15 - Grand Canyon, AZ and Monument Valley, UT

What a difference a week makes.  From the Las Vegas Strip to the loud silence of the Grand Canyon.  It wasn't as busy as other parks, but it's the beginning of the off-season too.  It really was grand!  You've seen hundreds of pictures and maybe taken some of your own.  These are my favorites from our visit.




Monkey does Grand Canyon

Tree points out a raptor

Hello, Sky!

The true point here is two raptors... condors or ravens?

Wouldn't it be wownderful to soar the GC like this?

This is my favorite GC photo.

A Swedish couple and we traded taking photos of each other.  He hunted down Paul to get him in the pic.

A happy juniper.

When we left the Grand Canyon, we drove through Flagstaff to Monument Valley, UT.  I didn't think I'd left anything in UT, but as it turned out, I loved this part of the southwest.  On a tip from friends, we stayed at Goulding's.  The place itself has a history from the 1920's.  It became the site for a number of John Wayne's westerns.  It's also in the heart of the Navajo Nation.  Now, if we could only get rid of all the red dust!

Hello, Utah.

This is a view of the Valley of the Gods from Muley Point.  (To think I wanted to turn back!)

From the whole Monument Valley visit, this is my favorite photo.  If you click to enlarge, you can see his feet or stingers, depending on whatever insect he is.

This is also from Muley Point.  It's like a mini Grand Canyon.  The road you see is the one we drove.

Kissing rocks.

Straight from a John Wayne movie.

                                                         Rock -- how?

Arched rock near campground.

We're by Mesa Verde National Park now, home of the Anasaszi.  After this on to Denver.  Until next week...

14 - Yosemite to Las Vegas

Last Tuesday (9/07/10), we finally made our turn eastward from the Pacific coast to Yosemite National Park, CA.  The day we arrived was sunny with temp's just right.  Wednesday, which was our first day to visit the park, was overcast and misty.  Big bummer.  We spent the day going to Yosemite Valley.  It was beautiful... just too many people for Paul again. 

I believe Yosemite is one of the most splendid national parks in the U.S.  It has some of the largest pieces of granite in the world.   Its sequoia trees (cousins of the Redwoods) live to about 2,000 years; there are three groves of them in the park (last in the world).

Monkey visits Yosemite

In the middle distance - famous Half Dome

A little waterfall

A sequoia's imitation of Medusa

In and around

El Capitain - The biggest chunk of granite in the world

A different view of El Cap

A fledgling with its own mind

We decided to leave Yosemite on Thursday since we had to drive the Tioga pass road anyway to go into Nevada.  Paul's hands were like ice that morning while getting the camper ready to pull.  (We are avoiding Florida's summer heat after all.)

Totally different view of Half Dome

Glacier scrubbing action

Leaving California for Nevada

Just another gorgeous sequoia to admire

VEGAS, baby!  OK, so it wasn't what Paul thought it would be.  The very first day, we got sucked into a time-share promotion.  At least we got two free dinner and show tickets (= about $200 and 3 hours of our time).  We went to dinner together.  Then he did his thing, and I went to see Vegas - The Show.  Great musical about Las Vegas's history from the 1940's to present.  Hot here.  100 today.  Escaping Florida's what???

My personal favorite - the Bellagio with fountains

Sunday we visited Hoover dam.  It is so huge that even when there, it's hard to realize the scale.  The new highway going around the dam is as awesome as the internet pictures.  Security is tight.

Til next week, when we're in the Grand Canyon.....

13 - Oregon to California

This week has been one of contrasts.  We left Oregon for California on Monday and headed down the coast.  Some may prefer to skip more ocean pictures.  I could never get enough.  It seemed every turn brought another spectacular view!  The day was a bit overcast so some pictures look kind of washed-out.  (Now you know why this Pisces lives in Florida :)

The Poser -- will work for bread 

We finally arrived at our campground in Crescent City, CA, near the redwood forests (yes, still same day -- and don't ask what it took to get Paul to stop for all these pictures). 

On Tuesday, we went exploring in the Jedadiah Smith National Forest.  It was about 12 miles of one-lane gravel road, but... Wow!

The great humbler

This is the road

Of course, some of us are used to being short in a big world

Didn't really expect me to stay away from the ocean long, did you?

Lighthouse at Crescent City.

Nearby beach ...

Meanwhile, back at the local marina... "I'm cool.  I'm Boss sea lion here."

"And this is my harem... they don't work for nobody but me"

We did have to eat.  A little local flavor - best real tacos in town and only $2.59.  No Tex-Mex here.

We reluctantly left Crescent City on Friday for Cloverdale, CA.  My bad on the way.  I convinced Paul to take this little road (towing the camper) in the Humboldt Redwood Forest so I could photograph the biggest redwood around, AND he didn't even get to see it.  (I think he's finally forgiven me:)

We've left the coast and are making the eastward turn Tuesday.  Meanwhile, we feel right  home here in the Sonoma wine country.  'Til next week...

A little Saturday afternoon wine-tasting at Kendall-Jackson

They turn the wine into water for the finches and hummingbirds