O.C. fotoguy
Scene of the Pickle
Park Ave., Arches NP
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I was in a pickle at 7a.m. in the morning. How could this happen? All I wanted to do was to back my pickup carrying my nest out of where I’ve been parked for three days and nights. Sounds easy; well I’ve screwed it up. I replayed that calamity while I walked on Park Avenue in Arches N.P. (website). I had another hook thrown at me when I arrived here. The camp grounds are booked til June. Too close to an interstate! I decided to take a tourist’s ride through and then find a spot on a back street in Moab, Utah, which is just a few miles outside the park’s gate. Finding a spot to spend the night when I don’t know the town will be iffy at best, but I’ve done it before and it’s worked out OK. No mega mart here though. When there is, that sure makes it easy. My mind drifts back to how this day happened with my wheels straddling the railing that outlines each campsite. Somehow one wheel neatly slipped through an opening in it, because I got on the other side of it without going over it and didn’t even know it happened. I never felt any resistance against the wheels. No, I’m not a morning person! I remember thinking, if I crank the wheel all the way to the other way and back slowly maybe I’ll get free. It was way too early for all that aggravation. As I did, it felt like I was up against something, again. I got out of the drivers’ seat and surveyed the situation. I thought if I turn the wheel this way and back that way I’ll be free, so I tried again. No, I got up against something again. Better get out and look. Oh my (not my actual words!), one of the bolts that had holds the railing together has found my tire and was pressing against it, like its goal was to punch a hole in the tire. Not good, I knew I had to get free and away from the bolt or I’d have a bigger problem. I wasn’t sure how I got into that mess, but it sure could get worse, and I had no idea how to retrieve the spare tire. The Ford people have it stashed up under the truck’s rear, a special tool is needed to get to it, and the railing will be in the way of lowering the spare. I pulled away from the bolt, and then looked again to see where the wheels were. I was still straddling the railing. To get free I need to go a couple inches towards the bolt, then crank the wheels, go another few inches the other way and repeat that til I’m loose, but I need to see that bolt, but I can’t from the drivers seat. I didn’t need this! Two guys are walking this way. They ignore me, but then turn my way out of pity, I guess. They make suggestions, that are no help, but one becomes my eyes outside the truck. He instructed, as he watched the tire, railing and especially that bolt. Go this way, turn that way, maybe you can just go over the railing. I say, no to that. His directions began again: back that way, too much, pull that way, he says and after lots more instructions he says “You’re free.” Lots of thank yous and I’m down the road. I’m spent, what a way to start the day.
Now, I’m here gazing at these immense red rock structures in total peace and tranquility. There’s much more than arches here, but they accent the fabulous scenery. Later I gorged myself on a burger smothered in chilly with a baked potato on the side and drown the food in ACBs after finding a parking spot in the local super market. Then I was ready for some shut eye; hopefully I won’t get rousted from my parking spot in the middle of the night. It’s only 7pm. There’s a great radio station that was playing Tom Wait music. I opened the windows at both ends of my bed, closed my eyes, relaxed, and let the scenes from the day flow. I fast forward through the railing debacle pushing it out of sight and think of scenes along the Utah Route 24 from Capitol Reef towards Moab. I passed up the road to Bullfrog and other primitive roads to Canyonlands N.P. knowing lots of snow was in the mountains and still in the weather forecast, If a railing can become such a problem, what would the snow do to me in Utah’s vast nowherelands of Grand Staircase – Escalante and Glen Canyon? So Bullfrog here I come 2011, it will have to be warmer here next April.
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