good-times-rollin

Friday, August 23, 2013

Delicate Arch...I Did It!

Moab, UT
August 23, 2013

We first did The Delicate Arch hike on May 23. That day was a very, very windy day...walking out to the arch was not meant to be.

When we left, I hoped to have another chance one day.

When we decided to return to Moab, the Delicate Arch hike was at the top of the list. Tuesday, 8/20/13 was the day!
It's a great 3 mile hike up slickrock, through a sandy area and then a ledge. Just as you turn the corner which Joe is about to do in the picture above, the arch comes into view...WOW!

This picture shows the walk out to the arch...a slope of slickrock and a drop-off. I got about half way...and don't know what happened. I just couldn't go any further. I did sit for awhile hoping the uneasy feeling of lack of confidence would pass, but it didn't so I turned back.

Fast forward a few days to Thursday evening. We met Gary and Judy (full time RVers for 5 years!)...our new next door neighbors for a week. This is their first trip to Moab. They are avid hikers and at the top of their list was the Delicate Arch hike. "I can do this!" I said to myself. Joe and I don't usually do the same hike in the same week, but I really wanted to achieve a small personal goal.

The walk up the slickrock sure gets the heart to pumping. But our time passed quickly...its always fun visiting with and getting to know fellow RVers. There are always lots of stories to share.

Gary, Judy, and Joe

In the picture below, I wasn't just taking photographs...I was inching my way to the arch.

Judy

Joe joined me about half way...to take my picture at the arch.

I DID IT!

What a great "WOW!" moment. The third time's the charm.

That's me!

We continued on...next stop was a 1 mile hike to the North and South Windows and the Turret Arch.

My best shot of the Windows.

The view looking through the North Window. Quite impressive!

Turret Arch is just a short distance away.

I think I have seen it all...we not only took a double look, we took several looks. I don't think you can tell from the picture, but we did see fish net stockings!

Then this...what the heck do you do with hulla hoops on a hike?

Maybe they are together? Is it a circus act at the Turret Arch? I wish we could have waited to see...

Last stop...a walk around Balanced Rock.

It was sunny when we parked...not so sunny when we left.

Way cool rock creations all around the area of Balanced Rock...

We had an awesome day!

Gary and Judy are fun and we hope to have another hike with them before they leave... and a Jeep ride!

Before heading home, we stopped at the Moab Brewery for a burger and fish tacos...well, Joe had the burger and the rest of us had the tacos. YUMMY!

It's Friday...again! Hope you have a wonderful week-end.

Take care...

Until next time...

Monday, August 19, 2013

7 Mile Rim and Hell-Roaring Canyon

Moab, UT
August 17 - 18, 2013

Pearl meets Thumper!

Thumper belongs to Dee.

Our plans quickly changed Saturday morning when Dee invited us to join her and Thumper on 7 Mile Rim. In our Backroads & 4-Wheel Drive Trails Guide, 7 Mile Rim is the first trail on the difficult list.

The first part of the trail is rocky and ledgy. Joe is very pleased with how the sway-bar disconnect works that we had installed at TERAFLEX. I am usually in Pearl so I don't have a better picture that shows how they help when crawling up and down.

So far, Dee has been the leader...a dang good leader at that!

Thumper first...

...then Pearl!

Dee always takes her time...allowing Joe to ask questions and pointing out different strategies.

The smile tells it all!

There were stretches of slickrock between the ledges.

I love the Jeeping...but I am all about the views too!

If you are afraid of heights...this is not the view for you. Dee pulled right up to the edge of the cliff. Even my stomach did a flip!

There are several side trips you can take on this trail. We chose Uranium Arch. This arch is located in Court House Pasture.

It is a large arch spanning 75 feet wide. I was very surprised to look up and see 4-wheelers riding across the arch.

Monitor and Merrimac Buttes in the distance

This was going to be our picnic spot, but with rain in the distance and a few miles to go, we traveled on.

Our next big adventure on this trail led us through a mix of soft sand...WHOA! WHOA! and through some tight spots on slickrock.

Until it circled around the base of the Merrimac...a very tippy section of the trial. Dee calls this Ilean because that's what you do...lean to the driver's side.

The last part of the trail took us around the base of Determination Towers...

...and through the wash by way of Mill Creek Canyon and back to Hwy 191.

It was a great day topped off with a late lunch at Pasta Jays.

Sunday morning, Joe and I were out the door and on the Hell-Roaring Canyon hiking trail early! This is a really easy 2.2 mile hike to the canyon rim and back. Its rather hot here so we are taking it slow to adjust to the heat.

It is a well marked trail maintained by the BLM

with small inclines and rock ledges.

There wasn't much to see along the trail...the hot summer temperatures have parched all the flowers.

But there is beauty in everything... like these twisted and gnarled tree trunks.

This is the biggest cairn we have ever seen...

...and this is why! Being careful on the rim was highlighted in the trail description.

The canyon is beautiful! It is about 12 miles long and one of four canyons around the Canyonlands NP that drain into the Green River. For most of the year it is dry except in severe rainstorms.

Barrier Canyon Style rock art , both pictographs and petroglyphs, has been found on the canyon walls dating back somewhere between 1500 to 4000 years old or older.

From our side of the rim, we had a perfect view of Jewel Tibbetts Arch. It's name honors a woman who lived at the nearby Horsethief Ranch with her husband in the 1950s and 60s. She often took visitors from the ranch on hikes to see the arch.