We started our day in a comfy bed once again, had the free breakfast at the hotel before heading downtown to see Temple Square by day.
Temple square is basically a city block that has high fences all around, open to the public during the day and contains immaculate gardens, grounds, statues and multiple churches. On three sides out of the square are other church buildings, including the museum, research building, a huge conference centre (seats 26,000) and the white skyscraper which was their ‘office building’. Oh and their bank building on the fourth side. Safe to say the Mormons appear to have no money trouble at all.
Inside the Tabernacle where they broadcast sermons on TV
A smaller church inside the square
The main temple, with the Tabernacle (silver) behind it
We wandered around in the sun; greeted everywhere we went by the very polite Mormon volunteers there to show you around and answer questions. It led us to the old hotel, now for conferences/events. We spoke to several of the Mormons there who told us the huge cost of building the place, about the decor (shipped from England, extinct marble) etc. and one guy (a high priest we learned) who led us into side rooms containing pictures of their prophets, and yet another church room… Fortunately he didn’t try to convert us! Just wanted to share his religion, they are rather pleased with it.
All churched out we headed across the road for some deliciously different salads. Tanguy went to the BMW store to get his throttle bodies calibrated while I wandered around the City Creek mall and downtown. It was getting on the afternoon so when Tanguy got back we got on the freeway headed west. First up was a stop at the Great Salt Lake. We walked a couple 100metres to get to the waters edge, where it was smelly/scummy in sections. Dead bird bones littered the sand plain we walked across. Not so nice, I decided I didn’t need to dip my feet in afterall!
Edge of the Salt Lake
After that it was an exeptionally boring hour and a half drive to Wendover, where Bonneville Salt flats were located. We passed sparse dessert, salt flats and salt refineries the whole drive. I got a cheap hotel room in Wendover, which was basically just a casino town, being placed on the border of Nevada where gambling is legal (illegal in Utah). We headed out to the Salt Flats which were right out of town. The salt was surprisingly wet and mushy in sections – definitely not riding conditions! We took heaps of pictures of the reflections, took our shoes off and got a ‘salt scrub’ for our feet in the shallow puddles. We then met a couple travelling from Iowa, the lady was awesome she called her son in Anchorage, whom I spoke to on the phone for Alaska travel tips. By this time the sun had set and the sky was stunningly pink; more photos!
Chatted to a Canadian couple who arrived with their Beemers on a trailer then headed to town for food. The only places open were casinos and Fast food joints so we had an OK dinner at a casino restaurant. Pretty funny how the building walls were literally right on the state line; the car park was in Utah.
Back to the hotel to crash, before tomorrow’s adventure.
–Zoe A more stable section tourists/drivers hadn’t marked
First: my comment on day 56 is “awaiting moderation”.
Is that the new rule?
I’ll check out with this one.
So the salt flats were in no rideable condition, the speed trials are limited in time every year.
I’m sure you would have pushed the Beemers for a flying mile!
Next time then!
Perhaps not the most exciting part of the trip but you have to make the pilgrimage one as a petrolhead I guess!
Now over to tomorrow’s adventure
Baci
Amazing blue skies on each or your beautiful pictures.