Trip to Utah

Somewhere,enroute to Moab, I began to breathe easier. not only because the air is purportedly clearer but because the open sky, the long ribbon of highway gave me the perspective that, once again, my collected problems were small. The world is a big place and zipping 80 mph through Spanish Forks to Price, Utah helped remind me of this. 8 days of camping was a gift I could give my family. I worked for a week in Salt Lake City grading essays for the Collegeboard to pay for the trip. Other graders wondered if they should take on a similar venture next year. I say, go for it. We drove nonstop to Moab but camping along the Green River or in Price appeared tempting. Vermont friends on a similar trip two days ahead did not enjoy their campsite on the Green River but I still would try it if driving at night was a problem. Price was greener and less crowded, yet Moab was calling. We only drove the last 20 miles in waning light at 9 pm, heading right to our air conditioned cabin. Air conditioning is a must with nighttime temperatures still in the 90s.  

Moab RV is clean and tidy. The cabins have beds and bunks with nothing but the sweet smell of cedar. it is located across from the Colorado River walk and next to the entrance to Arches NP. We could have hopped on the bikepath if we had our bikes. We hoped to get up at 4am, head into the park for early sunrise viewing. But I slept until 6 and struggled without our coffee. Must. Buy. Stove.

The campground did provide free coffee to campers, I discovered two days later. We mustered strength and drove into Arches. At 7 am there are no lines to get into the park. It was Good Morning at Windows Arches before the bus tours arrived. Blue, no cloud sky.

We played until noon at Windows and Double Arches until the heat caught us. Staggered back to the visitors center for the films and notes on where to go next, what to avoid. The film overview actually helped me become decisive enough to pick other must see adventures ahead in Capitol Reef. Back to the campground for long showers, pool time and siesta. We slept until 5, ate dinner and headed to the park again for sunset. Once again, no cars, no lines. We climbed onto double arches for sunset around 8:30. Only one other couple was there. We then shot pics of the waxing Gibbon moon and delighted in the uncluttered night sky.