- HEADING HOME

This morning I headed back to California. I always hate to leave.

Abbey and Kelsey, in their princess nightgowns, waiving goodbye from the front porch.

Gas price in Layton, Utah this morning.

I drove home on the new Legacy Parkway Freeway. It was very impressive and SO uncrowded. This is my new favorite road. It took me from Kaysville to I-80 near the Salt Lake Airport in no time at all.

I have always wondered about this sculpture on I-80 just east of Wendover. I always think I'll stop and check it out. Today I noticed a sign that said "Emergency Parking Only - no parking or pull-off". I clicked a picture and did some research when I got home. It is called "Metaphor: The Tree of Utah" The Tree was created in the early 1980s by European artist Karl Momen. It was dedicated in 1986 as "A hymn to our universe whose glory and dimension is beyond all myth and imagination." The sculpture is 87 feet tall, is constructed of 225 tons of cement, nearly 2,000 ceramic tiles and tons of minerals and rocks native to Utah. The sculpture is located on the westbound side of Interstate 80, (also known as the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway) about 95 miles west of Salt Lake City. The inscription on the trunk of the tree is from Schiller's "Ode to Joy" from the choral climax of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. Near the base of the tree are several spherical elements reminiscent of fallen leaves. Pretty interesting sculpture - and the only thing worth photographing for miles and miles ;)

I stopped for gas in Fernley, Nevada (my gas light was on). I was surprised that gas was only 6 cents more than in Utah. I waved to Dan and Shauna and wondered where they lived.

I arrived home at about 8:30 p.m. I drove the speed limit the entire time. Yes, it takes about 90 minutes longer to get home when you drive the speed limit ;) I was REALLY surprised that the price of gas in Placerville was as low as it was. Only 12 cents per gallon more than Utah. That's a first!