Day 24-June 24, 2015-To Utah
Drove 248 miles in 7 hours. Temperature got up to 98.
We’re trying to avoid interstates so we traveled on routes 26 and then 89 all day. Up and down steep grades, zig-zagging around bends at 15MPH, past guest ranches for hunting, fishing, skiing, horseback riding, following the Snake River to where it meets beautiful Palisades Reservoir where we could hear the birds singing and watched the ospreys in their nests watching us. Through valleys and small towns like Swan Valley (pop. 204), Alpine (pop. 164), Smoot (pop.195) and larger ones such as Afton (pop. 1911). We came to Montpelier where three states come together (Wyoming, Idaho and Utah) and continued south through Paris, ID and came upon a turquoise lake-Bear Lake-20 miles long, 8 miles wide and over 200’ deep. Drove parallel to this through Garden City, a real touristy lakeside area, and then climbed a steep mountain and viewed it from above-spectacular. They say limestone and calcium deposits give it its color.
Through the Cache National Forest, again up, down, around dizzying curves, gorgeous yellow wildflowers like carpets at the base of the mountains to Logan, UT where we stopped for gas. The biggest town we’ve seen today. A big, beautiful Mormon Temple overlooks the city, supposedly one of the oldest temples in Utah. Back on the road through Brigham City where another temple looms over the city. We’re camping in Ogden, UT (pop. 82,800), at a nice campground right near the historic 25th St. area downtown. Took a ride downtown where there are painted horse sculptures on every corner. We must have seen twenty or more of them on 25th St. alone. 25th St. is lined with antique shoppes, restaurants, boutiques and specialty stores. The Mormon Temple here had something going on with little girls in frilly white dresses and they all had colored balloons. Also in town is Weber State University, museums, a big convention center, parks, bicycle trails and an amphitheater with a concert going on. We could hear the theme from “Mission Impossible” being played on flutes which sounded very pretty.