A Ridiculous Road Trip Part 5: UT to AZ

Ah Utah. It's good to be here. I love your mountains and the feeling you give me of being home.

This time I came in through nighttime thunderstorms, driving from Rexburg to Logan.

The view from the park down the street from Corinne's new place. 

 The days in Logan meant seeing Corinne's new life in her beautiful home, tucked right into the side of a mountain. There were hugs from people I love, and chances to have yet another adventure with her. I saw my lovely friend Charlotte (why didn't we get a pic??) and caught a before-and-after movie glimpse of Deb and Julia!

I love seeing this guy and his brothers in their new
natural habitat

Our adventure day was spent in at Golden Spike National Historic Site and the Spiral Jetty. We had an absolutely perfect day, so perfect in fact, the skies and landscapes looked surreal. We learned about the transcontinental railroad and about the process of building a railroad across the land. We hiked along the line; going past and through cuts, fills, and other remnants of this historic work. Later we explored a huge public art installation called the Spiral Jetty that juts out from the shore of the Great Salt Lake. It used to appear and disappear based on water levels, but now, as the lake has shrunk, the jetty is visible pretty much all the time. You can even see it in the satellite view on your navigation app.

The Union Pacific and the Central Pacific came together here! Or hereabouts. 

Park Sign Selfie! I love adventures with this one. 

This was such a good visit. I would definitely go back for more hiking under these amazing skies. 

Did you know there's an arch in Northern Utah? I sure didn't. It's called Chinese Arch, and has become a natural monument to the many workers who came from China to work on the railroad. 

Trail Selfie!

After a drive along a 17-mile long gravel road, we made it to the Spiral Jetty. It's huge. There are teeny tiny people standing near the jetty to give some scale. There in the distance, probably a quarter of a mile away, is the lake. 

A Salty Lakeside Selfie!

The light and reflections were so beautiful and surreal. 

We saw white salt, pink salt, brine shrimp, and more. It was an otherworldly place with so much space to walk around and dream. I would go back here in a heartbeat. 

And really, at the end of a day like this, where else could we possibly have dinner but here? 

After dinner, we stopped for ice cream in Brigham City and I got a driveby glimpse of the temple there. I love how it is an homage to older temples, but has a clean, modern look. 

Back in Logan, I got a few drive-by glimpses of the beautiful, old temple there. It's so unique and lovely. 

The weekend happened to be our twice-yearly church conference, which originates in Salt Lake City, but is broadcast all around the world by television and internet. There are five 2-hour sessions throughout the weekend, each with talks and music intended to strengthen faith, instruct the church, announce policies, and feel all the feelings of hearing and seeing leaders we respect and revere.

Saturday evening, Corinne and I made a plan to go to Salt Lake City to try and attend the women's session in person at the Conference Center. I had a ticket, but we were going to try and get Sheely and Corinne in through the standby line. No deal. There were actual thousands of people in the standby line. I gave my ticket away to someone else, we picked up Sheely and had a quiet viewing in a building on campus at the UofU. Afterward we feasted at Red Robin and then headed home. Sunday morning was our traditional Conference Brunch, which had developed into a much-looked-forward-to tradition in Maryland. It was pretty epic.

And this is before the frosting. I do love a good cinnamon roll. I may not be a master baker, but I can come up with a reliable pan of cinnamon rolls. 

That is a happy Brunch Face. 

Part of the magic of this week in Logan was just being part of the usual things. There weren't a ton of super-special moments, but it was special to me to be present for the sacred ordinary times of life. I love that. 

Conference Bingo? Oh yes. 

I kinda hated leaving this crew, but I know that I will be back and that we don't have to live a half mile apart to still be important in each other's lives. 

When I arrived at Jeff's house, there was a big, happy gathering of my kids and Ashlyn's sisters plus friends. I loved seeing everyone together. My favorite memory is of my oldest granddaughter running out the door of her house to greet me as I pulled up to park. That was sweet.

My brief days in Utah County included some painting, some shopping, some good eating, and lots of snuggles and playtime with the grandgirls.

At Sun River Gardens with Ashlyn and the girls. Their decorations were awesome!

I love taking this one to the park. 

My clever boy bagged his first duck. He was excited about it, and I was proud of him. He cooked up the breast and wings and it was delicious. Rich and unique. I liked hearing how he honors the animals he takes with a prayer of gratitude He respects them and does not take them for granted. 

On Thursday, Oct. 11th I packed up the Mini and headed down to another familiar place I love, Arizona. On the way down I drove through pine-filled valleys, rain, snow and desert. These drives just fill my soul. Me, the sky and the road, listening to books or music, or maybe a podcast, and nothing in my way--ahh. Here are some views of the road in Utah as I approach the border.

I stopped at the visitor's center for the Glen Canyon Dam Recreational Area to stamp my NPS Passport, then headed down the road a couple miles to Horseshoe Bend, the iconic 270 degree curve in the Colorado River that is glorious prelude to the Grand Canyon. The red rocks, 1000 foot cliffs and the river reflecting the sky create an image so strikingly beautiful. I always think about what it must have been like for ancient people to come upon such a scene for the first time.

I heart Horseshoe Bend

It's very crowded there, nearly Grand Canyon or Yellowstone-level crowded, but there was still plenty of room to get to that crazy edge for the famous photo. I did not much like being at that edge, but hey, a photographer's gotta do what a photographer's gotta do.

For scale, there are humans camping there on the riverbank. One feels the full 1000 foot drop when standing on the edge. 

I made it in good time to our rental house in Mesa, and had a night to myself to get ready for the wedding weekend of my nephew.

And the Mini and I are in Arizona.