Years ago after WWII my Uncle Jack who was a Marine and in all the major battles (Pearl Harbor, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, Tenaru) did a homestead lottery and was pulled for a little dry piece of land in Idaho. He worked the land into a farm and most of my mom's family migrated from Illinois to help him with the homestead and many stayed on. We of course were from Phx (one of my Grandparents stops for a few years) so we would always travel up to see my aunts and uncles and grandparents in Idaho on the farm or their other properties they worked. My mom and dad retired there about 15 years ago and when my dad was so sick I was constantly there. Since he passed last August this was our first road trip back and we decided to go the nostalgic way that my parents used to drive from Phoenix thru Vegas and up the 93 through all the small mining towns I remembered being so scenic and my mind would just wonder what life would be like in these small towns where you would blow by them in 5 minutes and see it all......We were able to leave a bit early on a Thursday - here is Steve and Rocky ready to roll!
It seemed like minutes and we were blowing past the strip in Vegas.....
Then we blew by the Vegas Speedway where we own some land.....that's a story in itself.....
maybe our grandchildren's grandchildren will benefit from it :)
Then we turned up the 93 which was like driving on a ghost highway and next stop was my fave little town Caliente! I always loved this old train station when I was little. I was happy to see they have fixed it up a bit as it used to be in ruins.... 
And the only hotel in Cliente 'Hot Springs' which used to be an oasis and now is the site of all the Warren Jeffe Polygamist marriages!!!! 
Little Rocky takes a snooze on my arm......
We stayed the night in Ely(right after we were pulled over for speeding and Steve talked his way out of it) and it was sooooo cold.....the next morning there was snow everywhere and it stayed for a bit...when we pulled over to gas up Rocky had to investigate....
The mountain ranges were covered and the ground was a frozen tundra....we saw lots of deer and wild horses and there were only like 6 cars we saw all day driving hundreds of miles....loved the remoteness and it was so relaxing not to fight traffic like we usually do on I/15
We stopped at a rest stop and Rocky found me a wild daffodil! 
We always have a 64 oz diet coke and plenty of corn nuts when we roll!
We got to Mom's Friday afternoon and of course she spoiled Steve with some of her fantastic Mac and Cheese!
While Steve worked around the place and by work I mean did a major redo of the lawn and all the handyman lists.....and Rocky slept in....
My sister and I had a little time to hang out....we stopped and shared a yummy pork burrito at Cafe Rio.....gosh, how I wish we had one in SD......someone with the initials DSR may or may not have had an incident with a toilet seat liner.....
and then a trip into TaiPan Trading, Zurchers, Craft Warehouse and lots of other fun stops.....Savers too!
For our 25th anniversary mom gave us all the things she got for her and dad's 25th....the silver and the gifts from friends and relatives and her and dad's china....I love every piece because it was theirs and we shared lots of meals using the pieces with family that are no longer with us...
Mom made a yummy cherry pie and her famous banana bread......oh so good!
I helped my sister do some things for a party she is getting ready for....embellished these cute invites....
What girl doesn't love a little bling on an invite?
I also made an asparagus torte with philo dough and Parmesan cheese.....yum
Little Mr. Wilson checking out the atlas for the ride home...
We took mom and Aunt Mary and Aunt Joyce to the Elks club for their yummy Prime Rib Lunch ($6.95)..... 
Then we went to their place for a couple games of Right, Left, Center and they beat us good!
We made some home made jerky which Steve and I finished on the drive home....
I fancied up a serving bowl for a card themed party.....
....we saw more family and of course more shopping and eating and then before we knew it the time had come to head home....DOG is our co-pilot....
This was headed back to CA....soon my pony will have a new old friend on the road!
Such a beautiful drive and lots more snow.....we made such good time we drove straight home....Thanks to that 5 hr energy drink in Vegas :)
The mining cars from the mines to the processing plant, all closed down and boarded up....sad these little towns that once thrived on mining are almost ghost towns now...
So we got home late on a Thursday night and then the next a.m. unpacked....here are the things I got for the big 30 bday party coming up. Love the napkins I found....Fabulous...Flirty and Thirty! All pink, white and black.
...and my Thrift Store finds.....Americana wood angels, a mini spool toy and these fun french provincial wall plaques....
oh, and also found this antiqued green bird cage stand that I wanted for by the front door....
....I needed a little height there and then fixed a little nest inside....
So home to our little nest with a new little nest. It was a great trip and Steve and I agreed when all he** breaks loose this week and we are back in the grind we will think of the peaceful and beautiful roads of the 93 and the fun with family.
