It seems like since we arrived in Colorado that this trip is starting to go much faster. We estimate that we have 5 or 6 days left until we reach the Pacific Ocean at Port Orford, Or.
We left Wendover before sunrise and by the time we reached the gravel road, the dawn was upon us. Pink clouds were the show for this morning. It was beautiful. We were the only ones out there save for a few people in tents along the road. We went back into Nevada for a short time on a rough washboard road. Soon the Utah state line appeared on the GPS screen. Oftentimes, this is the only way we know as there are no welcome signs out here.
The road continues to be rough for awhile but gradually gets better. I was traveling about 40 mph on average. Soon we were driving along a grassy flat area and some foothills where we reached some elk hunters gazing through spotting scopes at the hills in search of a target. Lots of lookers but no shooters.
We could see off in the distance huge salt flats white as snow. According to the map, we were to travel through several small towns today. I guess they were there, we didn’t see anything. It is very isolated and lonely out here. I don’t know where these people go to do their shopping.
Before long, we turned onto the Transcontinental Railway bed. There are no tracks left but the bed remains and you can drive on it. Occasionally there will be a sign indicating how far from San Francisco the vanished town was. Can’t imagine the people from that town out here in the heat and desolation.
There was supposed to be a golden spike museum out here somewhere. We saw the monument where the spike was driven commemorating the completion of the railway connecting east to west. Never saw the museum.
We arrived at the junction to go into Tremonton, Ut. We had no business there so bypassed the town. We found some displays of booster rockets and some testing grounds where they perfected the rocket engines.
Before long we arrived at the last of 950 trail miles in Utah. Located in a prominent and fertile valley where they grow straw for hay. Hayfields as far as the eye can see and huge stacks of hay bales everywhere.
The route has us going on a road that takes us right through this farmers property. We all waved and moved on. They didn’t seem the least bit concerned.
The road in Idaho soon turned to pavement with interspersed sections of gravel. Soon we arrived at our destination, a small town called American Falls. A dismal town located on the interstate with an equally dismal motel. We elected to drive 20 miles east to Pocatello where we are resting for the night.
Tomorrow we will travel to Ketchum, Id near Sun Valley ski area. We found a quaint hotel right in the downtown area. Should be fun.
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