Kanab Meet-Up: A Long and Rambling Narrative
Kanab, Utah, and Sedona, Arizona; October 20 - 26, 2011 See this trip report on Trip Advisor.
Well, here it is, my take in the epic event known as the Great Kanab Meet-Up of 2011. I reckon an epic event calls for an epic TR, so I have cobbled together the following set of posts on my perspective of the meet-up. I’ve been working on photos and trip notes since we returned from Kanab and it has obviously taken me some time to get my thoughts in order. There are already several excellent TRs and additional comments on the Great Kanab Meet-Up and I just hpe this one lives up to what has already been posted. I have enjoyed reading all of the TRs along with the follow-on comments.
I’ve written this TR over the course of several days, so I’m sure that the flavor of each entry will vary from post-to-post, but that’s OK, I reckon. So, I’ll provide the rundown for each day as subsequent posts to this thread and will include a link to photos with each post. Lynn and I snapped over 1400 photos during this wonderful excursion, so it did take a while to whittle it down to the best and most meaningful.
Before I get into the details, let me just say that it was an honor and a privilege to get to spend time with such a great and diverse group of folks. I truly enjoyed all the planning that went into this event. Putting together the meet-up website was a great education for me and seemed to provide us with a very useful planning tool. And while we went on some great day trips during this meet-up, the best part was getting to meet so many wonderful folks, each of who have a true love for travel and the outdoors, the common bonds that drew us together in Kanab.
I’ve written this TR over the course of several days, so I’m sure that the flavor of each entry will vary from post-to-post, but that’s OK, I reckon. So, I’ll provide the rundown for each day as subsequent posts to this thread and will include a link to photos with each post. Lynn and I snapped over 1400 photos during this wonderful excursion, so it did take a while to whittle it down to the best and most meaningful.
Before I get into the details, let me just say that it was an honor and a privilege to get to spend time with such a great and diverse group of folks. I truly enjoyed all the planning that went into this event. Putting together the meet-up website was a great education for me and seemed to provide us with a very useful planning tool. And while we went on some great day trips during this meet-up, the best part was getting to meet so many wonderful folks, each of who have a true love for travel and the outdoors, the common bonds that drew us together in Kanab.
Thursday 10/20 –The Long and Winding Road. Today is travel day for Lynn and me. Early start for our 9:00 AM flight from Cleveland to Phoenix. When I made the flight reservations, I selected aisle seats for both of us, she had 8C and I was in 8D. However, Lynn traded seats with a young fellow so that he could sit with his wife and kids; she’s a nice gal, that Lynn. Anyway she ended up sitting a few rows behind me. During the course of the flight, Lynn decided she needed a snack and bought one of the box lunches that Continental sells, and being the nice wife that she is, she asked the flight attendant to deliver the trail mix to me, since the aisle was blocked by the drink cart. When the flight attendant presented the bag of trail mix to me, I reckon I must have had a clueless look on my face (not an uncommon occurrence), and she said that my wife or girlfriend had sent these up to me. I replied that she would have to be more specific, as they were both on the plane. That got a chuckle from the folks in row 8.
One of the great things about flying west is that time that you gain. We left Cleveland at 9:00 and were at the gate in Phoenix about 10:15 local time. No issues with baggage claim or getting the rental car so we were pulling out on the road about 11:20. Shoot, I thought we were ahead of schedule, but the time zones giveth and the time zones taketh away. I forgot that I would lose an hour heading into Utah, so with a 6 hour drive and the loss of an hour, we would cruise into Kanab just in time for happy hour at 6:00. The drive from Phoenix to Kanab is beautiful and has a lot of variety in terms of landscapes and vegetation since we started below 2000 feet above sea level and maxed-out around 8000 feet. We only stopped briefly for lunch in Flagstaff and gas in Page and simply enjoyed the scenery as a drive-by to make time. We particularly enjoyed the red and pink cliffs along the road from Cameron to Page and on over to Kanab. With one minor road construction delay on route 89 just east of Kanab, we cruised into town a little after 6:00 PM and the GPS on my phone directed us right to the VRBO houses. We saw Rick and Max just heading into house #2, so we drove down to yell hello before making a U-turn and heading back to VRBO #1. Once we parked the car, it took 20 minutes for us to get into the house, as first Danny and Howie walked down to say hello, followed shortly by Alex. The meet-up had officially started!
After getting into the house (the lockbox was a little tricky) we ditched our gear and headed back to house #2 to see the rest of the gang. So far there was Danny, Howie and Deb, Alex and Frankie, Rick and Max, and Pixie. We caught up with everyone, chatted about the hike to the Wave and looked at the lovely photos that they took today. The Wave is simply an amazing place, and seeing the photos just added to the anticipation of our hike there on Monday. Then it was dinner at Rewind Dinner at 7:00. It was just a short walk from the houses to the main drag and the restaurants. We met Susan (dawgg), Keith and Mat at the diner. Our tables were all together but not connected. Lynn and I sat with Howie and Deb, so we had a great chance to get to know these new friends. Donna and Oscar arrived about 7:30. Susan (Kbec) had called earlier to say that she was running late and would meet up with us after dinner.
We headed back to house #2, but on the way stopped at our dinner option for tomorrow night, the Rockin V, to see about delaying our reservation so that we could get our group photo completed at 6:00. Turns out that we were stuck at 6:00 for dinner, so we moved the group photo to 5:30, so not a problem. Back at the house, we found Susan (Kbec) waiting for us so she and Lynn walked up to house #1 to she could get settled in. The rest of us continued to renew old friendships and start new ones and also worked out the details for Friday’s activities. Danny provided a dissertation on hiking options in the area, then we finalized our plans.
Lynn headed home first, but Susan Kbec and I stayed a bit longer to work out the final details for tomorrow. She and I will ride with Rick and Max; and Danny will ride with Donna and Oscar, departing at 9:00, although Danny was pushing for a 0600 departure. Susan Kbec and I walked back to the house and chatted a bit. I also shared the Bluff II photobook. Lynn and I finally crashed about 10:30.
As amazing as this seems, I did not take a single photo today!
One of the great things about flying west is that time that you gain. We left Cleveland at 9:00 and were at the gate in Phoenix about 10:15 local time. No issues with baggage claim or getting the rental car so we were pulling out on the road about 11:20. Shoot, I thought we were ahead of schedule, but the time zones giveth and the time zones taketh away. I forgot that I would lose an hour heading into Utah, so with a 6 hour drive and the loss of an hour, we would cruise into Kanab just in time for happy hour at 6:00. The drive from Phoenix to Kanab is beautiful and has a lot of variety in terms of landscapes and vegetation since we started below 2000 feet above sea level and maxed-out around 8000 feet. We only stopped briefly for lunch in Flagstaff and gas in Page and simply enjoyed the scenery as a drive-by to make time. We particularly enjoyed the red and pink cliffs along the road from Cameron to Page and on over to Kanab. With one minor road construction delay on route 89 just east of Kanab, we cruised into town a little after 6:00 PM and the GPS on my phone directed us right to the VRBO houses. We saw Rick and Max just heading into house #2, so we drove down to yell hello before making a U-turn and heading back to VRBO #1. Once we parked the car, it took 20 minutes for us to get into the house, as first Danny and Howie walked down to say hello, followed shortly by Alex. The meet-up had officially started!
After getting into the house (the lockbox was a little tricky) we ditched our gear and headed back to house #2 to see the rest of the gang. So far there was Danny, Howie and Deb, Alex and Frankie, Rick and Max, and Pixie. We caught up with everyone, chatted about the hike to the Wave and looked at the lovely photos that they took today. The Wave is simply an amazing place, and seeing the photos just added to the anticipation of our hike there on Monday. Then it was dinner at Rewind Dinner at 7:00. It was just a short walk from the houses to the main drag and the restaurants. We met Susan (dawgg), Keith and Mat at the diner. Our tables were all together but not connected. Lynn and I sat with Howie and Deb, so we had a great chance to get to know these new friends. Donna and Oscar arrived about 7:30. Susan (Kbec) had called earlier to say that she was running late and would meet up with us after dinner.
We headed back to house #2, but on the way stopped at our dinner option for tomorrow night, the Rockin V, to see about delaying our reservation so that we could get our group photo completed at 6:00. Turns out that we were stuck at 6:00 for dinner, so we moved the group photo to 5:30, so not a problem. Back at the house, we found Susan (Kbec) waiting for us so she and Lynn walked up to house #1 to she could get settled in. The rest of us continued to renew old friendships and start new ones and also worked out the details for Friday’s activities. Danny provided a dissertation on hiking options in the area, then we finalized our plans.
- Lynn is volunteering at Best Friends.
- Susan dawgg, Keith and Matt were planning a horseback ride.
- Howie and Deb have a hike planned at Zion; Observation Point.
- Alex, Frankie and Pixie opted for the Toadstool Trail
- Susan Kbec, Rick, Mas, Danny, Donna, Oscar and I finally decided on hiking Willis Creek.
Lynn headed home first, but Susan Kbec and I stayed a bit longer to work out the final details for tomorrow. She and I will ride with Rick and Max; and Danny will ride with Donna and Oscar, departing at 9:00, although Danny was pushing for a 0600 departure. Susan Kbec and I walked back to the house and chatted a bit. I also shared the Bluff II photobook. Lynn and I finally crashed about 10:30.
As amazing as this seems, I did not take a single photo today!
Friday 10/21 – Willis Creek Hike. We were up early (still on east coast time). Lynn and I went to find breakfast and snacks for the day at about 6:30, since we did not have time for shopping yesterday. We just hit a convenience store. She was on the road for Best Friends at 7:00. I played around on the house computer. Alex and Frankie showed up to move in, then Rick and Max arrived, ready for the hike. The rest of the Willis Creek hike crew pulled in about 8:45, so we loaded up and headed out by 9:00. The gang also checked out the Buff book; Alex and Max both said they wanted copies.
We drove east on route 89 to Jackson Road to Willis Creek with several stops along the way, including an old movie set used for “The Outlaw Josey Wales” among others. Danny made a fine tour guide, having been in this area numerous times. We saw a few critters along the way, including mule deer, mountain bluebirds, ravens and some free-ranging, longhorn cattle. We also stopped at Bull Valley, were the road crossing was built across the remains of a wrecked truck. The story is that the truck was driven by some drunken kids who crashed in the ravine. While the bodies were recovered, it was not possible to remove the vehicle, so the bridge was simply built over and included the debris. You can still see the truck below the road.
We drove east on route 89 to Jackson Road to Willis Creek with several stops along the way, including an old movie set used for “The Outlaw Josey Wales” among others. Danny made a fine tour guide, having been in this area numerous times. We saw a few critters along the way, including mule deer, mountain bluebirds, ravens and some free-ranging, longhorn cattle. We also stopped at Bull Valley, were the road crossing was built across the remains of a wrecked truck. The story is that the truck was driven by some drunken kids who crashed in the ravine. While the bodies were recovered, it was not possible to remove the vehicle, so the bridge was simply built over and included the debris. You can still see the truck below the road.
We arrived at the Willis Creek trailhead about 11:15, got geared up and headed to trail. Danny was lamenting the fact that this used to be a best kept secret, but it is now a popular trail complete with signage to point folks to the creek. The price of progress? Anyway, this went along well with our conversation in the Jeep on the way into the trailhead, as we discussed Rick’s website and the search for ruins and petroglyphs. Very interesting dynamics and the more I listened the more I learned. Hmmm, fun and educational; what a deal!
The hike through Willis Creek and the slot canyons is very nice and quite easy. We started with a team photo once we dropped into the wash, then continued downstream enjoying the scenery and the camaraderie. The day was nearly ideal for hiking and the color palette was exactly the way I like it: blue skies, nicely colored rocks and a great mixture of foliage from green to yellow with a little red thrown in. We took our time and enjoyed the hike and the scenery. We had a little fun with the definition of a slot canyon, the theory being that if you can touch each wall of the canyon, then it is a slot canyon. I reckon we hiked for about 2 hours before hitting our turn-around point and after a brief break we retraced our steps to the trailhead. Once at the trailhead, we took another short snack break then headed back to Kanab. We did stop at Bull Valley and walked up the rim a bit to sneak a peek at the wreckage of the truck which is easily visible. Oscar got some nice photos; I just could not get close enough to the edge to get a great angle. Shoot, for that matter, I could not watch Danny and Oscar as they casually stood near the edge of the canyon; that just gave me the willies!
The hike through Willis Creek and the slot canyons is very nice and quite easy. We started with a team photo once we dropped into the wash, then continued downstream enjoying the scenery and the camaraderie. The day was nearly ideal for hiking and the color palette was exactly the way I like it: blue skies, nicely colored rocks and a great mixture of foliage from green to yellow with a little red thrown in. We took our time and enjoyed the hike and the scenery. We had a little fun with the definition of a slot canyon, the theory being that if you can touch each wall of the canyon, then it is a slot canyon. I reckon we hiked for about 2 hours before hitting our turn-around point and after a brief break we retraced our steps to the trailhead. Once at the trailhead, we took another short snack break then headed back to Kanab. We did stop at Bull Valley and walked up the rim a bit to sneak a peek at the wreckage of the truck which is easily visible. Oscar got some nice photos; I just could not get close enough to the edge to get a great angle. Shoot, for that matter, I could not watch Danny and Oscar as they casually stood near the edge of the canyon; that just gave me the willies!
We were back at the VRBO houses about 4:00 and met the latest arrivals, Alison and Mark, who were chatting with Lynn, Alex and Frankie. I grabbed a quick shower and when I came back downstairs, Rob and Alley had also shown up. The only folks missing were Rhonda and Chris and Hans and Antoinette, but we figured they might just me planning on meeting the gang at the Kanab sign for the group photo.
We headed to the “welcome to Kanab” sign on route 89 heading north out of town for the group shot and sure enough, Rhonda and Chris were waiting and in fact all set up to take the shot. We had everyone there for the photo except Hans and Antoinette; somehow the signals were crossed. But we got a great group shot to mark the first official group activity of the 2011 Utah Meet-Up.
After the photo shoot, the group headed to the Rockin’ V for dinner, where we found Tet13 and Tet14 waiting for us. While the group was split between three tables, we still were able to shuffle around and talk and visit with the folks at the other tables. Dinner tonight was the one time during the meet-up at which all 24 of us were together at the same time. That was special. |
We kept the party going after the Rockin’ V and reconvened at VRBO house #2 where we worked out the final plans for Saturday. Seventeen of us will be heading to Toroweap, so we determine the drivers and the departure time. Susan Kbec really wanted to drive as well, but was on the fence, so I volunteered to ride shotgun with her. This sealed the deal for her and she decided to make the drive. We probably now had one too many vehicles for the drive to Toroweap, but we’ll figure that out tomorrow.
Here’s a link to some of my photos from today.
Saturday 10/22 - Bumpy Rides. Lynn had another early morning, as Susan dawgg was picking her up at 0630 for the drive to Ruby’s at Bryce Canyon for their trail ride. My itinerary for the day did not really start until after 8:00, as the departure for Toroweap was set for 8:30. We readjusted the driving arrangements a bit as follows:
Here’s a link to some of my photos from today.
Saturday 10/22 - Bumpy Rides. Lynn had another early morning, as Susan dawgg was picking her up at 0630 for the drive to Ruby’s at Bryce Canyon for their trail ride. My itinerary for the day did not really start until after 8:00, as the departure for Toroweap was set for 8:30. We readjusted the driving arrangements a bit as follows:
|
The ride to Toroweap is fairly easy, for the first 50 miles or so. However, once you pass the Ranger station, the character of the road changes dramatically. Overall, the first 50 miles of dirt road in flat and straight with just one or two small hills and a curve or two. Not far after the Ranger station, the condition of the road degrades significantly and generally climbs through a series of switchbacks and curves, all of which are full of large rocks and ruts. The road demands a high-clearance vehicle. It is a bit of a kidney buster. But it is a fun drive. The only problem that I had was that Kbec’s truck was trying to choke me! With each bump we hit, the seatbelt would get a little tighter until I was pinned against the seat! I told Kbec that if I start to turn blue to please stop the truck!
After our bumpy ride, finally arriving at the rim was a joy and a relief! I reckon we reached the rim about 11:30. We all piled out of our dust covered caravan and staggered over to the rim for a view of the Colorado River some 3000 feet below us. I was probably the most cautious of the group when it came to heading to the rim….steep drops and edges are just not my thing! But the view, even from several feet from the rim was truly magnificent! I did manage to get fairly close to the edge, as I found a couple vantage points that had sort of a natural barrier or a very wide ledge. However, the daredevils in the group were worrying me a bit as they were enjoying the view with their toes seemingly dangling over the precipice. While my comfort level improved with time, the “pucker-factor” was still at nearly maximum! We had a very nice time exploring the rim and watching Pixie and Donna blowing bubbles over the edge (and interesting way to celebrate the beauty of the Grand Canyon).
It was now lunch time, and we found a nice table under a tree near the rim, so we set up there and added a couple folding tables and several chairs that we had dragged along with us. I pulled the folding table out of the bed of Kbec’s truck; it was FULL of red dirt from the drive up the to the rim. We had a great lunch; everyone just pitching in whatever food they brought with them. Alex and Howie had made a ton of sandwiches, so everyone ate well today. We had a couple visitors at lunch as well, a chipmunk or two.
After our bumpy ride, finally arriving at the rim was a joy and a relief! I reckon we reached the rim about 11:30. We all piled out of our dust covered caravan and staggered over to the rim for a view of the Colorado River some 3000 feet below us. I was probably the most cautious of the group when it came to heading to the rim….steep drops and edges are just not my thing! But the view, even from several feet from the rim was truly magnificent! I did manage to get fairly close to the edge, as I found a couple vantage points that had sort of a natural barrier or a very wide ledge. However, the daredevils in the group were worrying me a bit as they were enjoying the view with their toes seemingly dangling over the precipice. While my comfort level improved with time, the “pucker-factor” was still at nearly maximum! We had a very nice time exploring the rim and watching Pixie and Donna blowing bubbles over the edge (and interesting way to celebrate the beauty of the Grand Canyon).
It was now lunch time, and we found a nice table under a tree near the rim, so we set up there and added a couple folding tables and several chairs that we had dragged along with us. I pulled the folding table out of the bed of Kbec’s truck; it was FULL of red dirt from the drive up the to the rim. We had a great lunch; everyone just pitching in whatever food they brought with them. Alex and Howie had made a ton of sandwiches, so everyone ate well today. We had a couple visitors at lunch as well, a chipmunk or two.
After a bite, I headed off to explore. I walked only a short distance and was quickly out of earshot of everyone else. Talk about peace and solitude. I had a very nice time just sitting on a rock overlooking the canyon and the river. There was not a sound other than that made by the wind. It was a great few minutes and kind that I look for when in the parks.
Alex made his way over a little while later and we decided that this would be a great place for a group photo as it would be possible to get everyone in the shot and will be able to see down into the canyon. We got the cats herded over to the right spot and got a great group photo (included in the group shot album). After a little more exploration we loaded up the convoy and started back to Kanab about 2:30. The only black mark on the day was the flat tire that Oscar got way home. The statistics state that 25% of the vehicles that make the trek to Toroweap will get a flat, so with 5 trucks I reckon we were due. Of course, someone said that we were jinxed when one member of the party read that stat in the Toroweap brochure. But this was probably the most well prepared expedition that I have been one. Alex, Howie and Rob had brought tools and tire pumps, so Oscar had his Tahoe back to road worthy in no time. Later on the ride out, we passed some twisted sign posts in the road; someone had obviously gone off the edge of the road and knocked these over. They made for a serious road hazard, so Kbec made a U-turn so that I could get them off the road….our good deed for the day! More details are in my review of the road trip. |
We were back at the VRBO houses about at 4:30 so we all had plenty of time to get cleaned up for dinner. The plan for this evening was pizza and salad at VRBO house #1. I think everyone made it over for dinner, except for Alison and Mark. Lynn and Frankie took care of the pizza order, and Alex and Howie went to pick up the pies from Lotsa Motza. The only problem was that the pizza place ran out of dough! How does that happen? So the main course was delayed a bit, but there was plenty of other stuff to eat and drink to keep the natives happy.
Tonight was also “show and tell” night, per Danny’s suggestion. He started with a box of Trip Advisor goodies (hats, luggage tags, pens, etc.)…it was like Christmas morning as folks descended on the goodie box! Pixie bought a box of interesting rocks. I had the Bluff photobook for folks to peruse. Danny also brought some vintage maps of the area.
I had a couple pleasant surprises for the evening. First, Kbec presented me with a new TA backpack, since my backpack failed a few weeks previous. It was quite a thoughtful act on her part. But that was just the beginning. Alex later called the group to order to make an announcement or two. Unbeknownst to me, the group had bought a gift for me to show their appreciation for my planning the meet-up and for setting up the meet-up website. Alex presented me with a nice walking stick that had a camera mount; quite useful. I was completely surprised. While I was not expecting anything like this, I guess I should not have been surprised by the generosity of this group. I was pleased to do the planning and really enjoyed putting the website together. And just getting to spend time with these wonderful folks was reward enough. Anyway, thanks so much for the kind gift. It truly means a lot.
How about some photos from today.
Tonight was also “show and tell” night, per Danny’s suggestion. He started with a box of Trip Advisor goodies (hats, luggage tags, pens, etc.)…it was like Christmas morning as folks descended on the goodie box! Pixie bought a box of interesting rocks. I had the Bluff photobook for folks to peruse. Danny also brought some vintage maps of the area.
I had a couple pleasant surprises for the evening. First, Kbec presented me with a new TA backpack, since my backpack failed a few weeks previous. It was quite a thoughtful act on her part. But that was just the beginning. Alex later called the group to order to make an announcement or two. Unbeknownst to me, the group had bought a gift for me to show their appreciation for my planning the meet-up and for setting up the meet-up website. Alex presented me with a nice walking stick that had a camera mount; quite useful. I was completely surprised. While I was not expecting anything like this, I guess I should not have been surprised by the generosity of this group. I was pleased to do the planning and really enjoyed putting the website together. And just getting to spend time with these wonderful folks was reward enough. Anyway, thanks so much for the kind gift. It truly means a lot.
How about some photos from today.
Sunday – Raft Trip. This is the day for our second big “team” event, the float trip down the Colorado River from Page to Lee’s Ferry. The majority of folks will be on the raft, but not everyone. Rhonda and Chris will be heading to Zion (Rhonda decided that no one wants to see her puke, or worse be on the receiving end of a Technicolor barf). Rick bailed at the last minute; I think he is just a land lubber at heart and would rather have sand in his shoes. A few others who passed on the trip also said goodbye to the group. Rob was heading back via Zion and other stops, Alley had business to attend to in Page, and Alex and Frankie were going to head back to Sedona, although they and Alley did make it to the Colorado River Discovery base to wish us well.
Today was the day that the time zone change giveth, since we gained an hour heading back to Page, so we did not leave Kanab until 9:30 to make the 90 minute drive to Page in order to arrive at CRD before 10:30….huh, what, warp speed, Mr. Scott! Anyway we all got there eventually and in plenty of time to check in and get the mandatory safety lecture. Problem was that most of us are used to flying, so after the first line or two from the CRD safety dude, we sort of fell back into conversation, and then…ARRINGTON GROUP, YOU ARE OUT OF CONTROL! OK, we’ll listen to the safety brief…ride the bus, inspection of all carry-on articles, long dark tunnel, hardhats while under the bridge…got it. So at the end, the safety dude asks “Any questions?” and some smart a$$ from the group yells out “NO, SIR!”….oh wait, that was me…anyway, I think I must have struck a minor nerve with safety Dude, as he just stated that it was been a looong summer. Hey, it’s all good!
So we pile on the bus, saying farewell to Alex, Frankie and Alley as we went, and made the ride to the launch site just downstream of the dam and below the bridge. As safety dude mentioned, we were going into a restricted area, so we passed a check point at the rim of the canyon and then headed down via a rather long and dark tunnel (did that sign say 8% grade?). Actually a very cool set of engineering feats, with the tunnel, the dam and the bridge. Once off the bus, we are issued hardhats for the short walk to the dock since we are under the route 89 bridge; trust me, it would ruin your day to get hit in the noggin by something that fell from the bridge. Safety first. Speaking of safety, I was a bit surprised that we were not required to wear a life jacket, err, personal floatation device, while on the river, but these were optional for this smooth water ride. Fine by me.
As we loaded into out raft, we met our guide and captain for the day, Frank. What a great guy! And he is extremely knowledgeable of the area. He really made a nice trip a very special event. Lynn and I were the last ones on the boat, and ended up on the starboard side near the bow (I think that means front right!). I don’t think it matters where you sit as the views are big and you can probably see from anywhere, but being in the front did make it easier to take unobscured photos. One nice thing about having a group the size that we had was that we had the entire raft for just our group. Perhaps this was the SS Trip Advisor! Just as long as it was not the SS Minnow.
Today was the day that the time zone change giveth, since we gained an hour heading back to Page, so we did not leave Kanab until 9:30 to make the 90 minute drive to Page in order to arrive at CRD before 10:30….huh, what, warp speed, Mr. Scott! Anyway we all got there eventually and in plenty of time to check in and get the mandatory safety lecture. Problem was that most of us are used to flying, so after the first line or two from the CRD safety dude, we sort of fell back into conversation, and then…ARRINGTON GROUP, YOU ARE OUT OF CONTROL! OK, we’ll listen to the safety brief…ride the bus, inspection of all carry-on articles, long dark tunnel, hardhats while under the bridge…got it. So at the end, the safety dude asks “Any questions?” and some smart a$$ from the group yells out “NO, SIR!”….oh wait, that was me…anyway, I think I must have struck a minor nerve with safety Dude, as he just stated that it was been a looong summer. Hey, it’s all good!
So we pile on the bus, saying farewell to Alex, Frankie and Alley as we went, and made the ride to the launch site just downstream of the dam and below the bridge. As safety dude mentioned, we were going into a restricted area, so we passed a check point at the rim of the canyon and then headed down via a rather long and dark tunnel (did that sign say 8% grade?). Actually a very cool set of engineering feats, with the tunnel, the dam and the bridge. Once off the bus, we are issued hardhats for the short walk to the dock since we are under the route 89 bridge; trust me, it would ruin your day to get hit in the noggin by something that fell from the bridge. Safety first. Speaking of safety, I was a bit surprised that we were not required to wear a life jacket, err, personal floatation device, while on the river, but these were optional for this smooth water ride. Fine by me.
As we loaded into out raft, we met our guide and captain for the day, Frank. What a great guy! And he is extremely knowledgeable of the area. He really made a nice trip a very special event. Lynn and I were the last ones on the boat, and ended up on the starboard side near the bow (I think that means front right!). I don’t think it matters where you sit as the views are big and you can probably see from anywhere, but being in the front did make it easier to take unobscured photos. One nice thing about having a group the size that we had was that we had the entire raft for just our group. Perhaps this was the SS Trip Advisor! Just as long as it was not the SS Minnow.
As we headed down the river, we were treated to excellent views of the canyon, the dam and the bridge. The dam in an amazing engineering marvel, but it is still controversial for the natural wonders that were flooded over with the creation of Lake Powell. But that was all before my time, so I’ll just move on. I will say that one of the prettiest boat rides that Lynn and I ever took was the tour up Lake Powell to Rainbow Bridge; the scenery on the lake is fantastic. The other interesting sight we saw were these little, bitty specks way up on the canyon rim looking down at us. Only later did we learn that the specks were Alex and Frankie at one of the overlooks. Alex got a nice shot of us floating downstream from his perch 1000 feet above us.
The trip was easy and slow paced, but extremely interesting and unbelievably beautiful. Frank told us stories of the history and nature of the canyon and kept us entertained the entire trip. At one point we were watching a flock of ravens along the river bank and Frank asked if we knew the proper term for a group of ravens; a “murder” of course. That got me to thinking, so a turned to Kbecjeans and asked her what we should call a group of Trip Advisors…we’ll have to work on that… Frank also talked a bit about the invasive plant and animal species in the area and efforts to either keep out or eradicate the intruders (like the boat inspections to make sure the zebra mussels do not get into the lake). The Parks Service is working hard to get rid of an invasive tree, tamarix which has spread into the area. During the conversation, it was mentioned that a beetle could be introduced to help control the trees, but then the beetle could be a problem. However, there is a toad that eats the beetle, but then how do you control the toad? “Cajuns” was the reply from some smart ass...oh, that was me again. And the problem is that there is no way to get rid of Cajuns….but I digress. The only stop we made during the trip was at ???? for the restroom, lunch and a look at the pretroglyphs. Frank again provided a nice history of the rock art. As for wildlife, in addition to the scores of ravens, we saw a couple Great Blue Herons, several ducks and rainbow trout. Howie was particularly interested in the fishing and camping opportunities along the river; he may suggest that we have the next meet-up in Glenn Canyon! Frank also pointed out a place on one of the beaches were beaver frequent. We also had fun picking out shapes in the rocks and patterns in the desert varnish that decorated the canyon walls. Frank also pointed out a section of the canyon rim that was 1400 feet about the river, and since the dam was 700 feet, that made the canyon just “two dam tall.” He also relayed a story to us about a trip in the summer when one of the passengers complained that it was “hotter than the hinges on the gates of hell." We suggested that Frank not quit his day job. |
We floated through Glenn Canyon enjoying the peace of the river on a picture perfect day. The trip from the dam to Lee’s Ferry took about 3.5 hours (I think we launched about 11:00 and landed at 2:30). Great trip overall; it provided us with not only a scenic tour of a true natural wonder, but we also had the time to visit and get to know the rest of the folks a little more. Once we headed for Page on the bus, we had one more stop at the large balanced rocks along the park road. This was where we made our “team photo” for the float trip. Here's the link to the review for the float trip.
Once we got back to Page, folks starting packing up and heading off to dinner. Most were going back to Kanab, but some of us had other plans. Kbecjeans rode with Lynn and me, and she had suggested Bonkers for dinner, however, today being Sunday, Bonkers was closed…as were most of the other “better” eateries in the sprawling metropolis of Page. So after a little deliberation we opted to cruise back to Kanab and catch up with the rest of the gang at Nedra’s, a Mexican place with good service and average food, although the hot peppers they served as a garnish where, well, HOT. I asked the server what they were, to which she replied American Yellow Hot Peppers and suggested that you should not just pop them whole…where was she five minutes ago!
Here are a set of photos from me and Lynn.
Monday – The Wave! Well, the meet-up is basically over, as most folks are heading home today, but there is still one last adventure in the Kanab area for 10 of us: The Wave! The hikers today were Donna and Oscar, Chris and Rhonda, Antoinette, Kebecjeans, Rick and Max, Lynn and me. This was the bonus for the trip, getting these hard to come by permits. The entire group put in a LOT of permit applications and we were extremely lucky to get nine hiking slots for Thursday and another 10 slots for today. That was all but one of the available lottery slots for the two days. I’m fairly certain that the four-leaf clover that I found the evening before the lottery drawing had a lot to do with our good fortune!
The gang met up at the VRBO house with a 0730 departure in mind based on the recommendation of the Thursday Wave hikers. Howie stopped by to provide some last minute suggestions on the hike and to say so-long. Lynn convinced him to take some of the left over “beer” (in quotes as it was the mass-produced, light swill and a beer snob like me just cannot tolerate…but again, I digress). We loaded up the trucks and headed east on 89 toward Page. We had to four vehicles as folks were leaving several directions following the hike; Donna and Oscar to the Grand Canyon South Rim and Rick and Max were heading to Bluff. Kbecjeans and Antoinette rode with Lynn and me. We were the fourth car and final car in the group. A little convoy. Hey, there’s an idea; how about “convoy” for a group of TA folks. Kbec liked the idea.
It took us about 40 minutes to get to the intersection with House Rock Valley Road, then another 20 minutes to traverse the 8 miles of dirt road to the Wirepass Trailhead. Once we made a final trip to the outhouse and got geared up, I reckon it was just past 8:30 that we were on the trail. It is a 3 mile trek to get to the Wave, and with all the focus on the destination, I had heard practically nothing about the hike in and out, other the simple directions. Let me tell you, this is one of the best hikes I have taken. It is very scenic for the entire route, with lovely rock formations all along the way. I took my normal position at the back of the pack so that I could take photos along the way (no problem for me to stop, snap some shots and enjoy the surroundings and then quickly catch up with the caravan. (Hmmmm, “caravan”, perhaps another name for a group of TAers?). I also wanted to stick to the back of the pack, just to keep the group together, as some folks had expressed concerns about the hike. But this was a determined group and everyone marched along with a purpose and everyone was providing support and encouragement along the way. It was a truly a great hike, and we weren’t even “there” yet!
Once we got back to Page, folks starting packing up and heading off to dinner. Most were going back to Kanab, but some of us had other plans. Kbecjeans rode with Lynn and me, and she had suggested Bonkers for dinner, however, today being Sunday, Bonkers was closed…as were most of the other “better” eateries in the sprawling metropolis of Page. So after a little deliberation we opted to cruise back to Kanab and catch up with the rest of the gang at Nedra’s, a Mexican place with good service and average food, although the hot peppers they served as a garnish where, well, HOT. I asked the server what they were, to which she replied American Yellow Hot Peppers and suggested that you should not just pop them whole…where was she five minutes ago!
Here are a set of photos from me and Lynn.
Monday – The Wave! Well, the meet-up is basically over, as most folks are heading home today, but there is still one last adventure in the Kanab area for 10 of us: The Wave! The hikers today were Donna and Oscar, Chris and Rhonda, Antoinette, Kebecjeans, Rick and Max, Lynn and me. This was the bonus for the trip, getting these hard to come by permits. The entire group put in a LOT of permit applications and we were extremely lucky to get nine hiking slots for Thursday and another 10 slots for today. That was all but one of the available lottery slots for the two days. I’m fairly certain that the four-leaf clover that I found the evening before the lottery drawing had a lot to do with our good fortune!
The gang met up at the VRBO house with a 0730 departure in mind based on the recommendation of the Thursday Wave hikers. Howie stopped by to provide some last minute suggestions on the hike and to say so-long. Lynn convinced him to take some of the left over “beer” (in quotes as it was the mass-produced, light swill and a beer snob like me just cannot tolerate…but again, I digress). We loaded up the trucks and headed east on 89 toward Page. We had to four vehicles as folks were leaving several directions following the hike; Donna and Oscar to the Grand Canyon South Rim and Rick and Max were heading to Bluff. Kbecjeans and Antoinette rode with Lynn and me. We were the fourth car and final car in the group. A little convoy. Hey, there’s an idea; how about “convoy” for a group of TA folks. Kbec liked the idea.
It took us about 40 minutes to get to the intersection with House Rock Valley Road, then another 20 minutes to traverse the 8 miles of dirt road to the Wirepass Trailhead. Once we made a final trip to the outhouse and got geared up, I reckon it was just past 8:30 that we were on the trail. It is a 3 mile trek to get to the Wave, and with all the focus on the destination, I had heard practically nothing about the hike in and out, other the simple directions. Let me tell you, this is one of the best hikes I have taken. It is very scenic for the entire route, with lovely rock formations all along the way. I took my normal position at the back of the pack so that I could take photos along the way (no problem for me to stop, snap some shots and enjoy the surroundings and then quickly catch up with the caravan. (Hmmmm, “caravan”, perhaps another name for a group of TAers?). I also wanted to stick to the back of the pack, just to keep the group together, as some folks had expressed concerns about the hike. But this was a determined group and everyone marched along with a purpose and everyone was providing support and encouragement along the way. It was a truly a great hike, and we weren’t even “there” yet!
Kbecjeans was the only one of the group who had previously hiked to the Wave, so between her memory and the maps and photos provided by the BLM, we had little problem staying on the trail to the Wave. The last landmark that we followed was a slot in the wall of the formation beyond the Wave; this was our beacon and it guided us right to the spot. The last little climb up the sandy hill to the Wave was the toughest part of the hike, but even then not that bad. But the pay off was definitely worth the effort. We all stood in awe of the curves and colors at the entrance to the Wave for several minutes, just taking it all in…well, all of us except Chris; his camera had dragged him on ahead and he was busy composing shots from above the Wave. The rest of us posed for a group photo here at the entrance, then moved on to explore the wonders around the next corner…..and there were many!
After a while, we all sort of reconvened just above the Wave at the location where many of the classic shots were taken. Now that the entire expedition was assembled, we set up for the official team photograph. I had Lynn walk down the slope so that we could better gage the layout and where to have folks stand. Once she was in a good spot, I asked for the rest of the gang to array themselves to her left…hey, “array”…that could be a term for a group of TA folks. Sorry, back to the photo. Anyway, we got the team photos and them spent a little more time here just enjoying the scenery and a snack. Then it was on to explore the rest of the area.
After a while, we all sort of reconvened just above the Wave at the location where many of the classic shots were taken. Now that the entire expedition was assembled, we set up for the official team photograph. I had Lynn walk down the slope so that we could better gage the layout and where to have folks stand. Once she was in a good spot, I asked for the rest of the gang to array themselves to her left…hey, “array”…that could be a term for a group of TA folks. Sorry, back to the photo. Anyway, we got the team photos and them spent a little more time here just enjoying the scenery and a snack. Then it was on to explore the rest of the area.
I knew going in that the area around the Wave was not large, even taking into account the Wave 2, Sand Cove and the boneyard, but it was even smaller than I expected. But that does not take away from the fascinating scenery and outstanding colors in the rocks. You could easily stay here all day crawling around the formations looking at the convoluted compositions and contorted contours (has that for alliteration?). Sadly, however, our time was limited, as some of the party had to make tracks for their next destination and others were taking a bit fatigued. Chris and I opted to continue on around the loop, while the rest of the gang retraced the path back through the Wave.
Chris and I had a great time cruising across the sandstone through what we believe was Sand Cove and through the honeycomb rocks that had fallen from the boneyard area (we did not climb up to the boneyard). So many photo ops, so little time! This part of the loop was very easy, as it was all on sandstone, so we walked and snapped photos as we went. I saw a few lizards scampering from rock to rock and we also saw some very interesting feathers with bright orange veins. No idea what type of bird it was, but from the number of feathers, it was either a raptor that had caught lunch in the area, or it was lunch for a bigger bird. As we walked out on the slickrock, I saw a group of hikers below us and sure enough it was the rest of F Troop. So we fell in with the column and continued the trek back to the trailhead.
This was snake day, as the folks with Lynn saw a big brown and yellow snake, and later we ran across a rattler under a rock (pics of both are in the link below). Pretty cool actually, as we rarely see snakes during our hikes. But they are out the, so be careful on the trails. The review of our hike to the Wave has a little more detail.
Donna and Oscar had to make tracks for the SRGC, so they made their farewells then kicked it in to high-gear for the trailhead. The rest of us kept a more leisurely pace, still enjoying the landscape along the trail. I reckon we were back at the trailhead about 3:00. Rick had hiked down Wirepass yesterday, so he wanted to show the group the slot canyons that he had explored. Chris and I were up for the hike, so Lynn, Kbec and Antoinette drove back to Kanab, Rhonda and Max made camp in the parking lot and the men folk went off to explore. Max offered to make us a PB&J sandwich before the hike and after I confirmed grape jelly, I took her up on the offer. Good move as this was the mother of all PB&J! Crunchy peanut butter, grape jelly on sourdough bread. Yum! And now I have some energy to burn.
Chris and I had a great time cruising across the sandstone through what we believe was Sand Cove and through the honeycomb rocks that had fallen from the boneyard area (we did not climb up to the boneyard). So many photo ops, so little time! This part of the loop was very easy, as it was all on sandstone, so we walked and snapped photos as we went. I saw a few lizards scampering from rock to rock and we also saw some very interesting feathers with bright orange veins. No idea what type of bird it was, but from the number of feathers, it was either a raptor that had caught lunch in the area, or it was lunch for a bigger bird. As we walked out on the slickrock, I saw a group of hikers below us and sure enough it was the rest of F Troop. So we fell in with the column and continued the trek back to the trailhead.
This was snake day, as the folks with Lynn saw a big brown and yellow snake, and later we ran across a rattler under a rock (pics of both are in the link below). Pretty cool actually, as we rarely see snakes during our hikes. But they are out the, so be careful on the trails. The review of our hike to the Wave has a little more detail.
Donna and Oscar had to make tracks for the SRGC, so they made their farewells then kicked it in to high-gear for the trailhead. The rest of us kept a more leisurely pace, still enjoying the landscape along the trail. I reckon we were back at the trailhead about 3:00. Rick had hiked down Wirepass yesterday, so he wanted to show the group the slot canyons that he had explored. Chris and I were up for the hike, so Lynn, Kbec and Antoinette drove back to Kanab, Rhonda and Max made camp in the parking lot and the men folk went off to explore. Max offered to make us a PB&J sandwich before the hike and after I confirmed grape jelly, I took her up on the offer. Good move as this was the mother of all PB&J! Crunchy peanut butter, grape jelly on sourdough bread. Yum! And now I have some energy to burn.
Rick was on a mission it seemed and was hoofing it down the wash to the slot canyons…good thing I had that PB&J. His plan was to lead us through to the confluence of Wirepass and Buckskin washes to see the petroglyphs. It took us just under 45 minutes to reach the confluence, and we were making good time through the slots, although there were a couple of choke points that we had to scramble down. Rick has a little sheepish once he got back into the slots. His comment was that the slots were a lot prettier yesterday, before seeing the Wave. Still, it was a fun hike through some interesting terrain with two great companions.
Once back at the trailhead, we packed up and said our goodbyes as Rick and Max were heading to Bluff. I hitched a ride with the wings and we had a nice drive back to Kanab; great opportunity to get talk my fellow Buckeyes…not that I’m really a Buckeye…. The plan for tonight is dinner at whatever restaurant that Amtoinette picks, her prize for hiking to the Wave (she was a real trooper today!). Anyway, the group congregated at the VRBO house for a drink before dinner, and then we headed to Rockin’V at 7:00. However, they were packed, so we had a 30 minute wait and opted to head back to the VRBO for another drink. Then we had the final dinner of the meet-up. Just the six of us. We had a lovely time, but it was a bit quiet after the large crowds of the past several days. The food again was excellent (I had the bison). After dinner, we said our final good-bys. Rhonda and Chris were heading to Moab, Hans and Antoinette to Henderson…or where ever the spirit moves them…and we will be starting the journey home, with a stop in Sedona. |
Here is another set of photos from the hiking today.
Tuesday – Leaving Kanab. Well, the party in Kanab is over and it is time to start the journey home, but Lynn and I still have a full day to play and a stopover in Sedona for the evening. Alex and Frnakie had invited us to stay with them for the night so we canceled our hotel reservation and took them up on their offer, but I’m getting ahead of myself….
We had a relaxed morning…no schedule and no place to be until evening. The VRBO house is very quiet. House #2 was vacated yesterday, and it is just Lynn and me now, since Kbec also headed home after the Wave last evening. Funny that over the past couple of days these two houses had served as the primary gathering point for the meet-up. Lots of laughs and getting to know all of these great folks. I’m really glad that the houses worked out so well. While we spent time together during our activities and at the restaurants, I think having a place to meet and hang-out really made for a easy and relaxed week.
Anyway, after getting showered and packed and doing a little cleaning around the house (very little in fact…even with the huge group, the houses were left in beautiful shape!), we took a stroll along the main street of Kanab in search of a little breakfast and to look at the stores. It is a quaint little burg. We enjoyed reading the markers along the sidewalk with the local movie history. Then it was time to head south. Since we came in on route 89 through Page, we opted to return on alternate 89 through Jacob Lake so that we could get the variety in terms of scenery, but more so for the cookies! It was a quiet drive, as we were reflecting on the events of the past few days, but as we usually do, we started chatting about the landscape and changes in flora with the changes in elevation and of course Lynn was looking for critters (hmmm, still no bison). We made our stop at Jacob Lake and looked around the gift shop a bit before buying an assortment of cookies. Lynn got some coffee, but I let the young lady at the counter talk me into a milkshake…not a hard sell at all. I went with vanilla with Oreo cookies, a winning combination.
We had made the drive from Jacob Lake to Navajo Bridge one other time, but most of that was in the late evening, so we did not get a change to enjoy the scenery, which is beautiful. To add to the landscape, there were also scattered rain showers in the area, and with the wide open spaces between the rock formations, we could see the downpours off in the distance. This made for some interesting views. I told Lynn to keep her eyes open for rainbows.
Tuesday – Leaving Kanab. Well, the party in Kanab is over and it is time to start the journey home, but Lynn and I still have a full day to play and a stopover in Sedona for the evening. Alex and Frnakie had invited us to stay with them for the night so we canceled our hotel reservation and took them up on their offer, but I’m getting ahead of myself….
We had a relaxed morning…no schedule and no place to be until evening. The VRBO house is very quiet. House #2 was vacated yesterday, and it is just Lynn and me now, since Kbec also headed home after the Wave last evening. Funny that over the past couple of days these two houses had served as the primary gathering point for the meet-up. Lots of laughs and getting to know all of these great folks. I’m really glad that the houses worked out so well. While we spent time together during our activities and at the restaurants, I think having a place to meet and hang-out really made for a easy and relaxed week.
Anyway, after getting showered and packed and doing a little cleaning around the house (very little in fact…even with the huge group, the houses were left in beautiful shape!), we took a stroll along the main street of Kanab in search of a little breakfast and to look at the stores. It is a quaint little burg. We enjoyed reading the markers along the sidewalk with the local movie history. Then it was time to head south. Since we came in on route 89 through Page, we opted to return on alternate 89 through Jacob Lake so that we could get the variety in terms of scenery, but more so for the cookies! It was a quiet drive, as we were reflecting on the events of the past few days, but as we usually do, we started chatting about the landscape and changes in flora with the changes in elevation and of course Lynn was looking for critters (hmmm, still no bison). We made our stop at Jacob Lake and looked around the gift shop a bit before buying an assortment of cookies. Lynn got some coffee, but I let the young lady at the counter talk me into a milkshake…not a hard sell at all. I went with vanilla with Oreo cookies, a winning combination.
We had made the drive from Jacob Lake to Navajo Bridge one other time, but most of that was in the late evening, so we did not get a change to enjoy the scenery, which is beautiful. To add to the landscape, there were also scattered rain showers in the area, and with the wide open spaces between the rock formations, we could see the downpours off in the distance. This made for some interesting views. I told Lynn to keep her eyes open for rainbows.
We made a couple photo stops, but basically just cruised to Cameron; Lynn wanted to check out the shops for jewelry options. For once I beat her in terms of loot, as she did not find anything that she just had to have, but I got a nice deal on an inlaid belt buckle at one of the shops just south of the Cameron Trading Post.
The weather had cleared a bit, so we stuck to my original plan which was to drive through Wupatki and Sunset Crater National Monuments. This is a nice pairing of parks and an easy area to view in good detail in just a few hours. We arrived the Wupatki entrance sign at about 1:45 and were exiting Sunset Crater around 4:00, so a little over 2 hours and we stopped at most of the overlooks, walked through several of the ruins areas and investigated both visitor centers. At Sunset Crater, one of my favorite views was of the lava field. The light was great and the variety of colors was interesting (the black lava with the bright blue sky and a background and a few aspens sporting their fall wardrobe of brilliant yellow…just spectacular). We did not do any long walks due to lack of time, but we still got a good overview of the park. We also limited our time at the monuments as we wanted to get to Sedona to spend some extra time with our good friends Alex and Frankie. For a little more information on these two interesting National Monuments, check out my review.
The weather had cleared a bit, so we stuck to my original plan which was to drive through Wupatki and Sunset Crater National Monuments. This is a nice pairing of parks and an easy area to view in good detail in just a few hours. We arrived the Wupatki entrance sign at about 1:45 and were exiting Sunset Crater around 4:00, so a little over 2 hours and we stopped at most of the overlooks, walked through several of the ruins areas and investigated both visitor centers. At Sunset Crater, one of my favorite views was of the lava field. The light was great and the variety of colors was interesting (the black lava with the bright blue sky and a background and a few aspens sporting their fall wardrobe of brilliant yellow…just spectacular). We did not do any long walks due to lack of time, but we still got a good overview of the park. We also limited our time at the monuments as we wanted to get to Sedona to spend some extra time with our good friends Alex and Frankie. For a little more information on these two interesting National Monuments, check out my review.
The drive along route 89 down Oak Creek Canyon into Sedona is one of my favorites. The red rocks are amazing along the drive. But the weather was threatening again, so we did not make any stops. We actually hit a heavy downpour just outside of Sedona that turned into hail. Lasted a few minutes, but when it was over the sun again broke through and that is when we got the rainbow that I know we would see today. I did pull over to get a photo (actually stopped at two vantage points) which is included in the linked set at the end of this post. Probably not a great shot, but it caught the moment.
We cruised on through the sprawling metropolis of Sedona…looked like it had not rained there at all. The GPS directed us right to the house of Alex and Frankie, who were waiting to greet us with open arms. They have a lovely house and the views are unbelievable! We spent a little time chatting and enjoying reviewing the meet-up, and then headed to Elote for dinner. |
Elote is a very nice place with good food and excellent service. Lynn and I had eaten here during our first visit to Sedona and I remember having a long wait for a table; I think Alex must have connections as our wait tonight was next to nothing. It was great having the additional time with Alex and Frankie, however, once we got home, I was wiped out (still more or less on east coast time), so we called it a night and headed to the casita.
Here are the photos from today's road trip and some group photos of the herd.
Wednesday 10/26 – The Journey Home. Well all good things must come to an end, and today was the end of our excursion to UT and AZ. Chef Alex made breakfast for us all; egg-beaters and turkey bacon on a bagel; good and good for you! We chatted a bit more, then petted the pups, hugged our guests and hit the road for Phoenix. As we were driving to route 179, we got one last great view of Cathedral Rock (the last photo in the album linked below). It was a fitting end to this epic advanture. It was an easy ride back to Phoenix and no issues with travel. In fact, we must have had a nice tail wind as we arrived in Cleveland about 35 minutes early (bonus). We were back at the ranch before 7:00 PM, so plenty of time to unpack, start downloading photos and thinking about the trip just completed and the one yet to come…. |