Walkabout on Wheels

September 4, 2006

We have passed through the Rockies, and are headed through more desert like landscapes. I think we are now driving past Battlement Mesa. I can only guess, since we have never been here before. The sky is a brilliant blue, made all the brighter for the muted reds and dark greens of the striated mountains and rock formations. As we drive here, I envy the explorers who came first to this place, and the Native Americans who were born to it. Is it any wonder that people had a strong belief in God, when they were able to see wonders such as this unblemished, no telephone poles and asphalt roads, no trucks or cars to tarnish their impressions? I would consider this area to be God's country due to the awe it inspires. After all, one can hardly be inspired to muse on the presence of a supreme when assaulted with McDonald's, Starbucks, Old Navy, Britney Spears, etc., on a daily basis.

Okay, so we didn’t pass Battlement Mesa, we are approaching it now. I wonder if that fantastic formation has a name.I guess we’ll never know. Unless one of you can identify it! Oh, well.

As we were driving, we saw a sign for a scenic viewing area, so we pulled in to check it out. There was a path leading up a hill to a gazebo of sorts. If a gazebo can be made of steel and concrete, that is. Zorah ran all the way up the path, Ian skated, and I walked and took pictures.

The trees in the desert are really fascinating. Their branches are splintered and twisted, yet very much alive. I would compare them to Lincoln Rhyme, although he is a fiction.

A father and son we met up there were on their way to Vegas, as most people are who travel this road. Anyway, we left after some scenic viewing, and after much deliberation decided to stop at a campground in Green River, Utah. Green River is much like Wakeeney in that it is a waystation for those going either to Salt Lake City or through Utah to Las Vegas. However, Green River is exponentially so. It turned out to be a conglomeration of motels, truck stops, RV parks, and gas stations dropped incongruously into the desert landscape.

Our park, United Campground, had lovely views. How could it not? Regardless of the surrounding buildings, or perhaps in contrast with them, the desert shone. Some lonesome structures served as accents to the desert's stark beauty. See? This was a great place. The internet flowed smooth and fast, and it had something none of the other parks have: a waterslide! Z had fun sliding down by herself, and in my lap.

We ate at a restaurant there in Green River called Ray's. There was a large sign touting it as "The Place For Everyone!" And they were right. From motocross riders and bikers, families to farmers, truckers to teenagers, everyone really was there. The scene was completed nicely by the lovely waitress with her hair piled high. Not only the ambiance but also the food was great. It was a limited menu, but everything was good. We went for both lunch and dinner and I had to take a picture of these wonderful people.Too bad it's so dark, but you can't really sneak a picture when you use flash photography, and I hadn't the courage to ask and then try to explain myself. I suppose I could have tried a crazy Asian tourist approach. Eh. After dinner I finally got to take a shower, and this place had THE best showers ever! I don't say this solely due to the fact that we were unable to shower at Wal-Mart. The water pressure was so remarkably strong that I stayed for an extra ten minutes for the massage aspect. I would have stayed longer, too, but someone else came in and turned on the one next to mine. The resulting fluctuations in temperature forced me to leave.

Though the place suited most of our needs, it was time to move on. So we did.