Canyons & Covid-19

[ellen10]

Booking for a later read. I love those canyons!

 

[irv]

Weather the next morning was pretty ordinary, some snow overnight and it was dark and gloomy.

 

[irv]

A bit of Moabian Humour as drove out of town, and yes there is a driver in the ATV

 

[irv]

The day was a combination of mixed scenery and weather.

 

[irv]

The aptly named Mexican Hat.

 

[irv]

The view from Highway 163 Arizona., lots of people stand in the middle of this Highway to get a photo with this backdrop. Given the speed limit is 85 mph, in my opinion not a great idea, so I set up the camera on a tripod well off the road to obtain my shot for posterity

 

[irv]

A bit of road work just outside the turnoff to the entrance, sat there for 15 minutes watching them pick up and drop dirt in the same spot. Finally got the go ahead turn off the highway heading towards the gate to read the sign PARK CLOSED . Now the penny should have dropped when Antelope Valley was closed, this is also Navajo Nation country, unfortunately that's life. Turned around and headed back to Moab.

 

[irv]

Next morning saw me check out of Moab, next destination Page Arizona via Goosenecks State Park. This sight was familiar, but approaching from a different angle.

 

[irv]

Arrived at Goosenecks State Park, $5 entry fee. Was told by the ranger to just drop the money into the honesty box, happy to oblige. This place is pretty spectacular, another example of the power of water to mould landscapes, Monument Valley in the background.

 

[irv]

Just down the road, entrance to Valley of the Gods and surrounds.

 

[irv]

I had two days before I was due to fly out, and I had made the decision to avoid Vegas and drive to LA which was about a seven hour drive. Accordingly I would leave tomorrow, stay one night in LA, before flying home that night. Accordingly I had one last destination, Horseshoe Bend. It would be late afternoon when I arrived, so again a softer light for photography. Arrived back in page just after 5:00 pm, a couple of shots back towards Lake Powell.

 

[irv]

I had heard that it could get pretty crowded here, however was not too bad that time of day, about a 15 minute hike to reach the viewpoint.

 

[irv]

Spectacular contrast of colour in the different rock formations, and the light was perfect to pick up the different hues.

 

[irv]

So Journey ended. No QP available to waste some time in LA. QF 12 had been downsized from an A380 to a 787-9. Only 55 economy passengers on board, so effectively everyone had a lie flat bed when you folded up the arm rests. I grabbed seven hours sleep on the way home which is a first for me, I am usually a petty poor sleeper on a plane. Flights to PQQ had been cut to two a day so I again had a long delay without QP access before I could fly home to 14 days of self isolation. At least I could do so in my own bed, unlike the later ban. As I finish my TR, this is my first day out of isolation, feeling well and grateful for those who have had a look at my trip. Who knows how long before we will have the privilege for unfettered travel restraints Keep well

 

[OZDUCK]

Thanks very much irv. You took some absolutely fabulous photos and I can see why you were so eager to go to these areas. The colours and formations were amazing.

 

[VPS]

Thanks for an amazing TR. I went to the Grand Canyon, Zion and Bryce in 2015 and just loved and would have loved to spend more time there. In my mind Zion and Bryce were just so much better than the GC.

Lake Powell was really low when I was there and pretty disappointing.

Lucky you got to see what you did though and it whets the appetite for me

 

[RB]

Some great photos in there. Have really enjoyed your report

 

[irv]

Thanks for an amazing TR. I went to the Grand Canyon, Zion and Bryce in 2015 and just loved and would have loved to spend more time there. In my mind Zion and Bryce were just so much better than the GC.

Lake Powell was really low when I was there and pretty disappointing.

Lucky you got to see what you did though and it whets the appetite for me

I was also there in 2015, I agree Bryce & Zion are much more visually spectacular than the GC, but I think that is because they are not as vast. To me White Pocket was amazing, so fluid and mind blowing, everywhere you looked was something different, and it was right under your feet.

 

[ellen10]

We first visited Zion and Bryce Canyon in 1996. In the early days of internet blogs I found a guy that posted and shared so much information about those magnificent places. In those days we were booking our USA trip with a travel agent (American Express Travel) and she said she didn't have any information on accommodation and activities in those parks and wanted us to book with a tour group.

Well I went ahead and booked our own accommodation and toured the areas ourselves. On returning from our trip the travel agent wanted a copy of our itinerary and what we saw and did.
We loved both parks so much that we went back again in 2000 when airfares were dirt cheap with the Olympics happenings. Together with our kids we spent many more days exploring and hiking those wonderful trails. Unfortunately we didn't make it to Monument Valley - still on my list.

Your trip report brought back lots of lovely memories.

 

[Major]

Fabulous photos and I can almost see the "roadrunner" sprinting down some of those roads