Before we left Jensen, Utah and Dinosaur National Monument back in mid October, I knew Melanie and I would part ways in Saint Louis. I. would stay in Saint Louis and have repairs made to the van, she had work in New York City and a girl's trip planned afterwards.

I would spend more than a week traveling solo before seeing her again at our son, Tate's apartment in Arlington, Virginia. I made plans to cycle several Rail Trails along my way to Arlington.

A few days ago, I rode the Kal-Haven Trail State Park for a few days after leaving Cassopolis, Michigan where our leveling system got a tuneup. I rode the Kal-Haven trail back in October of 2020 and the improvements made to the trail since that time were pretty amazing.

I'm currently in Uniontown, Ohio and today was able to ride a section of the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail. I parked at the Franklin Trailhead and cycled just over 10 miles south to the High Mill Avenue pedestrian bridge over the Tuscarawas River and back to Franklin Trailhead.

While on furlough from Dinosaur National Monument, Melanie and I were fortunate enough to hike and camp among the hoodoos in Goblin Valley State Park.

As another part of furlough October during the recent Gov'ment shutdown, Melanie and I spent a couple of days in Moab, Utah. We cycled into Arches National Park one day and, as we left to travel towards Goblin Valley State Park, we detoured and checked out Dead Horse Point State Park also located near Moab. 

We did a bit of site seeing around the rim and had lunch in a pull out overlooking the Colorado River.

We'll definitely return to camp there. Both campgrounds within the State Park are great.

Melanie and I rafted a portion of the Green River in Dinosaur National Monument on a resource immersion experience with the National Park Service today. We traveled from the campsites at Rainbow Park to Split Mountain Group Camp. The day could not have been any nicer.

We traveled to Salt Lake City, Utah for a few days of R&R away from Dinosaur National Monument and to get a few items taken care of on the Sprinter.

While there we spent a morning sautering around Red Butte Gardens in a light rain, the first substantial rain we'd seen since arriving in Utah back in April. 

Located in the foothills of the Wasatch Mountains, the setting provides nices views of the surrounding mountains and a great view into downtown Salt Lake City.

Since it was late August, the flowers were beginning to fade so I chose to (mostly) document by making macro images of various flowers that remained.

The gardens are among the best we've experienced and we recommend a visit. Plus, you're next door to the Natural History Museum of Utah.

Yampa River Botanic Park sits on 6 acres at 6,800 feet above sea level. When in Steamboat Springs May through October, check it out.

Colorado National Monument has been on our radar since the first time we passed through Grand Junction, Colorado a few years back.

Melanie and I decided to use her days off to travel from Jensen, Utah to Grand Junction and use part of our time there to visit the monument. 

We drove into the monument using the Fruita, Colorado entrance, driving up Rim Rock Drive onto the plateau at the Saddlehorn Visitor Center.  We used the Saddlehorn Picnic Area parking lot as a staging area to park the van and get our bikes out for a ride. 

We rode as far as the East Blackridge Trailhead and back.

Loading the bikes, we then drove the remainder of the Rim Rock Drive and out the East Entrance. Along the way we saw the ewe above.

Melanie and I volunteered to be Interpretive Rangers at San Juan Island National Historical Park during the summer season two years ago.  Recently, one of our bosses, Ranger Jeff Hodge, paid us a surprise visit to Dinosaur National Monument where Melanie is currently a seasonal Interpretive Ranger and hung out with us for a few days.  Always great to see Jeff.

He and I made the drive out Island Park Road taking in Island Park, Rainbow Park Campground, Ruple Ranch, and the McKee Springs Petroglyphs. Great day in the monument.

Yesterday, Melanie and I traveled a short ways outside of Vernal, Utah to the McConkie Ranch, site of Fremont Petroglyphs of the Northern Uinta Basin.

There are two trails located here.  Yesterday we walked and viewed the petroglyphs and pictographs along the Upper Main Panel Trail.  The 3 Kings Trail will have to wait for another day's visit. The 2 trails are both easily done in one visit, but we opted for lunch in the van and then decided the heat was prohibitive of hiking the 3 Kings Trail.