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Since leaving Utah, things have been... well, eventful.
May 21. Saturday.
We drove from Salt Lake City to Park City, Utah. This is an amazing little town. The camp site we stayed at was located in the mountains with a small river about ten feet from our tent. We investigated the night life in the lovely town of Park City, and found it to delightful. We made friends with one gentleman who gave us all sorts of small town gossip. We did find it much better here then we did in Salt Lake City. (and yes Mandy, the drinks were not that strong!) All and all, a good time was had by all.
May 22. Sunday.
We drove from Park City north west, our destination was to Antelope Island. Antelope Island is a State Park in the Great Salt Lake. We spent the day laying on the beach, and enjoying not being in the car. I have never been on a beach where if I look in one direction I see water, another I see mountains in the distance, and yet another SNOW covered mountains! It was amazing. Laura and I went swimming in the lake. It gets its
name from the high salt content found in the water. Apparently the ocean has about 3% of a salt level, and the Great Salt Lake has anywhere from a 4%-25% salt level. I could definitely feel and taste the difference. The really neat thing was that due to the high salt level you were able to float effortlessly. I felt like a cork bobbing up and down. I had to get out of the water as soon as I got in though. The salt was burning my face and my neck... real bad, YES! I know I'm a baby! But once I was out of the water it was better. Within 3 minutes of getting out the salt had dried all over my body and i could see it on my arms and on my hair! Oh yeah, and as I was too worried about the salt on my body, I forgot to put sunscreen on, and have not been able to sleep on my back since!
From here we drove north to Idaho and stayed in Lava Hot Springs. Not a bad day or a drive.
May 23. Monday.
Lava Hot Springs, is apparently a world
famous place, or so it claims on its sign. For the record, I had never known about it before this, but according to one of Laura's travel books, it's a good place. The story about this place is that is water that bubbles up from an ancient volcano and is anywhere from 96-104 degrees in temperature. This hot springs is different from most, as it is free of sulfur and other impurities that most hot springs have. It used to be a sacred place for the Native Americans, but as with most other things our government took it away from them. ....
BUT I did enjoy myself resting and realizing in the wonderful pools. Since I was still dealing with my sunburn from Utah I had to ease myself into the pools. But it was worth it!
From Lava Hot Springs we drove west across the Idaho State. We went to the Bruneau Dunes State Park in Mountain Home Idaho. It is the largest Sand Dune in North America; it rises out of the desert about 480 feet. It wasn't impressive from far away, but the further we got to it the more amazing it was. The Dune was
formed when Bonneville flooded thousands of years ago and it brought the sand to this area. It doesn't change much is size due to the different cross winds that blow against it and keep it there ... phew... i feel like i'm teaching a class here! haha.
WELL... I am finally getting to the adventurous part... SO after that long adventure filled day, we drive further west to Boise, Idaho... upon driving west we watched the sky get darker and darker, and the clouds get lower and lower. We turn on the radio, and the weather person was reporting winds of excess of 65 miles and hour and severe thunderstorms! But regardless, we think we can stick it out, as we are "rough" girls... BUT then we get to the campground and the nice woman turns us away due to the weather and that she feels it is unsafe for camping!!
so, we do what any other "rough" girls would do, we take that as a great excuse to stay in hotel, and make a B line for the closest hotel with a wireless internet connection!
HOWEVER.. While scoping out our options, all of a sudden we hear
a "pop", and then Laura and me both look at each other, yup flat tire. now remember, rain, wind and the whole back of our car full of camping gear (aka clothes and accessories!) well, after removing all the stuff and calling for road side assistance to come change the tire it was about 45 minutes of a wait. not bad. (get real if you thought i was going to change the tire myself) but on a side note, i would like to add that the guy who came to help us with the car was extremely good looking! so in the end, it wasn't that bad.
May 24. Tuesday.
After a delightful sleep in a bed, tv and clean towels, I woke up extremely refreshed. Our first stop was to buy a new tire, as the 4 holes and slow leak in the side wall were not able to be fixed. But as my luck would have it, it wasn't a simple thing. Of course there was some trouble with the car and just getting one tire, something about it being a All Wheel Drive car, blah blah blah. Bottom line, 3 hours and over $600 later
we left the tire place. But as all ways the silver lining of the situation again where the very nice AND attractive men who helped us! AND apparently they have never met two girls like us, because they were full of questions about what Mass is like and one even wanted to try to wear my "fancy" sunglasses! good times.
We drove from Boise Idaho to Bend Oregon, had a great night sleep, cold, but great. Our next destination is Crater Lake, Oregon.
like i said... eventful few days.
love, jenny
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Laura
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Scurredy Cat
Jenny I have no idea why you were scurrrred to stay outside in a flimsy tent in 65 mph winds and severe thunderstorms, I hear that mental stakes in tent serve as perfect conductors of electricity. We should really toughen up, girrrly girrrl.