Utah at Rest

Wednesday, 8/18

It is HOT!  Skin cracking dry too.  Yet, dawn meant it was windshield bug removal time if we wanted to see the rest of the US.  The hot task seemed to drain all this window washer's energy.  Meanwhile, my favorite Taiwanese laundress was busy exercising our washer/dryer.  In the end, the only sightseeing we did today was a run to Ogden, an industrial and rail center city north of us.  Home to a renovated Union Pacific rail station and museum, we happened on the dedication of a newly arrived engine from the D&RG, aka Denver & Rio Grande.  Along numerous engines and other rail cars, both commercial and military, all were open for close inspection.  Kids of all ages, including this author, clamored about.  Doris kept out of the sun and missed meeting a retired UP mechanic educating his children, grandchildren, and me about the inner workings of these behemoths that we see on the rails, and how their engineers manage those 1.5 mile long trains.  It was an honor to be his student for 30 minutes.

Returning to the RV park, we met new neighbors, John and Sally from North Carolina.  Acccompanied by their parrot, "Ben".  Sweet couple, fun bird that took a liking to Doris who once owned Ben's cousin "Charlie".

Ben & Doris:  Mutual Admiration

Home to catch up on the blog, fine dining with local fresh corn and one of Doris's grilled, marinated steaks.  This will be followed by a recorded session of History Channel's "Ice Road Truckers" to remind me that life on the road isn't always as decadent as we're privileged to experience. 

Tomorrow?  Salt Lake City and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir rehearsal.  We're excited.

Crossing Utah

Tuesday, 8/17

Leaving the parking lot and immediately crossing into Utah, we're reminded of the WWII significance of the Wendovers (NV & UT).  With the recent reminders of Victory in Japan, we pass the Wendover airport, once the secret training location of Colonel Tibbets and his crew of the B-29 "Enola Gay", and the crews of other aircraft who prepared here for the dropping of the bombs over Hiroshima and Nagasaki.  Even now, there are few to witness local events.

The Control Tower.  We listened on AM radio to drivers, crew, vehicle info and speed results.

Unless ... you're with us and spontaneously decide to drive onto the Bonneville Flats to see just what it's like to be on this large and magnificant salt bed.  We've done the same on the pristine gypsum beds known as White Sands National Monument in New Mexico.  This experience was different because we arrived to witness several of the speed trials during the annual Bonneville Speed Week.  Cars and motorcycles of every description are driven to their maximum speed while being officially timed.  We've seen such activities in car commercials.  Yet, there's nothing like being on the starting line, watching the crews prepare, the driver strapped in, or on, then witness the attempt to break records.  All this while trying to preserve the eye balls from the searing sun reflecting off the white salt, while in 96 degree heat.  We met another coach owner who liked our TV mods and, more importantly, owned the photo'd "Streamliner" that had just broken its own record of 200 mph on one of the three speed trial tracks.  We had a front row vista from our panoramic windshield.  This allowed us to enjoy and learn in air conditioned comfort while others stood in our shade.  If only we had cases of cold beer for sale, we'd have paid for the trip.

Lee's 200 mph Streamliner.
The umbrella protects the cockpit from the brilliant sun.

Moving eastward on I-80, we crossed along the shores of the Great Salt Lake.  Straight miles, minimal traffic, the Wasatch Mountains of eastern Utah began to replace the brilliant white of the seemingless endlessness of the salt beds either side of the interstate ... a welcome change.

North Salt Lake, UT is now our home for three nights.  Beautiful RV park, a great dinner, then sightseeing in the hills of Bountiful (no kidding!) with our rental car was a special treat.  Beautiful homes in the foothills with magnificent scenes of the basin, mountains to the west ... and a very special sunset that brought out the locals as well as two California transients.  Southern Utah has soooo impressed us.  Now we can say the same of the Salt Lake area.