Summer 2011 - American Wanderer's 5th Camp Season
Session 2 - Blog #1 from Canonville, Utah
Driving to Camp, Setting Up Camp and Camp Days 1-4 - Grand Junction, Colorado and Moab, Utah
When we left Connecticut bound for Colorado gas was $4.119 per
gallon...and the lowest gas price we've seen since is $3.279!
First stop our Guide Steve's Farm in Indiana where his brother John
trades exotic animals (Emu and Watusi Cattle to name a few).
From the car we saw The Gateway Arch "which reflects St. Louis' role
in the Westward Expansion of the U.S."
In Grand Junction we saw "Chrome on the Range" a bison made of
chrome bumpers.
Our first camp breakfast together as we set out for our first
National Park and our first hike!
Colorado National Monument (celebrating it's 100th
anniversary). Our first stop from the Otto Trail named after it's
first ranger is a great view of the 450-foot Independence Monument.
John Otto started the tradition in 1911 and every July 4th since of
climbing and displaying the American flag atop the rock.
We traveled to Moab, Utah next the home of two National Parks. Our
first hike was in Arches down Park Avenue and a view of Nefertiti.
Then to the Devil's Garden for a hike to see Landscape Arch (the
longest in the world measuring 306 feet from base to base).
The next day we hiked in Canyonlands out to the rim of Island in the
Sky Overlook where we attended a Ranger Led Talk about "Mining for
Uranium in Canyonlands".
A walk out on White Rim Trail to see a
grand view of the Needles District below.
Then to a favorite of the
campers Mesa Arch which they all come up with a unique name
for...picture window, T.V., etc.
Back to the campground for a delicious snack of watermelon.
Then back to Arches for a sunset hike to Delicate Arch (the most
famous in the world and pictured on the Utah license plate). Had a nice hike up in the shade of clouds. Just as we got to the arch the sun came out for a magnificent picture. We were
rained out the night before...and you don't want to get caught on
wet "slick rock"!
Before we left Moab we went on a short hike to find "petroglyphs" of
a mastodon (believed to be over 8,000 years old according to our
campground host who's a local archeologist) and many others!
Driving to Camp, Setting Up Camp and Camp Days 1-4 - Grand Junction, Colorado and Moab, Utah
We saw the
"coke ovens" and took a hike along Rim Walk to see many rock
formations "praying hands" and more.
And then
to see the Windows (North & South), Turret Arch and the Double
Arch following the Parade of Elephants out.
The next day we climbed
through the rock fins of the Fiery Furnace maze all on our own...we
conquered it in 3 hours and even found the elusive Bridge at the
end. Then off for an afternoon of fun floating around in Ken's Lake
which was overflowing with water this year.
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