We stop briefly in Evanston to see the restored train station and a little Lincoln Highway marker memorial along the main drag through town. One of the information panels lets us know that the only original concrete Lincoln Highway marker in Wyoming is just east of Lyman, about 65 miles east of here. Yep.
Following some Butko directions, we get on a service road heading out of town, and the pavement ends. We keep driving, kicking up some dust. We can see the WELCOME TO UTAH sign along the interstate not far to our left.
The terrain — the Wasatch Mountains — everything along both sides of the road — is Nature at her most stunning. Bob is still in the back seat but wants to get the camera rolling again, so we pull off into the town on Echo. The late afternoon light makes long shadows and pretty pictures.
The configuration of the roads is a bit confusing here, and the Lincoln Highway had lots of different marked routes in this area, and we get mixed up again, but eventually find ourselves heading south along the east bank of the Echo Canyon Reservoir. The world is beautiful out here.
About 7:30 I happen to read in Brian’s book that we’ll pass within 5 or 6 miles of Park City, Utah, where the Sundance Film Festival is held every winter. I visited Park City once a few years back, not for the festival, but in mid-summer, and I know it’s unusual and fun. It’s a cute, pricey ski-resort and a touristy town, but it might be a good break. “Wanna stop there for the night?” I ask.
“Yes!” says Jarrett.
“Good for me,” says Bob. “The vote is in.”
We find three deluxe rooms at the Marriott resort in the middle of town, and they’re only $10 more than the semi-raunchy rooms last night in Rawlins. It’s off-season here in Park City, but we all like it.