Monday, July 10, 2000:

Here begins the diary of the "Great Western Adventure" of Steve, Alex (13) and me, Marcia. After just over two years of planning, daydreaming and researching (mostly on my part) ... here we go. Steve, as it turns out, does not have to do all this research since he can quote date and time of almost anything that happened out here.

We start off on Delta Flight 1879 to Dallas with a connection on 105 to Las Vegas. Both flights are quiet and smooth with the exception that the first leg has us seated in row 36 – the last seat on the plane next to the toilets. This proves to be only a minor inconvenience, but a great future story, as passengers line up to use the bathroom, jostling Steve's arm as he tries to work on his laptop.

It is an advantage, however, should Alex decide to "bing", something which of course he seldom does ... not.

Arriving at McCarran airport in Las Vegas, we try a California minivan with no air; reject it; and go with a red Blazer. As we travel, it at first seems small and there is some question as to whether it cools off fast enough. Time will tell ...

We drive to the Las Vegas Hilton on Paradise Road, next to the Convention Center. While I check in, Steve and Alex talk to two of the Star Trek ladies – in full unifom.

It's hot, but dry. The next couple of days will see us in 106 degree temperatures, with little problem. There's no humidity!

Alex and I take a dip in the pool on the third floor while Steve sets up his computer and checks the email. Lots of families with children. As a result (I guess) the pool starts very shallow at one end and only has a depth of 5 feet at the other. But, it's cool and very comfortable and succeeds in cooling us off.

Alex wants to hang around the hotel and try out Star Trek, but I wanted to take the guys to Batista's Hole in the Wall, an Italian restaurant that was good 25 years ago. Though I am flexible.

Steve suggests we walk a little, so we set off – me leading the way. Of course, what happens is the 50-mile trek in the desert. Still feeling my way and with little sense of direction, we head off for the Strip. But we're coming from the Hilton and the restaurant is off of Flamingo, next to Bally's. So, we walk and walk and walk and walk until we are hot, tired, thirsty and the guys are ready to take a cab.

At that point we see Caesar's Palace on Flamingo, take the left, and find the restaurant in a little mall. The door is a half keg design. The food is as good as I remembered. There's a carafe of wine, garlic bread and Italian salad. Steve has the lasagna and Alex and I try the Fetticine. Plus multiple glasses of water ...

We take a cab back to the hotel and collapse. Almost – just a little TV. It's 10:30 p.m.

Tuesday, July 11, 2000:

We wake up about 7 – not yet accustomed to the three-hour time change. It's Pacific time in Las Vegas. Then we enjoy French toast, pancakes and eggs down in the restaurant. Aftwards I call for tickets to the Wayne Newton show ... a must in Las Vegas.

It's about 10:30 by the time we get the car and drive over to the Strip, parking at Caesars. Walking through the casino lobby, Alex decides this is where we should stay next time (next time?!) I tell him that if he works for almost any company, he may be back for conventions or business.

Our goal is the Imperial Palace Car Museum across the street. It's on the 5th floor of the IP garage and is filled with antique and vintage cars, some of which are for sale. Quite a nice exhibit ... Alex took lots of pictures. And when Steve starts cracking wife jokes in the elevator, I manage to whack the guy in front of me with the pamphlets instead of Steve. No problem, says the guy in an English accent, makes him homesick; his wife does the same thing.

Next, we head off on Rte. 15 around the city to Nellis Air Force base and a tour of the Thunderbird hangar. The training exercise unfortunately has been canceled for the day, since the captain was not feeling well. Although a great number of people are involved in the operation, only 6 pilots fly. There are no back-ups and each pilot learns one position.

We see the hangar where the guys are cleaning, checking, etc. the planes. It's sooooo clean, you could eat off the floor. There also an exhibit hall, a short film and questions and answers from the officer who conducts the tour. Worth a visit!!

'Course, we also have the unofficial base tour, when Steve tells me to turn right and head off to see if we can find any aircraft sitting around. If I wind up in the brig, it's all his fault ...

It's about 5 pm by the time we get back to the hotel. So, Alex and I go off to the Stardust to pick up our show tickets, while Steve checks email.

We just have time for one trip through the Star Trek exhibit, in which we are captured by the Klingons and about to be transported to their ship when the USS Enterprise intervenes and transports us aboard into the year 2056 (?) or somesuch.

Capt. Jean Luc Picard has disappeared with our arrival. One of us, we are told, is his ancester. If we are eliminated, he ceases to exist. We're loaded on a transporter and flown through enemy fire back to Earth. Pickard materializes on the Enterprise and sends us thanks. So, how is that for ride? Pretty cool, huh?

We finish up with dinner in Quark's Bar and Grill ... cheese hamborgs and Ca'alALT Wrap (a BLT).

Then we're off to the Stardust for Wayne Newton's show ... about 2 1/2 hours long. As Stevie says, not really our first choice, but an absolutely magnificant entertainer. He worked the audience to perfection, bringing everyone "into" the show. Sometimes his voice was a bit ragged trying to get to some of the notes, but overall he was good. Alex nodded off on my shoulder, until Wayne started telling jokes. Members of his backup group had spotlights which were interesting. One was an impersonator, who gave us melodies ala Neil Diamond, Willy Nelson, Tom Jones ... and Willy singing "What's New Pussycat". He also impersonated Elvis and sang a duet with Wayne Newton.

Returning to the hotel, we fell into bed and were fast asleep.

Wednesday, July 12, 2000:

Today is the drive to Williams, AZ, about 4 hours and 18 minutes according to the computer. We slept late, went down to breakfast. Stevie picked up some new joke material from our breakfast waiter and Alex picked numbers for Keno. Our only gambling on the trip, it was over before he realized it.

"I wasn't concentrating," he says, "but let's try one more time. I know I'll win next time. I promise." That, we say, is the lure of gambling.

We pack up and Alex checks directions to the local Wal-Mart, where we buy a cooler, water, and some snacks. Then it's off on Rte. 515 to 93 via Henderson and Boulder City. The latter is quite a nice-looking town with a green common and four-way stop signs, by which we reason that the town must be relatively small.

Next we stop at Hoover Dam, 'cuz we have to the Dam thing, you know. Lots of pictures; Steve and another guy in the group share info on how the dam was built while the guide fills in all the facts and figures.

This time, it is Steve who wants to stop by the gift shop and buy a souvenir!! We do, then back into the car to Kingman which is the half-way point. At this point, we discover we have "computer meltdown" – or so it seems. The cigarette lighter fuse has blown on the car (takes a few minutes to discover the problem) so we have no computer (standby power used up when I left the CPU on while we toured) or GPS. And I have not been able to get the media in the digital camera to work yet. So, temporarily, we are on backup reserves – the printed map and the regular camera!! Ah, technology.

The temps are hot outside, but start to go down to about 99 degrees by the time we get underway. The land is barren, and almost no houses around although we do see some trailers spotting the landscape.

We stop in Kingman at the Cracker Barrel for light lunch/pre-dinner (which we later decide was dinner) about 5:30. Looks just like the one at home.

It's 8 p.m. when we get to Williams, where we are staying at the Red Garter Bed and Bakery, a bed-and-breakfast tucked in an old bordello. Remodeled for tourists of course. We are in Big Bertha's room. She made enough to open her own place, we hear. The woman running the bakery is ready to close; so she's glad to see us arrive. We get a key that opens the downstairs front door and our room.

We park across the street, re-organize our bags, and carry one bag up. There's a steep flight of stairs. The room has high ceilings, a skylight, transom above the door, the "old" style fleur-de-lis carpet with matching wallpaper designs. TV with history channel. No telephone, except for one in the hall. Big bathroom. Period furnishings. But pleasant.

We take a walk around town, which is like stepping back into the 50's. The main street is Route 66, loaded with (American) Indian gift shops; western bars; sidewalk cafe bar with singer; nostalgia. We stop for ice cream at Twizzlers (50's decor) and then at the Mexican Cantina for a drink on the outdoor patio. Like Gridley 30 years ago. Safe to walk the street; but still with the young kids in the revved up cars driving along the streets.

Thursday, July 13, 2000:

Today we're off to the Grand Canyon on the cog rail train. We woke up fairly early and got ready, then went downstairs for breakfast. The bakery is open and we're served fresh fruit and our choice of pastries with coffee and orange juice.

The owner, John, brings over a photo album of Red Garter's history and regales us with stories of its past. The original owners came by train along with all the supplies to build a structure. Their plan was to pick an up-and-coming town and build a bar/bardello and make their fortune. The mines were just beginning here, so they settled down and opened up business.

Unfortunately, like lots of other Western mining towns, the mines eventually gave out. So, they started leasing out the building. The back was leased to some Chinese, who opened a "flophouse" – multiple bunkbed/pallet-like sleeping, an opium den and a Chinese restaurant. The front was a bar where the miners gathered. It went from being a high-class hangout when things were active to a common-man's bar when the mines closed.

The barkeep was an Irish Catholic who married five times; two of his wives died of cholera and two died in childbirth. All were Mexican. Each time one died, "being a good Catholic", he would go back to Mexico and find a new bride. He had 25 children. Very independent, he at one time mended his own broken leg. And at the age of 90, he was in great pain and opened himself up with a knife to "fix" the problem. He died in the process. He was buried in a Catholic service.

Sadly, some of the children and grandchildren who've come back to visit the inn, don't know this. They think he committed suicide and are somewhat ashamed of him. Shows how history can get bent the wrong way ...

We're taking the Grand Canyon Cog Rail Train down to the Grand Canyon Village and the South Rim. So, at 9:30 we start over to the station, where we see a "shootout" and Alex has his picture taken with one of the "bad" guys ... we'll see more of these today. Then at 10 am, we climb on board the Cochina Coach.

Alex is grousing because he doesn't have much window and he has to sit behind us with someone he doesn't know. Then our two train attendants – summer jobs for these college kids – come on board with snappy repertoire and lots of smiles.

The seats all rotate, so soon everyone in our car is sitting in happy groups of four enjoying the trip. The bar is open, as is the gift shop and the attendants point out items of interest on the way. There are also pastries, coffee and juice, and Canyon guide books. The trip over is about two hours, but pleasant and goes quickly. The car, should also mention is air conditioned.

Astounding! Are there words to describe the Grand Canyon? Except we also hike our way to the Yavapai Lookout, which is about 1.65 miles from the village ... uphill. Along the way and at the top we take pictures, drink water and then take the shuttle back to the village. After a walk that took forever, the shuttle is only minutes.

The canyon has no signs of people, except for a winding dirt road at one point. Is this where the Mule trains go down? We can see the El Tovar, one of the hotels in the village, from across the Canyon at Yavapai. The train, it seems, does come over from Las Vegas as well. Might be interesting, Steve says, to spend a week in Las Vegas, take the train over and spend a week at the Grand Canyon. You can go down into the Canyon ... there's one hotel there. (The digital is working, so getting lots of good shots; and Steve bought fuses for the car earlier this morning.)

We also hit the gift shops and look inside the El Tovar Lodge, very agreeable. Like what you would think an old hunting lodge would look like inside. At 3:15 pm, we're tired and ready to climb back on board the train for our return trip. This time we have cheese and crackers, carrots, celery and dip to munch on. And champagne, labeled with the Grand Canyon Train logo. We get back to Williams at 5:30 and are greeted by a brass band of youngsters dressed in Union uniforms ... playing Yankee Doodle. We buy one of their CDs, listen for awhile and then head back to the room.

Feet up on bed and resting. At 8 p.m., we go down to dinner at the Mexican Cantina next door. The boys walk on to the grocery, but I go back up exhausted and not to be heard from until tomorrow.

Friday, July 14, 2000:

Stevie says it feels very comfortable, like he's just stayed at his grandmother's house for two days. And it does. The bathtub is one of those old footed, high sided styles – not a modern replica, but the real thing – with a converted shower and lace shower curtains with an insert. And there's a little rickety porch overlooking the rooftops, perfect for his morning cigarette.

We have another friendly breakfast of fruit, coffee, juice and our same pastry. We move the bags to the car and check out. Gave John (Holtz?) one of our business cards and tell him will put the trip up on the net.

Flagstaff is only 27 miles away, so we head there and go north on #169 up to Sunset Crater National Park and the Wupatki National Monument. First time we've used the Golden Ticket for parks. Sunset Crater is the remains of a volcano that erupted when the Wupatki Indians were here. (See all the books and info for more ... my brain did not retain all the dates). We walked the trail though. Huge range it covered when it erupted. Also see the "lava flows".

The Indian ruins are equally as impressive. Some round structures that they are labeling as "game courts", but could have held cattle or water ... ?? Rooms are smallish, some attained via ladder, and the doors are squared off; no rounded lintels.

We go next to the Lowell Observatory, sw of Flagstaff. Founded by Percival Lowell, son of the Lowells who ran the mills and founded Lowell, MA. Percival was trying to find the canals on Mars. He is buried in a masoleum on the grounds of the Observatory here.

The tour included slideshow and visits to the 16-inch and 24-inch telescopes. The 24 was the old one, celebrating 104-years this July. We skipped the remainder of the tour since it was getting late. The actual Observatory work is now being done at a mesa some 16 miles away – as a result of the increased Flagstaff population, there's more background light now and the old Observatory on Mars Hill is not as good a vantage point for viewing. From here though, they discovered Pluto (some dispute whether this is a planet or merely a giant rock) and started the theory of the expanding universe.

We arrived at the Hassayampa Inn in Prescott (pronounced PresKIT) at 6 p.m., hauled up our bags and unpacked. We're given tickets for breakfast and drinks, which are included in the room price. We are in the Christmas Room, so-called because of the color scheme and the wreaths on the walls. Then we walked around the town square, where there was a military band playing. Lots and lots of people on the folding chairs. We've been told that over 1/2 the town is retirees. Told Stevie he looks like a young buck here.

Dinner was at Genevose, an especially good Italian restaurant. Seems like everyone here has moved in. The owners were from California, had several children who all opened award-winning restaurants around CA. Then one couple moved here, loved it and the rest followed.

After dinner, Alex watches TV in the room and Steve and I have a drink on the outdoor patio. It's Friday night and the local teens are driving down Gurley, the main street. Then off to bed about 10. Finding that we're up around 8 a.m. getting ready for breakfast and start to get sleepy around 9 p.m. Must be all the walking ...

Saturday, July 15, 2000:

Breakfast around 9:30 in the Peacock Room at the Hassayampa Inn; pancakes, sunny-side up eggs and eggs Benedict. We've decided this is a "down" day, so we can see some of the town. We drive out #89 to the Frontier Mall and the boys find a hobby shop to investigate. Then Steve and I find a little coffee shop and sit outside enjoying the weather while Alex checks out Wal-Mart. Prescott, by the way, also has Penneys, Home Depot, Applebys, etc., etc. Everything you want.

The lady in the coffee shop is from San Diego. She moved here with her husband, a native, about 30 years ago. First year was bit difficult, she says, but then and now she loves it. She recalled years ago sitting on her patio looking at the sunrise when an old weatherbeaten cowboy covered with dust and grime herded cattle through her backyard. "My first thought was 'what the sam hill are you doing in my yard'", she recalls. Then he tipped his hat, gave a toothless smile and said "aren't we the luckiest people in the world!"

"We are," she smiled back.

While waiting for Alex, we meet another coffee patron at the next table. He grew up in Flagstaff and had been at Ft. Devens in MA. (His wife and daughters were off shopping in the mall.) We talk about the town, schools, pronunciations, etc. Steve is on the subject of wrestling, when we catch the attention of the Prescott Valley High School wrestling coach who is passing by. Another conversation.

There are three distinct and separate towns here: Prescott with a population of about 35,000; Prescott Valley and Chino. The three are about 70,000 now, but they project a population of 200,000 by 2013. Prescott is surrounded on 2+ sides by the Prescott National Forest and there is a limit to building spaces. So, much of this growth will be in Prescott Valley and Chino, which extend into the valley floor.

We've also been picking up jokes:
— What do you call a half Indian, half Italian – "awopaho" (c/o Wayne Newton)
— What's a fish with no eye – "fsh" (waiter at Italian restaurant)
— My mother was half Irish, half Italian and half Indian. Hey, that's 3 halfs. She was a big woman! (Caddy Shack 2)

The boys went to see X-Men at the 10 CINE at Frontier Mall and I drove around town. First stop was at the Yavapai, land development lots ranging from about $50,000 to $67,000. Then you get your own contractor to build house. Tremendous views, but only one direction. Land Development person said he and his wife came out to visit, went home and sold everything, found a job and were back here in 40 days. Never went back.

Maintenance note: took laundry to a wash-and-fold place and mailed boxes from Mailboxes. So, at 2:30 picked up completed laundry and then drove up Thumb Butte mountain, looking at houses. Picked up the boys at 3:00. Alex went to room and watched TV, while Steve and I went over to Mountain Store to pick up topology maps of area. When we got back, he was sleeping. Woke up, but decided to rest more. So, Steve and I drove up to the Prescott High school, the medical center and looked at housing/land lots with scenic views.

Got back about 5:45, so got Alex organized and we all went to dinner at Murphy's, a highly-rated steak and seafood place. Very good. Alex's chocolate milk came with whip cream on top and a cookie. Steve and I – drinks on the patio. Then bed time.

Sunday, July 16, 2000:

After breakfast in the Peacock room, we walk over to the antique/toy store and nearby bookstore. Find Alf. We take pictures of the common and check out of the hotel. Then we drive back up to Sedona, via #89A to Jerome and the hilliest, windy-est mountain road. 15 and 20 miles on the curves. Course I'm driving, white-knuckled, and driving the drivers behind me bananas.

Finally, we get to Sedona and go to the Red Rock Park and Red Rock Crossing. We hike the park, keeping an eye out for rattlesnakes and mountain lions. Saw none except for Alex's impersonations. By the time we are ready to start down to Phoenix, it's about 4 p.m. Arrive in Phoenix around 6:30 and check into Pointe Hilton Squaw Peak Resort. First order of the day is a quick dip in the pool.

In the room, we order pizza and hit the refrigerator bar. Probably owe a fortune when we are done. Steve and I go over to Lantana Restaurant next door for a drink and then sit by the pool. He sets up his GPS. Then we retire.

Monday, July 17, 2000:

At 6 this morning, security calls to tell us they found my purse – which I left poolside last night. Ugh! Happily, the credit cards are all intact. Only the money – about $130 – is gone. Unreal!! So, for the next day, I keep double-checking the contents and making sure the purse is in my hands. Cannot believe that happened.

We have coffee, bagel and pastry at the poolside and then leave about 9:30 to find Taliesen West, Frank Lloyd Wright's desert habitat. It's off Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd. What was once in the country is now surrounded by the city. We opt for the 1 1/2 tour, very informative, and fabulous to see the structures. Wright, his wife, and student architects, plotters, etc. came to the desert and lived in tents while they constructed the buildings. There were no windows or doors originally, as they created forms and filled them with rocks from the mountains and a mix that was mostly desert mud with a little cement.

Students can still get a degree in architecture here. They need to have completed two years of college and pass an interview. About 25 students are selected and will spend their first year sleeping in tents. Every couple of weeks, they have black tie parties. Wright thought as architects they should be very well-rounded. Never know when they might have to make social connections to get funding for a project.

After the tour, we head to the Chaplain Fighter Museum of old war planes from World War I and II, Korea and Vietnam. Interesting, but very hot in the hangars. I go back to the air conditioning, while Steve and Alex finish looking at the planes. Then we get mousepads and T-shirts from the gift shop. Take a bit to leave, as Steve has struck up a conversation with an Army CW3 (chief warrant officer 3). He was here for training on the Apache AH64D.

Back at the hotel, we regroup and decide to do an early dinner. We go to Lantana's, but Steve is fighting a wicked headache. He broke his sun glasses early yesterday and has just spent the 116-degree day with no glasses. Aspirin, soup and a beer just begin to help. After dinner, we search out the Paradise Valley Mall, off Cactus via #51. He finds a pair of Ban Rays at the Sunglass Hut, along with a strap to keep them from getting away.

Time for one more quick dip and then I start moving the images on the digital camera onto the CPU drive. Tomorrow, it's Tucson and the dude ranch.

Tuesday, July 18, 2000:

We drive straight to Tanque Verde dude ranch, via Rt. 10; before starting out, we stop at a Basha's on Northern Ave. to pick up ice and water. Then south to Tucson and across Speedway exit to the other end of town. For the next two days, we are without television or town life. Instead, we are on a ranch with horses, swimming pool and Javelinas.

The ranch is at the very end of Speedway. We are in Quail Hollow on the left from the main office. Everything is air conditioned, happily, since the temps are in the 108's. After we unpack, Alex and I go swimming and check out the indoor/outdoor pools, the tennis courts and the nature office. There's a huge TV in the community living room; also lemonade, coffee and hot chocolate and water in the Arizona room, next to the dining room.

In the nature office, Alex walks close to the display of rattlesnakes and jumps when one starts rattling. They are real. Marcia, the naturalist, explains the differences between the black widow spiders, tarantulas and scorpions on display. Jerry, the other naturalist who handles the snakes, is out right now, she says.

We borrow cards from the office and play a game of rummy in the Game Room in the main lodge.

Dinner this night is a BBQ in Cottonwood Grove at 6:30pm. There are picnic tables covered with checkered tableclothes and kerosene lanterns. BBQ includes steak, hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken ... as much as you want. A big salad with trimmings station; brownies and cherry cobbler; also a cash bar for wine, beer, soda and other drinks. And the cowboy music of guitarist Tom Chambers. We wind up at a table by ourselves, but talk with others who are there. One couple from England, who've come the past two years.

Chambers plays all the favorite cowboy songs through dinner. After dessert, Alex goes back up to the main lodge to watch TV. Steve goes over to the table for something and calls me over. There are two Javelina, which look somewhat like wild pigs. Don't feed them, we're told. They are wild, but are scavanging, hoping to get something from the tourists. And not the least bit afraid. They do have four long teeth however, so can not be counted as harmless. After a bit, they wander off into the wilds.

The music ends with Roy Roger's "Happy Trails" and we walk back to pick up Alex at the main cabin, then to our room. Think it is early, but we have signed up for 7 a.m. horseback riding, so we are off to bed.

Wednesday, July 19, 2000:

Our wakeup call comes at 6 a.m. Alex and I get up and get ready to do, wearing jeans for the 7:15 pm breakfast ride. Steve sleeps through and plans to go to the regular breakfast in the lodge.

We meet in the Tack Room. Alex has Zorro and I have Sonny, who turns out to be incredibly slow. He rides like I drive. But he is a white and spotted horse with a good temperament. Later, I pet his head and scratch his ears, which he seems to love. Our ride goes out into the desert, up small hills – which seem forever tall – and then to a chuckwagon breakfast with bacon, sausage, scrambled or ranch eggs, blueberry pancakes and coffee, water, lemonade, tea. During Breakfast break, we meet an English couple – the Greens –. She's a head stewardess for British Airways; he's a Delta pilot and trainer. We've all been a-horse and share same sore muscles.

From the overlook, we can also see the pink guest rooms of Tanque Verdi. Off in the distant, to one side, is the white-roofed home of Paul McCarney. But that holds less draw for us than the hills, Saguaro Cactus and the heat.

After the first ride, Alex has another walk/ride on Tigger. I cop out and decide to do the laundry which has built up for four days. The wash room is rustic, small and does an exceedingly good job. While waiting for the laundry, Steve has fun talking to the ranch hand Jim, who is the naturalist. He lives out in the hills, miles away, and has stories of all kinds of strange lights and goings on ...

When Alex gets back, we have buffet lunch in the dining room. Too, too much food. We wind up eating salads and fruits and cheesecake dessert, but there's tons there including all kinds of entrees. Then we borrow the scrabble game and go back to the room to play. It's too hot. We had signed up for the afternoon fishing and the drawing class, but bypass those to stay cool.

It's a drowsy afternoon as we swim and Steve and Alex play tennis for awhile.

Dinner that night in the dining room. We eat with a couple and their son from Geneva. Suspect she understands more English than he, but we have a pleasant conversation. After dinner, there are Animal Critters – including Great Horned Owl, Harris Hawk, tortoise and boxed turtle. During the day, we also saw a tarantula and rabbits.

By 9:15, our eyes are drooping and we leave the animal display to go to bed. Don't like walking throught the dark to our room all that much, but make lots of noise to scare off any animals. Steve makes fun of me.

Thursday, July 20, 2000:

Feels like we have been here for six months and could stay forever. However, today we have to check out.

Alex and I start at 6 a.m. again and meet the other riders at the tack room at 7:15. This morning it's just a walk/ride. The Geneva family is there too, except for father. He's opting out so that he is able to sit down and play when they go to Las Vegas in a couple of days. I'm feeling better today, so I join Alex for the ride.

Alex has Mouse, a slow, stubborn brown horse; I have Buddy, easy to ride, quicker mount in chocolate brown. Liked Sonny, but he is slow. Jim, one of the cowboys, leads us on our ride. Very enjoyable. We see long-eared Jackrabbits, hares.

When we get back, Steve is waiting and we all go to another big breakfast; Tanque Verdi French toast, poached eggs, fruit, juice. Alex decides to forgo the 10:15 advanced riding lesson, so we pack up and sadly check out.

Then, it's down to the PIMA Air and Space Museum at the south end of Davis M. Air Force Base. It's incredible. We get the tour of the "graveyard" of planes; which is also actually for reconstruction parts for planes. And we take the tram tour of outdoor planes, since it is incredibly hot by 2:30. Unfortunately, everything closes at 3 p.m. instead of regular 5 p.m. due to the heat. So, after pictures, tours and gift shop, we head for the car.

Now, it's a 1 1/2 hour drive to Bisbee, AZ, which is listed as an old copper mining town. We drive through Tombstone, planning to stop tomorrow. Hotel is interesting with nice enough room, and there are a couple of ghosts on the premises. Don't know if we will see them.

The town though is exceedingly short. Hilly, nothing here. Kids on skate boards and now level streets. Hotel is the high point of the town. We eat in the dining room, limited menu, but enough. Then watch the history channel on Challenger (anniversary date) and I write here. Steve and I are going down for one drink in the Copper Queen Hotel Saloon while Alex watches TV. We wind up taking our drinks up to the third floor common balcony and enjoying the breeze. The bar is playing loud regular music on radio or CD and watching wrestling on TV ... not the Western style we'd hoped for.

Friday, July 21, 2000:

We eat $6 buffet breakfast in the dining room and check out ... no ghosts. Though Alex says he saw a woman walking toward him and was hiding under the covers, when the Duke appeared and said "Leave that boy alone!" The woman disappeared and the Duke turned to him and drawled, "That won't happen again, son."

Our first stop on the trip back up Rt. 80 is Tombstone, where we spend a few hours with Doc Holliday, Wyatt Earp and his brothers Morgan and Virgil, Johnny Ringo, etc. We take the stagecoach tour of the town and at noon watch a shoot-out at Helldorado Stage down one block from Main. Town still has most of the old buildings. The Earp homes were destroyed by fire a few years back. Also see the home of the ornery 5-foot sheriff, John Straight. Interesting story. He kept the town clean, they say. Also see the home of the doctor who treated the Earps after the fight at the OK Corral.

Then it's about a 2 1/2 hour drive, up Rt. 80 to Benson (where we buy ice and see the border guard checking the passengers in a bus), then west on Rt. 10 and onto #90 for the trip to Silver City, NM. Seems I've confused the Silver City you always hear about in cowboy movies with this one. The movie Silver City is in Nevada. Should mention here that the speeds are set at 75 miles per hour, but locales seem to drive faster. So the distances, while large, seem quicker.

We stay in the historic Silver City Palace Hotel at $58 a night for a two-room suite. But they have tried to restore. No air conditioning, floor fan. Temps are down here though, so it is bearable. There's no restaurant in the hotel and the best Mexican food restaurant is 2 blocks away. But Steve is not much for Mexican, so we drive over to Rt. 180, and see the commercial side of town on the way. Wal-Mart, grocery and gas stations which we can use tomorrow. Glad to see a lively part of town, after Bisbee (which probably had one, but we missed it). Hard for these smaller towns, but this one looks like it will survive. More level ground, probably was strip mining for the silver (?)

We eat at the Red Barn, which has lots of cars parked in the lot. OK, not exciting, but filling. Steve does steak, I have fried chicken strips with gravy, and Alex does the child's menu fish. Before and after dinner, we walk around the historic section, seeing what's there. Bullard, the main drag, is more lively now as teens are driving around. There is a movie theatre here as well.

Then we go up to the room and watch some TV before turning in.

Saturday, July 22, 2000:

Today we have continental buffet breakfast on the second floor of the hotel. Then we will start off for Cloudcroft. First we stop at the Silver City Museum, a former home, now added onto and used as a museum of the town and the silver mining. Plus an art exhibit by Robert Shoofly Schufelt. Extremely detailed pencil drawings of ranchers and cowboys and cattle, etc. They had some of his prints for sale at about $160 each. Well worth the value.

Then we went off to Cloudcroft, via the White Sands Memorial Park and Almogordo, NM. We did not stop at any of these sites however, as time was running late. Not even the missile park, to Alex's chagrin. Arrived at Cloudcroft, an historic lodge in the Sacramento Mountains. Rural, rustic, dress for dinner. Which we did. The restaurant had a pianist playing on a rotating platform.

However, Steve wasn't feeling well so he went back to the room (a suite) to rest and we took dinner to him. Alex is getting tired of traveling. Wants to sleep in his own bed. Back in the room, watched some TV. Alex and I played cards while Steve slept on the sofa. Glass of Chardonnay. Then packed Steve off to bed and helped Alex set up the sofa sleeper.

Sunday, July 23, 2000:

Confused again. Breakfast was 7-10:30 and Steve really wanted his pancakes or French toast. But, I misread the brochure and was looking at the 11-2:30 brunch instead. We waited, Alex swam and when we went to brunch, it was lunch time food – no pancakes or French toast or eggs. Just meats and fruits and cheese. So, Steve made a bread, cheese and fruit plate and Alex skimmed the edges. We are not much for food buffets.

They served Champagne at noon, though, so I imbibed and read the papers on the patio, while Steve and Alex made a forey into the nearby mountain town of Cloudcroft. Just a few shops there, but climate is lovey and land prices are unbelievably low for lots of acreage on a mountainside.

We opted to stay an extra night here and cancelled our reservations for Roswell. Means we have a longer drive tomorrow, but a pleasant day today. We checked out at noon and got our new room at 2:00. This was during the patio reading and town visiting described above.

Now in our new room, which is one room with king bed and a trundle. Second floor, so we won't have to close the curtains as much. Last night was first floor, near the entry and noisier. So far, have watched the end of "Antz", the movie, and in the middle of "The Iron Giant" by Disney.

Have acquired two skirts here, great for dinners in the southwest. Just need some fancy dinners now. And a hacienda to call my own ...

Monday, July 24, 2000:

We woke around 7 p.m. and got ready for breakfast. Tried the buffet of fruit, pastry and cereals. No french toast or pancakes on the menu. Then we packed and moved things to the car. Checked out and drove to the village for gas and water and ice. Steve picked up maps from the ranger office.

Drove #82 through the mountains, then #13, and #285 to Roswell. Stopped so Alex could see the alien museum. Picked up a T-shirt for Alex and for Matt. Then picked up ice tea, soda and lemonade and started off on #285 ... which was under construction ... for two and 1/2 hour drive to Santa Fe. Initially view was flat, but then changed to some rolling hills.

In retrospect. Really good decision to stay in Cloudcroft the extra night instead of Roswell. It's all a fast food, strip mall type location. So, Cloudcroft was the better choice. Left around 2 p.m. on Rt. 285 for Santa Fe.

Santa Fe is touristy with lots of stucco style buildings and interesting. Checked into La Fonde, previously host to Raymond Burr, Robert Duvall, David Hartman, Doc Severinson, Diane Keaton, Linda Hunt and Errol Flynn and James Stewart. We have a two-room suite. Bedroom and a sofa bed in the living area for Alex. Two TVs ... which pleases Alex no end.

We settled in and walked around the area a bit. Had dinner at an Italian restaurant ... "il piatto,cucina italiana". Nice, but they don't know how to cook pasta. Underdone. Yet, had bread with oil and port and expresso after spaghetti with marina sauce. Small servings. As a result, Steve had only nice things to say about Batista's in Las Vegas. They were Italian, probably came in during the start of Vegas. Dinner table discussions about the Godfather series and who was who.

Back to hotel. Alex watched TV and Steve and I went to the fifth floor lounge for a city view. Just lots of roof tops??? Except for one good shot of the church and stucco building next to it. Went back to room. We have a patio/overlooking the pool area.

Watched "Last of the Mohicans" which has played 2 or 3 times since we have been on the road. Have staked out the map with things to see, laundry for clothes and places to eat. Steve is not into Mexican food, so we'll either try another Italian restaurant tomorrow or he will eat a big lunch and we'll do Mexican for dinner. Alex plans a morning swim. He was too tired tonight.

Tuesday, July 25, 2000:

On tap today: laundry and mail the bills (house, insurance, etc.) Then visit to nearby museums and churches and swim. We have gifts for Linda and Matt and Nana, but what about Erik?? Have not found the gift for him yet.

Got up early and took laundry to local laundromat off Alemeda but it won't be ready until tomorrow. Then met the boys for breakfast in La Fonda hotel. Restaurant with covered skylights.

Then, yes, we stopped at St. Francis Church and visited the Palace of the Governors and the Santa Fe Art Museum. Steve and I stopped first, picked up tickets, watched the young Flamingo dancer troupe in the square and picked up Alex ... who spent the morning watching TV. Afterwards Alex went back for afternoon cartoons, his choice, and Steve and I want poking around the square. Didn't buy much, but enjoyed walking and saw artists selling their wares under the porch at Palace of the Governors.

Picked up Alex and went to Michaelangelo's Italian for dinner. They lost their liquor license, but food was actually better than the night before. Just lack of promotion, alcohol, etc. Need better marketing.

When finished, we walked back to hotel and Alex went swimming while we watched on the patio. No one else in the pool or around. Interesting, since it was a nice area, accessible only by hotel key. Then Alex went to bed and TV while we stopped in the lounge for coffee and Margarita's with chips. Then bed.

Wednesday, July 26, 2000:

Awoke and went down to get coffee for Steve and to move the car while the boys showered. Car was parked on the basement level and moved it to main level. After breakfast Alex and I wandered. He went to toy store, and I bought jewelry enroute. Found chocker and earrings!!! Back to hotel to check out.

We picked up laundry and then headed out on Rt. 84. That was the route straight up, but somehow we lost it and wound up in Taos, NM. Had to turn west on Rt. 64 and drive another two hours to get back. So, it was almost 7 p.m. when we got to Durango. But, we enroute we did see the Rio Grande Gorge (great photos) and then spend lots of time on road construction ... stone hit the car windshield and we now have a ding in the window.

En route, we stopped for coffee and restroom in Pagosa Springs at The Lodge, just off the highway. Thought about stopping for the night, but since Durango was only another 45 minutes, we continued on.

So, after 6 some hours and a tired Alex, we arrived. The hotel is booked as one that John Wayne stayed at and that seems to be it's only claim to fame. I had fixed us up with the John Wayne room, where he originally stayed. And it's just the same 40+ years later. Tacky, tacky. We changed rooms. Good enough for one night, double queen beds and air conditioning and cable TV (which the first did not have). We will manage for one night. Not bad, but not picturesque or Tanque Verde or Santa Fe.

Went to dinner at Carver's Brewery ... chicken stew, bacon/cheese hamburger and blue cheese buffalo burger. Good, not much different than regular hamburger.

Thursday, July 27, 2000:

Up early and cleanup so we can go to breakfast at the corner cafe. Can see a couple of rooms with treed patios next to the pool. That's where they took the internet pictures ... not from the front where traffic streams down Rt. 550.

We toyed with the idea of getting another hotel, changing the schedule and seeing the Mesa Verde Indian ruins. It's about 2 hours away. But the headlines changed that. There's a fire barely contained that even now is threatening the park. Pays to read the paper sometime. We could have gone blindly off and been in the middle of a mess.

As a result, we drove on with Grand Junction as our destination. First we had to climb up and down two moutains on more of those 20-mile-per-hour u-shaped turns. Past two towns until we came to Ouray, which is a gem in the mountains. If we had only known, we would have stayed at The Lodge at Pagosa Springs or the Strater in Durango and then stayed over again in Ouray. They have horse-walking tours, jeep tours of the mountain and trips to the Silver mine. Plus truly friendly, picturesque little town with lots of historic hotels and bed and breakfast places. Currently, renovating the Beaumont, which will be another place to stay after July, 2002, per the brochures.

After coffee, bagels and sandwiches on the porch at a deli place, we walked back up to the car. The place also has hot springs, a public pool. Coming down from Ouray the trip was wonderful. No sharp mountain turns, all 60+ mph and smooth road. So this is the way to come and go from Ouray.

Next two towns are Ridgely, rather small, and Montrose, which must be the meeting place for all the towns around. More like Bloomington, lots of businesses, traffic, but still a community feel. Not like a big city.

Next stop is Grand Junction, which does feel like a big city. But it's also back down to the desert at 103 degrees. We are staying at Adam's Mark on the 5th floor, a new golfing/resort hotel just off Rt. 70. Has a hotel and pool, but undergoing construction to add on another patio hotel and bar off to one side. Alex and I went for a swim and then he opted for cartoons. Second time during vacation when he's had a cartoon day. Good, cause he was getting tired after two long travel days. So, we kind of vegged without doing much this afternoon.

Dinner was at Appleby's down the street. Alex finished "Event Horizon" on TV while Steve and I had drinks by the pool. Cooler, with desert breeze, still no humidity and no bugs, flys or mesquitos. Grand Junction reminds me of Santa Fe. Had thought this was a ski resort with snow in winter, but not sure now. Will have to look up the weather.

Friday, July 28, 2000:

Stevie's bones hurt this morning, so Alex and I got ready and went downstairs for breakfast while he got himself up. We picked up a cup of coffee and Alex ran it back upstairs for his dad. Alex buffeted while I had a homemade cinnamon roll. Steve met us downstairs and we had another cup of coffee out on the pool patio, while Alex ran back up for some cartoon TV.

Then it was on the road again. Out Rt. 70 to Fruita, about 7 miles or so away, and then Rt. 340 for the Dinosaur Museum. This turned out to be a display for children, well done with moving dinosaurs ... one that even spit water at you ... and written information, but not a lot.

However, just down Rt. 340 apiece were Colorado National Monument and Dinosaur Hill. The first is a winding road up the mountain which overlooks Grand Junction. Built by the Civilian Construction Corps (CCC) in the 1930's, blasting through rock and hauling it away "manually". One of the rock formations is "Balancing Rock" which does look like it could topple any day. Been there for thousands of years though, Steve says.

Next is Dinosaur Hill, which we visit in the noon-day heat for about 10 minutes, much to Alex's disappointment. He's ready to start digging, even though he's been told you can't keep anything you find and you really need to be part of an organized site to monitor locations of finds, etc. True, this is where they've been digging ... but probably only in the good months.

We go up Rt. 70 and pick up #139 north, stopping at Loma to pick up ice and snacks. Then #64 to #40. At Dinosaur, Co., we stop at the information booth and then head west on Rt. 40. The Dinosaur National Park runs both directions on Rt. 40, but we're headed toward the section that houses the Dinosar quarry.

Add a note on the roads we've traveled. Since they are smaller roads (2-lane) we see few cars. Definitely the great open spaces, we remind ourselves. And when we do see cars, they are going faster than us, regardless of the speed limit. So, now I travel somewhat faster, but still not as fast as them. Strange to look across desert or mountain and be the only ones there. Beautiful.

We reach the Utah/Colorado border before the park entrance, which is several miles north of Jensen, Utah. A shuttle bus takes us from the entrance shelter building to the enclosed quarry. It's a hillside wonder, with a glass enclosure protecting the side of the mountain, where dinosaur bones protrude. No longer excavating this, keeping for public viewing. The last to be excavated was an Allosaurus. There's a local National Parks guide explaining the history of the place to awed tourists and youngsters gathered around on the floor.

Plus, of course, a gift shop. We've collected an impressive array of geological maps of the Southwest by now, enough to keep Steve busy for months when we get back East. We buy a few more here and then Steve goes back to visit the site. He skipped the early view since there were so many people there, waited for it to thin out. Spends time talking to a park guide, a young man from Illinois with one more year to finish in history. He's a summer intern and particularly interested in Western history. As we shuttled out, we could see the housing for park employees and interns.

Morrison was one of the original archeologists at site. He worked there on and off and excavated the allosaurus, but because of his age was bypassed for putting it together. Living conditions sounded like Frank Lloyd Wright story. They camped in desert in tents and lived on the site while excavating. One of Morrison's children spent his first 4 or 5 years on the desert, growing up in the tents.

A few miles further west, we reach Vernal, Utah, and check into the Best Western Antlers. With pool, hot tub, cable TV ... Alex is happy. This is Utah. Dinner is next door in a family restaurant with abundant servings. Thick shakes, sandwichs ... more than we can handle. No dessert ... we're toooo full. (And all the pies are homemade!)

Saturday, July 29, 2000:

Mixed feelings. Seems like the vacation is almost over, since now we are closer to the Grand Teton portion, and have left the desert ... our prime target. Am aclimated to the climate and am sure I'll miss the heat. But we will see ...

Today we will be heading up Rt. 191 via Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area to Rock Springs in Wyoming. We will have visited 6 states: Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah and Wyoming.

Stop at Flaming Gorge is interesting; boating, recrecreational area created when the Green River was dammed here. Lots of good pictures and views. We're driving on mesa now with occasional views down into the canyons. Passed into Wyoming.

Get to Rock Springs about 3 p.m. Rest; Alex swims and we go for a visit to the Wyoming Community College Dinosaur Collection, one of the largest in the state. Lots of good models, casts. Lovely college, brand-new since 1988, but not much in the town. The rodeo is here, but we opt for dinner, some TV and early bed. Tomorrow is a long drive to the Grand Tetons.

At dinner at the restaurant, Alex suggests return visit to Prescott and Tanque Verdi. He's hoping for winter, during school, however. These two are high on the list. Steve wants to revisit, but wants to rebuild funds first. Can't imagine why ...

Sunday, July 30, 2000:

Woke up and had breakfast, checked out ... nothing special.

But, then drove north through Flaming Gorge and stopped to take pictures at the dam. Recreation area, pretty. Not as well-known and maybe harder to get to than Hoover Dam.

Drove through Jackson Hole, checked into the Jackson Lake Lodge at the Grand Teton National Park. We are in the main cabin, Room 10, non-view, but overlooking evergreens near the front entrance on the third floor. Just had time to unpack, checkout the hotel restaurants and shops and get dressed. Then back to Jackson Hole for the 8:15 p.m. dinner at Gun Barrel Steakhouse.

We arrived early, so drove to more scenic "old" part of Jackson and parked near the Wort Hotel. We walked around looking at shops, then drove back to dinner.

All the relatives were there, including Pam, Frank and Dianne and all the CA crowd: Marsha and Brian; Terri and Mike; Madeline and Harley; Greg and Sandi. They are staying in town.

Dinner was a success, even if we did do a "pass the hat" to collect the $1,312 dinner bill. Salmon, prime rib or chicken were the choices with cobbler or chocolate cake for dessert. Dianne brought me a Birthday card and then orchestrated everyone singing happy birthday to me.

Steve drove the 30-miles back to the Lodge ... got in at about 12:30 at night. So, sank immediately into bed and asleep.

Monday, July 31, 2000:

First day of my new year ...

Got up later than usual, with Alex the last one out of bed at about 9:30 a.m. Too late for breakfast in the fancy dining room, but ate at the 50's style counter at the Moran Grill. Tried the trout with eggs, different.

Then we drove north to Coulter Bay, waiting in traffic while the road crews were doing road work. At Coulter, we did the laundry and poked around the gift shops, checked out the Marina. At 2 p.m. Alex and I went for a 1-hour trail ride, walking horses. Mine was Percy, calm, but stumbled a few times. Sort of wanted Flax, who was old and calmer, but probably weighed too much for him.

The ride was fun, but lots easier than Tanque Verde. No hills, just level pathways with sand and some rock. Saw the pine forests and good views of the water, plus some people hiking on the same pathways.

We got done about 3:30 which left us little time to get back to the Lodge, shower and dress and get back to the Coulter Bay Marina for the 5:30 boat trip over to Elk Island for dinner. We once again waited in traffic both directions. But got to the Marina about 5:20. And I had all the tickets.

The boat over took about 1/2 hour and the dinner was cook-out style with Coulter Bay Steak and Coulter Bay Trout and Coulter Bay Potatoes and Coulter Bay Beans, if you get the picture. Lemonade, water, coffee and two kinds of brownies. While we ate, a mule deer ambled by hoping for a handout and then leaped away when the kids tried to approach her.

There were trails for walking afterwards, but really wasn't time as the boat bell rang for return to the Marina. Smooth ride back. Everyone hung around talking for a bit. Then headed back to hotels.

Steve, Alex and I had coffee, soda and wine on the outdoor patio, along with Linda and Walter Sampson of St. Louis. Alex added french fries to his; he only ate the potatoes and brownies, bread at the cook-out. Not much on steak. We've eaten more steak and hamburger on this trip than we ever do at home. The choices out here only seem to be steak and chicken. (Alex was really happy the one night he found macaroni and cheese on a menu.)

Tuesday, Aug. 1, 200:

Woke Alex up early. He's going with the St. Louis Sampsons into Jackson Hole for white water rafting. Whole group of people going ... So, Steve and I just relaxed, had breakfast, lunch, poked in stores and walked around. Course, I also spent part of afternoon adding up the bills, which had been accumulating in my suitcase. Took a while, but totaled up our spendings.

Meanwhile, Alex got back about 4:30 p.m. and had a great time. He rode with Uncle Frank, Dianne, Sean, Mike and Uncle Greg and Uncle Brian. Dianne paddled some, while Frank sat in the center the whole time and did no paddling.

Just time to clean up and get ready for the 5:30 p.m. cocktail party. Alex ran down before the party to get something to eat. He did not have lunch and was starved and not sure if he could eat whatever was at the party.

Everyone there ... lots of food.

Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2000:

Slow day all around. We get moving around 9:30 a.m. and I transport my images to the computer. Then we drive to Jackson Hole, have lunch at an expensive family style restaurant and look in the stores.

Alex was intent on going to Orvis, hoping to buy fishing gear. However, they only seem to have fly fishing equipment, which he is not interested in. He buys some comics from the comic store. We drive back to the hotel, another 30 miles, and rest. Steve and Alex play poker, sort of, and check emails.

At 6:30 we drive back to town and arrive at the rodeo, getting the first row of seats. Almost everyone sits together. Somehow – maybe because people are late – the rodeo people sell off part of our reserved seats to other people and then put our relatives in other parts of the reserved section ... some 15 rows away??

Rodeo is fun with some youngsters also involved in roping and riding. At the end, we all stand around talking a bit and the crowd thins. Plans are made for the BBQ cookout around the pool at the Jackson Lake Lodge for Thursday night and the Mural Room for Friday night. Some are leaving Friday and most of the rest on Saturday. Plus, there's already talk about having another reunion in four years during conventions.

Thursday, Aug. 3, 2000:

It's almost 7 a.m. I'm ready to go and Alex has showered and gone back to bed for five minutes. Just trying to get Steve up. We are to meet Frank and Dianne downstairs at 8:15. The bus for Yellowstone leaves at 8:30 a.m. Other relatives are also planning to see the park today, but are driving in their own cars/vans. Maybe we will see some of them at the park.

Yellowstone Park visit was an extremely long day ... 9 hours plus. We saw Old Faithful, the Old Faithful Lodge, Yellowstone Lake and Yellowstone Lodge, assorted geysers and fumeroles plus moose, elk and mule deer. Lower and Upper Falls with lots of waterfalls and the Yellowstone Grand Canyon.

Back at the Jackson Lake Lodge about 6 p.m., we met up with all the other Sampsons for a BBQ around the pool. Then conversation and the start of lightning drove us all back up to the main reception room. Steve bought everyone a drink. Later, he and I had milkshakes and sundaes. We all talked til about 11 p.m. before heading to the rooms. Marcia and Brian and Harley and Madeline stopped after their tour of Yellowstone, missing the BBQ. They leave tomorrow.

Friday, Aug. 4, 2000:

Up late, could lounge in bed a bit until 9 or 9:30. Ran into Michael and William and the Joneses in the lobby, so all went into the Mural Room for breakfast buffet. Then more conversation in the lobby until they went canoeing and we went for a drive to Jenny Lake.

Drove around Jenny Lake and the Moose area and then headed up to Coulter Bay to do the laundry. It rained ever so slightly. Not enough to end the fire hazard or wet the ground. On the way back, we saw a coyote cross the road.

Back in the room, I started transferring the images, writing the journal and playing a partial game of Monopoly with Alex. Then we dressed for dinner and met the relatives down at the Mural Room. By now, it is really dark, but only a minimum amount of rain. Still not enough of what they need.

We close the restaurant at 11 and converse in the lobby once again. Then Linda and Walt, Jones, and Steve and I have a drink in the bar while Alex watches a DVD movie on the CPU upstairs.

Saturday, Aug. 5, 2000:

Today is check out for the Jackson Lake Lodge at 11 a.m. We've promised Alex a stop at the comic store in Jackson Hole and we need to mail off some clothes at Mailboxes Etc. so we have enough room to get home.

We met Terri and Michael at breakfast, so William and Alex went out to the lobby to play cards when they were finished eating. Eventually, we all get ready to go. Checked out and drove to Jackson Hole, where Alex had his visit to the comic store and we mailed two more boxes.

Then drove about 2 1/2 hours to Kemmerer, WY. Went past several small towns, almost unnoticed so few buildings. Kemmerer is a mining town, but with a population of about 3,020. They have a little town square, surrounded by a small J.C. Penney home store, a movie house, a bar, a restaurant and a few business and commerce buildings. Reminds me of Gridley. Not awfully big, but a nice working feel. Not commercial. News in the local paper was of the UMWA United Mine Workers Association settling their contract. On one side of the square, we also saw the home that Penney lived in. Small, white with a front porch and a white picket fence. About a block from the business.

Our motel, one of about 5 in town, is clean, restful, not exciting ... but definitely not the John Wayne either.

After checking in, we drove 9 miles over to Fossil Butte National Monument, one of the lesser known but interesting sights. Whole area used to be under water, middle was salt water, while sides were fresh water ... sort of like the present day Great Salt Lake. Also drove to edge of park on a gravel road, hoping to see some of the ongoing quarries. However, the roads to these were all closed, so we just had some great views and saw a deer and a pheasant. Steve was all for continuing on when the gravel turned to dirt and we saw the fence marking the park boundaries, but I was driving so we turned around instead. No sense of adventure, I guess.

Dinner was at Bootleggers, a popular home-cooking restaurant on the south side of the square. Everyone in town seemed to be there. The owner of the motel had also recommended Bon Rico's, which was 12 miles out of town, 'cuz they had the best steaks around. Thanked him, but by this time we have had more than enough steak.

After hamburgers and spaghetti, we're back in the room watching TV and getting ready for the morning.

Sunday, Aug. 6, 2000:

Breakfast was at the B Busy B Cafe, on the square in Kemmerer. Again, it's a Sunday morning and the place is packed with the locals. They have a collection of cow figurines mounted on a siderailing near the ceiling. Nice touch, good breakfast. Can't say that Kemmerer is a place you would recommend people stop, yet, it is a piece of America that people should see. Feels like a small town should; real place with real people working every day, living real lives. It's the 4H kids grooming their animals for the fair and cousin Barbara "remodeling" the back porch with contact paper and paint to achieve her Brownie Scout badge.

There is a rodeo upcoming on Wednesday with Dwight Yoakum performing. Steve wants to stay on to see it ... I concur, but Alex doesn't understand why we feel this way. Do we like Dwight Yoakum, he asks; who is Dwight Yoakum?

We get into the car and drive another 2+ hours to Salt Lake City, Utah. The ride takes us though some scenic Wyoming territory with small towns all rationing their water. Gets hilly and fast around Salt Lake, yet the number of cars still does not equal Boston traffic.

We are staying at the Radisson at the airport. Just wanted to relax, return the car and get ready to fly out tommorrow. The hotel reminds me of Jumers in Bloomington. It's French country, just dark enough woods to be calming, but not dingy. Coffee urns in the main lobby and a nice restaurant.

Alex watches TV while Steve and I return the car to National at the airport. Take the shuttle bus back to the hotel. Alex and I go swimming in the pool. Then we go back to the room, get cleaned up and watch the end of a TV movie. Dinner in the restaurant. More TV. Bed. Unlike the good night's sleep we had at Kemmerer, however, we toss and turn all night.

Monday, Aug. 7, 2000:

We wake, get ready and have buffet breakfast downstairs. Then it's in the airport limo, out on flight Delta 1776 to Boston. Flying time is just under four hours, about 3 1/2, and we arrive in Boston. Erik meets us at the airport and our great Western adventure is at an end. The humidity is of course stifling and it is hot, hot, hot.