Road Trip - Day 13 through Day 15

Time is getting away from me and it's scary! Eek.

After rolling into California on Day 13 and reentering civilization we obviously did what any civilized group of human road trippers would do.  We shot ourselves in the face!

Wait, what? 

Seriously.  In an attempt to try everything that we've never done (and see all sides to this crazy country), our non-violent selves went to a gun range. I cannot tell you how absolutely terrifying the whole ordeal was.  I honestly almost passed out during our gun safety demonstration.  And then I almost blacked out when I actually had to hold the thing in my hands.  Whew.  Guns are so NOT for me.  But we still had fun with it and were out of there in an hour.

From there it was time to park the RV, wash any gun evidence off of us and stumble upon the MOST amazing dinner in Napa Valley.  The restaurant was Carpe Diem (a wine bar) and it was chock-full of mouthwatering deliciousness.  They even had breaded olives filled with goat cheese!

Day 14 was reserved for wine, wine, wine.  The first winery we saw was Chateau St. Jean.  After our tasting, we bought a bottle of the Chardonnay and sandwiches for a little picnic on the grounds. 

Next up was Deerfield Winery because we heard that they conduct their tastings in a cave.  We had to experience it and thank goodness we did. The cave did not dissapoint.

Last on the wine tour extravaganza was Ledson Winery. It was beautiful! 

I sat out of this tasting and opted for a glass of white instead, but the group really enjoyed their tastes.  At this place, we bought a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc to share on the grounds as well and made sure to stay until the last minute that they were open.  Good thing we did, because once the last door of the mansion was locked, we headed to the RV and realized we had lost our keys!  Woohoo!  We had to beg someone to let us back in, scour the grounds inside and out and have Jeff break into our RV through the window. 

After all that, they were OF COURSE in the gift shop bag. Of course.

We needed a good laugh at the bar sitting at the foot of our RV site after that...

Day 15 has been slow going because of Night 14's late night activity, but we DID actually go to a really great breakfast spot called Worth Our Weight.  Everything is free for a donation and the food and staff are incredible.  Google it!

We're almost in San Francisco now!  Over the Golden Gate Bridge we go!
xoxo
L

Road Trip - Night 12 and Day 13

Reno, "The poor man's Vegas" was hugely better than the group (mostly me?) assumed it would be.  I mean, HUGELY.  And with all the driving of the day under our belt, we deserved it!  Well, mostly the boys did since my only job in the RV is to sit and squeal over the constant feeling that we're going too fast, but nonetheless, it was deserved.

Yesterday was the driving day to end all driving days.  The boys really kicked it up a notch and carried the family-mobile from Bear Lake to Park City Utah all the way into Reno, Nevada with a short stop at the Salt Flats of Utah and a Burger King (my insides are still screaming). That would be a 12 hour traveling day, thankyouverymuch.

Our horseback riding day and subsequent injuries (swollen bums and broken backs all around) put us behind a bit and we didn't want to lose any time in good ol' Cali so we had no choice but to move onward!

We rolled up to Reno at midnight and pulled into our FOURTH (!!!) free night of RV living (and the sketchiest by a landslide) at the Sands Casino parking lot.  We made sure to park under a massive light, lock up, and headed in. 

The town looked deserted, and with the sketchy crew inside the casino of the Sands looking mighty terrifying we bought one drink and had a family meeting.  To stay or not to stay?  When we couldn't find a slot machine for over 1 cent, we decided to take off for Reno's "strip."  The El Dorado won our hearts by being the first place we passed and upon entering our lives changed.  I mean, we pretty much had the best night ever...AGAIN!

First, we holed up at the slots and took advantage of the free drink service while also simultaneously charging our phones in the casino wall.  Next, we got ourselves our very own $5 blackjack table and that was pretty much it.  We won some cash, became besties with our dealers and had a blast until the wee hours of the morning. They called us the "breakfast crew" and that we were. Only without the breakfast. Walking outdoors into the sunlight was alarming to say the least. And then seeing that it was 7am was even moreso.  But it was all part of the plan!

brosband

Good morning, Reno!!!

After much needed sleep this morning, we took off.  We've just entered California and will be arriving at a gun range (in an attempt to try nearly everything we've never done before) shortly.  Can't wait!!!!!

~L

Road Trip - Day 12 Park City, UT

This morning we woke up, frozen to the bone (32 degrees!) on Bear Lake (a lake formed from an earthquake and also the vacation spot for massive families) in Utah...

...and headed toward Salt Lake City.  The plan was to grab a fun lunch somewhere and really soak up as much Utah-ness as possible.  However, the more we thought about it, navigating the RV through a city for a single meal didn't seem all that enticing and we decided to visit Park City, UT instead.  It would be just like visiting the Sundance Festival!!!! Just without the cold weather, millions of people, or festival itself.  Wooo!

It's a total resort town, but visitng off-season is where it's at.  Tons of restaurants, pubs, and shops without too many people crowding about.  Plus, the mountains and mostly vacant ski lift moving continuously in the distance make for a nice ambience.  To me, it was the first place we've been in the past two weeks that seemed the most like home.  Not the ski part, or resort town part.  Or the Mormon part.  But lots of food options made for competitive and good-tasting food for once, and the people seemed pretty modernized and city-like.

Jeff ordered the Polygamy Porter

After our awesome meal, we huddled up and decided that we will try to make the 9 hour drive to Reno, Nevada tonight.  We'll see.  It's super far, but if it can be done, the rest of our trip will thank us.  Reno 911, here we come!
Til then!
L

Road Trip - Night 10 and Day 11

I do NOT have enough time to write just how unbelievable today was.  We are almost at our home for the night, but I'll try.

First, I shall write about our glorious Anniversary party for Jac and Ed last night. There was food, wine, champagne and LOTS of celebrating.

The crew woke up on Day 11 and it was ON.  Our highly anticipated, completely unorganized (no research, no reservation, no problem!) Horseback riding day had arrived!!!! We called a guy (Trey) down the road (who's number was on a banner) and set it up.  70 dollars a person for a 4 hour ride, plus 20 dollars off because there were four of us. The price was right.

Bridger Teton State Park + 6 horses + us and our 2 "guides" (pretty sure they did not look back at us the whole time) = SOREST, MOST AMAZING DAY IN THE WYOMING WILDS!

This was not your mother's horseback riding.  First of all, no helmets.  Second of all, no instructions or lesson of any sort.  Then there was the fact that we just trusted these 2 seriously young cowboys to steer us in the right/non-murder-in-the-woods direction.  By the end of the ride, which turned out to be more like 5 hours, we could barely dismount our horses and the cartilage was melting off of our knees but it was worth it.  We may be exhausted, but we did it and I highly reccommend it!!!

As I write, Ed has just driven us through Idaho and into Utah where we will be camping for the night.

Night!
L