She really likes it too. Oh man, sweet trails.
Jumpin couldn't get up so we got to go without him.
Utah RrrockS! part 2
-
Ryanstones
- Posts: 0
- Joined: Wed Mar 10, 2021 10:41 pm
After a nice lunch and nap, Jumpin and I set out to find some GOOD trails, the black kind, not forest roads. We mapped out a route that looked doable by 10PM and headed out at 4:30. It was Kickin! Man we were flying, through sheer dropoff switchbacks, and lush aspen groves, into deeply wooded canyons with watercrossings. Then we hit the rockgardens. OMG, i was so glad to be on the high clearance V and not the cannon! I thought W. virginia was tough, but here the cliffside trails were twice as high and the rocks on both sides of the trail instead of just one.
-
Ryanstones
- Posts: 0
- Joined: Wed Mar 10, 2021 10:41 pm
DUSK
At this point, around 8:30, i knew exactly where we were. Then it got DARK. Within the hour we were counting our granola bars and slim Jims wondering which end of the stuck compass needle would be north if it was working. Then the V gas light came on and the extra gallon didn't really look like enough to make the 40 miles back. We back tracked from one marker to the next and just when we were totally confused by the odd dissimilarity between forest rd #'s and piaute trail numbers we saw a sign! On the road at our feet was an arrow out of stones indicating the way to somewhere. We followed it, avoiding cows and watching out for aggressive bulls to a mountaintop camp of ancient honda 2 wheelers.
They gave us some good gas and some bad advice and we were off. From one cold damp resevoir to another we finally saw a definitive sign and knew we'd been traveling north instead of south for 1/2 an hour. Whoa is me. Well at least i knew where we were! Off we go into the darkness, hoping for sight of piaute trail 01 and certainty we were on the right track. At last, we found it, and my concerns changed from surviving exposure to surviving the pitch black ride home through an open range full of cows. About 20 miles from camp, headlights approached and robert and rosemary were there with gas and an escort the rest of the way. Thank you very much ya'll. We had it covered, but we were real glad to see you and appreciate your concern and effort. Good people ARE everywhere.
We get back to camp at 12:30, 96 miles later. So you can imagine how the rest of the night went, upset woman, cold dinner, no shower. Dang that Was FUN!
They gave us some good gas and some bad advice and we were off. From one cold damp resevoir to another we finally saw a definitive sign and knew we'd been traveling north instead of south for 1/2 an hour. Whoa is me. Well at least i knew where we were! Off we go into the darkness, hoping for sight of piaute trail 01 and certainty we were on the right track. At last, we found it, and my concerns changed from surviving exposure to surviving the pitch black ride home through an open range full of cows. About 20 miles from camp, headlights approached and robert and rosemary were there with gas and an escort the rest of the way. Thank you very much ya'll. We had it covered, but we were real glad to see you and appreciate your concern and effort. Good people ARE everywhere.
We get back to camp at 12:30, 96 miles later. So you can imagine how the rest of the night went, upset woman, cold dinner, no shower. Dang that Was FUN!
-
Ryanstones
- Posts: 0
- Joined: Wed Mar 10, 2021 10:41 pm
Fortunately the next day we broke camp headed for moab and a HOTEL! Though it was only 100 out, it sure felt like 127!
Moab is a trip! Very commercial resort kind of feel. We got some some killer Quad Tshirts and had a few restaraunt meals. Then we got to go to Arches national park for some rock climbin.
Moab is a trip! Very commercial resort kind of feel. We got some some killer Quad Tshirts and had a few restaraunt meals. Then we got to go to Arches national park for some rock climbin.
-
Ryanstones
- Posts: 0
- Joined: Wed Mar 10, 2021 10:41 pm
Arches N.P.
yep, that's me and yep this place is amazing. It seemed that every park we went to increased out sense of awe and wonder.
What a great Buzz.
What a great Buzz.
-
Ryanstones
- Posts: 0
- Joined: Wed Mar 10, 2021 10:41 pm
-
Ryanstones
- Posts: 0
- Joined: Wed Mar 10, 2021 10:41 pm
We took the long way out of moab, 30 miles of winding colorado river canyon. RED ROCKS!
Then on to the Colorado natl. monument and the 45 mile canyon rim road that is one phenomenal vista after another.
By the time we got to Rocky Mtn Natl Park, n of Denver, overstimulation and exhaustion and a vastly altered picture of the world left us with a true Rocky mountain HIGH. Though this park reaches only 12,500' or so it felt so much higher than the others. Saw big horn sheep, elk and mule deer and enough asian and german tourists to fill a park.
Then on to the Colorado natl. monument and the 45 mile canyon rim road that is one phenomenal vista after another.
By the time we got to Rocky Mtn Natl Park, n of Denver, overstimulation and exhaustion and a vastly altered picture of the world left us with a true Rocky mountain HIGH. Though this park reaches only 12,500' or so it felt so much higher than the others. Saw big horn sheep, elk and mule deer and enough asian and german tourists to fill a park.
-
Ryanstones
- Posts: 0
- Joined: Wed Mar 10, 2021 10:41 pm
The tundra was awesome the whole trip. We were 300 lbs over the GVWR when we left FL and 900 over when we returned, 12,750#
"no ranger, she found those rocks out by the interstate." 110k on her and the Truck comfortably cruised at 70 in overdrive in the flats, and had no problem pulling the steepest interstate grades in second. going down alot of hills was way worse than climbing. 8% grades on utah state highways is a rush like no other.
The family was awesome too. We had a few tense moments, but overall nobody said anything they'd regret later. It was a really good trip for us.
Surprisingly inexpensive too, with few hotels or fast food meals we think we can afford to do it again.
If you've read this far, BUY SOMETHING FROM HAYDUG, and take the family to Utah.
What do you think of my Pics?
Please post any comments or questions, i'm gonna love talking about this trip for a long time. til next year anyway!
"no ranger, she found those rocks out by the interstate." 110k on her and the Truck comfortably cruised at 70 in overdrive in the flats, and had no problem pulling the steepest interstate grades in second. going down alot of hills was way worse than climbing. 8% grades on utah state highways is a rush like no other.
The family was awesome too. We had a few tense moments, but overall nobody said anything they'd regret later. It was a really good trip for us.
Surprisingly inexpensive too, with few hotels or fast food meals we think we can afford to do it again.
If you've read this far, BUY SOMETHING FROM HAYDUG, and take the family to Utah.
What do you think of my Pics?
Please post any comments or questions, i'm gonna love talking about this trip for a long time. til next year anyway!
