Heading out, one lap around the USA!

[RoadTrippers A & R]

Better when the Old Man ran it.

We're just about to head outta Nevada toward Zion, but we're touching base with a few eldery relatives that are "on their way out" and this may be our last chance.

Sooo, this morning while driving, I looked over at my wife in the seat next to me when she woke up and she looked 20 years younger. I mentioned that and she lit up and said "and I don't have make-up on". This link will explain it all and I'm so glad that episode is behind us. I was sweating that the residual effects of her surgery would carry over to this Roadtrip,, but it's all good.

We're getting about 9.2 MPG towing our 32 ft slide out trailer, and 13.7 MPG when it's un-hooked.

Passing by Bob's Big Boy restaurants all along highways in the West, I'd love to stop and have the family try the legendary food. But, it ain't the same. It was better when the old man, Bob Wian ran it.

The chain folded when Bob passed away and the food quality and preparation methods changed.
A feable attempt is being made to resurect the chain, but they still don't get it. It was an hour wait for a table when the old man ran it.

Bob Wian used to work for the high quality Youngs Market Company, and he worked for my Uncle Lew for a spell before that.

He had great home-made recipies for seasonings, dressings,, all kind of good food things that eventually made his hamburger chain excellent. When he passed away the quality slid,, it just didn't have the magic anymore, and folded.

My Uncle Lew was an Navy Officer during WW2, and his job was to get beef to the US Pacific fleet, and all military bases in the Pacific. After the war, he used his "juice" to continue supplying meat over seas.

All the non-retail meat consumed in Hawaii and Hong Kong was supplied by my Uncle Lew for a half century, and this is how he crossed paths with the legendary Bob Wian.

My Uncle Lew hit 90 years old so he sold his meat Company to an outfit that owned a lot of KFC's in the West.
They figured if they control all the non-commercial meat in such a large region, why have salesmen? So after 50 years of success, they let the salesforce go,, and in about a year competitors took over, and the company folded.

Always better when the old man ran it.

Have a another story about William Harrah, but that'll be saved for a Lake Tahoe roadtrip.

OK, when we launch outta Nevada, we'll get serious with pics and some fun stuff as we travel.
-R&A

[Mark Sedenquist]

Yeah, I thought this chain had gone "toes up" but they have started opening new locations all over the place. I stopped at the outlet in Baker, California a while back -- it was so-so. But not really worth the extra effort to stop.

Mark

[RoadTrippers A & R]

Checkin' in from Lake Powell
We toured Zion this morning and was it ever nice.
Rangers have the traffic flow and tours all dialed in.

Easy to park,, free shuttles everyplace,, good food places,, beautiful park and hiking trails.
Zion is excellent.

We then drove through Kaliab Nat Forest.
Geezzeee like you died and went to heaven on through Marble Canyon.
Rivals Monument Valley through Antelope pass.

Then we headed to Page Az.
We're at the Elks lodge campground.
50 Amp hookups, cable, water,, everything,, cost:
a donation, you make the call.
Killer view of the Lake and town.

If you ever pass the Page Elks and a houseboat is in the parking lot,, it's open for bid. Happens alot.
The one currently there now will probably close for $1500 so say two ancient old jaspers that help out around the place.

Members buy new houseboats, and then donate their old one to the Lodge for bid.
It has to float, and engine(s) run.

Friendly crowd inside if ya like talking to death hangin' from a meathook at the bar.
New York Steak dinner was $7.00,, cocktails $2, drafts a buck.

The Navajos are building Antelope Point Marina and casino nearby.
It really looks nice.
Excellent floating concrete marina has been floated in already.
Looks awesome.

We'll try and get some pix up.
This Verizon wireless w/Mac is cranky with pix.

Next stop,, river rafting in Colorado.

[RoadTrippers A & R]

A must see if ya like American History.
Ya get to climb through stone tunnels and up long ladders to get to the Indian Cliff Dwellings.

Built about 12th century AD.
The Mesa Verde Cliff Dwellings ya get to walk inside the dwellings themselves and all around with a Ranger/guide.
Unlike other locations were ya just observe from a pathway below.

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We're now in Durango Colorado, after the usual stop at Four Corners, where one can stand in four US States at the same time (and buy indian bread).
It's run by the local Navajo Indian tribe, and they are ALWAYS the most excellent people you will ever meet in your lifetime.

Costs $3 per person, and they have a Ranger looking person asking the foreigners to please get off the monument (eventually at least) so others can get a pix and experience it too.

I've heard of ugly Americans abroad,, but we're not alone in this catagory evidently.

We got lots of cool pix, and will post them after our journey on the Durango and Silverton RR.
Most the Restaurants in Durango cater to tourists and are of c- quality with lazy service.
Gasoline everywhere is $3.22 a gallon, usually $3.29 for Premium at the Indian trading posts
Yeah, just 8 cents more.

We are having a lot of fun. Our 7 year old is a teriffic traveler. Playstation helps on the long stretches btw.
The big 8.1 liter GMC truck pulling our massive trailer through the high altitude roadways with ease.
Just loafs at 1900 RPM.

Wifes Angry Aunt from Red China is due to arrive anyday for a 3 to 4 day visit.
Wife is normally very calm and easy going, but I can tell it's coming by her getting annoyed by our 7 year old,, and her pointing out my imperfections.
"I don't get mood swings" she claims. I think they all claim that.

Her birthday is this week and I bought her the Bose noise canciling headphones. We'll have a little party here on the road.

Oh brother, grab your wallet.
They're advertised so much because they charge soooo much.
You should be put to sleep when the Bose folks hand ya the bill.
Only bought at Bose stores. The cheaper Best Buy versions are no-where the same item.
Beware, they are pricy.

Nothings too good for my girl, even if she thinks I'm less than par when her Angry Aunt from Red China Visits.
Or as she tries to say it; "Her Angry Red Ant".

All the same if ya think about it.

Try and get some pix up this evening.

[RoadTrippers A & R]

Authentic Coal fired steam driven RR.
At one time span'd from Denver Colorado to the Rio Grand River.

The Station and starting point was Durango Colorado, Elev approx 7000 ft, the terminus is Silverton, Colorado almost 10.000 ft above sea level.
Spectacular views, really a neat trip.

I've never been able to adjust to the thin air one encounters at high altitudes, but the family handles it fine.
Feels like you can never catch your breath.

The train follows the beautiful Animas river, and travels into some hairy situations through gorges.
It is a scenic line if ever there was one.

I'd skip exploring the town of Silverton and take one of the offered tours, and just eat simple fare on the train.

We were tipped off in advance that the only decent place to eat in Silverton (of at least 20) was Crazy Mommas on Green St. Everything else really sorry tourist fare. Feed back from our fellow passengers seem'd to confirm that.
Not a bad burger and all the bakery goods are home-made, including the burger buns. And instant service.
All her kids were working with momma herself, and they had the attitude they'd rather be someplace else.
Hence the name "Crazy Mommas" I would suspect.

You can tell by her looks she was at one time a super hot chick,, the years still kind to her, though perhaps the kids have made her ruff around the edges. Her Spider Savich ski-bum husband long gone for younger fare.

Today brings a day of Rafting on the Animas River.
Very popular here, big business.
You can see how the train and the rafting are major economic gold for the town.

We're meeting lots of school teachers on this road trip. They have their families along, and often seem to have all the neighbor kids along too. We often take all the kids we know along on trips too.

People from the Carolinas are naturally non-stop chatty it seems. They'll talk right through the guides tour speach. Flag down anyone that'll sit still for a non-stop story.
We're 4 for 4 encountering them. If ya engage them in conversation, you're stuck for the duration of the tour hearing about dead people or how their ATM card got chewed up in the porcupine condom dispensing machine back at the Trading Post.

About 1/3 the trains passengers just took the $22 bus ride back to Durango.
That would peel about 5.5 hours off the trip. Maybe the way to go if you're not a big train nut.

My wife was crazy about the trip,, really loved it.
We passed through Prairie Dog towns, and they would appear as the train passed.
Saw Antelope, Elk, Deer and truly beautiful American Scenery.

The caboose of the train was enclosed, air-conditioned, had a full bar and bartender, and the tables were all high-boys along the windows.
Perhaps another way to consider the trip.

In sharp contrast:

Several large Mormon families in our train car. Always nice, quiet, low profile yet big families.
The kids always well behaved the girls always sweet as sugar to our 7 year old.
The dads all enthusiastic about the train, the kids all reading, mom's all asleep.

I know very little about Mormons other than they are teriffic neighbors (and excellent Marines). See lots of them on the road traveling & sightseeing.

We got back to the RV and I cooked steaks, we swam, fixed a broken shelf,, and are (mostly) asleep.

Off to river rafting in 6 hours.

[Mark Sedenquist]

Rivers are pretty low already this year -- where did you go rafting?

mark

[RoadTrippers A & R]

Yep, ya climb the ladders, and ya crawl through narrow tunnels,, all on very high and steep cliffs at Mesa Verde.
--------------------
We're not quite getting the hang of the Macbook Photo gallery.
It just doesn't let the user edit and save very well.
So far windows has that beat, at least until we figure it out.
We'll eventually get the hang of it.
Got some very interesting pix.

[RoadTrippers A & R]

Rivers are pretty low already this year -- where did you go rafting?

mark

We did the 2 hour Animas river today.
It was excellent.
Water level at about 70%, any higher and kids can't go.
I was the guy hanging over the front with the Power paddle while the guide stear'd.

Lots of sales pressure at the raft co's.
Bring good river footware, sunscreen, swim trunks and a disposable water proof camera.
Don't buy their pix, or rent their wetsuits.
Uneccessary.
------------------------
Struggling to get the MAC photo albums to work.
Not user friendly like Windows that's for sure.
Forget edit and deleting any pix, and locating the pix to upload takes a lot of red tape and concentration.
We'll eventually get it.

[Mark Sedenquist]

I thought I had been to most of the public areas of Mesa Verde -- but I don't recall a ladder like that. Is this something new?

Mark

[RoadTrippers A & R]

Prairee Dog Town, we couldn't resist after reading about it here in RoadTrip America.

Three things Alice and I are suxkers for: A roller coaster, a dark amusement park ride, but most of all, roadside attractions.
Ya know, Trees of Mystery, Haunted Hills,, Hospital & Barn Yard Oddities.

I'll get back to that.

Bullhead city Hospital used to have a display case of fishhooks they removed from people.
Usually is was fishermen or barefoot swimmers at the sportsmans camping strip on the east side of the river that came in for treatment after stepping one.

I discovered that when I took a co-worker, Ronnie there after our friend Ray caught him in the jaw with a 1" trebble on a overhead cast on Lake Mojave.

"It looks OK Ron,, it isn't bad,, they'll probably just put a bandage on it" we kept telling him.
-It, in fact was brutal. Horendous blood loss. This was beyond stitches, the staff Doc used sutures of the "closure", & the hook donated to the hospital waiting room display.
BTW: Ron now sits in San Quentin Death Row for murder 1 of a LADWP co-worker at Shaft Alley Bar in Wilmington, Ca.

So back to the thread;

We came across Prairee Dog Town near Scott City Kansas after reading a cool story here in Road Trip America.

Yep, the parking lot full of shill vehicles.
That is, no customers are in the place, the cars, trucks and RV's out front are fake to make the place look popular.

No sweat,,, the old buzzard runnin' the place only charged us a few bucks to get in. He's lowered the admission cost for some reason.

Ya walk up a short hallway and ya look down into a cage full of live rattlesnakes with a recording of rattles buzzing away.
The wall above full of the Jack-a-lopes, two headed calfs, ect.

Then ya walk out the door to a 2 acre yard full of prairee dogs running all over the place.
In one hole,, then darting over to another barking away.

Pretty unique, cornball as all heck, but worth a look.
In a large pen in the back are a 5 legged cow and a 6 legged cow,, and a giant rabbit.
The Old Jasper gave Maynard a bag of dog treats to feed the animals.

A few goats, and tiny ponys walking around to be petted and fed.

A static display of stuffed rattlesnakes as big as firehoses, and all kinds of other little amusements that might fill your interests.
We loved it, their is a good story here in RTA if ya run a search.

Then we headed East on the I 70, stopping just short of Topeka at a roadside rest because of an incredable downpour. Fantastic amount of rain came down at once.

Several nerd filled Tornado chasing vehicles are surrounding us.
Big class B chassis vans with all kinds of tracking equipment, sat dishes,,antennas of all sorts.
I can hear them all outside chatting,,, talking to other spotters on radios broadcast on speakers,, ect.

We're in the wheelhouse of tornado alley, and the approaching storm looked epic.
No funnels reported yet.
Alice said one in a million they'll see one in this darkness, or even one at all. But Maynard is excited.

The downpour drenched the ignition on the Honda generator and it puke'd, so it's battery power for now as the family sleeps.
OK,, be back from the St Louis Arch, then a sharp turn to Arlington Texas to watch our Tige' Wakeboard boat in it's final Phase of construction & shipment.