Thursday, April 24, 2008

Roadtrip journal: Hole N" The Rock: A hole lot of fun!

If you don't see any pictures, click on the X in the upper right corner.

September 2006

Moab, Utah

We're pooped from our day-of-too-much-scenery at Canyonlands and Dead Horse, but not too pooped for another eccentric roadside marvel: The Hole N" The Rock outside of Moab. There was a time in America when a young married couple could buy a mountain of rock, excavate 50,000 feet of sandstone out of it singlehandedly and set up housekeeping. And that's just what Arthur and Gladys Christensen did in the 1940s and 50s. Inside are fourteen fabulous rooms arranged around huge pillars. A fireplace with a 65 foot chimney drilled through solid sandstone, a deep french fryer, and a bathtub built into the rock are among the attractions. A guided tour costs only $5 and is well worth it to see the original furnishings, some rather tattered-looking stuffed animals and Arthur's crude yet earnest portraits of Jesus. A fine giftshop, petting zoo and other roadside delights dazzle you in the parking lot. You can't miss it coming down the highway as HOLE N" THE ROCK is painted in large white letters that can be seen from miles away (the incorrect punctuation after the N only adds to the charm). Unfortunately they don't allow rogue pictures of the inside to be taken, so be sure check out their website for the official owner-sanctioned views: http://www.theholeintherock.com/. This place is not to be missed!