Cove Fort, Utah to Ogden, Utah. 06-02-12

From Cedar City we drove north on I-15 to stop at Cave Fort, Utah, close to the junction of I-15 and I-70. I have stopped before and talked about one visit at
http://delquilts.blogspot.com/2011/05/on-road-st-george-to-grand-junction-co.html  (about half way down the page).
Continuing north of the gas station one comes to the fort built by the Mormons in 1867, it served as a way station for travelers, a Pony Express stop, a Post Office for a wide area, a hostel and filled a number of other functions. The building has been restored and furnished with period items. When I have been there in the past there has never been anyone around, but today they had a group of Mormon men and women to escort visitors through the fort and show a short film about its origins. Rather interesting, but too much standing about for my still weak ankle. I started out with the group but had to return to the car about half way.  Ruth, however, stuck it out until they went outside to see the blacksmith shop and the garden, but she decided since it was almost a 100F she would give up and we drove back to I-15 and continued north.
 
This picture and the next were taken 05-17-11 when I drove through the last time.
The trees are black locust which were planted in 1867.

 
The "walkway" is grey indoor/outdoor carpet which keeps visitors from tracking the gravel inside the fort.

 
Here you see the trees in leaf today and some of the at least 100 visitors being escorted about.  One guide said that several groups of Mormon youths were there for special tours.  I can't imagine that there would be so many visitors every Saturday of the summer!  

These are the rooms on the north side of the fort - notice that each room has a chimney and, inside, a wood-burning stove to heat the individual rooms.  Wood was scarce, needed to be hauled from a distance and not to be wasted.   There aren't a lot of interesting stops along this very long stretch of highway, so if you are traveling I-15 you might check to see when the fort is open for visitors.   It was very interesting, especially if you are interested in history of the West.

 
Just down the road I spotted this beat up outhouse being towed behind a pickup truck.  The sign on it reads "Almost Home" and lists a business phone number.  This location is very remote, so I can't imagine where the outhouse was traveling to or where "home" is!

 
After checking into a motel in Ogden, Utah, we looked through the lists of restaurants in the AAA book and decided on Grey Ridge Inn, located about six miles up a canyon through the mountains to the east.  It was a very scenic drive and there was the promise of local trout for dinner.  We were somewhat surprised to be served this "fruit cup" at the start of the meal - it seemed more like a fruit thimble - just a few bites of canned fruit cocktail with a spoonful of orange sherbet on top.  We withheld judgement and waited for our trout.  It was quite good and came with small salad, baked potato and fresh lemon wedges.  Dessert was included - Ruth had a low sugar rhubarb-strawberry pie and I opted for the fudge cake with sauce.  The building is an old house tucked into the very edge of the canyon with a swift stream flowing between building and road.

 
On down the winding, narrow road the stream is joined by this waterfall tumbling down the steep hillside. It dips in and out of sight until close to the bottom where it divides into these many "springlets" before joining the swift flow along side of the road.  

 
This is Ruth Powers look that says, "Del, if you don't stop taking pictures of me I am going to take drastic action."