On the way back to Los Angeles from Gypsum, Colorado my girlfriend and I made a few scenic stops at Arches and Zion National Parks. Even if you detour for a drive-thru you will be amazed and awe-struck and it's worth every minute even if you just stop for a photo op or two.
When you're on the road you gotta stretch your legs sometime. You never know what you'll find at a truck stop or what adventure may await you!
Sometimes I need a bag of chips for a blast of salt and greasy thin-sliced fried potatoes. And at one very peculiar truck stop, just outsideZion National Park, I picked up a Scorpion Lollipop!
Now you can blame my slideshow adventure on getting too much sun or the Scorpion Sucker from Jackass Joe's...take your pick.
The bright green murals plastered all over the building are literally out of this world with spaceships and aliens.
I didn't know that Utah is a hotbed of alien sightings and encounters...and I can't argue with that after our own encounter. Well, seeing is believing and I'm a convert and you may be too after you watch my slideshow?
Jackass Joe's is a visual delight and way out there just the way I like it. Well, you may not believe in aliens and this place is a bit tasteless but I couldn't resist its pull.
Of course, I posed for the camera and Linda and I took a few pictures -- well, from there things really took off, so buckle your seat belt and take a toke, or a sip from your fave Happy Hour beverage and check out my story below.
Road Tripping into the Outer Limits - Slideshow Story
Can't say I'm into airline travel these days, but a 4 wheel road trip is always welcome for a change of scenery. And boy do I have some scenery to show you,
Do keep checking back for our wacky and tasty road stories that include awe-inspiring photos of Arches and Zion National Park, wacky truck stop finds like Scorpion Candy Suckers, and an Alien Abduction!!
My girlfriend's brother and family live about 13 hours away in Colorado so we had a few stops along the way for gas, food, and lodging. Of course, we wore masks and tried to keep our distance. Most people we met on the road did the same.
We took our time and made an overnight stop after 5 or 6 hours. One memorable one was in Springdale, Utah, beneath mountain shadows of Zion National Park.
We stayed in Pioneer Lodge that supplied plenty of coffee and a huge Croissant Breakfast Sandwich for the road. A nice place but a bit steep in price -- we had other overnights that were a lot cheaper, so it all balances out in the end.
Now the tricky part of eating on the road is eating & driving. The Breakfast Sandwich is best eating warm so here is my solution to that, just watch below to see how I do it.
So do check back for more of our adventures On The Road.
What do you get when you combine a Rock Lobster, an earthquake, a taco truck, and the most ravishing scenic shots of Arches National Park? It's just another typical video from this Cheap$kate Traveler's Indian Summer Vacation Series, of course!
If you've been following me, this is my 8th video of the series and the most outrageous one yet. And these events take place on the 3rd and 4th day of our vacation. We started with a 10-hour drive from Los Angeles (see my on-the-road video here) to an overnight stay in Flagstaff, Arizona, and then on to Monument Valley (click here to see that one.)
In a week or so is my final video blog post of ghostly Indian ruins and a breathtaking trek through Canyon de Chelly National Monument. (Click on any red type in this blog post to peruse informative website links.)
Located just 5 miles from Moab, Utah, and on the Colorado River, Arches National Park is a feast for the eyes. It covers 76,000 acres and contains more than 2000 natural sandstone Arches. The Arches were formed over millennia by rain and wind eroding red-hued sandstone into freestanding magnificent monuments.
Sandstone
Arches come in all shapes and sizes. Some are only a couple stories tall, while for others you would need to be a mountain climber to reach the top.
Broken Arch
There is a Visitors Center at the entrance with camping info, brochures, etc. The park is well laid out, with an 18-mile paved road for easy access. It costs $10 per car and the ticket is good for a week. There are many scenic stops along the road, with parking slots - some rest stops have water fountains and restrooms. We stopped at one that even had picnic tables.
Make sure to get a map and do a little research, as there are many Arches to see. For some Arches, you can just pull over and gawk and take photos. While others, you will walk well laid out and traveled trails. All the rest stops have a clearly made trail map plaque and info about the Arches along the paths.
My wife and I spent 2 days there and barely scratched the surface. We camped in nearby Moab, Utah (click here to see my Camping Video.) The early morning and late afternoon are comfortable times to hike and sightsee. The sun can be brutal, so bring sunscreen and a hat. Even in May, the midday temperature was in the 90's. I wore sandals but would cover my feet better next time, as I stubbed my toe and almost ruined a day.
Not my sandals
Also, bring something to snack on and have a couple of water bottles for refilling along the way. A lot the the Arches can be seen from the main road and are a short hike away. One of the most famous is the 65-foot-tall Delicate Arch. You can take a short hike to see it from a distance - which we did. But to see it up close you must walk 3 miles from the rest stop, which takes 2 to 3 hours to get there. Next time I would take the time to hike it. I could easily spend a couple weeks hiking and taking photos/videos in Arches National Park. And maybe even try to camp in the park itself, although the sites fill up way in advance - click here to read about that.
But there are plenty of Arches with easy access. A most memorable one was Landscape Arch. The hike to get there was about a mile from the rest stop. The trail was easy to walk, with many scenic rock formations and native plants along the way. It's a well-traveled trail and our fellow hikers were considerate and pleasant enough.
Landscape Arch is said to be the world's longest at about 291 feet across. It looks like a man-made bridge. The Arch is a few hundred feet off the trail so you can't stand under it, but you get close enough to be awed by its unique structure and beauty. Of course, I had to do a wacky video scene there involving a fictitious Taco Truck.
The most bang for the buck is North and SouthWindow and Turret Arches. You get 3 magnificent Arch views that are a short walk from the road. There are stone steps that lead the way. And you can walk right up to, and inside, each Arch. Truly awe-inspiring. (Click here to see a cool 360-degree interactive panorama shot of all 3 Arches.
A fun short trek is to Sand Dune Arch. It was like walking on an ochre-hued sandy beach, with giant red walls of sandstone framing the trail. You'll want to take your shoes off when you arrive at the Aches, the sand is so soft and fine to the touch.
Sand Dune Arch
There are many other rock formations to check out. I especially liked Balanced Rock. Again, it's right off the main drag. The boulder on top is the size of 3 school buses. You get a little queasy and nervous just standing nearby.
Balanced Rock
Go ahead and walk right up and touch it. Well, I did - with disastrous results! Be sure to watch my video all the way to the end to see what I mean.
I'm on the homestretch of this Indian Summer Vacation Series. Only a couple more blog posts to go, then it's back to recipes and food reviews. Thanks for hanging out with me so far, and check out my video below -- it's classic 99 Cent Chef in action. Special 99 thanks to the caretakers of Arches National Park and my wife, Amy, for arranging the tour and recording The Chef's outrageous antics.
Arches National Park - Video #8
Play it here, video runs 5 minutes, 38 seconds.
My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.
I'm roughing it in my next Indian Summer Vacation Video. My intrepid vacation-planning wife found a campsite in the small town of Moab, Utah -- just 5 miles from Arches National Park. This video covers our camping time, then it's on to eye-popping Arches. You will not believe the next video I have in store for you, this one is just a warm-up.
The campsite is called Up The Creek and is located a few blocks from the center of downtown. Click here to see the website.
Downtown Moab, Utah
Moab is small, with a few thousand residents, so the campsite was quiet, especially with a small creek rushing by.
It's a little high-end at $32 a night for two people, but a good deal when you include: shower stalls, restrooms, an outdoor sink, charging station for electronics, gas grills, and even wheelbarrows to roll in your camping equipment.(Of course, always best to check on their website to see latest daily rates and all the campsite details.) Click here for a link to more campsites, cabins, and RV parks.
The campsite takes up about half a city block - not huge, but spacious enough. You park in a car lot by the entrance and carry, or wheelbarrow-in, all the camping stuff.
It's tent only, no RV's or car camping here. I saw about a dozen tents setup when we were there. And there are plenty of cottonwood trees, so you keep cool in the shade.
We stayed two days and nights and have no complaints. Although, we found out it was the hottest it's been all year (end of May.) While mostly sunny, but with those giant puffy white clouds you see in all the Western movies, the clouds were welcome shade providers -- however brief (pack plenty of sunblock.) And at night it cooled down comfortably. There are insects, but not biting ones (at least no bites on me.)
We had a neighbor who brought his dog - it costs another $5 per day. The animal was well behaved, friendly but quiet.
Having free access to showering was especially welcome after a sweltering day of sightseeing in Arches National Park. And right around the corner of the shower/restrooms is an outdoor kitchen sink, with fresh water for water bottle refills.
Since I was documenting stuff with my digital cameras, the charging station by the kitchen sink got a lot of use. There is no WiFi in the camp, but a couple blocks away are cafes and a visitors center for free online access.
They have a couple gas grills on a picnic table for public use, since no camp fires are allowed. If you don't like cooking and the cleanup, there are plenty of dining options in Moab.
The first night we had a tasty Happy Hour pizza, all-you-can-eat salad, and draft beer at Zax Restaurant & Watering Hole (click here to read all about them.) There are at least a dozen more dining and fast food destinations and a large grocery store, along the main street.
The main attraction was the short drive to Arches National Park - barely 5 minutes away. So it's easy to do a morning hike, take a break at camp, and return to the park later in the day when it has cooled down. Of course you can camp in the park itself, but good luck getting a spot (go ahead and read about it here.)
My Camping in Moab, Utah is a short video and I think you will enjoy it. It's just an appetizer - my next video on Arches National Park is a feast for the eyes, so do check back next week, too.
Camping in Moab, Utah - Video #7
Play it here, video runs 3 minutes, 31 seconds.
My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.
Indian Summer Vacation Series (click on any title below to see the blog post).
