Reader's Digest Scenic Drives Archives

Day 259 – In Flathead Indian Country -Part 2

Day 259 of a Year Long Road Trip Along America’s Scenic Byways

Petey and I pulled into a campground at Seely Lake late last night and spent part of the morning chatting with the campground hosts who were from Huntsville, Texas. They were staying through the Labor Day holiday weekend and then touring around the northwest before heading back to the hot south for the winter.

After catching up with my fellow Texans, Petey and I began our next scenic drive through Flathead National Forest along Route 83. We headed north on the Seeley Swan Scenic Drive to Holland Lake. Holland Lake covers 400 acres and includes several trails, a 41-site campground, and a day use area. The recreational area provides visitors a plethora of activities from hiking to waterskiing.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN!

Day 257 – Salmon – Bitterroot Country

Day 257 of Year Long Roadtrip Following Scenic Byways in the USA

Today ended up being a lot of driving and a lot of road construction. I tried visiting Bonanza and Custer, two ghost towns from the mining days, but the road to the towns was closed for two hours at a time. When the flagger heard me say, “Ok, I’ll skip it then”, he let out a sigh of relief! Instead, I snapped a quick photo of a dam that was erected in 1910 and blown up in 1934 as it was prohibiting salmon from swimming upstream to spawn.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN!

Day 256 – Sawtooth Sampler

Day 256 of Year Long Roadtrip Following Scenic Byways in the USA

Ernest Hemingway’s Grave

On my way out of Ketchum and Sun Valley, I stopped at the local cemetery to pay respects to Ernest Hemingway. He penned portions of For Whom the Bell Tolls while he stayed at the Sun Valley Lodge. His grave stone is like a wishing well…covered in coins. Surrounding it are various empty bottles of wine and champagne.

Continue reading →

Day 128 – A Day in Carefree

Day 128 of Year Long Road Trip Along America’s Scenic Byways

Carefree

Petey and I spent a relaxing day in Carefree, AZ. This morning we took a walk with Fluff, a long-time family friend, around The Boulders stopping to admire the blooming cacti, bunny rabbits, and quail. The morning sun combined with a cool breeze presented a perfect temperature.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN!

Day 126 – Red Rock Country Part 2

Day 126 of Year Long Road Trip Along America’s Scenic Byways

Tuzigoot National Monument

Once we found the local Starbucks, tucked away in the Safeway, we drove four miles to Tuzigoot National Monument located just north of Cottonwood. Tuzigoot, Apache for crooked water, is the remnant of a Southern Sinagua Village that was built in the 1100s. The original pueblo of 77 ground floor rooms was two stories and sat upon a ridge above the Verde Valley. The village was home to approximately 50 people for 100 years. In the 1200s, the population doubled and then doubled again as farmers fled drought and settled here.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN!

Day 125 – Call of the Canyon in Red Rock Country

Day 125 of Year Long Road Trip Along America’s Scenic Byways

Call of the Canyon Day Use Area

Today Petey and I started our Red Rock Country scenic drive toward Sedona. We simply drove one mile south to Call of the Canyon Day Use Area and took a five mile hike on West Fork Trail. Less than a quarter mile into Oak Creek Canyon are the ruins of the Mayhew Lodge constructed in the late 1800’s. The oldest structure was built by “Bear” Howard, who earned his nickname by killing four bears armed with only a knife.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN!

Day 124 – Grand Canyon Loop

Day 124 of Year Long Road Trip Along America’s Scenic Byways

The title of my daily adventure is probably a little misleading. I didn’t go to the Grand Canyon today, but it is a stop on this Reader’s Digest Scenic Drive. I plan to visit it at a later date to ensure good weather. Hopefully that doesn’t end up being a mistake, because it was absolutely gorgeous today. The portion of the loop drive that I conquered today was southeast of the Grand Canyon near Flagstaff.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN!

Day 119 – Kansas East and West Part 2

Day 119 of a Year Long Road Trip Along America’s Scenic Byways

Dodge City

Given I had heard of Dodge City but not Council Grove, I expected Dodge City to have significantly more historic sites. I have to say, Council Grove’s tour provides a much better depiction of the Wild West, despite Dodge City’s acquired nicknames including Wickedest Little City in America, Buffalo Capital of the World, and Queen of the Cowtowns.

We started the morning out at Daylight Donuts. It looked like a local place, and it was busy. Most of the tables inside were filled, there was a line at the counter, and a line at the drive through. The “Chocolate Butterfly” was popular choice among fellow patrons, so I ordered one of those, a standard glazed, and a cup of coffee to go. My breakfast packed so many calories that I wasn’t even hungry again until almost 4 p.m., and I generally graze several times a day!

ON THE ROAD AGAIN!

Day 117 – Flint Hills Highlights

Day 117 of a Year Long Road Trip Along America’s Scenic Byways

Today seemed incredibly busy. I hardly know where to begin. OK, how about this morning. After a restless night at Wal-Mart, Petey and I went for coffee and oatmeal at McDonald’s. I’m not sure why sleep escaped me last night, as I was exhausted. Perhaps I started out a little hot, and it was a little bright and noisy in the parking lot relative to yesterday’s campground. On the plus side, my internet connection was MUCH faster and I got to pick up a few provisions before we took a three hour drive to El Dorado, Kansas.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN!

Day 116 – Cherokee Country Part 2

Day 116 of a Year Long Road Trip Along America’s Scenic Byways

What a glorious and educational day! With the morning calm, the lake’s choppy waters turned so smooth that the mirror like surface reflected images of the dam and spillway in the glistening sun. We spent a leisurely morning at the campground boiling water for coffee and oatmeal and just enjoying the peace of birds chirping and woodpeckers tapping on trees. It was one of the first mornings on my entire adventure that I wasn’t baking hot, freezing cold, or waving mosquitoes away! It was definitely a day for a lawn chair and sunglasses.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN!