Coral Pink Sand Dunes and Zion National Park

We do not see nature with our eyes, but with our understandings and our hearts.

Coral Pink Sand Dunes

Thursday was the day we had to move again.  It was the third move in just as many days and in the same park. The managers at the park went out of their way to accommodate us even offering us one night free!  Other folks had made reservations and the park was now full.  This is what can happen when you take off without any idea of where you’re heading.  We were without reservations heading towards an area that had several special events going on.  The first night we had one pull-thru available but it was reserved the following night.  Thus, we moved to another site which also was only available for the one night.  Then on Thursday we moved again to another site.  

Another view of the sand dunes

When you’re moving into a site that someone else is moving out of you’re on their time clock.  Check out time is noon.  They don’t have to move out until noon and on the third day that’s just about what the folks did.  We were hoping to leave early.  We wanted to take a drive to Coral Pink Sand Dunes, Kanab and make a circle so we could enter Zion from the eastern gate. That was the plan.  We all know by now that plans don’t always work out as we hope they will.

While waiting to move we decided to go to breakfast.  One of our neighbors suggested we try Triple TJ’s which is a family run restaurant.  We did.  We should have had a clue how the day was going to go just by my order.  I ordered ham and eggs – over medium-well.   I was served bacon and over easy eggs.  However, will we go back?  Certainly .. they bent over backwards to please.  We’ll try again.

Terry's yummy breakfast

It took us almost two hours to get moved this last time.   What normally takes less than half an hour took almost two hours!  First of all, we had a trailer to move and figured if we set it on the pull-thru site at the front end we could load it up with the ATVs and take off if we wanted.  We thought we’d park the Jeep in back.  It didn’t work like that.  In order to unload the trailer we had to raise the tires of the Jeep or the hitch wouldn’t release.  Then, we had to offload the back ATV.  Next was the satellite.  Usually we have no trouble getting satellite because it's automatic.  The trees we were under had no leaves but you might as well guess that the branches were perfectly positioned to block the reception.  So, we had to reposition the motorhome back at the end of the driveway, try the satellite again, move the trailer back and then reset back up.  What a zoo!  

East entrance to Zion

By the time we finally got on the road for our circle trip we were already pretty well stressed out.   Matter of fact, I was so stressed by the last three days it was hard not to keep the tears from flowing.  Traveling with a trailer is not quite as easy as traveling without it.

Beautiful views at every turn

We climbed up and out of Hurricane to an elevation of about 6500’.  I didn’t realize most of the trip was an uphill climb.  We had originally intended on stopping in Kanab but due to our late start we just drove on through.  We did stop and take a peak at the Pink Coral Sand Dunes.  There were a lot of places to ride and quite a few ATVs and OHVs on the trails.  We even saw snow spattered here and there.  Some of the prior snowfalls had completely melted but with the storms due in this weekend, I’m sure that snow will be replenished. 

Another view of the park

We entered Zion National Park this time from the east gate.  Pictures were really difficult since the sun was always shining where I didn’t exactly want it to but …. oh well.  There is a lot of difference in what you see on the lower level of the park and the higher level of the park.  Again, we saw a little snow on the side of the road.  The drive from the upper park to the lower park is definitely something that shouldn’t be missed.  The view is absolutely awesome.  

Zion and all it's beauty

There are two tunnels in the park.  Large vehicles need an escort to travel through the tunnels.  Traffic is stopped since the larger vehicles must travel in the middle of the tunnels due to height.  The roads are fairly narrow switchbacks with pull-outs for viewing as you descend the mountain into the lower part of the park.  Coming out of the tunnel on this narrow roadway we had another little mishap that just put the topping on our day.  We had another flat tire!!  This was the third flat tire in three months but what a place to have it!!  We had to drive down the road to the first pull-off so it could be changed.  Believe me … fun, it wasn’t!

A little snow in the park

The first two flat tires were definitely self-caused.  Terry was trying to four-wheel in the desert over some pretty sharp twigs.  He did that twice so that was our fault.  We aren’t sure what caused this flat.  It was a good tire but we may have picked up a nail or something.  We can’t get it fixed because we had to drive on the flat too far just so we could pull off the road.  I’m sure you get the picture and it’s not a pretty one.  Well, the picture of the scenery was pretty but not the events of the flat.

This was it … what a place to have a flat.

No explanation needed here!

How did the day end?  We made it back to the RV park without any other tires going flat.  It was much later than intended and I wasn’t going to cook.  We hadn’t set up our little Weber grill yet.  We saw what looked like a small combination Mexican / steak restaurant on our way into town.  Actually, it was not one restaurant but two.  On one side was a fast food Mexican restaurant with a very limited menu.  On the other side the restaurant looked like a fast food inside but it had table service.  This was Barista’s.  If you decide to visit this place while in Hurricane, read the reviews on Yelp first … then, don’t go.  The prices are extremely expensive for the type of restaurant it is and the staff is a little intimidating.     After being seated and given a menu, we checked it out and then walked out.  A staff member let us know this was America and we could eat anywhere we want.  So, we did.  We drove down to Ted and Allen’s Sport Grill.  

Friday is another day.  The weather will be gorgeous --- the calm before the storm.  We have tires to buy ... again..

‘Tis life on the road. Sometimes that road can get bumpy.

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