The Wrap-Up

 This was a long, strenuous and tiring trip, with a lot of ups and downs. It required frequent altitude adjustments. I’ve been canyonized and vulcanized and over passed, even when Parked. I’m glad I made it!

That’s 19 days, 4,777.4 miles across 8 states west of Missouri. I visited 16 national parks, monuments, and historic sites (10 new-to-me), plus several state parks or historic sites (and one Navajo park).

It cost about $3,000, with lodging being the most expensive, at about $80 per night for the 15 nights in motels. Cat boarding was next, $19/night/per cat over 22 nights. Meals/snacks and gas were virtually equal – the hybrid RAV-4 saved me at least 10 miles per gallon vs my previous Forester. A couple of entry fees not covered by my NPS senior pass ($10 in 2006) and some T-shirt souvenirs made up the rest.

I think the high points was meeting a bunch of my Truman relatives. My great-grandfather,W.L. Truman, never returned to Missouri after his Confederate service; he settled in Louisiana. His brother Joseph, too young to fight, went to Oregon with his sister and her husband after the war. They returned to Missouri; he stayed in Oregon where he married a lumber baron’s daughter. I’d corresponded with one of Joseph’s descendants, off and on, since 2011, and finally got to meet her, her 2 sisters, and 2 other cousins. I have some work to do on some letters I photoed!

 

Now for some ratings and analysis:

• Best roads: Kansas.
• Loneliest road: close between US-50 across Nevada and UT-21 (but K-4 across Kansas last year might beat them both). There were some pretty lonely ones in Nebraska, Wyoming, Idaho, and Oregon, as well.
• Best independent motel: Hilltopper in Hill City, KS. Two of the other 3 were good, as well.
• Best chain motel: All the Holiday Inn properties were good; most were able to honor my request for a first floor room. A special shout-out to the HIE in La Junta, CO – I’ve stayed there 5 times since 2002; it was a bit tired in 2019, but is completely updated now.
• Best food: I was quite restricted in my choices since I am likely allergic to red meat (alpha-gal syndrome from a lone star tick). Tequila in Cortez and Nino’s del Sol in Alamosa were the best – they were also closest to New Mexico – coincidence?

Now for the boring statistics:

Miles driven, by state: Kansas – 814. Oregon – 689. Utah – 657. Colorado – 541. Wyoming 531. Nevada – 442. Idaho – 392. California – 314. Nebraska – 279. Missouri – 130. New Mexico – 2.

Miles of ‘virgin’ roads driven (roads I’d never previously driven): 2298.

Highest altitude: Wolf Creek Pass, 10,856’. Runners up: Lassen Volcanic and Great Basin, each over 10,500’. HM to Togwatee Pass, 9544’ and La Veta Pass, 9413’ – the dozens of 5,000’ to 8,000’ passes don’t even get a mention – and most passes require driving up and/or down a canyon.

Volcanic features encountered: Craters of the Moon, Newberry Volcanic, Lassen Volcanic. John Day Fossil Beds, Great Basin, the whole skyline west of US-97, among others.

 

Future trip plans: A visit to Louisiana next year for my 65^th year HS reunion, and maybe one last visit to the U.P.

Day R-10, Wednesday, July 23, 2025 - McPherson to Warrensburg

 LAST DAY! My HIE breakfast was ready early, so I ate my cinnamon roll and turkey sausage before rolling at 0604, CDT. I saw sunrise from US-56, then switched to one of my favorite short cuts, K-150, at a roundabout. This takes me into the Flint Hills and into Chase County. I read a lot about the area in William Least Heat-Moon’s book, “Prairy Erth.”

I’m now on good old US-50. The area is green as green can be, with plenty to eat for the cattle shipped up from Texas for backgrounding before their trip to the feed yard for finishing. There’s even a bit of mist rising from some of the puddles – I guess you can say this area has received copious amounts of rain – with more to come if the forecasts are correct.

At Emporia, I pick up I-35 north to Ottawa. K-68 takes me to my first and only break of the day at Louisburg. The Missouri line is only about 10 miles east, so it’s roads oft-traveled home and to work. I finish the laundry and the books, pay the card bills, and collapse. Mowing the grass nourished by at least 3.75” of rain and plenty of sunshine will wait its turn.

 

For the day: 235.3 miles, for the trip 4777.4

Soon to come: Trip wrap up.

Day R-9, Tuesday, July 22, 2025 - La Junta to McPherson

 I love it when the motel opens the breakfast doors at 0600. I was already loaded, so a quick couple of items and on the road at 0614 local. US-50 starts as a 4-lane highway parallel to the Arkansas River and the BNSF (& Amtrak) tracks. The highway narrows to 2 lanes, but the speed limit remains at 65 except when passing through towns like Las Animas (elev 3900’) on the Santa Fe Trail.

I have a small problem: my cruise control suddenly stops working, and here I am in a nice, flat river valley, perfect for that function. Fortunately, I knew that the forward radar in this Toyota is housed behind the logo in front. I pull over at Lamar and clean off the built-up bugs; when I start up again, it works!

I deviate from my planned route by turning north on a paved county road through a heavily agricultural area with little traffic, transitioning into the “Buffalo Plains.” I have seen many silo trees in my travels, but this road provided something new – a silo car!

I come out on CO-96 at the ghost town of Chivington. That’s where you turn off to the the site of the Sand Creek massacre that Col. Chivington engineered. The site is now under the NPS; I was tempted to drive to it so I could take a picture of the infamous Trump-directed sign and ask how he’d interpret the site. I remember the vicious biting flies, immune to 40% DEET, encountered on a previous visit, so moved on.

Sheridan Lake (elev 4072’) is the highest I’ll be for at least the rest of this year. The eponymous lake is little more than another playa.

Crossing into Kansas, I’m now on K-97. I pass a small town with a big elevator every few miles – the railroad tracks here are shiny. The road is newly paved, as well. Oops, it’s time for nice, long wait; I’ve reached the paving-in-progress section. It seems to me that the existing pavement they’re replacing is better than that on many Missouri roads.

I cross White Woman Creek of ghostly legend and reenter Central Time. Leoti claims to be the Barn Quilt Capital of Kansas; I see no barns. Rush County has more than its share of scenic abandoned farm houses, with no place to stop for a picture.

As I approach Great Bend, I see my second truck accident of the day. The first one cut a corner leaving a dirt road and had deposited a crop sprayer rig in the ditch. This one hit the turn into a side road a tad too fast and jack-knifed across the side road.

The Ellinwood-McPherson area is oil country. I see a couple of new refineries, new pipelines all over the place. They have a first class museum, lots of space, art, etc. Oil money sure makes a difference!

I’m checked into my HIE and plan to crash early – 18 days on the road!

For the day: 254.1 miles, for the trip 4542.1

Tomorrow: 240 miles and home!

Day R-8, Monday, July 21, 2025 - Cortez to La Junta

 Another early morning departure. The HIE hotel breakfast wasn’t supposed to start until 0630, so I had planned to grab something at the classic ‘50s style Denny’s diner next door. When I started to haul my last load to the car, people were already eating – I think a special exception for a “Hot Shot” fire team - so I grabbed something expecting to have a real breakfast in Durango. I rolled at 0614 under light showers.

The sun was rising on the other side of the next mountain, casting an unusual glow on the clouds and mist. Traffic wouldn’t allow a set shot; this one through the windshield doesn’t do it justice.

 

The first pass of the day, a long one, wasn’t too bad leading to Durango. Durango traffic is very urban - it’s all built up with fancy by-passes which limits my likelihood of finding a cafe.

I find the right exit to continue on US-160 and head for Chimney Rock National Monument. That takes me through more of the San Juan Mountains; there’s even a wildlife overpass!. The time is 0819; the monument gates don’t open until 0900. I take some pictures and press on, starving.

                                        From the entrance

                                    A different angle

    

                                A pair of ravens nesting on the sign

I finally find an easily accessible cafe in Pagosa Springs. It even has grits on the menu. I ordered eggs over easy & grits – big mistake.

Now for the adventure: Wolf Creek Pass! There’s even a country song about it. I stopped at a couple of pull-outs to take these shots, one of a mountain across the way and one down the valley.

There was plenty of construction along the highway, so it was both hands on the wheel all the way through. I couldn’t even stop to take a picture of the Continental Divide sign at 10,865 feet. I’ve been over 10,000’ twice already, at Lassen and Great Basin, but this pass tops each of those.

The long ride down to the San Luis Valley follows the West Fork of the Rio Grande. I look for my only real taste of real green chile sauce in Alamosa. My two favorite restaurants there are closed on Monday, but a lady at the tourism office in an old depot sent me to Nino’s Del Sol – a fine choice.

As I leave the valley, I see the dunes of Great Sand Dunes National Park in the distance. Then it’s time for my last pass of the trip. La Veta Pass (9413’) goes through the Sangre de Cristo Range, home of many 14ers (including nearby Sierra Blanca at 14,345.

At Walsenburg, I leave US-160 and pick up CO-10 for 72 miles of nothing – just a few ranches in this high plains area. It has real grass (and a few cacti). I get to La Junta and my HIE at 1452, download the few photos I took, and called it a day.

For the day: 342.1 miles, for the trip 4187.9

Tomorrow: McPherson, KS, route TBD (too many options)

Day R-7, Sunday, July 20, 2025 - Blanding to Cortez

 Today will be hot, and I have some hiking on the schedule, so I leave Blanding at 0635 local. 14 miles on a good road, followed by 30 miles on variable, but paved, roads, takes me to Hovenweeep National Monument. I arrive at 0735 and commence my hike on a nice, paved trail; this is followed by up-and-down over slickrock. Hovenweep features a concentrated group of ruins along the upper reached of a small canyon.

                            Twin Towers

 

Twin Towers showing 2 other units

 

                            five visible tower/units

 

                                            Hovenweep Castle with Hovenweep House

 

                                            Hovenweep Castle

                                            Hovenweep House

I leave after 2 hours, split between hiking and recuperating. The road to Aneth is good. It’s also high – I can see Ship Rock in the distance. The shot-up roadside signs on the Rez show that sign-shooting folks out here don’t mess with mere shotguns.

As I approach Aneth I see that more families in this area still have hogans. Some hogans have windows and even a little cupola with skylights as well as the traditional chimney. I guess Changing Woman would approve, as long as the door opens to sunrise.

I see a couple of small groups of possibly-wild horses, each with a dominant stallion, his posture leaving no doubt who is in charge.

NM-262 becomes CO-41 at the state line. I turn onto US-160 for a visit to the Four Corners Monument. This is a Navajo Tribal Park - $8 per person entry fee, please. The marker itself is flanked on each state’s side by vendor booths, presumably staffed by people from that state. People line up to have their pictures taken straddling the marker. Yes, it’s a tourist trap, and I heartily approve of the Dine’ peoples’ entrepreneurism, bringing money to a rather desolate area.

 

US-160/491 heads toward Cortez, but I take a side road to collect a little known National Monument, Yucca House. There is little choice in parking; the boardwalk leading to the site is entered from a farmer’s driveway. His sprinklers are going providing a cool shower to those who don’t navigate the boardwalk quickly enough.

 

I eschew US-160/491 and use County Road 21 to reach the edge of Cortez. Like so many other towns in the area, it has exploded in tourism-related businesses. I’m way too early to attempt to check in, so I take a side trip to Canyons of the Ancients National Monument. Alas! The museum is closed today, but I had a nice chat with a couple staffing an information kiosk – the lady hailed originally from Springfield (MO).

 

Back in Cortez, I’m able to check into my HIE about 1330. A superb pollo verde at Margarita’s and I’m finishing up well before 1700.

For the day: 164.8 miles, for the trip 3845.8.

Tomorrow: La Junta via Chimney Rock Nat’l Monument and Wolf Creek Pass.

Day R-6, Saturday, July 19, 2025 - Torrey to Blanding

I’m on the road at 0637 local, heading east on UT-24, through Capitol Reef NP and out the other side. I pass a real, live skunk by the roadside near the petroglyph pull-out – good thing took I visited them yesterday. Took a few pictures going through, to show.

 20 miles in, I turn south on Notom Road, down the east side of the waterpocket fold. After about 20 miles of pavement, the road turns to packed dirt, still passable but at a lower speed. I did take a few pictures to document the landscape. After 30 miles, I say “enough” and return to the main highway. 

I finally get to Hanksville at 0915 and have breakfast. The music in the cafe was appropriate – classic Hank Williams songs. I top off the tank and grab a soda at a C-store built into a rock.

 UT-95 runs through a lot of desert. To the right, I see the same sandstone layers I’ve been seeing for two days, but these are topped by the outer flows of a large volcanic mountain. I stop at a recreation spot and take a picture - note the desert varnish.

 

More canyons, all leading down toward the Colorado River. The Hite overlook shows upper reaches of Lake Powell; the remains of the mining town of Hite are not visible.

 

UT-95 takes me to the east side of the Colorado and back up to higher ground. The cap rock in this area is lighter colored and the canyon/slick rock is white; the middle is a thick dark red layer. One point of interest is this formation known as Jacob’s Chair.

I go through a pass (7110’). a bit after noon, I enter Natural Bridges National Monument, last visited in 2009. A short chat with the rangers there, and its off to the scenic loop. I’ll take pictures of the two bridges I can see without extensive walking.

 

                                            Sipapu Bridge

The surrounding land is part of the Bear’s Ears National Monument, named for this formation.

 

I get to Blanding about 2:30 and tour the Edge of the Cedars State Park. Its museum has an art gallery and lots of pottery from the area; everything is well-interpreted. It has the partially excavated ruins of a “Chaco outlier” great house, with a kiva one can visit. I pass.

 

I find my non-chain motel, topped off the tank, and had supper.

For the day: 243.2 miles, for the trip 3680.9

Tomorrow: Hovenweep National Monument, the Four Corners monument, and targets of opportunity. RON in Cortez.

Day R-5, Friday, July 18, 2025 - Cedar City to Torrey

 What a day! Left a bit later than usual because the visitor center at Cedar Breaks National Monument doesn’t open until 0900. UT-14 immediately enters a very scenic canyon, so I stopped multiple times to take pictures. At Red Hollow Trailhead I watched the movement of the sun change the color of the rock from bright pink to dull red.

I’m entering the Dixie National Forest and stop now and then to take pictures when the light is right.

Cedar Breaks is like Bryce, only higher (at 10,500’) and with much less traffic. Plenty of hoodoos, perhaps a bit less colorful since Bryce’s display a slightly lower geological layer. Lots and lots of pictures!

 

I left at about 1000, heading down to lower altitudes. Imagine my surprise finding a lava flow next to the road, when all else has been sedimentary. Panguiitch Lake is a busy man-made one on the Sevier River. Panguitch itself has wide streets, lots of motels, and a wide valley with plenty of irrigated fields. The river has a kind of milky surface, thanks to overnight rains.

I pass a tourism attraction – Butch Cassidy’s boyhood home, an outlaw who achieved immortality thanks to a movie with big-name stars, Circleville has some architecturally interesting houses. Kingston Canyon has some weird rock formations and no place to pull over for pictures. A bit farther along, I see 4 parallel contrails – a perfect clef, just needs some clouds for notes.

 

I have lunch in Koosharem, cross Wayne Summit (8400’), a finally drop down into the Fremont River valley, home of several towns and Capitol Reef National Park. I explore a bit and take lots more pictures. 

 

 Did you know that Capitol Reef has a Chimney Rock? This is #2 of 3 Chimney Rocks I will have seen before the end of the trip (as I explained to an Aussie tourist I met there).

 

And Capitol Reef also has some petroglyphs – of course I took pictures:

 

Finally got to the Motel Torrey in Torrey (elev 7000’) at 1600 and started to recover from a strenuous day at altitude.

For the day: 199.8 miles, for the trip 3437.6

Tomorrow: more exploration of Capitol Reef area, a scenic drive to Natural Bridges, and RON at Blanding.