April 13, 2012 Kanab, Utah

We were going to head back to Colorado, but a bad storm, snow etc are heading to most of Utah and Arizona, so we went south. We had thought about driving through Zion, but the bus won’t fit through the tunnel in the park.  So we took the long way around.

We started in Caliente, Nevada this am, drove to Utah, south to Arizona, into Colorado City and the Arizona Strip-which is Mormon country. In the past it has been know for the polygamy. Originally when the government began prosecuting the Mormons for multiple wives they moved south, into what is now the Arizona Strip, into then Mexico. But of course Arizona ended up in the union. but this area is very remote, no good way in, so there were still a few polygamist until recently. So we see the Merry Wives Café in Colorado city. Most of the homes were huge, looked like duplexes. mmm. After that we went back to Kanab, Utah. On the way we stopped at  Pipe Springs National Monument.

Way back when the Indians lived at the spring, peacefully hunting and farming. They lived in stone pueblos in places they stayed long term, but the Paiutes were nomadic and lived in these temporary huts.

Ranchers  moved in and took over the spring, destroying the Indians way of life.  Eventually the Mormons purchased the property. They built a fort to combat the then angry Indians who raided their settlements.  This ranch took care of the tithed livestock. Mormons tithe 10% of their income to the church. Sometimes the tithe comes as livestock, so they took care of it all here. Usually only one family managed the place at a time.  The men  milked 80-100 cows twice a day, the woman made 40-60 lbs cheese and butter from all the milk. Plus they ran the place. They worked very hard.  If the feds were closing in they also sent their extra wives here to hide them. One of the woman said she is sent here to prison(because of the isolation and the hard work) so her husband could stay out of prison.

We took a tour of the fort/home. It is called Windsor Castle after the first family that lived there, the Windsors. Here is the courtyard and the  kitchen.

Then we headed to Kanab. We drove by the Moqui Cave- a tourist attraction museum, which is closed now.

The bus at the Crazy horse RV park. Very nice, trees, grass, red rocks. A view of blooming fruit trees and red rocks.

Crazy Horse RV park.