Romancing the Roads
Page 21
Driving Diva Alert: Route 89A from Jerome to Prescott is a true white-knuckle experience. Route 89A is probably the worst road I have ever driven on.
Jerome (Population Approximately 450)
Jerome, positioned on a steep hill, was a booming mining town of nearly fifteen thousand people in the 1880s. It had the largest copper mine in Arizona, and people came from all over to find work. In 1918, a fire broke out in the eighty-eight miles of underground tunnels, leading to the safer practice of open-pit mining. However, continual dynamiting cracked Jerome’s buildings so much that the town actually began to shift, with the jail sliding some 225 feet. (It can now be found across the road from its original site.) In 1953, only fifty residents remained, but by the 1960s, Jerome’s renaissance was underway. An artists’ colony of sorts established itself, and the stalwart residents joined in rebuilding the town. Today it is a must-visit and touts itself as “American’s Most Vertical City” and the “Largest Ghost Town.” There are all sorts of shops and places to dine. I must return to Jerome as the reviews claim the food is excellent at all the restaurants and the ambiance fun and friendly. Three names must be mentioned:
Asylum Restaurant
200 Hill St.
928-639-3197
www.theasylum.biz
Belgian Jennie’s Bordello Pizzeria
412 Main St.
928-639-3141
Mile High Inn and Grill
309 Main St.
928-634-5094
www.milehighgrillandinn.com
Also a consideration would be to indulge in a glass of wine at the Jerome Winery while some local music plays in the background.
Jerome Winery
403 Clark St.
928-639-9067
www.jeromewinery.com
Grand Canyon
At least once in a lifetime, one should visit the world’s biggest hole in the ground—an unbelievable 277 miles long and 18 miles wide with an average depth of 1 mile. Because of the shifting light, the Grand Canyon looks like it is always changing. The colors within the canyon glow and at times seem almost neon-like. In spite of its size, there is a breathtaking quiet to the canyon. There are many lodges to stay at on the South Rim, but reservations are a must and should be made far in advance. The rooms are not fancy, but they are very comfortable. The El Tovar Hotel has the more formal dining.
El Tovar Hotel
10 Albright Ave.
888-297-2757
www.grandcanyonlodges.com/el-tovar-409.html
Bright Angel Lodge & Cabins
219–221 Village Loop Dr.
520-638-2631
www.grandcanyonlodges.com/bright-angel-lodge-408.html
When I checked into the Bright Angel Lodge, I was asked if I would like a wake-up call so that I could see the sunrise over the rim the next morning. Of course I would, and it was well worth getting up for. What a fantastic experience! I am still talking about it and telling everyone to do likewise. Be sure you do not miss this unbelievable, beautiful, awesome sight.
The experience: What was that early-morning experience like? First of all, it was chilly, even in the summer. It is quiet and cold, and people are ambling, many with arms crossed over chest to keep in warmth, waiting for the first glow of dawn and eventual warming rays. Silently, it suddenly starts. The sky lightens, and the rocks start to take on their early dawn colors. Gradually, a huge orb starts to inch its way upward as this world awakens. It is not hard to realize why the early inhabitants of the area thought the sun was a magical, mystical entity. You might find yourself agreeing.
There is a lot to do at the Grand Canyon, such as hiking, taking helicopter or mule rides, or just meditating on stone and light. I thought it might be easy to walk a tiny way down the canyon and look up. Not for this mother! Once the guardrail was no more, that took care of my walk. I even tried to go down a ways on my backside. No way. I hear from my younger son, who has hiked the canyon several times, that it is a magnificent experience. I’m sure it is, and I’ll just take his word for it.
As of 2011, the entrance fee into the park is $25 per vehicle (including all passengers) or $12 per individual, which provides you with a seven-day pass. Pick up a senior citizen lifetime pass for all national parks if you’re eligible. Your camping fees are additional to the entrance fee and are charged by the night. Hotel reservations are handled by Xanterra Parks & Resorts (303-297-2757, www.grandcanyonlodges.com). Rates range from approximately $50 to $325.
Note: For those with respiratory and heart problems, the altitude of the Grand Canyon’s rims ranges from seven to eight thousand feet, so consult with your doctor before visiting.
Nevada
FYI: Wendover West, Nevada, and Wendover, Utah, are two towns with the same name on the border of these two states.
Arriving in Nevada from Salt Lake City, Utah, you will have spent a very long time crossing the salt flats—something you should do at least once. (See the Utah chapter for details.)
Wendover West
Wendover West, being the first city in Nevada along I-80, is a big gambling town. Even so, women can feel relatively secure, although this is not Mayberry by any means. It is important to be alert, look like you know what you are doing (even if you don’t), and know where you are going. Drinks are often free in the casinos, but don’t be too tempted.
Wendover Nugget Hotel (formerly the State Line Hotel)
101 Wendover Blvd.
775-664-2221
www.wendovernugget.com
Comfortable and even sort of cozy, despite its size of more than eight hundred rooms, the Wendover Nugget was, most of all, clean and friendly—not fancy, not plush, but nice.
Discoveries: Wendover West
There are lots of other hotels and motels, as well as the usual fast fooders. Pawnshops come in several varieties: very professional establishments, rough shops that are willing to take your blood if that is all you have to offer, and friendly places that are fun to look around in and maybe find a treasure or two. If you spend even a short time in a pawnshop in a gambling town, you will see amazing things. I think some desperate people would remove the fillings from their teeth if they could pawn them for just one more try with Lady Luck.
Wendover West to Reno is a long drive and will take you at least eight or nine hours, but it should be done at least once. Although the highway is excellent, I would not recommend driving I-80 across Nevada at night. There are long, desolate stretches, and if you were to need help (heaven forbid!), you could have a real problem. A cell phone is imperative. The road is dusty, windy, and full of trucks; the topography is barren, flat, and at times monotonous, but it does have an aura that you should experience.
Elko (Population More Than 14,000)
This is the first real town you will come to. It has all the usual retail chain stores. (I even found one of my favorites, Maurice’s [www.maurices.com].) Elko would be a good place to stay overnight if you wanted to divide the trek across the state. It is a beautiful area for wildlife and outdoor sports.
Reno (Population More Than 133,000)
Reno looks like a major metropolis after Elko. It’s a busy and crowded place, full of casinos, pawnshops, and all the riffraff they attract. Although there are many hotels, I played it safe and stayed at the Hilton, which is now the Grand Sierra Resort & Casino.
Grand Sierra Resort & Casino (formerly Hilton Reno)
2500 E. Second St.
775-789-2000
www.grandsierraresort.com
With two thousand rooms, this hotel is big! From all I saw, the property is very professionally managed. Do not expect warm and fuzzy service, but you are of course in a gambling mecca. My room was comfortable, and I was to learn that all the rooms are oversized, encompassing 425 square feet. Accommodations are se
nsibly priced. Of course, getting a guest on property is key for gambling returns, and with a bit of time and research, I would presume that deals are available. The resort is on 142 acres, and there is a lot to do aside from gambling. Entertainment abounds. There is a fifty-lane championship bowling facility and an indoor golf simulator, a mini go-cart ride, swimming, and more, including a variety of places to eat. From the Grand Sierra, discovering the area is easy and convenient.
PS: Interestingly, before 1844 Reno was inhabited by the Paiute and Washoe Indians. In 1859 Charles Fuller of Pine Grove, California, put in a toll bridge across the Truckee River and then the Comstock Lode was discovered in Virginia City, one of the largest strikes in the world. And so, the population explosion began, putting Reno firmly on the map. In 1886, the University of Nevada moved from Elko to Reno. Gambling had its ups and downs, but in 1879 it was legalized, only to be banned in 1910. Finally, in 1931, for tourism and economic reasons, Nevada legalized gambling. All this, mixed with the establishment of the quickie divorce, got Reno moving on the fast track. It is interesting to visit Reno, even if you are not a gambler.
Lake Tahoe
The drive into Tahoe from Reno on U.S. 395 can be a slight brake burner, but do not fear; just be aware and alert. People are generally patient with those who drive slower than the natives, but look out for passing cars.
Tahoe is now very in with the new Silicon Valley money barons, and price doesn’t seem to be much of an object. It’s no wonder the barons choose this stunningly beautiful area. I immediately was impressed and would go back in a heartbeat.
Lake Tahoe is huge and straddles both Nevada and California. Incline Village is the Nevada side of Tahoe.
Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa, and Casino
111 Country Club Dr., Incline Village
775-832-1234
www.laketahoe.hyatt.com
This is a wonderful place to stay, with its lakeside beach and mountain backdrop. When I was there, the beach attendant was most considerate in reminding bathers of the intense sun at that altitude (six thousand feet) and to apply sunscreen accordingly. Nearby are plenty of restaurants, a very nice grocery store, and a post office. Perhaps I will discover more of this beautiful area in the not-too-distant future. Hopefully, development will take place in proper increments in Tahoe. The resources are there; hopefully the powers that be will not get hoodwinked or greedy.
Note: If you are heading west out of Tahoe into California, be sure to top up the gas tank. There are not a lot of gas stations along this section of I-80.
Las Vegas
I-15 will take you to the ultimate neon city, the one and only Las Vegas. Whatever you have read or seen about Las Vegas will pale in comparison to seeing it firsthand. And because of the crowds, the money changing hands, the shows, the gambling of all sorts, and everything else that happens in Las Vegas, it is actually a relatively safe place for a woman to visit on her own. Police, security guards, and video cameras are everywhere.
Las Vegas has also become something of a destination for families. There are plenty of things for children to do. It’s best to plan well ahead for a stay in Las Vegas. Hotels sell out for the weekends, as do tickets to popular shows. Obtain information and input from others who have been to this city. On my most recent trip, I spent one very full day in Las Vegas. A possible return trip for discoveries, shows, restaurants, and such could be on the agenda.
In 1978 the largest hotel at that time was built, the twenty-six-story, 5,690-room MGM Grand.
MGM Grand Hotel & Casino
3799 Las Vegas Blvd. S.
702-891-7777 or 877-880-0880
www.mgmgrand.com
Travel Tip: If you’re driving to Los Angeles, avoid leaving Las Vegas on a Sunday afternoon. The interstate is a parking lot all the way to the coast.
Note: Less than a two-hour drive from Las Vegas is unbelievable Death Valley, which should not be missed. (See the California chapter for details.)
Washington
Taking I-90 into Spokane from Montana you are in Idaho for less than ninety miles. Then Washington State welcomes you.
Spokane (Population Approximately 178,000)
I arrived in Spokane at about 7:30 p.m. It was still light, and I immediately liked something about the city. I have continued to tout it—a wonderful discovery.
Davenport Hotel
10 S. Post St.
509-455-8888
www.davenporthotel.com
Beautiful, stylish, and classy are understatements for this magnificent, historic hotel founded circa 1890 by Louis Davenport, the ultimate perfectionist: “He insisted on fresh flowers throughout the hotel, flatware be aligned one thumb knuckle from the table edge and money be washed and pressed before being given in change.” He sold his hotel in 1945 and took his magic with him when he left. The Davenport just was not the same and finally closed in 1985. For the next fifteen years, it was doubtful that it would ever regain its status in the hotel world. Perhaps demolition would be the answer.
In 2000, thanks to local (and farsighted) entrepreneurs Mr. and Mrs. W. Worthy, the Davenport was saved and is once again glorious and glowing. Perhaps the money isn’t washed and the one-knuckle rule no longer applies, but, as Mr. Worthy, states, “We in essence have a brand-new hotel that’s hidden in a 100-year-old body.” To which I add, they have done a great job!
One feels an immediate warmth on entering the hotel. It is female friendly, and old-world charm is evident. The lobby is beautiful in every way.
My room accommodations were attractive, comfortable, and not overly decorated. The massive mahogany headboards are impressive and give stature to the high beds. Steps at each side aid with getting into the bed. The bedding is excellent and the bed comfortable.
The spotlighting above the beds is nice, and there is also a lamp between the beds. The overhead air vent should have a deflector as those “breezes” blowing above sleepers can cause all sorts of cricks in the neck and headaches. The entertainment center is well placed, and there is a desk for “work.”
The bathroom area is divided into three parts. The separate vanity area has only one sink—not the worst thing in the world and fine if you are alone. There is a large tub, large separate shower, and a doorless cubbyhole for the toilet. Door please! Dispensers for soap and shampoo in the shower area and by the tub are convenient.
Each night when I was there, I had the delicious pleasure of enjoying a soft chocolate–peanut butter delight left next to the bed. Now, I learn that The Davenport’s turndown service includes one ounce of soft peanut brittle and a one-ounce piece of soft chocolate–peanut brittle. I look forward to tasting!
Spa Paradiso (509-747-3529, www.spaparadiso.com) at the Davenport is good and professional. I enjoyed my spa experience. The staff was friendly, receptive, and knowledgeable—three adjectives that do not always apply to one spa! Be sure to look at the suggested packages in the spa brochure. I found these extremely well priced.
Do not miss visiting; better, stay at the Davenport. It is a special experience at a most special property.
The Davenport Hotel Tower is open. Across the street from the historic Davenport, it has 328 rooms, twenty-one floors, and all the amenities, bells, and whistles you could possible need or want. It is ideal for corporate meetings. The decor in many of the areas is safari themed—a first for Spokane, or so I was told. I look forward to visiting the Davenport Hotel Tower.
While walking and discovering, I found Spokane an ultraclean city—even the alleyways were clean. The streets are wide, the area uncongested, and the people friendly and open. I was impressed.
Spokane’s city planners seem to have thought out how the city could best expand and how the expansions would work not only on paper but in real life. So many planners seem to look at development and expansion only from the dra
wing board perspective.
The area around the Davenport Hotel is interesting, with a lot going on. Be sure to get a map! Though it’s a walkable area, street sense and awareness must prevail, particularly at night. If you are alone, know where you are going, and let the concierge know your plans. There were a few street children in groups along the sides of buildings in the downtown area. (Hippies still remain.)
The River Park Square
There are many shops to visit, but if you’re not shopping, then there is the well-planned Riverfront Park by the Spokane River. The park has a wonderful antique carousel if the child in you, or with you, needs attention.
There is also the upscale Spokane Valley Mall, with all the usual stores.
Spokane Valley Mall
14700 E. Indiana Ave.
509-926-3700
www.spokanevalleymall.com
Spokane Steam Plant into Steam Plant Square
159 S. Lincoln
509-624-8050
www.steamplantsquare.com
This steam plant heated downtown Spokane until 1986. A most adventurous undertaking was the transformation of the original. It is fascinating to see the boilers, catwalks, and coal bunkers once essential to the working plant, which now houses a state-of-the-art technology center. There is also the Steam Plant Grill, serving beers brewed onsite by the Coeur d’Alene Brewing Company.
Steam Plant Grill
159 S. Lincoln
509-777-3900
www.steamplantgrill.com
The far-sighted creation of Ron and Julie Wells, the grill allows diners to enjoy excellent food in a unique environment—the steam plant. In opening this grill, the owners did not have to concern themselves with decor. Open for lunch and dinner, this great place is within walking distance of the Davenport. Read the history of the steam plant, which was in operation for over seventy years, then sat idle for ten until it was realized that its eighty thousand square feet could be used for offices, retail space, and the Steam Plant Grill. Applause! Congratulations for the renaissance of the original steam plant.