Finally - Nevada

Isn't it amazing what the human bum can endure? Yesterday 950 kilometers, 625 the day before, and about 780 today. I keep shifting positions but there's only so much you can do in the passenger's seat, which is a lot more than the driver can do.
Today we awakened to ice pellets flailing about, and limited visibility. True, we've faced that before, lots of times -- but on a winding, unfamiliar steep incline through mountain passes? With every semi in these United States on the same stretch of road at the same time?? Arrgh! Plus, what goes up must come down, so we were speeding down steep hills as well, wondering if the brakes would do their job, or if we'd go into a skid...
I have issues with steep embankments when I am travelling; I always imagine myself crashing into the guardrail and tumbling over the side, falling far, far, far down into a bottomless crevice. So every time the car swerved a bit towards the side, I feigned coolness in order to be positive and supportive. It took us two hours to cover a distance that normally should have taken 45 minutes, but once we got to Salt Lake City, it was pretty well over, altho there were some huge snowflakes then. When we passed Cedar City, the snow disappeared and we remembered what the whole trip was all about: to get away from that cold white stuff and do something different!
More later.

We left a windy Lethbridge, and that wind followed us pretty well all the way, sometimes blowing snow across the road leaving us with zero visability, and blowing tumbleweeds at us, then giving us gusts through the mountains, so much so that the car would swerve.

I took these pics through the window. Winds were gusting up to 100K an hour.

The border guard presented with the requisite amount of surliness, but allowed us through without hesitation. Classic country radio (Buck Owens, Conway Twitty -- stuff I haven't heard in years!!!) from 560KMON in Great Falls provided entertainment. The alternative was talk radio with Republican indignance towards Obama for actually trying to do something. I'll take Wolverton Mountain over that, thankyouveddymuch.

Here in Pocatello there is snow and lots of ice all over. We firmly believe tomorrow will be a better day weather-wise, giving us greenery or at least warmth, on a golf course in Laughlin. And if not tomorrow, the next day for sure.

And They're Off!

We left just in time for the sun to be shining directly into our eyes once we turned east. Initial entertainment consisted of counting magpies and ravens, noticeably huge and obviously not suffering through a bitter winter.
One of the first items on the agenda was to name the GPS. I thought Gary would be nice. He suggested "Useless Elizabeth" but the GPS is in fact quite the opposite, so "useless" was quickly discarded. By me anyway. Then he suggested "Susie". But I wanted a male GPS so even tho the voice is feminine, Gary Garmin it will be. I just have to decide on one "r" or two.
We made good time, picking up our first rock chip from a big truck on Hwy 36 at 9:48 a.m. By 10:40 I was craving some Tim's coffee, but none in sight.
I don't exactly know why we veered off to Lethbridge. We could have stayed in Taber, or actually kept going.
The hotel room in Leth is woefully unattractive but serviceable nonetheless. Old everything. Older than 1970s hotel rooms, with the original carpet, bedspread, paint job, etc. A creaky wooden floor. It was presented as a Super 8 online, but apparently has been a Thriftlodge of Travelodge for a couple of years.
We got the windshield fixed at Speedy Glass, ate and drank at Tims, and now are headed to a Casino. Yes, there's a casino here.
I saw a Greyhound bus, but wasn't tempted to hop on board and return home. Must carry on, and support the ailing American economy.
Right now Guy is playing with Gary and calling him names, trying to make him do things he does not know how to do, like find IDAHO.

Why We're Leaving

Maybe it looks pretty, but it's damn cold. So we're going to find something hopefully better. I'm just trying to figure out how to post pictures. That's all for now, folks.

Travel Plans

Well, won't this be exciting?
We are headed for those United States shortly, and I plan to post our adventures here and display some photos as well. Don't know how it's going to actually transpire; I find whenever technology is involved, what I want to do and what I accomplish are frequently far apart. Plus, there's the "different mindset factor" -- how we seem to always want to do different things, and this with amazing frequency.
For example, I was speculating earlier today about when and where we would be going, suggesting that we unhurriedly make our way to Vegas for Feb. 1st which is when we are expected there. Take it easy, travel slowly, see the sights, enjoy. . .
But of course, my travelling partner has no desire to travel slowly, see the sights, enjoy. . . He wants to hop in the car and head for Laughlin. We can simply retrace our path and go to Vegas on Feb. 1st as planned.
Why do this extra driving? Turns out there's snow "all the way down" and we are going to get away from it as fast as we can, just keep on driving until it disappears! Then pull up the horses and look around. But carry on to Laughlin. Cheaper there.
So I see already we are on different pages and this might make for a very interesting trip. Stay tuned. You'll be able to read between the lines.
So far this is the deal: Pack our stuff into the 97 Crown Vic, depart Monday Jan. 26 for Lethbridge, stay overnight, then to Helena on Tuesday, Idaho Falls on Wednesday, and then to Nevada (and likely Laughlin on Thursday) and back to Vegas on Sunday. I have to go running somewhere in all of this. Those are my biggest concerns right now: where and when to get my run in (5-8K a day preferred) and where & what to eat. Restaurant food doesn't appeal to me, and here I face the prospect of eating tons of it over the next few weeks.
We'll see how it goes.
But for now, this is it.