S2E23: Mesa goodie.

Day 23: Oct 2, 2023
Cortez, CO →
Apple Valley, UT
Miles: 323

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Thunderstorms roll in and out most of the night, and the morning is dark and moody. We all rise, and the dimmer lights come on, keeping a warm glow intact. Grant starts coffee, Jen straightens up our makeshift sleeping area, and I capture a few moments.

We originally toyed with staying an extra night, but we decide to move on today. We dawdle a bit over morning drinks and toast. The rain continues to come in waves, and Grant remarks on the weird weather pattern.

A pause in the intermittent showers compels us to hustle, though the reprieve doesn’t last. Light drops resume as we gather up our gear. Grant helps ferry goods and assists me with the mattress while Jen loads our immediate belongings.

We hug twice and say goodbye to Grant. It’s always a bittersweet moment as he’s truly one of our favorite people.

We drive six hours from the southwestern edge of Colorado to the same in Utah. Home for the evening may also be familiar to those who read Season 1: Gooseberry Mesa. We zigzag the four corners of Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona, prompting Siri to announce each time we enter a new state. A customary Glen Canyon Dam stop to pick up a patch for the rig, then we arrive at Gooseberry.

Since we still have daylight and it’s a quieter day of the week, we explore other tracks in the vicinity. We find more fire rings and campsites and marvel at the bounty here. It’s fall, which is the season for mountain biking. A scattering of campers are around, but we have plenty of room and privacy from one another. We set up on the mesa rim at a new spot at the end of a spur, and the views delight as always. Plus, AT&T has full strength here.

We hover over the Firecan after dinner and discuss tomorrow’s plans. Do we grab coffee in St. George an hour away, so I can take a regular Zoom meeting? Push for a longer travel leg, with a lunch stop at our usual place in Las Vegas, then onward to Bishop in our home state? Or do we stay put and bask in the comfort of such idyllic surroundings?

Answers for tomorrow.