A trip to remember
Published 4:09 pm Saturday, October 8, 2011
Evie Mohrfeld
Mower County Senior Travel
Wow.
What a wonderful fall showing off colors. And how about the fabulous weather?
It just continues as the travelers started their leaf peeping early in September.
We will meet on Oct. 24 for a reunion pot luck at the Mower County Senior Center to share photos and stories from our recent trip east.
We were enjoying California at the halfway point through our tour. Each night we included photo stops including a one-night’s say at Fisherman’s Wharf.
We enjoyed a three our, step-on tour in San Francisco including a stop to take pictures of the Golden Gate Bridge.
We saw plenty of highlights including the cable cars, trolleys, famous streets and more. We took an easy walk to the boardwalk, where we could hear the barking seals in the water below. We looked for special foods like San Francisco sour dough bread, chocolate native to this area and many fish choices.
We took a comfort stop in Sacramento on our way to Lake Tahoe for a two and a half hour cruise of the Emerald Bay. The best way to experience Lake Tahoe is on its fames waters, the trip being narrated as you take in the panoramic view on an authentic paddlewheel boat.
Lake Tahoe is 22 miles long and 12 miles wide with 72 miles of shoreline. Lake Tahoe is the highest lake of its size in the U.S. We enjoyed some of the most beautiful clear, blue-green and peaceful waters anywhere.
Our evening’s stay was in Reno, Nev.
Knowing that this is where casinos originated, we expected to see a lot more bright lights, and was personally surprised, but not disappointed, in what this casino town would look like.
As we move onto to Salt Lake City, Utah, we cross into Mountain Time and stopped at the Great Salt Lake Marina, for a chance to feel the salt water with time for more photos of the great Salt Lake.
The city is so impressive as you enter, with buildings built of white and silver brick from the sandstone. The step-on guide was most informative and one of the best guides in promoting her city, home to the national headquarters of the Mormon Church.
Two of the buildings on the world-famous Temple Square are the Assembly Hall and the Visitor Center. The architecture, while dramatically different, is strikingly beautiful.
Our guide also arranged for us to attend a one-hour organ concert on Temple Square. The acoustics were so perfect with the availability of pipe organ with its 10,857 pipes.
The tour of the Utah State Capitol was most impressive. An extensive reconstruction in 2004 moved tons of concrete, artwork, and furnishings around. The landscaping with a variety of blooming flowers made this one of the top seven most beautiful capitol buildings in the U.S.
Our group was totally overwhelmed by the whole visit.
Our overnight stay was in Rock Springs, Wyo. with a reception.
We crossed the Rocky Mountains and made a short stop in Casper, Wyo. From there we crossed into Rapid City, S.D.
No matter how many times you visit Mount Rushmore, it still has a very patriotic presence as you view the four great presidents — George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln — carved high above to be seen from far around.
The sculpture took 14 years to complete,and stands 60-feet tall.
The display has been expanded to include a row of flags of each state at the entrance to the memorial.
There is plenty of history available along with some hourly videos. The entire site is free to all visitors..
In the evening we had a chuckwagon dinner, served on tin plates. The meal included buffalo, or beef, beans and corn muffins. The servers were also the entertainers, ringing up some good old cowboy, and western music.
As we headed towards Austin we made a stop at the famous Wall Drug. We could have some of their free cold water, free doughnuts to veterans or shop.
The store dominates the city, even with its small population. Thousands of visitors from every country find their way there. Just ask for a free sign and you can post it in your town.
For many this vacation, rain-free, included several first stops for many. We feel we have just experienced another great adventure in our great United States.
We began our tour with our patriotic song and came back singing it again as we all had the same feeling of gratitude for our great country.