Fernanda & Karl - Road Trip, Day 9 -- Website by Now Interactive Solutions

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Miska 2024 - April
04/01/24

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03/01/24

Miska 2024 - February
02/01/24

Miska 2024 - January
01/01/24

Miska - December
12/01/23

Miska - November
11/01/23

Miska - October
10/01/23

Miska 2023 - September
09/01/23

Miska 2023 - August
08/09/23

India and Taj Mahal 2023
03/18/23

Germany (and Iceland) 2022
12/01/22

Brasil 2022 - after BH
10/18/22

Brazil 2022
10/07/22

Bathroom in the Annex
11/13/20

2020 Summer and Fall and Winter in the Pandemic
08/23/20

Long Island 2020
07/24/20

Balcony Garden
05/05/20

Baltimore 2020
02/09/20

Train show at the NY Botanical Gardens
12/07/19

Mohonk - Winter Wonderland
12/04/19

Oktoberfest 2019
10/06/19

Cool pictures of our apartment
10/06/19

Burle Max at NY Botanical Gardens
09/14/19

Papai In Memoriam
08/04/19

Aussie Parents' Visit
05/15/19

A New Car!
04/24/19

San Francisco
02/10/19

Iceland Five-O
01/26/19

Twin Cities
10/12/18

Oktoberfest 2018
10/07/18

Terceira
09/11/18

Ferry to Terceira
09/10/18

São Jorge
09/07/18

Pico
09/05/18

Faial
09/03/18

São Miguel
08/29/18

Wander Lucio's Visit - 2018
07/03/18

Summer 2018
06/30/18

Brunch Harbor Sail
06/17/18

Deutschland 2018 (Karl)
03/29/18

Iceland 2018 (Karl)
03/20/18

Brasil 2018 (Fernanda)
03/17/18

Karl's Singing Birthday
01/26/18

Miami
01/19/18

Gørill
01/01/18

New Bathroom II!
10/24/17

Chicago
10/13/17

Oktoberfest XI
10/08/17

Apocalipse
08/22/17

Oregon!
08/16/17

Madison, CT
07/10/17

Diane's Wedding, observed
06/11/17

Brasil 2017 (Fernanda)
03/24/17

Christmas 2016
12/24/16

New Bathroom!
11/01/16

Staycation in Brooklyn
10/15/16

Oktoberfest X
10/09/16

Vermont
09/18/16

Brasil 2016
08/10/16

Italy 2016 (Karl)
07/27/16

Berlin 2016
06/11/16

Nashville
01/21/16

Germany, 2015
11/26/15

Iceland
11/20/15

Cape Cod
10/18/15

Oktoberfest 2015
09/27/15

Lunar Eclipse - "Blood Moon"
09/27/15

Summer 2015
07/18/15

Hawk and other animals
07/17/15

Berlin
04/01/15

The Faroe Islands
03/20/15

Copenhagen
03/19/15

Christmas at the New Place (2014)
12/24/14

Danube River Cruise (Karl)
11/18/14

Wilmington & Western Railroad, 2014
11/02/14

The Berkshires
10/18/14

Oktoberfest 2014 - Executive House
10/05/14

2014 Brasil - World Cup
06/24/14

Longwood Gardens - thank you RuthAnn!
04/26/14

California, 2014
02/19/14

Thanksgiving 2013
11/28/13

Berlin, Tante Wiebke (Karl)
11/24/13

Iceland, 2013 (Karl)
11/20/13

Through the Looking Glass with Karl in Europe
11/18/13

Vermont 2013
11/01/13

Wilmington & Western Railroad Steam Engine Train Ride
10/20/13

Oktoberfest 2013
10/05/13

Brasil 2013 (Fernanda)
05/25/13

Intrepid
05/04/13

Road Trip South
03/24/13

Another German Christmas (2012)
12/24/12

Hurricane Sandy
10/29/12

Oktoberfest in our Apartment 2012
09/30/12

Air Show, Tough Kennamon, PA
08/25/12

Greece, Islands, 2012: Sifnos
07/20/12

Athens
07/19/12

IRF Reunion
06/23/12

Vermont, 2012
04/08/12

Our Tulip Blooms
03/25/12

Party for Karl's 43rd Birthday
01/28/12

Christmas 2011 at Mt. Snow
12/24/11

5th annual Oktoberfest in our Apartment!
10/01/11

Guests, 2011
09/12/11

Karl's Father in 2011
09/10/11

Misc. grab-bag, 2011
08/18/11

Brasil 2011
07/15/11

Vermont, "Spring" 2011
04/23/11

Nidhi and Arvind's Bangle Ceremony
03/27/11

Karl's 42nd Birtday (observed)
01/29/11

Winter Vacation with Missy and Alex
01/15/11

Brasil 2010
10/04/10

Oktoberfest 2010, Hackensack
09/25/10

Governor's Island, NYC
09/19/10

Karl's family
09/12/10

Vermont
03/26/10

Skiing Hunter Mt. 2010
02/14/10

Karl celebrates turning 41
01/30/10

Babs visits
01/17/10

New Year's Eve
12/31/09

Halloween/Thanksgiving 2009
11/26/09

Oktoberfest 2009, Hackensack
10/03/09

2009 at the pool!
08/18/09

Brú na Bóinne
08/08/09

Galway
08/04/09

Northern Ireland
07/30/09

Donegal
07/24/09

Dublin, etc.
07/18/09

2009 with the Urano family
05/23/09

Brasil 2009
04/10/09

Weihnachten, 2008
12/24/08

Syncsort Xmas Party 2008
12/15/08

Family visits: Karl's parents, uncle, and cousin
11/22/08

Vania's Visit
11/15/08

Marden's visit
11/08/08

Autumn hiking, Ramapo, NJ
10/18/08

Oktoberfest 2008, Hackensack
10/04/08

Labor Day Pool Party
08/31/08

Philharmonic in the Park (yet again)
06/24/08

Fernanda's Parents Come to Visit
06/02/08

Memorial Day Weekend in CT with Missy
05/26/08

Fernanda's Birthday Party, 2008
05/17/08

Katja comes to visit!
04/20/08

Spring 2008
04/12/08

Nikhil's Karaoke Birthday Bar Party
04/05/08

Cross-country Skiing in New England
02/09/08

Karl's Birthday Party 2008
01/26/08

Xmas 2007
12/24/07

Syncsort Xmas 2007
12/08/07

Oktoberfest in our Apartment
10/06/07

Crash!
09/15/07

Nebraska, Iowa
09/13/07

Wyoming, Nebraska, Blow-out
09/12/07

Nevada, Utah, Wyoming
09/11/07

California, Nevada
09/10/07

San Francisco
09/09/07

San Francisco, Sausalito, Mill Valley, Tiberon
09/08/07

San Francisco
09/07/07

Yosemite to San Francisco
09/06/07

Yosemite
09/05/07

Sequoia, Kings Canyon National Parks
09/04/07

Nevada, Death Valley, California
09/03/07

Arizona, Nevada
09/02/07

Arizona
09/01/07

Grand Canyon
08/31/07

Utah, Grand Canyon
08/30/07

Canyonlands
08/29/07

Arches National Park
08/28/07

Utah
08/27/07

Wyoming, Idaho, Utah
08/26/07

Yellowstone, Grand Tetons
08/25/07

Yellowstone
08/24/07

Wyoming, Montana, Yellowstone
08/23/07

South Dakota, Wyoming
08/22/07

South Dakota
08/21/07

Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota
08/20/07

Ohio to Chicago
08/19/07

Pennsylvania to Ohio
08/18/07

5th Brazilian Film Festival, NY
08/08/07

Fernanda's Birthday Party 2007
05/19/07

Paris
03/31/07

Amsterdam
03/30/07

Volendam
03/29/07

Antwerp
03/28/07

Vernon
03/26/07

Château Gaillard
03/26/07

Château de Versailles
03/25/07

Ski Trip 2007 -- Mount Snow
02/17/07

Karl's Birthday Party
01/27/07

Weihnachtsfeier
12/24/06

Syncsort Xmas Party 2006
12/09/06

New Car!
11/28/06

Random New York
11/05/06

At the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
10/24/06

Wander Lucio & Christy
10/20/06

Oktoberfest at Bear Mountain
10/08/06

New England
09/30/06

Barbeque with John and Petya
09/03/06

Sabira's Birthday Party
08/12/06

Allegra's Birthday Party
07/30/06

Opera in the Park
07/18/06

At the Beach
07/16/06

Ante Syncsort Group Dinner
07/14/06

Word Cup, USA
07/09/06

Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, once more
07/08/06

Brasil 2006, Ceará: Fortaleza, Jericoacoara
06/17/06

Brasil 2006, Belo Horizonte
06/10/06

Karl's & Parents
06/04/06

Happy Birthday Pool Party!
05/19/06

Cherry Blossom Festival, Brooklyn Botanical Gardens
04/29/06

Planting a Garden
04/09/06

Fixing Up the Car
04/09/06

At the Ballet with AFS
04/06/06

Alana
04/02/06

Various Times at Sean & Cecilia's
03/05/06

Skiing, 2006 - Hunter Mountain
02/18/06

Karl's Birthday (observed (by some))
01/25/06

Bente's Visit
01/10/06

Xmas Party 2005
12/12/05

Ballooning in Lancaster, PA
11/05/05

Segovia, Spain
10/14/05

Toledo, Spain
10/13/05

Madrid, Spain
10/12/05

Sevilla, Spain
10/10/05

Évora, Tavira, and the Road to Spain...
10/06/05

Porto, Portugal
10/04/05

Eclipse -- Bragança, Portugal
10/03/05

Coimbra and Conimbriga, Portugal
10/01/05

Nazaré and Obidos, Portugal
09/28/05

Lisboa and Sintra, Portugal
09/24/05

Wander Lucio and Christy's Visit
09/18/05

Dinner at Sean and Cecilia's
08/13/05

At the Beach
08/06/05

Pool Minders
07/30/05

From Ivy's Beach to Ivy's Party
07/23/05

Opera in the Park for Allegra's Birthday
07/19/05

Five Year Anniversary Cruise
07/17/05

Social Butterflies
07/16/05

Social Pictures
07/14/05

Central Park Summer Stage
07/09/05

4th of July, 2005
07/04/05

A Day on the River
06/25/05

An Opera in the Park
06/14/05

Memorial Day, 2005
05/30/05

Scooting in NJ Liberty State Park
05/29/05

Scooting to Ashes & Snow
05/28/05

Fernanda's Birthday Party, 2005
05/20/05

Juliana & Cristiano
05/15/05

Nidhi & Arvind's Wedding (observed)
05/07/05

Sakura Matsuri (Cherry Blossom Festival), Brooklyn Botanic Garden
04/30/05

Brasil, 2005
04/18/05

About Town
03/01/05

At Home
02/28/05

The Gates in Central Park
02/13/05

Winter, 2005
01/23/05

A New Year
01/01/05

Christmas 2004
12/25/04

Syncsort Xmas Party 2004
12/21/04

More random
12/20/04

Buraco night
12/19/04

Thanksgiving 2004
11/25/04

Z
10/31/04

AFS NYC Zoo trip
10/30/04

Pumkin Pickin'
10/23/04

Old Short Hills
10/03/04

Whirling dervishes
09/24/04

Random Fall 2004
09/22/04

Saroj's birthday
09/20/04

Pool Party!
08/22/04

Allegra's Party
07/17/04

Family
07/15/04

Guests
07/11/04

Summer 2004 Misc II
07/01/04

Beach 2004
07/01/04

Opera in Central Park
06/16/04

Summer 2004 Misc
06/01/04

Brasil 2004, the rest
05/31/04

Brasil 2004, part 3
05/29/04

Brasil 2004, continued
05/20/04

Fernanda's Birthday, Observed
05/15/04

Brasil, 2004
05/14/04

Highlights of Holi
03/12/04

Holi - Full Set
03/09/04

New Kitchen
02/09/04

Xmas 2003
12/24/03

Wanessa's Wisit
12/16/03

Diwali
10/24/03

Random
10/04/03

Misc Dinners, Parties, 2002, 2003
09/16/03

Fernanda's Very Old Family Photos
09/04/03

Cristiano's Visit
07/15/03

Fernanda's Birthday Party
05/18/03

Europe 2003
04/25/03

Oz 1998
08/01/98

Sunday, August 26, 2007

Road Trip, Day 9

Our Tent-cabin
(Click to view)

Grand Teton, Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, Nevada?! (Well, not quite)

OK, so again, today was a full day. (Every day is, and every day I write the same thing; I also write that the scenery was spectacular -- well, it was!) At night in our tent cabin, we were molested by no bears. The wood stove was nice and warm, though I had to keep getting up throughout the night to feed it wood. At one point I woke and it was pretty cold, so maybe I'll believe them that it got close to freezing. Fernanda did an excellent job scavenging for firewood. They had said at the office you could buy some, or just get dead wood from the forest, and there was plenty. There was, but you'd need an ax to get it down to size. I failed pretty miserably to find much useful wood, but Fernanda was a pro, hunting not just in the woods, but at other camp sites, getting what previous tenants had left behind. Thanks to her efforts, we had more than enough wood.

We cleared up camp, and drove to the shower area to pay for our showers. By the time we got done it was the latest start we've had so far, 9:40 or so. There was a swimming beach at this area, but it was still early morning chilly, so we decided to get on the way.

Beautiful scenery. Yes, I said it. We drove up a mountain peak accessible by car and got a grand view. We drove down the park sort of haphazardly. We hadn't really prepared for this park, so we didn't have fixed spots we wanted to hit, but as a result, mentally we kept thinking we were done and ready to move on, and then we'd hit a totally unexpected great thing, and feel torn about spending time, because in our heads we'd already moved on. Part of the problem was since we'd entered the park from the north, from Yellowstone, there was no entry booth (Yellowstone and Grand Tetons are all one entry fee), and so we had no map or information about the park. Lunch we were already figuring would be outside the park in the south, but we were getting hungry still in the middle and by a beautiful lake, and it would be great to go swimming. But we weren't sure where there was a swimming area, and I was getting grumpy and antsy, not sure where we should be going, where we would be spending the night, what we should be shooting for. Finally we just decided to go to a marked visitor's center, get a map, ask a ranger. Turns out where we had been was a good swimming area with picnic possibilities, but we decided rather than heading back to just take what we had, and so we hiked out a little and picnicked by the shores of the lake, and swam some too. The scenery was out of this world: a sparkling blue lake, huge rugged mountains rising dramatically behind it. Go look at the pictures.

Much revived by food and a swim, and the beautiful scenery and the beautiful sunny day, we drove on, with a rough idea that we'd try to get to Utah by tonight, staging for our push down to southern Utah and the parks there. So we drove on through the park, and out to the first city outside it, Jackson, Wyoming. I guess it helped that it was a fantastically beautiful day, but we fell in love with Jackson, even though we barely stopped in it. It is all upscale and even trendy, a mountain with ski slopes rises right behind it, trim and healthy people are all around it, hiking, biking, whatever. We stopped at a sushi restaurant since we'd been craving some and got an order to go. Then we found a Smith's supermarket and stopped in to replenish our groceries. The Smith's was huge and shiny and new, and had good prices and lots of stuff we needed. I guess part of it might be having been in National Parks for the last couple days, but civilization hit us with a vengeance. Plus, this new, shiny Smith's with the friendly helpful people looked right out on a field ending in a mountain -- I dare you to find THAT in New Jersey.

Driving the scenic route south in Wyoming, we hit upon our master plan. The problem had been how to get in seeing some sites in Utah near Salt Lake without sacrificing a whole day, while still being able to get to Moab for the parks in the south. So I remembered Wendover, all the way at the western end on the Nevada desert. They can't wait to start with the gambling, so the casino is right on the border in Nevada, while the parking lot is in Utah. Gambling areas usually have great loss-leader deals, and indeed, when we looked it up, the Motel 6 in Wendover cost half the price we consider normal. It would be close to the best deal we've had so far. Going all the way out to Nevada is a straight shot right past the salt flats, one of the things worth seeing (it left a great impression on me when I was young seeing them for the first time), if not quite worth going out of your way for. But see, the master plan: we could call ahead using the Motel 6 toll free number, confirm the reservation, then arrive late without the usual rigmarole of going from motel to motel looking for vacancy and decent rates. We could drive late, past when we'd normally feel we'd have to stop and compromise.

So, the plan: all the way through to Wendover tonight. As the plan came together through Idaho we put the finishing touches on it with the room reservation, allowing us to dilly-dally if we wanted to, instead of arriving there somewhat late but still in time to compare deals. We decided to dilly-dally and go take a swim in Bear Lake, just over in Utah from Idaho.

So we drove down a beach access, parked when we couldn't get any further due to a huge puddle in the road, and walked down to the beach, getting muddy passing the puddle in what turned out to be a great wet marshy area (a 4x4 truck drove through, so it isn't impassible, just not doable without a 4x4 -- what a concept: those things ARE good for something!) I was sure Bear Lake was going to be a salt lake, the way it looked, and it being so close to the Great Salt Lake, but it was fresh. Very shallow sandy bottom, and a very refreshing swim.

So then we called and made our motel reservation, and thus assuaged, stopped at a nice scenic over-look rest-stop to have our sushi for dinner, before continuing on our way.

It was a beautiful scenic drive, even though it turned out Salt Lake City was further than our estimates. In the end we ended up pulling into Wendover at 10:15 pm, and it was already dark when we passed through Salt Lake City. Tomorrow bright and early we will take a quick look around the gaudiness that is Wendover, drive along the Salt Flats and marvel at the emptiness of them, then drive around Salt Lake for a bit, and maybe go out to Park Ciy, before heading down to Moab, in what I hope will be a 5 1/2 hour drive. We already have a reservation for the first night, not at a great rate, but at least we can pull in late at night again if need be.

Amazingly, this Motel 6 does not have wifi, so yet another day without wifi and being able to post stuff. Hopefully tomorrow we'll stop by a cafe or something with wifi, so I can post stuff, and also so I can check with Google to make sure I'm not totally off in how long it takes to get to Moab.

So, nearly 12 hours driving, I think I get to say it was a full day. Fernanda and I traded off driving, though I did most of it today. The car is back up to 36 mpg, even hitting 37 and 38. We broke 3000 miles today total mileage.

So, 11:30, not even as late as I've been up. The fun continues tomorrow...

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Previous Entries

:-(
06/19/21

Açores
08/29/18

Our New Bathroom Saga
11/17/16

Europe 2015
03/16/15

The Berkshires
10/18/14

Road Trip South
03/23/13

Greece!
07/26/12

Our Trip to Ireland
08/09/09

Google Map of our Trip
09/17/07