Day 3 finds us at Capitol Reef National Park, another beautiful place.
Greg's misc. thoughts so far…
Gas has been north of four bucks a gallon so far, and I think it has greatly affected people's travel plans out here. In Las Vegas last Friday night we were able to get a room on the strip in a casino for $71 a night. We walked through several other casinos and the minimum bets on the roulette tables were all five or ten bucks. The blackjack tables were just as cheap. None of the casinos, or the sidewalks connecting them, were crowded. We didn't even see a lady of the evening anywhere, business must be slow for everyone.
Saturday night near Zion was the only night we had trouble finding lodging, and that was because they had their annual arts festival going on up there. But so far we haven't had to spend more than $80 on a hotel room, and we haven't stayed in any dumps. The highways have been empty, the parks only moderately crowded, and a great deal of the tourists are from Europe or Asia.
I've been really impressed with the National Park Service. All the parks are very tourist friendly without being over bearing. Trails are marked, rest rooms are clean, travel centers are informative, all the higher help has been friendly and helpful.
Thank God for digital cameras! We have each taken hundreds of pictures, with hundreds of more to go. We've seen some unbelievable sights. There will be a full moon the next few nights, so we plan on being out and about with our cameras at sunset and beyond to take advantage of it.
Hope you are enjoying our blog, don't be afraid to post a few comments. Also, if you want to enlarge any of the pictures, all you have to do is click on it.
Bob's Notes on Day 3…what a day. We cannot start Monday without putting the finishing touches on Sunday. After checking into the Days Inn in Torrey Utah we pushed down the road to The Rim View Inn for dinner. A majestic view of the Capitol Reef NP Mesa rising 2000 ft., meant dinner was served by Karla and Krista (please see picture) on the patio as the sun cast a red hue upon the scenery. Day 3 began with a 6:30 wakeup call and an early dash into Capitol Reef NP. We were awed by the shear size of the wall that makes up the western face. Red in color, with crumbling rocks below we drove into the park after photos of Chimney rock and the Gooseneck. The journey on the one way scenic track south took us ten miles into an incredible canyon drive. It reminded me of Phantom Canyon, Colorado (Howard). We did a neat hike into the area they call the narrows complete with the signatures of the pioneers carved into the walls of the canyon. We took off for Moab. Utah on Hwy 24 that include a dip into the Fremont River and a view of the Capitol Dome (name of the park is based upon 2 things….the formation that looks like the US Capitol Dome in DC and the fact that at one time this giant formation was a reef under a gigantic ocean millions ago. Out of Capitol Reef the canyon walls melted away into true desert as we pushed onto I-70 and the Moab exit. The route was rife with desert scenery and desolate landscape. It was hot and air conditioning is a must. We entered into the Moab valley that included an historic site where Japanese detainees were held during WWII. This site is a great story, please ask us later about it. After arriving in Moab we found The Rios Sports Bar and from there we called hotels for two nights of dignity. We found the Virginian. Greg bought membership into The Rios so they could serve us (Mormon Rules). We are good for the next few days. We are about to check out the town. Hello to all who might be reading and viewing By the way we are here to visit Arches NP and Canyonlands NP.
Hey Tom here, the other guy on the trip….aka…..Akhem Allah Bibi Boodlite…….the trip is just going fine…..hot at times, but OK…….the scenery is just incredible….tall majestic buttes, mesas, and wonderful plateaus. Our National Park system is incredible….Zion, Bryce, Capitol Reef..….wow….we are so lucky……everything is going so well….great travel miles and long-never-ending ribbons of highway….met some nice people…..ps….Utah is a semi-dry state……we have to buy beer and bring it back to our hotel…..and today, membership into private Clubs…….the La Sal mountains to the east are snow-capped and magnificent. God Bless America! Never forget our troops that are abroad and those that have made this trip possible…….pss…..Happy Father's Day, a day late…….the Doctor of Dogtown.
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