Sharon & Peter's Utah Trip Report
 

Well, here it is. More than you wanted to know about about our recent trip to Utah. We may add to it and edit it a bit but it is basically presentable.

If you have any questions, please post them here rather than on the report site so interested Fodorites can benefit. After all, you all were the inspiration for this little project that somehow got a little out of control.

If you like long trip reports and pictures, this is for you. We call it the MOATR; the Mother of All Trip Reports. Relax and enjoy...this will take awhile.



http://www.pbase.com/peterb/utah_tr

Bravo peter, wonderful report! Just excellent! Altho i could have lived w/out seeing the tarantula pic - we saw a scorpion in torrey and that vision still haunts me! But thanks for taking me with you - it was kinda surreal feeling i was right there picturing everywhere you went. (even to the same picnic table at austin's) and i had the best time! :D And now i'm even more wistful for another return trip - just can't get enough. Sorry to hear about the tire and storm issues; glad it all worked out and ITA - Desert Canyons Don't Care - better to err on the side of caution. Intrigued with the Great Gallery now and also missed the zane gray cabin - more reasons to return - i keep a list :) And i like your style; we too are huge fans of AM coffee on balconies taking in the moment, smellng the proverbial roses or ponderosa pines. Thanks for a great start to my morning - so worth being late for my first appointment! So when's our next trip!? ;)

peterboy:
loved your pictures, thank you for sharing.
Gina

Hi Peter and Sharon,

I'd love to read your trip report, but can't! At work, our WAN blocks photo sharing websites, and at home I only have dial up that can't handle the megabites required.

I'm only mentioning this because I think it's helpful if Fodorites actually post trip reports here on the site. I know more people can enjoy them that way and your's are always so great!

Just my 2 cents.

Thanks ellen I'm glad you enjoyed it. Sorry about the spider. I should also warn that there's a picture of a snake later on so you ophidiophobes should consider yourselves forewarned.

Dayle, I knocked the number of images per page down from 12 to 5 just for you (and anyone else on dial-up). Let me know if it works for you. Sorry to all you high speed users out there. You'll just have to click a few more time as you go...Dayle comes first.

ooops...thank you Gina as well.

Thank you for not forgetting me ;)

I also want to point out that Sharon deserves credit for this report too. Like most men my age (mid 50s) I neber learned to type too well so Sharon has to clean up after me. She also started the trip report (I took over somewhere at the start of the Fairland Loop part) and she was the one who took all the notes during the trip. Without those notes, much of the detail would've been impossible to remember. Thanks Sharon!

Great report! The food at Rim Rock looked delicious and all your outdoor photos were fantastic even the snake!

Yes, thank you sharon for a great report. I've been thinking about your report and trip all day. A couple other things - you mentioned the Capitol Reef Inn - was the restaurant open? I did an early run around town and it was closed, then later looking for a place for breakfast it was closed - no reason given. Haven't stayed there but in previous years it was best for breakfast and wondered if they were closed for good? Also, did you ever hear from those MN people you met? Cna't imagine them not having a plan! The only way we can pack so much into each day - still with wiggle room tho - is by having a plan. As you all know lol So did you tell them about fodors? :)

Yeah, and the snake pic - they don't bother me. Just the creepy crawlers!!!

Thanks Peter! I'll try at home tonight. I was just in Moab a couple weeks ago. Never can get enough!

Ellen,
We only visited the gift shop at the capitol Reef Inn but the restaurant was open. There were only a couple of parties eating but it was mid afternoon, not
primetime.

We haven't emailed the Minnesota folks yet. We were kind of waiting until the report was finished...no excuse now. I'll tip them off about Fodor's and maybe they'll drop by. They seemed to be enjoying Utah more than they thought they were going to. We too like to have a plan but are willing to adapt.

highflyer,
Thanks...we enjoy just about every critter including snakes and some spiders. I actually find tarantulas less annoying than those little jumping wolf spiders. We kept an eye out for rattlers in Horseshoe Canyon though since we knew they might be there and it was warm enough for them to be active. From my days in Arizona I know that they are are easily avoided and that they are actually timid creatures that will make themselves scarce if they know you are coming.

I didn't mention it in the report but, as we were making our speedy exit on the dirt road out from Horseshoe Canyon, I came around a gradual corner at about 50 mph and a "stick" that was lying in the road suddenly sprang to live and leapt about 3' in the air and 5' off the road to the right. The "stick" was actually a snake trying to get out of the way of our speeding Jeep. I never knew they could jump so high or far! It wasn't a rattler but I have no idea what type it was. Ain't never seen nothin' like that afore!

Dayle,
I have to say that I'm a little jealous of you. Let me know how the report works on dial up...I can choose how many images per page...even one per page if it helps.

Peter, I have dialup and the way you have it set up works great for me. It downloads very quickly.

We just spent time in that area last month, so I'm enjoying your pictures and report.

Lee Ann

Peter and Sharon,

Loving the trip report! The site link works fine for me. Great photos and you have such a talent for travel writing!

You both have a standing invitation to visit me next trip, if you manage to make northern UT part of it. You would love the hiking in the Uinta Wilderness, very high, alpine, awesome, similar to the CA Sierras.

I have a nice guest room ready for you both!

WOW - Your photography is wonderful! Some very interesting pics - my favorite is of the cracked mud underfoot. Thanks so much for sharing!!!

Great report Peter!!!

I was away on the West Coast (of Florida - Captiva) for a couple of days and didn't check in until yesterday evening.

At first I found the report at bit uncomfortable to view (as with all things different) but then got used to it.

On my daugther's Mac I couldn't tell which page i was viewing. Now home, on my PC I can. Wonder why. No big deal.

I'm sure there are more photos. Where are they? Just kidding.

One day we'll have to review our PP processes. I'm sure my is different than most as I am an LAB (eL-A-B) convert and there aren't too many of us around.

Once again. Great report and thanks for sharing!!!

Thanks, everyone, for all the nice comments. It was a wonderful trip and only made us long to go back for more! We have some close friends who really want to come along with us on our next trip so...

Dayle, thanks so much for the invitation. We spent a little time in northern Utah last year during our Yellowstone trip - it was gorgeous! And we especially enjoyed Salt Lake City. We are not always big fans of cities but it was easy to get around, extremely friendly and beautiful. Would love to go back there. You just may have some houseguests one of these days.....

Myer, more pictures (if you can take any more) are here:
http://www.pbase.com/peterb/utah_07

Peter & Sharon,

Just finished enjoying your excellent trip report with my hot chocolate this morning. We're expecting a snow storm around noon today - finally!

Love your photos. They bring back so many great memories of many places I've been, and one high on my list I not have made yet - the Horseshoe Bend Gallery! I think it's going on the schedule for late spring.

So glad you did the Hell's Backbone road. It's so appropriately named! Such a surprise in the middle of the forest - and it really does look like a backbone!

Your rental Jeep didn't have 4x4 low? They must order that transmission on purpose to discourage rental offroading. I'm on my 3rd Jeep and there were several transmission options when I bought this one.

We Utah fans just might have to plan a GTG. Bould Mtn Lodge might be a great place for it. There are several hikes I want to do down there. The Escalante River is a one way, car shuttle trip that sounds great.

Remember you are welcome to visit anytime. Winter for skiing or Sundance Film Festival, summer for hiking, biking, fishing, boating, golfing.

Ciao!

There is the option of taking a ranger led hike into Horseshoe Canyon to the Great Gallery. We would have done that just for the extra insight the ranger might have. The ranger led hikes, from what I've read, "ranger-led hikes are offered every Saturday and Sunday from April-November. Meet at 9 a.m. at the trailhead bulletin board." and more pecise information can be had by calling: Hans Flat Ranger Station: 435-259-2652.

I was a little surprised that the Jeep had no low range and I'm sure that it is to discourage off road use. I like the option and and never would attempt a really rough road in a rental. On steep grades though, I like the braking low range provides without overheating the brakes.

I meant to say that we'd have done the ranger led hike but we weren't in the area on the weekend.