A Salt Lake City Layover

So, if I wanted to fly from Jackson (a tiny airport) to Laramie (another tiny airport), it would've cost me a $1,000+ dollars. That was money I was not willing to spend...so, I found a much, much, much cheaper flight from Salt Lake City to Laramie. Now, how do you get to Salt Lake City from Jackson? You take a bus, of course! Or in this case, a 15-passenger van! Marc dropped me off at 6am to catch a 6:20am van ride to the Salt Lake City International Airport. The van/bus ride only costs about $75. I think I slept for the majority of the trip, they stop about every hour for bathroom breaks and make stops along the way to either pick up people or drop them off. When I was awake, I was able to take a few pictures of the beautiful scenery that we drove through. And yes, I got the front passenger's seat! It was awesome and lots of leg room...and I could recline my seat! Boom!

Blue Beautiful Skies

Good Morning!

Cool Cloud Patterns Over the Mountains!

Sunrise!!!!

Arriving into Salt Lake City, the Wasatch Mountains (I think) were floating! There was a lot of haze in the valley of Salt Lake City, so the surrounding mountains appeared to be floating around the town! The city is incredibly beautiful! I was super excited to be back there, since I had not been there since last April for part of my spring break.

Wasatch Mountain Range...I Think!?

I was welcomed and picked up by my friend Chris (a friend from Delaware that now resides in Utah), where we had some lunch, and I went back to his house for a real nap. There, I was greeted by Nimbus, Chris' cat, who is just as awesome as Gus and Tweedy!

Nimbus!

When Chris returned home from work, he took me to the Great Salt Lake. I had never been there before, so it was really cool to actually go up to and see it up close! As we walked from the parking lot to the actual lake, you could see dried up salt crystals on the sand! They were super huge and beautiful. Of course, I had to document what I saw! Nerd.

Salt Crystals!

Also, along the walk up and along the lake, we discovered a bunch of shells of the brine shrimp, lots of dead waterfowl, and bird tracks!

Bird Tracks!

We got there just in time for the sunset. It was really pretty to see along the lake. Despite the bog/lake smell that was pretty stinky, it actually reminded me of home when you would be along the riverfront and in the wetlands. I really miss that smell. Even though it is not a true pleasant smell, it reminds me of tall grasses, mucky boots, tides, and the Delaware wetlands. Great reminder of home. :)

A Great Salt Lake Sunset

Sand Ripples in the Water From the Wind!

Sunset and From What I Believe: Two Cap Clouds Over the Mountains in the Distance
Not a Very Good Picture of It, But I Think That Was What I Saw

Stumbled Upon a Duck Decoy and a Dead Fish With This Catch Phrase!
Are There Even Fish in the Great Salt Lake?

Again, a Close Up of the Two Cap Clouds Over the Mountains in the Distance
Not a Very Good Picture of It, But I Think That Was What I Saw

That evening after the sunset, Chris and I met up with one of his friends, Sarah, for dinner. Had sushi at this place called Tsunami! It was pretty good. Then went home for a relaxing evening of catching up and watching a movie while we both fell asleep on the couch! Traveling is exhausting.

Tomorrow, I head back to Laramie...Winter Break has officially ended.

TheChristyBel

Nimbus and I Relaxing