Seriously Salt Lake City

Temple square closes at night. Its gated. And that's where I took my guests after a long day, a long dinner (at a brewery....none of them drink beer) and a long walk.
I cannot win. And I really like these people too!
Besides all that Salt Lake City is so amazing! Restaurants everywhere and hotels and nightclubs of all things.
I didn't leave Reno early enough this morning, this city deserves a longer evening to stroll around. Oh and forgot the time change was coming.

We did stop and walk around the Salt Flats at least. That was nice.

Our lunch consisted of a seriously windy picnic at a little city park in Battle Mountain Nevada. Totally random. Huge dust storm blowing here and there.


Its got to get better soon! The trip has been good so far but all these little goofs are costly and not exactly creating memories. 

Sink or Swim Coast to Coast Tour Begins...

Blog 7-19-12

Lets recap. I started a new tour job. I show up at the office and they say “how do you feel about a coast to coast tour to New York City?” I said “sign me up!!”

Its day 2 OH MY GOODNESS. Am I getting my butt kicked  J

Luckily I have the nicest people in the world. They are great! Thank goodness.

First day, we’re headed to tahoe. I can’t find the safeway in Sacramento. Super J Then I buy propane and one of the containers doesn’t work…no biggie, I have another that does (we’ll eat a hot meal, yes!!)

Then after testing and practicing using ALL the equipment I just packed I turn around and get schooled by my guests because I can’t get the lanterns to work. I mean COME ON! I just used them a day ago! I couldn’t believe it.

Today I had been told about this great hike to these little lakes etc so off I go. With my passengers, my van and my trailer. As the road goes on it gets worse and worse, more narrow, bumpier, more narrow, busy with oncoming traffic, and narrow.

So about an hour in I’m panicking because I’ll be stuck forever with that trailer if I can’t find a space big enough to back it up in even a little bit.

Finally I’ve had enough and we come to Fallen Leaf Lake boat ramp. Phew! I wasted no time backing my trailer down the boat ramp and promptly turning around and getting the heck out of there!

So I had to apologize  to my guests, no hike today. I think they could see I was frazzled but at least they know I can back up a trailer and drive a narrow road. Yeah…not winning points I know!

We found a nice spot to picnic on Lake Tahoe (with easy parking J and there was an ice cream shop there, my favorite!

As I walked up to the counter I saw the sign that said “credit card machine is down, cash only” NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I had no cash. So no ice cream.

Later on in Carson City I walked into the fantastic coffee shop called CommaCoffee (really cool place, will go back again) and ordered coffee. I was tired and ready to sit for a minute while my passengers were wandering around. And she says (after she made coffee) that its cash only! So this time I get out all the change I’m carrying in my wallet. About 2.25. Not enough! I’m getting a little sad by then because I just wanted to sit down with a cup of coffee and wake up and relax. She suggests the ATM. I go check it out and there is an error message on it.

I’m about to lose it by this point. Not mad but sad. The lady must have seen it on my face because just then the owner walked in and got caught up on the story and says “on the house!” oh my gosh! That was so nice!!

So there I sat, calmed down and gather myself up a bit. Sheesh!

I did finally do a smart thing and call ahead to the hotel in Reno. Questions like “where do I pull up to unload? Do you have a dinner buffet?” so I rolled up prepared. This place is SO much easier to manage than Laughlin. Bigger parking lots and nicer staff too.

Though I will say the casino is full of totally random people. Strange bunch that hang out in Reno I guess!

Resolutions be damned!

2012 is here. Decided not to do resolutions. Not great at follow through on things like that plus I'm not very creative with planning for the future. I'm too much a "lets see where the wind takes me" for a resolution. I do prescribe to the usual goals (that word seems less strict than resolution) of course; good job, lose weight, blah blah blah. Further down the list are things I like better; travel travel travel, job I love and am good at, tour guiding. All that fun stuff. So that's what I'm focusing on. A big busy year with plenty to blog about (one can hope!)

Mmm BBQ

I don't know about you but I'm tired of looking at that finger puppet as my top blog. Time for something new. Pictures of BBQ are always a good "go to" right?! I finally found a place worthy of photographing in Boise. Mickey Rays Yum!
But besides pictures of BBQ, as many of you have guessed, I've got nothing. Which explains the absence of anything posted here for a few months. Or as it seems to me, eternity, haha. Sooo bored!

Happy Holidays!

I came back to Idaho after a great mini road trip and waited for snow to fly. November came and went, no snow. December came and went, no snow. January is here, nothing but sun on the horizon for at least another week...Since my job is working at the ticket office of a ski resort you can imagine what that's meant to me. No work, plenty of boredom. BORED

Ready to kill...

Instead of work I've done things like "creative ways to dress up a cat", "how to tackle a dog to put a Santa hat on her", "dress up day with chickens in Santa suits made out of felt or as I call it fun with hot glue" Yep. Pretty bored.

I have done things that were constructive too, redoing my resume, job hunting, reevaluating my life and looking forward to a good year, things like that.

Without work the immediate future looks a bit bleak but its going to be just fine. The big job fair for tour guides is coming up in a couple of weeks and I'll be getting out of town which will be nice. That event will have me meeting and greeting, whining and dining, talking about myself as a perfectly employable candidate to the many companies coming to "shop the guides". A few tours of California thrown in here and there, you'll never guess where! Napa/Sonoma and Yosemite. At least I won't be driving, which will be fantastic!
So, a slow start but should end up being a great start. I'm hopeful.