Missionaries, Music and Pride

Salt Lake City is not an overwhelmingly Mormon city. In fact, when you sport an AIDS ride sweatshirt and an HRC cap, you meet a lot of very interesting people—like the Lesbian coffee shop owner in Vernal! And the walkers in the Pride March which occurs today, June 8.

But when you go to Temple Square the missionaries and the Mormon Church are more overwhelming than John had ever remembered from previous visits—granted the last one was about 40 years ago. It's probably true that the elderly sister at the Beehive House, Brigham Young's home, was probably a bit put off when John answered that he knew quite a bit about the church, and the missionary sisters, one from Spain and one from Arizona, learned that there are folk in his family who are related to strong Pioneer stock! In any case, cutting through the celestiality of it all, the visit to BY's old house and the brilliance of his management of a messy situation when the Pioneers moved to Utah, is a fascinating slice of Americana.

Ben privately wonders how these zealous missionaries would react if he told them he was an unrepenting homosexual and Jewish to boot.

The Tabernacle was smaller than Ben had expected. Of course, he had seen TV
performances from it. Unfortunately we were unable to hear the organ as planned because in summer performances are conducted from the Mormon Center across the street. This place has a capacity that must exceed 10,000 and the organ is just plain huge. The organist who gave the lunch time perforance managed to make it perform for us. From Bach's Tocatta and Fugue to a set of Grieg's piano pieces to Come Come ye Saints, to John Philip Sousa, the organ could do things only a very big organ could do, and even elegantly. Of course, with the Mormon organ, there are organs and there are size queens.

Replete with the message of the Latter Day Saints we headed off to Gay Pride. Unfortunately it was not open till 4pm, so we had a very good Thai lunch at the Thai Lotus on 5th South St, of pad thai, and then headed back to Jack Mormon Coffee Company for some liquid refreshment made from Celestial Beans. (Jack Mormons are LDSers who do not participate in church activities, taken from the jack rabbit that runs away and celestial beans are a pun on Celestial Beings, which Mormons are.)


We spent a long time at the coffee shop, Ben discussing the coffee with the barista, his talking about the roasting of only 2 lbs of coffee at a time (i assume the machine does 2.2 lbs, or a kilo, but they only measure pounds-worth), and then our trip. Then we ended talking with Kim and her friend Patrick. She, a vietnamienne, just graduated from Georgetown, and he is finishing the U of Utah. Both met in Washington last summer when he interned there for a political activist cause. They said they would be marching in the Pride March today.

We picked up a booklet at the shop which discussed SLC's neighborhoods. We couldn't
believe that it described the Capitol Hill-Marmalade district as similar to the best of Pittsburgh! We took a ride through it, and yes, it does look like Negley Hill! But it's the first time we'd ever seen anything llike it in print.

The brochure also had an ad for the Kennecott Copper open Bingham Canyon mine, which can be seen from space, and is only 30 miles away. We went. What a Pit! Huge. So deep that trucks as big as houses look like toys.
We watched as a shovel dug away the side of hill, which a guide said would be finished tomorrow and it would be the only change to see the machines close up. Great industrial movie. What great thing to do to finish up a full day.

We got back to the BnB and decided to go to Trolley Square for dinner, thinbking there would be a wide selection of restaurants. There weren't. So we went to a Brazilian BBQ place, and not being very hungry had a couple of salad bars, passing up the meat on skewers. Too full.

Mountains, Snow and a Tow

Cappucino for breakfast this morning was from a cart in the midst of Vernal owned and run by a lesbian who has moved back from Hillcrest, San Diego to help take care of her aging parents.Her cart was right across the street from another coffee cart and both are doing well in LDS territory. (She told us because of the oil and mineral exploration only 60% were LDS.)
We headed into the Uintas this morning, Friday, climbing and climbing from a late spring into an early spring into the end of winter. By the time we reached Wolf Creek Pass on Route 35 it was about 47F and there were banks of snow everywhere. The views up there are magnificent, at about 9500 feet in altitude, but the air is thin and judgment sometimes wavers.


At least it did for John: seeing a patch of snow, with tire tracks through it, but a clear parking lot on the other side, he took the car into the snow, expecting to move right through. 10 seconds later both driving wheels at the front of the car were lifted off the pavement by frozen snow and ice. Fortunately it was possible to make a cellphone call although the signals were iffy. Two hours later we were back on the road after a 10 second tow from the local AAA. Of course, two hours in the high Unitas can be a wonderful experience. The views are incredible, the clouds scudder across the sky and the atmosphere is blue with sky, the earth green with pine and silver with aspen. The clarity even allows you to see rain in the distance on the alpine mountains more than 50 miles away.


From there we visited daughter Anne's favorite summer place, her mother's family's ranch, a special place for her that Ben had never visited and I had not seen in 30 years. It has changed but the old buildings retain their aura of another age. The river gurgles in the background and the flowery meadow with horses running through it gives way to benches alive with sagebrush surrounded by snow capped peaks. A real trip.


We made a quick visit to the High Mountain Drug and coffee shop next door (which Ben feels will not survive long). I must admit, I must ask for penance, "forgive me daughter, for I have sinned, not eating Hi Mountain drug ice cream."

Vernal Is a Dinosaur of a Place

It's not often that a place really disappoints. Vernal, Utah, does. We had spent the day traveling through beautiful scenery in the mountain country, drinking good coffee, and enjoying snow and rain, to arrive in Vernal, home of the Dinosaur National Monument, expecting a wonderful Indian dinner at a local well-regarded spot. No deal.

Not only did the motel not have wi-fi—a major sin nowadays, but the Indian restaurant was “closed for restaffing.” Our second choice, a brew pub, posted a sign outside saying it was not serving any alcohol. In desperation we went to JB's right next to the Best Western Antlers where we're staying. Yech. Service was good, but the salad bar was bare, my liver was cooked to the consistency of shoe leather, the waitress said they served no beer or wine, and the iced tea I got in exchange was watery. The only saving grace was Ben's melon for dessert and the bill. $20.01. Nephew Matt Cross warned us.

But we can look back on an exciting day. It began by finding a wonderful coffee shop in Kremmling, Colorado, with wi-fi (the BnB did not have wi-fi) where we enjoyed our capuccino and latte, and put together today's version of the blog. Also travelling throughthe rain soaked sage covered fields and mountains, we found the scent of the air intriguing. Ben has come up with an idea for a new very masculine-scented cologne. It will be called RainSage.



We had passed over bridges spanning the Colorado, and later spanned bridges over the Green and the Yampa, all in flood from the heavy snowpack.

And the snowpack is not yet finished. Between the coffee shop and Steamboat Springs we passed through a snow storm with fog that slowed us at one point to 10 mph. It's been a day of difference. The highest temperature, this evening, was about 70F in Vernal, but the lowest in the mountains was 34F (1C) and even in Steamboat it was only40F. Cold.

One of the best things was arriving in Utah, and just as we crossed the border, there rising in the distance were the snow covered Uintas we'll see tomorrow.




And with nothing going on this evening, we can even do the laundry. Friday we visit the Stewart Ranch, daughter Anne's favorite summer place, and then to Salt Lake City. Having spent only the admission to a state park for a picnic table under an shelter today for lunch (we had leftover sandwiches and Ben had a smoothie from Steamboat Springs' Safeway ) and the basic victuals we had for dinner, we will splurge.

We may even wash the car. 2400 miles to date.

Rocky Mountain High

A lake surrounded by Rocky Mountains at 8600 feet (2800 meters) is right in front of us. Let's just say we're in the middle of the Rockies surrounded by pine forest, much of it eaten by invasive pine beetles, but still gorgeous. Snow is not far away on the peaks.

In fact we got flaked this morning in Rocky Mountain National Park as a flurry came through at 10,000 feet. Rocky Mountain Park goes from tree line to tundra in about 30 minutes drive. As you rise higher you wheeze a bit, then gasp a bit more, and at 12,000 feet, as high as you go, movement becomes somewhat difficult if you try to run and you do feel as if you have been inhaling more of something rather than less oxygen. It brought to mind the old song by Diane Dufresne that we picked up in Montreal some 26 years ago, “donnez-moi, donnez-moi de l'oxygene.”



Bears, elk, chipmunks and birds at the lower elevations. Fraternity brothers at the higher elevations, lots of them in cars.

And the mountains, so beautiful even with occasional bursts of rain and snow. Dozens of peaks at over 12,000 feet. Snow avalanches visible from the car, drifts up to eight feet high at the side of the road. But no visible glaciers, and I fear less snow than we would have expected.

We had a pleasant evening Tuesday night in Denver with Carson Horwitt and his girlfriend Lauren Violette, both of whom moved there in January. Carson is the son of brother Andrew Cross's girlfriend, Cindy Hopwood. He's in Denver to finish his degree at U.Colorado in management and information systems and is working full time for a software development company helping users. Much conversation over dinner at Tommy's Thai Restaurant (good, but not very spicy).
We had a pinot grigio, many appetizers, some noodles, chicken, veggies and pork BBQ. Carson and John always have good political discussions because Carson has never met a conspiracy theory he doesn't like or remember. And, he doesn't like ambiguity in international politics. I always learn. We assure him that the Secret Police will now be reading this blog daily and following both of us! Lauren is doing well working for an office furniture company and thinking about going back to college. This is the first time they have ever lived in a city and they are learning the virtues of the urban existence.

Tuesday's drive from Nebraska into Colorado was rather frightening. Many swirling clouds, angry winds and rain in patches. Much thought of tornadoes. We are now over100 miles from tornado terrrain, so that worry is past, but it made John edgy.

Our Bnb Wednesday night was probably the best we've stayed in. Coyote Ridge in Grand Lake, overlooking the lake, run by a former paralegal, Kathy Stromberg, from Chicago. Moved into the mountains after she left her law firm and built the house as a Bnb.
We had a good dinner at the Sagebrush Inn in Grand Lake, Ben had a lovely trout,pan fried, and I elk sausage which was good but too spicy and woke me up in the middle of the night. Great spinach from a local farm and very good local beer, Trail Red.

Off now through the Colorado River Valley as it gradually enlarges into the Grand Canyon hundreds of miles away.

The Place for Cappucino in Gothenburg, Nebraska

You know when you're traveling that sometimes finding something you really want is going to be very hard. In Nebraska we feared that would be good coffee! And when we left the interstate in Kearney to look for a coffee shop we learned that our fears were well grounded. Lots of motels, lots of fast food, even a few bars but NO coffee shop.

Oh,well, we pressed on, heading for Denver.

Then, gazing over the cottonwood trees beside the Platte, watching the traffic at 75mph, we spied a wooden sign: Espresso, drive through, this exit. Shall we, do we dare? We did. The rewards were lovely.



Just past the exit, amidst the gas stations and the museum to the pony express with a fake bison, stood a small shingled building, with a drive through, and a place to order your espresso. Feeling the need to exercise, we walked into the building, to find Angela and Mrs. Marsha Hecox behind the window ready to make espressos at the Lasso Espresso Company.

Ben, as per normal, ordered his extra extra extra extra skim dry cappucino...I went for double skim latte. We got to talking.

Mrs.Hecox was a patient at the local hospital in Kearney, and each time she had her chemo for cancer, she wanted a good coffee. She and her sister decided to open an espresso place in Kearney, 20 miles down the road from Gothenburg where she and her husband run a ranch. Husband suggested she open one close to home, so now, Lasso is the only place to get a good latte or a good ex-ex-ex-ex dry skim cappucino between Lincoln and Denver! (There is a Starbux in North Platte, but that's a chain).

Congrats to Mrs. Hecox who had an idea and went to Seattle to learn her trade, and has her beans roasted there specially for her. The smoothies are great too, and so is the home made beef barbecue sandwich. A wonderful piece of Americana.

By the time we left there were four other people in the shop...which has two tables inside and two cafe tables outside, looking over a huge plough used the dig up Western Nebraska sod.

Lincoln, Nebraska

Why are you stopping in Lincoln, Nebraska? A common refrain.

Well, it's about halfway between Evanston and Denver, right on Route 80,easy to get to, and as we have found out, not an unpleasant place. We've stayed in the 1914 home of a local banker--our room is in subdivided top floor ball room, and we dined in a restaurant that had quite good sandwiches and hamburgers. And where else, I tell you, in this country, can you get two lovely micro-brew beers for $2 each! One was a wheat beer similar to a Belgian, the other a Scottish style ale, much more to our Brit preference. Both 16 ounces, too. (355 ml).

The locals decided to restore their warehouse district near the train station (not much used, but it does have an Amtrak office) in 1982, turned it into an Historic District and filled it full of restaurants and evening places.




The state capitol building, rises from prairies with a grand tower over this low-slung mid-western capital, home, of course, to the state's university.

Today it's another river. We follow the Platte River of the pioneers and settlers as they moved west before the railroads. Yesterday, of course, we crossed the Mississippi and the Missouri.

Chicago: Wright, Gospel, Baha'i and Friends

Chicago can be overwhelming if you let it, but with only two days to visit, and trips there before we narrowed down our activities to Frank Lloyd Wright, some music, food and seeing our friends. John has known Phil and Bobbie Barry since Brown days (all class of '66) and the three of them took Chinese together. Seeing them was old home time, of course.

They were incredibly thoughtful about what to do and had lined up poached salmon and champagne for our first night, followed by a visit to the Baha'i Temple, about two miles north of their home. The temple is a huge dome in intricate design with rows of pews inside that allow for the worshippers to see all that is happening in the sanctuary. It's surrounded by gardens. Though night time when we got there, it's mangificent.



Saturday morning, as we read the Tribune's excellent review of The Visit, now playing at Signature, (they loved it), we decided on the plan for what would be a wonderful afternoon of things that can only be done in Chicago.

We began with lunch at the Happy Village dim sum restaurant in Chinatown: ducks feet (they sound awful, they are chewy, but have a sweetish taste, served with turnips cold), wonderful pork stuffed dumplings, fried clam bits and tofu with scallions and red peppers, tiny clams in brown sauce, Chinese broccoli, and barbecue filled buns. Lovely lunch at a garage like restaurant in a row of warehouses.

Next stop, Oak Park, a suburb with a huge collection of Frank Lloyd Wright's residential buildings. It's hard to do justice to Wright without pictures, so here they are, including one of the Unity Temple, designed in 1905, which is across the street from a totally conventional early 20th century Presbyterian fire escape.

We started at this home and studio, shown here with some details, moved on past almost a dozen of his designs that are interspersed throughout a neighborhood with a cross section of almost contemporary Victorian homes, built about the end of the 19th century until about 1905.




All four of us left with such a feeling of reverence at the beauty of his organic designs, despite the fact he was a crusty architect, had his own ideas to the discomfort of many of his patrons, and, unfortunately, the works are difficult to maintain for owners of his 100 year old homes and churches. Ah, yes, and even Falling Water his most famous house of all for the Kauffmans of Pittsburgh has had to be rebuilt. Still a genius.



A quick drive to the Lakefront and we're at Grant Park and the Pritzker Shell, designed, we believe, by Frank Gehry. Thousands of people listening,waving their hands and dancing to gospel singers. A view of life we don't generally see.





Besides waving and clapping to the gospel singers, most of whom for the time we were there were old line Chicago groups led by ministers in their 70s and 80s(who really know how to rock the audience into charismatic enjoyment), we studied the "bean." I am not sure what this is in geometry, but it is sure wonderful to walk around, and see your somewhat distorted image along with others as well as the surrounding skyline.



Dinner was good Greek fare at Athena Restaurant in Chicago's Greektown, with enough leftovers for us to have today in the middle of Iowa.