The RimRocker

 Oh hi boys!

Well, these letters are winding down, at least until I decide to burden Ben with my ramblings. 

Earlier in the week grandma had some weird daughter of an ex ward member call her and beg for money, she also asked to come by and get it. So all of mom’s siblings freaked out…and did nothing. So mom suggested we get grandma doorbell camera. I got that ordered and Jacob and I went over to install it. I got it mounted and Jacob got it hooked up to the app and stuff. It made her feel better and she’s actually pretty comfortable with the tech. I also ordered a camera for her back porch, but I’m waiting for an adapter for power. I noticed that her locks didn’t have strike plates, so I’m planning on getting some installed with strong screws. I hope to also get her a security light for her back porch. I don’t think she is in any danger, Jacob blocked that person’s number. I just want her to feel safe in her house. I also need to start painting her deck. Grandma also takes good care of us, she took us to Mooya’s which was pretty good.

Thursday was the start of our great adventure. Doug had to go to a wedding reception, so he wasn’t able to come. Aaron needs new tires for his Rubicon so he invited Abi to bring her Bronco Sport. We changed our plans and instead of going to Vernal, I decided to take a trail that is heavily marketed that goes from Montrose Colorado to Moab. It’s called the RimRocker and it’s rated moderate. 

We met at the new McDonald’s and started the long drive to Montrose, I wasn’t too sure about that little Bronco, but it had all the goat modes and had good all terrain tires. But sometimes uncle Aaron is just a tiny bit gung ho. The drive was pretty, the weather was perfect. We gassed up and grabbed lunch in Montrose. We found the trail head and it started out pretty. The colors were at full peak and the road was well graded, wide, and smooth. We climbed for a long time. The SanJuan mountains were to the south and the La Sals in the distance. The other side of the La Sals, Moab, was our goal. We stopped for various vistas and overlooks. We drove for about four hours and came across a campground called The Ballpark campground. I have read that it was the ballpark for a mining town where most of the yellow ore came from for the Manhattan Project. The town’s name is Urivan, a cross between uranium and vanadium. There’s nothing left of the town, it was too radioactive, so in the 70s they bulldozed it and buried everything. The campground was quite, next to a little River. I had moms chili verde burrito foil dinners, and it was good. I tried out my new, sad, little one man tent. It was nice, but it made me feel really lonely for you guys.

In the morning we got up and got going. The first part of the trail that morning was a shelf road overlooking the valley where the town was and skirted near the old mines. Perfect stuff for your old dad. As we approached the southern end of the La Sal mountains we gained a little more elevation and the it went from red rock desert to sub alpine with ponderosa pine, aspen and oak. There had been a fire through there at some point so there were black stump, bright yellow aspen, read and orange oak, and green pines. We also saw dozens of deer, and no people. There were great camping areas there, but it was too early to stop. Honestly, it was the most beautiful place at the most beautiful time of the year that I have ever seen in Utah. I’m not sure I’d ever want to do that trail again, but I do want to go back to that spot in the autumn.

By this point we had 30 to 40 miles left. It seemed the further we got from the idyllic forest the rougher and less inviting it got. The mountains above were beautiful, but the foot hills were becoming more and more barren. To make things worse, for Abi anyway, the road was getting narrower and more rocky. And while that little Bronco was capable, it was lacking ground clearance. Aaron got out dozens of times to move rocks that would have gone un noticed in his jeep. At one point he asked for my pocket knife to cut out some of the cardboard material from under her car that had been ripped off. Later, an aluminum heat shield got torn off. Finally something got caught up in her drive shaft and was causing this intermittent squealing and severe rattling. We got out to check under her car but couldn’t really see past the damage to alleviate it (those cars are far more complex than a simple jeep or 4Runner). I could tell that the fun was running out for Abi, so I suggested we find the highway and head out. Gratefuly, at highway speeds those noised faded. We stopped for dinner in Moab and headed home. I was disappointed not to get another night of camping in, probably the last of the year, but it was the right call.

I got home about midnight, showered, and bed. Saturday was a standard day. Shopping in the morning with mom, a little housecleaning before the game, then the game. Only Spencer came over because I thought I was still going to be camping. The Utes looked much better in this game. 

We stayed up to watch the byu game. Colorado took an early lead, but ii don’t really think coach prime is a tactician, byu managed a comeback, but I still don’t believe that they are that great.their qb isn’t much of a passer, hopefully the Utes defense can beat up on him.

Today was a quiet Sunday, not much to report there. Mom and I are watching mom’s choice movies, I just happy to be with her.

I guess that’s all I have for today, love you fellas,

Pops