The edge of the cliff

At the end of the road is a wilderness type campground.  We spotted animal tracks that looked like they may have been that of a cougar.  We were very cautious as we made our way to the cliff's edge, which is just beyond the trees.








"I am holding the camera over the edge of the cliff, straight down, and yes those are the tops of trees."  Each kid was brought to this spot and allowed to look over the edge.  Of course a firm grip was maintained, and no horsing around was allowed.

I call this place the Swasey overlook, but it may be officially called something else.

















To the west is a magnificent view of the Tule valley.

To the east is Swasey peak!

To the south is the Sevier Lake!  This pic, however was not taken from Swasey overlook.  It is most likely a telephoto from the CCC camp (see pic below).

I can not adequately describe the majestic view from this location. The pics help, but not entirely.  After leaving the Swasey overlook, we made our way to some old ruins of the CCC occupation.  It was fun to explore the site, and try to imagine for what purposes little structures were used.

Sevier Lake in background

Finally, we made it back to our camp.  Jenna was pretty tired and thirsty, but it was nothing that a long swig of water couldn't cure!

The morning star is long gone, but Matty is still looking!

Too tired to look for Trilobites, but not too tired to go for a hike, play hide and seek, cook smores, and set up the telescope for star viewing, we settled in for the evening.  By the time the stars came out, the kids were begging to go to bed.  Ha ha.  







Saturday morning was all about collecting trilobites.  More pics to come!

Antelope Springs

"One of the most desolate places in the west,"  is how one could describe Antelope Springs.  Once a CCC camp, now a place for collecting Trilobites, this camping site doesn't even have a spring anymore.

We were not discouraged though, as we had brought our own water, food, and other necessities, such as a biffy.  Mike is such a good Dad to provide for his three girls.  He bought this particular one on sale, and it was a good replacement for the homemade one he took with us last year to Topaz Mountain.

Before we left our comfortable homes, we made sure that everything we needed was packed into our vehicles.  The kids were really excited, as they had been anticipating this adventure for quite a while.

I was glad to see everyone dressed in denims instead of cutoffs, because traipsing through wilderness fauna can be quite devastating on bear legs.  

Erin was my truck partner for the entire 4 hour trip to Antelope Springs.
I was glad she was so attentive to my stories, especially the one about Bishop Koyle and the dream mine.  I really like to tell this story because the mine can be seen from I-15 just east of Payson.  The shoreline of ancient Lake Bonneville can also be seen from I-15, and it is fun to imagine just how big this lake really was, as you drive along.

About noon we arrived in Delta.  We had planned to eat lunch in this little farming town, and the kids were delighted to see the golden arches of McDonald's, so guess where we stopped to eat!

Soon we were on the road again, heading due west on highway 50.  About 28 miles later, near the Sevier Dry Lake, we turned off the pavement, and headed north another 20 miles on a dirt road.  We finally reached our destination and begin to set up our camp.

Everyone was so cooperative and willing to help, and this made the job a lot easier for me and Mike.  The old saying, "Many hands make light work," really is true.

Matthew immediately begin to work on building a fire pit, and soon we all joined in.  Soon we all decided that using a preexisting pit would be the best idea, because we would be using rocks that someone else carried.

By this time, the afternoon was well underway, and we were getting tired and hungry, so as soon as we could we set up an awning to cover our kitchen area.  This turned out to be quite a chore, as a strong, shifting wind was beginning to blow, but we were persistent and accomplished the job.

Grandpa Zucc's tent

Mike's tent

After dinner and cleanup, we wanted to go trilobite hunting, so we put the kids into the back of the pickup truck, which thrilled them to the core.  This is something you can't do in the city, and I guess there is something exciting about doing something forbidden.  The area that I wanted to hunt in was close to camp, but it had a no trespassing sign posted.

I can't blame the owner for posting the area, as he had a backhoe sitting on the property.  We respected his right, and instead decided to go sightseeing.  We drove up to the Swasey overlook. The kids in the bed of the pickup were laughing, singing, and having the time of their lives.  Ha ha.  

More postings of this trip will be forthcoming!

When we visit Joe and Andy's place

When we visit Joe and Andy's place, we can almost expect some new artistic work.  This time I was impressed by the iron sculpture hanging on the wall of the front visiting room.  This is really cool with the shades of color dispersed throughout the metal.

On the way out of Vernal, almost to Roosevelt, is a large ranch gate, also made out of iron.  I wonder if the same company made this piece of art?

In a little town called Heber City is a fast food place.  "Home of the Train" is not its name, but rather it's motto.  Heber is the host town for the Heber Creeper, a nifty actual size restored train that takes tourists' down the scenic Provo canyon and back.  The point of departure is really kind of cool, with a little ghost town and museum you can walk through.

Along the south side of the fast food place, as you can see in the above pic, is homemade train the owners created in order to add decorative interest to their business.

Even the inside of the restaurant has the train motif, with a working model actively running around the outside of the ceiling.  This place is really cute, and the burgers are good, which is why it is busy all the time and the other places in town aren't, I suppose.

Anyway, the last piece of art, that I will mention here, in Joe and Andy's home, is on the wall of the inside down staircase.  The whole wall is done with an oil base stain applied with a crumpled-up plastic grocery bag,  and the print is of a natural formation in a place called Fantasy Canyon outside Vernal.  Yes, this place actually exists.  I have been there, and if you desire to experience this natural wonder, you better go soon as weathering is at work, not to mention potential vandals.  

After arriving home from Vernal,  I made preparations for another interesting trip to the west side of the state, only this time Grandma Zucc stayed home, and I went wilderness camping with Mike's family, minus Katie.  So be sure to check back in a few days to read about this wild adventure.  Also I have some hilarious pics to share with you.

A Zuccasaurous! Me?

Joey said...


"In dinosaurland - always be aware of your surroundings...you never know when you'll turn around and be surprised by a Allosaurus, a Camarasaurous, or a Zuccasaurous with a camera...saurous?!"


Thanks for the comment, Joe.  A Zuccasaurous!  Me?  After saurously considering this comment, I think that my youngest son just may be onto something.  Ha.  Before our departure from Vernal, Grandma Zucc and I were able to take a few pics of modern-day dinosaurs.  Enjoy!

This bony creation is in Roosevelt

Pretty scary stuff, huh?  But hey, you can't blame the human species for wanting to have some fun with these magnificent creatures. 


Not a dinosaur and not extinct, but worthy to be noted is the new sculptured bull found not to far from the main business district in Vernal.

Charging bull - USU mascot called Big Blue?

It is a bronze bull,  sculpted by artist Jocelyn Russell.  It is located just south of the USU Uintah Basin Vernal campus and is 10' tall, 12' long, 6' wide, and more than 2,000 pounds.  It was installed in February 2011 in the middle of a roundabout. 


What a great weekend getaway this was - a chance to not only have a little fun, but also to renew our spirits.  It is a marvelous, and I must say, a little bizarre, world we live in.

The exciting inside!

Okay!  In the last posting, I showed some pics of the outside of Dinosaur National Monument quarry.  Now for the exciting inside.  The pic you see is a head of an Allosaurus, not the one standing.  Ha ha.  Grandma Zucc appears very confident, but I can assure you that if this magnificent animal were alive, she would moving very quickly, even with her artificial knees.  Allosaurus was a meat eater that lived 155 to 150 million years ago during the late Jurassic period.  

On the wall of bones is a well preserved head of a Camarasaurus.  It's size was about 50 feet in length, and about 50 tons.  The ranger answering questions, said that this animal was a plant eater, but I think if I were confronting this creature, I wouldn't be too sure.  those teeth look pretty sharp to me!

I was impressed spacious inside of the building.

The following is a close up view of the bones in the previous pic.  The ranger said that the animals had died some where up stream, then the bones washed down and collected in this area.  The bones are a mixture of a lot of dinosaurs.  It is up to our paleontologists to correctly reconstruct them so that they can be displayed.                                        
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Andy is explaining to Sharon some of the interesting things of this Allosaurus.  Andy likes to speak with her hands.

I really get a kick out of Joe.  His smile is like Erin's smile, pretty cheesy.  At least they both have well-taken-care-of teeth.  I guess you might say that I am happy also, even with the silly baseball cap.  Actually I bought it in Escalante, Utah during a trip to collect some petrified wood in the area.  By the way, and just for the record, we did collect it legally.

Dinosaur National Monument has a scenic drive within it's borders.   There are some great overlooks.  In this pic you can see two definite formations.  The whole area, I believe is a giant anticline, as indicated by the upward sloping strata.  

Looking south from the quarry building, you can see the meandering, lower Green River, which eventually makes its way to converge with the Colorado River.

Joe is looking at the view of the Green from the upper deck of the quarry building.  The formation you can see in the background is the Morrison.

My next posting will feature pics of modern day dinosaurs found in the Vernal area.  They are really creative representations, and so cool looking, so please check back in a few days.  Thanks.

Dinosaur National Monument

Friday, after piano lessons, Bev and I left for Vernal to visit Joe and Andy. We arrived there about 7:00 pm.  The next day, while Bev and I slept in, Joe and Andy left on their bicycles for a little 50 mile ride. They got back about the time we finished our morning showers and were ready for breakfast. Joe fixed crapes, and after-wards I went for a two mile walk around the neighborhood.  Only one dog barked at me, and I was thankful he was behind a fence.   

Paved walking trail behind Joe's house

"Nice dogie!"

Joe making crapes

Andy is making a point

When I got back we spent the rest of the day touring the newly refinished Dinosaur National Monument just past Jensen, Utah. We took Joe and Andy's friend, Sharon with us.

Sharon & Andy

Dinosaur National Monument has just reopened after a significant remodeling of the building.  I guess the original structure was beginning to slide and crack, to the point of being unsafe for visitors.  

I had visited this site many years ago, and it appears much the same, but I can see where the building has been reinforced with concrete etc.  Joe pointed out the massive new beams supporting the roof.  It is impressive!

Quarry building

The building sits on the Morrison formation

In my next posting, I will show the inside of the building, which covers the actual fossil rock in which dinosaur bones are both located and also excavated.  This blog seems to attract a small following of people from foreign countries, so just a word to you.  "If you are planing to visit the western part of the USA, be sure to include Dinosaur National Monument in your trip."  This place will totally amaze you!!!

Shocking photo!

And now for that shocking photo!  Yes, Erin is proudly holding a string of fish, and she is smiling!  What is even more astounding is the the fact that when we cooked them up on the grill a couple days later, she actually ate a little fish, and enjoyed it.  I have hope for this girl,  ha ha.

Yummy fish on the grill, for sure.  We all had some but Mike.  He would even try a bite.  The leftovers I through out on the lawn and the magpies got them.  At least they know what is good!

To make the fishing trip even more fun, we stopped and had ice cream cones on the way home.  This type of activity always make a fishing trip extra special.  Before we left the AC, one of the servers came up and offered complimentary cones, in addition to our regular order, so we all had our fill, for sure.