This is the second page of dinosaurs, this time in Utah. 

	The next day (September 21st), the rain was forecast, but not yet coming down and so we decided to go to Dinosaur National Monument, the only dinosaur quarry that was made into a national park/monument. We took Route 139 that leads us over the Douglass Overpass, and I was driving! This was my first pass through the mountains and although I did not have the camper - I still count it because it was scary for me. In my little Saturn, I'm sure I would not have been scared, but with a big truck, it can be a little scary. But the first part of the road was fine.
	Starting to see the mountains of the road
	Cool rocks of Route 139
	This road is part of the Dinosaur Diamond that goes from Grand Junction to Dinosaur, CO/Vernal, UT to Price, UT and back to Grand Junction. Tons of Dinosaurs have been found within and around this Diamond.
	As we were starting to go up the pass, we found we were behind this truck, hauling who knows what. We thought this guy in the car was quite stupid, one point during a very steep climb the truck started going backwards. I certainly was not going to get too close.
	Some of the cars in the opposite direction decided not to get too close, otherwise they would have been pushed out of the way.
	Stupid black car
	Trying to Pass
	He passed the overloaded truck but I was just not going to do that.
	And this is why!
	This is the road that we were just on! The top of the pass was at 8,200 feet ASL.
	Almost down to the valley
	Cool road sign here at Dinosaur, CO; The visitor center was in the town of Dinosaur. They told us that Dinosaur National Monument, where the quarry is located, was closed indefinitely as the grounds beneath the building were breaking apart (and had split the building in two.) You could say that I was very disappointed to hear this news. I had so wanted to see the monument, and now, who knows when it will be rebuilt. Now if all of my money that I pay to taxes could just go to that, I would be a happy camper.
	We decided to go into the park of the monument itself. The canyon area of the park is HUGE! and there are a few pictures that we will post here. But all the signs say, no dinosaur bones can be found in this part of the park, probably so that people don't start digging where they are not supposed to. As this is a national park, if you find something, you are supposed to leave it. It is a Federal Offense if you take something from the park. And there is no way that I would do that, it is just plain WRONG.
	So we looked at the geology instead. This is called the plug hat, because it looks like a hat from an angle.
	Someone was nice enough to take our picture at the large valley. It was quite cold out there, around 45 F.
	The valley below with the Green and the Uinta Rivers
	We decided to get out of Dinosaur National Monument on seeing the skies, and decided to go into Utah. I wanted to see this very good museum that was in Vernal, UT.
	On the way, we went through open range. This means that the cows and bulls could be on the road, or on the side of the road. This one was on the side, but we could not tell if it was a cow or a bull, so we did not get too close. The picture was taken out of the car window. I have heard that if you hit a cow on the open range, there are serious fines and you could even lose your license. So the idea is to go a little slower when you see cows.
	Passed over the Green River on the way to Vernal, UT
	We are in Dino Country! Here in Vernal, UT.
	Utah Field House Nature State Park, Sasha, and the Diplodocus
	Allosaurus, one of the most common carnivore dinosaur around. He was a very ferocious animal that moved in packs.
	Stegosaurus were one of the most common herbivores in Northern America. Paleontologists do not know if the plates were for defense or for other uses, but their tails were definitely for defense.
	Laura and the Dinosaur - we are upstairs and you can see the Diplodocus below.
	There was a garden full of dinosaurs and other creatures, such as wooly mammoths and protoceratops (animals that came before the Triceratops like in this picture.) These animals do not move like the ones in the other museum, but they are meant to be life-sized.
	This T-Rex may not be life-sized but it is big, and as you turn the corner, you then see it. Looks kind of scary, but it does not move.
	Dinosaur Garden
	Now, I had promised some kids some dinosaur bones if I could find them, but as you can not take the bones from state and national parks, and I could not find any, I decided the best way to go was to get them at a rock shop. So I got some. Hopefully there are more of these rock shops around, and I can get some more. The bones need to be small because I can only have so much in the camper.
Well, we got in a full day of dinosaur watching and looking and so headed home, Sasha drove back over the pass - no problem - no big rigs at that time, and we were home by 8:30 pm. We had some soup and sandwiches and went to bed quite happy, with the rain on the way.

Check out the Next Day, Ride With Us! We are going riding again in this great and beautiful country.