The great west.

[Cowcatcher]

That's awesome Dennis! I really enjoyed the few years I lived in Colorado and traveled lots of pretty country supplying geldings to dude ranches. I've really thought about hauling my wife n girls out there some day to see some of that country. Lots of my family lives on the Gulf in south Texas so we usually end up down there cuz it's cheap and easy since they own the houses and boats etc. but someday we will go west instead.

 

[dennishoddy]

That's awesome Dennis! I really enjoyed the few years I lived in Colorado and traveled lots of pretty country supplying geldings to dude ranches. I've really thought about hauling my wife n girls out there some day to see some of that country. Lots of my family lives on the Gulf in south Texas so we usually end up down there cuz it's cheap and easy since they own the houses and boats etc. but someday we will go west instead.

While there, I commented on a phrase I'd heard somewhere that we live on a great big rock. It's true. We just don't have them like that around here.
I've always been interested in geology etc, and that area doesn't disappoint. My buddy that we traveled with from Aztec NM has a major in Petroleum engineering and a minor in geology, so we got a pretty good schooling on the trip.
It was amazing to find out how all those rock formations were developed.
Over the Centuries the area was covered in ocean water leaving salt deposits that later eroded and collapsed leaving it as we see it.

https://www.nps.gov/arch/learn/photosmultimedia/geologyvideo.htm

A little about Lake Powell, 200 miles long, with coves running 30-40 miles long.

http://www.lakepowell.org/documents/Lake Powell Geologic Guide.pdf

 

[dennishoddy]

Love the tram ride up. Did you see any bears? Often you can.
If I could afford it, I'd have a second home way outside Albuquerque. I love the desert, particularly at night. Never seen the sky like that anywhere else.
I'm happy for you.

We liked Santa Fe better than Albuquerque. More personable vs a big city. Your correct, there is not much better place to star gaze than a high country desert. Zero humidity to distort the vision. Somebody is living out there other than us.
Didn't do the tram ride as the restaurant on top was under re-construction, scheduled to open in 2019. So we drove up to the Sandia peak by road. Basically the same view with the antenna steel forest in the background.

 

[MacFromOK]

If I could afford it, I'd have a second home way outside Albuquerque.

Have you ever considered a second tent...

 

[TerryMiller]

I looked up Terry Millers Location when we were in Utah, but it was 4 hours from us.

Then you looked in the wrong places. Kanab, UT is roughly 75 miles from Page, AZ, and if you took the Rainbow Bridge tour boat from Wahweap Marina, you were less than that distance. I don't know if there are other marinas on Lake Powell that go to the Rainbow Bridge.

Anyway, sorry we missed each other. Dang good pictures, Dennis. Now, you've seen what I saw in 2002 at Moab that later compelled me to put southern Utah on the "Have to Visit" list when we started traveling. We saw Arches National Park for only 3 hours as we returned to Oklahoma from Idaho. This area REALLY grows on a person.

Within the last week, the wife and I have hiked the Willis Creek slot canyons (4 separate narrows to go through with Willis Creek currently working of a fifth.) We also took a trip to the Toroweap Overlook at the Grand Canyon. That trip requires traveling 61 miles at about 30 mph (to protect tires from sharp rocks) and then the last 3 miles needing high clearance vehicles and 4WD being very helpful. That part of the Canyon is not the wide expanse one sees at the main areas of the Grand Canyon.

Willis Creek slot canyon



The "new" slot canyon being formed...



Toroweap Overlook of the Grand Canyon There were roughly 15 to 20 inflatable rafts working down the Colorado that day while we were there. They were then beaching prior to the Lava Falls Rapids to scout those before going on.



Lava Falls and the rapids there.

 

[Slim Deal]

Now that's the way to take a road trip, no reservations, just pack up and go someplace cool. Those are some awesome pictures Dennis. Thank you and everyone else for sharing your pictures.

 

[dennishoddy]

Then you looked in the wrong places. Kanab, UT is roughly 75 miles from Page, AZ, and if you took the Rainbow Bridge tour boat from Wahweap Marina, you were less than that distance. I don't know if there are other marinas on Lake Powell that go to the Rainbow Bridge.

Anyway, sorry we missed each other. Dang good pictures, Dennis. Now, you've seen what I saw in 2002 at Moab that later compelled me to put southern Utah on the "Have to Visit" list when we started traveling. We saw Arches National Park for only 3 hours as we returned to Oklahoma from Idaho. This area REALLY grows on a person.

]

My fault, I put Kenab UT in my navigation, not Kanab when looking to see how far you were.
We launched from Bullfrog Marina, about mid lake. Stayed at Ticaboo lodge. Nice place, but there are no outside utilities. The resort has its own generators and tack on a 12% charge for a fuel tax.

 

[TerryMiller]

Actually, where you stayed would have been about 5 hours from Kanab. Wahweap Marina is at the far western part of Lake Powell and you were much further east and north from there. That 12% fuel tax added to Utah's "transient (think hotel/motel) tax" would have really added to your stay at Ticaboo.

However, you were better situated to see Arches from Ticaboo. Did you happen to get to go into Canyonlands National Park? At any rate, I hope you and the wife had a great time...

...you WERE with your wife, I presume?

 

[dennishoddy]

Shhhhh!!!!
Lol, it was my wife. We didn’t make it to canyonland NP. Next trip there and Grand Canyon.
We still had to boat 40 miles to the rainbow arch, but his 450 horsepower Cobalt cruises half throttle at 55 mph so it didn’t take long.