Daybreak at Capitol Reef Fruita Campground

Day break comes later at Fruita than usual. Unlike most other places I have camped, I am surrounded by majestic red cliffs at Fruita. It does take a few extra minutes for the sun to peek over the cliffs into the campground.

This is a most pleasant and relaxing campground. Things to do. Things to see. Things to hike. But today will be more about… relaxing! I find it easier everyday and everyway, to relax under a tree with a good book, or getting a new perspective on something that has eluded me for a lifetime.

This is another perspective on the Fruita campsite:

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Arrival at Capitol Reef NP – Utah

Where is Capitol Reef NP – Utah?
Today’s travel: map item #10 to #12 , 121 miles

6:30 a.m. – dog walk, coffee, last minute departure prep
7:00 a.m. – arrive at dump station
7:30 a.m. – arrive at fuel stop
8:00 a.m. – commence journey to CR NP
11:00 a.m – arrive at Capitol Reef National Park

My new home:

You can’t see them in this pict, but more red rocks.

John and Beryl stopped briefly as I was chatting with Bob about the satellite internet system. Bob will be my neighbor here for a couple more days.

I am sure that John and Beryl will be back. I met them at the Bryce CG. They left for a couple days before me. They are from WI.

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Mt. Rushmore revisited

Two years ago I visited Mt. Rushmore in the Black Hills of South Dakota. As I strolled through the hoodoos at , I was briefly drawn back in time to that visit. It had always seemed statistically not likely that the sculpture of former Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln was actually carved during the some 14 years from 1927 to 1941 by humans. Nope, not possible. Perhaps it was actually a fluke of nature, shaped from rock by erosion in much the same way of the hoodoos of Bryce Canyon.

I think I discovered supporting evidence of my theory at Bryce Canyon. Of course, hoodoos are every where. But I spied one group of four on the Queen’s Garden trail that peaked my interest. Oddly, they seemed to be further along the erosional path to becoming recognizable figures. I paused. I moved along the trail to view slightly different perspectives and light angles of the formation. I doubled back a half hour later to double check what I saw. Eventually I climbed back to the rim rather bewildered but confident in what I saw.

These four hoodoos were unmistakeably on their way to becoming profiles of contemporary human figures, of that I am sure. And I have little doubt that when completed we will see the visage of Larry, Curly, Moe and Hillary!

Early tomorrow morn, hopefully before 7:00 a.m., I leave Bryce Canyon NP heading Northeast toward . And I think it is definitely time to move on! Happy motoring.

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Closing out Bryce visit

I will be departing Bryce in a day or two. I have additional picts. These may be add down the road if I see something outstanding, but not today.

Yesterday Columbia shoes and I attacked one more hiking trail – Peek-a-Boo loop. The hike to Peek-a-Boo and the loop itself summed to a hike considerably more difficult than previous Bryce hikes. If there had been ten more feet at the top I am not sure if I could have made it out! Of course the younguns were passing me. The western side of Peek-a-Boo offered some of the most beautiful views I had see to date.

I encountered a young couple on the trail, Erika and Johnathon from San Francisco. Really nice chaps. We hiked together for about an hour before we went different directions. I tried to give them a chance to leave me behind, but they always struck another conversation.

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Garryp climbs hoodoo!

We, the Columbia shoes and I, took a turn on the trails into hoodoo-land yesterday. Trails are easy, not a large elevation change, and crowded. I need to stay here a month and take a trail a day for my health.

At least half the crowd are foreign tourists. There are a lot of rental motorhomes cruising about.

I took more pictures. But by now each is looking about the same as the last. I tried some video pans. As luck would have it the camera was turned 90 degree so the video-lets were all on the side.

Since the camp site costs only $5.00/day, I figured it was about time to splurge and have the second Bryce meal out. A tasty salad was enjoyed for lunch after the hike at the park Lodge. However, I found it to be much less fulfilling than a good burger! How do those dieters do it?

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