Saturday, September 14, 2024

Utah, Day 14... Not the Day I Expected

 Saturday, September 14, 2024

     I few miles east of Kanab is a rock formation formally called Coyote Buttes North.  It's more commonly referred to as The Wave. Access is limited and by a lottery system.  The is the second time I've tried and the second time denied. So, Plan B, a place they call Buckskin Gulch, one of the longest known slot canyon in the world.

    Here's the rub.  The trailhead is down a dirt road thirty-five miles east.  So, leave early, or wait until the sun has come up enough that it's no longer below the visor.

    So yeah, I was up nice and early, headed east.


    I found the dirt road.  And started heading down.  Not a bad drive at all.  

    That is, until one of the dashboard alarms started going off.  The front, left tire was losing pressure, and quickly.


   Now, I've changed my share of flat tires.  It's tedious, but not that difficult.  

    But, where was the damn jack.  In my old Chevy pickup it was behind the seat, but the back seat wasn't budging.  

   No cell service meant I couldn't even look it up.  And of course there was no driver's manual.

   Eventually a guy in another Ford truck came along and showed me the trick.  The driver's side of the rear seat doesn't tilt forward, just the passenger's side of the rear seat.  

     He and his son even helped me with the process.  They suggested I keep going, do the hike and get the flat fixed later.

    I got burned by that many years ago in Wyoming.  So, I drove back to Kanab and took the tire in for repair.  So much for Buckskin Gulch.  The blog WildPathsAZ made a post about it.  You can see what I missed here:

    The folks at Ramsey's Service Center weren't too busy and one of the guys took a look at my tire.  The gash was too big to patch.


    The owner commented how rough that road is on tires.  I was his first of the day, but definitely won't be the last.  
     I did call AVIS and they said sure, they would reimburse me for a replacement tire.
     I got burned by Hertz years ago because I didn't create the correct paper trail.  Call me a skeptic.
      So, I called back.  This time it was a different person.  He gave me an email address.  I'd have to provide a copy of the receipt and a bunch of other information.  At which point AVIS would "consider" a refund.  How I hate that l word.
     In the end, I decided to risk it.  Wish me luck.  That was my morning.  
     Not wanting to blow the day, I simply revisited a trail I dabbled in last year.  From the motel it's a half mile walk to the trailhead.


     The trail begins in a residential neighborhood.  


     Tom's Canyon dead ends a little over two miles back.  So, four miles on the trail and one for the trip to and from the trailhead.  Not too shabby.



     I turned around at the point I would have had to start scrambling over debris, just past to two mile mark.


     It wasn't a slot canyon, but no real complaints.
     There was some event going on a block away.  Decent music and I only recognized a few songs.  
      Chillin' outside my motel listening and enjoying the cool air with my new friend.






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