busy and enticing to both of us. The sister of Kelzie's friend, Chas, owns a rental unit here and Kelzie spent time here with the family during the Leadville 100 race in 2009 and the 24 Hr race in 2010. Near here we passed through Hoosier Pass, elevation 11,541. This would be our 8th Continental Divide crossing. Kelzie made a special effort to don an IU t-shirt for this photo. Further south, the small town of Alma is the highest incorporated town in the US at 10,578 ft elev. The Almart is a big landmark there. In Fairplay, elevation 9953, we turned northeast on Hwy 285 so Kelzie could revisit the quaint restaurant in the old train depot in Como. She was disappointed to find it out of business but did chat with the former owner who now lives in the dining room with his big friendly dog. (The town has a population of 15 year-round residents.) In Jefferson we turned onto obscure Rt 77 which follows a very nice green valley and Tarrywall Creek southeast for over 40 miles. This is a motorcycle road for sure! The middle 3rd of the length is new road but part of the old road on the southern section is rugged.
Onto Hwy 24, we sailed downhill for 30-some miles eastward past Cascade, Manitou Springs and the turnoff to Garden of the Gods, all sights of memories from my childhood when I spent summers with my great-aunt Opal here in Colorado Springs. The Pikes Peak Highway heads uphill from Cascade, the Manitou incline takes off from that town, and the Pikes Peak cog railway starts in this area. We found our hotel, the 2 1/2 month old Holiday Inn Express downtown, and decompressed prior to dinner at Joe's Crab House 5 miles east. Our first Choice, Ruby Tuesday's, closed too early.
Totals: 456 miles = total 5966.

Day 15 - Thursday, August 14, 2014 - The long journey home. Topeka
This morning we began what will be a two day drive "home" at the end of our Thelma and Louise tour of some of the features of America's Southwest. We will arrive in Bloomington tomorrow to meet Rick, who is riding from Madison today. Very early I walked through the residential area near our Holiday Inn Express while Kelzie slept in an extra half hour due to aching knees from a diagnosed Patella issue. This new hotel is still working out some details in serving breakfast to a crowd but we managed to find plenty to eat before departing. With Kelzie at the wheel we had to take Hwy 24 with its traffic lights and two lanes for 75 miles to hook up with I-70 in Limon, CO. I then snoozed while Kelz pushed the speed limit eastward in hot hazy conditions. There were a lot of police on the road stopping speeders. The scenery was typical for this area; dry and brown in CO and the western part of KS, and progressively greener and more productive as we moved eastward. The only breaks in the monotony were the occasional hills, some beautiful green pastures and the challenge of dealing with left lane dwellers. Across the remainder of Colorado and most of Kansas we sped to get to our Holiday Inn Express in North Topeka, KS by 6:30 PM. Kelzie had a meeting by phone with the Austin Harvard Club Alumni Board so needed to be in the quiet business center for the conference call. As Secretary and Treasurer until December she manages to maintain contact with this worthy organization.
Dinner was at HuHut on the south side of town. We were famished and tired and barely slipped in the door before 9 PM closing. They cook until all patrons leave, so Kelzie and others got their 2nd and 3rd helpings. I enjoyed my first and stopped at that. I'm writing this with droopy eyes and for one of the first times on this trip will be asleep by 10:30.
Totals: 523 miles; time 7:52; 67 MPH avg.; 28.6 MPG ave

Day 16 - Friday, August 15, 2014    On the way home; last day of travel together.
I walked early then did exercises in the room; Kelzie took the day off to continue healing. After breakfast, in a less leisurely fashion than usual we were off, heading "home". There was a lot of construction on I-70, mostly of the sort that closed 1 lane and kept the speed limit at 45. Being the last day of travel together, Missouri seemed long and IL even longer. We traveled the oldest portion of the Interstate system, and its 50 years old! There were protests in Ferguson, MO just south of our route through St. Louis but we saw none of the activity. A police officer killed an unarmed protester, the resulting protests turned violent, the powers-to-be didn't deal with the situation in a timely manner, and the Governor has replaced the police with Highway Patrolmen. Construction persisted on I-70 from I-57 in Illinois, and approaching Terra Haute the restrictions were lengthy. This route has a lot of truck traffic so the bunched-up vehicles moved slowly. We got off at Brazil as usual, which was just at the beginning of yet another restriction.
We arrived in Bloomington later than anticipated due to the construction and were greeted by Rick's smiling face; I do believe he missed us! It will be good to spend the next two full days together here at Kelzie's before I head to Madison, Rick leaves on his eastern journey and Kelzie begins the Orientation and Registration process for classes, which begin the 23rd.
Total: 534 miles; 8:33 time; 62 MPH avg; 30.1 MPG avg. Total miles 7053. Total time: 134:48 Hrs.

Note: on the car computer today I saw a fuel tank range of 649 miles, early in a tank of gas at a speed of 70+ MPH and going downhill.

Days 17, 18 - Saturday/Sunday, August 16 and 17, 2014 - Bloomington, IN
We spent these two days visiting farm friends on Mt. Pleasant and our friend Abi and her daughter in Ellettsville, doing laundry, scoping out Kelzie's study desk in the School of Public Health, revisiting some of our favorite restaurants in town, resting, relaxing and sharing the experience of our trip with Rick.

Day 19 - Monday, August 18, 2014 -We go our separate ways - to Madison alone
Rick left for a motorcycle trip eastward and north along the East Coast, I drove to Madison to finish my circle and Kelzie had a full day of Orientation and swimming.
Total: 450 miles = trip total 7484. Total driving time for the trip 142:18 hours. 53 MPH avg. 28.2 MPG avg.

Trip West to National Parks and Big Horns with brother Paul....

RIDE TO THE NATIONAL PARKS OF THE ROCKIES
JULY 12 - JULY 28.... With Paul ...
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Day 1 - Saturday - 7.12.14.  Paul and I ride West to South Dakota ..
Str Cty  :  Home -Madison Str Mls   :  18483
End Cty  :  Watertown, SD End Mls   :  18961
Dly Mls  :  484 Miles Tot Mls   :  484 Miles
Time      :  7.25 Hours Notes      :  nose/ rain/ lunch Donahes

Start 19483 odd miles. Up early as could not get back to sleep and left at 7 on Hwy 14 to Brookings SD. Got to LaCrosse at 10. Rain from 10 miles east of Rochester to Owatanna and lunch time. Stopped in Owatonna to have lunch with Sally and Jeff Donahe. No rain thereafter and warmer. The crops are at half stage and the countryside looks a healthy green everywhere across WI and MN. At least 3000 mills in a wind farm at the MN-SD border. 484 miles today, ending the last 50 miles at 75 mph. BBQ place.

Day 2 - Sunday - 7.13.14.   On to Beebe, SD, ND & into MT
Str Cty   :  Watertown, SD Str Mls   :  18961
End Cty   :  Miles City, MT End Mls   :  19456.0
Dly Mls   : 494 Miles Tot Mls   :  999 Miles
Time       : 8.25 Hours Notes      :  headwinds

494 miles and 999 total so far. Watertown, to Webster, to Mina Lake, Ipswich, Beebe, Roscoe, Mobridge and thru ND to MT, Miles City. After Webster a strong head wind started and abused us all day to the point of not being able to maintain good speed and had to cover my face with a  handkerchief (to fight wind and sun burn). There were thousands of lakes in east SD and all had pelicans on them and there was an enormous bird population. We stopped for a tour of the cottage at Mina lake and Ipswich before going to the Roscoe cemetery to visit g and g - and we figured that based on grandma working in the bank and Elfords moving there before Roscoe was a city, they should have known everyone in the cemetery. Went to the house and Mary Roth (who bought it in '78) gave us a tour and it is in good shape. Had coke at the cafe. No sunflowers after the disease harmed the crop. From Aberdeen to Mobridge, 100 miles, there are 8 new huge grain elevators with their own tracks and 2 ethanol plants. At Oahe lake and Mobridge we transitioned from grain to grassland and from flat to rolling. We climbed to about 3000' as we followed Hwy 12. Later in the west and ND more crops were grown in irregularly shaped fields.The mustard weed was in full bloom and the pastures and hillsides were a mass of yellow. All thru these states the farmers bale the ditches and have huge fields of bales already done. Just before leaving ND we encountered the Bakkan oil southern tail and saw many wells, sometimes with multiple pumps. They get oil from several different directions and put it all in one collection pipeline. We passed the staging area for the Keystone XL pipeline; probably 20 miles worth of pipe where stockpiled there. At the junction of ND-MT there is a badlands about 80 miles south of Roosevelt badlands NP in ND. Arrived in Miles City after 494 miles at 5:30. Ate at the BBQ and Chop house.

Day 3 - Monday - 7.14.14.   XX  Montana to foot of Glacier NP ...
Str Cty  :  Miles City, MT Str Mls   :  19456.0
End Cty  :  Great Falls End Mls   :  19776
Dly Mls  :  323 Miles Tot Mls   :  1300 Miles
Time      :  5.25 Hours Notes      :  up at 3am

Awake at 3am worrying about the schedule and exhaustion so I got up at 5 and began to reorganize-schedule by phone. Gained a short day today and next 3 days so our longest rides are less than 350 miles - 14 Great Falls, 15 Browning, 16 Helena or West Yellowstone, 17 Cody..... Feel relieved but sleepy tired. Went thru rolling grassland about 4k' for cattle, hay and wheat on huge acreage with Big Skys. Ride was 323 miles with many stops to wake up and total 1300. Resting all afternoon at HIX in Great Falls. Will ride the Glacier NP roads tomorrow. Mexican dinner.







Day 4 - Tuesday - 7.15.14.    To Glacier NP and back to Browning, MT
Str Cty  :  Great Falls Str Mls   :  19776
End Cty  :  Browning MT End Mls   :  20033
Dly Mls  :  253 Miles Tot Mls   :  1555 Miles
Time      :  6 Hours

150 miles to St. Mary's entrance to Glacier NP. Rain
for 25 miles on the way across the high grasslands. The eastern side (Going to the Sun Road) had more than 9 miles of construction mud with three stops for one ways, leading to some frustration. On the way out I thot I saw a black bear but it turned out to be a cow. On the way in we actually saw a Moose Munching in a Meadow...that stopped traffic when I pointed it out to others. Rode over 6k' from Browning (4k') to get to the park and park's Continental Divide Logan Pass is only 6800', (crossings 11 & 12 this year) but getting there is dramatic as one passes St Mary lake and watched the waterfalls wash our bike wheels. On the west side the drop-rise was about the same but more open so one could see the road cut into the walls of the mountain to the top of the pass. 253 miles and 1555 overall. Back at Browning at the HIX on the Blackfeet Reservation.  Poor dining at the Casino.

Day 5 - Wednesday 7.16.14     Onto the next Park...YELLOWSTONE
Str Cty  :  Brovning, MT Str Mls   :  20033
End Cty  :  West Yellowstone, MT End Mls   :  20383
Dly Mls  :  356 Miles Tot Mls  :  1900 Miles
Time      :  5.25 Hours

Little sleep but got reservation for here and Buffalo. Left at 8:30 on Hwy 287 south thru huge rolling grass land on the reservations. We saw a Bald Eagle sitting on a fence post.-.most likely hunting. When we hit I15 the terrain changed to small pine-forested mountains. After Helena the terrain changed back to grass lands. We observed (over special pastry of Montana wheat) the source of the Missouri River at Three Forks where the Gallatin, Jefferson, and Madison rivers converge to start the Missouri. The Madison River comes out of Yellowstone on the west. The Yellowstone River comes out the east and meets the Missouri near Williston, ND. Both rivers are in the Atlantic drainage area, but the southwest park is in the Pacific drainage. Rode at 4k' most of the trip and rose to 6800' at WY. Arrived at HI to convert our 319$ room to points (of my 116000) with permission by the manager. Went to Madison Crossing for ribeye-2 moose drool beer dinner and got Paul a planning map. 356 miles and 1900 total to the HI on points in WY.

Day 6 - Thursday - 7.17.14  Two more continental divide crossings (13 & 14).
Str Cty  :  West Yellowstone, MT Str Mls   :  20383
End Cty  :  Cody, WY End Mls   :  20600
Dly Mls  :  214 Miles Tot Mls   :  2100 Miles
Time      :  9 Hours Notes      :  yellowstone/CJH

Into Yellowstone National Park at 8 for ride to Old Faithful (10:19 -/+ 10 minutes). Bought stickers and ordered things. Surprisingly, we saw no animals til later when we viewed an elk, lots of buffalo at higher elevation, a sow with a cub, and people. After OF's eruption we crossed the CD twice at 6800 feet at the highest. However, we went over 8300 feet at one other pass. Decided to take the long route out the NE entrance and down Chief Joseph Highway. On CJH we rose 2100 from 6k' up to 8100' on the Pass and down 3100' to 5k' and up 15 degrees from 71 to 92 in Cody. Then sprinkles started while we were taking a swim. At the HI for the nite and ate at the hotel cuz of rain. TOUCH THE GEYSER PIC...  HI at 221... Ate there.

Day 7 - Friday - 7.18.14 -   CJH/Beartooth Pass/Red Lodge/14a.
Str Cty  :  Cody, WY Str Mls   :  20600
End Cty  :  Buffalo, WY End Mls   :  20923
Dly Mls  :  323 Miles Tot Mls   :  2450 Miles
Time      :  6 Hours Notes      :  91 deg

Left Cody under 4k' and rode Chief Joseph Highway to 8100'. We turned onto Hwy 212 for the Beartooth Highway and went over 10947' with many other people (rally of crazies in Red Lodge). Above 8k' it was spring and all the miniature flowers were in full bloom, making a carpet of purple, yellow and white in the high meadows. We stopped at a junk store and bought stickers. Stopped in Red Lodge to view the disturbance and have a coke. Then we started down the valley between the Rockies and Big Horns Mountains as the temperature rose to 91 degrees in desert-like conditions. When we turned on to 14a at Lovell we rose over 5k' to 9400' in the Big Horn Mtn pass..and we lost 30 degrees in temperature (61 and chilled). Gradually we lost elevation and warmed as we approached Sheridan and took the expressway to Buffalo, WY. Salad and calamari appetizer for dinner at Winchesters, a nice place cross the street. HIX on points in Buffalo, WY.

Day 8 - Saturday - 7.19.14.  On to Colorado and Walden- 2 crossings.
Str Cty  :  Buffalo, WY Str Mls   :  20923
End Cty  :  Walden, CO End Mls   :  21326
Dly Mls  :  410 Miles Tot Mls   :  2860 Miles
Time      :  6.5 Hours Notes      :  8100'

Left at 8 at 4k' on 16 to Worland over the Big Horn Mountains and the 9666' Powder River pass before Ten Sleep. A huge flock of sheep were being tended by 4 men and dogs. Then south down to the Wind River Canyon and Indian reservation. Then south on 26 to Riverton and 385 where the winds picked up. Finally 287, I80 and 130-230 to The CO line and Walden. At Walden and 8100' with 80 degrees temp. All afternoon it was in the low 90's with 35+mph cross winds, grinding on us. Our observation, having traveled from NW to SE Wyoming, is that it is mostly desert and only marginally habitable - except where water is available. All that wind and no wind farms for electric..debtor state mentality. 2 Continental Divides between Muddy Gap and Rawlins on Hwy 287 (15 @ 6100+, & 16 @ 7100+'). As we rose to 7k' the temp moderated. In regular motel in Walden, CO. 72$. Prime Rib at rock river place on Main Street.

Day 9 - Sunday - 7.20.14.   Estes NP and the Rockies, 2 more crossings.
Str Cty  :  Walden, CO Str Mls   :  21326
End Cty  :  Torrington, WY End Mls   :  21619
Dly Mls  :  292 Miles Tot Mls   :  3155 Miles
Time       :  6.5 Hours Notes      :  102 degrees

Left Walden at 7:30 without bkfst and rode south on Hwy 125 crossing the 17th Continental Divide at 9683' in beautiful forest. Alone the grass land ditches were full of purple sage...I plant it, feed it, water it, and smile without as good results. On to Granby Gordon for gas and bkfst and to the Rocky Mountain National Park. The 18th crossing was in the park at 10759'. Then we proceeded up to 12160' above the tree line and we observed elk feeding at this high altitude. Paul hugged the centerline where there was no guard rail and a precipitous drop a thousand feet. We raced down the canyon from Estes Park to Loveland as the temperature rose to the mid 90s - this is the canyon that had the flash flood last year and 1/2 the buildings were lost. Then when we got to I25 it was over 99 degrees for the the next 125 miles, rising to 102 several times. We had the high speed cross winds for the same distance. 292 miles to Torrington, WY and 3155 overall. MickyDees for dinner.

Day 10 - Monday - 7.21.14. .......  To the Black Hills for a tour
Str Cty  :  Torrington, WY Str Mls   :  21615
End Cty  :  Hill City, SD End Mls   :  21871
Dly Mls  :  259 Miles Tot Mls   :  3410 Miles
Time      :  6.5 Hours Notes      :  tour - black hills

Left Torrington early hoping to avoid heat and cross winds - to no avail. By 8 the temp was 91 and the west wind was 35 knots. We struggled north 100 miles and turned east for 70 miles to Hill City SD by 10:30 at 95 degrees. We then went on a 70mile tour of the Black Hills and Custer state park - initially cooled but then the heat went back into the 90s. Thus we covered 295 miles before we got back to the HIX air conditioning for the afternoon. Saw the buffaloes again.. Ate at a restaurant at a corner - blue cheese burger.

Day 11 - Tuesday - 7.23.14.  Toward HOME ON I 90 for 799 miles.
Str Cty  :  Hill City, SD Str Mls   :  21871
End Cty  :  Home End Mls   :  22957
Dly Mls  :  795 Miles Tot Mls   :  4157 Miles
Time      :  11  5 Hours Notes      :  less than 85 deg

We left Hill City at 7 thinking we would overnite in Alberta Lea or thereabouts...  Got poor milage as we were pushing a lot of quartering wind for 300 miles...then relief in the afternoon after we got thru the weather front. The temperature never went above 85 degrees which allowed us to stay refreshed. Got to AL about 4 and decided to push on and by 9:00 we were home. Except I could not get into the house as all doors were locked, including basement and mud room doors. Had to drive over to Paul's to get a key. Relaxed with the news and had peppermint ice cream for dinner. Bed late without making it. Great trip. All roads I had ridden before, but not in sequence with 8 days of dramatic mountain riding and 4 days of pure "get there" riding. Our riding time average speed was 73 mph.
…….the END

Average speed for trip = 61.2 mph   Average miles per gallon = 45.2 mpg
GPS miles = 4029   /   Bike miles = 4174.  /.   Summer total =  18939

COSTS total per day per mile

Total      1512.06.   137.46 .36
Fuel 352.03 32 .08
Room 884.60       88.46 .21
Board 265.43 24.13 .06
Misc 40.00      .75 .01

RIDING THE NORTHERN TIER

THE BORDERS OF THE UNITED STATES ... 2014
PART ONE ... THE NORTHERN TIER   6.24-7.3.14

Day 1 - Tuesday -  6.24.14  Starting toward Canada in Minnesota ..
Str Cty       :  Home                Str Mls   :  45023
End Cty     :  Chippewa Falls End Mls   :  45256
Dly Mls     :  225 Miles Tot Mls  :  225 Miles
Time          :  4 Hours Notes     :  30 m rain
225 miles in 4 hours - the Dells, Hwy 13 to Wisconsin Rapids, Vesper-Auburndale to Marshfield at 10-13, north to Colby to 29 west to Thorpe where it rained on me for 1/4 hours before stopping. I started in dairy land farming. Then above the Dells I went thru the 75 mile sand belt of Wisconsin which supports cranberry and potato farming and factory farm conifers for pulp wood. Finally, at Wisconsin Rapids the terrain changed to leafy-trees-surrounded grain fields and dairy farming, which continued all the way to Chippewa. Could not get a room on the Reservation at the HIX in Chippewa Falls through the 800# so I called the motel - no room!  .... Stopped at the HIX when I got near and was given a room... To dry out in..next to a Culver's... The bike seat I choose was the one which gave me the most ground contact, unlike the seat on my eastern trip. However, this seat is not as comfortable..had cramps in both legs, and pain in my lumbar, back and shoulders. After getting wet I sat better. Tomorrow will be the proof of the pudding... Go home or go on.  Muscle relaxants and pain meds. Mild side seizures... Out riding while Marnie trims our bushes and trees.

Day 2 - Wednesday - 6.25.14   Into MN - within 100 miles of Canada
Str Cty     :  Chippewa Falls Str Mls   :  45256
End Cty   :  Iron Mt, MN End Mls   :  45597.0
Dly Mls   :  324 Miles Tot Mls  :  549 Miles
Time        :  5.5 Hours Notes     :  cold
324 miles (549 total) in 5.5 hours in the cold. Left in overcast, but luckily not rain, and kept adding clothes. Rode hwy 53 on the four lane, passing a road killed bear on the berm. The area north increasingly is forest and I passed a huge frack sand shipping facility. Entered Superior and Duluth mid morning. I stopped to walk around the Aerostitch store and warm up. On up #61 along Lake Superior.. Got to the turn and it began to warm on MN #1 toward Ely at noon less than 100 miles from Canada. I stopped for breaks in Isabella and Ely. Ely is 5500 population  and a well organized town, however, summer is limited there. Rode on to the Quad cities - Mountain Iron, sir (Iron Mountain is in MI), Virginia and 2 others.  There was a major rally against imported dumped steel and needing support for the US market. I think most of my pain is interaction of cold and arthritis, not the bike seat..rode better today..tomorrow? Passed the largest dredge bucket I have ever seen, including at oil sands.. Rode to a viewing area where it is 500 feet to the water from the surrounding land and 350 feet deep water, several miles long and 1/2 mile wide, mined out in '72. Rode around each town and pancakes at Perkins. Marnie is jealous.

Day 3 - Thursday - 6.26.14       Go USA... Moving west on the tier into ND
Str Cty   :   Iron Mt, MN Str Mls   :  45597.0
End Cty   :  Minot, ND End Mls   :  46117
Dly Mls   :  476 Miles Tot Mls   :  1025 Miles
Time        :  7 Hours
Leaving the Mesabi Iron Range region of the American state of Minnesota is a major production area of Taconite. Taconite is a variety of iron formation, an iron-bearing (> 15% iron) sedimentary rock... The taconite pellets are hauled by railroad to the ports of Silver Bay, Two Harbors and the Twin Ports of Duluth, Minnesota and Superior, Wisconsin, all on Lake Superior... On- 476 and 1025 miles to Minot ND. North to ND Hwy 2 to ride in the Red Lake Reservation and along the lake and river of the Red Lake name. Looked as expected with few services. Along the River were vast fields/swamps filled with cattails. Rode BIA roads x the reservation and then county roads to Fargo. Little is planted or to be planted, except along the River was flat, black moist ground with grain starting. Stopped for gas in Thief River Falls - it is a beautiful little town worth moving to. In North Dakota the crops are high and wheat is 3 weeks from harvest.  At 2pm I stopped in Devils Lake where I was going to stay, but wanted to keep riding and the "warning stop" ... Went thru Rugby ND, the geographic center of North America, and two weeks ago I went thru the center of the US. ---- Stopped at 82 mph by radar - told him I deserved a "warning", so I got one. Chicken and salad, over-priced. The seat was better and the pain was tolerable today.







Day 4 - Friday - 6.27.14      Into Montana.. Or .. Into the rain. Flat.flat.flat
Str Cty     :  Minot, ND Str Mls    :  46117
End Cty   :  Havre, MT End Mls    :  46578.0
Dly Mls   :  433 Miles Tot Mls    :  1457 Miles
Time       :  6.45 Hours Notes       : washed bike
Up to a wet area and thick overcast...however, the weather is moving north so maybe it will move up as I move west. Rode thru the Baaken Oil fields ...filthy..dirt..rain..mud the 1st 150 miles, so the bike was dirty.. The road is filthy, every vehicle is filthy and most of the people are filthy. There were several temporary camps for oil workers with rental rooms for displaced workers who would otherwise not have a place to live. A weekly long term place advertised a room for 699$ per week. These first 250 miles where high plains with huge wheat fields..It appears they use fallowing instead of crop rotation to revive the soil.  I passed thru the Fort Peck Sioux and the Fort Belkamp Reservations and explored several of the towns as I passed. 433 miles and 1457 overall to Havre, Montana. The motel gave me a hose and washing material to wash my bike - will feel better getting it on in the am. Prime rib dinner before a tour of the small town. Havre is a rail center and train repair shop with about 9300 people. The town has UM Northern and seems very prosperous.

Day 5 - Saturday - 6.28.14 ...  to Cut Bank where the plains meet the Rockies
Str Cty      :  Havre, MT Str Mls    :  46578
End Cty    :  Sandpoint/ Ponderay  ID End Mls    :  47037
Dly Mls    :  459 Miles Tot Mls    :  1917 Miles
Time         :  7 Hours Notes       :  4x rained upon
Couldn't find my change bag this am- not in clothes, in room (tore it apart) or at motel desk..went to my bike to load and found it in another jacket...oh!  Left in warm sunshine to ride the Hi-Line, which no one could explain to me other than it is an area along Hwy 2 and a string of towns. Passed antelope lying in a fallow field. All the ag was huge wheat fields with a few cattle. There were several huge yellow fields of blooming Saffron. I was riding into very little wind when it began to build strongly..and to my surprise there was an electric fan farm next to me.. 10 miles down the road there was little wind again... Someone did a good study of the wind potential in the area. Passed thru the Blackfoot tribe Reservation just before Glacier NP. The road in the park is still not open due to snow last week so I stayed south on #2. Immediately as I went into the mountains it started to rain and it  rained all the way thru the mountains...the sun was shining in Kellaspell. I crossed the Continental Divide (10th) on the south of Glacier NP for the 6 th time this summer. I headed up into the Kootenai River area, followed the River from small to huge and arrived at Bonners Ferry 15 miles from Canada, before heading south to Sandpoint- Ponderay, Idaho. Drenched 4 times today in 459 miles in 7 hours, 1917 total. 1 more day to the coast...

Day 6 - Sunday - 6.28.14    ....  Thru TWISP and to the great NW
tr Cty        : Ponderay , ID Str Mls   :  47037
End Cty    :  Lacey - Olympia, OR End Mls   :  47575
Dly Mls    :  528 Miles Tot Mls   :  2445 Miles
Time         :  9 Hours Notes      :  Cascade mountains
Met Jeff and Sally Donahe, from Owatona, MN, who were returning from Canada. We visited at length over breakfast. Left in sunny warmth at 8am on Hwy 2 until I  picked up 20 along the Pen D' Oreille River which flows into the Columbia River then turned north within 20 miles from Canada. Crossed the Columbia somewhere and went into the first set of mountains for some rain and hail. Rode thru the Kalispel Indian Reservation and had coffee at their information station. Rode to 97 and then back on 20 to Twisp, my favorite-named town... Ate Mexican lunch and got back on the road. As I started toward Twisp on 20, I passed huge tent orchards of sweet cherries...bird prevention covers. However, I found a new neat name: TUNK.. which is the name for a mountain. I had passed thru the eastern mountains in rain to 5500' and the sun with dry warmth in the #97 valley north of Chalen, where Beebe apple orchards are located. After Twisp I entered the Cascade Mountains and went over 5500 several times and 4400 many times....Rained every 15 minutes. Finally,  I arrived at I-5 at Arlington. All 400 miles were in beautiful pine forest and thru hilly to mountainous terrain. These last 600 miles are a ride worth doing again.. Always places to go back to!
END OF THE NORTHERN TIER





PART TWO.    .....Starting the Western Column. ...

Rode 100 miles south down I-5 at 70 mph to Lacey-Olympia for HIX overnite. Tomorrow I shall end Washington and get on Hwy 12 and head east toward home.

I rode the next section from here to Santa Cruz last summer so here are the notes for that section.


Day 15 - Monday - 7.8.13... on to Mt St. Helens and Portland
STR CTY: YAKIMA, WA
STR MLS: 34437
END CTY: PORTLAND, OR
END MLS: 34722
DLY MLS: 266 MILES
TOT MLS: 5012 MILES
TIME     : 6 HOURS
NOTES  : HUSTON’S
Up at 6 and trying to make contact with Huston’s. Finally found Alka Seltzer cough and cold so cold symptoms are mitigated. Called Russell and cannot get my seat worked on in Shasta Lake, CA – “NO”. Left at 8 on Hwy 12 for 50 miles going over White Pass at 4500'. I  went 25 miles on 131 to the turn off for a great view of Mount Rainier.. Along the road were beautiful flowers wherever the sunlite could get thru the unusually dense forest...close, tall, interlaced trees.
Up FS99 for 15 miles one gets varying views of Mt St Helens......Along the way you see thousands of blown down trees all laying tops away from Helens and no soil - burned to the bedrock. I went back to Hwy 25 and rode 100 miles to Portland and our friends, Dick and Evie Huston. I could not rouse them on the phone but they seemed delighted when I showed out of thin air...nice talk of current life and history together from IU and when we visited their beach house hunting razor clams. Am at HIexp for the nite.
Day 16 - Tuesday - 7.9.13      .... out to the Pacific coast
STR CTY: PORTLAND, OR  S
TR MLS: 34738
END CTY: COOS BAY, OR
END MLS: 35122
DLY MLS: 384 MILES
TOT MLS:   5396 MILES
TIME     : 7.75 HOURS
NOTES  : COLD
First up the Columbia River gorge for a look on Hwy 14. The scenery after 50 miles was not too dramatic, except to look up the river at one point. So, I turned back and moved on to Astoria, Oregon at the mouth to the Columbia River (where Lewis and Clark camped). This put me on Hwy 101 heading south. Periodically I got good views of the Pacific Ocean and the immediate terrain. Great forests!  It was cold all day, sometimes sunny and cloudy at other times, it was always cold. This was a hard ride as the road wound and wandered, up and down- the pace changed frequently due to small towns, slow drivers and slow speed controls. Finally, I got to Coos Bay for the nite after 384 miles in 7.75 hours and 5200+ overall. Shoulders and back good even in tough driving conditions. Almost dropped my bike last eve but a guy helped me and saved my shoulders.

Day 17 - Wednesday - 7.10.13      ...on toward San Francisco
STR CTY: COOS BAY, OR
STR MLS: 35122
END CTY: FORT BRAGG, CA
END MLS: 35508
DLY MLS: 368 MILES
TOT MLS: 5764 MILES
TIME     : 8 HOURS
NOTES   : COLD +HOT
Up at 6:30 to get to Fort Bragg, CA HIexp. Got to ride the coast on 101 with continued views of the Pacific not readily available yesterday- beautiful. Cold and clear. All of a sudden fog....and cold - freezing! I was riding the "Highway of Redwoods" thru several groves on the bypass- Drugy Scenic Parkway. Then a long period to the Rockefeller Forest and the "Avenue of the Giants". The trees are so huge and close together- to say nothing about the amazing height. I had dinner with two grads working for the CA forest service marking and putting for bid state pine and redwoods. As I proceeded down the Avenue the temperature rose from 50s to 98 degrees... Hot.. hot... so I stripped down. Then I hit CA #1 which goes up to 1800' over the Coastal Range mountains and down to sea level ....and the temperature fell to the 40s....cold... freezing..adding clothes. I then hit the coast again and the foggy views were coldly beautiful.... Arrived to heat my room and rest.. Nice but demanding ride in the Coastal Range and in the Redwoods. Dinner at a bar with calzone, with WW points. 368 miles in 8 hours of gawking.

Day 18 - Thursday - 7.11.13.  San Francisco and the Wharf (for free)
STR CTY: FORT BRAGG,CA
STR MLS: 35508
END CTY: SAN FRANCISCO, CA
END MLS: 35715
DLY MLS: 194 MILES
TOT MLS: 5958 MILES
TIME     : 5.25 HOURS
NOTES    .   176 + 20 miles in SF
After the weather changes and thinking about crossing the desert from San Diego to Austin, I have decided to change directions. I will go from San Francisco to Grand Junction CO, crossing Nevada and Utah in the central areas but far north of the southern route. Back into the Rockies I shall go south on the Continental Divide to Santa Fe and Austin, stopping in Oklahoma Dust Bowl areas to give Nook time to clean her apartment. There were many small towns and houses at the ocean which is too rough and cold to interact with- so the import is for scenery and serenity. Was cold and miserable the entire coast. Crossed the Golden Gate….

Up at 6 and left in the cold and moist coastal conditions at 7:15. Rode 176 miles on CA #1.  Stopped in Mendocino,  the town we visited in '76 and near which we camped in the same kind of weather as today. What a ride...up-down, left-right with many turnouts to save my passing. Eucalyptus and redwoods line the road in some areas and I can still smell the eucalyptus. One stretch required riding 500 feet up from the straight down ocean without guard rails. Views were limited but dramatic. Towns of few people were numerous and closer to SF there was some cattle farming. After some suburb driving I hit the Golden Gate Bridge and entered San Francisco very tired and sore from the very demanding ride in cold weather. After checking in and arranging parking, I took a 20 mile trip around the city and its parks, including the underside of the Oakland Bay Bridge. After complaining about the quality of this facility- no wifi in the rooms, 18 TV stations without MSNBC and the tour, not being told but charged $45 to park my bike, and being refused to, got my free nite back- I walked to the Wharf and ate - had clam chowder & fried calamari. They compted my parking and put some points on my account 25% of a free nite. Over at the cable car the line was a block long and I am not a  consummate "waiter" so I moved on after talking with some Swiss people. The number of foreign speakers here is amazing. Nice ride today...one of the best of the trip in spite of the cold. Walked 16 blocks in two slow sessions- one for dinner on the wharf and to see the cable car, and one for Carmel corn. 194 miles in 4 hours to San Francisco.

Day 19 - Friday - 7.12.13    South to Santa Cruz, Yosemite, & NV
STR CTY: SAN FRANCISCO, CA
STR MLS: 35571
END CTY: ELY, NV
END MLS: 36397
DLY MLS: 656 MILES
TOT MLS: 6614 MILES
TIME     : 11.5 HOURS
Up and out of here... Good riddance!  Paid my ticket to Wyoming...$100.. Started in San Francisco at sea level. Went down CA1 on the Cabarilla Hwy 60 miles to Santa Cruz out of San Francisco and along the ocean. Then East to Merced on 152 for 120 miles thru the truck farm area at 100'. Rode to Mariposa for gas and on to Yosemite National Park at 4200' on Hwy# 140. Cold to SC and then very hot until 7000'. Leaving the valley I climbed to over 9800'. Then down to Mariposa from 8100' for gas before starting across the high desert above 5k' on 120. This is the area where we backpacked to 10k'+ in the late '70s with the Downing’s. Picked up gas in Lee Vining on 120 and Tonopha while riding 300 miles of high desert on route 6. 13 miles from Ely it started to rain for about 5 miles and on arrival I met Hwy 50 (same as thru Salem WV). On the road I saw two does and four fawn’s, all with very dark, thick hair which made the fawn’s white spots stand out.  They ran down the road with me until they figured out where mom was and doubled back. At the Ramada Inn in Ely at 6000 feet after 654 miles in 11.5 hours and 6670 total miles so far. Very comfortable above 7k'.
TO BE CONTINUED ....


Heading home :
Day 7 - Monday- 6.30.14   Heading east toward home..
Str Cty      :  Lacey, OR Str Mls    :  47575
End Cty    :  Lewiston,ID End Mls    :  48000
Dly Mls    :  394 Miles Tot Mls    :  2839 Miles
Time         :  6.5 Hours Notes        :  sun warm
first day of sunshine, warmth and no rain as I left at 8:00. Rode 40 miles south on I-5 to catch Hwy #12 and to turn east. Great road and travelled quickly thru the Cascades rising to 4500' in White Pass. Beautiful forest and mountains. I could see Rainer and St Helens at differing times..this is Rainer looking back to the west. When out of the mountains I entered Yakima and proceeded up the Yakima River Valley. This area is irrigated fruit orchards and vegetable fields. The valley was green and the hills on either side were dry brown. When I left the valley I went into dry country with huge, huge wheat fields on every contour and angle.. Harvest is near but I do not know how they put machines on the side hills. Every village along the way looked prosperous and few buildings on the main streets were empty -especially, Waitsburg. Crossed the Columbia and Snake Rivers again. At Lewiston and Clarkson there is a loading harbor for barges. Looks like wheat and wood products (saw dust and chips) are loaded here and sent down the Snake to come to join the Columbia at Kennewick and then to Astoria. At HIX Lewiston. Bad day at the Supreme bullshit Court. Saw elk from a distance..standing in a wheat field.

Day 8 - Tuesday - 7.1.14    Back into Montana as far as reasonable...
Str Cty       :  Lewiston,ID Str Mls    :  48000
End Cty     :  Miles City, MT End Mls    :  47708
Dly Mls     :  681 Miles Tot Mls    :  3521 Miles
Time          :  10.5 Hours
681 miles for 3521 total. Lewiston thru LoLo pass along the Clearwater River at 4500', then to the Continental Divide at 6400' ( 11th crossing this year), and finally high on the prairie at 5900' before leveling out and gradually coming down to 1300 '. It took 160 miles for a very gradual rise to 3900' in Lolo along side the Clearwater River... while undulating in the bare hills to lush forests and closed canyons. Out in the high prairie the predominate crop was grass for hay and cattle. Arrived at 8:30 PM in time to have 1/2 slab of ribs at a favorite restaurant.  Miles City is on the Yellowstone River where it turns north to meet the Missouri about Williston, ND. To bed late and up late.

Day 9 - Wednesday - 7.2.14.  To/thru South Dakota again.
Str Cty       :  Miles City, MT Str Mls      :  47708
End Cty     :  Watertown, SD End Mls    :  49218
Dly Mls     :  491 Miles Tot Mls     :  4012 Miles
Time          :  7.5 Hours Notes        :  tickets
491 miles for a total of 4012. 150 miles to the SD border in time to be stopped by a county mounty who would not warn me... 125$ ticket On the Standing Rock Reservation. Noon in Mobridge, 3 in Roscoe-Ipswich and on to Watertown for the over nite. This a very usual ride which I have so far done 5 times in 2 years... Back again in 2 weeks. To Culver's for dinner. What's the deal with the Yellowstone Trail, started by grandpa and Parmely, as it does not go to the Yellowstone NP.. Actually once it might have been the primary road to get close to the Park. Watertown, SD for the nite.

Day 10 - Thursday - 7.3.14.  Home... For dinner...
Str Cty      :  Watertown, SD Str Mls   :  49218
End Cty    :  HOME End Mls   :  49702
Dly Mls    :  463 Miles Tot Mls  :  4475 Miles
Time         :  7.75 Hours
Delightful ... Another 19 mph over in MN... Another ticket on a state road.... Don't know how much yet. Left late and rode cross country from Watertown to New Ulm where I met Hwy 14, which I rode all the way home... Mankato, Rochester, La Crosse, Richland Center and here. 463 miles and 4475 overall by Gps and 4679 by speedo. HOME FOR 9 DAYS....


MILES 4475  GPS 4679  SPEEDO

COSTS   TOTAL /MILE /DAY

FUEL 385.36 .83 42.82
ROOM 860.42 .18 95.60
FOOD 196.69 .04 21.85
MISC 225
TOTAL 1667.47 .36 185.27