US Hwy 191: Out Of The Desert

North of Moab, UT, US191 is a benign but unattractive roadway. It could just be that I was tired of the desert scenery, but I don't think so. About 30 miles north, US191 joins I-70 going west for a 20 mile stint. This isn't a very attractive piece of road either, but it had a touch of nostalgia because it is also shared by my old friend US50 through this stretch. Been here, done this!



Turning north again when US191 splits from I-70, the scenery improves a bit, but not a lot. What was a very pleasant surprise was an outside temperature in the mid 60's!



For about 70 miles, US191 is co-signed with US6, another great old highway that's on my someday list. Just past the town of Price, UT, the two routes deviate and US191 starts a very long, very steep uphill slog to a pass over 9,100 feet. As usual, the photo doesn't do justice to how steep it was!



I continue to be impressed with how my little F-150 and its EcoBoost engine pull my camper. We held our own quite well in a line of trucks and were rewarded with a pretty fantastic view at the pass.



What goes up must come down, so over the next 20 miles we gave back most of our gain. That doesn't take long on an 8% grade, but the views were nice and gave hope of greenery in our future.



We then cruised into the Uintah Basin. The combination of cool temps — topping out at a delightful 66 degrees! — and relatively lush greenery made it a very pleasant and welcomed sight.



I've stopped in the town of Vernal, UT, where a few points of interest are on my exploration list for tomorrow… Stay tuned!

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