Hot. Cold. Lows. Highs.

Moab was the only destination Michael and I had both settled on while planning this month-long road trip. 

I lived in Flagstaff, Arizona on and off for 18 years, starting in the early 1970s. I graduated from Northern Arizona University in archeology and worked at the Museum of Northern Arizona, cataloging artifacts for the Cedar Mesa Project, near or part of the now-controversial Bears Ears.

But it became pretty clear to me that archeology and working with dead things wasn't a good fit and I switched to journalism, with a graduate degree from there as well. And then later taught there.

But when I was working at the Museum and NAU, Moab was legendary as a mecca for local river runners, at least in my mind. It was where many of them put in their boats and rafts for a longer trip down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon.  Over the years I had visited many areas around Four Corners, and the San Juans. But I hadn't ever made it to Moab. It seemed overdue.

Freaking Hot was an understatement

Unfortunately I missed the memo about when to visit Moab.  Definitely not summer if I want to go hiking any time other than sunrise. Definitely not in a 16-foot metal home on wheels. And definitely not parked in an RV park without shade trees.

By the time we arrived in Moab it was 103 degrees, 7 percent humidity, and big gusty winds that sucked the moisture right out of us.

Within hours of exploration, Michael and I got a cold drink at a local juice bar and waited for the other person to say, 'New plan?'
I think it was simultaneous. So we fit in as much sightseeing as we could into 24 hours, and headed north and east to Glenwood Springs.

As much as I was disappointed in not fully exploring the area, I'm also too pragmatic to make myself forge ahead in a miserable situation just because we had a plan.

I sound like a wimp complaining about the heat, even to myself, but I blame two years of living in San Francisco Bay where the highs are in the low-60s and 80 percent humidity is the norm. I've acclimated. Moab might still be a possibility for a summer visit but only with a plan and a lot of air conditioning.

Hot springs feed the downtown public pool.

This is our second visit to Glenwood Springs, Colorado and that's because our visit last year was stellar and way too short. It's about 6,000 foot elevation which makes it cooler, and the town sits on major hot springs and vapor caves.

We're camped right on the Colorado River again and as soon as we set up camp, it was a resounding 'ahhhhhhhh' and a declaration that I might not be leaving until the first snowflake falls.  The high was in the mid-80s and this morning required three or four layers of clothing to stay warm until the sun crested the surrounding mountains. 

We'll be here until we feel like leaving, which is none too soon. A bonus is having Michael's son, Jason, join us for a camp out tonight. He lives just a little ways up the mountain.

Camping on the Colorado River

My thought for the next part of our journey east is to continue on without expectations, keep asking people, 'where's good?' 'where is interesting?' and 'where shouldn't we miss?'

But it won't be for a while. At least that's the current plan.

The bike & walking trail from our campsite to downtown

A pedestrian bridge over the freeway - not for acrophobics

The Amtrak station is downtown, on the river

Tacos at the Slope & Hatch are stellar!

My perfect travel shoe:  Bedrock sandals (made in Point Richmond)