Saturday, April 22/2017

Headed out

We took our time this morning breaking camp and packing up.  Today would not be a long day.  We were hoping to find some nice spot on the other side of Green River to camp.  Hopefully, no wind or any other issue!!

Passing through Moab, UT

We stopped in Moab, Utah to get water and empty the holding tanks and to pick up some much needed ice and Vodka ------ don't forget the Vodka!!

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It was a busy as ever in town as the Easter Weekend had just passed and I am sure there were tons of people left over from that.   There is a huge jeep jamboree on the Easter weekend in Moab and thousands of people descend on the town.   As we were coming into town, we noticed how the town has grown.   There are tons on new construction and tons of new homes and campgrounds springing up.   Man, I'm thinking tiny little quaint Moab will be a city (if it isn't already) in no time.

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We got our shopping done and continued on down the road.  Before too long we accessed  Interstate 70 and headed towards Green River.

Our spot for the night

We found a camping spot south of Price, Utah and believe it or not.......no wind, no thistles and no sand!!  My life has just improved 100%!!   I even had vodka!!
We set up camp and the cats checked out the new spot and Booko enjoyed the "thistle free" ground.  He could even lie on the ground and not have red ants crawling all over him!!  Life is looking up for him!!
Saturday night meant steak and I was more than ready for a nice fire and a good meal.  Ray had given us a small bag of shrimp to eat on the way home so I cleaned them and we would have baked potatoes, steak and shrimp for supper tonight.   They were delicious and the vodka was even better -- too much so as I think I poured myself to bed!!

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Tomorrow, Kay will be leaving us and heading back to Nephi.   Work is calling and she needs to get her urinalysis done before she starts back.  We too will continue our trek northward as we are down to our final week here in the US of A.  Time for us to get home.

Friday, April 21/2017

Our trail for the day

Heading out

Today we are off to do the back trail to Wilson Arch - a natural arch formed by wind erosion of the sandstone.  It can be seen from U.S. Highway 191 and is a popular stop for the camera enthusiasts.

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The trail started out as the typical red colored sand but was soon inundated with slick rock and got rough.  Of course John can never stay on the designated trail and we were soon on a trail marked "more difficult" before too long.   This particular trail took us along the base of a massive rock formation and we found ourselves weaving our way on an awesome trail of sand and juniper bushes.  It climbed over and around plenty of sand hills and through what can be described as juniper forest with a few pinyon pines scattered in amongst all the juniper.  It truly was a sweet trail and the "more difficult" title didn't really apply although it did take us up, over, around and through the trees and sand instead of straight on the main trail.

Squeezing through the boulders

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This trail eventually spit us out onto the main trail and we continued on towards Wilson Arch.  We soon found ourselves out of the sandy trails and accessing slick rock.  Once we made the initially steep climb onto the slickrock, we followed the white paint trail marking to keep on the trail.

Crossing the slick rock

More beautiful scenery awaited us and the camera was never too far from my hands.  Again we marvelled at the harsh environment all the time appreciating the diversity of the incredible continent we live on.  Kay even mentioned that one never really knows what is in the back country unless you get off the highway.

Booko climbing the rocks

We travelled several miles over and around the rocks bumping along the very rough trails.  There was even a bit of shelf trail and at one point my fear of these trails got the better of me and I actually got out of the side by side and walked a short distance until I could get my panic under control.  It was on this stretch of trail that I vowed to punch John in the face when I saw him - God, he knows I hate these shelf trails!!  I survived this and Kay and Henrietta rode like champs!!

A little arch along the way

Last night's snow on the mountain

Climbing some steeper slick rock

Wilson Arch

After several miles and numerous side trails, we eventually got to the Wilson Arch Overlook.  It was pretty cool to see the highway and the vehicles through the arch.
The wind was howling like crazy on the overlook and actually had been pretty nasty for most of the day.  We were out of our shorts and into sweats and jackets for today's ride.  A huge change from tank tops and flip flops, I must say!!

Of course we had to get the "selfie" in for the day!!

US highway 191, Utah

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This trail was a spur trail so it was time to head back the same way we had come, minus all the detours we took to get here.   We found Indian Bathtub on the way back and I was unable to Google any information on it so really do not know why it is so named.

Indian Bathtub

We eventually got back to the shelf trail and although I was on the inside this time, it really didn't matter as I knew my life was in jeopardy once again!!  Kay kept telling me to close my eyes and go to my happy place!!  Yea, well sometimes that just doesn't work!!  Once again though, we made it through without incident!!
We traversed the slick rock and down the steep descent to the sandy trails and made our way to where we had popped out from the "more difficult" trail.  John did not take this same trail back.  He chose to stay on the main trail and we did pass several "more difficult" trail signs along the way and although the trail was rough and we encountered a few rocky stairsteps, the trail really was not that difficult.
The wind had accompanied us for most of the day and it was starting to wear on Kay and I.  I for one would be truly glad to get back to camp, shower and get some rose water on my face.   We all had windburn and it had been a long, rough riding day!!

Back at camp

Back at camp, the wind still blew but had settled a bit.  John started a fire and we sat around it for a bit.  I got the umbrella out at one point just so that it would block the wind.  That worked for a while then it was time for all of us to take refuge inside the camper.  Ahhhhh, the beauty of sitting inside where there was no wind.
It will be a travel day tomorrow in the hopes that we can find a place with much less wind and maybe, just maybe, no bloody thorns, prickles or red ants!!  Life is still Good though!!  Just "trying" at times!!

Thursday, April 20/2017

Our spot for a few days

Our travels today didn't take us very far but, there are new trails to check out around here (we are told)!!  We stopped in the Cameo Cliffs/Wilson Arch area just south of Moab.  Now John and I have done a ton of trails around Moab but none in this area so another adventure awaits us tomorrow.
When we arrived, there were only a few areas suitable for camping that were fairly close to the Hook and Ladder staging area.  We found on that was far enough from the road that we didn't have to worry about the dog or the cats.  The area itself was covered with tufts of grass and deep sand.  There were also tons of Russian thistle around and I longed for the green grass of home.  Booko was not impressed either as he had several thistles in his paws in no time.   He got smart real fast though and leaned where not to step.
The wind was blowing like a banshee when we arrived and never did settle down.   God, I sure hope it blows itself out during the night.  Actually, there were some pretty ominous looking clouds in the sky and it looked like it was either going to rain or snow as there was a drastic lowering of the temperature as well.    Eventually, it did rain and the surrounding mountains got plenty of snow along their tops.  Sooo glad that it stayed in the upper elevations!!
We spent a quiet evening inside with John watching the hockey playoffs and Kay and I reading our kindles.  The cats showed no interest in going out and Booko is just happy to be inside as well.
No barbeque tonight so that too was a change for us -  it was burgers in the frying pan and macaroni and tomatoes.   Mmmmm........Life is Good!!

Wednesday, April 19/2017

Headed up a shelf trail

Today was reserved the my favorite type of trail......the shelf trail!!   Perhaps I have never mention my great hate for these types of trails.  I have imagined myself tipping over the edge and falling a million feet to an ugly death!!  I hate shelf trails yet John keeps finding them and insisting we must go see what is at the end of them!!
This particular trail we have traveled before and although it is rough and rocky, it is fairly wide and easily traversed.
After doing the Hotel Rock trail yesterday, this trail today is a cake walk!!   Kay and I slowly bumped and jostled our way to the top of the mesa and followed John along a wide dirt road suitable for cars and trucks.  Obviously, there was a much easier way to access the top of the mesa!!  How boring!!
We traveled the "road" for several miles then turned around as it was taking us further away from the rim of the canyon.   We wanted to show Kay and incredible view from the top down into the canyon.

Even in this harsh environment, one can always
find a little beauty

Rocky and Rough

Monstrous Sandstone structures

This guy didn't make it.........back in the day (there is an
old car in the middle of this picture)

On top of the mesa - incredible scenery

The view from the top really is quite breathtaking.  With the surrounding mountains framing the view, and the canyon floor far below, one cannot help but feel blessed at being lucky enough to witness such beauty.  Kay was impressed by the sights from the top of the mesa.

Our camp site from the top

Hedgehog cactus

We managed to find a loop trail that took us along the rim of the mesa, cut through the middle of it and spit us back out onto the trail just a few feet from the junction where we had climbed off the shelf trail.  With other trails to checkout on the canyon floor, we made the descent back down the shelf trail and headed further into the canyon along the floor.   The trails on the floor are sand and that of course is "blow" sand which resembles icing sugar.  It is so very fine and gets everywhere......and I mean everywhere!!  If there is no wind, it hangs in the air until the tiny particles once again, settle back to the ground.  Of course with John and Booko in the lead, Kay and I had to keep some distance between us or the dust would have been ugly.  Today, there was a bit of a breeze so it was sweeping the dust away quite quickly and that was a good thing.

Headed back down - more canyon floor trails await

checking out some trails along the canyon floor 

The mountain to the left is the one with the shelf trail we had
just come down.  

We found some cute little campsites along the canyon floor quite suitable for tents.  There would be no way to get our trailer into these sites as the trail was prohibitive with all the tight twists and turns and gullies we crossed.  But, for tenters, it was awesome.

Booko getting some shade

Beverage

Finding some neat campsites on the canyon floor

sun behind the cottonwood trees

Selfie

Lots of skeletons

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It was soon time to start heading back to camp and calling our adventures here to an end.  It has been a great three days and the weather cooperated beautifully.   We got to show Kay some of our favorite spots in this neck of the woods and she is always appreciative of our efforts to get her out into the back country of Utah.   Even if some of the trails raise her blood pressure and her stress levels.  We now have John trained though in such that if the trail gets too "hairy" then he simply parks his side by side and walks back to Henrietta and rides her over what ever has caused us grief!  Life is good, even on the trails!!

Back at camp, Booko had a hard day

Back at camp, it was campfire and stories of today's adventures.  Booko was quite tired and didn't really have the energy to bother the cats!!  They are getting better at ignoring him and actually walked fairly close to him a few times.......almost daring him to react!!   Booko has decided that lying in the lawnchair beats lying on the ground where the thorns and the red ants are.  He is not loving either!!
Tomorrow is a travel day as we continue our journey northward.   Life is good!!