It's Thursday, 6:30 a.m. and a brisk 26 degrees out. It's not the kind of cold that makes you want to take cover. It's more the kind that makes you feel hearty. inviting you to take a vigorous walk, knowing that it will be 50 by 9-10 o'clock.
Another day another breathtaking sunrise. My goodness. Even the locals take pause here in Torrey, Utah as the mountains light up across the way. Janenelle, the local storekeeper, said she's watched it every morning for 29 years. No matter what she is doing, she stops for a few minutes to soak it in.
We are staying at the Chuckwagon Inn in Torrey,
Just outside of Capital Reef National Park. God's country if there ever was any. Our longtime readers might remember that in 2009 we came within 100 miles of here. Back then our time was running short and the winds were howling so we never made it this far. I really wanted to. Matt, my cousin had raved about it. Well Matt, you were right.
Yesterday we came up rte. 24 from near Lake Powell. Once we got passed Hanksville, we weaved through canyons and over mountains that completely blew us away.
We knew that we had to spend an afternoon here. We stopped here in Torrey, grabbed a quick sandwich, checked into the Chuckwagon, dumped our bags and headed into the national park for an afternoon of hiking. I'm so glad we did. We hiked down a red rock canyon for a couple of miles. Above us were cliffs, domes, overhangs and canyon sandstone walls with deep alcoves, lightly streaked with a dark desert varnish. We had the place mostly to ourselves. See video clip for a first hand look ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4V6zf-BNgjM ). It was a terrific day ended by an evening at a local restaurant with a nice steak salad for me and the trout for Eric.
I'm now sitting in the back of the general store. A retired economics professor from Wyoming is talking to a local cowboy in the booth next to me. The cowboy had an injury and can't work anymore. He gets no government assistance. He doesn't want any. He doesn't believe in in. He says capitalism may be a good thing for some people but he isn't taking part in it. His form of government centers around "blue sky, the clouds, the rain, the snow and the wind." He'll let others worry about the other stuff. His one wish is that the government would play a smaller role here in America. "I've learned to be self-sufficient. Why can't others do the same. Wy do they need to turn to Uncle Sam for so much help?"
I'm not touching this conversation with a ten foot pole. Politics and gun control are off limits. I want to get out of here alive.
Harriet, the pastry chef got here at 3:30 a.m. to start her prep. The waft of her efforts hit me as I opened the door. If I had closed my eyes I would have thought I was in Paris. I don't know what she calls all of these pastries but they are different shapes and sizes and are sitting in the glass case covered with cinnamon, icing, powdered sugar, maple frosting and chocolate sauce. I'm having the French Toast. It's to die for, made out of round cinnamon roles, a recipe passed down from Harriet's grandmother. Wowser.
Today we are going to take rte. 12 down to Bryce. This is one of the most extraordinary roads in the world. Google it. You'll see what I mean. Margot, the kids and I drove it about 15 years ago. We stayed in Boulder, UT for a night. I hope to stop there for lunch at the restaurant Margot still raves about.
Have a great day everyone.
-George
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Location:W Main St,Teasdale,United States
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