Early rise. We had set the alarm, but it had not even gone off. I was up and we head into town to drop off the Jeep. We fill up the Jeep and RV, do a quick wash and head to the rental spot. The guy looks around, sees the scratches on plastic side from the brush we drove past and comments that it looks like we had fun. I needed to make sure I got a credit for our last day. They rent by the day, meaning it has to be returned before 7 in the evening, but when I had booked this months ago, they said they would cut me a break. All is good, and we head north out of town. The kids are still sleeping and the drive is pretty easy right now.
A little later, and I have Georgia sit up front and figure out some logistics for me. My plan is to head up to Park City for some fun, then head to Great Salt Lake for a quick dip before heading to Bonneville Salt Flats for some pictures. All items I have wanted to do, but have never been in the Salt Lake City area.
About an hour later, I have a pickup pull up next to me and point to the back of the RV. He is waving his hands and seems to be indicating that there is something wrong in back. I find a spot to pull over and look to see our drain hose is trailed out behind the RV for about 50 feet. The hose is only 25 feet – but it is torn and stretched. When we picked up the RV, the agent told me to keep the port on the bottom open to help air and dry out the dump storage. This seems to have been really bad advice. Somehow, the hose got twisted around inside the bin and the end made it to the hole in the bottom. Once it got pulled out, it just tailed out the back. I pull out my knife and cut off our “tail” and shove it all back into the bin. We will need to pick one up soon, as we have not yet done our dump and fill after being in the remote campsite for 4 days.
We pull into Provo around noon, and need to do a stop at Walmart. Wendy will do the shopping while I take a shower (first for 5 days). She gets back and makes some lunch for us all. I hook up the new hose to the connection, but the fitting is cracked from when the hose was out the back. I try to use some bungee cords to hold it on, but I’m not sure it will hold. Looks like I will need to pick up a new fitting too. I then head to the next exit to do a dump and fill so the others can shower. The Flying-J has closed their RV dump, but they tell me the campground across the street can accommodate me, so I head over there, pick up a new fitting for $10 and head to the dump. Once dumped and filled, it is back on the road and off to Park City. Our 30 minute stop has turned into 2 hours, so the plan for the day is shot.
Up the mountain to Park City. We drive past the ski jumps that were used for the 2002 Olympics and head into the Park City Resort. They have an Alpine Slide, Alpine Coaster and a Zipline. I tell the kids it is their choice – but they can only pick 2. Charlotte decides to stay back and get some rest, so the rest of us head over to the village for some fun on the mountain. We find out that Georgia is too light for the Zipline, so Jackson says he is fine with the Slide and Coaster. We pick up tickets and head to the ski lift for a slide down the mountain. 
I assure everyone that I will NOT go all out like last time. They had told me that you could go full out –no brakes – you just need to lead into the turn. That left me with a broken rib, sprained ankle and a few scars that still show.
Over to the track, and I ask the girl “How fast can I go?”. We all chuckle and she tells me that you can lose it and shows me her scar. I show her mine in the same spot on my arm. I WILL use the brakes on the way down. Jackson and I race, and I am able to barely stay in front of him while still feeling in control. Fun fast 3000 foot ride down the mountain.
On to the coaster. Here they say there is no speed limit as you can’t fly off the track. Speed is good on this one. The guy loading tells Jackson and me that he is not pleased to see Bears fans (I have a hat on, Jackson a shirt) and he lets me know that I should NOT turn the hat around as he would LOVE to see me lose it. I give it a quick turn to the back and a thumbs up as he lets me go right behind Wendy. Again, a nice slow ride to the top clamped to a cable, and then we scream down the side of the mountain. The coaster has individual cars that you can break – or push full forward to go full out. I think that as fast as I am going I should catch Wendy – but no way. She is running full out in front of me.
The guy working the load had given us a free pass for a second ride, but it looks like it will take a long time to get through the line again and we have a lake to float in!
Back to the RV, a stop for gas and then we coast back down the mountain and into Salt Lake City. We can see the Mormon Temple from the road, and I keep heading west toward Antelope Island State Park where they have a public beach with showers at Great Salt Lake. We pull into the day use area, don our suits and head to the lake. It smells NASTY here. Not sure if it is the buffalos, or the stale lake or a mix of both.
We (Jackson, Georgia and I are determined to float in the lake! Wendy takes some pictures from the beach. Charlotte wants nothing to do with this stop. A walk down to water’s edge, past MANY dead seagulls, and buffalo droppings. We can see others in the lake. They are out about 500 yards and still only waist deep. We start the slow walk in amidst swarms of flies. There is nothing other than some brine shrimp (too small to see) that can survive in this environment.
The bottom is squishy between our toes with lots of sharp rocks. We slowly walk out to where we can see others floating. Once there, we lift our feet to see if we float. We all bob like corks. This is freaky. Now I can float pretty well, but here, I couldn’t get my head much under if I wanted to. Fun for a couple minutes, but now back to the showers to wash off. Turns out they are pay showers, and we don’t have quarters! The sun is beginning to set, and the bugs are coming out. We run back to the RV, we track a bunch of sand in and take turns standing just inside the door waiting. They DO have mosquitoes here, and they are swarming. I have NEVER seen this many. When I go back outside to put some stuff away, I immediately have them COVERING my legs and arms. This is crazy! We all get a good shower and clean clothes on. I climb back to the driver’s seat and we head out of here. It is now just past dusk, and the bugs are hitting the windshield as we drive out the causeway. It sounds like I am driving through a hail storm.
Off the island, and I head back to I-80 to continue our trek west to California. Bonneville Salt Flats is 100 miles west, so it will be midnight by the time we get there. I have Jackson navigate and find a Walmart or rest stops to spend the night. I stop once more for a dump and fill and to top off the gas in the RV. Although I am feeling fine, I don’t want to drive too late tonight. The next Walmart is hours away, so I opt for a rest stop. It turns out there is one just before Bonneville, so I pull in, shut down the generator and lights and close up the drapes. The sound of the trucks running in the background is soothing and I doze off for some sleep before finishing off the 630 miles to San Francisco on Sunday.