Saturday, October 31, 2015

PRICE UTAH TO CAPITAL REEF NATIONAL PARK…..WHAT A BEAUTIFUL PLACE

THIS IS FRIDAY’S POST which I am publishing from the Subway parking lot in Torrey Utah:))

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THIS IS THE VIEW DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM CAPITAL REEF NATIONAL PARK VISITORS CENTER

Picked the Jeep up at PRICE CHRYSLER DODGE about 10 a.m. & drove it to Sutherland’s parking lot where we had the Motorhome parked.  Didn’t take me long to get all the towing gear hooked back up & we were soon on the road heading south out of Price Utah & oh what a welcome sunny day we had going on.  Sunshine is so therapeutic.

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SOUTHBOUND ON HIGHWAY 191 THIS MORNING

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KELLY TALKING TO AUNT JEAN WAY DOWN THERE IN THAT FLORIDA PLACE

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GOTTA LOVE THESE LOW TRAFFIC HIGHWAYS OUT HERE IN THE WEST

Heading for I-70 we enjoyed all the scenery we had missed Thursday night heading the other way in the dark.  Traffic of course was light & it felt like such a nice day as Thursdays stress slowly began to drain away.  Aunt Jean from Sarasota Florida phoned to see how we were.  Reached I-70 around 11, hung a right for about 6 miles then swung off down highway 24 in the direction of Utah’s CAPITAL REEF NATIONAL PARK.  Passed Goblin Valley Road where one of those mischievous little Goblins had played a rascally trick & jinxed us less than 24 hours before.

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SO THAT’S WHERE THEY BURIED ALFRED HITCHCOCK

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I AM AT HOME IN THE WEST BECAUSE THE VIEWS JUST GO ON FOREVER & EVER

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We were now in the land I had been longing so much to see once more.  Here again were my mountains, valleys, mesas, plateaus, canyons & rivers.  Here were the golden Aspen, Sycamore, & Cottonwood trees & here again was Utah’s red clay soil sweeping the landscape.  And yet here again were the the ‘WOW’ factors I continuously seek with todays sunshine masterfully drawing out centuries of color from age old giant rock formations.  Just feeling so great to be back in the good old American South-west again:))

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KELLY SNAPS A FEW PHOTOS WITH HER BLACKBERRY

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THESE STEEL POSTS IN THE GROUND ARE EXPLAINED IN THE NEXT PHOTO

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HERE’S A CLEVER WAY TO SEE SPECIFIC MOUNTAINS BY LOOKING THROUGH THE SMALL ROUND TUBE ATOP EACH PIPE & THERE WERE PROBABLY 10 PIPES HERE

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CAN YOU FIND KELLY IN THIS PHOTO…..BOTTOM CENTER:))

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HEADING TOWARDS THE HENRY MOUNTAINS

We rolled through Hanksville heading for CAPITAL REEF’S Visitor Center & Fruita campground some 37 miles west.  Hanksville is typical of so many dusty little western settlements we have seen over the years & it is places like Hanksville where one can still catch a sense of the old West.

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SLIPPING DOWN INTO HANKSVILLE

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We’ve driven many winding awe inspiring roads & just when you think you’ve seen the nicest one you will ever see another one comes along & blows your socks off & so it was with the drive between Hanksville & the Capital Reef Visitor Center.  We had totally lucked out with the weather & we’re no doubt here at the prettiest time of year with all the colorful Autumn leaves & those two things combined to make this drive even more spectacular than it already is. 

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I have flown over the Fruita campground a number of times with Google Earth looking at things & how rewarding today to be actually here seeing everything for real.  Capital Reef had been on my list of places to see for a long time & it’s even more awe inspiring than I imagined.  And here’s how Capital Reef got it’s name……"Capital Dome can be seen looking East from the Hickman Bridge trailhead along highway 24.  This Navajo sandstone structure was named for it’s resemblance to the U.S. Capitol.  This Dome along with the nearly 100 mile Waterpocket Fold (a barrier of rock that obstructed early travelers like a barrier ‘reef’) inspired the Park’s name.”

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NOTICE HOW THE VISITOR’S CENTER BLENDS RIGHT IN WITH IT’S SURROUNDINGS

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OFF TO THE CAMPGROUND WE GO

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Although we only have a couple days here before bad weather sets in these few days will give us a good idea as to what the area has to offer.  It’s a scouting mission for us should we decide to return here sometime in the future.  Never know where our wandering ways may take us over the next few years.  Although not big campground people I would have to say this Fruita campground here at Capital Reef is no doubt one of the nicest one’s we have ever been in.  And how nice to have Mule Deer & wild Turkeys walking through the campsite.

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HEADING TO OUR CAMPSITE FROM THE VISITOR CENTER

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JUST LOVE ALL THESE BIG OLD COTTONWOOD TREES

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ENTRANCE TO OUR CAMPGROUND AT LOOP C

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WE ARE NICELY NESTLED INTO OUR SPOT

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Around 4 this afternoon while enjoying our beautiful Autumn day I thought what a contrast in feelings from just a short 24 hours before when we were gloomily sitting in our rig awaiting a tow truck.  A gray overcast matching our mood drizzled a slow rain upon us as we contemplated cancelling the remaining couple days & just heading for Congress Arizona.  Fortunately we were able to overcome that thought & put it where it belonged…..behind us. 

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FROM MY RECLINER THIS IS THE VIEW OUT MY SIDE WINDOW

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FINALLY AFTER A LONG STRENUOUS JOURNEY IT’S TIME TO TILT BACK & SOAK UP SOME WARM SUNSHINE:))

Because we were both soooooo tired from our week long journey & Thursdays Jeep incident we decided to just grab us a spot in the campground here & de-stress for awhile.  And what a beautiful campground this is with all it’s trees & surrounding rock formations.  Reminded me of another nice campground near Portal New Mexico in the Cave Creek area on the eastern side of the Chiricahua Mountains.  Oh so many great places with oh so many great memories.  We have been so fortunate.  And tonight we even sat out with a campfire under a canopy of leaves & stars.

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WE ARE SURE ENJOYING OUR CLOSE-BY NEIGHBORS

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In the morning we’ll be up early & out the door to first check out some boondocking sites with the Jeep in the area.  If we find something we like & it’s not too far we may very well move Saturday.  We’ll see what tomorrow brings.  There is no Verizon signal here in the campground but we did hear there is some Verizon coverage on high ground about 6 miles west of the campground so I’ll take my laptop along in the morning & see if I can publish this post.

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SCROUNGING SOME FIREWOOD

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CAMPFIRES HAVE A WAY OF BRINGING OUT PEOPLE’S DEEPEST THOUGHTS

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CAN YOU SEE THE DEVIL’S FACE IN THE CAMPFIRE

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GROANER’S CORNER:(( Father to Son, “Hey, I’ve told you a hundred million times not to exaggerate”!!

19 comments:

  1. I agree with you about campfires...For hundreds and thousands of years, people have been sitting around a firepit, talking, solving problems, cooking...I find them hypnotizing. Glad you are "chillaxing"..you all deserve it!

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  2. Very nice turnaround in attitude, making a stop to see the scenery and chill is a great idea.

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  3. Don't miss the Capital Reef Inn in Torrey. Find the dozens of test tubes on the wall with every imaginable color of red rock country sand. It is a special place. I wish you could get to Cathedral valley, but the jeep drive you absolutely shouldn't miss is the Burr Trail down to No Tom road. Drive the 12 over Boulder Mountain to get there. Oh dear. I so hope I am not too late.

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  4. Yup, AL, that's the good ole west as we all love it.

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  5. I've tried to adopt the attitude when really bad stuff happens, that "this too shall pass.'' Its hard though when you are in the middle of the occurrence.. It does seem like there is always a tomorrow... LOL

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  6. nice that the troubles are behind you!..enjoy your stay in the campground..looks very nice there!

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  7. We know that feeling just pulling into a site and feeling the stress roll off your shoulders. I think we all need that once in a while.

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  8. Now you are back to your old self - here's hoping the rest of your trip goes as well and this day did.

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  9. So nice to kick back a relax for a while, gotta love the southwest, awesome scenery !

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  10. It does look like incredible scenery!

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  11. Isn't it an absolutely fabulous place? We stayed in Torrey about 4 years ago, our cell phone was fine and although we appeared to have a full Verizon internet signal, it was so slow it was unusable. We were told it was because Verizon internet piggy backed on towers belong to another company. Have fun!

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  12. That Hanksville to Capitol drive looks very familiar as Bill and I went that route not too long ago. Love the UT landscapes. Enjoy the area and get out before the snow.

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  13. The Capital Reef area is amazing! There is so much hiking and sooo many neat Jeep roads that aren't too bad to drive but have lots to see. We've been there two different years and will return this spring. We have friends that live there. Check out our blog for lots of great ideas:) Enjoy your stay.

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  14. Looks like that campfire was bringing out some doggie thoughts too!

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  15. Wahoo! We haven't been there yet...so looking forward to seeing Capital Reef thru your lens!

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  16. What beautiful country! Maybe hubby and I can get up there next fall! :-)

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  17. "What a difference a day makes....." Wonderful that Libby is just fine and the weather put an exclamation point on the end of that mishap! Looks like a sweet campground. Love the Hitchcock catch....we love finding fun stuff in rocks and clouds and mountain tops :-) Glad to see you sitting still for a day or two, soaking in the beauty around you.

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  18. Hello Kelly & Al... we seldom comment, but do follow along and enjoy your posts. We are currently on the Oregon coast, and it is beautiful to experience, but we are " desert rats" at heart. Tom is out scouring the beach for agates and I have come back to the car, so checking in and catching up a bit viewing blogs. The sun just peaked out to tease us. :) Hope to see you both in the desert southwest this winter. Be well!

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  19. Hello Kelly & Al... we seldom comment, but do follow along and enjoy your posts. We are currently on the Oregon coast, and it is beautiful to experience, but we are " desert rats" at heart. Tom is out scouring the beach for agates and I have come back to the car, so checking in and catching up a bit viewing blogs. The sun just peaked out to tease us. :) Hope to see you both in the desert southwest this winter. Be well!

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