Location: Lower Gray Canyon, BLM Recreation Area (Green River, UT)

I believe that I left everyone curious about where I would end up for the next few days. I did not go far because I read about a wonderful Bureau of Land Management (BLM) area about 10 miles north of Green River, up the canyon. We were especially blessed this time: a spot next to the river and a short walk to a beach. Cottonwoods line the banks, and they are early spring green with just enough shade to cool us off. Right away, I saw a few rafters and kayakers bob through the rapids, which I guesstimate as Class II. I am in a beautiful place and the weather forecast looks good! I have tons of photos from this and earlier stops but I cannot get them to load for some reason. Hope to figure out the problem and then post them all! 

I found this pic online and it shows the Green River and the canyon I drove into:

The beach near my campsite:

The first morning,  my phone seemed to send out only “M” messages.  The front screen said “Monday, May 1st” and “Montana”, a note I added before to remind me it’s time to start thinking about the last leg of this journey and the provisions I need.

This day is the M day for another reason. I need to fix the Mess. When I parked my camper in the lovely riverside spot the day before, I forgot to unhook one emergency chain, which links the van and camper. So, when I pulled forward, I pulled the tongue jack off the blocks it rested on. The jack sunk into the sand about half way, leaving the front end at a slight angle. No big deal. I turned off the frig, which should not run unless level.

So, on Monday, May 1st Mess day, it is time to backtrack the 10 miles to the town of Green River where, without much help from my emergency road service, I find a towing guy who lives in the area and knew where I was. Shortly after, we meet back at the campsite and, using a floor jack, he hoisted it back up. This time I rest the tongue jack on something proper: the cone-shaped stand. So much for using blocks of wood. We chatted about floor jacks, and the one this guy used cost $400. He said, however, that I should be able to find one less expensive. Once I have one, I won’t need it, right? Good insurance so onto the must have list it goes.  

The rest of the day I read, walked on the beach with Tango and lounged endlessly without remorse. The campground was nearly deserted during the work week; however, a couple next to me invited me over in the evening for a beer. She walked right up to my rig and looked in, shouting hellooooo (a breach of RV etiquette). I am weary of people, for now, so I lied, saying I was not feeling well. The woman persisted, as I did. I felt terrible declining but, then again, I have the right to privacy without offering explanations (right?). Gosh, I feel rude, though.

Tango is on the mend. He is walking and even running now in the sand. I still don’t know what hurt his foot–no swelling or visible bites, but he has a slight limp. I am thinking he sprained his foot up on the mesa above Moab.

Tuesday I was still in bed and thinking about the tongue jack sliding off again. Could it? The sand is soft, and the cone holding it up is not perfectly straight. Is it sinking? I convinced myself that I needed to move to a leveler and less soft spot or I would sink again. About an hour later, in my new spot, I felt the comfort of solid ground. Another benefit of moving: I was closer to the south-facing canyon mouth and could get TV channels through my digital antenna. Yep, I fired up Ron’s generator and watched my Tuesday TV Night shows (NCIS, BULL, NCIS New Orleans). Tuesday is the only TV night I miss while on the road.

Today, Wednesday, Tango and I are back on the road after 3 blissful nights on the Green River. Before we left the town of Green River, I stopped at the John Wesley Powell museum. Powell is the first white dude to travel down the Green River to the junction of the Colorado, then to pass through the Grand Canyon. Lake Powell is named after him, and Wallace Stegner wrote a great book about Powell’s adventures- “Beyond the 100th Meridian”. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves western history and outdoor adventures.

As I headed north from Green River,  the dramatic canyon walls faded from view and the great Wasatch Range of the Rockies popped dramatically from the valley. The peaks are no longer snow-capped but they held pockets of snow visible from a long way out. We spent much of the day crossing those mountains – a long ride up up up, across, across, across, and down down down into Utah’s version of the Front Range (where Denver sits). As I write, I am on Interstate 15 just south of Salt Lake City, waiting for rush hour to end. More specifically, I am at the McDonald’s inside the Love’s Truck Stop. One of my most guarded secrets: I enjoy McDonald’s cheeseburger while traveling! I was super excited in New Mexico because the McD’s had green chili cheeseburgers. Perhaps a snack-sized McFlurry now?

I expect to keep driving into night-time. I want to get out of this madhouse of humanity and the polluted air before I settle in somewhere for the night. I stopped at an Auto Zone to ask about a second RV battery, but they were out!!! The guy told me someone bought all 14 at one time. Maybe I can find one after I cross into Idaho.

Regarding my route now that I am far off my original course: I am heading on the I-15 up to Pocatello, ID, then taking scenic roads into West Yellowstone, ID (the west entrance). From there, I will drive through part of Yellowstone and into Gardiner, MT by Friday.