Day 8 (Final destination): Las Vegas, NV --> Los Angeles, CA

Let's just say that what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas!

Home sweet home! Nothing to write here except for that Jackie has never been to LA, Jen and Magda are happy to be finally home, and Jen’s Saturn Vue is ecstatic to have a rest!!

Thanks to everyone for following this blog, sorry there were not more “daily” updates, but we hope you enjoyed following along on our adventure!!

Day 7: Green River, UT --> Zion National Park, UT --> Las Vegas, NV

Good morning Green River! Jen’s the first up. She and Jackie decide to venture out and explore all the glory that Green River has to offer. Okay, not really. They set out to find Jackie a toothbrush in this charming yet desolate trucker town. Green River does have a spectacular backdrop for a glorious sunrise!

We decided to skip the free breakfast at our budgetel and have a trucker’s delight at the local gas station/Burger King, yum! Tummies and tank full we hit the road and got out of dodge, we mean Green River.


To “the Promise Land” we go…this road was different from any other we had taken. There were curves and bumps just like all the others, but the view and climate had drastically changed to canyon/desert. The road to Zion was just as beautiful as we would see in the actual national park.
San Rafael Reef





A nice roadside stop was “Fort Zion” along the Virgin River. Jackie and Jen ended up in “Virgin Jail” and Magda robbed the bank next door!

Once we got to Zion we realized we were very unprepared to go hiking, but we decided to give it a try anyway!




No description of Zion is necessary; please see all the beautiful photos below:









Jen's taking a drink of Zion's water fall





As we left Zion we stopped at the Cracker Barrel for dinner and had some homemade comfort food! Chicken fried steak, fried okra, biscuits and gravy, roasted chicken and stuffing!

After dinner we were driving and apparently none of us knew our geography because the next thing we saw was now entering “Arizona” sign. What?! We were only in Arizona for about 15 minutes until we crossed into Nevada, whew!


After leaving “the Promise Land” these 3 girls were well prepared for “Sin City!” The MGM was very gracious in upgrading us to a Premier Suite and we spent 2 wonderful days at the end of our road trip across country lounging in the lap of luxury…


Next Stop: Los Angeles, CA...Home sweet home!

Day 6: Denver, CO -->..... (to where?!) Green River, UT

Sunday morning we awoke to an eastern view from our downtown Denver hotel and a beautiful sunrise! Finally a day to sleep in and relax…breakfast was at “Delectable Egg” a local favorite and now ours too.
'

A long walk down the 16th St Mall gave us energy with all that clean, fresh air.






A REAL Denver Bronco



Earls Bar & Grill




ALIENS HAVE LANDED IN DENVER!


We picked up a “hitchhiker” at the Denver International Airport (and NO, it is not the alien we met at the 16th Street mall) and now our road trip went from just Jen and Magda --> Jen, Magda, and Jackie!! Jen’s cousin from Chicago joined in on the adventure and what an adventure it was!!
This is Jackie!



Magda, Jackie, and Jen!

The drive from Denver to get to Green River, Utah was mighty scary…the Rocky Mountains were scary while driving at sunset, but more beautiful than any of us thought they would be.












As we got off the highway to stay at our hotel in Green River, Magda asked “umm, Jen, are you sure there are hotels on this road???” Green River is a one-road town off the I-70 and most known for their “Vetere Melons”. We got in too late to actually try these, but apparently there is a festival that celebrates these fabulous melons!


Stay tuned for tomorrow: Zion National Park and then Vegas baby, Vegas!!

Day 5: Springfield, MO --> Kansas --> Denver

Saturday morning, up with the sunrise to get an early start. First stop, Panera Bread for some coffee and to map out our route to Denver via Kansas City. What a long drive! It was a beautiful and scenic drive from Springfield to Kansas City through farmlands and past reflecting waterways. The Kansas City Post Office at Union Station is in a magnificent building. Not your usual tourist stop, but it was a needed one to make some room in the car. You never know who might need a ride ;) wink, wink

Unpack, repack, box up, and send off…. finally ready to hit the road to Denver!

Now what was it that Erica said we needed to see in Kansas?….Oh yeah, “The world’s largest prairie dog.” Looking forward to that one. Magda took a snooze in the car and Jen kept seeing road signs for the “Oz Museum” and thought a pit stop was in order. WTF mate?! Yes, there is a real “OZ” in Kansas. We found the “Emerald City” about nine miles off I-70 in the midst of cornfields. “OZ” is disguised as a town called Wamego.

We toured the town in seven minutes: Wizard of Oz Museum and OZ Winery were highlights of our tour. Too bad we were a week early for “Oztoberfest”!! <---click here!

ORIGINAL MUNCHKINS!!!

<--Us with Lori at post office and Us with Brooke at Oz Winery in Wamego, KS!

Back on the road. The owner from the OZ Winery, Brooke, also suggested we stop to see the “world’s largest prairie dog.”

Driving through Kansas, as hundreds of bugs went splat, splat, splat just like rain on the windshield, we began to realize that the possibility of seeing the infamous “world’s largest prairie dog” may not happen as the sun began to go down and the darkness set in very quickly.

Dang it! It was too dark to see and the home of the “world’s largest prairie dog” was closed. So if you’re following along and you decide to embark on your own adventure through Kansas, please make sure you take a picture of the “world’s largest prairie dog” for us.

Finally, we reach our destination…Denver! Time to get a good night’s rest and see the city tomorrow.

Interesting Things Seen and to Contemplate:

1. Did we miss anything in Kansas besides Oz and not seeing the world’s largest prairie dog?
2. Did you know there is a Kansas City in Missouri and in Kansas? Whoulda thunk it???
3. In Oz: Toto’s Tacoz is a must see!
4. Brown v Board of Education National Historic Site is in Kansas.
5. Lots of WINDMILLS in Kansas, not a lot of wind…
6. There should be a taco battle between "Toto's Tacoz" of Kansas Vs. "Tito's Tacos" of California!
   

Vs.

Famous Road Quotes:

1. Magda: where are we?

Jen: on the road to Oz of course!

2. Jen: there are Amish people in Missouri??

Next stop:
Somewhere between Denver and Las Vegas...hmm??