After reaching Rock Springs we were on I-80, one of the main highways crossing the US from east to west. Leaving Rock Springs before 8:30 a.m. we headed west toward Salt Lake City. West of Green River, WY, the land opens up and in the distance a colourful low ridge lies to the north. The colours of the landscape are muted browns and greys with some layered reds in the rock formations. The overall impression though is that of a very dry place where most plants have used up the moisture of spring, grown quickly, then died and turned brown. In most places the only green is that of the sagebrush.
Landscape west of Green River, WY
Distant rock formations west of Green River, WY
As we rode closer to the Utah border the highway began to climb through more colourful rock formations until it reached a summit and a rest area. Far below, the Union Pacific Railroad ran along a small river. It is sobering to think that this was part of the original Union Pacific rail line that met the Central Pacific Railroad line at promontory Point, Utah, in 1869. This line has been in continuous use for almost one hundred and fifty years and in the 1940s and '50s the famed Union Pacific 'Big Boy' locomotives used to pound their way to and from Cheyenne, WY. It must have been something to stand on this spot in the winter and watch the smoke and steam from legendary locomotives as they pounded their way up the grade from Logan, UT.
Union Pacific line in the gorge
Rock formations near the WY, UT border
Rock formations with sagebrush in the foreground
I-80 and Union Pacific line to the west
Trusty steeds parked at the rest stop
Many trucks use this rest stop and while we were there a car carrier pulled in with a load of cars from Massachusetts. Most were run of the mill ordinary cars but one stood out. It was a 1970s Plymouth Fury with Los Angeles police markings. It seemed somewhat strange to see a classic Los Angeles police car with Massachusetts plates on it being brought back to the west.
1970s Los Angeles police car
We stopped to refuel in Echo, UT, and continued on toward Salt Lake City. As we came closer to the city I-80 began to descend through a series of curves until around the last curve we were rewarded with the sight of the Great Valley of the Salt Lake and Salt Lake City itself laid out before us.
Riding in to Salt Lake City
At this point the temperature was close to one hundred degrees Fahrenheit and our immediate goal was to visit Salt Lake Harley-Davidson. When we arrived a met two guys who had been waiting there for close to three hours. One of the guys had to have his rear tire replaced. When I asked him where he was from, he told me, 'Vancouver Island'. When I asked where on the Island, he replied, 'Nanaimo'. It was like a reunion when I told him I was from Campbell River.
After failing to find two Starbucks because my GPS sent me to places where they weren't, we again rejoined I-80 and continued on west. On our right we could see the Great Salt Lake. It appears to be closer to the highway than it was three years ago, but the large pavilion where people used to go when they went swimming in the lake, appears to be abandoned.
We followed the lake until it ended and the I-80 ran straight across the Great Salt lake Desert for more than 80 miles. Along the way I saw a large plant where salt id mined to make Morton's salt, a brand that is well Known in the US. I suspect that the salt is used industrially and for salting roads in the winter. There was a rail siding with a number of railway cars which were either loaded or waiting to be loaded.
As we moved west the skies became very dark and we could see lightning bolts to our south as well as rain to our front. We stopped under an overpass and prepared to ride in the rain. Within minutes of getting back on the highway we were hit by rain. Fortunately, it lasted for only a few minutes, and then the sun returned, although when I stopped at a rest area I could see the storm moving east.
Garry had ridden on a head but since we both knew where we were going to stay, it wasn't a problem, so I took the time to stop and look at the sights along the way. Near the western end of the Great Salt Desert is the famed Bonneville Speedway, where world land speed records are attempted and set. I stopped just to say that I had walked on the same salt as that on the Bonneville Speedway. Strange as it seems, the salt is quite moist and as you walk on it, it cakes on the bottom of your boots and has to be washed off. The stuff isn't dry and if you dig down a few inches (centimeters) you will find water, albeit, very salty water.
Plaque explaining the significance of the Bonneville Salt Flats
View across the Bonneville Salt Flats
Me, standing on the Bonneville Salt Flats
Salt crystals
Subsurface water at the Bonneville Salt Flats
It was only another seven miles to Wendover, UT where we stopped for the night. This is a strange town. It straddles the Utah-Nevada border. The Utah side looks run down while the Nevada side has casinos and looks much more prosperous. At the Montego Bay Casino the casino is in Nevada and the parking lot in Utah. Across the street, The Nugget is also on the border. In fact, there is a line across the street marked Utah on one side, and Nevada on the other. Both of the large casinos are built within a foot of the border. The Mountain and Pacific Time Zones are on either side of the border, so we were able not only to walk from one state to the other, but we also were able to gain and lose an hour simply by taking a few steps. It was a bit of a novelty for us to do this.
Casino on the Utah-Nevada border
The state line
Just inside Nevada
Because of the distances involved in doing anything in these western states, some educational institutions are making the effort to reach out to people. Utah State University is even using Wendover High School as a satellite campus. It seems like a great idea to use existing facilities to deliver university programs to people who would otherwise not have the opportunity to get these courses.
University in a high school
The plan for Wednesday was to ride to Winnemucca, setting the stage for another long ride to Bend, OR. We had a double whammy of extreme heat and rain with high winds pushing our bikes around. The heat we have been experiencing saps energy but we have been able to manage it to this point. And the trip continues to be terrific. This is one that we'll remember for a long time.
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