FOSSIL BUTTE NATIONAL MONUMENT

Last post left us leaving Hooper Park around dinner time and heading to Montpelier for the evening.

Since we decided it was a no-go for overnight we continued on south.

Here's how it went….

Our (actually Derek's) full moon over the water shot. Not quite as dramatic as Croft's but since he showed us his I thought I'd show ours.

The water was Bear Lake by the way in SE Idaho and NE Utah along which we spent the night at a rest area. Here are the next morning shots since we arrived in the dark. Nice. And a very nice rest area with picnic area and more importantly - hot water in the restrooms.

Now, we'll do most anything not to travel at night - we just don't like it - it's hard to see and we miss things. With six months to fill - trust me - we have enough time to not need to drive at night. But sometimes we get caught. Continuing on from Montpelier meant that we were winging it. 

At the last minute we switched from taking the 30 down the east side of the lake in favour of the 89 on the west. It looked more scenic - not sure if it was but it was a lot more trouble. Instead of a few sleepy towns it was a tourist area - good thing we weren't going through during tourist season. My bet is that all those fancy HUGE homes up on the hills are vacation 'cottages' owned by the residents of the Salt Lake area.

Anyway, just into Utah and just south of Garden City I noted that the map showed a rest area.Thank goodness it was there, thank goodness we got there just at dark and thank goodness there were no 'no overnight' signs. I hear you all with the comments about what these signs mean but if there is no one to ask we still don't like it because really - who wants a knock in the middle of the night - right?!

All worked out - a quite night except for the darn trucker that came in at some point and decided to leave his engine running.

The next morning we continued our trek east along the 30.

It was a whole lot of up for a bit which I for one am getting quite tired of - sure the scenery has been great thus far but I really feel for Hraefn climbing all these hills.

Although I just noticed that you can actually see them at the Rest Area - at this point Derek and I are stunned at the amount of chem trails in this area - actually it's all we talked about for the next half an hour or so. I mean - the sky was FULL of them. Interesting - the guys (and gals I guess) must have been up at dawn to get that many trails in one area. Spooky - right?! I mean this is out in the middle of nowhere - fewer eyes to see I guess. Your tax dollars at work.

Washington, Idaho, Montana, Idaho, Utah and now…..Wyoming. Nice to be back in Wyoming we've had some good rides through here over the years.

Most of them just like this - a whole lot of …… openness.

Our main destination for the day - Fossil Butte National Monument. Why not - right?! We're going right by and well - it's FREE.

Just back to the chem trails for a minute - when we got out of the van we actually saw one of the buggers at work! 

And now back to the Monument - here's a picture of the Visitor Center from the parking lot - nice.

Notice the railing topped with red…...

that's the 'time marker' - VERY neat - the length all the way to the center marks the year of life on earth. 

We really enjoyed our tour - many fossils on display - detailed fossils - we were impressed.

Following our tour we drove the few miles to the picnic and trail area. A lonesome road - we are headed to the top right.

The view from the parking lot. We are headed up - wayyyyy up - better have lunch first.

You could lose a kid out here…….

Actually we were having a good time not that you can tell by the unimpressed expressions on the bench. A family photo anyway.

An a real group photo.

It was a bit of a climb - we are just a tad out of shape - but we made it - this is the highest point - see the van wayyyyy down there?

We are?! Pretty neat right - LOVE these geologically interesting areas.

And then is was all down…..

We didn't stay long after we arrived back at the van. Back down to the VC and continuing on back to the 30.

A beautiful shot by Derek out the window of the clouds forming just as we were leaving the Monument.

This was pretty much the scenery along the 30 past Kremmerer - home of the JC Penny store by the way - to the I80.

Ahhhh - the Interstate - well, at least it had some interesting rocks to look at as we head towards Green River and on to Rock Springs.

Just passing the city of Green River.

Rock Springs was our destination that night for Home Depot camping and internet and a supply stop at Walmart.

So, a good day of travel - learning and hiking. That was last week sometime - I'm really starting to get lost with our days right now because, really - who cares what day it is. 

Although - I do know that today is Sunday the 12th. So - HAPPY THANKSGIVING to our family and friends in Canada. It feels really weird not to be there this year - guess we'll be waiting until the end of November for our fall food - oh - but wait we might be in Mexico by then! 

We've had a few good days even though the weather went sideways on us a bit today - thankfully it is righting itself just in time for our Colorado mountain trek this week. 

Next few post will be pics from our ride through Flaming Gorge and the Dinosaur National Monument - and our GREAT day today - the ride from Dinosaur to Grand Junction along 139. 

One word - SPECTACULAR! Although a squeeze my arm rest as hard as I could kindda drive - I'm so in trouble for the Million Dollar Highway - or at least this was a warm up.

OH - I almost forgot - BlackSheep was asking about fuel prices - well here is a sample….

Oroville, Washington $3.699 

Mullan, Idaho $3.499

Butte, Montana $3.429

Pocatello, Idaho $3.459

Garden City, Utah $3.999 ouch! but we bought the 87 here

Rock Springs, Wyoming $3.509 again bought the 87, 85 was $3.359 at Flying J's

Crazy but we bought propane for $3.399 a gallon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! at the Flying J's - the price wasn't advertised but really is has ALWAYS been cheaper in the USA than at home - when she told me $34.87 I almost dropped - at home it would have been around $28 - wonders never cease. 

And we were killed today outside of the Dinosaur National Monument at $3.829 - 20 miles down the road in Dinosaur it was $3.399 - darn - I just didn't know where the next pump was.

Happiness here in Grand Junction, Colorado - $2.99 - however that is probably the 85 which we don't buy.

So far we are holding at about 31 cents a mile - which is ok - two years ago it was 30 cents and last year about 33. The 31 will most likely fall to 30 by the time we get home - we've done a ton of up hill in the last week or so.

Cheers,

Teresa

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