Utah Travel Journal Day 2

7/3/19

Leg 1: ID Falls —> Alpine

Honestly, best part f the trip. Got off cleanly, albeit a little late. I had decided weeks ago to go the Back way to Vernal, today’s night stop. This was supposed to add add 35 min but likely added more. The detour started from this leg; instead of I-15, I took US 26, a 4 lane rd (soon 2) toward Alpine, WY. The route ran up and down in the Snake river valley. Sometimes i was high on a plateau , other times i was in a narrow valley. Stopped briefly in Swan Valley for gas, drink, and potty, where the port a potty was so smelly, even I noticed. Got not overly nicely asked to move my car and had to really control my anger over the 6 hours to get over it. [Later Connor: it was a perfectly reasonable request and Idaho Connor needed to chill the ___out]. Just one of those things. That valley was great, but the Palisades Resevoir btwn Palisades and Alpine was another level. Beautiful blue skies, broad lake, green trees, and the road skirts right along it. Some really great pics and I just really can’t do it justice. Simply magnificent.

Leg 2 Alpine —> Cokeville, WY

First time in Wyoming since 2003 and boy did i spend some time here this time. I turned south on US 89 [in Alpine] which went through small towns with obvious tourist/vacation money (Alpine, Star Valley, Afton, Smoot). Very pretty, with Salt River to right (west) and mountain ridge to left (east). The soundtrack to Legs 1 and 2 were Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee. The bright skies balanced sad subject matter, but engaging enough to keep going. Most unique part of this stretch was running directly on the WY and ID border from Geneva ID to US-30. ID uses a TON of irrigation and uses it to grow hay which surprises me to see as most popular crop. Where are the potatoes? [Later Connor: Likely under the ground]

Leg 3 US-30 (pre Cokeville) —> Manilla, UT

This leg, contrary to the descriptor of leg 2, really started pre-Cokeville. US 30 was a big road and you could fly but my bladder made me stop several times despite there being no places to stop. I’ll leave it at that. This was my least favorite leg, likely because it was a middle and relatively similar/same: ranches, rocky mountains, and mining. Thinking I was going to get pulled over spooked me but he/she never caught up. I had a belly ache the whole leg and the wide open roads were not conducive [to alleviating that]. I seriously think i pass one gas station Geveva—>Mountain View and i missed that one in Cokeville bc I didn’t want to look suspicious in front of cop. But…I had to remind myself that ti was still incredibly beautiful and it really was. You could see forever. This leg was Cokeville to Kemmerer on US-30, the US 189 to WY 412 (talk about empty) through mountain view (very pretty) and i got a rest area finally, to WY 414 to Manilla, UT. This last part was tiring because i was behind boats and trailers for most of it. . The Leg 3 entertainment was Hello Internet #125 [a podcast].

Leg 4 Manilla to Vernal

This went all through Flaming Gorge Nat. Recreation Area, which was a combo of red rocks and pine trees. Got high elevation (9,000 ft at peak) and I was in a good mood with a pop. Back on Bury My Heart and had fun with the phenomenal views and switchbacks. The way down I was in a long line of cars/trailers/trucks coming down @ 25 mph and other than worrying about the truck behind me hitting me bc of brake failure (it was steep) (and he didn’t) that was just fine. Big time mining country and it felt like all Northern Utah was spread before me. Found my hotel in Vernal, the Dinosaur Inn and Suites (everything is dinosaur centered in this area) and dropped stuff before heading to Dinosaur National Monument.

About 15-20 miles outside Vernal (near Jensen, UT) is one entrance to Dinosaur National Monument. I saw a tram pull away as I pulled into the visitor center, so I packed my hiking pack for the first time and walked directly through the center and onto the tram (like at an amusement park and tow carriage multi row golf cart basically). We went to the top of hill/mtn and I got to a real dinosaur dig. My choices have really worked out and coming to Dinosaur Nat'l Monument, of all places I could have picked in Utah was no exception. They’ve basically covered with a roof and walls a real dinosaur dig with tons of intact fossils. The dinosaurs were stegosaurus and a long necked dinosaur and a T-rex-like carnivore. Really impressive and I stood and ponder for a while. Instead of the tram, I hiked back down. It was good to get the fresh air and my blood pumping but had some ill effects.

My lack of serves in WY meant i had a protein bar and a chunk of Jerky since breakfast. I had drank a lot of water, but the lack of fuel and electrolytes caught up to me once the sun/heat/elevation made me run through another 40 oz of water. I drove deeper into the park but was really feeling it. I was on the fence and almost turned back to Vernal, but i wanted to add CO to my states list and so i drove 30 miles to Dinosaur, CO [So much dinosaur related stuff in this section]. The town was sad but it had a gas station so i got gatorade and a snickers and my trip home was SOOOO much more pleasant. [I feel like adding that I chose to listen to a F1 racing podcast from England during the drive to and from Dinosaur, CO. I have eclectic listening tastes.]

Showed at hotel and went to dinner at Vernal Brewing Company, another Yelp suggestion. The beer and Pizza was good and i felt fine eating along. The hotel was the dicy-best of all hotel reservations [Later Connor: It was not], but it is fine—>good.