This area was where they filmed most of the Movie "The Devil's Brigade" in 1968. I had friends and neighbors who worked as extras and were able to bring home props from the movie when they were done.

The North Side of Mt Timpanogos has snow pack on the north side year round. It's a hard climb to get there, but those that do can slide down the snow pack even in the hottest time of year..

My great grandpa was the head of the music department of BYU at one time.

Your research is admirable, and interesting.

I think I understand what you're feeling. Provo is squeaky clean with new construction all over the place. The population is growing and the economy appears to be strong. But it looks extremely boring. I'm pretty sure I would also be very unhappy if I lived there.

I don't normally carry spare cleats. My cleats were very worn when I started the tour because I didn't find time to replace them before the tour. So I carried a set of cleats to replace during the tour.

Utah County: The epicenter of LDS culture. I lived in Orem and Lindon from 2009 to 2012. I was very unhappy there.

I experienced mild PTSD just reading your descriptions.

It's hard to describe just how oppressive the place is.

I did chuckle at your description of downtown Provo as "thriving." When my wife and I lived there, we thought that Provo was surely the most boring city in the United States of America.

Do you typically carry spare cleats? I do, because I use Bebops, which are obsolete.

This is perfect recon for us. Especially the dining. I'm happy to hear the Quality Inn is nice. That's where we are staying also.

The pageant in Manti must be inspired by the much longer-running pageant in Palmyra, New York.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hill_Cumorah_Pageant

I didn't know about the pageant. Thanks! I did read that Manti and SLC temples were the only two temples to do a live theatrical presentation for a certain ritual. Both temples are closed now for major renovations, and they will be like all the other temples when they reopen, showing a multimedia video instead. That allows them to do the ritual more often, and in multiple languages.

Yes, but only in Utah do you see them with no grafitti, trash, or vandalism.

Manti is(was?) famous for the annual Mormon festival where people would come from all around the word, kind of like a Mormon Mecca.
My Mormon family members would try to go every year.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mormon_Miracle_Pageant

I never could figure out where all those people stayed, there isn't much in the way of lodging in the area.

Ephraim has a college. I had friends that were from Salt Lake City that went to college there.

I have a few childhood friends that live between Monroe and Ephraim. None are Mormon.

Software developers working from home, music teacher at the area schools, and many other area jobs.
The cost of living allows them to live comfortable non-stressful lives .

I visit them often.

I remember sitting in a diner in Ephraim and overheard a conversation between two men at the counter.
One was reading the paper and the other one said "I know you ain't reading that, you went to the same school I went to."
Implying jokingly that they didn't learn how to read in school.

My mother grew up in Richfield. It was a very small town back then.