April 6 - Laramie Wyoming to Tooele, Utah (just west of Salt Lake City)  Well today was the first short day of travel only 500  plus km - We headed out 8 C, sunny and windy - going through the Medicine Bow Range today on our way to Salt Lake City (SLC)  Heard on the weather this morning that the midwest is in severe drought conditions - would agree as there is little water evident - sloughs are drying out as are creeks, etc.  As we drive can see some areas of snow on the mountains

Saw a few Canada's ina small pond just outside of Laramie - We Canucks are everywhere.
They have serious snowfencing along I-80

Just west of Laramie spotted wagon train trail ruts cut so deeply into the prairie they are still visible.  Sage has taken over the prairie.

Pronghorn antelope, mule deer, sage grouse cattle, horses all eat it to survive.  Lovely fragrance.

The prairie is pretty desolate - just open land and sage brush then we get into the foothills of the mountains and mountains and see some incredible stuf

Finally crossed into Utah and notice more trees and green grass, less drought, more running water in rivers and streams.  Going through the Wasatch Range to get to SLC was exciting with rolling hills, valleys, canyons, and steep grades with runaway truck ramps.  We survived and made it into SLC which is in a flat plain - we are staying a a small town west of SLC across from the Great Salt Lake.

tomorrow we head across the Great Salt Lake Desert to a town just outside Reno, Nevada - from prairie to desert - hope to see a cactus