Wheelin' and Exporin'

Portal RV Resort
Moab, UT
April 22, 25, 26, 2016

One of the nice things about being apart of the Moab Friends For Wheeling club is that when people who want to go wheeling visit here, often they will contact the club via Facebook for help.  Such was the case a couple of weeks ago when Mike, Tara, and their year old son Hunter arrived from Vancouver.  Dee volunteered to lead them on Hell's Revenge and we were invited to come along.  We readily accepted...just can't get enough Hell's Revenge !

 The following Monday, the six of us headed out to Jackson Hole.  It was an absolutely gorgeous day for some rock hounding and cliff climbing !  Pearl was getting new tires so we rode along with Dee.

On the way to Jackson Butte, we made a stop to hunt for fossils.   

I only found one seashell fossil this time. 









Jackson Butte is on the left...Cliffhanger is the ridge that wraps around from behind the butte to the right.

 I love this angle of the butte...

Rock climbing on the back side of Jackson Butte under the Cliffhanger 4X4 trail was a hoot although Joe and I didn't go as far as Dee and Jeremy.  Quite a challenge to figure out the best route and not cause a rock slide. 

L-R Tara, Dee, Mike and Hunter and Joe

 It's so beautiful here...

 Our stopping point, looking down at Tara and Hunter...




and up at Dee and Jeremy.

Our last stop was in the riverbed where the Colorado River once flowed.  One of my favorite rock hounding spots.

I found a new cactus.  This is a Whipple's Fishhook.  It is named after Amiel Wicks Whipple (1818-1863) who was an engineer for surveys of the US/New Mexico boundary from 1853-1856.  Nature is so amazing...the pores open up at night to allow carbon dioxide to enter. It is stored and during the day is used in photosynthesis. 


These are tiny cactus (2" to 1.2' tall) with showy light purple or pinkish flowers.

Our last day with the Johansens was spent on Poison Spider.  It was an overcast day and we mostly had the trail to ourselves. 



Looking back on the waterfall we had just climbed and the fresh tire marks we had made.






 Mike drove the waterfall and V-Notch like a pro...

...and did a dang good job on Wedgy too! 

No matter what the weather, High-Speed Mesa is always a blast and gorgeous.

 No trip on Poison Spider is complete without a picture of mama pig and her piglets...

...a picture of the dead ( I prefer sleeping) buffalo...

...or a hike to Little Arch.  (Just on the other side of the river, you can make out Moab Rim parking lot.)


Hunter had a ball...maybe an up and coming rock climber?

The stunning overlook is a must see.







And of course the sandy play hill brings out lots of laughs and wahoos!  We made freshies!   

Poison Spider Mesa is marked as one of Charles Wells' (author of Moab, UT Backroads & 4-Wheel-Drive Trails) favorite trails and it's no wonder.  

It was great meeting such nice young people and we sure hope our paths cross again.

Until next time, happy days, and...

 HAPPY TRAILS !

Wetlands Preserve with Sue and Dave

Portal RV Resort
Moab, UT
April 21, 2016




If you are ever in Moab and want to enjoy a quiet, peaceful walk among the reeds, Scott M. Matheson Wetlands Preserve is just the spot.    











From Main Street/Hwy 191 turn west onto Kane Creek Rd. at the McDonalds.  The preserve parking lot will be about .81 of a mile on the right.  It is well marked.



Joe and I had the pleasure of spending time with Sue and Dave (belugasexcellentadventure.blogspot.com) at this magical place where water meets earth...a stark contrast from the red rock cliffs that surround it. 

As we rounded a corner, we stopped dead in our tracks.  


It seems turkeys have the right of way.  Sue and Dave identified these as Rio Grande Wild Turkeys.

Rio Turkeys thrive in cottonwood river bottoms.  They eat pine nuts, acorns, juniper berries, grasses, weed seeds, and leafy green vegetation.  Benjamin Franklin called the wild turkey "a bird of courage" and if he had had his way, the wild turkey would be our country's national symbol.  These are the largest of all Utah's game birds.  

These handsome fellows were quite noisy and it's no wonder...courtship begins in early spring.  Miss turkey was headed the other way!

Sue also identified this Spotted Towhee.  What a beauty! They spend most of their time in leaf litter.  But I did read that spring is a good time to catch an unobstructed view of them as the males climb into the shrubs/trees to sing their buzzy songs. 

We also walked down to the Colorado river.

These Cinnamon Teals were having fun riding the current and then swimming back.  

Such a delightful day...

Until next time, happy days and...

HAPPY TRAILS!