Hillside Letters

We have seen several hillside letters in our Utah travels. The first was the big Y in Provo for Brigham Young University. These mountain monograms or geoglypjs are put up by schhols or towns to show achool or civic pride.  Apparently they are very common in the western states. Utah has at least 73.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillside_letters

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_hillside_letters_in_Utah

The Great Salt Lake

The big, still snow-covered mountains surrounding Provo were such a surprise to most of us when we stepped out this morning!  We probably should have expected it given our train journey yesterday, but we were pretty amazed at the views.  These mountains also trap in pollution and the whole Provo-Salt Lake City region is very hazy. At few years ago Provo apparently earned the reputation of having the nation's worst air quality.

We drove a hour north to the Great Salt Lake. It has shrunk over the years. We stopped by the  Saltair Pavilion which was built from an old air force hangar. It is the third pavilion built on the site but now the lake waters have receded so much that it is quite a walk to reach the water. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saltair_(Utah)

The former lake bottom was crunchy to walk on and could be lifted up in small flat pieces.  The water's edge was line with a two foot wide black section. One would think it was just a different colored sand like the beaches back home, bit in fact it was a mass of tiny bugs!  They didn't bite or bother us bit there were so many!!  We waded in the lake.  The water was shallow and very warm.  As soon as we stepped out, we could see salt on our legs.  We visited the nearby state park for further information. We learned that the lake is 75 miles long and 35 miles wide with an average depth of 14 feet and the deepest part at 29 feet.  It has a salinity of 17%.  And brine shrimp are the largest living organism in the lake.

Through the Rockies and on to Provo

 Our morning journey out from Denver was filled rock hewn tunnels, snow capped peaks, and mountain lakes. We went through 30+ tunnels--the longest being the 6.2 mile Moffatt Tunnel. It opened in 1928 after 4 years of construction.  While in the tunnel we crossed the Continental Divide.  We were also advised to remain in the car where we were currently seated as we went through this tunnel so the diesel fumes were not let into the cars by the opening and closing of connecting doors.

We descended into Winter Park, which appeared to be the haven for ski afficianados. There were chalets upon chalets and a fleet of buses parked waiting for the snowy season.  Soon after, we went through Granby where the mountains became red rock with interesting rectangular features.  We traveled next to the Colorado river for some time. Around dinner time we traveled through Ruby Canyon which is only accessible by river raft or passenger train. Upon exiting the canyon, it became more arid and scrubby with small gray hills. Around this time we realized we had fallen way behind schedule because of issues with switching track lines. Looks like a 3 hour delay and sadly, it is all dark so our sightseeing is done for the day.

It has been a fun and unique way to travel. We have met interesting people from far and wide.  And it is great not having to worry about stopping for gas or finding a place to eat. Mainly though, it has been a wonderful way to take in the varied landscapes in our beautiful country.

 

WHAT HAS GOD WROUGHT?

Trivia time!  What is the significance of this question and to whom is it attributed (the bible does not count!)?

Throughout our journey we have been fascinated by the telegraph lines which run next to the track in the more rural areas.  Some are in great disrepair--crooked or falling down with wires snarled or missing. But we have seen others that still have lines attached to the glass insulators and look to be in working condition. Others have been repurposed as we saw in Grand Junction, CO. Those have new, thick wires running well below the top from post to post. It has been fun to see this piece of telecommunication history.

If you are still puzzling over this entry title read on: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/what-hath-god-wrought

Westward bound on the California Zephyr

The kids are brimming over with excitement over our sleepettes! They love how efficiently everything is arranged making for a cozy, practical space. They are already deciding how to split their sleeping time so they can have equal access to the top bunk.which has a.harness-like strap so the sleeper doesn't fall out of bed!  They are also on the top car and have a great vantage. They will appreciate that in the Rockies!

Union Station

One of many but this is the one in Chicago. It iwas.completed in 1925 and inxlides the famous Great Hall which has been featured in a fair number of movies.  We had access to the lounge through our sleeper reservation. Pretty fancy stuff--complimentary snacks and beverages with lots of comfortable seating.

Ohio Farmland