Odometer: 54,035

Time: 09:30

We are heading north to find the next AAA office. We urgently need a map of Idaho, Wyoming and Montana. The first location that our Navi and the map suggest does not exist anymore, the office has been closed down. This is already the second AAA office we find out has been closed down. So we hope for the one in Ogden to still be open.

Contrary to the areas south and around Salt Lake City down town the area north of Salt Lake City is very nice. It is very green and the neighborhoods look clean and inviting.

We indeed find the AAA office to be still there and open. So we get our maps and books. And, we also get some bread, ham and cheese from the grocery store next door for a nice sandwich later on.

Back on HWY 15 north we soon see a sign to a Bird Refuge. Obviously, this attracts our attention and we follow the signs. It is the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge which is at the upper part of the Great Salt Lake. The road is leading out into the wetlands. We take the time to slowly drive out watching out for birds. The refuge is very peaceful and quiet, its like a small paradise. We also find a place where there are not too many mosquitos to have our sandwich.

After “lunch” we are up on HWY 15 again, another 140 miles to Idaho Falls. As the weather is so nice we really enjoy the route, its wonderful up here, lots of green meadows, mountains to the left and to the right, a real change to the desert landscape we mostly experienced and saw over the last few weeks.

Arriving in Idaho Falls we soon find a nice and reasonably priced motel at the Snake River. We park the car and go for a walk at the riverside promenade. There are lots of Canada Geese, ducks and other birds again. Some of them have their babies and the geese have kind of a whole kindergarten of baby geese there, very cute. On the other side of the river is the Mormon Temple and the historic old town (which we don’t explore any closer). We walk to the Idaho Falls and back, a nice walk before dinner and after a long drive.

Overnight Stay: South Fork Inn, Idaho Falls, ID

Dinner: Outback Steakhouse (for a delicious prime rib!)