Moab - August 6-8

August 6 - 8

Moab is still awesome, and there are still plenty of great things to do and see here! There is no way we could ever see them all, but with the extra time here we are definitely seeing a lot more! There has been no stopping this trip and no sleeping in, that's 100% for sure. But it's been wonderful!

AUGUST  6

With the help of Dee's special Jeep Trail book, Guide to Moab, UT Backroads & 4-Wheel Drive Trails  (which we have on the way to us now...thanks, Amazon.com!), Dad picked out a trail to take the Liberty on to Picture Frame Arch. With the detailed guide book and GPS, getting confused or turned around doesn't really seem like a possibility, but the desert does look the same in so many places. Not to worry, we made it easily to the Lone Rock and then around the back to Picture Frame Arch. After visiting the Arches National Park itself, I was surprised to learn there are arches elsewhere in this area, but the National Park can't be all of Utah...even though Utah itself has five national parks! Anyway, we went off to see Picture Frame Arch, and it looks just like its name. 

Lone Rock

Picture Frame Arch

Ignoring the angle here...it was too difficult to climb up there in sandals so here I am in front of the arch 

The arch is on the other side of that big sloped rock so we skipped that even though there were people standing in front of it in the guide book. They probably wore better shoes. 

Somehow...and we still really don't know how because Dad and I both followed the directions in the guide book exactly, we ended up out on this type of terrain when we were definitely expecting more of a gravel/unpaved road. So after a while of this...and that big storm with lightning out there in the distance, I said no way, so we turned around and actually found what was probably a hunting trail.  It was significantly easier to navigate. We never left a designated trail so we were never on protected land. (Refer to the previous entry...Moab Wheeling Trails.)  And we weren't technically "lost," but this wasn't where we were expecting to go at all!

This type of road was definitely our favorite!!! Of course, I could never capture the lightning that was striking the top of the La Sal Mountains, but it was beautiful! .....From a distance that is. 

More of the road we like while driving in the Liberty 

Well, you have to treat yourself for a successful day of no disasters in the desert!!

AUGUST 7
Let me preface this day by saying this was NOT my best day by a long, long shot. And no, Mom, I only had 1 (uno, one) margarita!!!! After a bright and early 6:30am work out, Dee, Dad, and I headed out for a day of Jeeping. I don't know if I have explained Dee's Jeep but let's just say she has really "jacked it up" and it is unique. Also, its name is Roxanne, and she is a beauty as the pictures have already established. I should have called her Roxanne the entire blog, but I just haven't so I will from now on!

We headed out to Mill Canyon Road which is north of Moab on Hwy 19.  It  starts as an unpaved road that weaves around out in the desert before other trails spur off and become more difficult. The combination of trails we traveled in the morning and early afternoon are called the 3-D trails. This trail visits the canyon bottom and canyon rim, and, finally, a higher overlook of the area (hence the name 3-D).

Beautiful early morning shot out towards the portal from the campsite

Information about the Mill Canyon Road and the importance of staying ON the designated trails

Dad checking out these two people drilling in the rock across the way. We thought they might be maintaining a bike trail, but the woman seemed to be carefully studying the area they were drilling. With the way sound travels out here, I am sure they could hear us discussing it!

This is the rock area where the two people were drilling. Once Dad spotted them with the binoculars, we could see them walking around with our naked eyes, but it was nearly impossible to tell what they were doing except the drilling which we could hear. 

Not feeling 100% at this point! Very sleepy. 

Dad drove Roxanne over to our next stop which is called "Tusher Tunnel" which I immediately and more appropriately named "Tushy Tunnel,".....how could I not? This tunnel was filled entirely with white sand like the beach and it felt so great on my toes. We walked up to and through the tunnel which was short (still trying to avoid any surprise hikes...) and saw a few people on an ATV tour of some sort. What was so interesting about this area was that the rock was very loose and could be snapped away easily! Not inside the tunnel, per say, but outside on some of the rock ledges surrounding the tunnel. Well, more accurately, maybe I am just THAT strong and can snap rock like that! 

On the way to Tusher Tunnel

Blurry, but there are some RZRs at the entrance to the tunnel. 

Through the end of the tunnel. Dee and I had no problem walking in here, but Dad had to watch his head. Luckily, though, he didn't hit it on anything. I suspect that after  years and years of tourists walking on the sand, the sand has probably sunk down and the tunnel has grown "higher."

Tushy Tunnel.  You laughed. 

By this point, I am a very sleepy puppy, and having a really tough time keeping my eyes open.    I am in the back of the Jeep and keeping it a secret so far. The next part of the trail we are on is slick rock, and Dee takes over driving until a little before lunch. Dad gets to now drive Roxanne to our shady lunch spot on some difficult slick rock so I took some pictures. 

Gripping the steering wheel 

Dad driving on the slick rock

Dee spotting Dad as he crawls over the rocks in Roxanne 

Go Dad! Looking great!

Almost lunch time

Dad is so happy he didn't drive Roxanne off the slick rock. 

My favorite - at the top of the obstacle.

We found a rock with enough shade for the three of us to fit under (which is a feat in and of itself I'll tell you that) and ate our little normal lunch of cheese and crackers. The food made me feel a little more energized, but what I really needed was water. I got down about a bottle and a half of water fairly quickly and kept hoping my little bit of dehydration would go away soon. I didn't realize how I hadn't been drinking a lot of water until late in the game so I learned an important lesson out there in the desert - and that is to ALWAYS 100% of the time have water with you! So after lunch, Dee takes back over, and I get the front seat. There is a big difference from sitting in the back seat and the front seat!! So I was happy to feel less like I was going to tumble out of Roxanne. Maybe the water and change in seat will help keep me awake as we headed off to Hidden Canyon. 

Heading to Hidden Canyon

Well, apparently neither water, food, nor front seat helped me to stay awake.

After my nap, however, I was feeling significantly better! So when we made it to Hidden Canyon, I woke up and joined the rest of the group. This is one of the coolest views we have seen so far! There were red mountains out in the distance, and I think the canyon was about 1,000 feet deep. 

Proof that I was awake but looking rough. Yikes. 

The beautiful view of Hidden Canyon.

Hidden Canyon will now also be known as "Finger Snatcher Canyon." Whoever sits in the back of Roxanne has to climb in over the tire to get in. So I got in the front seat, and didn't realize that Dad was getting in as I was shutting the door. And well, I shut three of his fingers in the door!! Then I started to cry and cry and cry while Dee got a frozen water bottle for his hand. Luckily, Dad could move his fingers, and I didn't manage to break any. A narrowly avoided total disaster, but the slammed door on Dad's fingers really exhausted me for the rest of the day!!! Dad was so nice he even let me stay in the front seat of Roxanne, but we said "CLEAR!?" every time he got in Roxanne from then on.

After Hidden Canyon and fortunately with all of Dad's fingers still attached and not broken, we started back to Maob via Long Canyon. In Long Canyon, Roxanne followed along the inner walls of the canyon on a shelf road and we traveled all the way down into the bottom of the canyon. Long Canyon Trail deposited us onto Potash Road which runs right into Moab, and so we ended the day after making a big circle.

Driving into Long Canyon. On the left side of the road, there is a road sign that has been washed down from rains in the area. 

See that rock over the road down the way a little bit? Yep, we have to go under that!

At one time, that rock was attached to the side of the canyon, but not anymore. Hope it doesn't fall on us as we go under it! 

Yes, we made it! 

Here we are inside Long Canyon. 

This was a long day in Long Canyon, but fun driving for both Dee and Dad. I learned a few lessons - always take water with you and always check for fingers when closing doors!!!
Dad reminded me of the safety contest he won with his saying, "When shutting car doors be aware that your fingers are not there!"


AUGUST 8

This was a another HUGE day!!! I got up at 5:30 AM to go to my work out class at the gym with all of my new Moab buddies. I told Bev at the desk that I was hoping to avoid doing too  much that day! Well, I spoke too soon. After I got out of the shower, Dee texted us asking what our plans were..."nothing" and she suggested hiking Negro Bill Canyon. Let me explain my attitude about hiking - I say I enjoy it, I have great boots for it, but when it comes down to it, I will hike and I will do my best to try to conceal my pouting and hatred. I have short legs and therefore slower than most everybody else!!! So I wasn't 100% into a 5 mile round trip hike (which turned out to be mostly sand....), but I sprayed up with bug spray and slathered up with sunscreen, found my mismatching hiking socks, and off we went. 

Negro Bill Canyon is named after the black cowboy, Bill, who came out to the west after the Civil War, bought some cattle, and found this canyon to keep them. He was a true cowboy, and this is a very popular hike in the area. The hike was actually along the base of the canyon so it wasn't hiking straight up or down. I have never hiked in sand before and that was a little different experience. The hike had about 6 or 7 creek crossings and on the last one, you have get your feet wet! Needless to say, my boots were VERY muddy when we returned. 

Trailhead for the hike

There is an arch inside the canyon as well.

Inside the canyon at the end of the hike.

Morning Glory Arch. We just missed a group repelling down between the canyon wall and arch. Maybe if I didn't walk so slowly, I would have made it to see them!

One of the shady spots on the trial 

I think the cacti are so beautiful. 

Here I am in one of the creek crossings. 

It was a toasty almost 100 degrees when we got back to the Liberty (luckily, I had been hydrating!) and looking back, I did enjoy the hike except for being bitten by a big hungry horsefly. It broke the skin!! After hiking, we went to eat at the Moab Brewery which is always a tasty treat, and then I took a LONG nap!! I hope everybody is still enjoying the blog, and as always, thanks for keeping up!!!