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				<img src="https://ridingroadsandtrails.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/DSC_6342.jpg" alt="Sprinter van in Capitol Reef National Park" itemprop="image" height="4550" width="4016" title="DSC_6342" onerror="this.style.display='none'" />
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		Sprinter van in Capitol Reef National Park
	<h2><strong>Moab, again!</strong></h2>
<p>This road trip to Utah takes us to both <a href="https://ridingroadsandtrails.com/roadtrip-moab-fall-2017/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">familiar</a> and unfamiliar locations. We start out with the familiar on a rendezvous with Ben, James and Karen in Moab where they camped with a rented <a href="http://www.forestriverinc.com/product-details.aspx?LineID=228&;Image=5054&;ShowParent=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">R-Pod camper trailer </a>in their quest to determine what kind of camper they want to eventually purchase. While in Moab for the long weekend, we took in a couple more rides on the Slickrock trail, which still stands as one of my all-time favorite mountain biking trails, and a ride on the <a href="http://www.utahmountainbiking.com/trails/brand-trails.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Brand Trails</a> (aka Bar M) for the first time. The Brand Trails have something for everyone, from fun, smooth beginner trails where we saw toddlers on <a href="https://www.striderbikes.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Strider Bikes</a> to terrible advanced trails that try to kill you, and also everything in between.</p>
<p>A new discovery for us in Moab was <a href="http://www.miltsstopandeat.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Milt&#8217;s Stop and Eat</a>. If you want a milkshake that is about as good as it gets and a really good guacamole burger this is worth the visit. Eating here is probably a multi-thousand calorie meal, so be sure to have had a big ride before indulging.</p>
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				<img src="https://ridingroadsandtrails.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/IMG_20171028_183410308.jpg" alt="Sand Flats Recreation Area overlooking Hell's Revenge" itemprop="image" height="3120" width="4160" title="IMG_20171028_183410308" onerror="this.style.display='none'" />
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		Sand Flats Recreation Area overlooking Hell&#8217;s Revenge
	<p><iframe height='405' width='590' frameborder='0' allowtransparency='true' scrolling='no' src='https://www.strava.com/activities/1249451604/embed/05eb68dfc8731e2285e672b303a548e2a406975d'></iframe></p>
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				<img src="https://ridingroadsandtrails.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/IMG_20171027_120037112-768x576.jpg" alt="Sue on Slickrock" itemprop="image" title="IMG_20171027_120037112" onerror="this.style.display='none'" />
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		Sue on Slickrock
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				<img src="https://i2.wp.com/ridingroadsandtrails.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/IMG_20171028_114838859.jpg?fit=700%2C525&#038;ssl=1" alt="Ross &; Sue on Deadman's Ridge" itemprop="image" title="IMG_20171028_114838859" onerror="this.style.display='none'" />
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		Ross &#038; Sue on Deadman&#8217;s Ridge
	<p><iframe height='405' width='590' frameborder='0' allowtransparency='true' scrolling='no' src='https://www.strava.com/activities/1250937616/embed/67bf3bb5c940bbe0f24830013b4286eb11d8eb96'></iframe></p>
	<p><iframe height='405' width='590' frameborder='0' allowtransparency='true' scrolling='no' src='https://www.strava.com/activities/1252628940/embed/770ba7642e28e96648c659d91e8ed0a78571781a'></iframe></p>
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				<img src="https://i2.wp.com/ridingroadsandtrails.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/IMG_20171029_111333915.jpg?fit=700%2C700&#038;ssl=1" alt="James on Slickrock" itemprop="image" title="IMG_20171029_111333915" onerror="this.style.display='none'" />
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		James on Slickrock
	<p>Sue opted out of a second go at the Slickrock trail with the boys and instead made her way south on Spanish Valley Road with the road bike finding some great tarmac and fall colors.</p>
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				<img src="https://ridingroadsandtrails.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/IMG_20171029_105443053.jpg" alt="Fall colors in Moab" itemprop="image" height="2611" width="4090" title="IMG_20171029_105443053" onerror="this.style.display='none'" />
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		Fall colors in Moab
	<p><iframe height='405' width='590' frameborder='0' allowtransparency='true' scrolling='no' src='https://www.strava.com/activities/1252718887/embed/1590cc45460a0d553c3afddaa97210b45c6eabe3'></iframe></p>
	<h2><strong>Capitol Reef National Park</strong></h2>
<p>As Ben and his people headed home, Sue &; I headed further south in Utah. To get to the national park, we traveled the Utah 24 Scenic Byway. This byway is routed through incredible geologic scenery with layers, textures and colors that change dramatically with each mile. The area was called the &#8220;<a href="http://www.us-parks.com/capitol-reef-national-park/sleeping-rainbow.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Land of the Sleeping Rainbow</a>&#8221; by the Navajo because of the brilliantly colored canyon walls.</p>
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				<img src="https://i1.wp.com/ridingroadsandtrails.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/IMG_20171101_141057531_HDR.jpg?fit=700%2C525&#038;ssl=1" alt="Scenic Byway 24 views" itemprop="image" title="IMG_20171101_141057531_HDR" onerror="this.style.display='none'" />
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		Scenic Byway 24 views
				<a href="https://ridingroadsandtrails.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/IMG_20171101_140919974.jpg" target="_self" itemprop="url" rel="noopener noreferrer">
				<img src="https://i0.wp.com/ridingroadsandtrails.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/IMG_20171101_140919974.jpg?fit=700%2C407&#038;ssl=1" alt="Scenic Byway 24 views" itemprop="image" title="IMG_20171101_140919974" onerror="this.style.display='none'" />
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		Scenic Byway 24 views
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				<img src="https://ridingroadsandtrails.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/IMG_20171101_140709840_HDR.jpg" alt="Scenic Byway 24 views" itemprop="image" height="2364" width="4160" title="IMG_20171101_140709840_HDR" onerror="this.style.display='none'" />
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		Scenic Byway 24 views
	<p>The scenic byway runs right through the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/care/index.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Capitol Reef National Park</a>. Capitol Reef is one of the lesser known and visited national parks. This is the first national park we&#8217;ve visited where there is no entrance fee to get in. There is a <a href="https://www.nps.gov/care/planyourvisit/scenicdrive.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Scenic Drive</a> within the park that does have a fee. This road would make a nice 20 mile bike ride with great scenery and rolling hills. We hope to take the opportunity to ride it the next time we are in the area. Throughout the park there is a nice variety of things to see from geologic features, to petroglyphs created by Native Americans to more recent settlements by the Mormon pioneers.</p>
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				<img src="https://ridingroadsandtrails.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/DSC_6342.jpg" alt="Sprinter van in Capitol Reef National Park" itemprop="image" height="4550" width="4016" title="DSC_6342" onerror="this.style.display='none'" />
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		Sprinter van in Capitol Reef National Park
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				<img src="https://ridingroadsandtrails.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/DSC_6410-1.jpg" alt="Petroglyphs in Capitol Reef National Park" itemprop="image" height="1484" width="2886" title="DSC_6410" onerror="this.style.display='none'" />
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		Petroglyphs in Capitol Reef National Park
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				<img src="https://ridingroadsandtrails.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/DSC_6338-1.jpg" alt="Sprinter van in Capitol Reef National Park" itemprop="image" height="4016" width="6016" title="DSC_6338" onerror="this.style.display='none'" />
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		Sprinter van in Capitol Reef National Park
	<h2><strong>Utah 12 Scenic Byway</strong></h2>
<p>Continuing on Utah 24 out of the national park brings you to the small town of Torrey which has a fuel station, county visitor center and the intersection with Utah 12 Scenic Byway. This is the road that takes us to our destination, the <a href="https://www.visitutah.com/places-to-go/state-and-federal-recreation-areas/southern/escalante-petrified-forest/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Petrified Forest State Park</a> where we camp for the next couple nights. The Byway goes from Torrey to Bryce Canyon National Park, 125 miles and 10,000 feet of climbing away. The scenery is fantastic and varied, from high alpine aspen and conifer forests to desert to amazing geologic areas including Escalante National Monument and Bryce Canyon National Park. If your timing is just right, you might even get into a cattle drive.</p>
<p>Riding this entire byway is now a bucket list item.</p>
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				<img src="https://ridingroadsandtrails.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/DSC_6343.jpg" alt="Utah 12 Byway Overlook" itemprop="image" height="2317" width="4270" title="DSC_6343" onerror="this.style.display='none'" />
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		Utah 12 Byway Overlook
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				<img src="https://ridingroadsandtrails.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/DSC_6404.jpg" alt="High alpine forest along Utah 12 Scenic Byway" itemprop="image" height="2128" width="6016" title="DSC_6404" onerror="this.style.display='none'" />
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		High alpine forest along Utah 12 Scenic Byway
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				<img src="https://ridingroadsandtrails.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/DSC_6359-1.jpg" alt="Escalante National Monument Overlook" itemprop="image" height="2847" width="4083" title="DSC_6359" onerror="this.style.display='none'" />
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		Escalante National Monument Overlook
				<a href="https://ridingroadsandtrails.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/DSC_6355.jpg" target="_self" itemprop="url" rel="noopener noreferrer">
				<img src="https://ridingroadsandtrails.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/DSC_6355.jpg" alt="Cattle drive on Utah 12 scenic byway" itemprop="image" height="3136" width="4561" title="DSC_6355" onerror="this.style.display='none'" />
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		Cattle drive on Utah 12 scenic byway
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				<img src="https://ridingroadsandtrails.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/DSC_6357.jpg" alt="Escalante National Monument" itemprop="image" height="4016" width="6016" title="DSC_6357" onerror="this.style.display='none'" />
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		Escalante National Monument
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				<img src="https://ridingroadsandtrails.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/IMG_20171031_122841902.jpg" alt="Escalante National Monument" itemprop="image" height="1398" width="2680" title="IMG_20171031_122841902" onerror="this.style.display='none'" />
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		Escalante National Monument
	<h2><strong>Petrified Forest State Park</strong></h2>
<p>We made camp at this rather small state park. The amenities were quite posh compared to what we were used to, with hot and cold running water, showers and flush toilets. This was our home base for our road ride the next day along the byway though Escalante National Monument. The state park also offered some hiking trails though a trove of petrified wood.</p>
<p> ;</p>
	<p><iframe height='405' width='590' frameborder='0' allowtransparency='true' scrolling='no' src='https://www.strava.com/activities/1255439314/embed/f38e9a58b5fa00dabc012a311914488d60a5bf04'></iframe></p>
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				<img src="https://ridingroadsandtrails.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/IMG_20171031_120729624_HDR.jpg" alt="Sue riding in Escalante National Monument" itemprop="image" height="3120" width="4160" title="IMG_20171031_120729624_HDR" onerror="this.style.display='none'" />
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		Sue riding in Escalante National Monument
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				<img src="https://ridingroadsandtrails.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/IMG_20171031_122039877.jpg" alt="Ross overlooking Escalante" itemprop="image" height="1839" width="4961" title="IMG_20171031_122039877" onerror="this.style.display='none'" />
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		Ross overlooking Escalante
	<p><iframe height='405' width='590' frameborder='0' allowtransparency='true' scrolling='no' src='https://www.strava.com/activities/1255651930/embed/fd8090243f6cf4f26242f61faeda00e9cc374882'></iframe></p>
				<a href="https://ridingroadsandtrails.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/DSC_6386.jpg" target="_self" itemprop="url" rel="noopener noreferrer">
				<img src="https://ridingroadsandtrails.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/DSC_6386.jpg" alt="Petrified Wood" itemprop="image" height="4016" width="6016" title="DSC_6386" onerror="this.style.display='none'" />
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		Petrified Wood
				<a href="https://ridingroadsandtrails.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/DSC_6388.jpg" target="_self" itemprop="url" rel="noopener noreferrer">
				<img src="https://ridingroadsandtrails.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/DSC_6388.jpg" alt="Petrified Wood" itemprop="image" height="3427" width="4362" title="DSC_6388" onerror="this.style.display='none'" />
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		Petrified Wood
				<a href="https://ridingroadsandtrails.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/DSC_6364.jpg" target="_self" itemprop="url" rel="noopener noreferrer">
				<img src="https://ridingroadsandtrails.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/DSC_6364.jpg" alt="Petrified Wood" itemprop="image" height="4016" width="6016" title="DSC_6364" onerror="this.style.display='none'" />
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		Petrified Wood
				<a href="https://ridingroadsandtrails.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/DSC_6418.jpg" target="_self" itemprop="url" rel="noopener noreferrer">
				<img src="https://ridingroadsandtrails.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/DSC_6418.jpg" alt="Sprinter van on Notom Road" itemprop="image" height="2243" width="4361" title="DSC_6418" onerror="this.style.display='none'" />
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		Sprinter van on Notom Road
	<h2><strong>Epilogue</strong></h2>
<p>On the way back home, we detoured onto the Notom Road Scenic Backway, with is a more off-the-beaten-path yet, still very scenic road. Utah has a number of these <a href="https://www.visitutah.com/things-to-do/road-trips/utahs-scenic-backways/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">scenic backways</a> in addition to the scenic byways.</p>
<p><strong>Van status:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>With this trip being further away from civilization, cell service was harder to come by. We&#8217;ll be looking into ways to get better signal with the leading candidates being a hotspot with a MIMO antenna or a WeBoost signal booster.</li>
<li>Storage, we still need more of it built in to the van</li>
</ul>

Road Trip – Utah, Land of Sleeping Rainbows

Sprinter van in Capital Reef National Park