Day 29 - in the Mid-west

This is the most colored trees we've seen. 

Drove across the Mighty Missippi.

Since there wasn't any historical place to visit, we decided to take our break at a quilt shop. We picked a good one - Statin Stitches in Columbua, Mo, just off I70. Of course, Linda and I found more projects for us!  

Stayed in Effingham, Illinois at Camp Lakewood RV Park. Beautiful area. Wish we could have stayed there lonnger. 

Day 28 - Across the High Pararies of Eastern Colorado

Wheat fields and grain writes of Colorado. 

Stopped in Burlington, CO, where Bill lived in the late 70s. Enjoyed a coffee shop in the town. 

Next we stopped at the Prairie Museum in Kansas to get an idea what it must have been like to ride a wagon across the prairie. 

A sod house. 

On the road again through 

Fields and fields of hay bales. 

Stayed at the Owl's Nest campground in Junction City. 

Day 27 - starting back East

Started out in Utah and headed to Colorado. Loved the fog on this mountain   

Driving through White River National Forest. 

Ran into a little rain/snow in the Rockies. 

A change in the terrain in eastern Colorado. 

Stayed in a KOA campground in Limon, Colorado. Don't like paying the extra money for a KOA but there weren't too many choices. 

Day 26 - Arches National Park

The Park lies atop an underground salt bed that is responsible for the arches, spires, balanced rock, sandstone fins. Water and ice, extreme temperatures, and underground salt movement are responsible for the sculptures rock scenery. 

The Three Gossips. 

Courthouse Towers

Bill drove us on through Arches NP to the Devils Garden trailhead. Since the dogs weren't allowed to hike in the NP, Bill decided to go into Moab to get the oil changed in the truck. 

Linda and I started up the trail seeing these arches:

Landscape Arch

We walked through Devils Garden Campground to see the Skyline Arch:

Then the Tapestry Arch

Delicate Arch

North Window

South Window

Turret Arch

Double Arch

After a beer and lunch break at Moab Brewery, we took off up Route 128 along the Colorado. 

Although Linda and I had already reached over 15,000 steps, we decided to hike Negro Bill's Canyon. The dogs were able to be off lease and were very happy. 

Very tired, we headed back to camp. 

Day 25 - Travel to campground near Moab

Today was travel day to a campground near Moab in a VERY little town called Thompson Springs. Ballard RV Park is a small campground with full hook ups. 

Driving up i15 and I40, we saw such vast land with no habitation. 

We also found out that since this was Sunday, the grocery store wasn't open but we did find a fruit market where we got two different kinds of melons - a canary and a casaba. Can't wait to taste them. 

At Thompson Springs, I had read about Sego Canyon where there are petroglyphs and pictographs the Ute Indians created and a coal ghost town. So away we all went to investigate. We were able to walk up the canyon and get quite close to the Indian art. 

Very little else is here but the campground is nice and we could have a fire. So it was pizza mountain pies and s'mores!  Life is good. 

Tomorrow bin to Arches National Park. 

Day 24 - Sunrise on the HooDoos and Exploring Calf Creek State Park

Since sunrise over the HooDoos in Bryce Canyon wasn't until 7:47, we decided to ride up and watch it rise. Lenny and Reuben didn't even budge from their beds. But for us it was so worth it. Great start to our day. 

The sun comes up and shines on the HooDoos (the spherical shapes). 

Next we decided to take a drive on Route 12, a beautiful scenic byway through small towns, Tropic, Cannonville, and Henrieville. 

Stopped at the Visitor's Center in Cannonville and decided to visit Kodachrome State Park. There was a nature trail that wound around rocks and vegetation. 

From there we continued our scenic drive to Escalante where we decided to take a hike through Calf Creek Canyon. Lenny loved it. Reuben did for awhile but then decided he needed carried for awhile. We got about 3 miles hike. 

Then on the way back to camp, the sun was shining so brightly on the mountains that I had to take more pics. 

Night all