Monday, October 15

Kalispell

We left Idaho Falls this morning around 9:00 AM. North on I15 to Montana. Across Monida pass down into Clark Canyon to Dillon, another of our least favorite places. Fueled up in Rocker at the junction of I15 and I90 then headed west to Missoula. At Missoula we turned north on 93 and headed for home. Home around 6:00 PM. The creek below the house with all the fall colors and the mountains in the back ground makes me appreciate the beauty of nature that we have in our own back yard.

This is our final post on our blog for this trip. We hope our family and friends have enjoyed sharing with us. Carol and I have had a wonderful trip. I think a few of our trips and trails in the jeep had Carol a bit on edge but it was a hoot. We experienced and admired landscapes that most people don't take the time to enjoy.

Budweiser hops

The mountain range
just north of Monida pass. Where you don't want to be in January.

Clark Fork River along I90. Oh yes!, the "Testicle Festival" sign promoting this world famous prestigious event held in Rock Creek , Mt annually.

Mission Mountain range as you're entering the Flathead valley.

South end of Flathead Lake, the largest natural lake west of the Mississippi.

Looking to the east off our deck.

The End!

Sunday, October 14

Idaho Falls

With all things packed and hitched up, we headed north at 8:30 this morning. We had one more trip down Moab's main street and a look to the east to see the arches of Arches Nat'l. Park in the distance. When we reached I 70, it was westward bound and then
north on Hwy. 6 at Green River. We went up a high mountain pass just beyond Price, Utah, and then into the Wasatch Valley. There was lots of fog, and after fueling at Spanish Fork, we were on I 15 through the Salt Lake area. We did take a little detour at Lehi to visit (and shop) at the new Cabella's. It is a huge store, so we had a quick tour and some purchases. Nice place with a restaurant the that serves all sorts of wild game!!

Then back on the road to get through the Salt Lake City traffic. I did take a quick photo out the window of the capitol and the "Temple", then we were slowed by an accident just ahead of us. There were some injuries, but didn't look too serious. The ambulance went by soon after we passed by.

The farther north we came, the clearer the skies. We arrived here in Idaho Falls about 5:30 and got the trailer unhooked and leveled. Tomorrow we will head home like the horse headed to the barn, I am sure. We have had a great trip with many fun experiences. I have enjoyed having the trailer so we have our own familiar area every day. I just realized that after being away from home for just over two weeks, I haven't taken out the rain coat, or any coat....pretty nice for October!!!

Carol's mom favorite stop in Moab, "the restaurant on the hill", the Sunset Grill.

Stopped at a rest area in Price canyon along Highway 6.

Beautiful fall colors in Price Canyon.

Salt Lake City.

Saturday, Oct. 13

Moab

This morning we awoke to overcast sky's and cooler temperatures but by noon we had mostly clear sky's and in the 70's, another beautiful day.

After breakfast we went down to the city park for the farmers market. It was small in relation to the market's in Kalispell and Billings. We did purchase some delicious bread, however. A soda bread with jalapenos and cheddar cheese...yummmm. Needless to say we should have bought more. After the Farmers market we visited the rock and fossil shop. This place was something else. I was looking to purchase some specific rocks but Carol made the only purchase. Later we walked up and down main street and Carol made another purchase at "Desert Thread" a very nice yarn, knitting and supplies store.

I fueled up the truck, check tire pressure and started getting everything ready to hit the road early tomorrow. We both have really enjoyed our stay in Moab and it wouldn't surprise me if we're back in the area sometime next year.

I would like to make to Idaho Falls tomorrow night. If we have wifi we'll post to our blog

Farmers Market in Moab

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Rock shop and all of his antique mining equipment

Old ore carts and buckets

A little guy that wanted his picture taken on Saturday.

Friday, October 12

Moab

After a busy day yesterday, sleeping in and breakfast were in order this morning. While Steve updated the blog, Carol journeyed downtown to a yarn shop called Desert Threads. It is a cute little shop with lots of natural fibers, handmade gifts, and unique buttons, etc. I was fascinated with the shop, and the owner, Cathy, was very helpful with a pattern and yarn to make a felted bag. She also had a yarn winder (for lack of a better name) which she showed me how to use. If you did a lot of knitting with loose skeins, that would be the ticket!

When I returned to the trailer, Steve was packed to head out on another adventure! We drove north on Hwy. 191 looking for a trail to look for dinosaur fossils. Not a good trail for the Ford! So we headed south and took Hwy. 128 north along the Colorado River and on the southern boundary of Arches Nat'l. Park. Of course there are lots of canyons with Castle Valley to the south. Castle Valley is where the John Wayne movie, "The Comancheros" was filmed. At Dewey Bridge we walked across the second longest suspension bridge west of the Mississippi. The sign said it was used until the late "80's" and is now on the Register of Historic Places. It was completed in the early 1900's and was the main freight route from Colorado to Utah.

We came back to Moab late afternoon and went to see the Gem and Mineral Show which has been advertised all week. I think they said it is the "48th annual"! Well, I was hoping to see some handmade stuff...hopefully Indian. Well, now such luck! There were agate tumblers and rock hounds everywhere. One Chinese importer had piles of beads (I am not sure who he was trying to fool), so needless to say, we won't need a return trip tomorrow.

We had dinner at the Moab Diner and Ice Cream Parlour. Now we are hoping to see those Rockies win #2 against Arizona.

Dewey Bridge over the Colorado River.

The river from the bridge.

This was home for the owners of the trading post at the bridge in 1906. Didn't have to worry much about paint. Shelter was built into the side of a rock bluff.

Where "Castle Valley" got it's name. I can just see John Wayne riding through the bottom land.

Thursday, October 11

Moab

Today was our last day with the jeep so we decided to go back into the Canyonlands. On Tuesday we traveled on the west side of the Colorado river today we traveled on the east side on a trail called "Chicken Corners". After traveling the trail I see where they came up with the name. Several "corners" along switch backs were pretty exciting. I tried to get pictures that would show the drop offs and how close we were to the ledges. We saw different landscapes, although similair to Tuesday but still spectacular. We had lunch at the end of the trail on a point overlooking the the river, at least a 500' drop to the river. We ran into a local cyclist about 20 miles back in, pretty isoloated. He had broke down and his buddy had headed back to Moab to get a 4x4 to haul him out. He had no water so we left him a large bottle. We did pass his buddy on our way out as he was going in.

We made our way back to Moab around 5:00 PM, washed the jeep and filled it up (required) and checked it back in at the Jeep Rental. What a great 3 days of 4 wheelin' and seeing the sights.

After we cleaned up we walked over to the Moab Brewery, very popular, good food and locally brewed beer.

Tomorrow we plan on taking a ride up the canyon to Dewey's bridge, maybe looking for dinosauers fossils and looking at a local business that we feel there's a market for in Kalispell (no it's not another brewery).

Another wonderful day in Moab, blue skies and 85 degrees.

"Anticline Overlook" about a 1000' up on corner of mesa.

Along our jeep trail follwing the Colorado river.

A point we stopped for a break. Colorado river waaaaay down below.

Yikes! I'm looking out the driver side door. What a drop off!

The "Chicken Corner" corner on the Chicken corner trail. You have to wind through these large rocks all the while being only a couple feet from a 500' plus drop. You can't see if someone is coming from the opposite direction and no way either rig could pull over.

Towers and canyons along jeep trail.

Wednesday, October 10

Moab

Another beautiful day in southern Utah. This morning after breakfast we took off in the jeep for Arches National Park. Entrance to the park is only a couple miles north of Moab. Once in the park our first stop was the visitors center. Very nice, full of information and souvenirs. We had mapped out our route for the day on a topo map of the area but found out that one of the jeep trails we wanted to take had been washed out. It's wise to always check with rangers before you take off on any trails. Speaking of rangers, yesterday at Canyonlands NP we met a very nice young lady that was excited when she found out we were from Kalispell. She spends her summers as a ranger in Glacier and winters in Canyonlands, pretty nice work areas. We enjoyed our visit and shared our home information with her.

Arches NP is another of natures beautiful creations. The red rock, sand, spiraling needles, towers, bluffs, rock walls and of course the arches take your breath away. It's so inspiring to see what nature and time has created.

Our decision to rent a jeep has been rewarding. There is so much you can see off the main paved roads, arches and landscapes that are only accessed by trail. Also we found a dinosaur fossil area and dinosaur fossilized footprints. I plan on going back to this area and hiking most of Friday.

By the time we got back to Moab it was almost dark. Tired and a little dusty, a cool one tasted mighty good. We both cleaned up and went to a local establishment, "Zax" for wood fired pizza and another cool one.

The "Tower of Babel".

Carol walking up to the "North Window" arch.

North and South window arches.

South window arch after hiking from north window.

The "Fiery Furnace".

I was chasing a lizard, when returning to Jeep took this photo

of trail and landscape.

"Eye of the Whale" arch, off a jeep trail we traveled.

Fossilized dinosaur tracks along the Willow

springs jeep trail. They are marked on the topo map of the

area.

Tuesday, October 9

Moab:

This morning we picked up our rental jeep, 2007 Jeep Rubicon and took off for the back country. Our trail today was a jeep trail that winds through the canyons and up and down STEEP switch backs and finally comes out just a half mile from Canyonlands NP "Island in the Sky"visitor center. Weather was great, 70's and 80's, clear skies. Occasionally while down in a narrow canyon we would get a cool breeze which was very welcome.

Visiting Canyonlands NP off the main roads is indescribable. The vastness, solitude and quiet stillness was surrounded by the beauty of nature. Unbelievable scenery, an array of colors difficult to describe. We both were in awe.

We took over 100 photos. I'll post several of the better ones.

We arrived back in Moab around 6:00 PM. Took Mitzee for a walk, washed up and went to dinner. Both too tired to think about cooking.

Tomorrow after coffee, breakfast and packing our cooler we're off to Arches NP and more jeep trails.

View from trail after crawling up switchbacks.

This huge rock was directly on trail. We drove under it.

The switchbacks climbing up from the canyon floor, 1400' 4 miles

of switchbacks. Sandy if you read this, Carol told me to tell you
this was much worse than Black Otter in Billings.

View from trail of gooseneck, Colorado river.

Carol standing by our jeep along the trail

View of our trail as it heads up the canyon along an old wash.

Me holding this enormous rock from falling on Carol. She was just lucky I was along.

Rock wall along the trail.

Indian petroglyphs we found on rock wall along trail.

Monday, October 8

Moab, Utah:

We left Grand Junction this morning around 10:00 AM. In the 40's this morning but clear sky. We followed I70 leaving Colorado behind and entering Utah. At US 191 we turned south heading to Moab. The closer we got to Moab the more the landscape changed, red rocks, bluffs, canyons, very beautiful. After a couple of stops we checked into our RV park in Moab. Nice park but they do utilize all their space, meaning there isn't much room between sites.

We went for a drive after we were set up. Parked on main street and toured several small shops. Earlier I had made arrangements to rent a smaller 4x4 SUV. We picked it up tomorrow AM and then we'll had out of town exploring, hiking (short ones) and taking pictures. It is forecast to be in the 80's and clear sky's all this week so we should have a great week of touring.

Photos Carol took just north of Moab.

Downtown Moab.

Back of our 5th wheel, you can see the red bluff in background.