MoaBlog

There was a fire on the bridge being built across the Colorado River near Moab. The fire was caused by a heater being used to help cure newly poured concrete on the bridge. The fire burned plywood scaffolding, plastic sheeting, and warming blankets covering the concrete. Construction crews found no structural damage when they inspected the new bridge after the Moab Fire Department extinguished the fire.

Virginia took this picture of the new bridge being built over the Colorado River on Highway 191 near Moab, Utah. It is the first cast-in-place concrete segmental bridge to be built in Utah. After the new bridge is completed in February, traffic will be shifted to the new bridge. Then the old bridge will be demolished and construction will begin on a second cast-in-place bridge.

Jeff took a few test pictures with his new digital camera on the way home from town the other night. As seen in the top photo, gas prices are currently about $2.70 per gallon.

After Monday's concert, and before riding the light rail train home, Jeff's family and relatives went for a stroll around Temple Square, home to the the Salt Lake LDS (Mormon) Temple and the Tabernacle. Every holiday season, the grounds are decorated with hundreds of thousands of lights and other decorations, attracting large crowds every night.

Several dozen students, parents, and other members of the Moab community participated in a "Save Our Sports" rally last Friday afternoon. The group's goal was to show support for athletics and extra-curricular activities, many of which are facing severe budget cuts due to the district's current financial crisis. County voters recently rejected a voted leeway that would have raised taxes to help solve the problem. The sign-carrying marchers first went from the high school to the school district office, where they voiced their concerns about budget cuts to the superintendent and school board members. Then, they continued their march for several blocks downtown and back to the high school, while passing motorists honked their horns in support.

Brooklyn, who turned 15 in August, passed a test at the local driver license office and received her learner's permit to drive today. She can now drive with a parent riding in the front passenger seat. She'll start her early-morning driver education class at the high school next week, but must wait until she is 16 years old to get a regular license.

A new pedestrian bridge spans the Colorado River north of Moab, a hundred yards or so east of the existing bridge that carries vehicle traffic. That bridge (top photo) will soon be replaced by a new one that is under construction. The pedestrian bridge (bottom two photos) allows people on foot or bicycle a safer way to cross the large river.

More photos from Moab's Relay for Life, which ended at 8 a.m. Saturday. Many of the participants walked several miles each, and a few even made it to the 20-mile mark (80 laps around the track).

Tonight was Moab's annual Relay for Life event, a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. Several hundred people attended the opening ceremony Friday night. More than 40 survivors ceremoniously carried a torch, then walked around the track to start the event. Many of the participants planned to keep walking throughout the night until the event was to end at 8 a.m. Saturday. Check back Monday for more photos!

Jeff took a picture of this "No Trespassing" sign south of Panguitch last weekend, and used Photoshop to apply a sepia tone and other effects to the image.

The Dumpster at Coral's apartment building has been spray painted with the cryptic message "All Walls Shall Fall." The idea may be derived from a quote by the as Lebanese poet and philosopher, Gibran Khalil Gibran, who said, “In understanding, all walls shall fall down."

Brooklyn took this picture of her dad Jeff last week, as he was getting ready to take pictures at the local high school graduation ceremony.

While out for a walk on Saturday, Jeff, Penny and Indiana saw flames shooting up from the patio of a restaurant. They called 911, and fire trucks responded within minutes and put the fire out. A pig (bottom photo) had been roasting on a barbecue outside, and the flames caught the curtains on fire. Structural damage appeared to be minimal, although the pig and barbecue were ruined.

These verses from the Bible, known as the Lord's Prayer, are carved in stone at a cemetery in Provo. The words are found in the scriptures in Matthew 6:9-13. It is perhaps the best-known prayer in Christianity.

Now that freight trains are running several times a day transporting radioactive dirt from the banks of the Colorado River near Moab to a permanent disposal site more than 30 miles north of town, officials from the railroad company made safety presentations at the local schools last week. To illustrate the damage a train can do to a car, they brought in a vehicle that had been hit by a train that was traveling only 10 mph at the time of the collision. Fortunately, in this case, the driver and passengers were able to get out of the car (which had stalled while on the tracks) and get to safety before the train hit. Click on photo to enlarge.

While visiting Salt Lake recently, Jeff spotted this car in the parking lot of a retail store. Its design is modeled after the famous 1984 film "Ghostbusters".

Hundreds of children and their parents gathered at a local park on Saturday morning to participate in an Easter Egg hunt. The park was divided into sections according to the age groups of the children. All of the plastic eggs were found within a few minutes. The eggs had candy and prizes inside.

While waiting in the car for their mom for a few minutes, River and two of her sisters had some fun with the camera. Pictured here are Geneva (out of her car seat) and Indiana (buckled in hers).

City workers were recently spotted removing the protective covering that has been on top of the Moab City Pool all winter. The pool will soon open for lap swimming during certain hours, then for open plunge as the weather gets warmer.

Today is Friday the 13th, considered unlucky by some people. Riley had a mix of good and bad luck today. Someone stole his school backpack with all his books in it at lunchtime. After school, he found the backpack in a nearby creek. Fortunately, his calculator, books, and papers were still in relatively good shape.

Jeff and Penny and their three oldest daughters visited the "Body Worlds 3" exhibition in Salt Lake City on Monday. The educational exhibit features an assortment of real human bodies and body parts, arranged in various ways designed to teach people about their bodies and how they work. The specimens are preserved via a special patented process called plastination. The bottom photo (from the Body Worlds website) shows the arrangement of blood vessels in the human head. Jeff's family spent over two hours in the exhibit, and thought it was a fascinating and worthwhile experience.

Students at the local high school are currently collecting non-perishable food items to be donated to the local food bank, which gives the food to people who need assistance. Hundreds of cans have been collected so far.

The price of regular gasoline, which was nearly $4.50 per gallon a couple of months ago, has fallen steadily and is currently less than half of what it used to be. Jeff filled up his truck for around $40 the other day, when gas was $1.95.9 per gallon.

Today is Election Day, when Americans will choose their next president, along with many other federal, state, and local representatives. The race for president is between Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). Polls close tonight, after which the votes will be counted and a winner declared. The newly elected president won't take office until January 2009.

As national Election Day approaches, many local candidates are putting their campaign signs all over town. Many city, county, state, and national offices are at stake during this year's upcoming election, which will take place on Tuesday, November 4.

Jeff and Penny's daughters, along with Coral's daughter Wynn, got to make wooden race cars at a local home supply store recently. The store supplied all the materials and plans, and the kids spent about a half hour making the cars, which were then decorated with stickers.

At the park on Labor Day, several local chess players got together for a "speed chess" tournament. Players typically make their moves in a matter of seconds, and entire games can be completed in a few minutes.

Jeff and Penny donated their 15-year-old couch to Tom on Saturday. The sofa, which also has a hide-a-bed, is still in good shape, and has a blue denim cover (not pictured). Arlin and George (bottom photo) helped Jeff load the couch on the back of Jeff's truck and deliver it to Tom's house.

New stop signs have been installed at several intersections along Spanish Valley Drive south of Moab, including this one near Jeff's house. Road crews put the signs in last week. Previously, the intersections were unmarked, meaning cars merely had to "yield" prior to turning onto the main road. Now, vehicles must come to a complete stop before making either a left or right turn.

Main Street in the town of Monticello (about 55 miles south of Moab) is currently being torn up and reconstructed. Large heavy road machinery and big piles of dirt line the street for several blocks downtown.

Recently, a truck parked next to Jeff's car mysteriously had its rear driver-side window broken out. Shattered bits of glass were everywhere inside the car and on the ground outside. Jeff checked his own car for damage, but found none. He also couldn't tell what had broken the window (possibly a rock, or someone hitting it hard). It was strange!

During a recent visit to Salt Lake, Jeff spotted a street sign with his family name on it, near where he had taken his camera in for repairs. The street ends in a dead end at this part of town (South Salt Lake)

Last weekend was the annual April Action car show, an event that brings hundreds of automobile enthusiasts to Moab to show off their classic cars. These photos were taken at the city park on Saturday afternoon, at the height of the car show's main public event.

Just in time for April Fool's day, Jeff took this picture of a rather unusual roadside sign last week. It proclaims, "Potato Salad Closed." But it doesn't refer to the popular side dish made with hard-boiled eggs, boiled potatoes, and mayonnaise. Instead, it refers to a hill near the Moab landfill called "Potato Salad Hill," a popular place for off-road vehicle enthusiasts to practice their rock-climbing skills during the town's annual Jeep Safari week.

While in Salt Lake this morning, Jeff spotted these two workers repairing a traffic signal on State Street.

A local contractor had their new cement mixing truck painted with the logo and colors of the local high school, as a way to show school pride. The vehicle was parked in front of the school briefly today, the first day after the new paint job.

Jeff and Penny test-drove a 2007 Toyota Sienna minivan last Saturday afternoon in the Salt Lake area, then bought the vehicle a couple days later and drove it home to Moab.

The Moab Diner, a popular eating spot for locals and tourists alike, has an unusual clock on its wall. The restaurant's clock is essentially a mirror image of a regular analog clock, and its hands rotate in the opposite direction of a normal clock. So at first glance, the time appears to be 4:50, but it is actually 7:10.

Today is the federal holiday popularly known as Presidents Day (official name: Washington's Birthday). It is observed on the third Monday in February. Although very few Americans actively celebrate the holiday, most banks, schools, and government offices are closed, creating a three-day weekend for many people. For some reason, many furniture stores across the country hold Presidents Day sales as a way of enticing customers to come in and shop for new furniture.

During a basketball game at the local high school last week, a fire alarm went off. Everybody had to evacuate the gymnasium and wait outside in the cold for 20 minutes while the fire department checked the building. It turned out to be a false alarm.

River's Girl Scout troop visited the local animal shelter this afternoon. The girls toured the new facility, which opened a few months ago. Around a dozen cats and about six dogs are currently being taken care of, waiting to be adopted into loving homes. The facility is staffed by city animal control officers as well as officials from the local chapter of the Humane Society.

Jeff's pickup truck is currently being repaired by students at the high school, who are learning how to repair and install brakes, shocks, and suspension components. In the top photo, Dallan is trying to remove a worn out ball joint. In the other photo, Nathan is getting ready to work on the brake drum rotors.

This coyote was hit by a truck this morning after last night's snowfall. The driver picked up the dead animal and put it in the back of the pickup. Coyotes are seen as a nuisance by many area residents because they prey on pets and livestock.

Mary had the opportunity to ride in a small airplane over the Moab area on a clear day recently. She took the pictures above of Moab and the foothills of the La Sal Mountains while flying in the plane.

While in Salt Lake City recently, Jeff spotted this blue Ford Mustang with a "Superman" logo on its hood. The car reminded him of another car sometimes seen in the Moab area with a "Batman" insignia.

Walking down the path between the local high school and the middle school last week, Jeff spotted several mule deer on the northern end of the middle school's soccer field. Deer typically come into town more often in the wintertime in search of food.

Moab welcomed the beginning of the Christmas holiday season with the annual Electric Light parade down Main Street last Saturday evening. Santa Claus (bottom photo) rode on the fire truck at the end of the festive parade, which featured dozens of vehicles adorned with lights, including bicycles, golf carts, automobiles, trucks, and even a boat on a trailer.

Last Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, Jeff and Penny got up early to do some early Christmas shopping. These photos show the line outside Circuit City electronics store in Salt Lake at about 4:45 a.m., fifteen minutes before the store opened. The store had several "door buster" specials, including 2 GB camera cards for $7, and 500 GB external hard drives for about $70. Other items on sale included computer games, DVDs, TV sets, and other electronic equipment. Despite being about 500th in a line of more than 1,000 people, Jeff still managed to get a few items and be out of the store with his purchases by 5:40.

A few of the more interesting costumes seen during yesterday's Halloween activities (from top): Sarah dressed as a slice of pizza, baby Sydney as a pod of peas, and Joshua as a member of the classic rock band KISS.

Tonight was Halloween, and kids and parents roamed the streets of town "trick-or-treating" for candy. Virginia dressed as a witch and sat out on her porch to hand out goodies. Jeff's family also stopped at Mary's parents home later for a bowl of homemade chili. Jeff and Penny's four daughters were dressed as a mermaid, a pirate, and two fairy princesses (bottom photo, from left).

Leaves are beginning to change color and fall from the trees in Moab. Mary took this picture near Moab’s City Hall.

Many residents around town have been putting up elaborate Halloween decorations in anticipation of a big night of trick-or-treating on October 31. This local front yard is filled with dozens of decorations, including several inflatable figurines and a castle.

The DHC U.S. Office had a company party recently at Sam and Virginia's home. Folks enjoyed hot pizza and soft drinks while visiting and playing games. Yoko and Jeff each received wristwatches for being with the company for 10 years or more.

Noted adventurer Aron Ralston, who gained fame in 2003 after getting his right arm trapped by a large boulder in a canyon near Moab, spoke at the local high school Monday night. His six-day ordeal ended with him cutting off his arm using a multipurpose tool and a tourniquet. After the two-hour speech, he signed copies of his book, "Between a Rock and a Hard Place."

John’s neighbor had his house demolished recently. They are going to build a new larger one, so they first needed to get the old one out of the way. The whole demolition process only took a few hours.

The local library's summer reading program ended this past Saturday afternoon. A 90-minute party was held, and kids took turns trying to break open a pinata shaped like a treasure chest. When the pinata finally broke open, everyone scrambled to pick up the candy, toys, and stickers scattered all over the ground.

Yesterday morning, a free community breakfast was served at Old City Park, in commemoration of Pioneer Day. The menu included ham, hash browns, and pancakes with syrup.

A local bookstore held a "Harry Potter" party tonight to celebrate the release of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," the seventh and final book in J.K. Rowling's popular series about the boy wizard and his friends at the mythical Hogwarts School. An estimated 200 people crowded the small store, with most of them waiting until after midnight, when the book officially went on sale. Jeff's daughters were among the many fans who dressed up as characters from the books.

On their way back to Moab Thursday evening, Jeff passed the scene of a highway accident. Two vehicles, a sedan and a pickup truck pulling a large trailer, had collided with each other, sending both off the left side of the road. Thankfully, neither driver was injured. However, both vehicles and the trailer suffered heavy damage.

A large brush fire burned about 10 acres of creekside property south of Moab on a hot and dry Monday afternoon. Nearby homeowners scrambled to protect their property by using a backhoe to clear away trees and weeds from their backyards. They also used hoses to get everything wet. Thanks to a light wind blowing away from the residential area and the efforts of over 50 firefighters, the homes were spared. No injuries were reported, but several large cottonwood trees, one shed, and a piece of machinery were destroyed.

Today was the Summer Solstice. The shadow cast by this stele in downtown Moab marks the passage of the seasons. The shadow was the shortest today. In the background of the photo you can see Sam standing on the spot where the shadow hits when it is the longest at Winter Solstice.

A marching band comprised of local junior high and high school students entertained the crowds at last weekend's parade. The event marked the first time in several years that the community has had its own marching band perform.

Sam has a new door on his house. He built the door based on the design of a door he saw at Mesa Verde National Park. The original was built by Alwin Moelnar in the 1930s. The style is called Modified Pueblo Revival Architecture. It takes its inspiration from the Ancestral Puebloan ruins in the park and designs found on ancient pottery.

Yesterday was Memorial Day, a federal holiday when many people visit cemeteries to pay their respects to the dead, particularly those who served in the armed forces.

Many Toyota trucks, for some strange reason, have the "YO" in "TOYOTA" painted a different color so that it stands out. This beat-up pickup near Jeff's house is a good example.

Teenagers at the local teen center put together a maze-like fun zone last weekend, using mattresses, fabric, and other donated materials. The unique attraction, which took nearly two weeks to build and will soon be dismantled, was called the "Galactivation Fortal." These photos were taken during a sneak preview tour shortly before the attraction opened Friday night.

Last night, a group of teenagers and their church leaders did volunteer yard work at the home of an elderly retired schoolteacher. They pulled weeds and also cleared out some dead bamboo stalks.

Jeff's car (a 1992 Mitsubishi Galant) needs a new starter, so Bryan showed him how to locate and remove the old starter from the car.

Here are a few more pictures from Saturday's car show. The bottom photo shows a vintage Whiteman cement mixer mounted on a Dodge truck alongside a matching pickup truck from the same era.

This past weekend was the annual April Action Car Show, an event that brings hundreds of classic car enthusiasts to Moab every spring. Here's a sampling of some of the many unique vehicles that were parked at the local city park on Saturday afternoon for the public to enjoy, free of charge. Check back tomorrow for a few more classic car photos.

Jeff ordered fast food at the McDonalds drive-thru window the other day at lunchtime. He ordered the No. 2 Extra Value Meal (a Quarter Pounder with cheese, with medium Coke and medium fries). The cost was about $5.00 plus around 70 cents in sales tax.

River's city rec soccer team plays a couple of games each week. Each team plays six girls at a time, and typically scores between one and five goals per game. The girls' uniforms are reversible (red on one side and yellow on the other), allowing the same jerseys to be used year after year.

London (top photo) was among the dozens of children who participated in Saturday's bike safety rodeo held in the parking lot at a local school. Police officers, bike shop employees, and other volunteers staffed the event, which included activities such as safety inspections, maintenance and repair tips, and an obstacle course.

The Easter Bunny made an early visit to town last weekend, posing for photos at a local flower and gift shop. Jeff's daughters each had their pictures taken, including Indy, 23 months, and London, 5.

Moab's mayor, Dave, owns and operates the convenience store called "Dave's Corner Market." Locals like to gather there to sip coffee, read the newspaper, and engage in interesting conversations.

Nearly 100 green-clad residents walked or rode bikes down Moab's Mill Creek Parkway trail during Saturday afternoon’s St. Patrick’s Day parade. Local Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts (and their leaders) served as the grand marshals, and proudly carried flags and banners along the winding path.

Saturday was the 32nd annual Canyonlands Half Marathon and Five Mile Run. Nearly 4,000 runners completed their respective races, out of nearly 5,000 who registered. Participants came from 46 U.S. states and five foreign countries, including Japan. Since it was also St. Patrick's Day, many of the runners wore green during the event.

Yesterday, around 8,000 boxes of Girl Scout cookies were delivered via semitruck to the local Scout house. Over the next couple of weeks, the girls in the local troops will distribute the cookies to the people who ordered them. There are nearly enough cookies for everyone in the Moab area to have one box apiece. At $3.50 per box, the total retail value of the shipment is around $28,000!

Most mail throughout the United States is delivered by mail carriers who drive trucks similar to the one pictured here in front of the high school in Moab. Mail is delivered every day except Sunday. The cost of a regular first-class stamp is currently 39 cents, but the U.S. Postal Service is seeking a 2-cent increase. As e-mail, cell phones, and text messaging have become increasingly popular over the past several years, the total amount of written correspondence (especially personal letters) has declined considerably.

Jeff's daughters all visited the dentist for their regular checkup yesterday. Brooklyn (top photo) had impressions made of her teeth (the mold is pictured in middle photo). She had two small cavities that will be filled later. Meantime, River (bottom photo) and London each had one cavity, both of which happened to be on the same tooth.

A couple of circus performers did impressive bicycle tricks on Monday night. First, a clown (top) did a series of humorous stunts involving a trick bike that could be taken apart and reattached in several interesting ways. Then, another performer (middle and bottom) did several stunts involving a high level of skill, including landing a back flip off a small ramp.

More images of Monday night's circus performances (from top): a man balanced himself on a stack of several wooden chairs that reached as high as the arena's ceiling (over 20 feet, or about 7 meters); performers juggled a variety of items including torches, knives, and small swords; and the lion tamer held a large python snake during intermission. More photos tomorrow!

A traveling circus came to town yesterday and performed two two-hour shows. The show featured a variety of human and animal acts. Pictured here are trained tiger jumping through a flaming hoop (top), an aerialist who climbed up to the arena's ceiling via two long pieces of fabric and did a variety of tricks while suspended (middle), and trained elephants doing tricks (bottom). Check back tomorrow for more circus photos!

A new Starbucks coffee shop opened inside City Market grocery store a few months ago. The popular chain of coffee-to-go outlets was started in 1971 in Seattle, and now has more than 12,000 outlets across the United States and in 34 other countries. Pictured here is a worker who didn't want his face shown.

Moab's Broken Oar Restaurant opened for business under new ownership last week. The restaurant, located just west of Main Street on 400 North, is also now the new home of Marianne's Bakery, and is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Jeff had fish and chips for lunch there on Saturday afternoon (bottom photo).

North of town, near the entrance to Arches National Park, there is a large hillside covered with sand, next to the roadside, Many families like to park their cars for awhile and let their kids play on the steep hill.

The local movie theater has three screens, which commonly feature the latest releases from Hollywood. Tickets are $7.50 for adults, $5 for children. Hot buttered popcorn and a soda costs about $6.00.

At the end of the parade was Santa Claus riding atop a fire engine and waving to the crowds below (bottom photo). Instead of reindeer, Santa was preceded by a series of John Deere tractors, each adorned with strings of Christmas lights (middle photo).

Saturday night's Electric Light Parade ushered in the holiday season. The popular parade has become a local tradition over the past several years, and hundreds of spectators lined Main Street to watch the brightly lit vehicles of all sorts pass by during the hour-long event. Check back tomorrow for a few more photos of the parade.

The old mining town of Castleton was once a thriving community back in the late 1890s and early 1900s. The town's cemetery serves as a reminder of those early eastern Utah settlers. Among the 20 or so grave markers on the 1.5-acre site are those of Ludwig Mueller (1856-1914) and Lewis O. Fish (1890-1920).

David replaced the cracked windshield on Jeff's car last night, taking about an hour to remove the old windshield and install the new one.

An automobile hood lies in the morning sun near the high school's vocational building, where students learn how to repair vehicles in auto shop classes.

Last night about 9 p.m., a semitruck was passing through town when the air brakes on the rear wheels of its trailer caught fire. At least two of the trailer's tires popped. Local firefighters (who happened to be holding their weekly training meeting at the fire station nearby) responded within minutes and quickly doused the flames and prevented damage to the trailer's flammable cargo (large barrels of paint). The busy intersection in front of McDonalds restaurant was blocked to traffic for over 30 minutes during the incident.

One of the activities at the recent "Pumpkin Chuckin" event was a pumpkin seed spitting contest. Two separate contests were held: one for small children, and one for teenagers and adults. Jeff (far left in top photo) won the adult division by spitting his seed a distance of about 30 feet (9 meters). He won a $20 gift certificate to a local restaurant. Photos by London, age 5.

A new greenhouse was recently constructed on the school property of an elementary school for 4th through 6th graders. The kids will use the greenhouse to grow plants and to do science experiments, just as the four 5th-graders in the bottom photo are testing wind and water erosion.

One of the more elaborate jack o'lanterns seen on Halloween night was this devil's face carved into a pumpkin, along with the words "Go Devils!" in support of the local high school, whose mascot is the Red Devils.

Today was Halloween, when kids don costumes and parade through the streets calling out "Trick or Treat!" and getting candy from people. Jeff's four daughters brought home roughly 700 pieces of candy (a small part of it pictured in the bottom photo), the result of about two hours worth of trick-or-treating.

Saturday was the inaugural Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival, which was held at an old airport runway several miles south of town. Teams used a variety of devices to launch pumpkins weighing 8-10 lbs. (3.5 to 4.5 kg). Categories included trebuchet, catapult, and slingshot. Children even lined up to throw softball-sized gourds as far as they could into a nearby field. The best toss of the day was by a truck-mounted trebuchet resembling a small oil derrick, which launched one pumpkin an amazing 364 feet (110 meters)!

The recent cold weather has expanded the crack in the windshield of Jeff's car, seen here yesterday during the morning drive to work. A new windshield has been ordered by a local auto glass repairman, and is scheduled to be installed sometime next week.

River's Girl Scout troop performed the flag ceremony at a local political candidates' forum last week, sponsored by the League of Women Voters. The young girls led the audience in reciting the "Pledge of Allegiance" to start the meeting.

The other day, Bryce wore a shirt to school that read "I See Small People." Bryce, who is in 9th grade (his first year of high school), is 6 feet 6 inches tall (2 meters) and weighs 300 lbs. (136 kg).

Jeff and Penny got a new king-size bed mattress (a birthday present for Penny) over the weekend. The local furniture store delivered it on Saturday afternoon, along with the box springs and frame. Their old queen-size bed was moved into their daughter's bedroom. Later, after the new bed was in place, they put on the new sheets, bedspread, and pillowcases (bottom photo).

Historic Dewey Bridge, located adjacent to Highway 128 about a half hour upstream from Moab on the Colorado River, was constructed from 1913-16. The single-lane bridge was designed to hold six horses, three wagons, or 9,000 lbs. of freight at a time. Although it was no longer used for vehicle traffic after 1986, it remains in use by pedestrians and bicyclists. It was restored in 2000, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It remains Utah’s longest clear-span suspension bridge.

Jeff's family got a flat tire on their truck on the way home from church last Sunday. They were able to change the tire and install the spare, along with the help of David and his son Macrae, who live nearby. The tire store was closed on Labor Day, so they had to wait until Tuesday to get it repaired.

Other attractions at Moab's new Adventure Land include an indoor playland for kids (top photo) and a video game arcade, including an air hockey game (bottom two photos).

The Adventure Land family fun center recently opened near the McDonald's restaurant in town. Attractions include go-cart racing (top two photos), laser tag (bottom photo), miniature golf, arcade games, and an indoor playground. Check back tomorrow for more photos.

At a fundraising event held at a local city park last Saturday, Jeff, Penny, and Brooklyn all tried to complete an obstacle course similar to what the high school football team practices on. Jeff managed to complete the course in 28 seconds, which was still 5 seconds slower than the fastest football player (Ricky).

Today is Pioneer Day, a state holiday that commemorates the Mormon pioneers' initial arrival in the Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847. At Moab's Old City Park this morning, dozens of people observed the occasion by eating a hearty breakfast of pancakes, ham, and eggs. They also played various pioneer games, including a hoop and stick game where you try to keep an iron hoop rolling along the ground by using a stick (bottom photo).

City Market, Moab's largest grocery store, is expanding in size. Construction work has been taking place on the north end of the store, where a new Starbucks coffee shop, one-hour photo lab, and other improvements will be added. The work is expected to be completed within the next few months. The supermarket also recently built a new gas station on the southwest corner of its parking lot (bottom photo).

Penny and her three oldest daughters all got haircuts yesterday. Each haircut took about 30 minutes and cost $7.50, including a tip for the barber. Everyone seems to like short hair in the hot summertime!

Today was the voting day for statewide primary elections, most of which involved Republican Party candidates. In Grand County, however, the only race was a non-partisan at-large seat on the county council. Just over 1,150 Grand County voters cast ballots, using new electronic voting machines for the first time. Challenger Gene Ciarus got the most votes with 452, and he'll face incumbent Judy Carmichael, who got 388 votes, in the final election in early November. A third candidate, Robert Maxwell, managed 314 votes but was eliminated in the primary.

Brooklyn had her annual eye exam at the optometrist's office today, and was given a new prescription for her glasses, which hopefully will be ready in their new frames by tomorrow.

While driving around town last week, Jeff and Penny noticed construction employees getting rid of used bricks from a building that was being remodeled. They asked the person in charge if they could have some of the bricks, and received permission to take about 100 of them home in their pickup truck. They plan to construct a backyard drinking fountain using some of the bricks. The pipe is already in place, but they haven't yet bought any concrete or mortar.

Other activities at the natural history exhibit included (from top): painting butterfly patterns, seeing the differences among animal skulls (including a bear and a beaver), and using plaster casts to make replicas of ammonite and trilobite fossils.

Tonight, a traveling exhibit from the Utah Museum of Natural History came to Moab, bringing a variety of hands-on educational activities. Many families brought their children to the free event, which was held at a local bank after hours. Activities included (from top): sorting seashells into the two main categories (univalve and bivalve), looking at cystals and minerals up close with magnifying glasses, and finding replica pottery shards in a box of sand and putting them together like a puzzle. Check back tomorrow for more photos of the event.

River ate a blueberry flavored sno-cone (a scoop of shaved ice topped with flavored syrup in a paper cone) while watching a softball game at the ballpark recently. The lady at the concession stand had warned her, "Are you sure you want blueberry, because it will make your tongue turn blue?" River replied, "Yeah, I'm sure," and was happy to show off the results shortly after finishing her cool snack.

The new Grand County Public Library officially opened this past Saturday, as officials and staff snipped the ceremonial red ribbon with a pair of scissors. Nearly 1,000 patrons visited the library that day, taking tours of the new 14,000 square foot facility, built at a cost of $2.1 million.

Here are a few more pictures of the new county library building, which features both an energy-efficient interior design and drought-tolerant xeriscape plants in the surrounding landscaping.

The new county library building is almost ready to open to the public. The new building is three times bigger than the old library, which had served Moab residents for nearly 40 years. On May 22, volunteers moved hundreds of boxes of books from the old building to the new one. The library is closed this week in preparation for the upcoming grand opening on Saturday, June 3. Check back tomorrow for more library photos.

At the grand opening of a new grocery store in town last Saturday afternoon, a local man won a free shopping spree in a random drawing. He was able to fill his cart with $168.50 worth of merchandise in just a few minutes. Various other products and prizes were given away throughout the day as part of the store's grand opening celebration.

Right after Yoko and Hugh took away the upper beehive box, the bees became unhappy. Their home had become overcrowded and they needed more room for the busy season. They left their hive and swarmed. However, they were unable to find a new place to settle down, and so they returned to the original hive. Later, Yoko and Hugh provided a new top hive for the colony. The bees now seem happy and are producing more honey!

Spring has come and Hugh’s bees are busy working and producing honey in their backyard hive. A few weeks ago, Yoko and Hugh stole some honey from the bees. They spun the honey out of the frames in Hugh’s garbage can honey spinner (which Hugh invented himself). They obtained more than 10 liters of honey to share with their friends.

This weekend is the 14th annual April Action Car Show, which attracts hundreds of classic car owners and fans from around the country. Many different types of vehicles are represented, including the sampling seen here.

The past few mornings have been fairly cold, causing an interesting pattern of freezing to occur on a farm's new sprinkling system south of town. The ice melted quickly in the sun and isn't expected to cause any damage.

Utah Gov. Jon M. Huntsman visited Moab last week. He attended meetings at the local school board and the county council (pictured here). He later visited the new senior citizen center and had lunch there, sponsored by the local chamber of commerce. He returned to Salt Lake City via airplane later that evening.

Zephyr recently turned 16, and he celebrated by going out to dinner with his dad Hugh, along with Yoko and two of Zephyr's high-school aged friends (Sam and Ari). After dinner, he was brought a big plate of chocolate brownies and ice cream, after which he and Sam extinguished the numeral-shaped candles with their fingers.

River's Girl Scout troop went on a field trip to the local recycling center today. The girls brought recyclable materials from home, including aluminum cans, plastic bottles, and newspapers, and learned how recycling helps the environment.

Here are a couple of better photographs of the new coffee shop in town named "Moab's Daily Grind." Carrie and her husband Sam not only built the building themselves, they also own and operate the business. Customers can drive up their cars or bicycles to the windows on either side and order their coffee to go. The shop also gets a few walk-up customers. Carrie and Sam are pictured in the bottom photo with their oldest son Zane.

More than 3,500 runners participated in the 31st annual Canyonlands Half Marathon and Five Mile Run races in Moab last Saturday. The runners came from all over the United States and a few other countries to run in either of the two races (the 13.1 mile half marathon or the 5-mile race). One runner (bottom photo, at right) was so happy about finishing that he did a forward flip at the finish line!

Carrie (who used to work as a grader in the DHC U.S. Office) and her husband Sam recently opened a new coffee shop at the south end of town. It's called "Moab's Daily Grind," which refers to both the "daily grind" (one's work routine) and the fact that one "grinds" beans in order to make coffee. This photo was taken out the window of the car while it was moving. We'll try to post a better picture soon.

Several dozen people gave blood at a local school a couple of weeks ago. In Moab, around three or four blood drives are conducted each year, including two by the American Red Cross. The Feb. 28 drive pictured here was conducted by a hospital. Donors in the United States typically donate 450 mL of blood at a time, and must wait at least two months before donating again.

The first phase of the Main Street resurfacing project has finally been completed, and the street was fully opened today for the first time in a couple of months. The surface of the new street is concrete, which is designed to last much longer than asphalt.

The Utah Department of Transportation's project to repave Moab's Main Street appears to be on schedule. One half of the road has already been resurfaced with concrete between 200 North and 100 South, and the other side of the street is having cement poured in today. This phase of the project is expected to be completed before the tourist season begins in mid-March.

This worn-out basketball standard is still used by middle-school children (in 7th and 8th grades) on their school's playground. Two other hoops on the same playground don't even have a net at all, making it extremely hard to tell whether a shot has gone through the hoop or not.

The Branding Iron restaurant, which was destroyed in an accidental fire several months ago, is now in the process of being rebuilt. In the past couple of weeks, workers have erected the plywood walls and roof trusses. The western-themed restaurant's owners have promised that the popular menu (steaks, hamburgers, fries, Navajo tacos, fried mushrooms, salads, etc.) will soon return, along with DVD-accompanied karaoke entertainment in the evenings.

This old run-down charter bus sits on a piece of property about seven miles south of Moab. It no longer runs, but is apparently being used for storage, and perhaps even as a temporary dwelling. The sign in front of the bus says "Cowboy Game," which means it was once probably used to transport fans to either college or pro football games, most likely the home games of the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League. Incidentally, this coming Sunday (February 5) is the NFL championship game, Super Bowl XL (40), featuring the Pittsburgh Steelers vs. the Seattle Seahawks.

Today was a dress rehearsal for tomorrow night's big winter dance recital, which will feature some 80 girls (and a few boys) in 15 different groups. The children will perform a variety of dance types, including jazz, tap, ballet, and tumbling.

This week, crews from the Utah Department of Transportation began work on an extensive project to improve and resurface Moab's Main Street. These photos show equipment being used to strip away the black asphalt surface of the road near 100 South. Soon, a three-block stretch of Main Street will be laid over with longer-lasting concrete. The work is expected to continue until early spring and then stop for awhile during the height of tourist season before resuming later in the year 2006.

Local children participated in a "Make One Take One" activity yesterday afternoon. Each child got to make Christmas craft items, including cards, then pick out a few second-hand presents to wrap for friends or family members. One strange present that nobody seemed to want was a pair of disembodied mannikin hands (bottom photo).

The new Grand County Library is now under construction. It is being built a couple of blocks away from the current library, which is much smaller. The new building will be about 14,000 square feet and cost about $2.5 million. It is expected to be finished in late April of 2006.

Saturday night was Moab's annual Electric Light parade, which featured dozens of vehicles of all sizes, each adorned with bright strings of electric lights. There were bicycles, four-wheeler ATVs, tractors, cars, and trucks in the parade. There was even a boat on a trailer, plus a couple of semitrailer trucks, and two fire engines, including the one that carried Santa Claus. The very first vehicle in the parade was a flatbed trailer carrying the local high school football team, which recently won the state championship.

The giant evergreen tree in front of the county courthouse has again been decorated with strings of lights to commemorate the Christmas holiday season. The lights were turned on tonight as a local singing group sang carols and Santa Claus greeted passers-by. Tomorrow night is the town's annual "Electric Light Parade," which typically features dozens of vehicles adorned with generator-driven lights. Check back early next week for photos of that event!

After winning the state 2A football championship last Saturday, the Red Devil football team and its thousand or so fans returned from Cedar City to Moab after the game, a trip of about five hours by car (Cedar City is about 300 miles from Moab). The team's charter bus arrived back in town about midnight, only to be welcomed by hundreds of townspeople who lined the streets holding signs, cheering, honking their horns, and flashing their car headlights. The football team and coaches rode down Main Street to the high school aboard fire engines with their lights and sirens flashing. It was a great celebration in honor of the town's first state championship in 85 years of playing football.

Last Friday night, there was a pep rally at the high school to support the local high school football team, which played a home playoff game the following day. During the rally, players and fans made up cheers, sang the school song, and watched the burning of a large wooden letter "G" (which stands for Grand County High) on the school grounds. The team won its game on Saturday afternoon 42-0, and will play in the state semifinals this coming weekend in Salt Lake City.

Members of a local dance group and their parents and other family members are staging a four-night "haunted house" fundraiser this week. Last night was the first night of the event. Organizers decorated the dance studio with scary props and secenery, and dressed up as frightening characters. People aged 10 and up paid $5 each to take a 20-minute tour through the building. Scary sights included Freddy Krueger from the "Nightmare on Elm Street" horror movies (top), a chainsaw-wielding madman (middle), and an indoor corn maze (bottom).

For his Eagle Scout service project, Brennan (top left) supervised the putting together of dozens of picnic tables for the Bureau of Land Management. Several Boy Scouts and leaders assembled the tables using tools and later installed the tables at various BLM campgrounds and picnic areas.

A newly senior center recently opened in Grand County. The facility serves lunch to dozens of local senior citizens each day, and offers a wide variety of programs and activities, including quilting, bingo, exercise programs, card playing, and billiards. The center has already been open for a few weeks, but the official grand opening event is scheduled for October 15.

As gasoline costs continue to rise, more and more people in America are driving hybrid cars, which use electric batteries to supplement a fuel-efficient gasoline engine. Two members of the DHC U.S. Office staff, Sam and Yoko, are Toyota Prius owners. The Prius typically gets between 40 and 50 miles per gallon, essentially using half as much gasoline as standard passenger sedans. Sam's car is silver and Yoko's is white.

A group of local teenagers recently took these photos of themselves "peeling out" in their pickup truck, leaving a black mark where the tire came off on the road. So-called "exhibition driving" is illegal under Utah law, punishable as a Class C misdemeanor and subject to a $75 fine.

Some 20 local residents (mostly youths aged 10-16) recently took a two-week gun safety course. After taking the final written test last Thursday, the students went to a local rifle range the following evening and shot at targets with .22 caliber rifles. Students shot 10 shots from three different positions (standing, sitting, and prone) and were scored based on how closely their shots were grouped together. All of the students passed the test. Tyson (third photo) was the top shooter with 28 out of 30. Brooklyn (second and bottom photos) scored 17, even though it was the first time she had ever fired a gun.

Workers recently laid sod (rolls of grass) down on the strip of land between the DHC U.S. Office and Center Street, thereby putting the finishing touches on the streetside landscaping. This sod, a special drought-tolerant fescue grass, was grown at a nearby farm, where it was cut with machines and transplanted the same day.

Mary took this picture of the Moab Valley when she walked up Sand Flats Road recently. There are several Jeep and bike trials in the hills around Moab. Farther up the road is the Slick Rock Trail, a popular trail for mountain bikers.

Kyle and Sara's doorbell is fashioned out of an old animal trap. The person ringing the doorbell puts his or her finger right on the trigger that would spring the old metal trap, if it were operational. Of course, the device has been welded open and is completely safe.

Various new improvements have been made to the area between the DHC U.S. Office and the portion of Moab's Center Street that runs from Main Street to 100 West. In addition to new sidewalks and concrete trim, a row of new streetlights have been installed and several trees have been planted. Work is expected to be completed soon.

One of the immediate effects of the Hurricane Katrina disaster was that gasoline prices shot above $3 per gallon (87 yen per liter) in many areas of the country, including Moab. Earlier this year, gasoline had still cost under $2 per gallon (see the January 6, 2005 Moablog entry for comparison). Even when adjusted for inflation, the current prices are the highest ever, beating the former record set in 1981. Many people are already cutting back on their driving to save fuel.

Hundreds of people filled the stands of Red Devil stadium in Moab last Friday night to watch the high school football team play its first home game of the season. The Red Devils defeated Monticello High School, 35-6. Both Ricky (top photo) and Tanner (bottom) scored rushing touchdowns during the game.

Last weekend's Grand County Fair attracted hundreds of participants. Many people entered their home-grown produce (top photo) and bottled fruit, jelly, and jam (bottom photo). Other categories included art, photography, quilts, and woven fabric.

On weekdays during the summer, dozens of kids like to eat free school lunch at the local elementary school. Parents and other adults can also eat lunch (but must pay $2.50 per plate). Wednesday's menu was mini pizzas (pepperoni or cheese), carrot sticks, apples, and cold milk.

Dozens of Harry Potter fans of all ages gathered at Arches Book Company in Moab late Friday evening, about an hour and a half before J.K. Rowling’s latest Harry Potter book went on sale at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, July 16. “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” the sixth book in the popular series, reportedly sold a record 6.9 million copies in the United States alone in its first 24 hours. Many of the fans at the bookstore were dressed as Hogwarts students or other Potter characters. The party featured magic tricks, a trivia quiz, and a raffle for prizes. A bookstore employee even read part of the first chapter aloud shortly before the $29.99 hardcover books went on sale.

A small traveling circus came to town for two 90-minute shows last night. The circus had no animal acts -- just human performers doing a variety of acrobatic stunts. A crowd of more than 300 people attended the 7 p.m. show at the Old Spanish Trail Arena. Adult admission was $9, and children aged 12 and under were free (if accompanied by a paying adult). The circus took in additional money through the sale of popcorn, cotton candy, drinks, and souvenirs.

On the way to work yesterday, Jeff spotted two deer in the parking lot behind the DHC U.S. Office. The deer were a buck (male) and a doe (female). The buck's antlers, which were shed over the winter, are beginning to grow again. The antlers are still covered with a velvet-like fur. Although mule deer generally prefer higher elevations, there are several small herds that inhabit the fields and orchards in and around the town of Moab.

Paul, who will be a senior in high school this fall, was playfully accosted by a seemingly menacing "storm trooper" during a recent car show at Moab's Swanny City Park. The car show is an annual event that attracts hundreds of participants from all around the United States.

High temperatures in Moab have been over 100 degrees F (38 C) for the past several days. One way to cool off is to visit the city pool for a swim. Jeff's family likes to go swimming and diving there at least twice a week during the summer. The swimming pool costs $2 (children 3-18) and $3 (adult) per visit.

Moab's Old City Park is a fun place to gather to play outdoor games like frisbee, soccer, and baseball. Jeff's family went there Monday night and played for an hour after enjoying a picnic supper of fried chicken, rolls, and fresh fruit.

Old City Park, which is south of Moab in Spanish Valley, is a popular place for weddings, picnics, and other get-togethers. The park's attractions include a pavilion, shady trees, a pond filled with ducks and geese, an artificial waterfall, and a climbing rock.

The 77-space paved parking lot adjacent to the DHC U.S. office was finished several weeks ago, and street lamps were installed shortly afterward to keep the lot well-lit after dark. The lot features one-way access from Center Street to the south and exits on 100 West to the west. Crews are continuing to do landscaping and other work in the area, including moving the Center Street water line away from where trees will be planted.

Other rodeo events include saddle bronc riding (top), bull riding (middle), and barrel racing (bottom), a timed event where female competitors race their horses around three barrels placed inside the arena and back to the starting point, usually in about 15 seconds.

Thursday night was the first night of a three-day professional rodeo competition at Moab's Old Spanish Trail Arena. Competitors come from all around Utah and neighboring states to try to win cash prizes. The event is part of the annual tour of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA). Rodeos typically consist of several events, including those pictured here: bareback horse riding (top), steer wrestling (middle), and team calf roping (bottom). Check back Monday for more rodeo event photos!

Just before school let out for the summer, River's kindergarten class went to the local waterslide park for a few hours. About 100 kids (aged 5 and 6) enjoyed playing in the pool, going down the slides, and eating their sack lunches.

Last Thursday evening, nearly 100 high school seniors graduated from Grand County High School. About 1,000 people attended the commencement program, which was held outdoors on the north lawn of the school. After several short speeches and the awarding of diplomas, a fireworks display ended the hour-long ceremony.

Jeff's Boy Scout troop washed motorcycles last Saturday morning in the parking lot of the motel where more than 100 members of the Western Star Riders motorcycle club were staying. The group was in town for the weekend, and went on scenic rides together. Their motocycles, many of which were covered in chrome and had custom features, included those made by Harley Davidson, Honda, and Suzuki. The Boy Scouts took in donations for the bike wash, earning money for summer camp.

Temperatures have been fairly high in the Moab area over the last few weeks, and the snow in the nearby La Sal Mountains has been melting rapidly. As a result, the Colorado River and its tributaries have risen to unusually high levels. This picture shows water running high through Mill Creek, which cuts across town.

A traveling carnival came to Moab for three days last weekend, allowing people in town a chance to ride about a dozen different rides, including a ferris wheel, a merry-go-round, a train, and a small roller coaster. One "Ring of Fire" ride spun riders in a circle and dangled them upside down! The rides cost between $1 and $4 per ride. Attendees could also play games of skill or buy treats like cotton candy, popcorn, and lemonade. The Utah-based carnival travels around the country in a caravan of 18-wheel semi trucks and RV trailers. It visits a new location every week, usually stopping in smaller communities.

Local fifth- and sixth-grade students spent a few hours this week cleaning up garbage and litter in the Sand Flats recreation area, including near the entrance to the popular Slick Rock Bike Trail. The students brought sack lunches to eat during their service project that afternoon.

Jeff recently went to the elementary school and had school lunch with his daughter River and her friends. The menu consisted of tortilla chips covered with melted nacho cheese, plus refried beans on the side, carrot and celery sticks, and fruit cocktail (grapes, cherries, peaches, and pears in a sugary syrup). The students had either regular milk or chocolate milk to drink.

The weather in Moab has been hot the last couple of weeks. Yesterday, the high temperature was 98 degrees F (37 degrees C), and today is expected to be nearly as hot. Pictured here are a couple of children cooling off recently by playing in a sidewalk fountain. The fountain, which shoots jets of cool water up to about 2 meters high, is located between a motel and restaurant parking lot across the street from the DHC U.S. Office.

The supermarket in Moab features a variety of sushi lunches made fresh daily. They typically range in price from $5.49 to $7.49 (588 yen to 802 yen). Concentrated fruit juices (including grape, cranberry, and apple) are now on sale for $1.50 (160 yen) per can. Finally, lowfat milk (2 percent fat) currently costs $3.69 per gallon, which is equivalent to 102 yen per liter.

How much do Americans pay for groceries? During a recent trip to the supermarket, Jeff found breakfast cereal on sale for $2.50 per box (267 yen at today's exhange rate of 107 yen per dollar). White bread was also on sale for $1.29 (138 yen) per loaf. Bananas were 49 cents per pound, which is equivalent to 115 yen per kilogram. Check back tomorrow for more supermarket prices!

The Utah Miata Club recently organized a three-day "Miatas in Moab" event, which attracted dozens of Miata owners from around the country, and even a few from Canada. The Miata is a stylish two-seat convertible manufactured by Mazda. Although they are not commonly seen vehicles, Miatas are highly popular among a select group of faithful owners and fans. Pictured here are a couple of the estimated 70-90 Miatas that were in Moab last weekend, driving around several spectacular scenic locations in the surrounding area.

Moonstone Gallery, an outdoor patio located on Moab's Center Street recently had a new sign sculpture added (top photo). The gallery is a beautifully landscaped area between the Center Street Gym and the old middle school building, which is being renovated to become the new Moab City Hall (middle photo). Another sculpture in the gallery is a 10-foot high cat with a metal vane on its back (bottom photo).

In Moab, a group of friends gets together at Hugh’s house each month for a “biodiesel party.” Recycled vegetable oil is made into diesel automobile fuel using a process called esterification, which is similar to soap making. First, unwanted used vegetable oil is collected from the deep fat fryers of local restaurants and placed in a 54-liter wine-making bottle attached to a drill press (top photo). Next, lye and methanol are mixed to form sodium methoxide, with extra lye to counteract the free fatty acids in the used oil (middle photo). The methoxide is mixed with the oil, with the drill press stirring the mixture. After about an hour, the methyl esters (biodiesel fuel) is completely separated from the dark glycerin underneath. The glycerin is then removed and the remaining substance is washed with water to remove any unreacted methanol and lye. The final result is homemade biodiesel fuel, which Hugh then uses to power his car!

More than 100 people, including volunteers from local bike shops and law enforcement officers, participated in a bike safety rodeo held at a local elementary school recently. Bicyclists were given safety tips and inspections, along with free repairs and tune-ups. Many riders took part in an obstacle course out in the parking lot. Free helmets and water bottles were also given away by local sponsors.

Last week, several kindergarten classes from Moab went on a field trip to Blanding (about 70 miles south of Moab). The children (aged 5 and 6) saw first-hand where many food products originate, including the ingredients for a hamburger (top photo). They also saw horses, practiced "milking" an artificial cow (filled with water), and got to hold or pet several different animals, including a pig, a cow, a donkey, rabbits, ducks, chickens, and kittens. Jeff's daughter River took these photos during the trip.

Several Technica Pacifica staff members recently went out to lunch together at the Broken Oar, a new restaurant in town. They sampled two appetizers: nachos with salsa and a “southwestern sushi roll,” which consisted of beans, corn, jalapenos, cilantro, and cream cheese rolled up inside a flour tortilla. Among the entrees they tried were a grilled portabella sandwich (pictured above), a grilled chicken sandwich with pepper jack cheese and a pineapple slice, and a hamburger topped with pastrami, bacon, and cheddar cheese. Dessert was a Mexican sundae -- chocolate and vanilla ice cream sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar served on a fried flour tortilla. The food was delicious, and everyone had a good time!

Moab has a tourist-based economy, which means that many of the businesses in town, especially restaurants, shut down for the cold winter months when tourists don’t visit. Early March traditionally marks the beginning of the season, when most restaurants in town open their doors again. The Jailhouse Café, a popular breakfast restaurant, opened for the season on March 1.

Barricades, heavy equipment, and "Detour" signs have been a common sight in Moab recently, as extensive road construction is now under way along Main Street. The Utah Department of Transportation is replacing the main water line that runs through the center of town. The existing line is 50 years old and the circumference of the pipe isn't large enough to meet current and future water demand. After the water line is replaced, road crews will then completely resurface the four-lane Main Street, also known as Highway 191.

This van caught fire on a Moab street recently. The vehicle had stopped because of mechanical problems and the driver was trying to find out what was wrong with the engine when it suddenly burst into flames. Local firefighters responded within minutes and extinguished the blaze. Nobody was hurt, but the van was totally destroyed.

Virtually every high school and college in the United States has a mascot. A mascot symbolizes a school and helps gives it an identity or brand name. Fans of sports teams like to dress up in their school’s official colors and cheer for their team by calling out the name of the mascot. Mascots can be animals (Tigers, Eagles, Badgers, Mustangs) human characters (Farmers, Pirates, Vikings), or even mythological beings (Griffins, Titans, Angels). The mascot of Grand County High School in Moab is the Red Devil. The school’s colors are red and white.

A spelling bee is an organized spelling contest where children are given a word and asked to spell it out loud. Contestants who misspell a word are eliminated from the competition. The one who spells the most words correctly wins. Recently, Jeff’s daughter Brooklyn competed against 25 fellow students in her school’s 5th-grade spelling bee. She spelled “havoc” correctly in the first round, but misspelled “relieve” in the second round (she mistakenly transposed the “i” and the “l”). Even though she realized her error immediately, contestants aren’t allowed to change the order of the letters once they have started speaking the word. The top 10 finishers from each grade level will compete next week to see who is the best speller in the school. By the way, Americans began using the term “bee” in the 1800s to refer to certain social gatherings where large groups of people convened to accomplish a common task (other examples include quilting bees, cornhusking bees, and sewing bees). The term apparently came about because bees are commonly thought of as busy and social insects.

Covered wagons were used 150 years ago by pioneers who traveled across the Plains to settle in the West. Families would live out of their wagons for months while they made their journey. The wagons were stocked with clothes, bedding, tin cups and dishes, cooking utensils, food, water barrels, and a washtub. Occasionally, a wagon might have had a few pieces of furniture or even a spinning wheel. Heirlooms and precious items like china, fine linens, books, and photographs were carefully stored in a trunk. In most cases, covered wagons were pulled by either horses or oxen, but many families who owned no livestock had to pull a smaller handcart using their own muscle power. This old pioneer wagon (along with other wheels and axles) is on display in front of a trading post-style craft store a little over a block away from the DHC U.S. Office in Moab.

The local museum in Moab has a new display – a giant three-dimensional topographical map of Moab, the La Sal Mountains, and the surrounding area. Painstakingly put together by a local resident, the map took 20 years to complete and is made from multiple layers of balsa wood. The creator used a razor blade to hand-cut each piece of wood.

Moab (population about 6,000) is such a small town that virtually all phone numbers in town start with the same three-digit prefix (259). Therefore, when local residents tell each other their phone numbers, they generally just say the last four digits. Having to memorize only four digits makes it much easier to remember phone numbers without having to write them down or look them up. Even though a second local prefix (719) was added a few years ago, it has fewer than 50 numbers assigned to it. Most cell phone numbers in Moab also have the same prefix (260), so they are also very easy to remember.

A bright rainbow dazzled Moab one afternoon a few days ago, and our office staff members went outside to take a few pictures of it. Although the past few years in Utah have been marked by drought, this winter has been exceptionally wet. Southern Utah in particular has already seen several rainstorms and snowstorms.

A huge broken cliff called the South Rim borders the Moab Valley to the south, hiding a plethora of nooks, crannies, ravines, and even small valleys. In 1990, three local boys exploring in this area found a large Indian basket. Called a burden basket, this type of basket was used by the ancient Anasazi Indians for carrying things like food, clothing, or firewood. The Anasazi lived in this area from A.D. 200 until about A.D. 1300. Today, the basket can be seen at Moab’s Dan O’Laurie Canyon Country Museum.

Gasoline prices have declined slightly in Moab in recent weeks. This photo, taken December 11, shows the price of regular unleaded gas at $1.94 per gallon (51 cents per liter or 53 yen per liter). These prices were the same as of yesterday, January 5. Although many Americans have complained about higher fuel prices over the past few years, they still pay far less than motorists in Japan, where gasoline is currently more than 120 yen per liter, or nearly two and a half times more expensive than in the United States.

On the afternoon of December 21, the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, Yoko and a friend hiked up to a vantage point east of town (overlooking the Moab valley) and took a series of photographs showing the shadow of the cliffs moving across the valley. Yoko plans to take another series of photos from the same spot three months from now, on the day of the vernal equinox.

The Mill Creek Parkway, which runs for a little over a mile through the center of the town of Moab, is a popular path used by pedestrians, bicyclists, and skaters. Even in the wintertime, you can find many people using this trail, which runs alongside a shallow creek and is lined with many large trees. Mary usually takes this pathway when she walks to work, a 20 minute walk from her house.

Many families in Moab (and across the country) like to decorate their homes for the Christmas holiday season. The most commonly seen home decoration is white or colored lights strung from the eaves, but some folks like to add snowmen, Santa Claus, reindeer, nativity scenes, and even bears! It’s also common to see stings of colored lights on bushes, trees, fences, and other objects around the yard.

Moab, Utah (population about 6,000) is a popular tourist destination, but numerous businesses (including gift shops and some restaurants) close down for the winter, taking vacation from mid-November until February or early March. This ice cream store located near the DHC U.S. Office is a typical example. However, despite the decline in tourists in the winter, many other businesses, including motels, grocery stores, gas stations, and fast-food establishments remain open throughout the year.