[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by Weldangrind

Stunning pics and remarkable detail as usual, Spud. Thanks for the ride report.

Wikipedia says that evaporation ponds can be naturally occurring, but I presume the pond in your pic is artificial. Is that correct?

Thank you, Weld. I believe you said riding to the Bonneville Salt Flats was on your "bucket list." All one has to do is turn right, and ride to Kelton, instead of turn left and ride to Golden Spike. If you are interested in such a trip, please send me a PM.



The solar evaporation ponds I passed were made by man. According to Wikipedia:

"Solar evaporation ponds at the edges of the lake produce salts and brine (water with high salt quantity). Minerals extracted from the lake include: sodium chloride (common salt), used in water softeners, salt lick blocks for livestock, and to melt ice on local roadways; potassium sulfate (potash), used as a commercial fertilizer; and magnesium-chloride brine, used in the production of magnesium metal, chlorine gas, and as a dust suppressant. Food-grade salt is not produced from the lake, as it would require further costly processing to ensure its purity. Mineral-extraction companies operating on the lake pay royalties on their products to the State of Utah, which owns the lake."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Salt_Lake

They collect a lot of salt from those evaporation ponds. 8O Here are a few photographs of the evaporation ponds I took on a previous ride with my Zong.







They collect the salt with bulldozers and huge dump trucks. Here's a spot where they piled some of the salt they collected.



Spud