A Hidden Oasis! (First Time Greendockin' Part III)

Dean (the husband)  Shalane (the wife)

Pop Shop

Before heading out of Shoshone we stopped at the only gas station in town to add a little fuel to the tank.  My jaw about dropped when I noticed the price was $5.10 for a gallon of diesel.  Needless to say, I did not fill up!  They did have a specialty soft drink in there called "Orange Cream".  It was the most amazing soda that I had tasted in a long time.  Whenever I'm in a new place, I like to enjoy a new taste.  This little gas station was also a small gift shop that had a few unique and quirky things in it.  The soda we got, Henry Reinhard's Orange Cream Soda, tasted just like an orange creamsicle!  It was so yummy!  I liked it so much that I actually researched in on the Internet when I got home.  I found out that they are out of Phoenix, Arizona.  Maybe we'll check out their Pop Shop on one of our adventures.              

Okay, back to the trip to China Ranch.  The sign said 7 miles but doesn't mention that it takes 45 minutes to get there.  Oh my heck, something you will learn about my husband is that he exaggerates like crazy.  From the sign, it probably took about 15 minutes.  After awhile, the paved road to "nowhere" ends, and it becomes a very bumpy gravel road.  I started getting extra excited at this point.  If you're reading this blog, chances are that you're one of those people that gets pumped when the blacktop ends.  It twists and turns down a little gorge, and eventually empties out into a little green oasis. The drive was a little rough, but we noticed that there were cars in the parking lot, so it's not that bad.  You just have to take it kind of slow.  As we pulled into the rustic parking lot of the souvenir shop and saw a sign telling us to try their "Date Shakes".  My wife saw a family drinking a shake asked them if they were any good. They said the shakes were delicious.  Inside, the shop was filled with the smell of fresh baked date bread.  I wish I could put a link to the smell so that you could enjoy how wonderful it was.  Shalane discovered some free date samples.  I tried them and was totally blown away by just how good they tasted.  I wasn't quite as excited about them, but they certainly taste WAY better than they look!  They are now officially my favorite fruit!  We bought some date bread just out of the oven and, of course, a date shake. We took our treat out to the quaint little picnic area they had our in front of the shop and enjoyed our impromptu picnic.  The temperature outside was perfect, the bread was warm and amazing, and the date shake was creamy and delicious. 

 

It was the BEST SHAKE that I had ever had!

After exploring a little we decided it was time to head back home.  Wow, I guess Dean's not feeling real detail oriented. :O)  After our picnic, we walked through the cactus shop, wondered the grounds, enjoying the little stream and the beautiful wild flowers, and took a short driving tour where we got to see, and learn about, the different variety of date palms and where they had originated from.  I really learned a lot and VERY much enjoyed the peaceful surroundings.

Tomorrow we'll tell you about our adventure driving home.  Let's just say, we were very thankful that we always carry water and that we had our solar generator with us.  lol  I love a good adventure, even if it's an unexpected pain in the behind.  Until then, Happy Trails!