“On the Road Again…”

We just arrived in Sun Valley– our first out-of-state destination in a year and a half!  As we drove through California into the Sierras I was in transition mode. I was still thinking about home.

On our second day of travel I was more present. We were on the high desert with its open landscape, desert sage, rolling mountains and white puffy clouds.There was time and space to observe and wonder–where were all these cars and trucks alongside us going? what about the people in this little desert town or that small cabin on the mountain? what were their stories?

On our way, a stop at Starbuck’s provided the requisite morning lattes and a break from sitting in the car. Friendly baristas asked where we were from and where we were going and wished us safe travels.

Lunch was an indulgence: Culver’s in Twin Falls, Idaho. Culver’s is a Wisconsin hamburger-frozen custard institution. There are now three in Idaho!

My Wisconsin husband had to pay homage and did so with a double cheeseburger and Salted Caramel malt. Cosi and I represented the California approach to cuisine and “shared” a chicken, bacon, and bleu cheese salad.

After lunch, we drove north through a rainstorm and more dramatic mountain and high desert terrain to our destination.

And now? We will see. I’m hoping to take a class at the Sun Valley Culinary Institute and to have at least one Bowl of Soul– more details on both in future blogs.

Until then, I wish you happy healthy travels, be they close or far away, with good vistas and sustenance along the way.

P.S. The many hours on the road gave us a lot of time to listen to some fascinating podcasts. Three special ones were:

💥”The Healing Power of Laughter” on Sanjay Gupta’s “Chasing Life” (CNN Audio)

💥“Eye to Eye Animal Encounters” on To the Best of Our Knowledge on Wisconsin Public Radio

💥”Las Cholitas de Hoy” (Cholitas of Today) on Duolingo about the first indigenous women (Cholitas) to climb Bolivia’s highest mountains