Mooooo…ving On

Friday 4 June 2015 

Nine Mile was the last major stop on the trip so it’s UP before dawn to get going back, BUT NOT because we’re in a hurry.  About 5 in the morning (est. as the alarm clock ((we never set the alarm)) broke a couple of weeks ago), I was rudely awaken with the rocking of the Funmobile, along with a huff of warm, moist and funky smelling air blowing my hair through the screen window just inches from my head.  (I thought it might be Val.)   I turn my head enough to come in intimate contact with a large, hairy, snotty nose pressed up against the screen. (It wasn't Val.)

It appears, for our 2^nd night’s stray, we’d chosen a campsite that sits astride the path from the overnight cow pasture to the morning cow pasture, and thus the cows, (being curious creatures), felt obligated to lick, snort, bump, and generally explore all the interesting aspects of this strange new arrival to their world.

Checking out the other windows, there appeared another dozen or more inspecting the picnic table and butting over the folding chair left out last night.

Having had my morning kiss, it was time to move on.  We made one more 10 mile trip up the canyon to try and find the "Owl Panel" in Current Canyon.  Although we found several other small panels, the Owl was not to be. 

Disappointed, we leave Nine Mile and turn for home. 

One more stop, at Sego Canyon Petroglyphs Utah yields a particularly nice set of Pictographs and Petroglyphs.  A great finish for the trip, even without the Owl.

Oddly spooky.

From here, it’s a 2-3 day run for the barn on I-70 across Colorado and then I-80 through Nebraska and Iowa.  Val hates this part of t trip, not because Nebraska and Iowa don’t have a whole lot of scenery to offer, but because I STOP FOR NOTHING, once past Denver.

This is the final post for this trip barring something exciting, interesting, unusual, funny….. all of which are unlikely from this point to Downer Grove (knock on wood).

We enjoyed sharing parts of our trip with you all and see you soon.

Good night from North Sterling Reservoir SP, Sterling Colorado.

Brad and Val

The Grand Finale

Tuesday/Wednesday, 2 and 3 June 2015

After sunrise coffee, (and you thought I never got up till 10), we headed out to one of my most anticipated destinations of the trip. 

Nine Mile Canyon is little known outside of the archeologist circuit, but has one of the highest concentrations of native American rock art in the country.  Little visited because of its distance from any major recreational sites, it promised to be a highlight of the trip.  It’s 45 miles from the nearest town and until recently only accessible by a rough dirt road.  However, “thanks” to a nearby oil discovery at the far end of the canyon, the road was just paved.

We spend the next two days exploring the canyon and viewing many of the hundreds of rock art sites along the canyon’s length (actually about 20 miles, despite its name) as well as several of its side canyons.

We stayed two nights at the Nine Mile Ranch Campground which promises to be the best campground in the canyon, (it IS the best, but mostly because it’s the ONLY place to camp along the 45 mile stretch.)  A working cattle ranch, the campground itself appears to be much of an afterthought.  We saw the owners only once for about 5 minutes.  Still, all-in-all, it was an enjoyable (if somewhat rustic) camping location.

They say every petroglyph tells a story.
I'm thinking I wouldn't want to be the guy on the horse.

The "Great Hunt" panel.
Famous among archaeological circles.

She still thinks bright colors scare away rattlesnakes.

Typical Nine Mile Canyon country.

I KNOW there's a petroglyph up here somewhere.

You coming up here or not?

I TOLD you there was cool stuff up here.

I hate to admit it, but she CAN walk on water sometimes.

The "Pregnant Buffalo" panel.

The canyon was everything it was said to be and a definite destination for anyone traveling in the region.

Good night from Nine Mile Ranch

Brad and Val

Rainbow III

1 June 2015

Monday 1 June 2015

After last night’s rainbow we anticipate a good day today as we set off for a couple of “in the wild” rock art sites and the Cleveland Loyd Dinosaur Quarry also out in the middle of nowhere.  The day is clear and warm which is not the best hiking weather, but assures no rain to turn the back roads to a quagmire.

The first site is the Molen Panel located about 6 paved miles out in the desert east of Moore (actually “less”) Utah.  Not particularly publicized but easy to find and a good stop in any case.

This sign says "CAUTION!  There's a snake THIS big living under this rock."

Then backtrack and about 8 dirt miles to the Rochester Panel, a better known, but still pretty obscure site due to it’s remoteness.

Rainbow III

Its mid day and warming up, and we head to the dinosaur quarry.  It’s an active quarry dino quarry project and interesting for what it is.  But for the 15 mile bumpy dirt ride, we’ve seen better sites.  

I think living out here in the hot sun affects some people in strange ways.
  (Or maybe I've got the cause and effect mixed up?)

What WAS perfect, was the camp site we found or the evening.  Just a small dirt side rode off the bigger dirt road, it led to a boulder alcove (full of jack rabbits) overlooking a wide expanse of rolling desert.  Not particularly dramatic, but it was ours, and ours alone.  I know people will snicker, but it must have been much as it was for the first pioneers 150 years earlier.

Good night from N39.33852°, W110.74149°

Brad and Val