Day 42- Dec. 16 -To Salt Lake

I woke up this morning to bitter cold temperatures and as I walked out the door of the hotel to get into my car, I noticed this little bird.

OH, birdie, you must be freezing!! How could he possibly live in Wyoming in winter!! Looks like his little legs would just freeze and break off.

I am thrilled to say that, as of today, I have now used all the pairs of shoes I brought with me!!Darn good thing I packed 6 different types!!

After leaving the hotel, I hopped on the freeway, turned up the country music and put my singing skills to work. Growing up, country music was so far from cool that I wouldn't get caught dead listening to it, BUT the tides have turned!! You see, most of this trip the only stations I could get were country and I have now driven the roads, seen the sights, and felt much of what they feel when they sing these songs. It actually has meaning now!!

This picture is to give you a taste of why the man back at the welcome center said there was nothing to see... I looked over at the little trash bag I have placed in the middle of my car, and noticed how overflowing it had become with tissues in just a few hours. I got to thinking that maybe I should stop and see a doctor once I get to Salt Lake. Then, my mind went to the number of hours I would have to wait.

BUT just at that moment, I looked up to see a blue sign with an "H" on it.

Oh, such luck!! I bet that won't take long! So I swung into Evanston, WY and made my way to the local hospital.

I walked through the door to an emergency room filled with laughs and smiles. They were talking about Christmas presents and what the kids will like.

I got a bit of a feeling I was their only patient of the hour because the wait time was as long as it took me to go from the door to a bed.

I just love small towns!!! The nurses and doctors were so friendly and within minutes I was back on my way with some antibiotics. What service!!!

Just a heads up to everyone! If you get sick with the flu, don't wait thinking you are getting better and it will go away. It doesn't and this new strain can be very serious!! It is not the initial flu that is bad; it's the secondary in your chest that is so dangerous. I was told a story of a guy about my age that has been in the hospital for 2 weeks and doctors thought he wouldn't make it because of this stuff.

But I now have my antibiotics and will be in great shape to travel Utah, so forward I go...

WOO HOO!! Welcome to Utah!! Oh, I'm starting to feel the excitement of seeing the red rocks. I had to stop at the rest area and take my first red rock photo.

I arrived in Salt Lake safely and made my way to a friend of a friend's house to stay. I had never met this woman but my friend said she was great.

Well...

He was more than right. I had no idea I was going to meet me in 28 years. It was unreal. We started talking when I got to her house and didn't stop til midnight.

We have lived very similar lives and approach life in exactly the same way. I couldn't believe it. Kindred spirits!!!! I know what I will look like in 30 years because I look exactly like my aunt Anne in Florida, but now I get to see what I will be like too!!! WOW!!

Like back to the future in real life!!

We had the most wonderful visit!! Like best friends that had known each other for a lifetime and yet we had never met before!!

My dad will be flying in tomorrow and we will adventure through the National Parks of Utah. This should be an interesting leg of the trip because when I talked to my dad the other day on the phone, he asked if it would take us one day or two to get to Arizona.

"Dad, we are taking a week. That's why you got the time off!!"

"In the cold?"

"Well, yeah. We don't really have a choice and it is supposed to be beautiful in winter around here."

Hmm... you see, 75 degrees is freezing to him!!! Our house was always 85 degrees growing up and right now, it is in the mid-30's outside!!

I can see us driving down the road with me in a swim suit and him in long underwear. Oh, let the adventure begin. A father/daughter week of traveling...