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Old Henry · 03-03-2014, 10:16 AM

Did a two day road trip to Capitol Reef National Park with Pepe while AnnaRae went off on a girl thing. Here's the story with pictures and video.

First stop was in Salina to see and learn all about Elmo Rodge's belly tank racer he's built and run at Bonneville the last two years. (https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=130703)

Then took the lonely but scenic stretch of I-70 east (109 miles with no services) to Green River where we stayed for the night. Motel 6 is the most pet friendly chain I've found. Actually caters and gives priority to guests with dogs. Love it.

Next morning headed south on Utah Highway 24 toward Hanksville and Capitol Reef National Park.

As we get closer to Hanksville and beyond toward Capitol Reef the terrain changes to a unique form that only exists in this very limited area of the state and very different from the usual red and yellow sandstone in most of the rest of southern Utah. I call it "Moonscape" or "Elephant Hide". Here's a video of driving through it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JPUng1c-Gc

Some places it mixes a little with the red/yellow but is mostly just the grey.

Eventually we entered Capitol Reef National Park. Here's the video of the drive through it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WOC3emYDqE

One of the many things I like about the park is that some of the old buildings and orchards of the ghost town of Fruita have been preserved. This is the old school house on the highway right up against a tall beautiful cliff.

Just after the school house a scenic drive leaves the highway where some more fantastic scenery is enjoyed. (See more on the video)

About an hour and a half from home I finally figured out how to get rid of the vibration in my drive line by tapping the clutch to re-align the vibrating parts until they canceled each other (more here: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=132859) so Pepe could finally lay down and sleep the rest of the way home.

03-03-2014, 10:16 AM	#1
Old Henry Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Orem, Utah Posts: 5,762	To Capitol Reef National Park Did a two day road trip to Capitol Reef National Park with Pepe while AnnaRae went off on a girl thing. Here's the story with pictures and video. First stop was in Salina to see and learn all about Elmo Rodge's belly tank racer he's built and run at Bonneville the last two years. (https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=130703) Then took the lonely but scenic stretch of I-70 east (109 miles with no services) to Green River where we stayed for the night. Motel 6 is the most pet friendly chain I've found. Actually caters and gives priority to guests with dogs. Love it. Next morning headed south on Utah Highway 24 toward Hanksville and Capitol Reef National Park. As we get closer to Hanksville and beyond toward Capitol Reef the terrain changes to a unique form that only exists in this very limited area of the state and very different from the usual red and yellow sandstone in most of the rest of southern Utah. I call it "Moonscape" or "Elephant Hide". Here's a video of driving through it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JPUng1c-Gc Some places it mixes a little with the red/yellow but is mostly just the grey. Eventually we entered Capitol Reef National Park. Here's the video of the drive through it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WOC3emYDqE One of the many things I like about the park is that some of the old buildings and orchards of the ghost town of Fruita have been preserved. This is the old school house on the highway right up against a tall beautiful cliff. Just after the school house a scenic drive leaves the highway where some more fantastic scenery is enjoyed. (See more on the video) About an hour and a half from home I finally figured out how to get rid of the vibration in my drive line by tapping the clutch to re-align the vibrating parts until they canceled each other (more here: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=132859) so Pepe could finally lay down and sleep the rest of the way home. Total miles 506. Good time had by all. Didn't open the tool box. Previous trips: Grouse Creek, UT and the AAA garage in February 2014: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=130966 Grand Canyon in January 2014: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=128820 Moab, UT in December 2013: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=127222 Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument November 2013: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123694 Across Nevada on US 50, "The Loneliest Road in the Country", October 2013: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=120098 Mount Evans (the highest paved road in North America) August 2013: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=115013 Canada in June 2013: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=109872 Monument Valley in March 2013: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=99523 Bryce Canyon in February 2013: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=97822 Milford, Utah in December 2012: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=93137 Nevada and Idaho in November 2012: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=89080 Rocky Mountain National Park in September 2012: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=83966 Yellowstone National Park in May 2012: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=72864 Death Valley in February 2012: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=62705 Pike's Peak in July 2011: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=19141 Route 66 in April 2010: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=57511 __________________ Prof. Henry (The Roaming Gnome) "It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.” Ursula K. Le Guin in The Left Hand of Darkness Last edited by Old Henry; 05-16-2014 at 12:45 AM.*