We are sitting outside the camper enjoying the "breezy" (25mph+} sw winds on a balmy 85°, 6% humidity afternoon. Tempy protects us from most of the wind, so it really does feel balmy in the shade. We are both very respectful of the sun here, because even at this lower altitude and with a dusty haze, you will burn in an instant. Been there, done that - not fun.
When I left you last, we had arrived here as if by magic. Not so of course. We left the Grand Canyon on the one road out, AZ 67. Reaching Jacob Lake we turned north on Alt US 89 to Kanab, UT, where we once again merged with US 89 out of Page.
Here you ascend the Grand Staircase via the Mount Carmel Scenic Byway, passing through the vermillion, white and ultimately pink cliffs. This road features a veritable tableaux of the area's geological development as well as providing access first to Zion National Park and then Bryce Canyon National Park. As we had been to both of these wonderful parks on previous trips, and because we had a destination in mind for that day, we bypassed them. Trying to take the "road less traveled" as well as stay at places we had never been, we decided to stop for a day or so at Otter Creek State Park in Utah before continuing on to Grand Junction, CO. So we left US 89 at Kingston and turned east on UT 62, a delightful road through canyons and small farms that followed the east fork of the Sevier River. Reaching Otter Creek Resevoir, we discovered dispersed camping on its shores, down gravel and gullied roads. If that was the park, we determined it wasn't for us. If that wasn't the park, then we missed it completely. Either way we decided it was still early and we could probably make Capital Reef National Park (my suggestion of course) and the first come, first serve park campground at Friuta. Now let's recap right here - it is Saturday, the weather is sunny and mild, spring has just really emerged in the west, we have no reservations, oh, and by the way, it seems there are lookers and campers appearing everywhere. Anyone want to guess where this is leading?
We were only 25 mi south of I-70 when I convinced Bruce it was only about 40 miles to Capital Reef, so following the instructions from his manual GPS (who is never, or at least rarely wrong), he turned east on the beautiful scenic byway (you do realize byway means you are in the middle of nowhere most of the time, a beautiful nowhere, but nowhere none the less) UT 24 towards Capital Reef National Park. The ride (my point of view since he refuses to let me drive) was spectaclar, green valleys, high mountains, even a quick wait while the cowboys and dogs drove a herd of cattle up the road in front of us to a different field, and then we began to approach Capital Reef. If you have ever been in that part of Utah you will know what I mean when I say it is amazing. My words and paltry pictures (as we drove right through because of course, the campground was full) can never do it justice. Here is a link to experience this area from NPS view
The first indication I had that we might be in trouble was seeing campers coming towards us in mid-afternoon on this byway. (Remember my definition - middle of nowhere). I just told myself they were on thier way to some place else - Otter Creek for instance. As we got closer, we started to see campers in odd places, pulled off on side roads, up small trails, balanced precariously on large rocks, etc. Then we hit the park entrance and that stopped, so I felt all was still OK. But when we slowed to turn in the Visitor Center and saw the cluster there and the Campground Full sign, I could hear Bruce's silent fuming as though he was talking out loud, then again, maybe some of it was said out loud. Anyway, we drove on.
Unfortunately, we had driven this road years earler and unless something had changed materially, we knew there were little or no amenities between us and the edge of the world. We were not wrong. We finally hit Hanksville (did I say byway and no amenities before?) where 24 veers north towards I-70 and drove most of those remaining 44 miles without even cell service. We reached the interchange at I-70 and found nothing but access, so we went on to Green River. I had called the Green River State Park and they said they still had sites available so we headed there. But we weren't the only ones racing for some place open that night and apparently they beat us. We did the Park drive thru, looking for anything but it was not to be. Then we tried a private campground advertising outside the park, but it looked like an old KOA with permanent residents, broken down vehicles and not even working amenities. We couldn't even figure out who to pay. Moved on. I tried the internet one more time and found another private campground just on the other side of the State Park's golf course. Finally, a place to park. I didn't even object to the cost when we ended up with a full service site, including cable we couldn't even access. We were there and stopped.
We set up on a level,(yea!!!} mostly shady site, unhooked, (yeah, I know, you are wondering why for only one night), fed the children, started the AC and hit the local bar & grill (now you know why we unhooked.) The food was great, homemade 1/2lb cheeseburgers and hand cut fries, along with beer for Bruce and wine for me. We were in Utah. Sign over the bar said that alcohol would only be served if you ordered a meal, so we ordered a meal. Though it looked like a regular bar, they only had beer and wine. It was perfect.
Apparently we weren't the only travelers looking for a place along I-70 that night because several more had arrived by the time we returned to the campground. I was serenaded to sleep by a couple of fellows in the camper next to us singing and playing guitar and fiddle. It had been a really long day and the manual GPS went out for the night.
We woke, found breakfast, dieseled up and got on the road Sunday morning feeling much better. It was less than 2 hours to Fruita and Grand Junction so we had plenty of time to hassle the park rangers, find several sites, change arrangements, write blog catch up, and still visit with my sister Janet. She and her husband and son live in Breckenridge but also have a small house on some land just in front of the Colorado National Monument in Grand Junction, thus our route change to here.
But what are the decisions I referenced in this blog's title - well, are we really ready to take Tempy and these 2 animals on this drive, drive, drive type trip to Alaska. When we left the Grand Canyon my answer was No, let's go home. Even after a couple of sanity restoring days at a much lesser breathable altitude and with markedly better weather my answer was still No. But today it is, we don't know. This has definitely been a trip of Discovery. We have discovered we really don't want to take what amounts to a continual driving trip with the dog and cat. We are tied to them. Stopping to do a museum or tour along the way is nigh impossible if it is hot. That spontaneity I wanted is almost impossible with feedings, walking, etc. We discovered we are already 3000 miles into the trip and aren't having the fun we imagined, as a result of routing, weather, Tempy, small bed and needy animals or other things yet unidentified, we just don't know. But has this still been a good trip - wholeheartedly Yes! We have learned so much about how we like to "camp" as opposed to traveling. Thete is so much more, but you get the picture. Anyway, will we still go on to Alaska - today I can truthfully day We don't know and we don't have to decide untIl Tuesday, when we go East or West on I-70. Later....
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