Page, AZ: Not!!

 

We pulled away from the Navaho Bridge on Hwy. 89A shortly before eleven AM.  Our destination for the evening was to be Page, AZ.  As a number of you guessed in previous comments, I wanted to give Antelope Canyon a try.  Thought if I took two or three hundred shots, I might get lucky with a keeper.  Don’t you just love digital cameras?

Our plans immediately changed as we approached Hwy 89.  Our left turn toward Page was blocked with trucks and barricades.  There had been another rock slide, and the highway was closed.  Now we understood the reason for all the eighteen wheelers we had met between Jacob Lake and Bitter Springs.

As our next major destination was to be Cortez, CO for a couple of days reorganizing things and doing some shopping, we took a left off 89 South onto Hwy 160 toward Tuba City and Kayenta.  Through the heart of the Hopi and Navaho Reservations.  A left turn at Kayenta took us through Monument Valley and back into Utah.  I had a destination in mind for the night. Though we had visited the area three weeks ago, I wanted to spend a night there.  Goosenecks State Park.

There were some sites on the very edge of the canyon, but Wanda said no way.  We found a great spot about forty yard from the rim.

I’m standing on the rim for this picture.

It was cloudy and windy when we arrived, but a clearing line could be seen to the Southwest.  As we sat outside, the sun began to light up the hills and mountains behind us.

We sat outside in awe.  Every one of these pictures are straight from the camera.  No alterations.  The sunset was also pretty good.

It was without a doubt the most peaceful, restful night we have had since departing home a month ago. Slept with the windows open.  No sounds other than a light wind the entire night.  No light to sneak in around the curtains.  There were three or four other rigs and car campers scattered around the area, but you would have never known if not for seeing them in the distance.

  The next morning dawned crystal clear.

Sally and I went for a walk, but she thought she could hear her breakfast calling.  She was making a bee line back to the trailer.

After a leisurely breakfast with a couple pots of coffee, we decided it was time to move on.

Sometimes, cancelled plans can lead to a much better opportunity.  This was one of those.  One of my all time favorite places to spend a night.  Only wish it had been for a longer period of time……jc

Lee’s Ferry

 

We departed the North Rim early, stopping in Jacob Lake for some coffee and cinnamon rolls.  We planned a stop at Lee’s Ferry to watch some of the float trips launch, as well as possibly see some Condors.  Our friends from San Antonio, Cleo and Claudia, also planned a stop.  Cleo has made ten runs through the Grand Canyon from Lee’s Ferry in his lifetime .  His email address is actually Riverrat@.  You Could see the want-to in his eyes as we watched the preparations taking place.  He said the rats are better looking now than when he did it.

One group underway, as another get further instructions.

Sally checked the water and said it was COLD.

Cleo and Claudia on their way.

We had also thought about spending the night there in the campground, but it was very warm.  A conversation with another camper who had seen no condors in four days of looking, changed our mind.  We pulled out to check the old Navaho bridge.  Sally really enjoyed the view as we pulled out of the canyon.

This narrow span across the river was replaced by this one.

It is now a pedestrian only bridge, giving outstanding views of the Colorado.  It is only a couple or three miles South of Lee’s Ferry.  Amazing how the landscape changes as the river enters Marble Canyon.

 

 

If I was to take a river trip, I think I would prefer these smaller rigs to the larger boats.

From Navaho Bridge we headed on east, with Page, AZ as our destination for the night….jc

North Rim, Grand Canyon

 

Though the Casita Gathering we were a part of across Southern Utah ended on Memorial Day, six rigs added the North Rim of the Grand Canyon to our agenda.  We have attempted it in the past, but weather always won out.  It was either snowing, raining, or socked in clouds.  This time, we got lucky with beautiful weather.

Our campsite.

The clearing through the trees is actually a branch canyon.  Very beautiful, but quite a hike back up to the trailer from the rim.  Even with the beautiful site, some weren’t impressed.

The lodge is really nice.  More modern than some due to a fire back in the 1930’s.  You can also see that the crowds are much smaller on the North Rim.  This was around 9 AM.

Plenty of places to take a nap, read, or just look out the windows.

There’s also these little Frontier cabins.  They are where we stayed with the kids back in the early eighties.

Brought back some great memories of a two week, 3500 mile, vacation.   Chevy Chase has nothing on me.  The only thing different from his movie, National Lampoon’s Vacation, was I didn’t have the mother-in-law.

One day we took a hike.

Scenery way too big for my little camera and lens.

On the last evening I walked back down to the rim behind our site.  There was a rock outcropping there, that I sat on for an hour or so.  Must have taken a hundred different shots trying to capture the changing colors and shadows as the sun made its way down.  None were great, but a few will do.

Was also hoping for a spectacular sunset, but it wasn’t to be. Still, it was a fitting end to a wonderful three days.

Lee’s Ferry, next……jc