Fair Warning: This is going to be a long, boring post. The other day I had to go to Cedar and decided to take a picture every 5-10 miles. Why? Just because, I guess. You won't hurt my feelings if you skip this one.Heading north out of town on 89, the creek is on the left and the dam is just ahead. The highway is squeezed between the dam and the cliff on the right. The state road had money earmarked to widen the road there but some road up north called I-15 got the money.
Sidetrail: A local state road guy once told me that in Utah there exists a Payson-Dixie** line and that state road money goes to projects north of Payson and also to Washington County. The rest of the state is virtually ignored (at least that's how it seemed to him).
**Obvious takeoff on Mason-Dixon line. Look it up if you can't remember it.
A little over five miles north of Kanab we pass Moqui Cave on the right side. It was known as Moqui Cavern when I was a kid, but has been renamed Moqui Cave to more accurately describe it. A local entrepeneur cleaned it up, leveled the floor, and put a bar and dance hall in there but over the years it has morphed into a combination museum of ancient artifacts (including dinosaur tracks), flourescent rock display, and gjift shop.Sidetrail: Anybody remember the sign painted on the canyon wall on the west side of the road? STOP! COOLEST SPOT ON 89!
Heading west across the 'sands' with Diana's Throne on the right. This is always a cool stretch of road for me as you transition from the geology and pink sand of the Vermilion Cliffs area to the grays and yellows predominating in Long Valley.
Dropping down to Mt. Carmel Junction (or the "Y") with a view of Zion off to the left. The West Temple is the prominent landmark there. The turnoff to Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park is just ahead to the left.
Approaching the "Y". A couple of motels, gas stations, and a nine-hole golf course are nestled in this little junction. The East Fork of the Virgin River flows through here and joins the North Fork just east of Rockville.
Just past the junction, and before reaching Mt. Carmel, I spotted two bald eagles soaring above the sewer lagoons (romantic, I know) off to the left. I wish I would've had my other camera. I remember only Golden Eagles growing up, but apparently Bald Eagles are showing up more and more. A photographer buddy has taken some really great pictures of these birds near the "Y" and also some that are nesting in East Zion and out on the Sands by the pumphouse road.
The historic town of Orderville (which is where we'll be most likely having our stake meetings while the stake center is being built.Sidetrail: Guess which ward drew the short straw and will be meeting in Fredonia for 14-16 months? Yep, the 3rd Ward. Some of you may not feel much sympathy if you have to drive a long way to church, but remember we'll be going from 2-5 pm, which stinks because we just got off the late 1-4 slot here in town.
Glendale, formerly known as Berryville. Originally settled in 1864, it was abandoned in 1866 (along with all the other Kane County settlements) because of Indian problems. Resettled in 1871, the pioneers gave it the name it now has.
Nearing the turnoff to Alton.
Todd's is halfway to Cedar City.
Evidence of last month's huge snowstorm still remains. The snow was so wet and heavy and abundant that it broke trees and power lines all over the mountain. Some places were without power for up to two weeks until the lines could be repaired.
Up on top, just this side of Midway.
Just past the summit (at nearly 10,000 ft.) the road starts on a long descent to Cedar City.
Just after the big S-turn.Sidetrail: This picture is very near the place Jared collided with a big doe*. It mashed his Rodeo up pretty good on the front end and shook him up a bit. On our way over to see him, we passed some touristy-type people that had just had their own deer-car experience. The first time I hit a deer was right by Mrs. Beesley's house in the middle of Kanab on my way to MIA! It put a little dent in the Durango and the last we saw of the buck it was trotting up the road toward Swede's.
*Of course, Jared will claim it was the other way around, that the deer collided with him.
Almost there.
The red hill just east of Cedar.
Pulling into Cedar City 80 miles from Kanab.
6 comments:
Love the photo documentary. We have had bald eagles nest in a couple of trees in our back yard every winter since we moved here. They are beautiful to watch!
Nice trip, I enjoyed it!
Cool John, haven't been on that route for years.
Such a simple and random idea, but I liked it. I miss driving those Utah roads. As a geographer, it was also interesting to watch the landscape change as you moved from Kanab up the mountain. I might try this myself sometime, although a picture every five miles of my commute to work wouldn't be quite so scenic!
Bob, but it could be just as interesting for the rest of us!
Bob, what Andy said. To you it might seem commonplace and routine, but to others it would be interesting.
It reminds me of what someone told me in the LTM: Take lots of pictures your first 6 months on your mission because after that those things that are different and unusual to you become routine.
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