25th June 2024
Not a great night's sleep - and I'm moving rooms again today
I keep thinking "This place is alright - and I can do yada yada yada" I then book a room via Booking.com, only to find the same type of room isn't available. Doesn't bother me because the rates from Booking (Expedia by any other name) make it worthwhile - but I expect the staff will be glad to see the back of me...
Today is going to be a lesson in memory and distance. My plan is to pop back down to Blanding, then turn right at Shirttail Junction, then turn left towards the Moki Dugway, Goosenecks State Park and then come back north via Bluff.
Shouldn't take long.
On the way out of town I stop at the Moab Diner and have an excellent (if a little spicy) breakfast...
Peter fills my water bottle full of iced water.
I briefly talk to an elderly couple across the aisle from me, the wife having recognised my accent. She said she'd like to visit one day and I tell her it's a great place with screwed up politics - buy that should be something she's used to. Her face hardens and she says, "I'd choose Donald Trump over George Washington".
O.K.
She doesn't speak to me again and leaves shortly afterwards...
I pay for my meal and get on the road, heading south towards Blanding. It's 65 miles.
Surely it didn't
use to be that far...
No matter, I head out of town and follow a pair of Harleys south at about 70pmh...
Today you get an arch - Wilson Arch...
An hour and a bit later, I arrive at Blanding. There's a right turn on the way out called Shirttail Junction. For reasons that bypass good sense, I don't have Agnes plugged in today - don't need her - I can remember the route...
We exit Blanding and I then see the junction and turn right...
The road is quiet, well-surfaced and it's a pleasant drive. Except it's already pretty warm and I subsequently have the roof up and the ac on...
I know the left turn isn't far down here...
...except that it appears it
is...
Thankfully the junction appears - only a few miles. Twenty-two miles. Oo-er..
No matter, let's get to it...
Eventually I get to the top of the Dugway...
...somewhere I have visited dozens of times in the past 20 years - but always by motorcycle...
The U-turns are metalled (after a fashion), but the straights are gravel. With a five-litre rear-wheel-drive car, you'd better believe I left the traction control on...
I (carefully) drive down. The road you can see in the middle of the above pic is Valley of the Gods Road - which, were I on two wheels, would be my route back to the 191 north. Not in this car, though...
I get to the bottom of the Dugway and immediately see signs for Goosenecks State Park...
Despite reports of flash-floods in the area, this rebuilt wash is the only damage I come across (although there's a lot of sand on the road)...
Goosenecks is only $5 to enter, and has some impressive canyons...
Right - let's plug Agnes in. One hundred miles to the hotel...
Sooner we set off, the sooner we get there. I notice it's 94F down here at Goosenecks, compared with 86 at the top of the Dugway...
Looks like we might be in for some weather on the way back...
Quick 'on the hoof' pic of the other end of Valley of the Gods...
I stop at Twin Rocks Café in Bluff...
...for Killer Nachos...
...and lemonade. They were both
excellent
Back on the road, I stop in Moab to refuel (26.9mpg), then wheel my bags up to my bedroom.
Good day - where to tomorrow
