A reasonably
early start
in
Elko,
back on 80, in sight of the Ruby and
Jarbidge Mountains,
to Wells,
junipers around
Moor,
Maverick
over
Pequop
Goshute
Valley
and
Toano
Range,
Pilot
Peak
towards the Bonneville
Salt Flats,
near Wendover.
Welcome
Center,
against
sere Peaks
and
Memorial,
crossing
into
Utah
for
supplies,
then
off
again,
the
blazing,
blinding
mirage-
inducing,
art-
inspiring
saline pan.
Brief
hike up
the spine of
Aragonite Ridge,
looking down on all the desolate, historical splendor--
subsequently returning to the
car,
bonanzaing
past
Cedar, Lakeside,
Stansbury,
and
Oquirrh
Mountains,
with
the
intervening
Skull
and
Toelle
Valleys,
alongside
the
Great
Salt
Lake,
past
Antelope Island
Magma, and
Saltair --
with
views
north to
Ben Lomond and Mt. Ogden.
At
last
Salt
Lake
City,
dodgem'ing
'em
up
Parleys
Canyon
in
the
Front
to
the
Summit and Heber Junction,
leading south on US 40 above Jordanelle Reservoir
to
Heber
City.
Check out
the
Visitor Center,
resupply
at
local Maverick,
then
head
east
toward
cliffy,
rolling
sagebrush
high
country,
to Jane and Marc's comfortable,
scenic countrified spot,
with its spectacular view of the Valley backed by Mt. Timpanogos.
Lo and behold,
the wallet,
plus coffee and congenial conversation.
A colorful couple and a wonderful time --
eternal thanks!
Reversing
course,
back
west
through
Heber
Valley
and
up
40
in
Wasatch and
Summit Counties
to
I-80 --
Silver
Creek
Canyon,
Wanship
and
the
Weber
River
Valley,
Reservoir
and
the
renowned /
storied
Canyon
Cliffs,
ushered
the
Mormon
pioneers
into
vicinity,
growing
waner,
smoothing
out
towards
the
eastern
with
Wyoming,
adjacent
to
Evanston.
The
route
circuits
amongst
minor-
but(te?)-still-beautiful canyons and
ridges,
ultimately
topping
out
to a plateau,
with views south
towards the Uintas,
near
Ft. Bridger,
then down to Jim Bridger's notorious locale,
given over to Brigham Young and company in suspect circumstances.
A call to Tisha,
and
off again through the
Black's Fork River Valley,
once
again
on the
freeway.
The
surrealities
of
Church
Buttes,
whimsical
austeries
around
Little
America,
amazing
many-
nomenclatured
(thanks to one-armed,
heroic Grand Canyon explorer
Major John Wesley Powell)
rock
outcrops
near
Green River,
and
ultimately
ever-
onward
to
Rock
Springs --
many of these places memorialized by,
among others,
Harry Partch,
in his cross-country SF-to-Chicago microtonalist railroad-masterpiece,
U.S. Highball.
"Rock Springs,
Wyomings,"
on the 59th day of summer, high up 2 to 86
Elko, 83
Salt Lake City, 85
Rock Springs, 69
calling Chris to wish him a Happy 30th Birthday!
