December backpacking on the plateau, oh deer!

Joan and I spent part of the weekend scouting a route for a future trip, visiting a few places that were new to us and returning to others we had not seen in some time.

There is something about December light that makes canyon country feel especially sublime.

Lower sun angles, long shadows, quiet days, and long nights in the tent, enjoying our cider, rum, and chocolate. Also known as “the essentials.”

Water still tells the story out here. One pothole gave us two liters. Another provided six.

Enough to linger, look around, and appreciate how these small pockets quietly shape travel in the desert.

We also came across a mano and metate, a reminder that people have been moving through and living in these places for a very long time, paying attention to the same basics we still do: food, water, shelter, and the landscape itself.

Then there was Sunday evening.

A deer, at dusk, on a specific highway.

I am sure folks in Moab know precisely what that means. No injuries to Joan or me, and the truck has no mechanical issues, but it definitely made our evening less fun. Of course, the one auto body shop in Moab is stacked, so we found ourselves in Grand Junction on Tuesday.

The funny part?

I was driving cautiously at the speed limit because I did not want to hit a deer on this infamous stretch of highway known for deer and cattle crashes. Joan even warned me it was “Deer O’ Clock.” Someone decided that was unacceptable and passed me on a double yellow with their high beams on. A few minutes later, and it could have been him instead.

Silver lining: We are gone all next week anyway, so we could drop the truck off without it disrupting plans too much.

A friend who grew up in Utah has hit a deer over the years and insists on a guard for all their trucks, similar to the one linked in the article. I think I know a future purchase that may be happening sooner rather than later.

It did make us realize how much of what we do depends on having a vehicle that can handle rough dirt roads. Many of the places we love, scout, and revisit are not otherwise accessible within the timeframe we have available. The truck is not just transportation. It is an essential part of our toolkit that lets us reach some of the more remote places in the place we call home.

We will go somewhere more Honda Civic-friendly this weekend, where we will no doubt see something that reminds us why we live here, despite some inconveniences at times, especially when we have to do a bit more “adulting.”