169. Dry desert to snow covered hills

Friday 10 October 2008

It was very cold overnight and we left at 8.50am on a cold 32° F morning.  We visited the railway museum briefly before heading onto Highway 93 towards Salt Lake City.

Parked in the Ely KOA Campground
Ely railway station
Desert hills and flowers

We passed a number of large caravans and mobile homes towing a smaller vehicle behind them, something we only saw in the USA and Canada.  We saw many smaller caravans in Australia, however very few all the way across Russia and none in Kazakhstan or Mongolia.

We passed this large caravan
A big mobile home towing a smaller car

We passed the Kinsley Mountain with the temperature only 36° F.

Kinsley Mountains in the distance
Hills in the desert

The highway dropped down beside the Great Salt Lake Desert and at West Wendover we turned onto Highway 80 East and crossed into Utah.

Great Salt Lake Desert

A rocky outcrop that reminded us of a lion

We travelled across the salt flats, past trains and a telecommunications tower shaped like a tree. 

Salt flats
A road train crossing the salt flats
A telecommunications tower shaped like a tree
Train crossing the salt flats
Train engines
Salt evaporator plant

The highway passed along the outskirts of Salt Lake City and we travelled through Parleys Canyon and onto Coalville.

A farm near Parleys Canyon
A stream near Coalville

We stopped at Echo Canyon and made ourselves some lunch.  Across the highway we saw an old farm with masses of old cars left in the paddocks.

Train travelling through Echo Canyon
Old cars dumped in the paddock beside an old farm next to the railway line

The day was cold and overcast at 47° F and we stopped and refuelled at Evanston and paid $US3.79 per gallon for diesel.

The weather deteriorated – it started to rain and sleet.

Fog descends on Highway 80
A windfarm on the ridge
Snow on the hills
Driving through Flaming Gorge at Green River
Train passing hills covered in snow near Green River
We passed more trains

The hills were covered in snow and it was a relief when we found the KOA campground at Rock Springs where we stopped for the night after paying $30.

Total today 440 miles (708 kilometres)

Click here for the next entry – Snow, sunshine and fog to Fort Collins

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