Tour of the Rockies 2006

[TObject]

This late August early September we are going on an exciting trip. Driving from Southern California north, exploring interesting sites in Idaho, Montana, and Oregon.

Get off your butt and join us, for the whole trip or for a part. It will be fun.

Here is what has been planned so far. If you can recommend how to improve this plan, or know must-see places along the way please share.

The duration of the trip is 12 days plus one extra day just in case. This will cover over four thousand miles.

Day 1: Monday, August 28th, 2006

Depart from Southern California and head up the I-15. Stop for lunch at Mirage Buffet in Las Vegas, and then spend the night in Cedar City, Utah.

Day 2: Tuesday, August 29th, 2006

Head north on the I-15, have lunch in Salt Lake City, and arrive for the night at Boise, Idaho.

Day 3: Wednesday, August 30th, 2006

This day is going to be spent on a side trip to the Baker City area of Oregon.

Take the US-84 north for the 2.5 hour trip to Baker City. Our main destination is the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center off the Hwy 86. After that we head back to Boise hitting the Baker County Visitors and Conventions Bureau, the Bootsma Tractor Museum, the Farewell Bend State Park, and possibly other places on the way.

Day 4: Thursday, August 31st, 2006

If we wake up early enough, we may run down to the World Center for Birds of Prey, a global leader in raptor rehabilitation. Then we will be heading north from Boise to continue our trip.

Take I-84 north, then US-95 north, stop for lunch at Grangeville, and take SR-14 east to Elk City. Spend the night in the cabins nearby.

Day 5: Friday, September 1st, 2006

Hello LoLo Motorway.

Take service roads heading north, and enter the LoLo Motorway area through Syringa at Hwy 12 then Smith Creek Rd. Drive through Pete Forks and take the side trip to the Weitas Butte Lookout near the Rocky Ridge Lake. Get back to LoLo, drive east, and take another side trip to the Liz Butte Cabin and then yet another side trip to the Castle Butte Lookout at NF-561. Find a place to camp in that area.

Day 6: Saturday, September 2nd, 2006

Continue heading east on LoLo trail towards Montana through Cayuse and Powel Junctions. Take a look at the Rocky Point Lookout, and then get on the Hwy 12 through NF-5650.

Enter Montana, have lunch in Missoula, and then head north the I-90, then US-93, then SR-35, then SR-206, then US-2, and spend the night in the town of East Glacier Park.

Day 7: Sunday, September 3rd, 2006

Glacier National Park Time.

Head north on SR-49 and US-89, and enter the Glacier National Park through the St. Mary entrance on the east side of the park. Drive through the park west on the Going to the Sun Hwy, stopping at visitor centers and points of interest on the way. Spend the night at the Apgar Campground on the west side of the park.

Day 8: Monday, September 4th, 2006

Drive down through Lonepine to I-90, and head west to Washington State. Have lunch in Spokane. Continue on I-90, then US-395, and enter Oregon, then take I-82 south, and I-84 west, and turn to SR-19 at Arlington. Spend the night in Condon, OR.

Day 9: Tuesday, September 5th, 2006

Drive further South on SR 19 then take SR-218 south at Fossil. Spend some time at the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument (Clarno Unit), and then continue on SR 293 to US-97 South.

Stop to take a look at Lava Butte at Deschutes National Fores. Then continue down and explore the Crater Lake National Park, stopping for the night at the Mazama Campground on the south side.

Day 10: Wednesday, September 6th, 2006

Take a break for the coast and enter California on Hwy 199. Stop at various places in the Redwood National Park near Crescent City. Spend the night somewhere in the vicinity of Westport.

Day 11: Thursday, September 7th, 2006

Take Hwy 101 and SR-1 down the coast, cross the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco and spend the night in San Jose.

Day 12: Friday, September 8th, 2006

Go home.

[NAILER341]

wow! that sure looks like a fun plan.
be sure to take a mess of pictures.

[Robert J. Yates]

Originally posted by TObject
Enter Montana, have lunch in Missoula, and then head north the I-90, then US-93, then SR-35, then SR-206, then US-2, and spend the night in the town of East Glacier Park.

Day 7: Sunday, September 3rd, 2006

Glacier National Park Time.

Head north on SR-49 and US-89, and enter the Glacier National Park through the St. Mary entrance on the east side of the park. Drive through the park west on the Going to the Sun Hwy, stopping at visitor centers and points of interest on the way. Spend the night at the Apgar Campground on the west side of the park.

There is a very nice hike in Glacier (about 2 miles in length if I recall correctly) that will take you to a lake that is fed by 5 different glacier fed waterfalls. Not much elevation gain to have to deal with and absolutely beautiful. I wish I could remember the trail name but I do recall it listed prominantly in the guidebooks.

[speaceman]

Is this the trip you are taking the pickup on for transportation Sergey?

[TObject]

Yes, I plan to take the F250 Super Duty pickup truck on this trip. If anyone wants to join with a little jeep, we could carry some of your stuff for you.

[speaceman]

Sounds like a fun trip. If this were a couple of years ago, I'd be up for it.

[TObject]

No problem, I'll see if I can borrow a time machine.

[Tumbleweed]

Sergey, somehow you lost Aug 31st on your calandar. You may want to redo your reservations for the cabins, also.

Link to the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center
http://www.blm.gov/or/oregontrail/

Link to the Birds of Prey Center
http://www.peregrinefund.org/world_center.asp

[Jeff Weston]

Sounds awesome Sergey. If I could "borrow" a bit from Mark Twain, "the coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in Yosemite". We caught a big cold spell with snow about that same time of year. It'll probably be nice, but bring some cold weather clothes and gloves just in case.

Have fun and take lots of pics so we can share your experiences.

[Daless2]

Hi Sergey, sounds like you have a wonderful trip planned. Enjoy it my friend.

I have three thoughts for you to consider, all are in Utah.



Thought 1: Bryce Cannon and Zion National Parks are going to be just East of ?the? I-15 in Southern Utah. If you would enjoy seeing some spectacular rock formations you might consider doing a drive through these two parks.. As I remember, most of all the good stuff there can be seen from the cab of your truck without even having to get out.

You might want to add this little side trip.

Also, if you are planning to go into more then two (2) National Parks on this trip or over the next year, you can buy a National Parks Pass for around $50, good for any and all National Parks for one year. It could save you a ton of money.


Salt Lake City ? Mormon Tabernacle Hall Sergey, The Mormon Choir uses this hall and it is right next to the actual Mormon Tabernacle in downtown Salt Lake City. It is worth a look see, if for no other reason then the workmanship put into building the place.

If you go you inside (Free guided tour but no one tries to convert your religion), you will see everything is made of Oak wood and Marble. But in truth none of it is Oak wood or Marble. The original settles had only Pine to build the place with, but they thought Pine was too common a wood for their church to use in a house of worship.

So??

They painted it all. It is truly remarkable. Every piece of wood has the ?Grain? of Oak painted on it by hand!

I?m telling you, you would swear this is the real stuff.

The same is true of the Marble Columns holding the roof up.

Painted Pine but it looks like the finest Italian Marble you have ever seen.

Worth a stop by to see, especially if you are in SLC already.


Bonneville Slat Flats ? Land Speed Record Runs Sergey, West of SLC on ?the? I-80, right at the Utah / NV border is the place where ?Land Speed Records? are attempted to be set.

And Guess what?

This happens every year during a four week period beginning with the second week in August. Your timing could not be better if you had an interest in seeing this.

The Bonneville Slat flats make up the flattest surface on Earth.

The salt melts in the spring with the snowmelt run off. This levels the salt and removes all the surface imperfections. Then the summer sun evaporates the approximately 2 inches of water on the salt flats, creating a perfectly flat surface for a few weeks.

Every year, mid August to Mid Sept there are attempts out there to set new land speed records in everything from motorcycles to Jet powered cars. (I would imagine Power Strokes too.

The place where the actual speed trials are conducted are on the extreme western side of Utah, the last exit on ?the? I-80 West before going into NV.

There aren?t many people in the world who have actually seen a land speed record set, partly because of the limited window of time in which to do it.

Maybe you might consider adding this stop to your list.

I would estimate this is 100 miles west of SLC.

I know your going to have a great time in your travels, be safe my friend and suck it all up. There is so much beauty to see in America.

Frank

PS: Take lots of pictures to post when you get back, like your Down under trip, with words too!


PSS: Morton?s Table Salt comes from the Bonneville Salt Flats too. They dig it up with Track hoes

[Tumbleweed]

Frank: Thought #1
You fly into Boise and take my pickup along with Sergey and Matt.
Return it here after you are done and fly home. How is that?
I will have the Toy ready to roll when you arrive, camping gear included. You also have a place to stay in Boise.
Wanted to make the offer, would love to see you again in person.
Will understand if this is not doable.
Take care my friend.

[TObject]

Excellent suggestions Frank: thank you very much.

I am going to put the Bryce Cannon and Zion National Parks on the maybe list, in case we manage to start the trip a day earlier.

And yes, I already have the National Parks Pass ? great money saver.

I am putting the Mormon Tabernacle Hall in Salt Lake City on the plan. We are definitely going to go there. And it happened to be just three blocks away from where I wanted to go to lunch.

Bonneville Slat Flats looks like a real possibility if we wake up early enough on the Day 2 of the trip. We?ll see what time it is when we are done with our Salt Lake City activities, and if it is still early, then we?ll reroute to I-80 west, and take a look at the Flats near Wendover, then continue into Nevada, and take 93 South to Idaho.

If you can fly out and join us that would be fantastic.

[Daless2]

Originally posted by Tumbleweed
Frank: Thought #1
You fly into Boise and take my pickup along with Sergey and Matt.
Return it here after you are done and fly home. How is that?
I will have the Toy ready to roll when you arrive, camping gear included. You also have a place to stay in Boise.
Wanted to make the offer, would love to see you again in person.
Will understand if this is not doable.
Take care my friend.

Oh Boy Don,

What a kind and fantastic offer you have made to me. Thank you my friend, Oh so tempting??. Yet I don?t think it would be possible at this time.

Over the last few months? things have really begun to look up for me, kinda a reprieve before the inevitable. I have been trying to enjoy every moment of it, and at times pushing the envelope much farther that most would think was prudent. (Prudent being a relative term! LOL)

That said I wouldn?t be able to take you up on your kind offer, AT THIS TIME!!! Read that, don?t rule out the possibility of me at least flying out there sometime in the not to distant future, if for no other reason then to see your smiling face and take you and Rita to dinner (sometime before the snow starts to fall. LOL!!!)

Thank you my friend, and thank you Sergey for the invite to join you on your adventure. This one I will have to do by the seat of my pants, reading about it day by day as you move on down the trail.

God Bless you both,

Frank

[Daless2]

Originally posted by TObject

I am putting the Mormon Tabernacle Hall in Salt Lake City on the plan. We are definitely going to go there. And it happened to be just three blocks away from where I wanted to go to lunch.

Good Morning Sergey,

You just gave me a new definition of ?planning!!!?

Right down to where you will eat lunch on a specific day of a two-week trip!

I?m impressed!

Only question I have is ?What time??


Frank

[TObject]

Well, provided we are resourceful enough to leave the motel at Cedar City by 0630, fuel up, get to Salt Lake City, and try to limit our time in the Tabernacle Hall to 45 minutes, I'd say we are looking to have lunch at 1105.

We don't have to stick to the plan exactly, and we most likely will end up changing it on the fly anyway; but it is good idea to have as much as possible planned in advance.

[BlueJeeper]

Just a few pointers to make your trip go smoother since I have been up in Whitefish a little while now.

US93 is all tore up between St. Ignatious and Polson. It seems like they are widening it to 4 lanes. You don't want to miss the drive around Flathead Lake, but expect big delays on that stretch or re-route.

There are also a bunch of fires burning around Glacier and the Flathead valley right now. They only just re-opened 89 north from St. Mary's up to Babb and Many Glacier a couple of days ago. I was over there Friday hiking up to Grinell Glacier and 89 was still closed south of St. Mary's and i'm sure it will be closed for a while. There was a 25,000 acre fire and while they seem to be getting it contained, it will probably burn until snowfall. Just call the park and the forests many times ahead of and during your trip to make sure that your plans are still do-able. We got bumped out of a campsite in Gallatin National north of Yellowstone because of fires down there. Today I hiked Highline and didn't get to the East side but the Flathead valley is also filling with smoke.

Since you will be in Glacier on the weekend, drive going to the sun rd. early because it will turn into a parking lot by midday. Logan pass visitor center parking lot is also full by midmorning. And while driving the road is nice, you really need to get out and hike to experience Glacier. I recommend this book. There is not really that much of interest at the visitors centers anyways, it is not like bigger ones at other parks, so just park and spend your time hiking anyways.

If you are over at the east side of the park around lunch head up north towards Babb, and along 89 just before the Many Glacier entrance there is a great little local place, Two Sisters Restaurant. You can't miss it, they have "Aliens Welcome" spraypainted on the roof.

[mbryson]

Originally posted by TObject
Well, provided we are resourceful enough to leave the motel at Cedar City by 0630, fuel up, get to Salt Lake City, and try to limit our time in the Tabernacle Hall to 45 minutes, I'd say we are looking to have lunch at 1105.

We don't have to stick to the plan exactly, and we most likely will end up changing it on the fly anyway; but it is good idea to have as much as possible planned in advance.

Where are you eating?

[TObject]

Originally posted by mbryson
Where are you eating?

Romano's Macaroni Grill on West Broadway (Peery Hotel).

Not that the food is anything special, but it seems to me like the best place in Salt Lake City to meet interesting people.

You think you'd be able to join us for lunch? That would be fantastic.

[mbryson]

Originally posted by TObject
Romano's Macaroni Grill on West Broadway (Peery Hotel).

Not that the food is anything special, but it seems to me like the best place in Salt Lake City to meet interesting people.

You think you'd be able to join us for lunch? That would be fantastic.

Yeah, that food isn't the worst in town, but it's not the greatest either. I'll make sure I'm free that day. I haven't eaten there for at least a couple of years (it's not far from my office, either). That's next Tuesday, (as far as my Yootah edumacation gets me) right?

[TObject]

I am all packed, ready to go, taking off early in the morning. This is going to be an exciting trip.

Hot chicks, especially Swedish backpackers, along our planned root are advised to be friendly to two guys in a white diesel F250 with pickup shell and California license plates.

MB, you have a PM with my cell phone number, I hope to see you in SLC.

Don, Rita - we?ll see you at your place.

BlueJeeper, Frank, Robert, and everybody else, who had suggestions, thank you for the valuable advice.

We are going to bring back a story and a bunch of pictures.

[mbryson]

Originally posted by TObject
I am all packed, ready to go, taking off early in the morning. This is going to be an exciting trip.

Hot chicks, especially Swedish backpackers, along our planned root are advised to be friendly to two guys in a white diesel F250 with pickup shell and California license plates.

MB, you have a PM with my cell phone number, I hope to see you in SLC.

Don, Rita - we?ll see you at your place.

BlueJeeper, Frank, Robert, and everybody else, who had suggestions, thank you for the valuable advice.

We are going to bring back a story and a bunch of pictures.

I'll try and catch you downtown with my white F250 with Utah plates (the 'Centennial' ones with delicate arch on them )

[TObject]

We are out of California; stopped at Baker to take a look at the world?s largest thermometer.

Then, lunch in Las Vegas at the Mirage Casino and Hotel Cravings Buffet, the parking garage clearance is only 6?10, but fortunately they have an oversized parking lot at the back of the building. Interestingly, we couldn?t find the entrance to the oversized lot other then going over the curb, but that worked out pretty well anyway.

We spent about an hour in a half in the buffet; it is definitely one of the nicest buffets in Vegas. Cost us only $35 plus tip for two.

Diesel fuel in Las Vegas is $3.199 for a gallon of Bio.

After that we continued north on I-15, and decided to go a little further than originally planned. Now we are staying for the night in Beaver, Utah ? the birthplace of Robert Leroy Parker, also known as Butch Cassidy.

We played a little with a radio controlled jeep, and then had dinner at Arshels Caf? on North Main st. Diesel fuel in Beaver is $3.269.

Tomorrow we are heading to Slat Lake City and beyond.

[mbryson]

Originally posted by TObject
We are out of California; stopped at Baker to take a look at the world?s largest thermometer.

Then, lunch in Las Vegas at the Mirage Casino and Hotel Cravings Buffet, the parking garage clearance is only 6?10, but fortunately they have an oversized parking lot at the back of the building. Interestingly, we couldn?t find the entrance to the oversized lot other then going over the curb, but that worked out pretty well anyway.

We spent about an hour in a half in the buffet; it is definitely one of the nicest buffets in Vegas. Cost us only $35 plus tip for two.

Diesel fuel in Las Vegas is $3.199 for a gallon of Bio.

After that we continued north on I-15, and decided to go a little further than originally planned. Now we are staying for the night in Beaver, Utah ? the birthplace of Robert Leroy Parker, also known as Butch Cassidy.

We played a little with a radio controlled jeep, and then had dinner at Arshels Caf? on North Main st. Diesel fuel in Beaver is $3.269.

Tomorrow we are heading to Slat Lake City and beyond.

Fuel is right around $3.45 in/around SLC. What's your plans for tomorrow? Bring your golf clubs?

[TObject]

No golf clubs, but we have a remote-controlled rock crawling jeep. We are going to leave the motel here in Beaver around 9 AM and head straight to Salt Lake City. We?d like to visit the Tabernacle Hall, and we are game for anything you can show to us.

I?ll give you a call tomorrow when we get closer to SLC.

[mbryson]

Originally posted by TObject
No golf clubs, but we have a remote-controlled rock crawling jeep. We are going to leave the motel here in Beaver around 9 AM and head straight to Salt Lake City. We?d like to visit the Tabernacle Hall, and we are game for anything you can show to us.

I?ll give you a call tomorrow when we get closer to SLC.

WHOA........... Downtown SLC is a JOKE today. There's a speaking thing at the Delta Center that includes Condi Rice, Rumsfeld and some other folk...... I'm sure you're already on the road and won't see this, but traffic SUCKS to put it mildly.

[mbryson]

Originally posted by mbryson
WHOA........... Downtown SLC is a JOKE today. There's a speaking thing at the Delta Center that includes Condi Rice, Rumsfeld and some other folk...... I'm sure you're already on the road and won't see this, but traffic SUCKS to put it mildly.

Good to see you guys. Best of luck on the Boise leg.

[Matt Pascoe]

Sergey, are you taking the 15 straight through to Idaho? If you have time, cut through Sardine Canyon to Logan. Great old farm town and if you have an hour to kill drive up Logan canyon (Wasatch Mtns). Absolutely beautiful, I go up there about once a year. From downtown Logan it's about 30 minutes to the Idaho border.

Have fun!

[mbryson]

Originally posted by Matt Pascoe
Sergey, are you taking the 15 straight through to Idaho? If you have time, cut through Sardine Canyon to Logan. Great old farm town and if you have an hour to kill drive up Logan canyon (Wasatch Mtns). Absolutely beautiful, I go up there about once a year. From downtown Logan it's about 30 minutes to the Idaho border.

Have fun!

Smithfield is my hometown.......... I didn't know anyone knew about that area of Utah I'm sure they won't have time to drag through there. They've got to get to Boise and read their Book of Mormons they received from the missionaries on temple square.

[Matt Pascoe]

Yep, my wife was born in Logan and her dad has an alignment shop in Logan and a small farm in smithfield.

I've been traveling to Logan for about 15 years and it has boomed, not the sleepy little town any more.. I can only imagine what it was like 30 years ago.

Many fond memories of water skiing Bear Lake (Raspberry shakes mmmmm), The Factory, Angies...

[mbryson]

Originally posted by Matt Pascoe
Yep, my wife was born in Logan and her dad has an alignment shop in Logan and a small farm in smithfield.

I've been traveling to Logan for about 15 years and it has boomed, not the sleepy little town any more.. I can only imagine what it was like 30 years ago.

Many fond memories of water skiing Bear Lake (Raspberry shakes mmmmm), The Factory, Angies...

Angies...... The Factory...... Where's the small farm? West side, I assume, but south or north end? What's the last name?