Western Exposure

Total Distance Covered: 544 miles (17 %; total to date: 73%)

Number of States Visited: 3 (Colorado, Wyoming, Utah)


We awoke this morning very anxious to cross the Rocky Mountains. We said goodbye to Jim and Molly (thank you so much for your hospitality) and made a quick stop in downtown Denver so I could acquire a new phone (iPhone!) From Denver, we headed west on I-25 towards the Wyoming border. From there we drove past Cheyenne and began our steady climb over the first of many sets of mountains. Along the way, we stopped at our second "World's ...", but this time it was the World's smallest town. The town Buford has a population of 1, and we suspect the gentleman that worked at the gas station was that one individual. After buying Advil and water to combat altitude sickness (we were both feeling the effects of the elevation), we headed even higher into the mountains, eventually coming to the Summit Rest Area (elev. 8640). We snapped pictures of the Lincoln Memorial and drove to the peak for some incredible shots of the horizon. We left the rest stop and continued on through Wyoming.

We crossed several mountains over the next few hours, but none were more impressive than Elk Mountain. We pulled off at a rest stop and shot this picture seen here. As we got into western Wyoming, the landscape began to change dramatically. The lush scenery of the mountains gave way to a mixed arid environment with the mountains replaced with mesas. The colors of the mesas was a mix of light oranges and deep reds and complimented the patches of desert earth. Even though we were out of the mountains, the elevation continued to be well above 6000 feet. As we progressed westward, the sporadic mesas began to form ridges hundreds of feet high on either side of the road. By the time we crossed into Utah, the ridges gave way to ranges of rock with deep gorges cutting through the formations. We were both amazed at not only the magnitude of these ranges, but also the way it seemed to swallow the highway we drove on. As we got deeper into Utah, the road became more tortuous and the wind became a factor. Some of the downward slopes were at such a steep grade that they had runaway truck lanes for semis that were unable to brake. Eventually we arrived in Salt Lake City, found a place for the night, and set out to explore all things Mormon.

We walked through downtown Salt Lake and about a mile later arrived at the Temple of the Latter Day Saints. The architecture of these buildings was stunning, yet austere. We explored the gardens surrounding the Temple, saw the Tabernacle, and lastly explored the equivalent of a visitor's center located within the Temple grounds. After brushing up on the Book of Mormon and Mormon history, we headed back through downtown Salt Lake City. I think it's safe to say that our pre-conceived notions of Salt Lake were shattered. Downtown was full of bars and kids, not to mention that Q-Tip (rap artist formerly of A Tribe Called Quest) was performing a free concert, which was very well attended. After grabbing a bite to eat at Mo's Local Grill, we headed back to our place of lodging and are now in the process of unwinding. As always, check Facebook for the full compliment of photos.

We have decided to hit Reno tomorrow, so expect another action packed day of driving and scintillating sights.

Today's winner of the most inane sign competition was a three-way tie: Black Butte Rd., Pilot Butte Rd., and Fossil Butte National Park

No new license plates today (damn you Hawaii and New Hampshire)

Due to extreme somnolence, there will be no Eve notes today (she is currently asleep)