Second Jedediah Smith Trail 1824 — 1826

Day 23: September 13th, 2010 Wendover — Ogden

Map Wendover to Ogden

Today I will visit the Coco Palms restaurant the last time for breakfast. In the meantime, I don’t get lost in the casino. But when I was there for the first time, I really had a hard time finding the restaurant.

Edgar is again my server and immediately shows up with my coffee — seems like he remembered from yesterday that I was drinking a lot of coffee. All in all, the service is again really good. I take again the Special for $4.99, which is definitely plenty enough: Eggs, Bacon, Hashbrowns, Toast — the classical American breakfast.

BUS80/Wendover Blvd, West Wendover, NV

BUS80/Wendover Blvd, West Wendover, State Line NV and UT

Then I drive over to the Chevron at the hill. This one is indeed 2 Cents more expensive than the Sinclair, where I gassed up yesterday. But who cares. I ask where I can go with my tire issue and the lady recommends the mechanics next to my Motel 6, which I have already seen there. So I drive over to them and cross once again the state line to Utah.

Carillo Brother’s Auto & Diesel Repair, Wendover, Utah

The guys over there are daring characters, all Mexicans, where some of them even don’t understand me. One of them seems to be the boss who is able to understand me. And I ask him if he is the owner because of the pictures I want to take. He resides in a small room and tells me, if it is free of charge he is fine with the pictures on my web page.

Carillo Brother’s Auto & Diesel Repair, Wendover, Utah

So I take a couple of pictures, which turn out not to be easy because the guys don’t understand me. So I wait at the side a bit clueless until I am able to pay. It is only $15. So I hand him over $20 that he will keep me in good memory.

Frontage Rd/Old Hwy 40, UT

Frontage Rd/Old Hwy 40, The Tree of Utah, UT

Frontage Rd/Old Hwy 40, UT

However, just before eleven in the morning I am already back on the road! Anyways, I still chose my southern route. The road along I–80 is already pretty much rotten and the sign “Travel on your own risk” because it is no longer maintained should be taken seriously!

At some spots are such deep depressions in the pavement that you must drive below 15mph over these waves. At some spots, the road is already grown over with bushes again. And at one spot is a deep groove which you should only pass in walking pace. Otherwise your front axle will go just through the engine compartment…

But I am already going very slow, so I am able to hit the brakes soon enough. All in all, I enjoy driving there way more than on the hectic Interstate.

Frontage Rd/Old Hwy 40, UT

I–80 Frontage Rd, UT

Then I cross the Interstate at an overpass and the road is getting better before it turns back to a good gravel road. It is also getting pretty warm. Now it’s already 85 degrees which will climb up to 95 degrees! Well, I am currently driving through a desert…

Puddle Valley Rd, UT

Pronghorn, CR02223, UT

CR02223, UT

Puddle Valley Hwy, UT

Then the road leaves the Interstate. There it is suddenly getting very sandy and just to be sure I throw in 4High. Shortly after, I encounter a pronghorn beside the road. Then the road turns back to the Interstate and my wheels are touching first gravel and later pavement. But only for a short distance before I am back on gravel again.

Backroad, UT

Skunk Ridge Rd, UT

I–80 passes a small mountain on the southern side. But I stay on the backroad, which leads up into the mountains.

Black Mountain Resource Rd, UT

Black Mountain Resource Rd, Great Salt Lake, UT

There I miss a turnoff and suddenly end up at a very steep stretch. There is a chance to stop at a small pass and I check where this road runs to.

E Black Mountain Rd, UT

Black Mountain Resource Rd, UT

Black Mountain Resource Rd, Great Salt Lake, UT

Tc02425, UT

Tc02425, Great Salt Lake, UT

This one goes up to the top of this mountain. This is not where I plan to go, because the road ends there. But I have a nice view of the lake. So I quickly take a picture before I drive back. Then I continue on the correct road.

Tc02425, UT

Black Mountain Resource Rd, Great Salt Lake, UT

Once again I take the wrong turnoff. But I soon discover my mistake and turn onto the rocky trail down into the valley. The rocks are so big that I can only drive in first gear with 3mph. It is impossible to go faster.

Black Mountain Resource Rd, Great Salt Lake, UT

Poverty Point Rd, Great Salt Lake, UT

Poverty Point Rd, UT

Rowley Rd, UT

But I make the drive down into the valley without any issues and also my tire made it. However, I hope that I will not be forced to take it off because they really hammered it on. I am sure that I will not be able to get the screw loose. Maybe I will try it at a Motel to get them loose.

Stansbury Gravel Rd, UT

Finally I am able to continue for a short distance on paved roads.

Tc03230, UT

Tc03230, Great Salt Lake, UT

Tc03230, Historical Marker Timpie Point, UT

Tc03230, Great Salt Lake, UT

88 S10 Blazer, Tc03230, UT

Tc03230, Great Salt Lake, UT

Mistway Rd, UT

Then the backroad takes me up a small hill. But this can only be done in 4Low. This “road” is nothing for people who are afraid of heights, because it is narrow and on the side it is getting down very steep. When I arrive at the top I see to my surprise a hint to the trail of Jedediah Smith on June 27, 1827. That will probably my trail for next year! In 1826, he just paddled around the lake.

The road on the other side is running downhill not as steep but more rocky instead. Finally, I reach pavement again.

Cattle, Ellerbeck Rd, UT

Highway 138, UT

Then I continue to Highway 138. There is again some cattle on the road.

I–80 Ramp, UT

I–80, UT

I–80, Great Salt Lake, UT

On Highway 138 I drive to the Interstate.

I–80, UT

The rest of my today’s trail will be completed on the Interstate. There is no reasonable backroad available along the lake, unfortunately…

As soon as I reach the area of Salt Lake City, the traffic increases dramatically and also the driving style is getting again way more aggressive. I take the bypass and continue on I–215.

Then, I turn into I–15 at North Salt Lake. By taking the bypass I skip the traffic through town. But even there is a whole lot of traffic going on.

Driving around here is not really fun and I am glad when I reach the exit to Ogden. There I check in at the Motel 6, but receive once again a room on second floor. So I must again pack everything together and drag my stuff upstairs.

Then I drive over to Walmart and look again for a DC/AC–Converter. But they also don’t have one with enough power for my requirements. So I quickly buy some apples and continue to a computer shop. Also this ends up in an endless search like searching for the Walmart. But eventually I am able to find one. However, they only sell computers. He suggested that I could try it at Best Buy. Well, we will see.

Somehow I realize, that I am getting some circulatory problems. So I decide to drive over to the Texas Roadhouse for dinner. Today, they are way less busy than last weekend and I immediately receive my table. My server once lived in Heidelberg, because her father works at the Army. This time, I order an 8oz Sirloin, which is plenty enough. While waiting I type some text messages back home. Then I drive back to my motel.

My circulatory problems are getting worse and so I look for my Korodin Cardiovascular Drops. Damned, they are still in my car. So I must get downstairs again. I immediately take my 10 drops. Then I go to bed, already at a quarter past nine!

The rerouting of my tour must be done tomorrow, as well as my diary and the rest of my usual evening jobs…

The next day is in preparation…

Sights
Great Salt Lake
Historical Marker Timpie Point

General
Breakfast: Coco Palms, West Wendover
Dinner: Texas Roadhouse, Ogden
Motel: Motel 6, Ogden
Distance: 179 miles

Go back to day 22

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