12 Feb 21 Grand Staircase Remote Camp
Friday 12 Feb 21
Today would have been Dad's 101st birthday. If you follow my blog you will recall I was there in Oklahoma City last year for his 100th birthday. Sometime, somewhere prior to that Martha and I found a rubber pig souvenir. When squeezed it sounded just like an adult hog and I knew that Dad would love it. With his poor hearing I'm not sure how well he could hear it but he smiled when he squeezed it so I know he must have heard it at least a little. That smile was precious.
Today after the normal morning routine I got on the road towards Capital Reef National Park. Being as cold as it was and realizing I had been there fairly recently with Martha, I didn't spend much time there. I did drive up to the panoramic viewpoint which I'm not sure I've ever been too before. It was very cold but I took some pictures. From there I drove about another mile down a dirt road to the Goosenecks. I met a couple there at the view point. If I recall correctly they were from Minnesota and were shocked at how unpopulated the area was around Hanksville.
From there I drove back to the main road and drove a little further until I saw a beautiful view and pulled over for some additional photos. After taking the photos I took Wiggin for a short hike. During that hike I took what I think is the greatest photo I've ever taken of Wiggin. He has been an amazing companion for the past 10 years.
After getting back to the RT I drove on west through the rest of the National Park and on to Tomic. Martha and I had eaten at the Slacker restaurant there a few years before and I wanted to try it again. I had pastrami hamburger with a side of fries and a cup of delicious hearty vegetable soup. After lunch I drove back east a mile or so to the junction of Hiway 12 where I turned South. Shortly after getting on 12 I came across the Flute Shop. I drove past it but turned around to get a photo of the shop for my Uncle Orman who plays the flute. I then drove on South to the town of Anasazi named after the Anasazi Indian dwellings that were discovered there. I had actually gone to the Anasazi Indian State Park many years ago with Allison so I didn't stop this time. I did turn East and drive a ways until I came across a sign for the Grand Staircase National Monument. After taking a picture of the sign I drove on East for approximately 4 miles until I found a turnoff turning South where I parked for the night. It was a beautiful secluded area so I let the dogs out and I built a fire about a hundred feet further south of where the RT was parked. I sit around the fire until it burned out about an hour after dark. then I went into the RT and called it a night.