Memorial Weekend: Camping at Bear Lake

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.”

The Capitol of the Beehive State

21 May 1983

As noted in a previous post, Utah was founded in 1847 by a company of Mormons who were forced to leave their homes in Illinois due to religious persecution.  When they arrived in the region, they named it Deseret, meaning honeybee in the Book of Mormon, and standing for industry and hard work.  Hence the nickname of the state.

And on that note … welcome to the Utah State Capitol.  The building was designed by Utah architect Richard K.A. Kletting in 1912 and completed in 1916.  Rather than write extensively about the building, I’ll refer you to this site for more information.

The neoclassical dome is an element of architecture
that has become a common symbol of democracy in America.

Left: Statue of Massassoit, the Great Indian Chief of
the Massachusetts, friend of the pilgrim fathers.
Right: The beehive is the symbol of industry and the motto
of the citizens of Utah.  It was presented to the
state by the Kennecott Copper Corporation.

The mural in the west atrium vault is named
“The Passing of the Wagons.”

Though frequently referred to as the
“Madonna of the Covered Wagon,” this mural’s
official name is “The Arrival of the Pioneers in the
Great Salt Lake Valley in 1847.”

This replica of the Liberty Bell is one of 55 cast in France;
one was presented to each state and territory.

Exploring SLC

May 1983

The month found as taking trips into Salt Lake City on weekends to explore some of what the city had to offer.  The warm spring days were perfect for sightseeing.

On one occasion, we went to the Pioneer Trail State Park (now the This is the Place Heritage Park).  At the time, there wasn’t much at the park — or maybe that was just our impression because most of the buildings were locked and we didn’t have an opportunity to go inside them.

This is the Place Monument
It marks the spot from which Brigham Young and the company
of pioneers first saw the Salt Lake Valley in 1847.
[scanned from postcard]

Old Deseret — a restored pioneer village.

Another day found us visiting Hogle Zoo …

The African Elephant, more so than its Asian cousin,
is one of my favorites.

On yet another day, we mixed urban sightseeing with a trip into City Creek Canyon.

The Old City Hall (now Council Hall) was built in 1864-65;
it served as the seat of government for 29 years.
It was reassembled at its present location in 1963.

Memory Grove, at the mouth of City Creek Canyon,
is a living memorial dedicated to Utah’s war dead.

Happy Birthday to Me

11 April 1983

My first birthday in Utah … a quiet celebration.

Mui comes bearing gifts …

… for the birthday girl.

It’s nice to be remembered by far away friends.

Temple Square: the Symbolic Heart of the LDS

9 April 1983

Utah, the Beehive State, was founded by the Latter Day Saints (LDS, or more commonly, the Mormons).  When they first arrived in the region in 1847, under the leadership of Brigham Young, they named it Deseret, meaning honeybee in the Book of Mormon, and representing industry and hard work.  (The name was changed to Utah when it became a territory in 1850.)

Our day of sightseeing took us to Temple Square in downtown Salt Lake City (SLC).  The square is considered to be the symbolic heart of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  It is completely enclosed by a 15-foot (4.5 m) high wall that surrounds the imposing granite Temple, domed Tabernacle with its great organ, Assembly Hall, Sea Gull Monument, two visitor centers, and the log remains of Salt Lake Valley’s oldest standing home.  (For more information about the Mormon Church and Temple Square, click here.)

Aerial view of Temple Square.
[scanned from a postcard]

We started our visit at the Meridian Marker, which is located outside the wall.  It was placed in 1847 to define the boundaries of Temple Square.  The marker also serves as the point of origination for the numbering system for the streets of SLC, which are laid out in a well-planned grid.

The Meridian Marker is placed at
Latitude 40°46’04” and Longitude 111°54’00”.

Inside the walls, we stopped to see various points of interest, starting with the Nauvoo Bell, which originally hung in the Nauvoo Temple in Illinois.  The bell was removed by the Saints in 1846 when they were forced to leave Illinois.  It was brought to the Salt Lake Valley by the second company of pioneers that made the cross-country trip.

Next, we stopped to view the Gothic-style Assembly Hall, which was constructed between 1877 and 1882.  We found the Sea Gull Monument in front of this building.  Why a monument to sea gulls?  You see, in the spring of 1848 the Mormon pioneers planted crops in the valley.  As these crops ripened, they were attacked by crickets.  The Saints fought a losing battle against the crickets until, like a deliverance, their prayers were answered and thousands of sea gulls showed up to feast on the pesky bugs.

Left: the Nauvoo Bell
Right: the Assembly Hall and the Sea Gull Monument

Of all the buildings in Temple Square, the one that is probably second only to the temple itself is the oval-shaped Tabernacle.  The idea for it came from Brigham Young.  It was built between 1863-67 by a bridge builder named Henry Grow.  Virtually no nails were used in the construction, and the building is held together with wooden pegs and rawhide strips.  The Saints liked marble and oak, neither of which was available, so they used pine for the benches and pillars and then painted them to resemble their favored medium.  The Tabernacle’s most striking feature is the great organ, built by an Austrian convert.  Made of white pine, the organ has 11,000 parts.  The world-famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir performs regularly (more information here).

The acoustics are so perfect that from the back you can
hear a pin that is dropped on the stage at the front.

Of course, at the heart of square is the majestic, six-spired Temple.  It is not open to the general public and we were told that only “good” Mormons can enter through the doors.  Begun in 1853, construction was completed 40 years later.  It is built of granite, which was hauled 23 miles (37 km) by ox-drawn carts.  The 9-foot (2.7 m) thick walls at ground level narrow to 6 feet (1.8 m) at the top.  The center tower is 210 feet (64 m) high and is topped with a gold statue of the Angel Moroni heralding the restoration to earth the gospel of Jesus Christ in the latter days.

The temple is used by church members for weddings and other
sacred ordinances designed to strengthen family ties,
both now and for eternity.

This was the first of many visits we made to Temple Square during the eight years we lived in Utah.  Yes, each time we went there, we were approached by missionaries who wanted to educate us about the Saints and their church.  They were always polite; never insistent — a quick thanks, but no thanks; and we were left to wander around on our own.

Easter Snow and Canyon Winds

3 April 1983

We weren’t expecting to see snow when we woke up and looked out the window on Easter morning.  By the end of the day, we had somewhere around 10 inches (25 cm) of accumulation in the driveway.

There was quite a bit of wind as well, but we took it in stride … until the next day, when a 3-day siege of extreme canyon winds began rattling the windows with a fury that you had to be there to appreciate.  The wall of glass in the living room, which faced the Wasatch Mountains, bore the brunt of the winds.  Gusts up to 104 mph (166 kph) were recorded.  When the news came that Hill AFB had essentially shut down, we knew the storm was serious.  We rode it out, safe in our basement apartment.

Kaysville: Our Home Base in Utah

March 1983

We’d decided early on that we didn’t want to live on base, so the day after we arrived in Utah, we started to search for a place not far from Hill AFB.  Within a few days, we’d found the perfect place — a two-bedroom basement apartment in nearby Kaysville.

The map shows Kaysville in relation to Salt Lake City
to the south and Hill AFB to the north.

Sure, Bill and Shirley, the owners of the apartment, wanted a bit of rental income, but more than that, they wanted a trustworthy couple who would house-sit for them during their frequent escapes to the warmer climes of southern Utah.  As such, they gave us the run of their home, generously inviting us to use the entire house in their absence.  That must be why I have no photos of our apartment — at least not in the photo album I’m presently scanning.

Settling into our first place in Utah, Mui began his daily routine at the base while I started one of the things that I have always dreaded (and still do) — searching for a job.  I was lucky and within a few weeks, I was gainfully employed at Petrolex, a small company in Salt Lake City.  I mean it when I say a small company — there were just three employees: Burke, the president; Dave, the vice president; and me, the corporate and administrative secretary.  The company represented the owners of oil and gas land leases.  It was my job to prepare the submissions we made to big oil companies that might have an interest in acquiring the drilling rights to such land.

Life was good.