Moab, Utah Flavor: Goodbye Matrimony Spring at 191 and 128 Junction

Matrimony Spring in Moab Utah -- so long.....

I'm planning a trip to Moab, Utah right now and I'm going through my old photos.  I found this one - remember the free spring, Matrimony Spring, at the junction of 128 and 191?  I guess the government shut it down in 2009. Yeah, so this really isn't news if you knew that, but I'm here to tell a story...

The last time I was in Moab, Utah I was with my brother, his daughter, my wife, and my daughter.  It was June 2008 and we were about to embark on the White Rim Trail for three nights.

We ate lunch at some cafe in Moab and our server was a short, fit brunette girl no older than 22 years or so with a spunky smile for our daughters. Maybe I'm lying about her, maybe it was some grungy college dude with a barely-growing goatee and a wafting stench of sweat and pot.  Either way, the server asked us, "So what brings you to Moab?"

"The White Rim Trail."

"You're taking your kids? That's so cool."

She looks so kind and generous doesn't she?
Then she - okay, maybe it was a he, but I like to remember local beta coming from a sporty 22-year-old local girl, or that happy thing on the side of Provo Girl Pilsner, yeah? - went on saying, "Hey, do you know about the spring?"

"What spring?  No, we just got here.  Never been before."

"Oh! Awesome.  You'll love this.  Don't waste your money buying water at the grocery store.  Fill up at the spring.  Go up 191 and turn at Highway 128, it's right at the end of town before the entrance to Arches.  There's an awesome spring right there.  Pure desert water filtered through sandstone.  Nothing better.  And it's free."

I don't know why, but when I was filling up our Scepter can, I chose to snap a photo of it.

Glad I did. Should have snapped one of the server, too, if I want better historical accuracy next time.