On May 15th at 9:30 a.m. we were headed to Moab, Utah, having come from Tuba City, Arizona. We took US160 east then headed north on US163 and crossed over the Utah border.
The gorgeous, scenic red rocks of Monument Valley amazed us.
As we descended a 10% grade hill, our coaches handled it just fine. That led us into a town called Mexican Hat, Utah which was located alongside the muddy San Juan River on the northern edge of the Navajo Nation border.
The route then took us to US191 north through Bluff, Utah.
...then on through Blanding, Utah. The sun began to peak out by then so our view became even more photogenic.
We crossed into the Land of the Ute Mountain Ute Indian. This tribe lives primarily in Colorado and Utah. There are three Ute tribal reservations: the Uinta-Ouray in northeastern Utah; Southern Ute in Colorado; and Ute Mountain, which primarily lives in Colorado, but extends to Utah and New Mexico. The State of Utah is named after the Ute people.
Finally, Moab was in sight. What a fabulous city! It had energy and vitality and I could sense it even before we had a chance to explore it's possibilities.
The Moab KOA Campground was visually pleasing with tidy rows of small evergreens lining the well marked, red dirt streets zigzagging through the campground. Our campsite was on a corner lot located on Cottage Lane with a stunning backdrop of snow capped mountains.
Our travel companions Janet and Ralph surprised me with another pint of black licorice ice cream they had purchased back in Arizona and squirreled away unbeknownst to me. I had finished my last pint and was having "withdrawals". Janet even decorated the lid with an alien reminiscent of the fun we had in Roswell, New Mexico. Thanks again, Janet and Ralph.
The next morning we had breakfast at the Eklecticafe in downtown Moab. I really liked Moab. It reminded me of a smaller, more touristy Boulder, Colorado with the same outdoorsy, healthy, young vibe and lots of creativity thrown in. Four wheel, all terrain vehicles and mountain bikes were everywhere. Tenters, hikers, bikers and adventure seekers fueled the town's vibrancy.
Off to the Arches National Park and as we got there we were greeted with some freaky weather. The warm air turned cooler quickly and the gloomy skies began to spit rain which turned to pea size hail. The temperature dropped to 55F (12.7C) and the desert floor temporarily turned speckled white with hail. It was an incredible sight to see. Such dramatic weather in such a short time! Continuing to drop to 49F (9.4C), the chilly air set the stage for rain once again, all the way to Cache Valley Overlook.
Rainwater from the rocks above rushed downwards and quickly created swift moving rivers, which created detours for many hikers/walkers.
This area called Park Avenue Trail is one of the most popular hikes in the park. The sun began to peek out from behind the gloom and the air began to warm.
Rick, Ralph and I took advantage of some short hikes such as Delicate Arches Lookout and the overlook of Salt Valley. These offered spectacular views of the rocky crag formations and the deep, rich hues of the desert colors.
Then we just sat and admired the sign at Fiery Furnace, telling any potential hikers they better have a permit if they wanted to even think about going any further.
The trail head to Skyline Arch was amazing. By then the vast blue sky was making a perfect backdrop for our walk as it complimented the textures and tones of this amazingly prehistoric place.
When in Moab, one must inquire about a Growler, a concept that was new to me. It was an ingenious way of saving landfill waste. Craft beer had become very popular on the trip and only more so as we headed west. So, to become a part of the whole "cut back on waste" scheme of things, you need to first purchase the glass Growler at a craft beer vendor. Then proceed to fill it up when it gets empty. The charge for refills is more economical than buying a pint at a time, it's a great way to enjoy your favorite craft beer at camp/home/tent/etc. and it is a creative alternative to buying a pack of beer cans at the store.
And, what can I say? Moab grocery stores had excellent taste when they offered black licorice ice cream as a staple flavor in their frozen food sections. If you have been following me and these many adventures, you would know now that this hard to find delicacy is at the top of my fave list of frozen concoctions. Yum!
Continue the adventure with me by clicking here: Utah - Monticello and Glendale (Part 2)
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