Christina and Robert's Cross-Country Trip: Part 10
Sunday we drove from the little town of Dubois, WY to Judy's place at the Rockies in Steamboat. This was the most barren drive we've been on yet--not even a tractor or a farm to be found!! When we got to Steamboat we ran errands and then saw Lethal Weapon 4 with Jet Li in his American movie debut and cheered every time he kicked Mel Gibson or Danny Glover. Sadly, Mel killed him at the end. We ate dinner at the Double Z, where we love the beef ribs and free refills of Cokes. Monday, with temperatures at 100 degrees, we aborted a long climb up the brutally sunny Mt. Werner in favor of a leisurely morning and a short hike and picnic at the shadier and slightly cooler Fish Creek Falls, then a dip in the pool before dinner.
We celebrated our 1st married month-aversary by eating at La Montana here, where we had a nice big mango margarita, an incredibly (almost unearthlily so--especially since it was called Anasazi Fillet on the menu) tender beef with a spice rub, a really good dish of elk medallions in a bourbon cream sauce with a pecan crust, and a great gourmet fried ice cream dessert. We would definitely eat elk again, but I don't know how often we'll get our hands on farm-raised New Zealand elk at home.
Tuesday we drove 70 miles south to meet Asma in Beaver Creek and spent the night there. To say it was a beautiful house is quite an understatement, and she was very hospitable. She was with her cousin, Nadia, so we all went over to Vail for dinner and then walked around Vail village and played mini golf. Wednesday morning we got up late and leisurely and went out to a sushi lunch in Beaver Creek midday which was good and different but kind of expensive. We took a driving tour of Beaver Creek and then got a really late start out. Near Glenwood Springs on I-70 we drove through a beautiful canyon, and then ended up spending the night in Green River, Utah.
Thu. 7/23 we drove to Salt Lake City. Robert was impressed with the rocky canyons on the drive and declared Utah the prettiest state. I think it was Wyoming. We walked around the Mormon Tabernacle grounds and saw two different Mormon wedding parties. Then we went to the Great Salt Lake and wondered how all the seagulls got out there, so far from another body of salt water. Then we drove down I-80 through a desert and then between the Great Salt Flats, on the straightest, longest stretch of highway we've ever seen, between snow-white flats merging into misty mountains in the distance. When we got out and walked on them (and then drove Norman on them for a little way) we stood where the Antarctica part of the XF movie could have been filmed! We ate dinner and then spent the night nearby in Winnemucca, NV, at a Basque restaurant, since the area used to be populated by Basque sheepherders. It was good, similar to Spanish food but still interesting to try on its own.
