White's T Trip

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July 23rd, 2013 9:00 pm MDT

Day 14

Today was a short tour, 73 miles. We went to Coral Pink Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado City, AZ home to the FLDS polygamy Community and the Pipe Spring National Monument. The Coral Pink Sand Dunes has some nice scenery, small area with 21 camping sites. Next was a real Model T experience, leaving Utah and entering AZ. The road changed to dirt (sand) road for 5 miles, a 10 to 15 mph top speed road, beautiful scenery along this road. Then on to Colorado City, AZ. This is 100% inhabited by FLDS (Mormons). Our Model T club got permission from the community leaders to visit their town. We were told that their children love the old cars and would be waiting for rides. You can see in some of the pictures the children waiting along the road to get a ride in an old car. We stopped at the dairy store and got ice cream. We had our back floor full and could not give any of the kids a ride, much as we wanted to. Some of the kids are very small, the mothers had their van loaded with kids and drove to areas that kids were getting rides. The Church owns all the land in Colorado City, so the homes revert to the Church when the family passes on or moves away. The homes are rather large to house their wives, each wife has her own entrance to her part of the house. On the way back to Kanab we stopped at Pipe Spring Monument which was noted in the 1850's to offer the only water within a 60 mile radius. Famous Mormon pioneer Brigham Young instructed that a fort be constructed at Pipe Spring, which was Windsor Castle. It's been another interesting day. The tour leaders had a dinner for half of the people (other half tomorrow evening) this evening. Tonight at the dinner we had a pleasant surprise, Mae & I got the award for driving the longest distance to this meet. Mileage driven was 2,741 miles. The surprise was, we got a 1913 Model T rebuilt speedometer, rebuilt by none other than Russ Furstnow. Tomorrow is the Cedar breaks Tour for 130 miles.

Jacque & Mae

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Photos

Road to Coral Pink Sand Dunes NP
Nice desert road to Coral Pink Sand Dunes NP.

Scenery along road to Coral Pink Sands DunesNP
Sage Brush?

CPSDNP
You can see sand dunes.

Entrance to NP
Long line to enter Coral Sand Dunes NP.

Sign
Sign at coral Pink Sand Dunes.

T Talk
Jacque & John Williams from Iowa.

Sand Dunes
Overlooking the parking lot full of T's at the sand dunes.

Sand Dunes
People walking on the sand dunes.

Coral Pink Sand Dunes
People in distance, climbing the sand dunes.

Changing Tire
People gathered around watching flat tire being changed.

Arizona
In Arizona road changed from blacktop to dirt road.

Utah/AZ
Border of Utah And AZ., road changes to dirt/sand. Stimulus money didn't make it to. AZ.

T road
Fun road to drive. 5 miles of this road.

T road AZ.
More scenery along dirt road.

T road
Now this section of dirt/sand road was like back in 1913, you can see the ruts in the road.

Colorado City, AZ.
Entering Colorado City limits.

Colorado City, AZ.
One of the unfinished houses. The Church owns all of the land in Colorado City, so when a family moves or passes on the house reverts back to the church.

Colorado City, AZ.
They have fences around their homes, for privacy from outsiders.

Colorado City, AZ.
The mothers brought their children out so they could get rides in the Model T's. If the child is too small the mother rode along.

Colorado City, AZ.
Mother and her 3 children.

Rides
These children are very happy to get a ride.

Leaving
The road from Colorado City is long and straight.

Comments

[Norman Miller]

Nice
Great photos. Wish I was there!!!!

[Vickie]

Pipe Springs National Monument
We came upon this Monument by accident on our way from Kanab to St. George. We enjoyed visiting the monument. The gardener was very informative. When we were in the visitor's center watching the movie, there were a lot of school-aged children there. We thought they were experiencing "pioneer days" due to their dress. After talking to the gardener, she called them "polygamist children"...then it dawned on me!! Colorado City was just up the road. It was lunch time and we were hungry, but there was no way we were going to stop in Colorado City. The state was trying to put in law officials in the city, and just right before we were there, this new sheriff had verbal threats made to him and his wife had received a head of an animal. No way! We just skiddadled down the road and had lunch at St. George!! By the way, the government has been taking back the land from the church.

[Newell & Barb]

Enjoying your pictures and blogs
Congratulations on winning the long distance award. What beautiful pictures you are posting. Enjoying them very much. Wish we were along for the tour. Missing a good time. Enjoy the tour. Have a good day.

[Ruby Smith]

attire...
Love the attire that matches the vehicles! We got rain too another 1" and in July! Enjoy the scenery and updates.

[Ruby Smith]

a special wish
when viewing all the "old" cars, that Mom could see well enough to see the picture. She remembered you from Rowell and was excited about the car as it was the 1913T was the first car she drove. I enjoy keeping her up to date with your trip.

[Gus B]

LDS Church and Mormons
Hello Jacque & Mae, This has been a very interesting trip, driving across the country to attend a tour where most people trailer their cars is a great adventure. I thought I should point out that the polygamists you have encountered are not members of the LDS Church, but a religion that split off from the LDS church over a hundred years ago. The Mormon Church does not own homes of its members. Best wishes and happy driving. I envy you.

[jxnmy]

LDS Church
Sorry Gus B, you are correct, I meant to type FLDS for this sect of Mormans. Jacque & Mae