Friday, October 30, 2015

The Rock Magnet strikes again...or rather, got struck again

So, yesterday I spent the night at the historic Ben Lomond Suites in Ogden, UT.  This hotel was built in 1927 and originally called the Bigalow Hotel.  Constructed in the Italian Renaissance Revival style, it's one of the few "grand hotels" in Utah.  With 11 floors and 350 rooms, it's the tallest building in Ogden, and listed in the National Register of Historic Places.



The hotel is also known to be haunted.  Yes, you heard me right...haunted.  Now, when I read about that...and you can find stories about its reputation on the internet...I was a bit apprehensive.  After all, if there's one thing I'm afraid of, it's ghosts and spirits.  But, I took a chance and spent the night at the hotel.  And, thankfully, there were no voices and no strange occurrences.

Today I headed north on Interstate 84 and had driven about 200 miles when it happened.  A pickup truck passed me in the fast lane...and threw a rock at my windshield.  There was no missing the obvious rock chip just left of the center of my windshield!  NOT AGAIN!!!  This was the 4th...or was it 5th...time a rock has hit my windshield and left a mark.  There was nothing I could do but stare at the rock chip as I continued to drive along.  About a half hour later, I stopped for lunch in Mountain Home, ID.  When I got back to the car, that big rock chip had turned into a half foot crack!  And, by the time I reached Ontario, OR, this is what that crack looked like.


If there's a bright side to this annoying turn of events, the crack is growing away from my field of vision.  Which means, I can hold off replacing the windshield.  Anyway, I was in Ontario to visit the Four Rivers Cultural Center and Museum.  This small museum traces the history of different cultures who lived and immigrated to the area.  From the native Northern Paiute tribe, the Basques and Europeans, the Japanese and the Hispanics from Mexico.  Here's a pic of typical foods those people might have eaten...you had to open a fridge to see it. 


I found the exhibit on the relocation of Japanese citizens during World War II especially poignant and interesting.  Well, that was my day.  Tomorrow is the final home stretch to home, sweet home!  I can't wait to hug my cat and sleep in my own bed again! 

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Oh, my GOSH! You're going to have to start carrying a spare windshield in the back of your vehicle. Maybe you should get a "punch-card" where it says, "Buy four get the fifth one FREE!" That really does stink, though.

Thank you VERY much for sharing your adventures and GORGEOUS photos! I feel like I've been on an adventure right along with you. It will be nice to have you home safe and sound, and I'm sure Kimi will be all about "hugs" again for a while. :-)