Red Rock Fun in Moab

 We moved south from Torrey Utah to one of our favorite spots, Moab.     We've spent a fair amount of time there, but it never seems to be enough.     This time we're staying at Spanish Trails RV Park a little south of "town".     In the past, we always found a spot at The Portal, just a little north, near Arches National Park.

happy hour at site 509

Spanish Trails is more of a campground and The Portal is really an RV resort but we've been happy in both.     Management at Spanish Trails was very friendly and happily moved people around in order to extend our stay a day or two to allow Dave a bit more tweeking on the big repair that began in Spokane.

 The weather was up and down during our stay.    Dramatic skies and rain one minute, sunny and hot the next.

Moab was very busy.  Very busy.   We were happy we were staying outside of town, and we were glad there was plenty of real estate to explore where we wouldn't have to deal with tour buses, caravans of Jeeps and side by sides and mountain bikes (battery or otherwise). 

 

 We managed to have a meal at our favorite Quesadilla Mobilla Food Truck one late afternoon and found delicous Thai  just off the main drag for another meal.    Of course, we made several stops at Sweet Cravings for - you know - our sweet cravings.      After our  quesadilla linner we walked around and checked out some of the stores, looking for bargan tee shirts or hats.      Interesting murals, too many people, ugh.

misters on high at Quesadilla Mobilla

 This cool cat was on the side of a car wash next to the City Market.   Hmmmmm, speaking of grocery stores....(City Market is one of the two grocery stores in town).....have you ever seen this type of grape before?

They are  called "Moon Drops" and are extremely crisp and sweet.    We've only seen these black beauties in Moab and we're now hooked on them.   Withdrawal imminent, hooked.

This Big Horn Sheep mural was on the side of the Moab Brewing Company.   The closer we got to it the more the sheep disappeared.  As we backed away, we could see it.   Neat!  

So, here are some pictures of our red rock explorations.    Such beautiful and dramatic scenery.   No reservations required for al fresco lunch either!     Sometimes Lewis joins us and sometimes he stays home and holds down the bed - the importance of which is underrated says he....

into the canyon we went

one of the many small creek crossings

lunch in the shade

Although we were able to commune with nature in the solitary manner we love, we did pass 3 or 4 large encampments of what we later discovered were film crew sites.   That may explain why town was so very busy.    Evidently Kevin Costner is using the Moab area as one of several Utah sites for his new movie (s) about the westward expansion,

We passed an "indian" in full make up and loin cloth and two "western folks" also in full costume standing beside a horse trailer and a large tee pee village in the distance...sheesh.

We were very close to Arches National Park, a star in the system to be sure.    But, it has become so popular that an appointment/reservation system has been implemented to visit,  complete with two vehicle wide traffic jams along the entrance road.       One day we took Willow Springs Rd. (dirt, unimproved, grooved slick rock road) to access the park from it's interior.    We stopped for lunch near a line of dinosaur prints in the rock and joined the tourists near Balanced Rock.     Once again, I'm so thankful for our Jeep and a husband who loves driving the roads less traveled.

dinosaur foot print in the rock

entering Arches National Park

We're now in Bluff, Utah, we'll be here until Friday morning.     Stay tuned for our adventures in this tiny town in San Juan County.