Thread: Non Rev Correspondant for Utah

Hmmmm, California drivers, (one of which has never driven in snow) winding through mountains with no chains, no phone reception and very few gas stations; this could be a verrry interesting trip.
Do you think we should bring (buy) chains; we'll be there around April 5?
(and Randy, I know you're laughing at just the thought of a bunch of Angelenos stuck in a snowdrift)

Evan looking at Springdale as a base instead of moving, any thoughts????

Thanks

Keep'em flying

Well, I dont think you will have to worry about snow down there. They dont get it very often and I was just there and there is none now so I am sure you will be fine when you go. I am sure you wont need chains. I have never even used chains and I have lived here all my life. Trust me, the snow is worse here in SLC and we dont even use chains. I doubt you will even see snow when you are down there.

As for Springdale, I am sure that will be a great place for you. As you can see, it is on the south end of Zions and will be fine if you want to stay there as a base. However, when I travel down there, I dont like to be tied to one location so I only stay in one place for one night. Then I move on and find a new place where ever I end up. That way, I dont have to back track to get back to my hotel. I dont think you will have any problems just showing up at most locations here without a reservation. Most places have rooms and you can just move around as you please.

As for the gas, it is like I said, if you gas up and watch the signs they will tell you how far to the next gas station. Just know the limits of the car and you will be fine.

Also, you might want to stop in St. George on your way in. it is a great place and there are a lot of things to see. Also they have some great golf if you like to golf.

Good luck,

Glad to hear we won't need chains, I realllly realllly didn't want to buy any.

Actually most of our road trips are "just show up" affairs, but because we are traveling over Easter holiday I had visions of motel parking lots filled with cars carrying California plates. Trust me, Angelenos will go anywhere for cheap gas. Gas here is $2.19
I'll get back to you when I come up with a second stop.

Thanks for the Denver Mint suggestion. I hadn't thought of it. Maybe now, I can get commemorative quarters from Florida, and Maine.

Keep'em flying

Also just a reminder, Denver downtown has a lot of one way roads so get a map that has arrows to show you or you might get stuck in a loop trying to get where you are going.

My Father drove from LAS to DEN round trip last fall. I requested he let me know where he stayed and what he did. He went through Utah on the way going and Arizona on the way back. It you need more details let me know. Here is his reply:

We stayed at
Las Vegas - Luxor in the pyramid, I love it, slanted window overhead light skylight to see both he moon overhead and the airport, they have some pretty good deals.
Zion Canyon at Bumbleberry Inn was nice, kind of inexpensive, typical small town motel but famous for its bumbleberry food and jam.
Bryce Canyon park DO NOT GO NEAR Rubys. It is one of the worst customer service places I have ever been in, worse than the old Georgia stops.Nasty indifferent people.
I wish we would have driven the 30 mile gravel road, I think Canyonlands Road, just East about 10 miles from Bryce, down to near Page, AZ. It is gravel, says only 4WD but if dry a car may make it, great scenic shortcut, the end south 10 miles should be superb dry narrow low canyon. Some day I will drive that route.
The Waweah (I think) Glen Canyon National Park Lodge run by Aramark was the place they treated us like Royalty, great lodging, outstanding food, on the lake just above Glen Canyon Dam of the Colorado River, city at the dam is Page, AZ.
We then went across Monument Valley, could have spent more time there driving miles to see tall rocks but saw enough. We did not go to Canyon de Chilly (sic) but many people say it would have been a worthwhile visit, just an extra day as it is not direct Page-Durango route.
Then to Mesa Verde National Park which has some good pueblos on top and on side of a mesa but have to drive 30 miles from the highway to get to them.
Stayed two nights at Durango at the hotel, I can get the name if you want, it was very special, haunted, the best and lowest cost food in town. I want to go back to that hotel and town.
Then we drove up to Silverton, an old Wild West town, two streets but a great tourist attraction, the railroad tales 9 hours, the drive up is 1 1/2 hours, an hour in town is enough but worth it.
We then headed down towards Gallup and Sedona through Farmington.
One can go to Denver from Durango two ways.
Straight east on I think good road to the Interstate which goes up through Pueblo and Colorado Springs to Denver.
From Silverton North on fair road to I-70 and then East to Denver. There may be a route from Silverton East to Pueblo but I suspect it is mountainous winding narrow but I have not looked at it serious.

I will get more specific if this is what she wants, I especially should get the correct name of the Page and Durango hotels as wells as the canyon road if she is interested..

My Father emailed me with the Durango Co info:

Must stay hotel in Durango is the Strater

Coyne thank your dad for all the great info; nice 'five check' trip report. I'm looking at hotels in Springdale now and did see Ruby's and Bumbleberry (home of the famous bumbleberry pie) Inns listed. Guess I'll be finding out what a blumbleberry is.
Probably won't make it to Durango or Silverton. After the parks the plan is to make a beeline for the I-70 and Denver. Hmmmmm bees, *deep in thought* bumble, bumbleberry, you don't think?

Keep'em flying

Migflanker, just another note. On your drive up I-70 to Denver, you will have to go over some passes. also through several tunnels. the tunnel at the top is called the eisenhower tunnel. Also known as the Continental Divide. you might see the weather snowy on one side and sunny on the other. It can be pretty cool to see sometimes.

The Eisenhower tunnel, I do remember seeing a TV special about the building of it. As I recall it's well over a mile with low clearance and lots of cameras to watch every itch of the roads; good thing I'm not claustrophobia, or paranoid.

BTW, I got a really good deal at the Doubletree near Denver airport. $59/nite with breakfast, free in-room movies, even pizza. Makes me wonder, how far away is Denver????

Keep'em flying