New Scenery in Salt Lake Area

Sunday, May 28, 2017

Our drive from Green River, UT to Salt Lake was uneventful and gave us some beautiful views of the snow capped mountains of Utah and the Salt Lake area. 

We arrived here in Draper (a suburb of Salt Lake) this past Monday and Ron was busy for the first couple of days with my brother Gil taking out the old TV, preparing the space for the new one and then getting the new one in and adjusted.  Gil is a great handyman (takes after our Dad) and has all the necessary tools to get things done since he builds furniture in his basement for his home.  Thanks, Gil.  You did a great job.

Gil and Sherry always have new places to take us even though we have spent time here over the past 30+ years and this time was no exception.  Also, Sherry always prepares us some delicious meals.

One day Gil drove us around Temple Square, the Capital Building and some old homes in downtown Salt Lake.  Excuse my poor pictures as I took as Gil drove and they are not the best.  We have done this numerous times before, but it is always great to see the area again.  

He also took us to a funky Mexican Restaurant called the Red Iguana where we enjoyed a great lunch.    

Another day, Gil and Sherry took us for a drive to Heber Valley  where we toured Sundance and Cascade Springs stopping to enjoy a lunch at the Soldier Hollow Golf Course (site of the 2002 Winter Olympics Cross Country Skiing).  The full length windows of the restaurant gave us a beautiful view of Heber Valley and the snow capped mountains beyond.  We followed lunch with some yummy ice cream cones at the Heber Valley Cheese Company.  Interesting flavors.  Sherry had Cookies and Cream while the rest of us had True Aggie Night flavor which was vanilla ice cream, raspberry cream and dark chocolate chunks.  Delicious.

Sundance is owned by actor Robert Redford.  He purchased the property in 1969 envisioning it as a “community committed to the balance of art, nature and community.”   The Stewarts, a Scottish immigrant family homesteaded the area in the early 20th century and the second generation family developed the mountain area into a ski resort called Timp Haven.  Developers had envisioned making the area into large condominium complexes, but Redford wanted to preserve the land and “develop a little and preserve a great deal” which he has successfully done.  There is still a ski area along with private function areas, a restaurant and a hotel.  All the buildings blend in nicely with the surrounding mountains and forest. 

 

Here we are by the stream.  It was cool, thus the jackets.

Cascade Springs is just that, a cascade of many springs flowing down from the mountains into various pools with asphalt and wooden walkways winding though the forest and around the pools.  What a beautiful and serene place to spend an afternoon.  There was only one other family there while we were so it truly was serene. 

Saturday Ron, Gil and Sherry played 9 holes of golf at a local course.   Ron was telling Gil and Sherry about his golf ball always ending up in water.  They thought he was exaggerating until Ron hit the ball with no water anywhere around.  His ball hit the ground, bounced sideways and ended up in this puddle in the middle of the fairway.  It was a spot only 15 inches in diameter but he hit it squarely.  See picture below that Gil took.

This morning we had a waffle and sausage breakfast on Gil and Sherry’s sunny east facing wood deck before saying goodbye to them for this trip.  Thanks for a wonderful visit and delicious meals, Gil and Sherry.  Love you guys.