Keep on trucking

This is a personal story about a real person, told from a personal viewpoint, and thus may not be completely factual. However, I am telling it as I remember it.

When I lived in Raymond (early to mid 1980's), we had a neighbor named Rulon Dahl. At that time he seemed old, probably about twice my age.

We were both in the same Sunday School class, the class having forty or fifty members. He was influential to me, as he seemed to have a great deal of leadership experience, although he wasn't a leader (that I knew of) at that time. I believe that he is the man on the left in the image on this page. The picture is from 1951, and so was taken more than thirty years before this story took place.

It seemed that nearly every Sunday, Rulon would use the phrase, "keep on trucking" for one reason or another.

One Sunday, with nothing in particular to distinguish itself, the instructor asked him if he could prepare a small presentation for the next week's class. Then added a secondary question, "will you be here next week?" Surprisingly, rather than just agreeing as I would have expected, he said, "God willing and the creek don't rise."

During the week he and his wife were driving to Cardston through a bad snow storm. He pulled over and got out to clean the windshield, and was killed by a passing truck which also sheered off the car door.

It left quite a void when the next Sunday School class came along without Rulon.

Done in by a truck of all things, while clearing off snow that, come spring, would contribute to the creek's rise.

Atop the viaduct

Today Salt Lake City's mayor opened the North Temple viaduct to pedestrian and vehicular traffic. The TRAX line which also will cross the railway lines there is still under construction.

At ten a.m. I joined the crowd. In this picture you'll see the face of one of the men who built it. The mayor is also facing the camera in the background. At the right edge you can make out the tuba of the brass band that was playing.


Shortly after 10:15 we walked up to the top of the viaduct. I didn't wait around for the speech, etc. Took this snap looking back on the way back to work.


After crossing the street, I turned back for this view of the viaduct. Nice to have it, as it should cut my daily commute time in half. More when there are trains to wait for.


It was a very hot morning, and it felt good to get my sweaty self out of the sun and back into the air-conditioned office building.

See also posts from last year Bridge out and More on the bridge: less bridge.

1920's

I was not on the planet in the 1920's. Just for the record.

My nephew, Patrick, is looking for a 1920's outfit.

This is a suit coat that I couldn't resist purchasing. Unfortunately it doesn't fit me, but I think it might fit him.

It is tailor made in France and looks a lot better on a person than it does on a hanger. I think it will look great on Patrick.