Farley Goes to Moab and the Mighty Palouse, Day 1: Two Girls, Two Bikes, One Van

Three couples--Other Mark Smith and Jo Berg, Wayne and Cindy Huntley, and Marc and I--planned a trip to Moab for a long weekend this weekend.  Then Marc and Other Mark had to go and decide to leave early, on Monday, so Other Mark could spend a little more quality time in the new Casita he and Jo brought home from the factory in Texas last month.  I had to work Tuesday and had book group Wednesday, so Jo and I decided to stick with the original plan and leave Thursday morning.
It was the first time I'd ever driven Farley any real distance without Marc.  I told him I was freaked out about a break-own.  He told me, "Just do what you'd do if I were there.  I'm not mechanical.  Call AAA." Luckily, it didn't come to that.  Farley was awesome.

It was a quick and, thankfully, uneventful, trip.  We were undecided about whether we'd stop and spend the night along the way or just bomb on through the 715 miles to get there in one day.  Somewhere around Salt Lake City, we realized it was only another four or so hours, so we decided bombing through was the way to go.  I was beyond hopped up on caffeine and at a bathroom stop in Wellington, Utah, I realized I was shaking, either from caffeine or not enough food, so we drove a couple blocks back to a fast-food Mexican place I'd seen for the Thursday two tacos and a soda special.

You can't beat all this food for $4.50
Soda included.
Horchata for an extra $1.

We got to Mark and Other Marc's campsite along the Colorado River outside of Moab around 7:30 that night.  We were distracted just before their campsite by a truck with huge light panels shining up onto the red rocks along the road.  We assumed it was some sort of road work or maybe search and rescue but turns out it a tourist company illuminates the rocks for a boat trip along the Colorado.

Farley, down by the
Colorado River.

Home is where the heart is. 
Go Cougs!

Canyon walls across the
street from our campsite,
all lit up for the boat tour.