Our next obstacle was called Widowmaker. After a steep incline of dirt, you make a left and then a right before going up several rocks. The first one is 6 foot tall. Once again the guys looked for the best route. However, Tom was the only one willing to try (f) and Jerry rode up with him. He made it on the first try, (f), (tt) but was unwilling to come back down the way he went up. Tom's Jeep continued on, while the rest of the Jeeps took the long way around before rejoining him. Temperature today was in the low 80s.
Next stop was the top of Gemini Arches (or from this side - Bridges). We drove over the wider of the two and pulled off to one side. I told David that was enough fun for one day. Everyone else took turns driving over both (d) arches. We enjoyed taking pictures of the everyone else's fun (d) and tried not to get to close to an edge (d), (d) . However, what I was standing on looked safe only until I saw the spot from the other side (d). It was a thin out-cropping with a lot of air beneath my feet. David and Kelly posed for me in that spot (d). Before we left, I pointed the camera downward towards the aches and came away with a funny looking picture (d).
Moving again, we took a turn off of Dead Horse Point road to reach the top of Arth's Rim. Here we had an overlook at a 5,842-foot drop (d). This spot (d) was featured in the City Slickers II movie. To get down off of the Rim (d) required driving down a steep hard pack road. We passed beneath a fallen slab of sandstone (f), (tt), (tt). There were more tall formations (f) on the drive down. It almost looks like an elephant raising its truck.
Once down, Frenchie called an end to the day's ride. But on the Hwy back to town, he made a stop for those of us who wanted to see more dinosaur tracks (f). Ben found some tracks that Frenchie wasn't aware of (tt) . The 3 white specs (tt) in the center of this picture are Frenchie, Kelly, and me. David found another Sagebrush Lizard in a bush (d). Then it was "see ya in the morning".
6/28/01 - Thursday morning, Frenchie announced this would be a short day as several in the group wanted to shop in town and play tourist. We made plans for a group dinner (Frenchie's treat) later in the evening. Figuring today was a good day for their Baja Bug, John and Tracey made it 6 vehicles. With that decided, we traveled to Arches National Park (rated a 3 after leaving the pavement). Once inside after $10 fee, we stopped at the Visitor Center. While everyone was looking at the books, postcards and information, Kelly was checking out a motorhome with several pontoon ski-looking items tied to the back. She felt certain they meant "hot guys" were close by. Leaving the parking lot, Frenchie (continuing his needling of yesterday) volunteered to knock on the motorhome door and introduce her. Kelly wasn't quite ready for that and declined emphatically.
Our first stop was an area with many arches and windows (d). Part of the group went to the left and walked to Double Arch (d) and the Cove of Caves (f), (f), while the rest went to the right. David, Kelly and I walked to the right to see North (d) and South Windows (a.k.a. The Spectacles). Turning around we could see the Turret Arch (d), (d) nearby. Luckily, David's zoom camera had returned to service and he was able to take some pictures too (d). Driving the park roadway, we passed Balanced Rock (f), on the way to the Delicate Arch (d). This required a walk up some proverbial "nearly level trail". I brought up the rear, but did not make the full journey to the a viewpoint for Delicate Arch. Kelly was looking wilted and didn't go either. David managed to get there and take a better picture (f) for us. Temperature today was in the high 90s.
We moved the Jeeps down the road and passed the Fiery Furnace area of hoodoos and stopped at a campground area just past Skyline Arch. David, Kelly and others decided to stay here, while Frenchie, Tom, John, Linda, and I walked the Devils Garden Trailhead (f) to see Tunnel (d), (tt) and Pine Tree (d) Arch. That was my limit, so I waited in the shade for the others to go out and back to see Landscape (d), Navajo, Double O, and Private Arches. Tom got his picture of Landscape (tt) and Double O (tt) . Waiting, I shot more film (f), (f), (d) . When we returned to the campground, the group broke for lunch. Jerry and the kids took a squirt-gun break.
Continuing we were off the main road now, as we traveled through Salt Valley. It was a loose dirt and sand road with many Black-eyed Susan flowers growing along the sides. Our destination was the Klondike Bluffs. As we got closer, we moved onto Slickrock and over minor obstacles. However, they proved too much for John and Tracey's Baja Bug and they turned back to the park road (tt). Now we were 5 Jeeps climbing up and down rocks before finding more sand on the way to Tower Arch (f). Bob and Kathy's Jeep led the way for David. We were the first to arrive. Between Tower Arch and a window was the remains of a fallen arch (center right in the picture) (d). David (d) took a reptile break (f), (f). After viewing the area, we drove out enjoying the scenery (the Monitor/Merimac on the horizon (d) and Klondike Bluffs (f) ) on the way to the park's main road. Back at the Balanced Rock (d), we took a shot of the La Sal Mountains (d) in the distance. Then we broke away and returned to town with a "see ya at dinner".
Since we had played tourist on Sunday and bought our souvenirs, we spent the next hour trying to find the Moab Pet Shop. We had tried the day before from directions of 3 Moab residents with no luck. Today, we were armed with an address. After driving up and down the street and eliminating all buildings with addresses/signs, we decided the building with no address and a sign (the size of a business card) was the one we were looking for. We had guessed right and were able to buy a cage and several crickets for the Collared Lizard. While David rested and took care of the lizard, Kelly and I spent the remaining time in the pool.
Dinner was had at the Branding Iron Restaurant south of town. Good food and conversation capped the evening. We learned that Bob works as a VM Operating Systems Programmer and gardening is a hobby, while Kathy is employed as a Second Grade school teacher. Both recently found they enjoyed off-roading. Tom finds it an enjoyable opportunity to spend time with his son Ben. Ben and Jessica had become buddies over the course of the trip, while taking turns riding in several of the Jeeps and being squirt-gun targets. Before calling it a night, we discussed plans for our final run.
6/29/01 - Friday (Kelly's 15th birthday) found us driving to the Sand Flats Recreation Area (d) south of town. A film clip on the Real Video TV show had featured this area; it's home to Lion's Back. Driving Lion's Back is considered a 4+/5 and not on our list of things to do. Temperature today was in the high 90s.
The Fins and Things trail (rated a 3+) is mostly on petrified sand dunes, so without tire tracks to follow you look for white dinosaurs (d). Placing the white dinosaurs in the center of your Jeep afforded you the best route over the dunes (f). Going up the dune, it's only blue sky out the front window (tt). Down the dune, all you see is dirt or rocks (f). Oh, yes and then there is the lean factor. As we got close to an edge on the right side of the Jeep, I leaned to the left. Contrary to this helping or not, I felt better doing it.
We took our usual spot behind Frenchie, so David could see the direction of Frenchie's tires. Kelly took a turn in the front seat of the Berman's Jeep with Jerry at the wheel. With "Jeep, Ho!" we traveled up and down, and all around the Fins (f), (f), (f).
With the trees built low to the ground, finding enough shade for a water stop was difficult. When we did (f), it also became a bug repellent stop. Gnat's were buzzing like crazy near any moisture (noses, eyes, and mouths). Inside the Sand Flats Recreation Area, the trail had pockets of sandy road (d) near the campgrounds between the dunes. At our lunch break, we parked on top of a dune (f). Time for a water break (tt) . Off on one side, it looked like a sea of dunes (f). Shade was again at a premium, so everyone had to find a tree. David set up our chair, while Kelly sat on the dune under the tree. Nice shade, but we had to contend with the ants racing up and down the branches and dropping in occasionally. We managed.
Soon we moved out for more Fins (tt) , (tt) and Things (f), (f). At 1 p.m. with the others wanting more Fins, we said our final good-byes with hugs all around and birthday wishes for Kelly. We headed back to town and then there were 4 Jeeps (tt) on the Fins.
Since we had a little time left on the Jeep, we drove south on I-191 until we found the Hole in the Rock house. Albert Christensen had built his house inside a 65-foot tall sandstone rock. The first two rooms he carved out were a kitchen and dinning area. The kitchen has a walk-in cold stone-room for food storage. He and wife Gladys operated this as a diner for 10 years. During that time, he continued to dynamite and hand drill out the rest of the 5000 sq. foot home. Gladys claimed 14 rooms, but only had 4 walls of cement (back wall of the kitchen, two walls for the bath, and the wall of Gladys' lapidary room) and a lot of open space. Albert built a fireplace with a 60-foot pipe hole to the top of the rock. It wasn't needed for heat as the house stays between 65 and 72 degrees year -round. Three openings in front are enclosed via wood, windows, and doors, and offer a lot of sunlight. They used kerosene lamps until the 40s, when electricity arrived. Albert was also an artist (many paintings and sculptures of FDR, his idol, were there) and a taxidermist (a Mustang mare and foal, and his pet burro stand inside the house).
Albert also blasted out their mausoleum around the back of the rock and Gladys created the stone steps and rock garden in front of it. Albert had a heart attack when he began his final project of carving a spiral staircase at the back of the house to the top of the rock. He planned to put a patio and rock garden on the top for Gladys. When Albert passed, Gladys closed the diner and reopened it as a gift shop. Using the lapidary room, she created most of the gifts she sold. Gladys died in 1974 and was buried next to Albert in their mausoleum. The family sold the property in 2000 and the house/gift shop is now run as a memorial to these two pioneers.
David couldn't resist one more try at the lizard that got away, so we once again headed back to town and out Hwy 128. The lizard was no where to be seen, so we headed back to town. I guess we were trying to get our money's worth on the Jeep's milage. We took a short dip into Castle Valley (d), (f).
Back at the Rustic Inn, we unloaded our stuff from the Jeep. David walked around the Jeep looking for any other damage before he returned it to Farabees. Except for the bumper, everything looked good. Kelly stayed and cleaned up for her birthday dinner and movie. David and I took both vehicles over to Farabees. Because of the brakes, Farabees wanted their mechanic to look at it and asked us to return in the morning.
Now cleaned up, the three of us checked out the movie times at Moab only theater (a 3-plex) and decided on Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) as Kelly's Birthday movie. We enjoyed our dinner at the Moab Diner. Kelly picked up an empty Tabasco bottle as a souvenir and planned to fill it with Moab red sand tomorrow. Afterwards, the movie was definitely interesting with an ending, we had not guessed. Returning to the Rustic Inn, we packed up everything but the morning essentials and hit the sack.
6/30/01 - Saturday after a week of Kix's and Breakfast drink in the motel, we had a good breakfast at the Jailhouse Cafe. The Cafe building was once used as a jail, but we ate on their patio surrounded by Hollyhock flowers. David requested one of their empty Hot Sauce bottles for his Moab red sand souvenir. Later at Farabees, we were charged $100 for the bumper, since the mechanic couldn't find anything wrong with the brakes. I drove the van to give David a break. We made our sand stop just outside of town and then we headed north.
Kelly had enjoyed the earlier book tapes and was anxious to start a new set. I had saved a 6-tape book entitled - "The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara: Ilse Witch". Almost immediately, David commented "This is a good reader". Before we knew, I-191 was I-70 and we had crossed Utah. As we neared the town of Richfield, I tried finding the turnoff for Hwy 89. After a little confusion on where the road was, we made the change on Exit 23 near Sevier. Hwy 89 is designated as the scenic route going South (d).
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