13 years later................and still going.

We returned last evening from what we estimate is about our 20th vacation to the Moab area in Utah since 1998. Obviously we love to go there.

At first, when gas prices allowed, we both drove our Jeep Wranglers there. Here's a typical picture from when we did that (date on picture is in 2004)

We would both drive the four wheel drive (4WD) trails that are in the area, some easy, some difficult. We made many acquaintances and friends during the years with other folks who also enjoyed driving on the trails.

However, gas prices did go up dramatically and so the past few years that we have gone, we have taken either Merle's Big Red Wrangler or, as on this recent trip, my newer four door Wrangler. We pull our little T@B trailer and we camp. We don't 4WD much but tend to hike and bike more.

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Highlights of this most recent Utah adventure:

Merle created rock "sculpture" at our campsite but had to sadly dismantle them before we left.

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Ravens are very intelligent and they are very big and they can unzip soft sided coolers. We know, because they unzipped ours. Luckily there was no food in it, only a couple of old candy wrappers in the front pocket. We drove up to the campsite as two of them gave us the evil eye. Angry, no doubt, at the lack of edible goods.

The next day Merle was sitting at our campsite and saw one fly by a few times. Each time it had a hot dog in its beak. Turns out our absent camping neighbors had left their styrofoam cooler out.

We wrapped the mortally wounded cooler in a gigantic ziplock bag we had and Merle put it in their tent. The campers (two guys) returned shortly thereafter and became new inductees into the "Ravens Can and Will Take Your Food" club. Not just your food. I had a roll of tin foil sitting on the table and a raven hacked it to death. Foils chips were everywhere. I had been sitting about 20 feet away hearing a hammering noise, wondering who could possibly be hammering something in the campground. Campers beware.

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We hiked from the campground to the point viewing area at the end of the mesa and back one morning (about 4-5 miles round trip). As we arrived at the point we saw a guy with a radio controlled helicopter. Everyone got to watch him take off and fly it around in the canyon air. He did a few aerobatic moves that were impressive. It was quite the treat. No pictures - it wouldn't have done the tiny helicopter justice in that wide, deep expanse. Here's a picture of Merle on that hike later, peering over a precipice. I stay back at least 15 feet from any edge like this. They drop really far down as you can see in the background.

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One afternoon, driving back to our campsite in the opened topped Wrangler, we raced a rainstorm and lost. Big drops plastered us as we rushed to secure the camper and the car. In his haste, the husband somehow jammed the Jeep soft top into the open position. It rained for awhile into the car until after much grunting, pulling and soft cursing, it was un-jammed. It was not the first time that we have had weather adventures in an open vehicle in Utah..............or Colorado. On the way home as we drove over Loveland Pass in the open topped Wrangler, it rained/snowed on us until we could pull over and put the top back again.

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We are Jeep Wrangler lovers and any sunny day with the top down is a good day.

This tremendous view is everywhere in Canyonland.