Day 2 - 4/5/2017 - Greetings from Vernal City Utah - 534 miles

8,000 feet up in the Wasatch

If you ever find yourself in Boise, the Riverside Hotel is a great choice. The first time I was here was a software conference years ago when I worked in Albany, Oregon.  A couple of years ago Vickie and I stayed here and we did again last night. A nice place right on the river which gave Vickie a great place for her daily walk.

Today was a driving day. Down the Interstate from Boise to Salt Lake City. Boring...bugs...temptations to doze. The Snake River is always a treat, as well at the mountains.

A gas & lunch stop in Snowville Utah at Mollie's Cafe was a local treat. We were clearly the oddball outsiders with the local ranch hands and construction workers. The food was basic American, but well prepared and large servings, just like a ranch hand needs. Recommended for a bite and 1950's Americana.

Down the Interstate through Salt Lake before cutting over to Park City. The ski runs still looked open, and the shear number of runs, 100's (?), you could see on the mountains was daunting.

We passed by on our way to Vernal climbing up to an 8,000 ft pass:


Once we dropped down from the peaks, we were in the high desert. Sandstone, limestone, junipers and OIL. Lost of old producing wells. Saw a Halliburton sign. The towns had some fancy new buildings, that were probably made by $90+ a barrel oil.

Like most towns in Utah, they are so clean you could eat your dinner off the street. What has changed over the years is now you can get wine or beer in restaurants, a sign that business can overcome doctrine.

Vernal is a pleasant town. We had dinner at an Italian restaurant recommended by the hotel clerk. A great recommendation. We stuck with recommendations from Yelp and the server, and got the best and biggest burrata (house made) I have EVER had. Here's what we took home.


 The pizza was a local creation, Italian sausage with a pistachio pesto base. Very tasty!

We paid up and left the restaurant and were about a half block away and heard a voice and looked in the rear view mirror. It was the waitress, running like a track star down the street at full speed. She caught the car and promptly returned Vickie's credit card to her. We reciprocated with a $20 tip.

Tonight we sleep. Tomorrow Dinosaur National Monument followed by a drive to Fort Collins where we will meet Linda Norris for an evening and dinner.

On the way, we go through a 10,000 ft+ pass. 😁  We'll be where the road and the sky collide....




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