Such A Beautiful Sight... Well Worth The Climb!

We've been in Moab, Utah since September 6th. This is our second year creating guest guides for three parks here. It's much easier the second time around. The business people recognize you and you develop a friendship.

Some get bolder and kid around with you. It certainly makes the day go faster and makes the time spent here feel more personal. It's starting to feel like a home away from home.

However, as full-time RVers, home is wherever we park, so everyplace starts to feel a bit like home.

Saturday was a beautiful day. Mid 80's so we went hiking. We went to Gear Heads a couple of weeks ago and bought Camelbaks. A red one for me and blue for Bob. They are a backpack with a water bladder in it. Ours each hold 2 liters of water. A tube comes out of it and over your shoulder. It has a mouth piece that you just put into your mouth, bit down slightly and drink. These things are essential for the high desert... like her in Moab.

So Saturday we went to Arches National Park. Last year when we came out here we went to many of the easy hiking places in Arches. We saw the Windows Arches, Turret Arch, the Three Gossips, Balancing Rock and so much more. We drove by the Fiery Furnace fins... they are awesome. You can hike down in those but they highly recommend you go with a ranger since you can easily get lost. It is a very strenuous hike also. I think we'll just admire them from a short distance.

We did not hike out to the famous Delicate Arch last year because we didn't bring enough water. They recommend a minimum of 2 liters per person (and more wouldn't be a bad idea). It's a 3-hour round trip hike and you go up over 500 feet in elevation. About half of it is walking on slick-rock formation and that is very tricky to come down on. There is no real trail once you get on the slick rock. The only guidance you have is to follow the rock cairns. We got off the trail a bit one time.

We set out with our full Camelbaks and began our quest to the famous Delicate Arch. The reason this arch is so striking is because it used to be a fin. AND IT IS HUGE! It was so funny as we were almost to the top where we could be near the arch, people on the way down kept saying "You're almost there!" They'd say, "It's just around the corner."

If you've done this trek you'd know, these people understand. By the time you get up there you are hot, tired, just plain exhausted. But just like childbirth, as soon as you see this amazing wonder, you forget all the torture you want through to get up there. Oh yes, I ran out of my 2-liters of water on the way up. (Note to self, next time bring more water!!!)

In the pictures above, if you look at the very bottom of the arch on the right you'll see two people at the base. They look like a couple of specs. The second picture is of Bob and me. We're standing on a ledge. That's why the Arch looks so much smaller. Seriously, we are about a grain of sand compared to this behemoth! It is awe-inspiring.

I'll be honest with you... I didn't know if I was going to make it all the way up. It was upper 80's to 90 and close to 5000 ft high and I'm very much a flat lander! I found that out in Ruidoso, New Mexico last year. We were also wearing our Sketcher Shape-ups shoes and they were definitely not the right shoes for this hike. (Note to self, get hiking boots before doing this again!)

Would I do it again, you bet! But next time I think we'll do it later in October when it's a bit cooler. Next year we want to hike through the Devil's Garden. That's where the huge Landscape Arch is and the fallen Wall Arch. There is so much to see in this park. If it's not on your bucket list, it should be. Both Devil's Garden and the climb to Delicate are considered strenuous hikes.

When they say that believe them!

Oh yes, the mountains you see in the back ground are the LaSal Mountains. It's a small range and one of the youngest, but Mt. Peale is a respectable 12,747 (or so) feet. We saw snow up there in those mountains just before we left last year. The picture you see here with the snow capped mountains is taken from the City Market parking lot in the Moab valley (city). It was beautiful.

I hope you enjoy these pictures. If you want to see some spectacular sights, go see the National Parks, and please included Arches National Park. And allow more than one day, it's a very large park.

If you've been to Arches, let me know your favorite thing to see!

Vicky & Bob Heron (Capt. Jack & Jesse James)

How to work & live wherever and whenever you choose!

Good To Be Back In Utah!

We arrived in Moab, Utah on Labor Day. Staying at Arch View Resort for the 1st third of our stay here. It's so beautiful in this part of the country.

On the way into town I swear I saw things I did not see last year. It is awe-inspiring. We're in Site 72 again this year... a premium site with a bird's eye view of Arches National Park. And just like last year we can see "the Windows Arches" out our windshield. Sunsets are breathtaking from our vantage point.

We even have the same neighbors on our right as we had last year. They have a Hurricane Class A motorhome with a white Jeep toad, a trailer with their 4-wheeler and two bicycles. As they were setting up camp Bob was talking to them and discovered they were our neighbors last year. They stayed 2 weeks last year and loved it so much that they're staying 3 weeks this year. Don't blame them a bit!

Last night we went to one of our favorite attractions, the Bar M Chuckwagon. The evening starts out with an old-fashioned shootout (played by the owner Alan Brown and two of the musicians). Then we all mosey inside and settle down to a chuckwagon style cowboy meal. Then the entertainment starts and this is the highlight of the night.

Last night there were two bus tours who came to the see the show. One was a group from France and the other was a senior group from San Diego. All had a great time.

Alan & Valerie Brown own this western establishment that consists of gravel floors and long rows of picnic tables. Alan does all the cooking while Valerie is off working in town as a Century 21 real estate agent. Alan & Valerie are joined by two other musicians who sing and one plays base guitar while the other is a wizard on the steel guitar.

These four people harmonize like angels... it's beautiful. They also inject humor with jokes and skits between musical numbers. I even got on stage with several others and tried to make the toy lasso go in a perfect circle. How did I do? Let's just say I don't plan too make a living roping anything. I'd stink at it :-)

We enjoyed their music so much that we bought one of their CDs. We played it in the car on the way to the laundromat and it was just like being at the show. They even included some clever jokes at the end.

We couldn't wait to get back here. It is the highlight of our year. The only problem we had this year is an 18-wheeler kissed the side of our RV right outside of Amarillo, TX. We didn't feel that much, but our driver side mirror was ripped off and the slide topper on our bedroom slide was ripped off. All things considered, it could have been much worse. Bob calmly kept us on the road and unharmed. The semi kept on going. I don't think he even know it happened.

We have our insurance through Good Sam Club and they are being wonderful. They are doing everything they can to make sure we get things fixed as quickly & painlessly as possible. Thank you Good Sam!

These are the last three park guides we'll be working on this year. We have a new granddaughter who will be making her grand entrance into the world on or before October 10th. We won't be there. First time I'll miss my daughter giving birth. But, I plan to make it up to her just as soon as we get back!

And of course, we'll have to get the RV ready for next year's adventures while we're back in Texas.

If you've been to Moab, let me know your favorite watering hole, adventure or just your favorite thing you enjoy in this diverse destination. I'd love to hear from you!

Vicky & Bob Heron (Capt. Jack & Jesse James)

How to work & live wherever and whenever you choose!