StantonHyde

I will be in Moab in a couple of weeks. I will have just finished a week long wilderness backpack so i will be tired and sore and looking for good food. I know all the usual Moab spots, but am wondering if there is anything new this year. I will be staying right in the middle of town so I can walk to places. I will certainly be having 2-3 glasses of wine with dinner so walking is necessary! I would love to go to the Desert Bistro but it is so far north of town. I am pretty darn sure Moab doesn't have taxis--just the various biker/rafter/hiker shuttles. But maybe I am wrong (since I have never had to use one before).

So--does anyone know if I could possibly "taxi" to the Desert Bistro and back and thus get a much deserved wonderful meal? Or is there anything new in town that is better than Eddie McStiffs/Pasta Jays where I can get wine/slightly better food?

If not, I will default to Eddie's--its' hard to go wrong with a good burger, salad and a beer after backpacking! But I would love to do better if I can. Thanks!!

PS--Dayle if you read this, I always take great stock in your restaurant recommendations

peterboy

The Desert Bistro isn't north of town anymore. We walked from our motel (Rustic Inn) and it was a short walk. It is probably the finest dining in Moab and has a great wine list.

It is now at 36 South 100 West...just a blocj off South Main St. It used to be a bit out of downtown to the north but moved last year.

There's an account of our experience there at the bottom of this page:

http://www.pbase.com/peterb/utah_201..._report&page=6

Not sure where you're staying but well worth a taxi if it comes to that.

StantonHyde

Ah!!! Oh, you just made my week!!!!! I am soooo happy. I love the Desert Bistro. Love it. Woo hoooo! I would have gladly paid for a taxi, I just don't think they have them in Moab--too small, not enough demand--more for shuttles etc. But, yay, I can walk there!

peterboy

My pleasure...have a great meal!

Dayle

Stanton & Peter

Good to know! I didnt know they moved. Definitly the best dining intown.

I'm at the airport waiting to board my flight to Sicily!

Trip repot to follow .

Where are youhiking Stanton?

StantonHyde

Dayle--we are rafting the San Juan from Mexican Hat to Slickhorn Canyon and then backpacking out of Slickhorn. I like to get up to Moab from Bluff the afternoon/evening we get out just so I have a shorter drive home the next day.

Sicily--geez Dayle, you are missing all of our beautiful Utah spring weather

Have a great time--I am jealous!!

spirobulldog

Stanton, I'm sure you've read a comment by me before. But have you ever thought of canyoneering with www.deserthighlights.com?
They do packrafting too. Wish I was there too!! Have a great trip! My parents are coming for their first visit May 1.

StantonHyde

Spiro:

I go for a backpacking week every year with the Sierra Club. As in, off the grid, see almost no one. I have had to wade the Paria for an entire week and swim down a bunch of water pour offs in Phantom Creek while wearing my backpack. The whole being really wet for a better part of your day thing is not fun for me. I don't know anybody who does slot canyons for a whole week. You could do a canyon and then car camp and then do another canyon etc. Slot canyons are cool but swimming and rapelling vs. hiking are not my thing. Especially since the only time I can go is spring--the water is cold then even with a wet suit.

I am looking forward to hard hiking, sleeping in the dirt, and the call of the canyon wrens. Ah, I love canyon country!

spirobulldog

I would probably enjoy 3 nights of that type deal, but a week would be a bit much for me. A lot of the canyoneering I've done wasn't in water, suprisingly. I tried to avoid those. I have either wanted to be soaked or dry. I don't like being wet then dry then wet then dry then wet--that type of deal. I've been with them on what they call Canyoning(as opposed to canyoneering)--this is basically in waterfall and creeks 99% of the time. I've done this with them in Oregon. I really like the rappelling though. I'm sure you've probably done Buckskin Gulch. I've tinkered around with the idea of doing it at some point.

Are you able to find enough water to filter? That would be my biggest worry for a week like that in UT.

StantonHyde

Buckskin Gulch is amazing. I've hiked in from the bottom and the top, but never all the way through the middle.

Every back pack follows streams or rivers to some degree. The only time it was tough was when we were on top of the water pocket fold and we actually took water out of the deep pockets carved into the sandstone. We had to pour that through a net first to get all the critters out. ugh. I have dry camped for a night on several trips--you just have to carry extra water. One one trip, we had 2 dry camps--the first and last night. So we carried a LOT of extra water into the Grand Canyon and cached water for the last night.

I definitely need a week. It is very good to be reminded that you can have everything you need with you in one pack. That all else is superfluous. And it makes me REALLY grateful for things like toilets and running water that is actually HOT. Not to mention a good shower. On my first desert trip, almost 20 years ago, I was so excited that I got a decent tan (I am very fair). My excitement went down the drain with my "tan" that was actually red sand/dirt embedded in my pores