Day 48: Utahraptor State Park to Tooele Utah 252 miles "Getting Closer!"

We started the day looking for dinosaur footprints and fossils at the Utahraptor State Park where we stayed the last two days. We saw several footprints and found (and left) some rocks which looked like they may have fossilized bones in them. It was fun traveling the dusty roads in the Honda. 

It was amazing to see this rugged landscape and imagine how dinosaurs roamed the area for millions of years before they were wiped out by a cataclismic event. I thought about how the native people in this area lived for thousands of years in relative harmony with natural processes before European settlment. It is sad and concerning how quickly the landscape has changed in less than 200 years.

After we left our campsite we drove a few miles down the road to the Mill Canyon Dinosaur Track Site and saw over 200 dinosaur tracks. The signs were excellent and explained how, when and what types of dinosaurs left the tracks.

We then headed toward Salt Lake City and our Boondocking Host Site in Tooele Utah. The drive was over 4 hours but the driving was relatively easy because traffic was light and the roads were in good shape. We saw some pretty Fall colors as we drove as well as the Great Salt Lake.

We got to our Boondocking Host site around 5pm and were greeted by Steve, our host, just as he left for 9 holes of golf. He welcomed us and directed us were to park and invited us to plug in for electricity, water and to use his backyard.

We took the Boys for a walk. Janice made dinner and we sat near the garage and enjoyed our meal. We planned out our next stop and hope that we will be home by 6 on Thursday if we are able to drive over 750 miles in the next two days.

Around 7:30, Mary, Steve's wife of 42 years, came out and talked with us and shortly Steve got home from golf. We sat and talked and had some beers and then Steve and Mary's neighbor, Joe joined us.

It was a delightful evening and a perfect ending to our Boondocking experience for this trip. I wish I had gotten a picture of our group but we were talking and laughing so much that time got away from us and it was after 10 pm! We are so grateful for their hospitality and hope they will visit us in Oregon after Mary retires.