Aug 4th to 7th - Utah

Aug 4^th – Mon – Moab

We discussed getting an earlier start this morning so we would be in Arches Ntl Park before it got so hot but that didn't happen! After breakfast we headed out on the bike.

We were surprised that there was a long line of cars to get into the park at 10 but traffic really spread out once in the park. We have been to Arches before but you could swear you didn't see some formations previously. We stopped at a couple of viewpoints and were keeping an eye on some black clouds. Just as we were heading to another area, it started to rain big fat drops. We pulled into a big parking area, got out the motorcycle cover and pulled it over the bike and ourselves! Then the lightning & thunder started. At one point, a guy in a car yelled “hey you people on the motorcycle, do you want to come sit in our car?” We declined and couldn't help but get the giggles every once in a while. The rain let up so Terry crawled out to check. There was another big black cloud and sure enough the rain & thunder started again and Terry joined me back under the cover.

Finally the storm moved over but we didn't take any chances and bee-lined out of the park. We stopped at a grocery store in town and bought enough that we had to wear our helmets (helmets optional in Utah) to provide room to carry everything back. Terry put the cover back on the bike so it could dry out but as soon as it was dry another rainstorm hit.

By the time we were ready to cook dinner, it was sunny for Terry to cook baby backs on the BBQ. We sat outside to eat and had to pull the picnic table into the shade of the rig as it was too hot.

We went for a little stroll around the park and stopped to talk to our neighbors Charles & Sandi from Tennessee. They told us about an RV park in Louisiana (Betty's RV in Abbeville) that is definitely going on our list of places to go.

Aug 5^th – Tues

We rode into town to find a place for breakfast and ended up at Dennys which is always a decent choice. Then we rode Hwy 128 along the Colorado River for a few miles. It used to be the highway into Moab & Arches. We stopped in town and shopped both sides of the most touristy area of the main street. The weather was lovely today.

Back at the RV park, I did 3 loads of laundry which took a bit longer than usual as there were only 2 washers & 2 dryers. It was close to our site though so I walked back & forth several times and got a little needed exercise. We relaxed the rest of the day and Terry BBQ'd again for dinner.

Aug 6^th – Wed – to Bryce Canyon area

We weren't sure where we were going to end up today. We stopped at the visitor center in Capitol Reef Ntl park and decided to keep going as we have been there previously. We had lunch in Torrey and then turned onto Scenic All American Hwy 12 which we traveled once before but in the opposite direction and pulling the 5^th wheel. This time we were able to pull into several view points to ooh & aah and take pictures.

We got a site at Red Canyon RV which is a few miles past Bryce Canyon Ntl park. When we registered they said we could pick our site and might want one with shade. A couple of hours later a neighbor said we might want to move the motorcycle as the trees were “sapping” and little drops get on everything – but they wipe off easily! AC required.

Aug 7^th – Thurs

It really cooled down last night and Terry even turned on the furnace when he got up early. I made breakfast before we cleaned the bike and left for Bryce Canyon. When we stopped at Red Rock Canyon to take pictures, we chatted with 2 couples (Ralph & Linda Beggs and Carroll & Sharri Bain) from Oregon. They both have Spyders and we ended up telling them about VVV.

We entered Bryce Canyon and drove all the way to the end (18 miles) and then stopped at view points on the way back as you don't have to constantly cross traffic doing it that way. It was another gorgeous sunny day. We stopped on the way out and found ice cream which we enjoyed sitting in the shade.

We made a quick stop at the rig and then went Panguitch for a bit of shopping – cleaner for the bike, groceries, booze and gas. Now it was time again to relax – we are good at that! - and have dinner. Terry tried out the new cleaner and shined up the bike.