Pulling Down the Suitcases

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Cabin by the Green River, 2005.

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OD Friends: Please keep several of our OD friends in your thoughts: Marion B, Dave Dog, who is home again, and Thomas. who is harassing the oysters. Thank you. G: Went to the movies: Hancock….fun fluff, and Cast Away in the comfort of our own living room….where I once again wanted a deeper ending. G’ette: Read a book too. Weather: Sunshine, humidity, fog later. Did I say I hated humidity? Menus: G had popcorn for lunch and I had a movie hot dog and M&M’s. No guilt. Pretty soon I won’t be able to reach my keyboard. Quesadilla’s for dinner. History: Vernal, Utah Duck: Duck’s Flickr album: easily accessible.

Friday, well before dawn, you can find us on a shuttle heading to the airport then on to Vernal Utah. Our friends Kay and Don, who we will be visiting in September in Northern California, will just be leaving Vernal as we arrive. Who would have known that Vernal would be so popular.

The northern area of Utah was initially settled by a retired Indian agent. The area where Vernal is now was called the Bench. (Burton, Online Utah Historyvernal) After the Meeker Massacre in Colorado, the Uintah Utes convinced the settlers to “fort up.” They chose the flat, open, cactus area of the Bench, and many settlers moved their cabins to the fort site.

A town grew out of the fort and became known as Ashley Center. Too close in name to Ashley, the Post Office said, and the name Vernal was assigned by the USPS. The settlers set up an irrigation system which is still working today, and the LDS Church helped found the town in 1897.

Vernal remained agricultural in focus until 1948 and the first oil boom. Today, though the city remains a boom and bust town, tourism draws increasing numbers to Dinosaur National Park, the Field Museum, and Flaming Gorge keeping this county seat alive.

We enjoyed all the green and beauty of this area our last two trips there. This time we are dropping in, being polite, and dropping out. To do this, I need to move the truck, haul out one suitcase to air, and make a list. Pill and med lists, what to wear lists, what not to wear lists, and, gee, will vein clips set off the machines at airports. G’s just fine, but I’m stepping into the unknown here.