Following the mighty Colorado River.........

When last we spoke, we were enjoying Utah..... it is a harsh, ruggedly beautiful landscape with colors that glow.    One evening, we took a drive up St Hwy 24, from Moab north along the Colorado River.      If you only had a couple of hours in this area,  this is the one short drive  that would easily substitute for all the National Parks and scenic drives.    There are canyons, petroglyphs, rapids, hiking trails, distant vistas and a the Red Cliff Lodge to dine, sleep  and begin various adventures.   Many westerns were filmed in this locale and they even have a movie museum in the rustic setting.  

 A leopard (or is it tiger ) lizard cooperated  for a brief minute near the walkway.

 The view from the Lodge.   You can even stay in a teepee.

 Further down the road is Castle Rock and Fisher Towers.    In the fall we'll do the hike along the base.

 The next morning we were out early to walk the Grand View Trail in Canyonlands NP.   Unfortunately, I had the wrong setting on my camera and the pictures came out very light.   I tried to fix them and I think you can get the idea of what we saw.   The trail is about 2 miles, across slickrock and up and down many steps .   It follows a severe drop-off into the canyon.   I just can't imagine taking rambunctious children to these trails....there are no fences, no warning signs and trail markings consist of cairns along the way.

 And then, it just ends.....no signs to tell you that, just a cliff to fall over.    Paul is  standing about 3 feet from the edge.  

We put down our hiking poles, our hats, our camera and backpack full of water and had a much deserved snack.   And then we walked back to the air conditioned car.   

 Awhile back, we took a jeep trail from Moab thru the back country with intentions of ending up at Canyonlands....but we met with a closed road.    The road is now open so we pointed the nose of the jeep down and deep into the canyon.    You can see the road we followed in the next 2 pictures.

 In some places, the road is very narrow with sheer drop offs.

Always, far below us was the mighty Colorado that carved out these monuments.  

And then on Thursday, we packed up and headed East.    For about 5 hours, we crossed Colorado and the stunning landscape from Glenwood Springs to Golden, never fails to leave us in awe.    I've written about Glenwood Canyon many many times ....  Again, we followed the Colorado River, sometimes placid, sometimes not,

 and the rafters were abundant.    The Colorado River is one of America's finest river and holds a prominent place in the development of our country.    Reading about John Wesley Powell's exploration of the River leaves me amazed to think of the feat that he accomplished......and with only ONE arm. !!

 Vail has several beautiful golf courses in the valley.  

From Eisenhower Tunnel at over 11,000 ft, the highway descends to 6000 ft on a winding, occasionally steep I-70.   There are warnings all the way down for the truckers and  the RV drivers.   We're very familiar with the road but it has taken it's toll on those who don't heed the warnings.

 And so, we are currently back in Cherry Creek State Park.....I had my art class at the Botanic Gardens and look forward to the next one in two weeks.      Today, we'll meet up with Mike and crew and head up onto some Jeep trails west of Denver................ Stay tuned.  

Blog housekeeping details........

For those of you who subscribe by email, it seems as if the version that you get is not the same as the final version of the blog.   Often, I publish the blog and then go back and "fix it" a couple more times but it seems that the first one is the only one going out on email.   Also, I've noticed on the email version that there is a final line showing up that says something about me talking to the wind.......I wrote that line months ago and then deleted it from that post......and now, it seems to be showing up on new blogs......very frustrating.    But suggest you go to the web version of the blog instead of the email version if you want the "latest and greatest"............  

Negro Bill Canyon Trail hike and Canyonlands

We were up and out early this morning.  Our plan was a 4+ mile round-trip hike up Negro Bill Canyon Trail (named after the first black rancher in the area ).  It was refreshingly cool as we began ....we were surrounded by high canyon walls and 

 thick brush and trees.   We could hear a rushing stream and eventually

 we came to the edge and followed and crossed it many times.    I gave up trying to manuever the stepping stones and just waded through.

 The water was cool and refreshing, but the trail was red thick dust, so in no time, our shoes were caked in red mud.   We had to climb up and down and test our leg muscles and agility  on some boulder strewn areas.    Surprisingly, the trail was not busy at all but most everyone had a dog or 3 with them.    We were quite comfortable in the lower shady part of the canyon but then the sun erupted over the canyon walls and the heat became troublesome.    We finally decided that the smart thing was to turn around.... a bit over halfway.    By the time we got back to the car, it was HOT and we were very wise to lose our pride and give in to Mother Nature.    We'd love to try again....spring would be cooler but the stream would be much deeper for the many crossings....fall sounds perfect.

 You may have noticed that my lens hood is creating some shadows.....I lost my original one....well, it's here somewhere, just not sure where.   So I bought another at a camera store but not happy with it.

Yesterday, on Saturday, we headed out to one section of Canyonlands.   There are 4 parts and none are connected by roads.    We went to the southern Needles section.   A short distance out of Moab is the Wilson Arch, named after the first Superintendent of Canyonlands.  

 The road is about 60+ mi into the Park from Moab and you have to return the same way.    The sky looked threatening at times and there was a haze that obscured the beautiful distant views.   We presume it is from wildfires in Colorado and Arizona.

 Near the entrance is Newspaper Rock.... a large collection of petroglyphs.   They are not dated and may cover several different time periods.

 It's fascinating to look closely and identify all the symbols.   I especially like all the feet.

 The biting gnats were thick so we didn't stay long.

 We felt that there are better scenic areas than this section of the Park.   We did try a 4X4 road but it was rather bland and dusty as well.  

 Parking at a view spot, there were two very large ravens  (or maybe they're all very large)...these had no fear and were obviously looking for a handout.   They didn't get one ...........

 We've both read the Stegner book on John Wesley Powell.... we'd love to see some of the areas mentioned but unfortunately, most are along or on the rivers and it is difficult to access them.     Paul is standing near the beginning of the trail that goes to the confluence of the Green and Colorado Rivers.   This is the reason we drove over to this part of the Park.    It is accessible, IF  you hike over 5  miles , one way, and then look over the cliff 1000 ft down .    We'll have to pass on that one for now.!!

I just picked up another book, Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey,written in 1968 when he was a ranger in Arches NP for 3 summers.  ( Joe and Gay,  you would like this book !!)  It covers environmental, political and philosophical issues of the area and has been compared to  Thoreau's Walden.    It's a fascinating view of the desert and Moab.    

And, I think we've earned a good Mexican dinner tonight .... 

PS:    The dog bites are healing.....  due in part to the amazing nursing care he received.    Thanks for all of your concerns !   When we go to remote areas around here, I usually text son Jon to let him know.....yesterday, when I sent him our itinerary, he sent back his reply " Search Schnauzers on ready alert !!"

PPS:   Just some housekeeping.   I've noticed that at the bottom of the blog, on the email version only, there is a comment about me talking to the wind.    I find that interesting that I wrote that comment months ago but then deleted it and never published it.....and now it shows up.    Wonder if it's going to show up on every email version.....blogger.com can be very frustrating at times.  

We're still in Utah.........

    We've had some quiet days and not much to share .    We did move from North Salt Lake to Deer Creek State Park, up thru a canyon above Orem.   The drive up is quite impressive and Bridal Veil Falls was off the road and a popular hiking destination.    Along the way is

 the road to Sundance.    We drove up the narrow, winding canyon road to a beautiful resort, designed to fit into the environment.    There is a large ski area , hiking trails, a lodge and restaurant.   And beautiful log homes nestled in the aspens.    The actual Sundance Film Festival is held in nearby Park City in January.    We did NOT see Mr Redford altho he does have a home there.

 The campground is situated on Deer Creek Reservoir.... the view to the west was of Mt Timpanogos...a popular hiking destination....all UP !   All of the hikes are described as strenuous due to the serious climbing.

We had a great view of the lake from our overlook site.   Full hookups but only 30 amps so in 100+ weather, we could only run one A/C but it cooled off into the 50's at night.  

 The wildflowers were scarce at this 5000 ft level but the thistles were everywhere.   They are really fascinating in their structure and extremely prickly.    I did some sketching and tried to capture the structure but it was hard....and that's why I'm taking art classes very soon...........

 

Today, we packed up and headed south.....back to Moab.    It's a good feeling to come back to the familiar and we have some plans for places we didn't have time for previously.    This is the road heading into Moab and near Arches NP.

Yesterday, as P was walking near the coach, a nasty little Schnauzer came tearing across the road and bit him twice on the leg.   It had a leash but obviously not in the teenager's hand.    One wound is slight but the other is two deep puncture wounds.    Long story short, we reported it to protect other campers and it is in the dog pound until the family leaves.   The father was nice, the teenager opted to extend his middle finger at us a couple of times so P had to have a "discussion" with him.       We're just glad that it wasn't a small child that was in the dog's range.    It really was a miserable animal.    And despite Nurse Miller's prompt first aid, the deeper bite is swollen and red today and will get some extra attention.

  And to think we were worried about snakes and bears !!!

Still here.......SLC

The heat has found us !    The entire west is HOT but, I have to say, we were out yesterday in high temps and it was lovely in the shade.    And last night, walking back to our car about 9pm, it was still 92 and we thought it a perfect evening.     It's all in the humidity.    Not that I would want to do anything too vigorous in the bright sun (like someone else in this house who is out playing pickle ball..).  

 We've had enjoyable but rather quiet blog days.     We drove into the Wasach Mountains where it is significantly cooler at around 8,000 ft.   Park City is a vibrant Victorian mountain town and definitely impacted by the Olympics in 2002.   We were up there on Sunday and there was a street fair/farmers markets which brought out the families.    In contrast to Denver and the Rocky Mtns., it is only 30 min from PC to Salt Lake.    We drove up several scenic canyons and the hikers and campers are out in force.  

 On Tuesday, we went to the organ rehearsal at the Tabernacle.   It is a must do and see on any trip to SLC.    Temple Square is a lovely respite right in the heart of the city.    The flowers are in their full glory.    I would have liked to sit and sketch a few.    The rehearsal is only 30 min but the accoustically perfect building makes the music so majestic and spiritual.    The organ has over 11,000 pipes.

On Thursday, we met up with Joe and Gay, our new blogging, traveling friends that we met in Moab.    They are in Park City so we connected again at Temple Square, listened to the organ rehearsal and then walked across the street to the City Creek Mall for lunch and to catch up.    Go to their blog and get a much better telling of our get-together and her pictures of the Square.       We hope our paths cross again before we wander back to Florida in the fall.  

On Thursday evenings, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir (all 360 volunteers) opens it's doors for its rehearsal.   Accompanied by a full orchestra and the massive organ in the 21,000 seat Conference Center, it was a real privilege to take in the magnificence of it all.    The summer rehearsals are in the Conference Ctr due to the tourist season, but the rest of the year, they are in the Tabernacle.    They do a 30 min radio show on Sunday morning, going on it's 85th year, and we may wander over for it.

As we left, dusk had set in and the Temple spires just glowed.    This is an iPhone shot and doesn't come close to the actual view


We're in this campground until Monday.   It's very comfortable here and close to most everything.    Paul is playing pickleball most mornings ..... he's finding it more laid back than the very organized program in TV but mixed ages also makes it interesting and sometimes a challenge.    I'm nursing an inflamed SI joint.   I've written about it in the past and I'm trying to keep it manageable and quiet........so no, serious walking, hiking.    I did manage to just kind of wandered into a luscious yarn shop and came out with some Habu linen-paper yarn and pattern.   You knitters will know of what I talk.  

For those of you who have signed up for email blog notices, I've found that there is quite a delay ....about 36-48 hours from publishing to email.  

SLC

We're back in civilization.   It feels good to be out of the dust and wind.    And back to an abundance of Mexican food.    Our first night in Salt Lake City, we ran errands to Costco and then stopped at Chipotle.   I remember when it was a restaurant in Boulder that served excellent fresh Mexican food.   Now it seems to have turned into a fast food , Qdoba- type with stainless steel tables and stark surroundings.    But still, the food was pretty good.    Tonight , we followed the recommendations of TripAdvisor and went to the top rated spot in the city .    Called the Red Iguana, home of Killer Mexican food, it is a non-descript place, painted bright yellow, inside and out.    It has won awards for years.     

 I found the chimachanga to be about perfect.   The are known for their mole sauces and I found the red sauce on this had great depth of flavor  and the rice was fresh.....and how can refried beans ever be bad (except for your arteries).

 Paul had the fish tacos, made with mahi mahi....also declared great.  

 We left our CG in Panguitch and head north on I-15 on Thurs. headed towards Yuba Lake SP.   Due to confusing signage , we ended up on a gravel, dusty road instead of a paved one farther on down.    When we arrived and got out of the MH, we looked in horror at the dust blanketing everything.   The shiny Jeep was now BEIGE, covered in a dense coating of fine dirt.    The back of the coach looked the same.    The camp host said that we could wash the dust off but that we had to dry the vehicles immediately as the water was so corrosive that it would leave permanent marks if allowed to dry.    The wind was strong so while he washed and I quickly dried a section, we managed to get the Jeep looking more brown than beige.   We didn't even try to clean the MH.     This is a view of the campground.    There were only 2 other campsites occupied.    This is obviously new and the reservoir is down the hill.  

 The wind blew hard all night and it was chilly in the morning.    The other two campers left early and we followed shortly after, despite having a 3 day reservation.    I'm not sure what we would have done ....maybe learn to fish ??   Plus, there were flying, biting things when the wind died down.  

And so, we came to Salt Lake City.    We are at the Pony Express RV Resort in North Salt Lake City.   It seems new and is very large and well kept.    We spent yesterday cleaning and dusting ......there was even dust on the clothes in the closet !    Today, we had the coach washed and now everything is shiny again......and we learned a good lesson about where NOT to drive.  

Today P played pickleball with a group in Ogden where they have 8 courts.    He said there were all ages.....he played with an 11 year old.       Then we headed downtown.    We wandered thru Temple Square, a very lovely area surrounding the Mormon Temple, the Tabernacle, Museum and information centers.    In the midst of it all, a dad was pointing to something and a young, but very loud voice  said  "Dad, is this where President Obama lives?"......... !!!!!!!!

The city sits up next to the Wasach Mountains and the Capitol makes an impressive site.

We plan to be here for a week or so and look forward to taking advantage of all the city has to offer.    Weather is perfect altho it is to heat up mid week.      Time to go check out the Super Moon.!

Zion NP and Cedar Breaks National Monument

Knowing that the temperature in Zion reaches mid 90's during the day, we got an early start for the hour drive south.    The topography was much different than the area around Bryce Canyon, less than an hour in the other direction.    It was green and cool (51degrees) and looked like the mountains.   We saw mule deer and wild turkeys.  

Before long, we came to interesting geological formations, this one called the "checkerboard".   The road was windy and climbing and very pretty.   

The towering granite and sandstone cliffs were formidable and difficult to capture from any angle.  

I 'borrowed' this view from the Web and you can see the roads winding thru the canyon.   At one point is a mile long tunnel with windows to view the scene.   It was built in the 1920's and is a marvel of engineering.   

And here is an artist's view of the mighty walls of the canyon....early 1900's. 

 The only way thru the park is by shuttle.   It makes frequent stops for the hikers to begin their rambling.   The trails are either fairly easy and level, or very strenous and dangerous.   One climbs up 1500 ft and you can walk on a ridge over the canyon.   The warnings noted that the  most frequent cause of death in Zion was from falls.    Altho the shuttles allow tourists to see the park without massive traffic jams, it also prohibits decent photography as the views are all UP and even from the scenic stops, it is hard to capture it.   It was VERY busy, the shuttles were standing room only and the paths were crowded.   And, by the time we left a couple hours later, the heat was on and in the 90's.  

My guide chose a very scenic ride home.    We climbed steadily upward into the Cedar Breaks National Monument.    It is more like  

Bryce Canyon with views looking down into an amphitheater.   But at over 10,000 ft, it was chilly up there with strong winds.   

These bell shaped flowers were everywhere and I neglected to ask a ranger what they were and they are not in my Wildflower guide.    On the web, they are called bell shaped flowers but I'm sure they have a better name.   Flowers are less than an inch long. 

And the easily recognizable Indian paintbrush were plentiful.  

 Tomorrow, we pull up stakes and head a bit farther north to a State park.   Probably won't have connectivity for a couple of days.        Today, we stopped in Cedar City on the way home....it is a real metropolis compared to anything we've seen since Grand Junction.    We even stopped in Walmart and marveled at the abundance.     Amazing how being out in the hinterland changes one's perspective.    Starbucks also got some of our business.