2017 September | rvSeniorMoments

Sep 26

Campground #50

Boulder City, NV – Campground #50

This is it — our last stop before returning to Crazy Horse!

After leaving Crazy Horse Campground in Lake Havasu City on February 27 — it’s been seven months on the road. What a trip!

Here are some highlights from our 7 months . . .

Makoshika State Park (August) — an unexpected find in Montana
Breakdown! (July) — definitely not a high point, but a “learning experience”
Ann’s Italian Restaurant (June) — it will always be our second home.
Taliesin (June) –Frank Lloyd Wright. What more needs to be said?
Pioneer Beach RV Resort (March) — letting Flirt run free on the Padre Island National Seashore. One happy dog.
SXSW in Austin, TX (March) — greatest moment: seeing Yoonmirae at KPOP Night Out.

Sep 26

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Zion National Park — Day 3

We Did It Again!

Up at 6:30 am, out the door at 7:30, arrive at Zion just before 8 . . . and there’s parking available at the Visitor Center !!!

Sound familiar?

But Day 3 (Sunday) was really cold — low 40s. A park guide warned people going to The Narrows that the water was freezing from a recent snow melt.

ZION LODGE

We took the park shuttle bus from the Visitor Center to Zion Lodge. The plan was to hike to the Emerald Pools, but we stopped in the lodge, found out they were serving breakfast, and, well, the rest is history . . .

Breakfast at the Red Rock Grill

EMERALD POOLS

The Walk Up (click on a photo for a slideshow) . . .

The First Pool & the Walk Back (click on a photo for a slideshow) . . .

SAND BENCH TRAIL

We decided to take the Sand Bench Trail down canyon from Zion Park Lodge (stop #5) to the Court of the Patriarchs (stop #4).

The Sand Bench Trail is a horse trail . . .

There Be Horses

The Sandy Bench Trail is also a very sandy trail. It was slow walking, but the scenery was . . .

The Patriarchs

Sep 23

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Zion National Park — Day 2

Zion Shuttle Map (click on map to enlarge) — the Visitor Center is two stops below #3

Up at 6:30 am, out the door at 7:30, arrive at Zion just before 8 . . . and there’s parking available at the Visitor Center !!!

On our way to the park we were passed several times by cars who were also heading into Zion. This is serious stuff.

Love the shuttle

We took the park shuttle “up canyon” to the end of the line — Temple of Sinawava (stop #7). This is where you can walk into The Narrows via a stream. We weren’t up to nor equipped for a water hike so we stopped when the foot trail ended, about 1/2 mile before The Narrows.

Riding Zion’s A-Train

By the way, before I forget, I can’t say enough about Zion’s shuttle bus service . . . timely, fast, efficient, and great bus drivers.

TEMPLE OF SINAWAVA

Most of the people on our shuttle bus got off here.

Click on a photo below for a slide show . . .

We First Thought that this was Painted on the Rocks

The Trail Follows the River to The Narrows

Entry Point into The Narrows

The Walk Back

WEEPING ROCK

Stop #7 — a steep walk . . .

THE GROTTO TO ZION LODGE WALK

We decided to walk the mile or so from the Grotto shuttle stop (#6) back to Zion Lodge where we had lunch.

Building at the Grotto

Along the Trail to Zion Lodge

ABOUT THE CROWDS . . .

As we left the park at about Noon, and our shuttle pulled into a very crowded first stop . . .

Get to Zion Early

FINAL THOUGHTS: BRYCE VS ZION

First, Bryce National Park is at 7,500 feet plus, so hiking there is much different than in Zion where you’re walking in a valley — at Bryce you’re walking on the rim.

If we had to choose between the two, I think we would select Bryce . . . mainly because of the massive crowds at Zion.

However, if you have the time, see them both. We’re glad we did.

Sep 21

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Zion National Park – Day 1

One Very Crowded Campground

We’ll, actually it’s Day 2 because we arrived on Tuesday . . . and it’s crowded . . . at our campground and at Zion.

We made a brief foray into the park this afternoon (Wednesday) to get the feel of the park. It’s very crowded. Did we say that before?

Anyway, we plan to take a side trip to a sand desert near Zion on Wednesday. Then get up early on Thursday and try to snag a parking space in the park in order to take the Zion shuttle around the park.

We visited the Zion Visitor’s Center today, bought a couple of T-shirts, and gathered some info.

Zion Visitor Center

PHOTOS FROM HIGHWAY 9

Sep 17

Bryce Canyon National Park

Our Stops Around Bryce Canyon – Click on map to enlarge

If you liked the Grand Canyon, then you’ll love Bryce. Definitely belongs on your bucket list.

We drove to Rainbow Point and took pictures at waysides on our way out of the park. When you do this, you don’t have to cut across traffic — and there was a good amount of traffic. We’ll let our photos speak for themselves.

RAINBOW POINT (Elevation 9,115 feet)