We woke up on ‘Avalanche Range’ to the realization that we were actually on a horse farm somewhere in the wilds of Utah. There was an absolute stillness in the air and not a single sound could be heard—not even the distant warble of a songbird. I tippy-toed my way through the house and was immediately enchanted by it. Beautifully and tastefully decorated (as if by a professional designer), the aesthetic was distinctly ‘Mountain Style”. There were thick kilim rugs everywhere—on the floor, on the walls, on the couches. Paintings, all over the house, reflected local landscapes: mountains, prairie, horse farms, autumnal fields—the inspiration was Nature. Bridles and horseshoes hung in strategic places, coffee table books about Utah and its environs were in bookcases, loads of sculptural pieces depicting horses, rabbits, dogs, were scattered everywhere. There were dried flower arrangements in rustic vases, loads of cushions in Navajo stripes—you get the idea. We were fully in our element in Kathy’s beautiful cottage.
When Llew awoke, I rustled up some breakfast for the two of us, having taken instruction from Kathy to help ourselves to anything in the fridge or freezer. I found loaves of multi-grain bread, butter, orange marmalade, strawberry jam and peanut butter. It made for a very joyous breakfast indeed as the farmland surrounding us went on with its early morning routine. There were horses to be watered and fed, dogs to be let out, etc.
A half hour later, I was at work—yes, I was at a zoom meeting with a student in Bahrain and a supervisor in Bombay as I helped her apply for US undergrad admission and to shape her Common Ap essay. The session lasted an hour, after which Kathy came to the deck of our cottage to greet us again, welcome us properly to her charming homestead and invite us to take a walk around the property. Meanwhile, during my tutorial session, Llew stayed out on the deck outside, keeping himself amused with a large number of dogs in varied sizes and breeds who came up to say Hello and play ‘Fetch the Stick’ with him. Llew had the best time later as he introduced me to his new furred friends—Buttons, Sweet Pea, Red, etc. They were just lovely.A Walk Around Avalanche Ranch and Meeting Kathy’s Horses:
A few minutes later, we were following Kathy out to the vast training enclosure where she introduced us to Linsey, her trainer, seated atop a magnificent horse called Finn, and to a bunch of her friends who lived in nearby Park City. They had brought their grandkids over to the Ranch for riding lessons which they’d been taking since they could walk. We were introduced to the horses—in addition to Finn, there was Cowboy. I discovered that they are the gentlest animals, friendly and intelligent and eager to interact with human beings. Although it has been a long time since I have ridden a horse (the last time was in Matheran, about five years ago), I did wish I could. When their indoors lesson was complete, Linsey suggested a walk around the ranch so that the children could get the feel of riding in varied terrain.
It was a good idea. While they were on horseback, the adults (all of us—a crocodile of about six folks) followed behind them. It was a gorgeous day, the sun shining benignly upon us. We were grateful for our jackets and scarves as the wind whipped playfully around us. As we walked deeper into the property, past cottages, we were out in the open country, ringed by the Wasach Mountains, misty in the distance. We trooped on towards a stream at the far end of the property and had the pleasure of watching the horses ford the stream while we stood on a wooden bridge that spanned it. Really…it could not have been more delightfully rural. For us, Urbanites, this was a rare experience and one that warmed the cockles of our hearts. What an exciting way to start our tour of North America, I thought. What a unique insight into the lifestyle of people who live by the land and who have never known an office. When our hour-long walk was done, we’d had our own exercise for the day and had encountered the outdoors in ways we had never dreamed of or expected.
A Tour of Park City, Utah:
Only a little while later, Kathy came back to the deck of our cottage (she lived in her own larger ranch house, just a few meters from us) where we gave her the gift we had carried for her from India—a silk shawl that could also be worn as a scarf. She loved it, especially as she told us that she often goes to musical concerts in Park City. Talking of which, she suggested we get ready for some sightseeing. We were thrilled to place ourselves in her hands as dressed to meet her at her car. Our first stop would be Park City, Kathy’s recommendation as a place from which we would receive a good idea of the historical development of the region.
It was while Kathy was behind the wheel driving us to Park City, Utah, that I realized what a feat Llew had accomplished, the previous night, as he drove us to the ranch in the darkness, with mist and rain making visibility so poor and curving, hairpin bends around each mountain. Indeed, it was incredible that we had reached our destination safely and I gave thanks to the Lord for bringing us to our home without event or accident.
Park City is one of those lovely, quaint towns that mushroomed in the mid-19th century, as a result of the Western expansion of the American frontier and the search for precious metals such as silver and gold. Although very little gold was found in the Utah Mountains, the metal that made the town and its people rich was silver. Indeed, several silver mines are still in operation in the area. At any rate, the discovery of silver led to the development of a frontier township, similar to the many that sprouted throughout the 1800s in the West. In Park City, the atmosphere has been beautifully preserved so as to make it a compelling tourist attraction. In Kathy’s hands, we felt we had the services of a local guide.
Kathy parked her car on Main Street which is really the heart of the town. Buildings--well preserved and maintained--line both sides of the street. There are stores, restaurants, office buildings, even a high school—all of which retain their old-world charm by conforming to an architectural style that remains frozen in time. The result is a very pretty combination of natural and man-made structures that charm at every turn. We walked along Main Steet taking in its wares and its hanging baskets and window boxes spilling over with summer blooms.
In the Park City Museum:
At Kathy’s suggestion, we visited Park City Museum, a small but very interesting venue on Main Street, where relics from the past are superbly displayed to give the visitor a composite idea of the town and its growth from a sleepy mining settlement that attracted prospectors to the tourist center it is today. We were able to take a stimulated ride on a train which allowed us to pretend that we were prospectors making our way on the tracks Westward to find silver and gold. In another section, we marveled at the stagecoaches that had traversed this grand continent carrying passengers and cargo—think Wells Fargo and its flourishing business in 19th century North America. Sections on silver mining—the manner in which hundreds of men were taken in dangerous elevators into the bowels of the earth to shovel rocks in order to find silver ore--were fascinating. There was convincing statistics on the numbers that died in the Silver and Gold Rush in Kamas County alone. A thriving town calls for a newspaper and there was a section on the dailies that were then produced to keep townsfolks abreast of life in the outside world. And since silver mining spelled greed and lawlessness, there was a jail (a real one)—underground, where outlaws were held until they were dealt with. There was also a reproduction of a grocery store from which basic provisions could be purchased to feed town and farming families and, of course, the ubiquitous saloon in which men drank their sorrows away or celebrated great finds over endless rounds of whisky. Long years spent in the wilderness prospecting inevitably led to side businesses such as gun-slinging and prostitution and accounts of the red light district of the town were also on display. There were several levels to this very impressive museum and I was so glad we stopped there as it gave us such a graphic idea of what life was like in these American frontier towns when the country was still very young and trying to carve out its own identity.
Lunch at ‘Annexe Burger’:
By this point, we were hungry and Kathy suggested we stop for lunch. The place she had in mind for us was about to close (as it was already close to 3 pm), but we found tables on the top deck of a restaurant called ‘Annexe Burger’ on Main Street which touted itself as serving authentic buffalo (bison) burgers. Of course, I had to taste them again (we’d had these, a few years ago, in the Canadian Rockies) and so we settled down to enjoy a variety of three types of burger: a bacon burger, a cheddar cheese burger and a blue cheese burger—all served with the crispiest onion rings and a ranch dressing. We also ordered a Taco Salad that was loaded with black beans, corn, quinoa as well as tomatoes, cucumbers and avocado—as well as a piquant salsa. It was a lovey meal that we enjoyed as we overlooked the trolley that made its way up and down Main Street in another attempt at reproducing the ambience of a bygone era. Kathy was wonderful company as she recounted for us so many anecdotes about growing up with horses, entering riding competitions, etc. This life was a far cry from the one she later knew in New York City and it is not surprising that she opted eventually to re-settle in this area to which she had given her heart.
Off to the Sundance Resort:
Lunch done, we strolled back to our car. As we walked there, Kathy informed us that Park City came into its own once a year in the Fall during the famous Sundance Film Festival, an occurrence that has attained international fame as a place to showcase the work of independent film-makers. It was initiated by a group of film-lovers but reached heights of popularity after it received the patronage of the renowned actor, Robert Redford, who made the area his home on several acres of sprawling acreage in the mountains. Kathy pointed out the well-known Egyptian Cinema which is where most of the major film screenings take place, during the festival. I stopped to take a peek inside, but it was closed. Films are still screened in this venue which is so-called because its design and décor are based on motifs from ancient Egypt—pharaohs, sarcophagi, hieroglyphics, etc.
Naturally, then it made sense for us to go to the ‘Sundance Resort’ which was an investment by Redford to bring visibility to the area and to attract folks to the place outside of the festival. Kathy drove us about twenty minutes’ away, past the little town of Provo, to arrive at an idyllic locale where Nature and man’s vision coalesced beautifully. Unfortunately, there was a lot of construction everywhere which disturbed our own understanding of the concept.
We soon came to understand that Redford’s idea of a resort was one in which accommodation would be available to visitors who wished to enjoy the Wasach Mountains and Mount Timpanogos, in particular, as she looks down benevolently upon the estate. Geared mainly to the artsy and the creative, the place has a lovely art gallery where we were treated to wonderful depictions of the mountains and surrounding woods in varied artistic interpretations. There is a private screening room for producers and directors who wish to showcase their work before it is bought and distributed. There is a classy restaurant which has a massive tree growing right inside it. There are provision stores and unique gift shops and a vast reception hall for people who wish to have a ‘destination wedding’ in this location. All of these structures were built around babbling brooks and a rushing river that had its source up in the mountains that towered around us. Yes, Sundance is glorious and a fine place in which to spend a few luxurious days, far from the madding crowd. We took it all in, grateful to Kathy, our friend and guide, who knew the place like the back of her hand.
Dinner at ‘Avalanche Ranch’:
By this time, twilight had fallen and as we had seen the main attractions that the region offered, Kathy suggested we drive back to her ranch for dinner. In fact, she wanted to cook dinner for us—so although we offered to take her out, she insisted we eat at the ranch.
To our good luck, it started raining as soon as we entered the car. This was good for us, of course, as we stayed dry…but it did make for challenging driving conditions for Kathy who was undeterred by a little dampness. She found her way around the U-turn bends of the mountains like an absolute pro and, before long, we were at our cottage on the ranch thinking about how hard it would be to leave this pastoral idyll tomorrow as our Great Road Trip continued.
About an hour later, Kathy called us to her cottage as dinner was ready. Her home turned out to be a larger and much more crammed version of the cottage we were occupying: the aesthetic was identical (Mountain Style) with comfy couches, tables, impressive bookcases filled with every conceivable kind of book (as Kathy is a voracious reader), loads of china and ceramics in the kitchen and a general warmth that defies description.
We sat down then to enjoy Kathy’s wonderfully rustled up pasta dinner: there was Linguine with Crabmeat, Arugula, Lemon and chill flakes that was simple but truly delicious. Accompanying it was a Watermelon and Feta Salad that was cooly refreshing. Kathy was cool-as-a-cucumber as she offered us drinks and led us to the dining table where we were joined by Sacha, an Argentinean artist who is working on a large installation on her estate and Linsey, the trainer we had met that morning. Unfortunately, at that point, Llew realized that he had left his credit card behind in the ‘Annexe Burger’ restaurant where we’d had lunch. A quick call to the place confirmed that his card was being held there. Lindsey then gamely offered to drive out there and pick it up. We were extremely grateful for the offer as Llew dreaded driving on the mountain bends in the darkness and since we had intended to leave early, the next morning, and the eatery only opened at 11.00 am, it was good to have Linsey drive up there and pick it up for us.
And then our lovely meal, eaten while seated companionably at a round table, set perfectly with matching ceramic plates and napkins, came to an end. We thanked Kathy profusely for her warmth, hospitality and friendship, said goodnight to her and told her we would awake early, the next morning, to get a head start on our itinerary. We’d had our first taste of the mountains and we could not wait to continue our travels through this most rugged part of the American West.
Until tomorrow, cheerio…
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