9-3-2021 Craig, CO Part I

 
We are driving on the most spectacular scenic route right now, heading east from Provo to Craig, CO.  We tend to shy away from freeways and chose what is marked as the scenic route, Hwy 6.  Frankly, I don’t think there are any ugly routes in Utah.  Hwy 6 is two lanes, mostly, and very squiggly, down through skinny canyons between the cathedral-like rock walls, then cresting a summit at 9,114 ft. and out into the open range.  My big question right now is how do the cows get up here? 

 

Rob, Noobee and the Jeepster at the KOA

As you know, I canceled our reservation (made on 8-12) in Meeker, CO after I found a slot open at the KOA in Craig. Again today, I left voice mails for Meeker reminding them to refund me.  Steve called me back, mystified.  He had never heard of me.  He had no reservation for us in the first place.  We would have driven all that way and found no room at the inn.  After some struggle, my refund was confirmed.  Now then, did the KOA website make the same mistake and we would arrive to no site reserved?  Old faithful KOA came through again.  We are settled and sipping a toonie at the pretty little park with big trees, sunshine and a fresh breeze.  There are big fields around the park and foothills in the distance.  The aspen trees’ leaves shiver in the crisp, chilly air.  Fall is on its way.  Leaves are turning colors and they drift down to the ground.  It is a peaceful, comfortable place to anchor for a few days.

 

9-4-2021

 

The area around Craig is great for ranching.  In the early 1900s, there was a lot of cutthroat competition between sheep and cattle ranchers.  Unfortunately, the land was over-grazed by the unscrupulous, poachers and rustlers, leading to erosion and destruction of natural pastures.  The feds stepped in with the Taylor Grazing Act.  In 1934, FDR appointed Farrington Carpenter as the “Director of Grazing“ (Love it:  title inflation.), to enforce the law.  He was good at negotiations and brought peace between armed sheepherders and cattlemen and is credited with establishing some semblance of logic, law and order in this wild ranchland.  However, the town is not named Carpenter, it is named after Rev. William Bayard Craig who was an important town financial backer and helped get the town incorporated in 1908.  Follow the money, Baby.

 

It was suggested by Chad at the KOA that the drive through the National Forest area east of Craig is a great place to see wildlife.  There are porcupines the sizes of Volkswagens and big herds of antelope, he said.  We gotta see this!  The roads are gravel and dirt through green and blue foothills and range land as far as you can see.  Unfortunately, there were no porky-pines that you could saddle up and ride to work but there was a smorgasbord of buzzards, hawks, ducks, one great big skunk, sheep, cattle, wild horses and antelope.  It was a fun day traveling many miles though the beautiful hills.