Spring 2012: Monday (4/30) – Big Water

Back to work for Vaughan today – at McDonalds and the library seeing the internet is still being temperamental.  Later in the day we drove out to Big Water Utah for a hike up a wash to see an arch.  It was a very tough hike through deep sand so we cut it a little short – only 1 ½ hour.  We climbed up and out and you could see the arch off in the distance.  We decided to walk back on the top of the canyon which was interesting because there were no human footprints but thousands of critter paw prints.  We did see a few bunnies and lots of holes where little critters lived.  On the drive back we saw a huge rock with holes in it and stopped for a photo shoot.  We then stopped at another Glen Canyon Dam view spot that was again pretty high up on a cliff but at least there was a railing.  I LOVE RAILINGS!!

 

 There were some pretty interesting rock formation along this hike. 

 Can you spot Vaughan?

 There were some rocky spots you had to crawl over but most of it was deep sand.

 Here is the arch off in the distance once we crawled out.

 Can you see my pink shirt?

 It was so hot and sandy that you would not want to get close to me by the end of the hike.

 

 Still a beautiful landscape even though it was a tough hike.

 Here is the cool rock along the side of the highway.

 Here is a different view of the Glen Canyon Bridge and Dam.

 Now you can see why I love railings.

Spring 2012: Thursday (4/26) thru Sunday (4/29) – Las Vegas & Tujunga Canyon

For my birthday we decided to go to visit friends in Tujunga Canyon (outside Los Angeles) for the weekend.  On the way we spent the night in Las Vegas at the Luxor hotel/Casino.  The hotel was great and I did end up winning some on the slots.  We also drove by the Pawn Shop for those of you that watch Pawn Stars on TV – the line was too long to go inside.  We had a very nice dinner and visited some of the new casinos.

Friday when we arrived at Chick and Leslie’s they made a wonderful birthday dinner and an amazing Bunny carrot cake.  We sat in the hot tub and laughed and told old stories for hours.  The next evening we went to dinner in La Cañada at Taylor’s Steakhouse – probably one of the best steaks we have ever had.  Sunday we left early to get home to Buddy (our cat) and so that Vaughan could work a little before Monday meetings.  It was a wonderful weekend.

 

This is the Virgin Mountains in Arizona on the border of Nevada.

and this is the Virgin River running through the mountains.

We stayed at the Luxor (the pyramid) on the 24th floor.

Route 15 cuts through the middle of the Mojave Desert in California.

 

Here is my beautiful Bunny birthday cake - carrot cake made from scratch - Yummy!

This is Chick and Leslie's back yard.  Leslie has done a beautiful job landscaping. 

We spent many hours in this hot tub - the weather was perfect.

This is Taylor's Steakhouse - most of you know how much I love a good meal - this was superb.

and here are our fabulous hosts - Leslie & Chick.

Thanks again for a great birthday.

 

Spring 2012: Wednesday (4/25) – The Toadstools

The Toadstools is just over the border in Utah.  Toadstools are formations that have a boulder perched on top of a rock column.  According to the pamphlet, the top layer was formed about 97 million years ago and the lower layer 160 million.  Luckily today was overcast so the temperatures stayed in the low 70s. 

This is the entry to the Toadstools - yet another interesting climb.

This is considered a red toadstool.  

It is interesting how few of these there are. Why did these survive?

Here is my mountain goat once again - always climbing.

This is a white toadstool.

Yuccas are in full bloom.

This is the landscape surrounding the area - white pits with red sandstone bumps on top.

Another white toadstool.

Yes, we are up pretty high again - the road is way down in the valley.

and, yes, Vaughan made me walk out to the edge for a picture.

He kept saying "back up a little farther".

The look on my face is sheer terror.

He owes me a very nice dinner for this one.

 

Spring 2012: Monday (4/23) & Tuesday (4/24) – Waterholes Canyon and Horseshoe Bend

Monday was a very full work day for Vaughan – 5:30AM til 10:00PM.  He’s trying to get things done so we can take off this Thursday and Friday.  Our plans are to start out Thursday morning and drive to Vegas to spend the night at the Luxor for my birthday (Fri).  Friday morning we will leave for Tajunga Canyon (outside Los Angeles) to spend my birthday weekend with close friends Chick and Leslie.

Today (Tues) the internet was not working as well so Vaughan had to work at MacDonalds for a little while (see picture below).  We then drove over to the Navajo Lechee Chapter House to obtain a permit to hike Waterholes Canyon.  This is another amazing slot canyon that you have to climb down into at one end and then out at the other – not an easy feat.  Seeing this is not a tourist type hike there was only 2 other people on the trail.  As you’re walking through there are hundreds of lizards scattering along the sides of the canyon beside you.  It’s like the walls are moving.  Once you climb back out of the canyon there is a sacred place the Navajo call “The Fence” – another Navajo Sandstone formation.

Later in the day we hiked up to see Horseshoe Bend - a beautiful place, but way out of my comfort zone.  It was all I could do to take these pictures. There is a sheer cliff with a 1000 foot drop to the Colorado river below.

At least Vaughan found a little shade to work under. 

This was a very narrow canyon in parts.

The Navajo Sandstone seems to flow around you.

Can you spot 2 lizards? They would run all around us.

This is what it looked like climbing down in - a little difficult in some spots - had to get on my butt.

There were some interesting places along the way.

The path was mostly flat but there were some spots we had to climb up through. 

A little tight ...

and a little twisty ...

and then there was the no-water water slide sections. 

 I am standing about 6 feet above him and am about to slide down on my bottom again.

Once we climbed back up out at the other end there was the sacred place Navajo call "The Fence".

Here I am looking up at "The Fence".

Another section of "The Fence".

This is on top of the canyon walls.

I couldn't resist this beautiful cactus - one large stalk with 6 little ones around it's base - all blooming.

Another view from the top - very rugged looking country.

This is Horseshoe Bend - now you can see why I was so nervous.

This is the only way  I would get close to the edge.

Vaughan is always more daring.

Spring 2012: Sunday (4/22) – Wahweap Marina & Cruise on Antelope and Navajo Canyons

Such a beautiful day to spend on the water.  We went over to Wahweap Marina on Lake Powell and boarded the Desert Shadow for a 2 ½ hour cruise.  Heading out on the dock we saw a few bass and lots of carp.  Although it was about 90 degrees there was a beautiful breeze and plenty of shade on the boat.  We first cruised past the dam, then into Antelope Canyon, and then into Navajo Canyon.

Wahweap Marina is only a few miles from Glean Canyon Dam.

I have never seen so many huge house boats - even on Lake Lanier.

This is the boat we were on.  We stayed on the top deck under the canopy so we wouldn't fry.

Here is the entry to Antelope Canyon.

This is a great place for kayaking - very calm.

The lower white portion of the canyon walls is where the waterline was back in the 1980's.

This is in Navajo Canyon.  

They call these large walls Navajo Tapestries because of all the many colors and shapes.

This is another tapestry wall.

This is coming back out of Navajo Canyon.

This is Castle Rock. Many movies were shot here including the original Planet of the Apes and more recently the John Travolta movie Broken Arrow.