I know that feeling only too well ! lolQuote:
Originally Posted by john.waters
Dave.
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I know that feeling only too well ! lolQuote:
Originally Posted by john.waters
Dave.
Thanks Mark.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark Sedenquist
It's quite easy to do in such a special place !
Dave.
After walking around the main Norris Basin we took another path to Steamboat Geyser, which has a huge eruption but unpredictable. The notice tells us it can be anywhere between 4 days and 50 years between eruptions so we decide not to wait ! Along the way there is a lovely blue pool steaming away and good views of the effect the basin has had on the forest.
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Tonight we are staying in Grant village and as we plan to see Old Faithfull tomorrow we decide to head to Grant via the Hayden Valley and Yellowstone Lake. As we make our way back towards Canyon we take a signed detour from the main loop road onto a narrow, twisty one way road that has a steep drop off to the Gibbon River below, which didn't please Lezli too much, especially as the drop was on her side ! Along this drive you will find Virginia Cascade Falls which drops 60ft into the wooded canyon. There are no developed viewpoints along the road, but I managed to find a safe place to park to get a glimpse of the Falls through the trees before rejoining the main road.
Virginia Cascade Falls.
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We then headed south through the beautiful Hayden Valley with views of the Yellowstone River and herds of Bison captured by the early evening sun.
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One thing that amazed us about Yellowstone was how much there was to see at every turn, the vents steaming by the side of the road and from the middle of the river, or by the shore. There is just so much more than the 'main events'. We were soon stopping again at the Sulpher Caldron and the Mud Volcano area just across the road from it.
Sulpher Caldron area.
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Here you can see evidence of a visit from a bear.
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Unfortunately we didn't have the time to walk the whole Trail at the Volcano mud area but what we saw was pretty cool. The steam shown in this photo is coming from the 'Dragons mouth Spring'. Deep rumbling sounds are heard as the steam and other gases explode through the water and then it pushes it out from the cave causing waves.
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We continued our journey past Yellowstone Lake as the sun was setting and enjoyed the views, including that of the steam coming from the West thumb geyser basin on the southern shore of the lake. We arrived in Grant Village at 8pm and after checking in and finding our room we walked to the Lakeside restaurant for a wonderful meal. We had a nice young lad from Poland serving us who had a good sense of humour. He told us that he was finishing work in a few days time and hitting the road with his friends. They had got a 3 +1 visa I was told, a work permit for the usual 3 month stay and an additional month as a tourist. This had allowed them to purchase a van for their journey, but unfortunately he was to busy to go into detail. He informed me that he had spoken to all his American visitors and had taken notes of places they recommended. He showed me the list and I started to tell him of all the different options around that list, potential problems and other routes. I saw his face change with the info overload and the surprise that it was coming from a Brit, he hadn't even thought to ask non USA residents. He was busy and struggling to take it all in, so I suggested he take a look here at RTA and ask for advice if needed.
Yellowstone Lake
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Wow that was quite some day !
Todays mileage = 69. Average = 29mph. Returned 38mpg.
Mileage to date = 2259
Route.
The Grand Tetons and Old Faithfull
The lodgings at Grant Village were very comfortable with rooms being in 'house blocks', like a Hotel room without reception. The room was a good size, very comfy and clean, so comfy neither of us woke until 8:30 and it was 10am before we made our way to the Lakeside restaurant for breakfast. We ended up chatting to two biker couples who were from New Jersey, they were touring on their Harley D's. They were really interested in visiting England one day and we ended up chatting for another 20 mins before we said our goodbyes. We got to the Lakeside diner only to find it closed, so we took a few moments to enjoy the lake views with ducks and various other birds on the water, where a cheeky Chipmunk decided to join us. We made our way to the Village Grill which is part of the Grant village general store building. Over breakfast [which was very nice] we worked out a plan for our day ahead. As it was mid morning we presumed the park would be busy by now, so we decided to leave visiting Old Faithful until later in the day in the hope it would be quieter by then, a tactic that had worked for us before. As it was a nice sunny day and the weather had been unsettled, we decided to head south to the Tetons and take advantage of the clear weather offering good views. I was looking forward to spending a little time in the Tetons and had originally planned to visit them and Mormon Row tomorrow as we passed on our way to Manilla in Utah, but I was concerned that it would be too rushed while travelling almost 400 miles from Canyon village, our stop tonight. So we finished our coffee and had a look around the store and finally hit the road at 11:30am.
The drive south was wonderful on the John D Rockefella Jr Highway, we crossed the Continental divide as the mountain peaks started to reveal themselves from behind the tall trees. It wasn't long before we saw Jackson Lake with the mountains rising up to touch the clouds in the background.
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Our first stop was at Jackson Dam, the dam controls the water level between the lake and the Snake river by raising and lowering the 15 x 2.5 ton gates within it. The views across the lake were wonderful !
Jackson Lake.
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Jackson Dam.
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We continued further into the park and the drive was quite amazing. Glaciers were still clinging to the gulleys of the mountain peaks as the views came and went between the trees. We parked up near the Jenny Lake visitor centre and walked to Jenny Lake from where there were boat tours on the lake, we were tempted but decided to go for a stroll around the lake a little way.
Along Teton Park Road.
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Jenny Lake.
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We walked to the visitor centre and had a wander around, taking in some of the information available. It was worth it as I noticed a road on the map called Signal mountain road, which straight away caught my attention. After a chat with one of the Rangers and a Hot dog outside we were on our way up Signal Mountain to take in the panoramic views the Ranger had told us about. The road was steep, narrow and twisty as it wound it's way up and down the mountain, but we enjoyed the drive and the rewards that lay in wait at the top.
On Signal mountain.
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I don't no where the time goes, but once again it had flown by and we were making our way back to Yellowstone. We did not arrive to Old Faithfull until 6pm and we're hoping that we would not have to wait too long for an eruption so that we could look around the rest of the area before nightfall. Our idea of arriving late in the day seemed to have paid off, the viewing and seating area was under half full as we walked towards it. It then dawned on me that another reason for this could be that we had just missed the last 'performance'. Luckily that wasn't the case and less than 10 mins after sitting down the show began and Old Faithfull performed for us. It was an impressive display alright but personally speaking, after all the loud hissing from vents, the bubbling from boiling mud and almost violent discharges of water we had witnessed, it was almost a little too graceful for me. The main attraction here is the 'Old geysers' reliability, although don't get me wrong, it's still quite amazing !
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After the display we walk over to Yellowstone lodge to use the rest rooms. Wow, this is quite some lodge and a most impressive building, so we spend a little time looking around. Next up, we walk across the Firehole river and up Geyser Hill to take in more of the sites and sounds the land has to offer, we get a real bonus along the way and one of the trips highlight moments.
More to come.....
Firehole River.
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As we make our way up Geyser Hill the sun is setting and creating a glow on one side of us and big black clouds are gathering on the other creating quite a scene which just adds to the atmosphere created by our surroundings.
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We then crossed back over the Firehole river at the top of the walk to circle back towards Old Faithfull. The river has hot springs and steam vents dotted along it's shore and we stop on the bridge to take in the view, made all the better by the 'moody' sunset. As we continued we noticed a small group of people gathered around a cone Geyser, we soon discovered it was known as Castle Geyser, so named for it's likeness to a castle turret, or at least it was when first discovered, but it's shape is changing with the mineral deposits left following eruptions. We spoke to a lady who informed us that it was not the most reliable of Geysers, but that it did erupt twice in a 24 hour period and they were hoping this would occur within the next hour. That put us in an awkward position as we had to make our way back to Canyon Lodge to eat and the time was already approaching 7:30pm. We stayed to take a few photos and within minutes we noticed the small vent close to the 'Turret' was starting to change from steam to a fierce bubbling of boiling water and then all of a sudden a huge column of water was discharged from Castle Geyser high into the sky. We could not believe our luck !! Up until this moment we had never heard of Castle Geyser, it only erupts every 12 hours or so, and here we are after a few minutes witnessing this wonderful event, far more impressive than Old Faithfull in our opinion and a highlight moment of the trip.
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As the discharge of water 'softened' the water would splash and cascade down the sides of the 'Castles' walls and everytime you thought it was just about over, it went again. Whereas Old Faithfull's eruptions usually last between 1.5 and 5 minutes, Castle Geysers last an average of 20 mins and then goes into a 'Steam' phase that can last for another 30 to 40 minutes.
A view from the other side.
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We started to walk back to the car at 8pm and trying not to be out done, Old Faithfull treated us to a second display as we approached, stronger and taller than the first we had witnessed. We stood and admired his efforts with great appreciation, but the day was won by Castle Geyser.
As we made our way across from Norris to Canyon, it was dark and the black clouds we had been admiring were now on top of us and it rained heavily and a thick mist formed. It made the drive back quite a strain on the eyes, but we arrived back safely a little after 9pm. The cafeteria was closed and the restaurant was full and had a waiting time for a table. They gave us a buzzer that would sound when a table was free which left us free to wander around the gift store next door. It wasn't long before we were sat at our table and ordering our food. It was a much better experience than in the cafeteria although this was probably as most people had eaten and left in numbers leaving us and just a few other guests to enjoy a quieter affair. The Canyon dining experience felt a lot more commercialised than the Lakeside restaurant at Grant village and lacked charm.
We headed for our cabin, which was much the same as the other one we had stayed in 2 nights before and got a good nights sleep ready for the long day ahead. Utah, here we come !
Todays mileage 185. [mph and mpg not recorded.
Total mileage 2444.
Loved seeing you wearing your RTA hat at the geyser!
Mark
Come rain or shine, the RTA cap always travels with me. And yep, it's still going strong !
As the song says "Wherever I lay my hat, that's my home". lol
Dave.
Time to leave Yellowstone.
We never set an alarm when on holiday, but we were both aware of the long day ahead to get to Manila UT tonight and both instinctively woke at 6:30am. This gave us an opportunity to stop at a few more places as we drove south through Yellowstone towards Mormon Row Historical district. There were still a few places of interest between Norris and Old Faithfull that we had yet to visit, so that's the way around the loop road we decided to go, even though it added to the time and mileage. We were on the road shortly before 8:30 and our first port of call was Artists Paint Pot. After a short walk down the quiet wooded path we came to the Paint pots and had a wander around. It was like a steamy marshland area with green grass, coloured rock and blue pools making a colourful display. It was quiet eerie [in a nice way] which was highlighted by the fact we were the only ones there and it was so silent. Our timing was pretty good because as we made our way back ,2 buses with tourists had arrived and were making their way up the path.
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We were soon back in the car and even quicker getting back out of it again as we stopped at Gibbon Falls to take in the views and snap a few pictures. Next up was Fountain Paint Pot. This was another fine walk around a Geyser basin that had mud pots, blue pools and steaming vents on show. Once again we had spent longer than we had anticipated and our next visit to the Mid way Geyser Basin was limited to views of the basin from the roadside across the Firehole River due to the time factor. [There is never enough !]
Gibbon Falls.
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Fountain Paint Pot area.
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Firehole river.
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We had to get a move on now with almost 400 miles to cover today, but once again the temptations to stop were to much, first at Mystic Falls and then at Kepler Cascades and again at Lewis Lake, before we finally said our farewells to Yellowstone and headed south into the Grand Tetons once more. We kept on 191 and didn't drive back through on Grand Teton park road, although we still got some lovely views of the mountains and Snake River before turning off on Antelope Flats to the Mormon Row Historical district.
Mystic Falls.
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The Tetons.
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Mormon Row.
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More to follow as we make our way to Manila in Utah for the night.
Great report and great photos! Even better, I get to re-live bits of my trip.
Keep it coming!
Awesome photos -- I love that one of Fountain Paint Pot.
Outstanding work!
Mark
Thanks guys, I'm enjoying re-living the trip as I go. So many things come to mind as I work my way through the photos and diary I kept. [I'm looking forward to hearing more about your trip as well Don.]
Dave.
Onward to Manila. UT.
We spent quite a bit of time looking around the various barns and outbuildings along Mormon Row. Our favourite was this barn just a short walk north from the junction of Mormon Row and Antelope Flats.
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We then drove down Mormon Row past Moulton Barn and continued heading south to Gros Ventre road, which eventually took us back to US89/191. We started wishing we had turned around and headed back the way we had came along Antelope Flats as the road became rough and rutted and it seemed like ages at such a slow speed before we were back on the black top.
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We then drove through the vibrant town of Jackson. It looked a fun town with lots going on, it had a nice town centre park with an entrance arch made out of Antlers. We wanted to stop, but the place was bustling with people, there were no immediate parking spots and once again the clock was ticking so we drove through. [It had been 1:30pm before leaving Mormon Row.] As we headed south of Jackson we continued on 191 towards Rock Springs. On the way we stopped in the town of Pinedale to get fuel for us and the car. Pinedale is home of the Mountain man museum and just north of town is Freemont Lake, where we had thought about heading to for a nice place to eat lunch, but we decided we did not have enough time to do either if we were to get to Manila in time for an evening meal. So after sitting on the bench outside the store eating our snacks we had purchased we were straight back on the road headed south again. Big storm clouds gathered to the west and looked rather menacing, but luckily they stayed west of us and we only had a few drops of rain. I was glad we had taken the 191 and not the 189 that ran almost parallel a few miles to the west, it looked as though it could of been right in the thick of the bad weather.
From Rock Springs 191 joins I80 and we kept on that until Green River where we exited to WY530 which runs south on the western flank of Flaming Gorge Res. We decided to stretch our legs at a little spot in Green River that I had noted when planning, Expedition Island. Expedition Island is just a couple of minutes of WY530 and has a riverside park and a pedestrian bridge that crosses the river to a little memorial garden. It's a peaceful setting and ideal place to stretch those tired limbs for a few moments and conveniently just off I80. It got it's name as the site is the recognised starting point for 2 expeditions down the Green and Colorado Rivers led by Major John Wesley Powell in 1869 and 1871. Not far from this river park is the large railroad depot that was largely responsible for the towns continued development.
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Back on the road to Manila with a lovely drive down WY530, the light faded fast and it was well after dark when we finally arrived and although only a small town, it took us a while to find our Motel and restaurant. Although the building looked a little run down it was very inviting all lit up in the dark and after a long day on the road. It had gone 9pm but we had a warm welcome from the owners and staff and I was soon sat down with one of the nicest steaks I can remember having. To top this off I had home made apple pie with cream that was absolutley delicous. The room was not so great and needed a deep clean, the mattress was soft but the bedding was fresh and clean and it was passable, just ! The area is popular with hunters and most other guests were there for the hunting, a small group of friends and a father and son were the other guests in the diner dressed in their hunting gear. They were all polite and friendly and the owners were great.
Todays mileage =385. Average of 46mph. Gas return = 37mpg
Total miles = 2829
An eventful day to Capitol Reef
This morning at 5am I turned and stretched on the soft mattress and my back shot a pain through my spine like that of a dentist drill touching a nerve, only bigger ! I layed still for an hour while Lezli slept, trying to straighten out slowly without causing more damage. I had a severe back injury a few years ago that I have learnt to manage quite well from a day to day living point of view. Doing to little is not good, doing to much is not good, it's a case of getting the balance right and accepting your limitations. Light stretches and walking helps to keep the pain at bay, but it usually gives out on me once or twice a year, the result normally being 4 or 5 days laying on the floor staring at a ceiling in agony followed by a month of slow rehab and deeper pain. So, while laying there and thinking of the consequences I was pretty stressed. We had another 850 miles to cover and a flight that would be over 20 hours from door to door with the plane change in New York, I'm not yet sure if I will be able to move at all. I'm so glad I had packed by support belt and medication and by 7am I had got to my feet and was walking very 'gingerly' around the town trying to stop the muscle going into spasm, so far so good !
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Brownings [or Flaming Gorge Cafe as it's also known] does not do breakfast on a Sunday so we walked across the road to the local store, which thankfully was open Sunday morning, and bought coffee and snacks for breakfast. We ate them while sat on a table and bench set outside Brownings. The medication was starting to work but Lezli had to struggle with the suitcases while I tried to ease myself into the car, thank goodness it's an auto as the pressure of a clutch pedal would have been to much.
Once in the car we decided to stick to our plans as much as possible and start with points along Flaming Gorge Res.
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Our first little detour was down to Sheep Creek, a steep twisty road right down to the lakeside from where people launch their boats, it was very scenic.
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Lezli got out of the car and took a few more pictures while I stayed where I was. We drove back up the hill to the main road and on the way a Deer ran out in front of us, we missed it but the braking didn't help my cause. The scenery was lovely untill suddenly storm clouds appeared over the hill tops and the heavens opened, the visibility was reduced to very little as the cloud came in and torrential rain fell. Our next stop at this point was going to be a detour to Red Canyon so we decided to skip it and go to Flaming Gorge Dam and hope things improved. Thankfully they had as I needed to get out of the car while I still could and try to loosen up my lumbar support muscles that had started to spasm. We walked down to the lakeside [more like hobbled] slowly and took in the views as the skys cleared. We then called into the Dam visitor centre where a young and very knowledgable lad was answering peoples questions. There was a lovely photo on the wall with a great view of a narrow inlet with red cliffs rising from the blue waters running inbetween them. I asked him where that spot was and he told us that it was Red canyon, the place we had passed by due to the weather conditions. Dang !
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By the time we had taken the short walk back to the car and driven over the dam to a dam viewpoint that the young lad in the centre had told us about, it was clouding over again and as we made our way back across the dam on the 191 the way we had came, the rain poured down once more. It cleared as we made our way south and it opened up some wonderful views once more.
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We passed by Redfleet State Park [seen in the distance of the above photo] which has 200 million year old Dinosaur tracks as well as boating fishing and camping around the Reservoir, we also passed Steinaker Res [where we had also hoped to detour to nearby Therapy Arch] due to time and my predicament. We stopped in Vernal for lunch, as it was sunday lunchtime the restaurants were busy, so after having struggled to get out of the car with no desire to sit straight back down again, we decided on a McDonalds, classy huh ! I ate mine while leaning as much weight as I could on a high counter top attached to the wall with knees bending to relieve the weight. I felt a little awkward as people looked on, but at this point did not care ! I topped up on medication [which I loathe to take normally] as it was my only hope of getting through the day and then we were back on the road, determined not to let this get the better of me.
To be Cont.................
This is going to be tough field report to read. Back pain is no fun, no matter what and your version sounds positively dreadful. But the scenery certainly was gorgeous!
Mark
I enjoying reading your trip as well. I too suffer from a back injury and is one of the reasons I like to keep driving. If I lay in a bed for too long I wake up in agony.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark Sedenquist
Probably another reason for a car and Motel on next road trip. The bed in the van wasnt the most comfortable.
Keep the photos coming.
John
The scenery and knowing that we had lots of great things ahead helped push me on, it was the fear that it could all come to an end at any moment that was the worst. Hanging by a thread as they say ! Before each trip the excitement builds, but there is always that niggle in the back of my mind that we might not get there if my back has an episode a few days before leaving or in the airports with the luggage. Makes it kinda special when we are there though !
After following your reports John, I have been very tempted by one of those vans, but my back and the constant need to move around and stretch out, [even with a 'nature call' in the middle of the night] it has put me off somewhat. [that and the thought of trying to persuade the wife !] Lol. Having said that the driving position of an RV [as on previous trips] does suit me and the van would be similar.
Dave.
We couldnt fault the little van,went everywhere we asked and I think I drove every windy road in the USA ans so easy to handle.Quote:
Originally Posted by Southwest Dave
The bed was a little short for me so but I soon worked out how to find the best position to sleep.
I keep saying car and motel but I think it will be back in the van again,but for shorter trips.
John
I love the look and idea of the vans John and are something I am still considering for a future trip, the appeal is certainly there. We only normally have 2-3 weeks on the road and mixed up with hotel stays they do appeal. Just wish I were 10 years younger without a dodgy back, poor old so and so that I am ! lol
Dave.
Red rock is calling.
We still had 270 miles to cover before we arrived at out hotel tonight, the Best Western Capitol Reef resort. We made our way through the towns of Roosevelt and Duchesne on191 to where it joins US6. Just before the junction in Price canyon is the Carbon Power plant, it feels like 191 goes right through middle of the plant. Carbon PP is the earliest of Utah's coal burning power stations and the two 60 year old generators pushed by steam that is created by burning coal send power to 47000 homes. The plant is due to go into early retirement in 2015 as the canyon walls leave no room to build filtration equipment to get the air quality needed under new rules.
It was near here that we clocked up our first 3000 miles of the trip and Lezli captured the moment.
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Just down the road is the small town of Helper, a place where Butch Cassidy was said to visit. Helper developed with the arrival of the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad who turned it into a freight terminal. The town got it's name as trains heading to SLC needed 'Helper' engines that were stationed here, to make the steep 15 mile gradient up Price canyon to Soldier summit. It's also home to the Western Mining and Railroad museum.
We carried on through Price and to where 191 joined 170 heading east and then south to Moab, we headed west and then took UT24 towards Hanksville. We had stayed in the Red rock RV park in Hanksville on our first trip and knew there was a gas station where I had decided to fill up from and get something to eat in town. As we made our way down UT24 my confidence was waning. What if it's closed on a Sunday ? What if it's shut down permanently ? These were the thoughts going through my head at the time. The miles we still had to cover as confirmed by the GPS, compared to the distance remaining on the car computer, gave us about 30 miles to spare. I had wanted to detour to Goblin State park so we followed the sign off UT24 but there was no mileage info posted. After a couple of miles there was another sign saying that it was still 12 miles to go. With the clock ticking once again, the remoteness and with my back the way it was, we decided this was no time to risk running out of fuel and becoming stranded in the middle of nowhere, so Goblin SP has gone back on our 'to do' list.
Road to Goblin valley.
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We arrived in Hanksville safe and sound to the wonderful sight of the Hollow Mountain gas station alive and well and more importantly, open. The gas station shop is built into the rock and it's like being in a cave once inside.
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The next gas I know of is in Torrey, almost 50 miles away. I eased off the gas pedal a bit on route to Hanksville and had a 40 mile range left when we arrived.
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We then went to what was the Red Rock steakhouse and RV park and was wondering if we would see 'AJ', a real character from the last time we were there. It looked much the same, but it had been taken over by new owners earlier this year. The new owners are terrific people and sound determined to make it work for them. They were friendly, helpfull and the food was great, good value too ! If your in the area pop in and say Hi, you won't be dissapointed. We explained we would be eating at our hotel in 3 hours or so and ordered Tacos with meat and melted cheese for each of us. Instead of just taking our order, the lady informed us that they were huge portions and one would more than likey do us both if we were eating later. We took her advice, they were delicous and the portion was HUGE, great coffee as well !
We had a little walk to ease my back and then back in the car towards Torrey.
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Roadside Art.
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The last time we had stayed here we had come into town from the opposite direction and after dark, so we hadn't experienced the drive in daylight. It was quite some drive, wonderful !
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I don't know what it is about Red Rock country, but it always stirs something deep within me. Even though I live in the UK it's almost like I have come home, strange ! Perhaps it was from watching Spaghetti Westerns and the childhood dreams of visiting the Grand canyon one day, which did seem an impossible dream way back then.
We arrived at the Best Western Capitol Reef resort and Lezli collected our room key to save me having to get in and out the car. Our room was at the far end of a Motel type row of rooms away from the main building. Although this was our most expensive hotel of the stay it felt as though we were being sent to the 'cheap seats.' We were wrong, the room was fantastic and was facing away from the road towards the mountains and across the gardens that had water features, plants and a swing seat. I was once again trying to relieve the pain by walking around the garden and stretching but still had to give way to more medication. We sat outside our room and watched the sunset before strolling [hobbling] down to the restuarant for an evening meal. We both decide to select from the 'Thai' menu and were delighted that we did. Despite everything it felt great to be back in Utahs Red rock country !
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Todays mileage 362. Average speed 49mph. Return = 35mpg
Total mileage = 3191
Capitol Reef.
The last time we came to Capitol Reef we were just driving through and although we had planned to take the scenic drive we had arrived after sunset and it was too late, so this morning we were really looking forward to putting that right. The first hurdle was trying to get out of bed, yes it was comfy but it was due to my back having stiffened up and not any great desire to have a lay in ! It was a beautifull morning and I started with a gentle walk to the water feature through the gardens as the morning sun lit up the red rocks in the background, it was enough to put a smile on my face ! We walked down to the restaurant and had a wonderful breakfast and another wander around before getting in the car and hitting the road. This really is a wonderful resort and as excited as we were about the day ahead, we were sorry to be leaving so soon.
First we drove back to the historic Fruita school house located on UT24 just past the Apple orchards and entry road to the scenic drive. The building was built in 1896 and although locked you can peer through the windows and see the classroom as it was then. An information board is also on show with picture and brief history. It informs us that the children were only schooled in the winter so that they could help with farming work durung Spring, Summer and Fall.
Fruita school house.
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We then headed into Fruita and the Gifford Homestead where we stopped and walked around the barns and farmhouse, passing old carts and pick up trucks as we went. We then walked towards the Orchards on the green grass to the footbridge over Sulpher Creek where the water was running red underneath and the roots of the trees were reaching out for a drink. It was such a peaceful setting it helped me relax and in turn eased some of the pain in my back. Happy days !
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As we stood by the river I commented on how fast the water was flowing and that there must have been considerable rainfall recently, little did I expect what happened next. We got in the car and drove on quite excitedly to the scenic road, a regret for missing out last time, we could at last put to rest. Oh no, the rain really had come down and the gate on the road was closed preventing us from going any further. Having only witnessed blue skys and temperatures in the mid 70's for the last couple of days, something like this happening was not even on my radar, despite knowing all about the flash floods that can occur.
We checked back at the farmhouse to see if there was any chance of it opening anytime soon. We were told that an inspection had been made and there were vehicles trying to clear the roadway from debris and mud, but it would be mid afternoon the earliest and possibly not until tomorrow before it re-opened. Oh well, this is going to have to be a case of third time lucky one day, hopefully !
We headed back to UT24 and west a little way before stopping at Panorama point. There was a steep unmade road that led to a parking area and two Trailheads, one to Sunset point and the other to Gooseneck point, a steep short walk. We decided to stroll along the Sunset point Trail as it looked quite a flat walk. The views were outstanding and just got better as we got to the end of the trail, where we took a little time out to sit on a rock and enjoy the peace and tranquility. We were the only people there !
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We made our way back to the car [slowly] but I was unable to take the short steep walk up to Gooseneck point just 600ft away. I sat on a rock while Lezli took a look and a few photos.
Gooseneck.
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The walk and views had certainly helped to relieve the dissapointment felt when we learned we would not get to do the scenic drive, again !
It was time to say goodbye to Capitol Reef and we headed to Utah scenic 12 as part of out onward journey to Jacob Lake. This is a wonderful park that is often overlooked in the shadow of it's 'big brother's [Zion, Bryce, Arches and Canyonlands] but it really is quite wonderful and worth taking the time out to explore.
ewwwwwww. That back again -- makes my muscles tense in sympathy.
But great photos -- nice to see that country again.
Mark
To Jacob Lake.
We turned onto Scenic 12, a wonderful Byway with so much to see and do along it's lenght, that we hope to come back another day and explore it in more depth. For now though we have to make do with a couple of short stops along the way The first of these was a turn out by the side of the road called the Larb Hollow overlook which has wonderful views of the Waterpocket fold in Capitol Reef and the Henry mountains.
From Larb Hollow.
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We then drove over the Hogs back, a section of road that runs along a ridge and has drop offs either side, before stopping briefly at Calf Creek for more superb views. Just down the road is the Kiva Koffeehouse that we had been looking forward to stopping at. It was another place that we had called at last time we drove through the area in the RV, only to find it closed. It's an interesting building that's blended in with the mountain almost as 'one' and has a curved glass front supported by huge timbers offering great views.
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We ordered some food that we thought would be quick and easy and a coffee. The coffee was OK, but we were not offered any refills while we waited for an age for our food. When they did bring food to our table it was for a couple who had ordered after us which seemed to highlight the fact we had been forgotten. Eventually we got our food but with no apology and no offer of a refill of coffee. The couple sitting near us were having similar issues and between us we managed to laugh about it. The waitress appeared to be on a 'trip' of her own and the person who took our order kind of made us feel like we were an inconvenience and that she was doing us a favour serving us ! It's a unique place in a beautiful setting and is worth experiencing once for sure, just don't expect to much in the way of service or hospitality judging by our visit.
We got back on the road and I already knew that a quick revisit to Bryce canyon was not going to happen, which was a big shame as we love this park, but we know we will be back one day, just don't know when ! Just a little way past Tropic we came to the Mossy Cave Trailhead so we pulled off the road for a quick look. It's part of Bryce NP, but located right by the roadside of UT12 and offers a wonderful easy walk along Water canyon with views of Hoodoos and windows in the rocks above. Water canyon is actually an irrigation ditch dug out by Mormon pioneers with picks and shovels from 1890 to 1892. Mossy cave is not much of a spectacle, at least not at this time of year when dry, but the walk is and you can continue to a small waterfall and beyond if you so wish, it's very peaceful as well.
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With reluctance we drove past the turn off to Bryce canyon and continued through the red rock arch in Red canyon on the edge of the Dixie Forest, another great place for a stop and a walk among the red rocks.
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It was time to get a move on as we reached US89 and headed south towards Kanab and US89A to Jacob Lake Inn. We drove through some small towns that looked as though they were struggling to keep going with a mix of run down and quaint buildings and then into the Kaibab National Forest with some wonderful views. We stopped at Le Fevre Overlook which offered great views of the Grand staircase and surrounding areas as the sun was setting.
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We arrived at Jacob Lake at 7:40pm only to be reminded that we had gained an hour with the time zone. We checked into our cosy cabin in the woods before making our way back for an evening meal at the Inn. They had the choice of a sit down restuarant or a bar and stools set out in a square with the waiter in the middle. We chose the bar which had a nice friendly atmosphere with good food. This was the first time all trip we had stayed two consecutive nights in the same lodgings which was a bit of a relief as I knew if worse came to the worst, then I could rest up here for a day and a half with my back. Of course I was keeping my fingers crossed as tomorrow we plan a trip to the North rim.
Todays mileage 249 Average speed =45mph. Return = 33.5mpg.
Total mileage = 3440.
Route.
Highway 12 in Utah is probably one of my very favorite drives - anytime of year (except Winter). Hope you enjoyed the very best bakery around at Jacob Lake Lodge. We've been known to re-route our trip just to stop by for a treat!
-Pat
Yes I have to agree Pat, Utah 12 is a wonderful drive, especially when combined with UT24 around Capitol Reef.Quote:
Highway 12 in Utah is probably one of my very favorite drives
Oh no ! I feel as though I missed out on something special ! We spent time and ate in the lodge, but resisted the goodies on offer at the bakery !Quote:
Hope you enjoyed the very best bakery around at Jacob Lake Lodge.
Dave.
The North rim.
Our little cabin in the woods was basic yet cosy, it was quiet and relaxing, it was definitely our type of place. We walked the long way around the camp to the Inn to ease my back once again and then sat down to a lovely breakfast of pancake, eggs and sausage patte. It was very nice as was the service. We had a look around the store and then slowly made our way back to the cabin through the woods, it was time to make our way to the North rim.
The Grand canyon was the place it all began for us, the main reason for our first ever visit to the USA 6 years ago. It actually goes back a lot further than that to my childhood dream of visiting this wonder of the world which, 'way back then', seemed an impossible dream. I guess the interest in the USA started while watching spaghetti westerns, films like 'Easy Rider' [that was some road trip !] and a fellow by the name of Elvis Presley, who was making is come back. When planning our first trip we researched and discovered and learnt so much more about the USA and a lot of that was done here at Roadtrip America, we were helped by real people with real experiences. The information provided here with such attention to detail was invaluable and is something that no App or mapping program could ever provide. I'm pleased to have been a member ever since and I still learn and discover new things every day here.
Enough 'waffling' already, we were soon on the road and excitedly heading south along the Kaibab Plateau on AZ64. Before heading to the area around North rim lodge, we turned off towards Imperial point and Cape royal. Much to our dissapointment the Cape Royal road was closed so we continued to Imperial point which offers the highest viewpoint in Grand canyon NP. We walked along the rim and headed a short way along a trail through the woods which started to steer us away from the canyon, but we got some lovely views towards Marble canyon in the distance.
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We spent 2 to 3 hours just taking in the views and enjoying the moment, soaking up the atmosphere and wonder of this place, boy it felt good ! We then drove back to AZ64 and towards the North rim lodge area. We parked up in the first parking area we came to and started to walk which is something we like to do for a little exercise, easier parking and to see those little things we might otherwise miss. In this instance we spotted a few British sports cars from 'Yesteryear' that were immaculate and drawing attention of passers by. The path led passed views of Roaring Springs canyon and onto Bright Angel point. The path to Bright Angel does have a small section where there are steep drop off's either side and Lezli done well to overcome her slight fear of heights. Thank goodness for railings !
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You have to keep an eye out for pick pockets in the area and do not let your bag out of your sight ! This one I caught in the act. Lol
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We slowly made our way to Grand canyon lodge and visitor centre where we had a wander around and got a bite to eat. We had Pizza and coffee sat outside on a bench on the veranda watching the GC road train come and go. This was supposed to be lunch but it was 5pm and the first thing we had ate since breakfast. We were very impressed with the buildings and their stone walls, high ceilings and large timber supports all looking rather Granduer. The views from the lodge sat high on the rim were also impressive. It was now late afternoon/early evening and all thoughts of visiting Marble canyon this evening were gone, we were not going to miss the opportunity to witness the sunset over the North rim so we walked out of the lodge and onto a path that took us to a small outcrop with railings and found a comfortable rock to sit on. [No it wasn't softer than the others but was well formed. ;-) ]
It was a great experience and as difficult as it was, I put the camera down and we sat together in silence, words were not needed.
[I did however take a few shots early on.]
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Rather than go back through the lodge we decided to follow the Transept trail around it, not knowing where it led but hoping back to the road. As we walked the sun had dropped behind the canyon and melted away to leave darkness and the path started to head further from the direction of the road. We noticed some lights from a building above us, up a steep bank and a cross a wooded area, not the sort of terrain my back needed at this point, but we went for it. Half way across we were given a fright in the dark, a swift movement followed by the snapping of twigs. We just made out the shape of 2 deers running off that we must have startled. The short cut worked out well and after making our way through the cabins and to the road we ended up just 100 yards from our car.
Sundown from the Transept trail.
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We drove back towards Jacob Lake hoping to make it back in time for something to eat when we saw the lights of Kaibab lodge and decided to have a quick look to see what was on offer. It had a little store that we had a quick look around as the desk that we presumed was for lodging and dining was busy. We then stood near the desk for a little while, but everyone seemed too busy to even acknowledge we were there, never mind offer assistance, so we jumped back in the car and made it back to Jacob Lake Inn with time to sit at the bar and enjoy another good evening meal in nice company. We strolled back to our cabin at 10pm and were still chatting about the Grand canyon. Our thoughts then turned to tomorrow where it was back to Vegas and hand the car back.
Mileage 105. Average speed = 43mph. Return = 41mpg.
Total mileage =3545
I thought I would pop up a couple of photos up of classic Jags that we saw at the Grand canyon. They looked genuine and were in prestine condition, if they have had restoration work it was carried out to the highest quality.
XK150.
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1959 -1961 Mark IX. [I think]
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Pretty cool road trip rides.
Fabulous shots of the cars and the Grand Canyon. Thanks for sharing the thoughtful memories too.
Mark
Back to Vegas.
This morning we wanted to get the bags sorted out packed and ready for the flight home tomorrow and the car cleaned ready for it's return, but first breakfast was calling so we strolled over to Jacob Lake Inn and had sausage and egg with a pancake. It was a wonderful way to the start the day with great food and a friendly face serving us. We started to discuss the Grand canyon and the old debate came up, where's best north or south rim ? There really is no straight answer, both are fantastic in there own way. The north rim is usually recommended as a way to escape the crowds that flock to the south rim, but as we travel out of season that wasn't an issue for us when we were at the south rim. If push came to shove we both agreed that the south rim would be our first choice for the number of viewpoints and different perspectives they offered, but either one would do for us. Of course we were denied the opportunity of driving the Cape Royal road and witness the views there, so we will have to return here one day before making a final judgement. [Good excuse]
We walked back to the cabin and Lezli started to sort the cases out and pack our little touristy memorabilia bits we had collected along the way, while I started sorting out the cars special collection of a 'Gazillion' bugs from 6 States. Armed with a bowl of water and a bug cleaning pad we had bought for the screen I set to it. I got most of it off but had to get Lezli to do the lower front section as my back was still sore and I didn't want to risk it just as it was feeling a little better. Car cleaned and cases sorted it was time to drag ourselves away from our little cabin and hit the road. All thoughts of visiting Marble canyon and Coral Pink sand dunes were put aside because of time [well the lack of it] but as there is so much more we want to explore around these parts, it means we will be back !
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We drove back up US89A through Fredonia to AZ389 towards Colorado City, but first we had planned a brief stop at Pipe Springs National Monument. We saw the sign and visitor centre and turned off the road but decided to skip the visitor centre and follow the road to take a quick look to see if we could see the spring. We ended up in a small community with a few locals looking at us as they seemed to be wondering who we were and what we were doing. We felt a little uncomfortable but not in a threatened way, more like as though we were trespassing. We turned and went back to the visitor centre only to find that it was the entry point to the monument.
We started with a walk around the museum that told of life around this natural source of water including that of the Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians whose reservation surrounds the monument and the pioneers that came here. As we made our way outdoors there were many exhibits on show including horse drawn coaches, shelters and old camps. There are stone buildings that remain from the poineer era including Winsor castle, a fortified ranch house that was used to protect them from the Indians. There is livestock in the paddocks, ducks on the pond and the odd chicken running around, then there are the gardens that have been spring fed and cultivated for a thousand years. The time flew by and our brief visit went well past the hour mark and that was without a ranger guided tour that they offer around Winsor castle.
It was a very rewarding experience and more than we were expecting.
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We crossed back into Utah in Colorado City and continued to Hurricane and UT9 to I15 which took us through the scenic Virgin river Gorge section which is said to be the most expensive piece of Interstate per mile ever built.
Virgin river Gorge I15.
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Time is once again moving swiftly along but we didn't want to pass up on the chance to drive through the Valley of Fire so we exited onto NV169 towards Moapa Valley and Overton where we once agian found ourselves snacking in McDonalds.
More to follow............
To Vegas.
Day 15 cont...... After eating and having the 'local' lad tell me that the only way back to Vegas would be to come back this way on ourselves through Moapa Valley and up to 115 or face hours of driving south untill we eventually came to Vegas I was a bit concerned. This was a bit of a curve ball as we were already later than expected and had to return the car and I thought that it was an easy drive through Valley of Fire back to I15 with no back tracking. Thank goodness it turned out that I knew a bit more than the local.
We entered the Valley of Fire State park and it wasn't long before we were wishing we had more time to explore deeper into the park and spend more time from the car. We knew from day 1 it was going to be a quick detour with just an overview of the place as we made our way to Vegas and that we would have to come back another day, if it felt worthy enough. WE WILL BE BACK !!
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We drove right through the park on the Valley of Fire Highway and re-joined I15. As we made our way south we started to see signs for US93 to Great Basin NP and Pioche City, we had seen so much since we followed them signs just a couple of weeks ago it seemed like 'then' was another trip altogether ! It was a 'bitter sweet' moment as we recalled those earlier parts of the trip while knowing it was soon to come to an end. Soon the Stratosphere tower was just visible in the haze and we were making our way through the Vegas traffic back to our hotel.
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It was 5:30pm when we checked in at the Best western McCarran Inn and after emptying the car and having a coffee we drove the car back to the rental office. The process was quick and simple, we drove into the car park and stopped in a bay signed for 'returns' behind a few other cars. The attendants were walking down the row scanning the cars and recording mileages. It was just a couple of minutes later that we were attended to in a friendly, fuss free way. The guy's eyes widened a little when he took the recorded mileage and as there was noboby queueing behind he said "Wow, that's some trip I take it you didn't stay in Vegas" and a brief chat followed before we got the free shuttle bus back to the airport to meet the hotel shuttle bus. First we went to the flight desk as our check in time was 4am [three hours for International flights] and the first shuttle bus in the morning was 5am, we thought this should be ok as it's under a 10 minute journey but wanted to check. The flight attendant said they prefer people to arrive 3 hours before but if that was our first available shuttle bus then we would be OK.
We were back at our hotel at 8pm and the Strip was lit up and beckoning us to go there. We had thought about a late night out and to just go through with no sleep or get a take away meal from around the corner. Before deciding anything I decided to check with the porter that the shuttle bus would definitely leave at 5am and explained that we needed to leave on time and he said no problem. While I was there I asked if there was a nearby diner and he said there were a few to choose from just a 10 min walk away. That sounded great, clear our heads and get out for a couple of hours. We ended up in the Hard Rock Cafe on the corner of Paradise Rd and E Harmon Ave. This was the original Vegas establishment, but they have since opened one on the Strip which is the more popular, which in turn makes this one a quieter and more relaxed affair but is still very impressive with all the memorabilia from the music industry covering the walls. The food was great and service was excellent and we were glad we decided to eat out on our final night.
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Todays mileage 265. Average speed. 52mph. Return. 35mpg
Total mileage = 3810
Homeward bound.
We managed a few hours sleep when our early morning call awoke us. We got the coffeee on the go and showered and then made our way to the lobby, we were instantly surprised at the number of people there waiting. As we made our way out of the doors the driver done a headcount and then informed us that there were to many people and asked for those with a non urgent time schedule to step back and he would be a half hour. Nobody wanted to give up their seat and I explained that our check in was an hour ago and that I had spoken to the desk and they had said I would get away at 5am. As he informed me that they do not take bookings there was a bit of shuffling for position going on around us so that very British bit of me that has been taught to queue patiently went out of the window and despite risking my bad back I told Lezli to get the other end of the cases and put them in the back of the van and jumped into a seat and waited while the driver sorted out his problem.
The flight was on time and there were no problems with checking in. We had a 4 hour change over in NY which gave us time to wander around and have something to eat before boarding our onward flight. At least changing in NY made the second leg of the long flight shorter than we have been used to but it was still loooooong. I must have walked 15 miles around each plane just to try and keep my back from getting so stiff I wouldn't be able to move at all. We arrived at Heathrow feeling weary and a little sad that it was all over, but after clearing customs and heading out to look for our DIL, I heard a little voice calling 'Grandad, Grandad' [or as close as a 20 month old can get] and a cuddle and a kiss later I was feeling much better.
Great report!
Interesting it almost came to warfare to catch the shuttle.
Really enjoyed the entire tale!
Mark
Thanks Mark.
I wouldn't have described it as warfare, people were reluctant to wait a little longer [which I can understand having got up at 4am, to get on the first shuttle] but in the end a few stepped back with little fuss. I just couldn't afford to miss my flight and connection in NY and have to cough up another $2000 or so in air fares if I didn't make it on time. I must admit it was unlike me and I felt a bit guilty for taking matters in my own hands, but after taking nothing for granted and asking at the airport and front desk to double check everything would be ok, I wasn't going to sit around and drawer straws. lol
There will be a few facts and figures to follow soon.
Dave.
With a 4am checkin time and the first shuttle at 5am, I think I would have bit the bullet and planned on taking a taxi to get there by 4. That would have cost you less than $10 including tip.
I know what you mean George, but it was about getting an extra hour in bed and even more so about one less hour spent hanging around in an airport which drives me nuts, especially when it's gonna be 20 hours plus before you next see the outside of an airport or plane again. To get up at 3am to wait in an empty airport didn't appeal. We have always got to the airport 3 hours prior to the departure time on previous trips and it feels like a waste of time. If there had been any doubts after checking with the airline or hotel about times and transport, we would have booked a cab as we had originally planned.
Dave.
In the report I mentioned a treat we had while in Yellowstone when we stumbled, quite by chance, across Castle Geyser as it was just starting to spout. This is an unpredictable Geyser, but it usually 'performs' twice in any 24 hour period so we were extremely lucky to arrive at the right time.
The hot water eruption usually lasts around 20 mins and reaches heights of 90 feet and then is followed by a steam phase that lasts for 30 mins or more. Here is a short video of it in action taken by camera.
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Dave.
Thank you for posting all the notes and photos. You answered a number of questions I had about driving US 93 north from I-15.
I hope your back has mended,
Hi shirohniican, I'm glad it's helped with your planning.
For the trip we purchased a cheap, lightweight 'in car' video recorder that has a suction pad to attach it to the windcreen, just like you do your Sat Nav. We wanted to capture some of the journey, but the main reason was to record our journey along the Going to the Sun road in Glacier and the Beartooth Highway. We were gutted to find out it stopped working a little while before and until after we had travelled these roads and everything in between them. [We think the card may have been full, but it did not inform us as it should have]
Anyway, for such a relatively cheap gadget it's not bad, so I stitched together some frames and have started a trilogy of US93 vids from Las Vegas to Kalispell. I didn't spend a lot of time on it and it shows, but here's the first. [Another annoyance is I did not choose to remove the date and time and niether is it set right. The trip started Sept 2nd. Duh !]
This Video starts out in Vegas and ends at Bonneville Salt Flats Speedway.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djLGbKMpZlA
Dave.
Wow, that's a nice tool to have on a road trip!
Mark
They are pretty cool for road trips and I payed under £20 for the camera, windscreen mount, USB cable and 12v power lead making them really good value. The only thing you have to purchase, if you haven't got any spares already, is the SD/MMC card.
You can also use it for every day journeys and another advantage is it could be used as evidence in the event of a collision if there is any doubt to who is at fault. [I believe some companies are already using them for this purpose.]
Dave.
I re-read this section of your great field report this morning and wanted to make a comment about voice-activated GPS products, I am not a fan. I won't allow any such device to be activated in a vehicle I am driving. Megan likes to use them -- but to avoid bloodshed while we are on the road, she disables the voice part and just uses the visual representation tools. I've never met a GPS yet that could "out-do" my ability to read a map.Quote:
Originally Posted by Southwest Dave
Mark
I understand what you are saying Mark, but I better explain so that people who don't know me think I rely on Ethel for direction, it's far from the truth. The only time I tend to rely on GPS is when we are at the end of our day and I need to find my way to the address of where we are staying. The daily routes are already logged in my head which I refresh before setting out and after each stop during the day, using good old paper maps. This allows Lezli to sit and relax and take in the scenery while 'Ethel' gives me a little reassurance of route number etc. Ethel gets a lot of quiet time, which usually begins if she gets to the point of saying 'Turn around' for the third time. We rarely see eye to eye as Ethel likes Interstates and I don't, but normally she understands this and recalculates. On this occasion where the detour was a not high on our list, I did not have a detailed enough map showing the roads of this remote area, so I made my own way from memory. There were more road choices than I remembered ! We did not have too much spare time to get truly lost [shame] so I tried to get Ethel to take us back to Pioche a different way than we came to create the loop I had seen. That's when she threw her 'wobbly'. She is usually either 'On' or 'Off', but I quite like the idea of just silencing her !
Dave.