Sunday, 22 July 2018
We fuel up Vincent and find a Starbucks to supplement our motel coffee. By 9 am we are on the road. It will take about 6 hours to drive from Fruita, across Utah, to Great Basin NP in Nevada. Our journey is uneventful. We are amused when we reach the T at our last turn towards Great Basin. There is a large octagonal sign at the end of the road that reads, “WHOA.”
Shortly after the turn we arrive at the visitor center where I am foolish enough to allow O to browse in the bookstore. One geology book and one tree identification book later we proceed up the road to our campground, Grey Cliffs. O immediately notes the grey cliffs above for which it is named. The sign at the entrance to our loop, Loop A, says group camping. I check our reservation printout. It doesn’t say anything about groups and it certainly doesn’t look as if we’ve been charged extra… our two nights here cost an exorbitant $15.
O and I set up our site. As we back into our short driveway, large raindrops splat down on Vincent and us. By the time the tarp is hung the rain has stopped. Next we find a level spot for Wglwof and then we prepare dinner: tuna curry with rice and veggies. Our tarp rises and falls in the light evening air as if it is breathing. We find there is enough cell reception here to chat with S as we enjoy the cool breeze.
Later, I wander the campground road. There is no source of water up here so we will have to refill bottles at the visitor center in the morning. There also appears to be no bear problem. The trash cans are not bear proof. There is, however, one hazard – a prickly pear cactus plant right outside O’s tent door. We will have to be careful tonight!
