I Put Salt on My Salt or The New Definition of Nothing (Bonneville Salt Flats Post)

We are now in Nevada, and last night we stayed in Rye Patch State Recreation Area, but again, as is the problem when we stay in canyons and deserts, there is little to no cellular service.  So here is the morning update on yesterday's events.

Mom and Timber went exploring behind the KOA in Salt Lake City, and came to the Utah State Fairgrounds.

Photo Credit to Mom!

After leaving the city, we drove with the world's largest open pit copper mine on one side and the Great Salt Lake on the other.  

A little farther down was a processing plant for the mine

The Great Salt Lake

The Great Salt Lake is also home to salt harvesting and processing plants and so if you use Morton Salt here is one of the places it comes from!

We headed off toward the Bonneville Salt Flats.  They stretch over 30,000 acres and are the remnants of the Pleistocene Lake Bonneville.  For those not familiar with geological epochs, the Pleistocene epoch lasted about 2,588,000 to 11,700 years ago.  This particular salt flat is the largest of the salt flats located west of the Great Salt Lake.  The salt flats create a delicate ecological environment, completely preventing plant growth in some areas, but in other places plants and animals thrive near ponds and other marshy areas.  The salt flats have over the course of history created a natural barrier that have impeded different expeditions.  However, in 1910, the first permanent crossing of the salt flats was completed when the Southern Pacific Railroad linked Salt Lake City and San Francisco.  The ancient Lake Bonneville was named for Captain B. L. E. Bonneville, who despite never visiting the salt flats, proved that it was once part of an ancient basin.  During the last Ice Age about 15,000 years ago, Lake Bonneville was about the size of Lake Michigan covering about a third of Utah and parts of the surrounding states.  The Salt Flats and the Great Salt Lake are both maintained by wind and water as during the winter, a thin layer of standing water floods the area, and during the spring and summer, this water is evaporated away and wind smooths the surface.  The salt contains Potassium, Magnesium, Lithium, and Sodium Chloride, which is table salt.  

Part of the salt flats are used for racing as the Bonneville Salt Flats International Speedway.  The Speedway is 80  feet wide and 10 miles long.  It is prepared by the Bureau of Land Management in the early summer, and speed trials occur until the winter flooding occurs.  The potential for racing was recognized in 1896, and many speed records have been set.  

Don't mistake Timber's smile here as happiness, she did not like the salt flats whatsoever.  She mainly feared being left behind.  I don't blame her! I wouldn't want to be left there either, although I did enjoy the warmth.

Harvey in the middle of nothing

Mountains in Nevada 

At our campground in Nevada, in the Rye Patch State Recreation Area.

We found a lizard!

Our Campsite

On our walk with Timber, photo credit to Mom!

Update:  Woo Hoo!  We're in California!!  We're heading toward Lake Tahoe now!  

Ciao!

Amy

P.S. - The title 

"I Put Salt on My Salt" comes from a t-shirt slogan of a random guy I saw back home in line at Dunkin' Donuts.  He probably won't see this but thanks for the inspiration!  Also I think that Grandpa would have appreciated the slogan!