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| Newsflash! Peggy was miniaturized at the Beaver Valley Chevron! |
Since our visit, I've looked up some interesting tidbits about Beaver, Utah. What I didn't know was that it was settled in 1856 by Mormon pioneers. It's also a lot bigger than it appears from the Interstate (I-15). It's home to over 2,500 people.
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| Majestic Capitol Reef
- photo from the Capitol Reef National Park website
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| Beaver is called the "Gateway to the Tushare Mountains. It's right in the middle of some very beautiful scenery. It's close to Fish Lake, and also close to Bryce Canyon, Zion and Arches National parks. It's also close to the Capitol Reef. We puzzled over the signs to Capitol Reef, knowing we were landlocked at least a thousand miles or so in every direction. It turns out that Capitol Reef National Park is a 100-mile geographical pinch in the earth's crust - a cross-section of the earth, if you will - and it's loaded with lots of fun and significance for geologists. It's named Capitol Reef because of the white rock domes that mimic the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. It took 70 million years and two major geologic events to create Capitol Reef. We had breezed on by the turn-off to this geologic wonder with nary a bit of understanding of its significance. Beaver is also the birthplace of two famous Americans: Butch Cassidy (of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid fame); and Philo T. (Praise His Name) Farnsworth, the inventor of television. (Just a side note, in the interest of full disclosure: Philo is my 10th Cousin four times removed.) Yup. I'm really thankful for TV. Just sayin'.  |
| Fishlake as seen from the Recreational Trail
- photo from the Salt Lake Tribune
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The Tushar Mountains to the east of Beaver include Delano Peak, the seventh highest peak in Utah at 12,169 feet.
We missed all of this as we sped on by (eventually) up the I-15. Maybe someday I'll go back for a closer look.
This is beautiful country. Real America.
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