Holy Crap!! We Scaled a MOUNTAIN!

The morning of July 5th arrived nice and late. We didn't get up until 8, which was the time we wanted to actually leave.....but after having Soul Bits sucked out by the desolate wasteland known as Nebraska, sleep was necessary. On a delightful note....the towels at the hotel actually resembled towels rather than the barely woven strings that were referred to as towels in Chicago.


Nuurdygirl got in and out of the shower first. Feeling much more human......she stepped out of the bathroom to dry her hair, and discovered the ICKIEST "bug" lounging happily entangled in the carpet fibers. First thinking it was dead.....she looked a little closer. However, it wiggled.


"We need to leave. NOW!" she tells Geekboy
"Why?" he retorts lazily from the bed, still under covers and without eyes even open.
"Bugs. This bug. This bug has exceeded my creepy crawly limit. It looks like a cross between a beetle and a shedding caterpillar, and its GROSS."


So much for the hotel in Cheyenne being much better than Chicago. At least the drive would be shorter......


Longest. Drive. EVAR!


Wyoming is so boring!! We left Cheyenne around 10 (after gas and skipping coffee, again), and reached Evanston to meet up with Jawbreaker and Chickie Babe at 3. But that was the most boring 5 hours. Ok.....Pennsylvania was still longer, but Wyoming is still really boring. The Continental Divide sounds cool....but it really isn't once you have been in a Corolla for 30 hours.


We had lunch in Evanston at JBs .....but more importantly we were next to the greatest store to be found. It had an ARCADE!!!

We left Evanston following Jawbreaker and Chickie Babe (and Molar). But rather than getting back on the interstate, we headed back down a state highway 51 through the Uinta mountains. Poor Nigel the Corolla.......he was already weighed down so very much, and now he was expected to scale the summit at Bald Moutain. Over 10,000 ft high (more than 3100 meters). The car did quite well following Doc the trike.....but there was a point where breathing was a little tricky for Geekboy. Other than the welcome chill in the air, Nuurdygirl noticed nothing. Perhaps being raised only around the corner from the summit made a difference.


We came down the mountains and dropped into the town of Heber. Heber is a quaint little town, with not much to speak of beyond farming and a small "resort" called The Homestead. However, as stop at Maverick gas station yielded a wonderful discovery......Australian Licorice bits. The most wonderful and yummy black and red licorice pieces ever tasted. Not really to be described, but experienced and savoured. It is highly recommended......but sadly has not been located in Washington state. If Jawbreaker or Chickie Babe read this: PLEASE SEND MORE!! :)


We rounded the back of Mount Timpanogos....named for a fabled Ute princess. It was early evening when we happily reached Jawbreaker and Chickie Babes nest in Pleasant Grove. It was a short day of driving overall....even though trememndously dull to start out with. The feeling of being back in a cozy home was very welcome.....and hanging with the folks was welcome and enjoyable.

The evening was spent with laundry running, and an introduction to the most holy of condiments. FRY SAUCE. Utah has some quirks......and fry sauce is one of the best. Every restaurant has it's own version; and while the ingredients of ketchup and mayo are the same....each recipe turns out a little ifferent. They have different consistencies, degrees of tang, some have relish, some have barbeque sauce. But at Sonic Drive In that night.....Geekboy got his first taste and loved it.

Wrap up of driving day 3:

1. The Continental Divide is a bunch of rocks that aren't as cool as the sound
2. It was appropriately H-O-T in the town of Flaming Gorge
3. Evanston has a lingerie shop with an arcade?
4. Breathing is more difficult 2 miles above sea level
5. Ground squirrels don't stand a chance against the wheels of Doc
6. Fry Sauce is the dressing of the Gods