On Thursday I rode mainly on US 91 from Idaho Falls to Salt Lake City. This highway which is roughly parallel to Interstate 15 goes through a number of small cities and towns and, as such, is a much more interesting ride. A distinct advantage of the smaller highways is that they allow you to admire the countryside at a more leisurely pace. I arrived early enough at my hotel in Salt Lake City to be able to walk to Temple Square and visit the site. There were many young clean cut Mormons walking around in pairs prepared to stop and chat with visitors and, of course explain their religion.
After my first tour I. had dinner at a place called the Blue Lemon. The seared salmon with rice and green beans was surprisingly good for what was essentially a cafeteria. Afterwards I was able to attend the dress rehearsal of the next nights concert by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in their performance hall that seats 21,000. The singing was beautiful; perfect pitch and diction, not easy for 200+ voices. I counted nearly 30 tenors.
Friday morning I went for a long walk to a couple of shopping areas, the Trolley Yards and the Gateway complex, and to the State Capital Building. The sign on State Street just before the capital building is wrong. A stop at this site and a free guided tour is essential. The young guide, who admitted that she was a communications major from Idaho, knew all there was to know about the architecture and history of the building. The other guests in my group filled in the blanks on the political questions when necessary.
This is a picture of the 91 member legislature that only sits for 45 days a year.
And this is a Canadian fur trapper who was instrumental in mapping the northern part of the state.
I spent the rest of day walking around the city core. I had an all-you-can-eat dinner at Simply Sushi, an excellent restaurant.
This morning I left Salt Lake City before 8:00 and headed west out of Utah. I stopped at a rest stop and found this coke dispenser protected against the elements, the criminal elements that is. I wonder how many machines were stolen before someone decided that a steel cage was required.
The vistas are unbelievable. Here is one at the rest stop just off I-80.
Be warned, there are dangers in these here parts!
As one drives through the Great Salt Lake dessert scenes like this are on both sides of highway, en every once in while tire tracks lead off into the distance.
And then on the right, the actual salt flats appear, and they extend for miles and miles to the Silver Island Mountains to the west.
I rode my motorcycle to the end of the side road at the Bonneville Speedway. There is nothing but the sign behind me in the picture at this point. But this is where cars, trucks, bikes and all kinds of vehicles ride off on the salt flats and attempt to establish their own personal fastest mile on the 10 mile marked track. I passed; being there was enough for me.
Not having had breakfast yet I stopped for coffee and a breakfast sandwich at a restaurant that had the following sign in the washroom. And here I was going to wash my own hands. Are they worried that customers will not do a good job of it themselves so they insist that employees do it for them.
Sorry je digress from the trip; but to make it up here are a few more pictures, by popular request.
I particularly liked this steel sculpture of a pony express rider at a rest stop located where riders would, in less than 2 minutes change horses. I found out that the commercial venture that was the Pony Express was a short-lived and financially unsuccessful venture. It would be replaced in 18 months by the telegraph.
I arrived at Motel 6 in Ely, pronounced "Eelee", in mid-afternoon and spent the rest of the day wandering around the small town and buying some stuff for dinner at the local grocery store. Tomorrow its off to California, not quite to the coast but closer.
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