Month: July 2018

Let’s cut to the chase, today is all about our accommodation! The location, the suite, the food, the scenery, in no particular order.

Breathtaking!

It’s by far the most expensive nights accommodation on the trip, but as I said, in the main, you get what you pay for.

We’re at Zion Lodge. There are two ways to be here. Be a guest at the Lodge, or be a tourist, and be at the behest of the tourist buses, which finish bringing in people by now and only remove folk.

So at this time of the evening it’s very tranquil. I’m writing this sat on our balcony watching a wild deer feed on the lawn. Sorry, make that three wild deer.

Unlike the rest of the park earlier. It’s Sunday, and the weather has been great again, so it’s been exceptionally busy here. Almost to the detriment of our day, but not quite.

We drove the relatively short distance (42 miles) from Kanab after picking up a Subway sandwich to save for lunch (a lesson learned from yesterday) and got to the park entrance at about 11am.

You enter the park from the east along Zion Park Scenic Byway. Loads of stopping places, to get out and look around.

Unlike the other parks and canyons, I think the reason I love Zion is because you get to be “in it” rather than looking at it.

Everywhere you turn, there’s a hell of a view. Particularly one of the first. A short (but stupidly hot) hike up from the roadside and you wiggle your way across gang-plank bridges, look down into Pine Creek narrows, over sheer drops, look back across at the inverted Arch of Mount Carmel (where the road tunnel runs through), and under cave-like overhangs.

You eventually end up at the Canyon View which is an incredible panorama (another one!), looking down to the west side of the Mount Carmel Tunnel and into the valley below, all the time surrounded by cathedral-like towers over 1,000ft above.

A reverse hike back to the car, where I realised I’d stupidly left my mobile phone in direct sunlight. It was too hot to even pick up, so we threw it into the cool bag! Thankfully no damage done!

We then headed through the 1.1 mile long Mt. Carmel Tunnel and down to the valley floor. A right turn down the road that was signed “Permit holders only – Zion Lodge”.

We could only check in at 4pm, so we had an hour and a half to fit in a hike. It was an easy decision, and we walked from the Lodge across to the walk to Lower Emerald Pools.

0.6 miles later and we reached the waterfalls. You should have been able to carry on up to the Middle and Upper Emerald Pools but recent floods and a massive landslide have thrown huge boulders into the gorge, and it’s now unsafe to go further in.

Back to the Lodge, an easy & stress free check-in and we were given keys to the William Wallace Wylie Suite, in the upper floor of the lodge nearest the main reception.

Wow! It’s huge. And has a wonderful balcony with rocking chairs where you can while away the afternoon and evening with the most stunning view!

We crashed out for an hour, showered and then went for tea at the Lodge.

A veg soup to start and a big chargrilled sirloin (medium rare) for me. To accompany it, I had a pint of Zion Canyon Echo IPA (4%) which was very, very good. So good it disappeared, and I ended up ordering another pint. This time Inhad the Seasonal, which turned out to be a “Pomegranate Sour” Ale. An odd one, in that it was very drinkable, but tasted as much like a sweet cider, as an Ale.

Back to the room to write this, and as said earlier, sat here watching deer mooch around the lawn below our balcony.

Think I need to try and make sunrise tomorrow. If it’s clear, it should be a cracker.

Pity it’s just one night here, but next stop is something completely different – Vegas, baby!

Love it, or hate it, it’s unique! But that’s for tomorrow!

Night all!

Another early awake for me, so finished off yesterdays blog, downloaded GoPro Quik video editor, and created a couple of quick 30 second “mash-ups” of videos of our time at Horseshoe Bend and from our journey along Cottonwood Canyon Road.

The internet connection here is crap. I know we are in the boondogs but in a town like Kanab, the supply must be decent, so I suspect it’s just this hotel. It’s a real pain because, jumping ahead to now (10pm), I’ve realised it’s meant that some of my blog uploads have only partially worked with some missing photos that I added or amended, Day 4 in particular is one I have just redone from scratch. Good job I keep the text backed up elsewhere!

Anyway, a shower (its “OK”), and then breakfast. A “Days Inn” Special of a choice of toast. Ok, so there was a bit more, but it was just cereal, bagel or waffle. Not inspiring, is my point, but you get what you pay for of course.

I really wish that the Parry’s Lodge, where we stayed on Honeymoon had vacancies when we were booking. Now that was a great place! Its been here since the 1930’s, and was the heart of “Little Hollywood” in Kanab. Basically if you’ve watched any old or even relatively new Westerns, or some of the older TV series (such as Lassie & Lone Ranger), then you’ll have seen Kanab, its surrounding countryside, or even the inside of Parry’s Lodge if you’ve watched the ’50s who-dunnit “Girl In Black Stockings”.

Each room had a little history sheet with it, that listed which movie stars had stayed there. Even the original “Ratpack” stayed there. Nowadays, I’m reliably informed by my passengers that even the “Pokestops” and “Gyms” are named after visiting actors such as John Wayne, Clint Eastwood and Maureen O’Hara.

Threw a few things in the car, including our trusty cooler (which is doing really well given the heat it’s having to cope with), and then set off back up the road towards Bryce Canyon.

We went through a little town and I noticed that one of the “curio” shops had what looked like a Fallout 4 Power Armour suit on the site of the road, for those gamers out there. Trying to be “down with my kid”, I mentioned that to him. I got a shrug back and a “I doubt that” back. Oh well, I tried.

Its an hour and a half of all uphill from Kanab to Bryce. In fact it prompted a later conversation about what would be the highest point in our trip. I thought it would have been the Tioga Pass, when we cross from Mammoth to Yosemite, given the snow only cleared a few weeks ago. The answers are as follows:

1. Mammoth Mountain, if we visit the top at around 11,000 feet
2. Tioga Pass at 9,943 feet
3. Rainbow Point at Bryce Canyon at just under 9,200 feet

I was surprised at how close it was between Tioga and Bryce, but once we got into the park and drove straight to Rainbow Point, it does become more obvious. You can tell the air is a tad thinner, the temperature dropped to a chilly 21deg C, and you were looking down on pretty much everything else around.

We decided for better or worse to go to Rainbow/Yovimpa Point, because it was the furthest point from the entrance, and then head back. That’s about 18 miles. Yep, miles!

Basically, we drove to a viewpoint, stopped, got out, took photos, back in the car and off to the next one.

Well, we did for the first few we stopped at. Rainbow Point, Yovimpa Point, Black Birch Canyon, Ponderosa Canyon, Agua Canyon, Natural Bridge. You get why our 12 year old is now sick of the word Canyon, especially if its full of red rock!

However, after those, we got out and walked part of each trail. Paria View was some view, but the main attraction is Bryce Point. What a view!

That said, as we arrived, it began to cloud over, and even threatened rain. I wandered down on my own, Nikon DSLR & GoPro in hand as usual. When you get to the viewing point, it’s a panarama of all panaramas! Although the sky was overcast and as such, it left the subject matter a tad ‘flat’, I took a few photos, and then switched to the GoPro.

Right. Let me set this straight. If you saw me with the GoPro you would say its on a selfie stick. Which it is. But only rarely do I ever point it back to the operator. I typically use it to lift the camera either above a crowd, or beyond fence lines, barriers, and ideally over big drops.

However, all of you that hate those with a passion, myself included in most situations, your wishes almost came true. I was doing my ususal of “wafting” the GoPro around on the end of a 4ft metal pole, when I noticed two things; I could now hear thunder, and secondly and most importantly, the metal railing I was near, was crackling with static, when you got near to it. I am not joking in the slightest. The air was electric. As such, I decided to retreat to the car and join the others, before justice was served on the selfie-stick wielding tosspot.

As it turned out, the weather became a big part of today. At Bryce Point, the rain abated after only a few minutes and the pavements were dry within what seemed seconds.

(Slight aside here, but it was whilst it was raining, that I was in a Facebook Messenger conversation with my sister. Just think about that. I’m 9,000ft up in the back of beyond and yet I’m getting 4G data, and conversing with someone over 5,000 miles away. Instantly. What a world we live in!)

As it was dry, sunny and warmer, this time, all three of us disembarked our Monster Vehicle and headed to the viewpoint. This time the weather was good enough for me to retake my photos and do some slightly safer wafting with the GoPro. You lot don’t realise the risks I take, in delivering these blogs! (Insert the crying-laughing emoji, here or if not imagine it was here).

The thunder inevitably became more visible in the form of lightning, but a safer “further off”. As such, I have some of it on camera somewhere in amongst todays 1000’s of photos/video clips. One day, I may even find them!

A few more stop-offs, and then we called at Sunset Point. Charlie had “had enough” of canyons, so abused the 4G, whilst Jane and I went for a wander. We took the trail up to Inspiration Point, and then headed back down to Sunset to follow the Navajo (Loop) Trail. We had overcast with intermittent sun, so we got some great opportunities to take photos, with the ever-changing light, as we headed down into the canyon.

Many of the spires are named after what someone thought they looked like or a silhouette that they saw. To be honest, I think many of these were named by pot-smoking, high-as-a-kites, as some take a large leap of imagination to grasp. However some are actually pretty good. In one photo, we managed to capture three of the better ones; Thors Hammer, The Presidents (think Mount Rushmore, not Obama/Trump), and Queen Victoria, in her bustled pomp.

After which we saw the switchbacks down into the canyon, realised that meant there must be the equivalent going up, and so used Charlie being on his own as a convenient excuse to bottle it and go back up to the car!

Realising we hadn’t had anything to eat since our epic toast breakfast and that it was now getting on for 5pm, we decided it was going to have to be a “Subway” tea from the outfit about 5 miles down the road, as Charlie was “starving” apparently. The idea was, pick up a take-out Subway sandwich and then go back into the park to Sunrise (yep, not Sunset), and eat with a view.

Back at the car, we all nipped to the loo, and on our depart came out to a downpour. A “sprint” across the car park back to the Explorer, and off to Subway.  8 minutes later we parked up in front of the entrance. 20 minutes later we drove off back to Kanab without having had an opportunity to get out of the car!

As we pulled up, it began raining heavily. Then the wind picked up as well. Then there was lightning – very near by, given the thunder clap was almost instantaneous. Then we were bombarded by hailstones the size of a marble (just the normal sized ones, not the bigger tollies). Then it carried on raining heavily. After 20 minutes the executive decision was taken to “Bugger this! Lets go home!”.

So we did. Only to find that within 5 minutes of heading south the temperatures were up by 8/9deg and it was cracking the (very dry) flags. (Translation: The pavements were dry and warm).

We passed Fall Out Boy, and this time Charlie was on the lookout. I was delighted that I’d struck a chord. When we passed it, he actually guffawed, and told me it was nothing like a Power Armour Suit! Oh well. As I said, I did try.

We ended up having a McDonalds in Kanab, and then headed back to the hotel, via me calling at a “Gas Station” to buy a 2 pack of AAA batteries and a six-pack of weak (3.2%) ale.

The batteries are for a set of portable clippers I brought with me. Being a man of few follicles, I shave my head (a “Number One”) every two weeks. On a Friday. Or Saturday. I like to mix things up. But not too much. Anyway, I’m two weeks since my last cut, so decided it was time for a trim.

New batteries in, just to be sure of rapid oscillation of clippers, and in I went.

And then I had one of those moments when you realise you made a grave miscalculation. Three 1″-wide, totally “down to the scalp” tramlines later, and the clippers packed in. I sit here now having had to fully razor my hair off. It feels weird. It looks weird.

And the evening didn’t end there, because I nipped in to the shower to rid myself of itchy hair bits, and then came back to the desk to write this blog. You may not wish to know this, but I’m sat here typing this with just my boxers on (even with the aircon on, its still warm).

So, I pity the lad and his mam and dad, who somehow, just put a roomcard in the door, opened it (not exactly filling me with confidence, that bit), to walk in on some very, very bald, almost naked, fat bloke hunched over a laptop, typing frantically with an impassioned expression on his face. Goodness only knows what they think I was doing!

Hopefully one day, when his therapist declares his trauma over, he will read this blog and understand.

Night all!

Here’s just a brief taster of the 42 mile drive through Cottonwood Canyon, heading north.

https://youtu.be/olHMe7nlOSA

Here’s a “Quik” video of our time at Horseshoe Bend, just outside of Page, AZ.

https://youtu.be/50toy7PyCs8

Thought I’d treat myself to a lie-in after only getting to bed at just before midnight (astrophotographers stay up late!).

So, not sure why 3 & a bit hours later, I was trying not to wake the others, with my failed attempt to sleep. By 4am, I’d had enough and decided it was time to make up for my tardiness the sunrise before.

I was out of the door for 4:30, for a 5:32am sunrise. It’s odd, actually getting up at the time I normally start waking up at home. (I’m not a good sleeper, btw).

Bag packed, battery chargers connected, tripod (which is genuinely on its last 3 legs) stowed, and a short drive back up to Yavapai Point, where I was less than 5 hours previous.

Out of the car, and up to the viewing point, where I was amazed at the number of people that had made the effort – not too many to spoil it, but enough to remind you how much of a privilege it is to see. And everyone “got it” – it was respectfully quiet, but good spirited as well. Except for a fella from Japan who was seemingly trying to “snot-snort” the Grand Canyon in a one’r.

Speaking of the Japanese, I forgot to mention yesterday, that whilst we had a butty up at Hermits Rest, an older couple and their son, sat next to us, and got their lunch out. We were inthralled!

Plastic box, branded, and in a sealed wrap. Once open, there’s a top tray that comes out. Noodle type things go in, then some other “stuff” from various sachets, except one that Son tells Dad not to open.

Son gets water, and the unopened sachet is opened to reveal what looked like a sanitary pad. This goes in the main container, water added, the top tray is put on top, and the lid is replaced on top and snapped closed.

A few minutes later the whole contraption whistles, emits steam from a vent, and then the lid popped off under pressure, making us jump and the Japanese family laugh at us (all in good taste). Hot food on the go!

Anyway, back to today, taking sunrise photos is a technical, logistical, and artistic challenge. The scene changes by the second, and there are two ”subjects” – the view east with the sun rising over the horizon and the view west where the sunlight starts to light up the red rocks in the canyon. Exposure is changing by the second as well! All good fun.

Sunrise was well and truly done by 7am, so I headed back to see if the others were up. They were, so we packed up the car and headed to Yavapai village for breakfast.

We checked out and headed up Highway 89 towards Page. It’s about 2 1/2 hours drive in to the town, and fairly uneventful (nothing to break the journey up).

We had booked a tour of Upper Antelope Slot Canyon back in April, and we were well aware that this was the only tour that had availability for today, and weren’t intending to leave any room to screw it up. As such, we decided to go straight to Chief Tsosie’s gaff and make sure we have the correct time, as we are right on a time border (Utah being an hour ahead, and Navajo regions acknowledge summertime and also are an hour ahead).

Major faux pas to start, having called in at Antelope Canyon Tours to check our booking, to be told to go over the road to Antelope Slot Canyon Tours. Doh!

With times confirmed (5pm Arizona time) we had a few hours to explore before we could check in, so drove by the hotel on the way out to Horseshoe Bend, which is only a mile or so out of town.

Parked up, and into >38deg heat, suncreme on, water bottles filled and a 3/4 mike hike through sand, over a hill and down to the bend. Loads of people to-ing and fro-ing, so was concerned that we may not see the Horseshoe without peering over someone’s shoulder.

Turns out that although it’s busy, we still got some great views. The “Darwin Awards” were also in full swing with some “brave” people walking out on a tiny outcrop over the +1000ft sheer drop. It’s surprising that only 3-4 people per year fall to their deaths here, tbh.

The walk back was a killer as well – a long slow drag up the hill through sand and towards the searing sun, but we made it back to the car, aircon on full, and more water drunk.

We then drove out over the Glen Canyon Dam, and on to Wahweap Marina for lunch, where we picnic’d with real Road Runners (“Beep! Beep!”). They’re smaller than I expected, and not blue. Disappointing.

As we ate, we watched two or three storms come in around us, with a background rumble and lots of lightning. Wonder if our canyon trip will be cancelled?

Back to the (really nice, brand new) hotel for 3pm to check in, where we crashed out, with the exception of Jane, who’s face had gone purple, and was now feeling sick and lightheaded. A cool shower and more to drink for her!

At Antelope SLOT Canyon Tours, we were allocated to Truck 7, where our driver and guide would look after us.

The trucks had two rows of bench seating in the modified flatbed, with a sun shade over the top, and after getting strapped in, we set off through Page and then off-road across the desert flood plain to the entrance to the Slot Canyon.

It’s a small entrance (it’s actually the exit for water) to a canyon formed by flooding, that still occurs today. It’s a canyon not a cave, as it’s open to the sky albeit through a very narrow slot. This means that light “beams down” to the canyon floor and lights up the multicoloured , water-carved rocks.

Our guide was amazing! He talked everyone through how to take great photos of all of the fantastic views, along with providing some history on the canyon, it’s occupancy and almost overnight fame. He even played his Navajo pan pipes for us at the end whilst in one of the larger caverns, which sounded fantastic.

Back on the trucks into town, and although covered in a dusting of red sand, we went straight for tea (that’s tea as in the evening meal – breakfast, dinner and tea, in that order!).

We ate at Stombollis, a family run Italian that’s been going since 1982. We know that, because Jane and I ate here on our honeymoon, 25 years ago, and again with Ann & Arthur in 2000!

The food was great, the cold Flagstaff Amber Ale even better, and then back to the hotel for some sleep – we are all “happy exhausted” again, as usual!

A more chilled-out day planned tomorrow, although I do need to speak to Yosemite Park and work out what we do about it being evacuated, due to the bush fires.

Night all – see you tomorrow!

Woke at 2:30am, so snook around the room, checking camera was charged, phone charged, tripod and connectors at the ready, in advance of a 5:29am sunrise.

It’s a 30 minute walk down the trail to Yavapai Point, and I really wanted to be there 30 minutes beforehand, so a half-four set off.

Next thing I knew, it was 4:50, I’d nodded off and I was behind schedule! Bugger. A quick round up of my gear, and out the door.

As I walked through the woods to the Canyon rim, a large brown fox-like thing stood and watched me hurry by. I presume it was a fox. And not a coyote. Either way, I was too slow to get a photo, as the moment I lifted the camera he legged it.

Once at the rim, I knew I’d missed the pre-dawn sky colours, but the pictures and views I wanted to see were going to evolve over an hour or so, as the sun starts to rise and the sunlight swings down into the canyon, slowly lighting up the different layers.

Well, I got a few nice pictures, but more importantly, I was so relaxed and enjoying the moment.

Back to the lodge, and then once Jane & Charlie we’re up, we packed our day gear, went for a quick breakfast (and an abuse of the WiFi, posting yesterday’s blog), and then a drive west to the Bright Angel Lodge.

Ditched the car, a quick bit of gift shop browsing. Charlie bought himself the least sharp “baby” pen knife, but I think it was the inscription that swung it for him.

“Whos that for?” I asked. “Me”, he replied. “So why does it say ‘SEXY’ on it?”, I asked. I got a shrug and no further answers.

(Btw, it’s still “hotter than a snakes ass in a wagon rut” here, and still in the high 30s).

The plan was to take the bus (no cars past certain points), to Hermits Rest, at the most westerly point and then work back. We got to the bus queue though and nearly turned back to home. I reckon at one bus (70 people) per 15 mins, you were looking at at least an hours wait. No thanks!

Despite Charlie not being full of beans about the plan, we decided to take the rim trail to the next bus stop (and viewpoint), just short of a mile on. Although hot and hilly, we took it easy and got there within

20 minutes plus stoppage time for those moments when Jane & Charlie realised they had 4G!

I’ll not bore on about each of the many vantage points we stopped at. Suffice to say it’s a big hole 5000 foot deep, with some 3000ft vertical drops from the rim. It’s incredible, but words and pictures won’t convey just how incredible it is.

We got back to the car after lunch, and drove to Yavapai Point, watched an IMAX film about the canyon formation and growth of tourism, and then came back for a rest!

After a massive pizza tea, Jane & Charlie caught up on Internetty things, and I buggered off on my own to photograph the sunset, dusk and then the night sky. Nerd alert!

First thing I saw however were a group of elk, just roughing down in the evening sun. Bless ’em.

Not my best photos, as I tried mucking about with a few setting and experimenting. Some worked, some didn’t.

Must find out about the huge fire that’s burning over on the North Rim. As the sun went down, it was incredible to see how big and bright it was, given its probably 15 miles wide at that point.

On the walk back, despite it being an almost full gibbous moon (which makes deep sky astrophotography more difficult, due to its brightness), so had to be a bit more “creative” and use that to my advantage.

A keen start tomorrow, as we’ve a fair drive, and would like to see some of Lake Powell before we go and meet Navajo Chief Tsosie, who’s taking us down into Antelope Slot Canyon.

Catch you later!

Disappointed with the hotel last night, albeit “budget”. The guy who checked us in was so “un-American” with his service. Made us wait while he took a series of calls on his own mobile, and was brusque even when he eventually deigned to check us in.

The room was shabby chic without the chic, the aircon wasn’t cold enough, and the breakfast was, well, basic. Aye well, it was just one night and we’ve moved on again.

We set off around 7:30am and had a well planned route up to “GC”.

Back along Route 66, and then a left onto the 86 North. All very casual for us now! After a half hour or so, we turned off and headed around the Sunset Crater Volcano loop.

Our first stop was at a short trail which took us around a basalt lava field, the product of the volcano, that overshadowed us.

We parked up in an empty lay-by, only for the next car to park immediately next to us, making it difficult to even open the doors. In fact the berk also walked off without closing his sliding door on the side. I had our door open to get the camera out, he pressed his remote door close and his hit our door, thankfully not marking or dinting, but bloody annoying all the same.

Anyway, the trail was really cool. A huge swathe of Black lava, that had ripped up trees before solidifying. If my memory of my O Level Geography and plate tectonics section serves me well, the high basalt content makes it flow, whereas lower basalt is more rocky. Or it may be the other way around. Anyway this was sharp, pumice-like rocks, that weigh very little. A’a lava, I think?

On from there we did another, longer trail, which started from a newly redeveloped car park and trail head. A bigger lava field and literally onto the side of the volcano.

Sated with volcanoey things for one day, we moved on down the road, stopping briefly to see the “Painted Desert Vista”, another pueblo (Charlie confessed he’s “pueblo’d out, so gave that a miss), and then back on the main road towards the Grand Canyon.

The road in is long, and we’ll be driving back down it in a couple of days when we head up to Lake Powell. To break it up, we stopped at the Little Colorado River Viewing point, and gave Charlie his first take of a big canyon and drop off.

A touch of vertigo later, and down the road to the main entrance, where the “America is Beautiful”

annual pass served us proud again and got us in for nowt. To be fair, it’s $35/vehicle which is a decent price to see such a wonder.

First stop was at the Desert View Watchtower (which looks ancient, but is actually steel framed and then clad!). Charlie sat right on the edge and took it all in. Even the unflappable can be flapped at such an impressive view!

To give an idea of scale, it’s a 23 mile drive from the entrance to the main “hub” at Yavapai, and there’s another 7/8 miles further west.

We stopped at a few more views and:

a) admired the view

b) questioned people who bring dogs to a very very hot, high altitudes desert

c) watched natural selection at work as all sorts of eejits, climbed beyond the guide ropes just to get that real “on the edge” selfie.

Eventually we got to Yavapai and checked in to our family “lodge” – 2x queen beds plus a bunk bed. Done really well, and as you would expect, very ecologically/environmentally low impact where possible when catering for over 5 million visitors per year.

We had a quick meal in the restaurant (cantina, tbh), and then a mooch in the General Store. My purchase was a six pack selection of my own making of beers.

I’m writing this as I just start on an orange and tangerine-peel infused New Belgium Brewing “Citradelic” IPA at 6%, but confess that I had previously had their Voodoo Ranger, which has a picture of a skeleton in a WW II flying suit on the front. He must have crashed, to inspire the “cut pine and citrus” flavours, but given its 9%(!) ABV, was probably the reason he crashed in the first place!

We’re knackered so going to skip tonight’s sunset, but I’m aiming for “sunrise on the rim” tomorrow. Is this a theme emerging here?

Night all!