Travels With Lacey--Mullin Auto Museum

I'd read about the Mullin Automotive Museum several times, but it's location, and the fact that it is open only on Saturdays (if at all) made it difficult to visit.  Thankfully a good friend of Lacey's is the owner's sister-in-law, and her husband helped arrange a special tour.  That's the good news...

The bad news was, due to construction, most of the rare cars were covered as protection.  So another visit will be in order.  But more good news, not only does the museum display cars from the 20's and 30's (primarily Bugattis), but there are also very nice displays of art deco furniture and other period artifacts.  Apparently Carlo Bugatti was also a furniture designer.  (if you click on the pics, you'll get a larger image, and can even expand the image to read the print).

A couple era posters and an interesting sculpture...

The museum is dedicated primarily to the discovery, purchase, restoration, and display of the classic Bugatti mark.  While most of the cars are restored, a couple have remained in found condition for display purposes.  One is the "barn find", another was hauled up from a lake in Switzerland.

Upstairs were some more recent Bugattis, produced by new companies trying to maintain the Bugatti image.  Here's a rare example, amazing!

Although it is difficult to visit, due to location and limited hours, the Mullin Museum is absolutely fabulous!  ... one of the finest museums of its kind, and a wonderful example of Art Deco design in all its aspects.  I'm sure it will also continue to grow (there are quite a few cars stored elsewhere).  And special exhibits will enhance its value to the car buff and art appreciator.  

Travels With Lacey--Taking Off

So the Hawaii thing didn't work out.  Couldn't make reasonable travel arrangements.  As a consolation prize, we decided to head up the Central California coast with lots of time and only vague destinations in mind (a car museum for me and the Hearst Castle for her).  We also had a dinner date in Santa Barbara the following weekend as an end goal.  This was interesting, kinda winging it, different for us.

We took off from Pepperdine in West LA, a late start but who cares!  We did have a phone call in to a hairdresser's husband about a special tour of the Mullin Car Museum in Oxnard, and the OK arrived just as we hit the city.  So we wandered down to the Channel Island area of Oxnard, found a nice hotel along the bay, and settled for the night.  A walk around inspired my fascination with fishing boats and found a special friend for Lacey.

Never thought of Oxnard as a coastal city, but it sure is, rather nice in fact.  And good seafood for dinner (starting a trend during this trip).

Daytrippers

Our Fall trip to the San Rafael Swell was cancelled at the last moment.  So we substituted a day trip in search of the Sun Tunnel installation in the West Desert north of Wendover.  As we crossed the Salt Flats cruising on the Interstate, we decided to stop at another art installation right along side of the road...  the Tree of Life!  (we've often passed this installation on the way West, but never really stopped to examine it).

And, no trip to Wendover would be complete without a moment to appreciate the awesomeness of the Salt Flats (pretty much impossible to capture in a picture).  And a reminder that I need to check out speed week next year.

We took the exit to the "famed measured mile", then headed north, 45 miles between the Pilot Range and the Salt Flats, towards the Lucin railroad crossing.  Here's the Pilot Range with Pilot Peak on the left, a shot from the road back towards the Interstate, and a look back East to the Salt Flats.

We also ran across a hitchhiker, who refused a ride because we didn't have good snacks.

At the North end of the Pilot Range is a microwave site.  In another lifetime, I used to service this site.  During the Summer, it was a really cool place to hang, but in the Winter, well, getting there was a big hassle.

The road was not well marked, but generally the route was reasonably straight forward.  We took the correct spur road for a couple miles and easily found the Sun Tunnels.  On one hand, they were just four large concrete cylinders...  But there are some curious things going on here.  I don't have good info on all the details of the installation, but it has a lot to do with the sun on Solstice and Equinox.  The holes in the tubes have significance as well (I guess!)...  maybe a solar calendar of some sort.  Anyway, I missed the lecture...  but I have the pictures!

Here's Rod, the world's greatest photographer, taking a picture of something...  holes in concrete?

And an obligatory pic of the vehicle that got us here...   With new Yokohama's keeping us on the road.

Leaving the Sun Tunnels, we drove another few miles north to Lucin, basically a ghost town/oasis, originally a major site for railroad construction.  Not much left except a shot up monument.

Then it was back to the highway that connects Northern Utah to Eastern Nevada.  We thought about getting a beer at the Cowboy Bar in Montello; however every deer hunter in the area had decided to catch football on this Sunday afternoon...  crowded as hell...

Hmmm...  deer hunt....  that means it's Deer Widows Weekend in Wendover!  Hey, a couple middle aged stud muffins could have hot, drunk, horny babes crawling all over them!  So we headed hell bent for Wendover...  as we entered town, Wendover Will seemed to acknowledge our lurid thoughts.

But apparently all the lonely babes had gathered their hangovers and headed back home that morning.  All we found were the desparate, the meth addicted, and the retired...  kinda depressing all in all.  But the casino was glitzy, that's for sure...

So we pigged out at the buffet and headed home ourselves...  All in all, a good daytrip...

Conference Time

Attempts at diversity in SLC...

Snowbird Interlude

For my birthday, Miriam and I decided to dine up at the Steakpit at Snowbird.   We got a good room rate at the Cliff Lodge thinking a night's stay after a Steakpit blowout was a better idea than trying to drive back to the valley.  A fine bottle of wine accompanied the excellent dinner.

I even got a birthday cake of sorts.

We were joined by a couple of special guests, one of which found his own dinner.  (Apparently they make a nightly visit for a bread roll, and provide a special treat for Steakpit diners).

The next day, in an effort to burn off all those Steakpit calories, I began the hike up Peruvian Gulch.  The elevation gain was 1000', and I was one tuckered dude by the time I hit the access road leading a long traverse back to the resort.  On the way, I did find a little waterfall and stream, still running in this dry year.

The Fall colors were coming on...

After the hike, and a bit of a rest, it was off to Oktoberfest and a bunch of beer.  I don't remember much else that night.  Sometime the next day we were found at the Alta Lodge enjoying fine jazz guitar, a nice brunch, and the wonderful mountains (forgot my camera).  All in all, a welcome and enjoyable interlude.

Burgers at the Bert's

So what better way to celebrate the Labor Day weekend than an old fashioned BBQ...  I zipped up to Park City for booze and burgers at the Bert's...  Lots of friends, mostly of the PC variety (and I don't mean politically correct!).

Nice bar.. gotta get that wine open...

Drink while the sun is shining...

Oh, that Lisa...

Comparing drinks...

How to get 17 burgers from 16 patties...

And on to the grill...

The burgers finished just in time...  the clouds darkened and the hail hit...  left a lonely bar...

The party just moved inside...  the kitchen of course...

The cowboys get all the girls...

A good time was had by all...  (and great food, thanks to all who contributed).