Antelopes and Islands

Just off of the eastern shore of the Great Salt Lake is a little gem of a state park known as Antelope Island. Even though the lake may not smell great and the island isn't much more than 15 mile long ridge that comes out of the lake I'm always impressed with how pretty the views are from the island.

Rette and I have been out there a couple of times and just recently went for a hike up to the top of the island in preperation for all the walking we'll be doing in South America.

Despite the islands namesake the most notable habitant is the mighty buffalo. There is a herd of about 500 of them kept on the island. They're easier to catch with a camera as they are larger and not as swift as antelope.

Rette and I and our friends Petra and Andy set off on the trail for Frary Peak, the top of the island. On the way up we ecountered a couple of grazing buffalo. Rette had brought her parafoil kite and we decided that this was a great spot for kite flying.

We thought that the location was great and the buffalo were probably enjoying the show because no one had ever flow a kite for them before. A fellow hiker however didn't agree with our location or activity and was very concerned that we would spook the buffalo and cause them to charge us. I tried to be polite to the man but I thought he was being a bit paranoid. We were quite a ways off and wouldn't a spoked buffalo run away from you and not towards you?

Maybe my time in Alaska being around large bears with large teeth and claws made me less worried about large animals with horns. Anayways we continued on to the top stampede free and even made it back down to our car.

Which looked like this. Those are brine flies plastered all over the bumper, the windshield was even worse. They hatch in the spring on the Salt Lake and luckily they hang out down by the water so they didn't bother us on the trail. I'd just think twice about riding a motorcycle or bicycle out to the island while smiling.


I do think that the buffalo and the antelopes appreciated us flying a brightly colored kite over their island. Even if some people thought we were stupid.