Howdy, dear readers! How’ve you been lately?

For much of April, I’ve been endlessly recovering from walking pneumonia, planning an impending/exciting/fun/eventually romantic/hopefully-not-too-exhausting month-long trip to Europe (more on that next week) and writing two Los Angeles-area guides for USA Today.com‘s travel section, which I’ll happily share just as soon as they’re ready.

What I haven’t been doing? Writing anything new here on Travels With Two.

A lovely coincidence, then, that my guest post for Boingo Wireless has just been published!

Boingo, my favorite international Wi-Fi-hotspot provider, has asked me to share my top five off-the-beaten-path pursuits when visiting Los Angeles (or even just LAX, our semi-delightful airport). I hope you enjoy these recommendations for exploring my home city, and become inspired to seek out your own adventures here.

Here’s the link, and I wish you a great weekend — wherever you are!

Melanie Waldman’s Eclectic Guide to LA 2012: Roller Derby, Dumplings and Pop Art

Travels With Two

Northwest Wyoming's Grand Tetons draped in winter snow

Continued from
Driving the American West: Cody, Wyoming

It had been four years since my last trip to Jackson Hole and the Grand Tetons, an August trip that also included Yellowstone National Park and celebrated our ninth wedding anniversary. We’d vowed to come back and see the area in winter someday, and well…that day had arrived.

The only thing missing was Adam. But hey — I took photos for him.

And, y’know, for you.

To the east of Grand Teton National Park, the stunning Bridger-Teton National Forest greeted me with snow. And I mean, a lot of snow. The kind of snow where you pull into a turnout to treat yourself to a lingering gander at the scenery, and you’re instead faced with an 8-foot-high wall of hard-packed flake-age.

Yes, I managed to climb atop one of these plow-made drifts, and yes, the mountain view was gorgeous. But yes, I (unnecessarily) worried that at any minute, I’d fall into an unseen crevasse — and I got right back into the car.

By the time I’d meandered down from the highest elevation, I could easily pull over to the side of the road and peer straight across a plain at furry, prancing elk and flame-orange grasses. There may have been some hand-clapping, and perhaps some giggling.

I cruised into Grand Teton National Park at golden hour, just in time to see a silvery gleam on the Snake River and several thousand elk parade across the National Elk Refuge. I’d spend most of the next day wending my way through the 20+ miles of the park that are open in winter, often alone on the road and always amazed. I tuned into an NPR music show called UnderCurrents, and visually soaked in the pristine winter snow to an inspirational soundtrack of Native American pop, Latin jazz, African blues and Southern folk.

And I wandered just about every inch of Jackson Hole. I’d really missed it here, a mix of Old West architecture, big city money, conservative politics and liberal thought, locavore cuisine and hunting trophies, low kitsch and high art. In winter, fairy lights twinkle on arches of antlers in the main square, and you have to pick your careful way along black ice on the boardwalks. Folks seem happy to see strangers, and there’s a little more time and space for conversation than in the summer high season.

But not all of Yellowstone National Park is open in winter. The west and east entrances are closed, but my friend Ann Shepphird points out that you can enter the south entrance (just north of Jackson) via snow coaches and can stay right in the middle of the park at the Old Faithful Snow Lodge & Cabins — and beat the summer crowds. (In addition, the park is always open from the north entrance near Gardiner, Montana, as is the nearby Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel.)

So if you want to see how a dazzling, undeveloped swath of nature copes with a clear, cold, sparkling blanket of snow and ice, head on over to northwest Wyoming (or southwest Montana).

And let me know you’re going: I just might be willing to drive.

In winter in the Bridger-Teton National Forest, you might just have to scale 7-foot snowdrifts at turnouts in order to get a decent view

A pair of elk prancing about in the Bridger-Teton National Forest

The greatest road sign of my entire trip, found in the Bridger-Teton National Forest

Silvery winter light on the Snake River in Grand Teton National Park

Just outside of downtown Jackson Hole, the National Elk Refuge is one of the area's most peaceful stretches of protected land

In winter, the National Elk Refuge is home to many thousands of wild elk

A stuffed elk stands proudly in front of Jackson Mercantile, just one ironic mile from the National Elk Refuge

Jackson Hole: Land of sparkly antlers, both moose and elk

The architecture in Jackson Hole is all Old West, all the time

Downtown Jackson Hole has boardwalks instead of sidewalks, which can ice over somethin' fierce in winter

Jackson Hole is full of art galleries and unique works like this positively enormous bronze cowboy

In the Teton movie theater in downtown Jackson Hole, you're likely to be seated next to a real-life cowboy or three

The uber-kitschy Million Dollar Cowboy Bar is one of the most recognizable landmarks on Jackson Town Square

I got your knotty pine for you: one small corner of Jackson Hole's Million Dollar Cowboy Bar

At the Koshu Wine Bar, I enjoyed the deep, rich, fruity Cinder Syrah from southeastern Idaho

Adam bought my teddy bear, Rusty (on the right), for me after our 2008 stay at Jackson Hole's Rusty Parrot Lodge, where every room features a bear; on this trip, I brought Rusty over 1000 miles to have a reunion with his people

The Antler Motel (also called the Antler Inn) was my cozy, right-in-downtown, AAA-discounted home this time around in Jackson Hole

Snow tubing is a popular Jackson Hole alternative for folks like me who don't (yet) know how to ski

Approximately 28 miles worth of Grand Teton National Park is open in winter, and you'll have views like this practically to yourselves

Treat yourselves to a great breakfast about 5 miles outside of Jackson Hole, at Nora's Fish Creek Inn in Wilson

Definitely take a drive out to to Wilson and/or the Teton Village; the scenery, especially in winter, is simply stunning

RESOURCES

TWT Travel Binder: Wyoming
Wyoming Tourism
Grand Teton National Park
Bridger-Teton National Forest
National Elk Refuge
Antler Inn
The Rusty Parrot Lodge
King Tubes
Trio American Bistro
Cafe Genevieve
Pearl Street Bagels
The Garage Restaurant
Koshu Wine Bar

Nora’s Fish Creek Inn

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Continued in
Driving the American West: Boise & Southern Idaho

Travels With Two

"Contemporary Sioux Indian" is one of the exquisite paintings by Wyoming artist James Bama on display in the Western Galleries at Cody's Buffalo Bill Historical Center

Continued from
Driving the American West: Central to Northwest Wyoming

I had originally intended to drive to Yellowstone National Park from Western Colorado, but in late winter there’s an important wrinkle to consider: ’round this time of year, the south and east entrances to the park are closed.

So, enter my well-traveled mother-in-law’s excellent suggestion of Cody, Wyoming as an alternative.

The town and its Buffalo Bill Historical Center provide a vintage snapshot of the Old West, replete with Indians, bucking broncos, gunslinging and cattle. But there’s also locally-made wine. And sweet cream pancakes.

I was only in town for 20 hours, but I’d happily go back in spring or summer to drive the 50-mile Northfork Highway to Yellowstone. By all accounts, it’s full of bighorn sheep — and absolutely gorgeous.

Heading all the way north to Cody required an overnight stop in central Wyoming and a fascinating drive up Routes 789 and 120, but the childhood fan of Buffalo Bill that lurks within my heart felt it was worthwhile. Happily, I wasn’t disappointed.

I cruised into town at about noon on a Saturday, and had no problem finding a $70 US room in the historical wing of the Irma Hotel, financed by Buffalo Bill in 1902. (There are several modern rooms at the Irma for about $60 US, but really? I felt like it was important to go all the way, and I’m glad I did.) My room had a comfy bed, modern versions of vintage bath fixtures, and was nice and quiet with plenty of space.

The one major drawback is that smoking is permitted in the Irma’s restaurant and bar, so a trip through the lobby doesn’t smell great; fortunately, though, parking is free, exits are handy and it’s smack in the middle of the downtown drag.

After settling in, I climbed back in the car and headed over to the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, which is the greatest museum of Western art and artifacts that I’ve ever seen. Entrance fees allow you two days to visit, which is brilliant; I spent three hours here and only managed to explore a little over three of the five galleries. I was wowed by the art and impressed by an almost-freakishly detailed recreation of Frederic Remington’s studio. I learned to distinguish the chants of different Native American tribes, gaped at complex beadwork, and was fascinated by the live birds of prey that are rehabilitated and briefly presented at the Center.

I regret not going back to the Center the next day (wanderlust called), but at least I made the most of my evening. For dinner, I ponied up to the bar at the Rib and Chop House in search of buffalo steak, and found myself seated next to a twenty-something couple who’d just moved out to Cody four months earlier from San Diego. The parents of four kids under the age of eleven, they seemed genuinely happy to share their date night with a traveling stranger, though I was reluctant to horn in on their potential for canoodling.

Aside from the fact that the husband, clad in a black cowboy hat, plaid shirt and leather boots, works on an oil site three hours away and only comes home on weekends, and his wife runs a day care for several children (aside from her own) they painted a picture of Cody as a peaceful idyll with sparse traffic, wide open spaces, clean air and close-knit neighbors. They both mentioned that it’s a pain to have to wait for simple, common goods to make their slow way to the local Wal-Mart, but it was worth it to have a lifestyle they love.

I left the restaurant that night and immediately looked up at a clear sky full of glittering stars, wondering how I might fare out here in the Wild West.

The next morning, after pancakes and coffee and a stroll through town, I debated venturing 20 miles away to visit Heart Mountain, an encampment used to essentially imprison Japanese-Americans during World War II. Knowing I already had a six-hour detour south and west to Jackson Hole, though, I opted out.

Gotta tell you, I was more than a little smitten with Cody  – and I’m glad to have reasons to return.

In case you're not quite sure where you are, this sign greets you at the end of the Northfork Highway

The huge, hand-carved wooden bar at the historic Irma Hotel was a gift to Buffalo Bill from his friend Queen Victoria

Bighorn sheep used to run scared in Cody -- and specifically, at the Irma Hotel -- but their numbers are now bouncing back

The architecture in the city of Cody is a mix of Old West and 1950s kitsch

The local scene at Peter's Cafe in downtown Cody presents a great sense of the folks here

My first buffalo steak, prepared beautifully at the Rib and Chop House in downtown Cody; it came with a delightful salad, and no, I didn't eat this whole potato...because it was vast

Buffalo Jump Wines are made in Cody, and their Cab, which I tried at the Rib and Chop House, is pretty darn delicious

Neon signs like this one for The Saddlery light up the main street in downtown Cody

One travel writer and three locals pointed me towards Bubba's BBQ for their pancakes, which are made with sweet cream...and turns out, are as big as your head

A bronze statue of Buffalo Bill stands proudly -- and fairly enormous -- outside the Buffalo Bill Historical Center

The artwork in the Center's Western Galleries ranges from historic to modern, like Bill Schenck's 1994 "A Flight from Destiny"

A big display at the Historical Center explain how bronzes, like this one of Teddy Roosevelt, are made

I could have looked at the view from the Center's reading room all day

The Firearms Gallery at the Center features vehicles, paintings, photos, and of course, antique guns

Tisdale Teasdale the Owl is one of four wounded birds of prey that are presented for a half-hour each day at the Center

An entire pioneer cabin, including this antique stove, is on display at the Center

The Plains Indians Galleries at the Center were amazing, both educational and evocative

The Center's Plains Indians Galleries feature an extensive array of handmade leather-, feather- and beadwork

The Bighorn Mountains surround Cody, creating gorgeous vistas on the outskirts of town

RESOURCES

Cody info on Wyoming’s official tourism site
Buffalo Bill’s Yellowstone/Cody Country
Irma Hotel
Rib and Chop House
Buffalo Bill Historical Center
Academy Award Winning Story at Heart Mountain

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Soon continued in
Driving the American West: Jackson Hole & the Grand Tetons

Travels With Two

Central Wyoming is where the deer and the (pronghorn) antelope play

Continued from
Driving the American West: Western Colorado

I departed western Colorado via route 13, which, upon crossing the south-central border of Wyoming, becomes Route 789.

Zig-zagging around the Great Divide Basin, 789 is one of the most geologically fascinating — and yet almost utterly empty — stretches of highway in the United States.

By the time I veered west onto small-town Route 120 in the state’s northwest, the landscapes of Wyoming had grown quite dear to my heart.

Along the lonely 789, I didn’t exactly drive down the middle of the blacktop, but pausing roadside was hardly an issue. I stopped to gape at the vastness of the Continental Divide for a full fifteen minutes before another car even started to cruise into view. It was so quiet out yonder that I could hear a hawk’s far-off cry on the rolling wind.

After five or six hours of driving, though, I became bone tired near Riverton and decided to stop for the night. This was, so far, the most unfortunate decision of my journey, as Riverton is exceedingly unattractive and its food options…limited. On the evening in question, so were hotel rooms; a big high school debate tournament  in town meant that there was one room left at the Holiday Inn, for the not-at-all-worth-it price of $119 US.

Had I been more timely about leaving Colorado that morning, I’d have been able to push on another 40 miles or so to Thermopolis, home of the world’s largest mineral hot springs and a super-quirky Days Inn with a hot spring pool and free breakfast.

Dang.

Still, I slept well in Riverton and launched into a fresh day of driving past all sorts of stuff I’d never heard of: the icy plains of the Red Desert, the canyon cliffs of Boysen State Park, the bubbly kitsch of Thermopolis, and the discreet charm of itsy-bitsy Meeteetse.

I was merely on my way to the Old West mecca of Cody, but in this case, the journey was just as much as the destination.

In late winter, I found myself all but alone on long stretches of Wyoming's Route 789

Alone, that is, but for the occasional pair of bald eagles

When I reached the Continental Divide, I pulled over to stare, barely able to wrap my head around the immensity of America -- and the former Pangaea

Winter-red grasses studded the frozen wetlands at the fringes of the Wind River Range

In Boysen State Park, the Wind River meanders between (gorgeous) cliffs and reservation land

Winter frost on the Wind River in Boysen State Park is worth a lingering look -- and a deep breath

When entering Thermopolis, Wyoming, home of the world's largest mineral hot spring, keep an eye out along the byways for resident Amish folk

Also in Thermpolis, keep an eye out for tractors -- many, many tractors

And cattle -- lots and lots of cattle

In the tiny town of Meeteetse, a rodeo cowboy started making chocolate to pay for a saddle and fell in love with the craft; I fell in love with his 60% cacao hot chocolate and his olive oil-rosemary truffles

Just past Meeteetse, I pulled over to watch elk travel across the hills; seems like we had the same idea

RESOURCES

Riverton, Wyoming
Thermopolis, Wyoming
Thermopolis Days Inn
Boysen State Park
Meeteetse, Wyoming
Meeteetse Chocolatier

_______________________________

Soon continued in
Driving the American West: Cody, Wyoming

Travels With Two

A wintry slice of the Rocky Mountains, between Carbondale and Basalt, Colorado

Continued from
Driving the American West: Moab to Arches

 
By the time I cruised up from southeastern Utah into Western Colorado, I was worried I might have had my fill of beauty and could see no more. But it turns out that my eyes were well prepared for another onslaught.

In the late afternoon light, I followed the icy blue Colorado River into lilac light, its banks rimmed with dark red grasses and winter-orange trees. Yellow trains chugged through towering passes and signs warned of road-roaming elk. Snow-draped mountains gave shelter to fir trees, cabins and twinkling lights, a stateside Switzerland in a Christmas snow globe.

I said aloud: “I can’t believe my friend gets to LIVE here!”

My friend and fellow travel writer Kara Williams lives up yonder mountain way with her delightful husband and two huggable kids, and happily for me, she invited me to hang out at her home for a few days. Between the laughing, the fresh coffee, the cozy quilt action and laundry facilities, my stay there was as lovely as any bed & breakfast I’ve ever stayed in, anywhere.

No need to despair over the fact that Kara’s not actually running an inn, however; there are plenty of places up this way where you can stay, too.

Together, Kara and I explored the cute shops and street art of Carbondale, the dog- and ski-bunny-filled streets of Aspen and the Old West charm of Glenwood Springs. In the latter, I failed to photograph our visit to some “vapor caves,” a unique and rocky experience where you can sweat out the evil humours within and then treat yourself to a kick-ass massage.

I was thrilled to see my pal (who I hadn’t seen since our visit to the Ritz-Carlton Dove Mountain near Tucson, Arizona), get some use out of my new parka, eat at wonderful restaurants, try Colorado-made wine, and see a stunning swath of America that had heretofore eluded me.

And hooray: I’ll be headed back this way this summer for TBEX, the annual travel bloggers’ conference!

Mountain hikes in the sunshine, anyone? Why, yes…I thought you’d say that.

This bronze sculpture of Freidl Pfeifer, one of the founders of Aspen as a ski resort, stands at the base of Aspen Mountain

The Silver Queen Gondola in Aspen costs $33 US per person, but you get a $5 refund if you bring your ticket back to the front desk; we opted instead to enjoy Aspen Mountain from the ground, over lunch

Delighted in a delicious turkey burger, sweet potato fries and J.T. Scrumpy's hard cider beside the pool at Aspen's Sky Hotel, which sits near the base of Aspen Mountain

The lobby of Aspen's Hotel Jerome reflects its origins as the 1889 pride of a former silver-mining town

The Hotel Jerome's J-Bar is a traditional saloon that attracts real-life cowboys

Aspen is full of art galleries, snow and adorable dogs

The streets of tiny Carbondale, Colorado are full of art like "Free Mind" (which incidentally, could be yours for $38,000)

Tried and loved Colorado's own earthy Woody Creek Cellars Merlot at the delicious, cozy and locally-focused Six89 Restaurant in Carbondale

Amtrak's California Zephyr takes a gorgeous mountain journey from Glenwood Springs to Denver

Downtown Glenwood Springs, steeped in the infamous history of Doc Holliday, is full of vintage -- and sometimes sagging -- frontier architecture

I took my traveling companion, Rusty, to Glenwood Springs' Hotel Colorado, home of the first Teddy Bear; in 1900, when hotel guest Teddy Roosevelt failed to shoot a bear in the nearby woods, maids here made him a stuffed bear from scraps of cloth -- and his daughter Alice named it Teddy

Heading through Moffatt County, Colorado, I passed this dilapidated silver mine, a relic from the area's late 1800s boom era...before it became even more famous for its skiing

Pausing to look at the ice and snow on the White River in Moffatt County, I breathed in the crisp, clean, cold air and felt it all the way to my toes

RESOURCES

Aspen, Colorado
Hotel Jerome
Sky Hotel
Aspen Mountain’s Silver Queen Gondola
Carbondale, Colorado
Six89 Restaurant
Bonfire Coffee
Glenwood Springs, Colorado
Hotel Colorado
The Pullman
Yampah Hot Springs Vapor Caves
Amtrak’s California Zephyr

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Soon continued in
Driving the American West: Central Wyoming

Travels With Two

Wilson Arch outside Moab, Utah

Continued from
Driving the American West: Monument Valley to Canyonlands

From the Needles section of Canyonlands, I stumbled across Hole ‘N the Rock, a ragtag collection of kitsch that forms the ultimate roadside attraction. It’s places like this that make you realize that a road trip is utterly unlike other kinds of travel…and that’s a wonderful thing.

I then eased on into a two-night stay in Moab, Utah, a few friendly blocks’ worth of a river walk, pueblo architecture, and darn fine brewpub or three. At my favorite, the Moab Brewery, I was seated beside two long tables of teens in shiny formal wear, celebrating before their high school’s Sadie Hawkins Dance.

And I treated myself to a glorious half a day at Arches National Park, a relatively small swath of dazzling erosion.

*Sigh.*

I miss Utah.

In the outer reaches of Moab, Hole N" The Rock is a kooky roadside attraction with art made from junk, a petting zoo, a souvenir shop, a motel, and a tour-able family dwelling built into this here rock

The work of metal sculptor Lyle Nicholls is all over the lot at Hole N" the Rock, including this replica of Mater from the animated movie "Cars'

Moab's shops are full of Western art, souvenirs and clothing

I loved my stay at the cozy, remodeled Ramada; and to think, I chose it at random when the Best Western across the street was full

This was the view of the La Sal Mountains from just outside my second-floor room at the Ramada Inn

Eddie McStiff's is a Moab institution, a lively pizza pub tucked into the back of a Western-style mini mall

At the Moab Brewery, I was really taken with this locally-made Utah wine; nearby, the Castle Creek Winery itself offers tastings of all its wines

A popular stop with park-goers, the Love Muffin Cafe has great espresso drinks and baked goods, including gluten-free pumpkin-chocolate chip muffins

Moab's Mill Creek Parkway at dusk; taking a walk along here is a lovely way to start or end a day here

The entrance to Arches National Park, four miles from Moab

Arches offers more than arches

The La Sal Mountain Range rims the park, creating a stark contrast with the dry, sandstone landscape

The unique sandstone formations here are the product of erosion over approximately eleventy gabillion years

One of the many, um, arches, in Arches

Sometimes the park looks like a mysterious badland, strewn with castle ruins

Striping the terrain are bands of iron-rich, non-oxidized sandstone that have turned green

The non-oxidized rock is one of the most unusual shades of green I've ever seen

The hills around Arches are also full of milky quartz

The small park takes only about two hours to explore by car, but is full of amazing, surprising shapes

RESOURCES

City of Moab, Utah
Hole N” the Rock
Ramada Inn Moab 
Eddie McStiff’s
Moab Brewery
Castle Creek Winery
Love Muffin Cafe
National Park Service website for Arches National Park

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Soon continued in

Driving the American West: Western Colorado

Travels With Two

Utah's Monument Valley

Continued from
Driving the American West: Mojave Desert to the Grand Canyon

 
Days three to five of my Great Big American West Road Trip? Simply awesome.

I cruised from the Arizona high desert into Utah’s Monument Valley, a rocky, orange landscape that looked a heck of a lot like the Pixar movie Cars. Probably because it was the inspiration for the Pixar movie Cars.

I spent the night in a quiet, riverside motel on a lonely stretch of highway in Mexican Hat, a town named for a huge rock shaped like a sombrero.

After a couple of gravelly switchbacks beside towering sandstone mesas, I headed into the Needles section of Canyonlands National Park to find snow, ponds, rabbits, mountain bluebirds and enormous rocks shaped like everything from arrowheads to tiramisu.

Then I wandered my way through Canyonland’s Island in the Sky, a winding expanse of craters that rival the Grand Canyon, rimmed by the snow-capped La Sal Mountains.

I feel like my eyes have been popping out of my head for a week now…

Just before the Utah state line, a Burger King in Kayenta, AZ hosts the World War II Navajo Code Talkers Display

The display features artifacts, documents, and photos that detail the important Navajo presence in the war

The river view from The San Juan Inn, my home for a night in Mexican Hat, UT

Mexican Hat, the town's namesake, looks like a sombrero

The Garden of the Gods switchback in the Monument Valley

Taking switchbacks in the Monument Valley allow a closer look at sandstone formations like these, in the Garden of the Gods

A winding road down the center of the Needles section of Canyonlands

The La Sal Range seen from a high point in Needles, Canyonlands

They don't call it Needles for nothin'

...though many of the rocks here look more like tiramisu, if you ask me

Hawk perched on a rock in Canyonlands

A wintry pond in Needles, where I saw rabbits and ducks

In early March, some parts of Canyonlands were peppered with snow, while others were very dry and windy

Gnarled tree in the Island of the Sky area

When you see signs in Canyonlands that say "Open Range," believe them

Little furry goats in Island of the Sky wander close to the road, so drive carefully

Some sections of the Island in the Sky reminded me of the mythical kingdom of Mordor from The Lord of the Rings

Buck Canyon in the Island of the Sky is, for my money (an entrance fee of $10), just as grand as the Grand Canyon

RESOURCES

Monument Valley
Burger King Navajo Code Talker’s Display
San Juan Inn in Mexican Hat, Utah
National Park Service website for Canyonlands National Park

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Continued in

Driving the American West: Moab to Arches

Travels With Two

The South Rim of the Grand Canyon

Continued from
Go West, I Said

 
The first two days of my road trip around the American West were just spectacular:

There were tumbleweeds, Joshua trees and enormous crows beneath a metal-bright blue sky.

I raced mile-long technicolor trains and waved to other drivers, grinning like a fool.

I stayed the night in a former brothel along Route 66, where I had a damn fine cappuccino.

And then I walked along the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, eyes agog.

It’s really good out here.

In the middle of the Mojave Desert, I hopped off the freeway to follow Historic Route 66 for a bit -- and was captivated by this abandoned trading post

The closer I got to Arizona, the sandy Mojave soil became darker and the clouds stretched long across the sky

After six hours of driving, I pulled into Williams, Arizona along the old Route 66

Williams calls itself "Gateway to the Grand Canyon," and is the starting point for the Grand Canyon Railway

View from the Grand Canyon Railway depot in Williams, Arizona at 5pm in late winter

Across the street from the train depot, my home for the night: The Red Garter Bed and Bakery, a former 1897 saloon and brothel

Yes, the mannequin in the window of the Red Garter IS a hooker

Room No. 2 at the Red Garter, with a cozy bed and free wi-fi

Red Raven Restaurant, which was recommended to me for dinner by Deb at the Red Garter

At the cozy Red Raven, I had a delicious dinner of salmon with pesto, asparagus and mashed potatoes, and a fine Pinot Noir

A wander around Williams takes about 45 minutes, and you'll see lots of Hopi images

And what would a Wild West town be without a wooden Indian, I ask you? (*sigh*)

After the 30-mile drive up from Williams, this was my first glimpse of the Grand Canyon in 22 years!

The walking paths around the South Rim of the Grand Canyon were, in early March, cleared only slightly of ice and snow

The snow and ice on the Canyon itself? Much easier to manage -- and gorgeous

Yes, the Canyon is incredible, but the gnarled trees -- and sheer number of languages you'll hear spoken -- are also impressive

Stumbled across the mule corral near the South Rim, and fell in love with these woolly cuties and their trippy tails

I took a park shuttle driver's advice and saw the 2o-minute movie at the Grand Canyon's South Rim/ Mather Point Visitor's Center (narrated, of course, by Peter Coyote), and learned a lot about this natural wonder -- definitely check it out if you find yourself up this way

RESOURCES

The town of Williams, Arizona
Red Garter Bed and Bakery
Red Raven Restaurant
Grand Canyon Railway
National Park Service’s Grand Canyon website
Info on the film, Grand Canyon: A Journey of Wonder

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Continued in

Driving the American West: Monument Valley to Canyonlands

Travels With Two