Day Six, Mon, 9/9/24, Rock Springs to Pinedale, 104 miles, 3 hours

This day was a short day because we had a Zoom meeting in which we wanted to participate.  Unfortunately, the Quality Inn & Suites was not the best lodging.  The advertising noted a free breakfast, elevators, indoor whirlpool/hot tub, indoor heated pool, and fitness for twice the price of the Super 8 back in Rock Springs.  There was no pool or hot tub.  The internet didn't work. And the "fitness center" was in  a room where the pool should have been, a concrete floor, an outdated treadmill only, and you had to plug it into an outlet too far away.  Very disappointing.

However, we did find a "trading post" that sold cards from a local artist, Jo Mack.

Coyote

 

 

back of the Coyote card

What did Day Six mean to me?  We drove through some smoke but it wasn't too bad.

What did I learn on Day Six?  That even with a disappointing motel, there might be an interesting trading post in town.

What would I do differently if Mary and I travel in the future?  We will stay away from Quality Inn & Suites.  These are part of the Choice Hotels franchise.  Neither of the Quality Inn & Suites where I made reservations were up to my standards.

Day Five, Sun, 9/8/24, Grand Junction, CO to Rock Springs, WY, 584 miles (2 days), 8 hours driving today

The drive north on Colorado 13 took longer than we anticipated, and we arrived in Rock Springs, WY after 8 hours of driving.  We stopped in Boulder, WY for lunch.

Lunch in Wyoming

The Super 8 is possibly the nicest one I've encountered with an outside door to the room, as well as an inside door.  We decided not to swim, but I walked on the treadmill for 10 minutes.

Restaurant in Rock Springs, WY

 

Did Calamity Jane come through here?

What did Day Five mean to me?  I was somewhat sad to leave the Grand Valley, but at the same time, I was excited to drive into a new state.

What did I learn on Day Five?  Super 8's, like Motel 6's, can be very well managed or very poorly managed.  We lucked out, I believe with the Super 8 in Rock Springs, WY.  The handicapped room had both an inside door and an outside door.

What would I do differently if Mary and I were to travel together in the future?  As often as possible, get a handicapped access room.

Mock packing, Mon, 8/26/2024

We mock packed the car with Buzz, and it wasn't too bad.  But I wasn't convinced we needed Buzz because I had already researched the Calgary Zoo, our longest walking event, and they have power chairs for rent.  The website cautioned to arrive as early in the day as possible in case there was a waiting line for power chairs.  It turns out that wasn't necessary, but I appreciated the precaution.

The Heritage Park would have horse-drawn wagons and tractor-drawn wagons, so no Buzz needed there either.

The Yellowstone, Wind Cave, and Badlands visitor centers would have chairs, as well as, the Calgary Farmer's Market.

We decided together that the rolator would be all we would need, so we packed that right in the middle of the car with everything else in front or in back of that middle point.  I tied it with stretchy bungee cord, and I don't think it moved ever.

Barbara Schelling, Wyoming artist, bison image