Offroad: Mesquite to Overton Nevada

We've posted before about the offroad trip from Mesquite to Overton touching both the Virgin River and the historic Old Spanish Trail, but the trip is such a yearly tradition it deserves re-gifting.

The first of this month (Jan 2013) Hugh took Gordon and Mary, Jerry and Chellen and Craig and Vicki on the trip and stopped at Sugar's for lunch. Often, because the trail is so dusty and filled with "whoop-de-do's", the wives don't go; but, after the recent rains everyone got out on the rigs.

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Gastronomy: "Virgin River" Prime Rib

Every once in awhile I need to keep reminding everyone that this blog actually started out as a blog about snowbirding between Mesquite and Salt Lake City. This year, whether it's the economy or what, Mesquite has been a "colder" place than we've experienced before.

However Charley's wife told me that the prime-rib over at the Virgin River Casino was a real good deal and we had never tried it. "You're kidding," I said "That's really real?"

You see, for years we've all seen the huge billboards all the way

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Gastronomy: Heber City Claim Jumper

Spring cleanup continues at Herriman Snowbird Headquarters along with the quest for a decent meal.

As I mentioned, Google Earth 5.0 has quietly and without notice pushed out an update which corrected several pretty basic bugs in the program. I have now gone through all my maps and changed the transparency settings back to what they were before the goof-up. If you haven't updated your computer please do so at: Google Earth 5.0

There is no telling about the power of subliminal advertising because an advertisement for International House of Pancakes (IHOP) on our favorite program, somehow drew us to their establishment last week in spite of the fact that we always TIVO over the commercials. My memory of why I haven't gone there in many years flooded back to me as I tried to find something that looked good to me in their very difficult menu, and shook my head at their exorbitant prices for their very simple, small portioned fare.

All of us ordered something "non-breakfasty" and were disappointed, for different reasons. The experience merely reinforced my old adage "you don't expect to get a good steak at Denny's or Appleby's" and it's no different for pancakes. For breakfast IHOP can't hold a candle to Pancake House.

Mom and Dad's wedding anniversary was last week and they took a drive up and around the Provo Canyon / Heber City valley stopping in at the Claim Jumper for dinner. They came back raving about how surprisingly enjoyable the meal had been even though they had set out for a different diner.

Their experience was still lingering with them Friday, such that they wanted to go back up and show me what it was like. The drive up Provo Canyon was unexpectedly enjoyable - after it has been basically clobbered up somewhere along its route for the past 3 - 4 years! It was freshly paved and spring has sprung.

All the reservoirs are full to the brim (despite all the whining the TV weathermen do about water shortages), and all the fishermen were out. Still too cold for skiers though.

Home is the place where it feels right to walk around without shoes.”
Robert Frost

The first exit in Heber brought us to the Claim Jumper whose wooden-beamed facade touted all kinds of food from fish to steak and prime rib. The decor was a tasteful "early farmhouse" right down to the split-beam floors and cracked-log tables with rusty farm implements and brands as decorations.

For such a back-woods town, I was a bit stunned at the quarter-century price tag on the cheapest menu item but was quickly told to "stifle myself."

I ordered the Prime Rib and was just as stunned at receiving an entire quarter-cow, bone and all. It was as tender and "medium-rare" as one could have hoped for, and the wait-staff were attentive but not "notice-what-I'm-doing-for-you" in-your-face like seems to be the trend in the area these days.

Who normally remembers the salads at a restaurant? You will if you go. Crisp, cold, fresh and tasty, and the veggies (which you must order extra) were well cooked and not a tasteless-mush, afterthought like most places.

So, if you're feeling a bit plush (and hungry) we can recommend the Claim Jumper in Heber City with 3.5 (out of 4) stars; the IHOP? Not so much. I won't ever be going back unless Alzheimer's kicks in.

Gastronomy: Eureka Seafood Buffet

We spent a "downtime" day beginning to put things back in boxes and close out Snowbird Headquarters.

Already getting nostalgic, we had to try one last "experience" at the Eureka hotel and casino's Friday night seafood buffet.

I think I've mentioned before that it is one of only two eating experiences in all of Mesquite which is worth the effort and doesn't make you sick. The other being Los Lupes Mexican restaurant.

The best travel quote of all time:
“If you don't knock it off, we'll turn this car around.”
Mom & Dad

Over the course of years we have tried them all. And, except for a couple of notable disgusting venues which we cannot forget, even in our sleep, we pretty much re-try them anew each year. We claim it is to give them another chance because they may have changed for the better; but, it's more likely that it's because snowbirds have trouble remembering from one year to the next.

Unfortunately for the Eureka, the recommendation does NOT extend to any other day of the week! It's terrible those days! On Friday's, however, the place draws the crowds like an "8 inch, split-tail, gold Rapalla" lure. You can't even get into the place!

Like the resourceful snowbirds that we are, however, we show them — we're there by 4pm!!! There's already a bit of a line, but nowhere near like what those poor souls who don't get hungry until the 6pm dinner-hour get for their trouble.

I'm told that they serve several thousand of the meals each month and that most of the population of St. George comes down for the lobster tails. That keeps the balance of trade more "balanced" because all the rest of the week Mesquite goes to St. George for dinner.

Extra 9 - North Valley With Friends

North Valley is a ride that I never get tired of — in spite of the "skydive" over the cliff on my 2-wheel drive rig at Aztec formation rock. [For a free Google Earth file of this route see: Extra 9 - North Valley]

The funny thing about snowbirds is that once we are here, we want all of our friends to be here too. I've been begging friends to come "share the wealth" for five months now and finally I wore them down.

This weekend not only the Koford's but the DeGroot's came down as well. We only had the afternoon, so the best ride to take from Snowbird Headquarters was North Valley.

It seemed as though the kids were in "seventh heaven" climbing the tanks, hiking the hills, smelling the cactus! (Of course they were careful to watch out for the Pumas.)

I've never ridden with a six-seater before but they do the trails with the greatest of ease — and make a great way to extend the experience to the whole family.

Of course we stopped at Keyhole Rock and saw Ray's Cactus Garden and the Petrodroppings before we rode over to the Aztec Rock cliff. The six-seater went down first and watched from below as I came down with my lowly 2-wheel drive Kodiak.

Frankly, I was too busy to be watching the looks on their faces as I was skydiving down the cliff; but, when I got to the bottom they decided that if it was going to be like that they didn't want their daughter to do it alone.

Rod hiked back up and rode down with his daughter, which turned out to be unnecessary. Neither of their two 4-wheel drive Kodiak's had any trouble at all.

The knack of learning how to fly is to learn how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.”
Douglas Adams

The best way to describe what it feels like on my rig is sort of like snow-skiing. There is no low gear, and no traction so the most you can hope for is to keep it a controlled fall down the mountainside just hoping the next mogul doesn't flip you over.

Unfortunately, none of the cacti or yucca's are in bloom yet, and with the noise we were making we didn't see any of the Roadrunners.

Once out of the valley it was getting late so we headed back across East Bunkerville Flats to Powerline and back to the trailers.

To cap it off we went to the only good Mexican restaurant in town for dinner — Los Lupes, and finished the day like only good friends know how to do.

It was great to have them down here and I've already started working on them for next year — there is sooo much more to see! I just hope I can somehow make it so they don't have to spend their lifetime, like I finally have, learning that nobody ever says, when they are old, "I just wish I had spent more time working!"

St. George ATV "Rendezvous"

I accompanied Charley up to the ATV gathering in St. George this weekend. Hundreds of ATVers from all over several states gathered to commiserate and ride the many red-rock trails around here.

Of course it didn't hurt that there was no snow and shirt-sleeve weather.

We arrived late in the day really just to see the vendors and to "network" a bit with the riders. Unfortunately, when we arrived it was basically deserted. Everyone had finished riding for the day and was out getting cleaned up for an awards ceremony and dinner.

We spoke with the vendors and gathered all the maps we could (which wasn't many). If you frequent these types of things you may already understand how vendors work. I sort of expected people who were really interested in expanding the sport and providing "value added" to those who attend.

Unfortunately, what I experienced were salespeople who were salivating over a captive market. Eight dollars for a 25 cent chin-strap buckle - get real! I actually didn't see any of the local vendors there that I knew, and did catch one vendor who persisted in lies (which exaggerated the value of his product).

Always do right... this will gratify some and astonish the rest.”
Mark Twain

A BLM lady was there with color brochures and pushing the use of flags ... no mention about all the trails which have been closed, or why. Her handouts seemed quite a bit heavy on all the things we COULDN'T do and almost nothing on what we could do.

I was able to disseminate the blog address to a few people before we headed to St. George for dinner at Cracker Barrel - moderately priced, substantial food... clumsy waiters who dropped and broke a whole rack of plates and glasses.

Note to organizers: Think "value added" - trail map handouts and not letting anyone exhibit unless they bring at least one really good deal with them!