Traveling, Camping and Hiking My Way Westward
Trail/Park: Utah Lake State Park, Provo, UT and Kolob Gate Garden, Virgin, UT
Up with the sunrise to meditate and dance with the Kula Dance Experiment today. As the sun came up over the mountains, I marveled again at the range of colors reflecting on the clouds. My first stop of the day would be for coffee somewhere in Provo, UT before I left for my next campsite. Little did I know this would bring me back to familiar territory.
Cars and Coffee
As I decided on where to grab coffee and a little breakfast, Rugged Grounds caught my eye on my list of options. It looked like a funky place with a nice list of breakfast items. I plugged the address into my GPS, not really registering the street name. I followed the route only to find myself driving past Burt Brothers Tire Service where I’d had my tires replaced the day before. I laughed out loud at the irony that all roads seemed to lead me back to the same place on this part of my adventure.
Less than a block away from Burt Brothers, Rugged Grounds made the perfect backdrop for a hero shot of the car and camper. It was all together too perfect. I was exactly where I was supposed to be yet again. Inside I was greeted and ordered in the small shop. A staircase hinted at another space, but it wasn’t until I asked about a restroom that I found out what was hidden upstairs. The upper floor opened into a huge space filled with tables and cozy nooks. I found myself wishing I had more time to linger and savor my coffee and toast.
But I had another day of driving ahead and stops along the way to make. The coffee was wonderful and the sweet toast just right. I pulled out and found my way to the interstate. Interstate 15 would take me south to Cedar City, UT where I was planning on getting lunch and visiting the gallery I’d stopped at a year ago on my trip west.
This was not to be a day without a bit of stress thrown in though. My car seemed to be determined to slow me down nearly every day. An hour into the drive, right before the Filmore, UT exit my check oil light came on. Knowing my Subie all too well, I had two quarts of oil in the car for just this occurrence. Even so, I went into the nearest station to pick up two more quarts. The day was already getting hot so I added some oil and waited about 30 minutes before pulling back onto the highway. I decided to stop every hour for a 30-minute break and knew I’d be getting an oil change in California when I arrived there to stay with family. No sense in tempting fate any further.
Pizza and Presence
Stopping in Cedar City, I easily made my way to Centro Woodfire Pizzeria, though I had to park about a block away with the camper. On my way to lunch, I stopped to see if the gallery I’d enjoyed the previous year was open. Sadly, they were closed for part of the month and I’d missed getting to wander inside by a few days.
The pizzeria was busy. Really busy. I gratefully took a spot at a small counter and ordered. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to eat the entire pizza, but combined with a Cock & Bull ginger beer I managed. The stress of the car had unsettled my stomach so I was grateful for the ginger beer and a refill of my water bottle. The waiter, Issac, chided me for eating the whole pizza before filling my water one last time. I settled up and wandered slowly back to the car.
Exiting Hwy 15 toward Toqureville, I prepared myself for Hwy 9 which would lead me toward Virgin. A year earlier I’d arrived at dusk in a steady rain. Today, with the sun shining and several hours before dark I was mentally prepared for the twists and turns.
Gardens and Terraces
Finding Kolob Terrace Road was easier this time around. I was delighted to find the road relatively flat all the way to Kolob Garden Gate, the Hipcamp I’d booked for the night. The entry to the camp was confusing at best and, despite a map of the property, I wasn’t sure I’d found the correct site until I’d passed by it. With a bit of challenge, I backed the rig up to turn around and pulled into what I hoped was the right spot. The site sat next to North Creek and had a little privacy, mostly created by the placement of my camper. I leveled the camper, unhitched it and explored the place a little bit.
One of my other hopes was to check out a camping option nearby that I’d heard about from my last job. I knew it was further along Kolob Terrace Road so, expecting elevation increase and possibly some steep drop offs, I headed further along the road. It was what I expected and more. Several spots leading up to the Under Canvas location tested my fear of heights, including the entrance to and the camp itself. A luxury campground with canvas tents, I got a look at one of their tents while we chatted about the hospitality industry. Then it was time to head back down the road to my campsite before dark.
I was so proud of myself for making the drive to the camp. Also glad I’d found an alternative to my originally planned camping location which would have been further up the road. Settling into the camper for the night, forgoing the karaoke and other evening activities available, I was filled with gratitude for my bravery, reaction to the challenges which arose and the kindnesses I’d experienced from complete strangers.
This travel, hike and camping took place on the traditional territory of the Timpanogos, Núu-agha-tʉvʉ-pʉ̱ (Ute), Goshute, Nuwuvi (Southern Paiute) and Pueblos who have stewarded this land for more than 5,000 years. I respect the histories, languages and cultures of these peoples, whose presence continues to enrich our vibrant and changing communities. Join me in learning more about the tribes and these lands, by following the links provided.
Next Post Preview: Back to Zion with an early start and still not enough time to take it all in.
HOME AWAY FROM HOME: My adventure camper is a lovely little teardrop made-to-order by the incredibly talented people at Vistabule in St. Paul, MN.
GEAR: Granite Gear Crown2 38 Pack, Marmot Kompressor Pack,Oboz Katabatic Mid Waterproof,Oboz Katabic Low, Mountain Hardware Stretchdown™ Light Jacket, Mountain Hardware Stretchdown™ Pant,REI Co-op XeroDry GTX Jacket,REI Co-op Magma 850 Down Hoodie,REI Co-op XeroDry GTX Pants, Gnara Go There™ Pants, Chickfly Merino Eucalyptus Leggings,Icebreaker Women’s Merino 200 Oasis Long Sleeve Crewe Thermal Top, Icebreaker Merino 200 Oasis Thermal Leggings, SPOT GEN3 Satellite GPS Messenger, Dueter Dirtbag, Kula Cloth, Leki Women’s Micro Vario Cor-Tec TA trekking poles, Nemo Dragonfly™ Ultralight Backpacking Tent, Nemo Sonic™ 0 Down Sleeping Bag, Paria Thermodown 30 down quilt, Exped Ultra 7R Mat, REI Flash 3-Season Sleeping Pad, Thermarest Z Seat™, MSR Pocket Rocket Stove, TOAKS Titanium 450ML Cup with Lid, MSR® IsoPro™ Fuel.
Want to know more about my gear selections? Head on over to Gear & Gadgets or check out my posts titled “Gear in Review”.
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