From Desert to Mountains

After spending a few days in the world of huge red cliffs, we needed a break from the heat. We drove and drove, through Capitol Reef National Park, and eventually up into the mountains on the other side of the Park.

I have mixed feelings about National Parks. My main complaint is that they are completely anti-dog. It was a gorgeous park, and we stopped at a "panoramic point" which was about 50 yards from the parking lot on a sidewalk. However, the dogs were not allowed to even get out of the vehicle according to the signs. No dog paws may touch the hallowed ground of a National Park! So, we humans took turns visiting the point, and it was beautiful.

Throughout the park, there were these odd small ridges at the bases of cliffs. I'm sure that from the bottom to the top of this photo, we are seeing hundreds of millions of years of geological time.

I spotted a gorgeous Primrose flower in the midst of the desert beauty.

And then I looked back at the big picture.

It's called Capitol "Reef" because the explorers of our country called any major obstacle to travel a "reef". It has nothing to do with the ocean.

That driving day was the start of a heat wave in Utah, with temperatures at least 10°F above normal. High temperatures soared to 85-95°F. We seem to provoke heat waves whenever we visit Utah. For us mountain dwellers who had been living in snow until that point, the heat was too much. So, we drove to the area of Boulder Mountain outside the Park boundaries, and we found a spot to camp at about 9,000' elevation, where it was cool and pleasant.

I have a tough time with the driving days during these trips due to the pain my lower back that radiates into my legs when I sit for too long. By the time we stopped to camp, I was at the end of my rope from pain and fatigue. Fortunately, the Runner quickly set up our propane-heated camp shower, which I relished! I felt like a new person after relaxing in the warm water.

I finished my shower just in time for sunset, which was gloriously late at 8:30 PM. I watched Miss Shyla turn into a glowing Labrador in sunset light.

And then, in what was becoming a nightly ritual, she spontaneously waved goodbye to the sun as it went down.

It was a glorious sunset in an isolated spot that we had all to ourselves. It's amazing to see the crowds in the National Parks and National Monuments, and then when you leave them, there's so much open land with no one on it. I love the West!

Happy Memorial Day! I am hoping to catch up on your blogs soon. I'm plugging away at it... but taking such a long break set me very far behind!