Trip to the SouthWest in March - April 2009

The following information is based upon receipts.
Note that my camera died at one point and I afterward attempted to update the date/time but not correctly.

3/16 Charlottesville, VA On the first day we drove on I78 to Harrisburg, then I81 to Front Royal, VA where we went onto Skyline Drive. It was too foggy to see much. We went on to Charlottesville.

3/16 Charlottesville, VA Dinner at Milan Indian Cuisine

3/16-3/17 Charlottesville, VA Super 8

3/17 Charlottesville, Va Tour of Monticello

3/17-3/18 Roanoke, VA Super 8

3/18 Gatlinburg, TN Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies (Aquarium was worthwhile, but driving in that area was bad—traffic jams due to the number of tourists. It was also interesting seeing so many large electronic signs advertising motels and otherwise. Really distracting and so dangerous for a driver.)

3/18-3/19 Gatlinburg, TN Super 8

3/18 Gatlinburg, TN Dinner at The Alamo

3/19-3/21 Nashville, TN Super 8

3/19 Nashville, TN Dinner at Sitar Nashville

3/20 Nashville, TN Country Music Hall of Fame

3/20 Nashville, TN Had soup at Past Perfect after the CMHF. It was decorated with movie stills.

3/20 Nashville, TN Grand Ole Opry

3/21-3/23 Memphis, TN Days Inn

3/21 Nashville, TN Slave Haven Underground Railroad Museum

3/21 Memphis, TN National Civil Rights Museum

3/21 Memphis, TN Dinner at A & R B-B-Q. At the SHURM we were told this was a black-owned business.

3/22 Memphis, TN Graceland

3/22 Memphis, TN Dinner at The Majestic Grill

3/23 Brinkley, AR gasoline purchase

3/23 Clarksville, AR Shopped at WalMart

3/23-3/24 Shawnee, OK Super 8 (Tried Motel 6 at first and paid (hopefully refunded), but it was too smokey.)

3/24 Red Rock Canyon State Park, OK Visited this park SouthWest of Oklahoma City. A cute puppy followed us and wanted us to adopt him.

3/24 Sayre, OK purchased Alka Seltzer Plus

3/24 Panhandle, TX gasoline purchase

3/24-3/25 Amarillo, TX America's Best Value Inn

3/25 Albuquerque, NM May Cafe

3/26 Albuquerque, NM Saw the Art Museum. And there my car battery died so we need to call AAA for help. The person got us going with no indication that we would have further problems other than advising that we clean the battery terminals with baking soda.

3/25-3/27 Albuquerque, NM Super 8

3/27 West of Albuquerque, NM Locked ourselves out of the car. Got help initially from a Navajo Nation Indian since the Route 66 store was operated by the Navajo Nation. A couple other men saw us and tried to help. This was very nice of them but they did not succeed and kind of messed up the window. We finally called a locksmith.

3/27 Acoma, NM Sky City

3/27-3/28 Gallup, NM Days Inn

3/27 Gallup, NM Dinner at Earl's Family Restaurant

3/27 Gallup, NM Nancy went shopping for jewelery in the morning.

3/28 Winslow, AZ We turned off I40 for the first time going South on 87 since we were headed for Phoenix and we were told this state highway would be more scenic.

3/28 Glendale, AZ In the Phoenix area we saw The Bead Museum which was very well done.

3/28-3/29 Phoenix, AZ America's Best Value Inn across the street from major freight railroad tracks. Nancy said she did not hear any noise waking her.

3/29 Phoenix, AZ We left Phoenix headed for the Grand Canyon on I17

3/29 Williams, AZ Purchases at De Berge Saddlery and Western

3/29 Williams, AZ Pine Country restaurant

3/29-3/30 Williams, AZ Westerner Motel (It really looked like a Western town.)

3/30 Grand Canyon, AZ Dinner at Bright Angel Lodge

3/30-4/1 Grand Canyon, AZ Bright Angel Lodge. The lodge is located in the park right along the edge of the canyon.

3/31 Grand Canyon, AZ Mid-afternoon in dining room at Bright Angel (After my hike down.)

4/1 Grand Canyon, AZ Take-out breakfast of coffee from bar at Bright Angel Lodge.

4/1 Grand Canyon, AZ We left the Grand Canyon taking AZ64 East, then US89 North where we encounted numerous Indian stands selling jewelery and pottery.

4/1 Cameron, AZ Late afternoon meal at Cameron Trading restaurant

4/1 - 4/2 Page, AZ Motel 6. Briefly saw the Glen Canyon Dam.

4/2 Zion National Park, UT Beautiful day.

4/2-4/3 Panguitch, UT Blue Pine Motel on US89. Went to Bryce Canyon in the early evening.

4/2 Bryce Canyon, UT Dinner at Bryce Canyon Lodge

4/3 Bryce Canyon, UT In the morning we retuned to Bryce Canyon in a snowstorm. I was worried that my little car would have a problem in the snow but it was fine and we got some pictures. Mid-afternoon at Ruby's Inn Restaurant which is just outside the park.

4/3 Bryce Canyon, UT From Bryce Canyon we took UT12 which was described as worth driving along.

4/3-4/4 Torrey, UT Stayed at Affordable Inn. Nancy gave the woman a bracelet and was to receive $25.

4/4 Loa, UT Just a short distance East of Torrey we visited Capitol Reef National Park. After walking there for a mile and a mile back, our car would not start. We contacted a service station in Loa which was closed Saturday afternoon but the owner was willing to help. So the battery was replaced. I was told: No! Do not use baking soda, its an old-fashioned remedy used for any problem with no value.
Then we drove UT24 East, UT72 North, I70 East, US191 South to Moab.

4/4 Moab, UT Dinner at Buck's Grill House

4/4 - 4/5 Moab, UT Motel 6. There was a Jeep Safari there that weekend. Thousands of jeeps were in the city and the hotel price was high.

4/5 Moab, UT Arches National Park

4/5 Moab, UT gasoline purchase at 4pm

4/5 Moab, UT withdrew $200 from bank account at 5:35pm
From Moab we drove US191 South and US491 SouthEast to Cortez.

4/5 Cortez, CO Dinner at Mainstreet Brewery

4/5-4/6 Cortez, CO National 9 Inn

4/6 Cortez, CO Dinner at Dry Dock restaurant

4/6 Mesa Verde, CO Book purchase at museum

4/7 Dolores, CO Anasazi Heritage Center (museum).
The museum is a good display of an extensive archaeolgical research from the 1970s.
Note that the name "Anasazi" is believed to be the Navajo word for "enemy ancestors" and so is frowned upon especially athe the Mesa Verde National Park.

4/8 Cortez, CO Guided tour of the Ute Mountain Indian Reservation South of Cortez; in particular the old Indian drawings on the rocks.
Afterward shopped at the Ute Indian Pottery Factory.

4/8 Dolores, CO gasoline purchase
We drove CO145 past Telluride, CO62, US550 North to Montrose, US50 East. Stopped briefly at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park shortly after Montroe. Then US50 East, US285 North to Buena Vista.

4/8 Buena Vista, CO Dinner at The Asian Palate (This restaurant was walking distance from our motel but the highway was not practical to walk on.)

4/9 Buena Vista, CO gasoline purchase
US24 East to Manitou Springs

4/9 Divide, CO Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center. This visit was not planned; we just came upon it and decided to see it.
Note that we revisited a couple days later.

4/9 Woodland Park, CO Oil change

4/9 Manitou Springs, CO Cave of the Winds

4/9 Colorado Springs, CO Purchase of wine for Kate at Plaza 21 at 1014 S. 21st Street. (We drove around old Colorado Springs since we were too early to see Kate.)

4/10 Manitou Springs, Co Pike's Peak Cog Railway

4/10 Manitou Springs, CO Tajine Alami restaurant

4/11 Divide, CO Revisited the Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center this time with Kate and Paul. Played with actual wolves, who liked to do heavy kissing and had no dog breath!
Kate took the pictures.

4/13 Manitou Springs, CO gasoline purchase

4/13 Colorado Springs, CO Our last scenic visit was to the Garden of the Gods in the city.

4/13 Grand Isle, NE gasoline purchase

4/13-4/14 Gretna, NE Super 8

4/14 West Des Moines, IO gasoline purchase

4/14 Wheaton, IL Dinner at Romano's Macaroni Grill with Nancy's friends Donna and Bob Estler, with whom we stayed the night.

4/15 Gary, IN gasoline purchase

4/15 Amherst, OH gasoline purchase

4/15 Dubois, PA Dinner at Dutch Pantry

4/15 Falls Creek, PA gasoline purchase

4/16 home Arrived home at 12:30am

3/16	Charlottesville, VA	On the first day we drove on I78 to Harrisburg, then I81 to Front Royal, VA where we went onto Skyline Drive. It was too foggy to see much. We went on to Charlottesville.
3/16	Charlottesville, VA	Dinner at Milan Indian Cuisine
3/16-3/17	Charlottesville, VA	Super 8
3/17	Charlottesville, Va	Tour of Monticello
3/17-3/18	Roanoke, VA	Super 8
3/18	Gatlinburg, TN	Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies (Aquarium was worthwhile, but driving in that area was bad—traffic jams due to the number of tourists. It was also interesting seeing so many large electronic signs advertising motels and otherwise. Really distracting and so dangerous for a driver.)
3/18-3/19	Gatlinburg, TN	Super 8
3/18	Gatlinburg, TN	Dinner at The Alamo
3/19-3/21	Nashville, TN	Super 8
3/19	Nashville, TN	Dinner at Sitar Nashville
3/20	Nashville, TN	Country Music Hall of Fame
3/20	Nashville, TN	Had soup at Past Perfect after the CMHF. It was decorated with movie stills.
3/20	Nashville, TN	Grand Ole Opry
3/21-3/23	Memphis, TN	Days Inn
3/21	Nashville, TN	Slave Haven Underground Railroad Museum
3/21	Memphis, TN	National Civil Rights Museum
3/21	Memphis, TN	Dinner at A & R B-B-Q. At the SHURM we were told this was a black-owned business.
3/22	Memphis, TN	Graceland
3/22	Memphis, TN	Dinner at The Majestic Grill
3/23	Brinkley, AR	gasoline purchase
3/23	Clarksville, AR	Shopped at WalMart
3/23-3/24	Shawnee, OK	Super 8 (Tried Motel 6 at first and paid (hopefully refunded), but it was too smokey.)
3/24	Red Rock Canyon State Park, OK	Visited this park SouthWest of Oklahoma City. A cute puppy followed us and wanted us to adopt him.
3/24	Sayre, OK	purchased Alka Seltzer Plus
3/24	Panhandle, TX	gasoline purchase
3/24-3/25	Amarillo, TX	America's Best Value Inn
3/25	Albuquerque, NM	May Cafe
3/26	Albuquerque, NM	Saw the Art Museum. And there my car battery died so we need to call AAA for help. The person got us going with no indication that we would have further problems other than advising that we clean the battery terminals with baking soda.
3/25-3/27	Albuquerque, NM	Super 8
3/27	West of Albuquerque, NM	Locked ourselves out of the car. Got help initially from a Navajo Nation Indian since the Route 66 store was operated by the Navajo Nation. A couple other men saw us and tried to help. This was very nice of them but they did not succeed and kind of messed up the window. We finally called a locksmith.
3/27	Acoma, NM	Sky City
3/27-3/28	Gallup, NM	Days Inn
3/27	Gallup, NM	Dinner at Earl's Family Restaurant
3/27	Gallup, NM	Nancy went shopping for jewelery in the morning.
3/28	Winslow, AZ	We turned off I40 for the first time going South on 87 since we were headed for Phoenix and we were told this state highway would be more scenic.
3/28	Glendale, AZ	In the Phoenix area we saw The Bead Museum which was very well done.
3/28-3/29	Phoenix, AZ	America's Best Value Inn across the street from major freight railroad tracks. Nancy said she did not hear any noise waking her.
3/29	Phoenix, AZ	We left Phoenix headed for the Grand Canyon on I17
3/29	Williams, AZ	Purchases at De Berge Saddlery and Western
3/29	Williams, AZ	Pine Country restaurant
3/29-3/30	Williams, AZ	Westerner Motel (It really looked like a Western town.)
3/30	Grand Canyon, AZ	Dinner at Bright Angel Lodge
3/30-4/1	Grand Canyon, AZ	Bright Angel Lodge. The lodge is located in the park right along the edge of the canyon.
3/31	Grand Canyon, AZ	Mid-afternoon in dining room at Bright Angel (After my hike down.)
4/1	Grand Canyon, AZ	Take-out breakfast of coffee from bar at Bright Angel Lodge.
4/1	Grand Canyon, AZ	We left the Grand Canyon taking AZ64 East, then US89 North where we encounted numerous Indian stands selling jewelery and pottery.
4/1	Cameron, AZ	Late afternoon meal at Cameron Trading restaurant
4/1 - 4/2	Page, AZ	Motel 6. Briefly saw the Glen Canyon Dam.
4/2	Zion National Park, UT	Beautiful day.
4/2-4/3	Panguitch, UT	Blue Pine Motel on US89. Went to Bryce Canyon in the early evening.
4/2	Bryce Canyon, UT	Dinner at Bryce Canyon Lodge
4/3	Bryce Canyon, UT	In the morning we retuned to Bryce Canyon in a snowstorm. I was worried that my little car would have a problem in the snow but it was fine and we got some pictures. Mid-afternoon at Ruby's Inn Restaurant which is just outside the park.
4/3	Bryce Canyon, UT	From Bryce Canyon we took UT12 which was described as worth driving along.
4/3-4/4	Torrey, UT	Stayed at Affordable Inn. Nancy gave the woman a bracelet and was to receive $25.
4/4	Loa, UT	Just a short distance East of Torrey we visited Capitol Reef National Park. After walking there for a mile and a mile back, our car would not start. We contacted a service station in Loa which was closed Saturday afternoon but the owner was willing to help. So the battery was replaced. I was told: No! Do not use baking soda, its an old-fashioned remedy used for any problem with no value. Then we drove UT24 East, UT72 North, I70 East, US191 South to Moab.
4/4	Moab, UT	Dinner at Buck's Grill House
4/4 - 4/5	Moab, UT	Motel 6. There was a Jeep Safari there that weekend. Thousands of jeeps were in the city and the hotel price was high.
4/5	Moab, UT	Arches National Park
4/5	Moab, UT	gasoline purchase at 4pm
4/5	Moab, UT	withdrew $200 from bank account at 5:35pm From Moab we drove US191 South and US491 SouthEast to Cortez.
4/5	Cortez, CO	Dinner at Mainstreet Brewery
4/5-4/6	Cortez, CO	National 9 Inn
4/6	Cortez, CO	Dinner at Dry Dock restaurant
4/6	Mesa Verde, CO	Book purchase at museum
4/7	Dolores, CO	Anasazi Heritage Center (museum). The museum is a good display of an extensive archaeolgical research from the 1970s. Note that the name "Anasazi" is believed to be the Navajo word for "enemy ancestors" and so is frowned upon especially athe the Mesa Verde National Park.
4/8	Cortez, CO	Guided tour of the Ute Mountain Indian Reservation South of Cortez; in particular the old Indian drawings on the rocks. Afterward shopped at the Ute Indian Pottery Factory.
4/8	Dolores, CO	gasoline purchase We drove CO145 past Telluride, CO62, US550 North to Montrose, US50 East. Stopped briefly at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park shortly after Montroe. Then US50 East, US285 North to Buena Vista.
4/8	Buena Vista, CO	Dinner at The Asian Palate (This restaurant was walking distance from our motel but the highway was not practical to walk on.)
4/9	Buena Vista, CO	gasoline purchase US24 East to Manitou Springs
4/9	Divide, CO	Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center. This visit was not planned; we just came upon it and decided to see it. Note that we revisited a couple days later.
4/9	Woodland Park, CO	Oil change
4/9	Manitou Springs, CO	Cave of the Winds
4/9	Colorado Springs, CO	Purchase of wine for Kate at Plaza 21 at 1014 S. 21st Street. (We drove around old Colorado Springs since we were too early to see Kate.)
4/10	Manitou Springs, Co	Pike's Peak Cog Railway
4/10	Manitou Springs, CO	Tajine Alami restaurant
4/11	Divide, CO	Revisited the Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center this time with Kate and Paul. Played with actual wolves, who liked to do heavy kissing and had no dog breath! Kate took the pictures.
4/13	Manitou Springs, CO	gasoline purchase
4/13	Colorado Springs, CO	Our last scenic visit was to the Garden of the Gods in the city.
4/13	Grand Isle, NE	gasoline purchase
4/13-4/14	Gretna, NE	Super 8
4/14	West Des Moines, IO	gasoline purchase
4/14	Wheaton, IL	Dinner at Romano's Macaroni Grill with Nancy's friends Donna and Bob Estler, with whom we stayed the night.
4/15	Gary, IN	gasoline purchase
4/15	Amherst, OH	gasoline purchase
4/15	Dubois, PA	Dinner at Dutch Pantry
4/15	Falls Creek, PA	gasoline purchase
4/16	home	Arrived home at 12:30am