Day one of our spring 2009 adventure trip started at 4:30am when I got up to finish loading the FJ. The trailer was loaded and in the garage so all I had to do was roll it out and hook it up. Our goal for the day was to make Bull Frog Marina on Lake Powell.
Our route took us south on I 25 to Walsenburg then up over La Vita Pass to the San Louis Valley. We made Alamosa in time for breakfast at Milagros Coffee House. This is a stop we have made before and it is a sure bet for a good cup of coffee or tea and a morning snack. 
From Alamosa it was on to South fork and over Wolf Creek Pass which took us to the western slope of the continental divide. On the way down the pass we happened to see a Semi that must have lost its brakes and tried to make it to the runaway truck ramp. Not a situation that I would want to be in. The FJ is geared down and engine braking is the rule of the day.
We made Pagosa Springs then on to Durango where it was time to make a lunch stop and pick up 2 additional shackles that I needed to fill out the recover kit. In Cortez I planned on taking a longer route to add some interesting attractions and vistas to the drive.
Four Corners was the first stop. This is a monument on the Navajo Indian reservation that is the only place in the US where you can be in four states at the same time. It is a fun stop and is only a short ways off the road.
We drove through Mexican Hat which has a unique rock formation for which the town is named. The first recorded climb of Mexican hat was by Royal Robins and Jack Turner in 1962.
North from Mexican hat it was onto the Moki Dugway. I love this section of road.
We had to keep moving so the picture taking on the dugway was limited. The next stop was the gas station at Hite. It is a reliable though expensive location to boy fuel before heading into the outback.
Once across the Colorado River we were ready to head south on Utah Highway 267. At this point we were ready to camp and had started looking for a place to pull over. We happened across a very nice campground at Starr Springs Ranch. After 14 hours of driving I was ready for the rest.
We got the tent pitched and it was time for a dinner of Spaghetti and then a good night’s sleep to be ready for another early start.
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