No, this isn't about the gnats. But, we'll get to that.
This is about the heat, and getting out of it.
Here in southwest Utah it's hot. Blazing hot. In fact, the thermometer on the moose just passed the century mark. And, it's only the middle of the afternoon!
Of course, this is the desert. So, it should come as no surprise. But, this is warm even for Utah's Dixie. And, as we've learned, the difference between 90 degrees and 100 is huge! We've done our best to keep cool, literally and figuratively. But, with the forecast calling for temps over 100 for each of the remaining 10 days of our stay, it's time to bug out.
In the last few days we've searched near and far (actually, very far) for a cool place to call home. With the major Summer holiday just around the corner, we haven't had much luck. (Of course, the fact that we don't have cell service here has made that fruitless task all the more frustrating.) Meanwhile, we've been checking the temps around the region. We've noticed that Bryce Canyon, our next scheduled destination, is consistently 20 degrees or so cooler than here in hot little Virgin. We have a reservation there starting July 7th. Early this morning, we decided to go see what we could do about that.
The drive to Bryce Canyon is about 100 miles, depending on which route you choose. We were there by about 9:00. And, it was cool!!!!!! With windows rolled down, we enjoyed the chilly breeze as we checked out a few campgrounds, and ruled out a couple. When we arrived at the mega-park where we have our future reservation, we cruised through. We had heard this park described be many others as everything from a dust bowl to a circus. But, today it looked like a decent place to stay. (And, did I mention, it was cool?) So, we stopped by the office to see if we could move up our reservation.
Trying to get a Fourth of July reservation just outside a busy National Park is tough any time. We knew we were really pressing our luck today. So, weren't surprised to hear that there wasn't a site available.
"We could put you in overflow," said the cheery lady behind the counter.
With visions of squeezing into some gravel parking lot between two motels and sucking generator fumes, Paul and I looked at each other in a way that let the cheerful gal know we weren't interested.
"But, they have full hookups!" she chimed. "Here's a map. Go take a look."
We hopped back in the Jeep and let the map guide us to the place called overflow. We were pleasantly surprised to find a few rows of pull-throughs with green grass in between. Each site is level and the utilities all look new. It's behind a hotel and far enough off the road to be away from the tourist craziness. We pulled out our phones and put them to the test. We found smokin' hot wifi and plenty of 3G. This could definitely work!
Back at the office we sealed the deal. Miss Cheery picked the best spot available, which features a lovely view of Escalante to the east. We are free to check in after 11 AM on Thursday. Something tells me we'll be there at 11:01!
In less than 48 hours we'll be living life in overflow, where the forecast high is 76 degrees. Relief!!!
Of course, this relief won't come cheap. Even in overflow, the mega-park is spendy. And, this place is pricey. We'll ask for a refund for our remaining days, but aren't really expecting one. Most likely, our six nights in Bryce will be our most expensive camping ever. By far. But, we'll be cool.
And what's our comfort worth? We'll add it up and let you know!
Before I go, back to the gnats. Thank you so much for your helpful hints. I ended up picking up some Benadryl gel to help relieve the itch and some Coleman "Skin Smart" DEET-free repellant to ward off the nasty creatures. Skin Smart has basically the same ingredients as Avon's Skin So Soft. (The next time I see an Avon Lady I'm getting some of that stuff!) So far, it's worked pretty well. But, truthfully, I haven't spent that much time sitting outside.
It's just been too hot!!!
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