I'm back! Cheyenne to Sacramento

Alright, sorry for the delay in updating the stories, but it has been a crazy week (or two). I am now getting ready to go to Washington DC for a few days. Yay! 10 hours each way...

Where did I leave off?

Oh yes, Cheyenne...

Cheyenne to Sacramento: The Hard Way

Wind Turbines in Wyoming

I woke up at 5:45 in the morning, which is really early seeing as I didn't get into the hotel until 11:30pm local time. Hell, I figured if the cowboys do it, I might as well. The golf's headlights aren't the greatest and I was burning daylight.

I packed up my Star Wars pillow and got on the road intending to get off at the next exit for a morning Coke and some gas. Did you know that Cheyenne only has three exits? Neither did I, the next exit was Laramie, which was just fine.

The rest of the trip through Wyoming was non eventful until I came to one of the cheesiest, worst (and not in a good way) roadside attractions in the US: Little America

Little America

Anyone that has driven I-80 is familiar with this garish place. There has to be more than 100 signs and billboards when tallying from both directions of I-80. With that much advertising you'd expect this amazing place. A place that upon opening your car doors you here the blissful sounds of angel's song. There should be rides and oddities and interesting things to see. You'd expect a playground for the kids and endless aisles of ridiculous “I Visited Little America” schwag.

What you get is a truck stop and passable hotel. They have “attractions”, a stuffed Emperor Penguin and a 4 foot tall green cement Sinclair Oil dinosaur. That is about it. They also have a truck/travel stop with a convenience store that has all the same stuff that you'd expect any truck stop to have. It is wholly unremarkable. I even tried to find some senseless schwag to send to Dorrie, as she loves that kind of stuff. Nothing! Silly.

Now, don't get me wrong, it is worth the stop just to check it off your list. It has now been checked off my list twice, and is still worth the laugh to go. Just that the laughing is at it, instead of with it.

Utah

Park City area

After leaving Little America with out a soft serve cone (sorry Liz!), I started my trip down the mountains.

Did I mention that I crossed the continental divide twice? Yep, twice. Silly me for thinking that it was just a single line.

Park City is gorgeous, not as it is in the winter, but still pretty awesome (that would be in the dictionary use of the word). Shortly after Park City I descended down into Salt Lake City. I have been there a few times before and not in need of caffeine free soda, I pressed on. About 20 miles past SLC there was a small gas stop exit, I needed gas and it was time to eat so I pulled off. Then, what do I see to my utter delight? Del Taco!!!!!!!!!

I haven't had Del Taco in so long, and it was my first semblance of west coast culture. I may have overdone it on the ordering, but I hadn't had the food in so long! The food was exactly as I remembered it, and I am pretty sure I am good for another 4 years. =)

The Desert

I am just going to put this out there. I don't like the desert. Never have, probably never will. I like water and not dieing too much to be a huge fan of the desert. And yes, I have spent a lot of time in the desert, I have given it a fair shake, and it is just not for me. With that said, it is fascinating at the same time. Mostly as in the “why the #$(@ would any one live out here” kind of way.

If you want to be removed from society, live next to dirty trashy people, drive three hours to get to the grocery store, and deal with a perpetual layer of dust then the desert is for you. I will stick with trees. The desert does have a lot of mining going on, which allows my mind to wander to the “I bet I could strike it rich” delusions. Checking out the mining equipment is somewhat interesting, and keeps me entertained when it is available, that and the numerous prisons, otherwise it was a good thing I saved all my NPR podcast for Nevada.

The one shining star of the desert is the Bonneville Salt Flats. I took Cecil (the VW Golf) out for a little spin on the salt flats. Anyone want to know how fast he goes? Anyone? There was no one there this time, but the last time I blew through there was a team practicing for some sort of speed record. I guess everyone was at Hot August Nights in Reno, NV.

Reno

Butch's Truck

It was Hot August Nights in Reno which meant that my buddy Jeff and his family were there. Perfect timing as I pulled into Reno right at dinner time and as the festivities were really getting going. There were a lot of amazing cars, including Jeff's Step-something Butch's classic truck. Jeff and his family and I went out to dinner at this surprisingly great Italian place that was upstairs in a random building. There was live entertainment provided by a single guy singing along with old Dean Martin songs. The old dude claimed to have been a good friend of Martin's and hung out with the Rat Pack. Maybe he did, maybe he didn't, but his singing wasn't bad and the food was great.

Unfortunately my time in Reno was short as I had to get over the hill to Sacramento before too late. Laurel and Chris had graciously offered up their house for the night. So I said my farewells and off I went.

Sacramento

Did I mention that I was in Cheyenne earlier in the morning? Google Maps says the distance between the two is 1087 miles. I think the odometer was somewhere around 1150, regardless it was a long ways. Luckily I have spent a lot of time driving I-80 over the Sierras, as I was ridiculously tired and (mom, don't read this part) have been doing the long blinking thing.

I thought about taking my emergency 5 Hour Energy drink, but decided that I was only an hour away from Laurel & Chris's and that I really needed the sleep, staying up all night was not an option. As you have probably already figured out, I didn't die on the mountain and made it to the house in one piece. I hung out with Laurel and Chris for about an hour, everyone passed out, and I got up early the next morning and drove to Oakland. At this point I had basically made it!