Got in to Manitou Springs, Colorado late on Monday. The main reason for the stop was to revisit the Garden of the Gods. Since the weather was not promising, we checked into the hotel and got back into the car with hopes of catching a sunset shot there. Unfortunately, the sunset was not to be with the cloud cover. There was one moment when the sun peeked through allowing me to get this shot of the rock formations.
We decided to take a breather from the driving and spent Tuesday morning in Manitou Springs. We headed up to Denver where it has been raining ever since. Our plan is to spend time in the city Wednesday before we head on towards Oregon on Thursday.
Food Update - When I travel, I am always on the lookout for restaurants that have appeared on the Food Network, particularly Diners, Dives and Drive-Ins. Here are a quick review of the places we have eaten.
- The Bagel Deli in Denver - Awesome Matzah Ball soup. I am not Jewish, but after eating this soup, I wish I was. On par with the soup at Flakowitz in Florida and would need a side-by-side taste test to determine a winner. The brisket knish was very good but the texture of the kishke was not to my taste.
- Bang! in Denver - Great gumbo served with jalapeño cornbread. Just the right amount of heat.
- Bangkok Kitchen in Maumee (just outside of Toledo) - The best Thai food that I have ever eaten. Hastn't been on any Food Network show but should have been.
Road Trip Observations
- Rest Stops in Ohio are the best I have ever been to. Nebraska has the worst.
- The speed limits on highways in many western states range from 65–75mph. Why can’t the northeastern states wake up and smell the roses?
- Drivers in the Mid-West actually get out of the left lane when a faster car is behind them. Try getting drivers on the east coast to do that.
- I knew that Iowa and Nebraska was flat and open but never realized that there were no trees to be seen – only farmland.
- I like driving but didn’t realize how much my butt hurts after driving for 10+ hours. Never been a RV guy but the ability to stand up and walk around is now more appealing.
- It seems to me that tolls are outlawed west of Indiana. They should really be outlawed in all states.
- Living on the east coast, you can’t drive 15 minutes without being in a traffic jam. I just drove almost 2,000 miles in the last 3 days and I am still waiting to get in one.
- Does Nebraska have cell phone service? If so, I have yet to use it.