070709 UTAH

Utah
Thursday July 05, 2007

I don’t know much about the rest of the country, but where we are it’s like an oven set to roast. Vegas has new highs ( over 115) and as we pass thru the northwest tip of Arizona and into Utah it didn’t seem to let up. Our next destination is high in the Rockies, at about 8,000 feet, at Gunnison, Colorado; another AOR club campsite with WiFi, paved roads, handicap spaces and great scenery.

Today, I felt like giving Peter a new name – Dennis the Menace.

From the time we rolled out of our slot, he was restless. He couldn’t find a place to get comfortable. First he attacked an empty plastic water bottle and destroyed it, and then he was all over the Beast. He was in the front seat, then on the couch, then in the isle and then he wanted to hide under my legs and then look out my window (while I am trying to stay on the road). Try pulling sixty pounds of pure muscle from under the dashboard with one hand while trying to steer with the other. I finally had to pull over and give us both a rest.

Of course, as soon as we stopped, he runs to the door and expects to go out. Figuring this may calm him down, I hook up the extra long leash and open the side door. He jumps out, realizes it’s 20 cooler in the Beast (with the a/c on) and with his feet getting fried on the hot asphalt, he jumped back in.

No sooner than we get up to traveling speed (about 65 mph) he decides to get a better view by jumping on the dashboard on the passenger side and walks across to my side. There he is, standing on all fours, between me and the windshield, as I try to look between his legs to see where I am going. I’m certainly glad there were no Highway Patrol cars in the vicinity. I slowed the Beast to another stop along the shoulder, pull him down, and tried to get angry with him, but he just looked t me with that – “I’m having fun, how can you be mad at me” look, and I had to laugh.
However, the rest of the morning, he was on a short leash, attached to the inside hand rail, with just enough room to get to his water bowl and the couch.

We filled up with gas early in the day (50 gallons) and paid $3.01 per gallon. We felt good about the price until we hit Arizona, where it was $2.95, but felt better in St. George, Utah where it was $3.31.

For those of you who have small gas tanks, you probably don’t know that most pumps strop at $75 if you use a credit card. Besides that, if you try to use the same card again, you may get a rejection, so sometimes we have to use 2 different card just to fill up.

We overnited at a Super Wal-Mart in Cedar City, Utah, and when the sun went down, we commandeered an electric shopping cart and cruised the isles. It was late, quiet and the only trouble we had was dodging the stocking crew as they refilled the shelves. Back to the Beast, and good night’s sleep was had by all.


Friday July 6
Cedar City, Utah

By comparison, Peter was as much of an angel today as he was a devil yesterday

As early as 8am we could feel the heat of the day rising. It was 85 on its way to 100.

WE stopped at my favorite roadside fast food place … Arby’s. Nothing fancy – just some beef and cheese on a roll and a chocolate shake to wash it down. As I was standing in line, waiting to give my order, I heard this little voice in my head asking me if this is really what I wanted. It was the Nutrisystem Mind Police. I gave then a definite YES and the last sounds I heard were a sigh and a moan. I’m sure there will be payback later, but for now, it was great.

Regardless of the heat, the view out our big windows is spectacular. Mountains and Mesas of all different shapes and sizes and colors. The vastness of untouched territory baffles the mind when you are used to living in crowded cities with constant traffic and insidious noise levels.

The scenery is breathtaking.
It should be described as Nature’s Art Gallery.

WE overnighted at a Flying J, in a corner away from the diesels with their motors always running, and sleep well.


Saturday July 7
Richfield, Utah

For the weekend, we pulled into a Good Sam campsite in Green River, Utah. Paved roads, WiFi, level sights, easy hookups, nearby doggie walk; we are both happy.


Sunday July 8,
Green River, Utah

Late in the afternoon, a Really big wind storm hit our park suddenly and we rocked and rolled for a few minutes and then it passed.

Didn’t think much more about it till later when I was going to take Peter for his nightly walk. It was late , very dark and I usually leave my rolling walker outside by the steps. Much to my surprise when I discovered the walker was gone. Knowing that RV people are not thieves, I quickly deduced that the prior wind storm must have blown it somewhere. It was 10 PM, pitch dark, except for our porch light and my cap light (it clips to the brim of my cap), and using a backup walker, we searched the area. Fortunately, it had been blown in to a nearby vacant space and it was still upright. Peter helped me pull it back to the Beast and then we continued our walk. Another lesson learned. From now on, I attach a bungee cord to my walker and the outside handrail.

Till next time,