Moab Utah to Holbrook Arizona July 31 – August 7

July 31, 2022

Sun Outdoors Arches Gateway

Moab, UT

189 miles/4 hrs

FHU/Pull through site #1

$83.82

I rode in back on the couch for the first hour and a half until I was certain we were out of the crazy mountain roads. This part of I-70 is awful. Bumpy, bumpy, bumpy! I-70 runs alongside the Colorado River and provides some very pretty views of the river with mountains in the background. The scenery is truly magnificent! Just outside of Grand Junction we passed a couple of wineries…never thought the growing season work work here, but evidently it does. Once we passed Grand Junction….nothing! All we could see was small pockets of homes in the vast acreage. Where do these people shop? Get fuel? It’s a head scratcher 🫤! Slowly, but surely the colors were changing. The closer we approached Utah the scenery changed from green to pink and brown, and the river was gone.  The Utah mountains are something else, for sure! Rocks, rocks, and more rocks…but beautiful, to be sure 😀. We crossed the Utah boarder with 1-1/2 hrs to go to our destination. The speed limit moved up to 80 mph 😱😱😱! Crazy! And a sign gave us a heads-up that there were NO services for the next 42 miles; and that was not a lie. Talk about nothingness! Miles and miles of undeveloped land with rock mountains in the background. Occasionally, we would come upon an exit…lol…to where?? Signs at the exit reminded us there were no services…oh, dear Lord! Get fuel before you hop on this stretch of I-70!

Sun Outdoors RV Parks are many. We stayed at Arches Gateway. There’s another not far from here in downtown called Downtown. We believe this is a chain buying other parks because it’s very confusing when the sign on the road reads Moab Valley RV Park. We drove 12 miles north of the park before we realized the GPS was definitely confused. Thankfully Barry was able to turn the beast around, I

called the park and very helpful, Lynnette, guided us back to where we should be.

The park is very nice with gravel roadways and sites. In between every other site is a grassy area with a picnic table. The park is very nicely maintained with a pool, playground and oversized chess and checkers boards. Cabins are here and there among the rv sites. There’s an area for tent campers with canopies, but what was very different was an exclusive, fenced in section for Airstream campers only. Each appeared to have a covered patio…maybe seasonal campers?

Arches National Park is on schedule for 4:00 pm as a reservation is required to enter the park from 8:00a-5:00p. Our lifetime passes got us through the gate. Otherwise, $30/vehicle will get you in. We are absolutely blown away by the views, the rock formations and the panoramic scenery. We took loads of photos, but they will never capture the same of what we were so fortunate to see. The elevation ranges from 4,085 to 5,653 feet and contains over 2,000 natural sandstone arches due to erosion and other geological events. Absolutely the best part of our day.

We took a ride downtown to get a bite at Thai Bella Moab. Meh 🫤. It was mobbed. The outdoor seating was very nice, but we opted for first available and ended up inside within ten minutes. Pad Thai and another noodle dish that turned out to be soup and a couple of glasses of wine…$75! Getting to the point where I don’t want to dine out anymore…prices are ridiculous! And our entrees were just okay.

It was still 95* at 9:00 pm…I can only imagine what is to come when we arrive in Arizona in a couple of days. 🥵

August 1, 2022

Coral Sands RV Park, Bluff, UT

103 miles/2 hrs

$50 FHU/pull through B5

Another nail biter of a ride for me. I lasted up front for about 20 miles, then came the hills and turns…bye-bye passenger seat. I kept Panda company from the couch.We traveled Route 191 S all the way to Bluff, UT. A lot of more nothingness and shrub grass with a backdrop of rock formations. It still is very beautiful! Off to our right we’re about a dozen wind turbines…only one slightly moving.  Red and brown slowly turned green and brown and no more rock formations. At about our half-way point we drove through Monticello, a bit of a sleepy little town with a few mostly unoccupied RV parks and a couple of gas stations and restaurants along Main Street. Not exactly sure but I could have sworn I saw a wheat field…but have my doubts. Blanding City is next on our list of pass-throughs and we are now 25 miles shy of Bluff. Blanding City is the biggest thing we have seen since Moab. Many choices for shopping, dining and entertainment. For those of you who know this drive-through diner, there’s an A & W Drive-through. When I lived in RI servers would roller skate to your car, take your order and bring back the food on a tray that would hang from your window. It was a fun treat!

As we enter Bluff the rock formations are appearing once again. Bluff is a very small town comprised of pretty-much nothing. There’s a gas station /convenience store and a few RV parks. One motel has Duke’s Diner.

Coral Sands is very rustic with dirt roads and sites. Each site is separated by trees for a bit of privacy and they have a picnic table. The owners are new and extremely accommodating and helpful.

We settled in and then headed to Gooseneck’s State Park about 25 minutes south on Route 163. The ride was amazing with splendid scenery and panoramic views…unbelievable! We reached the entrance to the “park.” ($5 per vehicle) Not at all what we imagined at all, but my goodness! Goosenecks is three winding rivers that run off the San Juan River 1,100 feet below the overlook. The gorge offers breathtaking views. The park is remote and located in the middle of the Colorado Plateau. Absolutely worth the scenic drive on 163.

Ten more miles south we headed to Forrest Gump Hill…a certain disappointment compared to all that this area has to offer scenery-wise. What a great drive!

Barry spoke with Roger and the insurance company. Roger offered to rip up the check. The insurance company will pay $1,225 toward the failed repair. Barry will send Roger a check for their repairs and refurbishment of the topper. When we return home Barry will look for a reputable Winnebago company to repair the now fourth failure of the passenger side slide.

August 2, 2022

Navajo Land and Hotel of Tuba City, Tuba City, AZ

146 miles/2-1/2 hrs

$34 FHU Pull through site 9

Fuel

Tuuvi Travel Center, Tuba City, AZ

10.84 gallons; $4.39 gallon; $47.65

Diesel

Easy in and out at

Westerners, Tuba City, AZ

60 gallons; $4.99 gallon; $300.00

Another short run today, on lumpy 191 southbound. We crossed the Arizona state line about 45 minutes into our drive. The roads were absolutely awful until we made our way more into Arizona then they got significantly better. Route 160 south was a pleasure. Today’s scenery is brown and barren, with rock formations in the distance. Today, so many groups of motorcycles were heading northbound. We’ve never experienced anything like this in all of our travels. Clusters of homes are scattered across the land, but no signs of towns or life 🤔. There were sightings of some sheep, horses and cows grazing in the shrubbery. About 20 miles outside of Navajo Nation beer cans and bottles litter the sides of the highway, probably due to the fact that Navajo Nation is a dry county and there perhaps are serious implications for possession of alcohol.

As we entered Tuba there are signs of mask 😷 mandates everywhere! Oh, my goodness! Seriously? As we entered Tuba there are signs of mask 😷 mandates everywhere! Oh, my goodness! Literally, people were outdoors, alone, masked. Tuba is, for the most part, a very poor community. The neighborhoods are in horrible conditions and the homes in severe disrepair. Dust storms blow dirt onto the roads creating such a mess! There’s one grocery store, two dollar stores, and every fast food restaurant imaginable. This Hotel/ RV park is the only option. There is, one block over, another hotel…but that’s it! We visited the dinosaur tracks not to far outside of town. Two gentleman have a little business going offering to give tours…lol. Good for them! They are working!

Two years ago Tuba City was hit hard by Covid. Medical facilities are not large or many, and it was difficult to treat the growing number of people getting the virus. Generations live together packed in small spaces passing the virus on to one another. They literally had a curfew for a year and the mask mandates continue as they believe this is a solution to rid themselves of illness. What it has done is destroy their livelihood is horrific, to say the least.

The RV park…absolutely no frills or amenities and located behind the hotel. It is quite apparent many are living here.

I would not recommend this place other than a stop over for

one evening. It’s very hot at 95*.

August 3, 2022

The Canyon Motel & RV Park, Williams, AZ

110 miles/1 hr 50 minutes

$52.21/evening + $38 tax and environmental fees

$191.88

FHU Pull through deluxe site #23

We traveled 163 and 89 southbound today, passing through several small Navajo towns that have been devastated due to Covid lockdowns over the past couple of years. In Cameron one RV park remains open, but with very few seen there. There’s one gas station with a small market attached to it and people along side the road trying to make a living by selling blankets and jewelry. In nearby Grey Mountain nothing survived. It’s very sad. Only the gas station is up and running.

And, the scenery remains the same, dirt and rock formations in the distance. The desert is a brutal place to live, in my opinion.

As we approached Flagstaff, AZ the views began to change. Pine trees, some lush and some dying or dead, line the roadway. Bark beetle disease and/or drought are the culprits for the ones that didn’t survive. Almost to our destination and 15 miles to go we traveled I-40 west.

The campground is quite large with sites carved out of the mountain range. The massive pine tree view is splendid. The campground also offers a small store with a variety of items and there’s a pool. We will be quite happy here for the next few days and absolutely enjoy some cooler weather. Today’s high was 74* with about 50% humidity.

Williams is a great town with quite a few convenience stores…Safeway, Ace Hardware, liquor stores and Historic Route 66 is their main street downtown. No more than a mile long, if that, Route 66 is a tourist attraction with numerous restaurants and shops, many of them having a western flair.

We have met up with friends, Larry and Nancy, for the next few days. Tonight we enjoyed dinner outdoors at Cruiser’s Route 66 Café on Route 66. Classic burgers, bbq and the like.

Tomorrow…Grand Canyon here we come!

August 4^th is Grand Canyon adventure day! ($150/pp for the train and bus tour) At 9:30 we boarded the train for the 2-1/4 hour journey to the south rim. Dennis, our passenger service assist, did a great job with information and entertainment. We also enjoyed a few country songs from a guitarist cruising through each car serenading for tips. The variety of scenery along the way was enjoyable. Cows and horses grazed freely, we saw giant ant hills, prairie dogs peeking out of there underground burrows, and much more!

When we reached the south rim Tom, our coach driver, was awaiting our arrival. This gentleman was over the top as a guide. He knows this village, all of its ways and people! He absolutely loves his job. We were simply amazed that there’s an actual community that lives here…they have a village! At an elevation of 6,804 feet and a population of approximately 1,700, they have a medical center, school (26 graduates this year), lodging and I would imagine a gas station that we never did see. Our guide’s boss has lived there for 39 years. Most whom live there work, in some way, to serve the millions of tourists who visit each year. Our first stop was lunch and a Santa Fe Buffet. Pretty good! I visited the gift shop for a couple of items and…back on the bus. Our 1-1/2 hour tour was a slow drive with frequent stops along the rim where we all departed the bus and Tom gave a great explanation of what and where. He was so very happy to spew his wealth of information. The views and vistas of the Grand Canyon are breathtaking and almost unbelievable. It’s vastness at 18 miles long and 10 miles across is so much to take in. We were brought to an area of the Canyon where the Colorado River flows and we were actually able to witness rafters navigating the rushing river. The river’s 277 miles flows at average four miles per hour and is about 300 feet across. It’s narrowest point is 76 feet and 85 feet deep at the deepest. Pretty amazing and Tom was very anxious to float on the Colorado River!

Back at the train station we had about a 20 minute wait before boarding. Once we boarded, the informative Dennis filled us with more fun facts and entertained us with some silly jokes! In the buffet car we chatted with a local who suggested we try Nany’s Tacos, because she too thinks the restaurant prices gouge the tourists. Maybe tomorrow. Back in our seats the “Marshall” spots an antelope running along the terrain and starts yelling, “long horn, long horn.” What a sight to see…this magnificent animal that is second to the fastest runner in existence, that being the cheetah. The antelope can run speeds up to 65 mph. More guitar-serenading and a faux train robbery ate up our 2-1/2 hour, very pleasant ride back to Williams.

Larry and Nancy spent the evening on the north rim and will take the 3:30 afternoon train back to Williams today. So, Barry and I have Friday to ourselves. Lunch at Nany’s Tacos was very authentic, delicious and reasonable. The zip line that Barry thought would be adventurous looked pretty lame so that was a pass. Bearizona wildlife park ($27/pp) was our choice activity for the afternoon. So much fun! Half of the park was a three-mile drive-thru to view deer, bison, goats, reindeer, wolves, burros and bears…so, so many bears! All of them free to roam around the park. The other side of the park is like any other zoo-type park with a variety of critters in separate habitats. There was also live music; male and female duet that were very enjoyable. Restaurants and kiosks dot the park, along with a large gift shop. Lastly, there are daily shows with ambassador birds and a raccoon showing off very skilled moves they have perfected.  Definitely worth your time and money.

Friday evening, our last evening 😥, so the four of us head to Red Raven on Route 66 for dinner. Not a very large restaurant so reservations are highly-recommended. Of course, a bit on the pricey side but the food and service was outstanding. Nancy and I really enjoyed our chicken parmigiana and eggplant parmigiana. Larry and Barry had absolutely no problem cleaning their plates of one of their specialty dishes…duck breast. It was a good splurge.

We all said our goodbyes; we truly enjoyed ourselves over the past few days. 🥰

August 6, 2022

OK RV Park, Holbrook, AZ

$50/evening

$100 w/Good Sam discount

122 miles/2-1/2 hrs

FHU Pull through site B18

Elevation 5,082 feet

Fuel & DEF

Maverik, Holbrook, AZ

19.88 gallons; $4.85 gallon; $96.58

7.58 gallons; $4.15 gallons; $31.51

Today we began our way back east. Our 2-1/2 hour journey brought us back the way we came on I-40. Pretty much the same scenery as a few days ago. Flat and brown with some scrubby greens. One very interesting site was a train caravan that was at least a mile long, and as we approached Holbrook we saw another! That was one long train of cargo cars! We stopped for DEF and since the diesel fuel was $4.85 a gallon Barry topped off.

OK RV is okay 👍. Every site is exactly the same. They are about 75 feet long and gravel. There are several sewer connections running along the site…pick the one that suits you best. There are a few wispy, tall trees that provide a bit of shade. Although it was 96* when we arrived, the humidity was at 19%…so not so bad 🙂.

We headed out to scout the town of a mere 5,000 people. Another town devastated by Covid. So many businesses shut down, empty parking lots…it’s very sad. We visited a couple of trading posts featuring tons of petrified wood. Jim Gray’s Petrified Wood was quite overwhelmingly…so much wood of all shapes and sizes; quite beautiful actually. Barry found an RV- manageable specimen along with a couple of wooden bear and bison to add to his collection. Fun afternoon! There’s really not much to do here, but we will make the best of it.

August 7… a beautiful Sunday morning with sunny skies at 76* with an expected high of 91*. Last night the sunset was absolutely gorgeous with its pink skies…maybe the same this evening?…we shall see.       

The Petrified Forest and The Painted Desert has multiple elevations that vary between 5,307 to 6,262 feet and spans the semi-desert, grassland, shrubs and Pinyon Junipers. Two entry points allow accessibility from I-40 to HWY-180. The 28-mile drive has 12 stop-off points of interest, eight paved trails of various lengths and eight off-the-beaten-path hikes for the explorers and wanderers. The park boundary encases 221,390 acres, so plenty of exploration is available. At the southern entrance there are free RV campsites at Crystal River RV. To the left of the gift shop there are several other RV sites with electricity. It took us a couple of hours, including the stops, to travel the 28-mile road. The weather was mostly pleasant given a great breeze and mostly overcast skies. The elevation, on the other hand, wreaks havoc on breathing. Pictures will not do justice to the beauty. It was a great way to enjoy a beautiful day.