Mama's Bike Held Hostage

and other adventures at the Grand Canyon!  The day began early for John! He arose at 4:30 to get an early start down to the canyon. After checking in at Bright Angel Lodge he headed down the Keibab trail. He will spend the night down there and we expect to see him coming up the Bright Angel trail late tomorrow morning.

The rest of the family got a much slower start. We set off several hours later to see the canyon.  The park encourages using the shuttle so we hopped aboard and figured that out. We took in the views from the rim and walked up to Hemit's Rest. At the Hopi house we took in a tradional dance before renting bikes for Adelaide and Mama. Later in the afternoon, the mama was filling water bottles at the spiquot when Adelaide said, "Uh, Mama?" Then "Mama, behind you." Not two feet away were two female elk also come to get a drink at the dripping faucet. Mama moved off fast when one of the elk made eye contact and made a no-nonsense move to tell us that it was their turn! After a bit they moved off enough that we could retrieve the bike and return to whizzing around the park.

Hoover Dam

The excitement of the day began with breakfast. We stopped at a Krispy Kreme donut shop where we could smell the donuts being made as soon a s we exited the car. This is the second time we have had this experience in our travels and no less exciting. The employees dropped the donuts in the oil and we watched them make their way through the fryolator on the way to be iced and them plucked off after some cooling to be out on racks. Of course we ordered the warm fresh donuts off the rack. If you ever get a chance to see this and sample the melt in your mouth goodness, you will not be disappointed.

Our first sight at Hoover Dam was Lake Mead. It was very blue and actually had a marina. That was surprising since so many reservoirs do not allow motorized boats. The lake level seemed low and we observed a white layer all around it-- the top of which we took to be a more normal level. We took the power plant tour. Incredibly the electricity generation was an after thought to finance the construction of the dam which had the main emphasis of creating a stable water supply for the region. 

Interesting tidbits about the Hoover Dam:

The volume of water in Lake Mead would cover the state of Pennsylvania with a depth of 12 inches.

It was originally called the Boulder Canyon Dam even though it is actually in the Black Canyon.

It was completed in 4 years- 2 years ahead of schedule and under budget. That's something that doesn't happen often these days!

Las Vegas

It was a day of contrasts. We departed Zion and descended several thousand feet into the flat desert until we arrived in Las Vegas. It was only 109 degrees F--apparently a cool down from the 117 of a few days ago. Our hotel was a block away from The Strip so we walked over to take it all in. The first casino we went in was the Flamingo. The kids wanted John to try a slot machine so they stood on the gray walkway (kids are only allowed to pass through the casino floor- not stop) while he gambled his dollar. He cashed out when he won 23 cents! Woo hoo! We walked through several hotel/casinos. Such opulence in some of them! The heat did us in so we went back to the hotel until evening. It was sensory overloading experience with the throngs of people, music, and lights! A highlight was seeing the famous fountains in front of the Belagio.  We had hoped to find an all you can eat buffet but our timing was off and we were looking too late in the evening. We capped the evening with a refreshing late night swim in the pool.

Zion Day 2

The weather forecast for today was pointing to 102 F, so we planned our day to beat the heat.  We got up before the sun, and rode the Zion shuttle to its final stop, the Temple of Sinawava.  There we donned the water wetsocks, water shoes, and sturdy walking sticks and began our trek up the Virgin River.  

This hike was actually hardly a normal hike.  In some parts we walked on sand and rocks, but for the most part, we walked IN the river.   It was usually 1 to 2 feet deep with canyone walls rising 1500 feet vertially to the left and right.  In places the water rushed by our legs and it was a challenge to find the next foot hold.  And in other places, the water was more slow moving.  At some points we had to clamber over boulders that all but blocked our passage.  And in a couple of places the water was up to our chests.  Here we had to hold our backpacks over our heads and walk very carefully.

Despite it being a very narrow channel (a slot canyon) there were some signs of wildlife .. ravens, flowers, a young tree, and even a horrible looking worm crater.  Adelaide told me it was a parasitic worm.  There was lots of moss on the walls and occasionally water falls or invisible gurgling noises.  An occasional raven soared over head.

All told the family covered about 9 miles in this way.  Nicholas probably covered about 13 miles as he explored more than we could get to. Overall a remarkable day seeing the river that has been busily at work for millions of years, carving the canyon of Zion National Park 

Zion National Park

Our last morning at Bryce we arose early and were all packed up by 8 am. Our aim was to be at Zion around 10 to secure a campsite which was first come first serve.  We saw and smelled.smoke from the Brian Head fire during our entire drive. We entered Zion through the east entrance which was spectacular. We drove down hairpin curves, through long tunnels, and were awed by the beauty of the canyon. Unfortunately, we found that the campground was full. We had a mad scramble to find accommodations and ended up in an hotel in the adjoining town of Springdale. This is a town that seems to have gone through a big growth spurt in a short amount of time. It was filled with new hotels. It also had a laundromat--an important detail on road trips!!

Springdale is set up as a gateway to Zion and they have a free shuttle to bring you to the park. Once there, you need to hop on another shuttle because the park is car free. Smoke from the forest fire had settled into the canyon so everything was hazy, but it was still grand. It was an extremely hot day so we just did a preview of the park. Tomorrow we explore more.

Bryce Day 2

Saturday June 23, started early at Bryce's campsite #61.   The 3 am visit to restroom revealed that the previous days smoke clouds had moved elsewhere and the full glory of the milky way was laid plain over our heads.  Amazing!  We learned that this area is indeed one of the best dark sky regions in the country.  It's also one of the quietest.

The normal morning started with a novel camp breakfast innovation:  Pillsbury crescent roll dough stretched around a forked stick and toasted over the campfire.  Remarkably tasty.  

We drove up to rainbow point at the very south end of Bryce Canyon National Park.  Lots more hoodoos, cliffs, and ridges.  Here it was easy to see the capstone layers protecting the underlying more crumbly materials creating these remarkable vertical shapes.  The road rose up to 9000 ft and passed in and out of the smokey haze.

We also visited Bryce point, and Visitor Center with some excellent geological tutorials and displays.  (There also was a moving violation as John overlooked a stop sign, but fortunately the park officer let us off the hook.)

Later in the afternoon, John completed a hike of the 8 mile Fairyland loop trail .  At the same time as the smoke from the wildfire in the adjacent forest darkened the sky and made the sun just a dim red disk.  

Dinner was the again a campfire first for the Notte's:  Pizza - another camping meal planned by Adelaide.  It was good and surprisingly easy to clean up.  

We also learned that while the days can be hot ( 107 F at peak) and dry, the evenings can be remarkably cold.  This night got to 40 F, making Michele and John shiver through the night.  The super lightweight sleeping bags were perhaps not the best choice for camping in the high desert at the canyon rim.  

Bryce Canyon National Park

We arrived at Bryce in the late morning and were lucky enough to grab a premier camp site!  It is about 12 feet from the rim trail. We have a little side path that leads up to it. We couldn't have planned this any better. The sites filled up soon after we arrived so we feel doubly fortunate.

The views from the rim are so dramatic! Of course they were pretty spectacular from the canyon too. We took the Navaho Loop trail to the Queen's Garden trail and saw several of the famed hoodoos. It seemed like there was another "Wow!" moment at each bend of the trail.

Another dramatic scene today was the smoke rolling in from a forest fire about 75 miles away in the town of Brian Head within the Dixie National Forest. We had noticed a white haze approaching Bryce this morning but by late afternoon it was thick and dark over portions of the park. The sun looked crimson through the dark gray. 

Hillside Letters

We have seen several hillside letters in our Utah travels. The first was the big Y in Provo for Brigham Young University. These mountain monograms or geoglypjs are put up by schhols or towns to show achool or civic pride.  Apparently they are very common in the western states. Utah has at least 73.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillside_letters

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_hillside_letters_in_Utah

The Great Salt Lake

The big, still snow-covered mountains surrounding Provo were such a surprise to most of us when we stepped out this morning!  We probably should have expected it given our train journey yesterday, but we were pretty amazed at the views.  These mountains also trap in pollution and the whole Provo-Salt Lake City region is very hazy. At few years ago Provo apparently earned the reputation of having the nation's worst air quality.

We drove a hour north to the Great Salt Lake. It has shrunk over the years. We stopped by the  Saltair Pavilion which was built from an old air force hangar. It is the third pavilion built on the site but now the lake waters have receded so much that it is quite a walk to reach the water. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saltair_(Utah)

The former lake bottom was crunchy to walk on and could be lifted up in small flat pieces.  The water's edge was line with a two foot wide black section. One would think it was just a different colored sand like the beaches back home, bit in fact it was a mass of tiny bugs!  They didn't bite or bother us bit there were so many!!  We waded in the lake.  The water was shallow and very warm.  As soon as we stepped out, we could see salt on our legs.  We visited the nearby state park for further information. We learned that the lake is 75 miles long and 35 miles wide with an average depth of 14 feet and the deepest part at 29 feet.  It has a salinity of 17%.  And brine shrimp are the largest living organism in the lake.

Through the Rockies and on to Provo

 Our morning journey out from Denver was filled rock hewn tunnels, snow capped peaks, and mountain lakes. We went through 30+ tunnels--the longest being the 6.2 mile Moffatt Tunnel. It opened in 1928 after 4 years of construction.  While in the tunnel we crossed the Continental Divide.  We were also advised to remain in the car where we were currently seated as we went through this tunnel so the diesel fumes were not let into the cars by the opening and closing of connecting doors.

We descended into Winter Park, which appeared to be the haven for ski afficianados. There were chalets upon chalets and a fleet of buses parked waiting for the snowy season.  Soon after, we went through Granby where the mountains became red rock with interesting rectangular features.  We traveled next to the Colorado river for some time. Around dinner time we traveled through Ruby Canyon which is only accessible by river raft or passenger train. Upon exiting the canyon, it became more arid and scrubby with small gray hills. Around this time we realized we had fallen way behind schedule because of issues with switching track lines. Looks like a 3 hour delay and sadly, it is all dark so our sightseeing is done for the day.

It has been a fun and unique way to travel. We have met interesting people from far and wide.  And it is great not having to worry about stopping for gas or finding a place to eat. Mainly though, it has been a wonderful way to take in the varied landscapes in our beautiful country.

 

WHAT HAS GOD WROUGHT?

Trivia time!  What is the significance of this question and to whom is it attributed (the bible does not count!)?

Throughout our journey we have been fascinated by the telegraph lines which run next to the track in the more rural areas.  Some are in great disrepair--crooked or falling down with wires snarled or missing. But we have seen others that still have lines attached to the glass insulators and look to be in working condition. Others have been repurposed as we saw in Grand Junction, CO. Those have new, thick wires running well below the top from post to post. It has been fun to see this piece of telecommunication history.

If you are still puzzling over this entry title read on: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/what-hath-god-wrought

Westward bound on the California Zephyr

The kids are brimming over with excitement over our sleepettes! They love how efficiently everything is arranged making for a cozy, practical space. They are already deciding how to split their sleeping time so they can have equal access to the top bunk.which has a.harness-like strap so the sleeper doesn't fall out of bed!  They are also on the top car and have a great vantage. They will appreciate that in the Rockies!

Union Station

One of many but this is the one in Chicago. It iwas.completed in 1925 and inxlides the famous Great Hall which has been featured in a fair number of movies.  We had access to the lounge through our sleeper reservation. Pretty fancy stuff--complimentary snacks and beverages with lots of comfortable seating.

Ohio Farmland

Good Morning from the Lakeshore Limited

Last night we slept in our coach seats. The rhythmic rocking of the train did not quite overcome the discomfort of the seats but we all managed some degree of shut eye overnight. We arose outside of Toledo and have been busy enjoying the scenery which is mostly farmland and small towns at the moment. It is a kick when we pass a train going in the opposite direction. They are so close that it feels like we could reach out and touch them. Of course we would probably lose our arms as they are going by so fast that it is just a blur.  The passenger trains are relatively short but the freight trains are quite lengthy. Last night in the dark you could tell which type we were passing just by how long it took for the sound to end.  We can hear our train horn from the front. It is surprising how often it blows.  Like Dinah!

Amtrak or bussed!

Here are the kids awaiting the train at South Station. No, wait--the bus! Unfortunately due to track service today, we had to take a bus to Albany.  Finally on the Lakeshore Limited headed to Chicago!

Gathering the gear

On a countdown to our summer adventure! We are aiming for one duffle and one backpack per person. Still missing clothes from 3 kids. This may be a biggest packing challenge yet.