Tuesday, July 17, 2007 ;
2:26 AM
15 July
Last day of trip
Our motel in Pocatello, Idaho is very nice. Maybe because it is a smaller town, at the same rate, we get a nicer room/ beds and better facilities. Our room had a glass sliding door, which, when opened, led directly to the hot tubs and pool (below left).
Below right: ds2 inspecting the mosquito and horse fly bites sustained from Teton, on the motel bed. I opened the curtains then, so a crack of light seeped in. dh took this pic and he likes it very much, so i have to post lor. hee.
After breakfast, we checked out early and set off on a little detour before home. There are a lot of hot springs in this area, generally. (Wyoming, Idaho and northern Utah). So we went to Lava Hot Springs, just about 45min away, for a soak in the mineral waters. haha.
Well, hot springs have a long history and people from all cultures believe they have healing properties. Maybe due to the heat, or the minerals, I don't know. But I remember seeing the hot springs in Hualien, Taiwan when I was young, and there were so many people soaking there too, seeking to alleviate some pains or illnesses.
This town is famous for hot springs. They channel the water from the springs into the pools or jacuzzi. (Unlike those in Yellowstone, these don't have sulphur.) In winter it is especially enjoyable to soak in the hot water, but it's summer now. And we felt it was really hot! It felt very soothing for the feet though.
However, it certainly took some getting used to, because at first touch, it felt so hot. It's actually around 40-50deg I think. Good thing the whole thing is cheap and the kids go in free, cos we didn't want to stay very long. Dh kept saying he still wants more children, haha.
Above left: At the uncovered pool. We all tried but ds1 was especially jumpy. He kept hopping on alternate foot, shouting "Ahh!! Hot!! Too hot!" ds2 was much more interested in why the water was so hot.
Above right: dh at the covered pool, where it's like a jacuzzi cos the hot water is bubbled in jets.
After mainly soaking our legs, we bathed and left for the next place on our route, Soda Springs.
We saw many people renting or bringing their own floats or rings to float along the river or the pools. Seems like everyone comes here for water-related activities.
Soda Springs is also a small town (1.5hrs away from Lava Hot Springs). It's called Soda Springs because the geyser here is carbonated. Naturally of course. They've managed to pool the water, pipe it, and contain it such that they can release it hour on the hour. So every hour, there'll be people gathering around to wait for it to erupt. And this geyser is not hot, but cool water. All the same, it is full of mineral deposits, so you have all these terraces (below) there too.
They also have a railway track right beside the geyser, so we watched a couple pass by. Kids just somehow love trains. They love to watch the trains go chug chugging.
By the way, while I was practising my driving, I realised that over here, we really have to watch out for trains, cos they're so frequent and pass through everywhere. In Spore, it isn't important at all, but here, you really got to look out for the train crossing signals, cos in the highway code book, they say sometimes there are no barriers, if the lights are flashing, you just stop and wait for the train to pass by.
Then in SLC, there is the Trax tram also. When I am making a left turn, and have to wait while the oncoming traffic clears, and I am on or beside the Trax lines, I always wonder if the trax is going to come right now and knock me off. Not used to it yet, still adapting to driving together with all these trains and trams. And bicycles and motorbike riders without helmets (not a law here for those above 18 to wear helmets, so no one does) all sharing the same busy roads.
We had lunch at A&W (haven't eaten in A&W for ages although when I was young in Spore, we did, and I rem the root beer float v well).
Next stop: Bear Lake. All along the way now, we are travelling on scenic highways. Scenery is very beautiful, with lots of plant diversity, birds, animals (farmed or wild), lakes and rivers or mountains.
And we also noticed many people building their summer vacation houses here. And I mean literally building it themselves. Saw so many that I had to take a pic.
Our church friends also build their own house or when they buy their house, and they want to add a room, they just build it. Wish we can do that in Spore! Like, have our own land and then build what we want. It's like taking our Lego game into real life. haha.
Below right: a 2 storey house being built.
Above left: Brigham City
We also drove through Logan canyon, very very beautiful. Will be even more so in Fall, cos of all the Aspen-lined roads. Aspen trees are very beautiful in autumn.
Then we reached Brigham City and made a rest stop, then it's Ogden for dinner and then home sweet home late at night.
rainbows every day, do not worry for the morrow
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