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Oops We Did it Again

At the Utah border we headed south towards Salt Lake City. We quickly tired of the straight, paved road and found an alternate 70 mile dirt road south towards the shore of the Great Salt Lake. We picked up more dust, saw many Pronghorn Antelope, and acres and acres of farmland carved out of the scrub brush. We are still amazed, while driving through this barren landscape, that people traversed it walking behind covered wagons and ox carts.

The dirt ended at a paved intersection with quite a few cars heading west. The little sign said Promontory. We shrugged our shoulders and joined in. We quickly came to a small National Historic Park visitor center with 2 steam locomotives belching smoke, nose to nose. We pulled out our National Park Pass and ventured inside.

It turns out Promontory was where the Golden Spike was driven to join the Central Pacific Railroad coming from the west and the Union Pacific Railroad coming from the east on May 10th, 1869.

What a great oops!

Miles of gravel road through the sage brush.
A bit of occasional heavy traffic.
The Great Salt Lake in the distance.
The flag shows the final railroad tie and placement of the golden spike (now safely stored at Stanford) which completed the transcontinental railroad officially connecting the east and west coasts for the first time.
My little boy checking out the big toys.
There is something in the clickety clack of the rails and the sound of the whistle that makes you want to through your bag over your shoulder and hop a ride.
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California Trail

A 30 mile dirt road from Alma, ID took us through the high desert to the Utah border on a section of the old California Trail. We didn’t see a single vehicle, gold miner heading west for fortune or a family with their covered wagon seeking a better life, but we did pick up a new batch of dust and experience the quiet desolation of the high desert these hardy people walked across.

Miles of sage brush in all directions.
The Wee Rover was very excited to place her wheels where covered wagon wheels had rolled before.
The eerie silence of the high desert. Imagine walking across this hour after hour, day after day…hoping the reports of fresh water and shade ahead were accurate.