I was absolutely amazed at how beautiful and rugged North Idaho was when I drove it a few times going between Vancouver and Toronto... I was really amazed at the mountain passes, and how they were some of the most beautiful I've seen anywhere, BC included.
Yep. Every time I cross Lookout and 4th of July, I know I'm back home after thousands of miles of not interesting scenery.
I'd be headed to Utah... maybe Montana. There's a gunmaker in British Columbia I want to visit sometime too. Really ugly places.
I've driven across Utah in both E/W and N/S directions and it's one of the most boring, desolate places ever. It's Nevada with red rocks. And Mormons. If you enter the less populated areas, it's rogue Mormons with guns who don't like strangers. They're not very hospitable. Montana I can deal with even though it's pretty much the northern plains continued. There is a severe lack of trees, it's mostly hills covered with brown grass. But people are few and far between, which is a bonus, and for the most part they're pretty nice.
If you can get over the Mormons Utah has 6 amazing months of skiing, and some beautiful mountains. I hate Mormons because they want to legislate the world based on their religious beliefs. I respect no one with those beliefs. Thus I find Utah to be terrible.
The only two good things about Utah are Miller Motorsports race track (a FANTASTIC track we used to race on in Grand Am), and the Bonneville Salt Flats. The rest I can do without.
The best way I can describe Idaho is it is what happens when Florida and Montana fuck. The people, the climate, everything; exactly like the offspring of those two states.
Southern Idaho is basically north Utah. There's a reason eastern Washington and north Idaho have been lobbying for a 51st state called Columbia since I was a kid. South Idaho and north Idaho have nothing in common. Not even Potatoes.
I like Antelope Island in Utah. Check this out, it's beautiful. Pronghorn, bison and mule deer, on an island in Great Salt Lake. This is a sunset there. Here's some of the American Bison: And here's a Pronghorn from there, where the island takes its name. [even though Pronghorn aren't antelope]
I think Utah is a gorgeous state. I've driven I 70-15 probably over two dozen times at this point. The stretch between Richfield and Green River is pretty awesome. Its a weird state though. St. George is only about a 30min drive from the infamous Colorado City. The only liquor store in town is on the far north edge and I've heard the mormom church has that entire city locked down to a person. It is shockingly desolate. That same stretch I mentioned before has a sign just outside of Salida that says last gas station for 110 miles, and thats no lie. On the plus side because there is no one there you can basically drive however fast you'd like. Whenever I'm passing through I always make sure to make one last stop in Nevada and pick up a 6 pack for the hotel. I'm not perfectly clear on what they can and can't sell and when they do and don't. Don't want to get to the hotel and end up buying 3.2 or some nonsense like that
My beer of the month pack has some....yowza...beers on it. I took a drink of the ipa and immediately handed to the husband. Good god.
Yea, I'm over overly hopped double and triple IPAs. Some are really good, Stone's Enjoy By comes to mind, but most are just excessive and hard to enjoy
Bryce and Zion are amazingly beautiful. There's something refreshing about waking up at 8am to Mexicans yelling at each other on your balcony. Thanks, assholes. Came across this gem:
I feel like most of the IPAs I've had lately are the result of lazy brewing. "Oh. It's really hoppy. Let's call it an IPA!"
We have a few at our place that are like that. A regular is the brother of the guy who produces Monkeynaut. He brought in a growler of some new stuff his brother was making and I was so not impressed. Even he called it a "palate killer" as much as he loves it. I am happy to sample as many of those as you'll give me but I can't imagine enjoying a full glass of the stuff. Then again, I like the sweet, smooth taste of draft Yuengling so I'm not the girl to be asking to enjoy a metallicy, bitter tasting IPA.