Homeward Bound
Greetings from Salina, Kansas. Yes, we are on the road again, foot loose and fancy free, with the hum of our tires as background music!
Getting up wasn’t easy after a late late night … I think I’m getting older at a rate somewhat faster than can be explained by orbital mechanics. But we finally managed to pull ourselves together (coffee helped) and get all our various belongings packed back where they belong. Three trips to the car and a half-hour wait in the registration line later, we were off to Dinosaur Ridge in Morrison, CO. It was only about a half hour west of Denver, so we figured it would be a good side visit. I’ve always been fascinated by Dinosaurs; although I always preferred Triceratops to Tyrannosaurus Rex, perhaps due to early exposure to The Enormous Egg by Oliver Butterworth. We had to go around in a circle twice due to this, that, and the other thing, but we managed to find the site without an excessive amount of trouble. The problem is that once you’re there, all the really cool stuff is out on the ridge, about two miles from the visitor center. And, of course, the road is closed to vehicles. You can either walk, or you can take a shuttle bus up, and walk back. At 90 degrees in the shade (which there wasn’t any), and our still not exactly being completely at one with the rarified Denver air, Gayle and I decided that we’d have to cut the expedition short. I bought a couple of really cool books and saw a couple of fossils they’d brought down to the visitor’s center, but I’m still really bummed out that I couldn’t get to there really good parts. <sigh>
Anyway, then we were ready for the long trip home. As you’ll probably expect, there were a couple of wrong turns, and a map that wasn’t quite accurate but, again, it was only a minor inconvenience. Not much to report though. We drove through a major thunderstorm at the Colorado/Kansas border and we saw a really cool windmill farm just outside Salina. Most of the windmills were spinning, but maybe a quarter weren’t. We still haven’t figured that out yet. Now we’re in our hotel room, hoping to get some rest before we pick up the pace tomorrow. Our scheduled highlight will be the St. Louis Arch.
Now it’s time for: The Great American Experience!
We were getting a bit low on gas, still had over a quarter tank, so no reason for panic, but we figure there’s no reason to delay until the last minute. So we saw an exit coming up with food and fuel. We pulled off, filled the car up and then, instead of just getting right back on the highway, decided on the spur of the moment to stop in at the “I-70 Diner”. Man I wish these people would relocate to Maryland. The food was fantastic, and the service was fast and friendly. The part I enjoyed the least was the french fries … they were merely “really good”. If you’re familiar with the “Silver Diner” chain, this is just like that, only much more authentic, and much less expensive. Very 1950’s decor with a southwest twist, and 1950’s rock and roll over the diner’s sound system. So if you ever find yourself cruising along I-70 near Flagler, Colorado, do yourself a favor and get a bite to eat. You will NOT regret it.
That’s it for now. There are pictures, but all the camera equipment is packed away, and I’m too tired (and lazy) to dig it all out. I’ll see what I can do tomorrow.