It seems like this year has been full of issues that have kept us close to home. Work and weather being the two biggest reasons we haven't wandered off much. Of course we have had the short hops to Green River or Moab for lunch or to Provo or Heber City to see the family, but not much more than that.
I was so excited when Keith said he had a long weekend (Mother's Day) and wanted to run away. Of course the weather was still a mess and the cold and wind forced us to keep the bike in the garage and take only
the truck - but hey - it's a Roadtrip! This time we were heading Southeast to Moab then on to Mesa Verde.We decided to stay at the Lodge in the Park to avoid all the road construction. Well, it DID save us travel time to and from Cortez and it WAS quiet and peacefu
l in the park and............ well, that's about all
I can come up with. Let's just say that the Cortez Holiday Inn would have been a lot better deal in so many ways! The one good thing was the new restaurant at the Lodge, the Metate. The cuisine was "Navajo/Native American fare gone 5 Star"! Wow, what a menu! The chef(s) base
d the menu from what foods were available for the Ancestral people of the area, 2000 years ago. Turkey, trout, maize (polenta), elk, pheasant and quail were some of the items served. There were also dishes of pork, salmon, chicken and beef on the menu and served up with a Southwestern flare! Keith had turkey with wild cherry sauce. I had pork tenderloin with Chipolte Polenta. It was the hottest, spiciest food I have ever had. It's pretty bad when with the first swallow, you lose half the sensation in your throat. Honestly though, it was some of the best dining we have "experienced" in a very long time! Kudos to the chef!The next night, however we had dinner at a Brew Pub in Cortez (didn't think we could handle another night of Chipolte spiced everything). You know you're in the right pub when the sign inside the doorway says "Life is Short - Drink More Beer!"
We spent 2 days in the park and enjoyed re-visiting Balcony House, Spruce Tree House, Cliff Palace, House of
Many Windows, Sunset House and the Hemenway House in Soda Canyon. We enjoyed seeing the deer, wild turkeys, feral horses, hawks and Golden Eagles. We didn't even mind waking up to snow.Enjoy the pictures!
P.S. Remember the "Giant Lizard" that scared me so badly? Well, Keith finally has proof of the existence of such a lizard. Meet the 24 inch Orange Headed Southeastern Lizard (his relatives live in Capital Reef :D)
