We've run the gamut with scenery today, not to mention weather!
But first, here is the picture of the Nevada / Utah state line that we missed last night. No wonder we didn't see it. Who would? Needless to say, we did not want to lie down on the pavement for a photo with it, but we did want to acknowledge that we had at least seen it.
As soon as we left Wendover, Utah this morning, we were in the Salt Flats, and that was like being on another planet! The ground was white with salt. There were still mountains on either side of us, quite far away, but we were on flat ground. There were mirages ahead of us and to the side of us, so it looked as if water was nearby. This went on for about 80 miles, and then the entire scenery changed. A few shots of the Salt Flats first.
The temperature was 52 degrees and it had begun to sprinkle, but not really rain. It was terribly windy out there, also, and a semi truck ahead of us was having difficulty staying on the road. We stayed far behind him. The speed limit on this stretch of Utah is 80 MPH. Now, I've told you that we always do the speed limit.............except for today. No way!
We came to the Great Salt Lake, and drove on by. We had made a point, some years ago, of going to the Salt Lake so we could say we had waded into the water. It was disgusting, smelly, and the shore was covered with dead birds and flies were everywhere on that visit. Needless to say, we didn't stop for a second look today! There was some interesting scenery along the way, however. You can see a train winding around the mountain in the photo below. Yes, that is snow on top of the mountains in the second photo.
We also drove by Salt Lake City, as we have seen all of the major things that tourists visit in our previous trip there. What we did want to see for a second time, however, was Park City, Utah.
Park City is about 17 miles southeast of Salt Lake City. The city itself is on a mountainside. You have heard of it because it was the home of the winter Olympics in 2002. The Olympic Village is still there, and the ski jumps are the first things we saw as we arrived there today. You also know of it because Robert Redford's Sundance Film Festival is held there each year. Our neighbors, Jean and Steve, attended that festival last winter, and they had a fabulous time seeing films, enjoying the area, and sitting near movie stars during dinner.
We didn't see any movie stars, but we did see some other sightseers, fun shops, and interesting people. We had lunch at the Main Street Deli and Café, I bought a wonderful silver bracelet as a souvenir of our trip, and we went back down the mountain and got back onto the interstate.
I have to mention a fun thing we saw in Park City. It was a heated bench made of stone or concrete. It actually was warm! I sat on it. It was about 38 degrees there today, there was snow all over the pine trees on the mountains, and that seat felt really good. Randy is figuring out how to make one for us, I hope. As we drove down the mountain, the snow started to fall! September 27th!
We drove only 50 more miles, crossing the Wyoming state line without fanfare. Their sign was placed in a location where only a truck driver could have stopped for a photo. We waved as we went by. I think I may have one from another trip to Wyoming that I could recycle, actually, but we were wearing shorts and tee shirts in that one, so you'd know it was fake.
Tonight we are in the lovely little city of Evanston, Wyoming, at the Comfort Inn. On the way into Evanston, we saw a small herd of antelope coming into a field near the highway! (They must not have recognized our car.......)
There's a great boot shop across the street, and we've looked over the whole shop. We've driven downtown to see their renovated depot and park, and we've had sandwiches for dinner. It's cold here.
For a short while today we joked about what the Gillenwater Party Monument would look like, if that snow had continued.
Copyright: KP Gillenwater 2013
