June 1 - July 18

 

It has been six weeks since our blog was updated.  We're still here in Escalante, Utah at Escalante Petrified Forrest State Park.  We continue to really like this Park, the Town, this part of Utah.  Our Camp Hosting routine consists of five days/week volunteering.  June helps out in the office from 9 AM to 12:30 PM while I check campsites for litter and keep the tables clean.  We have 22 sites and I only check the unoccupied sites, so my volunteer workload is "maybe" 2 hrs/day and some days less.  I mentioned in an earlier post that We had become Utah State employees. June is now paid 4 hrs/wk for her office time and I am paid about 12 hrs/wk for cleaning the bath house mornings on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. (Another local does the other four days/wk) I also split and bundle firewood we sell for $5.00 per bundle. 

My Host buggy loaded with firewood I split & bundled this morning.

 

Our Park Visitor Center with a recent Double Rainbow



Our home until September 1st.

Just six miles from the State Park, one of the "Prescribed Burns" conducted on BLM Land by the National Forrest Service.
There have been a few of these in April & May to burn off underbrush that could pose a real threat if an un-controlled fire
were to occur.  Fires are started with helicopters throwing incendiary devices onto a controlled area.  I suppose it's
necessary, but it leaves a haze over a many mile wide area for a couple days....

 

 

Petrified Wood at Escalante Petrified Forrest State Park's Rainbow Trail.

A sample of the thousands of Petrified Wood logs scattered along the Park Trails

Wednesday and Thursday are our days off so we spend Wednesday doing various things. Some hiking, exploring, and every two weeks we drive to Cedar City to the closest WalMart; a 240 mile round trip but a gorgeous drive.  Thursday morning has become our laundry day, then lunch out and relaxing Thursday afternoon. 

We've found the best ever Pizza that we enjoy every Sunday and sometimes in between Sundays, at Escalante Outfitters. They cater to hikers and tent campers and also have a few log cabins for rent.  Their store sells hiking apparel, backpacks and supplies. The best part is they have a great coffee and pastry store, and also Pizza and sandwiches. They make all their own pastries, pizza dough and breads which are all fantastic. 

Friends Fred & Olivia Harrington from Waxahachie, TX stopped in Escalante for four days. 
We first met them on our trip to Alaska in 2011; we travelled together for several weeks and have seen them
at their home in Waxahachie and have stayed in touch.  Fred & Olivia travel every year during the summer months to escape the Texas heat.  That's how we got started full-timing - to escape the Florida summer heat.
 It was a real delight to see them again.. 
 

Fred, June, & Olivia at the bridge rail over a deep gorge on the Hells Backbone road.  A dirt road
for 40 miles, except for the short span of pavement over the  bridge.

A highlight of this summer was the six day visit by our son Kane. He flew to Las Vegas, then drove 300 miles to visit us for six days!  We had a great time and miss him already....

Son Kane enjoying some Utah scenery in Escalante Staircase National Monument. 
Kane flew in from Indiana for a six day visit. 

Mother & Son at the Circle of Friends Indian Pictograph. A local hidden treasure.

Our Group Selfie

 

A recent hike from the Escalante River trailhead took us to this set of petroglyphs

On our way back down from the Petroglyphs

This view is from the top of a large slickrock. Upper Calf Creek Trail that follows down to the Calf Creek Falls.  I made it to the bottom of the slick rock, which was quite a feat, then decided I really couldn't handle more descent and then the climb back up to the top.  Kane hiked ahead to the falls while I climbed back up.  June & I waited in Kanes' car parked in the shade and napped for an hour or so.

Making our way down the slickrock at Upper Calf Creek.  Walking down, then up seemed a lot more steep
than it appears here in this picture.
 

This is one of the many slot canyons in the area, but the one with the
easiest access.  Kane tried to book an excursion to a couple of the most desirable slots, but was told they were flooded
 with 4 - 5 ft. deep water, so he decided to do a half day horse ride instead.  His was a personal guided tour with just he and his guide. 

 

 



We're standing in front of a couple wall murals at the Escalante Hole in the Rock Historical Center.
The popular Hole in the Rock Trail is some 60 miles long from Escalante, crossing the Now Escalante Staircase
National Monument to the steep Hole in the rock descent down to the Colorado River that a group of a 100 or so Mormon
pioneers travelled in order to get to their final destination of Bluff, Utah.  The group settled this area in the 1800's and this trek was a most amazing effort.  Today, the Hole in the Rock Rd is very popular, although it's all dirt road and pretty bumpy.  The final seven miles to the Hole in the Rock, seen in these murals, requires a 4WD vehicle. 



That's all for now - thanks for following us......