Saturday, May 18 (continued)
It’s still early morning when the crew and I head up Goblin Valley Road. After nine miles we turn right and go another nine miles or so across the sage plain. We turn right again onto Highway 24 and approximately twenty miles later we reach the familiar Chevron station in Hanksville. I take the opportunity to go online in the parking lot.
From Hanksville we take Highway 24 westward.
The crew goes to sleep while my anticipation grows. We’re on the Capitol Reef Scenic Highway! And scenic it is! The highway follows the Fremont River, through gray rock formations at first and then the dramatic red cliffs we’ve all seen in photographs.
It’s hard to say what’s prettier, the rocks or my rig!
It being a Saturday, the turn-outs for photo-taking are filled with vehicles.
Ironically, the turn-outs for photos are no good for photos because they’re turn-outs and vehicles mess up the photos! Ha! Life is a trip. Regardless, I do manage to snap a few good ones among many losers.
Tree trunks are cropped out as well as a line of cars.
I suggest you do a search for “Capitol Reef images” if you want to appreciate the magnificent beauty of the area.
At Fruita a sign announces that the park’s campground is full.
Just what I expect and I don’t care. Not my style. The crew still sleeps as we leave Capitol Reef National Park and enter the town of Torrey. A cluster of motels, restaurants, and RV parks beckon. We keep going. I want to get us settled in and save any more sightseeing for another day. A lovely, green valley opens up before us.
Buffalo graze in a field a short distance from the town limits.
See the sprinklers, Dorothy? We’re not in Arizona any more.
Right before the town of Bicknell, I find what I’m looking for!
The whole point of showing this photo full-size is so you’ll notice the little bird.
As I drive up the paved road to Sunglow Campground, it’s obvious how it got its name.
A few days later these rocks seem to glow from within as seen from across the valley during a very dark, cloudy day.
Pay envelopes are in the green box. You fill out an envelope, stick in your money, and drop it in the green cylinder.
Sunglow is a small campground. The self-pay station states $10 for regular and 50% off with a senior pass.
Bridget and Spike wake up and want out, immediately, of course. Those two can be sound asleep and automatically sense when we are on a campground road.
It’s uncanny.
The first five sites are filled.
Uh-oh. Never travel on a weekend! You know better. I keep driving. Interesting rock cliffs surround the campground.
What could be more Utah?
We pass the rest rooms and enter a cul-de-sac for group camping which is at the end of the campground.
I scan for a single site.
Aha! There’s a lovely campsite tucked in next to one of the group sites. And it’s away from the filled campsites all squeezed together at the lower part of the campground near the entrance. I get out of the PTV and read the reservation cards on the group site posts. Hmm . . . the reservations are for next weekend! Great!
“Looks like we found our new home, guys!”
I back the BLT into the campsite, let out the crew, and together we rejoice!
Obviously this photo was taken after I’d set up camp and unhitched the PTV.
Well, they pee first and then we rejoice.
rvsue
