Road Trip - UT/AZ Again

[ckouba]

This is the originally planned trip which was supposed to be our big maiden voyage, and we're well underway at this point. Truck ran flawlessly, and running between 60 and 65 mph is netting low 8's for mpg. Drive train is running smoothly and I am loving what the Eco hubs do for all the running gear speeds.

I am posting from outside Wellington, UT, where we've started down the UTBDR. We'll run a portion of it into the San Rafael Swell and then on to Hanksville, Capitol Reef, and Kanab. Last night was our first outside of civilization, and it was delightful.

Weather will be better in a day or so, but no complaints here- we're not at work.

 

[ckouba]

Moved camp into the Swell today. Perched on top of Cedar Mountain tonight.

Lunch stop on edge of an outcropping


Pulled into camp


Scenery, 50' from camp


Camp


We'll be heading down off the rim in the next day or two, likely to be out of service at that point. Will keep in touch when I can though.

 

[ckouba]

Things are going extremely well. Very briefly in Kanab this afternoon to stock up, then off to the great outback for more adventures.

 

[ckouba]

I thought I'd share my view right now.

 

[ckouba]

 

[hike]

Beautiful pictures. Thanks for sharing.

I think we just missed each other. I was at Grand Canyon NP, Whimore Wash 1May - 3May; a night in the Arizona Strip south of Kanab; BLM land between Escalante Grand Staircase NM, The Gulch and Capitol Reef NP, Waterpocket Fold 4May - 7May. Back in Texas now. Would have enjoyed meeting you two.


Waterpocket Fold along Notom Road looking north, early morning 5May

Maybe next time—

 

[Guyfang]

View attachment 922893

We spent a week there in 1971. The night/star picture is a heart stopper. My family did a lot of camping and water skiing all over the west in the early 60's to 1972 when I joined the Army. The view of the sky at night was always something that made me feel humble and small. City folk have NO idea what the sky really looks like.

 

[ckouba]

Back home. Roughly 2800 total miles, truck ran fantastically.

For the record, it was a total of 322 gallons of fuel to go 2570 miles, which equates to 7.98 MPG across the entire trip. This includes hours of slow uphill on gravel, some deep sand stretches, a couple of nights with the heat on, and a pretty raging headwind for a few hundred miles on the way home. I haven't filled up from the last leg, but will update when all the numbers are in.

Beautiful pictures. Thanks for sharing.

I think we just missed each other. I was at Grand Canyon NP, Whimore Wash 1May - 3May; a night in the Arizona Strip south of Kanab; BLM land between Escalante Grand Staircase NM, The Gulch and Capitol Reef NP, Waterpocket Fold 4May - 7May. Back in Texas now. Would have enjoyed meeting you two.

View attachment 923347
Waterpocket Fold along Notom Road looking north, early morning 5May

Maybe next time—

That's CRAZY! We drove Notom on 5/1. I hope you drove the Burr Trail? Fantastic drive! I video'd the switchbacks- not exciting footage but shows it can be done in our rigs:

It's a little slow but you certainly get a feeling for the place. We took less than 10 min from bottom to top, and that was being pretty gentle with it.

I will continue to give notice for any extended road trips and look forward to possibly meeting up with you or any other members along the way. It's always nice to put faces and handshakes to names on forums.

 

[hike]

That is great. Thanks for sharing the video and photos. We'll run into each other one day–