Take Two

Crossing over the Colorado River

Here we go again!  Alaska take two!  We packed up and headed down our driveway on the last Friday in May. Often times when you travel in a Rv you are looking for the new road to travel but sometimes you are looking to retrace the familiar looking to find what you missed the first time. Traveling back to an area takes away some of the urgency to see it all and focus on lesser known areas that may be  a bit more off the beaten path,  or a chance to revisit an area that was especially enjoyable.  Living in New Mexico we have explored many of her scenic byways many times.  The drive from Albuquerque to Farmington via 550 is still one of my favorites.  Our plan was to spend few days revisiting southern Utah which we find one of the most beautiful areas in the Southwest.  This time around the wild flowers were blooming everywhere after the unusually wet and cool spring.  A familiar vista repainted.

Capitol Reef NP

We passed the iconic “Shiprock” formation in the Four Corners area of New Mexico and headed down a lesser taken road to spend the night in Blanding, Utah.  We knew that all thou it was a short drive mile wise, the drive from Blanding via highway 95 and then highway 24 to Torrey, Utah is winding, slow and unbelievably beautiful.   The color of the rocks and open vistas are truly incredible as you snake through the land passing over the Colorado River and then pass Capitol Reef National Park.  A drive to be savored firsthand, cameras do not capture the scale and beauty of the landscape.   

Torrey is at the cross roads of highways 12 and 24.  There are a few nice RV parks ( we stayed at Wonderland) it is worth staying in this area for a few days with enough to see and explore with Capitol Reef NP nearby.  The drive via 12 to Bryce Canyon NP is one of the most scenic byways in the country.  Once in your life everyone should see this area of the country and take this drive.  Jack and I have done it a few times and opted out of going to Bryce again but it is one I recommend as a must do! Check out my earlier blog posts on this area too!

Here we go!

The Motley Crew

Getting steeper!

Our RV friends Jim and Liz were staying in Torrey waiting for truck repairs L.  We spent the next few days enjoying their company over roaring campfires and watching the full moon rising.  The highlight of the visit was taking an ATV tour of the area.  We took turns driving the rugged roads cautious at first then embracing the adventure.  What a hoot! Watch out for that tree!  It was time to head down that road and say goodbye to our friends.  We knew they would be the last familiar faces we would see for a few months.  It was a very social first half of the year but now it was time to hit that long lonesome road to Alaska.