And The ADVENTURE Continues...: August 2015

Sunday, August 30, 2015

August 30, 2015 Travel day to Page, AZ (Antelope Canyon)

Sunday, August 30, 2015 Travel day to Page, AZ (Antelope Canyon)

We decided to leave Zion National Park early (by 2 days). We had done the hikes that I could do. Angel's Landing was too strenuous and the narrows was too long and I couldn't afford to slip on the rocks in the water. So we headed to Page, AZ. There seems to be a lot of things to see and do there. I personally really wanted to go into a big slot canyon. The one that you see in all the pictures.

We arrived at Wahweap Campground & RV Park. This is a gorgeous park. The campground is laid out very well. The sites are spacious and are level. We have a pull through site. There is a marina, restaurants and hotel on the premises. Not to mention the scenery. You can see part of Lake Powell from our campsite. Absolutely amazing. The water is very blue and the background of red and white is incredible.

We took a quick ride into Page to see if we could make some arrangements for tomorrow. The only way that we could go into the canyons was to be escorted. We are on Native American land and they have control. So tomorrow we are going to explore the Upper and Lower Antelope Canyons. I am very excited!

we are seeing these all over the place

Sunrise this morning on the rocks

Our KOA campsite

Quail Creek Reservoir

SOME PICTURES ALONG THE WAY

this looks like a ship

Our campsite at Wahweap

Antelope Canyon

Glen Canyon Bridge

One of many houseboats on Lake Powell

Lake Powell

Look at these swirls

A little ground squirrel

August 29, 2015 Rest day-No post for today

Friday, August 28, 2015

August 28, 2015 Hikes in Zion National Park

Friday, August 28, 2015 Hikes in Zion National Park

We were out the door by 6am and arrived at the park close to 7am. We caught the tour bus and started our hike at Zion Lodge. We walked the Grotto Trail, the Kayenta Trail then we continued to the Middle, Upper and then Lower Emerald Pool Trail. We caught the bus and stopped at Temple of Sinawava and decided to continue our hike and do the Riverside Walk till it reached the beginning of the narrows.

The trails were good, the pools were a nice place to rest and the riverside walk was beautiful. We saw the rock walls and their small waterfalls, we saw a swamp that was very pretty and the hanging gardens. There was plenty to see and admire.

We were starting to slow down a little bit on the return trip from the narrows. When we got back to where we had to pick up the bus we had walked a total of 9 miles. No wonder why we were starting to slow down. We caught the bus and made our way to the car. The only downside to this day was it was very hard to take pictures out of their buses. The window only opened in front of you or behind you by about 3-4 inches. I understand their reasoning but the whole purpose was to enjoy the scenery but also to capture these wonderful things with a camera for all to enjoy that couldn’t make it to the park. So folks pictures are very limited except when we were hiking.

Total miles hiked today 9 miles!!!!! WooHoo!!!!! New plateau.

HERE IS A RECAP OF OUR TRIP SO FAR:

We have been on the road for 5 months now.

RV has traveled over 11,000 miles

Car has been driven over 5700 miles

Our favorite state so far has been Oregon

The most picturesque place we have seen is Bryce National Park

Highest elevation has been 9600 feet

Highest temperature has been 109 degrees

Lowest temperature has been 38 degrees

Longest we have hiked has been 9 miles

Have driven through 22 states

Best campground has been West Yellowstone Grizzly RV Park
Pat has taken over 10,000 pictures---Crazy picture lady!!!!!

Mike has lost 25 pounds---go Michael

THE GROTTO

SOMEONE IS ALWAYS WATCHING

THE VIRGIN RIVER

OUR HIKING PATH

MIDDLE EMERALD POOL

UPPER EMERALD POOL

MIKE WITH A WATERFALL BEHIND HIM

LOWER EMERALD POOL

LOOKING FOR HANDOUTS-NO JEFF I DID NOT FEED HIM

AN OASIS

ENTRANCE TO THE NARROWS

THE VIRGIN RIVER SMALL WATERFALL

HANGING GARDENS

OUR PATH

DO YOU DARE TO WALK UNDER THIS ROCK

CHECKOUT HOW HIGH THESE ROCKS ARE

THE SWAMP

ANGELS LANDING PEOPLE ACTUALLY HIKE TO THE TOP OF THIS RIDGE

A GOOD PLACE TO EAT IN SPRINGDALE-WILDCAT WILLIES

August 27, 2015 Travel day to Hurricane (Zion National Park) and quick trip into Zion

Thursday, August 27, 2015 Travel day to Hurricane (Zion National Park) and quick trip into Zion

We took our time this morning as we didn’t want to get to our KOA campground too early as there is a $15.00 early check in fee. The day was clear and uneventful till we got to ½ mile from the campground. Our GPS told us to take Old Highway 91. It went from a tar road to a gravel road with lots of pot holes. As we came over the top of a hill we saw that the bottom of the road had a dip in it and it looked as if there was a lot of mud on the road. Mike unhooked the car and then walked down to it. Nope we had to somehow turn around. We tried but the road wasn’t wide enough. So I drove the car and Mike backed the RV until we found a place to turn around. We did find a wide enough space to turn around and found another way to the campground. That is the first time that we had to do that!!!

We wasted some time at Walmart and then we checked in. The campground is kind of small for a KOA but it was what we needed. We setup the RV and off we went to see what Zion was all about.

We went through the 2 tunnels, one being 1.1 miles long. The mountains or rock cliffs are enormous. We missed a turn that was to take us to the scenic route but as we were coming down we tried to drive it in the car but that is not allowed, you have to take their tour buses. You have no choice. So we mapped out our hikes for tomorrow and found out how early we could catch the buses. We want to get an early start as the temperature was going to be in the 100’s.