Day 9: The Top of the World!

Today started out great. We met up with our LOST compadres around 9am. The trail for today - The Top of the World. According to Red Rock 4-Wheelers, this trail is a 4: "Road surface consisting of loose rock, dirt and sand with some slickrock surfaces. Erosion, washes, gulches and rock steps no higher than 12". 4WD is recommended with good ground clearance and driving skills." Top of the World is a viewpoint on Waring Mesa. It has a spectacular view of Fisher Valley, Onion Creek, and the La Sal Mountains. To say this trail was challenging is probably an understatement! We certainly pushed our driving skills to the new levels. I drove on the way up - by the time we reached the top, I was exhausted. Jan drove on the way down. The way down was just as challenging. The view from the top was definitely spectacular. We got back into town around 5pm. It was a long day and the 100+ temperatures made it seem even longer.

We also had our first breakdown today. Our AC compressor crapped out on us. We first noticed a problem with the AC as we entered Salt Lake City. The problem came to a head this afternoon when we stopped for dinner. We got back to the Jeep and the engine wouldn't turn over. Fortunately, our LOST buddies are very knowledgeable and eager to lend a hand. Turns out the compressor seized up and prevented the engine from turning over. Our mission tomorrow is to find a shorter belt to bypass the compressor. This will at least enable us to get home. Right now, the Jeep is basically un-drivable. I think we're going to spend tomorrow in town and just be tourists.