Letter from Desert Joe
Sept. 22, 2000
Sent from Moab, Utah.
Hi There;
Of all the years of just passing thru, I'm finally able to spend a week at Arches National Park. Been thru here dozens of times, yet its not boring.
An alternative of driving cross country without the worry of breaking down, is to hop a plane to the nearest big airport. Preferably St. George, Utah, Las Vegas, Nev., or Salt Lake City, UT. Then rent a van, camper, 4 wheel drive, or car if you have a tent. Then get on I-15 to I-79, unless you're in St. George, UT, in which case get on I-70 east.
Went into Moab this morning to get a block of ice for the cooler. Stopped at the city market and on the way out, caught the wonderful fragrance of gourmet coffee brewing....AHHH! Eureka, a coffee booth! How fortunate? This coffee booth brews fresh expresso, cappacino, etc. What a good fortune for a coffee drinker. Bought a large coffee, tasted it and bought another for the next morning in camp. The campsite in Arches and 18 miles into the park from the entrance. The camp's toilets were updated two years ago, and have running water with flush toilets. No showers but no problem. Had washed my hair, armpits and shaved.
Always carry lots of water, about 2 gallons per person. Back east I drink Coke & coffee, while only having water in restaurants. Out here, it's cold water from the ice chest. Out here, a 2 liter bottle of Coke lasted 4 days, while back east it'll go in less than a day.
It's that time of day to go to another location for a long hike to some Arch or viewpoint. Later.....................
LATER:
Okay - okay! I know
you've been anxiously awaiting to find out where I went this
afternoon. You're going to have to be a little more
patient. The hike to Delicate Arch kicked my butt... It
took 45 minutes of sitting still to stop sweating, cool down, and
regain some energy and composure to write. Good night all.
Saturday, 9/16/00
Well, I'm alive and
well. Since the hike didn't kill me, it made me a little
stronger. Okay, on with yesterday's adventure.
They lied! They Lied! The sign in the parking area for delicate Arch said:
DELICATE
ARCH - 1.5 MILES ONE WAY ALL UPHILL.
ELEVATION
CHANGE 480 FEET.
BRING AT
LEAST 1 QUART OF WATER PER PERSON.
Some
Exposure to Heights.
They lied, it had to be at least 3 or 4 miles. Had to stop a few times before the halfway point, and over a dozen more stops from there to the top. I realized the first lie was "ALL UPHILL." It started out uphill, then downhill, then uphill, then down, then up, etc and so forth. After a mile or more of walking, an expansive open view appeared of a mountian side going "ALL UPHILL."
Huff-huff-huff-huff, puff-puff-puff....me thinks: "I wonder if that's the 1.5 MILES of ALL UPHILL they're talking about? It was and then some since there was still a good amount of walking beyond the expansive view.
I know - I know, you're thinking: "Dez, since your returned from the Desert you've been totally inactive for years with the exception of working on your van, doing miscellaneous things around the house and playing UNO once every two weeks, And, oh yeah, carrying the UNO trophy home. Besides you're no longer accustomed to high elevations" I know, Group, but it was definitely more than 1.5 MILES. The only statement that was truthful was: "BRING AT LEAST 1 QUART OF WATER PER PERSON." I brought a 20 ounce bottle and had to conserve its use during the many rest breaks of huffing and puffing.
After struggling to Delicate Arch, at one point you find yourself walking up a narrow incline some four feet wide (plus & minus 1 foot at places) and at the edge, a steep drop. Across the way, a magnificent view. Walking along the precipice, it felt like I was suddenly in one of Indiana Jones's movies - like the sign stated: "Some Exposure to Heights." Kept walking and a couple or so minutes later arrived at an area where there was several people. Climbed a couple of stone ledges and glanced in the direction of where they were looking. There it was! Delicate Arch! What a beautiful sight to behold. Nay, it wasn't just Delicate Arch that was so magnificent but also the immediate area surrounding it. And all the outer surrounding area as far as one can see, Delicate Arch as the focus-point of it all. A most wonderful and unexpected sight to behold.
After the sunset, it was time to go. On the way down, I started talking with a married couple a few years older than myself (Dez was 54 years old at the time.) and said to 'em, "Boy, this hill is so steep that by the time we're finished walking, my shoes will be two sizes larger." They laughed, then he said,"Yeah, any moment now my toes are going to rip through the fronts of these shoes!" And we all had a good laugh (one of those jokes where you have to be there.)
Hopefully all those who read this letter make it to Delicate Arch and on the way down have a good healthy laugh with a stranger or two.
Fortunately for me the sign of 1.5 miles was wrong, cause if it said 3 miles, I would have thought: "3 Miles! I've seen photos of it. Between my bad back, being out of shape, 4,900 foot elevation, and it's too hot. Naah, too much for an Arch, I'll skip this one." Yeah, guys, I'm sure glad the sign was in error.
There's a possibility someone may be disappointed if you make it here, but you'll never know if you don't come. Yeah, like sex - you'll never know what it's like if you don't come :}
After leaving Arches, maybe Canyonlands National Park. Seems like a good idea since there's two areas of entry. One is 33 miles north of Arches, the other 77 miles south of Arches which is en route to Monument valley, Ut. where I'll spend some time.
Hmmmmmm!! Interesting
statement above, "Spend some time." We're accustomed
to spending money, but time is another story.
Hey, Buddy!
Yeah, what?
Care to spend some time here?
Maybe.
How much you have to spend?
Sorry, Guy, that I don't know.
Not much.
Well, why not spend some of
it while you're here?
Hmm, sounds like a good idea.
Do you think I'll have some time left to spend at Monument Valley?
Sorry, Buddy, that I don't know.
I'll think about it.
Good. Just don't
spend too much time thinking about it.
Yeah, thanks, Guy.
Take Care & Best Wishes, DEZ