Pat Gallagher's Blog

Our Newest Travel Adventure since 2019 - Post Covid

As we were approaching our 70th birthdays last year, Fred in November and I in December, we decided it was time travel again.  Get our lives back on track after Covid had taken hold of everyone's life for over two years.  We saw that our Travel Agent Johanna Green of Mayfair Travel had posted a trip to the gorgeous and mysterious islands of Croatia.  CROATIA! That's right Croatia.  In my mind I am thinking 3rd world Communist/Socialist country, but the pictures of ice blue water and the small ship sailing (35 people) was very appealing.  And in the back of my mind, after I did some geography checking, I knew we were supposed to do this trip.  Medjugorje, which was on my bucket list, the town where the Blessed Mother has been appearing since 1981, was two hours away from where we were going to be cruising.  So we signed on for Croatia, and then I told Fred about Medjugorje and my pilgrimage after our cruise.  So we were now planning two very different trips back to back and Fred was being very good about it.

While starting all the planning, life happens, we were in the middle of trying to sell our humongous house because the market is good, I had several medical issues that popped up and became problematic, we had to cancel our 70th Birthday Cruise in November because of a new Covid strain and then I got Covid, for the 3rd time on my 70th birthday in December.  UGH!!!!

We are keeping our hope up that all will go well and come July 8th 2022, we will be on a plane to Dubrovnik, Croatia.  We are both very excited for very different reasons.  I really want to do the cruise to exotic Croatia but Medjugorje has been my dream for many many years.  I continue to plan for two very separate trips throughout the winter months, and realize three extra days in Medjugorje will not be enough so I convince a reluctant Fred to add an additional three days to my Medjugorje Pilgrimage.  I am now very happy. Croatia Cruise 7/8- 7/16, Medjugorje 7/16- 7/21. I knew this was ment to be because our small Ship for the cruise was called the Ava Maia.  So you can see by the pictures below these are two different and distinct Adventures. Now I will share with you how we navigated both trips and that we are still together and smiling.

Our Ship the Ava Maria on the Croatian Coast - Trip #1

Croatian Coast

Our first stop Dubrovnik, Croatia

Medjugorje in Bosnia - Trip #2

St. James Church

Apparation Hill (where the Blessed Mother first Appeared)

Cross Mountain

So this will  be the last episode of our Western Adventure.  I am sure most of you are very happy about that.  So today we are heading to Grand Canyon from Glen Canyon Dam, which is  about 2 and 1/2 hours, a short distance on this trip.  I have been looking forward to this part of the trip.  THE GRAND CANYON.  As a child you see pictures, movies and hear all sorts of stories about it.  Some people love it, are awed by it or yawn at it.  My critique will happen after I see the Grand Canyon.  My one girlfriend, who will remain nameless to protect the innocent, called it a hole in the ground.  Yet to be determined.  

So we had a nice breakfast, checked out the Dam and Lake Powell again before we headed out.  So traveling along to the Grand Canyon, we got to see some really Cool sights.  Rainbow Bridge, Glen Canyon, the Hanging Gardens, Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend before reaching the Grand Canyon.  Each one of these sights in and of itself are fabulous, awe inspiring, breathtaking and very Art worthy.  But we were on Freddy’s Fast track and did not have enough time at anyone of these locations to really take the time to enjoy the beauty of it all.  You really know there is a God after seeing these landscapes. Trying to draw or paint any one of these locations is a challenge to an Artist.  I will transcribe these thoughts to some paintings at a later date.  

On with the trip.  We arrive late to the Grand Canyon because of our sight seeing.  So our 2 and 1/2 trek turned out to be almost 8 hours because of stoping, hiking and looking. We arrive at the Grand Canyon at dusk.  We put out the big bucks to stay at the Grand Canyon Lodge.  Why Not! Only a few more days on the road before heading home.  The lodge was built in the 1930’s and only wealthy travelers could afford to stay there.  We settled in and headed out again to see the canyon before the sun went down.  Amazing! Wow! Breathtaking! Wow! Jaw dropping! Wow!  OK, I have to give Fred credit for saving the best for last.  We were sitting on the Lodge’s back porch with a glass of wine. Watching the sun go down over the Grand Canyon. It was a Moment. Period end of story. 

We have a dinner, walk back to our room and run into a Moose. Yes a Moose! Maybe a few, but who was counting?  Bedtime at the Grand Canyon.

I wake up very early to get some pictures of sunrise over the Grand Canyon before breakfast. Again, Amazing! Wow! Breathtaking! Wow! Jaw dropping! Wow! Another moment, this time, I felt like God was talking to me and all my past family and friends who have pass to the other side were all there.  It still gives me chills.  I was there for about an hour looking, taking pictures and walking around some of the trails before I went back to wake Fred.  We had the most elegant breakfast in the Lodge and then planned out day of hiking and seeing the Canyon.  

So we are going to look at what hikes are doable.  Do we want to walk, hike, ride a mule or go on the guided tour OVER the canyon, YES over the canyon! On the glass walkway that overhangs the 6000 ft Grand Canyon. Well from the get go, the see through overhang skywalk that Ranger Raoul says is only about 100 ft to the center and 100 ft back does not understand that one foot is too many for me. NO, NOT, NEVER! Moving along the mule thing is out of the question.  I have no problems with Mules, none whatsoever.  But when Ranger Raoul started telling us about the mule trip, heights and helicopter removal I started going weak in the knees. We settled on the self guided, easy pace trip that would not involve $15,000. and evacuation plan or my death by fright. We head out to the Bunny Trail and I see specs of dirt that seem to be moving down in the canyon.  I take my sun glasses off clean them, rub my eyes and clean the glasses again.  NOPE it was a trail of people on mules deep in the canyon.  I was only looking at moving specs and I almost threw up.  

We continued our self guided tour, against Ranger Raoul’s better judgement and drove from site to site to see the canyon. As you remember, Freddy the Fireman, who is not in the least bit afraid of heights wants to hike down these areas so he can get a better look at the the 6000 ft incision in the Colorado River.  All I can think of is heartless Ranger Rick’s warning from a few days back.   Nope, I am not hiking down anywhere, today I am an observer and proud of it.  So as we go from site to site Fred wants to hike down and get closer to the edge to get a better look.  I say take a picture, go on the internet, make friends with one of those foreigners who are hanging off the edge to get the perfect vacation photo.  Ranger Raoul told us not to get too close to the edge or take any risky photos because every day five people die from falling over the edge trying to get a perfect photo.  What does SPLAT look like?  Thank goodness I have the telephoto sense for my iphone so I don’t have to get any closer than the railing.  

The day ends with a wonderful dinner and another sunset over the canyon.  NO ART TODAY! But many ideas swirling around in my head. 

We woke early and had another look at the canyon, then head south towards Route 66. This will be the quickest way to get back to Vegas to start our trek home.  We did get some kicks on Route 66.  What a fun town!  Memorabilia everywhere.  The town is about 2 miles long of fun chachki stuff.  Everything you want or need to know about Route 66 is on those 2 miles of highway.  Even Smokey the Bear.  Fred and I continued to go down memory lane as we went from shop to shop to shop ending up at Rods Steak House, where he swore the owners would remember him from 50 years ago.  We entered Rod’s, passing the giant polyurethane Cow at the entrance of the restaurant.  After Fred approached the owner and told him the whole story of his trip 50 years ago and insisted that he recognize him, I gently nudged Fred out of the restaurant and told him the new Asian owners were being nice and really didn't remember you.  He disagreed.  We had a great dinner at a funky dinner spot then looked for some local music.  We headed back to our hotel for a good night sleep before heading to Vegas in the AM.  NO ART TODAY! 

At the end of our exciting day yesterday, we arrived at the Wren B&B in Bluff, Utah.  We got settled and had a few drinks to settle my nerves on the back porch of the B&B. The B&B was a bit out of the way but after my traumatic day, I wanted something special.  The B&B was in the middle of nowhere, it was like an oasis in the desert.  It sat at the base of one of the Cliffs/ Mesas we just hiked.  I was very glad to be enjoying the view and not having to hike on the ledges.  Then we enjoyed a great dinner at the Cottonwood Steakhouse.  Throughout our trip I have been rating our locations and lodgings,  this was one of the most scenic locations, B&B was very nice, breakfast was great but the bed was made of rocks.  I guess a reminder of my hike!  In all the hubbub of yesterday I forgot to mention Arches National Park.  Another wonder of the USA. It is a 73,234-acre wonderland of eroded sandstone fins, towers, ribs, gargoyles, hoodoos, balanced rocks, and, of course, arches northwest of Moab.  Again if you ever get a chance to visit there, it is fabulous and I didn't have to climb anything.

As we get on the road, today will be a touring day.  We are headed to Fort Bluff, Utah, then Monument Valley, Colorado, ending at Glen Canyon Dam at Lake Powell, AZ. So we will be traveling about 300 miles, 6 hours without stops. Who knows how long with stops at these destinations?  YIKES!!!!!! It is still better than risking my life to see Cliff Dwellers who had the sense eventually move on.

We  arrive at Fort Bluff which is called "Hole in the Wall Trail!  Not sure why?  All we could find out was that it was built by Mormons in 1880's and it was their last stop on a trail they never found!!!!! But we found it and it was pretty cool.  Thanks Mormon men and women for leaving exact replicas of your daily life. 

Then we headed to Monument Valley but before we could get there we had to backtrack about 70 miles because I wanted scenic lodgings that  were totally out of our way.  Oh well!  We get to pass the 4 Corners again.  If you have never visited Monument Valley, you are missing another one of the greatest sights of the USA.  It is a vast scenic landscape in the region of the Colorado Plateau,  it is located on the Arizona and Utah border, near the Four Corners area, that we visited yesterday. The valley lies on the territory of the Navajo Reservation with MANY structures that were made by the effects of wind, water and sand over thousands and thousands of years.  The largest reaching 6,000 ft. above the valley floor.  Everything we are seeing today is by car with a short walk around because the area covers over 20 square miles.  NO Hiking today!  After seeing the iconic vistas of my childhood westerns movies, we head out towards Glenn Canyon Dam.

Glen Canyon Dam is 710 ft high dam, built in 1956 to 1966 and is the little Brother of the Hoover Dam which is 726 ft high and built in 1931-1936.  So we got to see the Glen Canyon Dam, but as Dams go this was pretty big and very impressive.  I am sure no one ever heard of it or really cares!   But we do a tour of the whole Dam and have to cross over the Dam which is a bit more sturdy that the Cliff Dwellers passage, so I am very relieved.  After that we head to our Hotel in Lake Powell.  A  Wydham Hotel overlooking the dam and Lake Powell.  Where have these hotels been????? Dinner and early to bed.  No Art Today!  Tomorrow we head to the Grand Canyon.

We left Montrose, Colorado, headed to Bluff, Utah where we are staying at a B&B at the base of Bluff Canyon.  Along the route, we will stop at Mesa Verde National Park, Four Corners and then Bluff, Utah. As the crow flies, we will cover 300 miles today.  We will be staying awhile in Mesa Verde to do some hiking and Cliff Walking!!!!!!!! Remember my FEAR OF HEIGHTS…… to be revisited later.  This is day 11 of our 15-day adventure.  I am anxious to see some of these structures and formations created by thousands of years of time in the desert.  After a pretty long and boring ride from Colorado to Mesa Verde, we arrive in the area.  We have been driving miles and miles in the Mesa Verde area seeing the Huge structures, thousands of feet high and thousands of years old. The beauty of the rocks are amazing (remember I do have a Masters Degree in Geography, so rocks and I are good friends).  We arrive at Mesa Verde National Park and head to the ranger station.  We have three choices for hiking: Slow, Medium and Advanced Hiking.  Well I know Advanced is out but Medium could work, Since Slow Hiking was for the elderly and infirmed.  The hike starts in 1 1/2 hours and I said to the Ranger "What can we do in the meantime?" He said start heading to the meetup spot now. ????? So we did a quick look around at the museum and got back in the car thinking we will have plenty of time up there at the site to hang out.  It takes up one hour and fifteen minutes to get to meetup site!  Then we meet Ranger Rick.  This young, fit, extremely agile, and VERY exuberant, kid ranger.  We are now 12,000 feet up and anywhere you look is scary.  Ranger Rick says "Everyone go to the meetup point."  I thought we were already there! The hike starts down there, I will meet up with everyone in a few minutes. So, we start heading down to the actual beginning of the hiking path. Hand railings, well-marked paths, and guided areas.  A bit shaky but I am feeling confident 12,000 feet above sea level.

Ranger Rick meets up and now starts our guided tour with some basic info.  How is everyone feeling? If any of you had ANY trouble getting to this point, Drop Out Now!  If you have knee replacements, hip replacements, shoulder problems, are afraid of heights, get air sick, motion sick or light-headed. QUIT NOW!  We lose 7 people.  Ranger Rick Continues, This will be a three-hour hiking tour up and down these cliffs. If for any reason you think you CAN’T make it…… QUIT NOW!  You will be climbing up and down steps cut out of the cliffs and around cliff edges, there is only one way out, straight up several 30 ft’ ladders.  We lose 5 more!  I am second guessing my stamina, ability, agility, and common sense.  As I have mentioned before I AM EXTREMELY AFRAID OF HEIGHTS, and that queasy feeling is already starting to happen.  My hands are sweaty, my heart is pounding and starting to race.  I am trying to be brave, strong, wear my big girl pants but it is really starting to scare me. Of Course, Freddy the Fireman, can’t wait.  Fred is looking at me like, can you do this? Will I have to Carry her out?  Maybe you should stay here…….I am weighing the situation.  Looking down 12,000 feet to the ground below, the steps to get up and down the Mesa and the cliffs.  Ranger Rick continues, if you start this, you have to finish it because there is only one way in and one way out, unless you are airlifted out by helicopter and it will cost you $15,000.

Ranger Rick then walked away. He comes back in a few minutes to see that 8 more people have backed out. Fred is seriously asking me, Can You Do This???  I am really weighing the situation.  Looking down 12,000 feet, the stairs to get up and down the Mesa and the cliffs. I look over to see this European Couple with their very elderly mother and a toddler of 14 months in a humongous backpack. If they can do it, I can do it. I make a snap decision and go for it.

Ranger Rick says”OK, let's go”!  Just writing about it, brings back to my mind, what a wrong decision I made!  I was scared Shitless!  I still have nightmares from it. There was the look of sheer panic on my face and in my body, the whole time.  It was probably one of the scariest things I have ever done in my life.  That being said, I survived to tell the story.  Fred was being the firefighter the whole time.  As if he were helping me out of a burning building, coaxing me along with each step as we descended down the cliffs to get into the Cliff Dwellings.  After about 45 minutes we take a break.  Ranger Rick is assessing everyone, OK, we haven’t lost anyone, no one is crying or throwing up, the group looks good.  Of course, I am feeling all of that but hiding it well.  Ranger Rick gives us a history lesson about Cliff Dwelling people, rocks, archeological phenomenon. All I am thinking is that we are only 1/3 of the way. YIKES!!!!!! $15,000.00 is starting to sound like a bargain. Fred is walking over to the edges, walking to various areas of the cliffs.  I am like Fred get back here, PLEASE I can’t do this alone if you go over the edge.

Remember that European couple with the child in the giant backpack, they decide to take him out of the backpack and let him roam the edges.  Now I am having a panic attack for two people.  Myself and that child as he approaches the edge about 50 times.  I can’t watch anymore.

Finally, we get on our way and descend into the cliffs further, but before we start Ranger Rick tells us to be especially careful because there no more railings.  WHAT!!!!!!!!

Much of the rest of the hike is a blur as I try to remain calm and conscious.  We stop again to see an actual cliff dwelling that is thousands of years old. But to get there we have to go around an edge that is 6 inches wide, out in the open above nothing but air, no railing. I let everyone else go before me.  I am frozen with FEAR.  I realize now that our trip just got $15,000.00 more expensive that is unless I fall. Then the buzzards will get me and we won't have to spend the 15 Grand.

Ranger Rick is looking at me with no sympathy because we were warned.  He continues his Guided Tour without me on that side.  I am praying to the Saint of Heights, the Saint of No Fear, my parents for support and asking God to transport me to the other side.  Well, the Saint of No Fear gets me across the ledge. One foot after the other, I hear the words DON’T LOOK DOWN, DON’T LOOK DOWN........FIREMAN FREDDY TALKING OVER THE LEDGE.   Thank You, God, the Saints, my parents, and Freddy.  I am soaking wet head to toe, I have not heard a word of Ranger Rick’s spiel but try to relax a bit.  I sit in an alcove away from the ledge I just walked over.  Ranger Rick’s talk is over, we can finally get out of this place.  Then I hear the words, OK let's go back over that ledge the same way we came. I cried and asked God to let me die right there.  But yet again Fireman Freddy came to the rescue and talked me through it.

Now we really have to get out of here and we have to climb up at least 200 chiseled out steps in the cliff wall that are 4 inches wide before we get to the three 30’ ladders we have to climb to get out for real.  Again that trust walk that I mentioned before I had to trust in Fred’s calming ability to guide me to safety.  Which he did.  It is a good thing he loves me because I could have been a buzzards thanksgiving dinner.

After finally getting on the road again we head to 4 Corners, which is the one spot in the United States where you can stand in four states at once.  Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah.  I thought this was a bit more fun than the giant ball of string and my Cliff Walking Nightmare.  We quietly drive along after this momentous day to our B&B called Hole in the Bluff Canyon in Bluff, Utah.  I need a drink!  Oh, just saying, not many pictures were taken today and NO Art Today.

Our B & B in Cody, Wyoming was a "Tiny House" on the Apple Jack Ranch.  It was really cool and would have liked to spend more time exploring the ranch but we had a very long day ahead of us.  The owners of the ranch have been on the property for about 100 years and the houses on the property came from an Indian reservation.  After a morning meet and greet with the owners, some coffee, tea and scones, we were off to find a real cowboy breakfast.  We were not disappointed in the tiny Cowboy town of Cody. 

After breakfast, we headed to the Wild Bill Hickok and Buffalo Bill Cody Museum, where your guns had to be left at the door.  It was a gigantic place with every famous Cowboy and Indian outfit you can imagine, Guns, Western Art, stuffed animals of the Prairie and Western tales to be told.  We only got a one day pass but they mostly sold the 4 day passes to most cowpokes. We spent several hours meandering and dreaming about the Wild West.  Then headed to the Buffalo Bill Cody Stampede Arena, only to be disappointed because it was a Monday and everything of any interest is closed on Monday.  Next Time. 

Since Cody, WY is the “Rodeo Capital of the World”,  we headed to the Bullalo Bill Cody Rodeo next, only to find the Rodeos were closed for the season!   I  am starting to see a pattern here!  We started just touring around town and this is what we did get to see:

-Buffalo Bill Cody Hotel, opened by Cody himself in 1902.

-Buffalo Bill Cody Trail Town, which are buildings and artifacts that date back from 1879.

-Buffalo Bill Reservoir.

-Buffalo Bill Dam.

-Buffalo Bill State Park.

-Buffalo Bill Center Of The West.

-Buffalo Bill Cody Ranch.

-Buffalo Bill Cody Firearms Museum.

-Buffalo Bill Cody Dug Up Gun Museum.

-Dead Indian Summit Overlook.

Whew……..After all of that fun, it was time to get out of Dodge!

We really wanted to head north to Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument in Montana, which was a 4-hour ride from Cody, Wy (about 230 miles).  We decided that it might be too far out our way because there was nothing else there to see (or so we thought).  I kept second guessing our decision.  Mind you Fred had never been there on his Western Adventures, so it would have been a new experience for him too.  As a kid, I always wanted to go to Montana.  Who knows why? I wanted to live on a Dude Ranch and go horseback riding and fishing and live like a Cowgirl.   

So, instead, we headed south instead to Thermopolis, Hot Springs, WY, 85 miles, 1.5 hours.  Thermopolis is a town full of Mineral Hot Springs. The big, little town claims the world's largest mineral hot spring in the U.S. (Also in the Guinness Book of World Records). 

"Thermopolis" is Greek for "Hot City".  It is home to numerous natural hot springs, in which mineral-laden waters are heated by geothermal processes.  The springs are open to the public for free as part of an 1896 treaty signed with the Shoshone and Arapaho Indian tribes. Thermopolis is also home to many Dinosaur fossils.  I am getting all geeky again.  I love this stuff.  Can you imagine what my Western Adventure would look like?  So, we found a hot spring and went for a dip.  It is hotter than a hot tub and smells like rotten eggs because of the gases.  Sounds like fun and it was!  So after 30-40 minutes, we headed south again.

Let me tell you there is not a whole hell a lot to see or do from Cody, Wy to our next real adventure spot of the Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado (except for Thermopolis).  But we have to stop somewhere before I get crazed from being in the car too long. So it will be the not so western town of Rawlins, WY.  (180 miles - 3 hours, due south).  Another mini Norman Bates Motel and not a whole hell of a lot else. But after a long day of sightseeing and steam bathing, we are ready for bed. 

The next few days will be like groundhog day, so I will move quickly along..... 

Today, we get up after spending the night at a Norman Bates Motel, we eat, we get on the road, we drive, we eat, go to bed in another Norman Bates Motel, NO ART TODAY!,

Tomorrow, get up, eat at some local diner and on the road again.  NO STOPPING, a full day in the car.  Oh, what fun!!!!  Can you hear the joy in my voice? 

Tomorrow, we are headed to Montrose, Colorado because it is the same name as the town where Fred built a home in the mountains in upstate PA. We get up, we eat, we get on the road, we drive, we eat, go to bed in another Norman Bates Motel, NO ART TODAY!,

Rawlings, WY to Montrose, CO  325 miles, 6 hours.  UGH!!!!!! NO ART TODAY EITHER!!!!!

I am going out of my mind!

First of all, sorry for the delay of Part 8. I know how everyone is anxiously waiting with bated breath for every chapter of our trip……Life has a way of changing your plans, not mentioning Christmas and New Year holidays.  

Anyway….

We wake up in our fabulous room, still in Jackson Hole, Wy, by the ringing of our hotel phone.  As I try to reach for the phone, my body will not move, not one inch.  The phone continues to ring and ring.  I finally struggle to get out of bed, wondering why my body can hardly move and I hurt all over like I was hit by a MAC Truck.  Then the light bulb goes off in my head, “White Water Rafting”.  Finally, I reach the ringing desk phone to hear the very chipper Receptionist/Concierge at 7:30 am remind us of our upcoming 2 hour Horseback Riding Adventure.  I almost throw up!

Thinking of being on a Horse for 2 hours, which I haven’t done in about 10 years or longer,  and feeling as I do, I know this is an impossible task today.  Being I was closer to the phone, and I have not seen Fred move,  I am guessing he feels the same as I do.  So, I politely tell this annoyingly Chipper Receptionist to cancel our Riding Adventure in the Grand Tetons, and NO!!!!!, we are not rescheduling.  

Now mind you, there were only four things I really wanted to do on this trip, 

1.  Fly fish on the snake river or any river out West.
2.  Horseback ride in the Grand Tetons
3.  Paint, draw, sketch
4.  Little Bighorn Battlefield  

 So far two are off the list, still trying for the drawing, painting, sketching, and LBH.

I head back to bed, to rest my weary White Water Rafting body.  Fred has still not moved, I put a hand on his chest to see if he is still breathing, satisfied, I go back to sleep.  When we finally are up and awake, Fred makes no mention of Horseback Riding, so we pack up and head out to continue north on Fred's Western Vacation.

Our destinations today, driving through the Grand Tetons, Caribou National Forrest,  Yellowstone National Park (Old Faithful), AppleJack Ranch, Cody, Wyoming.  Distance driving from Jackson Hole, Wy through Yellowstone to Cody, Wy is about 200 miles.  Not much hiking today, just some leisurely walking and sightseeing. Thank God!

Our first stop, Yellowstone National Park, before entering, we are already seeing so many animals and beautiful scenery.  Ok, this trip isn't so bad….. 

We see the second Geyser in only a few days and truthfully, the one in Soda Springs, Idaho was actually bigger but who ever heard of Soda Springs???  Riding through Yellowstone, we see all kinds of Geothermal areas including Mammoth Hot Springs, Grand Prismatic Spring, Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, mud holes and fumaroles. Most of my friends don't know I am a real Geek for this kind of stuff,  Fred stayed in the car while I explore.  Awe-inspiring with pictures to follow….

After spending all day in the park, we head out at dusk only to get lost taking a wrong turn,  one way in, one way out….so it takes us a very long time to get to our Air B & B location in Cody, the AppleJack Ranch.  We arrive at 10:00 pm in the middle of nowhere to our little house on the ranch with only the Horses and Donkeys to greet us.  No dinner tonight, we would never find our way back to the ranch, just snacks we can find in our cooler.  No Art today but some beautiful pictures to paint later.  Good Night from Cody, Wyoming.

Before I start this installment, Fred was reading the last blog and told me it was boring! So what do I do? Lie! Not every day is exciting. Life can be boring! Anyway....

Day 7 is A bit cooler 80°, but sunny. We are enjoying our spacious accommodations with a REAL BATHROOM and LARGE SHOWER,  Kitchen, Living Room and Balcony. While enjoying all of this, we're starting to feel a little bit funny.  We are both experiencing altitude sickness because of the elevations. My problem, I was drinking seltzer not plain water, I was getting exploding headaches. No one told us that you're not supposed to drink anything carbonated. I found that after we got home!  A lot of help that info did me.

If you've never been to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, it's very much a cowboy town. There are no streets, there are no sidewalks, just like cowboy movies. Wooden planks like a boardwalk everywhere.  Lots of shops, lots of cool western stores and lots of people. Today we are doing white water rafting.....We get to the location of the outfitters, we don't need wetsuits, nice weather, we're good. It takes us a half an hour to get to our location by bus, We find our guide and head down to the boat. Now the boat is a large inflatable, it accommodates six people plus the guide. Fred and I have both been canoeing and kayaking, so we have the rhythm down. The people that are in the lead seats have never been canoeing or kayaking and don't have a clue, we realize this may be a problem. They don't want to switch seats, they want to be up front. OK! Our guide starts to give some instructions about life jackets, survival training, what happens when you fall out of the boat. Not if, when. Now mind you were already out in the water and someone asked our guide "how many people fall out in a day"?  he said "at least one or two people on each trip every day".  Yikes, now I'm scared. I didn't think we needed any survival training. 

Off we go eight miles of white water rafting on the Snake River. Our lead rowers hitting each other with their oars! We are doomed! The water temperature is 50 degrees, the sun is gone and I am seriously rethinking why we didn't get the wetsuit!  The guide proceeds to tell us about the many large rocks, gully's and holes we will be going over. Then SLAM, we hit the first one and our lead rowers almost fall out. They are arguing and NOW want to switch seats.... Tooooo late for that honey! SLAM AND DROP again. We are now totally soaked after 3 minutes. Only 1 hour and 57 minutes to til we hit land again.  We are rising and dropping every few minutes.  It is cold, scary, exciting, exhilarating and fun at the same time.  I have been whitewater rafting once before on the Delaware Water Gap in Pennsylvania.  There is NO comparison whatsoever. After 3 hours of whitewater rafting, we are freezing and exhausted, very grateful to see our exit point to land.  We depart the boat and get ready to find our bus, our guide tells us it is right up the hill.  They neglected to tell us it was 1 mile uphill through the woods.  I was ready to cry.  Everyone is crying and cursing at the same time.  We finally get to the top and the bus driver said "the bathrooms (a portable potty) are over there if you wanted to get out of our wet clothes.  We look and it is half a mile away from the bus.  Hell No! Everyone got on the bus soaking wet and cold.  We arrive back at the outfitters frozen and hungry. the Last picture of this Blog is me after the whole White Water Raft Trip....

We are too traumatized to make a decision about dinner so we repeat last nights fabulous meal at the Gun Barrell.  

We fall into bed in our fabulous room and I dream of our horseback riding adventure in the Tetons.  No Art Today!

So we wake up yet again in another state. Day 6 of Fred's Western Adventure. Today we explore the city of Soda Springs, Idaho. Do you know that Idaho is not just famous for potatoes but for gems? It is really known as the Gem State, not the potato state. India and Idaho produce the highest amounts on Star Garnets in the world. Just another fun fact to tuck away in that warehouse of useless information. As our adventure continues, today we will learn about geysers. Idaho Springs is famous for the hot springs in and around the area. As we're waiting for the hourly geyser to erupt, we had a great breakfast, one of the best so far on the trip. After breakfast, we head on over to the Geyser and wait! Every hour on the hour, we are told, the geyser erupts. So we wait and precisely at 10 o'clock The Soda Spring geyser erupts. What a sight to behold! Not sure how they get it to erupt every hour on the hour, 24 hours a day, but we enjoyed it. We then toured the Soda Springs museum, found Soda Springs Historic Hotel/ B&B, which we did not find in any tour book, travel site, internet or AAA travel guide. That’s why we got to stay in another Norman Bates hotel, the previous night!

We are having a leisurely day today because we were heading north to the Grand Tetons and a real hotel/Lodge in Jackson Hole Wyoming. My excitement is building as I dream not of the Grand Tetons but a REAL bed in a real Lodge, in a real town, with normal people, and we are staying in one place for 3 whole nights! Heaven......
We drive through the Grand Tetons first, check into our Lodge and then head back to the city of Jackson Hole. We spend the afternoon there go back to the lodge shower in a real shower not a midget shower and relax looking out over the Grand Tetons what a gorgeous site. We dress for dinner and find a steakhouse to satisfy Fred's desire for a big steak. We find a restaurant called the gun barrel. Dinner was great restaurant was cool, food was fabulous. Yum Yum Yum. We have a big day planned tomorrow, checking out fly fishing, going on a whitewater raft adventure, and then Monday going horseback riding in the Grand Tetons along the snake river.  No Art Today!

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Salt Lake City.  Have you ever been to Salt Lake City????? It's beautiful, it's clean, very orderly and it's creepy! We left Nephi and headed north the 85 miles to SLC. We arrive in the heart of Salt Lake City. We head to Temple Square, to see and experience the Mormon Temple. We on the East Coast hear about the Mormon Temple, have seen pictures of the Mormon Temple and the Mormons. Did I tell you the whole Donnelly family got into the Temple in 1965 on the now infamous Donnelly Original Western Adventure?  

Today we get to experience it. We are standing on the steps of the Mormon Temple, trying to open one of the doors, then another and another, I am stopped by Sister Barbara and Brother Thomas. Their first question, "Are you a Mormon?”  My answer, "No"!  Their second question, "Do you have a recommend"?  My answer, “What is a recommend?  Their next statement, You can't get in the Temple without a recommend!  That's it, End of story. They walk away. 

Me, being the very curious questioner, What do you mean and what is a recommend? We can't discuss it if you don't have a recommended. Me, how do you get a recommend? We can't tell you. Now, of course, I really need to know, even if I really don't care.

So now I am chasing Sister Barbra and Brother Thomas, around the corner and they are running away from me.  I am stopped dead in my tracks. I see Fred surrounded by five Mormon devotees.  They all have blonde hair, the same height, dressed alike with a peculiar glazed look in their eyes. Literally fawning over him.  Fred is a very happy man at this point. Now I see Sister Barbra and Brother Thomas join the devotees surrounding Fred. By the time I get close, I hear all of them ask Fred if he wants to pray with them. The hell with the recommend, I have to save Fred before the whisk him into the Temple.

With Fred saved from the young devotees, we still need the Mormons for the ancestry data bank.  We head to a secured building and fight off more devotees and go 10 stories underground to find our ancestral roots.  Success! We both get family history information on the spot and instruction for when we get home.  Now let's get the hell out of Salt Lake City!

We now are looking for the Great Salt Lake, notice I said looking. How do you lose the GREAT Salt Lake?  It is 17,000 square miles. My second meltdown is about to happen.  It must be a guy thing to blame women when men get lost.  Now it is my fault we are lost. Fred won't let me drive.  I hear you can't work the GPS, you can't read a map, you should have told me when we passed that sign!!!!

REALLY! At least I can work a computer on my own, I am a Cartographer (map maker) and WHAT SIGN!!!!!  I am ready to get on the next plane home, except we would have had to drive another 300 miles together in the car and that wouldn't work.  As all of this is unfolding before us, we stumble upon a sign, Antelope State Park.  I hear the words, “Do you want to stop here?”.  My head is screaming many, many answers to that question. But I need to get out of the car and walk so I say “yes”.

By default, we found one of the best places of our trip. It was amazing.  Bison, antelope, deer, bobcats, coyotes, and elk roam freely on the island.  It was like going back in time, there were no buildings, no houses, no stores just animals, nature and a miniature Salt Lake.  Later we find out that this mini lake in Antelope State Park is a tributary to the Great Salt Lake. I concede, by default we got to the Great Salt Lake.  After four hours in Antelope State Park, we get back on the road.

We leave Utah, head north to a small town called Soda Springs, Idaho. Population less than 2000 people.  Our accommodation for the evening is the JR Inn, in the heart of downtown Soda Springs. Again arriving late, we rush to find the only dining establishment in the tiny town that isn’t fast food.  The Cedar View Restaurant.  Good pizza, a few beers, and some local musical Talent.  No Art today!

Well after a surprisingly good night sleep in our Norman Bates Motel, RV and Cabin Park, we head out. It is a glorious sunny day to start another leg of Fred's Western Adventure. Before we head out, we had a chance to chat to Sylvia Bloom of the Mt.Carmel U.S.Postal Service, who runs the smallest Post Office west of the Mississippi in room #1 of the Mt.Carmel Motel, RV and Cabin Park. Sylvia shares with us some fun facts about the town and Utah. Sylvia has been the Postmaster there for 50 years (in the Motel), the state flag with the beehive on it, signifies Utahans are busy little Bees and very industrious, not the honey capital of the United States. The biggest ball of string and the lady with the longest fingernails are both in Utah. Who would have thunk?

We skip the Thunderbird Restaurant, the only restaurant in a 40-mile radius and pass on a cowboy breakfast and get on our way to Bryce Canyon National Park. Bryce Canyon is a leisurely 25 miles ride of majestic colored rock formations. Bryce Canyon has the opposite look and feel than Zion National Park. As we approach the Canyon you are looking down into multicolored layers of pink limestone. An Artist's dream to paint and/or capture ideas along the 40 miles scenic drive through the park or miles of scenic hiking trails.

We realize we will be here all day and decide on several hikes. Today we will be a bit more particular about our hikes. Especially since we are 8000 feet above sea level, cliff walking, and not-in-shape hikers. Not much scares me in this life except my EXTREME fear of heights, dentists and having no control of Fred's Western Adventure. Thank God I only have to face two of them here. As we get started on our day, we are introduced to hoodoos (A hoodoo is a tall, thin spire of rock that protrudes from the bottom of an arid drainage basin), pinnacle and colored buttresses throughout the Canyon. We choose age and fitness appropriate hikes today but at every turn, I have to fight two of my fears, most pressing is my EXTREME fear of heights and the fact that Fred's Western Adventure includes cliff walking on the end of God's magnificent creations. Did I also mention that Fred is a retired firefighter? In my humble opinion, all firefighters live on the edge. Who else gets paid to fight fires, run into burning buildings, walk on rooftops and every other tall building or CLIFF! So this is how my day will be going!

The drive from one hiking area to the next wonderous sight is gut-wrenching for me because we are on the edge of a precipice at all times and all Fred wants me to do is take videos!!! Are you kidding me! We make it through four small hikes with me holding on to the edge of anything the whole time. Fred continues trying to get me to go hiking down the Canyon and stand on the edge of some cliff while someone takes our picture. The rangers tell you up front how many people die every day (not month or year) from trying to get the best picture on these cliffs. I give Fred a kiss, a thumbs up and take his wallet and car keys as he tries for that picture. Just saying!

Well, we both make it out of Bryce Canyon alive and tired after a long day. We continue 3 1/2 hours north to next small town Nephi, Utah. We find a motel with a hot tub, to rest our weary bones. The name of the town should have been a clue. You guessed it another Norman Bates Motel! There is NOT much to write about Nephi because I have no recollection of anything special in the town. Except the Hot Tub was undergoing repairs and was closed! Can you see my eyes rolling?

I don't think we even ate there. Really! I have no receipts, no business cards of restaurants, no notations in my travel journal. Nothing! Nothing in the Guinness Book of World records. All I know is I slept at the National 9 Mount Nebo Motel in Nephi, Utah. And No Art Today! We woke up alive the next morning, ready to face our next day of Fred's Western Adventure.