Back Home

We made it back home Saturday, March 26, seemed like it took four hours to unload the motorhome. Was a great trip, covered a little over 3300 miles in seventeen days. I will post more photos later, AFTER I rest!

Click on the link below to see our route. You can click on the map pins/points to see more details. http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=209017420054527337607.00049f6cbd7e15b516175&z=6

Arches National Park, Utah

The campground in Arches was full so we found a RV park about two miles away.  We awoke to a beautiful day and headed for the park to do some exploring.  The road into the park is around 15 miles long, only one way in and out, as you enter the park, the drive is up a steep switchback, the road climbs and descends several times throughout the park.  This place is spectacular! There is beautiful scenery to see around every corner.  We hiked a few trails to see some of the arches but drove to most sites.  Many of the larger arches are located several miles from the road so you have to hike.  Below are a few photos of Arches National Park.  (click to see larger image)

Amazing!

Balancing Rock

Climbers

Bryce Canyon, Utah

We made it to Bryce Canyon Sunday around noon. The elevation at the park entrance is 8000 feet and climbs to 9000 feet at the far end of the park road.  The entire park was blanketed with heavy snow.  There were a few cars in and out of the park but for the most part it was empty due to the high altitude and cold weather.  We found a camp site and set up, I think there were a total of four campers.  It was cloudy, cold, and very windy as we drove the Jeep around checking out canyon views.  The "Hoodoos" (rock formations) are beautiful and EVERYWHERE you look in the canyon. It's amazing!  We woke-up around 6AM and shortly after that it started snowing, HARD!!!!!!  I told Sheryl we needed to get the heck out of there before we were stuck for the next three or four days.  Not a big deal in a car, but driving the motorhome in heavy blowing snow is not fun or safe.  We hit the road and it was snowing so hard it looked like a blizzard, the wind was so strong it was blowing sideways.  We finally dropped down in altitude and found our way out of the snow....at least for a little while.  As soon as we started back up a mountain pass it started again.  We made it to Richfield and I told Sheryl we needed to stop as the conditions were getting dangerous.  We stopped in a Wendy's parking lot for about an hour; finally, the snow blowing hurricane subsided and we continued on our way.  A few more miles down the highway and we left the snow behind.  We arrived at Arches National Park around 4PM to find that all the campsites in the park were full, so drove south towards Moab and found a RV park for the night.  It was cloudy, windy, and cold so we opted to forgo driving the Jeep to the canyon, stayed in the motorhome, and Sheryl cooked a great dinner.  Hopefully tomorrow will be better and we can see the famous arches.  If so, photos to follow!  Attached are a few photos of Bryce Canyon and some of the scenery on the way to Arches.

Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon

Can you tell Sheryl was cold!

Can you count all the Hoodoos?

Bryce Canyon; our campground

Bryce, our campsite

On the way to Arches National Park

On the way to Arches National Park

On the way to Arches National Park

On the way to Arches National Park

Zion Nation Park, Utah

We left the Grand Canyon this morning around 9AM and headed north for Zion Nation Park in Utah.  It was about 270 miles and I told Sheryl that it should be an easy one day trip.  The drive was soooo beautiful I started  to think it might take two days to get there due to us stopping so many times to ooooh & ahhhhh and take photos.  We left the Grand Canyon south rim and headed out AZ-64 to the east and then AZ-89 north.  This area for hundreds of miles in every direction belongs to the Navajo Indian Nation.  We continued north and caught 89A that runs back to the west.  We were basically on the north side of the Grand Canyon.  We crossed several mountain passes, passing through the towns of Jacob Lake, Fredonia, and Kanab.  We then took   Hwy-9 to the main entrance of Zion Nation Park.  Then the fun started.  We paid our park entrance fee and were told that our motorhome and tow-vehicle (Jeep) was too long for the up-coming tunnel.  Nothing over 50 feet can pass through the tunnel.  We would have to disconnect the Jeep and Sheryl would have to drive it through the tunnel while I drove the motorhome.  For some reason the Jeep would not start, we had to jump-start it.  Seems fine now.  I also had to pay an additional $15.00 for an "escort fee" to the park service due to the size of the motorhome.  After disconnecting the Jeep, I headed for the tunnel and Sheryl followed.  Upon approaching the tunnel there was a check station maned by Park Rangers and I was stopped.  They checked my  $15.00 permit and told me to wait.  This escort fee is due to them having to close the tunnel so it's completely clear of traffic before I could pass through it.  The reason?  The tunnel top clearance at the centerline is 13'1", the dome shaped edges were 11'3".  Our motorhome is 12'3" high and 8.6' wide.  I had to drive down the centerline of the road making sure I didn't wonder to the sides as I would hit the top!  This tunnel was not concrete, it was carved out of the mountain, plus there were several sharp curves in the tunnel.  I have to say, that was an experience.   Upon exiting the tunnel I was able to breath again. The mountains, cliffs, and gorges that appeared were unbelievable.  This place is so beautiful, words cannot describe.  We found an RV park with an available spot right on the Virgin River, so, this will be home for the next three days.  I will post some photographs tomorrow.

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Up early, had our coffee and jumped in the Jeep.  Made a 20 mile run to Hurricane, Utah for groceries at Walmart.   Spent the better part of the day driving around the park and even found a few jeep/four-wheeler trails to checkout.  Photographs can never do places like this justice, you just have to see it for yourself!

Tomorrow we are off to Bryce Canyon.   GREAT!  I get to transit the tunnel again.

Can you say "That's A BIG ROCK!"

The motorhome is 12'3" high and 38' long.  These boulders came from the top of the butte.  They're scattered all around this area. 

Zion

Zion, was a very overcast day.

Zion Nation Park, Utah

Weeping Rock Falls, Zion
 

Temple of Sinawava falls,
Zion Nation Park, Utah

Zion

Zion

Zion

Zion

Road leading from tunnel into Zion

Tried to move this, but it would not budge!!!!