The hills are alive

 A recent trip up Little Cottonwood Canyon to Albion Basin turned into an adventure in a wonderland of flowers. This is the view from the road just above Alta which you can see in the distance. Apparently, this gorgeous display appeared in a week and is certainly gone again a week or so later. 

Salt Lake Valley from Little Cottonwood Canyon

One thing that stands out from any view of the Salt Lake Valley is the pollution in the air and this was a relatively clear day. Both Little Cottonwood (the big canyon) and Big Cottonwood (the narrower canyon) are high enough at the top to be out of most of the stuff in the valley air. But as you come down the canyons you are always reminded of the smog or smust, or whatever is in the air. 

Heber Valley and Deer Creek Reservoir, Utah

 

This photo was taken from high up on one of the smaller peaks of the Wasatch Mountains. In the distance is Heber City and the large lake is Deer Creek Reservoir. The reservoir looks almost full despite the drought but it is only about 74% full at the time of this photo. 

The East Side of Mount Timpanogos, Utah

 

When you get high up in the Wasatch Mountains of Utah, you get some spectacular views. The is the east side of Mount Timpanogos show the huge glacier cirque with the remnants of the glacier. It is much more impressive in person. 

In the tops of the mountains

 This is a large panorama of a part of the Wasatch Mountains of Utah. You may wish to click on the image to see more detail. This was a very sunny day and the sun was right above the top of the mountain. 

Summer in the Wasatch Mountains of Utah

Warm temperatures, sunny skies, and beautiful mountain views. The Wasatch Mountains of Utah put on their summer splendor. This is a view of Mount Timpanogos from the eastern side. 

Downtown Provo, Utah

 

This is downtown Provo, Utah looking east towards the Y Mountain. The photo was taken from the new City and Police Building on Center and 5th West. It was a lovely, sunny day and we enjoyed the tour of the new building. 

A Different View

 This is a different view of the Neuschwanstein Castle. Usually, the only view you see is from high above the castle. This is what you see as you walk around the castle to the main gate. For more, including the popular view, see https://www.neuschwanstein.de/englisch/tourist/

The Wieskirche or White Church in Germany

 

The Wieskirche is one of the most famous works from the Rococo period of art and architecture and its position close to the Romantic Road, the religious attraction of Oberammergau and the Passion Play and the historic buildings of Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau ensure that it is popular place to visit. We have been there twice now. 

Railroad Across the Continent

 One of the largest commercial enterprises of the 19th Century in the United States was the completion of the first rail line across the continent from east to west and west to east. The key event was the meeting of the two rail lines in Promentory, Utah on May 10, 1869. For Utah, this ended the "pioneer era" or the time when people had to take wagons or walk across the plains.  

The Great Salt Lake is currently shrinking rapidly from the extensive drought in the Western United States. The original path of the railroad went around the northern part of the lake but later a causeway was built across the lake cutting it into two parts. The actual connection was at Promontory Summit. Here is a map of that location.

Later, the main rail line was built across the lake on a causeway that can be seen as a faint line across the lake. You can see from the photo that is is a rather desolate area. 

Locomotive 119 Union Pacific Railroad

 

Here is the description of Locomotive 119 from the Wikipedia article. Union Pacific No. 119. 

Union Pacific No. 119 was a 4-4-0 steam locomotive made famous for meeting the Central Pacific Railroad's Jupiter at Promontory Summit, Utah, during the Golden Spike ceremony commemorating the completion of the First Transcontinental Railroad in 1869. The locomotive was built by Rogers Locomotive and Machine Works of Paterson, New Jersey in 1868, along with numbers 116, 117, 118 and 120. The original was scrapped in 1903, but a replica now operates at the Golden Spike National Historical Park.