Salt Lake City to Moab UT -- Scenic Byways

We arrived in Salt Lake City Sunday afternoon around 3:30pm and settled into a Best Western. Outdoor pool (temps mid 80s) and a laundry, what else do we need? We will probably spend a couple of nights here and tour the sites of SLC.

On Monday, we went to the Great Salt Lake and visited Antelope Island. The road leading into Antelope Island is about six miles long and has salt water on both sides. As you arrive at the island, there is a marina with several large boats. In this area, the water is 30' deep while the rest of the lake averages not more than 7 feet. We didn't travel the 125 miles west to visit the Bonneville Salt Flat. The land speed races are held in early Sept and early Oct. Our timing was 'off'. Oh well, I guess we'll just have to come back again. What a hardship!

Road to Antelope Island 6 miles long

An interesting fact from Antelope Island. The crust of the earth in the SW is a thin shell. As a result, Reno NV is shifting West at the rate of 1 inch per year, or 1 foot every 12 years. With plenty of thinking time in the car, one begins to question this fact. If Reno is moving west, is CA really being pushed into the Pacific? If this isn't happening, then is a new 'mountain' being created in western NV? Could a new volcano be created? The inquisitive mind wants to know! NOTE: You are going to have to guess who wrote this section! Puzzling isn't it!

Mormon Temple

Temple Square Gardens

Also on Monday, we toured Temple Square, including the Mormon Temple, the Tabernacle, and new gathering hall that seats 21,000 people. It is a beautiful complex! Many gardens filled with grasses, flowers, fountains, seating and walkways. We also spent time at the Family Search Center, open free to the public. What an interesting place! Hours and days could be spent there searching the world-wide data bases and receiving assistance from the “missionaries” who are extremely skilled both in languages and research. We only scratched the surface in developing our respective family trees. More to do during the coming winter months at home.

Tuesday was spent driving from SLC to Moab, UT, home of the Arches NP and Canyonlands NP. What a great town. It has the feel of a New Hampshire ski town but very warm and dry with red mountains in the background. A good 'down town' with gift shops, restaurants, and the typical tourist traps.

Wednesday was spent touring both the Arches NP and Canyonlands NP. Both had numerous 'postcard picture' views, but we missed the many wild animals we became accustom to seeing in Yellowstone.

An occasional gecko was all that we saw scurrying around. 

Roads at Canyonlands

Nancy at arch

Arch at Canyonlands

The Air is THIN!

New Hood Ornament....SORRY,  RALPH!