VALLEY OF FIRE STATE PARK IN NEVADA

Almost back to Vegas, our last stop before Lake Mead for cleaning and packing, back to the weird rocks of Valley of Fire. We arrived in the middle of the afternoon and only just got a site, we have always stopped at Atlatl campground but it was full so we headed to Arch Rock campground and got the last but one site. Full of snowbirds I think!

TARANTULA - NOW I KNOW THESE ARE AROUND BUT I'M NOT KEEN ON SEEING THEM - IT REMINDS ME THEY COULD GET IN THE TRAILER - MICE OK BUT SPIDERS - OH NO!!!

QUITE A BIG ONE! THE SPIDER OF COURSE

And so we have arrived at Boulder Beach campground at Lake Mead, seems like a second home to us now, we either start or finish here. The weather is glorious, 29oC but they say its turning cooler tomorrow for a couple of days so I'll get my work done then.

These 3 months of happy trails has been just the best, we have seen new areas, had good company with Terry and Sally, and next year was supposedly going to be our last three months but Roy has been thinking and we have lots to sort out but it may not be the end just yet......watch this space.

Thank you everyone for taking the time to read this blog and for your lovely comments and the biggest thank you goes to Roy, who once again has planned and driven me safely around this fabulous country. (The same cannot be said for his Dodge and the trailer....but I'll let him tell you all about that!)

CORAL PINK SAND DUNES STATE PARK, UTAH

Stopped a night here on our way back to Vegas, had a hike in the sand dunes and enjoyed the sunshine and blue skies.

KANAB YUCCA

LAST DAY IN ZION – BIKE AND HIKE

                                                                VIRGIN RIVER

THIS ARCH IS IN THE PREVIOUS PHOTO BET YOU CANT SEE IT

LOWER EMERALD POOL AREA

We did not want to join the masses and drive into the canyon so we took to the bikes again and went as far as the Lodge, hiked up to lower Emerald pool, along to the Grotto and back to our bikes along the beautiful Virgin River. This place is so peaceful, but sadly our time is coming to an end so we have to move towards Lake Mead.

COURT OF THE PATRIACHS

LOWER EMERALD POOL

We had a little bit of drama on our last evening in Zion, we are not folk who put the generator on endlessly and the times here for its use are 8 – 10am and 6 – 8pm. We had not used it on a morning but on our last evening we put it on at 6pm. Just after 7pm it stopped, Roy went to investigate and found that the plug had been taken out, we do have a dodgy plug that sometimes vibrates out but it wasn't that one. He put it back on and then about 5 minutes later it went off again, Roy saw a man walking away from it and found that he had actually turned the switch off. It was dark by this time so Roy just called over to leave it alone. After we had eaten Roy went up to have a word with the host who said he would relay it to the Ranger as he was not allowed to speak with people after dark.

We had said we didn't want a fuss and the host led us to believe it would be dealt with in the morning but about 10 minutes later we had a knock on the door and the Ranger was there. He listened and then went over to the site. Anther Ranger drove up at that time. They both drove off and the next knock was from a young guy who came to apologize, he said it was a punk! thing to do and he did not realise there were generator use times. We explained that this was our home and if we did not charge up the batteries they would flatten and we would not be able to use anything. Roy shook his hand and we thanked him for coming over. He said it had shocked him when the Ranger came – I bet it did, I would have been! Talking about it after, I felt a bit sad for the guy but then maybe we had done him a favour as he obviously felt he had a right to pull our plug but soon found out that he had not. All's well that end well! Hearing what goes on over here with young folk going out and shooting random people I had been quite apprehensive when it first happened. Rangers Rule OK!

Well they say the best laid plans etc... all packed up ready to move on but the truck didn't want to! Battery fault, we have two on the Dodge and one was past it, a young German couple hung around to see if we needed a jump off, which we eventually did and we went into Hurricane and bought a new one, so stayed another night, had a pleasant walk on the Pa'rus trail in the hot sun and an enjoyable evening with a Canadian couple from Calgary putting the world to rights!

OBSERVATION POINT HIKE, ZION

 Found out today was the last day for the shuttle buses except for weekends, its what makes Zion special as no cars are allowed, they run free shuttle buses every 15 minutes up and down the canyon. We took the shuttle to Weeping Rock and hiked the 8 miles round trip to Observation Point, climbed 2148 ft through Echo Canyon to the stunning viewpoint. We have done this hike before but as with the Grand Canyon these places seem to improve the more you hike them.

OBSERVATION POINT

ZION NATIONAL PARK

THE WATCHMAN AT SUNSET FROM OUR SITE IN SPRINGDALE

After failing again three times to get places at Phantom Ranch for next week, we moved to heavenly Zion. We have stayed here at least three times and it never disappoints.

We had to spend our first night in Springdale in a private campsite as all Zion was full. But Roy got up early and biked next day to bag us a site.

We had a super afternoon biking up as far as Weeping Rock and back, I love biking here – just the shuttle bus going up and down the canyon and you have to get off when it goes past so you get lots of rests!

VIRGIN RIVER WITH PAINTED ROCK AND BEEHIVES IN BACKGROUND

ANGEL'S LANDING - THE MIDDLE ROCK - I CAN'T BELIEVE WE HAVE HIKED UP THERE TWICE

VISITORS FOR TEA

CATHEDRAL, CANYON AND MOON CAVES, SLOT CANYONS AND JUNIPER DRAW TRAIL

Spent a fun morning being kids again and squeezing through slot canyons cut deep into the old muds that millions of years ago were at the bottom a a lake. The caves as they called them lead you through narrow passages with towering walls often to dead ends but some became so small we could not go any further without getting on hands and knees.

WATER TOWER BUILT BY C.C.C.IN 1934

some boys never grow up!

In the afternoon we did a 4 mile loop trail which followed the formations around the valley floor, we are much lower now at 4,800 ft and the weather was hot.

BLACK TAILED JACKRABBIT WHO IS REALLY A HARE!

AND A POSER! HERE'S MY REAR END

AND HERE IS MY BEST SHOT!

The dark bumpy patches in the foreground is Cryptobiotic soil. This desert glue is alive with lichens, mosses, algae, microfungi and bacteria. Cryptbiotic soil crust helps stabilize the soil by reducing wind and water erosion. These microcosms are fragile, easily damaged if disturbed and can take 100 years to recover from damage. Now I bet some of you didn't know that!

ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL SUNSET AT THE END OF A PERFECT DAY