Tuesday, September 2, Teenya & Alan’s anniversary. Happy Anniversary. We left Bear Lake and drove the down Logan Canyon into the town of Logan. We had a blow by blow description of the points of interest along the way from a brochure. When we arrived in Logan we arrived back into civilization and the rat race. We noticed people being in a hurry every where we went. After we turned started south to leave Logan, we saw a fruit stand and stopped and bought a bushel basket of tomatoes and some new potatoes. We followed Highway 89 south until we couldn’t stay off the freeway any longer, then we played with the trucks on the interstate. The bypass 215 took us around to the southeast corner of Salt Lake City and the road into Big Cottonwood Canyon toward the ski basins.
Spruces Forest Camp was our planned destination and we almost gave up before arriving. We climbed and climbed before we saw the sign for the campground, about 9 miles from the edge of town. After shopping most of the spots we landed in the prettiest of all, number 95.
We are in a “Jo Adkins” spot, named for our friend from Beeville, Texas, backed up to the little creek rushing fast to get down the hill. The trees are huge and standing up right! We sat outside absorbing the fresh clean air and babbling brook, then came inside and took a great nap. Ahh camping!
Wednesday, September 3, we ventured into Salt Lake City to see the sights. We left about 10 am and by 11:30 we were at the Temple Square. The freeways are great and so are the streets, but getting from one to the other is trying. We went to the visitor’s center and were told to go first to the organ recital starting momentarily, and then come back for the tour, so we went into the tabernacle 
And listened to John Phillip Sousa’s Washington Post March. It was tremendous and we thought of our new church organ and especially of Carol & Edwin Farrar.
Back to the visitor center to pick up two volunteer guides for a private tour of the Temple Square. We started in the visitor center where they have a replica of Jerusalem as it was in Christ’s day and beautiful pictures on the wall of His life.
Outside we heard about the building of the Temple and that it has many rooms for various functions such as weddings. One day they had 170 weddings. Their chapel (another building) is used for services on Sunday. The Mormons know how to host. They put on quite a show.
Fred thought it was amusing the Bank of Zion looms the Temple
Then we walked up hill to the Utah State Capitol and 
walked around seeing the rotunda.
We enjoyed the view of the city and
looking at some of the houses on the way.
We visited the Library for a brief time, getting the lay of the land for a visit later in the week.
Leaving downtown we found a tire place to check our tires and several RV shops hunting for the replacement reflector for our front running lights. Our tires are OK, but no one had the reflectors. One of the places we went to was really great. It was like Home Depot for RV’s. But they still didn’t have what we needed.
While in Salt Lake about 4:30 pm Fred noticed the temperature was 78 degrees. When we arrived back in camp in the mountains above the valley floor, he noticed the car temperature read 53 degrees. About a 25 degree difference – more than you would expect for about a 20 mile difference.
Thursday, September 4, as we prepared to leave this morning Olivia caught Fred
daydreaming of fish!
We did leave and ventured west to the largest open pit copper mine in the world. It can be seen from outer space and it is on the National Register of Historic Places. It is more than ¾ mile deep! And 2 ¾ miles wide! It is known as the “Richest Hole on Earth.” Not only do they process copper, but silver, gold and molybdenum are “accidental” byproducts!
We drove to the Great Salt Lake hoping to see someone swimming and perhaps join them, but at the marina where we went, no one was stirring. The lake water was several hundred yards from the marina. We figured this is the time for the lowest level of the year.
Friday, Sept 5 we went to the History (family) Library and starting working on James Valentine Harrington – Fred’s gg grandfather. Who were his father and mother? We know he was born in South Carolina in 1815, but where? We talked to a consultant and she whisked through all the census’s finding him quickly and printed copies. Then she gave us leads for 4 books to look in. We exhausted those books, but looked in the Genealogy Organization’s quarterlies and found him in several places including Lauren’s County South Carolina. Now we know where to start looking next year when we head east.
We stumbled on a Wal-Mart and were very impressed. This must be one of the largest of their stores. Not only was it huge, maybe twice the square footage of the Waxahachie store, but the parking lot was probably twice the size AND two stories.
We scouted out a volunteer place and agreed to work a shift at the Farmer’s Market.
Saturday, September 6 we showed up at the Farmer’s Market and worked a booth for the “Community Food Co-op” of Utah. It is the largest coop in Utah and is a volunteer-powered, nonprofit food buying network, bringing people together for good food, community & savings of up to 50% on high-quality fresh food. We explained to people the details of ordering by the 2nd Friday of the month for delivery on the last Saturday. Each month they have a different order sheet, depending on availability. It is not required that members order each month. They have several categories of shares. And with any selection of shares, they may add on items, such as nuts, jams, bread, tea or coffee. There are forty locations to pick up the orders. Each member must volunteer two hours a month. You can volunteer at any location you desire – it doesn’t even have to be at the co-op. We witnessed many people wanting to partake. If you would like to see more information go to http://www.foodco-op.org/
While we were working, we could also leave one at a time to see this very nice “Farmer’s Market.” Like many others we have seen, they also include home made jewelry, crafts, music, flowers & food as well as lots of produce. It took place in a very nice, square block park in the middle of downtown Salt Lake City, with lots of shade. It was very different from the Dallas Farmer’s Market. We brought home a watermelon from Green River Utah. We had to park two blocks away there were so many coming to this event. Very impressive!
After a trip to Smith’s Grocery, which is a Kroger’s store, for staples we headed back to the trailer for a nap.
Sunday, September 7, found us at Christ United Methodist Church (Salt Lake City) and one we would join if we lived here. It is a little smaller than ours but had overflow parking in two locations. We joined their coffee time in the gym, then the service in the sanctuary.
It was beautiful and different. The flowers on the altar were sheaves of wheat. We were glad this was the first Sunday and communion. The sermon was on Ecclesiastes and was timely. They are a very active church … their bulletin was full of activities. We noticed lots of young adults, but no children in the service. When asked, Olivia was told they had their own service in addition to Sunday school.
By visiting United Methodist Churchs we always feel we are at home on Sundays. It has been several weeks since we actually found a UMC where we were. The National Park Christian services are nice, but not ours.
Then we went for a drive up Millwood Canyon where Olivia remembers the 2nd Magic Carpet (about 1958) getting way from the Burton family. It was on a dolly wheel and they thought it was level, but as soon as they unhooked it rolled. They all three tried to stop it to no avail. Thanks to a large uprooted tree it was saved from going over the bank of a hill into the creek. NEVER USE A DOLLY WHEEL ON A TRAILER! Was the moral to their story. Fortunately the trailer was ok. We looked for the specific campsite, but now there are no campgrounds in the canyon, only picnic sites. We couldn’t find the campsite.
We drove to the “This is the Place” monument and saw where Brigham Young decided this was the right place. The monument praised not only the Mormon’s but the Indians, Trappers, Priests, the Donner Party and others who had come to this area before the Mormons.
Following the first Mormon Immigration route we drove way up the valley all the way to Hefener. Too far, but Olivia had forgotten the map which would have pointed the way to a shorter tour! On the way back, we drove I-80 which we will travel for a while the next day and saw that stretch to be up hill all the way to our turnoff. About 20 miles!
We enjoyed staying in this campground and recommend it to all, except those with dogs. There are signs everywhere in all the canyons, “No Dogs Allowed - We get our drinking water from this canyon.”
For those of you that are interested in the damage to the front of the trailer we talked about in the last letter we are including a picture. We couldn't get high enough to get the full benefit, but maybe you get the gist.
For comments please contact:
Olivia@bobheck.com or fredharrington@yahoo.com
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