Overland Camping Roadtrip Blog
Travel Day 9:
Total km driven to date: 3049km
Total km walked to date: 70.9km
Flaming Gorge, UT – WeRock Rangely, CO
201km drive
6.88km on foot
Today started off as a lazy morning. Sun was shining and after the past few days of moisture it was time to air everything out and let my damp clothes etc dry out. Only 2hrs away from Rangely I was in no huge hurry to get down there so I spent the morning on chores and had a nice hot shower before packing up and heading on the road. Everything looks different now that the sky is blue and the clouds are gone, the hills are the vibrant reds and oranges that I was expecting to see. The mesquite trees are full of “clickets” clicking away and making a racket. Great morning. I head back to main road and wind down and across the Flaming Gorge Dam, first time I’ve driven over a dam and it was extremely impressive and very beautiful surroundings, the lake shining, people out on boats surrounded by the red rocks, I highly recommend the drive. We worked our way up into the hills above the dam and then started seeing signs for a 8% hill ahead. What a road, 2600ft drop in 9 miles with 9 switchbacks as we came out of the mountains and down into Vernal Utah. Took a quick stop at Walmart and you know you’re in Utah when you see two good ole boys in overalls packing groceries into their Side-by-Side in the parking lot! Can’t believe you can drive them on the road in Utah, what a fun grocery getter….except I’d probably get distracted on the way home and hit up some sweet trails!
Out of Vernal and down the US 40 and into Colorado, oil country as we pass numerous pump-jacks and large oil tanks on either side of the road. As we pull into town we can start seeing signs in front of various businesses welcoming the WeRock competitors, cool to see a town supportive of these events! The event is only 2miles out of town and there is already a decent group of drivers and rigs set up and its beer and bullshit time as I meet some people and of course Axel meets everyone, one of the perks of being a free range dog! Talk to some great people and check out the course and even have time for a bit of a photoshoot with the Fly-In-Hi guys at sunset. Its shaping up to be an epic weekend. Time for a well earned beer!
