Tok alaska news11/18/2023 ![]() Dark skies became billowing clouds, so dense and white it seemed God tripped holding a bag of cotton balls. Idaho was bipolar, switching from sun to hail to rain and back to sun. Soaking and shivering, I told my husband we had to “man up.” Clearly I was convincing myself. Head tucked low, I hung on for dear life as we putted along the shoulder, doused by 18-wheelers. Instead we got the worst - a hailstorm and 43 degrees. With regret, patience and $100 postage, we hoped for the best. It was bitterly cold and a poor time to realize our warm layers were back in Zion. Day 4: Salt Lake to Sun Valley, Idaho, 293 miles The open kitchen had no secrets starting with understated nachos, salmon with coffee butter and beef with truffle aioli. With culture in our veins, we headed to Bambara for one of our top three meals. Within walking distance were the Eccles Theater, City Creek Mall and Temple Square - home to the Mormon Tabernacle, gardens, museums and genealogical library. The swanky 1920s art deco haven beckons with gin rickeys and mint juleps. In Salt Lake City, we stayed central at Kimpton Hotel Monaco. We zipped in and out of tiny towns, each with a school, store, church and bar - in that order. Cows chewed the cud, unfazed by our bike in their zone. Braided rivers cut through patchwork fields, stitched together with weathered fences. Our bodies leaned in unison on Zion’s hairpin turns. Hearty portions of pepita-crusted trout and wild-game meatloaf left us with happy bellies for the day ahead. We refueled at Spotted Dog Café, one of the area’s more upscale restaurants. We hit the trails, climbing three miles to emerald pools where canyon tree frogs sang. Just outside Zion National Park in Utah sat Cliffrose Lodge, our hotel on the river’s edge. Purple mountains and pink sandstone announced the exit of man and the entrance of nature. No nets and no sharing recipes and that goes for the four little old ladies who roll homemade pasta. Among the 50 species of seafood are langostinos that are caught off Italian waters, put to sleep, and flown in that day. ![]() For dinner, it was Costa di Mare, a Mediterranean seafood restaurant where waiters parade carts displaying the catch-on-ice. The property boasts five pools, 18 restaurants and Le Rêve - named best show in Vegas. Our tower room had a private entrance, designated pool and complementary breakfast at Tableau. The Wynn took the grittiness out of Vegas with silent slot machines, classical music and floral displays. While neither of us is particularly fond of Vegas, it was the most logical place to overnight. “We’re going to Alaska!” became my jubilant mantra - triggering conversations of dreams fulfilled, those untouched and ours in the making. Bundled in protective gear, we hit a scorching 113 degrees near Las Vegas.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply.AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |