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Published: April 30th 2012
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First and foremost: please forgive all the mistakes in all my blogs. I have only a small amount of battery in my computer and no chance of plugging it in while bush/backcountry camping. There is no way I can edit them because I have to type real fast and then shut it down. You can tell me all about them when I get back home J
After a week of madness in Las Vegas with two of my closest friends (I meant to write ‘oldest’, but I don’t want to offend anyone) eating in top restaurants, drinking and gambling I took off to the Valley of Fire State Park just on the border to Arizona and the Hover Dam. It all seems to surround the Colorado River and the Grand Canyon (I’ve been there as well before, not this time though). The Valley of Fire is just that at sunset, the ocker sand stones, not unlike our own Uluru, turns bright red when the evening sun hits them and I hope the pictures do this magnificent landscape some justice. Not much to report from there, I went to bed really early and tried to catch up on all the hours
of sleep I missed hanging out with my friends in Vegas. Just a little advice from an old woman: if you find people who you love and who seem to love you back, no matter what, hang on to them. It’s a rare relationship that lasts over decades, ups and downs etc. You might not know what I’m talking about right now, but when you hit my age you will. Both of those girls took time off work, travelled for hours on a plane just to see me, how about that?
I saw an eagle and an antelope chipmunk in the Valley of Fire and MUST tell Mr Falconer when I see him next.
The next day I took off to the Northern part of Lake Mead, where they filmed ‘Dr Who’ to make pictures for James Walker. You know, the reoccurring scene where an astronaut comes out of the water and he wears a cowboy hat? I promised it to James, however, they must have filmed that scene a while ago because when I arrived the water had receded so badly (the Southwest of US has been in a drought for a few years now – you
all know what that means) the place in the TV series has no water and only green algae and muck. Oh well, in case one of you guys runs into James, please tell him I tried and I took photos of the surrounds for him anyway.
When I arrived at Zion National Park I couldn’t believe the beauty and size of it. I have always wanted to come here and maybe Mrs Young will give you a few minutes to google it. It is amazing!!! I stayed for two days and walked a trail for 5 hours along the Virgin River who is partially responsible for this huge canyon. Please look it up online, I cannot describe it in a few words and the wildlife is breathtaking. I took photos of freestyle climbers so highs up on the walls one can only see three white dots, and the camera has a zoom lens – it’s nuts! Same with a pair of Pellegrine falcons – just two black dots with wings. The campground was a bit busy and I would not like to stay here when the summer season hits, but I made friends with two guys from California on
a snazzy BMW. Although I love the sound of Harleys, here in America they are very common and look more like a sofa on wheels, the roadster kind. They have inbuilt radio and sound systems and the average age of the driver is past retirement for sure, at least that what they look like. I shouldn’t talk, really, but I’m not driving a bike with an espresso machine attached to the back either.
I’m sitting in the Bryce Canyon National Park right now writing this and the sun is going down. It’s getting really cold, tonight might be below zero and chance of snow. How cool is that? I’ve got everything with me, no worries, but waking up with a nice white coating would make me very happy. I’m attempting the Fairyland trail tomorrow, a 5 to 6 hour hike across the rim of the canyon. In case you don’t know where I am, look it up online or watch a movie called ‘Thelma and Louise’, the last scene where they commit suicide and ride off the canyon was shot here. I hope I can upload this blog asap, haven’t come across wifi connections since Vegas. Oh, and please
forgive the typos etc., I haven’t got the time to check everything and I’m sure you understand J Besides, I’m drinking my holiday beer right now, don’t tell Mrs Reece J
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