6-20-17

We had a much better sleeping night with temps in the low 60's and I only woke up twice. The alarm was set for 6:30 but like most days, I didn't need it. 

I showered, we broke camp and ate breakfast and were on the road by 8:00. A stop in Walmart to resupply a few things and buy extra blankets for the cold nights ahead in Yellowstone and we were driving towards Timpanogos Cave for our 12:15 tour. 

We arrived at noon, grabbed water and our jackets in my pack and headed into the visitor center to check in. The hike to the cave is a 1000+ foot climb over a mile and a half of paved switchbacks. They give you 90 minutes to get to the top to actually start the tour in the cave. We were the first of our group to make it up in about an hour and they needed to fill in space so we went in with an earlier group. It was an ok cave but not as good a tour as the one in the Ozarks, probably because we weren't getting a personal tour. It was a very comfortable 48 degrees after hiking up in 90+ temps. We did put on our jackets once the heat effect from the climb wore off. You finish on a different side of the cave than the entrance and then you get to hike back down the steep path. The climb was tough on my lungs but the descent was tough on the knees. 

We finished our visit and drove to the Capitol in Salt Lake City. It was pretty impressive and probably one of the grandest we have been to. Everything was marble. It was also nice and cool inside because outside, it was 100 degrees. Even dry heat is still hot. 

A storm was moving across the area brining mostly lightning and a few drops but we opted for dinner out to stay out of the heat and possible rain before making camp just north of Salt Lake. We had planned to maybe go float in the lake but we are worn out and at 8:30 are just enjoying laying on our cots in the tent. A warm night in the 70's is ahead of us.