A little trip to Afton

We needed an oil and filter change, and new wiper blades, and a good car wash as well, and the nearest spot for all that was in Afton, WY, about 30 miles south of Alpine. It's actually the town where Max goes to school, so he has a 60-mile roundtrip bus ride every school day! It's about a 42-mile ride down Rte. 89. I had made an appointment for 11am for the oil change, so I had a quick breakfast and Ellen and I went to Afton (Max didn't want to go - he sees enough of Afton during the school year). We went to the Quality Quick Lube. Ellen walked and did a little shopping while i stayed at the shop while they did the work. Afton is also home to a Mormon temple - which is different from a Mormon church. Mormon (LDS) churches are found in most towns in Utah, Idaho and Western Wyoming, but there are relatively few temples outside of Salt Lake City (there are 149 worldwide). They are used for special ceremonies (e.g., baptisms, weddings) which can only be performed in a temple, not a church. And only approved Mormons may enter a temple. It is a striking structure, especially so for a small town like Afton (c. 2000). So we went down and I took pictures. We also went under the elkhorn gate the goes over the main street. A little flavor of western culture. Then on the way out of town we stopped at an Express Car Wash place. So we are all set for our trip to Boise and Salem this week, at least as far as the car is concerned.