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12 April ~ 2019
The first possible campsite for our April Canyon Country trip was secluded, but within 100 yards of a cliff over the Green River that was just too dangerous for the dogs. Tricia said it would not be worth it to keep them on leash or worry about them the entire time, and she was right. We kept going south and ended up on top of a knoll, with views of the Green River Canyon a long ways below, the Manti La Sal Mountains to the east, and the Henry Mountains to the south, which is the photo above.
The first evening there was moderate wind, which kept the fire going good. The wind stopped before we got into our tents, and I fell asleep right away. Before midnight I was woken by strong wind and then rain. I watched Tricia'a tent to see if it would stay up - It was taller than mine. She said later it bent halfway over, and the wind was blowing under the tent and lifting up her feet in the sleeping bag. I think it would have blown away had Tricia not moved some heavy items over to the windward corners. A couple of tentpoles split, but thankfuly the tent stayed up that night! Kelty has a lifetime warranty on their gear, so I will send the poles to them to be repaired. They have always been good at fixing my worn backpacks and tents. Almost every piece of outdoor gear I own is made by Kelty.
The great thing about a trip like this is it replaces your day to day routine with wandering and exploration in a beautiful and majestic landscape. The memories we shared will be remembered fondly the rest of our lives.
“One final paragraph of advice: do not burn yourselves out. Be as I am - a reluctant enthusiast....a part-time crusader, a half-hearted fanatic. Save the other half of yourselves and your lives for pleasure and adventure. It is not enough to fight for the land; it is even more important to enjoy it. While you can. While it’s still here. So get out there and hunt and fish and mess around with your friends, ramble out yonder and explore the forests, climb the mountains, bag the peaks, run the rivers, breathe deep of that yet sweet and lucid air, sit quietly for a while and contemplate the precious stillness, the lovely, mysterious, and awesome space. Enjoy yourselves, keep your brain in your head and your head firmly attached to the body, the body active and alive, and I promise you this much; I promise you this one sweet victory over our enemies, over those desk-bound men and women with their hearts in a safe deposit box, and their eyes hypnotized by desk calculators. I promise you this; You will outlive the bastards.” ― Edward Abbey
