I woke up at 3:30am, a tad cold. Hands and feet ok (miracle!) but the camp mattress now decidedly colder under me. It was 21°F outside - and inside apparently. My condensated breath trying hard to freeze on the windows, kept alive only because I was still exhaling heat.
With the car started and heating, I decided to try my hand at some night photography. I had to go outside to pee anyway.
4am: 19°F
5:15am: 18°F
6am... Still dark and I need a nap! This is a true account of what happened. I took my nap and woke again at 7am: 18°F. 8am... still 18°F (That's -8°C for my international friends.)
On the radio Foreigner was playing "I've been waiting for a girl like you" and I was singing along. Yes indeed. I took myself into the middle of the Utah desert to car camp in mid January on BLM land. Not a soul to be seen. No lights except the stars and a full moon. Me and Beast sharing quiet moments that few will ever get (or hope) to experience.
This is what I needed I think... to push my own comfort boundaries. To excel at doing nothing of significance. To empower my sweet self and remind 50 year old me that I'm still brave.
It was 9am before the sun made any dent in the cold and almost 11am before we got close to 32°F!
Up the Moki Dugway I went... Lord help me! I have a vague recollection of driving up here 20 years ago. Nothing like another go of it to trigger some memories and emotions that I've carefully stuffed down for 2 decades! Is it too much info to share that when I gave Beast a little gas coming out of a hairpin bend at 15 mph, he stuttered sideways on the washboard surface and I almost pooped myself as we came too close for comfort to the edge? Once again, I was so alone up here that there were no witnesses to my near death experience... for better or worse.
There was a quick visit to Natural Bridges National Monument but I'll admit my heart wasn't in it and after a wee hike and one bridge, I made haste toward Hanksville. There was no cell reception - not even a bar - for more than 100 miles and that's just plain uncomfortable for the real estate agent in me! (Yes, of course an offer came in on a listing the ONE night I decided to car camp!)
Let's talk about Hanksville. Relatively speaking, it looked bigger the map. I expected it to have solutions to all my gas, food and lodging needs.
Gas - Yes.
Food - Ehh... questionable.
Lodging - No, thank you!
I continued on to Capitol Reef National Park, stopping to spot some petriglyphs (and deer) and absorb wisdom and recommendations for tomorrows exploration from a kindly, if not weathered looking, lady Ranger.
Final note: I stayed in Torrey. The hotel was fab and friendly but as far as amenities go, just about the whole village was closed for the season and that included reduced hours for the 'convenience store'. By reduced, I mean it was closed by the time I arrived and I didn't see it open before I left the next morning.
I had dinner out at the restaurant of a nearby hotel. Feeling like I should add a salad and shove some greens into this body, I paid $6 for a plate of lettuce that looked like it had endured a drive as long as I had today. It came with 3 baby carrots on the side - not cut up - so I ate them with my fingers and called it good. :-) Next to my table sat a couple with bottle of Sutter Home's finest white wine. They too had realized the value of this place was not in the quality of the ingredients and gazed lovingly at each other.
