Day 5: Rock Springs, Wyoming to Salt Lake City, Utah

 Crazy changes in topography today. Rock Springs looks like a bunch of neon strip malls dropped down in the middle of red rock canyons. It's pretty flat, but dramatic twisted rock formations jut up at random. As we drove away the land shifted -- with sweeping gradual climbs followed by similar declines. The haze from all the fires limited visibility, but still you could see long vistas dotted with ramshackle homesteads or the odd chemical plant. Since it was labor day, the long haul truckers were joined by vacationers pulling 5th wheels or boats. A couple of accidents on our route resulted in slow going for us. We were relieved when we pulled in to our hotel in Salt Lake City and settled in for the evening with a dinner of take-out Chinese. I was impressed with the restaurant's Covid protocols. When we went to pick up the food, paid for already, the waiter spoke to me from a plexiglass booth, the food was already out and ready to grab.

Checking back, we've experienced dramatic changes in altitude. Starting at 787 in Middlesex, Vermont, dipping to 580 in Davenport, Iowa, then creeping up to 2,802 in Platte, Nebraska. That one was an eye-opener, Nebraska seems so flat. Who knew it was at a higher elevation than our Green Mountain home. As we worked our way toward Wyoming, though, we could feel the altitude gain in our ears. Rock Springs is  at 6,388. In Wyoming wind gusts feel like they'll knock you off your feet. And today on the highway I was grateful to be driving a substantial vehicle, as I watched the tractor trailers sway in the wind and seem to tip precariously on the curves. We stopped at Fort Bridger national landmark for lunch. It's about 70 miles west of Rock Springs. We considered trading in our vehicle for this, but decided against it. 

The fort was originally built by Mormons fleeing persecution in the East but was taken over by the army in the mid 1800s. Original buildings were well preserved and outfitted so that we could imagine the way life must have been way back when.

Once we passed the border into Utah, sharp mountains jutted up dramatically on either side of the highway. We saw our first hint of color change in the trees.

Here's the map with our progress. Tomorrow we head to Elko, Nevada.