We went to Salt Lake City for thanksgiving. My step-mom moved there this year.
We drove up I25 and over on I80. We had 2 laptops, a DVD player and a game console. The DVD has the ability to be a TV for the game console - but the wires did not connect. So when we stopped at the halfway in Rawlins, WY - we hit a Radio Shack for an adapter. The trip over went pretty smoothly. The kids took turns watching movies - sometimes 2 movies at the same time. You would think that would be a problem - but we kept the volume down.
We stayed at my step-mother's. The only problem was my allergies to fur. You see, she has 2 dogs. But I've learned I can kept it under control with anti-histamine. The problem is that anti-histamines make me sleepy. But I've learn by taking smaller doses of liquid, I can try to balance sleepiness and beating getting sick. I managed not to get sick from allergies this visit - but I did take a few naps.
Thanksgiving was nice, but not too busy. We were the only guests. It made it a smaller than average thanksgiving, but it was nice.
Friday we drove out to the Great Salt Lake. We went out to Antelope Island. We went to the visitor's center. We had a picnic outside. It was a bit cold. But we enjoyed it anyhow. Then we went to find a geocache nearby on the island. First my youngest found a letterbox (similar to a geocache) right nearby the spot. Then I found the geocache in a cave around a rocky corner. It was my step-mother's first time. She seemed to enjoy it. I thought that was great! We grabbed the travelbug to bring back with us.
Saturday we had plans to ride a steam train outside of the city, up in the mountains a big. The report said some snow, but now snow at the train. The train was still planning to leave on schedule. So we headed up route 80 into the mountains. The snow was building up on the road - and on the signs. Then the electric sign said chains required. Not just chains required for trucks, but just chain required. As in chains for all. And quickly we found ourselves in very slow moving traffic on very snow-packed roads. After about 20 minutes we go off at the first exit. It turns out we had chains - new by my suggestion for this trip. We learned how to put on the chains. By the time the chains were on, there was no chance of making the train. So we headed back and took it easy.
We hoped the road was clearer for our trip home Sunday. We head back up the hill early in the morning. This time it was pretty clear - no chains needed. We stopped for breakfast after we got up the valley. Then we moved on. As we approached the halfway mark a little after noon - Rawlins, WY - the snow started falling and blowing. When we got to Rawlins, the signs were flashing: road closed ahead. We tuned into the advisory radio. Roads East and South were closed. We stopped in the truckstop an exit back to have lunch and try to figure out what we were going to do.
The rumors flying were not good. Roads closed. Massive accidents. Giant snow drifts. Roads closed for a day or more. We were told that if we were around after 4, we should find a room.
We finished lunch about 2:30, and we out to the car. We got online to try to find out the chance of moving on. No chance. So we start calling around for a room. Things are looking bad. After calling all the hotels in town, there was only 1 room - a single too small for the 5 of us. We are looking at spending the night in the car. Not the worst news, but not good.
I turn back on the advisory radio, hoping to hear they announce they were opening the road. No such luck. I just listen to the radio talk about the things in the area. Including bed-and-breakfasts.
Bed-and-breakfasts.
!
So I say - what about a bed-and-breakfast?
We call the only one listed.
2 rooms left. We ask for the first. We help out another 2 people from Colorado passing our car at the right time.
We head over to the bed-and-breakfast. Wow, it was a nice place! We wound up going from the bottom of the barrel to the best place in town.
The next day we got back on the road. They said the road was open overnight. But not all the way East - just an hour or town down the road. But by the time we got on the road, it was open all the way. It was very icy, snowy and the wind was really blowing. For 3 hours of driving like that. The it started clearing - but was still very windy. As we drove down we hear that I70 was closed coming into Denver. And the next day I70 was closed going East from Denver. Bad weather.
I managed to get into work for 3 hours on Monday. Overall it was a nice trip for thanksgiving. And a bit of an adventure.
Pictures from Salt Lake Trip
We drove up I25 and over on I80. We had 2 laptops, a DVD player and a game console. The DVD has the ability to be a TV for the game console - but the wires did not connect. So when we stopped at the halfway in Rawlins, WY - we hit a Radio Shack for an adapter. The trip over went pretty smoothly. The kids took turns watching movies - sometimes 2 movies at the same time. You would think that would be a problem - but we kept the volume down.
We stayed at my step-mother's. The only problem was my allergies to fur. You see, she has 2 dogs. But I've learned I can kept it under control with anti-histamine. The problem is that anti-histamines make me sleepy. But I've learn by taking smaller doses of liquid, I can try to balance sleepiness and beating getting sick. I managed not to get sick from allergies this visit - but I did take a few naps.
Thanksgiving was nice, but not too busy. We were the only guests. It made it a smaller than average thanksgiving, but it was nice.
Friday we drove out to the Great Salt Lake. We went out to Antelope Island. We went to the visitor's center. We had a picnic outside. It was a bit cold. But we enjoyed it anyhow. Then we went to find a geocache nearby on the island. First my youngest found a letterbox (similar to a geocache) right nearby the spot. Then I found the geocache in a cave around a rocky corner. It was my step-mother's first time. She seemed to enjoy it. I thought that was great! We grabbed the travelbug to bring back with us.
Saturday we had plans to ride a steam train outside of the city, up in the mountains a big. The report said some snow, but now snow at the train. The train was still planning to leave on schedule. So we headed up route 80 into the mountains. The snow was building up on the road - and on the signs. Then the electric sign said chains required. Not just chains required for trucks, but just chain required. As in chains for all. And quickly we found ourselves in very slow moving traffic on very snow-packed roads. After about 20 minutes we go off at the first exit. It turns out we had chains - new by my suggestion for this trip. We learned how to put on the chains. By the time the chains were on, there was no chance of making the train. So we headed back and took it easy.
We hoped the road was clearer for our trip home Sunday. We head back up the hill early in the morning. This time it was pretty clear - no chains needed. We stopped for breakfast after we got up the valley. Then we moved on. As we approached the halfway mark a little after noon - Rawlins, WY - the snow started falling and blowing. When we got to Rawlins, the signs were flashing: road closed ahead. We tuned into the advisory radio. Roads East and South were closed. We stopped in the truckstop an exit back to have lunch and try to figure out what we were going to do.
The rumors flying were not good. Roads closed. Massive accidents. Giant snow drifts. Roads closed for a day or more. We were told that if we were around after 4, we should find a room.
We finished lunch about 2:30, and we out to the car. We got online to try to find out the chance of moving on. No chance. So we start calling around for a room. Things are looking bad. After calling all the hotels in town, there was only 1 room - a single too small for the 5 of us. We are looking at spending the night in the car. Not the worst news, but not good.
I turn back on the advisory radio, hoping to hear they announce they were opening the road. No such luck. I just listen to the radio talk about the things in the area. Including bed-and-breakfasts.
Bed-and-breakfasts.
!
So I say - what about a bed-and-breakfast?
We call the only one listed.
2 rooms left. We ask for the first. We help out another 2 people from Colorado passing our car at the right time.
We head over to the bed-and-breakfast. Wow, it was a nice place! We wound up going from the bottom of the barrel to the best place in town.
The next day we got back on the road. They said the road was open overnight. But not all the way East - just an hour or town down the road. But by the time we got on the road, it was open all the way. It was very icy, snowy and the wind was really blowing. For 3 hours of driving like that. The it started clearing - but was still very windy. As we drove down we hear that I70 was closed coming into Denver. And the next day I70 was closed going East from Denver. Bad weather.
I managed to get into work for 3 hours on Monday. Overall it was a nice trip for thanksgiving. And a bit of an adventure.
Pictures from Salt Lake Trip
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