Angel Lake RV Park, Wells, NV, to Phillips RV Park, Evanston, WY:  Wrangled us out of bed early this morning.  Turned on the TV in the bedroom at 6:15 to see how the hurricane was doing.  Anyway, we got going early.  Left at 7:30 with me driving so Mike could wake up.  Continued east on I80 through the sagebrush covered high desert with the mountains all around.  Went over a couple of passes and then over the line into Utah and dropped down into the Great Salt Lake desert.  This is a vast, flat area of salt I guess.  It’s white anyway. The Donner party came through here. When they were at Fort Bridger this guy, Hastings, told them about a cut-off that would shorten the trip about 200 miles or so.  Jim Bridger told them not to, but they did anyway.  Hastings told them the trek across the Great Salt Lake desert was 40 miles.  Turned out it was 80 miles.  They were so wiped out after crossing that arid wasteland that they kicked back for a week to regain their strength or whatever.  Not a good idea.  They were only about a week away from making it when they were stuck in the snow and most of them starved. It seemed to take forever to get across this huge wasteland.  All I could think of was the emigrants did it in mule- or oxen-pulled wagons.  Can’t imagine!  Stopped 20 miles before Salt Lake City and had some breakfast and Mike took over driving.  Salt Lake is a huge lake, but it’s so salty.  Salt Lake City is pretty.  We flew out here in February 1989.  I came out with Mike on a business trip and we spent about 5 days here.  Much prettier out here in the summer.  Some pretty impressive mountains around the city.  I thought, crap!  Another mountain range to go over.  But I80 wound through a large canyon—beautiful canyon with some interesting side canyons.  A long pull up hill though.  We arrived in Evanston, WY, at 2:30.  Take away an hour for the time change (we’re now on Mountain Time) and an hour for breakfast and it really wasn’t that bad of a drive.  5 hours.  We’re going to stay here two nights to relax a little.  

The Great Salt Lake desert.

Coming into Salt Lake City

Coming through this beautiful canyon.