Epic Road Trip 2017: Day 23 - Las Vegas To Green River Utah

One day in Vegas was more than enough and I was happy to move along to the gorgeous state of Utah.

August 23, 2017

Route: Las Vegas to Zion National Park, Utah to Green River, Utah

Total Miles: Over 450

Total Driving Time: 8 hours

Mood - Jazzy

Music - John Coltrane - My favorite things

Total Mafia Checkpoints Encountered: 1 

Ounces of coffee drank: At least 30

I made it to Zion Park in Utah in the early afternoon.  After being shaken down by the mafia for another 30 dollars, I entered a red rock desert paradise.

I managed to do a little hiking despite being a bit sore from walking in Vegas so much. After a couple hours in the park, I headed out towards Moab, Utah.  I was considering going to Arches National Park in Moab the next day, so I wanted to get near and sleep in that area. 

Mother nature did not help me too much, however.  A big storm dumped rain on me for a while as I drove on the lonely Highway 89 in southern Utah.  It did give me a spectacular lightning show as well, and I tried to take pictures, but to no avail.  

I drove through 70 miles of a blissful nothingness on I-70 East as I approached a little town called Green River around 9pm.  By the time I got there I was starving.  Food options at that hour were limited.  I was also having some pain in my pancreas (I have pancreatitis) so I wanted something light and easy to digest, like a salad.  

The options were:

Sports Bar

Mexican Food 

A diner

A gas station

The only pancreas-friendly place looked to me to be the diner.  I walked into the diner around 9:25.  

Me: What time do you close?

Cashier: Ten

Me (cringing because I spent 13 years in the restaurant business): I'll be fast, I promise. 

I ordered a chicken salad and sat at a booth.  I was thinking the chicken would be cold that had been prepared earlier, so it would be fast.  I was wrong.  They grill it to order.  It took 20 minutes to get my food.  I was thinking they were hating me and would spit in my food (ever seen the movie Waiting?).......

Anyway, the salad was not so good, but hit the spot.  I scarfed it down in 5 minutes while the busboy angrily mopped the floor next to me.  I didn't get sick, thank God.  The bill was 12 and I left 20 and apologized profusely for being the last guy in the joint.

Just past Green River I found a rest area to sleep at.  Mother nature blasted me again, this time with rain and very powerful wind.  I read Ian Fleming until I dozed off.  

Join me next time as the journey heads to New Mexico!

Thanks for your time and attention!