On Through the Night

June 20-21, 2004

Start = Vernal, UT
End = Lyons, KS

(GK) – From worst to first in less than 8 hours. This was going to be an easy day for us and it turned out to be the best day, like ever… Left Utah downwind and headed for the golden lands of Colorado. Steamboat Springs. Our first major thunderstorm. We uploaded our blog outside of JJWEB Technology offices whom despite there name didn’t encrypt their network. My favorite part of Winter Park was the stuffed squirrel hanging overhead at the Gasthaus. The Baron took MVP this day with his driving endurance rivaled by no other; his only downfall was the constant whistling of the theme from “Alice”. Two words describe Kansas; the Classic. More about that later, but I ate half my body weight…

Addendum: We were stopped by the fuzz just inside of Kansas for no apparent reason. It all became clear when I heard the latexed finger tap on the driverside window. It appeared that he was just lonely and looking for a good time. We left without incidence.

(STA) Vernal, UT…f*ck, let’s get the hell out…Ahh…Colorado, Hwy 40. Some of the most beautiful land around. Steamboat Springs was ever so hospitable. But we really found kindred spirits at the Gasthaus Eichler in Winter Park. If you are there…go. Great old line German/French/Classic American. Of course I had the escargots Provencale. Heather, the bartendress, about the nicest folk around and a helluva mixer behind the stick. You could do worse on a Sunday night in almost anywhere. Missed the RV park she suggested, so the Baron took up the torch and I awoke in my beautiful homeland of Oz. As serendipity would have it, it was the one day we didn’t have few red beers under the belt when one of Kansas’s finest pulled us over under mysterious circumstances. Sparkle B is now a 1-year member at Charlie’s Bar in Great Bend. Although the bartender had never heard of bitters, he made a great sans-bitter Peter Sellers anyhoo. As a final note to be flourished upon later, if you don’t go to the Classic Inn in Great Bend when opportunity avails, I’d have to believe you couldn’t find your ass with both hands. Almost had a Wal-Mart checker joining us, but the lure of her cush job at Waltonville was the immovable object to our irresistible force. To think that some people have never heard of a three-week party…


BVW – Our broadcast day ended at 5 am at a rest stop just outside of Goodland KS. I started my driving at 11 am in Vernal UT on 6/20 and ended at 5 am on 6/21 in Kansas. One hell of a drive, with good times encountered along the way. Steamboat Springs, Old Town Pub-- had the spicy Elk Sausage Po boy sandwich. Pretty good time, except for the 10 kids at the table right next to ours, plus the 2 adults engaged in a compare/contrast discussion of Catholicism and Protestantism. I was hanging on every word.
Winter Park, Gasthaus was a great stop, eating while being eyeballed by a stuffed tufted- eared squirrel (local roadkill?) was a fine dining experience. Bartenderette was very helpful,---best Manhattan this side of STA’s place in Fremont.

Arrival in Kansas was triumphant, with SB s initiation to Charlie’s pub in Great Bend. We were proud to be his guests to comply with local liquor laws.
Had a delightful meal as guests of S B’s parents, now arrived at their homestead played cards until 2 am…and so to bed.


(SB) Nostalgia…Nostalgia…Nostalgia. No that’s not the name of my eastern European mail order bride. The flashbacks of my slipping youth were all abound. SO we drank and played cards till 2am. Thanks to the rents for taking it easy on us. All for now.