Our directions to Eliza’s house, brought us in from the north and took us right by the state capital’s “Capitol hill.” Soon we were on S. Temple Street and I could guide from there. We were earlier than expected, but we got an enthusiastic welcome from Nate, Will, Eliza, Jen, Karen (who helps Eliza and Jen) and FIVE dogs! They already had four rescue dogs, one with three legs, which was added to when Eliza came east to pick up “Apple,” an adorable, black lab puppy with big paws raised by Liz and Paul King!! All in the backyard, they went bananas barking.
UT SALT LAKE CITY: We arrive at Eliza and Jen’s house after ten days on the road!!! We are greeted by five dogs, two grandsons, Nate and Will, Jen and Eliza, and Karen!
At the start of the trip Sarah had given us T shirts that said on the front, “Three Amigos going westward,” and on the back “To Eliza’s house,” which was represented by a psychedelic blue-green patch. We had put them on that morning, so we had a triumphant arrival, intact after a couple-of-thousand-miles trip! Pictures were taken, and we basked in having completed what we set out to do.
My only regrets from a marvelous trip were that we didn’t go to North Dakota to the Teddy Roosevelt National Parks; and because our timing was poor we didn’t have a whole afternoon at the Battle of the Little Big Horn, and had just finished reading “Last Stand,” about Custer and the Indians’ last major victory.
We approached our trip as learners. The lasting impression I was left with is that WATER will be the defining issue of the 21st century. We are profligate with water in the east; in the west they are catching on as mass irrigation is lowering the reservoirs and record heat is again blistering the west. The delta of the Colorado is completely dry (proven by a picture in the National Geographic). Climate Change is edging us towards the extremes; record heat and floods when the rains do come.
WITH BIG THANKS to Kat Imhoff and Jeep Moore, who used their love of and knowledge about the west to come up with our itinerary. Thanks also to Sarah for doing so much driving and for our T shirts – a wonderful memento of our trip! And to Rosalie for navigating. I was the scribe. Eventually I may learn how to post the pictures in the text. Fingers crossed!
THE THREE AMIGOS HAD THREE WONDERFUL DAYS IN S.L.C. AND FLEW HOME TO VIRGINIA JUNE 14TH. NO FLAT TIRES, NO GETTING LOST, NO POCKETBOOKS LOST….AMAZING. WE HAD ARMED OURSELVES WITH BOOKS TO LISTEN TO ON AUDIBLE. WE LISTENED TO THIRTY MINUTES OF JOHN GHRISHAM EARLY IN THE TRIP, TURNED IT OFF AND TALKED OUR HEADS OFF THE REST OF THE WAY!