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The Tunnel at Zion
If you look carefully in the center cliff you can see one of the six openings used to dig the tunnel.Leaving Zion
After a day of driving through southern Utah and northern Arizona, we agee that nothing is quite as impressive as Zion Canyon. We crossed the famous mile long tunnel on Route 9 that was constructed as a shortcut to Bryce Canyon at the behest of the railroads. The tunnel was interesting only from a historic standpoint as it was not easy to construct and was the longest tunnel at its time.
We had been told by our tour guides that when we crossed to the other side we would enter into a different world and we truly did. Gone were the sheer jagged cliffs cut by the Virgin, in were smooth undulations of thin sandstone sheets. The white and red sandstone was still there but rather than shaved pieces of rock, it looked like it had oozed up as lava. This eastern area had had the time to be eroded properly by wind and rain so that it could take on these shapes and reflect on the softness of the rock.
We saw the famed Checkerboard Mesa, but we felt there were much more interesting and impressive mountains elsewhere on the route. In any event, these are
Slow Down! Slow Down!
I'm going the speed limit dammit! Boy, sure looks steep right there doesn't it? Better slow down then, we might fall over - never driven off the road but maybe Zion is where I will start. all in the pictures, so you can be the judge.
Southern Utah
Everything is relative but the change in landscape in southern Utah is amazing and so dramatic that it begs to make anyone want to become a geologist. After moving south from the Bryce and Zion Canyons area and into Kanab, UT we broke out into a wide plain with towering mesas following us to the north as we headed east along the Arizona border. Temperatures were pushing to 60 degrees and below and the rain showers were readily visible - the north towards Bryce looked fine but the south and west did not. We decided to press towards Lake Powell despite. We were first greeted by slush/hail and sporadic rain showers for the rest of the day. The sun and clearings broke through for long enough that we had some decent weather once in the Glen Canyon area - but not good enough to boat. The fun began and ended here . . .
Glen Canyon Sandtrap
I thought it was all about Lake Powell and drunken boaters but before it became Lake Powell this area was Glen Canyon and it remains a National
Zion Arch
The landmark near the entry to the tunnel. Google will tell you how big it is. Recreation Area by that name. As we approached the Glen Canyon Dam and the town of Page, at times coming to 100MPH while passing, we shot past and so returned to the entrance of Glen Canyon marked as "Lone Rock" as a tall mesa stands singularly in the center of the lake. We paid the obligatory $15 for entry with the ranger giving some tips on avoiding the sand near restroom 9 as it was soft. I assumed this meant we should not walk there. Yeah. So we realized we would be driving on sand and somehow made it through to the "beach" by restroom 8, looked around, bunch of campers and tents swept by the cold wind, there was the lone rock,
, done, get back in the car I'm freezing. We head back, forget the path by restroom 8 as it seemed a bit challenging and shoot for restroom 7. Sorry, no pictures, too much frustration as we progressively spun the wheels of the Sebring deeper and deeper into the sand. Shove planks of wood, flat river rocks, whatever we could find, dislodged ourselves from one spot, backed up some, but got hopelessly stuck in another. The entire Peak to the Heavens
Loomed above us as we waited to enter the tunnel. hood of the car, my sweatshirt, my mouth were covered in pink sand. We must've dropped the right front wheel 6 inches below level so the undercarriage was hugging sand solidly. Finally I sent Jennifer to get the Ranger. I continued digging like only Bailey can in her litterbox to no avail. 10 minutes later a big black menacing pickup with dark tints and bigfoot tires shows up with something about Tattoos across the back window and something about "F*** Flagstaff". I'm not sure whether to stay or run, but I see Jennifer's silhouette in there as the truck effortlessly circles the car. Finally four guys covered in 'tats' clamber out along with Jennifer and say they're going to push it out - I don't argue, the sand does the arguing for me. They ask us if we have any cold beers or coke - no, we have spiced rum and warm water. That didn't work, sorry guys. Finally they crawl under the Sebring and attach a strap to the axle and the other end to the trailer hitch, I'm regretting not getting the insurance policy on the thing. No sweat, we were out in 10 minutes time. These guys Whoa! That's Government Property!
Apparently big rocks are meant to be thrown. Notice how undulating the rocks are above. were the best, nicest group of guys you could find in the desert. I'm not sure whether to be thankful or not for sending Jennifer out, but I doubt I would've been coming back with them if I had gone, I'm just THAT shy!
Page, AZ
What a creative name, founded in 1957, which coincides with the opening of the nearby dam, not much of a town - it is mostly motels and fast food joints. Here we are, stumbling in. First thing we hit - the gas station to verify the right front tire which now has a gouge in the sidewall and was smoking profusely from the boards and rocks in the sandtrap is not fully punctured - no, good, we can drive on that a few more hundred miles right! Grab some gas since the tank is now empty after high revs in the sandtrap. Wow! They have a carwash in this place! The driver's doorsill had so much sand I actually used the spray hose to clean it out. Straight to the hotel after that. The A/C blew pink sand for the rest of the trip, the air intake must've inhaled a ton of Old Riverbed
You would not expect to find a riverbed here but there was one - this is the eastern side of the park, very unusual and complex. the stuff. The Holiday Inn Express is okay, location stinks, stay at the Best Western or Courtyard if you come here!
Indian Country
Boating . . . nixed, Antelope Canyon Tour . . . nixed, Antelope Canyon Boat Tour . . . nixed. What to do? Hang out at the Glen Canyon, brush up Jennifer's education on hydroelectric generation and geography. Eat some Taco Bell. Visit Wahweap and trample the brush off-trail and get some great views of the lake - cool, Jennifer's idea! Finally we make our 10 mile trek towards Antelope Point in tribal lands. You can't miss the area - the Navajo Generating Station is a massive coal-powered plant generating 2,250 MW, compared to 1,304 MW for the turbines at Glen Canyon, and three 775 foot chimneys, the tallest structures in Arizona. It is also one of 12 dirtiest plants in the United States, located a couple hundred yards away from the Navajo's own sacred Antelope Canyon. Hang a left right before those and you go down the four mile drive to the Antelope Point marina which includes our dining place for the evening, Ja' di' To'oh. Don't know what it means, but it's a Another Monolith
Manny kind of liked this one. floating restaurant attached to the longest passerelle we've ever seen, so long they offer golf cart rides to get you to and from. The place looks sharp and modern as you can see in the exterior photos but the interior is cavernous with tables scattered about and like everywhere, the staff, especially the Navajos, were extremely friendly so you couldn't hold it against them when you had to explain to them what is on their beer list. The food is good, the view better than anywhere else in town. Go here, it's not much but it's the best. The cuisine is classic American.
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