Exploring Utah and a Missing Pair of Glasses

Welcome to Episode 6 of The Long Way Home. I'm taking my Sportsmobile van Blitz back home from Tucson to Seattle, one stop at a time. Catch up on the full journey here -    • The Long Way Home. From Tucson to Seattle ...   Today started at the Toadstool Hoodoos hike, and I still can't get over it. This little pocket of Grand Staircase-Escalante is full of these strange mushroom-shaped rock formations, and I had the entire trail to myself. It was gorgeous. It was quiet and peaceful. Sadly, it cost me my favorite pair of glasses, which I somehow didn't notice were missing until I got back to the van. I left a note at the trailhead sign in box just in case, but I didn't think much would come of it. The conclusion of the saga of the missing glasses is at the end of the video. From there I hit the Sand Caves just outside Kanab, hand-dug caves from an old silica mining operation with a steep sandy scramble and a view worth the climb. I made a significant detour to Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, which ended up being my least favorite stop of the trip. Unless you're there to ATV or sand-board, I'd skip the entry fee and stay on 89. Then came a total surprise. I pulled off for what I thought was a scenic view sign, and stumbled onto the Belly of the Dragon, a man-made drainage tunnel running right under Highway 89. It's a short walk through a genuinely cool little spot. The day ended at Navajo Lake Campground in Dixie National Forest, where I set up camp, wandered the around the lake, watched an osprey work the water, and happily cozied up in Blitz for a relaxed evening. Timestamps - 00:00 Hello 00:28 What is a Toadstool? 00:49 Starting the Hike 01:50 The First Toadstool 02:15 Trail Tips 02:58 End of the Trail 05:20 Layered Hillside 05:31 Oops! 06:30 Glasses? 07:00 Sand Caves 10:54 Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park 12:19 The Belly of the Dragon 12:57 Navajo Lake Campground 15:56 Osprey 16:08 Chat Time 21:14 Goodnight & Thanks! 21:41 What Happened to My Glasses #vanlife #utah #adventuretravel #hikingadventures #roadtrip