NTOurs - National Park Tour - October 13, 2012

October 13, 2012

Breakfast at the hotel restaurant. A majority of the group took a tour of Salt Lake City. It was Saturday - there was a bicycle race and a run. We had to stop several times for the bicycle race and the runners/walkers. Among the sites we visited: "This is the Place!", Olympic stadium, and the state capitol. "This is the Place!" is the location of the park where, on July 24, 1847, Brigham Young first saw the Salt Lake Valley that would soon become the Mormon pioneers' new home. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe that Young had a vision shortly after they were exiled from Nauvoo, Illinois. In the vision, he saw the place where the Latter-day Saints would settle and "make the desert blossom like a rose" and where they would build their State of Deseret. 
As the account goes, Brigham Young was very sick with Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and was riding in the back of a wagon. After exiting Emigration Canyon and cresting a small hill, he asked to look out of the wagon. Those with him opened the canvas cover and propped him up so he could see the empty desert valley below. He then proclaimed, "It is enough. This is the right place. Drive on." The words, "this is the place," were soon heard throughout the wagon train as the Mormon pioneers descended into the valley, their long journey having come to an end.
     We drove by the site of the 2002 Winter Olympics. We saw the Olympic cauldron and stadium which is now the site where the University of Utah Utes football team plays.
    We were planning to visit the rotunda of the state capitol. Due to the race, etc. we were unable to go in the state capitol. When we arrived at the capitol a band was playing outside - we enjoyed the music and taking pictures of the capitol.
After a tour of Salt Lake City, we stopped at the hotel to pick up those who chose not to take the tour. This gave us an opportunity to visit the restrooms and the gift shop before we set off for Jackson Hole. Our trip to Jackson Hole provided us views of fall colors along the way! We stopped in Logan, Utah for lunch - a great restaurant called "The Bluebird" - a restaurant in Logan since 1914 - delicious!
     After lunch, we set off for Jackson Hole! Our route took us through Idaho. When we reached the state line, one of our tour participants, Brenda, had been to every state in the United States except Idaho - we stopped so she could get a picture at the state line. We continued our journey - enjoyed the view of aspens changing colors - some read and others napped.

     
Welcome to Jackson Hole!