The story with photos at http://TheVirtualBarAndGrill.com/Utah
Utah Road Trip
by Big Red
Me? I'm not a rider - I get my miles riding with dp. But I love driving my
truck! So when Diane Johnston said she was up for a visit, I checked my calendar
and said "I'm on my way!"
It was already noon on Thursday before Labor Day weekend when I finally got my
list of "things to do" done here at home so only drove as far as Baker City, OR,
before calling it quits for the day. Friday took me thru Idaho to Utah arriving
at Diane's in the late afternoon. After the hugs and tears she gave me the house
tour - OMG, she keeps the house spotless (I need to take lessons). She said she
and Allen had agreed that she would take care of the housekeeping inside and
Allen would do the same outside. Since Allen's passing Diane's been doing both
and she's doing an excellent job. Diane is planning on selling the house and
moving closer to family in Maryland so she tries to keep everything "move in
ready" for potential buyers.
I had toured the Salt Lake area many years ago so I wanted to see some of the
Ogden sights that Diane thought would be interesting. On Saturday she took me to
Snow Basin skiing area for a gondola ride to the top. Spectacular view! Riding
on the roads around the area of Snow Basin was one of Allen's favorite things to
do and it was a bitter-sweet time for Diane so we decided to adjust our strategy
a bit. On the way back down to Ogden we stopped at a restaurant and ate lunch
next to a creek. Great food! And a nice diversion.
Photo: snowbasin.jpg
On Sunday, with Diane feeling a little under the weather, I decided to explore
the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. Took bunches of photos (wish I had a
telephoto lens) and marveled at the show Mother Nature likes to put on. Miles of
flat land ideal for flocks of birds to set down in and rest a while. The list of
birds I could see from the road: Western Grebe, American White Pelican,
Double-crested Cormorant, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, and White-faced Ibis.
Photo: pelican.jpg
Photo: egret.jpg
Photo: ibis.jpg
Then there was Antelope Island on Monday. While we didn't see antelope, we did
see quite a few bison. These are big guys used to having the place to
themselves. As usual we (and others) had to stop to snap a few photos. A quick
lunch stop at a hotdog stand (with garlic fries) and a visit to the Historic
Fielding Garr Ranch rounded out the day. We also stopped on the island to view
the memorial built to honor the Special Forces crash victims who died on
10/29/92 during a training mission.
photo: bison.jpg
There were also dinners at Boccia's D'Italia restaurant (great pizza!) and at
Chili's, time shared telling stories of how Allen Johnston came to be a part of
Diane's life and their many travels together, sorting thru and repacking boxes
filled with memories, and watching television. Diane's strength in sharing her
memories helped me understand a little of the pain she is going through.
At the end of a week it was time for me to go. I had work to do in Oroville, WA,
and Diane had taken a few more steps toward what will become her new life. More
hugs and tears and I was on the road once again to Oroville via Spokane, WA.
I decided to drive to Spokane by way of Montana so headed north toward Pocatello
and Butte, staying in Missoula for the night with sightings of antelope and big
horn sheep along the way. Spokane gave me a chance to relax for a day visiting
with my brother and sister-in-law. They have a beautiful back yard with a large
pond and waterfall that draws in the birds by the dozens. The pond also has four
koi that are large enough for a dinner for four. (They had to replace a couple
of koi last year due to serving breakfast to an Osprey.)
Then on to the final stop of the trip - Oroville, WA. Oroville is the small town
(pop. about 1500) where my brothers and I grew up. Dad and Mom built the house
in '49 and '50 and lived there until their passing in 1999 and 2001. dp and I
bought the house then with the intention of someday retiring to this house and
small community. In the meantime we rent out the main part of the house and we
keep the basement apartment for ourselves. We are supposed to use this apartment
to get away and relax or when (as in this case) we have maintenance work to be
done. So for the next three days I pulled weeds, adjusted and repaired
sprinklers, and caught up on the town gossip with the neighbors. (dp is new to
this small town stuff but he loves the amount of sunshine they get yearly as
opposed to Bellevue which is a part of the Pacific Northwet.)
Then the five hour drive home to Bellevue finally gave me some time to think and
try to put some perspective into relationships. Sometimes it takes the loss of a
loved one to shake us back into reality and what matters most, and I feel
blessed to know so many people who care deeply about one another.
Big Red
On 8/29/2011 1:43 AM, Big Red wrote:
> Utah Road Trip
> by Big Red
> Me? I'm not a rider - I get my miles riding with dp. But I love driving
> my truck! So when Diane Johnston said she was up for a visit, I checked
> my calendar and said "I'm on my way!
<snip>
you really point out what is important in life.
Thanks for posting. Welcome to slugdom. Remember, no salt, no plans.
--
George
AH#139
BS235
> The story with photos at http://TheVirtualBarAndGrill.com/Utah
> Utah Road Trip
> by Big Red
> Me? I'm not a rider - I get my miles riding with dp. But I love driving
> my truck! So when Diane Johnston said she was up for a visit, I checked
> my calendar and said "I'm on my way!"
> It was already noon on Thursday before Labor Day weekend when I finally
> got my list of "things to do" done here at home so only drove as far as
> Baker City, OR, before calling it quits for the day. Friday took me thru
> Idaho to Utah arriving at Diane's in the late afternoon. After the hugs
> and tears she gave me the house tour - OMG, she keeps the house spotless
> (I need to take lessons). She said she and Allen had agreed that she
> would take care of the housekeeping inside and Allen would do the same
> outside. Since Allen's passing Diane's been doing both and she's doing an
> excellent job. Diane is planning on selling the house and moving closer
> to family in Maryland so she tries to keep everything "move in ready" for
> potential buyers.
> I had toured the Salt Lake area many years ago so I wanted to see some of
> the Ogden sights that Diane thought would be interesting. On Saturday she
> took me to Snow Basin skiing area for a gondola ride to the top.
> Spectacular view! Riding on the roads around the area of Snow Basin was
> one of Allen's favorite things to do and it was a bitter-sweet time for
> Diane so we decided to adjust our strategy a bit. On the way back down to
> Ogden we stopped at a restaurant and ate lunch next to a creek. Great
> food! And a nice diversion.
> Photo: snowbasin.jpg
> On Sunday, with Diane feeling a little under the weather, I decided to
> explore the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. Took bunches of photos
> (wish I had a telephoto lens) and marveled at the show Mother Nature
> likes to put on. Miles of flat land ideal for flocks of birds to set down
> in and rest a while. The list of birds I could see from the road: Western
> Grebe, American White Pelican, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Egret,
> Snowy Egret, and White-faced Ibis.
> Photo: pelican.jpg
> Photo: egret.jpg
> Photo: ibis.jpg
> Then there was Antelope Island on Monday. While we didn't see antelope,
> we did see quite a few bison. These are big guys used to having the place
> to themselves. As usual we (and others) had to stop to snap a few photos.
> A quick lunch stop at a hotdog stand (with garlic fries) and a visit to
> the Historic Fielding Garr Ranch rounded out the day. We also stopped on
> the island to view the memorial built to honor the Special Forces crash
> victims who died on 10/29/92 during a training mission.
> photo: bison.jpg
> There were also dinners at Boccia's D'Italia restaurant (great pizza!)
> and at Chili's, time shared telling stories of how Allen Johnston came to
> be a part of Diane's life and their many travels together, sorting thru
> and repacking boxes filled with memories, and watching television.
> Diane's strength in sharing her memories helped me understand a little of
> the pain she is going through.
> At the end of a week it was time for me to go. I had work to do in
> Oroville, WA, and Diane had taken a few more steps toward what will
> become her new life. More hugs and tears and I was on the road once again
> to Oroville via Spokane, WA.
> I decided to drive to Spokane by way of Montana so headed north toward
> Pocatello and Butte, staying in Missoula for the night with sightings of
> antelope and big horn sheep along the way. Spokane gave me a chance to
> relax for a day visiting with my brother and sister-in-law. They have a
> beautiful back yard with a large pond and waterfall that draws in the
> birds by the dozens. The pond also has four koi that are large enough for
> a dinner for four. (They had to replace a couple of koi last year due to
> serving breakfast to an Osprey.)
> Then on to the final stop of the trip - Oroville, WA. Oroville is the
> small town (pop. about 1500) where my brothers and I grew up. Dad and Mom
> built the house in '49 and '50 and lived there until their passing in
> 1999 and 2001. dp and I bought the house then with the intention of
> someday retiring to this house and small community. In the meantime we
> rent out the main part of the house and we keep the basement apartment
> for ourselves. We are supposed to use this apartment to get away and
> relax or when (as in this case) we have maintenance work to be done. So
> for the next three days I pulled weeds, adjusted and repaired sprinklers,
> and caught up on the town gossip with the neighbors. (dp is new to this
> small town stuff but he loves the amount of sunshine they get yearly as
> opposed to Bellevue which is a part of the Pacific Northwet.)
> Then the five hour drive home to Bellevue finally gave me some time to
> think and try to put some perspective into relationships. Sometimes it
> takes the loss of a loved one to shake us back into reality and what
> matters most, and I feel blessed to know so many people who care deeply
> about one another.
Great pics & post, thank you.
>> The story with photos at http://TheVirtualBarAndGrill.com/Utah
>>
>> Utah Road Trip
>> by Big Red
>>
>> Me? I'm not a rider - I get my miles riding with dp. But I love driving
>> my truck! So when Diane Johnston said she was up for a visit, I checked
>> my calendar and said "I'm on my way!"
>>
>> It was already noon on Thursday before Labor Day weekend when I finally
>> got my list of "things to do" done here at home so only drove as far as
>> Baker City, OR, before calling it quits for the day. Friday took me thru
>> Idaho to Utah arriving at Diane's in the late afternoon. After the hugs
>> and tears she gave me the house tour - OMG, she keeps the house spotless
>> (I need to take lessons). She said she and Allen had agreed that she
>> would take care of the housekeeping inside and Allen would do the same
>> outside. Since Allen's passing Diane's been doing both and she's doing an
>> excellent job. Diane is planning on selling the house and moving closer
>> to family in Maryland so she tries to keep everything "move in ready" for
>> potential buyers.
>>
>> I had toured the Salt Lake area many years ago so I wanted to see some of
>> the Ogden sights that Diane thought would be interesting. On Saturday she
>> took me to Snow Basin skiing area for a gondola ride to the top.
>> Spectacular view! Riding on the roads around the area of Snow Basin was
>> one of Allen's favorite things to do and it was a bitter-sweet time for
>> Diane so we decided to adjust our strategy a bit. On the way back down to
>> Ogden we stopped at a restaurant and ate lunch next to a creek. Great
>> food! And a nice diversion.
>>
>> Photo: snowbasin.jpg
>>
>> On Sunday, with Diane feeling a little under the weather, I decided to
>> explore the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. Took bunches of photos
>> (wish I had a telephoto lens) and marveled at the show Mother Nature
>> likes to put on. Miles of flat land ideal for flocks of birds to set down
>> in and rest a while. The list of birds I could see from the road: Western
>> Grebe, American White Pelican, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Egret,
>> Snowy Egret, and White-faced Ibis.
>>
>> Photo: pelican.jpg
>>
>> Photo: egret.jpg
>>
>> Photo: ibis.jpg
>>
>> Then there was Antelope Island on Monday. While we didn't see antelope,
>> we did see quite a few bison. These are big guys used to having the place
>> to themselves. As usual we (and others) had to stop to snap a few photos.
>> A quick lunch stop at a hotdog stand (with garlic fries) and a visit to
>> the Historic Fielding Garr Ranch rounded out the day. We also stopped on
>> the island to view the memorial built to honor the Special Forces crash
>> victims who died on 10/29/92 during a training mission.
>>
>> photo: bison.jpg
>>
>> There were also dinners at Boccia's D'Italia restaurant (great pizza!)
>> and at Chili's, time shared telling stories of how Allen Johnston came to
>> be a part of Diane's life and their many travels together, sorting thru
>> and repacking boxes filled with memories, and watching television.
>> Diane's strength in sharing her memories helped me understand a little of
>> the pain she is going through.
>>
>> At the end of a week it was time for me to go. I had work to do in
>> Oroville, WA, and Diane had taken a few more steps toward what will
>> become her new life. More hugs and tears and I was on the road once again
>> to Oroville via Spokane, WA.
>>
>> I decided to drive to Spokane by way of Montana so headed north toward
>> Pocatello and Butte, staying in Missoula for the night with sightings of
>> antelope and big horn sheep along the way. Spokane gave me a chance to
>> relax for a day visiting with my brother and sister-in-law. They have a
>> beautiful back yard with a large pond and waterfall that draws in the
>> birds by the dozens. The pond also has four koi that are large enough for
>> a dinner for four. (They had to replace a couple of koi last year due to
>> serving breakfast to an Osprey.)
>>
>> Then on to the final stop of the trip - Oroville, WA. Oroville is the
>> small town (pop. about 1500) where my brothers and I grew up. Dad and Mom
>> built the house in '49 and '50 and lived there until their passing in
>> 1999 and 2001. dp and I bought the house then with the intention of
>> someday retiring to this house and small community. In the meantime we
>> rent out the main part of the house and we keep the basement apartment
>> for ourselves. We are supposed to use this apartment to get away and
>> relax or when (as in this case) we have maintenance work to be done. So
>> for the next three days I pulled weeds, adjusted and repaired sprinklers,
>> and caught up on the town gossip with the neighbors. (dp is new to this
>> small town stuff but he loves the amount of sunshine they get yearly as
>> opposed to Bellevue which is a part of the Pacific Northwet.)
>>
>> Then the five hour drive home to Bellevue finally gave me some time to
>> think and try to put some perspective into relationships. Sometimes it
>> takes the loss of a loved one to shake us back into reality and what
>> matters most, and I feel blessed to know so many people who care deeply
>> about one another.
Thanks for the ride. Missoula, and Coure D'Alene, are jewels amid a
long, hot, dry ride. If you're ever in that area again, a great ride
is MT hwy 83 north to the top of Flathead Lake, west to US-93, south,
thru Somers, back to Missoula. 230 miles, about 4 1/2 hours. Excellent
way to spend a day.
Dean
2011 FLHTK
06FLHR Sold
EKIII
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> by Big Red
> Me? I'm not a rider - I get my miles riding with dp. But I love driving
> my truck! So when Diane Johnston said she was up for a visit, I checked
> my calendar and said "I'm on my way!