Winter 2015 Road Trip

 
Route for Winter Break 2015 Road Trip - Route finalized & traveled
 
The Path made on Google Maps. Use this Road Trip Route as a guide to hit some major National Parks on it's 100th Anniversary. Pick up a National Part Passbook to remind you of your visit, look below for all my Stamps from Great Basin. This would be a great trip to make a huge loop from Denver, CO. We started off in Nebraska and traveled towards Denver Metro making our way back to Nebraska through New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Kansas.

We travel in towards the Great Basin every other summer on our motorcycles. Those summers we don't make it to the Great Basin, I feel we have missed out.

Eisenhower Tunnel on I-70.

Colorado National Monument - Take an exit at Grand Junction and jump back on Intestate 70 at Fruita. Look for the brown points of interest roadway signs, they are posted. When we were passing Colorado National Monument, snow was falling and building up on the ground. We weren't sure of the park service roads along  Scenic Rim Rock Drive, so we decided to stay on I-70. 

Once we enter Utah, we are traveling on Highway 50. Side-note: Utah's beer tops out ABV at 4.0%, unless you are at a brewery, plan accordingly. We drove right through Utah and stayed on Route 50  all the way through the state. This was our first time traveling this route in winter, it was a pleasant treat to see the red sandstone highlighted with snow.

Arches National Park - We missed this gem along our route. If you plan Arches and are leaving from Grand Junction, make sure you take the Colorado Riverway (HWY 128). This route takes some mileage off and is a maintained asphalt state highway. The highway exit is poorly marked, encouraging entrance from Crescent Junction. A Red Rock Wonderland 

There are many places to eat and drink in Moab. We always enjoy eating at the local City Market Deli. Being a tourist town, eating at this City Market Deli might be compared to eating a buffet in Las Vegas. We pick up food to enjoy in Arches and any restaurant in Moab can't beat that view.

Green River, Utah. We really like the accommodations in Green River. Lots of hotels to choose from that will fit your price range. The people staying in Green River may avoid Moab for many of the same reasons I do. This is one of the few towns where we splurge for a motel. It is nice to get the days sweat off and relax in an air conditioned room.

Driving east on HWY 50, after Green River, the red sand stones of San Rafeal Swell come into view.
Visit Utah Slow down your driving pace and stop at one of the many overlooks. In summer time, you will find locals pedaling their wares that might be Made in China. In winter time, we found desolate overlooks that we had to ourselves.

San Rafeal Swell along HWY 50, Utah.

Salina, Utah - We have stopped here a few of times. I don't know what it is about this town, but I really like it. We stayed at one of the Mom and Pop Motels, located close to down town. Not much going on downtown but your can't miss Mom's Cafe situated at the corner of Main & State Streets. We had dinner and were treated to the good company at the cafe. People are curious about travelers, just open up and talk. Don't forget to ask the local about about themselves. We were entertained by a local telling us about an accident that happened in October. RoadFood's Review of Mom's Cafe

In October 2015, a pickup lost control and ran into Mom's Cafe.

This Gingerbread house was made to commemorate the event. A local told us all about it.

GREAT BASIN NATIONAL PARK A Majestic Basin... - this is our destination! One year a park ranger asked us where we were heading. We said, "This is it, we are here!" I knew services

would be minimal over winter, but we really want to see this place in Winter. No better time than Winter Solstice. We took our car up to Lower Lehman Creek Campground and to then to the Grey Cliffs Campground. Grey Cliffs has a very good dirt road, snow was falling and we made the first tracks up the road in our car. At the visitors center, we picked up some trinkets; a coffee cup, books, and stickers. Many things we usually don't buy because we usually see Great Basin during summertime and are traveling on our motorcycles.We also hike the nature trail, another thing we haven't done and don't do in summertime. We were the first ones to make tracks on the trail.

Traveling South on Utah Highway 130; consider a jaunt off the main road to Parowan. We ran into Parowan Gap Petroglyphs when returning from Great Basin and seeking a short cut to Ceder Breaks National Monument. A nice surprise with minimum tourist amenities. Basically a gravel turn off for visitors to enjoy the petroglyphs on the sides of the cut. The website says gravel roads, but the asphalt is still intact, probably tagged "gravel" because the road is not maintained by the state.

Continuing on Utah's HWY 130, we arrived at Cedar City. A nice town with shopping amenities. If you take this route, Grand Junction and Cedar City are the places to stock up on supplies. Otherwise, larger towns will have basic grocery stores or you can eat at Fuel Stations (junk food). We stocked up in Rifle, Co because here a Walmart is a lot easier than finding a Walmart in Grand Junction. You can see the Walmart from the interstate.

We decided at the I-Hop in Cedar City to make my mom's house that day. This is the type of decisions we make at 4:30 in the afternoon over a couple of plates of dessert breakfast. We started the day at Salina, Utah and ended the day in Winslow, Arizona. Don't make a mad dash like we did, we have traveled these roads many times and sometimes a 40 year old chooses to see her mom a day or so earlier than expected.

Zion National Park - Utah's First National Park We once lived about 100 miles away in Page, AZ. This was one of our favorite destinations for a day trip. Cedar Breaks Monument is not too far away. 

Leaving Zion, you can travel towards Fredonia, AZ/Kanab, UT sister cities. Towards Lake Powell or the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, GRCA. My favorite side of the Grand Canyon because of a potential stop at Jacob's Lake. They have the best muffins, cookies, and shakes/malts. Don't fill yourself up because the restaurant at Cliff Dwellers has good food and a wide selection of bottle beer. Cliff Dwellers is located between Jacob's Lake and Marble Canyon at milepost 547.

On the Kaibab Plateau with moon light and Vermilion Cliffs off to the right.

Once your arrive at Marble Canyon, you are on Navajo Reservation. We traveled towards HWY 89 to Flagstaff. We like to fuel up at Cameron's Speed's on the south side of town. ADOT has made some major improvements on HWY 89 at Cameron. I really liked see the improvements I saw on our roads.

A couple of my favorite places to stop in Flagstaff, AZ:
Bookman's Used Books
MartAnn's - Food on Route 66

On our way home, we pass by the Petrified Forest National Park. One year, we will see the park - located about 40 miles from where I grew up. I have not been to the park in a long time. I gotta get my Passport book stamped. Possibly during Summer 2016, but it will be hot and the sun tends to wash out desert.

We traveled home on I-40 towards Tucamacari. Listening to podcasts, we found out rather late, by the highway message boards entering Albuquerque, that eastbound I-40 was closed to Amarillo. We jumped off the Interstate at the Flying J exit and made our way towards Rio Rancho to I-25. By the time we passed Santa Fe, snow began covering the highway. I used our GPS to locate a motel in Las Vegas (the better Las Vegas), New Mexico. On my 5th answered phone call, a room was available at the Sunshine Motel on the main drag. All they required, on a snowy night, was a name. We took the last room because the desk clerk turned on the "no vacancy" light before we unlocked our room. I don't think I would ever get that kind of customer service at a nationally branded motel.

After our night at the Sunshine Motel, we walked to The Hillcrest to have breakfast.

I always choose the Huevo Rancheros.

The next day we traveled north on I-25 and jumped off the interstate towards Clayton, NM. We spied some Santa Fe trail markers just off the state highway. After Clayton, NM we had our compasses
headed towards home in Nebraska. With I-40 eastbound closed, we had lots of travelers speed by us.

Clayton is the major hub in NE New Mexico.

We stopped at the truck plaza north of Garden City, KS and I picked up some Mexican Pastries.

We were treated to someones hard work at decorating with lights in Holdredge, NE.

They even played Holiday Music to accent the night.

Like I said, we stayed a little extra at my mom's. Otherwise, head North at Gallup and venture to Mesa Verde National Park - Preserving the "Works of Man". Then towards Pagosa Springs, CO over Wolf Creek Pass to Del Norte. Head to the Great Sand Dunes then head towards Denver via Buena Vista, CO.

Making Mead

A few months ago I brewed up a batch of Mead. Erik purchased honey from a manufacturer of honey making equipment in Loup City, Nebraska. They make the steel components of the honey making process. The same equipment needed to brew Mead is the same stuff I use to brew beer. I did order yeast nutrient, acid blend, tannin, pectic enzyme (if using fruit) and Campden tablets. A friend of mine gave me pickle jars that my husband drilled a hole in the lid for me to insert the rubber gasket and airlock.

The yeast starter needs 12 hours to mature. This pic is prior to putting the yeast starter into the Mead. I was surprised when adding the acid blend and tannin that the Mead bubbled up like a kid blowing soap bubbles. What a mess.

Here is picture after the yeast starter was added and the mess cleaned up. Look at how cloudy the Mead is.

My recipe is found in "True Brews" by Emma Christensen. I've also made the root beer from this book.

I've been switching the fermentation jar every few weeks. The mead can age for 6 months before bottling or bottled 4 weeks after the brew date. Brewed on January 24, 2015, I could be bottling this batch of Mead in July. I've been collecting pretty bottles for my batch of Mead.

 Every time I siphon the Mead into a new fermentation jar, I get a little taste.

From the pictures, you can see how much the Mead is clearing up as it sits in the fermentation jar. My batch of Mead does have a wine flavor and texture. I'll be lucky to have a few 12 ounce bottles in July.

Monday is Brew Day

MASH TO WORT TO BEER

Monday started off with clearing the kitchen counters for brewing beer. Today, I am brewing a 5 gallon all grain porter kit from Brewer's Best. Sometimes referred to as BIAB for Brew in a Bag.

I wash and sanitize a 4.5 gallon stock pot and bring 3.5 gallons of water to 165 degrees. I have a single wall stainless steel stock pot, to minimize heat loss to the environment, I wrap a cotton towel, secured with binder clips, around the pot.

While the water is heating. I split my ingredients for the batch. My kitchen stove cannot boil 6.5 - 8 gallons of water required for the full batch. For the porter, BIAB included all the grains in one bag. Sometimes the grains are packaged separately. Before I put the grains into a seeping bag, I'll use a large stockpot to mix the 5 types of grains.

While the water reaches 165 degrees, I sewed up a steeping bag with a roll of cotton sock like fabric. I'll seep a few batches out of this bag. I could purchase a bag for $10, but a few minutes on the sewing machine takes care of that expense.   

Once the water reaches 165 degrees, I add the mash bag. I monitor the temperature of the mash for the next hour, every twenty minutes I make sure the mash is about 157 degrees. I use a large spoon to push the mash bag around, making sure the grains are all properly steeped. While the steeping is going on, I prepare for draining the mash bag (6 pounds of grain, now soaked, and about 150 degrees). A bonus arm workout includes, holding the extra large mash bag above the pot while the mash bag drains.

Once the mash bag is removed from the wort, I place a colander over a 2.5 gallon food grade bucket. To get all the "tea" like flavoring out of the mash bag, I pour one gallon of cool water over the mash bag. This step is called lautering. The liquid that settles into the bucket is poured back into the pot.

I turn the burner on high and return the mash to a boil. Once boiling, I add my first set of hops. The mash is now called a wort. After 30 minutes of boil time, the second set of hops is added. Then continues to boil for another 30 minutes.

Now it's time to remove the wort from the heat source. As fast a possible, I bring down the temperature of the wort from 200 to 70 degrees. This takes a lot of water. I pour just under 2 gallons of wort into two different enamel ware stock pots. The basin helps me save the water I used to cool down the wort. I use a plastic tube to siphon out the water. 

The excess, warm water is taken out to the garden or poured on trees. With washing, sanitizing, and cooling the wort, I take more than 10, 2.5 gallon buckets outside. There is still quite a bit of water going down the drain. I try to re-purpose as much water as I can.

When the wort cools to 70 degrees, I take a reading on the hydrometer. Today's reading was 10/1000ths below my Original Gravity (OG) target. I'll have to do some research, because it was pretty foggy today and the atmosphere has to push the hydrometer down. Usually, my reading is at the top of the OG target.

I sprinkle the yeast on top of the wort. Now, we have the potential for beer. The yeast gets the fermentation process started to make beer. I use a rubber mallet to secure the lid on the fermentation bucket. Install the air lock and wait for the sweet sound of the air lock bubbling.

This is a the basic procedure for making beer. I used pots and utensils I had handy in my kitchen. The next step would be to put more money into the procedures to make a full 5 gallon batch. But if I do that, why not go 10 gallon brews? I have 6, 5 gallon brews under my belt. Up to this point, most of my investment has gone into the basic brewing kit, a couple of books, and ingredients. I prefer all grain ingredient kits, they are cheaper than extract kits. Although extracts kits are a bit easier.