I had a somewhat boring, yet somewhat productive weekend. On Saturday I took my ATV down to the San Rafael Swell where we’re going to camp in a few weeks. I rode north along the South Salt Wash road, and I’d planned on stopping to hike around whenever I found any interesting places. I turned down a short road leading to Canyon Pond and hiked around just a little there, but the area wasn’t terribly interesting. After that I got back on the main road and continued north, and when I got near the Moore Cutoff Road I realized that I wasn’t going to find anything else interesting so I turned around and rode back to where the truck was parked. It was beginning to get colder–I could see a big snow storm coming in from the west–and I ate lunch in the truck with the heat running. After that I rode south to an old gravel pit near where Devil’s Canyon meets up with South Salt Wash. There are still piles of sand and gravel all around the area, but the paved road that used to lead there is long washed out (or perhaps was intentionally removed). There are still huge chunks of asphalt that have been washed downstream from where the road used to cross the wash in Devil’s Canyon. I was going to continue to follow South Salt Wash downstream to Lone Tree Crossing at Muddy Creek, but the cold was too much for me to handle. It had been sunny when I left home in the morning and I hadn’t thought to bring winter riding gear, but I would have needed it in order to continue. So, I returned to the truck and headed home, wishing that I’d either stayed home, or come better prepared. I only took a few photos, hardly worth posting here, but at least I ruled out one area to explore when I’m camping there with friends next month.
Sunday morning I went for a drive to the foot of the Book Cliffs near Airport Road and cut some firewood. The pile behind the garage was running low, and what was left there was some aspen that didn’t burn very well. I cut mostly pinyon and juniper that had been knocked over last year when the gas company made a new road and pipeline to some new gas wells. I left the logs long before loading them into the truck, then brought them home where I cut everything down to shorter lengths and split some of the larger logs. Between trying to start the %@#! chainsaw, lifting huge logs, and splitting wood, my entire upper body is sore today and will likely remain so for several days.