Go West 2018 Final Chapter

It’s time to head back home – but how do we get out of this cluster of carved canyons?  Without going backwards - up and around the way we came in, the best way was to head south to Arizona before we could head east.  That path led us thru the Glen Canyon

National Park.  Driving thru the desert that early morning, we experienced the mirage of a lake in the middle of that tan & gray pile of sand and rocks!  Lake Powell is said to be one of the most beautiful lakes in the world and is one of the largest man made lakes in North America.  We found the sprawling marina sitting high on the hill over looking the valley of blue that was dotted with a

plethora of quietly moored houseboats and fancy yachts.  We had passed and had also been passed by 3 semi trucks pulling triple axel trailers, each with a massive houseboat on board.  We waited and watched as, one at a time, all three boats were slowly driven down the long wide road called the boat ramp and ever so painstakingly turned and then carefully backed into the water below.  With that task accomplished we headed off to find that huge cement block that was holding back all that water!  The lake was formed when the Glen Canyon Dam was built in 1963 on the

Colorado River.  It is a replica of the famed Hoover Dam on Lake Mead but is 16 ft shorter.  We were just in time for the first tour of the day.   We rode 10 stories down from the Carl Hayden Visitor Center, and out onto the curved top of the massive cement structure before entering yet another elevator and going further down to see the massive turbines below.

Rt 98 connected to Rt 160 and we followed along till we reached the 4 corners area of Utah/Arizona/New Mexico and Colorado.  We were driving thru an Indian Reservation but chose not to “donate” $5 each to enter their small fenced in area just to take pictures. We pushed on, up thru Cortez, Colorado for the night and then on to Mesa Verde National Park the next morning.  As we climbed that mountain’s crooked road, the full moon was still hanging in the marshmallow sky at

dawn. We found the ancient Pueblo homes still nestled beneath the huge overhanging cliffs.  Years ago we had joined a tour group to tread those walkways and climb the narrow ladders and walk the ledges of the “Cliff Palace” – but no more!   Not these bones!

In Durango we retraced more steps from previous trips! This time we took time to tour the cluttered but impressive Railroad Museum!  We found the hotel where I took a picture of the busy street and the mountain behind that looked as tho it was right in the next block - just like the picture I took way back then!

Remember CW McCall and his hilarious song “Wolf Creek Pass” – about some truckers who had chickens stacked to 13.9 and the tunnel was only 12 ft high? “ Headin’ on down to Pagosa Springs”!  We ate dinner in a lovely restaurant in Pagosa Springs and then headed up the wiggly, winding stretch of road that led thru TWO tunnels and a myriad of hairpin curves – up 10,000 ft closer to

heaven!  The rocks became granite gray and the trees were now mostly erect spruce with a splattering of golden yellow aspens in the mix. Our ears popped and then popped again with each rise and fall of elevation!

The terrain leveled out the farther east we drove.  We took a chance on checking out another National Park before the day was over but wished we had left the Great Sand Dunes National Park for someone else to explore.  The Silver Lake Dunes and the Sleeping Bear National Park in

Michigan put this pile of sand to shame.  H did get to try out his little gray burro on the narrow 2-track road tho before we left the cold and windy park.

With that disappointing stop behind us, we were now ready to really head for home.  Each day of our journey out and back, we made a point to stop and visit at least one park or town per day.  Dodge City and Boot Hill made the list for that day but it was also a let down.  On across Kansas, our chosen road was not an expressway but rural back roads lined with acres of feed lots full of black cattle and endless fields of sweet smelling fresh cut green hay or tasseled fields of ripening sorghum.  On the way out west we tackled all the big cities we encountered, but on our return trip we sidestepped them all!

In Missouri, we chose to stop in Hannibal to see if Mark Twain was at home.

No, he was not and neither was Becky Thatcher but we did stroll thru the restored Mississippi River town!  The ladies in the Visitor Center were most helpful in directing us to each site!  In the

historic area we found Mark’s whitewashed house and his father’s office building next door.  Attached to the house was the famous white fence that Huck allowed his friends to paint for him.  The bucket of whitewash was right where they had left it!  A mile south of town we found Lover’s Leap – a 200-foot high overlook of the majestic Mississippi River with its barges and picturesque paddlewheel boats and the town of Hannibal perched on its shore.

Two more states lay before us so we pressed on with only stopping each night for rest – first was Illinois, then Indiana.   Lunch in Defiance Ohio with dear NCR friends, and we were finally home!  

Go West 2018 Part 2

Canyonland

On our way out west we stayed in name brand motels but in Green River we noticed a neat and tidy little “ma & pa” motel complete with a neon sign out front that proclaimed Sleepy Hollow Motel!  Flowerpots with overflowing flowers and big planters with brightly colored coleus adorned the walkways and afforded privacy for the little patio area right outside our door.  The lady in the front office was friendly and helpful! Our two-night stay went fast!

Green River sits in a peaceful valley surrounded by rough-hewn red cliffs and deep ragged cracks in the earth.  Nearby are Canyonland National Park and Arches National Park!  To describe these amazing creations of GOD is just about impossible for me!  Even our most colorful photos do not do any of the national parks justice!  Canyonland’s architects are said to be water and gravity - layers of sedimentary rock cut into hundreds of canyons, mesas, buttes, fins, arches and spires.  We toured only the northern section – Island in the Sky.  In the one photo H selected, you can see a

Canyonland

white line wiggling its way thru the canyon. The White Rim Road winds down and around and then snakes its way thru other canyons before it ends up all the way on the other side of the park!  It is strictly for 4x4 vehicles with special permits. I told H – NO!  His little 4x4 Jeep was not going do that today!  So, we headed for Moab to find lunch instead!

We had visited Arches National Park YEARS ago on the big red

bike but this time, the entrance and winding roads were all new to

Road up into Arches Nat. Pk.

us.  The deep red cliffs lined the road to the park and once past the backed up traffic at the entrance booth, the skinny 2 lane did it’s snake dance and we drove up between strange formations and jagged spires.  Red arches, windows and precariously balanced rocks dotted the landscape.  Specific formations had descriptive names like: The Courthouse, The Gossips, Delicate Arch, etc.  We hiked to several and at one scenic turnout we squeezed thru a narrow crack between

Arches Nat. Pk.

2 massive vertical slabs to see yet another arch! 

Our next day’s destination was the small touristy town of Kanab, which involved going farther west on US70 and then south on Rt 89 to find it. Our morning ride took us thru a long flat green valley that was filled with verdant green fields of hay, corn or sorghum. Small towns were stacked up against the sides of the slanted green mountains on either edge or along the Sevier River that divided it.  Bright yellow flowers edged the skinny black line of blacktop that lay out in front of us.  Kanab is the closest town for Zion, Bryce and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.  Motel prices were exorbitant!  We were referred to a small (8 room!) ”ma & pa” motel called Travelers.  On any other occasion – we would have driven right by!  The owner, Rebecca was friendly and accommodating and we were offered the newly renovated 1^st floor room in the front – instead of the tiny older furnished room up the steep open stairway.  Offering cash also gave us a better price!   Once settled we were off to explore Bryce National Park!

Just past the entrance gate we were greeted by a small group of

delicate deer and several fuzzy fawns!  They stood munching grass and staring at us as we slowly drove by and snapped photos!   Bryce Canyon is an amazing collection of white capped, red, bulbous, statuesque columns called “hoodoos”.  Half way thru our visit, we noticed a thick layer of smoke rising from the canyon in the distance.  Each new stopping place brought us closer and closer.  At the very end of the park road, at “Rainbow Point”, some of the walks and trails were closed

Bryce Canyon

off with signs regarding the “burn” that was taking place below us.  Forest workers were systematically cutting down pine trees and brush in the parking areas.  Their controlled burn prep was called “mechanical fuel reduction”!  Large piles of cut limbs and branches were piled throughout the now slimmed down landscape.

The north rim of the Grand Canyon was our next park to visit! 

Grand Canyon

Much quieter and with fewer tourists, we had room to wander and explore the 1930’s Lodge and cabin area.  From the lodge we could see a tall, narrow, ledge that jutted out over the hazy canyon below. Sturdy metal railings were out at the point but at one section the only thing to hang onto was a scrub tree with a well-worn branch that was now shiny where everyone grabbed onto it to steady oneself as we/they carefully stepped down the flat uneven slabs called “steps”!   Talk about twittering tummies!   Finishing up our “stop and view” of this park we headed back past Kanab to retrace our drive thru Zion N.P.  It’s not the same as before either! The park is now so filled with visitors that to view the main section you must take a shuttle bus!  We entered the park from the east and wound our way along with the stop and go traffic, thru the mile

Zion

long narrow 1920’s tunnel.  Vehicles are now much larger so traffic is on a one-lane basis.  The 3 rough-hewn “windows”, cut out of the tunnel’s wall were just where we remembered them!  Rock formations in Zion resemble waves and “brains” instead of tall jagged columns.  Colors were white and pink instead of

Zion

reds and corals.  Our visit to the visitor center and drive thru the campground was enough for the day and we headed back to Kanab.  BUT – on the way we still managed to find time to locate the Coral Dunes State Park and gather a water bottle full of pretty pink sand!

Sand Dunes

Go West 2018 Part 1

Of course, the night before we’re scheduled to head out on an adventure – neither one of us sleeps well.  Up early and the little “burro” was loaded.  Lights and timers checked, water turned off, house and garage locked – let’s go!  It’s been a bunch of years since we’ve been out west but the route was the same – US24 to Ft Wayne and beyond.  When my sons were small we used to travel the same route each summer when they got to spend time on my sister & brother in law’s farm in western Indiana.  US24 went straight thru Ft Wayne and the boys delighted in watching the traffic lights change from red to green in front of us ALL the way thru town. Then the expressways came on the scene and we circled the town via Rt469 around the south end of town and then a shortcut back to 24.  Now Rt 24 has been switched to around the north end and it threw me for a loop but we regained our bearings and on we went!   US 70 took us from Indiana to Central Illinois with a night in Effingham.

With the sunrise at our backs we continued on and slid into the backed up “go to work” traffic in East St Louis!  We were

catapulted over a bridge and had to fight our way thru one-way streets to find a parking spot near the National Park that sits on the edge of the river. The Gateway Arch is the same but now has an awesome museum and new entrance nestled below the towering shiny metal arch.  It’s still dizzying to stand at the base and attempt to look up to the top!  We waited our turn and then obediently climbed into the “dryer tub” drum and held our breath as it slowly churned its way to the top,

along with the captive folks in the 7 other freshly painted “canisters”.  At 630 feet high, the narrow, curved viewing area was noisy with the excited chatter of visitors jockeying to get a good view of the Mississippi River on the east side or the old courthouse and downtown on the west side.  In the early morning sunlight, the arch cast a long dark shadow over the Park’s campus and buildings below!  On our way back to the “dryer tub” to return to terra firma, I was overheard making a comment about how dark and steep the steps down to the transfer tub was, so we were given #3 to wait for instead of one farther down!  Down and out into the humid and hot downtown weather we quickly found our way back to the patiently waiting Jeep and headed west across Missouri and entered into Kansas.

When we traveled on the big red motorcycle (back in our much younger days) we always said:  It took us 4 days to cross Kansas - one afternoon! This time we stopped in Topeka for the night! 

Abilene was next on our list of places to stop to explore.  The town was founded in 1857 and was named after a Bible verse: Luke 3:1, which described Abilene - a region in Galilee as the City of the Plains.  Wild Bill Hickok with the Chisholm Trail came next!  Now the town’s claim to fame is “the town that raised a president” as this is where Dwight D Eisenhower grew up.  We found his childhood home and his Presidential Library but again, we were too early so we walked the grounds and then continued our westward route.

In Oakley Kansas we found the Buffalo Bill Cultural Center and it’s twice life size bronze sculpture of Buffalo Bill Cody on his

horse, Chisholm - pursuing a buffalo!  25 miles south of Oakley we bravely followed the seemingly endless, excessively dusty, gravel road to find Monument Rocks, which were out in the middle of NO WHERE!  Also called the Chalk Pyramids, these 50 ft majestic chalk spires are the eroded remains from sedimentary deposits from melting glaciers and seaway – 80 million years ago!

Eastern Kansas is agricultural. Western Kansas is – WESTERN – dry and tan – as is eastern Colorado.  Limon was as far as we dared travel that day since Denver was the next Mega Town that we would need to endure.   Our bodies were still on Ohio time so we were up at 5am Colorado time – 7am Ohio time.  On the road just as the sun was climbing out of its slumber in the eastern sky – we ended up in “go to work” traffic crawling thru the Mile High City!   On the far side of Denver, the terrain changed from flat and

brownish gray to colorful rock formations and mesas standing high above the winding expressway below.  Imagine taking a beach bucket and standing a brick inside it.  Then fill it with damp sand and turn the bucket over – letting the drying sand gently fall down the sides of the brick.  As we passed one unique formation, yet another would appear on the horizon.  The winding, ever climbing Rt70 followed the valleys and narrow passes thru the Rockies and let us stop at 12000 ft and the ski village of Vail.  Even in 80 plus degree weather the upscale resort area was busy with tourists strolling in and out of small boutiques and up and down the brick walkways.  Our strolling was done and it was time to move on!  One more stop was at a scenic

turnout, complete with a serene little reflection lake and bright yellow Aspens glowing on the mountainside behind it.   UTAH was our destination - Green River the town.