More Of The Drive On Day 2

On the second day of our drive we awoke refreshed and determined to make our destination as soon as possible.  We quickly gathered our few belongings and climbed into the giant big truck again.  We felt much better after getting a few hours of sleep.  The room was small but quiet.  We never heard a neighbor or a car during the night.  I would recommend Kanab, Utah as a good place to stop when you need to get a good nights sleep.  Just watch on the left side of the road as you get into Kanab for The Mission Inn.  They don't serve complimentary breakfast, but they do have coffee and hot chocolate. 

It wasn't long until we had passed through Panguich, Centerville, Orderville, Mt. Carmel and a whole slew of little towns....and finally we saw evidence of larger pockets of civilization.

There were really old factories that are nearly falling down, except they have looked that way for 30 years.  We saw housing developments sprouting up, and we saw churches.  When we drive through Utah we have a saying...."Church!"  That word is in every sentence.  We say "church" in the middle of a sentence and just keep talking about whatever we were talking about.  All we have to do is watch for the white steeple.

"Church"

"Church"

I am sure there are several out there, but I didn't zoom in....

but you get the idea.

There are many many many LDS churches. 

So, our morning was spent watching other motorist and watching for churches.  We merrily lumbered down the bumpy roads of Utah in our great big giant moving truck, with the seat belt cutting off my airway in my throat.  With every bump I wondered if that would be the one to break my neck!

As we got closer to Springville and Provo the mountains got closer to the Interstate.  The farm ground is right next to the interstate....and so are the homes.... don't ask me why.  I have always wondered why they build homes so close to the interstate....but I guess Arizona does that too.  I lived in a neighborhood close to the interstate....but somehow, it just seems weird in Utah.  There is all this farm ground, why don't you build your house next to the mountain?  Then the deer can come into your yard and eat your trees.  If you built your home close to the mountain the snow would melt and water your yard.   I think I would build closer to  mountain, just to be in the shade longer.  There was never shade in Arizona!

By the time we got to Provo we saw the same old "new" factories.  They just don't build them like they used to.  Now they are just big boxes with no personality.  The old factories had pitched roofs and stairs and neat windows.  Not walls of windows.  There was machinery in the old ones, now there just desks and wires and phones.

I will show you a neat factory in a minute.  It is a little farther down the road but I will get a picture of it for you.  You will know what I mean when I say "the old ones are neater".

But one sight I always look for in Provo, Utah is the "Y" on the side of the mountain.  Then I know I am near BYU....Brigham Young University.  The town built for college kids.  I have to wonder who keeps the "Y" on the mountain?  Is it painted rocks?  Is it white plastic staked down?  If someone knows the answer to that please tell me.  Who takes care of the "Y", and what is it made of?

The mountain range is breath taking no matter what season it is.  Usually by now there is more fall colors on these mountains.  But summer is slow leaving this year, and the mountains look rather drab.

Get ready, the old factory is next...................driving...............driving..............almost here.............

See what I mean????

Then the scenery gradually changes.  We pass the farms, the factories, the cows and focus on the mountains. 

This is the Wasatch Mountain range. They are the famous mountain for the best skiing in the world, according to me.  This is where my DH and I would meet our friends from Minnesota.  Every Presidents Day holiday weekend we would meet in Salt Lake City and ski.  We skied Alta, Brighton and Sundance.  I skied with Robert Redford when we were at Sundance.  It is true.  I was taking a skiing lesson and was skiing where the Olympic Team practices and Robert Redford skied next to me.  My instructor was very impressed that I could stay with him.  At the time I didn't realize that is who it was.  He had on goggles and a hat and a red ski parka.  He looked like everyone else.  Just having a good time on the mountain on a beautiful winter day.  I am sure he doesn't remember me. But, I remember skiing on the hardest part of the mountain and I stayed up.  The fact that he was there wasn't nearly as cool as me skiing where the Olympic Ski Team practices.

The canyons in these mountains are great to have picnics, go camping, hike, and fish.  There are streams running down year round because of the snow melt.

But, down here, by Provo the mountains kind'a peter out.  There is a place known as "the point", meaning the point of the mountain.  Then the mountains change until you are nearer to Salt Lake City.

Remember the Winter Olympics were held here.  These are some great mountains!

Now, about this point we change the game.  Instead of saying "church", we start to say "Temple".  Utah is very lucky and they seem to get a new temple someplace every year.  



"Temple"

"Barn"..... just seeing if you are paying attention.....

"Factory"

Yep, this is a factory in Lehi, Utah.

They sell wheat to places all over the world.

They even sell it in Cost Co.

I bought some last year.

It is in the back of this giant big truck I am riding in!!!

Nearly every time we drive to Idaho we stop here.  I buy the mixes they sell.  The mixes are so so so good.

It is the kind of product that comes in a cloth bag.  Someone makes these bags.  At Christmas time all the cookie mixes, muffin mixes, cobbler mixes and such are packaged in darling cloth bags.  Some are bags with snowmen, some are ginger bread men, some are holiday wreaths....each one is so cute.

Inside the cloth bag is a plastic bag with the mix and the directions.  "Just add water, and egg and 1 tbls oil", is usually the directions.  They make great gifts.  I love Lehi Mills food.  My friend Robyn Stoneman used to give me a mix and a candle for Christmas.  I will miss getting that gift....heck, I will miss that friend...!!  A lot!



 Now we are getting to that place I told you about...."the point"  of the mountain.  It isn't very pretty.

Next to the Interstate is an amusement park for kids.....this really isn't in South Dakota...or is it in North Dakota....???  I should know this...Look it up for me will you and tell me where Mt. Rushmore is.  Thanks

At this point my heart is beating faster and faster.  We are getting really close to one of my favorite places in the world to shop.  And you all know I hate to shop, unless it is a thrift store.  I like the prices in a thrift store and you can find the most random things....but this next place, well, it is Heaven without the prices of a thrift store.

Thanksgiving Point.  Don't you just love that name?  My plan is to someday have my DH drop me off there.  He can leave.  Because across the Interstate is a Cabelos.  He can go play there and when he has had lunch, taken a fly tying class and learned how to stuff a moose, then he can come and get me.  I should be nearly done by then.

Get ready..................ready.............nearly there.....................what do you see..........................?

"Church"

I told you they are everywhere.

And there are Wind Mills.... just like the ones by my new house.  On my new foothills... "Windmills"

And since we are getting closer to Salt Lake City the traffic is picking up.  The drivers want to go 80 miles an hour in a 75 mile an hour area.  Imagine.  The 80 mile an hour stretch of the interstate ended a few miles back, but the drivers just don't lift their heavy feet off the gas, and then we see the results.......





This officer didn't know I was taking his picture.  I was zoomed way in.  ....or I thought he didn't know.  But look at that face...maybe he saw my camera.....yikes.  I hope he doesn't remember the great big truck I was riding in. He can't see my face, as my camera is a little big.  Thank goodness.  He looks like he could be mean and hurt me for taking his picture.  Is taking an officers picture against the law?  Some one, let me know about that too, would ya?

Well, I have to go now.  My trip isn't over yet, but I have a few boxes to unpack, so I better do something with the stuff that I hauled in the back of that great big truck. 

Stay tuned for tomorrow.  I will finish up the drive with you then..

Until then, know that I am home, in Idaho, safe and sound, and happy.  But have a butt load of work to do!