April 30, 2012 Moab, UT

After about 6 hours of working on the bus, they still were not sure what the problem was.  They thought it might be a $4000 part. It was a semi truck repair place, not an RV place. They were very nice and all, but John decided to take the bus to an RV repair in the front range, so they put it back together, charged $400 for diagnosing it and we drove to Moab to visit our friends Jim and Wes from Boulder, Co who have a second home here.

Colorado, Utah and Moab. The bus camped at Ken’s Lake just south of Moab and very close to their house.

Jim and Wes drove over and we took their dog Paco on a walk on a very cool trail on Mill creek close to Ken’s lake. It is alway s beautiful to see water in the desert. It is a little higher than Moab there and the trees are starting to leaf out, wild flowers blooming.

Petroglyphs, and a modern one with Moran in the middle. John did not do it.

Jim, Wes and Paco. We then drove up to their beautiful adobe home on a ridge overlooking Moab area. John and Jim checking out the view to the west from the patio. We had dinner out here on the patio.

They have spent the last two years moving into, remodeling and decorating their house. It is awesome. The kitchen and bedroom.  They have beautiful fused glass pieces, even a couple I made. Photographs by a local photographer Tom Till whom I have always admired.

Two shots of the bathroom. The house is decorated with hand made wrought iron , stressed wood , beams, logs and local stonework.  The view to the east of their house of the La Sal mountains.

Living room. We watched sunset over dinner Jim and Wes prepared.

Sunset and the view from the bus in the morning. Their house is on the lower ridge on the right of this photo.

April 29, 2013 Grand Junction, Co

We limped to Grand Junction today. It is the closest place we can get the shocks worked on. John called a truck stop only 60 miles away and and he got a guy with a southern accent. John asked do you work on HWH airbag suspension systems and they guy said 'Waallll, you all lost me, Aahh have never heard of thaammm'. John was able to put air in the air bags manually so we could at least drive.  Much less bumpy, but kind of swayed like being in a boat.  200 miles to Grand Junction. They got us right in , but they have not figured out the problem yet. So we are camped in their parking lot.

We had wanted to camp at Capital Reef National Park, but got way laid getting the bus repaired. Capital Reef has lots of fruit orchards from when the Mormons homesteaded here. Many of them are blooming now. In the fall you can pick the fruit.  We will have to come back another time. Welcome to Colorful Colorado.

The bus at Trans West Freightliner shop. The drivers room where we waited was decorated in masculine style. It had diamond plate on the walls, 4 very large leather recliners and a big screen TV. Also has bathrooms with showers.

And these signs. There was no one else there while we were there, spitting or otherwise.   We are now camped out front for the night. They are open till midnight, so semis drive by once and awhile.

We have a nice view of the Book Cliffs across I-70. The shop is on a frontage road. Nice sunset over the shop.

April 28, 2013 Torrey, Ut

On our way to Capital Reef  National Park and the front shocks decided not to work. Like driving on a washboard. We limped into Torrey, Ut at 25 mph with rattled teeth. Probably need to go as far as Grand Junction, Co to find someone who can fix pneumatic air bag suspension. John thinks he has at least figured out how to manually put air in the bags so we can still drive. We are at the Wonderland RV park, across the street from the Malfunction Junction.

Boulder Mountain pass, Ut. 9600 feet elevation. What is that white stuff?? And why are the trees not green?? The bus at Wonderland RV park, across the highway from Days inn and Malfunction Junction.  Not a bad park, but not back country BLM free camping either.

We went out to dinner. I dressed up in my finery. A sun dress and my new jewels. Love those stones. We went to Café Diablo. Yummy. Even ran into  Sara and Gordon from Aspen, kayaking buddies.

Yummy menu. I am finally weaving together all the little pieces of the next masterpiece made with beads from the Gem and Mineral Roundup in Deming, NM. Now the fun begins.

Wonderland RV park and Malfunction Junction. About sums it up!

April 27, 2013 Peek a boo, Spooky and Dry Fork Canyons, Ut

This hike is a very popular hike. We shared it with about 50 of our closest friends.  They say not to do these hikes if you are claustrophobic. You hike from the crowded parking lot at the trail head down about 300 feet into the dry fork of  Coyote Gulch. The first canyon on your right as you head down the gulch is Peek A Boo.

You have to climb up a 12 foot face on steps built for people with long legs. So many people hike this canyon that all the foot and hand holds are slick.

You start going through a series of holes under arches. Climbs up with slick foot holds. Really spectacular.

The old belly hold gets you up this one, and the belly crawl under this one.

And another one you go under to go up.

Beautiful lines and colors. Very narrow.

It ends with a tight squeeze, then you hike up and over to Spooky.  The entrance to Spooky. Spooky is spooky because it is claustrophobically narrow and deep.  We left our packs outside. I should have left my hat.

Ribbed sides of the canyon.

I love this first photo –if you look in the middle you will see John’s hand ahead of me.

Slithering through more. I heard someone behind me in this one. Breathing and sliding. Very spooky. It was this gentleman from Oregon who was hiking alone. He decided to try to carry his pack in and out. He didn’t bring a camera, so I took his photo.

Back out and then up the canyon to the Dry Fork, which is the main canyon we were hiking in. Very pretty, but no size limitations on it.

Just as beautiful. There were modern petroglyphs painted with mud.

Then back up the hot 300 feet. On the way out we past the Cat Pasture??? Cat Pasture?? Didn’t see any cats.

There were lots of these caterpillars crawling up the walls of the canyons. Lizards, rock formations, and flowers.