Out to Knolls

The last time I visited Knolls, some 20 years ago, there were still buildings there.  Empty and decaying, but there.  Now it’s all gone, except for some rubble, foundations and sidewalks.

Before the late 50’s or early 60’s, when I-80 was completed out there, it probably was a busy place.  Literally right off the Victory Highway, it was the last stop before dropping down onto the Slat Flats along the main east-west highway to San Francisco. 

When they built I-80, they left Knolls about 2 miles from the exit.  Delle, on the other hand, just 25 miles east of there is immediately off the exit and still exists.

Anyway, now there is a State ATV/Off Road Recreation Area there and I decided to check it out this weekend.  It cost $6.00 to get in, but has 36,000 acres of rocky hills, sand dunes and old river beds to explore.  I had a lot of fun and hope to coax the brothers to join me out there sometime soon.

Knolls, Utah.  Or at least where it used to be.

the sidewalk that was outside the gas station is still there.

From the backside.

What’s left of the islands for the gas pumps.

Not sure what this thing does, but it passed while I was hanging out at Knolls.

Up on the hill in the Knolls Recreation Area.

Trying to hide in the rocks.

The view from atop the hill.

Muddy lake bed that I crossed.  It was pretty easy to cross, although I knew I had to keep moving at all costs.  Stop and I would have been stuck.

View from the other side of the lake bed.

Sand dunes in the Knolls Recreation Area.

Climbing a sand dune.

And... I made it over the dune.

Dirty Jeep.

I found a big puddle to go through.

Happy Birthday!

Oh, so proud!

How big a deal would it be if the Russians landed a man on the moon this year?  Yeah, big deal.  That was already done back in 1969.  (Well, unless you’re a aluminum foil wearing conspiracy theorist that thinks it was all faked).

I don’t know if it’s this bad outside of Utah, but for the last couple months I’ve had to put up with  front-page articles on the amazing election of Mia Love;  “the first black female Republican member of Congress.”

Big whoop.  The Democrats elected a black female to Congress back in 1968.   Shirley Chisholm was inaugurated over 45 years ago.

Ok, maybe I’m a little more annoyed at this celebration because I’ve had it thrown in my face almost weekly since the election.  I’ll also admit that it also has to do with the fact that I can’t stand Tebagger Party darling Mia Love’s politics.    It also could be that I’m disgusted by the fact that I am now “represented” by the Three Stooges (Jason Chaffetz, Mike Lee and now Mia Love) instead of only 2. 

Enough ranting.  Congratulations Republicans, you finally caught up with the Democrats -of 1968.

Skull Valley–2 weekends in a row.

This weekend I went with my brothers.  This meant that we could be a little more ambitious in our exploring, since we had 2 Jeeps out there. 

There was a little more snow there this weekend than there was last weekend.

Even with 2 vehicles, there are still some times we get out and walk it before driving it.   It ended up being good enough to drive it.

Both the jeeps up at the end of the road.

We ran into some extraterrestrials.  Nice beings, but the extra nose was hard to get used to.

(Ok, that was really just my little brothers radio controlled flying thingy.)

The two Jeeps up on the hilltop between Skull Valley and Tooele valley.

Same place, with my two brothers in the picture, and Stansbury Island behind them.

Bye bye 2014, hello 2015.

For the official (maybe not) “Back to the Future Day” countdown, just click HERE.