Let me just begin this post with a disclaimer: I have never been a big lover of deserts, high or otherwise. I know many people are in love with them, I think they are dull. Perhaps all the drama of eastern Utah's mesas etc spoiled me or at least made today's sights lacking in comparison.
Left St George Utah pretty early after breakfast at Cracker Barrel, I don't know when that will happen again Cracker Barrels are few and far between out here. Unlike yesterday it was a beautiful cloudless day, I worried that it would get hot but I never had to turn on the ac so it was good. Back to travel. Six miles later I crossed into the Pacific Time Zone (now two hours earlier than at home) and Arizona. Went up and down then through the Virgin River canyon (or maybe they called it a gorge-can't remember.) It was very pretty, bottomed out at 2000 ft (remember Independence Pass at over 10,000 feet, my ears may never stop popping! Especially since I hit 6-7000 feet a couple of times and 2000 feet at least one more time and now I'm at sea level.) Thirty miles after entering Arizona I crossed over into Nevada. All day I drove through territory much like this--a broad basin between two mountain ranges. I use the word basin because it seemed that the land was sort of flat in the middle and curved up onto the mountains. The mountains are sharp, treeless and snow-less, the ground between covered with scrub except for the Joshua Trees (these remind me of Gumby with dreadlocks and pompoms, at least the small ones.) About 50 miles of this and you round a curve to see "sin city," Las Vegas that is. A bright and shinny modern oasis-with a real smog day going on. (Isn't it interesting that Nevada, where pretty much anything goes--I don't think they include major Federal deals here like murder, drugs etc but gambling, prostitution that's ok--is right next door to Utah, heart of Mormonism?) See where my mind wanders when bored? A few miles outside of Vegas you cross into California. There are no big signs or tourist information centers to tell you just a sign showing a seat belt wrapping around the state of California shape and the words "click it-it's the law." Perhaps we are not welcome? The road just touches the north edge of Mojave National Preserve and you can see some dry lake beds--that mirage thing is going on, weird. Then you go up and up, down and down, round curve after curve until you catch Interstate 215 around Los Angeles--I'm really glad I don't have to go into LA because the traffic is horrid even this far out at noon! 30 miles give or take and I'm back on Interstate 15 heading south on the last leg of this 4 day cross-country event. I am in some-what familiar territory now having made the trip up and down the 15 to see sights (and quilt shops) in the past. I am really glad to check into my hotel and unload the truck knowing that for the next week this blog will just be about fun stuff, not driving. Kelsey's glad too!
I do believe I lost my enthusiasm somewhere, hope I find it again soon!
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
West Coast Vacation-Day Three
At Grand Junction, Colorado the Gunnison River joins the Colorado River and turns south, having driven next to the Colorado for a hundred miles or so yesterday I will miss it. Grand Junction is well known for it's fruit, especially peaches, and apparently it's wine. I can't vouch for that I didn't try any. :( I am only 30 miles from Utah so that drive is quick! The land is very dry and rolling, at a glance it appears green but close up you can see the soil , or rather the sand, between each plant. There are NO trees. Before long the buttes and mesas appear and to the south I can barely make out the spires and rock formations of the National Park I know is near. Distances are misleading though, they could be 100 miles away. While there are signs of human habitation: roads, power lines, exits from the Interstate called Ranch exit, etc. I never see an actual person outside of my fellow travelers. In fact I see no actual life outside of plants. In spite of the hopeful road sign "Caution Eagles on highway" I don't see one of those either. As I travel further into Utah the buttes, and mesas grow more rugged until you reach The Reef, huge slabs of rock set nearly upon end showing their sedimentary layers vertically. This part of Utah is a geology nuts playground! At times you travel the highway up pretty high and on each side of you the land falls away into great basins full of mesa, monuments and amazing rock formations. Silent witnesses to the work of wind and water over eons. There are 4 National Parks just to the south of my route, I haven't time to visit them today but I promise myself that the next "driving to see Steve trip" I will plan to explore them all. The rocks and the ground itself change color often from a deep red to almost white and still there is some green. there are two National forests along the way, not many trees although I would at least call them trees, not bushes like before. There is often a long distance between things like gas stations, one place the highway sign said 106 miles to next services! I filled the tank this morning so I just keep on. Right before that 106 miles is up I see the first ranch house with it's cows deep in grass. It will be a while before I see more. I am spending a lot of time keeping the truck on the highway again today, no cruise-control, just lots of long steep grades both up and down. After a while I run out of Interstate 70 and turn south on Interstate 15. As I drive I try to think about how I will describe the land etc to you but I think it's beyond me or maybe I'm too tired. I stopped early, at St George's UTah. I could have probably made it to Las Vegas but I don't really like Vegas so I didn't try.
Colorado Post-Script
Long's Peak-14,234 ft
I thought, after I went to bed last night (so tired I could barely see) that I really hadn't said much about going through the Rockies. This photo of the part of the front range was taken just east of Denver. I have stood on the top of this mountain, back when I was young. I don't think I could do it again, shoot I probably wouldn't have made it then but I was hiking with three guys and they wouldn't let me stop!
I love being in the Rockies, especially in Estes Park where my parents had a second home, the reason for all those cross-country trips. We headed for Estes anytime we had a four day weekend and my Mom had a permanent packing area for these trips! Yes, it was a long trip, two days driving-two days there and totally worth it. I saw this mountain out of my bedroom window (a slightly different view but the same mountain!)
It's hard to take photos in Colorado. First, they have lots of scenic views and no safe place to photograph them! Second, I was very busy keeping my pick-up truck(ute) on the winding, climbing, descending road. Third, this part of the state while beautiful is very built up. I saw houses perched so high up the mountain that my thoughts were: Wow, that cost a bundle, the driveway must be a bear in the winter, man what a view they must have. Most towns are strips of condos, shops etc along the highway-that said I didn't have time to stop as I'd over estimated the distance to Grand Junction and I needed to move it. I did learn that the Idaho Springs High School students call themselves the Golddiggers, this is an old mining town so not about money-grubbing (or maybe it is.)
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