Dinosaur Mouse

We have another mouse in the house (Prius). But this time, it's okay. Dad tricked me into driving to the Visitor Center at Dinosaur this morning, saying that he needed a map, but really he wanted to buy a little stuffed animal mouse to keep in my car. We'd seen it the day before. I scowled at it. Anyway, now this mouse lives in my car and we thoroughly abuse it. First thing, my Dad started hurling that stupid idiot mouse at the windshield. It spends most of its time upside down in a corner. Tomorrow maybe we'll practice some of our trapping methods on it. Bring out the cinch-string bags and duct tape. I have a feeling that stupid idiot mouse will end up eating our cookies again, somehow... We call the stupid idiot mouse "Fievel", after the mouse character from An American Tail: Fievel Goes West.

Fievel is the idiot mouse in the back standing on his head. Idiot.


We had pizza at a local place (Carelli's) and Ben and Jerry's ice cream for dinner! Perfect. We're in Craig, Colorado for the night at an inexpensive hotel. 11 days of camping, and several days without shower access. It was time to change clothes and get clean. Also nice to have WiFi and no mosquitoes for a change.

We have spent the last few days camping at Green River Campground at Dinosaur in Utah. We found a campsite right on the Green River and shared it with Mary Ellen and Karen. Thanks to their half-price Ancients discount we each paid $1.50 per night.

Amy walking on a trail.

We did some hikes during the day and ate some yummy foods at night, thanks to the cooking of Mary and Karen. Dinosaur National Monument had everything from dinosaur fossils still embedded in the cliff walls to petroglyphs to a woman-rancher's old homestead and farm. Dad and I hiked to a Box Canyon where Josie, the woman-rancher, kept her pigs; to Hog Creek Canyon where Josie kept her herd of cows; on a nature trail along a creek bed; up the sides of cliffs to see the petroglyphs up close; and of course, up the side of a cliff to see the dinosaur bones. It was all intriguing to me and I loved it all. The weather was very warm, highs in the 90's every day. So worth it though. On the Hog Creek Canyon hike, my Dad and I got to the trailhead just as a Ranger was set to start his tour of the area. We didn't know anything about it - but since we were the only people to show up, we got our own private tour guide for the hike. Lucky us!!

Petroglyphs




Hole in the rock

Box Canyon


Ranger pointing to a Dinosaur fossil.

I'm awed by the geology of the area. I think I took more pictures of rocks and sediment deposits than of anything else. I need my own personal geologist in the backseat explaining how everything I see got to be how it is. So cool. Wishing I had taken more than one geology class in college. Luckily, my Dad is friends with my old geology professor, so I may be able to piece that geologic story together sometime. My Dad told me that when I was young I always said I wanted to be an "archaeologist, a geologist and an environmental scientist". My interests clearly have not changed.


Last night at 9:30 there was a 2-hour astronomy program at our campground. The National Park Service had 4 high-powered telescopes for us to use. I got to see the rings around Saturn and her 2 moons, Mars, and Venus. So awesome! I learned lots about constellations and can finally figure out which star is the North Star. At the end of the program, there was a gathering of the Vermonters. It turns out one of the younger rangers helping to put on the program is from the New North End of Burlington, Vermont. And another guy lived in Vergennes for 2 years when he was in school. And another woman had been visiting Vermont not too long ago. Very funny to find so many Vermont connections out here. Especially out of a group of maybe 30 people...

Today we all did another hike out to Harper's Crossing at Dinosaur. It brought us to a place where we could see 2 rivers meet. We were way up high and had canyons on either side of the path. Again, really hot.

After the hike, Mary and Karen headed for Salt Lake City and Dad and I headed into Colorado to explore Rocky Mountain National Park and some old mining towns. We're gearing up to next Friday when we pick Mike up in Durango, CO for a week of fun exploring Arches and Canyonlands and Zion and Bryce and Mesa Verde and Chaco Canyon. Maybe even a rafting trip if we totally luck out.



We'll be in Colorado all week taking the scenic routes, avoiding crowds, and seeing the sights.