This morning, as we entered I-80 headed west out of Salt Lake City, Penelope (our British-accented GPS voice) announced our journey for the day, “Continue 662 miles.”  We did precisely that.

West of Salt Lake City lies the Great Salt Lake.  I-80 passes along the southern end of the Lake, though you can’t see much from the road because it runs almost at the same level as the Lake.  There are a few salt extraction operations from the lake, but there doesn’t appear to be much in the way of pleasure use of the Lake, then again, it is Winter.  Further westward lies the Bonneville Salt Flats home of the Bonneville Speedway where land speed records have been set.  This area of the country is incredibly flat, flatter than Kansas.  You can see for miles in any direction, and though the far off mountains seem close, they are hundreds of miles away.

We stopped for breakfast in Wendover, a town right on the border of Utah and Nevada, which means it is packed with casinos, like all Nevada border towns.  Nevada’s landscape is marked with small mountain ranges, each slightly different from the next.  The freeway runs in the valleys between these mountain ranges, so as we drove from Wendover to Elko to Battle Mountain to Winnemucca, we were constantly looking up at (sometimes snow-covered) mountains from the floor of the desert.

Finally, around 4pm we reached Reno and debated whether to truck onward into California and over the Sierra Nevada mountains.  The weather was against us because of a storm in the area causing rain and snow at higher elevations.  California’s Department of Transportation was requiring chains or snow tires on all vehicles attempting to cross on I-80 and had closed the westbound side to truck traffic.  Despite these conditions, we decided to continue because the weather forecast for the next few days did not look any better and could have been worse.

The drive through Donner Pass was rough and tiring.  Snow was coming down heavy creating whiteout conditions, ice was forming on the windsheild so we had to stop and clear it a few times, speeds were limited to 30 mph, but we were mostly doing less than 20, and we needed to go 40+ miles in order to make it through the Pass.  Thankfully, we did not suffer the fate of the Donner Party.  Instead, just after 6:30pm, we cleared the snowstorm and harsh conditions and were making our way toward and through Sacramento.

Finally, after 12 weary hours of driving, we arrived in Davis, our final destination.

Moab is known for its close proximity to two national parks: Arches and Canyonlands.  Since we were only spending one morning in the area, we decided to go to the smaller of the two parks, Arches.  After passing through the gate, we wound our way up the main road climbing on to the plateau that forms the foundation for the park.  The first thing you notice about Arches is the color: red.  All of the stone is distinctly red in color various shades representing the banding of time.  This red was particularly vibrant in the morning sunlight from the southeast.  We drove deep into the park and worked our way back toward the gate stopping to see the Windows, Delicate Arch, and Balanced Rock among the other geological sculptures the park has to offer.  Once we returned to the park gate, we turned north along UT-128.

UT-128 is an scenic alternative route to US-191 to get back to I-70 from Moab.  It runs along the Colorado River in a canyon with 1000 foot walls.  Along the drive from Moab to Cisco (where 128 rejoins I-70), the canyon walls slowly separate into distant mesas, round out to become mountains, then flatten.  This awe-inspiring transition happens in only a matter of 30 miles.

We took I-70 westward until splitting off to follow US-6 to the north.  We continued through Price and Provo where we met with I-15 to Salt Lake City.  We stopped in Salt Lake City for the night.

Due to the expected weather, we decided to stick to the interstate on our way to Moab instead of taking more winding but possibly closed highways like US-40 or US-50.  As it turns out, I-70 west from Denver is a scenic route.  The freeway winds through the mountains leading to a tunnel that passes under the Great Continental Divide.  Instead of going through the tunnel, we decided to take US-6 up to the Loveland summit and cross the Divide at the peak.  The view at 12,000 feet was incredible, but the air was thin and cold, so we did not stay long.  We continued on US-6 through Keystone and rejoined I-70.

We stopped for lunch in Vail, which is, like most ski towns, built out as a resort that is fashioned after an alpine village.  Knowing that most ski town food is good but not great, I wasn’t expecting much, but the food we had a Vail’s Sweet Basil was delicious.  If you go skiing in Vail or happen to pass through, I highly recommend giving Sweet Basil a try.

Leaving Vail, we continued on I-70 W toward Grand Junction.  Just before reaching Glenwood Springs, there is a stretch of road called Glenwood Canyon.  The canyon alone is a natural marvel, but the fact that the freeway runs right down the middle of it is an engineering feat.  Running right next to the Colorado River, I-70 sits on stilts above the river and rocky terrain for the entire length of the canyon.  The canyon walls rise sharply a couple thousand feet on either side.  At the end of the canyon lies Glenwood Springs, an active hot spring that has been opened to the public as a hot tub and bathing area.

Continuing westward, the land begins to flatten out into the dry desert lands that make up far west Colorado and southeast Utah.  We crossed the Utah state line just after sunset.  We turned south on US-191 and headed into the small seasonal town of Moab.  Moab is quiet place during the off season, but we managed to find a way to entertain ourselves.  We enjoyed a sampling of brews from the local Moab Brewery and then settled in for the night.

Today was a travel day. If ever anyone tells you that western Kansas is exciting, they’re lying. Every mile is characterized by flat prairie land and farm land as far as the eye can see dotted with massive grain elevators. There are a few small towns that line the highway, each having their own take on a prairie museum, but none of any interest.

Eastern Colorado is not much better, but does have hills and views of the far off Rockies as you near Denver.  In Denver, we met my uncle for a great dinner at an Asian fusion restaurant in the Cherry Creek section of town.

This morning we departed Kansas City to the southwest taking I-35 to US-56.  We followed US 56 through the small towns that dot the southeastern Kansas landscape.  Each town was a variation on the theme of the one stoplight, everyone knows everyone communties.  I half expected to see a milkman or a newspaper delivery boy on his bicycle, but I blinked and we were back in prairie land.  As we passed through I was checking populations and information and was surprised to discover that some of these towns have websites, like Burlingame, KS (pop. 1017).  After a couple hours of rolling prairie we arrived in Council Grove, KS (pop. 2321).

Hungry for lunch, we found Hays House Restaurant and Tavern, claiming to be the longest continually operating restaurant west of the the Mississippi.  It began serving travelers on the Santa Fe trail over 150 years ago and now serves locals and travelers along US-56.  The manager was particularly excited to hear how far we had come and gave us a tour of the building.  Additionally, he explain that Council Grove is know for a tree under which a treaty was signed with the local Osage nation allowing the westward passage of pioneers.  Unfortunately, the tree was reduced to a stump in the 1950s, but the stump still exists today.  The Post Office Oak, another famous tree in town used by pioneers to send mail by way of other travelers, appears to no longer exist.  It, too, was supposedly reduced to a stump, but when we went to the site, all we found was grass.  So much for that historic place!

Onward from Council Grove, we drove south on KS-177 to US-50 crossing more prairie land.  Needing to make some tracks westward we decided to get back to I-70 for the next days drive.  Via KS-150 and US-56, we joined I-135 and stopped in Salina, KS to rest our weary heads.

Before getting back on the road, we made one stop in St. Louis: the Gateway Arch, the symbol of Westward Expansion.  Since we are headed westward, following many of the pioneer routes, we felt it quite fitting to see the arch before continuing our journey.  Rising 630 feet over the Mississippi River and downtown St. Louis, the Arch is quite a feat of engineering.  The structure of the Arch comprises a steel frame filled with reinforced concrete and wrapped in a stainless steel skin.  Inside there are two trams consisting of 8 barrel-shaped cars that carry people to the observation platform at the top using a system of pullies, tracks and auto-levelers.  We went to the top (of course) and the photos depict what we saw on the St. Louis side.  Illinois, unfortunately, has not done much to make their side interesting in the least.

From St. Louis, we decided to follow a scenic route that took us through the Missouri Rhineland.  Our route started in St. Charles, MO the starting point for Lewis and Clark’s expedition to explore the Louisiana Purchase and to find a passage to the northwest.  The historic part of town is steeped in this tradition with a brick street, historic wagons on display, and a memorial statue of Merriweather Lewis and William Clark.  Proceeding south on Route 94 along the Missouri River, we passed over the rolling hills of the Rhineland headed towards Defiance, MO.

Just north of Defiance, MO is the retirement home of Daniel Boone, pioneer extraordinaire.  The home is operated by Lindenwood University, who, unfortunately has a very strict policy about taking photographs anywhere on the property with cameras that look “professional” like our DSLRs.  We decided not to waste any more time there and continued on to Defiance.  Despite, Lindenwood’s unwelcoming attitude, the surrounding landscape proved that Boone had chosen a beautiful spot to spend his final years.  The rolling hills, trees and grasslands made for incredible scenery even in the dull months of Winter.

After Defiance, we reached the small town of Augusta, Missouri (pop. 218) where we stopped to have a bite to eat.  Again, we found the attitude of those around us to be unwelcoming, in an almost New York way.  Not what I expected from a small town in Missouri.

Needing to get miles behind us we decided to leave Route 94 at Marthasville, rejoin I-70 bound for Kansas City.  If you’re ever in Kansas City, I highly recommend the Plaza III Steakhouse.

Today we drove through parts of 4 states, the most of any single day of travel for our planned route.  Picking up were we left off, we started out of Nashville at about 10am headed northwest.  We decided to go off the beaten path today and wander through the Land between the Lakes National Recreation Area.  Despite being mostly closed both for the season and due to the recent ice storm that struck the region, we were still able to drive along the main road (The Trace) and even took a detour into the surrounding wilderness.  Along the way, we sighted the herd of Bison that inhabit the enclosed range.  The inland peninsula formed between the two lakes is a large stretch of land that would be quite beautiful during the other three seasons but less so this winter.  The ice storm has clearly devastated the tree population of the park and surrounding areas.  As we left the park to the west, we passed through much of far Western Kentucky which was still without power, though many power crews were working to restore it.

We rejoined the interstate and passed through Paducah, KY exiting at US 60.  Along 60 we saw more downed power lines, trees torn to shreads, limb from limb, slumped over on the ground with their trunks broken in half as if they were match sticks.  The strange thing was that no matter how hard we looked, we could never find evidence of a building that had been damaged due to a wind sheared tree or its debris.  These folks are fortunate in that regard.

As we were leaving Kentucky, we approached the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, the point where the two mighty rivers merge.  The rivers were lined with barges full of cargo and a few tugs to push the loads around.  We crossed the expanse of the Ohio River and entered into southern Illinois and the town of Cairo.  Cairo is post-apocalyptic America; there is no better way to describe the desolation and abandonment that has occurred in this once sizable county seat.  I did not take any pictures of Cairo, finding it to shocking or depressing – I can’t decide.  I did find a video that portrays what stands of the town today.

A little ways north of Cairo, we cut over the Mississippi and made our way to I-55.  It was getting dark by this point and rain had just started to set in, so we made quick time up to St. Louis, arriving at 7pm.  After an unimpressive dinner at St. Louis’ premier Irish pub, the Dubliner, we went to BB’s Jazz, Blues and Soups to take in some Monday night Big Band.  The music provided an upbeat and noisy close to an otherwise somber day wandering through the devastation and lonliness of northwest Tennessee, western Kentucky, and southern Illinois.  Though we drove two hours in Missouri, I can’t say we have seen much of it, though we will tomorrow as we crawl across the state along the Missouri river.

Our first stop was to grab some dinner at the South Street Restaurant, recommended by my good friend and Vanderbilt graduate Alex.  We chit-chatted with our waitress Carly about her songwriting career over crabcakes, ribs, and fried pickles.  (Aside: if you’ve never had a fried pickle, they are a must at least once.)  From talking with Carly, it was clear that many people in Nashville make a living hoping to be the next great singer/songwriter, similar to movie acting in L.A. and stage acting in NYC.

Afterward, we had a chance to see some of these aspiring writers in action at the Bluebird Cafe’s Writer’s Night.  Among the acts were Mark Donham and Clint Alphin, who each sang a tune about the current economic state – which seemed to be a theme of the evening.  For me it was a first hand account of how this recession is affecting the broader population outside of the Wall Street environment in which I had been immersed until recently.  Clint sang a song “Bail Me Out”, which, predictably, complained about the use of tax dollars on saving Wall Street firms, but he, like many, does not seem to get the bigger picture of how $1 spent on Wall Street can mean several dollars injected into the economy.

As we were leaving, we ran into singer/songwriter Nashville Kat who offered her opinion: that the illegal distribution of music was hurting the rise of new songwriting talent because established artists sought high percentage revenue splits to make up for lost income from stolen songs.  Not being in the know, I have no immediate opinion on the subject, but consider this before you decide to download the new The Fray album via BitTorrent.

Nashville is all about music, which is why I will return here someday, though my next visit will most certainly coincide with a music festival.