Get along little doggies 🐮🐮

Free range cattle in this area.

We participated in a cattle drive Tuesday morning.  Well, OK, we didn't actually drive the cows.  And we didn't actually ride any horses.  In fact, we were sitting in the RV.  But we did have to stop in the middle of the road while they drove the cows around us. As close as we'll come to being a cowboy!

Went up some long, steep grades headed towards Capital Reef National Park. We were up early and got moving so we would get our 3 hours or so in before it got too hot.  Of course, it's going to be cooler in Torrey, UT today with a high of 93° compared to the 106° near Moab.  As I've said before though,  after you hit a certain temperature, HOT is HOT! 🔥

Pat said you need a view of the RV when the two slides are in and it's in travel mode.  The foot rest on the recliners could be opened a little, but no one could get by!  We can open the bathroom door on the left enough to comfortably get in and the fridge can be opened enough to get things out.  We could even go back and take a nap on the bed.  Krikkit does not like it when the slides are in.

We stopped at Ghost Rock rest area, more for views than a rest.  The views? Outstanding!  A Native American had her wares:  jewelry, pottery, etc., laid out on the ground.  A lot of the jewelry incorporated Juniper Beads.  Navajo legend says they were worn to chase off evil spirits and nightmares, or so she said.

Ghost Rock
It got it's name from a cowboy who saw it's pinnacle sticking up out of fog and thought it looked like a ghost. 

Butch Cassidy and other outlaws used to hide out in this canyon.

The signs and posts at the rest area were grafittied with stickers from all over the country. 

When we left the Interstate we took Utah 72.  The highest elevation we noticed was 8900.  We also saw GREEN. Mountains with trees and a little grass.

We're leaving the Interstate behind.

Fish lake National Forest follows Utah 72.

The picturesque town of Loa is only about 20 minutes away from Torrey.

Tonight and Weds. night we are at Sandcreek RV Park in Torrey.  It has an elevation of 6800 and a population of under 300.  The sites are a little tight, but nice owners and beautiful views of the area.  Our destination tomorrow is Capital Reef National Park.  A short stop at this National Park on this trip.  We are at a dark sky park as is Capital Reef.  Hopefully we'll get some good sky viewing at one of the two.

They also have cabins.

This would be the view out our front window IF we didn't have foil in it to keep the RV cool.  As all along our trip west, we have encountered the unusual heat wave.  Normal highs in Torrey in June are in the low 80's.

Alfalfa 
Lots of wildflowers and grasses.

Apricot Globemallow

Southwest Colorado Wildflower