Day Six

This was a great day. It was one during which I often thought about my good friend John Cooper. He loves this kind of stuff.

We headed out to the Golden Spike National Historic Site in Corinne, UT, and had a real treat. This was called Promontory at the time and it is the location where the Golden Spike was driven. You history buffs and those who remember fourth grade history will remember that this is where it Southern Pacific and the Union Pacific met up thus completing the transcontinental railroad.

But it is more than just a location. They have working replicas of the two steam locomotives that met here on May 10, 1869. The Jupiter was a locomotive of the Southern Pacific and the 119 was a locomotive of the Union Pacific. They brought both engines out and worked them before the crowd. It was magnificent. They were bright and shiny and in perfect repair. The engineers and firemen really knew their stuff and were happy to talk with us and tell us how stuff works. I learned a lot, but there are still a lot of mysteries for me about steam engines.

We did a couple driving tours where you could see what remains of work in progress on cuts, fills and road beds. It is hard to imagine the thousands of laborers that were at it every day. These were tough individuals, snowflakes need not apply.

On our way to the hotel in Hayburn, ID, we stopped at the ATK Rocket Garden. It is a very interesting collection of solid fuel rockets that were used in all sorts of applications, including the Space Shuttle. Think Morton Thiokol even though the sign says Northrup Grumman. It was interesting to me but not so much to Ginny. We headed out and when we got to I-84 I was pleasantly surprised to see that the speed limit was 80 mph.

Today's photo is the classic pose of the Jupiter and the 119 facing each other at the site of the golden spike. Ginny took this photo. Good job Ginny!