Vegas to Cedar City - 28th January

It is around 280 ks from Vegas to Cedar City.

We started by sleeping in a bit and after last admiring the view we checked out and looked around the magnificent garden display the Bellagio has just off from the main lobby. It is a Chinese New Year display and is just sensational.

It was a short stay here but we really enjoyed it.

We split the road trip into 3 parts, Vegas to Mesquite, After Mesquite you enter Arizona for nearly 50 Ks and is notable for its scenic passage through the Virgin River Gorge. Quite a ride, at the top you are in Utah and we stopped in St George for a late lunch. As we entered Utah we lost one of the hours we picked up yesterday.

After a late lunch it was onto Cedar City, almost my favourite place in the world.We met up with Amy and Steve, nice to see them again after a week. We are here for 8 days, it is the holiday inside the holiday.

Show and tell

Cedar City - 29th January

Just a quiet day, I slept off and on all day as I try to shake this damn cold. Rayls and Amy went out and did a run that included at least Walmart and Joanns.

Rayls and I did Sizzlers for dinner, we all watched TV in the evening.

Cedar City - 30th January

Another quiet, relaxing day.

After brekkie we headed out with Amy, checked out some stores including a Home Depot. Always nice to wander around a Home Depot, get some ideas which I will probably forget when we get home. I see the Staples store is closing on 6th Feb, another sign of the times.

Nice lunch, Rayls had Arby's and I had Jimmie Johns.

After lunch Rayls and Amy went out again, they checked out Stitchin' It Up, Bullochs and Smiths Grocery Srore.

Steve and I watched a 1992 movie The Unforgiven.

Dinner was Applebee's, it was in the car park after dinner that I took the photo.

We all watched The Martian And then bed.

Snowed in

View from Amy and Steve's front window

Cedar City - 31st January

Very quiet day today, just like I like it.

It snowed, always nice to see. So different for us.

Burger King for lunch, Dennys for diner. Dennys was busy with not much staff, our server McKinzi did an admirable job which was reflected in her tip.

Watched TV, relaxed!

Snowed in

Our rental car
Cedar City
In front of Amy's house
Steve shovelling snow

Cedar City - 1st February

Steve says we had 16 to 18 inches of snow today, that is an impressive amount even for this part of the world. So much snow the schools are closed for the first time in 61 years.

Rayls and I had a sleep in, made it till 9:30am. I think after 2 weeks we are close to kicking the jet lag. My cold lingers but is OK.

Amy had an appointment at noon and Steve drove her, we tagged along - nearly bought a pair of shoes. Still mulling that. I have a 40% off voucher so tempting.

We had Jimmy Johns for lunch, like a Subway but much better.

Poor Steve has spent the whole day clearing snow off the drive way and paths. I went down the driveway to take photos of the car and slid on ice for about half a metre but somehow managed to regain my feet before falling. The drive has quite a slope downwards towards the road.

Our rental car was parked on the kerb, covered in snow. Steve just dug it out and brought it up the drive. He is thinking the snow plough might come through soon - maybe not see the car. That would be bad.

Most businesses seem to do their best to clear their car parks and entry ways. That was certainly not the case at iHop where we had dinner. The car park was slush as was the walk to the entry. Very tough going and on the way out Rayls did her best Torvil and Dean impression but stayed upright.

Fun day. As you all know - I love it here. Feel so at home.

We watched TV in the evening, The Good Wife and The Graham Norton Show on BBC America.

Cedar City - 2nd February

No snow today but still lots of snow on the ground. It is below freezing so the snow remains white and like a Christmas Card. The roads, however, have crushed and dirty snow on them. It is not unusual to see a car driving along with a foot of white snow on the roof. The art is to clear the snow off the bonnet and windscreen and pretty much let the rest fall off as you drive.

So driving is a little tougher with the snow ploughs pushing the snow to the side of the road but not necessarily off the road.

We pottered around again today. A few stores, we went to Bullochs, a pharmacy that has a sixties style ice cream area. I managed something from there whilst the ladies browsed.

Rayls and I fended by ourselves for a while in the afternoon. Went to an antique store Rayls wanted to have a better look at.

At 6:30pm the 4 of us met up at the Stadium 8 for a movie, The Finest Hour, in 3D even. I think Steve and I enjoyed it more than the ladies. Always nice to go to a movie with Amy and Steve whilst in CC. It was $5 for the movie including the 3D glasses. It was -15C whilst we walked from the cinema to the car.

Cedar City/St George - 3rd February

After brekkie we headed down to St George with Amy, it was -12C in CC but was up to 2C 45 minutes later when we arrived in St G which is 2000 feet lower in altitude. There is not a cloud in the sky, beautiful blue skies but a little brisk.

Rayls and Amy started the day at a couple of quilt shops.

We had lunch at a place recommended by Amy, Culvers. Big success here, great service - I chatted to the server for close to 10 minutes about Australia. Place was clean and the food was good. Good suggestion Amy, she aims to please!

After lunch we went to JC Penney, I wandered a few stores across to a Barnes and Noble where I bought a USA Atlas for my mate Glen back home.

Then to Kohls, Rayls resisted the temptation of the Joanns store next door. A Walmart and we headed back to CC. The speed limit for much of the way is 130 kph, this is I15 which starts in San Diego and goes up to Canada. Lovely stretch of road, beautiful scenery. Lots of planes causing jet streams in the sky. Of course I was able to inform Amy and Rayls, through my FlightRadar24 app on my phone which plane it was and where it had had come from and where it was going. The ladies pretended to show interest in this.

Got back to CC just before 4 and took it easy for a bit. We had KFC for dinner, it was -10 outside and around -8 inside the store. Brrrrrr!

We watched What About Bob on TV before bed.

Cedar City - 4th February

The weather remains cold, didn't get above -5 today and so the snow that fell a few days ago remains on the ground.

Today is our last day in CC before we head up to Salt Lake City for a day. We all celebrated with our traditional visit to Market Grill for lunch. Market Grill is a bit rough around the edges, it's next to a cattle yard and today was auction day - we could smell that! Mainly burgers but they have sensational pies and we were lucky that they had 2 slices of banana left. Sadly Steve took one but the other one was delicious as always. Yummo! The place has photos of John Wayne all around it, the service is great, it's rowdy and I just love it.

After lunch Rayls and Amy spent an hour or so in a yarn shop - they both seemed to enjoy that.

Rayls caught up with the washing today, we watched some TV and relaxed some more. Steve is busy getting ready for their road trip to Portland, Oregan starting Sunday.

Rayls and I ate at Sizzlers for dinner, we are of course welcome to eat with Amy and Steve but I in particular like to eat out in the USA. Don't do it often back home.

The Big Bzng Theory was the highlight of the evening TV viewing. This was the episode they previewed at the taping a few weeks ago. Next weeks episode is the one we saw taped.

We have been here a week and loved it. Sad to leave tomorrow but we will be back for a brief visit Saturday on our way back to Vegas.