Day 8: Salt Lake City and Surrounding Area

September 9, 2008
Day miles: 96
Trip miles: 1,778

Today was a full day in Salt Lake City and the surrounding area. After breakfast we headed to the Mormon Family History Center. We viewed a short video introduction to the various available resources, then went to the computer lab where volunteers were waiting to help patrons. The person who helped me was very knowledgeable. I wanted to look for documentation on the Saner family, since that is the branch of my family for which I have the least information. We found census records (on the Saner side) for my grandparents John & Phoebe, great grandparents Andrew and Rebecca, great-great grandparents Andrew & Susan and my great-great-great grandmother Elizabeth Saner. My great-great-great grandfather remains elusive. I also found (and have a copy) of the WWI draft registration of my grandfather John Andrew Saner. An interesting aspect of this registration is that the registrar was John Book - most likely a relative on my mother's side of the family.












At noon we headed for the Mormon Tabernacle for an organ recital by Clay Christiansen. The tabernacle organ is incredible - 206 ranks and a total of 11,623 pipes (yes, eleven thousand)! One selection I really enjoyed was an arrangement by the organist of "Come, Come, Ye Saints." I did not know (or had forgotten) that this is a Mormon hymn written during the Mormon trek from Illinois to Salt Lake City. The final selection in the recital was a rousing toccata by modern composer, John Weaver.











After the recital we walked through the temple square grounds and had lunch in the LDS Administration building. The picture on the left is one of the many gardens; the picture on the right is the Mormon Temple.












After lunch we headed for Antelope Island in the Great Salt Lake. We drove about 30 min north of the city, then headed west on a 7 mile causeway that went across the lake salt bed. The lake is really low so most of the causeway had dried salt on either side.

Antelope Island was used by the Mormons as a grazing area for cattle. Ownership later transferred to private individuals who used it for sheep grazing. Today the island is a state park and a preserve for a bison herd.

After driving around the east side of the island, we headed for the 'beach' area on the north and west sides. I took along my swim suit, hoping to take a dip. However, the due to the low level of the lake there is really no place to swim.

We found an area where we could walk out to the water - a several hundred yard trek. I thought about stripping down to my underwear and wading out (I'm known for doing things like this), but there were many many nasty bugs flitting around. I decided to keep my clothes on and walk out into the water - I had on my waterproof motorcycle boots.











You can see dried salt on my hand - left after the water evaporated.

We stayed on the island until close to closing time. On our way back across the causeway there was a really strong south wind - so strong that we had to lean our bikes over to one side in order to go straight. We arrived in Salt Lake City in time for a wonderful meal at Squatters Pub Brewery. This evening it was blackened tilapia for me.