Kodachrome Basin and beyond!

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This morning we were up and going! Dogs went out but didn’t want to stay because it was very wet and cold. After breakfast we packed a small cooler, our butt-packs, rain coats and lots of David’s camera equipment into the truck. We stopped by the office on our way out to mail a few postcards. This would turn out to be troubling. Our truck is pretty big and doesn’t fit in a regular parking spot. I’d pulled up behind some parked cars and David jumped out and went into the office. Just moments after David got out of the truck, a FedEx truck pulled up and got directly in front of us. We didn’t have enough room to get by the FedEx van but I wasn’t too worried because my thought was he would be quick. It turned out that David was well back in the truck and close to 15 minutes had gone by and the FedEx guy still hadn’t taken the packages into the office and he had accumulated at least a two trip pile by now. David followed the guy into the office to ask him if we could close his van door so we could try and get the truck by his van. David said the guy just blew up and told David he was ready to “whip his Ass for parking in his way!” At that point David followed him back from the office and started taking pictures of his van, the license plate and the grumpy guy! David and I waited a few more minutes while the guy finished up and afterward called FedEx to file a complaint. According to the KOA folks, there have been lots of complaints on this guy. I must say he was one of those people that you think might just go “shoot” some people because he behaved so irrationally. Something we didn’t expect in our day. David did a great job of remaining calm with such a crazy guy.



We drove 11 miles out to Kodachrome Basin State Park. We met a nice young man at the entrance office, he came out to greet the truck and David asked if we should go inside to pay. The young man said “yes but you’ll see the same man inside that is here with you”. We all laughed and David gave him the money. We he came back out with our change, he proceeded to explain the park rules including how you need to pick up after your dog, including the pee! When we looked at him with a shocked look on our face, as we wondered how we would collect the pee, the young man laughed! He said I’m not not sure how you’d collect the pee and laughed! Then he said “Really I was just kidding about the pee!” He helped by providing us with good hiking trail recommendations, as we are old farts.



The rain clouds were off in the distance but we thought we might get through the 3/4 mile trail before rain hit. The area was named Kodachrome, with approval from Kodak, for the beautiful colors of the surrounding sandstone formation and hills. We parked in the trail parking lot and we got Red out and fitted him with his new bright orange backpack. We thought that we’d let him carry the dog bowels and dog water instead of us carrying it! Tiring him out a little more was part of our goal too! David’s job, take lots of pictures, and I’d handle the dogs. I packed a small lunch for us in my butt-pack. As we headed off I couldn’t help but chuckle at Red and his bouncing backpack.



Our hike was great but we didn’t see a spot for our picnic until we got back to near the parking lot. The picnic tables nearby seemed perfect, well until the hail started. We all made a dash to the truck and loaded up. We had our picnic in the truck as the sleet and rain continued. I have to say both Red and Dottie did great on our first hike together! Red handled the backpack well but I’m not sure it tired him out at all.



The rain subsided so we decided to take a dirt road that went south just outside of the park entrance. Our understanding was this road went through a portion of the Escalante Staircase National Monument. We were looking for a large sandstone arch that was about 8 miles down the dirt road. Just after we got on the dirt road there was a sign post which said “Road Impassable When Wet”. Obviously this gave us some concern as we had just had some rainfall and the road looked a little muddy. Like fools or just young at heart we ventured on down the dirt road. At first the mud was minimal except for an occasional muddy spot in a draw but as we ventured higher into the hills it did get worse but easily passible. The problem with rain was the make up of the soil in the area. This entire area is mostly sedimentary soil, mostly sand laid down by past seas over millions of years. We did see some clay and some rock that looked more limestone than sandstone but the road was all sandy red soil. When wet it just becomes extremely slick. After about 7.5 miles, the clouds and weather looked very threatening and we decided we would turn around at a fork in the road. Sad because we where reportedly within a mile of the arch we’d been looking for but getting stuck coming back out didn’t excite us. We talked to two motor bikers that had turned around already due to heavy mud that was too much for them. Several vehicles passed us coming out and there was lots of mud on them as well. One told us that snow was expected this evening. As we reached the fork we had to do a little back and forth to maneuver the big truck around and sure enough the road was quite slick and our rear tires started spinning. Thank goodness we have the weight of the 5 th wheel hitch, extra gas tank and gear in back to provide weight over the rear tires. We just decided switching the truck to 4 wheel drive was the best option and we were immediately moving again. Sure enough as we got about half way back to pavement the rain started and we could see the coming storm as we headed back west towards town. We regret not seeing the arch but we don’t regret leaving when we did.



Once back to our campground we made a brief pit stop at the trailer then headed 4 miles to Tropic. Tropic is a small town like Cannonville but has a grocery, gas station etc. We stoped at the gas station where David filled both tanks. The pump stop at $95 dollars and David asked the young attended to restart the pump. She said she had never heard of the pump stopping. David proceeded to add another $95. when the pump stopped again but the tank registered nearly full. We can carry 80 gallons of gas. He said he didn’t bother to have it reset again for the last little bit. While David was filling the tank I’d noticed a little barbecue joint next door and walked over to see about take out. The place was called “idkbarbecue”. Strange name I thought. I ordered brisket and sides wrapped up to take home. The food smelled terrific. I asked the young man what did idk stand for in the name of the restaurant. He politely said “I don’t know what do you think it means”? To which I joking said “Ida Dean Knudsen”! He laughed and said that the best answer I’ve heard yet. Then he politely said it means “I Don’t Know”! He said most couples spend way to much time asking each other where they want to go eat, and the other person saying I don’t know. So now they know where to eat! I laughed and felt so dumb when I’d realized he had told me from the beginning what idk meant!!! When I told David of the conversation he got it immediately. Ok I’m just the only slow one I guess!!!! LOL



With dinner in hand we headed home, after a brief stop for a bungee cord at the little ACE hardware store. Our bike cover had come loose. We have two Terratrikes on a bike rack on the back of the trailer.



Back home we very much enjoyed our barbecue and the dogs had their dinner. They seemed ok after their first hike but we all made it to bed early. The rain came on and off most of the night and I had to admit I was glad we weren’t still out on that dirt road.

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Photos

Kodachrome Basin
Chimney Rock formations

Red and Dottie enjoying the first hike
Red has his new backpack with two quarts of water.
Dottie is the little one who is camera shy!

Beautiful colors of the distance hills
This view was shortly after taking the dirt road.

The muddy road coming home!
Beautiful cloud formations in the distance of the coming storm!