Day 15. We woke up early in Reno. It had been a tough night for the girls and myself. I found myself reading, trying to fall back asleep, at 3 am. I heard Ellie tiptoe across the room and whisper, “Mama? I’m worried ravens are going to get into the car. They’re smart and can rip the tape and plastic.” I giggled, remembering the raven at Canyonlands that broke into the car near ours to steal their food. After I reassured her that there are absolutely no ravens in Reno (that may not be true), she curled up between Zak and I and spent the rest of night worry free.
We woke up early, filled up on a good breakfast and were on the road again by 7. The drive was smooth. Except when we took a break to switch drivers, fill up on gas, and use the restrooms. Someone had gone diarrhea all over the floor of the restroom. That was gross. And perplexing.
We ate a lunch of leftover peanut butter, meat sticks, and Cheetos while driving across Nevada. We listened to podcasts, played Mario Kart, did crossword puzzles, and took care of some of the the logistical things that could be taken care of in a noisy car.
We pulled into Salt Lake City around 4 and were blown away by the compassion of Kimpton. They swept the non-essentials for the night into a secure area, emptying our car for us, and making sure we were comfortable. We checked in with the nicest women who assured us that they would do anything for us during our stay. Then we walked into a gorgeous suite. They had set up the perfect glamping site for the girls. A tent, a lantern, a gourmet s’mores station, fresh berries and whipped cream, a pet goldfish for the night, and a brand new box of colored pencils for Zoe. How unreal?! Kimpton cares so much about their customers, we feel like we are truly part of the Kimpton family.
After a delightful wine hour, we went to the same brewery we went to last year when we were in town, Squatters. Then we took some time to stroll through downtown Salt Lake City. We went to the Morman Temple and admired the beautiful flowers and landscaping. I remembered how much I really like this city. It is so peaceful, people are happy and friendly, it is clean, and feels really safe.
We were approached by a young man asking if we had spare change. Ellie later told me that I should of given him money, then he would of maybe had enough to find a warm place to sleep. The city has a program where they have turned old parking meters into collection stations for homeless charities. I emptied my coins into the next one we saw, which made Ellie really happy.
We are sleeping very comfortably tonight with bellies full of s’mores. We have been reminded throughout the day of the kindness of our friends. We have just a few more (long) states to drive through, but then we’ll be in a cozy home. Life is good. Really good.
