It was another cold start to the morning. It’s freezing overnight and we have to have the heating on but it soon warms up after breakfast.

Here are some photos of our ‘shack’ I said I would post on Monday!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From our window we overlook the range of red rocks, the tepees and wagons.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today, we tackle the Hickman Bridge Trail. It’s considered the number one trail to do in Capitol Reef. It is only a 1.7 mile round hike and is considered moderately challenging. The challenging part however, is that it’s all uphill! The trail follows the Fremont River and leads directly to a breathtaking natural bridge. If you’re brave enough (we weren’t) you can climb up and stand on top!! 😱

 

 

 

 

 

 

After the hike we went and climbed up Panorama Point Overlook to take in the view and it was magnificent. This was just a short climb but we could still feel it on our thighs!

Nearby was the Fruita schoolhouse. A small modest building built in 1896, the one-room schoolhouse was Fruita’s only public structure. It also served as a church and meeting house since Fruita’s Mormon settlers never had their own church building, a room for dances, meetings, church gatherings and other social events.

As the population of Fruita declined, so did the need for its own school. The last class of students was taught in 1941, after which the schoolhouse was closed and the children were bussed to other schools in the county.

Close by to the schoolhouse is audio from a former teacher, Janice Oldroyd Torgerson who taught at the school as a brand new teacher in 1934. She recalls how the schoolhouse was in need of repair when she arrived and mud was falling from between the logs. There was no electricity or indoor plumbing but Fruita was beautiful and across the dusty road were row upon row of grapes, bordered by huge walnut trees. On moonlight nights the majestic red cliffs seemed gentle and protective. She spent a very happy year there making friends and on the day she left to go back home she looked back at Fruita, sat down on a rock and thought about the eventful year just passed and cried a little, knowing it was over.

Our final visit of the day was to see some more petroglyphs but we don’t have any photographs as they were so faint they didn’t photograph very well. Sadly, some of them have also been destroyed due to rock falls. Why do petroglyphs always seem to show drawings of Martians??!! Answers on a postcard please to ……………………..

On our way back from dinner tonight there was a mule deer grazing by our cabin.

I was thinking last night that I haven’t posted the audio of our favourite adventure song, Holiday Road! All together now 🎶 ………………..

Please join us again tomorrow for more of our adventures.