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The trip has been over for almost a week, but there are still a few thoughts and observations floating around in my head. They didn't fit well in my other posts, or didn't occur to me until later, so I thought I'd just put them all in a single post. So, here they are, in no particular order:
-Speed limits: There were two stretches of I-15 where the speed limit was set at 80 mph (that's about 135 km/hr for my metric oriented friends)! The signs indicated that it was a test or demonstration program, so I can't say whether they will be permanent or not, but you should can cover distance in a hurry at those speeds. Of course, with the flat, straight highways out there, combined with the relatively low traffic volume, I can't say that such speeds are unreasonable. On the other hand, it would be highly dangerous to try that here in the more densely populated East.
-Air pollution: As we approached Salt Lake City from the Provo area, I was surprised by the cloud of smog obscuring the city. We couldn't see the downtown Salt Lake City until we were almost in it. The entire city was covered by a ugly brown cloud that day. Once we got into the city and started walking around, we really didn't notice it, but it was quite noticeable from the freeway coming into the city. In contrast, I didn't notice any air quality issues at all in Albuquerque. The skies there were gorgeous blue, with miles of clear visibility. I'm sure that part of the difference is the geography: Albuquerque is flat and open, with wind blowing across the desert to clear the air, while Salt Lake City sits down in a basin, which would trap the pollution. Even so, the differences was remarkable.
-Insane bicyclists: As we descended from Teton Pass into Jackson Hole, WY, I was stunned to see a number of individual bicyclists working their way up toward the pass. According to the signs, this road is an 8 mile long, 10% grade! Talk about a workout. Couple that climb with the altitude (8,431 feet/2570 m at the top of the pass), and it would probably kill me. Anyone who can ride up that grade and make it look as routine as they did has my respect!
-Desert rain: We tend to think of deserts as places where it never rains. Yet, we saw afternoon rainstorms almost every day while we were in the arid areas. In fact, the few days we didn't see any rain were those days when we were NOT in the desert. However, the storms we saw were small and localized, providing moisture for only a small patch of the desert. The truly impressive thing about these storms was the distance from which you could observe them. Much of the desert is so flat that you could see three or four thunderstorms, in different directions, each of them 10 or 15 (or more) miles away. When you did drive through one, the transition from dry to wet was VERY abrupt. The pavement would be dry one second, and you'd drive through a wall of rain into a downpour the next. Three miles later, the exit from the storm was just as abrupt.
-Junior Ranger programs: Our daughters completed Junior Ranger programs at most of the parks we visited (including the State Park we visited in Utah). These programs typically provide an activity booklet, and the kids have to complete a number of activities (the number and difficulty change depending on age). When they finish, the present the package to a ranger station, where a ranger reviews the work and presents the kids with a certificate and a badge or patch (which is customized for the park). The great thing about this program is that it encourages the kids to interact with the park. Instead of just looking at the views, they have to think about what they're seeing, to learn something about the history or science of the place. I think our daughters learned a great deal more from this trip because of these programs.
-Speed limits: There were two stretches of I-15 where the speed limit was set at 80 mph (that's about 135 km/hr for my metric oriented friends)! The signs indicated that it was a test or demonstration program, so I can't say whether they will be permanent or not, but you should can cover distance in a hurry at those speeds. Of course, with the flat, straight highways out there, combined with the relatively low traffic volume, I can't say that such speeds are unreasonable. On the other hand, it would be highly dangerous to try that here in the more densely populated East.
-Air pollution: As we approached Salt Lake City from the Provo area, I was surprised by the cloud of smog obscuring the city. We couldn't see the downtown Salt Lake City until we were almost in it. The entire city was covered by a ugly brown cloud that day. Once we got into the city and started walking around, we really didn't notice it, but it was quite noticeable from the freeway coming into the city. In contrast, I didn't notice any air quality issues at all in Albuquerque. The skies there were gorgeous blue, with miles of clear visibility. I'm sure that part of the difference is the geography: Albuquerque is flat and open, with wind blowing across the desert to clear the air, while Salt Lake City sits down in a basin, which would trap the pollution. Even so, the differences was remarkable.
-Insane bicyclists: As we descended from Teton Pass into Jackson Hole, WY, I was stunned to see a number of individual bicyclists working their way up toward the pass. According to the signs, this road is an 8 mile long, 10% grade! Talk about a workout. Couple that climb with the altitude (8,431 feet/2570 m at the top of the pass), and it would probably kill me. Anyone who can ride up that grade and make it look as routine as they did has my respect!
-Desert rain: We tend to think of deserts as places where it never rains. Yet, we saw afternoon rainstorms almost every day while we were in the arid areas. In fact, the few days we didn't see any rain were those days when we were NOT in the desert. However, the storms we saw were small and localized, providing moisture for only a small patch of the desert. The truly impressive thing about these storms was the distance from which you could observe them. Much of the desert is so flat that you could see three or four thunderstorms, in different directions, each of them 10 or 15 (or more) miles away. When you did drive through one, the transition from dry to wet was VERY abrupt. The pavement would be dry one second, and you'd drive through a wall of rain into a downpour the next. Three miles later, the exit from the storm was just as abrupt.
-Junior Ranger programs: Our daughters completed Junior Ranger programs at most of the parks we visited (including the State Park we visited in Utah). These programs typically provide an activity booklet, and the kids have to complete a number of activities (the number and difficulty change depending on age). When they finish, the present the package to a ranger station, where a ranger reviews the work and presents the kids with a certificate and a badge or patch (which is customized for the park). The great thing about this program is that it encourages the kids to interact with the park. Instead of just looking at the views, they have to think about what they're seeing, to learn something about the history or science of the place. I think our daughters learned a great deal more from this trip because of these programs.
