Sorry no pictures, will send later.

Saturday, July 21, 2007


Today is a catch up day. We are planning on going to Zion National Park or Bryce National Park today. This is the first day that the sun has not shone! (Oh, it pops out once in a while, but is mostly overcast!) We will have breakfast soon and get started, but for now, I type. (Can’t keep all of you in suspense!) I did get some terrific pictures that need to be shared.


We did go by some of the wild fires. Some were still burning. I would say that we were within about 3 miles of a burning one. We drove right by a place that had to have burned just yesterday. What devastation it causes. We saw places where they would take a bull dozer and just plow over the (scrawny trees) to make a brake so the rest wouldn’t burn. It is interesting where the fields had been irrigated, it did not burn, but all around it was charred. We saw some tractors just out in the field making dust clouds. He must have been going just as fast as he could digging up the ground. Then about 5 miles down the road we saw the smoke. All of the fields that had irrigation had them going at that time. Must be pretty scary to know that the fire is coming your way. We did not see many homes that looked like they would be affected by the fire, but I am sure there were plenty.


The day before we came through that section, they had closed the road. We just saw the smoke off in the distance, and were not bothered by it at all. (One rest area got burned along the highway, and of course we needed to stop!)


More later.


Friday, July 20, 2007


We took off from the campground a tad later than usual. (Around 11:00) We had been getting started much earlier, but today, we chatted with our neighbors for a while. They had some good ideas on which way to get through Salt Lake City. We decided (for now) that we are going to head for Las Vegas. (Maybe we’ll see a filming of CSI…but I really doubt it. The temperature in Vegas is around 120 degrees! That sounds a bit hot for me. But we will see.)


We talked about campgrounds again, and which ones to stay at and where. Our neighbor told us to stay in Beaver at the KOA, but when we called, they were booked. We tried a few others in that area, but it was a no stay. So we looked a little further south and found one in Cedar City. So that is where we headed.


Let me see if I can remember the route. We started on I-80 through the rest of Wyoming, then 80 until we got to Route 40 in Utah. Made our way to I-15, then into Cedar City.


What a spectacular drive. We went through a canyon! What a sight, again, pictures just do not do it justice. We went through some great tunnels. Now, the tunnels were blasted through solid rock. In one place there were three tunnels, one right after the other. The train tracks beside the road, had its own tunnel! Amazing what had to happen to get the road through.


The other day, we stopped at the Buffalo Bill Dam, and took a tour of it. The dam was built to use the water as irrigation! It was built in 1907, then renovated in 1984. But what they accomplished in 1907 was unbelievable. (There were copies of letters that were written from family members to the “engineer” of the project. The letters were written by children and very interesting to read!)


Well, (Reta) we will be back, but we found the most ideal place to move to! We had to call Kathy as we were going through and let her know that we found the spot. It is in Utah, just outside of Salt Lake City! What a gorgeous place. Not to far from Brigham Young University. The mountains (green, which we hadn’t seen), lawns, agriculture, not too busy, not too big (well, bigger than Bethlehem). It just felt like home.


We had seen some pretty depressed areas, stores closed, abandoned places, run down areas, but we have also seen plenty of growth! Gainsville/Warrenton, Virginia, Billings, Montana, Orem, Utah, all are growing places. Some of the growth in the South Dakota area and the Billings, Montana area were modest homes being built, some businesses, but modest. Now, in the other areas, Virginia, and Utah, there are McMansions being built! Huge homes, on the sides of mountains! Our home would fit 5 times into some of these homes! The amazing part is that there aren’t any trees around, just dirt. At least here in Utah, there is greenery!


We are in a city called Cedar City, Utah. The Main Street has to be about five miles long. Any kind of fast food that you want, any kind of shopping that you can imagine (boy, and have we seen some interesting places). Our campground in on Main Street! By far the most expensive place we have stayed, but still not too bad.


Today’s driving was more than usual, we did not arrive until almost 7:30 (our time, 9:30 your time). So we went out for Pizza. (Again, NUVI works wonders! We needed gas desperately, so I punched in fuel. NUVI started us out on our mission. We made a right turn, then she told us to make a left. We did! Brad started to doubt her…then, lo and behold we came to a pump! It was a card only, open 24 hours a day and discounted! Yea, NUVI!)


We discovered why we were having a hard time finding a place to stay around the area. Appears that Monday is a holiday out here. It is the anniversary of the Mormons making the jaunt to the west and settling in this area. (And, Kayty and Nici, there was a youth Rodeo in Lyman, and we though of you!)


Thursday, July 19, 2007


We left Thermopolis and headed south on Route 20, to 789, then US 287 on to WY 28,then US 191. From there onto I-80 West. We found a KOA campground in Lyman. (Yes, Lyman! Wyoming, that is.)


We went past lots of dry barren country (again). It is so dry out this way. When we did come across some green, it was because they had irrigated. The irrigation systems that they have here are unbelievable! Way up high on a hill, they must have pumping systems. There are irrigation ditches everywhere. Not sure just where the water comes from. We are (and have been) at an elevation of about 5,000 feet. But the mountains are even higher.


It is true about what they say that, “ You will see flat ground right up to the base of the mountains!” Hard to believe, but true. Oh, there are some rolling hills, (no trees!) just rolling hills covered with sage brush. Then all of a sudden you will see a field of green, out of nowhere, with an irrigation system next to it.


We went through some more mountain passes. The scenes are just wonderful. I tried to grab lots of pictures, and will share all with those who would like to see them when we get back.
This was the first time that we had a somewhat difficult time finding a place to camp. Cell service was sparse, and campgrounds far and few between. The first three that I called were booked. The KOA in Lyman had only water and electricity so we grabbed it. Small campground. We thought we would take in the sights around the town. We needed some eggs and a few other things, but no luck here. There was a big beautiful school and a very nice new town office, but no convenience store, no grocery store, one gas station, etc. (We felt right at home!)