Utah

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I fell in love with Utah from the moment I came here in from Colorado in 2007. My recent four week stay has re-established my fondness of the state. The Utah scenery is breathtaking. Salt Lake City is in a deep wide valley and looks absolutely beautiful from the approach regardless of direction. The red rocks that make up most of the landscape are just awesome.
For the first ten days I was in a beautiful RV resort called East Canyon which is set, as its name suggests, in a deep canyon, east of Salt Lake City. The weather was perfect while I was there, warm days and cool nights. Salt Lake of course was established by the Mormons, who decided on the location after trekking east from Illinois in the 1840’s. As I travel around I am always stunned by the endurance of pioneers….whether here, in Canada, or South Africa. What they coped with on a daily basis would bring us to a standstill.
Whatever is to be said about the beliefs of the members of the Latter Day Saints movement; I hesitate to call it a religion although I guess it is; they are absolutely dedicated, to their church and their families.
The Mormons came into being in the early 1800s. I don’t know how the movement migrated to Europe but it did. The structure of their hierarchy leaves a lot to be understood. The head of the movement is always called a president and the elders are “apostles.” After the president dies he becomes a prophet….Anyway, when the “prophet” Joseph Smith was “martyred” in 1844 Brigham Young took over as president of the Mormons and led them away from persecution in Illinois toward the Rocky Mountains looking for a place where they could practice their beliefs in peace. I can quite understand why they chose Utah although getting here was no piece of cake AND when they got here, Brigham Young sent the young men out on “missions” to convert the Indians. Other strong young men were required to go into the mountains to get the materials required to build a temple, which left the poor women to do everything as well as birthing and taking care of multiple children, when at the same time they were sharing an absent husband. Today, the members of the LDS church have only one wife but LOTS of kids; the average family has six or seven. The “prophet” Brigham Young however had 57 children, and many wives, BUT that was because the “many prophets and patriarchs of Old Testament times had more than one wife.” These days only the most radical; the members of the Fundamental LDS movement practice “pluralism,” or “polygamy.” It is of course against the law and the members of the mainstream LDS are instructed to obey the laws of the land. The radicals just chose not to follow civil law but the instructions laid out in the Book of Mormon.
After my stay in East Canyon I moved to St. George which is basically desert and right up my street. It has been hot while I have been here, averaging about 95⁰F. The evenings cool off to a comfortable sleeping temperature. I’ve enjoyed the pool both here and in East Canyon have taken several day trips as my pictures show.

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Photos

East Canyon-Echo Dam
The canyon is a great destination for a lot of Salt Lake families. Being only 20 miles out of the city, it offers water sports as well as ATV trails and hiking

Salt Lake
This was the view from the summit of the hill leading out of the canyon. Salt Lake City in the distance.

Campground
The State of Utah are busy building a couple of new campgrounds at the side of the dam. How nice is this??

St. George Tabernacle
Unlike the Temple anyone can go into the Tabernacle. This building took 13 years to complete. It was started by the families who were sent to St. George by Brigham Young. The clock is from London and 2,244 window panes were shipped from New York

St. George Temple
This structure dominates the St. George skyline, but non Mormons are not allowed inside. The complex covers about two city blocks and includes a geneology building.

Robert Gardner Jr.
Was born in Kylsyth, Scotland in 1819. (I think he must've been a stone mason) Here he is hammering in the first spike of the city of St. George. He was the first LDS bishop of St. George, Mayor of St. George twice, and married 4 times

Town Square
The original town square has been marked by a lovely park mainly for the enjoyment of the town's children

Waterpark
A waterpark with a variety of sit and splash areas has been incorporated

Bronze
There were a variety of bronzes places around the park. This one took my fancy

Brigham Young's Winter Home
Only one wife is supposed to have lived in this home. She stayed in St. George while he went back and forth to Salt Lake. He spent 4 winters here before he died in 1877

Jacob Hamblin
Jacob Hamblin was converted to Mormonism in 1839 and became a missionary shortly thereafter. He and his family moved West to Salt Lake, then to Santa Clara, then to Kanab, Utah, then to Arizona and then to New Mexico to do missionary work for the LDS.

Home
The home was set up in two identical halves with a staircase to a communal upstairs room. Jacob Hamblin had 4 wives and 24 children although only 12 children ever lived here-three or four per bed.

Santa Clara
The town of Santa Clara was established by Swiss Mormons who were sent here with a mission to farm cotton. Jacob Hamblin and his family were part of this community for 7 years. There is still a strong Swiss influence on the town.

Bryce Canyon
The Piaute Legend of Bryce Canyon reads: "Before there were any Indians the Legend People, (To-when-an-ung-was) lived in that place. Because they were bad Coyote turned them all into rocks. You can see them in that place now; some standing in rows, some sitting down, some holding onto others. You can see their faces with paint on just as they became rocks. The name of that place is Agka-ku-wass-a-wits. Red painted faces."

Bryce Canyon
I had missed going to Bryce the last time I was here but was determined to make the 150 mile trip this time. I wasn't disappointed

Hoodoo
"Hoodoo -- a pillar of rock, usually of fantastic shape, left by erosion." It is easy to see where the Indians got the idea that these shapes were people who had been bad and turned to stone.

Bridge
I have to salute the National Park System. They maintain vast areas and miles of roads. Without their dedication a lot of these wonderful areas would be inaccessible.

Zion's Shapes
Bryce Canyon is totally different from Zion Canyon which is just 70 miles away. Unless you are into extreme hiking Bryce is a view, whereas you get to drive through Zion.

Differences
Bryce Canyon rocks seem to be wind shaped vertically, whereas Zion's are in slices horizontally. Geology!! Just beautiful.

Comments

[Al]

Great pics and commentary Lyn.

[Lilian]

Your latest travels
Hi Lyn, you certainly have seen some great places - tks for sharing luv Lil