Day 2 - Ouchy Feet

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Plans for the day: Search for arrowheads, pottery, and artifacts in the morning, then off to the lake in the afternoon. Plans change. As much as I love rising with the sun, I love sleep much the same. The crew of archeologists cancelled the adventure…there went all my incentive to wake up early. The internal turmoil and conflict between my desire to lie the day away, and my bladder’s pressing demand to get out of bed was finally settled when the phone rang with a call from the second party of intrepid adventurers to cancel the afternoon on the lake. “How am I going to salvage the day,” was my only thought. ShaeLee has commitments in the afternoon. “Looks like it is just you and me,” I say to Vita. With the Marathon looming over my head, and the promise of a lot of pain and suffering, and ridicule from my friends should I come in with a slow time, I determine that a training run is in order. With a wag of her tail, and a happy grin on her face, Vita has no objections.

The hardest part of ruling over my kingdom of Silver Reef is choosing which subjects I will visit on any given outing. Should we share the day with the Eagles atop their lofty crags, visit the lowlands of the desert dwellers, the waters of the cutthroat trout, the range of the deer, the deep canyons where the toads and insects dwell, or visit the land of the dead, where the ghosts of miners haunt the cold, crumbling, abandoned mines? Today’s foray will take us over the reef, past the mines, across the creek, between the white silver reef, and the iron red cliffs, to finally drop us into Quail Creek and the Red Cliffs camp ground. A total distance of about 4 miles, our run covers the territory all on dirt roads, and is mostly down hill. Thankfully, ShaeLee has agreed to meet us at the camp ground and give us a ride home. Someday soon I will have to toughen up and run the return trip. For details about the Red Cliffs area, check out: http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/st__george/recreation/camping/red_cliffs_campground.html

It’s now afternoon. We have been blessed this summer with unseasonably cool temperatures. For the last several weeks, we have had highs in the 80’s, which has been very agreeable for outdoor adventures. Today, there is a slight breeze, and light clouds high in the sky. Out the door we go. Needless to say, Vita is pleased to be out of the house. Near the end of our excursion, however, the air gets hot, and the desert floor even hotter. Red Cliffs camp ground sits in a depression, and acts as a vacuum for hot stale air. Poor Vita, her beautiful black coat is a curse in the desert sun. We have left the coolness of Leeds creek behind and are about a mile from Quail creek. Stride by stride, Vita is falling behind as I encourage her with calls of “come on V, we’re almost there, let’s go!” Minutes later we arrive at the camp ground and are rewarded with a tepid bath in insect infested waters. To Vita, it is heaven. The summer heat has nearly dried up the creek. A few weeks from now, the water will be gone, not to return again until next spring. Not wanting to miss ShaeLee, and our ride home, we leave the coolness of the shade trees and scummy water, and venture down the road toward Harrisburg. Vita, favoring her left paw, is showing signs that her daddy has been inconsiderate and underestimated the heat of the midday desert sun. As Vita and I stop to find a way around a cattle guard, I cringe and watch her lift one paw after the other off the ground, alternating which 3 feet will be scorching hot at any given time. Thankfully, ShaeLee has arrived and saved us from dehydration, heat stroke, and exhaustion. Sorry Vita, I’ll choose our adventures better to prevent the ouchy feet.

5:00 pm - Made it to the lake with the Sea Doos. Solo. I live a life most only dream about. From the time I pull out of the driveway, to the time I have the Seadoos in the water is less than 10 minutes. ShaeLee made it to the lake with me after her party, and we enjoyed nearly an hour and a half of hard, fun riding. There was a strong wind, whitecaps, and only a few other boats on the water. Our small two man XP makes for fun riding. With 2 people, it will easily exceed 50 mph, and tops out near 70 mph with a solo rider. However, it isn't the speed I enjoy most, it's going slow, creating a whirl-pool, jumping, and spinning 360's. Walt Disney couldn't create a better ride. Quail Creek Resevoir/State Park: http://www.utah.com/stateparks/quail_creek.htm
http://www.waterquality.utah.gov/watersheds/lakes/QUAILCR.pdf