The Great Salt Lake and on to Provo and Moab

Great Salt Lake---We went out to Antelope Island, the largest island in Salt Lake and a state park with lots of trails and protected wildlife including Bison, antelope (duh) and mountain sheep.  Also my first time touching my tootsies into the Lake was interesting--very shallow for a long way out, salty (!) and sulfur-smelling!  We were both getting over some good colds, so it was only a short walk for us today.  We took a lunch with us and had a picnic along the Lake and pretty much called it a day...wimpy, but we were happy to take a breather day to re-coop and hope for the best with the braking system check on Monday.

Charlie's Repairs--located just out of SLC--was a great spot for looking into the braking system issue.  This place is a family-owned business (Dad started it, passed away last year and son Justin is now in charge) that is absolutely the quintessential model of small business in the US.   Eight long-term employees, all clean-cut and wearing those cute old-fashioned brown short-sleeved shirts with their name on the pocket--all very service-oriented and super hard working.  They helped us get back on the road and off we go to Provo to spend the night Monday night.  Right on the river, we walked with Casey along the river and saw several fishing spots and picnic areas. 

Later, we went to dinner (first time for dinner out for us this trip except with the kids) at Ruby River Steakhouse.  Well, it was ok.  The veggies were pretty good, and the salad was better than the other places we have been;  the "baked potato" that Jeff ordered was baked and then deep-fried---how does that even work?  It was not a winner with us.

Off to Moab via the Prehistoric Museum--g-son Connor (Tucson son, Bill's son) is a huge dinosaur guy so we were anxious to stop here and get some new "ammo" for him!  We enjoyed the museum--nice displays of bones and tracks found in the eastern Utah area--even one known as Gastonia burgei, aptly named for the the museum's founder, Don Burge.  There is also a display of Utah raptor, the slasher in Spielberg's velociraptors in Jurassic Park!  The coal mines in the area are replete with tracks, bones and fossils representing different types of meat-eaters and veggie-eaters.  Good museum!

Landing in Moab, we will conquer Arches National Park tomorrow.  Casey MacDougal will be lounging at the Desert Doggie Daycare while we hike and view the park.  Blog tomorrow!!