Day 18 - Where the Dinosaurs Roam

Salt Lake City, UT to Stone Springs, WY

Before I begin, I would be remiss to not mention how grateful I am for the outpouring of support, encouragement, and kind words I've received writing this blog. For the most part this journey has seen Conor and I running (at least) 300 to 400 miles per day. Now and again we indulge in an extra day and try and take a break from the truck, but more often than not we're driving. When you consider that, you can only imagine how much I'm in my head. After all, there's only so much I can talk with Conor about, and for a number of reasons; not the least of which is that he's only 10 years old. What I realized today is, this blog is serving as an anchor for me. It affords me an opportunity memorialize something so much bigger than me, but more than that it allows me to get it out (of my head). How you've responded and your commitment to come along on this journey with me and Conor has left me genuinely humbled. For that, I say thank you.

Today's blog title celebrates one of my very favorite authors, Hunter S. Thompson. Mr. Thompson was an eclectic individual to say the very least. If you're not familiar with his work, likely as not you've heard of the book turned movie, "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas", starring Johnny Depp and Benicio del Torro. It's one of the best books I've ever read and the movie was an excellent adaptation of the work. But another book I would put along side "Fear and Loathing" is Hunter S. Thompson's "Where the Buffalo Roam." Much of that story takes place on a ranch in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. As Conor and I departed the perfectly paved and seemingly endless Interstate, our navigation lead us down hundreds of miles of lonesome two lane country roads along some of the most breathtaking travel routes this country has to offer; often not seeing another vehicle for miles. I could hear Thompson's voice in my head as we travelled this lonely, magnificent, and often times weird countryside. There's a wildness to travelling this way. A complete departure from urban sprawl, heavy congestion, and traffic lights in every direction. And the reality is, there's a comfort in that familiarity. The knowing that, should anything happen to the vehicle or (God forbid) you or your companion, help is only minutes away. When you're in Eastern Utah, Northwest Colorado, and Southwest Wyoming, I can assure you, help is not minutes away... 

Today's destination was Dinosaur National Monument, in Dinosaur, UT. If I would have never darkened the doorsteps to the buildings in this National park, the drive would have been enough. In fact, I allowed myself to daydream about Conor and I riding motorcycles down these roads in 10 years time. I would absolutely love to come back through this way, and of course I'd love to do it with him. 

The views through Utah are like nothing I've ever seen. One minute you're careening through a valley with rock walls on either side that are so tall, you can hardly see the sky without a sunroof or a convertible. Minutes later you're 8,000 feet up running switch-back roads along the edge of these mountains with not even a guardrail to provide a sense of safety. More than once I was so taken with the view that I would just pull off the road and stand there, overlooking an area of land larger than the whole of Rhode Island. The air is just different here - aside from being thinner, of course. But it's clear. Crisp, even in the heat. You can almost taste it. All of your senses are just that much more heightened. I absolutely loved today's drive. Blue skies and open mountain roads may sound cliché - until you do it.

And then we went into Dinosaur National Monument, the visitor center, and the dig preservation site. It seems Conor is not the only one with an interest in dinosaurs anymore. I'm not even pulling my punch when I say that this was the coolest, most eye-opening exhibit I've ever seen. The building structure is constructed into a wall of rock containing actual fossils dated at 190 million years old; over 2,000 bones are on display in this wall. There's an explanation as to how they got there and how many tons more have been excavated from this site and shared with museums all over the World. Conor was absolutely floating. He spoke with every ranger in the place, asked a ton of questions, learned about a new dinosaur called a Maraapunisaurus - a sauropod, and of course got his Dinosaur National Monument Junior Ranger badge after completing the exercises required of him. He's now taken his oath at the Grand Canyon and the Dinosaur National Monument, and is determined to do the same in Yellowstone.

While I've been writing this blog entry he stated out of the clear blue, "Today was one of the best days ever, Dad. Nobody understands how much I love dinosaurs except you!" 

That's what it's all about. Finding joy. Feeling whole - even if only for the moment. The connection we all need; to know we're loved and cared for and understood. Today was a good day. Better yet, today was a great day! And tomorrow we'll enter Yellowstone! The driving force behind this entire adventure... The Healing Road showed itself in the best possible ways today, and it was good for both of us.