In Utah we start to see the mountains.

The Great Salt Lake, we walked out on the salty beach near the "Saltair" a concert hall/club near the beach.

The thin layer of salt that is left by evaporation crunches as you walk on it, unlike sand that gives way underfoot.

We got a better look at the lake from a lookout point at the marina.

Next to the Dead Sea the Great Salt Lake is the saltiest body of water on earth, nothing can live there but some algae and a species of brine shrimp that dies over the winter leaving only the cysts (eggs) to hatch in the spring.

The center of Salt Lake City is Temple Square, owned by the Mormon church.

This is the best photo we could get of the Mormon Tabernacle as it is under renovation, being re-fitted to improve earthquake resistance.

Usually the broadcasts are done from here, but have been moved to the Conference Center during renovations. The tabernacle houses the largest of SLC's 3 pipe organs, and the Conference has the 2nd largest.

The Salt Lake City Temple, it's not open to the public, so we couldn't see the inside. The temple is built of granite that was brought in by ox cart and hewn by hand into the blocks needed for the construction.

Construction took 40 years from 1853 to 1893.

Organ in the Assembly Hall, the smallest of the 3 organs in Temple Square. The large pipes shown are copper.

There was a recital going on when we visited, and we got to listen to one of Ron's favorite Bach organ pieces, "Tocatta and Fugue in D Minor."

The "Eagle Gate" with the Utah State Capitol building in the background. The legislature is also not open to the public, makes us wonder what's going on in there!

Here's a photo of Ron with a model of "The Angel Moroni." Ron likes to call it "The Angel Macaroni," but not too loudly in Salt Lake City!

From Salt Lake City we headed south to visit 2 spectacular national parks, Zion and Bryce Canyon.