Rainbow Bridge

The Rainbow Bridge is about 50 miles from our campground and only accessed by water.  We took a tour boat from the Wahweap Marina around 9 a.m. and traveled through channels of red rock cliffs and viewed large mesas and buttes in the distance.  The ride was great not only for the Rainbow Bridge destination, but also seeing Lake Powell.  This lake is huge with close to 2,000 miles of shoreline!  There are small lake canyons branching off from the main body of water deep everywhere you look.

This would be a fun place for a family to rent one of the big houseboats and anchor off in some private little cove.  The houseboats have water slides off the back for the kiddies and hot tubs on top for the adults.  Most come loaded with jet skies and all kinds of water toys.  This lake has to be big for the number of houseboats available in the marinas.

Rainbow Bridge was spectacular, of course.  The lake water is down, so you cannot reach the bridge totally by water.  But we only had to hike in about 3/4 of a mile from the dock to get to the bridge.  Did you know it is called an arch if it does not have water running through the feature?  Incredible how the bridge stays intact…for now…someday the wind and rain erosion will prove too much and it will come crashing down.  Better come see it!

Antelope Slot Canyon

There are experiences and places that will forever be etched into your memory.  The Antelope Slot Canyon is a place I will always remember.  It is one of the most beautiful natural sights I have ever seen.  When you walk into the narrow opening of the canyon, the ethereal light reflects off the golden, burnished walls making them glow.  The sides are smooth from the rushing water that often races through the canyon during a rain storm.   The wave-like curves bend and ripple creating a sensuous feel as you weave through the canyon.  The way becoming narrower and narrower as you walk deeper into the rock chamber.

The canyon is located on the Navajo Reservation and visitors are required to hire a Navajo guide.  Our guide, Josh with Antelope Slot Canyon Tours, was not only a talented photographer, but an accomplished musician.  At certain stops in the canyon, Josh would play his original songs on a wooden flute.  The gentle notes echoed off the walls with perfect acoustical balance.

Before entering the slot, Josh was able to instruct us on the appropriate camera setting for the canyon—low light, no flash.  The flash will actually reflect back the sand crystals in the rocks, destroying your picture.  The only negative is you must have a steady hand to avoid getting a  blurry picture.   It looks like I am holding a flame in the picture to the right.

Incredible day.  A must see if you visit Lake Powell.

 

Lake Powell

Lake Powell and the Wahweap RV Campground have got to be up there in our top locations to visit.  The combination of a large body of water branching out over hundreds of miles of deep canyons is a sight to see.  Our site (Loop C, Site 11) is one of the best we have ever had—30 feet wide, it can easily hold two RVs and vehicles plus a large personal picnic area complete with an oversized table, BBQ and fire pit.  To top it off, the view of the lake, cliffs and marina is amazing.  Nothing to block the view at all.

I really do not understand why no one is here.  There are maybe 10 RVs in a campground with 200 sites.  Our weather is perfect in the mid 60s and there is lots to see and explore.  Not complaining; we enjoy the peace and quiet.  Our camp site is so great we only left this morning to get a few more groceries.  The rest of the day was spent laying in the sun like a lazy cat.  We suspect the lake is all about the hot weather, water sports and house boating.  Sounds fun, too.

Later this week we will take a tour boat up 50 miles to see the rainbow rock bridge (one of the top 10 natural wonders in the world) and venture down into the Antelope Canyon.   It is famous for countless photos taken of its beams of light and smooth, undulating walls.  (Photo from Wikipedia; we hope to capture our own pictures during the visit.)

Let’s Go Racing!

As Mike was setting up the VCR to record his NASCAR races last Saturday, I asked him if he would like to drive to Las Vegas to watch a live NASCAR Sprint Cup race the next day.  “Are you kidding me!?  I would love to go.”  Within minutes he was on the phone getting tickets and we snagged two seats in the Richard Petty Terrace, Section 103, Row 42, Seats 28 and 29.  Perfect view of turn one.

The start of the race builds to a mind-blowing roar as the tightly bunched cars fly around the first turn.  Everyone stands for the start and any re-starts.  It was a long race with 266 laps, but with the number of  incidents like Kyle Busch’s engine blowing up and Jeff Gordon hitting the wall after a tire failure the whole event was never dull all excitement and fun.  The race on Sunday was close between Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards near the end.  But, Carl won out.  Yeah!  (We like Carl.)  Carl did his famous backflip off his winning car and the crowd (estimated over 100,000 fans) cheered.

One of Mike’s happier moments.  We have to do this again—maybe on the trip down south in the next year or two?  Daytona, perhaps?

Red Coyote

Laid back Saturday watching the NASCAR Nationwide race on television and then a quick bite afterwards at the Red Coyote Café less than a mile down the road.  Great little place in Virgin, Utah.  Cozy atmosphere with chairs made out of rough bark branches and distressed pine tables.  Locals get together here for fresh, homemade food and music on Sunday afternoons. 

Talk in the restaurant was all about Charlie Sheen coming to town…looking for the virgin hookers.  Truthfully, the Virgin Hookers is the local crochet club that meets in the café.  What a hoot!

Emerald Pools

After two days of 60 degrees and sunshine, the snow is gone at Zion.  The muddy trails are drying up.  Today we hiked three different, but connected paths—most notable was the Emerald Pools trail.  The emerald pools trail were closed until today and well worth the wait.

		Lower Emerald Pool
		Middle Emerald Pool (source of the waterfall in the lower pool)
		Upper Emerald Pool (never seems to get sun here—a bit of snow left)

Can you tell we love this stuff?  Getting the opportunity to experience all of this is simply incredible.

Kolobs Canyon

Just 20 miles north from the Zion National Park west entrance is the Kolob Canyons portion of the park.  It was an easy drive from our RV park almost all on the I-15 freeway.  We gained another 3,000 feet in elevation and hit a lot more snow.  Our day was sunny and close to 50 degrees, so the roads were completely clear.  This time of year the canyon seems to be quiet and traffic-free.  More glorious red cliffs and narrow canyons to enjoy in the fresh, cool pine-scented air.

Only one trail was open, the South Fork of the Taylor Creek, with about 6-8 inches of snow.  The trail descends steeply down to the stream.   We both enjoy hiking in snow—the area was hushed with only a slight breeze occasionally shaking the snow off the tree limbs hitting the ground with a soft thud.  The path follows the valley upstream, at first on the south side but later on either side as it crosses the creek several times--the water is fast flowing but shallow and easily crossed.   Since we were unfamiliar with the trail, we were relying on a previous hiker’s footsteps.  The footsteps ended after a mile and we were unable to reach the narrow canyon at the end of the trail.

I get to gawking at all the red rock cliffs, the pretty bubbling stream, and animal tracks in the snow.  Before you know it, Mike is way ahead and yelling that I will soon be cougar bait if I do not get going.  Yeah, yeah, I hear you….then I got nervous and picked up the pace.