Almost home
Slow morning in Rawlins. I went to the library to see if I could find any information on Gail’s father, and was happily surprised when they took all the information I had and promised to call within 72 hours after they search the microfiche and available databases. Then I went to the Presbyterian church, hoping to find a wall with photos of pastors back to 1900. That didn’t happen–I wanted a very old church building, but found a modern one and nobody home on a Thursday morming. The building has tiny stained glass windows that may well be from an older building, but there was no way inside to check it out.
Driving out of town, I noticed this sign, and needed a picture to convey just how barren and desolate it is around southwestern Wyoming:
Not exactly Pebble Beach
Near the western end of the state is Little America, quite possibly the best truck stop in the world. A vast number of pumps fuel trucks of all shapes on one side and autos on the other. The diner is good, and they offer 75¢ soft serve cones. The gift store is large and clean, stocked with books and tapes to keep the kids amused, souvenirs of every shape and color, and a case full of knives and brass knuckles. I don’t understand everything…………
Naturally, I hit Salt Lake City at rush hour, got lucky by using Waze to find the fastest route through town and had no real issues. Then the fun began.
Most people wouldn’t think it was fun to hurtle down a narrow causeway with water on both sides in a large rented truck as fast as it could possibly go in the middle of a huge thunderstorm with lightning all around. I thought it was incredibly exhilarating. Rain pounding on the truck, the wipers on their highest setting, Meatloaf blaring on the sound system, the engine roaring with my foot on the floor, life doesn’t get any better than this.
Passing out of the line of the thunderstorms, the clouds were still beautiful. I shot this out the window as I drove:
Fascinating cloud cofiguration
Then it happened–I saw something I’ve never seen before.
UFO
Probably that isn’t the mark a flying saucer leaves when it breaks through a cloud. Probably. But a perfect circle of light in the middle of a huge cloud? Glad I had the camera handy.
Elko is about as miserable a wide spot in the road as you can imagine. I walked into, and immediately out of, a Mexican restaurant and then a Chinese restaurant before giving up and buying a sandwich at Subway. There is a Basque place that looked interesting, but they serve family style and I don’t have one with me. I just wasn’t in the mood to join a communal table tonight.
Tomorrow I’ll get an early start and get this load to the store in Sonoma. It will be good to be home.
Totally Unauthorized 
There’s actually a Presbyterian museum back East somewhere. I have it on my list to investigate,