Utah 2003
Diary of our Utah Trip on 4/5/2003. Below the diary are a few pictures, also see links above
for more pictures of Arches, Canyon Lands, and Canyon De Chelly.
for more pictures of Arches, Canyon Lands, and Canyon De Chelly.
4/5/03 Linda, Meghan, and I left for our Utah Arizona RV trip at 7:50 a.m.We arrived in Jean Nevada at 2:30 p.m.It was a nice sunny day but a bit windy.We checked in and got my satellite antenna setup and aligned after some
trouble.The wind tipped it over
and I had to do some repairs to the broken LNB.I got it working just in time to watch the first game of the NCAA
basketball tournament.My favorites
in both games; Marquette and Texas lost.Linda
and I ate the $ 5.99 prime rib dinner special at the Prim Valley Casino.It was barely worth the money that we paid for them.Then I took Meghan for another walk around the RV Park before retiring at
9:30 p.m.
4/6/03 I got up at 7:00 a.m. and took Meghan for a ½ hour walk.We then both showered in the clean RV Park bathrooms.We were on our way by 8:10 a.m.Stopped at Gold Spike Casino for breakfast.Thenheaded east on I15.The mountains in Utah around Cedar City and Beaver were beautifully green and snow capped.Arrived in Richfield Utah at 3:30 p.m. our time, but 5:30 p.m. Utah time.Its was partially sunny with beautiful views of the snow capped mountains.We road our bikes to JB restaurant so we would not have to unhook the truck from the 5th wheel.Linda was very unhappy with the cool temperature on that bike ride.I was unhappy to experience yet another bad restaurant.Returned to RV Park and took Meghan for a nice walk with her long leash.
4/7/02 Got up to about 2” of fresh snow in the morning.Our fresh water hose outside hooked up to the trailer froze up solid.It a good think that I had filled up trailer fresh water tank or we would have had no water at all.We ate cereal and started our drive to Moab.The mountain roads were salted so driving with the trailer was not a problem.Stopped in the town of Green River for gas and we washed the trailer and truck with a do it your self pressure wash station.We then went to Green River SP where we had lunch.I studied the put in area for a float trip which I want to do with Mollie in June.The weather turned sunny and was in high 60.Arrived in Moab about 6:00 p.m. and checked into Slick Rock Camp Ground. Linda and I had dinner at Mc Stiff Micro Brewery which had excellent food at reasonable prices.
4/8/02 Linda and I got up late and then had breakfast.We spent the day touring through Arches NP.The weather was perfect in the high 70.The Allen arrived about 6:30 p.m.We cooked barbecued chicken, oven roasted potatoes, green salad, and apple turnovers for dinner at our camp site.We all had a great time catching up on the latest news.
4/9/02 Linda and the Allen toured Arches NP.I did a ranger guided hike on the Fiery Furnace Needles Trail.The hike required an $8 permit while they looked you over and showed you pictures of the narrows and some steep climbing that you will encounter. The hike was challenging but I never felt in danger and I would not hesitate to do it again because of the beautiful scenery and the informative narration on geology that the ranger did.The next several days however I really had some sore muscles in un usual places.We all had salad and barbecued fillet mignon steaks for dinner at our camp site.
4/10/02 I made sour dough pancakes and Canadian Bacon at our campsite for breakfastDrove to Canyon Lands NP high plateau area for site seeing with the Allen.Got some great views of the Colorado and Green River canyons.We had yummy barbecued skewered shrimp, pineapple, peppers, mushrooms, onions, and steamed rice for dinner.The Allen prepared it.Got my 8” telescope set up for observation of the moon and Jupiter.Unfortunately I picked the worst of the 4 nights we were there as cloud cover obscured our viewing within 1.5 hours after dark.
4/11/02 Left Moab about 10:00 a.m. for Canyon De Chelly.We stopped in Bluff, UT where I conversed with Wild Expeditions San Juan River rafting company owner, about the type of trips he has.I think I will do his 1 day trip from Bluff to Mexican Hat in June to get a feel for the river.Next year I will try it on my own.We stopped at San Island, the put in spot just south of Bluff.It had very nice dry camping sites and a ranger station.The ranger told me that you can usually get a cancellation permit from the BLM on week days.You have to call the BLM in Monticello early morning only with a credit card number.You don’t have to drive to Monticello.After driving through some beautiful Tony Hillerman country we, arrived at Chinle near Canyon De Chelly NP about 4:30 p.m.
4/12/02 Linda and I took a four hour horse back ride into Canyon De Chelly this morning.We left at 10:00 a.m. and returned at 2:00 p.m.Its mandatory to have a Navaho Guide and his name was Tim.He was 60 years old very knowledgeable, entertaining, and had a great sense of humor.Our horses were tamed Mustangs.Drove along Canyon Rim to Spider Rock in the afternoon.Had a Indian Fry Bread beef sandwich for dinner at a local Indian Restaurant.
4/13/03 Left the Navaho Reservation Canyon De Chelly camp ground about 9:00 a.m.We headed south to Phoenix and arrived at Lake Pleasant Camp Ground at 4:30 p.m.The area was beautiful and very green with lots of dessert vegetation, flowers, and especially the Saguaro Cactus.The Lake was full with lots of grassy area for Meghan to run around in.Prepared fried rice with vegetables, left over barbecued chicken, and frozen shrimp for dinner.
4/14/03 Left about 10:00 a.m. for home.We listened to a book tape most of the way home to pass the time.In Yuma and El Centro the cross winds were strong limiting our speed to 55 mph.In the Laguna Mountains it began to rain heavy and stayed that way all the way to San Diego. We got 2 inches of rain, allot in one storm for San Diego
4/6/03 I got up at 7:00 a.m. and took Meghan for a ½ hour walk.We then both showered in the clean RV Park bathrooms.We were on our way by 8:10 a.m.Stopped at Gold Spike Casino for breakfast.Thenheaded east on I15.The mountains in Utah around Cedar City and Beaver were beautifully green and snow capped.Arrived in Richfield Utah at 3:30 p.m. our time, but 5:30 p.m. Utah time.Its was partially sunny with beautiful views of the snow capped mountains.We road our bikes to JB restaurant so we would not have to unhook the truck from the 5th wheel.Linda was very unhappy with the cool temperature on that bike ride.I was unhappy to experience yet another bad restaurant.Returned to RV Park and took Meghan for a nice walk with her long leash.
4/7/02 Got up to about 2” of fresh snow in the morning.Our fresh water hose outside hooked up to the trailer froze up solid.It a good think that I had filled up trailer fresh water tank or we would have had no water at all.We ate cereal and started our drive to Moab.The mountain roads were salted so driving with the trailer was not a problem.Stopped in the town of Green River for gas and we washed the trailer and truck with a do it your self pressure wash station.We then went to Green River SP where we had lunch.I studied the put in area for a float trip which I want to do with Mollie in June.The weather turned sunny and was in high 60.Arrived in Moab about 6:00 p.m. and checked into Slick Rock Camp Ground. Linda and I had dinner at Mc Stiff Micro Brewery which had excellent food at reasonable prices.
4/8/02 Linda and I got up late and then had breakfast.We spent the day touring through Arches NP.The weather was perfect in the high 70.The Allen arrived about 6:30 p.m.We cooked barbecued chicken, oven roasted potatoes, green salad, and apple turnovers for dinner at our camp site.We all had a great time catching up on the latest news.
4/9/02 Linda and the Allen toured Arches NP.I did a ranger guided hike on the Fiery Furnace Needles Trail.The hike required an $8 permit while they looked you over and showed you pictures of the narrows and some steep climbing that you will encounter. The hike was challenging but I never felt in danger and I would not hesitate to do it again because of the beautiful scenery and the informative narration on geology that the ranger did.The next several days however I really had some sore muscles in un usual places.We all had salad and barbecued fillet mignon steaks for dinner at our camp site.
4/10/02 I made sour dough pancakes and Canadian Bacon at our campsite for breakfastDrove to Canyon Lands NP high plateau area for site seeing with the Allen.Got some great views of the Colorado and Green River canyons.We had yummy barbecued skewered shrimp, pineapple, peppers, mushrooms, onions, and steamed rice for dinner.The Allen prepared it.Got my 8” telescope set up for observation of the moon and Jupiter.Unfortunately I picked the worst of the 4 nights we were there as cloud cover obscured our viewing within 1.5 hours after dark.
4/11/02 Left Moab about 10:00 a.m. for Canyon De Chelly.We stopped in Bluff, UT where I conversed with Wild Expeditions San Juan River rafting company owner, about the type of trips he has.I think I will do his 1 day trip from Bluff to Mexican Hat in June to get a feel for the river.Next year I will try it on my own.We stopped at San Island, the put in spot just south of Bluff.It had very nice dry camping sites and a ranger station.The ranger told me that you can usually get a cancellation permit from the BLM on week days.You have to call the BLM in Monticello early morning only with a credit card number.You don’t have to drive to Monticello.After driving through some beautiful Tony Hillerman country we, arrived at Chinle near Canyon De Chelly NP about 4:30 p.m.
4/12/02 Linda and I took a four hour horse back ride into Canyon De Chelly this morning.We left at 10:00 a.m. and returned at 2:00 p.m.Its mandatory to have a Navaho Guide and his name was Tim.He was 60 years old very knowledgeable, entertaining, and had a great sense of humor.Our horses were tamed Mustangs.Drove along Canyon Rim to Spider Rock in the afternoon.Had a Indian Fry Bread beef sandwich for dinner at a local Indian Restaurant.
4/13/03 Left the Navaho Reservation Canyon De Chelly camp ground about 9:00 a.m.We headed south to Phoenix and arrived at Lake Pleasant Camp Ground at 4:30 p.m.The area was beautiful and very green with lots of dessert vegetation, flowers, and especially the Saguaro Cactus.The Lake was full with lots of grassy area for Meghan to run around in.Prepared fried rice with vegetables, left over barbecued chicken, and frozen shrimp for dinner.
4/14/03 Left about 10:00 a.m. for home.We listened to a book tape most of the way home to pass the time.In Yuma and El Centro the cross winds were strong limiting our speed to 55 mph.In the Laguna Mountains it began to rain heavy and stayed that way all the way to San Diego. We got 2 inches of rain, allot in one storm for San Diego
Photos by Roger Zellmer of Utah in Apri 2003
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In Richfield Utah, this is what we awoke to in the morning. My water hose froze up solid. Fortunately I had water in my tank that was still liquid. |
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Meghan got her first walk in the snow this morning. She was not concerned in the slightest about getting her paws cold. |
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This is Meteor Crater in N/E Arizona. Its 50,000 years old. The astronauts trained here for walks on the moon. Don't make the 12 mile drive from the freeway unless your willing to pay $12 to get in. |
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They had several observation decks and guided tours around the rim. The museum and facilities were excellent. |
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While the Allen's were in Moab we dined well all 3 nights at our camp ground. Here we had marinated skewered shrimp, vegetables, and rice. |