Sept 7 thru Sept 17, 2010

After final preparations were executed we took off eastbound on the I-84 toward Boise, ID. The motorhome was running increasingly rough along the way, and when we stopped at a rest area upon inspection I noticed a few of the spark plug wires which I installed had popped off, I guess I didn't mash them on hard enough..We got back on the highway and later when we exited to get fuel, we ran out of gas while waiting for the light to change at the end of the exit ramp (running on 5 of 8 cylinders will burn some extra gas). Luckily we carry many gas cans so I only had to endure the embarrassment of refueling there in traffic! Well we survived that & parked for the night in a vacant lot close to the gas station.
The next morning we drove over to the Peregrine Fund World Birds of Prey facility. There are hawks, falcons, eagles, owls, kestrels, kites & condors live in cages. They have a wealth of information on raptors & falconry. A lady showed us a turkey vulture (buzzard to you uneducated heathens) up close & personal and later a different lady displayed a Peregrine Falcon. I highly recommend a visit to this wonderful facility. Afterward we drove (in the cold & rain) to the Garden of Eden Truck Plaza in Eden, ID. The next day we ate up alot of miles, winding up just south of Salt Lake City. Still cold, windy & raining. There we found a Sam's Club parking lot & stayed for the night. We have enjoyed being able to watch broadcast tv the last couple of days (we are tv junkies).
The next day we took off south down the I-15 to Scipio, then east on US 50 to Hwy 24where we stopped in Richfield, UT for lunch and supplies at Walmart. While parked there I tightened 2 squealing belts without busting my knuckles..From there we got on the 119 all the way to Torrey, at the gateway to Capitol Reef Nat'l Park. Stayed the night in a vacant lot next to a burger joint.
It was very cold & windy last night (same cold front we've been running from for a few days), but clear & calm this morning. We drove into Capitol Reef N. P., toured the visitor center then drove the 10 mile scenic road which ended at the Capitol Gorge (the road became dirt and narrower so we couldn't drive it). We walked about a quarter mile for many photos, then drove the rest of the park on (paved) hwy 24. This beautiful & interesting stretch has many colorful monuments & canyons, as well as the old Fruita schoolhouse, fruit orchards, the Capitol Dome formation and the Fremont Indian Petroglyphs. We left the park and got on hwy 12 toward Bryce Canyon Nat'l Park, passing through the Grand Staircase/Escalante Monument. Highway 12 in this area is a twisting, turning, up & down adventure but has many spectacular scenic overlooks! Stopped for the night alongside a rest area in Escalante, UT.
Warmer this morning. Went down the 12 to the town of Bryce Canyon (est. 2007), near the entrance to the park. Parked the r.v. & got on the shuttle bus to hit all the highlights out to Bryce Point. The Bryce Canyon (not really a canyon after all) is chocked full of hoodoos, spires, monuments & a huge variety of colors and varied landscapes! After going thru the visitor center (including watching a neat video) we went back to the r.v. to drive the long end of the park 18 miles to Rainbow Point. Plenty more of the amazing features which abound in this great park, including Thor's Hammer & a huge natural bridge. After lunch we got on the 12 to US 89 south toward Kanab. This highway took us through more of the Grand Staircase, Kanab Canyon and the coral pink sand area. We arrived in Kanab and stopped to visit the Little Hollywood of the West Museum--which has some buildings & artifacts from western movie sets done in the region. This tourist trap did not live up to the hype which preceded it; it was just o.k...afterward we found a vacant lot in town in which to spend the night.
Monday morning we took off on the Honda heading south on the Alt. 89. The terrain went from flat desert to mountain tops. We stopped at a pullout to view the colorful Vermillion Cliffs. Continued thru mostly burned forest & got onto hwy 67 south to Grand Canyon Nat'l Park, North Rim. Walked out to many viewpoints then had lunch at the deli near the lodge. We left the visitor center & took a road leading to Imperial Point. Best view ever! At the 8,800 ft. elevation you can see everything well, and the air was clear on this day. We easily viewed features on the other side of the canyon--Marble Canyon, Vermillion Cliffs & mountains 135 miles away. We left the park and headed back to Kanab, staying the night in the same vacant lot in town.
After getting fuel, fresh water & dumping the black/grey tanks we set out on US 89, then hwy 9 toward Zion Nat'l Park. This 12 mile stretch (mostly under vigorous construction) runs thru mountains & canyons with many switchbacks; westbound is all downhill and many one-lane stretches. The highway went through an unlit tunnel (one way) over one mile long! An hour later than we thought we would, we arrived at Zion and after a bite to eat boarded the shuttle bus to the first of many stops: the Temple of Sinawava, Weeping Rock, Angels Landing, The Grotto, Zion Lodge. Zion NP features huge sandstone monuments/cliffs, some of which are among the largest in the world. Took 2 hikes of 1 mile each--1st one along the Virgin River, which created the canyon, 2nd to Emerald Pool with it's blowing waterfall. After seeing a video in the museum theater we left the park. Note: Zion was the least scenic park of the "big 5" of Utah, in our opinion. We then headed south on the 9 and stopped for the night at Walmart (not again!) on the far side of Hurricane, UT.
Wednesday we took off south on hwy 9 to I-15, south toward Las Vegas, NV. After stopping at a Walmart in the city, we decided to find an r.v. park. Got on the I-515/93/95 toward Boulder City and quickly found the $16 per night Roadrunner R.V. Park, where we paid for 2 nights. Later we got on the Honda and rode onto The Strip. Took many photos of casinos & The Welcome Sign, then headed "home". Thought we were going to die from the heat..
Next morning we went on the motorcycle down hwy 93 thru Henderson and Boulder City to Hoover Dam. The facilities and the dam are huge! The tours, parking and admission to the visitor center are pricey, though. The dam is truly a magnificent feat of engineering, and Lake Mead is a beautiful blue. We then came back to the r.v. park, and later in the evening we went back to The Strip (Las Vegas Blvd) to see it at night. Saw the volcano at the Mirage and the fountains at the Bellagio (a must-see). We walked many miles, took a thousand photos, then went back to the house, pretty late for us...
Left Las Vegas early this morning, heading south on the 93. Crossed over Hoover Dam into Arizona. Stopped for lunch & wifi at McDonalds in Kingman, AZ, but due to the remodelling taking place, no wifi. Continued east on the I-40 into Williams (gateway to the Grand Canyon & a nostalgic Route 66 town), where we stopped & parked for the night at a roadside park. That evening we walked over to Rod's Steakhouse for a nice dinner. Unfortunately, no tv or wifi at this location...