An onward march through Utah…
- Waking up at dawn next to the lake at Flaming Gorge. Why don’t we watch the sun rise far more often than we do? It really is one of the more profound experiences you can ever have…unlike a sunset, it’s a beginning, not an end, and, whether it’s in the middle of the country or deep in the heart of the city, the world is still, silent, and beautiful. It’s truly amazing. I’ve woken up before 6 AM almost every day on my trip, and, though it may take its toll on my sleep schedule, it’s amazing. Watching the sun rise on Saturday morning in San Francisco is a rare but wonderful pleasure in life.
- Realizing I’d camped far closer to the college kids next door than I’d thought. Also, realizing they were into a very different kind of camping than I am: among the eight or so of them, they had three enormous RVs, five all-terrain vehicles, and two boats. First question: is this really nature? Second question: how in the hell did they get the money to do that? Are there that many trust-fund babies out here in Wyoming or something?
- Northeast Utah is, honestly, pretty boring. Yes, I said it: not every place out there is beautiful or amazing, and northeast Utah definitely gave it up to the surrounding areas. Being chased by the weather across the landscape was fun and made for some great pictures, but, more than any other day on this trip, it was a matter of getting from here to there. Even so, being on the back roads is still worlds better than taking the interstate.
- Speaking of which…there is a huge chunk of east-central Utah, north of I-70 and east of US 191, where there is nothing — and I mean nothing. A few four-wheel-drive-only dirt roads…but, other than that, no civilization whatsoever. I wish I had a vehicle that could go there, precisely because it’s so remote, but…no such luck.
- Buying the world’s best cantaloupe at a roadside stand in Green River, UT. Apparently this place is famous for its melons, and all I have to say is: rightly so. Oh, man. If I could bring back a dozen in my little car for everyone back home, I would.
- The hottest place I have ever camped in my life: by the Colorado River, along state highway 128 near Arches National Park. Beautiful, but it was incredibly humid and 95 degrees when I went to bed. Fortunately, it cooled off to only 85 degrees at 5 AM when I woke up the next morning. (!) I had all the windows open on my tent, was lying on top of the sleeping back and Thermarest, and still was almost too hot to sleep. Kids, don’t try this at home.
Day 11: (Tuesday, August 14, 2007) Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, WY/UT to the Colorado River canyon near Arches National Park and Moab, in UT.
Miles: 4038.4 + 438.4 = 4476.8 total. Current distance from home: XXX miles.
Photos: 1,873 (25.2 GB) + 103 (1.28 GB) = 1,976 (26.5 GB) total.
Next up: the canyons of southern Utah, the Moki Dugway, and Muley Point…
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