Days 4 & 5, June 16th and 17th (The Road to the Swasey Mountains)

Traveling Highway 6/50 West from Delta we headed toward the Swasey Mountains looking for a place to Boon Dock near the U Dig and New Dig Trilobite locations. We discovered that "The Loneliest Road in America" has many interesting things to see and explore.

Highway 6 has plenty of history to discover. Generations of Indians traveled and lived in this area for millennia. Coming into the area many years later explorers and pioneers found the natives peaceful for the most part. However, tensions rose once a group of pioneer Mormans came into the area and killed an elderly indian who wanted to trade them for some tobacco. This indian happened to be the war chief's father. Seeking revenge, tensions began to rise leading to the massacre of Captain Gunnison and his party of surveyors along the Sevier River.

Sevier Lake is also found along this route. It is a dead lake, meaning that there is no outlet for the water. Many maps list Sevier Lake as Sevier Dry Lake because it is dry most of the time. Occasionally, the lake is filled with water. In 1983 it was the second largest lake in Utah and reached a depth of 30 feet. When Sevier Lake is not dry its deep blue water contrasts starkly with its white beaches and the deep purple mountains surrounding the lake.

Viewing the lake when it is dry from the Swasey Mountains the white beaches blend into the dark purple shades of the mountains. After a rain storm vivid rainbows can be seen over the lake.

Turning onto a one lane dirt road 50 miles west of Delta on Highway 6 across from Sevier Lake we head to the top of the mountains. We head pass Skull Rock pass which is adorned by a skull and cross bones not knowing what will be around the bend or if the RV can continue to the top of the mountain. There are signs warning of dangerous curves and the need to proceed with caution. The road gets steeper as we look for a suitable place to park a Super C Motor home towing an H3. We find the U Dig site, but miss the turn off for the New Dig site. It becomes apparent that we will have to turn the motor home around and head about 1/8th of a mile down the mountain to a flat location we spotted on the side of the road. After unhooking the H3, Randy is able to turn the motor home around in a few scary moves that cause Aaron, Caylin and I to turn our heads.

Finally we make it to the location we will spend the next two nights calling home minutes before the first rain storm sets in. We grilled dinner under our awning and watched the black slate hills turn silvery in the rain. Prior to the rain storm Aaron discovered a horned toad hiding out near an anthill. He decided that he would name it Bob! Bob doesn't seem afraid that we are nearby.

We decide to sleep without the generator running since the temperature is nearing 65 degrees. The silence was a nice change from home. However none of us slept well since we were not accostomed to the sounds of silence. The clock ticking, tick, tick, tick above our sofa, the dog snoring, Aaron talking during his sleep made for a restless night.

We were hoping to use the telescope and view the vast numbers of stars that one should be able to view from this location. Unfortunately, it stays cloudy.


DAY 5, THE BIG DAY!!!!!

Running on pure adrenaline in anticipation of the upcoming fossil hunt we awake to 50 degree temperatures in the RV. Around 10:00 am we head to the New Dig Location. The sign is easy to miss. If you decide to visit the location, it is about 1/16th of a mile past the U Dig site. Aaron spoke to Clay, the owner of the New Dig location, several times arranging for our visit.

Parking in their lot we are all filled with anticipation of what specimens we may find. Ken rides up on his four wheeler to greet us. He is an interesting gentleman to talk with. Ken spent the last 25 years in the area rock hounding, fossil digging and helping individuals run quarries. His knowledge of the area is astounding. Our discussion leads to the geologic time scale and the amount of time trilobites thrived on this planet. We discuss the Cambrian Explosion and the Ordovician age. Ken is able to tell us what taxonomic categories trilobites belong too (arthropods).

As we begin to split the black slate in search of these "bugs" Ken tells us about the wild horses that still live on the mountain and how the BLM manages the populations in order to keep their numbers down so that they do not starve (you can adopt a horse from the Swasey Mountains for $150.00).

The wild horses originated from Spanish herds from centuries ago. Some horses from indian herds also joined the group as well as some from the pioneers. Traces of the Spanish horses can still be seen in those that roam the Swasey Mountains today. These traces include a thin black dorsal stripe that runs down their backbone.

Ken tells us about the disappearance of deer in the area and the appearance of antelope. Our discussion leads to the weather. We were prepared for 90 degree weather, instead the temperature was in the 60's. Rain clouds appear and we are sprinkled on.

We find trilobite after trilobite. He talks about the strata and which areas are rich in trilobites and which are not.

Spending our last night boon docking in the Swasey Mountains we hope for clear skies to view stars without the light pollution we have at home. As nightfall approaches, the clouds roll in and another rain storm sets in. Nightfall out here brings complete and total darkness. You can't see two feet in front of your face.