Heaven is in Shoshone Forest

I'm coming to you this morning from a 15'x20' cabin that backs up to a mountain just three miles from the Eastern entrance to Yellowstone. I have the front door cracked so I can hear the rushing stream that is no more than 100 feet away. It's amazingly relaxing. No TV, just me, Matt, nature and all of you via this blog, of course. (Hilarious that they have free wifi here. Love it!)

From roadtrip

We'll be rolling out in less than two hours – after breakfast at the lodge – but I must say that this place calls to me. I wish we could stay a night longer. If you're ever out this way, book a night at the Shoshone lodge. It's worth it.

The foodie in me has not been disappointed either. After a relaxing glass of wine last night, I ordered the "Little Grizzly." It's a 10 oz. flat-iron streak with caramelized onions, melted bleu cheese and coated in this wonderful balsamic reduction. My expectations were not high on this steak – I was banking on a mostly tough, hopefully not too dry cut of meat that tasted good due in large part to the toppings. What I found, when I bit into my first morsel, was the best tasting steak I can recall in my nearly 30 years of eating. Words cannot describe. (I assume the source of my meal might have come from around the bend – SOOO delish. Makes me consider moving to Wyoming – all for the beef!

Matt had a steak sandwich which he thoroughly enjoyed as well. We rounded out the meal with a slice of warm blueberry pie, homemade blueberry pie. It was bliss. After dinner we sat on a couple rocking chairs on the porch. Then we went inside to wait for the campfire to be lit. 2.5 hours later, we both woke up from our food and high-altitude induced slumber. The camp fire was long gone. I would not change a thing about last night.

Off to experience Yellowstone! (Apparently, we're sans one critical item for our journey…. Bear spray, yikes!!)


P.S. - the drinking water here is the best I've had in my life (and I consider myself a water aficionado). The source? The top of the mountain we're on, of course!


 

Day 2 Begins

Day 1 in Photos

Day 1 was our longest drive. We just rolled into Sioux City and are contemplating evening plans. More details later on the drive and amazing BBQ lunch in Kansas City. For now, Day 1 in pictures (tried to snap a shot every 100 miles).

Day 1 Message

So Which Is ‘Dem 11 States?

I got a great question today from my friend Barb in Dallas, “Can't wait to read all your adventures. What states are you traveling through?”
 
Minor oversight to the blog about the 11 states we’re traversing – listing the actual states. I’ll first note that by design we’ll narrowly avoid setting foot into both Kansas and Nebraska (a “hats off” to all you Mizzou Tigers fans).
 
Let’s see, we’ll start by bisecting our state – beginning in eastern “Missouri” and ending in a foreign land known as “Missoura.” From there we’ll head north until we reach the western edge of Iowa. And boy, we’ll be within a stone’s throw of Nebraska for hundreds of miles. Next comes the great… err… grand… well, very vast and mostly empty state of South Dakota.
 
I could go on, but you get the picture.  Based on Barb’s question, I took the liberty of creating this interactive Google map of our journey. Might even update it along the way with some of our favorite sites and eats – we’ll see.
 

View Foodie Road Trip - Maiden Voyage! in a larger map
 
On an unrelated note, I had the privilege of grabbing a drink after work with a truly fascinating woman. She’s an executive coach today, but she spent more than 20 years as a ballerina at The Met and discovered opera along the way. She’s headed to Athens next week and I was stuck by the comment she made as her eyes lit up in anticipation of the journey, “I am transposed by antiquity.”
 
Now that’s a way of seeing (and being) I could rally behind! In other news, I need to pack, but I really, really don’t care to.

Pilgrimage to Big Box Mecca

If there's one thing I love to do in life it's planning. I subconsciously selected a career that's deeply rooted in planning and if I had it my way, I'd live a life road map with five-, 15- and 25-year time horizons. (Side note, I have some close friends who actually have one of these. I'm envious.)

So when it comes to getting jazzed about our upcoming journey, my mind immediately goes to supplies. I've been thinking about car food for a while, but there's so much more to consider: a first aid kit, bug spray, special treats for the pets while we're gone... I could go on.

And today is the day. While Matt is out golfing with his brother, I'll be hitting up the big box stores. Additionally, I'll be doing it on a budget armed with about $20 in coupons. To be honest, I'm feeling a little crazed – like those women (and men) who brave the crowds the day after Thanksgiving. Ladies, great deals or not, you know your a little nutz, crazed and consumerized. 

Today, I am proudly part of this nutty clan. Making lists for various stores and planning my route. (I think I'll start at Petco, move on to Target and round out the tour de force at the grocery store.) I will be victorious, so long as I can remember to grab some of the non-drowsy motion sickness meds.

A Journey Begins

A few months ago my husband had this idea, "let's go on a road trip." A lot has transpired since that initial idea – I'm sure I'll pull through some of the more entertaining tidbits shortly – but it's on like Donkey Kong, as some would say.

We're set to travel through 12 states in 11 days this July (2010). Nine of the states we're traveling through, I've never even set foot in. For me, a pampered Midwesterner, it's going to be quite the adventure. Not to mention that I have limited love for the open road. But I also have this feeling that it might be just the journey I need.

What I do have great affection for is food – that will be at the center of this site and at the center of my attention as we embark across the Great Plains, West and Southwest. This blog will be our nomadic home-base for our journey, it will serve as my planning warroom and it will all be over by August.

Will I embark on a poor girl's rendition of Eat, Pray, Love? Will my husband and I achieve a togetherness in a more vivid way than before? Or will it be nothing more than a collection of landmarks, digital photos and crappy souvenirs? Come on, what I am really dying to know (and tell) is every detail about the food. From regional favorites, diners and in-car sammies, it's going to be a vacation told through eats. I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I will.