Heading Home ~ Omaha

August 18 ~ 20



This is a very, very long drive. Today is the first all day drive in deadheading home. Stop in North Platte, NE whose claim to fame is the 500,000 sand cranes that descend on town each year during their April migration. We’re descending for one night only at the Holiday RV Park (holidayparkne.com).

Never been to Omaha; and while reading up on it, find it is billed as the eighth wealthiest per capita city in the country….guess when you throw Warren Buffet in the mix, it gets a bit skewed!

We’ll spend our rest day poking around town….I’ve plotted some sights that I think should keep us occupied for the day....we had a hard time keeping busy for just the afternoon.

The Chamber of Commerce or somebody has come with a really cute way to identify points of interest. Giant pushpins mark the spot.






Went to the Bob Kerry Pedestrian Bridge that connects Nebraska with Iowa across the Missouri River. It’s visually striking.

Rick is most intrigued, though, with the pretty substantial vibrations on the suspension wires. It’s not very windy, but the bridge is noticeably vibrating. Walk halfway across and figure we must have made it to Iowa.

The Old Market District is supposed to be “Omaha’s Jewel”. It’s a small attractive area with shops lining cobble stone streets. Find the shops surprisingly bohemian; nothing really interesting to us.

It’s too late to go to the zoo which I understand is very good. It’s too early to go to dinner, so we stop at the Upstream Brewing Company (upstreambrewing.com) for their happy hour; nicely priced drinks and a very good coconut shrimp appetizer.



The one thing we’ve really been looking forward to, is a great steak house. Two books, “1,000 Places to See…” and “Roadfood”, both recommende Johnny’s Café (johnnyscafe.com), supposedly an Omaha institution since 1922 located in the old stockyards. It was truly the worst meal I have ever eaten. Every single thing including the Chateaubriand was inedible. Not surprisingly, the waitress never asked us how it was, since our plates were nearly as full when we were finished.

Stayed at the "West Omaha" KOA (koa.com).  Not a fan of these places, but there are very few choices....at least this one had some premium sites that offered a nicer patio and furniture.  But to call this "Omaha" is a real stretch.....it's in Gretna and 23 miles from town.

Thank heavens we’re stopping outside Chicago tomorrow. Ready for some fun!

Boulder Threedux

August 11~17

It will take us two days to get to Boulder….two very, long, boring days. We stayed in Rawlins, WY on the way west and opt to do that again……Western Hills Campground (westernhillscampground.com) is bare bones, but it’s a bearable one night stand and at least we know what to expect. Can’t stand some of the surprises we encounter.

Make it to Boulder in time for cocktails…..that is, after getting Tor in Jim and Linda’s driveway…..always a nail biting feat which Rick is getting amazingly good at.

We’re very comfortable in Tor….we don’t seem to notice how limited the space is….until you arrive at a home where you can walk more than a few feet and not run into a wall! Feels so good to have room, a garden where you can eat outside and a shower that feels absolutely huge!

We always have such a good time at the Boulder Cunninghams’….party hearty! And it’s so good to spend more time with "Big Jim".

Rick occupies most of the daylight hours working on Tor….big surprise! He takes Tor to the spa for an oil change and tire rotation, but the bigger deal is putting in a new kitchen vent and fan.

We had a minor episode on the way to Park City. One of the hatches on the ceiling decided to open itself while we were driving…..I cranked it down, but not too long later, it not only opened, but pieces of the cover ripped open leaving us with a hazard that could blow off completely and land on someone’s windshield. There was nowhere to pull over, so we were forced to drive the rest of the way to Park City with our fingers crossed. No one got hurt! Made it to the RV resort where it promptly blew off in a gust of wind. Rick configured a temporary fix with towels, cardboard and duct tape! Unattractive, but functional! We picked up a new cover and this time added a fan to help with the kitchen heat…..better than new!

Mostly caught up with family and life chores during our week in Boulder, but got out a few times. Ate at a neat restaurant, Bacco Boulder (baccoboulder.com), a trattoria and mozzarella bar…..never heard of that one before.

To an Asian/Pacific festival on the mall.

Followed by margaritas on a roof deck.

Took a picnic to Chautauqua (chautauqua.com), a National Historic Landmark built in 1898, to hear a Neville Brothers Concert.

We didn’t have tickets so we were just going to sit outside. Then nephew Jason, walks in with four tickets in hand that he scored from a radio station doing a promotional feed. Tres cool.

Leaving in the morning….1973 miles to go until we reach Newport, RI. Fashioned a route where we drive two days, then rest for a day or so. If all goes as planned, we’ll arrive Newport September 1.

Park City Redux

August 6 ~ 9

It always astonishes me how far Boulder is....seems so far west when you're in the east....so much further east when you're coming from the west!  It will take us four pretty long driving days to get there, so we decide to stop in Park City again for a couple of days respite.

The long drive proved more interesting than we anticipated.  We drove through stark mountains.












And the Bonneville Salt Flats, which were really interesting.  Rick needed to feel the sand and reported it was as hard as concrete.  Must be fascinating to see the speed races there.

Saw some fascinating rock formations.

And drove the highway that essentially splits The Great Salt Lake.

We came to Park City mostly because some of the things we wanted to see at Olympic Park weren't open when we were here in May.

The facilities have developed into a fantastic sports camp and training center.  Ski jumps now land in a pool and kids as young as six are doing flips and aerial rotations.  We sat and watched for an hour.

 Over the ski jumps where winter practice takes place, there's now a couple of ziplines.

There are professional shows on the pool jumps every Saturday during the season at 1pm.  Would have loved to have seen that.

It's so interesting to return to a city where you've spent just a little amount of time.  We stayed at Park City RV Resort  (parkcityrvresort.com) again because we knew it and found the facilities and people very nice. The "E" row offers a pleasant view of a hilltop in the front and Olympic park behind you....other sites not so much.  Going to the Whole Foods was funny because we knew exactly where everything was....the same with the liquor store. 

The only disturbing thing about this little visit was a little visit from a mouse!  Think he must have come up  the tire through the steering wheel or pedal floor openings.  It was the morning we were leaving and I freaked out!  Ran to the grocery and bought traps....Rick set them and we went out to breakfast.....came back and they were untouched....sat in the car a bit as we thought the quiet in the coach might bring him out.....half hour later, nothing.  Rick finally convinced me to get in Gigantor, which I very unwillingly did.  We left and never saw it again....must've left through the same opening when he heard me scream!

Two more days of driving to get to Boulder where we will spend some time with Rick's family.

Tahoe via San Jose

August 4 ~ 6

Have wanted to go to Tahoe forever.  Too bad we've really got the itch to get east, so we decide to only spend a couple of nights there.  But we waylay to San Jose for the night to see some of the guys Rick used to worked with and they're anxious to see Tor.

We have to stay at a pretty miserable place, Trailer Tel RV Park (trailertel.net), but it's the only place right in San Jose.  We don't want to the guys to come here, so we go to them.....park Tor in their office parking lot and have a little cocktail party.

The road to Tahoe is pretty uneventful except for a couple of steep climbs, particularly the one through the infamous Donner Pass.  Arrive at Coachland RV Park, (coachlandrvpark.com) to this little surprise.  Don't know how long we've been dragging Pearl (the car), with a hurt foot, but discover a very flat tire with a big screw lodged in it. Coachland is billed as a four star facility....don't believe it....who makes this stuff up!

Having only one full day in Tahoe, we decide to start off at Squaw Valley (squaw.com) which proudly showcases its role as host to the 1960 Olympics.

 

Stroll around the village which is very, very quiet and decide to take the 80 mile drive around the entire lake to get a good overview of what Tahoe is all about.  Find Soupa  (squaw.com/soupa), a tiny little restaurant in the village and get what turns out to be the best sandwich I've ever eaten....called a Caprese.  Rick orders a Thai Peanut Wrap and we set off on the drive.

We stumble upon a fast moving stream filled with rafters and consider renting a raft...that's until we see literally  hundreds of rafts fighting for water space...looks like a ride at Disneyworld.....no thanks!

Find a great spot on the Lake for a wonderful picnic.  The Caprese is a whole wheat ciabotta roll slathered with pesto and piled with heritage tomatoes and mozzarella.....marvelous!  The thai peanut comes in a distant second.

It has been said the 25 mile miles from State Line, Nevada north on the east side of the lake is one of the most beautiful drives in America.  If that's all you do, you will be missing the very best part.....Emerald Bay, on the northwest corner of the California side.

This is in no way an educated recommendation, but it seems the north shore is far nicer.....the south filled with t-shirt shops and the like.  At the two state lines between California and Nevada, the traffic is abysmal....perhaps because of the casinos at the very edge of each border.  It also seemed that Incline Village and King's Beach were perhaps the nicest places along the way.

It would be great to stay and have a beach day, but we are really anxious to get back east and to our kids.....trying to find places to stay along the way to break up the very long 2900 miles ahead.

We'll go back to Park City, Utah tomorrow.....missed a couple of things at Olympic Park that we'd like to see.

Pebble Beach

August 2 ~ 4

If Napa Valley is a wine lovers paradise,

Pebble Beach (pebblebeach.com) is golf in the kingdom!  Even if golf is an anathema to you, the famous coastal 17 mile drive from Pacific Grove to Pebble Beach is among the most stunning scenic drives imaginable.  First opened in 1881, the private road (fee of $9.50 per vehicle) takes you by enduring landmarks like the 250 year old Lone Cypress.

And while we managed to catch another cloudy, chilly day, the beaches still beckoned.

Bird Rock attracts not only its namesake, but also harbor seals and sea lions.

The seals also have one all to themselves.

The sinister Ghost Tree, bleached white by the wind, is an eerie stop along the route.

We pass Poppy Hills, Spanish Bay and Spyglass, (a wonderful course I was lucky enough to play a number of  years ago) then to mecca...The Lodge at Pebble Beach and with the magnificent finishing hole as a backdrop.

Lunch at the Stillwater Grill in the Lodge is the grand finale of our final days on the west coast.  It is wonderful.  There is a rather steep price for this pleasure, but at least they take the drive entrance fee off your bill.  If terrific food, combined with a great glass of wine, sitting overlooking the 18th green at Pebble Beach is your idea of heaven, you won't be disappointed.

Rick's Lobster Roll was stacked high with succulent meat.

My Dungess Crabcakes with Chipolte Sauce on a bed of jicama was near perfection.

The whole experience was capped off with a walk down the cartpath on 18th from green to tee and back.  This is one gorgeous place and I can almost see the images of Nicklaus, Watson, Woods...as a passionate golfer, this is sheer Nirvana.

The shops at Pebble are full of great temptations which we fully succumbed to. Did a quick drive through Carmel by the Sea.....a town straight out of central casting.  I wish we were staying longer, but this was just a day trip. 

We picked a place to stay, (coyotevalleyresort.com) which we thought was close enough to Pebble and San Jose where Rick wants to see some former work colleagues....turns out it was too far from either place to make any sense....it was billed as a luxury resort, it's fine but no where near luxurious and frankly it's in the middle of nowhere.

We'll find a place in San Jose tomorrow...the guys want to see Gigantor....looks like we're having another cocktail party in Tor.

San Francisco

July 29 ~ August 1

Have not "played" in San Francisco for over 20 years! Only business trips in and out. This will be a real treat.

Driving Gigantor across the Bay Bridge gave us quite a reintroduction to the city. The sun was out; the town sparkled. As we headed a bit south to Pacifica where we’ve booked a spot on the beach, the fog rolled in and the temperature dropped drastically.

The only saving grace of San Francisco RV Resort (sanfranciscorvresort.com) is the view. Smack dab on the ocean. And the ocean is getting closer all the time! They lost 10 feet of ground to erosion last winter and had to move the path back a considerably. The erosion is so bad, the beach is unreachable. But we’re perched high on a cliff and love the sights and sounds. Visitors even popped over to say hi.

We packed a lot in the first day. Golden Gate Park (golden-gate-park.com) first. Visited the conservatory, which was pretty, but not what we expected from a world class city.

These huge lilly pads, each about four feet across, were the stars. 

And loved the small outdoor dahlia garden…never knew there could possibly be so many picture perfect varieties.

Then to the Golden Gate Bridge; appropriately covered in fog.

The Presidio and socked-in beaches looking out towards Alcatraz gave us an opportunity for a brisk walk.

Then to areas we’ve never been….Haight Asbury and the Mission District. The Haight is a eclectic combination of beautifully restored Victorian homes, funky stores and a village still stuck in the Sixties.

The Mission District’s claim to fame is more than 600 street murals that cover its buildings and alleys. The short block, Clarion Alley, between 16th and 17th Streets off Mission Street is a great representation of the art form.....and they warn you everywhere...do not call it graffiti! 

The sun was bright and the temperatures perfect when we left town. Back at the ranch, a mere 15 minutes away, it’s still foggy and cold. We’re told they don’t see the sun again until September. Tres depressing!

Saturday mornings, area farmer’s tote their crops to the Ferry Building (ferrybuildingmarketplace.com) for a very vibrant market. Inside, permanent vendors sell wonderful, though very expensive, foodstuffs and other wares. The best part, though, was having brunch at the Market Cafe with a dear friend of mine from college. It’s been at least 10 years since I’ve seen Tom and loved catching up.

After brunch, Rick and I walked from the Ferry Building all the way to Ghirardelli Square, (ghirardellisq.com)  stopping everywhere in between. Went down the pier to see the sea lions piled on a dock in a group sun bathing.

To Pier 39 to take in all the honky tonk and cool double deck carousel.








I really don’t remember Fisherman’sWharf being so tacky. And we found it very odd that while there are many working boats, there is not a seafood market anywhere in sight. Sit a bit in Girardelli Square and watch the water, then catch a cab back to where we parked the car as we don’t think we have another 5 or 6 miles left in our feet.

We are finding these little microclimates so interesting. Perfectly lovely in town again….20 degrees cooler and fog in Pacifica.

Chinatown is still fun. We walked the hugely steep hills and stopped in many stores to pick up the requisite souvenir finding a great deal of variation in quality and merchandise. Am already regretting not buying one of the beautifully tailored silk jackets that were on “special sale”!

Enjoyed some street musicians then on to dinner.


R & G Lounge (rnglounge.com)  had been praised in several books as the best place to eat. It was packed with locals which we thought was a really good sign. Don’t know if they treated us differently than them, but our food was totally bland. What a disappointment.

Could spend weeks in San Francisco, but we are tiring of the travel and are on scenic-overload! We've made the decision to begin the long trip east....after one more important stop....Peeble Beach.