27-30 May 1983
As the weekend that traditionally signals the beginning of summer approached, the wide open expanses of the state begged to be explored. We decided to try our hand at camping, but we didn’t want to rough it in a tent. So, we rented a trailer from the MWR (Morale, Welfare, and Recreation) facility on base and headed to Bear Lake.
Driving through Logan Canyon, we made just a few stops, one of which was at Ricks Spring, a popular wayside where early travelers filled their jugs with the cold spring water that gushes forth from the rock — not recommended in this day of Giardia, a microorganism that causes severe intestinal problems.
From the nearby signage:
This spring was first discovered by Colonel Thomas E. Ricks in 1865 while he was searching for a route from Cache Valley to Bear Lake Valley.
The maximum spring flow is 32,000 gallons [121,600 liters] per minute. The source of the water is the melting snow from the high mountain watersheds surrounding this area. The water flows underground along the Ordovician strata of rock, then bubbles forth at this spot. Because the source of water is melting snow, the spring is completely dry during the winter months.
Believe me when I say that “Bare” would have been a more appropriate name for the lake than “Bear” turned out to be. I couldn’t tell you which of the campgrounds we ended up at (it was way too long ago), but there was absolutely nothing there. And I mean nothing; not even a tree to provide shade.
Oh well … we enjoyed our first RV travel experience nonetheless …
… and the canoeing was lots of fun — especially since Mui did all the paddling!
Perhaps we’ll give Bear Lake another camping chance when we eventually find our way to Utah in our “condo on wheels.”
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