The final two weeks before the trip were spent cramming for the test...the test being the XTERRA USA Championship. What I've done to prepare for triathlon this year is not even worthy of being called training. Since July, I swam just three times and ran four times to supplement my bike training. I got in three practice triathlons at home prior to going to Utah, all of them taking place at my parent's house where I was able to swim in their pool and then ride and run on the trail. Each one made me feel a little more confident in my ability to at least complete the Championship race. My last test came a week before the race when I completed full race distance with relative ease. I knew the elevation of Ogden and the length of the run would be my biggest challenges in the race.
Vacation couldn't have come at a better time. I have been increasingly frustrated at work the past few months and definitely needed the break. I have some issues with work, but I do love some things about it, like finding ways to make physical therapy fun for the patients and myself as well. Pat had a patient that needed to practice using her hands for her job and needed a volunteer. She happened to be a dental hygienist and I happened to need a cleaning. So...
It was awesome! She got practice and I got clean teeth right before my trip. Shiny teeth for the lots of smiling that was sure to come in Utah.
It was a rainy few days before our departure that made packing really fun. Not. It wasn't easy, but we made it work without getting our stuff soaked. We took Shannon's car because mine is not quite as dependable as it used to be. And her car has a tad more room in the trunk which we were sure to need with two weeks worth of clothes, race equipment, camping gear and three bikes on the packing list.
We finally left Tennessee the week of the race, on a Tuesday afternoon. It felt so good to be on the road. We have been planning this trip for almost a year. The first day's plan was to drive to a friend's house in Independence, MO, near Kansas City. We cruised through liight traffic enjoying the scenic roads of Kentucky and eastern Missouri while the sun was still up. I drive for most of our trips, but Shannon was quick to step up and split drive time with me for this trip as we had 27 hours ahead of us to make it to Gramma's house in West Jordan.
We stayed the night with Shannon's old roommate Shu Ling, who took care of us with a nice place to sleep and a great breakfast waiting the next morning. Shu Ling made sure we didn't leave hungry and, just in case we were still a little hungry, she started packing snacks for us to have on the drive. I think we left with everything from bags of nuts to grapes, gummy bears and beef jerky.
This trip was my first time traveling west of St. Louis in a car. I've been to Texas a few times, and have flown to Las Vegas once and California twice, but had never seen anything in between. Northern Missouri, southern Iowa and Nebraska were not very exciting, but I still enjoyed seeing them. Driving I-80 in Nebraska is interesting because it is very different on each side of the interstate. The north side is flat and covered with wheat and corn, while the south side features a meandering river and multiple quarries and farms.
Owling at a rest stop in Nebraska
View of a small town in western Nebraska from a rest stop
Learning some history while taking a few minutes away from the car
Once in Wyoming, we stopped by the Sierra Trading Post Outlet Store in Cheyenne, where I scored a good deal on a rain jacket and pair of Pearl Izumi bib shorts and Shannon found a nice price on some baggy mountain bike shorts.
Train across the plain in Wyoming
Wyoming sunset on Day 2
Between the crazy headwind we had on I-80 and the ethanol-rich gas we had to buy, we got crappy fuel mileage the rest of the way, but we pushed on, knocking off the last 17 hours to Gramma's on Wednesday. We got to her house really late. I stayed awake by sipping a Monster and eating Shu Ling's beef jerky. I ate more beef on this drive than I've had in the last two years.
It was dark when we arrived so I couldn't really see Utah yet. We didn't sleep in much on Thursday as we had a full day planned out. This was our day to take in some of the local sights. I was disappointed to see a hazy view of the mountains. They looked similar to the mountains in east Tennessee, almost blue. Here in Tennessee, it's the humidity that causes the blue look and limits sight distance. But Utah isn't humid. Shannon thought it might be smog since we were in the heavily populated valley just to the south of Salt Lake City, but that didn't look right either. We later learned that the haziness was caused by the smoke from wildfires in Idaho drifting into the valley and getting hung up by the mountains. The valley where we were is bordered on the west by the Oquirrh Mountains and on the east by the Wasatch Mountains.
We first headed toward the Oquirrh Mountains to visit the largest copper mine in the world, the Kennecott Mine. It was one big hole.
2.5 miles across and 0.5 miles deep
Big trucks hauling big loads
Video: panning across the site of the mine
Kennecott has a very informative visitor's center and a good viewing area of the mine. They spend a lot of time and resources planning out the mining and the restoration of the land afterwards. I enjoyed their displays on equipment such as the one on the truck tires.
That's one big Michelin
10,183 lbs! $25,000! I'm glad I drive a Taurus...
Shannon wanted to take me on a cave tour as well, so after Kennecott it was off to the Wasatch side of the valley to see the Timpanogos Cave at Mt. Timpanogos. Shannon has visited Gramma many times and gone to school at BYU in Provo, so she knew this was something we would like to do together. The cave tour begins with a 1.5-mile uphill walk along a paved trail that winds around the rocks on the edge of Mt. Timpanogos. We saw wildlife, great views of American Fork Canyon and even a fault line on the hike up to the cave entrance.
Entering American Fork Canyon by car. I wanted to my bike sooo bad!
Walking up to the cave
View from the hiking trail
View of American Fork Canyon. There was a wildfire burning up at the top left.
Tunnel along the hiking trail
The tunnel went right through a fault line. You can easily see the rock layers moving in opposing directions here.
Another tunnel ahead
This warning sign almost makes it look fun...
Looking out American Fork Canyon towards the valley
More funny warning signs. Yes, I have a weird sense of humor.
Ground squirrel on Mt. Timpanogos
GPS Map of the hike
The cave was cool. There were some cool formations too look at and some interesting stories on how the cave and its offshoots were discovered. It's definitely worth your time if you are ever out in Salt Lake.
Inside the cave. I have no idea what I took a picture of. I just did the ol' point and shoot in the dark.
After the cave tour, we drove further up into the canyon and then deeper into the mountains. Shannon wanted to go visit Cascade Springs. She had been there before, but it had been quite a while. The drive there was beautiful. The road was narrow and twisted it's way up to the top of a ridge and then back down. Again, I was wanting my bike!
Climbing up through the colorful maples on Hwy. 92 (Alpine Scenic Hwy)
Narrow, twisty climbs had my mouth watering for a ride
As you can see from some of my pictures above, my camera lens got dirty on the inside and it haunted me throughout the trip with ugly dots and specs on a lot of the pictures. Sorry about that. It really ruined some great shots in my opinion.
Cascade Springs was beautiful. The red maples were so bright that the hills looked like they were on fire. The springs travel over 2 miles under the mountains before they emerge and flow through a mountain pasture. It's a very cool place full of beautiful sights and the calming sounds of rushing water. The water was so clean that it made you just want to take a sip from the side of the trail.
Shannon and I in front of a bright maple
Walking trail around Cascade Springs
Nearby mountain
We then took a gravel road out the back of the Wasatch Mountains into a small town called Midway. Then we drove back to West Jordan and had dinner with Gma, Gpa and Amber before watching the BYU football game on TV. It was a good first day of exploring and visiting with family.
Gravel road to Midway
