Road Trip to Wyoming and Utah, June 27 - July 6, 2008

After the 2 trips to Europe last year, we needed cheaper vacations this year! In late June and over 4th of July, we took a road trip to Yellowstone National Park and back. Rasila had never been there and Rodney had not visited since leaving Wyoming.

We drove the first day to Salt Lake City, where we stayed overnight with Rodney's brother Roger, and his wife Julia. After a great breakfast at Finn's Cafe, we drove up through Evanston, through Afton, and then camped south of Jackson off the Snake River. The next two nights we stayed off the Chief Joseph Highway northwest of Cody, off the Beartooth Highway and the northeast entrance of Yellowstone. It was a busy 2 days driving up through Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park, but well worth the effort to see as much as we could.

The next morning, we drove south through Cody and Thermopolis to Rodney's hometown of Riverton to spend a couple nights with Rodney's parents. We had a great time playing games and taking a shower!

On July 3rd, we left early to drive over South Pass, through Rock Springs, past Flaming Gorge, then down US 197 past I-70 to UT 72 to Loa, UT, where we then drove 30 miles on an unpaved Forest Service road to Posey Lake.

Rodney's brother Roger, and his wife, Julia, selected this spot for our 4th of July weekend. It is a beautiful aspen and pine covered mountain top at about 8700 feet elevation north of Escalante and west of Boulder, UT. We hiked trails off the lake and when it was rainy and cool on the 5th, drove across the Hell's Backbone to Boulder, where we took in a latte, then on to Escalante, UT on UT 12, one of the truly very scenic highways in the US. From Escalante, we returned to our campsite.

On the 6th, we drove home by returning to Escalante, and drove UT 12 through Bryce Canyon National Park to US 89. From there, south to UT 9 through Zion National Park back to I-15. Unfortunately, being 4th of July weekend, it was bumper to bumber traffic from just north of the Nevada-California Border. After spending 2 hours to go about 40 miles, we drove across the Mojave National Preserve, past I-40 to old Route 66, down the Amboy to 29 Palms Highway and through Yucca Valley into the Palm Springs area and I-10 back the greater Los Angeles basin. I would like to make that last drive again, but in the daylight the whole way!

Switzerland last Christmas

Last Christmas was the year to spend with Rasila's family and her father Peter talked us into going to Switzerland to ski at Zermatt. It wasn't a tough sell, as you can probably guess.

We flew Delta, which reminds me of why I like to fly non-American airlines overseas. Aside from the fact that we were 45 minutes late leaving the gate in Atlanta for Zurich, we also spent 45 minutes on the runway before the 9 hour flight, in which we had the normal small cramped seats of domestic coach.


Alas, we were the last to arrive in Zurich, but hooked up with everyone easily enough. We bought a first class ticket on the Swiss Train System to Zermatt. We had an 8-minute connection to make in Visp, but made it! We stayed at the Hotel Beau Rivage. We skied 9 days at Zermatt and Cervinia, Italy.

Compared to a North American Resort, it is unimaginable huge. There are 7-100 person trams, 1-train, 1-funicular, and 11-other chairlifts, all high speed. The top to bottom is about 7000 vertical feet. Rasila unfortunately, had a spill on day 5 and separated her shoulder, giving her a ride on Air Zermatt, but no ride around the Matterhorn for our $2000. At least our insurance reimbursed $1500 of it.

The Italian lunches were outstanding, but the snow was only okay. It snowed once while were there and we got some powder on the one glacier you were allowed to ski. They are usually best in February, so next time I want to go later in the Winter to see what it's like then.

We left on January 1, 2008 back to Zurich, where we stayed the night at the Hotel Bristol. We took a walking tour of Zurich and then had dinner and hit the hay. The next morning we got up early and took the train to the airport for the 10 hour flight to Atlanta and the 5 hour flight back to Orange County.

It set us up well for the best ski year we've had as I skied 21 days and Rasila skied 15 days this winter.

Moving here from AOL

Well, AOL has decided to "sunset" their blogging and picture platforms. Rather that wait for it to die, I decided to move my blog here.

Stay tuned for the first real post....