This post describes what happened on Day 7 and why our week long road trip took eight days. If you’re just tuning in and would like to start from the beginning go back to this August 11 post.

First thing in the morning we walked from the hotel to Service Masters where our truck was. I spotted this bench in the waiting area. They confirmed that the alternator was the problem and that they have the best luck using a Ford manufactured Motorcraft part in a Ford truck (only about $300 more than the other one we bought). We walked back to the hotel to kill time until we needed to check out. Then we walked back to Service Masters where we waited until the truck was ready.

We got on the road just before 1 p.m.

I took this photo because of the Clown and how it relates to Day 2. I don’t understand the fascination with clowns, but after writing the first post in this story I have a new understanding of the Clown Hotel in Tonapah, so I guess I can accept it. In looking through my photos I noticed the gas price–$3.49 is a lot less from my last fill-up here at $4.79.

Mountains east of Salt Lake.

Heading west. The Kennecott Copper mine is to the south and the Tailings Pond is to the north.

Salt, “harvested” (or is it mined?) from the Great Salt Lake.

Metaphor: Tree of Utah, also called Tree of Life is described by http://www.utah.com: “Swedish artist Karl Momen created the 87-foot high tree between 1982-1986. He financed the project himself to bring bold color and beauty to the stark, flat, salty landscape. The sculpture is made of 225 tons of cement, almost 2,000 ceramic tiles and five tons of welding rod, and tons of minerals and rocks native to Utah.”

Not too many more photos. I spent most of the rest of this trip reading a weaving book that’s I’d had with me the whole way. Most of the time I wanted to see the scenery, but I’ve been on this highway enough that I didn’t need to watch the whole time.

We crossed the border to Home about 8 p.m. I think we made it home a little after 10.

That’s the trip in green. Too bad the odometer on this truck doesn’t show up most of the time so there is no mileage record.

I just came back to edit this post. I meant to thank my Farm Sitters for handling things while we were gone. Four different Farm Club members took shifts so we could be gone for this length of time. I am grateful to them!