July 6 - Salt Lake City to Chattanooga

We got going in the morning, loaded the car for the short trip to the airport, and promptly took the wrong turn onto highway 15 north. Once we got headed in the right direction, we got the car checked in and found a looooooooooonnnnnnnggg line at the Delta check-in counter. Fortunately the line outside at the Red Cap station was very short, so we used that option and minutes later were waiting in another looooooonnnnnnngggg line for the security line. We discussed numerous issues of world-wide significance while we waited, and once they'd scanned our possessions we made our way to the gate. We loaded onto a Boeing 757 in good order, endured a three-hour flight to Atlanta, made our way to the gate where we were scheduled to catch our ride to Chattanooga, and settled in to wait for that plane to leave.

Since we were near the end of the concourse, I went down and took a few shots of airplanes on the taxiways and runways. Here's a Delta Airlines departure.

This World Airlines Lockheed was being towed along.

A United Airlines departure.

Continental Airlines pulling his gear up on departure.

This Airtran unit almost has his gear fully retracted as he heads "Up, Up, and Away!"

Shortly after I took these pix, a localized storm rolled across the airport and effectively closed it for nearly an hour. Our plane was supposed to leave at 5:30, didn't, and was finally cancelled around 7:00 PM. We were given "seat requests" and directed to another gate where there was a scheduled departure for Chattanooga at 8:20. And although the person at the desk acted like we all were unlikely to get onto the plane, in fact we were all accomodated. So we made it home, later than we wanted but with luggage intact. Thanks to neighbors Marc and Mary for so graciously picking us up and delivering us home. It's good to sleep in our own bed again.

July 5 - Little America

We checked in at the Little America Inn which Anita had booked through Orbitz.com, and they put us in the most elegant room that either of us had ever enjoyed. Cost less than $70.00 with taxes - what a deal!

Our room had a small balcony with a breathtaking view of the mountains to the south-west of the city.

When we got back from dinner, we found the moon rising over the Wasatch mountains.

A short time later, the light rail train rumbled by the hotel.

Early to bed tonight; we leave for Tennessee tomorrow (via Atlanta-Hartford airport, of course).

July 5 - Ely, Nevada to Salt Lake City, Utah

Once our excursion was done, we gassed the car and headed north. Whenever you drive in this part of the country, it's a good idea to make sure you don't run out of fuel 'cuz theres not a gas station on every corner. Most of the scenery is like that in the photo below.

If you look far in the distance, way down at the end of this very straight road at the base of those hills, you will see a town. It's West Wendover, Nevada, and it's twenty miles ahead of us.

We turned right onto Interstate 80 at West Wendover and drove on into Salt Lake City, passing the Bonneville Salt Flats and skirting the south side of the Great Salt Lake.

July 5 - Afternoon Excursion

Our excursion to McGill (actually, toward McGill) consisted of SD-9 #204 with two coaches, an open car, and the bright yellow caboose. McGill is north of East Ely, and in this view we see the tracks through the broad Steptoe Valley and low mountain range to the east.

One of several advertising posters in our car.

We reached a siding in the middle of nowhere, and the 204 ran around the train to take us back to East Ely.

The hogger exchanges greetings with passengers on the open car.

Met some interesting folks on the train. One guy grew up in Edina. MN and has lived in Las Vegas since 1961! He related an interesting story about the house he grew up in, very near the Northern Pacific railroad.

July 5 - Trip to Ruth

Large copper mines once existed near the town of Ruth, or "New Ruth" as the town is now called. The big yellow hill behind this marker is waste rock left after the mineral-bearing ore is stripped from the open-pit mines.

The marker reads as follows:

Copper Country

The famed open-pit copper mines of eastern Nevada, including the Liberty Pit, largest in the state, are located two miles south of this point. Through the first half of the 20th century, this area produced nearly a billion dollars in copper, gold and silver.The huge mounds seen from here are waste rock which was removed to uncover the ore.

Two miles east of here, near Lane City, was the Elijah, the first mine discovered in the Robinson Mining District. Lane City, originally called Mineral City, was settled in 1869 and had a population of 400. At Mineral City was the Ragsdale Station, one hotel and a stage station.

This old grader was parked in a small park. Needs restoration, eh?

A view of part of the open-pit mine.

We had to leave here and rush back to East Ely in order to make our 1:00 PM excursion.

July 5 - Trip to McGill

There used to be a copper smelting operation in McGill, which employed most of the people in the area. We drove up here to see what remained of the operation and found this small yard.

I turned to my left and shot a picture of this old depot building. Don't know what it is now being used for, but it's in quite good condition.

Another turn to my left revealed this railroad-looking building. Might have been a freight house or some such?

July 5 - Nevada Northern

I walked down to the depot in the morning and found this ex-Southern Pacific SD-9 running in the Nevada Northern yard.

The engineer walks down to the crew meeting in front of the steam engine.

NCCCo #93 left with her morning trip to Ruth and I caught her coming back to town.