Day 31 - Salt Lake City KOA

I woke up at 5 AM without my alarm. (Totally unusual for me). DH woke up around 5:45 AM and MIL sort of woke up when DH made coffee for me. Our goal today was to drive 555 miles from Indian Hills, NV to Salt Lake City, Utah. I made reservations online while traveling and added in a message to the campground that we might be late since at that moment we were in Reno, Nevada. 

When I looked out at the MDX, I stated that "there is frost on the pumpkin." DH agreed. It reminded me of a funny thing that happened several years ago. The entire time our kids were growing up, I would use that saying when ever frost appeared on a crisp October day. Well apparently we always had a Halloween Jack-o-lantern on our porch. So our oldest daughter just found out that that was just a saying and had no bearing on whether or not we had a pumpkin. 

The campground this morning had directions on their map on how to exit. Since DH was going to diesel up, and the MDX was already unhooked from our trip to Lake Tahoe, I led the way out. Only to find out the road was blocked. Fortunately I was ahead and was able to back up before DH drove the motorhome down that street too. 

We then finally found an exit. DH got diesel and I waited off to the side so when he was through we could hook up easier. While waiting about 5 school buses arrived empty and parked in the parking lot to the campground. I was afraid that they would block our route out. Most people think nothing about parking right in front of us so we can't get out. They do it all the time at gas stations.  What I need is about 6 cones to put out with crime scene tape to keep them from parking in front of us! 

DH wanted to get the motorhome and car washed at one of those tractor trailer wash services, due to the rainy and then dusty conditions of both roads and campgrounds. So in Reno area DH pulled into a Pilot Truck Stop for the wash. The way they have it set up is it is like a box canyon, or a roach hotel. Once in, your stuck especially if another tractor trailer pulls in behind you. When we turned the corner already too late, their was a line. One in the building, two in line outside and another one in front of the other bay door. DH asked me to go get him a breakfast sandwich while waiting. So MIL and I walked over, bought the goodies and came back one truck was missing so it went in the first 2nd bay, and the 1st bay doors opened and took in another tractor trailer so DH parked in front of the first Bay doors. The whole thing, waiting and washing took an hour off our travel time, plus we would be loosing another hour by crossing back into mountain time. Off we went, hours and hours in the high desert with only sage brush, with the occasional rubber-rabbit brush which has vibrant yellow gold flowers to break up the monotony. I of course was constantly watching the clouds. The clouds would through shadows on the mountains, some of the clouds just looked like they were blanketing the tops of the mountains. Some of the higher peaks were sporting snow.

We stopped a couple of times including for lunch. One of the times we had stopped, DH asked me if I felt like driving, so I said okay. Things were going swell, as we came to a rest stop I asked MIL if DH was sleeping and she said yes, so the next rest area was another 114 miles. Everything like I said was fine, except the occasional gust of wind that caught me off guard. After it happened twice I was ready for it. I had my cruise control set for 60 mph. Speed limit was 75. I came upon a slow moving truck which I had to put the pedal to the metal to pass it gong up an unknown grade. I was hoping I was going up to a plateau. It was soon apparent that I was not. MIL was oblivious to what was happening as she was so enthralled with having Internet that she was deep into Facebook. I was calmly looking for the exhaust brake which I knew was somewhere on the left. I was kicking myself for not asking ahead of time. I started to brake then release then brake some more. The darn motorhome kept gaining speed. DH woke up and told me to push the red button. I looked to my right and saw a red button type thing pushed it but it wasn't working. I also didn't know where second gear was which the sign said Trucks Should Use 2nd Gear! Eventually we got down the grade and MIL yelled there is a wide shoulder!!! It said for Emergency Stopping Only, and frankly it was an emergency for me! When I came to a stop, I put it in neutral and pulled up the Emergency brake. We called smell the burning smell of the brakes. I was shaken not stirred! DH took over and showed me the button for the exhaust brake and it was ORANGE! The red button I had been pushing was actually a red light for something else. So shortly after my ordeal, there was a tunnel which thankfully I did not have to drive through! I would have driven right down the center!!

We came across these strange giant Quonset Hut like tunnel things built over I-80 on both sides of the road. A pair before the tunnel and a pair after the tunnel. So thanks to Google, I looked them up to find out what they were. They are animal crossings for  animals who migrate from one side to the other. As a result of human deaths, injuries and damage to vehicles. It also came about as 1,300 deer alone plus other animals were killed crossing the Interstate. The Wildlife & Game Commission were responsible for funding the project with tax payer money.

As we arrived into Utah, we stopped for diesel. The landscape was the beginning of the Bonneville Salt Flats. 

Thanks again to Google! I always imagined the whole area to be flat and white from salt. What we saw was totally different. Some places were white and crusty but for the most part it was either brown or levees filled with water. I looked it up and found Save the Salt Flats project!"

https://saltflats.com/save%20the%20salt.html

When we got to the campground it was dark. After taking a wrong term in the campground, we finally found our spot which was nice and long. Ended up having hotdogs and chips for dinner. 

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