GeoMeandering

Over 2,000 miles into this adventure, we entered Utah and took a left turn off I-70 towards Arches NP and Moab. Arriving at the park in the late afternoon has the advantage of no lines and open parking spaces. We took short hikes to view Double Arch and Delicate Arch, then showered in the van while parked in an empty visitor center parking lot. Picked up a pizza, and headed back toward I-70 as the sun was setting to find a dispersed campsite to spend the night. Our travel speed prioritized a location close to our route, not scenic beauty. But the camper van gives us flexibility to sleep, clean, and eat wherever. And it fits in a typical parking space, as we are taking advantage of right now waiting to board public transportation to get to the stadium, but I’m jumping ahead.

After Moab, we continued west on I-70, then southwest on I-15 to a quick stop at the Kolob Canyon section of Zion NP. Another short walk and a few stops for photos, before resuming onward. Less than 500 miles to SoFi Stadium! Spoiler alert, we’re going to make it!

Continuing west, we climbed into the Rockies after driving through the outskirts of Denver and a quick stop at Red Rocks to see the Fountain Formation (red sandstone and conglomerate) angling skyward. Next up a hike to tree line (about 11,500 feet elevation) shortened due to thunder in the area. Probably not the smartest to hike at altitude after leaving sea level a few days ago and sitting for long periods while driving, but we did fine. Returned to the van just before the rain started, then off to the continental divide as the sky cleared. Windy and brisk at the pass, but not much snow. We ended the day at a campground in Dillon, CO (nice not to be overnighting in a parking lot) where the temperature fell into the 40s overnight. The water level in the Dillon Reservoir is low, thus impacting its potential recreational use.

Windy next day (gusts well over 30 mph, glad we didn’t have the kayaks on top of the van) as we beelined to Moab, the subject of the next post.