Since SLC Epal started working part-time this summer, He told me that there would be days when he wouldn't be available. So this weekend, I was on my own.I quickly fell into my old pattern, I didn't get started until about 12noon. My plan was to visit the Days of '47 Festival. I believed that the program was a space reserved for period costumes and actors playing roles of early pioneers. I thought the festival was taking place in the "This is the Place Heritage Park". I made an attempt to go to the Days of '47 Festival by bus, but the "easy grid layout" of the streets was lost on me. After walking (lost) in a circle, I gave up and decided to use the Trax light rail. Even though the Trax did not go to the Heritage Park, I used the Trax map to guess at the closest station to the park and I planned to walk the rest of the way. It turned into about an hour walk. Along the way, I came across Fort Douglas and Red Butte (pronounced with a long "u") Garden. Since it was already getting late, I decided that I would visit both tomorrow.
Anyway, when I arrived at the Heritage Park, I noticed...well nothing different from when SLC Epal drove us there on Thursday. I went to the wrong place! The festival was located someplace else. Oh well, since I was there, I walked around Brigham Young's farm again. I discovered a small monument to the Pony Express nearby.
On my way back, I didn't feel like walking back up the hill, so I decided to find another way back. While walking, I walked right to the Salt Lake City Hogle Zoo. With only about 15 minutes before the zoo closed, I decided that I would go there tomorrow as well.
Feeling in a good mood, I decided to walk back to the hostel. It was about a 1 1/2 hour walk. I had dinner at Chilis Restaurant and called it a night.
Post Date - Friday, July 21, 2009 11:18PM
4 comments:
You WALKED from Hogle Zoo to 500 East?!! In July heat?! At an altitude several thousand feet higher than what you're acclimatized to in NYC?!!!
Holy Hannah, man, but you must be in incredible physical shape!
Yeah, I know it was downhill, but still! Wow.
Look, I'm a walker. I walk all over the place and never used a car at all the whole year I lived in Scotland because I just walked everywhere. But three miles in desert heat with nowhere to stop for water when you've already been touring all day and you're not used to the altitude -- whoa, that's impressive.
Hello Paperback. Thank you for the compliment. Sorry no, I'm not in incredible physical shape. I like walking and as long as the surface is relatively flat I don't have a problem walking long distances(even with my weak knees). It is also nice when the area is visually pleasing and (of course) safe. And I can honestly say that Utah has very nice visual surroundings. As for desert heat and altitude, sometimes it pays to not be too bright.
Oh, and I did follow your advice about using sunscreen. I did darken up a bit below the elbows and above the neck, but no visual damage. As for thirst, I probably drank more soda the three weeks I traveled this summer than I have for the last 15 or 20 years. On average, I probably drank 6 to 8 large glasses (probably 20oz. each)of soda per day. Normally, I don't drink soda. Now, that I'm back, I'm back to drinking juice, milk, and water....yes unfortunately, in that order. Lately, I have been trying to change that "order". Hopefully, I will be able to go back to the gym beginning in September. My goal next summer is to return to Venice Beach "better prepared".
Well, even dark-skinned people CAN get skin cancer, you know. So you still have to be careful, even if you have no worries about sunburn or freckles.
And I'm still impressed you walked that far in the heat and altitude when you are not used to either (not dry heat like that, anyway).
In 1999, when I was doing a dance festival in Southern Spain (Dos Hermanas, about a 20 minute train ride from Seville), they had the groups do 2-hour rehearsals on an outdoor stage painted black and with no roof in 107 F. heat in the afternoon. The group from Utah was the only group that came out of it relatively unscathed. The dry heat was similar to what we were used to at that time of year (July), and we were much closer to sea level, making it actually easier for us to have more energy, since we were used to thinner air. Plus, we understood the need for water, towels, and sunscreen.
A two-hour dance rehearsal outdoors in 107F, now that sounds very impressive.
Oh and yes, I know that anyone can get skin cancer.
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