We were up early and left the hotel at 6:00 a.m. The temperature was 40*. We have a long day ahead of us so needed an early start. We had to backtrack about 55 miles, to Ashton, Idaho. This is the world's largest seed potato producing area.
Beautiful mountains all around
Between Idaho Falls and Arco, Idaho
Near Arco, Idaho
Mountain in Arco, Id
Arco H.S. football players have painted their
numbers on the mountain
While planning for this trip, I discovered Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve near Arco, Idaho. It was probably 100 miles out of our way but looked really interesting. We are so glad we went there. It was amazing! Craters of the Moon is a vast ocean of lava flows with scattered islands of cinder cones and sagebrush. The lava landscape is the result of periodic eruptions along the Great Rift, a chain of cracks and fissures nearly 52 miles long running north to south through the monument. A series of Hawaiian-style eruptions over the past 15,000 years produced lava tubes, cinder cones and a variety of lava flows that are accessible from the 7 mile loop road. After a stop at the Visitor's Center, we headed to the North Crater Flow. A .3 mile trail crosses one of the youngest flows to monoliths--crater fragments rafted rafted here by lava flows.
Idaho is one place I've always wanted to go.
On the trail
North Crater Flow Trail
North Crater Flow Trail
North Crater Flow Trail
North Crater Flow Trail
Lots of wildflowers sprouting from the lava
Conrad took the trail to the top of the Inferno Cone. I knew I could get up there but not sure I could get down! He said it was a lot steeper than it looked and getting down was pretty dangerous.
Conrad going up the Inferno Cone
Craters of the Moon
Spatter Cones
These cones formed when clots of pasty lava stuck together as they fell back to Earth.
Collapsed Lava Tube
Lava Flow
Dead tree along the trail
After spending about 3.5 hours here we were back on the road again. We passed lots of potato farms. The next two pictures are from Telford's Lost River Seed Farm. Their sign said they sell quality seed potatoes.
Potato Shed
Potato harvesting equipment
Somewhere in southern Idaho
Utah - our 8th state this trip
Coming in to Salt Lake City from the north
Utah State Capitol
Once we got to Salt Lake City, we headed to Temple Square. This is a 10-acre complex. Assembly Hall is one of the most ornate and colorful buildings in Temple Square. It was built of granite stone left over the the temple and was completed in 1880. The Gothic Revival structure is 68 feet wide and 120 feet long and the center tower is 130 feet high. The auditorium holds almost 2,000 people and choir seats for 100. The truncated spires were originally chimneys.
Assembly Hall
Organ inside Assembly Hall
Nauvoo Bell
The Salt Lake Tabernacle is the home of the world-famous Morman Tabernacle Choir. Our original schedule had us in Salt Lake City on a Thursday night but we were a day early. That Thursday would have been the first rehearsal of the season for the choir and is free to the public. The night we were there, an orchestra was rehearsing. It was beautiful inside.
The Tabernacle
The organ inside the tabernacle contains 11,623 pipes and 5 keyboards, making it one of the largest and richest-sounding organs in the world. The building was constructed so that even the drop of a pin at the front of the building could be heard throughout the building.
Organ inside the Tabernacle
Flowers outside the Tabernacle
The Salt Lake Temple is a worldwide icon of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and the heart of Temple Square. Begun in 1853 when Brigham Young laid the cornerstone and completed in 1893, the neo-Gothic temple cost $4 million to build. Atop the 210-foot east tower is a gold leaf-covered statue of the Angel Moroni, an angel that Joseph Smith Jr said visited him on numerous occasions.
Salt Lake Temple
The Temple from 10th floor of nearby building
There were beautiful flowers all around.
More flowers
We visited the South Visitor's Center. There were lots of pictures of the temple being built and from the inside. There was also a cross-sectional scale model of the temple. Then we headed back to the car and off to find a hotel. We ended up at the Super 8 for a price of $67.55.
We walked 7,208 steps, 7 flights of stairs and drove 476 miles. It's been a long day!
We walked 7,208 steps, 7 flights of stairs and drove 476 miles. It's been a long day!
No comments:
Post a Comment