Petroglyphs--Wolfe Ranch--Arches

On the trail--Arches

Slick Rock CG, Moab, UT: Planned on just hanging out today. A good thing since the weather was iffy—stormy in the morning and on and off all day. We went to the grocery store and picked up a few things. Sat outside reading whenever the weather allowed. Hit 95 today. It’s sunny outside as I’m writing this. Dust is the big problem when it gets windy. Shuts down interstates. Supposed to have high winds tomorrow. We’re going to try to go to Canyonlands NP tomorrow.

View of bluffs around Castle Valley from foothills of LaSal Mts.

On the Colorado River

Arch along the river

On the Colorado

Slick Rock CG, Moab, UT: Up early this morning since we signed up for an 8:00 jet boat trip. Had to set the alarm for 6:30 to get up in time. At the dock by 7:45 and left by 8:00. We went down river about 30 miles. What a fun trip! And we had the best guide—Rory. Stopped and hiked up to see some petrified wood. Pretty interesting. This jet boat really moved too. Stopped after going into Canyonlands NP via the river and had some snacks and drinks. When we started it was a little cloudy and very cool when he got going on the river. I was so glad I had my sweatshirt with me. On the way back the sun came out and it warmed up considerably. After this great boat trip we drove back up the river road running up river and into the Castle Valley again and had lunch at the Sorrel River Ranch Resort. A great place! We had lunch out on the deck right on the Colorado River. Watched all the river rafters going by. The lower deck had some couches and chairs where you could sit and read or just watch the river. Our waitress was from the Phillipeans. She lives here at this resort for 6 months and then spends the winter at Park City. Not bad. Left there and decided to take the loop road back to Moab. Climbed up out of the valley into the foothills of the La Sal Mountains. Way up in the foothills. It was 98 in the valley and 80 up high. Beautiful up there with lots of trees—mostly aspens. The road was paved but in places it was right on the edge of a shear drop. Yikes! On our way down we crossed a stream that cut a narrow but deep gorge into the mountain. A beautiful drive. Back into Moab it was 99—even though it was cloudy. A really fun day!

Colorado River

Sorrel River Ranch (back in the trees)

right on the Colorado

Abandoned Homestead--Castle Valley

Slick Rock CG, Moab, UT: Putzed around all morning. I sat outside enjoying the cool morning and reading and Mike played spades on the computer for a while. Then we headed into town and picked up some things at the drug store and then signed up for a jet boat trip on the Colorado tomorrow morning. Since it was like 102 already we decided to take a drive along the Colorado River in air conditioned comfort. Turned out to be a really beautiful drive. The road went right along the river with steep canyon walls on each side. There were a couple of resorts out there in the middle no nowhere. One was the Sorrel River Ranch—a beautiful place on a big bend in the Colorado. A pretty upscale place and they have a restaurant which we intend to try out. Took a side road over to the little town of Castle Valley. A pretty little place in this large valley with red sandstone bluffs on the east and west sweeping up from the valley floor at about a 45 degree angle and then the top 40 or 50 feet is shear sandstone cliffs. Then, in contrast, are the La Sal mountains off to the north. A study in contrasts. Back home around 4:00. Think it hit 103 today.

Balance Rock

We hiked up to this one

Wolfe Ranch

Slick Rock CG, Moab,UT: Got a pretty early start this morning. Had breakfast at Denny’s and then drove to the Arches visitor center to check it out. Then headed up into the park through a series of switchbacks. Guess we went up about 1000 ft. Drove through the park, stopping at all the viewing points and some of the arches and other formations were visible only by hiking to them. It was hot—around 100 by noon. But it was pretty breezy so it didn’t feel too bad. A beautiful place with some unusual rock formations. And, right in the middle of this rugged, remote area was the Wolfe Ranch. John Wesley Wolf came here in 1880 with his son, leaving his wife and three other children back in Ohio. He came here because of health problems due to a Civil War injury. Wolfe raised cattle here and eventually the herd grew to over 1000 head. They ordered groceries from the Sears, Roebuck Catalog about once every three months and picked them up at the Thompson Springs railway station—a day’s wagon ride away. About 3:00 we headed back to Moab. Picked up some groceries and then back home. Hit 104 today! Wow!

Our site

Slick Rock CG, Moab, UT: Set up a chuck roast with potatoes and carrots in the crock pot this morning. I was out of carrots so Mike had to run into town to get some. Then we just kicked back. Watched Tiger play golf. Mike made a temporary repair on the roof. Hot today. Supposed to have been 102. Felt like it. Pot roast was delicious.

Sat, 8/1/09

Singletree Na Forest CG to Slick Rock CG,Moab, UT: Left this morning at about 9:45 with me driving. Drove north on Rt. 12 back to Torrey and then east on SR 24 which goes right through Capital Reef National Park. So we got to see it once more before leaving. A few miles after leaving the park we traveled through an area of drab grey sandstone hills and buttes. Looked like a nuclear winter. Stopped in Hanksville, got something to drink and switched drivers. Continued on Rt. 24 through an arid desert landscape. Eventually came to a bunch of sandstone formations on our left called the San Rafael Swell which looked like this whole ridge had been pushed up at an odd angle thousands of years ago. On our right was the San Rafael Valley—desert and sage. About 24 miles north of Hanksville we hit Rt. 70 and headed east on that for about 30 miles. This 30 miles was a real moonscape. Didn’t see a living thing. Got off Rt. 70 on Rt. 191 south to Moab. Just outside of Moab we started down into a beautiful red sandstone canyon. We’re staying at the Slick Rock RV Park 2 miles north of Moab. We pulled into our site and tore up our roof and one of the vents on a tree branch. Jeeze! We wanted a site with some shade and we got it—but at a price. Not sure what the roof will cost to fix. After we got set up we watched Tiger play golf for a while. Then drove into Moab to see what’s what. This is the biggest town we’ve been in since Tucson—and it’s a lot smaller than Tucson. The older part of Main Street is cute, but very touristy. Came back and the temperature outside was 100. The air conditioner is going to get a workout. Salads for dinner tonight.

Hiking trail along the Fremont River

Fri, 7/31/09

Singletree Na Forest CG, Near Torrey, UT: We planned on just kicking back today and enjoy this pretty campground. After showering and then filling the fresh water tank, we did just that. I sat outside reading/dozing and all of a sudden there’s a chipmunk trying to get up in my lap. Scared the crap outta me! So I went in and got some raw peanuts in the shell and put a bunch on the ground. Watched him filling his little pouches with peanuts and watched the hummers dive bombing each other over the feeder. They zip all over the place. Anyway, it kept me amused. Later in the afternoon we drove back down into the pretty valley and Torrey for dinner. There are some really nice homes in the hills outside of Torrey and a beautiful ranch--Shooting Star Ranch. This place has acres and acres of beautiful, lush pastures (kept that way because of a sprinkling system) enclosed with these rustic, zig-zag fencing. They keep horses. And this whole valley is surrounded by the most spectacular scenery. We had dinner again at the Kiva Café and then drove around the little town of Torrey. There are some old, abandoned homesteads—some of them about to collapse. Very historic though. Drove back up into the high country and our campground. We noticed a four-wheel drive dirt road going up further into the mountain. Forget four-wheel drive! How about eight-wheel drive—or better yet, as Mike said, maybe a M1-A1 Abrahams! Back home and finished off our pies we bought yesterday. Mine was the best strawberry-rhubarb pie I’ve ever had. Tomorrow we leave for Moab, UT, with full hook-ups, wi-fi, and cable. High in the mid-80s. No rain today.