I have visited Salt Lake City twice now and despite camping less than ten miles from the Great Salt Lake both times I have yet to lay eyes on it. Mind you the fact that it was frozen solid each time may have been a factor. Come Monday Morning March 31st a blizzard had closed I-80 east of me and later black ice figured in the highway reports so for the second time I stayed over in Salt Lake another day. The weather looked so innocent in the city but....
Tuesday morning I set out to drive 450 miles East on I-80. Started out with snow flying in Salt Lake City at 6:00 AM. Interstate 80 is a city block from the park. A bit South and then East entering Parleys Canyon. It is one of the ironies of travel that before you start climbing mountains you generally begin by going downhill. Even had it been light the fog and snow obscured the snow-capped peaks I’ve gazed at the last three days. I was amused to note that on a six-lane divided highway a sign announcing passing lane ahead remains from the days when this was a two-lane road.
Plenty of white stuff around today in the air and banked beside the road but although the road was often wet it was not particularly slippery and I encountered only a couple gusts of cross wind. Stopped at Green River, Wyoming for breakfast at Little America Travel Centre. Essentially a truck stop with delusions of grandeur located 20 miles from the nearest town it seems they provide bus service for staff from town. Seventeen trucker showers, motel, store, boutique and children’s play area. Their coffee was serviceable, breakfast was uninspired, the toast drowned in ‘butter?’. Someday a waitress will actually listen to the customer, but not today. The free Wi-Fi was so slow my cartoons never did download. I balked at paying $3.599 for gas and stopped 20 miles later at the same price.
The sanders were out and a snow plough was working the centre lane. LED Signs flash the advised speed limit. Signs whose lights would flash and barrier gates are in place to close the highway. It was closed Sunday Night. Except for the pass out of Salt Lake most of the other heights of land were not precipitous though the pass west of Cheyenne tops out at 8640 ft. This section of I-80 boasts the longest straight stretch at 80 miles anywhere in the Interstate System. So miles of monotonous driving requiring hyper-vigilance.
Filled up at the Pilot Gas Station at the corner when I got to Cheyenne Wyoming at $3.459. They’re too cheap to provide drivers traveling on sanded and salted roads with antifreeze for their squeegees. $75 to stay here two nights on a gravel parking lot with hookups. Trees are in short supply in Wyoming. The weather forecast for Cheyenne claimed mainly sunny. Obviously whoever wrote that wasn’t looking out a window here. It hailed. Well it was April Fools Day.
Tuesday morning I set out to drive 450 miles East on I-80. Started out with snow flying in Salt Lake City at 6:00 AM. Interstate 80 is a city block from the park. A bit South and then East entering Parleys Canyon. It is one of the ironies of travel that before you start climbing mountains you generally begin by going downhill. Even had it been light the fog and snow obscured the snow-capped peaks I’ve gazed at the last three days. I was amused to note that on a six-lane divided highway a sign announcing passing lane ahead remains from the days when this was a two-lane road.
Plenty of white stuff around today in the air and banked beside the road but although the road was often wet it was not particularly slippery and I encountered only a couple gusts of cross wind. Stopped at Green River, Wyoming for breakfast at Little America Travel Centre. Essentially a truck stop with delusions of grandeur located 20 miles from the nearest town it seems they provide bus service for staff from town. Seventeen trucker showers, motel, store, boutique and children’s play area. Their coffee was serviceable, breakfast was uninspired, the toast drowned in ‘butter?’. Someday a waitress will actually listen to the customer, but not today. The free Wi-Fi was so slow my cartoons never did download. I balked at paying $3.599 for gas and stopped 20 miles later at the same price.
The sanders were out and a snow plough was working the centre lane. LED Signs flash the advised speed limit. Signs whose lights would flash and barrier gates are in place to close the highway. It was closed Sunday Night. Except for the pass out of Salt Lake most of the other heights of land were not precipitous though the pass west of Cheyenne tops out at 8640 ft. This section of I-80 boasts the longest straight stretch at 80 miles anywhere in the Interstate System. So miles of monotonous driving requiring hyper-vigilance.
Filled up at the Pilot Gas Station at the corner when I got to Cheyenne Wyoming at $3.459. They’re too cheap to provide drivers traveling on sanded and salted roads with antifreeze for their squeegees. $75 to stay here two nights on a gravel parking lot with hookups. Trees are in short supply in Wyoming. The weather forecast for Cheyenne claimed mainly sunny. Obviously whoever wrote that wasn’t looking out a window here. It hailed. Well it was April Fools Day.
Had never driven the stretch of road I traveled today and still haven’t seen it. The Green River Tunnel despite its length didn’t even interrupt my GPS Signal. This isn’t a part of the world noted for scenery though Yellowstone and Grand Teton are just 150 miles to the north. Thirty Degrees F at the coldest this day but 47 in Cheyenne. Despite the hale and thunder the ‘kid’ two spots over was wandering around in a T-shirt. After driving 450 miles stayed over a day before striking out on the next leg.
When I drove through the mountains Tuesday fog obscured the view, this Thursday April 3 was clear but there was nothing to see. Wyoming for some reason thinks one should not use cruise control when the roads are wet. Were that the case why would anyone on the East or West coast buy it? Nebraska seems to think it important you know how far til the next exit each time they sign an interchange. The highway today was steadily downhill and straight varying no more than 10º from 90 East. Unfortunately the wind was at cross-purposes and tried to blow me off the highway all day. Had there been somewhere to stop and camp I would have.
Stopped in Ogallala at Dennys for brunch and to read the days’ comix. At least they downloaded to my tablet today. In Nebraska eggs are not accompanied by hot sauce. My eggs must have been pullet-sized and the Grand Slam pancakes were small. Coffee is consistently bad but I keep trying. Gasoline prices remain high. Two hours into today’s drive I crossed into Central Standard Time again. On the way passed Cabelais and its sporting goods catalogue centre and Osh Kosh home of the children’s clothing firm.
My campsite at Camp-A-Way in Lincoln, Nebraska is situate east of the airport between two major highways. The site lacks a backstop to prevent one from backing into a ditch and the power station is at the extreme end of my cable length. Who designs these places? A robin sat on the bicycle seat outside my window Friday morning looking very cold as it was only 36º F. Wind warning today in Iowa East of me and gusts to 50 in Southern Ontario. Could someone hurry Spring along?
Stayed over until Monday Morning in Lincoln Nebraska because I felt the need to recuperate after driving 900 miles. On Saturday morning the thermometer dipped to 24 overnight and my coffeemaker took a long time heating the water I’d placed in it the night before for auto-start. The sun came out and it did warm up, crocuses are in bloom and there’s been an explosion of Robins about. Walked up to the corner to have a look at the Mega-Church across the way. Originally Baptist this independent boasts a Christian School as well. Not my cup of bread and wine.
Unfortunately neither was Spirit of Hope Lutheran to which I walked Sunday Morning. Getting there I walked past University of Nebraska’s Tech Research Centre, the local Police/Fire/Ambulance Centre and numerous commercial outlets. Spirit of Hope Lutheran Church worships in a a mall complex that includes a mix of doctors offices, fast food outlets--Down the Hatch Bar anyone--all located in matching free-standing buildings. The space was built for a charismatic pentecostal/baptist sect and the only change made was the removal of the baptistery. Members of Evangel Pentecostal Church in Oakville would not feel out of place here. There are Bibles but no hymnals, the words for everything are projected on two screens and the wall behind the congregation, a piano, guitars, and drum kit lead singing with three woman on mike standing in front of the congregation. I’d never heard of any of the hymns and their theology would not be out of place in any Pentecostal Assembly Church. The liturgy would have been more familiar to one of the Methodist or United Church Tradition though there were elements of the Lutheran Book of Worship. There was a single lesson that did not follow the received pericope. They had candles and an eternal flame and an unlit Christ Candle, altar, pulpit little used, paraments and single banner. The pastor wore street clothes and officiates at two services a Sunday. His message was a commentary on Jesus’ Trial before Pilot. We used the Nicene Creed and the King James Version of the Lord’s Prayer. A special sung version of the words of institution was used, wafers were intincted in grape juice. A mission congregation worshiping in this space for three years it has reached the point of self-sufficiency. I found it strange to be unable to sing a single one of the songs used in the service.
Monday Morning April 7 woke at 4:30 AM and set out. The existence of a web page and even a sales flyer is no guarantee the store actually exists and this isn’t the first time this has happened to me. Gave up and drove up to I-80. Saw a Hi-Vee in Omaha from the highway too late to slow down to make the exit and I wasn’t driving back. Omaha’s a big city. Crossed the Missouri on the way in. Made KOA Des Moines West before 9:00 AM. Found a campsite and set up. My hosts actually opened at 9 and didn’t fuss about my early arrival. Read a notice recently that charged by the hour for arrival before 2 and another charging by the hour for not checking out on time. Well, I definitely beat the wind which in this part of the world seems to be a prevailing Northerly. The wife here is from Victoria BC and has never seen the gardens. She was a Navy Brat whose father never went to sea but served in the North, Victoria and Newfoundland. Whether or not I drive down to Winterset a nap is first order of business. Internet speed was 1.5 MB for the entire park. Reading E-mail was a slow process.
Enjoyed a 2½ hr midday nap. Then decided to take that drive to Winterset 16 miles distant. This is the part of the country where the lads are termed cornfed. The town is surrounded by cornfields growing on beautiful black loam. In my travels I saw irrigation lines being installed in the fields. Town square surrounds the county court house. First searched out the unmarked tourist office and then an angled parking space--no meters. In getting turned around stopped for gas $3.399 at Kum & Go. Lucked out in a space in front of the Chamber of Commerce. Picked up some bumph and a map.
Wouldn’t you know, in honour of the fact that I was driving North and South the wind today was gusting from the West. The volunteer fire department was busy. First the fire I saw north of town on my way down must have gotten out of hand and needed dousing. Then a light rain turned the road slick and caused a multi-car pile-up. I passed 5 ambulances, fire truck and police on my way out of town.
If you’ve seen the movie The Bridges of Madison County and/or read Robert Waller’s book then you’re aware of the covered bridges but did you know they are in and around the County Seat of Winterset named for a geological formation of Limestone? A town surrounded on all sides by corn fields. Did you also know that it was home to this corn-fed lad pictured here at 23:
Name of Marion Morrison. Dated from 1930. Life-sized cardboard cutout in his green beret uniform. They named main street after his stage name and are in the process of building a major museum in his honour just north of Town Square. His birthplace is a simple affair with a visitor’s centre next door selling memorabilia and showing his movies on a big screen TV along with a donated large collection of wall-hanging plates.
If you go to see all the bridges expect winding, hilly, washboard dirt roads and plenty of dust. Only one of the bridges still serves its original purpose.
Before I left town visited Fareway Grocery a place I wish I shopped on a weekly basis. Grocery boys and check out girls, even the men at the meat counter dressed in matching black pants, white shirts and black ties! Good selection for a store serving a town of 5000 and everything fresh. Local products and produce highlighted. In store bakery sold iced raisin bread and cinnamon bread. The meat department was butcher-served, nothing was pre-packaged. And, a grocery boy wheeled my cart out to the car and waited while I unloaded to take it back inside the store. Good prices despite the level of service.
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