Between a Rock and About a Million Other Rocks

Remember a few posts back I told you we were driving through some beautiful scenery in Utah, but at night so that I couldn't share it with you. In fact I couldn't see it myself because it was pitch black. I only knew what was out there because we'd been down that road before.

We drove it twice actually in the past month, both times in the middle of the night. But your in luck! Because we drove it again on Saturday morning, and it was a glorious day!

 We have not driven the entirety of US 191, only bits and pieces of it here and there. I know it starts in Arizona and ends when you hit the top of Montana, or vice versa, which ever direction you want to go. I know it goes through Yellowstone National Park and some scenic areas in Arizona. And I have a feeling that it's probably one of the most scenic drives in the country, passing within a few miles of a number of national parks and within the boundaries of numerous national forests. Maybe one day we'll drive the entire length of it just for fun. But not yet. For now we'll keep doing bits and pieces. This past weekend we drove the bit that travels southeastern Utah. Dropping off I-70 just east of Green River, the first 70 miles of US191 squeeze between the red rock walls, and the boundary lines, of Canyonlands National Park and Arches National Park.

You know how hard a time I have limiting picture posting. Well, the pictures are half the purpose of the blog so I guess I'm excused. I got it cut down to a dozen this time. It was hard.

 There are plenty of natural wonders to gape at, along with your standard tourist traps.

And that's just what you see from the highway. We weren't even inside the park boundaries! Even Malcolm, the non-scenery admirer (he says but I know different), couldn't refrain from pointing things out and agreeing that we should come back one day. He wants to drive down and bring the jeep with us. I'm all for it, except I think we need to make a train and go ahead and haul a horse trailer behind the jeep, and maybe a little camper too. Why not? We're used to having a lot of length behind us.

We turned east at Monticello, UT and crossed into Colorado. Later in the afternoon we passed the exit for Mesa Verde, another place I'm determined to see. We talked about making a big loop, coming down through Yellowstone, then traveling south down US191 through Wyoming and into Utah and seeing the Canyonlands and Arches. Then looping over to see Mesa Vere and then up through the Royal Gorge in the Rockies of Colorado, and then north to home from there. We'll see. I hope it happens, but only time will tell. For now I have to settle for seeing all these things out my window as we pass by. I'm busy being grateful for that. I may not get to stop and explore, but I'm still seeing so much more them many people will ever get the chance to see.

We reached Texas yesterday afternoon. It was 82 degrees and sunny. Amazing! This morning it's 64 and raining. Still pretty amazing! (the rain, not the temp.) It's been such a dry winter! This time of year it feels so weird to come down here and see green grass and flowers and need the air conditioning, and then look at the weather forecast and see white blobs all over our home area. It's hard to explain how the lack of consistency feels sometimes. We're constantly changing climates.

We just delivered our load of safflower seed from Utah and now we're on our way to take a little load of some kind of mineral to north Texas. Don't know what happens from there, but we're supposed to be home this weekend for a few days to feed cattle for Malcolm's parents. It's a great week and I'm in a great mood. Knowing we have home time and horse time to look forward to has a tendency to make me a little giddy.