OK, today I will admit that my brake foot was working overtime and I could not look over the edge of the mountain because there were no guard rails and Bill warned me not to look, so we did not stop at any overlooks and I took many photos from the car. Who can live up here on this mountain outside Park City, Utah in the winter? You would have to stockpile food for the winter if it snowed! It was beautiful, but treacherous, as we came in from the south side of Salt Lake City. He wanted to see his old skiing slopes in a different season and I humored him, but I was glad to get out of there. The town of Park City was cute and I can see the appeal up there, but NO!

We left Idaho Falls, Idaho, through sagebrush and cedar trees, through the Blackfoot Mountains, passing the Potato Museum with no regrets. (Worried we would become double Baked:) There was frost on the ground through Idaho, and some crops were under spraying to save them, but we never figured out what crops they were. It was south of Pocatello, and there were acres of frozen crops, but deliberately under the ice.

The villages along the way from the highway appeared as toy villages, with so much land in between each ranch. Prairie, then a ranch with trees and dwellings, then more land. It was like we watched miniature towns fly by. But, the landscape changed as we climbed the mountains into Park City. I am resting my brake foot tonight:)

We spent the afternoon walking the impressive city of Salt Lake, wandering around Temple Square. The complex is owned by the Church of  Latter Day Saints. All of the buildings were closed due to Covid, which was so disappointing, but we met two volunteer Mormon girls who educated us on the interiors and allowed us to see with their photo clipboards. It was not the same, but it was delightul talking to them. (One was from Michigan!)

The building I most wanted to visit, with my interest in genealogy and history, was the Family History Library. (It was also a wish of my Mom, who never got to visit.) My good friend Joan Brown has been an influential source in the teachings of her Mormon religion and their love of family values. We have many things in common, despite our different faiths. We share the love of family and friends, our devotion to our faith, our dedication to helping other and even our “hobbies” of art, writing, etc. It was a thrill to see the buildings of importance here in Salt Lake City.

We are settled into the Grand American Hotel, with appointments of grandeur unlike our cabins of the past weeks. We received a special deal from Priceline.com and feel like we are in Europe with the gold faucets, marble bathroom floors, and views of the mountains. We are so worth it.