Utah! but no Pineapples

 Hard to believe it's been 11 months since we have made an excurstion.   Had several trips plaanned in the spring that had to be cancelled at the last minute for personal reasons that consumed most of the summer as well.

In October we made a trip out west via Airplane for a family wedding in Utah which was fun in the Salt Lake area.   Just a couple of pics of some fun things we did there.

If you know me, you know I love these wagons.  Have had 14 of them since 2007.   Anyway, we were about 40 minutes out of the airport and saw this one parked at a trail head near Timpanogos Cave in American Fork Canyon.

We drove up the canyon to go to the cave, which we found out includes a mile hike up 1200' or so of elevation change.  The average incline is 13 degrees, so it was kiinda steep, but paved so that made it fairly easy.   Both of us have bad knees but we made it just fine.  It was about 60 degrees so comfortable weather.   The cave was awesome, but no good pics as it's pretty dark.

The view looking down the canyon back toward the valley (old lake bed) where Salt Lake City is (around the corner to the right).

After the cave and the hike back down, we took a loop drive to look at the fall colors.  This picture really doesn't do it justice.  Met some locals here and they told us usually by now the mountains are snow capped.

The great Salt Lake is in a heavy drought.   This was by a snack bar and the water used to come up to bushes there.   It was a good 15 minute walk past that to get to the edge of the water.   Lowest it has been in a really long time.

From a higher vantage point about a mile away looking west.  You can see how low the water is here.

We also visited Antelope Island (where above pics were taken) and they have quite the population of Bison.

We got excited when we saw one,  but by the end of it, they were just blocking the road ha ha.

The last day we made it out to literally the middle of nowhere  Promitory, UT.  Population 2 steam engines and and handful of Park Rangers.     

Where the east and west rails met, they built a boom town that only lasted for about 30 years.   No local resources, it was doomed to fail.  That and they found a better way to route trains that saved several hours.

Out last stop of the trip was the State Capitol Building.   I've only been in a couple of them and this one was VERY impressive.   An amazing piece of architecture. 

Had dinner and dropped off the car at the airport and took a red eye home...