Saturday, August 25, 2012

Second leg:  Park City UT to Breckenridge CO

(40 E to 64 at Dinosaur/CO State Line to 13 at Meeker to I-70 E at Rifle)

416 miles

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We were awake at 7a and checked out by 8a.  We had a breakfast buffet at the adjoining Pancake House included in the room so we went.  It was crawling with kids and noisy.  I had some fruit and my nuts and seeds (I can see you!)  and a cup of bad coffee to which I added a little cocoa for a Poor Man’s Mocha.  Bob got some pancakes and some OJ.  Going in he said, “There is no such thing as bad pancakes.”  After he had a couple he said, “I was wrong,”  Later he amended it to “Bad pancakes are better than no pancakes.”  All in all it was fine.  We went to the Wal-Mart next door (Huge! Spotless! Neat! and, alas, no scary people to photograph) for stuff we forgot (body lotion, water, lip balm) and headed back to Main Street to see it in daylight and find a good cup of coffee.

So different!  A handful of people and very quiet.  Lots of plaques to read with history of the town and mines. One was dedicated to all the miners and said something to the effect “the only monuments to the miners are the waste dumps left behind in the mountains” which is true and sad.  Walked up and down for about 20 minutes.  Found good coffee — with almond milk, bless you Java Cow — and then went to find the new Hyatt Escala property in an area called Canyons Resort, which has its own ski area.  Gorgeous!  We will definitely make it a destination in winter.

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There is a lift right at the entrance (just adjacent to the photo above) and units from studios to four bedrooms, about 3 miles from Main Street.  We got gas and left Park City at 9:40am headed for Vernal UT on 40 E.  Stunning views, big meadows, tidy farms and ranchettes.  Green meadows and lush treats then high desert then scrubby brush.   Then there were big mesas to the left.   Fantastic weather, hardly any cars.  Two lane non-highway all day till we got to I-70.

We had lunch in Vernal which is the gateway city to the Dinosaur National Monument.  The main street (Main Street…) goes from the new (Subway, Pizza Hut, Lowe’s) to the old part of town — brick buildings, most original — and the entire length has the most beautiful colorful huge pots of pansies and petunias.  It is really attractive.  Based on the dozen motorcycles (including some trikes) out front, we chose the 7-11 Ranch Restaurant.  Mostly locals and we each got a burger.  On first glance it looked way overdone but was actually tasty meat.  Especially piled high with pickles, onions, tomatoes and lettuce.  Ice tea and an Arnold Palmer and we were good to go.

Bob had driven thus far so I took over.  We couldn’t go as fast as Friday but it was incredibly beautiful.  Especially the valley from Meeker to Rifle.  Bob said at times it looked like high desert trying not to be.  We were going between XM radio and the book and stopping at historical markers (note: in Utah they are 99% about Mormons and the Latter Day Saints — abbreviated as LDS even on plaques); it was a very relaxing day.

At Rifle (another cute little very tidy town) we got on the I-70 going East which is a fantastic highway.  The entire CO highway system puts CA to shame.  The speed limit varies between 60 and 75 depending on curves (very in places) and elevation gain (up to 10,600 and change) and loss.  Needless to say we blew through the remaining miles to the Frisco turnoff and then 9 more miles to Breckenridge.  Drove into the Hyatt Main Street Station at 5:45pm — exactly as Gladys had predicted when Bob plugged in Breckenridge when we turned South on 13 at Meeker, a few hours earlier.

We checked in, unpacked, brushed our teeth and went to re-aquaint ourselves with Breckenridge since we haven’t been here in two years.  We walked around for about 40 minutes making sure our favorite places are still here and figuring out where we would have a drink and dinner.  We missed happy hour which runs from 3-6 or 4-6 depending and always a great deal.  We were standing on a corner thinking about where we should go and Bob noticed an Italian restaurant that we hadn’t see before: Giampietro Pasta and Pizza.  It was packed inside with people waiting outside and pizza boxes stacked 10 feet high ready to be used.  The aromas were amazing!  Big menu of pastas and pizza, they make their own dough, pasta and sauces…..  Bob put our name down and it was a 30-45 minute wait so he gave his mobile number to the host (in sunglasses, shorts and flip-flops) who pointed us across the street to the Briar Rose Chophouse — another place we never heard of!  Turns out the same family owns both (plus Empire Burger which we will be trying….); Giampietro’s has been here since 1997 (!! we have been here five times!) and Briar Rose opened in 2010.

We got the last two seats at the very very busy bar.  Lots of people eating dinner in the bar and the restaurant part appeared full.  We ordered and Bob got a huge Chivas on the rocks and a very good dirty martini for me.  So fun to be on foot for cocktails and dinner!  We were watching the Dodgers (boo hiss) and the football game.  Bob had another Chivas from ‘my favorite bartender in the world’ and I had a glass of Predator’s Zinfandel from Lodi — which I ended up leaving half of because our table was ready across the street.  While Bob settled up I went to claim it.  Again the aromas!!  It was packed, with people still waiting and pizzas (whole and sliced) flying out the door.  Two charming women waiting and bussing the entire small dining room — maybe a dozen tables? maybe 15?

Bob had the fettuccine bolognese and a tomato and mozzarella salad; I had one of the specials spaghetti pomodoro with eggplant and arugula and a spinach and beet salad to start.  DELICIOUS!  So fresh and full of flavor.  We ate every bite of the salads and I picked all the good stuff out of my pasta: fresh tomatoes, roasted eggplant, slivers of toasty garlic, wilted peppery arugula.  We had a good, reasonable bottle of Chianti and were thrilled with a new discovery.  And it’s a little further down the road from the Hyatt so a good hike back after.

We stopped at the cookie store for chocolate chip and peanut butter cookies (that we didn’t eat) on the way back and watched enough ESPN to see that Giants lost and the Dodgers won.  Sigh.  Tomorrow will be a do-nothing day.  Yay.

Random things……

Starvation Reservoir about 60 miles from Vernal.

Floating Feather Ranch somewhere along Hwy 40.

“Hot Dog Thursdays” sign outside a plumbing showroom in Roosevelt UT.

Real Salt (which I buy at home at Whole Foods) is on EVERY table in every restaurant in UT, even the Pancake House at the BW.  It was found (mined?) and marketed by Native Americans in central Utah.  Who knew?