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!

2019 Road Trip with Ma and Pa

Wednesday – 09/04/2019 – Beautiful day driving to Chippewa Falls to my parents. Tomorrow starting an new adventure. Taking a road trip with my parents. We will be heading west and be gone for at approximately 2 weeks. The plan is to head toward Idaho and spend a few days exploring that area then maybe drop down into Colorado and possibly on to Vegas.

Thursday – 09/05/2019 – Got on the road around 7:30. Hopped on I-94 and headed west. We did not do any sight seeing today. We arrived in Bismark ND around 5:00.

Today's Mileage: 524 Tonight's stay: AmericInn – Bismark ND

Friday – 09/06/2019 – After leaving Bismark we drove a few miles west on I-94 then exited the freeway near Gladstone to drive the Enchanted Highway. Along this rural stretch of road are several large metal sculptures made by Gary Greff. He is a local man from Regent ND who wanted to promote his small town so built this series of sculptures and placed them along the road that leads to Regent. They are a wonderful example of American folk art. From Regent we continued on rural roads and returned to the interstate at Dickenson. We made some brief stops at the Painted Canyon Visitor Center and The Theodore Roosevelt National Park Visitor Centers. Lots of miles today despite our stops.

Today's Mileage: 524 Tonight's stay: Baymont – Billings MT

Saturday – 09/07/2019 – We decided to bypass any tourist attractions and keep driving. Around Bozeman we started entering the mountains. It was cloudy and rainy in the morning with the clouds breaking up later in the day. The light and the mountains made for some awesome scenery. Lots of up and down and curvy roads. A few 6% grades but no more than 3 miles long. The steepest was at Lookout Pass (elev. 4700) at the Idaho border. We arrived at the Baymont in Couer d'Alene at around 6 PM Pacific time.

Today's Mileage: 495 Tonight's stay: Baymont – Couer d'Alene ID

Sunday – 09/08/2019 – After leaving the hotel this morning we drove through down town Couer d'Alene. It was Sunday morning so not much going on but it looked very nice if somewhat touristy. We took highway 97 south which is a scenic drive hugging the coast of Couer d'Alene. Spectacular and beautiful and curvy. Once we arrived at St. Maries we decided to take highway 5 to Plummer and pick up highway 95 which would take us to Moscow our next stop. This route took us along the south end of the lake and over the St. Joe River. According to a roadside information sign this river is the highest navigable river in the world.

The landscape south of the lake on the way to Moscow is rolling hills covered in wheat fields dotted with stands of pines. It is referred to as the Palouse. Lots of colorful contrast with the dark pines standing out against the golden wheat fields. We noticed other golden fields that were not wheat. It turns out is was garbanzo beans. In this area the wheat crop is rotated with peas, lentils and garbanzo beans. We arrived in Moscow in the early afternoon and checked into our hotel.

Today's Mileage: 90 Tonight's stay: Best Western Plus – Moscow ID

Enchanted Highway

Outstanding in a wheat field

Parkers Restaurant

Couer d'Alene ID

Moscow ID

Garbanzo bean field with harvested wheat field in the background

Garbanzo beans

Home Again

Tuesday – 04/09/2019 – Another long day of driving, 395 miles. All interstate driving today. Tonight we stayed at the Illinois State Fairground Campground. Full hook-up for $20, senior price. Going to hang out here for at least one day as there is snow and wind expected in Wisconsin on Tuesday. I have always wanted to visited the Lincoln Presidential Museum so we will do that tomorrow.

Wednesday morning we went out for breakfast at Charlie Parker's Diner, another eatery featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. The building is very unusual as it is in an old Quonset hut. We both had the DDD featured pancake. It was very good. After that we went to the Lincoln Presidential Museum. We spent most of the day going through the exhibits. There was also a two man play that was about the events leading up to the assassination. It was my favorite along with the Ghosts of the Library presentation. The weather does not look good for traveling tomorrow. There are high wind advisories all the way through Illinois. So it looks like we may be spending another day here.

Thursday – 04/11/2019 -Stayed another day because of the weather. Snow, rain and wind predicted in Wisconsin. Visited Lincoln's New Salem State Park located a half hour drive northwest of Springfield. This is a reconstructed village where Lincoln spend his early adulthood. Along with a visitor center there are twelve log houses, a tavern, ten workshops, stores, mill and a school. These buildings have been reproduced and furnished as they might have been in the 1830's. There were few visitors there as it was midweek when we visited. During peak season they often have docents demonstrating crafts and techniques used during that time period.

Friday – 04/12/2019 – The storms have moved out of Wisconsin so we headed home. Left early in the morning and arrive home around noon. There was a verily strong wind but it was mostly a tailwind.

Where we are parked: Illinois State Fairground Campground – Springfield – 300 sites- Some with full hookups, some water and electric only. Our spot was in one of the paved areas with full hook-ups. $25 per night, $20 per night for seniors.