Barn Sour and Running On Home

October 11^th, Parts Far and Wide

We woke to a beautiful, crisp morning with the clouds breaking up in the direction of home.  Like a horse headed to the barn after a long ride,

we pointed the car east with a ‘pulling on the reins’ feeling filling the car.  We were still in the mountains and range territory but within a hundred miles we would be setting eyes on prairie.  I felt a little melancholy leaving behind the grandeur of the Rockies.  For all the high peaks and cliffside roads, they give me a feeling of safety and shelter. I suspect that it’s the flowing water and evergreens in their stark difference to the dry washes and hot red rocks that make me feel that way.  I’ve learned that for my fascination with the arid Southwest it will be the mountains that call me back here.  Regardless of where we were though, it was the wonderful people we have met along our journey that pushes me toward another trip someday.

 

There was Ann, the airbnb host in Joplin, Missouri who was always prepared for the latest need and all with a glowing smile.  Little Beau with his blue, blue eyes standing up for his parents’ at their wedding, arms crossed so gentlemanly.  Or the Park Ranger at Dinosaur National Park who answered our many questions with just as much enthusiasm as we had even though she’d undoubtedly been repeating it many times over. 

A couple, Elizabeth and Yasu, who warm our hearts every time we think of them.  Their intelligence, warmth, and incredible graciousness stayed in our minds long after we left Denver.  Yasu is the chef/owner of Sushi Den and Izakaya where we were treated to an evening of the best cuisine his imagination could produce.  It is one of my favorite dining experiences to let the chef create the whole meal and surprise us with each dish.  Yasu is an artist in the world of Japanese cuisine and his restaurants are tantamount to any trip to Denver.  

In another mountain rich town of Park City there was Silvia whom we never met but managed to convey a passionate, interesting personality through her beautiful home and well-loved Tyson, her four-legged ambassador.  Our suite in this airbnb home gave us the feeling of how the 1% live and after camping in rain on a previous night we extended our luxurious surroundings for an extra night.  Park City was at its fall peak and golden aspens covered the mountain sides.  I've always loved that mountain town and spent many a fun night there when I lived in Utah.  It was great to be back in a place where I had a bit of history.

Another overnight stop was a truly remote Nevada village in the basin range area just outside of the Great Basin National Park....the Silver Jack Inn.  The innkeeper was a quiet, even seemingly surly jack of all trades named Terry who was innkeeper as well as fix-it guy, chef, housekeeper, local photographer and even a tour guide at times.  This was probably the most remote of all of our destinations with nothing around us for more than 100 miles.  We had a bit of trepidation when we walked into the little cafe for dinner after an evening at the summit of the park where we saw for the first time the oldest trees in the world, the bristlecone pine. We had a really good meal though and surprisingly good wine but most memorable of all was his high end array of fine Scotch. The man knew good Scotch and the important things to have in a remote place. 

During a day of the longest drive through the most desolate part of America I have ever seen, we came across what seemed to me an insane prospect...a guy bicycling across the desert basin of Nevada's Rt. 50. Not only was there no store or gas or any building whatsoever, there was no shade either. No access to anything other than what he had on his bike.  This was truly a grizzled, hardy and intrepid traveler who thankfully had all his faculties as well as the right type of supplies.  Even so, we had to stop to make sure he was outfitted or didn't need help. We never got his name but his smile was unforgettable when we pulled over to fill up his water bags.  It was obvious he was prepared for anything and still had water but as he said, ‘you never pass on water out here…no never.’ Joyce and I both were dumbstruck at the idea of what he was undertaking. 

In a reversal of situations, we had our own helper by the name of Tom of Doc’s Towing Service who remedied our problem of keys locked in the Mini at Yosemite National Park. He didn’t seem to begrudge the long drive into the park and a smile peeked out of his grey handlebar mustache upon a successful click.  It was his first time trying to break into a Mini…..another notch on his belt. 

There was a young British couple chatting with us near a geocache on the way out of Death Valley.  They were fellow MINI owners and seemed to appreciate our cautions about gas and water as they headed into the remote basin.  If there is ever a time to be overcautious and well-prepared for any contingent, this area of central Nevada is it.  This isn't only my testament about that part of our trip but a warning.  

For an example of the perfect server, the gentleman at Bootlegger Bistro in Vegas gave us that little extra that turns a simple dinner into a lovely evening. The bistro looked like something out of the set of Good Fellas and with slicked-back hair and intense eyes so did our server.  We had a great view of some local characters while we sat in an elevated booth with The Godfather playing on a big screen above us.  We drank great red wine and had the best pasta of our whole trip.  Our server set up the kind of atmosphere that seemed quintessential, mafioso Vegas.  

Another couple, traveling through Vegas, heralded from Great Britain and had been touring the United States for three months. They had daringly picked up and come to America to see where they might like to seek a job. They were going to also try New Zealand before making their decision. We hoped the government shutdown that was then occurring did not dissuade them from making their home here.

Let’s see…..oh yeah, there was the sexy blond bartender in Sedona at the Cowboy Club Saloon who reminded us of Marilyn Monroe.  We had driven from Vegas and hadn’t eaten in a while but mostly we were ready for a nice cold drink.  We noted that some things never change; where back in the frontier days the first place a traveler went was to the saloon for drinks mixed with a liberal dose of local gossip.  That was pretty much our routine at the entry to every town and it worked pretty well.  This particular bartender was more memorable than others.  She was one of those people who likes to wink at you for no reason at all and made us feel like we were the only two people in the place.  We sat enjoying her company long after we finished eating, even though it would mean setting up our camp in the dark.  

We also can’t mention Sedona without our Pink Jeep guide, Tim.  He was just the right mix of cowboy storyteller and cultural ambassador to the Native Peoples that made for a special day.  Sedona felt like another world with its hot days of red dust and milleniums of history showing in the rocky crags around us; the cold and bright star-filled nights where the heavens seem so close and all the while the whispers of Native spirits on the wind. 

In the mile high town of Jerome, a cool gal named Big Nose Kate encouraged me to partake in the virtues of pickle juice and tequila.  You can’t have a nickname like that and not have personality which she did in spades. And the drink wasn’t bad either. 

There was the sweet Navajo woman at a Navajo trading post who made gorgeous silver jewelry.  She wanted to hear all about our trip as I was trying to buy a pair of earrings for Joyce on the sly.  I was caught at the counter so it was only a partial surprise for Joyce but seeing that beautiful Navajo face with warm, dark eyes so full of expression was worth it. 

One of the truly special highlights for our trip was meeting the Debbies’ of Telluride.  It was their kindness, humor and open-spiritedness that made that town a favorite and a future destination to come one day. The beauty of this tiny town settled in the narrowest of canyons really can't be matched.  The whole town is less than 2 miles long and barely a mile wide with colorful Victorian homes as the common theme and towering snow-covered peaks on three sides.....only one way in or out.  I was very glad we were seeing it on the off season with mostly locals.  It was quiet, quaint and the locals hadn't had their patience tried by hoardes of tourists so their friendliness felt genuine.  

As I mentioned, Telluride was all about the people and I must mention the lovely afternoon we spent at Michelle’s Aroma Spa with her and Candice.  They pampered us in more ways than one and we thoroughly enjoyed an afternoon of girl talk, town gossip and the leisurely space they created for us.  If you ever find yourself in Telluride, check out Aroma Spa and Boutique on the main street in town and say hi from us with much gratitude. 

Gratitude is the word we felt during so much of our trip.  We were thankful for our safe

travels, for unbelievably perfect weather and of course, the kindness of friends and strangers all along the way.  We were thankful for the steady and quick MINI that never faltered or quit, ever the responsive 'iron horse' that carried us across diverse territory.

I know so many Americans who barely experience anything beyond their own region.  I would recommend at least driving across America once in one’s life if possible….the diversity of the land and the people connected to it is an education of its own.