April 15, Leeds, Utah

I had a feeling that this was going to be a little bit different travel experience here in Leeds, and I wasn’t wrong. First, we all got up late; yeah, that can happen anywhere. But when Don puts me in the truck for our morning outing, where does he head for? The local cemetery! This was a new one on me. It was located on a hillside overlooking the town, and surprisingly large for a place this tiny. But the town was founded back in the 1860’s, so they’ve had a long time to bury people there. It didn’t have any grass, but it was nicely planted with trees and shrubs, and there were a lot of flowers decorating graves. Don pointed out that the cemetery was mostly organized into family plots, with McMullins in one area, Kenworthys in another. Another thing he noticed was that there were a bunch of headstones for mated couples, one of whom had graduated to Human Heaven, and one who obviously had not, because there was no date for their graduation. He asked me how I would feel if I went to a Doggy Cemetery and saw a headstone with my name on it. I honestly couldn’t answer. I want to let you know that I followed Don’s instructions to the letter, and did not irrigate any headstones, using only trees and shrubs for my relief.

We got back to the rig to get Geri, who wasn’t quite ready to go yet, so we had lunch. After lunch, we got back on the road and headed up into the hills to a place called Silver Reef. It turned out to be a total ghost town, with only one building left standing, the Wells Fargo Express station, which they had turned into a museum. Geri and Don visited the museum, while I relaxed in the shade outside. When they returned, they told me that this was the only place in the country where silver ore had been found in sandstone, and that the town had about 2000 people living there when the mines were working. That doesn’t mean a lot to me, but they found it interesting. I have to say that the views from the town were really beautiful; Don said you could see all the way over to the backside of Zion National Park.

We went back down the hill to Leeds, where Don had to stop to see the remains of the biggest Civilian Conservation Corps camp in Utah, from back in the 1930’s. It was interesting to him ‘cause his father was in the CCC back then. Neither Geri or I were very impressed. Then we took a little side road up into the hills to the Red Cliffs Recreational Area, which is a campground located in the sandstone formations above the valley. There were a lot of people camping there, mostly with kids, and they looked like they were having a really good time. Don made the observation that these guys, with their tents and camp stoves, were the real campers, and didn’t have to depend on 38 feet of steel and fiberglass to be comfortable and enjoy the experience. Geri just gave him a cold look.

Next we headed for Quail Lake State Park, which is a big reservoir behind a dam, which Don found interesting. When we parked, there was a guy in a pickup next to us, with a border collie and a aussie; Don let me out of the truck, and I exchanged identification info with the two dogs, who were very nice and friendly. The man had a guitar, which he was playing and he was singing softly for the benefit of the dogs. Don pointed out to Geri that he wasn’t the only one who sang to his dog. He really does that sometimes. The one I like the best is about how I’m his hero, and I’m everything he’d want to be, and I’m the wind beneath his wings. I know he doesn’t have wings, but that’s OK; it’s the thought that counts.

We next headed into the town of Hurricane, and got some gas at a service station next to the restaurant where Don says they serve the best country fried steak in all the world. We almost had to restrain him from going in and ordering a takeout. Geri and Don agreed that the town had grown considerably from the last time they were there, which was maybe 10 or 12 years ago. They stopped at a store and got me a bottle of cold water, which was most appreciated. Then we drove into St. George, and went to the Chamber of Commerce to get some literature to guide us on future explorations. Since it was getting to be time for my afternoon exercise, they found a local park, and I got in some running and rolling. We made friends with a spaniel whose folks had adopted him from a shelter; he was a really nice guy, very friendly and personable, and we were glad that he had found such a good home.

We finally had to call it a day and head back for the rig, where Don cooked a nice dinner (lamb chops) and I got some very good plates. I think we’ll be here for at least another day, as there’s apparently a lot to see around here. I’ll fill you in on our excursions tomorrow! Nite, all!