Day 26

Day 26 - Friday, July 17th, 2009

Bicknell, UT to Capitol Reef National Park, UT

Despite sleeping in for a second day in a row, I was in a crabby mood. I was cranky and a little on the nauseous side. We made the quick 25 minute drive to the Capitol Reef National Park Campground and found a spot under a huge shade tree. We set up the tent and put out the picnic blanket to lay in the shade and read as the temperature began to climb.

We stayed in the campground area until 3:30, hiding as best we could from the heat of the day, and then went to the Visitor Center where we learned that the temperature was in the triple digits. We drove through the park,

looked at the petroglyphs

that the Fremont Indians left behind on the sandstone cliffs and continued all the way to Hanksville

(property available right outside of Hanksville, UT)

along RT-24. We went simple for dinner, pasta and peas, picking up what we needed in Hanksville and heading back. As we were returning we saw the dark clouds moving in from the west. Capitol Reef National Park gets 8" of rain a year and less than 1/2" during July, so wouldn't you know it, we didn't put the rain fly on the tent before heading out under clear blue skies this afternoon. We managed to reach the campsite before the dark clouds, which only released a drop or two that made it to the ground. We made our dinner, played some UNO, and listened to a ranger talk at the amphitheater on astronomy before heading to bed.

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