Author: Michael Eaton

So everything worked out with the van. I got it in on Monday morning first thing and I was able to pick it up later that day. The alternator needed to be replaced but other than that the electrical system was fine.

Alternators typically will go anywhere from 80K to 150K miles. And I’m a bit over 150,000 so it makes sense that it needed to be replaced. The car is working and I am planning on being back on the road soon.

Amanda and I decided that we are going to travel together for the next month and I am honestly excited. We have had a really strong connection since we met and things have been very easy for us.

We talked about what this will look like at length and in that way it isn’t a purely emotional decision for us. It is a risk but we are making sure we are heading into this adventure understanding what could potentially go wrong. And how we would go about finding solutions.

She lives here with her friend Tom and I’ve been hanging around the house for a few days. Making some renovations to the van and just getting to know him. He’s actually a really great guy and it’s been a pleasure staying here. Amanda has been away in Steamboat to meet a friend and she just returned today.

We will probably take the day tomorrow to make preparations. From there we will probably head back towards Moab and continue south to Canyonlands and Capitol Reef.

So there I am on the side of the road. Car is dead. So I need a tow. But there’s no cell service.

I wave down the first car and it’s these two younger guys. I ask them if they can drive me down the road to get some service. But they tell me that they aren’t going that way and wish me luck and drive off. Pretty shit to be honest.

But maybe it worked out for the best because the next car ended up turning out to be my saving grace. Mark and Lynn pulled over and were helpful right away. They didn’t have any signal either so they took me back to their house about 15 minutes down the road. They had WiFi and that really helped make the situation more manageable.

I had a tough time getting a tow truck in town with my insurance. About an hour after I made the request I got a call from State Farm. They told me none of the tow services in town were willing to take the insurance and that I would have to pay out of pocket. Like a lot out of pocket. Like close to a thousand dollars out of pocket.

So Lynn and I started calling around. They had State Farm as well and they knew a ton of people in town did. It didn’t make sense that the tow services wouldn’t take the insurance.

While we were figuring out the problem they treated me like family. They gave me lunch and a beer and they tried their best to help me find a solution. We had a really great conversation too and it was just nice to be in their presence while all this was going on.

Long story short we figured everything out. I finally got matched up with a tow service in Grand Junction and I would tow it there to get the repairs done. I would pay out of pocket because my coverage only covers a certain distance but it was a small amount compared to what they had quoted me previously.

And since Grand Junction is a larger city I would be able to get to the mechanic way easier than in a small town like Moab. I spoke with a shop that the tow service recommended and they told me they could take a look at it the next day. So that made me feel better about the situation.

All in all, it was a very challenging few days. But I am proud of myself because even though things went completely off the rails I was prepared enough to solve the problems and put myself in a better situation. I stayed calm and avoided making any further mistakes that could have exacerbated the situation.

When you come out here you have to understand that something like this happening is always a possibility. But when you can work your way through it it helps to boost your confidence. And hey, I met some really great people that bent over backward to help me. There are so many good people in this world.

When I was done digging out my car I was exhausted and I just decided to go back to the lake and camp there. The idea was to wash myself off and set up the hammock and lay low for the rest of the day.

But as I pulled up one of the warning lights on the dashboard came on. Service Battery Charging System Failure. Not what you want to see when you’re in the middle of the forest.

I figured that the battery voltage was low after my battle with the mud pit so I decided to drive it around a bit more and see if it would charge. No luck. Not even the house battery would charge via the alternator. So the alternator seemed to be the issue.

It was kind of late so I decided that I would stay the night. As long as I didn’t draw any more power from the battery I would be able to get the car started in the AM.

But we ain’t done yet. We have a flat tire now. So no relaxation for me. It’s about 7 o’clock and I know I have maybe an hour and change of good sunlight. I had to get moving on changing the tire because I couldn’t wait until morning.

The tire change went off without any issues. Thankfully there was enough level ground by the lake to get the job done safely. I finished up right before the sun was setting. I made some dinner and went to sleep almost right away. I was exhausted.

I got up in the morning and the battery still had a fair amount of juice. I fished for a bit at the lake and I got back on the road at about 10:30 or so. I had a little over an hour drive back into town and I figured I had enough in the battery to get me back.

I got over the pass all good and was making my way down the mountain. I got most of the way down and maybe was a mile out from the main paved road when the electricity in the car when completely out. All the gauges stopped working. Even the speedometer wasn’t registering any speed.

Was I frightened? Yes. But I was able to stay calm and think through what I needed to do. I stayed on the inside of the switchbacks. My thought process was if the brakes give out then I will just run my car into the wall and live to tell the tall. Scary but true. Sorry Mom.

I was able to get to the paved road and that’s where the car gave out completely. Couldn’t even give the engine any gas. I got very lucky because if I had got caught even a mile or so up the road I would have been in a really bad spot.

Amanda’s last day in Moab was mostly uneventful. We woke up a little later than we were planning and did a short hike in Kane Canyon. Just a little canyon walk for a few miles and we found another arch that we didn’t even know was there.

The temperatures got over 100 degrees so we spent most of the day hanging out at the park and at the beach. We camped on the river road that night and got to bed fairly early. We were pretty exhausted from getting after it all week.

Amanda left in the morning and my plan was to head up to the La Sal Mountains for the weekend. The weather would be nicer there and I wanted to get into the forest after spending all week in the desert.

I got some things done: took a shower, did some shopping, and checked a few things out in the van. I got on the road about lunchtime and made my way up.

One of the guys I met in Moab told me to check out this area called Gold Basin. It took about an hour to get up there from town and it really was a gorgeous area. Yellow wildflowers are everywhere. But unfortunately, all the campsites were taken so I had to continue on.

I made it over the pass road and to the other side of the mountain. The road was very rough but the car stood up to it pretty well. I got to this lake called Dark Canyon Lake. It wasn’t really a campsite but it would have been possible to camp there if I wanted. I decided to continue to explore. This is when things get a bit sticky.

I went down this smaller road and it was manageable. I got to this one point and there was a bit of snow on the road (it’s still in the process of melting in the mountains). And I figured I would be able to drive over it.

But as soon as I drove over the patch I immediately started spinning out and I started sinking. The road underneath the snow was a muddy bog. I was stuck.

So I started trying to dig my way out. I had to remove all the wet mud first and I got to work with my shovel. Soon I just started digging the tires out with my hands – it was more efficient that way. There were probably 8 inches of mud I had to get through until I got to some solid ground.

From there I started filing the area around the tires with rocks and small sticks so I could get some traction. I also had the traction pads and I put those behind the tires. It took me several times but eventually, I was able to reverse onto the pads and then power my way out of the mud.

The whole process took about two hours and when I finally was able to get myself out I got out of the car and screamed at the top of my lungs. Man, was I relieved. But man was I also filthy as all hell.

Similar start to the day as yesterday – we headed to a cafe and got some work done. The heat was brutal so we really just laid low for most of the afternoon and then checked into the hostel for a night.

The hostel itself is pretty chill and Leon is staying here so we know some people. Makes things a bit easier.

We had an early dinner and then we made our way to the national park so we could find a place to watch the sunset. We went over to this area called Double Arch. There were a fair amount of people but we hiked a bit further and found a ledge to hang out on that was facing west. It was really peaceful there.

The next day (Wednesday, June 8) was mostly a chill day at the hostel. I did some reading and then I set up the slackline in the shade and played around with that for about an hour or so. I met a guy in the parking lot – his car was parked close to where I set up the slackline. It was fun talking to him but he was next-level hippy, to be honest.

From there we met up with Nima and Sabrena and hiked Mills Creek Falls which is a super short hike to a small waterfall and swimming hole. It was exactly what I needed – it was mid-afternoon and it was getting so hot out.

We spent a little over an hour there. I brought a melon and we cut that up and had a light lunch. 

Afterward, we went to one of the parks in town where a lot of the people who live in their vans kind of hang out during the day. There was a slackline set up already and that was a quick and easy way to make some fast friends. We met a few people there from the east coast and we will probably end up going back tomorrow in the afternoon.

From there it was back to the same campsite south of town. Nima and Sabrena made dinner this time. The quesadillas they made were excellent.

Today was a pretty chill day. We started out at the cafe and got some work done and then we moseyed down to the park. Amanda got some more work done and I cleaned out the van and organized it a bit. It was a bit overdue.

Not surprisingly Thursday was another chill day spent in the park. Played some frisbee and set up the slackline and fucked around with that for a bit until a ranger came by and told us that we needed to take it down. They don’t like when things are tied to trees. Which I understand.

From there we went to the beach and hung out there for a few hours. I’m so thankful for the river here. Without it, I would be melting every day.

Once it got to be around six o’clock we did a bit of food shopping and went towards Kane Canyon. Amanda is really big into rock climbing and there is really great climbing in this area. We didn’t climb but we stayed at this campsite that she has stayed at before.

Really beautiful place and we had it all to ourselves. It reminded me of the Steamboat Rock campsite in Dinosaur National Monument a bit.

My friend Amanda met me in Moab in the morning and we went on a hike early to beat the afternoon heat. We hit up Grandstaff Canyon and it was actually a really great hike. Lots of different terrains. There was this creek that we had to keep crossing. A lot of vegetation around the creek helped keep things cool on the trail.

The payoff is a sort of box canyon with a very large arch – it looks like a kind of bridge you would see in a Lord of the Rings movie or something. For a while there we had the entire place to ourselves. I love when that type of thing happens.

On the way back we met this older man, his son, and another girl they had met on the trail. She was hiking barefoot and I was surprised. I usually don’t see other people that like to do that. The sand and rocks on the trail were a bit hot for me to do that but she was killing it. We had a quick little chat and moved on.

After the hike, we went down the river to this beach area, took a dip, had a beer, and made some lunch. We headed back to town around 5 o’clock and did some food shopping, found out there was a fire ban, and headed south of town to a BLM campsite. 

We found a really amazing campsite on the ridge but the road was pretty gnarly. This van can really do work when given the chance. Bev the Chev continues to surprise.

Amanda had to get some work done so we came back into town early the next morning. We found a small coffee shop and did some work for a bit. Was able to catch up on some of my writing. I played some ukulele and did some yoga so it was a good time to reset. I am making time for myself which is not something I always did in Australia.

Amanda and I met this couple at the coffee shop and we had a really great conversation with them for about an hour or so. They travel in a Toyota 4Runner and they’ve been on the road for seven months now. I give them credit – I don’t think I’d be able to travel for seven months in a truck – there wouldn’t be enough space for me. The van is already a challenge at times.

We chilled for most of the day and then we met up with Leon and the couple we had met (Nima and Sabrena) for a short hike. The hike was actually really pretty and it was just a fun time – everyone was meshing together really well and there was great conversation.

We ended up going back to that same campsite but we didn’t get there until after sunset. Nima and Sabrena ended up spending the night there as well and we just vibed. They are fun people to be around.

The hike to the hot springs was the main thing on the agenda for the day. We started about 11 o’clock and got there in a little over an hour. Wasn’t a really challenging hike – a bit up and down but nothing too crazy. Along the creek and in the shade which was quite nice. because it was quite hot.

The springs themselves were better than I had expected. There was a waterfall that spilled out into the spring and the water was quite hot in parts. The smaller pools really were the perfect temperature though. It wasn’t crowded at all – there was enough space for everyone.

One of the families had three dogs and they also had a cockatoo with them. It was really cool to see. The bird just chilled with them the entire time. Didn’t see it fly off once.

We spent about an hour at the springs and then we headed back toward the cars. Leon was moving further south than I had planned so we parted ways at the springs. Perhaps I will catch up with him in Moab.

I drove south and found a rest stop to hang out at while I watched the Ranger game on my phone. Once that was finished up I drove into the BLM land just down the road and found a spot to camp for the night.

The next day was a pretty quiet day. My original plan was to hit up Goblin Valley State Park. But looking at the map I figured it made more sense to go there after I go to Canyonlands National Park. I made my way to Moab and stopped in this small town called Green River.

I took a bit of a personal day. I found a nice park with a good amount of shade and played the ukulele and then I set up the slackline for a bit.

I can really see myself improving on the slackline. I’ve gotten so much better getting up on my right leg (my left leg is better on the slackline for some reason). I was even able to take a few steps today which is such a big accomplishment for me. Getting better!

After that, I hit up the municipal golf course in town. Only $20 for 9 holes with a cart. The greens were in horrendous shape but it was just fun to be out there and hitting some balls. I hadn’t played since Vernal.

From there I went to Moab. Hit up the hostel in town and took a shower there. It’s fairly cheap here so I will definitely stay there at least one day before I leave town.

In the evening I met up with Charlotte and Leon and had dinner in this area of town with a bunch of food trucks. We went over to Arches National Park for the sunset after dinner.

Today I went to Antelope Island – my new friends Cali and Patrick took the trip with me. Antelope Island is just west of SLC and sits on the Great Salt Lake. It’s very famous for the bison herd that lives there.

It took a little over an hour to drive in from Park City and I parked the van at a grocery store – we decided to take one car in because it would be easier.

We stopped off at a few different lookout points shortly after getting on the island and there were some small hikes to do at each one. We made some lunch afterward – I had some bratwurst and we BBQed those up.

After lunch, we were ready to try to find the bison and we started off for the south side of the island. We ended up finding them but they were off in the distance and we couldn’t really get any closer to them. We did get to see a pronghorn deer up close and personal so that ended up being a good trade-off.

We continued south and checked out the historical ranch that is down there. It is always cool to walk through the historical buildings and see what life was like on the island 150 years ago.

There was a small little forested area near the ranch and it was nice to chill in the shade among the trees. We continued further south and hit another hike to a really nice lookout point.

We moved back towards the exit and took a walk down to the beach to check out the lake later in the day.

The water wasn’t looking all that great and no one stuck their foot in. There were tons of sand fleas and it was actually pretty cool (they don’t bite). You could walk into a bunch of them and they would move out of your way. Kind of like you were sand flea Moses or something.

From there we chilled for sunset and then headed back over the bridge and got a bite to eat. From there it was time to say goodbye to Patrick – he was heading the opposite way.

It was actually really nice meeting Pat at the hostel. He is older – about 60 years old – but we had a fair bit of meaningful conversations about history, politics, mental health, and life in general. I will definitely try to stay in contact with him.

I slept in the van outside the hostel that night because we got back into Park City fairly late. I didn’t want to spend the money to get a room for the night. I had breakfast and then I was off.

On the way out I met this guy from Taiwan and we figured out we were going in the same direction. He had booked a campsite near this hot spring that I wanted to go to and we decided to spend the night there together.

I moved towards this hiking spot south of Park City. About 3 miles into an alpine lake. I gained roughly three thousand feet in elevation. So it was mostly uphill. It was fairly challenging but really worth it. The views were really stunning – both the actual lake and looking back into the valley below.

From there it was just a matter of driving to the campsite and hanging with Leon for the night.

The past few days have been very chill. I’ve been at the same hostel in Park City. It’s been good to have somewhere to stay, get some laundry done, have a proper bed, and have a full kitchen.

The people here have been really nice. There are enough people in the hostel where there are people to meet but it is not even close to being crowded. It’s the way I prefer it.

It’s been raining and snowing on and off for the last few days so I really haven’t gotten into too much. Just laying low and recharging a bit. I probably could have skied if I had brought my skis.

I did go to Salt Lake City with my new friend Cali and we went to the Utah Museum of Natural History. Pretty solid museum actually but nothing I hadn’t already seen before. A lot of the bones from the quarry in the Dinosaur National Monument are housed here. it was pretty cool to connect the dots.

On Monday I tried to do the best I could to figure out what was wrong with the air conditioning in the van. The air conditioning works great while I am driving but it will not blow any air, hot or cold, when the car is standing still. I wanted to check the fuses to see if that was the issue. The lowest hanging fruit.

The fuse box is in such a tight area in the engine compartment. It makes for a rather frustrating experience getting to it. 

Once I realized that the fuses were not the issue I tried to put the fuse box cover back on. I guess I was a little too aggressive and I snapped off one of the relays. I’m not going to lie – I was panicking a bit.

I tried to start the car but the engine wouldn’t ignite. Now I know that you need all the relays plugged in or else the car won’t start. Learning something new every day.

None of the auto parts stores were open because it was Memorial Day. I had to wait until Tuesday to get everything sorted. I plugged in the new relay and everything started working fine again. So crisis averted.

Got the tire fixed too. They put in a new valve stem since that was where the small leak was occurring. Just as I expected. That’s what happened to the other back tire a few months back. So I’m pretty much ready for my trip into the desert. I never was able to get the air conditioning fixed but I think I will be able to handle it. We will see.

Fished in the morning but was skunked again. Had a few bites but couldn’t get anything in.

I left afterward and drove straight to Vernal and got a shower, did some food shopping, and filled up the water tank. Even got a free ice cream cone from the gas station.

I drove south to this place called Fantasy Canyon but stopped along the way at this place called Horseshoe Bend. Sounded like it could be a good time when I saw it on Google Maps. So I drove up there and it ended up being a terrible idea. The roads were so gnarly and when I got up to the ridge there wasn’t anything to look at. Sometimes you try to go on an adventure and it turns out to be nothing. But that’s alright.

I got to Fantasy Canyon around 5 o’clock and I just chilled out until the early evening – it was so hot and sunny out there. Then I took a walk through once it was a little cooler out. The area is not very large but it is very unique.

The area used to be a lake a very long time ago and the shapes of the rocks formed as a result of the sand deposits getting crushed by the weight of the rocks above them over time. 

I didn’t really get into much of anything the day after. I got on the road and started driving towards Park City. Stopped a few times to go fishing but it was getting really cold and the weather was getting really bad so I decided to move on.

Checked into the hostel here and it’s really nice honestly. I already met some really great people. I’ll stay for a few days and then get moving towards the south. I want to get into the desert before it starts getting too hot.