Chance Encounters
  • Scarecrow and Mrs. King
    • SMK Episode Guide Seasons One and Two
    • SMK Episode Guide Seasons Three and Four
    • SMK In Memoriam
    • SMK Photos and More >
      • SMK Avatars & Signatures
      • SMK Fan Art
      • SMK Promo Pictures
      • SMK TV Guide Ads
      • SMK Vacations
      • SMK 25th Reunion
    • SMK Quotes
  • My Blog
  • Screenplays
    • SMK Season Five Project >
      • 1. Secrets, Lies, and Half Truths
      • 2. The Ties That Bind Also Gag
      • 3. The Choices We Made: Part One
      • 4. The Choices We Made: Part Two
      • 5. A Drop In The Bucket
      • 6. Life Interrupted
    • SMK Season Five Project : Part 2 >
      • 7. Guilt by Association
      • 8. A Long Winter's Night
      • 9. Heart of Gold
      • 10. Do You Take This Spy: Take Two
      • 11. Year of the Spy
    • The More Things Change
    • Sins of the Father
  • Fan Fiction
    • Alone in the Darkness
    • Amanda versus the Rings
    • Dreaming of Dragons
    • Ghosts from the Past
    • Just Fishing
    • Lee versus the Rings
    • One Moment in Time
    • Our Little Secret
  • Fan Fiction Two
    • Smooth Sailing
    • Tears Into Wine
    • The Hand We Are Dealt
    • The Second Time
    • There Comes a Time
    • Waiting
    • Drabbles
    • Writing Challenges
  • Fan Fiction Three
    • SMK Little Lee Stories >
      • Christmas Past
      • Duty
      • Life's Lesson
      • The Stand
      • Unexpected Beginnings
    • SMK Road Trip Stories >
      • Season 1: Stranger Than Fiction
      • Season 2: A Bump in the Road
      • Season 4: Timing is Everything
    • Chuck and Scarecrow and Mrs. King Crossover Stories >
      • Chuck versus the Weekend
      • Chuck versus the G.R.E.T.A.
      • Chuck versus the Doppelganger
    • Virtual Season Seven Stories >
      • Even The Mighty Shall Fall
      • Black Saturday
      • When The Bough Breaks
      • Now I Lay Me Down To Weep
    • SMK Writing Buddies
  • SMK Music Vids
  • Children Say The Darndest Things
  • Chuck Episode Guide Seasons One To Three
  • Chuck Episode Guide Seasons Four and Five
  • Links
    • SMK Links
    • Favorite Blogs and Websites
  • Forest Fire Lookouts
  • Resume
  • Contact Me

 Utah and Colorado at Christmas 

11/20/2016

0 Comments

 
"Are you nuts?" a friend of mine asked when I told her we were driving to Colorado for Christmas. I shrugged. "Yeah, maybe, just a little." It was my parents 50th Anniversary and we were all gathering together at my sister's house in Grand Junction. Not like I don't see my parents all the time as they live in the house behind ours; however, I don't get to see my sisters very often, so off we headed toward Colorado in the middle of winter. 

For several days we had been keeping a close eye on our weather apps. It appeared the weather was going to be decent for us until we reached Salt Lake City and then it would be dicey. We threw into the cargo area of my Mazda CX-5 an emergency kit, snow cables, gloves, a couple sleeping bags, a shovel, and kitty litter - just in case. The morning of Christmas Eve, we left our house and headed south and then turned east. I felt sorry for our three boys as they sat crammed together in our little Crossover SUV, but they had their electronic devices to entertain themselves and actually didn't squabble much. We took a couple strength breaks including a quick walk around the Stonehenge Memorial in Maryhill, Washington. That evening, we stopped at Ed's sister's house in Ontario, Oregon, right on the border between Oregon and Idaho. We had Christmas Eve dinner with his sister and brother-in-law. The following morning, we left early as we knew we had a very long drive ahead of us, so after breakfast and goodbyes, we were on the road again. 

Drive, drive, drive was our mantra for the day as we crossed southern Idaho and dropped into Utah. Finally, we reached Salt Lake City, where we fueled up the car again and purchased snacks. It began to snow lightly, but was not sticking to the roadways. When we reached our turnoff just outside Spanish Fork, the snow was really beginning to fall. I was exceedingly happy Ed was driving. As we crested Solider Summit, the snow was sticking to the roadway and some cars pulled over to chain-up. Ed trudged ahead in our little all-wheel drive vehicle, which seemed to be handling the roads fine. Then almost as soon as the snowstorm started, it stopped, and we were meet with the sun breaking through the winter clouds. We continued our trek through Utah and into Colorado, arriving at my sister's house a little after 8:00 pm. They were saving Christmas dinner for us and soon we were enjoying each other's company and appreciating the fact we not stuck in a cramped car any longer. 

On Saturday, we all went to the movie theater to see Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Some of us had seen the movie already, but that did not stop us from seeing it a second time and spending time with the family. In addition, I think I appreciated the movie more the second time around. That night, we drove around Grand Junction looking at the holiday light displays. 

On Sunday, we all went to church in the morning. After church, our family drove up to the Colorado National Monument. Much of the park was closed because of the weather, but we were able to drive up to the top of the overlook and took some pictures. 

The next day was filled with running errands. It had snowed in Grand Junction and the kids wanted to go sledding. However, we stuck out finding sleds. Everyone else had the same exact idea and all the stores were sold out. Nonetheless. Elizabeth was able to call in a few favors and found some sleds to borrow and the kids were able to go sledding. I was surprised we never saw a snow plow while we were there. My sister told us Grand Junction didn't have them, because they don't see snow very often in the high desert. Nonetheless, we had no difficulty getting around. The weather was pretty nice for us while we were there. We woke up to a light dusting of snow a couple times, and at night the temperatures got down to the single digits but during daylight hours, the sun was out, although cold. We did have to replace our windshield wipers by the time we got home due to the freezing and then thawing, then freezing again. 

The following day was my parents wedding anniversary and my sisters and their spouses and Ed and I started the morning taking them out to breakfast at the Egg and I restaurant. We had a very pleasant experience and the food was good and hot. I wish we had one near us in Washington. My parents went to a private dinner by themselves later that evening. With 17 people around, we all chipped in with food preparation, cooking, doing dishes, taking out the garage, etc. The boys spent most of their time downstairs in the family room playing video games, while the adults usually either watched television or put together puzzles or played board games in the recreation room. Most of the family was there, except for two grand kids who were serving LDS missions and one who couldn't get away from work. 

On Tuesday, Ed and I drove to Dead Horse State Park in Utah. The park provides a dramatic overlook of the Colorado River and Canyonlands National Park. The views were just amazing, and I was sorry we didn't have another day to explore Canyonlands. Hoping for another trip to southern Utah soon. We then spent the rest of the day in Moab, before heading back to my sister's house. Yes, we do need to come back and explore this area more. 

On Wednesday, all of us drove to Arches National Park. We spent the day driving through the park and taking little hikes here and there. It was cold, but the sun was out. Although, this was the first time I had ever visited Arches, I believe I probably would enjoy the park more in the winter than in the summer, because it was not miserably hot and the park was not very crowded. The snow on the ground and covering the sandstone arches, made the desert landscape more unique, in my opinion. I'm sorry we didn't have time to hike to Delicate Arch, but daytime hours limited what we could do. We did however take the back roads winding around the Colorado River on our way back to Grand Junction, the roads were a bit rough, but the scenery was amazingly beautiful. 

On Thursday, we started our trek back home, but first we stopped in Salt Lake City. Michael wanted to visit his old LDS mission stomping grounds. (He served two years at the Utah-Salt Lake City Mission). We stopped at one of his favorite restaurants, where he often ate lunch. We ate lunch there and chatted with a couple of the ladies who worked there, that fondly remembered Michael. Then stopped to visit a few members of the church at Wards he had been assigned to. He was hoping to visit his Mission President, but the Mission office was closed for the holiday. That evening, we walked around Temple Square enjoying the Christmas lights and the Salt Lake City Temple. We also enjoyed hearing some performances at the tabernacle. We were disappointed we missed touring the conference center, as they closed tours early because of the holiday. We spent the night at a La Quinta Inns and Suites in Layton. La Quinta is usually our go-to hotel when traveling, but was not very impressed with this one. Service was good, but the inn seriously needs to be updated and the room and bathroom didn't feel very clean. But for one night stay, and being just off the freeway and next to a mall and several restaurants, it wasn't too bad. 

Two other things disappointed me about this trip. The first was Kroger Company. We had made a quick snack stop at a grocery store in Grand Junction and when the checker rang us up, she asked if we had a City Market card. I shook my head. Then she rudely said to us, "Well, then I will just have to charge you full price." I was totally taken aback. This is why I hate those stupid shopper cards. First, I don't think it's anyone's business how we shop, what we buy, or where we buy it. Thank goodness Albertsons stopped this madness. The thing that really ticked me off was her attitude and if she had just followed up with one qualifying question; i.e. "Would you like a card?" I could have stated, "No, we live in Washington state." If she had told me City Market was a Kroger Company, the light bulb would have gone off inside my head. "Oh, okay, we have Fred Meyers and QFC's in Washington." As it is, I am not a fan of Kroger stores anyway. And encounters like this is what continues to keep me away from shopping there. 

I was also very disappointed in the Golden Corral. I usually love Golden Corral. Unfortunately, there is only one in the whole state of Washington and its several hours away. Nonetheless, by the time we had checked into the motel for the evening, we were all very hungry. And one of these reasons we picked this particular place to stay was it location next to several restaurants. We were finding it impossible to locate a place that was open. Everyone closed early for the New Years Holiday. However, we did find Golden Corral open. We walked in and paid for our meal, only to discover we were the last customers to come in for the night. Therefore, the food was not fresh or warm and had been sitting under the heat lights all night. The slice of roast I had was as tough as a leather shoe and I can't even find the words to describe how gross the mashed potatoes were. The staff was polite, but we felt like they were staring at us, just waiting for us to leave. I will think twice before visiting another Golden Corral. 

New Years Day we drove all day long. We had good weather all the way home, except it was cold. My normally blue SUV had turned white with brine and road grime. We told the boys we could stop in Broadman, Oregon for the night, but they all wanted to get back home, so we continued to drive the rest of the way, arriving close to midnight.  Our dogs were happy to see us. I felt sorry for the lady who pet sat for us. The coldest week we had all winter (low 20's) and our furnace blew the circuit breaker. The house was freezing! Thank goodness Ed had a couple more days off from work as we searched for replacement circuit breakers for our Carrier furnace. He went back to work the day after he made the repairs. 
Life is either a great adventure or nothing  ~ Helen Keller
Stonehenge Memorial in Maryhill, Washington
Colorado National Monument
Outside Canyonlands National Park
Dead Horse State Park
Arches National Park
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Picture

     "Hey. . . it's me."

    I live in the shadows of the Olympic Mountains in the state of Washington and I love camping, boating, kayaking, hiking, and hanging out with my husband, our three adult children, and our Bernese Mountain dog, Henry. 

    I am a paraeducator working with special needs children. In my spare time, I read, write, listen to music, direct community theater, work on family history, and visit forest fire lookouts and lighthouses. 

    "Actually, I do a lot of things."

    My favorite television show growing up was Scarecrow and Mrs. King and my screenplays and fan fiction stories are all based on that series (with some Chuck crossovers thrown in). 

    "There is a thin line that separates laughter and pain, comedy and tragedy, humor and hurt." ~ Erma Bombeck

    Archives

    April 2021
    March 2021
    June 2017
    February 2017
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010

    Free Printable Calendar

    Tags

    All
    1980
    Accident
    Adam Baldwin
    Adventures
    Amanda King
    Amazon
    American Heart Association
    Anniversary
    Arrhythmia
    Author
    Autism
    Babylon 5
    Band
    Believe
    Beta Read
    Blog
    Bloopers
    Breasts
    Bruce Boxleitner
    Bucket List
    Camping
    Canada
    Cancer
    Cedar Cove
    Childhood
    Children
    Choices
    Chuck
    Church
    Cindy Morgan
    Collaborative Fiction
    College
    Comedy
    Conventions
    Cooking
    CPR
    Criticism
    David Giuntoli
    Dialogue
    Disappointment
    Disney
    Dreams
    Driving
    Earthquake
    ECCC
    Essential Oils
    Europe
    Family
    Family History
    Fandom
    Fan Fiction
    Fangirl
    Fantasy
    Favorites
    Friends
    Geek
    German Recipes
    Greg Morton
    Grimm
    Guest
    Hallmark
    Happiness
    Heart
    Heroes
    Hollywood
    Hospital
    Humor
    Hysterectomy
    Information
    Insurance
    Journal
    Kate Jackson
    Law
    Lee Stetson
    Lesson
    Life
    Lifesaving
    Lighthouse
    Little House On The Prairie
    Martha Smith
    Me
    Medical
    Memories
    Miracles
    Mission
    Motherhood
    Movie
    Music
    Music Videos
    Mystery
    Netflix
    Novels
    Nugget
    Parenting
    Paul Stout
    Pet Peeve
    Pie
    Poetry
    Politics
    Portland
    Prayers
    Proud Momma Moment
    Random
    Rant
    Rave
    Reading
    Recomendations
    Reflection
    Remembrance
    Review
    Righteously Indignant
    Road Trip
    Romance
    Sadness
    Sasha Roiz
    SCA
    Scarecrow And Mrs. King
    School
    Science Fiction
    Screenplay
    Screenwriting
    Seattle
    Sequester
    Techniques
    Teenagers
    Television Series
    Thanks
    Theatre
    Travel
    Tron
    United States
    Vacation
    Walt Morey
    West Linn
    Writing
    Writing Challenge
    YMCA
    Young Adult
    Yvonne Strahovski
    Zachary Levi

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.