header

Caution: There are many large photos on this site.
Also, a new window will be opened for each link.
Be sure to close each window when you are done viewing the contents.

map
Map of the approximate route of our trip around the USA. Stars indicate important destinations.

CONTENTS: TRIP SUMMARY TRIP ITINERARY PHOTO GALLERIES COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS, AND THE ANSWERS HOME MOVIES

TRIP SUMMARY   TOC

This is the third trip by car to the West and was five weeks in length. Each trip has been unique in many ways, but had one thing in common -- discovering wonderful things along the way through good planning, serendipity, or local referrals. Our objective was to chase the fair fall weather and hopefully the color of the season. We ere not disappointed. On more than one occasion, the weather turned sour immediately after we left. We were truly blessed in this and many other ways on our travels.

TRIP ITINERARY   TOC

Of course we had an itinerary, and for the most part, we followed it. If you want to see what is was, click here. Otherwise, just enjoy the photos galleries and stories below.

PHOTO GALLERIES   TOC

Overall, around 2,200 photos and videos were taken on this trip. Knowing that that is too much to you to bear, they have been whittled down to a more manageable 300 images of which about 80 were selected as scenic highlights. If you are looking for the eye candy, go directly to the scenics.

COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS, AND THE ANSWERS   TOC

Below are my answers with links to related Web sites for further reading beyond this site and albums.

“How was your trip west?”

Well, the truth be told, the trip was excellent by most any measurement. We averaged 180 miles-a-day over five weeks, but a significant part of that was miles exploring the areas around our major destinations. The weather was great most of the time and we seemed to be chasing the fall color wherever we traveled. The color was spectacular and seemed like a narcotic that compelled us to take more photos than we ever thought. I swore off taking another photo of a fall scenic vista many times, but back he would go with a promise that it would be the last.

This was our third long road trip to the west. Some destinations were new and some were repeats with a promise to spend more time at our favorite spots from other trips. The overall route was planned in advance, but we frequently took short cuts along state and county roads through farmlands and ranches.

“What was, or were, the highlights of the trip?”

First of all, we decided there is no one “highlight” and our highlights fall into three classifications—people, places and things. There are many candidates in each category. Below are a few of them that I can recall at this hour.

People:

Extended Family (Album 1)

At the top of the list is our visit with Chuck’s cousin (several times removed), Joan Boettcher and her husband, Bruce, who live in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. Joan made a major contribution to Chuck’s family history site, through a biographical sketch of her great grandfather, Andrew Blila, from whom she has several of his late-19th Century cabinetry works. Marilyn had not met them before, and wondered if they would match my highly-complimentary description. Marilyn said my characterization was understated and they deserved better. :-)

The Boettchers put us up for three days and two nights. They showed us around town, the parks and introduced us to their immediate family. In short, the visit was emotionally very satisfying and intimate, the food and accommodations delightful, and more was learned about the family history. Marilyn expressed regrets that they live so far away that it makes casual visits impossible.

Real Family (Album 6)

We visited with my two siblings and their families in the Boulder, Colorado area. The weather was beautiful and a picnic in a park was planned. Since this was our third visit. Since Marilyn now knows them all well, we could invest our time in learning what has happened to them since our visit in the fall of 2010. The picnic was a success with no foodfights and plenty of good food, fun and stories. The time went by like a flash, but it was a delightful. It sure beats updates by phone calls and e-mail letters.

Someone Else’s Family (Album 2)

In Cody, Wyoming we ran into a delightful family with four young children that we met and interacted with at Mount Rushmore three days earlier. It was a delight to see them again. They were staying at the same motel as us. We also met a women in Jackson, Wyoming that we saw a day later in Evanston, Wyoming staying at the same motel as us in both locations. She was a state inspector/auditor of materiel donated to Wyoming police departments. What a charming woman who invited us to stay with her if we returned to her territory!

Independence Pass, Route 82, Aspen to Leadville, Colorado (Album 2)

This pass through the Sawatch Range at a peak elevation of 12, 095 feet was a hoped-for, but unplanned drive. Our itinerary suggested we would not have time to take this drive, but I was wrong and circumstances and weather made it not only possible, but also rewarding. In 1886, my 21-year-old grandfather was in Aspen visiting his elder brother, Alex Bliley, and he decided it was time to write home to mom and dad, and the rest of the family, to tell them he arrived safely and what he was up to. Part of his letter was an account about his experience riding a stagecoach long the newly-opened Independence Pass. It was a road more in name than in fact and the ride was rough and harrowing. Then in 1941 at 76, he made a audio record recording this letter from his youth as part of a series of recordings on family history between 1941 and 1946. I had a digital recording of this record and asked Marilyn if she would mind if I played it as we traveled along the much less challenging drive along the modern highway. She agreed and it was a thrill for us both to drive and see the panoramas he experienced 128 years earlier! In fact, Marilyn said this experience was one of the true highlights of this trip. How sweet it is! Or was! Click here to listen to the recording and with a full transcription. Does this qualify as a favorite of the people, places or things categories? Who cares, it was uniquely memorable. Thank you grandpa!

Places:

Back Country Roads

At the conclusion of our trip, we both decided that traveling on the backcountry roads was one of the best activities we experienced. We got to see and meet “real people” who feed this country, harvest energy to fuel our homes and cars, and see where and how they live. Some places were amazing by the quality and determination to survive their environment, while others saddening to see them live in rural poverty. In short, we saw the real people in the real world.

The Ford Museum and Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Michigan (Album 1)

Wow! We spent one full day there and should have budgeted a minimum of two. It was diverse and spectacular. We actually got to see the very chair that Lincoln was sitting in when Booth shot him! It was on a short term loan from the Smithsonian. It was protected by a glass enclosure, but we could peer at it from just a foot away! The museum is huge! We were told it was 18 acres “under one roof”! Its focus was on transportation of all kinds, but one could easily argue, it was about the history American technology and cultural history. Greenfield Village was amazing with its dominance by original historical buildings transported to the village and placed in realistic and generous settings. Many who had been there told us how wonderful an experience it was for them, now, we know what they meant.

Mount Rushmore, South Dakota (Album 1)

Even with the challenges of a foggy day, the artwork and adjoining museum/visitor center was spectacular. More impressive than we thought it would be. The only unfortunate vent was the fog rolling in shortly after we got a good view of the mountain. No chance for a second viewing. The visitor’s center was impressive in its own right.

Center of the West, Cody, Wyoming (Album 2)

Our stop here was intended only to be an overnight waypoint outside of Yellowstone National Park. Chuck’s sister insisted we visit the William Cody Museum of the West while we were there. It was on our “if time permits” list, and time did permit us to go. This was truly a world-class museum in all ways--presentation, depth of coverage, diversity in subject matter, and culturally diversity and sensitivity. It is a world-class museum with four major areas of focus—the life of William Cody (“Buffalo Bill”), artwork of the American West, history and culture of the American Plains Indian, natural history of the west, and western firearms. In summary, like the museums in Dearborn, Michigan, it was time well spent and not enough time at that. :-)

Dan Miller's Cowboy Music Review, Cody, Wyoming

While in Cody, we took in a country music show in an old movie theater venue. It was a spur of the moment decision that we did not regret and an evening we loved. The musicians were four locals, and truly impressive. With only a hundred or so in the audience. It was intimate and fun. The only complaint was the room was pretty cool, but he must was hot and fun. ;-)

The National Oregon/California Trail Center, Montpelier, Idaho (Album 4)

Who would have known? We took the long-cut from Yellowstone National Park to Colorado through the southeastern corner of Idaho. We planned to picnic along the road as we do, once or twice a week, on a beautiful day. The drive was filled with spectacular scenery, but Marilyn was reluctant to picnic at any place that I proposed because of fear of bears. I picked the town park in Montpelier as a bear-free destination. When we stopped there we noticed a museum with a tour bus parked outside immediately behind our picnic shelter. We had no idea there was a museum in the city, but curiosity took over and we discovered it was an impressive place. We took a tour of their large-scale walk-through dioramas of the pioneer wagon train experience. The hour-long tour and guide were first class and we had him all to ourselves. We ended up spending two hours there in addition to our lunchtime. In summary, if you are in Montpelier, do not pass up this museum and tour.

Snake River Raft Ride, Grand Teton National Park

While driving to Jackson, Wyoming and the Grand Teton National Park, I read a travel guide and discovered a two-hour river raft ride down the Snake River. I asked Marilyn is she want to go, and much to my surprise, she said “Yes. If it is not too expensive.” At $70 a person, it was not too expensive for such a unique experience, so the next day we were off for an afternoon ride with ten other people. What a delight it was! (Check out the movie section for a high-definition snapshop of our ride.)

Saint Patrick’s Day Parade, Leadville, Colorado (Album 3)

This anecdote is about Leadville and their desire to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day twice a year. What! Yes, once in March, weather permitting, and again in September when the weather is more favorable. We saw the “parade” while we were walking the main street of Leadville, looking for a place to eat. There are only a few, so it did not take much time to make a decision. We saw the police car rolling down the middle of the main street with a seven-year-old boy on a bicycle following him. They were leading the parade and they were followed by people throwing candy and beads, and a bagpipe band paling “When Irish Eyes are Shining”.

I was shocked to see a group of bagpipers made up of those of European descent, Hispanics and Native Americans. I assumed the bagpipes were uniquely Scottish and the non-European males and females wearing kilts would feel uncomfortable. Perhaps, they were uncomfortable, but they played the pipes and drums with enthusiasm and seemed to be thoroughly enjoying themselves. I later learned that the bagpipe’s origin is traceable to the early Greeks, Romans, and Persians from 1000 B.C. to the second century. Boy was I wrong in my assumptions! Sometimes, the lessons learned through travel are really achieved after you return home and have time to reflect.

The parade lasted only 20 minutes and as modest by our local standards.

Things:

Historical Tour of Aspen, Colorado (Album 4)

While doing research at the Aspen Historical Society, Chuck, learned of a mini-bus history tour of Aspen for a very modest cost. We took it and were surprised to see that we were the only two guests on the tour. It covered all of Aspen and several off the beaten path places, such as the Aspen Institute campus and the Holden/Marolt Mining and Ranching Museum. The weather was mild and the skies clear, perfect for an open vehicle tour. At the mining museum, Chuck discovered an important artifact (Bay State Iron Works steam engine) from Erie, Pennsylvania that is likely linked to his great uncle, Alex Bliley’s, business in Aspen in the 1880s. It was initially overlooked, and then Marilyn fortunately pointed it out to him. It true value is to be discovered, but it will at least be important.

“What did you do for so long on the road?”

We pick out the common tourist destinations recommended by family, friends and tour guides, and then we prepare ourselves for unplanned activities that catch our eye as we drive along. More than once, we see a sign for this or that, and look at the clock and say, “We have an hour of slack time, so let’s go!” And, off owe go exploring. Maybe, we are easily satisfied, perhaps, a little crazy, and maybe just love adventure that is not life-threatening. 

We talk a lot as we drive about life, the things we see, our responses to our experiences and our plans for the future. Or, on occasion, the topic is the travel fatigue of yet another motel, the monotony of another restaurant meal, and the almost daily packing up and unpacking, but these are the things we must endure to move forward and enjoy the travel.

“How did you keep from getting on each others nerves?”

Surprisingly, we packed about 10 music CDs to listen to on the road. This is a practice we have done time and time again on long road trips. And yet, we rarely listen to them! Yes, Marilyn and I talk and laugh through most of the day! It is not always about important stuff related to our trip, it is about anything and everything. Occasionally, Marilyn asks for some “quiet time” from me. I give it to her and after a few minutes she becomes uneasy and asks if I am all right? After a couple more minutes she begs me to return to conversation. That is not the case at home, but it is on the road.

Tolerance and patience is also a necessity on the road. I must say, she is a wonderful traveling companion and tolerance is one of her best qualities under this circumstance.

We also enjoy many of the same activities on the road, although I am the principal photographer and the one who tests the trails or equipment first. We are not afraid to tell each other what we like and dislike about our experiences on the road. With this openness and honesty, we are less likely to ask the other to do something they do not like or enjoy. However, Marilyn does test the boundaries of her fears or anxieties on a regular basis. That is impressive and it makes me very proud of her.

HOME MOVIES   TOC

There are also over 80 movies of which some are good viewing. It was a difficult decision to make, but Marilyn and I picked three short movies for you to enjoy. The first is about our our scary drive over the Bighorn Mountain Pass in Wyoming, the second is a show our rafting trip on the Snake River, and the third a typical fall scenic drive from our trip. We home you enjoy them all. Click here for a free pass to our movie theater.

So there you go. I have skipped over the other less important topics, but we thought that is enough for now. Call or stop by for an in-depth trip report. ;-)

Enjoy!

Chuck and Marilyn

Updated: December 14, 2014