Chapter 3 - Day 26 - More rain and mud... slime... gross

 4/26/24

The rain picked up quite early in the morning so I abandoned the cow pasture spot I'd been in overnight. I drove north on I15 for a few miles and found a turnoff that was supposedly gravel to park in for work. It, um, wasn't really gravel. Leelu and I learned quickly that a quarter inch of 'gravel' when wet turned into a slick, slimy, thick coating of ugh.

I stopped stepping out with Leelu and just had to clean the muck off her paws. Each time her paws looked like concrete shoes.

After work I drove north again, getting closer to Provo and Spanish Forks. I found some National Forest camp locations, Sheep Creek Dispersed Camping. The road had opened last week, which was great. We slipped and slid across the ground until we found a pretty level spot. The weather was threatened snow with a potential of a couple inches. 

For the first time since I started this trip I didn't take any photos for the day. It was grey and gross. Anyone that lives in wintery spring can guess the colors of the day.

Chapter 3 - Day 25 - Rain in the desert

 4/25/24

The day was grey and misty. I'd attempted to camp along the Nebo Mountain Loop but it's still closed for winter and where I could camp had zero cellular. Off along Route 15 I went driving, looking for a pull off that had cellular. What I found was a great spot. 

Yuba State Park is down a gravel road off Route 15 south of Nephi (middle ish of Utah) but I didn't sleep there. Nope, down a cattle road just north of the state park was a perfect place to watch the rain storms roll across the mountains. 

Chapter 3 - Day 24 - Pando Tree and Big Altitudes

 4/24/24

It's getting harder to remember even a single day. They're all glomming together in snapshots of cool vistas, red rocks and beautiful weather. I seriously had to think about where I slept last night before writing this. I'm not sure that's a sign that I've been in the same state for too long, that my brain is getting foggy, or that there's just so much each day that it truly feels like every day is a week.

Anywho, I do remember where I spent the night, Mystic Hot Springs. My adventure this morning started out with some worksies, then some driving during my 'lunch' and some more worksies from a really awesome BLM area before... right, now the days not over... before heading back a few miles to the RV park I'm sleeping in.

The drive from Mystic Hot Springs to Thousand Lakes RV Resort really wasn't long. Maybe an hour? I did a short but awesome side trip up a side road to see the Pando Aspen Tree (which is a very large grove of saplings all belonging to the same 'tree'). World's largest Tree. 9000 years old! Coves 106 acres at 8900ft elevation. 

There was still snow and ice. The puddle where we parked was iced over.

Hit the highest summit so far at 9066ft. 

Then drove the few minutes off the mountain to Torrey, UT. An adorable town that I'll take pics of tomorrow when I leave. But this is the starting point for Capitol Reef National Park as well, so I'll be back here in a few days with Ben.

Anywho, I needed to finish working and stumbled across a great BLM place that we'll be camping at next week. Picture can't do it justice, but it was gorgeous.

THEN, I headed back a few miles to the RV park. I did some laundry and looked for the best navajo taco place someplace we'll be next week. I didn't know this existed, so down a foodie rabbit hole I went. I'm excited to try them. I love me some bready taco stuff. 

Chapter 3 - Day 23 - HAPPY FREAKING BIRTHDAY TO ME

 4/23/24

Well, I made it. 50 big ones. I know, I can't believe it either. So, what did I have planned today? Well, work, and driving, and then... Mystic Hot Springs tub soak.

My first move was fairly early seeing I didn't have internet with the cows. We didn't go far, just hopped on I70 for a few miles and found a nice open place in Floy to work for the day. Oh, and I finally saw my first snake! I think it was a gopher snake or a faded snake. Either way I know it wasn't a rattler. Don't tell my mom, but yeah, I had to go take a look.

I continued on I70 forever until Richfield, which means I experienced all of Utah's glories in one road. Red towering rock formations, earth folds and fault line goodness, mountains, snowy plains... it was spectacular and The Beast did fine.

I stopped at a taco shop, Playa Azul Taco Shop, for some fish tacos and churros before arriving to Mystic Hot Springs. I'll be camping here tonight as well. And, yes, some of the busses are decked out to allow for staying in them.

The hotsprings? Amazing. You can click on the link and read about the history and how the rock is forming as I sat in the tub. Very cool experience. There are two big pools and 5 or 6 cast iron tubs that the hill is slowly trying to swallow. Oh, and the water is 99 to 110 degrees F. The tubs are hotter as the water is literally coming out of the ground feet above your head and cascading down. The bigger pools are cooler due to the water traveling above ground for a few feed.

Boo, no wine for me!

One of the pools

I'm closing out my night was a little reading. 

Chapter 3 - Day 22 - Happy Earth Day and Arches National Park

If you've followed along with my blog you know that I've had a life-changing visit to the Georgia Aquarium. That was a bucket list, amazing day. Right?! So, what can top that? Arches National Park. It's a Journey to the Center of the Earth kind of experience. Yes, Moab is beautiful and has red rock everywhere. Yes, there are cool things to look at around Moab and the surrounding areas. Nothing, though, prepared me for the moment we crested the top of the bluff. It really is like entering another world. The moment you get to the top your given the most spectacular vista. Life changing.

From a science geek perspective the park is amazing, from just a tiny human perspective... it's mind blowing. I did buy an audio tour that's triggered by GPS locations and that made a world of difference. To hear about the native tribes and the geological structures added so much extra flavor to an already abundantly spiced day. See what I did there? 

I'll put a few of the photos I took below. I took close to 200 so if you're interested in seeing more let me know. I spent about 4 hours in the park between driving, taking photos and working... by the way, what a surreal experience to be taking conference calls and playing in excel sheets while looking out the window at this stuff. 

Enjoy the pics.

Oh, and we slept with the cows in outside Moab, Fallen Office Peace Trail.

Chapter 3 - Day 21 - Chores and stuff

 4/21/24

This morning we were up early and headed through the mountains to Moab and Green River. The drive was spectacular! I had to dump tanks today, get propane, do laundry, etc. The Green River Love's Truck Stop was great. Took care of all of that there plus grabbed some cantaloupe and sodas. Then on the way back to Moab I decided I'd stop at the KOA there and see if they had any open spots.

The KOA was nice. They are definitely made for families with kids. Lots of activities a great pool area.

Chapter 3 - Day 20 - Relaxation at the foot of the mountain

 4/20/24

I just... relaxed. Read in the sun, rocked in my rocking chair, walked a little... but did nothing else.