Friday, October 16 – Monday, October 19
Baker Dam Reservoir, north of St. George, Utah
Storm clouds roll in!
Our campsite receives rain, on and off, for three days. Bridget and I enjoy the change. We snuggle in bed to the soothing sound of rain pelting the roof of the Best Little Trailer. Bridget knows that the best thing to do in a situation such as this is to take another nap or two or three. She realizes this is a time for lolling around inside, rather than running around in the rain.
Reggie, on the other hand, does not know how to loll.
And he has no interest in learning how! I try my best to keep him amused. We play several games of Bite the Hand that Feeds You until my hands are sore from teeth punctures. We play Throw the Blue Monkey Against the Wall and Catch Him on the Rebound, and that old standby, Tug of War, using whatever is handy, like my sleeve.
He’s crazed! After several rounds of Back-Hoe the Comforter While Whining, and its variation, Tear Up the Comforter with Clenched Teeth While Growling, he returns to strategy #367 . . .
You’ll Do What I Want Because I’m So Cute
I sing to him. I rock him. I scratch his belly. I hold him up so he can look out the window. I trap him under the covers hoping the dark will cue him to take a nap. I pretend to be asleep. He licks my face and pulls my hair.
Reggie is at the end of his rope with all this rain!
Grrrrrr! Grrrrr!
“Okay! Okay! We’re going OUT!”
Together we run around Baker Dam Reservoir Campground.
I cheer him on as he flies in circles around me, his pent-up energy propelling him around and around. The rain catches us and sends us back inside.
Then the rain stops and we’re out again.
This is rinse and repeat . . . literally!
Tuesday, October 20
The rain is gone. “Sunshine! We need to go somewhere!”
One of the great things about camping at Baker Dam Reservoir Campground is the proximity to a variety of interesting places. It’s a great base for exploring the St. George area.
Pine Valley, Snow Canyon, St. George, and Gunlock . . . All these places are less than an hour’s drive from the campground. You have the choice of piney woods, juniper and sage, red rock cliffs, and different reservoirs.
The drive to Gunlock State Park includes a very steep, downhill grade with a switchback at the bottom. You can see it on a Benchmark map, if you’d like to take a look.
See where Gunlock Road is shaped like a bobby pin? That’s it!
(Click on photos to enlarge.)
As one would expect these days, the water level of the reservoir is way down.
The next photo shows mud flats along the Santa Clara River.
The crew and I take a short walk, just enough to make them happy.
I didn’t drive past the campsites. I could see one in the distance (photo below). For $13 a night and the water’s edge being very far from campsites, I’m not interested in camping here this time through Utah.
Maybe in the future the reservoir will be full when we come this way. Wouldn’t that be wonderful!
Wednesday, October 21
We’ll leave Baker Dam Reservoir Campground soon. In preparation for breaking camp, I bury dog poop piles I find all over the campground. I also pick up trash and throw it in the dumpster. I should order one of those picker-upper thingies because some trash is too icky to pick up by hand, even with gloves!
I’ve painted a glowing picture of this campground.
Speaking of glowing… The mountains glow during “the golden hour” at sunset.
I need to add a dose of reality.
Baker Dam is showing wear. It could use some tender, loving care. Maybe that will happen come spring. As it is now, bushes have been smashed, rock barriers moved, even a camp sign knocked down, toilet paper where people don’t bother to walk over to the vault toilet, juniper trees with limbs hanging from people trying to break them for firewood, and tire tracks where rigs have cut corners.
Campsites enlarge as people drive and camp on their perimeters.
If I were a bigger, stronger person, I would enjoy staying and making the place fresh and pretty again. I have an affection for Baker Dam. It’s been a good camp for the crew and me!
Mostly the big rocks need to be moved to define the sites better, to block people from driving where they shouldn’t, and to protect trees, cacti, and bushes from damage by vehicles. I made a few, small improvements.
Maybe you could, too, when you camp at Baker Dam?
Or anywhere you camp!
Let’s all pledge to leave our camps better than we find them.
rvsue
THANK YOU FOR SHOPPING AMAZON FROM MY BLOG!
“What are we going to do next, RVSue?”
CLICK LINK TO SHOP AMAZON NOW!
