Bluff, Utah
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Bluff,
Utah,
United States
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Another early morning for us. We wanted to get back to Arches National Park in the morning when the heat was less and we were fresh. Leaving at about 7:30/8:00 a.m., it was a balmy 70 degrees. By the time we reached Arches, it was almost 85 again! But that was still less than the 100 degrees the day before.
We had planned to see as many arches as we could before we had to get back to the hotel and check out at 11:00 a.m. We grossly underestimated the drive time to the arches. We had to pick one arch to hike to so I picked Landscape Arch. It's a very delicate arch and has had sections drop off in recent years. Many feel another piece will drop any time destroying this beautiful arch.
Another "easy" .8 mile hike to the arch...yeah, right. Mostly level the brochure says? In my dreams! It was quite a hike but the sight of Landscape Arch was magnificent and well worth the walk. Along the path we encountered crews of young adults helping rebuild the path we were walking on. They had to transport water for their machinery along this path in a motorized cart. It was hot, hard work. I thanked several of them along the way. On the way back I commented to one woman I hoped they were paying her big bucks for the work she was doing. She said they were all volunteers! I was stunned! What an amazing group of people.
After getting back to the car, we realized we had to hustle back to the hotel to check out. I was bummed we couldn't see more, but eventually decided I can't do it all out here! There's too much to see!
We began the drive to Bluff, Utah. There's not a whole lot shakin' in Bluff. There's not a whole lot in Bluff, but it was a mid-way stopping point for us. We arrived at the Recapture Lodge in the early afternoon. We were able to check in early and the clerk gave us good advice to go to the Four Corners (New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and Utah meet here) in the early afternoon as it's on the Navajo Reservation and they sometimes close early on really hot days.
Ugh, back into the car for the 800th time (it seems) and on the road again. About the only thing interesting on this journey was the herd of goats we found walking down the middle of the highway. There is free range land everywhere in Utah. There are signs warning of every conceivable animal being allowed to roam freely...and they do! After waiting for the goats to clear, we drove a boring 45 mile drive to Four Corners.
We were able to get our picture taken together standing in all four states at one time. We did some shopping at the Navajo stalls they have surrounding the monument marking the Four Corners. By this time it was a scorching 102 degrees and we both called it quits. Back to the Recapture Lodge for a little pool time.
We found the pool nestled in an area of gardens and trees, There were four young children in the pool already. Ages ranged from 13 to 5. They were swimming and having a great time, but no parents were to be seen...hummmm. We jump in and start our cooling down process. The oldest of the children asked me about being white (the children were Navajo). We had an interesting conversation with them, answering their honest questions as best we could.
The San Juan River runs through Bluff. There are walking paths down to the river, but the no-see-'ems were out in full force, biting everything in sight, so we passed on that stroll.
We are ready to be home. We have been in seven states in 11 days. We driven almost 1,700 miles. We are winding down and glad to be near the end of this amazing, colorful, beautiful journey. I miss my bed and my own bathroom. I miss my son. I miss my mom.
