2019 Road Trip with Ma and Pa

Monday – 09/16/2019 – Very hot and windy drive today. Headed east with the thought of stopping in Omaha to visit with Art and Cathy. After doing a search of someplace we could visit in Nebraska on our way east I discovered the Golden Spike Tower and Visitor Center. This is an old observation tower located at the Bailey rail yard in North Platte. The tower has been refurbished with an elevator that you can ride to the top along with a nice visitor center. This rail yard is the largest in the world. It has four miles of track, 985 switches, handles about 10,000 rail cars a day all on 2,850 acres.

A unique feature of this rail yard is it two humps. Two 35' hills used to sort the rail cars. The cars are pushed up one side of the hill then disconnected so they can roll independently down the other side of the hill toward a series of tracks. The switches on these tracks are controlled by a computer and it directs the car onto its proper track to build a new train. From the tower you can watch this happening. There are approximately 3000 cars “humped” every day.

Today's Mileage: Tonight's stay: Best Western Plus – Lincoln NE

Tuesday – 09/17/2019 – Another hot and windy day today. It is just a few miles to Omaha and since Art and Cathy would not be available until later today we decided to go south to Beatrice to visit Homestead National Monument. This heritage center focuses on the Homestead Act of 1862. The Homestead Act granted any claimant 160 acres of land if they could live on and farm it for 5 years. This museum chronicles the trials and tribulations, the successes and failures of thousands who risked everything for the American dream. It is located outside Beatrice NE because this is thought to be the location of the first Homestead claim. Oklahoma comes to mind when most people think about the Homestead Act and free land but 29 of the the 50 states had land available. Montana had the most available at 32,050,480 acres, Alaska the least at 363,775. Even Wisconsin had 3,110,990 acres.

On the way to Omaha we visited the Holy Family Shrine, just off of I-80. A beautiful chapel located on a 23 acre site over looking the Platte River Valley. Built almost totally of red cedar timbers and glass it has a 270 degree view of the surrounding countryside. It is a spiritual place and a must stop if in the area.

Cathy and Art where both available for the evening and Cathy invited us to there house for dinner. So nice to have a home cooked meal after so many days on the road. We had a real nice visit Art and Cathy and their daughter Allison stopped in for a bit as well.

Today's Mileage: 140 Tonight's stay: Best Western Plus – Omaha NE

Wednesday – 09/18/2019 – Drove directly to Cedar Falls today without any tourists stops. Hooked up with Mark in the afternoon to visit the cemetery where Uncle Bill, Aunt Jean and Mary's husband Terry are buried. Also saw a bench in a nearby park dedicated to them. In the evening we met with Mark, Mary and Mary's son Andy for dinner. It has been years since I have seen Mary and the first time I have met Andy. So wonderful to connect with family!

Today's Mileage: 140 Tonight's stay: Holiday Inn Express – Cedar Falls IA

Thursday – 09/19/2019 – Final day of the mega road trip. On the way home we made a stop at Lark Toys in Kellogg MN. Mom said they had driven past it many times but never stopped. This is a mega toy store which includes a toy museum and the coolest carousel you ever want to see. Stopped at the cemetery where my sister is buried on the way through Eau Claire. We arrived in back in Chippewa Falls around 3:30.

This was a great road trip and I hope my parents enjoyed it as much as I did. Put on lots of miles, saw lots of cool stuff, stayed in lots of nice hotels and ate too much!

Today's Mileage: 221 Tonight's stay: Parent's home in Chippewa Falls

Total Trip Mileage: 4890

Golden Spike Tower

Homestead National Monument

The opening represents the number of total acres
available for homesteading in each state.

Holy Family Shrine

Family - Cedar Falls Iowa

Lark Toy Co. - Kellogg Minnesota

2019 Road Trip with Ma and Pa

Wednesday - Saturday – 09/12/2019 thru 09/14/2019 – Vegas! Thursday Mom and I took an Uber over to the Flamingo so we could ride the High Roller. Soaring 550 feet above the Las Vegas strip the High Roller is a large observation wheel with 28 large gondola like cars which give you a 360 degree view of Las Vegas. It takes 30 minutes to complete one revolution so you have plenty of time to take in the view. Later mom and I went to the Fashion Show mall. I picked up a new swim suit top as the one I grabbed to take along was starting to fall apart.

On Friday we went over to the South Point Casino to watch a little of the Reining competition that was happening there. There was some high level competition and many beautiful horses. From there we took a ride over to Pahrump NV. Pretty desolate drive. We checked out a Escapees park there. It was ok but not as nice a Saguaro in Benson AZ.

Friday night I was able to get mom out of her food comfort zone and we went to the Noodle Exchange in the Gold Coast Casino and had Shabu Shabu or Asia Hot Pot. It is not the most flavorful food but it is different and fun. I think she enjoyed it.

Saturday – 09/14/2019 – Left Las Vegas today and headed home. Took I-15 and then turned east on I-70. Lots of miles today through some extraordinary country. Not many towns with places to stay or even stop for gas. It was getting late and I was getting nervous driving so late in the day through such a sparsely populated area. It was 8:30 pm when we arrived in Fruita Colorado at a Comfort Inn.

Today's Mileage: 496 Tonight's stay: Comfort Inn and Suites – Fruita CO

Sunday – 09/15/2019 – Another day of gorgeous mountain scenery. But along with that comes winding roads and steep grades. We stopped at a wayside near Glenwood Springs and ended up talking to the maintenance guy there. He was very nice and was enthusiastic about the area. He used to complain about having to work but then realized he was working in one of the most beautiful places in the world. He changed his mind set and attitude and now he thoroughly enjoys what he is doing.

Dennis asked us to take some pictures of the cantilever highway in Colorado. He has been fearful of this section of I-70 saying he does not want to go on it. Well after driving on it I feel it is no worse than a highway interchange. I would be more stressed pulling our fifth wheel through the rest of I-70 with all the steep grades and curves.

As we continued toward Denver we got into more and more traffic. I guess Denver weekend traffic leaving the ski resort areas and going home from the weekend. Still lots of beautiful scenery which you can see better when your is stop and go traffic!

Today's Mileage: 332 Tonight's stay: Best Western Plus – Fort Morgan CO

Gold Coast Las Vegas

 The High Roller - Las Vegas

Shabu Shabu

 Scenery along I-70

 The Cantilever Highway on I-70

2019 Road Trip with Ma and Pa

Monday – 09/09/2019 – Today we visited the Appaloosa Museum in Moscow. Nice museum chronicling the history of the breed. From there we drove south on highway 95 toward Lewiston. More rolling golden hills. The approach to Lewiston included a 2000 foot drop into the river valley. Very dramatic! We took the old, slow road down the hill. Just east of Lewiston we stopped at the Nez Perce National Historic Site visitor center. We watched a 20 minute video and walked through the museum. There were displays of Nez Perce garments and tools, many with very beautiful and elaborate bead work.

Seventy five miles south of Lewiston Idaho we arrived at White Bird pass, a mountain pass dropping into the Salmon River valley. The road drops 2700 feet in seven miles. The road continues for 29 miles along the Salmon River tucked between the river and the hills and cliffs of the Salmon Valley. One of the longest and most dramatic drives I have been on!

Continued south on 95 for another 130 miles arriving in Ontario OR around 8:00.

Today's Mileage: 271 Tonight's stay: Sleep Inn - Ontario OR

Tuesday – 09/10/2019 – We did not have any place in mind to stop today but during a break at a wayside I noticed info on a state park in Twin Falls with a large waterfall. So we stopped to visit Shoshone Falls in Twin Falls. This very large falls on the Snake River is 1000 feet wide and 212 feet high, 45 feet higher than Niagara Falls.

We arrived in the Salt Lake City metro area around rush hour. Hit some slow traffic but was not too bad. We arrived at our hotel around 6:00. Nice view of the mountains to the east and Lake Utah to the west.

Today's Mileage: 427 Tonight's stay: La Quinta Inn & Suites - Orem NV

Wednesday – 09/11/2019 – Final leg to Vegas. Quite the temperature change today. It was 60 degrees when we left Orem. Driving through a few showers the temp dropped down as far as 48 degrees. When we reached Vegas at about 2:00 p.m. it was 92 degrees. We will be staying here at the Gold Coast for at least three nights.

Today's Mileage: 384 Tonight's stay: Gold Coast Casino & Hotel – Las Vegas NV

MOSCOW IDAHO

LEWISTON IDAHO

NEZ PERCE MUSEUM

SALMON RIVER DRIVE - HIGHWAY 95

SHOSHONE FALLS

ON THE WAY TO VEGAS

Mom made the winners board at Gold Coast!