Thursday September 17, 2015
Novato – Orinda – Reno
256 miles
Bob dropped me off in Larkspur for the 5:45a ferry and I Barted to the office so he could pick me up and start our trip from there. We left Orinda about 2:15 and there was already pretty heavy traffic on 680. It was a slow slog from Cordelia through Sacramento almost to Auburn. From Colfax through the mountains, we flew but it still took us 5 hours to get to Reno. So we stopped there.
We checked into the Grand Sierra Resort where we stayed last August because we wanted to eat at Charlie Palmer‘s restaurant. We dumped our bags and were sitting at the bar with cocktails by 7:45. 
The Broncos and Chiefs were just starting the third quarter — all good. We stayed at the bar to eat dinner because the restaurant was full and noisy. I should have taken photos of the food! We ordered everything to come at once: Bob ordered the filet that was about 2 inches thick with a caramelized whole shallot on top (!!) and a twice baked potato; I ordered the beef carpaccio, tomato burrata salad and grilled asparagus. It was all beautiful. The carpaccio looked like a flower with the arugala salad in the middle; the asparagus had the dijon butter (um, yum) blanketed on the stem end so the charred tips were free; the salad was a picture with stems of fresh basil…I could go on. Bob sliced me a few hefty bites of his perfectly pink filet. I ate everything! We ordered a bottle of Klinker Brink zin because we had visited the winery when we were in Lodi and really like it — it was one of the best values ($45) on the menu by far. And it was wonderful. When the sommelier brought out the bottle we asked him to a pour himself a glass as he hadn’t had it before (even though on the menu?! note to self if you own a restaurant with sommeliers…..) and had never been to Amador County. He worked for and trained at Del Frisco’s in Dallas and they sent him on trips to all the high-end and big producers so he knows cabs and typical wines. We liked him. We might have invited him to visit….
The unfortunate part of the evening was a guy also at the bar who was a die-hard Broncos fan and kept pounding the bar and yelling — y e l l i n g — at every Bronco/Peyton up/down moment. Oh, and he was wearing a Broncos Teebow jersey. Yeah.
There were three different guys bartending and working the bar, all of whom were on point. All of them understood the d***h*** was marring the atmosphere and said things like “Dude, hold it down” but the guy was spending $$$$$. He was with a group of three other (polite) guys and then three women (hookers?) joined them just before we left. We left a big tip for the bar tending trio.
Friday September 18, 2015
Reno – Fallon NV – Eureka NV – Delta UT – Grand Junction CO
747 miles
We were up showered and walking through the huge, and clean!, lobby at 6:20. I had grudgingly said I would get Starbucks in the lobby so we didn’t have to look for coffee – or drive the wrong direction to the Peets at the airport…. But there were 6 people in line and one person working so I took it as a sign and we just got in the car and started driving.
Bob had Googled ‘breakfast in Fallon’ and zeroed in on the Courtyard Cafe and Bakery where we landed at 7:30. OMG. Again, I neglected to take pictures so obviously I will never be a true blogger (yay?) but it was fantastic. I did take this photo after Bob asked Gina (pictured) if he could sub the three pancakes he ordered for three slices of the chocolate cake (pictured).
I ordered the Garden Wrap which was scrambled eggs, spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes, grilled broccoli and salsa in a tortilla with fresh tomatoes and more salsa. I ended up just eating the innards and leaving the soggy tortilla but I ate all. of. it. So fresh, so good! Bob had pancakes and sausage. The coffee was decent and I got an Earl Grey tea to go. Gina gave us two of their HUMONGOUS cinnamon rolls for nothing. Gina was the only waitress on duty while we were there and she had at least two dozen customers seated, all of whom seemed like regulars. There were two cooks and a baker who kept filling up the display cases while we were there: blueberry muffins, scones, cinnamon rolls…. the place smelled like yeast heaven.
From there we drove like the wind because Bob also Googled a restaurant in Grand Junction and found Le Rouge Bistro and we had a reservation at 8p. And we lost an hour to time change in Utah.
Even though we were on a mission and driving like hell, it was beautiful. People make fun of us for driving so far but really there is nothing better. We listen to music — usually Spa (or Sssspppaaaaaaaaaaa said in a deep whispery female voice) — or ESPN or an audiobook and the scenery and the miles just melt away. For fans of the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo books, give The Girl in the Spiders Web a shot. If I didn’t know it wasn’t written by Stieg Larsson, I wouldn’t know. We started it on our Labor Day trip and I finished it on my commute; Bob stopped at Part Two so we are listening from there and I am enjoying it as much as the first time.
We made only two stops for gas and potty and made it to Grand Junction just before 7p. We got to Le Rouge by 7:45 and instead of a table we sat at the bar. What a delightful restaurant! There was outdoor seating, an easy on the ears, low-key acoustic guitar player, high tables, white-clothed tables, energetic bar… Loved it the minute we walked in. Three regulars who were set up for dinner at the bar shifted so we could fit and all was splendid from there. We ordered our cocktails and Bob really started relaxing. We both ordered steak frites and shared a caprese salad. The steak was perfectly pink and tender, the frites crispy, the salad had a good bite and bitterness. Delicious. Bob chose another Gold Country wine that was excellent! Terra d’Oro zin from Amador County. We will be buying it.
Didn’t order dessert but in our room we warmed up the cinnamon rolls and both ate a cinnamony/chewy/yeasty center.
Bob and Sharon's Travel Diary 