Adventures in Geological Fantasylands

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Even outside the main strip of Las Vegas, there was no forgetting that were still in the gambling epi-centre of America. Slot machines lined the walls of gas stations, and glittering casinos pushed out into the desert frontier, offering gas rebates and all-you-can-eat buffets to entice punters for one last fix before they left the state. We left Nevada and all it’s brash glitz for the more mellow state of Arizona to check out the impressive Hoover Dam. The massive concrete dam lies on the mighty Colorado river, and represents a massive feat of engineering (it’s listed as one of the 7 engineering marvels of the world), but is also a story of human loss; over 100 lives were claimed during construction.

From here we headed south-east along one of the last remanants of the Historic Route 66 road between Kingman and Seligman. The “mother road” that inspired many writers, artists and musicians has been largely replaced by the US Highway System, bypassing many of the towns that provided the infamous “kicks on route 66” . Many of the original diners and hotels are now ghostly relics of the past, faded and shuttered, though some remain stoically open, catering to throngs of ageing leather-clad bikers on Harleys, and curious tourists in search of bygone era.

We travelled south towards Sedona sacred to the native people, and heralded as a new-agers paradise. Sedona is said to be a spiritual hotspot and is home to four known energy vortexes, a convergence of energies said to evoke balance, heighten awareness and awaken the spirit. Sprawling among the great red buttes, the touristy, developed town of Sedona seems at odds with peaceful and karmic zen that the area is supposed to possess. However, traveling out into the Red Rock area that flanks the town, among the giant crimson sandstone rocks, tranquillity was restored, and we got a sense of the mojo that flows through here. The ruins at Palatki and Honaki feature rock art dating back from the last ice age, and inscriptions from the Sinagua, Navajo and Hopi tribes that inhabited the area.

From Sedona we ventured north to the ultimate in geological fantasylands – the Grand Canyon. The 446km long canyon was carved 5-6 million years ago by the Colorado River, and the sheer size and scale of the 29km wide, and 16km deep canyon is a site to behold. We opted for the birds-eye view and splashed out on a helicopter ride that took us through the middle of the canyon, and over to the west, east and north rims. Flying through the valley of the canyon, the variegated and layered multi-coloured rock walls seemed to engulf us, and even in the helicopter we were reminded of our own diminutive scale compared to the goliath, hulking mass surrounding us.

We drove north through the Navajo nation through Cameron to Page and the striking Lake Powell and Glen Canyon Dam, and visiting the Coral Pink Sand Dunes in search of a campsite before dark. Unsuccessful due to the Sand Dune buggy racing championships, we decided to bust a move for Zion, and were hurtling along a back road when the law enforcement officers of County Kane pulled us over for speeding. The armed officer cut a scary figure in the fading light, and visions of involving cops and fatal shootouts flashed through our minds, careful not to make any jerky movements, hands visible, we sat deathly still waiting for the officer to approach the vehicle. Turns out they were on the lookout for hoons, and found one travelling at 60mph, in a 40 zone. Half an hour and $90 later we were free to head on to Zion.

Zion National Park was simply breathtaking and we spent hours hiking there through waterfalls, meandering along cliff edges and scaling red rock walls. Further north Bryce Canyon National Park with it’s oddly-shaped sandstone hoodoos was another breath-taking sight. We are constantly amazed at all the natural beauty that the United States has to offer, and it’s great to see that these sights are widely visited by domestic and international tourists. The RV (recreational vehicle) abounds on the roads, and they’re massive. Think of a camper-van on steroids, and you’re only beginning to grasp the size of these mansions on wheels. Still, the road trip is fun, and quite the adventure…

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Comments

[D MJ Binkley]

There is nothing more magical than a sunset in Sedona.
Love the Zion Monoliths