We were camped, I thought, in Utah's Goosenecks State Park. Well, as it turns out, I guess the State Park is only the small pic nic area and outhouse when you first pull in.
As soon as you roll off that small paved area, I'm now informed... you roll into BLM land... which is why there's no fee for the State Park... 'cause when you're camped... You ain't in it! :)
North of the river a few miles is what they call the Moki Dugway.
It's kind of a weird feeling as you approach from the south. You can't see it. You see the pavement of the road you're on going to the cliff... and then it just seems to stop. The dang thing is camouflaged pretty good from the bottom.
If you're coming the other way... approaching from the top... They seem to really want to make a point... that maybe the road is going to require a bit of the driver's attention.
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| *Moki Dugway, Utah* |
So... the wide bottomed Dodge of ours started up the hill... juuuuust a short ways....
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| *Maintaining the Moki Dugway* |
Yeah... you already saw this'un... but it was part of the story!
So... we followed this guy all the way up the road...
It's hard, even for a fella like me, to get in trouble going too fast with a ten wheeler in front of you!
There's a spot... if you look back... you really kinda get the idea of the sort of road you're on...
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| *Tying Knots in the Moki Dugway* |
You finally top out though, and when you do there's a road that cuts off and takes you out to Muley Point. Pretty good place for a lunch break if you're of a mind... though... at that time of day the light is so hard that good photos are a mite tough...
It's always a bit amazing to me... how some things, that seem so Delicate and Fragile... Refuse to quit Living.
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| *Does the Blue Haze of Distance Poke at You too? To go look?* |
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| *Philosophizin' Cowboy Biker?... or Brain Dead Drifter? ;) * |
Back in the dust makin' Dodge for the Run to Bridges National Monument, only a few more miles North...
Which would you think is the Champion Agility Dog?
Inside there's a one way loop that takes out through the monument...
To tell the truth it would be better to take more of a day so you can hike down into the canyons and get a better perspective of the Bridges...
But... with a bum knee makin' me sniffle and whine... and a Birthday supper waitin' in Mexican Hat... We just took in the perspectives from above...
Do you know what the difference is 'twixt an Arch and a Bridge? Has to do with water. If the thing is just a hole in the rock up on the side of a mountain... it's an Arch. If a river runs through it ;) ... it's a Bridge!
It's pretty there... but... don't think you'll want to exercise their campground. 'Leastways not if your rig is more than 'bout 15'! :) That spot was carved out of the Junipers for tenters. I saw a rig or two wedged in there, but my guess is... it's gonna take a Heavy Lift Helicopter to pull 'em out!
As the sun was sinkin' in the west we made our second crossing of the Moki Dugway, bound for Mexican Hat, Utah and the Swingin' Steak for Heidi's B-Day supper!
Now... if you're the sort that requires 5 Stars in front of the description of the places you take your meals...
It's a safe bet that this is likely NOT the sort of place that will appeal to you.
How-some-ever...
If You like rough and rustic, easy goin' real places... this'un might could tickle your taste buds.
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| *Sizzlin' Steaks on the Swingin' Steak Grill* |
The cowboy cook keeps that BBQ grill swingin' as the fire rolls underneath.
Was kinda fun watchin' him work the steaks and the fire toasted bread on that steel... as it swung back and forth.
Now... I'm NOT any sort of food critic... I've said it often enough... if there ain't something crawlin' in it, I apparently can't tell if the food is good or bad...
But Heidi like her steak... so I guess it passes muster... I myself thought it dang tasty!
Had to stay fairly healthy though... we were planning on movin' camp in the morning...
So... before I could take on enough medicinal spirits to get stupid...
... we went back to camp to be ready to roll come the morning...
And in the morning, we rolled east... hit up Walmart in Cortez for a supply restock and then climbed up into Mesa Verde... Where, 'cause Aramark (the Park concessionaire) didn't want to have anyone onsite to capture their fees... and the Park Service said; "We ain't gatherin' it up for you!"... the camp was FREE while we were there.
I guess they finally decided, since the camp was nearly full every night, to install a self-service pay station the day after we pulled out! hee hee! :)
Tomorrow... the few pics of our stay in Mesa Verde...
Soakin' up the sun at just shy of 9000 feet on the San Juan National Forest
Brian
1 comment:
Love the Moki. It always scares the crap out of me every time I drive it. Been up it lots of times, but next time, I'm walking it. Even your photos made me nervous. :)
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