Day 25

Day 25 - Thursday, July 16th, 2009

Little America Hotel, Salt Lake City, UT to Aquarius Inn, Bicknell, UT

I think I have figured out how hotels get rated. It has nothing to do with decor, or comfort, or even service, but solely on how well the curtains keep the room dark even after sunrise. Since we were staying in a 4 star for the night, the room was darker than some of the caves we have visited on this trip. We were surprised to see the clock approaching 10 am when we finally decided to roll out of bed. After packing up we headed to a place called Moochies, which was featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives on the Food Network. We both ordered their 6" Philly Cheese Steaks

and wondered how anyone could finish off a full foot long. Their Jumpin' Jalapeno sauce really gave the sandwiches a great kick. Fueled up, we attempted to travel along the elusive RT-89 to Capitol Reef National Park. We managed to lose it 4 or 5 times but eventually left the suburbs of Salt Lake City and had an easier time keeping track of our preferred route. We checked in to the Aquarius Inn Motel, noticed the flimsy curtains marking the establishment as a comfortable 2 star at best, and headed immediately to Capitol Reef National Park. The red bluffs and limestone rock formations were breathtaking,

but what was really interesting were the fruit orchards along the Fremont River that wound through the park. When the Mormons settled the area in the late 1800s they rediscovered and repaired the existing irrigation ditches that had been built by the American Indians over 1000 years ago, and planted all manner of fruit bearing trees. Under the orchards was a lush layer of grass that was kept nice and trim by the deer population. We drove along the scenic route and identified some trails that we might like to tackle the next day. We also checked out the campsite and noticed that it was not at all filled. Since we did not have a place already lined up for the next night, we decided to return to the campsite first thing in the morning and stay in the area for two nights. When we were driving into the park we noticed an interesting restaurant called Cafe Diablo

and decided to stop there for dinner on the way out of the park. We split rattlesnake cakes as our appetizer

and I had the lamb for the main course while Tara had a Mayan Tamale filled with eggplant and other delicious goodness. Everything was top notch and outstanding. After a gluttonous day of food we returned to the Aquarius Inn for the night.

Map