Heading home

Well, today is our last full day in our temporary home. There seems to be more mountain and less snow outside our window.

It took us all afternoon to try to be organized in our packing - 12 bags coming in seemed to be a bit much (and embarrassing). Of course a lot of that was groceries for the week (yeah, right). We got the major stuff back into the big bags (two sets of snowshoes, trekking poles, hiking boots, thermal underwear, vests, jackets and more big jackets, etc.) and regular clothes that we probably wouldn't wear again (jeans, more turtlenecks, etc) as we may head back through Las Vegas, weather.com suggesting it is currently 85F there.

We got the four biggest/heaviest bags onto the luggage cart when we realized the car keys were missing. So we checked every obvious place with no luck, then started to methodically pull things out of the carefully packed bags and found them in the pockets of Don's pants in the bottom of the last bag (of course). At least we didn't have to get to the car in the way-far-away parking garage to make the discovery. And that is why we ALWAYS start early.

Paul got me started on a blog last year and reminded me that I should keep it going. I'm getting better on this keyboard, so here it is if anyone is interested http://ruthdontravelers.blogspot.com/. It's these emails plus a few photos. I have more but it's still a drag trying to put them where I want them. Pagemaker is MUCH easier.

We'll be heading south by 10:00 am tomorrow. We have no idea how far we'll get. Will keep you posted.

Wednesday was another beautiful day in Snowbird. We hauled our snowshoe gear to the end of the road in Alta and hiked a bit, had our picnic lunch, watched some workers build a snow bank - found out they were getting ready to film some extreme sports snowboarding/jumping.

What beautiful mountains.

Then back for a soak in our private hot tub. I could get used to that.

Today, Thursday, is our last day on the mountain. We've enjoyed watching the weather and the skiers from our window. I'm still waking up with a headache, Don suffers with his sinuses, and we're ready for a real bed again (the leather sleeper sofa isn't all that comfortable to sit on or to sleep in) so today will be a last-minute snowshoe walk (if we can get moving), a last-time hot tub soak (allowing time for swimsuits to dry), doing a load of wash, trying to finish the food we don't want to carry back, and puttering at planned packing so it's hopefully not a last-minute throw-everything-into-the-car routine which is our usual modus operandi (especially since we have to be out by 10:00 a.m. tomorrow).

The photos are proof we did get outside.

Another beautiful day

It was another sunny beautiful day in Snowbird, UT. Hour-by-hour weather.com gave us until noon when the winds would pick up, so we decided it was time to check out our snowshoes and trekking poles we've had for a long time but have rarely used. By the time we finally got all our snow clothes on and figured out how to get ourselves strapped into our snowshoes and our trekking poles with snow guards to the right length and out the doors into the snow, it was noon and starting to get windy, as promised. We braved it anyway and had a delightful tour of the landscape we've been watching from our warm studio. We were plenty warm (at some point we have to wear or use EVERYTHING we so carefully packed and brought along, you know).

Not wanting to wear ourselves out at this elevation, we came back, had lunch and a nap, and headed out to Alta by the alternate route (by car), checked out the other buildings in this complex and grocery store (small jar of jam $6.09, small avocados at $2.99 each), came back, jumped in our personal, private hot tub to watch the snow grooming machine make its daily rounds, then back in for popcorn and a movie and noticed it was now raining outside - turning to snow - and it currently looks like a lightly misty fog out there. They were promising thunder showers at 9:00 pm - wrong again.

Rested and ready to go

Today was absolutely gorgeous so we went for a ride and found the

Bingham Canyon Mine - Biggest Pit in the World

http://www.roadsideamerica.comIt is huge! We watched the funny trucks haul loads of rocks from one place to another. They looked like toys until we realized the really tiny pickup trucks next to them were full size and the ants running around were actually people.

The pit 80 years ago was a mountain. there also used to be a town named Bingham, until they enlarged the pit. They were going to close the mine in 2015, but they are enlarging it so they can get another 10 years of ore. They will spend 5 years removing over burden from the east side before they can get to the copper ore.

We then wandered around looking for downtown/old historic Sandy but decided it must not exist. Everything is VERY new.

Weather.com tells us there will be thunderstorms tomorrow, so maybe we will stay in again. That's very pleasant too.

Let it snow, let it snow,

Let it snow...

Full day #2 and second day of snow. The headaches are getting better so maybe we'll acclimate at last. We've decided this is a lot like a cruise ship - lots to explore inside, but we can step off/out if desired. Right now we've been enjoying watching the changing landscape and the people using the beginner's slope in our view. We've watched no snow to fine snow to big flakes coming down and swirling around and landing on the trees and our balcony. It's been neat watching parents give their kids guidance and teaching - some with a kid-harness/leads keeping them upright, some parents going backwards to catch them if they get going too fast. It's been pretty entertaining. Snowboarders seem to fall down more than skiers.

Weather.com says it will be sunny tomorrow for one day - that may be the one day we leave the mountain to explore the area. Tuesday will likely have thunderstorms so we may get to experience that too - from our comfy abode.

I'm finally adopting Paul's method of typing on this teeny, tiny keyboard - two fingers only. Not fast but a bit more accurate.

photos of our new home

Snowbird, arrived

Check-in time at our location was 4:00 PM and weather.com gave it a 50% chance of rain at that hour, increasing each hour. I really wanted to get in before the deluge and we made it by 6:00. No rain but a little bit nippy. While we were unpacking, Don looked out the window and noticed it was SNOWING - oh boy, this will be a new experience.

Our studio is small but very nice. It has a full kitchen with tiny dishwasher, a pull-out sofa bed (oh boy), and our very own hot tub on our outside porch. we have a mountain view, meaning we get to watch the skiers get pulled up the hill and then come careening down (I think we're on the beginners slope - not TOO steep). Don is talking about taking a snowboarding lesson. There's a full spa here too so maybe I'll get a massage.

We're going to take it pretty easy the next couple of days. I had a headache all day and Don has one now. The humidifier is going and we've been trying to guzzle water. The elevation is only 8100 ft but we are on the third floor.

On the way

We enjoyed our last night's stay in Escalante, Utah - small town but the place was packed (motels were full) - people signed up for an REI group hike. Ah, yes, I remember trying to get out of town on a Thursday night. How sweet it is for every day to be a day off.

Leaving town we caught up with a cattle drive - cows and calves walking and trotting and mooing down the asphalt. Cowboy on horseback on one side, grandma in a truck up front waving a flag to warn upcoming traffic. The calves were so cute. Hate to think of them becoming veal cutlets (or roast beef) at some point.

April Trip - Snowbird, Utah

We're needing to use our timeshare points - and we're aiming for driving distance destinations.

This time Utah - available was a studio in the Wasatch Mountains in Snowbird, near Alta (near Salt Lake City). We have discovered it is a skier's paradise at the tail end of the season. But first:

Getting there -

Hi all - first night El Centro, CA (not Yuma), second night Williams, AZ (not Flagstaff) but we find we do prefer the smaller towns. El Centro was smelly - maybe next time we'll try for Brawley. We stayed at The Lodge on Route 66 in Williams and what a delight. It's an old town with historic buildings still being used (in new ways) and also the start of the rail trip to the Grand Canyon, tempting, but this is our UTAH trip. We'll save it for our No. Arizona trip.

We've really enjoyed the variety of scenery today. It is such an amazing and spectacular country we live in. There is an interesting visitor center at Lake Powell and Glen Canyon Dam. We were there late afternoon and the side lighting was really pretty. We arrived in Kanab (not far from Arizona border) soon after and went for our walk after finding a place to stay. It's been warm here so I'm glad I brought two warm weather outfits at the last minute. Lots and lots of cold weather stuff we brought that hasn't been touched. Hopefully we'll be acclimated to elevation (currently 5000 ft) by the time we get to our destination (11,000 ft). So far, so good.

Phone last night but no internet. Internet tonight but no Sprint service. And it wasn't THAT long ago that we didn't have either.